An employee sorts a box of wood handles in the warehouse of the Vaughan & Bushnell Manufacturing Co. facility in Bushnell, Illinois.

U.S. worker productivity rose more than expected in the second quarter amid an increase in hours, but the trend remained weak, suggesting that robust economic growth could remain elusive.

The Labor Department said on Wednesday nonfarm productivity, which measures hourly output per worker, increased at a 0.9 percent annualized rate in the April-June period. First-quarter productivity was revised to show it edging up at a 0.1 percent pace instead of being unchanged as previously reported.

Compared to the second quarter of 2016, productivity increased at a 1.2 percent rate. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast productivity increasing at a 0.7 percent pace in the second quarter.

The government also revised data going back to 2014, in line with recent revisions to gross domestic product figures.

Those revisions showed productivity falling 0.1 percent in 2016, the first drop since 1982. That suggests the economy's potential rate of growth has declined.

Anemic productivity is bad news for President Donald Trump who has pledged to boost annual economic growth to 3.0 percent through tax cuts, infrastructure spending and a rollback of regulation.

Economists blame soft productivity on a shortage of workers as baby boomers retire as well as the impact of rampant drug addiction in some parts of the country. A report on Tuesday showed job openings surging to a record 6.2 million in June.

Other economists also argue that low capital expenditure, which they say has resulted in a sharp drop in the capital-to-labor ratio, is holding down productivity.

There is also a perception that productivity is being inaccurately measured, especially on the information technology side. Annual economic growth has not surpassed 3 percent or more since 2005. Gross domestic product expanded at a 2.6 percent annualized rate in the second quarter.

Hours worked increased at a rate of 2.5 percent in the April-June period after rising at a 1.6 percent pace in the first quarter. As a result, output per worker surged at a 3.4 percent rate, the fastest since the first quarter of 2015, after rising at a 1.8 percent pace at the start of the year.

Unit labor costs, the price of labor per single unit of output, increased at a 0.6 percent pace in the second quarter after jumping t a 5.4 percent rate in the January-March period.

Compared to the second quarter of 2016, unit labor costs fell at a 0.2 percent rate.
I got a call from an old friend, a veteran trader who had worked on hedge funds and as a high-level stock strategist for many years before being laid off earlier this year.



He called to tell me that he had finally obtained a job, working as a strategist at a very respectable firm. I realized he was one of about a dozen friends who had been fired from senior positions in the last year, and he was the only one who had gotten another job.



Call it The Great Paradox, or Wall Street's Miserable Summer: Even as the markets hit new highs and investor sentiment remains strong, Wall Street continues to lay off its own.



Among the 10 leading global investment banks, head count for traders in fixed income, equities and investment banking are down more than 20 percent from 2011 to 2016 and are declining again this year, according to Coalition, a business intelligence provider.



What's behind this? Another year of record low volatility, low volume, oceans of money leaving active management for passive investing, and the growing use of artificial intelligence to pick stocks for even active managers means that sell-side traders and many hedge funds are suffering through another year of slow business.



In the old days, volume would pick up as stocks hit record highs time and again, but no more.



You can see the miserable state of the trading business in the results from companies like Virtu , one of the world's largest market makers in stocks, bonds, commodities and currencies. They reported earnings this week. CEO Doug Cifu summarized the state of the business: "With volatility measures globally at historic lows, challenging conditions for market makers persisted in the second quarter."



That's putting it mildly: Total revenues were down 16.8 percent year over year. Trading income was down 18.2 percent.



How slow has it been? Here's some excerpts from the report:

1) Why the markets seem so boring. The major indices crawl to new highs, but they aren't moving much on an intraday basis. Realized intraday volatility for the S&P 500 was just 55 basis points in the second quarter. That means on any given day the S&P moved about a half-percent from its high to its low. That's about 12 points. That's 41 percent lower than it was last year.



2) Why traders are getting worried about their jobs. Low volatility means less trading. Average daily consolidated U.S. equity share volume declined 6 percent year over year.



3) The slowdown is happening everywhere, not just the U.S. In Europe, realized intraday volatility dropped 50 percent in the Euro Stoxx 50 index; volume declined 13 percent. In Japan, realized intraday volatility of the Nikkei 225 index dropped 62 percent year over year; volume declined 9 percent.



4) It's not just stocks, it's happening in commodity and bond trading as well. the JPMorgan commodity volatility index dropped 18 percent year over year, as did other measures of commodity volatility. The Deutsche Bank FX Volatility Index (CVIX), a measure of investors' expectations of future currency volatility, declined 29 percent.

Traders are not just getting fired  they're getting paid less. Pay is down 5 percent to 15 percent for equity sales traders just from 2015 to 2016, according to Johnson Associates.



Is it all over for a Wall Street career? Not necessarily  but forget about the traditional analyst and trading job. UBS says they are hiring psychologists, as well as experts from fields like pricing and shipping, to complement the firm's research process. Others are hiring behavioral psychologists, social media consultants and computer geeks who can write code to execute complicated algorithms.



"We're hiring physicists, we're not hiring Ivy League athletes," Cifu told me.



CNBC's Kirsten Chang contributed to this report
People wave banners and shout slogans as they attend a rally in support of North Korea's stance against the US, on Kim Il-Sung square in Pyongyang on August 9, 2017.

Tension escalated between North Korea and the United States after President Donald Trump warned the rogue state is facing "fire and fury" and North Korea state media responded by saying the country is considering a missile strike against the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam.

Global and national stock markets, however, remain largely unperturbed.

While safe havens such as gold saw a bump, the CBOE Volatility Index is still down more than 16 percent this year, and the Dow and declined less than 0.5 percent in trading Wednesday.

"The whole idea of a nuclear attack seems so far-fetched or idiotic  that most [investors] are giving this a very low probability," Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at the Leuthold Group, told CNBC.

Paulsen says the current market moves are limited to "traders reacting to headlines," calling the situation an "extreme bluster from two leaders who have an abundance of bluster."

Yet as the crisis unfolds, how should investors respond?

The investment team at Columbia Threadneedle, which has around $467 billion in assets under management, on Aug. 3 published the firm's take on what investors should "do when headlines move markets." This post was popular on the Harvest Exchange research sharing website.

Avoiding an "emotional reaction" is crucial when deciding whether to actually move money in response to a geopolitical event, Columbia Threadneedle says, and investors should ask themselves the three following questions:

"Is a superpower involved?" "Is there a risk to oil prices?" "Is there a risk to the global financial system?"

The tension with North Korea appears to require an affirmative answer to the firm's first question, as the isolated nation's threat of a missile attack on Guam would fulfill Columbia Threadneedle's criterion for the potential of a superpower being "quickly drawn into a situation." North Korea's saber rattling also could quickly escalate and "ignite involvement from several other countries," to other points the firm said investors must gauge.

For right now, the financial system and oil markets don't seem to be at risk.

Paulsen believes the situation is not yet there, but said financial markets will start to react "the longer this goes on intensifying without someone or something defusing it."

Columbia Threadneedle's post caveats that the bottom line is knowing when to "wait out what is most likely to be a short-term spike in headline-fueled volatility."

"With Trump in office, 'trash talk' is becoming commonplace, with little follow through, and he has found an equally big trash talker in North Korea," Paulsen added.
Students from all over the world apply to attend America's colleges and universities, but one country is now more popular than ever with international applicants  Canada. The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers surveyed over 250 American colleges and universities and found that 39 percent of Americans schools witnessed a decline in international applications in the last year. Canadian schools, on the other hand, have seen a dramatic increase in applications from abroad. For example, Wilfrid Laurier University reported 32 percent increase in applications from abroad, McMaster University reported a 33 percent increase and the University of Toronto (Canada's top-ranked and largest university) saw a 20 percent increase.

International student Anh Cao was the University of Toronto valedictorian for the class of 2015. Keith Beaty | Getty Images

When Leigh-Ellen Keating, director of international services at Brock University in Ontario, attended a recruitment fair in Mexico, she saw first-hand how drastically Canada's popularity had increased. She told Inside Higher Ed, "The table was flooded with people, which is not historically what I have seen. They just want to go to Canada, and historically I think a lot of them would go to the States." Student recruitment professionals attribute the decline in applications to the United States to concern about visa policy. According to The Washington Post, the Department of Homeland Security is considering a proposal that would require foreign students to reapply for permission to study in the United States every year they attend school. Some students are choosing to go to school in The Great White North because of cost. Maddie Zeif, an 18-year-old from Vermont, decided to attend the University of British Columbia because it was the most cost-efficient option. She told The Times, "I will be paying almost the same amount as my in-state tuition without factoring in any financial aid yet." The average cost for an international student to attend a public university in Canada is approximately $17,264. The cost for international students to study at a four-year public college in the United States is $24,930 and it is incredibly rare for international students to receive financial aid in the United States.

University of British Columbia peterspiro | Getty Images
Our live blog tracked market reaction to U.S. crude stockpile data showing a bigger-than-expected drawdown in oil inventories.

Read the analysis below.
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
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Cenovus Energy Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas in Canada, the United States, and the Asia Pacific region. The company operates through Oil Sands, Conventional, Offshore, Canadian Manufacturing, U.S. Manufacturing, and Retail segments. The Oil Sands segment develops and produces bitumen and heavy oil in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan. This segments Foster Creek, Christina Lake, Sunrise, and Tucker oil sands projects, as well as Lloydminster thermal and conventional heavy oil assets The Conventional segment holds assets primarily located in Elmworth-Wapiti, Kaybob-Edson, Clearwater, and Rainbow Lake operating in Alberta and British Columbia, as well as interests in various natural gas processing facilities. The offshore segment engages in the exploration and development activities. The Canadian Manufacturing segment includes the owned and operated Lloydminster upgrading and asphalt refining complex, which upgrades heavy oil and bitumen into synthetic crude oil, diesel fuel, asphalt, and other ancillary products, as well as owns and operates the Bruderheim crude-by-rail terminal and two ethanol plants. The U.S. Manufacturing segment comprises the refining of crude oil to produce diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, asphalt, and other products. The Retail segment consists of marketing of its own and third-party refined petroleum products through retail, commercial, and bulk petroleum outlets, as well as wholesale channels. Cenovus Energy Inc. was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Brookfield Asset Management is an alternative asset manager and REIT/Real Estate Investment Manager firm focuses on real estate, renewable power, infrastructure and venture capital and private equity assets. It manages a range of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients. It typically makes investments in sizeable, premier assets across geographies and asset classes. It invests both its own capital as well as capital from other investors. Within private equity and venture capital, it focuses on acquisition, early ventures, control buyouts and financially distressed, buyouts and corporate carve-outs, recapitalizations, convertible, senior and mezzanine financings, operational and capital structure restructuring, strategic re-direction, turnaround, and under-performing midmarket companies. It invests in both public debt and equity markets. It invests in private equity sectors with focus on Business Services include infrastructure, healthcare, road fuel distribution and marketing, construction and real estate; Industrials include manufacturers of automotive batteries, graphite electrodes, returnable plastic packaging, and sanitation management and development; and Residential/ infrastructure services. It targets companies which likely possess underlying real assets, primarily in sectors such as industrial products, building materials, metals, mining, homebuilding, oil and gas, paper and packaging, manufacturing and forest product sectors. It invests globally with focus on North America including Brazil, the United States, Canada; Europe; and Australia; and Asia-Pacific. The firm considers equity investments in the range of $2 million to $500 million. It has a four-year investment period and a 10-year term with two one-year extensions. The firm prefers to take minority stake and majority stake. Brookfield Asset Management Inc. was founded in 1997 and based in Toronto, Canada with additional offices across Northern America; South America; Europe; Middle East and Asia.
Cllr Peter Golds is Leader of the Conservative Group on Tower Hamlets Council.

Are the Crown Prosecution Service and the Police watering down election law?

This question seems extraordinary, yet the answer appears to be that this is what is actually happening, at least in England.

Earlier this year the Electoral Commission published An analysis of cases of electoral fraud in the UK in 2016.

The accompanying press release was, very controversially, for the Electoral Commission headed Electoral fraud: high stakes highlighted in new report. It went on to include the following:

Ailsa Irvine, Director of Electoral Administration and Guidance at the Electoral Commission, said:

It is important that voters are confident that the police and prosecuting authorities take allegations of electoral fraud seriously.

Sadly, there is an increasing perception that neither the police or the prosecuting authorities are taking these allegations seriously. This report provides examples as to how the police and the CPS in England respond to electoral fraud.

The situation in Scotland is far more robust. There, if there is personation and it is chargeable, then the person committing the offence is likely to end up in Court and on conviction be penalised and lose the right to stand in elections.

Here is a Scottish example, quoted verbatim, from the report:

EU Referendum, East Ayrshire, personation in a polling station

A voter attended at a polling station in East Ayrshire during the EU Referendum claiming to be another voter (his friend) and was accordingly issued with a ballot paper in that name which he then used to cast a vote.

The polling staff had no reason to be suspicious as the voter was not otherwise known to them and they had no reason to believe he was not who he said he was. Later in the day the same voter attended again and sought to vote again, this time in his own name. Due to certain physical characteristics of the voter (he was very tall and wore distinctive clothing) and the vigilance of the Presiding Officer he was suspected of having already voted earlier and formally challenged. In response he answered the prescribed questions and also produced his driving licence and so the Presiding Officer had no choice but to issue him with a ballot paper in his own name.

The Presiding Officer remained certain, however, that he had already voted and referred his concerns to the central election office who immediately submitted a formal report to the Police with all relevant details, which enabled them in turn to secure an early admission of guilt.

The individual subsequently pleaded guilty in Court and was given a Community Payback Order of 300 hours. The elector was disqualified from standing for election for a period of five years.

That is what the public would expect of voting fraudsters. Sadly in England, as is known only too well from Tower Hamlets, the potential offender is likely to be spoken to.

To prove this very point here are some English examples taken from the very same report;

EU Referendum, Cheshire West and Chester voting area  personation in a polling station

An elector voted at a polling station using his mothers polling card in the morning and voted in his own right at the same polling station in the afternoon. Polling station staff alerted the police after they became suspicious. The police established that this was a mistake as he did not realise that he had committed an offence. The police spoke at length with the person who accepted a police caution.

EU referendum, Oxford voting area  personation in a polling station

The offender (who had moved away from the area) attended his former local polling station wishing to vote there. He was not allowed to vote there as he was no longer registered to vote. The offender had the same first name as the person currently registered at his old address. The offender left the polling station but returned to vote later claiming to be the person currently registered at his old address. He voted under the name of the current elector. The offender fully admitted the offence of personation in Police interview and, after CPS advice was sought, he was offered and accepted a police caution.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council  personation in a polling station

The offender gave the name and address of a registered elector at a polling station and cast a vote as that elector. The actual elector arrived to vote later in the day and was given a tendered ballot paper. The offender was identified from a CCTV recording and interviewed by the police. He admitted the offence and accepted a police caution.

Preston City Council  false statement on a nomination form

The offender, who was an election agent for the Conservative party, forged signatures on 8 candidate nomination forms. The offender was subsequently interviewed by the police and admitted the offences, and accepted a police caution.

In one of the cases a genuine elector lost their vote because of the fraudster.

Finally I record a case from the report which resulted in one of the very rare prosecutions for electoral fraud in England. This took place in Derby where election officials of the local authority initiated a prosecution and the circumstances were as follows:

Derby City Council, Allestree ward

Fraudulent electoral registration and nomination form.

Richard Smalley, a Conservative Party candidate who was successfully elected to the Allestree ward of Derby City Council on 5 May 2016, was accused of submitting a fraudulent registration application and nomination form knowingly using a false address within the local authority area, where he did not live. It was alleged that he also voted using that address.

He pleaded guilty at Derby and South Derby Magistrates Court on 23 August 2016 and was sentenced to two months in prison. He was also disqualified from standing for election for a period of five years.

In the aftermath of the June General Election, I was contacted by a number of people and asked about incidents of voters going on to both facebook and twitter boasting that they had voted twice or even more in the general election.

Already the police are being quoted as saying that this will be difficult to investigate. This is not so. Once the fraudster is identified then it is easily established as to which addresses they voted from by examining the marked register from the polling station or stations. In the event of a postal vote, an examination of the postal vote return and the application to vote by post will have both a signature and the date of birth of the applicant. If a person has boasted about voting more than once and this is established by the above easily obtainable documents, then the fraudster can and should be prosecuted.

Voter corruption is prosecuted in Scotland, and it should be in England as well. It is to the shame of the CPS and our police forces that, despite evidence, it is not prosecuted as frequently.

I have urged those who contacted me to register formal complaints and to seek an update as to the investigation. One very important matter to note is that whereas a DPP decision on prosecution may be reviewed, a police decision may not be reviewed on request. This is a reason to ensure that the police are carrying out their job. When making a complaint to the police, insist that a formal statement is taken. If, as a complainant, the fraudster can be identified, include the tweet / facebook entries as evidence. Before signing any statement ask the police to confirm that it will be admissible in a criminal court and be prepared to go to Court to back up what you know.

The Electoral Commission report also expresses, for the first time, serious concerns with the ongoing Tower Hamlets inaction. This is covered in paragraphs 1.13 to 1.16 of the report.

I can do no more than directly quote the initial paragraph:

In March 2016 the MPS announced that that no charges would be brought in relation to allegations of electoral fraud following the May 2014 elections in Tower Hamlets. A statement by the MPS explained that, following assessment of information arising from the trial and the April 2015 judgment of the election court in relation to the petition challenging the result of the May 2014 Mayoral and local government elections in Tower Hamlets, and in consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, a decision has been made that there is insufficient evidence that criminal offences had been committed.

The final sentence of this paragraph leads on to an extraordinary story. Six days after the publication of the March 2016 Press Release, which was coincidentally Budget Day, a now retired officer, wrote to solicitors acting for Lutfur Rahman on MPS notepaper in which he said:

In accordance with section 181 [of the 1983 Act] the [MPS] Special Enquiry Team consulted with the DPP in relation to the review findings in order to determine whether any criminal offences have been committed.

The DPP decision is that there is insufficient evidence that crime (sic) has been committed in this instance.

As is known, this Special Enquiry Team had not sought to examine the 27 files of material that had been sent to the DPS by Commissioner Mawrey. Nor had they approached locals, myself included, who had publicly offered evidence, to secure witness statements that would have been admissible in a criminal court. Extraordinarily, they did not approach or interview the four petitioners.

So what information was offered and available to the MPS?

On 2 September 2015, DI John Sweeney (now retired and the author of the letter to Rahmans solicitor quoted above) wrote to Francis Hoar, barrister to the Election Petitioners, asking for assistance in obtaining further information and evidence in relation to the Election Court case. Mr Hoar responded, stating he would of course be delighted to help and confirmed: There were 27 files for the trial bundle but seven of these contain the witness statements and exhibits of the Petitioners witnesses and the documents that were referred to in the PwC report.

After receiving no acknowledgement of receipt or response from DI Sweeney, Mr Hoar wrote a further three times; 29 September, 2 October and 23 October. Eventually another team member, DI Gail Granville responded to Mr Hoar on 23 October but made no reference to the available evidence offered for review.

On 15 October 2015, eight days before DI Granville contacted Mr Hoar, former Assistant Commissioner Helen King (also retired and now principal of St Annes College, Oxford) responded to former Communities Secretary, Greg Clark, who himself had written on 28 August to Commissioner Hogan-Howe requesting an update on the Mets ongoing fraud investigations in the Borough. In her response, AC King stressed how the rules regarding the admissibility of evidence for a Judge at an Election Petition Hearing differ from the standards required for criminal cases to be prosecuted by the Police and CPS.

Former Assistant Commissioner King must have been aware that DI Granville and DI Sweeney and their team had not contacted or interviewed potential witnesses for admissible evidence or sought permission to examine the 27 files at the DPS.

On 26th April 2016, six months later, DI Granville then wrote to Lutfur Rahmans solicitor in similar terms to DI Sweeney. She wrote in her letter:

I can confirm that the letter from DS John Sweeney is correct with the DPP decision that there is insufficient evidence that a crime has been committed in respect of the electoral fraud and malpractice allegations arising out of the Election Court.

Note that the words used again are the DPP decision. Lutfur Rahman immediately undertook court action to have his disqualification from public office lifted on the grounds that he had not faced criminal charges. When his Court bundle was published at the end of 2016 both the Sweeney and Granville letters were included as evidence in support of his claim.

On publication of the documentation there was a flurry of interest. The MPS then became an interested party.

As an interested party, a witness statement by Commander Cundy, on behalf of the Commissioner of the Metropolis was entered and, I quote directly, Paragraph 13 of Commander Cundys statement;

Lutfur Rahman was not a named suspect for any of the allegations investigated by the MPS.

The Court was later to confirm that NO file was ever passed to the CPS , or by extension the DPP, for consideration of whether to bring a prosecution against the application  Lutfur Rahman.

This application concluded on June 21st 2017, when Lord Justice Lloyd-Jones sitting with Justice Supperstone handed down a decision dismissing the application.

I quote Paragraph 17 of the Judgement:

The MPS and DPP have clarified that the description of the decision as the DPP decision was inaccurate. The decision that there was insufficient admissible evidence to prosecute the Applicant was made by the MPS.

This statement contradicts both of the letters sent by former DI Sweeney and current DI Granville, to the solicitor acting for Lutfur Rahman. In each case they both wrote that the decision not to prosecute was one by the DPP.

What therefore actually happened within the Special Enquiry team?

Other events have transpired to bring this further into the public domain. On 9th February 2017 the Police and Crime Committee of the GLA undertook an oral hearing of the Tower Hamlets electoral situation. Oral and written evidence came from the Tower Hamlets Commissioners, Mayor Biggs, myself, Francis Hoar, Claire Bassett of the Electoral Commission, Nick Vamos Head of Special Crime at the CPS, Commander Cundy, DI Granville and a representative of MOPAC.

Committee members from the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green and UKIP parties were extremely critical of the police who did not have a good day.

Mr Vamos had contacted me before the meeting to clarify his much quoted comment that he had not read the Mawrey Judgement. In an email to me he wrote;

You have referred several times in correspondence to my statement at the meeting on 26 July 2016 that I had not read all of Richard Mawrey QCs judgment. Whilst this is factually correct, it would be misleading to use it to support the implication that no-one in the CPS had read the judgment, nor the judgment of Lloyd Jones LJ in the subsequent judicial review. In fact both judgments were considered very carefully at the time by the Specialist Prosecutor who advised the police throughout their investigation. That same Specialist Prosecutor then briefed me in detail in advance of the meeting on 26 July 2016.

However, Mr Vamos has declined to reveal the identity of his adviser and after a number of FOI requests, the Information Commission are now formally considering my objection to his refusal to identify who provided him with the advice by which he reached what is best described as a controversial decision.

If the Information Commissioner can require Tony Blair to release Cabinet Minutes detailing who was involved in taking the country into the Iraq war, then UK taxpayers are fully entitled to know who advised the CPS in their decisions relating to the Rahman case.

The outcome of the February hearing is that on March 21st the Deputy Mayor for Policing under Section 54 of the Police Act 1996, as amended by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, has invited Her Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary to carry out an inspection into this case and make recommendations for future improvement.

This decision has also resulted in the MPS at last commencing some engagement with concerned local residents.

I return to my opening. The UK election law and voting procedures, date back to a very different time. International observers have regularly highlighted the frailties of a system based so much on trust.

Multiple voting, corrupt and false registration, anonymous leaflet production, postal vote farming and intimidation at polling stations are by any standard against the law here or indeed in any country which values democracy and fair representation. The police should be robust in defending electoral freedom and both the police and the CPS should ensure that fraudsters are dealt with and not merely spoken to.

There can be no public interest in avoiding dealing with voter fraud. This goes to the heart of our democratic traditions.

Several times in this article I have referred to DI Gail Granville. This officer of the Special Enquiry Team was one of the two officers who wrote to Rahmans solicitors to say that it was a DPP decision that there is insufficient evidence that a crime has been committed in respect of the electoral fraud and malpractice allegations arising out of the Election Court.

In June of this year the MPS confirmed in the High Court that this statement, in writing, was not correct. DI Granville was involved in many of the decisions relating to the Tower Hamlets case. She was the officer who infamously, in terms of the post petition investigation, said at a briefing addresses were visited and people spoken to. Neither she nor her team contacted those who could have offered admissible evidence. No wonder her current superior writes in a Court Statement that Lutfur Rahman was not a named suspect for any of the allegations investigated by the MPS.

Let us remember that Lutfur Rahman was found guilty on no fewer than seven counts of corrupt and illegal practices by the Election Court.

Following the calling of the general election this year a meeting of political parties contesting the election in Tower Hamlets took place. This took place after the Deputy Mayor for Policing had called in HMIC. The MPS were led by none other than DI Gail Granville. Present in the room were people from different political parties, none of whom had been contacted by DI Granville for information or statements in the aftermath of 2014.

With even the Electoral Commission expressing concern at malpractice, and the political and media interest in the matter, the Police and CPS must enforce the law as it is enshrined in statute, and not be selective in enforcement. There can be no argument that voter fraud should be ignored as public interest.

The Police and CPS need to understand election law in both implementation and practice. This is a complex matter which strikes to the heart of how we are governed. It deserves more than asking somebody else to read a landmark legal Judgement and provide a brief or ignoring witnesses because the perceived solution to this particular crime is simply to speak to people.

The MPS has suffered massive reputational damage over this mess, which is entirely of their own making. The new Metropolitan Police Commissioner will hopefully ensure that properly briefed and interested officers undertake this admittedly difficult task.

I hope that the HMIC report will provide robust solutions to deal with this problem in the future.

The Rahman Party, in whatever guise they appear next year, will be delighted to see the police officers who failed Tower Hamlets and London in 2014 supervising the 2018 elections. The electorate deserve better than this.
Chris Grayling is MP for Epsom and Ewell, and Secretary of State for Transport.

Reading the comments below my column last month, when I warned of the need to appeal to a younger electorate who had no experience of real left-wing policies and their consequences, I was struck by the number of people who complained about the lack of a positive message. Pursuing a negative strategy wont work, they said.

The truth is that we will need both going forward. In the General Election that is scheduled for 2022 we will be asking the electorate to back us for a fourth term in office  albeit over a shorter period of time than some previous administrations. We wont get that mandate without articulating a positive vision, nor without a positive track record.

This Parliament will obviously be heavily dominated by Brexit. But we also have to demonstrate that we continue to build a stronger and more secure society. And a fairer one too. The evidence shows that the Conservatives are doing just that.

We shouldnt forget the achievements of the past seven years. The one I am always proudest of is the fall of well over half a million in the number of children growing up in workless households.

If you grow up with no one going out to work, no one bringing in a wage, no one getting up in the morning to do something purposeful, then chances are you will grow up with limited expectations of what you can achieve. But if that all changes, and you have a parent who does have direction and responsibility in their lives, who is earning a living for the household, then your expectations will change too.

And in deprived communities all round the country, that fall in worklessness is already making a big difference. We must make sure that continues.

In education, we have seen a real step forward. And now our plans for improved technical education will continue that progress for the future.

The skills that that technical education delivers will also continue to underpin the big international technology investments we have seen  whether its Apple, Facebook and Google, or a company like Ford making Britain its smart technology hub, or our plans to develop commercial space business here  because under Conservatives Britain has a reputation as a centre for innovation and new technology.

We have to see that vision on into the 2020s, and continue to underpin it with policies that engage every part of our country and every part of our community.

But nor will we get that mandate unless we really work to expose the risks of those left-wing policies and really challenge and expose Labour. At the election they promised to abolish student fees, and to pay for it by putting up taxes on big business. They never explained that a tax rise of that kind would simply drive those businesses and the jobs they provide out of the UK.

I want the students of tomorrow to have excellent job prospects. Penalising business is hardly a strategy likely to provide those prospects.

And as we now know, many of those election promises were an illusion. Jeremy Corbyns promise to write off the debt of past students proved as durable as an ice cream in the heat of the sun. Time and again Labour politicians struggle to explain in interviews how their policies add up. Because they dont.

So we mustnt take as a lesson from the election campaign that we should stop challenging Corbyn and his illusory promises. Just the opposite. We should redouble our efforts to expose the damage that they would do to this country.

But we also need to demonstrate that Conservatism means a brighter future. Just think back to 2010, with an economy on its knees, and unemployment heading for three million  and compare it to where we are today.

This is a country that has been put back on the right track by Conservatives in government. Our job is to show people clearly how we will keep it on the right track.
Jones criticises Varadkar for unhelpful approach to Brexit

David Jones, the former Welsh Secretary and Brexit minister, has criticised the attitude of the new Irish Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, towards Britains departure from the EU.

According to The Journal, he described the Fine Gael leaders comments as not terribly helpful and contrasted his attitude with that of his predecessor, Enda Kenny. In particular, Jones claimed that Kenny had been well-disposed towards finding a technological solution.

By contrast Varadkar and Simon Coveney, his foreign minister, have struck a much more stridently nationalist tone which has drawn criticism both from the DUP and commentators in the Republic.

Meanwhile Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, a senior Democratic Unionist MP, has dismissed the Irish Governments preparation for Brexit as a pipe dream for being based on the assumption that momentum was building towards Irish unification, the News Letter reports.

Online divisions undermining the Scottish independence movement

Over the weekend Ross Greer, a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Greens, took to the pages of the pro-independence Sunday Herald to hit out at Scottish nationalisms lunatic fringe.

After a torrid period for the Yes movement, in which Nicola Sturgeons over-hasty dash for a second referendum has exposed the lack of any shift in public opinion, he claimed that hard-line and aggressive elements of the separatist community were undermining the broader cause.

Divisions are certainly starting to show. Writing in The Herald, David Torrance sets out how UK-level developments such as Brexit and the rise of Jeremy Corbyn are peeling away parts of the SNPs 45 per cent coalition. This is leading true believers to turn on those members of the movement whose support for independence is more conditional  particularly left-wingers.

Criticism of the so-called cybernats is nothing new, of course, but it is an unusual and welcome development for such criticism to come from somebody who supports independence.

Under the leadership of Patrick Harvie the Greens have shifted from being split on the constitutional question (their former leader, Robin Harper, is a unionist) to operating in many ways as a de facto annex of the SNP. But at least as a separate party Greer and his comrades havent had to sign the Nationalists pledge never to criticise the Party.

Cracks appear in the DUPs opposition to gay marriage

When Theresa May struck her bargain with the Democratic Unionists after the general election, one of the things which attracted most criticism was that partys stance on gay marriage.

As a socially conservative party from a very religious part of the country, the DUP have used devolution to hold out against introducing it to Northern Ireland. But now that may be changing. The Irish News reports that whilst Arlene Fosters party may not be about to enthusiastically embrace gay marriage, they may allow it to pass with muted opposition.

This may simply be a concession to reality: if the Northern Ireland Assembly reforms without another election, the DUPs disastrous showing in March means they have insufficient legislators to mount a petition of concern and veto legislation.

But it may also be recognition that as the DUP has won voters and members from its unionist rivals, some of its positions no longer reflect its base and activists as clearly as they once did. The Belfast Telegraph reported this week of that the partys cracks on this issue were spilling into the open.

Elsewhere, evangelicals have urged the party to use its influence on the Government to change UK-wide gambling law.

Welsh Nationalist AM censured

Neil McEvoy, a Plaid Cymru member of the Welsh Assembly, should face censure for breaching its Code of Conduct, according to a cross-party committee.

Wales Online reports that the Standards Commissioner has concluded he used Assembly resources for party-political campaigning in his role as a Cardiff councillor.

The offence was apparently committed in March, whilst McEvoy was suspended from the councils Plaid group after a tribunal found that he had bullied a council officer.

Northern Irish Labour officers quit over infiltration attempt

Six leading members of the Labour Party in Northern Ireland, including the chair and vice-chair, have walked away from their positions over attempts by the hard left to infiltrate the party, according to The i.

The group, which has more than 2,000 members, has been campaigning vigorously against Labours refusal to contest elections in the province. The wipe-out of the SDLP, Labours sister party, at the general election ought to have put the wind in their sails.

But it appears that many members are concerned that supporters and members of far-left groups such as the Socialist Party, Socialist Workers Party, and People Before Profit, have been signing up to Labour.

All six resignees have stressed that this is a small portion of the movement and that they will remain active members. And you never know, the idea that the Northern Irish branch is riddled with real socialists may lead Jeremy Corbyn to take a more favourable view of them.
08/08/2017

Photo (c) tashatuvango - Fotolia A drug therapy that won approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is now available to patients in the U.S., making it the first new ALS treatment in more than two decades.

RADICAVA, made by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Inc., is given intravenously and has been shown to slow the progression of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, by 33%.

ALS is an incurable and progressive disease, in which the patient gradually loses most physical function. RADICAVA has been shown to slow down that process.

'Clinically meaningful treatment'

"After two decades without a new treatment, people with ALS finally have access to a new clinically meaningful treatment option for this horrible, progressive and incurable disease," said company president Atsushi Fujimoto.

The company says the drug can be administered in a number of different settings, including the home. Tom Larson, the company's chief commercial officer, calls it a "seminal" moment in the treatment of ALS.

"As of today, all across the country, conversations between ALS specialists and patients may be substantially different," he said.

Affects the brain and spinal cord

ALS affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It blocks nutrient flow to muscles, causing them to atrophy and waste away. According to the ALS Association, the lateral area of the spinal cord is where key nerve cells regulating muscle control are located.

The slow degrading of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their destruction. As the neurons die, the brain has less ability to initiate or control muscle movement. Patients eventually lose the ability to speak, eat, move, or even breathe.

Prior to RADICAVA, riluzole was the only FDA-approved treatment for ALS. The ALS Association says that drug "modestly" slows the growth of ALS in some people.

About 6,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. At any given time, around 20,000 Americans are believed to suffer from the disease.

Most patients who develop ALS do so between the ages of 40 and 70, with an average age of 55 at the time of diagnosis. However, cases of the disease do occur in persons in their twenties and thirties.

Symptoms vary among individuals, but generally are first manifested through loss of muscle function.
Business is good for the port of Akureyri, with 122 ships expected this year and 130 booked for 2018. The port authority also looks over the smaller port of Grimsey which is expecting 29 ships this year and 30 in 2018.

We are also expecting a couple of ships to call at the tiny island of Hrisey, which is located in the Eyjarfjorur fjord  a fantastic off the beaten track port call for smaller vessels, said Petur Olafsson, port director, in an interview with Cruise Industry News.

Alongside a significant growth in overnight calls, we are also seeing an increase in calls from vessels circumnavigating Iceland, he noted.

Olafsson said he wanted a sustainable growth pattern in the future.

July for example is very popular with tourists in general and has become overcrowded in recent years. It would be good to see more ships calling outside of the busier main summer months  for example early or late summer, something that would definitely benefit passenger shore side experiences, he continued.

The area will get a new high-power tugboat in early 2018, and the berth will be expanded by 100 meters, to a total length of 270 meters, by late 2019.

Tour companies have responded to demand, with new whale-watching excursion firms opening near the port.

Starting this year, the port will contribute to the countrys environmental efforts with a tree-planting program designed to offset carbon emissions from cruise ships calling. It expects to plant 2,000 trees per cruise season.
Bermuda is having a strong season this year with an estimated 309,856 passengers visiting, according to the 2017-2018 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.

The market leader is Norwegian Cruise Line with 132,400 passengers, followed by Royal Caribbean International with 111,450 passengers.

This years capacity, however, is down from 361,506 last year, mainly due to Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, in addition to Carnival Cruise Line, having reduced their capacity year-over-year.

Bermudas record year was 2011 with 376,348 passengers.
The Pacific Eden is ready to re-enter service for P&O Australia following a drydocking at a shipyard in Southeast Asia. The ship is sporting the line's new trademark Southern Cross livery.

The Eden underwent a 12-day drydock ahead of the start of her highly-anticipated Cairns cruise season. The two-story Marquee Show Lounge has been given a stylish new look and feel with a dramatic black, white and emerald-green colour scheme, custom wallpaper and unique artworks -- more design work by Petra Ryberg, according to teh cruise company.

Popular late night hot spot, The Dome, has been updated to take on a contemporary nautical theme with dark navy blue and white hues, drapes and soft lighting.

Select mini-suites and balcony cabins received new carpets and outdoor furniture whilst the cinema, spa, gym and HQ and HQ Plus have been revitalised. In total, 11,000 square metres of new carpet was laid.

The current dry dock followed Eden's extensive three-week refurbishment undertaken alongside sister-ship Pacific Aria in late 2015.

Sture Myrmell said the latest refurbishment was part of P&O's commitment to continually evolve and enhance the design of the fleet.

"Since Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden underwent their extensive transformation in 2015, we've built a reputation as a modern Australian cruise line that provides memorable holidays in a unique setting," Sture said.

"A key part of that process is to deliver a stylish, modern look and feel across the ship's public spaces and produce venues that would be more at home in a high-end resort than on a cruise ship.

"The Marquee Show Lounge and The Dome are two of Pacific Eden's most popular venues and the new upgrades will continue to push the boundaries on our designs and what passengers can continue to expect from our fleet."

Pacific Eden was scheduled to emerge from dry dock ahead of a nine-night sailing from Cairns to the Conflict Islands on August 24.
The German Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy, Brigitte Zypries, paid a visit to MV Werften in Wismar on Wednesday.

She was accompanied by Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns Minister for Economic Affairs, Employment and Health, Harry Glawe, according to a press release.

The focus of the visit was on conversations with the management of the shipbuilding group and a guided tour of the premises. Genting CEO and Chairman Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay and MV Werften Chief Financial Officer Richard Gruenhagen, together with further representatives, told the Minister about their current shipbuilding program and their extensive investment plans.

Zypries said: The commitment of the Genting Group at their three MV Werften sites in Wismar, Rostock and Stralsund is having a positive effect on the number of jobs available in these local areas, on Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as a maritime-focused region and on the entire Made in Germany supply industry. The maritime economy plays a key role in the competitiveness of the German economy and in the securing of growth and employment.

The effect on employment and on value creation for the region is already huge, explainedGruenhagen. And we are making further investment in our three sites. By the time we have set up production for our Global Class cruise ships, the volume of investment will have reached more than half a billion euros, with investment being made in both modernisation and new construction projects in our shipyard facilities, as well as in recruiting and staff training.

Last November, the shipyard launched the biggest job offensive yet in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, it said.

Since then, over 300 new members of staff have been recruited. With currently over 1,600 employees, MV Werften is one of the biggest employers in the state. By 2021, the number of employees will have almost doubled, rising to over 3,000, and there will also be employment opportunities for around 3,000 external partners.
NCUA Chairman J. Mark McWatters wrote a key lawmaker Tuesday to correct a banking trades mischaracterization of the $1.1 billion in legal fees the agency has paid in connection with its more than $5 billion in recoveries from banking institutions for losses to corporate credit unions.

The Independent Community Bankers of America has asserted that these fees came from taxpayer dollars. Like NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger noted in his own letter Friday, McWatters told House Financial Institutions Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman Ann Wagner, R-Mo., that the ICBA is incorrect in its assertion.

McWatters noted that he regards the fees as excessive but made clear they did not affect taxpayers. Instead, they were paid out of the proceeds of the settlements the NCUA reached with firms that sold faulty mortgage securities to several now-defunct corporate credit unions.
Russia Will Try To Hack German Elections

Less than two months remain before Germans go to the polls in a general election. On the surface, this has been as regular an election season as can be: Parties have assembled their programs and teams, candidates have been out campaigning, and politics have mostly revolved around the classic issues: taxes, social benefits, public investment.

Yet hanging over this appearance of normalcy is the question of when and how Russia will inject itself into the upcoming ballot.

After apparent interference in the US and French elections, there can be little doubt that the Kremlin will also attempt to sway the vote in Germany. Indeed, the German interior minister recently issued a public warning about potential Russian cyberattacks and disinformation ahead of the elections. While it remains unclear what the Kremlin has in store, chances are that it will try, and that German democracy will weather the onslaught.

It is blatantly obvious why Russia should take aim at the German elections. The country has been key in shaping the surprisingly principled European response (and the broader Western one, in coordination with the United States) to Russian aggression and revisionism.

When Moscow annexed Crimea and invaded the Donbass, Berlin sided with Ukraine, threw its weight behind sanctions against Russia, and has since rallied Europe to sustain this mix of punishment for the aggressor and support for the victim. When Russia stepped up its intimidation of the EU and NATOs easternmost members, Germany answered by joining an air policing mission over the Baltic states, dispatching Bundeswehr troops and equipment, and leading the NATO battlegroup in Lithuania.

The resoluteness of this German response, and its effect of uniting Europe in opposition to Russian actions, has long been a nuisance for the Kremlin.

Russian resentment runs particularly high against German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Politically, she has taken the lead among Europeans on the Russia challenge, checked pro-Russian voices in German business and politics, and pushed for the Minsk agreements aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

These accords, while unsuccessful in bringing about peace, form the basis for continued European and US sanctions against Russia. More personally, Russian President Vladimir Putin must feel that, among the many world leaders he has met, often out-smarted, and sometimes just outwaited, the German chancellor is his only true match. Not only has she resisted charm and intimidation, but she is on track to win her fourth term of office.

For both reasons, the Russian leader cannot but wish for Merkels downfall. Ideally, Putin would see her unseated by Martin Schulz, the former president of the European Parliament and her Social Democrat challenger. Realistically, however, the strongman in the Kremlin must acknowledge that Merkels defeat is near impossible, given her commanding lead, up to 18 percent in current polls. This does not mean, however, that Moscow wont seek to maximally weaken the chancellor, so as to tarnish her legitimacy and to complicate the coalition building needed to install her next government.

These are strong motivating factors for Russia, and they meet with ample opportunity in Germany. Observers have pointed out various vulnerabilities: There is the allure that Russia has for major German corporations, especially its automotive, energy, and engineering giants.

Major political parties on the left, such as the Social Democrats and the Left party (Die Linke), have traditionally had pro-Russian sympathies, dating back to the formers Ostpolitik of the 1970s and rooted in the post-communist legacy of the latter; more recently, on the far-right, the Alternative for Germany party has made its Russian affinity clear.

A community of some 3 million Russian speakers resides in Germany, many of whom rely on Kremlin-controlled media for information. Useful idiots of the Kremlin form a sizable network that advocates for Russian positions via civil society, think tanks, lobby groups, and traditional and social media. Germanys cyber-security remains deficient, as a series of attacks on, and data leaks from, government and parliament servers has shown.

Moscow propaganda has already successfully tapped controversy on issues including refugees, same-sex marriage, terrorism, and defense. There remains, on top of all this, considerable anti-Americanism among some segments of German society, which leaves them vulnerable to influence by Russia, a country that positions itself as leading the charge against the superpower.

Russia certainly feels emboldened by its recent operations to influence Western elections. Where it succeeded, as in the United States, it has managed to wreak havoc across entire political systems. Meanwhile where it failed, as in France, Russia has had no political, or another price, to pay. This experience cannot but tilt the Kremlins cost-benefit analysis in favor of meddling.

Moscow certainly takes pride in its tried-and-tested toolkit for such operations. Its sophistication, expertise, technology, networks, and stealth have given Russia an edge over the democracies that have found themselves under attack. This asymmetry applies not least to Germany, where government institutions, the intelligence community, and the media alike have previously struggled to face up to the Russian challenge.

Against this background, the pending Russian operation to influence the upcoming German elections almost seems predictable. Indeed, it is quite likely that such an operation has been underway for some time and will make itself felt in due course.

Over the last two years, German intelligence has reported a series of Russian cyberattacks on government infrastructure. Some of these were successfully blocked. Others, such as an intrusion of German parliament servers, resulted in the theft of massive amounts of data. Expectations in Berlin are that this information will be revealed in the run-up to the September elections.

Russian meddling until the election will foreseeably follow the same multipronged approach seen elsewhere. Its centerpiece will be a campaign to discredit the chancellor and her Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Hair-raising disinformation will try to fan fears of refugees and terrorism, blaming these problems on policies decided on Merkels watch.

Narratives that seek to associate the America-friendly German leader with the new US president, deeply unpopular in Germany, will be peddled; documents will be leaked in an attempt to incriminate if not Merkel directly, then other leaders and candidates of her party.

This will be complemented by several more targeted efforts: Germanys Russian speakers will receive their strongest dose of Kremlin propaganda yet, aiming to alienate this traditionally conservative electorate from Merkels CDU, its erstwhile party of choice. The parties of the far-left and far-right, united as they are in their anti-establishment, anti-NATO, and anti-US impulses, will receive favorable treatment from Russian state media and troll factories.

Thats the bad news. The good news is, the overall impact of such a concerted Russian effort on the result of the German election is likely to be minimal: A number of factors effectively blunt Moscows preferred method of meddling.

First, and perhaps most important, the element of surprise is gone. A year ago, the infamous Lisa case, a disinformation and mobilization campaign in early 2016 following the supposed rape of a Russian-German girl by Muslim migrants, which proved to be a lie, provided Germans with the starkest signal yet that they were not immune to direct Russian interference. In the months since, they have watched the Kremlin trying its hand in democratic elections elsewhere.

Meanwhile, ever more evidence has come to light of Russian cyberattacks on German media, business, politics, and government. A broad debate has ensued, fueled by frequent warnings from government officials about how to counter destructive Russian meddling in German democracy. In short, German society is by now broadly sensitised, and institutions are somewhat more prepared than they might have been a year ago to face Russian interference.

Second, this growing awareness coincides with a broader evolution in German sentiments toward Russia. Since its attack on Ukraine, Russia has effectively lost the considerable confidence it once commanded among Germans. Some 75 percent of Germans now effectively view Russia with suspicion, which provides some protection against Moscows meddling. This effect can be expanded if more covert Russian operations are quickly disclosed and publicized by the German state, media, and civil society.

Third, there is overwhelming support for the political status quo, or a complete absence of what the Germans call Wechselstimmung (loosely translated as a sense that change is needed). This sense is bolstered by a booming economy, renewed confidence in European integration, and fewer headlines about refugees and terrorism.

Chancellor Merkel and her conservatives have regained their commanding lead in the ratings, and the majority of Germans wish for her to lead the next government. These political preferences are so entrenched by now that even massive Russian interference, or any other major event, is not likely to fundamentally alter the outcome of the elections.

Fourth, Germanys multiparty system complicates Russian meddling. Six parties will likely enter the German parliament, or Bundestag, of whom two or three will eventually form a governing coalition. This creates diverse dynamics that the Kremlin cannot manipulate, in contrast with the more predictable bipolar contest of the United States. At most, Russian interference can make the campaign rhetoric more virulent, add complexity to the party landscape, and complicate coalition building. But if decades of German postwar politics are anything to go by, the end result will, nevertheless, be a functioning government. And, judging by her ratings, Merkel will be at the helm.

Finally, German media present an important shield against Russian interference. The countrys public broadcasters, with their balanced, quality reporting, command the trust of an overwhelming majority of Germans. Its private media, whether electronic or print, have not succumbed to the polarisation and sensationalism that are often found elsewhere.

Together, these traditional outlets still prevail over social media as sources of information for the voting public. This will make it harder for Russian disinformation, the key to Kremlin meddling, to penetrate German discourse. And where it does, years of attacks by Russian propagandists and trolls have made journalists quicker and more adept at responding.

There are good reasons to expect that the Kremlin will fail to substantially impact the elections in Germany. This should inspire confidence in German democracy but must not lead to complacency. Vigilance will be needed over the coming weeks, so as to spot and stifle Russian meddling.

Beyond election day, the country must remain alert, as the Kremlin may well question the legitimacy of the ballot, as it was prepared to do in the United States. This would also be in line with long-standing Russian attempts, recorded by German intelligence, to gradually undermine the credibility and stability of the countrys democratic institutions. And in parallel, as has been variously observed, Russia is systematically working to isolate and alienate Germany from its European neighbors.

Germany is likely to retain the upper hand this fall. Its not a guarantee that Russian meddling will not be more successful in the long run, but its reason for good cheer nonetheless.

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Talking Points

- The South African Rand has weakened after President Jacob Zumas opponents failed to win another vote of no-confidence in him.

- That weakness will likely continue as political risk remains a dominant market factor.

Check out our new Trading Guides: theyre free and have been updated for the third quarter of 2017

South African President Jacob Zuma survived yet another motion of no-confidence in him in Parliament Tuesday, weakening the South African Rand, which had earlier strengthened on news that the ballot would be held in secret, increasing the chances of him being ousted.

Now, the currency will likely fall further as attention remains focused on alleged corruption, the countrys weak economy and manoeuvring to succeed him as leader of the ruling African National Congress, probably in December.

Chart: USD/ZAR One-Hour Timeframe (August 2017)

Chart by IG

Political risk remains the dominant factor, with Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa expected to challenge Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma  Jacob Zumas ex-wife  for the ANC leadership at Decembers elective conference. Whoever wins will likely replace Zuma as President in 2019.

This would follow a turbulent period marred by the sacking of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in March and political attacks on the Reserve Bank of South Africa by senior members of the ANC said to be aligned with Zuma.

The firing of Gordhan led both Standard & Poors and Fitch to lower South Africas credit rating to below investment grade, or junk, status in April, with Moodys downgrading its rating in June but keeping it at investment grade, albeit with a negative outlook.

As for the economy, South Africa fell into recession for the first time since 2009 when GDP contracted for the second straight quarter in the first three months of this year. Against this background, the Rand seems destined to weaken further, particularly if worries over the central banks independence grow and/or Moodys decides to follow its rivals by downgrading the countrys credit rating to junk.

--- Written by Martin Essex, Analyst and Editor

To contact Martin, email him at martin.essex@ig.com

Follow Martin on Twitter @MartinSEssex

For help to trade profitably, check out the IG Client Sentiment data

And you can learn more by listening to our regular trading webinars; heres a list of whats coming up
Koil Energy Solutions, Inc., an energy services company, provides equipment and support services to the energy and offshore industries. It offers engineering and project management services, including the design, installation, and retrieval of subsea equipment and systems; connection and termination operations services; well-commissioning services; and construction support services. The company also provides project management and engineering; spooling; testing and commissioning; storage management; and refurbishment and repurposing of recovered subsea equipment, as well as support services for offshore interventions. In addition, it offers loose steel tube flying lead and umbilical hardware products, as well as riser isolation valves and subsea isolation valve services. Further, the company provides installation aids, including flying lead installation systems, tensioners, lay chutes, buoyancy modules, clump weights, mud mats, pumping and testing skids, control booths, fluid drum carriers, under-rollers, carousels, running and parking deployment frames, termination shelters, pipe straighteners, subsea deployment basket system, horizontal drive units, and rapid deployment cartridges. It serves energy companies, subsea equipment manufacturers, subsea equipment installation contractors, offshore drilling contractors, engineering and construction companies, and other companies involved in maritime operations. The company was formerly known as Deep Down, Inc. and changed its name to Koil Energy Solutions Inc. in April 2022. Koil Energy Solutions Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. engages in the natural gas midstream, and intrastate transportation and storage businesses in the United States. The company's Intrastate Transportation and Storage segment transports natural gas from various natural gas producing areas through connections with other pipeline systems, as well as through its ET Fuel System and HPL System. This segment owns and operates approximately 7,900 miles of natural gas transportation pipelines and three natural gas storage facilities in Texas. Its Interstate Transportation and Storage segment provides natural gas transportation and storage services; owns and operates approximately 11,800 miles of interstate natural gas pipelines; and has interests in various natural gas pipelines. The company's Midstream segment gathers, compresses, treats, blends, processes, and markets natural gas. It owns and operates natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) gathering pipelines, natural gas processing plants, natural gas treating facilities, and natural gas conditioning facilities. The company's NGL and Refined Products Transportation and Services segment transports mixed NGLs and other hydrocarbons; stores mixed NGLs, NGL products, and petrochemical products; and separates mixed NGL streams into purity products. This segment owns and operates various NGL pipelines, NGL and propane fractionation facilities, and NGL storage facilities. Its Crude Oil Transportation and Services segment engages in the transportation, terminalling, and acquisition and marketing of crude oil; and operates crude oil trunk and gathering pipelines. The company's All Other segment engages in the natural gas compression equipment business; provides natural gas compression equipment and compression services; manages coal and natural resources property, sells standing timber, and leases coal-related infrastructure facilities; and generates electrical power. Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. was founded in 1995 and is based in Dallas, Texas.
Hilltop Holdings Inc. provides business and consumer banking, and financial products and services. It operates through three segments: Banking, Broker-Dealer, and Mortgage Origination. The Banking segment offers savings, checking, interest-bearing checking, and money market accounts; certificates of deposit; lines and letters of credit, home improvement and equity loans, loans for purchasing and carrying securities, equipment loans and leases, agricultural and commercial real estate loans, and other loans; and commercial and industrial loans, and term and construction finance. This segment also provides treasury management, wealth management, asset management, check cards, safe deposit boxes, online banking, bill pay, trust, and overdraft services; and estate planning, management and administration, investment portfolio management, employee benefit accounts, and individual retirement accounts, as well as automated teller machines. The Broker-Dealer segment offers public finance services that assist public entities in originating, syndicating, and distributing securities of municipalities and political subdivisions; specialized advisory and investment banking services; advice and guidance to arbitrage rebate compliance, portfolio management, and local government investment pool administration; structured finance services, which include advisory services for derivatives and commodities; sells, trades in, and underwrites U.S. government and government agency bonds, corporate bonds, and municipal bonds, as well as mortgage-backed, asset-backed, and commercial mortgage-backed securities and structured products. This segment also provides asset and liability management advisory, clearing, retail, and securities lending services. The Mortgage Origination segment offers mortgage, jumbo, Federal Housing Administration, Veterans Affairs, and United States Department of Agriculture loans. Hilltop Holdings Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. provides technical, professional, and construction services. The company's Aerospace, Technology, Environmental and Nuclear segment offers scientific, engineering, construction, nuclear, environmental, and technical support services to the aerospace, defense, technical, and automotive industries. Its Buildings, Infrastructure and Advanced Facilities segment develops/rehabilitates plans for highways, bridges, transit, tunnels, airports, railroads, intermodal facilities, and maritime or port projects; develops or rehabilitates critical water resource systems, water/wastewater conveyance systems, and flood defense projects; and provides engineering design, construction management, design build, and operations and maintenance. This segment also designs and constructs buildings; offers consulting, engineering, procurement, construction management, and delivery services for life sciences clients; and provides services relating to modular construction and other consulting and strategic planning services, as well as offers services in containment, barrier technology, locally controlled environments, building systems automation, off-the-site design, and fabrication of facility modules. The company's Energy, Chemicals and Resources segment offers services relating to onshore and offshore oil and gas production facilities, processing facilities, gathering systems, and transmission pipelines and terminals; feasibility/economic studies, technology evaluation, conceptual engineering, front end loading, detailed engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, and commissioning services; and engineering, procurement, and construction solutions. This segment also provides services, such as manufacturing complex, expansions, modifications, and management of plant relocations; construction management and field construction services; and services to operate and maintain facilities. The company was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
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.
MTN Group and Nokia are under investigation for the potential violation of laws dictating the ownership of companies in South Africa.

The Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Commission, which promotes the effective participation of black people in [South Africas] economy, is investigating the companies for potential non-compliance with the Codes of Good Practice relating to the B-BBEE ownership structures.

MTN and Nokia could each face fines of as much as 10% of their annual turnover if there are adverse findings against them, according to the commission. In this eventuality, the companies would have 30 days to respond before the B-BBEE Commission makes the findings final.

With regard to MTN, the commission is aiming to establish whether the MTN Zakhele and the MTN Zakhele Futhi B-BBEE schemes meet the requirements for black ownership elements and comply with the B-BBEE Act.

MTNs Zakehele Futhi scheme is an investment vehicle launched in September 2016 which grants eligible members of the South African public the right to apply for up to 123,416,819 shares in it. It is aimed at empowering the countrys black population and replaced its similar predecessor MTN Zakhele.

In Nokias case, the commission wants to determine whether the B-BBEE ownership transaction involving the employee trust and Sekunjalo Investment Limited through specific entities (resulting in 26% black ownership), and the subsequent change in black ownership (resulting in 31.28% black ownership) by Sekunjalo Investment Limited, comply with the B-BBEE Act.

Currently, the commission is conducting probes into 17 different companies. It notes that it is allowed to initiate an investigation on its own initiative and this often happens as a result of a tip-off.

Companies in violation of the act face fines, while individuals can be imprisoned for up to ten years. In addition, firms can be blocked from receiving government contracts for ten years, and any existing deals they may have with state-owned entities or government departments are subject to cancellation. However, the commission can permit alternative means of resolving disputes, but has not disclosed these methods.
Latin American telecoms provider Grupo Gtd has selected Netcracker solutions to enable its large-scale IT consolidation, transformation and network virtualisation program.

Grupo Gtd offers high-quality, reliable telecommunications and IT solutions and services across Chile, Peru and Colombia. Using the Netcracker 12 suite - comprised of next-generation BSS/OSS and virtualisation capabilities  as its foundational platform, Grupo Gtd will consolidate systems, standardise operations and deliver innovative services over cloud-based and virtualised infrastructure.

The company is using the suite to implement a transformation program across its national B2B arm Gtd Teleductos, Telefonica del Sur, which delivers residential and business services across southern Chile, and Gtd Manquehue, which serves residential and business customers in Chile's capital, Santiago.

Netcrackers BSS solutions will enable Grupo Gtd to integrate multiple channels seamlessly, as well as enable converged billing for multiplay services, rationalise products, and bring new digital services to market. It will lay the foundation for enhanced digital customer experience and accelerate time-to-market for personalised offerings to its diverse customer base.



On the operations and virtualisation side of the transformation, the suite will allow Grupo Gtd to deploy new services faster and configure offerings on the fly across both physical and virtual infrastructure. The new capabilities will help Grupo Gtd improve network utilisation and active inventory management and enable more efficient reconciliation processes through the use of up-to-date network information.



Grupo Gtd will also use Netcracker's Professional Services to consolidate its diverse IT and network systems across multiple businesses, streamline operations, reduce costs, and ensure that its business groups are aligned and utilise standardised processes and tools for overall business agility.



"We are moving aggressively to put in place the foundational infrastructure and platforms required to continue upgrading our digital capabilities, said Alberto Bezanilla, CEO at Grupo Gtd. "We chose Netcracker because we were looking for a strategic partner that could deliver all of the key components - innovative cloud-based applications, comprehensive virtualisation capabilities, and a proven delivery track record - that would enable [Gtd] to transform and achieve our strategic business objectives."
scholarship, news and new ideas in legal history
Hargreaves Services announced on Tuesday excellent progress towards stated strategic targets for operating profit, value creation from property and the conversion of legacy assets into cash, with the final dividend coinciding with the group's pay out ratio target.

In its preliminary results for the year ended 31 May 2017, the group said it delivered continuing underlying operating profit of 9.8m, an increase of 113% on the prior year.

Development value of the property portfolio showed 52.1m of potential unrealised gains on an independent red book basis, while strong progress was achieved towards the orderly realisation of legacy assets into cash, including the agreement to sell the surplus underground mining equipment.

During the reporting period, the company realised 25.5m of legacy assets into cash with an additional 3.2m of underground mining assets contracted for sale post year-end, said the company.

The AIM-listed company further highlighted that final dividend of 4.5 pence was in line with the group's 40% pay-out ratio target, bringing proposed full year dividend to 7.2p, a 213% increase on the prior year.

Trading operations also showed strong performance in Germany.

Commenting on the results, Hargreaves chairman David Morgan said: "these results demonstrate the excellent progress made by the Group over the last year. The achievement of our Group profit target was a positive step forward, which we believe marks a real turning point for the Group. The independent property valuation exercise provides further confidence about the longer term value that we aim to create from our property portfolio."

"Whilst challenges remain to be overcome in some of our businesses, we are on track to achieve or over-acheive the three key strategic goals we set ourselves in 2016. We will continue to be careful in managing capital allocation and risk as we move forward".
Leak detection and remediation solutions provider, Water Intelligence said on Wednesday sales had grown by 50% in the first half of 2017 to $8.5m, against a 38% total for the whole of last year.

American Leak Detection, the company's franchise business saw royalties grow roughly 10% to $3.2m, as its corporate stores showed 70% growth to $3.1m.

The heightened level of growth was due primarily to an increase of "sales through national channels, led by insurance companies, as well as continued strong local presence."

Sales from the groups UK business showed continued growth across the half, reaching $700,000.

It expects to fuel further growth in the US, UK, Canada and Australia with the in-line pre-tax profits it has reported to capitalise on those particular market opportunities.

During the half, it also reacquired its franchises in Indiana and Northern Virginia, as well as strengthening its growth path in the Midwest as it looks to launch additional locations in the Chicago area in 2018.

Cash at the end of June was a little over $1m, similar to what it had reported at the end of 2016.

Dr Patrick DeSouza, Executive Chairman of the Company, said "We are pleased that sales growth continues to accelerate along all key dimensions and that we are in range of tripling our level of sales in three years. Importantly, we are maintaining healthy levels of profitability despite significant investment in pushing and sustaining our growth path. Because of the size and importance of the market for water loss solutions, our goal remains to create a valuable multinational growth company."

As of 1230 BST, shares had jumped 12% to 126.00p.
The UK government was close to publishing formal proposals for a trade and customs deal with the European Union, the Evening Standard newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources.

It said a the plans would form the first in a series of position papers beginning next week.

Cabinet ministers have been working through the summer break to agree broad details.

Prime Minister Theresa May will begin releasing the papers after she returns from walking in the Swiss Alps and a break in Lake Garda, northern Italy, the report stated.

In a separated development, a row was looming between the UK and Scottish governments over what powers currently held in Brussels would be handed to the devolved Scottish executive.

First Secretary of State Damian Green was in talks on Wednesday with Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney. The Scottish government has warned of a Westminster "power grab" over fishing, farming and the environment.

Scotland's Brexit Minister Michael Russell said the Repeal Bill, which transfers EU laws back to the UK, was "a fundamental attack on the principles of devolution".

"The bill - as it currently stands - means that Westminster would take exclusive control over significant areas of devolved policy, such as support for Scotland's farmers and food producers and many aspects of environmental protection and control of our seas," he said.

"We know that the UK government has its eye on more than 100 policy areas. That is a direct threat to the devolution settlement which the people of Scotland overwhelmingly voted for in 1997."

"Both we and the Welsh government have made it clear we could not recommend legislative consent to the bill as it stands, and today we will make clear that changes must be made to protect devolution."
French police are on the hunt for the driver of a car which rammed into a group of soldiers in a Paris suburb on Wednesday.

Six of the soldiers were injured in the incident in the Parisienne suburb of Levallois-Perret, two of them seriously.

France has been operating under a state of emergency since November 2015 following a number of terror attacks in the country.

The attack happened around 0800 local time, with the car reportedly ploughing into the group of soldiers before speeding off the wrong way down a one-way street.

Levallois-Perret mayor Patrick Balkany told French media outlets that he believed the attack was without doubt a deliberate act.
Shares were holding near their worst levels of the session following further provocative remarks out of Pyongyang which were quickly followed by a response from the US president.

Responding to recent threats to the US, president Donald Trump warned America would respond to any threat with "fire and fury".

"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen... he has been very threatening beyond a normal state. They will be met with fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before," Trump said.

Soon after, North Korea's state-run news agency said Pyongyang was mulling a potential missile strike against the US Pacific island territory of Guam.

Against that backdrop, as of 1206 BST the benchmark Stoxx 600 was down by 0.79% or 3.04 points to 379.61, with the German Dax off by 1.20% or 146.69 points at 12,145.25 and the Cac-40 retreating by 1.63% or 84.99 points to 5,133.43.

Commenting on Wednesday's geopolitical events, Mike van Dulken at Accendo Markets said: "Equities are nursing losses thanks to an unwelcome (unless of course you're short!) escalation in geopolitical tensions between the US and North Korea, both trading nuclear threats that have awoken volatility from its slumber and seen risk assets shunned in favour of the traditional safe havens."

In parallel, traditional safe havens such as gold were and the Japanese yen were higher, with the former rising 0.91% to $1,274.10/oz. while dollar/yen was lower by 0.52% at 109.76.

On the economic front, the French central bank's industrial sentiment gauge jumped from a reading of 103 for June to 105 in July.

That led the monetary authority to forecast that the country's gross domestic product would expand at a 0.5% quarter-on-quarter pace over the three months to September.

Meanwhile, ISTAT reported that Italian industrial production grew by 1.1% month-on-month in June (consensus: 0.2%).

Greek CPI was reported at up by 1.1% year-on-year for July after a gain of 1.0% in the month before.

Shares in E.On were ahead after the German power group reported better-than-expected figures for the first six months of the year thanks to bigger margins at its key network business.

Dutch lender ABN Amro posted a better-than-expected 45% increase in its second-quarter underlying profits to 960m.

Novo Nordisk was higher after beating analysts' estimates for its latest quarter.
London stocks lurched lower on Wednesday morning after geopolitical tensions between American and North Korea were further inflamed by some hotheaded rhetoric from President Donald Trump.

After close to an hour of trading on a day that some are calling the 10-year anniversary of the dawn of the financial crisis, the FTSE 100 lost 40.66 points or 0.54% to 7,502.07, having quickly found a floor following an initial dip.

Overnight US and Asian stock markets slipped into risk-off mode late on, as Trump warned North Korea would be "met with fire and fury and, frankly, power the likes of which the world has never seen before" if it continues to threaten the US.

The VIX volatility index, having recently hit an all-time low, spiked from 9.54 just after Europe went home and around 10 when the comments were reported to a peak of 11.29 with 30 minutes left in the session before closing at 10.96.

This move in the Vix was only to a level last seen a month ago, while the Dow gave up a paltry 33 points - that after a streak of nine-straight record closes - said analyst Neil Wilson at ETX Capital, noting that European stock indices were all in the red.

"That said other riskier assets have quickly found bid again and stocks may therefore recover pretty sharpish if this proves no more than a temporary war of words. Indeed overall the risk-off moves are not enormous for the time being, but we await developments."

The price of gold rose, but Wilson pointed out it was only trading at its highest since Friday  "it doesnt look like much risk is being taken away yet".

Nevertheless, precious metals miners Fresnillo, Randgold Resources and Acacia Mining were lifted to the top of the FTSE leaderboard.

On what is a fairly quiet day in terms of macroeconomic data, the overnight release of Chinese consumer prices showed gains slowed from 1.5% year-on-year in July to 1.4% for June.

That prompted analysts at Capital Economics to tell clients: "Rising steel prices aside, broader price pressures appear to have cooled last month. We expect the reflation of the past year to continue to fizzle out in coming quarters as policy tightening dampens economic activity."

Traders were also keeping close tabs on the US dollar, with Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets, saying: "It has started to become apparent to some in recent days that the US dollar, after five months of losses, may be susceptible to some kind of rebound, and yesterdays price action would appear to confirm that there are some weak short positions out there."

In company news, payments processing company Worldpay was on the rise as it had agreed a 9.3bn merger with US rival Vantiv. Worldpay shareholders have been offered 0.55p a share in cash, 0.0672 of a new Vantiv share and a 4.2p dividend. Worldpay investors will own 43% of the combined group, up from the 41% initially mooted.

Also higher was Spirax-Sarco as interim pre-tax profits at engineering group spurted up 21% to 88.5m as revenue grew 25% to 428.6m. The collapse of sterling after the Brexit vote last year helped boost profits by 16%, the company said, adding that strong UK operations and acquisitions had also contributed to the rise.

Legal & General posted a 43% jump in half-year profits before tax to 952m, which saw earnings per share rise from 11.27p in the year-ago period to 15.94p. In turn, the company's payout was raised from 4.0p to 4.3p. Its shares were caught up in the general risk-off mood, however.

Security outsourcing group G4S was down more than 6% as it reported slower than expected growth in the second quarter but held its first-half dividend steady, as management declared their increased confidence in prospects thanks to the "substantial progress" being made with restructuring. Revenue of ongoing business rose 6.2% to 3.7bn and earning per share was up 7.8% to 8.3p.

Market Movers

FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,509.00 -0.45%

FTSE 250 (MCX) 19,875.07 -0.37%

techMARK (TASX) 3,423.44 -0.41%

FTSE 100 - Risers

Fresnillo (FRES) 1,497.00p 1.70%

Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 7,300.00p 1.67%

Mediclinic International (MDC) 735.50p 1.03%

Worldpay Group (WPG) 385.60p 0.52%

Vodafone Group (VOD) 226.35p 0.40%

Antofagasta (ANTO) 964.00p 0.26%

Imperial Brands (IMB) 3,261.00p 0.11%

Next (NXT) 4,371.00p 0.07%

Unilever (ULVR) 4,414.00p 0.07%

Experian (EXPN) 1,532.00p 0.07%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

G4S (GFS) 313.10p -5.29%

Convatec Group (CTEC) 286.30p -1.92%

Legal & General Group (LGEN) 271.60p -1.59%

Johnson Matthey (JMAT) 2,766.00p -1.53%

Smurfit Kappa Group (SKG) 2,190.00p -1.53%

Pearson (PSON) 619.00p -1.43%

WPP (WPP) 1,569.00p -1.38%

Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 937.00p -1.37%

CRH (CRH) 2,662.00p -1.30%

ITV (ITV) 172.80p -1.26%

FTSE 250 - Risers

Acacia Mining (ACA) 182.10p 3.29%

Spirax-Sarco Engineering (SPX) 5,710.00p 2.42%

TBC Bank Group (TBCG) 1,664.00p 2.09%

Hastings Group Holdings (HSTG) 326.50p 1.49%

Nostrum Oil & Gas (NOG) 423.70p 1.49%

Polymetal International (POLY) 917.00p 1.38%

Hochschild Mining (HOC) 317.20p 1.21%

Indivior (INDV) 405.10p 1.20%

Daejan Holdings (DJAN) 6,450.00p 1.18%

Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 742.00p 1.02%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Ladbrokes Coral Group (LCL) 123.50p -3.59%

Sanne Group (SNN) 732.00p -2.40%

Grafton Group Units (GFTU) 766.50p -2.23%

Essentra (ESNT) 539.50p -2.18%

Aldermore Group (ALD) 216.90p -1.90%

Big Yellow Group (BYG) 749.50p -1.38%

FirstGroup (FGP) 115.30p -1.37%

Serco Group (SRP) 109.40p -1.35%

Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 1,125.00p -1.32%

Safestore Holdings (SAFE) 414.70p -1.26%
Japanese car maker Mazda said it had developed a new spark plug-free internal combustion engine that would improve fuel efficiency by 30%.

At a time when more car makers are moving towards electric vehicles, Mazda said the petrol compression engine would be installed in its models by 2019.

The company's head of research and development Kiyoshi Fujiwara said it was imperative and fundamental for Mazda to pursue the "ideal internal combustion engine".

"Electrification is necessary but... the internal combustion engine should come first," he said.

Mazda said the fuel-air mixture ignites spontaneously when compressed by the piston in the new engine. Known as 'Skyactiv-X', it said the technology combined the advantages of petrol and diesel engines to improve efficiency.

The UK government said last month it would ban the sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2040 as concerns grow of the impact on public health of diesel vehicles that produce nitrogen oxide.

The previous pose a major risk to public health, putting an end date on the life expectancy of traditional combustion-engine powered vehicles.

There was a sharp spike in the sale of diesel vehicles during the last Labour government which encouraged drivers to switch in order to cut carbon emissions from petrol vehicles that produced greenhouse gases.

Volvo also recently announced all its new cars would be built with electric or hybrid engines from 2019.
The suiting bible states that fitted is always better. Where some men fall victim to this is when they decide to take things to the extreme, ending up with something that is the complete opposite of the dreaded baggy suit. Robert Pattinson, meet your local childrens wear section.

The 31-year-old British actor recently showed up to the New York premiere of Good Time in a blazer that was less than flattering thanks to sleeves that rode up his arms harder than a donkey on steroids. To top off this style atrocity, it appears that R-Patzs shirt was also too large for him with the cuffs making way for some unsightly bulges around the wrists. Oh, and did we mention it was pinstriped? Yikes.

Pattinson has had a history of dressing rather casually to all kinds of events but his recent efforts in a suit complete with untucked shirt is really starting to put him down the path of WTF is that meant to be?

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Please guys, if youre going for the smart casual look theres a right way to do it and a very wrong way to do it. See Smart Casual Dress Code Defined (& How To Rock It With Style)
A hike in the Swiss Alps is guaranteed to be an awesome experience in the true, un-Americanised sense of the word. Now, hikers trekking between Grachen and Zermatt have a chance to make the journey even more awe-inspiring  provided theyre willing to brave the worlds longest suspension bridge.

Warning: if youre afraid of heights, this is not the post for you.

The newly opened Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge spans an incredible 1,621 feet and rises as high as 279 feet over Switzerlands deepest valley, officially earning it the title of longest pedestrian suspension bridge on the planet. It connects the popular ski resorts of Zermatt and Grachen via the Europaweg hiking trail, turning a three- to four-hour trip through the valley into a scant 10 minute walk.

The new bridge is a sky-high solution to the threat of falling rocks, which destroyed its predecessor just two months after it was completed. The upside is that hikers receive unparalleled views of the Matterhorn, Weisshorn, Bernese Alps, and Grabengufer Valley. The downside is that the bridges deck is only about two feet wide, requiring adventurers to walk single-file only, and is made of metal grates that make it possible to peer at certain death in the abyss below.

How often do you get the chance to cross a real world record suspension bridge? said Daniel Luggen, director of Zermatt Tourism, at the bridges inauguration on July 29. The thrill experienced high over the precipice is indescribable.

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Thrill is one word for it. Mind-numbing terror followed by soiling oneself might be more accurate.
Just yesterday at my local supermarket checkout line, I was innocently asked why I needed to pick up a pair of solar eclipse glasses. Um, because I could go blind, I responded. You should get a pair, too.

You see, I happen to live on the South Carolina coast, which is right on the path of totality and the last stop of the Great American Eclipse of 2017 (its unofficial nickname). Many people are getting excited for this special event, and its clear that some of you have pertinent questions. Im here to help.

Whats happening exactly?

On Monday, Aug. 21, the U.S. will be treated to a celestial spectacle. Those lucky enough to be on the path of totalitya 70-mile wide stretch that extends from Oregon to South Carolinawill get to see the suns disk completely obscured by the moon (weather permitting, of course).

Observers will also get the rare opportunity to look directly at the solar corona, the radiant, outermost part of the suns atmosphere. NASA says this is the first total eclipse to cross from coast-to-coast since 1918.

The path of totality for the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. NASA

Does this mean it go dark?



If you are in an area with a high percentage of obscuration, yes, you will be in near darkness. But it only lasts a few minutes. Those not near the path of totality will see sunlight coming through.

Where and when will it happen?

Lincoln Beach, Oregon gets to see the eclipse begin around 9:05 a.m. PDT. It then crosses through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and North and South Carolina. It ends near Charleston, South Carolina at 2:48 p.m. EDT.

Check out this chart for exact details:

But I dont live on the path of totality. Can I still see it?

Very likely! Even if youre not on the path of totality, anyone living in North America can see at least a partial solar eclipse, where it will look like the moon took a chunk out of the sun. If you dont live in the U.S., the northern parts of South America and areas of Europe and Africa will also see a partial eclipse.

Do I really need solar eclipse glasses?



Yes. You could severely damage your eyes if you look directly at the sun. Regular sunglasses, binoculars and camera lenses will not do. You need a pair certified by the ISO 12312-2 international standard that have a special-purpose safe solar filter that blocks solar UV and infrared radiation. Due to reports of counterfeit glasses flooding the market, youll want check on this Reputable Vendors of Solar Filters & Viewers page if your viewers comply.

Can I watch the eclipse if I dont have special glasses?

You can remove your glasses or look at the sun with the naked eye only when the sun is totally blocked by the moon.

Dont be tempted to look during any other pointeven a tiny sliver of the crescent sun can burn your eyeballs. As Ralph Chou, professor emeritus at the School of Optometry & Vision Science at the University of Waterloo in Canada, told Space.com, I have seen instances where the patient has eventually shown up with crescents burned into the back of the eye, and you can almost tell exactly when they looked.

If you cant get ahold of a pair of eclipse glasses, you can create simple pinhole projectors, a fun project for kids and adults alike. Also NASA will host a live stream which will play on NASA TV, YouTube and other TV stations.

Will traffic be bad?

Its likely. About 220 million Americans are within an hours drive to states in the path of totality. Some cities are preparing for Superbowl-like conditions with expected congestion and travel delays.

Can I bring my dog to watch the eclipse?

Sure. Your dog, and your cat for that matter, instinctively know not to look directly at the sun and will probably ignore the event, animal experts say.
The memory of a beloved pet inspires one couple's fight against injustice.
Washington could have an ace up its sleeve in its major lawsuit against Monsanto over PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) contamination throughout the state.

Before switching operations to agriculture, Monsanto was the primary manufacturer of PCBs, which was used for paints, electrical equipment and other products, from 1935 until 1977. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned PCBs in 1979 due to its link to birth defects and cancer in laboratory animals. PCBs can have adverse skin and liver effects in humans and can also linger in the environment for many decades.

But according to documents published by The Poison Papers project, a new online archive of more than 20,000 documents obtained from federal agencies and chemical manufacturers, Monsanto possibly knew as early as the 1960sat least a decade before the federal banthat PCBs were harmful to public health and the environment but continued to manufacture and sell the widely used product anyway.

Washington assistant attorney general Bill Sherman told the Guardian that the archive contained information the state was previously unaware of.

If authentic, these records confirm that Monsanto knew that their PCBs were harmful and pervasive in the environment, and kept selling them in spite of that fact, he said. They knew the dangers, but hid them from the public in order to profit.

Sherman cited a particular Monsanto pollution abatement plan from October 1969 that was published in the Poison Papers archive. A section of the plan titled, the damage to the ecological system by contamination from PCBs, states: The evidence proving the persistence of these compounds and their universal presence in the environment is beyond questioning.

Further, the document says that direct lawsuits are possible because customers using the products have not been officially notified about known effects nor [do] our labels carry this information.

The plan then presents three courses of action, with each action corresponding to profit and liability flow charts. The actions are, Do nothing, discontinue manufacture of all PCBs or respond responsibly.

At the same time that Monsanto was telling the public that that PCBs were safe, they were literally graphing their potential legal liability against the lost profits and public image boost that might accompany being responsible and honest, Sherman commented to the Guardian. At the end of the day, Monsanto went for the profits instead of for public health and environmental safety.

Monsantos vice president of global strategy, Scott Partridge, did not contest the authenticity of the documents.

More than 40 years ago, the former Monsanto voluntarily stopped production and sale of PCBs prior to any federal requirement to do so, Partridge told the Guardian. At the time Monsanto manufactured PCBs, they were a legal and approved product used in many useful applications. Monsanto has no liability for pollution caused by those who used or discharged PCBs into the environment.

Washington is seeking damages on several grounds, including product liability for Monsantos alleged failure to warn about the dangers of PCBs; negligence; and trespass for injuring the states natural resources. The state is seeking hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars from Monsanto.

The cities of Seattle, Spokane, Long Beach, Portland, San Diego, San Jose, Oakland and Berkeley are similarly suing Monsanto over PCB contamination.

In May 2016, a St. Louis jury awarded three plaintiffs a total of $46.5 million in damages in a lawsuit alleging that Monsanto and three other companies were negligent in its handling of PCBs. The case involved three of nearly 100 plaintiffs claiming that exposure PCBs caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

As EcoWatch reported then, the verdict was the first such victory in the city of St. LouisMonsantos home townand a seemingly rare win overall. Monsanto has historically prevailed in similar lawsuits filed against the company over deaths and illnesses related to PCBs.

This is the future, plaintiffs lawyer Steven Kherkher told EcoWatch.

The lawsuit claimed that Monsanto continued to sell the compounds even after it learned about its dangers and falsely told the public they were safe. Indeed, internal documents have surfaced showing that Monsanto knew about the health risks of PCBs long before they were banned. A document, dated Sept. 20, 1955, stated: We know Aroclors [PCBs] are toxic but the actual limit has not been precisely defined.
The Orlando City Commission unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday establishing a goal to move Orlando to 100 percent clean and renewable energy by 2050. Orlando is now the largest city in Florida to make such a commitment and joins a growing movement of more than three dozen cities nationwide that have committed to a 100 percent clean energy future.

Council chambers were filled with elated members of the First 50 Coalition, a broad-based alliance led by the League of Women Voters of Orange County that is pushing for sustainability in Central Florida.

Today, Orlando takes its place on the regional, state and national stage as a forward-thinking city committed to a healthier, sustainable future, said League of Women Voters of Orange County co-president Carol Davis. This is a first, important step, and we plan to continue to support and encourage the City to follow with concrete measures that solidify this commitment.

Orlando represents the 40th city in the U.S. to commit to move to 100 percent clean and renewable energy. Mayor Buddy Dyer has already championed multiple green energy initiatives, including signing the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda in the past few months. In June, Mayor Dyer signed onto the Sierra Clubs Mayors for 100% Clean Energy campaign and endorsed a vision of powering all of Orlando with 100 percent clean energy. Other Florida cities that have committed to transition to 100 percent clean and renewable energy include St. Petersburg and Sarasota.

The local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) branch, a key member of the First 50 Coalition, praised the City Commissions vote.

We stand in support with the Orlando City Commission, in realizing the importance of renewable energy to it residents, by taking the necessary actions to begin the transformation, said Beverlye Colson Neal, president of the NAACPs local branch. We look forward to working with the City to educate the residents of the importance and advantages of renewable energy as we move into the future.

Sara Isaac, League of Women Voters of Orange Countys director of partnerships, agreed. We applaud the City of Orlando for looking ahead to the future and seeing that a better tomorrow is possible if we take bold action today, Isaac said. Orlando is a young city that is just now beginning to fully realize its possibilities. This action showcases Orlando as a potential powerhouse player on the national stage.

In a letter sent to commissioners urging their support, First 50 acknowledged that Orlando has already taken significant steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, praising in particular Green Works Orlando and Smart ORL, which boosted Orlando down a path of clean-energy and sustainability.

Orlandos vote was applauded by Phil Compton, senior organizing representative with the Sierra Clubs Ready for 100 Campaign in Florida, and a member of the First 50 Coalition.

All across our state and our nation, cities are committing to a future powered by 100 percent clean and renewable energy for all, Compton said. Today, Orlando joins this growing movement of cities that are ready for 100 percent clean, renewable energy.
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
Unlike locusts and many other flying insects, cicadas don't soar through the air with the greatest of ease. Now in a study appearing the ACS' The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, scientists report that certain chemical components in the insect's wings could explain why.

Although cicadas live most of their lives underground, billions of them eventually emerge on the surface in late spring, either annually or periodically in 13- to 17-year cycles. During their brief six-week lifecycle above ground, adult cicadas cling to nearby trees, generate shrill mating calls, reproduce and die. It was the sight of hundreds of dead cicadas on their household deck that inspired Terry Gullion and his son, John, a high school student, to investigate the exact chemical composition of cicada wings.

Using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the team found that the veins and membranes of cicada wings were composed of different proteins. They also detected differing ratios of protein to chitin -- a strong, fibrous substance -- in these structures. Driven by their curiosity, the Gullions then compared their cicada wing chemical profile to that found in locust wings reported in the literature. In that earlier study, scientists using a different method detected virtually no chitin in the locust wing membrane. The researchers say that this difference in chitin could help explain why cicada wings are relatively heavy compared to a locust's, and why cicadas can only fly short distances.

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The authors acknowledge funding from the National Science Foundation.

The abstract that accompanies this study is available here.

The American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

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As antibiotic resistance rises and fears over superbugs grow, scientists are looking for new treatment options. One area of focus is antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which could someday be an alternative to currently prescribed antibiotics, many of which are becoming increasingly useless against some bacteria. Now, a team reports in ACS Chemical Biology that they have improved the antimicrobial -- and anticancer -- properties of an AMP from a spider.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 million people become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the U.S. each year. Because no known antibiotics work against these bacteria, patients simply have to hope that their natural defenses eventually overcome the infection. But some patients experience severe symptoms, landing them in a hospital, and in extreme cases, they could die. Researchers are trying to find alternatives to traditional antibiotics, and one such possibility is a group of peptides called AMPs. These peptides are found in all plants and animals as a type of immune response and have been shown to be potent antibiotics in the laboratory. Gomesin, an AMP from the Brazilian spider Acanthoscurria gomesiana can function as an antibiotic, but it also has anticancer activity. When gomesin was synthesized as a circle instead of as a linear structure, these characteristics were enhanced. Sonia Troeira Henriques and colleagues wanted to further boost the peptide's traits.

The team made several variations of the cyclic gomesin peptide and found that some of these were 10 times better at killing most bacteria than the previously reported cyclic form. In other experiments, the new AMPs specifically killed melanoma and leukemia cells, but not breast, gastric, cervical or epithelial cancer cells. The researchers determined that the modified peptides killed bacteria and cancer cells in a similar way -- by disrupting the cells' membranes. The group also notes that the modified AMPs were non-toxic to healthy blood cells.

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The authors acknowledge funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council.

The abstract that accompanies this study is available here.

The American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

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The ACM Special Interest Group on Multimedia (SIGMM) is pleased to present this year's Rising Star Award in multimedia computing, communications and applications to Dr. Liangliang Cao for his significant contributions in large-scale multimedia recognition and social media mining.

The ACM SIGMM Rising Star Award recognizes a young researcher who has made outstanding research contributions to the field of multimedia computing, communication and applications during the early part of his or her career.

Dr. Cao has published extensively in the top multimedia related journals and conferences, including 15 times in ACM Multimedia and 3 times in ACM ICMR. To date, he has garnered 3400+ citations on over 70 papers and 10 patents. This impressive record at this early stage of his career demonstrates the impact of his research and his contributions to our field of Multimedia.

In his short research career, Dr. Cao has made unique and significant contributions in industrial settings. Most notably he was the Project key person for ALADDIN, on the IBM-Columbia team, the Lead contributor who made the IBM IMARS system 100 times faster, as well as the Lead contributor of a clothes & fashion search app at Yahoo Taiwan, which has received 80+ local media reports. He is a cofounder of HelloVera.AI where he is working as a CTO and Chief Scientist.

Dr. Cao also has won several awards and challenges, highlighted by the First Place in ImageNet LSVRC 2010, First Place in ImageCLEF Medical Image Classification, 2012 & 2013, IBM Research Division Award, 2012-2013, and IBM Outstanding Accomplishment for the multimedia team, 2012.

In addition to his research contributions, Dr. Cao also is a contributor to the multimedia community through many professional activities. To name a few, he was the workshop founding chair of GeoMM in ACMMM 2012 to 2014, the general chair of the Greater New York Area Multimedia and Vision Meeting in 2012 to 2013, an area chair of ACM MM 2012, a workshop chair at ICMR 2016, an industry chair of ICMR 2017, an area chair of ACM Multimedia 2017, as well as a co-organizer at ACM MM'14&15 for the grand challenge on NYC 360 and at ACM MM'16 for the grand challenge on the YFCC 100M dataset.

In summary, Dr. Liangliang Cao receives the 2017 ACM SIGMM Rising Star Award for his significant contributions in large-scale multimedia recognition and social media mining.

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The 2017 winner of the prestigious ACM Special Interest Group on Multimedia (SIGMM) award for Outstanding Technical Contributions to Multimedia Computing, Communications and Applications is Prof. Dr. Arnold Smeulders. The award is given in recognition of his outstanding and pioneering contributions to defining and bridging the semantic gap in content-based image retrieval.

During the early years of his scientific career Dr. Smeulders studied the invariant fundamentals of lines, shapes, textures and colors. This resulted in several PAMI papers (IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence) that are still being cited today. Besides the written record, Arnold always had the drive to showcase academic results in real-world systems. In 1989 he introduced the Diagnostic Encyclopedia Workstation: a system containing 3,000 images from pathology combined with what we would now call a handcrafted ontology. Already then he showed his great ability to generalize results as in 1991 he launched one of the world's first image search engines that combined automatic indexing, interactive retrieval, and evaluation. During this period he was also instrumental in building our community, organizing the first conferences, and defining the semantic gap as the fundamental problem in image retrieval. The end of this era culminated in what became the most cited paper of our discipline: Content-based image retrieval at the end of the early years.

The culmination of Dr. Smeulders' pioneering research in content-based image retrieval in his seminal paper has been the starting point for new research in algorithms and systems for bridging the semantic gap in his group. It led to scientific contributions in early versus late fusion, semantic path finding, similarity based visualization, learned lexicon driven video retrieval, the MediaMill 101 challenge, and neighbor voting for tag ranking. To date, Arnold has graduated 45 PhD students on the broad topic of content-based image retrieval. His approach to student supervision is simple; Dr. Smeulders just asks the right questions. If students are not yet ready to realize the deep insight behind the question, he will patiently lead them to the answer, always giving the students the feeling they came up with the answer themselves.

Arnold enjoys putting his students on the stage, while he is watching from behind in the wings. His mentoring approach has proven effective as his students have won all the image and video retrieval benchmarks that matter, including PASCAL VOC, ImageNet, ImageCLEF and several editions of the NIST TRECVID concept detection and interactive video retrieval challenges. Moreover, multiple best paper and demo awards have been handed out to his students at ACM CIVR (2009, 2010), ACM MM (2005), IEEE TMM (2012), notably in 2014 both the multimedia grand challenge and the best paper in MM, and in 2013 Xirong Li received the SIGMM Best Ph.D. Thesis Award for work on content-based visual search learned from social media. Another proof of Dr. Smeulders' ability to nurture research talent is that about twenty former students are still active in science, already five of them have made it to the rank of full professor.

Apart from his talent for science, Arnold has another super skill. He is one of the few people able to conceive large-scale research initiatives, mobilize researchers and industry practitioners from various backgrounds, letting them collaborate, and making them flourish. First he did it in the Amsterdam region with the Multimedia Information Analysis program. Then he made the jump to the entire country with MultimediaN. His latest project extends the scope from multimedia to ICT in general, with the nationwide COMMIT program. With each of these steps the scale has increased by almost an order of magnitude in terms of budget and number of researchers involved, with COMMIT being a project with a budget of well over 100 Million Euros. In doing so, he has facilitated and sustained the academic career of many multimedia researchers in the Netherlands. Dr. Smeulders' has been instrumental in creating, sustaining and nurturing the research climate for multimedia in the Netherlands.

At the end of the early years of his career, Dr. Smeulders has been more active than ever before. He continues to lead a group of 20 people. He launched a start-up company on content-based image retrieval, made it profitable and sold it to Qualcomm. Together with Qualcomm and the University of Amsterdam he established a new joint research lab with a focus on understanding pictorial content by mobile deep learning. Arnold drives the ICT policy agenda for the Netherlands, convincing the powers that be there is no innovation with ICT when not preceded by innovation of ICT. And last but not least, he managed to attract the two communities that contributed most to content-based image retrieval to Amsterdam for two flagship conferences during one memorable week in October 2016.

It is for these reasons that we award the ACM Special Interest Group on Multimedia (SIGMM) award for Outstanding Technical Contributions to Prof. Dr. Arnold Smeulders About ACM SIGMM

SIGMM is ACM's Special Interest Group on Multimedia - the community of researchers and practitioners dedicated to building next-generation technologies and applications around multimedia. SIGMM hosts several vibrant premiere conferences including ACM Multimedia, celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year, (with 600+ participants annually), ICMR on multimedia retrieval, and MMSys on multimedia systems. The community also takes pride in its publications including the flagship journal ACM TOMCCAP and the affiliated Springer Multimedia Systems Journal (MMSJ).

About ACM

ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.
Wind energy development in the Great Plains is increasing, spurring concern about its potential effects on grassland birds, the most rapidly declining avian group in North America. However, a new study from The Condor: Ornithological Applications suggests that for one grassland bird species of concern--the Greater Prairie-Chicken--wind energy infrastructure has little to no effect on nesting. Instead, roads and livestock grazing remain the most significant threats to its successful reproduction.

Prairie-chickens are thought to avoid tall structures such as wind turbines because they provide a perch from which raptors can hunt. To learn more, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Jocelyn Olney Harrison and her colleagues gathered data on the effects of an existing small wind energy facility (36 turbines) in Nebraska. They captured 78 female prairie-chickens at breeding sites, or leks, ranging from less than a kilometer from the wind energy facility to more than twenty kilometers away, and fitted the birds with transmitters to track them to their nests. Monitoring their nesting success and collecting data on the habitat characteristics of each nest site, they found little evidence that the wind energy facility affected nest site selection or a nest's chances of survival. Instead, vegetation characteristics, driven by land use practices such as grazing, had the greatest influence on prairie-chicken nests. Birds also avoided nesting near roads.

"When comparing previous studies to our own, it appears that the effects of wind energy facilities on prairie grouse are often site- and species-specific," says Harrison. "Therefore, it's important to consider the results of our study in the context of the size and location of the wind energy facility, as well as the prairie grouse species investigated. We suggest that livestock grazing and other grassland management practices still have the most important regional effects on Greater Prairie-Chickens, but we caution future planners to account for potential negative effects of roads on nest site placement."

Private landowners were key to completing the study, Harrison adds. "Our radio- and satellite-tagged Greater Prairie-Chickens made larger than expected movements while we were tracking them, which led us to require permission from new land owners on almost a weekly basis during our field seasons. Landowners throughout our field study area were always extremely welcoming and helpful, and genuinely interested in our work. Our project was a success due to more than 50 landowners who granted us access to their private lands."

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"Nest site selection and nest survival of Greater Prairie-Chickens near a wind energy facility" will be available August 9, 2017, at http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1650/CONDOR-17-51.1 (issue URL http://www.bioone.org/toc/cond/119/4).

About the journal: The Condor: Ornithological Applications is a peer-reviewed, international journal of ornithology. It began in 1899 as the journal of the Cooper Ornithological Club, a group of ornithologists in California that became the Cooper Ornithological Society, which merged with the American Ornithologists' Union in 2016 to become the American Ornithological Society.
BOSTON-- One in twelve physicians - and nearly one in five family medicine physicians - accepted payments from pharmaceutical companies related to opioids, according to a new study out of Boston Medical Center's Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine. This is the first large-scale, national study of industry payments involving opioids and suggests that pharmaceutical companies may have a stronger hold than previously known on how doctors prescribe the powerful drugs. The study results are published online ahead of print in the American Journal of Public Health.

Using Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data, researchers identified 375,255 non-research, opioid-related payments to 68,177 physicians between August 2013 and December 2015 totaling over $46 million. Payments are defined as "transfers of value"--which could be direct money to physicians, a reimbursement for travel, speaking or consulting fees, education or meals. The average payment to physicians was $15, with most receiving one payment per year. However, the top one percent of doctors collectively received more than $38 million (82 percent of the total) and averaged more than $2,600 in yearly payments during the study period.

The Physician Payment Sunshine Act, passed under the Affordable Care Act in 2010, requires drug companies to report all payments to physicians in the United States. Previous research suggests that payments from drug companies may lead to increased prescribing by doctors for marketed medications, even when payments are of low monetary value such as for meals.

"Even though most payments were small, they add up to a shocking number and may have a wide-reaching influence on physician behaviors. We need to take a hard look at how the pharmaceutical industry may be influencing care and prescribing at the ground level," said Scott Hadland, MD, MPH, pediatrician and adolescent addiction specialist who led the study.

Speaking fees accounted for the largest amount of payments and food/beverage payments were the most frequent. Anesthesiologists received the most in total annual payments, but the largest number of payments went to family medicine physicians.

"There's no denying that we have a widespread and systematic problem," said Michael Botticelli, executive director of the Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine and former director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy under President Obama. "Pharmaceutical companies should take responsibility for how these payments are contributing to the growing epidemic. Physicians also have a role to play by prescribing judiciously and advancing safe opioid prescribing education on the front lines."

Study authors note that payments related to marketing opioids may run counter to national efforts to reduce excess opioid prescribing. They suggest policymakers consider whether caps should be imposed on certain payments as one possible solution and encourage future research to examine whether payments are related to opioid misuse and overdose.

"The opioid epidemic, which is responsible for thousands of deaths every year, is a national tragedy that we must work at every level to combat. It's our hope that this study sparks a bigger conversation about the role of pharmaceutical companies in the over-prescribing of opioid medications, and prompts a more thorough investigation about what we need to do to tackle this problem," said Brandon Marshall, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health, who served as the study's senior author.

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Funding was supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Drug Abuse (L40 DA042434).

About Boston Medical Center

Boston Medical Center is a private, not-for-profit, 487-bed, academic medical center that is the primary teaching affiliate of Boston University School of Medicine. It is the largest and busiest provider of trauma and emergency services in New England. Committed to providing high-quality health care to all, the hospital offers a full spectrum of pediatric and adult care services including primary and family medicine and advanced specialty care with an emphasis on community-based care. Boston Medical Center offers specialized care for complex health problems and is a leading research institution, receiving more than $117 million in sponsored research funding in fiscal year 2016. It is the 13th largest recipient of funding in the U.S. from the National Institutes of Health among independent hospitals. In 1997, BMC founded Boston Medical Center Health Plan, Inc., now one of the top ranked Medicaid MCOs in the country, as a non-profit managed care organization. It does business in Massachusetts as BMC HealthNet Plan and as Well Sense Health Plan in New Hampshire, serving 290,000 people, collectively. Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine are partners in the Boston HealthNet - 14 community health centers focused on providing exceptional health care to residents of Boston. For more information, please visit http://www.bmc.org.
Investigators at Children's Hospital Los Angeles have succeeded in better defining a rare pediatric malignant liver disease -- a necessary step in achieving an optimum treatment.

The research into hepatocellular malignant neoplasm-NOS (HEMNOS) is the largest case study of its kind to date. HEMNOS is a recently described entity that has features of the most common pediatric liver cancer -- hepatoblastoma (HB), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) -- a liver cancer more commonly seen in adults.

While HEMNOS typically has been treated much like HCC, the CHLA investigators found that treating HEMNOS like a subtype of hepatoblastoma yielded more positive treatment outcomes in children.

The researchers analyzed 11 patients (ages four to 15) with liver cancer, originally seen from 2000-2016, all of whom received HB-targeted chemotherapy and complete surgical resection. HEMNOS had been thought to have a very poor prognosis, an impression created by the single previous case series on this topic. However, all of the CHLA patients survived and achieved remission, despite being considered high risk.

"The high survival rate of our patients further supports our argument that HEMNOS is best considered a subtype of hepatoblastoma," said Leo Mascarenhas, MD, MS, deputy director of the Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases and senior author on the study. "Without such a clear definition of the tumor, patients may be treated inappropriately."

The investigators performed a series of analyses to better define this unique group of tumors. Their pathology review of pre-chemotherapy specimens showed that six tumors had overlapping tissue features of HB and HCC, four had predominant HB histology, along with focal HCC-like histology and one had HB histology. "No matter what their original diagnosis, each patient benefited when HEMNOS was treated like hepatoblastoma," said Shengmei Zhou, MD, a pediatric pathologist at CHLA and lead author on the study.

Investigators also looked for the expression of the telomerase gene (TERT), a repetitive DNA-protein complex crucial for the survival of cancer cells. They identified TERT expression in nine of the 11 cases.

In their next step, the researchers plan to study the genomic difference of the HEMNOS tumor compared to classic hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma to gain new insights into the pathophysiology of this cancer.

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The study was published online in the journal Histopathology, in June 2017, in advance of print publication.

Additional contributors to the study include Shveta Gupta, MD, and Rajkumar Venkatramani, CHLA Division of Hematology, Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation; James Stein, MD and Kaspar Wang, MD, CHLA Department of Surgery; and Larry Wang, MD, PhD, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

The research was supported in part by a grant from the Names Family Foundation.

About Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Children's Hospital Los Angeles has been ranked the top children's hospital in California and sixth in the nation for clinical excellence with its selection to the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll. CHLA is home to The Saban Research Institute, one of the largest and most productive pediatric research facilities in the United States. Children's Hospital is also one of America's premier teaching hospitals through its affiliation with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California since 1932. For more information, visit CHLA.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram, and visit our child health blog (CHLA.org/blog) and our research blog (ResearCHLABlog.org).
This website is inclusive of tolerant people of all faiths, without exception. Neither anti-Semitism nor Islamophobia nor homophobia should ever be acceptable to anyone. We must all strive to live in peace and harmony with each other, regardless of religious affiliations, or none. Intolerance is the mother of strife and conflict.   Mark Alexander

We Britons are Europeans!Wir Briten sind Europaer! Nous, les Britanniques, sommes europeens !  Mark AlexanderEmail me at:markalexander.librabunda@gmail.com
Washington, DC-- The amount of time it takes for an ecosystem to recover from a drought is an important measure of a drought's severity. During the 20th century, the total area of land affected by drought increased, and longer recovery times became more common, according to new research published by Nature by a group of scientists including Carnegie's Anna Michalak and Yuanyuan Fang.

Scientists predict that more-severe droughts will occur with greater frequency in the 21st century, so understanding how ecosystems return to normal again will be crucial to preparing for the future. However, the factors that influence drought recovery have been largely unknown until now.

"Research has usually focused on the amount of rain and other precipitation that ends the deficit of water that causes a drought, but assessments of drought-recovery need to account for the restoration of normal plant function," explained Michalak.

The team -- including three other alumni of Carnegie Global Ecology research groups William Anderegg (University of Utah), Adam Wolf (Arable Labs Inc.), and Deborah Huntzinger (Northern Arizona University) -- used measures of photosynthetic activity to assess drought recovery. Quantifying how long it took for plant productivity to return to normal gave the researchers a better understanding of the longevity of a drought's effects.

"If another drought arrives before trees and other plants have recovered from the last one, the ecosystem can reach a 'tipping point' where the plants' ability to function normally is permanently affected," Fang said.

The conditions most-strongly contributing to drought recovery time were precipitation and temperature, they found. Unsurprisingly, better conditions shortened recovery. Temperature extremes, both hot and cold, lengthened it.

Recovery took the longest in the tropics, particularly the Amazon and Indonesia, and in the far north, especially Alaska and the far east of Russia.

Other factors influencing drought recovery included pre-drought photosynthetic activity, carbon dioxide concentrations, and biodiversity.

The team found that drought impacts increased over the 20th century. Given anticipated 21st century changes in temperature and projected increases in drought frequency and severity due to climate change, their findings suggest that recovery times will be slower in the future. A chronic state of incomplete drought recovery may be the new normal for the remainder of the 21st century and the risk of reaching "tipping points" that result in widespread tree deaths may be greater going forward, they say.

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Other members of the team include lead author Christopher Schwalm of the Woods Hole Research Center; Joshua Fisher of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Franco Biondi of University of Nevada-Reno; George Koch and Kiona Ogle of Northern Arizona University; Marcy Litvak of University of New Mexico; John Shaw of the U.S. Forest Service; Kevin Schaefer of the National Snow and Ice Data Center; Robert Cook and Yaxing Wei of Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Daniel Hayes of University of Maine; Maoyi Huang of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Atul Jain of University of Illinois; and Hanquin Tian of Auburn University.

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Data management support for preparing, documenting, and distributing model driver and output data was performed by the Modeling and Synthesis, Thematic Data Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, with funding through NASA.

The Carnegie Institution for Science is a private, nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with six research departments throughout the U.S. Since its founding in 1902, the Carnegie Institution has been a pioneering force in basic scientific research. Carnegie scientists are leaders in plant biology, developmental biology, astronomy, materials science, global ecology, and Earth and planetary science.
New York, NY (August 9, 2017)-- New research at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) has revealed how special molecules help the tongue communicate with the brain to identify the correct taste. Using this knowledge, scientists were able rewire the taste-system of mice to perceive sweet stimuli as bitter tastes, and vice versa. The discovery provides new insights into how the tongue keeps its sense of taste organized despite the rapid turnover of the cells in its taste buds.

The findings were published today in the online edition of Nature.

"All of the tastes we experience are a combination of some or all of the five basic taste qualities, so there's little room for error," said study leader Charles S. Zuker, PhD, professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics and of neuroscience and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator at CUMC, and principal investigator at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute. "An organism's survival can depend on its ability to distinguish attractive tastes like sweet from aversive ones like sour and bitter."

Humans perceive taste through thousands of tiny sensory organs called taste buds, which are located mostly on the upper surface of the tongue. Each taste bud contains 50 to 100 taste cells, which contain molecules, known as receptors, that can detect each type of taste -- sweet, bitter, sour, salty, or umami (savory). These taste cells then relay this information from the tongue to the brain.

"Most portions of the brain circuits that govern taste are hardwired at birth, except in the tongue, where the cells in our taste buds--taste receptor cells--connect to taste neurons," said co-lead author Hojoon Lee, PhD, an associate research scientist in the department of biochemistry and molecular biophysics at CUMC. "It's a highly dynamic process. Taste cells are replaced every one to three weeks, and one type of receptor may be replaced by a different type. Each time a new taste receptor cell is made, it needs to make the right connection with the brain."

The researchers wondered how the right connections are maintained when there's such a fast and random turnover of taste cells. They hypothesized that when taste receptor cells are produced, the cells most likely express dedicated molecular signals that attract the right complement of taste neurons.

To identify these signals, the CUMC team compared the gene expression of taste receptor cells, focusing on the two most dissimilar types: bitter and sweet. The researchers found that the two types of taste cells differed most strikingly in their expression of semaphorins, a family of proteins that help create neural circuits. While bitter receptors expressed large amounts of the Semaphorin 3A variant, sweet receptors expressed large amounts of Semaphorin 7A.

To determine whether these molecules guide taste receptor-to-neuron connectivity, the CUMC team genetically engineered two types of mice: one in which bitter receptors expressed Semaphorin 7A, the type normally produced by sweet receptors, and a second in which sweet receptors were modified to express Semaphorin 3A, the type produced by bitter receptors. The researchers hypothesized that the bitter receptors in the first model would now activate sweet neurons while sweet receptors in the second model would connect to bitter neurons.

"That's exactly what we observed," said Dr. Lee. "What this means is that taste receptor cells are determining their own connectivity by providing instructive signals to neurons."

The researchers conducted an additional experiment to confirm that the receptors had been rewired in the brain by switching the semaphorins. Mice whose bitter receptors were engineered to express the sweet semaphorin were presented with both plain water and bitter-tasting water. Unlike the normal controls, "the engineered mice did not avoid the bitter water" said Dr. Lee.

The researchers are currently studying the signaling molecules and connectivity of sour, salty, and umami taste receptors.

"The taste system gives us a unique opportunity to explore how connections between taste cells and neurons are wired and preserved, in the face of random turnover of our sensory cells" said Dr. Zuker. "Step-by-step studies like this one are helping us decipher the wiring rules of one of our most basic of our senses."

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The study is titled, "Rewiring the Taste System." The other contributors are: Camilo A. Parada (CUMC) and Nicholas J.P. Ryba (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD).

The other authors are Lindsey J. Macpherson (CUMC), Camilo A. Parada (CUMC), and Nicholas J.P. Ryba (NIH).

The study was supported by grants from funds the National Institute On Drug Abuse (R01DA035025). The authors declare no financial or other conflicts of interests.

Columbia University's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute brings together an extraordinary group of world-class scientists and scholars to pursue the most urgent and exciting challenge of our time: understanding the brain and mind. A deeper understanding of the brain promises to transform human health and society. From effective treatments for disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, depression and autism to advances in fields as fundamental as computer science, economics, law, the arts and social policy, the potential for humanity is staggering. To learn more, visit: zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu.

Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, preclinical, and clinical research; medical and health sciences education; and patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists, and nurses at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Columbia University Medical Center is home to the largest medical research enterprise in New York City and State and one of the largest faculty medical practices in the Northeast. The campus that Columbia University Medical Center shares with its hospital partner, NewYork-Presbyterian, is now called the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. For more information, visit cumc.columbia.edu or columbiadoctors.org.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists have discovered that exposure to environmental levels of triclocarban (TCC), an antibacterial chemical common in personal care products like soaps and lotions as well as in the medical field, can transfer from mother to offspring and interfere with lipid metabolism.

Ultimately, the findings could have implications for human health. The research appears in the Aug. 9 edition of PLOS ONE.

This study represents the first report to quantify the transfer of an environmentally relevant concentration of TCC from mother to offspring. TCC is among the top 10 most commonly detected wastewater contaminants in concentration and frequency.

Lipids are naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, fat-soluble vitamins, monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides and others. The main biological function of lipids is storing energy and signaling, and acting as structural components of cell membranes.

"Our results are significant because of the potential risk of exposure to TCC through contaminated water sources and in the living environment, and the potential adverse effects resulting from this exposure during development," said LLNL biologist Heather Enright, the lead author of the paper. "Early life exposure to TCC has the potential to cause irreversible outcomes due to the fragile nature of organ systems and protective mechanisms in developing offspring."

The team studied mice during gestation and lactation to see if, in fact, exposure to TCC would transfer from mother to offspring. Researchers administered TCC laced with carbon-14 to trace how the contaminant distributed in organ systems of female mice and exposed offspring.

Using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), Enright and her colleagues quantified TCC concentrations in offspring and their mothers after exposure. AMS fills a special niche in the biomedical field because it can measure very low concentrations of compounds with extreme accuracy and track bio-distribution and excretion over long periods of time.

"We demonstrated that TCC does effectively transfer from mother to offspring, both trans-placentally and via lactation," Enright said. "Exposure to TCC during development may pose a serious health risk to the developing embryo and fetus, as they are more sensitive to alterations in hormone levels, which may result in changes that often are irreversible."

TCC-related compounds were detected in the tissues of offspring with significantly higher concentrations in the brain, heart and fat. In addition to the transfer from mother to offspring, exposed offspring were heavier in weight than unexposed mice -- demonstrating an 11 percent and 8.5 percent increase in body weight for females and males, respectively.

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used in the study to examine changes in gene expression in liver and adipose tissue in the exposed offspring. The results suggested alterations in genes involved in lipid metabolism in exposed female offspring were consistent with the observed increase in fat weights and hepatic triglycerides.

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Other Livermore researchers include Miranda Falso (now at Slippery Rock University), Michael Malfatti, Victoria Lao, Edward Kuhn, Nicholas Hum, Yilan Shi (now at Bio-rad), Ana Sales, Kurt Haack, Kristen Kulp, Bruce Buchholz, Gabriela Loots, Graham Bench and Ken Turteltaub. The work was funded by LLNL's Laboratory Research and Development Program and the National Institutes of Health.

Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory provides solutions to our nation's most important national security challenges through innovative science, engineering and technology. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A 94-million-year-old climate change event that severely imperiled marine organisms may provide some unnerving insights into long-term trends in our modern oceans, according to a Florida State University researcher.

In a study published today in the journal Science Advances, Assistant Professor of Geology Jeremy Owens traces a 50,000-year period of ocean deoxygenation preceding an ancient climate event that dramatically disturbed global ocean chemistry and led to the extinction of many marine organisms. He also draws parallels to similar rates of oxygen depletion observed in our contemporary oceans.

"We found that before this major shift in the climate, there was a stretch of oxygen depletion of about 50,000 years," Owens said. "The rate of deoxygenation during that time is somewhat equivalent to the rate at which many scientists suggest we're losing oxygen from our oceans today."

Alongside scientists from Arizona State University and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Owens used a newly devised Thallium isotope analysis to examine organic-rich sediment from the Demerara Rise, an underwater plateau off the coasts of Suriname and French Guyana.

In these samples, Owens and his collaborators discovered evidence of rapid oxygen loss tens of thousands of years prior to the globally recognized climate event.

The best indicator for a significant climate disturbance like the one Owens and his colleagues investigated is the burial of large amounts of organic carbon. Owens said that the 50,000-year interval of deoxygenation preceding the climate event may help explain the relationship between buried organic carbon and major climatic shifts.

"The easiest way to bury organic carbon is for there to be a lack of oxygen because decreased oxygen slows down microbial respiration, and thus more primary producers sink down to the seafloor," Owens said. "This oxygen depletion prior to the event makes a lot of sense as it sets the stage for widespread organic carbon burial -- carbon that we now use for some of our fossil fuels."

In the study, Owens found that the onset of the deoxygenation period corresponded with a marked rise in volcanic activity. As volcanism increased, carbon dioxide was pumped into a warming atmosphere and the oceans were suffused with an excess of nutrients, leading to a process of dense aquatic plant growth and rapid oxygen depletion called eutrophication.

The cascade of events that seems to have precipitated the 50,000-year deoxygenation period -- carbon dioxide emissions, a warming atmosphere and eutrophication -- is a familiar one to those studying modern fossil fuel combustion and climate change.

"The volcanism linked to deoxygenation in the past represents the same kind of process as we see today -- we're just dealing with different sources," Owens said. "If the climate event in our study is analogous to modern events, we have to consider what that might mean for our oceans."

While it's unknown exactly how quickly the world's oceans are deoxygenating, scientists estimate that they lose a small percentage every decade. On the scale of a human lifetime, this pace seems negligible. But on a geologic scale, this is happening quickly and could have major effects on the global ecosystem.

"It's not a problem way off in the distance, and it's not just carbon dioxide we should be worried about," Owens said. "These processes are also having an impact on oxygen levels, and that's a major issue for many organisms."

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The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA, The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Agouron Institute. Owens' coauthors are postdoctoral student Chadlin Ostrander from Arizona State University and Sune Nielsen from Woods Hole.
The German Research Foundation (DFG) has fully exculpated Professor Britta Nestler of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences from alleged scientific misconduct. Therefore, an award ceremony will be held at the annual DFG meeting in Halle tonight where the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize 2017 will be conferred belatedly upon Britta Nestler. The awarding of the most important German research prize had been halted in March after anonymous hints in conjunction with Britta Nestler's research work had been disclosed to DFG at extremely short notice prior to the ceremony. As a result of an intensive review conducted by DFG that also involved external experts, the allegations now proved to be absolutely untenable.

The general secretary of DFG and chairwoman of the committee to investigate allegations of scientific misconduct, Dorothee Dzwonnek, said: "Based on this intensive review, there is no evidence for any scientific misconduct by Mrs. Nestler. So DFG has the great pleasure to finally award her the Leibniz Price now."

"Professor Britta Nestler most successfully conducts interdisciplinary computer-aided materials research and is among the top scientists in her discipline," says the President of KIT, Professor Holger Hanselka. "In 2001, she was Germany's youngest professor and since then has been granted a number of prizes including the State Research Award of Baden-Wurttemberg in 2007. We never had any doubt as regards her absolute personal integrity and I am happy that this was confirmed to the full extent by DFG. We are very proud to have Britta Nestler as a researcher and teacher at KIT."

"The career of Britta Nestler is a success story," says Professor Oliver Kraft, Vice President for Research of KIT. "I know Britta Nestler as an excellent and highly committed scientist who has largely influenced her discipline in Germany. The fact that she has been fully exculpated of all allegations now and can, at last, accept the most important funded research award, is a great joy for me," adds Professor Kraft. "My deepest respect goes to Britta Nestler herself who, with great aplomb, contributed largely to the DFG review of the various allegations - despite the situation of emotional turmoil that she was experiencing due to the fact that she was exposed to absolutely unjustified accusations - as probably everybody will be able to imagine. What I deem to be particularly malicious is the time when these accusations were uttered. This was simply meant to get as much attention as possible and to prevent Britta Nestler from enjoying her well-deserved award."

Britta Nestler reserves the right to consider legal action against the wrongful allegations.

The scientist not only works as a teacher and researcher at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology where she is a member of the collegiate management of the Institute for Applied Materials. Since 2001, she holds a professorship at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, and since 2008, she is director of the Computational Materials Science and Engineering department at the Institute of Materials and Processes there.

"The Leibniz Prize is another proof of Britta Nestler's excellent research achievements in an innovative, computer-aided materials research environment that has been shaped by her, and her career is a unique success story," says Professor Markus Stockner, Prorector for Research, Technology Transfer, and Quality Management at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. "The reason why she can conduct this research at both Karlsruhe higher education institutions is also due to the joint efforts by the state of Baden-Wurttemberg, KIT, and Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, who managed, by additionally appointing her to KIT in 2010, to make her stay with the city and the state."

The Research of Britta Nestler

How does the microstructure of a material evolve during manufacturing processes, such as casting or rolling of metal sheets? What is the influence of heat or mechanical stress on the service life of materials, e.g. in power plant boilers or solar facilities? To answer these questions, Britta Nestler studies the microstructures of materials by means of computer-aided simulation. Through these computer simulations, the scientist gains insight into processes that could not be visualized before. By combining disciplines, she succeeds in developing realistic, three-dimensional models of materials.

Theoretical findings obtained from microstructure modeling on supercomputers are incorporated in close-to-practice research projects together with industry, among others to improve brake disks, corrosion prognoses, and medical diagnostics. Her studies, among others, focus on the structure of crystals, fabrication processes, porous media, crack propagation, or phase transition between the liquid and solid when alloys solidify. As a materials researcher, she cooperates with geologists, e.g. to analyze the formation of grain structures in rock, and helps to better understand the processes of geologic history and the use of geothermal energy. In cooperation with energy researchers, she develops foam structures with integrated phase transition materials for the use in latent heat storages.

Information on Today's Award Ceremony of the Leibniz Prize - Location and Scope of the Event

The belated presentation of the Leibniz Prize to Britta Nestler will take place tonight in an award ceremony at the annual DFG meeting in Halle (Saale). The event begins at 7:00 PM in the banquet hall of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. Among those attending will be Dr. Reiner Haseloff, the Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt, Prof. Dr. Johanna Wanka, the Federal Minister of Education and Research, and Prof. Dr. Eva Quante-Brandt, Science Senator of the State of Bremen and Chairwoman of the Joint Science Conference (GWK).

About Britta Nestler

Since 2010, Britta Nestler has been conducting research and teaching at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), where she is a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Applied Materials. She was appointed Director of the Computational Materials Science and Engineering Department of the Institute of Materials and Processes of Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HsKA) in 2008. In the same year, she established the Steinbeis Transfer Center "Materials Simulation and Process Optimization" that is also headed by her. Since 2001, Britta Nestler has been professor of HsKA. Before, she spent several research periods abroad. She has four children.

In 2000, Britta Nestler was conferred her doctorate by RWTH Aachen University, where she previously obtained her diplomas in physics and mathematics. As a third subject, she studied pedagogics. Among the prizes she received so far is the State Award for Applied Research (2007) of the Baden-Wurttemberg Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts. Together with the Department of Informatics of Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, she received the State Teaching Award (2009). In addition, Britta Nestler was granted the Research Prize of Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences in 2014, the Materials Science and Technology Prize of the Federal of European Materials Societies (FEMS) in 2004, and the Richard von Mises Prize of the Society for Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (GAMM) in 2002. Since 2010, Nestler has succeeded in acquiring funding for research and education in the amount of more than EUR 5.5 million. Apart from Britta Nestler, seven scientists of KIT have been granted the Leibniz Prize by DFG so far.

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize

Since 1986, the Leibniz Prize has been awarded annually by DFG. It was established to honor outstanding scientists for research in all areas of science. The prize money in the amount of about EUR 2.5 million can be spent by the winners according to their own ideas and without bureaucratic expenditure for their scientific work within a period of up to seven years. This year's Leibniz Prize is awarded to ten scientists. So far, 348 researchers have won the Prize that is considered one of the most important science awards worldwide. Seven Leibniz Prize winners were awarded the Nobel Prize afterwards.

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Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) pools its three core tasks of research, higher education, and innovation in a mission. With about 9,300 employees and 25,000 students, KIT is one of the big institutions of research and higher education in natural sciences and engineering in Europe.

KIT - The Research University in the Helmholtz Association

Since 2010, the KIT has been certified as a family-friendly university.

With approx. 8.500 students, the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences is one of the largest and most research-oriented universities of Applied Sciences in Baden-Wurttemberg. For years, it has achieved outstanding results in renowned university rankings.
MAYWOOD, IL - With federal funding increasingly restricted, industry will play a critical role in funding neurosurgery research, according to a report by three prominent neurosurgeons in the journal World Neurosurgery.

"It is likely that the role of industry in research funding in neurosurgery will continue to expand, whether by individual grants or by organizations such as the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation," Loyola neurosurgeons Vikram Prabhu, MD, Russ Nockels, MD, and Douglas Anderson, MD, wrote. "We should nurture this relationship, regulating it carefully without stifling it."

Drs. Prabhu, Nockels and Anderson are professors in the Department of Neurological Surgery of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Dr. Anderson is department chair.

Industry has funded neurosurgery research for decades. "Through the years, it has brought advances to the medical field benefiting countless patients and the population at large," Drs. Prabhu, Nockels and Anderson wrote.

Industry funding also has resulted in periodic ethical lapses. ''But these are the exception rather than the rule and they are constantly being addressed and rectified - at a local and national level and with ever-increasing scrutiny," the authors wrote.

The National Institutes of Health is the world's leading underwriter of biomedical research, but obtaining NIH funding is an arduous process. A researcher must have an extensive track record, robust research facilities and a thriving program. Most grant applications are rejected, and most physicians do not have the time or training to master the art of grant writing.

Industry has superseded the NIH as the primary sponsor of clinical research. A 2015 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that between 2006 and 2014, the number of industry-funded clinical trials increased by 43 percent, while the number of trials funded by the NIH decreased by 24 percent.

A July 2017 study in World Neurosurgery that examined industry funding of neurosurgery research found that full professors on average received more than four times as much funding as assistant professors. Vascular neurosurgeons on average received more money than other neurosurgery subspecialists. Seventy-seven percent of male neurosurgeons received industry funding, compared with 59 percent of female neurosurgeons. Among those who did receive funding, 23 percent of men received more than $10,000, compared with 11 percent of women.

Such funding disparities should be addressed, Drs. Prabhu, Nockels and Anderson wrote. "Academic rank and gender should not be factors, and other neurosurgical disciplines, such as oncology, critical care and neurotrauma, functional and peripheral nerve, deserve an equal share of the pie."

The authors conclude: "Logistical and financial support for research from private organizations or industry should be welcomed, if the source is properly vetted and the proposed work is within the scientific and ethical confines of neurosurgery. Careful oversight and appropriate disclosure to avoid conflicts of interest are mandatory and physicians have to maintain the highest ethical standards. Organizations, such as the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation, play a key role; it may actually be best to steer precious research money through such entities."

The paper is titled, "Industry Funding for Neurosurgery Research."

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An experimental small satellite has successfully collected and delivered data on a key measurement for predicting changes in Earth's climate.

The Radiometer Assessment using Vertically Aligned Nanotubes (RAVAN) CubeSat was launched into low-Earth orbit on Nov. 11, 2016, in order to test new technologies that help to measure Earth's radiation imbalance, which is the difference between the amount of energy from the Sun that reaches Earth and the amount that is reflected and emitted back into space. That difference, estimated to be less than one percent, is responsible for global warming and climate change.

Designed to measure the amount of reflected solar and thermal energy that is emitted into space, RAVAN employs two technologies that have never before been used on an orbiting spacecraft: carbon nanotubes that absorb outbound radiation and a gallium phase change blackbody for calibration.

Among the blackest known materials, carbon nanotubes absorb virtually all energy across the electromagnetic spectrum. Their absorptive property makes them well suited for accurately measuring the amount of energy reflected and emitted from Earth. Gallium is a metal that melts -- or changes phase -- at around body temperature, making it a consistent reference point. RAVAN's radiometers measure the amount of energy absorbed by the carbon nanotubes, and the gallium phase change cells monitor the stability of the radiometers.

RAVAN began collecting and sending radiation data on Jan. 25 and has now been in operation for well past its original six-month mission timeframe.

"We've been making Earth radiation measurements with the carbon nanotubes and doing calibrations with the gallium phase change cells, so we've successfully met our mission objectives," said Principal Investigator Bill Swartz of Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. He and his team are now monitoring RAVAN in the longer term to see how much the instrument changes over time and are also performing data analysis and comparing its measurements with existing model simulations of outgoing Earth radiation.

While the technology demonstration comprises a single CubeSat, in practice a future RAVAN mission would operate many CubeSats in a constellation. Instruments for measuring Earth's outgoing energy are currently housed aboard a few large satellites, and while they have a high spatial resolution they cannot observe the entire planet simultaneously the way a constellation of RAVAN CubeSats could, Swartz explained.

"We know that outgoing radiation from Earth varies widely over time depending on variables such as clouds or aerosols or temperature changes," Swartz said. "A constellation can provide a global, 24/7 coverage that would improve these measurements."

"This successful technology demonstration realizes the potential of a new observation scenario to get at a very difficult measurement using constellation missions," said Charles Norton, program area associate for the Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "In terms of its impact for CubeSats and Smallsats for NASA, I think It has helped to bring forward another example of how this platform can be successfully used for technology maturation, validation and science."

RAVAN and other Earth science CubeSat missions are funded and managed by NASA's Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) in the Earth Science Division. ESTO supports technologists at NASA centers, industry and academia to develop and refine new methods for observing Earth from space, from information systems to new components and instruments.

Small satellites, including CubeSats, are playing an increasingly larger role in exploration, technology demonstration, scientific research and educational investigations at NASA, including: planetary space exploration; Earth observations; fundamental Earth and space science; and developing precursor science instruments like cutting-edge laser communications, satellite-to-satellite communications and autonomous movement capabilities.

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The color of T-shirts people wear affects escape behavior in western fence lizards, according to a study published August 9, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Breanna Putman from University of California, Los Angeles and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, U.S.A., and colleagues.

Animals often see people as predators, and animal behavior can be affected by nuanced aspects of human behavior including gaze direction, camera shutter noise, and clothing color. For example, several species of birds with orange or red body patches are more tolerant of people wearing orange or red. This tolerance has been explained by the species confidence hypothesis, which suggests that birds are less fearful of colors found on their own bodies. However, most of these bird studies tested responses to observers wearing bright orange versus dark gray, making it impossible to determine whether the birds responded to the color itself or to its detectability against the background environment.

Putman and colleagues tested the species confidence hypothesis further on western fence lizards in Southern California. Males of this species communicate with blue patches on the abdomen and throat. Putman wore T-shirts of different colors ? dark blue, light blue, red and gray ? and measured how close she could approach lizards before they fled. After they fled, she determined how easy they were to catch. She approached lizards that were already used to human presence as well as lizards that had little experience with humans in their protected nature reserve. Altogether, she did nearly 30 trials for each T-shirt color. In addition, the researchers used reflectance spectroscopy to determine the conspicuousness of the T-shirts in the environment.

Irrespective of the lizard's previous interactions with human, the study found that western fence lizards are preferentially biased toward dark blue, supporting the species confidence hypothesis. Notably, lizards fled at shorter distances when Putman wore dark blue than when she wore red (an average of roughly 100 versus 200 centimeters, respectively). In addition, she captured lizards about twice as often when wearing dark blue than when wearing red (84% versus about 40% of the time, respectively). Importantly, because the pattern by which lizards fled from different colored T-shirts does not associate with their conspicuousness (based on spectral sensitivities), this suggests that they are responding to color and not detectability.

The researchers suggest that the colors scientists wear in the field could affect ease of capture as well as behavior of study species. Moreover, the colors ecotourists and hikers wear could minimize disturbances to animals, which is critical because fleeing long distances when there is no threat could have fitness consequences. As Breanna Putman says: "What we wear can have indirect effects on animals through changes in their behavior."

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In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS ONE: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal. pone.0182146

Citation: Putman BJ, Drury JP, Blumstein DT, Pauly GB (2017) Fear no colors? Observer clothing color influences lizard escape behavior. PLoS ONE 12(8): e0182146. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182146

Funding: Support was provided by a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology from the National Science Foundation (DBI-1611562 to BJP; https://www.nsf.gov/). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Evidence in a new research report published today shows that the government of Uzbekistan acted as an organised crime network, with state agencies conducting racketeering activity that benefited political heiress Gulnara Karimova, the elder daughter of Islam Karimov, the leader of Uzbekistan from 1989 to his death in 2016.

The findings are published by the International State Crime Initiative, based at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), in a report called "A Dance with the Cobra': Confronting Grand Corruption in Uzbekistan."

The report finds that the government helped solicit bribes from telecommunications firms owned by Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, and German interests. Assets derived from the telecommunications protection racket, totaling over $850 million, are currently the target of U.S. Department of Justice forfeiture proceedings initiated in 2016.

Professor Penny Green, Director of the International State Crime Initiative at QMUL, said: "This report reveals the transnational nature of corruption and the intimate role Western jurisdictions play in supporting and protecting some of the worst state organised crime rackets operating today."

The report details how foreign corporations and banks including Citibank, Coca-Cola, Standard Chartered, Lombard Odier, and others were implicated in the racketeering scheme, which led to significant sums of money being laundered through proxy companies - typically incorporated in British Overseas Territories. The researchers describe how these offshore corporations handled suspicious transactions worth tens of millions of dollars for Karimova, even after Karimova's illicit activities were first exposed in 2003 and 2004.

Professor Kristian Lasslett, author of the report and Executive Board member of the International State Crime Initiative said: "Evidence strongly suggests that Karimova oversaw a highly-organised syndicate whose racketeering operations were enacted through Uzbekistan's executive, judiciary, and national security branches, each of which acted as the syndicate's teeth. The Uzbek government remains systemically corrupt, and the evidence in this report suggests that certain Western actors, were aware of, if not wholly complicit in, the ugly reality of Karimova's schemes."

The report illustrates that state corruption in Uzbekistan was not limited to a few top government officials - but rather that the corruption is systemic and systematic, running through every level of government. The researchers argue that many of the fixers, envoys, advisers and managers in M. Karimova's criminal syndicate were senior officials in the state political and security apparatus, and have continued to be appointed to top posts within the Uzbek government since the scandal became public.

The full report is available here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/u4u87kd7pqptvc5/ISCI_FullReport.pdf?dl=0

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HOUSTON - (Aug. 9, 2017) - Rice University researchers have learned to manipulate two-dimensional materials to design in defects that enhance the materials' properties.

The Rice lab of theoretical physicist Boris Yakobson and colleagues at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are combining theory and experimentation to prove it's possible to give 2-D materials specific defects, especially atomic-scale seams called grain boundaries. These boundaries may be used to enhance the materials' electronic, magnetic, mechanical, catalytic and optical properties.

The key is introducing curvature to the landscape that constrains the way defects propagate. The researchers call this "tilt grain boundary topology," and they achieve it by growing their materials onto a topographically curved substrate -- in this case, a cone. The angle of the cone dictates if, what kind and where the boundaries appear.

The research is the subject of a paper in the American Chemical Society journal ACS Nano.

Grain boundaries are the borders that appear in a material where edges meet in a mismatch. These boundaries are a series of defects; for example, when two sheets of hexagonal graphene meet at an angle, the carbon atoms compensate for it by forming nonhexagonal (five- or seven-member) rings.

Yakobson and his team have already demonstrated that these boundaries can be electronically significant. They can, for instance, turn perfectly conducting graphene into a semiconductor. In some cases, the boundary itself may be a conductive subnanoscale wire or take on magnetic properties.

But until now researchers had little control over where those boundaries would appear when growing graphene, molybdenum disulfide or other 2-D materials by chemical vapor deposition.

The theory developed at Rice showed growing 2-D material on a cone would force the boundaries to appear in certain places. The width of the cone controlled the placement and, more importantly, the tilt angle, a crucial parameter in tuning the materials' electronic and magnetic properties, Yakobson said.

Experimental collaborators from Oak Ridge led by co-author David Geohegan provided evidence backing key aspects of the theory. They achieved this by growing tungsten disulfide onto small cones similar to those in Rice's computer models. The boundaries that appeared in the real materials matched those predicted by theory.

"The nonplanar shape of the substrate forces the 2-D crystal to grow in a curved 'non-Euclidian' space," Yakobson said. "This strains the crystal, which occasionally yields by giving a way to the seams, or grain boundaries. It's no different from the way a tailor would add a seam to a suit or a dress to fit a curvy customer."

Modeling cones of different widths also revealed a "magic cone" of 38.9 degrees upon which growing a 2-D material would leave no grain boundary at all.

The Rice team extended its theory to see what would happen if the cones sat on a plane. They predicted how grain boundaries would form over the entire surface, and again, Oak Ridge experiments confirmed their results.

Yakobson said both the Rice and Oak Ridge teams were working on aspects of the research independently. "It was slow going until we met at a conference in Florida a couple of years back and realized that we should continue together," he said. "It was certainly gratifying to see how experiments confirmed the models, while sometimes offering important surprises. Now we need to do the additional work to comprehend them as well."

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Rice graduate students Henry Yu and Nitant Gupta are co-lead authors of the paper. Co-authors are former Rice postdoctoral researcher Zhili Hu, now at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and researchers Kai Wang, Bernadeta Srijanto and Kai Xiao of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Geohegan is the functional hybrid nanomaterials group leader at Oak Ridge's Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences. Yakobson is the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering and a professor of chemistry.

The U.S. Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences and its Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences and the Office of Naval Research supported the research.

Computer resources were provided by the Night Owls Time-Sharing Service and its National Science Foundation-supported DAVinCI supercomputer, both administered by Rice's Center for Research Computing; the resources were procured in partnership with Rice's Ken Kennedy Institute for Information Technology.

Read the abstract at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.7b03681

This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2017/08/09/landscapes-give-latitude-to-2-d-material-designers/

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews Related materials:

Yakobson Research Group: http://biygroup.blogs.rice.edu

David Geohegan bio: https://www.ornl.gov/staff-profile/david-b-geohegan

Rice University Materials Science and NanoEngineering: https://msne.rice.edu

Images for download:

http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/08/0814_TILT-1-web-2cn81mr.jpg

Researchers at Rice University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory determined that two-dimensional materials grown onto a cone allow control over where defects called grain boundaries appear. These defects can be used to enhance the materials' electronic, mechanical, catalytic and optical properties. (Credit: Yakobson Research Group/Rice University)

http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/08/0814_TILT-2-web-2iw5qbv.jpg

Two-dimensional materials grown onto a cone allow control over where defects called grain boundaries appear. These defects can be used to enhance the materials' useful properties. (Credit: Yakobson Research Group/Rice University)

http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/08/0814_TILT-3-web-2m20nsf.jpg

A theoretical model at left, created at Rice University, shows a triangular flake of tungsten disulfide grown around a cone that forces the creation of a grain boundary at a specific angle. The Rice researchers showed the width of the cone could be used to determine the placement of the boundary, and scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory proved it when they made the matching material seen in the electron microscope image at right. (Credit: Rice University/Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/08/0814_TILT-4-web-1wfcdd7.jpg

Researchers at Rice University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory predict and confirmed that two-dimensional materials grown onto a cone allows control over where defects called grain boundaries appear. At left, a Rice model predicts how a grain boundary would form on a steep cone and extend onto a shallow cone. Scientists at Oak Ridge confirmed the prediction when they created the material seen in an electron microscope image at right. (Credit: Rice University/Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

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.
Microbiome researchers Rob Knight, PhD, University of California San Diego, Jeffrey Gordon, MD, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and Norman Pace, PhD, University of Colorado Boulder, will share this year's Massry Prize, splitting the $200,000 honorarium. These researchers lead a field that works to produce a detailed understanding of microbiomes -- distinct constellations of bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms that live within and around us -- and methods for manipulating microbiomes for the benefit of human and environmental health.

The Meira and Shaul G. Massry Foundation established the Massry Prize in 1996 to recognize outstanding contributions to the biomedical sciences and the advancement of health. The nonprofit foundation promotes education and research in nephrology, physiology and related fields. Shaul Massry, MD, is professor emeritus at the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California. The Massry Prize Lectures, which the winners give every year, are held on the USC Health Sciences campus. This year's lectures are scheduled for October 2017. Twelve Massry Prize recipients have gone on to win Nobel Prizes.

Pace developed a technique to sequence a bacterial gene called 16S rRNA and use that information to produce microbial "read outs" of what's living in a mixed sample. Gordon found medical applications for the technique, using it to discover links between the human gut microbiome and obesity and malnutrition. Knight figured out how to scale up the approach, allowing researchers to perform high-throughput microbial gene sequencing, and made widely accessible tools that other researchers have now used in thousands of different environments, including the human body.

"I greatly appreciate this recognition for microbiome research -- a scientific field that was relatively underappreciated until recent years," said Knight, professor in the UC San Diego School of Medicine and Jacobs School of Engineering and founding director of the Center for Microbiome Innovation at UC San Diego, part of the White House's National Microbiome Initiative. "I'm honored and grateful to stand beside Jeff and Norm, true visionaries in the field and valued collaborators and mentors who have changed the way we think about the majority of the cells in our bodies and the vast majority of the cells on our planet."

Knight's research group and others are finding that the trillions of microbes living with us are critical contributors to human and environmental health. Allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity and many other conditions have been linked to alterations in the human gut microbiome, for example. Growing evidence suggests gut microbes also influence the brain, potentially affecting mood, behavior and psychiatric illnesses.

Knight's team has also enhanced our understanding of microbes in environments ranging from the oceans to the tundra, and made high-throughput sequencing techniques accessible to thousands of researchers around the world.

"You would have a hard time finding a department or discipline anywhere on the UC San Diego campus that isn't collaborating with Rob," said David A. Brenner, MD, vice chancellor of Health Sciences and dean of the School of Medicine at UC San Diego. "He can make connections between seemingly unrelated topics and the scientific community as a whole has advanced thanks to him. Rob is extremely deserving of this award and I'm proud to call him a colleague and friend."

Knight's current research interests include relating the human microbiome to many human diseases and mental illnesses, spatial and temporal mapping of microbial communities on different scales, ranging from our bodies to our planet, and developing new data visualization methods and software tools that help resolve the challenges of microbial "Big Data."

In one example project that leverages the interdisciplinary expertise provided by the Center for Microbiome Innovation, UC San Diego physicians, microbiome researchers, chemists, genomics experts and bioinformaticians are collaborating to build a 3D map of the chemistry associated with cystic fibrosis and how it shapes the lung microbiome. Their goal is to develop more effective, highly personalized treatments for potentially fatal lung infections that frequently affect people with this disease.

Knight also co-founded the Earth Microbiome Project; the American Gut Project, the world's largest crowdsourced citizen science effort; and the company Biota, Inc., which uses DNA from microbes in the subsurface to guide oilfield decisions. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the American Academy of Microbiology. In 2015, he received the Vilcek Prize in Creative Promise for the Life Sciences.

Knight is the author of "Follow Your Gut: The Enormous Impact of Tiny Microbes" (Simon & Schuster, 2015) and co-author of "Sustainable Shale Oil and Gas" (Elsevier, 2017) and "Dirt is Good: The Advantage of Germs for Your Child's Developing Immune System" (St. Martin's Press, 2017). He spoke at TED in 2014.

Knight received a BSc in Biochemistry in 1996 from the University of Otago in his native New Zealand, a PhD in 2001 from Princeton University in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and performed postdoctoral work at the University of Colorado, Boulder before becoming a faculty member in the interdisciplinary BioFrontiers Institute there in 2004, in 2009 becoming a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist. He moved his lab to UC San Diego School of Medicine in 2015.

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An innovative study published today in the journal Science Advances demonstrates how decorations on ancient pottery can be used to discover new evidence for how groups interacted across large regions. The research, conducted by John P. Hart, Director of Research and Collections at the New York State Museum; Jennifer Birch, Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia; and Christian Gates St-Pierre, Assistant Professor at the University of Montreal, sheds new light on the importance of a little-understood Iroquoian population in upstate New York and its impact on relations between two emerging Native American political powers in the 16th century.

Iroquoians in northeastern North America are best known for the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and Wendat (Huron) confederacies in upstate New York and southern Ontario. There are extensive early historic records of both groups. Descendants of these confederacies and their respective nations that remain in these areas today have rich oral traditions that speak to their histories before and after European contact. Archaeology fills out these records through the excavation and analyses of ancestral communities.

Other Iroquoian groups did not persist and, for some, archaeology is the primary means of understanding their histories. One such group occupied the eastern end of Lake Ontario south of the head waters of the St. Lawrence River. Known by archaeologists as the Jefferson County Iroquoians, this group had abandoned their territory by the early 17th century. Archaeologists have pondered their "disappearance" for over a century, asking two primary questions, "why did they disperse" and "where did they go"? However, Hart, Birch and Gates St-Pierre ask a very different question, "what role did the Jefferson County Iroquoians play in Iroquoian social networks"?

Northern Iroquoians made pottery vessels with often complex geometrical decorations, which Hart and his colleagues suggest signaled membership in regional interaction networks. Using social network analysis with a statistic that measured the similarities of pottery decorations between sites, they demonstrate that the Jefferson County Iroquoians played a key role in regional interactions during the 16th century. As brokers between Iroquoian ancestral Haudenosaunee and Wendat groups, the Jefferson County Iroquoians were intermediaries in relationships between these groups. According to Birch, "by focusing on the connections between communities and regions, rather than a single scale of analysis, we are better able to understand how people's everyday activities relate to the larger-scale social and political histories."

After the Jefferson County population dispersed in the early 17th century, no other group took the place as "brokers" between Iroquoian people living in New York and Canada. The dispersal of Jefferson County populations effectively ended this brokerage function and may have contributed to the escalation of conflict between the Huron-Wendat and Iroquois confederacies. These results add to a growing literature on the use of network analyses with archaeological data and contribute new insights into processes of population relocation and geopolitical realignment, as well as the role of borderlands and frontiers in non-state societies.

This study is part of an ongoing effort by Hart and colleagues that employs social network analysis to better understand the relationships between Iroquoian populations in New York and Canada. According to Hart, "the past is a much more complex place than ordinarily considered. Our results highlight how our views of the past can be informed through the application of new methods and techniques."

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Researchers from the University of Konstanz contribute in constructing the first circuit map of a brain's learning and memory center

In the past several years, and in close cooperation with the Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Virginia, these neurobiologists used high resolution 3D electron microscopy to reconstruct nerve cells and their individual connections via synapses. The examination of this circuit will be instrumental in guiding future research on how the brain learns new things and then stores these as memories. The research results were published in the 10 August 2017 edition of the journal "Nature" under the title: "The complete connectome of a learning and memory center in an insect brain"

Katharina Eichler manually recorded all of the approximate four hundred cells and reconstructed every one of the roughly one hundred thousand synapses in a microscopically photographed larval brain. The research carried out by the researchers at the University of Konstanz represents a significant contribution towards the overall aim of the international collaboration project led by Dr. Albert Cardona from the Janelia Research Campus: to create a complete wiring diagram of the entire brain of Drosophila larvae. Towards this end, researchers in more than 20 labs from around the world are collaborating to reconstruct all of the 10,000 nerve cells. With the modelling of the mushroom body, the researchers from Konstanz have reconstructed almost 8,000 cells of this multi-purpose brain structure. In the next two to three years, all of the connections within the insect brain will be mapped out.

"The brain's mushroom body is also its memory centre in which sensory information is collected and memory is created. It is therefore essential for understanding the brain. Not only were we able to completely reconstruct this crucial component of the brain, but we also documented the existence of new circuit connection patterns between individual cells," says Andreas Thum about the successful research being carried out at the University of Konstanz. These new circuit connection patterns are already serving as the basis for additional research projects.

###

Original publication:

Eichler, K., et al. The Complete Connectome Of A Learning And Memory Center In An Insect Brain. Nature, 10 August 2017 edition DOI: 10.1038/nature23455

Facts:

Mushroom body connectome in the brain fly larvae (Drosophila melanogaster) is illustrated for the first time ever.

The project was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Research Campus Janelia's Visiting Scientist Program, the Baden-Wurttemberg Foundation and the Zukunftskolleg of the University of Konstanz.

Collaboration partners:

Albert Cardona, Marta Zlatic and James W. Truman, Janelia Research Campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (Virginia, USA)

Bertram Gerber, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (Magdeburg, Germany)

Larry Abbott, Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University (New York, USA)
A new book by sociologist Frank Furedi analyses what he calls the 'culture wars' that have accompanied the perceived rise of populism in Europe.

Professor Furedi, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent, argues that 'influential anti-populist elites' have distorted the true meaning of populism by attributing to it 'a wide range of negative qualities'.

These include the claim that people who support populist causes are 'irrational, uneducated, likely to be Eurosceptic and nationalist', he says.

In the book, entitled 'Populism and the European Culture Wars' (Routledge, 14 August), Professor Furedi contends that the phenomenon of anti-populism has become a powerful narrative that 'dominates the media landscapes' in Western societies.

He suggests that anti-populism has constructed a 'culturally warped' view of populism that 'casts a movement questioning the elite cultural consensus in a negative light'.

Using the example of Hungary as a case study, Professor Furedi argues that it is a 'fundamental clash of values' that has led to a 'polarization of perceptions of reality in the debate over populism. In this respect, the current culture wars over values resembles the religious wars that afflicted Europe in the early modern era,' he writes.

Although the book's focus is on the Hungarian question, Professor Furedi suggests that this helps 'illuminate' the underlying societal patterns that are shaping the conflict of values throughout the EU.

Contrasting attitudes towards national sovereignty, popular sovereignty and the questions of tradition and the past 'are the main drivers of the culture wars in Europe', he argues.

###

For more on the book see: https://www.routledge.com/Populism-and-the-European-Culture-Wars-The-Conflict-of-Values-between/Furedi/p/book/9781138097438

For interview requests, contact Martin Herrema at the University of Kent Press Office.

Tel: 01227 823581/01634 888879

Email: M.J.Herrema@kent.ac.uk

News releases can also be found at http://www.kent.ac.uk/news University of Kent on Twitter: http://twitter.com/UniKent

Notes to editor

Established in 1965, the University of Kent - the UK's European university - now has almost 20,000 students across campuses or study centres at Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels, Paris, Athens and Rome.

It has been ranked: 23rd in the Guardian University Guide 2016; 23rd in the Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2016; and 22nd in the Complete University Guide 2015.

In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2015-16, Kent is in the top 10% of the world's leading universities for international outlook and 66th in its table of the most international universities in the world. The THE also ranked the University as 20th in its 'Table of Tables' 2016.

Kent is ranked 17th in the UK for research intensity (REF 2014). It has world-leading research in all subjects and 97% of its research is deemed by the REF to be of international quality.

In the National Student Survey 2016, Kent achieved the fourth highest score for overall student satisfaction, out of all publicly funded, multi-faculty universities.

Along with the universities of East Anglia and Essex, Kent is a member of the Eastern Arc Research Consortium (http://www.kent.ac.uk/about/partnerships/eastern-arc.html).

The University is worth 0.7 billion to the economy of the south east and supports more than 7,800 jobs in the region. Student off-campus spend contributes 293.3m and 2,532 full-time-equivalent jobs to those totals. In 2014, Kent received its second Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.
Drought-stricken areas anxiously await the arrival of rain. Full recovery of the ecosystem, however, can extend long past the first rain drops on thirsty ground.

According to a study published August 10 in Nature, the length of drought recovery depends on several factors, including the region of the world and the post-drought weather conditions. The authors, including William Anderegg of the University of Utah, warn that more frequent droughts in the future may not allow time for ecosystems to fully recover before the next drought hits.

Find a video abstract of this study here. The study was funded by the National Science Foundation and by NASA.

When things dry up

Droughts can be defined in several ways. The first is meteorological, defined as a period of less than average precipitation. The second is agricultural, in which the lack of rainfall impairs the productivity of plants. The third is hydrological, when water sources such as lakes, reservoirs, and aquifers begin to dry up to below-average conditions.

Anderegg and colleagues new study asks the question: What does recovery from all three of these types of drought look like in different parts of the world? There was a broad presumption that ecosystems and plants recovered almost immediately when the weather got wetter, Anderegg says. We didn't know what the patterns were globally, including which plants seemed to recover faster or slower and which variables influenced that recovery time.

The measure they used to evaluate drought conditions is called the Standardized Precipitation-Evaporation Index. Its an approximation that takes into account temperature, soil moisture, recent rainfall and plants demand for water. To assess drought recovery times, the team evaluated global satellite data to measure gross primary productivity, a measure of the rates at which plants convert sunlight into biomass. Drought recovery, they said, means an ecosystem fully recovers to its pre-drought productivity.

Plants can suffer long-term, even permanent damage from droughts. Plants can be irreversibly damaged during drought stress, Anderegg says. They can lose part of their water transport systems, and that damage can take years to recover. Droughts can also bring on more severe vegetation impacts like disease and fire. That's an amplifier that can last past the drought.

How ecosystems recover

They found that the post-drought climate conditions were the most influential factors in drought recovery time. Wet conditions, such as those that slammed California after its long drought, hastened recovery. Dry conditions and temperature extremes, lengthened recovery. However, Anderegg says, there are likely to be places in California where the drought was so severe that the ecosystem will not recover to the previous level because so much of the vegetation has died.

Location mattered as well. In general, most areas of the world are able to recover from a drought in less than six months. Some areas need up to a year. But the high-latitude Arctic regions and the tropics of South America and Southeast Asia need more time  up to two years. Thats worrisome because those regions store the largest chunks of carbon in ecosystems across the globe, Anderegg says.

The double whammy

With climate models forecasting that the extent and severity of drought is likely to increase, also increasing the likelihood that ecosystems may be hit with new droughts before they have recovered from the previous one. That could have a double whammy effect, Anderegg says. A second drought could be harder on an ecosystem and have the potential to push it off a cliff. Ecosystem collapse in the face of perpetual drought could change verdant forests into grass and shrubs.

Such a double whammy hit the Amazon rainforest in 2005 and 2010, when back-to-back droughts, each with a once-in-a-century severity, hit the region. Satellites showed that forests hadn't recovered from the 2005 drought by the time the 2010 drought struck, Anderegg says.

The study underscores the importance of drought recovery time in assessing drought impacts on ecosystems. Rain brings relief, but doesnt solve drought-related problems immediately, Anderegg says. Often recovery is longer than the drought itself.

###

Find this press release and associated images and video here.

The full study can be found here.
The living, breathing ocean may be slowly starting to suffocate. More than two percent of the ocean's oxygen content has been depleted during the last half century, according to reports, and marine "dead zones" continue to expand throughout the global ocean. This deoxygenation, triggered mainly by more fertilizers and wastewater flowing into the ocean, pose a serious threat to marine life and ecosystems.

Yet despite the critical role of oxygen in the ocean, scientists haven't had a way to measure how fast deoxygenation occurs--today, or in the past when so-called major "anoxic events" led to catastrophic extinction of marine life.

Now, researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Arizona State University, and Florida State University have, for the first time, developed a way to quantify how fast deoxygenation occurred in ancient oceans. The research was published Aug. 9, 2017, in the journal Science Advances.

"To date, there haven't been quantitative tools available to scientists that are capable of accurately measuring the rate at which oxygen depletion happens," said Sune Nielsen, WHOI scientist and co-author of the paper. "Can the ocean lose half its oxygen in a thousand years? This new tool will help us understand the rate at which deoxygenation was happening in the past, and eventually estimate how far present-day losses might extend into the future."

Along with warmer sea temperatures and ocean acidification, ocean deoxygenation is yet another threat to marine ecosystems that has scientists concerned. Triggered largely by human activities, expanding pockets of anoxic waters throughout the global ocean are making some fish habitats non-sustainable and having impacts on economically important fisheries.

The ocean's oxygen supply is being diminished by a number of factors. As runoff from fertilizers and wastewater make their way into the sea, they stimulate growth in phytoplankton, which process the nutrients and convert them to organic matter. When the plankton die and sink, marine microbes consume the organic matter and use up oxygen in the water during the process. Hence, larger phytoplankton growth in surface waters can result in net oxygen loss throughout the ocean depths.

To determine how fast oxygen loss occurs in the ocean over long time scales, the researchers studied ancient seafloor sediments during one of the Earth's most extreme climate change events, known as Oceanic Anoxic Event 2. It led to a major global extinction of marine animals 94 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. The sediments preserve the thallium isotope composition of ancient seawater, which changes depending on the amount of oxygen in the deep ocean at the time they were deposited. The sediments pile up over time, with deeper levels corresponding to times further in the past.

The technique involves measuring isotopes of thallium in the sediments. The relative amount of the heavier thallium isotope increases as levels of deep-marine oxygen diminish. The researchers applied their new technique to analyze the oxygen loss from 94-million-year-old rock samples drilled below the seafloor off the coast of Suriname, South America.

The research began when Chadlin Ostrander (now, a Ph.D. student at Arizona State University) was an undergraduate Summer Student Fellow and Jeremy Owens (now an assistant professor at Florida State University) was a postdoctoral scientist at WHOI, working with Nielsen.

"We dissolved the rocks in our lab," explained Ostrander, "and then chemically separated everything but the element we needed for analysis: thallium. Then, using mass spectrometry, we were able to measure variations in that element as a proxy for changes in oxygen levels occurring over tens of thousands of years."

Based on the analysis, the researchers suspect that up to half of the deep ocean had become oxygen-depleted during Oceanic Anoxic Event 2, and remained anoxic for an estimated half-million years before it recovered. More significantly, they were able to draw a parallel between the rate of deoxygenation then and modern trends in oxygen loss now.

"Our results show that marine deoxygenation rates prior to the ancient event were likely occuring over tens of thousands of years, and surprisingly similar to the two percent oxygen depletion trend we're seeing induced by anthropogenic activity over the last fifty years," said Nielsen. "We don't know if the ocean is headed toward another global anoxic event, but the trend is, of course, worrying."

The new technique may lay the groundwork for projecting future oxygen losses in the ocean. But the scientists said that further insight into past deoxygenation patterns is needed to push their research forward. They plan to analyze additional ancient sediments to investigate what ocean oxygen levels looked like when large marine animals first emerged and how those conditions changed over time.

"At this point, we are only just beginning to understand how oxygen levels in the ocean have changed in the past," said Ostrander. "But with our new tool, we've already learned that one of the most extreme climate events in the deep-time sedimentary record provides an uncomfortably reasonable analogue for possible future ocean deoxygenation and subsequent ecological shifts. We hope to be able to leverage this information to gain visibility into what the short-, medium- and long-term future will bring for oxygen content in the ocean."

###

The research was supported by the National Science Foundation, the NASA Exobiology Program, a WHOI Summer Student Fellowship, and an Agouron Postdoctoral Fellowship.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is a private, non-profit organization on Cape Cod, Mass., dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. Established in 1930 on a recommendation from the National Academy of Sciences, its primary mission is to understand the ocean and its interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate a basic understanding of the ocean's role in the changing global environment. For more information, please visit http://www.whoi.edu.
Wednesday, August 9, 2017

(NewsUSA) - Where can I get good information about my disease and treatments? Is there anyone I can talk with who has been through this? What will treatment cost?

These are just a few of the hundreds of questions Blood Cancer Information Specialists at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) answer day in and day out.

Because there are so many recent breakthrough discoveries in cancer treatments, patients and caregivers need up-to-date information, education, and support to help navigate these complex diseases, treatments, and financial, emotional, and social challenges.

According to LLS President and CEO Louis J. DeGennaro, Ph.D., "There is no other organization that provides the level of patient support and service that LLS?does. Our trained, compassionate Blood Cancer Information Specialists spend hours talking with patients -- many of them newly diagnosed -- about their disease, clinical trials, how to talk to their physician, and so much more.

"In addition to our significant investment in research to find cures, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a patients-first organization. We launched our Blood Cancer Information Specialist group in 1997 -- this work is in our DNA!"

The LLS Information Specialists are social workers and nurses who work one-on-one with blood cancer patients and caregivers, connecting them to free personalized information tailored to a patient's specific diagnosis as well as to a variety of free resources and services, including:

* Clinical Trial Support Center A highly unique and comprehensive service to assist patients in accessing clinical trials.

* Financial Support -- Assistance with the cost of treatment, transportation and daily expenses.

* LLS Community -- A free online network providing support and education to thousands of blood cancer patients and their caregivers.

* Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program -- Peer-to-peer support program to help patients and caregivers cope by matching them with trained volunteers who have also been touched firsthand by a blood cancer.

* Co-Pay Assistance -- Help for eligible blood cancer patients to pay for prescription drug co-pays and health insurance premiums.

* Local Support Groups -- A program that gives patients and their families a place to go where they can share information, education and feelings in a comfortable and caring environment.

"When I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at 38 years old, I didn't really understand what it was," says survivor Jasmin Egan.

"My doctor introduced me to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's free patient online support group, LLS Community, which allowed me to connect with so many others who were going through exactly what I was enduring. It was comforting to hear from others about how they were dealing with the effects of treatment and their disease."

LLS Blood Cancer Information Specialists are available by phone at (800) 955-4572, and live chat or email via LLS.org -- Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. (View a video about the LLS Information Specialists and their work here.)

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Prairie State College (PSC) recently welcomed two new deans to campus. Carol Fawcett, dean of allied health and emergency services, and Janice Kaushal, dean of career technical education, both joined the PSC administration in July.

In her new role at the college, Fawcett provides vision, leadership and support to the departments of Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Surgical Technology, Nursing Assistant, Fitness and Exercise, EMT and First Responder and Fire Science Technology.

A licensed physical therapist assistant, Fawcett comes to PSC from Fox College, where she served as a full-time faculty member and director of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program. Before her time at Fox College, Fawcett had served in many roles in physical therapy assistance, including physical therapy aide and staff physical therapist assistant for Caremark Center for Physical Therapy and Industrial Rehabilitation; a lab assistant in the Physical Therapist Assistant Program for Morton College; a staff physical therapist assistant at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center; a site supervisor, center manager, and staff physical therapist assistant at NovaCare Rehabilitation; and then adjunct and full-time faculty, as well as the Physical Therapist Assistant Program Coordinator for Morton College's Physical Therapist Assistant Program.

Fawcett has an Associate in Applied Science from Morton College, a Bachelor of Science in Health Arts from the University of St. Francis and a Master of Science in Education from Capella University. She also holds a Master Online Teacher Certificate from the University of Illinois  Illinois Online Network. Fawcett is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the Illinois Physical Therapy Association.

In her new role at PSC, Kaushal provides vision, leadership and support to the departments offering Associate of Applied Science degrees, career and technical certificates. She is responsible for management of all Dual Credit and Early College Initiatives with the local secondary schools in the PSC district.

Kaushal comes to PSC from North Park University in Chicago and Robert Morris University, where she was serving as an adjunct faculty member. She began her career in education at Robert Morris, serving as the program director and faculty member in the Chicago and Bensenville campuses and director of administration and then director of education on the DuPage Campus. At Robert Morris, she also had previously served as the dean of the Institute of Art & Design.

Kaushal has a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Columbia College. She currently is pursuing her Ph.D. in leadership for the advancement of learning and service in higher education at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisc. Kaushal also has served as a board member and secretary of the Illinois Network of Women in Higher Education.

"We are so pleased to welcome two highly qualified individuals to the administration at Prairie State College," said PSC President Dr. Terri L. Winfree. "We are certain they will provide the leadership and direction necessary to help enhance these important programs on campus and help them thrive."
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A 49-year-old Co Antrim farmer has died after what was believed to be an accident involving a tractor.

James Moore, who died in Templepatrick, lost his life on Sunday afternoon (6 August) in the tragic accident.

The Health and Safety Executive is investigating the circumstances of his death.

DUP MP Paul Girvan said that the tragedy shows how fragile life is.

He said: It is a tragedy like this that shows how fragile life is. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this 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.
What happened

Shares of Michael Kors Holdings (CPRI 9.60%) surged Tuesday morning after the luxury fashion giant posted a better-than-expected fiscal first-quarter 2018 earnings report, and lifted its full-year guidance.

As of 12:50 p.m. EDT, the stock was up 21.6%.

So what

The quarter, which ended July 1, was far from stellar, as comparable sales were down 5.9% (and 4.9% in constant currency), but results still blew past expectations. Revenue fell 3.9% to $952.4 million, compared to analysts' consensus estimate of $918.6 million, as strong performance in China, including the opening of 67 stores, helped offset lagging sales elsewhere. Earnings per share slipped from $0.90 to $0.80, but the result was still well ahead of both management's own guidance range of $0.60 to $0.64 and the analysts' consensus figure of $0.62.

CEO John Idol said that better-than-expected comparable sales in North America and Europe drove the outperformance, but he emphasized that fiscal 2018 would still be a transition year. He also touted the recent acquisition of Jimmy Choo, saying the purchase will allow the company to form a "global luxury fashion group."

Now what

Michael Kors also lifted its full-year revenue outlook modestly from $4.25 billion to $4.275 billion, and said it sees comparable sales declining in the mid-single digits as opposed to a prior range of high-single digits. It also bumped up earnings per share expectations from a range of $3.57 to $3.67 to a range of $3.62 to $3.72.

That guidance does not include the impact from the Jimmy Choo acquisition, which is expected to add $275 million in incremental revenue in the second half of the year and $570 million to $580 million next year.

While it's certainly too early to declare Michael Kors' turnaround a success -- especially given that sales and profits are still falling -- the report and outlook offer some hope that the company can stabilize itself and grow profits again.
Georgian tarragon pie and cheese boat featured in The Guardian - GeorgianJournal
Putin visits Abkhazia and assures it of Russia's military support - GeorgianJournal
Meizu M6 Note to launch on August 23; press invite out News oi -Chandrika The smartphone is expected to launch in two memory variants.

Meizu has just started sending out press invites for a launch event slated for August 23. The launch event will take place at the Beijing Performing Arts Center at 11 AM. We have got the information from Weibo.

As you can see, it is pretty evident from the invite that the Meizu M6 Note will be launched at the event. The press invite reads "Stay True". If you are not aware, the device has only surfaced online for a couple of times. Yesterday, it was spotted in a leaked picture revealing some of its key specs and features. However, the leak suggested that the Meizu M6 Note will be unveiled in September.

In any case, let's find out about the expected specs of the smartphone. It is likely to launch with a MediaTek Helio P25 processor paired with Mali-T880 GPU on top. The smartphone is tipped to come in two memory variants.

The basic version with 3GB RAM and 32GB of default storage space, and another one with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of inbuilt storage capacity.

Powering the device will be a large 4,000mAh battery unit. The Meizu M6 Note is also expected to feature a 5.5-inch IPS LCD Full HD display and rear dual cameras. Just like the Xiaomi Redmi Pro, the dual camera setup on the Meizu phone should include a Sony IMX 258 sensor. Going by the leak, it will probably sport a metal unibody.

Looking at the specifications, we can say that Meizu M6 Note will be a lower mid-range Android handset and will fight the likes of Xiaomi, Lenovo and Motorola's sub Rs. 15k smartphones in the Indian market.

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Motorola publishes kernel source code for Moto X Pure before Nougat update News oi -Vijeta Motorola shipped the Moto X Style as Moto X Pre in the US and the device has not yet received a Nougat update yet Motorola has published the kernel source code for the device.

Motorola has published the kernel source code for 2015 Moto X Pure Edition. Moto X Pure has seen unnatural updates since its launch in September 2015. The device was shipped with Android 5.1 and the transition to Android 6.0 Marshmallow was rather quick.

However, the handset has not yet seen Nougat update and Motorola has already published the kernel source code for it. Generally, the kernel source code is published once an update has been rolled out completely.

The device was launched way back in 2015 and came with some pretty impressive specifications back then. Motorola branded the device as Moto X Pure Edition in the US whereas it was originally launched as Moto X Style.

It has a 5.7-inch IPS LCD display with 550 ppi pixel density. The device is powered by Hexacore Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 Soc. The device came with 3GB of RAM along with Adreno 418 for graphics support.

It has microSD card support that can be used to expand the memory of the device to a maximum of 256GB. It also has a 21MP primary camera and a 5MP secondary camera. The primary camera offers phase detection auto focus along with dual tone, dual LED flash. The device retails at Rs. 26,999 in India.

Moto X Pure has more than decent specifications and should certainly be updated to Nougat for its best possible use. Android Nougat has already been included on several entry level smartphones as well which makes the Moto X Pure users even more impatient.

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Nokia 8 likely to arrive with a 13MP selfie camera News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu Nokia 8 selfie camera to support 4K video recording.

Nokia 8, the highly anticipated flagship smartphone from HMD Global is all set to be unveiled on August 16. Though we still have a week's time to witness the launch of the smartphone, the device seems to have leaked online several times revealing its pricing and availability information.

As it is known by many of us already, the Nokia 8 will arrive with a dual lens rear camera with the Carl Zeiss branding. But the camera resolution wasn't clear in the previous reports. Now, a report from PhoneArena citing Chinese site VTechgraphy claims that the camera resolution will be 13MP. According to the report, there will be two 13MP rear camera sensors on the upcoming Nokia 8 and a 13MP selfie camera as well.

The dual rear camera sensor is said to comprise of two 13MP sensors - one an RGB sensor and the other with a monochromatic sensor. The other aspects of the smartphone are said to include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB of default memory space. Also, the display is said to be a 5.3-inch panel with the Carl Zeiss branding.

Besides revealing the rear camera information, the Nokia 8 is likely to feature a front camera also of 13MP. The report claims that this camera can shoot 4K videos and click quality selfies as well.

It is unlikely that the Nokia 8 flagship smartphone will arrive pre-installed with the Android O but the smartphone was spotted running on Google's latest version of Android tipping that HMD is testing the same.

Recently, the pricing information about the Nokia 8 was also revealed and it was believed that this smartphone will be priced less than Rs. 40,000 making it one of the affordable flagship smartphones in the market. However, we are yet to get a confirmation from HMD Global regarding these details about the Nokia 8.

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Haiti - News : Zapping...





Concession agreement between Kaliko Beach Hotel and Hilton

This Tuesday morning the Ministry of Tourism informs that will be signed at the premises of Kaliko Beach on the Arcadin Coast, a concession agreement between Kaliko Beach Hotel and Hilton. Hilton's "Double Tree" label will be awarded to Kaliko.



Taxi-motorcycle demonstration

On Monday, many taxi-motorcycle drivers took to the streets of Port-au-Prince to protest against the 1,750 Gourdes imposed by the authorities as part of the new security measures, which make it mandatory to wear helmet and an identified t-shirt. If they are not against these measures, the drivers say they do not have such a sum of money to acquire these accessories before the deadline of August 8th https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21688-haiti-news-zapping.html They ask the mayor of Port-au-Prince to help them.



New Consul of Haiti in Atlanta

The staff of the Consulate of Haiti in Atlanta wishes good luck and good work to the new Consul Roody Metellus, Head of Mission by Interim since last July 27th. The Consulate of Haiti takes this opportunity to thank Pastor Faustin Lebon for his service as Consul from July 2016 to July 2017.



Words of the PNH DG

"Our police is National, but we can not hide behind our sovereignty to do anything. All eyes are fixed on us. We have a duty of image and a duty of results," declared Michel-Ange Gedeon, the Director General of the Haitian National Police (PNH).



Cleaning in Port-au-Prince

The mayor of Port-au-Prince, Ralph Youri Chevry, accompanied by his deputy Mrs. Kettyna Bellabe, launched the major works of cleaning of the Bld Harry Truman.



Protector of the citizen : hearing of candidates

Jean Renel Senatus, President of the Senate's Committee on Justice, Security and National Defense, announced that candidates for the position of Protector of the Citizen will be heard before the Commission on Wednesday (August 9th). He also promised to submit his report to the Assembly on Thursday.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Politics : Finance bill 2017-2018 voted almost unanimously





Tuesday, Jude Alix Patrick Salomon, Minister of Economy and Finance, accompanied by his Cabinet Director, Ronald Decembre, Secretary of State for Finance and Michel Sillin, Director General of the Budget went to Parliament in the framework of the vote of the Budget 2017-2018 by the Chamber of Deputies.



The meeting began with the presentation of the report of the Committee on the Economy, Finance and Budget. The Secretary-Rapporteur of the Commission welcomed the realism of the Finance Bill. At the end of the presentation, the Commission encouraged the deputies to vote in favor of the 2017-2018 Finance Bill.



Minister Salomon called on deputies to engage in constructive political dialogue in order to develop a common vision for the future of the country, which should extend beyond a presidential mandate or the lifetime of a government highlighting "Despite the good faith of the Executive, the budget can not cover all the needs of the country in a single exercise" calling for the solidarity of the communes among themselves, wishing that the richest support the poorest.



The finance bill 2017-2018 was voted almost unanimously by the Chamber of Deputies. 74 deputies voted for, 0 against, and 6 deputies chose to abstain.



The Finance Bill will now have to be ratified by the Senate in the same terms before being sent to the Executive for publication in the official newspaper "Le Moniteur".



HL/ PI/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Quebec : Two Haitian ministers on mission in Montreal





Tuesday afternoon, following the arrival in Quebec of several thousand Haitian asylum seekers from the United States who cross the border illegally near the Saint-Bernard de Lacolle border post, fearing as nearly 60,000 of their compatriots in the United States to lose their "Temporary Protection Status" (TPS) in the US https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21037-haiti-flash-extension-of-tps-procedures-to-follow.html nd to be expelled in Haiti, two Haitian ministers arrived in Montreal and were received by the Mayor of Montreal Denis Coderre.



Antonio Rodrigue, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and her colleague Stephanie Auguste, the Minister of Haitians Living Abroad, said she was mandated by President Jovenel Moise to meet with Canadian and provincial authorities and determine the best contribution that could be made its government to deal with the situation of migrants flowing to the Canadian border and to facilitate their integration into Canadian society.



At a joint press conference with the mayor of Montreal, Chancellor Rodrigue said that they also had the objective of "reassuring" his fellow citizens who had experienced the trip and if necessary "if there were any, for whatever reason, do not have the identification, passport or other documents they need, we have come to assess this situation with them."



Antonio Rodrigue was careful not to blame of this situation directly, the policy of US President Donald Trump, explaining that anti-immigration measures in the United States are not the only factor, although he acknowledges that these measures may cause concern more than one Haitian living on US territory under the statute of the TPS but he explains "Maybe people see that the new migration policy in the United States is unfavorable to their conditions ? Maybe they see Quebec and Canada as more hospitable lands [...] Haitians speak French, perhaps they think they can better integrate here ?" oncluding that "if there are people who are not accepted in Canada, Haiti will welcome them with their means [...] The government is making efforts to improve things in Haiti. Not only to keep nationals, but to allow those who want to return to find their place in Haitian society [...]"



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21748-haiti-montreal-nearly-2-400-haitians-seeking-asylum-ceci-calls-for-help.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21717-haiti-flash-waves-of-haitian-refugees-unprecedented-in-quebec.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21037-haiti-flash-extension-of-tps-procedures-to-follow.html



SL/ HaitiLibre


















When we think of depression we often imagine someone sad and lethargic, hunched over, with no energy to
Beijing : Amid the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam, China on Tuesday upped the ante, wondering what New Delhi would do if it enters Kalapani region in Uttarakhand or Kashmir.

Meanwhile, China also rejected Indias suggestion for a simultaneous withdrawal of troops to end the stand-off at Doklam.

Doklam is a disputed region between China and Bhutan. The dispute arose after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the region in mid-June.

China has stepped up its anti-India tirade over Doklam with its state media warning of baneful consequences.

India wants to resolve the dispute over the stand-off between their armies in the Sikkim sector diplomatically, but China says it wont talk unless India withdraws troops from Doklam.

Even if there is only one Indian soldier, even for a day it is still a violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity, Wang Wenli, Deputy Director General of the Boundary and Ocean Affairs of Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said.

Wang was briefing an Indian media delegation, whose visit was sponsored by the state-run All China Journalists Association (ACJA), on Chinas stand on the Doklam stand-off.

It is impossible to have a dialogue with India at this time. Our people will think our government is incompetent.

Until the Indian side withdraws from the Chinese territory, there will be no substantive talks between us, she said while reiterating Beijings stand that the only way to end the present crisis on the border was the withdrawal of Indian troops from Doklam.

Needling India, she raised the Kashmir issue and also referred to the Kalapani dispute between India and Nepal.

We think it is not doable for the Indian side to use tri-junction as an excuse, she said, referring to Indian External Affairs Ministrys assertion that the road building at the China, India and Bhutan tri-junction in the strategic narrow Chickens Neck area changes the status quo.

The Indian side has also many tri-junctions. What if we use the same excuse and enter the Kalapani region between China, India and Nepal or even into the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan, she said.

Therefore, using the tri-junction as an excuse does not hold water at all. It will only cause more trouble, Wang said.

This is the first time that a Chinese official sought to bring in the Kashmir issue even though such a remark has been made earlier by a scholar in the state-run Global Times.

Asked whether China was getting ready for a war with India, Wang said, I can only say that for the PLA (Peoples Liberation Army) and for the Chinese government, we have the determination. So, if the Indian side decides to go down the wrong path or still have illusions about this incident, then we have the right to use any act that is in line with the international law to protect our rights.

Wang said India and China had many stand-offs before but we havent issued any position paper till now.

But this time we have the position paper and in the position paper, you can find clear information about our position and possible moves by us, she said, referring to a 15-page fact sheet issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry a few days ago.

The Indian border troops are sending a signal of aggression while the signals sent by the foreign ministry is for peaceful negotiations. So, we think these two signals do not match with each other, she said.

Wang also rejected a negotiated solution by restoring status quo with the simultaneous withdrawal of Indian and Chinese troops to their earlier positions.

Indias position on the issue was made clear by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj recently, saying both sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place, favouring a peaceful resolution of the border standoff.

Referring to reports in the Indian media that both the countries border troops can withdraw at the same time to restore the status quo, Wang said: This is also unacceptable for China.

Because the facts are clear. It is the Indian troops that crossed the mutually recognised boundary into the Chinese territory. So, it is the Indian border troops that have the responsibility to withdraw, she said.

Skirting any references to the shrill campaign being conducted by the official media here, Wang said China is exercising restraint and goodwill.

In fact, we have expressed many times the diplomatic channel is always open and it is so in the past 50 days but it does not mean that we will not use our power to use the acts of defence in line with the UN charter or relevant international law.

Source : Zee News
Islamabad : Mumbai attacks mastermind and banned terrorist outfit Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeeds close aides on Tuesday launched a new political party which aims to convert Pakistan into a real Islamic state.

The JuDs new political outfit was launched days after the authorities extended Hafiz Saeeds house arrest for two months fearing threat to public order.

Saifullah Khalid, a close aide of Saeed, announced the formation of Milli Muslim League in Islamabad following weeks of campaign in Punjabs provincial capital Lahore.

We would soon file application with Election Commission of Pakistan for its registration, Khalid, who claimed to be the president of the new party, said.

Khalid said the new party will strive to make Pakistan a real Islamic state and demanded the immediate release of Saeed, who is under house arrest since January.

The party, political observers said, seems as an effort to set up a front which is acceptable to moderate Pakistanis.

However, there appears to be little chance of electoral success for religious parties in Pakistan as the share of such political outfits have have gradually shrunk in Parliament.

Currently, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal of Maulan Fazlur Rehman is one of the largest such party with about a dozen elected members in the National Assembly, whereas the Jamaat-e-Islami has about half a dozen in the 342-member house.

In a notification issued on July 28, the Punjab Governments 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 Saeed and others detention expired on 27 July after his house arrest was extended for another 90 days. He was initially put under house arrest on 31 January.

The JuD is believed to be a front for Lashkar-e-Toiba, the group behind the 2008 deadly attacks in Mumbai in which 166 people were killed by 10 terrorists who came from Pakistan.

Source : Zee News
BEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts, known for its luxurious four and five-star properties located in the most spectacular destinations around the world, has opened the doors of its second U.S. hotel in Miami Beach, Fla. The historic building, now renamed IBEROSTAR Berkeley,wasfully renovated under a $43 million investment and is situated at 1610 Collins Avenue, right at the heart of South Beach. The four-star hotel provides a high-quality alternative for the business and leisure traveler.

The glamorous IBEROSTAR Berkeley features 96 brand-new, luxuriously designed guestrooms, including 20 premier rooms with balconies, a lush Sun Deck with spectacular views of Collins Avenue, and signature restaurant BLT Steak for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This pet-friendly hotel also offers a fully-equipped fitness room; a beautiful heated pool and deck with lounge area on the fourth floor; 24-hour room service; full housekeeping with turndown service; and beach club with towels, chairs and umbrellas; among other amenities and services. The standard and deluxe rooms feature one king and two queen size beds, respectively, as well as a minibar with snacks and soft drinks, onyx designer rain showers, comfortable workspaces with outlets and USB ports, and much more.

IBEROSTAR Berkeley is one of the new properties the brand has been developing within the urban segment, with a plan to reach a total of 15 in the next three years in key cities like Budapest, Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, New York, Havana, Santo Domingo and Lima, among others. Boasting the superior level of customer service and quality the brand is globally known for, these urban hotels are located at the heart of the city they are in, close to key points of interest. In this case, IBEROSTAR Berkeley is just steps away from the beach; Lincoln Road Mall (for dining, shopping, and art gallery visits); the New World Center, home to the New World Symphony; the Miami Beach Convention Center; the Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater; and the cosmopolitan Ocean Drive; among other iconic locations.

Hotel website
Aptech Computer Systems, a leading provider of hotel accounting software, hospitality enterprise accounting, budgeting, forecasting, and business intelligence systems, announced three hotel companies selected Aptech's PVNG Enterprise Back Office System. PVNG is a browser-based next generation enterprise hospitality accounting solution with a simple menu structure and easy to navigate platform. Click here for more on Aptech's products and services.

Companies installing PVNG Enterprise Accounting include Stagewest Hospitality and The Colony Palm Beach. The companies operate a total of 10 properties.

Stagewest Hospitality is implementing PVNG hotel accounting software at four hotels and its winery in British Columbia, Canada. "PVNG helped us reduce labor costs because it is easy to use and simple to learn. We realized a significant cost savings by creating a more efficient operation with a reduced accounting staff. Our guests are the most important part of our company. If I can move two people to our front desk from accounting it benefits our guests and our company," said Azaz Ahmed, MBA, controller of Stagewest Hospitality. "Aptech hosts our PVNG installations. We are hospitality professionals. With Aptech hosting our system we don't worry about our system operation, data security, and backups." Stagewest Hospitality properties include Stage West Calgary, Medicine Hat Lodge, and the Camrose Resort Casino.

The Colony Palm Beach in Florida is live with PVNG this month. "We installed PVNG because it is easy to learn and use and developed specifically for hotel companies. This is a big advantage over generic financial systems. I have experience with Aptech's systems at other properties and trust its solutions," said Tammy Shoffstall, finance director of The Colony Palm Beach.

Cam Troutman, Aptech vice president, said, "We leveraged 45 years of hotel accounting experience to build PVNG specifically for hotel companies. It supports one property or a large multi-brand, multi-property portfolio. PVNG uses the most current technology platform incorporating AP, GL, Statistics, Financials, and a Bank Reconciliation, all with easy to use, familiar browser navigation. We can also make it simple to become 11th Edition compliant by implementing our packaged chart of accounts and financial statements."

Aptech Computer Systems is an IBM Premier Business Partner that offers Execuvue web-enabled Business Intelligence, Targetvue Budgeting and Forecasting, and PVNG Enterprise Back Office systems that are 100% hospitality specific. Aptech is the only company that provides a complete suite of financial management and analysis solutions for the hotel industry. Aptech systems can be deployed in the cloud, or on-premise at the client location to support an entire hotel company's portfolio via the Internet for individual and consolidated back office operations and financial reporting.

About Aptech Computer Systems, Inc.

Aptech Computer Systems, Inc., based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the only provider of a fully integrated enterprise accounting, business intelligence and planning ecosystem to the hospitality industry. All of its clients are companies like yours, which own or manage hotels. Its solutions help customers at both the corporate and property levels understand their financial and operational data for faster goal achievement.

The company is renowned for introducing business intelligence into the hotel industry, and offers a solid resource of hospitality professionals. Aptech is an IBM Software Value Plus partner and Premier Solution Provider and a Prophix Premier Business Partner.

Incorporated in 1970, Aptech's state-of-the-art back office, true business intelligence and enterprise planning solutions are 100% hotel specific. Solutions include PVNG, Execuvue and Targetvue. Clients comprise over 3,500 properties - including large chains, multiple-property management companies and single-site hotels. Execuvue and Profitvue are registered to Aptech Computer Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are owned by their respective holders. For more information please visit www.aptech-inc.com.

Cam Troutman

Vice President

+1 800 245 0720
Ms. Chakravortis presentation, 'Being Agile in an Age of Disruption' will be the highlight of the popular trade show which is free to the public. She has worked with a variety of hospitality brands, including Marriott International, in defining who they are and helping them maintain relevance in a highly competitive landscape.

California Lodging Industry Association announces that Mimi Chakravorti, Executive Director of Strategy, Landor, a premier global branding and design firm, will be the keynote speaker at the California Lodging Expo and Conference on November 6, 2017 at the Hilton Concord.

Ms. Chakravortis presentation, 'Being Agile in an Age of Disruption' will be the highlight of the popular trade show which is free to the public. She has worked with a variety of hospitality brands, including Marriott International, in defining who they are and helping them maintain relevance in a highly competitive landscape. Her presentation at the Lodging Expo will consider branding options in a time of transition within the industry.

To register as an exhibitor or attendee at the California Lodging Expo and Conference, visit www.goo.gl/cjpYwX, or contact Chris Middleton at 925 478-0929 or cmiddleton@clia.org. This popular annual trade show includes educational sessions, drawings for prizes, Industry Luncheon and Wine Tasting.

About the California Lodging Industry Association

The California Lodging Industry Association (CLIA) is Californias hospitality trade association serving independent lodging owners and operators. CLIA, since its inception in 1946, is the recognized leader for providing legislative, educational marketing, and profit oriented programs for the California lodging industry. Visit www.clia.org to learn more about CLIA.

For more information, contact Chris Middleton at 925.478.0929 or cmiddleton@clia.org.
Secure your place at North America's only travel conference that offers not just the big picture, but also a deep-dive into the day-to-day challenges facing you right now.

EyeforTravel North America 2017 (Las Vegas, Oct 19-20) is the only show on the market right now that will help you distinguish between the technologies that's going to waste your time vs the ones that will boost your bottom line. Secure your place at North America's only travel conference that offers not just the big picture, but also a deep-dive into the day-to-day challenges facing you right now.

Topics Being Covered:

Distribution Marketing Data RM & Pricing Technology Create a distribution & partnership strategy that reduces distribution costs and increases sales Hear what the best brands are doing to strengthen their content, social media, mobile-first outlook, personalization, branding and much more Learn how to use data to create new product offerings, price, market and manage your business better Keep up with the evolving landscape of RM to forecast better, break down departmental silos and use technology to maximise total profits Emerging technologies are set to change your business forever. Find out where you should invest your time and money

"I have been in the hotel industry for over 33 years, and I have attended the EyeforTravel Distribution Summit for the past 10 years, and even I was surprised how many takeaways I got from last year's summit. Innovative topics gave new perspectives on how we can enhance our business" Jordan Joanou, Director of Revenue Management, Castle Resorts & Hotels Speakers Confirmed for 2017

Todd Henrich SVP - Corporate Development Priceline Group Paul English CEO Lola Michelle Woodley Executive Vice President Preferred Hotels & Resorts Noah Brodsky Senior VP - Worldwide Loyalty Wyndham Hotels Michael Menis Senior VP - Digital & Voice Channels IHG Shane Corstorphine Head of Regional Growth Skyscanner Kathy Halpern VP - Global Marketing Palace Resorts Ben Bates Commercial Excellence Manager Booking.com Michael Almeraris Global Mobile Virtual Reality Partnerships & Strategy Google Sean Brevick VP - Marketing & Digital Services Americas Marriott Jeff Borman VP - Revenue Management Hilton Dr Sascha Meskendahl Chief Revenue Officer Blacklane John O'Donnell Chief Technology Officer Hostelworld Ozgur Karagoz Head of Middleware Services Solutions Turkish Airlines Michael Childers Chief Consultant - Content & Media Strategy Lufthansa Systems America
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) reinforced its commitment to the Japanese market yesterday as it announced the appointment of former Charge d'Affaires, United States Embassy Tokyo, Jason P. Hyland as the Representative Officer and President of MGM Resorts Japan. In addition, MGM will allocate development specialists from the U.S. to Japan as it increases its total development staffing in the U.S. and Japancombined to more than a dozen, reinforcing MGM Resorts Japan's organizational structure as it works to realize a Japanese resort.

To accommodate its expanding team, MGM Resorts Japan will relocate its office from Akasaka to Otemachi, Tokyo and open a brand-new office in the central business district on September 1, 2017. Since establishing Japanese subsidiaries in Tokyo and Osaka in 2014, MGM Resorts Japan has been providing information on integrated resorts (IR) to government, industry, and private entities, and will continue to build relationships and gather information on the domestic market. The company also plans to open a new office in Osaka in the future.

Jim Murren, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MGM Resorts International, commented: "We are very pleased to welcome Jason to the team, and look forward to his contributions and insights. Jason's substantial experience as senior diplomat, his deep understanding of the Japanese culture, as well as his proven leadership, negotiation skills, extensive network and strong command of the Japanese language will be a tremendous asset as we promote activities in Japan."

Ed Bowers, MGM Resorts Japan Representative Officer and CEO, also commented: "Opening a new office in the heart of Tokyo's business district and expanding our MGM Japan team reflect our strong commitment and determination. The new office will become our core hub as our team advances toward the realization of a resort that is uniquely Japanese."

Jason has worked and studied in Asia for more than 17 years, including 14 in Japan. He has lived in Tokyo, Sapporo, Fukuoka and Osaka and travelled throughout the country.

As Charge d'Affaires and as Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. Mission Japan, he supervised more than 700 employees, five consulates and a language school, engaging daily with the most senior officials in government, business and academia. In his tenure at the U.S. Mission, he oversaw American participation in the G7 Summit, President Obama's historic visit to Hiroshima, and the revision of the US-Japan Defense Guidelines. He is a strong advocate for US-Japan business partnerships, having worked closely with the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives), the US-Japan Business Council, Japan Tourism Agency, and other organizations. Jason believes in the enormous benefits of international tourism and has been a proponent of tourism across several assignments. He opened the U.S. pavilion at the JATA Tourism EXPO Japan 2016. He has spoken frequently on cyber security, innovation, and trade policy.

Jason is grounded in foreign affairs from study at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, The National War College, University of California, Berkeley, the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies and as Visiting Foreign Scholar at the University of Tokyo. He has received numerous awards from the Department of State, including Superior Honor Awards, Meritorious Honor Awards, the Expeditionary Service Award and the Sinclaire Language Award.
Residence Inn London - London Bridge Opens

Marriott International, Inc. has announced the opening of Residence Inn London - London Bridge, marking a debut in the capital for the company's extended-stay brand.

Located on Long Lane in Southwark, Residence Inn London - London Bridge offers 87 studio, one- and two-bedroom suites with separate living, working and sleeping areas, as well as fully equipped kitchens, including refrigerator, microwave, hob, oven, dishwasher and cookware.

Guests looking for a home-from-home experience during longer stays are catered to with upscale design and amenities such as complimentary hot breakfasts, communal laundry facilities, free Wi-Fi, and a 24/7 Grab 'n Go Market in the lobby. An onsite, state-of-the-art fitness centre is available 24/7 and custom running routes can be accessed via MapMyFitness, thanks to the brand's global partnership with Under Armour Connected Fitness.

Well-connected, with good transport links, and a short walk from some of the city's main historic attractions such as Tower Bridge and St. Paul's Cathedral, Residence Inn London  London Bridge is ideally situated for leisure and business travellers alike.

Residence Inn by Marriott will also open a second London property later this year. Residence Inn London  Kensington will be situated on Warwick Road in Earls Court, offering 307 suites with easy access to The Kensington Olympia Exhibition Centre as well as The Victoria and Albert museum, the Science Museum, Royal Albert Hall, and the Natural History museum.

Both properties, owned by a controlled affiliate of Starwood Capital Group, will be operated under a franchise agreement with hotel management company and specialists in the extended-stay market, Cycas Hospitality  London's second largest operator of serviced apartment and apart-hotels.

John Licence, VP Premium & Select Brands Europe at Marriott International said: "London is a key, strategic destination for extended-stay travel and we are delighted to debut the world-leading Residence Inn by Marriott brand here with not one, but two new properties that offer a home-away-from-home experience for business and leisure guests alike."

John Wagner, Founding Partner of Cycas Hospitality said: "We are thrilled to welcome the world-class Residence Inn brand to the extended-stay sector in London and to our own expanding hotel portfolio. We look forward to creating memorable moments for all our guests visiting these two new Residence Inn properties. Delivering a first-rate guest experience is in the DNA of all our Cycas Hospitality staff and we have an excellent track record to prove it."

don properties will be joined by new openings in Aberdeen and Amsterdam in early 2018, growing the European portfolio from three to seven hotels. These four additions alone will see almost 600 rooms added to the Residence Inn portfolio, and there are a further seven properties anticipated by the end of 2019.
HFTP Announces Keynotes for its 2017 Annual Convention

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) added three informative and motivating keynote speakers to the education program for its upcoming Annual Convention 2017, an event the association has produced since 1952. This year's HFTP Annual Convention is scheduled for October 2527, 2017 at Omni Orlando Resort at Championsgate in Championsgate, Florida USA.

"This year's event will offer a variety of essential education formats, continuing education, enhanced networking and vendor opportunities as HFTP celebrates its 65th year as an association," said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe. "The dynamic event program, created by a selected expert advisory council, provides relevant industry information specific to current industry trends. Annual Convention is also traditionally an opportunity to honor the association's accomplishments and outstanding member volunteers."

Wednesday, October 25. Selected opening keynote speaker Dennis Snow, professional speaker and author, will present a session from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. about "Performance Excellence  The Employee Factor." Based on his 20-years with Walt Disney World along with many years of consulting with organizations around the world, Snow will provide a "how-to" program for engaging employees in delivering outstanding customer service.

Thursday, October 26. Selected Thursday keynote speaker Greg Land, global segment leader of travel related services at IBM, will present a session from 3:10 to 4:25 p.m. about "Cognitive Computing and the Digital Guest Experience." Land's presentation will reveal how cognitive computing can be used to personalize the digital guest experience.

Friday, October 27. Selected closing keynote speaker Steve McClatchy, speaker and award-winning author of a New York Times best seller, will present a session from 8:00 to 9:45 a.m. titled "Decide to Work Smarter, Reduce Your Stress and Lead by Example." McClatchy will teach the audience how to dive performance to increase work and life engagement, and re-gain critical planning and personal time.

Online registration is open for Annual Convention 2017. Visit the Annual Convention page on the HFTP website for complete information about all conference events, including the program schedule, hotel and travel details and more. For more information about HFTP's Annual Convention and other global activities, contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at education@hftp.org or visit www.hftp.org. Annual Convention 2018 is slated for October 24-27 at the new Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky USA.

For the latest news, follow HFTP/HITEC on HITEC Bytes, PineappleSearch, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (@HFTP), Instagram (HFTP_HITEC), Flickr and YouTube. For more information about HITEC Amsterdam, contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at education@hftp.org, +1 (512) 249-5333.

About HFTP

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) established in 1952, is an international, nonprofit association, headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, with offices in Hong Kong, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. HFTP is recognized as the spokes group for the finance and technology segments of the hospitality industry with members and stakeholders spanning across the globe. HFTP uniquely understands the industry's pressing issues and assists its stakeholders in finding solutions to their challenges more efficiently than any organization. It does this via its expert networks, research, certification programs, information resources and conferences/events such as HITEC. HFTP also owns the world's only hospitality-specific search engine, PineappleSearch.com. For more information about HFTP, email membership@hftp.org or download the HFTP/HITEC media kit via the HFTP website. Read industry updates on the suite of HFTP hospitality news sites: HITEC Bytes, Club Bytes, Finance Bytes and HFTP News.
2017 Trends for Hiring Managers and Recruiters

Posted by Aman Verma on Wednesday, 08-09-2017 2:10 am

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To get ahead of the pack this year, it is essential to stay on top of emerging trends in the recruiting industry. Both recruiters and candidates will benefit from understanding how the landscape is shifting. The rapidly changing economic and political environment has created some uncertainty across several industries.Yet, while there are some forces we cant control, weve outlined a few things we can expect for the hiring industry below. The Rise of Interactive Interviews One-on-one sessions, panels, and other traditional interview formats will still be prevalent. However, more interactive interview styles are rising in popularity that may provide better insight into a candidate. An example of this is video interviewing, an interview format that first got popular in the US, and is now all over the world. With this format, companies provide a series of questions that the candidate must answer within a certain timeframe, and then the video is submitted to the company. Video intervi...

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Explorations Program Gives High School Students with Disabilities a Glimpse of Possible Careers

Posted by Press Releases on Wednesday, 08-09-2017 7:46 am

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With students going back to school, Vocational Rehabilitation shares information about a new program that offers paid internships to high school students who have disabilities to give them a taste of the working world.OLD TOWN, FL (PRWEB) AUGUST 07, 2017A new program is helping high school students with disabilities check out different career paths before graduation. The Explorations program, a spinoff of the Hands On Education program, sets up internships for high school students so they can try out different career fields to see what kind of job would best suit them.Four students are currently enrolled in the program, which recruits through Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), a federal/state agency that helps people with disabilities get or keep a job. The students participate in multiple internships while in high school and get paid minimum wage.The facilitator of the program, Amy Brugger, teaches the students how to create a resume, apply for jobs, dress for an interview, and interview...

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Montreal and Astana, 8 August 2017  Highlighting that only 5% of annual global development financing currently supports aviation infrastructure or related projects, ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu delivered a determined message to Kazakhstans political leaders last week on the need to prioritize air transport development in the years ahead and optimize the tremendous opportunities for economic development inherent in projected air transport growth.



Our Organization is striving to raise global awareness of the direct links between ICAO compliant air connectivity and States wider SDG objectives, Dr. Liu stated during her high-level address to a cross-section of Kazakhstans Ministers, senior officials and industry representatives.



The Central Asian State is currently ranked 15th in the Asia Pacific region for total scheduled passenger traffic, a figure that increased last year along with overall Asia-Pacific air traffic growth. From a global standpoint the Asia-Pacific accounted for 32.9% of global air traffic in 2016, making it the largest air transport market in the world.



This makes our work to support compliance and sustainability crucial in the years ahead, Dr. Liu stressed, especially in light of the doubling of flight and passenger volumes now projected by 2030.



In addition to her high-level address, Dr. Liu also held one-on-one meetings to discuss related aviation compliance, investment and development priorities with Mr. Bakytzhan Sagintayev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Alik Aidarbayev, First Vice-Minister Minister of Investments and Development, and with Mr. Yerzhan Ashikbayev, Kazakhstans Deputy Foreign Minister.



During these meetings, First Vice-Minister Minister Aidarbayev provided an overview of Kazakhstans air transport sector, inclusive of its liberalization and modernization efforts State-wide. Dr. Liu commended Kazakhstans safety progress and overall ICAO compliance progress, which makes Kazakhstan a successful story of cooperation with ICAO. Dr. Liu also highlighted the importance of aviation connectivity for Kazakhstan as the largest landlocked country in Central Asia.



Dr. Liu further stressed the critical importance of assuring adequate financial and human resources for the States Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), taking into account anticipated air traffic growth in the Region, emerging developments regarding remotely-piloted aircraft systems, and Kazakhstans ambitions to establish itself as Central Asias air transport hub.



Regarding environmental priorities, Dr. Liu praised the commitment Kazakhstan has shown in establishing a State Action Plan focal point, noting that the Plans development would contribute to improved cooperation and the definition of a strategic pathway for international aviation CO2 emissions mitigation which is tailored to its national circumstances and capabilities. She also strongly encouraged it to consider participating as early as possible in ICAOs CORSIA offsetting solution for international flight emissions.

The Secretary General also advised Kazakhstan to take the lead regarding aviation development in Central Asia, supporting the ICAO No Country Left Behind initiative and taking advantage of its role as a donor State in the United Nations framework.



Kazakhstan confirmed its commitments to the State Action Plans development and the ICAO No Country Left Behind initiative, and to provide adequate resources to permit the reform and modernization of its CAA. It also agreed to further commitments regarding the near-term ratification of various international legal instruments, and expressed keen interest in a leadership role in the implementation of the silk road projects in this regard and in enhanced cooperation with ICAO for capacity building and effective implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices.



Secretary General Liu also took the opportunity of her mission to bestow upon Kazakhstan its ICAO Council President Certificate, in recognition of its exemplary safety oversight performance and improvements during 2016.

Resources for Editors



About ICAO

A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, amongst many other priorities. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 191 Member States.



ICAO's No Country Left Behind initiative



Contacts

Anthony Philbin

Chief, Communications

aphilbin@icao.int

+1 514-954-8220

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Twitter: @ICAO



William Raillant-Clark

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wraillantclark@icao.int

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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
Mumbai, Aug 9 (IBNS):Jet Airways announces the appointment of Vinay Dube as its Chief Executive Officer after receipt of all requisite Government and regulatory approvals.

Dube's appointment was approved by the Jet Airways Board of Directors at their last meeting held on May 30, 2017.

An accomplished industry leader and an aviation professional with close to three decades of global business experience, Vinay has an established track record of leadership and business expansion at large, complex, multi-national organisations including varied roles at Delta Airlines Inc., Sabre, Inc., and American Airlines in the USA, Europe and Asia.

In his last role as SVP-Asia Pacific for Delta Airlines Inc., Vinay headed the region as Business Head with P&L responsibility and was also a Board Observer at China Eastern. During his tenure in Asia, Vinay successfully led the turnaround of the Airline in the Asia Pacific markets, restructured the network, established strategic partnerships, worked extensively on brand-building and successfully brought about a transformation in the work culture of his teams. He has also held various Board-level positions throughout his career.

Commenting on Vinays appointment and subsequent approval by the Government as the airlines CEO, Naresh Goyal, Chairman, Jet Airways, said, Vinay will lead the Executive Management Committee to deliver on our strategic objectives, at a time when the Indian Aviation market is poised to develop manifold going forward. In our recent past, we have made demonstrable progress towards achieving long-term goals. I am confident that under Vinays leadership, we will accelerate the momentum of turning around the company to higher growth and profits resulting in all-round benefits to our employees as well as to our shareholders, as well as deepen our relationship with our strategic partner Etihad Airways.

Commenting on his appointment, Dube said, I am indeed happy to return to India after more than three decades to join the countrys Premier International Airline at an extremely interesting and exciting time. I am privileged to have been entrusted with this crucial role in a company that espouses key Indian values of service and hospitality. I look forward to meeting the organisations objectives, with the support of the entire management team and employees, in order to strengthen and grow the airline and its illustrious legacy."
On August 3, 2017, two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorists, identified as Aaqib Ahmad Itoo and Suhail Ahmad, were killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) at Gopalpora village in the Damhal Hanji Pora area of Kulgam District. Their bodies were recovered along with two AK 47 rifles.

On July 30, 2017, two HM terrorists, identified as Shariq Ahmad and Showkat Ahmedaka Shabir, were killed in an encounter with SFs in the Tahab area of Pulwama District. One Army trooper also received minor injuries in the encounter. SFs recovered an INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) and one SLR (Self-Loading Rifle) from the slain terrorist's possession. The killings triggered protests in the area in which over one dozen demonstrators were injured.

On July 12, 2017, three HM terrorists, identified as Javid Sheikh, Dawood Ahmad Sofi and Aaquib Gul were killed in an encounter at Radbugh village in Budgam District. The gun battle had started at around 7.30 pm on July 11, after SFs launched a search operation following a tip-off about the presence of terrorists at the village. Dead bodies of the terrorists were recovered along with three assault rifles.

Three HM terrorists, identified as Jahangir Ahmad Khanday, Kifayat Ahmad Khanday, and Mohammad Akhter were killed, and four SF personnel were injured during a 30-hour long encounter in the Bahmnoo area of Pulwama District. The gun battle began in the morning of July 3 after the SFs launched a search operation following a specific tip-off about the presence of HM terrorists in the area. Two terrorists were killed on July 3 and the body of a third was found in the morning of July 4.

According to partial data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), at least 126 terrorists have been killed by SFs in the current year (data till August 7, 2017). Group identities of 70 of these have been established - Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), 38; HM, 29; Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), 2; and Al Badr, 1. Thus, 41.4 per cent of the terrorists whose group identity was established belonged to HM.

In fact, out of a total of 1,087 terrorists killed in J&K since 2010, group identities of 601 were established. These included 345 of the LeT, 186 HM, 55 JeM, seven Harkat-ul Mujahideen (HuM), and three each of Harkat-ul-Jehad-al-Islami (HuJI), Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) and Al Badr. Thus, HM has suffered the second largest losses since 2010.

Among leadership elements, HM's most prominent loss in recent years was the July 8, 2016, killing of its 'operational commander' in Kashmir Burhan Muzaffar Wani who had emerged as the 'poster boy' for a new generation of Kashmiri terrorists. He was the main draw for many young and educated youth in South Kashmir turning to terrorists. Wani had joined terrorism in 2010, and carried a reward of INR one million on his head. After his successor Zakir Rashid Bhatt aka Musa defected from the outfit in early May 2017, Sabzar Ahmed Bhat was named the new 'operational commander'. Bhat waskilled on May 27, 2017. According to media reports, Riyaz Ahmad Naikoo, is the current 'operational commander' of HM in Kashmir. Mohammed Yusuf Shah, aka Syed Salahuddin, remains the head of HM, and is located in Muzzafarabad in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Further, at least 286 HM cadres have been arrested since 2010. The number of HM cadres arrested in 2017 stands at 21 as of August 7, 2017.

Headquartered at Muzaffarabad in PoK, HM once had several hundred active cadres in J&K. It now has an approximate 95 active cadres left in the State. Prominent among these are the current 'operational commander' Riyaz Ahmad Naikoo; Altaf Dar akaKachroo, 'district commander' of Kulgam; Mohd Yasin Ittoo aka Mansoor, 'district commander' of Badgam; and Saddam Paddar aka Zaid, 'district commander' of Shopian. These four are among the list of 12 'most wanted terrorists', in the Kashmir Valley, reportedly released by SFs in May 2017. The others on the list were: Zakir Rashid Bhatt aka Musa; Wasim aka Osama, LeT 'commander' Shopian; Showkat Takaka Huzaifa, LeT 'district commander', Pulwama; Abu Dujana aka Hafiz, LeT 'divisional commander', South Kashmir; Bashir Wani aka Lashkar, LeT 'district commander', Anantnag; Junaid Mattoo aka Kandroo, LeT 'district commander'; Zeenat-ul-Islam akaAlkama, LeT (his position not known); and Abu Hamas, JeM 'divisional commander'. Abu Dujana aka Hafiz, was killed along with another LeT terrorist, Arif Lilhaari, in an encounter in Hakripora village in Pulwama District on August 1, 2017.

Internal rifts within HM are also endemic. On May 13, 2017, Zakir Rashid Bhatt akaMusa quit HM, declaring, "Hizbul Mujahideen has said that we have nothing to do with the statement of Musa. So, if Hizbul Mujahideen doesn't represent me then I also don't represent them. From today onwards, I have no association with Hizbul Mujahideen." On May 12, 2017, Musa, had stated, "We will slit the throats of resistance leaders - leaders of Hurriyat Conference - before the Kafirs (infidels) in Lal Chowk, main hub of Srinagar, if they don't refrain from turning the Kashmir issue into a political (sic) from the struggle for Islam." Soon, after Musa's warning, HM's 'spokesman' Saleem Hashmi had issued a statement from Muzaffarabad in PoK noting that "the outfit has neither got anything to do with the statement of Musa nor the statement is acceptable to it." Meanwhile, on July 27, 2017, Global Islamic Media Front, an online propaganda platform of al Qaeda, issued a statement announcing Zakir Musa as 'commander' of its new-found Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (supporters of holy war in India) for J&K. Reports suggest Musa's group comprises of around two dozen terrorists.

Despite sustained reverses, however, the terrorist threat in the Valley persists. Operationally, HM remains one of the most important terrorist outfits, perpetrating violence across the State at regular intervals. According to SATP data, out of 39 civilians killed in terrorism-related incidents in the State in 2017, the group identities of terrorists involved was established in 25: LeT, 14 and HM, 11. HM carried out the second worst attack, in terms of fatalities among civilians in 2017, on May 6,, 2017, in the Mir Bazaar area in Kulgam District. Four persons, including two civilians, a Policeman and a HM terrorist were killed on the spot, and two injured civilians died later - one on May 7, 2017, and on May 14, 2017. In the worst attack of the year on civilians, LeT terrorists killed seven Amarnath pilgrims and injured 19 others as they struck at a bus in the Batangoo area, near Pahalgam, Anantnag District, on July 10, 2017. One of the injured civilian died later, on July 16, 2017.

Terrorists have also killed 43 SFs in 2017, with group identities of the terrorists involved established in 30 of these killings: HM, 14; LeT, 13; and JeM, 3. HM was also responsible for the second worst attack, in terms of fatalities among SFs, reported in the current year: On May 1, 2017, five Policemen, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) and two Bank security guards, were killed when HM terrorists attacked a J&K Bank van in the Phambai area of Kulgam District. The terrorists decamped with four INSAS and one AK 47 rifles. The worst attack on SFs was recorded when LeT terrorists ambushed a Police party at Thajwara village in Achabal in Anantnag District, killing six Police personnel, including a Station House Officer (SHO), on June 16, 2017. In the most recent attack targeting SFs on August 3, 2017, HM terrorists killed two Army personnel, identified as Major Kamlesh Pandey and Sepoy Tanzin Chhultim, in the Zoipora area of Shopian District. Three terrorists believed to be involved in the attack managed to escape in the darkness.

Reports suggest that HM is continuing with its recruitment drive in the State. On July 16, 2017, SFs neutralized a HM module luring youth to militancy, arresting three HM terrorists in Baramulla District. Headed by HM 'commander' Parvez Wani akaMubashir, a resident of Gagloora in Handwara in Kupwara District, the module had plans to send many boys to Pakistan on 'valid visa' to get them trained at terrorist camps in PoK. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP, Baramulla), Imtiyaz Hussain disclosed, "One of the accused Abdul Rashid Bhat had visited Pakistan in the month of May this year [2017] and got training for undertaking terrorist activities in Khalid bin Waleed camp of HM located in PoK," He also revealed that Bhat had taken a visa from the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi on the recommendation of a separatist organization. According to a July 16, 2017, media report, Police sources claimed that attempts of over 80 youth heading for arms training into PoK had been scuttled by SFs as a result of timely action over the preceding three months. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir informed the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) on March 29, 2017, that as many as 104 local youth of J&K had joined terrorism since 2016. At least 88 local youth joined the extremists in 2016, mostly after the Burhan Wani's killing, and another 16 have joined in the current year.

Meanwhile, reinforcing the direct connection between the Pakistani establishment and HM, as well as with all other Islamist terrorist formations operating in India and in the wider region around it, HM's current 'operational commander' in Kashmir, Riyaz Naikoo declared, on July 30, 2017, "The Pakistani flag is our flag. Linking our struggle with al Qaeda and IS [Islamic State] is a ploy to defame it." He was making the statement in the aftermath of Zakir Rashid Bhatt aka Musa being declared as the 'head' of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.

Efforts to weaken HM on the ground inside Kashmir have met with significant success, and need to be intensified, even as greater pressure is mounted - diplomatically and strategically - on Pakistan to end its support to the extremist jihad in Kashmir. Significantly, on June 26, 2017, the United States (US) State Department designated the 'chief' of HM, Syed Salahudeen as a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist', imposing a prohibition on all US citizens from engaging in transactions with Salahuddin and blocking all of Salahuddin's property and interests in property subject to US jurisdiction. Though India welcomed the US move and expressed the hope that the US decision would help in choking Salahuddin's movements and finance, the actual impact of this action is expected to be marginal at best, as many earlier 'acts of designation' targeting other terrorist leaders and formations operating out of Pakistan have failed to produce tangible results.


In the intervening night of August 2 and 3, 2017, around 100 Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres reportedly blew up a mobile tower, abducted three gatemen from different railway level-crossings and also laid siege to the Danapur Durg Express train for a few hours, abducting the cabin man, in the Lakhisarai District of Bihar. "Around 100 rebels were involved in the abductions from the level crossings, located in a 10-km radius," Inspector General of Police (IGP), Bhagalpur Zone, S.M. Khopde disclosed. They then hijacked the train. A statement by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) noted, "Train no-13288 Danapur Durg Express train was hijacked near the Bhalui station [in Bhimbandh area of Lakhisarai] around 2:30 am (on Thursday). The cabin man who was on duty was also abducted." The siege ended after an exchange of fire took place between personnel of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), a specialised unit of CRPF proficient in guerrilla tactics and jungle warfare, and the hijackers. However, no casualty was reported from either side. The gatemen and the cabin man were subsequently released.

The incident occurred on the last day of a weeklong bandh (general shutdown strike) called by the Maoists across India. 'Martyrs' week' is observed by the Maoists every year between July 28 and August 3, to honour their comrades killed in encounters with Security Forces (SFs).

The last incident of train hijacking in the State was reported on June 13, 2013, in which at least three persons - a Railway Protection Force (RPF) trooper Sukhdev Devnath Singh from Uttarakhand, a sub-inspector with the Bihar Police, Kumar Amit, and an employee with a private firm, Sarwar Islam - were killed, and another 10 persons were injured when Maoists opened indiscriminate fire and hurled bombs on the 13331 Dhanbad-Patna Intercity Express in Jamui District.

According to partial data collated by the Institute for Conflict Management (ICM), Bihar has accounted for at least 61 Maoist-linked attacks on the Railways since September 21, 2004 (the formation day of the CPI-Maoist), till August 6, 2017. These attacks have resulted in 25 deaths (nine civilians and 16 SFs) and 32 injured. While the August 2-3, 2017, incident was the first such operation reported in the current year, there were two such incidents in 2016 (no injuries or fatalities). There was no such incident in 2015, while in four incidents were recorded in 2014, with four civilians killed and eight injured.

Meanwhile, civilians continued to bear the brunt of Naxalite [Left Wing Extremism (LWE)]-linked violence in the State. On July 14, 2017, three members of a family were abducted and subsequently killed in Jamui District by CPI-Maoist cadres, who suspected them to be 'police informers'. Giving details on the incident, Jamui Superintendent of Police (SP), Jayant Kant disclosed, "We found the bodies near Kukurjhap dam near Barhat. A red slip found at the spot claimed responsibility for the killings."

On June 24, 2017, a 26-year-old woman was beheaded by CPI-Maoist cadres in Nawada District. A note found near her body read, "She was a police informer and worked against the spirit of people's revolution. The local Police Station in-charge will meet the same fate".

On June 17, 2017, CPI-Maoist cadres beheaded a man alleging he was a 'police informer' in Jamui District. Police said the Maoists abducted Vijay Barnawal, a resident of Bhelwaghati in the Giridih District of Jharkhand, who was earlier an active member of a Maoist group, on June 16, when he had gone to neighbouring Bihar for some work. His decapitated body was found in Sijuwa village, Jamui District.

According to partial data collated by the ICM, Bihar has already accounted for at least 10 civilian fatalities in the current year (data till August 6, 2017), as against seven such fatalities recorded during the corresponding period of 2016. Civilian fatalities during the corresponding period of earlier years, between 2011 and 2015, had registered continuous declines, from a peak of 30 in 2010, down to four in 2015. The number of civilians killed through 2016 stood at eight.

The recent surge is consequently worrisome, though it can primarily be attributed to the growing belief among the Maoists that more and more civilians are acting as 'police informers', as their cadres suffer increasing reverses at the hands of SFs', while failing to inflict similar losses on SFs.

SFs have eliminated seven Maoists in the current year, thus far, without suffering a single loss. On the contrary, they had lost 13 of their own personnel, while killing only eight Maoists, in the corresponding period of 2016. The situation was not much better in the corresponding periods of 2014 and 2015 as well. SFs and Maoists lost an equal number (two each) in 2015, while the number of SF troopers killed was six, as against three Maoists in 2014. The total number of SF personnel (179), and Maoists (178) killed since September 1, 2004, is almost the same. The last major attack (involving three more fatalities) targeting SFs in Bihar was recorded on July 18, 2016, when 10 CoBRA commandos were killed and another five injured, in a CPI-Maoist orchestrated Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast and subsequent encounter in the Chakarbanda-Dumarinala Forests of Aurangabad District. Three Maoists were also killed in the encounter.

Meanwhile, SFs have arrested at least 67 Maoists so far in 2017, as against 73 such arrests in the corresponding period of 2016. Total arrests through 2016 stood at 104, and in 2015 at 153.

The Maoists have been involved in four incidents of arson in 2017 (till August 6), as against eight such incidents in the corresponding period of 2016. No incident of landmine explosion has been orchestrated by Maoists in the current year, whereas two such incidents were reported in 2016.

Unsurprisingly, Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar, Director General (DG) of the CRPF, claimed on July 26, 2017, that the area controlled by CPI-Maoist had "shrunk in three States in last two and a half years. There is substantial decline in areas controlled by Naxals in Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. Disturbance in these areas are very less. Our major concern is in South Bastar of Chhattisgarh."

Nevertheless, the Maoists in Bihar remain a significant challenge, as was evident from the train hijacking incident and the increasing number of civilian killings. According to the data available on the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) website, as on April 30, 2017, Bihar ranked third among the 10 States worst hit by LWE violence in 2016. MHA figures indicate that 1,048 incidents of LWE violence took place in 10 States in 2016. Bihar ranked third with 129 incidents; Chhattisgarh, with 395 incidents, topped the list, followed by Jharkhand with 323. Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal were the other LWE affected States listed.

Meanwhile, in addition to earlier security measures , the State Government has decided to initiate some new steps. According to a June 20, 2017, media report, the Bihar Government has announced cash rewards ranging from INR 25,000 to INR 500,000, for anyone giving information about at least 43 top CPI-Maoist leaders active in the State. The cash awards will be on offer for anyone who gets hold of the Maoist leaders - living or dead - or assists the Police in facilitating their arrest. Sanjiv Kumar Singhal, Additional Director General (ADG, Headquarters), stated, "Anyone cooperating with the Police in getting hold of the Maoists will be rewarded with cash, as announced by the Bihar government for each of the ultras falling in the rewards category." Interestingly, no arrest has been reported thereafter.

The top Maoists leaders with a cash reward of INR 500,000 include Arvind Kumar Singh aka Dev aka Arvind Kumar of Jehanabad; Sandip Ji aka Vijay Yadav of Gaya; Ram Babu Ram aka Rajan of Madhuban and Parvesh Da aka Anuj Da aka Amlesh Da of Hazaribagh (Jharkhand). Of these, Arvind is the topmost Maoist leader in the State, with a 'national stature'. A politburo member of CPI-Maoist, he carries a reward of INR 10 million in Jharkhand, where he is wanted in at least 13 cases. He also carries a cash reward of INR four million each in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. In addition to these top four, a reward of INR 50,000 each has been announced on another 33 Maoists; and INR 25,000 each against four Maoists. Specific information regarding the remaining two is unavailable. Interestingly, 21 out of these 43 Maoists belong to a single District - Jamui in south-eastern Bihar.

On the operational front, SFs have decided to intensify action in Maoist strongholds. According to CRPF sources, three pockets - the Jamui/Nawada/Giridih triangular section, the Gaya Aurangabad section, and the Lakhisarai/ Munger/Banka/Jamui section - still see significant CPI-Maoist influence. On May 19, 2017, to effectively counter the Maoists, CRPF Inspector-General (IG), Bihar Sector, Manvider Singh Bhatia, disclosed that two additional battalions were required in the State to effectively tackle the threat. At present, three battalions of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and five regular and two CoBRA battalions of CRPF are deployed against the Maoists in Bihar. Bhatia also disclosed that the long-pending plan for positioning of a chopper, either at Patna or Gaya, for anti-Maoist operations, was discussed with State Government officials at a meeting held in Patna in April 2017. At present, four choppers are stationed in the Ranchi District of Jharkhand for anti-Maoist operations in Bihar.

The Maoists have suffered tremendous reverses across the country, and to retain some of their lost areas of influence, they are striving to 'regain' Bihar, an erstwhile their stronghold. A lack of political will has long hampered the state's progress in its fight against the Maoists, and there are specific reports of direct links between the political class and the Maoists in the State. Most recently, during his interrogation, Musafir Sahni aka Alok Ji, a self-styled CPI-Maoist 'zonal commander' confessed that one north Bihar Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) had recently paid INR 500,000 to CPI-Maoist in Muzaffarpur District. Sahni further added that at least 25 elected people's representatives, including three legislators, had been paying 'levy' to Maoists operating in north Bihar. Sahni was arrested along with four other CPI-Maoist cadres (Rambali Paswan, 'area commander' of Saraiyya area in Muzaffarpur; Anil Sahni; Ganesh Rai; and Shiv Kumar Ram) from Ramnagar village in the Sakra Police Station area of Muzaffarpur District on May 11, 2017. SFs recovered 18 live assault rifle cartridges, eight live pistol cartridges, two country made pistols, 14 detonators and Maoist literature from them.

Intensification of operations and a clear political mandate to SFs are now an imperative to prevent the Maoists from staging a comeback - however limited - in Bihar. Any lack of focus on their containment at this juncture will simply create opportunities for their reconsolidation in the State.
Gandhinagar, Aug 9 (IBNS): In a close contest with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress' Ahmed Patel won his Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat bringing a sigh of relief to his party ahead of the Assembly election later this year.

Patel, who is a close aid to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, won the prestigious battle by securing 44 electoral votes.

The drama centered around Patel's seat went on for long hours on Tuesday as the Congress complained against its two MLAs to the Election Commission for breaching secrecy.

The two MLAs had shown their ballot papers to BJP's polling agent apart from the Congress' which is against the rule.

As per rule, voters can only show their ballot papers to their respective parties.

Later, the EC disqualified the votes of both the MLAs.

After winning the political battle in RS, Patel took to Twitter to say: "This is not just my victory. It is a defeat of the most blatant use of money power,muscle power and abuse of state machinery."

This is not just my victory. It is a defeat of the most blatant use of money power,muscle power and abuse of state machinery  Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) August 8, 2017

Sonia's close aid even expressed his hope that the Congress party would perform well in the upcoming Assembly election in Gujarat. "BJP stands exposed of personal vendetta and political terror. People of Gujarat will give them a befitting reply in this year's election."

BJP stands exposed of personal vendetta and political terror. People of Gujarat will give them a befitting reply in this year's election  Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) August 8, 2017

After the resignation of former Gujarat chief minister and veteran Congress leader Shankarsinh Vaghela, and with three party members joining the BJP, the Congress had flown 44 of its lawmakers to Bengaluru late last month to stop any defection.

Congress accused the incumbent Gujarat government of trying to lure 22 Congress lawmakers by offering Rs 15 crores to each MLA and asking them to cross vote during the polls.

Apart from Patel, BJP President Amit Shah and Union textile minister Smriti Irani won their respective Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed Amit Shah as a diligent worker, after the latter was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat.

The Prime Minister also congratulated his colleague and Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani after she too secured a seat inside the Upper House of the Parliament of India.

"Congratulations to BJP President @AmitShah & ministerial colleague @smritiirani on getting elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat," the Prime Minister's tweet read.

Congratulations to BJP President @AmitShah & ministerial colleague @smritiirani on getting elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

Image of Ahmed Patel: Official Twitter handle of Ahmed Patel.

Image of Amit Shah: Official Twitter handle of Amit Shah.

Image of Smriti Irani: Official Facebook page of Smriti Zubin Irani.
Chandigarh, Aug 9 (IBNS): In a significant development, Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief's son Vikas Barala, who is an accused in the Chandigarh stalking case, has been arrested, police said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, Chandigarh DGP Tejinder Luthra said: "Vikas Barala and his aide, accused of stalking daughter of IAS officer, has been formally arrested."

Hours after receiving the summons, Vikas Barala who is an accused in the Chandigarh stalking case, reached the police station on Wednesday afternoon.

Vikas was summoned by the Chandigarh police on Wednesday morning.

Vikdas' father Subhash Barala said the accused was out of the city this morning leading to the delay in appearance before the police.

Vikas was arrested briefly for allegedly stalking a senior IAS officers daughter last Friday night when the latter was returning home in her car.

Police arrested Vikas Barala, the 23-year-old son of BJPs Subhash Barala, and his friend Ashish Kumar, 27, from the Housing Board light point late on Friday night.

Both were soon released on bail.

Initially it was reported that the CCTV footage was missing.

However, the police on Tuesday said the CCTV footage of the night is available.

The victim Varnika Kundu, who is a video jockey, alleged that on Friday night her car was followed by a Tata Safari Storm (HR-23G-1008).

According to her, the men driving the SUV were drunk and pulled up close to her car several times.

She alleged that they even tried to block her way to force her to other routes.

She claimed that at one point, the SUV blocked her way and the person in the co-drivers seat got down and started walking towards her vehicle.

She then reversed the vehicle and started moving. However, the men continued to follow her.

The girl then called up the 100 helpline and gave the number details of the SUV and her location.

A day after Vikas was arrested, BJP's state Vice President Ramveer Bhatti triggered an outrage when he said girls should avoid going out during night to keep themselves safe.

Though Bhatti condemned the incident, he made the remark in several interviews to news channels.

Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Subhash Barala on Wednesday said his son Vikas must be punished if he is found guilty after the complete investigation in the Chandigarh stalking case.

Dismissing the accusation of pressuring the cops, the state BJP chief said: "We are not politicising the case or influencing the investigation."

He even referred to the victim as his daughter-like.
Srinagar, Aug 9 (IBNS): At least three terrorists were killed in an encounter in Gulab Bagh village of Tral in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Wednesday, police said.

According to reports, army's 42 RR and SOG of Jammu and Kashmir police took charge after receiving information about the presence of some militants in Gulabagh village of Tral.



"Soon after forces zeroed in the houses, suspected militants opened fire on forces which led to fierce gunfight," official said.



An official said that three militants have been killed so far.

"The operation is on in the area," he said.



Authorities suspended mobile Internet services in Pulwama district to prevent the spreading of rumours.

All three militantskilled belonged to Zakir Musa-led Ansar Ghazwat Ul-Hind.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)


Mumbai, Aug 9 (IBNS); Mumbai witnessed a massive protest by over 80,000 people, who identified themselves as Maratha, as they hit the traffic and rail system of the city badly on Wednesday.

My statement in legislative council on our meeting with representatives of #MarathaMorcha and all political partieshttps://t.co/TmovUcsoue pic.twitter.com/RBjF5XwLqh  Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 9, 2017

The protesters are demanding for reserved quotas in government jobs and colleges for students.

Dressed in saffron caps and carrying flags, the protesters moved to Azad Maidan in Mumbai as police worked hard to control the traffic in the city.

Wednesday was the first Maratha protest organized in Mumbai city.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met representatives from Maratha Morcha and leaders from all political parties.

He even reportedly said his government shall grant reservation for the Maratha community.

He said the State Backward Commission has been directed to submit a detailed report on the issue.

The protesters called off their demonstration after receiving assurance from Fadnavis.

"5 crore will be given in each district for construction of hostels for students of #Maratha community," the CM said.

The CM said: "We are also going to constitute a Cabinet Subcommittee for regular interaction with #Maratha representatives."

The Maratha community comprise of 33 percent of Maharashtra's population.

Image: Maratha Kranti Morcha Facebook page
New York, Aug 9(Just Earth News): Following Mauritania's 5 August constitutional referendum, United Nations Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres has encouraged all stakeholders to ensure that disagreements are addressed peacefully within the confines of the law and respect for the rights to freedom of assembly and expression.

Mauritanians went to the polls this past Saturday, with the electoral commission announcing on Sunday that the results were in favour of a constitutional amendment that abolishes the Senate and alters the national flag.

According to media reports, opposition parties leading a boycott movement declared that they would not recognize the results of the vote.

The Secretary-General calls on all Mauritanians to work together to deepen the rule of law and promote social cohesion and national unity, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said in a statement.

Photo: World Bank/Scott Wallace

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Aug 9(Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency on Tuesday expressed a grave concern over the deteriorating conditions for refugees and asylum seekers at Australia's offshore immigration processing facility on the Manus Island of Papua New Guinea.



The Government of Australia has announced the closure of the Manus Regional Processing Centre, seeking to relocate people in detention to Lorengau or elsewhere in Papua New Guinea.



The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a press release that the planned closure of the Centre, along with the announced withdrawal of current medical care, torture and trauma support and security services by October 2017, is exacerbating a highly stressful situation for the 773 people who remain on Manus Island.



Many fear for their safety outside the Centre, particularly in the wake of several violent incidents in recent years, UNCHR added.



UNHCR also said it is deeply saddened by the tragic death of a young refugee yesterday, which also highlights the precarious situation for vulnerable people there.



To prevent further tragedies and an escalation of the crisis, the planned closure of the centre must take place only in the context of continued critical services, and in line with Australia's ongoing responsibility for the refugees and asylum-seekers it has transferred to Papua New Guinea and Nauru, UNHCR stressed.



Expressing concern that any further reduction of fundamental support would add to the serious health and security risks of people who have been in detention over the last four years, UNHCR renewed its call for Australia to urgently find viable, humane solutions outside of Papua New Guinea and Nauru for those remaining under offshore processing arrangements.



Photo: UNHCR/V. Tan







Source: www.justearthnews.com








Pyongyang/Washington, Aug 9 (IBNS): The North Korea-United States of America 'war-of-words' is at a tipping point now, with both countries threatening to inflict pain on each other.

If Trump scored earlier on Tuesday by stating that North Korea would be 'met with fire and fury like the world has never seen', if it does not stop threatening the US, the Kim Jong-un led nation retorted with a proposed missile strike on Guam, where US strategic bombers are placed.

The North Korean state-run agency KCNA reported that the country was 'carefully examining the operational plan for making an enveloping fire at the areas around Guam.'

However, governor of Guam Eddie Baza Calvo said in a public message that the territory was not facing any imminent danger but added that it was 'prepared for any eventuality'.

Meanwhile, after days of sneering at North Korea's claims that the country has nuclear weapons, media reports in the US said that the former has indeed managed to make a nuclear warhead small enough to fit inside its missiles.

Citing US intelligence officials, the Washington Post reported that the country has progressed at a much faster rate than expected and is capable of striking the US.

Similar reports have also emerged in the Japanese media, who now believe in the 'possible existence' of nuclear weapon in North Korea.

Experts have stated that the recent threats from Kim's men is directly connected to the new sanctions it has received from the UN, where the US played a larger role.

According to the KCNA, the North Korean government has viewed the new ban as a 'violent violation of our sovereignty' and has promised to 'make the US pay'.

According to the new sanctions, importing coal, seafood, iron and iron ore, lead and lead ore from North Korea is banned.

Under the new rule, no country can hire or receive North Korean workers.

Countries have also been barred from entering into ventures from North Korea.

The member states will have to report within 90 days on how they have gone about the job.
A citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation has secured a stunning court victory that not only reverses his death penalty conviction but also reaffirms the historic boundaries of his tribe's reservation.

In a lengthy yet unanimous decision, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday said Patrick Dwayne Murphy should not have been prosecuted by the state of Oklahoma because his alleged crime occurred in Indian Country. A panel of three judges said it was clear that Congress never "disestablished" the Creek Reservation even though portions were parceled out during the allotment era.

"Because Mr. Murphy is an Indian and because the crime occurred in Indian Country, the federal court has exclusive jurisdiction. Oklahoma lacked jurisdiction," Judge Scott Matheson Jr., wrote at the conclusion of the 126-page opinion

"The decision whether to prosecute Mr. Murphy in federal court rests with the United States," Matheson added. "Decisions about the borders of the Creek Reservation remain with Congress."

The ruling caps off an incredibly long journey for Murphy, who is accused of murdering George Jacobs, another Muscogee citizen, in 1999. He was convicted a year later but his attorneys raised numerous challenges to the proceedings, including whether the state could exercise jurisdiction based on the location of the crime.

The state courts rejected Murphy's contention about the status of the allotment where Jacobs was killed. But it took several more years for the case to make it to the federal system while his legal team pursued other grounds for reversal.

The lengthy proceedings eventually drew the interest of the Muscogee Nation, the Seminole Nation and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians . While the tribes did not express a view on Murphy's innocence or guilt, they submitted briefs to the 10th Circuit and participated in oral arguments in March in hopes of preserving the status of the historic Creek Reservation.

"The Creek Nation has never been terminated," the Creek and Seminole tribes said in their joint brief to the court.

Patrick Dwayne Murphy is being held in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, according to the state's Department of Corrections. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals on August 8, 2017, directed his 2000 conviction of first-degree murder, as well as his death penalty sentence, to be vacated due to lack of jurisdiction.

The tribal view was supported by the 10th Circuit as it went over, in great detail, the history of the reservation. In doing so, the judges turned to the U.S. Supreme Court , whose 2016 decision in Nebraska v. Parker reaffirmed the criteria used in diminishment cases

The foremost factor is whether Congress used certain language or showed a specific intent to disestablish the reservation when it authorized allotments. The court looked at a series of laws -- including the one that established the infamous Dawes Commission -- and found that none of them supported the removal of the tribe's homelands from federal jurisdiction.

"Congress never expressly terminated the Creek Reservation in any of the statutes, nor did it use the kind of language recognized by the Supreme Court as evidencing disestablishment," Matheson wrote.

But even though the state failed at "the first and most important step" in the process, the court went ahead and looked at other factors described in Parker. Historical evidence from the time of allotment does not support diminishment and neither does "later history," Matheson concluded.

"The Creek Nation has maintained a significant and continuous presence within the Reservation," Matheson wrote.

While one federal law changed the parameters of the tribe's relationship with the federal government, the court noted that Congress reversed course with the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act . The 1936 statute ushered in a new era of self-determination.

"In sum, following allotment, Congress re-empowered the Creek Nations government, which it had never dissolved," Matheson observed.

The detailed analysis reflects the fact-intensive nature of diminishment cases, which don't always go in favor of tribal interests. In February, the 10th Circuit ruled against the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and the Northern Arapaho Tribe and held that the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming was diminished by Congress

The 10th Circuit went in a different direction when it came to the Ute Tribe , whose reservation borders have been repeatedly challenged by officials in Utah. The long-running battle was so striking that Judge Neil Gorsuch called it one of his most important cases during his Supreme Court confirmation proceedings earlier this year.

"Our history with Native Americans is not the prettiest history," Gorsuch said before he was confirmed to serve as a justice on the nation's highest court.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Corrections , Murphy is being held in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, which falls within Choctaw Nation territory. Now 48 years old, he's been imprisoned by the state for 18 years.

The 10th Circuit's decision directs a federal judge to grant Murphy's petition for habeas corpus . The court said his Oklahoma conviction and sentence should be vacated, or erased from the record.

The state could try to keep Murphy locked up if it intends to seek a rehearing or pursue an appeal to the Supreme Court. Or it could request a delay in proceedings while the federal government decides whether to prosecute him for the 1999 murder.

Turtle Talk has posted documents from the case, Murphy v. Royal

10th Circuit Court of Appeals Decision: Murphy v. Royal (August 8, 2017)

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Lifestyle Maung Di Sculpts Modernism in Myanmar

Myanmar artist Maung Di showcases his works at the Ahla Thit Gallery in Yangon.

It has not been long since modern art found its place in Myanmar. For years, modern artists received little to no appreciation for their aesthetic creations.

Among them was Maung Di, who had to pretend not to hear people criticizing his work some decades ago. He could do nothing about peoples lack of appreciation and had to hold back some of his ideas.

Finally, Maung Di, who is also a renowned poet and short story writer, is showcasing some of the objects that he had wanted to create almost 40 years ago.

His ninth solo show, Maung Dis East Village Sculpture Series, features two paintings  Nude and Black & White  and 10 objects: Passing Ozone, Space Crystal, Light Crystal, In & Out, The Smile of a Comedian, Leaf, Portrait of Maung Di and more.

The Light Crystal was created with two tical (just over half an ounce) of gold.

I wanted to create this piece with gold, but could not afford it. I made it only after my daughter bought me the gold, Maung Di told The Irrawaddy.

He created Passing Ozone in 1993. It is a 1.5 square foot plexiglass sheet with a hole in the center. It was a favorite of the late celebrated vocalist Khin Wan, said Maung Di.

The sculpture entitled In & Out is a large plexiglass sheet with nine small holes. Maung Di said: People on the other side can be insiders, and likewise, people on this side can be outsiders. We dont know which side we belong to.

Born in a small village in Pakokku District in 1941, the 76-year-old artist said the exhibition was to commemorate his birthday.

I hope this exhibition will open the eyes of Myanmars sculptors. I want them to be aware that there are many types of sculpture other than Rodin, said Maung Di, referring to works by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin.

Maung Di, who was deemed to be one of the pioneers of modernism in Myanmar in the late 1960s, will be present with his works through Wednesday at the Ahla Thit Gallery on University Avenue Road in Bahan Township.

Maung Di, who has only organized nine solo exhibitions since his first one in 1979, said: I do what I feel like I should do. I display what I believe in, not for money, not for fame.
Asia Thai Prime Minister Aims for October Trump Meet

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shakes hands with Thailands Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha at Government House in Bangkok, Thailand on August 8, 2017. / Athit Perawongmetha / Reuters

BANGKOK, Thailand  Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has said he will visit the United States at the invitation of US President Donald Trump this October, amid reports that the US has pressured Thailand to help cut funding sources to North Korea.

This is the first time the prime minister has indicated a clear timeline for the overseas visit after Trump invited the prime minister to the White House on an official trip in a phone call in April.

Gen Prayuts announcement came during a visit from US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Bangkok. Tillerson met the prime minister on Tuesday.

Reports suggest Tillerson is in Thailand to press the Prayut government to take harsher action against North Korea.

A top priority of the US official has been to encourage Southeast Asian nations, including Thailand, to do more to cut funding to North Korea.

The US believes North Korean front companies are active in Thailand and it is trying to encourage Thailand to shut them down, Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton told reporters.

The companies are using Bangkok as a regional hub and they change their names frequently, she said.

The prime minister also said Tuesday his visit to the US this October should proceed without any conditions imposed by Washington.

Thailand is committed to its obligations to the United Nations and has clearly expressed its stance through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [Asean]. So there should be no need to set any conditions for the country, Gen Prayut said, without elaborating.

Last weekend, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to impose strict new sanctions on Pyongyang in response to North Koreas launch of two intercontinental missiles last month.

On Saturday, foreign ministers of the 10 Asean member states marked the blocs 50th anniversary by issuing a statement demanding North Korea stop the rush toward war.

In a historic moment, all 10 members demanded that Pyongyang immediately halt ballistic missile launches and nuclear weapons tests.

We reiterate our support for the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner, call for the exercise of self-restraint, and underscore the importance of creating conditions conducive for dialogue to de-escalate tensions, the statement said.

It has been reported that Trumps invitation to Gen Prayut and some other Asean leaders, including Singapores Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, is part of an attempt to reach out to US allies in Asia and seek their cooperation in containing the threats posed by North Koreas nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, however, hesitated to confirm the exact time frame for Gen Prayuts US visit, saying the Thai and US sides were working to find an appropriate time for the visit.

The United States is still planning the visit. We need not worry about the date of the visit because there are efforts from both sides to prepare for it, he said.

Gen Prayuts US visit has been postponed from a previous tentative date of July 19.

On Monday, Gen Prayut claimed he had been banned from visiting some countries for being a coup leader. He said only his cabinet members could visit those countries at that time.

Don clarified Tuesday that Gen Prayut might have been referring to the period shortly after the coup in May 2014 when he said he could not visit other countries because he had staged the coup. Australia, for one, announced a ban on visits by junta members including the leader, Gen Prayut.

Gen Prayut was now free to visit any country he was invited to, as long as time permits, he said.

In the meeting between Gen Prayut and Tillerson, deputy government spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak said the two men discussed cooperation in various areas ranging from security, counter-terrorism efforts, human trafficking, cyber security, disaster management, and trade and investment.

The prime minister invited American investors to invest more in Thailands Eastern Economic Corridor and the U-tapao area, said Lt Gen Werachon.

Gen Prayut also assured the US secretary of state that the Thai government is sincere in its efforts to protect intellectual property.

He also asked the US to review the kingdoms status on the Priority Watch List of the Office of the US Trade Representative, the deputy spokesman said.

Gen Prayut also confirmed to Tillerson that the government would stick to its roadmap toward democracy.

Tillerson also met Don at the Foreign Ministry.

This is the first high-level US visit to Thailand in three years. The visit indicates that the relationship between our countries is good, and it is going to get better, Don said after the meeting.

Tillerson came to Thailand after attending the Asean Regional Forum in Manila.
Burma Analysis: The Peace Process and an Unattainable Plan

The Peace Commission and the UNFC DPN meeting on August 4, 2017 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. / Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy

CHIANG MAI, Thailand  The government Peace Commission and the ethnic coalition the United Nationalities Federal Councils Delegation for Political Negotiation (DPN) will meet for their sixth round of formal talks in Yangon on Thursday, mainly to reach an understanding regarding the signing of the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA).

Delegates from both sides  led by U Khin Zaw Oo, the secretary of the Peace Commission, and Khu Oo Reh, the head of the DPN  met informally in Chiang Mai, Thailand on Friday, Aug. 4. There, they agreed on the date for this weeks meeting, scheduled from Aug. 10-11, where they will continue discussing the UNFCs nine-point proposal that they have put forward as a path to signing the NCA. The UNFC has asked that the proposal become an appendix of the NCA, if the coalitions five members are to sign, which include the Shan State Progress Party, the New Mon State Party, the Lahu Democratic Union, the Karenni National Progressive Party, and the Arakan National Council.

Nai Ong Ma-Nge, a spokesman for the UNFCs DPN, told The Irrawaddy this week that they need to thoroughly discuss the definitions of the proposal and to make sure [both sides] can reach a common understanding during the upcoming talks.

Since peace talks began in late 2011 under the administration of former President U Thein Sein, and the drafting of the NCA took place from 2013 to 2015, a lack of common understanding on the terms of an agreement has led to a stalled peace process. This has consequently frustrated the public whose trust in the peace negotiations has deteriorated.

The government delegates appeared firm in their determination to set a date for the formal talks with the DPN in Yangon taking place this week. According to a source close to the government, the administration hopes to finalize the agreement with the DPN, citing a need to prioritize work that that must be completed before the third session of the 21st Century Panglong peace conference, scheduled no later than December.

The government, the Tatmadaw and most of the countrys more than 20 ethnic armed groups initiated the drafting of the NCA pact and aimed to sign it together. Yet this goal has yet to be reached 20 months after the initial signing of the NCA by the eight ethnic armed groups, the government, and the military in Oct. 2015.

Last week, the peace commissionerswho are representatives of both the government and the armysaid that they would continue working to achieve peace, and open the door of the NCA, as it is the path that their own leadership has accepted.

The five-member UNFC became weaker in terms of representation when one of its most prominent members, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) left the bloc in June. Now it is solely representative of ethnic armed groups in south and east of Myanmar.

Meanwhile, a Wa-led alliance of armed groups in the north and northeast of Myanmar, known as Federal Political Negotiation Consultative Committee has emphasized a desire to have talks with the government as a bloc, an approach which the government has rejected, except in dealing with the UNFC.

Peace commission representatives have stated that they will not acknowledge the bloc formation, and that it will only meet its members separately. The government acted on this most notably in Naypyitaw in May, holding sideline meetings with northern bloc members after they joined the opening of the second session of the 21st Century Panglong peace conference in Naypyitaw.

Thus, both formal and informal talks between the government and the northeastern alliance have not been strongly forged.

More than half a dozen informal talks have been held in recent months between the KIA and a Tatmadaw representative, yet formal military-to-military meetings have been stalled, reportedly due to the KIAs inability to send its military representativeswho would match the ranks of the Myanmar Armys delegates, upon their requestunaccompanied.

This suggests that the Myanmar Army mainly wishes to speak with high-ranking military personnel regarding military tensions. It has proven to be another hurdle in implementing peace talks, as long as the national armed forces continue to discriminate against their ethnic counterparts.

A peace commissioner told The Irrawaddy that he believed conversations between commanders from both sides would help reduce fighting on the ground and also could further peace negotiations.

But since the May conference in Naypyitaw, peace talks and national dialogues have stalled. The convening of national political dialogues in NCA-signatories controlled areasin the case of the Restoration Council of Shan State and the Arakan Liberation Partyhave not yet been able to be held due to the military and government objections over the venue and security, respectively.

Myanmars peace process remains in limbo as the government stands firm in its own desired direction and the ethnic armed organizations demand another. If such pressures, including those from the military, continue, bringing all the groups to the table to end fighting appears to be an unattainable plan.

The Myanmar Army also still is increasing military pressure on the ground while peace talks are being held, Nai Ong Ma-Nge added, explaining that the New Mon State Party received a military warning on the evening of Aug. 4, because members were planning to wear army uniforms for their revolutionary day celebration on Aug 7.

When asked by The Irrawaddy how long he speculated it would take to agree on the terms of peace, Nai Ong Ma-Nge said it would depend on the responses of the government and the military.

The Tatmadaws actions, he explained, have impacted the building of trust.
Burma Court Date Postponed for Defendants in Anti-Government Protest Case

Four detained Buddhist monks seen at court in Chanmyathazi Township on Wednesday. / Zarni Mann / The Irrawaddy

MANDALAY  A court in Chanmyathazi Township postponed a hearing for detained nationalists on Wednesday after police requested more time to apprehend the remaining suspects on arrest warrants.

Police presented the detainees and requested to extend the warrant for those at large and reappoint the hearing date, so it was postponed until August 23, said U Zin Lin Thant, a spokesperson of the Chanmyathazi Township Court.

Seven detained nationalistssix Buddhist monks and one laypersonwere arrested after a crackdown on an anti-government protest camp in Mandalay. The monks were arrested during a raid on the camp. U Kyaw Myo Shwe, the plaintiff in lawsuit against a journalist with the publication Myanmar Now, was arrested when he appeared at trial for the suit in Maha Aung Myay Township. The seven defendants appeared in court for the first time on Wednesday. There is still an arrest warrant out for two monks from Mandalays Patheingyi Township and four other laymen.

The Mandalay District Buddhist Monks authority filed the lawsuit against the eight protesting monks for incitement under Article 505(b) of Burmas Penal Code. The charge does not allow for bail to be set and the detainees face up to two years imprisonment, a fine, or both.

For the five laymen, including U Kyaw Myo Shwe, the administration officer of Chanmyathazi Township opened a lawsuit under the same charge.

The four detained Buddhist monks have been defrocked since their detention and they appeared at court on Wednesday in plainclothes.

We will keep fighting to protect our nationality, race and religion, and the truth, until we die. You all, who are outside of the prison, also carry on with the mission, shouted the detained Buddhist monks before they entered the courtroom.

If the government wants to be democratic, it also needs to listen the voice of the minority. The crackdown is not democratic, it is like a dictatorship, said U Agga Daza, one of the detained Buddhist Monks.

More than 30 Buddhist monks and dozens of laymen and supporters greeted the defendants at the court with flowers and food.

The detainees requested an immediate sentencing but I told them that I had to follow court procedure according to the law. They apparently do not wish to be in detention, said Daw Myat Myat Lwin, the judge in the case.

After receiving the next court date, the detainees were sent back to Obo prison.
Burma Detained Journalists Didnt Break the Law

The three detained journalists from The Irrawaddy and DVB appeared at a Hsipaw court on Aug. 4, 2017 for the second time and saw their request for bail denied. The third session of their trial will take place on Aug. 11. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  A Myanmar National Human Right Commission (MNHRC) member who met with three detained journalists from The Irrawaddy and the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) in northern Shan States Hsipaw Prison said they had not broken the law, according to their accounts.

Commissioner U Yu Lwin Aung said he met with Lawi Weng, also known as U Thein Zaw, of The Irrawaddy, and U Aye Nai and U Pyae Phone Aung of DVB at the prison on Wednesday.

He said he spent nearly six hours there, interviewing the journalists separately about their case.

An MNHRC team has been on tour in northern Shan State for the purpose of exploring prison reform, and the meeting with the detained journalists was part of their agenda, according to U Yu Lwin Aung.

He told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that he was informed the three journalists went to Namhsan by showing their journalist ID cards and passing through the security gates toward the area. While in Namhsan, they made contact with the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and covered a drug-burning event hosted by the ethnic armed group.

They said Namhsan is not a prohibited town by any law. There were administration members, teachers, doctors, and locals from the area attending the anti-drug ceremony by the TNLA, said U Yu Lwin Aung.

On their way back from the event on June 26, the journalists were arrested and prosecuted by the Myanmar Army, accused of having violated the Unlawful Associations Act. The military suggested that they had connections with the TNLA, which has not yet signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement in the governments peace process.

Their requests for bail were denied during their second trial session last week.

The Commissioner said he would forward his findings as soon as possible for the consideration of other MNHRC members in the Yangon head office.

The seven members of the MNHRC will decide which government ministry or office they will report to after a discussion is held about the commissions position on the case. 
Burma Police Arrest 9 Suspects in Connection with Elephant Poaching

A wild elephant killed by poachers in Tin Chaung village tract in Irrawaddys Ngapudaw Township on August 4. / Salai Thant Zin / The Irrawaddy

PATHEINPolice have arrested nine suspects in connection with the hunting of two wild elephants in the Myittayar forest reserve in Irrawaddy Regions Ngapudaw Township.

A combined column of the police, forestry departments and administrative authorities of Ngapudaw and Pathein townships combed the forest reserve and arrested nine people with crossbows, poisoned bolts [arrows], and poison bottles, police lieutenant colonel Khin Maung Latt of the Irrawaddy Region Police Force told The Irrawaddy.

In response to a tip-off from locals, the authorities searched the Myittayar forest reserve near Tin Chaung village tract and found a dead 25-year-old female elephant on August 4, and a 4-year-old female elephant the following day, both shot with 16-cm poisoned bolts.

The Forestry Department then burned the bodies at the scene. From January to June, eight elephants were poached in the Irrawaddy Region; the latest killings have brought the total to 10. All of the elephants were shot with poisoned crossbow bolts, according to the Irrawaddy Region Police Force.

In the first case, the bolt pierced all the way through the hide. In the second case, the bolt penetrated halfway. The poison seems very strong. Both died within 24 hours of being shot, said Ko Tun Lay, administrator the Tin Chaung village tract.

Poachers were waiting for elephants to die to dissect them. But the department personnel got there first, he added.

Ten crossbows, more than 90 bolts, and poison were seized from the nine suspects, according to the police.

The arrested parties lived in the forest. Although we are educating locals, they cant resist the money they get from poaching, so they let the hunters stay with them and act as their guides. It is difficult for us to stop it, said police lieutenant colonel Khin Maung Latt.

Forest reserves in Pathein, Ngapudaw and Thabaung townships in Pathein District are home to wild elephants.

Poachers take the tusks, hide, flesh, and tails from hunted elephants and sell them to smugglers along the Pathein-Mawtin road. From there, smugglers take the items via the Pathein-Monywa road to Mandalay Region, where they smuggle them into China via the Mandalay-Muse road.

The majority of the elephant poachers have been from Minbu, Ngape, and Sidoktaya townships in Magwe Region, according to the Irrawaddy Region Police Force.

Locals have suggested conducting routine security patrols around the forest and installing inspection gates along the route to prevent poaching.

Last year, poachers killed 13 wild elephants in the region and police arrested hunters in four of the cases. They are still investigating six cases and closed three cases, as they could not identify the poachers.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
Burma Upper House Approves Debate on Rakhine Militants

MP U Khin Maung Latt of the Arakan National Party (ANP) / The Irrawaddy

NAYPYITAW  Upper House lawmakers will consider a proposal urging the government to take action against suspected militants in northern Rakhine State under the 2014 Counter-Terrorism Law and help locals who have fled their homes because of recent killings in the area.

The Upper House on Wednesday accepted the proposal from MP U Khin Maung Latt of the Arakan National Party (ANP) to target alleged insurgent groups in Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships.

It seems that every civilian has to take up arms. There is no room for negligence. Im afraid the situation will only get worse. The region doesnt have enough security measures, and even the border guard forces are under threat, U Khin Maung Latt told the Parliament.

U Khin Maung Latt was seconded by Arakanese lawmaker Daw Htoot May. The militants had greatly disrupted the livelihoods of locals as well as threatened regional stability, she said.

Last week, seven ethnic Mro, a sub-ethnic group of Arakanese, of Kay Gyee village near the Mayu mountain range in southern Maungdaw Township were found dead with gun and machete wounds, and one is still missing. It remains unclear who was responsible for the killings.

Hundreds of people from Outt Nan Yar village in Rakhine States Rathedaung Township resisted security forces on August 4 when policemen attempted to arrest six men suspected of being militants, according to the State Counselors Office.

Four suspects were apprehended from Outt Nan Yar, read a statement from the office, while two managed to escape after hundreds of villagers surrounded a dozen policemen and fought back against the armed security forces with machetes and slingshots.

The Rakhine government described the incident as a terrorist attack and said the toll of civilian deaths has been rising since militants attacked border outposts and killed nine Myanmar border guards in Maungdaw last October.

In response to the attack, security forces launched a brutal counterinsurgency sweep on areas home to the self-identifying Muslim Rohingya, referred to as Bengalis by many in the state and the government, who claim they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Alleged human rights abuses by the army, including rape and killing of civilians and the burning of more than 1,000 homes, caused international criticism, and forced some 75,000 people to flee Rakhine to Bangladesh. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has rejected a proposed UN inquiry into the allegations.

More than 600 Arakanese people from 134 households in the villages near Outt Nar Yar fled their homes and moved to other villages on August 5, according to the State Counselor Office.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
News Karen Influence Policy in Favor of Forest Preservation

ndigenous Karen people push a boat in the proposed Salween Peace Park, an initiative to create an indigenous-led sanctuary to protect indigenous cultural heritage and endangered wildlife in Karen State. / KESAN

YANGON  Ethnic Karen herbalist Naw Paw Lay is concerned about the link between environmental degradation and traditional health practices.

If our forest is destroyed, we will not have any more herbal medicine plants, she is featured as saying in a documentary about her community entitled Indigenous Karens Community Forest.

She is among those who rely on the Kheshorter Forest, home to more than 200 species of medicinal plants, about which she has extensive knowledge, particularly regarding their healing properties.

On Wednesday, in commemoration of the International Day of the Worlds Indigenous People, The Karen Environmental and Social Action Network (KESAN) and the Karen National Union (KNU) launched the 26-minute documentary film exploring the community lifestyle, beliefs, and preservation practices of the Karen in the Kheshorter Forest.

The area, totaling more than 14,600 acres, is located in western Papun Districtknown locally as Mutrawand Nyaung Lay Pin District, or eastern Kler Lwee Htoo, in Karen State, referred to by the Karen as Kawthoolei. It has long been cherished by locals as an environmental, social and spiritual sanctuary.

Kheshorter was featured in the forefront of the movement for the systematic restoration of forests under the collective governance, protection and management of 15 villages since 1999, prior to the official recognition of the Kheshorter forest as a Community Forest by the Karen National Union (KNU).

We have been conserving our land, animals and natural resources in the forest with the traditional ways from our ancestors, said Saw Oh Moo, a community elder from Kheshorter. This practice, he added, is not new to us.

The Kheshorter Forest is mostly mountainous, home to numerous rare and endangered species of fauna, including tigers and Hoolock Gibbons.

Restoration of the forest started with research involving the observation and documentation of orchids and herbal medicinal plants, and mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibian species. These activities were carried out in collaboration with students and the community.

In 1997, Myanmar became a member of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which aimed to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants would not threaten these species survival.

Through the research, it was discovered that Kheshorter hosts 120 species of orchids, 70 percent of which are included in a trading ban by CITES. Among 81 mammal species, two are listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically endangered, as are 31 reptile species, 130 types of birds, 13 amphibians, and 200 kinds of plants.

In the documentary about Kheshorter screened on Wednesday, community members expressed fear that large-scale development projects in the area would be carried out without their consent and could have a negative impact on the forest.

Cooperation and collaboration with the local community is crucial [] to strengthen local community participation and collaboration in forestry activities in the long term, said Padoh Mahn Ba Tun, the chairman of the KNUs Kawthoolei Forestry Department (KFD).

He added that the KNUa signatory to the nationwide ceasefire agreementis already present at the peace discussion table and hoping to collaborate with the Myanmar Forest Department for long-term conservation efforts.

In November 2016, the Karen National Union (KNU) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Myanmar signed an agreement to preserve nature and wildlife in the KNU-controlled area. Under the agreement, WWF representatives and researchers agreed to provide technical and financial support to the KNUs Forestry Department.

Community elder Saw Oh Moo said, our actions for the forest and wildlife conservation and protection also have positive impacts on the world, which is affected by climate change and global warming.

According to the Myanmar National Forest Master Plan (NFMP 2001), the government set a target that 2.27 million acres in the country be handed over to local forest user groups, like those serving as caretakers of Kheshorter, by 2030-31.
Commentary Chinas Charm Offensive Regains its Foothold in Myanmar

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi receives Song Tao at her residence in Naypyidaw on Aug 4. / Myanmar State Counselors Office / Facebook

Daw Aung Sang Suu Kyi hosted an important Chinese guest for dinner at her Naypyitaw residence on August 4, with the visit covered on the front page of the state-run newspaper the following day.

The guest in question, Song Tao, head of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China, was on his second official trip to Myanmar. During his first visit, in August, he met the reclusive ex-junta head Snr-Gen Than Shwe at his residence, a testimony to Chinas reach and influence in the country.

The minister for the State Counselors Office, U Kyaw Tint Swe, and National Security Adviser U Thaung Tun also attended the dinner on August 4.

Although details of the meeting were not released, sources said the discussion touched on a wide range of issues, including the peace process, indicating a warming of relations between China and Myanmar.

Some unconfirmed reports from sources familiar with China-Myanmar relations suggested that Song Tao was laying the groundwork for a high-level visit by China to Myanmar. Whatever the case, Chinas aggressive engagement with Myanmar is paying off.

On the same day as the dinner, Reuters reported that the two countries were holding initial talks about buying electricity from China. It added that the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan had been left with a surplus of power after a switch toward less energy-intensive industries amid an economic slowdown.

Three days later, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told villagers in central Myanmar that peace and power supply are priorities.

As part of its ambitious Belt and Road initiative, a development strategy that links China with the rest of Asia, Beijing will likely fund infrastructure projects, trade and investment that will stimulate the economy in Myanmar.

With that, Beijing is likely to push for stability along the China-Myanmar border, where powerful ethnic armed groups are based. Chinese officials have told the groups to sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA). Regardless of whether they follow the directive, the groups will remain under Chinas influence, a part of Beijings strength over Naypyitaw.

Much importance lies in Song Taos recent trip, coupled with his briefing and assessment delivered to Beijings top leaders. It could potentially shape Beijings future policy toward its southern neighbor.

During his visit, Song Tao also met top army leaders, with the exception of army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, who was visiting Japan at the invitation of Nippon Foundation Chairman Yohei Sasakawa.

Japans Sasakawa Foundation is also involved in the peace process, but it is known to have more contact with ethnic armed groups in southern Myanmar.

China also promised to assist in the peace process, and last May, a Chinese special envoySun Guoxianghelped to negotiate a trip involving members of several ethnic armed groups based in northern Myanmar to Naypyitaw so that they could attend a government-sponsored peace conference.

Despite its involvement in Myanmar and its promise to assist in the peace process, China has little influence on ethnic armed groups in the south.

China as Big Brother

When Western nations, including the United States and those in the European Union, imposed sanctions and condemned Myanmars former military regime, China was the pariah governments main backer and largest investor.

As a powerful neighbor, Beijing supported Myanmar through aid and investment, helping build strategic infrastructure projects such as oil and gas pipelines, ports, and dams.

China has poured money into hydropower projects in the countrys ethnic regions, and its three major oil corporations have a strong foothold. However, China did not win the hearts and minds of the Myanmar peopleit was Beijings disadvantage.

Many in Myanmar worry that Chinese investments and aid programs are like a Trojan horse. They view the activities of its resource-hungry neighbor in Myanmar as exploitation. Song Taos recent visitor soft diplomacymay not help to lessen the publics anti-China sentiment, either.

But the government in Myanmar needs China. For decades, Myanmars leadership has seen Chinas rising power differently.

The late Prime Minister U Nu, who held numerous meetings with Chinese leaders to settle several disputes, once publicly expressed this fear in a statement after the Chinese Communist Party assumed power in 1949. Our tiny nation cannot have the effrontery to quarrel with any power, he said. And least among these, could Burma afford to quarrel with new China?

Former President U Thein Sein, who suspended the controversial China-funded Myitsone Dam project in Kachin State in September 2011, in what was seen as a cue to the West and US to ease sanctions on his country, expressed his closeness to China.

During his official visit to Beijing in 2014, he confessed a fondness for Chinese television dramas. Since childhood, Ive been watching Chinese television, the then President told China Radio International.

Song Tao has been enforcing the closeness between the two countries on his recent visit by meeting key figures in the political landscape of Myanmar, including leaders of the Union Solidarity and Development Party.

Interestingly, he also visited former commander-in-chief Gen Tin Oo, 90, who has been hospitalized since May. Tin Oo went on to become a founder and patron of the National League for Democracy (NLD).

Paying respects to Tin Oo, some China analysts in Yangon concluded, was Beijing showing its long lasting gratitude to Myanmar generals who fought against the Kuomintang (KMT) troops on Myanmar soil in the 1960s.

Gen Tin Oo was one of the army officers who fought against KMT forces, and as a result he won the title of Thura for his courage in the mid-1950s. (Aside from Tin Oo, China also provided sanctuary for Brig-Gen Kyaw Zaw, one of the legendary Thirty Comrades, when he joined the Communist Party of Burma on the China border. Brig-Gen Kyaw Zaw led Myanmar troops and defeated KMT forces in the 1950s. He lived and died in Yunnan.)

Like an elephant, Beijing has a long memory when it comes to its southern neighbor: both on political players and the military.

The West is Losing on Myanmar

Since taking office in April in 2016, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has surprised her Western friends and former supporters by developing a warm relationship with the Chinese. Equally, Beijing was ready to repair the strained relationship with Myanmar.

China was trying to bring back Myanmar into its fold even before Daw Aung San Suu Kyi came to power. Months before the historic election in 2015, she was invited to visit China where President Xi Jinping received her.

The political gambit was well calculated. The NLD won a landslide election, and soon after, China sent its foreign minister Wang Yi to meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyithe first foreign official to do so.

While Beijing has shown support to the new government in Myanmar, the West has lost its interest and position in the country, putting its focus on the human rights issues concerning the Rohingya people in Rakhine State and, partly through its media coverage, applying pressure on the government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. This has not gone unnoticed by the new leadership in Naypyitaw.

Under the Trump administration, the US policy on Myanmar is unclearthat is, if there is any policy at all. Or does it plan to just follow Obamas policy? The US State Department is disoriented, to put it mildly.

Myanmars past connections with North Korea have resurfaced under the Trump administration, with US Special Envoy for North Korea Joseph Yun visiting Myanmar in June. He met with leaders including State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing to discuss regional security, and to reportedly ensure that Myanmar does not pursue any links with North Korea.

However, Myanmar, and its desire to achieve a federal Union and push ahead with the ongoing peace process, remains on the US radar, with American agencies based in Yangon assisting on these issues.

Under the Obama administration, Air Force One landed twice in Myanmar to praise the political reform in the country. During that time, China seemed to lose its edge and influence over its southern neighbor. Obama left a vacuum, but China has quickly returned and reset its influence.

It remains to be seen how Song Taos visit will yield any major change in Beijings engagement policy with its troubled neighbor. But one thing is certain: China has revealed its imposing strategy of regaining its foothold in Myanmar.

Aung Zaw is the founding editor-in-chief of The Irrawaddy.
Commentary Fitting a Round Peg into a Square Hole

The three journalists detained for unlawful association await their next hearing on Friday. / The Irrawaddy

HSIPAW, Shan StateLast Friday, residents woke up to see beefed up security forces in their tourist town in northern Shan State. The night before, they also noticed several police and army vehicles patrolling the town.

About 60 police officershalf of the towns police forceand additional army personnel were dispersedly deployed at almost every corner of the town and on its main road. They were all fully equipped with automatic rifles at the ready and pistols on their waist belts.

The heavy security in this tiny town was for a court hearing to be held in the morning.

Dont be mistaken that this was for jailbird criminals. On the contrary, it was for three detained reporters and three locals who traveled with them. On June 26, Ko Lawi Weng of the Irrawaddy and Ko Aye Nai and Ko Pyae Phyo Aung of DVB were arrested by the military and later charged with Article 17(1) of the unlawful association act.

Before 10 a.m., traffic police halted all trucks and vehicles to make way for a police custody van and escorted police vehicles and motorcycles, which turned on an earthen road leading to the Hsipaw Township Court.

Residents rarely saw such a scene in the town and had the impression that it was a very important case since the first hearing on July 28.

Yes, it is a high profile case despite being held in a small town. The international community and the entire nation are watching over it with interest because the case is a legal battle between independent media and the military, which is the most powerful institution in the country.

Not only we journalists but also many people in the country see the case as a test of whether the countrys judiciarytraditionally notorious for not being independent, impartial or fairhas changed under the countrys first elected government run by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Just before the first court hearing, the military affirmed that it would not put pressure on judges handling the detained journalists case and accept the courts decision. Few people believe those words based on their past experiences and a public consciousness that the judiciary was controlled by the previous military regimes.

Coming out of the police custody van on Friday morning, the three detained journalists told reporters that they believed that the court would release them on bail if the country had rule of law because they were only doing their jobs as journalists. Those hopes didnt last long, as judge U Kyaw Moe Thu denied them bail soon after court started around 10 a.m.

The courtroom is tiny but the hearing for this case has been unprecedented. One social worker who was observing in the court for hours told me that he had never seen such intensive questioning, especially against a military prosecutor, during other hearings held for the same charges.

Six lawyers of the defendants bombarded prosecutor Adjutant Thet Naing Oo of the military with questions involving journalistic rights to freely contact sources regardless of who they are, the controversial unlawful association act, the nature of the independent media in serving the public and so on.

The essence of the questions indicated that the militarys charge against the journalists was like putting a round peg into a square hole and that these charges were simply wrong. The prosecutor seemed like he had been defeated on the battlefield. It was a minor victory on that battlefield in the eyes of the defendants, their family members, reporters and other observers in court compound.

Locked up in police custody just behind the court for the lunch break, our reporter Lawi Weng asked me, How long might the case take? Honestly, I didnt have a clear answer for his simple question. Itll be hard for anyone to answer his question.

What I could say was that we have been trying our best to defend him and other detained reporters together with our lawyers. Simultaneously, we have been trying to make concerned authorities of the government understand that the journalists were wrongly charged from the start. But the government cant interfere with the military, which is the main prosecutor in the case.

The bigger question that is still lingering is whether the court can act independently and justly. Though the military said it wouldnt put pressure on judges and the court in this case, we have to wait and see how the court and the judge act.

In the meantime, our detained journalists are waiting in a cell in Hsipaw Prison for their next court hearing this coming Friday.
Working with SAP to deliver dedicated access via Equinix Cloud Exchange, its customers can achieve high-performance connectivity to SAPs suite of cloud services.

Global interconnection and data centre experts, Equinix, are now offering direct and private access to the SAP Cloud portfolio, including SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud and SAP Cloud Platform, in multiple markets across the globe".

Dedicated, private connections are available via Equinix Cloud Exchange and the SAP Cloud Peering service in the Equinix Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, New York, Silicon Valley, Sydney, Toronto and Washington, D.C. International Business Exchange (IBX) data centres, with additional markets planned for later this year".

Through this connectivity, were told that enterprise customers benefit from high-performance and secure access to SAP cloud services as part of a hybrid or multi-cloud strategy".

Equinix explains that, as cloud adoption continues to rise, so does the growth of multi-cloud deployments".

In fact, according to the recent IDC CloudView survey (April 2017), Equinix tells us that 85% of respondents are either currently using a multi-cloud strategy or plan to do so in the near-term".

Given that Equinix Cloud Exchange has direct access to multiple cloud services and platforms, such as the SAP Cloud portfolio, Equinix tells us that it helps enterprise customers to expedite the development of hybrid and multi-cloud solutions across multiple locations, with the goal of gaining global scale, performance and security".

Some of the key facts Equinix wants us to know about its SAP collaboration include:

SAP Cloud Peering explains it provides direct access inside the Equinix Cloud Exchange to help customers looking to reap the benefits of the SAP Cloud portfolio, with the control and predictability of a dedicated connection. Initially, access will be available for SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud and SAP Cloud Platform, which serve as SAP's IaaS and PaaS solutions respectively. SAP and Equinix plan to make available SAP SuccessFactors, SAP Hybris, SAP Ariba solutions and others in the near future".





SAP tells us that it continues to gain traction in enterprise cloud adoption, with particular strength in APAC and EMEA. According to a recent 451 Research note (from February 2017), SAPs APAC cloud subscription and support revenue grew by 54%, while it rose by 35% in EMEA and by 27% in the Americas. Access to these cloud-based services in Equinixs global footprint of data centres will help drive adoption and reach of SAP cloud offerings".





Equinix also notes that it offers the industry's broadest choice in cloud service providers, including AWS, Microsoft Azure, Oracle, Google Cloud Platform, and other leading cloud providers such as SAP. Equinix offers direct connections to many of these platforms via Equinix Cloud Exchange or Equinix Cross Connects. Equinix Cloud Exchange is an advanced interconnection solution that provides virtualised, private direct connections that bypass the Internet to provide better security and performance with a range of bandwidth options. It is currently available in 23 markets, globally".

Christoph Boehm, senior vice-president and head of Cloud Delivery Services, SAP, said: SAP joined the Equinix Cloud Exchange platform to address customer requirements for enterprise hybrid architecture in an environment that lends itself to the very highest levels of performance and reliability. With SAP's traditional base of more than 300,000 software customers seeking ways to take the next step in a cloud-enabled world, SAP has established efficient capabilities to deliver on those requirements.

Charles Meyers, president of strategy, services and innovation, Equinix, said: Equinix recognises that enterprise cloud needs vary, and by aligning a company's business requirements to the best cloud services, they can create a more agile, flexible and scalable IT infrastructure. With more than 130 million cloud subscribers, SAP has a strong foothold in the enterprise market, and by providing these customers and more with dedicated connectivity to their SAP software environments simply, securely and cost-effectively from Equinix Cloud Exchange, we help customers connect and build a hybrid cloud solution that works for them.

Jeremy Deutsch, managing director, Equinix Australia, said: Equinix is thrilled to add SAP to over 30 clouds available on our ECX service in Australia. Australian enterprises continue to be advanced adopters of hybrid cloud solutions and this new choice provides another piece of the solution.
A week after news of a leak of material from the cable network HBO broke, the people allegedly behind it have contacted the network demanding money and threatening to release more material which they pilfered.

Reports from the Associated Press and Wired on Monday said more files were posted online, including one video which used scrolling text addressed to HBO chief executive Richard Plepler asking for "our six-month salary in Bitcoin" within three days.

The hackers claimed they earned between US$12 million and US$15 million annually by using similar threats and said they would only deal directly with "Richard".

When news of the infiltration broke, it was said that upcoming episodes of some series and at least one script or treatment  reportedly from the forthcoming fourth episode of the new season of Game of Thrones  had been exposed on the Web.

Hey @HBO if we go to war with North Korea will you plz leak the rest of game of thrones before Trump kills us all  PAYNE (@Oggums) 8 August 2017

The reports said that the new dump was about 3.4GB and included what appeared to be draft scripts from the give episodes of Game of Thrones, including one episode that has not yet been screened, and emails from the account of HBO vice-president for film programming, Leslie Cohen.

Details of HBO's network topography and passwords for the company's network administrators were also in the dump.

The hackers claimed they had needed about six months to penetrate the HBO network and that they were paying about US$500,000 annually to buy zero-day exploits for software from Microsoft and other companies.

There were many internal documents labelled confidential in the new dump, one being a list of legal claims against HBO.

There were also job offers to a number of senior executives, slides about future technology plans and a list of 37,977 emails called Richards Contact list, an apparent reference to Plepler.

The video addressed to Plepler claimed that HBO was the 17th target so far and only three had failed to pay up. The hackers claimed they were white hats, saying: "It's a game for us. Money isnt our main purpose. We dont want to endanger HBOs situation nor cause it to lose its reputation. We want to be your partner in a tiny part of HBOs huge income."

HBO spokesman Jeff Cusson was quoted as saying that the company had expected something like this and that its "forensic review is ongoing".

"We continue to work around the clock with outside cyber security firms and law enforcement to resolve the incident," he added.

Commenting on the incident, Christopher Petersen, chief technology officer at security intelligence company LogRhythm, told iTWire: The HBO hack may usher in a new era of cyber extortion. If HBO ponies up the ransom, it could embolden other cyber criminals to pursue similar avenues of attack and monetisation.

"There is a reason the US has a stated policy of not negotiating with terrorists. What HBO does in response to these latest demands could set a precedent with enormous global consequence for businesses having intellectual property as their lifeblood."

Last December, hackers broke into a computer running Windows 7 at Larson Studies and stole season five of Orange is the New Black.
One word that cannot be used to describe Nicholas Demos is bashful. The head of the small ISP MyRepublic has made a splash after his arrival in Australia last November, with media tactics that tend to remind one of those employed by Ruslan Kogan, the head of online retailer Kogan.com.

Despite being in the Australian market for less than a year, Demos now claims to have 40,000 subscribers in the country. He is also looking after the company's operations in New Zealand and Singapore.

A stock phrase that he uses is "a network that's fit for purpose".

And he is not afraid to rile the bigger telcos by pointing to what he calls "the big four" as part of the problem faced by consumers who are switching to the NBN: slow speeds.

During an informal chat, Demos said that Telstra, Optus, TPG and Vocus had no interest in making the NBN an attractive proposition - because it would be taking business away from them.

This was why costs were being kept high, to push customers to take up slower speed tiers which were within their budgets.

He has a point: as an example, what MyRepublic sells for $69.99 is being sold for $109.99 by iiNet, a part of TPG's stable.

The company ran a contest in Wollongong, asking residents why fast broadband was essential to them. The winner and 100 others who live within a 10km radius were given discounted gigabit connections.

Demos has even gone so far as to offer gigabit connections to additional subscribers in Wollongong for $129.99  exactly how many was not specified  a move that he says he has made solely to disprove the assertion by NBN Co Bill Morrow that Australians will not take up high-speed connections even if these are offered free.

The MyRepublic chief says that if the price is right, then people will take up gigabit connections. He says his experiment in Wollongong is costing him money, but he is intent on making his point.

New Zealand does not face an oppressive CVC cost, the one factor that has been identified as one of the reasons why Australians have to pay through the nose for their NBN connections.

And in Singapore, says Demos, the CVC charge is negligible. As a result, in both these countries the number of gigabit connections is soaring.

Australia, meanwhile, is stuck in the slow lane.

Demos has no hesitation about admitting that he is in business to make money. But, he says, he would like to do so by providing a product that's  and there come those words again  "fit for purpose".

Whether small retail service providers are able to shake up the slow, congealed Australian market remains to be seen. But if consumers are getting services cheaper, then these upstarts need to be encouraged.
CSIRO scientists have developed what they say is a humane new technology that could help save Australian farmers crops and livelihoods from the threat of pest animals which are estimated to cost the Australian economy up to $1 billion a year.

After successfully scaring away elephants from farms and crops in Africa, the CSIRO has announced its scientists are trialling the Vertebrate Pest Detect-and-Deter (VPDaD) technology in Australia against pests including ducks, cockatoos, rabbits and wild dogs, starting in Queenslands Lockyer Valley.

Ultimately we want to scale-up the technology and roll it out across Australia, CSIRO scientist Dr Ash Tews said. The idea here is that we can adapt as necessary.

Dr Tews says the technology works by detecting and identifying animals as they come close to farms or crops, and emitting a tailored series of sounds and lights to humanely scare them away before they cause damage.

According to the CSIRO, in Australia, vertebrate pest animals can cause many thousands of dollars damage in a "single dining experience, causing real problems for farmers orchards, vegetable and cereal crops, and potentially for livestock during critical periods of development or birthing events.

Dr Tews says that in addition to the feasibility study underway in the Lockyer Valley, CSIRO is looking to partner with local agribusinesses to continue testing and trialling the technology in Australia, aiming to help primary industries facing problems with an array of animals including ducks, cockatoos, rabbits, feral pigs, wallabies, foxes and dingoes.

The previous trial was conducted in Gabon, Africa, where elephants can present a significant problem for villagers and agricultural communities, capable of destroying a communitys entire seasons worth of crops overnight.

In collaboration with agribusiness company Olam International, the VPDaD technology was successfully used to prevent elephants from destroying fruit crops.

One of the interesting issues with existing deterrent technologies is that, not only do animals become de-sensitised to them, but smarter ones can even learn to use the deterrents as an indication of a food source, which is the opposite of their purpose, Dr Tews said.

Our autonomous technology allows the system to recognise animal behaviours in response to deterrents and modify the deterrent strategy until the desired effect is achieved.

This allows the system to be more effective over long periods of time such as the key threat times during crop growing.

The VPDaD technology consists of two systems  a motion sensor device, and a collection of cameras that can pick up images and heat signatures of an animal, with lights and sounds which function as the deterrent for pests.

CSIRO technology specifically developed for the camera programme allows the computer to recognise and classify animals based on the images captured.

Dr Tews says that in addition to looking at how animals respond to perceived threats, the scientists are also looking at longer-term aspects, such as analysing deterrent effectiveness and animal movements over seasons.
Uber drivers have found ways to trick the algorithms that are used to regulate them to cause "surge pricing" by organising mass switch-offs and giving the system the impression that less cars are in operation that actually are operating.

A study by researchers at the University of Warwick and New York University also found that drivers were using tricks to cancel fares they did not want and to avoid having to take more than one passenger heading in the same direction at one go - a practice known as UberPOOL.

Uber is now used in 570 cities and the company has a value of US$68 billion.

Researchers Mareike Mohlmann and Ola Henfridsson of Warwick Business School, and Lior Zalmanson of New York University, spoke to drivers in London and New York and also analysed 1012 blogs on the UberPeople.net platform.

They found a mass deactivation had been organised on the platform: driver A said, Guys stay logged off until surge. Driver B said: Uber will find out if people are manipulating the system. Driver A added: They already know cos it happens every week. Deactivation en masse coming soon. Watch this space.

Henfridsson said: Drivers also either accept the first passenger on UberPOOL then log off, or just ignore requests, so they dont have to make a detour to pick up anybody else. They then still pocket the 30% commission for UberPOOL, rather than the usual 10%."

Drivers also ignored UberPOOL requests even though their agreements stipulate they have to accept them. The researchers cited the above-mentioned Driver A as writing: After about 2-3 days of ignoring them you will not receive anymore. I have not received an UberPOOL request in months. I guess Uber thinks they are punishing me by not sending me any more poor me. LOL."

Henfridsson said Uber drivers were also operating for competitors like Lyft, Juno, and Gett, and picking up the first passenger who came through any of the services.

There are real tensions between drivers need for autonomy and a platform programmed to be always in control, said Henfridsson. Ubers algorithmic management system may even be counter-productive as drivers try to break free of it."

Zalmanson said: The drivers have the feeling of working for a system rather than a company, and have little, if any interaction with an actual Uber employee.

This creates tension and resentment, especially when drivers can only email to resolve problems. Ubers strategy is not at all transparent, drivers do not know how decisions are made or even how jobs are allocated and this creates negative feelings towards the company. So they fight back and have found ways to use the system to their advantage.
In the three months ending May 2017, iOS performance proved strong in the US, Australia, and Japan, with Android making strong gains in the UK, Germany, and France, with little year-on-year movement in China.

The latest smartphone OS data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech has arrived, with the Chinese numbers showing Android capturing 80.5% of smartphone sales, a mere one percentage point up from a year earlier, but with little upside for Google seeing as its services are effectively banned in the Middle Kingdom.

Australia

More detail on the world below, but first, the latest in Australian data, courtesy of Tamsin Timpson, Strategic Insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech Asia.

It showed iOS performance proved strong in Australia, capturing 38.1% of smartphone sales, up 5.6% from a year ago, while Android share is down almost 3.0% to 61.5%. The Samsung share of all smartphones sold makes up 34.1%, down 5.2% compared to a year ago.

Continuing with Australian data, Timpson notes Apple devices taking three of the top five handsets sold in the three months to May 2017, with the iPhone 7 and 7 plus sitting in 1st and 2nd place and collectively accounting for almost 20% of sales. Early sales of the Galaxy S8 put this model in the number 5 spot".

Were also told that the one-off payment or outright payment market has become an increasingly popular method to acquire a smartphone, with an increase of 6.7% being noticed within this payment method" compared to a year ago.

Given the boom in mid-range Androids, it is no surprise to see Kantar stating, this trend is driven by handsets priced under US$450, with sales share of this bracket increasing from 64% to almost 72% in the latest quarter. Non-Samsung Android brands such as Huawei, Oppo, ZTE, and Alcatel are the main drivers of this, giving consumers the option of good quality handsets without the huge price tags".

Going into June, Timpson states, Samsung share returns to growth as sales of its new flagship models continue to grow. More detail to be reported on this in due course".

US

Now, onto the rest of the world, but starting with the US first, we turn to Dominic Sunnebo, Global Business Unit director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, who states: Samsung regained the top sales spot in the US in the three-month period ending in May 2017, with its market share rising from 32.9% the previous period to 36.2%.

However, this represents a fall of 1.1% over the past year, with Apple holding a 34.0% share, up 4.7% from a year earlier. The Galaxy S8 launch helped Samsung regain the top position in the US, but the bounce from the flagship launch was less than would be expected from a full product redesign.

In the US, Apple and Samsung continue to dominate smartphone sales, each with five models on the top 10 best-selling list. The Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus occupy the top two spots, with the Samsung Galaxy S7 in third place, just ahead of the Samsung Galaxy S8 in the number four spot".

Sadly, it is the sound of tiny violins playing when it comes to launch of the LG G6, with Sunnebo reporting it had a minimal impact, with the G6 now in 13th position with a 1.3% share in the US".

China

As for the Middle Kingdom  urban China  were told that iOS share remained almost flat at 19.2%, down 0.4% year-over-year, though an improvement from 16.2% in the three months to April 2017".

Huawei remained the market leader as its share grew 2.9% to 28.3%. Xiaomi performance edged up after a challenging few months, with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X coming in as the fourth-best-selling device in the three months ending May 2017.

Timpson said: Xiaomi managed to regain some momentum with the Note 4X launch, but the brand is making slow progress with its higher-tier devices. Xiaomis average selling price in the three months ending in May was 41% below the market ASP at 1523, and 33% below the Huawei/Honor Brand.

Europe

In the EU5, Europes big five markets of the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, Android accounted for 79.5% of smartphone sales in the three months ending May 2017, increasing 2.8% from a year earlier, driven by strong performance in the UK, Germany, and France.

iOS share edged up across Germany, France and Spain, though falls in the UK and Italy meant overall iOS EU5 share remained steady, up 0.2% year-on-year to 18.4%, Sunnebo said.

Samsung performed well in France in the three months ending in May 2017.

The low- and mid-tier Galaxy J series and A series models enabled Samsung to compete more effectively with home-grown upstart Wiko and global challenger Huawei. However, the largest contributor to Androids EU5 growth came from Huawei, which posted strong sales in all EU5 markets, except Spain.

Huawei continued to produce good sales volumes, but its flagship P10 struggled to make an impact in sales rankings, with share gains attributed to the older, more value-oriented P8 and P9 Lite models.

Windows Mobile

Kantars chart showing the OS breakdown is below. Windows hangs on by fingernail cuttings, not even actual fingernails anymore, and in Japan, the "other" category even outdoes Windows, but everywhere else, "other" is even more grim than Microsoft, so at least thats the smallest of positives for Windows.

Even so, Windows fans will probably see the fact that Windows Mobile still isnt completely dead as a good sign.

Presumably only a Surface Phone launch on an x86 platform that can run full Windows x86 apps, or a Qualcomm ARM-powered Surface Phone that promises to do the same, is the only hope for Windows Mobile, because certainly turning to Obi Wan Kenobi is no longer an option.
It's billed as one of Australias fastest growing social impact businesses by inspiring and empowering tens of thousands of Australian school students with the skills of tomorrow. Will you set your kids up in Code Camp?

Code Camp.

The company started in 2014, when tech entrepreneurs Benjamin Levi and Pete Neill met and began a passion project sharing the secrets they'd learned in the start-up industry with kids in their local area".

As the potential to make a huge impact became clear, were told that Ben and Pete were joined by co-founders Hayley Markham and Daniel Zwolenski, all committed to the cause of helping kids move from digital consumers to creators".

Since then, the four say they have together built a business which now employs more than 30 full-time and 1000 casual staff, has inspired and taught more than 20,000 Australian school students to design and code iPhone apps, online games, digital worlds, and websites during their school holidays".

So, why is this important?

Well, in todays world, Code Camp explains that being able to code is comparable to having a super power; many people have great app and startup ideas, very few can turn those ideas into reality".

The organisation is now sponsored by Westpac and powered by HP, and has impressively taught over 20,000 kids from 5 to 13, and is on a mission to inspire and empower 200,000 Australian tech superheroes by 2020.

The camps, which run for three to four days, are fun, collaborative, social, creative, inspiring and engaging school holidays programs providing real outcomes (iPhone and Android apps, and websites) students can proudly share with friends and family across the globe".

Code Camp then says they continue the fun post-holiday camps, by providing access to their brand new coding platform, Code Camp World, and providing weekly video content and challenges for students to continue on at home".

Today, Code Camp is going a step further, also becoming involved in in-school teaching, inspiring teachers and co-facilitating in the classroom  providing teachers with the resources and tools to teach the new digital curriculum to primary and secondary students".

Co-chief executive Levi says, "Learning to code is about more than becoming a developer. It allows students to be creative with technology, develop logical thinking and problem solving skills and an understanding of computational thinking. Through app building, students learn about game design, user experience and the entrepreneurial mindset. These skills can be adapted to any industry."

The other co-chief executiveNeill, says, Were on a mission to inspire future creators; we want to show students they can create anything they can imagine. We aim to show kids that technology creates a life full of excitement, exploration and discovery."

Chief operating officer Markham is most excited about inspiring a generation of female coders and innovators. Code Camps aim is to hit a 50/50 gender split between boys and girls. Markham says, Were setting out this season to tip the scales back in balance and prove to girls all over the country that they can be coding and digital creative super heroes too!"

Chief technology officer Zwolenski says, When youre eight years old, creating your own game is one step short of getting into Hogwarts. Code Camp allows students to be creative with technology, while developing logical thinking and problem solving skills. We teach them to be creators of technology, not just passive consumers."

So, who cares about "one time at band camp" and those American pies, when your child can go to Code Camp and experience coding success and learning highs?
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TeleSur |  

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under growing legal pressure as investigators appear to be focusing on his role in a series of high-profile cases, which a national court said could result in corruption charges.

Netanyahu had been question under caution by police over Case 1,000, dealing with gifts given to the Israeli leader and his family by businessmen, and Case 2,000, related to conversations he had with the publisher of one of Israels largest newspapers, Yedioth Ahronoth, for positive coverage.

Israeli police are also investigating a US$2 billion deal to buy German submarines, in which Netanyahus personal lawyer also represented the local agent of the submarine manufacturer. Netanyahu, who is not under investigation in the case, has given his full backing to his lawyer.

An Israeli court recently said that the two cases involved suspicion of the commission of the felonies of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, but did not specify who might be charged for the crimes.

One day later, Netanyahus former chief of staff, Ari Harow, signed a state witness settlement in which he agreed to testify on behalf of the state in the two graft cases.

Under the deal, Harow agreed to confess to fraud and breach of trust, the court injunction said. He will be sentenced to a six-month-long imprisonment, commuted to community service and will receive a fine of US$194,000.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing, and his spokesman said in a statement that the politician was the target of a witch-hunt designed to force him out of office.

In a Facebook video, Netanyahu dismissed the developments as the inevitable scandal-of-the-week.

I would like to tell you, citizens of Israel, that I do not heed background noises, he said. I continue to work for you.

On Monday, Israels Supreme Court ordered Netanyahu to disclose the dates of his phone calls with Amos Regev, the former editor-in-chief of the free newspaper Israel Hayom, and Sheldon Adelson, a U.S. billionaire and media mogul. Israel Hayom and Adelson are both seen as supportive of Netanyahu.

The public interest in releasing this information outweighs the considerations for Netanyahu and Adelsons right to privacy, Justice Menachem Mazuz wrote in the ruling.

In his 11 years in office, Netanyahu has weathered several scandals and police inquiries. Police are now also investigating Netanyahus wife over her alleged misuse of official government funds.

Despite the investigations, it will take several months before it remains clear if Netanyahu will face charges. Under Israeli law, he would not be obliged to resign were he charged.

Formally, he wont have to resign, Barak Medina, a law professor at Jerusalems Hebrew University, told the Associated Press.

But if all the information comes out and the police recommend he be charged with a serious crime, it is unlikely he will be able to carry on in his job.

Via TeleSur

-

Related video added by Juan Cole:

Al Jazeera English: Israeli PM Netanyahu under investigation for bribery
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

If we werent talking about two nuclear-armed states with unhinged leaders, the war of words between the US and North Korea would be hilarious. Trumps threat Tuesday that North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen was empty rhetoric and the government of Kim Jung-un knows it, which is why they immediately teased Trump that they were going to hit Guam with a missile strike. The counter-threat was just as absurd as the initial one.

This sort of over-heated rhetoric is hardly unprecedented and always weakens the United States.

North Korea is a country with a $17 billion gross domestic product (nominal) and a population of 25 million. Im sure it has its virtues, but military weight in world affairs isnt one of them. It is in a league with Nepal, Gabon and Iceland economically. Population-wise it is in the same league as the Cameroons and Madagascar. The US has a population of 320 million and a GDP of $18.5 trillion.

When I heard the phrase fire and fury, I couldnt help thinking of George W. Bushs threat of shock and awe against Iraq in March of 2003.

The threat was intended to convince Saddam Hussein and other embers of the Iraqi elite to flee the country without preconditions.

It did not work. The US failed to find Saddam, and failed to decapitate the regime.

The American Air Force did rain down destruction on Baghdad, but Baghdad did not surrender.

The army was sent in, grunts on the ground having to fight Iraqi armor and other units. Increasingly the military realized it had been duped by W.s rhetoric. As Iraqi soldiers discarded their uniforms the better to engage in a guerrilla war, one general got into trouble with the highly scripted White House when he admitted that this was not the war they had gamed for.

The shock and awe that was supposed to make Saddam surrender without a shot, and to cow the Iraqis into submission, Instead the US was drawn into an Iraqi quagmire that continues to this day.

When they start talking shock and awe in Washington, friends, it is time to hunker down for the long haul.



Related video:

AP: Trump: NKorea Will Be Met with Fire and Fury'
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 8, 2017 /CNW/ -- Tahoe Resources Inc. ("Tahoe" or the "Company") (TSX: THO, NYSE: TAHO) today announced solid financial and operating results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2017. Due to the temporary suspension of the Escobal mining license, the Company has ceased dividend payments, and has suspended company-wide multi-year guidance. The Company's balance sheet remains strong, with cash and cash equivalents of $190.6 million at June 30, 2017.

Key Financial and Operating Results

$ millions unless otherwise indicated Q2 2017 Q2 2016 Q2 YTD 2017 Q2 YTD 2016 Revenue $ 209.6 $ 228.3 $ 460.6 $ 360.4 Earnings and total comprehensive income $ 33.5 $ 16.7 $ 108.2 $ 54.6 Earnings per share $ 0.11 $ 0.05 $ 0.35 $ 0.20 Adjusted earnings (1) $ 33.8 $ 57.9 $ 108.9 $ 93.4 Cash provided by operating activities $ 115.5 $ 53.9 $ 212.7 $ 96.3 Cash provided by operating activities before changes in working capital $ 99.4 $ 116.0 $ 232.3 $ 185.3 Silver production (moz) 4.1 5.7 9.8 11.4 Gold production (koz) 112 110 231 167 Total cash cost per silver oz produced ($/oz)(1)(2) $ 6.73 $ 6.07 $ 6.15 $ 5.29 AISC per silver oz produced ($/oz)(1)(2) $ 10.01 $ 8.16 $ 8.91 $ 7.06 Total cash cost per gold oz produced ($/oz)(1)(2) $ 601 $ 647 $ 587 $ 645 AISC per gold oz produced ($/oz)(1)(2) $ 925 $ 973 $ 892 $ 930 Sustaining capital (incl. capitalized drilling) $ 32.3 $ 31.5 $ 65.3 $ 40.8 Project capital $ 31.3 $ 33.5 $ 46.8 $ 34.6 Exploration expense $ 5.9 $ 2.3 $ 10.1 $ 2.7 Corporate G&A(3) $ 11.4 $ 22.6 $ 23.1 $ 30.5 Weighted average shares outstanding (basic, in millions) 312.79 305.98 312.43 267.33

(1) See "Cautionary Note on Non-GAAP Financial Measures" at the end of this press release. (2) Total cash costs and AISC are presented net of by-product credits. (3) Corporate G&A includes non-cash, stock-based compensation.

Ron Clayton, President and CEO of Tahoe, commented: "While the turn of events in Guatemala over the last several weeks is disappointing, our team is working very hard to resolve both the Escobal license suspension and on-going road block in Casillas. I am very pleased with our overall Q2 performance, with all of our operations turning in good results. Silver production was 4.1 million ounces for the quarter and when combined with Q1 results, puts us at almost 10 million ounces year-to-date. Per ounce metrics remained strong at Escobal, even with the mill curtailing production during a portion of June due to the road blockages. We also continue to be pleased with the results from all of our gold mines, with each operation's production and costs coming in at, or better than, expected levels."

Summary of Q2 2017:

Another solid quarter at Escobal  Tahoe reported total silver production in Q2 2017 of 4.1 million ounces driven by robust results at Escobal despite a curtailment of production in June due to the Casillas road blockages. Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs ("AISC") were $6.73 and $10.01 per ounce of silver produced, net of byproduct credits, respectively.

Robust results from all three gold operations  Q2 2017 gold production totaled 112.4 thousand ounces, including 21 thousand ounces from Shahuindo. Production and costs in Q2 2017 reflected strong results at all of the Company's mines, with total cash costs and AISC averaging $601 and $925 per ounce in Q2 2017.

Earnings per share and cash flow driven by strong revenue and low costs  Earnings and adjusted earnings in Q2 2017 were $33.5 million and $33.8 million, respectively, and were both $0.11 on a per share basis. Q2 2017 cash flow provided by operating activities was $115.5 million, up from the previous quarter.

Bell Creek Shaft and Shahuindo Expansion plans remain on track  Capital expenditures in Q2 2017 totaled $63.4 million, of which $26.2 million was related to on-going growth projects. The Company continues to focus on the expansion at Shahuindo and the Bell Creek shaft project. Exploration expenditures in Q2 2017 totaled $5.9 million and remain focused on those targets which can have near term impact on Mineral Reserves or Resources.

Update on Escobal Mining License  On July 5, 2017, the Company learned that the Supreme Court of Guatemala issued a provisional decision in respect of an action brought by the anti-mining organization, CALAS, against Guatemala's Ministry of Energy and Mines ("MEM"). The action alleges that MEM violated the Xinca Indigenous people's right of consultation in advance of granting the Escobal mining license to Tahoe's Guatemalan subsidiary, Minera San Rafael. The provisional decision follows a request by CALAS to temporarily suspend the license to operate the Escobal mine until the action is fully heard. The provisional decision suspends the Escobal mining license of Minera San Rafael while the action is being reviewed by the court. The Company was not a party to the action commenced by CALAS but this decision confers legal standing on the Company which continues take all legal steps possible to have the ruling reversed and the license reinstated.

The Company immediately appealed the decision to the Constitutional Court. Based on its prior experience with Guatemalan court proceedings and evaluation of similar cases before the courts, the Company estimates the Constitutional Court could rule on the appeal within the next three months. We are seeking to have the license reinstated during this period. The Company also filed a motion for reconsideration with the Supreme Court, which the Court denied on July 28, 2017. Final resolution of the definitive constitutional claim and appeal process could take between 12 and 18 months.

Update on Guatemala Road Block  Beginning on June 7, a group of protesters near the town of Casillas blocked the primary road that connects Guatemala City to the Escobal Mine near San Rafael Las Flores. Protests, which have not dissipated, appear to have initially been related to a variety of issues, including some unfounded claims that mining at Escobal is causing seismic activity approximately 20 kilometers away. Operations were reduced between June 8 and June 19 and were further curtailed on June 19 to conserve fuel. The Company is working with the government, community leaders and others to resolve the situation peacefully and expeditiously. However, the road blockage shows no signs of immediate resolution and we cannot predict at this time when the road will be clear to enable the transport of materials in and out of the mine. Once the roadblock is resolved and the license is reinstated, the Company expects to resume production within a week.

Cessation of dividend  The Company announced the cessation of the dividend, beginning August 8, 2017, due to the ruling of the Guatemalan court to provisionally suspend the Escobal mining license. The dividend cessation is intended to protect the health of the Company's balance sheet and ensure the Company has the financial flexibility during the temporary suspension of Escobal operations. The cessation of the dividend will conserve approximately $65 million cash annually at current dividend reinvestment program ("DRIP") enrollment rates. The Board of Directors will continue to reassess the Company's dividend policy from time to time. The Company has also suspended the active operation of its DRIP effective immediately. The Company may wish to reactivate the DRIP, subject to regulatory approval, at a future date. During the period of suspension of the DRIP, participants may continue to have their existing reinvested common shares held in the DRIP, or they may request a withdrawal by contacting Computershare. Total dividends of $18.7 million were paid to shareholders during the quarter, including $3.2 million in non-cash share-based dividends. A dividend of $6.2 million was declared and paid ($5.4 million cash, $0.8 million shares) in July.

Suspension of 2017 and multi-year guidance  The Company has suspended previously issued 2017 and multi-year company-wide guidance given the uncertainty of timing of various court decisions related to the Escobal license. Gold production and total cash costs are expected to meet targets of 375,000 to 425,000 ounces of gold and total cash costs of $700 to $750(1) at operations in Canada and Peru in 2017. We will issue updated guidance when we have clarity on the status of the Escobal license in Guatemala.

Amended and restated credit facility  On July 18, 2017 the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the "Agreement") with a syndicate of lenders to increase its revolving credit facility from $150 million to $300 million with a $50 million accordion feature, and to extend the term to July 19, 2021. The Agreement includes terms that limit borrowing to a maximum of $75 million during the period of suspension of the mining license at Escobal as a result of the CALAS claim in Guatemala, as further described in the Company's July 5, 2017 press release. In the event the Company's mining license at Escobal remains suspended as of April 1, 2018, an Event of Default shall occur and the Company will consider alternative financing arrangements to meet strategic needs. Other terms and conditions are substantially similar to those in the previous $150 million credit facility, including the discretion to pay dividends under the Company's existing dividend policy. The credit facility is secured by the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries: Escobal Resources Holding Limited, Minera San Rafael, S.A., Tahoe Resources ULC, Lake Shore Gold Corp., Mexican Silver Mines Limited, La Arena S.A., Shahuindo SAC and Shahuindo Exploraciones. Additionally, the credit facility contains covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to incur additional debt, merge, consolidate, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to any other person.

Class Action Lawsuits - On July 7, 2017, the Company learned that three purported class action lawsuits were filed against Tahoe, and certain of its current and former officers and directors under Section 10(b) and Section 20(a) of the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "US Exchange Act"), and Rule 10b-5, thereunder. The lawsuits allege that the Company made untrue statements of material facts or omitted to state material facts or engaged in acts that operated as a fraud upon the purchases of the Company's stock. The lawsuits were filed following the issuance of a provisional decision by the Guatemalan Supreme Court described above. The lawsuits allege compensatory damages, interest, fees and costs. The Company disputes the allegations raised and will vigorously defend the lawsuits.

La Arena II and Investor Day

Due to the suspension of company-wide multi-year guidance and ongoing review of capital and exploration programs, the La Arena II PEA has been deferred and the investor day originally planned for September 14, 2017 has been canceled.

Mr. Clayton continued, "We are not able to reconfirm previously issued Company-wide 2017 and multi-year guidance at this time; however, we remain confident that our gold operations will meet production and cost targets this year. We expect the gold mines in Canada and Peru will continue to produce strong results through the remainder of the year. Following the court decision in Guatemala regarding the Escobal license, the Board made the prudent decision to cease the dividend. Additionally, we are reviewing the pace of both capital and exploration expenditures, along with corporate G&A, to identify opportunities to conserve cash. We are continuing with the expansion plans at Shahuindo and Bell Creek. We are close to completing the initial circuit of our crushing and agglomeration plant at Shahuindo, scheduled for the second half of this year. We also continue to advance work to expand Shahuindo to 36,000 tonnes per day and Bell Creek mine to 80,000 ounces per year by late 2018."

Addition to Management Team

Alexandra Barrows will join the Company as Vice President, Investor Relations, effective September 5, 2017. She will be responsible for the engagement of the investor community and key stakeholders as well as the development of external communications for the Company. Prior to joining Tahoe, Ms. Barrows was a Senior Vice President at HSBC Securities in New York, focused on Metals & Mining clients across the Americas. She spent 10 years at HSBC in progressively senior roles covering clients within the mining and resources sectors. Mr. Clayton commented, "We are very excited to have Alexandra join our team in the fall. She brings extensive experience in corporate and project finance and capital markets within the mining sector."

(1) The reconciliation which formed the basis for the range in the 2017 gold cash cost target is as follows: Total cash costs Gold Total cash costs before by-product credits $ 290,000 By-product credits $  Total cash costs net of by-product credits $ 290,000 Gold ounces produced in dore (000's) $ 400 Total cash costs per ounce before by-product credits $ 725 Total cash costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 725

OPERATIONS REVIEW Escobal Q2 2017 Q2 2016 Q2 YTD 2017 Q2 YTD 2016 Recovered Metal(1) Silver Ounces (000's) 4,078 5,717 9,692 11,412 Gold Ounces(000's) 1.9 2.7 4.3 6.0 Lead Tonnes (000's) 2.0 2.7 4.2 5.4 Zinc Tonnes (000's) 2.9 4.0 6.1 8.3 Costs Per Ounce Silver Produced(2) Total cash costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 6.73 $ 6.07 $ 6.15 $ 5.29 All-in sustaining costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 10.01 $ 8.16 $ 8.91 $ 7.06 Capital Expenditures $ 9,147 $ 7,295 $ 19,062 $ 12,588 Sustaining Capital $ 9,147 $ 6,680 $ 19,062 $ 10,827 Non-Sustaining Capital $  $ 615 $  $ 1,761

(1) Silver and gold contained in lead and zinc concentrates; lead contained in lead concentrate; zinc contained in zinc concentrate. (2) Non-GAAP financial measures are described in the "Non-GAAP financial measures" section of this press release.

During Q2 2017, the majority of the production was mined from primary and secondary transverse longhole stopes on multiple production sublevels in the Escobal Central Zone. Production continued in the East Zone with approximately 47 thousand tonnes of ore delivered to surface during Q2 2017.

Underground ramp, sublevel and stope development continued to advance in support of the life of mine production schedule, with approximately 2,000 metres of development and 37,000 metres of longhole production drilling completed in Q2 2017. Mine operations were reduced between June 8 and June 19 to conserve fuel and operations were further curtailed on June 19 due to road blockages.

In Q2 2017 concentrate production totaled 4.3 thousand dry metric tonnes ("dmt") of lead concentrate and 5.3 thousand dmt of zinc concentrate containing 3.9 million payable ounces of silver that were shipped to third party smelters. Concentrate production for Q2 YTD 2017 totaled 9.4 thousand dmt of lead concentrate and 11.3 thousand dmt zinc concentrate containing approximately 9.1 million payable ounces of silver. There is approximately 9 thousand tonnes of crushed ore held in the fine ore bin and approximately 60 thousand tonnes in the surface ore stockpile available to expedite the restart of the mill.

Gold Operations La Arena Q2 2017 Q2 2016 Q2 YTD 2017 Q2 YTD 2016 Gold Ounces Recovered (000's) 48 51 101 98 Costs Per Ounce Gold Produced(1) Total cash costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 579 $ 649 $ 544 $ 645 All-in sustaining costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 789 $ 880 $ 733 $ 859 Capital Expenditures $ 6,414 $ 7,899 $ 12,319 $ 13,091 Sustaining Capital $ 6,414 $ 7,899 $ 12,319 $ 13,091 Non-Sustaining Capital $  $  $  $ 

(1) Non-GAAP financial measures are described in the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this press release.

Mining operations continue to be focused in the Phase 4, Phase 5 and Phase 6 areas of the Calaorco pit. Ore is currently being produced from Phase 4 and Phase 5, with Phase 6 under development. Phase 3 of the Calaorco pit was depleted in Q1 2017.

The absorption, desorption and refining process plant performed well with an average of 11.7 hectares under irrigation throughout Q2 2017. The La Arena plant recovered 47.9 thousand and 100.8 thousand ounces of gold during Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively. Gold recovery continues to be approximately 86%.

Shahuindo Q2 2017 Q2 2016 Q2 YTD 2017 Q2 YTD 2016 Gold Ounces Recovered (000's) 21 17 41 25 Costs Per Ounce Gold Produced(1) Total cash costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 590 $ 684 $ 587 $ 684 All-in sustaining costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 1,020 $ 997 $ 949 $ 997 Capital Expenditures(2) $ 16,712 $ 14,087 $ 25,031 $ 29,778 Sustaining Capital $ 4,870 $ 1,476 $ 7,523 $ 1,476 Non-Sustaining Capital $ 11,842 $ 12,611 $ 17,508 $ 12,611

(1) Non-GAAP financial measures are described in the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this press release. (2) Commercial production at Shahuindo was declared on May 1, 2016. The figures presented for Q2 YTD 2016 include pre-commercial production. The Company has not calculated costs per ounce for pre-commercial production operations.

Pit development and production

Production from the Shahuindo pit placed 27.6 thousand and 47.9 thousand gold ounces on the leach pads during Q2 2017and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively. Fine-grained siltstone ore continues being blended with coarser-grained sandstone ores in order to optimize leaching permeability. This is expected to continue until the initial crushing and agglomeration circuit is commissioned in Q3 2017.

Absorption, desorption and refining process plant

The Shahuindo plant recovered 21.3 thousand and 40.7 thousand ounces of gold during Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively. Secondary leaching at Pad 1 continues to contribute ounces to gold production. Primary leaching is now focused on Pad 2A which is resulting in fast leach cycles attributable to the optimization of coarse/fine ore blending. The average area under leach was 9.0 hectares during Q2 2017. Overall gold recovery increased to 63% at the end of Q2 2017, in line with the ramp up to an ultimate recovery of 67% for run-of-mine material.

Capital projects

Detailed engineering of the foundation platform for Pad 2B was completed in June 2017 and construction will begin in the third quarter. Pad 2B is scheduled to be placed into production in Q3 2018.

Phase 1 of the south waste rock dump is pending final approval by the local mining authority. The south waste rock dump has sufficient capacity to accommodate waste rock material mined from the Shahuindo pit through the end of 2018.

Construction of the initial 12,000 tpd crushing and agglomeration circuit continued in Q2. The project remains on schedule for commissioning in Q3 2017. The Company anticipates finalizing the purchase order for the additional 24,000 tpd crushing and agglomeration equipment in early Q3 2017 with installation complete and commissioning underway by mid-year 2018. The project is planned to reach the full 36,000 tpd production rate by the end of 2018, providing an expected 80% ultimate gold recovery, in line with the pre-feasibility study. The project remains on schedule and budget.

Timmins Mines Q2 2017 Q2 2016 Q2 YTD 2017 Q2 YTD 2016(2) Gold Ounces Recovered (000's) 41 39 85 39 Costs Per Ounce Gold Produced(1) Total cash costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 633 $ 634 $ 639 $ 634 All-in sustaining costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 1,032 $ 1,087 $ 1,052 $ 1,087 Capital Expenditures $ 31,357 $ 35,754 $ 55,772 $ 35,754 Sustaining Capital $ 11,850 $ 15,493 $ 26,436 15,493 Non-Sustaining Capital $ 19,507 $ 20,261 $ 29,336 20,261

(1) Non-GAAP financial measures are described in the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this press release. (2) Results prior to the acquisition date of April 1, 2016 are excluded.

Bell Creek

Underground ramp and sublevel development at Bell Creek continues to advance in support of the life-of-mine production schedule, with 2,800 metres and 5,300 metres of development completed in Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively. Infill and definition drilling at the Bell Creek mine totaled 14,000 metres and 28,000 metres in Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively.

The Bell Creek mine delivered 82 thousand and 153 thousand tonnes of ore to surface, mined from longitudinal longhole stopes on multiple production sublevels during Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017.

Timmins West

Underground ramp and sublevel development continues to advance in support of the life-of-mine production schedule, with 2,800 metres and 5,600 metres of development completed in Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017. Progress continued to be made on the infrastructure development at 144 Gap which included ramp, raise and lateral development to access the resource. Underground infill and definition drilling completed at the Timmins West mine in Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017 to improve resource/reserve definition totaled 31,000 metres and 68,000 metres, respectively.

The Timmins West mine delivered approximately 0.3 million and 0.5 million tonnes of ore to surface, mined from longitudinal and transverse longhole stopes on multiple production sublevels from the Timmins West, Thunder Creek and 144 Gap deposits during Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively.

Mill processing

Mill operations recovered 41.4 thousand and 85.3 thousand gold ounces in Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively. Process recovery for Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017 averaged 97%.

Construction of the Phase 5 tailings facility expansion at the Bell Creek Mill continued in Q2 2017 and is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Capital projects

The Bell Creek Shaft Project continued on schedule during Q2 2017. Excavation of the second of three pilot raises was completed and approximately 50% has been enlarged to the final shaft dimension. The third of the three pilot raises is set to commence in Q3 2017. Shaft rehabilitation also progressed well during the quarter and is complete down to the 300m level with new sets, guides and services installed. Surface construction continued in Q2 with the new administration complex approximately 80% completed and the new security complex construction started. Demolition of the historical hoisting plant was completed in Q2 and excavation for the new foundations has commenced. The project remains on schedule and budget.

Conference Call

Tahoe's senior management will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the Q2 2017 results on Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 2017 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT). To join the call please dial 1-800-319-4610 (toll free from Canada and the U.S.) or +1-604-638-5340 (from outside Canada and the U.S.). The webcast will be available on the Company's website at http://www.tahoeresources.com/investor-relations/, as will a recording of the call later in the day.

Complete financial results for Q2 2017 including the Company's management discussion and analysis and other filings will be filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on the Company's website.

About Tahoe Resources Inc.

Tahoe's strategy is to responsibly operate mines to world standards and to develop high quality precious metals assets in the Americas. Tahoe is a member of the S&P/TSX Composite and TSX Global Mining indices and the Russell 3000 on the NYSE. The Company is listed on the TSX as THO and on the NYSE as TAHO.

Qualified Person Statement

Technical information in this press release has been approved by Charlie Muerhoff, Vice President Technical Services, Tahoe Resources Inc., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.
Sylph Emew



Busan will host the Busan International Rock Festival at Samnak Ecology Park, Aug. 11 to 13.

The festival, billed as a leading music celebration in Korea, represents "the openness and youth of the coastal city of Busan," state the organizers.

"The festival is organized with the goals of discovering new musical talent, revitalizing the music industry and celebrating indie bands."

Highlights this year include French funk rock duo Teleferik and Japanese hard rock band Sylph Emew.

Korean acts include big names like metal group Mahatma and Romantic Punch and Busan acts including Ska Wakers and Pia.

General admission is free although fees may be charged for some events and activities.

To get to Samnak Ecology Park, go out exit 3 of Sasang Station on Busan Metro Line 2 and walk about 750 meters straight, or leave exit 1 of Gwaebeop Renecite Station on the Busan-Gimhae LRT line.

For more information visit bfo.or.kr or call 82-51-501-6051 or the KTO helpline 1330.
By Lee Seong-hyon





The news story that the Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping underscored China's "blood alliance" with North Korea in his meeting with President Moon Jae-in is still generating a flurry of speculation in the public sphere. Whether Xi really used the particular word at the G-20 summit is one thing, but what is more important is whether Pyongyang and Beijing can be still defined as allies in this 21st century? And from an analytical perspective, the answer is yes.

According to Cheong Wa Dae, Xi said, "China has maintained a blood alliance with North Korea. There have been many changes, yet the relationship has not changed fundamentally."

The Chinese side, through an unofficial channel, refuted Xi's use of the word "blood alliance" (xue meng). There is no official Chinese transcript released to fact-check Xi's words in the meeting.

In general, the Chinese government today does not refer to the Sino-North Korea relationship as "xue meng." What the Chinese commonly use, instead, is "xian xue ning cheng." It means a relationship "formed through fresh blood." The common Korean translation for it is "dong maeng," which literally means "blood alliance." So, even if Xi didn't use the word "blood alliance," it would mean "blood alliance," when translated into Korean.

Semantics aside, the important question is whether the nature of today's relationship between China and North Korea, in this 21st century, can still be defined as an "alliance" or not. The resounding answer is yes.

Above all, China and North Korea have still kept their formal alliance since 1961. Despite reports that Beijing's patience with Pyongyang has reached its limit, China has never officially proposed to abolish or abandon its alliance with North Korea. After North Korea's third nuclear test in 2013, for instance, Deng Yuwen, then the deputy editor of Study Times, the journal of the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China, wrote a column for the Financial Times, titled "China should abandon North Korea." It was soon found that Deng was fired by the Communist Party organ. A Chinese academic in Beijing observed: "Deng asserted that we should abandon North Korea, but it was him who was abandoned.

Some argue that the North Korea-China Alliance treaty was a mere Cold War relic; its applicability in the post-Cold War era is virtually non-existent. But using the same logic, we can also ask why, even after the demise of the Cold War, China did not rescind its alliance with North Korea? This is a salient question because China abolished its alliance with the Soviet Union after it reached the treaty expiration period of 30 years. China and Russia are still not allies today. Even a prominent figure such as Fu Ying, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of China's National People's Congress, recently affirmed that the two are not allies. But China is very careful in choosing words when it comes to North Korea affairs

So, we are back to page one. Why does China, which has a formal alliance with North Korea, want to avoid using the very word in public and make pains not to draw attention to it? The obvious answer is that the propaganda department of the Communist Party banned the word in the Chinese media, by putting it on the list of prohibited words.

Since the reform and opening up of the country in 1978, China's foreign policy has emphasized the principle of "non-alliance" as its core of "independence diplomacy." The China-North Korea alliance is an anomaly. It directly goes against the very central tenet of the Chinese foreign policy. So, Beijing has reason not to highlight it. The Chinese alliance treaty with North Korea is still alive "quietly" unless the media pay attention to it.

In addition, China, which self-styles itself as a "responsible great power" (fu zeren de daguo), wants to avoid taking responsibility in dealing with North Korea amid the heightened "China accountability" of North Korea in the international narrative. Furthermore, it may be beneath the dignity of the "great country" to be found to be a "close buddy" of the international pariah.

China has been struggling to de-emphasize that its supreme leader did not use the word "blood alliance" in describing Beijing's ties with Pyongyang. The best way to dissipate the controversy is for China to demonstrate with its actions, not words, that North Korea is not its ally.

Lee Seong-hyon, Ph.D., is a research fellow at the Sejong Institute. Reach him at sunnybbsfs@gmail.com
Gainesville, FL Smith v. Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, Smith v. Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, a Guardian denied disability lawsuit, has been sent to mediation in the Northern District of Florida. A settlement is expected in November, 2017.

Dr. William E. Smith Jr., a surgeon, filed a complaint in March, 2017 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. He alleges that he became disabled in December 2014 and applied for disability benefits. His application was denied in August 2015.Smith claims that Guardian Life Insurance Co. of Americas denial was not based on a deliberate, principled reasoning process. This kind of case is also known as a bad faith denial claim.Long delay, which may be an insurers goal in bad faith denial situations, can push financially strained plaintiffs into a quick settlement or buyout agreement. It is a tactic that saves unscrupulous insurers lots of money, especially when compared to the uncertain cost of years of long term disability payments.Typically, the misbehavior alleged in denied disability lawsuits includes: Unreasonable delay in processing a claim; Denial of benefits unsupported by facts or law; Misrepresentation of policy benefits; Excessive, unnecessary, or duplicative information requests; Failure to complete prompt, fair and equitable settlements of claims once liability has become clear; Benefits promised in promotional literature that are not paid when owed; Alteration of applications without knowledge of the insured, followed by an attempt to settle claims based on altered applications; Failure to pay benefits under a section of a policy, in order to affect settlements based on other sections of that policy; Abusive and coercive tactics to settle a claim; Advising claimants not to obtain the services of an attorney; or Misleading a claimant as to applicable statutes of limitations.Various states have recognized the plight of the underfunded plaintiff in litigation against insurers.In Florida, for example, regardless of whether the insurer acted in good faith in denying coverage, the company will be liable for attorneys fees and court costs where the claimant proves a wrongful denial Whether this will affect the mediation in the Smith denied disability lawsuit remains to be seen. For future plaintiffs, the best tool is a watchful attitude, alert to a pattern of behavior which may indicate bad faith.
Atoms are the basic units of matter. Everything in the universe apart from energy is made of matter therefore atoms make up everything in the universe, according to Northwestern University (opens in new tab). The term "atom" comes from the Greek word for indivisible, because it was once thought that atoms were the smallest things in the universe and could not be divided. We now know that atoms are made up of three particles known as subatomic particles: protons, neutrons and electrons  which are composed of even smaller particles, such as quarks.

Atoms were created after the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago. As the hot, dense new universe cooled, conditions became suitable for quarks and electrons to form. Quarks came together to form protons and neutrons, and these particles combined into nuclei. This all took place within the first few minutes of the universe's existence, according to CERN (opens in new tab).

It took 380,000 years for the universe to cool enough to slow down the electrons so that the nuclei could capture them to form the first atoms. The earliest atoms were primarily hydrogen and helium, which are still the most abundant elements in the universe, according to Jefferson Lab (opens in new tab). Gravity eventually caused clouds of gas to coalesce and form stars, and heavier atoms were (and still are) created within the stars and sent throughout the universe when the star exploded (supernova).

Related: What is antimatter, how is it made and is it dangerous?

Atomic particles

Protons and neutrons are heavier than electrons and reside in the nucleus at the center of the atom. Electrons are extremely lightweight and exist in a cloud orbiting the nucleus. The electron cloud has a radius 10,000 times greater than the nucleus, according to the Los Alamos National Laboratory (opens in new tab).

Protons and neutrons have approximately the same mass. However, one proton is about 1,835 times more massive than an electron. Atoms always have an equal number of protons and electrons, and the number of protons and neutrons is usually the same as well. Adding a proton to an atom makes a new element, while adding a neutron makes an isotope, or heavier version, of that atom.

Nucleus

The nucleus was discovered in 1911 by Ernest Rutherford, a physicist from New Zealand, according to the American Institute of Physics (opens in new tab). In 1920, Rutherford proposed the name proton for the positively charged particles of the atom. He also theorized that there was a neutral particle within the nucleus, which James Chadwick, a British physicist and student of Rutherford's, was able to confirm in 1932.

Virtually all the mass of an atom resides in its nucleus, according to Chemistry LibreTexts (opens in new tab). The protons and neutrons that make up the nucleus are approximately the same mass (the proton is slightly less) and have the same angular momentum, or spin.

The nucleus is held together by the strong force, one of the four basic forces in nature. This force between the protons and neutrons overcomes the repulsive electrical force that would otherwise push the protons apart, according to the rules of electricity. Some atomic nuclei are unstable because the binding force varies for different atoms based on the size of the nucleus. These atoms will then decay into other elements, such as carbon-14 decaying into nitrogen-14.

Protons

Protons are positively charged particles found within atomic nuclei. Rutherford discovered them in experiments with cathode-ray tubes that were conducted between 1911 and 1919. Protons are about 99.86% as massive as neutrons (opens in new tab) according to the Jefferson Lab.

The number of protons in an atom is unique to each element. For example, carbon atoms have six protons, hydrogen atoms have one and oxygen atoms have eight. The number of protons in an atom is referred to as the atomic number of that element. The number of protons also determines the chemical behavior of the element. Elements are arranged in the Periodic Table of the Elements in order of increasing atomic number.

Three quarks make up each proton  two "up" quarks (each with a two-thirds positive charge) and one "down" quark (with a one-third negative charge)  and they are held together by other subatomic particles called gluons, which are massless.

Electrons

Electrons are tiny compared to protons and neutrons, over 1,800 times smaller than either a proton or a neutron. Electrons are about 0.054% as massive as neutrons, according to Jefferson Lab.

Joseph John (J.J.) Thomson, a British physicist, discovered the electron in 1897, according to the Science History Institute (opens in new tab). Originally known as "corpuscles," electrons have a negative charge and are electrically attracted to the positively charged protons. Electrons surround the atomic nucleus in pathways called orbitals, an idea that was put forth by Erwin Schrodinger, an Austrian physicist, in the 1920s. Today, this model is known as the quantum model or the electron cloud model. The inner orbitals surrounding the atom are spherical but the outer orbitals are much more complicated.

An atom's electron configuration refers to the locations of the electrons in a typical atom. Using the electron configuration and principles of physics, chemists can predict an atom's properties, such as stability, boiling point and conductivity, according to the Los Alamos National Laboratory (opens in new tab).

Related: What is quantum entanglement?

Neutrons

The neutron's existence was theorized by Rutherford in 1920 and discovered by Chadwick in 1932, according to the American Physical Society (opens in new tab). Neutrons were found during experiments when atoms were shot at a thin sheet of beryllium. Subatomic particles with no charge were released  the neutron.

Neutrons are uncharged particles found within all atomic nuclei (except for hydrogen). A neutron's mass is slightly larger than that of a proton. Like protons, neutrons are also made of quarks  one "up" quark (with a positive 2/3 charge) and two "down" quarks (each with a negative one-third charge).

History of the atom

The theory of the atom dates at least as far back as 440 B.C. to Democritus, a Greek scientist and philosopher. Democritus most likely built his theory of atoms upon the work of past philosophers, according to Andrew G. Van Melsen, author of "From Atomos to Atom: The History of the Concept Atom" (Duquesne University Press, 1952).

Democritus' explanation of the atom begins with a stone. A stone cut in half gives two halves of the same stone. If the stone were to be continuously cut, at some point there would exist a piece of the stone small enough that it could no longer be cut. The term "atom" comes from the Greek word for indivisible, which Democritus concluded must be the point at which a being (any form of matter) cannot be divided any more, according to educational website Lumen Learning (opens in new tab).

His explanation included the ideas that atoms exist separately from each other, that there are an infinite amount of atoms, that atoms are able to move, that they can combine together to create matter but do not merge to become a new atom, and that they cannot be divided, according to Universe Today (opens in new tab). However, because most philosophers at the time  especially the very influential Aristotle  believed that all matter was created from earth, air, fire and water, Democritus' atomic theory was put aside.

John Dalton, a British chemist, built upon Democritus' ideas in 1803 when he put forth his own atomic theory, according to the chemistry department at Purdue University (opens in new tab). Dalton's theory included several ideas from Democritus, such as atoms are indivisible and indestructible and that different atoms form together to create all matter. Dalton's additions to the theory included the following ideas: That all atoms of a certain element were identical, that atoms of one element will have different weights and properties than atoms of another element, that atoms cannot be created or destroyed and that matter is formed by atoms combining in simple whole numbers.

Thomson, the British physicist who discovered the electron in 1897, proved that atoms can be divided, according to the Chemical Heritage Foundation (opens in new tab). He was able to determine the existence of electrons by studying the properties of electric discharge in cathode-ray tubes. According to Thomson's 1897 paper, the rays were deflected within the tube, which proved that there was something that was negatively charged within the vacuum tube.

In 1899, Thomson published a description of his version of the atom, commonly known as the "plum pudding model." An excerpt of this paper is found on the Chem Team (opens in new tab) site. Thomson's model of the atom included a large number of electrons suspended in something that produced a positive charge giving the atom an overall neutral charge. His model resembled plum pudding, a popular British dessert that had raisins suspended in a round cake-like ball.

The next scientist to further modify and advance the atomic model was Rutherford, who studied under Thomson, according to the chemistry department at Purdue University. In 1911, Rutherford published his version of the atom, which included a positively charged nucleus orbited by electrons. This model arose when Rutherford and his assistants fired alpha particles at thin sheets of gold. An alpha particle (opens in new tab) is made up of two protons and two neutrons, all held together by the same strong nuclear force that binds the nucleus, according to the Jefferson Lab.

The scientists noticed that a small percentage of the alpha particles were scattered at very large angles to the original direction of motion while the majority passed right through hardly disturbed. Rutherford was able to approximate the size of the nucleus of the gold atom, finding it to be at least 10,000 times smaller than the size of the entire atom with much of the atom being empty space. Rutherford's model of the atom is still the basic model that is used today.

Several other scientists furthered the atomic model, including Niels Bohr (opens in new tab) (built upon Rutherford's model to include properties of electrons based on the hydrogen spectrum), Erwin Schrodinger (developed the quantum model of the atom), Werner Heisenberg (stated that one cannot know both the position and velocity of an electron simultaneously), and Murray Gell-Mann and George Zweig (independently developed the theory that protons and neutrons were composed of quarks).

Additional resources
A big one!

(Image credit: Jorge Gonzalez)

There's a new heavyweight champion in the books: Patagotitan mayorum, a long-necked titanosaur, is not only the world's largest dinosaur on record but also the largest known land-dwelling animal in history, a new study finds.The 69-ton (62 metric tons) Patagotitan mayorum lived about 100 million years ago in what is now Patagonia, Argentina. In all, researchers found more than 200 fossilized bones from at least six individuals.



But a bone analysis revealed that the six uncovered P. mayorum individuals weren't fully grown, suggesting that there are even larger dinosaurs out there waiting to be found. [Read the full story on Patagotitan mayorum, the largest dinosaur on record]

Enormous dinosaur

(Image credit: Jorge Gonzalez)

Enormous At nearly 70 tons, Patagotitan mayorum is the largest dinosaur on record.



The previous record holder was another titanosaur from Patagonia called Argentinosaurus hiunculensis.

Patagonia ranch

(Image credit: A. Otero)

Ranch worker Aurelio Hernandez discovered the fossils on La Flecha ranch in Patagonia, Argentina, in 2012.

Giant bones

(Image credit: A. Otero)

Hernandez told one of the ranch's owners, Oscar Mayo, about his finding. When Mayo came to see them, he said he thought that they were likely dinosaur fossils.

Museum involvement

(Image credit: A. Otero)

Mayo notified researchers at the Museum of Paleontology Egidio Feruglio in Trelew, a city in the Chubut province of Argentina.

Lengthy excavation

(Image credit: A. Otero)

Paleontologists from the museum spent 18 months excavating more than 200 titanosaur fossils.

Fossils galore

(Image credit: A. Otero)

An analysis showed that the bones belonged to at least six different titanosaur individuals.

Titanosaur territory

(Image credit: A. Garrido)

Patagonia is known for its vast number of dinosaur  especially titanosaur  fossils.

Genus name

(Image credit: A. Garrido)

Researchers named the dinosaur Patagotitan mayorum. The genus name refers to Patagonia, where the creature lived 100 million years ago.

Species name

(Image credit: Jose L. Carballido)

The species name of Patagotitan mayorum honors the Mayo family, who welcomed the paleontologists onto their land during the excavation.

Giant femur

(Image credit: Jose Maria Farfaglia)

A titanosaur femur, or thighbone, measured 8 feet (2.4 meters) long.
Glen Campbell arrives at the 2012 CMT Music awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 6, 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Country music legend Glen Campbell has died at age 81 following a long battle with Alzheimer's disease, his family announced today.

Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2011, at the age of 75, according to Rolling Stone. Later that year, he announced he was retiring because of his illness, and began a farewell tour that included 151 shows, Rolling Stone said.

Although Alzheimer's disease shortens people's life spans, it is usually not the direct cause of a person's death, according to the Alzheimer's Society, a charity in the United Kingdom for people with dementia. Rather, people die from complications from the illness, such as infections or blood clots.

Alzheimer's is a progressive brain disease in which abnormal protein deposits build up in the brain, causing brain cells to die. The illness is best known for causing memory loss, but it also has other debilitating effects on the body, and can affect people's ability to move and eat by themselves. There is no cure for the illness. [6 Big Mysteries of Alzheimer's Disease]

Alzheimer's patients may have difficulty swallowing, and they may inhale food, which can result in aspiration pneumonia, Dr. Marc L. Gordon, chief of neurology at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Queens, New York, who was not involved in Campbell's care, told Live Science in a 2014 interview. Pneumonia is listed as the cause of death in as many as two-thirds of deaths of patients with dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Society.

Alzheimer's patients may also become bedridden, which can increase their risk of fatal blood clots, Gordon said.

Weight loss and other complications from Alzheimer's can also lead to a weakened immune system, according to the Alzheimer's Society. With a weakened immune system, the person can become more susceptible to potentially life-threatening infections, according to the National Institute on Aging.

These effects on the body are most pronounced in the advanced stages of the disease, which lasts about 1.5 to 2 years, on average, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Deaths from Alzheimer's disease are on the rise in the United States, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report found that the rate of death from Alzheimer's disease increased by more than 50 percent, from about 16 deaths per 100,000 people in 1999 to 25 deaths per 100,000 people in 2014.

The number of people who died from Alzheimer's also more than doubled during this period, from 44,536 deaths in 1999 to 93,541 deaths in 2014.

The increasing number of deaths from Alzheimer's is partly due to the growing number of older adults in the United States, as Alzheimer's disease most commonly affects adults ages 65 years and older, the CDC researchers said.

But the rise in the rate of deaths from the disease may also be due to an increase among doctors, coroners and medical examiners specifically reporting Alzheimer's disease as a cause of death, the report said.

Still, overall, researchers may underestimate the true number of Alzheimer's deaths, since some doctors may report pneumonia or other complications as the cause of death, rather than Alzheimer's itself. A 2014 study estimated that as many as 500,000 people in the United States died from Alzheimer's in 2010.

Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, according to the CDC.

Editor's note: Portions of this article were previously published on Live Science.

Original article on Live Science.
Exploring the island

(Image credit: Heritage New Zealand)

A team of archeologists in New Zealand is exploring an early Maori site on Moturua island in the Bay of Islands that they think may have been home to some of the first Polynesian settlers in New Zealand around 700 years ago. The settlement site, located beside a beach at Mangahawea Bay, was first excavated in 1981 but little of the research from that time was ever published.

In January 2017, a team of archaeologists returned to the same dig site on the island, hoping to piece together the story of the site by combining what is known of the 1981 research with the latest in modern archaeological techniques.

Revisiting the site

(Image credit: Heritage New Zealand)

The 2017 dig was the culmination of a nine-year effort by Andrew Blanshard, a ranger and historic officer for New Zealands Department of Conservation, who first visited the island to build a walking track in 2006.

After learning about the 1981 excavation, Blanshard tracked down artifacts, research and field notebooks from that dig in universities and government department archives around the country.

Dipping into the archives

(Image credit: Heritage New Zealand)

The field notebooks and the involvement of some of the archaeologists from the 1981 excavation allowed this years archaeological team to carry out their excavations at precisely the same site.

Different layers

(Image credit: Heritage New Zealand)

The latest dig revealed that the site has several layers corresponding to different periods of occupation of early Maori communities at different stages of cultural development  a rare find in New Zealand where many of the earliest Maori sites were abandoned in favor of better sites after their initial settlement.

Underground oven

(Image credit: Heritage New Zealand)

A key finding of the latest excavations is a stone-lined underground oven, or hangi, where food would be placed on hot stones and covered over with earth to cook.

Material recovered from the hangi pit includes the bones of moas, large flightless birds that became extinct due to predation by humans soon after the first people arrived in New Zealand around 700 years ago.

Working together

(Image credit: Heritage New Zealand)

Some senior archaeologists from the 1981 excavation were able to take part in this year's dig, including John Coster and Dave Veart, seen here with local volunteer Jack Kemp.

All hands on deck

(Image credit: Heritage New Zealand)

This year's excavation was a partnership between New Zealands Department of Conservation, which manages the island, the Heritage New Zealand cultural agency, archaeologists from Otago University, and members of two local Maori hapu, or sub-tribes: Ngati Kuta and Patu Keha.

Kaumatua (elder) Matu Clendon, seen here, lived on Moturua Island as a boy in the 1950s and took part each day of the two-week dig.

Fish hooks

(Image credit: Heritage New Zealand)

Artifacts from the latest dig at Moturua Island include fragments of fish hooks made from moa bone and a shell "tab" from which shapes have been cut using a fine stone drill.

Shell pendant

(Image credit: Heritage New Zealand)

This shell pendant, found in 1981 at the site, appears to be made from a pearl oyster species found only in the tropics, and not in colder New Zealand waters.

It may have been brought to New Zealand from tropical regions by some of the earliest generations of Polynesian settlers, who would develop the indigenous Maori culture in the centuries that followed.

Next steps

(Image credit: Heritage New Zealand)

The artifacts and samples of material culture found during this year's excavation at Moturua Island are currently undergoing scientific tests, including carbon dating, that the researchers hope will finally settle the question of the age of the various archaeological layers of the site.
Archeologists in New Zealand are starting to unravel the mysteries of an early settlement near the northern tip of the islands that may have been founded by some of the first Polynesians to arrive in the region around 700 years ago.

The artifacts from Moturua Island include a pendant made from shell that appears to have originated in tropical Pacific waters, which may have been brought by the earliest generations of Polynesian settlers, who developed New Zealand's indigenous Maori culture in the centuries that followed, say the researchers.

The archaeological site, located beside a beach at Mangahawea Bay on Moturua island, about 124 miles (200 kilometers) north of the city of Auckland, was first excavated by archaeologists from the University of Auckland in 1981. [See Photos of the Early Maori Site in New Zealand]

Although some research on the bones of Polynesian dogs ("kuri" in Maori) found at the site was published a few years later, details of the excavation itself were not formally written up, and the bulk of the archaeological work from the site remains unpublished almost 40 years later.

"Everyone's known about it, everyone knows that it's potentially important, but no one's actually been able to do any work on it, said Andrew Blanshard, a ranger for New Zealands Department of Conservation, who initiated the project that led to the latest dig at Moturua Island in February of this year.

Now, some of the artifacts from the 1981 dig, along with bone fish hooks, shell fragments and the bones of animals found in a stone-lined underground oven, or hangi, on the site will undergo scientific testing for the first time, Blanshard said. This is part of an effort to determine if the site may have once been home to some of the first Polynesians to settle in New Zealand, which is thought to have been in the late 13th century, he added.

Mysterious pendant

Among the key findings at the site during the latest excavations are the cooked remains of seals, shellfish and moa  New Zealand's largest flightless bird, now extinct. Moa disappeared from the region due to predation soon after the first humans settled in New Zealand, Blanshard told Live Science.

The researchers are also focusing attention on the type of shell used in a pendant found at the site in 1981, which appears to be a species of pearl oyster  tropical shellfish that are not found in cold New Zealand waters, he said.

If the shell in the pendant is confirmed to be mother-of-pearl, then it may have been brought to New Zealand by some of the very earliest settlers from tropical parts of Polynesia: "But at this stage, it's still very much a wish, rather than something we can prove," Blanshard said.

The archaeological site on Moturua Island in New Zealand's Bay of Islands may prove be one of the earliest Maori settlements ever found. (Image credit: Heritage New Zealand)

Blanshard became interested in this archeological "cold case" when he helped build a walking track around the island in 2006.

After being told that the results from the 1981 dig were never written up and published, and that the artifacts from the site remained undated, I decided that we probably needed to think about doing something a little bit better than that, he said. [The 25 Most Mysterious Archaeological Finds on Earth]

Blanshard spent nine years locating the artifacts, field notebooks and other research from the 1981 dig to prepare for this year's excavations. Many of the items were found in the archives of universities and government departments in different cities around New Zealand, he said.

The notebooks, in particular, enabled the new team of archeologists to make sense of the field work that was carried out in 1981.

"We were able to redig one of their holes, and have a look at the sides of the hole  what we would call the profile  and that allows us to better understand the samples and artifacts that we've got from the 1981 excavation," Blanshard said, "so it starts to fill in the blanks of the jigsaw."

Maori partnership

The excavation at Moturua Island earlier this year was a partnership between New Zealand's Department of Conservation, the government agency Heritage New Zealand, archeologists from the University of Otago at Dunedin in the South Island, and two local Maori clans: Ngati Kuta and Patu Keha.

Heritage New Zealand archaeologist James Robinson, who led the latest dig on Moturua Island, said the involvement of the local Maori was important in helping the researchers to understand the various functional areas of the site, such as the structures of buried storage pits for sweet potatoes, or "kumara," of a type still being used in Maori communities in the area in the 1950s.

Although carbon dating on various items recovered during the latest dig will not be completed for several months, Robinson told Live Science that "we're happy at this stage to say that we're dealing with what's sometimes referred to as an archaic [Maori] or an early Polynesian site."

The latest dig has also revealed signs of archeological layers that indicate the site was occupied successively during different periods of Maori cultural development  an unusual find in New Zealand, where many early sites were often abandoned when some key local resource became scarce, Robinson said.

Initial research from the latest Moturua Island dig was presented at an archaeological conference in New Zealand earlier this year, and scientific papers about the findings, combining the work done by the 1981 and 2017 dig teams, are currently being prepared for publication, he said.

"It's an interesting site  it's one that deserved the attention that led to it being excavated in 1981, but it's really important that these things do get published and analyzed properly," Robinson said.

Original article on Live Science.
A bone from the right forearm of an adult human unearthed in Gough's Cave bears more than signs of cannibalism; researchers found zigzagging cuts that were likely intentionally engraved into the bone.

More than 17,000 years ago in what is now England, people may have performed cannibalistic rituals that involved engraving symbols on human bones, new research finds.

This may be the first known instance of people engraving human bones during the Paleolithic period, or Old Stone Age, the researchers said.

The Paleolithic period spanned most of human history, and was marked by early humans' use of stone tools they formed by chipping. The period began about 2.6 million years ago with what was once the earliest known use of stone tools among ancestors of modern humans. (In the time since the period was originally defined, earlier stone tools have been found, which were crafted either by humans or their close relatives.) It ended about 10,000 years ago, with the advent of the Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, when humans invented more advanced stone tools they made by grinding or polishing.

The latter part of the Paleolithic is known for its art, such as cave paintings and antlers engraved with pictures of animals or geometric designs. "Engraving is usually considered part of a modern behavior kit, a new way of expression typical of our species," said study lead author Silvia Bello, a paleoanthropologist at the Natural History Museum in London. [25 Cultures That Practiced Human Sacrifice]

However, until now, there were no known examples of engraved human bones from the Paleolithic, except for a human skull from France that has cuts that some researchers have debated are due to intentional engraving, the scientists noted.

In the new study, Bello and her colleagues examined ancient human remains from the so-called Magdalenian culture, which existed across Europe during the later part of the Paleolithic about 12,000 to 17,000 years ago. The human bones from these sites often bear signs of cannibalism  for instance, some have cuts suggesting butchering, or breaks suggesting the marrow was sucked from them.

The scientists focused on Gough's Cave in Cheddar Gorge in England, which has one of the most extensive collections of human bones found yet from a Magdalenian site. Morbid artifacts previously discovered at this 17,700-year-old site include cups made of human skulls.

A bone from the right forearm of an adult human unearthed in Gough's Cave in 1987 not only bore signs of cannibalism, such as human tooth marks, but also unusual zigzagging cuts on one side. Previously, researchers debated whether these incisions were signs of engraving or simply the result of butchering.

To solve this mystery, the researchers on the new study used hand lenses, regular microscopes and electron microscopes to analyze microscopic features of the 87 cuts on this bone, generating 3D models of the cuts. Next, they compared these features with those from 119 engraving marks on a horse rib and a rabbit shinbone, and with those from 322 butchery marks on human and animal remains.

The scientists determined that the zigzagging cuts on the human forearm bone were likely engraved intentionally. "The sequence of modifications performed on this bone suggests that the engraving was a purposeful component of the cannibalistic practice, rich in symbolic connotations," Bello told Live Science. "In previous analyses, we have been able to suggest that cannibalism at Gough's Cave was practiced as a symbolic ritual. This study provides the strongest evidence for this yet."

As far as what these engravings might represent, "it is very difficult to interpret the meaning of a symbolic engraving," Bello said. In general, engravings are "often associated with ways of remembering events, places or circumstances  a sort of extension of our memory outside our body. In this case, however, the engraving of this bone may have been a sort of memory more directly related to the deceased, or an intrinsic part of the cannibalistic ritual itself."

In the future, Bello wants to explore other Magdalenian sites with similar artifacts.

She and her colleagues detailed their findings online today (Aug. 9) in the journal PLOS ONE.

Originally published on Live Science.
A human whipworm (<em>Trichuris trichiura</em>) egg. A company in Germany wants to sell the eggs of a related parasite, the pig whipworm (<em>Trichuris suis</em>).

The German government is considering approval of a food ingredient that most people try their best to avoid: parasite eggs.

The country's Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety is evaluating the safety of a product that consists of pig whipworm (Trichuris suis) eggs, New Scientist reported (opens in new tab) Aug. 7. If approved, the eggs would be sold as a food ingredient.

The product, made by a Thai company called Tanawisa, would be sold in small vials containing up to 2,500 eggs, which could be added to foods or drinks. It was approved for sale in 2012 in Thailand.

Some experts have dismissed the idea that self-infecting with a parasite is a good idea.

For example, in 2013, the pharmaceutical company Coronado Biosciences (now called Fortress Biotech) announced that its clinical trial using pig whipworm eggs to treat Crohn's disease had failed, according to The Boston Globe.

"In my opinion, worm therapies belong in the same category of pseudoscience cult therapies as chelation therapy for autism," and approving this product in Germany would be a "dumb idea," Dr. Peter Hotez, the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, told New Scientist. (Chelation therapy is a controversial technique in which harmful heavy metals are removed from a person's blood.)

Read more at New Scientist (opens in new tab).

Originally published on Live Science.
Danville, WV (25053)

Today

Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. Low 32F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. Low 32F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
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by Jess Nelson , August 9, 2017

Marketing automation platform Act-On Software announced the launch of Act-On University on Tuesday, the second iteration of the companys educational program.

Act-On University is an online portal where Act-On customers can access a wide variety of educational courses, workshops, and webinars to continue their marketing education. Act-On University offers more than 40 classes as a jumping off point, tailored to support different marketing experience levels, specialties, and learning styles. In addition, Act-On University also offers certification courses.

Act-On Software has thoroughly revamped the design and functionality of Act-On University, and provides curriculum varying from basic courses to advanced levels of marketing automation. Marketers can choose to take classes in a one-on-one format, or in a collaborative environment with other marketers.

We wanted to create an experience where you can learn from product experts, but also learn from other marketers, says Michelle Huff, chief marketing officer of Act-On Software.

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She says the educational portal is designed as a continuous program where marketers can learn how to use marketing automation tools and best practices.

Similar to the collegiate experience in the United States, Act-On University offers office hours where attendees can tackle problems together and even share their computer screens. There are also more individualized formats, such as in-person meetings.

Huff also believes that Act-On University could provide an opportunity for brands to train new employees.

Everything in marketing comes down to revenue, says Huff. The faster you get people through with onboarding, the better.

Matt Zelen, chief customer officer at Act-On Software, describes why Act-On Software wanted to offer an individualized learning experience.

We have some customers that want to have a live interaction and want to hear about what other marketers are doing, says Zelen. Some people hate live components and want to watch a video at home at 1.5x speed. We tried to think of all the different ways marketers learn.

Act-On University is free for any Act-On customer, regardless of subscription type, and is accessible via a graduation cap button in the upper right hand corner of the Act-On portal.

There are currently more than 40 courses in Act-On University, and the company confirms they plan to continuously expand the course library. Example courses currently include setting up your Act-On account, email deliverability basics, and the foundations of demand-generation.

The content wont be static, asserts Zelen. Weve already gotten some feedback from customers that they want more seminars around A/B testing and best practices.
by Tanya Gazdik , August 9, 2017



As part of its 50th-anniversary events, Subaru of America, Inc. is donating 50 vehicles to Meals on Wheels America.

The 2018 Subaru Outback vehicles will be donated to select Meals on Wheels programs throughout the country this fall. The vehicles will be used in the delivery of 53,000 meals to an additional 3,700 seniors across 39 states.

Subaru has supported Meals on Wheels for nine years through Share the Love, contributing more than $12 million to Meals on Wheels America and providing more than 1.7 million nutritious meals, visits and safety checks to seniors in communities nationwide.

Subaru announced the donation to its 630-member retailer body at the companys National Business Conference in Denver. This was particularly appropriate as Subaru retailers participate in the companys annual Share the Love event and donate to causes in their local community.

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The Subaru and Meals on Wheels partnership is part of Subaru Loves to Help, part of the automakers larger Subaru Love Promise Community Commitment effort dedicated to making a positive impact on local communities across the country. Each 2018 Subaru Outback donated will be delivered to local retailers and wrapped with Meals on Wheels America and Subaru Loves to Help co-branding.
09.08.2017 LISTEN

The queen of Ghana`s music industry Rebecca Acheampong aka Becca of Zylofon Music has activated series of activities to mark her album release which marks her 10th anniversary in the music industry. After publicizing the pre release and order online, Becca in collaboration with her Zylofon team have planned a listening session with key industry stakeholders to have a first taste of the 13 beautiful songs on the album called UNVEILING.

To make the listening session a memorable one, one of Africa`s top DJ `s in the person of Nigeria`s own DJ Spinall will be steering affairs as a special guest performer in the Carbon nite club on Friday when the event kicks off finally. He will be doing that alongside our very own top djs like DJ Virusky of Star fm and DJ Sam Sheldon who are all poised for action on the night.

Though the listening session which is a world music practice is open to the public as Carbon Nite Club will be operating their Friday night session, the attention is to have all key stakeholders coming in to have a firsthand information of the album and what it entails.

Becca`s UNVEILING listening session is being put together by Zylofon Media with support from Hennesy and Carbon Nite Club.
07.06.2017 LISTEN

By Kester Kenn Klomegah/Kelvin Dewey Stubborn, Moscow

Moscow, June 4, GNA - Russia and Nigeria have taken steps to deepen their economic and political ties, after Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Geoffrey Onyeama, held diplomatic talks with his counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, during an official visit to Moscow, Russia.

Lavrov held talks with Onyeama and his delegation on May 30. The foreign ministers discussed issues pertaining to the steady development of bilateral ties in political, trade, economic and humanitarian areas. They concentrated on prospects of cooperation in the nuclear industry, hydrocarbon processing, infrastructure projects and exports of Russian industrial products to Nigeria.

The ministers further held an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues, focusing on countering terrorism and extremism, settling crises in Africa, primarily in the Sahara and the Sahel, and fighting pirates in the Gulf of Guinea.

After the closed meeting, Lavrov told a media conference that the meeting noted a strong potential for cooperation in areas such as hydrocarbon production and processing, nuclear power industry and agriculture, and further expressed mutual interest in continued military-technical and military cooperation and training civilian specialists and law enforcement officers for Nigeria at Russian universities.

"Certainly, the complicated problems that persist on the African continent require coordinated actions of the Africans themselves, with the support of the international community," Lavrov said.

Russia consistently demands that Africans, first, find the "keys" to African problems, and that the international community should provide moral, political and material support to these efforts. Russia, for instance, has advocated for the fastest possible elimination of instability on the continent, primarily in the Sahara-Sahel zone, South Sudan, Mali and the Central African Republic.

The Russian Foreign Affairs Minister, however, noted Nigeria's considerable contribution to peacekeeping efforts in all the regions, and added that Russia would be ready to contribute to common efforts to strengthen regional stability through the appropriate efforts at the UN Security Council, through bilateral relations with African countries, including training peacekeepers and equipping peacekeeping contingents in African countries.

Russia and Nigeria plan to step up an uncompromising fight against international terrorism that threatens national security in both countries and, objectively, the security of all countries. With regard to Nigeria, this of course refers to the heightened activity of the Boko Haram terrorist organisation that was associated with so-called ISIS.

"We will continue to support the Nigerian government's efforts to fight this evil. Of course, the well-known initiative of President Vladimir Putin on establishing a wide-ranging anti-terrorist front based on international law and without attempts to artificially bar someone from taking part in it remains relevant," Lavrov stressed.

Dr Maurice Okoli, Chairman and CEO of Markol Group, which is based in Moscow but with business links to Nigeria, China and Britain, explained that and his business delegation to Russia came at the right time when Nigeria as a country is facing numerous challenges.

"Russia and Nigeria have enjoyed a very good political and economic relationship that has lasted for many years and Onyeama's visit will definitely lift that relationship to another level. We are also looking forward that the visit will touch political and economic issues for the mutual benefits for both countries. It is our hope that this visit will help to boast cooperation between Nigeria and Russia especially in the area of fighting Boko Haram insurgency thereby improving security and stability in Nigeria and the region in general," Dr Okoli remarked.

Dr Okoli added: "Russia as country has experienced islamic insurgency in the past and having great wealth of experience in handling such issues, i have no doubt that Russian government advise and support will be of an immense value in dealing with the problem of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria and west Africa sub region."

There is high optimism among business elite and, of course, conditions for raising especially Russia-Nigerian economic cooperation. Russia plans to help Nigeria explore for oil and gas. Nigeria has expressed interest in Russia, helping it build nuclear power plants, petroleum pipelines, railways and other infrastructure. Both Russia and Nigeria have a wealth of minerals - and some could be the basis of additional commerce between the two. Nigeria's natural resources include gold, bauxite, zinc, tantalum, iron ore and coal.

Nigeria and Russia are both "large economies" and "rich in natural resources," Goodie Ibru, head of the Chamber of Commerce of Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, said at one of the bilateral economic conferences held previously, adding that "although Nigeria is smaller in terms of technology and infrastructure development, there's a lot for both countries to benefit from."

The Federal Government of the Republic of Nigeria has, indeed, expressed its support for any Russian genuine and legal investment. Without doubts, Nigeria remains "one of the best countries in the world to do business because of guaranteed return on investment."

Ibrahim Usman Gafai, Charge d'Affaires and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Moscow, told Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that economic relations between both countries have steadily developed during the past few years with a number of leading Russian companies establishing their presence in Nigeria.

Tellingly, Russian investment in Nigeria covers such areas as energy, iron and steel, and hydrocarbon. Over the years, the diplomatic relationships have also witnessed the establishment of Russia-Nigeria Business Council (RNBC) which oversees economic activities between the two countries.

So far, the two countries have held three meetings of the Joint Commission, the last was held as far back in 2009. The Joint Commission is the platform for the two countries to sit down and draw up agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on how to conduct businesses and investment in each other's country.

Russia's trade figures with Nigeria and many African countries are hard to find. Interestingly, Russia and Nigeria's two-way trade was a modest $350 million in 2013. Authorities in both countries have repeatedly said that it should be many times larger, given that Russia is the biggest market in the former Soviet Union and Nigeria the biggest market in Africa.

"Unfortunately, trade volume between Nigeria and Russia has been comparatively low and highly skewed in favor of Russia. There has been an attempt to balance the current trend through boosting economic relations between the two friendly nations," Ibrahim Gafai acknowledged.

On the other hand, Russian businesses are also encouraged to participate in various annual trade fairs organised by different Chambers of Commerce in Nigeria. In addition, the Moscow's Nigerian Embassy will continue to call on the two countries to create an investment forum to showcase their potentialities in each other's territory.

But, the major challenge facing investors from both sides of the divide is dearth of information on each other's business environment. This has, over the years, created a condition of uncertainty and misgivings among prospective investors.

As part of the initiatives to contribute to revamping the Nigerian economy, Nigerians under the auspices of Nigerians in Diaspora Organization in Europe (NIDOE), the Russian Chapter in collaboration with Russia-Nigeria Business Council, Institute of African Studies and Russian ministries and agencies have adopted corporate strategies in identifying and wooing potential Russian businesses and industry directors to invest in Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Within the context of strengthening the entire relations, it is also necessary to foster cooperation with support from the Intergovernmental Russian-Nigerian Mixed Commission for Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, and also by stepping up direct contacts between members of the Russian and Nigerian business communities as suggested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. GNA
08.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, Aug 8, GNA - The Institute of Fiscal Studies, Tuesday, urged the Ministry of Finance and Bank of Ghana (BoG) to urgently reconcile the differences in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures reported by their outfits because it could confuse the International Community.

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta reported to parliament during the 2017 mid-year budget review that Ghana's debt-to-GDP ratio was expected to be around 71 per cent by the end of the year.

But, Dr John Kwakye, Director of Research at the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) told journalists that the Minister's figure of 70.9 per cent differed from the 62.5 per cent published by the Central Bank.

He said the GDP formula used by the Finance Ministry was uncertain and called on the two state institutions to take action to reconcile the figures.

'The difference appears to be the result of the use of different measures of GDP to divide the nominal debt,' he said, in his presentation of the IFS' comments on the Mid-year Review of the 2017 Budget Statement and Fiscal Policy of the Government, at a media conference.

'It is known that Bank of Ghana used the GDP projection for the year; however, the GDP figure used by the Minister is not certain,' he said.

'It is important to reconcile the figures so as to avoid confusing international investors and markets.'

The Minister of Finance presented the 2017 Mid-Year Budget and Fiscal Policy Review to Parliament on July 31.

Before the review, IFS issued an assessment of the performance of the economy and the budget and made an array of recommendations to address shortcomings that it had identified.

The IFS said most of the data available at the time was up to April, however, the Minister provided updated data in his review, in most cases, up to June, which prompted the Institute to critically re-examine its previous position.

The Institute's latest observation, Dr Kwakye said, was that the performance of the macro-economy was mixed, with broad stability achieved in most key indicators; whereas economic growth, especially, of the non-oil sector, had been disappointing.

'The severe shortfall in revenue that occurred through April has been extended through June, forcing further drastic reduction in expenditure, including in critical areas, as government has adhered to a strict deficit target, Dr Kwakye said.

'The fiscal retrenchment will have a continuing dampening effect on economic growth,' he added.

He, therefore, called for strong efforts by the managers of the economy to institute robust income mobilisation measures to raise more revenue so as to avoid further cuts in expenditure that would have disastrous effects on the national economy.

GNA

By D.I. Laary/ Gideon Ahenkorah, GNA
09.08.2017 LISTEN

*SUBJECT:THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT*

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Daniel Agyenim Boateng for graciously bowing out of what seemed like a contest between two hard working leaders of the New Patriotic Party in the Ashanti Region.

I also thank the presidency, our father Dr. Amoako Tuffuor, NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Minister, National Security ministry, management of Metro Mass Transit and a host of others who helped in diverse ways to resolve the conflict so peace may prevail.

We need this peace not just in the Ashanti Region but also in our nation so we can work on the mandate of change bestowed on us by the good people of Ghana.

As a further step to cement this peace, I hereby make it known that I am ready and willing to work with all factions that were involved in the conflict.

Job opportunities at Metro Mass Transit (MMT) Kumasi Depot would be open to all, irrespective of who the applicants supported.

Metro Mass Transit (MMT) Kumasi Depot must get back on its feet again as a vibrant economic giant in the Ashanti Region and in Ghana. And this goal can only be achieved through peaceful settlement of conflicts.

God bless the NPP. God Bless Ghana.

*Signed*

Nicholas Oduro (MMT Manager,Ashanti Region)

Cc:

*The Presidency*

*Ashanti Regional Minister*

*NPP Regional* *Chairman,Ashanti Region*

*All media houses*

*From Nicholas Oduro, Manager, Metro Mass Transit (MMT), Kumasi Depot.

Date: 8th August, 2017.
The group calling itself Concerned Activists of the New Patriotic Party, in the Chiana-Paga Constituency of the Upper-East Region, agitating for the National Executive Committee of the NPP and the ruling partys Appointments Committee to rescind the reported appointment of some three constituency organizers of the party, should be promptly ignored (See Chiana-Paga: NPP Group Kicks Against State Appointment of Executives Citifmonline.com / Modernghana.com 8/8/17).

This is not the very first time that any concerned group of brazen detractors in the region have attempted to create confusion and disaffection among the executive ranks of the party. A similar group, not very long ago, viciously attempted to tarnish the image of one of the Afoko Brothers who had absolutely no forensically sustainable connection to the brutal assassination of Mr. Adams Mahama, then-Upper-Easts Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party nearly two years ago.

If, indeed, the three constituency organizers of the Chiana-Paga New Patriotic Party under siege had taken bribes and gone to bat for the then-ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), in the lead-up to the 2016 general election, why were these accused local party operatives, namely, Messrs. Mark Ayamga, the NPPs Constituency Organizer; Sylvester Atule, the partys Constituency Youth Organizer; and Thomas Kwalase, the Deputy NPP Constituency Organizer, not removed from their respective positions for more than seven months after their alleged crimes were committed, and immediately after the Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party was voted into power by a landslide electoral margin? I smell a rat here; and it is clearly that the agitators and their alleged spokesman, Mr. Daniel Namoo, have an axe to grind with the aforementioned three constituency executives that has absolutely nothing, whatsoever, to do with the loyalty or otherwise of the three Chiana-Paga constituency organizers vis-a-vis the New Patriotic Party.

To be certain, Mr. Namoo and his so-called group of Concerned Activists of the Chiana-Paga branch of the New Patriotic Party would be much better off explaining to the members of the NPP-NEC and the ruling partys Appointments Committee, precisely why Messrs.

Ayamga, Atule and Kwalase had allegedly campaigned against then-parliamentary candidate, Mr. Clement Dandori. We simply cannot assume that just because the latter was the Chiana-Paga Constituency candidate for the 2016 parliamentary election, automatically makes his alleged internal detractors or political opponents enemies of the very party of which they clearly appear to have served with remarkable distinction.

There is an Akan-Ghanaian proverb which wisely counsels the accusers to be mindful of the fact that anytime that they point their index- or accusing finger at their opponents, the remaining three fingers of their accusatory hands squarely point at the accusers themselves, and not the accused. Mr. Namoo says that he has credible evidence pointing to the fact of the three Chiana-Paga NPP constituency organizers having been bribed by operatives of the then-ruling National Democratic Congress.

It is this evidence that they need to promptly present to the National Executive Committee of the NPP, not a mere badmouthing of their internal political opponents in public. Mr. Namoo also needs to rest assured that some of us staunch NPP supporters and sympathizers are not too naive not to be mindful of the fact that not all party candidates during the last general election were staunch supporters of the partys presidential candidates, namely, the now-President Addo DankwaAkufo-Addo and Vice-President MahamuduBawumia.

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
09.08.2017 LISTEN

Today, I'm addressing a topic on Overcoming the spirit of Masturbation. This topic is quite sensitive and many preachers often times shy away from it. I will define masturbation as the conscious arousal of one's genitals to get an orgasm or a sexual gratification.

Masturbation is stimulation of the genitals with the hand or objects for sexual pleasure. In order words it is having sex with yourself. See how weird it sounds - having sex with yourself.

Now let's look at certain myths associated with this killer act.

Myth 1: Masturbation is not a sin

Well, truth is the Bible does not explicitly state it as a sin but hey the Bible talks about cheating but never mentioned cheating in exams - does that make it OK. Many in their bid to state a portion of scripture to support the sinfulness of Masturbation normally quote Onan's account in Genesis.

Well that is not too strong a verse to use but its good to go. In the listing of the works of the flesh as according to Paul in Galatians 5 it ends the works of the flesh with something to look into. Galatians 5:21 says... envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.

I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do you see that after listing all he could list, he said and things like these. That is like writing etc, or and many more. The Bible nowhere explicitly states that masturbation is a sin, but there is no question that the actions that usually lead to masturbation are sinful.

Masturbation is nearly always the result of lustful thoughts, inappropriate sexual stimulation, and/or pornography. It is these problems that need to be dealt with. If the sins of lust , immoral thoughts, and pornography are forsaken and overcome, masturbation will become much less of an issue and temptation.

Myth 2: I can't stop masturbating.

This myth is really foolish to even harbour for a slight second. However it is on the strength of this that many Christians are still struggling with this act. In my years of being a slave to this thing called masturbation - I used to foolishly think the same. How foolish the devil had made me. If armed robbers could repent and stop robbery - how come one masturbating couldn't.

If witches of all people could give their life to Christ and abandon the craft in witchcraft - then how come you can't stop masturbating. People of highly occultic standings koraa, have repented and stopped being occultic - so anyone involved in this act, can actually stop. Don't be deceived, you can be free from masturbstion.

Myth 3: Other Christians are not doing it

Look, I'm not telling you this myth to give you license to continue in this act but I just want you to know that this is a serious problem in the church as well as the world. There are pastors who masturbate, there are ushers who do same, there are prayer warriors who also do same - so you are not alone in this struggle for freedom. I'm saying this because - some people make it look like if you are in this act then you are not a Christian. Yesterday, I was chatting with a woman of God and she mentioned how some folks had labeled a brother "not a Christian" because this was his struggle. Come on saints, don't we have others stealing, telling lies and the rest. All of them including the one who masturbates needs help. I personally knew nothing about masturbation until months after I was genuinely born again. Its a canker affecting both unbelievers and believers. They need help not condemnation.

Now let's look at certain things that feed this act.

1. Music: Music is designed in a way to easily gain access to your soul. You see it is in the soul, where you make decisions. When it comes to music, the artist is as important as the lyrics and the beat. When David used to play his harp evil spirits tormenting Saul fled because of the spirit that was at work in David. Any artist who carries the spirit of masturbation or any other spirit can through his songs engage you in such. It doesn't matter whether the song is Gospel or RnB or Hiplife, etc. However, you can be fully sure that if it is a Gospel song the Lord will look at your desire to worship Him and safeguard you. But if the song is not Gospel be it cools, country music, inspirational songs and the like you are on your own - your spiritual stamina is what can save you but you dare not trust that stamina like that. The lyrics are also important wai. Any lyrics carrying a seductive message finds its way into your subconscious mind and after a series of brooding upon will generate a strong desire to sin of which masturbation is an option. I hear some well meaning Christians go like, me I don't like the artist and the lyrics oo, I just love the beat. You love the beat errr. Do you know what goes into the making of beats??? Selah!!!

2. Movies: Another tool through which many have been initiated into this act is through movies. I would have limited this point to just pornography but hey now even the normal Ghanaian movies koraa contain certain scenes that can arouse someone. For some old time masturbators, they can create movies in their minds and masturbate with. If you are at this level - chaley you need serioussssssss help wai. The young ones in masturbation might need hard core pornography to set the atmosphere for them. Whereas the babes in it will be even moved with Lilwin kissing Nana Ama Mcbrown. In what ever level you are you need help. Precious ones, lemme say this. PORNOGRAPHY IS EVIL VERY EVIL IS NOT GOOD FOR ANYONE; BOTH THE MARRIED AND THE UNMARRIED SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM THIS DEADLY THING. Many devils gain access into your life and home when you watch these things.

3. Friends; I know this will shock some. But if you really want to be free from this canker of masturbation then watch your friends. Regular association with friends who are in this act will gradually lead you into the same and guess what you might be comfortable doing it because they might see nothing wrong with it.

4. Loneliness; The devil always find the lonely as a prey for many things of which Masturbation is one. I'm not saying to be alone but I mean don't be lonely. There's a difference. You can be with a thousand people and still be lonely. Being alone has got to do with you being somewhere all by yourself whereas being lonely has got more to do with being "alone in your mind". This goes hand in hand with low self esteem. As for me die3, no boy likes me, blah blah blah. Lest I forget, I used to think only guys masturbate until I encountered more than fifteen girls who do same. So you see, this issue affects both sexes.

According to my personal observation and the Lord's dealings with me, I have observed that there are three levels of masturbation and sin. These are;

First level: Test Drive

Second level: "Once in a while" Drive

Third level: spirit Drive

At thee first level, you just try the sin for the first time. That might even be the only time you ever do that. You just tasted it and left it there. It sounds cool right but its not that cool, out of every ten people who test drive a sin only one doesn't return back to it. What if you test drive and you are a part of the nine to move to the second level? Onua, menfa wo life mbo chacha! My brother, don't gamble with your life.

In the "once in a while" Drive, you masturbate today and do the next one probably next month. You kinda go monthly. But then, it starts to give you more pleasure and then it becomes weekly. As you are doing this - you are attracting the spirit of masturbation. In the first two levels you were all by yourself but in the level - it becomes spirit drive. In John 14:30, Jesus said the prince of this world came and found nothing of his in me. Consistent operating in this "ministry of masturbation" makes you prepare you soul as a vessel to host the spirit of masturbation. This is a killer level. You can go to a program where Apostle Selman is preaching and you will come home to Masturbate. You can go to church and lead a powerful worship and people will fall down by the anointing and you will return only to masturbate.

Now how do we overcome:

1. Know that you are not living as the Lord wants: Until you drive it into your consciousness that this is not the life the Lord intends for you - you will see nothing wrong with this act.

2: Repent immediately: There's always the temptation of "lemme do three more" so that I sum all an confess. That's so not good, it weakens your strength to fight this spirit. Even if it's 10 times a day, confess all and start the repenting process.

3. Identify what feeds your lustful thoughts; Every individual and the tool with which they are moved to these things. I know one who will never watch pornographic movies but will create the atmosphere needed to masturbate with a seductive song. I know another who reads romantic novels as a turn on. So identify, what yours is and aggressively stay away from it.

4. Feast on the Word daily: Make it a point to be consistent with the Bible. One wise man once said, "your Bible will keep you away from sin or sin will keep you away from your Bible". True as this sounds, I need you to carry the mindset of studying the Word of God daily whether you sin or not.

5. Develop a commitment to prayer: Don't just desire to pray be committed to it. Its on the strength of that commitment that you can strongly build your spirit to repel the effects of the spirit of masturbation from your soul and body realm. In the place of prayer you kill lustful pleasures and tune your spirits into a heavenly frequency that will radiate through your soul and body.

6. Open up to someone: Most people have had prolonged struggle with this cunning spirit because they tried to go solo. Going solo often kills. Get an accountability partner - one who is not into the same struggle that you can talk to. As he/she prays with you , admonishes you and check up on you - your total freedom will be closer than before. What this spirit hates is to expose it to someone else.

7. When the Holy Spirit gives the signals, retreat; Before this act normally comes, the Holy Spirit will give you signals of that impending. You could be watching a movie and He will signal you, retreat. When you have a desire to pray or study the Word - just get up and do it. Never hesitate to pray and study the Word when you sense such promptings

If this article has been of help to you or you are struggling with this canker called Masturbation - I will like to hear from you. Contact me on WhatsApp - +233260777295 and like our Facebook page - fb.com/sbmins . I specially invite you to our annual prayer and word conference dubbed: ANAVIOSI which is happening on 26th August @ Francis Kofi Drah Conference Hall - University of Ghana. See you there.
09.08.2017 LISTEN

After ruthlessly chastising, criticizing and painting former President President Mahama black for cheap political points, Nana Akuffo Addo and his NPP government, have shown to be the most Incompetent government in the history of this country.

The pains, hunger, disappointments and frustrations bestowed on Ghanaians by this administration, is enough to conclude that this government is a reckless one and is only in to burden the Ordinary Ghanaian.

Nana Akuffo Addo, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the New Patriotic Party must apologize to Former President John Dramani Mahama for chastising and criminalizing his resolve to seek external support to provide Life Changing Infrastructure, which ameliorated the living conditions of the ordinary Ghanaian.

Is it not interesting, that the "Apostles Against Borrowing" have increased Ghana's public debts by a whooping $15 billion only in 6 months, through borrowings?

Today, Dr Bawumia calls on Ghanaians to celebrate government for contracting loans from China?

The only thing Akuffo Addo has done in the past 7 months, is to shortchange Ghanaians with lies and deceits.

The Intended introduction of a scholarship scheme for SHS one students instead of the promised "Free SHS" for all SHS students, the sale of fertilizers to cocoa farmers who used to get them free under President Mahama and the attempt to legalize corruption, tells a story of a party that got power through lies and deceits.

The Scandalous $2.25 Billion Bond raised by President Nana Akuffo Addo's Cousin Ken Ofori Atta, the sale of Oil worth 15 million for just 5 million in the name of contamination to an unregistered company, the secret disbursement of over 5 million from the District Assembly Common Fund for a supposed celebration of the Ghana at 60 celebrations among other scandals, have all been swept under the carpet by the President.

Surprisingly, the Senior Minister Mr Yaw Osafo Marfo has made us understand that the International Monetary Fund(IMF) has not banned government from recruiting into the public service but rather, the public service is full and that the Akuffo Addo's government cannot create employment. This is contrary to what they said prior to the 2016 elections.

The Senior Minister made this pronouncement at a time that he has swiftly gotten his son to serve as Deputy Director for SSNIT. This implies that there is space for him and his cronies to employ their families and friends but the ordinary Ghanaian whose taxes feed them, cannot be employed.

This is Obviously a government that cannot be trusted.
09.08.2017 LISTEN

A 2016 campaign manager for Hon Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ellembelle Constituency of the Western Region, Comrade Kofi Anaman has described the move by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to create a second birthday for Ghana is quite unfortunate.

In a statement issued on August 6, 2017 by the Campaign Manager and cited by Daniel Kaku said the Busia-Danquah family dislikes Dr Kwame Nkrumah henceforth trying to paint Nzemas black.

He therefore called on Nzemas to kick against the move by the currently government to delete Dr Kwame Nkrumah's name from Ghana's political history and replace by Dr J.B.Danquah.

Indisputably, "Dr Kwame Nkrumah is the founder of Ghana and not other person", he added.

Below is the full write-up by the NDC Campaign Manager;

Kofi Anaman writes....

The attempt by the NPP government to create a second birthday for Ghana is an attempt to reduce the role Nkrumah played in the struggle for Ghana's Independence.

As a result, every Nzema should remove party colors and join in to observe AWOZINLI (darkness). This will be a Remembrance Day of maltreatment to the people of Nzema by the Busia-Danquah family in the aftermath of the 28th February, 1966 coup d'etat that illegally removed Nkrumah from office. We should stand together in silent reflection to signify a profound tribute to the fallen.

We should pick a date to mourn and honor the hundreds of brave Nzemas who perished in the most painful and horrific chapter in our history.

We lack the power to rewind the clock or to bring back those who were murdered, tortured, raped, burnt to ashes... But *we do have* the power of remembrance, so we must honor the memory of those who lost their lives, to grieve their loss, and to cherish their names.

Additionally, we remain indebted to those who survived the torture, many of whom, despite unspeakable trauma, continue to recount their painful experiences.

Here are highlights of some of the bad treatment Nzemas went through after the 1966 coup:

1. The Busia-Danquah family deleted the name Nzema from the national economic and development plans.

2. Nzemas were haunted and tortured in their own backyards. As a result, many left their homes and families, fled to the Ivory Coast and never returned.

3. Mr. Ndede a.k.a Boye Moses, was stripped naked, put in a cage and dragged through the streets of Accra for hours.

4. Mame Nyaniba, the mother of Nkrumah who was blind was grossly mishandled and finally dumped in the streets of Sekondi/Takoradi. She was then found by a stranger who later brought her to Nkroful.

5. A security man from Nkroful who was in charge of the muddy house Nkrumah was born in was buried alive in that house because he refused to leave when soldiers ordered him to.

6. An illegal military barrack was created at Franza (located between Nkroful and Esiama) on the premise that, Nkrumah would return to his homeland. .. Those young soldiers beat up, tortured, raped girls and consistently harassed Nzemas.

7. Afrifa assembled Nzema chiefs and queens and mentally tortured them them for hours.

Folks, let's stand up for Nkrumah for he's all we have!!!
Menzgold Company Limited, an investment company has denied the company takes deposits from its customers.

The Corporate Manager of the company Nana Yaw Offei explained that the company does not take deposits from customers because it is not a financial institution.

His comment comes on the heels of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) cautioning the general public not to deposit any money with the company because it has not been licensed to do so.

A Deputy Governor of the Bank Dr Johnson Asiamah appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on Tuesday August 8, 2017 noted that Ghanaians who defy this caution do that at their own risk.

Dr Asiamah told the committee: Only last week we caused a publication in the newspapers about Menzgold to the effect that we have not licensed them to accept deposits, because, to accept deposits, you will need a license from the Bank of Ghana. We have not licensed them and hence if you go ahead to do any business with them, it is at your own risk.

He added that: So we took the first step by notifying the public. If they ask you to give them deposit dont do it.

But reacting to the BoG claims in an interview with Valentina Ofori-Afriyie on the 505 news programme on Class 91.3FM on Tuesday August 8, 2017, Mr Offei said: Menzgold Ghana Limited is a gold dealing firm, we buy gold and sell gold. All our operations or whatever we do in our outlet is directly linked to the sale and purchase of gold.

For that reason we have acquired the license that gives us the chance to buy gold and sell gold that is by the Minerals Commission of the Republic of Ghana.

We are not a microfinance, neither are we a financial institution and so we do not take deposits in anyway.

He added: We have referred the matter to our legal team headed by Kwame Akufo to look at the issue, we are a law abiding firm and so we are asking them to assist us to bring the issue to a close.
09.08.2017 LISTEN

President of Youth for Peace, Ambassador of Youth for human Rights International in Morocco Zakaria El hamel been elected as Deputy Chairperson, North Africa Sub region, of African Youth Union Commission - AYUC.

Zakaria El Hamel is the chairman and founder of Youth for Peace and Dialogue between Cultures, a non-profit organization which its mission is to build a world where young people from different religions and backgrounds can come together to create understanding and respect by serving their communities.

As a Youth for Human Rights Ambassador in Morocco Zakaria el hamel is encouraging a new generation to stand up for peace and human rights in a turbulent Arabic World.

Yet the threat of extremism is ever-present, as evidenced by more than 2.000 Moroccans that Interpol have been recruited by the Islamic state group,(IS) to fight in Iraq and Syria and the hundreds more that have joined IS in Lybia.

And this is exactly why 36 years old Zakaria El Hamel is so important for Morocco for almost two decades. Zakaria has dedicated himself to creating a culture of tolerance and understanding by instilling an awareness and appreciation of human rights.

Zakaria reached further for even more help, working alongside religious leaders from the Catholic, Islamic, Christian, Jew and Methodist Faiths.

Been appointed Zakaria El hamel said Africa has great potential and more than 65% of Africa's people are young. They are the Change , Young people must be heard and must speak up, they are the future - The African future.

Morocco rejoins African Union after more than 30 years

The country left the Union in 1984 after a row over the status of Western Sahara. Moroccos readmission brings hope of peace-building over the territory

It is so good to be back home, after having been away for too long.
Legal norms suggesting that house buyers should be accountable for paying property management fees owed by the house sellers (in particular, those who already purchased the houses and are selling them to another party) sparked a fierce debate among the lawmakers during yesterdays Legislative Assembly plenary meeting. In an unusual move, after a long debate, lawmakers have rejected numbers three and five of article nine included in the new law regarding property management for common areas of condominiums.

Despite the rejection of the controversial norms, the bill was given the final green light yesterday.

Ng Kuok Cheong said that the controversial norms indicate that the government is not confident in solving the problems, resorting to faster methods, choosing [this] way instead. Melinda Chan said that the new norms should not be included in the new bill. Writing it here is unfair for new buyers as it sets up a trap for them in which they have to pay fees for two years, she concluded.

I extremely oppose it [the norms], said Mak Soi Kun, adding the fees were generated because you [previous buyers] lived there. Why should new buyers have to cover them?

Angela Leong also said that the article is an unfair policy. Many opinions in society are not in favor of this policy, [] it is letting buyers become victims, in some way, innocently. Owing property management fees is a problem of personal morality, said Leong, who also doubted whether the policy is suspected to encourage owners to become indebted of property management fees.

Ho Ion Sang deemed the norms to be going against the rule of fairness. I disagree with this article. It will leave many buyers owing property management fees, which will cause a bigger chaos, he added.

Au Kam San noted that from the law, [we] can see that you [the government] have thought of many methods, but they all are uncertain.

Lam Heong Sang said the article has been changed many times, it is a compromising one. He further suggested the government should learn from Hong Kong which bans those residents owing property management fees from leaving the territory.

Song Pek Kei also voiced her opposition to the article by saying it is indeed unfair for new buyers. [] [Buyers] have not even enjoyed the service, but need to pay for it.

Cheung Lup Kwan added his opinion, noting I dont understand why if you [the government] have such consideration, then [buyers] should cover this inexplicably.

Chui Sai Peng said that the government was undoubtedly intending to implement a kind initiative by establishing such article, although he thinks it needs to be improved.

Fong Chi Keong voiced his opposition towards the article, saying do you [the government] think it is reasonable? He said other people need to pay for what you [house sellers] used. [] Is the government being reasonable? It should be more reasonable than the public, [but] the government is becoming irrational. [] It is such a big joke, the legislation is really immature, [] The government is not rigorous while working on this law, and made huge mistakes. I do not understand the governments attitude. How can you, as legal professionals, draft such article and then face people? The barrister [Leonel Alves] has not spoken yet, he will certainly conclude for you.

Lawmakers Zheng Anting and Tong Io Cheng also expressed their disagreement with the article.

However, lawmakers Chan Chak Mo and Ng Kuok Cheong voiced their support.

The director of the Legal Affairs Bureau (DSAJ), Liu Dexue, said that there are several legal mechanisms established to protect new buyers.

Leonel Alves noted that property management companies should appeal to the court when someone fails to pay their contributions to the property management. Why property management companies do not appeal to the court? [] How come it happens that the entity itself was not diligent in collecting payments due, asked Alves. He then turned to Fong Chi Keong and said it [the law] is not only asking for debts for one year, but interests are also included.

Several lawmakers continued to voice their opposition towards the article.

Fong Chi Keong said the bill encourages people to break the law, as it definitely encourages them not to pay property management fees. If irresponsible people draft such an article, how can it be reasonable?
09.08.2017 LISTEN

The Nana Akufo-Addo government will continue to do all in its power to provide a conducive environment for industry to grow and for the establishment of new companies.

Vice President Dr MahamuduBawumia, who gave the assurance during an unannounced visit to the Tema Free Zone Enclave on Tuesday, said Government is particularly interested in encouraging value addition, as this would likely provide more product lines thereby creating jobs and growing the economy.

During a tour of two cocoa processing companies, Barry Callebaut and Niche Cocoa Industries Limited, the Vice President explained that he was there to understand the challenges they face in order to address the bottlenecks hampering the operations of companies in the Free Zone enclave.

I am happy to see that these companies are almost entirely run by Ghanaians or have a significant Ghanaian representation. I am happy to see Ghanaian men and women doing an earnest job to earn a living. But we want to see more value addition. There are so many jobs we can create with value addition the Vice President indicated.

I also came here to get a better understanding of the sort of challenges you have, because we are not satisfied with the level of processing of cocoa for example in Ghana. Nana Akufo-Addo has charged the country, that we should process and value to our raw materials, and not just export the raw materials. We want to see much greater volumes being processed, which means more exports and more jobs.

So we wanted to see the challenges that Barry Callebaut and others are having, and find ways to help them.

Taking the Vice President round Mrs Charity A. Sackitey, Managing Director of Barry Callebaut, indicated that the factory, which runs 24 hours seven days a week, pays a higher tariff than the figure announced by the Electricity Company of Ghana.

Mrs Sackitey also appealed for a discount from the Ghana Cocoa Board for the main cocoa crop season, arguing that such a discount would help the company almost double production and create more jobs. The company receives a discount for the light crop but no subsidy for the main crop, and this has limited their ability to expand as much as they would wish to, she explained.

The Managing Director of Niche Cocoa Industry Limited, Mr Edmund Poku, appealed for greater financial support for companies in the cocoa processing industry to help them buy more beans for processing and expansion.

The Vice President promised to look into their concerns and engage the appropriate stakeholders for a speedy solution.

Barry Callebaut was the first company to move into the Tema Free Zones enclave in 2001, and has grown steadily over the years. It is headquartered in Switzerland, but

Niche Cocoa industry Ltd is a wholly Ghanaian owned cocoa processing company. Established in May 2011, it recently doubled its capacity from 30,000 to 60,000 metric tonnes a year, making it one of the largest cocoa processing companies in Ghana.
Nairobi (AFP) - Kenya's main opposition candidate Raila Odinga said on Wednesday that he rejected the preliminary results of Tuesday's presidential election, which show President Uhuru Kenyatta with a substantial lead.

With more than 11 million ballots counted, Kenyatta was ahead with 55 percent of the vote against Odinga's 44 percent, a difference of more than 1.1 million ballots, according to results released by the electoral commission (IEBC).

Odinga called the results "fake" at a press conference early Wednesday morning and said the IEBC hadn't produced documents that could prove the authenticity of the tallies.

"The system has failed," Odinga told reporters. "This is basically the computer that is voting."

The contest between Odinga and Kenyatta -- old foes who previously faced off when Kenyatta was first elected in 2013 -- was always expected to be close, and emotions have been running high after a bad-tempered campaign marred by opposition claims of a plot to rig the vote.

Odinga, 72, is taking his fourth and likely final stab at the presidency. He claims the elections in 2007 and 2013 were stolen from him.

He has repeatedly questioned the validity of the polls, and occasionally claimed that he would only lose this year's election if it were rigged.

He levelled similar allegations of fraud after the 2007 general election, which degenerated into months of ethnic and political violence that left 1,100 people dead and displaced 600,000.

First elected in 2013, Kenyatta is standing for a second term.

Tensions in the country rose earlier this month when the tortured and strangled body of Chris Msando, a key administrator of a biometric voting system IEBC said would guard against fraud, was found on the outskirts of the capital Nairobi.

Referring to his belief that the results are being tampered with, Odinga said, "we fear that this is the precise reason why Mr. Chris Msando was assassinated."

A boy looks at trays of eggs next to election campaign posters of Kenya's National Super Alliance (NASA) opposition leader and presidential candidate Raila Odinga in Nairobi this month

IEBC commissioner Roslyn Akombe said an unspecified political party objected to the release of the results, "but as a commission we decided that as part of the commitment we made to the voters and the Kenyan people, transparency and accountability are part of them."

"This is why, as a commission, we have decided we will continue to display the results," she said.

To win Kenya's presidency in the first round of voting, a candidate must score a majority of the votes nationwide and at least a quarter of ballots in a 24 of the country's 47 counties.

Counting is considered the most sensitive step of the electoral process in a country with a history of post-poll violence.
Lome (AFP) - US President Donald Trump barely mentioned Africa or trade with the continent during his whirlwind campaign and has been mostly silent about the region since taking office.

But the annual African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum being held in the Togolese capital Lome this week will bring together top US officials and African ministers.

The gathering will finally shine a light on Trump's policies toward the region of 1.2 billion people.

What is the African Growth and Opportunity Act?

It was a trade deal inked between the United States and eligible African countries nations under Bill Clinton's presidency and enacted in 2000.

It gives 39 African nations duty-free access to the US market for about 6,500 products including textiles, cars, fruit and wine.

Those countries permitted to participate in AGOA are obliged to prove that they are making efforts to improve human rights, the rule of law and worker protections.

Is Trump getting involved in Africa?

Early signs were not good for the 45th president's interest in trade with the continent.

He spoke regularly on the campaign trail about the need to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and to get a better deal with China -- but Africa did not feature in his top priorities.

But he has now sent his top trade negotiator Robert Lighthizer to Lome for the two-day meeting that concludes on Thursday along with a top level negotiating team.

Trump himself will not attend the talks.

A good deal for Africans?

When asked if Trump's "America first" policies would benefit African countries or simply guarantee cheap commodities for the US, State Department spokesman Brian Neubert said that Washington has "very significant interests in Africa".

"There are opportunities for American investors in several sectors. For example in the energy sector -- the opportunities are enormous. Also in agriculture," he told AFP. "But Africa's infrastructure has to modernise, in partnership with the US private sector."

David Gilmour, the US ambassador to hosts Togo, told the tiny West African country that it must "continue to improve conditions for the private sector" to benefit from trade with the US.

Could the law be changed to favour US companies?

Trump has often hit out at perceived trade barriers and protectionist policies adopted by other countries.

If there was any change to the agreement or how it operates it is likely that it would be intended to ensure "the elimination of barriers to United States trade and investment" as detailed under the law.

The US has already forcefully warned African countries seeking to ban imports of used clothes not to do so if they want to continue benefiting from AGOA.

The ban was agreed by the six countries of the East African Community -- which includes Kenya and Tanzania -- in 2016 to stimulate local industry rather than relying on the importation of used garments, known locally as "okrika".

"The AGOA criteria is very clear about not putting in place bans or restrictions on US products," said Constance Hamilton, acting US trade representative to Africa, ahead of the Lome meeting.

She warned that the east African move put 40,000 US jobs at risk.

What will happen in Togo?

No significant change to the deal is expected at the Togo meeting, but US officials are likely to use the gathering to remind participating African nations not to risk Washington's ire by curtailing the free flow of US goods and services.

Hamilton's recent warning to east African nations not to impede exports of used US clothing follows a bitter battle between South Africa and the Obama administration over American meat exports in 2015.

Trump has also been highly critical of countries that run trade deficits with the US.

While US goods exported to Africa in 2016 were worth $22.3 billion in 2016, Washington imported $4.3 billion more from the continent, according to the US Census Bureau -- a deficit that US officials will be keen to shrink.
Rann (Nigeria) (AFP) - He fled to Rann to escape Boko Haram, but Babagana Jugudum lost everything on January 17 when the Nigerian military accidentally killed more than 100 people in a botched air strike on the town. His wife and two children were among the dead.

Only now can his story be told after AFP became one of the first global media organisations allowed access to the area.

On that fateful Tuesday at around 12:30 pm, witnesses say a Nigerian fighter jet flew over the northeastern town of more than 40,000 people and dropped a bomb. Minutes later, it circled back to drop another.

"When it happened I heard some rumbling," Jugudum told AFP, mimicking the sounds of the explosion that knocked him unconscious.

"As I woke I called for my wife, but she was not around -- my children were gone," said the despondent 38-year-old, wearing a faded shirt and flip-flops.

"There was just shouting and shouting," he said of the aftermath of the air strike which a local official claimed at the time had killed as many as 236 people.

Jugudum and his family had fled to Rann from their village along with 500 others from the surrounding area when they came under attack from Boko Haram.

Jugudum has been forced to use crutches after his leg was injured in the attack for which he says he has received no compensation from the Nigerian government.

Jugudum has been forced to use crutches after his leg was injured in the attack for which he says he has received no compensation from the Nigerian government

"They only apologised, they never gave us money -- not even one naira," said Jugudum, referring to the Nigerian currency.

AFP was recently granted rare access to the town and observed the aftermath of the bombing as well as the dire humanitarian situation in the area.

Aid organisations have struggled to reach the remote region during the country's rainy season, further complicating the task of delivering food aid and healthcare.

Life in Rann appeared calm: women washed clothes while men sat in the shade of trees and chatted. Others waited in line for food parcels.

Girls wearing neon-coloured hijabs walked through the wreckage of the bomb site, while boys played with improvised toy cars made of rusted sardine cans and bottle caps for tires.

'Fog of war'

And despite Jugudum's anger, soldiers on the ground claim that relations with the local population are generally good.

"They (the people) understand very well it was a mistake," said one soldier in Rann.

"We've been having a very good, cordial relationship with them."

Aid organisations have struggled to reach the remote region during the country's rainy season, further complicating the task of delivering food aid and healthcare

But the Rann air strike nevertheless stands as a grim reminder of the massive civilian toll inflicted by the bloody eight-year Boko Haram insurgency and the ferocious government effort to stamp it out.

At first the Nigerian military blamed the bombing on the "fog of war".

But six months after the incident, it accused aid organisations operating in Rann of having failed to disclose their locations, leading the army to believe that Boko Haram fighters were massing in the town.

Bruno Jochum, director general of Doctors Without Borders (MSF), a medical charity working in Rann, rejected the army's claim, calling it "shocking".

"All the activities being carried out had been organised in full transparency with the Nigerian army," Jochum said.

"(The bombing) raises fundamental questions, such as how can this be decided? Why such a disproportionate use of force?" he asked.

The Rann incident is just one scandal plaguing the Nigerian military, which has been criticised by human rights organisations for the torture and extrajudicial killings of those suspected of being Boko Haram operatives.

It has also been accused of the sexual abuse of women living in camps for internally displaced people.

"It's a ruthless war, with tremendous levels of violence exerted from both sides on the population," Jochum said.

'Spiral out of control'

Over 20,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the Boko Haram conflict that has devastated northeast Nigeria and become one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.

After being elected to power in 2015, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari made tackling the insurgency a priority, winning back significant swathes of territory from the jihadists and declaring that Boko Haram is "technically defeated".

Men sit in the shade of a tree near a camp bombed in January

But a recent upsurge in attacks, including an audacious assault on an oil exploration team that killed over 60 people in July, is raising fears that Boko Haram is regaining strength.

According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project, 5,177 people were killed by Boko Haram in just the past two years.

Nigeria's acting president Yemi Osinbajo has ordered the country's Abuja-based military chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri, the capital of northeast Borno state and birthplace of Boko Haram, to get a grip on the situation.

"It is a worrying indication of where the conflict is headed and whether the gains the Nigerian government made against Boko Haram could be reversed," said security analyst Ryan Cummings.

"This could potentially get to a point where it could spiral out of control again."
Nairobi (AFP) - Kenya's opposition leader rejected preliminary results from a tightly-contested presidential election on Wednesday, decrying the tallying process as a "sham" as President Uhuru Kenyatta surged ahead.

The allegation by Kenyatta's longtime rival Raila Odinga raised fears of a possibly violent dispute over the results of Tuesday's election to decide the leader of east Africa's most vibrant democracy.

"These results are fake, it is a sham. They cannot be credible," Odinga told a press conference in the early hours of the morning as partial results fell quickly via an electronic tallying system aimed at preventing fraud.

Results released by the electoral commission (IEBC) showed Kenyatta leading with 55 percent of the nearly 13 million ballots counted against Odinga's 44 percent, a difference of nearly 1.4 million votes.

Odinga claimed the IEBC had not provided documents that would show how the tallies were arrived at.

"It is the machine that has voted," Odinga told reporters. "These results are wrong."

Odinga, 72, who is making his fourth stab at the presidency, accused his rivals of stealing victory from him through rigging both in 2007 and 2013.

In 2007, the disputed vote resulted in two months of ethnically-driven political violence that killed 1,100 people and displaced 600,000 in a major blow to a nation seen as a regional bastion of stability.

The contested election in 2013 was taken to the courts, and ended largely peacefully even though Odinga lost.

The run-up to this year's vote was fraught with tension, heightened by the torture and murder of Chris Msando, a key administrator of the biometric voting system, whose tortured and strangled body was found on the outskirts of Nairobi earlier this month.

"We fear that this is the precise reason why Mr. Chris Msando was assassinated," Odinga said, referring to his fraud claims.

No stopping results

The IEBC was undeterred by Odinga's statements, with commissioner Roslyn Akombe saying that despite a request by an unnamed political party to stop publishing preliminary results, "as a commission we decided that as part of the commitment we made to the voters and the Kenyan people, transparency and accountability are part of them."

Maasai voters queue to vote in Saikeri, Kajiado West County

"This is why, as a commission, we have decided we will continue to display the results," she said.

The contest between Odinga and Kenyatta was seen by pollsters as too close to call ahead of the vote.

It is the second time the two men have faced off in a presidential election in dynastic rivalry that has lasted more than half a century since their fathers Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Odinga went from allies in the struggle for independence to bitter rivals.

The men belong to two of Kenya's main ethnic groups, Kenyatta from the Kikuyu, the largest, and Odinga from the Luo.

Both had secured formidable alliances with other influential communities in Kenya, where voting takes place largely along tribal lines.

Raphael Tunju, secretary-general of Kenyatta's Jubilee party, shrugged off Odinga's allegations.

"I don't expect anything else from NASA," he said, referring to Odinga's National Super Alliance party.

On Tuesday, Kenyatta urged Odinga to accept the result should he lose.

"I also want to say that if I lose, I will accept the will of the people," Kenyatta said after voting.

A quiet vote

Despite reports of some technical glitches and delays, Tuesday's vote went off peacefully, and the IEBC moved quickly to deal with any complaints.

This year's campaign was marred by the brutal murder and torture of a top election official

A clerk in a polling station where ballot papers were pre-marked as "rejected," was fired, and police arrested another clerk in the port city Mombasa who was caught issuing double ballot papers to certain voters.

Shortly before polls closed, NASA put out a statement praising poll officials and security forces, but complained that some of its voters had been turned away.

NASA also said it had reports of "pre-marked ballot papers" and attempts to bribe voters.

Kenyans voted in six different elections, including several knife-edge races for governor that have fired up local tensions.

The opposition also looked set to lose the governorship of the capital Nairobi -- which had been seen as a major coup in 2013 -- to the ruling party candidate.

Kenyatta, 55, is seeking re-election after a first term in which he oversaw a massive infrastructure drive and steady economic growth of more than five percent.

But he has been criticised for soaring food prices -- with prices jumping 20 percent year-on-year in May -- and massive corruption scandals on his watch.
A former National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP, Michael Teye Nyaunu is upset over Valerie Sawyerrs attacks on the NDCs founder, Jerry John Rawlings.

He described her biting tirade at Mr. Rawlings as disappointing and insulting and said she had soiled herself with this conduct.

On Eyewitness News, Mr. Teye Nyaunu questioned how she could stoop so low and call JJ names.

He added that it was especially insulting and shameful for someone with no deep roots in the NDC to insult the founder like that.

As a matter of fact, when the revolution founded, where was she and what role did she play to the extent that she could now insult the founding father like this  I am disappointed in her, Mr. Teye Nyaunu stated.

Valerie Sawyerr's comments came in an article where she expressed outrage at Mr. Rawlings for his consistent criticisms of the NDC. She said he was still flogging a dead horse even though the party was now in opposition.

She said Mr. Rawlings was so obsessed with the NDC that he was prepared to destroy anyone and anything in the NDC if that will suit his agenda to be in the driving seat.

NDC failing after humiliating election defeat

But if this was the state of tensions within the NDC, Mr. Nyaunu said it did not bode well for the party's prospects moving forward following the humiliation of the December election.

It will be difficult for the NDC to come back if this is what is raging at the top if she could write an article like this then it means we have reached a critical stage in the life of this NDC organisation, he said.

We are not ready to rather go back, try to reassess what went wrong with that, draw up new strategies and she is throwing tantrums into the air to the extent that she will go down the drain and insult the founder like that. I am disappointed in her and that is a shame.

Mr. Teye Nyaunu further rubbished the sentiment that Valarie Sawyerrs actions were bold, as she purported in her piece, as there is the difference between boldness and disrespect. This is an insult. It is not a matter of boldness. It is an insult.

Sack Rawlings from NDC if

A member of the NDC, Alhaji Bature, also adding to the fallout, called on the party to sack its founder, Jerry John Rawlings because of comments made before and after the 2016 general elections which have brought the party into disrepute.

He said the NDC could learn from the New Patriotic Party, which has demonstrated that nobody is beyond discipline in the political party given it has sanctioned high ranking members in the past.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Kenyas incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta has taken a strong lead as votes are counted after Tuesdays election.

With 80% of results in he has 55% of the vote against 44% for his rival, Raila Odinga, figures show.

However, the opposition coalition has rejected the partial results, saying election officials have not produced documents to prove their validity.

They are fictitious, they are fake, said Mr Odinga.

We have our projections from our agents which show we are ahead by far, he added.

The electoral commission is urging people to wait calmly for full results.

Many fear a repeat of the violence that followed the disputed 2007 election when more than 1,100 Kenyans died and 600,000 were displaced.

During this critical phase, we urge all Kenyans to exercise restraint as we await official results from the polling stations and indeed as they start trickling in, the commission said.

Voting passed off largely peacefully and some polling stations remained open after the scheduled 17:00 (14:00 GMT) closing time.

Mr Kenyatta is hoping for a second term in office.

To win outright, a candidate needs more than 50% of the vote, and at least 25% in 24 of Kenyas 47 counties. If that threshold is not met, a run-off vote between the top two candidates will be triggered.

Voting for the national and local assemblies has also been taking place.

Scenes from the polling station

People started queuing early to ensure they could cast their vote. Long queues could be seen, and video footage at one polling station showed people injured after an apparent stampede.

There was also the failure of some voter-identification equipment and one in four polling stations were apparently without mobile phone coverage meaning that officials would have to drive to the nearest town to send results.

There were reports that one man had been killed in clashes in the Kilifi area.

Polling day as it happened

Kenyatta: The digital president

Odinga: Love him or loathe him

Full elections coverage

But there was one heartening moment when a woman gave birth to a baby girl as she queued in West Pokot to cast her ballot. New mother Pauline Chemanang called the circumstances of the birth a blessing and called her baby Kura, Swahili for ballot, according to local radio.

Casting his vote in his hometown of Gatundu, north of Nairobi, Mr Kenyatta said he would accept the outcome of the election.

To my competitors, as I have always said, in the event that they lose, let us accept the will of the people. I am willing, myself, to accept the will of the people, he said.

Opposition leader Mr Odinga cast his ballot in the Nairobi slum of Kibera.

Speaking outside the voting centre, he told his supporters: Lets turn out in large numbers and vote.

By Alastair Leithead, BBC News, Mathare

The queues were long and the voters impatient. Many arrived in the middle of the night to cast their ballots early and the electronic system is taking quite a while to verify voters.

If fingerprints dont register, ID card numbers have to be typed in to the electronic tablets and then theres a manual backup.

The responsibility lies with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to deliver a free and fair election.

The test will come when the polls close, the votes are counted and the results have to be transmitted to the tallying centres.

The presidential race is expected to be close.

Mr Odinga, 72, has run for president three times and lost each time. President Kenyatta, the 55-year-old son of Kenyas founding president, beat him in the last election in 2013, but their rivalry is generations old  their fathers were political opponents in the 1960s.

Mr Kenyatta and his running-mate William Ruto were indicted by the International Criminal Court for their alleged roles in the bloodshed a decade ago. The case ultimately collapsed due to lack of evidence, and after key witnesses died or disappeared.

Kenyas election in numbers:

Six separate ballot papers : For president, national assembly, female representatives, governors, senate and county assemblies

: For president, national assembly, female representatives, governors, senate and county assemblies 47 parliamentary seats and 16 senate seats reserved for women

and 16 senate seats reserved for women Eight presidential candidates : President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga are favourites

: President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga are favourites Kenyatta beat Odinga in 2013  their fathers were also political rivals in the 1960s

A candidate needs 50% plus one vote for first-round victory

vote for first-round victory More than 14,000 candidates running across the six elections

running across the six elections More than 45% of registered voters under 35

Some 180,000 security officers on duty nationwide in case of trouble

Chief EU observer Marietje Schaake said much would depend on the faith people hold in the new electronic voting system.

Before election day, a top election official was murdered, there were claims of vote-rigging and hate speech flyers and rhetorical text messages began circulating.

Some nervous Kenyans stockpiled food and water, while police prepared emergency first aid kits in the event of violence.



BBC
Nairobi (AFP) - President Uhuru Kenyatta appeared headed for re-election Wednesday as his rival Raila Odinga rejected early results as "fake", setting nerves on edge in east Africa's richest economy.

With ballots from 90 percent of polling stations counted, electoral commission (IEBC) results showed Kenyatta leading with 54.6 percent of the nearly 13 million ballots tallied against Odinga's 44.5 percent, a difference of 1.3 million votes.

"These results are fake, it is a sham. They cannot be credible," Odinga told a press conference in the early hours of the morning as partial results fell quickly via an electronic tallying system aimed at preventing fraud.

Odinga claimed the IEBC had not provided documents that would show how the tallies were arrived at.

"It is the machine that has voted," Odinga told reporters. "These results are wrong."

Odinga, 72, who is making his fourth stab at the presidency as the flagbearer for the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, accused his rivals of stealing victory from him through rigging both in 2007 and 2013.

In 2007, the disputed vote resulted in two months of ethnically-driven political violence that killed 1,100 people and displaced 600,000 in a major blow to a nation seen as a regional bastion of stability.

The contested election in 2013 was taken to the courts, and ended largely peacefully even though Odinga lost.

The run-up to this year's vote was fraught with tension, heightened by the torture and murder of Chris Msando, a key administrator of the biometric voting system, whose body was found on the outskirts of Nairobi earlier this month.

"We fear that this is the precise reason why Mr. Chris Msando was assassinated," Odinga said, referring to his fraud claims.

Winners and losers

Local media praised a calm day of voting Tuesday, but urged the losers to peacefully accept the result and turn to the justice system with their grievances.

"The voters, too, must await the results while acknowledging that their favourite candidate can actually lose. It is a critical measure of democracy that there will be winners and losers," read an editorial in the Daily Nation newspaper.

The normally traffic-choked streets of Nairobi were unusually quiet the day after the vote. However some businesses slowly began opening as the country held its breath over the results.

Odinga asked the IEBC to stop streaming results on its public website until the forms backing up the figures sent in from constituencies could be produced.

However IEBC commissioner Roslyn Akombe declined to do so.

"As a commission we decided that as part of the commitment we made to the voters and the Kenyan people, transparency and accountability are part of them."

'The will of the people'

Maasai voters queue to vote in Saikeri, Kajiado West County

The contest between Odinga and Kenyatta was seen by pollsters as too close to call ahead of the vote.

It is the second time the two men have faced off in a presidential election in dynastic rivalry that has lasted more than half a century since their fathers Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Odinga went from allies in the struggle for independence to bitter rivals.

The men belong to two of Kenya's main ethnic groups, Kenyatta from the Kikuyu, the largest, and Odinga from the Luo.

Both had secured formidable alliances with other influential communities in Kenya, where voting takes place largely along tribal lines.

In 2013 Kenyatta won by 800,000 votes.

Kenyatta, 55, is credited with overseeing steady economic growth of more than five percent, however food prices have soared under his watch and several major corruption scandals broke out in his first term.

Raphael Tunju, secretary-general of Kenyatta's Jubilee party, shrugged off Odinga's fraud charge.

"I don't expect anything else from NASA," he said.

On Tuesday, Kenyatta urged Odinga to accept the result should he lose.

"I also want to say that if I lose, I will accept the will of the people," Kenyatta said after voting.

A quiet vote

Despite reports of some technical glitches and delays, Tuesday's vote went off peacefully, and the IEBC moved quickly to deal with any complaints.

This year's campaign was marred by the brutal murder and torture of a top election official

A clerk in a polling station where ballot papers were pre-marked as "rejected," was fired, and police arrested another clerk in the port city of Mombasa who was caught issuing double ballot papers to certain voters.

Shortly before polls closed, NASA put out a statement praising poll officials and security forces, but complained that some of its voters had been turned away or not found their names on the register.

NASA also said it had reports of "pre-marked ballot papers" and attempts to bribe voters.

Kenyans voted in six different elections, including several knife-edge races for governor that have fired up local tensions.

Early results showed the opposition looked set to lose the governorship of the capital Nairobi -- which had been seen as a major coup in 2013 -- to the ruling party candidate.
A former National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP, Teye Nayunu let loose on some elements within the party for, among other things, sidelining the Jerry John Rawlings during the 2016 campaign.

Among other things, leaving Mr. Rawlings off the campaign team was an expensive experiment and it cost us, he stated on Eyewitness News.

It was for reasons like this that Mr. Teye Nyaunu said we all saw defeat coming during the elections that saw the NDC Flagbearer and sitting President, John Mahama, suffer the worst election defeat in Ghanas democratic history.

Singling out the Greater Accra Region, he said defeat was inevitable and the NDC made a last ditch attempt to salvage the region with the 74 million euro Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, which was inaugurated in November 2016, three weeks to the December 2016 polls.

All of us knew that we had lost Greater Accra. We saw it in advance and we were trying to use the overhead at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle to galvanize the people.

He also cited a failure of leadership as contributing to the defeat saying,  I saw the defeat coming when I saw we had lost the leadership. When I saw that everybody was doing what they liked, what even Stan Dogbe and the rest were doing at the Flagstaff House.

We cant blame Rawlings for defeat

Mr. Teye Nyaunu comments followed an article authored by former Deputy Chief of Staff, Dr. Valarie Sawyerr who slammed Jerry Rawlings criticisms of the NDC, even opposition, as needy and controlling.

She also held that Rawlings contributed to the NDCs election defeat with his criticism of the party.

But Mr. Teye Nyaunu said it would be illogical to blame someone not deemed important to even help the campaign.

If he is nobody like we all claimed from the beginning, that we can win minus him, why then turn around and begin to blame him? We said he is nobody and so we rejected him during the campaign and he was sitting in his office and in his house and we went to the polls and we were humiliated.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
09.08.2017 LISTEN

Jomoro (W/R), Aug. 8, GNA - Government would soon establish a fertilizer plant at Jomoro, in the Western Region, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has disclosed.

The proposed plant is a collaboration between government and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), as well as the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC), and a fulfillment of the President's vow to site a factory in each district of the country.

The move feeds into a manifesto pledge of the New Patriotic Party to leverage on Ghana's petroleum resources to produce fertilizers locally for the agricultural sector.

President Akufo-Addo made the disclosure when he interacted with the chiefs and people of Half Assini, in Jomoro, on the second day of his three-day tour of the Western Region.

With Jomoro set to be upgraded from a district to a municipality in September, President Akufo-Addo noted that the inability of the Assembly to approve a District Chief Executive (DCE) on three separate occasions may hamper development.

'I am appealing to you. Help me by approving the new nominee I am proposing as DCE for Jomoro. I can assure you that this nominee is resourceful, hardworking and can do the job.'

President Akufo-Addo gave the assurance that his government would manage prudently Ghana's oil revenues, resolving to ensure that oil proceeds do not find their way into the pockets of a few persons, but go towards the development of the country's education.

It is for this reason that a flagship programme of his government, the Free SHS policy, would commence in September, which would ensure that parents no longer bear the financial burden of taking their children to senior high school.

'I have been bastardised by several persons who claim the Free SHS policy is a misplaced priority, a lie, and cannot be done. The Free SHS policy, I wish to assure them, will start from September. The first students in the history of our country who are going to benefit from the Free SHS will be doing so as from September this year,' he said.

Touching on the dwindling fortunes of the cocoa sector, President Akufo-Addo noted that the policies and programmes instituted by former President John Agyekum Kufuor ensured that the cocoa production hit one million tonnes in 2010/2011.

However, cocoa production has since declined, with the 2015/2016 crop season recording a production of 778,000 metric tonnes.

'My government is going to increase cocoa production again to one million tonnes, and move it to 1.5 million tonnes in the course of my mandate. We will also ensure that cocoa farmers gain their pride of place in our society. We will make the cultivation of cocoa a source of gainful employment once again,' he said.

With his government having been saddled with huge debts, President Akufo-Addo told the Chiefs and people of Jomoro that he remained unfazed and would put in place the necessary measures to ensure improvement of the living conditions of the people, which included the construction of the town roads at Elubo and Half Assini.

Later in the day, President Akufo-Addo visited the Atuabo Gas Plant to familiarise himself with the operations of the company.

GNA
The strongest sanctions yet against North Korea could still prove no match for the communist countrys relentless nuclear weapons ambitions.

While the United States hails a new package of U.N. penalties that could cut a third of North Koreas exports, the sanctions themselves arent the American objective. Theyre only a tactic for getting Kim Jong Uns totalitarian government to end its missile advances and atomic weapons tests. And there is little evidence to suggest this newest round of economic pressure will be more successful than previous efforts.

Whatever the economic pain on Pyongyang, Kims government has expressed no interest in negotiating away its fast-growing arsenal of perhaps 20 nuclear bombs and the ballistic missiles needed to deliver them. For the young North Korean leader, the weapons are fundamental to the survival of his authoritarian regime, even if they deepen diplomatic isolation and bring even more extreme poverty for his long-suffering people.

And the sanctions may not prove effective. The North has learned through decades of U.S. efforts at isolation how to circumvent commercial and financial restrictions, and reluctant powers like China and Russia have often proven half-hearted partners when it comes to policing their ally.

On paper, this is a pretty strict containment of North Korea economically, said Scott Snyder, an expert on the Koreas at the Council on Foreign Relations. But North Korea has been able to evade sanctions in the past and its not clear to me things are going to be much different this time.

Speaking in the Philippines after meeting Asian foreign ministers, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Monday said there is no daylight in the view among Washington and its partners that North Korea must move toward abandoning its nuclear weapons. But he was quick to stress the importance of everyone enforcing the new, tougher sanctions.

We will be monitoring that carefully, he said.

The U.N. penalties aim to cut off roughly USD1 billion of North Koreas estimated $3 billion in annual exports, by banning countries from importing its coal, iron, lead and seafood products, and stopping them from letting in more North Korean laborers, who help Kims government by sending cash home. President Donald Trumps U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, called it the single largest economic sanctions package ever leveled against North Korea.

Even if, in the best-case scenario, the sanctions hurt North Koreas economy and weaken its government, questions remain over what to do next. Can North Korea be persuaded to give up its weapons of mass destruction, removing the threat to the United States and its allies, South Korea and Japan? If not, what new options does the United States have? Trump is only the latest U.S. president to choose sanctions instead of confronting the North militarily or offering diplomatic talks without nuclear concessions.

Much rests on the willingness of China, the Norths traditionally ally and main trading partner. China opposes Pyongyangs nuclear weapons, and was uncharacteristically forthright in saying so this week. But it remains cautious of triggering a North Korean collapse, fearful of fomenting chaos along its border or advancing any scenario that would lead to a reunified and U.S.-allied Korea on its doorstep.

In private diplomatic conversations, the U.S. has been telling Beijing that the Norths weapons development will eventually spread instability in the region, an argument that plays to Chinas strong preference for policies that preserve long-term stability and the status quo. The U.S. has been arguing that an unfettered North Korea could lead to an arms race in which Japan, South Korea and even Vietnam could pursue their own nuclear weapons, said a U.S. official who briefed reporters traveling with Tillerson on condition of anonymity.

Anthony Ruggiero, a former Treasury Department official and sanctions expert, said China and Russia have failed to implement a half-dozen previous U.N. resolutions on North Korea since 2006, when the country became the first and only one this century to conduct a nuclear test explosion. Four further atomic tests since then have honed its capability to miniaturize a nuclear device. Last months pair of groundbreaking tests of long-range ballistic missiles has put the continental United States in range for the first time.

While uncertainty remains over the Norths ability to wed a warhead with such a missile and strike a U.S. target, it is a prospect that looms larger over Trumps presidency.

As a matter of urgency, Ruggiero argued, the U.S. should punish Chinese banks and companies helping North Korea evade sanctions. Any such action may now face delays, as Washington will first have to gauge Beijings implementation of the new penalties.

Amid all the pressure, the Trump administration has left open the possibility of resuming talks with Pyongyang.

In Manila, Tillerson said he hoped the North would choose a different pathway and when the conditions are right, that we can sit and have a dialogue. He urged North Korea to first halt tests for an extended period, however often such confidence-building measures have failed.

North Korean shows scant interest in playing by Americas rules. Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told Asian foreign ministers at the same meeting Tillerson attended that under no circumstances will his country put its nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles on the negotiating table.

Without such a commitment, talks appear unlikely.

Washington has dismissed a Chinese proposal designed to pique Pyongyangs interest: a suspension of American military exercises with South Korea if the North freezes its weapons development.

The stances reflect a fundamental impasse that no amount of sanctions may be able to change. While the U.S. position is that North Korea must ultimately give up its nukes, the North insists it must keep them.

Richard Nephew, a former State Department official who helped craft the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, wrote that for sanctions to succeed, they have to be paired with a credible negotiating effort.

Its time to cut a deal, Nephew wrote on the 38 North website, to reduce the threat of North Koreas existing arsenal and to stabilize the peninsula before the situation gets out of hand. Matthew Pennington, Washington, AP
09.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, Aug. 8, GNA - A 15-member Council of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has been inaugurated to govern the affairs of the University for a three-year term.

The Council was inaugurated on Tuesday in Accra by Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Education.

It is under the Chairmanship of Dr Kofi Ohene-Konadu, the President's nominee; with Professor Abednego Feehi Okoe-Amartey, UPSA Vice Chancellor as member.

Other members include Prof Kwame Frimpong, Mr Maxwell Donkor and Ms Akyaa Afreh Arhin; all nominees of the President.

The rest are Mr John Selorm Kwame Agbenyo, Convocation representative; Madam Gladys A. A. Nabieu, University Teachers Association of Ghana, Mr Kwabena Akuamoah Agyekum, Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana, and Mr Mark Badu-Aboagye, the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce rep.

Others are Dr John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor, Alumni rep, Mr Israel K. Nyatuame, Teachers and Educational Workers (TEWU) rep; Nana E.C. Acquah of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools; Nii Adotei Abrahams of the National Council for Tertiary Education; Mr Justice Gadugah of the UPSA Students' Representative Council and Ms Dorcas Oye Haywood-Dadzie of the UPSA Graduate Students' Association of Ghana.

Dr Opoko Prempeh, who administered the Oath of Office and Secrecy to the new Council Members, said they were required by the UPSA Act 850 (2012) to ensure the implementation of the aims of the University.

He said it was the duty of the Council to determine the University's strategic direction and monitor and evaluate its policy implementation, promote income-generating activities as part of the University's programme, control its and determine the allocation and proper use of funds.

'You must ensure the creation of an environment of equal opportunity for members of the University without regard to ethnicity, sex, race, religious belief or political affiliation,' he said.

Dr Opoku Prempeh charged the Council to propose workable solutions to issues confronting the UPSA and hailed it for not depending on government for its subventions.

He said as part of efforts to deal with the problem of adequate funding of higher education, government had committed itself to the establishment of a National Research Fund for the sole purpose of funding relevant and sector specific research work in the institutions of higher learning; adding that; 'This is in addition to the Book and Research Allowance'.

He said the National Research Fund Bill would be placed before Parliament in October for passage into law.

Dr Opoku Prempeh, therefore, appealed for input into the National Research Fund Bill in line with the Government's new policy direction.

On the University's admission system, the Minister proposed that the creation of a common admission platform by the National Council for Tertiary Education for undergraduate enrolment would ensure equal opportunities for all and sundry.

He also appealed to all public universities to include Diploma in Education Programmes in their curricular, which would go a long way to empower them to give training to their newly recruited lecturers on how to deliver as teachers.

Regarding the issue that universities having to seek clearance from Parliament before fixing new school fees, the Minister said the approval of fees and charges by Parliament was in compliance with the Fees and Charges Act.

He said government was fully committed to promoting tertiary education in the country as a means of equipping its citizens with the tools vital for national development.

Dr Opoku Prempeh said the Ministry had embarked upon the review of the legal, institutional and regulatory framework of the agencies under it to ensure that their roles were properly outlined to provide a clearer understanding of their functions and strengthen their mandate to perform efficiently.

He cited the National Council for Tertiary Education Act 454 (1993) and the National Accreditation Board Act 744 (2007), which were currently undergoing review.

Dr Ohene-Konadu, on behalf of the Council, expressed gratitude to the President for the confidence reposed in them.

He said they would use the Council as a tool and not a weapon for the advancement of the University and the nation.

GNA

By Iddi Yire, GNA
Tarkwa (W/R), Aug. 8, GNA - President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Tuesday urged Ghanaians to desist from fronting for foreigners to engage in illegal small scale mining (Galamsey).

He said the laws of Ghana allowed only citizens and not foreigners to engage in small scale mining.

'Let us abide by our laws We should not act as front-men for foreigners in activities solely reserved for Ghanaians,' he stressed.

President Akufo-Addo gave the caution when he interacted with the chiefs and people of Tarkwa in the Western Region on the second day of his three-day tour of the Region.

The tour is to thank the people for the massive show of support given him and the New Patriotic Party during the December 2016 general election, and to get first hand their concerns and suggestions to improve the governance of the country.

The President outlined his government's proposal to strengthening the small scale mining industry through the Multilateral Integrated Mining Project (MMIP).

The MMIP, he said, would be the first holistic approach in combating illegal mining in Ghana, reduce illegal small scale mining to the barest minimum and find alternative livelihoods for those involved.

President Akufo-Addo urged residents of Tarkwa to ignore the propaganda making the rounds that he intends abolishing mining.

He said the only form of mining he was against was illegal mining.

With the christening of Ghana's first modern city as Elmina, to wit 'The Mine' by the Portuguese, President Akufo-Addo stated that as far back as the 15th century, there was the recognition that mining was important for the country's economy.

'Mining is part of our heritage. It is not under an Akufo-Addo government that mining is going to be abolished. I can never abolish mining. Those saying I am trying to abolish mining are just doing propaganda. Mining is an integral part of our country's heritage,' he said.

The President said what his government could not allow to happen, was for illegal mining to compromise the country's environment.

'Our lands, water bodies and forests are also part of our heritage. I swore an oath before the Almighty and before Ghanaians to govern in accordance with the rule of law, and also to protect the territorial integrity of our nation. I am mandated by the laws of the land to protect our lands and water bodies.

'Mining in Ghana, from the times of our ancestors, have been undertaken without it destroying our water bodies and lands. The Birim, Densu, rivers we used to drink from as children, have now been polluted as a result of galamsey. I, as President of the Republic, will not watch unconcerned whilst a few people destroy our lands and water bodies.'

President Akufo-Addo announced that government had received a number of proposals for the establishment of a gold refinery at Tarkwa, adding that 'if I was against mining, I would not be putting such measures in place.'

He also assured residents of Tarkwa about government's determination to revive the Bonsa Tyre Factory and the Aboso Glass Factory, so as to create jobs and wealth for the people.

GNA
Accra, Aug. 08, GNA - Mr Solomon Lartey, the Chief Executive Officer of Activa Insurance, Tuesday, urged the Government to formalise the informal sector to enable insurance companies design products targeted at Small and Medium-scale Enterprises.

He said insurance must be seen as a tool to encourage private sector investment in national development; a tool to grow and sustain SMEs and a tool for financial inclusiveness.

Mr Lartey was speaking on the second day two of the Ghana Economic Forum (GEF) on the theme: 'Building A Ghanaian Owned Economy, 60 Years After Independence', in Accra.

He said players in the insurance industry also needed to educate the public and create awareness on the relevance of insurance to their lives and property.

The event brought together more than 500 local and international business leaders to dialogue and chart a clear path for Ghanaian businesses to own the Ghanaian economy.

Some strategic issues that were discussed during the plenary sessions included: Macroeconomic trends affecting the global economy; the attributes that have allowed emerging market companies to play an increasing role on the international stage; the rise of the Ghanaian urban consumer; and the interrelated social and demographic changes creating new domestic engines of growth.

Speaking on: 'The Role of Insurance in National Development: 60 years on,'

Mr Lartey said the Government must provide a conducive environment for insurance companies to strive and drive in the national developmental process.

He said Ghanaians generally considered insurance as a foreign ideology, though the national culture promoted a safety net that safeguarded its people.

'The Ghana Association of Insurers has set up the agriculture insurance pool to provide insurance to the agriculture sector,' he added.

He urged the Government and MMDAs to take advantage of the low cost of insurance to protect national assets.

He said insurance companies needed to strengthen their operations to be able to serve their clients effectively.

Dr Albert Gemegah, the Dean of Graduate School, Wisconsin International University College, said insurance companies needed to take a look at the whole area of micro-insurance for SMEs and other informal industry players.

He said industry players would have to design appropriate products and services that were appealing to all segment of the public.

'Micro-insurance is key to providing protection to the people in the informal sector,' he emphasised.

He said the industry should encourage people to go beyond taking third party insurance.

Mr. Simon Davor, the Deputy Commissioner, National Insurance Commission, said the Commission would continue to monitor players in the industry to enable them provide better services to its clients.

GNA

By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA
09.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, Aug. 8, GNA - The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) has organised a forum for young entrepreneurs to familiarise themselves with the operations of the Centre.

The forum, on the theme; 'Connect, Accelerate and Grow' was to share the Centre's strategy and expose the young entrepreneurs to the GIPC ACT 865 as well as sensitize them on how to strategically prepare their businesses for partnerships.

Mr Yofi Grant, the Chief Executive Officer of GIPC, said the forum was critical to develop the entrepreneurial potentials of the youth to accelerate economic development considering the high rate of unemployment.

Mr Grant urged the youth to focus on their skills and ideas and work hard to achieve their goals, saying; 'It is through hard work and perseverance that you will achieve success'.

He encouraged them to dress decently and work on their communication skills to catch the eyes of investors, since they constitute a great value for business growth.

Mr Grant said it was imperative for young entrepreneurs to sacrifice their time to perfect on their skills and potentials and not spend time on less important things that would not profit their career.

He urged them to be creative and innovative and understand the market trends adding that the GIPC had engaged in series of reforms to make investment attractive to both local and foreigners.

Mr Grant said the Centre would be more aggressive on disseminating information about the investment horizon to facilitate easy partnership among the business community.

Mr Daniel McKorley, the Group CEO of McDan Shipping, urged the youth to work on their attitudes to succeed in life as attitudes contribute about 75 per cent to success while skills contribute 25 per cent.

He expressed concern about how some of the youth want to get rich overnight, stressing it takes patience, discipline and persistence to achieve a realistic goal.

Madam Hamdiya Ismaila, the General Manager of Venture Capital, encouraged small and medium enterprises to develop a good business plan to make it easy to access fund.

GNA

By Kodjo Adams, GNA
Accra, Aug.08, GNA - The Department for International Development (DFID) has donated assorted items valued at 978,840.25 to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to improve the implementation of Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) in deprived districts.

The items include two station wagon Nissan patrols, 10 Nissan pick-ups, 200 TVS motorbikes, 500 bicycles and 24 Lenovo laptops to aid in project activities.

The donation would aid the Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Central and Western Regions under the Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Improvement Project (MCHNP).

It would facilitate service delivery in the districts, sub-districts and CHPS communities; especially aid healthcare officers to conduct outreach services, provide immunisation and growth promotion services, home visits, and disease surveillance.

Mr Archie Laing, the Programme Manager DFID, handing over the items, said despite the huge investments in the health sector by the Government the country was still struggling to deliver high-quality health services that could provide prevention, care and treatment when needed at an affordable cost.

Mr Laing said the two Nissan station wagons would be distributed to the Western and Central regional health directorates and the 10 Nissan Pick-Ups would also be distributed to 10 deprived district health directorates.

Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, the Director General of the GHS, expressed gratitude to the DFID for the numerous support it was rendering to Ghana and said this would enhance health delivery in the respective districts.

He said this would enhance the service delivery of the Appointed Community Health Volunteers who assisted health staff at the community level.

GNA

By Samira Larbie/Elsie Appiah-Osei, GNA
Accra, Aug. 8, GNA - The Government has made it clear that it has no interest, whatsoever, in who emerges winner in Tuesday's polls in Kenya.

It said: 'The decision as to who leads Kenya for the next five years as President remains the sole preserve of the Kenyan people.'

The Government said this in a statement signed by Mr Mustapha Abdul Hamid, the Minister of Information, and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday.

The statement said the Government had been monitoring events with regards to the election and had also noted with concern the refusal of entry to Kenya of Mr Peter Mac Manu, a Ghanaian citizen.

It said Mr Manu went to Kenya as Head of the Democratic Union of Africa's Observer Mission and it was not the first time that he had acted in that capacity.

The statement said the Ghanaian Constitution guarantees every citizen of Ghana the freedom to participate in political activity inside or outside of the country, within the laws of Ghana or wherever they found themselves.

'They do so in their own capacity as free citizens of a free state, and not at the behest of the Government of Ghana,' it said.

The statement said Ghana enjoyed strong diplomatic relations with Kenya and would continuously work to deepen this, as well as explore other areas of co-operation between the two countries to their mutual benefit, irrespective of the Government at the helm of affairs.

'We pray for a successful and credible election and hope that the winning candidate, at the end of the process, would receive the unalloyed support of all.

That is how Kenya can strengthen her democracy and the peace and stability of the nation,' it said.

GNA
09.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, Aug. 8, GNA - Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on Tuesday said government would continue to provide a conducive environment for businesses to grow and support the establishment of new ones.

He said the Government was particularly interested in encouraging value addition since it would provide more product lines and, therefore, open more avenues for job creation to accelerate development.

Vice President Bawumia said this at the Tema Free Zone Enclave when he paid a surprise visit to the place to acquaint himself with the operations of businesses there.

The Vice President and his entourage toured two cocoa processing companies; Barry Callebaut and Niche Cocoa Industries Limited.

He said the visit was to afford him the opportunity to understand their challenges in order to find lasting solutions.

Vice President Bawumia said: 'I'm happy to see that these companies are being run by Ghanaians or have a significant Ghanaian representation.

'I'm happy to see Ghanaian men and women doing an earnest job to earn a living. But we want to see more value addition. There are so many jobs we can create with value addition.

'I also came here to get a better understanding of the sort of challenges you have because we are not satisfied with the level of cocoa processed here.'

He said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had charged the country to process and add value to her raw materials to boost exports and create more jobs.

'So we wanted to see the challenges that Barry Callebaut and others are having, and find ways to help them,' he said.

Mrs Charity A. Sackitey, the Managing Director of Barry Callebaut, who took the Vice President round the factory, said the factory operated 24/7 and, therefore, paid higher tariff than the figure announced by the Electricity Company of Ghana.

She, therefore, appealed for a discount from the Ghana Cocoa Board during the main cocoa season to help the Company to double production and create employment.

'The company receives a discount for the light crop but no subsidy for the main crop, and this has limited its ability to expand,' she said.

Mr Edmund Poku, the Managing Director of Niche Cocoa Industry Limited, called for financial support for cocoa processing companies to help them to buy more beans for processing and expansion.

The Vice President, in response, promised to look into their concerns and engage the appropriate stakeholders for a speedy solution.

Barry Callebaut, which is headquartered in Switzerland, is the first company to move into the Tema Free Zones Enclave in 2001, and has been growing steadily.

The Niche Cocoa Industry Limited, on the other hand, is a wholly Ghanaian owned cocoa processing company established in May, 2011.

It recently doubled its capacity from 30,000 metric tonnes to 60,000 a year thus, making it one of the largest cocoa processing companies in the country.

GNA

By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
Nairobi (AFP) - Hackers broke into the database of Kenya's electoral commission and manipulated the results of the election, the leader of the country's opposition coalition alleged on Wednesday.

Vote counting is ongoing in east Africa's strongest democracy after Tuesday's election where voters were asked to either re-elect President Uhuru Kenyatta or replace him with longtime opposition leader Raila Odinga.

With ballots from 92 percent of polling stations counted, electoral commission (IEBC) results showed Kenyatta leading, with 54.4 percent of the nearly 13 million ballots tallied, against Odinga's 44.7 percent, a difference of 1.3 million votes.

Odinga rejected those results, claiming at a morning press conference that they were the result of a intrusion by hackers into the IEBC's electronic voting system, set up to guard against vote fraud.

"These results are fake, it is a sham. They cannot be credible," Odinga told reporters.

He said the hacking affected all the results, both the presidential and the general election.

The hackers were able to access the system using the credentials of Chris Msando, a top IT official at the IEBC found tortured and murdered in late July, he said.

"This is an attack on our democracy. The 2017 general election was a fraud," said Odinga, claiming detailed evidence of the hackers' movements.

He would not say how he got the information, saying he wanted to protect his source.

The 72-year-old is making his fourth bid for the presidency as the flag bearer for the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition.

In the past, he has accused his rivals of stealing victory from him through rigging in 2007 and in 2013.

In 2007, the disputed vote resulted in two months of ethnically driven political violence that killed 1,100 people and displaced 600,000, a major blow to a nation seen as a regional bastion of stability.

The contested election in 2013 was taken to the courts and ended largely peacefully, though Odinga lost.

Odinga urged his supporters to "remain calm as we look deep into this matter," but added: "I don't control the people."
Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis on Wednesday denounced "shameful" attacks on Christians in Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR), calling for an end to "all hate and violence".

"I have been profoundly saddened by the massacre last Sunday in Nigeria, inside a church, where innocent people were killed," the pontiff said at the end of his weekly public audience at the Vatican.

"And sadly this morning we have news of violence in the Central African Republic against Christian communities.

"I hope all forms of hate and violence will cease and such shameful crimes in places of worship, where the faithful are gathered to pray, will not be repeated," he added.

At least 11 worshippers were gunned down at a church in southeast Nigeria on Sunday, with authorities suggesting the bloodshed was due to a local feud.

Attacks on churches are rare in southern Nigeria, where there is a predominantly Christian population.

The country's mainly-Muslim north has been gripped by a violent campaign by Boko Haram jihadists, who specialise in targeting religious centres.

The violent campaign to impose strict Islamic law has killed at least 20,000 people and forced some 2.6 million others to flee their homes, sparking a dire humanitarian crisis in the northeast.

In the Central African Republic, reports of killings, some targeting aid workers have prompted the UN to warn of "early signs of a genocide" in the conflict-wracked nation.

At least 60 people have been killed in recent weeks in fighting between armed groups in Ngaoundaye and Batangafo in the north, Kaga-Bandoro in the centre and Alindao and Gambo to the south, witnesses have told AFP.

The fighting is largely between groups on opposing sides of the brutal conflict between Muslim and Christian militias that broke out in CAR in 2013 after President Francois Bozize was overthrown by a coalition of Muslim-majority rebel groups called the Seleka.
The Ghana Federation of Labour has urged the government to stop lamenting and create more jobs for unemployed Ghanaians in the country.

This Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo disclosed during the 2017 Ghana Economic Forum on Monday, that the government doesn't have the capacity to employ more public servants.

He stated that the public sector is full in terms of employment [and] we can't employ anybody in the public sector.

According to him, the sector is full and government might even be forced to lay off some workers if the need arises.

But Abraham Koomson, the Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour, said on Eyewitness News that they [NPP] never promised to come to come to lay off workers, they knew the challenges that faced the economy, so if they have come to lament, who should help them?

He added that it is the responsibility of the government to make sure that the private sector picks up.

They have promised to give out stimulus packages and all that, it is not for them to be lamenting and crying

Donald Trump is still not doing better but he has been able to create about 300, 000 jobs, how many jobs have we created?? 10, 20 or 40? They should stop talking, get to work and deliver, he added.

Dont touch health, teachers  NAGRAT warns

The Vice president of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu had earlier cautioned government to ensure that the cut in public sector workers should not affect the health and education sectors.

The Senior Minister should have segregated the public sector and indicated directly which part of the public sector he is referring to because I do know that the policy indicates that there are vacancies in the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Education Service. So are we saying that there is a ban on employment in both the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Education Service whilst we are aware a lot of school's need teachers if it is a general policy then I am afraid to say that a lot of classrooms will be empty and without teachers, he added.



By: Rita Mensah/citifmonline.com/ghana
With the rise of a friendly leader in the Philippines, China has been spared a vocal adversary in the disputed South China Sea. In the process, it has gained momentum despite last years ruling by an arbitration tribunal that invalidated its expansive claims in the disputed waters.

The rapprochement between President Rodrigo Duterte and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, defused a tense standoff between the Asian neighbors last year at the disputed Scarborough Shoal, where China allowed Filipinos back to fish in October as years of thorny relations began to brighten.

As President Donald Trump succeeded Barack Obama, who had challenged Chinas assertive advances in the disputed sea, U.S. allies wondered if Trump would press Americas role as a regional counterbalance to the Asian powerhouse.

An annual summit of Asia-Pacific nations hosted by the Philippines over the weekend, however, delivered a reality check to Beijing.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met his Australian and Japanese counterparts on the sidelines of the meetings in Manila of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. After their meeting, they issued a joint statement that blasted aggressive actions in the contested offshore territories  without, of course, naming Beijing directly, in line with diplomatic practice.

Nevertheless, China quickly voiced its irritation.

Its top diplomat said that while his country and the 10-nation ASEAN bloc all fully recognized that the situation in the South China Sea is showing signs of changes and things are moving toward a positive direction, some countries outside the region are not seeing the positive changes and are holding onto a mindset that still stays in the past.

After the Philippines, ASEANs leader this year, hosted the first of three major summits of the bloc in April, Duterte issued a traditional chairmans statement that dropped mention of contentious issues, including Beijings island constructions in disputed reefs that China has lobbied to be struck out of such high-profile communiques. For China, it was seen as a diplomatic coup.

Closeted in their annual gathering in Manila over the weekend, however, ASEAN foreign ministers wrangled over the tone and wordings to depict the territorial rifts involving China and five other governments in their joint statement, which unlike the chairmans statement is a negotiated document.

A draft of the ASEAN ministerial statement seen by The Associated Press before it was finalized and made public provided a glimpse of the closed-door intramurals, with Vietnam insisting on stronger language against Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the busy waters.

Vietnamese diplomats, for example, insisted on mentioning concern over extended construction in the contested waters. Cambodia, a Chinese ally, deferred a vote on the inclusion of worries over militarization.

The protracted quibblings delayed the statements release, two Southeast Asian diplomats told the AP. When it was issued a day later, the joint ministerial statement  surprisingly  mentioned land reclamation and militarization and, to Beijings certain dismay, carried a vague reference to the arbitration ruling: full respect for diplomatic and legal process.

Wang played down mention of the issues, including land reclamation, that critics have used to refer to Chinas massive island constructions in the South China Sea.

The next battle is over a proposed code of conduct, which aims to stymie aggressive behavior in the disputed sea, including new construction and military fortifications. China concluded talks with ASEAN for a negotiating framework for the nonaggression code, a baby step both sides hailed as a milestone.

Most ASEAN states, including the Philippines, back a legally binding code. China wants otherwise and opposes mention of the contentious issues, including arbitration and a conflict-

resolution arrangement, given its preference to solve the conflicts through one-on-one negotiation with its smaller rival claimants. With ASEAN unable to do anything unless it acquiesces to Chinas wishes, it relented to reach a consensus. Proponents of the rule of law were dismayed.

The agreed framework is a lowest-common-denominator effort. It lacks teeth because China has opposed making it legally binding and refused to include a dispute settlement mechanism, said Bonnie Glaser, a senior adviser for Asia at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

With ASEAN itself divided and Chinas sway over individual ASEAN members growing, Glaser said, this is an unsurprising even if disappointing development.

Wang announced at the Manila meetings that China would be ready to start negotiations for the maritime code when its leader travels to the Philippines and joins ASEAN heads of state in November.

But first, he said, in a shot at the United States, the situation has to be stable and free of major disruption from outside parties.

The United States, Australia and Japan immediately weighed in, urging China and ASEAN to ensure that the code of conduct be finalized in a timely manner, and that it be legally binding, meaningful, effective, and consistent with international law.

Outside parties like the U.S. will do what they think is needed to promote peace and stability in the region, Glaser said. If China opposes those actions, so be it. Jim Gomez, Manila, AP
Nairobi (AFP) - President Uhuru Kenyatta appeared headed for re-election Wednesday but his rival Raila Odinga claimed a massive hacking attack had manipulated results, ratcheting up tensions in opposition strongholds.

Police engaged in running battles with a few hundred protesters in Odinga's bastion Kisumu in western Kenya, firing tear gas as his supporters set tyres alight. Burning barricades also went up in Nairobi's Mathare slum, AFP reporters said.

With ballots from 94 percent of polling stations counted, electoral commission (IEBC) results showed Kenyatta leading with 54.4 percent of the over 14 million ballots tallied against Odinga's 44.7 percent.

"These results are fake, it is a sham. They cannot be credible," Odinga told a press conference in the early hours of the morning as partial results fell quickly via an electronic tallying system aimed at preventing fraud.

His accusations, and the reaction from his supporters again raised the spectre of electoral violence in Kenya, still traumatised by the memory of bloody post-poll clashes a decade ago which left 1,100 dead and 600,000 displaced.

Odinga later detailed accusations of a massive hacking attack on the electronic system, saying hackers had gained entry to the system using the identity of top IT official Chris Msando, who was found murdered and tortured late last month.

"This is an attack on our democracy. The 2017 general election was a fraud," said Odinga, claiming detailed evidence of the hacker's movements. He would not say how he got the information, as he wanted to "protect his source".

Odinga claimed the IEBC had not provided the scanned forms meant to accompany the results.

The 72-year-old, who is making his fourth bid for the presidency as the flagbearer for the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, accused his rivals of stealing victory from him through rigging in 2007 and in 2013.

"You can only cheat a people for so long," he said.

IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati insisted the poll was "free and fair" and urged Kenyans to await the original forms backing up the results being streamed through electronically, to verify the figures seen on their public website.

"As a commission we shall carry out investigations to establish whether or not the (hacking) claims are true," he said.

'I don't control the people'

Odinga urged his supporters to "remain calm as we look deep into this matter." But he added: "I don't control the people."

As his speech ended scores of supporters gathered at a roundabout in Kisumu and began burning tyres, while others gathered in a Nairobi slum under heavy police presence.

"If Raila is not president, we can't have peace," one Kisumu protester told AFP shortly before tear gas sent the crowd running.

Resident Geoffery Omondi, 22 shook his head as protesters lit a new fire nearby. "It is very painful to watch. The problem is the IEBC who did not announce results well."

Local media urged the losers to peacefully accept the result and turn to the justice system with their grievances.

"The voters, too, must await the results while acknowledging that their favourite candidate can actually lose. It is a critical measure of democracy that there will be winners and losers," read an editorial in the Daily Nation newspaper.

The normally traffic-choked streets of Nairobi were largely deserted Wednesday, and some businesses remained closed as the country held its breath over the results.

'The will of the people'

Maasai voters queue to vote in Saikeri, Kajiado West County

The contest between Odinga and Kenyatta was seen by pollsters as too close to call ahead of the vote.

It is the second time the two men have faced off in a presidential election, a dynastic rivalry that has lasted more than half a century since their fathers Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Odinga went from allies in the struggle for independence to bitter rivals.

The men belong to two of Kenya's main ethnic groups, Kenyatta from the Kikuyu, the largest, and Odinga from the Luo.

Both had secured formidable alliances with other influential communities in Kenya, where voting takes place largely along tribal lines.

In 2013 Kenyatta won by 800,000 votes.

Kenyatta, 55, is credited with overseeing steady economic growth of more than five percent. However food prices have soared under his watch and several major corruption scandals broke out in his first term.

Raphael Tuju, secretary-general of Kenyatta's Jubilee party, shrugged off Odinga's fraud charge.

"I don't expect anything else from NASA," he said.

On Tuesday, Kenyatta urged Odinga to accept the result should he lose.

"I also want to say that if I lose, I will accept the will of the people," Kenyatta said after voting.
Nairobi (AFP) - Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta appeared headed for re-election Wednesday but his rival Raila Odinga claimed a massive hacking attack had manipulated results, ratcheting up tensions in opposition strongholds.

Police fired tear gas to disperse a few hundred protesters in Kisumu in western Kenya as well as in Nairobi's Mathare slum, with Odinga's supporters setting up burning barricades and blocking roads with debris in both spots, AFP reporters said.

With votes from 95 percent of polling stations counted, electoral commission (IEBC) results showed Kenyatta leading with 54 percent of the over 14 million ballots tallied against Odinga's 44.7 percent.

"These results are fake, it is a sham. They cannot be credible," Odinga told a press conference in the early hours of Wednesday as partial results streamed onto a public website via an electronic tallying system aimed at preventing fraud.

The IEBC said the results could not be considered official until they were verified by original documents from polling stations.

Unofficial results show Kenya's incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta leading the election race

Odinga's accusations, and the reaction of his supporters, again raised the spectre of electoral violence in Kenya, still traumatised by the memory of bloody post-poll clashes a decade ago which left 1,100 people dead and 600,000 displaced.

Odinga detailed accusations of a massive hacking attack on the electronic system, saying hackers had gained entry to the system using the identity of top IT official Chris Msando, who was found murdered and tortured late last month.

"This is an attack on our democracy. The 2017 general election was a fraud," said Odinga, claiming detailed evidence of the hacker's movements. He would not say how he got the information, as he wanted to "protect his source".

Kenyan police arrive to break up a protest from opposition supporters in Kisumu, western Kenya, on August 9, 2017

The 72-year-old, who is making his fourth bid for the presidency as the flagbearer for the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, accused his rivals of stealing victory from him through rigging in 2007 and in 2013.

"You can only cheat a people for so long," he said.

'Free and fair'

IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati insisted the poll was "free and fair".

Kenyan presidential candidate Raila Odinga has called the 2017 election a "fraud"

"As a commission we shall carry out investigations to establish whether or not the (hacking) claims are true," he said, adding that the IEBC had a week to release final results.

Raphael Tuju, secretary-general of Kenyatta's Jubilee party, urged the opposition to "look at the figures soberly" and accept the results.

"You cannot claim that results are fake with respect to presidential vote and you welcome the areas where your governors and MPs have won convincingly. You have to accept the results however they come," he said.

Odinga urged his supporters to "remain calm as we look deep into this matter." But he added: "I don't control the people."

As his speech ended scores of supporters gathered at a roundabout in Kisumu and began burning tyres, while others gathered in the Nairobi slum of Mathare under a heavy police presence.

Police fired shots into the air and volleys of tear gas to disperse protesters in Mathare who set up burning barricades in some roads.

"If Raila is not president, we can't have peace," one Kisumu protester told AFP.

Running results for Kenya's presidential elections appear on a giant screen at the national tally centre in Nairobi on August 9, 2017

Resident Geoffery Omondi, 22 shook his head as protesters lit a new fire nearby. "It is very painful to watch. The problem is the IEBC who did not announce results well."

However the protests remained isolated, and in opposition strongholds where elections tend to stoke tensions.

Nevertheless the normally traffic-choked streets of Nairobi remained deserted as the country held its breath over the results.

Dynastic rivalry

The contest between Odinga and Kenyatta was seen by pollsters as too close to call ahead of the vote.

Supporters of Kenya's opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) run during clashes with security forces in the western town of Kisumu on August 9, 2017, as they protest the national election results

It is the second time the two men have faced off in a presidential election, a dynastic rivalry that has lasted more than half a century since their fathers Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Odinga went from allies in the struggle for independence to bitter rivals.

The men belong to two of Kenya's main ethnic groups, Kenyatta from the Kikuyu, the largest, and Odinga from the Luo.

Both had secured formidable alliances with other influential communities in Kenya, where voting takes place largely along tribal lines.

In 2013 Kenyatta won by 800,000 votes.

Kenyatta, 55, is credited with overseeing steady economic growth of more than five percent. However food prices have soared under his watch and several major corruption scandals broke out in his first term.
Former President Jerry John Rawlings' continuous reprimand of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over corruption has received a cheeky response from former Deputy Chief of Staff, Valerie Sawyerr.

Ms Sawyerr, who was Senior Policy Adviser and Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit under the previous Mahama administration, appears to insist that Mr. Rawlings, who is the founder of the NDC, cannot claim to be upright when it comes to corruption and should spare the public his corruption 'sermons.'

Galamsey Fight

She said it would help the cause of the country if the former president directed his actions towards the ongoing fight against illegal mining aka galamsey or lead a crusade against the recent invasion of the fall army worms and leave the NDC to live its opposition life.

The 'galamsey' problem is still in existence, despite the fact that the government is trying to pretend that it has gone away. I am sure you are needed in places like Denkyira-Obuasi to help clamp down on the menace. This will help your twin brother, President Akufo-Addo, to fulfill his anti-galamsey promise. Even though he did promise the galamseyers before the 2016 elections that he would leave them to ply their trade. Hmmm confusion here, there and everywhere!

Open Letter

In what looks like an open letter to the former president for continuously tagging the NDC as corrupt, Ms Sawyerr appeared to suggest that Mr. Rawlings was still attacking the NDC even in opposition and leaving the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration unchecked.

She said, They say he booms  I say he buzzes  like an agitated mosquito  looking for his next victim. Again, he heads for other Heads of State  describing their governance as riddled with corruption. Is he trying to say that his reign was unblemished or that his twin brother's (President Akufo-Addo's) reign is unsullied? Really? Who born dog  in fact  who born monkey?

Successful Agenda

JJ oooo JJ  the great Papa JJ  the one and only Junior Jesus  the great saint who never does wrong  you are still flogging a dead horse  the NDC is in opposition, in case you have not noticed, while a living raging bull is moving around with reckless abandon, destroying everything it finds in its path, including the assets and citizens of this nation.

Who has said you don't like the NDC? Are you setting your own questions and answering them please? Nobody has said you do not like the NDC. Stop putting words in our mouths. Indeed, some think you crave for the NDC so much that you are prepared to destroy anyone and anything in the NDC, if that will suit your agenda to always be in control of the NDC.

Throwing Challenge

She appeared to chastise the NDC for not standing up to the former president and saying it as it is to him.

NDC, where are our men and women? NDC where are our leaders? I challenge you to rise and speak the truth unblemished and fearlessly! The truth can be told by all  no man or woman is the sole repository of truth. she charged.

She also accused Mr Rawlings of falling out with almost all those who had helped him to rule Ghana for 19 years.

Is it true that you fell out with a majority of those who worked diligently for you at different stages of your journey  the Ahwois, the Tsikatas, the Peprahs, the Abodakpis, the PV Obengs (blessed memory), the Sherry Ayiteys, the Kwesi Botchweys, the Martha Tamakloes, the Sipa Yankeys, the Ibrahim Adams, the Mould Iddrisus, the Herbert Mensahs and a whole host of others?

Amidu Factor

In the course of her vituperations, Ms. Sawyerr, whose father served Rawlings as Education Minister, introduced the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Martin A.B.K Amidu, in her attacks, describing him as pompous with over-bloated ego.

She made an astonishing claim that the former Attorney General at one point attempted to assault then President John Evans Atta Mills.

She claimed that barely a week after the incident in 2012, Mr. Amidu was relieved of his position as Attorney General by the president.

 and what is Comrade Martin Amidu also babbling about? Martin, did I not tell you that your pomposity, over-bloated ego and sense of self-importance constitute your Achilles heel? she queried.

Remember, when I told you (years ago) after a presidential press conference, that a directive had been issued that no appointee should grant a press interview in order to avoid any contradictory statements on air  and you screeched  'who are you  small girl like you  where were you when I was Attorney General' etc. etc? Remember I told you that it is your Achilles Heel that would destroy you?

Physical Assault

She continued that Barely a week or so after that, you were relieved of your post as Attorney General after attempting to assault a sitting Head of State?

Since then you have become a so-called crusader, sinking lower and lower in the NDC as you seem to rise higher and higher in the NPP. I am not a soothsayer, neither am I a harbinger of gloom and doom  but once again I say to you  this time with a nation full of witnesses  that your Achilles Heel will destroy you!

Resignation

Ms. Sawyerr challenged the former AG to resign from the NDC since she said Mr Amidu was no longer working in the interest of the opposition party.

Respectfully Martin cut the crap! You have achieved your aim  the NDC is in opposition. I challenge you to resign from the NDC since you no longer promote the cause of the NDC. Or do you also subscribe to the agenda to destroy to take over? The agenda that is based on the premise that it is easier to take over the NDC when it is in opposition!

Surrogate Groups

I am waiting for the surrogate groups that will spring up suddenly like jacks in the box (I understand the plural is either 'jack in the boxes' or 'jacks in the box') to lambast me and everyone or everything that is connected with me  the modus operandus is always the same 

I am waiting for the NDC men and women who will suddenly find their voices and go on air and call me unprintable names  the modus operandus is always the same 

I am waiting for the NDC leadership who will summon me because all of a sudden, they have found their disciplinary tongues, having been whipped in line by bullies who seek to terrorise those around them  the modus operandus is always the same 

By William Yaw Owusu


South Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Sung-Su Kim, has waded into the 'jollof' rice rivalry between Ghanaians and Nigerians by asking Ghanaians to also try 'jollof' made in South Korea.

Speaking at a South Korean cuisine cooking contest in Accra as part of activities celebrating South Korea's 40th bilateral relationship with Ghana, the ambassador said Korean 'jollof', called 'Kimchi', is not just very good but also healthy.

I heard Ghana's famous food is 'jollof'. I have been to Ghana for just three months and I prefer to take 'jollof'. But, of course, I love to promote 'Kimchi' to you. 'Kimchi' is very good for your health, he added.

There is a raging friendly argument between Ghanaians and Nigerians over which of the two countries has the best 'jollof' rice. Later, it came to light that Senegal is also a big competitor in that area.

The ambassador said he would prefer Ghanaian 'jollof' to that of the Nigerians, however, among the three countries, he would go in for 'Kimchi'.

Saturday's South Korean cuisine cooking contest took place at the Le Must Restaurant at the Accra Mall. It was organised by the South Korean Embassy in Accra as one of the activities to mark the East Asian country's 40th bilateral anniversary in Ghana.

Ghanaian chefs who are well-versed in cooking Korean type of dishes took part in the cooking activities, while the general public sampled the variety of dishes which were presented in a buffet style.

Grace Ezi won the best cook prize after the contest. She received a certificate and a cash prize among attractive packages. Sarah Amankwah and Stanley Agbofa took the second and third place positions respectively.

The event was hosted by actress Ama K. Abebrese, with performances from celebrated Ghanaian musician, Okyeame Kwame.

The Korean cooking contest is one of many other activities to celebrate and also strengthen the Korea-Ghana relationship.

By Francis Addo (Twitter: @fdee50 Email: [email protected] )
David Asante-Apeatu, IGP Middle, COP Dr George Akuffu Dampare, DG in charge of operations, COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, DG Special Duties, COP Rose Bio Atinga and other senior police officers together with participants.

A strategic communication training workshop has been held for all Public Relations Officers (PROs) of the Ghana Police Service.

The four-day workshop is aimed at equipping the PROs of the service at national, regional and unit levels with cutting-edge modern communication skills in line with international best practices.

It is also to boost the morale of the PROs in the area of public speaking, writing skills, reputation management and crises communication skills and policing.

The Inspector-General of Police, David Asante Apeatu, in his opening remarks, said building the capacity of personnel of the public affairs department is one of the key deliverables of the transformation agenda.

The police administration is of the view that effective communication is a means to reach out to the public and also get the view of the public to the attention of the leadership of the service, he said.

The directorate serves as the interface between the service and the general public as a result the personnel must strictly adhere to high standard of professionalism in all its endeavors.

He added that technology has brought a revolution in information dissemination.

There are many sources of information today than before and this in itself has created a forum for misinformation, slandering and character assassination.

He said the Ghana Police Service has been affected by global changes and cannot remain static.

As a result, the service under my leadership is pursuing a robust transformation aimed at actualizing the vision of the service that is to be a world class police service capable of delivering planned, democratic, protective and peaceful services up to the standard of international best practices.

At the end of this workshop, it is the expectation of the administration that participants would come out with strategies and recommendations to rebrand the service to make it a service with true integrity.

The Director General in-charge of the Public Affairs Department of the Ghana Police Service, ACP David Eklu, said the 20 participants were drawn from headquarters and the regions and would be taken through practical strategic communication skills including field exercises, teamwork, public speaking, planning, peertopeer learning, multimedia communication techniques, as well as reputation management as part of the police administration's vision to transform the Ghana Police Service into a world-class service.

ACP Eklu said the participants would also be trained to be effective change agents through effective strategic communication techniques.

Resource persons for the workshop included Nana Yaa Ofori Atta, Nanabayin Pratt and Major Rtd Don Chebe.

( [email protected] )

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey




Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Minister of Aviation, has urged airline operators to explore ways to make airfares more affordable while improving the quality of their services to passengers.

The minister made the call yesterday at the first breakfast meeting organised by Aviation Ghana, an online aviation news portal that provides a platform for the Ministry and stakeholders in the sector to find solutions to challenges bedeviling the industry.

She said, It is my hope that as an aviation fraternity, we will find solutions to whatever challenges we face.

She said the West African Sub-region, with its youthful population of more than 350 million, represents one of the biggest markets on the continent for air travel and presented huge potential for the growth of the aviation industry.

Ms Dapaah also tasked international carriers operating in Ghana to form partnerships with local and regional airlines for business expansion to possibly make Ghana an aviation hub.

According to her, data on aviation and travel patterns showed that there was an opportunity for local airlines to grow and expand their operations beyond Ghana's borders, adding that it was the Ministry's key objective to establish Ghana as the aviation hub in the sub-region.

Making reference to a report by the International Air Travel Association (IATA), she said the global airline industry was expanding with some 3.8 billion passengers carried, 54.9 million tonnes of cargo lifted, an estimated $650 billion spent by air travelers and international trade shipped by air valued at $5.5 trillion in 2016.

From the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), data also indicate that while Europe remained a popular destination for travellers from Ghana; West Africa was also gaining momentum following the liberalisation of the airspace of major economies in the sub-region.

The European route commanded 37.6 percent of the outbound traffic from Ghana as at end of the first quarter of 2017. West Africa followed with 20.3 percent, East Africa-14.5 percent, Middle East 9.9 per cent, North America 6.5 percent and Southern Africa-5.5 percent.

James Eric Antwi, Chief Executive Officer of Starbow Airlines, complained about the lack of appropriate aviation infrastructure at the various domestic airports.

He noted that the domestic airlines faced challenges in their operations during the Harmattan seasons as visibility became poor and they found it difficult to operate their regular schedules to destinations such as Kumasi and Tamale due to the lack of modern navigation systems.

He also raised concerns with fifth freedom rights given by Ghana to other countries in the sub-region based on the Yamoussoukro Decision, saying those countries were not committed to giving those same rights to Ghanaian airlines and put impediments in the way of those who demanded and appealed to the Ministry to address the issue.

Mr Antwi further complained about unfair competition posed by international airlines that also operate regional routes.

Hendrik Du Preez, Emirates Airlines Country Manager for Ghana, said while Ghana's quest to make the country the preferred aviation hub in the sub-region was commendable, it was important to ensure that international airlines played their part to support the vision.

By Samuel Boadi


Christiana Olaoye (with microphone) acknowledges her recognition after the award.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Energy Bank Ghana, Christiana Ekaete Olaoye, has been adjudged the 'Most Outstanding Foreign Banking Executive' in Ghana by the Feminine Ghana Achievement Awards.

This is the second award she is receiving in six months since joining Energy Bank Ghana in April 2016.

She was recognized by the All Africa Media Network endorsed by UNESCO for her immense dynamic leadership par excellence and in-depth knowledge in management.

Mrs Olaoye was acknowledged for her exemplary skills and experience in banking internationally, which has significantly improved the corporate fortunes of Energy Bank.

The citation, accompanying the award read: In doing so, you have ensured that the bank you manage is growing in size, profitability and sheer efficiency, all of these propelled by the vastly improved value proposition you have introduced for customers of the bank since you began your tenure in Ghana.

Expressing her deep satisfaction about the award, the versatile banker said the award will motivate her to go the extra mile and achieve success with Energy Bank, adding that the bank has been repositioned to provide exquisite products and end-to-end services to delight consumers.

Our strategic focus still remains deepening our relationships with the commercial, retail (especially the SME sector) and consumer banking customers, offering them with peculiar financial needs and advisory support services.

She dedicated the award to God, her late mother and employees of Energy Bank, who have contributed to her achievement so far.

Everything in my life starts with the grace and favor of GodMore importantly what this award means is that Ghana recognizes that women are actually excelling in the corporate domain. It shows the coming generation of women that it is possible to aim high and shatter the glass ceiling. The award is a demonstration to other women that they can come into the corporate ladder and gets to the top.

Other award winners were Lydia Lariba Bawa, Commissioner of the National Insurance Commission, who grabbed the Most Outstanding Innovation Achiever and Jemima Oware, Registrar of the Registrar General's Department, Most Outstanding Public Sector Official.

The Feminine Ghana Achievement Awards has been established to identify, publicly recognize and reward women, whose personal and professional conduct, have been exemplary.

This is the third edition of the awards.

A business desk report


UniBank Ghana Limited, a leading wholly-owned indigenous financial institution, has entered into partnership with Erata Motors, an Accra-based car dealership company that imports both new and used cars, to enable both customers and non-customers of the bank, who wish to own cars, to do so easily.

The facility would support prospective car buyers with funding from uniBank.

According to Christian Aaron Otu-Appah, the bank was willing to support salaried workers, who are paid GH2,000 and above, to acquire cars of their choice.

For used cars, he said customers were expected to pay 20 percent of the cost, as the bank finances the remainder, while for new cars, buyers would be required to pay 10 percent of the cost of vehicles they intend to own and pay the rest of the cost over four years.

As an indigenous bank we have grown over the years and our aim is also to partner local firms and pull them along, the Head of Consumer and Asset Finance at uniBank said.

UniBank is also going to pay six months premium insurance for clients with no interest.

Eddie Kusi Ankoma, Chief Executive of Erata Motors, commenting on the deal, said: Whether you're searching for the best family sedan, best luxury sedan or the best performance sedan, we've got you covered. We have in stock some of the best SUVs and crossovers designed for power, speed, space, on-road or off-road ability that meets your every need.

Speaking to journalists after the launch of the partnership, Mr Ankoma noted: Also in stock are stylish, tough and genuine pick-up trucks. High maneuverability achieved by superb performance and easy handling with advanced safety equipment.

He, however, appealed to government to reduce taxes on new imported cars so that people could buy more of those instead of used ones, which become scrap after a few years in use.

He said the new cars were environmentally-friendly and of high quality compared to old ones whose importation had been discouraged by authorities in most countries through the imposition of high taxes.

A business desk report


The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), an economic think-tank, says the slow growth of the country's non-oil sector, as announced by the Finance Minister recently in Parliament during the mid-year review of the 2017 national budget, is worrisome, as the sector has seen continuous decline in growth since 2013.

There is urgent need for policy initiatives geared at revamping the non-oil sector, particularly agriculture and manufacturing, to ensure balanced growth of the economy. As suggested by IFS, government should accelerate the various private sector-supporting policy initiatives, John Kwabena Kwakye, a Senior Research Fellow at IFS, told journalists in Accra at a press conference yesterday.

According to him, government's commitment to strengthening collaboration with the private sector to address issues such as tax, energy, and cost of credit, which businesses had repeatedly cited as impediments to their progress, was a step in the right direction which should be followed through.

Request for explanation

He asked government to explain how some savings from interest cost to the tune of GH612 million was made in the first half of the year following the re-profiling of the country's domestic debt.

It is not clear how the GH612 million savings made compares with the total interest cost for extending the maturities of the domestic debt to 7 and 15 years. We are informed that arrears clearance is to be expedited in the second half of the year and eliminated completely by end-2019.

Effects of unpaid arrears

He commented: According to the Minister, the outcome of the arrears audit will be completed by October 2017. Meanwhile, the non-payment of arrears is having serious implications for private sector businesses and thus for growth and should therefore be addressed as a matter of urgency. That said, it is expected that the budgeted cuts in expenditure will not be circumvented by the MDAs to accumulate new arrears.

Updated figures show that the public debt increased by GH16.2 billion from GH122.3 billion at the end of December 2016 to reach GH138.5 billion at the end of June 2017.

In terms of percentage of GDP, the Minister only reported the figure for end of March 2017 to be estimated at 70.9 percent. Further, he reported that the debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to be around 71 percent by the end of the year.

Mismatch

However, the Minister's figure of 70.9 percent for March differs from the 62.5 percent published by Bank of Ghana. The difference appears to be the result of the use of different measures of GDP to divide the nominal debt. It is known that Bank of Ghana used the GDP projection for the year. However, the GDP figure used by the Minister is not certain. It is important to reconcile the figures so as to avoid confusing international investors and markets.

Further clarification

The IFS further called for more details in other areas of the Minister's Budget-Review statement to help make informed assessment.

Such areas included planned measures to ensure that the revised revenue target is met; expenditure cuts in the first-half of the year, including relating to expenditure per function (MDAs); how the distribution of the goods and services cut across MDAs; the specific statutory and earmarked funds that were cut and the amounts involved; the capital expenditure that was cut, such as sectors, projects (new or ongoing projects), infrastructure, among others, that suffered the brunt of the expenditure cut.

Projects amount disclosure

Furthermore, it said in protecting spending on government's flagship projects, amounts budgeted for each of the projects should have been disclosed while also the expenditures to date, and the measures put in place to ensure efficiency in spending on these projects were made open.

On the energy sector debt, the IFS also said there were supposed to be plans or measures to ensure financial viability of the energy beyond appointing lead managers to establish SPV to issue medium-to-long term domestic energy bond by securitizing the ESLA receivables.

[email protected]

By Samuel Boadi
The Statistics and Census Service stated that the overall residential price index in the second quarter of 2017 increased by 3.7 percent from the previous quarter to 253. This marks the fifth consecutive quarter of increase. The index for the Macau Peninsula is 253.7 and 249.9 for Taipa and Coloane respectively. Both have risen from the first quarter of 2017 by 3.6 percent and 4.3 percent respectively. Meanwhile, the index for pre-sale residential units is 247.2, increasing by 6 percent quarter-to-quarter. The index for residential units with a usable floor area between 50 to 74.9 square meters is 281.7, increasing by 5.7 percent quarter-to-quarter, while the index for those with a floor area of 100 square meters or more is 232.1, rising by 4.3 percent.

Gaming operators cancel two-day weekend

Multiple gaming operators have reportedly cancelled the two-day weekend off. As a result, some of the employees of these operators have complained that it is now more difficult for them to ask for days off. Previously, during the regions economy adjustment period, gaming operators had flexible holiday arrangements in place. The Gaming Employees Home noted that as the citys gaming revenues grow, some gaming operators are reportedly canceling their flexible holiday-taking measures. The president of the association informed that about 30 percent of the associations members had reported the aforementioned situation, hoping the employers would make some changes.

FAOM reportedly defamed

The Macau Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM) reported a claim of recent defamation to the Electoral Committee. The association claims that at the end of June, boards with discrediting information written on them were noticed at the Border Gate Square. The discrediting text included accusations claiming that FAOM received large amounts of financial support, and that FAOM has three non-local workers for every four among its employees. The association denied the accusations, saying that the association received reasonable financial support and only hires non-local employees according to its needs.

Over 5,000 tickets sold for Intl Music Festival

Tickets for the 31st Macau International Music Festival (MIMF) went on sale on Sunday and over 5,000 tickets have been sold as of yesterday. More than half of the available ticketss were sold. According to a statement from the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), a large number of people waited at different ticket offices to purchase tickets, and IC had sent staff to maintain public order at the ticket offices. Tickets for the shows El fog by Masayoshi Fujita, Guimaraes String Quartet, Novus String Quartet and performances by the Vienna Philharmonic are sold out. Limited numbers of tickets are still available for the grand opening and other performances. The 31st MIMF will be held from September 29 to October 30.

UM scholar receives international award

Mario Cams, an assistant professor from the University of Macaus Department of History, recently received the 2017 DHST Prize for Young Scholars from the Division of History of Science and Technology (DHST), International Union of the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, for his outstanding academic performance and research in the field of the history of science. Cams received the award for his new book Companions in Geography: East-West Collaboration in the Mapping of Qing China. The award presentation ceremony took place at the 25th International Congress of History of Science and Technology held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The prize is awarded every four years to young historians of science and technology.
The Member of Parliament for Assin South Constituency in the Central Region, John Ntim Fordjour, has called on the Ministry of Health (MoH) to exploit the avenue of exporting health personnel to generate revenue for the nation instead of cutting down on training of these professionals.

The health ministry has instructed principals of nursing training institutions to reduce the number of students they admit for the 2017/18 academic year by 40 per cent or more. But the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP told TV3 New Day hosted by Bright Nana Amfoh that We have to make arrangements for the excesses and the surplus to be useful. Mr. Fordjour argued, we still have some shortfalls in patience to nurse ratio and the best thing to do is to resource the sector to have adequate personnel trained.

He said it is not just the numbers that we want to push into the system but the quality is important. We must come out with quotas that will commensurate with various sectors. If this regulations have been accepted, we need to further look at other options because it is very easy to set up a facility or institutions to train students in humanities so it is the time Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service come in to give incentives to those who would be trained in the technical institutions so that we will have more trainees in the technical sector, the MP added.

The Director of Communications for the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), Kadril Abdul Rauf Issifu, said Ghana need more nurses therefore cutting down on admission will worry the nation. If we are to take a cue from Cuba, today they export nurses and doctors. We could train every kind of professionals in this country and export them to other countries to make money on them, he explained.

He said the level of thinking of our policy makers is narrow because we have to come out with policy that will make it possible to export our nurses. Ghanaian nurses can be sent to countries like Guinea Bissau who need nurses, he said, adding that even their services are needed in rural Ghana. A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Abraham Amaliba suspects that government is hiding something from Ghanaians.

They want to reduce the intake but ask yourself, if all our hospitals have nurses that when you go to the hospital we will not see patience in need of nurses? That is where they are not being candid. Lawyer Amaliba argued, has the ministry bridged the gap and now they are telling us that we have excess? When communities are crying for nurses? When chip compounds are crying for nurses?

...Then government appointees are telling us they have enough. The NDC man said the NPP did not know they were going to win the election. They have won and now they dont know how to pay the nurses that is why they are cutting them. They have realized that it is not possible to pay their allowances because day in and day out, this government keeps changing the goal post.
Kenya opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga has said the electoral commissions IT system has been hacked to manipulate the election results.

He rejected early results from Tuesdays vote indicating a strong lead for President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Kenyas election chief Wafula Chebukati said he had confidence in the system but the claims would be investigated.

Many fear a repeat of the violence after a disputed election 10 years ago and there have been calls for calm.

More than 1,100 Kenyans died and 600,000 were displaced following the 2007 vote.

Electoral officials say that with 91% of results in, Mr Kenyatta is leading with about 54.5%, to Mr Odingas 44.6%.

These results mean Mr Kenyatta appears to be heading for a first-round victory.

In order to avoid a run-off, a candidate needs 50% plus one of the votes cast and at least a 25% share of the vote in 24 of Kenyas 47 counties. There were eight candidates in all, but apart from Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga, none polled more than 0.3% of the vote.

Speaking at a press conference Mr Odinga, who heads the National Super Alliance (Nasa), said his supporters should remain calm.

But in the opposition stronghold of Kisumu, in western Kenya, a BBC reporter saw a group of several hundred of his supporters take to the streets shouting: No Raila, no peace.

They were then dispersed by police using tear gas.

However, this appears to be an isolated incident.

Speaking to journalists in the capital, Nairobi, Internal Security Minister Fred Matiangi urged Kenyans to continue with their normal activities, saying he had not received any reports of unrest following the vote.

He also said that social media access could be restricted if it threatens the security of the country.

What is Mr Odingas complaint about the vote?

Mr Odinga said that the hackers had gained access to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) computer system by using the identity of the commissions IT manager, Chris Msando, who was killed last month.

He alleged that the hackers loaded an algorithm that allowed them to alter the results and ignore the figures being transmitted from tallying centres around the country.

The opposition leader had earlier told journalists the results coming in were fake, because the authorities had failed to present documents verifying the results.

What does the electoral commission say?

The electoral commission has not reacted to the claims that its IT systems had been hacked, but earlier it urged people to wait calmly for the full results of Tuesdays vote.

During this critical phase, we urge all Kenyans to exercise restraint as we await official results from the polling stations and indeed as they start trickling in, the commission said.

However, it admitted that a lack of mobile data coverage had delayed the delivery of the supporting documents, which had formed the basis for the oppositions earlier complaint.

There had been reports on election day of the failure of some voter-identification equipment.

Also, one in four polling stations were without strong mobile phone coverage, meaning that officials were asked to drive to the nearest town to send results.

The presidential candidates agents would have special access to the forms, though, the electoral commission said.

The Daily Nation newspaper quoted commission head Ezra Chiloba as saying only results supported by the forms had been published.

How did the voting go?

Voting passed off largely peacefully and some polling stations remained open after the scheduled 17:00 (14:00 GMT) closing time.

People started queuing early to ensure they could cast their vote. Long queues could be seen, and video footage at one polling station showed people injured after an apparent stampede.

There were reports that one man had been killed in clashes in the Kilifi area.

But there was one heartening moment when a woman gave birth to a baby girl as she queued in West Pokot to cast her ballot. New mother Pauline Chemanang called the circumstances of the birth a blessing and called her baby Kura, Swahili for ballot, according to local radio.

However, in the run-up to election day, there were claims of vote-rigging and hate speech flyers and rhetorical text messages began circulating.

Some nervous Kenyans stockpiled food and water, while police prepared emergency first aid kits in the event of violence.

What is at stake?

Mr Kenyatta is hoping for a second term in office.

Voting for the national and local assemblies has also been taking place.

Mr Odinga, 72, has run for president three times and lost each time. President Kenyatta, the 55-year-old son of Kenyas founding president, narrowly beat him in the last election in 2013, but their rivalry is generations old  their fathers were political opponents in the 1960s.

Mr Kenyatta and his running-mate William Ruto were indicted by the International Criminal Court for their alleged roles in the bloodshed a decade ago. The case ultimately collapsed due to lack of evidence, and after key witnesses died or disappeared.


Some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Biakoye constituency of the Volta Region have vowed to resist what they termed as attempts by the presidency to nominate a non-member of the party to occupy the position of the District Chief Executive in the area.

The seat of the DCE has since been vacant after the President's first nominee Millicent Kabuki Carboo was out rightly rejected by members of the assembly.

Following the rejection of the female nominee, some party members and executives have alleged of plans by the Presidency to appoint another nominee, also a female to replace Kiki.

A presiding member of the Biakoye District Assembly, Madam Christy Nutakor ; a well-known card bearing member of the National Democratic Congress is going round the constituency, canvasing for support from chiefs and opinion leaders that President Nana Akufo Addo has nominated her for the DCE position which has come to us not only as a shock but a huge disappointment when they had been no consultation with the party members on the ground, he alleged.

The new nominee, Madam Christy Nutakor, according to the party's director of communication, Mr. Bright Donkor, is a known sympathizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress and has played key roles in the party including the activities of the Atta Mills Fan Club.

Her appointment they say if carried out would expose the party in the constituency to public ridicule and destabilize the party.

We have no choice but to vent our frustrations over events which beat our understanding before the party becomes a laughing stock in the constituency. But one thing is for sure, the party in the constituency would never be the same again if it turns out that an NDC woman is to become the leader of the NPP in Biakoye as a DCE he added

At a press conference in Ho, the group entreated the appointment team to ensure due diligence in the appointment of the Chief Executive.



By: King Norbert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has cited another company, Glencore for operating without a license in Ghana's petroleum downstream industry.

The NPA, in a letter cited by Citi News, has threatened legal action if Glencore does not cease its operations.

Glencore is said to have been importing petroleum products for storage and sale to various customers within Ghana, thus flouting section 11 of the National Petroleum Authority Act, ACT 691, 2005.

We wish to advise that the importation of petroleum products into the country is carried out only by companies duly licensed by the Authorities (i.e. Bulk Distribution Companies and Oil Trading Companies), the letter from the NPA stated.

On the basis of the above, you are hereby advised to suspend any such activities with immediate effect, failing which the Authority will have no choice but to take necessary legal action against your company.

This comes after the controversy over the involvement of two unregistered companies, Zup Oil and Movenpinaa Energy, which were involved in the sale of contaminated oil.

Those companies were found to be operating without a license and the NPA indicated that they would face sanctions.

The NPA, also said it would take legal action against the firms and conduct further investigation to determine the actual quantity and quality of contaminated oil received.

There is a standard sanction that we impose on such petroleum service providers who do not have licenses to operate. What we do is to enforce these sanctions which are known to everybody in the industry. For every trivial activity that they engage in, they pay GHc10,500, the NPA acting Chief Executive Officer explained.

Zup Oil and Movenpinaa Energy will, however, be given the opportunity to regularise their operations.

The contaminated fuel story was brought to the fore by a Citi News report , indicating that Ghana lost about GHc 7 million in revenue following attempts by BOST to sell the fuel.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Former Attorney general Martin Amidu has described the letter addressed to former President JJ Rawlings by Valerie Sawyerr as lying, incoherent, disjointed and drunken-like diatribes.

According to him, he will not be cowed by former President John Mahama and his surrogates.

Responding to calls for his suspension from the NDC by some members of the umbrella family, Mr. Amidu said I was not surprised that the petition followed immediately after Valerie Sawyerr's lying, incoherent, disjointed and drunken-like diatribes against former President Rawlings and me. Clearly the John Mahama faction, their surrogates like Valerie Sawyerr and the petitioners who admit to being failed parliamentary candidates at the last elections and others mentors within the NDC think they can frighten core NDC members like myself with threats of disciplinary action. I will rather defend the 1992 Constitution than be intimidated by John Mahama, Woyome, and their surrogates' unconstitutional petitions.

I will continue to always put Ghana First before Party as demanded by the 1992 Constitution. Let those who oppose the fight against corruption in the NDC and who also dislike probity and accountability which I stand for with former President Rawlings do their worst. It is for that integrity that on 31st December 2016 I was chosen by the Founder to light the perpetual flame for the fallen heroes of the 31st December Revolution. I cannot betray that cause and the 1992 Constitution out of which the NDC was born.

He further described the suspension calls as shameful.

Below are details of his response

SURROGATES AMANKWAH AND ABIGAIL MENSAH PETITION AGAINST MARTIN AMIDU FOR DEFENDING THE CONSTITUTION OF GHANA: BY MARTIN A. B.K. AMIDU

I consider it immoral that Evans Amankwah and Abigail Elom Mensah who were reported on the internet on the evening of 8th August 2017 to have petitioned on 7th August 2017 to the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress under Article 45 of the NDC Constitution to take disciplinary action against, me, Martin A. B. K Amidu pursuant to Article 47 thereof choose to publish their petition to the press to court cheap popularity in the interim. The gravamen of their petition is that in exercise of my rights as a citizen of Ghana under the 1992 Constitution, I wrote four articles published on 2nd November 2016; on or about 15th November, 2016; on or about 29th July 2017; and on or about 7th August 2017 which were carefully designed by to expose the Party to public hatred, ridicule and opprobrium and to lower its reputation in Ghana and elsewhere. I am therefore to be disciplined for obeying and defending the mandates of Articles 3, 12, 35, 41, 42 and 55 of 1992 Constitution instead of alleged inconsistent provisions of the NDC Constitution.

One of the petitioners shamefully described himself on the published petition as Lawyer Evans Amankwah 2016 Parliamentary candidate Adansi Asokwa. Lawyer is not a title which any one will use to describe himself unless that lawyer has no confidence in his abilities to allow the public to recognize him by using that salutation when referring to him. Therefore I was not surprised when Evans Amankwah and his co-petitioner refused or failed to realize that the NDC Constitution itself recognizes that it is inferior to the 1992 Constitution and does not abolish the right of NDC members to exercise their supreme rights as citizens of Ghana to defend the 1992 Constitution against acts of NDC members and Government and even against the NDC Constitution itself when it is inconsistent with and in contravention of the said national Constitution.

The first two articles I am charged with were written by me as a citizen of Ghana pursuant to Articles 3, 12, 42 and 55 of the 1992 Constitution to defend the right to representation and free and fair elections. My first article referred to by the petitioners was entitled: The inexperience and incompetence and arrogance of the Electoral Commissioner are becoming very dangerous. It was an article in defence of representative democracy and a free and fair election pursuant to the national Constitution. I concluded that article in calling on Ghanaians to: Let us as citizens defend the Constitution by watching her every step during this election. Since when did a Ghanaian citizen lose his Constitutional right to defend the national Constitution simply because he is a member of a political party whose constitution is subordinate to the national Constitution?

The second of my articles for which the Lawyer and co-petitioner indicted me is titled: Fellow citizens be alert to the Electoral Commissioner's other tricks. I concluded this article by telling all Ghanaian citizens including members of the NDC that: We must defend the Constitution! Since when did the NDC Constitution take precedence over the 1992 Constitution to forbid NDC members from defending the national Constitution even if it means acting against the subordinate NDC Constitution?

The third of my articles with which Lawyer and his co-petitioner are charging me is titled: Uncultured behavior of some Parliamentarians subverting the Constitutional Order. Articles 3 and 41 of the 1992 Constitution enjoin me as a citizen of Ghana to defend it against every other citizen seeking to undermine it. I exercise that right to ask members of Parliament to exercise constitutional decorum in and outside Parliament by praising the decorous conduct of the NDC Minority Leader and the Speaker of Parliament. Are Lawyer and his co-petitioner saying that I am not entitled to defend the Constitutional order when it is being subverted simply because one or two NDC members of Parliament are bringing the reputation and dignity of Parliament into disrepute contrary to Article 117 of the Constitution simply because of my membership of the NDC whose constitution is subordinate to the national Constitution?

My last and fourth charge is for my article titled: NDC created the Electoral Commission chaos that now portends a bad omen for the Congress. This last article refers to previous articles I had written in defence of the 1992 Constitution against the John Dramani Mahama Government in the previous year some of which the petitioners referred to in their petition, particularly charges 1 and 2 in which I expressed my views that the Government designed to rig the elections. Articles 3, 35 and 41 of the 1992 Constitution enjoin every citizen to defend the Constitution; the State and citizens to take steps to eradicate corruption practices and the abuse of power; to uphold the Constitution and the law; and for citizens to protect and preserve public property and expose and combat misuse and waste of public funds and property. The 1992 Constitution empowers me to defend it against the looting of Governments and abuse of power in appointments which I rightly exercised in reference to the previous Government. The NDC is a political party and cannot use its subordinate constitution to gag citizens from the exercise of their constitutional rights to speak against unconstitutional conduct and actions of a Government even if it supported it to come to power.

The Constitution recognizes a President as the Executive Authority of Ghana and not a political party.

But why is everybody escaping the consequences of surrogate Emmanuel Korsi Senyo's petition to remove the two Deputy Commissioners appointed by the NDC Government which for me could affect the future of the party? I called attention to this on 31st July 2017 and wrote my article after almost a week of silence. The truth may no more be important to others but I will continue to speak out for it.

Only strangers would be ignorant that my war against the Mills/Mahama Government is rooted in the looting of GHC51million by the Government and Alfred Agbesi Woyome. I have fought and will continue to fight against the looting and protection provided to Alfred Agbesi Woyome by the Mahama Government since the Supreme Court's review decision against the Government represented by the Attorney General and Alfred Agbesi Woyome by John Mahama's Government. The Woyome/Waterville case underpins all my actions in the Supreme Court and writings since 2012 and I do so in defence of the Constitution and laws of Ghana which are superior to the NDC Constitution. There are still payments by Agricultural Development Bank cheques issued by Woyome to former Government and party beneficiaries to be retrieved for the State purse. And where is the Attorney General whom the Supreme Court declared to have unconstitutionally authorized the payment of the loot of the public purse to Woyome? So, in as long as the values and principles of the 1992 Constitution which gave birth to the NDC Constitution are undermined by an NDC Government I will continue to defend the national Constitution.

Only strangers would be ignorant that my war against the Mills/Mahama Government is rooted in the looting of GHC51million by the Government and Alfred Agbesi Woyome. I have fought and will continue to fight against the looting and protection provided to Alfred Agbesi Woyome by the Mahama Government since the Supreme Court's review decision against the Government represented by the Attorney General and Alfred Agbesi Woyome by John Mahama's Government. The Woyome/Waterville case underpins all my actions in the Supreme Court and writings since 2012 and I do so in defence of the Constitution and laws of Ghana which are superior to the NDC Constitution. There are still payments by Agricultural Development Bank cheques issued by Woyome to former Government and party beneficiaries to be retrieved for the State purse. And where is the Attorney General whom the Supreme Court declared to have unconstitutionally authorized the payment of the loot of the public purse to Woyome? So, in as long as the values and principles of the 1992 Constitution which gave birth to the NDC Constitution are undermined by an NDC Government I will continue to defend the national Constitution.

I was not surprised that the petition followed immediately after Valerie Sawyerr's lying, incoherent, disjointed and drunken-like diatribes against former President Rawlings and me. Clearly the John Mahama faction, their surrogates like Valerie Sawyerr and the petitioners who admit to being failed parliamentary candidates at the last elections and others mentors within the NDC think they can frighten core NDC members like myself with threats of disciplinary action. I will rather defend the 1992 Constitution than be intimidated by John Mahama, Woyome, and their surrogates' unconstitutional petitions.

I will continue to always put Ghana First before Party as demanded by the 1992 Constitution. Let those who oppose the fight against corruption in the NDC and who also dislike probity and accountability which I stand for with former President Rawlings do their worst. It is for that integrity that on 31st December 2016 I was chosen by the Founder to light the perpetual flame for the fallen heroes of the 31st December Revolution. I cannot betray that cause and the 1992 Constitution out of which the NDC was born.

Martin A. B. K. Amidu

(Citizens Vigilance for Justice)

8th August 2017
Bright Donkor(middle) Flanked by other executives at the press conference

Tension is mounting in the Biakoye District of the Volta Region, as members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), are up in arms against government over the nominee for District Chief Executive (DCE) in the area.

To this end, the members of the NPP in the area, led by the constituency executives, have petitioned the regional executives, national executives and Office of the President, to stop attempts to nominate an unqualified person to lead the district.

According to them, they have made sacrifices and investments in the district to ensure that the NPP makes inroads in the area.

Their anger stems from reports that one Christy Nutakor, who they claim is a known member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has been nominated the DCE nominee to replace Millicent Kabuki Carboo, who was rejected by the assembly after several attempts to confirm her.

The executives and members have also threatened to reject and work against the party if President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo goes ahead to nominate Mrs. Christy Nutakor as DCE for the area.

They revealed this at press conference held in Ho, the regional capital recently, which was attended by executives, including the Constituency Chairman, Sulemana Moru and the Communications Director, Bright Donkor.

The Biakoye District is one of the three districts in the region that currently do not have a substantive DCE.

The President's nominee for the area, Millicent Kabuki Carboo, was rejected three times by the Assembly members, thereby leaving the position vacant.

There is no official statement from the Presidency concerning a new nominee for the area, but the executives and members of the party, say information from reliable sources at the Presidency have hinted them about the nomination of Madam Christy.

They said Madam Christy herself approached some of the executives to help lobby the constituency chairman, party members, chiefs and other key stakeholders over her nomination.

We cannot understand why Mrs Nutakor is going round the constituency canvassing for support from chiefs and opinion leaders that the President has nominated her for the DCE position, the Chairman queried?

This is a breach of our trust and leaves us with no choice, but to vent our frustration over events which beat our imagination before the party becomes a laughing stock in the constituency.

The Biakoye Communications Director of the NPP, Bright Donkor, in a speech, also questioned whether the constituency does not have qualified NPP members to occupy the position.

Is the President so desperate for a female to be the DCE that he is ready to sell the party to our opponents in the constituency, Mr. Donkor quizzed.

Failed DCE Nominee

They disclosed that although the President reserves the right to nominate any qualified Ghanaian of his choice, the party has agreed that the nomination should be in consultation with the constituency executives in the area to ensure proper verification of the credentials of the person.

From Fred Duodu and Gibril Abdul Razak, Ho ( [email protected] )
09.08.2017 LISTEN

Airtel Ghana, the Smartphone Network, has unveiled a special Hajj Bundle offering a whopping 200% discount on calls for Hajj Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia  to enable them stay in touch with their family and friends throughout the Pilgrimage.

The special offer, dubbed Hajj Bundle, is open to all new and existing customers and comes with up to 100 minutes of free incoming calls to Ghana with subscribers roaming either on Zain or STC Saudi Arabia whilst in Mecca.

Launching the offer in Accra, Theresa Adade, Airtels Senior Manager in charge of International Roaming said At Airtel, we recognise the annual Holy Pilgrimage is a special time in the lives of our Muslim brothers and sisters so we developed this special package for all customers on the pilgrimage to the Holy Land to ensure they stay in touch and connected to their friends and family throughout the Hajj period. This special package offers Pilgrims 200% discount on all calls to Ghana, free 100 minutes receiving calls as well as up to 10 minutes free calls to Ghana.

In addition to this, family and friends of Pilgrims can make up to 10 free calls to Saudi Arabia and enjoy amazing discounts on voice, data and SMS over a 30 day period. To subscribe, customers should simply recharge with GHC 50 or GHC 100, dial *151# and select the Hajj offer. A GHC 100 recharge gives customers up to 100 free minutes incoming calls valid for 30 days, a 100 MB data package, free SMS messages among others. To find out more, customers should contact our call center on 100.

She continued Airtel has the best roaming services in Ghana and our partnership with hundreds of telecom operators globally enables us to give our customers the best roaming services at the most competitive rates offering customers the best value as they travel.

Airtel Ghana has over the years supported the National Hajj Board and provided bespoke offers for Pilgrims in line with its commitment to enrich the lives of all customers. The Hajj Bundle, which was introduced last year, has gained popularity among Pilgrims as the best value for money.

About Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 17 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company's product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed home broadband, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 372 million customers across its operations at the end of March 2017. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com

About Airtel in Africa

Airtel is driven by the vision of providing affordable and innovative mobile services to all. Airtel has 17 operations in Africa: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Airtel International is a Bharti Airtel company. For more information, please visit www.airtel.com, or like the Airtel Ghana Facebook page via www.facebook.com/airtelgh or follow us on Twitter via the handle @airtelghana.
The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) is to commence operations on weekends to avert the shortage of premix fuel during peak periods.

The move follows a directive from the President Nana Akufo Addo, over the constant shortage of the product during the fishing season.

Shortage of premix fuel hit fishing communities along the coast in July this year  2017 leading to threats of a demonstration by fishermen in affected areas.

The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Madam Elizabeth Afoley Quaye at the time attributed the shortage to faulty pumps at the Tema Oil Refinery.

TOR however dismissed the claims.

According to TOR, its systems are all in good condition hence have the capacity to produce to meet demand.

A statement on the delivery of the product by TOR and copied to Citi Business News said the oil refinery, in a meeting with the NPA, TOR and the Premix Committee suggested that supplies be capped at 150 which will be increased to 200 trucks in peak periods.

Speaking to some fisher folk in the Western Region Madam Elizabeth Afoley Quaye however said the issue should be dealt with following the Presidents directive.

You can attest to the fact that there has been over abundance of premix since the beginning of January to June. But during this peak season there is a shortfall, so his Excellency has instructed the Tema Oil Refinery to work on weekends so that you all can have access to the fuel. We want TOR to improve upon their supply of fuel to get some premix to all fishermen. She said.



By: Vivian Kai Lokko/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
The Police have told the Kumasi High court hearing the case involving the 13 members of the pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) vigilante group Delta Force that they have finished with their investigations into the matter.

ACP Okyere Darko, the prosecutor in the case made this known to the court on Tuesday.

The case which was presided over by Mary Nsenkyire adjourned the case to September 5, 2017.

The thirteen have been charged with conspiracy to assault a public officer and causing unlawful damage.

Speaking to Citi News after the adjournment, Matthew Appiah, lawyer for the accused said at least today we think that progress is being made.

Background

The 13 were arrested after they stormed the office of the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, George Adjei and allegedly assaulted him in the process, on March 24, 2017.

The 13 suspects have already been fined GHc 2,400 each for escaping and have been made to sign a bond of good behaviour for escaping lawful custody.

The court had previously adjourned the case from July 13 to August 8, 2017 due to a request because the prosecutor, ACP Okyere Darko, was on leave.



By: Rita Mensah/citifmonline/Ghana
Mr. Fakor Disu, the Coordinator of the Communication for Development (C4D) of Ghana Education Service (GES), has disclosed that there are over 20% of Ghanaian children that have not enrolled at kindergarten at the right age.

Speaking at a workshop for education officers and stakeholders at Kumasi on the theme, Promoting Right Age Enrollment, Retention and Completion through Safe School Approaches and Practices, Mr. Fakor said, notwithstanding, the immense role being played by government, through the Ministry of Education and GES to promote education, there was still more work to be done on promoting childrens enrollment at, retention in and completion of school.

It is the responsibility of all of us to support the enrollment of children at school at the right age and to ensure that the children receive the best of education. I must report that the current 79.5% net enrollment rate of children at KG is not good enough and so there is the need for us to work harder on it as education workers and stakeholders, Mr. Fakor said.

He reiterated the need for teachers and education officers to intensify their sensitisation programmes through stakeholder meetings, community engagements and mass media so as to get all school-age children in school and to ensure that they stay in school till completion.

Mr. Roland Takyi, an officer of the Guidance and Counselling Unit of GES, urged teachers, education workers and stakeholders to make the school a safe haven for educating children and adults alike.

Mr. Takyi said children ought to be treated well to be able to stay in education and that, As government and development partners support us to educate the children, we, as education workers and officers, should also intensify our engagements with parents and other stakeholders to get all children in school and to enable them to complete successfully.

Mr. Christopher Nkrumah, an official of the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), assured the participants of the Funds resolve to continue to partner with government and relevant agencies to provide good-quality education and training to all children in the country.

It is to be noted that the 2008 Education Act 778 of Ghana requests that every Ghanaian child of age, four years, be supported to enroll at the first year of kindergarten education.

The writer is an educationist and a public relations officer at the Headquarters of Ghana Education Service in Accra.

E-mail: [email protected]
The pace of growth of Chinas exports and imports weakened in July in a discouraging sign for the worlds second-largest economy and global demand.

Exports rose 7.2 percent from a year earlier to USD193.6 billion, down from Junes 11.3 percent growth, according to customs data released yesterday. Imports rose 11 percent to $146.9 billion, down from the previous months 17.2 percent.

Forecasters have warned Chinese economic growth will cool this year, dampening demand for foreign goods, as controls imposed on bank lending to slow a rise in debt take hold.

Trade growth now appears to be on a downward trend, said Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics in a report.

The International Monetary Fund expects this years economic growth to slip to 6.6 percent from last years 6.7 percent and to below 6.2 percent in 2018.

Export growth was unexpectedly strong in the first half of the year, a positive sign for Chinese leaders who want to avoid job losses in trade-related industries.

China has been credited with helping to support global demand and the downturn in import growth could have repercussions for suppliers for which this country is a major market.

Chinas global trade surplus declined by 10.7 percent from a year earlier to $46.7 billion.

The surplus with the United States rose 2 percent to $25.2 billion. U.S. President Donald Trump said in April he would temporarily set aside trade and currency disputes with Beijing while the two governments cooperated on North Korea, but American officials more recently have resumed criticizing Chinese trade policy.

The Chinese trade surplus with the 28-nation European Union, the countrys biggest trading partner, rose 3.4 percent to $12.2 billion. AP
The Importers and Exporters Association fear government's September 1, 2017, deadline for the full-scale implementation of the paperless regime at ports may be too much of them.

The Association has now suggested a piloting of the process at the Takoradi Port before full implementation begins in 2018.

The Executive Secretary of Association, Sampson Asaaki Awingobit, explained to Citi News that this course of action would allow them to address possible shortfalls.

He also noted that this would also prevent the Tema Port from encountering any critical hitches as a result of the programme.

Already, the interdiction of customs officers, numbering about 180, is also affecting clearance process in the ports and work that used to take 48 hours is not taking about one week or more, he said.

The September paperless should begin on a pilot basis. We can use the Takoradi port as a case study and correct the teething problems before we can go on full flow in 2018. We cannot use the Tema Port to joke because we all know a large volume of cargo imported into this country is cleared through Tema port.

There is some skepticism on the part of the workers at the port, according to Mr. Awingobit, because they are now going to learn and I am told that they are bringing custom officers from Dubai to come and support our customs officers to implement this first thing.

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in May 2017 first urged all service agencies at the country's ports to switch to a paperless system by September 2017 because the current system had too much human interaction and was at the mercy of corruption.

Addressing importers, customs officers, and other stakeholders at the Flagstaff House on August 2, Dr. Bawumia warned that terminals which are not ready for automation by the deadline would be left behind, and people who do not comply will be sanctioned.

We will not accept any excuses, he stated.



By: Elvis Washington/Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Libreville (AFP) - Six Red Cross workers were killed last week amid violent clashes in southern Central African Republic, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Wednesday in an updated toll.

The bloodshed occurred last Thursday at a health centre in Gambo, 70 kilometres (45 miles) from the town of Bangassou, where nine peacekeepers have been killed since early May, it said in a statement.

The organisation on Tuesday gave a toll of three dead among its local staff, and said "dozens" of other people had also been killed.

Concurring sources said the fighting was between so-called self-defence militias and members of a group called the Union for Peace in Central Africa (UPC), part of a Muslim-majority rebel organisation called the Seleka.

The Seleka overthrew former president Francois Bozize in 2013. The rebels themselves were swiftly ousted, leading to a wave of violent reprisals against the Muslim population by the Christian anti-Balaka militia.

On Monday, Stephen O'Brien, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said there were "early warning signs of a genocide" in Central African Republic.

On Tuesday, the agency said 24 people, including 14 civilians, died in northwestern Batangafo from July 29 to August 2.

Ten people were killed in a southern village near Alindao on August 4, according to OCHA, while fighting in Ngaoundaye, near the borders with Cameroon and Chad, killed at least 10 and forced around 7,000 people to flee the area, several sources told AFP.

UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix last week said he was considering sending a request for more troops for the 12,500-member force MINUSCA.

The government of President Faustin-Archange Touadera, who was elected last year, remains in control of Bangui but its authority is weak outside the capital.

The UN has received only 24 percent of the $497 million (400 million euros) it has requested in humanitarian aid for the country.
This picture received from the Leakey Foundation via the Nature website on August 9, 2017 shows an infant ape cranium named as "Alesi", excavated from the site of an archaeological dig at Napudet, west of Lake Turkana in Kenya. By FRED SPOOR (THE LEAKEY FOUNDATION/AFP)

09.08.2017 LISTEN

Paris (AFP) - The skull of an infant ape buried by a volcano 13 million years ago has preserved intriguing clues about the ancestor humans shared with apes -- including a likely African origin, scientists said Wednesday.

A previously-unknown creature that shared an extended family with the human forefather, had a flat face like that of our far-flung cousin the gibbon, but did not move like one, its discoverers wrote in the journal Nature.

They named it Nyanzapithecus alesi after "ales" -- the word for "ancestor" in the Turkana language of Kenya, where the lemon-sized skull was unearthed.

The sole specimen is that of an infant that would have grown to weigh about 11 kilogrammes (24 pounds) in adulthood. It had a brain much larger than monkeys from the same epoch, the researchers said.

"If you compare to all living things, it looks most like a gibbon," study co-author Isaiah Nengo of the Stony Brook University in New York told AFP.

This does not mean the direct ancestor of living apes necessarily looked like a gibbon, just that a member of its family did at the time.

Assuming a gibbon-like appearance for our ancestor would be similar to scientists from the future unearthing a gorilla skull and concluding that all hominins -- the group that also includes chimps and humans -- looked like a gorilla.

The location of the extraordinary fossil find, said the team, supported the idea that the ape-human ancestor lived in Africa and not in Asia as some have speculated.

"With this we... put the root of the hominoidea in Africa more firmly," said Nengo.

Hominoidea, or hominoids, is the name for the family of apes.

The group is divided in two, with humans, bonobos, chimps, gorillas and orangutans on the one side (hominids), and agile, tree-swinging gibbons (hylobatids) alone on the other.

The new species belonged to a much older, ancestral group that included the forefather of hominoids, the researchers concluded.

Out of Africa

That group, which has no official name yet, lived and died millions of years ago.

"The majority of that group, and the oldest members of that group, are African but we would not have been able to resolve all of that without Alesi," said Nengo.

"Alesi is the one that has allowed us to... know who is in that group... and when we take a close look we see that most of the group are found in Africa."

Alesi's is the most complete ape skull from the entire Miocene period, which ranged from about 24 million to five million years ago.

"It may be younger (than some other fossil pieces) but it is the only one where you have a face, you have the base of a skull, you have the inside of the skull, so you can see what a representative of them might have looked like," said Nengo.

Hi-tech scans of the skull showed that Alesi had teeth similar to some gibbon species.

While its baby teeth had been knocked out, Alesi's adult teeth lay unerupted inside its jaw, and their age could be determined with great precision -- the ape was one year and four months old when it died.

The team also established that the balance organs in Alesi's ear were unlike those of the gibbon, meaning it probably had a different, slower, way of moving.

While a lot is known about human evolution since we split from chimps about seven million years ago, little was known about common ancestors from before 10 million years ago.

Commenting on the study, anthropologist Brenda Benefit of the New Mexico State University described this as a fossil find "that I never thought would be made during my lifetime".

"This discovery will help to fill in missing information regarding adaptations that influence ape and human evolutionary histories," she said in comments published by the journal.

"This is an exceptional discovery," agreed Paul Tafforeau of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France, who helped examine the skull.
Nairobi (AFP) - Four people were killed Wednesday in election-related violence in Kenya, where the opposition claimed massive rigging in a vote that President Uhuru Kenyatta looked certain to win.

The east African nation, keenly aware of post-poll violence a decade ago that left 1,100 dead, was on a knife-edge after a day of isolated protests in opposition strongholds.

The unrest broke out after opposition leader Raila Odinga claimed massive fraud as Kenyatta surged ahead in provisional results, with 54 percent compared to his 44.7 percent. Results from over 96 percent of polling stations were in.

Two protesters were shot dead in the flashpoint slum of Mathare in Nairobi, where police also fired tear gas at crowds who burned tyres and blocked roads throughout the day.

An AFP photographer saw one of the victims, a young man with a massive gunshot wound to the head.

Japheth Koome, police chief for Nairobi, said the two who were killed had tried to "attack our officers with pangas (machetes) and that's when the officers opened fire on them."

The mother of a man allegedly shot in the head by police in Nairobi's Mathare slum

In the southeastern Tana River region, police said five men armed with knives had attacked a vote tallying station and stabbed one person.

"Our officers killed two of them and we are looking for others who escaped," said regional police chief Larry Kieng.

"We have not established the motive yet, we don't know if it is political or if it's a criminal incident but we are investigating and action will be taken."

The region is prone to attacks by Al-Qaeda linked Shabaab militants.

Hacking attack denied

Decrying a "sham" tallying process, Odinga detailed accusations of a major hacking attack on the electronic voting system, saying hackers had gained entry using the identity of top IT official Chris Msando, who was found tortured and murdered late last month.

"This is an attack on our democracy. The 2017 general election was a fraud," said Odinga, claiming detailed evidence of the hackers' movements.

The 72-year-old, who is making his fourth bid for the presidency as the flagbearer for the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, accused his rivals of stealing victory from him through rigging in 2007 and in 2013.

"You can only cheat a people for so long," he said.

Election commission (IEBC) chief Ezra Chiloba denied that the crucial electronic system -- seen as key to avoiding fraud -- had been compromised.

"Our team has reviewed the system and established that the claims cannot be substantiated," he told a press conference.

"Our election management system is secure. There was no external or internal interference to the system at any point before, during or after the voting."

Odinga's claims led to isolated protests in his stronghold in the western city of Kisumu as well as in slums in Nairobi.

"If Raila is not president, we can't have peace," one Kisumu protester told AFP.

Resident Geoffery Omondi, 22 shook his head as protesters lit a new fire nearby. "It is very painful to watch. The problem is the IEBC who did not announce results well."

In Nairobi, the normally traffic-choked streets were deserted.

Calls for calm

Aside from the alleged hacking, the opposition's main complaint was that results streaming in electronically had yet to be backed up by a scanned copy of the results from constituencies.

Supporters of Kenya's opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) run during clashes with security forces in the western town of Kisumu

Chiloba assured that these forms were coming in and that candidates' teams were being given access to them. The IEBC has insisted the results on its public website should not be considered final until they have been cross-checked.

Raphael Tuju, secretary-general of Kenyatta's Jubilee party, urged the opposition to "look at the figures soberly" and accept the results.

Odinga urged his supporters to "remain calm as we look deep into this matter."

But he added: "I don't control the people."

The heads of nine international observer missions released a joint statement calling on parties and their supporters to remain calm, and turn to the courts with their grievances.

"We appeal to all citizens of Kenya to remain committed to peace and the integrity of the electoral process," read the statement.

Dynastic rivalry

The contest between Odinga and Kenyatta was seen by pollsters as too close to call ahead of the vote.

It is the second time the two men have faced off in a presidential election, a dynastic rivalry that has lasted more than half a century since their fathers Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Odinga went from allies in the struggle for independence to bitter rivals.

Kenyatta, 55, is credited with overseeing steady economic growth of more than five percent. But food prices have soared under his watch, and several major corruption scandals broke out in his first term.
A Deputy Health Minister, Aboagye Gyedu, has warned public and private nursing training schools against flouting the directive to reduce their intake.

Let me take this opportunity to send a note of caution to every principal, that the ministry is not going to tolerate anybody who flouts this particular direction, the Minister stated in an address to residents of Takoradi as part of the Presidents tour of the Western Region.

Mr. Gyedu insisted that the quota put in place is to ensure and improvement of the quality of nurses.

We want to ensure that the training environment is optimum so that you come out with the best knowledge and skill that you need to serve our people.

Mr. Gyedu also stressed that it has nothing to do with the payment of allowances that we promised our people.

Congestion was identified as a problem in the training institutions and the directive, arrived at in consultation with the Health Infrastructure Regulatory Authority and the Nurses and Midwifery Council, to remedy this problem

What the nursing training colleges do is that, if you give them a quota, they exceed it. We are trying to be very firm, that this time around. In order to decongest the nursing and midwifery training colleges, we sent these two institutions to go round, do their checks and they have come out with an optimum number of people we can admit into the various nursing and midwifery training colleges depending o their capacity, Mr. Gyedu explained.

This directive affected 75 accredited institutions. In 2016, 7,335 students were admitted to the various institutions, but the number will reduce to 5,737 when the directive is implemented.

The quotas increased the admission spots for most private nursing training institutions by 38 students  from 899 in the 2016/2017 academic year to 937 this academic year.

But a number of the institutions which admitted higher numbers of students have had their intake reduced.

On the other hand, some of the private nursing training schools had the quota system offering them more students than they admitted in 2016.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Commonwealth Bank of Australia [ASX:CBA] jumped 1.3% this morning to $81.7 per share.

Why did CBA jump 1.3% per share?

This morning, Australias biggest bank released their annual results for FY17. Cash profits were 4.6% higher than FY16, totalling $9.88 billion. It beat analyst estimates of $9.8 billion.

CBA also increased their dividends per share and reduced their loan impairments, which are loans that likely wont be paid in full.

But it wasnt all positive for the bank. As reported by The Australian Financial Review:

CBA said its common equity tier 1 capital (CET1) ratio was at 10.1 per cent, below the 10.5 per cent benchmark set by APRA last month, but said that it was confident it would meet the new benchmark well ahead of the January 2020 deadline.

+

CBA CEO Ian Narev said in a statement:

We will continue to strengthen our balance sheet to ensure that we can support our customers through a variety of economic scenarios.

What now for Commonwealth?

As you may already know, CBA has been all over the news, but not for their earnings results. The bank is involved in a money laundering scandal. They failed to report 53,000-odd suspicious transactions. And because of their complacency, executive bonuses are being docked.

Yet, even considering the scandal and fines which could be paid, CBA doesnt look bad as an investment. Theyre the largest lender in Australia. Theyre trading around 15-times earnings. And they have a 5.22% dividend yield.

But CBA isnt the only stock paying healthy dividends. If youd like to learn about five of the best potential dividend stocks on the ASX this year, click here.

Harje Ronngard,

Junior Analyst, Money Morning
'The big truck is still on ...
At a Starbucks in downtown Beijing, Du Beibei is getting her lunch-break caffeine fix. Like many young Chinese, shes chosen to sip a cup of coffee instead of the more traditional tea.

I drink coffee three or four times a week and usually go to coffee shops to meet friends, she said. They are more comfortable than tea houses.

Du, who is in her 30s and still drinks tea at home, is among a growing number of Chinese consumers flocking to coffee shops and developing a taste for whats viewed as a trendy Western beverage.

The resulting consumption growth is grabbing the attention of big-brand chains including Starbucks Corp., which last month extended its reach in China with a USD1.2 billion deal for control of more than 1,000 coffee shops. While volumes remain low by global standards, a shift toward coffee in the most-populous and biggest tea-drinking nation could have a massive impact over time.

The Chinese coffee market grew several times faster than the global average in the decade to 2013-14, according to International Coffee Organization data, as the country prospers from urbanization, a growing middle class and rising incomes.

Retail sales of tea still outweigh coffee by about 10 to one, but consumption growth mirrors an earlier expansion in Japan, which became the worlds fourth-largest coffee consumer in the 2000s.

If you take the growth curve of Japan between 1963 and 1973, you will see its practically the same as Chinas in the decade to 2014, said Joseph Reiner, the head of coffee at Cofco International, a unit of Chinas top food company. They used to drink only tea and now you have that Starbucks effect.

The $1.1 billion Chinese coffee market is dominated by Nestle SA, with a 66 percent share, according to Euromonitor International Ltd. The worlds largest food company says its optimistic about consumption prospects and expects China to become one of the leading coffee countries.

While Chinese demand is still a fraction of U.S. consumption and less than half of Japans, the potential for growth means retail chains are already jostling for position. Starbucks has been in the country for almost 20 years and has expanded to about 2,800 outlets. Last month, the Seattle-based retailer said it would buy out its partners in a joint venture in east China, taking control of roughly 1,300 franchised locations.

We think bringing east China into a company-operated model sets the opportunity for the next two decades, Kevin Johnson, chief executive officer of Starbucks, said in an interview. Were playing a long game.

Dunkin Donuts Inc., which failed in two previous attempts to crack the Chinese market, is targeting 1,400 locations within 20 years from 34 stores now. Consumers still drink a relatively small amount of coffee, but the category is growing fast and could eventually surpass tea, according to Dunkin Chief Executive Officer Nigel Travis.

The ICO estimates Chinese coffee demand increased by 16 percent on average a year in the 10 years to 2013-14. That compares with global growth of about 2 percent, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated.

For now, Chinese consumers still favor instant drinks, particularly the so-called 3-in-1, which contains coffee, sugar and creamer, as well as any flavorings. More than 90 percent of coffee retail sales are the instant type, said Limin Yu, senior research associate at London-based Euromonitor.

Most instant kinds of coffee are made from robusta, a cheaper variety of coffee thats predominately grown in Vietnam. The growing popularity of cafes means theres potential for consumers to trend up with higher-end beverages, which will increase demand for milder and more expensive arabica beans.

The first step is to switch tea into more mild coffee drinks such as 3-in-1s and the frappuccinos you get at Starbucks, Cofcos Reiner said. Then coffee starts being consumed in the office and at home. Thats how it develops. We are talking a massive potential here, with between 450 to 600 million Chinese joining the middle class by 2021-22.

Back in Beijing, Kathy Chen, 28, says that she likes all kinds of coffee, from Italian brews to Vietnamese drip.

Coffee bars are the places where you can talk to friends and relax, she said, adding that strong Mandheling, a type of Indonesian coffee, is her favorite. Bloomberg
Cleanup efforts are underway in Hong Kong after white blobs of congealed palm oil washed up on the citys shores following a collision between two ships.

Authorities have closed more than a dozen beaches, including two yesterday, since the spill was reported over the weekend, though the government says the substance isnt dangerous.

Marine officials say the ships collided in the Pearl River Delta estuary southwest of Hong Kong on Thursday, but Hong Kong authorities were not notified by their counterparts in mainland China until two days later.

The congealed palm oil resembles clumps of snow or pieces of Styrofoam and has a consistency similar to Play-Doh. It has been spotted blanketing Hong Kong beaches and floating in the water.

Cleanup crews had collected more than 50 metric tons of the stuff by Monday, and filled 110 garbage bags with it on just one beach on Lamma Island, the government said. It has deployed helicopters and nine ships to help find and collect the waste while workers at public beaches are using absorbent blankets and strips to contain the mess.

Palm oil is commonly used in food packaging and cosmetics. Environment Undersecretary Tse Chin-wan told reporters that it is nontoxic and that there has been no sign of widespread impact on marine life. Tse said that no more than 1,000 metric tons leaked from the stricken ship.

Environmentalists worry about the harm the substance could pose to Hong Kongs already polluted waters, and to fish and other animals that eat large amounts of it.

Hong Kong is made up of a peninsula attached to mainland Chinas southern coast as well as about 260 islands, many of them small and uninhabited. AP
The Sonora Writers Group was founded in 2001 and they encourage local book authors to come find out what they are all about.

Local book authors Jo DeEds and Jill Leach-Klajic were both Wednesdays KVML Newsmakers of the Day.

DeEds was an English/ Language Arts major at Stanford University who participated in Wallace Stegners Creative Writing Program. Today she resides in Columbia, California and has just authored her latest novel called Summer Cowboy. The story is about a college aged man who works as a wrangler and guide for high Sierra pack station. He faces a sudden early snowstorm.

Leach-Klajic is the former Mayor of Santa Clarita who now lives in Columbia, California. She is presently the facilitator of the Sonora Writers Guild. Her first ever novel is called With Dignity. The story takes place in rural Arkansas in the early 1900s. It is a love story with many serious mature twists including adultery, murder and death.

The Sonora Writers Group meets in Sonora every second Saturday at 10:30 am. All writers are welcome. However, you must call for the location of the meeting place, as it is not for public knowledge.

The group encourages authors and potential authors throughout Tuolumne County to come share their writings, have discussions, listen to advise, offer suggestions and yes, even critique each others work.

The Sonora Writers Group sponsors the Tuolumne Writers Retreat each fall in Columbia CA. Retreats first began in 2012.

For more information on the Sonora Writers Guild and the two local books featured in this article, call Leach-Klajic at 209-743-8097.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning on both AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 AM.
Operation Terminus, Sheriff Rick DiBasilio provides remarks, Aug. 3, 2017 View Photos

San Andreas, CA  Calaveras Countys massive Operation Terminus targeting illegal marijuana growers has triggered media inquiries questioning how it is being paid for.

An article written by Capital Public Radio reporter Julia Mitric, who covers its food and sustainability beat, included an interview with County Auditor Controller Rebecca Callen alluding to possible misuse of funds.

In it, Mitric attributed statements from Callen saying that $3.7 million in grower registration fees taken in were supposed to be allocated for direct administrative costs involved with the regulatory program. However, further details and figures supplied by Callens office to the reporter for her story indicated a lions share of funds exceeding $900,000 was being spent at the direction of Calaveras County Sheriff Rick DiBasilio; some of it for criminal investigations into illegal grows. The story did not go into spending from the countys voter-approved Measure C tax revenues collected from legally-permitted growers to cover industry enforcement costs.

As reported here, at a press conference last week detailing Operation Terminus, sheriffs officials stated they did not yet have enforcement costs tallied; nor were there figures available relating to mutual aid support costs of the partnering state law enforcement and environmental regulatory agencies.

County-issued Statement Justifies Cannabis Funding Uses

Late this afternoon, County Chief Administrative Officer Tim Lutz issued a press release maintaining that some recent media coverage is erroneously reporting that funds tied to the countys cannabis regulatory program have been misspent by the sheriffs and/or other departments.

The release states, The County believes the cannabis regulatory program fee fund has properly been used to fund the regulatory program costs and the revenue that the County has received through the voter approved Measure C tax, along with other discretionary General Fund revenues, have been properly used to fund any ancillary and non-regulatory program costs incurred. The County continues to update and formalize processes and procedures for the 2016 Cannabis Urgency Ordinance, which will be adopted by the Board of Supervisors where necessary, while a proposed ban ordinance makes its way through the approval process.

Among the board of supervisors agenda items at the end of the day was a closed session conference with legal counsel to discuss a potential matter of anticipated litigation of potentially significant exposure for the county. The release specifically made a reference to the session, pointing out that as the county was not able to comment on the content of any closed session item no further comment about it would be made.
State Treasurer John Chiang View Photos

Sacramento, CA  Further spurred by the recently enacted Prop 64 legalizing recreational marijuana State Treasurer John Chiang is convening the final in a series of events geared to enable the cannabis industry to do its banking publicly.

Scheduled for tomorrow in Los Angeles is the last of six meetings that have been located around the state for the purpose of discussing how cannabis-related businesses might use public banks to conduct their financial business. These activities are related to the Cannabis Banking Working Group, initiated earlier this year by Chiang, for the purpose of producing actionable recommendations in a summary report.

As more states move towards legalizing broadened use of medical and recreational marijuana products, the issue is becoming a national one. The state will begin allowing commercial sales of recreational marijuana come January 1. However, the substance remains a federally controlled Schedule 1 drug under federal law.

An estimated 70 percent of marijuana-related businesses do not have bank accounts. As Chiang maintains, as they are virtually forced to operate on a cash basis, many legal businesses are constantly running under risk of robbery and physical harm to owners, employees and customers. Too, as Prop 64 imposes a 15 percent tax on retail cannabis sales, a projected $6.6 billion-plus in cannabis sales by 2020, creating banking will allow systemic financial record-keeping that is also more conducive for seed to sale tracking.

Among the organizations involved in the working group is the California Bankers Association and Community Banking Network as well as the Credit Union League of California. State agencies include the Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation, Board of Equalization and Franchise Tax Board; Employment Development Department; Department of Business Oversight; Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, Department of Justice. Other entities are the California Growers and Cannabis Industry associations; State Association of Counties and League of Cities and the Clark Neubert Law Firm.
Nigeria is Africa's most populous country. Islam and Christianity are approximately equally represented in the country. The most populated religion in Nigeria has a large number of adherents, and its leaders are highly respected.

Photo: pexels.com, @rayn, @michaelmorse (modified by author)

Source: UGC

People of common faith are united by their faith, regardless of racial, linguistic, or political affiliations. Nigeria has a diverse religious landscape, with Islam and Christianity being the most widely practised religions.

The most populated religion in Nigeria

Nigeria is home to some of the world's largest Muslim and Christian populations simultaneously.

The country is roughly divided in half, with Muslims living mostly in the north and Christians living mostly in the south.

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Which religion is the most populated in Nigeria?

Nigeria has a diverse religious landscape, with Islam and Christianity being the most widely practised religions in the country. However, the population of Christians and Muslims in Nigeria has shifted over time. Below is a table of how various sources have estimated the most populated religion in the country.

Sources Islam Christianity Other 2018 CIA estimate in The World Factbook 53.5% 45.9% 0.6% Pew Research Center in 2015 50% 48.1% 1.9% 1963 Nigerian census 47% 34% 19% 2008 MEASURE Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 53% 45% 2% 2008 Afrobarometer poll 50% 49% 1% Pew's own survey 52% 46% 2%

Which religion has the highest population in Nigeria?

Nigeria is the most densely populated country in Africa, with the fastest population growth. Muslims and Christians make up the vast bulk of the country's population.

Despite the fact that the percentages of Muslims and Christians vary, they are evenly divided, with the majority of Christians being Protestant and Catholic and the majority of Muslims being Sunni or non-denominational Muslims.

Islam faith in Nigeria

Islam is one of the largest religion in Nigeria, having existed inside its borders since the 11th century. As a result, the country has the largest Muslim population in West Africa, primarily in the country's northern portion.

Nigerian Muslims are mostly Sunnis of the Maliki school of thought. However, there is a sizeable Shia minority, primarily in the states of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Osun, Kwara, Yobe, and Sokoto.

Islam, as a social institution, is very important in Northern Nigeria.

Christianity faith in Nigeria

In Nigeria, Christians account for 49.3% of the population. Christians predominate in Nigeria's southern and central regions.

According to the Pew Research Center, the country has the highest Christian population of any African country, with more than 80 million people belonging to the religion. The bulk of Nigerian Christians is Protestant.

Photo: pexels.com, @rodnaeprod, @jibarofoto (modified by author)

Source: UGC

The Church of Nigeria of the Anglican Communion, The African Church, The Assemblies of God Church, The Nigerian Baptist Convention, and The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations are the country's largest Protestant churches.

The Yoruba region has a sizeable Anglican population. Still, Igboland is largely Catholic, and the Edo region is dominated by the Assemblies of God.

Other religions

Although Christianity and Islam are Nigeria's two most popular religions, some people have decided to practise traditional beliefs. Until the advent of contemporary faiths, gods were thought to wield sovereign authority.

They communicated with people through an intermediary, a priest.

Some people also practise Hinduism, which xarrived in Nigeria due to the immigration of Indians from India and Hare Krishna missionaries. There are around 25,000 Hindus in the country. A big proportion of them resides in Lagos.

Chrislam is an amalgamation of Christianity and Islam. People who practise this faith believe in both the Bible and the Quran.

Another organisation is The Reformed Ogboni Fraternity. It was founded in 1914. Adults who accept a non-idolatrous faith in God are eligible for membership.

What is the main religion in Nigeria?

The majority of Nigerians are either Muslims or Christians. These two beliefs have a higher percentage, with Muslims being the most prevalent. The country's north is predominantly Muslim, whereas the south is predominantly Christian.

Between Christian and Muslim which is the most populated in Nigeria?

A graph depicting the various percentages of Nigeria's population religions. Photo: globalreligiousfutures.org (modified by author)

Source: UGC

According to globalreligiousfutures.org, as of 2020, Muslims constitute 51.1% of the population in Nigeria, with 95% Sunni Islam and 5% Shia Islam.

What is the main religion in Nigeria in 2022?

Islam is the main religion, particularly in the North West and North East. The primary denomination of the South West is Christianity.

Which religion has the most population?

According to the Pew Research Center, Christians remain the world's largest denomination group, accounting for roughly one-third (31%) of the world's population. With 1.8 billion people, or 24% of the world's population, Muslims are the world's second-largest religious community.

What are the 7 world religions?

The most common religions in the world are:

Christianity Islam Hinduism Buddhism Sikhism Judaism Animism

Who is the no 1 beautiful religion in the world?

Many people regard Hinduism as the most beautiful religion in the world, largely due to the beauty of Hindu temples.

According to the trends mentioned, Islam is the most populated religion in Nigeria. Nigeria's religious practice is varied and diverse, with its inhabitants' religions emerging from the triple inheritance of indigenous religious traditions, Islam and Christianity.

READ ALSO: Who named Nigeria and in what year? Read all the details

Have you ever wondered who named Nigeria, where the term came from, and what it means? Like many other African countries, Nigeria has a rich past intricately entwined with European trade and colonisation.

The history of the country's name may be traced back to 1879 when a British man named George Goldie founded the United African Company (UAC) and used it to control the lower reaches of the Niger River. Legit.ng has detailed everything you need to know about the country's history and what it was previously known as.

Source: Legit.ng
Do you want to study or work abroad? Then you might need to take the IELTS test! It will increase the chances of you to study and work anywhere! What is the cost of IELTS exam in Nigeria? Continue reading to find out!

British Council IELTS

Your first step in taking an IELTS exam is to register on the official British Council website. If you dont know how to find it, then click on this link Brisith Council. Please, do not register on any other website that claims to be the British Council or its partner. They are not associated in any form with the British Council. Moreover, they can be just fraudsters who want to steal your money.

Cost for IELTS in Nigeria

According to the official website of the British Council  you will need to pay N 68, 000 for the test. How to transfer money to the British council? When you register on the official website, you will get the instructions on how to do that! Take a look at the British Council partner banks:

- First Bank;

- Guaranty Trust Bank;

- Zenith Bank.

How to transfer the money through these banks? You just need to fill in the code of the city, plus two digits of your exam`s month and the two last digits of your International Passport!

List of the test location cities and their codes

READ ALSO: Best university in Nigeria for medicine 2017

- Port Harcourt  995302;

- Lagos  995202;

- Ibadan  995202;

- Enugu  995102;

- Benin City  995102;

- Abuja  995102;

- Abeokuta  no information provided on the official website for now.

When you are transferring the money to the British Council IELTS exam, the above-mentioned digits should be the first 6 digits of your transfer code. The other two digits should be the number of your IELTS exam`s month. Take a look at the digits for every month:

- March  12;

- February - 11;

- January  10;

- December  09;

- November  08;

- October  07;

- September  06;

- August  05;

- July  04;

- June  03;

- May  02;

- April  01.

Therefore, you should get ten digits in total! The first six should go for the transfer bank, second two numbers should be the month of the exam, and the last two digits are from your International passport. For instance, I`m George Ibenegbu, and my last digits from my international passport number are 23. I want to take an IELTS exam in Abuja on September this year. Therefore, my full digit number will be 9951020623.

When you are ready with your account bank number, you will need to enter the following spaces:

- The beneficiary bank  Standard Chartered Bank;

- The account name  British Council;

- The full reference name of the candidate. (It`s your personal number from the British Council!) It should look like this: NG233-036251-8721  George Ibenegbu;

When you complete the transfer process  send the evidence to the official British Council email  ngielts.payment@britishcouncil.org. You will need to send the following attachments;

- Payment Summary Slip;

- Reference Number.

Cost of IELTS exam in Nigeria

Now you know that the cost of IELTS exam in Nigeria is N68, 000. So all you need to do is follow the instructions above and send the confirmation list to the official email of the British council. After that, you will need to wait for 72 hours for the British Council response.

READ ALSO: What is the next stage after filling the pre-enrollment form for post graduate studies in Italy?

Source: Legit.ng
Malaysias government yesterday launched an inquiry into massive foreign exchange losses by the central bank more than two decades ago, in a probe that could lead to criminal prosecution for former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Opposition leaders slammed the inquiry as a political ploy to discredit Mahathir just months after he set up a new political party. He now leads an opposition coalition aimed at ousting Prime Minister Najib Razak in general elections due in mid-2018.

Mahathir, 92, led the country for 22 years before stepping down in 2003. He has been spearheading calls for Najib to resign over a multibillion-dollar financial scandal in indebted state fund 1MDB. The fund is being investigated in several countries for money laundering. Najib has denied any wrongdoing.

A five-member Royal Commission of Inquiry, meeting for the first time yesterday, said it will investigate how much the central bank lost in currency trading in the 1990s and determine if there was a cover-up.

The inquiry was set up after the government said a preliminary investigation found that the extent of losses was larger than what was reported to the Cabinet and Parliament.

The inquiry panel said a hearing will begin Aug. 21 and that it will aim to submit a report to the king by Oct. 13. The panel can make recommendations on action to be taken against those found guilty, but it is up to the attorney-general to prosecute.

Mahathir has said the inquiry is a desperate effort by Najib to silence his detractors. He and other opposition leaders have urged the government to also set up a formal inquiry into losses at 1MDB.

Malaysias government has said it found no criminal wrongdoing at 1MDB. But the fund has been at the center of investigations in the U.S. and several countries amid allegations of a global embezzlement and money-laundering scheme. Najib started the fund shortly after taking office in 2009 to promote economic development projects, but it accumulated billions of dollars in debts.

The U.S. Justice Department says at least USD4.5 billion has been stolen from 1MDB by people close to Najib and has initiated action to seize $1.3 billion it says was taken from the fund to buy assets in the U.S. The government complaints also say that more than $700 million has landed in the accounts of Malaysian Official 1. They did not name the official, but appear to be referring to Najib.

Najib has resisted calls to resign, has clamped down on critics and continues to enjoy the unwavering support of most ruling-party members, but his real test will come in next years elections. Najibs ruling coalition won the last elections in 2013 despite losing the popular vote to an opposition coalition. Eileen Ng, Kuala Lumpur, AP
- Two major groups in the north have fallen out over the 2019 presidential election

- The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) and the Arewa Youth Grand Alliance (AYGA) are at loggerheads over who to endorse

- AYCF is led by Alhaji Yerima Shettima, while the AYGA is led by Alhaji Idris Inuwa

A report by Vanguard indicates that there is division among two major northern youth groups over who to endorse as a northern candidate in 2019.

According to the report, the 2019 purported presidential ambitions of incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, have created a gulf between the groups.

The division reportedly started after AYCF leader, Alhaji Yerima Shettima granted an interview, asking Buhari and Atiku and other northern political leaders above 60 years of age to perish the thought of seeking elective offices in 2019.

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His words: You had your yesterday and you failed your yesterday, you cannot fail today again and you think of doing a great damage to our yet unborn children and you expect us to fold our arms.

Now, we are building for our own children too. So, you cannot fail your yesterday and come and champion my today. It is impossible. This cannot happen again.

In reaction, AYGA leader, Alhaji Idris Inuwa said the statement was a wanton display of lack of respect for northern elders.

His words: Mr Yerima is deceived by the euphoria that trailed his and other groups infamous quit notice given to Igbo in the North by October 1, 2017, an action deliberately designed to destabilize the nation, thereby seeing himself as an emerging hero that could speak for the North.

The inconsistencies and vague choice of words in the said interview have clearly shown his ignorance of politics, where wisdom of elders and energy of the youths are pulled together to produce results. In other words, the elders and the youths must constantly collaborate because no one can do without the other.

He challenged Yerima to come out and tell the world his political constituency in the whole North. And what are his political value apart from being a manipulative political tool in the hands of Northern political rivals, who constantly use him for his nuisance value.

He continued: We wish to state here that we are very much aware of his sponsors to discredit two of the Norths finest politicians of our time, President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to achieve their sinister political motives against 2019.

As Northern youths and critical stakeholders in Nigeria, we will resist any attempt by the likes of Yerima to use the name of Arewa for devilish mission.

Let us warn Mr Yerima and his sponsors to desist from reckless and unguarded utterances against our leaders and elders who have sacrificed so much for our future.

Any further attempt will leave us with no option than to bring out his dossiers and make them public. A word is enough for the wise.

Meanwhile, the Senate has cautioned protesters operating under the aegis of Concerned Nigerians, demanding for the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari over his medical vacation in the United Kingdom to stop heating up the polity.

In a statement sent to Legit.ng by the Senate's spokesman, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, he described the agitation of the protesters as an unreasonable demand.

The statement said the protesters were only creating unnecessary tension in the country and seeking to divert the attention of the presidency from the economic and security issues which are being tackled with vigour.

READ ALSO: OBJ, IBB allegedly draw list of 4 candidates to replace Buhari, set conditions

In the video below, Nigerians tell Legit.ng TV what is working well in Nigeria and what needs to improve:

Source: Legit.ng
- Governor Ayodele Fayose recently declared he would become Nigeria's next president

- Bamidele Faparusi, a former member of the House of Representatives, thinks Fayose has only succeeded in debasing Ekiti people

- Faparusi took time to compare Fayose with Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state who just launched an ultra-modern rice mill

Days after Ayodele Fayose reportedly declared his plans to contest the 2019 presidency, a former member of the House of Representatives, Bamidele Faparusi, has told the Ekiti governor to go learn from his performing colleagues in other states.

The Nation reports that Faparusi begged Fayose to ensure he learns from other governors the best way to boost his states revenue.

Legit.ng learnt that while speaking in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi state capital, during the inauguration of a N10 billion rice mill by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, Faparusi commended the administration of Governor Atiku Bagudu for its achievements.

READ ALSO: Nigerian in Malaysia suffers tragedy trying to escape from police (photos)

According to the lawmaker, Ekiti has comparative advantage in the area of rice production and if Fayose had shifted attention to that area, Kebbis achievement would have been recorded in the state.

Faparusi asked Fayose to concentrate on boosting the standard of living of the Ekiti state people instead of distributing highly debasing sachets of rice to people as if they were beggars.

According to the former lawmaker, it is disheartening how the government of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has debased the people and upgraded begging to statecraft.

He noted that Kebbi state has been launched into the global space with the achievement of Governor Bagudu.

Nigerians were aware of the comparative advantage Ekiti has in rice production.

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The local Igbemo rice has become a household delicacy the people sought after because of its nutritional values, he said.

Legit.ng earlier reported how Governor Ayodele Fayose boasted that he would become the next president of Nigeria by taking over the reins of power from President Muhammadu Buhari.

Fayose made the statement on Friday, June 16, when he spoke at a meeting with political office holders at the Governments House, Ado Ekiti, the Vanguard reports.

He said he wants to be the next president of Nigeria, promising that his administration wont be like that of the current government that has brought nothing to Nigerians.

Will you vote for Fayose if he eventually contests? Watch this video:

Source: Legit.ng
- The state of insecurity in the nation has taken a worrisome dimension

- Prominent Nigerians are not spared of the rot from the men of the underworld

- Former acting governor of Bayelsa state, Wenipreye Seibarugu, almost fell victim of the intruders as robbers attacked his home

Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers attacked the home of a former acting governor of Bayelsa state, Wenipreye Seibarugu.

Seibarugu, who confirmed the incident to journalists in the state capital, Yenagoa on Tuesday, August 8, described the incident as worrisome and outrageous.

Seibarugu was a speaker of Bayelsa state House of Assembly, and deputy governor in the Timipre Sylva administration.

Seibarugu sustained an injury during the foiled attack. Photo credit: The Guardian

He said the incident would have been disastrous but for the help of armed policemen on guard at his home.

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Though, I have not reported to the police but the policemen from Ekeki Divisional Headquarters, Yenagoa local government area, led by the DPO, has visited to ascertain the development.

The reason is that I have been in the hospital for the fracture I had while we were trying to chase the robbers out, he explained.

An eyewitness, Preye James, said the gunmen were five in number.

James explained that the suspects wore masks and carried sophisticated weapons but could not enter the house.

They invaded the home from the back side of the house but they were chased after the wife sighted them from the kitchen and raised an alarm.

It was the shout of the wife that attracted the husband and some followers in the house; so, they were chased out by armed policemen on guard, he said. (NAN)

The incident is coming barely three weeks after top Nigerian actors, Odunlade Adekola and Bolaji Amusan also known as Mr Latin, were attacked by armed robbers on their way home from Ijebu-Ode.

Legit.ng gathered that the actors had gone to Ijebu-Ode for a music show and were returning home from the show on Saturday, July 15, at night when they ran into robbers who barricaded the road.

READ ALSO: Rapid Response Squad nabs robber, recovers AK-47 (photos)

Meanwhile, Legit.ng TV went to see family members of those who were attacked by Badoo cult group.

Source: Legit.ng
- Nigeria's main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is doing everything possible to revive the party

- Efforts are on to woo former big wigs of the party to return to its fold

- The party is already preparing for the elections in 2019

The leadership of the PDP on Tuesday, August 8 kick-started its plans moves to woo former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Senate President, Bukola Saraki; and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, back to its fold.

Others targeted by the former ruling party include Senators Rabiu Kwankwaso, Aliyu Wamakko, Abdullahi Adamu, Danjuma Goje, Governor Aminu Tambuwal and many others who were members of the PDP but defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) before the 2015 elections.

According to The Nation, the PDP appointed Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers) and Ibrahim Dankwabo (Gombe) as chairman and deputy chairman of a reconciliation committee set up to woo the high profile politicians back to its fold.

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The national chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, tasked the governors on the need to win the targeted individuals back to the party during their inauguration in Abuja on Tuesday, August 8.

The party also appointed a former minister of foreign affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi, as chairman of a newly inaugurated disciplinary committee.

A former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, was named deputy.

Delta state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, was named chairman of National Convention Committee, while former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido, will act as deputy chairman.

Makarfi charged the reconciliation committee to extend its assignment to the founding members of the PDP, stressing that the dragnet should be extended beyond those that left the party in 2015.

His words: Everybody that was in PDP at one time or the other should be reconciled with. It is not limited to pre-2015.

Makarfi also mandated the committee to reach out to other individuals who have never been in the PDP with a view to bringing them into the party without any conditions attached.

This includes president, vice president, governors and former Senate president, Speaker of House of Representatives and all other former top ranking members in the party, he added.

Meanwhile, a recent media report indicates that there is division among two major northern youth groups over who to endorse as a northern candidate in 2019.

According to the report, the 2019 purported presidential ambitions of incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, have created a gulf between the groups.

The division reportedly started after AYCF leader, Alhaji Yerima Shettima granted an interview, asking Buhari and Atiku and other northern political leaders above 60 years of age to perish the thought of seeking elective offices in 2019.

READ ALSO: OBJ, IBB allegedly draw list of 4 candidates to replace Buhari, set conditions

In the video below, Nigerians tell Legit.ng TV what is working well in Nigeria and what needs to improve:

Source: Legit.ng
- There seems to be fear following the recent release of an alleged anti-Igbo song in some northern states

- Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, has reacted with a warning

- Kanu ased the Igbo people in the north to run back home and avoid being killed in the north

Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has issued a renewed warning to Igbo people in the north to ensure they returned home before the expiration of the quit notice from Arewa youths.

The new warning came from the leader as a response to a current trending anti-Igbo song in some northern states.

The Punch reports that Kanu gave the warning as he addressed journalists in his Afraukwu Umuahia country home.

READ ALSO: The brain behind IPOB has assured me elections will hold in Anambra - Obiano

According to him, the song was just a prelude to the October 1 quit notice by Arewa youths.

The IPOB leader described the song as evil, satanic and capable of causing genocidal.

Kanu said the warning from the north should not be ignored because of its strong consequences as conveyed in the alleged hate song.

I am aware of an anti-Igbo song circulating now in the north. My reaction has been to warn our people in the North that the pogrom being hatched by our enemies will come.

There is an impending doom for our people living in the North.

So, the best they can do is to leave the North and come home so that we can have our Biafra and build an economy capable of assimilating and absorbing all their potential and creative abilities, he said.

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Legit.ng earlier reported that some Igbos resident in the north have begun relocating to other parts of Nigeria, following the quit notice issued by the Coalition of Northern Youths.

Though the directive has now been rescinded, barely a week ago, the Coalition of Northern Youths had given all Igbos resident in the north a three month directive to vacate the region, and also asked Hausas in the east to return back to their places of origin.

Watch this video about the agitation for Biafra:

Source: Legit.ng
- Former Abia state governor, Orji Uzor Kalu has condemned a provocative song against Igbo

- Kalu said the anti-Igbo song is another ploy to provoke Ndigbo

- He however declared that Igbo will remain peace loving and law abiding despite the provocation

Former Abia state governor, Orji Uzor Kalu has strongly moved against a provocative song about Ndigbo currently circulating in the country.

Kalu said Nigerias ethnic, religious, cultural and political diversity should be seen as an advantage rather than a minus such as hate speeches, Daily Sun reports.

Legit.ng gathered that he however accused sponsors of the hate song, saying ''Nigeria has come to stay as a heterogeneous nation and no amount of hate campaign can break the country''.

RED ALSO: AYCF, AYGA disagree over 2019 northern candidate

Legit.ng gathered that Kalu made this known on Tuesday, August 8, at a meeting with a group of Igbo professionals in London.

He said: ''The anti-Igbo song is another ploy to provoke Ndigbo. However, despite all these nonsensical theatricals, Igbo will remain calm, peace loving and law abiding. We shall continue to resist all temptations as patriotic Nigerians.

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''Nigeria is a diverse country of different ethnic groups, and no single tribe can lay claim to the country. We are all stakeholders, be it Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Tiv, Efik, Ijaw and many others.

''Igbos will continue to play a significant role in national well being, regardless of these provocations, especially in the areas of employment generation, wealth creation and industrialisation''.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Kalu pleaded with Nigerians to stop criticizing President Buhari's led administration.

The former governor asks Nigerians to support the president for the sake of the desired change wanted by all.

Watch this Legit.ng TV Video Biafra supporters celebrate 50 years remembrance of their beloved Biafra:

Source: Legit.ng
A judge tightened security Monday at the luxury Manhattan apartment where a Chinese billionaire convicted of bribing United Nations diplomats will likely reside under 24-hour guard until sentencing. The move is a precaution fought for by prosecutors who suspect Ng Lap Seng may try to flee the country before he is sentenced.

Defense attorney Andrew Genser, who argued on Ngs behalf, said his client has faith in the U.S. judicial system and had no plans to flee. He hasnt been sitting around trying to plot some escape plan, Genser said. Hes been plotting his appeal.

U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick rejected a request by prosecutors to immediately imprison 69-year-

old Ng Lap Seng after his conviction over a week ago on bribery and money laundering charges. The charges carry a potential prison term lasting decades, though his actual sentence would be far less.

It is literally difficult to imagine a defendant with a greater incentive to flee, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Richenthal.

A jury convicted Ng of paying over USD1.7 million in bribes to two ambassadors from 2010 to 2015 to arrange support to construct a huge U.N. conference center in Macau, where he resides. No sentencing date has been set.

At Mondays hearing, Broderick seemed surprised to learn that Ng was receiving massages every other day in his bedroom with the door closed and that the massage therapist remained at the apartment for four to 10 hours, cooking meals that were sometimes also served to Ngs armed guards.

The judge put one of the guards from a private security company on the witness stand and learned that the guards used Ngs visitors, mostly family, as interpreters and that the guards generally did not use a security wand to search familiar members of Ngs family for metal objects when they entered the apartment.

Broderick ordered the guards to stop eating food cooked in Ngs apartment, to use the wand to search all visitors for metal objects and to ensure the bedroom door remains open during massages while making periodic walk-through checks of the apartment.

He also ordered the guards to enable prosecutors or federal law enforcement to see video feeds of rooms within the apartment. And he limited visitors to family members with a requirement that a third guard be required if more than five adults were in the apartment. MDT/AP
- President Muhammadu Buhari's medical vacation is still a trending topic in Nigeria

- A group called Concerned Nigerians, on Monday, August 7, converged at the Unity Fountain and began a daily sit-out

- The group which is demanding for the president to either resume or resign had some new comers join in the protest

Despite collapsing previous day, veteran entertainer Charly Boy and other members of the Concerned Nigerians group have converged at the Unity Fountain, Abuja to continue their #ResumeorResign campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari has been away in London for a medical vacation for over 90 days.

The protest is led by Charly Boy under the ''Our Mumu Don Do'' movement alongside social media influencer, Deji Adeyanju, who is the founder of the Concerned Nigeria group.

The protesters are not bothered about the presence of security operatives

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Charly Boy's presence at the sit-out protest comes a day after the veteran musician collapsed following tear gas and water cannons thrown at the group by the Nigeria police.

The protest today, Wednesday, August 9, witnessed the presence of Nollywood actor, Jim Iyke and Bring Back our Girls co-founder, Aisha Yeseufu.

Jim Iyke, Aisha Yesufu joins Charly Boy in Resume or Resign protest against Buhari

The protest is holding under the watchful eyes of security operatives including the troops of Nigeria Army in three military vans.

Nigeria's secret police, the Department of State Security (DSS) van is also stationed at the venue of the protest.

Scenes from the protest

Meanwhile, the Senate has cautioned protesters to stop heating up the polity with its daily sit-out..

In a statement sent to Legit.ng by the Senate's spokesman, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, he described the agitation of the protesters as an unreasonable demand.

The statement said the protesters were only creating unnecessary tension in the country and seeking to divert the attention of the presidency from the economic and security issues which are being tackled with vigour.

READ ALSO: Nigerian man threatens to poison the north with chemical weapons, declares Oduduwa Republic

In the video below, Nigerians tell Legit.ng TV what is working well in Nigeria and what needs to improve:

Source: Legit.ng
N-Power Teach Volunteers is a program that will help improve basic education delivery in Nigeria. They will then be deployed as teacher assistants in primary schools around Nigeria.

According to the website, they will not replace the current teachers, but will work as support teachers across Nigeria, assisting with teaching, school management and other functions within the schools.

Where possible, they will also assist in taking basic education to children in marginalised communities.

The assessment for the N-Power Teach volunteers began on August 9 and below are some pointers released by the scheme:

N-power assessment Source: Twitter, npower_ng

READ ALSO: 60 N-Power volunteers may face prosecution for fraud - FG

Below are some things to learn from the pointers:

1. Some will be able to write their tests immediately, others will do so at a future time according to the schedule.

2. If your BVN validation is pending, then you might have to wait till Friday, August 11.

3. If your BVN records do not match your application, you will be unable to take the test.

4. If you ticked certain consistency skills, you will be required to take a second STEM test.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that, N-Power announced a new test date for applicants who applied for the N-teach programme.

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The test was billed to start on August 2 but in a new directive, candidates will now write their test on Wednesday August 9.

N-power on August 1 posted on their Facebook page: "Good evening. N-Teach Assessment Tests will now commence on the 9th of August, 2017. We will share further details tomorrow."

Watch this Legit.ng video on the things Nigerians have to say about their country:

Source: Legit.ng
- Nnamdi Kanu leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned the Ozubulu killing and called for thorough investigation

- Kanu said there was nothing to suggest that the attack was not an act of terrorism

- He also said that the attack made a mockery of the entire security system

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has frowned at the Ozubulu killing, calling for scientific tests of the bullets used by the gunmen for thorough investigation.

Kanu said it is unfair that the police are not being sincere with their investigation.

According to him: ''There was nothing to suggest that the attack was not an act of terrorism. Kanu noted that Ndigbo do not have the culture of carrying out mass killing for whatever reason let alone carrying such attack in a place of worship, insisting that it could be from terrorist act and called for thorough investigation.

READ ALSO: AYCF, AYGA disagree over 2019 northern candidate

We are asking for a forensic examination to be conducted to ascertain the type of bullet used in the attack. It makes a mockery of the entire security system that people can work into a town and massacre innocent civilians and walk away.

''Where are the security agencies. All options should remain open because our people are not known for gang killings. It is alien to us''.

The IPOB leader said:''Such atrocious crime has never ever been committed anywhere in Biafra land before.

''We are not known for mass executions. It was the same thing that happened at Uzo Uwani in Enugu state, the same scenario.

''I wonder why the narratives coming out is that it is two brothers who are feuding in far away South Africa. Is that possible? Does that make sense?.

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''Then where are all these security agents in our land; When we travel along the roads they are busy collecting money from our people, road blocks here and there. Before you travel a mile in Anambra you will encounter about 15 check points.

''How come all of them were sleeping or dozing when this attack happened? How is that possible? After the assailants must have gone then police will arrive to set up even more road blocks and check points. What type of society is that. That is why we want Biafra''.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that IPOB declared that the mass killing of Saint Philips Catholic Church worshipers that happened on Sunday, August 6, was not caused by wrong business deal.

Reports have it that IPOB made this known through a statement signed by comrade Emma Powerful, the group media and publicity secretary.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nnamdi Kanu addressing his supporters in Abia:

Source: Legit.ng
Gov. Rick Snyder is optimistic that Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn Technology Group will open a facility in Michigan, but said what exactly it is has not been determined and it could be a few months before any potential deal takes shape.

In a phone interview from Shanghai, where he was concluding a nine-day trade trip in China, Snyder said Monday night there is a strong possibility for Foxconn to still locate in the state after the company in recent weeks picked neighboring Wisconsin for a $10 billion display panel plant with 3,000 employees that could grow to 13,000. Snyder told The Associated Press that Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou invited him for dinner, meetings and a tour of the companys sprawling factory in Shenzhen near Hong Kong that employs some 200,000 workers.

They discussed the autonomous vehicle industry and advanced manufacturing, Snyder said. The company, he said, is highly advanced in tooling, machinery and robotics similarly to Michigan but does not yet have much of a U.S. presence in those sectors.

We had very healthy, very good discussions about Michigans strengths and how it could be very good for Foxconn to be present in Michigan in some fashion. What it is has yet to be determined, he said.

Chinese media outlets, quoting Gou, reported over the weekend that Foxconn plans to open a research and development center related to self-driving vehicles in Michigan, where General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler are based. The company has not confirmed the plans, instead repeating that Michigan is one of the states under consideration for some sort of investment.

Snyder also declined to confirm that Foxconn is eyeing an autonomous vehicle facility but said that would be one of the natural things that they could well be looking at. Foxconn said last month that its Wisconsin announcement was just the first of several unspecified investments the company will be making in the U.S.

Its going really well, Snyder said of the courtship. But were still getting to know each other, were still working through that. They can make their own business decisions. But were going to continue to present them good opportunities of what we can do in Michigan.

Little known to consumers, the maker of iPhones and other gadgets is a giant in the electronics industry thanks to its dominant position in the global manufacturing supply chain. Working conditions at Foxconns factories in China have come under scrutiny in the past due to labor practices and suicides.

Snyder and state lawmakers last month enacted job-creation tax incentives, including one tailored to companies such as Foxconn that add at least 3,000 jobs that pay the average regional wage. But Wisconsin offered what Snyder called a gigantic $3 billion incentive package to land the factory that will construct liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors used in televisions and computers.

Snyder said Foxconn has other projects on its radar that would be better suited for Michigan. He said it is too early to say how many jobs could come with a Foxconn facility in Michigan. He is hopeful that talks continue in the next few months and things start solidifying.

The trip was the Snyder administrations seventh mission to China. Snyder said one theme throughout the trip was Chinas increased interest in autonomous mobility, and he wants Michigan to capitalize on potential business opportunities in the emerging sector. David Eggert, AP
- EFCC north-east zone, recovers the sum of N79,074, 743.53 in bank drafts and N31,745,280 in cash from suspects under investigation

- The anti-graft agency says it has secured seven convictions of those arraigned in various courts, while concluding investigation into 54 other cases

- EFCC north-east zonal head, Aminu Aliyu, appeals to the public to continue to report activities of any suspects in both private and public sectors

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), north-east zone, says it has arrested 191 suspects and recovered N111 million (N110,820,023) in the area from January to July.

READ ALSO: AYCF, AYGA disagree over 2019 northern candidate

Aminu Aliyu, the commissions head of operations in the zone, stated this at a news conference in Gombe on Tuesday, August 8, The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Mr Aliyu said the amount recovered from suspects under investigations are: N79,074, 743.53 in bank drafts and N31,745,280 in cash.

He said the office had also secured seven convictions of those arraigned in various courts, while concluding investigation into 54 other cases.

He expressed the commissions commitment to tackle economic and financial crimes by securing conviction of criminals and sensitising the public to the evil deeds of fraudsters in the society.

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The zonal head also appealed to the public to continue to report activities of any suspects in both private and public sectors.

Meanwhile, the Lagos state Federal High Court has ordered the interim forfeiture of N7,646,700,000 kept in Sterling bank by former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The money, according to the officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was part of the sum of $153,310,000 she allegedly stole from the coffers of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

EFCC alleged that the agency has already seized the sum of 23.4bn, $5m and another N9.08bn out of the $153.3m from the ex-minister.

The judge, Chuka obiozor, adjourned the case till August 28, 2017 for Sterling Bank and any other party involved to appear before the court to state why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

In the video below; the EFCC organised a march tagged walk against corruption in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Source: Legit.ng
- Senate president Bukola Saraki in keeping with his earlier words has returned all the pension paid to him

- The refund was due to prodding by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, who criticized the Senate president

- The state government also made it clear that the decision was based on moral grounds

After continued probing by Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, the Senate president Bukola Saraki has returned the entire money paid to him as pension by Kwara state.

Falana also asked him to relinquish the house the state government bought for him in Abuja.

On Wednesday, August 9, Sola Isiaka, secretary to the Kwara state government, said Saraki has refunded the pension.

According to The Cable, the statement reads: The attention of Kwara state government has been drawn to issues surrounding the payment of pensions to former governors of the state, especially the senate president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON.

As a result, the state government wish to make the following clarifications: That Dr Saraki, as a two-term governor, is entitled to pension as stipulated by the third schedule, Paragraph D (i) of the governor and deputy-governor ((payment of pension) Law, No. 12 of 2010 of Kwara state.

READ ALSO: Kwara youths attack Falana for criticizing Saraki

That the said pension has been duly remitted to his account, like other former governors, since he left office but when via a letter dated 20th August 2015 addressed to the state government, Dr Saraki requested that the payment of pension to his account be stopped and the amount already credited to the account be refunded to the government, the state government promptly complied.

That the government not only stopped the payment of the said pension, the amount already paid into Dr Sarakis account since he left office was deducted from the money owed to him as well as his other outstanding lawful entitlements.

In view of the foregoing, it should be noted that neither the Kwara state government nor Dr Bukola Saraki violated the state pension law or any other law for that matter. The state pension law empowers the state government to pay pension to former governors of the state.

The state government also added that Saraki was not forced, instead considered the morality of the situation in which the pension would put him since he is still a serving senator and chose to abandon his legal rights.'

Legit.ng earlier reported that after many complaints that former governors who are currently senators or ministers were still receiving pension and salary in their new jobs.

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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.

Watch this Legit.ng video on what Nigerians have o say about some recent Senate rulings:

Source: Legit.ng
The Trump Organization has clarified in a statement to CNNMoney that the company, owned by U.S. president Donald Trump, has no intention to develop businesses in Macau. The statement comes in response to speculation that Trump was deliberating whether to bid for a Macau casino license once the current concessionaire licenses begin to expire in 2020.

According to media reports this week, DTTM Operations LLC, a company representing Trump, had filed four applications under the Trump brand, one of which is for gambling services.

However, in the statement, the Trump Organization said that it has been zealously enforcing and protecting its intellectual property rights around the world for more than 20 years, particularly in jurisdictions where trademark infringement is rampant.

It added that the recent trademark applications in the MSAR are a continuation of these defensive measures.

The applications for the four new trademarks were submitted around two months ago.

In 2012, the Macau government approved the three brands with the Trump name: Donald Trump, Trump Tower and Trump International Hotel and Tower. Then last year, the U.S. president won a legal battle against a small company in the city over the trademark, securing the use of the name in the hospitality and restaurant business.

So far this year, the Trump empire has been awarded several new trademarks on the mainland, with Ivanka Trump, the presidents daughter, being one of the main beneficiaries.
- The federal government has been urged to arrest Nnmadi Kanu

- Arewa Youth Assembly made this call during a peaceful protest in Abuja on August 9

- The group accused Kanu of undermining the sovereignty of Nigeria

Arewa Youth Assembly on Wednesday, August 9 held a protest to demand for the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu over the unity of Nigeria.

The group who took to the streets under Police watch said unity of the country is non-negotiable while calling for the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.

The group insisted that Nnamdi Kanu is undermining the sovereignty of the country through his agitation for Biafra.

The federal government has been urged to arrest Nnmadi Kanu. Photo credit: Eric gossip

READ ALSO: List of N47.2Billion, $487.5Million properties allegedly traced to ex-Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke

Arewa Youth Assembly made this call during a peaceful protest in Abuja on August 9. Photo credit: Eric gossip

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The group accused Kanu of undermining the sovereignty of Nigeria. Photo credit: Eric gossip

Legit.ng had earlier reported that Nnamdi Kanu condemned the Ozubulu killing and called for thorough investigation of the massacre.

He claimed that there was nothing to suggest that the attack was not an act of terrorism.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nnamdi Kanu addressing his supporters in Abia:

Source: Legit.ng
Over the weekend, a Google engineer named James Damore gained infamy for publishing a 10-page criticism of the companys authoritarian approach to achieving gender diversity. By Monday, he was fired. If the goal was to confirm Damores thesis, Team Google is doing a great job.

Titled Googles Ideological Echo Chamber, the memo sets out a well-intentioned goal: Find non-discriminatory ways to reduce gender disparities. At last tally, women occupied only 20 percent of tech jobs at the Alphabet Inc. unit, a dismal number even by Silicon Valley standards. Damore, who wrote the memo anonymously and later identified himself publicly and confirmed his dismissal, argues that Googles use of targets (known as objectives and key results) can incentivize reverse discrimination, and suggests focusing instead on rewarding what he calls inherently female traits  such as cooperation and the desire for a better work-life balance.

Its fine to question Damores characterization of women. (As a female engineer in Silicon Valley, I endorse his suggestion to treat people as individuals, not as just another member of their group.) Its okay to disagree with the proposed solutions. But the backlash was egregiously swift and brutal. Google representatives issued multiple statements denouncing the document. Past and present colleagues chimed in over the weekend with calls for the engineer to be ousted. Media outlets like TechCrunch, Gizmodo and Motherboard jumped on board to declare the memo an Anti-Diversity Manifesto. It appears that the ideological echo chamber extends beyond Googles campus.

Silicon Valley has a very peculiar definition of diversity that requires proportional representation from every gender and race, all of whom must think exactly alike. Given that Google has failed to reach this ideal despite nearly a decade of efforts, Damore might be right to suggest that it try a different tack. Google rejects 99.8 percent of job applicants, making it far more selective than any Ivy League university. Its not unreasonable to posit that in this top 0.2 percent of the population, there may be various ways in which talent manifests differently between the sexes.

Suggesting that men and women are different, though, can be a perilous endeavor. In 2005, Harvard President Larry Summers speculated that the under-representation of women in top science and engineering positions might have something to do with the male tendency to exhibit extreme traits  to, say, have very high or low IQs. The remarks were widely condemned as an allegation that women have an innate disadvantage in science and math. Summers apologized profusely, but it was too late. The faculty convened and issued a no-confidence vote, and the president stepped down shortly thereafter.

Suppressing intellectual debate on college campuses is bad enough. Doing the same in Silicon Valley, which has essentially become a finishing school for elite universities, compounds the problem. Its engineers build products that potentially shape our digital lives. At Google, they oversee a search algorithm that seeks to surface authoritative results and demote low-quality content. This algorithm is tuned by an internal team of evaluators. If the company silences dissent within its own ranks, why should we trust it to manage our access to information?

In a statement, Googles chief diversity and inclusion officer, Danielle Brown, refused to link to Damores memo, saying that its not a viewpoint that I or this company endorses, promotes or encourages. Companies dont have viewpoints. Humans do  diverse ones. The swiftness with which Google removed an outspoken engineer demonstrates that Damore is exactly right: Google could use some diversity of ideas. Elaine Ou, Bloomberg
- Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) has asked the Federal Government to re-arrest the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu

- The group also threatened that it would shut down the country if Kanu is not rearrested

- It said that it came out after ten days ultimatum it gave to the government in its letters earlier addressed to the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo

Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA), on Wednesday August 9, threatened to paralyze governments activities, especially in 19 Northern states, if the Federal Government failed to arrest the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu over what it termed lawlessness and youth agitations in various parts of the country.

Nigerian Tribune reports that the assembly who staged a peaceful protest in Abuja further threatened that if the Federal Government failed to get Kanu apprehended it would mobilize over one thousand youths to stop governments activities in Northern states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

READ ALSO: What Buhari told me in London - Solomon Dalung

Legit.ng gathered that the Speaker of the AYA, Muhammed Salihu who disclosed this during the protest said the group came out after ten days ultimatum given to the government in its letters earlier addressed to the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, alongside other Security Chiefs on why the IPOB leader must be arrested.

The protesters carried various placards which read, Though our tough might differ, but in unity and brotherhood we stand; Individuals blood does not worth anything of Kanu and many others. The protest began from Unity Fountain, Maitama down to the entrance of Aso Villa, Abuja.

Speaking further, Salihu said: Basically we are here for the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu because he is causing lawlessness and youth agitations in various part of the country. Any youth under any group now is hiding under the Kanu agitation to perpetrate evils.

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We are now watching the action of government because the ten days ultimatum has lapsed, if the Federal Government fails now, we will mobilize over one thousand youths from various parts of North to stop governments activities, he stated.

Also speaking, the Clerk of the assembly, Desmond Minakaro said: the only way the October 1st can be averted is when the IPOB leader is not allowed to continue creating a State within a State which is against the constitution of our country.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the lawmaker representing Epe constituency II in the Lagos state House of Assembly, Segun Olulade, has said the plans by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to hold a protest and shutdown Lagos will be resisted by the state government.

Watch this Legit.ng video about Nnamdi Kanu Biafra agitation:

Source: Legit.ng
- The Bishop of the Diocese, Hilary Odili Okeke, called on various groups of people including companies and associations, to make donations which would be used to take care of the victims

- According to Okeke, the diocese would ensure that it keeps accurate records of the contributions and how they are distributed to the victims

- From the statement released there are 22 surviving victims, while the number of those who died during the attack has risen to 13

The names of the victims of the gruesome attack at the St. Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Anambra state, have been released by the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi.

According to reports, the names were released in a statement issued by the Bishop of the Diocese Hilary Odili Okeke on Wednesday August 9.

READ ALSO: Anambra Election: Oyegun is a virus within APC - Willie Obiano

Legit.ng gathers that in the statement, the Bishop also noted that the death toll had climbed to 13, and called for donations to aid in caring for the victims.

The statement read in part: Anybody, parish, institution, company, society, association or group that would like to join the diocese in providing assistance to the victims and their families can send their contributions.

We shall keep accurate records of contribution and distribution of the funds.

The surviving victims were listed as follows:

1. Ikegwuonu Caroline

2. Nwakile Anthonia

3. Okoye Odinaka

4. Okoye Patricia

5. Isaac Chinedu

6. Oramadike Chinagorom

7. Oramadike Chinecherem

8. Udegbunam Chidimma

9. Ndulue Samuel

10. Udegbunam Obiageli

11. Ugochi Obiajulu

12. Chukwueloka Chineze

13. Oramadike Chioma

14. Azuka Basil

15. Oramadike Chiamaka

16. Uchechukwu Chukwueloka

17. Nwanya Ngozi

18. Ngwuta Chinemelum

19. Asomba Chukwudum

20. Nnudule Leonard

21. Muomah Michael

22. Oramadike Favour

Out of the 22 injured victims, 2 individuals have now been discharged from the hospital while the others remain on admission in various hospital wards.

Names of dead victims:

1. Cyprian Ikegwuonu

2. Hyacinth Oramadike

3. Cecilia Ewin

4. Eunice Akanigbo

5. Rose Okoye

6. Anulika Obunadike

7. Uchenna Obunadike

8. Anthonia Ufondu

9. Oluchukwu Uhelu

10. Christiana Igbeja

11. Udeze Pauline

12. Victoria Uzokwe

13. Florence Nweke

Gunmen had stormed the church on Sunday August 6, opening fire on parishioners.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the governor of Anambra state Willie Obiano, insisted that the deadly killing that took place in a church in the Ozubulu area of the state was committed by two business partners from the same town.

This is contrary to the position taken by the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, who alleged that the crime was committed by herdsmen.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video about the alleged appearance of the image of Jesus Christ in a church in Ikorodu:

Source: Legit.ng
Trump got a splash of good press in July when Apple supplier Foxconn announced a plan to bring as many as 10,000 jobs to the Wisconsin and invest $10 billion over 5 years. Hed hinted at a manufacturing deal a few weeks earlier.

However, given how states have fallen all over each other to give everything from auto plants to WalMart stores huge handouts, plus Wisconsin governor Scott Walkers keen opposition to labor rights, there was every reason to doubt that this was much of a pro-worker development, or any kind of development other than PR. Techcrunch, in a late July story Foxconns long con, was dismissive:

Foxconn CEO Terry Gou and President Trump recently announced a plan to bring 3,000 jobs to Wisconsin at what appears to be a flat screen manufacturing plant. The political press ate it up, alternatively excoriating the program for costing too much in tax breaks and crowing a win for Wisconsins conservative governor, Scott Walker. I wouldnt encourage either party to hold their breath. Gou is in the habit of promising big and rarely delivering. Four years ago business journals crowed about a plan to bring a Foxconn flat screen manufacturing plant to Pennsylvania in 2013. The result? Foxconn opened an empty office in Harrisburg and nothing further has been done. This behavior is not new. Foxconn has signed letters promising to build factories in Indonesia (2013), Vietnam (2007), and Brazil (2011). None of these were completed according to the original pie-in-the-sky spec. Reuters had this to say about the Brazil adventure: When Taiwans Foxconn Technology Group agreed in April 2011 to make Apple products here, President Dilma Rousseff and her advisers promised that up to $12 billion in investments over six years would transform the Brazilian technology sector, putting it on the cutting edge of touch screen development. A new supply chain would be created, generating high-quality jobs and bringing down prices of the coveted gadgets. Four years later, none of that has come true Its not a promise. Its a wish, said Gou in January when the idea of a US factory was first floated. I worry that this announcement, too, is a wish. Either way, Foxconn  and not the state  wins.

OpenDemocracy went through the math from the Wisconsin side:

Foxconns shoddy record isnt the only red flag associated with this proposal. The electronics manufacturing giant has grown accustomed to major handouts from governments and, if their track record is any indication, they expect these freebies to keep flowing the entire time theyre in the country. In order for this plan to become a reality, the Wisconsin state legislature would need to approve $3 billion in corporate incentives to defray capital costs and workforce development costs. The math is startling: Wisconsin will pay out $230,000 in tax dollars for each one of the 13,000 jobs. This means Wisconsin taxpayers will shell out $66,000 per year to subsidize jobs that will pay less than the state average income. In a state experiencing its lowest unemployment rate in 17 years, its difficult to imagine there would be political will to pass this legislation Its also worth asking what kind of jobs the Foxconn deal will create. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walkers entire political career has been framed by his battle against organised labor. With funding from the Koch Brothers and other deep-pocketed out-of-state donors, hes waged an unceasing battle against public sector unions, including teachers and other civil servants. He also helped make Wisconsin a right to work state, which will make it much more difficult for Foxconns employees to join a union if they decide to. Under Walkers watch, union membership has plummeted faster than in any other state in the country.

And an August report in the Madison State Journal said state legislators werent exactly wild about the scheme. Walker is pressuring the legislature to approve the Foxconn plan as part of approving the state budget, which means accepting a pig in a poke. Some lawmakers want to do more due diligence, which means voting on the Foxconn spending separately. From the article:

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.

USA Today, using the fact that Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is also playing footsie with Foxconn as a news hook, raised doubts about the deals yesterday with its story, Analysis: Foxconn considers another plant in Midwest, but at what cost?:

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, on a nine-day trade trip in China, told the Associated Press there is a strong possibility Foxconn will come to Michigan after it chose neighboring Wisconsin for a $10 billion display panel plant with 3,000 employees that could swell to 13,000 But the Wisconsin deal comes with a major caveat: It requires up to $3 billion in subsidies from state taxpayers  or $231,000 per job for 13,000 jobs. Put another way: state lawmakers are mulling a subsidy package nearly 50 times bigger than any previous one. Throwing money into incentives makes a slippery slope, Steve Deller, a professor of agriculture and applied economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. (People) get so wrapped up in the winning game, in the headline of we got it that they lose sight (of the) pretty steep price. Hard to say because we dont know what the package looks like. Compounding skepticism, an analysis this week by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau concluded Wisconsin may not break even on incentives to Foxconn for at least 25 years.

The good news is the proposed giveaway to Foxconn is getting enough well deserved critical scrutiny that it may not get done. The bad news is that if this deal, which has the earmarks of being unserious from the outset, falls apart, it will be used to blame anti-business interests and deflect attention from sounder approaches for creating good jobslike the glaringly obvious need for more infrastructure spending.
One of Lamberts principles of neoliberalism, up there with Because markets is Die faster. Its now playing out as US life expectancy hasnt just stalled out but has actually declined as older people are shuffling off the mortal coil at a faster rate. But in our best of all possible worlds, Bloomberg tells us that this is a Good Thing because its helping reduce pension fund underfunding, since actuaries had assumed increasing lifespans. No joke, the headline is Americans Are Dying Younger, Saving Corporations Billions.

From Bloomberg:

Steady improvements in American life expectancy have stalled, and more Americans are dying at younger ages. But for companies straining under the burden of their pension obligations, the distressing trend could have a grim upside: If people dont end up living as long as they were projected to just a few years ago, their employers ultimately wont have to pay them as much in pension and other lifelong retirement benefits. In 2015, the American death ratethe age-adjusted share of Americans dyingrose slightly for the first time since 1999. And over the last two years, at least 12 large companies, from Verizon to General Motors, have said recent slips in mortality improvement have led them to reduce their estimates for how much they could owe retirees by upward of a combined $9.7 billion, according to a Bloomberg analysis of company filings The fact that people are dying slightly younger wont cure corporate Americas pension woesbut the fact that companies are taking it into account shows just how serious the shift in Americas mortality trends is Absent a war or an epidemic, its unusual and alarming for life expectancies in developed countries to stop improving, let alone to worsen. Mortality is sort of the tip of the iceberg, says Laudan Aron, a demographer and senior fellow at the Urban Institute. It really is a reflection of a lot of underlying conditions of life. The falling trajectory of American life expectancies, especially when compared to those in some other wealthy countries, should be as urgent a national issue as any other thats on our national agenda, she says.

And Bloomberg had similarly only superficially cheery news about Social Security:

Its not just corporate pensions, either; the shift also affects Social Security, the governments program for retirees. The most recent data available show continued mortality reductions that are generally smaller than those projected, according to a July report from the programs chief actuary. Longevity gains fell short of what was projected in last years report, leading to a slight improvement in the programs financial outlook.

As you can see from the chart, the decline is recent, but the underlying causes have been grinding along for some time, like termites eating away at a foundation. Neoliberalism seeks to treat people as isolated actors operating in impersonal markets. Therefore social relations, like involvement in ones community, attachments to colleagues at work, or even ones family (caring for an aging parent, not moving to pursue a better job because it would be bad for the kids), are seen as secondary. If you make enough money (as in are a winner at playing the neoliberal game), these things are all supposed to take care of themselves.

Nevertheless, the crisis and the way it was resolved is a major contributor to the decay. 9.3 million families lost their homes, due either to foreclosure or forced sales, out of a total of 54 millionish homes with mortgages. This was a tsunami of financial and psychological trauma. During the recovery, until the last few years, only the top 1% benefitted from GDP growth, leaving everyone else in aggregate worse off. The racial wealth gap is now wider than in the 1960s.

And even those who on paper might be doing OK are generally not in a very secure position unless they are exceedingly affluent. Half of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Ever-rising medical costs and loophole-filled insurance policies mean a costly medical problem will also lead to stressed finances and potentially a bankruptcy. Job tenures are short and if it takes more than 6 months to land a new job, you may be permanently unemployed. Until 2013, most of the jobs created in the recover were part-time, and even now, the level of part-time jobs is high for an economy which the Fed keeps pretending is near full employment. And those in part-time jobs are subject to depression at a 50% higher rate than those in full-time jobs. And even those who look comfortable on current income basis are unlikely to be putting enough away for retirement.

In other words, members of the shrinking middle class often recognize that the gap between them and the precariat is not large. As we pointed out from the inception of this site, high levels of inequality in and of themselves impair health and longevity, even among the top income group. Among other reasons, highly stratified societies have weak social ties, which is a negative for health. People at each level know they would lose their supposed friends if they were to suffer a meaningful fall in income. Theyd no longer be able to afford to participate in the events that were normal for their peers (for the rich, catered dinner parties, memberships in the right clubs and boards, keeping a second or third or fourth home in a posh community, participating in the mutual backscratching of political and charitable fundraising).

Even though the author of Bloomberg article on pensions had the good sense to sound alarms about the broader societal implications, another Bloomberg story tonight is bizarrely depicting older Americans as selfish, or at best inconvenient, for staying in houses theyve owned a long time: Baby Boomers Who Refuse to Sell Are Dominating the Housing Market. Refusing to sell? Why is anyone who owns anything obligated to sell? If you believe in markets uber alles, people who have property rights are free to exercise them as they please. And if theres a dearth of new building, its simple-minded to blame existing owners, when longer term factors are often in play. For instance, as Robert Fitch has documented, New York City has had a long-term plan of turning Manhattan into a community for the wealthy since the 1930s.

Moroever, astonishingly, the article omits the fact that in the wake of the crisis, the number of rentals has increase by 5 million, not just the famed private equity buyers but plenty of traditional small scale landlords. Experts on this trend say that rentals are attractive at home prices of $200,000 and below (that cutoff may have moved up a bit as the recovery has progressed). The removal of what would have normally been starter homes for the young has increased generational stress, yet the article perversely heaps all blame on older stick-in-the-muds.

Particularly in light of a dearth of safe, income-producing investments and strained market valuations, many if not most retirees have become even more frugal with spending. That means if you are in a home at a low annual cost, staying there will often be cheaper than any other option. Moving to a smaller home means transaction costs, often fix-up costs, and given how high prices are, not necessarily a reduction in burn rate (as in freeing up equity is likely to translate no lower and probably higher current expenses).

Moving into a retirement community is even more expensive. Most require $400,000 to $500,000 deposits which are either not refundable or only partially refundable upon death. The big motivation for many to move in isnt cost savings but the risk of needing more care later on (assisted living, nursing home care) and not being able to get into a better facility (retirement homes use the lower-cost independent living to subsidize the higher-care programs).

But even then, staying in ones home and having care-givers come in is almost always cheaper than being in a nursing homeprovided you can find a reliable service. That usually requires oversight by family members, and if they arent nearby, the higher-cost nursing home option is the default.

That is a long-winded way of saying that the Bloomberg posture of implicitly treating older people as selfish for not getting out of the way of young people ignores the realities of the need of retirees to minimize costs, which above all includes hanging on to housing. And thats before you get to the psychological benefit of staying in a familiar setting with established neighbors and friends.

And for those who would argue that homeowners are standing in the way of needed denser development, let me quote liberally from an important post by Steve Waldman, using the poster child of housing stress, San Francisco, as his point of departure. I strongly suggest you read the entire piece in full. Key sections:

Conventional wisdom has coalesced on the notion that it is NIMBY-ism and exclusionary zoning that are responsible for the crazy, crazy housing prices in San Francisco and other high rent cities, and so the solution to the problem must be a bloody, painful battle to overcome greedy incumbents attachments to their homes and neighborhoods. But before we destabilize neighborhoods and displace humans in the name of housing supply, we might want to ask, will all that pain really address the problem? Sure, at the margin, more construction will yield lower prices. And I understand that, following construction boom years, rental prices have stabilized in cities like DC and Chicago. But within developed cities, construction booms are short and finite. Chemotherapy may be worth the nausea and hairloss if it adds years to ones life, but would it be worth it for an extra week? Infill densification is socially painful and physically expensive in terms of demolition and retrofitting infrastructure. And, yes, buying off the evil NIMBYs and the permitting authorities who serve them adds to those costs. But how many examples are there of cities that have grown their housing stock in place at anything like the rate that would be required to meet the burgeoning demand in San Francisco or New York? Before we wage war on ourselves, maybe we should inquire whether victory is plausibly achievable. And, if it isnt, maybe we should come up with a different plan? . To people who characterize homeowners informal sovereignty over their neighborhoods as a subsidy to the upper middle class at the expense of the economically vulnerable, Id ask a few simple questions. In a country where the homeownership rate is more than 63%, is it right to characterize homeowners broadly, even in San Francisco, as upper-middle class? Many homeowners have lived in their homes for years, and many new homeowners are mortgaged to the hilt.

Given that even an ahistorical, sustained trebling of unit growth would probably only stabilize, not reduce, the real price of housing in San Francisco, is it fair to characterize the people who would be helped by increased space for new residents as the economically vulnerable?

And given that, for perfectly understandable reasons, homeowners and residents resist fast-paced densification of their neighborhoods, which homeowners and residents would most likely be forced to tolerate changes they dislike or that threaten the value of properties? San Francisco has its share of stunningly beautiful neighborhoods affordable only to plutocrats. Will we put high-rises in those neighborhoods? Or, in the anodyne language of economists for every bad thing, will it be the economically vulnerable who must adjust? Is Tyler Cowen right, then? Basically SF is ****ed? No. San Francisco could be just fine. The thing about San Francisco is that while greenfields have been exhausted in the city, the San Francisco Bay Area is largely undeveloped. We are always arguing over San Francisco, or Palo Alto (ick). Outside of the 47 square miles of San Francisco proper are almost 3200 square miles in San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties. (Ill leave out the hoity-toity North Bay counties  Marin, Sonoma, Napa  but if its Latin-America-style land reform you want, the vines there are ripe for revolution!) Nobody wants new suburban sprawl, thank goodness. But dense development is not sprawl, even when it is greenfield development. When I argue that Singapore is an example we look should look to, people think Im trying to make some left-wing point about public housing. Im not. I dont actually care very much about that. What excites me about Singapore is this: ts silly to characterize what Singapore does as basically greenfield suburban growth. Singapores new towns are denser than any US city, and nicer than most of them. They are designed for their density, not retrofit. What distinguishes Singapore is a can do, dirigiste approach to developing new living space, and a remarkable competence at making density green and livable. Singapore is an exuberant site of architectural experimentation, in both private and public building projects. Singapores new towns can house 100,000 people in less than 5 square miles. In the San Francisco Bay Area, there is plenty of space for Singapore-style new towns. Even Back East, room could be found for these compact conurbations. But it is in the San Francisco Bay Area, with its dreadful, painful housing situation, and its science fiction tycoons (several of whom individually could provide the necessary finance) where a full-scale, ecotechnological US microcity should really be attempted.

Back to the present post. Now some may point out that Manhattan has had an apartment construction boomlet and rentals have fallen to a meaningful degree. But even this burst of building is expected to take pressure off rents only till 2020, meaning even the addition of new units is merely providing some relief in a long-term trend of price increases.

Others may argue against new building for ecological reasons, although the tradeoff is that denser living is way more energy efficient, particularly if you incorporate decent public transportation into the plan.

But the bigger point is that many of the problems we face are being defined in terms of symptoms as opposed to root causes. Until we can properly define the real drivers, we will be putting band-aids on gunshot wounds.
The markets giveth and the markets taketh away. This was one of those markets giveth years, to the considerable benefit of underfunded public pension funds. In a post going up soon, they also got a break from beneficiaries having the good taste to die sooner, but that does not yet seem to be reflected in their actuarial estimates.

However, CalPERS was a laggard, which does not reflect at all well on them. CalPERS is the envy of other public pension funds by virtue of having a large in-house staff and being able to afford consultants galore without incurring undue costs in relation to its fund size. It is big enough to further shave costs by running large in-house index funds and managing much of its bond investing internally.

So what gives? CalPERS is sure to try to blame all the scrutiny it has gotten, which has the causality backwards. CalPERS would not be the target of regular criticism if it had its ducks in a row. More specifically, CalPERS has a clearly unqualified Chief Investment Officer and a CEO who lacks a college degree and does not appear to have gotten much specialized training in finance, accounting, or economics to compensate for that shortcoming, certainly not enough for her to have attained any certifications.

Even more important, the weaknesses at the staff level are the direct result of a successful campaign by the former CEO Anne Stausboll to neuter the board. Its simply perverse that state officials have allowed this to be the remedy for a pay to play scandal where the CEO, Fred Buerostro, was taking bribes and is now serving a four and a half year term in Federal prison. John Chiang is particularly culpable for enabling this power grab by staff, since who has held one of the two most powerful seats on the board since 2007, first as state controller, then as state treasurer, before the pay to play scandal was unearthed.

Weve remarked repeatedly that CalPERS Sacramento sister, CalSTRS, puts the CalPERS board to shame. Its board is vastly more knowledgeable, far more engaged, and regularly challenges what staff tells them. CalSTRS proves that a more vigilant board does not hurt performance and is likely a contributor to CalSTRS better results.

From the Wall Street Journals recap:

Large U.S. systems that oversee retirement funds for police, firefighters, teachers and other public workers earned median returns of 12.4% in the fiscal year ended June 30, according to Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service. That is their best annual result since 2014. Yet many of these public pensions remain severely underfunded despite the recent gains, meaning they dont have enough assets on hand to fulfill all promises made to their workers. Estimates of their collective shortfall vary from $1.6 trillion to $4 trillion. Even if returns remain elevated, large public pensions wont be able to reverse their shortfall in coming years, according to Moodys Investors Service. Large public plans currently have just 70% of what they need to pay future benefits to their retirees, according to 2016 figures from Wilshire Consulting The California Public Employees Retirement System, the biggest in the U.S., earned 11.2% in fiscal 2017largely because of stocks and private equity. But the fund, known by its acronym Calpers, noted that it has just 68% of the assets it needs to pay for future benefits. That is up from 65% in 2016 The California State Teachers Retirement System, which sits roughly one mile from Calpers in Sacramento, Calif., reported a fiscal 2017 return of 13.4%. The funds chief investment officer, Christopher Ailman, touted the number on Twitter as being higher than Calpers: BOOYAH!!

CalPERS will discuss its 2016-2017 fiscal results in more depth in its board meeting next week. The poor comparison with large funds generally and with CalSTRS is odd given that CalPERS ought to be able to invest at lower fee levels than others. In addition, it underperformed CalSTRS in private equity and fixed income. While CalPERS did beat CalSTRS in public equity, with a 19.7% return versus CalSTAS 19.6%, CalPERS has a heavier weighting in foreign stocks than CalSTRS. In a strong dollar year like last year, it should have done better. Similarly, CalPERS is so large an investor in private equity that it should achieve index-like returns, with some marginal improvement due to its size (fund managers often offer breaks on fee levels for larger commitments). However, in the last board meeting, a consultant from Wilshire pointed out that CalPERS has not taken up co-investing, another way to lower fees and potentially increase gross (and therefore net) returns anywhere near as much as it could have.

And apart from the falling short relative to CalSTRS, CalPERS also failed to meet its benchmarks. So it has a lot of splaining to do. But given the giant pension funds track record, its beneficiaries are likely to get obfuscation instead.
The state of sedation, analgesia, amnesia and muscle paralysis is called general anesthesia. In other words, general anesthesia is an induced, reversible and controlled loss of consciousness. This state is necessary to perform surgical procedures that would otherwise cause excruciating pain and potentially generate a stress response from the body. This in turn could hamper attempts to surgically manage the patient, and more often than not, result in traumatic memories for the patient.

Anesthesiologist gives the mask inhalation anesthesia. Image Credit: Faustasyan / Shutterstock

The mechanism of action of general anesthesia is not entirely clear. However, it is known that signals along the nerves responsible for passaging stimuli are interrupted and fail to be processed by the central nervous system after the administration of a general anesthetic.

Patients placed under general anesthesia are not capable of recalling what happens intraoperatively and are not aroused by painful stimuli. Put simply, patients are sent into a deep sleep with no consciousness of what is going on around them or happening to them. Furthermore, they require protection of the airways and/or mechanical ventilation, because muscle paralysis inhibits adequate spontaneous ventilation. Hemodynamic processes are another group of key clinical parameters that is changed when a patient is put under general anesthesia. This is usually a secondary effect of the agents used to induce or maintain general anesthesia, which may cause depressant or stimulatory cardiovascular consequences.

The Process

General anesthesia begins with pre-medicating the patient. This is medication administered prior to the surgery with the aim of relaxing the patient and possibly inducing amnesia so that they do not have any recall of even entering the operating theatre. Benzodiazepines are most commonly used for premedication. Other agents are used based on necessities that are unique to the patient. For example, a patient at risk for gastroesophageal reflux may receive antacids as part of pre-medication.

Following pre-medication, the patient is given induction anesthesia, which, as we may colloquially say, is responsible for putting the patient to sleep. The anesthesiologist (i.e. the physician-specialist responsible for administering anesthesia) ensures that the patient has a secured airway, all physiological monitors are properly functioning and maintenance and resuscitation agents are at hand. Intravenous (IV) agents like propofol, or anesthetic vapors, or a combination of the two, may be used to induce anesthesia. Analgesics (pain relievers) are also given in most cases in addition to the induction agent.

Once the effect of the drugs given to induce anesthesia begins to wane, maintenance drugs are necessary. This maintenance phase is a stable one during anesthesia and the drugs may be administered via the same routes as the induction drugs (i.e.intravenously or via inhalation). Towards the end of the surgery, the anesthesiologist begins to decrease the administered dose of these maintenance drugs or may stop them completely. Specific agents are used to reverse the muscle-relaxing drugs and the patient is administered analgesics to reduce post-operative pain. Artificial airway support is removed after the patient has demonstrated adequate spontaneous ventilation.

Anaesthesia - General anaesthetic Play

Advantages and Disadvantages of General Anesthesia

The most obvious advantage is the elimination of the sensory capacity to feel pain during the surgical procedure, which might otherwise be unbearable. This is not only beneficial to the patient, but also to the surgeon, who would otherwise have a hard time dealing with the bodys physiological response to stress. This response could cause significant morbidity and mortality if not pre-emptively dealt with by general anesthesia. Amnesia is necessary for reducing and/ or eliminating intraoperative recall, because the average person is not able to withstand the thought of being cut up or cut into, despite not feeling it or seeing it. This experience could subsequently be a source of intensely unpleasant memories.

General anesthesia is easily and rapidly administered, is reversible and can be used for surgeries that are unpredictable in extent.

On the other hand, some disadvantages of general anesthesia are that it may cause side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, headache and a delay in the return of normal memory functioning. Anesthesiologists may sometimes have to deal with severe fluctuations in physiological parameters once a patient is put under general anesthesia. One of the most serious, but thankfully rare, complications associated with general anesthesia is malignant hyperthermia (an inherited condition that causes hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis, hypercarbia and lethal increase in body temperature in response to a reaction to the anesthetic medication).

References

Further Reading
Numbers rise from 2015

According to the National Center for Health Statistics report, the overdose deaths among the persons with drug abusers in 2016 is on an upward rise that has not stopped. These rising numbers are disheartening because the intensified efforts to curb these numbers are thus seemingly not working.

The report says that the numbers of these overdose deaths for the first nine months of 2016 were much higher than the first nine months of 2015 which was already an all-time high at 52,404! Of these fifty two thousand odd deaths, over 33,000 overdose deaths were due to use of opioid drugs. Opioids estimated to kill in overdose included not only illicit street drugs such as heroin and street fentanyl but also legal prescription drugs such as painkillers, the report finds.

The report broke down 2016 into three quarters and found that all the peak numbers of drug overdose deaths were 19.9 for every 100,000 people. In 2015 the highest such number was 16.7 in the same period. Comparing two years, the numbers were 

16.3 deaths for every 100,000 people in the first quarter of 2015 to 18.9 in the first quarter of 2016, and

16.2 deaths in the second quarter of 2015 to 19.3 in the second quarter of 2016.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC report noted that the numbers were not significantly different in the first two quarters of both the years. CDC however makes its reports a year later.

Significant underestimation of the overdose epidemic

This latest report was substantiated by another report that was published earlier this week in the journal American Journal of Preventive Medicine. That report looked at overdose deaths due to opioids between 2008 and 2014. Reported death rates were directly calculated from death certificates and this was compared with the corrected rates that showed involvement of drugs. The analysis took place during 20162017.

The authors write that the epidemic of opioid overdose deaths has been underestimated by 24%. The underestimation is by 22% when heroin alone is considered, the researchers note. Researchers explain that this rise in the numbers is due to the increasing popularity of synthetic street opioids such as street fentanyl. Most of the overdose deaths due to these street drugs are missed as cause of death by medical examiners on the death certificates. Illicit fentanyl and other designer opioids like U-4770  known as Pink, have risen in popularity over heroin and other standard opioids of abuse and have increased the numbers.

Largest underestimations were from Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Louisiana. Heroin mortality was understated in most states, with most from Pennsylvania, Indiana, New Jersey, Louisiana, and Alabama. This study is the first to quantify such underestimation of deaths due to opioids.

President Trump advised by the Opioid commission to begin action

With the alarming reports of rise in the overdose epidemic and the hitherto underestimated status of the numbers, President Trump's commission on the opioid epidemic has called for a declaration of national emergency last week. The commission is chaired by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie who called for bold actions against this rising menace. Approximately 142 citizens die every day of this epidemic making it a major public health problem says the interim report. President Trump was set to meet with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to discuss this opioid epidemic.
The 2017-2018 "Best Hospitals" survey by U.S. News & World Report ranks Seattle Cancer Care Alliance/University of Washington Medical Center (SCCA/UWMC) in the top five in the U.S. For more than a decade, SCCA/UWMC consistently has maintained a top standing among the top hospitals for adult cancer care in the U.S. for Adult Cancer Care.

"These rankings reflect the commitment to top quality patient care that is delivered every day by our providers and staff," said Norm Hubbard, SCCA executive vice president.

The Best Hospital rankings are designed to help consumers determine which hospitals provide the best care. Measures taken into consideration as part of the analysis of Best Hospitals include hospital volume, nurse staffing and other resources that define the hospital environment.

U.S. News analyzed more than 4,500 hospitals in 25 specialties, procedures and conditions for the 2017-2018 overall rankings. According to U.S. News, of the 4,500 hospitals evaluated for 2017-18 Best Hospitals, barely one out of eight met the standard. SCCA/UWMC is ranked #5 out of 895 hospitals across the U.S. based on data specific to the treatment of cancer.

"Covering nearly every hospital in every U.S. community, U.S. News offers deep, rich data that patients can use to help them make informed decisions about where to receive surgical or medical care," said Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News. "We know outcomes matter most, which is why U.S. News is committed to publishing as much data as possible on patient outcomes."

For the 2017-2018 rankings, U.S. News & World Report also rated hospitals in nine specific procedures and conditions. Of these, SCCA/UWMC received an Overall Rating of "High Performing" in two key areas: Colon Cancer Surgery, Lung Cancer Surgery.

Additionally, SCCA/UWMC also earned a rating of "Excellent" for Nurse Staffing in both colon cancer surgery and lung cancer surgery. The U.S. News & World Report ratings took into consideration the fact that more nursing care per patient is associated with better outcomes and better patient experience.

"The number and caliber of nurses involved in direct patient care at a hospital can play a major role in the overall quality of care," said Theresa (Terry) McDonnell, Chief Nurse Executive and Vice President of Clinical Operations at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. "We are proud that our shared commitment to excellent patient care is reflected in these specialty areas, as well as the overall ranking."

Earlier this year, more than 60 Seattle Cancer Care Alliance doctors, physician assistants and ARNP's were also recognized by Seattle Met in its annual Top Doctors list. Seattle Cancer Care Alliance has also been recognized by Becker's Healthcare on two of its national lists: "100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs" and "150 Great Places to Work in Healthcare."
A new review of the research literature led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows that cholera vaccines provide substantial protection for adults but provide significantly less protection for children under age 5, a population particularly at risk for dying from this diarrheal disease.

The review, which considered seven clinical trials and six observational studies, found that the standard two-dose vaccine regimen reduced the risk of getting cholera on average by 58 percent for adults but only by 30 percent for children under age 5.

The findings could help inform policymakers on how and when to use the vaccine, particularly in outbreak settings such as the ongoing epidemic in Yemen, which has seen an estimated 400,000 suspected cases and as many as 1,900 associated deaths since the outbreak began in April 2017.

The findings appear online in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Cholera is transmitted through an oral-fecal route, with outbreaks and endemic transmission tending to occur in areas with poor sanitation and a lack of clean drinking water. It affects an estimated three to five million people per year worldwide and causes 28,000 to 130,000 deaths annually. Vaccines for this illness cost an average of $1.85 per dose.

Oral vaccines for cholera, which are composed of killed, whole cells of the bacteria Vibrio cholerae, became commercially available shortly after their development in the 1980s. Yet for years, explains study leader Andrew Azman, Ph.D., research associate in the Department of Epidemiology at the Bloomberg School, these vaccines have not been widely available, have been fairly expensive for broad public health use and have been associated with a number of misconceptions, including that they don't work well.

Studies have suggested a wide range of how well these vaccines provide protection, with some results suggesting that the risk of cholera is cut in half with the vaccine and others suggesting that risk is nearly eliminated.

"There continues to be a lot of misinformation on what this vaccine is and what it can do," Azman says.

To get a better grasp on the abilities of these vaccines and to help understand discrepancies in study results, Azman and his colleagues from the Oral Cholera Vaccine Working Group of The Global Task Force on Cholera Control did a literature review and meta-analysis on the vaccines' efficacy (how well they protect in ideal situations, such as a randomized clinical trial) and direct effectiveness (how well they work in less ideal situations, such as in the midst of an outbreak).

The team searched for any randomized controlled trials and observational studies that examined this data for oral cholera vaccines. Their results turned up seven trials and six observational studies, each of which involved the three major commercial vaccines currently in use. The trials and studies involved more than 500,000 thousand participants combined.

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Taking an average of these results, the researchers found that for a two-dose regimen--the standard for these vaccines -- efficacy was 58 percent and effectiveness was 76 percent. However, for children younger than 5, efficacy was substantially lower: around 30 percent. One dose of these vaccines appeared to provide similar protection as a two-dose regimen, at least within the six months following vaccination. There were no data to examine long-term protection of a one-dose regimen.

The review helps explain discrepancies in past studies that examined how well these vaccines work, say the authors. For example, efficacy for cholera vaccines tends to be lower than effectiveness, a scenario that's opposite from that of most other vaccines and one that has puzzled researchers. However, Azman explains, because efficacy studies tend be conducted in places where cholera is more common in young children--a population in which these vaccines aren't as effective -- that may explain why efficacy is lower than effectiveness.

"These two study types aren't really comparing apples to apples," Azman says.

The findings should have enormous implications for vaccine policy, he adds. Because the vaccines aren't as effective in young children, researchers will need to gain a better understanding of the best way to use them to provide the most effective protection for this population. Options might include making sure adults in a household are vaccinated to help protect children or developing a new vaccine regimen that helps boost protection among children.

The paper also offers hope of using a one-dose regimen in areas experiencing high cholera transmission, such as the current outbreak in Yemen. A million doses of the vaccine had been scheduled for delivery to this country--what would have been the largest ever global delivery of the cholera vaccine--but the government decided to cancel the campaign, citing logistical challenges and concerns that the limited vaccine coming late in the epidemic would do little to curb the epidemic.

Azman notes that Yemini authorities may have considered stretching out this vaccine supply to cover twice the number of people, by giving one dose instead of two, had these findings been available earlier this summer. A one-dose approach may have been a more effective way to control the outbreak than providing two doses to half the people.

"In cholera-prone areas, public health decision makers don't always have the luxury of caring about the outbreak risk in two years," Azman says. "They care about the risk of transmission tomorrow or in two weeks or next month. Being able to vaccinate twice the number of people with a limited quantity of vaccine can be very important."
In a press release the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said that the agency would focus on a new public health education campaign that would discourage the use of e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) by kids. The campaign is titled The Real Cost.

Vaping device. Image Credit: Hurricanehank / Shutterstock

This new campaign from FDA would be strategic towards curbing and stopping the use of e-cigarettes among adolescents. Teenagers would be sent messages and information about the dangers involved in usage of these e-cigarettes. The text message campaign would start this year in the fall while the full scale of the campaign would begin next year says the release. The campaign would include online videos to educate kids about the dangers of using e-cigarettes or other ENDS. The cravings for nicotine and how it can rewire the brain to lead to addiction later in life would be explained in these videos.

The agency like never before is focussing on regulation and reduction of nicotine and tobacco use across different age groups. This new campaign is one part of those efforts. The agency plans to protect the youth by informing them about the ills of using tobacco products and dissuade them from taking up. While similar programmes against tobacco and nicotine containing products have been in place, this is the first time that the FDA is launching a campaign to specifically target the youth and adolescents using public health education to curb the use of e-cigarettes or other ENDS.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the campaign would focus on informing the youth and adolescents about the role of nicotine is keeping the addition going. These nicotine substitutes may help smokers of traditional combustible cigarettes or tobacco products to quit and move to less harmful products if they cannot quit. However Gottleib emphasized that at the agency would work vigorously to keep all such products out of the hands of kids. He explained that these e-cigarettes and ENDS are the most common agents that are used by adolescents and youth these days and the agency would educate them about the harms these could cause. Mitch Zeller, director of the FDAs Center for Tobacco Products said that the agency would have a multi-pronged effort at curbing this problem and protecting kids from using nicotine containing products.

Reports have shown that over 2 million middle school and high school kids are presently using e-cigarettes and ENDS as seen at the end of 2016. Also at present nearly half of the adolescents who are tobacco users were users of two or more tobacco products the year before. In these young brains, nicotine seems to have a more detrimental effect than among adults, studies have shown. It rewires the young brains in such a manner that these kids are more susceptible to nicotine addiction as they grow up.

The agency has put this educational campaign against e-cigarettes and other ENDS at the centre of all ifs health efforts. The policy would aim both at regulating the tobacco products and encouraging the development of products that are less harmful than combustible cigarettes. However the approach focusses majorly towards reducing the access of these more appealing nicotine products for the youth and teenagers. All regulations that apply to these products are to remain in place the agency said. The regulations include banning the sale of tobacco products to persons under age 18 and requiring age verification by photo ID. Free sample distribution is also banned. The FDA has sent out over 6400 warning letters since August 2016 to online retailers for selling e-cigarettes to minors.

The campaign was initially launched in February 2014 and since then it has been proven to be a successful one leading to prevention of nearly 350,000 youth aged 11 to 18 nationwide from initiating smoking from 2014 to 2016. In the United States nearly 2,500 adolescents below the age of 18 years try their first cigarette each day making this a major public health problem.
Music therapy may not be of any significant benefit to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a study published in JAMA.

Credit: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock.com

In a large international trial of children with ASD, improvisational music therapy did not improve symptoms any more than the standard care these children usually receive.

Senior author Christian Gold (Grieg Academy Music Therapy Research Center Bergen, Norway) advises that parents should choose music therapy if they feel it would be a good match for their child, but they should not regard it as a treatment.

ASD is a developmental disorder typically characterized by difficulty communicating and interacting with others. Music therapists use music as a medium for social communication to help children create music through singing, playing and moving.

For the study, Gold and team recruited 364 children (aged 4 to 7 years) with ASD from 10 treatment centers across nine countries, between 2011 and 2015. All children received the standard care a child in their region would usually receive, but half also received improvisational music therapy.

Examples of standard care included behavioral interventions, speech therapy, the use of medication and parent counselling. The music therapy involved trained music therapists singing or playing music with each child that had been especially tailored to catch the childs attention.

After a period of five months, the childrens social skills were tested using a measure called the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Gold and team found that a small improvement was seen in both sets of children, but that no significant difference in improvement was observed between the two groups.

"These findings do not support the use of improvisational music therapy for symptom reduction in children with autism spectrum disorder," the authors write.

For decades, experts have noted that people with ASD have a particular interest in music. Gold says it may be the case that music therapists can help children to pursue that interest and possibly learn something about social communication through that, but that the pursuit of music or music therapy should not be guided primarily by the hope of reducing core autism symptoms, because that may not be the result.

Gold believes that more research is warranted and says that efforts are already underway to improve music therapy by targeting specific skills or involving parents more, for instance.

"We should not assume that what music therapists are doing already is working well, but should try to continuously develop it further and test it," he concludes.
insights from industry Dr. Angelo Acquista Founder of Peerbridge Health, New York

An interview with Dr. Angelo Acquista, Founder of Peerbridge Health, conducted by April Cashin-Garbutt, MA (Cantab).

What is the vision behind Peerbridge Health?

Our vision is to remove all wires associated with monitoring patients. For example, typically, electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring systems have a multitude of wires. We started building a wireless ECG monitoring system called the Peerbridge Cor to improve ECG monitoring from the ground up.

The vision came to me in 2004 when my father became ill and I had to spend three months in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). During that time, I spent much of my day taking care of him. As a physician and Associate Chief of the ICU at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City for 17 years, I knew all too well that ICU patients are essentially bedbound with wires tethered to them to monitor their vitals. This is what inspired the idea of a wireless monitoring system for all vitals.

At that time, there was no iPhone or smart devices, technology was not advanced enough to support wireless anything. After developing the concept for two years, in 2006, we submitted a patent application, which proved to be the beginning of six-year journey until we were awarded the patent in 2012. This is when we secured our first venture check and decided to start with wireless monitoring of the heart. The biggest difficulty with wireless ECG is monitoring multiple views of the heart from a very small physical footprint on the body. Traditional theory suggested that one must space leads far apart to achieve multiple ECG channels, as this is where wires are important. That is why todays wireless monitors only provide a single channel of ECG, and therefore by in large does not satisfy many of the diagnostic needs of a cardiologist whos simply trying to make an accurate arrhythmia diagnosis.

What are the benefits of a wireless system?

Two key issues associated with the many wires attached to patients is that they limit patients ability to be mobile and when they are asked to move their bowels and to urinate in bed, it turns an unsanitary situation for any monitoring device within firing range of those fluids increasing the risk of infection. Those wires are then wiped down and used on the next patient. With my father, I would carefully disconnect him from the wires and carry him to the bathroom. During this time, I did not know what his vital signs were. When I brought him back to bed, the nurses would then have to reconnect him. The process took about 10 minutes to disconnect and 10 more to reconnect. The gowns patients wear must also be removed to do this.

A further reason to lose the wires is for patients freedom and well-being. When a person feels wires, they have a sense of not feeling well, that they are constrained and so a wireless system makes it easier for individuals to get up and move, which gives them a sense of independence and well-being.

Can you please outline the wireless system Peerbridge Health developed?

Peerbridge Health is a remote monitoring company with a platform that has begun with multi-lead ECG and is expanding its pipeline to include other vitals.

We began with ECG monitoring for two reasons; one, heart disease is the leading cause of death in our country and it often can be prevented with proper monitoring, and two, a clear ECG is one of the most difficult vitals to continuously monitor. For a true heart monitor it must provide multiple channels of ECG to give physicians a clear understanding on how a heart is beating in a three-dimensional space. The challenge was that most industry experts said it was not possible to monitor multiple views of the heart from a device as small as what was proposed. We are excited to share that not only is it possible, but the Peerbridge Cor was found to provide significantly clearer ECG in a double blinded study against the wired Holter monitor that Northwell Health currently uses. The other vital signs we plan to monitor in the future are oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, temperature and blood pressure, which we will introduce through our expanded product line.

How does the technology differ from the traditional gold standard, the Holter?

The Peerbridge Cor is different from the Holter in that it is wireless, very small and delivers patient triggered events in real-time. It also produces better quality data, with reduced artefacts and less false positives. Evidence to support this was found in the Lenox Hill Hospital clinical trial, where patients were followed in an IRB supervised and independent trial.

In the double blind study, we had three certified ECG technicians review the ECG strips from the Peerbridge product and review the ECG strips from the Holter monitor. Even though the technitions were unaware of which strip came from which device, all three technicians reported significantly less artefact and fewer false positives from the Peerbridge Cor over the Holter monitor. This is because much of our product R&D focused on reducing noise from the users muscle movement and other outside interference.

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By removing the wires and cancelling external noise, more analyzable data is able to be captured that can be used for diagnosis. Furthermore, it is not uncommon to experience loss of data due to artefact from wired devices, so physicians do not receive a full 24-hour of analyzable data.

Another way the Cor remote patient monitor is different from the others, that are now wireless, is that other products are single lead products, producing a single channel. The more channels you have, the more angles you have of viewing at the hearts contractility, which provides physicians better information when diagnosing.

Can you please outline your recent partnership with Northwell Health?

We're very excited about our recent partnership with Northwell Heath. Not only do they share our vision for driving efficiency and better health outcomes through remote monitoring, but they also made a meaningful investment.

There is about 890,000[i] staffed hospital beds in the United States, where a small percentage are monitored. Studies have come out of Harvard that show if you increase the utilization of monitoring, patients experience less adverse events, translating to decreased length of stay. Frost and Sullivan estimates this increase in monitoring may reduce cost to up to $15 Billion[ii], annually.

Northwell has been a strong strategic partner, sharing our passion to bring effective digital solutions to consumers and health professionals with the highest medical standard.

What impact do you hope this agreement will have?

The goal of this partnership is to re-define the current medical standard for the monitoring of patients. Northwell Health shares this vision with us, and we plan to work towards consolidating other vital signs onto the platform in the future.

What do you think the future holds for wireless remote monitoring?

Going wireless is the future of healthcare.

As humans, we are built to move. Exercising and moving keeps us healthy and wires restrain this fundamental need. I envision a future where patients are given 2-3 different devices to purchase and keep at their home. These devices will sync with each other providing dynamic information on a regular basis. Patients will be encouraged to wear their sensors before and during medical consultations in addition to intermittently throughout their life to passively monitor key biomarkers.

What developments do Peerbridge Health have in the pipeline?

The goal is to begin as a diagnostic company, which is what we're doing now, and to extend into therapeutics.

We plan to expand from monitoring heart rate and heart rhythm to blood oxygen saturation, respiration, blood pressure and ultimately monitoring sleep to help support a patients course of holistic treatment.

These metrics allow doctors to know more about their patient because they have more context to how their body reacts to everyday life. Through artificial intelligence, we can analyze all of this and then give the doctors clinical decision support, a list of possible diagnoses and the therapies based on the patient's physiological functions.

How secure is this technology? Is patient data protected?

All the patient data is HIPAA compliant and that's part of the submission to the FDA. We had to make sure that everything followed the laws of HIPAA and that is part of their review. To go the extra mile, we have recently recruited the former Chief Information and Security Officer of AT&T to ensure our patients data is never compromised.

What other applications do you see for the Peerbridge product?

In the future, this Peerbridge product will be kept on and monitor sleep at night, so that we can study a patients sleep without them having to go to a facility. This is especially important because about twenty-three percent (23%) of people in America have sleep apnea. We have filed patents so that we can wirelessly monitor and then treat obstructive sleep apnea. By picking up sleep apnea and treating it with wireless electrodes that are embedded onto the skin, accessing the hypoglossal muscle and through wireless connection on a persons chest, where we pick up decreased respiration, we can stimulate the hypoglossal muscle to stay in tone to prevent sleep apnea.

We have more than 200 components in this electrode system, the Peerbridge Cor, and it took us from 2013 to now, to get to the point where we are today, because we had to make this invention that did not yet exist. While we are starting out as a heart rate and rhythm monitoring system, we have big plans for the future and intend to do much more.

Where can readers find more information?

Peerbridge Health website, which is www.peerbridgehealth.com

Dr. Skipitaris Interview at EP Magazine - http://www.eplabdigest.com/articles/New-Advances-Wearable-Technology-Interview-Nicholas-Skipitaris

Northwell Health (Press release) - https://www.northwell.edu/about/news/press-releases/northwell-health-makes-strategic-move-wearable-technology

About Dr. Angelo Acquista

Angelo Acquista, M.D., received his medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine and is affiliated with Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan as an attending physician and clinical instructor. He is board-certified in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, and tropical diseases.

He served as medical director for the New York City Office of Emergency Management and on Mayor Guilianis Task Force on Bioterrorism. He is the New York Times bestselling author of The Survival Guide: What to Do in a Biological, Chemical, or Nuclear Emergency. Outside of the field of medicine, Dr. Acquista has a passion for home cooking and published one of Amazons best-selling cookbooks, the Mediterranean Prescription. He lives in New York City.

[i] American Hospital Association. Fast Facts on US Hospitals. Accessed on July 12, 2017. http://www.aha.org/research/rc/stat-studies/fast-facts.shtml
As a highly flexible technique, ion chromatography (IC) has many practical applications in the pharmaceutical field. This article reviews some relevant trends and recent developments in IC application.

Testing in regulated environments

When it comes to the quality and safety of drugs, the pharmaceutical industry must meet rigorous standards. These standards are recorded as officially recognized pharmaceutical rules in pharmacopoeias and authorizing bodies such as governments and medical societies publish these as legal tools of customer protection. Drug identification relies on reliable and sensitive methods and instruments. This is also the case when determining a drugs compliance with application regulations.

IC is the preferred method for determining active ingredients, excipients, active ingredients, trace impurities, as well as metabolites in the form of polar substances or inorganic and organic ions, in several pharmaceutical solutions, pharmaceuticals, and even body fluids. The IC method can be used to detect a number of substances within a very short time in just one single analysis, and even differentiate between chemically similar analytes. Analyte concentration can vary from ng/L up to the percent range. The large range of elution systems and separation columns available means the IC method can be used for virtually any kind of analyte. Interfering effects that the sample matrix can cause are avoidable if the correct sample preparation is used and the correct detection method is selected. A feature of many current IC systems is inline sample preparation, since the focus of latest developments in IC has mostly been convenient use. Yet, ease-of-use is not the only benefit provided by automation of the IC process; if human interference is reduced, so is the risk of contamination and errors.

Depending on the requirements of matrix and analyte, a wide range of detection methods are available to choose from, including:

Electrochemical detection

Conductivity detection with and without suppression

Coupled detection techniques such as ICinductively-coupled-plasma-MS and ICmass-spectrometry (MS)

Spectrophotometric detection with and without post-column derivatization (ultravioletvisible spectrophotometry)

Pharmaceutical samples come in multiple different forms that require different IC approaches. Following, is a summary of common sample types with relevant example analyses.

Pharmaceutical solutions

The term pharmaceutical solutions refers to infusion, isotonic, or hemodialysis solutions. They include cations, anions, organic acids, and carbohydrates, at concentrations that often differ from one another by several orders of magnitude. In terms of production monitoring and final quality control, the analysis technique selected must be able to determine these ingredients with great precision. The analysis should also be rapid and involve minimal effort. This is fully achievable with IC, owing to its automatic inline sample preparation and intelligent analytical procedure.

Figures 1 and 2 show two example analyses of hemodialysis solutions. Hemodialysis is required by people with renal failure to compensate for the kidneys loss of blood-cleansing function. Throughout the process, solutes are exchanged between the patients blood and a hemodialysis solution via a semi-permeable membrane. Among the various solutes exchanged are waste products such as phosphate and urea, which diffuse out of the blood and into the dialysis solution along the concentration gradient. The dialysis solutions have a complex composition, since its osmotic activity is changed when solutes are removed from the blood; it must therefore take place at a controlled rate, which requires the correct solute concentration. A strong change in osmotic activity can lead to dialysis disequilibrium syndrome, where solutes are washed out from other body compartments due to a low concentration of solute in the blood.

The simultaneous determination of acetate and citrate in diluted hemodialysis solution is shown in Figure 1. An anion standard was measured in part A and the sample determination is shown in part B. Since citrate has anticoagulant properties, it is added to hemodialysis solutions and acetate is added as a buffer substance. During hemodialysis, acetate is transferred to the patients bloodstream, which stabilizes the pH value of the blood. This is necessary because patients kidneys cannot excrete acid components, meaning patients are often acidotic. Aside from acetate and citrate, the chromatogram shows the presence of a close to physiological chloride concentration.

Figure 1A. IC measurement on a Metrosep A Supp 7 - 250/4.0 using Na2CO3 gradient elution, followed by sequential suppression and conductivity detection. Anion standard including acetate and citrate.

Figure 1B. IC measurement on a Metrosep A Supp 7 - 250/4.0 using Na 2 CO 3 gradient elution, followed by sequential suppression and conductivity detection. Acetate and citrate in hemodialysis solution.

When physiological concentrations of solutes are used, the concentration gradient is reduced to a minimum and a dynamic equilibrium is achieved between the dialysis solution and the blood. This prevents the loss of certain solutes, including chloride. The determination of cations in hemodialysis concentrate following an automated inline dilution step is shown in Figure 2. As with chloride, the cations are present in close to physiological concentrations to prevent their drainage from the blood via osmosis.

Figure 2. Cations in diluted hemodialysis concentrate using the Metrosep C 4 - 150/4.0 column and non-suppressed conductivity detection.

Active pharmaceutical ingredients

Medicines such as neomycin, gentamicin, bethanechol chloride and cefadroxil contain active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that can be determined by the IC method in compliance with European Pharmacopoeia and US Pharmacopeia regulations. The pharmacopoeias contain detailed descriptions of the requirements regarding separation, precision, and recovery of the analytes. Shown in Figure 3 is the ion chromatogram of gentamicin analysis; gentamicin is an antibiotic belonging to a group of drugs called the aminoglycosides. These are bactericidal antibiotics that block the biosynthesis of bacterial proteins by binding to ribosomes and causing errors in the translation from messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) to DNA. Gentamicin includes a number of closely associated compounds, as follows:

Gentamicin C 1

Gentamicin C 1a

Gentamicin C 2

Gentamicin C 2a

Gentamicin C 2b

Despite their structural similarity, good separation of the various gentamicin components is achievable by IC.

Figure 3. IC determination of the antibiotic gentamicin by pulsed amperometric detection; column: Polymer Laboratories RP-S; eluent: 60g/L Na 2 SO 4 , 1.75g/L sodium octanesulfonate, 1.34g/L NaH 2 PO 4 , 8mL/L THF (pH = 3, H 3 PO 4 ); post-column addition: 300mmol/L NaOH.

Impurities in pharmaceuticals

In addition to API analysis, the impurities in pharmaceutical products can also be determined by IC. Even when an impurity is present in just small concentrations, this can still lead to major side-effects. For instance, during the synthesis of the antihypertensive irbesartan, trace amounts of azide can be detected in the product as an impurity. Azide is very toxic to humans and its concentration in irbesartan is subject to stringent controls. The USP 621 of the US Pharmacopeia advises IC determination of azide following direct injection. Here, the API is removed from the analytical column using a transfer solution containing the IC eluent and an appropriate organic solvent, although the process is tedious, time consuming and not possible to automate.

The determination of azide is more sensitive, more selective and, most importantly, faster when inline matrix elimination is used. Here, the interfering pharmaceutical matrix is isolated from the analyte of interest during sample preparation. Shown in Figure 4 is the ion chromatogram demonstrating the analysis of an irbesartan sample spiked with various azide concentrations.

High sensitivity owing to matrix elimination

After sequential suppression, the signal is captured by a conductivity detector. Listed in Table 1 are the average recovery values of azide that were obtained over three measurements and also the mean conductivity determined by the detector, together with the relative standard deviation. Determining the azide in irbesartan with preceding matrix elimination meets all the requirements of the regulatory authorities in terms of the selectivity of the method, its detection and quantitation limits, linearity, precision, robustness, and accuracy. It can therefore be used as a faster and more sensitive alternative to the proposed determination according to USP 621.

Figure 4. Irbesartan sample spiked with 5-80g/L azide; column: Metrosep A Supp 10 - 250/4.0; eluent: 5mmol/L Na2CO3, 5mmol/L NaHCO3; inline matrix elimination with 70:30(v/v) methanol/water.

Radio IC

Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive substances that are used for medical purposes, particularly in diagnostics, but also for treating and preventing certain diseases. The goal of radio IC is to determine the radiochemical purity of these substances. Two prominent examples of radiotracers used in diagnostics by PET (positron emission tomography) are [18F]fluorocholine and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose. These radiotracers are labeled with the radionuclide [18F]fluorine. During the radioactive decay of this unstable isotope, a proton in its nucleus changes into a neutron, a change that is accompanied by the emission of a neutrino and a positron. The positron couples with an electron in the surrounding tissue, which annihilates both particles and causes two photons (gamma rays) to be emitted in opposite directions, each with an energy of 0.511 MeV energy. Based on the data obtained via coincidence detection of the photon pair, the location of its emission in the body is calculated. This location closely corresponds with the location of the initial radiotracer molecule, thereby providing information on its activity.

The purity of radiotracers is vitally important. When a positron combines with an electron, highly energetic gamma rays are emitted that can harm the human body. When a pure radiotracer is used, the injection of radioactive contaminants such as free [18F]fluorine is avoided and the amount of radioactive substance administered is kept to a minimum. Radio IC establishes the quality control of radiotracers in the short time between their synthesis and the recording of the three-dimensional (3D) PET scan. The separation step in radio IC is the same as in regular IC, with the only exception being that it occurs behind lead doors. The detection step, which involves the addition of a radioactivity detector to the setup, is what does set radio IC apart from regular IC. The presence or, ideally, the absence of radioactive contaminants is shown by the radioactivity chromatogram.

Table 1. Precision and recovery of azide

Peak Area: Mean value (S/cm) Relative standard deviation (%) Recovery (%) 5 g/L spike  5.00 1.96 101.71 30 g/L spike  0.30 0.14 103.38

n = 3 measurements

Table 2. Selection of IC applications in the pharma industry

Pharmaceutical or excipient Analyte Acamprosate calcium Acetate Acifluorfen, sodium Acetate Adrenaline Adrenaline Amisulpride Dimethyl and diethyl sulfate Anticoagulation solution Phosphate, citrate Arsenic trioxide Arsenate, arsenite Atovaquone Acetate Atorvastatin calcium salt Cyanide, tetrabutylammonium Sulfobutylether--cyclodextrin -cyclodextrin Bethanechol chloride Bethanechol, sodium, calcium, decomposition product (HPTA) Bromide salt Chloride Busulfan Methanesulfonic acid Calcium gluconate Oxalate Calcium salt Borate Camphorsulfonic acid Camphorsulfonic acid Carbamazepine Chloride, bromide Carbidopa EDTA, hydrazine, sodium disulfite Cefadroxil Cefadroxil Cefdinir Iron, EDTA Cefepime hydrochloride N-methyl-pyrrolidinium Ceftazidime sodium Sodium Clopidogrel besylate Anions, carbonate, cations Colesevelam Quaternary alkylamines Copovidone EP Acetate, formate Dasatinib Ethylenediamine Dextromethorphan HBr Formic acid (2,3-Dichlorophenyl) oxoacetonitrile Cyanide, tetrabutylammonium Diclofenac sodium Sodium, potassium Dicyclopropylmethylamine Dicyclopropylmethylamine Doxazosin, methanesulfonic acid Bromide Drospirenone Propargyl alcohol Enoxaparin sodium Sulfate Esomeprazole magnesium Tartrate Febuxostat Hydroxylamine Felodipine Silicate, sodium Fenofibrate Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) Ferumoxide (contrast enhancer) Citrate Fluorouracil (also fluoruracil) Fluoride Gabapentin Chloride Gadopentetate dimeglumine Gadolinium Gentamicin sulfate (see page 17) Gentamicin

Pharmaceutical or excipient Analyte Glycine carbonate, sodium salt Carbonate Glimepiride Trans-4-methylcyclohexylamine Guaifenesin Epichlorhydrine Heparin sodium Glucosamine and galactosamine Ibandronic acid sodium Ibandronate, phosphite, phosphate Indinavir sulfate Ethyl sulfate Indomethacin sodium 2-ethylhexane acid Irbesartan Cyanide, azide Ibuprofen Ibuprofen, valerophenone Lamotrigine Cyanide Lanthanum carbonate Nitrate Levetiracetam Tetrabutylammonium Levofloxacin Fluoride Linezolid Morpholine Losartan potassium Azide Meropenem EDTA, dimethylamine Metformin hydrochloride Dimethylamine (Mono)sulfiram (temosol) Cyanide Montelukast sodium Methanesulfonic acid, acetate Multivitamin tablets Cations, Vitamin C Mycophenolate mofetil Morpholine Nebivolol hydrochloride Monomethylamine Neomycin sulfate Neomycin Oxaliplatin Chloride Pioglitazone hydrochloride Piperidine Piperacillin Chloride Piperazine Piperazine, N-methylpiperazine RA-Thermoseal toothpaste Potassium, zinc Ribitol Ribitol (adonitol) S-Adenosyl methionine Sulfate Sevelamer Binding capacity of phosphate Suxamethonium chloride Choline chloride Tadalafil Methanolic methylamine Terbinafine hydrochloride Monomethylamine, tetrabutylammonium Topiramate Carbohydrates, sulfate and sulfamate Triclosan Potassium Timolol maleate Chlorite Varenicline tartrate salt Trifluormethanesulfonic acid Voriconazole Camphorsulfonic acid Zingisol Potassium and zinc Zoledronic acid Phosphite, phosphate

Detection method: conductivity detection with suppression; direct conductivity detection; conductivity detection with and without suppression; amperometric detection; spectrophotometric detection

Summary and conclusion

IC can today be used in a wide range of applications in the pharmaceutical sector. Table 2 shows a selection of ca. 40 applications. The wide range of different columns, gradient and eluent options, sample preparation techniques and automation possibilities available to the user have meant the IC technique has become a highly versatile method.

About Metrohm

At Metrohm is one of the worlds most trusted manufacturers of high-precision instruments for chemical analysis. Metrohm was founded in 1943 by engineer Bertold Suhner in Herisau, Switzerland. Today, Metrohm is represented in 120 countries by subsidiaries and exclusive distributors. The global Metrohm Group also includes the Dutch companies Metrohm Applikon and Metrohm Autolab, manufacturers of online analyzers and instruments for electrochemical research, respectively. Recently, the Metrohm Group was joined by Metrohm Raman, a leading manufacturer of handheld Raman spectrometers.

Metrohm is the global market leader in analytical instruments for titration. Instruments for ion chromatography, voltammetry, conductivity, and stability measurement make the Metrohm portfolio for ion analysis complete. Instruments for Near-infrared and Raman spectroscopy are another, strongly growing segment of the Metrohm portfolio.

Metrohm is a problem solver, both in the laboratory and within the industrial process. To this end, the company offers their customers complete solutions, including dedicated analytical instrumentation as well as comprehensive application know-how. More than 30% of the companys employees at the Metrohm international headquarters in Herisau work in R&D.

Metrohm has been owned 100% by the non-profit Metrohm Foundation since 1982. The Metrohm Foundation, which does not exert any influence on the companys business operations, sponsors gifted students in the natural sciences, supports charitable and philanthropic purposes and, above all, ensures the independence of the company.

Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.Net which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments.
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
John Bucknell presented at the Starship Congress 2017 his Nuclear Thermal Turbo Rocket and applied for a single stage to orbit mission of placing a space habitat. John Bucknell worked on the Spacex Raptor rocket as a senior engineer so he is very qualified to understand current rocket technology and rockets in general.

Nextbigfuture has noted that NASA has funded $18.8 million on advancing nuclear thermal rocket propulsion by studying low enriched uranium for the fuel. Nuclear-powered rocket concepts are not new. The United States conducted studies and significant ground tests from 1955 to 1972 to determine the viability of such systems, but ceased testing when plans for a crewed Mars mission were deferred.

The NERVA NRX (Nuclear Rocket Experimental) program started testing in September 1964. The final engine in this series was the XE, designed with flight design hardware and fired in a downward position into a low-pressure chamber to simulate a vacuum. SNPO fired NERVA NRX/XE twenty-eight times in March 1968. The series all generated 1100 MW, and many of the tests concluded only when the test-stand ran out of hydrogen propellant. NERVA NRX/XE produced the baseline 75,000 lbf (334 kN) thrust that Marshall required in Mars mission plans.

There has been NASA proposals for lower cost ground testing of nuclear thermal rockets while they are in development.

To reduce the cost of testing new NTRs, the Subsurface Active Filtering of Exhaust (SAFE) method was proposed. In the SAFE concept, the nuclear rocket test would utilize the methodology as nuclear weapon tests. The rocket would be sealed from above and fired downward into the sub-strata of the Nevada Test Site.

From previous work on the subject, all fissionable products except the noble gases Xenon and Krypton will be trapped in the alluvium underneath the test range. This would allow all the necessary preflight tests be completed for an NTR without the need for the expensive filtering process required for NERVA rockets. Using the existing methodology of scrubbing the exhaust, the testing costs were expected to be $46.5 million accounting for 30% management overhead, but the SAFE concept would reduce that cost to $3.9 million. This difference in testing cost is substantial, but not only would this concept be cheaper, but also would allow the motor to be tested at different settings and for full duration compared to one power setting for the scrubbing procedure. The designers could then learn significantly more during the testing phase with the SAFE concept and the entire propulsion system would be more flexible to changes in payload and launch mass creep.

NASA has funded other experiments, developments of simulations to advance the detailed engineering of nuclear thermal rockets. Johns nuclear thermal rocket designs could be developed in 10-20 years if we made rational and economic choices without irrational fears.

Johns design is an air breathing nuclear thermal rocket propulsion cycle called the Nuclear Thermal Turbo Rocket improves payload fraction to Low Earth Orbit by a factor of 15-18 relative to State of the Art chemical rockets.

The proposed mission places a habitat for up to 2,000 persons at any Near Earth Orbit location for low mission expenditure. The habitat is equipped with up to full terrestrial gravity simulation, cosmic/solar radiation shielding, a thermal/electric power supply with beamed power capability and a powerful rocket transportation system.

He designs a lunar water mining machine and calculates the launches of lunar ice that inflate a 40,000 ton habitat.

Near Earth Object mining, solar power farming, or any other follow on use for such a habitat is possible.

Within 5 years after building our first nuclear thermal turbo rocket we could have earth like gravity and radiation protection for a nearly aircraft carrier population in space. Current long term space habitation in small stations, moon bases or Mars bases would not have full earth gravity and often have imperfect radiation shielding. Here the design has no sacrifices in gravity or radiation shielding. There is no question that longterm habitation in space would be safe in such a habitat because the gravity would be the same as Earth.
A lawyerbot called Do Not Pay helps people contest parking tickets. In London and New York, it helped people overturn 160,000 tickets in its first 21 months. Its creator, 19-year-old London-born Stanford student Joshua Browder observed: I think the people getting parking tickets are the most vulnerable in society. These people arent looking to break the law. I think theyre being exploited as a revenue source by the local government.

Theres not much doubt about that. Local governments pretend its about safety, but use traffic fines for revenue. Those fines fall hardest on poor people, for whom a $150 fine is a financial disaster and for whom an appearance in court is frightening and awkward. Often, a few citations, with interest and penalties accruing, can be the beginning of a downward spiral leading to bankruptcy or jail.

* local and other governments use legal and regulatory complexity to create advantages to those who can afford better lawyers

* tax software can enable lower cost compliance and legal software and automation can provide affordable defense to common people

* all of this automation is inferior to a society with less or very simple and fair regulation or no regulation

* tax software has been around for a long time and constantly updated and expanded tax laws still makes it difficult for software to take away the complexity. There

Browder is working on other applications, and with good reason: Theres a need. And as Barton and Bibas point out, lawyer-substitutes like software (or paralegals allowed to practice on their own) dont have to be better than the best lawyers. They only have to be better than what people who cant afford the best lawyers can get.

This has the potential for social revolution in many ways. Its bad for the lawyers who lose work to bots. Its bad for cities who rely on revenue extorted from motorists and other petty offenders to balance the books. (DoNotPays 160,000 overturned tickets represented over $4 million in revenue). And its bad for any part of the legal system that forces compliance from ordinary people who just dont want the hassle of going to court.

But its good for people who, up to now, havent had much leverage. If were lucky, well wind up, as Barton and Bibas suggest, with fewer lawyers, more justice. For people like me, who sell law degrees for a living, that may be bad news. For society as a whole, though, it may turn out pretty well.
All year long as Earth revolves around the sun, it passes through streams of cosmic debris. The resulting meteor showers can light up night skies from dusk to dawn, and if youre lucky you might be able to catch one.

If you spot a meteor shower, what youre really seeing is the leftovers of icy comets crashing into Earths atmosphere. Comets are sort of like dirty snowballs: As they travel through the solar system, they leave behind a dusty trail of rocks and ice that lingers in space long after they leave. When Earth passes through these cascades of comet waste, the bits of debris  which can be as small as grains of sand  pierce the sky at such speeds that they burst, creating a celestial fireworks display.

A general rule of thumb with meteor showers: You are never watching the Earth cross into remnants from a comets most recent orbit. Instead, the burning bits come from the previous pass. For example, during the Perseid meteor shower you are seeing meteors ejected from when its parent comet, Comet Swift-Tuttle, visited in 1862 or earlier, not from its most recent pass in 1992.

Thats because it takes time for debris from a comets orbit to drift into a position where it intersects with Earths orbit, according to Bill Cooke, an astronomer with NASAs Meteoroid Environment Office, who spoke to The New York Times last year.

The name attached to a meteor shower is usually tied to the constellation in the sky from which they seem to originate, known as their radiant. For instance, the Orionid meteor shower can be found in the sky when stargazers have a good view of the Orion constellation.
Crazy Vegas Casino Adds New Software Providers

Published August 9, 2017 by Mike P

Discover the various improvements that have been made at Crazy Vegas Casino, including new gaming software and payment methods.

Crazy Vegas Casino has just introduced an array of brand new features, including the acceptance of additional payment methods that are intended to speed up the experience. Meanwhile, Crazy Vegas has also been opened up to new global markets, and can now welcome new players from the UK, Europe, the Nordics, and Canada.

At Crazy Vegas, players will now be able to experience video slots, progressive jackpots, tables, and live dealers from an even larger selection of software providers than ever before. There are now hundreds of slot games to explore, while the other categories are also much more diverse than ever before.

Even More Gaming Options

The new and improved gaming library is now comprised of software from industry-leading providers in the form of Microgaming and NetEnt. Beyond those providers, its also possible for Crazy Vegas users to play online slots from other talented studios, including Playn GO, NYX, Genii, Quickspin, Yggdrasil, and Scientific Games.

Evolution Gaming is another of the key software providers, having outfitted Crazy Vegas with a fully functional suite of live casino games, including roulette, baccarat, and blackjack. There are a number of special variants on those gaming types, with live dealers ready to host the likes of Auto Roulette, Baccarat Squeeze, Blackjack VIP, Dream Catcher, Immersive Roulette, and London Roulette.

New Microgaming Slots

EmotiCoins is the first of two new Microgaming slots to debut at Crazy Vegas in August 2017. This particular release was developed through a staff-driven initiative, resulting in the creation of a 30-payline slot that is loaded with emoticons.

Stick Bandits is the next of the Microgaming slots to arrive in August. Players will get to enjoy a western heist storyline while they try to win using 30 paylines, sticky wild symbols, and free spins.

About Crazy Vegas Casino

Crazy Vegas is a casino site that bases the branding on the lustre of Sin City itself. The casino is powered by an array of gaming software and can be accessed across HTML5-compatible devices. And all of this has been made possible by the casinos presence in the StarPartner Group, which is also responsible for running Golden Riviera Casino.
When my friend's grandson was in kindergarten he was smitten with a classmate, Lindsay. He said he would marry her someday because by then she will stop hitting. Lots of luck, Michael.

Although early behavior patterns are often predictive of behavior and personality later in life, that's not always the case. On reflection, Lindsay has a good chance of changing. At age five she may be going through a developmental phase or she may be subject to stress within her family that is influencing her current "acting out." Future positive experiences could shape her behavior in a more pro-social direction. And Lindsay will have many opportunities to grow and develop emotionally before she reaches adulthood. So we could reasonably join Michael in his optimism, while keeping our fingers crossed.

But what about a seventy-one-year old man named Donald Trump who has been hitting all of his life--hitting in the form of abusing workers, contractors, the disabled, immigrants, women, and anyone else who resists or challenges him.

What are the chances of his changing? Probably zero--since he has no wish to change. From his perspective, why should he, when he believes that he knows more about almost everything than anyone else? The Washington Post lists "19 things Donald Trump knows better than anyone on the planet, according to Donald Trump." Included in the list are Isis, the American system of government, health care, and the military.

In stark contrast, "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough said: "Donald Trump doesn't know anything about anything." Conservative Max Boot, who has advised presidential candidates on foreign policy and is currently a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, agrees. He reported in the New Yorker on August 4, 2017 that "Trump has an appalling ignorance of the current world, of history, of previous American engagement, of what former Presidents thought and did," Others have added their voices, alarmed at Trump's pervasive ignorance.

Significant changes in behavior and personality do not come easily. Just ask those who have struggled for years with change in psychotherapy. Donald Trump offers no indication of an interest in seeking personal change, so why should we expect any change?

In view of his grandiose self-assessment would we even be surprised if he declared: "There but for the grace of I go God."

Yet it's astonishing to hear expectations that he might change from politicians, news anchors and commentators, and the public.

After Donald Trump won the Republican nomination his advisors assured Republican leaders that he would change. Senior advisor Paul Manafort said, "the negatives will come down, the image is going to change." And Ted Cruz , who previously called Trump"a pathological liar" and "utterly amoral," added that Trump's outrageous behavior "was just an act."

When these forecasts of change didn't pan out after he became President, the media touted the view that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump would calm and control Donald. That hasn't worked either. But Trump supporters aren't fazed by what others have called bizarre behavior; they love Donald and that's presidential enough for them. Republicans, though, were worried but then relieved that Trump sounded presidential in reading his scripted speech to a joint session of Congress in February, 2017, as if that signaled a personality change.

Now Republican hopes for reigning in Trump and getting him on a rational course of behavior rest with General John Kelly, the new White House Chief of Staff. Conservative Republican and former Speaker Newt Gingrich predicts that with Kelly cracking his military whip: "the White House will become more orderly and disciplined -- with clear lines of authority, serious planning and strong teamwork."

For those equally under the illusion that Donald Trump will change or be brought under control by someone who is his inferior (remember, Trump knows more than the generals), keep in mind an amusing cartoon that speaks to Donald Trump's lifelong behavior pattern: The cartoon pictures a young child tugging at a woman's skirt with the caption "Mrs Kahn, Ghengis is hitting me again."

Some early patterns stick and intensify.
See original here

The Trump administration is getting more Orwellian by the day, but as fast as it tries to bury the truth about climate change, scientists are fighting back and showing that they will not be silenced by the climate deniers in the White House.

So while the administration tries to suppress its agencies talking about climate change, a leaked report has concluded that millions of Americans are feeling the effects of climate change right now.

"The last few years have seen record-breaking, climate-related, weather extremes, as well as the warmest years on record for the globe." So said the executive summary of a draft report by scientists from 13 federal agencies, which was leaked to the New York Times after scientists felt it could be suppressed.

The report is a major rebuttal and rebuke to the climate-denying president.

"Evidence for a changing climate abounds, from the top of the atmosphere to the depths of the oceans," the report outlined: "Thousands of studies conducted by tens of thousands of scientists around the world have documented changes in surface, atmospheric, and oceanic temperatures; melting glaciers; disappearing snow cover; shrinking sea ice; rising sea level; and an increase in atmospheric water vapor."

It is explicit that humans are to blame: "Many lines of evidence demonstrate that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse (heat-trapping) gases, are primarily responsible for recent observed climate changes," and "Human activities are now the dominant cause of the observed changes in climate."

The report outlines how the average temperature in the U.S. has risen rapidly since 1980, and recent decades have been the warmest of the past 1,500 years.

One government scientist who worked on the report, Katharine Hayhoe, a professor of Political Science at Texas Tech University, told the Times that the conclusions were among "the most comprehensive climate science reports" to be ever written.

Whether the Trump administration will ever officially publish the report remains to be seen. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), currently led by Scott "Polluting Pruit" is one of the agencies that has to approve it by mid-August. It is unlikely to be published unscathed. According to the Times, "Scientists say they fear that the Trump administration could change or suppress the report."

As one commentator noted, "The leak of the report is a clear middle finger to Trump, Pruitt and their plan to derail federal climate research and policy, and it ensures the public has an opportunity to review it before they get their big, grubby mitts all over it."

Indeed, there is new evidence that the Trump administration is trying to suppress and distort the language around climate change, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture telling staff to avoid using the term "climate change" and instead use the term "weather extremes."

Emails obtained by the Guardian reveal that one senior official listed terms that should be avoided. Instead of "climate change adaption," for example, staff are asked to use "resilience to weather extremes."

"These records reveal Trump's active censorship of science in the name of his political agenda," said Meg Townsend, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, which is currently suing several government agencies to force them to release information on "censoring" of climate change language.
From Reader Supported News

Attorney General Jeff Sessions last week announced that the Trump administration would begin a hunt for leakers unprecedented in modern American political history. Sessions couched the announcement in terms of a campaign against those who harm the country's security by wantonly leaking national security information. But nothing could be further from the truth. This is a policy to use the Espionage Act -- bringing one of the gravest charges that can be levied against an American -- to plug leaks that do nothing more than embarrass the president.

In order to understand the details of what Sessions is proposing, we need to get a couple of definitions out of the way. First, the federal district court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled in my case, US v. Kiriakou, in a precedent-setting decision, that "espionage" was defined simply as "providing national defense information to any person not entitled to receive it." This was a dangerous ruling for several reasons. Most importantly, the courts have never defined what "national defense information" means. It is up to each individual judge. So what may be "espionage" in one district may be nothing in another. Similarly, the Espionage Act says literally nothing about intent. In my case, Judge Leonie Brinkema made a point of saying that a person could accidentally commit espionage and should still be punished for it, regardless of intent. Ridiculous.

Second, the United States has a terrible problem with overclassification, which is the "designation of information as classified when the information does not meet one or more of the standards for classification under section 1.1 of Executive Order 13256." In other words, there are strict rules about what should be classified and what should not be. In addition, there are specific rules as to what should be classified at what level -- confidential, secret, or top secret. Generally, though, people who classify documents ignore these rules. For example, when my wife and I were at the CIA and wanted to have lunch together, I would email her and say, "Wanna have lunch?" I would classify that email "SECRET." Why? Because everybody classified literally everything as SECRET. She would respond "Sure. See you at noon." And she would classify her response SECRET. That's one of the reasons why there are more than three billion classified documents in US government databases.

There are other ways to protect information that ought not to be public but that shouldn't necessarily be classified. They are called "controls" and include "Sensitive but Unclassified," (SBU) and For Official Use Only (FOUO.) They are for unclassified documents that are not meant to be publicly disseminated. Unfortunately, these controls are generally ignored in favor of overclassification.

One more point: There's a difference between leaking and whistleblowing. Whistleblowing is exposing evidence of waste, fraud, abuse, illegality, or threats to the public health or public safety. Leaking is leaking, whether it's for the excitement, to make the leaker feel important, revenge, or a myriad of other reasons. Leaking is not necessarily in the public interest. Whistleblowing is.

This gets us back to Sessions' new war on "leaks." Federal prosecutors in leak cases will argue that the revelation caused "serious," "grave," or "exceptionally grave" damage to the national security, depending on the classification level. We're not talking about serious, grave, or exceptionally grave embarrassment to the president. This is supposed to be harm to the national security.

The impetus for the Sessions announcement appears to have been the leak of transcripts of Trump's calls in the first week of his presidency with the president of Mexico and the prime minister of Australia. The conversations were non-substantive and revealed literally nothing about national security. Indeed, the only thing that was even interesting was how Trump begged the Mexican president to stop saying that Mexico wouldn't pay for the border wall, and that Trump rudely hung up on the Australian. I don't believe the transcripts were properly classified. And their leak certainly doesn't rise to the level of espionage.

Still, Sessions is ordering that the FBI and the federal Counterintelligence Executive shift their precious resources away from tracking spies and those malicious foreign entities that intend to do us harm so that they can concentrate on disgruntled White House staff members and whistleblowers who have no chain of command through which to report their evidence of waste, fraud, abuse, or illegality. He'll do it while simultaneously threatening journalists with prison just for doing their jobs.

And who are the real leakers in government? I can name several of them: Donald Trump, Mike Pence, H.R. McMaster, and pretty much every one of the 535 members of the House and Senate. It's always been that way. It's not going to change. Sessions' war on leaks will end up taking down a few sacrificial lambs. But the leaks won't stop. They'll never stop. It's the nature of Washington.

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 Reader Supported News

"After many years of LEAKS going on in Washington, it is great to see the A.G. [Attorney General] taking action! For National Security, the tougher the better!" ~~ Tweet by President Trump, August 5, 2017

"U.S. spy satellites detect North Korea moving anti-ship cruise missiles to patrol boat." ~~ Tweet by Fox & friends, August 8, 2017; Re-tweeted by President Trump 6:50 a.m. same day

"I can't talk about anything that's classified and if that's in the newspaper that's a shame... it's one of those things I don't know what's going on. I will tell you it's incredibly dangerous when things get out into the press like that." ~~ Comment by UN Ambassador Nikki on Fox & friends, August 8, 2017, when asked about Fox News story; Tweeted by Fox & friends and re-tweeted by President Trump

This bit of political circus hooha was briefly all over the news early in the week, with almost no news outlet getting it right: that the issue of "classified information" and "leaks" is largely a meaningless smokescreen designed to protect the power of government secrecy against the public's right to know the truth.

Logically, this sequence of events should lead to an Attorney General investigation of Fox and President Trump for disclosing classified information, or at least an investigation of Fox News to learn the identities of its anonymous officials with access to intelligence data (perhaps in the White House). This is a perfect time for a test case that demonstrates real integrity. Does anyone expect anything like that to happen?

The underlying story from Fox News is relatively simple in substance, fundamentally illogical, and more important for its attitude than its presumed facts:

"Despite the United States' insistence that North Korea halt its missile tests, U.S. spy agencies detected the rogue communist regime loading two anti-ship cruise missiles on a patrol boat on the country's east coast just days ago. "It's the first time these missiles have been deployed on this type of platform since 2014, U.S. officials with knowledge of the latest intelligence in the region told Fox News on Monday."

So what's the actual news here? There is no logical connection between missile tests and missiles on a patrol boat. North Korea, a country flanked by two oceans full of nuclear-armed US Navy warships, has done something it has reportedly not done for three years, put two anti-ship missiles on one patrol boat. Or as Fox News put it lower in its report: "North Korea loaded two Stormpetrel anti-ship cruise missiles on a Wonsan guided-missile patrol boat at Toejo Dong on North Korea's east coast."

Oh, no, North Korea has a threat that threatens no one

So what? According to the report, the patrol boat has not even left port. One of the leakers is quoted as calling this event part of "a trend that does not bode well for hopes of de-escalating tensions on the [Korean] peninsula." What does that even mean? Are the South Koreans intimidated? Is the US Navy pulling back in fright?

This leak of classified information, limited as it is, complete with anonymous editorializing, is the actual destabilizing action raising tensions. The leak comes in the context of a broad US onslaught against North Korea -- diplomatic, political, and militarily threatening. The real audience for the leak appears to be the North Koreans. The leak seems to be telling them: see, we have satellites so cool we can count the missiles you load on a patrol boat. Presumably the North Koreans already assumed as much, but just in case, this reminder is not designed to de-escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula or anywhere else.

The only significant political figure indicating any interest in de-escalating the Korean tensions is recently-elected South Korean president Moon Jae-in, a former human rights lawyer who has publicly invited talks with North Korea. The US has so far acted to prevent such talks from starting, even introducing anti-missile batteries into South Korea without the South Korean president's knowledge, clearly a provocation to the North as well as a diss to the South. When President Moon Jae-in visited the White House in June, the two presidents did not hold a joint news conference and White House reports focused on keeping tension high in Korea. The following week, President Moon Jae-in offered to meet North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un "at any time, at any place" they could agree on. In Berlin at the time, President Moon also said:

"To Korea, which is the last divided nation on this planet, the experience of Germany's unification gives hope for unification, and at the same time shows us the path that we need to follow."

It is not a path the rest of the world seems to have much interest in. The US remains focused on North Korea's threat to the US and "most countries around the world," but the most threatened country by any rational calculus is South Korea. In the wake of the UN Security Council's 15-0 vote to impose new sanctions on North Korea, President Moon Jae-in requested a call with President Trump. The two presidents spoke for 56 minutes; no transcript of their conversation has yet leaked. The official account from South Korea portrayed President Moon Jae-in toeing the American line, but also reported: "Moon, however, insisted the objective of putting new and stronger sanctions on North Korea must be to bring the reclusive state back to the dialogue table."

There's a Rashomon quality to US communications with the world

The White House version of the same conversation was more terse and bellicose, with no hint of supporting talks. At the meeting of ASEAN nations in the Philippines over the weekend, the US secretary of state reportedly went out of his way to avoid contact with the North Korean foreign minister, who apparently did the same to the US. Neither the US nor North Korea is a member of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), whose membership of 10 nations comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The official, unsigned, 46-page joint communique of the meeting addressed the Korean issue in two sections. The first section (paragraphs 146-150) referring to South Korea (ROK, Republic of Korea) began:

"We welcomed the ROK's commitment to further strengthen ASEAN-ROK relations, as manifested by the President Moon Jae-in's sending a special envoy to ASEAN upon his taking office in May 2017. We also agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the political and security issues of common concerns, including terrorism, violent extremism, maritime security as well as to exchange views on the situation in the Korean Peninsula. We also welcomed the ROK Government's initiative to improve inter-Korean relations and to establish permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, which was proposed in Berlin on 6 July 2017."

The section dealing with the US (paragraphs 152-162) is much less detailed and much more opaque. The second Korean section, "Developments in the Korean Peninsula" (paragraphs 201-204) says in its entirety:

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Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"In his new book, Bottom-Up, Rob Kall's exploration of top-down and bottom-up forces in our culture, our brains, and our planet provides a deep insight into the challenges we face. He offers pathways we can use to create the changes we need to break free of the war economy and build local peace economies."



Jodie Evans, cofounder of Code Pink and Chair of the Women's Media Center
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Remember fundamentalist Erik Prince, billionaire founder of the "Christian supremacist neo-Crusader militia" called Blackwater? The George W. Bush administration employed this private army after 9/11 to help carry out its "global war on terror." Known for operating secretly outside the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Blackwater's tenure in the Middle East was one of indiscriminate civilian murder. Firing weapons into crowed boulevards from moving vehicles was their modus operandi. Death from above was also on their macabre menu of atrocities. In 2007, Blackwater mercenaries massacred 14 Iraqis and maimed 20 others in Baghdad with the help of one of their private fleet of helicopters. A congressional report detailing Blackwater's operations found that its soldiers fired their weapons first over 80% of the time. Bad press forced Prince to change the name of Blackwater to Xe in 2009, and he sold the "army for hire" in 2010.

In an effort to escape legal scrutiny (two former Blackwater employees filed sworn statements in federal court implicating Prince in the murder of multiple Blackwater employees), yet still continue in the mercenary business, Prince traveled to the United Arab Emirates to help build an "800-member battalion of foreign troops" for the oil-rich dictatorship. On setting-up shop in the U.A.E., Prince stated that "left-wing activists, Democratic politicians, and lawsuits had destroyed" Blackwater in the U.S., and working out of the U.A.E. makes it "harder for the jackals to get my money."

From his new base of operations in Dubai, Prince helped build a mercenary army in Somalia and attempted to set up a mercenary force in Libya. In 2014, he partnered with the Chinese to form Frontier Services Group, a Hong Kong-based company that provides "integrated security, logistics and insurance services for clients operating in frontier markets." While serving as FSB's CEO, Prince continued to peddle mercenary ventures around the globe, and in 2016 he came under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for money laundering to finance them. A close associate of Prince describes him as FSB's "rogue CEO" who still "wants to be a real no-sh*t mercenary," and James Poulos, columnist at the Daily Beast, published an article in Forbes magazine describing Prince's FSB adventures as a "U.S.-created monster."

Prince, a close associate of both Vice President Mike Pence and Trump confidant Steve Bannon, served as an adviser on "defense and intelligence matters" to team Trump during the campaign, and was with the President and his family in Trump Tower on election night. His sister, Betsy DeVos, is Trump's Secretary of Education. On May 31, Prince published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal calling on President Trump to privatize military operations in Afghanistan and "consolidate authority" in the country "with one person: an American viceroy who would lead all U.S. government and coalition efforts--including command, budget, policy, promotion and contracting--and report directly to the president." Prince has likened the current U.S. effort in Afghanistan to "trying to mow the lawn with a Porsche--it's way too expensive." Not only would mercenaries be cheaper, it's argued, but they would lead to less media scrutiny as no more U.S. soldiers would be returning home in body bags; the dead would merely be "company employees."

Steve Bannon reported that Trump liked Prince's article. He and Jared Kushner went on to recruit Prince to help devise an "out of the box" strategy to "corporatize" America's longest running war and turn it into a private, for profit, venture. While Bannon met with Secretary of Defense General Mattis to sell the plan, Prince personally briefed National Security advisor General McMaster. So far, both men have voiced skepticism, but one would be foolish to second-guess the mind of the man that the generals answer to.
From Paul Craig Roberts Website



Google

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The Google engineer, a Harvard Ph.D., who raised questions about the non-fact-based ideological culture within the Google organization has been identified and fired.

Sundar Pichai, Google's CEO, said that the employee in expressing his views had violated Google's code of conduct and had crossed "the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace." The employee, James Damore, confirms that he was fired for "perpetuating gender stereotypes" by expressing his views.

Having fired Damore or permitted Google's Thought Control Czar, Danielle Brown, to fire Damore, Sundar Pichai delivered a caricature of hypocrisy. Sundar addressed Damore's "co-workers who are questioning whether they can safely express their views in the workplace, especially those with a minority viewpoint. They too feel under threat, and that is also not OK. People must feel free to express dissent."

In the face of firing Damore for expressing his opinion, Sundar affirmed: "we strongly support the right of Googlers to express themselves." Sundar says that "many points raised in the memo -- such as the portions criticizing Google's trainings, questioning the role of ideology in the workplace, and debating whether programs for women and underserved groups are sufficiently open to all -- are important topics. The author had a right to express their (sic) views on those topics -- we encourage an environment in which people can do this and it remains our policy to not take action against anyone for prompting these discussions."

However, Googlers must not question feminist ideology.

We should not be surprised that google is opposed to free expression. According to reports, Google works hand in hand with the NSA and CIA to expand unconstitutional spying on everyone everywhere and to suppress independent and dissenting thought and expression.

For example, on July 31, the World Socialist Web Site reported that "Between April and June, Google completed a major revision of its search engine that sharply curtails public access to Internet web sites that operate independently of the corporate and state-controlled media. Since the implementation of the changes, many left wing, anti-war and progressive web sites have experienced a sharp fall in traffic generated by Google searches. The World Socialist Web Site has seen, within just one month, a 70 percent drop in traffic from Google."

Writing in Global Research, Graham Vanbergen lists 13 websites arbitrarily branded by Google as fake news or conspiracy sites whose readership Google has managed to reduce between 19 and 67 percent:

* wsws.org fell by 67 percent

* alternet.org fell by 63 percent

* globalresearch.ca fell by 62 percent

* consortiumnews.com fell by 47 percent

* socialistworker.org fell by 47 percent

* mediamatters.org fell by 42 percent

* commondreams.org fell by 37 percent

* internationalviewpoint.org fell by 36 percent

* democracynow.org fell by 36 percent

* wikileaks.org fell by 30 percent

* truth-out.org fell by 25 percent

* counterpunch.org fell by 21 percent

* theintercept.com fell by 19 percent

It is completely obvious that none of these sites are fake news or conspiracy sites. These sites are under Google censorship because they question the official lies that are used to control the explanations given to the people. With the print and TV media and NPR under its control, the ruling oligarchy is now moving to shut down all Internet explanation that differs from the official lies that are used to keep people firmly locked in The Matrix.

Google is a monopoly. Before monopolists turned US anti-trust legislation such as the Sherman Act into dead-letter laws, Google would have been broken up. Today Google is protected not only by the demise of anti-trust laws, but also by its usefulness to the US Police State. Without Google's active cooperation, it would not be possible for the NSA to complete its total spy network, a network that serves not national defense but suppression of dissent from the agendas of the ruling oligarchy.

Google abuses its power in many ways. For example, Wikileaks reports that among the Podesta email leaks, there is one from Google's Eric Schmidt to Cheryl Mills offering Google's ability to spy on Americans to help the Democrats win the presidential election.

Apparently, Google has chosen to be a monster committed to upholding lies and ideologies in the place of truth. Unless another country with the courage to stand up to Washington creates a rival search engine, truth will disappear from the face of the earth.
From Reader Supported News



West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice

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As I sat and watched the governor of West Virginia, "Big Jim" Justice, announce he was leaving the Democratic Party, it dawned on me that the shocking news was that this guy was ever a Democrat at all. He reminded me of Boss Hogg, and I'm not teasing him based on his weight like Donald Trump did when referring to the "large news" he had to announce.

I remember back in the 80s, when I first got active in politics, being disgusted when Alabama senator Richard Shelby switched parties a few weeks after the Alabama Democratic Party had spent money getting him elected. There is only one word to describe such people -- "traitors."

Justice claims the Democrats left him as he praised Donald Trump. I have news for him. Jim, if you like Donald Trump so much, then you were a Republican all along. You reminded me of a close-minded redneck when you joked about Trump's new chief of staff having a first name we can pronounce, "Sir." Really? Reince was a foreigner, I guess.

I'm going to say it: West Virginia might as well still be in the Confederacy. Seventy-seven percent of you voted for a racist bigot to be president. You hated the idea of a woman president almost as much as having a black man in charge. Hillary got 67% of the vote against Obama and only 23% against Trump. Even Mitt Romney got over 60% of the vote in 2012.

West Virginia is an example of a state stuck in the past. We as Democrats should not adjust our message to win votes in states where racism and bigotry are still the norms. That doesn't mean we should give up those states, it just means we have to work harder to transform the politics. Our work is cut out for us in states like West Virginia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Alabama. But our day will come, even in West Virginia. One day, voters will not vote based on race, gender, or sexual orientation. Unfortunately, that day is not yet here.

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Turkish and Qatari navies have carried out a joint exercise as Qatar's economic blockade by Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries entered into third month.

The Qatari military said the exercise was aimed at exchanging information, training senior military officials, and improving coordination between the two forces to boost security.

Brigadier Hadi Rashid Al Shahwani, commander of the exercise, said that the "Iron Shield" included training of leaders to assess the situation, planning, control and coordination between the two forces.

The Qatar New Agency reported that the exercise was carried out to support counter-terrorism efforts, "extremism and smuggling operations, as well as to maintain security and stability in the region".

In addition to the naval drill, Qatari and Turkish infantry and artillery forces took part in a ground-training exercise, according to Al Jazeera News.

Turkey's parliament on June 8 fast-tracked the approval of an April 2016 agreement with Qatar on the implementation of troops' deployment to the Turkish military base.

It also approved a December 2015 agreement that allows the Turkish military to train Qatari security forces.

The approval of the agreements came days after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt severed relations with Qatar, accusing it with financing and supporting "terrorism" - allegations Doha denies.

Meanwhile, Yasin Aktay, a senior member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), told Al Jazeera that Turkey's military presence in Qatar "creates a balance in the region" that prevents potential clashes.

"Turkey is protecting its own interests through the base in Qatar, rather than taking sides between the parties at odds. And Ankara's interests require stability in the region. Therefore Turkey would be against an attack on Saudi Arabia as much as Qatar," Aktay said, adding:

"There would always be forces to fill the vacuum when there are unbalanced situations like [developments in the Gulf region]. And Turkey's interests require it not to leave a power vacuum there. Turkey's existence there prevents potential mistakes."

Turkey and Saudi Arabia are both in the US-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group. Saudi Arabian fighter jets join anti-ISIL operations through Turkey's Incirlik airbase.

Turkish base in Qatar

Riyadh and its allies have called for the closure of Turkey's military base in Qatar as part of their demands to resolve the diplomatic crisis began on June 5 when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates Egypt and Yemen broke diplomatic relations with Qatar and imposed economic blockade.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said that the demands were "against international law" and rejected closing down the base.

Ankara had offered to form a military base in Saudi Arabia but was denied by government sources, according to Saudi state media.

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Democracy in Chains--and why progressives must work together like never before and change the political landscape forever

"Public interest has been subordinated to private interest, and when there is no clear distinction between them, it opens the door to endless opportunities for corruption. " Nancy MacLean, Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America

By Kevin Stoda

I haven't decided whether I am running in 2020 for presidency again or running for Senate in Kansas.

However, at this time, i.e., as of 2017, I wish to announce to my progressive friends in the Sunflower State of Kansas know that I have finally returned from living and working abroad, in order to try and make changes in America. (Like thousands of other Americans over the past 4 decades or so, I have been forced to go abroad and be employed due to the military and top 1% economics. I have spent decades abroad bringing monies from abroad back to the American economy without seeing much benefit from the politically dominant elite.)

America, this ABSOLUTELY must change.

I am currently reading DEMOCRACY IN CHAINS (2017) b y Nancy MacLean. Her book lays bare the foundations of the current system that has been screwing most Americans since it was first envisioned in the 1950s by one Southern elite, James McGill Buchanan, who subsequently became the creator of the ulterior motives of the billionaire Charles Koch Brothers (and other 1%ers who dominate our world and have been soaking the lives out of the planet for far too long).

We have ALL been victims of the endgame described in Maclean's work, DEMOCRACY IN CHAINS. MacLean has then described the results of this decades-long war on individual and group forms of democracy in America--and across the globe. She notes, "Despotism may be the only organizational alternative to the political structure that we observe."

However, at this time, I say that We ALL must stop being victims and become important actors on the stage of reform and progressivism.

Therefore, just to step my toe in the water of Kansas politics, I will run for governor of Kansas if the horrid-Koch-brother-backed Governor of Kansas, Sam Brownback, steps down after being nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.

We need to begin clearing out and kicking out the 40-plus years of stench and nonsense built up behind the Koch Brothers' machinery and their ilk. We must start cleaning in Kansas where damage has been greatest. Recently, Kansas City, Kansas, where I have chosen to reside, has passed a bond to fund reform in schools and education. All citizens across the state are encouraged by me to follow suit.

There should be no more delays in opening medical services in our communities too. (Some eight dialysis centers in Kansas have been awaiting administrative permission to open for over 2-1/2 years now, but the Brownbackistan Congress has underfunded every medical department in the state while giving tax breaks to themselves and their cronies.)

Too many citizens have died in Kansas. Too many have been forced to emigrate. Enough is enough. Such educated citizenry should not stand for further manipulation by elite-financed-government nonsense (which actually tries to cover up the class-warfare nature of the politics of the Koch Brothers, ALEC, and Breitbart news, etc.).

I invite Bull Moose and Lincoln progressives --along with members of the other progressive groups in the state--to join me and support the greatest change possible in 2017-2018 (and in the years thereafter).

Meanwhile, I shout, "Full speed ahead into transforming our country by early in the next decade. Kansas and the Bread Belt states can lead the way where others have faltered so much over the decades."

Join me please, run for office or demand officials who are progressive and really care about their fellow citizens and their own children and grandchildren.

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A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.  Hillary Clinton

If we have nuclear weapons why cant we use them?  Donald Trump

Until this April, Donald J. Trump, the President of the United States of America, thought China could easily solve this pesky North Korea problem thats been bugging world leaders for over 60 years now. But then he met with the President of China, Xi Jinping, at his Mar-a-Lago resort, after which he told the editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal that, After listening for 10 minutes, I realized its not so easy.

Trump went on: I felt pretty strongly that they had a tremendous power [over] North Korea . . . But its not what you would think. Again: The President of the United States assumed that because he didnt know about something, no one else would know about it either, including the editor-in-chief of one of the countrys premiere news publications. Worse, that something he didnt know about was this: turns out, North Korea is complicated.

Turns out, healthcare is complicated. Turns out, the import-export bank is complicated.

Four months later, this guy is threatening nuclear war.

Which brings us very quickly to my point: Trump cannot be President anymore. I know you had fun while it lasted, MAGAs (you won the election!), but if it hasnt sunk in yet, Donald Trump is a bona fide existential threat. Hes not fit to command the U.S. military in a war. He has no relevant experience, no ideology beyond narcissism, no guiding light, no steady hand. He believes whatever the last person he spoke with said. He gets information not from his security team, but from bots and memes and Fox News. Hes a walking, talking turnstile. And hes threatening nuclear war.

The biggest threat here isnt that Trump just drops the big one on the NorKors, a scenario that, at least at this time, is thankfully still far-fetched. But there is a danger that Trump gets into an ever-escalating conflict, then makes blunders that beget reactions hes not prepared for and that spiral out of control. Hes selfish, volatile, and vindictive, and in a time of crisis hed be unpredictable, slave to the hot thrums of his angry little lizard brain. In other words, Trump is exactly the wrong person to lead a war. Trump, friends, is a less rational leader than Kim Jong-Un.

Beyond this, Trump, who took five deferments from Vietnam because of a bone spur in his feet, would be leading the most powerful human force in history into a ground war in Asia, and he doesnt have a high-school understanding of world history. Worse, he cant even recognize that he doesnt have a high-school understanding of world history. And Trump doesnt have a North Korea policy yet (hes focus-grouped several different ideas on Twitter). Even if he did, hes gutted the State Department, so wed have few resources to negotiate and enforce whatever diplomatic solution he wanted to pursue.

So heres a breakdown of what might happen next in the Korean peninsula, where war sadly seems more and more inevitable. Its not a hopeful outlook, but its not hopeless, either: For one, theres a chance Congress will remove Trump before we go to war, if war comes. (This isnt a political wish. Give me Pence. Really.) And there are matters of Constitutionality that might (but probably wont) hold Trump back. Heres the bottom line:

After yesterday, Congress has a moral imperative: We cannot let Donald Trump, a reality TV game show host, have the chance to start a nuclear war. Now that we as a culture have been so directly confronted with this horrifying possibility that weve created, we can no longer abide it. Even if nothing comes of this conflict, weve got to understand now how far weve gone.

Its in fact unlikely, in my opinion, that we will actually physically attack North Korea. Well, at least not in the next few weeks. General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently hinted the U.S. might take military action in North Korea this fall. Coincidentally, around that same time the U.S. banned all travel to the country starting Sept. 1, and told all U.S. citizens there to leave. And that was before this mess yesterday.

If you want the tl;dr, there are three questions that inform our chances for nuclear war:

1. Most importantly: Is Kim Jong-un (at a given moment) prepared to die, sacrifice his familys legacy, and surrender the regime? This is simple but true: If yes, hell use his nukes. If not, were good.

2. Next, how badly do Kims generals want to launch a coup to avert a war? This solution has the best odds of avoiding complete chaos on the Korean peninsula.

3. Will Donald Trump blunder his way into a conflict that will trigger reactions hes unprepared for, which will spiral quickly beyond his limited control into a full-blown war? (Yes.)

You cant compare North Korea to the United States. You have to understand what they want: To stay in power. After that, it becomes clear that everything the North Korean government does, even the horrifying punishments it visits on its own people, is calculated to serve that one purpose. (Please dont confuse rational with moral.)

This is why Kim Jong-un is a more rational actor than Donald Trump. In fact, Kim is one of the most reliable and predictable heads of state in the world. I know that sounds absurd because his country is such a bizarre place, but let me explain.

North Korea is a small, very weak country, and they know they dont stand a chance should the world (i.e., China) decide enough is enough. The only way the regime can stay in power is if it has an enormous bargaining chip, and it has calculated that the only such bargaining chip it can reasonably get, given its resources, is a nuclear weapon. They dont want to make nukes so they can immediately bomb us. They just want to have the real threat so we dont bother them. Once you understand this, everything they do makes more sense. And given how hard weve tried to stop them from getting the Bomb, their reasoning seems pretty spot-on. So no matter how fucked up that place seems, no matter how wack their official statements sound, if youre talking in geopolitical terms, Kim Jong-un is rational to an extreme. So was his father and grandfather.

Proof: The Korean war ended in 1953. Considering how poor and weak that country is, the fact the North Korean regime has survived 64 years, with a clean succession of only three leaders, while resisting economic and military threats from China, Russia, South Korea, Japan, and the United States, ought to tell you they have a pretty good idea of what theyre doing.

Sure, North Korea furthered its nuclear program while four U.S. administrations folded their arms and said it was unacceptable (and Obama carried out a secret cyberwar on its missiles). As Gary Kasparov put it yesterday, Inaction is also a choice, one with real consequences. But this kind of thinking shows no regard for the current crisis, and little regard for the rest of the world. The truth is theres never been a North Korea solution that didnt risk at minimum the destruction of Seoul, and at maximum millions of lives and a humanitarian crisis in east Asia. The United States has led this failing effort, yes, but until now, the last minute, weve been checked by the UNlargely because of China. So we do bear blame, but it has nothing to do with strength: theres never been a strong (i.e., military) solution that didnt risk tens of thousands of South Koreans (and American troops) were sworn to protect.

The best geopolitical minds in the world havent been able to solve this problem, for decades, including the George W. Bush axis of evil military hawks. As for assassination, a palace in Pyongyang isnt the same as a compound in Abottabad.

No: North Korea, small and weak as it is, has boxed us in. For a bunch of people we write off as being crazy, the plan theyve devised and adhered to for decades sure seems to have worked pretty well

Now heres what Trump is getting into.

North Korea has one of the largest (and worst-fed) standing armies in the world. Their troops number over a million strong, with about eight million more in reserve. Also, China recently moved somewhere around 150,000 troops to the North Korea border. South Koreas capital, Seoul, is in an unfortunate place, within range of hundreds of North Korean artillery installments on the border. The Pentagon estimates that if North Korea let those shells fly, a million people would be killed in four hours. There are also 30,000 U.S. personnel living within range. This means that if we attack, were risking more than a million lives were sworn to protect, not to mention the risk of blundering into a ground war involving China. At the most extreme, nukes get involved.

If Trump doesnt mount an attack, the status quo continues, and North Korea keeps advancing its program. But this also means peace for the time being. If we attack, itll likely be precision airstrikes on known North Korean missile and nuke sites. Kinda like what we did in Syria, but with a lot more on the line.

Trump really fucked up there, though: Such an attack has to be strong enough to convince KJU that the United States not only is serious about using that power. You dont make threats about using military force on the world stage unless youre ready to back them up. As former Defense Secretary William J. Perry said, Nuclear deterrence is only effective if threats are deemed crediblebluster hurts our national security posture. Trump promised fire and fury if North Korea threatened us. North Korea promptly threatened to bomb our airbase in Guam. (A con knows a con when it sees one.) And Trump, inept and callow, insecure and wounded, full of bluster and cotton, did nothing.

This was a major fuck-up thats gone largely unnoted. And thats why you dont elect a game show host President of the United States.

Lets say we launch a targeted attack and North Korea retaliates. Even if they respond moderately, it will escalate within the region, considering the fears of Japan, China, and South Korea. Now add to this volatile mix Donald Fucking Trump, a full-blown narcissist with zero military experience, reeling from six months of losses, embarrassments, gaffes and an FBI investigation into the legitimacy of the very office he can use to start this war. And hes sitting comfortably in a mansion he owns, nowhere near the violence, the wrath of the atom appearing to him not as fire and fury but as the two hefty suitcases containing the nuclear codes that hes mulling over.

Uh.

Anyway. Seoul goes up in flames, because NK has a ton of conventional missiles aimed there already. Possibly a million people die in four hours. The U.S. carries out massive airstrikes. South Korean soldiers fight North Korean soldiers on the border. One side probably invades the other. Its a bloodbath. China either seals the border so North Koreans dont flee by the many thousands, meaning probably some sort of conflict up there. China could also come down and support who the fuck knows.

No matter what happens now, theres a humanitarian crisis, but not only because North Koreans have one of the largest armies in the world and have gone full-on apocalyptic. More important than that, the North Korean people are starving and poor. They have literally no understanding of anything really happening in the world outside North Korea, and the country will quickly descend into unmanageable mass hysteria. Many, many innocent people will die there, and not from military action. They will die over several weeks, maybe months, from starvation, disease, and yeah, murder.

Eventually, the U.S. wins this war. Now were faced with a failed state and an unrivaled humanitarian crisis in East Asia, while escalating our involvement in the Middle East and toeing a thin line with an ambitious and very pleased Russia.

But maybe we dont get all their nukes. Many are on mobile launchers. North Korea might go batshit and launch the possibly functional nukes it might have at South Korea and maybe Japan. Maybe us? So we could also full-on invade, or nuke the place.

Fire and fury!

Why the fuck would you want to nuke North Korea? That to me seems like the worst idea of all, which is probably why Trump likes it. The North Korean people are impoverished and innocent, almost in the way of Adam and Eve. Theyre ignorant of the world that destroyed them, brainwashed and malnourished and sick, living in a perpetual, quotidian fear of death, imprisonment, torture, disease, famine, and destitution thats unrecognizable to them in the way we dont notice our stomachs are always full. And we incinerate them because 30% of America wants us to look strong?

That sounds exactly like the most plausible scenario under Donald Trump.

Remember: Kim doesnt want to nuke us. He wants that card in his pocket to keep us in check. If he pushes the button, its over for him and for his dynasty. In fact, its much more likely that Trump drops a pre-emptive nuke than Kim.

This is a big question, but no one can answer it, including Donald J. Trump, who happens to command the most lethal force in the history of human civilization.

I mean, we all know what Kim Jong-un wants. But Trump? The approval of his father, maybe? To be liked? Seen as strong? Those are troubling and unstable motivators for a man devoid of ideology and bristling with weapons. Trump is a cipher who basically becomes whoever he spoke with most recently. And just look who hes surrounded himself with in the White House. No one stable, no great leaders, no scholars. Just racist, warmongering bloggers and our two last hopes: Gens. John Kelly and H.R. McMaster.

Oof.

Id hope that if Trumps learned one thing from his beauty pageants, world peace is at the top of his wish list, if a list there be. But there are a lot of complicating factors, known and unknown, that could make him change his priorities on a whim, with no rationale other than its something he wants to do at the time. We have tons of precedent for this.

Most relevantly, Mr. Trump famously vowed, again and again and again, to stay out of Syria. Then one day he saw some pictures that made his daughter sad, and 48 hours later the Trump administration threw its entire Syria policy out the window and attacked a Syrian airbase. With that in mind, heres a look at one month of his North Korea policy. Policies.

But we do have a little time. The main problem for North Korea is not miniaturizing a warhead, which its done. They need to design a warhead that wont burn up in the atmosphere when the missile heads back down to earth. We suspect theyre fairly far off from that, but the autumn military action timeline seems to indicate something else.

The Failing New York Times reported, however, that Trumps military officials are presenting him with options for war. Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, the national security adviser, said, He said hes not going to tolerate North Korea being able to threaten the United States. He added, though, that the administration would see what can we do to make sure we exhaust our possibilities, and exhaust our other opportunities to accomplish this very clear objective of denuclearization of the peninsula short of war.

So our hopes hang on General McMaster and General Mattis, who sent out this cryptic memo a few days ago. Note: Even citizens who have never met us trust us to do the right thing.

Some final observations. First, would a unilateral attack be Constitutional? Probably not, unless immediate self-defense was justified. But Trump has already shown in Syria hed prefer to shoot first and ask permission later. If were counting on the Constitution to stand in the way of Donald Trump, we deserve what we get.

And guess who thinks nuclear war is actually a good thing? Robert Mercer, Trumps mentor and financier.

At the end of the day, theres only one true determining factor about whether things will go nuclear: Is Kim Jong Un prepared to die for his legacy at this given moment? If he can nuke a major U.S. city, maybe. If he senses hes going down before he does, its almost a guarantee. But the risks and costs of war are many and varied, and Congress has a moral duty to use the 25th Amendment to remove Donald Trump before a war can begin. After that, we can step back and try to figure out what went wrong in a country that made it think it was okay that one human being, no matter how flawed, could have ultimate control over a nuclear arsenal that could wipe out civilization several times over. And why did we give that power to a reality TV game show host?
President Akufo-Addo has indicated that a proposal for the creation of a new region out of the Western Region is currently under consideration.



Speaking at a durbar of the Chiefs and people of Bibiani-Anwhiaso-Bekwai district in the Western Region on the first day of his 3-day tour to the Region, the President noted that he has received petition for the Regional Chiefs regarding the new region and has therefore forwarded it to the Council of State for their recommendations.



He also said a meeting between him and the Council of State has been scheduled on Tuesday, August 15 to deliberate on the issue.



But commenting on the matter on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', Member of Parliament for Wassa East Isaac Agyei Mensah has appealed to the President not to consider the creation of the new region.



According to him, creating a new region from the Western Region is not the solution to the challenges facing the Region.



To him, instead of having a new region; the President and government should concentrate on developing the Region.



Hon. Agyei Mensah pointed out some challenges confronting the Region as poor roads and infrastructural development.



He therefore would have the government construct better roads and further improve the infrastructure at the Region, which will help boost the progress of the Region.



Also addressing the issue on 'Kokrokoo' was the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper Kwesi Pratt who also agreed with the MP on providing better roads and resolving the challenges of the Region.



Kwesi Pratt wondered how the creation of a new region would positively affect the lives of the residents in the Region.



In his view, the government should take pragmatic steps to revamp the Region since creating a new region wouldn't help to curb the plight of the people.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho has said he has strong convicton that fellow party member and former Attorney General, Martin Amidu is being remote controlled by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).



Mr. Amidu also known as the citizen vigilante has been a thorn in the flesh of his own NDC party as he has consistently attacked members of the party including former President John Mahama on several occasions.



In his recent epistle, Mr. Amidu blamed the Mahama-led government for the chaos at the Electoral Commission. He claimed that the embattled EC chairperson Charlotte Osei was appointed by ex President John Mahama to help the NDC rig the 2016 elections.



 As I said time without number during the 2016 elections, she was appointed by a corrupt Government precisely because of her incompetence that made her susceptible for use for an election rigging agenda.



Her appointing Government failed in the rigging agenda despite all the attempts by the Commission to narrow the election to a two-party race to facilitate easy rigging for the incumbent.



She has, either on her own or at the instance of her mentor, been trying to recycle herself as a neutral Electoral Commissioner after her Church Papa mediated her peaceful announcement of the election results, he wrote.



But speaking to sit-in-host Kwaku Owusu Adjei on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM Tuesday, Koku Anyidoho stated that Mr Amidu who was the NDC running mate to late President Mills in the 2000 elections, strikes only when the NPP is struggling and looking terribly bad in the eyes of the public.



He only comes out to spew gibberish whenever the NPP is under pressure and looking bad, but the NDC is looking so good in terms of the psychological warfare, that is when Martin Amidu strikes. So if people say the NPP induces him to do its bidding whenever the party is in trouble, theyre justified in their conclusion.



Those who say Martin Amidu is on the payroll of the NPP may be right, because hes sent only when the NDC is pinning down the NPP. He fires some internal salvos to see how he can rock the internal NDC boat, some of us are bigging to believe that theory that hes on the NPP payroll. Asked if the NDC will consider dismissing Mr Amidu for the consistent embarrasment he causes the NDC, Koku Anyidoho stated that the party will not glorify the former Attorney General and in so doing make a hero out of him.



Hes running himself into a ditch of non-relevance and swimming in some sea of delusion on granduer, and why waste out time on such a character. What is Martin Amidus locus in the NDC as at now for us to worry our heads about wanting to dismiss him.

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Hi Duncan! Things are getting interesting this month and you will be travelling together with Danny and Ali for four weeks straight to shows on the other end of the globe and then in Europe. Looking forward to it?

You have introduced a couple of new features to the rig this year. Who came up with the ideas and how are you enjoying them?

You just mentioned a new partner. Eberspacher is a heating and air conditioning specialist. Do you feel the need to keep a cool head in the van when you travel from show to show?

Last year you and the whole team including Fabio flew to the Philippines for a couple of shows. Are you looking forward to riding in the tropics again?

After four shows in Indonesia you embark on a 7,000-mile trip back to Dusseldorf, Germany for some shows before heading to the Eurobike Festival Day. What are you looking forward to and what can the fans expect?

If you want to book the Drop and Roll Tour for your event, then you can drop us a line and well sort things out: dropandroll@rasoulution.com

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Welcome to Canada, this is mountain biking here!  Adam Craig

North Vancouver local, Mark Woods, is excited to be heading out with us on the ultimate road trip experience!

Riders get registered and pick up their swag before loading up to ride the famous North Shore.

Guides from Endless Biking hosted our North Vancouver day and shown here giving their first daily rider meeting.

Any biking road trip around BC should start here in my opinion.  Adam Craig

With endless beers and (seemingly) endless singletrack promised, the stoke was high at the end of the day one.

Seeing the landscape change as we travelled north and made it over the coast range and kind of out into the foot hills and into the rolling hills and the upper Fraser River Valley  its pretty neat way to tie it all together, like its obvious that youve travelled.  Adam Craig

Riders bask in the flowy goodness of Otway.

Adam Craig gives an impromptu skills workshop trail side.

The wooden monster was a favourite when the riders headed over to Pidherny.

Post ride beers - hanging out in your chamois never felt so good!

Prince George locals, welcome riders to base camp in true PG style - with a party!

I haven't been this far north and I'm excited to see what goes on up here!  Adam Craig

This past Saturday BC Bike Ride kicked off as mountain bikers from ten different countries set out to stretch their legs and warm up on the world famous trails of North Vancouver. Perhaps a bit of an ambitious location to call a warm up, but Olympian and all-around great guy, Adam Craig thought it was great. Led by seasoned guides from Endless Biking and BC Bike Race Bike Patrol, the riders rode a variety of laps on Mount Fromme that included classics like Expresso, Dream Weaver, Seventh Secret, and Crinkum Crankum.Ive got a soft spot for riding on the shore, its awesome there and its cool, says Adam, who is along for the whole week of BC Bike Ride North. "Thats kind of the port of entry and thats where some of the best riding in the world is, so it would be rude not to! Im glad we got to go out and have Andreas Hestler show us around, it was a treat!The next morning, riders headed to the airport where they boarded the private planes that would take them to Prince George and the official start of theirStepping off the bus and getting straight onto the waiting planes may have been a thrill, but better yet was watching the landscape change as we flew north. The flight up was awesome, I really, really love flying over mountain ranges and terrain, especially that you have a bit of familiarity with, so its always interesting. We flew over Whistler and the Pemberton ice cap and just looking at places youve been, it was beautiful. Adam  like most of the riders  has never been this far north.Prince George was our first stop along the incredible Route 16 which connects budding mountain bike meccas like Burns Lake, Smithers, and Terrace  all locations full of incredible purpose-built singletrack. This is the new frontier of mountain biking! Otway and Pidherny are two of the main riding areas of Prince George and we made time to explore both of them.The Otway trail network offered smooth and sandy undulating bench cut trails that crisscrossed to create what seemed like a never-ending combination of loops that spread out from the Nordic centre. With so few people riding them, the trails were in incredible condition and our riders hit up a classic loop suggested by the locals, Ben Yeager and Jacob Mullen, that included Curves, Espresso, Missing Lynx, AC/DC, and Tornado Alley.The Pidherny trails stepped things up a notch with a little steeper and looser favourites that included The Kitchen Sink, Lazy Susan, Flow Job, and Ditch Pig. This network also offered up some unique and well-crafted woodwork, especially the 16-foot high hand built woodwork on The Kitchen Sink, constructed by Mark Trumphour and Shannon Moldowan.Post ride beers in the afternoon sun gave everyone the chance to socialize and chat about their day and the incredible riding they had just experienced before heading into downtown Prince George to enjoy dinner on the patio at Crossroads Brew Pub. As the sun set over Vivian Lake, our convoy of buses and bikes finally arrived at base camp for the evening and we were greeted in true PG style by some of the locals, complete with a DJ and some great summer evening hang out vibes.Riders are now settling into their new base camp on the edge of Kager Lake, just outside the town of Burns Lake  and at the heart of their incredible trail network. For the next two days, the crew will experience camping with a ride in/ride out access to a unique and diverse trail selection.All photos by Dave Silver
Fancy a four-day riding trip to Lenzerheide? Want to be like Andy?

To celebrate hosting World Champs in 2018, Lenzerheide are giving away an amazing trip for two next Summer!

What's Included?

- Three nights in a 4-star hotel for you and a friend.

- Lift passes for both of you during the full trip.

- 420 travel budget per person to get to Lenzerheide.

How to Enter

It's easy! Just watch the video and answer the following question - Who does Andy talk to on the phone?

Competition closes on the 17th August and a winner will be picked on the 23rd. Good luck!

Contest closed.

About Lenzerheide

Situated in the canton of Graubunden, Switzerland and surrounded by 500km of signposted trails, Lenzerheide has recently developed into a paradise for mountain bikers. Amidst the hype surrounding carbon, suspension travel and tyre sizes, the bike region focuses on its indigenous strengths. With great passion, aided by the multifaceted weather conditions, Grisons soil, stone and wood have been turned into diverse trails, allowing every biker to find their flow in this fun-filled playground.The downhill tracks differ not only in their degree of difficulty but also in terms of character. In addition to simple flow line for beginners and families, the shoreline, styleline and primeline offer big berms, wooden bridges, jumps, boxes and other elements to make the tracks as fun as possible. The straightline presents the highest level of difficulty and promises a challenging downhill track in steep terrain to really get your blood pumping!For more information about Lenzerheide Bike Park, click HERE @LenzerheideBikepark
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made a quick Guam stop at Andersen Air Force Base earlier this evening and offered clarification on President Trump's North Korea statement, MSNBC reported.

Tillerson told reporters Trump's "fire and fury" comment was the president's way of sending a message in a language the North Korean leader understands, but that the U.S. military isn't poised to strike, MSNBC reported.

Tillerson clarified he doesn't believe there is "any imminent threat" from North Korea, including to the U.S. territory of Guam, according to MSNBC.

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Tillerson said, according to MSNBC, "Americans should sleep well at night."

Tillerson's refuelling stop in Guam followed trips to the Philippines and Malaysia.
Six B-1B Lancers and 350 airmen with the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, recently arrived at Andersen Air Force Base for another rotational deployment, the U.S. Pacific Command announced.

The squadron arrived after the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, completed its Guam rotation that started in February.

"The Department of Defense regularly evaluates our readiness and positions forces, such as bombers, to ensure we maintain operational and support capabilities to meet our obligations," said Gen. Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy, Pacific Air Forces commander, in a written statement.

'Ready to fight tonight'

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"We are a forward-deployed force that will be first to the fight when and if our nation calls. We are ready to fight tonight and are leading the way on ensuring that we can maintain our competitive advantage to fight tomorrow."

The squadron that returned to Texas was also part of a collective military response to North Korea's recent missile tests.

Two B-1s recently launched from Andersen conducted a 10-hour sequenced bilateral mission with South Korean and Japanese fighter jets over South Korea following North Korea's recent missile tests.

The B-1s from South Dakota were last deployed to Guam in August last year, when they took over the rotational bomber presence from B-52 bomber squadrons.
Cottonseed Oil Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-09 08:42:11

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Cottonseed oil is an oil extracted from the seeds of cotton. Its production process involves pressing and extraction of oil from the cotton seeds followed by purification and refinement. The refinement of the oil is the key step as it helps in removing gossypol, a naturally occurring toxin that protects the cotton plant from damage. Cottonseed oil is essentially a by-product of the cotton industry along with cottonseed meal, hulls and linters. Over 10-15% of a cotton farmers income is expected to come from these by-products, making them considerably valuable products in cotton processing operations.Market Dynamics of Cottonseed Oil Market:The edible oil market is a highly competitive space occupied by numerous types of oils. The presence of many substitute products is a considerable drawback for the cottonseed oil market. From a consumer point of view, this represents a highly trend-driven market. The introduction of a new and healthy oils is bound to eat into the market of traditionally used oils, at least for a certain time period. This is regarded as a reason for the severe fluctuations observed in cottonseed oil retail demand and market values.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2363 One key advantage in this scenario is in regard to the industrial use of cottonseed oils. The product is widely used in various food and beverage products. Such large scale operations rely on a consistent supply chain, which is going to get disturbed in the event of a change of base ingredient, and as such are not impacted by volatile market trends. Cottonseed oil is a good source of antioxidant- tocopherol. The other advantages enjoyed by cotton seed oil are a low relative price and easy availability in cotton producing regions.With the increasing public understanding of the composition of such oils, the fat and nutrient profiles of cooking oils become very important. Given the relatively high fraction of saturated fats in cottonseed oil, this becomes a significant constraining factor for the market.Market Segmentation of Cottonseed Oil Market:Cottonseed oil market is segmented by end-use application, raw material type and region. On the basis of end-use application, cottonseed oil market is segmented on the basis of retail, food processing, cosmetic applications and other industrial uses. The retail segment is centered on its use as a cooking oil. Given its high smoke point, cottonseed oil is mostly used for deep frying and baking. It is mostly used as a cooking medium and is also part of various fried and processed foods such as potato chips and French fries. Due to its ability to form a beta prime crystal, which enables a consistent texture and appearance, cottonseed oil is a major ingredient in whipped toppings, margarines, shortenings, spreads and icings. . Unlike other cooking oils cottonseed oil has a neutral taste, meaning it doesnt alter the natural taste of food being prepared over it. Due to this reason it is used as a salad oil, wherein enhancing the flavor of the salad ingredients is considered primal.Cotton seed oil is also used in several personal care or cosmetic products such as soaps, cosmetics and detergents. As mentioned above, untreated cottonseed consists of gossypol, a toxin present in cotton. Due to this reason, untreated cottonseed oil is used as an insecticide. Other minor applications of the product include its use in making rubber and explosives.On the basis of raw-material type, the market is segmented into genetically-modified (GM) cotton and non-GM cotton. The growing negative perception around GM crops makes this an important variable. Due to the promise of increased returns, many cotton farmers in the developing world switched to GM cotton over the last decade. It is estimated that GM cotton is cultivated in over 25 million hectares across the world, with over 75% of US cotton being genetically modified. This dominance of GM cotton is expected to decrease in response to growing consumer concerns and farmer protests across the world.Regional Outlook of Cottonseed Oil Market:Geographically, the global cottonseed oil market can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East and Africa. Both on the production and consumption side, the market is heavily dominated by India and China. These countries produced and consumed over 55% of the total cottonseed oil made during the 2015-2016 period. Pakistan and Uzbekistan are the other major regions in the cottonseed oil market. This dominance by Asia countries is largely attributed to large amount of cotton cultivation in the region and the high domestic demand for low-priced cooking oil.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2363 United States (U.S.) is a major producer and consumer of cottonseed oil in the North American region. Unlike the Asian countries, U.S. also exports a considerable portion of its cottonseed oil to other regions. Brazil and Turkey are the other important regions in the market. Eastern European nations such as Azerbaijan are also important but are limited by weak domestic consumption.Key Market Players in Cottonseed Oil Market:Some of the key players of the market include, Cargill, Incorporated, Archer Daniels Midland Compan (ADM), PYCO Industries, Bunge Limited, Louis Dreyfus, Adani Wilmar (Fortune Foods), Maharashtra Solvent Extraction (P) Ltd, Oilseeds International, Ltd., maong the others.
Eldercare-Assistive Robots Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-09 12:03:42

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Several countries across the world are either already facing or will face a demographic disaster in the near future. They will undergo severe socio-economic pressures due to a rapidly ageing population with not enough children being born to replace the workforce. This is particularly true in North America, Europe, Russia, South Korea & Japan. According to a government report compiled in Japan in 2012, 22% of the country is 65 or older and this is expected to rise to nearly 40% by 2060. In 2010, Japan had 30 million elderly individuals in old-age homes, but a serious dearth of caregivers to assist them. These countries are the mean reason that the eldercare-assistive robot market has come into existence. Over the past few years, eldercare-assistive robot R&D has become much cheaper, giving rise to helpers with more functionality & a cheaper price. It has also gained wider acceptance not only in Japan but also in the western nations.Eldercare-Assistive Robots Market DriversThe ageing population in developed countries is the main driver for the eldercare-assistive robot market. According to U.N data, the global over-65 population will grow by 181% and they will account for nearly 16% of the population by 2050. Caring for these individuals will be an enormous physical, mental & emotional undertaking. There will be a tremendous shortage of qualified & willing medical personnel for this. Eldercare-assistive robots have the potential to serve this demographic exceptionally well. They can use camera sensors to supervise the senior citizen, ensure that they take their prescribed medication at the right time & also prevent them from falling & injuring themselves. Another factor is the individualistic societies in western countries, as opposed to collective Asian ones. People prefer to live on their own as much as possible. Even in old age, they prefer the privacy, comfort & security of their own homes over that of an institutional caregiver like an old-age home. To address these requirements, eldercare-assistive robots can come in handy. Not only will they fulfil the role of medical practitioner, but they can also provide human-like companionship to the patient. They will be able to enhance the health & psychological well-being of the elderly in several ways. By reminding them off daily tasks & other important information, they could help dementia patients. With informal chit-chat, they might keep a senior citizens mind sharp, reducing the probability of clinical depression, or Alzheimers disease. Robots could also act as telepresence machines, bridging the gap between doctors and their elderly patients. These individuals might not always be able to travel to the hospital to seek treatment, & frequent nurse visits are also very costly. The doctor could check in with their patients through the robots screen, even control the machine for simple tasks. These are some of the factors helping the eldercare-assistive robot market.Request Report Sample @ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2409 Eldercare-Assistive Robots Market RestraintsThere are a few challenges faced by the eldercare-assistive robot market. These robots must be able to manage & cope with more uncertain environments than industrial robots. This makes it a challenge to build safe & certified ones. Another issue might be human opposition. Either the elderly individual, their family or both might not be comfortable with the idea of a robot playing a caregiver role. Older people, in particular, might be very resistant to adopting high-tech equipment like eldercare-assistive robots to simplify their lives. Cost can also be a major restraint. While the price of these assistive robots has dropped over the last decade, they still cost thousands of dollars each. People from lower income or middle-class families might not see the benefit in adopting them as much. Even with many advances made in the eldercare-assistive robot market, it is estimated that it will be several decades before full assistive robotic care is possible.Eldercare-Assistive Robots Market Key RegionsThe main eldercare assistive robot markets are those regions which have an ageing population, i.e. North America (barring Mexico), the E.U, Japan, and China & South Korea. Japan is the largest eldercare-assistive robot market since it has the most rapidly ageing population along with very low immigration & birth rates. It also has several domestic players involved in making assistive robots. North America has also slowly but surely begun to warm up to the eldercare-assistive robot market.Visit For TOC @ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2409 Eldercare-Assistive Robots Market Key Market PlayersSome of the companies involved in the eldercare-assistive robot market are Paro Robots, Aldebaran, Togo Seisakusyo Corporation, and Hasbro.
TWIN FALLS  A Filer man was sentenced to a year of probation Tuesday for beating a teenage girl in a road-rage incident this spring.

Joshua Martinez, 35, will spend the first six months on supervised probation, the rest on unsupervised. He will also serve 48 hours of community service, pay court costs and reimburse the public defenders office. Judge Thomas Kershaw also sentenced him to 180 days in jail but suspended 179 of those, with one day of time served credited.

Martinez and his 17-year-old victim gave different stories to police, but both said he confronted her after she got into an argument with Martinezs wife and the physical fight occurred after that.

The victim had a fractured nose, bruises and cuts inside her lip, and the state Department of Health and Welfare is seeking more than $1,900 in restitution from Martinez for her Medicaid costs, prosecutors said.
Flexible Glass for Flexible Electronics Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-09 08:26:07

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Glass is a non-crystalline solid which is mostly transparent and has technological, practical and decorative usage in things like window panes, electronic devices, tableware, Containers & so many. The oldest type of glass is based on the chemical compound silica which is the primary constituent of sand as well. Moving on to Flexible glass for flexible electronics, which is an ultra-thin glass with flexible and stretching feature along with all the properties of a rigid glass material like high barrier properties, Optical transmission properties, strength, hermeticity, temperature stability and durability with flexibility. Flexible glass for flexible electronics market is increasing mainly because of its surface finishing, light weight and durable nature which increases the attractiveness & life time of the product in which it is being used and make it handy and light in weight. Flexible glass for flexible electronics also holds the key to next generation electronics gadgets which are roll able, flexible and wearable.Global flexible glass for flexible electronics market is expected to grow with a significant CAGR during forecast period.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2358 Flexible glass for flexible electronics Market: DynamicsThe key drivers for the flexible glass for flexible electronics market is the emerging demand of consumer electronics like smart phones, tablets, wearable & TV as the rigid glass display is being replaced by flexible ultrathin glass display which gives electronics gadgets very slim look, durability, scratch resistivity, light in weight feature, Flexible or bendable screen & hence plays an important role in driving flexible glass for flexible electronics market. Emerging of wearable technology has also been proving an important driver, as wearable needs to be flexible & light weight & it is being achieved with the implementation of flexible glass for flexible electronics. The restraints of flexible glass for flexible electronics market is existing rigid glass devices with lower pricesFlexible Glass for Flexible Electronics Market: SegmentationGlobal flexible glass for flexible electronics market is segmented into application, end user and region. On the basis of applications, global flexible glass for flexible electronics market is segmented into two broad segments such as; consumer application & industrial application. Consumer application includes touch panel sensor market, flexible printed circuit board used in electronics gadgets and OLEDs lightning market. Almost every electronics gadget is coming with touch screen hence the rising probability of flexible touch panel sensors market is fair. The industrial applications are power fiber means functional substrate material for thin-film battery technologies & to replace semiconductor substrate in electronics components to make electronics devices flexible & durable.On the basis of end user flexible glass for flexible electronics market is segmented as displays market, OLED market, smart phones and tablet market & other gadgets and wearable market. During the forecast period display market is expected to dominant over the rest of all.Geographically, the market is segmented into seven regions, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia  Pacific (excluding Japan), Japan as a separate region and Middle East & Africa. The largest market of flexible glass for flexible electronics is in North America followed by Western Europe and Asia Pacific & it is expected that North America will maintain its dominance in the forecasting period too. With the rise in the demand of smart phones, tablets & other electronic gadgets in Asia Pacific region, it is expected to witness highest growth in the flexible glass for flexible electronics market during the forecast period.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2358 Flexible glass for flexible electronics Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players of flexible glass for flexible electronics market are Schott AG, Asahi Glass Co. Ltd., Tokyo Electron, Nippon Electric Glass Co. Ltd, Corning Inc., Abrisa Technologies, Universal Display Corporation, LiSEC Group, Kent Displays, Dupont Display, Materion Corporation & Saint-Gobain.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-09 09:48:32

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Manufacturers in the global fragrances market are shifting their focus towards adoption of natural ingredients for fragrances. A number of small companies are entering into the market with introduction of new aromas and fragrances, attracting consumers and increasing their brand visibility. A recent report by Fact.MR provides in-depth analysis of the global fragrances market for the forecast period 2017-2022, and offers key insights about future market direction.ScopeThe scope of Fact.MRs report is to analyze the global fragrances market for the forecast period 2017-2022 and provide readers an unbiased and accurate analysis. Fragrance product manufacturers, stakeholders, and suppliers in the global market can benefit from the analysis offered in this report. This report offers a comprehensive analysis, which can be of interest to leading trade magazines and journals pertaining to products of fragrances.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=66 OverviewThe next section offers an overview of the global fragrances market. This comprises an introduction to the market, along with a standard definition of the product  fragrances. In this section, market value and year-over-year growth is offered to the readers. Year-over-year growth provides readers with a broader view of growth patterns over the forecast period.The reports succeeding section focuses on drivers, restraints and key trends from macroeconomic, demand, and supply perspectives. Impact analysis of weighted average model-based growth drivers is contained in the report for better provision of decision-making insights to clients.In order to offer readers with up-to-date information about the latest advancements in the global fragrances market, the report provides updates about market opportunities, which can benefit leading manufacturers of fragrances. With continuous evolution of the consumer goods sector, keeping a record of latest developments and trends is fundamental for fragrances manufacturers to formulate key business strategies. Detailed insights about raw material sourcing, supply chain, pricing analysis, list of distributors, and cost structure are provided in this section.Check discount @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=D&rep_id=66 Considering the wide scope of the global fragrances market and to offer in-depth insights, Fact.MRs report provides segment-wise analysis and forecast. The fragrances market has been categorized on the basis of product type, distribution channels, and region. This segmentation analysis is comprehensive, coupled with a detailed country-wise forecast provided on all parameters.The reports last section comprises of the global fragrances market competitive landscape, to provide readers with the dashboard view of company analysis and market players. This competitive intelligence is based on the providers categories across value chain, and their presence in the global fragrances market.Research Methodology Fact.MR is committed to offer unbiased and independent market research solutions to its clients. Each market report of Fact.MR is compiled after months of exhaustive research. We bank on a mix of tried-and-tested and innovative research methodologies to offer the most comprehensive and accurate information. Our main sources of research include,Primary researchSecondary researchTrade researchFocused interviewsSocial media analysisTo view complete report @ https://www.factmr.com/report/66/fragrances-market About Us Fact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; thats why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsOffice: Dublin 2Suite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandTel: +353-1-6111-593( Dublin 2 )Email: sales@ factmr.com Web: https://www.factmr.com
Hydrocarbons Accounting Solution Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-09 08:13:49

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The ultimate goal of all oil and gas operators across the globe is to extract hydrocarbon as cost effective as possible. In order to achieve this goal, their entire system should be automated and error free starting from the extraction process to the delivery and transportation of oil and gas to buyers, which can be achieved by implementation of hydrocarbons accounting solutions. Additionally, oil and gas operators are increasingly launching their projects in remote locations that are often in difficult environmental condition, which in turns, also increases the demand for hydrocarbons accounting solution across the upstream industry. Hydrocarbons accounting solutions are being increasingly adopted by players in upstream industry for various applications such as production management, reporting and allocation, transport management solution (takes care of transportation data and activity while transporting hydrocarbons through pipelines, trucks or vessels), and sales management, revenue management and other supply chain management related applications.Global Hydrocarbons Accounting Solution Market: Drivers and ChallengesTechnological innovations in cloud computing and data analytics are contributing immensely in making these type of hydrocarbons accounting software more robust and accurate, which helps to increase adoption of these solutions among the end-users. Most of the hydrocarbons accounting solution providers offers solutions, which can be integrated seamlessly with multiple applications such as ERM, reserves management, GIS, land and lease management, well management and other applications used by upstream industries. Previously, upstream industry was not bounded by government rules and regulations. However, with changing market scenario around oil and gas producers, the requirement to manage this industry by intelligent solutions increases.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2339 In order to achieve an objective of increased production in cost effective and efficient manners, various oil and gas operators have different specific requirements across the industry, hence its a challenge for hydrocarbon solutions providers to provide customized solutions which support different needs and yet maintain profitable business model.Traditionally, hydrocarbon accounting has mostly taken place at the level of individual fields or operating companies. However, changes in the global market around producers of a field, the pursuit of natural gas, and increased regulation are just some of the factors driving oil and gas companies to look for applications that have a more comprehensive view.Global Hydrocarbons Accounting Solution Market: SegmentationGlobal hydrocarbons accounting solutions can be segmented on the basis of component, deployment type and end-use sector. On the basis of component, global hydrocarbons accounting solution market is segmented into software and services. Service segment is further sub-segmented into consulting, implementation and support. On the basis of deployment type, global hydrocarbon software market is segmented into cloud based software and on-premise software. In 2015, cloud based hydrocarbons accounting solution is estimated to dominate the market and is expected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period. Deployment of cloud based hydrocarbons accounting software reduces requirement of trained IT personal team because of 24*7 full technical support from the solution providers is the main force driving the growth of cloud based hydrocarbons accounting software market. On the basis of end-use sector, global hydrocarbons accounting solution market is segmented into upstream companies, mid-stream companies and downstream companies.Request For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2339 Global Hydrocarbons Accounting Solution Market: Regional OutlookOn the basis of region, global hydrocarbons accounting solution market is segmented into seven regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, MEA, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan and Japan. Among aforementioned regions, MEA is expected to be the dominant market followed by North America because, most of the petroleum companies of the world are present in these two regions.Tieto, SAP, Adept Solutions, P2 Energy Solutions (formerly Merrick Systems), Wipro Limited, Quorum Business Solutions, Inc. are some of the big players of global hydrocarbons accounting solution market.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-09 15:00:12

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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Kairos Capital Corporation--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Calgary, Alberta (FSCWire) - Kairos Capital Corporation (TSX Venture:KRS). has issued a press release with the following headline:Kairos Appoints CEO to Develop Its Chilean Lithium Property PortfolioTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Kairos Capital Corporation, or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Kairos Capital CorporationSource: Kairos Capital Corporation (TSX Venture: KRS)Date: August 09, 2017Time: 9:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Kairos Capital Corporation and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-09 20:00:12

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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Nascent Biotech Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vero Beach, FL (FSCWire) - Nascent Biotech Inc. (OTC Pink:NBIO). has issued a press release with the following headline:Nascent Biotech Engages HRA Capital to Raise FundsTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Nascent Biotech Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Nascent Biotech Inc.Source: Nascent Biotech Inc. (OTC Pink: NBIO, ISIN: US63108Q1013)Date: August 09, 2017Time: 2:00 PM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Nascent Biotech Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-09 11:02:02

Expanded Cloud Security Partner Programme to meet accelerated demand for cyber security services in DACH, Benelux, Nordics, Poland, Turkey, and Middle East

Neustar Supports Strong Global Growth with Five New Value-Added Distributor Partners for EMEA Channel

Neustar

Laura Cahill

NeustarSec@axicom.com

Neustar, Inc., a trusted, neutral provider of real-time information services, today announced that it has expanded its international partner network across Europe and the Middle East. The appointment of five new value-added distributor (VAD) partners to its Cloud Security Partner Programme will enable Neustar to address the increased and continuously growing demand for security services, particularly DDoS mitigation and DNS solutions, in EMEA.

The new partners - SoftShell in DACH, CRYPSYS Data Security BV in Benelux, IT2Trust/ePrinus in Poland and the Nordic region, E-Data in Turkey and Spectrami in the Middle East - are all leading VADs in their regions specialising in cyber security. They join Neustar as the company expands its EMEA DDoS mitigation network capacity with the activation of new nodes in Frankfurt, London, and Amsterdam. Further EMEA nodes are rolling out during the second half of the year in Dubai and Stockholm, creating an EMEA-wide ring of in-region scrubbing mitigation centres.

The nodes in Frankfurt and Amsterdam have increased Neustars EMEA network capacity to more than 1 Tbps helping to quadruple Neustars global DDoS defence capacity to 4 Tbps and puts it on track to have 10 Tbps online in the first quarter of 2018. This significantly increased capacity, distributed across the regional nodes, enables Neustar and its Cloud Security Partners to offer security services with added customer value as managing traffic at in-region mitigation centres offsets latency and restores network performance in a more efficient way, with minimal service disruption.

As a member of the Neustar Cloud Security Partner Programme, the new partners have access to an industry-leading cloud security solutions stack and service level agreements (SLAs), complemented with extensive training and support. Neustar UltraDNS and Neustar SiteProtect flexibly deliver security, reliability and performance with the expertise that can only be achieved from managing one of the largest and fastest DNS and DDoS mitigation networks in the world. Neustar will work with all its partners to deliver state-of-the-art cyber security on premise solutions that meet their customers needs.

DDoS attacks are unrelenting and evolving every day, so its not surprising that were seeing accelerated demand for security services across Europe and the Middle East. Activation of the nodes in Frankfurt and Amsterdam was the first step in addressing this demand, welcoming these five VADs as channel partners is the next, and were very excited about that, said Lee Finck, Vice President, Worldwide Channels, Neustar. Our roll-out of additional nodes, across the globe, is on track, meaning that by 2018 customers of SoftShell, IT2Trust, E-Data, Spectrami and CRYPSYS will be protected by the worlds largest, most distributed and technically advanced DDoS mitigation network.

Learn more about the Neustar Cloud Security Partner Program.

About Neustar

Every day, the world generates roughly 2.5 quadrillion bits of data. Neustar isolates certain elements and analyses, simplifies and edits them to make precise and valuable decisions that drive results. As one of the few companies capable of knowing with certainty who is on the other end of every interaction, were trusted by the worlds great brands to make critical decisions 20 billion times a day. We help marketers send timely and relevant messages to the right people. Because we can authoritatively tell a client exactly who is calling or connecting with them, we make critical real-time responses possible. And the same comprehensive information that enables our clients to direct and manage orders also stops attackers. We know when someone isnt who they claim to be, which helps stop fraud and denial of service before theyre a problem. Because were also an experienced manager of some of the worlds most complex databases, we help clients control their online identity, registering and protecting their domain name, and routing traffic to the correct network address. By linking the most essential information with the people who depend on it, we provide more than 11,000 clients worldwide with decisionsnot just data. More information is available at https://www.neustar.biz

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201708090050

@Neustar adds 5 new EMEA value added distributors to its Cloud Security Partner Programme
Photoresist Chemicals Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-09 08:08:29

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# 562 Words

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Photoresist chemicals are used in the fabrication of m- and sub-m structures, prominently in the micro-electronics industry. These are speciality chemical which changes its chemical structure when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, this unique property makes them ideal for photolithography and photoengraving processes which in turn are commonly used in semiconductor manufacturing industry. Henceforth, photoresist chemicals are considered as an essential component for making high-performance circuit boards and semiconductor chips. Various chemical are used for this purpose, to achieve the desired properties, such as, poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA), poly methyl glutarimide (PMGI), phenol formaldehyde resin (DNQ), SU-8 and OSTE polymers. Further, there are two basic classification of photoresists, positive and negative, both works on different principals, but cater to similar needs. However, with increasing smaller geometry designs in micro-electronics industry, positives are becoming more popular, as they offer process controllability.With inevitable features offered by Photoresist chemicals and absence of any other feasible alternatives, market for photoresist chemical is ever growingPhotoresist Chemicals Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe global photoresist chemicals market is projected to grow at a moderate growth rate as the demand for micro-electronics continue to steadily grow, amid rising demand from electronic products in developing nations, and increasing penetrations of IoT across the globe. Furthermore, rising demand for dynamic display technology is expected to be another prominent factor fuelling growth in photoresists chemicals market. Excessive R&D in the photoresist chemicals and its end use industry, is expected to drive innovations, further shaping newer demand arenas, and fuelling more revenues in the global photoresist chemicals market.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2334 Photoresist chemicals are prominently made from crude oil; thus rising prices of crude oil is expected to increase costs, this coupled with continued pricing pressure from end use industries, shall affect margins in the market. Furthermore rising environmental concerns regarding derogatory effects of these chemicals is also expected to affect the market in long term.Photoresist Chemicals Market: SegmentationOn the basis of Product Type,PositiveNegativeOn the basis of spectral line size,g-linei-lineKrFArF ImmersionArF DryOn the basis of end use application,MicroelectronicsSand carvingFabrication of printed circuit boardsOthersPhotoresist Chemicals Market: Region Wise OutlookThe global photoresist chemicals market is segmented into the seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). APEJ and Japan together leads the Global Photoresist Chemicals Market in terms of demand, followed by North America and Western Europe. Furthermore, owing to rapidly rising electronics industry in India and China, the APEJ region is anticipated to remain its dominance and grew steadily over the forecast period. Along with, rising economies of Latin America, demand for microelectronics is expected to significantly rise in the region, translating into rising demand for photoresist chemicals.Request For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2334 In terms of production, photoresist market has been a forte of Japan and Korea based companies, and with many new upcoming companies in the region, competition in the APEJ market is expected to further intensify.Photoresist Chemicals Market: Key PlayersThe Dow Chemical CompanyFujifilm Electronic Materials Co. LtdTokyo Ohka Kogyo Co. Ltd.E.I. DuPont de NemoursMitsui Chemicals America IncJSR CorporationLG ChemShin-Etsu ChemicalTOK AmericaHonsou Chemical Industry
Software Defined Networking Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-09 08:12:40

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# 674 Words

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In this ever changing technological world, there is sharp inclusion of objects that are getting connected on day-to-day basis via public or private network. Traditional networking architecture are slow to response to demand generated by connected objects in a particular network. Thats where software defined networking (SDN) comes into the picture. Software Defined Networking separates control layer of a particular network from infrastructure and application layer, so that a network operator can easily manage the data flow through a centralized console, without touching switches and routers. SDN allows network engineer and operators to response instantaneously to changing business demand. A traditional network generally uses special appliance such as firewall and load balancer, instead SDN usages a software application that usages the controller to manage data plane.In SDN, software control entire network and its physical devices. Its about a software is integrated into networking hardware so that hardware can itself take decision about where to send data packets. It makes SDN next generation networking solution. Software Defined Networking usages northbound API to integrate control layer and application layer and uses southbound APIs to programmatically control data plane forwarding decision.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2338 Global Software Defined Networking Market: Drivers and ChallengesTechnological advancements in cloud computing and data center are contributing immensely in the growth of global Software Defined Networking market. Some of the big players of the market such as VMware and Cisco are offering separate Software Defined Networking solution for data center. Software Defined Networking deployment in data center is reducing downtime and increasing productivity of business organizations. In addition to this, increasing data consumption via mobile devices and growth in OTT services are putting enormous pressure on telecom service providers to digitalize their existing 3G and 4G networks. To meet increasing demand of data consumption, telecommunication service providers are transforming their networks with the help of Software Defined Networkingtechnology.Though Software Defined Networkingfacilitates network operators to control switches and routers through software but it doesnt virtualize functions and commands. In other worlds, Software Defined Networkingdoesnt allow to run the central network in software hardware. Moreover, enterprises are still reluctant to adopt Software Defined Networkingtechnology to some extent. They have fear that services running on their existing network will get hampered.Global Software Defined Networking (SDN) Market: SegmentationSoftware defined networking (SDN) Market can be segmented on the basis of component, application, end-user, and region. Component category include software and different types of services such as professional services and managed services. On the basis of application, the market can be segmented into SDN for data center and SD-WAN. Different type of end-user that are deploying SDN are cloud service providers, telecommunication service providers, and enterprises. Region wise, global software defined networking (SDN) Market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Japan, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Middle East & Africa.Cisco System Inc. Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IBM Corporation, Juniper Networks, Pica8, Inc., Intel Corporation, and Big Switch Networks, Inc. are some of the big players of global software defined networking (SDN) market.Request For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2338 Regional OverviewNorth America is the largest Software Defined Networking market as most of the Software Defined Networking providers such as Cisco, IBM, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise are based in the North America region and are making huge investment over there. Also, due to the ongoing advancements in 4G and 5G technologies the US, telecommunication service providers are deploying SDN at every layer of their network.In Europe region, technology service providers have already understood the value proportion of SDN and have already started deploying Software Defined Networking in their networks but enterprise market still remain gloomy in terms of adoption of Software Defined Networking.In Asia Pacific region, growth in countries such as China, India, and Japan are immensely contributing in the market. In India, the telecommunication services industry is going through the transformation and service providers have started to deploy Software Defined Networking technology at massive scale.
TWIN FALLS  A Utah man who was the driver in a crash that killed his fiancee last year was sentenced to two years of unsupervised probation and two more days in jail Tuesday.

Judge Thomas Kershaw sentenced Sean David Rees, 23, to 180 days in jail, but suspended 150 of those and gave him credit for 28 days he has already spent in jail while the case was pending.

Kershaw suspended a $1,000 fine but sentenced Rees to pay court costs and reimburse the public defenders office. However, it remains to be litigated whether Rees will have to pay $46,000 in restitution the prosecution is seeking, most of which would be to a woman Rees struck when he ran a stop sign in Twin Falls County southwest of town, totaling her new truck, requiring her to get neck surgery and costing her lost time at work. About $1,000 of the restitution is being claimed for a home at the intersection that was damaged when the crash pushed the truck into it.

Reess passenger in the June 2016 crash was Ashley Webb, 23. She and Rees had been together since high school, and they had a young son. They lived in the Salt Lake City area, had recently gotten engaged and were visiting Webbs family when the crash happened.

She was not only my daughter, she was his mother, said Paula Norman, Webbs mother. And her life was taken because of his negligence to stop at a stop sign.

Webbs mother and her husband, the truck driver and the homeowner all spoke at the hearing, as did Reess mother and grandmother.

I will never forget (Webbs) mom screaming and crying, said Lydia Buffington, who was driving the truck. It was the most heartbreaking day.

Reess mother and grandmother talked about their own grief for Ashley Webb, who they also viewed as part of their family.

We lost Ashley too, said Angela Rees, his mother. We grieve every single day.

Deputy Prosecutor Kiel Willmore asked Rees be sentenced to a year, with 275 days suspended and 90 to be served in jail. He highlighted the several different versions Rees told police of why he ran the stop sign, and pointed to the lack of skidmarks, indicating he didnt try to stop. Webbs family, Willmore said, wasnt out for revenge.

They just want justice to be served, he said.

Reess lawyer, Rori Stokes, asked for a more lenient sentence, pointing out that it was Reess first offense and saying running the stop sign was a mistake. She said Rees worried about being able to take care of his son, and about losing his job if he were to get more jail time.

This isnt a case that this incident will be repeated, she said. Its a tragic accident that could happen to anyone.

The lawyers for the two sides argued about how cooperative Rees had been with authorities, and visitation of his son was an issue between him and Webbs family as well. Norman said she hadnt seen her grandson since the crash, and Willmore said Rees hadnt let them visit or even sent pictures of the boy as he has promised. Stokes countered that Reess family had tried to text the pictures but they failed to go through since the files were too big. She also said the Normans tried to keep the child from him after the crash. Rees told Kershaw he wants Norman to be in her grandsons life but wants to make sure its done through a legal process.

Kershaw said everyone involved in the case had lost a loved one, and he spoke of an intersection near his own home where drivers frequently run the stop signs. Some are lucky and there arent any other vehicles so they keep going, while others get into a crash. The action, he said, is the same, but the consequences were drastically different.

Kershaw said jailing Rees for an extended period would threaten his ability to care for his son and would likely mean he would lose his job, making it more difficult to pay whatever restitution the court ends up ordering.
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.




1st Quarter FY 2018, Consolidated Results, 1st Quarter FY 2018, Consolidated Results

By: Ajanta Pharma

Contact

Akash Daruka

***@ajantapharma.com Akash Daruka

End

-- Ajanta Pharma Ltd. a specialty pharmaceutical formulation company reported today its performance for the 1quarter ended 30June 2017. Income from operations at Rs. 473 cr. against Rs. 476 cr. EBITDA at Rs. 131 cr. against Rs. 166 cr., down 21%, EBITDA at 28% of revenue. Profit after tax at Rs. 95 cr., 20% of revenue, against Rs. 120 cr., down 21%. Total comprehensive income at Rs. 97 cr. against Rs. 125 cr. down 23%.Commenting on the results, Mr. Yogesh Agrawal, Managing Director said:"India sales were adversely impacted due to de-stocking by the distribution channel on account of GST, which impacted overall financials of the company. Our export markets continue to perform at steady rate on the back of new product launches and increase in the market share. Our both manufacturing facilities have successfully undergone US FDA inspections paving way for ANDA approvals under review with US FDA. Our Phase 2 construction at Guwahati is on target to be commissioned in Q4 of FY 2018."For Q1 FY 2018, India's branded generic sales (excluding institution)was Rs. 135 cr. posting de-growth of 14%. Total India sales (including institution)for Q1 FY 2018, was Rs. 143 cr., de-growth of 12%.As per IMS MAT June '17, we have posted healthy growth of 19% in Cardiology (segment growth of 7%), 18% in Ophthalmology (segment growth of 10%), 7% in Dermatology (segment growth of 16%) and 11% in Pain Management (segment growth of 7%).During Q1 FY 2018, export sales were Rs. 321 cr., posting growth of 8%. Africa contributed Rs. 168 cr., de-growth of 13%, Asia contributed Rs. 96 cr., growth of 4% and US contributed Rs. 54 cr. growth of 463%.In US, we received 1 ANDA final approval, commercialized 1 product and filed 1 ANDA with US FDA during Q1 FY 2018. With this, company has 13 products commercialized out of 18 final ANDA approvals, has 2 tentative approvals and 15 ANDAs awaiting approval with US FDA at the end of Q1 FY 2018. Company plans to file 12-15 ANDAs during this financial year.During Q1 FY 2018, R&D expenses were Rs. 47 cr. (Q1 FY 2017 Rs. 32 cr.) which is 10% of operating revenue.Ajanta Pharma is a speciality pharmaceutical formulation company having branded generic business in India and emerging markets, generic business in US and institution business in Africa. Many of company's products are 1to market and are leading in their sub-therapeutic segments.Company's state of the art R&D centres for formulation development and API are located at Mumbai, having a team of 800+ scientists. Company has 7 world class manufacturing facilities located in India and Mauritius.For last 5 years, company has posted healthy performance with its consolidated total income growing at 21% CAGR and net profit at 46% CAGR.For more details visit www.ajantapharma.com For regular updates follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/ ajantapharmaltd Rajeev Agarwal Tel: +91 22 66061377 Email:rajeev.agarwal@ajantapharma.com(http://www.ajantapharma.com/Safe-Harbour.html)
Aroma Bravo's CEO could not be more proud of the brand's roasted coffee products, which are ethically sourced from Honduras and roasted in small batches.

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Charles C Harmon Co LLC

***@gmail.com Charles C Harmon Co LLC

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-- It hasn't been long but it feels like Aroma Bravo Coffee and Tea has already come so far in the coffee business. Garnering rave reviews from coffee lovers online, the brand's Honduras whole bean coffee is quickly becoming one of the most promising gourmet coffees to watch out for.It is said that company's road to success can be attributed to the quality of its Arabica coffee beans. Exclusively sourced from Marcala, Honduras and proprietary roasted in small batches, the beans are of the highest possible quality they can be.Aroma Bravo's CEO, Mr. Charles C. Harmon, expressed great pride in his company's ethical coffee sourcing and roasting process. "As a gourmet coffee brand, our main objective is to offer the best coffee beans to our deserving consumers. To do this, we ethically source our organic Arabica coffee beans from Marcala. Honduran farmers cultivate the coffee plants using sustainable means, which produces the best gourmet coffee beans we've ever brewed. We want our consumers to have the same gourmet experience, that's why we only source from this specific area," said Mr. Harmon.When it comes to roasting, the company strictly implements small batch roasting techniques. This process gives better control over the beans, which naturally results to premium quality roasted coffee. "Just as with sourcing, we take special care in our roasting process. For us, small batch roasting is the most effective way to bring out the natural flavors of our Honduras whole bean coffee. It's a very thorough technique but the resulting coffee makes it worth it," Harmon continued.The powerful combination of ethically sourced beans and expert roasting methods are what make Aroma Bravo stand out from the increasingly saturated coffee market. Harmon credits this success to the harmonious effort of everyone in the company."I'm very proud of our farmers, harvesters, roasters and packagers who all contribute to the production of our roasted coffee products. Because everyone is skilled at their jobs, we're able to offer premium quality Honduras whole bean coffee to our consumers, who deserve nothing but the best." Harmon further remarked.More information about Aroma Bravo Coffee and Tea is available at https://www.amazon.com/ Gourmet-Coffee- Honduras-Medium- Dis... Aroma Bravo offers USDA certified organic Honduras whole bean coffee. Grown in organic farms and roasted in small batches, the Honduras coffee is highly rated by gourmet coffee lovers.
Dave Cox, Middleton Idaho DUI Analyst and Consultant, recently concluded multiple DUI Seminars in Mississippi, helping DUI attorneys win more DUI cases.

Contact

Dave Cox

***@yourduipro.com Dave Cox

End

--Your DUI Pro, recently traveled to Mississippi to present his well-received "Winning DUI Cases" Seminar. Dave visited Tupelo, Gulfport, and Jackson; Mississippi to deliver the seminar to some of Mississippi's best DUI attorneys. Dave Cox taught these Attorneys how to win DUI cases using NHTSA Manuals and advanced cross-examination techniques.The attorneys who attended Dave Cox's DUI Seminar, "Winning DUI Cases", had great things to say about their experience. Here are some testimonials from some of Mississippi's best DUI attorneys:"Most definitely the most educational and beneficial CLE I have attended. Great value!"Megan Cole - Hernando, Mississippi"Dave is VERY knowledgeable. This was my second time attending the seminar. I returned because of Dave's approach to defending DUI's from a different perspective."Kent E. Smith - Holly Springs, Mississippi"Attending this DUI seminar will completely change your DUI practice and make any attorney a more proficient DUI defense attorney."Corey Gibson - Collins, Mississippi"This is the second time I have attended Dave's seminar in seven months. Unlike other DUI classes and conferences, Dave's techniques and defenses can be immediadately deployed in almost every client's case. I look forward to attending Dave's seminars on a regular basis in the future."Keith WhiddonDave Cox, DUI Analyst and Consultant, has personally trained thousands of attorneys across the United States. Dave is a former police officer and, during his career, he was recognized as one of the top DUI officers in the country. As an officer, Dave Cox was certified as a Drug Recognition Expert, the highest level of training available to DUI enforcement officers. Dave now specializes in training attorneys how to easily and effectively use the officer, the officer's training, and the officer's NHTSA Manuals to win DUI Cases.In the upcoming weeks, Dave Cox will be presenting his DUI Seminar to attorneys in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Dave will be visiting the following cities:Eau Claire, Madison, and Milwaukee; WisconsinWilliamsport, Reading, and Harrisburg; PennsylvaniaOrlando, Tampa, and Miami; FloridaTo register for upcoming seminars, please visit http://www.YourDUIPro.com/ seminars To learn more about Dave Cox and Your DUI Pro, please visit http://www.YourDUIPro.com
By: Wall Repair

Contact

Wall Repair

***@wallrepairmelbourne.com Wall Repair

End

-- Wall Repair has introduced a ground-breaking guarantee that is sure to turn heads. According to Alex, the owner, the company guarantees thatour wall repair services will not be detected by your Real Estate Agent or your money back". This type of guarantee is a clear sign that this Melbourne company is serious about providing their clients with a top tier restoration experience.Individuals who are thinking they can save some money by doing the job themselves need to bear in mind that it is not simply a matter of patching a hole. After the hole or dent is patched, the repair will need to be painted so that it blends in seamlessly with the surrounding paint in the wall. What most do-it-yourself enthusiasts do not realise is that the real challenge is making the repair invisible, and this is where experts like Wall Repair Melbourne shine. By making sure the paint is just right, an individual would never know there was prior damage to the wall which is crucial when trying to sell or lease a property.Along with this ground-breaking guarantee, Alex has also introduced a "no job too small" approach. Property owners often face a situation where companies will refuse to work on a wall repair job because it is too small. This is not a problem with Alex and his Wall Repair Melbourne team who take pride in applying their colour matching expertise to any wall or ceiling restoration job.Wall Repair Melbourne is a small, family owned business that has established themselves primarily via word of mouth, which is a testament to their professionalism and dedication to total customer satisfaction. The guarantee combined with free estimates and their "no job too small" approach is why the company is touted as the top wall repair and restoration company in Melbourne.For more information, visit their website at: https://www.wallrepair.com.au/
Contact

Allison Stuby Miller

***@mimilk.com Allison Stuby Miller

End

-- Five Michigan youth will travel to Wisconsin this fall for the National 4-H Dairy Conference, thanks to a sponsorship from the Michigan Milk Producers Association. The top five selected are: Miriam Cook from Clinton County, Grace Sayles from Shiawassee County, Drew Neyer from Isabella County, Dylan Keller from Hillsdale County and Elyse Zimmerlee from Eaton County.The students were selected as Michigan delegates after attending the MMPA 4-H Milk Marketing Tour held annual in Novi, Michigan, at the MMPA headquarters. The participants with the highest scores on a dairy industry and cooperative quiz administered at the end of the tour were invited to interview in East Lansing during the Michigan Dairy Expo. The top five interviewees were announced during the State 4-H Dairy Banquet on July 20 and awarded a sponsored trip to the National 4-H Dairy Conference in Madison, Wisconsin on October 1-4.The National 4-H Dairy Conference, held in conjunction with World Dairy Expo, brings future dairy leaders together build upon their knowledge of the dairy industry. The five students sponsored by MMPA will join approximately 200 delegates from the U.S. and Canada.During the MMPA 4-H Milk Marketing Tour on June 27-28, 16 youth from 11 counties came together to learn about milk marketing and cooperatives. MMPA has welcomed 4-H and FFA members to the cooperative's headquarters for the past 80 years to be immersed in the operations of the dairy cooperative and educated about milk marketing principles.Co-sponsored by MMPA and Michigan State University Extension, the Milk Marketing Tour is the longest running 4-H tour in existence with over 4,000 participant alumni. Throughout the tour, participants learned about the role of milk marketing cooperatives through interactive activities involving the MMPA staff members. Additionally, students visited Kroger's Michigan Dairy plant in Livonia to see how milk is processed and packaged once it leaves the farm."I learned a lot about the sale of milk from the 4-H Dairy Tour. Getting to see the Kroger plant was a neat experience and I realized how much work goes into that final gallon you can pick up at the grocery store," said Kyle Godley, a tour participant from Shiawassee County.Learn more at www.mimilk.com.This year's attendees at the MMPA 4-H tour included: Drew Neyer, Catie Theisen, Grace Sayles, Jonathan Sayles, Eric Beebe, Adam Wiles, Jessica Parrish, Jordan Parrish, Miriam Cook, Abigail VanDyk, Kyle Godley, Chrissy Polzin, Dylan Keller, Will Sharrard, Carolyn Delong and Elyse Zimmerlee.
NTT Data Romania leased 4,000 square meters in Unirii View office project, the 18th floors tower that is being under development in downtown Bucharest, only five minutes away from Unirii Square. The transaction was mediated by the real estate consultant Griffes.

Unirii View, a project developed by th...

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TWIN FALLS  The state Department of Environmental Quality warned Wednesday that wildfires burning in the region may cause health problems for people very sensitive to air pollution.

Lower air quality affects residents in Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka and Twin Falls counties. The air quality is placed on the air quality index at moderate, meaning the air is acceptable for most people, but may affect the health of those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
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Its not every day that city residents get excited to complete paperwork. But thats exactly what happened when a group of behavioral scientists, design experts, government agency representatives, and DC citizens gathered for Washington, DCs inaugural Form-a-Palooza. This event, hosted by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and the new evidence-based policy group The Lab @ DC, sought to bring together experts and city residents alike to apply behavioral and data science to improve government forms.

During the Form-a-Palooza, participants enjoyed a full day of instruction and hands-on experience illustrating how behavioral science provides tools that can improve how government programs and services function. Lab @ DC Director, APS member, and psychological scientist David Yokum described the many contributions psychological science brings to our understanding of how people fill out forms, ranging from how people are affected by default choices (e.g., opt-in vs. opt-out) to order effects (i.e., why items first in a list may be chosen more often).

And the literature shows that when it comes to government forms, small improvements compounded over many citizens can make a big difference.

Moving a signature to the top of a form could save the government millions of dollars, said Yokum, referring to research conducted by a team including APS Fellows Francesca Gino and Max H. Bazerman showing that the placement of a signature box on a form may influence honesty in responding (Shu et al., 2012).

In the first of two midday lectures, representatives from the Center for Plain Language emphasized the importance of considering peoples language perception and comprehension in the design of government services, especially when 45 million Americans are defined as functionally illiterate and read below a 5th grade level. Then behavioral economist and former White House adviser Cass Sunstein talked about behavioral nudging and the role that behavioral insights can play in improving government functioning and improving citizens access to government services.

The Form-a-Palooza also had an applied component: Throughout the day, participants divided into groups and had an opportunity to provide feedback on several crucial government forms, including the DC Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) driver license application form and DCs basic business license form. Officials from the relevant agencies were on hand to provide insights into agency processes.

Psychological science can help create and implement government policy in so many ways, said Barbara Spellman, APS Past Secretary and former Editor of Perspectives on Psychological Science, who attended the event and advised on improvements to a lead disclosure form.

A few years ago, when Perspectives had an open call for papers to be part of a special section imagining a Council of Psychological Science Advisors to the President, we received over 200 abstracts from about 400 authors. APS members are ready to help. This event is a concrete example of something we can do, Spellman said.

The special section also featured a commentary written by Sunstein.

In all, around 100 people attended Form-a-Palooza, which was supported by APS and the American University School of Public Affairs. Lab @ DC scientists report that they are already being asked about the second Form-a-Palooza in DC, and about how interested researchers can hold similar events in their own cities or universities.
North Korea's recent missile tests, and reports of its progress in nuclear warhead design have produced a volatile new urgency in U.S. policy. Threats of war are in the air.

National security adviser H.R. McMaster recently called North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capability intolerable and suggested that preventive war was an active option. Just days before, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) relayed a promise from President Trump: War is inevitable if North Korea does not suspend its missile and nuclear tests. The president himself has now threatened North Korea with fire and fury.

The message seems clear: The United States is determined to keep North Korea from crossing certain thresholds and appears to be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.

Yet, amid all the urgency, a critical question remains largely unanswered: Just what North Korean nuclear capability is the United States prepared to live with? The idea of a preventive war to deny nuclear weapons to rogue states isn't new  some hawks favored such preventive action against the Soviet Union and China in the Cold War. In both cases, U.S. administrations rejected military action and decided to rely on deterrence, containment and the ability of outside influences to transform autocratic systems.

Precipitous military action would be both unnecessary and unwise.

Now, the same basic question needs to be answered with regard to North Korea. Despite the awful character of the regime, the same patient strategy can serve U.S. interests. In this case, as in those earlier cases, precipitous military action would be both unnecessary and unwise.

There is evidence, for example, that some transformation is already underway  North Korean society is changing. A host of nongovernmental organizations are working to smuggle information into North Korea, from leaflets to USB drives filled with Western and South Korean television shows.

Recent defector interviews suggest the regime's monopoly on information is fraying. North Korea's economy is increasingly capitalist, dominated by formal and informal marketplaces. As in the Cold War, time is on the United States' side, not North Korea's.

In the meantime, deterrence can work  and has worked. North Korea is a cruel, violent regime, but it is not irrational and not even all that unpredictable. It values regime survival above all else, meaning that classic deterrence is a perfectly good starting point for dealing with the North's nuclear capabilities.

Both history and recent events suggest that deterrence has been working. There has been no war on the Korean Peninsula since 1953, and U.S. and South Korean firmness has helped to deter even limited aggression since 2010.

The United States and the Republic of Korea should take continual steps to bolster deterrence.

The United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) should take continual steps to bolster deterrence, such as deploying tools to mitigate the North Korean missile threat and working to keep the U.S.-ROK alliance healthy. Foregoing preventive war does not imply weakness  the ability of the U.S. and ROK to respond to North Korean aggression, at whatever level, must be strong enough to be fearsome and unquestioned.

Threats of force to compel denuclearization, on the other hand, stand little chance of working. Pyongyang views nuclear weapons as essential to its survival, and Kim Jong Un may think they are crucial to his own power. The regime will not agree to complete disarmament any time soon, maybe not ever. If U.S. policy makes disarmament a necessary near-term condition of success, it will likely fail, triggering other actions.

China also opposes North Korean nuclear progress, but it worries about the massive instability that would arrive with any conflict or North Korean collapse. China will not simply cut off North Korea no matter how much the U.S. threatens, in part because it has no interest in being seen as doing the bidding of the U.S. on its own doorstep. But Beijing's recent support for new, unprecedentedly tough U.N. sanctions is an important step and an example of the significant help Beijing can give to a pragmatic approach.

Even a surgical strike on North Korea carries massive risks of escalation. In response to a pinprick attack on its facilities, North Korea would likely move them underground and accelerate its nuclear program, only bringing closer the day of ultimate reckoning. The North has threatened large-scale retaliation against the ROK, Japan, and now Guam and the continental United States.

Pyongyang might be bluffing  no one can be sure  but if it fulfilled such threats, a major war would be on. Hundreds of thousands could die. China might well side with the North; it has suggested that the movement of U.S. forces into North Korea could be an act of war.

It is easy to imagine how a small fight could become a very big one.

During the Cold War, the United States and the USSR developed elaborate procedures, systems and rituals to ensure that local fights did not escalate. No such formalized system exists between Washington and Pyongyang. Meantime, South Korea has adopted a doctrine of disproportionate response  to hit back several times as hard as any North Korean provocation. It is easy to imagine how a small fight could become a very big one.

These hard realities leave a number of unsatisfying, but strategically sensible, policy options. Reinforce the deterrent posture in the region and make crystal-clear the destruction that North Korea would court with any aggression. Bolster the U.S.-ROK alliance, and encourage China to impose consequences for armed provocations.

Respond quickly but with moderation to low-level North Korean attacks. Pressure the North for a pause in its nuclear development through economic sanctions and multilateral diplomacy, while being very explicit  as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has done  that the U.S. welcomes meaningful negotiations. Redouble efforts to shut down North Korean currency-generating activities, and take powerful steps to maximize the flow of information and the pace of social change inside the North.

Contain, deter and transform. Not a radical solution, but one that has worked before  and an approach that holds out the hope of preserving U.S. interests while avoiding war.

Michael J. Mazarr and Michael Johnson are senior researchers at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation.

This commentary originally appeared on The Hill on August 9, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
To start with, Camp Humphreys will become the major U.S. base in Korea, but it will not be the only U.S. base in Korea. In responding to Congressional questions before his confirmation hearings in 2016, Gen. Vincent Brooks, commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, stated that in 2003 there were 174 U.S. sites located across Korea. By the completion of the ongoing consolidation effort, that number will be reduced to 96. My understanding is that many of those are small sites, but that there will still be 2025 facilities in Korea with major U.S. use in peacetime. Those facilities are very loosely located around two hubs, one at Pyeongtaek and the other in the Daegu-Busan area. But to make these concepts clearer, even around the Pyeongtaek hub, the Osan Air Base with thousands of U.S. military personnel is 15 kilometers north of Camp Humphreys. And with the Daegu-Busan hub, the Kunsan Air Base with many U.S. Air Force personnel is some distance from this hub. As I understand it, a lot of the details for future U.S. facilities in Korea are still being negotiated. Still, the eggs are not all in one basket.

Nevertheless, a fairly large percentage (I don't know the percentage) of U.S. military personnel and dependents will be located at Camp Humphreys. So there is a degree of vulnerability. But in wartime, many U.S. personnel will disperse from this location as they deploy into the field for a possible conflict with North Korean forces. This would be especially true for many of the 2nd Infantry Division units that would likely be dispersed from Camp Humphreys well before North Korea fires its first shots.

In terms of the North Korean threats to Camp Humphreys, the camp is roughly 100 kms from the closest part of the Demilitarized Zone. Almost no North Korean artillery can reach Camp Humphreys. This was one of the original objectives of then Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, to move U.S. forces outside of the North Korean artillery range. The 2016 ROK Defense White Paper says that North Korea has about 14,000 artillery pieces and multiple rocket launchers, of which we can assume that probably half or less are near the Demilitarized Zone. The only artillery system that would be able to reach Camp Humphreys is the new North Korean 300mm multiple rocket launcher, and we do not know whether many of these systems have been fielded yet. They apparently went through basic testing last year.

North Korean theater ballistic missiles could reach Camp Humphreys. The 2016 ROK Defense White Paper says that North Korea has 100 launchers for those missiles, and many of those North Korean launchers can be reloaded. The U.S. Patriot missile defense systems at Osan Air Base (again, about 15 kilometers to the north) should provide at least some missile defense for Camp Humphreys, and the United States may be putting dedicated missile defenses at Camp Humphreys. We do not know how reliable and accurate North Korean missiles would be, and we have significant uncertainties with regard to their numbers and the payloads that they can carry.

That said, some North Korean theater ballistic missiles likely could cause damage at Camp Humphreys if North Korea targets this facility. North Korea should understand that if it does target Camp Humphreys, the United States may well respond by targeting the North Korean regime leaders. Such a concept would clearly be for deterrence purposes. To deter an adversary, the U.S./ROK must threaten the adversary with suffering greater costs than the benefits the adversary seeks. Since the only thing the North Korean regime really cares about is itself, it would be hard to impose major costs to deter North Korea without threatening the survival of the regime.

Bruce Bennett is a senior researcher and Korea expert at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation.

This commentary originally appeared on The Korea Times on July 24, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
CURRY  Someone has been shooting livestock and leaving the animals to die.

Steve Westphal, who lives just east of Curry Crossing on U.S. 30 west of Twin Falls, raises llamas in his pasture behind the Twin Falls County Historical Museum. Three weeks ago he had 10; now his favorites, Big Mama and Snowie, are dead  shot and killed in separate incidents.

Westphal is outraged and confused. So is cattleman Cory Alger.

Alger raises Angus beef cows in a pasture just east of Westphals property. A shooter killed his prize bull and a heifer in still another incident.

Its crazy, Alger said Wednesday. I dont get it.

The four deaths cant be a coincidence, he said.

The common denominator connecting the shootings is the railroad track that runs behind Westphals house. Alger thinks the shooter walked or drove on the railroad right of way to get to all four animals.

His son found the 2,000-pound bull  worth about $4,500  and the 800-pound heifer Aug. 3, lying just south of the tracks, about 500 feet west of 2600 East. Alger said the shootings happened about two days earlier.

Deputy Levi Meyer responded to Algers call to the Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office.

There was no way of telling anything by then, Meyer said. Both were in full bloat when I got there.

Meyer said the only hope of finding the shooter at this point is catching him in the act.

Westphal found Snowie dead several weeks ago. It didnt occur to him that she had been shot  until he found Big Mama dead on Sunday. The bullet hole was obvious.

She was gut shot, he said.

Big Mama left an eight-month-old juvenile named Brownie, who has since been adopted by another mama llama.

Westphal suspects both Big Mama and Snowie were shot at night.

They were the only white llamas in the pasture, so they would have stood out in the dark.
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
The Taliban released 235 hostages from a remote village in northern Afghanistan where it allegedly massacred as many as 50 mostly Shi'ite civilians in a rare joint assault with Islamic State insurgents, officials said on August 8.

"This evening, 235 people, including women and children, were released from Mirza Olang as a result of mediation by the local elders and provincial officials," Zabihullah Amani, a spokesman for the provincial governor, told AFP.

"They have been safely evacuated to Sar-e Pul city, but there are still an unknown number of people being kept hostage there," he said.

An Afghan security source told AFP there were still around 100 people being held hostage in Mirza Olang, situated in the Sayad district of Sar-e Pul Province, after insurgents captured it over the weekend.

Taliban and IS fighters working together in a rare joint operation killed around 50 men, women, and children in the mainly Shi'ite village on August 5 after overrunning a government-backed militia in a two-day battle, according to local officials, who also said they took about 150 families captive.

The Taliban denies it was a joint operation, saying a group under one of its commanders carried out the attack.

However, local villagers reported seeing fighters carrying both the white banner of the Taliban and the black banner of the Islamic State extremist group.

The Taliban has for years fought to install strict Islamic law and drive foreign forces out of Afghanistan, and it fiercely opposed IS's local affiliate when its first appeared in Afghanistan in 2015.

Any sign the two groups are now joining forces would alarm Western governments concerned about Afghanistan once again becoming a base for militant groups aiming to strike foreign targets.

The Al-Qaeda militant group worked with the Taliban and made Afghanistan its home base before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. IS started out as an offshoot of Al-Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate before the two extremist groups became rivals.

The slaughter of civilians, most of them Shi'ites, has been a trademark of IS and its extremist brand of Sunni Islam. The majority of those killed in Mirza Olang were shot or beheaded, Amani told AFP.

Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri told AFP that 34 civilians were known to have been killed.

The discrepancy in the number of casualties highlights the difficulty of verifying information from poor, mountainous areas of Afghanistan made inaccessible by fighting and poor communications.

"Despite the efforts of elders, the bodies of the victims have not been recovered," Zaher Wahdat, the provincial governor, told Tolo News, an Afghan television channel.

"Two hundred and thirty-five hostages have been released. They are so shocked they can't even speak to tell us about any more other hostages," he said.

Amani, the provincial spokesman, said that dozens of Taliban and IS group fighters, under the command of a local Taliban commander who he claimed pledged allegiance to IS, launched a coordinated attack on the area on August 3.

Some 330 families escaped the area after warnings from the Taliban, but most of the civilians killed in the incident died while trying to leave, Reuters reported.

The insurgents defeated the Afghan local police after a 48-hour battle before massacring civilians, Amani said.

The Taliban confirmed capturing Mirza Olang but said it did so alone. It also denied allegations the insurgents killed civilians.

Taliban and IS fighters have regularly clashed in Afghanistan over the past two years, but security sources say they have teamed up in the past to strike Afghan forces in certain areas.

The release of hostages came after Afghan special forces amassed and launched an operation to retake the village.

"Commando forces have been deployed to the area, air strikes are being carried out as we speak, and commanders on the ground are busy planning the recapture of the valley," said Waziri, the Defense Ministry spokesman, promising that "the terrorists will pay for their crimes."

Sediq Sediqi, a spokesman for the Afghan government, told AFP it was difficult to know how many civilians were killed or captured but said "President Ashraf Ghani has instructed everyone to do everything to safeguard those people."

Ghani, whose government has recently been besieged by protests from Afghan civilians angry that the government is not protecting them from terrorist attacks, has vowed "revenge" for the attack.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters


Toomaj Salehi's lyrical support for protesters in Iran has landed him behind bars before, but this time the popular rapper's fortune-telling has fans and family members fearing for his life.

Just days before his September 30 arrest, the 32-year-old Salehi released his latest music video, in which he makes foreboding predictions about the future of Iran's clerical regime if it continues its violent crackdown against ongoing anti-government demonstrations.

"I am the predictor, the fortune teller," he raps in the video for Omen, which shows him reading the patterns left in his coffee cup and warning that brute force will not prevail.

"I saw a cage in the coffee grounds -- a lion was hunting a jackal," he explains, alluding to a fairy tale about wisdom defeating physical strength. "We will rise from the bottom and target the top of the pyramid."

Salehi goes on to warn that the regime's protectors -- including the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the Basij paramilitary forces, the Intelligence Ministry, and the state media -- will all get their day in court.

Salehi followed up on the new video by posting on social media images of him standing alongside protesters and chanting against security forces in his native city in Isfahan Province. The rapper, an ethnic Lur who was arrested last year after releasing other songs critical of the government, offered to turn himself in if protesters detained in his hometown of Shahinshahr were released.

In subsequent posts, he called the provincial authorities "cowardly vermin" and "scum who suppress and arrest [innocent] people."

Shortly afterward, Salehi went missing and has not been heard from since.

State media reported on September 30 that Salehi had been arrested, and a news agency close to the IRGC published a photo of the blindfolded rapper inside a car.

A short video later released by a press club associated with Iran's state broadcaster purports to show the rapper admitting he made a mistake.

But the reports' claims he had been caught while "illegally exiting the western borders of the country" have been fiercely disputed, and the video confession has been labeled a fake by some and a coerced confession by others.

Family members as well as Salehi's official Twitter account have said the rapper was, in fact, arrested in the southwestern Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, hundreds of kilometers from Iran's western border.

In a statement, Salehi's uncle Eghbal Eghbali said his nephew was in the province's city of Borujen on the morning of September 30 when he wrote saying "suspicious things" were happening outside his home. Soon after, Salehi stopped communicating. Eghbali said he learned from Salehi's neighbors and friends that security personnel had arrived to take the rapper away.

Later on September 30, a prosecutor in nearby Isfahan Province was quoted by the Meezan news agency, which is close to Iran's judiciary, as saying Salehi was arrested "in one of the provinces of the country." The prosecutor alleged the rapper had played a key role in "creating disturbances and inviting and encouraging the recent disturbances in Isfahan Province and in Shahinshahr."

The official IRNA news agency, meanwhile, quoted a judiciary official from Isfahan Province as saying Salehi stood accused of "propagandistic activity against the government, cooperation with hostile governments, and the formation of illegal groups with the intention of creating insecurity in the country."

Thousands of Iranians, many of them from the younger generation, have taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died shortly after being arrested for allegedly violating Iran's hijab law requiring that women cover their hair.

As the protests have continued, the authorities have intensified their crackdown, resulting in the deaths of at least 305 people, including 41 children, according to the latest figures released by the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) on November 6.

Salehi is among the hundreds of prominent young voices, including activists, artists, and athletes, who have been arrested for speaking out against the states bloody crackdown on the protests. Overall, activists estimate thousands of people have been arrested by the authorities since the rallies erupted.

Faced with a potential existential threat to Iran's clerical rule, 227 of 290 Iranian lawmakers this week called for even greater force by urging the judiciary to "deal decisively" with those behind the protests.

In recent years, Salehi has gained notoriety for his open opposition to the country's leadership, using his music and social media presence to take on issues that resonate with Iranian youths.

In the song Normal, he highlights the effects of poverty, saying "Our children sleep hungry at night" and asking Iran's leaders how their conscience can let them sleep.

The song Rathole, released in 2021, accuses members of the media and art community both inside and outside Iran of being an "ally of the tyrant," a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In another song, he blasts Tehran's close relationships with Moscow and Beijing, asking: "Haven't you robbed us enough? Now, you want to give away half [of our resources] to China and the rest to Russia."

Salehi was detained in September 2021 after security agents raided his home in Isfahan, with Human Rights Watch decrying the detention of the artist for "exercising his right to freedom of expression."

Salehi was charged with "spreading propaganda against the state," but after more than a week was released on bail. In January, he was sentenced to six months in prison but was released on a suspended sentence in February.

While out, he continued his work and released Omen amid the states increasingly violent crackdown on anti-government protesters.

"Someone's crime was dancing with her hair in the wind," he raps. "Someone's crime was that she was brave and criticized."

Listing a litany of violent acts carried out by the authorities against protesters, Salehi asks, "How many young people did you kill building a tower for yourself?" and predicts that next year, the 44th year of the clerical regime's rule, will be its "year of failure."

Salehi's arrest has led to widespread condemnation inside and outside Iran, and his advocates have spread the #FreeToomaj hashtag on Twitter to shed light on his situation.

His family has said they do not know Salehi's whereabouts or health, leaving them wondering if he is even alive.

But the authorities have shed some light on the fate of another Iranian rapper arrested shortly before Salehi. The judiciary announced on November 7 that Saman Yasin, a rapper from Kermanshah Province -- a northwestern region with a significant Kurdish population and that has been a focus of the government crackdown -- has been accused of waging "warfare" against Iran and acting against the country's security.

Based on reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, with contributions by RFE/RL senior correspondent Michael Scollon
Amid rising tensions over North Korea's nuclear program, Japan marked the 72nd anniversary of the U.S. dropping an atomic bomb on Nagasaki in the final days of World War II. More than 150,000 people were killed in the attack, which was followed by the surrender of Japan. (Reuters)
Police in Kosovo say they have detained six Russian citizens and five Serbian citizens they say crossed the border with Serbia illegally.

The 11 people detained on August 8 were traveling in two vehicles when they were stopped near the border, the Kosovar police force said in a statement.

It said that they were being held by the border police and that the authorities had notified Russia's diplomatic office in Kosovo.

A court in Podujeva, north of the capital, Pristina, later said they were fined 250 euros ($295) each for illegally crossing the border.

They will be taken to the nearest border-crossing point after paying the fine, the court added.

The detentions came amid persistent concerns in the Balkans about Russian influence.

Remzi Potoku, a defense attorney for one of the detainees -- a Serb who is married to a Russian -- told RFE/RL that his client said the detainees had been on their way to visit family members in Kosovo.

Potoku said the group would remain in detention for 48 hours.

State-run Russian news agency TASS quoted a spokesman for the Russian Embassy in Belgrade, Yury Pichugin, as saying that two of the Russians were local residents who are members of a Serbian citizen's family.

Pichugin said that an official from the embassy's office in Kosovo traveled to the scene to deal with the matter.

Predominantly ethnic Albanian Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. It is recognized by more than 100 countries, including the United States, but not by Serbia or Russia.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, AP, and TASS
The coordinator of Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalnys presidential election campaign staff in the Siberian city of Barnaul has been detained.

The chairwoman of the Barnaul branch of the Party of Progress, Olga Fotiyeva, wrote on Facebook on August 9 that Artyom Kosaretsky was charged with disobedience to police and could be fined or jailed for several days.

Fotiyeva posted a police document detailing the charge, which says that Kosaretsky refused to accept a written warning from a police officer on "prevention of extremism" during a public gathering allowed by the city authorities on July 27.

Dozens of Navalny campaign workers have been detained or questioned in Moscow and other cities in recent weeks.

Navalny is campaigning for the March 2018 presidential election, in which President Vladimir Putin is widely expected to seek and win a fourth term.

Russian election authorities have said that Navalny will be barred from the ballot because of a financial-crimes conviction that he says was engineered by the Kremlin to punish him for his opposition activity and keep him out of electoral politics.
The North Korean army said in a statement that its Strategic Force -- a nuclear and missile warfare unit -- was "carefully examining" a plan to fire a ballistic rocket at Guam, a Pacific territory administered by the United States. The statement was read out by an unidentified anchorwoman on North Korean state television on August 9. Later, an unidentified anchorman on the same channel warned the United States that "an all-out war" might strike "the U.S. mainland." (KRT via Reuters)
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U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has urged calm after North Korea and President Donald Trump traded threats, saying Americans should have "no concerns."

Tillerson, speaking to reporters shortly before arriving on the U.S. Pacific island of Guam on August 9, said he doesn't believe there is "any imminent threat" after North Korea had said that it is "carefully examining" plans to launch a missile strike on the island.

"Americans should sleep well at night," Tillerson said.

The North Korean threat to attack Guam came hours after Trump warned Pyongyang that it would face "fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it threatened the United States again.

Tillerson said Trump was trying to send a strong message to North Korea. He said Pyongyang's rhetoric had ratcheted up in the face of international opposition to its nuclear program.

"So I think...what the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," Tillerson said.

Meanwhile, Trump followed up his earlier warning by saying that he hopes the United States will not have to use its nuclear arsenal.

"My first order as president was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before," Trump wrote on Twitter on August 9.

"Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!" he tweeted.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued his own threat to North Korea on August 9, saying it "should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people."

"The DPRK regime's actions will continue to be grossly overmatched by ours and would lose any arms race or conflict it initiates," he also said in a statement.

The rhetoric between the White House and Pyongyang has heated up dramatically after North Korea tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July, taking a significant step toward its goal of developing a long-range missile capable of striking anywhere in the mainland United States.

In a statement carried by the state-run KCNA news agency on August 9, a spokesman for North Korea's army said that a strike by a medium- to long-range strategic ballistic missile could be launched toward Guam at any moment once leader Kim makes a decision.

The spokesman said the strike would aim to "contain the U.S. major military bases on Guam." Guam is a critical outpost for the United States to launch military missions in the Asia-Pacific region.

North Korea also accused the United States of preparing a "preventive war" that it said would turn into an "all-out war wiping out all the strongholds of enemies, including the U.S. mainland."

The North Korean statement came after Trump, speaking at a news briefing on August 8 during his vacation in the U.S. state of New Jersey, said that "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States."

"They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen," Trump said.

The UN Security Council on August 5 unanimously imposed new economic sanctions on North Korea, aimed at pressuring Pyongyang to end its nuclear program.

North Korea said the sanctions infringed its sovereignty and warned that it was ready to give Washington a "severe lesson" with what it called its strategic nuclear force in response to any U.S. military action.



It says its ballistic missiles are a legitimate means of defense against perceived U.S. hostility and accuses Washington and Seoul of escalating tensions by conducting military drills.



The international reaction to the latest fiery exchange of statements between Pyongyang and Washington has been mixed.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was "troubled by the increase in confrontational rhetoric" on North Korea, a spokesman said.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on August 9 that the "United States has said that all options are on the table. The Japanese government supports this attitude."

Britain also praised Trump's stance, with UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft telling reporters that London "stands shoulder to shoulder with the United States" in tackling the nuclear threat from North Korea.

French government spokesman Christophe Castaner said after a cabinet meeting that "the determination of the American president...[is] the same determination as any American president would have because they cannot accept that part of their territory could be the target of ballistic-missile attacks."

But Castaner later said that Paris was watching what's going on with "concern" and was urging all sides "to act responsibly and to de-escalate" the situation.

Germany also urged restraint.

"We are watching the increasing rhetorical escalation regarding the Korean Peninsula with the greatest concern," German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer told reporters on August 9. "That is why we call on all sides to use restraint."

Schaefer said Germany was convinced that a "military option" could not be "the answer in the quest for a nuclear weapon-free Southeast Asia."

Russian UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said that Moscow hoped the United States keeps calm and refrains from any moves that would provoke another party to actions that might be dangerous."

China, North Korea's closest ally, called for calm and restraint in a "highly complicated and sensitive" standoff.

"We hope all relevant parties speak cautiously and move prudently, stop provoking each other, avoid further escalating the situation, and strive to return to the correct track of dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible," the Foreign Ministry said.

With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, and Reuters
TWIN FALLS  The ingredients for your next healthy dinner await at the Twin Falls Farmers Market.

And to highlight the produce, meat and bread available there will be a cooking contest held Saturday at 600 North College Road. The deadline to sign up has been extended to Wednesday. Chefs will need to arrive at 8:30 a.m. to purchase their items using vouchers from the market and prepare their meals. The public will vote at 10:30 a.m. by taste testing.

This event is free and open to the public. It is open to any local chefs, home cooks, caterers or vendors. There is no cost to participate. Chefs will need to bring their own cooking station such as a table, grill or electric fry pan, as well as cleaning supplies. You will also need to bring disposable serving trays, plates and napkins. Participants will have 30 minutes to shop for items at the market.

The cooking contest also celebrates National Farmers Market Week, which is Aug. 6 through Aug. 12.

Its like the show Chopped, said Sabrina Davis, Twin Falls Farmers Market manager and president. Its a way to promote the fresh produce we have coming into the market this year. Its a way for us as the farmers market to thank the people.

Contestants will make an appetizer, side or finger food. Shade canopies will be provided and prize money will be given to first through third place.

Davis said shes hoping at least six people will participate in the inaugural event.

We are trying to get a hold of local chefs, she said. I went out and talked to a bunch of them, but didnt get a lot of responses.

To sign up, call Davis at 208-293-6065.
Addressing a rally in Rawalpindi, deposed Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said the Supreme Court's decision to disqualify him from office last month over undeclared wealth was an "insult to voters."

The speech late on August 9 marked the first time Sharif has publicly commented on the court's ruling and came after he launched a defiant procession from Islamabad to his party's stronghold in Lahore to demonstrate that the court ruling hadn't diminished his influence.

"I was not allowed to complete my third term," Sharif said. "No prime minister in Pakistan has ever been allowed to complete his term. This joke has been repeated for 70 years and Pakistan can no longer bear it. It's an insult to the voters."

Sharif asked supporters to stand up for the "rule of law" and said he wanted to start a debate over why no elected prime minister had completed their full term in Pakistan, which has been ruled by army generals for more than half of its 70-year history.

"This mammoth crowd in Rawalpindi is in fact the start of a revolution," he said, speaking from his fortified vehicle behind bulletproof glass. "This is the court of the people."

Sharif's "caravan" took 12 hours to travel the 20 kilometers from Pakistan's capital to Rawalpindi due to big crowds estimated as large as 30,000 that were walking and driving alongside his car.

The former prime minister's spokesman said he would stay the night there before continuing to Lahore, where Sharif hopes tens of thousands of supporters will take to the streets in a show of force.

Sharif launched the "caravan" from Islamabad to his hometown of Lahore, some 400 kilometers south of the capital, despite concerns voiced by close advisers about security amid the large crowds.

Thousands of Sharif party supporters thronged the capital to take part in the rally, setting up camps all along the itinerary.

The march is taking place amid tight security, with large numbers of police officers and paramilitary soldiers deployed both in Islamabad and along the Grand Trunk Road, the main highway connecting the capital with Lahore.



Sharif, 67, resigned on July 28 shortly after the country's Supreme Court ordered his removal from office in connection with corruption charges stemming from the Panama Papers leak in 2016.

The five-member panel's ruling came immediately after an investigative committee concluded that Sharif's family could not account for what it said was vast wealth in offshore companies.

The court also ordered a criminal probe into the Sharif family's assets.

Sharif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party, which has a solid majority in parliament, elected his close aide Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as his replacement.

In a display of party unity, Abbasi hugged Sharif as he boarded a vehicle along with his supporters at the outset of the trip in Islamabad.

Sharif, who was prime minister three times, insists his removal from office did not mean the end of his political career. He said he plans to file a review petition in an effort to get his disqualification reversed.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa
A Tajik state TV broadcast incriminating Iranian officials for political assassinations in Tajikistan in the 1990s appeared to be the bluntest assertion of its kind between Dushanbe and Tehran.

But it follows a series of inauspicious moves that threaten to erode ties between two countries whose political and diplomatic relations have rarely matched their cultural and linguistic bonds.

At the heart of the latest tension is alleged Iranian support for the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), which was represented in the Tajik parliament for 15 years after a bloody civil war but was banned and branded a terrorist group in 2015.

Touraj Atabaki, a senior research fellow at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, says Dushanbe's fresh claims should be seen against a "background of existing lack of trust."

"In its regional policies, Iran -- alongside warm relations with governments -- also tries to maintain relations with those governments' major opponents," Atabaki says.

String Of Killings

In a prime-time documentary aired on state television on August 8, the Tajik Interior Ministry claimed Iran fomented the 1992-97 civil war, provided financial assistance to the IRPT, and even trained militants linked to the party on Iranian soil.

A string of killings of prominent Tajik public figures in the wake of the war included the assassination of former parliament chairman Safarali Kenjaev in 1999.

The Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe told RFE/RLs Tajik Service on August 9 that the ambassador was not present to comment, but that the embassy planned to probe the source of the "lies and slanderous" comments aired on state TV.

Iran and Tajikistan have close linguistic, cultural, and historical ties, and Tehran was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Dushanbe after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Iran, Russia, and the United Nations were mediators in the peace talks that ended the five-year war between the secular Tajik government and Islamist-led opposition forces.

Iran has also invested in major Tajik infrastructure projects, including a hydropower plant and a tunnel linking the capital with the countrys north. The two investments were reportedly worth around $200 million.

Rahmon Skips Rohani Ceremony

Yet Dushanbe has remained wary of Iran sheltering Tajik Islamic opposition figures and other government opponents in the 1990s and maintaining close ties with them ever since.

"Tajikistan suspects that Iran somewhat threatens the government of President [Emomali] Rahmon by actions that are not acceptable and appropriate in relations between two countries," Atabaki says.

Rahmon was not among the more than 100 foreign dignitaries who attended the August 5 swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Hassan Rohani for a second term.



In April, Tajikistan was notably left out of a Central Asian tour by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.



In 2016, Tajikistan halted the import on Iranian food products, including poultry, cooking oil, and tea, citing their "low quality." Tajik authorities also said the Iranian products' labels were not in accordance with Tajik laws that require the ingredients to be listed in the Tajik language using the Cyrillic alphabet.

In July, the Transport Ministry publicly accused Tehran of violating the terms of a contract to build a key regional railway.

In 2016, Tajik authorities suspended the Tajik branch of the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, a charity organization supported by the Iranian government.

Shokirjon Hakimov, a Tajik politician and analyst, traces tensions between Dushanbe and Tehran back to around the time of the arrest of a well-known Iranian billionaire in 2013.

"Relations between Tajikistan and Iran began to sour after the arrest of Babak Zanjani, an Iranian businessman who had invested in Tajikistan, who was later sentenced to death in Iran."

Zanjani was said to have been helping Iran sell oil during a period of international sanctions, but he was later accused of withholding billions of dollars in profits. An Iranian court sentenced him to death on corruption charges in 2016.

During his trial in Tehran, Zanjani, whose wealth was once estimated at around $13.5 billion, claimed that he had transferred some $2 billion to Tajikistan's National Bank. Local reports cited Iranian suspicions that Zanjani had used Tajikistan to move money out of Iran.

Tajik authorities have dismissed those claims and distanced themselves from Zanjani, whose financial empire in Tajikistan included a bank, an airline, and a bus terminal inaugurated by Rahmon himself.

Iranian actions with respect to the now-banned IRPT have engendered mistrust the other way.

Kabiri Visit To Tehran

In December 2015, just two months after the IRPT was banned and its leadership accused in Dushanbe of plotting to overthrow the government (the IRPT has rejected the charges as false), party leader Muhiddin Kabiri attended an Islamic conference in Tehran. Kabiri was seated next to an official Tajik delegation to the conference, and he was pictured being greeted by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, further angering Dushanbe.

Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry responded by sending a diplomatic note to Iran, protesting Tehran's decision to invite the "head of a terrorist party suspected of an attempted overthrow of the government."

The program that aired on Tajikistan's tightly controlled state television on August 8 described Kabiri as a "protege" of Iran and accused the IRPT of organizing the assassinations with Iranian instructions and financial support.

In it, a man who identified himself as a former Islamic fighter claimed he underwent sabotage training in Iran in 1995 along with 200 compatriots and returned to Tajikistan with instructions to kill prominent public figures. Neither his identity nor his claims could be independently verified.



Several well-known public figures, included a presidential adviser, a former grand mufti, a doctor, and an academic were killed between 1997 and 2004, as were 20 Russian officers.

With reporting by RFE/RLs Tajik Service and RFE/RL's Radio Farda
Tajikistan on August 8 accused Iran of backing high-profile killings in the wake of the Central Asian country's 1990s civil war, including the assassination of former parliament chairman Safarali Kenjaev in 1999.

In a 45-minute documentary broadcast on Tajik state television, the Interior Ministry claimed that Tehran was interested in fomenting civil war in Tajikistan and provided financial assistance to the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT) and trained militants linked to the party on Iranian soil.

According to the ministry, Iranian financial support and instructions to carry out assassinations were conveyed to IRPT militants through Khoji Halim Nazarzoda, a former deputy defense minister who was one of the Islamic opposition party's commanders in the 1990s. Nazarzoda was killed in September 2015 during an anti-coup operation near the Tajik capital, Dushanbe.

A number of Tajik public figures -- Mohammad Aseemi, a professor; Yusuf Isaki, a doctor; novelist Saif Afardi; presidential political adviser Karim Yuldashev; and a former grand mufti of Tajikistan -- were killed between 1997 and 2004, as were 20 Russian officers.

In the documentary, a man who identified himself as a former Islamic opposition fighter said that he traveled to Iran in 1995 and received sabotage training along with 200 compatriots in the city of Qom. He said he returned to Tajikistan in 1997 with clear instructions to kill political and public figures.

There was no way to immediately verify the man's identity or the authenticity of his statement.

Documentaries on state TV are sometimes used in former Soviet republics to make accusations against government critics or opponents.

Iran and Russia acted as mediators in the negotiation process that ended the five-year civil war in 1997.

The documentary aired amid tensions between Tajikistan and Iran over Iranian support for the IRPT, which was represented in the Tajik parliament for 15 years after the war but was outlawed and branded a terrorist organization by the Tajik Supreme Court of

in 2015.

Several IRPT leaders have been convicted and sentenced to long prison terms on charges they say are politically motivated, prompting criticism from the UN and human rights groups.

Tensions have flared between Tajikistan and Iran in the past, with Dushanbe accusing Tehran's diplomats of carrying out excessive activities in the country.

But the documentary represents the first time Dushanbe has openly accused Iran of financing and directing political killings following the civil war.
Russia's Culture Ministry is considering a request from the strongman head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, asking that a soon-to-be-released film highlighting episodes from the youth of Tsar Nicholas II be banned in the North Caucasus region.

Kadyrov's letter, which was published in Komsomolskaya Pravda, describes the film as "a premeditated insult to the feelings of [religious] believers that "insults the sacred ... [and] the history of the peoples of Russia."

"In order to live with honor, we must remember our history and take pride in and revere those who fought for us," Kadyrov wrote. "We, the heirs of conquerors, must not only honor the memory of the defenders of the Motherland, but also raise the young generation in the spirit of respect for their history. I ask you to exclude the Chechen Republic from the distribution area of the film Matilda."

The deputy head of the nearby Daghestan region, Anatoly Karibov, filed a nearly identical appeal with the Culture Ministry on August 9.

Although Chechnya and Daghestan are overwhelmingly Muslim, the officials apparently fear the sensibilities of locals will be wounded by the film Matilda, which tells the story of a romance between Nicholas and dancer Matilda Kshesinskaya when he was an unmarried crown prince.

The affair ended in 1894 when Nicholas married the German princess who became Empress Aleksandra. Kshesinskaya later married the tsar's cousin, Grand Duke Aleksandr Vladimirovich. She died in 1971.

Conservatives deny the well-documented affair took place at all, arguing that it would have been impossible for a prince to fall in love with a Pole who was "utterly homely," according to an analysis commissioned by State Duma deputy and former head prosecutor of the annexed Ukrainian region of Crimea Natalya Pokolonskaya.

The film is set for release in October, but has already attracted protests from monarchists and conservative Russian Orthodox activists who say it besmirches the memory of Nicholas, who was canonized as an Orthodox saint together with his family in 2000.

Few people have seen the complete film, but trailers featuring passionate love scenes between the young prince and the half-Polish teenager Kshesinskaya have outraged conservatives, led by Poklonskaya.

WATCH: A Russian Trailer For Matilda

Poklonskaya told Komsomolskaya Pravda that "the heads of other regions" have prepared requests similar to Kadyrov's.

"Ramzan Kadyrov, coming out in favor of banning the film, has spoken on behalf of all the people who came out for the prayer protest on August 1," Poklonskaya said, referring to a demonstration against the film organized by Orthodox activists.

In response to Kadyrov's criticism, film director Aleksei Uchitel told Interfax that the Chechen leader should not be misled by criticism from those who have not seen the film. Uchitel said he is ready to show the picture, which he said is not yet finished, to Kadyrov "at any time."

In February, the Mufti's Office of Daghestan issued a statement saying that it supported efforts to ban the film. That initiative prompted Uchitel's lawyer, Konstantin Dobrynin, to accuse Poklonskaya of trying "to play the Muslim card in her campaign against the film."

Earlier this month, Uchitel sent his own appeal to the Prosecutor-General's Office asking for the authorities to look into "anonymous, falsified, and patently false claims, as well as 'orchestrated' appeals" targeting the film. Uchitel noted that an expert analysis of the trailer by linguists and other experts found no indication of anything insulting to Orthodox believers or any other group.

Also on August 9, the fringe Communists of Russia party announced that it was prepared to organize the underground distribution of the film, which party leader Sergei Malinkovich said "tells the truth about the unpleasant affairs of the last Russian monarch."

The party's statement decries the campaign against Matilda and says "such examples of censorship and unabashed pressure on an artist cannot be found in the history of Soviet or any other cinema."

With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian and North Caucasus services


U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that North Korea needs to reconsider its nuclear and ballistic missile ambitions and engage in dialogue with the international community. He spoke to journalists on a flight to the U.S. territory of Guam, one day after President Donald Trump's August 8 warning to Pyongyang of "fire and fury" unless it ceases threats against the United States. (AP)
MOSCOW -- Under President Vladimir Putin, Russian politics turned to face the past, focusing on purported achievements in Russia's ancient and recent history instead of building toward a vision of the future, according to famed satirist and former Soviet dissident Vladimir Voinovich.

In an interview ahead of the writer's 85th birthday next month, Voinovich tells RFE/RL's Russian Service that this approach is ultimately a dead end for both Putin and the country.



"When Putin came to power, he turned to the most conservative elements of society, especially to veterans of World War II, to the old people who participated or didn't participate in the war, who paraded around not so much with huge numbers of military ribbons, but with tokens of years of service," Voinovich says. "This was a turning to the past and it was the beginning of the politics of turning to the past. Of course, any normal politics are oriented toward the future. You need to count not on old people who are dying or are already dead, but on the young people who are being born and are growing up."

"Now they have grown up, and this [politics of the past] is not interesting to them," he concludes. In short, the older generation was impressed with assertions such as "we are so strong; we are so powerful," while the current generation wants to hear "we are happy; we are innovative; we are free."

Voinovich was born on September 26, 1932, in the city of Stalinabad, as the Tajik capital of Dushanbe was then called. His father was arrested in 1936 and spent five years in dictator Josef Stalin's labor camps. In 1969, the first part of his classic satirical novel, The Life And Extraordinary Adventures Of Private Ivan Chonkin, was published, followed by the second part 10 years later.

Dystopian Visions

Voinovich is also known for his dystopian 1987 novel Moscow 2042, in which the country is ruled by a "Communist Party Of State Security" that combines elements of the Soviet Communist Party, the Russian Orthodox Church, and the KGB secret police.

In 1974, the Soviet government began harassing Voinovich because of his writing and his human rights activism. He was stripped of his citizenship and forced into external exile in 1980. His citizenship was restored by Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev a decade later, and he returned to live in Russia.

"Some people say that we have already returned to 1937," Voinovich says, referring to the year that Stalin's Great Terror was launched. "I would say that we haven't reached 1937 yet, but we have definitely reached the 1970s," the beginning of the so-called stagnation period under long-serving Soviet rule Leonid Brezhnev.



"There are some differences, but there is a lot that is the same," he adds. "They are breaking up demonstrations. They are throwing people in prison on basically the same charges. True, they aren't giving seven-year sentences, but rather two. And now they have begun driving people out of the country."

A Second Putin?



"Much is returning from those times," Voinovich notes. "The mass psychology of those times is coming back. I don't like to say it but I consider myself a cautious optimist, and I think this will come to an end soon. Because it is simply impossible. Our country just looks ridiculous in contrast to other civilized countries. We are surrounded by countries living by different laws, living by laws that promote the normal development of individual citizens, the normal development of society as a whole, that promote well-being. But here everything moves in the other direction."



As he approaches the age of 85, Voinovich has one wish.



"I'd like to live to see a time when we elect people to the highest office for a determined period of time and that they will leave when they are supposed to no matter how good or remarkable they were," he says. "There are good choices, successful choices, and there are unsuccessful choices," he concluded. "Constant turnover is the possibility to correct mistakes."

Some Russians have expressed the concern that opposition politician Aleksei Navalny has the potential to be a "second Putin," to which Voinovich responds that "a second Putin would be better than the first."

Written by RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson on the basis of an interview by RFE/RL Russian Service correspondent Yelena Rykovtseva.
Page Content

This is the first in a series of articles about California-specific workplace compliance issues. This article examines the state's leave laws.



The prospect of working in California may sound too good to be true, what with the state's year-round sunshine and pristine beaches. But a plethora of unexpected employment law landmines could plague the uninitiated employer.

For companies making their first foray into the state, California's intricate web of employment laws can be intimidating. As transplants to California, we feel your pain. It would take a treatise to survey the numerous human resources laws that make California a complex jurisdiction for employers but, in this three-part series, we will be highlighting the top employment law challenges that businesses new to California should be aware of.

Let's begin with a look at California-specific leave requirements. Depending on their size and location, California employers may face a host of leave requirements, which may or may not align with the federally required leave rights.

1. California Family Rights Act

Challenge No. 1 is navigating the nuances of the California Family Rights Act (CFRA)also known as California's mini Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Like its federal counterpart, CFRA covers all employers with 50 or more employees, including joint employers.

[SHRM members-only toolkit: Managing Medical Leave in California]

Much like under the FMLA, employees are eligible for CFRA leave only if they have completed 12 months of service, have worked 1,250 hours during the 12-month period prior to the commencement of the leave and work for a site where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles.

Notably, employees who work outside California can be counted for purposes of satisfying CFRA's 50-employee thresholdso long as they are located within a 75-mile radius of the relevant employee's worksite.

Setting aside the similarities in coverage and eligibility requirements, the reasons for which employees may take CFRA leave differ in important respects from leave available under the FMLA.

For example, while employees may take FMLA leave to perform military caregiver functions (to care for a family member who is a covered veteran with a serious injury or illness) or to address military demands, such reasons do not qualify for CFRA leave. (Although, leave that would qualify as military caregiver leave under the FMLA could qualify under CFRA as leave for the serious health condition of a qualifying family member.)

On the other hand, CFRA covers some leaves that do not qualify under the FMLA because, unlike under the FMLA, an employee's leave to care for a registered domestic partner is covered.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the FMLA and CFRA, though, concerns CFRA's exclusion of pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions from its definition of a serious health condition.

As a result, pregnancy disability leavewhich is available under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and entitles eligible employees to four months (or 17.33 weeks) of leave per pregnancycounts toward an employee's FMLA entitlement but does not count toward CFRA.

So, for example, CFRA can be used for baby bonding after pregnancy disability leave ends. This means that an employee on leave for pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions may ultimately be out of the workplace for far longer than the 12 weeks permitted under the FMLA.

Pro Tip: Savvy employers know that there is no legal requirement to have an employee handbook, and very few policies are required to be included in such a handbook. But if your company is subject to CFRA and publishes an employee handbook that describes other kinds of personal or disability leaves available to employees, state law requires that the handbook include a description of CFRA leave. Similarly, employers subject to FEHA that provide employee handbooks are required to include information about pregnancy disability leave and accommodations in the handbook.

2. Wage Replacement Programs

No discussion of California's layered web of leave laws would be complete without a discussion of the State Disability Insurance and Family Temporary Disability Insurance/Paid Family Leave programs. Though these state-funded partial wage replacement programs don't actually entitle employees to take leave, they can create administrative challenges for employers.

The programs currently provide disability (including pregnancy) and paid family leave benefits consisting of 55 percent of an employee's usual wagesup to a statutory maximum. For claims beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2018, the maximum weekly benefit will increase to approximately 60 percent to 70 percent of weekly wages depending on the worker's income level. These benefits are administered through the California Employment Development Department and funded through payroll deductions.

3. Paid Sick Leave



San Francisco was the first U.S. jurisdiction to mandate employer-provided paid sick leave beginning in 2007. Many jurisdictions in California (and other states) followed suit. And California's statewide law went into effect in 2015.

California's law posed a special headache for San Francisco employers that found they had to reconcile the statewide law with the city's law, which was different from the state law in many key respects.

In 2016, San Francisco voters approved amendments to better align the city's law with the state's, but important differences remain on subjects such as accrual rates, carryover and frontloading.

Seven California jurisdictions currently have their own paid-sick-leave laws in addition to the statewide law: Emeryville, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco and Santa Monica. Berkeley will also have a paid-sick-leave law starting in October.

When reconciling seemingly conflicting state and local requirements, remember the golden rule of employment law: The legal provision that is most favorable to employees will take precedence.

Pro Tip: Employers must inform employees of their available sick-leave balances, either on a wage statement or in a separate notice. Failure to include all required information in employee wage statements could give rise to claims under the Private Attorneys General Actan issue we will be exploring in the second article in this series.

4. Other Types of Leave

Challenge No. 4 is what we call California's "random" leaves of absence, which include:

Family military leave.



Leave for school or child care activities.



Leave to vote.



Jury duty leave.



Witness duty leave.



Leave for school disciplinary proceedings.



Bone marrow donor leave.



Organ donor leave.



Emergency responder leave.



Civil air patrol leave.



Adult literacy leave.



Domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking victim leave.



Crime victim leave for certain felonies.



Leave to attend court proceedings for serious crimes.



Election officer leave.



For some of these leaves, merely granting an employee the requested time off and reinstating the employee thereafter is not enough because the law actually requires employers to provide paid time off. This is the case for bone marrow donor leave, organ donor leave and voting time leave. HR professionals should be aware of these leave rights and how they might interact with any paid-leave benefits available to employees.

Be on the lookout for the second installment in this series, which will explore California wage and hour intricacies.

Mishell Parreno Taylor and Deidra A. Nguyen are attorneys with Littler in San Diego.


Betelgeuse is a star nearing the end of its life. Because it is creating heavier and heavier elements in its core that could be used for stars after it dies, a NASA story once dubbed the red giant a workaholic.

The star is a famous one among amateur astronomers not only for its size and brightness, but also because it is part of Orion, a bright winter constellation in the Northern Hemisphere.

Professional astronomers also keep a close eye on the star, as it is notoriously variable: its diameter changes from anywhere between 550 to 920 times the sun's diameter. In 2013, astronomers said Betelgeuse is likely to crash into a "cosmic wall" of interstellar dust in a few thousand years.

Locating Betelgeuse

This composite photo of the red supergiant star Betelgeuse combines images captured by the Herschel Space Telescope in wavelengths of 70, 100 and 160 microns. (Image credit: ESA/Herschel/PACS/L. Decin et al)

Ancient astronomers would have easily spotted Betelgeuse because of its size and relatively close distance from Earth: it is about 600 light-years away and has a variable brightness generally peaking at 0.4 and falling below 1.2. Some 20th-century observations by the American Association of Variable Star Observers suggested peak magnitudes of 0.2 in 1933 and 1942. It is the 12th brightest star in the night sky. [The Brightest Stars in the Sky: A Starry Countdown]

The star's location is:

Right ascension: 05 hours 55 minutes 10.3 seconds

Declination: +07 degrees 24 minutes 25 seconds

It is probable that the name "Betelgeuse" originated in Arabic words, but the star had other names (for example) in Sanskrit, traditional Chinese and even in Hawaiian; in the latter, it was known as Kauluakoko.

The coming supernova

A direct-sky image of Betelgeuse, a star that is shedding its mass as it nears the end of its life. (Image credit: ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2. Acknowledgment: Davide De Martin.)

When astronomers say Betelgeuse is expected to explode soon, they mean shortly in astronomical terms: within a million years, according to several sources. Predicting exactly when it will turn into a supernova is difficult, however, as it depends on precise calculations of its mass as well as an understanding of what is going on inside the star.

Betelgeuse is so vast  its size would extend beyond Jupiter's orbit if it were placed in the sun's position in the solar system  that several telescopes have captured images of the star and spotted it shedding mass. Starting in 1993 and continuing for at least 15 years, its radius shrank by 15 percent, an astonishing amount for so short a time.

"We do not know why the star is shrinking," said Edward Wishnow, a research physicist at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory, in 2009.

"Considering all that we know about galaxies and the distant universe, there are still lots of things we don't know about stars, including what happens as red giants near the ends of their lives."

Nearing the wall

As the star prepares for what could be a large explosion, another challenge awaits: it is expected to crash into a wall of interstellar dust in the next few thousand years.

An infrared Herschel Space Observatory image released in 2013 suggested it would crash into the dust at a speed of 66,960 miles per hour (107,761 kilometers per hour.)

The crash would take a while to complete: the solar wind is expected to touch the line around 5,000 years from now, with the heart of the star crashing into the bar 12,500 years after that.

Recent studies

This artists impression shows the supergiant star Betelgeuse as it was revealed thanks to different state-of-the-art techniques on ESOs Very Large Telescope (VLT), which allowed two independent teams of astronomers to obtain the sharpest ever views of it. (Image credit: ESO/L. Calcada)

Ongoing observations of Betelgeuse reveal that we still have much to learn about its structure.

Observations of the red giant revealed that gas that is leaving the star is colder than astronomers thought it would be. Scientists aren't sure how so much mass left the star, while not generating a lot of heat, they said in a 2016 study. Possible explanations include magnetic fields, or shockwaves, but more work will be needed to confirm the models. Astronomers are also doing comparison studies with another red supergiant star, Antares, to better understand the situation.

Meanwhile, scientists remain puzzled by Betelgeuse's ultra-fast rotation, which is about 150 times faster than expected. This may have happened if the star swallowed a sun-mass star about 100,000 years ago, according to a 2016 study. Given Betelgeuse's huge size  it's 1,000 times wider than our sun, or 860 million miles (1.4 billion kilometers) across  it should be spinning much more slowly, astronomers suggest.

In 2017, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Telescope (ALMA) took its first image of Betelgeuse's surface, which astronomers said was the highest-resolution image yet obtained of the star.
Apollo 15 Crew

NASA

In this official NASA photo, the Apollo 15 emblem plays background to, from left, David R. Scott, commander; Alfred M. Worden, command model pilot; and James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot, who make up the prime crew for the Apollo 15 lunar landing mission.

Desert Training

NASA

In March of 1971, two astronauts prepare for the upcoming Apollo 15 lunar landing mission by participating in extravehicular activity training near Taos, New Mexico. Astronaut James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot, uses a scoop, and astronaut David R. Scott stands to the right holding a sample bag. The Lunar Roving Vehicle trainer sits to the left while the pair practices collecting soil samples.

Mountain Training

NASA

In December of 1970, astronaut James B. Irwin, Apollo 15 lunar module pilot, prepares for the lunar landing mission in Hawaii. During the extravehicular activity training, Irwin uses lunar surface geological tools to collect a core sample.

"Feet-On" Experience

NASA

During the December 1970 training in Hawaii, Apollo 15 backup crewmembers Richard F. Gordon, Jr., and Harrison H. Schmitt trained on an a'a' lava flow during geology training.

Driving Practice

NASA

Simulating conditions on the lunar surface, astronauts David R. Scott, commander, on the right, and James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot, drive the Lunar Roving Vehicle to prepare for the lunar surface extravehicular activities planned during the Apollo 15 mission. These simulations take place at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Stunning and Majestic

NASA

On May 11, 1971, the Apollo space vehicle, made of the Apollo Spacecraft 112, the Lunar Module 10 and the Saturn 510, stands 363 feet tall (110 meters) as it leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building and makes its way to Launch Complex 39 Pad A. The entire assembly, including the mobile launch tower, rides atop a massive crawler-transporter. Apollo 15, NASA's fourth manned lunar landing mission, launches July 26, 1971 carrying crewmembers David R. Scott, commander; Alfred M. Worden, command module pilot; and James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot.

Tight Fit

NASA

Astronaut David R. Scott, Apollo 15 commander, in the background, sits inside the Apollo 15 Command Module with astronaut Alfred M. Worden, command module pilot. Lunar module pilot James B. Irwin, also in the module, sits out of view. The trio makes up the prime crew for the Apollo 15 lunar landing mission.

Apollo 15 Prime Crew

NASA

An official NASA photo presents the prime crew for the Apollo 15 lunar landing mission with the Lunar Rover  from left, James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot; David R. Scott, commander; and Alfred M. Worden, command module pilot.

Apollo 15 Lunar Module and Rover

NASA

At Kennedy Space Center on April 21, 1971, the Lunar Roving Vehicle and Lunar Module go through simulations. During NASA's fourth lunar landing mission, astronauts David R. Scott, commander, and James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot, will visit the moon's surface. Rover 1 will enable exploration of a larger area of the moon and sample collecting than prior missions.

Geology Training in AZ

NASA

In early November of 1970, astronauts David R. Scott and James B. Irwin, on the right, practice with a Lunar Roving Vehicle simulator. Scott and Irwin are two of the three prime crew for the Apollo 15 lunar landing mission. The team pause at the edge of a 30-foot deep crater at the Cinder Lake crater field in Arizona. The lunar simulation, nicknamed "Grover," was created by the United States Geological Survey.

More Driving Lessons

NASA

Inside Building 5, the Mission Simulation and Training Facility of the Manned Spacecraft Center, two of the three prime crew of the Apollo 15 lunar landing mission participate in a training session during the Lunar Roving Vehicle "one G" training. Astronaut David R. Scott, commander, stands to the right of the rover and astronaut James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot, stands to the left.
The eclipse is here! Updated Aug. 21 with final webcast details. You can watch all the major NASA webcasts on one page here.

Experience the 2017 total solar eclipse virtually: People who are outside the eclipse path, under cloudy skies or hoping to stay indoors have plenty of options to watch the celestial event live.

Whether you want expert commentary, eclipse history and legends, music derived from the shadow's path or just clear views of the disappearing sun, the livestreamed webcasts on this list should have you covered. (We will be constantly updating this list with new webcasts and livestreams as they are announced.)

Visit the Space.com homepage for live eclipse views from NASA, and see our best livestream picks on our watch live page  but read on to choose from the many livestream options available. [Total Solar Eclipse 2017: When, Where and How to See It (Safely)]

NASA's livestream, called "Eclipse Across America: Through the Eyes of NASA," will feature live views of the eclipse, from viewers around the world, 11 spacecraft and three NASA aircraft; and from more than 50 high-altitude balloons and astronauts on the International Space Station; plus views of eclipse celebration events across the country, NASA said in a statement. Viewers may also expect commentary and presentations by NASA scientists; the webcast will last for multiple hours. Watch NASA's eclipse webcast here  there are options to watch through NASA Edge, NASA TV, Ustream, YouTube and more. NASA's Facebook page will carry a 4K, 360-degree livestream of the eclipse from Charleston, South Carolina.

Slooh, the online community observatory, is hosting a three-day celebration of the eclipse in Stanley, Idaho, and will provide live coverage of the event itself as the eclipse races from coast to coast. The online observatory will also feature commentary from experts "covering everything from the science of eclipses, advice on how to observe the eclipse from your own backyard, together with [its] team of cultural correspondents, who will shed light on the history and spirituality of eclipses." You can watch that webcast at Slooh.com starting at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT), and we will also stream it live on Space.com, courtesy of Slooh.

The Eclipse Ballooning Project, in collaboration with NASA and the online video platform Stream, will be broadcasting live views of the eclipse from the edge of space through more than 57 cameras sent up on weather balloons across the country here: http://eclipse.stream.live/

Exploratorium, a science museum based in San Francisco, will produce five livestreams of the eclipse as filmed from two locations starting at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT). The streams will include silent telescope feeds from Madras, Oregon, and Casper, Wyoming; Spanish- and English-language narrated eclipse feeds with telescope views from both locations; and a special "sonification" of the eclipse by Kronos Quartet, a string instrument group, streamed from the Exploratorium's campus in San Francisco: https://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse (The streams are also available on their app for on-the-go watching.)

EarthCam will broadcast live views from 45 different camera locations, watching shadows pass over cities like Seattle; St. Paul, Minnesota; St. Louis; and New York, and look in on the bears at ZooMontana in Billings, Montana, and giraffes at Greenville Zoo in South Carolina to see their reactions to the unexpected twilight. Check out views from the many webcams starting with San Francisco at 12:01 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT): https://www.earthcam.com/events/solareclipse/2017/

ABC will air a two-hour special on the eclipse starting at 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT). It will be anchored by David Muir and will feature reporters checking in from viewing parties and events, and interviewing people as they watch the eclipse, according to Brian Steinberg at Variety. Meteorologists Ginger Zee and Rob Marciano will also weigh in from Nashville, Tennessee, and Lincoln City, Oregon, respectively. The broadcast will also air on http://abcnews.go.com/live as well as Facebook Live and YouTube.

CNN and Volvo will provide a 360-degree view of the eclipse with 4K resolution from different locations along the eclipse path. The stream will also be viewable in virtual reality, which people can navigate by moving a phone or virtual reality headset. The livestream begins at 12:03 p.m. EDT (1603 GMT): http://www.cnn.com/specials/vr/total-solar-eclipse-2017/

USA Today Network and Instagram have partnered to livestream the eclipse and interview viewers on the scene from multiple locations along its path: Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. USA Today Network will also broadcast a Facebook Live with feeds from NASA, AP and local networks. Find the livestreams here: https://www.solareclipse.usatoday.com

Science Channel will broadcast views from Madras, Oregon, in partnership with the Lowell Observatory, according to Patrick Hipes at Deadline.com, starting at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT) and will feature retired astronaut Mike Massimino as host based in Charleston, South Carolina. In addition to the live coverage, Science Channel will air an hourlong overview of the eclipse at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 on Aug. 22 GMT)  competing with PBS' NOVA, which will also be airing a documentary about the day's events at 9. More details from Science Channel: https://www.sciencechannel.com/tv-shows/great-american-eclipse/

Virtual Telescope Project will host a free online observing session with views of the total solar eclipse beginning at 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT), with footage from a team of collaborators around the globe, according to Virtual Telescope Project's Gianluca Masi. Watch it here: https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/webtv/

Western Sol is a short film that will be shot and streamed live during the eclipse from a movie-set replica ghost town in Wyoming. The movie by Slackline Films, which features a rancher forced to rob a bank, will begin at around 1:25 p.m. EDT (1745 GMT), featuring an in-story and real totality 13 minutes later. Watch it on Facebook or YouTube here: https://www.westernsol.com/watch (the links should appear at the film's start time)

You can find additional eclipse livestreams on these YouTube channels: The Weather Channel, PBS NewsHour, Telemundo, Univision, Washington Post, TIME, NBC News, CBS News

Editor's note: Space.com has teamed up with Simulation Curriculum to offer this awesome Eclipse Safari app to help you enjoy your eclipse experience. The free app is available for Apple (opens in new tab) and Android, and you can view it on the web. If you take an amazing photo of the Aug. 21 solar eclipse, let us know! Send photos and comments to: spacephotos@space.com.
Gianluca Masi, an astrophysicist with the Virtual Telescope Project in Italy, captured this view during his live broadcast of the partial lunar eclipse on Aug. 7, 2017.

In a subtle but stunning prelude to the Great American Total Solar Eclipse of Aug. 21, a partial lunar eclipse graced the night skies over Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia on Monday (Aug. 7).

Lunar eclipses occur when the Earth is positioned in between the sun and the moon, casting a reddish-brown shadow on the lunar surface. Monday's lunar eclipse was only a partial eclipse, so Earth's shadow darkened only a portion of the moon. The total solar eclipse of Aug. 21, however, will be a far more spectacular event.

Because of how the moon orbits the Earth, lunar eclipses always coincide with a full moon, and solar eclipses coincide with the new moon. The two types of eclipses always come in pairs, with one preceding the other by two weeks.

The full moon rises over the island of Gozo in the Maltese archipelago of the Mediterranean Sea during the partial lunar eclipse of Aug. 7, 2017. (Image credit: Andrea Muscat

Skywatchers in North America who are in the path of the upcoming total solar eclipse didn't get to see Monday's lunar eclipse, because the moon was below the horizon at the time. However, skywatchers and astronomers in the East captured plenty of amazing photos and videos of the astronomical event to share online. [Shadowy Moon: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Photos]

In Amman, Jordan, astrophotographer Zaid Abbadi brought his camera and coffee mug outside to photograph the lunar eclipse as the moon rose high in the evening sky. The moon appears slightly yellow closer to the horizon due to the scattering of light in Earth's atmosphere. As the moon begins to shine brighter and whiter, Earth's shadow begins to hide a chunk of the lunar surface.

The same atmospheric effect that makes the moon appear darker near the horizon is also responsible for colorful sunsets. During total lunar eclipses, it gives Earth's shadow a reddish tint on the surface of the moon.

Andrea Muscat, a photographer and meteorologist on the island of Gozo in the Maltese archipelago of the Mediterranean Sea, photographed a more orange-hued moon during Monday's partial lunar eclipse.

Photographer Zaid Abbadi created this composite of the full moon rising over Amman, Jordan, on Aug. 7, 2017. (Image credit: Zaid Abbadi

"The event lasted for just over one hour, starting at moonrise," Muscat told Space.com in an email. "The fact that it occurred at moonrise meant that we were entertained to [an] amazing view of the rising red moon being eclipsed by the Earths shadow."

In Italy, astrophysicist Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project broadcasted a live view of the full moon rising over Rome as the partial lunar eclipse took place. This screenshot of the Virtual Telescope Project's webcast was taken about 7:30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT), less than an hour after the moon emerged from the horizon and just 10 minutes after the peak of the lunar eclipse.

Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
During a solar eclipse, skywatchers get quite a show. As the moon crosses in front of the sun, it affects the light streaming from the star, and various phenomena occur. Some, such as the sun's corona, appear only during a total eclipse, while others, such as Baily's beads, reveal themselves during both total and annular eclipses. Let's take a look at the show the sun and moon will provide. Remember, it is not safe to look at an eclipse without eye protection.

Types of eclipses

First, it's important to differentiate among the three types of solar eclipses. During a total solar eclipse, the moon covers the entire body of the sun, blocking it out completely. During an annular eclipse, the moon also blocks the body of the sun, but not completely, leaving a ring of light around the star. Annular eclipses are often referred to as ring of fire eclipses for this reason. Finally, during a partial solar eclipse, the disk of the moon doesn't line up perfectly with the sun but instead appears to take a bite out of the bright star.

Baily's beads

Baily's beads are visible during both total and annular eclipses. These phenomena appear because the moon isn't a smooth disk, but is instead covered with mountains and valleys. Light streaming from the sun is broken up into a band of spots or beads revealed around the rim.

Baily's beads generally last for only a few seconds. However, according to Space.com's Skywatching columnist, Joe Rao, along the edge of the shadow path, "the beading effect can last for nearly a minute before the start of totality and for a similar interval as the sun begins to emerge."

Baily's beads are named for Sir Francis Baily, an English astronomer who published his observations of the May 15, 1836, annular solar eclipse in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. He also announced them at a talk that December at the Royal Astronomical Society.

"As with many cases in science, Baily was not the first person to observe or explain the effect," Kevin Schindler, Lowell Observatory public information officer and a historian, said on the observatory's website. Sir Edmond Halley spotted the beads during an eclipse on April 22, 1715. They were also observed from Edinburgh during the 1737 annular eclipse and from America in 1780, according to excerpts from the book "Observe Eclipses!" by Michael Reynolds and Richard Sweetsir, posted online by the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers.

Diamond ring

The beads slowly disappear as the moon continues to cover the disk of the sun. The last bead left, combined with the atmosphere of the sun still visible around the moon, looks like a giant diamond ring. The atmosphere, or corona, creates a brilliant white band around the dark body of the moon. As with the beads, it is not safe to look at the diamond ring without eye protection. It appears only during a total solar eclipse.

Like so much of a solar eclipse, Baily's beads and diamond rings have scientific merit. By measuring beads and rings from different locations along the path of the eclipse, researchers can precisely measure small variations in the diameter of the sun.

"In the past, observers were often lined up across the predicted edges of total eclipse paths to determine their locations, and from them, the size of the sun," astronomer and eclipse hunter David Dunham, of KinetX Aerospace, told Space.com by email. Since 1970, Dunham has measured Baily's beads and diamond rings for 16 eclipses, with the 2017 eclipse set to be his 17th observation. While his previous observations have been almost completely visual, Dunham said he hoped to make use of widely available technology during the 2017 eclipse.

"We want to repeat such efforts on Aug. 21, but now with everyone using smart phone cameras, to video record the beads and diamond ring from multiple locations near the path edges," Dunham said.

Solar corona & prominences

With the bright body of the sun covered by the moon, the fainter solar corona glows in all its glory. The far brighter light streaming from the body of the sun usually outshines the corona, which is about the same brightness as the full moon.

Along with the corona, beautiful prominences appear around the edge of the sun. Gigantic jets and loops of gas move around the solar magnetic field. Usually, these prominences shine in crimson due to hydrogen gas. The corona and prominences appear only during total solar eclipses.

Unlike Baily's beads and the diamond ring, the solar corona can be safely viewed without protective lenses. It will be visible for only a minute or two before the moon moves on, uncovering the sun once again. During a total solar eclipse, a growing crescent will appear on the opposite side from where the Baily's beads first disappeared.

"This crescent is the lower atmosphere of the sun, beginning to peek out from behind the moon, and it is your signal to stop looking directly at the eclipse," according to NASA's eclipse eye-safety website.

With the re-emergence of the sunlight, observers can see the diamond ring and Baily's beads appear in reverse order as the moon wraps up its eclipse of the brighter sun.

Follow Nola Taylor Redd at@NolaTRedd, Facebook ot Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+.

Additional resources
A giant star near the center of our galaxy hints, once again, that Albert Einstein was correct about gravity.

A group of astronomers in Germany and the Czech Republic observed three stars in a cluster near the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Using data from the Very Large Telescope in Chile, among others, the researchers tracked how the stars moved as they went around the monster black hole.

One of the stars, called S2, showed slight deviations in its orbit that might indicate relativistic effects, scientists said. If the observations are confirmed, then it shows that Einstein's theory of general relativity holds even under extreme conditions  in gravity fields produced by objects like the galactic center's black hole, which contains the mass of 4 million suns. General relativity says that massive objects bend the space around them, causing other objects to deviate from straight lines they would follow absent any forces on them. [The Strangest Black Holes of the Universe]

The position of the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy, as well as the giant star S2, are shown (inset) in this near-infrared image from the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile.The black hole's position is marked with an orange cross. (Image credit: ESO/MPE/S. Gillessen et al.)

"Most relativity tests are done with our sun and the stars, so they are in the 1-solar-mass or few-solar-mass[es] limit," Andreas Eckart, a professor of experimental physics at the University of Cologne in Germany, who led the research team, told Space.com. "Or with the [Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory] recently, that's a few 10s of solar masses."

The stars used in the observations are so close to the black hole that they move at 1 or 2 percent the speed of light, Eckart said, and they approach to within only about 100 times the Earth-sun distance of the black hole itself, which is quite close by galactic standards, he said. (Pluto averages about 39 times the Earth's distance from the sun, which is about 93 million miles or 150 million kilometers).

Using orbiting bodies to show relativistic effects is not new; observations of the planet Mercury in the 19th centuryshowed that its movements deviated from what Isaac Newton's theory of gravity predicted. At first, astronomers thought they had evidence of another planet, which they dubbed Vulcan. Einstein was able to show in 1915 that relativity could explain the deviation.

Mercury's motions proved Einstein correct, but the sun's gravity is weak compared to that of a supermassive black hole. This is why Eckart and his team set out to see if Einstein's theory held up in a more extreme environment. While gravitational lensing, the bending of light by massive objects, shows that massive objects bend space, the recent research is the first time anyone has taken precise measurements of any object orbiting so close to a black hole.

This artist's illustration shows the orbits of three stars, including the giant star S2, around the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Scientists say the stars' orbits may show effects predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity. (Image credit: ESO/M. Parsa/L. Calcada)

The measurement itself is not as precise as it might be, Eckart said. Future work will get a better read on the stars' positions and narrow down the result. He said one plan is to get better spectrographic measurements, which would reveal S2's movement more precisely.

Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
L ike millions of Londoners, I live in a rented flat  mines a little basement just off Kings Cross Road. The scale of the housing crisis means unless youre lucky enough to have help for a deposit  which I dont  getting on the property ladder is incredibly tough.

Many have given up hope  four in 10 young people think theyll never be able to buy a place, which isnt surprising when you realise itd take an average twentysomething in our city four decades to save up for a deposit for a flat.

All very depressing, but as is so often the case, its fascinating to see how entrepreneurs are responding in creative ways, like creating Community Land Trusts and coming up with innovative shared living schemes that make rented accommodation more sociable and affordable.

You see a parallel with the new generation of arts entrepreneurs bubbling up in London today. Unlike their predecessors, they know that they wont be able to access government funds to build shiny new arts buildings  those days of public sector largesse are over.

So these young art leaders are responding by taking over abandoned spaces and derelict corners of the city  using their ingenuity to turn empty car parks and building sites into galleries and performance venues. Its a fascinating trend  and youll find examples in every corner of the city.

Take the London Contemporary Music Festival, for example, run by Igor Toronyi-Lalic. Its the most acclaimed avant-garde music festival in the capital, but it doesnt take place in a fancy concert hall  instead it happens each year in empty multi-storey car parks or weird construction sites. Being in non-formal spaces makes the music more accessible to young people, many of whom wouldnt set foot in a stuffy concert hall.

Another great example of this new generation of arts entrepreneur is Fabien Riggall, who founded Secret Cinema, which transforms empty buildings into the most fantastical cinematic experiences, working with hundreds of actors to bring films to life.

Using derelict spaces allows Secret Cinema to be much more responsive than a traditional arts organisation  shortly after the riots in 2011, it organised a free screening in Tottenhams Broadwater Farm Estate, creating jobs for teenagers from the local area.

This social conscience is something these young arts entrepreneurs have in common  and its true too of the Shuffle Festival in Mile End, a community festival that started in a spooky abandoned mental asylum and now happens every summer in the 35-acre Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.

Shuffle was started by my wife Kate Mactiernan, along with Lizzy Daish and the film director Danny Boyle, to campaign for affordable housing in east London, and the not-for-profit event has gone on to raise enough money to build a permanent cultural venue for the local area.

This new generation of arts entrepreneur might be bringing obscure corners of the city to life, and helping make culture more accessible, but life isnt easy for them. For one thing, local councils tend to be extremely hostile to this kind of activity, threatening these small organisations with closure or eviction, and forcing them to spend thousands of pounds dealing with all the bureaucracy.

And central government funding continues to go overwhelmingly to the big established arts organisations, making it hard for these upstarts to plan for the long-term or expand their reach.

But whatever the obstacles, young people in our city continue to innovate, and make the best of the situation they face.

Its as true in arts as it is in housing  Londoners will always find a way.

The entrepreneur who got on his bike

Will Shu

Hats off to Will Shu  founder of food delivery business Deliveroo, one of the fastest-growing London tech companies. Rumours have been swirling that hes about to land a big new investment round  and whether or not thats true, hes clearly on the way to building a global business.

I first met Will, right  an American living in the UK  when he was starting out, and I remember being impressed by the way he used to get on his bike and deliver food himself, which was pretty unusual for a digital entrepreneur.

Even as his company has skyrocketed, Will still carries meals to peoples homes  a great example of how entrepreneurs shouldnt lose touch with day-to-day operations of their company, even if theyre lucky enough to expand as quickly as Deliveroo.

So next time you order a takeaway, be sure to look closely at exactly whos bringing the food to your door. If its an American bloke called Will, you probably dont need to give him a tip  hes doing pretty well as it is.
F elicia Yap had never heard of the Faber Academy until she got a friend request on Facebook from someone who claimed they recognised her from the Faber writing course.

Yap, a Malaysian-born biochemist-turned-historian  and now novelist  is explaining how she came to clinch a healthy six-figure advance for her debut novel, Yesterday, in a two-book deal, negotiated by literary super-agent Jonny Geller, joint CEO at Curtis Brown, no less.

I thought that if someone else thinks Im a student there, it may well be written in the stars that I should become one, says Yap, smiling, matter-of-factly. The story is a peculiar one. Yap, 36, accepted the Facebook request from the stranger  she looked lovely  and became friends with the woman who, she insists, was not out to recruit her. Nonetheless after learning more about the Faber Academy, Yap decided to enrol. The part-time, six-month, course, which costs 4,000, is famous for nurturing best-selling novelists, from S J Watson, Renee Knight and Rachel Joyce to this years Chloe Esposito, Alice Feeney and Sam Hepburn.

Interestingly many if not most of the graduates have produced high-concept novels which have been eagerly snapped up by literary agents and publishers for hefty advances  high-concept being more important these days than whether or not the author can actually write. Think foreign rights and Hollywood big bucks.

Pitched by the publisher Wildfire (a new imprint from Hachette) as a combination of before I Go to Sleep and Minority Report, Yaps high-concept novel might just as easily be termed dementia-meets-technology. As she herself is the first to admit, these are two of our biggest preoccupations.

Dementia scares the shit out of all of us, she says. To forget our own pasts is to forget our identities and sense of self. Thats why were obsessed with recording everything on our smartphones, taking selfies and tweeting  because theyre forms of remembering. I wanted to tell a story that taps deep into our innermost fears.

Yesterday is set in Cambridge in a kind of parallel dystopian world (dystopias also being very big right now) where everyone loses their memory when they grow up. There are Monos, who can only remember the past 24 hours, and Duos, who have 48-hour recall. The Duos appear to have the advantage over the Monos, especially when trying to solve a murder that was committed 48 hours ago. But this being high-concept, Yaps story is also full of unexpected twists and turns, along with the requisite sprinkles of revenge, lust and love.

Daniel Hambury/Stella Pictures

Im interested in the question of why we remember things, how we make memories, what we choose to remember and forget, and our capacity for self-delusion, Yap continues. Studies suggest that 80 per cent of what we remember isnt what really happened.

Her characters record what happens to them each day on an iDiary device, a techie detail that has already gone down especially well in selfie-centric South-East Asia, where people are glued to their smartphones all the time.

The best books to read this summer - in pictures 1 /12 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

Shes hooked too, she admits, so badly in fact that, when she discovered shed left her smartphone at home this morning, she had to get her economist fiance, Alexander Plekhanov  whom she met while doing competitive ballroom dancing in Cambridge  to fetch it from their Greenwich home. I actually felt naked, she says, looking down and pulling her hair over her shoulders. So, I wanted the book to reflect our obsession with technology as a medium for remembering. Studies suggest that using Google affects our capacity to remember, paradoxically, because we dont need to.

To muster the necessary concentration to finish off the final draft, Yap booked herself into a hotel near London City Airport for five days. You only get one chance and I didnt want to screw it up. I really wanted it to be right. The day I checked out at noon I was too terrified to send it out and just sat in the hotel lobby until 5pm. Eventually I thought: Sod it, Im going to send it out. Of the 24 agents [who had originally expressed an interest at the Faber Academy graduates open day] I sent it to eight because they tell you to stagger submissions. I thought Id have six weeks of peace but the next morning Jonny [Geller] rang saying hed read half and could we meet. I nearly fell off my chair.

Known for being commercially astute  his stable includes John le Carre, David Nicholls and Adele Parks, Geller rejected a pre-emptive offer for Yaps manuscript from one major publisher and took it to what became a heated auction last year. I remember when the final figures came in I was looking at my phone thinking, No, this cant be for real, says Yap. I was, like, collapsing on the floor, literally, and my partner was saying, Whats wrong? It was that much of a surprise. When you work on something in isolation you never expect someone to respond to like that.

With Hollywood directors beating a path to Yaps door and a second novel under way  called Today  its a prequel to Yesterday (see, this is high-concept stuff) and set before everyone lost their memory  Yaps tenacity and hard work seem to be paying off.

The best new thrillers- in pictures 1 /8 The best new thrillers- in pictures Into the Water is set to be released on May 2 10, Amazon, Order now Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough Two narrators, Louise and Adele, are both after the same man, David. Louise, a podgy single mum, is Davids PA. One day she bumps into pretty, sleek Adele and they become friends, Adele helping Louise to make the most of herself, lose some weight, dress better. What Louise doesnt know yet is that Adele is Davids wife Which player here is truly sinister? David? Or one of the ladies? 4.99, Amazon, Buy it now The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware Alcoholic travel journalist Lo, already on the verge of collapse after a burglary in her north London flat, sets off on a luxurious press trip, a cruise to Norway on the maiden voyage of a lavishly equipped boutique liner. But perhaps all is not what it seems? Does she witness a murder on board? Or, being so addled, is she getting it all wrong? 3.85, Amazon, Buy it now Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney Thirty-five-year-old Amber wakes up in hospital after an accident. But is she actually awake? She cant move, speak, open her eyes or remember what happened. Obviously. Hubbie, sis, Mum and Dad all crowd round for chatty bedside visits, believing her to be in a coma, while she can only listen, with that slightly sinking feeling. Gradually the memories begin to drip-feed back. Whos to say which ones are right? Uh-oh. 3.99, Amazon, Buy it now Find Me by JS Monroe Rosa, a brilliant Cambridge student, jumped off Cromer pier and disappeared  but five years later her boyfriend Jar cant accept that shes gone and becomes obsessed with proving that she is still alive. So is she really dead? Or can some evil genius be playing the cruellest games? Which of these alternatives would make the more interesting thriller, do you think? 5, Amazon, Buy it now The Girl Before by JP Delaney A bright young couple with a troubled past move into a beautiful house in Spitalfields, which is so pared down it doesnt even have a doorbell or wall lights. Ecstatic, they move in, but before long it seems as if the house may be hiding a secret. Its handsome architect, Edward, is distinctly dodgy too. Film rights have been snapped up by Michael Fifty Shades de Luca, so its a possible new TGOTT onscreen, too. 4.99, Amazon,Buy it now

She grew up in a tiny house in Kuala Lumpur, writing in Malay and speaking pidgin English, a mix of Malay, Cantonese and English. Its clear when she speaks that English is not her first language. My fiance read my manuscript out loud three times so I could hear the prose and the dialogue, and if he stumbled over something I would fix it.

Her father filled ATMs with cash for a living, her mother, not a tiger mother, was a clerk at a car repair shop. Yap came to the UK in 2000 to do a degree in biochemistry at Imperial College. She then worked at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, decided that the sterile environment wasnt for me and switched to studying history instead, winning a place at Cambridge to do a masters degree and then a PhD about Asian prisoners of war during the Second World War. She also worked as a journalist in Singapore.

Its very difficult to make the leap if you come from a less privileged background, she says. All my studies were funded by scholarships  nine in total  and the generosity of a benefactor who helped me with my undergraduate studies, which in turn paved the way for me to go to Cambridge.

As a consequence, Yap has just announced she is funding a Curtis Brown Yesterday creative scholarship worth 3,000 from the proceeds of her book deal, to help someone else in a similar position. The winner, who should have at least one parent who didnt go to university, will have the chance to work with an author-tutor on one of Curtis Browns novel-writing courses. In keeping with the wonderful principle of paying it forward, Id love to do the same today for a writing star of tomorrow.

Yesterday, published by Wildfire, is out on Thursday, 12.99
T he English and Dutch spent, or wasted, a good few decades of the 17th century at war with each other. The trigger was Oliver Cromwells Navigation Act, in which he decreed that only English merchant ships could dock in our ports. The Acts target was the Dutch, who had become the dominant economic force through their superior merchant navy.

The Anglo-Dutch wars ensued, the most humiliating episode of which was the Raid on the Medway in 1667, when the Dutch navy sailed into Chatham Docks and burned an entire English fleet to the ground. Ashes in the Thames. Since then there have been more than 300 years of nearly unbroken peace and brotherhood between the two nations  we even persuaded their CEO, the stadtholder William of Orange, to come and be our boss and king in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. But those early wars are instructive now in one sense: the rivalry was born from the similarities between our two nations, not the differences. Those historic parallels  both Protestant countries, seafaring nations with a global approach and a hunger to do business mean that Amsterdam could find itself pitched against London as the challenger city for British business after Brexit because the distance  both physical and cultural  is negligible.

Of the continental Europeans, the Dutch are closest to the Anglosphere, observes Ulrich Tiedau, a historian and senior lecturer in Dutch studies at University College London. He runs through all the existing Anglo-Dutch companies  the oil and gas giant Shell, publisher Reed-Elsevier, now called RELX, the publishing and data business, and Unilever, maker of washing powder among other things, that operate as cross-nation companies.

These Anglo-Dutch companies  there was competition originally and then they joined forces because of economic cultural proximity, says Tiedau.

Emmanuel Macron, the new French President, is brazen about rolling out the red carpet for international banks. Our neighbour Ireland has been talking up Dublin as an alternative base with low corporation tax as a lure, and Frankfurt uses the cold logic of being the home of the European Central Bank as the reason any financial institution should relocate there.

Amsterdam has been rather more demure. It hasnt altered or enhanced its proposition to international businesses since Brexit but, in the past month or two, several big financial institutions have pointed their barges in the Dutch direction.

The first was Japanese banking giant Mitsubishi UFG, which is said to be considering Amsterdam as its post-Brexit EU headquarters. Then RBS announced it too preferred the Dutch canal city. This might seem particularly galling after the British government bailed the bank out in 2008 after its hubristic acquisition of ABN-Amro, a Dutch bank. But tides flow back and forth and, because of ABN-Amro, RBS has already got a foot in Amsterdam and a Dutch banking licence.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte / AFP/Getty Images

The Amsterdam canals, built in the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, and the tulips, which caused the first futures market frenzy, are now the tourist attractions of the city. Behind those facades is a place that has embraced the 21st century.

Uber and Netflix have their European headquarters in Amsterdam, helped along by a benign tax regime. The city is laced with high-speed broadband and the internet cables from the US to Europe land not far away, making Amsterdam a hotspot for high-frequency trading. When international media companies like Disney and Time Warner, whose UK licences to broadcast into the EU will soon be defunct, consider whether to move, Amsterdam will be on the map.

I am holding talks with many companies, also with media companies, said Kajsa Ollongren, Amsterdams deputy mayor in charge of economic affairs. The creative industry in a broader sense is really strong, so that means that this is an interesting sector for us.

AFP/Getty Images

It also wins on another count. Shortly after our EU referendum vote The New York Times researched which of the European cities would be our rival. Amsterdam came out top. It ranked above Paris, whose score was dragged down by the local aversion to English as a lingua franca. The Dutch speak it happily and often better than us natives. Dublin lost out on its distance from Europe and its poor airport, and Frankfurt for lacking in nightlife and for concentrating too much power in Germany.

David Wells, chief financial officer of Netflix, was so happy with his time in the Netherlands that he made a video for I Amsterdam, the citys promotional website. Netflix closed its Paris office last year, centring its operations in Amsterdam and expects to triple its staff there to 400 by the end of next year.

Getty Images

Wells cites the stable government (or no government  they are still thrashing out details of a coalition four months after elections), good regulatory framework, and great airport connections as reasons to be there. Schipol airport with its six runways is just six minutes from Zuidas, Amsterdams business district, by train. By comparison, Heathrow has two runways and is a 40-minute journey into the city.

Amsterdam is cool enough for digital businesses. It tends to pull young people from around Europe, says Wells. It is a great city to live in so its easy to get them here. You can get young people to your business who understand consumers and culture across Europe.

British creatives love it. Graphic designer Jenny Lloyd has just moved there. London, she said had become too hard and tiring. Debbi Evans, a freelance creative, also has a base there. I read a poster promoting Amsterdam that I think sums it up well. It said something like, big city amenities, small city community  the best of both worlds.

There are high-skilled migrant visas, with the first 30 per cent of your salary tax free. With international schools, the forthcoming direct London-Amsterdam Eurostar service and a city centre small enough to be enjoyed on foot or by bike, the charms of Old Amsterdam as a place that welcomes the citizens of nowhere, the capital of the Netherlands becomes quite a proposition for disaffected Brits.

But this is all rather bittersweet. The Dutch didnt want Britain to Brexit. It was they who were among the strongest supporters of Britain joining the EU in the first place.

Amsterdam - in pictures 1 /17 Amsterdam - in pictures Amsterdam by night Shutterstock / photo.ua A room at the Hoxton hotel A design-conscious room at the Pulitzer Bikes are the way to get around Kate Lough Dim Sum Thing stall Kate Lough A steak bun from L'Entrecote Mobile Kate Lough Typical canal houses Kate Lough Mook Pancakes in Amsterdam West The Chocolate Sensation at Mook Nuvo Niche in Nine Streets Wilde Zwijnen Kate Lough The terrace at Venus & Adonis is a good spot for afternoon sun Kate Lough Pretty Amsterdam Kate Lough

It was at a moment of French weakness after de Gaulles passing, says Tiedau. The Germans and French used to be close on the EU project. The Netherlands were always a bit suspicious of their leadership.

Britain was the counterweight as a rival economic power. The Netherlands was the natural interlocutor  thats what the Dutch ambassador once told me.Over the decades, the two countries have had similar concerns about the EU: both argued for the single market, for EU enlargement and reform of the common agricultural policy, and a liberal external trade regime.

Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, was one of David Camerons few allies in the European Council. When our former prime minister decided to set out his plans for a renegotiation with the EU, and offer a referendum, he scheduled the talk for Amsterdam on Friday January 18, 2013.

International events intervened, it was pushed back to the 23rd and held in London, at Bloombergs headquarters, but throughout the speech you can see the commonalities he was trying to draw between the two nations: there is a nod to the entrepreneurs in the Netherlands as well as Cameron mentioning that Rutte himself had asked for the EU to re-examine its drive towards ever closer union.

For whatever they win, they also lose  trade between the two nations is finely balanced  and their lack of militant campaigning for business is a sign of respect.

Those 17th-century Anglo-Dutch trade wars were eventually won by the English, who rose as a European power, particularly through domination of the Americas, as the Dutch waned. New Amsterdam, a colony on the southern tip of Manhattan, was seized by the British and renamed New York. It would the ultimate irony of if Amsterdam now became the new London.

@joy_lo_dico
G ina Miller, the campaigner who won a Brexit legal challenge against the Government, has told how she is afraid to leave her home after being threatened with acid attacks.

The businesswoman said if the threats became too much to bear she would seriously consider leaving the UK.

Ms Miller spoke of her fears just weeks after Viscount Rhodri Philips was jailed for 12 weeks for racially abusing her on social media.

She told Verdict magazine: I have been getting threats of having acid thrown in my face for months and months now.

Ms Miller won a Brexit legal challenge against the Government / AFP/Getty Images

When I see someone walk towards me on the street with a bottle of water or something, I just freak out.

Ms Miller said she has had 24-hour security installed in her home, hired security guards and is forced to spend weekends at home with her family because she cannot face leaving the house.

If it came to the point that it was just too much to bear from a security point of view, if I sat down with my police teams and we felt that it was a really serious threat, I would have to seriously consider leaving the UK, she added.

Jailed: The 4th Viscount St Davids, Rhodri Philipps / PA

This would break my heart because I love this country and I am fighting for it. But we might have to.

Philipps, the 4th Viscount St Davids, was jailed after he offered 5,000 "for the first person to 'accidentally' run over this bloody troublesome first generation immigrant."

The 50-year-old wrote the comment just four days after Ms Miller won a landmark High Court challenge against the Government last year.

Philipps, of Knightsbridge, wrote: "This f***ing boat jumper come to country, then believes she knows better than the people of our country, what is best for us.

"If this is what we should expect from immigrants, send them back to their stinking jungles."

Gina Miller speaking outside court following Brexit ruling

The aristocrat also offered 2000 for one of his friends to "carve into pieces" an immigrant, Arnold Sube, whose housing situation had made the news.

Philipps, who insisted on being referred to in court as Lord St Davids, defended himself at a trial at Westminster magistrates court, insisting his comments had been "banter" and were not racist.

But Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot found him guilty of sending two menacing messages, saying his claims that the messages had not been race-fuelled slurs was "ludicrous".

In a victim impact statement, Ms Miller said Philipps' message was part of a "vicious hate campaign" as she was "vilified" for taking the Brexit case to the Supreme Court.

She said she felt "violated" by the Facebook post, adding that the level of racism aimed at her because of her challenge to the government over Brexit had left her "scarred".

Philipps sent the message to Ms Miller in November last year as she was challenging the government in court over triggering Brexit, arguing that Parliament should vote on the move.
Hooray! I am excited to be joined on the Opinion pages by Lance Clow and Steve Hartgen. I welcome other points of view. In fact, I rarely have enough differing opinions posted to my columns to suit me. I know that I always disagree with Steve concerning taxes. I decided to fire the first shot this morning.

For at least 40 years, there has been an anti-tax mantra coming from two bits of old information and one political ideology. Ronald Reagan ushered in trickle down economics spurred by two needs of the time. One was that our tax rates and brackets were out of date and needed to be adjusted to spur economic growth. Another was that there was an increasing belief that the nations welfare system was encouraging people to abandon paychecks for welfare checks.

The ideology, which has actually gained popularity in the ensuing years, is libertarianism. Reagan famously proclaimed, government is the problem, which led to a tax strategy called starve the beast. That strategy, which Ive mentioned before, says that decreasing government budgets will decrease the size of government.

I believe that the anti-tax strategy is no longer useful. It has become, in a way, a cause of dissatisfaction with government. Underfunded government agencies cut down on quality control first and then reduce staff and infrastructure needed to provide required service. This tactic has become a way for politicians who oppose a government organization, usually because of the regulations it enforces, to effectively render it useless without taking the fallout from shutting it down.

I am not speaking of only federal budgets. Reagan acolytes began to think of state budgets, too. Never mind that state budgets were much easier for the electorate to control and government services and regulations were closer to the grassroots. At the state level, people especially objected to property taxes.

In California, Paul Gann and Howard Jarvis pushed the infamous Prop. 13 in 1978. It limited the rise in assessed value of real property to 1 percent per year unless the property sold and a market value assessment was made. This was popular with voters who were becoming worried about the steep rise in real estate prices that threatened to make property taxes higher than mortgage payments. That is, until libraries cut their hours and the cost of education at public colleges and universities started to go up.

Here in Idaho the goal of lower taxes has become dogma to some. Steve Hartgen is one of the leaders of this group of legislators. The result in Idaho is decreased funding to schools K-12 and our colleges and universities; the shortfalls left to be made up inadequately by local taxes and increased tuitions.

Idahos transportation infrastructure has suffered. Our Legislature relied on federal government (oh, the horror!) funding to plan an inadequate remedy for roads damaged by winter flooding and freezing. They have not adequately funded essential infrastructure maintenance with the result of an increasing deficit in required work.

Our state parks have suffered. Public health agencies have cut back services. Take more control of federal lands? Forget it. Where would the money to do an adequate job come from? I know Im throwing stones here, and it is only to illustrate a point. That point is, by not talking publicly about the cost of doing things thoroughly rather than spending only to current budget limits, Idaho is not giving citizens a choice.

At the state level, it is possible to fund more government services without more government intrusion. The multiplier effect of government spending will increase the states economy. The more pleasant a place Idaho is to live, the more likely people will move in bringing jobs and further economic growth. Idahos Legislature and governor must give up the cut-taxes dogma and give Idahos citizens the choice to pay more taxes or even the same taxes and be increasingly satisfied with government action.
T he grandson of a Baronet who wrecked his own 1 million house in a spiteful attempt to stop it being sold following his acrimonious divorce has been jailed for 18 months.

Desmond Fitzgerald, 63, ripped out radiators, smashed furniture, pictures, and ornaments with a hammer, and wrenched lamps off the walls in a destruction spree at the luxury terraced house in Kings Cross.

He then blocked a sink and left the running water to flood the home he had shared with his ex-wife, lawyer Catherine Akester, Blackfriars crown court heard.

Fitzgerald, whose grandfather was military hero Major General Sir Allan Henry Shafto Adair, the 6th Baronet Adair, also tore to shreds one of Ms Akester's family photos during the rampage.

He stormed over to the home shortly after being told at a divorce hearing at Central London County Court on October 3 last year that the property would be sold.

Jailing him for 18 months today, Recorder Davinder Gill said Fitzgerald had deliberately defied a judge's order to stay away from the property in Medburn Street which he had shared with Ms Akester since 1994.

"This crime strikes at the heart of the system of justice," she said.

"I have no doubt you were in a blind rage when you realised your attempts to prevent the sale of the property had finally come to an end. So you decided to embark on a criminal act.

"It was not only revenge and retribution on your former wife but also in defiance of the family court."

Medburn Street, where the spree took place / Google streetview

The judge found Fitzgerald had planned the destruction and was "determined to embark upon that course of action".

"You knew what you were doing, and you had the insight and forethought to remove your belongings from the premises and then proceeded to cause substantial criminal damage", she added.

Fitzgerald, who insisted he had been framed throughout his trial, left behind bloody fingerprints proving he was responsible for the damage, valued at more than 21,000.

Describing the "scene of some devastation" that she found, Ms Akester told the court: "Almost all the kitchen ceiling was down, with bricks and ceiling all over the floor.

"The radiators had been pulled out through the house, lamps had been pulled off the wall, furniture and pictures had been smashed with a hammer which was still there."

Fitzgerald deliberately blocked the bathroom sink with a towel to flood the home, and tore her family photo into "tiny, tiny shreds" so it was beyond repair.

"I found that extremely hurtful, it was very malicious, it was unnecessary," added Ms Akester.

Fitzgerald shunned legal representation at trial, defending himself, and launched an array of applications in an attempt to derail the criminal proceedings.

Catherine Akester said a family photo was torn into 'tiny tiny shreds' / Tristan Kirk

But the judge on Wednesday attacked his "aggressive and arrogant" attitude that meant she had to appoint a barrister to question Ms Akester on Fitzgerald's behalf for her own protection.

"You made several applications, some ludicrous, during the course of the trial, adopting a hectoring attitude not only to the witnesses you were allowed to question but also to me as the trial judge when I delivered judgements that went against you," she added.

Fitzgerald, who wore a brightly coloured spotted tie and a dark suit, simply raised his eyebrows as the sentence was passed.

His barrister, Karlia Lykourgon, argued Fitzgerald had been under "enormous emotional stress" when he committed the crime and argued for a suspended prison sentence.

But the judge ruled the damage had been pre-planned and only an immediate prison sentence could be passed.

Fitzgerald, who has already spent more than a month behind bars while awaiting sentence, had been temporarily homeless during his trial and seeking help from Crisis.

The court heard his personal wealth has dwindled thanks to a long-running civil dispute over his aunt's estate in Ireland.

He will be freed after nine months of his prison sentence and subject to a three-month of supervision. He is also banned indefinitely from contacting Ms Akester under a restraining order.

Fitzgerald denied but was convicted of destroying property.
H undreds of cleaners, porters and security guards at four London hospitals are to step up industrial action over pay by striking for 25 days in the coming weeks.

Unite members at Barts Health NHS Trust, employed by Serco, will walk out on Friday August 18 until Monday August 21, and then from Friday to Monday every week until September 18.

The workers, who are insisting on a 30p wage increase to keep pace with the increasing costs of living in the capital, have been taking strike action for weeks, with the latest stoppage ending on Monday. Talks are due to be held on Friday.

Unite regional officer Ruth Hydon said: "Hundreds of low-paid workers vital to maintaining a clean and safe health service are fighting for fair pay and dignity at work.

"They have already taken 23 days of strike action and are preparing for 25 more days of action during August and September.

Striking staff from Barts hospital protest outside shareholder meeting

"Serco has an opportunity to end this dispute at England's largest health trust by offering a fair pay offer at talks this Friday.

"The strikes have been solidly supported and it's quite clear that Unite members remain determined and focused.

At recent talks Serco offered a measly 2 extra a week when workers are calling for an extra 30 pence an hour.

After years of pay deals which have meant pay cuts in real terms they deserve better.

"We urge Serco to get serious and address the scourge of low pay affecting the workforce who keep our hospitals safe and clean"

The industrial action affects Whipps Cross University Hospital, Royal London Hospital, St Bartholomew's Hospital and Mile End Hospital.

Phil Mitchell, Serco contract director, said: "In agreement with the Trust, we guaranteed to pay our staff at least the London Living Wage of 9.75 an hour from day one of our contract, which has resulted in an average increase in pay of 3.5% for over 140 permanent staff.

"For those staff on higher salaries, we have protected their terms and conditions and offered a pay increase for this year which is in line with other NHS colleagues.

"Our absolute priority during the strike has been to continue ensuring a safe, clean and caring environment for patients.

"Feedback from the Trust on how we have maintained services and patient safety has been positive and we have robust plans in place to ensure we can continue to support the Trust's hospitals to operate as normal should Unite's next planned action go ahead."
P olice are closing in on a jogger who pushed a woman into the path of an oncoming bus on Putney Bridge.

Scotland Yard said officers are following a number of lines of enquiry and that they had received a good response to their appeal, after releasing CCTV footage of the man barging into the 33-year-old victim.

She was lucky to escape serious injury after the bus driver swerved to avoid her on the bridge in south-west London.

Police said the bus stopped and passengers tended to the woman, who suffered bruising and back pain, following the attack on Friday, May 5 at about 7.40am.

Police are still hunting for this man

Officers said the jogger ran the other way across the bridge around 15 minutes later and the victim attempted to speak to him, but "he did not acknowledge her".

Police said they are continuing to appeal for information.

The jogger is described as a white man, aged early to mid-30s, with brown eyes and short brown hair. He was wearing a light grey t-shirt and dark blue shorts.

On Wednesday, a psychology professor claimed the jogger was a well-to-do man who thought he owned the pavement.

The jogger heading towards the female pedestrian on Putney Bridge

Professor Craig Jackson, from Birmingham University, said he didnt think there was anything wrong with the runner mentally.

Instead, he argued that the man  who is being hunted by police - displayed the pedestrian equivalent of road rage.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, he said: What were clearly looking at here is an individual who believes he is more important and more valuable than somebody else.

He plays a game of chicken with this individual and hes clearly thinking why should he move, its his pavement.

Anyone with information or any witnesses are asked to call Putney Safer Neighbourhood Team on 020 8785 8874 or 101 or tweet @MetCC or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
A fantasist caught on camera terrorising a vulnerable gay man in his own home has been found guilty of murder.

As the verdict came in, police faced accusations that they missed opportunities to catch murderer James Marshall before he killed another man.

Posing as a policeman and an MI5 agent, Marshall, 28, stripped, gagged and smothered 58-year-old Peter Fasoli with cling film before torching his flat to cover his tracks.

For nearly two years, computer repairman Mr Fasoli's death was put down to an accident until his nephew stumbled across CCTV of his murder stored on his hard drive. The sound of Myleene Klass's Classic FM show was playing in the background of the footage.

In the meantime, Marshall had used Mr Fasoli's bank cards to buy a flight to Rome, where he continued his violent spree, killing a second man and attempting to murder a third within weeks.

Marshall, from East Ham, east London, who is already serving 16 years for the attacks in Italy, was found guilty of Mr Fasoli's murder and arson following an Old Bailey trial.

CCTV footage showed Marshall inside Mr Fasoli's flat / PA

The case raised questions about why the original investigation failed to spot that Mr Fasoli's bank cards were used after his death or that his murder was caught on CCTV.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who monitored the case, likened it to that of the serial killing of gay men by Stephen Port, and said he was "shocked" the Independent Police Complaints Commission was not investigating.

He said: "Officers appear to have not checked Fasoli's mobile phone, computer, bank transactions and the CCTV at his flat.

"If they had done these checks, they would have quickly discovered suspicious evidence, including a computer file that recorded hours of torture and eventual murder.

"Fasoli was incinerated in a fire started by Marshall to cover up the killing. Police say the fire service said the blaze was accidental, caused by a faulty light bulb.

"But the light switch was in the off position, so this clearly was not the cause.

"This is yet another instance where a murdered gay man has been let down by the authorities."

The trial had heard how former male escort Marshall stalked victims on gay dating website Badoo.

He went to Mr Fasoli's flat in Northolt, west London, on the evening of January 6, 2013, on the pretext of bondage sex, dressed as a law enforcement agent complete with handcuffs, police utility belt, holster and latex gloves.

He "arrested" Mr Fasoli "for being a spy" and during his fake interrogation he threatened to cut his tongue with a large hunting knife to extract his PIN numbers. He then stole 780.

Jurors were shown harrowing footage of the victim bound and naked on his bed, begging for his life and complaining he could not breathe when Marshall wound cling film around his head.

The original investigation into Mr Fasoli's death concluded he died accidentally from smoke inhalation and the blaze was probably caused by a light bulb above his bed, although the court heard it was switched off.

After the footage emerged of the killing, a pathologist found that asphyxiation also contributed to his death, although he was still alive but unconscious when the fire started.

While on the run in Italy, Marshall strangled Vincenzo Iale, 67, with electrical flex in his flat and made off with his bank card and car on January 26, 2013.

Just over a week later, he posed as a British embassy official when he met Umberto Gismondi, 54, armed with a holster, utility belt, pistol, pepper spray and truncheon.

He bound and gagged Mr Gismondi as he demanded cash but fled after the victim managed to alert his neighbours.

In July 2014, Marshall was found guilty of murder and attempted murder and was jailed for 16 years.

At his Italian trial, the defendant claimed someone else killed Mr Iale and that Mr Gismondi had attacked him.

But he told his Old Bailey trial that was a lie, and claimed to have suffered from amnesia the whole time.

Marshall told jurors he enjoyed dressing up as officials and was arrested many times for impersonating police officers.

Under cross-examination, he admitted he got pleasure from dominating naked men while pretending to be a policeman, although S&M sex was just "a well-paid venture".

Asked by Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC if he had been trying to "terrify" Mr Fasoli, he said: "Yes, my lord, with the prospect of torture."

Reporting by Press Association
A 15-year-old boy has been stabbed to death in the street in south London.

The victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene in Thornton Heath, is the second teenager to be fatally knifed on the capitals streets in just 24 hours.

Police were called at 11pm on Tuesday to a male stabbed in Georgia Road near the junction with Green Lane.

Paramedics rushed to save him but he was pronounced dead shortly before midnight.

Georgia Road remained cordoned off on Wednesday morning as police officers combed the scene. There have not been any arrests yet.

Police believe they know the identity of the victim but are awaiting formal identification and confirmation that his next-of-kin have been informed.

This latest killing is thought to be at least the 13th fatal stabbing of a teenager in London this year.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, a 19-year-old was stabbed to death on the Old Kent Road in Southwark.

Police believe he had been involved in an altercation with a large group of people outside the Afrikiko bar.

Five people were arrested on suspicion of murder near the scene of the crime. They were two 23-year-old men, a 21-year-old man and two 25-year-old women.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation should call police via 101.
A busy train station in north London has been closed after its ticket hall flooded as the capital was battered by torrential rain.

Highbury and Islington station was shut after it became waterlogged, and passengers were being urged to seek other routes.

A Transport for London (TfL) response team were working to clear the water after the closure shortly before 11am on Wednesday.

The Victoria line was not stopping at the station.

It comes as a weather warning was issued for London on Wednesday, with heavy rain, thunderstorms and possibly hail, set to hit.

A yellow weather warning for rain has been issued for London as well as the South East, Midlands and East Anglia.

TfL has apologised for the disruption.

A spokesman said: We apologise to customers whose journeys have been disrupted this morning. Highbury and Islington station is currently closed due to flooding, caused by heavy rain.

Were working to clear the water as quickly as possible so that services can return to normal. Passengers are advised to check the TfL website and our social media feeds for the latest information.

Over the next 24 hours, up to 80 millimetres of rain could fall across parts of the country as heavy downpours are expected to continue.

The station reopened shortly after 12.20pm.
A young woman who started a petition for changes in the law after someone took a photograph up her skirt "with no consequences" has today called on Londoners to write to their MPs.

Gina Martin, 25, spotted a mans phone screen at BST Festival in Hyde Park last month, saw a womans thighs and underwear, and was "shocked" to realise the crotch in the image was her own.

The copywriter said the Met Police told her they could not punish the man because he had "done nothing illegal", so she launched a petition  which has now amassed more than 55,000 signatures - calling for "upskirting" to be added to the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Ms Martin told the Standard: Although the police were incredibly kind, the reaction was as bad as what that creepy man did to me  young women are not protected by the law when they ask for help.

I think women in general are told to brush off something like having a pervy photo taken of you because its not a massive deal, but its harassment and its happening all the time.

Loads of women have messaged me since I launched the petition, telling me the same thing has happened to them, or they have had pictures taken down their shirts, and no one really knows what to do  and nor do the police.

The ubiquity of mobile phones has seen a rise in the practise / Getty Images

England is lagging behind the rest of the world when it comes to protecting women from harassment via new digital media  Scotland and New Zealand have laws against upskirting specifically.

More than 55,000 people have signed my Care2 petition now, but it may not reach 100,000 and get a definite hearing in parliament. But I think if we can get enough women to write to their MPs demanding action, it can get discussed and the law may be changed.

Section 67 of the Sexual Offences act needs to be amended to label up-skirt photos or creepshots as a sexual offence. Period.

A leading criminal barrister joined the call for making upskirting a specific offense.

Simon Myerson QC told the Standard: Making upskirting a specific offence would be helpful.

I would try to work it around a definition of voyeurism. At the moment it involves watching other people engaging in sexual activity and I would try and get a definition that says taking photos of someones underwear or private parts  making sure to be careful to exclude swimwear and tight leggings etc or you get into a murky situation  is an offence, unless the person gave their express consent.

The upskirter could then potentially have their card marked as a sexual offender and go on the Sexual Offenders Register.

Ms Martins case has now been re-opened by the Met Police.

A spokesperson said: The Met takes allegations of voyeurism seriously and does and will investigate them thoroughly.

We use a range of policing tactics and deploy officers on specific operations to target this sort of criminal behaviour based on intelligence. We understand that it can be incredibly invasive and distressing for those that this happens to.

In this specific case we believed the allegation had originally been dealt with in line with the victims wishes. We have subsequently recontacted the victim and enquiries are ongoing.

See the petition for advice on how to contact your MP.
B rexit Secretary David Davis former chief of staff has branded Britains exit from the EU a catastrophe and urged sensible MPs to form a new party to resist it.

In an explosive series of tweets James Chapman, Mr Davis most senior aide until last month, said Brexit should be reversed and tweeted a hashtag promoting a second referendum in 2019.

He wrote last night: Past time for sensible MPs in all parties to admit Brexit is a catastrophe, come together in new party if need be, and reverse it #euref19.

He followed the tweet up by suggesting Remainer MPs Chuka Ummuna, Vince Cable, Anna Soubry, Nicky Morgan, Rachel Reeves, Nicholas Soames, Pat McFadden and Stella Creasy should get involved.

Chapman, who also used to be the political editor of the Daily Mail, added: Also, well past time for sensible journeys on papers that supported Brexit to admit it is going to destroy lives of many of their readers.

Vince Cable, who recently became the leader of the Liberal Democrats, tweeted his support for Chapman, calling him a very wise man.

Other Remainers also tweeted their support.

Journalist Nick Cohen wrote: "Am tweeting not only because this is true but because @jameschappers was David Davis's chief of staff."

Author Bonnie Greer added: "David Davis' former chief of staff calls for a new Party to campaign to reverse the catastrophe of Brexit."

Chapman joining the Department for Exiting the European Union after last year's EU referendum.
H undreds of children, some as young as five, have been excluded from school for sexual misconduct, an investigation has revealed.

School pupils have been kicked out of the classroom, both permanently and temporarily, for being involved in sexual acts in the past four years.

According to the new figures, sharing indecent images and watching pornography are among the incidents children are being excluded for.

In a staggering indication of gender divide, the data shows there were 18 incidents involving boys for every one involving a girl.

The vast majority of exclusions were on a fixed-term basis, with 14-year-olds the most likely to be involved in sexual misconduct.

There were 754 reported incidents between July 2013 and April 2017, according to the local authorities in England who released figures under the Freedom of Information Act.

However, the true figure is likely to be much higher as the vast majority of councils contacted said they did not hold the information or refused to disclose it.

The data has prompted calls for sex education to be "dragged into the 21st century".

An NSPCC spokesman said: "Every child has the right to feel safe at school.

"Preventing harmful sexual behaviour through proper, up-to-date sex and relationships education is immeasurably better than excluding children after the harm has been done.

"By giving children the right information about sexuality, consent, risks and protection, we teach them how to make healthy relationship decisions, how to treat others and how to know when something is not right.

"Social media, sexting, online porn and dating apps did not exist when sex education was introduced on the curriculum a generation ago.

"It must be dragged into the 21st century, it must be consistent, and it must be offered in every school as part of a broader PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education) curriculum."

In March, the Government announced children would be taught about healthy relationships from the age of four, with sex education compulsory in all secondary schools, from September 2019.

Wednesday's figures show seven cases of children in the first year of school were involved in sexual misconduct during the four-year time period, although an age range breakdown was not available from every authority.

There were at least 40 incidents of children below 10 years old, the age of criminal responsibility, disciplined for misdemeanours.

Schools said children could be censured under the term "sexual misconduct" for a range of issues, including sexual abuse, assault, bullying, graffiti and harassment, as well as lewd behaviour.

Other examples included holding, distributing or requesting indecent images, accessing internet pornography, and sexual misconduct involving social media.

The figures do not include those where children were victims at the hands of staff or adult volunteers.

There was a surge in incidents as children reached secondary school - with 66 cases involving 12-year-olds, peaking at 120 for those aged 14.

The figures show the numbers trail off for those aged 15 (86 cases), 16 (41) and 17 (eight).

The data was based on results from 15 local authorities with data.

A DfE spokesman said: "Sexual assault of any kind is an offence and must always be reported to the police.

"Schools should be safe places and we issue safeguarding guidance to protect pupils' welfare.

"As announced in March 2017, all primary schools will be required to teach relationships education and all secondary schools will have to teach relationships and sex education in the future.

"We want to help all schools deliver these lessons so that young people are equipped to have healthy relationships and treat each other with respect."
C ladding on Londons newest hospital building failed fire safety checks ordered after the Grenfell Tower disaster, the NHS revealed today.

The 160 million Guys Cancer Centre opened last September as part of a vision to develop world-class cancer care at Guys and St Thomas NHS trust.

Initial investigations raised no concerns but subsequent checks found that rain screen panels on the 14-storey tower were made of aluminium composite material.

Similar materials are thought to have contributed to the spread of the inferno at Grenfell Tower, in which at least 80 people died on June 14.

Work to replace the cladding, which covers about 15 per cent of the exterior, is due to begin within weeks. The building, which has fire detection systems and sprinklers, will remain open after London Fire Brigade said it was safe.

Government guidance issued last week states that aluminium composite material presents a significant fire hazard on tall buildings.
T he mother of a British model allegedly kidnapped in Italy to be sold as a sex slave today insisted her daughter is telling the truth.

Chloe Ayling, 20, from Coulsdon, south London told Italian police she was abducted, drugged and transported in a bag from Milan to Turin where she was held for six days while her captors tried to sell her on the Dark Web to Middle Eastern buyers.

The models mother, Beata, today told the Standard her daughter is still recovering from the terrifying ordeal and claims that she was complicit in a fake kidnapping plot are all lies.

Mrs Ayling said: People are making up lies about my daughter. She is recovering now after what has happened. It has been terrible for her.

Model Chloe Ayling near her home in Coulsdon

It will all come out when she is ready to speak out against these lies.

'Kidnap ordeal' model recalls terrifying experience

She has had a terrible few weeks. As her mother, I was very worried and just want her to recover so she can speak out against the lies.

Carla Bellucci, a model agent who used to represent Ms Ayling, said: As a friend I want to believe her. I was supposed to see her yesterday, but shes signed with a new celebrity agency and theyve told her not to talk to me.

Chloe Ayling was kidnapped in Milan and held captive for six days / Instagram

Ive heard theyre trying to get a 20,000 photoshoot deal. Chloes always been looking for fame. I just hope she hasnt been mislead by someone over this as shes so trusting.

Ms Bellucci, who runs Twenty One Model Management, added: Chloe asked me to be godmother to her son and I hope for his sake she can leave this all behind.

Milan: The inside of the house in Italy where police say the kidnapped British model was held. / Reuters

Ms Ayling has been signed up by Kruger Cowne, which also represents the likes of Sir Bob Geldof, Elle McPherson and Lily Cole.

Model Chloe Ayling was allegedly kidnapped in Italy by a sex slave gang / Instagram

Ms Aylings lawyer Francesco Pesce said yesterday she was too terrified to try to get away from her captor when he took her shoe shopping and to buy groceries.

A photo from the Italian police shows the inside of the house where the British model was held captive. / AFP/Getty Images

Ms Ayling told police she met Herba, 30, a Polish national who lives in Britain, when he booked her for a photoshoot in Paris in April.

Herba, who has been described as a fantasist by Italian police, reportedly told investigators he was diagnosed with leukaemia and was trying to raise money for treatment so agreed to work for a gang of Romanians based in Birmingham.
T he governor of Guam has urged calm amid fears that North Korea is considering carrying out missile strikes on the US territory.

Residents of the Pacific island say they're afraid after being caught in the middle of rising tensions between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.

North Koreas official news agency said on Wednesday that it's examining operational plans for attacking the island, a US military hub about 1,500 miles south of Tokyo.

It came hours after President Trump threatened the communist country "with fire and fury."

But the governor of Guam, Eddie Calvo, reassured residents, saying that there was currently no threat to the area.

"An attack or threat to Guam is a threat or attack on the United States," said Calvo, who said he spoke with White House officials Monday morning. "They have said that America will be defended."

A US air-force base on Guam is a possible target for North Korea / EPA

But residents were still concerned. Cecil Chugrad, a 37-year-old bus driver for a tour bus company in Guam, said: "I'm a little worried, a little panicked. Is this really going to happen?

"If it's just me, I don't mind, but I have to worry about my son. I feel like moving (out of Guam) now."

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Guam's Homeland Security Adviser George Charfauros urged calm and said defences are in place for such threats.

Guam is armed with the U.S. Army's missile defence system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, the same system recently installed in South Korea.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has threatened to strike the US with missiles / EPA

Todd and Mitch Thompson, two brothers who are both lawyers on Guam, said they haven't seen anyone panicking or stocking up on supplies.

"I think people are just stunned and really don't know what to think," Todd Thompson said.

North Korea made a similar threat a few years ago.

"I sort of laughed it off because I figured cooler heads in Washington would prevail, and it was just an idle threat," he said. "But I have to say, I'm not laughing now. My concern is that things have changed in Washington, and who knows what's going to happen?"

Both brothers plan to be off-island in the coming weeks.

North Korea has previously warned the US it has missiles capable of hitting major cities including Chicago and Denver.
S ix French soldiers have been injured after a vehicle allegedly drove into them in a suburb of Paris, according to local reports.

Police said the soldiers were "clearly targeted" on a street in Levallois-Perret in the north-west of the city just after 8am.

Two of the soldiers were believed to be seriously wounded, with four others suffering "minor" injuries.

Police were searching for the BMW vehicle after the driver fled the scene following the incident.

Paris police tweeted: "Incident in Levallois Perret: intervention of #Police in progress. A vehicle is wanted."

The soldiers were leaving their barracks at 8.15am when they were struck by the car, according to BFM TV.

The injured were taken to the Percy a Clamart military hospital.

Soldiers secure the area near the scene where French soliders were hit / REUTERS

A police spokesman said the vehicle appeared to clearly target the soldiers but the motive is unclear.

Patrick Balkany, the mayor of Levallois-Perret, told BFMTV the car appeared to have been waiting for the soldiers to leave their barracks.

The incident happened in the suburb of Levallois-Perret / REUTERS

He said: Its without doubt a deliberate act This vehicle was waiting for them.

The BMW accelerated very quickly the moment they came out. This happened in the middle of the town. It happened very quickly.

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The soldiers are reportedly part of Operation Sentinelle, an anti-terrorism operation set up following the 2015 attacks on Paris.
U S Defence Secretary James Mattis has warned North Korea to cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people".

Mr Mattis said any action by North Korea would be grossly overmatched by the US, and that Pyongyang would lose any arms race or conflict it started.

He said that while the US is pursuing diplomatic solutions, the combined military power of America and its allies is the most robust on Earth.

Mr Mattis issued a statement as he travelled to the West Coast.

US Secretary of Defense James Mattis / EPA

It comes after America declared itself ready to fight tonight and the US air force published photographs of two B-1B bombers taking part in a 10-hour mission with jets from South Korea and Japan.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump threatened to unleash fire and fury like the world has never seen on North Korea.

In apparent retaliation to his rhetoric, the rogue state said it was carefully examining plans to attack the tiny Pacific island of Guam, a US territory which hosts an air base, and create an enveloping fire in the region.

Today the islands inhabitants woke to find themselves in the crosshairs of the spiralling war of words. Governor Eddie Calvo released a two-minute video message to residents, telling them: I want to ensure that we are prepared for any eventuality.

He claimed there had been no change in the threat level but added: I have reached out to the White House this morning.

North Korea examines Guam attack plan after Trump's 'fire and fury' warning

"An attack or threat to Guam is a threat or attack on the United States. They have said that America will be defended.

A new report says Pyongyang's nuclear programme is progressing.

Meanwhile, France is urging all sides "to act responsibly and to de-escalate" tensions over North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

French government spokesman Christophe Castaner said Paris is "watching what's going on with concern" and "is ready to put all its means at disposal so we can find a peaceful solution".

The 10-hour mission in the Pacific came amid rapidly escalating tensions between the US and N Korea / EPA

Britain's UN ambassador said the United Kingdom "stands shoulder to shoulder with the United States" in tackling the nuclear threat from North Korea and making sure it cannot pursue its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Matthew Rycroft told reporters at UN headquarters in New York that the US and UK have been very clear in demanding a halt to North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. He said Kim Jong Un's regime should listen to and "act on that clarity".

Mr Rycroft stressed that North Korea "holds the key to sanctions being removed".

Asked whether Mr Trump's escalating rhetoric was hurting prospects for reviving negotiations, Mr Rycroft said: "What's hurting the six-party talks is the inability so far of the North Korean regime to do what it has to do which is to halt its nuclear programme and to halt its intercontinental ballistic missile programme.
N orth Korea has said it has made a plan to launch missile strikes on US air bases on the Pacific island of Guam.

The rogue state announced that it is considering medium-to-long-range missile strikes on the site.

Guam was on high alert after the threat of attacks was reported via the secretive nations strictly controlled state media.

As the rapidly escalating word of words between the White House and Pyongyang continue, here is why the bases are a target.

Special address by Guam Governor Eddie Calvo

Where is Guam?

Guam is a sovereign US territory in the western Pacific Ocean that is used by the country as a strategic military base.

About 7,000 American service members and their families are based there, and just under a third of its 210-square mile land is controlled by the US military.

The main US hub on Guam is Andersen Air Force Base, home of the B-1 long-range bombers - and there is also a naval base.

It is positioned just over 3000 miles from both Sydney and Hawaii.

What is the history of the island?

The island was captured by the US from Spain in 1898 during the Spanish-American war.

It is Americas most western territory but it is not a state.

Why is it a target and why is North Korea threating this now?

Its military significance makes it a target for Pyongyang, and it is within the range of a North Korean missile strike.

On Monday night, two US B-1 bombers flew from the bases over the Korean peninsula to join the South Korean and Japanese airforces for a 10-hour strategic bilateral mission.

North Korea examines Guam attack plan after Trump's 'fire and fury' warning

One of the pilots with the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron B-1 said: How we train is how we fight and the more we interface with our allies, the better prepared we are to fight tonight.

Tensions escalated after US President Donald Trump warned North Korea was to face "fire and fury." He also tweeted: "After many years of failure, countries are coming together to finally address the dangers posed by North Korea. We must be tough & decisive!"

How dangerous is the latest missile threat?

The Governor of Guam, Eddie Calvo, told his constituents that the island was under no immediate threat.

Guam resident blames Trump for North Korea threat

Guam's Homeland Security Adviser George Charfauros also urged calm and said defences are in place to combat the threat of missile strikes.

This comes as the United Nations Security Councils adopted tougher sanctions by Washington after long-range missile tests showed the state could potentially reach continental United States with its missiles.

Kim Jong-un's North Korea is angry at a series of UN sanctions and has threatened strikes on US air bases

Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull described North Korea as reckless, provocative, dangerous and a threat to peace.

"Its conduct is illegal, it's reckless, it's provocative, it's dangerous. And it threatens the peace of the region, the peace of the world," he said.

He added that a conflict with North Korea would be shattering and have "catastrophic consequences.
C alvin Harris has topped Forbes annual list of the worlds highest-paid DJs for the fifth consecutive year, beating Tiesto and The Chainsmokers.

The Scottish star, 33, made an impressive 37.4 million in between June 2016 and July 2017, thanks to his Las Vegas residencies and festival performances.

The producer and DJ also released studio album Funk Wav Bounces  Vol 1 earlier this summer, as well producing tracks for other stars including Katy Perry and Pharrell Williams.

Tiesto, who topped the list back in 2012, is second to Harris having made 30 million in the last year, mainly thanks to his live performances.

Best European Festivals 2017 1 /17 Best European Festivals 2017 Roskilde, Denmark Colours of Ostrava, Czech Republic Bilbao BBK, Spain Tomorrowland, Belgium Sziget, Budapest Sandor Csudai Secret Solstice, Iceland Primavera Sound, Spain Outlook, Croatia Obonjan, Croatia Meadows in the Mountains, Bulgaria Flow Festival, Finland Exit, Serbia Dimensions, Croatia

Relative newcomers The Chainsmokers, who have had a series of chart-topping hits and have played all over the world in the last, are in third place with 29.2 million.

Skrillex, Steve Aoki, Diplo and David Guetta were also in the top 10, as were the anonymous DJ Marshmello, Martin Garrix and Zedd.

Harris latest album failed to make the number one spot on the UK charts when it was released last month, pipped to the top spot by Ed Sheerans Divide.

The DJ made it onto last years list of highest-paid celebrities in Europe, coming in sixth place just behind The Rolling Stones.


L ove Island finalist Chris Hughes has sparked concern that he and Olivia Attwood are having problems.

The couple, who partnered up on the ITV2 dating show, were rocked by cheating rumours when Attwod was pictured with her ex, Bradley Dack last weekend.

But despite insisting that they are very much together, Hughes hinted that their relationship has been far from smooth sailing.

He tweeted a quote which read: You cant just give up on someone because the situations not ideal. Great relationships arent great because they have no problems. Theyre great because both people care enough about the other person to find a way to make it work.

His post came hours after fans accused the couple of faking their relationship in a bid to cash in post Love Island.

The couple have made appearances, featured in an exclusive shoot and interview for OK! and teamed up with Badoo.

Fans trolled Hughes Instagram account after he posted a promo video of himself and Attwood encouraging fans to sign up to the dating app to win a double date with them.

One user posted: So, their business relationship continues..

Another wrote: Thought they broke up lol.

A third said: Sooo confused why was she's getting all touchy with her ex.

Others harked back to their rocky romance on Love Island, with one user writing: Double date with them two and they'd be arguing the whole time.

Attwood shut down reports that she and Hughes had split, with the Motorsport Grid Girl praising Hughes for being a hero who puts up with her wild child ways.
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One of the many reasons China does not want foreign (especially American) ELINT (electronic intelligence) aircraft anywhere near their coastal waters is because of the progress China is making developing new military electronics and, more importantly, weapons for defeating or simply finding and destroying enemy electronic systems. This is particularly the case with Chinese HARM (high-speed anti-radiation missiles) developments.

China has been building these since the 1990s, starting with the Russian Kh-31P (both those it purchased and then built under license). After 2000 Chinese missile manufacturers developed optional anti-radiation guidance systems for their air-to-air missiles. This produced the CM-102 and LD-10 HARMs. China does not export the latest versions of these to foreign customers. The CM-102 and LD-10 are more similar, in appearance, to the American HARM because these all use solid fuel.

The original Chinese HARM was based on Russian work and that was upgraded as well. In 2009 it was revealed that China had upgraded 200 Russian Kh-31P HARM it imported in the 1990s. The Chinese were dissatisfied with the Russian seekers (that detected and homed in on radar transmissions) and developed one of their own. The Chinese seeker detects more radar frequencies (2-18 Ghz) and will hit within 8-10 meters of the radar transmission. China called its version of the Kh-31P the YJ-91 and it is still produced, despite its use of liquid fuel, because of its high speed and reliability.

The Kh-31 was originally developed as an anti-ship missile. The Russians quickly realized that, with a different seeker, the missile would also work well as an anti-radiation weapon. The anti-ship version has a range of 50 kilometers, while the ARM version is good for 110 kilometers. The .6 ton missile has an 87 kilogram (191 pound) warhead. SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses)

Since the late 1990s China has been trying to keep American recon aircraft away from their coastal areas to prevent these aircraft from detecting and recording activity by Chinese air defense systems and other military electronics. Carefully analyzing these systems from a distance (international waters are anything at least 22 kilometers from the coast) reveals vulnerabilities that U.S. could exploit in wartime. This is doubly troubling to the Chinese because the Americans are known to share this kind of information with their allies, especially Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

Yet China is building more ELINT ships and aircraft and these are always nearby when American naval forces hold training exercises, especially if it is done with American allies equipped with American and other Western equipment. This has always been the case when the U.S. comes to the training even with their own AGM-88 HARM. These come in various models, giving foreign users lots of options. Some export customers still buy the older AGM-88Bs but China is most concerned with the recent AGM-88E and AARGM models which Australia recently bought.

One reason the E model is so popular is that is capable of going after moving ships. This makes the AGM-88E an effective anti-ship weapon as well. China is very keen to find out how well this works.

The AGM-88F, the version with anti-ship capability completed testing in 2014 and entered service. There had been so many new features in the F model that eventually the 88F got a new name; AARGM (Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile) instead of a HARM. The older AGM-88s can easily be upgraded by simply replacing older sensors and guidance system components with new ones.

The AGM-88F has a GPS guidance added (with less accurate but jam-proof INS as a backup) added. The older AGM-88D also used GPS so that the missile, which normally homes in on radar transmissions, could be used to attack targets by location alone. The F model expands on basic GPS capabilities and also includes other features that assist in defeating enemy electronic defenses. What the GPS/INS provides is for a way for HARM to act on previous intelligence (about where an enemy radar is) while also using its radar signal homing capability and new anti-decoy features. Many countries now use a decoy emitter that send out a fake radar signal to lure the HARM away from the real radar. The 88F model uses GPS and more sensors and new software to get around all known deceptions (and some that havent been invented yet).

The first 88E production models were delivered in 2010 for testing on existing aircraft like the EA-18G, which entered service in 2011. AGM-88E testing ran into many problems in the three years before it entered service and there were more hardware failures than expected. The manufacturer admits that it is still working on some of these issues but that, in its current state, the AGM-88E is good to go.

The AGM-88 moves at high speed (2,200 kilometers an hour or 36 kilometers a minute). Over 24,000 AGM-88s, of all types, have been produced since the 1980s. AARGM weighs 361 kg (794 pounds) and can detect and attack targets more than 150 kilometers away while travelling at a speed of 2,450 kilometers per hour.

The AGM-88E can transmit a picture of the target, just before it is hit, so the user can be certain of what was taken out. The AARGM was developed jointly by U.S. and Italian firms. The original 1960s anti-radiation missile (ARM) quickly evolved into the HARM. Currently, there are orders for over 2,000 AGM-88E/Fs from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, Italy, and Germany.

The United States developed and began using anti-radiation missiles in the mid-1960s. The AGM-88 HARM entered service in 1985 as the AGM-88B and used passive radar seeker which home on enemy fire-control radars emissions in order to destroy it and thus render Surface-to-air missile (SAM) system useless (well at least those which use radars for target tracking). In 1999 (Kosovo War) HARM was found to be vulnerable. The Serbian forces limited their radar usage to minimum and used quick radar shutdown techniques and pack and leave tactic for their SAM units. Because of these HARM had problems with acquiring targets because the missile has precision guidance only when enemy radar is working during all the time (in offline mode missile uses INS/GPS only). As a result NATO forces failed to silence Serbian SAMs during the campaign.

China is apparently hoping to steal the new U.S. ARM technology and incorporate it into their various HARM missiles which must eventually be tested at sea to ensure that the anti-ship versions are working properly. If you know more about enemy HARM tech these systems are a lot less effective. This is especially true if you can keep secret how much you know. This the importance of ELINT, especially off the coast of foreign adversaries.
by Austin Bay August 9, 2017

Beijing's slow but belligerent invasion of the South China Sea has created Cold War conditions in the sub-tropical zone.

For diplomats, the question of the moment is this: Can we craft a political accommodation that can keep the peace while ensuring sovereign territorial rights?

China's claims in the South China Sea encroach on the territorial sovereignty of several Southeast Asian states. Its claims infringe on freedom of the navigation in a sea space freighters transit carrying cargoes worth $4 to $5 trillion a year. This brings the U.S., Japan and Australia into the confrontation. Another emerging Asian maritime power, India, is also concerned.

For almost three decades China has pursued a South China Sea expansionist strategy that literally relies on manufacturing islets in what was open sea or maritime territory within the Exclusive Economic Zones of Vietnam and the Philippines.

Here's how Beijing's slow invasion proceeds. Chinese construction barges anchor over a South China Sea reef or "sea feature" and begin pouring concrete. China, confident in its status as the regional super-power, ignores any squawks from the neighbors. Eventually a man-made islet appears, which Beijing then declares to be as Chinese as Shanghai. Often Beijing adds an explosive cap to the island -- anti-aircraft weaponry and an air base capable of handling high-performance combat aircraft.

China supports its construction ploy with muscular diplomacy verging on political and economic bullying. The intimidation program includes maps touting the "nine dash line," a u-shaped boundary ostensibly demarcating Chinese claims to the region. This boundary dips south for hundreds of kilometers from China's southern coast culminating near the island of Borneo. Beijing's "nine dash line" claim is ludicrous, ahistorical and, under the magnifying glass, a bit vague. But no matter. The claim puts powerful China in direct conflict with five far weaker neighbors: Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. Moreover, Chinese rhetoric and actions suggest that Beijing intends to enforce its claim to every island and sea feature within the "nine dash line."

In response to Beijing's infringement on their maritime territories, Vietnam and the Philippines are beefing up their military forces. Both Hanoi and Manila have expressed a willingness to resist China militarily. Oil-rich Brunei has a long-term defense relationship with Great Britain, similar to the U.S.-Philippines relationship. Britain recently said that next year a Royal Navy warship will deploy in the region. British relations with Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore play a role in the Royal Navy's plans.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy is once again conducting Freedom of Navigation Operations in the area. A FONOP is a combined military and diplomatic operation demonstrating U.S. opposition to maritime territorial claims that intrude on recognized international shipping lanes. When executing a FONOP, a U.S. warship enters a maritime zone that the U.S. contends is open to free transit, but another nation claims to control.

When a Navy warship passes one of China's manufactured islets, Beijing howls. Washington ignores the howls. The U.S. is a global super power that China cannot bully. On the other hand, the U.S. cannot force China to do its will. But it's obvious that a shooting war in the region could lead to a China-U.S. confrontation.

Fortunately the U.S., Australia and Japan are behaving like adults and this week they urged China and ASEAN to create a "South China Sea code of conduct" defining rules for resolving disputes that are "legally binding, meaningful, effective, and consistent with international law." The three nations also emphasized their "strong opposition to coercive unilateral actions," which is a direct slap at Beijing.

Will China agree to it? China can ill-afford a trade war with the U.S., Japan and Europe. It appears the deal being offered does not demand China withdraw from its manufactured islets. The diplomatic offer amounts to a "semi-win-win" for everyone involved. Beijing would be wise to take it.
The 13,000 peacekeepers in Mali are mainly African and mainly stationed in the north and, increasingly central Mali where there is more Islamic terror group activity, not all of it violent. The Islamic terrorists in Mali spend most of their time taking care of business, which is usually smuggling (drugs, weapons, people). This takes Mali based Islamic terrorists into neighboring countries, where the armed smugglers fight locals who get in the way. Burkina Faso and Niger have been the most frequent victims of this kind of violence.

The local Islamic terror groups are, aside from their money-making operations, not doing well when it comes to religion based mischief. But they are making more money (from smuggling and ransoms) and getting more media attention. They are changing targets in the north from local foes (Mali security forces and tribal militias) to foreign troops, especially French ones. The problem is the French soldiers are the best trained and equipped and hard to kill, or even survive getting too close to them. But the French can be hurt. By using lots of roadside bombs and avoiding direct contact the Islamic terrorists have managed to wound French soldiers a lot more frequently this year. There have been at least a dozen of these attacks so far this year. This is believed to be one result of the main local Islamic terror groups consolidating by forming JNIM (Jamaah Nusrah al Islam wal Muslimin, or Group for the support of Islam and Moslems) in early 2017.

In part this March merger was a reaction to the growing threat from ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) which is hostile to everyone who is not ISIL and will attack or recruit from the JNIM members AQIM (Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb), Ansar Dine, FLM (Macina Liberation Front), and al Mourabitoun (an al Qaeda splinter group). Another reason for merging is to make it easier to pool resources (including information and advice) and coordinate with other Islamic terror groups in the area. This reduces friction and needless feuding. Making a coalition like this work is always difficult, especially considering the importance of ethnic differences. The FLM is Fulani while the other groups are largely Tuareg, Arab and some are largely foreigners. Note that JNIM did not absorb all of AQIM or al Mourabitoun, just local groups that had long been identified with al Qaeda. Al Mourabitoun is believed to have largely rejoined al Qaeda. Internal politics for Islamic terror groups is a lot messier than these religious zealots like to admit. Thats mainly because each group believes they are uniquely qualified to be the supreme leader of all Islam. Coping with this aspect of Islamic radicalism has proved burdensome and ultimately becomes a major reason for Islamic terror movements to fade away (via desertion and other forms of self-destruction).

JNIM is noticeably more businesslike which has been the historical trend with terrorist groups in general. These groups evolve into well-organized and persistent criminal gangs. For Islamic terrorists that means carrying out fewer attacks and trying to concentrate on staging ones that will generate maximum publicity or cash (or both). Reputation is important if you want to instill fear and respect.

Historically, it's quite common for terrorist organization, be they motivated by political or religious goals, to gradually turn into largely criminal gangs. That's where the mafia came from. Once a resistance organization (against foreign rulers in Italy), it evolved into a purely criminal outfit, and migrated to the United States, along with millions of law-abiding Italians. The IRA (Irish Republican Army) is of more recent vintage (late 19th century originally, but revived in the 1970s) that gradually turned into a group of criminal gangs that mainly paid lip service to the IRAs political goals (of a united Ireland).

Iraq and Afghanistan are two even more recent examples. Iraq had dozens of major criminal gangs even in Saddam's police state. Once Saddam was overthrown, these gangs largely sided with the Sunni terrorists trying to put Saddam (or some other Sunni dictator) back in charge. In Afghanistan, the pro-Taliban Pushtun tribes around Kandahar turned religion into a cash cow, at least for a few tribes. Getting run out of power took away their cash flow. After a few years in exile across the border, some of the Taliban got funded (partly from one of their old sources, the drug gangs), and were back in business.

What eventually kills all of these criminal organizations is greed. Even the ones with an ideology have members who are more motivated by the money, than the politics, religion or loyalty to their fellow crooks. The use of cash rewards for information, or the capture of key people, eventually brings in more and more useful data. As time goes on, more and more of the terrorists can be turned into double agents. Civilians, caught in the middle of all this, become more desperate, and less afraid, of the terrorists. The useful tips increase, and those parts of the organization most loyal to the ideology, are hurt the most. The more purely criminal branches tend to survive, which is how the surviving mafia organizations can trace their lineage back to 19th century freedom fighters. But since the 1980s the mafia and IRA have been reduced to much smaller, and less effective, organizations.

In some parts of the world, many people are normally employed in what would be considered, in the West, as criminal enterprises. In Afghanistan, many of the tribes out in the countryside, consider anyone not from their tribe as fair game for robbery, extortion or kidnapping. Thus the Taliban will be around for a long time, although in diminished capacity. Many of the current Taliban leaders are discovering, as did leftist rebels in Colombia, that lifes a lot easier if you just ditch the ideology, and concentrate on the drug business.

In Mali the Islamic terror groups already play a major role in the culture of corruption that has long been a major obstacle to economic, educational and social progress. Mali is considered one of the least desirable places to send foreign aid because so much of it is stolen before reaching those it was meant for. Details are often not available until long after the crimes occurred. For example a recent audit of foreign aid sent to Mali in 2015 eventually (after overcoming considerable local lack of cooperation) detailed how one scam alone (involving fuel supplies) saw fifteen percent of British aid for 2015 disappear (and now in some untraceable foreign bank account). To add to the problem there are many risks to foreign aid staff (foreign or local) because of physical violence frequently used to carry out thefts. So far this year there have been at least 70 such attacks on foreign aid workers in Mali, mostly in the north. This is more than twice the rate such attacks occurred in 2016. The end result is that aid groups, who face more demand than they can deal with, avoid the areas where most of their work is wasted. Mali has become one of the worst, although not the worst.

August 3, 2017: In the north (near Kidal) JNIM used a roadside bomb to attack a French patrol and wounded four soldiers. A similar attack (with similar results) took place on July 31st.

July 29, 2017: In the north a South African man, held captive since 2011, was released by his Islamic terrorist captors. South Africa has a policy of not paying ransom and but a ransom (of $4.2 million) was apparently involved. The former hostage, now 42, was in good health and unable or unwilling to provide details of why or how he was freed. He is the last of three foreigners taken in late 2011 to be freed. All apparently were let go because ransom was paid. AQIM received over $12 million for the three, which gives Islamic terrorists in Africa even more incentive to kidnap foreigners. The ransoms paid to al Qaeda (over $100 million since 2003) have been a major factor of the continued existence of al Qaeda in general and especially AQIM in Africa.

July 28, 2017: In the northeast (near Kidal) a Tuareg tribal militia took control of the town of Menaka. These Tuareg used to be part of the CMA rebels. Menaka is about a hundred kilometers from the Niger border and had been fought over by local militias and Mali tribal (MNLA) Islamic radicals. Many of the local Tuareg tribal militias were always pro-government and usually fought the local Tuareg CMA and Islamic terrorist rebels. The 2015 peace deal ended that, but not the tribal animosities. Since 2015 Tuareg militias affiliated with CMA has regained much of the control of the Kidal region that they gave up to government control after 2015. Since the pro-government militias got most of the government jobs the CMA affiliated groups wanted revenge. Now there is possibility of renewed fighting in the Kidal region if the government insists on fighting to regain control.

July 26, 2017: In the north (near Gao) a German Tiger helicopter gunship crashed during a surveillance mission 70 kilometers outside Gao. The two crew (pilot and weapons officer) were killed. Eyewitnesses and examination of the wreckage indicated the cause was mechanical failure because one of the rotors came off and caused the helicopter to go down. The Tiger has had problems like this in the past and was considered more time-consuming and costly to maintain in a combat zone. Local peacekeepers prefer AH-64s but appreciate whatever they can get. In early 2017 Germany agreed to send four Tiger helicopter gunships and four NH90 transport helicopters to Mali to replace the four AH-64 helicopter gunships and three CH-47 transport helicopters the Dutch sent in late 2014 to provide fire support, transportation and medical evacuation for the 5,000 peacekeepers then in northern Mali. At the time the peacekeepers had a few of the smaller Tiger gunships and smaller helicopter transports and greatly appreciated the Dutch aircraft. The problem is that the Dutch helicopters have proven invaluable and there are now more than twice as many peacekeepers depending on those helicopters. But the Dutch pointed out in early 2016 that the seven helicopters have suffered a lot of wear and tear and need extensive refurbishment that cannot be carried out in Mali. The UN has been trying to get some other Western nation to step forward with replacements since then and Germany was finally persuaded to step in. Both the Dutch and German peacekeepers in Mali have had to endure harsh living and working conditions as well as the inability of their governments to adequately deal with shortages of all manner of necessary equipment and supplies. At the end of 2016 news media in both countries made an issue of the French being able to adequately support and supply their Mali peacekeepers while the Dutch and German troops were constantly short of essential items. Of course the reason was that the French have always had larger overseas intervention forces than most other European countries (with the possible exception of Britain) and had plenty of experience, and military infrastructure, to support operations in remote parts of the world, especially former French colonies in Africa. The Dutch and German governments have thus been persuaded to allocate more resources to keep their peacekeepers competitive with the French. Germany also agreed to increase its Mali force from 650 to 1,000 troops. At the same time the EU (European Union) agreed to continue peacekeeping operations in Mali for another two years (until 2019). That commitment means finding enough EU member nations to volunteer troops and aircraft for service in Mali.

July 18, 2017: In the north (near Gao) the bodies of eight soldiers were found. These men were apparently captured during an ambush on the 10th and murdered several days later for reasons unknown. The soldiers were recruited locally and that may have had something to do with it. The soldiers were guarding a supply convoy when they were attacked.

July 17, 2017: In the north (near Kidal) someone (possibly JNIM) fired several mortar shells at a French base. There were no injuries.

July 14, 2017: In central Mali (Mougna) troops killed Bekaye Sangare, a senior leader in the FLM. Sangare was believed the organizer or several recent attacks in the area. That makes about 14 Islamic terrorists killed in the last week during operations in central and northern Mali. Three Mali soldiers were killed as well and several peacekeeper troops wounded. The government later revealed it had arrested Alhousseyni Ag Assaleh, another senior FLM official (in charge of logistics) on July 8th and the interrogation of this man may have led to finding the elusive Sangare.
Wipro, Excelfore Partner to Offer Secure Connectivity Solutions for Next-Gen Smart and Autonomous Vehicles







EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. and BANGALORE, IndiaWipro Limited , a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company and Excelfore, a leading provider of middleware solutions for Smart Mobility Networks, today announced a global partnership to offer secure connectivity solutions for next generation smart and autonomous vehicles. This partnership combines Excelfores Smart Mobility Networks solutions with Wipros global systems integration and managed services expertise to enable connected car solutions for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1 equipment makers.

As part of this engagement, the two companies will enable scalable Ethernet AVB/TSN (Audio-Video Bridging/Time-Sensitive Networking) and Secure Full Vehicle FOTA/SOTA (Firmware/Software Over-The-Air) Update solutions for automotive manufacturers and smart mobility companies.

Wipro will also join Excelfore as a member of the eSync Alliance, a multi-company initiative for establishing compatibility among devices with common FOTA/SOTA and diagnostics APIs and middleware. These integrated solutions will enhance the connected car and autonomous driving experience along with accelerating the time to market for automotive OEMs and Tier 1 equipment makers.

John Slosar, Vice President and Global Head Automotive Electronics, Wipro Limited said, Automotive OEMs seek to bring end-to-end secure networking solutions to market, with full vehicle over-the-air (OTA) updates at a global scale. Wipros partnership with Excelfore will enable the rapid deployment of these solutions in automobiles. This partnership enhances Wipros leadership position in the automotive engineering services market and strengthens our ability to support connected automotive initiatives of our global automobile customers.

Creating scalable and secure end-to-end connectivity is not just a question of technologies, but behaviors and disciplines. A system level architectural approach is needed, which takes into account networks and hardware in the vehicle, services in the cloud, and mechanisms of rolling out updates to vehicles, said Shrikant Acharya, Chief Technology Officer, Excelfore. We are very excited to partner with Wipro. By combining Wipros service capabilities across Secure Connectivity Solutions for next generation smart and autonomous vehicles with Excelfores expertise in Smart Mobility Networks, together, we aim to deliver state-of-the-art connected automotive solutions for our customers.

About Wipro Limited

Wipro Limited is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 160,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future.

About Excelfore

Excelfore, located in Silicon Valley, is an innovative provider of cloud platform and connectivity applications for intelligent transportation. It provides middleware solutions for smart mobility networks that enable OEMs and suppliers to build the next generation of smart, autonomous and learning vehicles, fleets and associated infrastructure. Excelfore products include the eAVB protocol stack for in-vehicle Ethernet TSN (time-sensitive networking), as well as the cloud-to-vehicle eSync system for OTA updates, diagnostics and telematics www.excelfore.com

Excelfore is a registered trademark of Excelfore Corporation.
Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI) Receives Bus Production Order for its EDI PowerDrive 6000 System

MILPITAS, Calif.Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI), a global leader in advanced high-efficiency zero emissions hybrid and electric vehicle drivetrain solutions, announced today that it has received a new bus drivetrain production order in China to integrate its EDI PowerDrive 6000 systems into 12 meter buses for the city of Tianshui as they work to electrify their fleet to significantly reduce emissions. The company will be supplying its EDI PowerDrive Plug-in Hybrid Electric (PHEV) drivetrains and EDI PowerSuite vehicle control software to Yaxin Motors for vehicle integration. The city buses will be deployed in a replacement of 26 standard diesel buses, and will reduce fuel consumption and emissions by over 40% when compared to their traditional counterpart.

As available subsidy programs in China continue to drive the market-cities, provinces, and OEMs are rapidly adopting electrification as a primary means to meet emissions reduction mandates. EDI leads as one of the technology providers of choice for several China OEM partners such as Yaxing, Ankai, Shaaxi, and Xiamen Jinlong. With its successful delivery of its China government certified drivetrain solutions to electrify 8, 10.5, and 12 meter buses, the company has over 90 buses deployed with its PHEV drivetrain systems and expects to close orders for several hundred more bus drivetrains by the close of 2017.

Available for class 4-8 commercial vehicles, Efficient Drivetrains EDI PowerDrive advanced suite of hybrid and electric drivetrain solutions enable OEMs, suppliers, and integrators to rapidly and cost effectively bring electric and hybridized vehicles to market. The EDI PowerDrive 6000 deployed in the fleet of China buses has recently undergone performance, durability and gradeability testing--with results demonstrating the best fuel economy, higher gradeability, and significantly reduced emissions when compared to other major PHEV bus offerings in the market.

The announcement follows the companys recent success in the North American market, as EDI integrated its EDI PowerDrive 7000e electric drivetrain into a Type D school bus to deliver a zero-emissions, all-electric school bus with 100 miles of driving range. EDI continues to experience heightened demand for its drivetrain systems as OEMs work to offer electrified mass transit solutions.

News Highlights:

Efficient Drivetrains announces the receipt of a production order of its EDI PowerDrive PHEV drivetrains for the city of Tianshui City, with expected delivery in August to Yaxin motor for vehicle integration and deployment

The company has over 90 buses deployed with its PHEV drivetrain system and expects to close orders for several hundred more drivetrains by the close of 2017

The announcement occurs on the heels of a recent announcement on its electrification program with Bluebird Bus in North America-integrating the EDI PowerDrive 7000e to create a type D zero-emissions school bus

EDI has already made significant progress in Chinaintegrating its EDI PowerDrive 6000 technology into several models of 8, 10.5, and 12 meter buses for OEMs such as Ankai, Shaanxi, Xiamen Jinlong, and Yaxing Motor Coach

OEMs implementing EDIs PowerDrive 6000 technology experience significant reduction in emissions and fuel consumption, with vehicle performance that meets or exceeds that of the traditional vehicle.

The EDI PowerDrive 6000 has surpassed over 2 million miles in a commercial fleet setting of city buses deployed in rural and city routes. The same drivetrain system received government certification after undergoing durability testing in late 2015.

Supporting Quotes:

This new award follows our recently announced Type D bus integration program for Bluebird in North America in July. As China continues to pursue its aggressive emissions reduction targets utilizing electricity as a primary fuel source, EDI is well-positioned to help cities and government entities rapidly meet mandates. The follow on production order comes as a direct result of our focus on developing new program opportunities with existing OEM partners in the geography. EDI first received a prototype award and certification for the first China buses in 2015, with several follow on projects over the course of the last two year. Based on the success of our programs in China, we are now actively delivering on opportunities with industry partners in North America as well.

-Joerg Ferchau, CEO, Efficient Drivetrains, Inc.

Additional Resources:

Bluebird announces All-New electric School Bus Solutions news release

EDI Selected by Four Major OEMS in China to Rapidly Deploy Electrified Buses news release

EDI PowerDrive 6000 Surpasses the Million-Mile Mark news release

EDI CNG PHEV City Bus Receives Government Certification news release

EDI on LinkedIn

EDI on Facebook

EDI Vehicle Project Videos

About EDI:

Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI) develops and markets a range of state-of-the-art PHEV and EV drivetrain solutions worldwide. EDIs leading-edge hybrid-electric drivetrain systems and technologies enable OEMs to meet zero-emissions requirements while providing significant cost and efficiency advantages for parallel and series hybrid, and electric drivetrain architectures across nearly all platform classes and configurations. EDI is active in commercial automotive projects throughout North America and the APAC region. Visit www.efficientdrivetrains.com for more information.
NEW YORK, Aug. 8, 2017 -- The Lithuanian State Department of Tourism awarded its integrated marketing communications campaign in the U.S. to Wayne's World Media Group, a New York-based destination marketing agency. Says agency president Wayne Lee, "We're thrilled to be working with the Lithuania tourism team to put the growing spotlight on the many attractions of destination Lithuania at the crossroads of Scandinavia and Central Europe."

The "Lithuania: Real Is Beautiful" brand story will convey the allure of the country's great outdoors, distinctive culture and proud people, active vacations and evolving culinary scene. It will integrate media relations, social media, event and content marketing  and travel agent training  to boost the visibility of the southernmost of the Baltic states to U.S. travelers.

"The objectives are increasing the popularity of Lithuania in the U.S. as an attractive and safe country for travelers with a compelling image of the Lithuania travel experience today," said Indre Slyziute, a chief specialist in the Lithuanian State Department of Tourism.

Europe is one of the world's top destinations for Americans  and Lithuania rewards its visitors with fresh discoveries. Popular resorts close to its major Baltic Seaport of Klaipeda are Nida to the south on the Curonian Spit (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Palanga to the north. These areas are home to white sand beaches, majestic sand dunes, undisturbed forests and waterways that are a haven for storks, swans, cormorants and many species of migratory birds.

Capital city Vilnius (another UNESCO site boasting Europe's largest Old Town), and charming Kaunas, are vibrant, cosmopolitan cultural centers with deep historical roots.

In 2016 Lithuania welcomed more than 35,000 U.S. tourists, up almost seven percent from 2015, with room nights increasing by more than 25 percent and average length of stay rising by more than 17 percent. During the first quarter 2017, U.S. travelers staying in Lithuanian accommodations rose 25 percent.

Wayne's World Media Group, established in New York in 2010, has worked for such clients as LOT Polish Airlines, the European Travel Commission, the tourism boards of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, Australis Cruises and others.

http://www.lithuania.travel

http://waynesworldmediagroup.com

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/waynes-world-media-group-selected-to-build-lithuanias-popularity-in-us-travel-market-300501001.html

SOURCE Waynes World Media Group

CONTACT: Wayne Lee, 212-579-7939, wayne@waynesworldmediagroup.com

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Total gross profit per unit was $1,501, an increase of $332 per unit compared to Q1 2017

Net loss was $38.9 million, an increase of 115%

PHOENIXCarvana Co. , a leading eCommerce platform for buying used cars, today announced financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2017. Carvanas complete second quarter 2017 financial results and management commentary can be found by accessing the Companys shareholder letter at: https://investors.carvana.com/financial-reports/sec-filings.

Carvana accelerated its growth in retail unit sales and revenues to 145% and 142%, respectively, during a very strong second quarter. We are seeing tremendous growth in both our existing and new markets as we continue our rapid expansion nationwide. We also increased our gross profit per unit, both sequentially and as compared to last year, said Ernie Garcia, Carvana co-founder and CEO. Our mission is to change the way people buy cars. More and more consumers are turning to Carvana for a seamless, hassle-free car buying experience. We are scaling our business to meet the growing demand, and with the recent announcement of our launch in Phoenix we are excited to introduce the simplicity of online car buying to the Southwest.

Second Quarter 2017 Financial Summary

Carvana achieved significant unit and revenue growth in Q2 2017, coupled with increased total gross profit per unit. All financial comparisons are versus Q2 2016, unless otherwise noted.

Retail units sold totaled 10,682, an increase of 145%

Revenue totaled $209.4 million, an increase of 142%

Total gross profit was $16.0 million, an increase of 166%

Total gross profit per unit was $1,501, an increase of $332 per unit compared to Q1 2017

Net loss was $38.9 million, an increase of 115%

EBITDA margin was (16.1%), an improvement from (21.6%) in Q1 2017

GAAP basic and diluted net loss per Class A share was $0.28 based on 15 million shares of Class A common stock outstanding

Adjusted net loss per Class A share, a non-GAAP measure, was $0.28, based on 136.7 million adjusted shares of Class A common stock outstanding assuming the exchange of all outstanding LLC Units for shares of Class A common stock

We opened 7 new markets, bringing our end-of-quarter total to 30

We acquired fellow automotive tech disruptor Carlypso

On Aug. 4, 2017, we upsized our inventory facility with Ally Bank to $275 million through Dec. 31, 2017 and then $350 million through Dec. 31, 2018

Q3 and Fiscal 2017 Outlook

We anticipate further unit and revenue growth, as well as total gross profit per unit and EBITDA margin improvement. For Q3 2017, we expect:

Retail unit sales of 11,500  13,000, an increase of 129%  159% year-over-year

Total revenue of $225 million  $255 million, an increase of 128%  158% year-over-year

Total gross profit per unit of $1,625  $1,725

EBITDA margin of (14%)  (16%)

We are reiterating our FY 2017 guidance as follows:

Retail unit sales of 44,000  46,000, an increase of 135%  145% year-over-year

Revenue of $850 million  $910 million, an increase of 133%  149% year-over-year

Total gross profit per unit of $1,475 $1,575

EBITDA margin of (14%)  (16%)

16  18 new market openings, bringing our end-of-year total to 37  39

For more information regarding the non-GAAP financial measures, please see the reconciliations of our non-GAAP measurements to their most directly comparable GAAP-based financial measurements included at the end of this press release. Guidance for EBITDA margin excludes depreciation and amortization expense and interest expense. We have not reconciled EBITDA guidance to GAAP net loss as a result of the uncertainty regarding, and the potential variability of, interest expense. Accordingly, a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure guidance to the corresponding GAAP measure is not available without unreasonable effort. Depreciation and amortization expense, which is a component of the reconciliation between EBITDA and GAAP net loss, is expected to be between 1.0% and 1.5% of total revenues for both Q3 2017 and FY 2017.

Conference Call Details

Carvana will host a conference call today, Aug. 8, 2017, at 2 p.m. PDT (5 p.m. EDT) to discuss financial results. To participate in the live call, analysts and investors should dial (877) 270-2148 or (412) 902-6510. A live audio webcast of the conference call along with supplemental financial information will also be accessible on the company's website at investors.carvana.com. Following the webcast, an archived version will be available on the website for one year. A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available until Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017, by dialing (877) 344-7529 or (412) 317-0088 and entering passcode 10109151#.

About Carvana Co.

Founded in 2012 and based in Phoenix, Carvanas mission is to change the way people buy cars. By removing the traditional dealership infrastructure and replacing it with technology and exceptional customer service, Carvana offers consumers an intuitive and convenient online automotive retail platform, with a fully transactional website that enables consumers to quickly and easily buy a car online, including finding their preferred vehicle, qualifying for financing, completing the purchase and loan with signed contracts, and receiving delivery or pickup of the vehicle from one of Carvanas proprietary automated Car Vending Machines.

CARVANA CO. AND SUBSIDIARIES

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

(Unaudited)

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

Adjusted Net Loss and Adjusted Net Loss per Share

Adjusted net loss and adjusted net loss per share are supplemental measures of operating performance that do not represent and should not be considered alternatives to net loss and net loss per share, as determined under GAAP. We believe that adjusted net loss and adjusted net loss per share supplement GAAP measures and enable us to more effectively evaluate our performance period-over-period and relative to our competitors. A reconciliation of adjusted net loss to net loss attributable to Carvana Co., the most directly comparable GAAP measure, and the computation of adjusted net loss per share are as follows:

Three Months

Ended June 30, 2017 Numerator: Net loss attributable to Carvana Co. $ (14,542 ) Add: Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests (1) (24,328 ) Adjusted net loss attributable to Carvana Co. $ (38,870 ) Denominator: Weighted-average shares of Class A common stock outstanding 15,026 Adjustments:(2) Assumed exchange of LLC Units for shares of Class A common stock (1) 121,666 Adjusted shares of Class A common stock outstanding 136,692 Adjusted net loss per share $ (0.28 )

(1) Assumes exchange of all outstanding LLC Units for shares of Class A common stock retroactively applied as if the exchanges had occurred at the beginning of each period presented under the terms of the exchange agreement.

(2) Excludes approximately 0.5 million restricted stock awards and 0.5 million stock options outstanding at June 30, 2017, because they were determined to be anti-dilutive.

EBITDA and EBITDA Margin

EBITDA is a non-GAAP supplemental measure of operating performance that does not represent and should not be considered an alternative to net loss or cash flow from operations, as determined by GAAP. EBITDA is defined as net loss before interest expense, income tax expense and depreciation and amortization expense. We use EBITDA to measure the operating performance of our business, excluding specifically identified items that we do not believe directly reflect our core operations and may not be indicative of our recurring operations. EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures provided by other companies due to potential differences in methods of calculations. A reconciliation of EBITDA to net loss, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, is as follows:
The Travelers Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United states and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance. The Business Insurance segment offers workers' compensation, commercial automobile and property, general liability, commercial multi-peril, employers' liability, public and product liability, professional indemnity, marine, aviation, onshore and offshore energy, construction, terrorism, personal accident, and kidnap and ransom insurance products. This segment operates through select accounts, which serve small businesses; commercial accounts that serve mid-sized businesses; national accounts, which serve large companies; and national property and other that serve large and mid-sized customers, commercial trucking industry, and agricultural businesses, as well as markets and distributes its products through brokers, wholesale agents, and program managers. The Bond & Specialty Insurance segment provides surety, fidelity, management and professional liability, and other property and casualty coverages and related risk management services through independent agencies and brokers. The Personal Insurance segment offers property and casualty insurance covering personal risks, primarily automobile and homeowners insurance to individuals through independent agencies and brokers. The Travelers Companies, Inc. was founded in 1853 and is based in New York, New York.
Humana Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a health and well-being company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Retail, Group and Specialty, and Healthcare Services. The company offers medical and supplemental benefit plans to individuals. It also has a contract with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to administer the Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition prescription drug plan program; and contracts with various states to provide Medicaid, dual eligible, and long-term support services benefits. In addition, the company provides commercial fully insured medical and specialty health insurance benefits comprising dental, vision, and other supplemental health benefits; and administrative services only products to individuals and employer groups, as well as military services, such as TRICARE T2017 East Region contract. Further, it offers pharmacy solutions, provider services, and home solutions services, such as home health and other services to its health plan members, as well as to third parties. As of December 31, 2021, the company had approximately 17 million members in medical benefit plans, as well as approximately 5 million members in specialty products. Humana Inc. was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
Ever since 2004, when Tom Ford walked away from the Gucci Group, he has done things in his singular way. Hes made two movies (both of which have been nominated for all sorts of honors, Oscars included) and developed his own line in reverse order from everyone else (eyewear, followed by fragrance, followed by cosmetics, followed by clothes). He and his husband, former Vogue Hommes International editor Richard Buckley, became parents to a son, and Fords moved his design studio from London to Los Angeles, though its still kind of in London. Theres also an office in Milan, and one in Tokyo, because thats what fashion people do. Its normal.

So much about the way fashion works today  the designer star system, the luxury conglomerates, the cultish immersion in a houses overall ethos  can be traced back to 1995, when Ford showed his landmark collection for Gucci. Even then, he was more than just the designer; he played a key role in assembling the Gucci Group (which was folded into PPR, which became Kering), and Kering acquired and still controls a group of top-end brands that includes Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen. (His straddling of the business-creative divide was unprecedented and not always welcome. When Ford was appointed creative director at Yves Saint Laurent, Mr. Saint Laurent was not impressed. The poor guy, he said snobbishly, he does what he can.)

At this particularly chaotic moment for the fashion industry  which city should a designer choose for a show? When should the clothes we see on the runways be available to buy?  Ford projects his trademark calm. Its the fifth day of a London heat wave, and there he is, crisp and handsome, emerging from some very tall black doors in his office with a half-grin. He smells like walking potpourri. I spray on one and then an hour later I spray another. I just do it all day long, he says, sniffing.

Ford has always been famous for selling sex, for embracing luxury and excess (for his first fragrance, he bred his own flower, the blackest orchid, and captured its heady scent), and for his ability to shock, and simultaneously enthrall, the bourgeoisie. But lately hes feeling more romantic and maybe even a little nostalgic. Since hes been designing under his own name, hes embraced his talent for glamour, with an emphasis on sleek, grown-up, flattering eveningwear. What are day clothes today? Yoga pants. But for evening? Boom. Red carpet, cocktail dresses, mega.

You played a huge role in creating the modern fashion world, in elevating the star system of designers at old houses. It feels like its all gone a bit off the rails  what do you think about where fashion is right now?

This whole musical-chairs thing thats going on now at brands I find so dangerous. I think Riccardo Tisci is brilliant, and he was doing a terrific job at Givenchy. I have no idea why hes gone. Nicolas [Ghesquiere] was doing a great job at Balenciaga. When the customer identifies with a brand and then you flip the designer and a new one comes in, how does that brand have consistency over time? How does it mean something? And with the number of collections that were expected to do now  before I show this one, Im already working on that one  how is that supposed to work? Its crazy. Maybe people will start longing for something that is not as disposable, but I really dont know. I dont think anyone knows.

Why do you think its gotten to this point?

Im not taking credit for it, but when I was at Gucci, that was the first wave of globalization and I jumped on it and then everyone else did. It was the first time that your customer in Tokyo wanted to wear the same thing at the same time as your customer in New York and your customer in L.A. and in London. Now every airport in the worlds got the same chains of makeup brands. Were one culture now, globally homogenized, except for the conservatives and the three levels of prudishness.

The three levels of prudishness: The worldwide edition of the Noir Anthracite ad. Photo: Mert and Marcus/Courtesy of Tom Ford

What are the three levels of prudishness?

Oh my God, weve gotten so prudish. Weve gone in reverse. Its so weird. Weve become more extreme because now on television you can see full-frontal male nudity. Like, all the time. And the language! There are no rules on television. The word fuck, for example, is part of modern parlance. Yes, its one of those bad words your parents told you not to say, and youre not supposed to say it, but adults use that word, and it really does represent in a lot of ways where we are culturally. With porn so accessible, what adult can really say shes freaked out by seeing a penis on television?

But how is that prudish? It seems like the opposite. If sex is everywhere, its a bit harder to cause a stir when you publish a provocative ad.

Its strange, because it goes both ways. In advertising weve become so prudish, and I think that comes from a fear that half our population in America is rejecting something, and that affects our business, and I think thats where we come from. So even as television and language go forward, you can still not show a womans nipple in many magazines. You can show a breast, but not a nipple! To me a breast without a nipple is more perverse and is really creepy, but if I do those things, no magazine will run them, so I cant push images too far or theyll be rejected.

Is this new for you?

Well, its definitely part of why I work in Europe, but this is something new.

Yes. Theres a real tightening in America. When wed shoot an ad campaign, we used to shoot for the world, and then wed shoot a Middle East version because there are certain rules, like a man cant touch a woman and everyone has to be clothed. But now we shoot three versions: We shoot the world version, the conservative version, and the Middle East version. The conservative version is for America.

For America, the woman moves slightly up and part of the mans torso moves into the shadows. Photo: Mert and Marcus/Courtesy of Tom Ford

And is that frustrating or is it more of a challenge?

The sex things a little bit old at this point. Been there, done that. I dont want to sound too businesslike here, but its all about breaking through the clutter. The one word I hate right now is disruptive. Its all anyone uses: Oh, its so disruptive. Disruptive, disruptive! I guess its just the new way of breaking through the clutter or creating something new, and I guess its just a word, but of course I want to be it. You cant look like anyone else, and so I suppose Ive been more romantic lately. More sensual than sexual because thats all quite easy at this point. Ive done the G-spot. Ive put the perfume there.

Does that mean youre done with sex?

I get the criticism, I see it in my press reports, all complaining about the objectification of women. Ive objectified men just as much in my career, but you just cannot run those images. I put that perfume bottle between a womans breasts, but I also put it between a guys butt cheeks, but [few] would accept that because our culture is more comfortable with the objectification of women to sell products than it is with the objectification of men to sell products. Im for equal-opportunity objectification.

In the Middle East, much is left to the imagination. Photo: Mert and Marcus/Courtesy of Tom Ford

Presumably with your films you have fewer constraints.

Well, if youre a designer, theres nothing better than designing an entire world. As much as I love fashion, it doesnt last. Yes, you can go to a museum and you can see a beautiful dress, but it doesnt have the same effect as the first time when that dress was new and it came down a runway, and maybe it was a proportion you hadnt seen, and it was new and jarring and you saw it on someone  maybe it was a beautiful woman, maybe it was a celebrity  and it literally took your breath away. You can see it again, and you can say, Well, isnt that great. You can admire it, you can say, Oh, I remember that, that was so iconic, look at the detail, look at the stitching, that was incredible, but it doesnt have that same emotional punch that it did the very first time you saw it. But theres no such thing as an old film. If you havent seen it, its a new film, and when you watch it, youre caught up in it. I watch movies from the 1930s and everyone is dead! The actors are dead, the directors are dead, the people who wrote it are dead, but there I am, crying, emoting, and terrified.

Do you find it satisfying to have that much time with your audience, to tell a story in a narrative, as opposed to impressionistic, way?

Fashion is about a moment; with fashion, you should tell a story, your clothes should be more than clothes, they need to make you dream, they need to inspire, they need to excite you. When I was at Gucci and at Saint Laurent, it was a cinematic experience. I showed under a single spotlight, and you could really control things because no one was looking at anything except the show. The whole room was looking at the exact same thing at the exact same time, and you could get a rhythm of emotion, and you could literally get people to cry at the end of a good show. Cry for something beautiful. Now you cant, because theyre distracted, holding up their phones and shooting themselves. I wish there was a way to get people to watch fashion shows again so I could convey that emotion.

I watched Nocturnal Animals on Inauguration Day.

Im sorry!

Its really, properly scary.

Well, when you know yourself, you know all the parts of yourself, so for me it didnt seem like a surprise at all because [the violence] was a commentary on our contemporary culture and the hollowness, sometimes, of our culture. Thats something I struggle with all the time, because the things we produce, the stream of merchandise that people dont need but that they desire, well, you have to keep it in perspective.

What kind of perspective?

Of course the most important thing in life is the people you connect with. The woman in Nocturnal Animals is a victim of our culture, a victim of her own upbringing and her own insecurity, really. I wanted to set the film in that very glamorous-on-the-surface, perfect world. And by the way, the character was very autobiographical.

Do you have a darker side?

I suppose I do because I created all that and it felt totally normal.

Are you going to make another movie?

It takes about three years. Look, its a different animal. I like to have  surprise  complete creative control. I have a very strong fragrance, cosmetics, and eyewear business, so my financial needs are more than met  our business is up 52 percent over last year, so Im going to do what I want. I dont need to take other peoples money and then have a million people to answer to. Hopefully I can make something personal that hits a big audience, too, and that has permanence. Because I think thats what I know how to do.

Youve made the choice to show in New York at a moment when a lot of American designers are moving to Europe  where you spent 27 years. What are you planning to show?

I have a very defined customer and a very defined look. Im seeing a lot of collections I did in the 90s referenced by other designers, and I look at that and I say, How interesting, maybe I should remember what it was that I was all about and go back. Thats what this Septembers show will be about. I hope that Im returning to what Ive always believed in, but in a new way. You will always have moments when you are more in fashion and less in fashion, and if you dont stay true to yourself, you will lose your way. Hopefully I will look like what Ive always looked like.

*This article appears in the August 7, 2017, issue of New York Magazine.
According to Kondo, children are perfectly capable of experiencing the life-changing magic of cleaning their rooms. Photo: JGI/Blend Images/Getty Images/Blend Images

At the peak of Marie Kondos popularity in the U.S., fans and skeptics alike raised their eyebrows at how the then-pregnant organizing guru would fare once a baby entered the fold. Today, The Wall Street Journal checks in with the best-selling author, now a mother of two and resident of Northern California.

I was surprised, Kondo told the Journal about life with her older daughter, to see her putting books, stuffed animals and toys for playing house back in their place more precisely than I expected. Two-year-old Satsuki even mimics her mothers folding (though I secretly fix them when shes not looking). Despite toddler Satsuki and her younger sister, 10-month-old Miko, her household has retained its tidiness, Kondo says  though she did decline The Wall Street Journals request for a home tour. Personally, Im grateful: I prefer relegating whatever this calm, serene home looks like to the bowels of fantasy.

To prepare for parenthood, Kondo and her husband held what she calls a decluttering festival, feeling that the more conscious they were about how much space to dedicate to a baby, the less tempted they would be to clutter their home with baby items. (A side question: Did they have a baby shower? If so, I would love to know what was on the registry. Joy, pack of 3.)

Still, Kondo concedes that parenthood did inspire her to update her methods. Rather than organize and dispose of items all at once, for example, Kondo now suggests that new parents do what they can, when they can. She also thinks young children can participate, beginning with learning to fold clothes: Its a good idea to start with socks because they are the easiest. (An accompanying video of Satsuki folding socks is a must-watch.)

Whatever her home might look like in actuality, Kondos take on teaching children her methods is refreshing  even oddly moving. When children go through the sadness of letting things go, that can be a good experience for them, she says. I wouldnt want to eliminate such emotions.
On a leg when Amazing Race Canada teams groomed and rode RCMP horses, one team appeared to have hidden horseshoes in a part of their anatomy one doesnt discuss in polite company.

For the second time this season, Montreal business partners Andrea and Ebonie finished last but escaped elimination.

Mind you, it wasnt all the womens fault they were last. They fell victim to half of a Double U-turn, delivered by Toronto duo Korey and Ivana.

The personal trainers might not be at the top of Andrea and Ebonies hit list, however: that honour may fall to fellow Montrealers Adam and Andrea, who promised to protect the ladies from the U-turn and then failed to make good on the alliance.

Adam and Andrea are already a safe bet to have targets on their backs since they have now achieved what no other team has this season: finishing first in a leg twice and doing so back to back.

Well see how things shake out next week. In the meantime, here are the highlights of Tuesdays episode.

Lets be allies: Montreal siblings Adam and Andrea felt last weeks first-place finish put them at risk for being U-turned so, en route from Bangkok to Ottawa, they opted to form an alliance with two teams theyd worked with before: the aforementioned Andrea and Ebonie, and Toronto couple Sam and Paul. The deal was whoever got to the U-turn board first would delay one of the other three teams. More on how that worked out later.

Horse sense: Never mind the Route Info challenge, which didnt look all that hard: parking cars at Hogs Back Park to form the letters in the word Canada. The competition really got started with the Road Block, in which one member of each team had to groom one of the horses that perform in the RCMP Musical Ride, properly tack the horse (i.e. put on its saddle, bridle, blanket and rope) then take it for a short ride. The tacking was the most difficult part, tougher than cleaning the horses butts, although not exceedingly tough. (Some of the funnier reactions to the bum cleaning included Koreys very wide eyes and Karens Oh, I think it farted.)

Tiptoe through the tulips: Every single team chose the Detour of that name, which involved racing to Ottawas Commissioners Park, building a wooden cart and then decorating it with 12 different coloured tulip bouquets placed in corresponding coloured buckets in the same order as an example cart. Collingwood friends Kenneth and Ryan (Team Giver), and Andrea and Ebonie were in the lead when they left the RCMP stables but ceded top spot to Paul and Sam when they got lost. But no one got as lost as the perpetually lagging Korey and Ivana. They couldnt even blame a cab driver this time since they were driving themselves.

Time was of the essence since those who finished the Detour first would get to the U-turn board first at the ByWard Market. That turned out to be married Edmonton couple Karen and Bert, who decided it wasnt in their nature to U-turn anyone else. Not so for Sam and Paul, who stuck to their alliance agreement and U-turned Kenneth and Ryan since theyre a strong team.

Had the teams arrived in the order they left the Detour, Andrea and Ebonie would have been next and likely would have U-turned Korey and Ivana, but they got lost and Adam and Andrea got there first. Knowing that Andrea and Ebonie had been way ahead of them at the Detour, they wrongly assumed their fellow Montrealers had chosen not to U-turn anyone and broken their word, so they did likewise. We figure lets not put a target on ourselves, lets keep going with the race Andrea said.

Unfortunately for Andrea and Ebonie, Ivana and Korey got to the market first and U-turned them.

The art of the race: Kenneth and Ryan, and Andrea and Ebonie had no choice but to complete the other Detour, Get the Picture, which meant driving to the 36,000-square-foot Canada Council Art Bank, selecting 20 artist names and serial numbers from binders, finding the corresponding works of art in the bank, photographing them and placing the photos in a binder.

Team Giver happened to see Ryans brother Johnny Mustard in the market as they left, interpreting that as a sign they wouldnt be eliminated. They took that determination, plus a big head start on the girls, to the Art Bank. The boys finished the Detour first and all four were eventually able to join the other teams at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec.

We write a test for thee: In honour of Canada 150, teams had to study the displays in the museums new Canadian History Hall then write citizenship tests. Each team member had to get at least 15 points out of 20 to move on. For some, like Karen, Sam and Andrea it was a snap. Others, like Bert and Paul, struggled mightily to answer the multiple choice questions (Bert would have been the guy who was hanging out at the lockers (in high school), noted honours student Karen.) Paul needed eight tries; Bert 14. Korey and Ivana wrote the test four and five times respectively, although Ivana was extremely proud to do so, given that she had emigrated from Bosnia with her parents when she was 12.

It was Adam and Andrea who finished first (Adam passed the test on his second try) racing through the museum to the pit stop on its upper terrace, winning the leg, a five-city tour of Canada and a chance to affirm their citizenship with Senior Citizenship Judge Renata Brum.

Sam and Paul were team No. 2; Korey and Ivana No. 3; Karen and Bert No. 4; Kenneth and Ryan No. 5 (Im hoping Ryan was joking when he ventured that Celine Dion wrote the Canadian national anthem); and Andrea and Ebonie last.

We are super lucky. We are gonna race like our lives depend on it, promised Ebonie after host Jon Montgomery told them they were still in the race.

Theyll have to complete a Speed Bump in the next leg as the teams move on to Newfoundland and Labrador, where theres a rowing Detour, a standup comedy Road Black, a bowling Face Off, and some tension between Adam and Andrea and Andrea and Ebonie, it seems.

It airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. on CTV. You can email me at dyeo@thestar.ca , tweet me @realityeo or visit my Facebook page.

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We live in dark times. North Korea has threatened physical action in response to UN sanctions, the suicide rate among teenage girls is the highest its been in 40 years, the ice caps are rapidly melting, and a six-year-old girl named Phoebe just lost her favourite stuffed animal at the Eaton Centre. You might be thinking that one of these things is not like the others, but these days a lost stuffed animal stirs up a spirit of public concern typically only seen after natural disasters and terror attacks. Thanks to technology, the norm around lost stuffies isnt to let them stay lost but to launch sophisticated social media campaigns and enlist the help of the powers that be to return the missing toys to their tiny masters as soon as humanly possible.

According to a Tuesday story in this newspaper, Phoebe and her family were visiting Toronto from England recently, when the girl misplaced her beloved stuffy, Sleepy Dog, a pink plush canine, somewhere in the massive Eaton Centre mall. When Phoebes mother, Julie Letton, noticed Sleepy Dog was missing, like so many parents of our age, she took to social media for help. She made a Facebook post describing her daughter as heartbroken about the AWOL stuffy. The post has since gone viral (its been shared more than 7,000 times) and inspired sympathy from Toronto police Sgt. Wendy Drummond who recently tweeted We are all pulling together to bring this little guy [Sleepy Dog] home. If you think this is an isolated incident of adults going raving mad for lost toys, think again. Such missing stuffy hunts are commonplace now, and if they arent launched on social media, then they are fuelled by it. This summer, when a little boy forgot his stuffed bear, Teddy Bear, on a bench outside baggage claim at a Dallas, Texas, airport, airport officials took to Twitter to hunt for the lost bear. The stuffy was found and returned to its rightful owner to considerable social media fanfare. In similar fashion, when a Nova Scotia boy forgot his stuffy on an airplane last year  a Stitch from Disneys Lilo and Stitch that his grandmother bought for him at Disney World  a flight attendant not only recovered the lost Stitch and returned it to its owner; she took photos of the stuffed alien flying around the world with her first. These are only a few incidents. YouTube is teeming with reunion videos featuring kids embracing their formerly lost stuffies with tears of joy  evidence, perhaps, of their parents attempts at a viral moment.

Phoebes mother, Julie Letton, meanwhile, is living a viral moment of her own. As adults weve all experienced heart break at some point in our lives, so we know what it feels like, and its awful to see (Phoebe) going through such an emotional time, Letton said in the press this week.

I dont want to be a Scrooge, nor come down on a parent trying to do the right thing, but the kid didnt lose a limb. She lost a toy.

The public response from airport staff, police, and strangers on the internet when parents launch social media campaigns to find their childrens lost toys is no doubt touching, but its also completely misguided. Of course I understand that a lot of children are deeply attached to their stuffies  I still have my favourite teddy bear, Holly, and Im almost 30 years old  but is it not one of the most valuable lessons of childhood that things are things and therefore replaceable, and not worth mourning? (I mean, we are talking about a stuffed dog here, not somebodys family heirlooms). I worry that when we send out search parties for lost stuffies, we do kids a disservice, because a) we lead them to believe that when they lose something they deem valuable, a band of merry strangers comes along to save the day; a nice idea, but one that is sure to disappoint when they grow up and lose their car keys for the first time. And b) when we go nuts searching for lost toys, we rob kids of the experience of mourning a material thing until they wake up one morning and realize it was just that: material and superfluous. Loss is painful, but its not always bad. Its good to lose something you love and learn in turn, that life goes on.

But when adults bend over backward to locate misplaced stuffies and enlist the help of thousands of determined strangers who wont rest until theyve found those stuffies, that lesson is lost. And another lesson takes its place: Things arent unimportant. They are the most important. I hate to say it, but we ought to grow up and let Sleepy Dogs lie.

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OTTAWAA first-of-its-kind study in Canada has painted a national picture of homeless youth and drawn a link to the foster care system that researchers say could be playing a more active role in keeping young people off the streets.

The study found nearly three out of every five homeless youth were part of the child welfare system at some point in their lives, a rate almost 200 times greater than that of the general population.

Of those with a history in the child welfare system, almost two of every five respondents eventually aged out of provincial or territorial care, losing access to the sort of support that could have kept them from becoming homeless, the study found.

The result is that Canada is creating a group of young people who are at higher risk of becoming homeless because they lack resources when coming out of foster care, said Stephen Gaetz, the studys co-author and director of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness.

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The study released Wednesday comes months before dozens of cities will take part in the second, federally organized point-in-time count of the homeless population that will include a focus on young people.

The first federal point-in-time count last year asked respondents for their ages, but changes to the questionnaire are coming for the 2018 count to help communities that choose to put extra attention on targeting the youth homeless population including when someone first became homeless.

The survey also will now includes questions about immigrants and refugees, as well as gender identity to better help cities co-ordinate and plan services or, in the case of newcomers to Canada, whether there may be an issue that can be addressed upstream.

The Canadian Press obtained a copy of the updated questionnaire under the Access to Information Act.

The first count last year included 32 cities. More cities have suggested they are interested in taking part in next years count.

All of the data will feed into the Liberal governments anti-poverty strategy that will target vulnerable populations like youth. Mathieu Filion, a spokesman for Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, said the government will look at the youth homeless study released Wednesday to see how its recommendations can be worked into the national anti-poverty plan.

The study is based on a survey of 1,103 young people who were homeless in 42 different communities in nine provinces and Nunavut.

There are about 6,500 young people between the ages of 13 and 24 homeless on any given night.

The report urges the federal government to focus on preventing youth homelessness  particularly among Indigenous youth  and on provinces and territories to focus on after care by providing support as needed until age 25.

Were not calling out child protection services, Gaetz said. Were not pointing fingers going, Its horrible what youre doing.

Rather, were saying this is an unintended consequence of a whole number of things, but its something that we can identify as leading to bad outcomes when young people leave care.

New census data released last week reported some 43,880 youth in foster care in 2016, a decline of about 4,000 from the 47,890 young people Statistics Canada counted in 2011, the first time such data was collected for the census.

The problem is particularly acute for Indigenous youth, who in 2011 made up nearly half of the children in care nationally. Statistics Canada is set to release more census details about Canadas Aboriginal population later this fall.

The study says that the problems with Indigenous child welfare, which governments have vowed to tackle, highlight the need for structural reforms to the system.

None of these approaches can be a one-size-fits-all approach, said study co-author David French, director of policy and planning with A Way Home, a national, anti-youth-homelessness coalition.

So when you speak about Indigenous young people or young people who identify as LGBTQ2S, or new immigrant young people, each of them does require a targeted response underneath a specific strategy.

LGBTQ2S stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirit, the latter term referring specifically to members of the Indigenous community.

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SAINT-BERNARD-DE-LACOLLE, QUE.Teams of Canadian soldiers stretched canvas across the metal frames of tents at a camp site near the Quebec-U.S. border Wednesday as they helped fellow authorities cope with the crush of asylum seekers crossing into Canada.

The site, located on a flat stretch of grass behind the building where asylum claimants are bused in from the border, was expected to accommodate up to 500 people.

We have about 100 personnel here on the ground who will set up 25 tents in order to house approximately 500 people, Maj. Yves Desbiens said in an interview in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle.

Were going to set up lighting as well, and heating and were going to have flooring installed.

The soldiers will have no role in security matters and will not participate in law-enforcement tasks. All but a few will return to their home base once the site is completed.

Canada Border Services Agency spokesperson Judith Gadbois-St-Cyr said the camp was being set up because too many people were crossing the border for them to be processed immediately.

In a phone interview, she said it can currently take two or three days to process a refugee claim and most people would not stay in the camp longer than that.

She said border services would be responsible for providing food, water, beds and blankets.

By 5:30 p.m., the tents had been erected and strung with hanging lights as soldiers continued to lay down wooden flooring.

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Gadbois-St-Cyr said the camp would be ready to accept people in a short time but could not say exactly when that would be.

Earlier in the day, in nearby Hemmingford, some 40 asylum seekers sat under white tents at an impromptu reception centre that has sprung up on the Canadian side of a popular illegal border crossing.

The atmosphere appeared relaxed as border crossers lined up for lunch boxes handed out by RCMP personnel and waited to be shepherded onto buses for the 10-minute drive to the Lacolle processing station.

Ill be your tour guide, one RCMP officer inside the bus could be heard joking.

Theres the United States; this is Canada.

Many of the hundreds of people who are crossing the Canada-United States border into Quebec to seek asylum are of Haitian descent.

Robert Duteau, the mayor of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, told The Canadian Press he is not worried about overcrowding.

There is space to receive them (the soldiers), he said. I know theres a lot of action in that area, but, all things considered, it doesnt upset me.

In the United States, the Trump administration is considering ending a program that granted Haitians so-called temporary protected status following the massive earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010.

Many of the arrivals are being housed in Montreal at the Olympic Stadium.

The City of Montreal said recently between 250 and 300 people were crossing the Canada-United States border to seek asylum every day, up from 50 per day in the first half of July.

On Wednesday, the Quebec government announced the opening of another facility, this one at the former Royal Victoria Hospital with a capacity of between 300 and 320 places.

Another shelter was opened earlier this week at a former convent that is owned by the city.

Francine Dupuis, who oversees a Quebec government-funded program that helps asylum seekers, said 2,620 people are currently being housed in temporary accommodation in Montreal.

As soon as people arrive (in Montreal), not only do we find them a place to stay but we make sure its safe, that they have the meals they need and that its hygienic, Dupuis said.

We try to keep families together.

With files from Jean Philippe Angers in Montreal

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Two Toronto police officers pleaded not guilty to professional misconduct Tuesday at the first day of the high-profile  and much-delayed  hearing into the 2011 gunpoint arrest of four Black teenagers, a controversial incident known as the Neptune Four case.

Dressed in a dark blue suit, Const. Adam Lourenco rose from his seat inside the tribunal room at Toronto police headquarters, stating not guilty as each of his three Police Services Act charges was read out by hearing officer Insp. Richard Hegedus, the adjudicator at the tribunal.

Lourenco is accused of one count of unlawfully arresting the four boys and two counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly using unreasonable force  specifically, punching one of the boys and pointing his gun at three of them. Const. Scharnil Pais, in full police uniform, pleaded not guilty to one count of unlawfully arresting the teens.

None of the allegations against the officers have been proven at the tribunal.

At long last, the hearing will provide an opportunity to dissect a case with racial dimensions as relevant now as they were at the time of the incident, said Jeff Carolin, the lawyer representing the teens, who are now 20 and 21 years old.

The perspective that Im going to try to bring is that you cant look at this case without talking about racism, you cant look at this case without talking about racial profiling, he said in an interview outside police headquarters Tuesday.

The hearing stems from a November 2011 incident where four boys, ages 15 and 16, were on their way to an after-school learning program in a Lawrence Heights public housing complex on Neptune Dr. They were stopped by Lourenco and Pais, both officers with the controversial and now-disbanded Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS) unit.

According to police records, the officers were at the Neptune Dr. buildings to enforce the Trespass to Property Act on behalf of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation.

When they were approached by police, one of the boys attempted to exercise his constitutional right to walk away, according to Carolin and a previous account of the incident provided to the Star.

The encounter escalated. According to allegations contained in the written Police Act charges against the officers, Lourenco threw punches and drew his gun.

The incident was captured by a Toronto Community Housing security camera and first reported by the Star.

The boys were charged with assaulting police, and the young man who did not want to answer police questions was charged with threatening death and assault with intent to resist arrest. All of the charges were later withdrawn.

Because the teens faced criminal charges under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the Star is not identifying them.

The charges against Lourenco and Pais came after an investigation by Ontarios Office of the Independent Police Review Director, spurred by the four teens lodging complaints with the watchdog. One of the four teens has since withdrawn his complaint and will not be participating in the hearing.

The three young men going forward with their complaints are eager for closure and an opportunity to share their stories, Carolin said.

The case has taken a circuitous route to the tribunal in large part due to two rare developments. Last spring, the Ontario Human Rights Commission attempted to gain official status at the hearing in order to ensure the tribunal adequately addressed the role racial profiling may have played in the officers alleged misconduct. After a separate hearing, a Toronto police hearing officer denied the rights groups request, saying the tribunal did not have the legal jurisdiction to allow the OHRC to participate.

Months later, Lourenco sought to have Hegedus removed as hearing officer on the case. Lourenco alleged that the senior officer had recently committed misconduct himself, and arguing there was a reasonable perception Hegedus may be biased.

The move prompted an unusual written decision by Hegedus, clearing himself of appearing biased and ruling that he could oversee the disciplinary hearing. Lourenco later sought a judicial review of Hegedus decision, but the application was quashed.

The hearing continues Thursday.

Wendy Gillis can be reached at wgillis@thestar.ca

With files from Star archives

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Markhams most famous show cow, who was recently honoured for her place in the citys history with a controversial statue erected in the middle of a quiet subdivision, never actually lived in Markham.

Its unlikely Charity even set hoof in the city, says the farmer who raised her.

She was never herself in Markham. Never, said dairy farmer Ken Trevena, 83, standing next to a rock and plaque that mark the final resting spot of the award-winning Holstein on the idyllic Hanover Hill Farm in Port Perry.

She never went to Romandale Farm (in Markham), said Trevena, who raised Charity from when she was two years old and eventually buried her in 1988, after she was diagnosed with cancer. I took care of the cow until she died. She had a good life here, he said.

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The city of Markham remembers Charitys life a little differently.

Last month, the city put up an eight-metre stainless steel model of Charity on stilts, in the middle of a park on Charity Cres. in the community of Cathedraltown, despite disapproval from the citys public art committee and protests from residents.

A plaque installed at the site reads: The city of Markham is pleased to announce the installation of a statue, Brookview Tony Charity, to commemorate an internationally award-winning Holstein cow that was raised on Romandale Farms. It adds that the display will be completed in September.

Trevena says Markhams version of the facts is a bit of, well  bull.

I didnt realize they said she was raised in Markham  but anyway , said Trevena, who says he doesnt want to make a fuss.

People can say what they want, but anyone else in the Holstein business knows that she never left Hanover Hill Farms except to go to a show, he said, adding that its unlikely the cow would even have stopped in Markham going to or from a show.

Neither Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti nor the city responded to questions.

Ed Shiller, a spokesperson for the developer Helen Roman-Barber, who donated the artwork to the city, said: The importance of Charity to Cathedraltown and Markham as a whole is not derived from where Charity lived. It derives rather from her contribution to the success of Romandale Farm as Canadas leading breeder and exhibiter of Holstein cows, and that this success contributed significantly to the growth and prosperity of the city of Markham.

Trevena said Charitys connection to Markham was solidified in 1985, when Helen Roman-Barbers father, Stephen Roman, a wealthy businessman, bought a half interest in Charity for a then record $1.45 million.

Charity was born on a farm in Ohio and came to Canada in 1980. She was purchased by Peter Heffering of Hanover Hill Farm in 1981, and was placed under Trevenas care.

A year later, she began her record-setting career, which included being named the Supreme Champion of the Holsteins at the World Dairy Expo in 1982, 1984, 1985 and 1987. She was a nine-time all-Canadian or All-American show cow  achieving a record that still stands. Dubbed the most perfect cow that ever was, she was said to be the most productive milking cow in the world in the 1980s.

Trevena assumed for that price, Roman would take the cow home. Instead, he asked to keep the cow in Port Perry, Trevena said.

I got all the records together for him, and asked him, when are you taking the cow? Trevena said. Stephen Roman said to me, Are you staying here on this farm? So is that cow.

Charity continued showing until she was eight years old, said Trevena. When she was 10, Trevena said he noticed her stumbling, and found there was cancer in her spine.

We trucked her all the way to Guelph to get her checked out by a vet, but they couldnt do anything for her. I was very sad.

Trevena said of all the cows he has raised, Charity was kind of perfect in every way  and was the only one he buried.

We buried her, because what she did for us in terms of advertising and making our farm known, we thought, what the heck, she deserves a nice place to be buried, he said.

The plaque inscription at her grave, chosen by Trevena, perhaps says it best: Brookview Tony Charity Incredible Perfection. August 6, 1978  August 10, 1988. The legend that compels our imaginations to carry it on.

Cathedraltown resident Danny Da Silva, who has been opposed to the placement of the stainless steel statue and the way it was approved by council, says Markhams approved of the historical facts is offensive to both residents and the cow.

Heritage does need to be honoured properly, he said. Now, it really calls into question what the true heritage of this area really was. It is very upsetting, he said.

It makes you wonder why we are going through this. The city is not being honoured, the cow is not being honoured. This is really disturbing.

Bob Forhan, land-use planning consultant for Helen Roman-Barber, told the Stars Scott Wheeler that Charity belongs in her crescent because that was where she was farmed.

Roman-Barber said: To us, history is important, the most important.

Local Councillor Alan Ho said some councillors are hoping to reopen the issue at a special council meeting this week. We have to discuss this, he said. And learn from this incident.

Trevena, who is retiring from farming this year, said hes happy to see Charity honoured so many years later, but has one suggestion for the city: put it on the ground, and put a fence around it.

The bottom side of the cow is not its best, he said.

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A disillusioned Progressive Conservative is abandoning a bid for the Tory nomination in Guelph over concerns with the partys leadership.

Thomas Mooney took to social media this week to announce his withdrawal from the race to carry the PC banner in next Junes provincial election.

From what Ive been seeing during my campaign, I no longer have the faith with the current leadership to continue in good conscience to run as a candidate for the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, Mooney said in a letter to supporters posted on Twitter.

There have been very unsettling occurrences across the province in various PCPO riding associations, he said, referring to spate of controversies in ridings like Newmarket-Aurora, Ottawa West-Nepean, and Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas.

Mooney, a respected trucking-safety expert, said he was initially skeptical of the validity of those claims, including allegations of ballot-stuffing now being investigated by Hamilton police.

But when faced with seeing one riding association after another going as far as going public with complaints of perceived improprieties within the PCPC nomination process, I had to stop and take another look, he said.

Lately, there have been a whole lot of warning flags flying across the PCPO landscape.

In a video posted to Facebook on Tuesday, Mooney said he would be making a decision on whether to run for another conservative party within the next couple of weeks.

I hope you can hear the frustration thats in my voice, because Ontario deserves a lot better, he said.

Mooney took to LinkedIn in the spring to urge voters to help PC Leader Patrick Brown topple Premier Kathleen Wynnes Liberals.

Ontario will be heading to the polls in June 2018. Theres going to be a lot of Wynne dollars flying around to try to schmooze voters. Mark my words, its already begun, he wrote in a piece that maintained Brown stands for financial responsibility at Queens Park.

But we all need to remember to where those Wynne dollars come. Not from a bank account. But rather from a very deep and increasing line of credit that Ontario cant afford. Wynnes plan is to burden our children with it. Ontario needs a responsible plan.

Rick Dykstra, the PC Party president, played down Mooneys departure, emphasizing the Tories are attracting exceptional individuals to run, such as Caroline Mulroney in York-Simcoe.

There is incredible momentum because theres such a desire for change at Queens Park, and were seeing this across the province, including in Guelph. We will have an outstanding candidate from the riding, Dykstra said Wednesday.

Robert Coole, the Guelph PC riding association president, said he was very shocked at Mooneys decision to withdraw.

He was a very credible candidate. Hes a very conscientious man. He was just worried about things that were going on in different ridings, said Coole, who, as chair of the local nomination committee, is remaining neutral.

There are three other potential PC candidates, whose names have not yet been made public.

With files From The Canadian Press

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PARISProposals to make official the role of Frances first lady ran aground after a public outcry over suggestions by the French president that it was time to consider enshrining in law the role of presidential spouse.

Although French President Emmanuel Macron had yet to specify what role he envisioned, a petition against any official recognition of the first lady began circulating on the internet three weeks ago. By the end of Tuesday, nearly 300,000 people had signed it and, with Macrons popularity ebbing somewhat, the government backed away from proposing statutory changes and sought to calm the rising controversy.

There will not be any modification to the constitution, any new resources nor any remuneration for Macrons wife, Brigitte Macron, a government spokesperson, Christophe Castaner, said in a series of Twitter posts Tuesday.

Read more: Youre in such good shape: Trump tells French First Lady Brigitte Macron

The main goal, Castaner said, was to make clear that she plays a role, she has responsibilities.

We want to be transparent, he said.

On the campaign trail, Macron had gone considerably further, saying that he would like to see a statute that gave a legal framework to the work of the presidents spouse.

This summer, however, was not a good time to push ahead on the project. The French Parliament is working on an ethics law for politicians that would, among other things, ban the hiring of relatives because some politicians have used the practice to augment their own incomes.

Although Macrons goal was to modernize the presidential system, many people appear to have construed his efforts, which have included having an internal committee discuss different approaches, as a favour to his wife.

Ahead of voting on a decree forbidding lawmakers to hire a family member, we cannot in all decency support a statute specifically for the wife of President Macron, said Thierry Paul Valette, the author of the popular online petition.

It could also be costly, Valette said. Although Macron already has an office, secretaries and a security detail, giving her an official position might enable her to claim more of the budget and hire numerous collaborators, drivers, security and take other advantages, he said.

The resonance of Valettes petition hardly came as a surprise to pollsters, who have surveyed the public on this question on several occasions in the past couple of years. One 2016 poll by IFOP, a major French pollster, found that 69 per cent of those surveyed did not want an official role for the first lady, said Jerome Fourquet, the director of opinion polling for the organization. People were particularly allergic to the idea that she might be paid  although that was not one of Macrons proposals. Another poll found similar percentages.

Beyond the stated arguments are both history and a French culture that, even as it embraces a monarch-like president, remains leery of going too far down that road. It reminds people of some of the most violent and bloody periods in French history, including that of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, who were beheaded during the French Revolution.

Theres a complicated rapport between this country and the monarchy, Fourquet said. For the French, he said, to give power to a spouse goes back to monarchal power: The French elect a man, not a family. The notion of a couple reminds them too much of the monarchy and the royal couple.

Adding to the complexity is an ambivalence over how much the French want to see or know about the first lady.

The French respect that it was the husband who was elected by the people, Fourquet said. So the woman is present in the photo,  he said.

From a U.S. perspective, the French furor over defining an official position and responsibilities for the first lady looks like a tempest in a teapot: First ladies, whether Republican or Democrat, at least since the presidency of Herbert Hoover, have pushed boundaries  some more than others. And while controversy dogged some of them, they have gradually become more and more accepted as public figures.

While there is no statute in the United States defining the first ladys role and the position is unpaid, since 1978, when former U.S. president Jimmy Carter signed a law authorizing a budget and a staff, it has become accepted that the presidential spouse has a number of duties and needs assistance to carry them out. Recent first ladies have had staffs of 16 to 25 people, according to a report on the office of the first lady for Rice Universitys Baker Institute in 2016.

Even in the United States, the status of first ladies has not been a steady progression by any means, said MaryAnne Borrelli, a professor of government at Connecticut College who has researched first ladies. Most modern first ladies have increasingly come to accept a role as public figures and be accepted by the public.

The dilemma, she said, is that the first lady has always been on the public stage, yet women, especially in an earlier era, were supposed to be in the private sphere, so how do you negotiate the ideal balance?

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WASHINGTONEach year, scores of high school students across the country compete in the Congressional Art Competition, submitting works of art for a chance to be featured at the U.S. Capitol.

Now, for the second year in a row, a teenagers painting for the contest has become the centre of a political controversy, drawing ire from conservative groups. This time around, the artwork stirred complaints even before making it to Washington.

The painting, a finalist in the competition, currently hangs in California, in the Santa Ana office of Rep. J. Luis Correa, a congressional Democrat. It depicts the Statue of Liberty wearing a hijab, holding her torch across the left side of her body.

Read more: Trump aide Stephen Miller dismisses huddled masses poem on Statue of Libertys

While the painting is simply a piece of art created by a local female high school student, its symbolism is clearly political. It evokes imagery similar to other works of art that have circulated since U.S. President Donald Trumps election, such as the popular We The People poster of a woman wearing an American flag as a hijab.

But for some conservatives, the painting has no place in the office of an elected congressman.

When local activist group We the People Rising saw the painting in Correas office, its members set out on a campaign to have it removed, calling it a separation of church and state issue.

Early last month, a member of the group, which advocates for stricter immigration laws, wrote a letter to Correa requesting that his office take down the painting, saying it was not appropriate for the public office of a congressman. The group said it received guidance from a legal consultant.

Ultimately, to attribute a specific religion to the Statue of Liberty is inaccurate, unprofessional and offensive, wrote Mike McGetrick, an activist in We the People Rising and a resident of Orange, Calif. In addition, the painting displays the torch of the Statue of Liberty, not as the heralded beacon of light, but rather held awkwardly to one side  in a perplexing, even disturbing, manner.

Since then, the group has passed out flyers in local neighbourhoods, urging constituents to contact the congressman and ask him to remove the painting. It says it will organize a protest on Sept. 11 at Correas district office if the painting is not taken down, the Orange County Register reported.

In a videotaped meeting with a representative for Correa, McGetrick called the painting reprehensible and more than a little bit insulting.

The art implies we welcome Syrian refugees and all that, another group member said.

This week, as news of the painting circulated on social media, other conservative publications and figures joined in the criticism. Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee, shared a link on Twitter to an article about the painting from the Young Conservatives website, with the message:  Statue of Liberty painting found in Congressmans Office, Then America Spots Something Unusual.

But Correa said that he will not be taking down the painting. In an interview Tuesday morning with the Washington Post, Correa said the painting is an individuals expression of art and is only hanging on the office wall because it was chosen as a finalist for the congressional competition. Policing art and what is proper, what is not, he said, would violate freedom of speech laws and lead to a very dangerous slippery slope.

My thoughts were, heres probably a young Muslim lady who is trying very hard to be part of America, who is trying very hard to show people that she is an American, given the context that is going on around us in our country, Correa said, speaking by phone from Jerusalem. By me taking it down Im acknowledging that she did something wrong.

After receiving complaints about the painting, the congressmans office reached out to the House Office of General Counsel for guidance, said Andrew Scibetta, the communications director for Correa. The legal team made clear that there was nothing wrong or in any way malicious in posting this photo, Scibetta told the Post.

Following advice from law enforcement, Correas office declined to identify the paintings artist, in order to protect her and prevent her from becoming the target of threats.

The students painting came in fourth place among entries in Correas district, and is one of several runner-up art pieces displayed on the congressmans wall. The first-place winner of the Congressional Art Competition for Correas district  a mural depicting Mexican-American veterans of the Second World War  is displayed in a tunnel between the Capitol and House office buildings alongside more than 400 other works from other districts that won.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations shared the Orange County Registers story about the painting on Facebook, including the words, Islamophobia Watch. In response, a number of people wrote that the idea behind the nations symbol of freedom was initially conceived as an Egyptian woman  and by default in those times  a Muslim.

Indeed, before French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi brought his majestic vision for the Statue of Liberty to the United States, he had conceived an idea for a lighthouse that would stand at the entrance to the Suez Canal. Bartholdi wanted to carve the likeness of an Egyptian peasant woman holding aloft a torch of freedom, according to historian Michael B. Oren. But the Egyptian viceroy could not afford to finance Bartholdis project, the Post reported.

The California students depiction of Lady Liberty in hijab comes amid a broader national discussion about the meaning of the famous statue, which many Americans consider a welcoming symbol for immigrants. But that notion was challenged last week by White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, who told CNNs Jim Acosta the monuments poem about the huddled masses is not part of the original Statue of Liberty.

Since the congressional art contest began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated, according to the competitions website. But as Scibetta said, it seems that every year theres something that drives people nuts.

Earlier this year, a painting inspired by the 2014 civil unrest in Ferguson, Mo., became the centre of a House battle. The painting, created by Missouri teen David Pulphus, was selected as a winner in last years contest and was displayed in the tunnel between the Capitol and the House office buildings. The art work portrayed a horned animal similar to a wild boar in a police uniform tangling with a protester depicted as a wolf. Around them, protesters hold signs with words such as, Racism kills.

After it had been displayed for seven months, groups representing law enforcement officers called for its removal due to its perceived negative portrayal of police, the Post reported. Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.), a former sheriff, asked House Speaker Paul Ryan to have the painting taken down, citing rules against depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature on the Capitol premises.

Capitol officials ultimately decided the painting violated House rules and removed it.

But the saga didnt end there. The following month, the young artist, along with Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-Mo.), filed a lawsuit in federal courts saying the paintings removal violated the students right to free speech in bowing to overt political pressure.

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On Saturday an improvised explosive device was detonated in a Minneapolis-area mosque in what Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton denounced as a dastardly, cowardly hate crime.

Its just the latest case in an ever-quickening escalation of anti-Islamic incidents at mosques, according to data compiled by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). According to CAIRs figures, in the first half of 2017 there were 85 such incidents. Thats more than the total number of incidents in any year between 2009 and 2015. And while 2016s numbers arent fully compiled yet, the six-month tally for 2017 is already greater than the number of incidents in the first nine months of last year.

Read more:

Explosion hits Minnesota mosque just before morning prayers

The incidents tracked by CAIR this year include 24 cases of property damage and vandalism like the one at the Minnesota mosque. They also include 30 cases of intimidation against mosques or the people who worship in them, and four separate instances of alleged anti-Muslim bias in cases where a proposal to build a mosque was rejected by local authorities.

More broadly, CAIR has found that instances of anti-Muslim bias, whether connected to a mosque or not, are up sharply since U.S. President Donald Trump announced his candidacy in June of 2015. In 2014, for instance, CAIR documented 1,341 cases of anti-Muslim bias and 38 anti-Muslim hate crimes. By 2016, those numbers had ballooned to 2,213 and 260, respectively.

CAIRs figures comport with available FBI hate crime data, which showed a surge in anti-Muslim crimes in 2015 (2016 data is not yet available).

When Donald Trump became President of the United States on January 20, 2017, he brought an unprecedented record of conditioning audiences to fear Muslims, CAIR wrote in a report earlier this year.

Trump had a long record of making inflammatory statements about Muslims and Islam. Early in his campaign he floated the ideas of closing mosques and creating a national database of Muslims. He called for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States, said that Islam harbours a tremendous hatred for the United States, and accused Muslims of wanting sharia law.

CAIRs research suggests that rhetoric has consequences. Shortly after Trumps election last November, for instance, mosques around the country received letters threatening genocide, with several claiming that Trump will do to Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews. Muslim students at NYU found the door to a prayer room vandalized with the word Trump.

Trump, who has been quick to respond to attacks by Islamic extremists on Twitter, has so far been circumspect about the mosque attack in Minnesota. The White House told New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush that the President has been and is continuing to be updated and we are monitoring situation for now.

Muslims arent the only group facing heightened discrimination in the Trump era. Jews remain the religious group most likely targeted for hate crimes. After years of decline, anti-Jewish crimes increased by nearly 10 per cent between 2014 and 2015, according to the FBI.

The months following the election brought a spate of anti-Semitic incidents and attacks around the country, some referencing Trump directly. In February, Trump responded to a reporters question about these incidents by boasting about the size of his electoral college victory and pointing out that his daughter Ivankas family is Jewish.

The FBIs hate crime statistics for 2016, which will give a comprehensive picture of bias incidents in the election year, will be released later in 2017. But that wont answer the question of whether what were seeing is a temporary spike in bias incidents unleashed by the passions of the election season, or, more disturbingly, a new normal in hate crime.

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Up to 50 migrants from Somalia and Ethiopia were deliberately drowned when a smuggler forced them into the sea off Yemens coast, the U.N. migration agency said Wednesday, calling the drownings shocking and inhumane.

International Organization for Migration staffers found the shallow graves of 29 of the migrants on a beach in Shabwa during a routine patrol, the agencys statement said. The dead were buried by those who survived.

At least 22 migrants remained missing, the IOM said. The passengers average age was around 16, the agency said.

The narrow waters between the Horn of Africa and Yemen have been a popular migration route despite Yemens ongoing conflict. Migrants try to make their way to the oil-rich Gulf countries.

The smuggler forced more than 120 migrants into the sea Wednesday morning as they approached Yemens coast, the IOM statement said.

The survivors told our colleagues on the beach that the smuggler pushed them to the sea when he saw some authority types near the coast, said Laurent de Boeck, the IOMs chief of mission in Yemen. They also told us that the smuggler has already returned to Somalia to continue his business and pick up more migrants to bring to Yemen on the same route.

IOM staffers provided aid for 27 surviving migrants who remained on the beach, while other migrants left.

De Boeck called the suffering of migrants on the route enormous, especially during the current windy season on the Indian Ocean. Too many young people pay smugglers with the false hope of a better future, he said.

The IOM says about 55,000 migrants have left Horn of Africa nations for Yemen since January, with most from Somalia and Ethiopia. A third of them are estimated to be women.

Despite the fighting in Yemen, African migrants continue to arrive in the war-torn country where there is no central authority to prevent them from travelling onward. The migrants are vulnerable to abuse by armed trafficking rings, many of them believed to be connected to the armed groups involved in the war.

The conflict itself is a deadly risk. In March, Somalias government blamed the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen for an attack on a boat that killed at least 42 Somali refugees off Yemens coast.

Some Somalis are desperate to avoid years of chaos at home with attacks by homegrown extremist group al-Shabab and deadly drought. Some Ethiopians have left home after months of deadly anti-government protests and a 10-month state of emergency.

More than 111,500 migrants landed on Yemens shores last year, up from around 100,000 the year before, according to the Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat, a grouping of international agencies that monitors migration in the area.

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A Florida toddler was found dead late Monday in a hot daycare van after police said the driver failed to conduct a head count and notice that the boy had been forgotten.

Orlando Police Chief John Mina said during a news conference Tuesday that Myles K. Hill, who would have turned 4 later this month, died after he was apparently left all day in a hot vehicle parked outside Little Miracles Academy on Plymouth Avenue in Orlando.

This is an absolute tragedy, which could have been prevented, Mina said, urging caregivers to always check their vehicles for children, according to CBS affiliate WKMG.

Mina said criminal charges are pending against the daycare worker, who he noted was extremely distraught, although authorities are still awaiting the autopsy results.

The police chief said when Myles was not dropped off at home at the end of the day, his grandmother and legal guardian called Little Miracles Academy and police to report that he was missing. A daycare worker checked the van, Mina said, and police received a call from the daycare about an unresponsive child in a vehicle. Temperatures in Orlando reached nearly 34 C that day.

I was on the phone with her and she started to scream, Hes in the van, dead! Barbara Livingston, Myless aunt, told the Orlando Sentinel about the boys grandmother.

When officers arrived about 8:30 p.m., they found the 3-year-old on the floor in the back seat of the vehicle, Mina said. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

If you leave your child with someone, that person has the responsibility of taking care of them, Livingston told the newspaper. He had to lose his life because of someones neglect. Its not right. Its not right at all. If you have six kids get in the van, you make sure six kids get out of the van.

An initial investigation revealed that the daycare worker, who has not been identified by police, transported Myles and other children Monday morning from one Little Miracles Academy to another location, police said.

The worker returned to the daycare centre on Plymouth Avenue about 9 a.m., police said, and did not realize that Myles was still in the van. The van was parked outside the centre the entire day, with Myles in it, police said.

Livingston, 71, Myless aunt, told WKMG that she had asked a daycare worker where the toddler was and she was told that he was gone.

When Livingston asked, Gone where? she said the employee pointed to the van. Im numb. I dont know how to feel, she told WKMG.

On Tuesday night, Myless family members, friends and neighbours gathered around a makeshift memorial that had been created for the boy outside the daycare centre.

Corey Esters, Myless grandfather, told the newspaper the daycare centres owners, Audrey and Bryant Thornton, had not reached out to them, which he said was upsetting because he has known Audrey for many years.

We know her; we went to school together. It wouldve been different if she had come out, Esters said.

The fact that we know her personally and that she hasnt come out  it wouldve been easier to forgive.

So far in 2017, 32 children have died from heatstroke after being left in hot cars, according to a national database. Data shows that since 1998, 732 children have died that way.

Earlier this year, the owner of an unlicensed Vaughan daycare pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing death in a case that bears striking similarities to Myles death. On the morning of July 8, 2013, Olena Panfilova left 2-year-old Eva Ravikovich inside a minivan parked outside the daycare, still buckled in her car seat. Panfilova found Eva dead shortly after 5 p.m. that evening. The heat inside the minivan reached at least 50 C around midday, according to an agreed statement of facts.

Panfilova was sentenced to 22 months in jail.

Authorities said the Florida Department of Children and Families will conduct an institutional investigation.

State records dating to 2015 show that Little Miracles Academy has been cited for lax practices regarding personnel records, supervision and transportation, according to CNN. In July, the centre was cited for failing to log destination and arrival times and location when transporting the children, according to an inspection report.

Little Miracles did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Local news media reported that the facility was closed. A Facebook page for the centre appeared to be deactivated and the website was down.

With files from Ellen Brait

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BALTIMOREHe was bludgeoned to death in his pyjamas inside the two-storey row house hed owned for six decades and refused to leave.

Wadell Tate was 97, making him not only one of Baltimores oldest homicide victims in decades, but also a symbol of the relentless violence that has claimed 211 lives so far this year.

On Wednesday, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh was scheduled to announce her plan to tackle the record-setting surge in homicides.

Read more:Baltimore drops dozens of cases after video appears to show police officers planting evidence

But whatever the city tries will come too late for Tate, a Second World War veteran and retired refinery worker who still took a short walk every day before the July 21 burglary that left him dead.

Youd think at 97, how much longer does he have to live? said his daughter, Sylvia Swann, 65, pausing to wipe away tears last week as she and other relatives sorted through Tates belongings and prepared to bury him. They took away his right to die on his own.

Her familys grief and pain are familiar emotions in Baltimore, still struggling to recover from the 2015 riots after Freddie Gray suffered a fatal spinal injury in police custody. The relationship between the police and many neighbourhoods remains deeply strained. The erosion in trust has fuelled the spike in violence, making Baltimore one of the deadliest cities in the U.S.

Last weekend, beleaguered city residents called for a 72-hour ceasefire, holding rallies, vigils and cookouts. But two more people were killed between Friday and Sunday.

The police are trying to combat crime while changing the way they operate under a U.S. Justice Department consent decree. Police commissioner Kevin Davis is reconstituting drug and gun squads disbanded after the riots, and the department is using crisis intervention teams after slayings to head off retaliation and offer help to crime victims.

Even in a city averaging nearly one homicide a day, Tates slaying was disturbing because of his age and vulnerability.

It fell to the police departments chief spokesperson, T.J. Smith, to deliver the news about Tates death, just weeks after he told the city that his own brother had been killed in a break-in.

There is just not enough words to describe how disgusting an act of violence this is, said Smith, as detectives handed out flyers seeking help solving the crime. Weve seen it all. It never gets easier.

He was speaking outside Tates house, but his words carried a greater sense of the citys hopelessness: We need answers, and sadly we dont have any.

Up and down Darley Ave.  a once-proud block now marked by rooftops sagging over the empty porches of boarded-up homes  the consensus was the same. Mr. Tate, as he was known here, may have been close to a century old, but he was taken far too soon.

He still had life in him, said Louise Cuffie, Tates longtime neighbour. And he wanted to live.

It was one of Tates daughters who found him lying on his bedroom floor. Carolyn Brooks, 68, had rushed over to her childhood home when her father didnt answer the phone.

She and Louise Cuffies husband, Joseph, went inside. Brooks checked the basement and found the back door kicked in. She went upstairs. The usually orderly bedroom was upended. She climbed over two dresser drawers and found her father, bloodied and in his pyjamas, partially covered with blankets.

She took his pulse. I knew he was gone, she said.

Waiting downstairs, Joseph Cuffie heard her cry.

Tates daughters had begged him to move, especially after his wife, Mary Ruth, died four years ago at the age of 91. But he wouldnt.

Tate had grown up in Pacolet, S.C., 20 minutes south of Spartanburg. He didnt talk much about his childhood in the segregated South. His children knew only that hed made it through the eighth grade and later enlisted in the Army, serving in Germany during the Second World War.

He married Mary Ruth around that time  they had met at a dance where partners names were picked at random out of a hat. After the war, they settled in Baltimore, where Mary Ruth worked for decades as a maid for a prominent lawyers family and Wadell found a job refining copper at American Smelting and Refinery on the citys waterfront. He worked there until the plant closed in 1975.

The couple purchased their Darley Park row house in East Baltimore for $9,000 in 1956, becoming one of the first African American families on the street.

Tate  called Pop Pop at home  raised three daughters and a son in the three-bedroom, one-bathroom row house, which was 14 feet wide and 70 feet long.

He was old-school thrifty. Lights stayed off until it was dark outside (complainers got flashlights); no air conditioning; no credit cards; no chequing account. And later, no cable television and no cellphone.

His daughters said it wasnt that he shunned innovation, just that if he didnt need it, he didnt buy it. And if it worked, he felt no need to replace it. He retired the old Zenith black-and-white TV to the basement, long after the neighbours were watching colour sets. He saw no need to upgrade the porcelain kitchen sink that was there when he bought the house.

Still, his family never felt deprived. Every school year, hed take us down to Hess, the most expensive shoe store in Baltimore, Brooks said. Hed buy us back-to-school shoes. He would not let us do without.

The kids played under shade trees so close together that residents liked to say their branches kissed, supervised by neighbours. Front doors were left unlocked, she remembered.

Darley Parks blight arrived as it did for many other parts of Baltimore  disappearing manufacturing jobs, white flight that accelerated after the 1968 riots and, finally, the crack-cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s. Crime soared. Tens of thousands of residents fled.

In Tates neighbourhood, the homeowners gave way to renters, the drug dealers set up shop and the trees disappeared. Darley Park became a place to avoid, and its red-brick row houses were increasingly abandoned.

But Tate clung to 1723 Darley Ave.

He was comfortable here, Swann said.

Tate spent evenings on his porch, chatting with Joseph Cuffie, 79, another holdout two doors down. Cuffie, who described Tate as a real gentleman, helped him take short walks. In his younger days, Tate would dress in a suit to walk five kilometres to the downtown department stores, Cuffie recalled.

Though Tates formal schooling was limited, he had an encyclopedic mind filled with information from newspapers, Life magazines, television news broadcasts and PBS documentaries. He distrusted politicians, and he hated the drugs, Cuffie said. The two men watched the addicts stumble by all the time.

As police seek Tates killer, his family is planning to sell the house. It is worth just $15,000, little reward for 61 years of ownership.

Tates daughters are going through the house cabinet by cabinet, drawer by drawer, pausing to savour memories even as they learn more about their fathers life. Theyve found an old Brownie camera. A Freemasons card. The M-1 rifle he carried in the Second World War.

Last week, as they worked, a boy paused outside the row house and peered in through the open door. Swann invited the child inside.

I knew him, the 9-year-old whispered to the small gathering of relatives in the dark living room. He was a nice man. He shouldnt have died.

Swann gave him a hug.

Thank you, sweetheart, she said, thats exactly how we feel.

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CHAMPLAIN, N.Y.They have come from all over the United States, piling out of taxis, pushing strollers and pulling luggage, to the end of a country road in the north woods.

Where the pavement stops, they pick up small children and lead older ones wearing Mickey Mouse backpacks around a road closed sign, threading bushes, crossing a ditch, and filing past another sign in French and English that says No pedestrians. Then they are arrested.

Seven days a week, 24 hours a day, migrants who came to the U.S. from across the globe  Syria, Congo, Haiti, elsewhere  arrive here where Roxham Rd. dead-ends so they can walk into Canada, hoping its policies will give them the security they believe the political climate in the United States does not.

In Trumps country, they want to put us back to our country, said Lena Gunja, a 10-year-old from Congo, who until this week had been living in Portland, Maine. She was travelling with her mother, father and younger sister. So we dont want that to happen to us, so we want a good life for us. My mother, she wants a good life for us.

Read more: Montreals Olympic Stadium becomes shelter as Haitian refugees from the U.S. seek home in Canada

The passage has become so crowded this summer that Canadian police set up a reception centre on their side of the border in the Quebec community of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, about 50 kilometres south of Montreal, or almost 480 kilometres north of New York City.

It includes tents that have popped up in the past few weeks, where migrants are processed before they are turned over to the Canada Border Services Agency, which handles their applications for refuge.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are adding electricity and portable toilets. A Canadian flag stands just inside the first tent, where the Mounties search the immigrants they've just arrested and check their travel documents. They are also offered food. Then shuttle buses take the processed migrants to their next destination. Trucks carry their luggage separately.

The Canadian military said Wednesday that about 100 soldiers began arriving to prepare a site for tents to accommodate almost 500 people. The soldiers will also install lighting and heating equipment.

How this spot, not even an official border crossing, became the favoured place to cross into Canada is anyones guess. But once migrants started going there, word spread on social media.

Under the 2002 Safe Country Agreement between the United States and Canada, migrants seeking asylum must apply to the first country they arrive in. If they were to go to a legal port of entry, they would be returned to the United States and told to apply there.

But, in a quirk in the application of the law, if migrants arrive in Canada at a location other than a port of entry, such as Roxham Rd., they are allowed to request refugee status there.

Many take buses to Plattsburgh, New York, about 32 kilometres south. Some fly there, and others take Amtrak. Sometimes taxis carry people right up to the border. Others are let off up the road and have to walk, pulling their luggage behind them.

Used bus tickets litter the pavement, their points of origin mostly blurred by rain that fell on nights previous. One read Jacksonville.

One Syrian family said they flew into New York City on tourist visas and then went to Plattsburgh, where they took a taxi to the border.

The migrants say they are driven by the perception that the age of Republican President Donald Trump, with his calls for bans on people from certain majority-Muslim countries, means the United States is no longer the destination of the worlds dispossessed. Taking its place in their minds is the Canada of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a member of his countrys Liberal Party.

Most of the people making the crossing now are originally from Haiti. The Trump administration said this year it planned to end in January a special humanitarian program enacted after the 2010 earthquake that gave about 58,000 Haitians permission to stay temporarily in the U.S.

Walking toward the border in a group on Monday, Medyne Milord, 47, originally of Haiti, said she needs work to support her family.

If I return to Haiti, the problem will double, she said. What I hope is to have a better life in Canada.

Jean Rigaud Liberal, 38, said he had been in the United States for seven months and lived in Florida after he left Haiti. He learned about Roxham Rd. from Facebook and said he thinks Canada will be better than America.

We are not comfortable in America, Liberal said. We are seeking a better life; we dont want to go back to Haiti.

On the New York side, U.S. Border Patrol agents sometimes check to be sure the migrants are in the United States legally, but they said they dont have the resources to do it all the time.

Besides, said Brad Brant, a special operations supervisor for the U.S. Border Patrol, our mission isnt to prevent people from leaving.

Small numbers continue to cross into Canada elsewhere, but the vast majority take Roxham Rd. U.S. officials said they began to notice last fall, around the time of the U.S. presidential election, that more people were crossing there.

Francine Dupuis, the head of a Quebec government-funded program that helps asylum seekers, said her organization estimates 1,174 people overall crossed into Quebec last month, compared with 180 in July 2016. U.S. and Canadian officials estimated that on Sunday alone, about 400 people crossed the border at Roxham Rd.

All they have to do is cross the border, Dupuis said. We cant control it. They come in by the hundreds, and it seems to be increasing every day.

Canada said last week it planned to house some migrants in Montreals Olympic Stadium. It could hold thousands, but current plans call for only 450.

In most cases, once the migrants are in Canada they are released and can live freely while their claims for refugee status are processed, which can take years. Meanwhile, they are eligible for public assistance.

Brenda Shanahan, the Liberal Party member of Parliament who represents the area, visited the site Monday. She is proud of her country for being willing to take in the dispossessed, she said, but there is no guarantee they will be able to stay in Canada.

Its not a free ticket for refugee status, not at all, Shanahan said.

Opposition Conservative lawmaker Michelle Rempel said the Trudeau government lacks a plan to deal with the illegal crossings, even though a summer spike had been anticipated.

All that we have heard is that we are monitoring the situation, she said. The government needs to come up with a plan right away to deal with this.

It will further backlog a system in which some refugees are already waiting 11 years for hearings, Rempel said. Canadians will question the integrity of the immigration system if the dangerous trend of illegal crossings continues, she said.

Trudeau himself recently said his country has border checkpoints and controls that need to be respected.

We have an open compassionate country, but we have a strong system that we follow, he said. Protecting Canadian confidence in the integrity of our system allows us to continue to be open, and thats exactly what we need to continue to do.

Inancieu Merilien, originally of Haiti, moved to the United States in 2000 but crossed into Canada late last month. U.S. authorities, he said, are trying to scare Haitians by refusing to guarantee theyll be able to stay.

Theres a big difference here. They welcomed us very well, he said after leaving the Olympic Stadium to begin looking for a home in Montreals large Haitian community. Theyre going to give us housing in apartments. I hope everything goes well.

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NAIROBI, KENYAKenyan police opened fire Wednesday to disperse rioters in several areas after presidential challenger Raila Odinga alleged election fraud, saying hackers used the identity of a murdered official to infiltrate the database of the election commission and manipulate results in favour of President Uhuru Kenyatta. At least three people were killed.

As Kenyatta held a strong lead in provisional results with nearly all polling stations counted, election officials were verifying the final tallies. It was unclear how long it would take, though by law election officials have up to a week from Tuesdays election to announce the results.

Soon after Odinga claimed on television that the election had been rigged, angry protesters in the Nairobi slum of Mathare and poor areas in the opposition stronghold of Kisumu in the southwest burned tires, set up roadblocks and clashed with police.

Two people were shot dead in Nairobi as they took advantage of the protests to loot, Nairobi police chief Japheth Koome said. An Associated Press photographer said one was shot in the head. Police killed one person when they opened fire on protesters in another opposition stronghold in Kisii County, said Leonard Katana, a regional police commander.

Journalists also said several attackers with machetes were shot by security personnel after an attack on a vote counting centre in Tana River county. It was not immediately clear if anyone was killed.

A Kenya News Agency journalist said the attackers destroyed ballot boxes and election commission laptops.

Many parts of Kenya, East Africas commercial hub, were calm a day after the elections for president and more than 1,800 other posts down to the county level. But the violence stirred memories of the unrest that followed the 2007 vote in which more than 1,000 people were killed. Odinga lost that election; he also lost the 2013 vote to Kenyatta and took allegations of vote-tampering to the Supreme Court, which rejected his case.

Odinga, a former prime minister, blamed Kenyattas Jubilee Party for the alleged hacking of the election database.

The fraud Jubilee has perpetuated on Kenyans surpasses any level of voter theft in our countrys history. This time we caught them, he tweeted. He also posted online what he said were computer logs proving his allegation.

Odinga claimed that hackers used the identity of Christopher Msando, an election official in charge of managing information technology systems. On July 31, officials announced that Msando had been tortured and killed, alarming Kenyans who feared a recurrence of political violence fuelled by ethnic divisions.

Read more:

Kenyan presidential election peaceful; violence feared over results

Toronto man and American detained, deported from Kenya ahead of election

A Tuesday morning entry in the purported computer logs that Odinga posted on Facebook reads: Login failed for user msando. Reason: The password of the account must be changed.

Rafael Tuju, a top official in Kenyattas party, said the oppositions claims were unfounded, and Kenyas election commission said it will investigate Odingas allegations.

In the city of Kisumu, police used tear gas and shot at protesters who were upset after Odingas fraud allegations, said demonstrator Sebastian Omolo.

He is not accepting the results and that is why we are on the streets, but police have started shooting, Omolo said.

Kisumu shopkeeper Festus Odhiambo said he was praying for peace even as protesters blocked roads into city slums with bonfires and boulders.

The western port city on Lake Victoria has been a flashpoint in past elections.

Kenyas interior minister, Fred Matiangi, warned against the use of social media to stoke tensions. Officials have said it was unlikely they would shut down the internet but said they might shut down some social media if necessary to calm hate speech and incitement.

We assure Kenyans and all residents, the country is safe, said Matiangi. I urge everyone to go on freely with their daily chores.

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OTTAWAA rising number of Syrian child brides in the Middle East is seen as a tangible result of the $3 billion dollar gap between the needs of Syrians and the funds available.

The Canadian in charge of UNICEFs efforts to help Syrians in Jordan says the rising numbers can be linked to the toll that living in exile for seven years is taking.

But Robert Jenkins says the funding crisis also plays a role  in 2017, the UN asked for US$4 billion and as of last month, only US$1 billion had arrived.

He says that means there arent enough resources to properly address the needs of the most vulnerable refugees.

Jenkins says the shortfall can also be linked to the prolonged conflict thats seen five million Syrians registered as refugees and countless more displaced around the globe.

Jordan has 660,000 Syrian refugees and money there is used for everything from education programs to providing basic necessities like access to clean water.

Read more:Child bride rates soar among Syrians living in Jordanian exile

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Wednesday is the United Nations International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples. Throughout time and across the globe, we as Indigenous peoples have had to fight for our lands, our languages, our cultures and often, our very survival, as explorers sought to conquer and colonize us. Armed with the Doctrine of Discovery, a decree issued by Pope Alexander VI in 1493, tyranny was the way most colonies were settled.

Canada was no exception. Despite treaties and agreements founded on partnership and sharing, early colonial governments set out to rule Indigenous peoples. Successive governments set up the Indian Act and the reserve system to break down our traditional ways of life. Governments created the residential schools system to destroy our languages, our cultures and families, and took decisions about development without our proper involvement as peoples with continuing pre-existing rights in our traditional territories.

Denial of our rights to self-determination and our right to benefit from the rich resources of our lands has led us to where we are today. A vast socio-economic gap grew between First Nations and Canadians resulting in a shorter life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher rates of chronic disease, incarceration, substance abuse and suicide.

In 2017, we are finally taking first steps toward meaningful change. Prime Minister Trudeau pledged to work with us when he said no relationship was more important to Canada, or his government, than the one with Indigenous peoples.

Of the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 16 are tied to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The UN declaration recognizes that the rights of Indigenous peoples are human rights, and that countries, including Canada, have obligations to respect those rights. Through several UN General Assembly resolutions, Canada and the global community are committed to its full implementation. The next step is to work together to develop legislation and a National Action Plan for its implementation.

The declaration is a framework for reconciliation based on recognition of rights, as opposed to the many Canadian laws written to deny those rights. The Assembly of First Nations has called for a joint table to bring Canada and First Nations together to review laws, policies, and practices to ensure they align with the UN declaration. Canadas Constitution must also be understood and interpreted in light of the UN declaration and the inherent and treaty rights it protects.

Our current effort to co-develop an Indigenous Languages Act is an example of partnership to repair the legacy of the past. Language is central to our songs, stories and ceremonies. Our languages are fundamental to our self-determination. Together, we must put the same amount of effort into revitalizing and maintaining our languages as Canada put into trying to eradicate them.

There is still much work to do. An urgent priority is ending the ongoing discrimination that causes our children to be taken from their homes and families in numbers that exceed those taken at the height of the residential schools system. Canada must immediately end its discriminatory underfunding of First Nations child welfare, discrimination thats been proven and upheld by Canadas own Human Rights Tribunal.

The UN Declaration is a framework for all this work, a path to progress and prosperity for all. Now is the time to commit ourselves to giving it life and full expression, to realize a new and transformed era in Indigenous-Crown relations.

Our history as the first peoples of this land is as old as human memory, older than the treaties and older still than our first meetings with the newcomers. We remember that history, and look forward to the great changes ahead. Changes that will see our rights and our potential finally, fully realized. On this International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples, our message to Canadians is that these changes will benefit us all.

So when you hear of new laws and new approaches, rights and title, language legislation and land recovery, dont fear these changes. Embrace them. They represent a new and long overdue chapter in our shared history and a path to a brighter future built on respect.

Perry Bellegarde is National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

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Two recent decisions from the Supreme Court of Canada  Clyde River v Petroleum Geo-Services Inc. and Chippewas of the Thames First Nation v Enbridge Pipelines Inc.  are being hailed as landmark cases on Indigenous peoples right to be consulted about projects that threaten to damage their traditional territories.

Under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples  which Canada claimed to fully endorse in 2016  governments are required to obtain the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous peoples to projects affecting their lands and resources.

Canadas highest court has acknowledged that the doctrine of Aboriginal rights exists  because of one simple fact: when Europeans arrived in North America, aboriginal peoples were already here, living in communities on the land  as they had done for centuries.

The idea that European colonizers were entitled to treat lands occupied by non-Europeans as terra nullius  land empty of Indigenous sovereigns  has now been internationally repudiated.

But if Indigenous peoples had legitimate sovereignty when Europeans first arrived, how did the Crown legitimately acquire it? asks eminent political anthropologist Michael Asch. What, other than numbers and power, justifies Canadas assertion of sovereignty and jurisdiction over the countrys vast territory? Why should Canadas original inhabitants have to ask for rights to what was their land when non-Aboriginal people first arrived?

Despite having previously recognized Indigenous societies long history on the land, however, the Supreme Courts decisions in Clyde River and Chippewas of the Thames provide Indigenous nations with a hollow simulacrum of free, prior, and informed consent: many of the trappings, minus essential parts of the substance.

The court held that Indigenous communities must be included in consultations on projects implicating their lands and their rights  but that their opposition can be overridden, as long as written reasons are provided to show that Aboriginal concerns were considered.

And so, the Supreme Court ruled against the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, which was trying to overturn the National Energy Boards approval of modifications to an Enbridge pipeline that snakes across its traditional territories. The modifications will increase Line 9s capacity by 25 per cent, reverse its direction of flow, and allow it to carry heavy crude oil  elevating the risk of a spill to 90 per cent, according to energy safety expert Richard Kuprewicz.

The pipeline was originally constructed 40 years ago, without consulting Indigenous nations living along its route  but the courts holding that present-day consultation is not the vehicle to address historical grievances permits corporations to continue profiting from past injustices.

And its holding that the government can rely on the NEB (which as of 2015 had never blocked a development project on Indigenous territory) to fulfil its duty to consult facilitates further incursions on Indigenous land in the name of economic benefit: a perpetuation of colonialisms underlying logic.

Unlike the Chippewas of the Thames, the Inuit of Clyde River succeeded at the Supreme Court, because the NEB decision-making in their case lacked even the semblance of real consultation. Information documents, for example, were provided in a language and format inaccessible to the community. The process was so flawed that dismissing it sets an extremely low bar for what is acceptable, comment law professors Tracey Lindberg and Angela Cameron.

Clyde River and Chippewas of the Thames continue the Supreme Courts tradition of adjudicating on Aboriginal rights in a framework that entrenches Indigenous dispossession.

The groundbreaking judgment in Tsilhqotin Nation v British Columbia in 2014, for example, was the first time the Supreme Court recognized an Indigenous nations title to its territory. And yet, the court still maintained that at the time of assertion of European sovereignty, the Crown acquired radical or underlying title to all the land in [British Columbia].

As Anishinaabe legal scholar John Borrows observes, this retroactively affirms the Crowns appropriation of Indigenous legal interests without their knowledge or consent. In most other contexts, this would be called stealing.

In cases like Tsilhqotin, Clyde River, and Chippewas of the Thames, the Supreme Court has repeatedly stated that the goal of its Aboriginal rights jurisprudence is reconciliation between Canada and the lands Indigenous nations. But rather than illuminating a path toward an equitable relationship, the courts reasoning reveals a constricted vision of justice: a vision that enables continuing despoliation of Indigenous lands, instead of providing a strong check against it.

What kind of reconciliation is possible when the colonial wrong is still ongoing?

Azeezah Kanji is a legal analyst based in Toronto. She writes in the Star every other Thursday.

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In B.C., the new NDP government is wrestling with the power it now has to stall or stop the controversial Trans Mountain Pipeline that would deliver oil from Albertas tarsands to tankers on the West Coast bound for Asia.

Premier John Horgan campaigned against it. Environmental activists have vowed to stop it anyway they can. Municipal politicians are threatening to withhold local permits.

But in Hardisty, a small town in eastern Alberta, the other side of the oil pipeline debate is on full display.

Almost everyone in Hardisty, as well as other towns in the region, depends on the efficient movement of oil to points south, east and west to earn a living.

Just last week, work quietly got underway on the US$7.5 billion replacement of Enbridges 1,660 km Line 3 pipeline that is expected to ship 760,000 barrels of oil a day to refineries in the U.S Midwest  the largest project in Enbridges history.

The influx of workers will more than double Hardistys population of 550 souls for the next few months.

Given all the controversy that surrounds construction of new oil pipelines these days, one huge earth moving machine rumbling back and forth over wild grass and brush and a few guys digging a hole for a marker with an ordinary shovel, was about as low key as the repaving of a country road.

But appearances can be deceiving. There is nothing low key about this new oil pipeline or all the other pipelines, rail and truck terminals, and dozens of oil storage tanks that have made Hardisty one of North Americas key oil transportation hubs.

Other controversial oil pipeline proposals  Keystone XL and Energy East  are also set to begin in Hardisty. They would be in addition to several other pipelines that flow in and out of the area full of oil extracted from oilsands operations around Fort McMurray, about 630 km to the north.

Hardisty is also where 25 million barrels of oil can be stored in dozens of gleaming white tanks, some topped with metallic geodesic domes, before heading into the U.S, making it the largest tank farm in Canada.

That storage capacity means Hardisty is also an oil trading hub. The taps can be quickly turned on or off depending on the price that traders can fetch in the fluctuating oil market south of the border.

Hardisty is also home to the largest oil train terminal in Canada. Operated by Houston-based USD Group, the new terminal can load up to two 120 railcar trains per day and send them almost anywhere via CP Rail connections.

Hardistys mayor, Anita Miller, told me its been slow in Hardisty the past few years because the low price for oil meant petroleum and pipeline companies were reluctant to start new projects or expand current facilities.

But with the replacement and expansion of Enbridges Line 3, which will stretch from Hardisty, across Saskatchewan and all the way down to Superior, Wisconsin, Miller says about 500 workers have arrived already.

They will boost business for the towns hotels, restaurants, bars, gas stations, and campgrounds, as well as pad their own bank accounts with money earned from building the pipeline.

The economy is slowly coming back, said Miller, who besides being Hardistys mayor is the office administrator for Gibsons Energy, one of Hardistys largest employers. I dont see demand for our oil slowing down anytime soon.

About 99 per cent of Canadas oil production currently goes to the United States, with much of it going right through Hardisty. In 2016 those crude oil exports to the U.S were worth about $50 billion.

In B.C., particularly on the coast, oil pipelines, storage tanks, and tankers are seen as vehicles of possible catastrophe. People fear that a leak or spill from any of them could ruin neighbourhoods, land, and water.

In Alberta, oil pipelines are seen as lifelines, a method of conveyance for a resource worth billions of dollars. In Alberta, extracting and moving oil to market means well-paying work and the opportunity to prosper.

Pity the politicians who must sort all this out and try to keep happy as many people as possible.

Its no easy task.

Gillian Steward is a Calgary writer and former managing editor of the Calgary Herald. Her column appears every other week. gsteward@telus.net

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One of the big questions about Donald Trump has always been: what happens when he has to deal with an actual crisis? Not another staff shakeup or more bad media coverage, but a real, genuine threat to peace.

Now we know. Faced with a sudden escalation in North Koreas nuclear program, Trump managed to fall below even the lowest expectations for him. His bluster about visiting fire and fury the likes of which this world has never seen on the North was at once both ridiculous and terrifying.

Its a measure of just how ridiculous that Trumps own secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, had to roll back the presidents rhetoric on Wednesday by assuring Americans they should sleep well at night and not worry about nuclear war any time soon.

Worse, it emerged in reporting by the New York Times that Trump ad-libbed the threat in the middle of an unrelated event about the opioid crisis. However ill-judged, it wasnt even a calculated threat by the man with access to the nuclear codes. Just, apparently, an improvised remark by a man with a fondness for a dramatic phrase.

If all that is supposed to be reassuring, it doesnt do the job. The world has seen too many crises spin out of control because of miscalculation and misunderstanding to be complacent while an American president runs his mouth about unleashing the devastating might of the United States.

Trumps appalling choice of words isnt the only disturbing thing about the latest twist in the decades-old standoff between the U.S. and North Korea. It has become plain that the regime of Kim Jong Un is much farther down the road towards developing weapons and the missiles needed to deliver them than Washington had thought.

For all Trumps bombast, the U.S. seems to have no coherent plan for how to deal with North Korea. Trumps senior national security officials are badly divided, swinging wildly between the temptation to escalate the situation and the desire to dial it down in favour of focusing on other threats (Daesh, China, Russia).

Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump said if North Korea escalates the nuclear threat, "they will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen." (The Associated Press)

It may be asking too much of Trump himself, but one way or another his administration must figure out a way to deal with the threat posed by North Korea. The U.S. has tried both sticks and carrots over the past 20 years with the result we see today: the North is closer than ever to developing missiles capable of hitting the American mainland.

Step one must be to cool the rhetoric. No one (likely not even the North Koreans themselves) seriously believes Trump is prepared to unleash fire and fury in a situation that would lead to massive destruction and loss of life among Americas friends as well as its enemies. In the circumstance his words make Washington look weaker, not stronger.

Step two is to find a way to open a real dialogue with the North, however noxious its governing class. Before he became president Trump himself spoke openly about the need to talk to the Kim regime, leading North Koreas state media to praise him as a wise politician. He should rediscover his reasonableness.

Ultimately, the North craves recognition and security and it sees nukes as its only guarantee of survival. Six and a half decades after fighting ceased on the Korean peninsula, theres still no peace treaty bringing a formal end to the war. Without that, the Kim regime understandably feels vulnerable.

Washington, with the help of China and other regional powers, needs to find a way to make sure the current face-off doesnt get any worse. And unless it wants to deal with the same threat for decades yet to come, it needs to find a way to negotiate an end to the state of war that still technically exists in Korea.

That would mean accepting the reality of the Kim regime and reassuring China that the U.S. doesnt intend to install a pro-American government on its border. It would be a tough pill to swallow for many Americans. But the alternative is way worse.

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Re: Wettlaufer inquiry must confront struggling long-term care system, Walkom, Aug. 4

Wettlaufer inquiry must confront struggling long-term care system, Walkom, Aug. 4

No praise is due the provincial government for calling an inquiry regarding the deplorable nursing home situation, since that government has constantly failed in its duty to effectively oversee and enforce serious consequences against facilities that repeatedly breach legislated standards and regulations.

Whenever problems and debacles escalate to a level that enrages the public, its not surprising for the government to assign another authority to make recommendations, essentially to shield themselves from public scrutiny.

Since 2003, a countless number of families have taken their complaints and concerns about the abysmal treatment and wrongful deaths of loved ones to the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care. Some of the most inconceivable, gruesome deaths and devastating injuries have occurred in Ontario nursing homes over the past 13 years.

In 2008, the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman launched an in-depth investigation into the ministrys regulating practices. There are serious, systemic problems with the Ontario governments oversight of long-term care facilities, stated former ombudsman, Andre Marin. When faced with public exposure of a formal report, the government made promises that things would improve. Clearly, the problems have worsened.

Three years later, petitions stating . . . no confidence in the ministry to provide effective oversight were brought to Queens Park, asking the government to give the ombudsmans office the authority to oversee long-term-care facilities. With condescending arrogance, the request was disregarded by Liberal MPPs, stating the ministry and the coroners office were adequately protecting the residents, despite what thousands of alarming inspection reports said to the contrary.

In 2015, auditor general Bonnie Lysyk stated in her annual report, The ministrys actions are not sufficient to address the repeated non-compliance in certain long-term-care homes.

Year after year, without exception, the media continues to report alarming incidences that happen with predictable frequency in long-term-care facilities.

The public has the right to know why the ministry hasnt been held accountable for the reprehensible record of abuse and horrific deaths in provincially regulated and licensed nursing homes.

Ellen Watson, Aurora

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Re: Think twice before decriminalizing drugs, DiManno, Aug. 7

Think twice before decriminalizing drugs, DiManno, Aug. 7

Citing Portugals experience, Rosie DiManno recently argued that decriminalizing drugs isnt a solution to dealing with the opioid overdose crisis in Canada.

This is not rooted in fact. Our current crisis stems from a deadly, illegal drug supply. If Canada decriminalized drugs and created a legal, regulated supply, fewer people would die.

After Portugal decriminalized drug use in 2001, there was a remarkable increase in uptake of treatment, and drug-caused deaths and HIV infection from injection drug use plummeted.

While drug violence may have persisted, studies show this will always be the case wherever there is a market for illegal drugs. Decriminalizing and legalizing drugs are necessary if we are to meaningfully address drug-market violence.

Treating drug use as a health issue  rather than a criminal one  would also reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by people who use drugs. Its a shame DiManno perpetuates this stigma by referring to them as junkies.

Indisputably, the war on drugs has failed. Canada must move to decriminalize drugs and ditch the disastrous frayed leash of illegality. Lives depend on it.

Sandra Ka Hon Chu, director of research and advocacy, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, Toronto

Thank you, Rosie DiManno, for reminding us that decriminalization of marijuana is simply another step in the dumbing down of Canadians. Sadly, you are a voice crying in the wilderness.

As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Health Minister Jane Philpott tout the upcoming legalization of marijuana, our young people are descending down the slippery slope to even more harmful substances.

Our leaders appear to give little consideration to how acceptance of drug use is the underlying message our youth receive from decriminalization.

Catharina Summers, Kingston, Ont.

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Hertz investors will have to be patient.

Hertz Global Holdings, Inc., (HTZ) - Get Free Report CEO and president Kathryn V. Marinello said on an earnings call, Tuesday, Aug. 8, that she doesn't expect growth for another six quarters.

"It's going to be another solid six quarters of hard work and investments," said Marinello. She said the company is now playing catch-up from multiple years of neglect, such as not updating the fleet or getting the right cars in the right place. "There nothing structural that Hertz can't return to."

Hertz reported a 2% decline in second-quarter total revenue from this quarter in 2016, or $2.2 billion, on Tuesday.

CFO Tom Kennedy said during the call that August bookings were now at 55% and that international sales are solid, despite terrorist attacks abroad.

Hertz shares rose slightly in pre-market trading.

The car rental company recorded a net loss from continuing operations of $158 million, or $1.90 a share, inclusive of $54 million in impairment charges, compared with a net loss the same time last year of $28 million, or 33 cents a share. The company reported, on an adjusted basis, a net loss for this year's second quarter of $52 million, or 63 cents a share, compared with $35 million, or 41 cents a share, for the same period last year.

"We have made significant progress in the first half of the year, executing on our operating turnaround plan," said Marinelloin a press release. "Of course, the hard work always comes before the pay off as reflected in our second quarter results, where increased spending to fix areas of weakness and invest in areas of opportunity were exacerbated by a challenging vehicle residual environment in the U.S."

Google Fires Diversity Memo Author -- Here's What Top Experts Are Saying

Hertz also reported that total U.S. RAC revenues were $1.5 billion in the second quarter of 2017, down 4%, compared with last year's results, and also that transaction days fell by 3% year over year when measured against last year's second quarter, which has been driven by replacement rentals from unusually high customer vehicle recall activity. Pricing, gauged by Total RPD, was down by 2% in the quarter, driven by a shifting customer mix and softer ancillary revenues.

Hertz shares set their all-time intraday high of $125.32 during the week of Aug. 22, 2014. This was when ride-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft began to gain market share as consumers looked to save a buck by avoiding the need to rent a car. More recently, weak used car pricing put downward pressure on the value of cars in the rental fleets. These competitive pressures contributed to Hertz crash of 93%, to its multi-year low of $8.52 set on June 21.

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In non North Korea/Trump news, several stocks are likely to be red-hot among investors on Wednesday.

Disney Dumps Netflix

Shares of video streaming platform Netflix (NFLX) - Get Free Report fell about 1.9% Wednesday as the Walt Disney Company (DIS) - Get Free Report announced that it would remove its content from Netflix starting in 2019 and start its own rival streaming service.

Disney Is Yanking Its Content Off Netflix -- Here's the New Rival Streaming Service It's Launching

Morningstar analyst Neil Macker said that the move has the potential to bring a "world of hurt" to Netflix. He said it's unclear how the streaming giant will replace the loss, suggesting it may have to pay more for premium content to attract and retain customers, as well as re-examine its strategy for acquiring customers. The company has said it plans to spend about $6 billion on content this year.

Hertz Crashed Again in the Second Quarter

Thanks Uber and Lyft.

Hertz Global Holdings, Inc., (HTZ) - Get Free Report CEO and president Kathryn V. Marinello said on an earnings call Tuesday that she doesn't expect growth for another six quarters.

"It's going to be another solid six quarters of hard work and investments," said Marinello. She said the company is now playing catch-up from multiple years of neglect, such as not updating the fleet or getting the right cars in the right place. "There nothing structural that Hertz can't return to."

These 13 Cool Cars From the 1980s And 1990s Are Absolutely Worthless Collectibles

Hertz reported a 2% decline in second-quarter total revenue from this quarter in 2016, or $2.2 billion, on Tuesday.

Hertz stock traded up 22% on the session.

Google Shares Not Moving Much, But Still...

When a Google (owned by Alphabet (GOOGL) - Get Free Report ) engineer's manifesto against the company's diversity efforts went viral over the weekend, CEO Sundar Pichai quickly denounced the memo's main idea that female employees were less suited to be engineers than male ones, and fired the employee for violating the company's code of conduct.

Interestingly, though, some employees of the Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) - Get Free Report unit had a markedly different response. Several Google employees came out in support of the fired engineer, whom Google did not name but who has been identified as James Damore, who argued in his memo that women are underrepresented at the company due to biological differences, rather than sexism or discrimination. According to Motherboard, which first reported on the manifesto, some Google employees have defended Damore, saying his firing represents censorship and indicates that Google has "created a politically correct monoculture" that "shames dissenters into silence."

Google Fires Diversity Memo Author -- Here's What Top Experts Are Saying

Similar viewpoints trickled out onto Twitter on Tuesday, including one by Eric Weinstein, the managing director of Peter Thiel's investment fund Thiel Capital, who said Google is teaching women that their "path to financial freedom" lies not in coding but in complaining to human resources, seemingly asserting that Google sent the wrong message by firing Damore.

Watch TheStreet's Anders Keitz discuss the issue.

Apple to Trillion?

Wow.

Apple Inc (AAPL) - Get Free Report is teed up to become the first company to reach $1 trillion in market cap, RBC Capital analysts said in a Wednesday note.

Apple has gained $56 billion in market value since it announced increasingly optimistic guidance for its third quarter last week, bringing its current market value to $826.85 billion. RBC said Apple stock has plenty of upside left as it closes in on the mid-September launch of the 10th anniversary iPhone.

RBC said Apple's stock price has a median return rate of 15.6% in the 90 days prior to a new product cycle launch historically. Apple's strong gross margin performance and improving China sales next quarter could sustain that momentum beyond the launch of the new products.

RBC reiterated an "outperform" rating for the stock, with a $176 price target. Analysts have a base case of $10.50 in earnings per share for the third quarter, but their bull case has earnings totaling $12 per share or above.

Fossil Goes Up in Flames

The maker of mid-range-priced watches and accessories that were once trendy, Fossil Group Inc.'s (FOSL) - Get Free Report shares plunged 25% Wednesday after the company reported wide losses and the departure of its CFO.

For the quarter ending July 1, Fossil reported a loss of 61 cents per share, well below analysts' projected loss of 33 cents per share, according to FactSet data. Sales of $596.8 million also trailed the consensus estimates of $617.9 million. The stronger U.S. dollar weighed on net sales of $8.3 million, down 13% compared to last year's Q2, and operating income decreased $4.5 million.

In the next quarter, Fossil expects to report a net loss of 11 cents to 44 cents per share, with sales declining 8% to 14%. For the full year, Fossil's net loss should hit $6.62 to $7.42 per share, including the charges for $6.50 of noncash intangible asset impairment and 60 cents in restructuring, respectively.

Defense Stocks Come On

Shares of Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT) - Get Free Report , Raytheon Company (RTN) - Get Free Report and Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC) - Get Free Report jumped to all-time highs midday Wednesday as threats between North Korea and the U.S. intensified.

Even as the broader equities market sank with investors fleeing to safe haven assets, Lockheed stock jumped 1.56% to $304.79, Raytheon increased 2.19% to $178.62 and Northrop traded up 1% to $272.46.

The three stocks tend to gain on war chatter, but Lockheed and Raytheon both said they've been fielding an increased number of inquiries about their missile defense products as North Korea begins testing long-range missiles more frequently, Fox Business reported.

Lockheed, which is the Pentagon's top weapons supplier, said customers who want to defend themselves against possible incoming missile attacks have put missile defense at the top of their lists.

"We are seeing significant demand signals for our integrated air and missile defense, cyber and ISR solutions driven by events going on around the world today," Raytheon said, according to Fox Business.

North Korea on Tuesday threatened to attack Guam, home to thousands of U.S. military personnel on two bases, and turn the U.S. into "the theater of nuclear war." The threat came after President Donald Trump told North Korea it would be met with "fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before."

Raytheon is known for the Tomahawk missile and helped build the THAAD missile defense system with Lockheed. Lockheed sells it ships, planes and missile systems primarily to the U.S. intelligence community, the military and NASA.

Lockheed said the increased demand for missile defense systems could generate sales for years to come. Because the U.S. government sanctions purchases of weapons in a process that often lasts for years and requires approval from legislators, the windfall from today's heightened interest could last well into tomorrow.

Morgan Stanley analyst Rajeev Lalwani initiated coverage for the defense sector Tuesday with a favorable outlook. Lalwani said even with a great run in the last few months, defense stocks will continue to grow due to a high global threat environment, expanding political budgets and returns that will sustain valuations.

Game Time for Blue Apron

By: Ron Orol

Twitter

Blue Apron's (APRN) - Get Free Report first earnings report as a public company comes Wednesday (it will probably be ugly). But, there is one larger issue at play.

Snap Inc. (SNAP) - Get Free Report , Blue Apron Holdings Inc. and companies hoping to avoid activist investors in the public market will likely receive their third blow from the world of index providers in the coming month as MSCI Inc. completes a review of whether it will continue to include companies with non-voting shares in its indices.

MSCI's proposal, issued in June, would prohibit corporations from its indices if public shareholders don't receive any votes connected to their share position or in situations where the outside "voting power" of listed shares is less than 25% of the company's total votes. MSCI plans to complete its review in the Fall.

Read full story on TheStreet's sister publication The Deal here.

Tesla Coming for Buffett

Tesla Inc. (TSLA) - Get Free Report is developing a long-haul, electric semi-truck with autonomous driving capabilities that move in "platoons" and automatically follow the direction of a lead vehicle, Reuters reports.

The electric carmaker is said to be nearing the completion of a prototype of the trucks, according to an email obtained by Reuters between Tesla and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles.

Furthermore, officials from California will meet on Wednesday to "talk about Tesla's efforts with autonomous trucks," state DMV spokeswoman Jessica Gonzalez told Reuters.

Shares of Tesla were higher in after-hours trading on Wednesday.

One person that probably isn't feeling this news is billionaire Warren Buffett. Here's why.

Alphabet and Apple are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells GOOGL? Learn more now.

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One of the tech industry's most influential women has chimed in on the latest industry uproar.

"Though I've been lucky to work at a company where I've received a lot of support -- from leaders like Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Eric Schmidt, and Jonathan Rosenberg to mentors like Bill Campbell -- my experience in the tech industry has shown me just how pervasive that question is," explained YouTube (owned by Alphabet (GOOGL) - Get Free Report ) CEO Susan Wojcicki in a commentary on Fortune Wednesday. "Time and again, I've faced the slights that come with that question. I've had my abilities and commitment to my job questioned. I've been left out of key industry events and social gatherings. I've had meetings with external leaders where they primarily addressed the more junior male colleagues. I've had my comments frequently interrupted and my ideas ignored until they were rephrased by men. No matter how often this all happened, it still hurt."

Wojcicki added, "When I saw the memo that circulated last week, I once again felt that pain and empathized with the pain it must have caused others."

To be sure, it hasn't been a good week for Alphabet.

Alphabet's Google has fired the employee that authored a controversial memo that suggested men were better suited for tech jobs than women.

The 10-page memo, titled "Google's Ideological Echo Chamber," went viral within Google last week and was first reported externally by the tech blog Motherboard. In it, the author said that women are underrepresented in tech because of inherent psychological differences between men and women.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai Monday evening wrote to staff saying the memo violated the company's code of conduct and "cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace."

"To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK," Pichai wrote. "It is contrary to our basic values and our Code of Conduct, which expects 'each Googler to do their utmost to create a workplace culture that is free of harassment, intimidation, bias and unlawful discrimination.'"

Software engineer James Damore confirmed in an email to Bloomberg that he had been let go for "perpetuating gender stereotypes" and was exploring legal action against the company. Internal discussions boards seen by Bloomberg suggest that multiple employees supported the dismissal of the employee and said they would choose not to work with him.

The memo also criticized the company's diversity programs and questioned whether differing views could be said freely within Google.

"Many points raised in the memo-such as the portions criticizing Google's trainings, questioning the role of ideology in the workplace, and debating whether programs for women and underserved groups are sufficiently open to all-are important topics," Pichai wrote. "The author had a right to express their views on those topics-we encourage an environment in which people can do this and it remains our policy to not take action against anyone for prompting these discussions."

He added that Google needs to find a way to debate issues on which there is disagreement but within the lines of the code of conduct.

Indeed the memo has ignited a firestorm of debate on diversity in the workplace.

Watch:5 Times You Were Glad That You Don't Work in P.R.

Such a memo demonstrates "explicit bias and unconscious bias," said Sharon Jones, CEO of the global consulting firm on diversity and inclusion initiatives, Jones Diversity, in an interview with TheStreet. Jones said the biological claim is an explicit bias because the author is saying women are not fit biologically to be engineers or coders at Google; the author's unconscious bias stems from his reliance on stereotypes, such as female characteristics, throughout the memo. She also thought that the engineer was rehashing past views on biological differences, something that as a country "we have rejected."

Danielle Brown, Google's recently installed vice president of diversity, integrity and governance, issued a statement regarding the memo saying it advanced incorrect assumptions about gender, adding that it is "not a viewpoint that I or this company endorses, promotes or encourages."

"We are unequivocal in our belief that diversity and inclusion are critical to our success as a company, and we'll continue to stand for that and be committed to it for the long haul," Brown said.

Google VP Ari Balogh, whom the engineer reported to, also felt compelled to respond.

"One of the aspects of the post that troubled me deeply was the bias inherent in suggesting that most women, or men, feel or act a certain way," Balogh wrote. "That is stereotyping, and it is harmful." He said building an open, inclusive environment is core to Google and is the right thing to do.

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Another former Google engineer, Yonatan Zunger, said that the memo was "incredibly stupid and harmful."

"The author does not appear to understand the consequences of what he wrote, either for others or himself," Zunger wrote on Medium.

Jennifer Brown, the founder of Jennifer Brown Consulting, a strategic leadership, diversity and inclusion consulting firm, echoed Zunger's sentiment, telling TheStreet that the "memo feels very harmful to many people who are already doubtful as to whether they belong and question their own merits."

"If the workplace is more suitable for masculine characteristics, then we have to revisit the norms of the workplace," Jennifer Brown said. "Women bring a balance to leadership skill sets that would positively impact the workplace."

The male engineer also claimed that Google created discriminatory practices through its programs, mentoring and classes for people with certain gender or race, which both Jennifer Brown and Jones disputed.

Jennifer Brown said the memo criticizes some of the critical support structures aimed at helping those people feeling left out. Jones, meanwhile, said affinity groups "are an inclusion strategy and a best practice."

"If you are a leader in any organization, it's important that people who are isolated can find a community because they will stay with the community longer," Jennifer Brown said. "It's a retention mechanism."

According to the Google website, there is a Women@Google group that is comprised of more than 10,000 female employees. Furthermore, women make up 31% of the company's overall workforce and 25% of the leadership team, Google reported citing data from January 2017. In tech, about 20% of employees are women; this percentage grows to 48% for non-tech positions.

Going forward, Jennifer Brown said that companies need to operate from the premise that everyone has a diversity story, even white, straight men.

Jones suggested that the company connect and tie its business goals to diversity and inclusion, "so that employees see the two as one."

The controversial memo circulated across the tech company with market capitalization of $648 billion as Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc., deals with a wage discrimination investigation by the Department of Labor. In mid-July, an administrative judge for the DoL issued a recommended decision and order as to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' (OFCCP) demand for data. The company said it will comply with the order, assuming the recommended decision becomes final. The Action Alerts PLUS holding disagrees with the agency's allegations.

Alphabet is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells GOOGL? Learn more now.

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Wisconsin won't break even on the $3 billion incentive package it handed to Foxconn Technology (FXCOF) to lure the company's LCD television screen manufacturing plant to the state until 2042, according to the state's Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

Foxconn announced plans to open the $10 billion plant by 2020. The company expects to employ 13,000 people by 2021.

However, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has touted the fact that the plant will add $10.5 billion in new payroll to the state.

That estimate is based on Foxconn meeting multiple commitments, including an average annual salary of $54,000 for workers at the plant.

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European benchmarks sank heavily into the red Wednesday as investors fled from risk and rallied around safe havens in response to a return of geopolitics to the headlines, while a series of earnings reports also went down poorly during the early hours.

Rhetoric emerging from the White House and directed at North Korea claimed much of the headline space throughout the session and was the lead instigator behind the sell off.

The FTSE 100 was cushioned from much of the downside by a stronger dollar, given a large weighting toward dollar earners on the index, which capped losses at 0.55% for the benchmark after taking it down to 7,498 just less than an hour from the close.

Over on continental Europe, the DAX index slid 1.13% to 12,151 in Frankfurt while the CAC 40 dropped 1.48% to 5,141 in Paris. In Southern Europe, both the FTSE MIB in Milan and the IBEX in Madrid each posted losses of just more than 1.25%.

In individual stocks, outsourced security provider G4S (GFSZF) was the biggest faller on the FTSE 100, dropping more than 7%, after posting a disappointing set of second-quarter results. Organic growth slowed during the period while the pension deficit widened, both factors that analysts believe could repeat in the second half given tougher comparative numbers from the prior year.

Bank stocks were also big fallers right the way across Europe, with Barclays plc (BCS) - Get Free Report and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) - Get Free Report both noteworthy losers in London, although the fall was more pronounced in Europe.

Societe Generale SA (SCGLY) and Credit Agricole Group (CRARY) were the two single biggest fallers on the CAC 40 in Paris while both Deutsche Bank AG (DB) - Get Free Report and Commerzbank AG (CRZBY) claimed the same trophy in Frankfurt. All four stocks shed between 2.5% and 4% during the session.

Also in Frankfurt, Deutsche Lufthansa AG (DLAKY) was seen close to the bottom of the DAX, with a loss of around 1.5%, mimicking a broad based decline for European airlines. However, more noteworthy, Lufthansa had delivered yet more solid passenger numbers and another improved load factor before the opening bell.

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Snap Inc. (SNAP) - Get Free Report will have a lot to prove when it reports second-quarter results after Thursday's closing bell.

Investors will be laser focused on whether the newly public social media company can demonstrate user growth, narrowing losses and momentum in its advertising business. On top of that, Snap also faces pressure to show that it's successfully fending off competition from Facebook Inc. (FB) - Get Free Report , which has mimicked feature after feature from its younger social media rival.

TheStreet is hosting a live blog analyzing Snap's second-quarter earnings report on Tuesday afternoon. Please go here to check it out.

Wall Street expects Snap to report a loss of 30 cents per share on roughly $186 million in sales. Daily active users are expected to increase modestly to 174 million, compared to the 166 million it had during the previous quarter. That number still pales in comparison to the 250 million daily users on Facebook's Instagram Stories -- its copycat version of Snapchat Stories, which allows users to post videos or images that disappear after 24 hours. Instagram Stories is also growing at a much faster clip than Snapchat Stories, adding 100 million new DAUs since January.

But some have begun to acknowledge that Snap isn't going to grow as fast as Facebook or Instagram. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel's user strategy seems to indicate this. On the company's first-quarter earnings call, Spiegel and other executives said Snap isn't concerned with entering developing markets right now; instead, Snap is focusing on core geographies like North America and Europe, where engagement has proven to be consistently high.



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If user growth is going to chug along at a relatively slow pace, Snap will have to show investors that it can squeeze as much money as possible out of its existing user base. That's where the average revenue per user metric will come into focus. Analysts are looking for ARPU to jump to $1.07 per user, up from 90 cents during the previous quarter. Monness, Crespi, Hardt analyst James Cakmak contends that Thursday's results will be a "make or break quarter" for Snap, but that it can help save itself by demonstrating significant upside to ARPU.

"We've defended Snap since day one, but now need to see monetization moving in the right direction while delivering outsized gains in the gross margin," Cakmak wrote in a note to investors. "In contrast with Facebook, we are less concerned on the absolute growth in users and focus more on the extracted value (ARPU) given the prioritization of affluent markets."

Cakmak is among a small group of investors who still have a Buy rating on shares of Snap. Among 33 analysts surveyed by FactSet, only nine maintain a Buy rating on Snap, while 16 have Hold ratings and six have given it a Sell or the equivalent of a Sell rating. Wall Street has turned increasingly bearish on Snap in the months since its IPO, as the stock has tumbled 44.5% year to date.

Tesla Is Developing These Self-Driving, Long-Haul Trucks That Billionaire Warren Buffett Will Fear

Several analysts noted that they might be more confident in the company if Snap gave some clues about what it's working on and how the next couple of quarters might be shaping up for them. Spiegel continues to remain opaque about Snap's product pipeline, saying on the latest earnings call that the company loves to "surprise our community" and that it should be a "fun rest of the year." Cakmak said he hopes the company will consider giving some guidance when it reports on Thursday.

FBN Securities analyst Shebly Seyrafi said he wants greater visibility into Snap's product pipeline, especially as some near term headwinds remain, including Snap's 180-day lockup period expiration and the possibility that it may be excluded from a third major index provider.

"We need to see that they have enough stuff in their product pipeline that they can further support the company," Seyrafi said. "Those kinds of product launches [like Snap Maps], if they're substantial enough, then they could drive user growth."

What it comes down to, ultimately, is that Snap needs to restore some confidence among investors that it's not going to fade into irrelevancy like Twitter Inc. (TWTR) - Get Free Report or end up an acquisition target -- something that Seyrafi said he's not ruling out just yet, lest Snap show some positive momentum from its gloomy post-IPO performance.

"I think they're a highly innovative company, I like the company, but I just can't make sense of the current stock price," Seyrafi added.

Facebook is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells FB? Learn more now.

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At the time of publication,

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, which Jim Cramer co-manages as a charitable trust, was long FB.
General Electric Co. (GE) - Get Free Report has postponed the completion of its new headquarters located in Boston as the multinational conglomerate looks to spread out the costs of the $200 million project, the Boston Globe reports.

The delay is also seen as a part of new CEO John Flannery's goal to cut spending at GE, whose stock has sunk over 19% year-to-date.

GE's move to Boston comes after 40 years in Fairfield, Conn., where it sold its campus last year. Initially, the company hoped to renovate two existing buildings and construct a new office tower by 2019.

While the two renovations are still on track, the timeline for the new building has now been delayed until 2021.

The move to Boston will provide GE with an incentive package from the city valued at about $145 million in exchange for moving 200 jobs and bringing that total to roughly 800 at the new company headquarters.

Shares of GE were moving higher during Wednesday afternoon trading.

GE is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells GE? Learn more now.

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White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides insurance and other financial services in the United States. The company operates through five segments: HG Global/BAM, Ark, NSM, Kudu, and Other Operations. The HG Global/BAM segment provides insurance on municipal bonds issued to finance public purposes, such as schools, utilities, and transportation facilities, as well as reinsurance protection services. The Ark segment writes a portfolio of reinsurance and insurance, including property, marine and energy, accident and health, casualty, and specialty products. The NSM segment operates as a managing general agent and program administrator for specialty property and casualty insurance to various sectors comprising specialty transportation, real estate, social services, and pet. The Kudu segment provides capital solutions to boutique asset and wealth managers for generational ownership transfers, management buyouts, acquisitions and growth finances, and legacy partner liquidity, as well as strategic assistance to investees. The Other Operations segment offers insurance solutions to travel industry through broker channel and on a direct-to-consumer basis; and manages separate accounts and pooled investment vehicles for insurance-linked securities sectors, including catastrophe bonds, collateralized reinsurance investments, and industry loss warranties of third-party clients. White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. was incorporated in 1980 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.
Diyar Al Muharraq, one of the leading urban developers in Bahrain, has announced that all the secondary infrastructure works for its Sarat project was completed in mid-July, thereby bringing the project closer to being fully functional.

Currently, owners who have built villas on their plots can move at any time, pending the energisation of the electrical network, which is currently in progress and is expected to be completed within this month. Once all the electrical works have been fully executed, they can complete their procedures with the Electricity & Water Authority (EWA), and energise their villas, the developer said.

Built at a total cost of BD4.43 million ($11.74 million), all work for Sarat was completed on time, in line with the projects forecast date, and was accomplished to a high standard within the budget, it said.

Dr Maher Al Shaer, chief executive officer of Diyar Al Muharraq, said: Sarat is one of the most prominent residential offerings launched within Diyar Al Muharraq thus far as it embodies the philosophy of providing a harmonious, fully-integrated lifestyle to its inhabitants that the development in its entirety is envisioned to fulfill.

The project has been successfully completed well within the time allocated and within all pre-planned financial estimates, he added.

Sarat District offers landowners an opportunity to build their own homes and integrate it within an ideal cohesive residential community within Diyar Al Muharraq that includes all the amenities of a modern lifestyle for its residents.

Set in an abundant park environment overlooking a beautiful landscape, the Sarat site is located conveniently near the main entrance to Diyar Al Muharraq with close proximity to the late Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa Grand Mosque and other planned community facilities.

The Sarat residential plots, which sold out in record time, comprise 173 units, with sizes ranging from 500 to 1,000 sq m.

Diyar Al Muharraq is a unique masterplanned city offering a range of housing options and quality lifestyle.  TradeArabia News Service
A new food grain processing and packaging factory will be set up in Bahrain at a cost of $12 million, said Khaled Al Ameen, chairman of Bahrain Agriculture Foods Storage & Security (Bafco).



The factory will come up in the Hidd Industrial Area and a construction contract is expected to be finalised this month.



Al Ameen said Sri Lankan, Swiss and Indian businessmen will take part in the project, along with Bahraini investors who will take 60 per cent of the stake. Sri Lankan and Swiss businesses will own 15 per cent (each), while Indian investors will take 10 per cent.



The factory is expected to start producing and exporting from the middle of 2018, said a statement. It will import its feedstock from Canada and Australia and export products to the GCC region, it said.



Al Ameen underlined the crucial importance of embarking on a comprehensive strategy to meet Bahrains food needs, and also noted that the factory will provide up to 80 jobs for citizens.



The factory will produce 6,000 tonnes of natural grains per month and 20 per cent of the output will go to the local market and the remaining 80 per cent will be exported. - TradeArabia News Service
Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the UAE, honoured Firoz Merchant, a Dubai-based Indian businessman, who is one of the main donors to the Faraj Fund.



The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Interior headquarters.



The award is an acknowledgment for Merchants work and efforts to help insolvent prisoners and their families in the UAE through his donation of Dh15 million ($4.08 million) till date to the Faraj Fund.



Merchant received the Community Service Medal for his philanthropic efforts in supporting the Faraj Fund during The Year of Giving. Merchants humanitarian work resulted in releasing many indebted prisoners and bringing happiness and joy to their families.



Since 2008, Merchant has donated Dh15 million to the Faraj Fund to help settle the debt or pay air fares for insolvent prisoners from various nationalities in UAE jails.



The ceremony was attended by Lt General Saif Abdullah Al Shafar, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior; Major General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, acting director general of UAE Civil Defence; and Brigadier Mohammad Humaid Bin Dalmouj Al Dhaheri, acting secretary-general of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; as well as other Ministry of Interior officers.



Merchant dedicated the award and medal to his countrymen in the UAE and other countries. I am sincerely thankful to the UAE government for acknowledging my efforts. Whatever I have done, and will continue to do, is for the love of the UAE and India. I represent my country India; and the UAE is my second home. I will do whatever I can for this beautiful country and its people, he said. - TradeArabia News Service
OK, let's try this again.

Last time I wrote about a road trip in our plug-in hybrid Pacifica minivan, I ruffled a few feathers by not providing a "factually complete, compelling and informative article." Which lead me to post a more extensive review from a technologically literate auto journalist.

Still, some people seem to also appreciate the more informal updates. So here's the latest:

We recently got back from an extensive road trip that took us from Durham to Pittsburgh to Toronto, and then back via Columbus, Ohio. The van was extremely comfortable, performed exactly as it should and was a pleasure to drive. And while we probably all should move to smaller cars and less car dependent lifestyles, a road trip is probably the optimal function in which this Brit can begin to understand the America penchant for big freaking cars. (Especially when you're surrounded by other drivers in their big freaking cars!)

In terms of gas mileage, which is what most TreeHugger readers have been asking aboutI decided to track two specific segments of the journey which should give us a better understanding of consumption in different real world conditions.

The first segment took us from Durham, NC to just outside Weston, West Virginia. We measured that as 354.2 miles, over some pretty mountainous highways. (Weston has an elevation of 1,020, while Durham is 404'. On the way we passed through Beckley, at 2421', Bluefield, at 2,611' and Ghent at somewhere around 2,900'. You get the idea...) Having started out with a full battery, we got 32 miles of all electric range before the gas motor kicked in. And by the time we filled up, we'd used 11.86 gallons. According to my calculations, that makes 29.86 literal mpg if you don't count the electricity you charged up with, and just over 27 mpg if you remove the 32 miles of all electric range from the equation.

That's not great if you compare it to the (on paper) 28 mpg that a regular Pacifica gets, but mountain driving and high altitude conditions can impact gas mileage on any car. So it would be interesting to take a non-hybrid Pacifica on a similar journey to compare. (Sorry, you'll need a real car journalist for that assignment!) We did, by the way, notice significant recharge of the battery on long downhill stretches, sometimes getting as much as 3 or 4 additional miles of all electric range when we were able to coastso I suspect the hybrid is at least making up for the extra weight we are lugging around as batteries.

The other stretch we chose to monitor was from Buffalo, NY to Lewis Center, just outside Columbus, Ohio. That was a pretty straight, flat stretch of driving on good roads with no major traffic conditions. We started out with a fully depleted battery at that point, so this offers my best measurement of hybrid mode driving without the plug-in capabilities helping out. On that stretch, we traveled 310 miles and used 9.68 gallons, which comes out at just a smidgen over 32 mpgcomparable to what others have been reporting in comments and on the various user forums that are out there.

This begins to feel significant. While you'll obviously get much, much better gas mileage out of a Prius, or simply a smaller car, the fact that you can transport 7 adults or a whole bunch of stuff and still get 32 mpg on the highway is not badespecially considering you can switch into all electric mode by charging up once you reach your destination(s). Indeed, this is one often overlooked aspect of a plug-in hybrid: We were able to (partially) charge up at public charging stations in Pittsburgh, and Niagra Fallsand to get full charges (twice) when we stayed with friends in Toronto, and also in Ohio. All of which means that there are additional efficiency benefits for your around town vacation driving too. And this will only get easier as charging infrastructure becomes more commonplace.

I will say, though, that this trip has confirmed what I was beginning to suspect: A family which is looking for a vehicle that's primarily used for long-distance driving only may only experience incremental, though not insignificant, efficiency benefits compared to a non-hybrid model. If that's the case, you might want to consider something like a Prius V if the 3rd row isn't important, or look at some of the 3rd row crossovers that are out there if it is. But if your car will also be used for around town trips, especially carpooling or stuff hauling, then the Pacifica eHybrid offers some significant best-of-both-worlds benefits, albeit in a gigantic package.

One day, it'll be easy enough to hail one of these only as and when you need it. (Heck, that's already sort of possible in Phoenix.) In the meantime, this does offer a much more efficient way to meet America's big vehicle addiction.
- Retired president Daniel Moi is said to have cast his vote at Kabarak University

- His counterpart Mwai Kibaki on the other hand voted at the last minute after ears he would not vote

- His name was missing from the list of voters at his known local polling station making everyone believe he would not vote

- Earlier in the month, it was said that Kibaki was sick and hospitalized at Nairobi Hospital

- His personal assistant however rubbished the claims, saying the former president was fine and enjoying his retirement

Kenyans on Tuesday, August 8 2017, came out in large numbers to exercise their civic right- voting.

Politicians were not left behind either in the much anticipated exercise.

From sitting Members of Parliament, to incumbent governors to veteran politicians, all came out to take part in the General Election.Retired President Daniel Moi could not miss the chance either.

Retired president Daniel Moi votes at Kabarak University. Photo : Nation

READ ALSO: Kibaki admitted to hospital?TUKO.co.ke has the details

TUKO.co.ke has learnt that Moi, just like other Kenyans cast his vote at the Kabarak University.

Mois counterpart, Mwai Kibaki on the other hand had not voted at the last minute, slightly after 5PM when polling stations were expected to close.

Kibakis absence sparked a series of questions with quite a multitude asking whether he was well.

Neither IEBC officials nor his handlers explained why Kibaki had not voted.

However, according to intimate reports reaching our news desk, Kibakis name was missing from the list of voters at his Munaini Primary school polling station.

READ ALSO: 63-year-old man collapses and dies after voting in Raila's stronghold

Retired president Mwai Kibaki addressing Kenyans. Photo: Mzalendo

READ ALSO: All powerful photos from historic voting in Kenya including where politicians voted

TUKO.co.ke has learnt that Kibaki traveled to Mweiga in Nyeri County on Sunday, August 6, where he was to cast his vote.

However, the former President could not get to the polling station and vote because his name was missing from the list of voters pinned on the primary school's walls.

Apparently,the former Presidents security team arrived at Munaini Primary school at around 10AM but was kept at the polling station for hours as IEBC tried to sort the issue.

The issue was duly sorted judging by Kibaki's last minute appearance at the Munaini Primary School.

Surrounded by his security,Kibaki made his way to the polling station where he cast his vote at around 5.50PM.

Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

NASA publicly names police officers in tallying centre raid;

Source: TUKO.co.ke
- Jubilee has lambasted Raila for rejecting the vote results which show Uhuru is leading

- The party Secretary General Raphael Tuju said the results had not been disputed by any party agent

- He also accused Raila of dishonesty adding that his objection of the results was expected

KenyaDecides: Uhuru opens 1 million gap over Raila with more than half polling stations tallied (Live Updates)

READ ALSO: Raila rejects the presidential results as Uhuru takes early lead

The Jubilee party has hit out at NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga after he rejected presidential results being beamed at the Bomas of Kenya.

In a press conference on Wednesday August 8, the party Secretary General Raphael Tuju accused Raila and NASA of being dishonest adding that his crying foul was expected.

Follow this link to get everything about the election process and incidents throughout the day.

Raila in a press conference on Wednesday trashed the results claiming they were fake as they did not tally with those in form 34A and that they were being broadcast before the forms were sent to Nairobi.

READ ALSO: Urgent meeting called between IEBC and agents of presidential candidates as Uhuru takes lead

But the Opposition leader did not provide any figures despite claiming that the NASA tally showed he was leading.

Tuju said the results being announced had been agreed by all party agents thus were true.

We know their argument is that the results should be beamed after forms 34A reach Nairobi firstNASA themselves said the results announced at constituency are final..If the results that were being streamed showed they were leading, what would they be saying?" posed Tuju.

READ ALSO: KenyaDecides: Mike Sonko, Laboso, Joho take early lead in gubernatorial race

The Jubilee official who was accompanied by several Jubilee politicians including Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa,and Moses Kuria(Gatundu South) as well as Lawyer Fred Ngatia among others also asked Kenyans to remain calm and wait the final results.

He added that no agent had disagreed with the results being beamed by IEBC and asked NASA to follow the law adding that it was curious that the Opposition had demanded that results be announced at the constituency yet was now against the idea.

Kidero-Sonko neck and neck race

Source: TUKO.co.ke
- Election results from a polling center in Kilgoris have been cancelled

- The results were cancelled by the Kilgoris Constituency returning officer Elijah Ombogo

- Ombogo made the move after tallied votes outnumbered registered voters in the polling center

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has cancelled election results for a polling station in Kilgoris, TUKO.co.ke has learnt.

According to fresh reports reaching our news desk, election results for Enenkeshui polling center were cancelled by Kilgoris constituency returning officer Elijah Ombogo.

Ombogo is said to have made the move after tallied votes outnumbered registered voters in the polling center.

IEBC official at a polling station. Photo :Reuters

READ ALSO: Mike Mbuvi Sonko set to become the next Nairobi governor

"The total number of registered voters is 285 while the total number of votes cast on Tuesday is 325," Mr Ombogo told the press.

Ombongo called on IEBC officials to probe the matter. The Returning Officer said the presiding officer in charge of Enenkeshui polling center should write an official statement, explaining how the discrepancy came by.

READ ALSO: KenyaDecides: Blow -by- blow account of what Uhuru and Raila are garnering per county (live updates)

An old woman being assisted by IEBC official to cast her vote. Photo: Nation

READ ALSO: KenyaDecides: Babu Owino, Passaris, KJ emerge top as big names fall in the parliamentary race

Ombogo added that all presiding officers will be responsible for any doctoring of the election results.

Ombogo expressed disappointment with the work done by most of the election officials despite being taken through training prior to poll.

"Officials, mostly from the teaching profession were trained for four days, but I have been inundated with calls from the field with everyone asking how to go about doing some things," said Ombogo.

Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

Watch Uhuru and Raila voting for themselves;

Source: TUKO.co.ke
- NASA leader Raila Odinga has rubbished the 2017 General election as a tragedy of monumental gravity,

- Raila alleges that the election results were being compromised long before the voting process was completed on Tuesday, August 8

- The opposition leader addressed the media fully armed with a document which he alleges has a detailed account of how the IEBC systems were compromised from 1237 hrs on Tuesday

- While he is disputing the polls , Raila has called for calm from all his supporters as they anticipate IEBCs response on the alleged hacking

- You can follow live the provisional election results across various elective positions here

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has strongly disputed the emerging presidential results which strongly angle towards a Uhuru Kenyatta victory.

Raila, while addressing a press the conference in Westlands on Wednesday, August 9, alleged that the entire electoral process has been largely compromised in favor of Jubilee.

According to the NASA leader, the compromise of the IEBCs database began on Tuesday, August 8 at 12:37 p m.

He alleges that hackers used the identity of the late IEBC ICT manager Chris Msando to gain entry into the IEBC systems and created errors in the IEBC code server.

READ ALSO: Uhuru Kenyatta headed for convincing first time win as Raila cries foul

He further went on to claim that a significant amount of data , not just that of the presidential results, was tampered with by the hackers.

The 2017 general elections was a fraud. In his words, Uhuru said in Turkana he did not need the voter numbers to win elections. The hacking has definitely affected the results of the 2017 general elections. It is a tragedy of monumental gravity, He claimed

Raila Odinga cast his vote in Kibra constituency on Tuesday, August 8. PHOTO: Facebook.com/RailaOdinga

READ ALSO: Kilgoris election results cancelled by IEBC

Only hours before the press confrence, it seemed like a neck to neck race between the two major presidential contenders as provisional results started streaming in.

Raila's NASA brigade, however, were against the results because the Forms 34A were never produced in various polling stations across the country.

Forms 34A, according to the electoral act, should be the very first forms used to tabulate results in the presidential election.

Raila addressing the media on Wednesday, August 9. PHOTO: Courtesy

READ ALSO: Ingenious ways Kenyans used in order to jump queues at the poling stations

While he did not necessarily mention his next course of action, Raila disclosed that they would be waiting for a statement from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission on the same.

Raila Odinga addressing the media in Westlands on Wednesday, August 9. The NASA leader alleges a hacking plot that was used to compromise the elections. PHOTO:BBC

He called for calm from his supporters as they await the IEBC verdict.

READ ALSO: KenyaDecides: Kimaiyo under 'sieke' from Murkomen,Wamatangi leads in Kiambu,Wetangula ahead in Bungoma(Live blog)

TUKO.co.ke has also learnt that Raila and his stakeholders are set to hold a crisis meeting with the IEBC at 12 pm on Wednesday, August 9.

As provisional results keep trickling in, Uhuru Kenyatta of thee Jubilee party looks al but victorious after garnering 7738771 votes (54.41%) to Railas 6360436 votes (44.72%) with less than 2000 polling stations to go

Have anything to add to this article or suggestions? Share with us on news@tuko.co.ke

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Fixin T&T's Kirk Waithe calls for removal of Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan, Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General Fitzgerald Hinds and the Port Authority board
The Airports Authority has successfully carried out a simulation of a crash landing at Piarco.
The revenues from Ukrainian agricultural exports to Canada for January-June 2017 amounted to $5.876 million while they totaled $4.869 million for the entire 2016.

Deputy Agrarian Policy and Food Minister of Ukraine Olha Trofimtseva announced this, the Ministrys press service reports.

"Despite the fact we are still net importers in bilateral agricultural trade with Canada, we see a fairly significant trend towards an increase in the volume of our exports. According to the statistics for the first half of 2017, Ukrainian agricultural exports to Canada amounted to $5.876 million. At the same time, this figure was only $4.869 million for the entire 2016. Another advantage is that the key commodities of our exports were the processed food products: butter, juices, honey," Trofimtseva noted.

She added that now Ukraine could deliver to the Canadian markets 108 categories of agricultural goods at a zero rate of import duty due to establishment of the free trade area between Ukraine and Canada.

As reported, the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement came into force on August 1, 2017.

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Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) carried its 40-millionth passenger since the company was established in 1992.

On Tuesday, August 8, 2017, Ukraine International carried its 40-millionth passenger Svitlana Pogrebna who was flying from Kyiv to Amsterdam on the UIA PS105 flight, reads a report posted on the companys website.

In 2015, UIA carried 4.9 million passengers; in 2016  6 million passengers; in 2017, the carrier expects to welcome 7 million passengers on board.

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Qatar, isolated by its neighbors in a diplomatic crisis, on Wednesday introduced a visa-free entry program for 80 nationalities, including Ukraine, to stimulate air transport and tourism, AFP reports.

"The visa exemption scheme will make Qatar the most open country in the region," the tourism department official Hassan al-Ibrahim told a news conference in Doha.

According to the report, Interior Ministry official Mohamed Rashed al-Mazrouei said that nationals of 80 countries would only need to present a valid passport for entry to the state.

The names of the respective states and the date of entry into force of the decision were not mentioned at the press conference, but Qatari newspapers write that the simplified visa regime would be applied mainly to Western citizens.

According to the report, nationals of 33 countries will now be authorized to reside in Qatar for 180 days and the other 47 states listed for up to 30 days, periods which are renewable a single time.

However, Qatar's official travel site Visit Qatar published a list of selected countries.

For example, staying without a visa for 90 days applies to Austria, Germany, Belgium, France and most other EU countries. A 30-day stay in Qatar concerns citizens of Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, Canada, China, Georgia, Moldova and other states.

Mazrouei said the countries were selected on the basis of security and economic considerations, or for the buying power of their nationals.

Qatar Airways chief Akbar al-Baker said his carrier, which this year plans to extend its network to 62 new destinations, would be a primary beneficiary.

Saudi Arabia as well as Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt have since June 5 imposed a boycott on Qatar, accusing the emirate of fostering Islamist extremist groups and of close ties to Iran.

Doha has denied the allegations.

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The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned Russia's military aggression against Georgia in 2008 and stated that a fifth of the country is still under occupation because of the absence of the world's tough timely reaction to the Kremlin's crime.

"In the ninth anniversary of Russia's armed aggression against Georgia, during which hundreds of people were killed and tens of thousands were left homeless, Ukraine reaffirms its respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders and strongly condemns the actions of the Russian Federation as an aggressor state," reads a statement posted on the ministry's website.

The ministry noted that because of the absence of a tough timely and consolidated reaction of the international community to the Kremlin's crime in Georgia a fifth of the sovereign territory of this state is still under occupation, while Russia continues aggressive policy against other countries in Europe.

"Ukraine calls on the international community to finally realize the entire depth of a threat posed by Russia's aggressive policy to global security and to intensify joint efforts to restore the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states that became victims of Russian aggression," reads the statement.

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Australia understands the complexity of the situation around the Ukrainian-Russian conflict and is ready to continue to support Ukraine.

Eugene Czolij, the President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), said this in a commentary to an Ukrinform correspondent upon his meetings with representatives of the Australian authorities in Canberra.

"We called on Australia to continue to exert pressure on Russia by extending sanctions. We speak about the importance of carrying out the result-oriented sanctions policy. I felt understanding and readiness to support Ukraine at every level (parliamentary, governmental, expert)," Eugene Czolij said.

According to the UWC president, Australia no longer feels safe after Russia interfered in the US presidential elections and attempted to influence the results of elections in leading European countries.

In addition, the death of their fellow citizens, the passengers of MH17 flight, also had a great bearing on the understanding of nature of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict.

According to Czolij, Australia is a reliable friend and partner of Ukraine which, like the majority of European countries, understands the need to restrain the Russian Federation.

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The Commission of the Health Ministry has decided to send 47 seriously ill patients from Ukraine for treatment to foreign hospitals.

This was reported by the press service of the Health Ministry.

"On Monday, August 7, the Health Ministry of Ukraine received from the Finance Ministry of Ukraine approval of changes to the passport of the budget program "Treatment of Ukrainian citizens abroad" regarding the allocation of additional UAH 186 million. On the same day, a meeting of the Commission of the Health Ministry of Ukraine on the issue of treatment abroad was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Health Minister Oleksandr Lynchevsky. The members of the commission decided to send 47 patients for treatment abroad," the statement reads.

In 2017, more than UAH 203 million was allocated from the state budget for the program "Treatment of Ukrainian citizens abroad", 74 people were sent for treatment abroad, including 34 children.

ish
Prime Minister Hun Sen is seeking Japanese investors to fund an $800 million skytrain linking Phnom Penh International Airport to the city center.

In a statement posted to his Facebook page, Hun Sen said he was visiting Japan for three days from Sunday to meet potential investors for the project.

He said in a video posted on Facebook that he would meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to sign two deals worth about $240 million.

He added that during the meeting he would also discuss the skytrain project.

On the first two days of his visit, Hun Sen met with Grand Price Naruhito, as well as business leaders who may wish to invest in Cambodia.

The proposed skytrain would be the first project of its kind in Cambodia, while officials would hope the new system would help ease Phnom Penhs increasing congestion.

According to official figures, there are more than 2 million vehicles on Phnom Penhs streets, while the government estimates traffic jams cost the economy $6 million per month.

The Cambodian delegation was due to return to Cambodia on Wednesday.
When the electricity went out in the Havana neighborhood where she lived, Jessi Calzado-Esponda remembers her family often brought out the guitars. This memory of singing and dancing in the darkness is one of few the 29-year-old has from her childhood on the island nation.

She left at age seven - an accidental refugee.

There was some chaos, Calzado-Esponda says about her unexpected departure. Her aunt had decided to emigrate from Cuba on a crowded raft. Somehow Calzado-Esponda and her grandmother, who were just there to say good-bye, ended up on the raft as it drifted out to sea.

Faced with the choice of swimming to shore or staying put, they stayed. Neither was a swimmer.

Literally in the blink of an eye, I lost my mom, my immediate family and my beloved Cuba. Calzado-Esponda would not see her family again for almost 20 years.

The raft was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard. Calzado-Esponda, her aunt and grandmother were taken to Guantanamo Bay, where they lived for several months before they were resettled in Tampa, Florida.

Thats when Calzado-Espondas American life began, a story almost as remarkable as the one that got her to the United States. At one time homeless, she later founded a tourist agency which caters to, among other groups, celebrities, like reality TV stars, the Kardashians.

Homeless in America

My first English words were, Mister, mister, give me candy, Calzado-Esponda recalls. I looked at it as a big adventure.

Her first years in the U.S. were happy ones, but she missed her parents and brother. I was always accustomed to being with people. It was a big adjustment for me not hanging out with my little cousins and brother.

Several years after their arrival in Tampa, Calzado-Espondas aunt committed suicide.

It was like losing a second mother all over again, Calzado-Esponda says.

The adjustment was complicated by the fact that the aunt had been the small familys breadwinner. Without her, Calzado-Esponda and her grandmother could not make ends meet and ended up in a homeless shelter.

It was just really, really, really hard, Calzado-Esponda admits. Sharing a bedroom with strangers and having to eat meals at certain times were nothing she was used to.

But something wonderful happened there too. A music teacher, who volunteered at the shelter, took an interest in Calzado-Esponda, who was then about 12, nudging her to play the piano, play the flute, play the guitar.

What I didnt know then was she was actually testing me to see my music accuracy. Calzado-Esponda says. Ive always been very musical, my whole family actually. The result was a six-year scholarship to what was then the Gulf Coast Youth Choirs.

Traveling with the choir, Calzado-Esponda developed a love of traveling, which would be important later, and was encouraged to apply to a magnet school for music.

In the meantime, the homeless shelter helped her grandmother get on her feet and find a job. Calzado-Esponda says her grandmother never learned to speak English or drive a car, but with community help, she found a new apartment and was able to support the pair.

Cuba as inspiration

Calzado-Esponda moved to Washington, D.C., in her 20s and was working for a U.S. congressman when she was involved in a car accident that left her with a traumatic brain injury. Forced to leave her job, she couldnt remember peoples names or conversations. She was nauseous and her back ached.

It was one of the most heartbreaking things I have ever had to endure, worse than losing my family because you always plan for losing everything. Losing your own brain, you never plan for, she says.

Two years later, she is better, if not completely recovered.

"I still have a really hard day sometimes, but despite all that, I choose to get up the next day and try again," she says.

When she learned her mother was sick, Calzado-Esponda applied for a visa to return to Cuba.

Unfortunately, one day before I was able to come into Cuba, my mom passed away, so the very first time I met my whole family, was at my moms funeral, she said.

But her reception  and Cuba  had a profound effect on her.

It was very amazing to me how much love and support they showed me although they had just met methe people are very nice, laid back and kind of in the moment," she said.

Right after then-president Barack Obama announced an easing of relations between the U.S. and Cuba, Calzado-Esponda started her travel agency, Cuba Inspires, building on her ties to the island country to build insider tours for all kinds of groups.

Were able to show you a different perspective on Cuba, not the same story that everyone goes to," she says. "Whenever you go with us, its a custom itinerary.

After more than a year of operation, Cuba Inspires is off to a good start. Calzado hopes to build on her success with events, such as the U.S.-Cuban youth choir competition, for which she recently won permission. She sees herself as an unofficial ambassador.

"Ive always considered the United States and Cuba kind of like two divorced parents and the United States being my father, Cuba being my mother," she said. "And it is my job to kind of bridge the differences between them because I love both of them."
Bosnia's religious leaders say politicians are standing in the way of peaceful coexistence between Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities trying to forgive and forget after the atrocities of a devastating 1990s war.

Hundreds of churches, mosques and synagogues bear witness to more than five centuries of Bosnia's multi-faith past, and the capital Sarajevo is known locally as a "small Jerusalem" with its main ethnic groups - Orthodox Serbs, Catholic Croats and Muslim Bosniaks - all worshiping within meters of each other.

But Mufti Husein Kavazovic, head of the Islamic community in Bosnia, says people of faith cannot achieve peace alone.

"It is up to political elites to do more. For a start, it would be good that they stop their ideological manipulation of religion for their own political goals. It is up to us, of course, not to allow them to do that," he said.

Even though nationalists from all three ethnic groups still insist on exclusivity for their own groups, religious leaders are keen to heal rifts after the 1992-1995 war in which about 100,000 civilians were killed and millions displaced.

Friar Zeljko Brkic at Kraljeva Sutjeska - among the oldest Franciscan monasteries in Bosnia and dating from 1385 - said: "Bosnia can only survive as a multi-ethnic state, no matter how much politicians try to convince us that this is not possible."

His Orthodox, Jewish and Muslim peers agree.

"It is very important that we have here different cultures and religions, and that based on that we can easily build and verify our own identities," said Nektarije, a deacon at the Orthodox monastery Zitomislici in what is now the Catholic Croat-dominated southern part of the country.

Jakob Finci, the president of the Jewish community in Bosnia, gives Sarajevo as an example of close cooperation, citing Muslims there helping Jews to hide during War World II and Jews providing food for people of all faiths in the three-year siege by Bosnian Serb forces.

"Sarajevo is the best proof that living together is possible and that it represents the only way of life for us," he said.

This week, about 120 leaders from 27 countries arrived in Sarajevo to take part in a meeting of the youth-led Muslim Jewish Conference, founded by Ilja Sichrovski in Vienna in 2010.

"We feel at home here," Sichrovski said.
Lawyers defending Brazilian President Michel Temer against corruption allegations asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to remove the prosecutor general from the investigation, arguing he was no longer fit to lead it.

In a filing to the top court, Temer's lawyers said Brazil's top federal prosecutor, Rodrigo Janot, who has charged the president with taking bribes and has said more charges are imminent, was acting "beyond his constitutional limits."

"We are not, it has become clear, confronting mere institutional action," Temer's lawyers wrote in the document seen by Reuters. "Everything indicates that the motivation is personal."

Janot's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The request will be decided by Supreme Court Justice Luiz Edson Fachin, the judge in charge of a massive investigation into political kickbacks. Legal experts said it was unlikely he would agree to remove Janot in the middle of the biggest corruption investigation in Brazilian history.

Temer, the first sitting Brazilian president to face formal corruption charges, got some relief last week when the lower house of Congress voted to block a bribery charge filed by Janot.

But Temer's opponents hope a second or even third charge from Janot could be based on more solid evidence of Temer's links to political bribes. That could push lawmakers to vote against protecting Temer from a trial as they worry about voters turning on them in next year's elections.

Under Brazil's constitution, any criminal charges leveled against a president must be approved by two-thirds of the lower house, and only then can the Supreme Court decide whether to put a leader on trial.

Graft scheme

Temer was charged in June in connection with a graft scheme involving the world's largest meatpacker, JBS SA.

Executives said in plea-bargain testimony the president took bribes for resolving tax disputes, freeing up loans from state-run banks and other matters.

Janot alleged that Temer arranged to eventually receive a total of 38 million reais ($12.14 million) from JBS in the coming nine months.

The prosecutor has said several times that he is likely to soon file obstruction of justice and racketeering charges against Temer.

The case against the president is part of an unprecedented anti-corruption push that Brazil's federal police, prosecutors and some judges have been pursuing for over three years.

Investigators have uncovered stunning levels of graft engulfing Brazil's political and business elites. Much of it centers on companies paying billions of dollars in bribes to politicians and executives at state-run enterprises in return for lucrative contracts.

Temer and one-third of his cabinet, as well as four former presidents and dozens of lawmakers, are under investigation or already charged. More than 100 people have been convicted, including former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is free pending appeal.
China's new military and logistical base in Djibouti has put other foreign powers on edge, but observers believe China's strategy in the region is more about economic growth than military might.

After months of anticipation since announcing plans for its first foreign base, China opened what it calls a logistical facility on August 1. The base will be used mainly to resupply ships moving through the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea, and support humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts in East Africa, China has said.

Satellite photos, however, have led to speculation about a large underground area where unseen equipment may be stored, and the facility could shift the balance of power in the region.

Economic power

Janet Eom, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies' China-Africa Research Initiative, said the base is part of China's plan to expand its Belt and Road Initiative, a $1 trillion plan to link China with 68 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe through trade deals and infrastructure projects. The initiative was first announced in 2013 and includes a Chinese presence around the east coast of Africa.

Products that China wants to ship are based in the region, so it makes sense to expand the infrastructure to transport them. But the Djibouti facility is also a sign of China diversifying its engagement and avoiding restrictions on its presence, Eom said.

"This might be the start of some more military, security-related bases," she told VOA.

Currently, China mainly imports minerals and oil from Africa, but its long-term plan is to build factories on the continent and move some of its manufacturing there to take advantage of the cheaper labor and geographic position.

Regional concern

China's ambitions have fueled concern in India, which has watched its neighbor's presence grow in the Indian Ocean. In a strategy known as the "string of pearls," China already has military and commercial links with Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

"Because India has always viewed the Indian Ocean region as its domain, and as China increasingly has more economic interest and a large military presence in the region, India is going to have deeper and deeper concerns about its presence," said Darshana Baruah, a research analyst with Carnegie India.

Others say the speed with which China is executing its strategy in the region caught India off guard and may prompt countermeasures. "The base in Djibouti is like a game changer in terms of the security environment, and India is worried about it," Baruah said.

China's expansion has also garnered the attention of the U.S., which has its own base, Camp Lemonnier, in Djibouti. France and Japan also have military bases in Djibouti.

"The United States will be concerned about the possibility of espionage, including electronic espionage, but will likely also be very closely observing the Chinese," Dean Cheng, a senior research fellow at the Asian Studies Center Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy at the Heritage Foundation, said in an email response to VOA's Mandarin Service.

For China, the Djibouti base represents a shift to a more dual role in its global expansion  one that focuses on economics as well as military and logistics support.

"We're going to see more of these types of facilities in other places," said Lindsey Ford, director of political-security affairs at the Asia Society Policy Institute. "Some of these aren't going to look like bases. They're going to look like dual use, civilian sort of access [facilities] where also you can get access for military vessels as well."
Officials in Pakistan say a gunfight with militants in a northwestern district near the Afghan border Wednesday left four soldiers dead, including a high ranking officer.

The military said the early morning clash occurred when security forces raided a terrorist hideout in the Sherotkai area of the Upper Dir district and militants, including two suicide bombers, entrenched there, retaliated with heavy gunfire.

'Terrorist' captured

One bomber blew himself up while the other was killed during the firefight and a third terrorist was captured, it said.

An officer and three soldiers sacrificed their lives while foiling a devastating terrorist activity, the statement added.

A spokesman for the anti-state Pakistani Taliban claimed its fighters engaged the raiding troops and killed them.

These cowardly attacks on our law enforcing agencies can never flinch our resolve to back-off or slow down in our resolve to continue with anti-terror operations, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said in a separate statement.

Spy officer killed by IS

Islamic State has also taken credit for some of the recent attacks on Pakistani security forces.

The Middle East-based terrorist group through its Amaq global media outlet claimed responsibly for Tuesday's assassination in Multan of an officer of the country's main spy agency, ISI.

Earlier this year an ISI officer's bullet-riddled body was found on a busy road in the southern Pakistani city days after he was kidnapped. IS claimed it was behind the killing.
China will face consequences if it continues the "enforced disappearance" of Liu Xia, the widow of late Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, as the U.S. Congress may soon vote on legislation to rename an area in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington as "Liu Xiaobo Plaza," according to her U.S.-based lawyer.

That will serve as a public shaming of the Chinese government and encourage other governments to follow suit in honor of Chinas most famous pro-democracy activist if the legislation, which the U.S. Senate had already passed unanimously in February, further secures a congressional approval next month following signs that the White House has no intention to veto, Jared Genser, who represents the couple, told VOA.

"I hope that the Chinese government is noticing that the Trump administration has refused so far to publicly threaten to veto [the legislation]. And that should be a very clear signal to the Chinese government that the Trump administration is not happy with Liu Xias disappearance," the lawyer said, expressing his confidence in the incumbent U.S. government to toughen up on China.

The lawyer reiterated that senior Trump administration officials have been highly engaged on Lius case.

Liu Xiaobo Plaza in sight?

The renaming legislation, introduced by Ted Cruz, has been made a "major priority" for the Texas Republican senator, whose press secretary said earlier that hes optimistic and hoping for action as soon as possible.

However, it is not clear what chances the legislation has to pass the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives or when a vote might be scheduled. The U.S. Congress is in recess and any action is unlikely before it returns in September.

Earlier this month, Cruz and his colleague, Patrick Leahy of the State of Vermont, further proposed a bipartisan resolution, calling on China to allow the widow to leave China. The resolution, if passed, will have expressed the Senates view for the first time on Lius case and that the U.S. government should give her permanent residence.

Last week, Genser also filed an official complaint with the United Nations working group on enforced or involuntary disappearances  a formal legal proceeding that the lawyer said the Chinese government will now be required to respond to.

He added that his initiative was also meant to compel the Chinese government to "re-appear" Liu Xia, who was last seen on state media on July 15 when she took part in what appeared to be a heavily-controlled sea funeral service and helped scatter her husbands ashes at sea from a boat.

Enforced disappearance

The widow, a 56-year-old poet, painter and photographer, has been under house arrest since 2010 after her husband was given the Nobel title.

She has been diagnosed with depression and a heart condition while being disheartened by the passing of her beloved parents and husband, one by one, over the past two years.

And its believed China has not ended her unlawful incarceration even after the countrys only Nobel peace award winner died of liver cancer under police custody on July 13.

According to the Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights & Democracy, Liu Xia may have returned to Beijing, but remains out of reach and under continual police guard at a designated location away from her home as of Wednesday morning, citing words from her relatives.

Excessive grief

"Deeply saddened, she may soon schedule a checkup for her heart condition upon signs of abnormalities likely triggered by excessive grief," the non-governmental organization said in a statement posted on its website.

She has recently seen a psychologist, although her last medical test, a computed tomography scan from a year ago, suggested she was healthy, the statement added.

Pessimistic about Liu Xias immediate release, Perry Link, a China expert and professor at the University of California, Riverside, said authorities in China want to suppress Liu Xiaobos thinking as much as they can and will do whatever they can to prevent the widow from speaking up.

Cynical hostage taking

Even if she is free to talk, she will be under threat, as her younger brother may be thrown back in jail after he was given an 11-year sentence on what was believed to be a false charge of fraud, but then granted medical parole  a dilemma, which the professor described as a "cynical taking of a hostage."

Link added that the West needs to put teeth behind its call to free her as Communist leaders, by now, feel that they can spite international opinion.

"I believe that a threat of strong trade sanctions would work. But I do not believe that Western governments will do such a thing," the professor said in a replied email to VOA.

Genser, however, showed more confidence in concerted efforts by the international community.

He said he believes governments worldwide should come to the realization that Chinese leaders, who are self-interested in maintaining their grip on power, cannot afford to risk the Chinese economy and walk away from its relationship with other countries that raise human rights concerns with Beijing.

However, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland Wednesday met with her Chinese counterpart in Beijing. Without touching upon Chinas human rights, Freeland only said ties with China were a priority and that Canada is proud of its long history of an independent and particular relationship with China.
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has confirmed the arrest of the man suspected of ramming a car into a group of French soldiers Wednesday in a suburb of Paris, injuring six of them in what authorities say was a deliberate attack.

French police shot and arrested the unnamed suspect in a car during a manhunt north of Paris.

"A suspect who was driving in the car involved in the attack has been arrested on the highway between Paris and Boulogne-sur-Mer," Philippe told lawmakers during a parliamentary session.

French government spokesman Christophe Castaner said the Paris prosecutor's office has opened a counterterrorism investigation.

The incident happened as the soldiers left their barracks in Levallois-Perret to go on patrol.

Mayor Patrick Balkany said "without a doubt" the attack was intentional. "The vehicle did not stop," Balkany said. "It hurtled at them ... it accelerated rapidly."

The attack is the 15th attack on French soldiers and police officers in the past two-and-a-half years. It follows a series of other Islamic State-inspired strikes on soldiers and police, large numbers of whom have been deployed in France in response to IS calls for attacks against France and other countries that have bombed IS positions in Iraq and Syria.

All told, more than 230 people, mainly civilians, have been killed in attacks inspired by the militant group over the past two-and-a-half years, including two 2015 attacks in Paris and another in the coastal city of Nice in mid-2016.

The soldiers injured in Wednesday's attack were assigned to the 7,000 strong Sentinelle force, which was created to guard against popular French attractions following the string of fatal attacks.

Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said the attack is further evidence the Sentinel force "was more necessary than ever."

None of the six soldiers targeted in the attack is believed to have sustained life threatening injuries.
A former Google software engineer, who wrote an internal memo criticizing the companys diversity policies, has filed a labor complaint, saying he was wrongfully fired.

In a statement emailed to news agencies, James Damore said he filed the complaint with the National Labor Relations Board prior to his termination and that, Its illegal to retaliate against the NLRB charge.

Damore said he was subjected to coercive statements while working at Google. According to the Associated Press, a Google spokesperson said the company could not have retaliated against Damore because it was not aware of the complaint until hearing about it in the news media after he was dismissed.

Damore caused an uproar after the website Gizmodo published a leaked copy of the memo he wrote, encouraging Google to "treat people as individuals, not as just another member of their group," and questioning the effectiveness of diversity programs at the company.

Sundar Pichai, Google's chief executive officer, criticized Damore's memo in an email for "advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace."

In the 10-page internal memo, titled "Google's Ideological Echo Chamber," Damore asserted that fewer women are employed in the technology field because they "prefer jobs in social and artistic areas," while men are more inclined to become computer programmers  a fact he said was due to "biological causes."

Danielle Brown, Google's new vice president for diversity, integrity and governance, said the memo advanced incorrect assumptions about gender and promotes a viewpoint not encouraged by the company.

Part of building an open, inclusive environment means fostering a culture in which those with alternative views, including different political views, feel safe sharing their opinions, she said. But that discourse needs to work alongside the principles of equal employment found in our Code of Conduct, policies, and anti-discrimination laws.

The controversy comes as Silicon Valley faces accusations of sexism and discrimination. Google is in the midst of a Department of Labor investigation over allegations women there are paid less than men.
The eastern Indian state of Odisha will give land rights to slum dwellers in small towns and property rights to those living in city settlements in a "historic" step officials said would benefit tens of thousands in one of the poorest states.

The state cabinet has approved two ordinances to assign land and property rights to about 200,000 slum-dwelling households that will enable redevelopment, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said Tuesday.

"The urban poor in slums will get land rights for residential use that are heritable, mortgageable and nontransferable," he told reporters in the state capital, Bhubaneswar.

"As far as is practicable, efforts will be made to provide these rights on an in situ basis," he said, adding that the "historic" decision would help remove residents' constant fear of eviction and harassment.

About 65 million people live in India's slums, according to 2011 census data, which activists say is a low estimate.

That number is rising quickly as tens of thousands of migrants leave their villages to seek better prospects in urban areas. Many end up in overcrowded slums, lacking even basic facilities and with no claim on the land or the property.

Evictions, demolitions up

Evictions from slums and the demolition of settlements have risen as Indian cities expand and are spruced up under programs such as the Smart Cities plan that aims to create centers with living standards comparable to those in Europe.

Slum dwellers have long opposed efforts to relocate them to distant suburbs, which limits their access to jobs and amenities. Instead, they favor development with upgrading of facilities and secure tenancy.

While Odisha and other states have programs to give land to the landless poor in rural areas, a similar effort has not been undertaken in cities before, said G. Mathi Vathanan, commissioner at the department of housing and urban development.

In small towns, slum dwellers will get rights over up to 600 square feet (56 square meters) of land, while in the cities, they will get rights over up to 450 square feet, he said.

The initiative "will improve the living conditions of the urban poor," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Mahendra Parida of the slum dwellers' rights group Bhubaneswar Basti Basinda Mahasangha said the move was a welcome first step, but many uncertainties remained.

"The government has yet to properly identify all slum dwellers ... so not all the urban poor will benefit," he said.
Theres an increasing convergence between criminal and jihadist milieus in European countries  notably France and the Low Countries, generally Belgium and the Netherlands. Radicalization experts say they expect the crime-terror nexus to grow as Islamic State tries to find new sources of revenue to replace those it is losing as its caliphate shrinks, and to mount attacks in Europe to demonstrate its continued relevance.

The presence of former convicts and criminals inside terrorist groups and mutually-useful connections with crime groups is not new or unprecedented, they say. It has been seen with secular, nationalist as well as Christian-based terror gangs for decades  from Northern Irelands IRA and Protestant paramilitaries to the Basque separatist movement, but the phenomenon related to IS has become more pronounced, especially when it comes to recruitment, and will likely become more so in the coming years.

IS appeals to former criminals

In several European countries, most jihadist foreign fighters are former criminals, and IS talent-spotters recruit aggressively among prisoners as well as among ex-convicts on the outside. Criminal gangs and the jihadists are recruiting from the same pool of people, with both needing members who have useful skills  from experience with guns and readiness to be violent to the ability to escape police detection.

The crime connection adds to the challenges for de-radicalization efforts, says Emma Webb, an analyst with the Henry Jackson Society, a London-based research organization. She says the criminal past of IS recruits helps to reinforce bonds among members with friendship and criminality reinforcing each other. The social aspect is something that can really have a strong effect not only in drawing them into extremism but also holding them therea defection becomes a betrayal not only of the cause but a breaking with a group you formed bonds with and trusted even before joining IS, she says.

"We do see criminal backgrounds represented in UK terrorism statistics and we see it very broadly across Europe," she adds. She cites the Brussels network behind the November 2015 coordinated Paris attacks. With the Paris attacks, we see a group of people who have been friends for a long time and they progress together through criminality into extremism, possibly through radicalization in prisons. The bond of trust makes these networks very effective.

The IS narrative  a simpler one than al-Qaida offered  seems well-suited to recruiting criminals, argues Nazir Afzal, a former top British prosecutor. Grooming recruits for IS is not dissimilar from grooming someone to join an organized crime group or street gang. It involves manipulating the most vulnerable, he says. IS is effective in knowing what buttons to push, whether the potential recruit is seeking redemption or thrill-seeking.

A landmark report last year by the International Center for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence at Kings College, London University, also argued that the jihadist narrative  as articulated by Islamic State  is surprisingly well-aligned with the personal needs and desires of criminals, and that it can be used to curtail as well as license the continued involvement in crime.

The ICSR also noted that criminals have useful skills for IS with their abilities to secure weapons and stay under the radar.

There hasnt been a merging of criminal organizations with IS and other jihadist groups, but there has been a partial merging of social networks, environments and milieus," the center reported. More than half of the individuals ICSR profiled ((45 out of 79 profiles)) had been incarcerated prior to their radicalization, with sentences ranging from one month to over 10 years, and a quarter of those who spent time in prison were radicalized during their incarceration.

Other Europe studies show that most jihadist foreign fighters are former criminals.

Emma Webb says IS is using criminality to fund extremist activity. Forty percent of terrorist plots in Europe are at least part-funded through petty crime, including drug dealing, theft, robberies, the sale of counterfeit goods, loan fraud, and burglaries, say analysts.

New revenue streams

As the terror group is squeezed in territory it once controlled, its primary revenue-generating streams  sales of oil, gas and phosphate as well as extortion of local populations and the sale of ancient loot from archaeological sites  are drying up, forcing the terror group to look elsewhere for revenue. Islamic State will need to rely increasingly on self-funding recruits, if it is to continue to mount attacks in the West, say analysts.

And it isnt only in Europe IS is drawing closer to criminal networks, cooperating with them as well as taxing them when they want to move contraband, drugs or people through territory IS controls or has a major presence in with fighters.

Analysts say the group is relying on old smuggling routes to move drugs, guns and people. Last year, The New York Times reported the Italian navy had uncovered a new drug trafficking route stretching from Libya to Sicily and Egypt to the Balkans.

Sicilian anti-mafia prosecutors tell VOA that was more of a reconfiguration of old routes that predate the Arab Spring and the fall of the region's strongmen. More often than not, IS and crime gangs are introducing variations to well-established routes.

In remote parts of western Iraqs Anbar province, IS may be more involved in drugs than just helping their movement. Earlier this year, the London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that IS has been encouraging local farmers to cultivate marijuana, which is then moved through Syria into Turkey for onward transportation by crime syndicates to Europe.

What we are seeing is a chain of cooperation between the jihadists and organized crime built on dozens of deals to make money and traffic contraband  it isn't a matter of some grand pact but opportunism, says an Italian prosecutor, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused his leftist opponents and the country's media on Wednesday of trying to oust his government by pressuring investigators to indict him "at any cost."

Netanyahu, 67, has been questioned under caution by police in two cases. "Case 1000" deals with gifts given to him and his family by businessmen, while a second, "Case 2000," is related to conversations he held with an Israeli publisher.

Police have also questioned his wife, Sara, over her alleged misuse of official funds. Israeli media said this week that the attorney-general was poised to issue an indictment against her.

"The media and the left, which serves it... contrive endless scandals, endless reports and endless headlines so that maybe, maybe something will stick," he told a rally of his right-wing Likud party in a speech broadcast live on the three main Israeli television channels.

"They demand from the law-enforcement authorities: 'give us something, doesn't matter what,'" Netanyahu told supporters, who waved Israeli flags and chanted his nickname "Bibi, Bibi."

"The left's and the media's ... aim is to put pressure, which is wrong, on the law enforcement authorities to bring an indictment at any cost, without any connection to the truth, without any connection to justice."

Netanyahu, who last won an election in 2015, has weathered several scandals and police inquiries during his 11 years in office. His approval ratings are generally solid, putting him ahead of potential challengers.

Background noise

The Israeli leader has described the din of criminal investigations around him as "background noise" and has dismissed speculation he will be forced to resign by saying simply on Facebook this week: "Won't happen."

He quipped in his speech that there were rumors that even his family dog, Kaia, would be called in for questioning.

Case 1,000 involves Netanyahu and family members receiving gifts on a regular basis from two businessmen. Israeli media have reported that the gifts included cigars and champagne.

Case 2,000 involves a deal Netanyahu allegedly discussed with the owner of one of Israel's largest newspapers, Yedioth Ahronoth, for better coverage in return for curbs on competition from a free paper owned by U.S. casino mogul Sheldon Adelson.

The latter paper has long supported the prime minister.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.

In his speech on Wednesday Netanyahu also accused Palestinian officials of seeking his demise but said he would not yield to their demands for Israeli concessions in peace talks that have been frozen since 2014.

"My friends, they too will be disappointed, because it won't happen," he said.
- Jordan on Wednesday became the first Arab country to issue Syrian refugees with a new type of work permit that opens up the growing construction sector, the U.N. labor agency said.

The International Labor Organization said work permits for refugees used to be tied to specific employers, who applied on behalf of workers to fill specific positions. Now, refugees can apply themselves, then take available roles in the industry.

"The construction sector has a significant number of people working informally  without the necessary paperwork  which didn't give them the proper protection for payment and possible employer abuse," said Elias Jourdi, a shelter specialist for the Norwegian Refugee Council, an international aid agency.

Last year, the European Union relaxed trade rules with Jordan in return for its agreement to let thousands of Syrian refugees work in its companies and get work permits.

Beyond giving refugees protection from possible abuse, the permits could improve their standard of living, Jourdi said.

"They are able to work anywhere in the kingdom, and they will be able to access better jobs and therefore better income and provide better for their family," Jourdi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Jordan.

More than 660,000 refugees are registered in Jordan, according to the latest U.N. figures.

However, the Jordanian government has said that there are more than a million Syrians in the country, which is home to the largest refugee camp in the world, Zaatari.

The camp's expansion helped to rejuvenate the economy of a neglected part of Jordan previously known for the smuggling of everything from sheep to arms to drugs.
Vote counting continues in Kenya after nationwide elections Tuesday, with President Uhuru Kenyatta taking a strong lead against his closest challenger Raila Odinga with 85 percent of polling stations reporting, according to Reuters.

The election commission website showed Kenyatta with 54.8 percent of the vote against 44.3 percent for Odinga, a margin of nearly 1.4 million votes.

The polls featured new technology including a biometric voter identification systems and electronic vote transmission using a 3G mobile platform.

Kenyan voters stood in line for hours to cast ballots in the hotly contested nationwide election.

What awaited them was a verification procedure that took three to seven minutes for each voter to be processed.

For those whose details did not appear, their identifications numbers were entered manually and they were given a separate, paper form to cast their vote.

Early morning disappointment

Twenty-four-year-old Benedict Juma Oduori slept in his polling station in central Nairobi hoping to be one of the first people to vote. It was going to be his first time to cast a ballot in an election.

But, he found his name was missing in the voter register.

When I go to the voter identification desk, they checked my details, and my name was not appearing in the system. They sent me to the constituency head office (where) they searched (for) my name, Oduori said. They could not find it, yet I am a registered voter. I have my voter's card. I am asking myself why can't I vote?

His disappointment is obvious.

"I have come to elect people who will represent me in the government for the next five years. Odour said. If am not going to vote (for) the leaders of my choice then I doubt if those elected will take my interest. I feel bad.

After waiting for hours, Oduori gave up and went home.

Electronic voting machines work well

In this election, voting stations have been given network coverage using 3G mobile technology to transmit the results of electronic voting machines. One of the main reasons for using these voting kits is they transmit the results automatically, lowering the possibility of tampering.

The court allowed the electoral commission to use a manual system in case the technology kits failed. But, it appeared the voting the system was in good working condition.

The electoral commission Chairman Wafula Chebukati said Kenya's Integrated Electoral Management System was a success despite some few hitches.

"We are aware of the reports that identification took longer than expected while some officers had challenges switching on KIMS kits, Chebukati said. (If) finger scanners do not work, our clerks are using alphanumeric (the) identification option by using ID numbers.

Some don't get to vote

In Kisumu County in western Kenya, some voters complained of names missing from the register, and some were registered in different counties.

Some voters like Abdi Abukar couldn't get his name in his registered polling station in Nairobi, but his name appeared in a different area 1,000 kilometers away from the capital.

"I did not vote, Abukar said. I was registered in Eastleigh I was told I was a registered voter in Mandera.

Voting process goes well

Kenya's Elections Observation Group (ELOG) deployed more than 5,000 observers to monitor Tuesday's vote.

In a press conference Tuesday, the opposition coalition said they were satisfied with the voting process and commended the commission for doing a good job.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has seven days to announce the presidential results.
Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga said Wednesday hackers carried out "massive and extensive" fraud against the election commission's computer system, resulting in what he asserts are fraudulent vote totals showing him trailing well behind President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) website showed at midday Wednesday about 94 percent of ballots had been counted with Kenyatta leading 54 percent to 45 percent in his bid for another term.

IEBC Chariman Wafula Chebukati said he could not yet say whether the commission's systems had been hacked, but that it would investigate.

Odinga read to reporters from a document spelling out his accusations that hackers accessed the IEBC's database during Tuesday's voting and altered the results for not just the presidential race, but also elections for other positions.

"What the IEBC has posted as results on the presidential elections is a complete fraud based on a multiplier that fraudulently gave Uhuru Kenyatta votes that were not cast," Odinga said. "The fraud Jubilee has perpetuated on Kenyans surpasses any level of voter theft in our country's history. This time we caught them."He further called his longtime rival Kenyatta a "fraud."



Rafael Tuju, secretary general of Kenyatta's Jubilee Party, dismissed Odinga's accusations as "disingenuous" and appealed for calm.

"These results are not coming from out of the blue, they are marked by facts, and you cannot claim that results are fake with respect to presidential and you welcome the areas where your governors and your members of parliament have won convincingly."

Kenyatta and Odinga have an extensive history, including facing each other in presidential elections in 2007 and 2013.Odinga alleged vote-tampering after losing in 2013 and challenged the result in court.The 2007 election was followed by violence fueled by ethnic divisions that killed more than 1,000 people.

Shortly after Odinga spoke Wednesday, several hundred protesters in his western stronghold of Kisumu burned tires and clashed with police who fired tear gas.

Also, five men armed with knives attacked and stabbed people at a polling station in the town of Hola. Police shot and killed two of the attackers and the other three escaped.

One report says that one person, a poll worker, was stabbed to death. It is unclear who carried out the attack and why.

Election officials have up to a week to announce full results, but they may opt to announce the outcome as soon as possible to alleviate the possibility of violence.

Long lines

Kenyans stood in line for hours Tuesday to cast ballots, facing rain and both cold and hot weather conditions throughout the day.

In addition to choosing between incumbent Kenyatta and challenger Odinga, voters also decided on senators, governors, women's representatives of the national assembly, members of the national assembly, and members of the county assemblies.



Hellen Mazitoh, a 32-year-old voter from the Githogoro slum in Nairobi, waited in line for well over seven hours, but said she isn't complaining.



"Let me say, the election mood is good. People are voting. Once they vote, they are going home. Nothing bad has occurred. Nobody left, people are responding well," said Mazitoh.



Thirty-three-year-old voter Emmanuel Musundi Wamukundi waited for more than four hours at his polling station in Nairobi. He said the lines were a bit disorganized in the beginning, but otherwise, things seemed to be running smoothly.



"I mean, it's patriotism, this is for my country, and I want to be involved in it," said Wamukundi. "I want my voice to be heard and it's the only thing I can do to change things."



The electoral commission said heavy rain hampered voting in three parts of the country  Turkana North, Baringo and Samburu  and helicopters were required to airlift materials and polling officials.



Former U.S. secretary of state John Kerry and former Senegalese prime minister Aminata Toure visited Jamhuri High School in Nairobi as co-leaders of the U.S.-based Carter Center election observation mission. Kerry referenced the long lines he'd seen at polling stations as a sign of the commitment of Kenyan voters.



"It's too early for us to draw any kinds of conclusions so we're not, but obviously given what's happened in the past and given the stakes for the future, this is a very, very important election, and clearly the citizens of Kenya are taking it very, very seriously," said Kerry.



Kenya's electoral commission is using biometric voter identification and electronic vote transmission systems to conduct the elections. The vote is seen as a key test for the commission after voting technology failed during the last polls in 2013, sparking allegations of vote rigging.



Like so many Kenyans, voter Francis Mutiso Matheka is urging peace above all else in these elections.

"I would love to tell fellow Kenyans to vote peacefully," said Matheka. "We need this country, after today, after tomorrow, and this country, it's greater than any one of us."



Also calling for a peaceful outcome Monday was former U.S. president Barack Obama, the son of a native-born Kenyan. Obama issued a statement urging voters in his ancestral homeland to "reject violence and incitement; respect the will of the people; urge security forces to act professionally and neutrally; and work together no matter the outcome."



The winner of the presidential election must receive 50 percent of all votes, and 25 percent or more of votes in at least 25 of Kenya's 47 counties. If neither candidate hits that threshold, a run-off will take place.
The increasing threat of nuclear conflict between the United States and North Korea cast a shadow over Wednesday's observance of the 72nd anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan in the final days of World War II.

"A strong sense of anxiety is spreading across the globe that in the not too distant future these weapons could actually be used again," Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue told the crowd at the city's Peace Park. The ceremony was held a day after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to respond to North Korea's continuing threats with "fire and fury like the world has never seen."

Mayor Taue also lashed out at Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for refusing to enter negotiations for the U.N. Nuclear Prohibition Treaty, calling his stance "incomprehensible to those of us living in the cities that suffered atomic bombings." Japan routinely abhors nuclear weapons, but has aligned its defense posture firmly under the so-called U.S. "nuclear umbrella."

Taue and the other dignitaries led the audience in a moment of silence as a bell was rung at the exact moment a U.S. warplane dropped a plutonium bomb onto the port city, killing as many as 70,000 people.

The Nagasaki bombing happened three days after 140,000 people died in the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, the world's first using nuclear weapons. The bombings hastened Japan's surrender to Allied forces on August 15, 1945, bringing the six-year-old global conflict to an end.
In a show of solidarity, hundreds of people gathered Tuesday night at a Minnesota mosque that was fire-bombed over the weekend.

Mohamed Omar, executive director of the Islamic center, told VOA that the gathering, which included community and political leaders and congregants, was meant to send message to those behind the attack.

The goal of the gathering was to show those targeting us because of what we believe that there are many other non-Muslim Minnesotans who oppose their ideology, said Omar.

WATCH: Hundreds gather in solidarity at fire-bombed Minnesota mosque

Since the bombing that targeted the mosque, many community members, mainly non-Muslims, have visited the mosque to show solidarity.

Aqil Ahmed, one of the congregants of the mosque said the community reaction was very encouraging.

The last three days, the mosque has been receiving people from all aspects of the community, including politicians church leaders and ordinary citizens who left us healing notes, flowers, gift cards and other donations in show of their solidarity with us, said Ahmed.

A VOA reporter who attended the Tuesday night event said the evening began with a readings from the Quran verses on how Islam is a peaceful religion. Politicians, community leaders and imams then took turns condemning Saturday's bombing.

The number of people who showed up here today and their diversity will give a relief and confidence to our community, particularly, the mosque congregants who lived with fear and uncertainty since the attack, said Osman Irro, a Somali American.

But Islamic center executive director Omar said such attacks would never deter the center's members from practicing their religion.

This Islamic center was fire-bombed on Saturday, an incident being investigated by the FBI.

The mosque administrator at the time said a congregant saw a man driving a pickup truck, then heard a sound of a banging car door, before smoke came out and a huge explosion followed.

Although no one was injured, the attack damaged the office of the Imam. About 20 worshipers were in the building at the time to perform their dawn prayers along with some students who go there for to study Islam.

Rowdo Bashir was getting ready to go to the mosque on Saturday when a fellow student texted her a message about bombing.

You can imagine the shock when you receive a text message around five in the morning and you are told that the center you are coming has been bombed, Bashir told VOA Somali. It shocked me a lot.

On Sunday, one day after the attack, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, leading a delegation of politicians, visited the mosque and met with about 100 community members to show solidarity.

He described the attack on the Islamic center as an act of terrorism and a "hate crime.

Among those who visited the mosque Sunday were U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, and Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, the nations first Somali-American lawmaker.
The World Health Organization in Myanmar says a recent outbreak of H1N1 in the country is not unusual for the time of the year, and while there may be more cases in the future the available data suggests it is not a cause for panic.

Myanmars state media reported on Wednesday that since July 21 there have been 166 confirmed cases and 17 deaths from the virus, known commonly as swine flu after a global pandemic in 2009 was found to have originated in infected pigs. The respiratory infection is now considered a normal human flu.

Seasonal event



Dr. Stephan Paul Jost, WHOs country representative in Myanmar, said in an interview the consensus based on the evidence so far is that this is a seasonal event, its a seasonal influenza, and there are likely to be also more cases because it is seasonal. And it is not in itself a cause for alarm.

Influenza of course can be a serious disease and people can also die from it, he added. It happens in every country in the world in the flu season and sometimes even outside it.

The damp and slightly cooler conditions of Myanmars rainy season are also favorable for the influenza virus.

But Jost said the numbers are generally in line with what WHO is seeing in countries in the region.

It is not in itself an unusual event. Of course we are keeping a close eye on it, he said.

Monitoring



Dr. Than Htun Aung, the deputy director of the public health department with Myanmar's Ministry of Health and Sports, said the government is in the process of stepping up monitoring and that its too early to say whether the virus has tapered off.

Now were controlling. We are waiting [for] more information from the surveillance. We cant say now, he said. I think we can control like other countries did. USA was the same, they had more patients than we had. Now were learning what they have done and planning procedures.

WHO is providing technical support in terms of specific guidelines, consulting with regional experts, and facilitating samples to be sent to laboratories abroad.

It has also worked with Facebook representatives in the region and locally to look at various messaging and discussion about H1N1 on social media, which some believe contributed to an unnecessary panic over the outbreak, with large numbers of people in the commercial capital Yangon donning surgical masks as a main line of defense.

Were looking at the different terminology used in Facebook for influenza and for this particular outbreak to see whether we can work together to get more systematic and authoritative messages out that are quite simple but ... recommended by WHO, Jost said, adding it was an ongoing process. We are still working together on this to actually find the best way forward.

A representative for the social media platform in Singapore was not immediately available for comment as August 9 is a public holiday in the country.

Surgical masks



Jost described the use of surgical masks in Myanmar as perhaps a bit overdone, in particular N95 masks, which are not recommended for the public as they are difficult to wear and better for hospital environments and health workers.

However, light surgical masks that fit easily on the face can be useful in some situations, he said, especially if you know you have the flu. They may even cut down on transmission in crowded places like buses.

Influenza is transmitted by a fine droplet. Its not airborne, you dont get it just by breathing air. Its fine droplets, by sneezing and coughing, that are dispersed, thats transmitted, and thats usually then also by hand, either by shaking hands or it lands in your hand and you rub your eyes and it enters your system, he said. So even masks would not protect from that. You could have a mask and you are rubbing your eyes and you are still getting it.

But if you are sick [and wearing a mask] you are preventing then the dispersal of these fine droplets to others. That is definitely helping. That is good, he added.

One of the other issues that arose in response to the outbreak was a lack of past data that could help authorities assess the scope of the problem.

Jost said WHO had suggested health officials could strengthen the surveillance of cases so a picture would really emerge that is more consistent, more complete than what is currently available and would give us a better idea historically, what is the historical activity of the influenza viruses in the country.

He said Myanmar had a lot of cases in 2010, the year after the worldwide outbreak, and also in 2014.

But how complete this information is we are not as sure as perhaps we could be. And thats true for many countries, he said.

Jost also complimented Myanmar's health officials and government partners on the outbreak response, saying it was very encouraging.

Aung Naing Soe contributed to this report.
North Korea has released a Canadian pastor who had been serving a life sentence since 2015 over allegations of crimes against the state, North Korean state media reported.



Hyeon Soo Lim was freed from prison on sick bail after a Canadian delegation traveled to Pyongyang on his behalf, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

Lim, a Christian missionary operating in North Korea, was accused of committing subversive acts against the North Korean government, but the Canadian government denies those claims.

The Canadian delegation, led by National Security Adviser Daniel Jean, landed in Pyongyang Tuesday to discuss Lims case.

"Pastor Lim's health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada as we continue to engage on this case," Cameron Ahmad, a spokesman for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said prior to Lims release.

Prior to his arrest, Lim, who is in his 60s, had visited North Korea dozens of times to work with orphanages and nursing homes. He was on a humanitarian mission when he was detained.
U.S. President Donald Trump, in the midst of an exchange of bellicose threats with North Korea, declared Wednesday that the United States' nuclear arsenal "is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before."

In an early morning Twitter comment, Trump said that his first order as president when he took office in January "was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal."He said that "hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!"

Trump's latest assessment of the country's potent military strength came a half day after he issued a stark warning to North Korea, saying if Pyongyang continues its threats against the United States, "they will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

Trump: Pyongyang 'Best Not Make Any More Threats'



U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, in a statement Wednesday, said that North Korea "must choose to stop isolating itself and stand down its pursuit of nuclear weapons." He said the Pyongyang government "should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people."

Trump's top diplomat, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, however, sought to downplay the threats Pyongyang and Trump have leveled at each other in the aftermath of new U.N.sanctions imposed on North Korea last weekend. Those sanctions are aimed at cutting $1 billion of its export income and attempting to force North Korea to halt its nuclear weapons development.

On a refueling layover in Guam en route back to Washington from a Southeast Asian trip, Tillerson said, "I think Americans should sleep well at night and have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days.

"I think the president, again, as commander in chief, I think, he felt it necessary to issue a very strong statement directly to North Korea, but I think what the president was just reaffirming is, that the United States has capability to fully defend itself in any attack and defend our allies. And we will do so. And so, the American people should sleep well at night.

Tillerson said Trump's rhetoric was intended for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in words he "would understand because he does not seem to understand diplomatic language.

North Korea, in a statement early Wednesday, said its armed forces were "carefully examining" a plan for missile strikes on Guam. American military bases on the U.S. Pacific island territory are believed to hold the largest U.S. arsenal of nuclear weapons outside the continental United States.

But Tillerson said he never considered rerouting his jet's refueling stop.

"I do not believe that there is any imminent threat, in my own view," Tillerson said.

Guam Governor Eddie Calvo said there was no threat to the island, but also said in a televised speech it was "prepared for any eventuality." Calvo said "Guam is American soil...not just a military installation," and was assured by the White House that an attack on Guam would be considered an attack on the United States.

Tillerson said he hopes the U.N. sanctions and the world community, including China and Russia, "can begin to persuade (North Korea) that they need to reconsider the current pathway they're on and think about engaging in a dialogue about a different future."

U.S. media outlets reported Tuesday that the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency has concluded that North Korea recently succeeded in building a miniaturized nuclear warhead, small enough to fit in the intercontinental ballistic missiles Pyongyang recently has test-fired.

The North has threatened nuclear war with the United States in the past in response to United Nations sanctions over its nuclear tests.On Saturday, the U.N. Security Council voted 15-0 on new sanctions seen as an effort to cut $1 billion from Pyongyang's annual $3 billion in export income.

Pyongyang has described the U.N. sanctions resolution as a "flagrant infringement" of its sovereignty.

Media reports on Tuesday that referenced the DIA report said U.S. analysts have concluded that Pyongyang has now amassed 60 nuclear weapons, although some experts think the number is smaller, perhaps only half as many.
As North Korea and the United States increase rhetoric on Pyongyangs nuclear weapons program, long-held taboos are being broken in neighboring Japan  the only country to have suffered nuclear bombardment, at the end of World War II.

Analysts say the debate over whether Tokyo should develop nuclear weapons of its own is moving from the far right fringes to the political mainstream.

A Japanese Defense Ministry White Paper this week echoed reported concerns within the U.S. intelligence community, that Pyongyang has achieved the key final step of miniaturizing nuclear warheads  enabling it to deliver atomic bombs.

Former Japanese Defense Ministry adviser Narushige Michishita, now an analyst at Tokyos National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, says the country would have minimal warning in the event of a nuclear missile launch.

Its quite likely even that North Korea can attack Tokyo with nuclear weapons today. And so if missiles are launched, it will reach Japan within 10 minutes," said Michishita. "From the time we detect the missile until the time it impacts on Japanese territory, we would have six or seven minutes.

North Korea is believed by some observers to have more than 200 so-called "No Dong" missiles capable of carrying warheads that put Japan well within range. An attack on a crowded city like Tokyo would put hundreds of thousands of lives at risk.

WATCH: North Korea Threat Tests Japan's Nuclear Taboo

Japans constitution allows military action only in self-defense. Some lawmakers want that definition extended to allow Japan to acquire preemptive strike capabilities to counter North Korea.

Hawkish conservatives go further, among them Finance Minister Taro Aso. He has argued that Japan should keep open the option of developing nuclear weapons as a deterrent. The country already has a large stockpile of nuclear fuel from its civilian power program.

The issue is openly debated in South Korea. But polls show just five percent of Japanese want their country to be a nuclear power.

Security analyst Kuni Miyake, with Tokyos Canon Institute of Global Affairs, said, We face the threat from North Korea. But it doesn't mean we will react with nuclear weapons. I dont think we will go nuclear in the foreseeable future. Even if South Korea might go, we will be the last.

Narushige Michishita questions whether nuclear weapons would offer Tokyo diplomatic leverage.

If we possess nuclear weapons and say we would retaliate if North Korea used nuclear weapons against us, is it credible? I dont think so. And North Korea is not trying to attack us with nuclear weapons. They would be threatening us to do so in order to prevent us from assisting South Korea. Thats their objective," said Michishita.

This week marked the anniversary of the 1945 Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombings, which killed hundreds of thousands of people. The commemorations were clouded by renewed fears of war on the Korean peninsula.

There still are nearly 15,000 nuclear weapons in the world. Tension is mounting when it comes to the international situation surrounding nuclear weapons. Strong fears are spreading that nuclear weapons may be used in the not-so-distant future, Nagasaki Mayor Taue Tomihisa said in a speech Wednesday to mark the 72nd anniversary of the citys destruction.

At the same ceremony, Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated the countrys long-held position: Here in Nagasaki, a city that continues to pray for perpetual peace, I reaffirm my commitment to realizing a peaceful world without nuclear weapons."

Some analysts question whether that commitment would be tested if Japan came under attack. For now, the likelihood of Japan acquiring nuclear weapons appears remote.
Rizwana Hameed made history a month ago when she became the first female head of a male police station in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, or KPK, where conservative cultural and religious traditions often discourage women from leaving home.

Hameed has been a member of the provincial police force for the past 15 years and has participated in numerous crime investigations as well as daring raids against suspected criminal terrorist hideouts.

But after becoming the first officer to supervise a male police station in a predominantly conservative male society, she is feeling the pressure.

Tough job

"Its a very difficult job for me," she said.

But Hameed is enjoying the job and is determined to undo the impression women are a lesser creed.

If men are asked to take on household responsibilities and babysitting, for the whole day I don't think they can handle them. Whereas women can easily handle professional responsibilities outside the home also, she said.

The police officer says women in the surrounding localities have been until now reluctant to enter the police station with their complaints and discuss them openly with male police officers.

Peshawar is a closed society where women mostly confined to their homes. And even if they are subjected to domestic violence they endure it and avoid publicly talking about it," she said. "But my presence here is now encouraging them to bring problems to the police station and their number is growing by the day. And when their problems are solved they take back a message of satisfaction to their communities, which is emboldening other women to visit the police station."

Tradition

Pashtun families in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have been traditionally reluctant to allow their women to join the police. That is why there are hardly 10 percent women police personnel in the entire province. But officials say the trend is changing because of projections in media of women police officers..

Even some of our female complainants also ask me after their issues are addressed whether they can join the police and I sit down with them to explain the process, Hameed said.

Police station chiefs in Pakistan, she says, have to spend most of the time in the office, so the doors are open for complainants all the time, making family life a bit difficult even for men officers.

"But my husband and my in-laws are very cooperative with me, even though they know I am not spending enough time with them after assuming my responsibilities as the SHO," Hameed said. "I try to manage both and stay in contact with the family via cell phone because they still need my supervision in some areas."

The provincial police department is also conducting awareness campaigns in woman educational institutions to encourage them to join the force. Hameed said she believes the induction of more women will help bring down incidents of domestic violence and so-called family-honor related crimes against women in the province.

Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has been at the forefront of the countrys war against terrorism and extremism and has borne the brunt of violent attacks. However, security conditions have improved, encouraging women to look for jobs in areas traditionally considered only for men.
A British company hired to train Afghan intelligence officers billed the U.S. government for high-end cars, including Porsches and an Aston Martin, and paid the "significant others" of the firm's top executives six-figure salaries even though there's no proof they did any work, according to a Pentagon audit made public Wednesday.

Sen. Clarie McCaskill, D-Mo., said New Century Consulting also spent $42,000 on automatic weapons, using cash to get around a prohibition in the contract on purchasing the firearms, and showered other personnel with hefty pay and bonuses they hadn't earned. Overall, the military contractor "left taxpayers on the hook for over $50 million in questionable costs," McCaskill said in a statement.

McCaskill, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, summarized the audit's major findings in a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. She demanded to know which Defense Department office was responsible for overseeing the contractor, what steps are being taken to recover the disputed payments, and whether New Century Consulting will face disciplinary action.

Michael Grunberg, chief executive officer of New Century Consulting, said the company is being portrayed unfairly and that it strives to follow federal acquisition rules. Grunberg said it "is most unfair and is significantly inaccurate" that the executive assistants received excessive salaries.

He said the audit "questioned solely the use and depreciation treatment of vehicles" and that New Century Consulting "accounted for no more than three vehicles across the entire business at any one time." The purchase of the weapons was done properly and at the direction of the U.S.-led command overseeing the training and equipping of the Afghan security forces, according to Grunberg.

McCaskill's disclosure of the audit's key findings is a rare glimpse into the opaque world of battlefield contracting. Contractors are indispensable in Afghanistan, handling security, transportation, construction and more. Yet the Defense Department has faced widespread criticism that it often fails to perform rigorous oversight of the companies and how exactly U.S. taxpayer dollars are spent.

The report also comes amid the tense debate inside the Trump administration over the way ahead in Afghanistan. Two of President Donald Trump's most senior advisers  chief strategist Steve Bannon and son-in-law Jared Kushner  have been advocating for military contractors to fight the war there instead of American forces.

The United States has about 8,400 troops in Afghanistan, and so far Trump has resisted the Pentagon's recommendations to send as many as 4,000 more. The Associated Press reported last week that Blackwater Worldwide founder Erik Prince, the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, was approached by Trump's top advisers to develop proposals to gradually swap out U.S. troops and put contractors in their place.

The Defense Contract Audit Agency examined New Century Consulting's invoices between fiscal years 2008 and 2013, when it was a subcontractor to another company, Imperatis Corporation. Among the costs charged to the U.S. were expenditures for seven high-end cars  Porsches, Alfa Romeos, a Bentley, an Aston Martin and a Land Rover, according to McCaskill's letter to Mattis. The actual cost of the vehicles isn't specified.

"NCC claimed that the vehicles were available to all employees but the vehicles actually were used exclusively by the chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer and the significant others of the CEO and CFO," McCaskill told Mattis. Her letter doesn't identify who the significant others are.

These "significant others" also were employed by New Century Consulting as executive assistants and had an average salary in 2012 of close to $420,000 each even though McCaskill said the company was unable to provide evidence they actually performed any work.

The audit also challenged millions of dollars in compensation for other employees, including the consultants whom the company sent to Afghanistan to train the forces there. McCaskill said the consultants were supposed to be paid at a 100 percent rate when deployed overseas, but only at 60 percent when on leave. But New Century Consulting gave its consultants the full rate regardless of where they were.

"These excessive payments cost taxpayers over $15 million," she wrote.

New Century Consulting also gave its consultants more than $3.3 million in bonuses that they either didn't earn or that weren't required by their contracts, according to the senator.

McCaskill said the audit, completed last year, was conducted partly in response to concerns she and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, had raised after the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction identified a litany of problems with Imperatis' billing and record-keeping practices. The Defense Contract Audit Agency doesn't publicly release its audits.

Imperatis had a contract dating to 2007 for intelligence training in Iraq. The work shifted to Afghanistan in 2010. Three years later the Army Contracting Command awarded New Century Consulting a contract all its own to professionalize the intelligence units within the Afghan ministries of defense and interior. Imperatis went out of business last year.

The two companies were paid $522.4 million overall, according to contract data compiled by the special inspector general.

Army Contracting Command didn't respond to a request for comment.

McCaskill said the Defense Contract Audit Agency is currently auditing New Century Consulting's billings through early 2016 on the contract it received as its arrangement with Imperatis was ending.
They have come from all over the United States, piling out of taxis, pushing strollers and pulling luggage, to the end of a country road in the north woods.



Where the pavement stops, they pick up small children and lead older ones wearing Mickey Mouse backpacks around a road closed sign, threading bushes, crossing a ditch, and filing past another sign in French and English that says No pedestrians. Then they are arrested.



Seven days a week, 24 hours a day, migrants who came to the U.S. from across the globe - Syria, Congo, Haiti, elsewhere - arrive here where Roxham Road dead-ends so they can walk into Canada, hoping its policies will give them the security they believe the political climate in the United States does not.



In Trump's country, they want to put us back to our country, said Lena Gunja, a 10-year-old from Congo, who until this week had been living in Portland, Maine. She was traveling with her mother, father and younger sister. So we don't want that to happen to us, so we want a good life for us. My mother, she wants a good life for us.



The passage has become so crowded this summer that Canadian police set up a reception center on their side of the border in the Quebec community of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Montreal, or almost 480 kilometers (300 miles) north of New York City.



It includes tents that have popped up in the past few weeks, where migrants are processed before they are turned over to the Canada Border Services Agency, which handles their applications for refuge.



The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are adding electricity and portable toilets. A Canadian flag stands just inside the first tent, where the Mounties search the immigrants they've just arrested and check their travel documents. They are also offered food. Then shuttle buses take the processed migrants to their next destination. Trucks carry their luggage separately.



How this spot, not even an official border crossing, became the favored place to cross into Canada is anyone's guess. But once migrants started going there, word spread on social media.



Slipping by the law

Under the 2002 Safe Country Agreement between the United States and Canada, migrants seeking asylum must apply to the first country they arrive in. If they were to go to a legal port of entry, they would be returned to the United States and told to apply there.



But, in a quirk in the application of the law, if migrants arrive in Canada at a location other than a port of entry, such as Roxham Road, they are allowed to request refugee status there.



Many take buses to Plattsburgh, New York, about 32 kilometers (20 miles) south. Some fly there, and others take Amtrak. Sometimes taxis carry people right up to the border. Others are let off up the road and have to walk, pulling their luggage behind them.



Used bus tickets litter the pavement, their points of origin mostly blurred by rain that fell on nights previous. One read Jacksonville.



One Syrian family said they flew into New York City on tourist visas and then went to Plattsburgh, where they took a taxi to the border.



The migrants say they are driven by the perception that the age of Republican President Donald Trump, with his ban on travelers from certain majority-Muslim countries, means the United States is no longer the destination of the world's dispossessed. Taking its place in their minds is the Canada of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a member of his country's Liberal Party.



Most of the people making the crossing now are originally from Haiti. The Trump administration said this year it planned to end in January a special humanitarian program enacted after the 2010 earthquake that gave about 58,000 Haitians permission to stay temporarily in the U.S.



Walking toward the border in a group on Monday, Medyne Milord, 47, originally of Haiti, said she needs work to support her family.

If I return to Haiti, the problem will double, she said. What I hope is to have a better life in Canada.



Better than America

Jean Rigaud Liberal, 38, said he had been in the United States for seven months and lived in Florida after he left Haiti. He learned about Roxham Road from Facebook and said he thinks Canada will be better than America.



We are not comfortable in America, said Liberal. We are seeking a better life; we don't want to go back to Haiti.



On the New York side, U.S. Border Patrol agents sometimes check to be sure the migrants are in the United States legally, but they said they don't have the resources to do it all the time.



Besides, said Brad Brant, a special operations supervisor for the U.S. Border Patrol, our mission isn't to prevent people from leaving.



Small numbers continue to cross into Canada elsewhere, but the vast majority take Roxham Road. U.S. officials said they began to notice last fall, around the time of the U.S. presidential election, that more people were crossing there.



Francine Dupuis, the head of a Quebec government-funded program that helps asylum seekers, said her organization estimates 1,174 people overall crossed into Quebec last month, compared with 180 in July 2016. U.S. and Canadian officials estimated that on Sunday alone, about 400 people crossed the border at Roxham Road.



All they have to do is cross the border, Dupuis said. We can't control it. They come in by the hundreds, and it seems to be increasing every day.



Canada said last week it planned to house some migrants in Montreal's Olympic Stadium. It could hold thousands, but current plans call for only 450.



In once most cases, the migrants are in Canada they are released and can live freely while their claims for refugee status are processed, which can take years. Meanwhile, they are eligible for public assistance.



Not a free ticket

Brenda Shanahan, the Liberal Party member of Parliament who represents the area, visited the site Monday. She is proud of her country for being willing to take in the dispossessed, she said, but there is no guarantee they will be able to stay in Canada.



It's not a free ticket for refugee status, not at all, Shanahan said.



Opposition Conservative lawmaker Michelle Rempel said the Trudeau government lacks a plan to deal with the illegal crossings, even though a summer spike had been anticipated.



All that we have heard is that we are monitoring the situation, she said. The government needs to come up with a plan right away to deal with this.



It will further backlog a system in which some refugees are already waiting 11 years for hearings, Rempel said. Canadians will question the integrity of the immigration system if the dangerous trend of illegal crossings continues, she said.



Trudeau himself recently said his country has border checkpoints and controls that need to be respected.



We have an open compassionate country, but we have a strong system that we follow, he said. Protecting Canadian confidence in the integrity of our system allows us to continue to be open, and that's exactly what we need to continue to do.



Inancieu Merilien, originally of Haiti, moved to the United States in 2000 but crossed into Canada late last month. U.S. authorities, he said, are trying to scare Haitians by refusing to guarantee they'll be able to stay.



There's a big difference here. They welcomed us very well, he said after leaving the Olympic Stadium to begin looking for a home in Montreal's large Haitian community. They're going to give us housing in apartments. I hope everything goes well.
The leader of Senegal's main opposition group said Wednesday that it would not participate in future elections because the parliamentary polls that delivered a large majority to the ruling coalition were a "masquerade."

President Macky Sall's coalition took 125 seats in the 165-seat National Assembly after winning nearly half the vote, according to results announced Friday.

The coalition of former President Abdoulaye Wade, 91, whom Sall defeated in a 2012 presidential election, won 19 seats. Another led by Dakar Mayor Khalifa Sall, who has been detained in a corruption probe for the past six months that his supporters say is politically motivated, won seven seats.

"The coordination of opposition parties Wattu Senegal ... will no longer participate in any election of any kind organized by the government of Macky Sall," Wade said in a statement on TV. "It will oppose by all means any attempt by Macky Sall to organize a similar masquerade at a national level."

The peaceful and well-organized 2012 poll reinforced Senegal's reputation as one of West Africa's most stable democracies. But in last month's legislative poll, many hundreds of Senegalese voters were prevented from casting ballots because of delays in issuing biometric voting cards, prompting the opposition to cry foul.

Opposition leaders have criticized Sall for trying to stamp out opposition. Demonstrations in Dakar are often blocked by tear gas-wielding police.

The next presidential election is in 2019.
An artist tired of seeing hateful tweets ignored by Twitter has managed to get the social network to remove or hide some of them  by spray-painting the offending posts in front of the company's German headquarters.

Shahak Shapira said he reported some 300 tweets containing possible illegal content to Twitter over a period of about six months but the social networking site ignored him. This occurred at a time when Twitter was arguing against tough new legislation in Germany, insisting it was already taking sufficient measures against hate speech.

Shapira said he painted almost 30 of the offending tweets on the street in front of Twitter's Hamburg offices Friday because "flagging things clearly wasn't enough.''

"I had to spray it on the ground,'' he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Wednesday.

The Israeli-born artist said he never got any kind of direct response from Twitter, either before or after the stunt.

But a video of it received over 100,000 views in 48 hours and clearly got the company's attention. By Wednesday, Twitter had deleted three tweets, suspended four accounts and withheld another seven accounts in Germany.

Fifteen other tweets, including some containing anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim and anti-black comments, were still online.

Shapira said he doesn't advocate mass censorship, but wants Twitter to take the issue of online abuse seriously. A study commissioned by the German government found that Twitter lagged behind other social networks such as Facebook and YouTube in responding to complaints about hate speech.

"It would be nice if Twitter had reacted,'' said Shapira, whose previous work includes questioning the way young people confront the Holocaust. "What I want is that these flagged posts are reviewed the way Facebook does. What Facebook does isn't perfect, but at least they are making an effort.''

Under pressure after Germany passed a law last month that could see social networks fined up to 50 million euros ($58.6 million) if they fail to swiftly remove illegal content, Facebook announced plans this week for a second office in Germany to review posts for illegal content. Free speech advocates have criticized the law, saying social networks may err on the side of censorship to avoid hefty fines.

Twitter refused to publicly comment on the stunt after first being contacted by the AP about it on Monday. Instead, the company cited its guidelines which include a ban on promoting "violence against or directly attack or threaten other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity.''

Among the spray-painted tweets that remain online is one directed at Shapira from a user who references the artist's Jewish identity and expresses hope that he should bump into a group of criminals on a dark evening.
Five transgender members of the U.S. military, including Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, sued President Donald Trump on Wednesday, challenging his ban on transgender people serving in the armed forces.

Trump said on Twitter on July 26 that the U.S. government "will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity" in the military, a reversal of Pentagon policy that the lawsuit said was made without consulting senior military commanders.

The surprise announcement, citing health care costs and unit disruption, appealed to some in Trump's conservative political base but created uncertainty for thousands of transgender service members, many of whom came out after the Pentagon said in 2016 it would allow transgender people to serve openly.

Trump's tweets appeared to dismiss findings from a RAND Corporation study commissioned by the Pentagon that found allowing transgender people to serve would "cost little and have no significant impact on unit readiness."

The White House did not immediately respond to the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington.

The service members suing the president are three U.S. Army soldiers, one U.S. Air Force airman and one member of the U.S. Coast Guard who are active duty. All have come out as transgender to their commanding officers but are anonymous in the lawsuit, named only as Jane Doe, for fear of retribution, said Jennifer Levi, a lawyer from GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders.

Violation of rights

The group filed the lawsuit along with the National Center for Lesbian Rights. The American Civil Liberties Union said it was preparing its own lawsuit.

The lawsuit said Trump's tweets violated the rights of the service members to due process and equal protection under the law. It asks the court to declare Trump's directive as unconstitutional and to issue injunctions to stop it.

The defendants are listed as Trump, Defense Secretary James Mattis and other military leaders including Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Dunford said in a memo a day after Trump's tweets that there would be no change in policy until Mattis received an official order from the president. That order has yet to be issued.

"In the meantime, we will continue to treat all of our personnel with respect," Dunford said.

Lawyer Levi said the plaintiffs, some of whom are near retirement, need not wait for an official policy because the tweets alone created uncertainty about their futures.
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has imposed sanctions on eight more Venezuelan officials in retaliation for helping to create a new legislative body that is expanding the power of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The sanctions were announced Wednesday by the U.S. Treasury Department. They will freeze the U.S. assets of the targeted officials, including the brother of deceased Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. The sanctions will also prohibit the Venezuelan officials from traveling to the United States and ban Americans from conducting business with them.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Venezuela's "illegitimate" body serves to tighten Maduro's "grip on the country."

"This regime's disregard for the will of the Venezuelan people is unacceptable, and the United States will stand with them in opposition to tyranny until Venezuela is restored to a peaceful and prosperous democracy," Mnuchin said.

The new sanctions came after the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Maduro himself last week and on 13 Venezuelan officials on July 26.

Critics of Maduro inside and outside Venezuela have condemned the 545-member assembly as an attempt to eliminate any remaining checks on Maduro's power. The constituent assembly has the authority to rewrite the constitution and empower Maduro to rule by proclamation.

Meanwhile, the mayor of the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, who is hiding from authorities for allowing anti-government protests in his district, has urged citizens to keep resisting the Maduro government. Ramon Muchacho delivered the message in a video recorded at a secret location after Maduro's Supreme Court sentenced him to 15 months in prison for defying orders to stop the protesters from blocking traffic.

Muchacho was the fourth Venezuelan mayor to be charged in the last 15 days for not stopping protesters from disrupting traffic in their jurisdictions. A fifth mayor was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
On Saturday, August 5, the U.N. Security Council unanimously increased international pressure on North Korea, imposing the toughest sanctions to date on the rogue nation to compel it to stop pursuing nuclear and ballistic weapons.



The negotiations took several weeks and were, at times, difficult. Not unusual when it comes to working out targeted sanctions against Pyongyang.

Negotiations on the previous two sanctions resolutions took about three months each.



The United States led the discussions along with China, the Norths main ally. U.S. negotiators managed to win some tough concessions from China, including the removal of a cap on coal exports from North Korea and replacing it with an all-out ban. They also hit other sectors, including iron and iron ore, and lead and lead ore, as well as seafood.



Combined, the export revenue losses to Pyongyang are expected to be about $1 billion a year  or a third of their entire export income  if the sanctions are fully enforced.



Nuclear and ballistic missile development is expensive, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley told Security Council members after the vote. The revenues the North Korean government receives are not going toward feeding its people, she noted.



The council hopes to choke funding to the illicit weapons program while nudging leader Kim Jong Un to a diplomatic and political settlement.

Getting to sanctions



This is the latest and progressively toughest round of sanctions imposed on North Korea since its first nuclear test in 2006. They were necessitated by two intercontinental ballistic missile launches in July  which showed that Pyongyang may now have the capacity to bring the U.S. mainland and much of Europe into its crosshairs.



The strength of the sanctions also indicates that even Beijings patience with North Korea is wearing thin.



I think on the Chinese side, just by agreeing to these measures, the sectoral stuff, they would never have agreed to this just a couple of years ago, one Security Council diplomat said. I think [this] demonstrates that they actually believe that some solution will require applying additional pressure of this sort  measures that have a role on economic impact, the diplomat added.



Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States is not interested in regime change or its collapse, sending its military into North Korea or the immediate reunification of the Korean peninsula. He also left the door open to dialogue with Pyongyang.



Chinas U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, seized on those remarks after backing the new sanctions resolution, even giving Tillersons comments a name.



Its our hope that the U.S. side will translate these 'four nos' into concrete policies toward the DPRK, Liu said, using the abbreviation for the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.



Some observers question whether Tillerson was trying to smooth the way for Beijing to accept the new sanctions. Former U.S. deputy ambassador to the U.N. and North Korea sanctions negotiator David Pressman disagrees.



I think its largely consistent with U.S. policy and what U.S. policy has been for some time, said Pressman, now a partner with law firm Boies Schiller Flexner. Obviously, it is helpful for the Chinese to be reminded that our policy has not changed.



Analysts say that for the latest round of sanctions to have any impact, China needs to fully implement them. That is something Beijing has been accused of not always doing in the past.



Will they now faithfully implement the spirit of the resolution? That is something that requires more than political courage to raise your hand and vote for something, it requires a practical enforcement that to-date has been lax, Pressman said.

Next steps



While the Security Council has done good work, the members of the Security Council  and all U.N. member states  must do more to increase the pressure on North Korea, Ambassador Haley said Saturday. We must work together to fully implement the sanctions we imposed today and those imposed in past resolutions.



That also could include secondary sanctions on countries that do not enforce the measures imposed on North Korea.



While it is full speed ahead on the pressure track, North Korea also needs an off ramp, the Security Council diplomat said, similar to what the major powers did for Iran in negotiating the deal that brought their nuclear program under international monitoring and lifted sanctions.

"There needs to be a direction where this country can go, where it can take the steps it needs to take," the diplomat said of Pyongyang.



What that would be and how to get there is still under discussion, but it almost certainly would include a return to some format of international talks.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesday that North Korea risks annihilation if it starts a war, and he told Pyongyang it must end its pursuit of nuclear weaponry.

Mattis said North Korea "should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people." The reclusive communist nation, he added, "must choose to stop isolating itself and stand down its pursuit of nuclear weapons."

Mattis, whose remarks came in a statement, warned that the U.S. and its allies "now possess the most precise, rehearsed and robust defensive and offensive capabilities on Earth." He said any North Korean military operation "will continue to be grossly overmatched by ours and would lose any arms race or conflict it initiates."

Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general, spoke out after President Donald Trump, in the midst of an exchange of bellicose threats with North Korea, declared that the United States nuclear arsenal "is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before."

In an early-morning Twitter comment, Trump said his first order as president after taking office in January "was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal." He added he was hopeful that "we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!"

It was not immediately clear what overhaul of the country's nuclear weaponry Trump was referencing. The president has called for a big increase in military spending, including research and development of new weapons, but Congress has yet to enact a 2018 spending plan.

WATCH: Trump: Pyongyang 'Best Not Make Any More Threats'

'Fire and fury'

Trump's latest assessment of the country's potent military strength came less than a day after he issued a stark warning to North Korea. If Pyongyang continues its threats against the United States, the president declared, "they will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

Some critics have questioned the vehemence of Trump's "fire and fury" remarks. White House aides said Wednesday that the words were improvised by the president before he spoke to reporters late Tuesday at his vacation home in New Jersey, but they emphasized that the president's comment certainly reflected the tone he meant to convey to North Korea.

Before Trump spoke out, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and members of the president's National Security Council were clear that he "was going to respond to North Korea's threats ... with a strong message in no uncertain terms."

However, the top U.S. diplomat, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, sought to downplay the threats Pyongyang and Trump leveled at each other following last week's unanimous vote by the U.N. Security Council to impose new, more stringent sanctions on North Korea. The new penalties are intended to reduce Pyongyang's income from exported goods and labor by at least $1 billion  one-third of its current annual earnings  and thus force an end to its nuclear weapons development.

On a refueling layover in Guam as he returned to Washington from a trip through Southeast Asia, Tillerson said, "I think Americans should sleep well at night and have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days." Tillerson added that Trump, as commander in chief, "felt it necessary to issue a very strong statement directly to North Korea."

WATCH: Tillerson: Trump's Message to North Korea is Language Kim Jong Un Would Understand

Reaffirming US capability

The secretary of state continued: "I think what the president was just reaffirming is that the United States has capability to fully defend itself in any attack and defend our allies. And we will do so. And so, the American people should sleep well at night."

Tillerson said Trump's rhetoric was intended for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in words he "would understand, because he does not seem to understand diplomatic language."

North Korea said earlier Wednesday that its armed forces were "carefully examining" a plan to launch missile strikes against Guam. American military bases on the U.S. Pacific island territory are thought to hold the largest U.S. arsenal of nuclear weapons outside the continental United States.

Tillerson said he never considered rerouting his jet's refueling stop. "I do not believe that there is any imminent threat, in my own view," Tillerson said.

The governor of Guam, Eddie Calvo, said authorities there were "prepared for any eventuality" but did not feel they were under threat. "Guam is American soil ... not just a military installation," Calvo added, and noted that he had been assured by the White House that any attack on the island would be considered an attack on the United States.

Tillerson said he hoped the U.N. sanctions and the world community, including China and Russia, "can begin to persuade [North Korea] that they need to reconsider the current pathway they're on and think about engaging in a dialogue about a different future."

VOA's Steve Herman, Margaret Besheer and Carla Babb contributed to this report.
The two-year-old U.S. diplomatic relationship with Cuba was roiled Wednesday by what U.S. officials say was a string of bizarre incidents that left a group of American diplomats in Havana with severe hearing loss attributed to a covert sonic device.



In the fall of 2016, a series of U.S. diplomats began suffering unexplained losses of hearing, according to officials with knowledge of the investigation into the case. Several of the diplomats were recent arrivals at the embassy, which reopened in 2015 as part of former President Barack Obama's reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba.



Some of the diplomats' symptoms were so severe that they were forced to cancel their tours early and return to the United States, officials said. After months of investigation, U.S. officials concluded that the diplomats had been exposed to an advanced device that operated outside the range of audible sound and had been deployed either inside or outside their residences.

It was not immediately clear if the device was a weapon used in a deliberate attack, or had some other purpose.



The U.S. officials weren't authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.



State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the U.S. retaliated by expelling two Cuban diplomats from their embassy in Washington on May 23. She did not say how many U.S. diplomats were affected or confirm they had suffered hearing loss, saying only that they had "a variety of physical symptoms.''



The Cuban government said in a lengthy statement late Wednesday that "Cuba has never permitted, nor will permit, that Cuban territory be used for any action against accredited diplomatic officials or their families, with no exception.''



The statement from the Cuban Foreign Ministry said it had been informed of the incidents on Feb. 17 and had launched an "exhaustive, high-priority, urgent investigation at the behest of the highest level of the Cuban government.''



It said the decision to expel two Cuban diplomats was "unjustified and baseless.''



The ministry said it had created an expert committee to analyze the incidents and had reinforced security around the U.S. embassy and U.S. diplomatic residences.



"Cuba is universally considered a safe destination for visitors and foreign diplomats, including U.S. citizens,'' the statement said.



U.S. officials told The Associated Press that about five diplomats, several with spouses, had been affected and that no children had been involved. The FBI and Diplomatic Security Service are investigating.



Cuba employs a state security apparatus that keeps many people under surveillance and U.S. diplomats are among the most closely monitored people on the island. Like virtually all foreign diplomats in Cuba, the victims of the incidents lived in housing owned and maintained by the Cuban government.



However, officials familiar with the probe said investigators were looking into the possibilities that the incidents were carried out by a third country such as Russia, possibly operating without the knowledge of Cuba's formal chain of command.



Nauert said investigators did not yet have a definitive explanation for the incidents but stressed they take them "very seriously,'' as shown by the Cuban diplomats' expulsions.



"We requested their departure as a reciprocal measure since some U.S. personnel's assignments in Havana had to be curtailed due to these incidents,'' she said. "Under the Vienna Convention, Cuba has an obligation to take measures to protect diplomats.''



U.S. diplomats in Cuba said they suffered occasional harassment for years after the restoration of limited ties with the communist government in the 1970s, harassment reciprocated by U.S. agents against Cuban diplomats in Washington. The use of sonic devices to intentionally harm diplomats would be unprecedented.
Venezuela's newly established constituent assembly declared itself Tuesday to be above all other branches of government, including the opposition-led congress.

Assembly leaders said their laws and decisions trumped all others made by anyone else.

They said they were not intending to threaten anyone, but were just looking to coexist.

But the opposition-controlled congress vowed not to give up its power, even while the assembly threatens to strip it of any authority and scrap parliamentary immunity from opposition lawmakers.

Some opposition politicians complained Tuesday that they had been barred from entering the congressional chamber.

Nations refuse recognition

The 545-member assembly's chief task is to rewrite the Venezuelan constitution. Its members were chosen July 30 in what the United States has called a sham election. No Latin America country will recognize any decisions by the new assembly, nor will the U.S., Canada or the European Union.

Peruvian Foreign Minister Ricardo Luna hosted a meeting of his Latin counterparts Tuesday in Lima and declared Venezuela to be a dictatorship. He said Venezuela's only way out was to return to democracy by dissolving the constituent assembly, freeing all political prisoners and holding a new presidential election.

Peru has already withdrawn its ambassador from Venezuela and has suggested other nations do the same.

Also Tuesday, the U.N. human rights office said most of the 125 deaths of anti-government protesters had been caused by "widespread and systematic" excessive force by Venezuelan security forces

The U.N. agency said preliminary results of its investigation showed 46 demonstrators had died directly at the hands of Venezuelan security forces, while pro-government armed groups were responsible for 27 deaths. It was unclear what killed the others.

U.N. human rights commissioner Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said more than 5,000 people had been arbitrarily detained in Venezuela since widespread unrest broke out in late March. More than 1,000 are still in custody.

Zeid's office reported allegations of torture, including electric shocks, beatings with sticks, hanging detainees by their wrists, and threats of sexual violence against their families.

Stability vs. dictatorship

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said the new constituent assembly will restore peace and stability to the country. The opposition says the assembly is packed with Maduro supporters, including his wife and son, and will turn Venezuela into a socialist dictatorship.

The assembly's first major move last week was to dismiss Attorney General Luisa Ortega, a former Maduro ally turned vociferous opponent. That brought a swift reaction from the Latin American trade bloc Mercosur, which suspended Venezuela's membership indefinitely.

The collapse in global energy prices along with government corruption have sent oil-rich Venezuela spiraling into an economic and social catastrophe.

VOA's Carol Guensburg and Alvaro Algarra contributed to this report.
The removal of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has opened the door for opportunity and potential peril  in the country's foreign policy, specifically in dealing with Afghanistan, India and the United States.

Some experts believe that Sharif, who was disqualified and removed from office on corruption charges in a case dubbed the Panama leaks, challenged the powerful military establishment at a time when the U.S. is pondering a new strategy for the volatile region.

"While the Panama leaks were fortuitous, Mr. Sharif's crime seems to be the same this time around: crossing the military by pursuing conciliatory policies toward India as well as Afghanistan and by reportedly demanding that Inter-Services Intelligence end its use of militant groups as tools of foreign policy," University of Oklahoma professor Aqil Shah wrote in The New York Times.

Shah told VOA that Sharif issued statements at the start of his tenure that Pakistan would not interfere in Afghanistan`s internal issues, but he backed off under constant pressure from the military establishment.

Military, civilian contest for power

There is a serious battle going on, mostly under the surface, between civilians and the military contending for control of Pakistan's foreign policy. An article last October in Dawn, one of Pakistan`s most popular English-language newspapers, exposed the complicated and fragile nature of the civil-military relationship. It said the civilian government had warned the military in a high-level meeting to act against militants or be ready to face international isolation.

Pakistan has a long history of the military overthrowing civilian's governments: The General Ayub Khan coup in 1958, General Zia-ul-Haq's overthrow of Z.A. Bhutto in 1977, and General Pervez Musharraf's ouster of Sharif in 1999 all contained similar tactics employed by the military rulers after taking office.

Not a single elected prime minister has been able to complete five years in the office. Analysts see the powerful military establishment as the major factor behind weak demarcated governments, and the specter of another military takeover looms large.

Afghanistan and India both want Pakistan to get tougher on militants; both neighbors want a civilian government to take control of foreign policy and to be able to negotiate peace.

The entire region wants to see India and Pakistan reduce their bilateral tensions, given that they've fought three wars and have enough nuclear weapons to level the subcontinent. Fostering cooperation to battle terrorism would reduce the possibility of Afghanistan falling back into the type of disarray that flourished under the Taliban.

Military has mistrusted Sharif

In his second term as prime minister  the first was ended by the military coup that brought Musharraf to power  Sharif wanted to improve Pakistan's relationship with India. But that desire, and the push to take back control of foreign policy, concerned the country's security agencies.

"This mistrust between Sharif and the military is a recurrent story of Pakistan's contemporary politics," according to Raza Rumi, a lecturer at Cornell University and Ithaca College in the United States. "Sharif was fired by the military establishment twice in the 1990s, on charges of corruption. After his ouster in the 1999 coup, Sharif was exiled [but] he returned to Pakistan after nearly a decade.

"His key difference with the military commanders concerns India policy," Rumi wrote in a column for the website of German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

Pakistan's military is very sensitive when it comes to India; the Kashmir issue is still unresolved and has kept the prospect of conflict high since independence in 1947.

"In May 2013, after his electoral victory, Nawaz Sharif said something that for years, no Pakistani leader had dared to express. Sharif told me, 'Civilian supremacy over the military is a must. The prime minister is the boss, not the army chief,'" Indian journalist Burka Dutt wrote in The Washington Post.

Can any civilian be 'the boss'?

Malik Siraj Akbar, a freelance journalist based in Washington, agrees with Dutt that Sharif tried to become the "boss." However, Akbar said he cannot envision any civilian government in Islamabad taking back its authority from the security agencies.

"Most of Pakistan's neighbors already know that the army and intelligence agencies  mainly the ISI  decide and dictate Pakistan's foreign policy. This comes as a reiteration of their fears that no civilian government in Pakistan can break the status quo," Akbar said. Afghanistan accuses ISI of supporting the Taliban.

In the last four years under Sharif's leadership, Afghan officials constantly accused Pakistan of providing safe havens for terrorists. The Pentagon also has periodically accused Pakistan of not being aggressive enough against terrorist groups, recently withholding $50 million in military assistance to Pakistan.

"While Nawaz Sharif was somewhat interested in advancing peace with India, he didn't have an independent policy toward Afghanistan. He mainly depended on the military's narrative, interpretation and strategy with respect to dealing with Afghanistan," Akbar added.

"Afghanistan, for Pakistani policymakers, poses a more complex foreign policy challenge, since dealing with Kabul also means dealing with the Taliban, America and India."

Many Afghans are pessimistic about the chances of improved relations with Pakistan following Sharif's ouster. Former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad wrote in a tweet: "Sharif's resignation will not impact Pakistan foreign policy, as the military's control will continue."
The usually busy streets of Nairobi were quiet Wednesday as results of Tuesdays presidential poll continued to flow into Kenyas national electoral counting center, and then to the public as they were tabulated.



The National Super Alliance (NASA) coalitions opposition candidate, Raila Odinga, said Wednesday morning that the electoral commission should not be releasing provisional results without verification through the official forms that were supposed to accompany them from the polling stations and constituencies.

We are basically telling our people not to accept these results, said Odinga. These are foreign results, not only the presidential but right through from the governors up to the MCAs (members of county assemblies). This is what were telling Kenyans and were asking them to stay calm, remain calm.



Earlier, Odinga tweeted, The fraud Jubilee (party) has perpetuated on Kenyans surpasses any level of voter theft in our country's history. This time we caught them.

Odinga was referring to what he says was a hack of the electoral commissions computer network.



Raphael Tuju is the secretary general of Jubilee, the party of incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta.



We know that its been a very hard-fought campaign and whoever emerges as the winner, there will be a loser and when somebody loses its fairly an emotive issue, especially when you invested emotions, money, time and energy in the campaign. But our appeal is that we should accept the results, said Tuju. That is what our president committed himself to and we do hope that NASA themselves commit themselves to the same.



Electoral Commission Chairman Wafula Chebukati said Wednesday that NASA was "casting dispersions" on one item of the electoral process, the transmission of results.



But what we are saying is from what I understood, the only issue is on the transmission, not on the whole electoral process, said Chebukati. And thats why the commission is going a little, a mile longer. Instead of us just relying on the transmitted results, were also calling for the original documents for purposes of knowing and verifying before we do the final announcement."



Chebukati said his team was in possession of scanned copies of forms from all 40,883 polling stations and is awaiting scanned copies from the 290 constituencies. He also said that they will be using the original forms to verify the provisional results. The forms from the polling stations are being uploaded in order to be accessible to the public.



The commission also has announced that if there is a discrepancy between electronic and hard copy results, the signed hard copies will be final. Chebukati assured Kenyans that the official results will be released only after the signed forms from the polling stations have been verified.

As a whole, the country has remained peaceful, although police did use tear gas against demonstrators in the western city of Kisumu, and protests erupted in the Nairobi slum of Mathare.



But for the majority of Kenyans now, its just a waiting game.
Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga said Wednesday hackers carried out "massive and extensive" fraud against the election commission's computer system, resulting in what he asserts are fraudulent vote totals showing him trailing well behind President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) website showed at midday Wednesday about 94 percent of ballots had been counted with Kenyatta leading 54 percent to 45 percent in his bid for another term.

IEBC Chariman Wafula Chebukati said he could not yet say whether the commission's systems had been hacked, but that it would investigate.

Odinga read to reporters from a document spelling out his accusations that hackers accessed the IEBC's database during Tuesday's voting and altered the results for not just the presidential race, but also elections for other positions.

"What the IEBC has posted as results on the presidential elections is a complete fraud based on a multiplier that fraudulently gave Uhuru Kenyatta votes that were not cast," Odinga said. "The fraud Jubilee has perpetuated on Kenyans surpasses any level of voter theft in our country's history. This time we caught them."He further called his longtime rival Kenyatta a "fraud."

Rafael Tuju, secretary general of Kenyatta's Jubilee Party, dismissed Odinga's accusations as "disingenuous" and appealed for calm.

"These results are not coming from out of the blue, they are marked by facts, and you cannot claim that results are fake with respect to presidential and you welcome the areas where your governors and your members of parliament have won convincingly."

Kenyatta and Odinga have an extensive history, including facing each other in presidential elections in 2007 and 2013.Odinga alleged vote-tampering after losing in 2013 and challenged the result in court.The 2007 election was followed by violence fueled by ethnic divisions that killed more than 1,000 people.

Shortly after Odinga spoke Wednesday, several hundred protesters in his western stronghold of Kisumu burned tires and clashed with police who fired tear gas.

Election officials have up to a week to announce full results, but they may opt to announce the outcome as soon as possible to alleviate the possibility of violence.

Long lines

Kenyans stood in line for hours Tuesday to cast ballots, facing rain and both cold and hot weather conditions throughout the day.

In addition to choosing between incumbent Kenyatta and challenger Odinga, voters also decided on senators, governors, women's representatives of the national assembly, members of the national assembly, and members of the county assemblies.



Hellen Mazitoh, a 32-year-old voter from the Githogoro slum in Nairobi, waited in line for well over seven hours, but said she isn't complaining.



"Let me say, the election mood is good. People are voting. Once they vote, they are going home. Nothing bad has occurred. Nobody left, people are responding well," said Mazitoh.



Thirty-three-year-old voter Emmanuel Musundi Wamukundi waited for more than four hours at his polling station in Nairobi. He said the lines were a bit disorganized in the beginning, but otherwise, things seemed to be running smoothly.



"I mean, it's patriotism, this is for my country, and I want to be involved in it," said Wamukundi. "I want my voice to be heard and it's the only thing I can do to change things."



The electoral commission said heavy rain hampered voting in three parts of the country  Turkana North, Baringo and Samburu  and helicopters were required to airlift materials and polling officials.



Former U.S. secretary of state John Kerry and former Senegalese prime minister Aminata Toure visited Jamhuri High School in Nairobi as co-leaders of the U.S.-based Carter Center election observation mission. Kerry referenced the long lines he'd seen at polling stations as a sign of the commitment of Kenyan voters.



"It's too early for us to draw any kinds of conclusions so we're not, but obviously given what's happened in the past and given the stakes for the future, this is a very, very important election, and clearly the citizens of Kenya are taking it very, very seriously," said Kerry.



Kenya's electoral commission is using biometric voter identification and electronic vote transmission systems to conduct the elections. The vote is seen as a key test for the commission after voting technology failed during the last polls in 2013, sparking allegations of vote rigging.



Like so many Kenyans, voter Francis Mutiso Matheka is urging peace above all else in these elections.

"I would love to tell fellow Kenyans to vote peacefully," said Matheka. "We need this country, after today, after tomorrow, and this country, it's greater than any one of us."



Also calling for a peaceful outcome Monday was former U.S. president Barack Obama, the son of a native-born Kenyan. Obama issued a statement urging voters in his ancestral homeland to "reject violence and incitement; respect the will of the people; urge security forces to act professionally and neutrally; and work together no matter the outcome."



The winner of the presidential election must receive 50 percent of all votes, and 25 percent or more of votes in at least 25 of Kenya's 47 counties. If neither candidate hits that threshold, a run-off will take place.
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation agents raided the home of President Donald Trump's former campaign chief in the pre-dawn hours late last month, intensifying their probe of Russian interference in last year's presidential election.

The raid on the home of Paul Manafort, a long-time Republican political operative who has had deep financial ties to Russia and Ukraine, occurred just outside Washington in suburban Virginia and without warning.

Aides to the 68-year-old Manafort confirmed Wednesday that federal agents executed a search warrant on July 26, seizing documents and other materials.

The raid came just hours after Manafort had met voluntarily with the Senate Intelligence Committee, one of several congressional panels investigating possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Russian officials aimed at helping Trump win last November's election.

The raid, however, was conducted as part of the criminal probe overseen by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. He is a former FBI director who was named to probe the links between the Trump campaign and Moscow, and whether Trump obstructed justice by firing James Comey, another former FBI director, while he was leading the agency's investigation before Mueller took over.

Trump said days after ousting Comey that he was thinking of "this Russia thing" when he decided to fire Comey, later boasting to Russian officials at a White House meeting that he'd been relieved of "great pressure" by dismissing Comey, whom he described as "crazy, a real nut job."

Manafort's activities on behalf of Trump and lobbying connections to Russia before he headed the Trump campaign from June through August of last year are one focus for Mueller and congressional investigators.

Trump Tower meeting

Of particular interest is a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York that Manafort attended along Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

The younger Trump set up the meeting after an exchange of emails with an intermediary representing a Russian attorney, whom the go-between said would hand over incriminating material about Trump's election opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton. The younger Trump was told the lawyer represented the Russian government in its efforts to help Trump win.

Since then, the younger Trump and Kushner have told investigators that the lawyer had no material damaging to Clinton, and that nothing came of the meeting.

The White House has said that President Trump was unaware of the meeting at the time it occurred, but acknowledged recently that he "weighed in" on a statement his younger son released to The New York Times claiming that the meeting was about U.S. sanctions against Russia and Moscow's subsequent ban on adoptions of Russian children by Americans. It was an explanation for the meeting that unraveled within days, when its link to the campaign became clear after the younger Trump disclosed the contents of the emails.

With his election effort floundering at the time, Trump named Manafort as his campaign chief in June 2016, but his tenure lasted only a couple months.

He resigned as questions surfaced about millions of dollars he reportedly received for lobbying efforts on behalf of former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, a pro-Moscow ruler toppled in the 2014 Ukrainian uprising who fled to Russia as violence erupted in the streets of Kyiv.

It was not known when Trump might have learned of the raid on Manafort's home.

But just hours after it occurred on July 26, in a Twitter comment, Trump criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions for not firing the acting FBI director at the time, Andrew McCabe, whom Trump described as a friend of Comey's who had headed the investigation of Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state and had cleared her of wrongdoing.

The U.S. intelligence community has concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally directed a campaign aimed at helping Trump claim the White House. Trump has largely been dismissive of the Russian investigations, deriding them as a "witch hunt" and an excuse by Democrats to explain his upset victory over Clinton at a time when major U.S. pollsters were predicting she would win.
The Movement for Democracy formation led by Morgan Tsvangirai has suspended two senior officials following a fracas in Bulawayo, which left party vice president Thokozani Khupe nursing some injuries.

In a statement, the party said, President Morgan Tsvangirai has suspended five people, including two members of the Standing Committee, following his promise to decisively deal with the disturbances in Bulawayo over the weekend in which Vice President Thokozani Khupe and other senior party officials were injured.

The President has suspended the partys Deputy Treasurer-General Mr. Charlton Hwende and Deputy Secretary for Information and Publicity, Hon. Thabitha Khumalo, pending full investigations, for suspected crimes of omission and commission before and during the disturbances. He has also suspended three members of the Youth Assembly over the same matter.

The MDC further noted that Tsvangirai has already dispatched a probe team to Bulawayo and a full comprehensive investigation will determine any further action to be taken.

Violence is not part of the culture of the party and President Tsvangirai, a victim of violence himself countless times since the party was formed, has moved in to take decisive action over the matter.

Some MDC-T youth attacked Khupe on Sunday while she was attending a party meeting with other senior members of the party.

The youth allege that Khupe wants to block an MDC Alliance designed to unseat Zanu PF in the 2018 general elections.
The critical vote-counting state has begun in Kenya's presidential election, a contest between two long-standing political dynasties in a country with a history of post-election violence.

President Uhuru Kenyatta was leading with 55 percent of the vote to challenger Raila Odinga's 44 percent when the election commission released early preminary results Tuesday, but that estimate was made with less than a quarter of the country's nearly 41,000 polling stations counted.

Elections officials have up to a week to announce full results, but they may opt to announce the outcome as soon as possible to alleviate the possibility of violence.

Kenyans stood in line for hours Tuesday to cast ballots, facing rain and both cold and hot weather conditions throughout the day.

In addition to choosing between indumbent Kenyatta and challenger Odinga, voters also decided on senators, governors, womens representatives of the national assembly, members of the national assembly, and members of the county assembly.

Hellen Mazitoh is a 32-year-old voter from the Githogoro slum in Nairobi. She waited in line for well over seven hours, but says she isnt complaining.

Let me say, the election mood is good. People are voting. Once they vote, they are going home. Nothing bad has occurred. Nobody left, people are responding well, said Mazitoh.

IN PICTURES: Kenyans vote undeterred by long lines, rain

I want my voice to be heard

Thirty-three-year-old voter Emmanuel Musundi Wamukundi waited for more than four hours at his polling station in Nairobi. He says the lines were a bit disorganized in the beginning, but otherwise, things seemed to be running smoothly.

I mean, its patriotism, this is for my country, and I want to be involved in it, said Wamukundi. I want my voice to be heard and its the only thing I can do to change things.

The electoral commission said heavy rain hampered voting in three parts of the country  Turkana North, Baringo and Samburu  and helicopters were required to airlift materials and polling officials.

The commission said voting would be extended in any polling stations that got a late start.

Both candidates in the presidential race expressed confidence Tuesday as they cast their ballots in Nairobi.

Opposition leader Odinga told supporters gathered outside his polling station to continue mobilizing to come out and vote. This victory is ours.

President Kenyatta said the ruling Jubilee coalition had run a very positive campaign and that he believes Kenyans want us to continue moving forward.



Poll taken 'very seriously

Former U.S. secretary of state John Kerry and former Senegalese prime minister Aminata Toure visited Jamhuri High School in Nairobi as co-leaders of the U.S.-based Carter Center election observation mission. Kerry referenced the long lines hed seen at polling stations as a sign of the commitment of Kenyan voters.



Its too early for us to draw any kinds of conclusions so were not, but obviously given whats happened in the past and given the stakes for the future, this is a very, very important election, and clearly the citizens of Kenya are taking it very, very seriously, said Kerry.



Kenyas electoral commission is using biometric voter identification and electronic vote transmission systems to conduct the elections. The vote is seen as a key test for the commission after voting technology failed during the last polls in 2013, sparking allegations of vote rigging. .

Like so many Kenyans, voter Francis Mutiso Matheka is urging peace above all else in these elections.

I would love to tell fellow Kenyans to vote peacefully, said Matheka. We need this country, after today, after tomorrow, and this country, its greater than any one of us.

Also calling for a peaceful outcome Monday was former U.S. president Barack Obama, the son of a native-born Kenyan. Obama issued a statement urging voters in his ancestral homeland to "reject violence and incitement; respect the will of the people; urge security forces to act professionally and neutrally; and work together no matter the outcome."

The winner of the presidential election must receive 50 percent of all votes, and 25 percent or more of votes in at least 25 of Kenyas 47 counties. If neither candidate hits that threshold, a run-off will take place.
In 2015, Martin Edwards brought out The Golden Age of Murder, a history of Britains Detection Club that went on to sweep nearly all of crime writings nonfiction awards. Little wonder. It is an irresistible book, packed with insider anecdotes about a secretive association boasting such celebrated members as G.K. Chesterton and R. Austin Freeman (creators of Father Brown and Dr. Thorndyke); the crime queens Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie; that master of the locked-room puzzle, John Dickson Carr; and, not least, co-founder A.B. Cox, equally accomplished whether writing as the witty Anthony Berkeley (The Poisoned Chocolates Case) or the bone-chilling Francis Iles (Before the Fact).

(Poisoned Pen Press)

Since The Golden Age of Murder appeared, Edwards  himself a gifted and prolific writer of mysteries, as well as a scholar of the field  has emerged as a driving force behind the republication of older detective fiction, contributing introductions to many of the titles in the series British Library Crime Classics. All that reading lies behind his new work of critical appreciation and rediscovery, The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books.

Note that phrase classic crime. Edwards focuses on the first half of the 20th century, the period between Arthur Conan Doyles The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902) and Julian Symonss The Thirty-First of February (1950). While he does include a few Americans  Dashiell Hammett, Patricia Highsmith  as well as the Belgian Georges Simenon and the Argentine H. Bustos Domecq (the collaborative pen name of Jorge Luis Borges and Adolfo Bioy Casares), the emphasis is overwhelmingly on British writers. To ensure as wide a net as possible, he generally selects just one title by his chosen author, usually his or her first major work. Agatha Christie is the principal exception: She is represented by The Mysterious Affair at Styles and The Murder at the Vicarage, which introduce, respectively, her detectives Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple. However, Edwards cant resist adding another Poirot, The ABC Murders.

Though all three of these whodunits showcase Christies excellence, only the last approaches the ingenuity of her supreme masterpieces, And Then There Were None, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and Murder on the Orient Express. This is worth emphasizing because Edwardss history shouldnt be viewed as a list of the absolutely greatest works of mystery and detection. If you need such a guide, you should look for H.R.F. Keatings Crime and Mystery: The 100 Best Books or the unannotated Classic Crime Fiction: The Haycraft-Queen Cornerstones (freely available online). Edwards instead emphasizes the genres artistic range. He draws especial attention to titles that cast a light on human behaviour, and display both literary ambition and accomplishment and those that highlight an eras sociopolitical concerns: Even unpretentious detective stories, written for unashamedly commercial reasons, can give us clues to the past, and give us insight into a long-vanished world.

For each of his 100 titles, Edwards provides a two- or three-page mini-essay, outlining the mysterys setup  while carefully avoiding spoilers  and closing with a brief paragraph about the author. Good as these appreciations are, they might have avoided a certain stylistic sameness by quoting more frequently from the chosen books.

Being of taxonomical turn of mind, Edwards also organizes his many titles by kind rather than chronology, usually settling on three to five works to represent various categories. In The Justice Game, for instance, he covers Trial and Error, by Anthony Berkeley; Verdict of Twelve, by Raymond Postgate; Tragedy at Law, by Cyril Hare; and Smallbone Deceased, by Michael Gilbert. All these will be familiar to detective story aficionados. More often, his titles will be recognized by only the most well-read. Happily, Christopher St. John Spriggs tantalizing Death of an Airman, J. Jefferson Farjeons The Z Murders, and Anthony Rollss Family Matters, among others, are now available from the aforementioned British Library Crime Classics.

To my mind, Edwards particularly shines in the prefatory essays to his 24 categories, in which he mentions some of his own favorite books, such as Henry Wades Lonely Magdalen  about the murder of a nameless prostitute  and Robert Players twisty The Ingenious Mr. Stone, which signaled the end of the era or, most intriguing of all, Cameron McCabes The Face on the Cutting-Room Floor, described by Julian Symons as the detective story to end detective stories. Introducing Fiction From Fact, Edwards naturally zeroes in on the true-life Julia Wallace case, which Raymond Chandler dubbed the nonpareil of all murder mysteries. Both Dorothy Sayers and P.D. James were comparably fascinated by this beating death in a locked room.

In The Birth of the Golden Age, Edwards stresses the pivotal importance of E.C. Bentleys Trents Last Case (1913), partly for its sprightliness but mainly because the heros obviously correct solution to the murder turns out be completely wrong. By 1929, Anthony Berkeleys The Poisoned Chocolates Case and Dashiell Hammetts The Dain Curse were both able to present multiple solutions to a single crime: Berkeleys dazzling novel offers six different interpretations of the same murder. Fifty years later, Christianna Brand  author of the wartime classic Green for Danger  came up with a seventh solution and in 2016 Edwards himself published an eighth.

Let me end, like many good mysteries, with a confession: After reading The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books I quickly bought secondhand copies of Christopher Bushs The Perfect Murder Case, George Limneliuss The Medbury Fort Murder and Gladys Mitchells The Mystery of a Butchers Shop. Edwards made them sound so good that right now Id almost kill for a quiet week at the beach.

Michael Dirda reviews books for The Washington Post every Thursday.
Dear Amy: I sent a check for $300 to my mother to cover my daughters expenses during her visit. Upon my daughters return, my mother sent me an invoice for $475.50 for additional expenses, including the cost of gas to and from the airport to transport her (45 minutes away), train tickets to go to the city to a museum and the cost of the museum admission. It was an itemized bill.

This is hurtful, as this past winter my mother came to live with us for four months and we paid for everything, including a nice vacation to an island over Christmas. (Neither of my siblings has a relationship with my mother because she is petty and doesnt respect boundaries  like a $300 budget).

How do I address her behavior? I am hurt and angry by her decision to charge me for gas to pick up her granddaughter from the airport, as well as the other expenses. My mother is a single woman (a retired college professor), and we have never asked her to pay for anything. We even write her a check for groceries when she hosts Thanksgiving dinner.

Now I feel she has taken advantage of my generosity, and I dont trust her to spend time with my daughter because it is just too costly for me (financially and emotionally).

Burned by Grandma

Burned by Grandma: You are going to have to express your concern directly to your mother. Your daughters trip to see Grammy has cost you (Im estimating) around $1,000, with plane tickets, plus the invoiced expenses incurred while she was there.

Is your mother financially insecure? Is she worried about maintaining her own lifestyle in retirement? These are legitimate concerns.

But is there a legitimate reason she couldnt stay within the reasonable $300 budget, spending over twice that amount? Is this itemized bill her passive-aggressive way of telling you that she doesnt actually want to host your daughter for such a long visit?

After you communicate your questions and concerns to your mother, you will have to make the tough decision about future visits. Because your mother seems to communicate through monetizing relationships, youll simply have to decide whether this relationship between grandmother and granddaughter is one you can afford to foster.

Dear Amy: I had six sisters. Now I have only two, but I have been very blessed to have my sisters and the love and the bond that we share.

I have a couple of friends who were only children  never being blessed to know the love of a sibling. Recently, they have told me that, I am the sister they never had.

Today I had a text from one of my friends who addressed me: To my sister from another mother.

I love these two friends, but I have sisters. I do not want to hurt them and do not want to say anything that would emphasize the fact that they have no siblings.

What can I say that is not hurtful and will show my love for them? Should I pretend that I love them like a sister?

Not a Sister

Not a Sister: You dont have to pretend anything. You only have to respond with kindness and generosity to an extremely kind expression of friendship and intimacy.

People enjoy fellowship and kinship in a variety of ways. Many people form families with people outside their own biological circles.

You seem confused  or even a little offended  by these sisterly expressions. Instead you should celebrate the bounty these friendships offer, and let these women feel their own feelings and express their affection however they choose. You are all quite lucky.

Dear Amy: I especially liked your answer to Waiting for Sorry, because you suggested that she talk to her mom directly. People are so fast to yell at each other but rarely sit down one on one to say what they really feel.

Once I did that with my mom, I didnt need her apology anymore. Asking for an apology is like closing the deal on a sale. Ask for what you want. Sometimes you dont get the sale, and sometimes you hit the jackpot and get the apology and a hug.

A Faithful Reader

Faithful Reader: Its important to negotiate this particular transaction with reasonable expectations.
Peregrine Adventures is offering 20 percent off most of its international trips, including Tuscany in Italy. (Dina Mishev/For The Washington Post)

This post has been updated.

This weeks best travel bargains around the globe.

Land

Peregrine Adventures, a small, group-adventure-travel company, is offering 20 percent off most of its international trips, including those to Egypt, Uganda, Sri Lanka, Costa Rica and Tuscany in Italy. For example, the 15-day Explore Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia itinerary, which departs Oct. 7 and 14, costs $2,792 per person double, down from $3,490. Price includes 14 nights hotel accommodations; 14 breakfasts, two lunches and six dinners; private bus and metro transportation; activities, such as visits to UNESCO World Heritage sites and wineries; and taxes. Book by Aug. 31; depart by Dec. 14. Info: 855-832-4859, peregrineadventures.com.

The U.K.-based On Foot Holidays is listing all of next years self-guided walking tours at 2017 prices, a savings of up to 10 percent. The deal applies to routes in such European destinations as Austria, Croatia, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey. For example, the new Italian Lakes  Maggiore and Orta itinerary starts at about $1,042 per person double and includes seven nights lodgings in bed-and-breakfasts, luggage transfers, route information and taxes. Use promo code USA2018. Depart late March to early November 2018. Info: www.onfootholidays.co.uk.

Frontiers International Travel is discounting a seven-night fishing package at Turneffe Flats Lodge in Belize. The trip costs $2,957 per person double, a savings of $1,128, for three Saturday departures in September and one in October. Package includes lodging, meals, daily guided fishing trips, most taxes and airport transfers. Info: 800-245-1950, www.frontierstravel.com/turneffe-flats.

Sea

Poseidon Expeditions is offering $2,000 off three departures of its 11-night Antarctic Peninsula cruise. The savings apply to Main Deck Suite staterooms and higher categories. The Nov. 24 and

Dec. 4 cruise starts at $9,195 per person double and from $10,195 for the Dec. 14 voyage. Price includes airport and ship transfers; pre-cruise night at the Arakur Resort & Spa hotel in Ushuaia, Argentina; all onboard meals; landings and excursions; Poseidon Expeditions parka; and port fees. Info: 347-801-2610, poseidonexpeditions.com.

Save 20 percent on select Disney Cruise Line Halloween on the High Seas sailings departing from New York. The deal applies to veranda staterooms with restrictions (cabin category VGT) on two October departures. The four-night cruise to Canada leaving Oct. 2 is $1,088 per person double (plus $143 taxes), a savings of $272. Savings also apply to a seven-night Canada cruise departing Oct. 21, which costs $1,960, plus $174 taxes. Info: 800-491-9744, disneycruise.disney.go.com/special-offers/new-york.

Air

Southwest has a systemwide sale on nonstop flights booked by Aug. 17. For example, round-trip air from Washington Dulles or Reagan National to Atlanta starts at $128, with taxes; flights from BWI Marshall to New Orleans start at $128 round trip. Twenty-one-day advance purchase required. For domestic destinations, travel on all days but Friday and Sunday, from Aug. 29 to Feb. 14. Blackout dates and other restrictions apply. By comparison, the fare to New Orleans typically starts at $200. Info: www.southwest.com.

Package

With CheapCaribbean.com, book a seven-night Caribbean package (or longer) on National Relaxation Day (Aug. 15) and receive $100 off. For example, with the discount, eight nights at the all-inclusive Tamarijn Aruba costs $1,645 per person double. Price includes round-trip air from Washington Reagan or BWI Marshall, all meals and beverages, and a slew of activities. Travel Aug. 15-Dec. 31. Info: 800-786-0435, www.cheapcaribbean.com.

Carol Sottili, Andrea Sachs
Several people were injured when a recent American Airlines flight from Athens to Philadelphia hit a patch of severe turbulence. One of the best ways to stay safe: buckle up. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images)

Patrick Smith compiled a list of the five things that worry him the most when flying. Bird strikes and cargo fires made the cut; turbulence did not.

Most of us in the cockpit are thinking, This is really annoying, and not, I hope the wings dont rip off, said Smith, a veteran commercial air pilot who hosts the website Ask the Pilot.

Flight-crew members are not typically ruffled by turbulence; its one of their occupational nuisances. Smith describes bumpy air as an issue of comfort and convenience over safety. However, turbulence rattles many passengers to the core, especially when untethered objects, such as drinks, snacks and electronics, briefly levitate. Take, for example, the recent incident aboard an American Airlines flight traveling from Athens to Philadelphia. The intense bucking resulted in 10 injuries and, according to social media posts by travelers, beverage-stained ceilings and seat backs. One witness described the planes motion as a free fall.

A passengers fraught relationship with turbulence can cloud their experience. A nervous flier might compare the bobbing plane to a puppet on a jerky string or the Drop Tower theme park ride. But in reality, the plane is just shifting on its axis.

The plane isnt dropping or free-falling, Smith said. Even in relatively strong turbulence, a plane will barely budge from its heading or altitude.

[10 hospitalized after American Airlines flight jolted midair]

A boiling brew of meteorological, atmospheric and geological factors causes turbulence. For example, wind streaming over or downwind of mountains can unsettle the air. If you have ever flown over the Rockies, you have coasted on the mountain wave. Jet-stream turbulence happens when the air current flows around high- and low-pressure systems; terrain-induced turbulence results from land formations that stir up the air, such as the mountain range surrounding Hong Kong International Airport. In summer, the ground can heat up unevenly, creating thermal updrafts capable of jostling a plane. Aviation experts call these scenarios clear-air turbulence and cloud-generated disturbances convective turbulence. With the convective type, you can peer out the window and shake a fist at the culprit (often an ominous thundercloud). With clear-air, you can only blame invisible forces.

To manage turbulence, pilots consult multiple sources of information. They receive weather forecasts and reports before liftoff and real-time intel from other pilots and air traffic controllers midflight. Using this data, they can determine which patches of sky and altitudes to avoid. In addition, new aircraft can automatically sense the turbulence at the moment of impact and report the details back to the ground. Airlines such as Delta and Southwest are retrofitting their older planes with this feature.

Pilots are becoming much better informed about turbulence and are dealing with it strategically, said Bruce Carmichael, program development manager for the Research Applications Program at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo.

Carmichael said that during the past three to five years, the introduction of tablets in cockpits has greatly assisted pilots who previously relied mostly on voice communications with controllers and dispatchers. He also sees the value of equipping cabin-crew members with the gadgets.

[How climate change could make air travel even more unpleasant]

Flight attendants should have tablets so they can see whats going on with turbulence and plan their service around it, said Carmichael, adding that NCAR staff presented the idea to the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA at a conference in 2014. (To understand turbulence from a flight attendants point of view, read the presentation, Turbulence in the Cabin, by Candice Kolander.)

Based on the news and post-flight grumblings, fliers might assume that episodes involving violent turbulence are common. Carmichael said that the opposite is true.

The number of cases encountering extreme turbulence is very rare, he said. The fact that it makes the headlines  that points to its rarity.

In the future, the skies could turn choppier and conversations about turbulence could escalate. An April study by an atmospheric scientist at the University of Reading in England warned that climate change could intensify turbulence in the busy flight path over the North Atlantic, between Europe and North America. Smith also points to the sharp increase of flights  we have more airplanes flying than ever before  and the mushrooming number of people sharing their unnerving stories online.

In my opinion, its most likely all three that are making turbulence-related incidents appear more frequent, he said.

Pilots often guzzle gas to find a smoother course, but passengers can also minimize the shakes. When choosing a seat, pick a row toward the middle of the plane, near the wing and the center of gravity. Avoid the back of the plane, which in turbulence can swish like a fishs tail. Fasten your seat belt, even when the sign is off. Most people are injured because they arent buckled up. Secure any loose items, including laptops and lap children. If a beverage cart is parked nearby, stay alert, in case it dislodges. And chug or toss your hot beverage or else . . .

If its a little bumpy, the worst that will happen is you get hot coffee in your lap, Carmichael said.

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Anne Arundel County

The following were among incidents reported by the Anne Arundel County police. For information, call 410-222-8050.

No Anne Arundel incident reports were available.

Annapolis

These were among incidents reported by the Annapolis Police Department. For information, call 410-268-9000.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Comprise St., Aug. 2. Property was stolen from a vehicle.

Dock St., 100 block, Aug. 2. Property was stolen from a business.

Hillsmere Dr., 100 block, July 27. Items were stolen from a business. A juvenile was charged.

Hyde Park Dr., 1000 block, 5:22 p.m. July 27. A bicycle was stolen. A juvenile was charged with theft.

King St., 8 p.m. July 26 to 9 a.m. July 27. A bicycle was stolen.

Second St., 700 block, July 27. A donation box was stolen.

State Cir., Aug. 2. Property was stolen from a vehicle.

State Cir., 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. July 30. An iPad was stolen from a bag left unattended on a trolley.

West St., noon to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 2. A computer was stolen from the trunk of a vehicle.

SHOOTINGS

Tyler Ave., 1300 block, 10:16 p.m. July 27. Officers responded to a shooting and found that a male had been shot. He was flown to a shock-trauma center.

Howard County

These were among incidents reported by the Howard County Police Department. For information, call 410-313-2236.

CLARKSVILLE AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Floating Clouds Path, 12000 block, July 26 to 27. A bicycle was stolen from a garage.

COLUMBIA AREA

ROBBERIES

Columbia Rd., 5700 block, 11:34 p.m. Aug. 2. A male jumped over a counter at a store and tried to steal cash from a register.

Little Patuxent Pkwy., 10300 block, 3:19 p.m. July 31. A woman gave a ride to an unknown male. When they arrived at the location, he stole prescription medication and cash from her, and fled.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Broken Staff, Sea Change, Sweet Clover, Lasting Light Way, Swan Point, Winter Rose Path, Honeyladen Pl., Dockside Lane and Talisman Lane, July 28 to 29. Thirty-three vehicles were entered and ransacked; 29 windows on the vehicles were smashed.

Eden Rock Dr., 7300 block, July 24 to 25. An unoccupied apartment was broken into; walls and appliances were vandalized.

Majors Lane, 6100 block, 1:55 a.m. July 30. Cash, jewelry and a handgun were stolen from a home.

Watchlight Ct., 8900 block, June 25 to July 23. A computer and credit cards were stolen from a home.

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY

Broken Land Pkwy., 12 a.m. to 3 a.m. July 27. Rocks were thrown at moving vehicles. Four Columbia men, ages 18 and 19, and a Laurel female youth, 17, were charged with multiple counts of assault, reckless endangerment and malicious destruction of property.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Dobbins Center Way, 6400 block, 1:50 p.m. July 27. A 2016 Ford Escape was stolen.

Good Hunters Ride, 6100 block, 10:02 p.m. July 30. A 2016 Mazda CX-5 was stolen.

Stevens Forest Rd., 5900 block, 7:04 p.m. July 30. An Acura Integra was stolen.

Stone Cloud, 8900 block, 4:30 p.m. July 29. A 1998 Toyota Corolla was stolen.

ELKRIDGE AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Deep Falls Way, 7100 block, July 15 to 30. A power washer and jewelry were stolen from a home.

Montgomery Rd., 7200 block, 4:20 a.m. July 30. Cash was stolen from a business.

Old Waterloo Rd., 7000 block, July 16 to Aug. 1. Electronic devices, bicycles and purses were stolen from a storage facility unit.

Rockledge Ct., 6400 block, 8:34 p.m. July 31. Prescription medication was stolen from a home.

Sandrise Ct., 6200 block, July 31 to Aug. 1. Tires were removed from a vehicle.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS

Dorsey Run Rd., 7100 block, 11:49 a.m. July 27. A 2014 Ford Taurus was stolen.

ELLICOTT CITY AREA

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Autumn Hill Dr., 8700 block, July 26 to 30. A basement window was broken at a home.

Branch Wood Ct., 8000 block, Oakton Lane, 8400 block, Waterloo Rd., 6800 block, July 26 to 27. Airbags were stolen from three vehicles.

WEAPONS

Columbia Rd., 4600 block, 4:30 a.m. July 28. Bullet holes were found in a motorcycle.

LAUREL AREA

ROBBERIES

Montpelier Rd., 7500 block, 12:19 a.m. Aug. 3. A male jumped over a counter at a gas station and stole cash from a register.

CARJACKINGS

Whiskey Bottom Rd., 9400 block, 7:45 p.m. Aug. 2. Two males took keys from another male and stole his vehicle. The vehicle hit two parked vehicles; the males fled on foot. Two Laurel males, 15 and 16, were charged with carjacking, robbery, assault and theft.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Blues Alley, 9100 block, 1:59 p.m. July 26. Appliances were stolen from an unoccupied apartment. Two male youths, 15, were charged with breaking and entering.

Bourbon St., 9100 block, July 24 to 28. An unoccupied home was broken into. and the walls were vandalized.

SAVAGE AREA

ROBBERIES

Washington Blvd., 9600 block, 2:28 a.m. Aug. 3. A male reached over a counter at a convenience store, stole cash from a register and fled.
THE DISTRICT

Man, 22, fatally shot

in Anacostia area

A 22-year-old man was shot in the back and died Wednesday in the Anacostia neighborhood of Southeast Washington, police said.

The shooting occurred about 1 a.m. in the 1200 block of W Street SE, in front of a church just off Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, according to police.

Police said the victim, Kenneth Ronald Davis of Southeast Washington, apparently ran several blocks and collapsed in a small field at Green and Galen streets SE. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

 Peter Hermann

THE REGION

Ex-officer indicted

on federal charges

A former D.C. police officer has been indicted on federal charges related to sex trafficking involving minors and using social media to engage them in prostitution, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Maryland announced Wednesday.

Chukwuemeka Ekwonna, 28, of Glenn Dale, Md., is facing a 10-count indictment in which hes accused of creating an account on the Tagged social media platform and offering to pay a 14-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl to engage in sex with him after exchanging dozens of messages with each, the U.S. attorneys office said.

In January 2017, he allegedly met with the second victim. While she was in the back seat of his car, he pointed a gun at her and demanded she return the money he had just paid her, according to the U.S. attorneys office.

He allegedly also used his Tagged account to contact many other users to solicit them for sex. Ekwonna faces up to life in prison if convicted on the charges.

Ekwonna was fired from the D.C. police in April, after he was initially charged. He had been with the department for 14 months.

 Justin Jouvenal

MARYLAND

Former liquor board

official is indicted

A federal grand jury has indicted a former Maryland liquor board commissioner on two counts of bribery after being accused of taking cash in exchange for favorable votes, authorities announced Wednesday.

Federal law enforcement officers arrested Anuj Sud, 39, of Hyattsville this year as part of a wide-ranging corruption investigation into members of the Prince Georges County liquor board, liquor store owners and state legislators.

Sud received at least $3,000 in bribes in exchange for taking official action as a member of the liquor board that would favor those who paid him in 2015 and 2016, officials charged in an affidavit.

Sud resigned from the liquor board after his arrest.

 Lynh Bui
THE DISTRICT

Georgetown U. will stop requiring LSAT

In March, Harvard Law School announced that it would change admissions procedures and stop requiring the Law School Admission Test.

Months later, another highly ranked law school is following suit.

Georgetown University Law Center said in a statement Monday that it will start accepting the Graduate Record Examination as well as the LSAT. Prospective students for the 2018 entering class will be able to submit scores from either or both tests, according to a news release.

While the LSAT remains an important admissions tool, we also believe that it is well past time that the legal profession open wide the doors to an even more diverse population that better reflects American society as a whole, Dean of Admissions Andy Cornblatt said in the release.

The Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law on Monday announced a similar change.

 Sarah Larimer

MARYLAND

Murder charge added in federal case

A man previously charged with supporting the Islamic State in an alleged plot to kill a U.S. soldier has been charged with attempted murder, federal officials said Tuesday.

A federal grand jury in Maryland recently issued the attempted-murder charge and a weapons charge against Nelash Das, 25, in addition to a count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS that was handed up last year.

Das is a citizen of Bangladesh who was admitted to the United States in 1995 and was a legal permanent resident at the time of his arrest, court documents state.

Federal authorities accuse Das of supporting terrorist activity by planning to kill a member of the U.S. military who was also a special agent with the FBI, the government said. Das plotted the attack with a man he would later learn was an FBI source, according to federal officials. The two men got as far as the fake address of the targeted soldiers home before agents moved in and arrested Das.

After his arrest, Das told The Washington Post that he was entrapped in a terrorism plot planned by the FBI.

 Lynh Bui

3rd person arrested in fatal shooting

A third person has been arrested in a fatal shooting last month in Riverdale Park, Prince Georges County police said.

Stephen Strand, 21, of Chillum, is charged with murder in the slaying of Cesar Bazan, 26, police said.

Officers responding to a call about a shooting at 8:30 p.m. on July 26 in the 5500 block of 54th Avenue found Bezan with a gunshot wound, police said. He was taken to a hospital, where died. Strand and two other men argued with Bezan before the shooting, according to police.

Marquise Dinkins, 19, of the District, and Charles Davis, 30, of Bladensburg, also have been charged with murder in Bezans killing, police said.

 Lynh Bui
The city of College Park, the Washington suburb that is home to the University of Marylands flagship campus, postponed a vote Tuesday on whether to extend municipal voting rights to noncitizens while it weighs whether to hold a referendum and let voters decide.

The City Council had been expected to vote on whether noncitizens would be allowed to participate in the citys November election but opted to wait until its Sept. 12 meeting to decide.

The measure comes as leaders in some of Prince Georges Countys more liberal-leaning jurisdictions and in neighboring Montgomery County struggle to create policies that protect undocumented immigrants without getting in the crosshairs of the Trump administration.

Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding from cities and towns that refuse to cooperate with immigration authorities. And discussions surrounding undocumented immigrants and immigration increasingly are creating friction in many communities.

On Tuesday, Prince Georges police were asked to attend the meeting in College Park after council members received harassing calls and emails from people angry about the amendment, Mayor Patrick Wojahn said.

Police spokeswoman Jennifer Donelan said the departments homeland security office is investigating the threats.

No threats were made during Tuesdays meeting, but it was clear the community is divided on the issue.

Larry Provost, a 38-year-old veteran who served one tour in Iraq and two in Afghanistan, was among several residents who spoke at the meeting against College Parks proposed charter amendment, saying it threatens to dilute the meaning of citizenship in our country.

I feel its very disrespectful to immigrants and people who work hard to come into this country, said Provost, whose 15-year-old son, Konstantin, became an American citizen 10 days ago, nearly a year after he was adopted from Latvia.

College Park would be the third city in Prince Georges County  and the largest  to allow green-card holders, undocumented immigrants and student-visa holders to vote in municipal elections, following Hyattsville and Mount Rainier.

In Montgomery County, Takoma Park, Barnesville, Garrett Park, Glen Echo, Martins Additions and Somerset have also expanded voting rights to noncitizens.

About 20 percent of College Parks 32,275 residents are foreign-born, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The University of Maryland campus, with more than 27,000 undergraduates, has about 3,600 international students.

Olivia Delaplaine, a junior studying government and Arabic at U-Md., told the council that she supports the amendment because she wants her friends and professors  who she said have a variety of immigration statuses  to have a voice in the community.

These are people who live here and who are affected by decisions this council makes, said Delaplaine, who grew up in Bethesda. She said it is especially important for local government leaders to act now because of the hatred at the national level being directed toward immigrants.

Marylands General Assembly this year fiercely debated a bill, known as the Trust Act, that would have limited police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts. The bill  which U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said would make Maryland more at risk for violence  faltered in the state Senate, fueling tension between Maryland progressives and the Democratic establishment.

This is a difficult time on the national stage, so this amendment sends a strong message that College Park celebrates its diversity, said Julio Murillo, a policy analyst at the immigration advocacy organization CASA de Maryland, which has pushed the state and individual jurisdictions to affirm protections for undocumented immigrants.

Wojahn and the council proposed noncitizen voting by introducing the amendment to the citys charter on June 13.

The amendment would allow the city clerk to keep a list of registered voters separate from the one maintained by the Prince Georges County Board of Elections, which must comply with Marylands voter registration qualifications  one of which is U.S. citizenship.

To vote, noncitizens would have to be College Park residents, at least 18 on or before the date of the next city election, and not registered to vote in another jurisdiction. They would not be eligible if they are serving a prison sentence for a felony, are under guardianship for a mental disability and unable to communicate a desire to vote, or if they have been convicted of buying or selling votes.

The majority of College Park residents who wrote to the council about the amendment after a July 11 public hearing opposed expanding voting rights, according to correspondence included in the agenda for Tuesdays meeting.

But the impact of expanding voting rights in local elections to non-U.S. citizens has been minimal, according to a letter signed by advocacy groups including Hyattsville Area Residents for Progress, Showing Up for Racial Justice and Takoma Park Mobilization.

In Hyattsville, 33 city-only voters registered for the local elections in May  the first since the amendment passed in December  and only 12 actually voted, according to the letter. In Mount Rainier, only 20 non-U.S. citizens registered to vote.
Krishanti Vignarajah plans an official campaign announcement next month. (Courtesy of Vignarajah campaign)

Krishanti Vignarajah, a onetime policy director for former first lady Michelle Obama, announced Wednesday that she plans to enter the race for Maryland governor, becoming the first woman to join the crowded field for the 2018 Democratic nomination.

Vignarajah plans an official campaign announcement next month.

I am running for governor because I am worried my daughter will not have the same opportunities my parents gave me when they brought our family here when I was a baby girl, she said in a statement. I hope Marylanders will agree the best man for the job is a woman.

[Michelle Obamas former policy director weighs run for Maryland governor]

Vignarajah, 37, of Gaithersburg, will compete against Prince Georges County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, former NAACP president Ben Jealous, state Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery), technology entrepreneur Alec Ross and lawyer James L. Shea.

Baltimore County Executive Kevin B. Kamenetz, former Maryland attorney general Douglas F. Gansler and Maya Rockeymoore, a policy consultant who is married to U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), also have said they are considering the race.

Last month, U.S. Rep. John Delaney opted out of the race and announced plans to run for president.

No woman holds any of Marylands four statewide elected executive positions. And since the retirement of longtime U.S. senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D), the state has no women serving in its congressional delegation  a first in 76 years.

Shortly after Vignarajahs announcement, questions were raised by an opposing campaign about whether she is actually eligible to run for governor.

Under the state constitution, a person must be at least 30 years old, and both a Maryland resident and registered voter for five years immediately prior to election.

Vignarajah is registered in both the District and Maryland. She registered in Maryland in 2006 and in the District in 2010, according to voting records.

She voted in the District in 2014 and voted in Maryland in 2016. She also has residences in both locations.

Vignarajah said her mother helped her buy an apartment in the District when she was working a hectic schedule working for the Obama administration.

It was never my permanent residence, she said of the apartment. The Catonsville address was my home.

Vignarajah said she was not unlike many members of the Obama administration, who had residences in the District and in their home states.

She said she was disappointed to learn about the questions surrounding her eligibility to serve.

This kind of attack is no better than Trumps questions on President Obamas citizenship, Vignarajah said.

If elected, Vignarajah plans to focus on improving schools, increasing wages, reducing crime, treating drug addiction, alleviating traffic, investing in infrastructure and protecting our treasured environment.

She said Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has offered a deficit in leadership, failing to move Maryland in the right direction in job creation, school performance and conservation.

Today too many of the students who can least afford to be left behind have been forgotten altogether, she said. Too many workers have been left out. And our precious Chesapeake Bay faces its greatest risks in decades.

Hannah Mar, a spokeswoman for Hogan, said the governors policies have created more than 106,000 jobs, provided historic levels of education funding and taken unprecedented actions to protect the Chesapeake Bay.

Before her work for Obama, Vignarajah worked at the State Department as a senior adviser under Hillary Clinton and John F. Kerry.

The daughter of Baltimore City schoolteachers, Vignarajah grew up in Baltimore County after her parents moved to the United States from Sri Lanka. She received degrees from Yale College and Yale Law School.

Before joining the Obama administration, she worked at McKinsey & Co., a New York-based consulting firm, and Jenner & Block, a Chicago-based law firm. She also taught at Georgetown University.

Correction: An earlier version this article described McKinsey & Co. and Jenner & Block as D.C.-based law firms.
A rural Maryland county is bringing murder charges against suspected opioid drug dealers as part of an aggressive campaign to combat the epidemic, becoming the first in the state to file some of the toughest charges against distributors who they say are responsible for carnage, officials said.

St. Marys County law enforcement officials on Wednesday announced eight second-degree murder indictments so rare that they attracted a visit from Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who traveled to Southern Maryland to support the stepped-up effort to identify and arrest drug dealers.

This is a new shot across the bow of every single drug dealer in St. Marys County, said states attorney Richard Fritz during a news conference at the countys Circuit Court. For $50, they do not mind killing our children, our wives, our fathers, our brothers, our sisters. This has got to stop.

In every case, the suspected dealers are accused of supplying a deadly cocktail of fentanyl, carfentanil or heroin that resulted in the overdose deaths of eight in the county. Since January, 14 people have died in St. Marys from opiate overdoses, and statewide, nearly 500 people have died this year, according to the latest state reports.

I came here specifically to send a signal to say that what they are doing here in St. Marys is what we need to do in our other 23 jurisdictions. We need to get tough, Hogan said. Under the surface of almost every community, from one end of the state to the other . . . this crisis is destroying lives and tearing apart families.

Mark Steven Garner, 27, of Prince Frederick, has been charged with murder and conspiracy to distribute heroin in a 2016 overdose death. (St. Marys County Sheriffs Office)

At the rear of the room was John Darling, wearing a welders union ball cap and waiting for a turn to speak. As the news conference neared an end, the sheriff called on Darling to ask the final question. He wasnt a reporter or a county official. He was a father who had lost a son.

My son died two months ago, Darling began. His eldest son and best friend, John Bryce Darling II, 34, overdosed on June 13 after consuming an illicit opiate. I dont think he knew about fentanyl. I didnt know about fentanyl.

The 58-year-old St. Marys resident asked the states attorney politely what role families would play in the prosecution of suspected dealers and whether they would serve full sentences or be offered plea bargains for lighter sentences.

Darling had come to the news conference because he wanted to find out whether the man he contends sold his son the deadly dose was among the indicted. That man had been arrested by U.S. marshals on Wednesday morning in Norfolk and was awaiting extradition.

The countys top prosecutor could not guarantee every case would end with the tough penalty: Sometimes that evidence becomes weak, Fritz said. This is something we have to be prepared for, look out for and consider in all respects before we get to trial.

Winning murder cases against suspected drug dealers can be difficult because prosecutors must prove an intent to kill and because drug addicts make themselves participants.

But Fritz is confident that depraved-heart or second-degree murder is the perfect charge for distributors because prosecutors can show that they sold drugs while knowing that there could be deadly consequences. In other counties, such as Anne Arundel, prosecutors have brought manslaughter charges that require proving gross negligence, but Fritz is upping the ante in assigning a greater level of culpability to suspected dealers.

John Darling, 58, of St. Marys County speaks to reporters about his son who died of a drug overdose two months. (Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post)

The drug dealers are not stupid. They know well that the drugs they are distributing can in fact cause death, said Fritz, adding that some of his states attorneys called him crazy for pursuing murder cases. The point is, they dont care.

St. Marys narcotics detectives charged suspected dealer Mark Steven Garner, 27, after finding the same uniquely packaged heroin that had killed 31-year-old Barbara Ann Sneden a year ago in his Calvert County home. Witness statements and digital evidence bolstered the prosecutions case enough to merit an indictment from a grand jury, officials said.

In a small rural community like St. Marys County, where many families have been touched by the opioid crisis, law enforcement officials say these prosecutions have a better chance at delivering convictions than more populous counties in part because local juries will be composed of community members who have lived with the impact.

Prosecution is one part of a three-pronged approach that has shifted the countys thinking about drug addiction as a public health emergency, said Sheriff Tim Cameron. The strategy for treatment, prevention and enforcement includes having detectives work closely with local rehab centers to trace drugs to dealers, educate residents about the dangers and equip law enforcers with Naloxone. In 2017, officers and deputies administered the nasal spray that can reverse overdoses 99 times to 50 people.

Several years ago when we saw an overdose from drugs, we said to ourselves, Well, this is the tragic consequence of addiction,  Fritz said. Now people are waking up.
Virginia M. Bouvier played a key role in reaching a peace treaty between rebel guerrillas and the Colombian government in 2016. (U.S. Institute of Peace)

Virginia M. Bouvier, the chief of operations in Colombia for the U.S. Institute of Peace who played a vital role in reaching a 2016 peace treaty between rebel guerrillas and the government, died July 29 at a hospital in Washington. She was 58 and lived in Silver Spring, Md.

The cause was complications from salmonella, typhoid and lupus, said a sister, Nicole Bouvier.

The Colombian newspaper El Espectador stated of Dr. Bouvier after her death: She was one of those people who was not known to the general public but whose committed, discreet and persistent work for peace in Colombia has been and continues to be key to the success of peace in Colombia.

The peace treaty led to a Nobel Prize for Peace for Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. It called for an end to hostilities between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a Marxist-Leninist peasant guerrilla force that had taken up arms against the government in the 1960s. In more than 50 years of fighting, hundreds of thousands of civilians had been driven from their homes, thousands were killed, and children were kidnapped and forced to become soldiers for the FARC.

The treaty, ratified by the Colombian Congress, called for rural reforms, revised conditions for political participation, measures for dealing with illicit drugs, justice and reconciliation for perpetrators and victims of violence. Dr. Bouvier was invited to the signing ceremony.

Since 2003, Dr. Bouvier had been the resident expert on Latin America for the Institute of Peace. (U.S. Institute of Peace)

Since 2003, she had been the resident expert on Latin America for the Institute of Peace, a congressionally funded research group for conflict resolution. She had been chief of the organizations Colombia program since 2006.

In that capacity, she developed relationships and alliances with a variety of disparate groups and organizations. She trained female mediators, religious organizations, Afro-Colombian ethnic groups, displaced homeowners, agricultural workers, landowners and business executives in methods to work for and support peaceful resolutions of conflict.

Such measures could range from petitions for the return of children who had been kidnapped to water relief from the government for drought-stricken areas.

Colleagues said she was equally adept and comfortable addressing peasant farmers in a barnyard, with chickens scurrying around her feet, and in a business suit talking to government officials or leaders of industry.

She was editor of a book, Colombia: Building Peace in a Time of War (2009), which explores how local and regional issues relate to national ones, and she was author of a blog, Colombia Calls.

Virginia Marie Bouvier was born in New Haven, Conn., on Nov. 9, 1958. Her father was a manager with the telephone company, and her mother was a social worker. She graduated from Wellesley College in 1980, received a masters degree in Latin American literature at the University of South Carolina in 1984 and a doctorate in Latin American studies at the University of California at Berkeley in 1995.

In 1989, she married James Lyons. Besides her husband, of Silver Spring, survivors include a daughter, Maya Bouvier-Lyons of Brooklyn; her mother, Jane Bouvier of Hamden, Conn.; her father, Edouard Bouvier of Silver Spring; four brothers; and two sisters.

Early in her career, she taught at the University of Maryland and served on the staff of the Washington Office on Latin America, a nongovernmental organization that promotes human rights and social justice.

After joining the Institute for Peace in 2003, she attended many of the Colombian peace negotiations, which took place in Havana over four years.

The initial draft of the peace treaty was narrowly rejected by Colombian voters in a referendum. Then a revised version was approved by both houses of the Colombian congress. There remains a smaller and less-known guerrilla organization, the National Liberation Army, which has not yet signed a peace treaty with the Colombian government.
Fiona is a 2-year-old female Australian cattle dog and blue heeler mix who was surrendered by her owner (Prince William County SPCA)

Fiona is a 2-year-old female Australian cattle dog and blue heeler mix who was surrendered by her owner. Thor is a 1-year-old male Russian blue cat who was surrendered by his owner.

The Prince William County Animal Shelter, 14807 Bristow Rd., Manassas, makes animals available for adoption by residents of Manassas and Manassas Park and Prince William, Fairfax, Loudoun, Fauquier and Stafford counties. If the animal is spayed or neutered, adopters may live outside these areas. Additional animals can be seen at pwcshelter.petfinder.com. Viewing and adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. The shelter is closed Mondays and holidays. Adoptions end a half-hour before closing. For information, call 703-792-6465.
Terrence Sterling, 31, of Fort Washington, Md., was fatally shot by a District police officer after police said he intentionally drove the motorcycle he was riding into a police cruiser on Sept. 11, 2016. (Family photo)

Federal prosecutors will not file criminal charges against a D.C. police officer who shot and killed an unarmed motorcyclist last year, saying they did not find enough evidence to pursue a case, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia announced Wednesday.

Officer Brian Trainer was a passenger in a police cruiser during the early morning of Sept. 11, 2016, when he and a partner blocked the path of a motorcycle driven by 31-year-old Terrence Sterling. The Fort Washington, Md., man had been spotted driving erratically.

Trainer, 28, was climbing out of the car to make a traffic stop when Sterling revved his motorcycle and then accelerated toward the cruiser, the U.S. attorneys office said in a statement. The officer felt the motorcycle hit the door and reacted by immediately firing two rounds at Mr. Sterling through his front passenger window. Sterling was struck in his neck and side.

That night, Sterling had reached speeds of more than 100 mph and run red lights, including one instance in which he sped through a stoplight after looking at the officers, according to the statement. An autopsy determined that Sterlings blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit, and he tested positive for marijuana.

After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer willfully used unreasonable force and/or was not acting in self-defense when he discharged his service weapon at Mr. Sterling, according to the statement from the office of U.S. Attorney for the District Channing D. Phillips.

(Claritza Jimenez,Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

No D.C. police officer has ever been charged criminally for a fatal on-duty shooting, according to a city-sponsored 2016 report on the Districts police shootings titled, The Durability of Police Reform: The Metropolitan Police Department and Use of Force. The report was commissioned by D.C. Auditor Kathleen Patterson.

Although Trainer will not face criminal charges, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said the police department has asked him to resign. I do not believe there can be real accountability if the officer remains on the force, Bowser said in a statement.

Trainer, who has been on the force for four years and is on administrative leave, faces an internal investigation into whether his conduct before and at the time of the shooting conformed with department policy. He could not be reached for comment.

[ One month after D.C. police shooting, answers remain elusive]

Wednesdays announcement came after prosecutors met for nearly two hours with Sterlings father, Isaac, and the familys attorney, Jason Downs, to explain their findings.

My son was loved by his family, his community, and the community at large. You all have not heard yet the enormity of the loss of my son, Isaac Sterling said outside the U.S. attorneys office. He was a very well-loved person.

Downs said he was outraged to learn from prosecutors that they presented the case to a grand jury but did not allow it to take a vote on whether to charge the officer.





That is disappointing and frustrating. It frustrates the purpose of our system, Downs said. After sitting through so much evidence, grand jurors should have been given the right to vote this up or down. The prosecutors office took that decision away from them.

William Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office, declined to speak about Downss comments. But prosecutors have said it is not uncommon to use a grand jury to investigate a case and that the government does not always seek an indictment.

The decision not to charge prompted immediate response from some local political leaders. Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), who chairs the councils Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, said that he is frustrated that the community has waited months for action from prosecutors only to reach a decision that he expects will cause a rift between residents and law enforcement.

I think it has done a lot of damage, and it takes a lot to heal from that, Allen said of the prosecutors decision and the shooting.

Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) criticized the decision not to charge the officer.

We have seen far too many police shootings of unarmed African Americans in our country, and the public is frustrated by the difficulty in getting prosecutions of officers, she said in a statement.

Questions arose over the circumstances of the shooting, partly because Trainer did not activate his body-worn camera until one to three minutes after the shooting. In an unusual move, Bowser broke with police policy after the incident and ordered Trainer to be publicly identified to demonstrate transparency amid concern from the public.

Although Sterlings case never gained the national attention of some other police shootings of unarmed suspects, marches and vigils were held in the weeks and months afterward. On Wednesday night, several dozen people gathered near the scene of the shooting, where they prayed, sang and called on the city to fire Trainer.

The case may still be heard in civil court. Sterlings family filed a $50 million lawsuit against the District and its police department.

The family alleges that Trainer and his partner may have violated D.C. police regulations. They question whether the officers improperly chased Sterling, whether the police cruiser was improperly used as a barricade and whether Trainer may have improperly fired at a moving vehicle or improperly fired from within a cruiser.

His family believes that on the night of his death, Sterling, a motorcycle enthusiast who worked as an HVAC technician, had been at a party and was headed to the home he shared with his parents.

The incident began about 4:20 a.m. on Sept. 11, when officers got a call about a motorcycle being driven erratically in the Adams Morgan area. Later, police saw the motorcycle near Third and M streets in Northwest, near the Third Street Tunnel, and pulled into an intersection ahead of the biker.

Prosecutors determined Trainer had unholstered his gun, keeping it pointed down and toward his body, as he began to get out of the car. Sterling drove toward the cruiser, and the impact caused by the advancing motorcycle caused a dent in the cruisers open door and a bruise to the officers knee, prosecutors said in the statement.

Two witnesses interviewed by The Washington Post said that the crash did not appear deliberate and they thought that Sterling was trying to move around the police car.

One witness, Howard Dorsey Jr., was waiting at a stoplight when he saw Sterling straddling his motorcycle and then walking the cycle into the crosswalk ahead. Seconds later, Dorsey said, a police car pulled into the intersection, blocking the left lane.

Dorsey said the motorcyclist accelerated to between 5 and 10 mph. The right lane was open, he said, but the biker steered left.

Just then, a police officer opened the front passenger door a few inches, Dorsey said. He said the motorcycles front tire hit the door with enough force to dent it, but no more.

Thats when he let off the shots, Dorsey said. The cops said no words, nothing. No freeze. 

The shooting prompted D.C. police to update their policy on body cameras, and officers are now required to confirm with dispatchers that their cameras are on when they respond to calls.

Ellie Silverman and Wesley Lowery contributed to this report.
A former D.C. police officer has been indicted on federal charges related to trafficking minors for sex and using social media to engage them in prostitution, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Maryland announced Wednesday.

Chukwuemeka Ekwonna, 28, of Glenn Dale, Md., was indicted on 10 counts after being accused of creating an account on the Tagged platform and offering to pay a 14-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl to engage in sex with him after exchanging dozens of messages with each, the U.S. attorneys office said.

In January 2017, Ekwonna allegedly met with the 15-year-old. While she was in the back seat of his car, he pointed a gun at her and demanded she return the money he had just paid her, according to the U.S. attorneys office.

Ekwonna also used his Tagged account to reach out to many other users to solicit them for sex.

He faces up to life in prison if convicted.

Ekwonna was fired from the D.C. police department in April after he was initially charged. He had been with the department for 14 months.

D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said the department was reviewing the circumstances under which it hired Ekwonna, who had previously been with the D.C. Department of Corrections and was facing a lawsuit at the time by an inmate who accused Ekwonna of beating him.

D.C. settled that claim for $20,000 in February.
A federal grand jury has indicted a former Maryland liquor board commissioner on two counts of bribery involving allegations of taking cash in exchange for favorable votes, authorities announced Wednesday.

Federal law enforcement officers arrested Anuj Sud, 39, of Hyattsville earlier this year as part of a wide-ranging corruption investigation into members of the Prince Georges County liquor board, liquor store owners and state legislators.

[Federal bribery charges filed over Prince Georges County liquor licenses]

Sud received at least $3,000 in bribes in exchange for taking official action as a member of the liquor board that would favor those who paid him in 2015 and 2016, authorities charged in an affidavit. Sud voted on giving a restaurant a new liquor license, approving drive-through sales or allowing a business to sell alcohol on Sundays in exchange for the cash, court documents alleged.

Sud resigned from the liquor board after his arrest.

Six others were arrested as part of the federal bribery probe, including former liquor board administrator David Dae Sok Son and former state delegates Michael L. Vaughn and William Campos.

Campos pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Vaughn has pleaded not guilty.


Bitseat Getaneh, right, with mother Adanech Wendmukn and her sister Miskabe. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

Exhausted after an overseas flight from Ethiopia, Bitseat Getaneh lay down just before 9 p.m.

In the other room of Apartment 201 were friends of her family, also Ethiopian but a couple shed just met. The husband, a cabdriver, had picked her up at Dulles International Airport. His wife, a home health aide, had welcomed the 16-year-old with a huge Ethiopian dinner. They were waiting for a doctoral student, who also was staying with them, to come home.

The three would serve as Bitseats hosts in Silver Spring, Md., just north of Washington, while she adjusted to living for the first time outside her country. Then shed be off to tiny Corn, Okla., to study at a Christian school for a year on a student visa.

In her bags: more than $6,000 cash for tuition. In her hopes: becoming a neurosurgeon.

Three hours later, a thunderous boom erupted. Searing heat woke Bitseat, who saw massive orange flames  Were they real? she wondered  eating up the darkness. She stumbled through the crumbling apartment.

Please, God, save me, she prayed aloud.

It was a year ago Thursday that the massive explosion  heard for miles, with fire four stories high  tore through the Flower Branch Apartments.

More than 100 residents, many working-class immigrants from Central America and Africa, escaped. They ran down smoke-filled stairs, tossed children off balconies to strangers below and were coaxed down firefighters ladders. Some were blown from apartments and landed relatively unharmed only to watch everything they owned be engulfed by fire.

[Huge fire and explosion levels Md. apartment complex]

Seven residents didnt make it out. Their remains, found over several days by firefighters combing through rubble by hand, were unrecognizable. Forensic scientists pulled DNA samples as investigators tracked down close relatives to submit samples of their own  genetic markers that confirmed a loss that even today overwhelms brothers, sisters, children and parents left behind.

The Aug. 10, 2016, explosion tossed some residents from their beds and forced others to flee on collapsing stairs. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post)

The cause of the disaster remains known only in broad terms.

Just before midnight, on Aug. 10, natural gas built up in a basement utility room, probably from a leak in a high-pressure pipe that supplied gas to the heating system, or in the mechanical equipment through which gas flowed. A flame source, possibly a hot-water heater, ignited the blast and tore apart the piping system  which allowed more high-pressure gas to feed the fire for 72 minutes.

The National Transportation Safety Board, better known for its work on airplane and train crashes, launched a probe, one of the few pipeline investigations it does each year. Conclusions are likely to be months away, said NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway.

Apartment 201 sat two stories directly above the utility room.

For Bitseat, everyday sounds  the pop of a soda can opening, the crackle of a plastic bag  still can send her running to the nearest door.

Yet the fire that scarred her inside and out also led to possibilities she couldnt have imagined  living in Maryland with her mother, enrolling in a top-flight high school and positioning herself for a college scholarship.

She could see none of that a year ago when dazed but safe she wandered near the complex, believing that her hosts had made it out and turning when she heard an Ethiopian man speaking nearby.

Pain and fear took over.

I want to go back to Ethiopia, she told him.

Is that me?

Bitseat arrived at Childrens National hospital just after midnight with burns, a fractured collar bone and an utter resolve not to alarm her parents.

No, she told doctors and nurses, she would not call Ethiopia to get consent for surgery. Her mother was seven months pregnant. Her father had high blood pressure. After three hours, they persuaded her to call.

Bitseat told her mother she had had a serious accident, without any specifics. Her mothers soft cries made it clear she knew better.

So did Bitseat.

She could not bend her left elbow or close her left hand. Physical therapists worked with her one inch at a time in excruciating sessions. Bitseat put on a brave front, trying to smile whenever doctors and nurses came to treat her. When she learned two of her hosts from the apartment  the cabdriver, Aseged Mekonen, and the home health aide, Seada Ibrahim, hadnt been heard from, she told herself that in the chaos after the fire they must have ended up in a different hospital or been taken in by friends.

In the quiet of night, sitting alone with thick bandages on both arms, Bitseat cried tears she couldnt wipe away herself. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

But in the quiet of night, sitting alone with thick bandages on both arms, she cried tears she couldnt wipe away herself.

Am I the only one here without parents? Bitseat asked nurses. Am I the only one here alone?

No, they told her. Its really hard now, Bitseat recalls hearing. Its going to be okay.

Her room at the end of the hallway made it difficult for nurses to constantly be with her. They asked whether she wanted to move closer to their main station. It would be louder, but with the door open she could see them  and they would be in and out.

Bitseat said yes. She assumed the room, like the one she was leaving, would have paper covering the mirrors and the window glass. As she was wheeled into her new spot, a mix-up became suddenly apparent: Bitseat saw her face in a window.

Oh, my God, Bitseat asked. Is that me?

Identifying remains

At the Montgomery County Police Department, Detective Frank Springer and colleagues worked to identify the remains of the missing seven.

They had a list of missing residents and contacted local family members for DNA. The first matches came together slowly  a 3-year-old boy, a 65-year-old grandfather and, from Apartment 201, the 34-year-old Ethiopian cabdriver, Mekonen.

The final remains probably were Mekonens 40-year-old wife. But Springer could not find a biologically close relative in the Washington area. He learned about a potential brother in Ethiopia and, shortly afer 10 p.m.. Aug. 15, emailed him. Subject line: please contact me.

Seven thousand miles away, Hussein Adem, a middle school math teacher, opened the email with dread.

By then, the terrifying story had been picked up in Ethiopian news. He hadnt been able to reach his sister. He wrote to Springer, telling him he was a brother. Please guide me, he wrote, his English broken but clear. What expected to do myself.

Springer would have to send a DNA collection kit to the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa. How far, he wrote to Adem, from the embassy are you?

Abot 10 km, Adem responded.

Days later, an embassy staffer told him Im very sorry before taking him to a room where the inside of his cheek was swabbed.

At his home, friends kept asking whether his sister had been found, then whether she had been buried, and finally why her building had blown up for no explained reason.

How could, in America, something like this happen? they wondered.



Seada Ibrahim's sister, Meymuna Yesuf, and brother, Hussein Adem, in Maryland for a memorial service and burial in the fall. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

Seada Ibrahim's grave at George Washington Cemetery in Adelphi, Md. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

In late September, Adem arrived in Maryland for a memorial service at a local mosque, to see his sister buried and to visit the gravesite before returning home. God, give her to heaven, he prayed in a chilly cemetery two miles from the blast site.

Bitseats mother arrives

The nurses had told Bitseat the jarring white blotches on her forehead, cheeks and nose were mostly damage to her pigment and would heal.

During her three-week hospital stay, she was improving.

Before she was discharged, her mother had made it to Maryland with help from hospital social workers on a passport and visa.

With help from Montgomery County government, the two moved into a Days Inn in Silver Spring for two weeks, and then an apartment. As their story spread among Silver Spring churches, volunteers shuttled Bitseat to Childrens National for physical therapy.

Amid her new routine, a man shed never met  the fourth occupant of Apartment 201 that night  came to visit.

Memar Ayalew had been taking a vacation from his PhD program in political science in Italy and was staying with his aunt and uncle at the apartment. He came home shortly before midnight Aug. 10 and sat next to his uncle, whod fallen asleep on a sofa waiting for him. The explosion sent Ayalew flying through a blown-open sliding-glass door.

He tore a tendon in his left knee when he landed. Lost to the fire were his travel documents, two laptops and more than a years worth of doctoral research exploring post-election violence after democratization efforts in Ethiopia and Kenya.

As Ayalew limped toward Bitseats new apartment building, his thoughts turned to his aunt and uncle. Why did the blast swallow them and spare him and Bitseat?

Bitseat met him outside so he wouldnt have to walk to the second floor. They spoke for more than an hour, sitting on the grass  two survivors from an apartment where four had been.

You and me are the luckiest people on the earth, she told him.

Ayalew asked Bitseat what his uncle had talked to her about in the few hours shed had with him.

Studying hard, Bitseat answered.

A new baby

Bitseats apartment, three miles west of the blast site and full of Ethiopian immigrants, felt welcoming to her mother, who gave birth to a baby girl. She insisted that Bitseat sleep in the same room with her, hoping that might calm her daughters vivid nightmares. Go to sleep, her mom would whisper.

Bitseat Getaneh in her new apartment. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

The tiny town in Oklahoma dropped out of the plans. It seemed a poor choice for a mother who spoke no English, and Bitseat had developed a circle of confidants in the nurses and therapists who knew her story.

The apartment put Bitseat, barely, within the boundaries of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, home to 2,000 students and where three-quarters head to a four-year college. Bitseat arrived there in January, wearing an oversize long-sleeved shirt that draped her forearms, hands and fingers.

During fire drills, other students joked while walking down the stairs, as anyone who had never escaped a burning building would, Bitseat realized. But in her mind all she could picture were flames as she rushed to get outside.

She dived into schoolwork, often taking a quick lunch and showing up early to her afternoon class on government. She came to know the teacher, Margit Nahra, well.

Nahra recalled a day Bitseat asked to redo an assignment on which she had a high B, below her usual work.

Its not going to affect your final grade, the teacher said, explaining the B was a small fraction of the semester total.

To Bitseat that wasnt the point.

Its not good enough for me, she said.

She notched a 3.8 GPA in her first semester and is scheduled to graduate in January.

She made friends  at school, in her apartment complex and at church  and liked those who didnt pry.

She has talked about her tragedy with only one and only briefly.

Preparing for college

Atop a desk near Bitseats new living room sit a laptop, five ACT prep books, two SAT prep books and a Tom Clancy novel.

These days, she tries to spend several hours a day studying for college boards and tightening her English grammar. She wants to stay in the area for college, eyeing Georgetown, Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland. In the background, her mother cares for Bitseats sister. They speak over Skype to her father and two other siblings.

Memar Ayalew in a December physical-therapy session. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post)

On Monday night, Bitseat got a call from Ayalew, the PhD student blown out of Apartment 201.

He, too, had been helped by donations and volunteers in the past year. Adventist Healthcare, owners of the Maryland hospital, provided $35,000 worth of care, including knee surgery in early 2017.

The rent is covered, at least through next month. But his options seemed to be dwindling. Returning home was unlikely given his critical writings on Ethiopias government. And his applications for a temporary work permit, and eventually political asylum in the United States, were pending.

Bitseat talked about a noon service at her church Thursday, on the anniversary. Mekonen and Ibrahim, who had taken them into their home in Apartment 201, would be honored. Ayalew said he would go.

Things are going to be okay, she assured him.
The teen took the witness stand Wednesday in federal court in Alexandria. Shaking at times, she described being prostituted around the Washington area by two brothers she met at a Virginia motel.

Identified only as Danielle H. to protect her identity, the now-16-year-old testified that one of the brothers, Christian Hood, posted ads for her on the website Backpage earlier this year. His half brother Abdul Bangura was her boyfriend and her pimp, she said.

Hoods trial on sex trafficking charges comes as Backpage is under increasing scrutiny for hosting prostitution ads that include child-trafficking victims.

Bangura, 21, pleaded guilty to four felonies just as his trial was about to begin this week, including the production of child pornography for a video he made of himself having sex with Danielle. He faces a minimum of 15 years in prison.

Hood has argued that there is no direct evidence of his involvement in Danielles prostitution; she testified that he met her in person only two or three times.

Abdul Bangura, left, and Christian Hood, right, seen in a Facebook photo, are accused of prostituting a 15-year-old girl in the D.C. area. (N/A/U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia)

The first time, Danielle testified, was in February when she was living in an Econolodge Inn in Dumfries, Va., with her aunt.

She told him that she was 17; she later told his brother that she was 16.

I thought, thats the way for them to talk to me,  she testified.

According to court documents, Hood promised her money and progress and asked her to send him photos he could post on Backpage.

In her Backpage ads, the 4-foot-8-inch Danielle was advertised as fun size and unforgettable.

This is a case about how an adult man exploited a vulnerable 15-year-old girl, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds said in his opening statement. Danielle, he said, was naive and immature.

Bangura admitted that he would act as security for Danielle, driving her to motels, checking in on her during paid dates, providing her with condoms and taking a portion of the money she earned. At night, they slept together.

Im really starting to catch some feelings, she said in one text conversation. I may not seem like the girl for you, but I am.

She asked him to delete an ugly video he recorded of her having sex with him, but he refused, according to text messages presented in court.

Asked whether Bangura returned her feelings, Danielle testified that now, Im not sure.

She is pregnant with his child, according to court documents.

Prosecutors said that Hood was involved in prostituting four other people on Backpage. He allegedly sent a text message in March asking someone named Peach for help finding more women: ask the homies out there if they know any freaks thats trynna work on bp Ill show you how to make the ads n all that.

Defense attorney Douglas Steinberg emphasized that Danielle was engaged in prostitution before meeting Hood and that they interacted in person only two or three times.

Danielle said she had previously been prostituted on Backpage when she was 14, by another pimp named T.J. According to the testimony of FBI agent Alix Skelton, Danielles mother also was involved.

She was located after a tip came in to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children that she might be a child-trafficking victim.

Anti-human-trafficking advocates have been pressuring Backpage for years to stop hosting prostitution ads. Documents published by The Washington Post last month show that the website does not just host but solicits sex-related ads. Members of Congress have pushed for a criminal investigation into the site.

But some trafficking opponents argue that the websites willingness to work with law enforcement makes it a useful tool for finding victims.
Democrat Ralph Northam has a narrow edge over Republican Ed Gillespie in the Virginia governors race, according to new survey results released Wednesday.

Among voters, 44 percent favor Northam, the states lieutenant governor, while 38 percent back Gillespie, according to the poll by Quinnipiac University. Libertarian candidate Cliff Hyra drew 4 percent.

The latest poll findings are similar to a survey released Tuesday by Virginia Commonwealth Universitys L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. Northams advantage in both polls are statistically insignificant.

The general election campaign is still in early stages, with neither candidate launching a sustained advertising blitz yet. Gillespie began airing ads late last month.

Quinnipiacs last polling of the Virginia governors race, shortly after the June 13 primary, gave Northam an eight-point lead and did not include Hyra as an option.

The latest poll sheds light on how President Trump and the economy could factor into voter decision-making in November.

[Read the full Quinnipiac poll results]

Northam often criticizes Trumps policies and called him a narcissistic maniac in a widely aired commercial during the primary campaign. Gillespie, who largely avoided discussing the president during the primary, has embraced Trump more openly this summer and has criticized Northams rhetoric.

Trumps approval rating continues to be low in the commonwealth, with 36 percent of Virginia voters approving of his performance and nearly 61 percent disapproving.

And more voters seem to be wary of having a Trump-supporting governor, with 48 percent saying they were less likely to vote for a gubernatorial candidate who backs Trump compared with 21 percent who said they were more likely.

But Trump opponents in Virginia are far from united for Northam. Support for the Democrat lags behind the presidents disapproval rating, while Gillespie is slightly outperforming Trumps approval rating, suggesting Northam has room to grow or his opponent has been insulating himself from an unpopular president.

Ed Gillespie apparently has been able to convince many voters that he is his own man, said Pete Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. Gillespie is within six percentage points of Northam despite President Donald Trumps unpopularity in the Old Dominion.

Part of Gillespies strength comes from independent voters: He leads them by nine points over Northam, even though 40 percent of them say they are less likely to back a candidate who support Trump. A quarter of independent voters were either undecided or backed Hyra.

Gillespie, a former political operative who chaired the Republican National Committee and almost unseated Sen. Mark R. Warner (D) in 2014, has made improving Virginias economy and cutting taxes the focus of his gubernatorial campaign.

The Quinnipiac poll suggested Virginian voters are largely content with the economy. Two-thirds said the economy is good (and 7 percent described it as excellent), and about three-quarters described their personal financial situation as good or excellent.

However, only 28 percent of voters thought the state economy is getting better, while 10 percent believe it is getting worse and 61 percent believe it is staying about the same.

The poll also found health care was a more pressing concern for voters, with 36 percent listing it as the top issue in the governors race, compared with 25 percent who listed the economy and 11 percent who listed taxes.

Voters thought Northam would do a better job handling health care than Gillespie by a 10-point margin, while they gave Gillespie a slight edge for handling taxes and the economy.

Along with the governors race, the November ballot features races for lieutenant governor, attorney general and all 100 seats in the House of Delegates.

Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,082 Virginia voters between Aug. 3 and Aug. 8. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
FRANCE

Suspect held in ambush of soldiers near Paris

A man rammed his car into a group of soldiers near Paris, injuring six of them, and then was cornered by police in a highway manhunt  the latest in a familiar pattern of attacks targeting French security forces.

It is unclear what motivated the driver, who was hospitalized with bullet wounds. But authorities said he deliberately accelerated his BMW into a cluster of soldiers in what prosecutors are investigating as a potential terrorist attack.

President Emmanuel Macrons government painted the incident in the suburb of Levallois-Perret, home to Frances main intelligence service and its counterterrorism service, as proof of the need to approve a security law that critics fear infringes on liberties and puts the country in a permanent state of emergency.

Wednesdays attack caused no deaths and hurt no civilians, but it still set nerves on edge. It was the seventh attempted attack this year on French security forces.

The soldiers targeted Wednesday served in Operation Sentinelle, created to guard prominent French sites after deadly Islamist attacks in 2015.

 Associated Press

MIGRANTS

Up to 50 deliberately drowned off Yemen

Up to 50 migrants from Somalia and Ethiopia were deliberately drowned when a smuggler forced them into the sea off Yemens coast, the U.N. migration agency said Wednesday, calling the incident shocking.

International Organization for Migration staffers found the shallow graves of 29 of the migrants on a beach in Shabwa, the agency said. The dead were buried by those who survived. At least 22 migrants remain missing, the IOM said. The passengers average age was about 16, it said.

The smuggler forced more than 120 migrants into the sea Wednesday as they approached Yemens coast, the IOM said.

The survivors told our colleagues . . . that the smuggler pushed them to the sea when he saw some authority types near the coast, said the IOMs chief of mission in Yemen.

The narrow waters between the Horn of Africa and Yemen have been a popular route for migrants trying to make their way to Persian Gulf countries, despite Yemens ongoing conflict.

 Associated Press

EGYPT

Access to ration cards cut as part of reforms

Egypt on Wednesday curtailed access to ration cards used by three-quarters of the countrys 93 million people to buy subsidized food  the latest in the governments ambitious economic reform plan.

Under a government decree, people earning more than 1,500 Egyptian pounds (about $84) a month would be excluded from getting ration cards. Beneficiaries were also limited to families with up to four members.

The ration card limits will not affect current cardholders. Authorities say about 70 million Egyptians use ration cards.

The government is looking to bring down its budget deficit by cutting spending and lifting subsidies. It says the tough austerity measures it has enacted will spur economic recovery and attract foreign investments.

Among the key measures undertaken to fulfill International Monetary Fund conditions for a $12 billion loan, Egypt devalued and then floated the national currency. It also raised prices by up to 55 percent for the most-used automobile fuels in the country.

 Associated Press

Six Red Cross volunteers among 30 killed in Central African Republic: Clashes between a militia and a self-defense group in southeastern Central African Republic have killed at least 30 civilians, including six Red Cross volunteers, officials said. The violence occurred last week in the town of Gambo. It marked the third such attack on the Red Cross this year, officials said.

Taliban frees 235 villagers in Afghanistan: The Taliban has released 235 villagers held since the militant group gained control of an area in the northern Afghan province of Sar-e Pol five days ago, officials said. A spokesman for the provincial governor said the civilians were freed after talks between the Taliban and tribal elders. Meanwhile, gunmen attacked four female employees at Bagram air base , killing one and wounding a second, said the Parwan province police chief.

 From news services
With his Aug. 6 Sunday Opinion essay, Theres a reason the president keeps attacking Clinton, David Von Drehle joined those columnists wrongly explaining why President Trump won the election. Everyone knows the real reason is our electoral college system, because Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton got more votes overall.

When the Senate majority leader said we should let the voters decide on the next Supreme Court justice, he unleashed a large pool of one-issue voters: the antiabortion zealots. Although many, including evangelical Christian women, said they could never vote for Mr. Trump after the release of his infamous comments to Billy Bush, when they got behind the voting curtain, they did. The exit-poll numbers told the story.

The egregious act of the senators shirking their constitutional responsibility caused the whole debacle.

Al Hunter, Gambrills
The North Korean nuclear threat is a hinge moment for the United States and China, and for the new international order both nations say they want.

If Washington and Beijing manage to stay together in dealing with Pyongyang, the door opens on a new era in which China will play a larger and more responsible role in global affairs, commensurate with its economic power. If the great powers cant cooperate, the door will slam shut  possibly triggering a catastrophic military conflict on the Korean Peninsula.

President Trumps bullying style, even in dealing with trivial matters of domestic politics, obscures the extent to which he has tried to marry U.S. policy on North Korea with that of China. For the most part, he has been surprisingly successful. Beijing and Washington have mostly been aligned, as in this past weekends unanimous U.N. Security Council vote in favor of additional sanctions against Pyongyang to punish its continued missile tests.

Washingtons diplomatic goal, although it hasnt been stated publicly this way, is to encourage China to interpose itself between the United States and North Korea and organize negotiations to de-nuclearize the Korean Peninsula. The U.S. threat is that if China doesnt help the United States find such a diplomatic settlement, America will pursue its own solution  by military means if necessary.

[Trumps fire and fury threat is a rhetorical grenade]

(Reuters)

Trump amped up the rhetoric Tuesday, telling reporters: They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

The U.S. threat may be a bluff, but with Trump, you never know. Top U.S. officials understand that a preemptive war against North Korea could result in horrendous loss of life and a post-conflict outcome that would be worse for all parties. But when national security adviser H.R. McMaster says that a nuclear-armed North Korea is intolerable to Trump, one should assume he means it  and that he is preparing a menu of military options.

Now comes the moment of nuclear brinkmanship. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said Monday, in reaction to the U.N. vote and Chinese-American calls for talks: We will under no circumstances put the nukes and ballistic rockets on the negotiating table. Is he bluffing? Again, we dont know.

Some diplomats saw ambiguity in the vagueness of Ris conditions for any talks. But many leading analysts believe that North Korea, rather than stepping away from the edge, is racing toward having an operational nuclear-missile capability that can strike the United States, as a matter of self-protection.

[Its not clear what to do about North Korea. But its clear what not to do.]

Two intelligence assessments disclosed Tuesday added increased urgency to the crisis. The Defense Intelligence Agency concluded late last month that North Korea has mastered the technology for a miniaturized nuclear warhead that could sit atop a missile that could hit the United States, according to The Post. A white paper by Japans defense ministry reached a similar conclusion and warned that the nuclear threat was now an imminent problem.

North Koreas rhetoric blasts the United States. But in a deeper way, its China thats being put in an intolerable position by Pyongyang. China has been flashing red lights about the North Korean program for more than a year. President Kim Jong Uns regime responded by conducting North Koreas fifth nuclear test last September and continuing its missile tests, despite urgent Chinese warnings. Kims slap to Beijing even included assassinating his half brother Kim Jong Nam, who was under Chinese protection.

(The Washington Post)

[Rex Tillerson just erased the reckless red line Trump drew on North Korea]

North Koreas defiance of the United States and China is rooted in its ideology of juche, or militant self-reliance. The official North Korean website sums up the philosophy as independence in politics, self-sufficiency in the economy and self-reliance in national defense  a creed that promotes go-it-alone confrontation.

Whats at stake in this confrontation was underscored by discussions this weekend at an annual gathering of the foreign policy establishment called the Aspen Strategy Group. This years meeting included five Trump administration officials, as well as a collection of former top officials from previous Republican and Democratic administrations.

Among the clearest points of consensus among former officials was that the North Korea crisis provides what one participant called a catalytic moment. If China and the United States can find a common path and resolve the crisis peacefully, they will succeed in modernizing the global order, which was the broad topic of the Aspen discussions.

And if they fail? If Trumps fiery rhetoric alienates Beijing rather than motivates it? If Pyongyang decides to test its doctrine of self-sufficiency with a roll of the nuclear dice? If Trump becomes the first president since John F. Kennedy to truly find himself at the nuclear brink? One way or another, the coming months will shape global security for many years ahead.

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Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) was portrayed in the Aug. 6 Washington Post Magazine article Larry Hogans Alternate Universe as a man of the people who has focused on Maryland rather than on federal issues. But the article did not mention that since Novembers election, he has declined all requests to hold town halls open to the public. He has remained silent on several federal issues that affect many Marylanders, such as the immigration policies that have left many Hispanic or Latino residents of Maryland afraid to venture into public places.

Mr. Hogan belatedly and meekly opposed the proposed elimination of Chesapeake Bay cleanup funding. He vetoed legislation to require greater use of renewable energy and paid-sick-leave legislation. He is not protecting Marylands interests; he is in hiding so that voters dont know what he really stands for. He may strongly oppose President Trump, but he is not taking public positions that oppose presidential actions.

Trip Rothschild, Potomac

The writer is on the steering committee of Do the Most Good-Montgomery County.
Marie Hicks is an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of Programmed Inequality: How Britain Discarded Women Technologists and Lost Its Edge in Computing.

The rampant sexism in the tech world was put on full display this week after an internal memo from a Google software engineer went viral on the Internet. If we are to believe the memos author  who was fired from the company Monday  women are more prone to neuroticism and less likely to pursue leadership roles in the tech industry because of biological differences.

Unfortunately, this sentiment is far too commonplace. Its also wildly inaccurate. Women are not worse at computing than men. In fact, history shows they were foundational to the field. When women suffer, so too does computing.

Britain gives us a startling historical example of how discrimination not only hurt female computer workers, but also helped destroy a nations once-thriving computer industry.

British women played instrumental roles in early computer programming, operation and systems analysis. During World War II, it was primarily women who assembled, trouble-shot and ran the British Colossus computers, which decrypted coded messages intercepted from the German army. Using these computers, British women helped turn the tide of World War II at a time when the best electronic computers in the United States were still essentially in the testing phase.

After the war, Britain led or matched U.S. advancements in computing, deploying the first dedicated business computer (known as the LEO) and building up an industry that seemed poised to dominate much of the rest of the world. Major computer companies employed women and sent them to customer sites across the globe to train managers and their staffs how to program and use the expensive machines. These were the very first computer experts: the technically minded people who trained others how make opaque and intimidating machines usable.

[Decoding the ancient logic of the Google Bro]

That most of these women remain unknown has nothing to do with their demonstrated skills and everything to do with their valuation as citizens in the 20th century. The technical work of early computing required significant skill, but it was perceived as less intellectual because women did it. Who was performing the tasks, not the content of the work, defined its worth.

By the late 1950s, things began to change. Computers, now recognized as tools for wielding power, seemed too important to leave to women, and as a result, women were tasked with training men to replace them. Inexperienced men with no technical skills quickly became managers and computer professionals  paid at higher levels than the women who had done the same jobs.

In fact, female programmers in the British government were explicitly barred from taking the entrance exams to ascend to these higher posts, despite meeting all the qualifications. The idea that women should not be in management foreclosed their opportunities.

Persistent programmer labor shortages, caused by Britains discarding its trained technical workforce, resulted in computer installations growing more centralized to accommodate the small group of technocrats now available to run the machines. The government demanded ever-larger mainframes and the British computing industry poured all its resources into giving the government what it wanted, even though massive mainframes were falling out of favor. Labor shortages caused by gender discrimination doomed Britain to producing technology that nobody wanted.

Meritocracy is a fiction perpetually used to make false claims about womens and mens respective talents. Those who invoke meritocracy often do so to rationalize different outcomes. But when women have done the same jobs as men  sometimes even with more skill  employers always find ways to undercut their expertise: paying them less, promoting them more slowly or simply firing them. The same happens for people of color.

History shows that the identity of the person doing the job usually matters more to how the work is valued than the content of the work itself. When men and women do identical work, they still face systemic pay disparities, even allegedly at Google. History also shows that the idea of womens inferiority in technical fields just isnt true. The memo from Google is not an argument based on reason but a screed that seeks to do something historically familiar: submerge womens contributions when it appears they might be gaining too much power.

Entire economies suffer when the potential of women and minorities is wasted. The sooner we learn that lesson the better.
I had dreams of fire and fury like the world has never seen. But now I will sleep well, because Rex Tillerson told me I should.

There is no imminent threat from North Korea, the secretary of state said Wednesday. The American people should sleep well at night.

It was the latest and largest cleanup effort undertaken by President Trumps aides since this administration took power. Their unorthodox message to an anxious nation and a panicky world: Dont take seriously what the president of the United States says.

On Tuesday, Trump delivered remarks about North Korea  words we now know to have been off the cuff  that pushed the world toward a nuclear standoff last seen in the Cuban missile crisis: North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. If it does make threats, the president said, they will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

Many noted that the wording echoed Harry Trumans warning at the time of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. But then came Tillerson, a former ExxonMobil chairman, to assure us that there is nothing to see. It has become a familiar exercise: walking back, cleaning up and outright contradicting crazy things uttered by the man with the nuclear codes.

(Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post)

Early on, Trump announced that he had undertaken a military operation to get really bad dudes out of this country, and at a rate that nobodys ever seen before.

The U.S. military is rounding up immigrants? Mexican officials freaked out. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, now White House chief of staff, drew cleanup duty: No  repeat, no  use of military force in immigration operations. None, he said.

Trump, during his visit to Brussels, shocked allies and caught his aides by surprise when he struck from his speech to NATO the usual commitment to the alliances collective defense  this, after calling NATO obsolete. Days later, Vice President Pence reassured jittery allies: Our commitment is unwavering. . . . An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.

Trump, appearing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, upended the long-standing U.S. commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I am looking at two-state, and one-state, he said. Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was put on walk-back patrol the next day. We absolutely support a two-state solution, she said.

The cleanup patrol has a domestic operation, too. When Trump, after a bipartisan budget deal was reached, tweeted the notion that our country needs a good shutdown in September, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney was hustled out to contain the damage: Weve averted a shutdown. . . . Thats the story now, not what might happen in September.

After Trump tweeted that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower, Sean Spicer, who was White House press secretary, famously explained that the president used the word wiretaps in quotes to mean, broadly, surveillance and other activities.

And, when Trump attacked the FAKE NEWS media, which he proclaimed the enemy of the American People, Pence swabbed the decks, saying: Rest assured, both the president and I strongly support a free and independent press.

(Taylor Turner/The Washington Post)

The cleanup patrol has a broad membership. Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council, took a turn after Trump declared: The Germans are bad, very bad. See the millions of cars they sell in the U.S.? Terrible. We will stop this.

Cohn said: He said theyre very bad on trade but he doesnt have a problem with Germany. Cohn explained that Trumps dad is from Germany.

Asian allies became restless after Trump, during the campaign, said Japan should protect itself from North Korea, or pay the United States for providing security. After taking office, he jettisoned the Trans-Pacific Partnership and told South Korean officials that it would be appropriate if they pay for a $1 billion U.S. missile defense system. This time, it was the duty of the national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, to reassure South Koreans that the United States would continue to pay.

And Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, as part of an extended cleanup tour in the region, announced: Our commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan, to include the employment of our most advanced capabilities, is ironclad.

The Pentagon also had to reassure U.S. ally Qatar that Trump didnt really mean it when he called Qatar a sponsor of terrorism. The U.S. military, which has thousands of troops in Qatar, praised the country for its enduring commitment to regional security.

There have been other such cleanup actions, and there will inevitably be many more, as Trumps advisers try to convey to the world a perverse message: Rest assured, sleep well  and pay no attention to the presidents yammering.

Twitter: @Milbank

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Ronald Reagan, center, and George H.W. Bush, right, showing the sights of New York City, including the Statue of Liberty, to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1995. (White House via Reuters)

It was not that long ago that a Republican presidential candidate vowed that we will make America great again. His name was Ronald Reagan, and he made that promise to restore American greatness at the most appropriate place he could imagine: in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty.

It is worth recalling Reagans words that day, as we debate the Trump administrations proposal to cut legal immigration in half.

The Statue of Liberty has at its base a poem, The New Colossus, which exhorts the world: Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Asked recently whether the White House immigration proposal was consistent with those words, Trump adviser Stephen Miller dismissed the significance of the poem, declaring it was added later [and] is not actually part of the original Statue of Liberty.

Perhaps, but for Reagan its words were central to his vision of American greatness.

In that address in 1980, Reagan embraced the poem, declaring, It is fitting that . . . we meet beside the waters of New York harbor, with the eyes of Miss Liberty on our gathering and . . . the words of the poet whose lines are inscribed at her feet. . . . Through this Golden Door, under the gaze of that Mother of Exiles, have come millions of men and women, who first stepped foot on American soil right there, on Ellis Island, so close to the Statue of Liberty. . . . They helped to build that magnificent city across the river. They spread across the land building other cities and towns and incredibly productive farms. . . . They brought with them courage, ambition and the values of family, neighborhood, work, peace and freedom.

Notice he made no mention of advanced degrees. Reagan did not buy into the zero-sum economics behind the Trump immigration proposal, which holds that American-born workers are being displaced by low-skilled immigrants, who are taking their jobs and reducing their wages. He believed that immigrants, both skilled and unskilled, were critical to unleashing economic growth that would lead to greater prosperity for all. Reagan rejected Jimmy Carters view of . . . [an] ever-shrinking economic pie with smaller pieces for each of us and promised, We can have a bigger pie with bigger slices for everyone. . . . We can make that dream that brought so many of us or our parents and grandparents to this land live once more.

Indeed, the academic research on immigration and jobs tends to support Reagans view. A 2010 study by Giovanni Peri, a professor at University of California at Davis, found that When the economy is growing, new immigration creates jobs in sufficient numbers to leave native employment unharmed, even in the relatively short run and even for less-educated native workers. Indeed, Peri found that in the long run, immigration unambiguously improves employment, productivity and income for the native-born and immigrants alike.

Studies do show that high-skilled immigration boosts native-born Americans jobs and wages the most  so increasing the number of visas to attract such skilled workers makes sense. But, as Pia M. Orrenius of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and Madeline Zavodny of Agnes Scott College point out , less-skilled immigrants make a vital economic contribution in that they have very high employment rates and fill jobs that few Americans want while providing services that many Americans demand.

The Wall Street Journal editorial board notes that employers in a myriad of industries including construction, agriculture and hospitality are facing a severe labor shortage and points out that the Labor Departments most recent JOLTS report (Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey) shows there were 6.2 million unfilled job openings at the end of June. Reducing the supply of foreign-born workers in the midst of a labor shortage could slow economic growth, which would result in fewer jobs for native-born workers and increase incentives for illegal immigration.

It is sad that some Republicans seem to have given up on the Reagan idea of a growing pie with bigger slices for all. They should heed Reagans vision for unleashing American greatness. I want, more than anything Ive ever wanted, to have an administration that will . . . let millions of people know that Miss Liberty still Lifts her lamp beside the golden door. We will . . . carry on the building of an American economy that once again holds forth real opportunity for all, we shall continue to be a symbol of freedom and guardian of the eternal values that so inspired those who came to this port of entry. Let us pledge to each other, with this Great Lady looking on, that we can, and so help us God, we will make America great again.

That was the original conservative vision for making America great again.

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Five active-duty service members sued President Trump Wednesday over his intentions to ban transgender personnel from serving in the military.

The directive to reinstate a ban on open service by transgender people violates both the Equal Protection component of the Fifth Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, states the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Washington by five anonymous Jane Does.

They are represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD).

Trump announced in a series of tweets on July 26 that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military.

[Trump announces ban on transgender service members ]

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

The military has not issued a policy on how that directive would be carried out. The suit states that upon information and belief, the White House turned [Trumps] decision into official guidance, approved by the White House counsels office, to be communicated to the Department of Defense.

Since the Obama administration lifted the ban on transgender troops in June 2016, hundreds of service members have come out and are serving openly. A Rand Corp. study commissioned by the Pentagon last year estimates that there are about 11,000 transgender troops in the reserves and active-duty military.

All five of the plaintiffs said they relied on the 2016 policy change when they notified commanding officers they were transgender. Besides the constitutional challenges, they ask the court to find Trumps intentions would be a violation of the promises government has made to members of the military.

Because they identified themselves as transgender in reliance on defendants earlier promise, plaintiffs have lost the stability and certainty they had in their careers and benefits, including post-military and retirement benefits that depend on the length of their service, the suit states.

The suit is expected to be the first of several filed once the ban is officially issued.

The plaintiffs are a Coast Guard member who has written a prospective letter of resignation; an Air Force active-duty service member of nearly 20 years who served twice in Iraq; and three Army soldiers.

In a news release, one plaintiff says: My experience has been positive and I am prouder than ever to continue to serve. I am married and have three children, and the military has been my life. But now, Im worried about my familys future.
FBI agents raided the Alexandria, Va., home of President Trumps former campaign chairman, arriving in the early-morning hours last month and seizing documents and other materials related to the special counsel investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

The raid, which occurred without warning on July 26, signaled an aggressive new approach by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and his team in dealing with a key figure in the Russia inquiry. Manafort has been under increasing pressure as the Mueller team looked into his personal finances and his professional career as a highly paid foreign political consultant.

Using a search warrant, agents appeared the day Manafort was scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee and a day after he met voluntarily with Senate Intelligence Committee staff members.

The search warrant requested documents related to tax, banking and other matters. People familiar with the search said agents departed the Manafort residence with a trove of material, including binders prepared ahead of Manaforts congressional testimony.

Investigators in the Russia inquiry have previously sought documents with subpoenas, which are less intrusive and confrontational than a search warrant. With a warrant, agents can inspect a physical location and seize any useful information. To get a judge to sign off on a search warrant, prosecutors must show that there is probable cause that a crime has been committed.

I think it adds a shock and awe enforcement component to what until now has followed a natural path for a white-collar investigation, said Jacob Frenkel, a former federal prosecutor. More so than anything else weve seen so far, it really does send a powerful law enforcement message when the search warrant is used. . . . That message is that the special counsel team will use all criminal investigative tools available to advance the investigation as quickly and as comprehensively as possible.

Jason Maloni, a spokesman for Manafort, confirmed that agents executed a warrant at one of the political consultants homes and that Manafort cooperated with the search.

Manafort has been voluntarily providing documents to congressional committees investigating Russias election interference. The search warrant indicates that investigators may have argued to a federal judge that they had reason to think Manafort could not be trusted to turn over all records in response to a grand jury subpoena.

The raid also could have been intended to send a message to Trumps former campaign chairman that he should not expect gentle treatment or legal courtesies from Muellers team members, who already have begun combing through Manaforts complicated financial past.

The documents seized in the raid include materials Manafort already had provided to Congress, said people familiar with the search, and the significance of what was obtained remained unclear Wednesday evening.

If the FBI wanted the documents, they could just ask [Manafort] and he would have turned them over, said one adviser close to the White House.

Josh Stueve, spokesman for Mueller, declined to comment, as did Reginald Brown, an attorney for Manafort.

A jogger makes her way past a building in Alexandria, Va., on Wednesday that contains a unit listed to Paul Manafort, President Trump's former campaign manager. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well, said Maloni, the Manafort spokesman.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Judiciary Committee and a former U.S. attorney, called the search a significant and even stunning development, noting that such raids are generally reserved for the most serious criminal investigations dealing with uncooperative or untrusted potential targets.

A federal judge signing this warrant would demand persuasive evidence of probable cause that a serious crime has been committed and that less intrusive and dramatic investigative means would be ineffective, he said in a statement.

Mueller has increased legal pressure on Manafort, consolidating under his authority unrelated investigations of various aspects of Manaforts professional and personal life.

Manaforts allies fear that Mueller hopes to build a case against Manafort unrelated to the 2016 campaign, in the hope that he would provide information against others in Trumps inner circle in exchange for lessening his legal exposure.

Manafort has provided more than 300 pages of documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate and House intelligence committees. The information includes notes Manafort took while attending a meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016.

[Manafort turns over notes from Trump Tower meeting with Russian lawyer]

Emails show that Trump Jr. accepted the meeting and invited Manafort after he was told that the Russian lawyer would provide damaging information about Democrat Hillary Clinton as part of a Russian government effort to assist his fathers campaign.

The special counsels office has subpoenaed records and testimony related to the Trump Tower meeting, people familiar with the investigation said.

Last week, the Trump campaign turned over more than 20,000 pages of documents to congressional investigators examining Russian efforts to influence the election. Manafort and Trump Jr. separately turned over hundreds of documents requested by congressional committees.

Manafort had been subpoenaed to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 26, the day of the raid. Ultimately, however, the subpoena was withdrawn, and he did not testify. The committee chairman, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), the panels top Democrat, said in a joint statement that they had dropped the demand after Manafort began producing documents.

Manafort, an experienced political operative who was once a business partner of Trump confidant Roger Stone, was hired to professionalize the Trump campaign at the recommendation of another Trump friend, Tom Barrack, an international real estate investor.

As a political consultant, Manafort traveled the world, at times offering advice to despots and dictators.

His decade of work in Ukraine on behalf of a Russia-friendly political party has drawn attention from the FBI. In Kiev, he advised the Party of Regions, helping to elect former president Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted from power amid public protests in 2014 and fled to Russia.

A few days after attending the Trump Tower meeting in June 2016 at the urging of Trump Jr., Manafort was named chairman of Trumps campaign, following the ouster of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. Manafort remained in that role through the Republican National Convention and into August, when he resigned amid growing scrutiny of his work in Ukraine. The New York Times reported at the time that his name was found in a ledger of off-the-books cash payments made by the Party of Regions. Manafort has denied receiving any improper payments from the party.

Still, the work was lucrative. In June, Manafort filed Foreign Agents Registration Act paperwork with the Justice Department providing new details about his work in Ukraine. The documents showed that his firm was paid $17.1 million for its work in Ukraine over two years before expenses.

Manaforts retroactive filing about his Ukraine work came as investigators scrutinized his foreign lobbying and began to aggressively probe his financial past.

During the spring, prosecutors issued subpoenas seeking information about his income sources and financial transactions. One subpoena reviewed by The Washington Post sought information concerning contracts for work . . . communication or other records of correspondence related to about two dozen people and businesses that appeared to be connected to Manafort or his wife, including some who worked for Manafort while he was a political consultant in Ukraine.

The subpoena was issued by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia, where Manaforts consulting business has been located. Also named in the subpoena were various corporations formed in Cyprus. Manafort appeared to have routed money he earned in Ukraine and in business dealings with a Russian business magnate through Cyprus-based bank accounts.

After Mueller was appointed, his team took over the Manafort investigation that was underway in Virginia.

State authorities in New York also have issued subpoenas seeking information about Manaforts real estate loans.

And Muellers office has taken over an investigation of financial dealings that involved Manafort and his son-in-law, a real estate investor, including real estate transactions in California.

An earlier version of this report incorrectly described an early-morning FBI raid on the Alexandria home of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort as occurring "in the pre-dawn hours." This report has been updated.

Philip Rucker, Matt Zapotosky and Julie Tate contributed to this report.
In between rounds of golf in Bedminster, N.J., President Trump has been huddling with John F. Kelly about how to manage the escalating North Korean crisis. The newly minted White House chief of staff has tightly coordinated intelligence briefings, conference calls and meetings with the national security team.

But Kelly, while a constant presence at the presidents side at Trumps private golf club, has been careful not to weigh in forcefully with an opinion of his own or to push the commander in chief to follow a diplomatic script.

Instead, according to multiple White House officials with knowledge of events, Kelly sat back as Trump extemporaneously delivered his own message  an extraordinary threat Tuesday that North Koreas nuclear provocations would be met with fire and fury.

In an administration that has split into factions and been ravaged by ideological warfare, Kelly has asserted himself as a rare apolitical force who is focused more on the process of the presidency than tilting the president in a certain direction.

So far, Kelly has left no discernible imprint on the White Houses philosophy, even though he has assumed full control of its governance, running operations and policy formation in a way that Trump advisers hope will lead to tangible results.

From left, White House staff secretary Rob Porter, Chief of Staff John F. Kelly and senior adviser Jared Kushner follow President Trump to the Marine One helicopter on the South Lawn of the White House last Friday. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Kelly, a retired four-star Marine Corps general, is one of three generals in civilian positions whom the president has come to rely on for national security advice, along with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and national security adviser H.R. McMaster.

But on North Korea  as well as a host of other policy issues  Kelly has kept a decidedly low profile, seeing his role as a neutral mediator. Passing up opportunities to nudge the president, Kelly has encouraged key players to argue their points, ensured proposals are vetted and then presented options to the president.

Kelly also has assiduously avoided being tagged as a stalking horse for White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon and his wing of hard-line nationalists, the Pentagon or senior adviser Jared Kushner and his coterie of business-friendly centrists. Rather, he has cultivated personal relationships with each of the competing spheres of the White House and pledged a fair hearing for all.

He has a vivid understanding that Trump is president and hes not, former House speaker Newt Gingrich said. But within that framework, hes going to work to make Trump effective on Trumps terms, not on Kellys terms. . . . He wont try to personally shift the balance in any direction. Its about making all six sides, or all two sides, have a chance to make a case.

That mantra extends to domestic policy.

When Kelly attended one of his first policy meetings last week, the other officials in attendance tried to suss out where he stood on a debate roiling the Trump administration: taxes.

Would Kelly back a sweeping overhaul of the tax code, proposed by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn? Would he sign off on raising tax rates on the wealthy, championed by Bannon? Or would he favor a narrow tax cut, suggested by outside economic adviser Larry Kudlow?

White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly greets others before President Trump bestows the nations highest military honor, the Medal of Honor, to retired Army medic James McCloughan at a ceremony in the White House on July 31. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Kelly gave no hints, leaving some to wonder whether the new West Wing boss had a personal preference at all. As aides struggled to get a read on him, Kelly quipped that his position on taxes was that he pays them  and that he hates paying them, according to three people familiar with the discussion.

The absence of partisan stripes makes Kelly, 67, unique among White House chiefs of staff. In recent history, most have been political animals  including Kellys predecessor, Reince Priebus, who was a Republican foot soldier as a teenager and rose to become the national party chairman.

Trumps advisers cited Kellys aversion to taking sides in the battles that have consumed the GOP and the White House staff as an asset, saying that he cannot only tame West Wing infighting, but can also try to forge common ground with Democrats on Capitol Hill.

Building and maintaining unit cohesion and command has been a statement of his career, said Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president. She described Kellys motivations for his new job as his sense of honor, duty and country, as opposed to enacting an ideological project.

Nonideological should not be misread as moderate, however. White House officials said Kelly sees his role as executing the presidents orders, not modulating them  and they were quick to point out that Kelly managed some of Trumps most controversial priorities with stubborn determination, including immigration and border enforcement, as secretary of homeland security.

Lets remember, General Kelly executed the travel ban, said one senior White House official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to comment candidly. Its not like he walked away and said, Im a conscientious objector to the presidents agenda. 

Kellys confidants say the general took the job in Trumps White House out of a deep sense of patriotism  a belief that he could help this president and thus the country.

He has a lot of credibility, presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said. But, he added, Trump better not double-cross him, because if he says, I cant work with this president and walks from the Oval Office, then everybodys going to believe General Kelly. Hes very much like [ousted FBI director James B.] Comey. The integrity is so high.

In his first few days on the job, Kelly made overtures to Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), aiming to repair relationships with Democrats in the aftermath of a polarizing Republican health-care effort that remains stalled.

Kelly, who was the Marine commandants liaison officer to the House in the mid-1990s when he was a colonel, long ago established a reputation with lawmakers as a reliable presence who never revealed his politics.

I think General Kelly being apolitical and having a military background is perhaps a positive at this particular passage in the White House and with this particular president, said Thomas Mack McLarty, a White House chief of staff under President Bill Clinton. They need to govern, and hell be heard and received.

Trump, who campaigned promising to be a dealmaking president, is eager for his chief of staff to have an open dialogue with Democratic leaders and to try to build bipartisan coalitions this fall on tax policy and infrastructure spending, especially as tensions with recalcitrant Republicans rise, according to top White House officials, also speaking on the condition of anonymity to be candid.

As one of the officials put it, the political atmosphere under Kelly is a contrast to when the White House was led by Priebus, a GOP stalwart who was trained to not work with Democrats and to see them as the enemy. The generals job has been to develop consensus and negotiate solutions.

Kelly, who tersely answers phone calls with his surname and signs his emails the same way, has taken care even in one-on-one exchanges to remain cagey about his point of view. He talks broadly about what the president wants to do or what is good for the country, according to people who have interacted with him.

Some Republican leaders have appreciated his sphinx-like mien but privately wondered whether it is sustainable, especially as the partys base stews and the business community pleads for action. Eventually, Kelly may have to take sides to settle thorny issues that have lingered for weeks, such as confronting North Korea, U.S. policy in Afghanistan and the scope of Trumps tax package, officials said.

Kelly has confided to associates that he is aware that his approach can come across as simplistic or vague in the political vipers nest that is the Trump West Wing. But he has said that he is committed to avoiding taking sides.

To be a successful chief, you shouldnt be pushing an agenda, said Chris Whipple, author of The Gatekeepers, a history of White House chiefs of staff. One of the most important duties is to be the so-called honest broker of information. If youre doing the job properly, you are by definition apolitical.

Whipple drew a comparison to James A. Baker III, who, as chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan, acted as a pragmatic enforcer in a White House in which hard-right, Let Reagan be Reagan ideologues sought to control the agenda. Yet Baker still had politics in his blood; he had directed President Gerald Fords 1976 presidential campaign and George H.W. Bushs 1980 bid.

Kellys friends said he often notes that during his 45-year career in the Marines, he never talked politics at length and acted on his beliefs only by voting every two years. Kelly has not said for whom he voted last November.

When Kelly addressed White House staff last Friday, he strongly urged them to put aside their own philosophical ambitions or grievances. Were here to serve the country, and you need to check your personal opinions at the door, whatever they might be, one official recalled of Kellys remarks.

Theres a huge strain in the military services that stays out of politics, said Brinkley, a professor at Rice University. They dont want an R or a D attached to their name. Theyre all about duty, honor, country. And I see Kelly as part of this tradition. . . . You cant tar and feather General Kelly as being alternative right or a conservative Trumpian.

People who have worked with Kelly said they have seen little trace of his worldview or leanings over the years.

John and I are very old friends. He used to work with the House. Hes an American, period, Gingrich said, recounting their conversations when he was speaker. We didnt talk politics back then. We talked about ideas and how to solve things  and Saddam Hussein.
In their first and only meeting, President Obama explicitly warned Donald Trump days after the election about the urgency of North Koreas nuclear weapons threat.

A few weeks later, it was clear that Obama had made an impression: Trump raised the matter out of the blue in a telephone conversation with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, according to an Asia expert at the State Department who reviewed a transcript.

What Tsai Ing-wen knows about North Korea could fill a thimble. Its not the focus of her world, said the official, who spoke Wednesday on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private call. But that brought home to me that it really got through to Trump that this was a real problem.

To a degree that even Obama might not have anticipated, the early warning in the Oval Office last November motivated Trump to elevate North Korea to his chief foreign policy concern  after rarely talking about it during the campaign. Trumps administration has used diplomacy, economic sanctions and displays of military power in a bid to alter Pyongyangs calculus over its pursuit of nuclear weapons capable of reaching the continental United States.

Yet it is the increasingly bellicose, often contradictory, rhetoric from Trump himself that has marked the sharpest shift in U.S. policy toward North Korea from previous administrations. Having declared an end to the Obama era of strategic patience that focused on isolating Pyongyang, Trump has failed to articulate a clear alternative. He has vacillated between courting Chinas help and giving up on Beijing  and between suggesting he is opening to meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and threatening to obliterate his regime.

On Tuesday, Trump vowed in spontaneous remarks not vetted by aides that Pyongyang would be met with unprecedented fire and fury if it did not stop its threats  a pledge that some outside the White House interpreted as an allusion to nuclear war.

That wasnt what we had in mind, Ben Rhodes, a former deputy national security adviser for Obama, said in an interview. Its clear that they got the message that this was the principal challenge for them, but they keep making statements that dont feel like they have been informed by some deliberative process.

Trump aides sought to tamp down talk of war, saying the president was intent on delivering a stern message in terms Kim Jong Un would understand, according to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. They emphasized that while the White House remains committed to resolving the matter through diplomatic means, Trump has sent clear directives that the United States must be prepared to defend itself if necessary.

President Trump was informed of the growing threat last December and on taking office his first orders to me emphasized the readiness of our ballistic missile defense and nuclear deterrent forces, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said in a statement.

Even as advisers sought to portray a commander in chief with a laserlike focus on North Korea, Trump, who took office with virtually no foreign policy experience, has given the impression of a president who is learning on the job and experimenting with policy through trial and error.

Daniel Russel, who served as Obamas senior Asian affairs director on the National Security Council, said the U.N. Security Councils move last week to ban some North Korean exports is a potentially meaningful step that comports with efforts of previous U.S.> administrations.

But Russel added that Trumps rhetoric is a departure from the temperate, consistent and balanced statements of past presidents that combined expressions of firm resolve with an openness to peaceful resolution through negotiations. Nobody is going to beat the North Koreans in a hyperbole contest.

Obama highlighted North Korea in his meeting with Trump two days after the election. Aides who traveled with Obama to an Asia-Pacific economic forum in Peru in late November recalled him saying that Trump seemed to sit up and take notice.

The Obama team expected Trump to undertake the sort of deep-dive review and interagency decision-making process that it had employed, Rhodes said. Obama was frequently criticized by Republicans as being too deliberative, or, as Trump called him on the campaign trail, weak and indecisive. But Rhodes said the goal was to produce unity and clarity across the administration, rather than the kind of whipsaw tone and message that has marked the North Korea issue under Trump.

Initially, Trump appeared to think he could outsource the problem to China, a strategy deemed simplistic and naive by foreign policy experts who say Beijing has limited influence with the North and strategic interests that diverge from the United States.

Leading up to a summit in early April with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago, his resort in Palm Beach, Fla., Trump bashed Beijing as not doing enough to rein in Kims government. But after his conversations with Xi, I realized its not so easy, Trump told the Wall Street Journal. I felt pretty strongly that they had a tremendous power over North Korea. But its not what you would think.

Later that month, Trump continued to try to enlist regional partners in phone calls to Southeast Asian leaders.

In a conversation with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, Trump called Kim a madman with nuclear weapons, and he asked Duterte whether Kim was stable or not stable, according to a transcript obtained by The Washington Post.

The United States has a lot of firepower over there, Trump boasted, including two nuclear submarines ordered to the region by the Pentagon.

But three days later, Trump told Bloomberg News that he would be honored to meet Kim under the right circumstances, opening the possibility of bilateral or multilateral talks. No sitting U.S. president has met with a North Korean leader.

In another interview with CBS News, Trump called Kim a pretty smart cookie and expressed admiration for the North Korean leaders having assumed power at a very young age after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il.

What is alarming to allies and probably confusing to China is that the statements are all over the map, Rhodes said. One day were conciliatory; the next day were threatening fire and fury. 

Trump told Duterte that he hoped China solves the problem and encouraged the Philippines leader to talk directly to Xi and tell him I am counting on him.

Two months later, however, Trump appeared to lose faith in Beijing. The turning point came after Otto Warmbier, an American college student who was detained in North Korea for 17 months, died days after his release due to injuries suffered in captivity.

While I greatly appreciate the efforts of President Xi & China to help with North Korea, it has not worked out, Trump wrote in a tweet.

Nine days later, the Treasury Department announced sanctions on the Bank of Dandong, a Chinese entity near the border with North Korea, cutting off its access to U.S. financial markets.

White House aides said Trumps focus on the issue has already paid dividends, pointing out that China, contrary to its past opposition to broad economic sanctions, voted in support of last weeks U.N. sanctions on North Korea

But Jim Walsh, a nuclear and Asia security expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was skeptical about Trumps strategy.

It seems to me that an impromptu nuclear doctrine without having consulted staff or allies is not really a great idea, he said.
As with most things Trump, the furor over the fire and fury has divided the nation in two  those who believe the president is a loose cannon, impulsively blurting whatever flits through his mind, and those who believe his inflammatory talk is a wily combination of politically savvy instincts and a gut-driven populism that simply aims to please.

When President Trump went off script Tuesday to deliver a startling threat to North Korea  They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen  it was as if the nation relived the most lurid themes of the 2016 campaign in one chilling moment.

Last fall, Hillary Clintons campaign used as one of its final weapons a TV ad featuring a longtime nuclear missile launch officer who warned against voting for Trump: I prayed that call would never come. Self-control may be all that keeps these missiles from firing.

Then, quick-fire, a series of clips of Trump on the stump: I would bomb the s--- out of them. I want to be unpredictable. I love war.

The thought of Donald Trump with nuclear weapons scares me to death, Bruce Blair, the retired launch officer, says in the ad. It should scare everyone.

(Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post)

It very nearly did: Voters made clear last fall that they trusted Clinton vastly more than Trump on the use of nuclear weapons  by 57 percent to 31 percent in a Fox News poll in October, for example.

But Trump voters often said that their reasons for supporting him outweighed their sense that he could be dangerously impulsive  and they repeatedly expressed confidence that the national security apparatus would keep him in check.

[Trumps threat to North Korea contrasts with calm reassurances of other administration officials ]

Now, facing a reality test of that theory, Americans are coming to conclusions both predictable and surprising.

Trumps critics tend to view his fire and fury threat as evidence of a president gone over the edge.

Trump is fulfilling expectations of someone who lashes out dangerously at real and perceived challengers, said Blair, who is now a research scholar at Princeton University. He is raising the risk of a conflict that escalates to nuclear war. He has proven time and again to be . . . unable to apply a deft hand at diplomacy.

But the presidents defenders see him working from the gut, with admirable instincts to protect the nation and take pride in American power.

(Victoria Walker,Danielle Kunitz/The Washington Post)

Fred Doucette, a longtime Trump supporter who is assistant majority leader in New Hampshires House of Representatives, watched Trumps appearance Tuesday. He was disappointed Trump didnt declare a national emergency on opioid abuse but was pleased to hear the president deliver a strong message to North Korea.

The president spoke in a language that Kim Jong Un understands  and, personally, I think they should follow up on that and show them that we mean business, said Doucette, 52, a Navy veteran and retired firefighter and paramedic. I assume the president spoke with his generals and his Cabinet first.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the presidents remarks were no harbinger of imminent nuclear war but rather tough talk designed to send Kim a clear message. Americans should sleep well at night, Tillerson said.

Doucette said he does exactly that. When the phone rings at 3 a.m., I want Donald Trump to be the president that answers that phone call, he said. I sleep well at night with President Trump, very well.

[Trump warns N. Korea: U.S. nuclear arsenal is more powerful than ever before]

Last fall, 10 former Air Force nuclear launch officers issued an open letter warning that Trump should not be entrusted with the nuclear launch codes . . . He has shown himself time and again to be easily baited and quick to lash out, dismissive of expert consultation and ill-informed of even basic military and international affairs.

But on Wednesday, those officers were no longer united in their view of Trump.

The reaction to this is not wholly rational, said one of the signatories, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because his employer had not authorized him to speak publicly. A lot of people are caught up on Trump the character  and he is erratic  without thinking about whether theres historical precedent for this kind of language. Im actually a little relieved that Trump is crawling inside the North Koreans helmets. I would not have chosen those words, but he did put the fear of God into them.

But another of the former missileers said Trumps fiery rhetoric was evidence of exactly what he had warned about last fall. He speaks impulsively, and he acts impulsively, and I dont know what restraints there are on President Trump, said Mark Lussky, a retired lawyer who served on a missile combat crew from 1972 to 1976. He doesnt know how to back down on anything.

At the core of the anxiety over Trumps remarks is the worry that the president made his threat without consideration of what might follow. The sheet of paper he held in his hand was about opioid abuse, not the conflict with North Korea. Yet the White House was quick to issue assurances that, as press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, although Trumps words were his own . . . the tone and strength of the message were discussed beforehand by Chief of Staff John F. Kelly and members of the National Security Council.

Presidents dont usually improvise comments on global crises. What would be normal in the Bush or Obama or Clinton administrations would be for the combination of strategic communications people and policy people  including the national security adviser  to develop, in consultation with the State Department and the Defense Department, a messaging strategy with top lines that they felt the president needed to emphasize, said a senior diplomat who served in all three administrations.

To many Trump critics, the presidents remarks were of a piece with what seems like a casual attitude toward wielding the unfathomable power of the United States arsenal. On the campaign trail, he said that any Iranian vessels that make gestures at our people . . . will be shot out of the water. Trump, who attended a military academy as a teenager and repeatedly avoided the draft for the Vietnam War, had hoped to add tanks and heavy military equipment to his inaugural parade in January but was overruled.

Trump was dining with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago in early April when he authorized an airstrike on a Syrian airstrip. As he later described the moment, Were now having dessert. And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that youve ever seen, and President Xi was enjoying it. And I was given the message from the generals that the ships are locked and loaded, what do you do? And we made a determination to do it, so the missiles were on the way.

The Clinton campaign ran ads focused on Trump as commander in chief throughout October, including one spot that showed Trump asking, Why cant we use nuclear weapons?

One of the great concerns voters had, particularly independent voters, was the threat of somebody that impulsive, that erratic, that unprepared, having control over the nuclear codes, said Jim Margolis, the campaigns media adviser.

Some of those voters acknowledged Trumps erraticism yet voted for him anyway.

There may have been a presumption that if elected, Trump would settle down, become more presidential, less crazy in his taunts, and that the cocoon of security advisers around him would keep him in check, Margolis said. Clearly, that presumption was wrong.

Another anti-Trump spot, made by a super PAC run by former senator Bill Bradley (D-N.J.), targeted Ohio voters and evoked the famous 1964 Daisy ad for President Lyndon B. Johnson that capitalized on fears that his Republican challenger, Barry Goldwater, was too reckless to be trusted with nuclear codes.

Bradleys ad showed the mushroom cloud of an atomic bomb detonating, and it showed TV host Chris Matthews telling Trump that nobody wants to hear a presidential candidate talk about using nuclear weapons.

Then why are we making them? Trump replies.

Karen DeYoung contributed to this report.
Netroots Nation, the activist lefts largest annual gathering, arrives in Atlanta this year with its clearest focus in years: how to resist President Trump.

Former vice president Gore will speak about the threats to the planet from a president who dismisses climate change as a hoax hatched in Beijing. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) will ring alarm bells about domestic policy. And 14 discrete sessions will discuss the best ways to fight the White House and Republican Congress. Jon Ossoff, the Democratic star who narrowly lost Georgias special House election in June, will also be there.

The last couple of years, much of the energy nationally was focused on social justice, said Netroots Nation spokeswoman Mary Rickles. This year, the focus for nearly 3,000 attendees was back on politics: How do they channel the energy of resistance into helping progressives win elections?

During more than 80 panels and training sessions, activists will get updates from the resistance groups, such as Indivisible which was founded after the 2016 election, or those that have multiplied their membership like the American Civil Liberties Union. One panel will go over ways to challenge Trumps xenophobic NAFTA narrative, while another  more relevant given news from North Korea  will brainstorm ways to oppose Trump if a traumatic event causes people to rally around the flag.

[Trumps threats to North Korea were spontaneous and not drafted by advisers, officials say]

Former Vice-President Al Gore arrives to attend a screening of "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power" in Berlin. (Jorg Carstensen/AFP/Getty Images)

Hitler used the Reichstag Fire; Putin used the 1999 apartment bombings; and George W. Bush used 9/11, reads the online description of the panel, which will feature leaders of MoveOn.org and the ACLU. With Trump, [Stephen K.] Bannon and their allies in Congress, progressives must be prepared to fight back in the first hours and days of a national security crisis.

The conference, which began in 2006 as a spinoff from the elections-focused Daily Kos blog, transformed during the Obama years into a showcase for labor and civil rights movements. In 2007, it hosted every major Democratic candidate for president for a traditional question-and-answer session, and more than a hundred reporters swarmed the halls to see where the Democratic base was directing its energy.

But as soon as Democrats took power, an invitation to Netroots meant a decent shot of being heckled by activists who demanded results on LGBT rights, on National Security Agency spying, or the failings of the Affordable Care Act. In 2015, when Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley (D) took questions, they were interrupted by Black Lives Matter activists  a scene that led to productive meetings between protesters and candidates, but unfolded awkwardly onstage. In 2016, Hillary Clintons campaign checked off the Netroots box with a three-minute video message.

There was a general concern that the conference would no longer be able to attract top names, celebrity politicians that everyone wants to see, said Chris Savage, founder of the Michigan-based Electablog. I am someone who is glad for that. This conference is best for me when the focus is on organizing and training and sharing best practices, and not focused on which famous politician is there.

Warren, who was the focus of a brief presidential draft campaign when she appeared at the 2014 Netroots, is the only potential 2020 presidential candidate on the conventions schedule. But organizers expect a record crop of down-ballot candidates looking for ideas and support. Both of Georgias leading Democratic candidates for governor, State Rep. Stacey Abrams and State Rep. Stacey Evans, will hit the convention with divergent theories of how the party can win in the South.

The sheer number of activists already stepping up to run as first-time candidates is breaking records, said Carolyn Fiddler, the political editor of Daily Kos. I expect a lot of activists at the conference will be looking for ways to plug in not only to campaigns, but also to resources for potential candidates.

Randy Bryce, an ironworker running a buzzy long-shot campaign against House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), described a packed Friday schedule that would take him from meetings with the election-focused Progressive Change Campaign Committee, to an interview with Samantha Bees show, Full Frontal, to a happy hour sponsored by the Howard Dean-founded Democracy for America.

Its about building up a network of people who have the same goals as you, and want to win some elections, Bryce said. Its going to be a big help.

The troubles of the Trump administration will shape the conference, too, as activists discuss how to make Republicans work even harder. The American Federation of Teachers will explain how a dedicated effort from educators, parents and the community made Education Secretary Betsy DeVos infamous, imperiling her nomination. Groups like Bend the Arc and Muslim Advocates will share how they actually defeated Trump nominees for other jobs, such as Labor Secretary nominee Andrew Puzder.

For longtime convention attendees, its a bit of deja vu to the final years of a Bush administration that ground to a halt after a failed campaign to privatize Social Security.

The convention played a key role in forming the prospective policy ideas that came from opposing the Bush agenda, said ACLU political director Faiz Shakir, who previously attended Netroots as the editor of the liberal news site ThinkProgress. I think this year presents the same opportunity and challenge. Im anticipating a pretty thoughtful and engaged audience deliberating over what ideas could convert resistance into meaningful success.

Gina Cooper, the conferences founder, said that she cant make it to Atlanta but sees parallels to the first Netroots gatherings.

Once again, the conference is a platform for the next generation of digital savvy progressive activists, Cooper said. The party apparatus and other operatives will have to decide if they want to harness this energy or just hope that it goes away. But it is not going away.

Read more at PowerPost
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta took what appeared to be an unassailable lead Wednesday in his bid for reelection, even as his opponent called the results fraudulent, raising fears of political violence after a bitterly contested race.

With 93 percent of the votes counted, Kenyatta led with about 54 percent, far ahead of opposition leader Raila Odinga at about 45 percent, according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

But Odinga called the results of Tuesdays election a complete fraud, outlining an elaborate hacking scheme that he said significantly manipulated the outcome. According to Odinga, a hacker used the login information of a top election official, Chris Msando, who was mysteriously killed last month, to enter the countrys electoral database.

He told his supporters not to accept Kenyattas reelection. Sporadic, mostly small-scale demonstrations popped up in the capital, Nairobi, and in parts of western Kenya, and police fired tear gas to break up at least one protest in the city of Kisumu. Witnesses said that two demonstrators were fatally shot by police in Nairobis Mathare slum.

The hacker, Odinga said, took control of the entire network and altered the results.

Supporters of Kenya's opposition party shout slogans as they set fire to barricades in Kisumu on Aug. 9 during a protest of election count figures. (Kevin Midigo/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

[Who are the men competing in Kenyas presidential election?]

The electoral commission said it was not prepared to dismiss Odingas claim outright. It also emphasized that the results released so far were provisional. Final results, which could be released in the next several days, will offer more substantiation, the commission said.

But election officials did not explain how the near-complete results already released online could differ significantly from a more formal tally. Amid the confusion, less popular presidential candidates accepted the results as accurate and conceded to Kenyatta.

We shall go into that and find out whether or not [Odingas] claims are true, Wafula Chebukati, the head of the electoral commission, said at a news conference.

Chebukati said the panel is calling for original voting materials for purposes of knowing and verifying before we do the final announcement.

Odinga, a former prime minister, has run unsuccessfully for president three times before. In 2007 and 2013, he alleged that the results were rigged. In 2007, the country was engulfed by post-election ethnic violence that left about 1,400 people dead.

Kenya has become one of Africas strongest economies and many consider it a pillar of stability in a fragile region. But its politics are still dominated by tribal loyalty, and elections bring with them the fear of violence.

Ahead of Tuesdays vote, many people left the capital for less-volatile areas in the countryside. Msandos death last month  and signs that he had been tortured  shocked the nation.

The vote itself was peaceful and seemingly smooth, with millions of people lining up nationwide and few major problems at polling stations, according to international election monitors.

At a news conference, Odinga urged his supporters to remain calm, even as he told them not to accept these results.

His running mate, Kalonzo Musyoka, added obliquely: There may come a time when we need to call you into action.

Officials from Kenyattas party urged Odinga to accept the outcome.

Only one campaign could emerge victorious. We appeal to NASA [Odingas party] to stop calling results fraudulent, Raphael Tuju, secretary general of Kenyattas Jubilee Party, told reporters. Tuju added that the results were not yet official.

When asked at a news conference how he knew about the hacking of the election database, Odinga said he could not reveal his source.

Many businesses were closed in some of Kenyas major cities, including Nairobi and Kisumu, with residents remaining indoors, glued to radios and televisions. In Mathare, one of Nairobis largest slums, Odinga supporters took to the streets Wednesday morning, and there was a brief surge of violence when a unit of police officers arrived.

Every time we vote in Kenya, our votes are stolen, said Akal Nicholas, a resident of Mathare and an Odinga supporter. We cant keep allowing this to happen. We have to do something.

Rael Ombuor contributed to this report.

Read more

Kenya votes in tight presidential race amid fears of ethnic strife

The Posts View: Specter of political violence looms over Kenyas progress

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday defended President Trumps forceful warning to North Korea to stop threatening the United States, but attempted to dismiss concerns that Guam is in any imminent danger from Pyongyangs missiles.

What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesnt seem to understand diplomatic language, Tillerson said in an interview with two pool reporters while flying from Malaysia to a scheduled refueling stop in Guam.

I think the president just wanted to be clear to the North Korean regime that the U.S. has the unquestionable ability to defend itself, will defend itself and its allies, and I think it was important that he deliver that message to avoid any miscalculation on their part.

[Why Trumps warning was unnecessary, scary, irresponsible]

On Tuesday, Trump sharply ratcheted up rhetoric against North Korea, saying it would face fire and fury if it does not stop threatening the United States. Trump did not make clear whether he was responding to the latest bellicose remarks from North Korea or a report in The Washington Post that the North had successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead capable of fitting inside its ballistic missiles.





Hours after Trumps comments, North Korea said it was preparing to send intermediate-range missiles near Guam, which is home to more than 160,000 U.S. citizens, including some 6,000 members of the armed forces. U.S. bombers have flown out of Guam on their way to joint exercises with South Korea and Japan over the Korean Peninsula.

[Why North Korea threatened Guam]

Tillerson is returning home from Asia, where he continued his campaign to get more countries fully enforcing U.N. sanctions against North Korea over its ballistic missile and nuclear testing, with an ultimate aim of forcing it to the bargaining table.

During Tillersons stop in Guam  which included brief meetings with some U.S. military personnel  Trump called attention to the might of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. In Twitter posts, Trump did not specifically mention North Korea, but the messages came as attention was focused on the confrontation with Pyongyang.

Trump asserted that U.S. nuclear power was now far stronger and more powerful than ever after his administration moved to renovate and modernize the arsenal.

Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world! Trump wrote.

[Trump claims credit for boosting nuclear arsenal]

(Victoria Walker,Danielle Kunitz/The Washington Post)

While Pyongyang has been making bombastic threats against the United States for some time, as the pace of its testing has accelerated its warnings have grown more specific and directed against the United States.

On Monday in Manila, where Tillerson was attending a regional security conference, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho issued a lengthy statement vowing that his country would never relinquish its nuclear weapons. Ri said the nukes would be used only against the United States, and he asserted that the entire U.S. mainland is within range of North Korean missiles.

Tillerson said Guam is in no more danger than anywhere else, adding that North Koreas threats naming the island as a target did not deter him from making a scheduled refueling stop here.

Well, the North Korean missile capability can point at many directions, he said. So Guam is not the only place that can be under threat. No, I never considered rerouting the trip back. And I do not believe that there is any imminent threat, in my own view.

Tillerson said North Koreas rhetoric shows that the campaign to turn Pyongyangs allies against it is working.

Russia and China, North Koreas main economic lifelines, both supported a new set of U.N. sanctions passed last weekend that could cut the countrys revenue by a third. And the Association of Southeast Asian Nations approved a statement expressing grave concern over North Koreas actions.

[What the new U.N. sanctions on North Korea mean]

In Washington, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis added to the competing messages of military resolve and diplomatic hope from the Trump administration. Mattis also emphasized the unified voice from the U.N. Security Council on North Korea.

While our State Department is making every effort to resolve this global threat through diplomatic means, Mattis said in a statement, it must be noted that the combined allied militaries now possess the most precise, rehearsed and robust defensive and offensive capabilities on Earth.

[Mattis warns North Korea that its actions will continue to be grossly overmatched by the U.S.]

Tillerson said he knew of no significant changes in the last 24 hours that could speed a move to military action. Nor does he see any reason for a change in strategy. Diplomatic and economic isolation is working, he said, even if it could take a long time to materialize.

I think in fact the pressure is starting to show, he said. I think thats why the rhetoric coming out of Pyongyang has gotten louder and more threatening.

Tillerson also said Americans should not worry about the increasingly angry tone displayed in recent days.

I think what the president was just reaffirming is that the United States has the capability to fully defend itself from any attack, and our allies, and we will do so, he said. So the American people should sleep well at night.

Key U.S. allies, meanwhile, called for a greater push to open talks with North Korea.

The spokeswoman for E.U. foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said a lasting peace and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula must be achieved through peaceful means.

That excludes military action, said the spokeswoman, Catherine Ray.

In New Zealand, Prime Minister Bill English called Trumps comments not helpful in a standoff that was already very tense.

Brian Murphy and Dan Lamothe in Washington contributed to this report.

Read more:

North Korea now making missile-ready nuclear weapons, U.S. analysts say

Trumps fire and fury statement echoes North Koreas own threats

Twenty-five million reasons the U.S. hasnt struck North Korea

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Welcome to The Independent Herald E-Edition! Check back each week on Tuesday to see our[Read More]
It was March 2020, and the world was closing down as the COVID-19 pandemic spread. At first, the news of...
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/08/2017 (1921 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Severe drought conditions are wreaking havoc with crops and hay land to the south and to the west, but here in Manitoba, things are looking pretty good, one farm industry official said this week.

Keystone Agricultural Association president Dan Mazier said most areas of the province had high soil-moisture levels going into the spring. That, coupled with some timely rains, helped most crops weather the recent hot spell.

The only thing that took a bit of a hit were some pastures and hay crops, he said, but now that were getting more rain, thats even going to help that out.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES The drought plaguing North Dakota came on quickly and is intensifying, leading ranchers to sell their cattle and farmers to harvest early whatever crops have grown so far this summer.

While North Dakota and parts of central Saskatchewan and eastern Alberta are experiencing severe drought conditions this summer, Mazier said thats not the story for most of Manitoba. Were looking at a pretty good, average crop this year almost right across the province.

The one big exception is the area around The Pas, where the problem is that its too wet, not too dry.

Mazier said it was so wet this spring only about five per cent of the crop got planted. Even now, its still too wet for farmers to cut their hay. Their tractors keep getting stuck in the mud.

Its like a dead zone. It looks like southwestern Manitoba did in 2011 and 2014, so theres a pile of hurt up there, he said.

As bad as that sounds, Mazier said as a producer, hed still rather have it too wet than have a drought.

A drought is the worst of all worlds. As a grower, Id rather take excess moisture over a drought any day. At least you can grow something in the wetness. You can help out the livestock industry and what not. But a drought hurts everything because everything needs water (to grow), he said.

Farmers in North Dakota and Saskatchewan know first-hand what Mazier is talking about.

The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is seeking a presidential disaster declaration because 82 per cent of the state is facing some stage of drought.

In the hardest hit areas, farmers are facing the prospect of little or no crops and ranchers have nothing to feed their cattle.

A presidential disaster declaration would pave the way for them to receive direct federal disaster payments.

To the west of Manitoba, The Canadian Press was reporting extremely dry conditions in parts of Saskatchewan.

Agricultural Producers Association president Todd Lewis was quoted as saying the ground on his southern Saskatchewan farm is so dry and deeply cracked that if a wrench was dropped down one of the crevasses, well never find it.

Environment Canada figures show Regina had the driest July in 130 years and Moose Jaw had the driest July on record.

It was also hot. Regina had 11 days above 30 C in July, while Swift Current had 14 days above 30 C.

Lewis said some crops are so poor farmers wont even bother combining them. To make matters worse, ranchers in southern Saskatchewan are also facing poor grazing conditions and have scaled back hay cutting because of the hot, dry weather.

We know that producers in the southern portion of the province are looking at hay shortages or feed shortages for the fall and winter, said Trevor Hadwen, an agro-climate specialist with Agriculture Canada.

Hadwen said while its probably one of the five driest years on record for agriculture, the situation is nowhere near as bad as it was during the 1930s.

What we have this year is a fairly localized, intense drought situation that some crops are doing fairly well through and some crops are suffering.

The dry conditions in Saskatchewan are also affecting water sources for cattle. In mid-July, about 200 cattle were found dead in a pasture in southwestern Saskatchewan after they drank water containing too much sulphate.

John Paul Cragg, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada, said there is one thing to remember about the weather.

Things in Saskatchewan can switch on a dime. Its very hard to tell what will happen with this dryness, whether it will persist, whether the precipitation pattern will change and theyll start seeing more precipitation in the south, he said.

 with files by The Canadian Press

and The Associated Press

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 08/08/2017 (1922 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  More people could end up behind bars as Ottawa ponders lowering the legal alcohol limit for licensed drivers.

Federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said Tuesday shes written to her provincial counterparts, asking for input on lowering the current level of blood-alcohol that results in convictions to 0.05 per cent from 0.08.

Manitoba police already seize drivers licences for those with a blood-alcohol level of 0.05 per cent, but a federal change would introduce fines and criminal records  and antagonism from business owners.

Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press While police in the province can already suspend licences of drivers caught with blood-alcohol levels above 0.05 per cent, charges dont kick in until drivers blow at more than 0.08 per cent.

Impaired driving is the leading criminal cause of death and injury in Canada, tragically killing and injuring thousands of Canadians every year, Wilson-Raybould wrote in a Tuesday statement.

Her letters, sent in May, came a month after the federal Liberals already tabled legislation that would tighten rules around driving drunk or high. If passed, the law would remove a requirement for police to have a reasonable suspicion a driver is impaired  grounds that defence lawyers often used to thwart prosecution.

The government wouldnt say whether it now plans to amend Bill C-46 to include a lower threshold for impaired driving. That legislation was introduced alongside another bill to legalize recreational cannabis, which the Liberals have pledged to pass by next July.

Although Wilson-Raybould sent the letters in May, they only came to light Tuesday after Montreals La Presse newspaper obtained a copy of the letter to her Quebec counterpart. The letter mentions that justice ministers discussed the idea at an unrelated meeting in late April.

Wilson-Rayboulds office provided a copy of the Manitoba letter to the Free Press. It notes that the current limit was introduced in 1969 and that research has shown increased risks since. The letter cites a drop in road fatalities in Ireland after a similar change was made.

Key stakeholders have long advocated for a lower criminal BAC [limit], Wilson-Raybould wrote, specifically citing Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

MADD has been calling on the federal government to lower the legal blood-alcohol limit since 1999, said Andrew Murie, CEO of MADD Canada.

Were very pleased the minister is considering doing this and weve been consulted in this process, he said.

I think not lowering the limit has long been more of a political decision than the research-based decision it should be. Im just hoping the minister follows through.

Police in Manitoba can already suspend licences for drivers with a blood-alcohol reading of 0.05 per cent, under the provinces Highway Traffic Act. But criminal charges fall under federal law, which kicks in at blood-alcohol readings of 0.08 per cent.

Federal charges also apply for driving while under the influence of drugs, failing to provide a breath or blood sample and killing or harming someone while impaired. If convicted for a first time, Manitoba drivers are charged $1,000 and lose their licence for a year. Impaired drivers face jail time for subsequent convictions.

According to the most recent statistics on MADD Canadas website, in 2014 there were 2,128 criminal charges filed in Manitoba for driving under the influence. In addition, there were 919 people who had their licences suspended for driving with blood-alcohol readings between 0.05 and 0.08 per cent.

In 2009, experts told the House justice committee that such a change could clog the courts with as many as 100,000 cases annually, but others argued it would deter impaired driving. The government argues its recent bill would clear up court time.

We hear this kind of fearmongering every time  itll clog up the courts, itll have an impact on restaurants. Well, its going to save lives and prevent injuries from happening. We cant stop that because a restaurateur is worried about profits. This is about safety, not profits, Murie said.

Many in the restaurant and hotel industries have long opposed changes to existing drinking and driving legislation, saying it could put further roadblocks between them and their customers and lead to lower food and drink sales.

Thats the position of Scott Jocelyn, president and CEO of the Manitoba Hotel Association.

While stressing the industry doesnt condone people over the legal limit getting behind the wheel of a vehicle, he says the MHA will seek to have its concerns addressed before any final decision is made on changes to current legislation.

Its quite a tight rope we walk; were not condoning drinking and driving, but this will have an impact on our business, so thats obviously very concerning to us, Jocelyn said.

We think there are some good measures in place right now to make sure people are responsible when theyre out. We think the legislation is at a good spot. For us, we dont want to give people another reason to think about not coming to us. If its more difficult, its another reason someone may think Hey, Im going to have a couple drinks, so I wont even go out tonight.

In a Tuesday statement, Manitoba Justice Minister Heather Stefanson wouldnt say whether she supports the idea.

I look forward to discussing this idea with my provincial counterparts and the federal government in the near future, she wrote.

Our government is focused on improving the safety of all Manitobans while also ensuring our criminal justice system is able to address societys most serious crimes.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca
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Premier Brian Pallister is planning a trade mission to Iceland.

Theres no date for the trip and the details arent locked down, said Chisholm Pothier, Pallisters director of communications.

The idea came together when Pallister met Monday with Icelands foreign minister and Icelands ambassador to Canada at Gimlis Icelandic Festival.

The Northern Lights appear in the sky over Bifrost, Western Iceland. (AP Photo/Rene Rossignaud)

The premier does intend to pursue a mission to Iceland. We have significant common interests in northern economic development, tourism, trade and cultural connections. He was invited and he accepted, but (there is) nothing concrete to confirm at this point.
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The Parker Lands owner has hired a security firm to prevent anyone from joining an encampment of protesters thats been blocking development for nearly a month.

Kevin Toyne, a lawyer for Gem Equities Inc., the real estate firm that acquired the 42-acre parcel in Fort Garry in a land swap in 2009, said Wednesday his client has the right to acquire private security.

The Rooster Town Blockade  named for an informal Metis community that was located nearby in the mid-20th century  set up its demonstration July 14, after Gem and its associated firms began to cut down trees in advance of development. About 15 acres of trees were removed before the blockade began.

BORIS MINKEVICH / FREE PRESS FILES The Rooster Town Blockade set up its demonstration July 14.

Toyne and Gem owner Andrew Marquess have criticized the Winnipeg Police Services handling of the demonstration. On July 26, after the Manitoba Court of Queens Bench denied a request for an urgent hearing into the protesters right to remain on the land, Toyne repeatedly accused the police of failing to act. He told the Free Press his client was considering hiring a private security firm.

In addition, the firm has erected several signs around the property, warning it is under 24-hour video surveillance and trespassers will be prosecuted.

The signs are meant to deter members of the public from joining what Toyne referred to as an illegal encampment.

On Tuesday, firms contracted by Gem and the numbered companies that own the property put up two large light towers. One is on the southwest corner of the site and the other is pointed directly at the encampment, where people have been spending the night in shifts since the demonstration began.

Toyne wouldnt say whether the lights, which have been on from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., are meant to make the protesters uncomfortable. He said they ensure the property is illuminated if (his) clients would like to have it illuminated.

When Gem took several protesters and affiliates, including Rooster Town Blockade leader Jenna Vandal, to court in July, it claimed the protest was causing irreparable harm in terms of financial loss and relationships with other businesses. In denying an urgent injunction, Justice Herbert Rempel scheduled the matter for Nov. 2.

Gem is appealing that decision to the Manitoba Court of Appeal and has asked for the hearing to be expedited. The next court date is Aug. 16, although Toyne doesnt expect the appeal to be heard that day.

Vandal, who was served Tuesday with a notice of the upcoming court appearance, said the intimidation tactics wont deter them.

Things will remain the same, Vandal said Wednesday.

We all recognize that theyre intimidations, but we plan on standing our ground because what were fighting for is far more important, she said.

Protesters believe Indigenous people werent properly consulted when the land was acquired by Marquess in 2009.

ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca
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Premier Brian Pallister has backed away from past assertions that he remains in regular contact with his staff while at his vacation home in Costa Rica. He now says hes accessible and available, as the need arises.

At a news conference Wednesday, his first since last weeks revelations about his communications practices while abroad, the premier said hes focused on his job every day.

Not a day goes by that Im not available, accessible. Not a day goes by that Im not focused on the job of making Manitoba a better place for the people who live here.

When it was suggested that being available was different than communicating regularly with staff, Pallister responded: Well, frankly, if sending emails and phone calls was your measure of effectiveness, we should have a teenager as the premier of Manitoba.

Pallister said hes effective in how he manages his time and he has a reputation for being dedicated and focused on the task at hand.

New questions about how much work Pallister does while in Costa Rica emerged last week after the NDP released the results of a series of freedom of information (FIPPA) requests. The results showed little contact between the premier and senior staff or ministers while he was abroad on three occasions last year, particularly during two trips last summer.

Private phone used

Government records obtained under FIPPA also showed Pallister frequently has frequently used a private phone and email account in his wifes name for government business. The records showed that a draft of a budget speech and a potentially sensitive legal opinion were sent to the premier via Esther Pallisters private email account.

Last month, as the premiers communications practices were about to be revealed at the urging of Manitobas ombudsman, the province implemented a new policy requiring that all ministers and staff use government-issued communication devices for government business.

Meanwhile, Pallister suggested Wednesday that his wife plays a significant advisory role in his business dealings.

She doesnt receive a salary from the taxpayers of Manitoba. Shes my principal adviser and confidante in my life, he said. Shell remain so.

She screens messages and so on so that when Im home with my family, I can be home with my family.  Pallister on his wifes handling of government emails

Pallister also revealed that his wife Esther was the recipient of government emails when he served as the Member of Parliament for Portage-Lisgar in the 2000s and served as chairman of the House of Commons finance committee.

He said his wife has long acted as a gatekeeper between him and the job when he is away from the office.

She screens messages and so on so that when Im home with my family, I can be home with my family. This is part of our motivation as a family, he said. Its part of the reason, quite frankly, I think that theres strength in our marriage and our relationship with each other and our children.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister talks about his travel and communication activities in his office at the Manitoba Legislature.

Its time for this premier to take responsibility

NDP MLA Andrew Swan said the premier should have been upfront when asked originally about how he communicates with staff while hes abroad.

Its time for this premier to take responsibility and to apologize for having misled the Opposition, the media and the people of Manitoba for months and months and months, he said Wednesday.

Swan again accused Pallister of using his wifes cellphone and email accounts to conduct government business in an attempt to avoid scrutiny under FIPPA, which the premier has repeatedly denied.

Pallister has said his wifes phone and account were used to ensure he paid for the costs of all communications with colleagues and staff when he was out of the country.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
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Brian Pallister takes offence at being accused of being lazy because he doesnt send a lot of emails or make many phone calls while at his vacation home in Costa Rica.

And he rejects the notion that he used his wifes personal phone and email account for government business because he was trying to avoid public scrutiny.

In his first interview since last weeks revelations about his email and phone use while abroad, Pallister defended his work ethic.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Premier Brian Pallister suggested the story about his out-of-country communications didn't immediately come to light because of the decisions of provincial bureaucrats who handle freedom of information requests.

He also suggested the whole story about his out-of-country communications didnt immediately come to light because of the decisions of provincial bureaucrats who handle freedom of information requests.

I could send more emails and act like I was working (while in Costa Rica), but the fact of the matter is Im best measured on results and outcomes, he said in a nine-minute interview late Tuesday. And there isnt a day that goes by that Im not thinking of a way to make Manitoba better for people here. Not one day.

Every job Ive undertaken I do with all my heart, and thats exactly what Im doing now. Nobody like me likes to be attacked on being lazy. Its not valid. Its not fair, and I shouldnt have to be in a position of having to defend it.

He said the periods hes been away in Costa Rica since becoming premier  parts of July and August last summer, and from mid-December until just after the New Year  tend not to be the most heavily active government times.

Would there be the same frequency of interaction (with staff) if a man delegated intelligently? How is it an indication of my effectiveness as a leader the number of emails, texts and phone calls I make between Christmas and New Years?

New questions about how the premier spends his time while abroad emerged last week after the NDP released the results of a series of freedom of information or FIPPA requests. The results showed little contact between the premier and senior staff or ministers while he was out of the country. They also showed that Pallister frequently uses a private phone and email account in his wifes name for government business, including for receiving a draft of this years budget speech and sensitive information concerning a legal case.

On the very day that the province decided  after being pressured by the ombudsman  to release the information to the NDP, the government created a new policy barring the use of private communication devices for government business.

NDP Minto MLA Andrew Swan said Tuesday the premier and senior government staff misled Manitobans about their communications practices before the ombudsmans interventions.

Swan said earlier FIPPAs requesting emails and phone records between Pallister and senior staff while the premier was away always came up empty.

The premier, unfortunately, has surrounded himself with people who appear to be practising a culture of deception, the former NDP justice minister said. If it was one call or one email that was forgotten, I think anybody could understand that, but we are now seeing that the premier seems to have come up with an alternative way of communicating, using other than his government email and other than his government phone.

Theyre now creating policies because the premier has now created a culture of trying to get around the (FIPPA) law and get around what was common sense for the previous government (to use government phones and email for government business). And its unfortunate thats been necessary. If it means that the premier will admit hes wrong and change his ways, thats a positive step. But it should never have come to this.

Pallister had a different explanation as to why earlier responses to NDP FIPPA requests failed to turn up records relating to his wifes phone and email. He said the FIPPA official charged with responding to the NDPs requests based their decision on past practices.

Im not blaming the FIPPA co-ordinator, but the questions that the FIPPA co-ordinator wants to answer, they answer. Im not the one that takes charge of that.

Pallister said he wishes he had done more research a year ago or so before deciding to use a private device for government business  a decision he claimed was to avoid burdening the taxpayer with communication bills related to his travel to Costa Rica.

If I had any regret it would be that we didnt dive deeper into that topic earlier  of government versus personal devices, he said.

Pallister said he asked a senior government official early on if a private phone would be any less secure than a government one, and was told there was no difference.

He said he has since learned that there are ways of enhancing security on government devices so they are more secure than private ones.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
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OTTAWA  As Churchill enters its 11th week without rail service, the federal regulator says Manitobans must file complaints before it will investigate whether Omnitrax is breaching its duty to maintain rail service.

A spokeswoman for the Canadian Transportation Agency said no one has written to the regulator about unfulfilled service obligations on the Hudson Bay Railway since May 24. Thats when the line became inoperable from north of Gillam to Churchill after heavy flooding washed out numerous bridges.

We have not received any complaints against the Hudson Bay Railway to date, Trinh Phan wrote in an email Wednesday.

Omnitrax Handout Omnitrax has a contractual obligation to keep the rail line running under a 2008 agreement that saw the feds and Manitoba each contribute $20 million for repairs along the line, but the American company said repairing the damaged line is not economically viable following flooding (above) in May.

On July 18, Omnitrax said it wouldnt pay an estimated $20 million to $60 million to repair the line because it was not economically viable. Since then, the federal government has insisted Omnitrax has a contractual obligation to keep the rail line running, under a 2008 agreement that saw the feds and Manitoba each contribute $20 million for repairs to the line.

Last week, transportation lawyers told the Free Press Omnitrax could be legally compelled to restore service to Churchill under federal laws that prohibit companies from abandoning train lines  laws that take precedence over funding contracts.

They pointed to a February decision in which the regulator ruled that a railway company cannot permanently relieve itself of its statutory obligations by indirect means by deciding not to rehabilitate a railway line. The ruling said companies have to restore service within a reasonable amount of time and can be held liable for customers added costs after that time has passed.

But the transportation agency wont investigate whether Omnitrax is breaching its duties until complaints are filed.

That kicks off a four-step procedure that lasts 20 to 85 business days and could see the regulator compel the company to restore service within a certain time frame.

This week, the office of Transport Minister Marc Garneau noted the law obliges all railways to accept and carry traffic offered, and to provide suitable and adequate service.

Spokeswoman Marie-Anyk Cote said anyone can complain to the regulator  but residents along the line have told the Free Press that no one told them they had to formally complain.

Churchill Mayor Mike Spence says hes focused instead on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau intervening. The two spoke by phone July 29, during Trudeaus visit to Winnipeg.

The federal government is aware of the tight time lines required for repairing the line, Spence said.

Last week, the Association of Manitoba Municipalities met with Spence, and pledged to assist in keeping the issue in the spotlight and support its northernmost member in any way possible.

Omnitrax might soon give a more precise estimate of the cost of fixing the line. Last Friday, it received an updated engineering assessment report from AECOM Canada. We will have more details to share once the report has been reviewed and shared with key stakeholders, Omnitrax chief commercial officer Peter Touesnard wrote.

This week, Garneaus office has continued to evade questions about what options its considering, such as bailing out Omnitrax, suing the company or nationalizing the rail line.

The government of Canada is looking at all options to ensure that contracts and obligations are respected and fulfilled, Cote wrote.

The spokeswoman pointed to the 2008 funding agreement, saying it obliges Omnitrax to repair and maintain its line and maintain service to residents.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca

2008 funding agreement for repairing the Hudson Bay Railway
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A new international study has praised a few Manitoba schools for making significant progress in Indigenous education  but decries how far Canada still has to go.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study on Promising Practices for Supporting Success in Indigenous Education was released in Paris this morning.

While lamenting the lack of both data on Indigenous education and means to measure improvement, the OECD drew links between poverty and poor academic performance.

The OECD singled out for praise and as a model for other schools an unnamed school in the heart of an impoverished neighbourhood in North Winnipeg  although the description suggests it could be William Whyte Community School.

While many Indigenous students start school later than other students and dont have any preschool learning  then suffer by comparison from a slow start  the OECD said, the Winnipeg school emphasizes early childhood education, home visits and involving parents in the schools daily life, even training some parents and other community members as school staff.

Another unnamed Winnipeg school has used sweat lodges to improve students learning, the researchers found. The OECD quoted an unidentified teacher who said, Were like a family. Staff are investing in the children and the children can feel it.

The study examined Indigenous education in Manitoba, Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Australia and New Zealand.

There is a clear will and strong commitment among officials and stakeholders at every level to improve education outcomes for Indigenous students, the report said.

OECD cited a common formula thats worked well for schools: an inspirational leader; strong relationships with local students, parents and communities; capable and committed staff; a sustained commitment to improving Indigenous students education; and using every means possible to improve.

There must be firm and measurable goals, with some means of collecting data and then comparing those data in a way that improvement can be measured, the OECD said.

Canada has one of the worlds highest distinctions between its richest and poorest citizens, with resulting gulfs in childrens education, the OECD said. While 2011 data show 13 per cent of non-Indigenous, non-immigrant white kids live in poverty, the national figure rose to 51 per cent for First Nations children and 60 per cent for children living on reserve  OECD says it is shocking that 76 per cent of children living on reserves in Manitoba and 69 per cent in Saskatchewan live in poverty.

The OECD randomly tests tens of thousands of students in math, science and reading every three years. Results released late last year again showed Manitoba students doing well compared with much of the industrialized world, but ranking at or near the bottom in Canada  a spot weve occupied for several rounds of testing.

Teachers interviewed for todays report continually cited student attendance as the most crucial factor in success. Having Indigenous support staff working with students and with parents helps get Indigenous kids to school, researchers found. They emphasized that schools must avoid deficit thinking  they should not approach enhancing Indigenous education by assuming something is lacking in the kids.

Researchers pointed to Manitobas launching in the 2013-14 school year of Tell Them from Me: Bullying and School Safety, an online student survey that helped educators understand what their students were facing.

The OECD crunched numbers of all students who wrote the 2015 international tests in math, reading and science, to show that for every year of some form of early childhood education, a child performed significantly better than a child in the same country who started later  close to 10 per cent better with three additional years of learning.

Manitoba, the OECD pointed out, only starts compulsory school in Grade 1 and no later than when a child is seven years old.

Every school division in Manitoba has kindergarten (for a full day in some schools); Winnipeg and Frontier school divisions, as well as the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine, have nursery; and preschool education programs are growing here.

Skipping school and arriving late are directly related to lower test scores, the OECD researchers said. The more economically disadvantaged kids are, the more likely they are to skip school. The lower the family income, the less likely a child can get to school in time and with a decent breakfast.

The entire report is available at oecd.org/edu/promising-practices-in-supporting-success-for-indigenous-students-9789264279421-en.htm.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca

promising-practices-in-supporting-success-for-indigenous-students-9789264279421-en.htm
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A 16-year-old boy spent more than seven months in an adult jail in Manitoba after he was mistakenly charged as an adult because of confusion about his age.

The teen, who cant be identified, was arrested in January and booked into Milner Ridge Correctional Centre, a minimum-to-maximum security facility for adult males, while awaiting trial on armed robbery charges.

The error came to light in youth court Friday when defence lawyer Jody Ostapiw asked for the 16-year-olds adult criminal charges to be dropped in favour of going ahead with the proper youth charges. He pleaded guilty Aug. 4 to youth charges, including for firing a pellet gun at a 23-year-old man. The man needed surgery to remove the pellet from his right hand.

The teen, who was 15 when he and three other youth broke into a Kennedy Street apartment suite on July 25, 2016, moved with his family to Guelph, Ont., before he was identified as a suspect. Video surveillance led police investigators to arrest three others  a 13-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl  before an arrest warrant was issued for the teen in Guelph.

When he was brought back to Winnipeg in January to await trial, he was incarcerated at Milner Ridge, where he remained until his court appearance before provincial court Judge Heather Pullan at the Manitoba Youth Centre.

Im sure theres an extremely complicated story about how this came to occur. I have to say, in all my years, this is a new one, Pullan said after Ostapiw explained her teen client had been held in error at Milner Ridge since January.

Ive heard of these issues in the past; sometimes theres a borderline between when a youth is 17 and 18, and sometimes theres documentation from other countries. If thats applicable here, that causes some confusion, but this is a big difference, Pullan added.

The Youth Criminal Justice Act, which governs criminal charges for those under 18, states youth must be kept separate from Canadas adult criminal justice system. Its meant to follow principles emphasized in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which says every child deprived of liberty shall be separated from adults unless it is considered in the childs best interest not to do so.

As a result, separate youth jails exist for people between the ages of 12 to 18 who are charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

A youth can legally serve time in an adult jail or prison if their crime is deemed worthy of a harsher, adult sentence, but a judge has to order the youth be transferred to an adult facility after sentencing.

Ostapiw declined to comment on the case because it is still before the court. Her client is scheduled to be sentenced in September. In court, when the judge asked why the issue took so long to get straightened out, Ostapiw said the teen was initially represented by a different lawyer.

When Ostapiw took on the case, she had to wait for the teens family in Ontario to provide paperwork from Eritrea that ultimately satisfied Crown prosecutors that he was underage.

A court hearing to determine the boys age had been set for Aug. 16  eight months after his arrest.

In the meantime, as I put my materials together, I was able to get the information from the family, Ostapiw told court.

When adult charges were laid, no one was aware at that time of the teens age, a justice official told the Free Press.

A representative from Manitoba Justice was not available for comment.

Courts are sometimes called upon to determine the age of an accused in cases where proof of age is disputed or doesnt exist, particularly if the accuseds true birth date makes the difference between dealing with youth charges versus charges under the adult criminal justice system  which often come with steeper penalties upon conviction. Those kinds of cases often involve refugees or newcomers who arrived in Canada without proper documentation.

In 2013, Manitoba provincial court Judge Robert Heinrichs ruled the court couldnt proceed with adult charges against a teen who was born in Sudan and grew up in a Uganda refugee camp because he was likely under 18 when the charges were laid  despite the birth date he was assigned upon arrival in Canada.

That teen spent a number of days in custody at the Winnipeg Remand Centre before the court made a determination on his age, Judge Heinrichs decision said.

Its not unknown to the justice system in Manitoba with respect to important records like birth certificates not being available, said defence lawyer Scott Newman, spokesman for the Criminal Defence Lawyers Association of Manitoba.

While he couldnt comment on this particular case, Newman said it is unusual for a youth to be held in adult custody for several months awaiting trial.

Its certainly not a common occurrence, he said.

The youth criminal justice system currently doesnt fall within the mandate of Manitobas Office of the Childrens Advocate, but the office does frequently work with children who find themselves involved in the justice system, deputy childrens advocate Ainsley Krone told the Free Press via email. She couldnt speak specifically about this case  nor could the Manitoba Ombudsmans office, which investigates complaints about provincial institutions. But Krone said we would consider it unusual.

It is important  wherever possible  to keep youth and adults separate and to ensure that youth involved with the justice system have access to the kinds of services and supports that can assist them in turning their lives around. Youth and adults are not treated the same when dealing with the justice systems  the youth system has as a key tenet, a focus on rehabilitation, Krone wrote in the statement.

In addition, the Youth Criminal Justice Act recognizes the amplified vulnerability of youth, their right to special protections and rights, the importance of acknowledging responsibility, faster resolutions, as well as the vital role of parents and family in how a youth can be supported to lead a more positive life going forward.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @thatkatiemay
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For a summer course called Emerging Issues in Human Rights that uses the city as its classroom, the emergence of a group of LGBTTQ* asylum seekers calling themselves the Ghana pavilion couldnt have been timed better.

It will come up in my class, said Global College instructor and Manitoba Sen. Marilou McPhedran, who created the course seven years ago at the University of Winnipeg.

Sexual orientation and gender identity are always an issue students are open to address, she said.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Senator and Global College instructor Marilou McPhedran with her Emerging Issues in Human Rights students on a bus Tuesday.

After being named to the Senate in 2016, she returned to Winnipeg and is using her summer break to teach the intensive 10-day, six-credit course. Every year, she uses the city, its sites and its issues as its textbook  including Folklorama.

This year, outside various Folklorama pavilions, eight men wearing pink T-shirts that read, Ghana Pavilion on the front and LGBTQ Rights Now! on the back are collecting signatures on a petition calling on Ghana to decriminalize homosexuality.

Its great, Sulemana Abdulai said Tuesday. Weve collected between 2,000 and 3,000 signatures.

The former fashion designer said he was forced to flee Ghana for safety after he was outed and his shop set on fire. Abdulai organized fellow LGBTTQ* refugee claimants who walked over the border earlier this year to ask Canadians to support the petition they plan to present to Canadas prime minister, global affairs minister and Ghanas high commissioner to Canada.

On Tuesday night, they planned to return to the area outside the Caribbean pavilion to collect signatures as well as visit The Forks.

Abdulai said they have to keep their distance from Folklorama pavilions. When we go there, they chase us off their property, so we came to the sidewalk.

Folklorama keeps its distance from politics or activism and did not respond to a request for comment.

McPhedran said if her students encounter the LGBTTQ* Ghanaians at a pavilion, they will be able to sign their petition if they choose. On Tuesday night, her students were to start at the Caribbean pavilion.

On the way, I do a mini-lecture on some of the pressing human rights issues in the places were visiting, she said.

Once they get there, the lecturing stops, McPhedran said. When were inside the pavilions were there to be respectful and celebrate with the volunteers who worked so hard to celebrate their culture.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS McPhedran signs a petition calling on the Ghanaian government to change its anti-LGBTTQ* policies.

Over the next nine days, there will be plenty of lively discussion and learning in the classroom, at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and with more than 20 guest lecturers with first-hand knowledge of whats required to have lived rights  not just those entrenched in laws and codes.

Theres a difference between knowing about your rights, claiming your rights and what it actually takes in your community, your country  globally  to live your rights.

Emerging Issues in Human Rights runs to Aug. 18 in collaboration with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and with scholarship support from Rotary 5550 World Peace Partners, McPhedran said. A portion is taught in the museum with classes at several locations, using the city as a living campus, she said. Its to place the entire course in the multicultural context  in the living of rights and all the contradictions, complications, difficulties and frankly a lot of the heart-break of claiming your rights.

Winnipeg Harvest, Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and Ka Ni Kanichihk will serve as some of their classrooms, McPhedran said. At the class conducted at the food bank, they look at the right to food and the right to water and the reality that people experience  how structurally we perpetuate the denial of rights.

The course looks at the law, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, global declarations of human rights and provincial human rights codes and what it takes for people to have their rights recognized, she said  whats an aspirational articulation and whats really going on.

I make the point that very often we see examples of customs and culture that become elevated by government and the dominant society as rights when theyre not  theyre rules because theyre instituted wrongs which deny rights. We unpack all that.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/08/2017 (1921 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Last week, I was chatting with my uncle, a retiree on a fixed income, about the health service cuts at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

He said, If the deficit is $83 million, why doesnt everyone just pay a bit more in taxes and then cuts would not be required?

Ideology is the answer. In Tax is Not a Four Letter Word, Alex and Jordan Himelfarb explain the mantra taxes are too high is simply ideology when it is divorced from a discussion of what taxes buy.

And what do they buy? A 2009 study found Canadians enjoy an average of $41,000 worth of public services annually. Pooling our resources allows us to enjoy health care, education, infrastructure and safe food. This is far more than most of us could afford individually, given the average wage for a single person in Canada is $32,100.

Separating taxes from the services they pay for is impossible. And taxes have already been cut substantially. Revenue as a percentage of GDP is the lowest in decades and is below the OECD average. We are paying with a social deficit of 164,000 Manitobans struggling with poverty and a looming climate crisis.

The rhetoric of tax cuts implies they will pay for themselves. But as the provincial Conservative government rolls out its agenda, all we are seeing to date are cuts to crucial services such as health care, including the closure of three Winnipeg ERs and rural EMS, plus the elimination of specialized services from physiotherapists to lactation consultants.

Another assumption is tax cuts stimulate the economy. But a corporate or business tax cut does not automatically result in economic growth. Since 2000, corporate taxes have been reduced to 15 per cent from 28 per cent, yet the same Canadian corporations amassed more than $500 billion in excess cash despite a stagnant economy. The Great Recession was turned around by public stimulus spending, not private capital.

The tax-cut ideology assumes government is the problem, and from that it follows the public service needs to be cut. Despite their electoral promises to the contrary, the provincial Conservatives are cutting front-line workers  and doing so in a manner that is not transparent.

The so-called Value for Money audit has not been released, yet new cuts are announced weekly. The government appears to be shooting from the hip. A look to the U.S. reveals where business people elected to government shooting from the hip can take us.

Most Manitobans understand the good deal taxes produce: 64 per cent of us would pay higher taxes to protect our social programs; 60 per cent support higher taxes on the rich to pay for needed programs.

Where can this revenue come from? The carbon tax is an opportunity to reduce carbon pollution and recycle revenue into green jobs. Manitoba needs an upper income tax bracket. The federal corporate business tax could be reinstated to 2000 levels and shared with the provinces. These steps alone would mean that scheduled service cuts need not be made while new progressive taxation options are explored.

The Manitoba NDP cut $1 billion in cumulative annual tax revenue during their time in office: $595 million in income tax reductions and $339 million in property tax reductions. This is the size of the current provincial deficit.

If these cuts had not been made, Manitoba would have been in a better position to deal with the 2011 flood, right after the 2008 Great Recession and in the face of declining federal transfers.

But the NDP fell into the neo-liberal tax-cut rhetoric in an effort to appeal to right-of-centre voters. The reduction in revenue impeded the provinces ability to return to a balanced budget. With limited revenue, the NDP were framed by the Conservatives as spendthrift. Yet the problem was less that they were spending too much and more that they were steadily cutting taxes.

So it is ironic the current provincial government sees tax cuts as a solution. Instead of helping, actions to date will have detrimental impacts on Manitobans. Access to health care will be reduced and needed investments to end poverty  in basic needs, social housing, child care, mental health and post-secondary education  are not being made.

And because the Conservative tax-cut agenda has no plan to bring in replacement revenue, the strategy constitutes a recipe for still deeper service cuts. These cuts could very well lead to privatization, as the Conservatives look to sell off assets to balance the budget, just as they did with Manitoba Telecom System in 1997.

We may grumble a bit when paying bills. But its important to remember for all but the very richest among us, a decent quality of life requires the provision of public services. Taxes are the price we must pay for this.

An economic strategy based solely on cutting taxes, services and employees is deeply flawed and will lead to a reduced quality of life. We are better off if we can pool our resources and manage them effectively and efficiently, for today and future generations.

Molly McCracken is the director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Manitoba office
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/08/2017 (1921 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was never my plan to tell Pakistanis their country had been a mistake.

I was 19 years old at the time, in Pakistan for the summer with 40 other young Canadian university students on a trip to foster international understanding. I had already realized this was a completely pointless exercise, but it was a free trip and I had never been out of North America before.

I also already knew sticking up handbills in Lahore announcing a public debate in which the visitors would argue the creation of Pakistan had been a bad idea would also be a very bad idea, but nobody asked my opinion.

Shakil Adil / The Associated Press files Supporters of deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif rally in favour of their former leader in Karachi, Pakistan.

So there were rent-a-crowd riots in Lahore and the military dictator of the time had us all arrested and shipped up to a boys school in Abbotabad  empty for the summer  until they could find enough seats on Pakistan International Airlines to expel us all.

(The same town was also, much later, the last refuge of Osama bin Laden, but I digress.)

Anyway, this month marks the 70th anniversary of the partition of India and the independence of Pakistan, so maybe its time to revisit that aborted debate. Especially since the 18th prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, has just been forced out of power by Pakistans supreme court. In all those 70 years, not one of Pakistans prime ministers has ever managed to complete one full term in office.

Pakistan is not exactly a failed state. It provides a very comfortable life for around five million privileged people, including the immensely rich Sharif family. (Nawaz Sharifs brother Shahbaz will take over as prime minister as soon as he can quit his job as chief minister of Punjab state and get elected to the national assembly.)

Another 30 or 40 million people have a modest but tolerable life and the other 150 million just scrape along the bottom.

India is not rich either. Per capita income in India is only about 20 per cent higher than in Pakistan and the per capita income of Indias 190 million Muslims  who are the poorest of the countrys major religious communities  is probably slightly lower than average income in Pakistan. But its still worth asking if everybody would have been better off if British-ruled India had not been partitioned in 1947.

First of all, it was the best educated and most prosperous part of Indias Muslim population that moved to Pakistan in 1947. If their 20 million descendants were still in their ancestral homes, average Muslim incomes in the truncated India of today would be a good deal higher.

The proportion of Muslims in the population of an undivided India would have been so high they could not be ignored politically.

If Pakistan (and Bangladesh, which broke away from Pakistan in 1971) were still part of India, Muslims would not be 13 per cent of that un-partitioned Indias population. They would be more than 30 per cent.

Such an India, assuming it remained democratic, could never have ended up with a sectarian Hindu nationalist such as Narendra Modi as prime minister. One-third of the electorate would instinctively vote against him. By the same token, Muslims who stood on a religious platform would not succeed  but lots of Muslims would be elected to high office on their merits.

Is this naive? Wouldnt the evil Hindus just massacre the Muslims? That was, after all, the implicit reasoning behind the demand of a separate state for Muslim Indians.

If the Hindu majority havent massacred the 190 million Muslims of todays India, how were they going to massacre the 530 million Muslims of an undivided India?

An estimated 10,000 people have been killed in Hindu-Muslim communal violence in India since 1950, and three of the victims were Muslims for every Hindu killed  but these numbers hardly compare with the immediate and long-term cost in lives of partition.

At least a million people were slaughtered in the mutual Muslim-Hindu massacres of 1947, when 10 million people moved from India to Pakistan or vice versa. Another million civilians were killed in the 1971 war that broke Pakistan apart and led to an independent Bangladesh. And although the four India-Pakistan wars only killed about 30,000 soldiers, both countries now have nuclear weapons.

One other thing. No partition would probably have meant no military coups in the subcontinent. India has been the worlds largest democracy for 70 years, whereas Pakistan and Bangladesh have been ruled by generals for almost half of their independent histories.

Could it have happened differently? Both Gandhi who, for all his saintly status, was a profoundly sectarian Hindu leader and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the leader of the All-India Muslim League and the founder of Pakistan, were dead within a year after partition.

If the British government had not been in such a panic-stricken rush to get out of India, there might have been time for more moderate Hindu and Muslim leaders to negotiate a different outcome.

Or not, as the case may be. This is purely a hypothetical game, because once partition happened it was irreversible. But it would have certainly been an interesting debate.

Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries
Following the unilateral imposition of new sanctions by the United States against Russia, tensions between America and Europe have sharpened dramatically. The sanctions, adopted by a large majority in the US Congress, are being interpreted in Germany as a trade war measure against Europe.

The sanctions take aim at energy exports from Russia, which is the largest gas exporter and second-largest oil supplier in the world. Not only will the conclusion of new deals and the building of pipelines be affected, but also the maintenance, modernisation and repair of existing pipelines, which are extremely significant for energy supplies to Germany and other European countries.

Leading politicians, media outlets and business representatives are accusing the US of attempting to damage Europe economically by restricting energy imports and forcing up prices. Since Qatar, another major gas exporter, is being blockaded by the US ally Saudi Arabia, a global shortage of gas is threatened. Another charge being leveled against the US is that it is using the sanctions to bolster exports by its domestic shale gas and oil industries.

German firms doing business with Russia are fearful of problems emanating from the United States. The predominant feeling is one of great uncertainty, said Martin Wansleben, chief operating officer of the German Chamber of Industry and Trade (DIHK). If the activities of German companies in the US are restricted due to the Russia sanctions, this would prove to be an Achilles heel due to the significance of US trade for Germany.

The US is also being denounced for intentionally working to divide the European Union. Poland and the Baltic states are firmly opposed to the building of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, against which the sanctions are aimed. Since the pipeline would directly connect Russia with Germany and bypass their territories, these states fear a Russo-German alliance at their expense. As a result, the concern circulating in Brussels and Berlin is that in a conflict with the US, Poland and the Baltic states would side with Washington and break the EU apart.

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker once again threatened the US with tough counter-measures after US President Donald Trump signed the sanctions into law last Wednesday. If the US sanctions concretely disadvantage European firms doing business with Russia in the energy sector, the EU is prepared to respond appropriately within days, Juncker said. We are prepared. We also have to defend our economic interests against the US, and that is what we will do, he declared.

The conflict over the Russia sanctions is the highest point thus far of a confrontation that has been developing for some time. The economic and political interests of the US and Europe, and Germany in particular, are colliding with increased frequency.

One example is the sharp differences over the measures the US intends to adopt against steel imports from China. Although the EU also accuses China of dumping steel at low prices, it fears that Washingtons punitive tariffs will also hit European producers. Rumours are circulating that the EU Commission has already developed plans to respond to US tariffs within days by imposing restrictions on agricultural imports.

A study by the German government-aligned Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) published at the end of July and entitled Trade policy: Continuing confrontation with the US called for an escalation of trade war measures. It proposed restricting US imports where this would noticeably reduce the profits of US firms and affect a large number of jobs in the US. One example it identified was services, including the financial sector, in which the EU, unlike in the trade in goods, has a surplus.

The confrontation is therefore being pursued not only by the United States. Germanys ruling class has been attempting for years to become the leading power in Europe so as to be able once again to play an independent role as a world power. It is engaged to this end in a major military buildup. This is bringing Berlin into conflict with US imperialism, which is defending its position as the dominant world power with brutal military force.

If one follows the discussions in policy-making circles in Germany, it becomes clear that they view a confrontation with the US as inevitable and are systematically preparing for itand not just since the election of Trump and the adoption of his America First policy. It is significant that the Russia sanctions, which Trump initially opposed, were based on majority support from both Democrats and Republicans in Congress.

The German Society for Foreign Affairs (DGAP), which together with the SWP is Germanys leading think tank, published a 40-page dossier on foreign policy challenges for the next federal government. It reads like an instruction manual for a German militarist great power policy. Significantly, it identifies as the first of a dozen foreign policy challenges the political and economic risk factor of the US.

The other chapters, which deal with German interests in Russia, Asia, the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) and Europe, repeatedly identify the US as an opponent and rival. In dealing with Russia, the US is also a significant element of uncertainty, it states, and adds, similar risks are emerging in the Asian area due to the growing competition between the US and China.

The dossier begins by documenting what the German government has already accomplished in strengthening Germanys international and European role, and assuming more responsibility in the world: German engagement in the European Union, the role of a leader against Russia, German army interventions in the Middle East and as part of UN missions in Africa, the stationing of German troops on the territory of NATO allies.

It describes the EU as the most important multi-lateral trading area for Berlin and sees France as a strategic partner in this. The authors obviously take the view that Emmanuel Macrons version of Make France Great Again, notwithstanding the tensions it will produce, is at least temporarily compatible with the German desire for more independence from the US, especially on the issues of a military buildup, the creation of a European army, and joint military interventions in Africa.

The dossier draws two conclusions from its analysis. First: Foreign policy is being made in Germany. For this, German foreign and security policy, i.e., the military, requires more resources. In addition, using power politics requires changes in the mental coordinates of German foreign policy-makers, who must be prepared as a last resort to choose the option of national power.

Second: Foreign policy is being made for Germany. The authors understand by this the necessity of mobilising a social base for German militarismor, as they do, writing in a restrained manner about the tasks of foreign policy. It must represent Germanys interests, they write, and therefore convince the public about the integrity of the operation.

Another author, journalist Jorg Lau of Die Zeit, has already called on the DGAP website for the federal election to be turned into a campaign for rearmament and militarism. He sharply criticised opposition to the plan of raising the military budget to 2 percent of GDP, writing, Instead of making the federal election a referendum on an allegedly dangerous military buildup, we should clarify the German population on the new logic of German security policy: We have to spend much more on defence, not because of, but in spite of Trump, not because he commands it, but because we want to counterpose something to his aimless policy.

In this, all of the established parties support Lau. Then-Social Democratic Party (SPD) Chairman Sigmar Gabriel declared immediately after Trumps assumption of power that his trade war measures towards Asia and Latin America also opened up chances for us. If US protectionism results in new opportunities emerging for Europe throughout Asia, we should take action, he said. Shortly afterwards, Gabriel moved from the Economy Ministry to the Foreign Ministry and adopted a much tougher line towards the United States.

He is being outdone in this only by the Left Party. Sahra Wagenknecht recently called in Handelsblatt for countermeasures from Berlin against the US, which she described as a rogue state that is acting to gain a cheap advantage for its own gas industry. Now a clear line towards Washington [is] required, the Left Partys lead candidate said.

The Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (SGP) is the only party standing in the September federal election against war and militarism, placing this at the centre of its programme. Together with our comrades in Britain, France, the United States and around the world, we struggle for the international unification of the working class on the basis of a socialist programme. The SGP opposes the European Union, a tool of capital and militarism, and fights for the United Socialist States of Europe.

In the face of the rapid growth of militarism and the war danger, the SGPs election campaign takes on tremendous significance. It is politically preparing the working class and youth, which will bear the brunt of militarism, for the coming class battles that will inevitably arise out of the mounting social tensions.
The New Zealand wing of the pseudo-left International Socialist Organisation (ISO) published a statement on its web site on July 22 presenting its perspectives and approach for the countrys September 23 parliamentary election.

The statement, headed Kick National out!Build a Socialist Alternative, Reject Racismthe Left must welcome immigrants, was reportedly agreed at a special conference on July 89 attended by about 25 members. From beginning to end it underscores the fact that the ISO is in no sense socialist, but is a nationalist, middle-class group operating within the political establishment.

The ISO asserts that the election must see the end of the National Party government, to be replaced by a Labour-Greens coalition, supported by the trade unions. According to the ISO, the election promises of these two capitalist parties, which will be quickly ditched after the election, would make a material difference in workers lives.

This is a lie. Labour and the Greens are not a lesser evil compared to National. During the election campaign, Labour has attacked National from the right, calling for greater cuts to immigration, more police and increased military spending. It is widely despised in the working class, who correctly see it as no alternative to National. Both opposition parties have agreed to a set of Budget Responsibility Rules, reassuring big business they would deepen the austerity agenda and maintain the same expenditure cap as every government since the 1990s.

Labour is in sharp historic decline. On August 1, party leader Andrew Little stepped down to make way for his deputy Jacinda Ardern. The resignation came after six weeks of deepening unpopularity and polls that placed the partys support at just 23 percentits worst result since 1995. Adern is now Labours fifth leader since 2008.

The 2017 election is taking place under conditions of global economic slump and rising geo-political tensions. Around the world, governments are attacking the democratic rights and destroying the living standards of the working class in order to boost the profits of a handful of billionaires.

The most urgent danger facing the international working class is the drive to war. As US imperialism seeks to utilise its military might to offset economic decline, it is engaged in ever-more reckless ventures in every corner of the globe, threatening to spark a nuclear conflagration. Every party of the New Zealand ruling elite has committed to Washingtons intensifying military provocations in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

The struggle for socialism is not a distant question but the immediate task posed by the objective situation and emerging class struggles. A hundred years after the Russian Revolution, the working class is again faced with the task of mobilising on the basis of a socialist and internationalist program to prevent a capitalist war.

The dangers and tasks facing workers find no reflection in the ISO statement, which centres on petty calculations of how to put pressure on the government of the day within the national parliamentary set-up.

The ISOs only mention of war is a call to stop imperialist wars, without further explanation. In reality, the group is part of an international tendency that promotes the pro-war agenda of the US imperialism.

The ISO has singled out and falsely branded China and Russia as imperialist powers. Last year the group led protests outside the Russian embassy in Wellington blaming Moscow, not Washington, for the destruction and carnage in Syria. It works closely with a Syrian Solidarity group that demands military intervention by the UN and the US in support of Islamist, anti-Assad militias.

The ISO parades its supposed opposition to racism and the anti-immigrant policies of the major parties, but its record speaks otherwise.

All the pseudo-left groupsthe ISO, Fightback and Socialist Aotearoaembedded themselves in the Maori nationalist Mana Party and campaigned for it in the 2011 and 2014 elections, promoting it as anti-racist, pro-poor and anti-capitalist. These claims were always a sham. Mana represents sections of the Maori upper-middle class and elite. It has echoed calls by Labour and NZ First to cut immigration and denounced people of Asian descent for owning too many homes.

The ISO quit Mana on a purely pragmatic basis after Mana failed to win any seats in the 2014 election. The lack of any principled differences was highlighted by the ISOs declaration it would still be proud to work alongside Mana.

It was further underlined this June when Mana leader Hone Harawira demanded that Chinese people involved in the illegal methamphetamine trade should be executed. The ISO has not denounced this racist, draconian call to bring back the death penalty, nor explained why it glorified Harawira for years, describing him in 2013 as the only principled MP in parliament.

The pseudo-lefts share Harawiras nationalist and pro-capitalist politics. They joined Mana hoping to advance their own position within the political establishment. All of them are steeped in identity politics, which elevates race and gender above the fundamental division in society of class, and is one of the main political mechanisms for sections of the middle class to advance their careers in politics, academia, the trade unions and business.

The ISO has joined the efforts by the media and political establishment to prevent the Labour Partys collapse. It welcomed Arderns elevation to the leadership, declaring she was no left-winger, but if her leadership helps get some momentumany momentuminto Labour kicking National out then so much the better.

The installation of Ardern as Labours second female leader, alongside Kelvin Davis, the partys first Maori deputy leader, has not altered the partys pro-corporate and imperialist agenda. It was a calculated appeal to upper-middle class layers on the basis of gender and racial identity politics and thus fits with the ISOs own political preoccupations.

The ISO characterises Labour and the Greens not as capitalist parties, but as opportunistin other words, as parties of the left that can be pressured in the right direction from outside parliament by protests and strikes. The ISO holds up Jeremy Corbyns stunning success in Britain as an example of how workers can be won to a supposed left wing program.

This is a complete fraud. Corbyn in the UK, like Bernie Sanders in the US, is the undeserving and temporary beneficiary of a leftward movement among workers and youth. Despite his campaign rhetoric, Corbyn is not a socialist and had already abandoned many of his purported principles in the course of the UK election. UK Labours election manifesto contained many demands of the partys Blairite right-wing, including a tight limit on government spending as well as support for NATO and the Trident nuclear weapons system.

Corbyn, moreover, is just as nationalist and anti-immigrant as his NZ Labour counterparts. He declared in June that the wholesale importation of underpaid workers from the European Union was used to destroy the conditions of British workers, and demanded new restrictions.

The promotion of Corbyn by the ISO and pseudo-left outfits internationally stems from the needs of the ruling classes to block the development of revolutionary consciousness in working class. The Socialist Equality Group in New Zealand exposes the role of the ISO and other pseudo-left groups in order to build an independent political movement of the working class against war, social inequality and attacks on democratic rights on the basis of genuine socialist internationalism.
Around 700 male asylum seekers have been languishing in the Australia-financed and run detention centre on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea (PNG) for three years or more. Now they are being threatened with police violence unless they move to a less secure transit centre, where they can be dumped permanently to live in impoverished conditions in PNG.

The detainees fear the move because those who have already ventured to Lorengau, the site of the transit centre, have previously been beaten, robbed or abused by local police and residents due to the anti-refugee rhetoric stirred up by the Australian and PNG governments.

On Monday, a 31-year-old Iranian refugee, Hamid Shamshiripour, was found dead near the transit centre. The local police suggested suicide, though no official report has been released. He is the fifth detainee to die on Manus Island since the previous Australian Labor government reopened it in 2012.

In late July, the Manus Island Processing Centre (MIPC) operational manager issued a letter announcing the centres Foxtrot compound would be closed, as of July 26, with the ceasing of water, power and cleaning services being imminent. This process is already well underway.

All residents are required to move effective immediately the letter insisted. Should you not move, you may be in violation of PNG law. Anyone occupying the centre without consent would be subject to legal action and any non-compliance and potentially illegal activity will be reported to the Royal PNG Constabulary.

Those deemed genuine refugees, determined through an extreme vetting process, could temporarily remain in other MIPC compounds, but will have to relocate in the imminent future to the East Lorengau Refugee Transit Centre (ELRTC).

Those classified as non-refugee face the prospect of temporary accommodation in Mike compound before an uncertain future that includes forcible deportation to their country of origin. The entire MIPC is scheduled for closure by October 31.

Under the restrictive 1951 international Refugee Convention, the only genuine refugees are those with a well-founded fear of persecution because of their race, religion, nationality or membership of a social/political group. This bars anyone who fled war, oppression, starvation or poverty.

The Manus Island vetting process also excludes anyone exhibiting a demeanour incompatible with a person of good character. This PNG guideline targets anyone who challenges the conditions forced upon them in the camps.

The asylum seekers at the MIPC organised protests demanding the Australian and PNG authorities reconnect the power and water. They also demanded that the Australian government abandon its drive to resettle them in PNG.

In response, a large group of police gathered to lock the gates and clear the Foxtrot compound. According to the detainees, Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force officers were directing the local police and centre guards.

Abdul Aziz Adam, a Sudanese refugee, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: They are gathering in a big group of maybe 100 to 120 guys and they are ready. They brought the fire guys in front and the police guards were everywhere and they locked the gate and they are ready to come in and drag people out of Foxtrot.

In the past, the Australian government has orchestrated the use of force against protesting detainees. In February 2014 soldiers and security personnel were increased before the detainees were told they would never be permitted to live in Australia. Police and guards then set upon angry detainees, killing Reza Barati and injuring 77 others.

It is now clear that few, if any, of the detainees will be sent to the US this year as part of the swap deal announced in November 2016. Australias Liberal-National government promised to take some US detainees from Costa Rica, in exchange for the US accepting heavily-vetted asylum seekers from Australias prison camps on Manus Island and Nauru.

The recently leaked phone call between Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and President Donald Trump showed this deal was always a cruel hoax. Turnbull told Trump the pact does not require you to take any detainees. Turnbull emphasised: Every individual is subject to your vetting. You can decide to take them or to not take them after vetting  The obligation is to only go through the process.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued a press release in late July condemning the Australian governments anti-refugee policy, saying it had caused extensive, avoidable suffering for far too long. The UNHCR said it had agreed to the US swap deal on the clear understanding that vulnerable refugees with close family ties in Australia would ultimately be allowed to settle there.

The UN agency said it was recently informed by Australia that it refuses to accept even these refugees and that the only option for them is to remain where they are or to be transferred to Cambodia or to the United States.

This is hypocrisy on the UNHCRs part. It claimed it had no choice but to endorse an inhumane refugee swap deal that flagrantly undermined the basic legal and democratic rights of asylum seekers that the UNHCR is supposed to uphold.

Nevertheless, the UN agencys public condemnation of the Australian government underscores the extent to which Australia is violating international refugee law.

By incarcerating and now seeking to dump refugees on remote islands, successive Australian governments, Labor and Liberal-National Coalition alike, have pioneered methods now being taken up by governments around the world, amid a worsening global refugee crisis.
At least 12 people are feared dead in the escalating government offensive against Awamiya, the Shia city in Saudi Arabias governorate of Qatif in the Eastern Province, amid the destruction of whole districts of the city. It brings the total killed in the months-long siege to 24.

While the security forces claim to be fighting gunmen in the city, activists on social media accuse them of driving local people from their homes by firing indiscriminately into residential areas and making life unbearable.

Tensions grew after reports that the government had given consent to the Albrahim property development corporation to demolish and regenerate Almosara, which it claims is being used by armed gunmen, and the district of al-Shweikah, 6 kilometres south of Almosara.

Houses and shops have been destroyed in the fighting, electricity has been turned off, and water, garbage collection and other essential services shut down. According to the web site Middle East Eye, hundreds of people have been evacuated or forcibly evicted from their homes. While the government claims that the residents whose homes have been demolished will be rehoused in the city of Damman, most of those made homeless have yet to be rehoused.

According to the newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat, out of a list of 23 wanted terrorists in the city, 10 had handed themselves in, several had already been killed and three were still at large.

Videos and photos from Saudi activists indicate that the monarchy has deployed armoured vehicles against the population. The Canadian government, which recently concluded a $15 billion arms deal with Riyadh, has raised concerns about the use of the Canadian-made vehicles.

The Shia minority in the oil-rich province suffer from crushing poverty following decades of economic neglect and political marginalisation. Their villages and towns such as Qatif, al-Hasa and particularly al-Awamiya, lack the infrastructure of their Sunni counterparts.

Since 2011, the city has witnessed protests against the brutal dictatorship of the House of Saud, calling for political reform and the release of political prisoners held for years without charge.

It was the home of the Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr who was executed along with 46 others in January 2016 by the Saudi government on false charges of terrorism due to his advocacy of secession if the government did not change its policy of oppression and discrimination against the Shia.

Last week, the highest court confirmed the death sentences on 14 Shia activistsconvicted in a secret counter-terrorism courtmuch to the concern of human rights organisations and United Nations officials. According to Reprieve, some of the 14 were sentenced to death for using cell phones and social media to organise protests, while at least one of the defendants had no access to a lawyer and no evidence was presented against another.

The so-called regeneration of Almosara appears to be part of a broader plan to change the demographic composition of the region that produces the majority of the House of Sauds wealth and effect a reduction of the Shia population.

The venal monarchy has promoted a wave of Sunni-based Saudi nationalism and whipped up sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shia, not just in Saudi Arabia but throughout the region, in opposition to Irans support for Riyadhs political rivals in Lebanon, Bahrain, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

This serves to divert attention from the discontent within the country where social tensions are explosive.

Saudi Arabia has seen a sharp reversal of its fortunes in recent years with massive budget deficits, plummeting foreign reserves and growth of less than 1 percent, the lowest for almost four years. The fall in oil prices, upon which the country depends for 70 percent of its revenue, has led to a drastic cutback in public expenditure, the imposition of a value-added tax and the proposed sale of 5 percent of Aramco to fund an economic diversification programme.

In addition, the 31-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed, who is king in all but name in place of his ailing 82-year-old father King Salman, has pursued an aggressive foreign policy, launching a murderous warwith US backingin Yemen in March 2015 that was aimed at suppressing Houthi rebels and reinstating the puppet government of President Abdrabbah Mansur Hadi.

The war has killed at least 16,000 people, of whom at least two thirds were civilians. While failing completely to achieve its military and political objectives, it has produced the complete breakdown of Yemens physical and social infrastructure and produced a humanitarian catastrophe, with over 400,000 reported cases of cholera and 7 million people on the brink of dying from famine.

At the same time, the war has come at an enormous cost to Saudi Arabia. The first nine months of the war cost $5 billion, with military operations now running at around $700 million a month.

Mohammed has overturned the Kingdoms decades-long policy of buying political quiescence with a social contract that provided some securityvia low utility prices, social subventions and public sector jobsfor the Saudi population.

In September last year he slashed housing, vacation and sickness allowances and reduced some civil service salaries by a third. Utility bills rose as subsidies fell, fuelling poverty levels while he splashed out on a multi-million-dollar yacht.

In June, the government tightened restrictions on foreign workers who constitute about 12 million of the countrys 33 million population in a bid to reduce unemployment among Saudi nationals, reserving retail jobs for Saudis.

The official unemployment rate of 12.7 percent is widely believed to be an underestimate. Other estimates suggest it is 27-29 percent, rising to 33 percent among young people between 20 and 24 years of age and 38 percent for 24- to 29-year-olds, in a country where two thirds of the population are under 30. Some 1.9 million Saudis out of a total citizenry of 20 million are expected to enter the workforce in the next decade.

While Saudi Arabias huge oil wealth is owned by a royal family that lives in the lap of luxury, at least 20 percent of Saudis suffer crippling or severe poverty, and between 2 million and 4 million people live in poverty in Riyadh alone.
By Katie Brinn

The scene in Hong Kong over the past week has gone from chaos to calm and back again, as tensions grow and pro-democracy throngs clash with pro-China demonstrators.

It all started on Sept. 26, when hundreds of students gathered in a courtyard in Central Hong Kong, demanding an end to Chinese oppression and control. Chinas modern history with Hong Kong has been complicated, to say the least. For more than 150 years, Hong Kong belonged to Britain. Then in 1997 Britain handed the thriving metropolis back to China in a political deal called One Country, Two Systems, which allowed Hong Kong to maintain some of the freedoms and independence mainland Chinese people do not have, such as freedom of the press and the right to assemble. The people of Hong Kong would even be allowed to elect their own leader in 2017.

But this summer China started to backpedal. It announced to Hong Kong that those elections could proceed only if the Chinese government selected all the candidates. To the people of Hong Kong, that meant they wouldnt have much control over their own government after all.

The students hit the streets, and thousands from Hong Kong rushed to join them in the days that followed. The Chinese government and the protesters have dug in their heels, and negotiations have failed. Now counter-protests from pro-China residents are complicating the situation.

To understand how the protests have escalated to this point, check out the video above, so as we watch the conflict develop, you can say, Now I Get It.
A 3-year-old boy found dead in a day care van had been left there for possibly 11 hours, in temperatures exceeding 90 degrees, police in Florida said Tuesday.

An employee who failed to perform a head count when the vehicle arrived at the Little Miracles Academy Monday will be charged in connection with the death, Orlando Police Chief John Mina said at a press conference Tuesday.

Read: Baby Dies in Hot Car After Father Leaves Him in Sweltering Car to Go to Barbershop: Cops

The child has been identified as Myles Hill. His relatives called police on Monday at about 8 p.m., when he wasnt dropped off at his usual time.

Mina said the toddler had likely been in the van since 9 a.m. Monday, when the high temperature was 93 degrees with 100 percent humidity.

Tragedies like this can be avoided, the chief said. The worker who didnt count heads is cooperating with investigators and is distraught, Mina said.

A relative who came to the center Monday night said she couldnt understand how staff failed to realize the boy was missing.

Read: Dad Arrested for Allegedly Tying 2-Year-Old to Tree Without Food or Water

How you going to leave a child in a van? Your work in a day care, a distraught Alice Williams told WKMG-TV. She done left that baby like that. Thats wrong. Nobody called police. The family had to call the police.

A sign on the day care's door said it was closed Tuesday morning, though some parents did arrive to drop off their children, saying they had not been notified of the boy's death.

Watch: Baby Dies in Hot Car While Mom Gets Hair Done: Cops

Related Articles:
The Daily Beast

Marina Tanaka / EyeEm via GettyTwo planes crashed into each other mid-air Saturday during a Dallas air show that was packed with families marking Veterans Day weekend, with both planes plummeting to the ground in a fiery explosion, video footage shows. Six people who were aboard the planes are feared to have died, ABC reported. The collision took place during the Wings Over Dallas World War II Airshow. A spokesperson for the Dallas Fire-Rescue said he didnt know the status of the pilots, but th
Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has defended a claim made on his show that the so-called Deep State is plotting to remove Donald Trump from office and has threatened to kill him.

A Newsweek article posted last week quoted the controversial presenter as claiming the Deep State, which refers to a group of unelected security officials who supposedly have influence over policy and politicians, are preparing to attack the President.

Theyre saying, A month or two were going to kill the President, month or two were going to remove him, Mr Jones is quoted as saying. This is so sinister.

Mike Cernovich, a right-wing conspiracy theorist who often appears on Mr Jones Infowars show, added: If they ban us from YouTube, thats when Trump will be killed, theres no question about it.

Theyre going to kill us, theyre going to kill him, theyre going to kill everybody.

In a new video this week, Mr Jones responded to the article, stating: "So they have this headline in Newsweek on Friday saying Deep State is going to kill the President, Alex Jones claims, then it shows nowhere from the very broadcast I did where I played Al Gore saying that the president is going to be removed in the next two months or Brennan saying hes going to be removed in the next few months, and its not gonna be from impeachment.

The accusations made against former Vice President Al Gore refer to his appearance on James Cordens Late Late Show last month, during which he made a comment about the President, which Infowars has interpreted as a reference to deep-state conspiracy to delegitimise President Trump.

Following a joke made by Mr Corden, the former Vice President said: To be serious for a moment, I think the next few months will be a little challenging for our country and we best gird ourselves for it. This thing is not going well.

The Infowars presenters comments about John Brennan, former director of the CIA, appear to refer to a statement made last month about special counsel Robert Mueller.

Story continues

Speaking to CNNs Wolf Blitzer at the Aspen Security Forum, Mr Brennan said government officials should refuse orders to fire Mr Mueller, who is a former FBI director and currently leading the Russia investigation.

If Mueller is fired, I hope our elected reps will stand up and say 'Enough is enough', he added.

Moving on from these accusations, the Infowars presenter then alleges the Secret Service has visited its own sources in the wake of the claims made on his programme, and goes on to allege the security services are no longer protecting the president.

Secret Service has even visited some of our sources after theyve come on [the show] and the sources say 'Go talk to Al Gore, go talk to all these people that are publicly saying it, he said, apparently referring to an alleged visit made to Pastor Howard Browne following his appearance on Alex Jones show.

The pastor told Mr Jones the Secret Service wanted to know the name of the Congressman who reportedly alleged President Trump would suddenly be removed from office.

Mr Jones then says the Secret Service has been ordered off the Presidents protection detail.

But see, as a bureaucracy they dont want to actually stop it from happening, they want to act like they did everything they were supposed to before it happens because theyve been basically ordered off protecting the President and thats why the President has got his own military protectors and Im not even going to go into that, he claimed.

The US Secret Services authority is provided by the law, and permanent protectees, such as the President and Vice President, have special agents permanently assigned to them, the agency states.

Protection for the President and Vice President of the United States is mandatory, it adds.
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., is seen on Capitol Hill on November 30, 2012: Reuters/Gary Cameron

An angry constituent has told a Republican Congressman in favour of repealing Obamacare that he should die in pain, underscoring the intense backlash pro-repeal members of Congress face.

Rep. Doug LaMalfa, from California, a conservative stalwart in a solidly red district, got into a heated exchange with an attendee of a town hall meeting in Chico this week. The man called Mr LaMalfa's support for repealing the federal healthcare law, which congressional analysts said would strip millions of insurance, reprehensible.

I hope you suffer the same painful fate as those millions that you have voted to remove health care from, the man said, according to the Los Angeles Times. May you die in pain.

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

Mr LaMalfa countered that people across the board are being hurt by this existing law, according to the Times. Days before the interaction, Mr LaMalfa released a statement condemning an anticipated 12.5 per cent rise in California healthcare premium costs as a sign that the law had to go.

Premiums continue to rise at an increasingly alarming rate, and the only solution offered by Covered California is to switch to a worse plan. This doesnt cut it  not for California and not for America  and we must continue the fight to repeal this disastrous law and replace it with something that works, Mr LaMalfa said in the statement.

The acrimonious exchange in Chico mirrored the extraordinary anger members of Congress faced back in 2009, when the health care overhaul was moving toward a vote. Numerous Democrats who supported the bill were swept out of office by the Tea Party wave that returned Republicans to the majority.

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The political ground has shifted since then. After years in which approval ratings for the law sagged into the negative, 2017 marked the first time that a majority of voters told pollsters they supported the law.

Well aware of that newfound popularity, Democrats are hoping that the Republican repeal effort will buoy their midterm election efforts, and a handful of vulnerable California Republicans are high on their list of targets. Unseating Mr LaMalfa would be a tough proposition: Republicans have a ten-point voter registration edge over Democrats in his large and mostly rural district, where voters returned Mr LaMalfa to office last fall by a comfortable double-digit margin.
By Jonathan Allen

(Reuters) - A gym owner in Atlanta who banned police officers and military members defended his policy on Wednesday after receiving scores of death threats prompted by the rule posted on his business's door.

Jim Chambers said the rule had been in place since early 2016 when he opened the East Atlanta Barbell Club in Georgia's capital. The club advertises itself as "a radically aligned, left-friendly gym and community."

Chambers said he has many members who are gay, lesbian and transgender, or belong to racial minority groups, some of whom said they had been harassed by police officers.

"We know statistically that those people are at risk around police in America," Chambers said in a telephone interview. "I had members who joined because of the policy: they saw it on the door and thought, 'Oh, that's cool,' and joined."

He referred to a string of high-profile cases of police killing unarmed people in recent years. There have also been police officers targeted in retaliation, including two New York City officers ambushed and fatally shot as they sat in their car in December 2014.

The policy had drawn little attention, Chambers said, besides from one officer who tried to join and became "rude" upon being told the reason he could not.

But Chambers pasted a strongly worded version of the policy, including an expletive, to the door a couple of weeks ago. That prompted a man to contact WXIA-TV, a local news channel, to say he was offended as a military veteran. WXIA did not name the veteran.

Since the channel's report aired on Tuesday, Chambers said he had received a threatening email or call every minute or so.

The Atlanta Police Department did not respond to a request for comment, but was quoted by WXIA as saying its officers would nonetheless respond to an emergency at the gym.

Chambers, who grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and describes himself politically as "somewhere between an eco-anarchist and a Marxist-Leninist," said he would not call the police in any circumstances. He also disapproved of U.S. military interventions abroad.

Story continues

He said the gym had about 30 members, many of whom he lets train for free or in exchange for voluntary work at the gym.

Former police officers and military veterans were generally welcome to join, he said, adding that they were no longer in a position to use force against people on behalf of the government.

(Reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Andrew Hay)
Earning elite status on an airline has gotten more difficult, but some programs are better than others.

On Wednesday, U.S. News World and Report released its annual list of the best rewards programs in the hospitality industry and Alaska Airlines topped the ranking.

Airline loyalty programs have gotten a bad rap over the past couple of years, with some changing how travelers earn points, and others making it impossible to earn elite status. Still, there are a few carriers that get it right.

For the third consecutive year, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan (ALK) was named the best airline rewards program. Why does it continue to beat out competitors? For one, points are earned based on how many miles you fly instead of how much you spend. This structure makes it easier and faster for passengers to earn points and reach elite status.

The Seattle-based airline also got a boost after acquiring Virgin America back in December 2016. The merger gave travelers more options, creating a combined fleet of 286 planes making 1,200 daily flights to over 900 destinations around the world. Virgin Americas fleet has a swankier seating plan, so the acquisition also brought more premium seats to Alaskas portfolio, which will translate into more complimentary upgrades for loyalty members in 2018.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan topped the U.S. News & World Reports Best Airline Rewards Programs.

At this point, Alaskas Mileage Plan seems untouchable, but other airlines are trying to challenge its dominance. Delta SkyMiles (DAL) grabbed the No. 2 spot this year, moving up from last years fourth place finish, in part because of its convenience. While Alaska Airlines primarily serves the West Coast, Delta is a convenient and competitive option for travelers flying to and from New York City. Furthermore, Deltas network is vast, giving passengers the opportunity to earn and use miles with 20 other airlines including KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Air France.

The caveat to Delta, of course, is that miles are earned based on the amount of money you spend on a ticket. For instance, economy class travelers earn 9 to 11 miles for every $1 spent. Compared to other point-based programs, this structure provides fewer points/miles to travelers who find a good deal on a ticket. This makes reaching an elite status like Gold, Platinum or Diamond an expensive exercise. That said, Delta SkyMiles does allow you to use miles to book flights, request a class upgrade, or stay at a hotel for free.

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JetBlue (JBLU) TrueBlue snagged the third spot, followed by Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards.

The best hotel rewards program is 

Like Alaska Airlines, Marriott International (MAR) had a major acquisition that helped to boost the benefits and reach of its rewards program. This combination earned it the No. 1 spot on this years list.

In September 2016, Marriott International acquired Starwood Hotels, which expanded its portfolio to more than 5,700 hotels in 110 countries. This gave loyalty members the opportunity to earn points at more than 30 brands.

The acquisition also gave travelers the opportunity to earn more perks and benefits with their co-branded credit cards. Currently, customers can use their Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card by American Express to earn two Starpoints for every dollar spent at hotels participating in Marriott Rewards around the world. On the flip side, customers using the Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card from Chase and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card can now earn five Marriott Rewards or Ritz Carlton points for every dollar spent on qualifying purchases at participating Starwood properties around the globe. With these points, loyalty members can earn free nightly stays, room upgrades, dining gift cards and access to unique experiences, like concerts.

Rounding out the top three programs are Wyndham Rewards, No. 2, and Choice Privileges (Comfort Inn, Econo Lodge), No. 3.

U.S. News & World Report made its rankings based on analysis of expert and user opinions. The methodologies take into account membership benefits  such as free amenities, program-affiliated credit cards and redeemable experiences.

Brittany Jones-Cooper is a reporter at Yahoo finance.

Marriott, Starwood unveil new credit perks that could benefit you

Alaska Airlines will phase out Virgin America brand: Heres what customers need to know

This is the best credit card for international travel
Brigitte Macron, the wife of French president Emmanuel Macron, will not officially be Frances First Lady, according to government officials and reports.

The decision flies in the face of Mr Macron's pre-election promise to make an official position for his wife, a move that turned heads particularly as the government is soon to pass a law preventing MPs from hiring family members as assistants, as part of his own anti-corruption drive.

But after 280,000 people signed a petition over the last two weeks in an attempt to block Mrs Macron from having a salary, it appears the government is back-pedalling.

French government spokesman Christophe Castaner took to Twitter on Monday night to stress that Mrs Macron would not have an official role.

President Macron had intended to give his wife the official First Lady title, much life Melania TrumpCredit: Michel Euler/AP

Brigitte Macron has a role and responsibilities. We are looking to be transparent and to outline the means she has at her disposal, he wrote.

No modification of the constitution, no new funding, no salary for Brigitte Macron. Stop the hypocrisy!

Mr Macron, 39, had promised on the campaign trail in March that his wife would have a real status.

"Paid by the Republic, no. Having a role, a real status, a real capacity to act, yes," Mr Macron said at the time.

The presidency has said it will clarify Mrs Macrons role in the coming days and that there would be no change to the constitution to create a First Lady position, sources told AFP and BFM TV.

The French government plans to make clear exactly how much Mrs Macron will be costing taxpayers.

"The idea is for the French people to know how much this role costs," Aurore Berge, a senior lawmaker from Macron's party, told Europe 1 radio today.

Former president Francois Hollande and his companion Valerie Trierweiler, who, like all previous presidents' wives, was not First LadyCredit: Jacques Brinon/AP

Mrs Macron currently has a team of two or three aides, two secretaries, and two security guards.

Former President Francois Hollandes wife Valerie Trierweiler cost the public 400,000 in 2013, public figures show. Neither Ms Trierweiler or any former wife of Frances past presidents have ever had the official title of First Lady.

Brigitte Trogneux's most elegant looks
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If youve had a cesarean section, you may be at a greater risk for complications if you later need a hysterectomy, according to a new study out today in the journal JAMA Surgery.

C-section, or the delivery of a baby via abdominal surgery, is the most common surgery in the U.S. The second most common surgery is hysterectomy, in which the uterus is removed, usually as a last resort to relieve severe pain (most commonly from uterine fibroids) or bleeding.

This new study, from researchers at Aalborg University in Denmark and Ariadne Labs (at Brigham and Womens Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) in Massachusetts, looked at all women in Denmark who gave birth for the first time between 1993 and 2012, and who later underwent a hysterectomy sometime between 1996 and 2012 for any reason other than cancer7,685 women in total.

Those who gave birth vaginally had a 4.4 percent chance of needing a second surgery in the 30 days after a later hysterectomy. But those whod had a C-section had a higher risk of needing additional surgery post-hysterectomy. After adjusting for factors such as age, income, and other medical conditions, the risk of a second surgery was 31 percent greater for women whod had one C-section (to 6.2 percent), and 35 percent greater for women whod had two or more (to 6.8 percent).

C-sections immediate risks to mothers are well understood, says Neel Shah, M.D., an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School who co-wrote the new study. They include bleeding, infection, and more.

Until now, however, Shah says, we havent had a lot of information of what the long-term effects are on the mom.

Heres what you need to know about this new research on hysterectomy complications and what you can do to lower your odds of having a C-section in the first place.

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Surgery Complications and C-Sections

In general, its rare for women to women to need a second surgery after a hysterectomy. But when it happens, Shah says, Its one signal that something didnt go as planned during the original operation.

For instance, a surgeon might have inadvertently damaged another organ, such as the bowel, during the surgery. Or the woman might develop an infection in her abdomen shortly after the surgery.

According to Shah, this new study doesnt mean that C-sections are necessarily responsible for hysterectomy complications or the second operations in the Danish women. But Shah thinks that we may be seeing this link because a C-section leaves scar tissue that can make any future operation in the same area of the body (such as a hysterectomy) more difficult.

That hypothesis is reasonable, says Elliot Main, M.D., the medical director of the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative, a nonprofit organization that works to improve outcomes for mothers and babies. Scar tissue distorts the normal anatomy and makes it hard to do the surgery, he says, which could contribute to hysterectomy complications.

Main points out, however, that the most significant long-term risks of C-sections arise when women decide to have additional children. When women who have previously had C-sections give birth again, they are at far greater risk for delivery complications such as a ruptured uterus, hemorrhage (uncontrolled bleeding), and an unplanned hysterectomyand those risks are even bigger when theyve had a second C-section.

According to data collected in 2013 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, women who had a previous C-section and gave birth vaginally during their next birth were about four times more likely to need an unplanned hysterectomy than those whod never had a C-section.

And women who had a previous C-section and then another C-section with a subsequent birth were almost 12 times more likely to need an unplanned hysterectomy.

Overall, Main says, Its clear that having a C-section puts you at risk for operative complications and subsequent surgeries.

How to Reduce Your Risk of C-Section

This new study evaluated C-section and hysterectomy rates in Denmark because data is available there for the entire countrys population. Denmarks overall C-section rate is 21 percent, whereas the U.S. rate is almost 32 percent.

The harm that we measured in Denmark is likely to be much smaller than the harm in the U.S., Shah says.

Though some women need to give birth by C-section for medical reasons, survey evidence suggests that most would prefer to give birth vaginally, according Doris Peter, Ph.D., director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. She says that although its up to hospitals to implement the procedural changes that will lower their C-section rates, women arent powerless when it comes to decisions about how they give birth.

This study underscores how important it is for women to avoid a medically unnecessary C-section, Peter says. Women can use data on C-section rates in hospitals and talk with their doctor or nurse midwife to make sure they are choosing the right hospital for them.

Here are strategies to try:

Pick your hospital carefully. A recent Consumer Reports analysis showed that a womans biggest C-section risk may be the hospital where she gives birth. If possible, find out your hospitals C-section rate ahead of time. (Our tool to look up hospital C-section rates is currently being updated with new data; you will be able to look up your hospital again in September. Until then, ask your provider about the hospitals C-section rates.)

Have a conversation with your doctor. Let him or her know you prefer a vaginal delivery, and would like to avoid a C-section unless absolutely necessary. If the doctor seems unreceptive, consider switching. (But remember that because of hospital scheduling, the doctor you see for prenatal care isnt always the doctor who ends up delivering your babythats why the hospitals overall rate is so important.)

Slow down any rush to the hospital, or to delivery. Unless you live hours from where you plan to give birth, you may not need to hurry in as soon as you begin labor. Talk with your doctor about how long its safe to wait. And according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a long labor alone isnt sufficient cause for a C-section.

For more information on how to reduce your C-section risk, you can find our report here.





More from Consumer Reports:

Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

7 best mattresses for couples





Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright  2017, Consumer Reports, Inc.
Both countries are scrambling to best handle a president who ranks among the more unpredictable elements of the upcoming negotiations

Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/AFP/Getty Images

The rhetoric against a neighbouring country dominated Donald Trumps presidential campaign: a billion-dollar wall, a crackdown on immigration, and a steep border tax. Yet when Trump fired the opening shot in his trade war, it was aimed not at Mexico  but at Canada.

First came an average 20% tariff on Canadian softwood lumber. Months later the Trump administration piled another tariff of nearly 7% on the sector.

Trump launched a broad attack on several sectors north of the border. Canada, what theyve done to our dairy farmworkers is a disgrace, he told reporters. We cant let Canada or anybody else take advantage and do what they did to our workers and to our farmers  included in there is lumber, timber and energy. So were going to have to get to the negotiating table with Canada very, very quickly.

The sharp reversal  a few months earlier Trump had characterised the US-Canada relationship as outstanding  came as a surprise to many.

Step aside, China and Mexico: Canada is now Donald Trumps whipping-boy du jour on trade, said the Canadian Press, while Politico offered their thoughts on why president had not gone after Mexico first: Canada is an easy target and doesnt have as many weapons to fight back.

Others said it was long overdue. Canada was getting a free ride, said Federico Estevez, a professor at the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico. All of the fire was headed south of the US border  so Canada was getting off easy.

Estevez pointed to the looming renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement to explain the turnaround. I think Trump understood something basic, which is that the US will not be able to tweak Nafta or rework it unless it splits up Canada and Mexico and makes Canada squirm just as well, he said. You want to open up some battlefronts  and thats what hes effectively done, to the surprise of everybody.

Story continues

With the renegotiations slated to begin on 16 August, all of the interactions of past months  from pleasantries to attacks  are again under the microscope. Against a backdrop of grievances over trade deficits and protectionist policies, officials in both Canada and Mexico are also scrambling to shore up strategies to best handle a president who ranks among the more unpredictable elements of the upcoming negotiations.

Both countries have much at stake. Canada sends about three-quarters of its annual exports to the US while nearly 400,000 people a day cross the shared border. In Mexico, some 80% of exports end up in the US.

I dont know if he doesnt know Trudeaus last name, I dont know if he knows Pena Nietos name at all

Mexican and Canadian officials have been laying the groundwork for months. Trudeaus inner circle have fostered close contacts with the Trump administration, while representatives from Canadian government and business have been criss-crossing the US to reinforce how Americans benefit from their relationship with Canada, said Colin Robertson of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.

There have been, I think, 170 visits by Canadians to the States since January. And not just to Washington but also into Trump territory, he said. And its not just ministers, its legislators and premiers and provincial legislators.

The aim, said Robertson, is to mitigate what he described as Trumps situational politics, which see the president shift stances depending on the audience hes addressing. He pointed to Trumps swipe at Canadian dairy as an example, as it came while the president addressed an audience in Wisconsin.

In Mexico, the job of managing relations with the Trump administration has fallen to Luis Videgaray, a foreign minister whose experience in the world of finance has overlapped with Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Despite initial setbacks  Trump signed an executive order to build the border wall and tweeted that Mexico would pay for it even as Videgaray was heading to Washington to meet with Kushner  the minister and his small team have earned some plaudits as the threat of Trump has apparently diminished for Mexico and the peso bounced back after a Trump-inspired slump.

So far, Mexicos strategy for handling Trump seems to lie in trying to save some provisions of Nafta at all costs, such as investor protections, analysts say.

The government closed online consultations late last month, though it has attracted criticism for appearing to pay closer attention to the countrys big business elite while ignoring the interests of smaller firms and beleaguered workers.

Ive not read the national interests of Mexico spelled out, said Carlos Heredia of the Centre for Research and Teaching of Economics. There hasnt been any sort of open consultation  the online consultation is sort of a joke  but theres nothing saying, We are going to represent the national interest of Mexico, not just the top echelons of business and politics.

Mexico released its objectives for Nafta negotiations last week. It joined Canada in opposing US plans to eliminate dispute resolution mechanism known as Chapter 19, but also will propose anti-graft initiatives and provisions for small business and the digital economy. Energy will also be on the table as Mexico approved a reform to open its oil industry in 2013.



From immigration to the environment, Trumps political stances  widely despised in both Mexico and Canada  could colour discussions at the negotiating table, raising questions of how Americas neighbours will respond.

While Trudeaus approval ratings remain high, suggesting many Canadians are comfortable with his reluctance to chastise Trump, Mexicos Enrique Pena Nieto is even more unpopular than the US leader  and his apparent unwillingness to talk tough with Trump is widely as a weakness.

The greatest problem of the Mexican response to Trump has been that the Mexican government has acted over and over again as if the constituency of its foreign policy were only one person: Donald Trump, said Carlos Bravo Regidor of CIDE. This has left it open to vulnerabilities, the most of important of which is an inability to voice the legitimate grievances Trump causes many regular Mexicans.

Despite their differences, Trump has demonstrated a level of cordiality and friendship with Trudeau, said Laura Dawson, who heads the Canada Institute at Washingtons Wilson Centre.

Its kind of funny in the tweets that Ive been reading. When hes talking about his two neighbours, he calls them, Justin and the Mexican president, she said. I dont know if he doesnt know Trudeaus last name, I dont know if he knows Pena Nietos name at all  but its always Justin and the Mexicans.

Whats certain is that Canada and Mexico now realise theyre in it together. There was some public opinion, at least in Canada, that we could go at it alone, without Mexico because theyre in the crosshairs and were not. I think that that sentiment has really subsided, said Dawson, pointing to official statements from both countries that reiterate the importance of the trilateral agreement.

While Trump has gone after both neighbours, hes also demonstrated that hes open to changing his mind on things, said Dawson.

Hes willing to find a parade and get in front of it, so I think that if Canada and Mexico are skillful enough about giving the president some wins that he can claim  you know, modernisation of the agreement, certain things that affect labour or manufacturing  I think they can also move ahead on the modernisation agenda on the Nafta.
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian officials have traveled to North Korea to discuss the case of a Canadian pastor serving a life sentence there, a spokesman for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday. Hyeon Soo Lim, who served at one of the largest churches in Canada, was sentenced to hard labor for life in December 2015 for what North Korea says was an attempt to overthrow the regime. The delegation is headed by Daniel Jean, Trudeau's national security advisor. "A Canadian government delegation is currently in Pyongyang to discuss Pastor Lim's case," Trudeau's press secretary Cameron Ahmad said. "His health and wellbeing remain of utmost importance to the government and we are obviously continuing to engage on his case and, given that it is an active case, we cannot provide any further comment at this time." Lim's family has become more concerned for his welfare since the June death of American student Otto Warmbier who had been held in North Korea for 17 months. Warmbier died in a Cincinnati hospital just days after he was released in a coma. Canadian officials visited Lim in December 2016. In addition to Canada's Lim, North Korea is holding three Americans. Lim's Toronto-area church has said Lim visited North Korea more than 100 times since 1997 and helped set up an orphanage and nursing home. Last year, Lim told CNN he spends eight hours a day digging holes at a labor camp where he has not seen any other prisoners. The U.N. Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea at the weekend over its continued missile tests, and U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned the country would be met with "fire and fury" if it threatens the United Sates. (Reporting by Leah Schnurr; Editing by James Dalgleish)
From Woman's Day

In March 2014, on my way back from visiting my parents' house in Florida, I pulled over to pick up fast food. I was making the 6-hour return trip to my home in Atlanta for the sixth time in six months, and I needed something easy. When you're caregiving for two parents who live out of state, all you want is easy. You eat whatever is around.

In 1996, when my parents were in their 60s, they bought a place on Amelia Island, FL. It was their dream home-right on the ocean. Life was good, until their chronic health conditions started to erode their quality of life just a few years later. They were each morbidly obese and had diabetes, heart disease and sleep apnea-my father also had psoriasis, while my mom had COPD and edema in both of her legs. My parents lived right on the ocean but hadn't put a toe in the sand in probably 10 years due to their mobility issues.

"At some point the mama bird has to feed herself or she's not going to be able to get more worms for everyone else."

My siblings and I arranged someone to pay visits to their house and help, but they also needed family assistance, too. We took turns being there as a caregiver, but because of my frequent trips from Georgia to Florida, I missed many important events in my children's lives-holidays, birthdays, and sporting events. You know, the things you really want to be there for as a parent. At the time, my kids were 12 and 14. Friends would ask me, "What teachers do your kids have this year?" And, "What classes are they taking?" I would reply, "I literally have no idea." I had to let things go by the wayside, because you can only be in so many places at once.

I thought of myself as a mama bird, returning to her nest to see all her little ones' mouths open, screaming for food. You're constantly thinking, "Who needs the worm next?" but at some point the mama bird has to feed herself or she's not going to be able to fly off and get more worms for everyone else.

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On that day in 2014, eating my chicken fingers and fries, I realized that this wasn't the kind of fuel I needed. I wasn't treating myself right, and found it increasingly difficult to take care of everyone else in the nest. Most of my parents' health problems were caused by their lifestyle choices, and I didn't want to go down the same road. Still, I could see myself slipping in that direction. That day I made a commitment to myself. I would try to find a way to become a healthy, happy caregiver.

The Most Difficult Year

In 2014, my mom was hospitalized, and when she got out of the rehab facility, my dad got an infection and had to be hospitalized, too. Meanwhile, my mother-in-law was battling lung cancer. They were all fighting for their lives, and it felt like everyone in our family needed care-it was all-encompassing.

My father's condition declined very quickly and he passed away in August of that year. Then my mother-in-law died in December. It was a hard time for everyone: My children lost two grandparents in a matter of months, and my husband and I each lost a parent.

My siblings and I realized I couldn't take care of my mother while she living in Florida alone. So, we moved her into assisted living residence near my house in Atlanta, and I became her primary caregiver.

It took some time to get into the groove. My siblings and I basically ripped her out of everything she knew. Not to mention, during this whole process we were all grieving over the loss of my dad. My two sisters came in from out of town and we stayed with her the first few nights, helping her adjust. At these types of homes, though, they require residents to stay on a certain schedule because the staff is trying to take care of so many people at once. So if my mom wasn't ready for a shower when an aide came by, she wouldn't get one that day. Over time, I helped my mom learn the system and also be her own health advocate. But still, every time I said goodbye it felt like I was leaving her alone at the top of Mount Everest.

"Every time I said goodbye it felt like I was leaving my mom alone at the top of Mount Everest."

My mom's mobility issues made it difficult for her to get around, so once a week I would go over and empty her trash cans, clean out her refrigerator, fill her sleep apnea machine with water, and sort her mail. But I wanted to make sure I wasn't just doing chores, but spending quality time there, too. So on Wednesdays I would bring food and the two of us would have a "picnic" and play cards or watch her favorite show, Grace and Frankie.

There was a definite learning curve: I realized that a simple doctor's appointment for my mom might require me to take a half day off work, and that if I needed to call her insurance company, the best time to do so was on my lunch break, rather than after work when I couldn't get in touch with anyone. One of my friends, amazed by all I was juggling, said I was getting my master's degree in caregiving.

Fitting In Healthy

While trying to figure out my "new normal" with my mom, I also tried to figure out my "new normal" healthy lifestyle. I have hypothyroidism, plus depression and anxiety run in my family; I also gained more weight than I was comfortable with during my road trips back and forth to Florida. My parents never focused on their own self-care, so for me, it was really a wake-up call to watch their decline and realize the same would happen to me if I didn't change course.

The first thing I did was hold myself accountable. I saw my cousin posting a picture each day on Instagram, which she called "100 days of happy." I decided to do something similar, and called my challenge "100 days of healthy." I posted a healthy food or activity every dayeven if it was something as simple as drinking water. I tried to take advantage of any moment I could find, like going on a walk around the doctor's office while my mom was at an appointment. As a goal-oriented person, I didn't want to miss a day-and it helped me realize that there are so many ways I could fit in healthy activities.

I also challenged myself to meditate more. I had tried in the past, but it never quite stuck. I knew this time had to be different. Part of what makes caregiving so difficult is the mental burden, and I wanted to lift at least some of it. In the beginning I meditated 10 minutes once or twice each week, and even with that short amount of time I could feel the benefits. Meditating really helps me put life in perspective and not feel like my fuse is so short and that I'm going to "lose it" at any moment. Things tend to roll off me easier. I'm now up to meditating three times per week.

With all of my caregiving duties, I could tell my friendships were suffering. I would hear, "We never see you!" regularly, and I had to deal with so much friend guilt. But I know how important friendship is for happiness and support, so I decided to start doing "twofers." I live near a trail, so I invited friends to walk on the trail with me. I would get my exercise in, and have a meaningful catch-up along the way.

"I wasn't perfect but I was getting to the point where I'd look in the mirror and say, 'I've done the best I can today.'"

Next on the docket: Sleep. I wanted to focus on getting enough, because when I'm well-rested, I feel better and have more energy to give to other people. I took a serious look at my calendar, and figured out what to move around so I could log seven hours. I also made a point to find a pocket of time to fit in meal prepping. No one loves to do it, but my weeks have such a better rhythm when I plan things out ahead of time. It doesn't have to take hours-it's more about just jotting down, "this is the protein and vegetable we are going to eat this week" and "for breakfast I'm going to switch between a yogurt parfait and a smoothie." My husband now helps me prep, and he is seeing the benefits of eating healthier as well.

All of these steps I've taken toward better health have paid off. Even during such a busy time in my life I was able to lose 15% body fat and build muscle.

Sure, I never felt like I was the "perfect" fitness person or healthy eater. And I wasn't an all-star at work or parent or daughter of the year. But I was getting to the point where I'd look in the mirror and say "I've done the best I can today."

Following My Passion

During the early stages of my time as a caregiver, I felt so overwhelmed and isolated, like I was the only person in the world going through this. Thankfully I did have my siblings and a couple friends with similar experiences, but for the most part, it was hard for people to understand my life. There are so many books to prepare you to be a parent, but I couldn't find any to help prepare me to be a caregiver.

I also found that it's really difficult to take care of your own health and happiness as a caregiver. We just give, give, give to others, but not to ourselves. So, I felt the need to create a site where caregivers can connect and share stories, and also remind each other that's okay to take care of yourself, too. I called the site HealthyHappyCaregiver.com, named after the vow I made to myself, and what I hope can be possible for other family caregivers. It's more of a digital meeting place, because it's often so hard to find a few hours as a caregiver to meet in person.

"There are so many books to prepare you to be a parent, but I couldn't find any to help prepare me to be a caregiver."

Most of all, I wanted to share small, healthy habits on the site, that women can start incorporating today. So often we'll say, "I'll have me-time at that girl's night, or on that beach weekend," but those types of events only happen a few times a year, at most.

No caregiver can predict how long their journey of taking care of a loved one is going to be. Your caregiving role could last for six months or 10 years. You can't let your health go until things get less stressful-because you may end up being a caregiver for a really long time.

Making It All Work

Through this process, I've learned that if you make your health a priority, you become less resentful as a caregiver. You bring more joy to everything that you do, and feel more confident in the decisions you make for your family.

About a year and a half ago, my sister went through a divorce, and soon after invited my mother to come live at home with her, in Pennsylvania. My sister has become my mom's primary caregiver-I at first felt guilty handing over this huge "boulder of responsibilities." But she's on top of it all, and I'm relieved to know my mother is in good hands. I can tell my mom is happy living with my sister, and her diabetes is even more under control than it was at her assisted living home.

I currently serve as an emotionally supportive caregiver, while my sister is more hands on. I look back fondly on many of those times my mom and I spent together when I was her primary caregiver. My mission now is to give back to other caregivers through my site, so they also can find ways to live healthy, happy lives.

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Shanghai (AFP) - The Chinese navy and air force flexed their muscles in live-fire drills in seas adjacent to the Korean Peninsula, the defence ministry said, amid regional tensions over North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weaponry.

The "large-scale" exercises were being conducted in the seas and skies off China's east coast in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Gulf, and included the firing of dozens of missiles, a notice posted late Monday on the Ministry of Defence website said.

Naval and air force assets including dozens of ships, more than 10 aircraft, submarines and an unspecified number of coastal defence personnel took part in the drills, which the ministry said were aimed at testing weapons and honing the military's abilities in conducting coastal assaults and intercepting air targets.

The ministry did not specify how long the drills were to last but a four-day shipping ban ending on Tuesday was issued for the area where the drills were held, according to notices by the military and local authorities.

It was not immediately clear whether the wargames were meant to send any sort of message.

But the announcement comes just days after China backed a US-drafted UN Security Council resolution passed on Saturday that significantly stiffened sanctions against North Korea for its pursuit of nuclear and missile weapons systems.

In the wake of the resolution's passing, China has reiterated its resolve to side with the international community in opposing North Korea's nuclear weaponisation and aggressive sabre-rattling.

China has for some time been engaged in a modernisation of its once-backward armed forces, seeking military clout commensurate with its economic might, a drive that has caused unease among its regional neighbours.

China also has consistently railed against recurring US-South Korean wargames that are directed at deterring a North Korean attack, but which China blames for fanning regional tensions.

North Korea vowed Monday that the tough new UN sanctions would not stop it from developing its nuclear arsenal, rejecting talks and angrily threatening retaliation against the United States.
By Greg Torode HONG KONG (Reuters) - China is worried it could face fresh criticism over its actions in the South China Sea when Singapore becomes chairman of the Association of South East Asian Nations next year, and is putting pressure on the city-state to make sure that doesn't happen, according to people familiar with the situation. They say that Chinese representatives have told Singapore counterparts in private meetings over recent months that they don't want trouble for Beijing when Singapore takes over the annual leadership of the 10-nation group in 2018. Diplomats say they believe that Beijing has used its influence over countries who have chaired ASEAN in the past to dilute the group's stand on the South China Sea row, potentially one of the most volatile disputes in Asia. The current chairman is the Philippines, which hosted the group's foreign ministers last weekend. ASEAN failed to issue its customary statement on Saturday because of what diplomats said was disagreement about whether to make oblique references to China's rapid expansion of its defense capabilities on artificial islands in disputed waters. The statement was finally issued on Sunday. A Beijing-based Asian diplomat familiar with the situation said there are concerns that Singapore could use the ASEAN chairman position to try to "internationalise" the South China Sea issue, when China wants it limited to the countries directly involved. "China thinks Singapore, as a Chinese-majority nation, should listen a bit more to Beijing," the source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. "Beijing has made it very clear to Singapore what it expects on the South China Sea issue," said another Asian diplomat in Hong Kong who is familiar with the situation. Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment for this story. In a statement sent to Reuters, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said China supported Singapore's work and "believes Singapore will lead ASEAN to work with China to promote the raising and upgrading of practical cooperation...and build an even closer China-ASEAN community of common destiny". Singapore is not a claimant to any disputed part of the South China Sea but is home to the biggest port in Southeast Asia, and has made clear its open economy depends on continued free navigation in the area. China claims almost the entire sea, which includes one of the world's most busy trade routes and sits stop valuable oil and gas reserves. Taiwan and four ASEAN states - the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia - have overlapping claims. The United States says it does not have a position on the South China Sea dispute but will assert freedom of navigation rights in the waterway. BACK ON TRACK Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan during a meeting in Manila on Sunday that ties had come back on track of late. "Relations between China and Singapore have experienced ups and downs. But close exchanges between the two countries' leaders recently have enhanced mutual trust, which is essential to healthy bilateral relations between China and Singapore," Wang said, according to China's foreign ministry. Balakrishnan said the tone of his meeting with Wang was positive, Singapore media reported. The worry for China is that Singapore has long-standing defense relationships with the United States and its allies, although the city-state says it is equally friendly with Beijing. China is Singapore's largest trading partner, and Singapore has been China's largest foreign investor. The United States and Singapore announced an enhanced defense relationship in late 2015, which included deployments of long range P-8 surveillance planes out of Singapore - aircraft which frequently track Chinese submarines. Singapore also has some ties with Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a breakaway province. Tensions between the two countries burst into the open last November when Hong Kong port authorities impounded nine Singaporean armored military vehicles being shipped home from training grounds in Taiwan. Hong Kong released the vehicles earlier this year amid rare open debates in both Singapore and China about a deteriorating relationship. The Global Times, an influential state-run Chinese tabloid, said in June that the once "special relationship" between the two nations was fading away amid mistrust over the South China Sea. Eugene Tan, an associate professor of law at the Singapore Management University, said there could be differences between the countries once Singapore takes over the ASEAN chairmanship. When that happens, "China may be less able to force its way with Sino-ASEAN relations," said Tan, who is a former Singapore foreign service officer and a former nominated member of parliament. "Singapore is not in a position to tell other countries what to do in regards to their sovereignty but I think we can expect Singapore to take a very robust approach to dealings with China in its capacity as the ASEAN chair." Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has stressed the importance of abiding by international rules in the South China Sea despite China's rejection of a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that invalidated Beijing's claims. Zhang Baohui, a mainland security expert based in Hong Kong, said China questions whether Singapore is sincere when it says it didn't want to choose between the United States and China. "There is a view in Beijing that Singapore is the instigator of anti-China containment policies, not just within ASEAN but also that it wants a ring of pro-U.S. partners surrounding China  Japan, India and Australia," he said. (Reporting By Greg Torode; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING and Singapore bureau; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Beijing (AFP) - China responded to US President Donald Trump's apocalyptic "fire and fury" threat against North Korea by pointedly warning on Wednesday against any rhetoric that could inflame tensions over Pyongyang's weapons programmes.

Calling the situation on the Korean Peninsula "complicated and sensitive", China's foreign ministry issued a statement warning that parties involved in the impasse should avoid "words and actions that escalate the situation".

The ministry had been asked to respond to Trump's comment on Tuesday that North Korea would "be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it did not refrain from further bellicose threats against the United States.

Trump's warning came as Pyongyang said it was considering a missile strike near the US territory of Guam and after US media reported North Korea may have successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead, considered a key step in becoming a full nuclear power.

Trump's words marked a sharp intensification of Washington's rhetoric over the North's nuclear and missile programmes, which saw a seventh set of United Nations sanctions imposed on it at the weekend, and appeared to echo Pyongyang's own trademark threats.

Trump's tone was markedly different to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's assurances last week that Washington was not seeking regime change in Pyongyang.

North Korea raised the stakes just hours after Trump's warning, saying it was considering missile strikes near US strategic military installations on the Pacific island of Guam.

Once finalised, the plan could be put into action at "any moment" once leader Kim Jong-Un made a decision, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted a military statement as saying.

China, Pyongyang's traditional ally and biggest trading partner, has long called for the United States and North Korea to exercise restraint in the impasse and seek a negotiated solution that would de-nuclearise its secretive neighbour.
Chloe Ayling was reportedly put on the black market as a sex slave - Instagram

Chloe Ayling, 20, is the glamour model who was drugged and abducted in Italy after reportedly being duped into attending a bogus photoshoot.

Italian police say she was snatched last month by at least two men who claim to be part of dark web group Black Death, who say they sell women as sex slaves online.

The kidnapping

The place where a man identified as Lukasz Pawel Herba, a Polish citizen with British residency, held a young British model Credit: ITALIAN POLICE PRESS OFFICE / HANDOUT

Miss Ayling was snatched last month by a group calling itself Black Death and is believed to have been drugged and transported in a bag to an isolated village near Turin, where she was held for six days as her captors tried to auction her online.

She described how she was drugged, handcuffed, gagged and put in a bag in the boot of a car by kidnappers before being driven off to the farmhouse where she was held captive.

A person wearing black gloves came from behind and put one hand on my neck and one on my mouth to stop me from screaming, she said in her statement.

A second person wearing a black balaclava gave me an injection in my right forearm. I think I lost consciousness. When I woke up I was wearing a pink bodysuit and the socks I am wearing now.

I realised I was in the boot of a car with my wrists and ankles handcuffed, adhesive tape on my mouth. I was inside a bag and was only able to breathe through a small hole.

As she screamed for help she was driven 120 miles to the tiny hamlet of Borgial near the French border where they forced her to lie on the floor next to a chest of drawers and handcuffed her hands and feet to the legs, leaving her " totally immobilised".

She was kept handcuffed to furniture in the village of Borgial but was freed after six days and taken to the British Consulate in Milan, despite the ransom not being paid, police said.

They had taken photographs of her whilst she was unconscious which were posted on the dark web with the view to auctioning her off.

Why was she released?

According to Ms Ayling, one of her kidnappers confessed to her that they had made a mistake seizing her because she was the mother of a young child.

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He said it was against the rules of his organisation and his superiors were angry. Afterwards they removed the cuffs from her feet and allowed her to move around the farmhouse, she said.

The captors demanded 270,000 from her agent but eventually dropped agreed to accept 50,000 and Herba took her to the British Consulate in Milan on July 17 where he was arrested.

Her captor

Photo released by police of a man identified as identified as Lukasz Pawel Herba, a Polish citizen with British residency Credit: Italian Police Photo via AP

Lukasz Pawel Herba is accused of being part of a Black Death gang which drugged and kidnapped Chloe Ayling, who had been lured to Milan on the promise of a fashion shoot.

Herba, 30, a Polish national who was living in Oldbury, in the West Midlands, told the 20-year-old glamour model as she was held prisoner in a remote farmhouse that unless her agent paid a ransom of $300,000, she would be sold as a sex slave in the Middle East.

His home in Oldbury, in the West Midlands, has been raided by British officers.

Under questioning by Italian police, he claimed he became part of the kidnapping gang because he was suffering from leukemia and desperately needed to raise half a million pounds for treatment.

He could provide no medical proof of having the illness.

He was arrested as he dropped the model off at the British Consulate in Milan on July 17.

Who are the Black Death group?

The Black Death group operates on the Dark Web and allegedly sells kidnapped women as sex slaves in online auctions.

The group was investigated in 2016 amid fears that they were selling a 15-year-old British girl in an online auction.

Europol had monitored the group's Dark Web site of as they advertised two teenagers for auction, one of whom was under the age of consent and described as "pure".

A screenshot of a "Black Death Group" document on a laptop belonging to Lukasz Pawel Herba, Credit: REUTERS

The auction of the 15-year-old, whose name was given as Laura, started at $750,000 and was due to take place at the end of May 2016, with the Black Death website warning that it was "fully booked".

A second auction for a 17-year-old girl born in the UK named only as Gemma had been scheduled to take place just days earlier with a starting bid of $120,000.

The age, hair colour and measurements of both teenagers were posted alongside their auction adverts.

It is unknown whether these auctions went ahead.

Questions over shoe shopping incident

The Italian media has raised questions over the kidnapping after it was revealed the model went shoe shopping with her captor.

Newspaper La Repubblica claimed Ms Ayling burst into tears when police investigators asked her about the trip.

The newspaper reported: "That the kidnapping was real or that she was doped with ketamine is not put into question by the investigators.

"But it is also tremendously true that many details do not add up.

"Starting with a question that the police investigators suddenly asked Chloe, causing her to cry, 'But don't you think it is strange to go and buy shoes with your kidnapper?

"Because that also happened and, of course, the shop assistant, identified by the cops, recognized her, and recognized the person she calls MD [Herba]."

Her lawyer has called people who raised these questions "evil", defending his client's shoe shopping trip.

He told Radio 4's Today programme: "She was told that she was going to be sold to somebody in the Middle East for sex.

"She was told that people were there watching her and ready to kill her if she tried anything.

"So she thought that the best idea was to go along with it and to be nice in a way to her captor because he told her that he wanted to release her somehow and sometime and she thought that the best thing to do was not to go in conflict with him.

"So she abided to his request, 'let's go and buy groceries' and 'you need shoes, let's go buy shoes' and she didn't try to flee.

"But I believe she was terrified at the moment and even if she could've asked for help she didn't because she was subjugated to this person, or people as she was given to understand."

She told police she had developed a trusting relationship and even shared a bed with her kidnapper, who gave her chocolate and underwear, but she said he had not sexually assaulted her.
Doubts have been raised about why Chloe Ayling went on a shopping trip with her kidnapper during the time she was allegedly being held captive

Chloe Ayling's story might be "frankly incredible" but is true, her lawyer has said.

Francesco Pesce, who is representing the model in Italy, said that he believes Ms Ayling is telling the truth and that the authorities have satisfied themselves about any doubts in her story.

Ms Ayling came to fame over the weekend after she said that she had been kidnapped in early July, after being led to Italy to take part in a photoshoot. Police say that a criminal gang intended to sell her as a sex slave, but realised that she was a mother and as a result let her free, resulting in her captor's arrest.

But since then doubts have emerged around the story, with questions being raised about why Ms Ayling had been on a shopping trip with her kidnapper during the time she was allegedly being held captive. Mr Pesce said that he recognised those doubts were legitimate, but that the model would be proved right in time.

"The story is frankly incredible," he said during an appearance on Sky News. "Why would the captor bring the detainee to the police, to the consulate? However, everything matched out and the story turned out to be true."

Mr Pesce pointed to the fact that Ms Ayling's story appears to have convinced the prosecution, the police and the judge who has conducted pre-trial hearings enough that proceedings were still ongoing. The police held a press conference shortly before Ms Ayling identified herself as the captor, in which they detailed the evidence surrounding the kidnapping.

"There must be some clarification on some elements," he admitted, "however I believe the investigators will be excellent in doing their job and everything will emerge."

He did say that he would caution Ms Ayling to behave differently, after a Sky News journalist asked him about the model's behaviour since the trip. She has participated in an interview outside her house and friends have said she will be doing another page three shoot, just days after she revealed herself to be the victim.

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He also addressed questions around the shopping trip, during which Ms Ayling had apparently travelled with her captor to buy shoes and groceries. He said that despite being let out into public she did not feel safe enough to escape.

"What she told me and the police before me is that she was told by the captor ... that other people that were affiliated to this Black Death organisation were watching her," he said. "So even if they tried to flee she would be killed. So that's duress. That's a state of psychological subjugation."

And he responded to claims that Ms Ayling had met her captor before, saying that it was a brief moment and didn't mean anything.

"There was no relationship between the two," he said. "And what I believe is the investigators thoroughly searched everything, and if they had any doubts that she was involved to some extent she wouldn't have gone back to England."

Mr Pesce said that the next steps for the proceedings will be the completion of investigations in Italy as well as in the UK, which could include trying to catch another accomplice. The Italian courts will then bring the case to trial, he said.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives is unlikely to raise the country's debt ceiling without conditions to rein in spending, a Republican lawmaker said on Tuesday, raising the specter of another potential clash even as Republicans control both Congress and the White House. The Trump administration has asked Congress to extend the federal borrowing capacity to meet U.S. payment obligations with a "clean" bill that does not include any other provisions. Asked if the House would act to pass such a bill when lawmakers return to Washington next month, U.S. Representative Tom Cole said "probably not clean." "Most Republicans want to do something to lower the trajectory of the debt," Cole, a member of the House Appropriations and Budget committees, told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. Disagreements over the country's borrowing capacity have prompted skirmishes for years. The latest tussle among Republicans follows a fight over healthcare legislation that left the party unable to make good on years of promises to repeal and replace Obamacare, and has also raised concern among some investors.. The Treasury is expected to fully exhaust its remaining borrowing capacity in October. More fiscally conservative House Republicans see the debt ceiling issue as tied to deficit-reduction, and want to include spending cuts or the selling off of government assets -- something Cole, a more establishment Republican, backed on Tuesday. Representative Mark Walker, who chairs the conservative Republican Study Committee, said in a Washington Examiner Op-Ed article that a debt ceiling agreement should also address any future crises and recommended two conservative measures to that end. Both measures would require the government to issue new bonds to pay principal and interest on debt held by the public and by two Social Security trusts. One would also allow the president to rescind budget authority over unobligated funds and to order the sale of government assets. "Both these measures are steps in the right direction," wrote Walker, whose group represents the House's largest conservative caucus. Both the House and the Senate left for summer recess until early September despite requests from the White House to pass a debt limit bill before the congressional break this month. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said debate over the issue could stretch into September, when lawmakers must also pass separate legislation to fund day-to-day government activities before the fiscal year ends later that month. (Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Frances Kerry and David Gregorio)
Greenland is burning. Not all of itthis northern island is mostly icebut a cluster of large wildfires is currently spreading through western Greenland, near the town of Kangerlussuaq, a base camp for researchers studying the islands ice sheets. The strange event has surprised researchers, who are unaccustomed to blazes of this size in the area.

At first, scientists thought traces of smoke in the satellite data from this region were anomalies in the data, says Jessica McCarty, assistant professor of geography at Miami University of Ohio. But a closer look revealed that the area was burning.

The fires started on July 31 and are still going strong. Researchers suspect that the fire is fueled by peat, a dark soil rich in organic material found throughout the northern latitudes. Besides peat, only grasses and rocks make up the landscape in this region, McCarty says. The largest of these fires covers an area that is 3,000 acres in size, and the blaze is likely the largest ever observed on the island, says Jeff Weber, a scientist with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado.

greenland-fire-close

NASA Earth Observatory / Jesse Allen / U.S. Geological Survey

Climate change has almost certainly contributed to this fire. Research shows that warming temperatures associated with human influences have already led to the melting and degradation of west Greenlands permafrost, soil and sediment that usually stays frozen year-round. Rain has been sparse this summer, and temperatures have been slightly warmer than average, drying out the soil and grass and setting the stage for the fire, McCarty adds.

Its unclear how the fire started. McCarty suspects it was ignited by people camping or driving ATVs in this area. But Sander Veraverbeke, an assistant professor at the University of Amsterdam who specializes in forest fires and satellite data, thinks the initial spark probably came from lightning. Veraverbeke and colleagues showed in a paper published in late June in Nature Climate Change that warming temperatures are leading to more lightning strikes in the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska. Although this area is much farther north, and consists of tundra rather than forests, he suspects that as the climate warms, Greenland will also experience more lightning strikes.

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Researchers havent carefully tracked lightning strikes or wildfires in Greenland because neither occurrence was common. That will now change. Now, were going to have to start monitoring Greenland for wildfires, and thats not something wed ever really thought about, McCarty says.

greenland-fire

NASA Earth Observatory / Jesse Allen / U.S. Geological Survey

The scientific record contains many studies involving wildfires and Greenland (some of them invoking the favorite fire and ice theme in the titleacademics have to have fun too), but very few involve current conflagrations. Rather, they detail the deposition of char from forest fires far afield in the old layers of ice.

Fires like the ones now raging may accelerate warming in two ways. They could deposit more dark soot on the surface of Greenlands abundant ice, which will then absorb more heat, leading to more melting, Weber says. The fires will also increase the release of methane, a potent greenhouse gas normally locked up in the permafrost, Veraverbeke says.

The Greenland blazes fit into this pattern [of warming], and its worrisome, he adds.

To wrap up: wildfires have occurred in the past over Greenland but 2017 is exceptional in number of active fire detections by MODIS pic.twitter.com/2HGaVieTEe  Stef Lhermitte (@StefLhermitte) August 7, 2017

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Donald Trump has said he will launch "fire and fury like the world has never seen". North Korea has promised to get its revenge "a thousand fold" on the US for any attack.

But is the world really on the brink of a Third World War? Experts say probably not, while pointing out that it is easy to see how we might get there.

A general consensus is that the US President's statements are just bluster, although many emphasise the fact that bluster has an unfortunate history of leading to war.

The new escalation is the latest in an ongoing ratcheting up of tensions between Pyongyang and Washington, and came after a report that claimed North Korea had developed nuclear weapons small enough that they could be flown all the way to the US mainland and detonated there.

After that came what prominent arms control expert Jeffrey Lewis has described a carnival of bellicosity.

Mr Trumps fire and fury statement is unprecedented in US relations with North Korea and markedly similar to the kind of rhetoric that emerges from Pyongyang.

North Korea appeared to call the US leader's bluff within hours of his statement, announcing it was exploring the possibility of attacking Guam, a US pacific territory that among other things houses strategic bombers.

Crucially, this statement appears to have been formulated in response to the US flying two B1-B bombers over the Korean Peninsula on Monday, a repeat of a similar operation carried out in July  and therefore not in response to Mr Trump's warning.

Rex Tillerson, the President's foreign policy chief, moved to calm the situation and advised the US public not to worry.

The message of de-escalation appears not to have influenced Mr Trump, however, who woke up and tweeted that the US nuclear arsenal was more powerful than ever before  though adding that he hoped never to use it.

Nevertheless, the US leader's shift to outright belligerence towards North Korea has given rise to widespread fears around the prospect of a major global nuclear conflict, the fallout from which would inevitably see the destruction of large parts of the world.

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So is the world about to get destroyed by a nuclear war?

No, probably not, according to experts contacted by The Independent. Mr Trumps comments offer a significant and meaningful change in the rhetoric being exchanged between North Korea and the US  but they appear to be just rhetoric, for now.

The first thing I would say is that Im not sure that Mr Trumps comments change the fundamental calculus on the Korean peninsula, in the North or in the South, said James Hannah, assistant head of the Asia programme at Chatham House.

Whats obviously changed is the Trump factor and he has in a way emulated the North Korea bellicosity approach.

Even the Presidents voice is just one among many  albeit that of the Commander in Chief  in the White House, and is by far the most aggressive.

Rex Tillerson said there was no imminent threat and that Americans should sleep well at night, while explaining that the President had adopted such a confrontational tone because this was language that Kim Jong-Un could understand.

That does not mean there was not reason to be concerned.

Having followed North Korea for a long time, I am getting more worried, said Aidan Foster-Carter, honorary senior research fellow in sociology and modern Korea at Leeds University.

I worry about rhetoric getting out of control on either side and this leading to a miscalculation of some sort.

Professor Foster-Carter stressed that he was not suggesting Mr Trumps comments or the US approach was anything like that of North Korea, only that there was an increasing degree of public enmity between the two sides.

North Korea demonstrates better than any nation that bluster is important.

I worry about loose rhetoric, said Jeffrey Lewis, an adjunct professor at the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies.

Because I worry that allies or the North Koreans wont understand that its just bluster.

But having said that, I dont believe that its evidence that the US is going to attack the North Koreans.

"In a strange way its reassuring because its clear he doesnt know what to do; if he had some plan to attack them, he wouldnt be talking about his plan to attack them.

Could conflict break out at some point in the near future?

Perhaps the most terrifying thing about the situation is how impossible that question to answer; there are simply too many disparate elements, each of them unpredictable on their own and amounting to a situation in which almost anything could happen.

If the calculus hasnt changed, what is being introduced is a greater level of unpredictability and rhetorical tension, says Mr Hannah. Which has a number of knock-on effects.

If the US is unpredictable, Trump supporters might see that as a pro  taking a harder line and putting pressure on the North and conceivably on China, by eventuating the threat.

But equally, that unpredictability doesnt wash well with US allies in the region, like Japan or South Korea. It creates a sort of echo chamber of inflated rhetoric.

And with Mr Trump in power, rhetoric tends to dominate the debate  and often become the debate.

If you do raise the rhetoric then I suppose theres a greater worry that the chance of action in some quarters is increased, adds Mr Hannah.

It all really comes down to whether North Korea thinks that Mr Trumps statements actually mean anything. If he is just blustering  an activity they know well  then very little has changed; if they think that the rhetorical stance is something that puts them in danger, then conflict could arise.

How might war break out?

If any conflict were to happen, it is likely that war would break out by accident, not by design. Mr Trumps comments might be mostly powerful as rhetoric  but wars have been fought over similar rhetoric before.

Its worth noting that, of course, most people are still against the idea of nuclear wars. That is a fairly safe assumption and means that, whatever is said, nobody is going to choose to drop an atomic bomb on another country happily.

More simplistic military intervention, of the kind that western governments had hoped for when they went into Iraq in 2003, is also probably out of the question.

As soon as North Korea felt it was being invaded, it would likely launch attacks on South Korea; if that happened, the big questions of North Koreas nuclear range would be less important, since Seoul could be hit by simple artillery. The idea of risking those people for an intervention is all but impossible.

Worried though I am about Trump I think he would be dissuaded from such a course, says Professor Foster-Carter. It would destroy South Korea, it would destroy the alliance; it would be more damaging even than all the conflicts that weve sadly grown used to in places like Iraq.

But its not that simple.

It has become more complicated to the point that concerns of miscalculations are higher, so thats probably where the danger is, says Mr Hannah. In a very complicated situation, I think the fear is of an unpredictable misstep or message that triggers some kind of chain reaction by one party or the other.

Thats the chief concern about Mr Trumps comments  that they could be read as a suggestion that something damaging is about to happen, and that they could pre-emptively respond.

And with such a swell of aggressive rhetoric swirling around the situation, any individual incidents importance is going to be far higher.

The breakdown of negotiations and diplomacy between the US and North Korea also means that any minor event could be significant, since theres no easy way for either country to address or calm any problem.

Between 1994 and 2003, diplomatic agreements froze North Koreas nuclear development and made it easier for diplomacy to go on between the country and its adversaries on other issues.

What that means is when you have a conflict  when theres a shoot-out on the maritime demarcation line, for instance  youve got a way to defuse tension, said Professor Hazel Smith, author of North Korean Markets and Military Rule. Today that doesnt exist.

So if you have a relatively minor incident on the border, which is still disputed, which is still possible, there is a possibility for it to escalate. Thats how wars start.

It is dangerous, the situation we have right now, especially when you have so many states with different interests involved.

If that war happened, the US would ostensibly win it  that much is obvious, and is a key factor in the US militarys thinking. But that part of the world is surrounded by many of the biggest armed forces in the world, and any conflict would be very, very bloody indeed, said Professor Smith.

So what is Donald Trump up to?

Its possible that Mr Trumps comments are part of some master plan, unlikely though it might be.

And the very fact that he is talking about the country is an important break from the Obama administrations commitment to what it called strategic patience  but which really was hard to distinguish from neglect, says Professor Foster-Carter.

Trump to his credit takes North Korea seriously but does it in such an extraordinary manner," he said.

Anyone minded to think of Mr Trump as a strategic genius, may see his latest comments as evidence of a clearly though-through plan.

Those looking to be sympathetic, may suggest he is trying to match North Koreas often aggressive commentary with similar attack of his own, or that his lack of care is a result of the madman theory, whereby a person behaves so bizarrely that they unsettle opponents and gain power from the perception they might do something crazy.

In some ways, it has the advantage of helping both sides. Both Pyongyang and Washington are led by men who are interested in making the other out to be evil and unhinged, both want to look strong and both can benefit from giving the appearance that, if prodded, they could trigger a nuclear armageddon.

Those are perhaps less likely than the theory Mr Trump is simply wading into a discussion that he feels strongly about. Thankfully, the US leader is surrounded by people who are slightly more sensible  even if theyre not always able to stop him speaking.

The idea of the fantastic, grim scenario in which the world is pushed to nuclear was is unbelievably frightening, says Professor Foster-Carter. But I dont think it will happen because I think, hope and pray theres enough adult supervision  in the military people, like Mattis and McMaster  and theres no sensible strike option.

Its clear that those generals who now surround Mr Trump  secretary of defence James Mattis, and national security advisor HR McMaster  do not want war, precisely because they are the most acutely aware of the damage it might do.

One of the ironies is that its the generals that are trying to prevent the outbreak of military conflict  to look at alternative ways of whats going on, said Professor Smith.

Mr Trumps comments were in part notable because he did not appear to have taken direction on them  and may not have even planned to say it at all. Mr Trumps unpredictability reflects on the entire situation.

The intervention of Rex Tillerson, who is among Trumps more considered advisors, shows that the White House is still attempting to avoid all out escalation.

The danger depends in large part on whether those more sober heads can keep Mr Trump calm, and quiet. The former reality TV stars statement isnt as significant in what he said as that he was able and willing to say it at all. It introduces a new instability to an already fairly shaky situation, in the form of the most powerful man in the world.

Who are North Koreas allies?

Traditionally, North Korea has received help from countries like Russia and China. It might indeed be China that is at least partly motivating Mr Trumps recent outburst  playing as it does to his campaign comments about re-negotiating the two countries relationship.

I dont think were seeing a US mobilisation for nuclear war, said Mr Hannah.

"But Trump has invested himself heavily in the North Korea issue as an issue to prove himself.

Its also quite central to his approach to China. And China is a big part of his foreign policy, rhetorically at least.

What does it mean for the UK and Europe?

Very little, both in terms of the immediate danger and the knock-on diplomatic effects. European countries will obviously take a close interest in the latest developments, but they are relatively small players where such matters are concerned.

The US is involved because it has become a useful enemy for North Korea, for all sorts of reasons related to the Korean war and events before and since.

But the most important countries are generally those around North Korea, including Japan and South Korea  both of which are in easy reach of any weapons and are allies of the US  as well as Russia and China.

How can we stop it?

This could have all been prevented in the 1990s. Then, there was an appetite in North Korea for a negotiated solution, and a desire in the US to acquiesce.

Such a relatively straightforward solution may no longer be possible to fix a problem like Korea. The country believes, probably rightly, that its nuclear programme keeps other countries from launching regime change, meaning its leadership is unlikely to relinquish its huge, atomic bargaining chip.

So any security deal  bringing together all of the interested parties, including China, Russia and Japan as well as the US  would have to guarantee that there would be no regime change. That would be unpalatable to the US, since it would mean not only recognising but committing to perpetuate an oppressive and deadly regime.
Donald Trump was reportedly given the folder twice a day - REUTERS

Donald Trump has reportedly been given a dossier of positive news coverage about himself twice a day since entering the White House.

Consisting of about 20-25 pages, the packet is filled with screenshots of positive cable news headlines, admiring tweets, transcripts of positive TV interviews, praise-filled news stories, and sometimes just pictures of the president on TV looking powerful, Vice News reported, citing White House sources.

The folder is said to be compiled from the clippings that are sent to the White House from the Republican National Committees war room, which monitors local and national news, cable television, social media, digital media, and print media.

Vice reported that the idea came from Reince Priebus, who was chief of staff until his recent ousting, and Sean Spicer, who resigned as White House press secretary last month.

Sean Spicer and Reince Priebus Credit: Reuters

Both were reportedly eager to deliver the package, which became known by some in the White House as the propaganda document, the news website quoted an official as saying.

Priebus and Spicer werent in a good position, and they wanted to show they could provide positive coverage, the official said. It was self-preservation.

Mr Spicer disputed the nature of the dossier. While I wont comment on materials we share with the president, this is not accurate on several levels, he told Vice, without elaborating.

Now that Mr Spicer and Mr Priebus have departed, the officials say the folder has been produced less frequently.

While Mr Trump has often railed at "fake news", usually targeting the New York Times or CNN, he has regularly tweeted reports that praise him.

In a bid to promote positive news, Team Trump is now producing what it is billing as the "Real News."

The first "Real News" video appeared a little over a week ago on Mr Trump's Facebook page and featured the president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, who is married to his son Eric.
People walk by a TV screen showing a local news program reporting with an image of U.S. President Donald Trump at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea on 9 Aug 2017: AP

Donald Trump has said that thanks to him, the US's nuclear arsenal is "far stronger and more powerful than ever before," a day after he dramatically upped the stakes in the war of rhetoric with North Korea and threatened "fire and fury" against the isolated country.

Mr Trump took to his favoured venue Twitter to communicate this morning that his first act as President was to strengthen the US nuclear arsenal. However, his first act in office on 20 Janurary according to the White House website was an executive order regarding "minimising the economic burden" of patients under Obamacare.

He added that "there will never be a time when" the US is not the "most powerful" nation on the planet.

My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017

...Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017

However, in a move that has become somewhat characteristic of the Trump administration, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had a somewhat contradictory message after Mr Trump's "fire and fury" comment.

Mr Tillerson travelled unexpectedly to the US territory of Guam earlier today after North Korea threatened to attack the small Pacific island nation after news of Pyongyang's ability to build a nuclear warhead capable of fitting inside a missile became known.

The typically tacit Secretary of State addressed the media while on his plane: "I do not believe that there is any imminent threat...Americans should sleep well at night".

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Guam, approximately 2,200 miles (3540 km) southeast of North Korea, has two US military bases and is the home port for nuclear submarines.

Guamanians, who do not vote for US presidents but have party delegates in Washington, DC, have been threatened before by Kim Jong-un.

In 2013 and 2016, the mercurial leader warned that US bases in the Pacific would face attack.

As Mieke Eoyang, Vice President for the National Security Program at DC-based think tank Third Way, pointed out on Twitter - North Korea lacks "second strike" capabilities should the US respond to any possible attack on US territories, Hawaii, or even South Korea and Japan.

Congress is currently in recess but several members have responded to Mr Trump's comments in the last 24 hours.

Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee Senator John McCain told an Arizona radio station that "the great leaders I've seen don't threaten unless they're ready to act and I'm not sure President Trump is ready to act."

While Senator Chuck Schumer called the President's comments "reckless," colleague Lindsey Graham told CBS that Mr Trump "is going to pick homeland defence over regional stability and he has to. ...We've failed for 30 years, it's time to try something new."

Despite Mr Trump and Mr Kim's back-and-forth fiery rhetoric, experts say that the likelihood of North Korea actually attacking Guam is quite low.

Scott Snyder, Senior Fellow for Korea Studies and Director of the Program on U.S.-Korea Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations told The Independent that "North Koreans usually [operate] based on a kind of guerilla approach. It is very unusual for them to pre-announce their targets. The statement is a response to US threats that actually tries to also direct US attention to the source of vulnerability in Guam."

The US can "launch nuclear-capable flyovers" to the Korean peninsula but a North Korean attack there - in theory - could disable that capability.

Mr Snyder said that if Pyongyang attacks Guam, it would be "suicidal, and Kim Jong-un is not suicidal".

But, the threat is not an empty one despite the small chance of follow-through.

"If you are a US security planner...you still have to prepare for that possibility," Mr Snyder noted.

Matthew Wallin, Senior Fellow at American Security Project, told The Independent that he also does not think North Korea will attack Guam because it would "end in the destruction of the regime".

The whole reason Mr Kim developed nuclear weapons is to preserve his regime, said Mr Wallin.

The other issue at hand is US-South Korea relations.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has expressed in the past a hesitation for military action against North Korea given the short distance Pyongyang and Seoul.

Mr Moon, elected only in May 2017, also campaigned on a Sunshine Policy, advocating for exhausting all non-military options for better relations with the North.

"North Korea keeps popping [Mr Moon's] trial balloons," however, said Mr Snyder. The South Korean leader has proposed a joint Olympic team, trade corridors, and humanitarian aid - all dismissed by Pyongyang.

In a recent meeting between the two foreign minister, the North Korean minister said the South's efforts at better relations were "insincere".

Mr Snyder said that despite this, Mr Moon essentially "embedded himself deeply in the US-Korea alliance" once he took office and came to meet Mr Trump in person.

South Korea supports any sanctions against North Korea, but should the "US toolkit" be reduced to only military options it could face serious opposition from Seoul according to Mr Snyder.

However, "we are not at the point yet" that the opposition would be drowned out because the US feels an direct, imminent threat from Pyongyang.

Mr Wallin argues that going forward diplomatic efforts should focus on pressuring China more than any other matter, getting it to deal with its regional issue and aid to North Korea.

The US also "needs to provide an offramp for de-escalation and denuclearisation that will allow North Korea to save face and not fear for its own survival," he said.

Setting an example through tamping down the Trump administration's fiery rhetoric on Iran would help to show that survival of a denuclearised power is possible, Mr Wallin said.

"Unless North Korea sees eliminating its nuclear weapons as in its interests, it will not comply."
President Donald Trump and Sen Mitch McConnell. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: AP[2], Getty Images [2])

WASHINGTON  President Trump pushed back against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells recent comments that he has excessive expectations for Congress, as tensions between the Republican president and the majority leader escalate over the long August recess.

Senator Mitch McConnell said I had excessive expectations, but I dont think so, Trump tweeted Wednesday afternoon. After 7 years of hearing Repeal & Replace, why not done?

McConnell said Monday Trump was creating a false impression that Senate Republicans are not effective because hes a political novice. Our new president, of course, has not been in this line of work before, McConnell told a small group in Florence, Ky., this week. And I think he had excessive expectations about how quickly things happen in the democratic process.

In his remarks, McConnell also lamented that artificial deadlines  presumably from the White House  are giving the impression that Senate Republicans are underperforming after the Senate failed to repeal and replace Obamacare in its first six months. McConnell reminded the crowd it took Obama a year to pass the Affordable Care Act.

More excuses, tweeted White House social media director Dan Scavino on Wednesday morning. Scavino said McConnell must have needed another 4 years to repeal Obamacare.

More excuses. @SenateMajLdr must have needed another 4 years  in addition to the 7 years  to repeal and replace Obamacare.. https://t.co/6FOVBm6BQU  Dan Scavino Jr. (@DanScavino) August 9, 2017

Trumps tweet about McConnell was tame compared to his frequent caustic barbs against his declared foes. During the campaign, for example, Trump frequently ripped into House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., whom he referred to as a very weak and ineffective leader.

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Conservative commentators took a far sharper tone on McConnell than the president.

Sean Hannity, a Fox News host who is friends with the president, tweeted Tuesday night that McConnell was a WEAK, SPINELESS leader who should retire.

Lou Dobbs, a Fox Business host, dedicated a whole segment Wednesday to McConnells comments, blasting a graphic on the screen that read Ditch Mitch in giant letters.

He isnt worth a doggone as I can see, Dobbs said. Thats what we got in the swamp, folks.

A McConnell spokesman declined to comment on the blowback.

The Senate decamped from Washington on Thursday for a four-week August recess back in their home states after failing to deliver an Obamacare repeal-and-replace bill long promised by the GOP. Republican voters tend to blame Congress more than the president for legislative failures, something Trump seems to be aware of. Were not going to own it, Trump told reporters the day after the Senate repeal effort failed. Im not going to own it.

The president has not publicly criticized McConnell over the Obamacare debacle, though he issued an angry statement about the Russian sanctions bill he signed into law last week, saying Congress was to blame for poor U.S.-Russia relations. The sanctions bill is one of the few pieces of major legislation the GOP-controlled Congress managed to send to Trumps desk. (McConnell frequently touts the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch as the GOP Senates major accomplishment so far.)

You can thank Congress, the same people that cant even give us HCare! Trump exclaimed on Twitter, referring to the stalled health care effort.

Some lawmakers, however, believe the president could have helped the repeal effort by laying out a clear plan for Capitol Hill to work with. After Trump privately called the House-passed repeal bill mean, some Senate Republicans worried he would not provide them any political cover if they pushed through the unpopular legislation.

Heres what I would tell any senator: If youre counting on the president to have your back, you need to watch it, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters in June.

If tensions continue, it could further complicate Congress crowded fall agenda, which includes raising the debt ceiling, funding the government, overhauling the tax system and perhaps another repeal-and-replace attempt before Christmas. The Senate also plans to have bipartisan hearings in September about how to stabilize the Obamacare individual markets, which Trump has threatened to sabotage by stopping payments to insurers.

Several Republicans say they dont think the White House should sabotage the individual markets as a way to get around the Senate.

I think theyve seen that threats and things like that really dont work with people here, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said last week.

The week before they left Washington, several lawmakers downplayed the White House-Senate tension.

Im sure that a lot of people said bad things about me today and Congress today, and the president would be in that group, I guess, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said of Trumps angry tweet.

He added that he didnt think relations between Congress and the president were as bad as has been reported. Were hopeful about a new staff structure, and I think were going to see things begin to happen in different ways, he said.

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Juba (AFP) - The head of South Sudan's UN mission announced on Tuesday the long-awaited arrival of troops from a regional force meant to patrol roads and quell violence in the war-ravaged country.

The UN Security Council decided a year ago to deploy a 4,000-strong regional force, two months after fighting in the capital Juba killed hundreds of people and led to the collapse of a peace agreement between President Salva Kiir's government and rebels loyal to his former deputy Riek Machar.

However the plan has been bogged down in delays and bureaucratic hurdles

David Shearer, head of the UN mission UNMISS, told a press conference about 150 troops from Rwanda arrived at the weekend for the regional protection force (RPF).

A team of Nepalese soldiers and an engineering company from Bangladesh who will join east African troops for technical support have also arrived.

"It will enable us to put more patrols along insecure roads where there have been attacks on civilian convoys," Shearer said of the RPF.

"It will enable us, as I said before, to help protect civilians and build a durable peace in South Sudan."

More troops from Rwanda along with a contingent from Ethiopia are also expected to arrive, Shearer added.

There are already around 12,000 troops operating under UNMISS in South Sudan, but the Security Council authorised the deployment of the RPF after the July 2016 violence amid complaints that UN forces failed to respond to attacks on civilians.

The Security Council mandate allows the RPF to secure Juba's airport and "promptly and effectively engage any actor that is credibly found to be preparing attacks or engages in attacks".

Shearer blamed "bureaucratic hurdles" for the 11-month delay in deploying the troops.

"We have liked it to have been quicker," he said.

South Sudan descended into a vicious civil war in 2013 after Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup. Machar is now in exile in South Africa.

Thousands of people been killed and millions displaced by the violence, which briefly plunged part of the country into famine earlier this year.
Paris (AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron's efforts to create a "real status" for First Lady Brigitte Macron have thrown a spotlight on the role of her counterparts around the world.

In some cases First Ladies have played influential behind-the-scenes roles, and in some cases have even come to power.

- No status in Europe -

With the exception of the monarchy, the partners of European heads of state and government, often discreet, have no special status and some continue to work.

In Britain, where the monarchy plays an important role in representing the country, Prime Minister Theresa May's banker husband has kept his job, as did the wives of David Cameron and Tony Blair before him.

The partner of Belgian prime minister Charles Michel, Amelie Derbaudrenghien, who has no official status and refuses the role of First Lady, continuing her work in public administration.

Another partner known for his low-key role, the media-shy husband of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, scientist Joachim Sauer, is nicknamed the "phantom of the opera".

However, the spouse of the German president traditionally leaves her job in order to take on the honorary role of First Lady.

The wife of the current president, Elke Buedenbender, raised eyebrows when she announced last March that she was giving up her job as a judge after her husband Frank-Walter Steinmeier became the new head of state.

"Pay the First Lady for her work, or abolish the position," an editorial in the centre-left Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily said at the time.

In Slovenia, the president's "partner" receives a monthly remuneration for protocol expenses, up to 15 percent of the president's salary.

She or he also gets a paid absence from employment for protocole purposes, a job suspension during the president's mandate and the right to resume it once the partner leaves office.

In reality, apart in some cases from charity work, partners mainly take part in protocole during diplomatic meetings and take part in overseas visits, where a programme is often organised for them.

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During NATO's summit in May in Brussels, the First Ladies visited the Magritte exhibition, a high-end leather goods shop and the royal greenhouses.

Among the First Ladies was a First Man, Gauthier Destenay, the husband of Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, the first European leader to have a same-sex partner.

- US: more defined role

The First Lady of the United States (Flotus) has means at her disposal under a 1978 law, without actually receiving a salary. She has an office at the White House and a staff with a chief of staff and press secretary.

Each First Lady has carried out the job in her own way - Hillary Clinton was the most influential aide of her husband, and tried, unsuccessfully to reform the health care system.

Michelle Obama took up the campaign against child obesity, while Melania Trump has said she wants to use her position as First Lady to campaign against cyber-bullying, an ambition which raised eyebrows given her husband's aggressive online presence.

- Partners in power -

In Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega is president and his wife Rosario Murillo vice president.

Something similar happened in Argentina in 1973 when Juan Peron was president and his wife Isabel vice president. She succeeded him on his death in 1974.

Similarly in Argentina Cristina Kirchner became president in 2007, succeeding her husband Nestor.
By Ian Simpson

(Reuters) - A three-year-old boy died after being left for hours in a Florida daycare van, and criminal charges are pending against the worker who transported him in the vehicle, officials said on Tuesday.

If an autopsy confirms that Myles Hill perished from being left in the hot vehicle, his will be the 32nd such death for U.S. children in 2017 and the fifth in Florida, Orlando Police Chief John Mina said at a news conference.

A daycare worker found the boy dead in the back seat of the van operated by Orlando's Little Miracles Academy late on Monday, Mina said.

"We believe Myles was in the hot van all day long," he said.

The chief said a daycare worker picked up Myles and other children to take them to another Little Miracles Academy during the morning. She returned to the first daycare center and did not realize the boy was still in the van, Mina said.

Myles was found after his grandmother called police and the daycare center because he had not been dropped off at her home, he said.

Temperatures in Orlando reached 93 Fahrenheit (34 Celsius) on Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Mike Carroll, secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families, said in a statement that the agency was seeking to shut down operations of the daycare centers by Wednesday and a child death investigation had been opened.

One of the two centers had five licensing violations in the last two years, the statement said.

Calls to the two Little Miracles sites went unanswered on Tuesday.

Florida is second behind Texas among U.S. states for the number of children left in vehicles who have died from heat stroke since 1998, according to the NoHeatStroke.org website maintained by Jan Null, a meteorology lecturer at San Jose State University in California.

A total of 732 children have died from being left in a hot vehicle since 1998, the site said.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Andrew Hay)
The Queen arrives alongside Nawaz Sharif and his wife Kulsoom during a visit to Pakistan in 1997 - AP

The ex-Prime Minister of Pakistan has raised fears of instability in the country by planning to install his politically inexperienced wife in the parliamentary seat he was recently disqualified from.

Nawaz Sharif is set to nominate Kulsoom Nawaz, his spouse of 47 years, as the ruling partys candidate to fill the vacant NA-120 seat in Lahore, according to local media reports.

The provocative move comes as Mr Sharif plans to take to the streets to protest his ousting by the Supreme Court at the end of last month.

Mr Sharifs attempt to retain control of the country via his wife is unlikely to please Pakistans military, which has long objected to his desire to improve relations with India.

They, wrote columnist Cyril Almeida, using a common code-word for the army, came all this way, shook up the system, only to see Nawaz quickly find a way to stay in control?... It doesnt look sustainable

Kulsoom Sharif has no prior political experience Credit: AP

"Kulsoom's nomination is desperate," a spokesman for the opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, told The Telegraph. "It will be foiled by voters in the constituency," which Mr Sharif won with a hefty majority of 40,000 votes in 2013.

Kulsoom Nawaz has not previously held political office. Although she led a campaign against the imprisonment of Mr Sharif in 1999, following a military coup, as first lady she has largely kept silent.

Officials in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) say that Mr Sharif is also considering his daughter as a candidate.

Previously seen as Mr Sharifs political heir, Maryam, 43, has gained exposure handling communications in the prime ministers office, and through bolshy use of her personal Twitter account, which has 3.4m followers.

However, she faces a forthcoming trial over allegations she assisted her father in laundering money to purchase four flats in Park Lane. Both she and her father deny the allegations.

Mr Sharifs reported plan would rip up a previous agreement designed to keep peace in the PML-N, whereby his brother would have shuffled into the vacant seat, and from there swiftly into the role of Prime Minister.

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Maryam Sharif has been seen as a political heir to her father Credit: Reuters

Shahbaz Sharif, a notorious workaholic who sleeps four hours-a-night, represented a popular choice within the party after transforming infrastructure in Punjab province during several stints as chief minister.

Choosing his wife over his brother will deepen the crisis of credibility for Nawaz Sharif, said Mosharraf Zaidi, a columnist. How many metros has Mrs Nawaz Sharif built?

On Wednesday Mr Sharif is set to drive in a cavalcade from Islamabad, the capital, to his home town of Lahore, where the 67-year-old will address a large rally of supporters.

The ex-PM is expected to develop his claim that a conspiracy, led by the army, was behind his disqualification following a trial linked to revelations in the Panama Papers.

On Monday night, a bomb exploded along Mr Sharifs planned route, injuring 24 people and prompting the former premiers team to announce he would not leave the confines of his bullet-proof vehicle on the journey south.
An aerial view of U.S. Naval Base Guam - REUTERS

The inhabitants of Guam were shocked to wake up on Wednesday to the news that they are being targeted by North Korean ballistic missiles, although the local government has reassured local people that the Pacific island is "prepared for any eventuality".

In a release just hours after US President Donald Trump threatened that any North Korean attack would be met with "fire and fury", Pyongyang's state media said its military was "carefully examining the operational plan for making an enveloping fire at the areas around Guam".

The North's threat is to use medium-to-long-range Hwasong-12 missiles and is the latest and most specific threat directed against the US.

Navy vessels are moored in port at the U.S. Naval Base Guam at Apra Harbo Credit: Reuters

Jackie Hanson, a US national living on Guam, told The Telegraph that the situation is "very unnerving".

"This is a small island with limited resources and we rely on imports for pretty much everything", she said. "If anything was to go wrong then it would upset the whole way of life for everyone living here for a long time".

Ms Hanson said she had heard no discussions of people wanting to leave Guam in the face of North Korea's threats, although she conceded that might change if tensions continue to rise.

"The sense right now is that there is concern and that we need to keep up to speed on what is happening, but right now there is no need to take a different course of action", she added.

Eddie Baza Calvo, the governor of Guam, sought to reassure the island's residents.

"I know we woke up to media reports of North Korea's talk of revenge on the United States and this so-called new-found technology that allows them to target Guam", Mr Calvo said.

"I want to reassure the people of Guam that currently there is no threat to our island or the Marianas.

"My Homeland Security advisor, who is in communications with Homeland Security and [the] Department of Defence notes that there is no change in threat level resulting from North Korea events", he said, adding that "there are several levels of defence all strategically placed to protect our island and our nation.

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"Additionally, I have reached out to the White House this morning", Mr Calvo said. "An attack or threat to Guam is a threat or attack on the United States. They have said that America will be defended".

Mr Calvo has nevertheless called an emergency meeting of military and political leaders to discuss the readiness of locally based forces and first responders and has promised to pass on information concerning new developments to island residents.

After many years of failure,countries are coming together to finally address the dangers posed by North Korea. We must be tough & decisive!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 8, 2017

In a statement that appeared to lay some of the blame for the rising tensions on Mr Trump, Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo said: "While we have heard threats like this in the past, I take them very seriously and continue to engage with our DOD partners to ensure that Guam and our people remain safe.

"However, these recent threats make it imperative for President Trump to work with the international community, especially with China and other stakeholders in the region, to de-escalate these tensions.

"The presidents tweet earlier today is concerning and unhelpful and does not lay out a clear strategy on how he will address the growing threats from North Korea", she said.

"Kim Jong-un's reckless behaviour cannot be tolerated, and I strongly urge the president to explore every avenue to peacefully respond to it and avoid further escalating this situation."

At just over 2,100 miles from North Korea, Guam is home to three key US military installations, including Andersen Air Force Base.

Two US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers took off from Andersen on Monday to carry out a 10-hour mission in collaboration with Japanese and South Korean air assets. The bombers were escorted over the Korean Peninsula in a show of force aimed at North Korea.

At a glance | Guam
Hannity (Fox News)

Shortly after President Trump warned North Korea that any threats to the United States would be met with fire and fury, Fox News host and close Trump confidant Sean Hannity announced on Twitter a 12-hour moratorium on all petty political disagreements.

In light of dangerous NKorea threat, Im stopping all petty political disagreements for at least next 12 hours, Hannity tweeted Tuesday afternoon. Lets see what others do.

Hannitys self-imposed cease-fire lasted less than eight hours.

In light of dangerous NKorea threat, I'm stopping all petty political disagreements for at least next 12 hours. Let's see what others do.  Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) August 8, 2017

Just after 11 p.m. ET, Hannity lashed out at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell over the Kentucky Republicans public criticism of Trumps legislative messaging.

On Monday, McConnell told a group of Rotary Club members in Florence, Ky., that the president has excessive expectations about how quickly things happen in the democratic process and lamented the artificial deadlines that Trump has imposed on him.

@SenateMajLdr No Senator, YOU are a WEAK, SPINELESS leader who does not keep his word and you need to Retire! https://t.co/X85QQV3WOG  Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) August 9, 2017

No Senator, Hannity tweeted, YOU are a WEAK, SPINELESS leader who does not keep his word and you need to Retire!

Hannitys colleague, Lou Dobbs, said its time to ditch Mitch.

Hannity and Dobbs are both longtime friends of Trump and are often quick to attack the presidents critics while mimicking White House talking points.

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Dan Scavino Jr., the White House social media director, echoed Hannity in a tweet Wednesday morning.

.@SenateMajLdr: "Our new @POTUS has of course not been in this line of work before, and I think had excessive expectations." pic.twitter.com/TDr9jG6J6f  FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) August 9, 2017

More excuses. @SenateMajLdr must have needed another 4 years  in addition to the 7 years  to repeal and replace Obamacare.. https://t.co/6FOVBm6BQU  Dan Scavino Jr. (@DanScavino) August 9, 2017

In his opening monologue on Fox News Tuesday night, Hannity addressed the escalating tensions between the United States and North Korea, blaming past presidents for the present crisis.

Basically, the Clinton administration and Obama Administration ignored the problem, Hannity said. They kicked the can down the road.

Earlier Tuesday, Hannity tweeted that while he prefer(s) peace, it is ultimately up to North Korea to choose a diplomatic end.

Gladiator "At my signal, unleash HELL". I prefer peace. Whether it's N Korea, Iran or those that seek to destroy u. Ultimately they choose.  Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) August 8, 2017

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High school student Tori Taylor was pulled out of class for wearing this crewneck T-shirt. (Photo: Twitter/Bree3Beard)

Students in Dickson County, Tenn., are missing class thanks to dress code violations, and they arent happy about it.

According to a local news channel, the schools policy states that students must wear collared or crew neck shirts with sleeves. Despite seemingly adhering to the rules, high school senior Tori Taylor was pulled out of class twice in the few short days that school has been in session  once for wearing a pink crewneck T-shirt and again for wearing a white tee with a silk blouse. According to the local news channel, even though Taylor was wearing a crewneck top, she was told: It wasnt the right cut of a crewneck top.

Taylor took her frustration to Twitter: Please tell me whats wrong with this?????

please tell me what's wrong with this????? pic.twitter.com/bdtktjwddu  Bree (@Bree3Beard) August 7, 2017

I spent a lot of money on my school clothes for my senior year, Taylor told Tennessees Channel 5. I cant afford to buy a whole other set of school clothes just to question if it will be OK.

Taylor is just one of multiple students who have been asked to leave class due to the wrong cut of crewneck shirt. (Which raises the question of whether the wrong T-shirt cut is really more disruptive to a student than missing class.) The policy needs to be explained better, says Taylor.

welcome to DCHS , where they want you to dress like you live in the 1600s bc collar bones & knee caps are too much  peyton seth (@sethoverton11) August 8, 2017

Dickson County High School principal Joey Holley reached out to Yahoo Style in an email statement, claiming that 99 percent of our students do abide by the dress code. Holley claims that students were given a slideshow presentation of acceptable clothing on the first day of school, and multiple announcements and social media posts attempted to educate students on the policy. Heres the full statement:

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Dickson County High School is proud to build good relationships with students, parents, and our community. We have a great school and we strive every day to keep it that way. The purpose of our dress code is to assure students will dress and groom in a clean, neat, and modest manner in order not to distract or interfere with the educational environment of the school. For the most part, 99 percent of our students have come to school within our dress code guidelines. As a reminder, we have communicated with students, parents, and community our dress code expectations for this school year.

well we actually have none pic.twitter.com/0RfHNWNxao  nicole (@Nicoleee7ST) August 7, 2017

Crewnecks arent the only style that have led to administrative clashes over the dress code. Earlier this year, a Massachusetts school district landed on the news after allegations that its rules against hair extensions and braids with hair woven in unfairly targeted black students. The Anti-Defamation League got involved, and the debate could go all the way up to the Massachusetts Department of Education.

In Gulfport, Miss., a student made headlines after he was suspended for his pink hair. The school eventually accepted him back  once his hair was dyed back to his natural black.

Whether its pink hair or (gasp) a crewneck tee, these dress code clashes end up doing one thing: taking precious time away from students learning in the classroom.

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Two hikers in California got the shock of their lives when they recently came face-to-face with a mountain lion.

Read: Cougar Snoozer: Mountain Lion Discovered Taking a Cat Nap on Suburban Family's Doorstep

Brian McKinney and Sam Vonderheide were on the High Sierra Trail on July 23 in Sequoia National Park when they locked eyes with the beast as it stood stoic on the mountain.

The hikers, who recorded the incident, contemplated what to do. One wanted to run away, but the ferocious cat looked like it was ready to pounce.

At the end of the clip, they can be seen slowly backing away from the beast.

If faced with a similar situation, one expert says you never want to run.

Tom Stalf, president of the Columbus Zoo and expert on mountain lions, advises anyone in a scary situation like what McKinney and Vonderheide experienced to make a loud noise and slowly back away.

"Once the hikers got around the corner and see that the mountain lion was right above them, that is when they needed to back away and clap real loud," he advised.

I wasnt super scared until I rounded the corner and saw that the cat wasnt only there but above us on the trail, McKinney told Inside Edition.

I think you can hear in the video, I ask my buddy, Sam  Im sure it sounds kind of silly  'What are we supposed to do?' My instinct was to get out of there and frankly to run, and I knew that was not the right response to a cat, he added.

Read: Community Up in Arms Over Rancher's Request to Shoot Mountain Lion Killing Alpacas

The friends say they're lucky they made the right call in the drama of the moment.

We didnt want to turn our back to it and we didnt want to move quickly. We were trying to remain very calm. We did the right thing, Vonderheide added.

Watch: Monsters, Gorillas and Santa Claus Captured on Surveillance Cameras Set Up Around Local Park

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LONDON (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani presented his cabinet to parliament for a vote of confidence on Tuesday, keeping in place the chief architect of Tehran's nuclear accord with global powers. In his first term, Rouhani championed an agreement with the United States and five other powers in 2015 that led to the lifting of most sanctions against Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear program. The cabinet list, published on state media, shows Rouhani has re-appointed Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the lead negotiator in the nuclear deal, and Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh, who is credited with increasing oil production after the lifting of sanctions. Rouhani has intensified efforts to protect the deal against Washington's return to an aggressive Iran policy. He warned U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday that tearing up the accord, as Trump had promised during his election campaign, would be a political suicide. Trump signed into law new sanctions against Iran last week in response to a missile development program and human rights abuses. Tehran called the new sanctions violation of the nuclear deal and vowed a "proportional" response. The Iranian lawmakers are not expected to challenge Rouhani's picks for the critical ministries of foreign affairs, defense and intelligence as presidents select them with the approval of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The powers of the elected president are limited in Iran by those of the Supreme Leader, who is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, appoints the head of the judiciary and dictates major policies of the Islamic Republic. Mahmoud Alavi has been kept as the intelligence minister as Tehran faces an increasing challenge from Islamist militants. The Intelligence Ministry announced on Tuesday that it had broken up a group linked to Islamic State which was planning attacks in religious centers in the country. The army commander, Brigadier General Amir Hatami, is named as the new minister of defense. While he spoke about women's rights during his campaign, Rouhani did not name any woman to become a minister. His hardline predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, had one female minister in his cabinet, that was opposed by some clerics. Rouhani also has a debt to pay to the officially sidelined, but more popular reformists who put their weight behind his campaign. They have asked for a bigger share in the cabinet. ISNA news agency reported that Eshaq Jahangiri, senior reformist figure, has been re-appointed by Rouhani as the first vice president. Rouhani, who was decisively re-elected in May after promising to open Iran up to the world, took the oath of office before parliament on Saturday in the presence of foreign dignitaries including senior European figures. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
(CHICAGO)  Mayor Rahm Emanuel has taken his fight against President Donald Trumps immigration policies to court, with Chicago becoming one of the first cities Monday to sue over what many U.S. cities argue are illegal bids to withhold public safety grants from so-called sanctuary cities.

Hours later, Attorney General Jeff Sessions hit back at Chicago, saying the Trump administration will not simply give away grant dollars to city governments that proudly violate the rule of law and protect criminal aliens at the expense of public safety.

So its this simple: Comply with the law or forego taxpayer dollars, he said in a toughly worded statement.

A 46-page lawsuit, which names Sessions, was filed earlier Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago a day after Emanuel announced the litigation and said the city wont be blackmailed into changing its values as a city welcoming of immigrants.

Its the latest round in a battle pitting several U.S. cities against the Trump administration. The cities have opted to limit cooperation with government enforcement of immigration law while federal officials threaten to withhold funding if those cities dont comply.

While estimates vary, there are thought to be about 300 jurisdictions  including cities and counties  with sanctuary-like policies. Among the other bigger U.S. cities with such policies are New York and Philadelphia.

A first order of business now that Chicagos suit has been filed will be to ask a judge to put a freeze on the policy as the civil case plays out, said Edward Siskel, the head of CityHalls legal department. That request for a preliminary injunction could be made within days.

Chicago has received the grant funds at the heart of the lawsuit since 2005. It spent $33 million in grants to buy nearly 1,000 police cars in that 12-year period; it got $2.3 million last year. In addition to cars, funds were also used for radios and SWAT equipment.

While the grant money amounts to a fraction of Chicagos public safety budget, Emanuel has said fighting the government now could help prevent the withholding of more money later. He described the Trump measures so far as just the camels nose under the tent.

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In his Monday statement, Sessions said Chicago stood out in its open hostility to enforcing immigration laws.

To a degree perhaps unsurpassed by any other jurisdiction, the political leadership of Chicago has chosen deliberately and intentionally to adopt a policy that obstructs this countrys lawful immigration system, he said.

Chicagos suit focuses on new conditions set by Sessions for cities to qualify for grant money. They include the sharing immigration-status records with federal agencies, providing 48-hours notice of a detainees release if immigration violations are suspected and giving federal agents unfettered access to jails.

The government, the lawsuit says, cant unilaterally set new conditions that werent approved by Congress and that would federalize local jails and police stations, mandate warrantless detentions in order to investigate for federal civil infractions, sow fear in local immigrant communities, and ultimately make the people of Chicago less safe.

Chicagos sanctuary policies date back to the mid-1980s and successive city councils have confirmed or expanded the protections.

The city prohibits police from providing federal Immigration and Customs officials access to people in police custody, unless they are wanted on a criminal warrant or have serious criminal convictions. Local police are also barred from allowing ICE agents to use their facilities for interviews or investigations and from responding to ICE inquiries or talking to ICE officials about a persons custody status or release date.

City authorities say the policies help encourage residents of the immigrant community to inform police when they are victims of crimes.

If Chicago submits to the Departments demands, it will forfeit decades worth of trust and goodwill that its police force has built in the communities it serves, the new lawsuit argues. And as those decades of experience show, that kind of trust, once lost, is lost forever.

Sessions alluded to arguments also made by Trump that enforcing immigration laws can reduce crime. He calls Chicagos hostility to such laws especially astounding given that numbers of homicides in the city in 2016 outpaced the numbers in New York and Los Angeles.

The citys leaders cannot follow some laws and ignore others and reasonably expect this horrific situation to improve, Sessions said.

He also characterized Emanuel as complaining it would have to reorder longstanding policies to conform.

But thats just what Chicago needs: a recommitment to the rule of law and to policies that rollback the culture of lawlessness that has beset the city, Sessions said.

The citys lawsuit says the Trump administrations contention that more lenient immigration policies contribute to crime is divorced from reality.

In March, the Justice Department sent letters to officials in California and major cities including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and New Orleans, all places the Justice Departments inspector general has identified as limiting the information local law enforcement can provide to federal immigration authorities about those in their custody.

The department warned that the administration will punish communities that refuse to cooperate with efforts to find and deport immigrants in the country illegally. But some of the localities remained defiant, despite risking the loss of funds that police agencies use to pay for everything from body cameras to bulletproof vests.
Jennifer Lawrence is such a big star, shes gracing not one but four Vogue September issue covers. Jennifer Lawrence is such a regular person, she would never, ever call herself a regular person. All who have watched the actresss career and accompanying publicity tours will recognize the paradox, but theyre no less charming in this cover story.

Jennifer Lawrence wearing a Versace dress and David Yurman rings. (Photo: Inez and Vinoodh for Vogue)

Perhaps her most approachable quality, which she opens up about to writer Jason Gay  in addition to her packed work schedule, her reputation, her work to end political corruption and the gender pay gap, her relationship with boyfriend and Mother! director Darren Aronofsky  is her love of reality TV.

Her passion for the genre runs so deep, in fact, that crew members on the set of her latest aforementioned thriller made her a Kardashian tent to help her decompress after intense scenes (one time she even hyperventilated, dislocated a rib, and had oxygen tubes in my nostrils). It was a tent that had pictures of the Kardashians and Keeping Up with the Kardashians playing on a loop  and gumballs, Lawrence said of the refuge. My happy place. (As she describes her passion for reality TV, You can look at someone elses life and say, Well, obviously, you shouldnt marry that guy, and it makes you feel like God for 30 minutes.)

Jennifer Lawrence in a Ralph Lauren collection dress and Cathy Waterman earrings. (Photo: Annie Leibovitz for Vogue)

Aronofsky was not involved in creating the tent. I was like, What are you talking about, the Kardashians?' the 48-year-old told the magazine. He also does not share her love of trashy television.

Lawrence does occasionally switch channels away from the E! network. She caught Ariana Grandes impression of her on Saturday Night Live, in which Jennifer Lawrence the character calls herself a regular person on celebrity Family Feud. Thats what other people have said, she clarified of that label. If Id said, Im a regular person, Id want to kill myself.

Jennifer Lawrence wearing a Miu Miu dress, hat, and bag. (Photo: John Currin portrait for Vogue)

As further proof of her down-to-earth nature, however, she was refreshingly honest about her recent movie, Passengers, which critics hated. I thought the script was beautiful  it was this tainted, complicated love story, she said, admitting it could have been edited differently. It definitely wasnt a failure. Im not embarrassed by it by any means. There was just stuff that I wished Id looked into deeper before jumping on.

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The one thing that seems to upset Lawrence is the way her privacy has been invaded on at least two occasions, when her nude photos were hacked and when someone posted a video of her pole-dancing at a friends birthday party earlier this year.

Jennifer Lawrence wearing a Dior shirt and rings with a Eli Halili engraved ring. (Photo: Bruce Weber for Vogue)

Having your privacy violated constantly isnt a problem if youre perfect. But if youre human, its terrifying. When my publicist calls me, Im like, Oh, my God, what is it? Even when its nothing. Im always waiting to get blindsided again.

In addition to the interview, the magazine commissioned four covers in honor of Vogues 125th anniversary, and they do seem to capture the different dimensions of the actress, particularly when accompanied with a hilarious behind-the-scenes video. She got on a tiny boat in the New York Harbor so Annie Liebowitz could snap her in a red Ralph Lauren Collection dress, looking like she owns the world, in front of the Statue of Liberty. Then, the portrait artist John Currin painted her looking like an ingenue from another century in a Miu Miu dress and fur hat. The team of Inez and Vinoodh photographed her with slicked back hair and slinky gold Versace dress, like she was stopping by before heading out to Studio 54. Finally, photographer Bruce Weber had her communing with the horses in upstate New York, a stand-in for her home state of Kentucky, in a white Dior button-down shirt.

For more of her interview, go to Vogue.com, or pick up the September issue of Vogue on newsstands August 22.

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Joseph Metheny: WBALTV

A serial killer who claimed to have sold his victims' remains in barbecue sandwiches has died in prison.

Joe Metheny, 62, was found unresponsive by a prison guard in Maryland where he was serving two life sentences, having escaped a death sentence on appeal.

Metheny was convicted of murdering two women in Baltimore during the mid-1990sCathy Magaziner and Kimberly Spicerbut claimed to have killed 10 people in total.

The killer, who was then heavily overweight and nicknamed "Tiny", confessed to police at the time that he was "a very sick person" and, according to a contemporary report in the Baltimore Sun, broke down in court when he saw Ms Spicer's mother.

Confessing to Ms Magaziner's murder two decades ago, Metheny told detectives he "got a rush out of it, got a high out of it".

He was found dead at about 3pm on Saturday, the Sun reported.

In a supposed confession posted online, Metheny described how after killing the women he stored their flesh in a freezer and "opened up a little open-pit beef stand".

"No one can tell the difference" between pork and human flesh when the two are mixed together, he claimed in the unverified text.

He murdered the women while living in a trailer on the lot of a pallet company in south Baltimore.

Ms Spicer's body was discovered in December 1996 and a few days later Metheny showed police the location of Ms Magaziner's remains.

Police were unable to gather enough evidence to charge Metheny with all the killings he claimed to have committed.

Before his conviction in the deaths of Ms Magaziner and Ms Spicer, he was acquitted of murdering two homeless men with an axe, though he later said he had been guilty.

During court proceedings, the Sun reported at the time, Metheny falsely claimed his mother was dead.
US President Donald Trump listens to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speak after North Korea fired the first ballistic missile of Mr Trump's presidency: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images

Despite Donald Trump's optimism about the nuclear threat from North Korea, most Americans say they're not confident he can handle it.

"After many years of failure, countries are coming together to finally address the dangers posed by North Korea," Mr Trump tweeted recently, in response to sanctions imposed by the UN. "We must be tough & decisive!"

But sixty-one per cent of Americans say they are uneasy about Mr Trumps ability to handle the situation, according to a CBS News poll. Only 35 per cent say they are confident in his abilities.

Even Mr Trumps base appears to be wary: 64 per cent of independents and 22 per cent of Republicans say they dont fully trust Mr Trump in this area. Only a quarter of Americans are confident the situation will be resolved.

The North Korean regime tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICMBs) capable of reaching the US last month. The US Department of Defence has moved up their projection for when the missiles will be nuclear-capable by two years, to 2018.

American diplomats have pushed the UN to put economic pressure on North Korea, ultimately securing the estimated $1bn in international sanctions against the country. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley hailed them as "the strongest sanctions ever imposed in response to a ballistic missile test.

After many years of failure,countries are coming together to finally address the dangers posed by North Korea. We must be tough & decisive!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 8, 2017

The North Korean government, however, responded by threatening to take physical action against the US.

Speaking at the ASEAN Regional Forum on Monday, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said the country is ready to teach the US a severe lesson with its nuclear strategic force if militarily provoked.

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"We will, under no circumstances, put the nukes and ballistic rockets on the negotiating table, he added.

North Korea accuses the United States of escalating tensions by conducting military drills, like the 8 July Air Force flyover in response to Pyongyangs latest missile tests.

Still, some US officials continue to suggest a military response to the threat. National security adviser HR McMaster said on Saturday that the President was prepared to start a preventive war against North Korea.

[Mr Trump] said hes not going to tolerate North Korea being able to threaten the United States, Mr McMaster told MSNBCs Hugh Hewitt. ...So of course, we have to provide all options to do that. And that includes a military option.

The White House has said only that all options remain on the table. Mr Trump has confined himself largely to tweeting about the issue, asking whether North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un has anything better to do with his life.

The President has also been critical of Chinas perceived inaction on the issue. He invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to his South Florida estate for a summit in April, but later tweeted he was very disappointed in the country.

Asked about what he would do to control the threat at a recent Cabinet meeting, Mr Trump said: Were going to be able to handle them. It will be handled. We handle everything.
Security researchers have discovered a number of malware attacks believed to be targeting North Korea, potentially as part of a retribution campaign for the nations recent tests of advanced weapons, Cyberscoop reported.

Security researchers have identified two sophisticated malware campaigns directed at entities in North Korea, both of which appear to have launched around or after the isolated nations successful test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in late June.

Read: North Korea Conducts ICBM Rocket Test, But Could Take Time To Have Missile Ready

Cisco-owned cybersecurity firm Talos Intelligence first spotted a campaign using Konni malware directed at North Korea on July 6, just days after a missile test launched by North Korea on July 3. At the time, Talos said the campaign appeared directly related to the launch and the ensuing discussion of North Korean missile technology.

On Tuesday, researchers at security firm Cylance, issued a similar report on Konni, building upon Talos findings and tying the recent spike in the malware to a campaign directed at the secluded dictatorship.

Konni is a remote access trojan that has been used relatively sparingly, appearing in just five campaigns in the last three yearsthree of which were launch this year.

The most recent campaign, launched on July 4, uses a Word document with text of a news article from Koreas Yonhap News Agency touting the North Koreas recent advances in missile technology. The document is laced with a malicious executable file that infiltrates the machine if the file is opened. It can then begin communicating with a command and control server to carry out malicious actions against the infected system.

Read: North Korea Hacking: Neighbors Say Country's Cyber Attacks Target Finances

In addition to the Konni attack, security firm BitDefender also identified a new campaign using a modified version of DarkHotel malware known as Inexsmar. While DarkHotel was known primarily for targeting business executives and high profile visitors at hotels by exploiting holes in Wi-Fi infrastructure at hospitality services, Inexsmar directs similar attacks at political figures.

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An Inexsmar campaign launched in July appeared to make significant strides in the standard attack carried out by DarkHotel, including using social engineering techniques to deliver the malicious payload to a target rather than the typical zero-day exploit approach the malware typically utilizes.

North Korean targets were among those in the crosshairs of the modified DarkHotel attack. The Inexsmar campaign included a malware dropper named Pyongyang Directory Group email SEPTEMBER 2016 RC_OFFICE_Coordination_Associatewxcod.scra similar title to the document used in the Konni campaign, which was titled Pyongyang Directory Group email April 2017 RC_Office_Coordination_Associate.scr.

The similarities dont stop there; both files include a similar list of names and contact information for contacts at the United Nations, UNICEF and North Korean embassies. The documents also have a near-identical presentation.

Beyond just being a response to North Koreas increased efforts to develop long range ballistic weapons, the malware attacks also come at a time that the nation has turned its own hacking efforts toward more financially motivated campaigns.

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From Popular Mechanics

It's tough to create a good, secure password. It's tough to even agree on what makes a password strong in the first place, but most of the websites you'll visit probably recommend numbers, capital and lowercase letters, and probably a random symbol or two. This was the recommendation of Bill Burr, who created those password guidelines while working for the National Institute of Standards and Technology back in 2003.

Now, almost 15 years later, Burr finally admits he made a mistake. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Burr expressed his regrets for giving advice he now realizes was flawed.

The problem isn't that passwords with random numbers and symbols in them aren't secure. They can be, especially if a random password generator is used to create secure passwords. The problem is that humans suck at remembering passwords filled with random numbers and symbols, so they typically create simpler passwords that are easier to guess.

If you've ever had to come up with a "secure" password, you probably did the same thing as almost everyone else-pick the first word that comes to mind and substitute a few numbers and symbols for letters. An O becomes a zero, a 1 becomes an exclamation point, and now you have what looks like an impossible-to-crack password.

But you're not the only one doing this, which means that hackers routinely try to guess these common substitutions. These simple instructions double as a handy guide for attack by password crackers. Ironically, Burr's password security guidance actually ended up making passwords less secure.

Burr's admission comes at a time when "secure password advice" is becoming mostly irrelevant. There are several services like LastPass and OnePass that will generate secure passwords for you and remember them so you don't have to. And hopefully in a few years we'll have replaced passwords entirely with some other sort of tech all together.

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Of course, all of this is pointless if you don't care about having a strong password in the first place.

Source: Wall Street Journal via The Verge

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Tributes have poured in for Mr Cruz: CBS

Police in Florida have said a young man has been killed after defending a group of gay friends from a man who alleged unleashed a volley or homophobic abuse before shooting him dead.

Juan Javier Cruz was killed outside the Restaurante Y Pupuseria Las Flores in Lake Worth, where he and his friends had spent the evening. Reports say that when they left, the group was confronted by a man who verbally abused them.

If we were in my country Id kill all of you rats, the man allegedly shouted at the victims, according to witnesses who told the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office. I hate you damned gays. Im going to kill you all here.

A real man, a true friend God bless his soul, Juan Javier Cruz  pic.twitter.com/1xNayPqvs0  Nasty Nadeen (@Neziaforreal) August 8, 2017

It was at that point that Mr Cruz, 22, stepped forward to defend his friends. When he did so, the man took out a handgun and fired several shots.

His cousin, Pedro Cruz, said he believed the gunman was aiming at him but that his cousin pushed him out of the way and was struck instead. He died in his arms. He died instantly, he told CBS.

Relatives of Mr Cruz have left flowers and candles at the spot where he was killed. He always said Keep your head up. Be who you are, said one.

A fund-raising page has been set up to help pay for the costs of a funeral.

Police said that a suspect, Nelson Hernandez Mena, 48, has been arrested and ordered to be held without bail at the Palm Beach County jail on murder charges.

Reports said that Mr Mena, originally from Honduras, told police he had drank 15 beers before the incident.

Mr Mena is being held on murder charges (Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department )

Officials said the investigation into the shooting remains active, and that it too early to determine if Mr Mena will be charged with a hate crime, Palm Beach State Attorneys Office spokesman Michael Edmondson, told the Sun-Sentinel.

First-degree murder cannot be enhanced as its a capital crime, but any lesser charge could be enhanced if the investigation establishes hate motivation on targeting the victim, he said.
Pictured: Chloe Ayling, the British model allegedly kidnapped in Italy - Instagram

The mother of the British model allegedly kidnapped in Milan has rushed to her defence amid claims by her former agent that she may have been "misled by someone.

Glamour model Chloe Ayling, 20, told Italian police she had been kidnapped, drugged and smuggled into Turin in a bag, where she was held by her alleged captors for six days whilst they attempted to sell her on the Dark Web to a buyer in the Middle East.

However, details of her harrowing ordeal have been questioned by friends and associates, with her ex-boyfriend, who is father to her son, raising doubts over the validity of her account.

Meanwhile, it is understood that detectives are continuing to probe into why Ms Ayling agreed to go shopping for shoes with her alleged captor without raising an alarm or trying to escape.

The scepticism surrounding the case has incensed her mother, Beata Ayling, who yesterday lashed out at the people making up lies about her daughter.

Speaking to the Evening Standard, Mrs Ayling said her daughter was still recovering from the terrifying ordeal, adding that she hoped she would soon speak out in a bid to silence her doubters.

People are making up lies about my daughter, she continued. She is recovering now after what has happened. It has been terrible for her.

It will all come out when she is ready to speak out against these lies. She has had a terrible few weeks. As her mother, I was very worried and just want her to recover so she can speak out against the lies.

Her comments follow a blistering attack by her lawyer on those seeking to create doubt over her ordeal.

Speaking yesterday, Francesco Pesce said that whilst Ms Aylings account of being sold as a sex slave by the shadowy cyber gang Black Death seemed incredible, those disputing the claims were just evil.

Chloe Ayling speaks with the media outside of her house in Surrey, England

Meanwhile, her agent Phil Green said that Ms Ayling was telling the truth because the images posted by her captives on the Dark Web pictured her without makeup - a situation he claims that she would never agree to unless made to by force.

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However, a former agent of Ms Aylings, Carla Bellucci, yesterday appeared to question her decision to sign up with a new celebrity agency days after returning home.

As a friend I want to believe her, she said. I was supposed to see her yesterday, but shes signed with a new celebrity agency and theyve told her not to talk to me.

Ive heard theyre trying to get a 20,000 photoshoot deal. Chloes always been looking for fame. I just hope she hasnt been mislead by someone over this as shes so trusting.

Ms Bellucci, who runs Twenty One Model Management, added: Chloe asked me to be godmother to her son and I hope for his sake she can leave this all behind.

Ms Ayling has been signed up by Kruger Cowne, which also represents the likes of Sir Bob Geldof, Elle McPherson and Lily Cole.

Her ex-boyfriend, Conor Heyes, also said that he didnt know what to make of the claims. Apparently she got put into a suitcase, jabbed with ketamine  all this craziness, he added. It's a weird situation. People on my side are saying it's mad, but other people are saying it could be true.

Mr Heyes also seemed unimpressed by her decision to pose for photographs days after returning to the UK, adding: If that happened to me I wouldn't be outside smiling, I wouldn't want to talk to people. But that's just the sort of person she is maybe. She just loves the camera.
North Korea has stepped up its testing of missiles: Getty

North Korea is said to be able to produce a miniaturised warhead that can fit inside the kind of missiles it has recently been testing and which analysts believe could reach the US mainland.

A US media report said that the finding was contained last month in an analysis completed by the US Defence Intelligence Agency. It said the intelligence community had recently concluded the East Asian nation had up to 60 nuclear weapons.

The IC [intelligence community] assesses North Korea has produced nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery, to include delivery by ICBM-class missiles, the assessment stated, according to the The Washington Post.

There has been no public, independent confirmation of the report and the news comes against a backdrop of mutual sabre-rattling by Washington and Pyongyang. As North Korea has continued to test intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that potentially have the ability to reach Alaska or Hawaii, Donald Trump and his top officials have warned that nothing is off the table when it comes to dealing with the challenge.

A week ago, the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said Washington would not seek UN Security Council action following North Koreas latest missile test, because the time for talk is over.

Over the weekend, the UN Security Council unanimously voted to approve new sanctions that included a ban on coal and other exports worth more than $1bn. North Korea responded by saying it would launch a thousands-fold revenge against the US.

We are ready to retaliate with far bigger actions to make the US pay a price for its crime against our country and people, said the official Korean Central News Agency. It said it would send packs of wolves to strangle those nations opposing Kim Jong Un.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Monday North Korea could show it was ready for dialogue by stopping the missile tests.

The best signal that North Korea could give us that theyre prepared to talk would be to stop these missile launches, he said, speaking at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Manila.

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The United Nations Security Council just voted 15-0 to sanction North Korea. China and Russia voted with us. Very big financial impact!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 5, 2017

Asked about a time frame within which the US wanted North Korea to halt its nuclear programme, he said: "Were not going to give someone a specific number of days or weeks. This is not a give me 30 days and we are ready to talk. Its not quite that simple. So it is all about how we see their attitude toward approaching a dialogue with us.

USA Today said in a phone call on Sunday, Mr Trump and Moon Jae-in, his South Korean counterpart, affirmed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, South Korea and Japan, as well as to most countries around the world.

The leaders committed to fully implement all relevant resolutions and to urge the international community to do so as well, a White House statement said.

Mr Trump later tweeted: Just completed call with President Moon of South Korea. Very happy and impressed with 15-0 United Nations vote on North Korea sanctions.

The Post said that while it has been more than a decade since North Koreas first nuclear detonation, many analysts believed it would be years before the country could design a compact warhead that could be delivered by missile to distant targets. It appears, that line has already been crossed.
Kim Jong-un - REUTERS

President Donald Trump said North Korea will be met with "fire and fury like the world has never seen" after US intelligence concluded the rogue state has produced a miniaturised nuclear warhead that can fit inside an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Kim Jong-un reached the watershed moment much quicker than expected and he now also now has up to 60 nuclear warheads, significantly more than previously thought.

Mr Trump said: "He has been very threatening, beyond a normal statement. North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States.

"They will be met with fire and fury and frankly power, the likes of which the world has never seen before."

North Korea said on Tuesday night it was "carefully examining" a plan to strike the US territory of Guam with missiles.

The plan will be "put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment", a spokesman for the regime said.

Kim Jong-un

The development of a miniature warhead was considered a major technological hurdle North Korea had to surmount to make a nuclear attack on the United States possible.

The disclosure that it has apparently done so came in a US Defense Intelligence Agency report leaked to the Washington Post.

It emerged days after US officials also revealed they believe North Korea will have the capability to successfully launch a nuclear capable ICBM by next year.

The hermit kingdom still needs to develop a working atmospheric re-entry vehicle to protect the warhead.

Map: Guam in relation to North Korea

The latest development will increase pressure on US President Donald Trump to decide how to respond to the growing threat.

A section of the latest DIA report, which was dated July 28, was read over the telephone to the Washington Post by an official.

The report said: The intelligence community assesses North Korea has produced nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery, to include delivery by ICBM-class missiles."

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It was not known if North Korea has successfully tested the miniaturised warhead design.

Last year it claimed to have tested such a device but experts had remained dubious.

North Korean missile ranges

On the same day as the US report was disclosed Japan also said it believed North Korea may have developed miniaturised nuclear warheads.

In its annual Defence White Paper, Japan said: "It is possible that North Korea has already achieved the miniaturisation of nuclear weapons and has acquired nuclear warheads.

"Since last year, when it forcibly implemented two nuclear tests and more than 20 ballistic missile launches, the security threats have entered a new stage."

Last month North Korea conducted two ICBM tests, showing the potential range to hit most of the continental US.

At the weekend the United Nations imposed its toughest sanctions yet on North Korea.

But the regime said the sanctions would not stop it from developing its nuclear arsenal, rejecting talks and angrily threatening retaliation against the US.

Hours before the new assessment was disclosed Mr Trump praised the UN sanctions,

He said on Twitter: "After many years of failure,countries are coming together to finally address the dangers posed by North Korea. We must be tough & decisive!"

Mr Trump has said "all options are on the table" to deal with the North Korean threat.

Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, has left the potential for dialogue open, saying the Washington could talk to Pyongyang if it stops missile tests.

At a glance | Guam
Ted Lieu at the From Russia With Trump panel during Politicon at Pasadena Convention Center on July 30, 2017, in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo: Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images for Politicon)

Theres no evidence President Trump, in his Twitter persona of @realDonaldTrump, has been paying any attention to Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., or even to @tedlieu. He hasnt replied to any of the second-term congressmans provocative tweets, hasnt bothered to insult or attack him and hasnt unleashed on him the army of trollbots supposedly working in the service of the Trump campaign.

Others are paying attention  Lieus 337,000 followers, at least, representing an increase of hundreds of thousands in the months since he began his campaign of answering the deluge of bombast and untruths from the presidents Twitter account with his own stern correctives.

Its a thankless job  unless you are, say, a certain 48-year-old minority-party backbencher from Torrance who has been rewarded with newfound stature in his party and increased face time on cable news.

Lieu has positioned himself as somewhat of an authority on the presidents favorite forum. Since Trumps inauguration, Lieu has drawn attention with a rather caustic Twitter presence, offering his thoughts and views on whats happening right now in America  and every now and then, Game of Thrones.

In an interview with Yahoo News, Lieu drew a distinction between the very classy and polished office account run by his staff, which exists primarily to promote his legislative agenda and media appearances, and his personal account, which exists primarily to bash the president with frequent rogue missives that have spurred multiple interventions.

To: @POTUS @realDonaldTrump Here's a cheat sheet for your 1st overseas visit. From: @RepTedLieu, Member of House Foreign Affairs Committee pic.twitter.com/IFvhDHx0ts  Rep. Ted Lieu (@RepTedLieu) May 19, 2017

Based on Ivanka Trump example, I'm going to ask Speaker Ryan if my son can sit in for me at the next House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing https://t.co/ZbApdkYixL  Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) July 8, 2017

Dear @realDonaldTrump: Your job as President is to help Americans, not intentionally hurt them. I can't believe I had to write that sentence https://t.co/7f7FqS199W  Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) July 18, 2017

Lieu has found an unlikely muse in the target of his ire. His tweets often echo the presidents style and sometimes his language as part of an attempt to mock him and highlight how inappropriate the presidents tweets are by making inappropriate tweets myself.

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I never in my dreams thought I would ever call the president of the United States dumb as a rock, Lieu offered as an example, referencing an insult Trump hurled at Mika Brzezinski in July. Lieu has now made use of the phrase 13 times.

The congressman conceded that while hes horrified by Trumps activity on Twitter, it does grant an opportunity to learn about the way the presidents mind works.

Asked whether thats necessarily positive, Lieu paused before answering, I think its better that we know.

Ultimately I would rather not be doing this, Lieu said solemnly of his self-assigned role as the anti-Trump. I do not want to be in this position where I am resisting and ridiculing the president of the United States. I want to be able to be proud of our president.

Read more from Yahoo News:
WASHINGTON (AP)  Shuttling across the country aboard Air Force Two, Vice President Mike Pence has been a loyal messenger for President Donald Trump. At the same time, he has been carving out his own political identity as the steady understudy to a mercurial president.

The Republican vice president has raised more than $1 million in recent months for his political committee, headlined GOP events in such key states as Iowa and Ohio, and hosted Republican VIPs for dinner at his formal residence in Washington. Pence is also preparing to take his fourth overseas trip in the last six months, a schedule that has removed him from the Trump White House's daily palace intrigue and the special counsel's investigation into the Trump administration's ties with Russia.

The vice president's push-and-pull with Trump was reflected in his office's vigorous response to a New York Times report that suggested he might be taking steps to position himself for a 2020 presidential campaign. Pence said in a lengthy statement Sunday that the report was "categorically false." The vice president's spokesman made multiple appearances on cable networks Monday to push back against the story.

"The political activities of the vice president are 150 percent in support of the president's agenda. Anyone who asserts otherwise is uninformed," said Phil Musser, a longtime Pence adviser.

Few Republican operatives believe that Pence would challenge Trump in the 2020 Republican primary election. But at the same time, Republicans privately concede that Trump could be the first president since Richard Nixon to leave office mid-term or not to seek re-election  either for political or personal reasons. Pence would be ill-advised not to prepare for an early Trump exit, as unlikely as it may be, they say.

"I think that Pence is trying to help prepare for the ticket to be re-elected in four years," said former GOP congressman Vin Weber, who keeps in regular touch with administration officials. "But it's ridiculous to say that it never crosses your mind that the president might not be on the ballot for whatever reason, be it health or political."

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As Trump's approval ratings sag, Pence is bound by a delicate political reality: His fate is likely tied to Trump's. A successful Trump presidency could help position the 58-year-old Pence to run for president in 2024. A failed Trump presidency, by contrast, could forever stain Pence's political future.

Beyond his frequent travel, the vice president has sought to separate himself from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.

When questions arose about Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and other Trump officials meeting with a Russian attorney in June 2016, Pence's office issued a terse statement noting that it took place before he joined the Trump ticket. His spokesman later added that Pence did not meet with any Russians during the campaign.

Pence has also traveled to nine countries as vice president so far and plans to make a four-nation trip to South America next week, creating space between his office and the churn of stories about White House shake-ups or the president's daily tweets.

But he has loyally backed Trump's policies and agenda. Pence, who served in Congress for a dozen years, rarely begins a speech without passing along the president's greetings and has acted as Trump's chief lobbyist on Capitol Hill, convening weekly dinners with Republican lawmakers and business leaders at his residence at the Naval Observatory. Even in private meetings, Pence doesn't deviate from his effusive Trump praise.

"He's an experienced legislator who can help bridge gaps between members of our conference or between the Congress and the president," said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who attended a dinner in late June.

The meetings help strengthen the vice president's political network in the long term. But they also help the Trump administration's connection to an anxious Republican establishment in the short term.

"We're in the midst of a very unconventional presidency that makes a lot of Republicans in the establishment uneasy," veteran GOP operative Ryan Williams said. "I think some ambitious Republicans have the thought in the back of their minds that if something were to happen, they may run. But they would never launch a primary challenge against Trump."

Pence stoked discussions about his political future when he formed his Great America Committee in May, allowing him to raise money to support Republican candidates and fund political travel.

Through the end of June, Pence raised $540,000 for the committee among donors that include Indianapolis businessman Allan Hubbard, a former economic adviser to President George W. Bush, Houston attorney Mark Lanier, Indianapolis attorney Bob Grand and Republican lobbyist Marc Lampkin, a former adviser to ex-House Speaker John Boehner.

More recently, the committee raised $1 million at a Washington fundraiser that included an introduction from the president's daughter and senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, and featured Republican congressional leaders and dozens of lawmakers. FEC filings show the committee paid $50,000 in consulting fees in June to the Atlanta firm of Pence adviser Nick Ayers, a Republican strategist who was brought aboard by Pence this summer to be his chief of staff. It also paid more than $60,000 to the Indiana firm led by Pence adviser Marty Obst.

The vice president's office has downplayed the PACs creation, saying the former governor needed to start a federal committee to pay for his political activities.

"Mike has a more robust portfolio than a traditional vice president which would include these types of political activities. It doesn't mean he's waiting for the president to stumble, it means he's a team player," said Curt Smith, a former campaign adviser to Pence who runs the Indiana Family Institute.

Pence also remains an important liaison to Trump's conservative base. His public schedule has included addresses to Christian leaders who have stuck with Trump despite his lagging approval ratings, groups like Focus on the Family and the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians, which was organized by Franklin Graham.

In June, Pence and a group of aides discussed health care and taxes during a closed-door meeting with industrialist billionaires Charles Koch and his chief lieutenants on the sidelines of the conservative group's Colorado conference.

As the meeting was breaking up, the vice president took Charles Koch's arm and said, "Can you stick around for a few minutes?" The aides departed, leaving Pence and Koch in the room for a private meeting.

Pence will be headlining another Koch event later this month in Richmond, Va., where he will also raise money for former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, who is running for Virginia governor.

"He's a known quantity. We all trust Mike," said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.

__

Peoples reported from New York.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte shakes hands with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson prior to their meeting at Malacanang Palace in Manila: ED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images

The controversial President of the Philippines claims representatives from the US and Australia have considerably toned down their criticism of his human rights record.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently met with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte at an Asian regional conference  the highest-level interaction between a member of Donald Trump's administration and Mr Duterte to date.

Mr Duterte, speaking about his meetings with Mr Tillerson and Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, said the discussions revolved mostly around terrorism, and that human rights came up only in passing.

He also introduced himself to Mr Tillerson publicly as a humble friend and ally of the United States.

A representative for the State Department contested this version of events, telling the Washington Post that Mr Tillerson had brought up critiques of the Philippines's ongoing war on drugs and offered assistance in combating the problem.

Tillerson aide RC Hammond quoted the Secretary of State as saying: Mr. President, we are all aware of the American peoples criticism of you in your handling of the drug cartels."

Mr Duterte campaigned on a promise of cleaning up the drug trade in the Philippines, vowing to kill all of you who make the lives of Filipinos miserable. Human rights groups say as many as 6,000 people have been killed as a result of this war on drugs. The UN high commissioner for human rights has called for a criminal investigation into the President.

Relations between the US and the Philippines, however, have warmed under Mr Trumps leadership. The US President has praised Mr Duterte for doing "an unbelievable job on the drug problem, and even invited him to visit the White House.

Both the US and Philippines said they planned to discuss human rights at the Asian regional gathering. But neither Mr Duterte nor Mr Tillerson addressed the issue at a press conference before their meeting, focusing instead on the nuclear situation in North Korea. When a reporter shouted out a question about human rights, the two men ignored it.

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Happening now: Secretary Tillerson meets with Philippine President Duterte pic.twitter.com/sMW1FW1xWV  Josh Lederman (@joshledermanAP) August 7, 2017

Asked about the issue at a private press conference later, Mr Duterte replied: "Human rights, son of a b****."

"Policemen and soldiers have died on me, he continued. The war now in Marawi, what caused it but drugs? So human rights, don't go there."

Mr Tillerson also referenced the war in Marawi, saying he sees no conflict at all between the USs position on human rights and their assistance to the Philippines in fighting that war.

The Philippine government has been fighting Isis-affiliated militants in Marawi since May. More than 120 Philippine troops and 45 civilians have been killed in the fighting. Mr Duterte has placed the entire island of Mindanao under martial law.

Mr Tillerson said the US has provided the Philippines with surveillance capabilities, training, information and aircraft to aid them in the conflict.

"I see no conflict  no conflict at all in our helping them with that situation and our views of the human rights concerns we have with respect to how they carry out their counter narcotics activities," Mr Tillerson said.

Of the human rights situation, he added, the Philippines appears to be "beginning to get that situation under control.
On Tuesday, the ninth anniversary of the war between Russia and Georgia, Russian President Vladimir Putin took time off from shirtless fishing in Siberia to pay a visit to Abkhazia.

Thats one of Georgias two occupied territories, recognized as independent by Russia since the war  and Putins trip comes exactly one week after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visited Tbilisi and gave a shout out to Georgias hopes of joining NATO. (Keeping Georgia out of NATO was the driver behind the 2008 war.)

The meeting between Putin and the so-called president of Abkhazia was a poke in the eye to Georgia  and understood as such. We must not be provoked. We should keep peace as it is vitally important for us, said Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, Georgias minister for reconciliation and civil equality.

That sentiment was echoed by Georgian officials in Washington. We must do everything in our power to politically resolve our conflict with Russia in a peaceful and constructive manner with support from our international strategic partners, David Bakradze, Georgian ambassador to the United States, said in an email to Foreign Policy. We are focused on ensuring reconciliation between our populations living on either side of the occupation line and uniting our country.

Russia, naturally, saw Putins Abkhazian visit  his first in four years  somewhat differently. The most important thing is that we have very special relations with Abkhazia. We safeguard the security and independence of Abkhazia. I am confident this will continue into the future, Putin said. He also noted that the Russian military group deployed there is developing well.

But, then, Russia and Georgia maintain different narratives on the war. For Tbilisi, the war was an invasion, a body-check just as the small Caucasus country flirted with joining NATO, and positive proof Russia still saw its former republic as part of its sphere of influence. (NATO spokesman Dylan White put out a statement Tuesday saying the visit was without Georgian permission, and that NATO is united in full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally-recognised borders.)

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Nine years ago, Russia invaded Georgia and to this day continues to occupy 20 percent of its territory, Bakradze said.

Meanwhile, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday that Russia was stopping Georgian barbarism in 2008, and that Russia will always stand ready to defend its citizens. Today, Russia is one of the few countries that recognizes the independence of the breakaway territories; nearly every other country insists Abkhazia and South Ossetia are part of Georgia.

In a twist, one of the people at the center of the struggle almost a decade ago is now something of an enemy to both governments.

Georgia is reportedly currently trying to extradite Mikheil Saakashvili, the former president of Georgia and governor of Odessa, who was Georgias leader at the time of the war. Right now he is in Poland, stripped of both his Georgian and Ukrainian citizenship. He is wanted for crimes allegedly committed while he was in office; Saakashvili maintains the charges are politically motivated.

But Putin is still Mishas main bogeyman. (The Russian president famously threatened to string Saakashvili up by the balls during the 2008 war.) Though Putin is angling for another term as president, and continues to blur borders from Georgia to Crimea, Saakashvili figures time is not on the Russians side.

In the end, Putin will be in full international isolation, he says. He is going downhill fast.

Update, Aug. 8 2017 1:21 pm ET: This post was updated to include NATO spokesman Dylan Whites statement.

Photo credit: NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP/Getty Images
Reese Witherspoon is a big fan of her Draper James label. (Photo: Draper James)

Reese Witherspoon doesnt just sit at the helm of her Draper James clothing line  she stocks her personal closet with its clothes too.

On Tuesday, Witherspoon, who was raised in Tennessee, made a Facebook announcement on the arrival of new pieces to her Southern-style clothing line. New Draper James arrivals are here, yall! she captioned a photo of herself wearing a $250 blush, foxy ruffle-trim dress that she paired with $500 Old Gringo for DJ cowboy boots.

Draper James carries colorful, feminine pieces (black clothing is banned from the line because its not traditionally pretty), and with her grandparents serving as the brands inspiration, its not surprising that Witherspoon lives and breathes her brand. Here is proof:

In June, Witherspoon ran errands in West Hollywood, Calif., wearing a Draper James blue-and-white checkered dress.

Reese Witherspoon in Draper James. (Photo: Splash News)

In March, the actress went shopping in Beverly Hills wearing head-to-toe Draper James: a navy blue scalloped sweater dress, a pair of tortoise sunglasses, a pink handbag, and matching heels.

Witherspoon in a Draper James blue dress with white piping. (Photo: AKM-GSI)

In 2015, Witherspoon headed home from work wearing the brands $385 black-and-white checkered Shelby jacket and Vanderbilt floral bag.

Witherspoon wearing another one of her designs. (Photo: Getty Images)

That same year, she wore Draper James $200 Memphis skirt with yellow flowers for a red carpet appearance.

Reese Witherspoon (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

And in May of that year, Witherspoon stepped out wearing her own floral-patterned Charlotte blouse.

Reese Witherspoon (Photo: Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

And of course, Witherspoons stylish Instagram account is filled with shots of herself modeling various Draper James looks.

Have a great weekend, yall. (: @draperjames x @netaporter.) #WeddingSeason A post shared by Reese Witherspoon (@reesewitherspoon) on Jul 22, 2017 at 2:36pm PDT

Accidents happen! @draperjames A post shared by Reese Witherspoon (@reesewitherspoon) on Jul 10, 2017 at 10:48am PDT

Hellllooooo weekend! (Dress: #NETAPORTERxDraperJames) #VacationModeON A post shared by Reese Witherspoon (@reesewitherspoon) on Jul 8, 2017 at 1:10pm PDT

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Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty.
A Republican senator suggested Tuesday that Sen. John McCains brain tumor may have contributed to his decisive no vote on the Senate health care bill last month. The Republican senator, Ron Johnson, R-Wis., later said he was disappointed in how he had expressed himself.

Johnson said in a radio interview that he thought McCains health and the late hour of the vote could have affected his judgment on the legislation to dismantle much of the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. His comments were first reported by CNN.

We did get a call from Paul [Ryan], and he assured us that skinny repeal was not going to pass the House, it would have to go to conference, Johnson told the hosts on Chicagos Morning Answer.

Again, Im not gonna speak for John McCain  he has a brain tumor right now  [but] that vote occurred at 1:30 in the morning. Some of that might have factored in, Johnson continued.

Host Amy Jacobson replied, Really?

You really think that played a factor in his judgment call? she asked.

Again, I-I-I dont know exactly what  we really thought  and again I dont want speak for any senator, Johnson said. I really thought John was going to vote yes to send that to conference at 10:30 at night. By about 1, 1:30, he voted no. So you have talk to John in terms of what was on his mind.

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and a still image from video of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaking on the floor of the Senate after returning to Washington for a vote on health care reform, July 25, 2017. (Photos: AP; Senate TV via Reuters)

McCain, along with Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, cast the decisive GOP votes to sink the Senate bill. Republicans, facing united Democratic opposition, could only afford to lose two votes from their party and advance the bill.

Unlike Murkowski and Collins, though, McCain had voted to allow debate on the legislation, and his dramatic vote against the bill seemed to catch Republican leadership by surprise.

The veteran lawmaker released a statement July 28, the same day as his no vote, explaining that he voted against the shell of a bill because it failed to increase competition, lower costs and improve health care for Americans. McCain had returned to the Senate to vote on the health care reform legislation after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor.

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The Arizona senator also said he had not been convinced by Ryans promises that House members would work with senators and craft a new repeal, and that the bill would not be signed into law.

We must now return to the correct way of legislating and send the bill back to committee, hold hearings, receive input from both sides of aisle, heed the recommendations of the nations governors and produce a bill that finally delivers affordable health care for the American people, McCain said.

A McCain spokesperson said in a Wednesday statement, It is bizarre and deeply unfortunate that Senator Johnson would question the judgment of a colleague and friend. Senator McCain has been very open and clear about the reasons for his vote.

McCain said in a Wednesday Facebook Live video that his health is fine, and that hes been receiving treatment from doctors at the Mayo Clinic.

Even those that want me to die dont want me to die right away, so thats good, the senator said at the end of the video. But overall, I just want to say thank you, thank you for your friendship, thank you for your loyalty.

In a Wednesday statement released via a spokesman, Johnson said, Im disappointed I didnt more eloquently express my sympathy for what Sen. McCain is going through. I have nothing but respect for him, and the vote came at the end of a long day for everyone.

Update [8/9/17 at 2:29 p.m.]: This story has been updated to reflect comments from McCain and Johnson on the interview, and comments made by McCain in a Facebook Live video.

Read more from Yahoo News:
With Adam Rawnsley

New front. The Pentagon is reportedly considering whether to carry out drone strikes against Islamic State terrorists in the Philippines, proving yet again that when it comes to ISIS, Washington appears ready to act whenever it feels it must.

For months, militants from Abu Sayyaf, a Filipino terrorist group that switched its loyalty from al-Qaeda to the Islamic State, have been fighting a fierce battle for the city of Marawi, testing the limits of President Rodrigo Dutertes pledge to expel American special operations forces. There is already a small U.S. military presence on the ground supporting the counter-ISIS fight, called Joint Special Operations Task Force Trident, but the new mission would go well beyond their training and advising operation.

New North Korean threats. Elsewhere in the region, North Korea on Monday pledged to use nuclear weapons against the U.S. if provoked, adding it would under no circumstances negotiate on its nuclear and missile weapons programs. The new threat comes after the United Nations, led by Washington, slapped a new round of economic sanctions on the North Korean economy. Just for good measure, U.S. spy satellites have picked up signs that Pyongyang is preparing to test an anti-ship cruise missile for the first time in three years. Fox News reports that the U.S. intelligence community noticed the North loading up boats with two cruise missiles off the coast of Wonsan.

Rethinking missiles. The Pentagon on Monday acknowledged that its reviewing bilateral ballistic missile guidelines with South Korea that could allow Seoul to acquire more powerful missiles. The review comes at a time when the North has been testing longer range and more advanced missiles.

There is currently a limit on the warhead size and missiles that South Korea can have and yes, it is a topic under active consideration here, Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters. I would tell you that we would be favorably inclined to do anything which furthers the defense capabilities of South Korea and we certainly have seen our alliance change and adapt over time before, Davis added.

Story continues

Welcome to SitRep. As always, please send any tips, thoughts or national security events to paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or via Twitter: @paulmcleary and @arawnsley.

Stealth drone with Chinese characteristics. China watchers have spotted an aircraft that looks very much like Chinas stealth Sharp Sword armed drone on satellite imagery.

Numbers game. There are more Russian operatives, declared and undeclared, in the United States now than at any other time in the past fifteen years. An anonymous senior intelligence official tells The New Yorker that American counterintelligence personnel are struggling to keep up with the volume of Russian intelligence officers in the United States.

Syria. Kurdish militants from Syrias U.S.-backed YPG released a video of the group hitting Turkish military targets with anti-tank guided missiles and Grad rockets. The display risks raising tensions between the U.S. and Turkey, which considers the YPG to be a terrorist group.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is threatening to return the favor with military action against Kurdish militant groups in Syria and Iraq. We know that if we do not drain the swamp, we cannot get rid of flies, Erdogan said on Monday.

Selfie scandal. Federica Mogherini, the European Unions top foreign policy official, visited Iran for President Hassan Rouhanis inauguration, generating a lot of excitement among a handful of Iranian lawmakers who now face a backlash for their scramble to get selfies with her.

Radio, radio. The U.S. military has come to rely on GPS for navigation, but the proliferation of jamming equipment and anti-satellite capabilities has put a question mark over the availability of GPS in the event of a major conflict. Just in case GPS goes dark some day, the Pentagon is taking a look at a backup plan that relies on eLoran, an updated version of the old school Loran-C radio systems used to navigate in the dark ages of the Cold War.

No DJI for DOD. The Army is ditching the popular DJI-brand of Chinese hobby drones for use in combat because of concerns about cyber vulnerabilities. The Army didnt specify which vulnerabilities prompted the ban but DJI declared itself surprised and disappointed by the decision.

Open season. The Pentagon has given the green light for employees to shoot down drones hovering over military facilities. The proliferation of small hobby drones has led to a number of incidents of drones flying over sensitive airspace but now the Pentagon is allowed to blast them out of the sky as part of a policy implemented in July but recently declassified.

Fallen. The Marine Corps has identified three Marines lost at sea following the crash of an MV-22 off the coast of Australia. The Corps declared 1st Lt. Benjamin R. Cross, Cpl. Nathaniel F. Ordway, and Pfc. Ruben P. Velasco deceased after search and rescue operations failed to locate them.

Venezuela. A hacking collective calling itself The Binary Guardians has targeted Venezuelan websites, committing acts of vandalism in protest of what it calls the dictatorship of President Nicolas Maduros government.

Air defense artillery. Specs on the latest NATO air defense system.

Photo Credit: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images
A horrifying and mysterious scene unfolded in West Virginia Sunday, when tourists stumbled upon a car crash only to watch as a driver dragged a limp body into the roadside hills.

Chilled to the core, the couple, who were reportedly in town from New York to attend a bluegrass festival, said they got far more than they'd bargained for as they watched the woman drag the blanket-wrapped body into the woods.

Read: Armed Man Wearing 'Scream' Mask Holds Up Car Wash: Cops

Authorities got a call around 11:20 a.m. from the shocked tourists, which prompted West Virginia State Police to visit the scene near the Virginia border.

Police said they soon found 37-year-old Erica Newsome, along with the body, on an old logging road.

The body was that of Newsome's 11-year-old daughter, police said.

Cops have not released the cause of death but Newsome was arrested on charges of concealing the body of her daughter, Kaye-lea Plummer.

"It was obvious that the 11-year-old did not die from injuries from the accident," West Virginia State Police Sgt. Herby Barlow told the Pocahontas Times. "Her injuries were non-motor vehicle injuries."

In her Miranda statement, cops say Newsome told them she had picked her daughter up from her bed and put her in her truck on August 4.

Newsome reportedly told cops that Kaye-lea did not move, eat, drink, speak or use the restroom for two days during the drive from where they lived in Jacksonville, Fla.

Newsome was reportedly en route to where the girl's father and Newsome's estranged husband, Donath Plummerm, lives in Buffalo, N.Y.

Speaking to Jacksonville's News 4 Jax, Plummer called his wife an excellent mother and said that she must have "snapped."

Watch: Victim of O.J. Simpson Robbery Calls It the Scariest Night of His Life

Cops, meanwhile, have not made any final determinations.

It is still a very active investigation, Sgt. Barlow said.

Story continues

Watch: Adults Allegedly Use Kids to Steal in 2 Different Scenarios

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By Andrew Chung (Reuters) - The Trump administration has reversed an Obama administration stance and will support Ohio in its bid at the U.S. Supreme Court to revive a state policy of purging people from voter-registration lists if they do not regularly cast ballots. The Justice Department filed legal papers with the high court on Monday staking out the new position in the voting rights case, backing the Republican-led state's policy to purge inactive voters. Former President Barack Obama's Justice Department had argued in a lower court that Ohio's policy violated the 1993 National Voter Registration Act, which Congress passed to make it easier for Americans to register to vote. Civil liberties advocates who challenged Ohio's policy have said it illegally erased thousands of voters from registration rolls and can disproportionately impact minorities and poor people who tend to back Democratic candidates. The state on Tuesday welcomed the administration's action but voting rights advocates opposed it. The League of Women Voters accused the administration of "playing politics with our democracy and threatening the fundamental right to vote" by siding with an Ohio policy it said disenfranchises eligible voters. "Our democracy is stronger when more people have access to the ballot box - not fewer," the Democratic National Committee added. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati last year blocked Ohio's policy, ruling that it ran afoul of the 1993 law. The state appealed to the Supreme Court, which agreed in May to hear the case. The legal brief filed by the Justice Department said President Donald Trump's administration had reconsidered the government's stance and now supports Ohio. The brief, signed by Acting U.S. Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall, argued that Ohio's policy is sound because it does not immediately remove voters from the rolls for failing to vote, but only triggers an address-verification procedure. The American Civil Liberties Union last year sued Ohio Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted over the policy. The suit said the policy led to the removal of tens of thousands of people from the voter rolls in 2015. Husted said in a statement he welcomed the federal government's support, noting Ohio's policy "has been in place for more than two decades and administered the same way by both Republican and Democrat secretaries of state." Under Ohio's policy, if registered voters miss voting for two years, they are sent registration confirmation notices. If they do not respond and do not vote over the following four years, they are removed from the rolls. Ohio officials argue that canceling inactive voters helps keep voting rolls current, clearing out those who have moved away or died. Democrats have accused Republicans of taking steps at the state level, including laws imposing new requirements on voters such as presenting certain types of government-issued identification, intended to suppress the vote of groups who generally favor Democratic candidates. (Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell joined by Republican Senator Roy Blunt: AP

Donald Trump has pushed back against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells contention that the President had excessive expectations about the speed of the democratic process, further displaying the strained relationship between the White House and Congress over the failure of Republican efforts to dismantle Obamacare.

Senator Mitch McConnell said I had excessive expectations, but I don't think so, Mr Trump tweeted. After 7 years of hearing Repeal & Replace, why not done?

Mr Trump and Congress failed to secure a major legislative victory during the Presidents first 200 days in office. The Senates Republican leaders also suffered a heavy loss less than two weeks ago when they were unable to garner enough support for legislation that would have rolled back portions of the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare.

After his last defeat on healthcare, Mr McConnell said the Senate would move on to other matters. But Mr Trump has continued to tweet about the issue, and wrote that unless the Republican Senators are total quitters, Repeal & Replace is not dead!

During a Rotary Club gathering in Kentucky on Tuesday, Mr McConnell expressed his frustration with what he sees as Mr Trumps tendency to make statements that do not match the realities of the legislative process.

So part of the reason I think people feel were underperforming is because too many artificial deadlines  unrelated to the reality of the complexity of legislating  may not have been fully understood, he said.

For example, as the House of Representatives was in the midst of negotiations about its Obamacare replacement bill in February, the President declared that Congress was in the final stages of its bill and said it would be ready for submitting in March. While the House unveiled its bill in March, the lower chamber didnt pass the legislation until May. The Senate didnt even begin voting on a healthcare bill until July.

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Our new president, of course, has not been in this line of work before. And I think he had excessive expectations about how quickly things happen in the democratic process, Mr McConnell said.

However, Republican leaders in Congress also set deadlines. Legislators left Washington for the August recess without having achieved any of the major legislative victories that top Republicans had promised in January to finish by now.

Mr McConnell warned the audience on Tuesday to not prematurely judge the current Congress and urged them to evaluate the performance of legislators when it finishes. He also added that Mr Obama did not not sign his signature healthcare into law until more than a year after taking office.

Along with Mr Trump, Dan Scavino, the White House director of social media, hit back against Mr McConnell, tweeting: More excuses. @SenateMajLdr must have needed another 4 years - in addition to the 7 years -- to repeal and replace Obamacare.....

Fox News host and Trump ally Sean Hannity called Mr McConnell a weak, spineless leader on Twitter and said the majority leader needed to retire.
Just after reports emerged that North Korea has produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit onto long-range missiles, President Donald Trump had a tough message for Kim Jong Un and company.

Speaking about the opioid epidemic in Bedminster, New Jersey, where the president is in the midst of his working vacation, Trump said that if North Korea continues to escalate the situation, They will be met with fire, fury, and, frankly, power, the likes of which the world has never seen.

Yes, there is a video.

WATCH: President Trump warns North Korea that it "will be met with fire, fury, and frankly, power." https://t.co/K3SVES797o pic.twitter.com/KfQFKsaPQX  CBS News (@CBSNews) August 8, 2017

The statement comes just days after the U.N. Security Council unanimously passed a U.S.-drafted resolution ramping up sanctions on Pyongyang for its ballistic missile tests. North Korea threatened to retaliate shortly thereafter.

The Trump administration has alternately threatened and cajoled North Korea. Secretary of Defense James Mattis said after a North Korean missile test in early July that the United States was no closer to war with North Korea. But National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster said shortly after the passage of the resolution that preventive war was indeed an option for the United States, echoing the more hawkish line staked out earlier this year by the Trump administration.

Now Trump  who famously waxed poetic over the destructive power of nuclear during the presidential campaign  has clearly threatened a nuclear-armed rival with unprecedented fire and fury.

Photo credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Ain Issa (Syria) (AFP) - US-backed fighters battling to capture Syria's Raqa are being slowed by fierce resistance from the Islamic State group which has heavily mined the city, a militia spokeswoman has told AFP.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-Arab alliance backed by an international coalition battling IS, entered Raqa city two months ago.

SDF fighters have now captured more than half of the one-time jihadist bastion, Jihan Sheikh Ahmed, spokeswoman for the Wrath of the Euphrates operation to capture the city, told AFP on Tuesday.

But the force's progress has been hindered by IS which is fighting hard to hang on to the de facto Syrian capital of its self-proclaimed "caliphate."

"Our forces are continuing to advance inside Raqa, but slowly," Sheikh Ahmed said.

She said SDF forces had seized nine districts in the city's west and east, while IS was putting up a fierce defence of the seven remaining neighbourhoods.

"After being besieged from four sides, Daesh has no option but to surrender or die," she said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"That is what has made its reaction fiercer."

She said the jihadists had laid explosives "in every centimetre" of the city, slowing the SDF's progress.

"Our goal is not simply to liberate territory geographically, but to liberate the civilians in the city," she said.

The fight for Raqa has prompted tens of thousands of civilians to flee, with many wounded by crossfire or IS-planted explosive devices during their escape.

The United Nations has estimated between 20,000 and 50,000 people remain in the city, though others have given lower estimates.

Sheikh Ahmed said SDF forces were also facing IS snipers and weaponised drones, tactics the jihadist group has employed to defend its territories.

She said the jihadists had even staged commando-style attacks within territory recently captured by the SDF.

"Sometimes they infiltrate from behind (the front lines) through tunnels," she said.

Story continues

But she said the campaign was progressing "with steady steps, no matter how slow".

The SDF is backed by the US-led coalition battling IS in Iraq and Syria, which has supplied weapons, air cover and a limited number of troops.

Sheikh Ahmed praised that support, which she said was growing as the SDF pushed deeper inside Raqa.

The US envoy to the coalition, Brett McGurk, said last week that SDF fighters hold 45 percent of Raqa, and estimated about 2,000 IS jihadists remained in the city.
President Donald Trumps administration has decided to send over an aircraft carrier to visit Vietnam, one of the challengers to Chinas claims over the South China Sea, in a sign of strengthening defense ties between the two countries. The carrier will arrive in Vietnam in 2018.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Vietnamese Minister of National Defense Ngo Xuan Lich in Washington, Tuesday, that the U.S. and Vietnam have common interests, that is, to retain the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea in the face of an aggressive China.

"The Secretary welcomed Vietnam's engagement and growing leadership in the Asia-Pacific region," a statement from the Pentagon said.

Trump promised Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, in an unofficial capacity on May 31, that he will be sending an American aircraft carrier over to Vietnam in the near future when Phuc became the first ASEAN leader to visit the White House after Trump's inauguration.

Nguyen Xuan Phuc

Photo: Getty Images/ Olivier Douliery-Pool

Read: Was Anthony Scaramucci Sacked Over His Relationship With Kimberly Guilfoyle?

Rodger Baker, vice president of strategic analysis at geopolitical intelligence firm Stratfor, said the meeting between Trump and Phuc was a carefully calculated move by the Trump administration with regards to building a defense against continuous efforts by China to militarize islands in the South China Sea.

"Vietnam sits in a very interesting position in Southeast Asia," Baker said. "Within the past week or so, Washington has delivered small vessels to the Vietnamese coast guard, there have been naval exchange visits (and) the U.S. has also waived some restrictions on arms exports to Vietnam."

After Phuc visited the White House, diplomatic relations between Vietnam and China deteriorated further. In June, Beijing became furious over Vietnam drilling for oil and gas in an offshore block that China claims to control.

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Vietnam is a natural ally for the U.S. in confronting China's expansionist plans. Tensions between Vietnam and China are not new. The Vietnamese invaded Cambodia and ousted the Chinese-back murderous Khmer Rouge regime in 1978. Next year, China and Vietnam fought a month-long border war in which both sides claimed victories.

Vietnam has always been the country in Asean that has the strongest suspicions of Beijing ... because it shares both a maritime and land border with China," Zhang Mingliang, a specialist on Southeast Asian affairs at Jinan University in Guangzhou, told the South China Morning Post.

Vietnam has also strenghtened its navy, fortified several islands, and been vocal on the international stage against Chinese claims in the South China sea.

When the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in its case against China in the South China Sea on July 12, Vietnam, the biggest supporter of Philippines on the issue, kept its cool instead of celebrating the indirect but nevertheless, strategic win against its rival.

Read: Video Shows Malia Obama Being Carted Out Of Lollapalooza In Chicago

It rightly predicted retaliation against the ruling from China, which shortly followed when the latter landed civilian aircraft on airstrips on two contested reefs, Subi and Mischief, Huffington Post reported. The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Le Hai Binh said of the incident: Those actions conducted by China have seriously violated Vietnams sovereignty and are unlawful and cannot change the fact[s] about Vietnams sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa [known as Spratly and Paracel in China] archipelagoes.

However, the U.S. would need to tread lightly in courting Vietnam as it needs Chinas help in keeping the nuclear program of North Korea in check. On Saturday, the United Nations Security Council approved tougher sanctions against Kim Jong Uns regime and China had a vital role in backing the deal.

Following the growing threat of North Korea, the U.S., in agreement with the Japanese government also relocated a major portion of the Navy carrier air wing from Naval Air Facility, Atsugi, Kanagawa to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Iwakuni city, Japan. Preparations for the same was made back in June and the first five E-2D early warning aircraft flew in on Wednesday.

Everyone recognizes that the unity of the Japan-U.S. alliance is important more than ever when thinking about the security environment Japan is in, especially the circumstances involving ballistic-missile launches by North Korea, Iwakuni Mayor Yoshihiko Fukuda said, Stripes reported.

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Wyndham Lathem, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Northwestern University - Chicago Police Department

A fired Northwestern University professor facing a murder charge in Chicago briefly appeared in a California courtroom on Monday, smiling at supporters who waved at him.

Wyndham Lathem, a microbiologist, was accused along with an Oxford University employee in a Chicago arrest warrant in the fatal stabbing of Trenton James Cornell-Duranleau. The 26-year-old hair stylist's body was found on July 27 in Lathem's Chicago apartment.

Lathem, who was being held without bail in Alameda County, surrendered in Oakland on Friday after being on the run for more than a week. While details of the gruesome case have been in the headlines for days, including a bizarre donation made in the victim's name at a Wisconsin library and a videotaped confession sent to friends, an attorney painted a different picture.

Andrew Warren, an employee of the University of Oxford, has also been arrested in the case Credit: AP

Attorney, Kenneth H. Wine, called the 42-year-old Lathem a "gentle soul" and said the allegations run contrary to how he's lived his life.

"Since the beginning of this case, the defence has received dozens of calls and letters in support of Dr. Lathem, from friends and colleagues who have known him for decades," Wine said in a statement. "They all describe him in the same way - a kind, intelligent, and gentle soul, and a loyal and trusted friend. What he is accused of is totally contrary to the way he has lived his entire life."

Wine said Lathem plans to plead not guilty and urged the public to withhold judgment until all of the facts of the case emerge.

Lathem is accused along with Oxford University financial officer Andrew Warren, who separately surrendered to authorities in San Francisco last week. Warren, a British national, does not yet have an initial court date. He arrived in the US days before the killing.

Authorities have not discussed his relationship to the other men or a possible motive for the killing.

Attorney Kenneth Wine is representing Wyndham Lathem Credit: AP

Wine said that Lathem came to the San Francisco Bay Area to see his closest friends and family members. Asked about Lathem's mental state, Wine said he is fine.

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At least five friends appeared in court on Monday to support Lathem, with one blowing kisses. They declined to comment.

Lathem was not formally arraigned on Monday but waived extradition. Alameda County is assisting Illinois by beginning the process required for extradition. Chicago authorities now have 30 days to bring him back.

Also on Monday, Northwestern University said Lathem had been terminated "for the act of fleeing from police when there was an arrest warrant out for him." His firing was effective on Friday, according to university spokesman Alan Cubbage.

Lathem, who had been a faculty member since 2007, continues to be banned from entering the Northwestern, which has campuses in Chicago and suburban Evanston.

Cornell-Duranleau was a 26-year-old Michigan native who moved to Chicago last year. Police have said that he and Lathem had a personal relationship but not elaborated.

Authorities have said the attack on Cornell-Duranleau was so brutal that the blade of the knife believed to have been used in the stabbing was broken. When police found him he'd already been dead for at least 12 hours.
The President's tweeting has resulted in no shortage of controversies: AP

Everybody knows just how much Donald Trump enjoys tweeting.

The White House has said his tweets should be considered official statements from the US President, while Mr Trump believes they are the most effective way to communicate directly to his supporters.

The FAKE MSM is working so hard trying to get me not to use Social Media, he tweeted in June. They hate that I can get the honest and unfiltered message out.

The FAKE MSM is working so hard trying to get me not to use Social Media. They hate that I can get the honest and unfiltered message out.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017

But Mr Trump better get ready for a surprise: a survey has suggested the majority of Americans do not actually appreciate his tweeting. And an even larger proportion of the public think it is not an appropriate way for a leader to communicate.

The poll for CNN found seven out of ten Americans believed his tweeting habits too often seem to be in response to news he may have seen on TV and believe Twitter is a risky way for a President to communicate.

More than six in ten believed that his tweets too often turn out to be misleading and were easy to misunderstand.

Mr Trump has long defended his tweeting. My use of social media is not Presidential - its MODERN DAY PRESIDENTIAL, he tweeted on July 1. Make America Great Again!

But his social media habits have repeatedly placed him in hot water. One of the many Twitter controversies Mr Trump sparked during the election, was an early morning attack he launched on former Miss Universe Alicia Machado.

Since he has entered the White House, Mr Trumps tweeting has not become any more polite or measured - despite repeated calls from his advisors that he stop tweeting spontaneously.

In June, the President sparked more outcry when he attacked television anchor Mika Brzezinski, who had recently voiced mild criticism of him. He said she had a low IQ and had been bleeding badly from a face-lift during a social gathering at Mr Trumps resort in Florida during the New Year.

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This week, despite the appointment of John Kelly as a new Chief of Staff, a former four star general tasked with trying to bring discipline to the West Wing, he has fired off a series of tweets attacking Richard Blumenthal, a Democratic senator from Connecticut. Mr Trump called him a phony Vietnam con artist on Twitter after the senator appeared on television to voice support for continuing the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

The same survey found that Mr Trump has historically low approval ratings. Just 38 per cent of people said they approved of his handling of the presidency, while 56 per cent said they disapproved.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United States wants UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon to take on an expanded mission and investigate alleged violations by Hezbollah militias in the volatile area, Ambassador Nikki Haley said Monday.

The UN Security Council is set to vote on renewing the UN interim force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) later this month, and Haley said she will seek "significant improvements" to its mandate.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres informed the council in a letter sent on Friday that he intended to look at ways in which UNIFIL could beef up its efforts "regarding the illegal presence of armed personnel, weapons or infrastructure inside its area of operations."

"We share the secretary-general's strong desire to enhance UNIFIL's efforts to prevent the spread of illegal arms in southern Lebanon," said Haley in a statement.

"These arms - which are almost entirely in the hands of Hezbollah terrorists - threaten the security and stability of the region."

"UNIFIL must increase its capacity and commitment to investigating and reporting these violations," she added.

Guterres is expected to discuss UNIFIL's mission when he pays his first visit as UN chief to Israel and the Palestinian territories later this month.

Haley has been a strong supporter of Israel, which fought a month-long war against Hezbollah in 2006. The fighting killed more than 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and more than 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.

There has been speculation about the possibility of a new war breaking out between Israel and Hezbollah, a powerful Lebanese paramilitary organization, more than a decade after their last direct confrontation.

There have been periodic skirmishes along the UN-monitored demarcation line between Israel and Lebanon, longtime adversaries which are technically still at war with each other.

Set up in 1978, UNIFIL was beefed up after the 2006 war and now has 10,500 troops on the ground monitoring the ceasefire and helping the Lebanese government secure its borders.

A vote on UNIFIL's mandate at the council is tentatively scheduled for August 30.
Pyongyang has announced it is examining plans to attack the island of Guam - a strategically important US territory in the western Pacific Ocean - in statement that emerged hours after Donald Trump threatened North Korea with fire and fury.

The Presidents threat followed reports suggesting North Korea has created a nuclear missile small enough to be fitted to an intercontinental ballistic missile.

But where is the remote island of Guam, and why is it at the centre of escalating tensions between Washington DC and Pyongyang?

Where is Guam?

Guam is a tiny remote island in the western Pacific Ocean, with a population of around 162,700.

It is part of the US territory in Micronesia, situated about three quarters of the distance between Hawaii and the Philippines. It is the largest of the Mariana Islands archipelago.

What is the islands history?

The islands indigenous Chamorro people are believed to have settled on the island around 4,000 years ago.

Guam was colonised by Spain in 1668 until the end of the Spanish-American war, when the country ceded the island to the US. The island was invaded and occupied by Japanese forces between 1941 and 1944 during the Second World War, before it returned to American rule. All people born on the island are US citizens.

Why is Guam a strategically important island for the US?

According to the CIA, the military installations on the island are some of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific.

It has been a significant military outpost for America since he Second World War and reportedly holds around 6,000 troops, the Anderson Air Force Base and the Naval Base Guam. The island is referred to by military commanders as their permanent aircraft carrier, according to ABC.

(Statista)

The military bases have rotations of B-1, B-2 and B-52 strategic bombers, as seen in the above graphic, created for The Independent by statistics agency Statista, and include a submarine squadron.

It is also armed with a defence system that can intercept missiles, known as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).

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Why has North Korea threatened strike there?

The North Korean army issued a statement on Wednesday claiming it was studying a plan to create an enveloping fire in areas around Guam with medium- to long-range ballistic missiles.

The country has made several claims in recent years that the island is within its missiles striking distance, releasing threatening statements each time the US flew powerful bombers from Guams airbase over the Korean Peninsula, which it did on Monday.

The B1-bomber is deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as part of the US presence in the Asia-Pacific region (United States Air Force )

In August last year, Kim Jong Uns Foreign Ministry warned that all US military bases in the Pacific including Guam would "face ruin in the face of all-out and substantial attack" by its military. In 2013, state media reported the North Korean leader had ordered his military to prepare plans for launching strikes on US military bases in Guam, Hawaii, South Korea and the American mainland.

What does the future hold for Guam?

White House officials have assured Guams governor, Eddie Calvo, that there has been no change in the threat level to the island, saying it is prepared for any eventuality.

Madeleine Bordallo, Guams US Congresswoman, said that while these threats were common, they are not taken lightly.

North Koreas most recent threat to target Guam is dangerous and it further heightens tensions in our region, she said. While we have heard threats like this in the past, I take them very seriously.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
President Trump didn't mince words with his threat to North Korea after its warning about retaliation against the U.S. for UN sanctions.

From his vacation in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump on Tuesday shot back at the dictatorship with: "They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen." There's a reason that frightening rhetoric sounds familiar: It's similar to the language North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un uses, or at least the language used by the state-run media that speaks for him and his government.

SEE ALSO: Trump just said the scariest thing of his presidency and this has gotten totally out of control

Here's Trump unleashing the terrifying warning.

And here's the over-the-top statement North Korea gave about retaliation for UN sanctions: It included "thousands-fold" revenge and "violent infringement of its sovereignty" that was caused by a "heinous U.S. plot to isolate and stifle" the country.

just took an office poll of who said it? kim jun un or trump. all guessed kim jung un  Larry (@Size10Envelope) August 8, 2017

Time for a game of "Who said it? Donald Trump or Kim Jong Un?"  Kellie O'Gara (@LovelyShoes) August 8, 2017

Trump and Kim Jung Un are twins. https://t.co/pLRrsPNFwm  Tony Fisch (@TonyFisch) August 8, 2017

Sounds like Trump just retweeted Kim Jung Un.  Ed G (@edyson22) August 8, 2017

Before these back-and-forth threats filled with fire and brimstone, the similarities in their speaking styles were already there. Kim has his fair share of propaganda videos and footage. Oh, look, Trump does, too.

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Like Kim, Trump is all about eradicating evil. Kim last year said his country "can tip new-type intercontinental ballistic rockets with more powerful nuclear warheads and keep any cesspool of evils in the earth, including the U.S. mainland, within our striking range."

While Kim is a a bit more verbose than the U.S. president, Trump, too, is obsessed with evil. He tweets about it:

We must keep "evil" out of our country!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017

During Trump's inauguration speech he included strong language about a bleak America full of poor, single mothers, "rusted out factories like tombstones," and gangs and crime terrorizing cities. "This American carnage stops right here and stops right now," he said during the speech, which former President George W. Bush reportedly called "some weird shit."

Kim also uses bleak language and hyperbole to put things down. In a 2014 visit to a museum the North Korean leader said, The massacres committed by the U.S. imperialist aggressors in Sinchon evidently showed that they are cannibals and homicides seeking pleasure in slaughter.

Amazing how similar Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un sound as they brag about killing millions of people. The dregs of our species  Matt Carr (@MattCarr55) August 8, 2017

The fact that an American president shares rhetorical traits with a volatile dictator is almost as frightening as the threat of nuclear war. Almost.

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For months, worried observers of the Trump administration have wondered what would happen when the president first faced a bona fide, urgent international crisis out of his own control.

This week, the world seems terrifyingly close to getting an answer.

On Monday, the United Nations Security Council approved new sanctions on North Korea. On Tuesday, The Washington Post reported that the North Korean regime has for the first time produced a miniaturized warhead that can be attached to a nuclear missile. And later on Tuesday, speaking at a briefing on the opioid crisis, President Trump offered an unusually warlike, blunt statement.

North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States, he said. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen. He has been very threatening beyond a normal statement, and as I said they will be met with fire, fury, and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.

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At a moment of nuclear brinksmanship like this, any citizen of the United States wants a few things from a leader. You want someone you can trust to tell the truth, and who foreign leaders view as credible, so that threats and statements alike are taken seriously. You want someone who is known to be able to carefully sift through a lot of evidence and assess upsides from downsides. You want someone who has a team of expert advisers whose judgment he trusts and takes seriously. And you want someone who is able to take bad news.

The problem is that Trump has none of these characteristics. He has shown himself to be prolifically dishonest. The president has lied to the public about matters great and small, from the petty (the size of his inauguration crowd) to the serious (accusations of wiretapping, his own position on major matters) to the absurd (outright denying things he said publicly). As a result, Americans are in no position to trust the things he might tell them in a crisis, whether those remarks are delivered from behind the Resolute desk or via tweet.

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As if that were not bad enough, foreign leaders cant trust what he says either. An adversary has no idea whether to take threats from Trump seriously (to say nothing of literally). Hes a man who made empty threats throughout his career, repeatedly suggesting hed sue people who said and did things he didnt like. In many cases, he did not follow through. If youre North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, why should you believe that his threats of force are any more real? Trumps strategy with North Korea has been compared to Richard Nixons madman theory, in which the former president wanted enemies to believe he was capable of anything, because he was insane. An equally likelyor even more likelyoutcome is that North Korea will conclude that Trump is capable of nothing, based on past results.

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What Will Trump's Fake-News Habit Mean in a Crisis?

The dangers are higher because Trumps counterpart is Kim, himself an untrustworthy and unpredictable interlocutor prone to empty threats. When two leaders each habitually bluster and exaggerate, theres a higher likelihood of making a catastrophic mistake based on a bad guess, my colleague Kathy Gilsinan wrote in April.

But its a problem for allies, too, because the United States would want friends in a hot war or in a diplomatic crisis. They also have no reason to trust any assurances that the president makes. As my colleague Jeffrey Goldberg warned on the eve of the election, Nuclear crises call for, among other things, the most exacting possible calibration of language. This is not a skill Donald Trump would bring to government service.

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Trumps promises of fire and fury do not instill new confidence. His literally inflammatory threat is particularly baffling because of the parameters he laid out: The president warned not that North Korea would be punished fiercely for firing a missile at the United States, or for conducting a missile test, but instead for issuing a threat. Yet thats inevitable: Threats are North Koreas major export product. Trump, who ridiculed Barack Obama for allowing Syria to cross his red line of chemical-weapons use, is establishing a red line that will almost certainly be crossedperhaps very soon, if Kim is in a sporting mood.

But even setting aside the public-messaging side of the ledger, should citizens have faith in Trumps decision-making process? Throughout his life, he has bragged about his reliance on his gut instincts rather than on careful study of the details of a case. His four corporate bankruptcies demonstrate the limitations of that gut. He has a tendency to believe outrageously fake stories, and his staff is reportedly wary of giving him unflattering and unhappy news because he reacts volcanically to it. When told he cannot do something, his impulse is often to insist on doing it.

Those impulses do not serve the nation well in a nuclear standoffa situation where, as Mark Bowden laid out in the July/August issue of The Atlantic, there are no good solutions, but only least-worst solutions. As Defense Secretary James Mattis has put it, A conflict in North Korea  would be probably the worst kind of fighting in most peoples lifetimes. While some optimistic reports have suggested that new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly can and already has imposed better discipline and information-circulation systems in the White House, the public has little material evidence of change (really, only Anthony Scaramuccis firing) and plenty of signs that Trump remains Trump, from his weird Twitter assault on Senator Richard Blumenthal to his remarks Tuesday.

The reasoning behind Trumps threat is difficult to grasp. Senator Lindsey Graham argued last week that the benefit of a war would be to keep North Korea from acquiring a nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile. But if that has already happened, its too late for a preventive war, and the only advantage is to be the first to strike. Military experts are dubious that the United States could knock out the entire North Korean nuclear capability in one, quick assault.

Perhaps the best hope for the world is that Trump, who is easily distracted and has a short attention span, will in this case once more be distracted. That would at least allow the immediate tension to dissipate, though the longer-term problem of a nuclear North Korea would remain. Of course, dropping the promise of American retaliation would only increase Trumps credibility problem, offering adversaries another example of an empty threat.

A situation like this was easily foreseeable, and in fact foreseen. Since successive presidents have failed to effectively curtail North Koreas nuclear program, it was practically inevitable that the 45th president would face this very dilemma. Senator Marco Rubio, a rival of Trumps in the GOP primary, said he could not be trusted with nuclear weapons. Hillary Clinton ran an ad focused on the danger that Trump would start a nuclear war. Trump is in a box of his own creation, and the American people, by virtue of their choices at the ballot box, are in it with him.

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From Delish

When Chloe Rodgerson's dad bought rotisserie chicken salad from Costco two years ago, he had no idea what a drastic effect it would have on his daughter's life.

It turns out the chicken was contaminated with E. coli, and while all 10 of the Rodgerson's family and friends who ate the salad became temporarily sick with stomach cramping, diarrhea and gas pains, Food Safety News reports, Chloe wound up in the hospital with far more severe issues, and is still recovering today.

Chloe's attorney's have sued the Costco Wholesale Corp. for claims including strict liability and negligence. According to the CDC, 19 people were infected by the E.coli strain from Costco's chicken salad in 2015, with five hospitalized.

We've been through so much this year. I'll love you forever @BatstoneJosh



Beginning of 2016 vs the end of 2016  pic.twitter.com/xXnglKXkIb - Chloe Batstone (@chloeoloren) December 26, 2016

"Right before I got sick, I had the best year of my life," Chloe said. "And then all of a sudden I woke up with a ventilator down my throat, literally strapped down to the hospital bed."

Chloe is seeking monetary compensation for her infection, the subsequent medical bills  which have already topped $2 million  and the damage it's done to her career.

Chloe was on her way to becoming a Broadway actress, having been trained in voice, musical theater, and dance since the age of five. She continued to train at the Utah Conservatory of the Performing Arts and had a part in the movie "Twelve Dogs of Christmas II." She also an ensemble role in the Jason Robert Brown Parade performed at Lincoln Center.

According to Food Safety News, Rodgerson was headed to Disney World to perform as a Disney princess while earning an online degree. Because of her E. coli infection, she had to give the job up.

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She's in the five to 10 percent of people who develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, from an E. coli infection, which puts organs like the kidney and brain at risk. According to the CDC, one other person developed HUS from the Costco chicken salad.

Rodgerson had to have her large intestine removed, undergo several surgeries, and battle staph infections from the surgeries. The nightmare continued in 2016 when doctors determined she needed a kidney transplant. Luckily, her now-husband was a match, and the surgery took place in February 2017, a month after they were married.

Since then, she has been hospitalized several times due to risk of rejection, and suffers from frequent seizures. Today, her immune system is still very weak, causing her to get sick easily, and she regularly is admitted for dehydration.

"Since I do not have a large intestine, it is hard for my body to keep the right amount of fluids necessary for kidney function," she told Delish.

Quick trip to our vacation home this weekend  happy to be back tho pic.twitter.com/enZSq7ambT - Chloe Batstone (@chloeoloren) July 31, 2017

The federal court complaint says Rodgerson is looking at a lifetime of medical bills and visits, will not be able to work full time, and likely will not be able to work as a performer, given her skills have been "permanently diminished."

"It's crazy to think I had such big goals like acting for film or Broadway when now my biggest goals are to make it through the month without getting admitted," Chloe says.

She's hoping Costco, who has yet to comment on the matter, will comply with the lawsuit.

"I have been drowning in hospital bills and they have been silent on the issue."

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A woman whose dog went missing nearly five years ago is still on the hunt for her beloved pet and hasnt lost hope that shell find him.

Jackie Vestal and her beloved dog, Maddox. (Photo: Courtesy of Jackie Vestal)

In December 2012, Jackie Vestal, now 39 and a married mother of one in Los Angeles, lost her 8-year-old miniature pinscher named Maddox while visiting her in-laws in Oklahoma City. The family had planned a getaway to a Dallas resort that didnt allow dogs, so Vestal reluctantly left Maddox in the care of a family friend in Oklahoma. I really didnt want to leave him even for a night and had this weird, awful feeling in the pit of my stomach, Vestal told Yahoo in 2013. But I didnt want to spoil everyones good time and the fact that this woman owned a dog was comforting. So we left him with her.

As soon as she arrived at the resort, Vestal received a call that the dog had escaped through the garage, and after falling to the floor in shock, she and her husband drove back to Oklahoma City.

Vestal went to great lengths to find Maddox, driving around the neighborhood until dawn, sending a pet Amber Alert, distributing fliers, enrolling in dog tracking classes, and even hiring a pet detective to track Maddoxs scent using his harness, which still had hair stuck to it. When nothing worked, Vestal went to the media, paying for a billboard ad, and giving interviews to local television, including a dog talk show.

Jackie Vestal and Maddox. (Photo: Courtesy of Jackie Vestal)

She also launched a Facebook page called Maddox Miniature Pinscher Lost In Okc  which has nearly 5,000 followers  to spread awareness, track possible clues, and offer tips on what to do if Maddox was spotted. For example, the dog has an implanted microchip thats registered as missing, so when scanned, Vestal would be alerted of his whereabouts. She also offered a $5,000 reward for his return.

We contacted a few psychics, one of whom told me Maddox was hit by a car, another who turned out to be a scammer, said Vestal.

Ultimately, Vestal took a 5-and-a-half-month leave of absence from her job as a business systems analyst and moved in with her in-laws during that time, despite her husband returning to Los Angeles, where he worked as a comedian.

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Yahoo Beauty checked in with Vestal for an update on her devoted search, ahead of Maddoxs Aug. 13th birthday. There are people who ask me, When will you give up on finding Maddox? but I try to ignore them, Vestal tells Yahoo Beauty. I had a deep connection with Maddox. He was my soul mate.

Jackie Vestal and Maddox. (Photo: Courtesy of Jackie Vestal)

Now back in Los Angeles and raising a two-year-old son with her husband of seven years, Vestal still runs the Facebook page, although not as actively, and has a support group in Oklahoma  a devoted group of women Vestal has dubbed Team Maddox. They organize search parties, manage a phone number that serves as a tip hotline, and visit shelters in the hopes of spotting the dog. These women keep me going when I feel like giving up. Theyre lifelong friends.

Vestal says she has an inkling of Maddoxs whereabouts. In 2013, a woman in Oklahoma called me and said she was feeding a dog that looked like Maddox who was hanging out in her bushes, she says. But when I brought the pet detective to her house, she denied it.

In the process of searching for Maddox, Vestal has found a sense of purpose. Shes rescued other dogs when tips turned out to be false alarms, fostering or helping re-home them. And the experience has made her more attentive to her surroundings when shes aware of missing dog cases.

Vestal has complicated feelings toward the woman who watched Maddox the night he disappeared. Theres no contact, she says.

However, she keeps Maddoxs memory alive by hanging photos of him throughout her home and decorating her toddlers bedroom with a dog theme. He knows who Maddox is and can even say his name, says Vestal.

Shes also added two new dogs to her home, a miniature pinscher named Bliss and a Chihuahua-Manchester terrier mix named Brownie.

I wish I had closure with Maddox and know that hes OK  thats the part that keeps me up at night, says Vestal. I wish I could hug and kiss him again.

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Americans will look skyward on Aug. 21 to witness a total solar eclipse that will cross the U.S. from coast to coast  and many will aim to photograph the eclipse to preserve the rare celestial phenomenon. During the total eclipse, the moon will block out the sun, momentarily engulfing parts of 14 states in darkness. Those who do not see a total solar eclipse will still see a partial eclipse, in which the moon blocks some of the suns light. Either occurrence presents a dramatic opportunity for sky gazers to capture the eclipse through photography.

But photographing the solar eclipse comes with challenges, including potential damage to the eyes and camera equipment from the suns rays. It can also be difficult to photograph the eclipse because it doesnt last very long, the sun appears to be moving constantly and the shot requires specific exposure settings.

We spoke with Ken Sklute, a Canon representative with a 43-year photography career, about the gear you need to photograph the solar eclipse and the steps photographers should follow to stay safe:

What type of camera and lens should you use to photograph the eclipse?

Sklute recommends three Canon models at different price points and skill levels, as shown in the video above. The Powershot Sx60 is a beginner level point-and-shoot bundled with a solar filter that can be purchased for $499.99. For the next step up, Sklute suggests the Rebel T7i (camera body only) for $749.99. On the more professional side, you can buy the 5D Mark IV (camera body only) for $3,299.

Once you have your camera, the next step is choosing a lens. Youll want at least a 300 mm focal length to get a good-sized image of the sun in the frame, Sklute says. Focal length refers to the distance between a cameras sensor and its lens. The longer the lenss focal length, the larger the sun will be in the final image. Those who are hesitant about investing in an expensive lens may want to rent one instead.

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How can you protect your camera from the sun?

Anyone who is photographing the eclipse  or just looking at it  should wear protective eclipse glasses, which filter out most of the suns rays. In addition, photographers should cover any sun-pointed lens with a certified solar filter, which blocks harmful sunlight from damaging your camera or your vision. A filter is certified if it meets protective standards set by the International Organization for Standardization. The American Astronomical Society has provided a list of reputable manufacturers of solar filters that are selling filters online, ranging from $19.95 to more than $200 apiece. The filter should be removed only during the totality phase of the eclipse, in which the moon is directly between the Earth and the sun and blocks its light.

What exposure settings should you use to shoot the eclipse?

Your aperture, ISO and shutter speed will depend upon the capabilities of your camera, lens and filter, and Sklute suggests testing out different exposure settings  under different cloud cover situations  prior to the big event. You can photograph the sun today, and its gonna be the same sun on August 21. Itll be the same exposure.

Sklute plans to bracket his shots throughout the totality phase of the eclipse, meaning that he will use a number of different exposures. Each combination of exposure settings will capture different layers of light from the sun. After shooting the eclipse, hell use photo-editing software to stack the various images with their respective exposures on top of one another in order to produce a richer photo of the solar eclipse.

How much time do you have to photograph a total solar eclipse?

The length of totality will vary depending upon your location. At most, it will last for 2 minutes and 40 seconds. With such a short amount of time to photograph totality, preparation is key. In order to prevent gravity from pulling your lens down during the shoot, a common problem known as lens creep, Sklute suggests bringing some tape to secure the extending part of the lens in place. You are most susceptible to lens creep when you are shooting something overhead.

He also suggests that photographers make sure their tripods are correctly adjusted and that batteries are swapped out just prior to totality.

What other special gear will you need to shoot the eclipse?

In addition to a certified solar filter and the correct lens, Sklute also recommends bringing extra camera supplies, like memory cards and batteries, as well as items to make sure youre comfortable while waiting, such as a cooler, chair and tent.

Can you photograph the eclipse with a smartphone?

Sklute says a real camera, such as one of the digital models mentioned above, not a smartphone, is the way to go for this type of shoot. The smartphones have very small lenses, he says. Theres no way to put a filter in front of it. This is one of the things that you should be investing in at this point with it being such a unique event.

Watch the video above to learn all of Sklutes advice for producing the highest quality photos of the total solar eclipse.
A Shia militia battling on the side of the Iraqi army against the Islamic State (ISIS) has blamed the US-led coalition of shelling its fighters near the Syrian border  a blame the US has rejected.

Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada militia, known as close to Tehran, indicated that the US-led coalition collided with IS to attack positions of its fighters near the Syrian border.

The air strikes according to the militias deputy commander, Ahmed al-Maksousi, came from Jamouna area in Syria, about 12 KM (about 7.5 miles) from the Iraqi border.

About 40 fighters were killed and about 30 wounded according to al-Maksousi.

The US-led coalition, which pounds IS positions in Iraq and Syria, Tuesday denied the allegations arguing that it did not carry out airstrikes in the area.

Army Col. Ryan Dillon of the coalition, positioned in Iraqi capital Baghdad, pushed off claims in a twit.

Allegations of #Coalition strikes vs. Popular Mobilization Forces near #Iraq  #Syria border are INACCURATE. No Coalition strikes there ATT, he tweeted.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi also took the side of the coalition saying IS was responsible for the dozens of deaths.

It seems that Daesh carried out a breach using artillery and car bombs, Abadi said in a televised press conference in Baghdad, using the Arabic acronym of the terrorist group.

ISIS, in an online statement, said it staged a three-pronged attack that included a suicide bombing, followed by fighters storming the militiamens positions. The group added that one ISIS fighter was captured, reports say.

An umbrella of Shia para-military groups known as Popular Mobilisation Forces has been fighting with the Iraqi army to ouster ISIS out the country.
Theres a trend that seems to be developing over at Samsung, and its a bit troubling. Well, to be fair, its troubling to hardcore Android fans and probably no one else. Rumors emerged ahead of the Galaxy S8s unveiling that there would be a turbocharged version of the phone with more RAM and twice as much internal storage. Sure enough, the company released a Galaxy S8+ with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, but only in China and its home country of South Korea. Now, along the same lines, evidence has emerged that theres a suped-up version of the Galaxy Note 8 in the works from Samsung. Sadly, rumors suggest that the company plans to stick with the same formula it used with the Galaxy S8, and it likely wont sell the upgraded Note 8 in the United States or in European markets.

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In a post that offers no source credit despite making use of a Galaxy Note 8 render shared exclusively by BGR, Samsung news blog SamMobile points us to an interesting tweet. WinFuture blogger Roland Quandt has tweeted what appears to be a list of Galaxy Note 8 SKUs from South Korea, and it includes multiple mentions of a 256GB model.

Earlier reports have said that a special version of the Galaxy Note 8, referred to by some as the Galaxy Note 8 Emperor Edition, will include twice as much internal storage as the version expected to launch in most markets. This time around, however, the upgraded Note 8 model will reportedly have 6GB of RAM just like other versions of the phone. In the case of the Galaxy S8, the special version for Asian markets had twice the storage as well as an extra 2GB of RAM.

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NASAs Curiosity rover just celebrated its five year anniversary on Mars, which is one mighty impressive milestone for a vehicle whose primary mission was initially slated for just 687 days. In honor of this momentous occasion, NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory put together a fantastic video time-lapse of Curiositys travels, complete with five years worth of camera footage from one of the vehicles many built-in cameras crammed into roughly five minutes of video.

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Along with the camera feed  which was pulled from one of Curiositys hazard avoidance cameras  the video also shows a handy map of the Mars landscape to give you a rough idea of the rovers path. The Earth date of each photo capture as well as the Martian sol count is also displayed in the upper right. With such a small map, it might not seem like much of a trip, but the rover has already tallied ten miles of travel.

The research Curiosity has carried out has been invaluable to NASA and researchers around the world, and its extremely interesting to see the rovers entire journey wrapped up so succinctly in a single video. That being said, the monochrome video footage and unending stream of dust, dirt, and rock leaves a little something to be desired.

NASAs next rover, which is currently targeting a July 2020 launch date, is expected to be a lot like Curiosity in overall design and instrumentation. That mission, if it indeed goes forward as planned, is expected to explore a completely different area of Mars, though the final landing site has yet to be decided upon.

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New Israeli restrictions on Palestinians exiting the Gaza Strip, including a ban on laptop computers, hard-shell suitcases and even shampoo and toothpaste, have further disrupted travel for the few who are allowed to cross the border into Israel.

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Israel is citing unspecified security concerns as the reason for forcing engineers, journalists, business people and human rights workers to leave their electronic work tools behind.

Erez Border Crossing (Photo: Roi Idan)

"My work laptop that has all my work files that I can't take back with me is a big problem for me," said Ahmed Abu Shahla, an employee of an intellectual property firm in the United Arab Emirates who was returning to the Gulf after visiting relatives in Gaza.

Israel has in the past stated its fears that explosive devices could be smuggled in using such electronic items. Such bans and restrictions have been enacted in the US and EU countries due to intelligence indicating that terror groups such as ISIS have used them to smuggle explosives.

As Shahla boarded a bus at the border, he was forced to leave his laptop behind. He said he didn't bother to put his projects on flash drives because he feared they would be confiscated.

"My loss is high because you have to move all the data by email or any other means which is almost impossible," he said. "This affects you in all directions, professionally, unfortunately." Shahla is just one of the Gaza residents paying the price for Hamas-encourgaed terror activities against Israel.

The ban, which took effect on August 1, applies to all Palestinians who want to travel to Israel, or through Israel to the West Bank and neighboring Jordan. With Israel and Egypt maintaining a tight blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza, the Erez crossing is virtually the only way out of the territory.

Israel and Egypt imposed the blockade after Hamas won parliamentary elections in 2006 and proceeded to violently cleanse the coast territory of forces loyal to the internationally recognized government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Israel, the US and much of the West consider Hamas a terrorist group, and Israel says the blockade is needed to isolate Hamas and prevent it from smuggling in weapons.

The Rafah crossing on the Egyptian border has traditionally been Gaza's main gateway to the outside world. But Egypt keeps the crossing closed for months at a time, also citing fears of terrorists who could penetrate into its territory. The last time it opened for travelers was in March, and tens of thousands of people are on waiting lists to travel once Egypt opens the crossing.

Palestinian side of the Erez Crossing (Photo: AFP)

The Egyptian closure has made Israel's Erez crossing vital to Gazans who need to travel abroad for business, medical care, studies or to see relatives.

Yet Israel, accusing Hamas of trying to exploit travelers to carry money or information to its agents abroad, has imposed a series of restrictions in recent years that has limited the flow of people across the border.

Israel allows only small numbers of people in special categories, such as students, aid workers and medical patients, to cross through the border, and all travelers go through a heavily fortified terminal where they pass through scanners, can have their luggage opened and can be searched.

In recent years, Israel also has called in hundreds of people for day-long interviews with security agents before granting them travel permits, so high has the level of fear become.

The restrictions mean that the vast majority of Gaza's 2 million residents remain trapped in the impoverished territory as its Hamas rulers use masses of funds for terror purposes, thereby neglecting their subjected population. Small numbers of merchants and aid workersthe engines of what remains of Gaza's economyalong with medical patients and other humanitarian cases are the people who usually use the Erez crossing.

The new Israeli guidelines, outlined in an email obtained by The Associated Press, set out strict restrictions on electronics, baggage and personal items.

For Palestinian merchants, aid workers or travelers headed to Jordan, "Personal mobile phones only, no food stuff or toiletries allowed," says the email. Food is also banned, except for medical patients that can take food for "personal consumption."

Palestinians crossing into Israel (Photo: Roi Idan)

The email was sent on July 19 to international aid organizations that operate in Gaza and was signed by an officer with COGAT, an Israeli defense body that enforces policies toward Palestinian civilians.

An updated email the next day showed that these procedures are applicable on people exiting Gaza, not entering it.

Foreigners were exempted from the restrictions.

COGAT said the new rules were ordered by Israel's Shin Bet internal security service. In a short statement, the Shin Bet said travel regulations through Erez were updated recently and that exceptional cases can be tested "case by case." The agency provided no reason for the ban.

Palestinians waiting to cross (Photo: Roi Idan)

Shai Grunberg, a spokeswoman for Gisha, an Israeli advocacy group pushing for Palestinian freedom of movement, said there was no clear explanation for the change in policy.

"Security checks are conducted, understandably, in transit stations around the world. This new directive is punitive, damaging, and must be stopped immediately," she said. About 6,500 Gazans pass through Erez each month, about half the year-earlier level, according to Gisha.

The measures have caused an outcry among Palestinian too.

"These restrictions are aimed at harassing people and we reject them because Israel already has the best checking and security screening technology," said Walid Wahdan, spokesman for the Palestinian Civil Affairs Ministry, which carries out civilian coordination with Israel. "These suitcases are used in all airports and terminals. Why they are banned here?" he said.
Aircrafts registered in Qatar and the national carrier, Qatar Airways, can now fly through the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrains air spaces, the Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organization said Tuesday.

The Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has been working with various Middle Eastern states to ensure equitable access to airspace for Qatar-registered aircraft since sanctions were announced on June 5, ICAO spokesman Anthony Philbin said.

UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Egypt on June 5 severed ties with Qatar over its alleged support for terrorism. The four countries cut air, ground and sea links, banning Qatari aircrafts from their air space.

Some existing air route availability has been assured, and some new temporary or contingency routes have also been developed, including through Bahrain and UAE airspace, he told AFP news agency.

In face of the ban, which has affected the national carriers business and travellers plans, Doha urged the ICAO to intervene.

The ICAO and the states involved are continuously monitoring related air route suitability and ATM (air traffic management) measures, which may still be subject to further modification if necessary, by mutual agreement, Philbin said.

A meeting held in Montreal last week discussed contingency routes that had been planned as part of a preliminary agreement reached earlier this month, but not yet opened to Qatar-registered flights, Al Jazeera reports.
Lise Grande, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq who doubles as the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, has described the historic city of Mosul as a tale of two cities with reference to the level of destruction in the eastern and western parts of the city.

Mosul has been under the control of the Islamic State group for three years before a strong offensive by Iraqi forces backed by militia groups and the US-led coalition helped to flush them out.

Lise Grande explained that the Eastern Mosul is recovering from the fighting and its on the mend. Even though conditions arent great, life is slowly going back to normal as people are home, schools are open, business are open and markets are open.

It is a different reality in Western Mosul, which experienced most of the fighting. In the 15 completely destroyed neighborhoods, there are 230,000 civilians who come from those districts who are not coming home anytime soon; compared to 20,000 people of Eastern Mosul.

The influence of the Islamic State group has reduced drastically, and Grande thinks that military operation in Tal Afar, Hawija and in the Euphrates Valley in western Anbar Province would displace several hundred more civilians. She estimated the number of displaced people in the country to reach 3.5 million when the military campaign in Iraq is over.

The UN official also acknowledged the efforts of the humanitarian agencies. She commended them for their efforts stating that very exceptionally, humanitarian agencies were not near the front line, they were on the front line.

In another development, the Iraqi Central Bank said in a statement that the Islamic State group controlled an estimated total of around $730 million held in banks plus $101 million.

These were banks located within the areas under their control and most of these deposits belong to the government.

According to the Central Bank, after June 15, 2014, the militants gained control over 121 branches of state-owned and private banks in the Nineveh, Saladin, Diyala and Anbar provinces.
Israel has launched missiles into the Gaza Strip in response to a missile that was fired from Gaza. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said a projectile hit an open region in the Ashkelon region without causing any injuries.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but the Jewish State holds Hamas responsible for all hostilities originating from Gaza.

The IDF responded by launching airstrikes targeting two Hamas posts in the northern Gaza Strip. Security sources said the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, was the target.

The airstrikes were carried out early Wednesday. Ayman Sahbani, an emergency director at Gazas Shifa Hospital, said three people were wounded. One of them is reported to be in a critical situation.

Hard-line Islamist groups opposed to Hamas rule frequently launch rockets into Israeli territory. The groups tend to accuse Hamas of failing to resist the occupation.

The rise of tensions in the area could complicate the planned visit of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres before the end of the month.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since the Islamist movement took control of Gaza a decade ago. The most recent in 2014 left at least 2,000 Palestinians dead, including more than 500 children. The Israeli side recorded 73 casualties, mostly soldiers.

Riyad Mansour, Palestines Ambassador to the UN, said the scheduled visit of Guterres comes at a critical time in which there are attacks against the two-state solution and urged the Israeli leadership to listen to and respect the global consensus around it.

Israels Ambassador to the global body, Danny Danon, thinks that the trip provides an excellent opportunity for him (Guterres) to see firsthand both the challenges and the opportunities that we face in our region, including Hezbollahs activities in Lebanon in violations of Security Council resolutions.
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.
BUILDING THE LA RAZA 'The Race' WELFARE STATE ON MIDDLE AMERICAS' BACKS: Months ago, the Biden administration publicly defended their proposal to begin providing federal identification cards to border crossers and illegal aliens who they plan to release into American communities. The goal of the proposal is to make securing public benefits easier.
@alextdaugherty

American Action Network, a center-right group with ties to House Speaker Paul Ryan, will spend $2.5 million in the next few weeks to promote an overhaul of the nation's tax system, the next big legislative fight for Republicans in Congress.

The TV ad buy includes Rep. Carlos Curbelo's Key West-to-Miami district and the ad argues that the current tax system causes American workers to lose their jobs.

"We are committed to standing up for Americans who have been left behind by our broken tax code, and sharing real stories to raise awareness on how jobs have fled to countries like China," said American Action Network executive director Corry Bliss. "Its time for Congress to act and defend hard-working Americans and their families across the country.

Curbelo is one of 24 mostly moderate House Republicans who are part of the August ad buy. The list also includes Florida Rep. Brian Mast, who won Patrick Murphy's seat after he ran for Senate. Curbelo and Mast's districts are being targeted by Democrats as potential 2018 pickups.

Three Democrats, including Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, are challenging Curbelo while former Senate candidate Pam Keith has filed to run against Mast.

American Action Network has gotten involved in Curbelo's district before. In 2014, when Curbelo successfully challenged Democratic Rep. Joe Garcia, American Action Network spent $1.2 million against Garcia.

The organization is expected to spend up to $20 million on an efforts to change the tax code in the coming months, including a $1 million radio campaign launched two weeks ago that also included Curbelo's district.

Republicans in Congress and Donald Trump are pushing for a lower corporate and personal tax rate along with eliminating many deductions, but an overhaul of the nation's tax system hasn't occurred since Ronald Reagan's administration.




If money is the mother's milk of politics, then Florida Gov. Rick Scott's political committee is providing lots of nourishment to operatives outside of Florida.

Of the $6.5 million his political committee, Let's Get to Work, has spent since his 2014 re-election, $4.5 million of it went to consultants and services outside of Florida, according to a Herald/Times review of the committee's expenditures since January 2015.

The bulk of the out-of-state money -- $3.9 million -- was delivered to his political consultant, OnMessage, based in Annapolis, Md.

In addition to consulting expenses, the political committee's website service is based in Alexandria, Va.

When the governor needed some robo-call assistance in June -- as he fended off an attempt to gut his economic development agency -- his committee spent $12,000 on an Arlington, Virginia-based company to make telephone calls.

His most recent hire appears to be Taylor Teepell, a Louisiana native who ran former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's five-month campaign for president in 2015. Scott hired him to be finance director of the New Republican Super PAC which he now serves as chair. Melissa Sellers Stone, Scott's former chief of staff and campaign manager, serves as the director of the pac. She also came to Florida after working in Louisiana, where she served on Jindal's staff.

Stone has been paid $188,800 in the last year from LGTW, including $18,800 in reimbursement for travel and other expenses.

Since June, Teepell has also created a company, Traction Capital LLC, that was paid $10,816 in May and June by LGTW for "fundraising, consulting and office supplies." New Republican also paid Teepell's company $13,400 in May and June. Before that, Scott had given Teepell a $110,000 job as head of the agency overseeing Florida's growth management, a position for which the Louisiana native had no planning experience.

As Scott positions himself for a likely run for U.S. Senate next year, he continues to tap the Louisiana vein. On Message, headed by Curt Anderson, employs Teepell's brother, Timmy, in Baton Rouge.

And Stone was among those FDLE agents originally referred to as the "Louisiana Mafia" because of the heavy-handed way they attempted to use state law enforcement vehicles for the 2014 campaign. The others are Frank and Meghan Collins. Frank is policy director at the Florida Department of Transportation and Meghan, his wife, is director of communications at the Department of Education.

Arkansas transplant and BBQ expert Josh Cooper has been on a monthly retainer with LGTW of between $5,000 to $8,000. He earned more than $192,000 since 2015 for two Florida-based corporations he has established.

There are some exceptions to the out-of-state link. LGTW's biggest Florida hire appears to be Debbie Aleksander, a Tallahassee based fundraiser who has been paid $363,000.

In 2015, Scott's committee had Tony Fabrizio on retainer and paid him $43,000. As Scott increased his presence in Miami this year, he has Miami political consultant Ana M. Carbonell and her company, The Factor, $249,000 since his re-election.

Much of Scott's Florida operation is run out of the offices of Tallahassee consultant Brecht Heuchan, the refurbished Fire Station #2. Stone lists Heuchan's Contribution Link office as her address. The governor does too -- when the campaign reimbursed him $461 in food and beverages in 2015. And Cooper also runs a consulting business located in Heuchan's headquarters.

Heuchen has been paid $116,000 for consulting and $80,000 for database services since 2015, the reports show.

Photo: Curt Anderson of OnMessage, the chief political consultant for Gov. Rick Scott.
@NewsbySmiley

The executive who oversees Miamis nearly billion-dollar government is looking for a new job.

In a sign that turnover is once again coming for an often turbulent city government, City Manager Daniel Alfonso has for the last several weeks quietly shopped his resume to city and county governments around the country. As early as June, he was a finalist for a job running Brevard County government.

Alfonso acknowledged that hes job-hunting during an interview with The Herald. But he said he plans to remain in his post until term limits force Mayor Tomas Regalado from office.

I dont intend to slow down. Im still getting paid my check so Im still doing my job, said Alfonso, 49, who is currently traveling with his family. I expect that Ill be here probably through the middle of November, when the new mayor comes on board.

To read the rest, click here.
@alextdaugherty

Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis of Ponte Verda Beach, a potential candidate for governor in 2018, is swinging into South Florida to talk about the next big item facing Congress: a comprehensive tax overhaul.

DeSantis will speak at an "Un-Rig the Economy" town hall event at the Miami Airport Sheraton on August 24th in conjunction with Americans for Prosperity, a conservative political advocacy group funded by the Koch brothers.

Conservatives like DeSantis and Americans for Prosperity are aiming to drastically reduce the country's corporate tax rate, change personal tax rates and revamp tax deductions for the first time since Ronald Reagan's administration.

"We hope the rest of the Florida delegation will join Congressman DeSantis in fighting back against the current rigged tax system by joining our effort to pass pro-growth tax reform," said AFP Florida director Chris Hudson in a statement. "Americans want a system thats based on simplicity, efficiency, equitability, predictability, and creates no new burden on taxpayers. We want to speak directly to Floridians who want to help fix our broken tax code."

Americans for Prosperity and Republicans in Congress are pushing for a tax plan by the end of the year, but it will be harder to pass a tax overhaul that doesn't require 60 Senate votes after the effort to repeal Obamacare stalled two weeks ago. A tax plan can only pass with a simple majority if the legislation doesn't increase the federal deficit after 10 years, and repealing Obamacare would have shaved billions off the deficit. Republicans only have 52 seats in the Senate, so a bill that requires 60 votes will need Democratic support.

DeSantis, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, briefly ran for U.S. Senate in 2016 before ending his bid after Marco Rubio ultimately sought reelection. Last week, DeSantis asked the Department of Justice to investigate a former information technology worker fired by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston.

DeSantis also has tax speeches with AFP set for September 19th in Fort Lauderdale at the Marriott Fort Lauderdale North and September 28th in Orlando. All three events run from 6:30 to 8pm. AFP plans to hold 50 tax overhaul events around the country in August and September.
In recent trips to small-town Florida, Republican candidate for governor Adam Putnam and a likely rival, GOP Sen. Jack Latvala of Clearwater, sounded a similar theme: that amid all the boosterism about new jobs, much of the state has been forgotten. The message seemed aimed squarely at Gov. Rick Scott.

Latvala held a "fact-finding" meeting in Blountstown Friday for about 75 local business and political leaders and began by citing a Florida Chamber Foundation report that 36 of 67 counties have lost jobs since 2007, before the Great Recession began (the Times/Herald reported on the numbers). In other words, the economic rebound has bypassed much of the state and rural Florida is in worse shape now than before Scott took office in 2011.

"We need to do a little more focus on the rural counties," said Latvala, joined by Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, who represents a number of those counties, including Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Jackson and Liberty, all less than an hour from the state capital.

Speakers complained of short shrift from the state, of being unable to borrow money to grow and of too much red tape in applying for state money, despite a governor who prides himself on repealing burdensome regulations.

"We're jumping through more and more hoops to get things done," said Richard Williams, executive director of CareerSource Chipola. "Georgia and Alabama are eating our lunch," added Kim Wilmes of Florida's Great Northwest, citing a need for better infrastructure in the region (Walton County lost 4,000 jobs since the Great Recession, Jackson 4,400 and Gadsden 2,700, the Chamber report said).

Putnam, the agriculture commissioner who walked in the 48th annual Possum Festival parade in Wausau Saturday, told the Times/Herald: "We're not doing enough on workforce development. We're sticking community colleges with a sharp poke in the eye ... Tallahassee just doesn't get it any more."

Putnam said rural economic development has to be a bigger priority. He faulted Enterprise Florida for not meeting with people in small towns where its members "can go see what their struggles are." EFI's Nate Edwards said the agency met in Destin last fall and "we do our best to hold meetings in locations spread across the state." EFI's next meeting will be in Fort Lauderdale.

Scott held a business roundtable Tuesday in one of Florida's most distressed communities, Belle Glade. But when he heralded the arrival of 20 new jobs, it was at a business in Tampa.
David Maslanka, a Missoula-based composer whose work was performed and revered around the world, died Monday night at his home in Missoula from colon cancer. His wife, Alison Matthews, died only a month earlier on July 3 from kidney failure.

The prolific 73-year-old composer wrote more than 150 pieces in his lifetime, including nine symphonies (he was at work on his 10th) and a Requiem Mass, in addition to chamber music and smaller ensemble pieces and solo works.

"In the wind ensemble world, he is definitely one of the leading composers worldwide," said Tom Cook, retired chair of the music department at the University of Montana.

Cook, a friend of 35 years who conducted Maslanka's music for the UM band, said it possessed an "intellectual and musical and spiritual depth. His music was original, but at the same time drew upon previous compositional styles.''

As he described it, Maslanka would begin his day playing and studying Bach and use it to "leap off into new sounds and new directions in his music." That music was included on more than 50 albums, many of which were dedicated solely to his work.

Over the past quarter-century, Maslanka reached that stature from here in Missoula, an unlikely home-base for a Massachusetts native and Oberlin College Conservatory graduate.

His daughter, Kathryn Maslanka, recalled how her father had just received a tenured teaching position in New York and was faced with a choice: whether he wanted to teach full-time or compose full-time. Although he was relatively unknown at the time, he and his wife decided to take the risk.

They wanted to move to the Pacific Northwest, and took a road trip through Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming to find a new home. They liked Missoula. They rented a house and a U-Haul and, in 1991, brought their three children, Kathryn, Matthew and Stephen out West.

"It's an enormous leap of faith. It worked out," she said.

Maslanka will be remembered as one of the finest composers of his generation, said Fern Glass Boyd, the artistic director of the String Orchestra of the Rockies. She said Missoula was "very, very lucky to have him in our midst," although he lived somewhat anonymously outside of the music community.

Locally, the SOR, a professional ensemble, commissioned a piece from him in the 1990s and premiered it here. The UM Wind Ensemble and Hellgate High School Band also have performed his works. Beyond Montana's borders, he was invited to places like Portugal and Japan, where he was provided with drivers, and where fans solicited autographs.

Notably, Maslanka didn't support his personal works by taking an academic position or writing commercial music. His compositions were in such high demand in the concert world that "he was able to exist on commissions, and there's very, very few people who can do that," Boyd said.

"He didn't want to lose his soul, as he put it," Kathryn said. "He never touched a film score or wrote a jingle or anything like that."

She said her parents had "absolute faith that this was going to be the right way to go."

Alison Matthews worked as a financial planner for the first few years they lived in Missoula, and then was able to shift to applying that monetary acumen to managing the Maslanka household. "It was her brains and his creativity that made it work," Kathryn said. They bought a house after a year in Missoula and lived there ever since.

The property afforded Maslanka a studio where he could write every day. He was fond of taking walks in the morning. He followed the mindfulness teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, and viewed walking as a form of meditation that could aid his composition if he was stuck.

Kathryn said he was a spiritual person, but not in a dogmatic way. She said he was quiet and thoughtful, with a "very quick mind and a very dry sense of humor," particularly with wordplay and puns.

Beyond his musical passions, he liked taking the dog for walks up Blue Mountain. They kept horses at their house, too. When he couldn't write, he would fill sketchbooks with chalk and oil pastels. They were drawings of "ideas or feelings while he was trying to get the music to come out," she said.

Instead of notepaper, she recalls that he would take 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper, usually with score scribblings on one side, and rip that into quarters to take notes on, "all these little ideas and musical notes and bits, and all those little bits turned into symphonies."

On his website, there's an email exchange with a 12th-grade student who asked him about inspiration.

He replied, "All of experience is the filter through which the impulse to compose makes its way. That impulse comes from a place well beyond my conscious mind. I think of it as universal mind. This is not something apart from us but the very core of who we are. I am moved to compose when people ask me for music. It is my work to find the flow from universal mind that meets the need of the people asking for music. I guess that that can be called inspiration."
ARLEE  Surrounded by a cloud of dust, Kelly Wolcott was doing what he could Tuesday morning to ensure that disaster didnt strike at his place once again.

Mowing the bone dry grass alongside the driveway leading into his salvage yard just outside of Arlee, Wolcott cradled a large silver fire extinguisher on the running boards of his mower just in case the whirling blade created a spark.

Wolcott knows how dangerously dry it is around Arlee.

A little over a week ago, a fire swept through the salvage yard that he and his wife, Marsha, have owned for 37 years.

Lake County Sheriff Don Bell said that while the investigation into the cause of the fire continues, it appears that it was started by some neighborhood children who were playing with matches or a lighter.

The first hint Wolcott had that his business was on fire came after the 36-year volunteer firefighter heard his pager go off that Thursday morning.

I looked out and there was already a black column of smoke, Wolcott said. I knew it was my business at that point.

Volunteer firefighters from three communities hurried to the scene. Fortunately, there was both a helicopter and airplane nearby that attacked the fast moving fire from the sky. More than a week later the evidence of the retardant drops can be seen on a row of saved pickup trucks and other vehicles not ravaged by the fire.

It was a dangerous fire to fight, Wolcott said. They really hammered this thing.

By the time the tires, gas tanks and pistons stopped exploding and the huge black plume disappeared, the Wolcotts had lost 467 cars from their business. It amounted to about a quarter of their inventory.

Some of them were 50 to 60 years old, Wolcott said, after he turned off his mower and stowed away the fire extinguisher. Some of them were classics that were just ready for someone to restore. Others were good for parts. Theyre all gone now.

In its wake, the fire left a mess of molten metal and blackened ash inches deep in between the burned out car bodies lined neatly up in rows. The flames also burned about 1,200 feet of the fence Wolcott is required to maintain for screening.

Its a real mess, he said. At my age, Im not going to be able to dig a bunch of new holes needed to build a new fence. This fire left us with a lot of work that needs to be done to clean it up.

Many of the Wolcotts customers are folks who have come back repeatedly over the years. Following the fire, many wondered if there wasnt something they could do to help.

With the assistance from his daughters, the call for help went out a few days ago via social media. The plan is to host a cleanup day on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wolcott asked that anyone interested in helping give him a call at 406-726-3400 before coming over.

Ive been really appreciative of the fact that theres been people saying they are willing to help, he said. Were going to have to clean up the mess between every one of these vehicles.

The fire burned through the section filled mostly with Chrysler products, including quite a few old Dodge Darts and Dusters. Wolcott was glad it spared his prized collection of Chevrolets.

There was quite a lot of history that burned up here, Wolcott said. All of it is basically irreplaceable.  There was a 55 Chrysler in there that would have made a beautiful restoration for someone, but now its just gone.

Wolcott didnt carry any insurance on the salvaged cars. Hes waiting for the investigation to end to see how much compensation he might receive from the homeowners insurance of the property where the fire began.

At the end of the day, Wolcott said both he and his wife are just happy that everyone walked away from the fire safe and sound.

Were both so grateful that no one was hurt, he said. There were a lot of firefighters here. Ive helped fight a lot of car fires along the highway over the years, but this was something totally different from that.
A future owner cant have the same water pollution discharge permit once used by Smurfit-Stone Containers pulp mill near Frenchtown, according to a court ruling on Tuesday.

This is a big win for clean water, said Peter Nielsen, Missoula County's environmental health supervisor. That permit had extremely generous discharge limits for phosphorus and nitrogen  way more than the city of Missoula has. It had a 3,000-acre mixing zone and four outfalls into the river. That will no longer be the case.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality had allowed M2Green Redevelopment LLC to take over the industrial discharge permit from the former paper factory when it purchased the 3,200-acre property in 2011. The Missoula County Water Quality District, Clark Fork Coalition and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes objected, arguing it was improper to transfer the right to dump pollutants in the river without first knowing which company might be using that right.

The flaw throughout DEQs transfer and renewal of (the permit) is that it is based on polluting activities from a facility that no longer existed  the Smurfit-Stone paper and pulp mill  in favor of a new facility that also does not exist  the undefined use of this site by M2Green, District Judge James Reynolds wrote. DEQ simply lacked the information necessary to issue any permit.

Reynolds also ruled the state agency failed to notify officials on the Flathead Indian Reservation, where CSKT has treaty rights regarding water quality.

The mill site has undergone slow but steady deconstruction since Smurfit-Stone abruptly closed it seven years ago. State and local officials have since asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to investigate 160 acres of potential toxic waste dumps on the property  a space larger than the University of Montana campus. That process remains in the investigatory stage.

Clark Fork Coalition Executive Director Karen Knudsen noted the decision might spur remediation of that reach of riverbank.

Now that the permit is void, that means the need for wastewater infrastructure goes away, Knudsen said. And theres a lot in there. Theres all manner of pipe strewn along 4 miles of river corridor. And theres a trespass issue. That stuff is all below the high water mark in ground owned by the public.

That could bring in the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, which oversees the beds and banks of rivers. After several private sales, the mill site still has about 1,100 acres of recoverable floodplain  three times the size of the Milltown dam recovery east of Missoula.

M2Green also owes Missoula County more than $1.2 million in unpaid property taxes. The county won the right to auction materials from the site in the 2017 Legislature. A public viewing of auction items takes place at the mill site on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the auction set for 10 a.m. Thursday at the millsite. Items include locomotives, trucks, and industrial equipment.
A 21-year-old representing himself during a criminal trial pleaded guilty on Monday to raping a Missoula woman last September after crawling into her window at 1:30 a.m. and finding her passed out in her bed.

After his arrest, Jason Lenoir told a detective that while technically that would be rape, his situation was different because he and the woman used to be in a relationship, according to court documents. The woman had an order of protection against Lenoir at the time.

Under the terms of the plea agreement Lenoir agreed to, prosecutors will request a 15-year prison sentence with five of those years suspended on the charge of sexual intercourse without consent.

Lenoir will be allowed to argue for any sentence he wants at his Oct. 16 sentencing, but he will not be able to withdraw his plea if the judge decides to either go with the prosecutions request or even impose a harsher sentence.

The other charges against Lenoir, a felony for burglary and a misdemeanor for violating an order of protection, will be dismissed when he is sentenced. Lenoir's trial started Friday, and his plea was entered partway into the second day before the case went to the jury.
A search committee selected 13 semifinalists  nearly half are women  to interview in person as candidates for president of the University of Montana.

Kevin McRae, deputy commissioner of communications for the Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, provided the update Tuesday after Commissioner Clayton Christian briefed him on the meeting. Christian is serving as chair of the search committee.

The committee received 98 applications in all and counted just 19 women in that group. It originally planned to conduct in-person interviews with as many as 10 semifinalists.

"There are good candidates in the pool for sure," McRae said.

The semifinalists are diverse beyond gender, McRae said. However, he said the commissioner did not share whether any of the candidates selected for interviews were from Montana, citing confidentiality.

Roughly half of the committee members will travel to a neutral location to interview semifinalists who accept interview invitations on Aug. 28 and 29, McRae said. He said the nearly dozen interviewers will include representation from faculty, students, staff, administration, community members and the Montana Board of Regents.

The focus of the interviews will be to identify one to five "excellent finalists" to visit the campus in September or October, McRae said. He said the visits will be designed to engage UM and the wider campus community with multiple forums and opportunities to interact with the finalists.

"Those campus visits will be a full day or more," he said.

The Commissioner's Office had in the past planned to bring more than one finalist to UM, and McRae said that scenario still would be ideal.

"We sure would hope to have more than one person," McRae said.

At the initial meeting of the search committee, Christian said the committee will forward a group of acceptable names for the Montana Board of Regents to consider, and he stressed that the decision is the regents' to make. He said the committee serves in an advisory capacity.

AGB Search is the firm leading the recruitment. AGB's Jim McCormick directed questions Tuesday to McRae, but he earlier said candidates were not deterred by a series of challenges UM has faced in recent years. In conversations with many applicants, he earlier said questions focused on enrollment and finances.

In December 2016, Christian asked Royce Engstrom to step down as UM president and appointed former Commissioner Sheila Stearns to serve as interim head of the Missoula flagship.
Missoula Fresh Market said an employee accused of discriminating against a Native American couple in a video viewed more than 100,000 times no longer works for the company.

Shawn Madman and his girlfriend, Tenisha Oldman, went to the store on West Broadway Saturday and noticed a man staring at them as soon as they walked in the door, he said.

Madman confronted the man, who was a Fresh Market employee, and captured the exchange in two cell phone videos, both containing graphic language.

Excuse me, sir,'' Madman said. "Hey, every time when a Native American comes in here, why do you follow them around? Why do you follow us around?

The employee responded, Oh my gosh, why's it always Native Americans? 'Oh, why do you got to profile us?' Every Native American that comes in here says that. Youre just like the rest of them.

Madman responded, Oh really? Like the rest of them, huh?

Everyone says that, the employee said.

Thats because you do, you do profile us, Madman said.

The employee did not identify himself in the video and Fresh Market did not provide his name.

The employee suggested in the video that he had caught Oldman shoplifting in the store before.

Madman said a manager later told him the store had no record of shoplifting allegations against Oldman.

In a second video, streamed live Saturday on Facebook, Oldman and Madman are told they are banned from the store for a year. That video had more than 100,000 views by Tuesday evening, with some commenters calling for a boycott of the store.

Missoula Fresh Market Co-Owner Craig Holtet said Tuesday the employee in the video no longer works at the store. He said the company also told Madman and Oldman that they were not banned from shopping there.

We work hard to provide everybody who comes into the store a happy shopping experience, Holtet said. I lost sleep over somebody not having a good experience.

Holtet said the store took immediate action to resolve this issue and a manager met with the couple on Monday. Holtet will also meet with the couple on Thursday, he said.

Madman is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet tribe and Oldman is an enrolled member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe.

My grandpa told me there are going to be people like this, racist people, and I should be respectful and not fire back at them,'' Madman said. "But with this, I really feel the impact now more deeply, because I had never experienced it before.''

Madman said he has a criminal record but hasn't been charged with a serious crime in more than a decade.

"Im not ashamed of who I am,'' said Madman. "This crushes me because of how our people are treated.

Holtet said Missoula Fresh Market doesnt tolerate discrimination against anyone in its stores.
The lightning-caused Meyers fire, 25 miles southwest of Philipsburg, had grown to 13,326 acres as of Tuesday morning, with 19 engines, 8 helicopters, 5 water tenders, two bulldozers, three Skidgines and nearly 550 people fighting the blaze.

Containment was listed at 4 percent.

The fire was once two blazes  the Meyers fire and Whetstone Ridge fire but the two grew together on Aug. 1, and became the Meyers Fire.

As of Tuesday morning, the blaze was not immediately threatening structures, but the Granite County sheriffs department issued precautionary evacuation notices for the Frog Pond Basin, Copper Creek Campground and Moose Lake areas.

This fire will be a long duration fire and will grow larger over time, according to the report on inciweb.nwcg.gov

Residents of the East Fork Reservoir and Georgetown areas can expect to see fire vehicles and equipment for the near future. While the Meyers fire is not posing an imminent danger to those areas, the incident management team and local fire staff are developing a longer term contingency plan to protect those communities.

An estimated 100 people attended a meeting Monday night at the Georgetown Lake fire station hosted by the Forest Service to update residents on the blaze and firefighting plans.

Firefighters are making progress constructing and strengthening indirect contingency lines in the northern and eastern flanks of the fire and crews are removing excess fuels from lines, according to the website. Heavy equipment use south of Moose Lake is nearing completion and will be transitioning north. Hand crews will continue cleaning lines and preparing to construct hose lays where feasible and prepare to suppress the eventual advance of the fire. These efforts, utilizing existing roads and natural barriers, present the most effective and safest option for stopping the fire growth when and if it moves toward them.

The fire danger level across the forest is rated "very high.' For details on road and area closures, visit inciweb.nwcg.gov

In other statewide fire action Tuesday:

Sunrise fire: The Sunrise fire had surpassed 14,000 acres Tuesday and was at 20 percent containment as the fire edged over Verde Ridge and Eagle Rock Saddle, closing Trout Creek Road.

Lighter winds are expected to help firefighters over the next few days, and the fire is moving downslope, which will ease the effects of wind according to public information officer Ted Pettis.

Pettis said that the Sunrise fire is currently not a threat to I-90 or the Clark Fork, as the long-range spotting that was sending embers a mile forward earlier in the fires life has calmed down. But changing winds over the next few days are an unknown risk factor Pettis says.

Doug Turmans Type I Team is currently dealing with the Sunrise Fire, and while its complexity is really a low-grade Type I, as Pettis calls it, if it jumps the freeway then it would be a full-blown Type I fire.

Liberty fire: The Liberty fire is up to 90 percent containment as heavy fuels burn out and the fire continues to smolder and creep.

The fire is causing morning smoke impacts in Arlee, according to the August 8 wildfire air quality update from the Missoula City-County Health Department.

The current firefighting strategy has been changed over the last few days from full suppression to 0 percent confine, 20 percent monitor, and 10 percent full suppression, according to the Inciweb Incident Management System.

Elevated risk for personnel constructing direct line in most areas of the fire, low probability of success in direct line containment, and fire stalling at natural barriers all played into the strategy shift.

Rice Ridge fire: The Rice Ridge fire is still being affected by the vast amounts of smoke in and around Seeley Lake, where the air quality Tuesday morning was again considered hazardous.

Public information officer Mark DeGregorio said that the fire teams are expecting pretty active fire to pick up in the Blind Canyon area, which began to show more activity Monday.

Heavy equipment and aircraft will be used on the south and southeast portions of the Blind Canyon Area, according to the Rice Ridge Fire Update for August 8 on Inciweb, and the hotter and drier weather means the fires activity has the potential to become critical.

Sapphire Complex: The Sapphire Complex is still burning with over 25,000 acres lost. The fires are currently at 29 percent containment as firefighters continue to work the perimeter.

The Little Hogback fire is at 17,139 acres burned and is still at 0 percent containment while firefighters conduct firing operations in order to remove unburned fuel between the line and the fire according to Inciweb. Smoke is affecting aerial support, and structure protection crews have been pulled from the Goat Creek Fire to help with protection efforts around the Little Hogback.

The Goat Creek fire is at 75 percent containment and is just under 8,000 acres.

Hotshot crews are conducting burning operations along the eastern flank of the fire as they attempt to remove unburned islands of fuel. Engines are cooling heat pockets, and other resources have halted potential flareups along Rock Creek and Brewster Creek Roads.

The Sliderock fire is up to 30 percent containment and is at 842 acres burned.

Indirect line is being improved and a crew was holding the fire line on the south and southeast flanks Tuesday.
The site of a new facility that owners hope will turn Anaconda slag into a material used for fracking oil and natural gas is starting to show signs of life.

Bob Kelly, a spokesperson for Premier Industries, the company that's spearheading the project, said general contractor Rick Tabish has begun site preparation on the locations 93 acres, located along Mill Creek Highway about 1.5 miles southwest of Highway 1.

Kelly said the facility will include a loading area at the site of a nearby slag pile, located about a mile from the plant. A private haul road will connect the plant to the loading area, he added, where dump trucks will fill up on the raw material. Similarly, the site will likely need fabrication and maintenance buildings, along with a parking lot and warehouse.

In April, Kelly said that the company would like to get one or two furnaces up and running initially, which he said would equate to about 50 or 60 jobs, and that the site is capable of supporting at least 10 furnaces.

As for a timeline, Kelly said Premier is still in the initial stages of the project and that its too early to determine when the construction phase will begin.

However, the Missoula resident said Premier continues to move forward with a pilot program thats testing the companys process for turning slag into proppant  the fracking material  and pig iron, which Premier plans to sell to the steel industry.

To test to the slag- and pig iron-making process, Premier has partnered with Montana Tech professors Courtney Young and John Getty.

In an interview with The Montana Standard in 2016, Burt Todd, head of Techs petroleum engineering department, explained how proppant is used to frack.

According to Todd, proppant is a rounded, hard material that can be injected with high-pressure fracking fluid to create fissures in underground rock. When the fluid bleeds off, the proppant is left behind and holds the cracks open so that natural gas and oil can reach the surface.

The industry is already using a ceramic-based proppant. But Kelly said Friday that one of the advantages of using slag is that its resulting proppant tends to be of higher density. Another advantage, Kelly said, is that the slag-based product will be made in the United States rather than overseas.

(Premier) would be one of the few domestic providers of proppant, said the Missoula resident, noting that the plant has the potential to take a huge portion of what has traditionally been considered waste and turn it into a product that can be utilized.

To evaluate how the process performs on a larger scale, Kelly said the company has contracted with a metallurgical firm in Wisconsin to perform the pilot program.

(Premier is) relatively pleased with the results theyve been getting, said Kelly, adding that the company has submitted a patent application for the procedure.

After the pilot project is complete, Kelly said, the company will know more about what kind of emissions the plant will produce and will have the data it needs to apply for permits from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. At that point, the company can also move forward with finding a manufacturer for its furnaces.

In an April interview with The Standard, Kelly said Premier hopes to initially get one or two furnaces up and running and that the site is capable of supporting at least 10.

Premiers processing plant is a project several years in the making.

News on Premier broke in January 2016 when The Montana Standard reported that Tabish, who was then the companys principal, sought to build the plant. Tabish later relinquished his role as Premiers principal and became the general contractor on the project.

After a lengthy county commission meeting in December, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County granted a lease to Premier for the 93-acre site. At the time, commissioners reasoned that the county would be hard pressed to find a buyer for the land, which is located on a Superfund site, and that the jobs the company said could result from the facility were worth the terms of the lease.

The terms of the lease are for $100 per month with an option to purchase the land for $1. The company has to secure a building permit and begin construction by Dec. 31, 2018, before it can purchase the land. If these terms arent met, Anaconda can terminate the lease.

As for jobs that might result from the plant, Kelly said Premier isnt taking applications yet. When the time comes, he said, the company will work with the Anaconda Job Service and host a job fair.
STOLEN VEHICLE

Stephanie Houston, 39, of Ennis, was jailed in Butte for allegedly stealing a vehicle and over 100 keys from a Helena car dealership. Police went to a home in the 500 block of West Galena Street Tuesday due a report from Lewis and Clark County that Houston had taken the keys and stolen a vehicle. Police recovered some keys and the vehicle, but while waiting to get a search warrant to the house, Houston allegedly left the residence and rented a room in a motel on Harrison Avenue. Motel personnel called police about 4 p.m. Tuesday because they said Houston was trying to break into a car and broke the door handle in the process. Police arrested Houston and while searching her, said they found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. She was booked on a felony count of possession of dangerous drugs and an out-of-jurisdiction felony for burglary of the car and writing a bad check. She was also booked for three misdemeanors: theft from a building, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal mischief.

RESISTING ARREST

A reported theft of a volleyball ended up with the accused being arrested for felony assault on a peace officer. Nicole Reynolds, 34, of Helena, allegedly jumped a fence and took a volleyball out of a back yard in the 3200 block of Sanders Street at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The resident questioned her and Reynolds reportedly threw the volleyball into another yard. When police arrived, Reynolds was acting erratically and had spray paint on her face. Police report that she said she had been trying to color her hair. When they tried to arrest her for theft, she allegedly kicked the officers shins and resisted being placed into handcuffs. Police booked her for a felony charge of assault on a peace officer, and two misdemeanors for resisting arrest and theft.

BUS STOP MISCHIEF

Police said Benjamin Goddard, 28, of Deer Lodge, was throwing items out of his backpack at the bus station on Harrison Avenue at about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. Police booked him for disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.
Sleeping in a van, down by 

Police responded to a report Tuesday morning that a man and woman were sleeping in a dark-colored van parked on the first block of Wyoming Street.

An officer knocked on the van window at about 7:15 a.m. and awoke a woman and David Kelly, 29, of Whitehall. Police ran their names and found that Kelly was wanted on three contempt warrants out of Butte City Court.

While being booked on the contempt complaints, police found a small amount of methamphetamine so he faces an additional complaint of felony possession of dangerous drugs. He was still in jail as of late Tuesday morning. There were no warrants out for the woman.

Found in casino

Officers were doing a routine walk-through at a Town Pump convenience store and casino late Monday night and recognized a Butte man wanted on a contempt warrant from Butte City Court. They arrested Travis James Jensen, 18, in the casino at 531 S. Montana St. shortly before midnight for misdemeanor criminal contempt. He later posted a $500 bond and was released.

Delivered then stolen

A man expecting to receive an air pump for a raft filed a police report after being told it had indeed been delivered to his residence in the 400 block of Excelsior Avenue.

The man said the package was due to arrive July 31, and thats when the mail carrier said it was delivered. But he was out of town and didnt get back until Aug. 3, and says it was not there when he got home.

Missing wallet

Someone took a mans wallet out of a locker at the Butte Country Club while he was playing in a weekend tournament. It was taken sometime Saturday and someone tried to use one of the mans credit cards in Great Falls after that, but he had already cancelled them.
Wednesday, Aug. 9

FUNDRAISING BINGO

The Focus Recovery Group is hosting a fundraising bingo night at 6:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 224 W. Park St. The evening includes 10 games of bingo, two specials, and blackout. The cost is $5 a packet, $1 for specials.

LECTURE ON IRISH

The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives at 17 W. Quartz St. will continue its free Brown Bag Lunch series at noon with a presentation by Alan Noonan titled The Rising Across an Ocean: The Transnational Links Between Ireland and the U.S. in 1916. Noonan is a scholar of mobility, labor, and culture in the 19th and 20th century. Guests are encouraged to bring a sack lunch. Details: 406-782-3280.
A Billings woman is expected to admit murder charges in the beating and burning death of Crow Agency woman last year, becoming the second person of three defendants accused in the case to admit to crimes.

A plea agreement filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Billings said Angelica Jo Whiteman, 24, will plead guilty to the indictment, which charges her with first-degree murder, aiding and abetting.

The crime carries a mandatory life in prison sentence and a maximum $250,000 fine.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters on Wednesday set Aug. 30 for Whiteman's plea change hearing.

In pleading guilty, Whiteman will admit that she and co-defendant, Dimarzio Swade Sanchez, 19, of Busby, killed Roylynn Rides Horse, 28, with malice aforethought and premeditation and aided and abetted in the crime, which occurred on April 17, 2016, near Castle Rock Road on the Crow Reservation, the agreement said.

The agreement said Sanchez committed the murder and that Whiteman intentionally aided and induced Sanchez.

Also Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Susan Watters found Sanchez mentally competent to stand trial after a hearing. Sanchez underwent a court-ordered a competency evaluation by the federal Bureau of Prisons.

The judge set Sanchez's trial for Sept. 18.

Whiteman, whose case was severed from Sanchezs, was facing a trial on Sept. 25.

A third defendant, Frank James Sanchez, 19, who is Dimarzio Sanchezs brother, is to be sentenced on Oct. 20. He pleaded guilty to failing to report a felony and to being an accessory after the fact. A plea agreement calls for a first-degree murder charge to be dismissed.

Rides Horse died June 28, 2016, in a Salt Lake City hospital.
The state of Montana launched a new website where the public can report blooms of suspected toxic algae.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a seasonal phenomenon on Montanas lakes, reservoirs and ponds that can make people sick and even kill pets and livestock.

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality are asking for the publics help with identifying suspected HAB sites. Last Friday, the two agencies launched a HAB reporting website  www.hab.mt.gov  as well as a 24-hour hotline at 1-888-849-2938.

Harmful Algal Blooms can present a health risk to people and animals, said Laura Williamson, state epidemiologist at DPHHS. Direct skin contact or inhalation of the toxic blue-green algae may cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, or throat and people may experience respiratory symptoms after exposure. Nationally, there have been no human deaths caused by HAB exposure; however, animal deaths, such as livestock, pets and wildlife, have been caused by HABs.

In addition to educating folks about the danger, were asking the public to be our eyes out in the field so we can respond quickly and hopefully prevent people, pets or livestock from getting sick, Williamson said.

In addition to reporting basics, such as the time and date that an algal bloom is observed, the website allows users to upload photos of the bloom and pinpoint the GPS location. The site also includes the phone number for Poison Control, which should be called immediately if a HAB-related illness is suspected in a person or animal.

Blooms of potentially toxic blue-green algae appear as "pea soup," "grass clippings," or "green latex paint." The algae usually are suspended in the water column or appear as floating mats; they do not grow from the bottom as do mosses or water plants. Algae bloom in abundance this time of year on Montanas ponds, lakes and reservoirs. While not all varieties are harmful, some can produce dangerous toxins.

The state does not specifically monitor for blue-green algae, but there are some local efforts to test specific waterbodies.

When a HAB is via the reporting website, DEQ will assist DPHHS with investigation and analysis to determine whether an algal bloom is a potentially harmful species and whether levels are of concern. If the bloom is in a public lake or pond, DPHHS will determine whether to issue a warning or closure. Over time, information gathered via the website and hotline will help the agencies with identification, early warning and prevention.

DEQ is involved in Montanas HAB outreach and prevention efforts because it is the agency responsible for protecting Montanas waterways from excess nitrogen and phosphorous  the two nutrients responsible for sparking algal blooms.

Scientists believe HABs are becoming more common and more toxic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In 2014, a HAB in Lake Erie left nearly 500,000 residents of Toledo, Ohio, without access to the public water supply for nearly three days. In the fall of 2015, a HAB covered 636 miles of the Ohio River, producing a toxin that can kill cattle.

Nationally this issue has gotten so much attention, said Eric Urban, DEQ Water Quality Planning Bureau Chief.

In Montana, Hebgen Lake Reservoir had a confirmed HAB last summer that lasted into October with alarming levels of cyanotoxins, Urban said.

DEQ also has reports of blue-green algae blooms present on Canyon Ferry, Hauser and Holter reservoirs. At this time the reports are localized and are not widespread throughout the waterbodies.
It may not seem to most but these letters of opinion are important to a democracy. First, it shows to a degree we live in a country that allows freedom of the press and speech. These are two very important tools for the people. With that said, we must honor the rights of others to use these tools as well.

When reading the opinions of those that disagree with us do we get angry, hate the the person for being or wanting different? Do we understand some feel the same about our opinions? Do we learn anything about the diversity in opinions when we see only one very clear opinion, ours? Do we open our minds to the fact we are human and by far, not perfect.

We all have faults, make mistakes and really, have a hard time accepting and admitting to these facts. I have come to the realization, people who can accept and admit to these imperfections are the best listeners, orators and leaders. I also see so very few that fit this description. I see no one in Washington fitting it. Not only do they have an abundance of these human traits, they multiply them by adding Democrat or Republican when listening, translating and governing for the people, all people!

I'm not saying being either party is wrong but it is the reason we have division in Washington and growing anger from voters. It is why it is so difficult to get anything done and agreed upon. I doubt many would listen or agree with me on a or the solution. I don't owe my loyalty to a party or a single politician. As a voter, they do owe loyalty to me.

I simply want what's best for my country, my family and my friends. I want politicians that want the same instead of seeking credit for everything good and pointing blame for everything that is not. I was told by a loved one, "I was part of the problem for not voting for Trump or Clinton." I saw voting for the lesser of two evils hasn't or won't ever work. My one vote I felt showed, "No more!" I voted for myself. Why? Being one of many in the group, "We the People," I tried to say, "I'm still in charge." Our elected seem to have forgotten that!

 Keith Isaacson, Deer Lodge
Over the past two years, the Keep Iowa Beautiful Hometown Pride Committee has worked to make Louisa County a better place to live, work and play. Examples include the Columbus Junction group helping to reopen a fitness center, the Wapello group working to build a new walking trail and the Letts group helping to tear down an old bank to create Memorial Park.

Residents do not need to join a committee to attend the monthly meetings. The Grandview group meets the fourth Monday of every month, at City Hall at 6:30 p.m. The Columbus Junction group meets the third Monday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Columbus Community Methodist Church. The Wapello group meets on second Thursdays at 6 p.m. at the Corner Market. The Letts group meets on the first Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
MUSCATINE  Since the Muscatine City Council voted to ban pit bulls within city limits in 2003, dog-owners and residents have fought to change the ordinance, with petitions, letters and impassioned speeches at council meetings.

Past efforts to amend or change the citys ordinance banning the breed have failed. Last year, for example, a couple who owns a pit bull presented the council with a petition to repeal the ban. The council decided not to discuss the ordinance, and other petitions have also been left unaddressed.

Stephanie Filer, a spokeswoman for the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, thinks Muscatine resident Vanessa Lopez might have luck breaking the cycle this year. Lopez has never owned a pit bull, but became interested in the subject while doing research for a college course.

Lopez has received assistance from Filer, and support from more than 500 Muscatine residents, to present city council with a suggestion for a new animal control ordinance. Filer has helped cities throughout Iowa adopt new dangerous dog ordinances, which are breed-neutral, in hopes of improving public safety and mending the stereotype that all pit bulls are dangerous.

Pit bull ban

Banning pit bulls became a trend in the 1980s, following a series of violent or deadly attacks that caught the attention of media. The trend, Filer said, is now reversing, with cities and states repealing bans and adopting new animal control laws.

Today, Iowa has the second highest number of dog breed regulations in the country. Muscatines animal ordinance is similar to most other cities in Iowa, but Filer believes breed-specific bans are often unsuccessful for a number of reasons.

In Muscatines city code, dogs are banned for having the appearance and characteristics of being predominantly of the pit bull terrier breed. Filer said the term appearance is subjective, because not every dog of a certain breed looks exactly the same. And to determine if a dog is predominantly of a certain breed, Filer said, DNA tests should be conducted.

Because animal control officers are often not trained to accurately identify a dog by its breed, and DNA tests come at a high cost, Filer said police departments are unfairly left to enforce regulations.

When dogs were bred for behavior, they all looked different, Filer said. Now people are breeding dogs for appearance, so they all act differently. So then asking police officers to make these guesses on the breed and then assign a behavior to it just doesnt make sense.

Filer disagrees with the appearance-based approach to animal control, as most dogs are now mixed-breed, and looks alone do not determine an animals personality. In the past decade, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Bar Association, the American Humane Association, the Obama Administration and other groups have spoken against breed-specific legislation, arguing there is little evidence to determine if a dog is dangerous based on its breed.

While Muscatine adopted a restriction on pit bulls in 2003, the city had similar reasons for changing its ordinance as jurisdictions who banned the breed had stated decades before. Hours before the city council voted to approve the ban, an animal control officer was sent to the hospital after being attacked by a pit bull. The city and police department said the ban was an effort to improve public safety and prevent similar incidents in the future.

Habitual offenders

At last Thursdays city council meeting, Muscatine resident Jameson Zaragoza pleaded for council members to allow his German shepherd to remain within city limits. Zaragoza explained his dog was a part of his family, helped him overcome alcohol addiction and kept him company during his rehabilitation.

The German shepherd, named Diesel, bit a 54-year-old man in June 2016, and in July 2017, bit the leg of a 16-year-old female. Muscatines city code states any animal that is accustomed to biting people or has bitten one or more people must be removed from the city limits.

Animal Control Officer Nicole Ashby said she was worried if the dog were allowed to stay within city limits, a third person would be attacked. The council took no action, affirming the city code, and Zaragoza will be forced to find a new home for his dog.

Filer calls the citys policy a habitual offender clause and she wishes more cities would adopt similar rules. Targeting habitual offenders, she said, does not limit enforcement to a specific breed, and holds all animal owners accountable.

Last year, Muscatines animal control department responded to 74 animal bite incidents. According to the citys records, two bites were attributed to pit bulls. Labradors and Chihuahuas were each responsible for four bites and German shepherds caused eight bites.

Karen Pouder, president of the Scott County Kennel Club, has trained dogs since the 1970s. She said she has seen aggressive behavior from dogs of all breeds, mostly because owners do not know how to properly train or care for their pets.

As much as people love dogs, they are not humans, they are canines, she said. And you cannot expect human behavior and rational thinking out of a dogsometimes instinct just kicks in.

While in her current class, the lone pit bull is one of the friendliest dogs, Pouder is extra cautious when it comes to training families with pit bulls. She worries about the breeds tendency to bite and not let go, as well as its relation to terriers.

If youre going to have a pit bull, you definitely need to make sure youre the boss, and you cant be wishy-washy, Pouder said. Some dogs wont challenge you, but anything in the terrier group, they will challenge you.

Breed-neutral ordinance

Lopez, who has been passing around a petition to have Muscatines dog policy changed for a couple of months, hopes taking a different approach with the city council than petitioners have in the past will yield different results.

I found its really not the breed, she said. Its the responsibility of the owner, whether or not they socialize them or treat them with respect. A lot of the problems Ive came across with people who dont support them, is they are in fear because theyve never been around one or have just heard about it on the news.

After hearing stories of Muscatine residents being forced to give up their dogs based on appearances alone, Lopez turned to Filer, who has helped Iowa cities such as Perry, Altoona and Chariton adopt new animal control ordinances.

Filer is fighting against reactive dog policies and suggesting a proactive approach. In Muscatine, a dog is removed after it bites someone, which could lead to the animal being quarantined or euthanized. She hopes cities will begin addressing the problem behaviors that lead to bites, such as neglect and abuse.

She said Muscatine is ahead of some cities by having a dog bite policy, but said the habitual offender rule might make the pit bull ban unnecessary or redundant.

Working with local dog behavior experts, dog trainers, animal control officers and animal shelter leaders, Filer and others have developed a model ordinance for cities, which is scalable based on the citys size and resources. She hopes shifting away from breed-specific ordinances will help improve the safety of all animals, dog-owners and citizens throughout Iowa.

This summer, Lopez has been knocking on doors and passing out information across Muscatine. She hopes to obtain about 300 more signatures before taking the petition, and a suggested new animal control ordinance, to the Muscatine City Council.

Muscatine animal control officers could not be reached for comment.
In response to the Quad-City Times editorial published Sunday, the trial the city had is most likely a response from former Mayor DeWayne Hopkins announcement to run for mayor again. The impeachment trial included one council member typing on his laptop, two more taking a nap and the third being watched by me as he checked the weather via his cellphone. This takes the editorial board's definition of a kangaroo court to the level of Star Chamber Court.

Saying the audit shined a positive light on the city operations is nothing more than a statement by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Clinton or Obama to cover up the situation before them.

The term junket can be used here for the China trip. The editorial mentioned potential violations of constitutional law. Another example is when City Council member Bob Bynum tried to suspend the First Amendments freedom of speech because of the 3-minute clause in Roberts Rule of Order allows this.

When a citizen complained that the council had already made up its mind before they convened, the city attorney, obeying the oath of his office defined a totalitarian democracy.

They stated after the district court hearing, they are alderman. Really? Wolves in sheeps clothing.

Roger Roth

Muscatine
DES MOINESIowas signature summer humidity is not just an annoyance, its a costly reminder that climate change is real and needs to be addressed, a group of Iowa scientists said Wednesday.

Gene Takle, director of Iowa State Universitys climate science program and one of the architects of the 7th annual Iowa Climate Statement told a Statehouse news conference that absolute humidity  measured by dew-point temperature  has increased statewide by 8 percent to 23 percent since 1971 and scientists have good evidence the rise is because of increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that likely will increase in the future.

The statement was released with the endorsement of 190 science faculty, researchers and educators from 39 Iowa colleges and universities.

Takle, a professor of geological and atmospheric sciences in the ISU Department of Agronomy, said the conditions relate to the increase of springtime moisture transport from the Gulf of Mexico that settle along eastern Iowa, resulting in higher humidity readings measured across all seasons at all long-term monitoring stations in Iowa.

The increasing cost for flooding, mold, insects, mosquitoes, humidity-related health issues, grain drying, air conditioning, erosion, etc., are evidence that climate change in humidity already is having a negative impact on both public and private checkbooks, Takle said. He said Iowa has been a national leader in embracing renewable energy sources but factors outside the states boundaries and control are negatively impacting the states climate and as long as we avoid making progress on reducing the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, these effects are going to increase.

The latest statement issued by the Iowa scientists describes the impact of significantly higher humidity levels on people, animals, crops and infrastructure. According to the scientists, there is evidence the frequency of intense rain has increased in Iowa over the past 50 years; there is a northward expansion of species formerly restricted by a colder climate that could disrupt natural ecosystems and introduce new agricultural pests and diseases; and agriculture, human health and economic stability could be affected if greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase.

We must all do more to mitigate the effects of climate change, by curtailing emissions of heattrapping gases, improving energy efficiency, and increasing use of clean and renewable energy, said Betsy Stone, a University of Iowa associate professor in areas of chemistry and biochemical engineering. Stone pointed to monitoring data dating back to 1971 indicating average humidity increased by 23 percent in Dubuque, 14.8 percent in Burlington, 11.9 percent in Des Moines, 10.7 percent in Waterloo, 9.2 percent in Sioux City and 8 percent in Mason City. Similar data since 1973 showed humidity increases averaging 22. 2 percent in Cedar Rapids and 11.5 percent in Ottumwa.

Increased levels of humidity create hazardous conditions for Iowa workers and sensitive populations through the danger of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Asthma is worsened by higher levels of allergens in the air. And the cost of air conditioning homes and businesses to maintain comfort levels increases, said Takle. For Iowas agriculture, increased warmseason humidity leads to waterlogged soils during planting season, rising humidity also leads to longer dew periods and higher moisture conditions that elevate costs of drying grain. Increased nighttime temperatures coupled with humidity causes stress to crops, livestock and pets.
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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 []
A Canadian deported from Kenya on Saturday while working for the opposition party has described how he was detained and later deported.

Andreas Katsouris, senior vice-president for Aristotle, Inc., a political consulting firm that provides various services to campaigns, was detained along with the American CEO of the company, John Aristotle Phillips.

Aristotle spokesperson Brandi Travis said the two men were in Kenya assisting opposition candidate Raila Odinga and had become involved in the election because they thought it had the potential for irregularities.

Speaking to the Toronto Star, Katsouris said he was out for dinner when the incident happened.

I was on my way to dinner on Friday night when five or six tough looking guys wearing street clothes surrounded me, and then pretty soon there were a dozen of them, Katsouris said.

I saw one of their cell phones and there was a photo of me on it. They said they had been looking for me. The men, who identified themselves as police, asked Katsouris to bring them to his American co-worker, John Aristotle Phillips. He was given only a few minutes to call his wife before his two phones and laptop were taken from him, he told the Star over the phone, from Delft, Netherlands where he has since been reunited with his wife and daughter.
An 18-Year-Old man was on Monday attacked and killed by lions at the Nairobi National Park.

Weldon Kirui was in a group of eight herders grazing cattle within the park Monday morning when they were attacked by two lions.

The lions attacked and killed Kirui and only his head, legs and ribs were recovered from the scene, according to Langata police boss Elijah Mwangi.

Kenya Wildlife Service director general, Julius Kimani, said efforts to rescue the teenager were futile.

By the time KWS officials arrived, the victim had been eaten up. The seven were rescued by rangers who were on patrol, he said.

The attack occurred at the Number 28 area near Maasai Lodge gate.

The police boss said the other herders were arrested and detained for illegal grazing within the park.

He noted some herders have a tendency of grazing their animals within the park at night, which he termed illegal.

Our message, not only to the herders but also to guests in our parks, is that animals are wild. Never venture out or disembark from your cars as you risk being attacked. Stick to the park rulesthose violate them risk being penalised, said KWS director general.

We are going to intensify night and day patrols to avoid such incidents.
Kenya is not sufficiently prepared to tackle a pandemic, a World Bank report has revealed.

The report cites failure to take the necessary steps to withstand an attack as the key reason.

According to the report, Kenya has not gone through two external evaluations in its readiness to face pandemics.
The incredible journey in Mike Sonkos political career has culminated in him becoming Nairobi governor.

The flamboyant politician has taken a commanding lead, leaving Kidero in the dust by almost 200,000 votes. As we had predicted, Sonko got more votes in Nairobi than Uhuru, while Raila got more than Kidero. This perhaps is a pointer that Nairobians were not as much influenced by political parties of presidential choice.

Sonkos tally currently stands at 53.46% with just a few polling stations left, making it mathematically impossible for Kidero to close the gap.

It is also good news for Jubilee in Nairobi, as Johnstone Sakaja looks likely to take the senate seat. Sakaja has opened a 130,000 vote gap between him and ODMs Edwin Sifuna. His tally stands at 51% with Sifuna sitting at 42%.

But NASA will take the woman representative seat, with Passaris currently standing at 53% and Jubilees Shebesh 43%.

Still in Nairobi, activist Boniface Mwangi became the first politician to concede in this election, after finishing third in the Starehe race. He came behind Charles Njagua (Jaguar) who won the seat, and ODMs Steve Mbogo.
State investigators are still looking for the cause of a Mount Veeder winery treatment pond breach that sent perhaps 850,000 gallons of wastewater spilling toward Redwood Creek.

Initial reports put the July 31 spill from The Hess Collection Winery at 1.9 million gallons. But Keith Lichten of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board said Tuesday that the treatment pond, though it can hold about 1.9 million gallons, was about half-full.

By comparison, an Olympic-sized swimming pool holds 660,000 gallons.

A Napa County notice described the wastewater as domestic sewage and winery process wastewater. It apparently wasnt raw sewage, but had seen a degree of treatment.

The wastewater had been through septic tanks to remove solids, then an aeration pond. It was in a final pond that holds water that is later sprayed onto a hillside with scrub oak, Lichten said.

That said, we never want to see a pond fail, Lichten said. If it does fail, we dont want to see (wastewater) going to a creek.

Wastewater apparently escaped through a hole in the berm, Lichten said. He hadnt seen the berm himself and said Hess is having an engineering firm investigate. The ponds had operated for 30 years without this type of problem.

Matt Wood, vice president of operations for The Hess Collection, said in written statement that the structural breakdown at the pond likely resulted from natural causes. That could range from a gopher hole to latent effects from the 2014 South Napa earthquake.

Hess discovered the problem the morning of July 31, Wood wrote. The winery notified the county and Regional Water Quality Control Board and is working with third-party engineers to repair the pond.

The Hess Collection is committed to the preservation and enhancement of the environment and our community and we will remain transparent in our findings and actions along the way, he wrote.

Redwood Creek flows from near Mount Veeder through the southwest city of Napa, joining Napa Creek on the way to the Napa River.

County Planning, Building and Environmental Services Director David Morrison said Tuesday that the spill apparently didnt reach the city. County officials found the creek dry near city limits.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife could not be reached on Tuesday. Morrison said said the agency had indicated there are no impacts to fish.

The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, not the county, oversees wastewater systems the size of the one at Hess, Morrison said.

Lichten said the pond operators inspect the ponds monthly. These recent monthly reports didnt indicate a possible spill cause.

Napa County sent a notice dated Aug. 4 to residents living in the Mount Veeder area warning them to avoid contact with the creek. It advised using soap to wash humans or pets touching creek water.

Lichten said his agency will work with Hess and Napa County and other parties to find out what happened and to make any needed changes. It will later decide whether to take enforcement action, which could range from a corrective letter to a fine.

Other Napa County wineries have treatment ponds. Lichten said breaks leading to spills are far from common.

Ive been working at the Water Board for 22 years, Lichten said. I cant remember when it happened before. It is an unusual occurrence.
Animal rescue in Napa County is now about more than just cats and dogs, but large farm animals as well.

Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch (JARR) says it has a new Large Animal Emergency Response Unit that is capable of ferrying horses and other animals involved in accidents or endangered by natural disasters, such as wildfires.

The emergency response unit uses a large covered trailer  a Sundowner Sportman 3H Slant Bumpter Pull  that can carry up to three large animals.

JARR intends to use it in coordination with the Napa Community Animal Response Team (CART), UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and the County of Napa Emergency Services.

The trailer will assist in the rescue or evacuation of large non-ambulatory animals, according to a JARR press release. It will also function as a training vehicle for disaster response teams and to educate the public on appropriate evacuation of large animals.

The Valley Fire in 2015 revealed the need for the rescue rig when the overwhelming crisis resulted in many animals being left behind, said JARR co-founder Monica Stevens.

JARR estimates there are approximately 5,000 horses, plus many more farm animals in the Napa Valley area, demonstrating the need for a recovery and rescue vehicle.

While natural disasters prompted the development of the trailer, its importance will also be demonstrated during smaller events like horse trailer accidents. JARR said handling large animals that are stressed and injured is different from rescuing domestic dogs and cats.

The availability of the rescue trailer will also put Napa County in select company, according to Dr. Claudia Sonder, director of equine outreach at the UC Davis Center of Equine Health. Sonder said only a handful of counties in California are equipped with a large animal response trailer.

Making the trailer available for training emergency personnel and others will be important, too, she said.

This is really about people, said Sonder. If you can respond appropriately to someones animal you keep them from risking themselves as well. The need to keep citizens and first responders safe is paramount in crisis situations involving large animals.

JARR unveiled the trailer at its annual fundraiser, WineaPAWlooza. It was dedicated to the Roth Family of New York for their longtime support of domestic and farm animal rescue, the group said.

One of our benefactors, the Larry & Nanci Roth family from New York, love horses and thought it very appropriate to dedicate this trailer on their honor, said Stevens.
CALISTOGA  The first harvests have begun across Napa Valley with the inaugural grapes of the 2017 vintage being plucked this week.

As is customary, Napas sparkling wine producers are the first to harvest grapes for their forthcoming wines, beginning this week with Domaine Chandon, Mumm Napa, Domaine Carneros and Schramsberg Vineyards.

Taking to the press pad at Schramsberg on Tuesday morning, the winerys team began the steps that will one day culminate in its 2017 sparkling wines.

Welcoming the crowd gathered under the balmy morning sun, winery president Hugh Davies said of the harvest, Were anticipating relatively heavy crop. I say that because the last couple of years have been a little bit light, right? We know that well have more crop than weve had these last couple years.

The Calistoga winery, whose fruit came that morning from the Richburg Vineyard in the southerly Carneros region, joined the ranks of Napas other sparkling wine houses now kicking off the harvest.

According to the Napa Valley Grapegrowers, Domaine Chandon plucked 8 acres of pinot noir from its estate vineyard in Yountville at 4:30 a.m. on Monday, while Mumm Napa, also in the early hours of Monday, was pulling pinot noir grapes from Green Island Vineyards in Carneros.

Patrick Riggs, Domaine Chandon viticulturist and Napa Valley Grapegrower member, told the group on Monday, Everything coming in today looks great  color-wise, cluster size, and overall uniformity.

It was record-breaking weather, Mumm Napa winemaker Ludovich Dervin said of the growing season, now in its final throes.

Mumm Napa held its annual harvest celebration at the Rutherford winery on Monday, in what Dervin called the passing of the grapes from the workers in the vineyards to the wine makers.

On Tuesday, Davies also cited the years excess rainfall as having been a boon for the vineyards and the vintage.

Clean fruit, hardly any signs of mildew or Botrytis, very little signs of sunburn. So were pretty excited actually. Seventeen is looking abundant and is also looking quite positive.

Schramsbergs director of winemaking, Sean Thompson, told the crowd, I wanted this to be a little later, but it seems like it wants to start now.

Its started! Davies cut in, drawing laughs from the crowd.

Schramsbergs 2013 Quarencia rose was poured for those gathered at the press pad, a wine concocted from a mix of Carneros chardonnay and pinot noir.

Of the pinot noir grapes picked that morning, some may well become the 2017 iteration of the same wine, Davies said.

So its interesting to think that the 20th vintage of the Quarencia is now officially in process because the first of the juice is headed on into the winery.

Transitioning between Spanish and English, Davies told the crowd, Were thankful for those people who came before us. Raise a glass to Dad, and to our parents. And also to the team of people here who have worked so hard for all these years  We absolutely couldnt have the success that weve had over now 52 years without that backbone of effort. So thank you.

As is also customary, Davies and five members of the winery team each took to sabering a bottle of Schramsberg wine, the act of slicing along the bottles seam with a saber and rendering the top of the glass neck from the bottle, cork in tow, ideally in a clean cut.

Once sabered and flowing, the wines were poured over the bins of grapes waiting to be crushed.

While Tuesdays haul consisted only of Clone 32 and Clone 23 pinot noir grapes, Davies said the winery would begin harvesting chardonnay from Carneros starting Wednesday morning.

That could be it for this week, he said, though the team continues to take samples from its source vineyards to determine when to harvest those as well. The process will accelerate over the coming weeks, as more grapes ripen to the point of harvest, and the end of the 2017 growing season falls over the entire valley.

St. Helena Star reporter Tom Stockwell contributed to this report.
ZEROThe End of Prostate Cancer joins forces with Daughters 4 Dads to host the ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk this September.

Participants will run and walk together on Sept. 16 at Napa Valley College to fight a disease that takes the life of an American man every 20 minutes, statistics show.

Napa Valley joins some 40 communities across the nation as part of the ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk series, which promotes awareness for prostate cancer and encourages men to be informed about their risk. September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. More than 14,520 men in California will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, statistics show.

When my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I felt helpless. I wanted to get involved in a local race because that way, I could do something to help, said Christine McMillan, the Napa Run/Walk event coordinator. I had to get control back  I couldnt perform the surgery or make him better, but I can raise funds for research to help other men and, in the future, my son.

Twenty three years ago, Christine McMillans maternal grandfather was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Little did she know the impact that the disease had  and would have  on more than seven other men in her family.

After her husband was diagnosed with the aggressive disease a few years ago at age 52, Christine contacted the race directors of the ZERO Run/Walk in Napa Valley to volunteer.

The race was started in 2013 by three sisters who lost their father to the disease.

Run/Walk participants can participate in a 10k run, a 5k run/walk, 1-mile walk or Kids Superhero Dash for Dads. After the race, they will enjoy a hot breakfast, and the opportunity to connect with others who are impacted by prostate cancer.

It is a family-friendly event that includes a DJ, vendor booths, inflatable kids games and a raffle.

Funds raised for this years Run/Walk event will go toward national efforts to provide research for new treatments, to enhance patient support resources, and to educate men and families about prostate cancer. A portion of the proceeds will also benefit the Martin ONeil Cancer Center and the St. Helena Hospital Foundation to allow for the development of a regional prostate cancer program and clinic research trials to occur in Napa Valley.

Sponsors donated $20,000 last year to the St. Helena program.

The race will take place at Napa Valley College Track. For more information, visit www.zeroprostatecancerrun.org/napa.
SAN FRANCISCO -- The man accused of fatally shooting Kathryn Steinle as she walked on San Francisco's Pier 14 with her father in 2015 is set to go on trial as soon as later this month -- but he will do so under a different name than was previously reported.

The man largely known as Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, who was arrested on a murder charge shortly after Steinle's fatal shooting on July 1, 2015, is now being referred to by the court as Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate.

Matt Gonzalez, chief attorney for the public defender's office, Tuesday said the name, which was previously listed as one of a number of aliases, is the one listed on the 54-year-old Garcia-Zarate's birth certificate and has been used in some prior federal cases.

"He's going to trial facing life in prison, we think he should be called by his true name," Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said it was not uncommon for immigrants with a history of crossing the border multiple times, as Garcia-Zarate has done, to use different names or be called different names by authorities at various times.

Defense attorneys have said they plan to argue that Steinle's shooting, which was linked to a gun that had been stolen from a federal Bureau of Land Management agent's car in San Francisco several days earlier, was accidental.

Evidence presented at the preliminary hearing suggests the bullet that struck Steinle, a Pleasanton native who had recently moved to San Francisco, was a ricochet.

Garcia-Zarate's arrest and his status as an undocumented immigrant with multiple prior deportations drew national attention and became talking points for conservatives leading up to the November 2016 election.

San Francisco's Sanctuary City policies limiting cooperation by local law enforcement with federal immigration authorities, in particular, drew scrutiny.

Garcia-Zarate had been taken into city custody in March 2015 for a warrant on a marijuana sales charge after he completed a nearly four-year federal sentence for illegal re-entry following deportation.

When the marijuana charge was dropped, local officials released him without notifying immigration authorities despite a pending civil detainer request, as dictated by sheriff's department policy.

Steinle's family filed a wrongful death suit the city of San Francisco and then-Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, who had issued a March 2015 memo prohibiting sheriff's employees from giving inmate release dates to federal officials.

However, in January of this year a federal judge dismissed the case against the city and Mirkarimi, while allowing a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management to proceed.

Jury selection in Garcia-Zarate's trial is currently expected to begin the week of Aug. 21.
SANTA ROSA -- Santa Rosa police arrested an 18-year-old Mendocino County man on suspicion of stabbing a 13-year-old boy at a Santa Rosa apartment last week, police said.

Officers responded at about 2:50 p.m. Wednesday to the Sonoma County Indian Health clinic at 144 Stony Point Road on a report of a stabbing victim and learned the teen was stabbed in the upper arm by a family member's boyfriend during a dispute at an apartment on Stony Point Road, according to police.

The boy was found to have a punctured lung and was transported to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland and was later released, police said.

Police identified the suspect as Andru James Campbell, 18, and arrested him Monday evening in Santa Rosa. He was booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

The motive for stabbing is under investigation, according to police.
With North Koreas latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, one apparently capable of reaching California, the American foreign policy community is struggling to find a way  short of war  to end the threat from Pyongyang. In the media and behind closed doors, some are suggesting that the U.S. should approach China for a grand bargain.

The idea is deceptively simple: China would intervene in North Korea, most likely by removing Kim Jong Un from power and installing a puppet in his place. In return, the U.S. would withdraw or significantly reduce our forces in South Korea and potentially forces farther afield in Asia.

This may sound like an effective, realpolitik means of breaking a decades-long stalemate. After all, American presidents have been saying for years that China is the key to solving the North Korea puzzle. Such a pact would force Beijing into taking action rather than offering platitudes. It would also end the charade of American sanctions, which are regularly watered down or undercut by China and Russia. Most of all, it would rid the world of Kim  a brutal, dangerous despot  and end his familys absolute rule.

But in reality, a grand bargain with China is likely to destroy Americas global influence, making it impossible for Washington to maintain stability in strategic areas, particularly in Asia and Europe. Indeed, merely proposing an agreement of this sort would make the U.S. into a paper tiger and compromise American credibility in Asia and around the world.

A grand bargain would effectively transfer Americas dominance to China. No matter how the White House spun such a deal, world leaders would infer that the U.S. had gone hat in hand to China. Recognizing China as the true foreign power on the peninsula, South Korea and other Asian nations would tilt inevitably toward Beijing. Its also possible that South Korea and Japan, among other countries, would decide that they had no choice but to develop nuclear weapons for their own national defense.

Moreover, having seen the U.S. kowtow, Beijing would likely take a more assertive posture in the South China Sea and push Washington further, demanding a more comprehensive drawdown of American military forces from East Asia. Even if Washington refused to buckle, Sino-U.S. relations would enter a period of heightened tension and antagonism, undoubtedly encouraging both Moscow and Tehran to double down on their destabilizing behavior.

In short, a bargain would spell serial diplomatic failure for the U.S. As frustrating as it may seem, our long-standing strategy of containment and deterrence toward North Korea remains our best hope. This strategy will test our patience, but there are a few policies the White House can adopt to make its position more credible.

First, Washington ought to acknowledge openly that North Korea is a country with weapons of mass destruction that can strike not just other Asian countries, but also the continental United States. Washington also needs to end the fantasy of North Korean denuclearization, which, short of all-out war, will never happen. That will at least free up American diplomats from endless, meaningless negotiations. It is better to be feared by Pyongyang than held in contempt for our willingness to believe that it might one day give up its nuclear program.

Second, the U.S. should announce an assured destruction policy in response to any use of nuclear weapons by the North. If Pyongyang has no intention of using its weapons, then we have little to worry about. But if Kim is tempted to do so, our threat may give him pause, or create rifts within the elite that could result in Kim being neutered. This move would also outflank any attempts at nuclear blackmail by Kim, since Washington would make clear that the use of nuclear weapons would result in the complete destruction of his regime.

Finally, the Trump administration would be wise to commit to a comprehensive missile defense program in order to defend against North Koreas relatively limited, though lethal, ICBM capability. The cost of exploring all possible means of missile defense, including air-based and space-based directed-energy weapons, is a small investment next to the potential of a catastrophic war.

Acknowledging our diplomatic failures and taking these steps would increase our chances of containing North Korea. The alternative  a misguided and rushed grand bargain with China  would do little to end Pyongyangs threat, and almost certainly would spell the end of American global primacy, leaving the world a far more uncertain and unstable place.
What a relief to realize that Mr. Trump will likely not finish his term in office. There are lots of ways the end could come, of course, but come it must. And it will come not because of some alien force that wrestles him to the ground, or some political enemy that blindsides him. He will be vanquished by his most powerful, fiendish enemy: himself.

Its kind of a cool Greek play: like one of the tragedies written by Sophocles; except this one is so idiotic its author would be more like Sophomoricles.

The play doesnt lack for great dialogue, what with his never-ending flow of inane projectile tweets. Incoming! Dangerous shards of language flying everywhere. Lots of colorful supporting characters, too, not least being the spectacular Anthony Scaramucci and his colorful reference to forms of extremely gymnastic self-pleasuring.

The Mooch provided us with rare opportunities for teachable parent/child moments: Were making America great again, kids! And were doing it with some very public, super-creative X-rated language. Lets close our eyes and say a prayer for all of our brave investment bankers fighting on the front lines of free speech.

So why is Trump bound to trip over himself? Because when you are sure you are the sun, the moon, and the stars, when you are certain that everything is about you, you can never get out of your own way. Such a juicy paradox. Total, overweening self-assurance implies the certainty of failure. The classical Greeks called it hubris, though today it might best be expressed as a question to Trump: If youre so rich, why arent you smart?

Think of it: Here is someone so full of himself that he began to think, yeah, I could be president. I did some big real estate deals, and hey, I was a reality TV star for more than 10 years. That should do it.

He discovered only too late that it was the adulation of the campaign crowds and the rush of winning an election that he wanted. This governance stuff? Forget it. He clearly doesnt understand the structure and function of our government; he doesnt even appear curious about it. Getting a grasp of important policy issues? Such a hassle. Why not just go to Bedminster for a quick 18 holes?

Child-like  or, rather, child-ish  he figured being president meant giving commands, doing deals, and then getting strapped into his capacious tux in time for photo ops and a state dinner complete with a slice of the best chocolate cake ever. Its even better than hanging out with all the hottest people in New York, a goal he recently touted to a huge crowd of Boy Scouts.

In truth: winning the election was the worst thing that could have happened to Donald Trump. It sent his grotesque, bloated self-image into hyper-drive. Before the election, he merely suspected he might be God. Afterwards? He was sure of it.

He is now convinced he is truly the embodiment of America, and that his cartoonish views of Americas pressing problems must prevail. Like Louis XIVs Letat, cest moi, he is the nation, personified. Americas power is perfectly exhibited in his adolescent-crunch handshake. Americas progress and dynamism are best described by the sweep of his greasy ducktail.

Any opposition or criticism, from any quarter, is wrong at best and evil at worst. So how could this man ever accept criticism or serious counsel from anyone, with the possible exception of his family members, who are, tragically, just as smart as he is? All those other sad little people, those career diplomats and government specialists? Who needs em?

So Trump is doomed to continue steering into the storm of domestic and international politics without a navigator or an experienced crew. Shipwreck ahoy.

With the deepening of the tragedy, I confess I am even beginning to have some sympathy for Trump supporters. Not an easy thing. But in many ways, it makes sense that they would fall for this guy. They watched him on TV for years, looking decisive and powerfulnot quite realizing that it was, after all, just a show, and that showmanship was Trumps only real skill.

They never unmasked his mash-up of glitz and hype and bluster. They heard the promises, not realizing he had no idea how to keep them, but had lots of good instincts for deflecting blame when he didnt.

Most of all, they were desperate. They were tired of the messy spectacle of our horribly-flawed but admirable democracy, impatient with the unglamorous work that goes into its operation: the dedication, the hard-won expertise, the perseverance, the teamwork. They were promised instant results and they took the bait. Its just a shame that the whole nation is now on the hook.
Entering junior high school in the mid-1970s was crossing the bridge between generational approaches to education. My last teacher in elementary school, Mr. Gosling, had had a classroom full of straight, neat rows where the smell of fresh pencil shavings was always thick in the air. He had been similarly orderly with a stern flattop, thin tie and one foot seemingly still in the 1950s. In contrast, many of my teachers at St. Helenas Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School were cut from an entirely different cloth.

This year we are going to learn all about Greek mythology, said Ms. Gay in her happy, sing-song voice.

In contrast to the straight rows to which Id been accustomed, here the desks were arranged haphazardly into a rough circle. Instead of pictures of old men on the walls, in this room hung posters of mythological creatures and heroes, each drawn dark and sinister, such as Perseus holding high the severed head of Medusa, her snake-strands of hair still writhing in anger.

Now this is my kind of place, I mouthed to my friend Brendhan, who was sitting directly across from me.

Ms. Gay held a thick copy of The Odyssey over her head.

Get ready to read, she said enthusiastically.

My body froze and my palms grew clammy.

You can find your own book in your desk, she said. Take it out.

I pulled out my own book and opened it. The tiny words seemed a jumble of letters on the page.

Id like you to read at your desks for the remainder of the class, she said.

Thinking that we were going to read out loud, I let out an audible sigh of relief.

Within minutes the other students were engrossed in their own books and my buddy was pages in, one thumb poised at this lip as he chewed on his nail.

Psst, I whispered, but he didnt look up. Psst, I hissed louder.

A couple of kids briefly glanced up, but my friend remained unresponsive. Trying to be quiet, I slipped my hand into my desk and fumbled for a piece of paper. I tore off a corner and placed it into my mouth and with practiced efficiency then wetted and kneaded it into a slimy ball. I had no straw to fire my attention-getting spitball, but I could fling it across the room easily enough, aiming for some open skin on Brendhans face or arm.

My attempt was a complete miss  the sticky wad arched wildly to the east and landed within 2 inches of my new teachers feet with a tiny but discernible thwack.

This is it, I thought as she approached. A couple of hours into junior high and Im already doomed.

Youre Tim, right? she asked as she knelt down.

I pondered denial but then smiled a toothy grin and nodded. She smiled back and then looked around the room. I followed her gaze. Shed approached so quietly that the other children apparently had not noticed the impending drama. She looked down at my book.

Do you like to read? she asked.

I shook my head slowly.

Not really, I whispered.

Her face softened and she pulled at her lip with her fingers.

But you like stories about adventure? she asked.

I nodded slowly.

But you dont like to read? she asked again, seemingly confused.

Im not a good reader, I said.

She looked up at the ceiling and then around at the posters.

Can you meet me after school before you go home? I have a special project that I think youd be perfect for, she said.

During lunch I slipped away from my friends to sit under a small cluster of redwood trees at the back of the schoolyard. I opened the book. If I could read the story a few times I might memorize it, imagining that Ms. Gays special project meant reading to her out loud as other teachers had had me do in the past.

Years later I wrote a poem about those earlier experiences.

Dyslexia

She looked,/her/eyes/greedy.

You have/two,/She paused./Again

I stood./The letters,/a school/of glitter.

Words/under water./Each I/the enemy.

Eye shook/my head./Please./I will not

happen./Again,/not, will/again.

Aye,/understand./She said/repeat.

Air/there./Silence/only.

Silence/their/only/err.

After school that day I reluctantly returned to Ms. Gays classrom. She asked me to sit down, and I readied myself, recalling the general meaning of the story Id memorized earlier.

Her expression was serious.

Id like you to create a comic book for me about your adventures, she said.

My shoulders relaxed and I took a deep breath.

OK, I said.

I want you to use pictures and words to tell your own stories, she said.

I nodded in relief. That was something I could do, and by the end of that year I had created a series of adventures for my hero, Super Duck, who was a mix between Scooby Doo and Bugs Bunny meets Perseus the Medusa killer, but thats another story.
Posted by Brian Wong | August 9, 2017

We recently published the results, scoring, how we tested and video pieces from our head-to-head Challenge between the 2017 Colorado ZR2 and the 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, but that testing focused on off-road capability and how the trucks performed on non-pavement surfaces.

Throughout our testing, we also did a lot of street driving from location to location and even from our homes in the greater Los Angeles area into the desert to find unpaved areas in which to run amok. Even though our focus was on the off-road performance of these competitors, pavement time gave us a good feel for how these trucks perform on the street and in day-to-day tasks. Although these observations did not factor into our scoring for the test, how these trucks do on the street is still important.

Powertrain

Having two different powertrains provided these trucks plenty of contrast when driving on the street. The 186-horsepower, turbo-diesel 2.8-liter four-cylinder in the ZR2 with its 369 pounds-feet of torque available at 2,000 rpm felt quicker and more potent off the line and at low speeds. Around town it got up to speed faster and was more aggressive than the Toyota, but it did run out of breath at highway speeds, especially when passing or merging. We wished for a bit more grunt.

The Tacoma TRD Pro's 278-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 puts out 265 pounds-feet of torque, but you don't get all that torque until 4,600 rpm. The engine also runs on the Atkinson cycle by default, which is better for efficiency but hurts performance. Get the engine into the higher revs and it comes alive, but in the mid-range it felt sluggish before transitioning from one intake and exhaust strategy to another. With the electronically controlled transmission switched into Power mode and with our foot heavy on the throttle, the TRD Pro had more giddy-up than the ZR2. This powertrain combo also had a big problem cruising on the highway: It wouldn't hold a gear on any kind of hill and it kicked out of Overdrive constantly, which created drone in the cabin. These deficits also made us think that the ZR2 is the preferred truck for towing because it comes standard with a trailer brake controller (the Tacoma lacks one) and it had a smoother power delivery and torque advantage.

Ride

Driving the ZR2 on the street reminded us of driving another off-road-oriented pickup: the Ford F-150 Raptor. It is a great comparison for the Chevy. Of course, the Chevy is smaller and has a shorter wheelbase, so it doesn't feel quite as composed as the Raptor, but the ZR2 shocks that do so much work on the trail also smooth things out on the street.

The TRD Pro also rides decently for an off-road-oriented vehicle; its shocks aren't quite as pliant as the ZR2's, so the ride is a bit busier feeling, but they were in no way harsh. The less aggressive tires that held the TRD Pro back a bit when off-road are quieter on pavement than the knobbier set that comes standard on the ZR2.

Interior Comfort/Technology

The TRD Pro tops the ZR2 when it comes to cabin quietness  the diesel engine and knobby tires don't do the ZR2 any favors in that regard. But the TRD Pro is not without its quirks, the seats being the main offender. We couldn't find a comfortable seating position, and the manual adjustments didn't make that any easier. For a truck that costs nearly $45,000, this is a weird feature to be missing. The seats in the Colorado had power functions and were more comfortable. Both trucks did come with standard leather seats.

When it came to multimedia systems, the ZR2 took a big win. Toyota doesn't offer Android Auto or Apple CarPlay on any of its vehicles (that even extends to Lexus, its luxury brand), so even if its system were bad those two features could pick up the slack. On top of that omission, the TRD Pro screen looked worse, was harder to use and had less functionality than the one in the ZR2. Hopefully this will be remedied during the next redesign; until then, the ZR2 is clearly ahead.

Fuel Economy

We hear the word diesel and we automatically presume a big fuel-economy win for the ZR2, but looking at the numbers that's not clear. The diesel versions of the ZR2 have EPA-estimated fuel-economy ratings of 19/22/20 mpg city/highway/combined, which beats the gas version of the ZR2 with the V-6 engine and eight-speed automatic combo handily (16/18/17 mpg).

However, that only puts the diesel ZR2 on par with the TRD Pro. That engine might cause some consternation with its power delivery, but it does have fuel-economy benefits. It has an EPA-estimated rating of 18/23/20 mpg, with its combined rating tying the ZR2 we tested.

The TRD Pro on its highway-heavy 127.6-mile route got 23.5 mpg on its trip computer and a calculated figure of 24.5 mpg, for an average of 24.0 mpg. The ZR2's route was 196.2 miles and had a bit more elevation change with some mountain roads thrown in near the Angeles Crest Highway. It returned 22.2 mpg on the computer and 22.0 calculated, good for an average of 22.1 mpg. That gives the TRD Pro a slight edge, but we think if it had run the longer route with the ZR2 it would not have done as well; that powertrain combo struggles on hills, which would have negatively impacted the fuel-economy results.

Final Thoughts

Although both these trucks are capable off-road, they don't give a lot back when it comes to daily driving and on-road performance. We would have no objections to driving either one every day, but we love pickups. Whatever quirks they have are not deal-breakers and in no way come close to canceling out their off-pavement prowess.

If you're trying to choose between these two, we suggest test-driving them before you decide. There's a big difference between the seating positions of the respective trucks and you may find that one simply fits you better. Just as our off-road testing ended with close results and praise for both rigs, we feel the same about their performance on the street.

Editor's note: This story was updated Aug. 9, 2017, to correct information about the ZR2's seats.

Cars.com photos by Evan Sears




13:29

Indian cricketer Abhinav Mukund has slammed racial abuse on social media, saying that he has himself been at the receiving end of insults and ridicule for his skin tone.



In a statement posted on his Twitter page, Mukund, who featured in the first Test against Sri Lanka in the ongoing series and scored 81 in the second innings, expressed his disappointment at some of messages sent to him targetting his skin tone.



The left-handed Tamil Nadu batsman, however, made it clear that his statement had nothing to do with any member of the Indian cricket team.



"I am writing today not to garner sympathy or attention but with the hope to change the mindset of people on an issue I feel strongly about. I have been travelling a lot within and outside our country since I was 15. Ever since I was young, people's obsession with my skin colour has always been a mystery to me," his statement, posted last night, read.



"Anyone who follows cricket would understand the obvious. I have played and trained day in and day out in the sun and not even once have I regretted the fact that I have tanned or lost a couple of shades.



"It is simply because I love what I do and I have been able to achieve certain things only because I have spent hours outdoors. I come from Chennai probably one of the hottest places in the country and I have gladly spent most of my adult life in the cricket ground."



Further, the 27-year-old said that he has been subjected to this abuse for long and it has not ended. "I have been subjected to a lot of name calling and I have laughed and shrugged it off because I had bigger goals! Affected young, I toughened up because this was never something that would pull me down. "There were many times when I chose not to dignify these insults with responses. Today I am speaking up not just for me but for many from our country who experience ridicule based on the colour of one's skin. Obviously with the rise of social media, it has gone to magnitude that I see people hurling abuses left, right and centre at something I have absolutely no control over!



"Fair is not the only lovely or handsome guys! Stay true, stay focussed and be comfortable in your own skin," he concluded.



His statement evoked strong response from his fans, who praised him for sharing his thoughts on the subject. Bengal cricketer Manoj Tiwary, replying to him, tweeted, "Well said ABHINAV."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-08 23:17:40|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MANILA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Thanks to joint efforts by China and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the South China Sea, clouded with uncertainty a year ago, has significantly stabilized today.

Under the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), China and ASEAN have adopted the framework of the Code of Conduct (COC) and expressed anticipation to conduct further negotiations.

As the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related meetings wrapped up here Tuesday, China and ASEAN continued to demonstrate a common will to further preserve the positive momentum of the last year despite attempts of agitation by some countries and western media.

The meetings served as a platform for cooperation and maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the Sea, in accordance with the consensus between China and ASEAN countries.

Most countries have fully acknowledged that the situation in the Sea is improving, and expressed their approval in the COC, which they believe laid a sound foundation for substantive consultations.

ASEAN foreign ministers also spoke highly of the establishment of a hotline for communication among senior officials in response to maritime emergencies.

The final version of the joint communique has fully acknowledged the improving situation in the South China Sea and spoke highly of the positive achievements by most ASEAN countries in this regard.

China has proposed a three-step vision to step up consultations on the COC, gaining a warm response and support from ASEAN.

First, foreign ministers of China and ASEAN should recognize the COC framework and announce the start further consultations within the year.

Secondly, what principles to be upheld as well as how the COC consultations will be approached shall be discussed at a Joint Working Group Meeting at the end of August.

Thirdly, leaders of China and ASEAN will officially begin negotiations on the text of the COC at the China-ASEAN Leaders' Summit in November.

The DOC and the adoption of COC framework have proven that China and ASEAN have the wisdom and capability to properly manage disputes and preserve peace and stability in the Sea as long as the parties remain sincere, practical and focused while rejecting outside interference.

The situation in the South China Sea has been greatly improved, while the future COC negotiation depends on a favorable atmosphere that requires efforts from all sides.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 01:19:13|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MADRID, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- A dry spring and hot summer means that Spain is burning at an almost record rate during 2017, according to figures published by the Spanish ministry for agriculture, fisheries and the environment on Tuesday.

The first seven months of the current year have seen a total of 63,700 hectares of Spanish countryside destroyed by wildfires.

This is 18 percent higher than the average amount of damage caused over the seven month period in other years, and it is the second worst figure for the past five years and the third worst in the decade, with only 2009 and 2012 surpassing it in destruction.

The current high temperatures in Spain mean that nearly all of the country is currently classified as being at "high" or "extreme" risk of suffering a wildfire, with only some areas of the north and the islands of Menorca, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, an area with hardly any trees, at a lower level of alert.

Two of the most destructive fires of 2017 saw over 8,000 hectares of woodland destroyed in and around the Donana national park in the south-west of Spain, while the Sierra Calderona close to Valencia also suffered damage in a blaze, which was apparently caused by lightning.

Meanwhile, the last three weeks of July saw a further 6,600 hectares destroyed by three fires.

Nearly one-fifth of wildfires between 2011 and 2015 were started deliberately, either by pyromaniacs, people aiming to burn woodland to create pasture for animals, or merely for revenge, the regional Galician government calculated.

However, human error is behind the vast majority of wildfires, from discarded cigarettes, barbecues which have not been extinguished properly or have gone out of control, negligence with machinery, electrical faults, to burning scrub.

There is no data so far for 2017, but in 2015 Spain's Civil Guard investigated 2,607 fires, resulting in 40 arrests and charges brought against 389 people.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 02:39:58|Editor: huaxia

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RIGA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The unemployment rate in Latvia dropped to 7.1 percent in July, hitting the lowest point in eight years, the Latvian State Employment Agency informed Tuesday.

The lowest jobless rate -- 4.6 percent -- was recorded in the Latvian capital city.

The least developed region economically in eastern Latvia, Latgale, continued to show the highest unemployment rate, with 16.4 percent of the population out of work this summer.

After hitting 8.5 percent in January, unemployment in Latvia has dropped each month this year, and the trend has been steadier than in previous years, the government agency's head Evija Simsone said.

In comparison with the same period a year ago, in July 2017, joblessness decreased across all social and age groups. Youth unemployment, for example, fell by roughly 20 percent year-on-year.

The State Employment Agency also noted a significant increase in job vacancies this summer in sectors like construction, administrative and services sectors, as well as the financial and insurance industry. The overall number of vacancies registered with the State Employment Agency grew 17 percent year-on-year.

In July 2016, Latvia reported an 8.3 percent unemployment rate. Enditem
Two teenagers holding a placard take part in the "Rise Up New York" rally at Foley Square in New York, the United States, May 1, 2017. Thousands of Americans took to the streets in major U.S. cities including Washington D.C.,Chicago, New York and Los Angeles to join May Day demonstrations for the rights of workers, women and immigrants. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

by Peter Mertz

DENVER, the United States, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chicago became America's second big city Monday to sue the Trump Administration over immigration policy in just four months, stirring up a new around of debate if the federal government abuses power and if more cities, especially those controlled by the Democrats, will follow Chicago's step.

The 45-page suit answered Trump Attorney General Jeff Session's threat to withhold 2.3 million U.S. dollars in law enforcement grants unless Chicago police grant the federal government full access to their stations and arrest records.

"Chicago will not let our police officers become political pawns in a debate," said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who served as former President Barack Obama's Chief of Staff.

Emanuel, 58, was re-elected Chicago mayor to a second term in 2015.

Chicago, with a law enforcement budget of almost 10 billion U.S. dollars a year, is asking a judge to toss out new Justice Department rules that will make the city ineligible to apply for federal grants unless it complies fully with the new Trump guidelines.

Sessions replied Monday saying that the third largest city of the United States needed a "recommitment to the rule of law and to policies that rollback the culture of lawlessness that has beset the city."

"It's simple," Sessions said in a statement hours after the suit was filed. "Comply with the law or forego taxpayer dollars."

The Chicago government is one of nine America local governments that received letters from Sessions warning they may lose federal funding because of their "sanctuary" policies restricting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts.

The others includes the state of California, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Clark County of Nevada, Cook County of Illinois, Miami-Dade County of Florida, and Milwaukee County of Wisconsin.

"Sanctuary" is used for cities that do not permit police or municipal employees to inquire about one's immigration status, or for funds to be applied to enforce federal immigration laws.

"In addition to helping make Chicago the murder capital of the country, he's proud of making it a sanctuary city too," Nickarama wrote sarcastically Monday on the blog Young Conservatives.

According to Shareranks.com, the Chicago murder rate is 15.2 per 100,000 and only 31st highest in the nation in 2015.

"Make no mistake about it," said Louis Cardona IV, "They're targeting these areas because they are not just large centers of minorities, but also strong Democratic strongholds too."

Earlier this year San Francisco and the county of Santa Clara, California won a temporary ban on enforcement of most of Trump's Jan. 25 executive order threatening to withhold funds from localities that don't cooperate.

"This is a classic Republican political strategy by making life difficult for the large immigrant bases who live in America's biggest cities," Cardona, a second-generation immigrant from Puerto Rica, told Xinhua.

But traditional Republicans questioned cities ignoring the new law.

"The whole concept of Sanctuary Cities in opposition to federal law is wrong," said Al Rickard, Washington, DC magazine publisher and Republican insider.

"Cities cannot just choose to ignore Federal immigration law," Rickard told Xinhua, "If there are specific abuses of the law than they should be addressed individually."

Sanctuary cities are located in traditionally blue states, Californian Blogger Rick Gage emphasized.

"They give more tax dollars to the federal government than they receive in return," he said.

"Maybe it is time for these blue states to start withholding tax dollars from a federal government which only seems to spend, foolishly, on walls and wars that guard against imaginary enemies," Gage said.

"The federal government is over-reaching its authority," Cardona added.

"It is actually against a conservative idea of letting the states govern themselves - that this Republican Administration is ignoring," he said.

Cardona's family can be traced back to the early 1700s to Grenoble, Spain, and his father was a teacher in New York City who helped immigrants find work in America in the 1950s.

"Back in the 1950s, the Puerto Ricans were the bad guys -- the Hollywood musical West Side Story talks about the fights between Puerto Ricans and the American New York City kids," said Cardona.

"Then it became Blacks...and now Trump has Mexicans and Middle Easterners in his crosshairs," he said.

American conservatives have always been prejudiced against a foreign-based underclass, according to Cardona, and that is who Trump is targeting with his strict immigration policy.

However, Young Conservative website's blogger Nickarama disagreed.

"You would think that people who perform poorly have some consciousness of having done so and perhaps some same for doing so," he said in reference to Chicago Mayor Emanuel, noting the 500 murders in Chicago last year.

"(Emanuel) not only doesn't follow federal law, but then has the temerity to actually sue the Department of Justice for calling them on it," he said.
A bank staff member counts U.S. dollar banknotes at a bank in Tancheng County of Linyi City, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 7, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Chunlei)

NEW YORK, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government's threat to investigate China's trade practices is by no means wise, as such a move based on trade protectionism would hurt its own businesses and international image, experts said on Monday.

The administration of President Donald Trump has been mulling to ask the Trade Representative's Office to open an investigation into China's trade practices under the obsolete 1974 Trade Act's Section 301, which enables unilateral U.S. imposition of tariffs on trade partners.

TRADE NOT A ZERO-SUM GAME

Trump and his team attributed the economic slowdown and job losses to trade deficits, which are expected to be reduced by imposing tariffs and other non-tariff trade barriers when necessary, as the administration has promised.

Under the "America First" policy, the United States will also rethink alliances, shifting its focus from multilateral trade pacts to bilateral cooperation to ensure the protection of "American interests."

Many economists and foreign policy experts saw the trade protectionism and anti-globalization tendency in the current U.S. government and rejected the idea that trade is a zero-sum game.

Liu Zhenmin, U.N. under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs, said economic globalization is an irreversible trend, with the establishment of international division of labor and the growing volume of international trade.

"Countries that question economic globalization can hardly escape this process," Liu told Xinhua in a recent interview.

As for China-U.S. trade relations, Stephen A. Orlins, president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations, said that bilateral trade deficits are not really meaningful.

Orlins, who has been doing business with China for more than three decades, said that the United States used to have trade deficits with Japan, South Korea and countries in Southeast Asia.

"What happened over these years is that a lot of the semi-finished goods would go to China (for China to export), so what's happened is the trade deficit we used to have with those other countries has been transferred to China," said Orlins.

"Now that is not China's fault and we should not blame China for that," he added.

Many experts voiced concerns on the U.S. government's plan to adopt Section 301, a trade tool used before World Trade Organization (WTO) came into existence, which allows Washington to unilaterally impose tariffs on another country.

In general, trade disputes among WTO members should be resolved through the WTO mechanism rather than a state's domestic law.

"Even if China has problems with intellectual property rights, the use of Section 301 to punish China will make people think that the United States puts its domestic rules above international law, which will further tarnish the country's international image under President Trump," said Zhiqun Zhu, professor of Political Science and International Relations Bucknell University in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

Zhu added that if the U.S. slaps unilateral sanctions, China will certainly react in tit-for-tat retaliation. In the end, consumers and businesses in both countries will suffer.

"In an age of globalization and interdependence, it is hard to believe that some people still think economic sanctions will solve trade problems," said Zhu, emphasizing that it would be a lose-lose option.

FIRM HAND ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Chinese companies involved in international trade pointed out that the Chinese government has paid high attention to protecting intellectual property and has implemented regulations as strict as those of the United States.

In 2015, China started a three-year campaign to protect the image of "Made-in-China" products internationally.

By April of this year, more than 43,000 batches of goods suspected of intellectual property rights (IPR) infringement had been seized during the campaign, involving more than 81 million individual items, according to China's General Administration of Customs.

The country has also taken an active part in IPR-related affairs under multilateral frameworks, including the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Customs Organization.

"Honestly I don't think China would single out the U.S. companies to violate their intellectual property rights. It's simply too costly," said an automotive industry source who declined to be named because the White House has not made a public announcement yet.

The White House initially planned to announce last week the launch of the investigation, but postponed the schedule. The announcement might come out on Wednesday, according to U.S. media.

He added that the Chinese government has attached great importance to this issue, because Chinese companies should learn to respect rules and the spirit of contract in order to do businesses in global markets.

"To be fair, the country has made great improvement in the past three decades," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 03:40:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BRUSSELS, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Nothing abnormal was found in a suspicious vehicle chased and intercepted by Brussels police in a bomb scare on Tuesday afternoon, according to Brussels public prosecutor.

The driver of the suspicious vehicle is identified as a former Rwandan citizen born in 1981, who was a resident in Belgium until 2009 and has since settled in Germany.

The man is unknown to the Belgian security system. He speaks incoherently and behaves rather unbalanced, according to Brussels prosecutor.

This came after hours of search and efforts by a bomb squad from Belgium's Service for the Removal and Destruction of Explosive Devices (SEDEE), which was called in to the scene to handle the emergency.

Brussels police opened fire at the vehicle and intercepted it after high-speed chase on Tuesday afternoon in the district of Molenbeek. The driver claimed that the vehicle contained explosives.

The hunt took place at around 5:00 p.m. local time after the suspicious vehicle failed to stop at a red traffic light. The driver refused to obey instructions of police officers and collided with a police vehicle, according to Belgian newspaper Le Soir.

Police used their guns to try to stop the vehicle from fleeing. However, he continued on the Ninove causeway in Molenbeek before hitting a second police vehicle.

Molenbeek gained global attention in 2015 after terrorists from the district carried out attacks in both France and Belgium. It is regarded as the European capital city of extremism.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 03:45:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BAGHDAD, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday said the claims that U.S. forces pounded a Hashd Shaabi unit near the border with Syria has not been proved, and some military reports blamed Islamic State (IS) militants for the attack.

"The intelligence of the Hashd Shaabi command said they have no information about it (shelling on Hashd Shaabi unit), and the Joint Operations Command said that Daesh (IS group) itself used sophisticated cannons and a car bomb in the attack," Abadi said at a press conference after his weekly cabinet meeting.

"We have contacted the Sayyd al-Shuhadaa Brigades, but even for them it (U.S. involvement) is not confirmed. Everyone denied," Abadi said.

Abadi said that the government has launched an investigation into the incident, "but the results of the investigation so far has not confirmed the incident."

"The international coalition has no authority to carry out bombardment without the knowledge of Iraq," Abadi concluded.

For his part, the U.S. army Colonel Ryan Dillon, spokesman of the international coalition in Iraq, denied in a brief statement the allegations of coalition strikes on the Hashd Shaabi forces near the Iraqi-Syrian border, asserting that the information is "inaccurate. No coalition strikes there."

Earlier, the Hashd Shaabi unit said in a statement the U.S. forces carried out "heavy bombardment on Monday morning on the posts of Sayyd al-Shuhadaa Brigades in Akashat area near the border with Syria, leaving large number of martyrs and wounded fighters."

It said that group "holds the U.S. forces the responsibility for the consequences of the action. We declare that it will not go without punishment."

Local media reports said that over 40 fighters from the paramilitary unit were killed and some 30 others wounded by U.S. artillery bombardment on the units posts in western Iraq.

The incident came as the Iraqi forces, including the predominantly Shiite Hashd Shaabi units and Sunni tribal fighters, are preparing to liberate the IS-held town of Tal Afar, some 70 km west of Mosul.

On July 10, Abadi 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.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 05:01:16|Editor: Song Lifang

A driverless bus stops on the street in Tallinn, capital of Estonia, Aug. 8, 2017. Two driverless buses Tuesday attracted various passengers for a free ride after more than a week's service on the limited central Tallinn route in live traffic. The shuttles are being introduced as part of Estonia's EU presidency from July to December, with one of the priorities being the development of technology and its impact on society. (Xinhua/Guo Chunju)

TALLINN, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Two driverless buses Tuesday attracted various passengers for a free ride after more than a week's service on the limited central Tallinn route in live traffic.

Benjamin, a 10-year-old boy from England, told Xinhua that it's the first time for him to be on a driverless bus as there has been no such kind of transport in Britain yet.

Visiting his grandparents in Tallinn, Benjamin got on the driverless bus together with his elder cousin and enjoyed the return tour of which one way lasts seven minutes.

Serving between Mere Avenue stop and Tallinn Creative Hub, the shuttles started the service on July 29, and thereafter entered into regular operation of service from Monday through Saturday, from 8:30 a.m.local time(0530 GMT) to 5:30 p.m. (1430 GMT).

The route is operated by two buses at a time, each of which has a capacity of eight passengers, and the ride is free of charge for everyone, while the shuttles service last through the end of August.

There is a presenter on each bus, which is compulsory according to the Traffic Code for human intervention engaged if necessary, in order to avoid collisions with emergency vehicles or pedestrians, for example.

Capable of maximum speeds of 50 km to 60 km per hour, the shuttle buses are travelling at maximum speeds of just 20 km per hour during the month-long pilot project, it was learnt.

One-third of the project fund is supported by public money and two-thirds by private companies, said Limar, one of the presenter on the shuttle.

On rental from France and Finland, the shuttles are electric vehicle powered by a 48-volt battery, and will be returned to the respective country at the end of the temporary project in Tallinn, he said.

At a cost of about 100,000 euros (about 118,000 U.S. dollars), the shuttles are being introduced as part of Estonia's EU presidency from July to December, with one of the priorities being the development of technology and its impact on society.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 07:02:04|Editor: Song Lifang

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SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- For most people, outside expert circles, there is no reason to believe that forest fires are good.

However, early results from a study by researchers at Oregon State University (OSU) suggest that moderate and severe forest fires could lead to greater abundance and diversity of wild bees.

The underpinnings behind the observation in the first year of the two-year project, to be presented at the annual conference of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) on August 10 in Portland, Oregon, a state in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, were conditions created by forest fires.

A team of field researchers, led by Jim Rivers, an OSU forest wildlife ecologist, began trapping bees at 43 sites burned by the 2013 Douglas Complex fire north of Grants Pass, which affected more than 24,000 acres of forests in southern Oregon. The sites ranged from places where fire severity was low to places where severity was moderate and high.

In low severity spots, where flames were confined to low-growing vegetation and failed to reach the canopy, according to Sara Galbraith, a post-doctoral researcher in the OSU College of Forestry who will present a paper at the ESA conference, there is not a lot of evidence of fire except for some blackened areas on some of the tree trunks. In comparison, at some of the high-severity fire sites, it is a completely open canopy.

There, at the high-severity fire sites, Galbraith saw a lot of flowering plants in the understory because the light limitation is gone. "It just looks completely different," she was quoted as saying in a news release.

Funded in part by the U.S. federal Bureau of Land Management, the researchers in the study attracted wild bees by reflecting ultra-violet light, which the insects mistook as a huge flower. And once the bees got inside, they were unable to fly out from the trap.

As there are more than 500 species of native bees in Oregon that are important pollinators of wild plants and crops, the researchers noted, the findings suggest that fires may promote bee populations that in turn may influence agricultural productivity and overall floral diversity.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 07:12:09|Editor: Song Lifang

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NEW YORK, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal judge has ruled in favor of Chinese businesswoman Zhao Yan, who sued the U.S. government after she was beaten and injured by a U.S. border inspector at the Niagara Falls in 2004.

District Judge Elizabeth Wolford awarded Zhao 461,152.09 U.S. dollars in damages for the injuries that she suffered from the assault by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Officer Robert Rhodes, according to the ruling documents of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York in Rochester.

Wolford's ruling found the U.S. government liable for Rhodes' "assault and battery and false arrest" of Zhao when she was sightseeing at the Rainbow Bridge U.S.-Canada border crossing in Niagara Falls 13 years ago.

Zhao was entitled to recover 64,313.18 in past medical expenses, 1,838.91 in past lost earnings, 260,000 in past pain and suffering, 125,000 in future pain and suffering, and 10,000 for false arrest, said the ruling.

On July 21, 2004, Zhao, from North China's Tianjin, was pepper-sprayed and struck by Rhodes as he mistook then 37-year-old lady as a drug smuggler. Zhao was never charged in the case and she sued the U.S. government for 10 million dollars soon after the incident. Rhodes initially was fired and criminally charged with violating Zhao's civil rights. He was acquitted at a 2005 trial and eventually reinstated to his job.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 07:17:14|Editor: Song Lifang

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GAZA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli war jets carried out a series of successive airstrikes on the Gaza Strip early on Wednesday in response to earlier rocket attack carried out from the coastal enclave into Israel, security officials said.

Security officials and eyewitnesses said that a series of huge explosions were heard in northwest Gaza city, adding that it was a result of two heavy airstrikes at posts that belong to militants in the area.

Medical sources said that at least two civilians were injured and were evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment.

The Israeli airstrikes on the militants posts were an Israeli response to an earlier rocket attack fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel causing no damages or casualties, according to Israel Radio.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 10:23:23|Editor: An



Rescuers check a house damaged in earthquake in Jinghe County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Aug. 9, 2017. A 6.6-magnitude earthquake jolted Jinghe County Wednesday morning. (Xinhua)

URUMQI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Three villagers were rushed to hospital after their home collapsed in a 6.6-magnitude earthquake that jolted Jinghe County in Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Wednesday morning.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC), the earthquake occurred at 7:27 a.m. (Beijing Time).

Many residents in Jinghe County reached by Xinhua reporters by telephone said strong tremors were felt at the time of the quake.

Wang Xinjiang, a local resident, said his families were waken up by the continuous jolts while household articles fell from high places when the quake came. Many residents ran out of their homes to open places.

People in neighboring cities of Urumqi, Changji, Yining and Karamay felt strong tremors that lasted 10 to 20 seconds at the time of the quake.

The epicenter was monitored at 44.27 degrees north latitude and 82.89 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 11 km, the CENC said in a statement.

The epicenter was 37 km from Jinghe County seat, 93 km from the prefectural capital of Bole city, and 383 km from Urumqi.

According to the big data analysis of mobile population carried out by the regional government, about 760 people were within 20 km of the epicenter, and about 53,000 were within the 50-km range.

Both the state and regional earthquake administrations have activated emergency responses and sent working teams to assist earthquake relief works.

Jinghe County has a population of about 150,000 based on the 2014 census. A total of 65 quakes greater than magnitude 3 were recorded within 200 km of the epicenter over the past five years, with the current one the greatest.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 10:33:27|Editor: Song Lifang

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DAMASCUS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 30 civilians were killed over the past 24 hours in Syria's northern city of Raqqa in the intensified U.S.-led airstrikes on the Islamic State (IS) positions, a monitor group said Tuesday.

Nine women and 14 children were among those killed in the airstrikes on Raqqa, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a Britain-based watchdog group.

The death toll is likely to rise due to the large numbers of critically injured people, SOHR said.

The attack is the latest in a series of airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition.

The coalition has intensified airstrikes recently when targeting the positions of the IS group in its main stronghold in Raqqa, resulting in the killing of tens of civilians this week.

According to local Sham FM radio, the U.S.-led coalition had used white phosphorus in the attacks.

The United States has been heavily backing the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in their push to capture Raqqa from the IS, enabling the SDF to capture 55 percent of Raqqa city following a two-month battle.

However, the killing of civilians on a daily basis pushed the Syrian government to condemn the U.S.-led coalition's "crimes" in Raqqa and urge the United Nations to dissolve the coalition.

While the SDF is advancing inside Raqqa, the Syrian army and tribal forces are advancing against the extremists in the countryside, coming close to the last IS-held town in the eastern Raqqa countryside.

The army forces and allied troops have already reclaimed the western and southern countryside of Raqqa.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 10:43:31|Editor: Song Lifang

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OTTAWA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- A high-ranking Canadian official is in Pyongyang to negotiate the release of an imprisoned Canadian pastor, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that a Canadian delegation is in Pyongyang now, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), CBC said.

Pyongyang media reported Monday that Daniel Jean, Trudeau's national security and intelligence adviser, is in Pyongyang leading a delegation to discuss the case of Toronto Presbyterian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim.

"Obviously, Pastor Lim's health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada as we continue to engage on this case," CBC quoted Cameron Ahmad, media relations manager for the Prime Minister's Office, as saying.

Since early summer this year, Lim has been suffering from high blood pressure and stomach pains, according to letters to his friends. His family has urged the Canadian prime minister to personally save his life.

The 62-year-old Canadian Korean pastor was arrested in 2015 and charged with harming the dignity of the supreme leadership and trying to use religion to destroy the DPRK system, among others.

CBC news also reported that a senior official of the Trudeau government confirmed that Jean is leading the delegation as the Canadian prime minister's special envoy, and that while his focus is the release of Lim, he would also be free to "discuss other issues of regional concern."

The Canadian delegation arrived on the same day U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Pyongyang would be met "with fire and fury and, frankly, power the likes of which the world has never seen before," if it does not stop threatening the United States.

The senior official said the timing of the delegation's visit to Pyongyang is based on the condition of Lim, and not directly related to the increasing world tensions associated with Pyongyang's missile tests and last weekend's imposition of further sanctions by the United Nations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 11:08:38|Editor: Song Lifang

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Commerce Department Tuesday set preliminary subsidy rates on imports of aluminum foil from China. China, for its part, has urged U.S. authorities to abide by World Trade Organization (WTO) rules in its investigation of aluminum imports.

The Commerce Department said in a statement that it had set preliminary subsidy rates ranging from 16.56 percent to 80.97 percent for Chinese exporters and producers of aluminum foil.

Punitive duties would be imposed after both the Commerce Department and the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) make affirmative final rulings. The Commerce Department is scheduled to make its final determination around Oct. 23, unless the statutory deadline is extended.

The department launched anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into imports of aluminum foil from China in March, in response to a request from the U.S. Aluminum Association Trade Enforcement Working Group.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has urged the U.S. authorities to enact decisions of the WTO and appellate bodies and give Chinese exporters fair counter-argument rights.

Improper trade remedy measures will hurt the interests of Chinese aluminum foil exporters and dent the competitiveness of U.S. downstream sectors, affecting employment and consumer interests and leading to a lose-lose situation, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 11:48:52|Editor: Lu Hui

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SEOUL, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's unification ministry said Wednesday that the country was closely monitoring "possible provocation" of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) after Pyongyang's warning of preemptive missile strikes against the U.S. island of Guam in the Pacific.

Seoul's unification ministry spokesman Baek Tae-hyun told a press briefing that the authorities of South Korea and the United States were closely watching relevant moves in preparation for the DPRK's "further provocation."

Baek said the South Korean military authorities maintained a complete defense readiness in preparation for several possible situations, noting that it would be important for the DPRK "to stop provocation and change attitude."

The remarks followed the DPRK's warning of preemptive missile strikes against the U.S. military base of Guam in response to two U.S. strategic bombers which were sent again Tuesday to South Korea.

Earlier in the day, the spokesman of the Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army (KPA) of the DPRK was quoted by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as saying the military was examining an operational plan for an enveloping missile strike at areas around Guam with its intermediate-range ballistic missiles, called Hwasong-12.

According to the KCNA report, the U.S. military flew two B-1B bombers, which are based on the U.S. Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, Tuesday over the Korean Peninsula. The bombers have been "threatening and blackmailing" the DPRK through their frequent visits to the sky above South Korea, the KCNA said.

Just hours before the DPRK's strike warning, U.S. President Donald Trump warned Pyongyang that if it continues to threaten the U.S., the DPRK would face "fire and fury" the world has never seen.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 11:48:52|Editor: Lu Hui

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CHENGDU, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A French man and a Canadian woman were injured in a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that jolted Jiuzhaigou, a popular tourist destination in southwest China, Tuesday evening.

Maxence Vallon, 18, was wounded in both legs; while the Canadian woman, who declined to be named, suffered slight injury in the head.

Both are being treated at the people's hospital of Jiuzhaigou county.

Exact number of casualties of foreign nationals in the disaster are not available yet.

Doctors who did an X-ray on Vallon's legs said stone fragments were found embedded in his right leg and he needed immediate surgery to prevent infection.

"We were lying on an open ground to seek shelter when a big stone fell and hit my brother right in the leg," said Romain Vallon, who studies in Beijing. The brothers were staying in a hotel with their mother in Jiuzhaigou when the quake happened.

The Canadian woman can leave hospital within two or three days, doctors said.

"We received excellent care. The rescuers and doctors have been very helpful," she said.

The quake in Sichuan Province has killed 13 and injured 175 others, according to the information office of the provincial government.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 12:44:05|Editor: Lu Hui

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- A day care driver is facing charges after a 3-year-old boy was found dead in a parked hot van in the southeastern U.S. state of Florida, local police said Tuesday.

The boy, identified as Myles Hill who would have turned four on Aug. 22, was found on the floor at the back of the van parked at the Little Miracles Academy day care center in Orlando around 6:30 p.m. (2230 GMT) Monday, according to local media reports.

Police believed that the boy had been in the vehicle since around 9 a.m. (1300 GMT) that morning and his death was heat-related based on the evidence, Orlando Police Chief John Mina told reporters on Tuesday. The high temperature was reportedly about 93 degrees Fahrenheit (34 degrees Celsius) in Orlando on Monday.

Charges are pending against the driver, who told police she did not do a head count when dropping off the children, Mina said.

"This was an absolute tragedy that could have been prevented," the police chief said.

The van is used by the day care center to transport children from one day care location to another, as well as pick them up and drop them off at their homes.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 13:14:10|Editor: Song Lifang

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SANTIAGO, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- A new donation of Chinese bicycles to be used on local police patrols was formalized Tuesday in a ceremony headed by Felipe Alessandri, the mayor of Santiago, and Chinese Ambassador to Chile Li Baorong.

"Today, we are completing a dream for Santiago by receiving a donation of 10 bicycles from China," said Alessandri.

The mayor mentioned Chinese donations, including one by the Chinese community in Santiago, namely repainting the city's Museum of Contemporary Art.

"Shops appreciate the patrols by Carabineros (police) by bicycle as they offer a sense of security to residents and visitors to the capital," Alessandri said.

The bicycles will help to increase patrols in crowded places and reduce crime and insecurity.

"We thank once again the Chinese government, through its ambassador Li Baorong, for the donation of the bicycles. The Chinese community is very important to us. They are very active residents in our municipality," the mayor said.

For his part, Li said he appreciated the collaboration between the Chinese embassy and the city of Santiago, "where the Chinese community has the best conditions to live and work in the capital."

"I have had the pleasure to deliver a modest donation of bicycles and I hope it may serve the work of our friends, the Carabineros," Li said.

He said, "the donation is not only an expression of solidarity and support from the Chinese community, but a profound appreciation from our community to the city."

Li also said that Chile and China are celebrating the 47th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties in 2017.

"We already have a comprehensive strategic partnership and know that, in order to have even better relations, we need the support of the entire Chilean population," Li said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 13:29:15|Editor: Lu Hui

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NEW YORK, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese outbound investment flows may reach 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars over the next 10 years, as key Chinese policies will underpin future overseas investment, a report said Tuesday.

China's outbound investment is set to grow 70 percent over the next 10 years from a total of 880 billion dollars over the period of 2007 to 2016, predicted the report published by international law firm Linklaters LLP.

The outbound investment and acquisitions from China will continue to be a significant force in the coming years, as China's long-term policies and initiatives such as "Made in China 2025" and the Belt and Road Initiative have outbound deals at the core, the report said.

The "Made in China 2025" strategy, a roadmap released by China's State Council in 2015 to guide the country's advanced industrial manufacturing, has seen steady progress in industrial capability, smart manufacturing, innovation, as well as product quality and branding.

Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia, Africa and Europe along ancient Silk Road trade routes and beyond.

According to the report, such initiatives mean that the high level of outbound investment is likely to be focused on sectors such as energy infrastructure and high-end technology and electronics, which may be seen by host governments as "strategic" to national security or national interest.

This may lead to increased regulatory scrutiny of Chinese outbound deals from foreign governments.

The report commended the Chinese government's efforts in supporting the successful execution of outbound deals.

Peter Cohen-Millstein, partner of Linklaters in New York, told Xinhua that "lessons are being learned both in China and around the world which will undoubtedly help to reduce friction and increase deal flow momentum."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 13:49:32|Editor: Song Lifang

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MOSCOW, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A new railroad line, which will replace the one that enters Ukrainian territory, could start operating on a regular basis this year, Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said Tuesday.

"This year," Sokolov told journalists, when asked about the beginning of the railway's regular operation.

It was reported that the 137 km-long, double-track electrified new railway, connecting the Zhuravka railway station in Russia's Voronezh region, some 32 km from the Ukraine border, and the town of Millerovo in the Rostov region, avoids passing the border near Ukraine.

The construction of the new railroad aims to increase the safety of travel and cargo transportation, said Sokolov.

In September 2015, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a document on the construction of a railway line to allow Russian trains to bypass the Ukrainian territory on their way to the country's south.

In December 2016, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that there were plans to build a railway line bypassing Ukraine before September 2017.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 13:49:33|Editor: Song Lifang

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SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Sundar Pichai, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Google, has acknowledged that it has been "a very difficult time" since a memo challenging the technology company's diversity policies was circulated over the past week.

His statement, which was sent Monday night in a note by email to employees and posted Tuesday on the website of the subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., came out the same day when the author of the memo, a 28-year-old male software engineer, was fired.

However, Pichai did not mention the name of the engineer and his dismissal from Google, which is headquartered in Mountain View, California on the U.S. West Coast.

In his 10-page memo, titled Google's Ideological Echo Chamber, James Damore cited "possible non-bias causes of the gender gap" in the technology industry, including "personality differences" between men and women, and alleged that Google has created discriminatory practices with its hiring policies, such as "programs, mentoring, and classes only for people with a certain gender or race."

One of the so-called "personality differences" listed by Damore in the memo is what he called "neuroticism" among women, elaborated as "higher anxiety, lower stress tolerance."

In his response, Pichai said "much of what was in that memo is fair to debate, regardless of whether a vast majority of Googlers disagree with it," but portions of the writing "violate our Code of Conduct and cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace," adding that "to suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK."

Saying some employees are hurting because of the memo, the CEO noted that the company expects "each Googler to do their utmost to create a workplace culture that is free of harassment, intimidation, bias and unlawful discrimination."

Meanwhile, he wrote that the memo's author had the right to express his views on topics such as Google's training, the role of ideology in the workplace, and whether programs for women and "underserved groups" -- a reference to some ethnic groups, such as African Americans and Latinos -- are sufficiently open to all groups.

Pichai, who was born and educated in India before moving to the United States, did not respond to Damore's argument that Google's hiring policies amount to "arbitrary social engineering of tech just to make it appealing to equal portions of both men and women."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 14:14:54|Editor: Song Lifang

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ISLAMABAD, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan army says that an officer and three soldiers were killed in exchange of firing in the country's northwest early Wednesday.

The clash took place after the security personnel conducted an intelligence-based operation against a terrorist hideout in Upper Dir district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an army statement said.

The terrorists opened fire as the security team conducted the raid at village Sherotkai in the outskirts of Timergara, a major town in the region, the army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations said.

One of two suicide bombers present in hideout exploded himself while the other one got killed in exchange of fire. One terrorist was apprehended during the operation, the army said.

"An officer and three soldiers sacrificed their lives while foiling a devastating terrorist activity," it said.

No group has yet made any statement on its involvement.

The outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan had previously been active in Dir district, parts of which border with Afghanistan, however, the security forces have cleared most of the areas.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 14:55:15|Editor: ying

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SYDNEY, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Vulnerable and low-income Australians are struggling to make ends meet according to a new report released Wednesday that calls for a review on skyrocketing energy and utility prices in Australia.

The report conducted by the Victorian Council of Social Services (VCOSS) and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (RMIT) made a number of recommendations to government in order to alleviate some of the pressure that everyday Australians are facing when it comes to their ever-increasing utility bills.

In Australia, the poverty line is calculated using the same standards applied by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which stipulate that anyone who has an income of less than 50 percent of the average annual income is determined to be living in poverty.

From the most recent estimates from the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), the poverty line equates to 400 Australian dollars (314.90 U.S. dollars) per week for a single adult - and in their October 2016 Poverty in Australia report - ACOSS estimated that 2.9 million people, or 13.3 percent are living below the poverty line in Australia, along with 17.4 percent of all children.

At the time of the report's release, chief executive of ACOSS Cassandra Goldie was outraged about the lack of action being taken to ensure that those who are suffering in poverty in Australia are being adequately protected.

"The overall picture from the last decade is one of persistent and entrenched poverty across the community with an increase in child poverty," Goldie said.

"It is a national shame that after 25 years of economic growth, we have not done better at changing this trajectory and ensuring our most precious national resource, our children, are given the best possible start in life."

One such person who is currently living in poverty, and being affected by the increasing pressure to be financially sufficient is Lanfen - an elderly migrant from China highlighted in the VCOSS report - who moved to Australia 13 years ago to be closer to her daughter.

Lanfen, who has five stents in her heart and was advised by her doctor to stay in air conditioned areas during summer, was denied a cooling system by public housing officials in the Australian state of Victoria, who claimed they did not have the requisite funding to install air conditioning in her unit.

"In the end, I have to gather the resources to pay the rent, otherwise I will have nowhere to live. I can only save up in other areas of my life to pay for these costs. It's not something within my power to change," Lanfen said through a translator in the report.

Despite her belief that the Australian Government has been "very good" to her, and stressing that she is "very lucky," Lanfen hopes that the government will be able to assist her for what is a medically required need.

Lanfen's story was but one of many contained in the comprehensive report, and the chief executive officer of VCOSS, Emma King, told Xinhua on Wednesday that immediate action is required by the government, and energy retailers to address the needs of all low-income, and vulnerable people - particularly those without a strong command of English.

"Even with good English skills its a hard enough scenario ... And it is actually inexcusable that retailers aren't working with people to make sure that they are getting the best deal," King said.

With the rising costs of energy and utilities in Australia, King was adamant that action needs to be taken to ensure that the income divide is not exacerbated even further, with those who are at a lower socioeconomic level bearing the brunt of the rising prices across the board.

"When you think back over the last decade, our energy prices have increased 114 percent. If you compare that to the Consumer Price Index, the price for energy is through the roof," King said.

With the top three things people need to spend money on being heating, white goods and hot water, King said that there has to be pressure placed on regulators to ensure that people are educated about their options, adding that retailers have intentionally made it as "complex as it can possibly be."

"So unless government insists that retailers make these changes, I don't think that they will do it - it's imperative that people are given the best deal because these are essential services."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 14:55:17|Editor: ying

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BRASILIA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Michel Temer's defense team requested on Tuesday the suspension of prosecutor-general Rodrigo Janot, who charged Temer with corruption in May.

The petition filed by Temer's lawyer, Antonio Claudio Mariz de Oliveira, was sent to Supreme Court Justice Edson Fachin, the judge who is in charge of investigating a broad corruption ring involving dozens of politicians and business figures in Brazil.

According to Mariz, Janot, who has charged the president with bribe-taking and has said more charges are to come, was acting in a way that "greatly exceeds the constitutional and legal limits inherent to the position he occupies."

Mariz added that "this is clearly not a mere institutional action," suggesting that Janot's charges against Temer were politically motivated.

Janot charged Temer with passive corruption after executives of JBS,a meat conglomerate, admitted to paying bribes to Temer since 2010 and turned in a tape in which the president appeared to approve the bribery of public officials. During the process, Janot described Temer as the "head of a criminal organization."

Although the Chamber of Deputies voted to block corruption charges against Temer, Janot appears to be preparing more charges against the president for obstruction of justice, racketeering and illicit association before the prosecutor-general's mandate ends in September.

Mariz also wrote that "the excessive number of interviews, the excessive number of speeches, of public appearances, is not in keeping...with the low profile expected of a representative of the prosecutor-general's office."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 15:55:48|Editor: ying

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KABUL, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Two Islamic State (IS) militants were killed following an airstrike in restive eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar on Wednesday, the command of Afghan Special Forces said.

"Two armed members of Daesh (Arabic acronym for IS) were killed after Afghan Special Forces conducted an airstrike in Achin district, Nangarhar province on Wednesday," Afghanistan Operational Coordination Group (AOCG) said in a statement.

Achin is the stronghold of IS militants in the province, 120 km east of the Afghan capital Kabul. It has been the scene of clashes between security forces and IS militants since the emergence of IS there in early 2015.

In addition, a Taliban militants' landmine and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) building factory was destroyed in an AOCG-led airstrike in Maywand district, southern Kandahar province on Tuesday, according to the statement.

Militancy traditionally gets momentum in spring and summer commonly known as fighting season in Afghanistan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 16:00:53|Editor: ying

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KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Three militants were killed and three key Afghan Taliban local leaders detained during an operation in the northern Afghan province of Kunduz, an official said Wednesday.

The security operation was conducted by Afghan Special Forces in Larkhabi village, Gortipa district on Tuesday and one militant was also wounded, Nastraullah Jamshidi, a press officer of Army Corps 209 Shaheen based in the region, told Xinhua.

Without disclosing the name of the captured Taliban, the army official said that three members of Taliban military commission have been arrested after the raid.

Located a few kilometers out of provincial capital Kunduz city, Gortipa is a militant-troubled district, where tens of households had fled during the past several years of conflicts.

Fighting has escalated in Afghanistan as the Taliban insurgency spreads from its traditional strongholds in the south and east to the once peaceful northern region, where Taliban have been recruiting from the youths.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 16:16:05|Editor: ying

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NAIROBI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is competing for a second term, is leading Tuesday's presidential elections, while opposition candidate Raila Odinga has rejected the provisional results.

The results on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) dashboard showed Kenyatta is leading the votes at 6.3 million votes against 5.07 million votes for Odinga as at 3:30. a.m. local time (0030 GMT) on Wednesday.

The partial results were drawn from 10.15 million valid votes tallied from the 19.6 million registered voters, said the IEBC.

Kenya's general elections kicked off on Tuesday, with nearly 20 million eligible voters expected to cast their ballots at over 40,000 polling centers to elect public officials, including the president.

The IEBC extended voting period for regions where heavy rains and flooding made it hard for voters to reach the polling centers in the remote northern region of Turkana.

Shortly after the IEBC said it would allow presidential candidates access to all tallied results, opposition candidate Odinga rejected them.

"We reject all the results streamed so far and demand that the IEBC produces Form 34As from all the polling stations before any further results are announced," he said at a news conference.

"The NASA coalition is concerned about the fact that the IEBC has been streaming results from around the country which are not supported by Form 34A as is strictly required by the law," Odinga said, adding that the provisional result displays were not supported by any verifiable documentation.

The electoral body said stopping the display of the results would create further anxiety.

Odinga said the law required the results of the presidential vote to be sent to a constituency tallying center before being transmitted electronically.

The opposition leader said he would accept the results if they bear the signature of his polling agents, adding that his agents have not been allowed to scan the results before they are submitted.

Odinga said his agents met IEBC officials to resolve the stalemate.

Incumbent President Kenyatta's party said the opposition was backpedalling on its earlier demands for the results to be streamed.

IEBC Commissioner Roselyn Akombe said, "To enhance transparency, the commission has allowed the political party agents access to the results. We expect the results to continue streaming in today."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 16:16:07|Editor: ying

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ANKARA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 suspected members of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front group were arrested in Turkey's southeastern Diyarbakir Province on Tuesday, state-run Anadolu Agency reported late Tuesday.

The Diyarbakir Counter Terrorism Police unit launched the operation under an ongoing probe by the public prosecutor's office, Anadolu said.

Police also seized digital documents during the operation.

Turkey designates al-Nusra Front as a terrorist organization and continues fighting against the al-Qaeda-linked group, both inside and outside the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 16:26:14|Editor: Xiang Bo

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PHNOM PENH, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Labor Minister Ith Samheng said Wednesday that the country has planned to send the first batch of domestic helpers to China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) next month.

"We will try our best to send the first group of our domestic helpers to Hong Kong in September," he told reporters on the sidelines of a workshop on the procedures of recruiting, training, sending and managing Cambodian domestic helpers to work in Hong Kong.

The minister said the Southeast Asian nation is expected to send about 1,000 domestic helpers to Hong Kong by the end of 2017.

This is a new employment opportunity for Cambodian workers because, in Hong Kong, the labor conditions and law are good that ensures a safe working environment, he said.

He said the Cambodian government has granted licenses to six employment agencies to recruit Cambodian domestic helpers to work in Hong Kong.

Ith Samheng said Cambodian domestic helpers, many of whom have experience of working overseas, will receive training in Cantonese or English, cooking, and health care skills for elderly and children before they go to Hong Kong.

According to the minister, Hong Kong's relaxation of visa restrictions for Cambodian workers, investors and students since March 1 has made it easier for Cambodian workers to successfully apply for visas to Hong Kong.

Ing Seang Rithy, chairwoman of recruitment agency Ing Rithy Group, said her company has been providing training to over a dozen of Cambodian domestic helpers for jobs in Hong Kong.

"We are offering them a 600-hour training course, focusing on Cantonese or English language, Chinese cooking, taking care of children and elderly people, and culture and traditions," she said, adding that some of them have several years of experience in housework overseas.

The domestic helpers are aged between 18 and 45 years old and will get a two-year employment contract with their Hong Kong employers, she added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 16:46:30|Editor: ying

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by Abdi

MOGADISHU, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Somalia government is to launch national consultations on the constitution review following public awareness and sensitization process, officials said.

Minister of Constitutional Affairs Abdurahman Hosh Jibril said the process will engage all Somalis to ensure their views are represented in the new constitution.

"The next two years are very crucial because that is the timeline we have to complete the review of the constitution," the minister said in a statement from the AU mission in Somalia issued on Tuesday night.

"In order for that document to have the requisite legitimacy, we need to take it to the public for consultations and conduct civic education," Abdurahman said.

He said the national conference bringing on board all stakeholders will be held in the coming weeks, to kick start consultations. Thereafter, deliberations will be held in the regional states and the diaspora.

Somalia's provisional constitution which the country seeks to review, was adopted on August 1, 2012 by the National Constitutional Assembly.

It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the Federal Republic and is the source of the country's legal authority, which sets out the rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of government.

The minister, who was speaking after a meeting with the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for Somalia, Francisco Caetano Madeira, in Mogadishu, said the government was seeking the assistance of the AU Mission to deliver the new constitution.

"AMISOM is already an important partner in the stabilization of Somalia, and we are very grateful for that. The AU is presently paying a heavy price in the stabilization of Somalia; but since the African Union is involved on the military sphere, we also believe that it is very important that they engage with us on the political front, because those should go hand in hand," he said.

Abdurahman and Madeira focused on AMISOM's support to government, to enable it successfully hold the planned nationwide consultations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 16:46:31|Editor: Xiang Bo

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KUANTAN, Malaysia, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A mega railway to be built by China was officially launched on Wednesday in the Malaysian city of Kuantan, a milestone for China-Malaysia ties as China pushed forward the Belt and Road Initiative.

At a cost of 55 billion ringgit (12.83 billion U.S. dollars), the 688-km East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) will help upgrade public transportation infrastructure in the east coast, said Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak when inaugurating the ground-breaking ceremony of the project.

The ECRL is the first artery railway built in the east coast, which has been connected to the west coast only "via a network of roads and highways, and small rail lines that were woefully inadequate."

Describing the project as a game-changer for Malaysia, Najib said it will significantly cut travel time from Gombak in suburban Kuala Lumpur to Kota Baru in the northeastern state of Kelantan from seven to four hours.

The railway will be built by China Communications Construction Company Ltd., a leading transportation infrastructure group that also built a landmark bridge in the northwestern state of Penang.

Chinese State Councillor Wang Yong also attended the ceremony.

The ECRL will be an electric railway line crossing Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor states. It will accommodate passenger trains at a maximum speed of 160 km per hour and goods trains at a maximum speed of 80 km per hour. Construction of the rail link is expected to be completed by 2024.

The Export-Import Bank of China financed 85 percent of the railway with soft loans, while the Malaysian government provided the remaining 15 percent via issuing bonds, according to Najib.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 17:36:53|Editor: Yurou Liang

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SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least three militants were killed Wednesday in a gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunfight between militants and government forces broke out at Gulabbag-Tral of Pulwama district, about 32 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 17:46:59|Editor: Xiang Bo

Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong (R) meets with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak during his visit for inaugurating a ground-breaking ceremony of the East Coast Rail Link in Kuantan, Malaysia, on Aug. 9, 2017. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung)

KUANTAN, Malaysia, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A mega railway to be built by China was officially launched on Wednesday in the Malaysian city of Kuantan, a milestone for China-Malaysia ties as China pushed forward the Belt and Road Initiative.

At a cost of 55 billion ringgit (12.83 billion U.S. dollars), the 688-km East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) will help upgrade public transportation infrastructure in the east coast, said Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak when inaugurating a ground-breaking ceremony of the project.

The ECRL is the first artery railway built in the east coast, which has been connected to the west coast only "via a network of roads and highways, and small rail lines that were woefully inadequate."

Describing the project as a game-changer for Malaysia, Najib said it will significantly cut travel time from Gombak in suburban Kuala Lumpur to Kota Baru in the northeastern state of Kelantan from seven to four hours.

The railway will be built by China Communications Construction Company Ltd., a leading transportation infrastructure group that also built a landmark bridge in the northwestern state of Penang.

Chinese State Councillor Wang Yong also attended the ceremony.

When meeting with Najib prior to the ceremony, Wang praised the ECRL as a "flagship project" jointly built by the two countries under the Belt and Road Initiative, which will boost economic transformation and balanced development of different regions in Malaysia.

He expressed his hope that both China and Malaysia could seize the historic opportunity brought by the Belt and Road Initiative to achieve win-win results and joint development.

China is willing to work closely with the Malaysian side and build the rail link into another landmark project so as to benefit the Malaysian people as soon as possible and help realize regional development and prosperity, Wang added.

The ECRL will be an electric railway line crossing Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor states. It will accommodate passenger trains at a maximum speed of 160 km per hour and goods trains at a maximum speed of 80 km per hour. Construction of the rail link is expected to be completed by 2024.

The project will benefit the 4.4 million population along its route, said Liow Tiong Lai, Malaysia's minister of transport in a statement on Wednesday. He estimated that the ECRL will serve 5.4 million passengers annually by 2030.

The Export-Import Bank of China financed 85 percent of the railway with soft loans, while the Malaysian government provided the remaining 15 percent via issuing bonds, according to Najib.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 17:57:01|Editor: Yurou Liang

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SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Three militants were killed Wednesday in a fierce gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunfight between militants and government forces broke out at Gulabbag-Tral of Pulwama district, about 32 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Three militants were killed today in a gunfight with police and army in Tral," a police spokesman said, adding "the operation is underway in the area."

Police said the search and cordon in the area was launched on specific intelligence information suggesting presence of militants.

"The hiding militants opened fire on the joint search party, triggering a gunfight, during which three militants were eliminated," the spokesman said. "The identity of slain militants and their group affiliation is being ascertained."

During the past two weeks there has been an increase in the gunfights in region.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 17:57:02|Editor: Yurou Liang

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RIYADH, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia denied on Wednesday allowing Qatar carriers from using its airports and airspace, Al Arabia local news reported.

Saudi civil aviation authority affirmed that the boycott of Qatar, including preventing Qatari carriers from using the kingdom's airports and airspace, continues.

The authority was responding to some news reports that highlighted easing the ban on Qatar carriers, saying these reports were based on some voluntary sites such as Flightradar24 that provide inaccurate images.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of fomenting regional unrest, supporting terrorism and getting too close to Iran, all of which Doha denies.

In all, 18 destinations in the region are now out of bounds for Qatar Airways, which has also been forced to close its offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 18:12:10|Editor: Yurou Liang

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RABAT, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's vegetables exports to the European Union increased by 17 percent in the first half of this year compared to the same period of 2016, local media reported on Wednesday.

The total value of the exports in the first six months of 2017 stood at 551.8 million euros(648 million USD) compared to 470.6 million euros(553 million USD) a year earlier, the financial daily L'Economiste said, citing figures from Eurostat, compiled by Spanish producer-exporter association Fepex.

Morocco remains one of the top suppliers of the EU in terms of fresh vegetables.

Tomatoes, potatoes and onions are the principal vegetable products exported from Morocco to the EU.

In recent years, Morocco's exports to the EU market accounted for about 60 percent of its total agricultural and food exports.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 18:17:12|Editor: Yurou Liang

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BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Nearly two months have passed since Indian troops illegally crossed the China-India boundary in Sikkim Sector, and there is no sign of withdrawal so far.

What the Indian side has done is committed seven "sins" against Chinese sovereignty and international law. These severe mistakes may trigger unpredictable consequences and greatly undermine regional peace and stability.

India's military trespassing is an infringement of China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. On June 18, Indian border troops, carrying weapons and driving bulldozers, illegally crossed the boundary in the Sikkim Sector at the Duo Ka La (Doka La) pass and entered Chinese territory.

For almost two months, India has maintained its military presence in the Doklam area, a place recognized by both India and the international community as part of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Chinese sovereign territory.

It is fundamentally different in nature from past frictions between the border troops of the two sides at an undefined part of the boundary.

The blatant move contravenes the 1890 Convention between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet, which has clearly delimited this part of the boundary between the Tibet Autonomous Region and India's Sikkim State.

Every Indian government since independence has confirmed the boundary as it stands under the Convention. It is hard to understand why India abandons its previous position at this time.

Once a boundary is established by a convention, it is under the protection of international law. It is obvious that India's military invasion, under the pretext of so-called "security concerns," tramples on the principles of the law as well as international order and cannot be tolerated by any sovereign state.

Since the incident broke out, India has invented various excuses to whitewash its illegal move and smear China's normal and legitimate activities, but its arguments have no factual or legal grounds and are simply untenable.

India has argued that China's building of roads would represent a "significant change of status quo with serious security implications for India," but the fact is, Chinese construction is being conducted within its own territory. It is India that has broken the status quo by trespassing onto Chinese soil.

Even more ridiculous, India has attempted to justify its incursion in the name of "protecting Bhutan," arguing that Doklam is Bhutanese territory.

The fact is that the Bhutanese authorities have clearly told Chinese officials that Doklam is not Bhutan's territory and expressed bewilderment at India's trespassing into Chinese soil.

Matters concerning the China-India-Bhutan boundary tri-junction have nothing to do with this incident. By kidnapping an unrelated third party to stir up troubles in the border area, India seeks to obstruct border negotiations between China and Bhutan.

China has a strong will to solve the problem peacefully, but the prerequisite is that the Indian trespassers must withdraw unconditionally and immediately. China will never negotiate with an invading force when its national territorial integrity remains infringed.

The Indian side keeps playing lip service of seeking diplomatic channels to resolve the issue while refusing to withdraw its troops.

India must be fully aware that as a reckless intruder to its neighbors, it should take responsibility for inflaming border tensions and swallow possible consequences.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 18:27:17|Editor: Yurou Liang

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DUBAI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Trial runs of the world's first automated aerial taxis (AAT) are expected to start by the end of this year, local media reported Wednesday.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is collaborating with German firm Volocopter, which specializes in manufacturing Autonomous Air Vehicles (AAV), on the AAT project, the gulfnews.com website reported.

Over the next five years, the two-seater AAT will undergo test flights and safety checks while the RTA and Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) will be working on rules and regulations for the new transport system, the report said.

The AAT, capable of achieving maximum airspeed of 100 kilometres per hour, will have a maximum continuous flight time of 30 minutes.

Powered by electricity, the AAT will be equipped with 18 rotors and nine independent battery systems which can be charged within 40 minutes, the report added.

If approved for use, the aerial taxis will change the skyline of the modern city in the United Arab Emirates, and the way its residents travel in future.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 18:27:19|Editor: Yurou Liang

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ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan plans to construct road projects, oil pipeline and oil refinery after government forces captured the rebel stronghold of Pagak near Ethiopia border.

Speaking to Xinhua on Wednesday, South Sudan's Ambassador to Ethiopia James Morgan said despite Ethiopia and South Sudan signing an economic Memorandum of Understanding early this year, the lack of control by South Sudan government forces bordering Ethiopia had hindered implementation of the agreement.

Although South Sudan gained independence in July 2011 from Sudan, less than three years later, it plunged into a civil war pitting forces broadly loyal to President Salva Kiir against those of his Ex-Deputy Riek Machar

South Sudan plans to build a road project and oil pipeline from the oil fields to Ethiopian border through the Pagak crossing ensuring Ethio-South Sudan economic ties blossom, he said.

With road links interrupted by fighting in South Sudan, Ethiopian Airlines' twice weekly flights to South Sudan capital Juba is the main remaining infrastructure link between the two nations.

South Sudan also plans to build an oil refinery near the Ethiopian border to send refined oil products to Africa's second most populous nation and one of the continent's fast growing economies.

"Our first task will be establishing police, customs and immigration offices on the border, that will be able to stop insecurity and criminality that has affected both SS and Ethiopia," said Morgan.
By Ru Ge

I sank into a fluffy sofa with a cold beer in my hand and smiled back to my bartender friend who whispered to me "the beer is on the house." Natasha Thomas' song "I'm just a little bit shy" blared from the stereos and a few students were dancing along. When I got used to the dim lighting in the "Friday Bar," which is a haunt for Asian Studies students at Copenhagen University (although the bar also welcomes other international students), I started to chat with some friends on the next sofa. I felt cozy and warm.

"It is really hyggelig, isn't it?" the bartender friend asked me (hyggelig is the adjective form of hygge; the Danish dictionary entry is "rar og behagelig", or "nice and comfortable"). This was the first time I really understood the Danish word "hygge." It's a mixed feeling of warmth, comfort, togetherness and delight. Sometimes, togetherness is not essential, because one can hygge ("hygge" can be both a noun and a verb) by himself as well.

Friday Bar in Copenhagen University (Photo from Barstionen Tors Facebook account)

I remembered I once watched a video on a Danish website. In that video, a reporter tried to interview Danes from different age and gender groups asking "what's hygge?". Each person gave a different answer, but in essence, their replies were much the same.

A young lady said that it's enjoying a bowl of delicious porridge at a really cozy cafe called Grn at the multicultural area known as Nrrebro in Copenhagen. This can arouse childhood memories of her mom cooking porridge for her.

A young man admitted it's lying under a warm blanket and watching a new episode of the American TV series CSI, while at the same time drinking a Latte and eating a bar of chocolate, especially when it's cold and dark outside.

For an elderly man, it's when a man comes home from work and sees that his wife is waiting for him to come back to enjoy a candlelight dinner together. A lady in her sixties said that it's eating a lot of sweet stuff such as candies, chocolates and cakes during Christmas time with her beloved kids and grandchildren. All of these answers have one thing in common: the people are having a great time when experiencing "hygge." When they hygger (present tense) themselves, all of their pains and worries melt away and they just savor the present moment of pleasure and comfort.

Because "hygge" is a very important concept in Danish life, one can see lots of elements of "hygge" in Denmark. Beautiful, comfortable, and creatively-designed furniture is everywhere: from college activity rooms to government offices. Freshly brewed beers are sold everywhere and are greatly enjoyed by Danes from all the walks of life. Perfect work-life balance means that Danes won't stress out at work and makes their professional and personal lives both equally enjoyable. Biker-friendly infrastructure and abundant vegetation mean that Danes have a healthy and close-to-nature lifestyle. All of these contribute to an overall hyggelig and happy life.

"Hygge" in fact originates from Norway. It means "well-being" in Norwegian. But when the word was passed on to Denmark in the 18th century, it gradually became an inseparable part of Danish culture and identity, and the meaning of it changed a bit. If one has to find a close equivalent in English, it can be translated to coziness - although it's not quite precise because there are so many ideas embodied in this word. Because of its uniqueness and the difficulty of translating the concept into other languages, the word "hygge" has already been included in the Cambridge Dictionary, and ranks third in "The Vocabulary of 2016" listed by the Collins English Dictionary, just after "Brexit" and "Trumpism."

Although the social and cultural environment where the concept "hygge" has flourished is really unique, I still believe one can find "hygge" in every corner of the world as long as one enjoys every moment of their life in the present and finds pleasure in the small things.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 18:57:30|Editor: ying

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by Xinhua writers Qu Junya, Du Baiyu

BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A way out of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula cannot be found in the latest exchange of tough words between Washington and Pyongyang.

Unless there's a return to reason and a full commitment to a practical and peaceful solution, such a hostile approach will do little but make things worse.

Just earlier in the day, Pyongyang said it was mulling launching a missile strike against the U.S. Pacific military base of Guam, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to counter threats from Pyongyang with "fire and fury."

The war of words came two days after Washington and Seoul vowed to do the utmost to pressure Pyongyang into compromises, and after Pyongyang issued a statement against the new United Nations Security Council resolution on sanctions against its ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

"If the U.S. fails to act with discretion, persisting in its reckless attempts to stifle the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), we will not waver or hesitate to use any form of ultimate means," Pyongyang said in the statement.

However, the bottom line on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is that there must not be any armed conflict there. There is no room for any related party to play with fire on the issue.

Exercising restraint is needed for making responsible choices to ensure peace, particularly at a moment approaching crisis, which can however also serve as a turning point for coming back to the negotiation table.

China has always advocated a return to the six-party talks to seek a peaceful solution. In China's latest mediation efforts, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Manila during the just-concluded foreign ministers meeting on East Asian cooperation with his DPRK, South Korean and U.S. counterparts to urge understanding and dialogue.

The new security council resolution passed on Aug. 5 is a necessary response to the series of ballistic missile test launches made by Pyongyang.

For Seoul, an uncontrolled situation and even perhaps any accidental spark could trigger a conflict and prove to be a disaster it cannot afford.

As for the Untied States, it should commit itself to realizing the fundamentals it has recently reiterated on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, including seeking no regime change in the DPRK nor a speedy Korean reunification.

It is advised that Washington, Seoul and Pyongyang take into serious consideration China's proposal that they start from addressing their pressing security concerns to build up mutual trust, effectively paving the way for restoring talks.

That means that Pyongyang should suspend its ballistic missile and nuclear programs while Washington and Seoul suspend their joint military drills.

It is fact that the DPRK missile and nuclear programs stalled during bilateral and multilateral talks, but multiplied over the past nine years since the six-party talks came to grinding halt, during which the United States sought to pressure and sanction Pyongyang.

Reality has shown that tough tit-for-tat confrontations can lead nowhere, and that only dialogue can help address reasonable security concerns of the related parties for a solution acceptable to all, ensure denuclearization on the peninsula and bring a lasting peace to the entire region.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 19:02:32|Editor: Xiang Bo

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Photo taken on Aug. 7, 2017 shows the sixth China-Japan ruling party talks in Tokyo, Japan. Senior members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Japan's ruling coalition, formed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner the Komeito party, met here at the sixth China-Japan ruling party talks on improvement of bilateral ties. (Xinhua/Hua Yi)

TOKYO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Senior members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Japan's ruling coalition, formed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner the Komeito party, met here at the sixth China-Japan ruling party talks on improvement of bilateral ties.

During the talks which wrapped up on Wednesday, Song Tao, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, urged the two sides not to forget their original intention when normalizing bilateral ties 45 years ago.

Song said that on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations, the meeting under an exchange mechanism was aimed at implementing the important consensus between their leaders and pushing forward bilateral relations in the right direction.

The two sides should make joint efforts, based on the spirit of four major political documents between China and Japan, to properly handle sensitive issues, including the Taiwan and historical issues, and firmly safeguard the political foundation of bilateral ties, said Song.

He also called on the two sides to enhance exchanges in all fields, discuss cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and expand cooperation foundation between the two sides.

Toshihiro Nikai, secretary general of the LDP, and Yoshihisa Inoue, secretary general of the Komeito Party, spoke highly of the Chinese delegation attending the ruling party talks on Aug. 7-9.

They said they are willing to work together with the Chinese side to enhance cooperation and mutual trust between the two countries, and consolidate the momentum of improvement in bilateral relations.

During the meeting, the two sides approved a mutual initiative.

Japanese Prime Minister and LDP President Shinzo Abe met with Song Tuesday afternoon.

Song said during his meeting with Abe that Chinese President Xi Jinping had stressed the political principles and the direction for future efforts when meeting with Abe at the Group of 20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, last month.

Song urged the Japanese side to honor its promises, saying that the CPC is wiling to work with Japan to bring into full play the party exchange mechanism and the guiding role of the political parties to safeguard the political foundation of bilateral ties, promote friendship between the two peoples and promote cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Abe spoke highly of the fruits and significance of his meeting with Xi in Hamburg and said that he expected the ruling parties of China and Japan to play a positive role in improving and developing bilateral relations.

He also said he will make joint efforts with China to expand communication and cooperation, and push forward the Japan-China strategic relationship of mutual benefit.
The Dubai Media Office tweeted a series of photos of the world's first automated aerial taxis. (Dubai Media Office photo)

DUBAI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Trial runs of the world's first automated aerial taxis (AAT) are expected to start by the end of this year, local media reported Wednesday.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is collaborating with German firm Volocopter, which specializes in manufacturing Autonomous Air Vehicles (AAV), on the AAT project, the gulfnews.com website reported.

The Dubai Media Office tweeted a series of photos of the world's first automated aerial taxis. (Dubai Media Office photo)

Over the next five years, the two-seater AAT will undergo test flights and safety checks while the RTA and Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) will be working on rules and regulations for the new transport system, the report said.

The AAT, capable of achieving maximum airspeed of 100 kilometres per hour, will have a maximum continuous flight time of 30 minutes.

The Dubai Media Office tweeted a series of photos of the world's first automated aerial taxis. (Dubai Media Office photo)

Powered by electricity, the AAT will be equipped with 18 rotors and nine independent battery systems which can be charged within 40 minutes, the report added.

The Dubai Media Office tweeted a series of photos of the world's first automated aerial taxis. (Dubai Media Office photo)

If approved for use, the aerial taxis will change the skyline of the modern city in the United Arab Emirates, and the way its residents travel in future.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 19:22:52|Editor: ying

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TUNIS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Two militants were killed Tuesday night in an operation led by special units of the Tunisian National Guard in the central-western province of Kasserine, local media reported.

The official confirmation, however, is still not available.

According to local media, Abu Awf Al-Moujahad, the brother of former Algerian jihadist leader Lokmane Abou Sakhr who was killed in 2015 in the southwest of Tunisia, is among the killed.

Al-Moujahad was involved in a series of attacks in Tunisia, including an attempt to assault the home of former Interior Minister Lotfi Ben Jedou.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 19:27:57|Editor: ying

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SOFIA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria's exports to and imports from the non-European Union (EU) countries from January to June 2017 increased by 25.4 percent and 33 percent year-on-year respectively, official statistics revealed on Wednesday.

In the first half of this year, the country's exports to the non-EU countries amounted to 8.8 billion BGN (5.3 billion U.S. dollars), according to preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

Main trade partners of Bulgaria were Turkey, China, Russia, Serbia, Egypt and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia which accounted for 51.4 percent of exports to non-EU countries.

Meanwhile, Bulgarian imports from the non-EU countries reached 10.4 billion BGN, with the largest amounts reported for the goods imported from Russia, Turkey, China and Serbia, the NSI said.

China, in particular, was Bulgaria's second largest export destination outside the EU, and the third largest non-EU importer, with figures amounting to 609 million BGN and 1.1 billion BGN, or 50 percent and 15.6 percent more than in the first half of 2016. (1 U.S. dollar = 1.66 BGN)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 19:27:58|Editor: ying

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MADRID, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Security staff at Barcelona's El Prat airport will continue their partial strikes as talks between employers and staff representatives broke down on Tuesday night.

The partial strikes involve one-hour stoppages every Friday, Sunday and Monday, which caused delay for passengers boarding at the airport terminals.

The security staff employed by Eulen company complained about low income, inadequate training and insufficient personnel to deal with the influx of tourists in the summer.

The Catalan regional authority has attempted to mediate in the dispute, proposing a pay rise of 200 euros (235 U.S. dollars) a month and adding a fifth security worker at every table to check passengers and their carry-on luggage.

Eulen which at first offered to increase the monthly salary by 150 euros (176 dollars) announced that it was prepared to accept the proposal.

However, the strike committee said late on Tuesday night that they considered it to be "insufficient," although they will present it to a vote on Thursday. The committee had asked for a monthly pay rise of 350 euros (411 dollars).

If the workers vote to accept the offer, the strikes scheduled for Friday and Sunday will be called off. But if a solution is not found by Aug. 14, they will launch a 24-hour strike.

"We have to see what instructions we are given, but it is difficult for the 200 euro offer to be accepted," said Joan Carles Gimenez, an organizer of the strike committee.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 19:33:04|Editor: Xiang Bo

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Rescuers work at the collapsed building of the InterContinental Resort Jiuzhai Paradise in Jiuzhaigou County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 9, 2017. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Jiuzhaigou, a popular tourist destination, Tuesday night. Rescue work continues in quake-hit Jiuzhaigou. (Xinhua/Fan Peishen)

BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- China has begun all-out efforts in relief and rescue work after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck a remote area in southwest China's Sichuan Province Tuesday night, killing 19 and leaving another 247 injured.

The earthquake hit Jiuzhaigou County at 9:19 p.m. at a depth of 20 kilometers. Jiuzhaigou is a popular tourist destination in the mountains on the eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known for its mountainous landscape and stunning scenery.

When the quake hit, 35,000 tourists were in Zhangzha township. Thousands have already been evacuated, and authorities aim to relocate all tourists by the end of Wednesday.

Chinese leaders have called for all-out efforts to organize relief work and rescue the injured.

The State Council, China's cabinet, has sent a national work team to the disaster-hit area to guide relief work.

Feng Zhenglin, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), confirmed immediate activation of level-III emergency response procedures, asking civil aviation authorities to cooperate with local government in disaster relief.

The CAAC has instructed airports to keep track of available runways and gate positions while asking airlines to help with emergency evacuation of tourists in the disaster-hit area.

The Ministry of Transport has initiated level-II emergency response procedures and formed a leading group to guide local transportation authorities to aid the rescue.

Traffic on highways to the disaster-hit area is being monitored, with special lanes set aside for rescue vehicles travelling into the area.

The China Meteorological Administration has initiated enhanced weather forecasting in the area in order to prevent secondary disasters that could inhibit rescue work.

According to the National Meteorological Center, the quake zone in Jiuzhaigou County will experience cloudy weather from Wednesday night to Thursday, while light to moderate rain is expected on Friday.

The China National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs also issued a grade-III emergency response.

The Red Cross Society of China has sent 1,000 first aid kits, 2,000 quilts and 200 tents to the area.

Besides government agencies, more than 20 state-owned enterprises supervised by the central government have contributed to the rescue efforts.

The country's biggest telecommunications operators have set up emergency hotlines to help people locate their relatives while resources including tents, medical equipment and clean water are being delivered to the area.

China's oil giants have stepped up efforts to ensure fuel supplies along the roads and insurance companies have initiated emergency response procedures for settlement of claims.

Sichuan is frequently struck by quakes. At least three major tectonic earthquakes have struck mountainous areas of the province in the past decade.

In 2008, an 8.0-magnitude earthquake in Wenchuan claimed more than 80,000 lives. Five years later, a 7.0-magnitude quake hit Lushan, killing 196.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 19:38:06|Editor: ying

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PYONGYANG, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Wednesday released on humanitarian grounds a Canadian man who was serving life sentence for alleged anti-DPRK activities, according to Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"Rim Hyon Su (Hyeon Soo Lim), a Canadian civilian, was released on sick bail according to the decision of the Central Court of DPRK on Aug. 9, 2017 from a humanitarian viewpoint," said the KCNA.

"He had been under the penalty of indefinite hard labor as he conducted hostile deeds against DPRK," said the report.

The release came one day after a high-level Canadian government team led by Daniel Jean arrived here Tuesday.

The national security advisor to the Canadian prime minister and special envoy of the latter came to discuss the case of the Canadian pastor after Swedish charge d'affaires ad interim here met with Rim, 62, last month.

During the meeting, Rim reportedly talked about his health condition, and asked the charge d'affaires ad interim "to convey his request to the Canadian government for making active efforts" for his release.

Sweden has consular affairs duty for Canadian citizens in the DPRK.

In December 2015, South Korean-born Rim was sentenced to life education through labor for committing hostile acts against the DPRK during his stay in the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 19:43:09|Editor: Xiang Bo

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Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn (Front) speaks during a press conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Aug. 9, 2017. Prak Sokhonn said Wednesday that the adoption of a framework for the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea is a very positive step for the ASEAN-China relations. (Xinhua/Sovannara)

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said Wednesday that the adoption of a framework for the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea is a very positive step for the ASEAN-China relations.

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China adopted the COC framework during a meeting in Manila, the Philippines on Sunday.

"It is a very positive step," Sokhonn told a press conference. "On the other hand, the relationship among the countries concerned in the territorial disputes has returned to a good situation."

He said the adoption of the COC framework was a crucial step towards the realization of the substantive and legally binding of an effective COC.

"This reflects that mutual trust is very important in negotiations, and the mutual trust allows us to move forwards with ensured peace, security and prosperity for the region," he said.

The COC framework was agreed upon in May during a senior officials' meeting on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province.

Chheang Vannarith, senior fellow at the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, said on Sunday that the adoption of the framework was a critical step towards further talks over a final COC.

"The COC not only serves regional trust-building, but also sets a foundation for long-term peace and stability in the South China Sea," he told Xinhua.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 20:08:19|Editor: Xiang Bo

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CHENGDU, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The death toll has risen to 19, with 247 injured, including 40 in serious conditions, after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit a remote area in southwest China's Sichuan Province Tuesday night, local authorities said Wednesday.

The earthquake hit Jiuzhaigou County at 9:19 p.m. Tuesday at a depth of 20 kilometers, according to China Earthquake Networks Center.

Chinese leaders have called for all-out efforts on relief and rescue work.

RESCUE

The People's Hospital of Jiuzhaigou County has received 156 of the injured. Of the twenty-four seriously injured admitted last night, one has already been discharged, according to surgeon Yuan Jin.

A French man and a Canadian woman are being treated at the hospital. Maxence Vallon, 18, suffered injuries to both legs. Doctors said stone fragments were embedded in his right leg and he needed immediate surgery to prevent infection. The Canadian woman suffered a slight head injury.

"We were on open ground when a rock fell and hit my brother on the leg," said Romain Vallon, a student in Beijing. The brothers were staying with their mother in a hotel in Jiuzhaigou when the quake struck.

The Canadian woman is expected to leave hospital within two or three days, doctors said. "We have received excellent care. The rescue workers and doctors have been very helpful," she said. The exact number of injuries to foreign nationals in the disaster is unconfirmed.

Shen Ji, director of the provincial health and family planning commission, said more than 30 ambulances and over 500 medical personnel have been sent to the affected area. The provincial disease control and prevention center has sent a team to assess health risks and prevent epidemics. A 200-member medical aid team from neighboring Gansu Province is standing by.

Staff and pandas at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda were unaffected.

EVACUATION

Rescue workers are assisting stranded tourists at the popular tourist destination of Jiuzhaigou, a national park known for spectacular waterfalls and karst formations.

More than 45,000 tourists have so far been evacuated. Authorities aim to relocate all tourists today.

Over 800 workers are combing villages in search of anyone still trapped, according to the provincial quake relief headquarters.

Wang Zhibin, a police officer in Jiuzhaigou, said fallen rocks and landslides blocking roads had largely been cleared by 5 a.m.

Rescue workers are trying to reach eight people trapped by debris after a building collapsed in Zhangzha township.

The quake relief headquarters said the provincial police department has dispatched over 90 vehicles carrying relief goods to the affected areas.

At around 6 a.m., the first emergency rescue flight, carrying a team of nearly 100, arrived at the Jiuzhai-Huanglong Airport, the transportation hub for relief work. The National Earthquake Response Support Service sent two light helicopters with seismologists, medicine and relief goods to Jiuzhaigou.

RELIEF

On Wednesday morning, tourists were sitting in front of their hotels, wrapped in quilts. A tourist, surnamed Liu, told Xinhua that they had stayed up all night.

The road linking local airport with the worst hit area has been cut off by fallen rocks. As of 1 p.m., all the flights from the airport were delayed. Scores of passengers were stranded at the airport.

Taxi drivers from the neighboring Songpan County have voluntarily driven to the airport and set up booths offering free food and drinks as well as free taxi rides for stranded passengers and rescuer workers.

Tibetan taxi driver Angchuk, 26, is one of the drivers at the airport. He said that several groups of tourists had been taken to the nearest town, about 18 km away from the airport.

"I did what was needed. We should all do our part after a natural disaster," he said.

So far, only emergency vehicles and ambulances have been allowed to enter the area while passenger buses loaded with tourists are leaving, many via Wenxian County, Gansu Province. The county government has sent over 200 police officers and officials to guide traffic and arrange accommodation.

The disaster reduction center of the Ministry of Civil Affairs said that based on a preliminary assessment 24,000 houses have collapsed or been severely damaged.

China Earthquake Administration has sent a 55-member team to the site.Sichuan and Gansu provinces have also dispatched their own teams.

More than 90 vehicles and 1,200 personnel are involved in the rescue work. Power, communication and water supplies in the county seat have been restored.

The quake was felt in the provincial capital Chengdu about 300 km south of the epicenter, and other regions in Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. The population density within 50 kilometers of the epicenter is nine people per square kilometer.

WEATHER

The quake-hit Jiuzhaigou region is forecast to receive slight to moderate rainfalls in the coming days, the provincial meteorological bureau said Wednesday.

Rain is expected to fall in much of the Sichuan Basin Thursday night, with torrential rain forecast in the northwestern and part of the southern regions of the basin.

Meteorologists warned rain may cause secondary disasters such as flooding and landslides, and disaster-prevention efforts and measures should be strengthened.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 20:18:23|Editor: ying

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by David Musyoka and Chrispinus Omar

NAIROBI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's electoral body confirmed on Wednesday it has launched an investigation into the possible hacking of its systems and will continue verifying vote tallies from 290 constituencies before declaring results within five days.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati said the commission was taking the matter seriously because it involved the voting rights of Kenyans.

"We cannot ignore those concerns," Chebukati said, pointing out the provisional results showing President Uhuru Kenyatta on course to victory was not final.

"The Commission is going a mile further to verify the results. We have five days. We are going to do it within five days and announce the results. It is doable," the IEBC chief told reporters.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga had earlier said hackers stormed the IEBC servers and introduced programmes which kept actual results from entering the servers while keeping an 11 percent gap between the main presidential candidates after logging into the computer systems using the identify of a murdered IEBC official.

Chebukati said his officers would check the system to verify its integrity. He said he was aware of the poll system hacking claims by Odinga, insisting the Commission would look into them.

Provisional results currently show Kenyatta leading with 7.9 million votes against Odinga's 6.5 million votes in 38,884 out of 40,888 polling stations.

The electoral agency said final results are being collated from forms 34A and 34B which contain the original results for presidential votes.

By 9 am, IEBC had received 28,000 out of the 40,883 forms across the country, which can be accessed on its online portal.

"Presiding officer, party agents sign the F34A at the polling station before onward transmission to the tallying centers," Chebukati said.

He said IEBC will begin scrutinizing original forms before announcing presidential results.

"I want to say that the results on the screen are not official. Those forms are what forms the results. As a commission we have set up framework of looking at the forms and it will be done here," he said.

The IEBC official said copies of the forms showing the actual results and how they are tallied have been called from the 40,833 polling centres countrywide.

He said the scanned copies were already at the commission's possession but the original documents have also been sought for verification. "As of now, we cannot say whether the system has been hacked into or not," he said while promising thorough investigations into the matter.

He assured Kenyans that the commission was not in a hurry to announce the results before verifying Form 34As.

"We will look at transmitted documents before making the final announcement," he said, describing the NASA statement as "aspersions" which would be investigated to establish if they are true or not.

However, presidential candidate Aukot Ekuru, said the results were being announced without evidence to back them and without accountability to the candidates.

"It goes to the question of whether we are comfortable with the result transmission," Ekuru said. He said the IEBC result transmission system was not working since Tuesday night.

On Tuesday, IEBC Chief Executive Ezra Chiloba said the IEBC was experiencing "technical hitches" but the electronic kits used in the result transmission were sending results.

Chiloba said a system that was refreshing the servers at the IEBC was experiencing technical challenges and had been fixed to allow it to receive results online.

However, Odinga said he uncovered a plot, which blocked the IEBC server from receiving field results.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 20:58:38|Editor: ying





A suspected drug smuggler stands handcuffed after being seized during an operation in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Aug. 9, 2017. Afghan policemen have seized 296 kg drugs and detained four suspected smugglers during a military operation in Nangarhar province, eastern Afghanistan, local officials said on Tuesday.(Xinhua/Rahman Safi)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 20:23:27|Editor: ying

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RAMALLAH, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian church committee slammed on Wednesday an Israeli court ruling in favor of a Jewish settler group which rented buildings from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in East Jerusalem in 2004.

In a press statement, the Higher Presidential Committee for Churches in Palestine described the court ruling as "unfair and politicized, targeting the city of Jerusalem which is the capital of the state of Palestine."

The committee said the court ruling does not apply to East Jerusalem as it is against the international law which considers Israel as an occupying power.

The Jewish settler Group Ateret Cohanim has used "political pressures and was backed by the Israeli government" in order to win the court ruling, the committee noted.

The committee warned that the deal serves "Israeli control at a significant entrance of Jerusalem and impacts the Christian presence in the city, since the ruling violated the vicinity of the Jerusalemite Church."

On Aug. 1, an Isralei military court ruled that Ateret Cahonim group can continue to possess two hotels and a large building located in the Old City of Jerusalem, which belongs to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, as well as the road leading to the Church of the Holy Sepulture, allowing the settler group to rent the property for 99 years.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate filed a law suit against the settler organization to annul the "deal that was concluded illegally with the person responsible for the church's financial department during the time of dismissed Patriarch Irenaios in 2004," according to a statement it published a day after the court ruling was issued.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 20:48:40|Editor: ZD

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Photo taken on Aug. 8, 2017 shows a view of the celebration marking the 70th anniversary of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Aug. 8, 2017.(Xinhua/Lian Zhen)

BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the first provincial-level ethnic autonomous region in China, has made great progress in a number of aspects over the past 70 years.

Achievements in the north China region range from solid infrastructure construction and expanding education to improved living conditions and ethnic solidarity, which have earned applause and respect from the international community.

ENORMOUS PROGRESS

"The place has physically transformed in the last half a century," said Kerry Brown, one of Britain's leading experts on China, who did his Ph.D. on Inner Mongolia.

Before the establishment of autonomous region, Inner Mongolia was among the country's backward spots. But over the past 70 years, its economy has growth to 1.86 trillion yuan (about 279 billion U.S. dollars) in 2016, 642 times of that in 1947, ranking first among the country's five autonomous regions.

"Inner Mongolia has witnessed great and speedy economic achievements," Wiqar Ali Shah, a professor of social sciences at the Islamabad-based Quaid-i-Azam University, told Xinhua.

"Besides the traditional businesses of the area, the establishment of other industries is being encouraged," said Shah, adding the Economic and Technological Development Zones and export processing zone have created hundreds of thousands jobs which helped lift a big portion of the population including minorities out of poverty.

The presence of tall buildings is ubiquitous and the livelihoods of the region's ethnic minorities has significantly improved, said Gurhan Kirilen, a sinology associate professor at Ankara University in Turkey

SOLIDARY POLICY

China's ethnic policy has stood the test of time, said Mustafa Ibrahim, a Palestinian writer and analyst. He said the 70th anniversary of Inner Mongolia as autonomous region is a perfect example of the Chinese government's efforts to promote national solidarity and common development.

Ethnic autonomy in China's regions, prefectures and counties was introduced to create equality, solidarity and common prosperity for all ethnic groups. On May 1, 1947, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was founded under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The CPC's ethnic policies provide guarantees for different nationalities in China to ensure they enjoy equal legal rights and retain their respective religions, languages, living habits, festivals and so on, said Ibrahim.

The system of regional ethnic autonomy demonstrates the success of the CPC's policies, he noted.

Under the system, ethnic groups have also made positive contributions to China's prosperity and development, allowing them to feel proud as a Chinese people, said Ibrahim.

PROMINENT EXAMPLE

China's ethnic policies are exemplary in the world, Shah said.

The achievements of Inner Mongolia in its 70 years exemplifies that China's economic development has benefitted ethnic groups, providing motivation for other nation states in the world, said Bambang Suryono, an Indonesian scholar and president of the Jakarta-based think tank Nanyang ASEAN Foundation.

Ahmed Magdy Abdelhamid Elsayed, who lives in another multinational country Egypt, said he admired China's ethnic unity, and hoped Middle East nations could learn from China in developing a patriotism for their motherland and preserving national unity.

Joseph Lim, vice president of China Chamber of Commerce in Malaysia said China's ethnic and cultural policies are exemplary in the world.

He took the tourism industry as an example, saying the Chinese government took advantage of the country's diversified regional characteristics to develop tourism. This preserves ethnic cultures on the one hand while improving livelihoods on the other. Lim says other countries around the world could learn from China's approach.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 20:53:43|Editor: ying

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CAIRO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Four policemen were killed in a militant attack on their vehicle on the way to Arish city of North Sinai province bordering Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip, a security source told Xinhua.

"The militants heavily opened fire at the policemen's private vehicle that killed the four of them," said the source, noting the security forces have been combing the area in search for the perpetrators.

Egypt has been witnessing a wave of terrorist attacks since the military removed former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests and the country blacklisted his Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.

Later security crackdown on Morsi's loyalists left about 1,000 of them dead and thousands more arrested.

Anti-government attacks since then killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers and recently dozens from the Coptic minority, with most of the attacks claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the Islamic State (IS) regional group.

Meanwhile, security campaigns killed several hundreds of militants and arrested a similar number of suspects as part of Egypt's anti-terror war declared by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, the army chief then, following Morsi's ouster.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 20:58:46|Editor: ying

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RIYADH, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Saudi court sentenced on Wednesday a citizen to 13 years in jail for promoting Hezbollah in his Friday sermons that the country classified as a terror group, Sabq local online news reported.

The convict also criticized Gulf and Arab countries and domestic and foreign policies of Saudi Arabia, the court said.

The court decided that through his sermons he preached against the Saudi rules of banning the exploitation of Friday sermons in inciting against the state and its policies. He also posted his sermons on his website.

Besides the sentence, the court ordered to shut down his website and imposed a travel ban on him for 13 years, starting after serving his penalty.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:13:54|Editor: ying

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BERLIN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Germany will no longer deport Afghan refugees to their home country unless they are convicted criminals and terror suspects, the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND) reported Wednesday.

The move reflects concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.

German Interior Ministry and Foreign Office have arrived at an agreement to only send refugees back to Afghanistan in exceptional circumstances which includes individuals who have "persistently refused to allow their identification."

The report confirms a significantly softened deportation regime for Afghans which have unofficially already been in place since the German Embassy in Kabul became the target of a devastating terrorist attack in May.

Deportations to Afghanistan are a source of controversy in Germany where Angela Merkel's (CDU) government has adopted a stricter stance on migration since the arrival of over one million refugees in 2015.

While several politicians have called for authorities to speed up deportations after a spate of terrorist attacks in Germany, officials are also increasingly concerned with the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan.

The radical Islamist Taliban have reclaimed large swaths of the country and are locked in permanent violent conflict with the U.S.-backed government in Kabul.

The RND cited 10,000 Afghan refugees in Germany who were duty bound to leave the country on June 30. The figure marked a drop of roughly 5,000 individuals compared to the previous year.

The German Federal Government revealed in April that approximately 255,000 Afghans are currently living in Germany.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:44:09|Editor: Yurou Liang

Staff members of the Sea&Farm modern agricultural demonstration area pick roses in Yongqing County of north China's Hebei Province, Aug. 9, 2017. The demonstration site introduced the Bulgaria rose and developed related products which brought significant economic benefits. (Xinhua/Li Xiaoguo)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:23:59|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to Japan's defense white paper for 2017, saying Japan has made irresponsible remarks about China's marine activities.

In the white paper of more than 560 pages, Japan devoted 34 pages to unjustified criticism of China's normal defense construction and military activities.

Japan claimed in its defense white paper that "China has tried to change the status quo in the East China Sea and South China Sea based on its own assertions, and this has become a common concern of the region and the world at large."

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang accused Japan of meddling in the South China Sea issue, saying China has lodged solemn representations to the Japanese side.

Geng reaffirmed that the will of the Chinese government to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests is firm.

He said conducting patrol and law-enforcement activities in waters off the Diaoyu Islands is China's inherent right and Japan is in no position to point fingers at those activities.

The Chinese side, carrying out normal sea and air activities in accordance with international law, relevant domestic laws and regulations as well as national defense needs, is beyond reproach, he said.

The construction of necessary and appropriate facilities by the Chinese side in some reefs and islands of the Nansha Islands is a legitimate right granted to sovereign states by international law, which has nothing to do with militarization and does not pose a threat to regional security, said Geng.

With the concerted efforts of countries in the region, the situation in the South China Sea has stabilized, he said.

China and ASEAN countries are focusing on strengthening cooperation to promote a comprehensive and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and jointly develop regional rules.

On Sunday, China and ASEAN foreign ministers adopted a framework of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, said Geng, noting that all parties affirmed the positive situation in the South China Sea and highly appreciated the early cooperation results, such as the China-ASEAN senior diplomat's hotline.

Geng said he hoped that Japan could respect the efforts made by China and ASEAN countries in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, stop intervention in the South China Sea issue, and play a constructive role in maintaining regional peace and stability.

In recent years, Japan has drawn broad attention from countries in the region and international community as it sharply adjusted its military security policy and attempted to make excuses for developing its armed forces and amending the constitution by exaggerating neighboring safety threats, said Geng.

He urged the Japanese side to learn lessons from history, stick to the path of peaceful development and act prudently in military security.

"We hope that the Japanese side could do more to help enhance mutual trust with China and other neighboring countries and to safeguard regional peace and stability," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:24:04|Editor: Xiang Bo

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SHIJIAZHUANG, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Huang Xingguo, former acting Party chief and mayor of Tianjin Municipality, stood trial Wednesday for accepting bribes.

Prosecutors accused Huang of taking advantage of his positions in Zhejiang Province and Tianjin to secure land for construction and promotions for others between 1994 and 2016.

He was alleged to have accepted money and valuables worth more than 40 million yuan (6 million U.S. dollars) either personally or through "related persons."

The case was heard by the Intermediate People's Court of Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, north China.

Huang confessed during the trial, according to the court. The verdict will be announced at another date.

The discipline inspection agency of the Communist Party of China (CPC)announced in January that Huang had been expelled from the CPC and dismissed from public office following a corruption investigation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:34:12|Editor: ying

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GENEVA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement said Wednesday it was "shocked and saddened" by the violent deaths of six Red Cross volunteers earlier this week in the Central Africa Republic (CAR).

The Red Cross said the volunteers were taking part in a crisis meeting at a health facility in Gambo in Mbomou prefecture in the southeast of the Central African Republic on Aug. 3.

The exact circumstances of the deaths are not yet clear. However, reports indicate that civilians and medical staff may also have been killed.

"The Red Cross Movement strongly condemns this incident, the third such attack in CAR to claim the lives of Red Cross personnel since the beginning of the year," the statement said.

Antoine Mbao-Bogo, president of the Central African Red Cross, said, "We are appalled by the news of the death of our fellow volunteers. We call on all parties to take steps to spare the civilian population, and to respect all humanitarian workers."

The Red Cross Movement said it is deeply concerned about the resurgence of violence in the Central African Republic in recent months.

The violence, and the specific targeting of humanitarian workers, is preventing Red Cross volunteers and personnel from assisting communities who have been severely affected by the armed conflict.

"The Red Cross Movement calls on armed actors to respect and protect medical personnel, ambulances and medical facilities. Armed personnel must not enter health facilities, and all groups must facilitate the evacuation of all sick and injured persons to medical facilities for medical care," the statement said

The Red Cross Movement extended its sincerest condolences to the families of those killed in the Aug. 3 attack, and to their colleagues and friends across CAR.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:39:16|Editor: ying

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KIGALI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Wednesday formally laid the foundation stone paving way for the construction of the Bugesera International airport in Bugesera district, Eastern Province.

The construction of the new International airport, with a passenger handling capacity of 4.5 million passengers a year will cost 818 million U.S. dollars, according to the Rwandan ministry of infrastructure.

The multimillion dollar facility is expected to accommodate the growing air traffic as Rwanda is developing into a conference and business hub.

Speaking at the inauguration, Kagame said that the new airport is an essential component in boosting intra-African travel, investment and business.

"Bugesera Airport is an important part of Rwanda's strategy for socio-economic transformation. We are as determined as you are to see this airport completed and operational. We may not be big but we will always strive to be our best. Rwandans to whom we are accountable are used to having high expectations and trust us to deliver. This will be no different," said the president.

In September 2016, the government of Rwanda signed partnership deal with a Portuguese firm to deliver the modern international airport.

According to the agreement, the Portuguese company is undertaking the project under a public-private partnership on a 25-year concession, with an optional 15-year extension.

The construction of the much anticipated Bugesera airport will be in two phases whereby the first stage will cost 418 million U.S. dollars with the capacity to handle 1.7 million passengers a year and it will be completed in 2018.

Rwanda has already upgraded its two airports, Kigali International Airport and Kamembe airport, while a feasibility study for modernizing Rubavu airport has been finalized.

The Rwanda aviation industry which has become one of the largest and most profitable airlines in East Africa has continued to spread wings across Africa and beyond.

The national airline Rwandair has been growing at an average of 20 percent in the last six years and is currently positioning itself as the most efficient and reliable airline in the region, according to figures from Rwanda's ministry of infrastructure.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:44:18|Editor: Xiang Bo

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KABUL, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Since the resumption of direct flights between Kabul and Urumqi, the capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in mid July 2016, the Afghan national flag carrier Ariana Afghan Airlines flies once a week and returns to Kabul the next day.

This is the only air route that takes Afghans mostly from business community straight from the Afghan capital to China and vice versa.

The resumption of direct flight between the two neighboring nations after a three-year hiatus has been widely welcomed by Afghans and the people of Afghanistan want to see an increase in the number of flights between Kabul and other Chinese cities, sources close to the matter said.

"Afghanistan and China have been enjoying friendly relations since ancient times and the resumption of direct flights between Kabul and Urumqi is tantamount to opening an air corridor that can bring the people of the two neighboring states closer," Sayam Pasarlai, the head of the public relations office of the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries, told Xinhua recently.

The official was also of the view that just one flight per week is not enough, adding that encouraging more Afghan and Chinese airline companies to link more cities would further boost trade and economic cooperation between the two nations.

China has invested in several sectors in Afghanistan and flights between Kabul and Urumqi would give further momentum to trade and economic cooperation between the two sides, Pasarlai said.

He also added that Afghan businesspeople in the past, if they wanted to visit China, would have to go via Dubai, New Delhi or even Turkey to arrive at Beijing or other Chinese cities, but the problem has been eased to some extent since a direct flight between Kabul and Urumqi was established.

To further boost bilateral relations, the official suggested that easing visa issuing procedures by both sides would facilitate easier travel of businesspeople and investors from both countries and avail opportunities for investment and economic activities.

"I am hopeful the flight between Kabul and Urumqi will continue forever and not only between Kabul and Urumqi but between several cities of the two countries," Pasarlai said with hope.

Praising the resumption of the direct flight between Kabul and Urumqi, another analyst Dad Mohammad Anabi described Afghanistan as a landlocked country and opined that establishing direct flights between Afghanistan and China, the world's second-largest economic power, is vital for boosting bilateral trade and economic relations.

He added that Afghanistan could largely benefit from more connectivity.

"The Kabul-Urumqi flight has opened an air corridor that facilitates Afghan traders to visit Urumqi and other cities of China to import their goods and export their products," Anabi, who is the editor-in-chief of the state-owned newspaper the Daily Islah, maintained.

However, he said that just one flight a week is not enough as boosting trade relations requires more strides including increasing the number of flights and strengthening connectivity via roads and railways.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:49:21|Editor: ying

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ROME, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed in what local media described as a "mafia-style ambush" in southern Italy on Wednesday.

Alleged local organized crime boss Mario Luciano Romiti and his brother-in-law Matteo De Palma were among the victims, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

The other two victims were local farmers and may have been killed because they were witnesses, public broadcaster RAI reported.

The attack took place in an isolated area near the town of San Marco in Lamis, in the southern Puglia region in the heel of Italy's boot on the map.

The four victims were traveling on board two different vehicles when they were shot dead by a 4-5 person commando on board another vehicle, La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno regional newspaper reported.

The attackers acted "in military style" and wielded a pistol, a Kalashnikov rifle, and a sawed-off shotgun, according to the local paper. The area has seen an ongoing turf war between rival mafia clans. The four deaths bring the victims so far this year to 17, plus two disappearances.

The most recent mafia killing before Wednesday was that of a 31-year-old restaurateur who was shot dead by two masked hitmen in front of his wife and some tourists during lunch hour at his pizza restaurant in the town of Vieste in July, according to local paper Foggia Today.

The southern Puglia region is a tourist destination for Italians and foreigners alike due to its enchanting coasts and historic sites.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:54:25|Editor: ying

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DAMASCUS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The general-command of the Syrian army urged Wednesday displaced civilians to return to their homes in areas in the southern countryside of Raqqa province in northern Syria.

The call comes as the Syrian army has captured the southern countryside of Raqqa, following battles with the Islamic State (IS) extremists.

In a statement, the army said civilians can return as of Aug. 10 to their homes and farms in the towns of Shnan, Sabkha, and Jabali.

Pledging facilitations, the Syrian army vowed to present all necessary help and services for the returnees.

This comes as the Syrian army has so far captured the western and southern countryside of Raqqa, as well as progressing in the southeastern and eastern rims of Raqqa, the de facto capital of IS in Syria.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor group said the government forces have reached the outskirts of the city of Ma'dan, the last IS-held city in the eastern countryside of Raqqa.

The progress will enable the Syrian army to reach the western administrative borders of the oil-rich province of Deir al-Zour in eastern Syria.

The Syrian army is also advancing in the desert in central Syria, particularly after capturing the Sukhneh city in the eastern countryside of Homs, which is also adjacent to the administrative borders of Deir al-Zour.

The wide-scale military offensive in the Syrian desert and the countryside of Raqqa is to break the IS siege and end its presence in Deir al-Zour.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are also advancing inside Raqqa, and have taken control of 55 percent of the city following a two-month battle with IS.

These battles aim to eliminate the IS in the key cities in Syria, as part of a Russian-U.S. understanding, which allows the Kurdish-led SDF to capture Raqqa city, and the Syrian army to retake Deir al-Zour.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:54:29|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the county of Jiuzhaigou in southwest China's Sichuan Province Tuesday night.

With rescue operations in full swing, Xinhua journalists have gathered some facts about the earthquake and the latest developments to provide a brief overview of the situation on the ground.

-- How serious was the earthquake?

The quake, measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale, hit Jiuzhaigou County at 9:19 p.m. Tuesday. The epicenter was recorded at a depth of 20 km below the township of Zhangzha. The population density of the county is 15 people per square km.

As of 8 p.m. Wednesday, 19 people had been confirmed dead while 247 reported injuries, including 40 in serious condition.

The number of casualties may continue to rise since rescuers have not yet reached all villages because some roads and communications remain cut off.

Seismologists warned that 6.0-magnitude aftershocks may strike in the coming days.

-- Where is Jiuzhaigou?

Jiuzhaigou is a popular tourist destination in the mountains on the eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is part of the Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Aba and is known for its ethnic minority communities, mountainous landscape, and stunning scenery.

The Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve covers 720 square km and includes plateau lakes, waterfalls and mountains. It has been open to tourists since 1984 and has seen visitor numbers rise each year. In 2016, it logged 5.14 million visits.

When the quake hit, tens of thousands of tourists were in Zhangzha. According to the disaster relief headquarters, some 60,000 people, most of them tourists, had been evacuated as of 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

-- Why do so many quakes hit this part of China?

At least three major tectonic earthquakes have struck mountainous areas of Sichuan in the past decade.

In 2008, an 8.0-magnitude earthquake in Wenchuan claimed more than 80,000 lives. Five years later, a 7.0-magnitude quake hit Lushan, killing 196.

Jiang Haikun from the China Earthquake Networks Center said that although the quakes were not related, they all occurred on the same seismic belts and were caused by the crustal movement of the Bayan Har block of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, pushing toward the borders of the low-lying Sichuan Basin.

-- Are the tourist sites damaged?

The nature reserve was closed to the public early Wednesday.

Water was drained from the plateau lake, known as Wuhuahai or "five flower lake," during the earthquake. Some tourist facilities have been damaged, according to Sangye, an employee of the nature reserve. Small landslides have occurred.

However, authorities have denied claims that barrier lakes had formed at two popular tourist areas. They said it remains too early to tell the full scale of damage.

-- Are the pandas OK?

Sichuan Province is the main habitat for giant pandas and the location of China's leading panda breeding and research institutes.

China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) reported Wednesday that pandas and staff at its base, 400 km from the quake epicenter, were not affected by the earthquake.

Preliminary checks confirmed that no pandas were injured and their breeding houses in the center's several reserves remained intact.

-- How are the rescue efforts progressing?

China has experienced devastating natural disasters in recent years and its rescue services have become extremely well prepared.

Rescue operations are now in full swing. A wide range of state units have been mobilized, including disaster relief, police, firefighters, armed forces, geologists, medical staff, infrastructure maintenance teams, transport authorities, and fuel suppliers.

Rescue dogs, life detectors, drones and laser sensors are among the equipment being used. Rescue teams are moving -- at times on foot -- to reach every village in the quake zone.

Sichuan has dispatched more than 1,300 armed police, 1,100 firefighters, 55 sets of heat sensors and 30 sniffer dogs to Jiuzhaigou.

A total of 455 firefighters from Shaanxi Province and 28 rescue workers from Gansu Province have also devoted themselves to the rescue. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:54:31|Editor: Xiang Bo

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Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with 57 scientists and experts who are enjoying a state-sponsored summer vacation at Beidaihe, a popular northern seaside resort in north China's Hebei Province, Aug. 9, 2017. Entrusted by President Xi Jinping, Liu extended greetings and good wishes to the scientists and experts. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

BEIDAIHE, Hebei, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official called on the country's leading scientists to remain steadfast in making innovations in science and technology on Wednesday.

Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks at a meeting with 57 scientists and experts who are enjoying a state-sponsored summer vacation at Beidaihe, a popular northern seaside resort near the Chinese national capital.

Entrusted by President Xi Jinping, Liu extended greetings and good wishes to the scientists and experts.

Liu urged them to make more efforts in innovation to help China boost its voice in the world and contribute to the realization of the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

Specialists should carry forward the excellent tradition of the older generation of scientists and learn from role models such as Huang Danian, a late geophysicist who devoted his life to making contributions in education and scientific research, Liu said.

Liu encouraged them to serve the people and the country, and greet the opening of the 19th CPC National Congress with outstanding results.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:59:33|Editor: ying

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DAMASCUS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army is continuing to advance against armed militant groups on Wednesday in the southern region close to the Jordanian border, a military source told Xinhua.

The Syrian troops captured Qa'Sarah, Wadi Shiab and a border police station in the southeastern countryside of Sweida Province near the Jordanian border, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The victory is the latest in a series of successful military operations the army and allied fighters have recently carried out in the countryside of Sweida.

The military forces have captured more than 100 square km of areas near the Syrian-Jordanian borders since July.

Reaching the Jordanian and Iraqi border has been a major priority for the Syrian army and allied fighters.

The government forces managed to reach the Iraqi borders following battles with the Islamic State (IS) militants in the Syrian Desert in the eastern countryside of Homs Province in central Syria.

The army also unleashed offensives in the countryside of Sweida to clean the province of IS and rebel groups.

The Syrian government has lost its border point with Jordan to the rebels in the southern province of Daraa, the birthplace of the Syrian war.

Recently, there has been talk that the army is working to open new border crossing with Jordan from Sweida, but with no official confirmation yet.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:59:35|Editor: ying

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by Ronald Njoroge

NAIROBI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Acting Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government Fred Matiang'i on Wednesday appealed for calm as the nation awaits the results for the Aug. 8 polls.

Matiang'i told a media briefing in Nairobi that as the tallying of votes continues throughout the country, Kenyans should maintain peace and rule of law.

"As the Independence Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) concludes the tallying process and determines the leaders, I urge all Kenyans to await in calm," Matiangi said.

He said that Kenyans from all over the country expressed their democratic will through the ballot on Tuesday.

"This has so far been the most peaceful pre-election and election period since independence because of improved management of the electoral process and security of the country," he added.

However, tension has been building up in the East African nation on allegations of fraud in the electoral process. He noted that so far, there have been no major security incidences.

"Our security agencies remain vigilant and are still at hand to provide security and maintain law and order throughout the country. We assure Kenyans and all residents that the country is safe and urge everyone to freely go about their daily chores." he said.

He urged every Kenyan to reject any incitement to cause chaos or participate in any unlawful criminal activity.

"Remember to report any suspicious activities to the police," he noted. According to the senior government official, the election has attracted the highest number of observers and media ever, in the East Africa region.

"The government therefore remains ready to facilitate any person or delegation that wishes to access any part of the country in regards to this election," Matiangi said.

He also sternly warned against the abuse of social media and particularly the circulation of fake news.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 21:59:36|Editor: ying

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BERLIN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Facebook will significantly increase its head count for German staff tasked with removing online content in breach of a new hate speech law, the U.S. social network announced on Wednesday.

A new "deletion center" with 500 employees would be opened in the city of Essen in the fall. Additionally, the number of staff working at Facebook's Berlin office will be raised to 700.

Rather than recruiting internally, Facebook is sub-contracting the activities to European service providers Arvato and Competence Call Center.

In July, the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag) passed the Network Enforcement Act, commonly referred to as the "Facebook law" which would see network operators, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, face fines of up 50 million euros (58.53 million U.S. dollars) if they failed to promptly delete content which breached hate speech laws.

Under Germany's prevailing legal framework, hate speech includes the incitement to kill or be violent, threatening speech, abusive language and sedition.

According to the new legislation, network operators are obliged to offer users an easily-recognizable and immediately responsive process to lodge complaints about such offenses. Network operators must delete criminal content within 24 hours of receiving complaints, although the window for action is extended to seven days in ambiguous cases.

The bill caused heavy controversy in the run up to its passing, with a diverse range of social media operators and civil rights and interest groups warning about its purported negative implications.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg had complained that he wanted to see a unified European resolution to the issue rather than 27 national approaches, calling the German law "inappropriate."

Civil rights groups have also raised concerns that the law might curtail freedom of expression as social media operators would be more inclined to delete ambiguous content out of fear of fines.

Facebook has declared its intention to increase the number of people it employs internationally to monitor and delete content on the social network from 4,500 to 7,500.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 22:04:39|Editor: ying

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BERLIN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Heiko Maas (SPD), the German Minister of Justice, on Wednesday called on managers in the automotive industry to voluntarily forgo their bonus payments to show atonement for carmakers' involvement in the ongoing "dieselgate" and "cartel" scandals.

"The managers should renounce their bonus payments in the coming years. At least that would constitute a small sign of their humbleness and understanding," Maas told the newspaper Passauer Neue Presse.

"The managers have misled millions of consumers and damaged the reputation of an entire industry, endangering hundreds of thousands of jobs in the process. Many people would lose their jobs if they made the same mistakes which the auto-bosses have made," he added.

German carmakers are enveloped in potentially interrelated scandals surrounding their sale of diesel vehicles whose nitrogen oxide emissions levels breach environmental regulations on the one hand, and illegal industry collusion on the other.

New figures from the Federal Office for the Environment revealed that even modern diesel vehicles exceed European Union limits for nitrogen oxide pollution significantly.

Maas admitted that government authorities had to do more as well. "The Federal Motor Transport Authority should assume a bigger role in consumer protection," he suggested.

The widely-anticipated but ultimately disappointing "Diesel Summit" held between government and automotive industry representative on Aug. 2 was an intermediary step, according to Maas.

"The automotive industry is on probation now. The cheating must stop," he said.

Moving forward, carmakers would have to go beyond merely offering software updates and ensure that diesels vehicles became cleaner lest they be forcibly removed from German streets.
Man and woman are seen fleeing Raqqa, Syria July 31, 2017. (Reuters)

DAMASCUS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The general-command of the Syrian army urged Wednesday displaced civilians to return to their homes in areas in the southern countryside of Raqqa province in northern Syria.

The call comes as the Syrian army has captured the southern countryside of Raqqa, following battles with the Islamic State (IS) extremists.

In a statement, the army said civilians can return as of Aug. 10 to their homes and farms in the towns of Shnan, Sabkha, and Jabali.

Pledging facilitations, the Syrian army vowed to present all necessary help and services for the returnees.

This comes as the Syrian army has so far captured the western and southern countryside of Raqqa, as well as progressing in the southeastern and eastern rims of Raqqa, the de facto capital of IS in Syria.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor group said the government forces have reached the outskirts of the city of Ma'dan, the last IS-held city in the eastern countryside of Raqqa.

The progress will enable the Syrian army to reach the western administrative borders of the oil-rich province of Deir al-Zour in eastern Syria.

The Syrian army is also advancing in the desert in central Syria, particularly after capturing the Sukhneh city in the eastern countryside of Homs, which is also adjacent to the administrative borders of Deir al-Zour.

The wide-scale military offensive in the Syrian desert and the countryside of Raqqa is to break the IS siege and end its presence in Deir al-Zour.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are also advancing inside Raqqa, and have taken control of 55 percent of the city following a two-month battle with IS.

These battles aim to eliminate the IS in the key cities in Syria, as part of a Russian-U.S. understanding, which allows the Kurdish-led SDF to capture Raqqa city, and the Syrian army to retake Deir al-Zour.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 22:19:52|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland is considering a series of new preferential policies for Hong Kong and Macao residents, according to an official with the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Wednesday.

The central government has listed nearly 50 concerns of Hong Kong and Macao residents who live, study and work on the mainland, ranging from social insurance application and education access to job opportunities and tourism services, said the unidentified official.

Hong Kong and Macao residents working on the mainland will be granted equal rights to housing provident funds to help them purchase homes and settle on the mainland, said the official.

Under current regulations, urban residents on the mainland, together with their employers, pay a portion of their incomes into the housing provident fund to be eligible for low-interest housing loans. The fund can also be used for rent, renovations and major illnesses.

The statement also said human resources authorities on the mainland are deliberating policies to give Hong Kong and Macao residents who live, work or study on the mainland access to social security.

The mainland also encourages Hong Kong and Macao residents to work in public institutions such as hospitals and universities, according to the official.

The Ministry of Education will ensure equal opportunities for students from Hong Kong and Macao to receive compulsory education.

In order to protect the legal rights of Hong Kong and Macao students in mainland higher education institutions, the ministry told institutions to standardize enrollment regulations and provide instructions in seeking jobs, establishing student clubs and applying for medical insurance.

While traveling on the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao residents can purchase and collect tickets via self-service ticket machines in train stations in Beijing and Shanghai municipalities, and in Guangdong, Hunan and Fujian provinces, among others, according to China Railway Corporation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 22:29:55|Editor: ying

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by Hashi

MOGADISHU, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's parliament on Wednesday approved the National Communications Act to regulate the country's telecommunication sector.

Abdi Ashur Hassan, minister for posts, telecoms and technology said the bill, finally endorsed by 158 votes to 1, was submitted to parliament in early July after consultations with all stakeholders in the last few months.

The telecommunications bill calls for the creation of telecoms regulatory authority, development of the country with telecommunications technology, protecting corporate and consumer rights and more participation by private sectors in developing the sector.

Drafting of this bill started as early as 2004 and has been sitting in front of 7th, 8th and 9th federal parliaments.

Hassan said the Bill had been allowed to remain idle for years, while technology was changing rapidly. He thanked the federal parliament for approving this bill unanimously and making a history.

"We recognize the tremendous and increasing impact that the telecoms sector has on the advancement of our economy and society. This Bill is a major breakthrough for the Somali people and the telecommunications sector in particular. It has been long promised, and we are indeed proud, to present the Bill for debate and passage by this honourable House," Ashur said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 22:40:04|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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HO CHI MINH CITY, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Vietnamese air passenger was arrested for transporting four packs of cocaine from Brazil to Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City, the Tan Son Nhat airport customs bureau said on Wednesday.

The detainee, a 37-year-old woman from central Binh Thuan province, confessed that her Nigerian boyfriend had bought air tickets for her to tour Brazil and told her to carry some "gifts" home for her relatives.

Over the past five years, the customs bureau has detected 52 people, including 32 women, who illegally transported drugs. Of the 32 women, 19 are Vietnamese and 13 are foreigners.

Most of the detainees were seduced or cheated to transport drugs for smuggling rings, said local police.

According to the Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine are punishable by death. Making or trading 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal drugs also faces death penalty.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 23:25:30|Editor: Song Lifang

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DUBAI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- China has remained the top trade partner of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for three straight years from 2014 to 2016, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported Wednesday.

The total China-UAE trade amounted to 520.6 billion Emirates Dirhams (AED) (141.74 billion U.S. dollars) during the 2014-2016 period, the report said, quoting statistics from the UAE Ministry of Economy.

The China-UAE trade totalled 170.2 billion AED in 2016, down slightly from 174.6 billion AED in 2015 and 175.8 billion AED in 2014.

India came second with a total trade volume of 386.4 billion AED from 2014 to 2016. The India-UAE trade reached a new record of 131.8 billion AED in 2016.

The United States ranked third in the list of UAE's trade partners, with a total trade volume of 312.6 billion AED during the 2014-2016 period. The U.S.-UAE trade reached a new record of 111.1 billion AED in 2016.

Saudi Arabia was the UAE's fourth trade partner, with a total trade volume of 231 billion AED from 2014 to 2016. The Saudi-UAE trade amounted to 71.6 billion AED in 2016.

In the fifth place, Germany had a trade volume of 171.8 billion AED with the UAE during the same period. The Germany-UAE trade reached a new high of 59.1 billion AED in 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 23:25:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Photo taken on Aug. 9, 2017 shows eggs sold in a Belgian market, in Brussels, Belgium. Millions of contaminated eggs were withdrawn from the market last week in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland, after it was discovered that the eggs had presence of fipronil. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

BRUSSELS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Belgium's Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC), who was criticized for its lack of communication in the case of contaminated eggs, said the investigating judge in charge of egg contamination with the fipronil insecticide requested that "no information other than public health measures should be disseminated."

FASFC made the statement in a chronological document published Wednesday as a response to the critics about its inaction related to the food security scandal.

The prosecution also requested that the names of the suspected companies not be quoted, added FASFC.

The agency, aware of a potential contamination since June 2, is however under fire from critics for delaying to warn the authorities and neighboring countries.

In large quantities, fipronil is an insecticide considered to be "moderately toxic" to humans by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is strictly forbidden in animals intended for human consumption.

On June 2, 2017, the FASFC received the first notification from a Belgian company informing that via its own analyzes there was a potential problem with fipronil. In the ensuing investigation, the Food Agency blocked 86 companies.

During the analysis phases, FASFC considers that it did not need to communicate to the general public, having "taken the necessary steps to avoid the progression of contamination in the the food chain". According to FASFC, "none of the samples of eggs taken in Belgium indicate a danger to public health".

According to the FASFC, the presence of fipronil in eggs in the Netherlands was detected in November 2016. "No official confirmation from the Netherlands has reached us," the Belgian Minister of Agriculture Denis Ducarme in the Chamber of Deputies.

The Netherlands is Europe's largest egg producer and one of the largest exporters of eggs and egg products in the world.

So far, contaminated eggs from the Netherlands have been found in Belgium, Germany, France and possibly other European countries.

In total, 180 farms in the Netherlands are confirmed to have used an anti-lice poison which contained Fipronil. In one case the concentration was so high that Dutch authorities warned consumers about "acute danger" of the affected eggs.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 23:30:41|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted a predawn raid of former Donald Trump presidential campaign chairman Paul Manafort's home in Alexandria, Virginia, a spokesperson for Manafort confirmed Wednesday.

FBI agents, using a wide-ranging search warrant, raided Manafort's home without advance warning in the predawn hours of July 26, the day after he met voluntarily with the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee members, the Washington Post reported, quoting people familiar with special counsel Robert Mueller who is investigating ties between Trump's campaign and Russia.

Manafort's spokesperson confirmed the report in a statement.

"FBI agents executed a search warrant at one of Mr. Manafort's residences. Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well," he added.

The agents departed the house with various records whose significance is unclear and materials Manafort had already provided to the Congress were reportedly included.

Manafort has provided documents to both the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate and House intelligence committees. The documents are said to include notes Manafort took while attending a meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 23:35:45|Editor: Song Lifang

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LOME, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Wednesday affirmed the commitment of his country to Africa and saw "great potential to grow and deepen trade relationship."

Robert E. Lighthizer expressed this in opening speech of the ministerial plenary as part of the 16th Forum of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), on Wednesday here in Togolese capital Lome.

"The United States is committed to Africa. We see great potential to grow and deepen our trade relationship, with the goal of establishing a true partnership for the future", Lighthizer said.

"By lowering barriers and tackling other constraints that impede trade and investment, we are poised to see U.S.-Africa trade flourish", he said, underscoring that "much more work needs to be done" to realize these gains.

Addressing the audience, he urged African partners for deeper commercial engagement as he mentioned changes in Africa and the implementation of reciprocal trade agreements by some African partners with economies that compete with the United States.

"The Africa of today is not the Africa of 17 years ago. We live in a changing world and much has changed in Africa over this period", he said.

As illustration, Lighthizer reported that the United States is importing over one billion dollars in luxury automobiles from Sub-Saharan Africa annually.

"Meanwhile, some AGOA partners are implementing reciprocal trade agreements with major developed economies that compete with the United States," he said.

"So let us focus on ways we can achieve deeper commercial engagement now, while working towards greater reciprocity in the future to ensure that sustained political support for our trade relationship goes forward," he added.

Lighthizer ensured that these issues and opportunities should be discussed further during sessions that are being held in closed-door meetings.

He expressed his confidence on shared successful discussions as follows: "Together, we can create a better business environment and chart a path toward a stronger and more sustainable trade relationship for the future."

The 16th AGOA Forum is themed "The United States and Africa: Partnering for Prosperity through Trade."

Scheduled to close on Thursday, after it kicked off on Tuesday, the meeting was expected to gather over one thousand participants from 38 Sub-Saharan African countries and the United States.

Under the AGOA, eligible Sub-Saharan African countries are offered duty-free access for about 6,500 products to the market of the United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 23:40:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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By Burak Akinci

ANKARA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- As a huge number of Syrian refugees have lived in Turkey since the beginning of the civil war in 2011, the Turkish government should facilitate their integration economically and socially with international cooperation, said experts.

Several reports were published recently on the 3.3 million registered Syrians living on Turkish soil since six years ago, more than any country of the world.

It is believed, however, that the number of Syrian refugees in Turkey is event higher than this number. In addition, there are also more than 200,000 Iraqi refugees.

Only about 300,000 Syrian refugees live in 25 camps run by Turkish government organizations, while most of the refugees are clustered in big cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir or Gaziantep, or located in southeastern Turkey, near the 900-km-long Syrian border.

As a result, over 240,000 refugee children have been born in Turkey since 2011.

Generally, everyone feels that compared with other countries, Turkey has done a very good job to look after the refugees, and the solidarity inside the country is still there even a long and arduous way is ahead for their real integration to the society for not being considered as temporary "guests" in Turkey. Only a small number of refugees have been granted working permits.

And contrary to some European countries where the refugee crisis has become a political denominator, in Turkey no political party exploited or tried to turn the fear of refugees into an election issue while some tensions and fights are reported now, particularly between locals and Syrian youngsters.

Around 100,000 refugees are expected to return to Syria from Turkey by the end of 2017, according to a project started as part of cooperation between the Family and Social Policies Ministry and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The Turkish Armed Forces and Free Syrian Army (FSA) started the Euphrates Shield Operation in August 2016 to clear around 2,000 sq km of the Syrian provinces of Azez, Mare and al-Bab of Islamic State (IS) jihadists and Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers as a terrorist group.

Up to now, 70,000 Syrians have returned to these cleared provinces. After the completion of construction and security works, 100,000 Syrian refugees will return to al-Bab by the end of this year, according to officials. Some 20,000 of those who have already returned to their country since the Euphrates Shield Operation are reportedly located in al-Bab.

As part of the project, psychological support is also given to Syrian women, children and families who are planning to return to Syria.

Meanwhile, an academic study prepared by Hacettepe University in Ankara related to Syrian students in Turkey showed that 27 percent of them are not planning to return to Syria. Around 14,700 Syrian students in Turkey and 120 academics were involved in preparation of the study.

Some 27 percent of respondents said they would "never" go back to Syria, while 52 percent said they could go back to Syria once the civil war comes to an end, but there's still no peace in sight of the near future as the conflict remains the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

While Turkey is praised for the general manner that it addresses the refugee crisis, its resources can be stretched only so far while the country has been hit in recent years with political turmoil and a coup attempt in July 2016.

The researcher behind this survey, assistant professor Murat Erdogan, head of the migration and politics research center at Hacettepe University, said to Xinhua that Turkey only publicized its camps where refugees live in good conditions on the international arena without mentioning the millions living in dire conditions in various cities across the country.

"This pushed potential contributors to choose a so-called less fortunate country such as Lebanon or Jordan thinking that refugees are well being taken in Turkey. We shot ourselves in the foot really," regretted this expert.

"According to the last figure that I have, only 7.3 percent of refugees live in camps, and the other 92.7 percent live by their means," he indicated.

The professor also pointed out that the Turkish government was reluctant for different reasons to accept project offers by foreign institutions or NGO, preferring cash assistance because it wants to be the sole manager of any project without delegating responsibility, a stance for which he criticized.

In the meantime, Syrians have come to metropolitan areas and 80,000 of them have flocked to the Turkish capital for a better life and possible employment.

In downtown Ankara, Mouhammed Arbi, 33 years old, who works in menial jobs to provide for his family of five, has told Xinhua that he does not feel any apparent hostility in Turkey but would definitely want to return to his hometown of Aleppo, north of Syria, devastated by the war.

"We are accepted as guests but not as first class citizens here. We do not speak Turkish and sometimes it's really hard to get along with the locals," he said, adding that "Turks feel that we are grabbing their jobs, while I don't think it's the case."

"We would love to return home but for now as the war is still continuing, we are stuck here," said Arbi, with a smile on his face, explaining that they are lucky to be still alive even in limbo while the civil war in Syria crawls into its seventh year.

Turkey says regularly that she is championing the international efforts by spending over 25 billion U.S. dollars for refugees' wellbeing, and criticizes the international community for lack of response in this crisis that is worrying not only regional countries but also other key players.

Recently China, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, said via his Foreign Minister Wang Yi that refugees are not migrants and the international community should strive to create appropriate conditions to encourage refugees to go home.

"China will take on a constructive role in resolving the refugee crisis," said Wang to reporters in July during a visit to Lebanon.

The European Union (EU), who brokered a controversial deal with Turkey in March 2016 to prevent the flow of asylum seekers into Europe influx and in return for three billion euros in aid, is one of the main contributors to Turkey even though the agreement has not lived to expectations.

Over 850,000 refugees living outside of designated camps will receive special debit cards, (120 Turkish lira, or 35 dollars, for each refugee per month) before the end of August financed by the EU and implemented by the Turkish Red Crescent, and the final target is to reach over one million refugees by September, announced recently by aid officials.

"We have to admit that the international response to the refugee crisis globally has been poor. We witnessed that the international solidarity was week and the lack on a consensus aggravated the problem," pointed out Murat Erdogan.

"We are being left alone on tackling Syria refugee crisis and the international community gave an awful account regarding the issue, we have to share this burden fairly," stated recently Turkish President Erdogan, adding that Turkey will continue to be a safe haven for the people fleeing the war.

Yet as Turkey's absorption capacity has reached a saturation point, it is difficult to predict how long further the country can manage the problem on his own.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 23:40:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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LUSAKA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Wednesday congratulated his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame over his re-election in last week's elections.

Lungu said Kagame's re-election was a demonstration of the confidence the people of Rwanda had in his leadership and vision for his country.

Zambia looked forward to continued cooperation with the Rwandan government in addressing issues of mutual interest at bilateral and multilateral levels, he added, according to a statement released by his office.

The Zambian leader said his government was keen to enhancing cooperation between the two countries in key sectors for their mutual benefit as well as for the advancement of the regional and African developmental agendas.

Kagame, 59, swept to a landslide victory in Rwanda's presidential election, securing a third term in office and extending his 17 years in power.

The former guerrilla leader polled 98.79 percent of the vote, with over 6.6 million votes, according to the final results released by Rwandan National Electoral Commission (NEC) Wednesday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 23:50:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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ISTANBUL, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The steps Turkey have recently taken, such as awarding a major energy contract to a Siemens-led consortium, suggest its readiness to mend ties with Germany despite the latter's threat of sanctions against Ankara amid the ongoing crisis, analysts said.

The Siemens-won tender may be seen as an economic concession to eliminate the political tension with Germany, Huseyin Bagci, a professor of international relations at Middle East Technical University (METU), told Xinhua.

Last week, a group of Turkish companies headed by Germany's Siemens won a one-billion-U.S.-dollar wind energy tender by offering the lowest price for supplying energy.

The result will make an important contribution to Turkish-German ties considering the 200-year-old cooperation between the two countries, Turkish Energy Minister Berat Albayrak said following the tender.

Turkey's recent efforts to contain the crisis, such as the withdrawal of a probe about German firms, indicate that Ankara does not want the crisis to deepen, said Cahit Armagan Dilek, director of the 21st Century Turkey Institute.

A probe into dozens of Turkey-based German firms about their alleged terrorism links was withdrawn in late July and Ankara said the inquiry was a result of miscommunication.

Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said the probe was a mistake and that it would never recur.

"The Turkish government must have realized that the deepening of the crisis would be to its detriment," Dilek said, referring to the fact that Siemens-led consortium won the big energy tender.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim hosted representatives of 19 German firms at the Cankaya Palace at the end of July and assured them that the Turkish government would not allow the tension to damage their businesses.

"Let me put it very clearly: We do not see you as German companies, but rather as the companies of this country," the prime minister said at the meeting.

Gurkan Kumbaroglu, the chair of the Istanbul-based Energy Economy Association, said in remarks to the local media that the energy tender could serve as an olive branch in Turkish-German ties.

The bilateral ties between Turkey and Germany, two NATO members, began to sour after Turkey's failed coup attempt last July.

Turkey accuses Germany of acting as a safe haven to militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and not returning members of the Turkish military accused of being linked to Fethullah Gulen.

Gulen is a U.S.-based Turkish cleric who is accused by Ankara of masterminding the failed coup. Turkey says it's Gulen's followers in the military who attempted the coup.

In a latest move, Ankara allowed, following a previous refusal, a delegation of German lawmakers to visit under the NATO banner the German troops in an air base in Konya .

According to a report on Germany's Deutsche Welle on Tuesday, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said in a letter to the head of Germany's parliamentary defense committee that Turkey had accepted NATO's proposal for a visit to the base on Sept. 8.

In mid-July, Ankara barred a German group of lawmakers from visiting German military personnel in the Konya base. Media reports had said it was because of the fact that the German delegation included a deputy with links to the outlawed PKK.

Turkey has realized it has a tiger by the tail when Germany responded through economic measures, said Bagci.

"Those who govern Turkey should be careful about with whom to pick a fight," he added, noting there are around 6,500 German firms in Turkey.

Germany is a major economic partner for Turkey. The EU's leading country is one of the biggest foreign investors and over 60,000 people are employed in German companies in Turkey.

Germany accounts for about 10 percent in both Turkey's exports and imports. Nearly 3.5 million Turkish people live in Germany. Germany is traditionally the country which sends the biggest number of tourists to Turkey.

The dispute between the two countries had been further fuelled in May when Turkey did not allow German lawmakers to visit German troops stationed in the Incirlik military base in southern Turkey. As a result, Germany withdrew all its Tornado jets from Incirlik at the end of last month.

Back in spring, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany of adopting Nazi and fascist methods when Germany barred some Turkish Cabinet ministers from addressing Turkish expats ahead of April's referendum in Turkey.

Turkey's "Nazi" criticism drew harsh reactions from Germany, which has kept criticizing Ankara for eliminating the rule of law and cracking down on dissidents following the failed coup.

Several days after the coup attempt, the Turkish government imposed an emergency rule which has been in place ever since.

Many leading figures of the Gulen movement, such as military officers, jurists as well as media and business people, are facing trial in Turkey for being members of the Gulen movement.

Bruno Kahl, the head of Germany's foreign intelligence (BND), said in March that they are not convinced about Gulen's role in the coup. Kahl's remarks were coldly received in Ankara.

Highly vexed by Ankara's attitude, Germany threatened last month to introduce some economic and military sanctions against Turkey including steps that would hinder German investments there. Berlin also told its citizens to be careful when travelling to Turkey.

Germany could also move to block EU financial aid to Turkey which has been in a bid, though long-stalled, for membership with the EU.

The German move came on July 20, a day after Peter Steudtner, a German human rights activist, was arrested along with several representatives of Turkey-based human rights organizations on charges of aiding a terrorist organization.

Germany said it was absurd for the human rights activists to face such charges. However, Erdogan said earlier last month that the activists had gathered in Istanbul for a plot that would serve as a follow-up to last July's coup attempt.

"Relations between Turkey and Germany seem to have entered a phase of deterioration that is unpredictable," said Dilek.

However, he feels, like many analysts, the political tension between the two countries may well subside following Germany's general elections in September.

Ahead of Turkey's constitutional referendum in April, top Turkish officials strongly criticized Germany, while the German side usually chose not to respond in the same tone.

Turkey's image as a democratic country has sharply deteriorated in Europe in recent years and Turkey has often been accused of having turned away from democracy.

According to the German media, 80 percent of the Germans support imposing economic sanctions against Turkey.

Germany's rising criticism toward Turkey in recent weeks has also to do with the upcoming German elections, Murat Bilhan, deputy chairman of the Istanbul-based Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies (TASAM), told Xinhua.

"The course the Turkish-German relations will take will only become clear after September's elections," said Bilhan, a former Turkish diplomat.

German Foreign Minister Gabriel said at the beginning of the week that any improvement in bilateral ties depends on whether Turkey would change its current attitude.

"Those who treat German citizens in such a fashion can not expect us to act as if the political and economic ties were in very good shape," he was reported as saying.

The analysts say Turkey is doing the right thing by not acting in a way to escalate the crisis.

The escalation of the crisis may cause Germany to take some decisions that could harm Turkey irreparably, Bilhan noted.

As part of a deal with the EU updated in March, Turkey has promised to prevent refugees on its territory from travelling to Europe.

Turkey officially hosts around three million Syrian refugees.

Earlier last year, Erdogan suggested that Turkey would send the refugees to Europe by putting them on buses if the EU should not keep its promises in the refugee deal.

METU's Bagci said Erdogan seemed to act like a bull in a china shop by publicly targeting Germany in harsh language, while some leading government figures have tried to minimize the harm to bilateral ties by adopting a moderate discourse.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-09 23:50:56|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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LUSAKA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Zambia have arrested 30 Tanzanians for working without permits, the immigration department said on Wednesday.

The Tanzanians were arrested last Thursday in eastern Zambia's Petauke district where they were conducting illegal mining activities, according to Immigration Department spokesperson Namati Nshinka.

The Tanzanians, who are currently in police custody, will appear in court soon, he added.

In June, authorities arrested 19 other Tanzanians in the same district over illegal gold mining.

The eastern part of Zambia has recorded an increase in foreigners, especially Tanzanians, conducting illegal mining activities.

Recently, authorities in the province revealed that about 5,000 people were involved in illegal mining activities in the province.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 00:06:04|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TEHRAN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned Wednesday a recent attack that left dozens dead in a remote Shiite village in northern Afghanistan, Press TV reported.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi condemned the attack as "brutal and inhumane" and offered his condolences to the Afghan government and nation, as well as the victims' families.

Qasemi urged the Afghan government and people to remain vigilant and maintain unity in the face of such tragedies.

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, also condemned the attack in a message to his Afghan counterpart, and called for a collective battle against terrorism.

Shamkhani said that "only serious resolve and determination, cooperation among neighboring countries and a genuine fight against terrorism" would put an end to such "poignant measures by extremist groups."

The Islamic republic will employ what it has in power to help restore security and stability to those countries plagued by terrorism, the Iranian official said.

Dozens of civilians, including women and children, were killed in an attack on a village in northern Afghan province of Sari Pul overnight Sunday. A number of Afghan security forces were also killed.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 00:11:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NAIROBI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on Wednesday vowed to revitalize the stalled South Sudan peace process.

IGAD Director of Peace and Security Tewolde Gebremeskel told Xinhua in Nairobi that they are currently developing a matrix that will outline timelines to return the country to stability.

"The matrix will soon be presented to the Heads of States of IGAD member states for approval so that the stalled peace process in South Sudan is revived," Gebremeskel said.

He said the implementation of the peace process stopped due to a split of the opposition wing of the transnational government.

Gebremeskel said that the revitalized peace process will also include a provision for the development of a new constitution.

"The constitution will play a role in stabilizing South Sudan by ensuring that governments are more inclusive," he added.

Gebremeskel said that once the peace process is revitalized, preparations for new elections will commence.

"Elections were initially scheduled to take place in 2018, however due to prolonged conflict, the earliest the elections can take place is 2020," he added.

He noted that before elections can occur, there has to be cessation of hostilities by all armed groups in South Sudan.

"We also want to ensure that humanitarian aid can reach the most in need," he added. The regional bloc noted that restoration of stability in South Sudan has been hampered by the fight for oil resources by the country's political elite.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 00:11:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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MOGADISHU, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A senior police commander was shot dead on Wednesday in the Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland.

Police said the police chief was gunned down by armed men in the center of Bosaso town in Bari region.

"Armed men gunned down deputy police commander Abdi Dhere and drove off. We are already investigating and all those behind the murder will face justice," police officer Abdisalam Ahmed told Xinhua.

Residents also reported the incident. "We were sitting near a restaurant and we heard some shooting. People were saying a police officer was killed," Jamal Elmi told Xinhua

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack but Al-Shabaab has conducted similar attacks in Somalia, most of which were in the capital Mogadishu.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 00:31:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KUWAIT, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah will visit the U.S. next month to "open a new chapter" of their strategic ties, U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait Lawrence Silverman said Wednesday.

"The visit reflects the very strong, close and strategic partnership between the United States and Kuwait, which is longstanding, but also we are in the process of enhancing that relationship, making it even closer," the U.S. envoy told the Kuwaiti official news agency KUNA in an interview.

This will be the Kuwaiti leader's fourth visit to the U.S. since he took office in 2006. He previously visited Washington in 2006, 2009 and 2013, and also participated in a summit between the U.S. and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at the Camp David in May 2015.

The upcoming U.S. visit, scheduled on Sept. 6, was planned amid Kuwait's efforts to mediate the ongoing standoff between Qatar and the Arab quartet led by Saudi Arabia.

Kuwait has been playing the role of mediator in the standoff which started early June when the quartet, which also includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt, cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, citing Doha's support of terrorism and interference in their internal affairs.

Washington was throwing its weight behind Kuwait's mediation in the "intra-GCC" political dispute, Silverman said. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain as well as Qatar are all GCC members.

The U.S. supports Kuwait's mediation because it wants to see an end to this dispute as quickly as possible "for the sake of the region," Silverman noted.

He also praised Kuwait for its plan to host an international conference of donors next year on Iraq's reconstruction of areas liberated from terror group Islamic State.

During the emir's visit, the two countries will hold the second session of the Kuwait-U.S. Strategic Dialogue, which will draw a map for strengthening the Kuwait-U.S. ties in the next 25 years.

"It is really one of the foundation blocks of our relation, as part of the dialogue would be discussing possibilities in even furthering this cooperation. So, it is the whole gambit of relations," Silverman said.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson looks forward to holding talks with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah to continue discussions on enhancing cooperation on defense, fighting terrorism and promoting bilateral trade ties, Silverman said.

Another important aspect of the trade discussion will be the protection of intellectual property rights, he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 00:36:20|Editor: huaxia

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ABUJA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Six Boko Haram fighters have been killed by government forces in an operation aimed at dislodging the remnant of the terror group in Nigeria's northeast.

Nigerian Army spokesman Sani Usman told reporters on Wednesday that the terrorists were killed in Dikwa area of the northeastern state of Borno on Monday.

Usman said the troops, assisted by the civilian self-defense force in the area, had laid an ambush for the terrorists between two villages in the area.

"Several other terrorists sustained various degrees of injuries," he added.

The Nigerian Army said troops are sustaining the tempo in their fight against terrorists and aimed to clear unrepentant Boko Haram fighters from the shores of Nigeria.

Boko Haram has killed more than 20,000 and displaced 2.3 million people in its attacks since 2009. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 00:36:21|Editor: Song Lifang

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. FBI agents conducted a predawn raid of home of Paul Manafort, former chairman of Donald Trump's presidential campaign in Alexandria, Virginia, a spokesperson for Manafort confirmed Wednesday.

"FBI agents executed a search warrant at one of Mr. Manafort's residences," Manafort's spokesperson said in a statement.

"Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well," the statement said.

FBI agents, using a wide-ranging search warrant, raided Manafort's home without advance warning in the predawn hours of July 26, the Washington Post reported earlier Wednesday, quoting people familiar with the special counsel Robert Mueller probe into ties between Trump's campaign and Russia.

The agents departed the home with various records whose significance is unclear and materials Manafort had already provided to the Congress, said the report.

Manafort has voluntarily provided documents to both the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate and House intelligence committees, in compliance with their investigation into possible Russian election interference.

The Trump campaign submitted more than 20,000 pages of records to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Aug. 2, the deadline to send over records to the committee.

Among them, Manafort reportedly provided about 400 pages, including his foreign agent advocacy paperwork. These documents are required by the Senate judiciary panel to include notes Manafort took while attending a meeting with the president's eldest son Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016.

Manafort, a lobbyist and political consultant in the 1980s, resigned from the Trump campaign last August amid questions about his pro-Russia foreign business ties. He has come under intense scrutiny in the investigation into Russian election meddling since last year.
A Syrian family break their fasting on June 16, 2017, in the centre of Diyarbakir, during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. (AFP photo)

ANKARA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- As a huge number of Syrian refugees have lived in Turkey since the beginning of the civil war in 2011, the Turkish government should facilitate their integration economically and socially with international cooperation, said experts.

Several reports were published recently on the 3.3 million registered Syrians living on Turkish soil since six years ago, more than any country of the world.

It is believed, however, that the number of Syrian refugees in Turkey is event higher than this number. In addition, there are also more than 200,000 Iraqi refugees.

Only about 300,000 Syrian refugees live in 25 camps run by Turkish government organizations, while most of the refugees are clustered in big cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir or Gaziantep, or located in southeastern Turkey, near the 900-km-long Syrian border.

As a result, over 240,000 refugee children have been born in Turkey since 2011.

Generally, everyone feels that compared with other countries, Turkey has done a very good job to look after the refugees, and the solidarity inside the country is still there even a long and arduous way is ahead for their real integration to the society for not being considered as temporary "guests" in Turkey. Only a small number of refugees have been granted working permits.

And contrary to some European countries where the refugee crisis has become a political denominator, in Turkey no political party exploited or tried to turn the fear of refugees into an election issue while some tensions and fights are reported now, particularly between locals and Syrian youngsters.

Around 100,000 refugees are expected to return to Syria from Turkey by the end of 2017, according to a project started as part of cooperation between the Family and Social Policies Ministry and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The Turkish Armed Forces and Free Syrian Army (FSA) started the Euphrates Shield Operation in August 2016 to clear around 2,000 sq km of the Syrian provinces of Azez, Mare and al-Bab of Islamic State (IS) jihadists and Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers as a terrorist group.

Up to now, 70,000 Syrians have returned to these cleared provinces. After the completion of construction and security works, 100,000 Syrian refugees will return to al-Bab by the end of this year, according to officials. Some 20,000 of those who have already returned to their country since the Euphrates Shield Operation are reportedly located in al-Bab.

As part of the project, psychological support is also given to Syrian women, children and families who are planning to return to Syria.

Meanwhile, an academic study prepared by Hacettepe University in Ankara related to Syrian students in Turkey showed that 27 percent of them are not planning to return to Syria. Around 14,700 Syrian students in Turkey and 120 academics were involved in preparation of the study.

Some 27 percent of respondents said they would "never" go back to Syria, while 52 percent said they could go back to Syria once the civil war comes to an end, but there's still no peace in sight of the near future as the conflict remains the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

While Turkey is praised for the general manner that it addresses the refugee crisis, its resources can be stretched only so far while the country has been hit in recent years with political turmoil and a coup attempt in July 2016.

The researcher behind this survey, assistant professor Murat Erdogan, head of the migration and politics research center at Hacettepe University, said to Xinhua that Turkey only publicized its camps where refugees live in good conditions on the international arena without mentioning the millions living in dire conditions in various cities across the country.

"This pushed potential contributors to choose a so-called less fortunate country such as Lebanon or Jordan thinking that refugees are well being taken in Turkey. We shot ourselves in the foot really," regretted this expert.

"According to the last figure that I have, only 7.3 percent of refugees live in camps, and the other 92.7 percent live by their means," he indicated.

The professor also pointed out that the Turkish government was reluctant for different reasons to accept project offers by foreign institutions or NGO, preferring cash assistance because it wants to be the sole manager of any project without delegating responsibility, a stance for which he criticized.

In the meantime, Syrians have come to metropolitan areas and 80,000 of them have flocked to the Turkish capital for a better life and possible employment.

In downtown Ankara, Mouhammed Arbi, 33 years old, who works in menial jobs to provide for his family of five, has told Xinhua that he does not feel any apparent hostility in Turkey but would definitely want to return to his hometown of Aleppo, north of Syria, devastated by the war.

"We are accepted as guests but not as first class citizens here. We do not speak Turkish and sometimes it's really hard to get along with the locals," he said, adding that "Turks feel that we are grabbing their jobs, while I don't think it's the case."

"We would love to return home but for now as the war is still continuing, we are stuck here," said Arbi, with a smile on his face, explaining that they are lucky to be still alive even in limbo while the civil war in Syria crawls into its seventh year.

Turkey says regularly that she is championing the international efforts by spending over 25 billion U.S. dollars for refugees' wellbeing, and criticizes the international community for lack of response in this crisis that is worrying not only regional countries but also other key players.

Recently China, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, said via his Foreign Minister Wang Yi that refugees are not migrants and the international community should strive to create appropriate conditions to encourage refugees to go home.

"China will take on a constructive role in resolving the refugee crisis," said Wang to reporters in July during a visit to Lebanon.

The European Union (EU), who brokered a controversial deal with Turkey in March 2016 to prevent the flow of asylum seekers into Europe influx and in return for three billion euros in aid, is one of the main contributors to Turkey even though the agreement has not lived to expectations.

Over 850,000 refugees living outside of designated camps will receive special debit cards, (120 Turkish lira, or 35 dollars, for each refugee per month) before the end of August financed by the EU and implemented by the Turkish Red Crescent, and the final target is to reach over one million refugees by September, announced recently by aid officials.

"We have to admit that the international response to the refugee crisis globally has been poor. We witnessed that the international solidarity was week and the lack on a consensus aggravated the problem," pointed out Murat Erdogan.

"We are being left alone on tackling Syria refugee crisis and the international community gave an awful account regarding the issue, we have to share this burden fairly," stated recently Turkish President Erdogan, adding that Turkey will continue to be a safe haven for the people fleeing the war.

Yet as Turkey's absorption capacity has reached a saturation point, it is difficult to predict how long further the country can manage the problem on his own.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 00:51:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations is ready to help the victims in the earthquake in China's Sichuan province, said UN Secretary-General's spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Wednesday.

The United Nations extends condolences to the Chinese people and government over the earthquake and is on standby to help, Dujarric told a press briefing.

The spokesman said the Chinese government has lots of experience in search and rescue, but the United Nations is still ready to help should the Chinese government request international assistance.

Nineteen people were killed so far and more than 200 injured when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck a remote area in Sichuan province in southwest China late Tuesday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 01:06:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DUBAI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday denied news reports that it has opened its airspace for Qatar-registered flights.

In a statement, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) clarified that it only allowed Qatar flights to use the airspace above international waters and managed by the UAE and not the UAE airspace.

On the same day, Saudi Arabia also denied news reports that it allows Qatar carriers to use its airports and airspace.

Saudi civil aviation authority affirmed that the boycott of Qatar continues. It said that the related news reports were based on some voluntary sites, such as Flightradar24, which provide inaccurate images.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of supporting terrorism and interfering in their internal affairs. Qatar has strongly denied the charges.

As result of the boycott, 18 destinations in the region are out of reach for Qatar Airways, Qatar's state-owned flag carrier.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 01:11:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- "Beam me up, Scotty." The famous "Star Trek" catchphrase has launched teleporting daydreams the world over.

Now Chinese scientists have completed an experiment straight out of the realms of science fiction - quantum teleportation - from the ground to the world's first quantum satellite.

The experiment was similar in some ways to the Star Trek mode of transport, except that the scientists beamed up the quantum states of photons rather than people.

The results of the quantum teleportation experiment - Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) - via the quantum satellite was published in the latest issue of the academic journal Nature.

The satellite is named "Micius" after a 5th century B.C. Chinese philosopher and scientist who is credited as the first person ever to conduct optical experiments

The reviewers of Nature commented that the results represent an important breakthrough in the quest for quantum communication over long distances. This goal is very challenging and new.

Pan Jianwei, lead scientist of QUESS and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, explained that quantum teleportation allows faithful transfer of unknown quantum states from one object to another over a long distance, without physical travel of the object itself. Long-distance teleportation has been recognized as a fundamental element in protocols such as large-scale quantum networks and distributed quantum computation.

However, previous teleportation experiments between distant locations were limited to a distance of about 100 kilometers, due to photon loss in optical fibers or terrestrial free-space channels. An outstanding challenge for building a global-scale "quantum internet" is to significantly extend the range for teleportation, Pan said.

A promising solution to this problem is exploiting satellite platforms and space-based links, which can conveniently connect two remote points on Earth while greatly reducing channel loss, because most of the photons' transmission path is in empty space, said Pan.

In the experiment, the scientists transmitted quantum states of photons from a ground station about 5,100 meters above sea level in Ali Prefecture, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, to the satellite 500 km above.

To optimize the link efficiency and overcome the atmospheric turbulence, a series of techniques were developed, including a compact ultra-bright source of multi-photon entanglement, narrow beam divergence, high-bandwidth and high-accuracy acquisition, pointing and tracking, according to Pan.

This work established the first ground-to-satellite up-link for faithful and ultra-long-distance quantum teleportation, an essential step toward a global-scale quantum internet, Pan said.

Quantum physics is the study of the universe's basic building blocks at a scale smaller than atoms. These tiny particles behave in a way that could overturn assumptions of how the world works.

Entanglement is one of the strange properties of quantum physics. It so confounded Albert Einstein that he described it as "spooky action at a distance" in 1948.

Scientists found that when two entangled particles are separated, one particle can somehow affect the action of the far-off twin at a speed faster than light.

This magic-like connection has inspired the idea of quantum teleportation.

The first paper expounding the idea of quantum teleportation was published by six physicians in 1993.

In 1997, Austrian quantum physicist Anton Zeilinger, tutor of Pan Jianwei, succeeded in the first experimental verification of quantum teleportation. Since then, scientists have demonstrated quantum teleportation with different physical systems such as atoms, ions, electrons and superconducting circuits.

Meanwhile, the limit for quantum teleportation is constantly expanding.

Pan's research team was awarded the Physics World 2015 Breakthrough of the Year "for being the first to achieve the simultaneous quantum teleportation of two inherent properties of a fundamental particle - the photon," according to PhysicsWorld.com.

Pan regards the achievement as a step toward the teleportation of more complex quantum systems.

Despite the progress, Pan said, the prospect of using it to beam people is still a distant dream. The technology is now mainly applied in the areas of quantum communication and computing.

But like most sci-fi fans, Pan hopes that day will come: "It's a common dream to see what's beyond our solar system. However, our life is limited, and we could grow old before we get out of the solar system in a spacecraft."

But as a vehicle to the stars, quantum teleportation might carry generations to come, Pan said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 01:21:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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DAMASCUS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian government forces on Wednesday foiled an attack by the Islamic State (IS) in the desert in central province of Homs, killing and wounding 80 IS militants, a military source told Xinhua.

The military forces thwarted the IS attack, which had been carried out on several fronts, in the Hmaimeh area in the eastern countryside of Homs, near the administrative borders of the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The attack was carried out by five suicide bombers wearing explosive vests in five booby-trapped vehicles, the source added.

He said the Syrian forces and allied fighters clashed with the attackers, defeated their offensive, and captured eight four-wheel drive cars and other vehicles.

The IS militants fled the area, leaving a number of dead bodies and munitions behind, according to the source.

The Syrian army and allied fighters have been on a crushing offensive in the Syrian Desert in the remote eastern countryside of Homs province to clear that area from IS.

The operation has so far succeeded to drive out IS from large swathes in the desert, with the aim of reaching the borders of Deir al-Zour province and breaking the siege imposed by the IS extremists.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 01:21:55|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The environmental non-governmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) launched a request for the carmaker Porsche to be fined a total of 110 million euros (129 million U.S. dollars)on Wednesday.

DUH director Juergen Resch said that his organization wanted to create a "precedent" for the German punishment of firms which sold diesel vehicles whose nitrogen oxide emissions exceed official pollution thresholds. Porsche was unwilling to comment.

In late July, the Federal Minister for Transport Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) had ordered the recall of 22,000 Porsche Cayenne vehicles with 3.0-liter TDI motors across Europe. New cars of the specific motor type are currently banned from sale.

"Every citizen and small entrepreneur has to abide by the law," Resch said in his statement. " If they are caught committing a transgression against traffic regulations, they face a fine in relation to the severity of their crime. This principle must also apply to carmakers which so far have escaped any punishment for the diesel emissions scandal in Germany."Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 01:57:19|Editor: huaxia

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LAGOS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria is stepping up surveillance and monitoring activities at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) where two deaths were recorded and over 100 people under surveillance for Lassa fever.

While patients were being attended to by doctors and nurses at the Accident and Emergency Unit, the hospital cleaners were also seen with masks and gloves cleaning the hospital wards and environment.

People were not allowed to enter or move close to the Isolation Center where over 100 people are still under surveillance, while the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) also confirmed that one of their members had tested positive for Lassa fever.

The President of ARD, LUTH, Adebayo Sekunmade, said the management of the hospital was handling the situation.

The Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called for more public enlightenment and personal hygiene to prevent the spread of the disease.

Olubunmi Omojowolo, Chairman of NMA, who reacted to the death of two Lassa fever patients on Tuesday, said the most important thing now is education and hygiene.

"I think in Nigeria, we take the issue of Lassa fever with levity unlike the way we handled Ebola virus," he added.

"One of the problem is that Lassa fever has been with us and has been recurrent and so, people are used to it; but it is not something that we should be used to," he said.

According to him, both Ebola and Lassa fever are very close and fatal illnesses and what should be done is that people should be educated.

The doctor said the main challenge with the disease was the inability to diagnose early due to the peculiarity of the symptoms which were similar to malaria including fever.

He added that there are only few diagnostic centers for the disease and that is one of the problems of diagnosing it.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Chris Bode, said no fewer than 100 health workers exposed to the index cases were currently being monitored.

"Each of the two patients presented very late and died in spite of efforts to salvage them," he added.

"The first was a 39-year old pregnant lady with bleeding disorder who died after a stillbirth," he said.

Bode said a postmortem examination had been conducted before her Lassa fever status was eventually confirmed.

He also confirmed that a resident doctor from the Department of Anatomic and Molecular Pathology, who took part in the autopsy, was later confirmed with the disease.

Bode said the doctor was currently on admission and responding well to treatment at the Isolation Ward of LUTH.

He added that two other suspected cases from the state were admitted and quarantined while undergoing confirmatory laboratory tests.

Lassa fever is an acute febrile illness, with bleeding and death in severe cases, caused by the Lassa fever virus with an incubation period of 6-21 days.

The virus, a member of the virus family Arenaviridae, is zoonotic, or animal-borne. About 80 percent of human infections are without symptoms, while the remaining cases have severe multiple organ disease, where the virus affects several organs in the body, such as the liver, spleen and kidneys.

Lassa fever is a significant cause of severe illness and death. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 02:02:23|Editor: huaxia

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AMMAN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Jordan sent a convoy of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories on Wednesday, said a statement from the Hashemite Charity Organization.

The organization said a three-truck envoy would deliver 200 parcels of food for the needy Palestinian families.

Ayman Al Mefleh, the organization's director general, said the aid, donated by various entities in Jordan, seeks to help support the Palestinians in need and enhance their living conditions.

He added that Jordan will continue to deliver aid to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Enditem
Women walk past an office of Sberbank in Moscow, Russia, September 12, 2014. (Reuters Photo)

MOSCOW, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Russia's largest lender Sberbank and Internet company Yandex signed a non-binding contract to form a joint venture to develop an e-commerce ecosystem, the companies said in a statement Wednesday.

Sberbank will invest 30 billion rubles (around 500 million U.S. dollars) into the new company created by Yandex. Market, one of the largest players in Russia's e-commerce market, values it at 60 billion rubles (about 1 billion dollars), the statement said.

Sberbank and Yandex will own equal stakes in the joint venture, while up to 10 percent of its shares will be allocated to the management and employees, it said.

"This partnership will open up new opportunities for Russian producers, e-commerce players, and small and medium businesses," Sberbank's CEO Herman Gref said in the statement.

The cooperation will also unlock opportunities for Russian exports and create a new channel for international participants in the market, he added.

The deal has yet to be approved by Russian regulators, but the two companies said they anticipated the deal to close by the end of this year.

Sberbank and Yandex already have one joint venture for e-transactions, for which Sberbank bought a 75-percent stake in Yandex.

Last month, Yandex announced a partnership with San Francisco-based Uber, planning to merge their ride-hailing and food delivery services in Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia and Kazakhstan.

Yandex specializes in Internet-related services and runs Russia's biggest search engine.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 02:42:42|Editor: huaxia

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KIEV, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Safari Zoo in Ukraine's southern Azov Sea resort of Berdyansk said on Wednesday it has welcomed the birth of four rare white tiger cubs.

"There are only about 200 white tigers in the world. This is incredibly rare endangered species," Igor Kalchenko, the director of the zoo, told local media.

The gender of the quadruplets, who were born on Monday, is still unknown as their mother Azira is keeping her cubs protected from zoo employees. The white tiger is a variant of the Bengal tiger, whose fur color is caused by the lack of the pigment pheomelanin.

Last year, Azira tigress delivered a litter of three cubs -- two males and a female. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 02:42:43|Editor: huaxia

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ARUSHA, Tanzania, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian government on Wednesday acknowledged shortcomings in the national youth policy, saying plans are underway to review it to cope with the current situation.

Jenista Mhagama, Tanzania's Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and the Disabled) revealed this when speaking a head of the International Youth Day, whose national celebrations starts Thursday in the country's capital, Dodoma.

The minister noted that the Tanzanian government in collaboration with other development partners has started working on the document to ensure that youth matters get due attention.

"We have started working on the policy and soon youths will have a document that goes with the current situation and changes," she said, urging youths to remain steadfast in nation-building.

She added that the developments to be included in the new policy have been realized after a government nationwide research to establish demands of youth that was conducted in 2014.

On the international youth celebrations, Mhagama noted that the event, at the local level, starts Thursday with over 500 youths will be engaged in planting trees in central Tanzania's district of Kongwa. The climax of the events will be on Aug. 12th.

She said this year's celebrations with the theme: "Youth Building Peace" is aimed at reminding the young people of their role in fostering peace in the east African nation.

"The aim of holding the event in Dodoma is due to the fact that several government officials are already in the political capital city."

Mhagama said the event has been organized in collaboration with other international organizations and representatives from the United Nations (UN) country office will attend the national celebrations. Enditem
Pic shows an agent of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). (Courtesy of the FBI)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. FBI agents conducted a predawn raid of the home of Paul Manafort, former chairman of Donald Trump's presidential campaign in Alexandria, Virginia, a spokesperson for Manafort confirmed Wednesday.

"FBI agents executed a search warrant at one of Mr. Manafort's residences," Manafort's spokesperson said in a statement.

"Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well," the statement said.

FBI agents, using a wide-ranging search warrant, raided Manafort's home without advance warning in the predawn hours of July 26, the Washington Post reported earlier Wednesday, quoting people familiar with the special counsel Robert Mueller probe into ties between Trump's campaign and Russia.

The agents departed the home with various records whose significance is unclear and materials Manafort had already provided to the Congress, said the report.

Manafort has voluntarily provided documents to both the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate and House intelligence committees, in compliance with their investigation into possible Russian election interference.

The Trump campaign submitted more than 20,000 pages of records to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Aug. 2, the deadline to send over records to the committee.

Among them, Manafort reportedly provided about 400 pages, including his foreign agent advocacy paperwork. These documents are required by the Senate judiciary panel to include notes Manafort took while attending a meeting with the president's eldest son Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016.

Manafort, a lobbyist and political consultant in the 1980s, resigned from the Trump campaign last August amid questions about his pro-Russia foreign business ties. He has come under intense scrutiny in the investigation into Russian election meddling since last year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 03:22:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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BANJUL, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The conduct of many Gambian citizens living home and abroad is becoming a cause for concern due to their abuse of freedom of expression and misconception of democracy, experts have said.

These Gambians have been seen involved in the spreading of hate speeches via social media sites in the pretext of freedom of speech since the new government took over in January.

In one of his citizens engagements held recently in the coastal community of Gunjur, southern Gambia, Yusupha Bojang, a senior civic education officer at the National Council for Civic Education (NCCE) described the phenomenon as "fearful."

He said many people abuse the freedom of expression which is one fundamental principle of democracy, by insulting or directing inflammatory remarks towards their opponents and those they share different opinions with.

According to him, the 22-year-old regime of the most feared leader Yahya Jammeh left Gambians ignorant about democracy.

"Democracy does not mean castigating one another. This is how it has been largely perceived by many Gambians in what we called New Gambia. This abuse of freedom of expression has a potential to create conflict. This is why we are targeting 20 communities in the Southern Kombos to transmit a clear message on the true meanings and values of democracy," he told Xinhua on the sidelines of the training ground.

Bojang described democracy as a general contribution towards nation building and not about castigating, abusing and insulting people or directing inflammatory remarks towards people in the pretext of democracy.

He emphasized that there had been a change of government but laws remain.

Demba Jobe Touray, Chairman of Gunjur Village Development Committee, said as citizens it is prudent for all to try and improve the status of the country and not to be waging attacks on one another which he said may retard the development of the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 03:48:19|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NAIROBI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people have been killed in election-related incidences in Kenya on Wednesday as the country eagerly awaits presidential results.

Police killed four of the people in Mathare, on the east of Nairobi, as they tried to disperse Opposition protesters who were reacting to a statement from presidential candidate Raila Odinga who alleged that the election had been rigged.

Odinga alleged that the electoral system was hacked and data manipulated in favor of the incumbent, President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The declaration led to violent protests in his strongholds that include Mathare, Dagoretti, Kisumu and Homa Bay, with police battling protesters to quell skirmishes.

According to the police, those killed were engaging in crime that included robbing citizens in the name of protesting disputed results.

The youths had barricaded a section of the main road passing Mathare by burning tyres and placing rocks on the highway.

"We would not let anyone manipulate results," chanted the youths. "It is unfair and we are asking the electoral commission to announce correct results. We are even ready for repeat polls," one of them said.

Residents accused police of teargassing them and killing the protesters who were exercising their democratic rights.

Tension remained high in the area Wednesday evening as residents vowed to carry out more protests as long as Odinga disputes results.

Odinga, who vied on the National Super Alliance (NASA) ticket, on Wednesday disputed the results claiming they were computer generated.

He released results from the NASA tallying center which showed that he was leading with 8.1 million votes against President Kenyatta's 7.2 million votes.

Electoral commission results on the other hand showed Kenyatta leading with 8 million against Odinga's 6.6 million.

While together with his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka Odinga asked their supporters to maintain calm and continue with their businesses, he did not rule out countrywide mass protests.

"For now we tell our supporters to remain calm but when time comes, we would not hesitate to call them out," said Musyoka.

Human rights activists criticized the police for killing the protesters as protests are part of the human rights.

"Protests are allowed in law. The police do not have to kill people yet they are engaging in what is rightfully allowed by the law," said Maina Kiai, an activist.

Acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi said police were ready to quell any protests and maintain peace and security to protect property and lives.

Matiangi further said stern action would be taken against social media users who were spreading allegations of violence and protests in different parts of the country.

In Hola, Tana River County, two people were killed at in Hola Secondary School in Galole Constituency Tallying Centre when five knife-wielding attackers stormed the station.

One of the people was killed by the attackers and the other by police as they fought off the attackers who were part of a group of five.

The incident disrupted the tallying process for a while as electoral officials and political party agents scampered for safety. Police later returned normalcy.

Away from the election skirmishes, a presiding officer of Kithimani Primary School polling station in Yatta Constituency died while returning ballots to the tallying center.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 03:53:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NEW YORK, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Be fully alert and call the police immediately if you get a call from someone claiming to be from Chinese diplomatic missions for your personal and credit card information on various reasons.

Chinese Consulate General in New York City Wednesday issued a phone scam warning on its official website to local Chinese communities.

Dozens of people from the Chinese community called the consulate for verification after receiving suspicious calls on Tuesday.

"These phone calls are fraudulent, we've already reported the incidents to the New York Police Department," it said.

"Do not disclose your Social Security number, credit cards number and bank account information to anyone who claims to be a staff from us," said the consulate, adding it never charges consular services fees via phone or smart phone app WeChat.

The New York metropolitan area is home to the largest ethnic Chinese population outside of Asia. As of 2015, the Chinese population in the city is estimated around 800,000.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 04:03:28|Editor: Song Lifang

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VIENNA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Austria is to tighten its border controls on the back of an increase in illegal migration in recent days, interior minister Wolfgang Sobotka confirmed on Wednesday.

The Krone newspaper reported that the authorities had come across numerous large groups of migrants attempting to cross into Austria.

It was also noted that new migration routes into the country had been observed.

As a result, Sobotka ordered the establishment of temporary control checkpoints by the police, with armed forces personnel to offer assistance.

The controls, including car inspections, are to be in place on the shared border with Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Italy.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 04:03:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KHARTOUM, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. has lifted a ban it previously imposed on a sum of money belonging to Sudan's Embassy in the South Korean capital Seoul, a finance ministry official said on Wednesday.

"This is a positive move which indicates the progress in the financial relations between Sudan and the external world," said Abdul-Rahman Dirar, Sudan's State Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, in a statement Wednesday.

He explained that the sum belongs to the Commercial and Economic Center, an affiliate of Sudan's Embassy in Seoul, and that it was transferred from DAEWOO Company to the center and was banned two years ago.

The Sudanese official expressed hope that the U.S would permanently lift its economic sanctions on Sudan.

Last July Sudan's finance ministry announced that it received a letter from the U.S. Treasury Department indicating full resumption of financial transactions between Sudan and the international banks.

Sudan's frozen assets in America are estimated at around one million U.S. dollars.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama issued a decision on Jan. 13 to cancel two executive orders imposing economic sanctions on Sudan.

The U.S administration was scheduled to review permanent lifting of sanctions on Sudan on last July 12, but Trump issued a new executive order extending the review period by three months to decide whether to permanently lift trade sanctions against Sudan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 04:13:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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HAVANA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Over 400 private, non-agricultural cooperatives have been approved in Cuba since the country opened its private sector for an experimental phase in 2012.

In a speech published Wednesday by the official daily Granma, Director of the Permanent Commission for Implementation and Development, Yovana Vega, indicated that these cooperatives now included over 12,000 partners.

Eighty-eight percent of them are covered by major sectors, including restaurants, commerce, personal services and repairmen, construction and industry.

Vega said the private cooperatives had showed positive results as a source of job creation, while achieving "acceptable" diversity and quality for their services.

However, she added that certain limitations and deficiencies had been found since 2012, such as a lack of discipline, illicit appropriation of resources and income, as well as people acting as partners in various cooperatives at once.

According to Vega, problems were also found in accounting and bookkeeping, the use of bank cards in ways not agreed upon when issued, and corruption.

The Cuban government is currently seeking to consolidate the creation of private cooperatives, according to the main principles of socialism as part of the updating of the socio-economic model in the country.

Currently, around 568,000 Cubans work in the private sector, representing 12 percent of the island's workforce.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 04:18:38|Editor: Song Lifang

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ELMINA, Ghana, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Africa has derived enormous benefits in agricultural transformation from China through its South-South Cooperation, an official of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has told Xinhua.

Peter Atimka Anaadumba, South-South Cooperation Program Officer at the African Regional Office of FAO, said China had proven over the years to be a major credible and reliable partner in transforming agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa.

He was speaking in an interview on Tuesday at a five-day workshop on African Regional Knowledge Sharing on promoting Efficient Rice Farming at Elmina, some 158 km west of the national capital, Accra.

"China is a major player when it comes to South-South cooperation in Africa. It's a major partner of FAO. When you look at the Africa region, China gave a grant to FAO in 2009 of about 30 million dollars and recently 50 million dollars, making it 80 million dollars and these funds that they provided are available to support African countries in sub-Saharan Africa to access for them to receive technical expertise from China," he said.

He lauded China for this support which had been yielding high dividends in the beneficiary African countries where agricultural production is on the increase.

"China, for example, has been working in Liberia. Now, Liberia rice production stands at about seven million tons. We did deploy about 500 experts. We have been able to develop piggery in Liberia through insemination innovations from China," Anaadumba added.

"So thanks to South-South cooperation, there was huge investment from the private sector in China. Almost around 200 million dollars for Uganda alone."

In Uganda, Anaadumba disclosed that rice production was on the increase, with China sharing their expertise and also developing aquaculture and apple production.

He described the assistance Africa received from China through the South-South Cooperation agricultural development program run by FAO as very key to the development of the economies on the continent.

"When you go to Tanzania, we have South-south cooperation; there is a center of excellence in the Morogoro Region, it's been constructed by China. This center provides training for the youth. It's like an incubation center where people come and learn how to do crop management, crop budget, water management, livestock, poultry, and so on.

"China is also contributing by sending in technical experts to Africa to provide support in a lot of areas in the agricultural sector. They are also providing capacity building. The number of training China provides to sub-Saharan Africa in a year is amazing," he noted.

The Regional workshop being held in the coastal city of Elmina, near Cape Coast, has attracted 48 participants from 10 countries in and outside Africa. This year's theme is "Knowledge Exchange on The Promotion of Efficient Rice Farming Practices and Value Chains in Sub-Saharan Africa through South-South Cooperation."

Bukar Tijani, Assistant Director General and FAO Regional Representative for the African Region who opened the workshop, noted that through the South-South Cooperation, FAO had been facilitating knowledge transfer in agricultural production between China and African countries.

"Let me acknowledge FAO's partnership with China. It is very strong. It (China) is one of the main countries that have a South-South cooperation partnership," he told Xinhua.
Two-year-old Emad is evacuated during an attack on the Iranian parliament in central Tehran, Iran, June 7, 2017. (Reuters Photo)

TEHRAN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Islamic State issued a video on Wednesday threatening new attacks in the Iranian capital Tehran, local sources said.

A man wearing a black ski mask and holding an AK-47, seated alongside two others, made the threat in a video bearing the Islamic State's Amaq news agency logo.

Islamic State, a Sunni Muslim group which has sought to establish a caliphate in the region, sees Iran as one of its enemies in the region.

The group killed at least 18 people in attacks on parliament in Tehran and the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini on June 7.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards fired several missiles at Islamic State bases in Syria on June 18 in response to that attack. Iranian officials have also announced the arrests of dozens allegedly linked to the attacks.

Another portion of the video showed militants in black ski masks speaking out against Shi'ites in Arabic and threatening attacks against them in Iraq.
A man purported to be the reclusive leader of the militant Islamic State Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi making what would have been his first public appearance, at a mosque in the centre of Iraq's second city, Mosul, according to a video recording posted on the Internet on July 5. (Reuters Photo)

TEHRAN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Islamic State issued a video on Wednesday threatening new attacks in the Iranian capital Tehran, local sources said.

A man wearing a black ski mask and holding an AK-47, seated alongside two others, made the threat in a video bearing the Islamic State's Amaq news agency logo.

Islamic State, a Sunni Muslim group which has sought to establish a caliphate in the region, sees Iran as one of its enemies in the region.

The group killed at least 18 people in attacks on parliament in Tehran and the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini on June 7.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards fired several missiles at Islamic State bases in Syria on June 18 in response to that attack. Iranian officials have also announced the arrests of dozens allegedly linked to the attacks.

Another portion of the video showed militants in black ski masks speaking out against Shi'ites in Arabic and threatening attacks against them in Iraq.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 04:49:02|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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HELSINKI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Finnish love with biofuels as a key approach to reduce emissions has made the Nordic country one of the least active Western European countries to prepare for the arrival of electric car era, an expert said on Wednesday.

Pekka Leviakangas, senior researcher at the Technology Research Centre, VTT told Xinhua that Finland's relatively low auto emission compared with other nations has also contributed to the slowness.

Although the Finnish government has aimed to see at least 250,000 electric cars on road by 2030, experts believe the figure is unfeasible without decisive governmental measures.

In the spring, the government allocated an extra funding of a hundred million euros on low emission transport, but the target for the usage has not been decided.

As electric cars are expensive for the time being, the Finnish efforts to curb emissions are likely to be concentrating partially on encouraging the transition to use biofuels. And the ratio remains open.

In France, it was decided in June that petrol and diesel powered cars could not be sold after 2040.

In Finland, Minister for Transport and Communications Anne Berner told local media that the government had not considered banning the sale of autos using fossil fuels. She said she hoped a positive development could be triggered through economic and functional benefits.

Kai Mykkanen, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, suggested in July that electric charging facilities would have to be made compulsory on petrol stations along major highways.

Annual sales of electric private cars in Finland remain at the level of a few hundreds, and their users have complained about the need to plan long haul journeys with a view to the availability of electricity. And electric buses are mainly in city commuter services.

Researcher Leviakangas from VTT noted incentive to use alternative electric cars was not enough in Finland. And the option of biofuels has become a "politically correct" thinking.

"Finland is also behind the rest of the Nordic countries in introducing low emission automobiles," said the expert, who believes the role of the government is of key importance in choosing future alternatives.

Leviakangas assured, however, that Finland would have the capability of switching to electric cars along the pace of the rest of Europe.

"The signals from European auto industry are also such that the industry is evaluating the image value of electric car production," he noted, "and the biofuel option is becoming marginal."

The Finnish automobile industry is basically assembling private cars, but Leviakangas said the Finnish auto industry has expertise in the field of electric cars as well. Electric buses are being produced in Finland.

For Finland, the road transport is also an issue related to taxation. Fuel taxation is a major source of public income.

Leviakangas believed taxation could in some way be switched to electric cars. "It could either be kilometer based usage fees or taxation levied on using energy."
Migrants wait to be rescued by the Aquarius rescue ship run by non-governmental organisations (NGO) "SOS Mediterranee" and "Medecins Sans Frontieres" (Doctors Without Borders) in the Mediterranean Sea, 30 nautic miles from the Libyan coast, on August 2, 2017. (AFP Photo)

SANAA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Smugglers forced 120 Somali and Ethiopian migrants into rough seas off Yemen, leaving 29 dead and 22 missing, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Wednesday.

The IOM said it had found the shallow graves of 29 migrants on a beach in the southern province of Shabwa after they had been buried by survivors.

"The smugglers deliberately pushed the migrants into the waters since they feared that they would be arrested by the authorities once they reach the shore," said an IOM emergency officer in Aden.

Then they "simply went back to where they came from to pick more migrants and try to smuggle them into Yemen, again."

IOM said around 55,000 migrants have left the Horn of Africa headed for Yemen since the start of the year, most aiming to find work in Gulf countries.

The IOM officer said there were "many women and children among those who died and those who are still missing".

An IOM statement said its staff had provided urgent care to surviving migrants who had stayed on the beach.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 05:19:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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PRAGUE, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Czech Interior Ministry said the country on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the EU directive restricting firearms possession with the European Court of Justice, demanding an invalidation of the directive.

Czech Republic also filed a complaint for suspension of the directive which the EU member states should introduce into their legal systems by mid-September 2018.

Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said he considers the lawsuit as the only possible way to protect the country against the impact of the directive. He said the directive might threaten the country's internal security, for it could lead a large number of weapons to end up in the black market.

The directive on tightening control of firearms has been approved by the European Parliament in mid-March. The aim of the directive is to prevent terrorists from gaining arms easily. However, critics said that the directive mainly restricts the owners and the market of legally-held arms, and strongly infringes on EU member states' internal affairs, which is contrary to EU law.

A wave of protests occurred in Czech Republic. Chovanec said such a massive punishment for decent weapons holders is unacceptable because the ban on legally-held weapons has no connection with the fight against terrorism. The stricter conditions would afflict about 300,000 holders of firearm licences in Czech as well as the owners of weapons modified for blank cartridges, such as those used for theatre or film purposes, that are not yet registered.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 05:39:44|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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KHARTOUM, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- A senior U.S. military official started a series of meetings in Khartoum on Wednesday to resume their military cooperation and discuss issues of combating terrorism and human trafficking.

Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Engagement, United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), Alexander Laskaris, held talks with Sudanese Army's Joint Chief of Staff Emad Eddin Mustafa Adawi on regional and international issues.

Adawi said that the talks reviewed particularly the situations in Libya as its stability influences the stability of African countries.

He further announced that the Sudanese army has received an U.S. invitation to take part, as monitors, in the Bright Star military exercise, which is held in Egypt with U.S participation.

Laskaris, for his part, said the talks reviewed many issues, top of them the Sudanese-U.S. ties.

He noted that the two sides maintain common understanding and are aware of the importance of security and stability in Libya, besides counter-terrorism and human trafficking in Somalia.

Meanwhile, Sudan's Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour also met Laskaris on Wednesday.

Sudanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Gariballa Al-Khadir told reporters that the meeting between Ghandour and Laskaris reviewed the security situation in Sudan and the efforts being made to combat terrorism, human trafficking and drugs crimes.

He said the meeting also discussed the conditions in Libya, South Sudan, Central Africa Republic and Somalia, noting that it has been agreed on the importance of coordination and cooperation to achieve security and stability in those countries.

The foreign minister reiterated that Sudan would press ahead the constructive dialogue with Washington, aiming at normalizing the bilateral ties in a manner that serves the two countries' peoples.

The U.S. military command in Africa (US-AFRICOM) is one of the U.S. Unified Combatant Commands under the U.S. Department of Defence. It is responsible for the U.S. military operations in and relations with 53 African countries. It is headquartered at Kelley Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany.

In April this year, Sudan participated, for the first time, in summit meetings of AFRICOM's Chief of Staff in Stuttgart, with a delegation headed by Sudanese Army's Joint Chief of Staff.

Last March, Sudan government decided to reopen its military attache's office in its embassy in the United States after 28 years of closure, few weeks after Washington named a military attache who actually assumed his tasks in Khartoum.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 06:09:57|Editor: Song Lifang

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PARIS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- France has ordered a national investigation into all egg-product manufacturers in the wake of Europe's insecticide-tainted egg scandal, French Agriculture Minister Stephane Travert said on Wednesday.

The minister said the move comes in a hope to have "much more fruitful and rapid exchanges of information" with his EU partners in the future.

"We want to ensure that we can establish better control and transparency reports with our partners, because the batches of tainted egg come from both the Netherlands and Belgium," Travert said.

The French minister also criticized the two countries, where eggs were contaminated with the insecticide Fipronil, for not informing France earlier about the problem.

In total, about 80 egg-product-procession factories all over France would be involved in this national investigation, according to local media.

On Monday, France's Agriculture ministry confirmed that 13 batches of Dutch eggs contaminated with the insecticide Fipronil have been delivered to two different egg-product manufacturing factories in central-western France between July 11 and July 26.

On July 28, a poultry farm, located in Pas de Calais in northern France, was placed under surveillance after the farmer reported to French authorities that his Belgian supplier used the pesticide containing Fipronil.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-10 07:00:18|Editor: Song Lifang

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OTTAWA, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Canada will send additional 20 police officers to Iraq to help support stability in the country, according to the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wednesday.

The Canadian police officers will help re-establish a local police presence in newly liberated areas from Daesh and deliver training courses for Iraqi police officers. There are some 600,000 Iraqi police officers, of whom 10,000 to 12,000 are women.

In the areas occupied by Daesh (IS group), 85 percent to 100 percent of police infrastructure was destroyed.

Canadian police are being deployed through the Global Coalition against Daesh, including to the Italian-led Carabinieri police training mission.

On February 8, 2016, Canada announced its strategy to address the crises in Iraq and Syria, which includes support for local security forces and for law enforcement capacity building and training. Up to 150 Canadian police officers are sent to join peace-support operations and stabilization in the region.
 

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19-yr-old jailed for 3 years for robbery

He pleaded guilty when he appeared yesterday in the San Fernando Magistrates Court before Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine. Prosecutor PC Cleydon Sedan told the court the victim was walking along Gordon Street in San Fernando when Abdool, of Ste Madeleine, confronted him with a knife and shouted Hand over everything! Two other people walked towards Abdool and spoke with him after which he snatched the knapsack and ran. In the bag was an electronic notepad, a cellular phone, two chargers, the mans identification card, a deodorant, a soft drink, a popcorn snack, an Axe body spray and $40. The knapsack was valued $500.

Seedan told Antoine after the man reported the incident at the nearby San Fernando Police Station, he sought medical attention at the San Fernando General Hospital. Police arrested Abdool at Harris Street shortly after. He accompanied the police to Gordon Street and pointed to where he hid the knapsack with the stolen items. Most of the items were recovered.

Attorney Chantal Paul told the magistrate Abdool grew up in, what she described as a, challenging environment. He dropped out of secondary school in Form 1 and began to work with his father as a construction worker from the age of 11. Abdools mother, the attorney said, has a matter pending in the magistrates court.

Paul asked the magistrate to order a Probation Officers report having regard to Abdools predicament at such an impressionable age.

She said Abdool was under the influence of alcohol. Abdool has a pending case in court for loitering.

He was charged last year with possession of marijuana and was placed on a bond by a magistrate to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years.
Accused denied bail in Pleasantville plaza robbery

Kern Lewis, of Quarry Village, appeared in the San Fernando Magistrates Court before Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine who read several charges to him, the first of which alleges that on July 9, he robbed the cashier at Pleasantville Pharmacy of $5,000. The second alleges he robbed her of a Samsung Galaxy S6 and a Samsung Galaxy S5, both valued $13,000.

The other charge alleges that on the same day, he robbed a customer at the plaza of an iPhone valued $5,000. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges which were laid by PC Lee-Lum of the San Fernando CID.

Attorney Chantal Paul pleaded for bail for Lewis and told Antoine whilst the defendant had previous convictions, they were not similar in nature to current charges. The magistrate was told Lewis was convicted of driving without a permit, two counts of possession of marijuana and larceny. Prosecutor PC Cleyon Seedan objected to bail on the ground that Lewis had a conviction for trafficking marijuana.

However, Paul reiterated her client did not have any pending charges and the magistrate has a discretion under the Bail Act to grant bail in those circumstances.

Antoine refused bail and remanded Lewis into custody, but told him he has the right to petition a judge in chambers for bail.

He will return to court on September 5.
Double murder in Belmont

According to reports, at about 3 am, Trevor Wilson aka Blacks, 21, of Blackett Hill, Gonzales was asleep at his home when three masked gunmen kicked in the front door, entered the bedroom and forced him into a vehicle. Wilson was taken to the home of his friend Tiba Thomas 36, also along Blackett Hill and ordered to call out Thomas name.

As Thomas came outside his house, he was greeted with a volley of gunshots. Both men were shot and killed. Residents who heard the shots contacted the Belmont police. Officers responded and found Wilsons body near the doorway of Thomas home. There was a single bullet to Wilsons head.

Thomas, however, was riddled and his body was found in the kitchen.

Thomas was shot at least nine times. Both bodies were removed to the Forensic Science Centre in St James for autopsies. Thomas relatives yesterday said they were struggling to come to terms with the manner of his death. A relative said while they could not understand why anyone would want Thomas dead, they claimed he had been involved in an altercation with police officers four years ago.

Besides that incident with the police, I cant think of any other situation where he really disagreed with anyone or even had to raise his voice. He was a decent fella, said the relative who asked not to be identified.

Another relative called on others to be cautious in choosing their friends and associates. Trust God.

If you have friends, be sure to know who they are because this can happen to anyone, the relative said.

Wilsons relatives claimed that apart from brief conversations, Thomas and Wilson did not know much of each other. They said Wilson was only a tool used by the gunmen to get to their real target - Thomas.

They werent friends or anything.

They were just two people who happened to live in the same area. This was very senseless what happened, a relative said. Thomas was a mason by trade.
Missing teen found murdered

A plastic bag wrapped over the teens head, has led investigators to believe he was murdered.

According to reports, Darell Mansingh, 19, of Bhola Trace, was last seen liming at a bar in Felicity on Friday night. His body was discovered in a drain at Connector Road in Chaguanas at 11 am.

A relative confirmed that Mansinghs head was covered with a plastic bag. When Newsday visited the familys home yesterday, his mother Farisha Ali, was too distraught to speak. Mansingh was Alis only child.

Mansinghs grandmother Dularie Mansingh, 72, recalled that her grandson whom she called Ernie, last spoke to her on Friday evening when he said he was going to meet a friend in Felicity.

She said another grandson met Ernie while at the bar and spoke to him about the company he was keeping.

He went by the place about 10.30 and when he went into the bar the other grandson saw Ernie and told him he was in the wrong place with the wrong company.

My grandson came home and told us that Ernie was in a bar keeping bad company, Mansingh said. She recalled that his mother subsequently telephoned Mansingh who promised to return home later that evening.

His grandmother said the family had been told that he had left the bar sometime between 11.30 pm and 12 midnight and was standing at the side of the road when he saw some other persons also leaving the bar and asked for a ride to Chaguanas.

She said the family was not satisfied with the response from officers at the Chaguanas police station who only began searching for her grandson after an intervention by a senior police officer from Southern Division. He was a nice boy. A very nice boy who was never rude. He was in the wrong place and mixed up with the wrong people, Mansingh said. And now look how he come and dead. My grandson gone too soon,Mansingh cried. An autopsy is expected to be performed today at the Forensic Science Centre in St James.
Gunplay in Laventille after former Brigadier boasts of TTDF success

Smart expressed his satisfaction with the success of various initiatives from the National Security Ministry in Laventille at his handing over ceremony and parade at Teteron Barracks in Chaguaramas yesterday afternoon. The former Chief of Defence Staff said while the TT Defence Force has met its fair share of challenges, a joint police- army presence in Laventille has produced long-lasting change he is satisfied with.

Recent statistics have revealed that not only is Soogrim Trace in Laventille safer spaces exist, but in general Laventille has become a safer community with a significant reduction in all crimes barring sporadic instances of violence. Smart said the decision of the TTDF and the Police Service to launch this operation came in the wake of the brutal slayings of schoolboys Denilson Smith and Mark Richards in January last year.

He said there has been a marked decrease in criminal activity in Laventille.

However Newsday understands several individuals believed to be members of the Rasta City gang in Laventille were featured in a recent video on social media, brandishing high-powered assault rifles and firing these weapons in the air.

Police investigators have yet to determine whether the video is a recent one and have not yet positively identified anyone in the video. The 15-second video which features several young men laughing as they fired the weapons has caused a stir among residents of Laventille who are calling for an increased police presence in the community to treat with, what they fear may be, a resurgence in gang-violence.

At the ceremony, Smart said he was deeply touched by the support he has received from his family, colleagues and subordinates over the years.

He also urged his successor Commodore Hayden Pritchard to continue the initiatives. He said while the responsibility before Pritchard is a large one, he is confident he would take the Defence Force to new heights.

Each person who comes into the (office of the) Chief of Defence Staff must be prepared to run a faster race than his predecessor because it is only then we strive.
Autopsy today for Natalia

Natalias father Ancil Samuel of Fullerton Village, Cedros will be 34 tomorrow. Yesterday, the childs mother Basdaye Lall-Ragoo said she visited the San Fernando General Hospital hoping the autopsy would have been done.

On Monday I went to Forensics and they told to me to go to San Fernando General. When we reached, they said we were too late and they autopsy will be done. They are telling us that we have to go Port-of- Spain tomorrow. I dont know why.

This is killing us. We are suffering, the grieving woman said yesterday.

On Sunday at 5.30 pm, Natalia and relatives where bathing at Columbus Bay when the girl disappeared under the water near the shoreline.

Minutes later, a man pulled Natalia out of the water and three doctors who were at the beach quickly performed cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on her.

Cedros police transported Natalia, a pupil of a preschool in Bonasse Village, to the Health Centre where she had to wait for about 45 minutes for an ambulance to arrive. The girl, one half of a twin, was pronounced dead at the Point Fortin Area Hospital. Police confirmed that an autopsy will be done today at the Forensic Science Centre in St James.
Increase in number of deportees

The man was convicted of the third degree rape of a victim said to be incapable of consent and sentenced to five years of probation supervision. The arrest was part of a ten day enforcement effort dubbed Operation SOAR (Sex Offender Alien Removal.) Among those arrested were 31 other sex offenders from the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Mexico and Peru. The TT citizen is expected to remain in ICE custody pending deportation.

Founder of Vision on Mission, Wayne Chance, told Newsday yesterday the number of deportees being sent back to this country has increased because of new immigration constraints. The U.S. tops the list in terms of deportation back to Trinidad, Chance said. Through the years, the numbers remain relatively high from the U.S. and the U.K. and other places in Europe. Chance said many deportees end up on the streets. We dont have the financial resources to provide the special care that is needed for some deportees. As a result, a lot of them become socially displaced. He also said society has to come to a place of maturity and must work in a structural way when dealing with deportees. What our facility specialises in is localised reintegration. You can see a programme used in another country but how do you use it in your own society? One has to understand the dynamics of working with deportees. He said there is a type of upbringing and a way of culture deportees, ex-inmates and criminal offenders have experienced.

We have to understand the way they were cultured. Then, its important to break down, restructure and re-educate. He said dealing with deportees and criminal offenders is a State responsibility. He said society has come a long way in terms of dealing with deportees.
Hindus mark Raksha Bandhan

Roughly translated, Raksha Bandhan means Bond of Protection and is also known as Brothers Day. It is a day set aside during the month of August when sisters show their appreciation for their brothers by tying the sacred thread known as Rakhi on their wrist.

The brother in turn offers his sister a gift of clothes, jewelry or money with a promise to protect her always. Raksha Bandhan was celebrated on Monday with special prayers at Hindu temples across the country. Renuka Brenda Lalchan said the tying of the simple thread conveys a strong message. These threads carry religious symbolism in that it is tied around the wrist of the brother to ward off any evil around him for the year, Lalchan said. This event is observed on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar-solar calendar month of Shravana (August).

In the epic story of the Mahabharat, Queen Draupadi ties a rakhi on Lord Krishna before the great war of Kurusetra. This thread was meant for protection against any evil forces.
Best Village begins with drama

Written and produced by Taran Bickram, the play Contentment is Happiness told the story of a man named Dhal Bojan (played by Dylon Kurjah) who settled to living a poor life. His wife Ricey Bojan (Cindy Narace Bickram) was influenced by the neighbours to find ways in which to make money.

Dhal left Trinidad in search of a better life in the USA where he worked and sent money to his wife and children. His wife Ricey now being left alone struck up an affair with a rich man so that she could live the good life.

This is a first for the Freeport based Three Roads Youth Group at the Best Village Competition stage. This drama production was well received by the audience. The group, I See You, was supposed to perform Monday night but was a no-show. Best Village continues tonight with Soul Oasis Cultural Ambassador and Ah We People Theatrical Horizon. Tomorrow, the Princes Town Theatre Workshop will go up against Bon Bassa Cultural Group. The Best Village competition runs until Sunday.
Annisette tells Govt: Talks must not be PR stunt

Any conversation moving forward, he told reporters yesterday at the launch of Governments revised policy on HIV and Aids in the workplace, at the Radisson Hotel, Port of Spain, must not be a public relations stunt. The new approach must speak to what is happening in the country, he said, And what we need to do as a people to leave a better Trinidad and Tobago for our children and grandchildren. Commenting on Joint Trade Union Movement president general Ancil Rogets call to boycott 120 elite businesses or one percent or the most powerful group in the country that controls businesses in the country, Annisette said, If that statement has been made, it speaks to the question of how our system is operating. We have to sit now and have a new conversation that will distribute the wealth in a particular way in which everyone will benefit. The issue is how to address the issue in the interest of TT, he said, because that kind of system brings about social disorder, crime and the kind of disaffection you are seeing in Trinidad and Tobago right now. Historically, he said, there are facts to prove the people with the money control the economics and the politics of any particular country.

They do not control it in the best interest of the people of the country, therefore the trade union movement is saying, we need to have a new narrative that speaks to that particular issue.

We believe that there is a need for us to forge a new approach in terms of the social dialogue, concept and philosophy that truly speaks to respecting each other, and actually speaking to the issues that are fundamental to Trinidad and Tobago. He said the labour movement was not satisfied with several issues.

As we said there are several letters that went to the Minister of Finance, the Prime Minister. There are several people who are getting retrenched, he said.

The issue of this one percent controlling the economics and politics, he said, is not unique to TT. However, it will continue, he said, unless we have a new political system, a new narrative that is indigenous and speaks to empowering the citizens and communities within the country. Meanwhile, Minister of Labour, and Small and Micro Enterprise Development Jennifer Baptiste-Primus said, the date for Government to meet with union leaders is the call of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.
Roget dismisses boycott criticisms

Roget made that call during last Fridays trade union march in Port-of-Spain. He also gave what appeared to be a hint of some of the businesses in that category that JTUM wants its members to boycott.

Speaking with reporters outside Tower C of the Port-of-Spain International Waterfront Centre, after a meeting with Energy Minister Franklin Khan, Roget remarked, They are entitled to their own opinion. Roget also said JTUM is entitled to, direct our members as to where to spend their money to get the most amount of benefit. He reiterated a list of the one percent of businesses in TT to be boycotted will be made public soon. He also said a separate list of the 99 per cent of businesses in the country which should be supported will also be made public.

It is time that we start to focus on buying doubles, pelau, roti, bake and shark. In supporting businesses in the 99 per cent category, Roget remarked, Let us do it on any day, not just Tuesdays and Fridays. Let us not have a ritual in doing it. When a reporter told him boycotting businesses would affect the people employed by those businesses, Roget countered, They are sending them home in any case. He said JTUM would welcome these people, being absorbed into businesses that really will boom as a result of the 99 per cent taking charge.
Roget: TT needs Petrotrin

He warned the country would lose if this happened.

He said the OWTU wants experienced and competent management being put at the helm of Petrotrin to rid the company of the poor leadership and poor management which has plagued it for years. Roget told reporters the OWTU is calling for the removal of some top management personnel at Petrotrin who it believes has contributed to the poor state of affairs at the company.

While the union was informed that Cabinet has taken no decision about Petrotrins future, Roget said, Lots of bad decisions were made for and on behalf of Petrotrin. He told reporters those decisions were not made by the workers. Roget said some of these decisions were taken under the former Peoples Partnership government while others were taken before.

According to Roget, Petrotrins workers were not responsible for giving out contracts to friends and families or gas to liquids decisions. He also said unqualified people were placed in top positions.

Positions were created for persons at the top, at the expense of filling of vacancies at the lower levels. Against this background, Roget said the OWTU told Khan it wants to be privy to any decision which Cabinet will take about restructuring Petrotrin, before that decision is made public. He said Khan told him yesterdays meeting was about getting more information from the union which he would take to Cabinet at its regular weekly meeting at the Diplomatic Centre in St Anns on Thursday.

Last week, Cabinet held a special meeting about Petrotrin but no decisions were made. Roget said Khan gave no indication as to when a decision would be taken.

He reiterated the OWTU will oppose any decision which results in sending workers home. Roget reminded reporters that in 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2015, the OWTU was very vocal about poor performance at Petrotrin.
One elementary school teacher from Aichi Prefecture was fired Tuesday for allegedly forcing indecent acts on students and another from the same central Japan area was effectively forced to quit his job for sending child pornography.

Toshihiro Ota, 30, was indicted on a charge of forcibly committing indecent acts on two girls at an elementary school in Chita, Aichi, around May, while Koji Uda, a 37-year-old teacher at an elementary school in Nagoya, persuaded two young girls to send him nude photos.

Ota had been arrested in 2013 for allegedly sending child pornography online while working at an elementary school in Saitama Prefecture, but later managed to be hired by the Chita board of education after changing his legal name in the family registry.

In addition to the indecent acts against the two girls, allegedly committed inside a school bathroom, he was served a fresh arrest warrant on Monday for a suspected indecent act against another. He had been working at the school as a temporary teacher before he was fired on Tuesday.

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Its the fourth largest mobile provider in Britain. Its name is Three. Its working to prevent two leading carriers from getting more radio spectrum. And it may be the No. 1 force shaking up networking in the U.K.

Three is owned by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing. And its both positioning itself to better address current and expected future trends, and challenging its larger rivals.

Perhaps most notably, the company is threatening to take legal action against new 5G spectrum auction rules recently approved by Ofcom. Three argues that the U.K. regulators guidelines hand too much power to BT and Vodafone (News - Alert), which are already big spectrum owners.





By making decisions that increase the dominance of the largest operators, Ofcom is damaging competition, restricting choice, and pushing prices up for the very consumers that it is meant to protect, Dave Dyson, Chief Executive of Three UK, commented in the wake of the 5G auction rule release. The mobile market is imbalanced and failing customers. Ofcom has shown little interest in tackling the problem. We will consider our response as a matter of urgency.

If Three does move forward with its challenge, that will be a real problem for any entity that hopes to get spectrum during the 5G auction. Thats because it could delay the auction, which is scheduled to begin in October, for months or years.

In the meantime, Three would be able to move forward with plans to upgrade its signaling network in what some believe would give it a 5G early mover advantage. The company reportedly plans to spend several billion dollars on that effort, for which various equipment and managed service providers are now lining up to get a piece of the pie.

The companys current suppliers include Ericsson, Samsung, and Tech Mahindra. Huawei (News - Alert) and Nokia Siemens, according to a piece in The Telegraph, are also likely suitors for Three network upgrade contracts.

Three has also made some other noteworthy moves recently. Those include buying spectrum holder and wireless home broadband company UK Broadband for 250m and launching a zero-rated video streaming service.

Three isn't after UK Broadband's 15,000 customers, but its spectrum licence, reports Endgadget. The parent company that owns UK Broadband is run by the son of the man that runs Three's parent company, but the deal isn't just about keeping things in the family. You see, UK Broadband has a licence for 40MHz of spectrum in the 3.4GHz band. Not only that, but in 2014 the licence was extended indefinitely. (It was originally due to expire in summer 2018).

As for the zero-rated service, called Go Binge, Three launched that last month in recognition of the Netflix binge watching craze. The company says it decided to introduce the service after its research revealed that 21 percent of Brits say bingeing is the only way they watch a TV series, 22 percent regularly binge content, and nearly 40 percent say they worry about streaming on the go due to the fear of using too much data.

We know that from our extensive insight that bingeing on content has become part of everyday life, yet people have been unable to do that on the go as much as theyd like due to fears of exceeding data limits, said Dyson of Three, whose 11 million subscribership is heavily populated by younger folks. Its my ambition to unlock any restrictions that stop consumers from enjoying their mobiles and using them to do the things they love. With Go Binge we are the first network in the UK to give people the freedom to use their data to stream their favourite shows and music without any boundaries and without worrying about restrictive data allowances and charges.

Edited by Alicia Young
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Nicaragua has the Panama Canal. But a second canal, which a Chinese billionaire in 2013 said he planned to build there, is nowhere to be found. And when it comes to communications infrastructure, the countrys situation is abysmal.

A new report from MarketResearchReports.biz says Nicaragua continues to exhibit one the lowest fixed line penetration rates in the region, substantially below the Latin American average. Broadband penetration there was 4.4 percent at the end of 2016  vs. 12.4 percent for Latin America. Thats due in large part to the lack of fixed telecom infrastructure investment over the years, according to the research group.





The Nicaraguan telecom sector has experienced very few advances in terms of regulation over the past decade, adds MarketResearchReports.biz. And this is currently limiting growth opportunities in the market. The country needs to implement a new regulatory framework that replaces the outdated telecom law from 1995 and reflects the changes that the market has undergone in the past 20 years. This will help promote competition and investment in new infrastructure, which can help lift penetration levels.

That said, and as MarketResearchReports.biz notes in its study, things could improve on this front due to new national broadband initiatives.

A year ago this month Nicaragua and the World Bank agreed to collaborate to increase broadband access and develop information and communications technologies in the country. The $20.1 million effort is to be funded by the World Banks International Development Association, via The Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Program.

The public-private effort aims to use that money to bring broadband to 48 locations, including businesses, health care centers, and schools and universities. If that happens, it will serve nearly 180,000 people. And it will provide them not only with broadband for business and personal use, but will also aid in disaster prevention efforts. Thats important because, as The World Bank notes, Nicaragua is highly vulnerable to natural disasters.

As for right now, as BuddComm in a June 2017 report says, Nicaraguas telecoms market has mirrored the [countrys] poor economic achievements, with fixed-line teledensity and mobile penetration also the lowest in Central America. The broadband market remains nascent, with population penetration at about 2 percent in early 2017. Most internet users are concentrated in the largest cities because the rural and marginal areas lack access to the most basic telecom infrastructure. A number of internet cafes provide public access to internet and email services, but these are also restricted to the larger population centres.

America Movils Claro (News - Alert), BuddComm says, is Nicaraguas leading communications service provider in terms of broadband, fixed line, mobile, and pay TV services. Telefonicas Movistar, meanwhile, is Claros sole competition in the fixed line and mobile markets. Others in the Nicaraguan communications market include IWB Holding, Rostejnologuii (a Russian state corporation), newcomer Xinwei Nicaragua (which markets its services under CooTel), and Yota Mobile.

Speaking of Xinwei, thats Wang Jings company. Hes the Chinese billionaire who in 2013 got the Nicaraguan government to agree to let him build a $50 billion canal. Plans for the new canal describe a project three times the size of the Panama Canal.

Interestingly, several shipping experts said theres no need for a second canal. So there has been speculation over the true motives of this effort.

Foreign Policy reported that the new canal, if built, would be deep enough to allow Chinese submarines to secretly cross over to the Atlantic Ocrean from the Pacific. And others reported that Wang Jings effort was about more than just a giant canal. It was  and perhaps still is  part of a larger plan by the Chinese billionaire to build a center of free trade zones, ports, and roads. That, various sources have noted, would enable him and other Chinese companies to take advantage of cheaper production and access to South America, Mexico, and the U.S.

Wang Jing broke ground for the giant canal project in 2015, according to The New York Times. But, as the Times last year reported, Nicaraguas President Daniel Ortega hasnt mentioned the canal publicly for months, and there are no visible signs of progress. In fact, the publication said, cows are grazing in the field in which the billionaire kicked off the project.

Apparently, there hasnt been much, if any, forward momentum on the new canal since then. The Miami Herald last month published a story with the headline Four years later, Nicaraguas $40 billion interoceanic canal remains a pipe dream.

This piece tells the story of how in June of 2013 Nicaraguas congress, at the suggestion of Ortega, approved a special law basically turning over the countrys national sovereignty for 50 yearsto a then mysterious Chinese businessman named Wang Jing. That law was passed without debate in a matter of days, it said. The story also noted that in late 2015 Wang lost a lot of his fortune when Xinwei took a beating in Chinas stock market, which could help account for the delay on this project.

This whole story looks like a script for a comic movie, but its a sad reflection of a poverty-stricken country that is run like a family fiefdom by Ortega and his wife, wrote Andres Oppenheimer in the July 5, 2017, Miami Herald article. As Chamorro told me, the bottom line is that there is no canal, and growing fears of a massive corruption scheme.

There are fears that Wang could now use his 50-year concession to sell the rights to ports, airports and tourism complexes, with zero benefit for the Nicaraguan people, Oppenheimer continued. It would be a textbook case of how authoritarian regimes often become the most incompetent, and the most corrupt.
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Many tech companies are working diligently on 5G cellular networks and technology. And 5G is most certainly on the way. But, as Ive reported many times in the past, theres still plenty of gas left in the tank with 4G LTE (News - Alert).





This analogy came from the lips of a Nokia leader. In yet another example of its truth, Ericsson, Qualcomm (News - Alert), and Verizon recently demonstrated that 4G is capable of delivering near-gigabit speed performance.

It all happened in Boca Raton, Fla. There, Verizon (News - Alert) said, the carrier and its partners hit peak speeds of 953 megabits per second.

The companies accomplished this by aggregating existing LTE license spectrum and unlicensed spectrum. This four carrier aggregation, Verizon explained, employed License Assisted Access to combine the different spectrum types. The unlicensed spectrum in this case was Wi-Fi spectrum.

Another technology in play for this demonstration was 4x4 MIMO. That uses multiple antennae at cell towers and user devices for optimal data speeds. Also in the mix was 256 QAM. This modulation scheme allows the network to handle more bits between endpoints and the network.

Ericsson (News - Alert) provided the micro Radio 2205 for LAA for the demo. Qualcomm contributed its Snapdragon 835 mobile platform test device, with an integrated Snapdragon X16 LTE modem.

"By continuing to deploy the latest technologies on our 4G LTE Advanced network, we pave the way for better and faster performance for the things our customers do now, and provide the groundwork for our future advancements," said Nicola Palmer, Chief Wireless Network Officer for Verizon.

While Verizon continues its efforts around LTE advancements, the company has also been among the key industry players moving 5G forward. In fact, leaders at the service provider recently said they expect to roll out 5G commercially next year.

Edited by Alicia Young
If a home or other building seems to have been invaded by hundreds of flies this fall, these are likely cluster flies. While a nuisance, they do not cause any damage or harm to people or pets and they do not reproduce indoors.
The technology group Wartsila of Finland will supply a 22 MW baseload power plant to Moroccos state utility (ONEE) under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract.

The main evaluation criterion for the project was the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) during an operating period of 20 years. LCOE measures the operating period costs divided by the energy produced.

The power plant consists of two Wartsila 46 engines, operating on heavy fuel oil with the capability to use light fuel oil as a back-up. This order is booked in the second quarter of 2017. The equipment will be delivered in early 2018, and the plant is expected to be fully operational in January 2019.

The growth in energy demand in Morocco is a result of improvements in the populations access to basic infrastructure  including electricity.

Wartsila Energy Solutions is a leading global energy system integrator offering a broad range of environmentally sound solutions. The company specializes in ultra-flexible internal combustion engine based power plants, utility-scale solar PV power plants, energy storage & integration solutions, as well as LNG terminals and distribution systems.

The flexible and efficient Wartsila solutions provide customers with superior value and enable a transition to a more sustainable and modern energy system. As of 2017, Wartsila has 63 GW of installed power plant capacity in 176 countries around the world.

With this new power plant, Wartsila will now have an installed base of 189 MW in Morocco, the total installed base in Africa being 6 GW. In 2016, Wartsilas net sales totaled 4.8 billion with approximately 18,000 employees.

According to the Moroccan Ministry of Energy, the demand for energy will double by 2020 and will grow threefold by 2030 while the demand for electricity will double by 2020 and quadruple by 2030.

Morocco has placed a strong focus on the environment protection in its economic development plans. Its national energy strategy seeks to increase the contribution of renewable energies (wind/solar & hydropower) to the countrys installed power to 42 pc by 2020 and 52 pc by 2030.
Manhattan federal court. Photo: Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images

Months after Donald Trump fired former U.S. Attorney (now podcaster) Preet Bharara, his old job in the Southern District of New York remains unfilled. But the Trump administration may have settled on someone to nominate to one of the most prestigious posts for a federal prosecutor. The New York Times reports that the White House is looking to tap Geoffrey Berman, an attorney at the white-shoe firm Greenberg Traurig, where he is partners with former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, as Manhattans next top prosecutor.

Berman, who also served as an assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern in the 90s, reportedly appeared on a list of potential New York judicial and prosecutorial appointments the Trump administration sent to the two New York Democratic senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. Home-state senators can give (or withhold) support for such nominees through the blue slip process, a courtesy extended by the Senate Judiciary committee. But the White House may be trying to head off any potential conflicts there; according to BuzzFeed, the Trump administration sent the list of names as a courtesy and to open a dialogue with the senators. (Schumer also happens to be Bhararas old boss, and the Minority Leader had apparently urged Trump, during the transition, to keep Bharara on.)

Then again, Bharara had his own ideas of who might be gunning for his old job:

Newt, is this sparkling legal analysis your way of auditioning to be appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York? https://t.co/d5P70OM8ED  Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) August 6, 2017

That document also allegedly mentioned candidates for the Eastern Districts (Brooklyns) federal prosecutor, including Edward McNally, a partner the firm of Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP, which happens to be the firm of Trumps outside attorney, Marc Kasowitz. McNally  whose name had also been floated earlier this year as a potential Bharara replacement  served as interim U.S. Attorney in southern Illinois in the mid-2000s, and also worked in the Southern District during part of Giulianis tenure. He also claims he might have been the inspiration for Ferris Bueller. Attorney Richard Donogue, the other candidate mentioned, served as the criminal division chief in the Eastern District until 2011, before joining the private sector.
This is fine. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

On the morning of July 26, President Trump publicly reprimanded his attorney general for failing to fire the acting FBI director, and summarily banned transgender Americans from serving in the military, over Twitter.

Hours earlier, in Alexandria, Virginia, FBI agents had marched into the home of Trumps former campaign manager. The raid began in the predawn hours, one day after Paul Manafort had met with the staff of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Manafort had been voluntarily producing documents to congressional committees, but special counsel Robert Mueller (apparently) lacked confidence that the operative would turn over every piece of paper his team of investigators was interested in perusing. And so the FBI secured a wide-ranging search warrant, and confiscated various records from Manaforts home, according to the Washington Post.

Manaforts spokesperson confirmed the raid Wednesday, telling NBC News that his client has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and did so on this occasion as well.

The investigators were specifically seeking tax documents and foreign banking records, according to the New York Times. The paper notes that the FBI typically seeks such records when investigating violations of the federal Bank Secrecy Act, which requires Americans to report their foreign banking accounts. Manafort has leased his political know-how to a wide array of corrupt foreign leaders, including former Ukrainian president (and Putin ally) Viktor Yanukovych.

Its unclear whether the records taken from Manforts home proved significant. Regardless, the raid itself certainly is.

Sending out subpoenas does not require investigators to establish probable cause of a crime  but obtaining a search warrant does. Which is to say: Muellers team apparently possessed enough information to convince a judge that a search of Manaforts home would quite likely turn up evidence of criminal activity.

The raid may also provide insight into the broader strategy of Muellers investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. Or, so Manaforts team fears, according to the Post:

Manaforts allies fear that Mueller hopes to build a case against Manafort unrelated to the 2016 campaign, in hopes that the former campaign operative would provide information against others in Trumps inner circle in exchange for lessening his own legal exposure.

Such a gambit would explain why Mueller would resort to raiding Manaforts home, when the political operative was already cooperating with the Russia investigation: Congress wasnt going to ask Manafort to turn over evidence that he violated the Bank Secrecy Act, years before Trump ever ran for president (and Manafort wasnt going to honor such a request, if it did).

Last month, the New York Times revealed that Manafort, Donald Trump Jr., and Jared Kushner attended a meeting in Trump Tower that was pitched to them as an opportunity to receive opposition research on Hillary Clinton, as part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump.
Were gonna wag the dog like youve never seen. Photo: Ron Sachs/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Over the past 24 hours, U.S. analysts revealed that North Korea is (probably) capable of producing nuclear-tipped missiles; the American president implicitly threatened to drop a historically large nuclear weapon on Pyongyang if the DPRK so much as makes any more threats against the United States; and Kim Jong-uns regime immediately countered with a threat to bomb the U.S. territory of Guam  where Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was imminently scheduled to land.

Nervous jokes about nuclear holocausts ensued. Nerves were frayed all down the coast of California. Many of our allies in Yigo and Seoul probably did not get their best nights sleep.

On Wednesday morning, Donald Trump sought to quiet the fears of an anxious world  by tweeting ludicrous lies about Americas nuclear arsenal.

My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017

...Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017

Trumps first official order as president was a toothless attack on the Affordable Care Act. Barack Obama ordered the (arguably ill-advised) modernization of our nuclear arsenal  and the Pentagon does not expect to complete the project for more than two decades.

Even if it werent comically mendacious, Trumps statement would be bizarre. America already has well over 4,000 nuclear warheads. North Korea has trouble keeping their missiles from exploding on launch. There is no scenario in which the U.S. needs its nuclear arsenal to be stronger and more powerful than ever before in order to win a nuclear war with Pyongyang.

But the commander-in-chief likes bragging about how big his nukes are. And if youve got a problem with that  or with anything the president does  it is now, officially, unpatriotic to say so.

Or, so White House aide Sebastian Gorka told Fox News Wednesday morning.

These are the moments when we have to come together as a nation and support the executive, Gorka said on Fox & Friends. Whether you voted for him or not, whether theyre a Democrat or whether theyre a Republican, these are trying times  During the Cuban missile crisis we stood behind JFK. This is analogous to the Cuban missile crisis.

Tillerson, to his credit, contradicted this narrative. The secretary of State assured Americans that there was no new, major crisis with North Korea  and underscored the point by carrying on with his visit to Guam.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says North Korea threat has not changed and Americans should sleep well at night https://t.co/GnwJktpuSX pic.twitter.com/KqdYb9qowk  CNN (@CNN) August 9, 2017

Meanwhile, some in the Trump administration say that containing North Korea is no longer an option. As The Wall Street Journal reports:

[A] senior Trump administration official said Tuesday that Washington shouldnt assume it will be able to contain a North Korea with nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles through traditional deterrence methods.

We are not going to allow North Korea to hold American cities hostage, the official said.

There are some who believe he seeks these weapons to maintain the status quo on the peninsula, the official said. But if you listen to what he himself has said at various times, it looks as if he has grand ambitions to change the status quo on the peninsula.

What, precisely, the alternative to containment is, the official did not say.
Mueller. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call,Inc.

Donald Trump has called the special investigation into Russias election interference a witch hunt led by very bad and conflicted people. He has said that the (ostensibly bad and conflicted) special counsel Robert Mueller would cross a red line, were he to start looking into the presidents personal finances. Trump has publicly disparaged his attorney general  one of his earliest and most influential political allies  for recusing himself from the Russia investigation, and, thereby, enabling Muellers appointment. And, according to the presidents close confidantes, he has considered treating Mueller to his signature catchphrase.

But dont get the wrong idea: Trump isnt mad about Muellers investigation  in fact, he appreciates it. And hes sent the special counsel private messages expressing his gratitude. Or so the presidents new chief counsel tells USA Today:

He appreciates what Bob Mueller is doing, Trumps chief counsel John Dowd told USA TODAY in an interview Tuesday. He asked me to share that with him and thats what Ive done. Trumps legal team has been in contact with Muellers office, and Dowd says he has passed along the presidents messages expressing appreciation and greetings to the special counsel.

 For weeks, Washington political circles have been on high alert for the possibility the president could try to get rid of Mueller or otherwise wrest control of the Russia probe he denounces as a hoax.

Yet in a sign that forcing out the former FBI director overseeing the federal Russia investigation is politically untenable, a growing number of government officials have moved to tamp down any talk of ousting Mueller  including, apparently Trump himself.

Thats never been on the table, never, Dowd said of the possibility Trump might try to remove the special counsel. Its a manifestation of the media.

That last bit is a blatant lie. Trumps interest in firing Mueller has been so conspicuous, Senate Republicans have agreed to keep their chamber in session throughout the August recess, so as to prevent the president from dispatching Jeff Sessions  and appointing a Mueller hit man as attorney general  while theyre out of town.

Still, the White Houses mendacity has rarely been this comforting. Trump does not appreciate Muellers efforts. But he has, ostensibly, decided that he wont be able to get away with obstructing the special counsels investigation.

Dowds broader remarks are a bit baffling. The idea of Trump trying to charm Mueller through private messages is confounding  both because of the presidents public defamation of the special counsel, and because the last time Trump delivered private messages to a law-enforcement agent investigating his campaign, he ended up triggering allegations of obstruction of justice  which Mueller is currently investigating.

Regardless, its good to know that Muellers job is, apparently, secure.
Dallas megachurch pastor and presidential advisor Robert Jeffress has no inhibitions in suggesting God wants to use Donald Trump to take out Kim Jong-un. Photo: Olivier Douliery - Pool/Getty Images

At a time when the president is publicly threatening North Korea with fire and fury like the world has never seen, one of his most prominent conservative evangelical backers, Dr. Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, wanted Trump and everyone else to know that no namby-pamby Christian scruples about turning the other cheek or loving ones enemies should inhibit Trump. Jeffress told CBNs David Brody that the president was Gods instrument for smiting the evil Kim Jong-un:

When it comes to how we should deal with evil doers, the Bible, in the book of Romans, is very clear: God has endowed rulers full power to use whatever means necessary  including war  to stop evil. In the case of North Korea, God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong-Un. Im heartened to see that our president  contrary to what weve seen with past administrations who have taken, at best, a sheepish stance toward dictators and oppressors  will not tolerate any threat against the American people. When President Trump draws a red line, he will not erase it, move it, or back away from it. Thank God for a President who is serious about protecting our country.

Jeffress, who delivered the sermon at the official preinaugural worship service in January, is alluding to a brief passage in the 13th chapter of Pauls Letter to the Romans that calls secular authorities Gods servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. In this as in other biblical interpretations that suit his purpose, Jeffress is taking the authorization of violence quite literally.

In a follow-up phone interview with the Washington Post, Jeffress cheerfully added that Romans 13 gives the government the authority to do whatever, whether its assassination, capital punishment, or evil punishment to quell the actions of evildoers like Kim Jong-un. The Post thoughtfully obtained this more nuanced interpretation from Amy Black, a professor at Wheaton College, a conservative evangelical institution:

Theologians and church leaders have debated the interpretation of Romans 13 for millennia, Black said. Most mainstream interpretations of the passage, she said, would suggest that God works through governmental leaders, but ultimate authority comes from God. Debate broke out among Christians in Germany during World War II over how to interpret this passage; some Christians believed they should follow the government while others set up a resistance movement.

If anything, Romans 13 creates a conundrum, because it could be interpreted that Kim Jung Un has authority to govern, she said.

More to the immediate point, if the Almighty would show Trump some way to take out Kim Jong-un without taking out hundreds of thousands if not millions of bystanders in a bloody nuclear confrontation, Jeffresss bland authorization of fire and fury might be more innocent. As it is, he is encouraging the 45th presidents already dangerous tendency to view himself as having the tough if not brutal qualities his predecessors lacked.

The publicist for Jeffresss little hymn of hate, David Brody, is currently engaged in co-authoring a spiritual biography of the president, so he knows his man pretty well. Heres what he added to the war chant:

Memo to North Korea: with Trump as president, you really dont want to mess with America. This could get real ugly real soon. Trump wont tolerate this for too much longer.

Its unsettling (if hardly unprecedented) to see this kind of jingoism and blood lust from professed disciples of Prince of Peace, particularly when they are friends of a president not known for self-restraint.
Opposition activists hold a protest against the newly inaugurated Constituent Assembly in Caracas on August 4, 2017. Photo: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images

The United States has ratcheted up the pressure on Venezuela. On Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned eight individuals involved in the creation of the Constituent Assembly, the partisan body elected two weeks ago to rewrite the countrys constitution. The international community has broadly condemned Venezuelas leftist president Nicolas Maduro for convening the Constituent Assembly, which is seen as an attempt by Maduro to decisively sideline the opposition and consolidate his power, pushing Venezuela toward a one-party dictatorship.

Those targeted in the U.S.s latest round of sanctions are mostly politicians  including the former president Hugo Chavezs brother  who participated in actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions, according to the U.S. Treasury. This latest round of pressure on Venezuela comes after the U.S. slapped sanctions on Maduro himself after the election of the Constituent Assembly  a rare but mostly symbolic move. Thirteen other Maduro associates and high-ranking politicians were hit with sanctions for corruption and undemocratic activities ahead of the vote in July.

So far, the United States has avoided more far-reaching sanctions against Venezuela, a move that could backfire, further depleting the struggling, oil-dependent economy and leaving Venezuelans  who are already suffering  to bear the brunt of the fallout. And it could play right into the hands of Maduro, who rarely misses an opportunity to bash America as meddling Yankee imperialists.

But its doubtful these sanctions will be enough to pressure Maduro and his allies to back off their power grab. This week, the Constituent Assembly confirmed itself as the countrys supreme political body, making clear the judiciary and legislative branches cant challenge its decisions. The body, whose members were sworn-in this weekend, already ousted the countrys attorney general, a former leftist ally turned Maduro critic.

The Constituent Assemblys next, and perhaps most significant target, will be Venezuelas legislature, the opposition-controlled National Assembly. Indeed, the Constituent Assembly has already established a truth commission to investigate acts of violence carried out with political motives or out of intolerance  which many critics see as a way to crack down on all dissent. Maduro has said the truth commission may strip lawmakers of immunity, a not-so-veiled threat of prosecution against his political opponents.

Maduro and his allies have consistently blamed the opposition for political violence that has erupted at protests and left more than 120 Venezuelans dead. However, the United Nations said Tuesday that government security forces and pro-government militias are responsible for more than 70 deaths.
Photo: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

The problem of Donald Trumps manifest unfitness for office has inspired some writers to propose invoking the 25th Amendment, under which the president can be deemed unable to serve by the vice-president and a majority of the cabinet (plus two-thirds of Congress). But the 25th Amendment solution presents constitutional and political obstacles that could be elided with a more elegant and mutually satisfying alternative: the Truman Show solution.

The Truman Show is a 1998 film about a man named Truman who, unbeknownst to him, has been raised from birth on the set of a reality-television show. The shows producers keep Truman unaware that the town he lives in is a set, that he is being filmed at all times, or that everybody he encounters is an actor.

Trump could be easily coaxed into a similar ruse. He would live in a fake White House, and work among his existing staff. Since most of them are serving out of a desire to prevent him from committing catastrophic blunders, the new arrangement would make their work easier. Indeed, serving as pretend staff to a pretend president would be far less stressful. President Trump could be allowed to indulge his reckless impulses without consequence. Trump could fire James Comey or Jeff Sessions, or nuke any country he wants. It would all play out in fake news programs beamed into his television.

In the movie, the ruse foundered when Truman yearned to travel to the world beyond his movie set. Trump would pose little such danger. He hates travel, and reportedly had to be coaxed into his first overseas visit. Trump rarely goes outdoors at all, and when he does he prefers to spend time at his own properties.

Alex Thompsons revelation that Trumps staff prepares for him daily binders of exclusively fawning news clips suggests the White House staff has already gone some ways toward this solution. Trump has created a fantasy world, is constantly angered by news depicting a different external reality than the one constructed for him, and must be coaxed to return to the fantasy one to prevent him from lashing out in anger. One White House official said the only feedback the White House communications shop, which prepares the folder, has ever gotten in all these months is: It needs to be more fucking positive, reports Thompson.

The news clips delivered to Trump in his fake White House could be as positive as Trump desires. Even the failing New York Times would be reporting on his rising polls, his string of legislative triumphs, and the cowering of his chastened enemies. If Trump desired to see the results for himself, Marine One could whisk him to a Trump-branded resort, where thankful fans would cheer him on. They could even arrange a tour of several hundred yards of the brand-new, solid-gold, solar-panel-covered border wall. Then he could return to his phone and bask in the Twitter praise generated by bots. (This part may be happening already.)

Trump, like Truman, is a persona shaped by the conventions of reality television. But while Truman yearns to break free from the artifice of television, Trump craves it. He harbors no deep ambitions to change the country in any substantive way. All he wants is to turn on his television and see himself being praised. Reality television created Americas Trump crisis, and reality television can solve it.
You, alone, can fix it. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call,Inc.

Mitch McConnell wants you to know that congressional Republicans arent underperforming  it just looks that way because Donald Trump doesnt understand how Washington works.

Our new president, of course, has not been in this line of work before, the Senate Majority Leader told a Rotary Club in northern Kentucky on Monday. I think he had excessive expectations about how quickly things happen in the democratic process.

Part of the reason I think people think were underperforming, McConnell continued, is because of too many artificial deadlines unrelated to the reality of the legislature which may have not been understood.

From one angle, McConnells assessment looks fair. It took President Obama more than a year to push the Affordable Care Act through Congress; Republicans tried to write, amend, and pass an alternative health-care plan in a matter of weeks. After several drafts of Trumpcare failed to garner majority support in the Senate, the hasty, haphazard process climaxed with McConnell & Co. drafting a plan for reforming one-sixth of the American economy over lunch, and then trying to pass it before sunrise the next morning.

And, certainly, President Trump has not demonstrated patience with  let alone understanding of  the complexities inherent to the legislative process.

That said, congressional Republicans initial plan was to repeal Obamacare almost immediately upon taking office, and then draft a replacement over the ensuing months. President Trump actually intervened to slow down that effort back in January, when he demanded Republicans repeal and replace the health-care law simultaneously.

Further, the artificial deadlines Paul Ryan and McConnell embraced when pushing Trumpcare had less to do with the presidents grandiose expectations, than with the historic unpopularity of the GOP bill. McConnell worked feverishly to pass his health-care legislation out of the Senate before the July 4 recess, out of concern that the more his colleagues heard from their constituents, the less willing theyd be to vote for a bill that would condemn thousands of Americans to preventable deaths. As Lindsey Graham infamously put it, This [bill] is not like a fine wine  it doesnt get better over time.

McConnell needed to rush Obamacare repeal because the GOPs primary goal for health-care reform  cutting hundreds of billions of dollars in aid to the poor, so as to finance tax cuts for the rich  is opposed by a large majority of the American public, every major stakeholder in the health-care sector, and most of the partys own voters. Donald Trump didnt force McConnell to use the publics frustrations over high medical costs as cover for an attempt to retrench the welfare state.

Anyhow, the White House did not take kindly to Mitchs buck-passing. The presidents social-media director Dan Scavino offered McConnell this pungent reply.

More excuses. @SenateMajLdr must have needed another 4 years - in addition to the 7 years -- to repeal and replace Obamacare..... https://t.co/6FOVBm6BQU  Dan Scavino (@DanScavino) August 9, 2017

Hours later, the president himself struck a similar note.

Senator Mitch McConnell said I had "excessive expectations," but I don't think so. After 7 years of hearing Repeal & Replace, why not done?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017

There have been simmering tensions between the president and Majority Leader for a while now. This is the closest theyve ever come to a boil. But Trumps decision to endorse sitting Alabama senator Luther Strange on Tuesday  over far-right challengers who were explicitly campaigning on their allegiance to the president and antipathy for McConnell  suggests that the presidents tweets may be louder than his bite.

Still, Trumps frustrations with the Senates 60-vote threshold  and his incredulous outrage over McConnells refusal to eliminate this self-imposed obstacle to the Republican agenda  arent going away. And if the president ever decides he wants to press the issue, he should have little trouble mobilizing the conservative base against the Majority Leader.

The tea partys central charge against the Republican Establishment has long been that those RINO squishes have more power to advance conservative goals than theyre willing to use. Demagogues have deployed this allegation to great effect, even at times when it was patently untrue. In 2013, Ted Cruz convinced much of the GOP base that Republicans could force Barack Obama to repeal his own signature law, if only they had the spine to shut down the government.

If a junior senator could whip up such a frenzy with false charges of Establishment fecklessness, imagine how much hell a sitting president could raise by levying an honest one. While its true that the abolition of the filibuster wouldnt have saved Obamacare repeal, it would (almost certainly) be necessary to revive that effort. By the time John McCain pulled the plug on Trumpcare, the Senate parliamentarian had already ruled that critical parts of the GOPs health-care plan couldnt be passed through reconciliation (and, thus, would be subject to a Democratic filibuster).

Whats more, the presidents plans to restrict legal immigration; finance a border wall; increase defense spending; repeal Dodd-Frank; and pass permanent, deficit-expanding tax reforms will be all but impossible to enact without 60 Senate votes.

McConnells reluctance to kill the filibuster may reflect the conservative movements best interests. Right now, thanks to the rules of budget reconciliation, legislation that cuts the federal deficit can be passed with a simple majority vote  but all new regulations, or expansions to the welfare state, require 60. This state of affairs is an asset for the party of small government. Assuming that Democrats are too smitten with norms to abolish the filibuster the next time they gain power, it makes some sense for conservatives to keep it around.

But this is a complicated argument, and one McConnell cant really make in public without alerting progressives to their interest in the filibusters elimination. And the Majority Leaders other likely motives for retaining the rule are politically indefensible. One reason for the filibusters resilience is that it increases the power of every individual senator, by giving each the unilateral authority to change the vote threshold on legislation. Another is that the filibuster allows majority parties to avoid voting on legislation that they claim to support to appease their base, but dont actually want to spend the necessary political capital to pass.

Conservative activists have no interest in preserving these prerogatives.

And the tea party certainly doesnt give a damn about protecting the Senates sacred norms  let alone an anti-democratic one that appears nowhere in the Constitution.

All of which is to say: If Trump ever decides he wants McConnell demoted, a GOP civil war over the filibuster could ensue.
the national interest

The GOP Revolt Against Trump Is More Serious Than You Think

Its not going to be like 2016 or 2021.
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
Uganda's biggest public health facility, Mulago national referral hospital management is still pushing ahead with its proposal to have patients charged for medical services.

Mulago argues that the money coming from government is too little to run the national referral systems especially as it introduces specialised services.

But some leaders in government are reluctant to approve the proposal saying it would amount to return to the cost-sharing policy abolished fifteen years ago after the 2001 presidential elections.

Mulago hospital wants to reintroduce cost sharing for patients

Cost-sharing, or user fees had been used by public health sector to recover some of the costs of services but it became a political hot potato after opposition doyen Dr Kizza Besigye vowed to abolish it during the presidential campaigns.

Lately, Mulago has put up a spirited fight asking government to allow it to charge patients as the hospital goes through rounds of hardships and pleas for money.

The hospital's top management on Wednesday met some members of the ruling party, National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee with hope that they will convince President Yoweri Museveni to buy the idea of allowing patients seeking specialised services to pay.

The team from NRM was led by former state minister for health Captain Mike Mukula. Others included Northern CEC representative, Sam Engola, James Tweheyo, Aleper Simon Peter representing Karamoja among others.

Mulago hospital executive director, Dr Baterena Byarugaba in a presentation defended the proposal saying that the collections will be used to improve services.

"We expect to collect Shs 191 billion if we are allowed to charge [patients]. Then government can give us Shs 277 billion for salaries. But if we charged and we got Shs 191 billion, we would be able to do all whatever is done abroad because if there is a tumor we can always say; our brothers in India, our brothers in India where are you? Can you come and help us and we work on this patient?", Byarugaba said.

He said with the current state funding, Mulago is so constrained that it cannot provide the needed services. He said his management uses funds allocated to Mulago to run Kiruddu, Kawempe and upper Mulago hospitals.

Byarugaba says the hospital has had rocky cycles of trying to motivate the staff given the low wage bill from government. Mulago was allocated close to Shs 23 billion as wage bill for the financial year 2017/2018.

Baterana and his management is suggesting that the wage bill should be increased to over Shs 142 billion in the financial year 2018/19 and then to Shs 284 billion in financial year 2019/2020.

The hospital is suggesting an increase in salaries for nursing officers, medical officers, consultants and senior consultants.

Nursing and medical officers at Mulago earn Shs 1,170, 000. The hospital suggests that they would earn about Shs 6.6 million per month.

For senior consultants, Mulago wants their Shs 3.4 million increased to Shs 19.6 million per month. Under the new scheme, consultants will earn Shs 15 million monthly. Presently, consultants at Mulago earn Shs 2.6 million a month.

Baterana says it is critical that that salaries are increased to motivate health officers at the hospital.

"If this one [charging patients] happened, I want to assure you honourable members of CEC, that you would never hear that you went to Mulago and did not see a nurse, you went to Mulago and did not see a doctor, you went to Mulago and did not see a counsellor - you would never hear about that.

All the doctors and nurses, none of them would then go to work in the private clinics. All these private clinics you see, they would close, I assure you. All those private hospitals , I assure you completely and also, they would just close", he said.

Mukula and his colleagues at the meeting promised to present the suggestion to President Museveni, also chairman of NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC).

Former Erute South MP, Sam Engola is among those who want the salaries of workers at Mulago revised upwards.

"For some of us who travel out, when you go to countries like to South Africa even in Europe, most of the doctors in South Africa are Ugandans. Secondly, when you go to America, most of the nurses are Ugandans which means their pay is very good.

We should also encourage our people as the consultant has said, that our hospital will be the best. Instead of us going out they will come here. Even the president himself has been talking of [saving] money being used to take VIPs - all those people who [think of] themselves [as] more than others like in Animal Farm to go to India, to South Africa, to Germany when our doctors can do it very well", Engola said.

It is not immediately clear if other members of the CEC will agree to the cost-sharing proposal. Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga also member of CEC said she will not allow support the idea.

Baterana says the charges will be paid by the well-to-do under the anticipated health insurance schemes. He says the services will also be charged according to set tiers from premier, gold and silver among others so as to cater for all levels of Ugandans

The salaries apart, Baterana and the members of NRM CEC discussed staffing levels at Mulago. It emerged that Mulago has its staffing level filled to only 56 percent due to the wage shortfall.

The hospital was approved to employ 1930 nursing staff but it has so far just 883 positions filled leaving a void of over 1,000 vacancies.

Mulago has 21 senior consultants against the required 70. Mulago was approved to have 107 consultants but only 53 have been filled leaving 72 positions vacant.
That's rude as fuck.

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Rooting for Claire Foy's basic ass to win since she's so salty

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Of course she did otherwise she would have to talk about it in her daily brainwashing, she would have to explain how it made her feel etc. etc.

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wow so I guess they wouldn't want their members to be medical marijuana patients either



it kinda makes sense tho with how they feel about psychiatric medications.

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I don't think they're allowed to drink. I remember an interview during her MM days. The reported noted that she had wine on the counter and asked her about it. She declined to comment on it. I'm pretty sure she's a smoker too.



I also read rumors that she took Scientology classes about recovering from drug addiction and alcoholism.



Edited at 2017-08-09 12:49 am (UTC)

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no to all of them

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She seems to have had ordered drinks during several interviews I've read w/ her.



Unrelated to the below thread re: alcoholism, obviously, but I don't think drinking is necessarily prohibited in Scientology.

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I saw an interview awhile ago where she said she had a vacation in Hawaii and was poolside having cocktails so idk



But I didn't even know she was a Xenu worshipper until a few days ago. She could have been lying to seem "normal"?

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After watching Leah's series, I'd say no. They basically have to "confess" their "sins" every day so they tend to just find it easier to avoid doing things they'd feel obligated to admit to.

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From what I remember, they can't participate in auditing or other church services if they've had a drink in the last 24 hours and devout Scientologists are doing church stuff basically every day, so most of them tend to not drink much at all because of this rule.

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Leah's docuseries is phenomenal. I'm really shocked she hasn't won and Emmy and Golden Globe yet.

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I think she's nominated for an Emmy.

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I love it and think it's important, but I don't think it'll get awards recognition because it's so corny. Her interviews with blast lights on her face and talons on her fingers, the halting conversations between her and the ex-members. To be fair, the subject matter may also prevent it from getting awards, though it didn't hurt her in this case.

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Got damn it, Lissy >:/

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I will always find it amusing how she's a Scientologist and the star of Handmaid's Tale.

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Me too

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lol

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You used it correctly, alanis!!

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lol

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I was just about to say...

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yeah, and she is also the producer of the show

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Yeah. She seems so sweet on her public IG and always responding to fans but I can't get over the fact that she's in that cult.

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She is living that actual life

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Same

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tragic irony at its finest

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I was just about to say this - the irony (or lack thereof) is strong in this one. Does she not see it herself? I'm guessing "no".

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I wonder how that came about ..

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So in real life, she is Ofronald or Ofdavid?

Ironic. Moronic.

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She probably still has family and friends trapped belonging to the cult church. If she doesn't follow protocol, she could be declared an SP herself and totally cut off from the people she loves.



Edited at 2017-08-09 12:46 am (UTC)

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it really sucks she was born into it, it is SO hard to break out of that kind of brainwashing

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Definitely. I have lots of friends who are ex-mormon. A lot of them made terrible decisions when they were active in mormonism. I don't hold it against them. They were victims of a cult, with serious brainwashing and manipulation. It's especially difficult when you're born into it.

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the fact that she even has to leave the room because of her ~religion~ should be a red flag for her.

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She was born into it.

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If only Leah was a dog and maybe Elisabeth would reconsider!

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Lmaooooo

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LMAO

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i will never get over that

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Oh for fuck's sake - she's a scientologist too?

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yeah she was raised in the church :(

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I love Elisabeth Moss and I'm so sad she's a part of this cult :/ I know it's hard when you've grown up in it but I still have hope she could break free.

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mte and i still have hope

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it's still possible, there are several people who have. hopefully one day she'll be one of them.

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She and Beck make me really sad. Hope they both get the courage to leave.

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i can't imagine how difficult it would be, it would mean cutting ties w/your family and everyone you know.



i mean it's possible, but i can see how someone might just 'go with it' even if they don't believe (obvs i have no idea what elisabeth's personal opinion is....just my 0.02)

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Yaaaay a second post to fat shame, so exciting!!!!!!!!

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ONTD would never!

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wait what? ontd complains all the time about being overweight and wanting to lose weight.

that projection is real!

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I don't know if you're saying I'm projecting or the rest of ONTD is projecting when they fat shame.

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im glad you took a break from brainstorming all the reasons why the jogger who pushed the woman into an oncoming bus wasnt at fault to join us in this post bb.



Edited at 2017-08-09 06:11 pm (UTC)

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Her legal team is setting her up to fail.

Go public, make noise accept a pittance of a settlement that they then take most of.

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I mostly agree with you but I don't know if going public was a good idea. Her lawyers opened her up to so much scrutiny and skepticism with that press conference.

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My comment was unclear, but i totally agree with you.

It's very difficult to prove these types of claims, i hope somebody warned her at least.



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What kind of Lawyer is Bloom that within the first 5 minutes of meeting and hearing her story she didn't have her client clean up her social media history?!

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this chick has been lying. she said she was having twins by august alcina? you can't just make up all this shit anymore. it's not high school and we know you don't know anybody in canada.



Edited at 2017-08-09 05:08 pm (UTC)

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I don't think Lisa vetted this person. Because her friends are the ones saying she's a known liar. What celebrity is supposed to be the father of her baby? Was it August or someone else?

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I'm deeply concerned about her health.



Physically first and foremost, but also emotionally.

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no, you're not

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Get out

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nnnn

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who doesn't \_()_/

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K...you still have no damages claim

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if you're gonna accuse a celeb of something, might wana get your social media together first. she's a liar and she looks stupid. she's getting completely clowned and it's all for nothing.

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wow, I can't believe the comments already in this post. ONTD ain't shit.



Edited at 2017-08-09 04:54 pm (UTC)

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You can't?

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You're right. I shouldn't be surprised at this point.

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I was gonna point out how mean everyone is in here. But that's just me pointing out the obvious. I need to stop being shocked by this site.

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He did not pork that woman.

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Are you Xavior Wilson? Where's your google plus sign?

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Guys, you should dry clean your bed sheets before you wear them. Otherwise it reflects badly on the entire Klan.

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she a liar? How. Haven't followed this much?

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She'll be lucky if she gets a $10 Chick-fil-A gift card out of this.

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just... why? stuff like his makes me so angry because it results in women with legitimate cases getting taken less seriously.

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Lol Wait, what's going on in here?

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The fat on fat crime in here smh

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Lmfao

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LMAO

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Nnn

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FUCK LMAO

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omg

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OMG lmao

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O M G

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nnnn BITCH

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omg 

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Amid stubbornly falling oil prices and growing doubts about OPECs ability to rein in production, the EIA reported a draw in U.S. commercial crude oil inventories of 6.5 million barrels for the week to August 4.

A day earlier, the American Petroleum Institutes weekly inventory estimate propped up prices, limiting their fall, by suggesting commercial inventories fell by 7.839 million barrels. Analysts had expected a much smaller draw, of 2.272 million barrels. Gasoline inventories, however, rose by 1.53 million barrels, the API reported, versus expectations for a draw of 1.5 million barrels.

On a more troubling note, the EIA calculated gasoline inventories had gone up by 3.4 million barrels last week, with daily production averaging 10.3 million barrels, basically flat on the previous week, when refineries processed some 17.4 million barrels of crude daily. Last week, runs rose to 17.6 million barrels of oil daily.

Benchmark oil prices have been sliding since the start of the week and the slide continued after the Tuesday OPEC meeting that the most optimistic among the oil bulls expected would yield additional cuts. Instead, the meeting did what it said on the tin: a discussion of compliance rates among the parties to the production cut agreement inked at the end of last year. Related: Did BP Just Unlock A New Major Shale Gas Basin?

The cartel said in a statement after the meeting that those that were lagging behind in their compliance, namely Iraq, the UAE, and Kazakhstan, had affirmed their commitment to the deal. However, it seems that no commitments as to actually cutting production were made by any of the three.

Bloomberg reports that Kazakhstan has been steadily increasing its production since the beginning of the year, Iraqs compliance rate fell to 29 percent last month, and the UAEs fell to 60 percent, according to IEA data. The two OPEC members, Iraq and the UAE, were said to have complained that the secondary-source production data OPEC uses to gauge compliance was faulty.

EIAs figure may serve to keep the glimmer of hope glowing in an already excessively volatile market. At the time of writing, WTI was trading at US$49.45 a barrel and Brent crude was at US$52.47 a barrel, both up from yesterdays close.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Policy across the U.S. is changing fast since the election of President Trump. And natural resource companies have already begun to benefit from the shift.

Now two more major measures have just come down  which could open big opportunities for mining and energy in the U.S.

The Department of Interior yesterday unveiled a raft of new policies. One of the biggest being a rollback of Obama-era regulations put in to protect wildlife.

Specifically, the sage grouse. A bird that resides in several prime mining and petroleum jurisdictions  particularly in western U.S. states such as Nevada.

The Obama administration had brought in federal protection for the sage grouse. Including strict rules on land use in areas where the bird resides  which had threatened to withdraw large tracts of land from mineral development and oil and gas drilling.

But the Department of Interior has now directed that several changes be made to that legislation. With officials saying the revised rules will attempt to strike a balance between preservation and economic opportunities.

The biggest change will be allowing state agencies to grant exemptions to the federal legislation. Which could allow local lawmakers to approve extractive activities in places that would have previously been off limits.

And that wasnt the only big change made by Interior. With officials also reversing another Obama administration policy  one that had reformed royalties paid by coal and petroleum developers on federal lands across the U.S.

Related: Daily OPEC Oil Prices Now Public For The First Time Ever

The revised rules had closed loopholes that critics say resource firms were using to dodge tax payments. But industry had complained that the new measures were unnecessarily complex, impeding development of new projects.

Those rules will now be rendered void  with the royalty system reverting to the old regime as of early September. Watch for all of these shifts to help spur project activity across America, particularly in the coal sector  which should now see improved profitability.

Heres to the times a-changing.

By Dave Forest

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
New data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) has brought some good news for advocates of U.S. natural gas production. In three of the first five months of 2017, the United States exported more natural gas than it imported, reversing a trend of net-imports thats endured for nearly sixty years.

Rising exports, fueled by a the shale boom which has seen a marked increase in U.S. natural gas production, have been facilitated by new infrastructure and rising demand outside the U.S., most notably in Mexico and eastern Canada.

The United States began importing large amounts of Canadian natural gas in 1958, when the TransCanada natural gas pipeline was completed. Significant quantities of Canadian natural gas continue to flow over the border, chiefly through pipelines in Idaho and Montana.

But now, rising natural gas output from the shale boom has displaced Canadian production, reducing the volume of Canadian imports. There has been a simultaneous increase in demand for U.S. natural gas in eastern Canada, which is better supplied from U.S. sources than from distant Alberta, the hub of Canadas energy industry. While the U.S. remains a net importer of Canadian energy, the urban centers of Toronto, Quebec and Montreal are becoming increasingly reliant on U.S. natural gas piped in from the south.

In March 2017, U.S. natural gas exports to Canada reached 3.21 billion cubic feet/day, nearly breaking a record of 3.25 bcf/d set in 2012. Imports of Canadian natural gas, which reached a peak of 12 bcf/day in 2007, were around 8 bcf/day.

Related: Daily OPEC Oil Prices Now Public For The First Time Ever

The real story in U.S. natural gas exports, however, is in Mexico. Natural gas exports south of the border reached near-record levels in the first half of 2017, averaging 4.04 bcf/d.

Exports to Mexico have been steadily increasing since 2010, a sign of growing U.S. production and declining Mexican output, but also an indicator of the growing demand in Mexico for natural gas for electricity production and industrial activities. Natural gas accounts for sixty percent of Mexican electricity demand, though upstream activities have been increasing since the 2013 Energy Reforms and the countrys domestic production could swing back in the years to come.

The pipeline network linking the U.S. to Mexico has been improved and updated in the last five years, with new pipelines increasing the total export volume to 7.3 bcf/d. Plans for additional pipelines featured heavily in U.S. President Donald Trumps speech on energy policy in late June 2017, despite his repeated calls that a wall be built between the two nations. The President suggested the new pipeline could be built under the wall, eliciting a few chuckles from his audience.

Jokes aside, the U.S. is likely to remain a major source of energy for Mexican consumption in the years ahead. New pipelines, including the Roadrunner (Phase II), Comanche Trail and Presidio Crossing projects will increase U.S. capacity to deliver natural gas to Mexico, directly linking the nations most productive shale areas to high-growth markets. Total U.S. natural gas export capacity to Mexico is set to increase to 15 bcf/d.

The other aspect of U.S. natural gas export growth has been the increase in liquefied natural gas shipments (LNG) from the nations single operational LNG terminal at Sabine Pass in Louisiana. Since coming on line in February 2016, Sabine Pass has commissioned three liquefaction trains, allowing exports to reach 2 bcf/d in 2017.

Some of this product has been delivered to Mexico, largely to feed demand in the countrys central regions which have experienced natural gas shortages. Shipments to Mexico reached 14 bcf in January 2017.

Harold Hamm, a pioneer of the U.S. shale boom, is anticipating a surge of U.S. LNG exports. The energy lobbyist has the ear of President Trump, who has been vigorously promoting increased U.S. energy production. Yet Hamm has acknowledged that the real barrier to LNG exports is not capacity, but demand. Right now, the U.S. competes with other LNG exporters for markets in East Asia and South America. Related: Libyas Oil King Wont Be Stopped By OPEC

Mexico, which has been taking LNG shipments to correct for natural gas shortages in its central regions, may be weaning itself off LNG as more natural gas becomes available via pipeline. The boom in pipeline construction linking U.S. shale to markets in Mexico may price LNG out of the market: liquefying and transporting the gas via tanker is more expensive than simply pumping it through a pipeline.

The EIA believes LNG will drive increasing U.S. energy exports, amounting to more than half of all energy exports by 2040. With natural gas now flowing out of the U.S. to markets north and south, and with new capacity being added yearly, it seems likely that the boom in natural gas will endure despite lower-than-average prices. All that is required is for demand to match the abundant supply.

By Gregory Brew for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Exports outweigh imports in February, April, May: EIA

The U.S. has been a net exporter of natural gas for three of the first five months of 2017, according to a note released by the EIA. This is historically significant, as February, April and May are so far, the only months in which the U.S has been a net exporter of natural gas since 1958.

Imports from Canada falling

The U.S. natural gas trade is dominated by pipelines, with pipelines from Canada supplying the vast majority of all imported gas. The TransCanada Pipeline was completed in 1958, transporting gas from western Canada to the northeastern U.S. Since then, the U.S. has always imported a great deal of Canadian natural gas. Net gas imports from Canada peaked in 2007, at over 10 Bcf/d. Since then, the U.S. shale boom has begun to replace Canadian gas, and the U.S. has begun to export gas to Canada in significant volumes. The U.S. is still a net importer of gas from Canada, but exports to Canada continue to rise.

(Click to enlarge)

Source: EIA

Declining Mexican production is being replaced by U.S. gas

Natural gas trade with Mexico is much more one-sided, with vastly more exports to Mexico than imports. Gas exports to Mexico are currently nearly at record levels, averaging over 4 Bcf/d in 2017. This value has increased quickly, as in 2010 the U.S. was exporting only 0.91 Bcf/d to its southern neighbor. Similar dynamics are influencing trade with Mexico in both natural gas and refined products. In both cases, Mexican production is declining, while demand is increasing. This creates an opportunity for American fuels to fill the gap, and steady expansion of export infrastructure in the U.S. makes continued export growth likely. Related: Natural Gas Prices Poised To Rise As Exports Boom

(Click to enlarge)

Source: EIA

LNG arrives on the scene

The U.S.s natural gas with the rest of the world changed profoundly recently, when Chenieres (ticker: LNG) Sabine Pass terminal began operation. The facility set a new record of 1.96 Bcf/d in May, as it continues to spool up operations. Three liquefaction trains are currently operational, with a fourth expected to come online in the next few months. Additional expansion of Sabine Pass and a host of other LNG projects in the pipeline mean the U.S. will likely become more of a natural gas exporter in the future.

By Oil and Gas 360

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Chinese crude oil imports in July dropped to their lowest level in seven months, although they rose 12 percent on an annual basis, according to calculations made by Reuters on the basis of Chinas customs data.

Last month China imported some 34.66 million tons of crude oil, or around 8.16 million bpd, whichaccording to Reuters calculations based on Chinas General Administration of Customs datawas the lowest level since January.

Crude oil imports in the first seven months of this year increased by 13.6 percent at 247 million tons.

In the first half of the year, Chinese crude oil imports averaged 8.55 million bpd, or 212 million tons in total  a 13.8-percent annual increase.

The total trade data for July had analysts worried that Chinas economy may have started to show signs of slowdown. Both exports and imports increased less than expected, making analysts wonder if global demand growth has started to slow down, or if Chinas July trade figures should be attributed solely to one-off or seasonal factors.

In total imports, Chinas imports increased by 11 percent last month, missing forecasts for a 16.6-percent rise, and slowing down from Junes 17.2-percent jump, to the slowest growth since December last year.

Last month, a senior manager at Sinopec said that lower domestic production and continued low oil prices will lead to Chinas demand for crude oil imports rising by around 400,000 bpd in 2017. Chinese crude oil imports are expected to exceed 400 million tons this year, and to further rise next year, Zhang Haichao, vice president of Sinopec Group, told Reuters. The estimate provided by Zhang means that Chinese demand for foreign crude would rise by 400,000 bpd, and for the first time ever, rising imports could make China the worlds top crude oil importer on an annual basis, according to Reuters.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
India has been cutting imports of Iranian crude oil, making good on its promise to reduce imports by around 20 percent this fiscal year ending March 2018, in a possible retaliation for Tehran not awarding the development of a gas field in Iran to Indian firms.

According to ship tracking data from sources and data compiled by Thomson Reuters Oil Research & Forecasts, Indias oil imports from Iran dropped by 16.3 percent in July from June, to 414,900 bpd. Compared to July last year, Indias crude imports from the Islamic Republic plunged by 20.7 percent, Thomson Reuters Oil Research & Forecasts data show.

At the end of May, Irans Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said that Tehran had signed an initial agreement with Russias gas giant Gazprom for the development of the Farzad B gas field, in what was the latest episode of the saga over the field which Tehran had been taking its time to award to an Indian consortium.

In August, Indias crude imports from Iran are expected to further drop, by 25 percent month on month, to 310,000 bpd, Reuters reported, citing sources with knowledge of the loading schedules. While Irans exports to India are seen down to their lowest level since February 2016just after many Western sanctions on Irans oil were liftedIrans sales to China are seen up this month to their highest in 11 months after Tehran cut prices and demand for its heavier grades increased, according to Reuters.



Related: Natural Gas Prices Poised To Rise As Exports Boom

In Indias oil imports in July, Iraq emerged as the biggest winner as India was replacing part of Iranian, Venezuelan, and UAE imports with Iraqi ones, Thomson Reuters Oil Research & Forecasts show.

Indias imports from Iraq jumped by 31.5 percent month on month in July to 954,400 bpd, and Iraq was Indias top oil provider for a fourth consecutive month. Second was Saudi Arabia, whose exports to India jumped by 34.1 percent from June, to stand at 888,400 bpd in July.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
LPG-carrying vessels are piling up off the coast of Singapore as traders await higher prices, Reuters reports, citing industry insiders. According to tanker tracking data from Thomson Reuters, there is currently one Very Large Gas Carrier loaded with LPG off the Singapore coast, and it has been floating there for five days. Another VLGC, the sources told Reuters, recently set for China after floating for a few days in Singapore waters.

Last August, as many as 10 vessels loaded with LPG sat floating off the coast of Singapore for months due to an oversupply of the commodity, which is used for heating and cooking, as well as for the production of petrochemicals. However, Reuters notes, this time last year the LNG market contango was US$15 while now it is just US$2, so there isnt so much motivation for hoarding.

This year, demand, especially from China and India is stronger. In March, Platts cited Sinopec, Chinas biggest refiner, as saying that LPG imports into the country this year could hit 20 million tons on strong demand for petrochemicals. Apparent demand for LPG may reach 54.5 million tons. Last year, the apparent demand for LPG in China rose 26 percent on an annual basis to 49.84 million tons.

In India, a news report from this month said that local production of LPG is falling short of demand for cooking gas, so the government was seeking ways to ensure sufficient supply from abroad. Earlier this week, India inked a contract with neighbor Bangladesh for the construction of an LPG import terminal at the Bangladeshi port of Chittagong. In addition, India will receive 44,000 tons of LPG from Iran every month until the end of the year with an option for an extension of the supply period.

A Kpler LPG market analyst said that they are witnessing a higher number of VLGCs taking the longer route to Asian markets, via the Cape of Good Hope instead of the Panama Canal, possibly buying more time in hopes the contango keeps or increases. Last week, the analyst noted, seven VLGCs headed to the Far East via Singapore, and this week three more have signaled for Singapore on their way to Asia. This increases the possibility of a buildup in Singapore in the coming days.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
In Mondays edition of the Wall Street Journal Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) called for the elimination of the filibuster in the United States Senate. Mr. Biggs may want to rethink his position although his complaints are absolutely valid.

Mr. Biggs served in the Arizona Legislature for nearly fourteen years  first as a state representative and then as a state senator including a stint as President of the Arizona Senate. During that time the Arizona Legislature was under the firm control of Republicans  both the House and the Senate, and generally by healthy majorities. Never having been in the minority, Mr. Biggs never experienced the tyranny of the majority. (Well, Republicans did have to suffer the six years of Gov. Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) but they still controlled the legislature.) In marked contrast, the minority Arizona Democrats would sell other peoples children for a way to stop or slow down the conservative tide that defines Arizona. (Liberals always want to use other peoples money, property and, probably, children, to advance their great ideas.)

Arizona does not have a filibuster provision. From Mr. Biggs standpoint in the majority that was unnecessary. Unlike congressional Republicans, Arizona state legislative Republicans seem to be able to find common ground with only minor debate and disagreement. Thats probably due to the fact that in Arizona the concept of citizen legislator leans heavily towards citizen while in Congress, that whole concept has been abandoned in favor of princes of the realm  royalty  whose every thought and deed so far exceeds the understanding of the masses that they have come to ignore them out of a sense of noblesse oblige.

And while the Republican have maintained control of Congress for the last four years, that is a recent  and probably temporary  occurrence given that the Republicans have broken faith with those who elected them by failing to do anything constructive  repeal Obamacare, enact substantive tax reform, balance the budget and reduce the national debt. When the tables are turned and the Democrats have returned to control, you can assume that it will look exactly as it did in 2009-10 when they rammed Obamacare without a single Republican vote and without a single Democrat having read the bill. The filibuster may be the only tool available to stem the liberal/progressive agenda.

But returning to Mr. Biggs. He commented:

The filibuster forces the majority into awkward legislative maneuvers. Take the GOPs plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare through the Senates reconciliation process. The way it works that once a budget is passed, a follow-up bill gets once chance to be reconciled in the Senate with only 51 votes. So first the House had to pass a faux budget, to make reconciliation available. Then House leaders tried to stuff as much ObamaCare replacement in one bill as they thought Senate rules would allow. The result of these wild procedural manipulations was a legislative train wreck that  at least temporarily has halted progress toward the central Republican goal.

All of what Mr. Biggs has written about the convoluted process is true but it wasnt the filibuster that caused Republicans to fail. They failed because they were unable to secure a simple majority. They failed because an Arizona senator, John McCain, voted with the Democrats to kill healthcare reform. They failed because there is no party unity, no willingness to accept the good even though it may fall short of the perfect, and no willingness to allow others to succeed even if you have no solution yourself.

The problem with the filibuster is not its existence. Rather the problem is in the way that it is administered. The filibuster was intended to be an unusual maneuver taken only when one is so deeply committed to opposing a measure that (s)he is willing to stand on the floor of the Senate and prevent the consideration of any matter by speaking non-stop. The exercise of the filibuster required determination, stamina, and eloquence. It also required knowledge of the subject matter to a point that the speaker might raise doubt as to the wisdom of the matter to which (s)he objects. Thats what a filibuster is and that is definitely NOT what is being practiced in the United States Senate with the acquiescence of the leadership of the barely able in both parties.

As practiced by the Senate, the filibuster never requires anyone to break a sweat. A single member can file a statement saying that they intend to filibuster and the burden shifts to the remainder of the Senate to secure sixty votes to end the filibuster  not that it ever actually began, not that anyone had to appear and hold the floor, not that anyone had to orate knowledgeably about the measure, and most assuredly not that anyone had to demonstrate the shortcomings of the measure. They just have to file a piece of paper  a feat that even a Luddite like Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) or an eternal scold like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) or even a lightweight like Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) can accomplish. The change in the process was made so that in the day and age of television cameras and the internet, the smartest people in the nation were not forced to stand and make fools of themselves with a live demonstration of their ineptitude, their pettiness, and their inarticulation. In the halls of the United States Senate where lions once roamed, you now have only dullards and posers.

The Senate should return to the original rules governing the use of the filibuster. A member or members wishing to filibuster would be required to appear on the floor of the Senate and hold the floor continuously by speaking. The filibuster would continue only so long as the member(s) continued to speak (or other senators got tired of listening and moved to closure). Should the member(s) falter  which they always will  then the legislation moves on to regular order. The filibuster was never intended to stop legislation  nobody could talk forever  it was designed to slow the process, give the speakers a chance to persuade others or to build external support to persuade others.

In the end, the nation would be better off by preserving the filibuster but returning it to its original form. And the nation would be far better off if Mr. Biggs spent more time trying to convince his own states senior senator  Mr. McCain  to resign and allow Gov. Dough Ducey to appoint a successor who is dedicated to representing the interests of the people of Arizona.
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...
Seeking to bring sanity into the management of tourist attractions across the country, the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has presented a Legislative Instrument (L.I) to Cabinet that will enable it to have control over tourist attractions in Ghana.



The L.I, the Authority noted, would give it mandate to form partnership agreements with communities which have tourist attractions so as to enable it to monitor, supervise and invest in such destinations to generate income for the country.



Explaining to the Goldstreet Business, CEO of GTA, Akwasi Agyemang, lamented the poor management of most of the countrys attractions, which has led to quality of service and safety standards being woefully compromised.



A recent tragic accident at the Kintampo Falls that claimed the lives of 12 students was attributed to gross mismanagement of the facility.



As I speak, management and control of most tourist attractions in the country are under some local traditional chiefs, municipal and district assemblies, who are not willing to consult us on the best practices in the sector, neither do they want to leave the management of such facilities in our care, he said.



He observed that managers of those attractions make huge sums of money, which end up in individual pockets without devising means to reinvest and add value.



Agyeman argues that, all tourist attractions must be vested in the state, and the GTA must have a substantial share in their management.



That is the only way we can design value for money packages, tailored to meet the needs of the local and international communities, he observed.



He noted that, Kenya, Egypt and Gambia continuously make impact in revenue and tourism traffic because of their value for money packages and facilities.



We are at an advantage; comparing us to the three countries. Ghana is more stable and peaceful unlike Egypt, Kenya and the Gambia, with their recent history of elections turmoil, so there is enough reason to attract visitors here, he explained

The total contribution of Travel and Tourism to Kenyas GDP from 1997 to 2016, was valued at US$6.7billion.



Similarly, Gambia, despite its small size and limited attractions, raked in US$1.20 billion during the period 1997 to 2016.



For Ghana, the sector contributed US$3 billion for the period under review, growing at an average annual rate of 11.51 percent.



We have more than 200 of such attractions as ecotourism sites, mountains, waterfalls, monuments, and wildlife sanctuaries among others scattered across the country, so the question is, where is the money? he asked.



Explaining, he noted that, GTA, on several occasions has been called on to refurbish many tourist attractions in the country because custodians usually fail to invest the money they collect from patrons for the growth of such facilities.



What we want to do is to go to such communities and tell them, we want partnership and provide added services, which tourists would relish like washrooms, receptive facilities and restaurants he noted.



In the long term, we want to get the backing of the law so that before we license those facilities, we would have had our foot on the ground.



Currently, the GTA , he said, has no official share in any tourism facility across the country but that, plans for a partnership model with Kintampo is almost complete and would be used as a blueprint for the authority to acquire shares in other attractions through partnership.



Akwasi Agyemang however, said there is the need to reposition Ghana on the Africa tourism map in order to rake in the needed returns.

Source: goldstreetbusiness.com









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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



OZ2



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Homenaje a Jason Galarraga



La Victoria de Samotracia



Odalisca



Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008



























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!


Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the American Authors Association

Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the Military Writers Society of America.
QUEENSBURY  The former director of Lake George Watershed Coalition does not want prosecutors going through his email.

David Decker, accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars in grant funding, has asked a judge to quash a subpoena that the Warren County District Attorneys Office sent to Google Inc. for access to his Gmail account.

The district attorneys office sent a subpoena to Google seeking all of Deckers incoming and outgoing emails and attachments between 2001 and the present as part of the ongoing investigation into allegations he stole money.

Decker, 67, of Burnt Hills, faces 20 felony charges for allegedly stealing nearly $170,000 over a period of years and falsifying records to cover the alleged theft. He was arrested in March after a Warren County Sheriffs Office investigation, and additional charges were filed in June.

The coalition oversees improvement projects on and around Lake George, and Decker is an engineer who headed the coalition from 2001 until his arrest. He is accused of funneling money from projects to himself, at least partly through a shell company he set up.

Deckers lawyer, Joseph Brennan, told Warren County Judge John Hall the subpoena was too broad and violates the Stored Communications Act, a federal law that dictates when authorities can access electronic communications. There was also no probable cause for the request as required by law, Brennan wrote.

The subpoena constitutes a fishing expedition for unspecified documents, communications and information in contravention of the laws of the state of New York, Brennan wrote in court records.

Brennan said he sent a letter to the district attorneys office, asking for the withdrawal of the subpoena, but got no response. Warren County Assistant District Attorney Ben Smith said his office could not legally respond, however, because grand jury proceedings are secret by law.

Smith said his office believes it issued the subpoena legally, and that Decker has no standing to quash it, only Google does.

I believe our grand jury subpoena is proper and should not be quashed, Smith said.

Hall reserved decision on the matter, pending written arguments from the defense and prosecution.

Acting Warren County District Attorney Jason Carusone said he could not discuss what was being sought through the subpoena, as there is an ongoing investigation.

Decker is free, pending further court action and a grand jury review of his case.
The father of Lake George boat crash victim Charlotte McCue has filed a second lawsuit against the man convicted of killing her.

A civil action in state Supreme Court is alleging wrongful death.

Eric McCue filed the $3 million lawsuit recently in Supreme Court in Warren County, supplementing an earlier $3 million lawsuit filed in June on behalf of Charlottes parents for injuries and pain and suffering they have endured since the July 25, 2016, crash that killed 8-year-old Charlotte.

It names Alexander West, his parents Martin and Cassandra West, and three passengers who were on his boat, Matthew Marry, Kristine Tiger and Morland Keyes, when it collided with the one that carried Charlotte and her family.

As was the case with the first lawsuit, Cara Mia Canale, the lone boat passenger who cooperated with prosecutors in the criminal case against West, was not named as a defendant in the civil action.

The McCue family was legally required to wait to file the wrongful death claim on Charlottes behalf until after the childs estate had been settled in their home state of California, their lawyer, E. Stewart Jones, said.

In court papers, Jones called the familys injuries catastrophic and permanent.

West was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 5 to 15 years in state prison for the collision. The jury found he was impaired by drugs and he was to blame for the collision near Cramer Point that killed Charlotte and seriously injured her mother.

He had been at an all-day party on the lake earlier that day, drinking and using illegal drugs, testimony at his trial showed. He drove his fathers boat up and over the boat driven by Charlottes grandfather, then fled the scene.

Blood tests showed he had three different illegal drugs in his system the next morning.

No court dates have been set. It was unclear whether the Wests or the boat passengers have lawyers, as none were listed in the court file as of Wednesday.
MOREAU  A new fee that could increase the rent on 619 apartments has been discussed in secret repeatedly, and Moreau Town Board members still arent talking about it publicly.

They met to discuss it behind closed doors again Tuesday, but resident Reed Antis challenged the legality of their talks.

At first, board member Gina LeClair tried to defend the reason for holding an executive session on the topic. At issue is a $148,560 sewer fee that was supposed to be paid by Rich Schermerhorns company this year, as part of a seven-year payback for using an existing sewer main. The sewer was used to hook in 619 apartments that Schermerhorn built.

The Town Board approved the fee last fall in the 2017 budget, but has never authorized sending Schermerhorn a bill. Board members have instead discussed it behind closed doors on several occasions.

LeClair said the Open Meetings Law gives them the right to talk secretly, because they could be sued.

Depending on what decision we make, someone could file litigation against us, she said.

But thats not actually allowed under the Open Meetings Law, which allows secret discussions on litigation, not controversial issues that could later lead to litigation.

The threat or fear of litigation is not sufficient, said Bob Freeman, executive director of the Committee on Open Government, who was contacted the day after the meeting.

During the meeting, Antis made the same argument.

I think the board is hiding behind possible litigation, he said.

Then Town Attorney Malcolm OHara offered a solution: They could talk about the subject under attorney-client privilege.

Board members took him up on it. Afterward, they made no public comment about their discussions.

But attorney-client privilege also has limits, Freeman said.

I always offer caution, he said. When the board stops seeking advice and the lawyer stops giving advice, the Open Meetings Law kicks back in.

He said the loophole is widely abused. Boards are supposed to self-police, choosing to go back to public discussion as soon as their lawyer has offered specific legal advice. That means they shouldnt discuss policy with the lawyer, but there is no way for the public to know if that rule is broken.

For better or for worse, there is case law going back at least 100 years. If the board is seeking legal advice, its an exception from the Open Meetings Law, Freeman said.

Board member Alan Van Tassel promised that the board wouldnt do it again on this topic, but no other board members made the same vow.

Van Tassel said that, despite the issue being listed several times for executive session talks, those talks never happened because meetings went so late.

We havent had the opportunity to discuss it once, he said. After that, we will discuss it openly.

But after the meeting, he said they would need one more closed-door meeting before talking in public. The supervisor could not attend Tuesday, due to his brothers death, and board member Bob Prendergast was also not present.

They will need to be brought up to speed in private, Van Tassel said.

And I am certain the supervisor still has a different understanding of our options, Van Tassel added. There is no intention to hide discussions around what our proposed plan will be once we get to that point.
SCHUYLERVILLE  Schuylerville High School Principal Matthew Sickles is leaving after 12 years to become superintendent of a school district near Rochester.

Sickles was appointed the new superintendent of the Phelps-Clifton Springs Central School District in Ontario County on July 31.

Sickles had been the high school principal and junior-senior high school principal during his tenure.

The Schuylerville Board of Education on Aug. 14 plans to appoint James Ducharme, the assistant principal for both the middle and high schools for the last two years, to the high school principal position. Before coming to the district, he was a school counselor at Cohoes High School for eight years.

Board of Education President Jack Macica said the district is sad to see Sickles leave, but recognizes this is a great opportunity for him.

Mr. Sickles has been an exemplary leader in Schuylerville as a role model for his students and a mentor for his staff and fellow administrators, Macica said in a news release.

Sickles said in an email to staff that he was grateful for his time with the district.

The Schuylerville community has truly been like family and each of you has helped shape who I am as an educator and a person, Sickles said. I know that the opportunity to become a superintendent would not have been possible without the many lessons I have learned from you.

The district plans to appoint an interim assistant principal to serve until the end of December. School officials will begin an extensive search for a permanent assistant principal with input from the school community.
Editor:

I must say kudos to Donald Trump for the passage of the unanimous UN vote further sanctioning North Korea and most particularly with the affirmation of both China and Russia, either of which had the power to prevent its passage.

Most recently, Clayton Burgess letter suggested that Trump was a narcissist, a person with out of control ego needs, while I described Trump as a megalomaniac. Irrespective, when one considers Trumps decision to mega bomb Syrias air base and most recently his vague threats to nuke North Korea obviously sent a warning to China and Russia that he very well may carry out his threat.

Although my opinion of Trump has not changed, however, as the saying goes, You have to give the devil his due.

Henry P. Oswald, Salem
Editor:

There are two words, each 10 letters long. They both have three syllables and begin with the same letters  comp.

We all know these words, but apparently the ruling party in Congress does not. The first word is compromise, something the party of "no" has refused to consider ever since ex-president Obama was elected.

Yes, both the House and Senate just passed bills imposing economic sanctions on Russia, North Korea and Iran. They were in full agreement. The problem occurs when the parties have differing viewpoints, as in health care. Rather than work together for the good of the country, a bill is introduced that would have left over 20 million Americans without insurance. Fortunately it went down to defeat, thanks to three Republicans that voted in their constituents best interest.

The next word is one our president has no concept of whatsoever. It is compassion. Ban Muslims from six countries no matter how desperate their situation. Build a wall to keep out those fleeing violence. Deport law-abiding, tax-paying people who have lived here for many years, often doing difficult jobs for low pay that few citizens are willing to do; often separating them from their children who were born here.

For many of us, it calls for another "comp" word like the above. All this is very hard to comprehend.

Eric Krantz, Lake George
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
MUSCATINE  Devin Martz is meeting his personal goals of walking independently, using his skateboard and scooter, and running.

The 11-year-old who lost part of his leg last year to osteosarcoma, a bone cancer that strikes about 400 children and teens in the United States every year, even mastered the many steps to get to the top of the Lost Soul Falls waterslide during a recent visit to Waterloos Lost Island waterpark.

Five times, said Devins mother, Lindsay. And he didnt complain once.

Still, Devins prosthetic device is not conducive to riding a bike.

But, thanks to a special prosthetic device being developed by Conor Bryant, a senior biomedical engineering student at the University of Iowa, Devin will be able to ride a bike as the honoree for this years Courage Ride, an annual bike ride that raises funds for awareness and research into bone sarcomas.

The ride, with a number of paved and gravel routes to suit bicyclists of any range of experience, will be Saturday, Aug. 19, at the Iowa Mennonite School in Kalona, Iowa.

Bryant, a 2013 graduate of Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf, became involved with the Courage Ride after losing two college friends, Nik Jiruska and Jay Burger, to cancer in 2016.

Courage Ride officials made Bryant aware of Devin Martzs situation. In a still somewhat rare procedure called rotationplasty, the middle portion of Devins leg with the tumor was removed in September of last year, and his foot and ankle, rotated 180 degrees, was reattached to serve as his new knee joint.

Devin received a prosthetic leg last December and has worked hard to reintroduce activities into his life like skateboarding and riding his scooter. But the device is specifically designed for walking and does not accommodate the range of motion necessary to ride a bike, Bryant said.

So Bryant set out to build a prosthetic device that would help mimic the rotation of a real leg and feel more natural to Devin. The two-piece device includes a pedal that attaches to the bike and a second component, carbon fiber tubing that serves as a shin bone, which can be quickly slid off the pedal, Bryant said.

There are prosthetic devices for professional and competitive bicyclists, Bryant said, but they are permanently attached to the bike. That would not be practical or safe for a youngster who might find the need to get off his bicycle quickly.

Bryant designed the pedal portion of the prosthetic on a computer and 3-D printed it. Some of the funding for his project came from a GoFundMe account he set up.

Im going to keep improving it and making it better and better over time, Bryant said, noting he is grateful for the research opportunities and funding available at the University of Iowa.

Tammy Smith, sarcoma research coordinator at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, said the Courage Ride has donated more than $300,000 for the hospitals sarcoma research program, supporting 18 research projects and the creation of the only sarcoma tissue bank in the Midwest.

Approximately 15,000 adults and children are diagnosed with bone and soft tissue sarcoma in the United States annually, accounting for 1 percent of all cancers, Smith said.

These funds have been invaluable, she said.

Devin, who will be a sixth-grader at Central Middle School, said he is excited to know he will be the first to use the prosthetic device that Bryant has developed, and that his experience will help other children in the future.

Im the first generation, Devin said proudly during an interview at his home. He also said he wants to be a prosthetic engineer when he grows up.

He will be using the new prosthetic device on a new bike. Two Iowa City bike shops, Geoffs Bike & Ski and World of Bikes, are donating new bikes for Devin and his younger brother, Daine.

Devins dad, Jeff, hopes that his sons experience will prompt people to support the Courage Ride.

It will give kids in the fight a little better hope, he said.
The crowded race for Davenport's alderman at-large positions continues to grow as lifelong Quad-City resident and small business owner JJ Condon has announced his intent to run for office.

Condon has a track record of public service as he currently serves on the board of directors of River Action Inc. and as a member of the Zoning Advisory Committee.

"I feel fortunate to be from a community where you can live affordably, build opportunity for your family and participate in shaping its future," Condon said. "Im optimistic about the direction the city is moving, but we are faced with important tasks moving forward.

Condon said he has plans to prioritize the revitalization of neighborhoods, holding the line on taxes and investing in infrastructure.

"Supporting an environment that invites businesses and entrepreneurs that provide good-paying jobs has to continue to be an emphasis for the council," Condon said. "When our employers are doing well, we all share in the success. But we also need to turn an eye towards long-term smart city planning as it relates to our aging neighborhoods and thoughtful continued growth to the north and west."

As for the riverfront, Condon said that while there needs to be protection against overdevelopment, he was not in favor of empty greenspaces.

Instead, Condon said the city needs to plan for an area that engages residents, whom he called "an essential ingredient to any urban waterfront."

"As we begin to plan once again, I hope we can set a course forward and implement one of these designs," Condon said. "A world class riverfront park surrounded by a thriving downtown bolsters so many aspects of our citys economic potential.

Condon is the co-owner of Applestone Homes Inc., in addition to being a Realtor with Ruhl and Ruhl Realtors.
Across the country, more and more cities have begun to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day on or around what is known as Columbus Day.

The Native American Coalition of the Quad-Cities wants Davenport to become the latest and intends to petition the Davenport City Council to make that happen.

Coalition President Regina Tsosie and board member Tom Morrell attended Tuesday's Civil Rights Commission meeting to seek its recommendation before approaching the Council.

"Everyone knows that Columbus did not discover America," Morrell said. "He was not a very nice person and he was a slave trader. So should we even be recognizing this guy at all?"

The movement started in 1977 at the United Nations-sponsored International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas.

In 1992, the city of Berkeley, California, changed Oct. 12, which was the 500th anniversary of Columbus Day, to a Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People before renaming it Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Since that time, more than 22 cities have recognized Indigenous Peoples' Day with three states, Hawaii, South Dakota and Vermont, following suit.

Morrell told the commission that the city also has a history of mistreating Native Americans, from the incarcerations at Camp McClellan to Gen. Scott, the county's namesake, capturing members of the Sioux.

But rather than focus on the misdeeds of Christopher Columbus or the fact that he did not discover America, Morrell said the city could contribute to celebrating the rich history and contributions of Native Americans in the Quad-Cities.

"There were some very important treaties signed here and the history of trading with Native American people at Credit Island," Morrell said. "It would be a great thing to celebrate that."

While commissioners expressed support for the petition, they were unclear how it fits under their jurisdiction.

"I wholly support that, but I don't see how that fits into anything regarding the Civil Rights Commission," Commissioner Tim Hart said.

Morrell said that research from other cities showed that a recommendation from the Civil Rights Commission carried weight in successfully petitioning local governments.

Director Latrice Lacey said she had invited staff from the Affirmative Action Commission, which was better suited to lead the initiative.

Lacey also said this was not the first time the commission had been asked to change a holiday.

In 2010, the commission looked at changing Good Friday to Spring Holiday, but that was met with a huge uproar and death threats targeting commission members and staff.

Unlike Good Friday, Columbus Day is not recognized by the city as a day off and 3rd Ward Alderman Marion Meginnis agreed that it would not be within the commission's purview to take a position.

Commissioner Clyde Mayfield also suggested that the coalition make a presentation to the school systems so that an accurate portrayal of history was being taught to the next generations.

"They are the ones that teach our kids and it needs to be known and shown that people need to be informed," Mayfield said.

While the commission could not issue the letter that the coalition sought, the consensus of those in attendance was that it was a cause worthy of pursuing.

"I think it's worth taking up the fight," Alderwoman Maria Dickmann, 2nd Ward, said.
The Rock Island County Democrats' annual Salute to Labor picnic is boasting a powerful lineup this year.

Five of the party's candidates for governor are scheduled to be on hand, along with the state's two U.S. senators.

The featured speaker at the event will be William McNary, co-director of Citizen Action/Illinois.

This year will be the 50th anniversary for the picnic, which is held at Illiniwek Park on Labor Day.

At times, the picnic has played host to presidential hopefuls. Hillary Clinton was the top guest last year and the year before. Vice President Al Gore has appeared at the picnic, and so did Barack Obama when he was in the state Senate.

An institution in the Illinois Quad-Cities, the picnic also draws people from the Iowa side of the river.

"It's special to us. We're very excited about it," Doug House, the county party chair, said Tuesday.

State Sen. Daniel Biss, D-Evanston, Chris Kennedy, Alderman Ameya Pawar of Chicago, J.B. Pritzker and Bob Daiber all have committed to attend this year, House said. All five are vying for the party's gubernatorial nomination.

House added he has sent out invitations to candidates for the Democratic nomination for governor in Iowa.

U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, both Illinois Democrats, plan to be there, House said. Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, also is attending, and so is Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill.

The picnic generally takes place right after the Labor Day parade in East Moline.
With the departure of 7-Eleven on Bettendorfs Central Avenue, residents have been left wondering whats next for their beloved hilltop neighborhood.

We can only hope for something great, said longtime Alderwoman Debe LaMar, whose 3rd Ward encompasses the property at 2620 Central Ave. Im protective of that area.

LaMar grew up in a home, where her father still lives, across the alley from the now-shuttered convenience store. She remembers when a Royal Blue Market occupied the space.

It was the hub of the neighborhood, she said, noting rental properties and starter homes make up most of the area. That store is really going to be missed.

Moving forward, LaMar squashed her constituents' concerns that a liquor store could replace the 7-Eleven and adjoining laundromat, citing an ordinance she and her fellow council members approved two years ago.

It prohibits carry-out liquor stores from opening up shop within a quarter-mile of each other between 6th and 26th streets in the downtown area.

Although it's not considered part of downtown, those in search of an adult beverage in the neighborhood visit Central Avenue Tap, 2604 Central Ave.

The quaint two-block stretch of Central Avenue, between 26 and 28th streets, has seen a recent flurry of positive changes.

In October 2015, Bustout Live Escape Room Games moved into the same 62-year-old building as 7-Eleven, which the Dallas-based company still owns.

Scott Carpenter, the owner of the business, said his contract runs through September, and that he has no interest in moving.

I like this neighborhood, he said. It would be so much easier to stay where I am. A lot went into preparing this location for the escape rooms.

Directly to the east, a resident of the neighborhood is renovating the old Hilltop Barber Shop at 2708 Central Ave.

Horacio Marquez, who lives a block away from the site, plans to open Headlinez Elite Haircuts next week.

Ive got regulars who walk by every day checking on the progress because they used to get their haircut here when they were little, Marquez said. Theyre just looking forward to seeing what its going to look like.

The young entrepreneur received funds from the citys facade program to spruce up his storefront.

Across the street, the city has plans to place a new splash pad at Lincoln Park, an idea LaMar suggested years ago, said Steve Grimes, director of the Bettendorf Parks and Recreation Department.

On Tuesday, the Park Board awarded a contract for the project.

Plans call for the splash pad to be built just north of the asphalt area in the middle of the park.

LaMar also was partly responsible for the park's creation.

Before voters first elected her in 1997, she led a group of Central Avenue residents to City Hall, where they voiced their opposition to commercial development plans for the property and pushed for a park.

Lincoln School, a circa-1917 schoolhouse that closed in 1980, anchored the plot back then.

But council members agreed with LaMar's vision and voted for the demolition of the building, which lastly served as the city's cultural arts center and Children's Museum.

"It's pretty funny how things go through transition," LaMar said, looking back on the last 20 years.

As for the vacant 7-Eleven, LaMar envisions an open work space for artists there.

"I think there are a lot of possibilities," she said. "We're keeping our eyes and ears to the ground, hoping to find something of good quality to go down there."
BELLE FOURCHE  Two officers were honored at Monday nights Common Council meeting. BF Police Chief Marlyn Pomrenke presented officers Chris Brill and Dylan Bell with commendations for heroic endeavors.

In July, the two officers responded to an ambulance call in Belle Fourche. Just prior to their arrival, they were advised that the person was unresponsive. Once on scene, officers Brill and Bell performed CPR until the person was breathing.

Their quick thinking and actions save this persons life, Pomrenke said. This brings great credit to the department and to them he continued.

One more piece to the 8th Ave. Project is in place, pointed out Mayor Gloria Landphere, as she went on with her Mayors report. The first hole has been dug and work has officially begun she said.

Progress meetings will be held every other Tuesday beginning Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. They will be held upstairs in City Hall. According to Steve Nafus, the meetings may be changed due to scheduling, but at this time this is what works.

An ordinance setting down the discharge of fireworks was given a first reading during the meeting. The ordinance prohibits the use of fireworks within the city limits, including firecrackers, skyrockets, roman candles, or any kind of fireworks or pyrotechnic display, except as authorized by resolution of the Common Council.

The ordinance must be read twice before it is voted on. A resolution will be discussed and passed once the ordinance is approved.

Assessments were set for 24 parcels in the city for snow removal or vegetation removal. The total amount of the assessments is $4,252.45.

BFACC director Michelle Deyo-Amende reported that the recent play featured at the center was well received and attendance was one of the highest they have had.

A Christmas play is being planned and there is a need for a large number of extras. Dates for tryouts will be posted soon.

Gary Wood, Belle Fourche Chamber, informed the Common Council of several items of interest to the community. Since he does a radio spot on Mondays for the chamber, he encouraged everyone to send him local happenings that can be announced on the radio. Its important to get the word out he explained.

The Country Twins radio station will be hosting an open house, Aug. 17, he added.

Tri-State Museum and Visitors Center director, Kristi Thielen, reported that 3300 visitors had come through the museum. The only state not represented was Rhode Island. And, she noted, there seemed to be a lot of Norwegians.

A painting has been restored and a reception is being planned for the unveiling.

Alan Hardison and Ryan Reeves gave reports about the training conferences they had attended. It is a requirement that when an employee attends a training conference or similar event, a report about the conference must be given to the Common Council.

The next regular Common Council meeting will be Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. in the Council Room.
PIERRE, S.D.  Republic of China (Taiwan) will honor 52 South Dakota veterans who served in Taiwan during 1955-1979 at a ceremony hosted by the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs. The ceremony will be held Monday, Aug. 14, at 1 p.m. (CST) in Galleries B & C at the Ramkota Conference Center in Pierre.

On behalf of the Republic of China (ROC) government, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Denver will present the US-ROC Mutual Defense Commemorative Badge to express the countrys appreciation for their service and contributions.

The United States of America and the Republic of China established a Mutual Defense Treaty from 1955 to 1979, which defended Taiwans democracy and freedom. Director General Jerry Chang said, The American soldiers played a very important role in maintaining the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait during that time and we are very grateful for all the veterans contributions to providing assistance in Taiwans self-defense. Taiwanese people will always remember with deep appreciation.

It has been an honor to work side by side with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office on this ceremony, said Larry Zimmerman, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs. They recognize what these heroes have given and as a token of their sincerest appreciation they will present them with the US-ROC Mutual Defense Commemorative Badge which symbolizes their adoration and appreciation for their service and sacrifice.

This is a conflict not many remember, and few even know about, said Zimmerman. We must continue to provide opportunities like this ceremony to educate all on the sacrifices made by those who serve.

The ceremony will include remarks from Gov. Dennis Daugaard, SDDVA Secretary Larry Zimmerman and Director General Jerry Chang.
HILL CITY  Black Hills Central is proud to announce its 60th year of offering excursion train rides in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. As the oldest continuously operating standard gauge excursion train in the world, the BHC has provided millions of passengers a romantic look back at what train travel was in the days of steam travel. Of the Nation's excursion lines, in terms of ridership, the BHC is recognized as a leader.

To commemorate their 60th anniversary, the BHC will be celebrating all day Friday, August 18. Free round trip train rides will be offered to all South Dakota and Wyoming residents as well as all active military. Festivities include live music and distribution of free train memorabilia. Located next to the train depot in Hill City, the South Dakota State Railroad Museum will offer free admission from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. At 5 p.m., Museum Director Rick Mills will chronicle this memorable 60-year anniversary featuring images of the people, places, and the trains of the Black Hills Central Railroad.

William Heckman started the Black Hills Central Railroad August 18, 1957. It followed the line of the Burlington Railroad between Hill City and Keystone. The Warder family purchased the BHC in 1990 and has continued to maintain, restore and improve all aspects of the business. Their mission is to preserve for perpetuity a railroad that will enable people of all ages to create memories that will be treasured forever.

For more information, please visit 1880train.com or contact the 1880 Train at 605-574-2222 (office@1880train.com) or Rick Mills at 605-574-9000 (sdsrrm@gmail.com). Reservations are required for train rides and may be made by the calling the 1880 Train office at 605-574-2222.
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev.(AFNS) | Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson visited Nellis and Creech Air Force Bases, Nevada from July 17-21, 2017 to meet with Airmen and witness Red Flag, the U.S. Air Forces premiere multi-domain integration training exercise.

Wilsons priorities of readiness and innovation were bolstered through the experiences she had during her week in southern Nevada.

Nellis [AFB] is where we bring readiness together, said Wilson. Not only is it where we test new things, but its where Airmen have a chance to come together and practice the high-end fight.

Not only was Wilson able to see how Red Flag readies the Air Force for future threats, but she also saw firsthand how Nellis AFB remains at the forefront of modernization.

I spent three days here at Nellis [AFB], and test and evaluation is a big part of the mission, said Wilson. This is where we test the newest things weve developed, and we push the envelope on innovation. Were seeing innovation by Airmen every day here, and its great to witness.

Wilson came to Nellis AFB at the peak of its training exercises, giving her the opportunity to see how the Airmen and joint partners at Red Flag are training through innovation.

Multi-domain command and control is one of the areas in which we need to innovate, said Wilson. It starts to come together here first. Those are the things that were most evident to me witnessing Red Flag, the complexity of it, integrating all kinds of air, space and cyber power in order to prevail in very difficult high-end fights.

Training the warfighter in all aspects of air, space and cyber was just part of the experience of watching the exercise. Wilson also took time to talk about how fascinated she was by Airmen.

The amount of responsibility and the amount of training that we give to young Airmen, and then the responsibility we put on their shoulders for decision-making is impressive to me, she said. They shoulder the burden, and they protect the country.
Solar collection station to be built at Minnekhata Junction

HOT SPRINGS  Fall River County Commissioners learned Tuesday, Aug. 1 that solar power is coming to Fall River County.

Ed Maddox, a project manager, and Ken Kostok, engineering and operations manager, both with 174 Power Global Company, visited with the commissioners about the South Dakota Sun Solar Energy Project  the first utility scale solar energy project in the state  they are planning to build.

The project would be constructed near Minnekhata Junction, along Highway 18, between Edgemont and Hot Springs.

Maddox said the project, begun earlier this year, with the company negotiating long term (20-year) leases with landowners to build the solar power collection station, and a transmittal easement with Black Hills Energy, is in the preliminary study and design stage.

Since Fall River County has no zoning regulations, no permits were required for environmental surveys, however the company has been completing baseline environmental surveys during the last several months on its own.

The project would involve about 300 acres  currently an alfalfa field  adjacent to the Black Hills Energy substation, near the Hwy. 18/89 Junction.

Multiple types of solar collectors will track the sun as it rises in the East and sets in the West, daily, Kostok said. He also said there will be a series of posts, one per collector, in rows of the project with torque tubes that allow the collectors to follow the sun. Seasonable changes would need to be made manually, he said.

The collectors stand on a post about 3 feet off the ground and can pivot 60 degrees, plus or minus, from a horizontally flat position. Altogether, the collector and post will rise about 6 feet 8 inches off the ground.

According to plans shared with the commissioners, these collectors will gather photovoltaic energy from the sun and turn it into direct current (DC) electricity as sunlight interacts with semiconductors in the collectors. The DC electricity will be converted into alternating current (AC) electricity at the substation, Kostok said.

Black Hills Energy will purchase power from the solar project  currently estimated at 52 megawatts, or about 108,000 megawatt hours annually, enough to power 10,000 homes  at their investment cost, Maddox said, at the cost of about $40 per megawatt hour, or 4 cents per kilowatt hour.

According to Maddox and Kostok, the individual collector units can last for 20 years with minimal maintenance.

The companys land lease is for a 20-year period, but Kostok expected the company to continue leasing land for solar collection after this expired. The company would be responsible for returning the site to its original condition if the lease was not extended, Maddox said. Black Hills Energy also requires this.

Maddox said the company plans to host an open house at the end of the summer to engage the community in this effort and explain more about the project.

The timeline shared with the commissioners showed an engineering effort taking place later this year, followed by procurement, construction and commissioning by September of 2018. Maddox and Kostok expected the collection station to be operational by September of 2019.

According to industry sources, 174 Power Global Corporation is a member of the solar energy industries association, and is based in Irvine, Calif. The company is also part of the Hanwha Corporation, one of South Koreas largest corporate conglomerations.

The company is also creating solar collection facilities totaling 3,000 megawatts across the U.S., including those in Florida, Alabama, Texas, Michigan, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and Oregon.

Midway Solar, for example, in McCamey, Tex., is a 180 megawatt collection center on some 1,500 acres that is expected to begin commercial operations in 2018. Sweetwater Solar in Rock Springs, Wyo., is a 105 megawatt solar collection center scheduled to begin operations in late 2018 or early 2019

According to Hanwhas corporate history, the South Korean company has roots in rebuilding South Korea following World War II and the Korean conflict. Hanwha began as a gunpowder manufacturer, Korean Explosives Company (Hangook Whayak), and specialized in producing nitroglycerin for industrial use. It later purchased a power plant, got into the petrochemical and financial industries and built South Koreas first thermal power station in the 1960s.

Hanwha continued to grow into the finance, leisure, retail and service industries during the 1980s.

However, the 1997 Asian financial collapse forced Hanwha to restructure and sell off many of its root companies.

Hanwha stayed in financial services, got into insurance, manufacturing auto parts, and producing advanced materials for solar energy collection, by the early 2000s.

In 2010, Hanwha chose solar energy as its growth industry. The company also grew in the chemical and defense areas.
A South Dakota School of Mines & Technology student was found dead Wednesday morning at a popular swimming spot near Rockerville, according to authorities.

The body of 23-year-old Benjamin Authier was found in the water at Hippie Hole around 10 a.m. by the Rapid City/Pennington County Water Rescue Team.

The suspected cause of death is drowning, according to the Pennington Country Sheriff's Office.

Authier last spoke with his parents around noon Monday, said Tony Harrison, patrol division captain for the sheriff's office. He was reported missing around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Authorities determined that Authier was headed to Hippie Hole, and deputies began searching the area. His car was found in a parking spot commonly used by visitors, located about a mile from the swimming spot. Deputies continued to look for Authier, but the search was called off between 11 p.m. and midnight because it was too dark, Harrison said.

The search resumed Wednesday morning between 5 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., and Authier's body was found in Hippie Hole around 10 a.m. Harrison said it appears Authier was by himself and went to the area to swim or snorkel.

There were no signs of foul play, but the sheriff's office is still investigating, Harrison said.

Ann Brentling, director of marketing and communications at Mines, confirmed that Authier was a chemical engineering major at the school. She declined to offer further information, citing respect for Authiers family.

Hippie Hole is on Battle Creek between Rockerville and Keystone. The main swimming area features a waterfall that plunges into a pool of water. Swimmers often jump from cliffs surrounding the pool.

The trail to Hippie Hole from the parking area is about a mile long and cuts through a steep canyon, making it difficult to get in or out quickly in an emergency.

Several people have been injured while cliff-jumping there in recent years. Earlier this summer, on July 6, a teenager lost consciousness for about 15 minutes after jumping off a cliff at Hippie Hole and hitting the water. A group of friends pulled him out of the water, and he was able to walk to an ambulance by himself. He was taken to Rapid City Regional Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries.

In June 2015, a 21-year-old man suffered serious leg and foot injuries after he jumped off a cliff at Hippie Hole but failed to clear the rocks below. The man was airlifted to Regional hospital.
Funding was restored, at least temporarily, for a pair of Black Hills stream gauges Tuesday evening by the board of the West Dakota Water Development District after a controversial decision last month to eliminate the funding.

After about an hour and a half of impassioned testimony by board members and some of the roughly 30 members of the public in attendance, the board voted 5-3 to continue funding the gauges for another fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

One of the gauges is just above Deerfield Lake, and the other is on a tributary above Pactola Reservoir. Both gauges have been recording stream-flow data for decades as part of a broader network of dozens of gauges in the Black Hills. The data produced by the network is used for purposes including the management of water flows and the detection of potential floods.

Last months vote was 5-4 against funding the two gauges. This time, board member Mike Mueller changed his vote from opposing the funding to supporting it, and one of the other board members who opposed the funding last month  Kenn Moss  was absent from Tuesdays meeting at the West River Electric Association building in Rapid City.

After Tuesdays meeting, Mueller said in brief comments to the Journal that he was swayed partly by an argument made by local fly fisherman and Air Force Maj. Richard Morrison.

Morrison, one of many audience members to argue in favor of funding the gauges, said in his public comments that the boards decision last month came without forewarning to the many users of the stream-gauge data  the U.S. Geological Service, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the National Weather Service, the city of Rapid City, agricultural irrigators and water-recreation enthusiasts.

Morrison said a well-communicated plan should be in place to find other entities to potentially operate or fund the gauges before shutting them off suddenly.

Youre not there yet, Morrison said. All youre doing is cutting funding off.

Voting was done by roll call, and those voting to award the funding were Mueller and board members Robert Akers, Dan Bjerke, Ken Steinken and Jeanette Deurloo. Voting against the funding were board members Robert Williams, James Bialota and Nathan Gjovik.

Immediately after the vote, Gjovik announced his intention to have the issue reconsidered again at the next meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 10.

If that happens, it would be the fourth vote on the issue since May. Initially, the board voted 6-2 that month to award the funding. The boards standard practice is to take two votes at separate meetings on all decisions to spend money, and according to the interpretation of parliamentary procedural rules that was followed Tuesday, the item could be brought back at every meeting without end.

In the days prior to Tuesdays meeting, some board members and others spoke to the Journal for a Sunday story about the gauge funding. Those comments included allegations that local conservative political activists have conspired to win enough seats on the publicly elected board to control the board and sabotage it. The man some accuse of being the ringleader of the conspiracy, former water development district board member and current Pennington County Commissioner George Ferebee, did not attend Tuesday's meeting.

The tension between the opposing factions on the board was evident from the get-go Tuesday evening as board members sparred first over whether procedural rules allowed for the gauge issue to be reconsidered after the votes at the previous two meetings. After the procedural issue was settled, the board had a contentious back-and-forth over the draft of the minutes from the last meeting.

Gjovik alleged that the boards secretary and minute-keeper, Steinken, had written the minutes in a biased manner in order to try to tarnish someone the author disagrees with. Steinken, who supports continued funding for the stream-gauges and put the reconsideration of the funding on Tuesdays agenda, disagreed with Gjoviks characterization of the minutes. Eventually, the board adopted the draft of the minutes on a voice vote with Gjovik casting the only audible vote against it.

The gauges are operated and maintained by the U.S. Geological Service, which shoulders $11,725 of the annual burden to operate the two gauges while the water development district contributes $14,785, for a total budget of $26,510. The cost-sharing model is standard practice for the USGS, which partners with various private and public partners at the local, regional and state levels to operate gauges across the nation.

The West Dakota Water Development District is one of seven South Dakota water development districts created by the Legislature and then-Gov. Bill Janklow during the 1980s to promote the conservation, development, and proper management of district water resources according to district priorities, according to some of the language in the authorizing law.

The territory covered by the West Dakota Water Development District is the portion of Pennington County west of the Cheyenne River. The district collects a property tax of $0.029 per $1,000 of a propertys taxable value, which produces a little more than $200,000 in annual revenue that the board doles out to water-quality studies, lake-dredging efforts, low-income property owners in need of fixes to their septic systems, and other projects and programs.

The board member who argued most vociferously Tuesday to discontinue funding the two stream gauges was Bialota. He said other entities such as South Dakotas Department of Environment and Natural Resources  for which no representative spoke Tuesday night  could operate the gauges at less expense. Bialota said Wyoming, for example, operates its own network of gauges for less money than the USGS.

Some audience members at the meeting questioned whether state-run gauges would be operated in real time, whether the data would be shared frequently enough, and whether state officials would be as diligent about checking the validity of the gauge measurements and archiving the gauge data as the USGS.

Board member Deurloo addressed those concerns with some of the debates final words before she successfully called for an end to discussion and a vote.

Do we want quality? Deurloo said. Or do we want cheap?
Main Street in Sturgis was already packed Tuesday morning when Adam Sandoval walked on stage at the Harley-Davidson Rally Point.

Most bystanders already had their 77th Sturgis motorcycle rally T-shirts, and a few sported Harley-Davidson belts. People gathered near the front of the stage with their cellphones poised.

Sandoval was about to give away a Harley to an unsuspecting veteran.

Sandoval, founder of ScootinAmerica, traveled for two years and visited all 702 Harley-Davidson dealers in the 48 lower states to raise awareness for military members and their families. After completing the journey, Sandoval started Mission: Thank You to give away seven motorcycles to veterans across the country.

The veterans are selected by Sandoval and a panel of Harley-Davidson leadership and Wounded Warrior Project representatives. Tuesday's honoree, Charles Swank, was nominated by his wife, Alaina, in an essay sent to Mission: Thank You.

Swank knew he was a finalist for the mission, he just didn't know he was the honoree. Fifteen minutes after the presentation started, Sandoval walked over to Swank and handed him the keys to a new 2017 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

The crowd cheered, and Swank posed for pictures on the Harley.

"Fire it up!" someone shouted from the crowd.

Swank put the keys in the ignition and revved the engine.

"That is the sound of freedom, my friends," Sandoval told the crowd.

Bill Davidson, great-grandson of one of the co-founders of Harley-Davidson, reminded the audience that giving veterans the chance to ride was a form of freedom and therapy. "Those that have fought, put their lives on the line, for us to continue each and every day for our own freedom, it's pretty spectacular," Davidson said.

Swank enlisted in the Army on 9/11, according to a release, and was sent to Iraq as an infantryman with the 82nd Airborne Division in 2003. In 2005, he was deployed to Afghanistan. Swank earned a Bronze Star for helping a wounded comrade during a firefight.

After Tuesday's presentation, he and Alaina posed on the motorcycle with Sandoval, Davidson and John Roberts from the Wounded Warrior Project. The couple was all smiles.

"Incredible. I wasn't expecting it altogether," Swank said.

Swank, of Butler, Ohio, is a father of five and a firefighter. He said it's been three years since his last ride on a motorcycle.

As part of the contest, he can choose any new Harley motorcycle powered by the new Milwaukee-Eight engine as his personal bike. Swank said he plans to go with a 2017 Road Glide. He said he felt guilty for choosing such an extravagant gift  the bike costs around $25,000.

Swank seems to be the only one who questions his worthiness.

"He's worked really hard to achieve where he's at now," Alaina said. "It's just something that he deserves."
My good friend Cory Heidelberger called attention to a dismayingly uneven application of South Dakota justice last week in his excellent Aberdeen-based blog Dakota Free Press.

In Heidelberger's account, the sentencing last week of Spearfish resident Rocky Roy Rardon to 10 years in the pen (five if he makes restitution) for stealing $49,000 from the Prairie Hills Transit And Child Care Center, a nonprofit of which Rardon was finance director, seems inconsistent with sentencing standards when looked at in context.

That context has to include the sentencing of Joop Bollen, the main figure in the state's recent EB-5 fiasco. First off, with respect to the Rardon case, I'm not criticizing or second-guessing the decision made by Fourth Circuit Court Judge Michelle Percy. The punishment fits the crime and sends a message to those who would help themselves to money intended for the public good.

It's Rardon's punishment compared to Bollen's that seems systemically incongruent. Last February, Bollen was convicted via a plea agreement of diverting more than $1.2 million belonging to the state and received a $2,000 fine and two years probation. That Bollen "put back most of the money" (how much is "most" is a number I haven't been able to find) is irrelevant because the money was not his to use and he may well have never been able to pay it back. The state of South Dakota is not a piggy bank.

More to the point, Bollen's actions when seen in light of their consequences for our state did an awful lot of harm with much broader implications than Rardon's. To give you an idea of how far reaching Bollen's transgressions turned out to be, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Center for Immigration Studies calculated that the "cash for green cards" EB-5 program lost South Dakota more than $100 million after Bollen took the program over via his private company, which he formed in some very shady dealings after running it for the state.

The list of shenanigan's have been meticulously laid out by state capitol correspondent Bob Mercer, an accounting of which doesn't seem to be much of a priority to South Dakota officials. Those alone amount to a pretty sizable hill of very expensive beans.

More consequential is the near loss of the EB-5 program to South Dakota, which was allowed to survive after a federal investigation last March concluded that "state officials should share the blame" for the center's problems. All of this was wrought by Bollen's separation of the EB-5 program from the state of South Dakota to himself. And for this he got a tiny fine and probation.

Like Heidelberger, in context I'm plenty disturbed by Rardon's likely five-year term in the slammer after absconding with less than $50,000. "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime" is a harsh principle, but one that is commonly understood by the criminal class.

On the other hand, if you consort with highly-placed officials in South Dakota government, Joop Bollen's experience suggests a corollary: "If you can't do the time, go ahead and do the crime anyway."
Seizure of late ex-MP Voronenkovs property appealed

MOSCOW, August 9 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko)  A court order to seize property belonging to deceased ex-communist lawmaker Denis Voronenkov has been appealed, his attorney Andrey Grivtsov told RAPSI on Wednesday.

The Basmanny District Court has seized two Voronenkovs garage units and a collection of expensive watches, Grivtsov said earlier.

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 ($333,500). 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.
Russian Federal Chamber of Lawyers backs ban on server seizure during searches

MOSCOW, August 9 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov)  The Federal Chamber of Lawyers has supported an initiative proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to prohibit investigators from seizing servers and hard disk drives during searches at companies, the Chambers press office told RAPSI on Wednesday.

The Chambers President Yury Pilipenko suggested to draft relevant amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code.

The ban was offered to avoid suspension of companies operations. If needed, investigators may make certified copies and use them in their work, Putin said at the meeting on the further development of the Russian Far East on August 3. Conditions making conduct of activities impossible for companies, up to failure to pay taxes, must not be created, the President stressed.

Pilipenko also expressed his solidarity with the Presidents initiatives on combating unfounded defendants detention. The Federal Chamber of Lawyers proposed to amend the Criminal Procedure Code by introducing ban on extension of detention in the case of unreasonable investigation delays. Under the amendments, unreasonable investigation delays will constitute grounds for release from jail and mitigation of restrictive measures.

The Federal Chamber of Lawyers was founded in 2003. The organization is engaged in coordination of regional bar associations, control of high level of legal assistance, and representing lawyers in Russias government agencies.
Bighorn sheep and mountain goat augmentation and the implementation of an elk shoulder season near Bozeman are a couple of the topics the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission will address at its monthly meeting on Thursday, Aug. 10, at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Headquarters in Helena.

The meeting will begin with a work session on the Habitat Montana program at 8:30 a.m. The work session will cover a discussion of current projects, funding authority and the process for identifying and prioritizing projects. No public comment will be taken during the work session.

The official commission meeting will be called to order at 10:15 a.m.

The commission plans on making a final decision on the following issues, as well as others: selection of organizations to auction 2018 moose, sheep, goat, mule deer and elk licenses; furbearer and trapping regulations, seasons and quotas; middle Madison Valley trumpeter swan reintroduction; and the Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program strategic plan amendment.

The commission will also hear proposals on the 2018 annual elk brucellosis work plan and an informational presentation and update on the 2016 elk shoulder seasons.

The work session and meeting will be streamed live via video conference at all FWP regional offices and audio streamed live online at fwp.mt.gov.

For the full agenda and background on the scheduled topics, go to the FWP website and under Quick Links click "Commission.
Firefighters were working to hold a fast-moving fire east of Eureka that already had forced evacuations of nearby cabins and homes.

Lightning sparked four separate fires on the west side of Mount Gibraltar at about 8 p.m. Monday that grew quickly, according to Derek Deshazer of the Kootenai National Forests Eureka District.

The fire was estimated to be about 800 acres at noon. It is burning through some mixed fuels, including some heavy timber, on the Gibraltar Ridge, which is about 10 miles east of Eureka on the boundary of the national forest.

Firefighters were attempting to make a stand on the Foothills Road in the early afternoon. Deshazer said the fire was spotting in some places below the road.

There are a fair number of structures as you get lower down the hill, Deshazer said. Were trying to keep it as high up on the mountain as possible.

Areas under evacuation orders include Sherman Creek, Griffith Creek, Therriault Creek Road and Stevens Creek. Residences in Graves Creek are on standby alert for potential evacuation.

A Type II incident management team is on its way to Eureka to take over the management of the fire from the local district.

We are in the process of getting there right now, said Hailey Graf, the teams public information officer. Throughout today and tomorrow, youll see additional resources showing up at the fire.

On Tuesday afternoon, there were 20 Forest Service firefighters on the scene. They were getting help from both volunteer firefighters from Eureka and Trego, as well as an airplane making retardant drops and a helicopter dumping water on hot spots.

They have seen some very active fire behavior, including some torching and some spotting, Graf said. As far as we know now, there have not been any structures lost.

A Red Cross shelter has been set up for evacuees at the Church of God, 1295 2nd Ave. East in Eureka. The county fairgrounds is accepting livestock and smaller animals can be taken to the Tobacco Valley Animal Shelter.

Sunrise fire: The Sunrise fire had surpassed 14,000 acres Tuesday and was at 20 percent containment as the fire edged over Verde Ridge and Eagle Rock Saddle, closing Trout Creek Road.

Lighter winds are expected to help firefighters over the next few days, and the fire is moving downslope, which will ease the effects of wind according to public information officer Ted Pettis.

Pettis said that the Sunrise fire is currently not a threat to I-90 or the Clark Fork, as the long-range spotting that was sending embers a mile forward earlier in the fires life has calmed down. But changing winds over the next few days are an unknown risk factor Pettis says.

Doug Turmans Type I Team is currently dealing with the Sunrise Fire, and while its complexity is really a low-grade Type I, as Pettis calls it, if it jumps the freeway then it would be a full-blown Type I fire.

Liberty fire: The Liberty fire is up to 90 percent containment as heavy fuels burn out and the fire continues to smolder and creep.

The fire is causing morning smoke impacts in Arlee, according to the August 8 wildfire air quality update from the Missoula City-County Health Department.

The current firefighting strategy has been changed over the last few days from full suppression to 0 percent confine, 20 percent monitor, and 10 percent full suppression, according to the Inciweb Incident Management System.

Elevated risk for personnel constructing direct line in most areas of the fire, low probability of success in direct line containment, and fire stalling at natural barriers all played into the strategy shift.

Rice Ridge fire: The Rice Ridge fire is still being affected by the vast amounts of smoke in and around Seeley Lake, where the air quality Tuesday morning was again considered hazardous.

Public information officer Mark DeGregorio said that the fire teams are expecting pretty active fire to pick up in the Blind Canyon area, which began to show more activity Monday.

Heavy equipment and aircraft will be used on the south and southeast portions of the Blind Canyon Area, according to the Rice Ridge Fire Update for August 8 on Inciweb, and the hotter and drier weather means the fires activity has the potential to become critical.

Sapphire Complex: The Sapphire Complex is still burning with over 25,000 acres lost. The fires are currently at 29 percent containment as firefighters continue to work the perimeter.

The Little Hogback fire is at 17,139 acres burned and is still at 0 percent containment while firefighters conduct firing operations in order to remove unburned fuel between the line and the fire according to Inciweb. Smoke is affecting aerial support, and structure protection crews have been pulled from the Goat Creek Fire to help with protection efforts around the Little Hogback.

The Goat Creek fire is at 75 percent containment and is just under 8,000 acres.

Hotshot crews are conducting burning operations along the eastern flank of the fire as they attempt to remove unburned islands of fuel. Engines are cooling heat pockets, and other resources have halted potential flareups along Rock Creek and Brewster Creek Roads.

The Sliderock fire is up to 30 percent containment and is at 842 acres burned.

Indirect line is being improved and a crew was holding the fire line on the south and southeast flanks Tuesday.

Lolo Peak fire: See related story.
HANOI, VIETNAM: Flash floods triggered by heavy rains have killed seven people and left 27 others missing in northern Vietnam.

Disaster official Luong Tuan Anh said Thursday two people died and 13 are missing in the worst hit province of Yen Bai. Some 900 government forces have been mobilised to search for the missing.

The other casualties were reported in the neighboring provinces of Son La and Lai Chau.

A government delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung is in the area to direct relief efforts.

Vietnam is prone to floods and storms, which kill hundreds of people each year.
Guwahati: Journalists' Forum Assam appreciated a recent court verdict in favour of many media employees of Tripura who used to work for various media outlets of Matang Sinh owned North East Multi Media. The West Tripura district & session court on Monday declared the closure of North East Multi Media without compensating its employees, including scribes, who eventually lost their jobs eight years ago, was illegal.

It may be noted that senior Congress leader & former Union minister in PM Narsimha Rao's cabinet, who is presently facing the multi crore chit-fund scam, run a number of satellite including NETV, NE HiFi, NE Bangla, Hmar TV, Focus TV, HyTV etc which were later get closed. Sinh launched NE Bangla on 7 August 2007 from Agartala. Now he is lodged in a Kolkata jail.

'We welcome the court verdict and express hopes that it would bring relief to all the affected media persons. We also congratulate Prasenjit Chakravartty for continuing the legal battle against the concerned media authority,'A said a statement issued by JFA president Rupam Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria.
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 "White-Collar Showdown" | Main | Should and will SCOTUS take up constitutional challenge to Minnesota's sex offender confinement program? 

August 9, 2017

Still more interesting new "Quick Facts" publications on federal drug sentencing from the US Sentencing Commission

In this post a few month ago, I noted that the US Sentencing Commission had released a notable new Quick Facts covering all "Drug Trafficking Offenses" (As the USSC explains and reglar readers know, "Quick Facts" are official publications that "give readers basic facts about a single area of federal crime in an easy-to-read, two-page format.") Now I see that the USSC has just released this big set of new Quick Facts covering individual drugs:

The data appearing these publications runs through Fiscal Year 2016, which is end of September 2016, and thus they set something of a benchmark for the end of the Obama era before the start of the Trump era of federal criminal policies and practices.

August 9, 2017 at 12:40 PM | Permalink

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A teen driver was arrested Monday afternoon, after fleeing from San Francisco police in a chase that smashed several cars.

Police say that the incident began at 4:50 p.m. Monday, near the intersection of Turk and Polk Streets.

Police say that "officers were in a pursuit of a felony hit & run vehicle" that they say was being driven by a 16-year-old male. During the chase, police say the teen "struck an occupied vehicle and hit numerous parked vehicles."

Eventually, he dumped the car he was driving and fled on foot. That's when police were able to catch up to the suspect.

The driver of the occupied vehicle, a 29-year-old woman, was transported to an area hospital for injuries police say are not life-threatening. It's unclear exactly how many parked vehicles were damaged in the chase.

As the suspect is a minor, police are not identifying him publicly at this time. Police do confirm, however, that he was taken into custody at the scene.
As PayPal and GoFundMe have recently done with alt-right figures doing fundraising, Airbnb has taken a stand against users who appear to be intending to host gatherings in Charlottesville, Virginia this weekend in connection with a rally that is drawing support from neo-Nazi and white supremacist organizations around the country. As BuzzFeed reports, various self-proclaimed members of the alt-right heading to the Unite the Right rally on Saturday have been complaining on Twitter, and Airbnb has confirmed their actions based on the site's Community Commitment.

Airbnb issued a statement saying they wanted to "make good on our mission of belonging" and that "those who are members of the Airbnb community accept people regardless of their race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or age."

Saturday's rally is specifically centered around a park in Charlottesville that was previously named Lee Park and featured a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and where recently the statue was removed. The park was recently renamed Emancipation Park by the Charlottesville City Council. Noted alt-right figures Richard Spencer and Baked Alaska are scheduled to speak, and BuzzFeed reports that staff from neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer are also going to be in attendance.

The image in the tweet above comes from a torch-lit vigil during another rally in this same park in May.

The Airbnb Community Commitment is like a Terms of Service that's signed by all users of the platform, and Airbnb says the company is deactivating the accounts of people who are "antithetical" to this policy. Per BuzzFeed, "They added that they are able to find these users who violate the policy 'through our background check' and the 'input of our community.'"

At least one Twitterer noted that this "background check" seemed to be connected to one's Facebook account.

If your Airbnb account is linked to your edgelord Facebook, expect cancellations and an account ban for Charlottesville.  Reinhard Wolff (@contentmancy) August 7, 2017 Canceled my account with airbnb pic.twitter.com/CBwhN6lB0s  Cracker Factory (@EarthBoisRDumb) August 6, 2017

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups nationwide, suggests that Saturday's rally might be a "historic alt-right showcase," attended by hundreds if not thousands of white nationalists, Ku Klux Klan members, and various members of the alt-right and racist spectrum.

A number of intended attendees have been using the alt-right-favored crowdfunding platform Rootbocks to help fund their trip to Charlottesville, with campaigns like this one.

The city of Charlottesville has already stipulated that the rally will only be permitted if it is moved to a larger park in the city called McIntire Park, because more than 400 people are expected to attend.

Related: Alt-Right Calls For 'Free Speech Alternative To PayPal' After Company Begins Freezing Accounts


The accused man in the Kate Steinle shooting trial, which will begin jury selection on August 21, has until now been going by the name Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez. This, it turns out, is one of a series of aliases he has used, and defense attorney Matt Gonzalez said Tuesday in court that the 54-year-old defendant's name is, actually, Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate, and that is the name listed on his birth certificate. As Bay City News reports, it's also the name that has been used in previous federal cases in which he was accused.

This makes for a bit of a confusing paper trail, media-wise, given that this story dates back two years in which we've only known Garcia-Zarate as a man named Lopez-Sanchez. But there you have it.

"Hes going to trial facing life in prison, we think he should be called by his true name," said Gonzalez, per CBS 5, adding that it is not uncommon for immigrants who have crossed the Mexican border multiple times to have multiple aliases, and to be referred to by different names by law enforcement.

As you surely know, Garcia-Zarate stands accused in the July 1, 2015 fatal shooting of 32-year-old SF resident Kathryn Steinle on Pier 14. Since early on in the legal process, Gonzalez, Garcia-Zarate's public defender, has asserted that the bullet that killed Steinle appeared to have been a ricochet, and that her death was accidental. More recently he has contended that the gun used in the shooting, which had earlier been stolen out of a Bureau of Land Management agent's vehicle, has a reputation for having a hair trigger.

Within days of the shooting, the revelation that Garcia-Zarate had previously been convicted five times for illegally crossing the border and had drug charges on his record led to this case becoming a flashpoint in the sanctuary city debate, which it will continue to be.

Garcia-Zarate's trial was set to begin last month but has faced delays, the last because one of the prosecutors involved had a conflicting trial taking place.

Related: Kate Steinle's Father Once Again Asks That Her Case Not Be Used For Political Ends
The man once credited with saving a beloved San Francisco restaurant is behind bars today, after prosecutors say he repeatedly sexually assaulted a young boy over the course of five years.

Gaspare Giudice purchased the century-old Original U.S. Restaurant from its original owners in 2005, but the restaurant closed in 2015. It reopened a few months later, Hoodline reported at the time, with new owners "Alberto Cipollina, who ran the previous incarnation of Original U.S.[and] Mario Alioto, executive vice president of business operations for the San Francisco Giants."

Giudice remained as "floor manager," Cipollina told Eater Tuesday, when they broke the news that Giudice was arrested August 2 for "two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, sexual intercourse or sodomy with a child 10 or younger, and oral copulation or penetration with a child."

According to the Ex, "Giudice allegedly abused a young boy from January 2001 to early 2006, according to court records. The alleged abuse began when the boy was 5 years old."

A spokesperson with the SF District Attorney's Office tells Eater that The victim was merely five years old when this conduct was alleged to have begun...These highly disturbing allegations warrant very serious charges.

It's unclear from court records where in San Francisco the crimes occurred. Giudice's relationship to the victim is also unclear at present.

Giudice is being represented by SF's Public Defender's office , which didn't respond to an Ex request for comment, they report. Update: SF Public Defender's Office spokesperson Tamara Aparton says that they are no longer representing Giudice due to conflict issues.

Im shocked to hear what happened, Cipollina told Eater. I still dont believe it. I didnt know Gaspare to be that kind of person.

The Ex reports that Giudice first appeared in court on August 3, but a plea wasn't entered at that time as he "will require an Italian translator in court." He is expected to return to court on August 21, and remains in San Francisco County Jail on $3 million bond.
A San Francisco woman who with another man was arrested in a high-profile Twin Peaks homicide pulled the trigger in the crime, prosecutors said this week.

As previously reported, San Francisco Police announced Monday that 20-year-old SF resident Fantasy Decuir and 19-year-old Patterson resident Lamonte Mims were arrested in the July 17 robbery and slaying of 72-year-old film location manager Edward French as he took photos atop Twin Peaks.

Decuir and Mims were arrested on August 3 following a July 28 gunpoint robbery at St. Mary's Cathedral Square at Geary Boulevard and Gough Street. A subsequent investigation, police say, revealed that they were the pair behind French's death.

Though both Decuir and Mims face charges of homicide, robbery and use of a firearm in commission of a crime, it was Decuir who allegedly shot French, ABC 7 reports.

In court Tuesday, KRON 4 reports, prosecutors said that surveillance video from the crime verifies that allegation, and that Mims followed up on the shooting by stealing French's possessions.

As noted Tuesday, this was not Mims's first brush with the law. NBC Bay Area reports that:

Mims was arrested in San Francisco on July 4 on suspicion of possessing a 9 mm Ruger and a .38 special handgun. On July 7, he was formally charged and on July 11, he appeared in a San Francisco court. A judge granted Mims a release as part of an assertive case management program overseen by the San Francisco Pretrial Diversion Project. The program requires defendants to call in and agree to mental or drug supervision, if requested by the court, but does not require that they post bail as an assurance that they will appear in court.

According to ABC 7, the Pretrial Diversion Project, which partners with the sheriff's department, "made a risk assessment of Mims and found him to be a mid-level risk."

The prosecutor in that case "didnt argue for or against Mims release," NBC reports, even though "Mims had been involved in two prior burglary cases." In July of 2016 he pled no contest to a San Mateo County felony auto burglary and was sentenced to three years probation. In November, he was arrested "for a string of alleged auto burglaries around Twin Peaks in which three cars were targeted," and was "charged with receiving stolen property and possession of burglary tools."

This March, NBC reports, "a San Francisco judge granted him a 90-day suspended sentence and placed him on probation for 18 months. The charges were reduced to misdemeanors."

On Tuesday, only Mims was in court as "There are some physical limitations about her being here at this time," a DA's spokesperson told ABC 7. "She's in the hospital and should be back on Friday."

Until then, Judge Donna Hitchens has set bail at $5 million for each defendant, even after Assistant District Attorney Michael Swart argued for $10 million," CBS 5 reports.

CBS 5 reports that San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi will himself represent Decuir. Randall Knox, a private attorney, has been assigned to represent Mims. All are expected to return to court this Friday, when both Decuir and Mims will be arraigned.

Previously: Alleged Crime Team Arrested In Slaying Of Man On Twin Peaks
Many countries in the world have strongly changed to optimize production and improve their commodities competitiveness. Domestic production protectionism has been showed through increasing technical barriers.



Meanwhile, Vietnams cargo export structure has yet to change, businesses have mainly done outwork and exported raw products.

According to statistics by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, export turnover was estimated to reach US$115.2 billion in the first seven months this year, a year on year increase of 18.7 percent. The turnover might reach $200 billion this year, up 13 percent over last year.

Import turnover for the entire year is estimated to hit $205 billion, raising 17 percent over the same period last year. With great efforts by the Government and ministries, the countrys export industry is expected to maintain growth momentum this year and next year.

However, export in particular and the economy in general has showed many congestions which should be cleared to develop.

Mr. Nguyen Phu Hoa, deputy head of the Export Import Department under the ministry, estimated that the global economy is witnessing unpredictable changes. Vietnams export and growth quality need be reconsidered. The country has sold any raw material it has and speeded up quantity. The first export wave has reached its peak according to this model.

Sharing the same view, other experts said that Vietnam needs a revolution to create the second wave to change products competitive ability, improve brand name value and national images. Vietnamese businesses supply ability is still very small in global value chains.

Businesses should carefully learn about international rules and focus on production and trading standards to persuade partners.

The Government should concentrate on well reforming business environment for enterprises to set their minds at rest and invest in Vietnam. Documents and decrees should be rebuilt toward trusting, supporting businesses and giving them specific instructions. Vice versa, the law and sanctions must be deterrent enough, clear and strict. That will boost economic development and exports in new phases.

By THUY HAI  Translated by Hai Mien
SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa | A Spirit Lake man has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges related to a June stabbing.

Nicholas Thompson, 29, entered his written plea Tuesday in Dickinson County District Court to charges of attempted murder, willful injury resulting in serious injury, going armed with intent and assault with a dangerous weapon. His trial was set for Nov. 7.

According to court documents, Thompson assaulted a male victim on June 22 at a home in the 900 block of 22nd Street with a knife with an 8-inch blade, stabbing the man several times while pinning the him to the floor and yelling "I'm going to kill you." The victim sustained life-threatening injuries, court documents said.

Thompson is also accused of punching a woman in the head during the incident and causing an injury to her scalp.
DAKOTA DUNES | ABC's parent company has filed a regulatory report listing a $177 million litigation settlement for the quarter that ended days after the network settled its defamation lawsuit with Beef Products Inc.

The report, filed by Walt Disney Co. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, does not specifically mention that the settlement is related to the BPI case, but it was the only settlement Disney disclosed in its quarterly earnings report for the three-month period ended June 30, two days after the BPI settlement was reached.

The $177 million charge is "the net of committed insurance recoveries," the report, released Tuesday night, said, meaning that Disney's insurance carriers paid an additional amount of the settlement.

While BPI cannot disclose the settlement amount because of a confidentiality agreement, Dan Webb, a Chicago attorney who led the legal team that represented BPI, said the figure listed in the Disney disclosure does not represent the settlement total.

"As Disney disclosed, $177 million is not the total settlement amount. Based on Disney's disclosure, it appears that Disney is funding $177 million of the settlement, and its insurers are paying the rest," Webb said in a statement emailed to the Journal.

Disney continues to look for other insurers to cover the settlement costs. "The company is pursuing additional insurance coverage for this matter," Disney said in the report.

The settlement was reached midway through the trial in Union County District Court for BPI's $1.9 billion lawsuit against ABC for the repeated use of the term "pink slime" in a series of 2012 stories about the Dakota Dunes-based meat processor's chief product, Lean Finely Textured Beef. Under South Dakota's food disparagement law, the damages could have been tripled to $5.7 billion.

BPI executive Regina Roth told the Sioux City Rotary Club last month there were "a lot of zeroes" in the settlement, reached 17 days into a trial that was expected to last up to two months.
SIOUX CITY | Sioux City Police are searching for a piece of downtown art believed to have been stolen in late June.

The "Goddess of the Grapes," a piece of Sculpt Siouxland's permanent collection that sits in the 500 block of Fourth Street, was taken around the end of June, according to a Wednesday morning post on the Sioux City Police Department's Facebook page.

This is the second time the statue has gone missing in the past two years. Police said Sculpt Siouxland waited to make a report, hoping the statue would turn up like it did when it was stolen in September 2015 and turned up a few days later sitting on a bench near the entrance of the Sioux City Art Center.

The 18-inch statue was made by Minnesotan artist Deb Zeller and is owned by Sculpt Siouxland. Sioux City Art Center curator Todd Behrens told the Journal Wednesday that while the value is hard to pinpoint, it lies between $3,000 and $5,000.

Behrens said while some of the downtown sculptures have been vandalized in the past, he can't remember another being stolen. He said the "Goddess of the Grapes" may have been targeted because of its small size and the weakness of its attachment to its base.

"When it returned to Sculpt Siouxland (in 2015), we worked with the artist to create a more solid connection, but we need to make it stronger if she's going to return outside again," he said. "Were certainly hoping it gets returned."

Anyone with information on the missing sculpture can call CrimeStoppers at 712-258-TIPS.
SIOUX CITY | Sioux City police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred early Wednesday at a convenience store on Floyd Boulevard.

Shortly before 5:40 a.m., a man wearing a hoodie and a mask entered the Central Mart at 2501 Floyd Blvd., brandished a small handgun and demanded money from the clerk, according to a Sioux City Police Department news release. The suspect took an undetermined amount of money and escaped on foot.

Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect. No one was injured in the incident.

Police describe the suspect as a white male with blue eyes who is approximately 6 feet tall with a slender build.

The department has released video of the suspect on its Facebook page and encourages anyone with information on the case to call the Sioux City Police Department at 279-6440 or CrimeStoppers at 258-TIPS.
SIOUX CITY | A Sioux City man is facing a handful of charges after police say he assaulted his wife and then resisted arrest by assaulting a police officer and a police K-9.

Alvaro Antonio Caceres-Delcid, 29, of Sioux City, was arrested around 1 a.m. Wednesday and charged with domestic abuse assault, assaulting an officer, disarming a peace officer and interfering with a police K-9.

According to court documents, Caceres-Delcid assaulted his wife by grabbing her by the neck and attempting to choke her, leaving bruises. When a police officer arrived shortly after 12:30 a.m. Wednesday and told Caceres-Delcid he was under arrest, he resisted and grabbed the officer around the neck, attempting to strangle the officer, documents said. He also grabbed the officer's firearm and pulled on it, according to documents.

Documents say a police K-9 was then used to apprehend him, and Caceres-Delcid grabbed the K-9 around its muzzle, not allowing it to open its mouth. He also struck the K-9 in the face with a closed fist.

Caceres-Delcid was eventually arrested, and a breath test showed he had an alcohol level of .190, according to documents.

He has been booked into the Woodbury County Jail on $12,500 bond. His next court appearance will be 9 a.m. Aug. 18.
CALUMET, Iowa | A Northwest Iowa woman is accused of embezzling more than $24,000 from a company where she worked.

Jamie Marie Riedemann, 32, of Calumet, was booked into the O'Brien County Jail Tuesday on multiple felony charges including four counts of theft, three counts of unauthorized use of a credit card and tampering with records.

Court documents say Riedemann was the business office manager for Calumet Carriers in Calumet. The alleged crimes took place between January 2014 and August 2016.

The steepest allegation says she turned in fraudulent time cards during that period that resulted in an overpayment of more than $10,000. Documents say she frequently and deliberately submitted inaccurate amounts of hours worked, vacation time, personal time and overtime.

An additional accusation says she used company credit cards to illegally pay for clothing, fuel, meals, household goods, groceries and electrical work to a property she owned. She is then believed to have paid the credit card companies for those purchases with Calumet Carriers' funds.

She is also accused of writing company checks reimbursing herself for clothing, vehicle mileage, and cell phone usage that were not authorized by company policy or approved for payment.

The documents said she spent about $5,500 in unauthorized personal purchases; $4,600 in personal electrical work; wrote $1,200 worth of unauthorized reimbursement checks; and used $1,000 on the company card to pay for personal items purchased from Amazon.com.

The criminal complaint said she would delete the purchases from the company's accounting system and direct funds from another division of the company to cover the unauthorized expenses.

Riedemann is also suspected of misappropriating funds on instances involving the City of Calmuet, a town of about 170 people in southern O'Brien County.

In August 2015, Riedemann bought a computer and software for the city for $1,218.48 from Sam's Club in Sioux City. The documents said she used a Calumet Carriers' checking account to pay for the computer and then submitted a bill to the city for reimbursement that directly funneled into her personal account instead of the company's.

The documents say a similar case occurred in January 2016 when Riedemann used a company card to buy a computer for the Calumet Fire Department. The price of the computer was $639.86 and again the bill submitted to the city said she paid for it herself.
SIOUX CITY | A proposed $19.3 million viaduct in the city's Hoeven Valley industrial area has fallen short of receiving a grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation that would have covered 60 percent of the cost.

Sioux City's 18th Street Viaduct was not among the 10 transportation "small projects" recommended by the Secretary of Transportation's Office this month for approval through the U.S. DOT's Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies, or FASTLANE, program.

Sioux City had applied for an $11.6 million federal grant through the program in December, which it planned to use to construct a 500-foot viaduct on 18th Street connecting Floyd Boulevard to Steuben Street. The viaduct would span the Union Pacific Railroad and Canadian National Railway tracks and also realign portions of Hawkeye Drive and Illinois Avenue.

The project is designed to eliminate traffic wait times due to trains and to allow the switching yards to operate more efficiently, further supporting industry and access in the valley, especially the Cargill soy processing complex that straddles the street.

The project cannot move forward without more funding, but city staff say they're planning to continue applying for future large-scale funding opportunities, both state and federal.

Mayor Bob Scott said Tuesday that he believes the council desires to continue seeking funding for the project, but the project won't be doable unless the city lands a major grant.

"Unless we get one of those grants, we're not going to be able to do it," he said.

Scott said future funding opportunities will depend on the federal government's pending infrastructure action.

Established two years ago, the FASTLANE program funds transportation projects that address freight issues along the nations highways and bridges.

Projects receiving small project grants included a rail bridge in West, Texas, dock improvements on Lake Michigan, rail upgrades in Florida and seven others. Those projects are now awaiting Congressional approval.

Public Works Director Dave Carney told the Journal last month the city was encouraged to resubmit its application for the viaduct under the program that will replace the FASTLANE program, Infrastructure For Rebuilding America (INFRA). The city is currently working on its application for that program, he said.

He said the city is also contacting Iowa senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst to support the continuation of another transportation grant opportunity, the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) infrastructure grant.

Sioux City had received a $1 million TIGER planning grant in 2014 to design the viaduct but was denied a full $14.8 million grant through the program in August 2016.

The city in October also applied for a $1 million grant through the Iowa Department of Transportation's Iowa Clean Air Attainment Program.

Railroads and Cargill, which has a soy processing complex that straddles the street, have also pledged a combined $1.5 to $2 million toward the viaduct.
When an entire political party becomes so entrenched in political correctness and this ism and that ism, losing all common sense, the result is patriotic, political, constitutional and ideological stupidity. We then have a party unable to adequately lead and govern and be a friend of we the people.
WEST OKOBOJI, Iowa | Larry and Sue Wiley, of Palo, Iowa, pulled their motor home onto Three Cross Road in West Okoboji on a Sunday morning in July. With the sun at their backs, the Wileys participated in the Summer Outdoor Worship held at First Lutheran Church, a rite of spring and summer since 1949.

There were at least 200 vehicles on the site, adding color and dimension to an otherwise dry pasture north of the spectacular First Lutheran Church.

"There are at least two people in every vehicle, I think," Larry Wiley said. "This is quite a congregation!"

The Rev. Perry Aalgaard, who one week earlier was installed as senior pastor at First Lutheran Church, stood on the second floor of the altar/stage/building constructed on the west side of the drive-in worship grounds and asked, "How many of you are going out on the lake today?"

A chorus honking horns from compact cars, motorcycles, fifth-wheels, pickup trucks and cars roared in the affirmative.

"Somebody sure had a great idea with this," said Sue Wiley, noting how she and Larry had never attended such a service before.

In the Iowa Great Lakes, though, this embracing of Mother Nature on Sunday morning is almost second nature, a practice dating back to May 22, 1949, when this ministry began at the Lakeland Drive-In Theatre one mile north of Milford, Iowa. It was considered the first outdoor worship service at a drive-in theater in the U.S.

Services continue to be held here at 8:30 a.m. each Sunday between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Vacationers come in droves, as do the locals, many who simply prefer being outdoors and/or in the comfort of their own vehicle for worship, tuning into FM 96.3 to hear Aalgaard's message, scripture and the talents of local musicians, such as Landon and Madeline Greve, children of Bret and Kathy Greve, who traveled 12 miles east from Lake Park, Iowa, to sing "Father In Prayer I'm Coming Now to Thee" with the congregation.

When the children finished their son, hundreds of motorists honked their approval.

"This began when a group of guys in the church felt we needed to have something to reach out to the vacationing crowd," Aalgaard said. "They went to the local drive-in theater and basically said, 'Hey, if we pick up the trash at the drive-in from the Saturday night before, can we have a church service there on Sunday morning?'"

The drive-in owner, according to Aalgaard, didn't have to think about the proposition long.

"I think it began with 20-some cars," Aalgaard said. "I'm not absolutely sure when it took off."

It certainly has in the decade since First Lutheran set up "shop" along Highway 86 at West Okoboji. Aalgaard said the Outdoor Worship Service attracts, on average, some 180 vehicles.

"When the church purchased this land, they used the drive-in set-up on the sloping hill and it's just like a theater," Aalgaard said.

The challenges for a church leader include the elements, such as wind, cold, rain and lightning. In his time as pastor, Aalgaard recalls just one drive-in worship being cancelled due to lightning.

"Papers do blow around," he continued. "But we use rocks and clips and books. We've had mornings where it mists and that makes things difficult."

On this particular Sunday in July, there were no weather issues as light winds and bright sunshine complemented temperatures in the mid-70s. A few people walked their pets, nearly a dozen or so worshipers sat at picnic tables and listed to the loud-speaker system, while the rest stayed in their vehicle and tuned into the worship that, on this day, featured a message from guest Lynn Egesdal.

"The new speakers this year have made a world of difference," said Aalgaard, who hustled from the drive-in service to the worship service inside the church, which began at 9:30 a.m.

As Aalgaard greeted parishioners inside the church, ushers like Duane Boeve, of Milford, waved motorists in an orderly fashion as they left the church grounds, one flock going out into the world while another reported to the church.

On this day, it appeared that no motorist needed a battery boost as a result of leaving the radio on for 45 minutes, a happenstance that isn't uncommon.

The Wileys started their vehicle and set out to enjoy their day in the Iowa Great Lakes, capitalizing on the gorgeous resort weather that accompanied them on a trip from eastern Iowa for a wedding. They couldn't get over the size of the crowd departing the drive-in worship.

"If this is what it takes to get people to hear the word of God, it's working," Sue Wiley said.
USA  August 9, 2017  Dan La Botz

The socialist movement in the United States took a big step forward this past weekend as almost 700 delegates representing over 25,000 members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) met at the organizations biennial national convention in Chicago (Aug. 3-6, 2017). This convention, the first since DSA more than tripled in size following last years election, brought together delegates from all of the countrys major cities and many towns, large and small.

Most were new members who had joined in the last year either came out of the Bernie Sanders campaign or joined in reaction to the frightening prospect of the Donald Trump presidency. The convention cohered the hundreds of new members into a national organization in what was virtually a re-founding of the DSA. It gave them the experience of beginning to run their own organization, and the delegates adopted constitutional changes and policy resolutions that moved the organization to the left.

DSA was founded in 1982 by the merger of Old Left activists from the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) led by Michael Harrington and by New Left activists of the 1970s who had created the New American Movement (NAM). Inspired by Harringtons notion (called the realignment strategy) that it would be possible to reform the Democratic Party by driving out both the big city political machines and the Souths white racist Democratic Party politicians, from the 1970s to the 2000s DSOC and DSA were oriented toward the progressive labor union officialdom, the leadership of the civil rights movement, and the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. DSA was affiliated with the Socialist International and identified with the Scandinavian Social Democratic parties that had successfully constructed welfare states with impressive programs of healthcare, education, and housing. By the 1990s it was clear that Harringtons strategy had failed and without a clear alternative perspective, a smaller, weaker DSA stumbled into the twenty-first century.

A New DSA

The Bernie Sanders campaign with its call for a political revolution and a fight against the billionaire class  and especially Sanders definition of himself as a democratic socialist  created a tremendous political upsurge, especially among the youth, and revived the DSA. Longtime DSA leaders, the organizations small staff, and the leaders of DSAs youth group, the Young Democratic Socialist (who renamed themselves the Young Democratic Socialists of America at the convention), seized the opportunity and recruited thousands out of the Sanders movement. When Trump won the presidential election and took office in January, thousands more joined. It is these mostly young activists who made up the delegates to the convention  one out of five a person of color, two out of five women  determined to make themselves into socialists and to make DSA their own. Naturally in such an organization the levels of movement involvement, of socialist education, and of political experience were highly uneven, but the convention  thanks to its Socialism 101 style workshops went a long way in providing a common basis for what is virtually a new organization.

Like most conventions, DSAs had plenary sessions with featured speakers, educational workshops, and opportunities to caucus, but the members demanded more time to discuss and debate the resolutions. With so many members new to both left politics and parliamentary procedure, at times the meeting was tedious, frustrating, even aggravating, but under the guidance of experienced chairs who combined patience with firmness, it was a tremendous learning experience for the group. Through the long hours of debate with points of information and myriad motions, in the end the convention adopted a national priorities document that made the fight for a single-payer healthcare program a national objective.

The convention also voted to adopt several constitutional amendments and resolutions that moved the organization significantly to the left. The delegates:

Voted to leave the Socialist International (SI), based on arguments that the European Social Democrats had become the enforcers of neoliberalism and austerity, that the other member parties around the world included many authoritarian governments, and, finally, that the SI was disintegrating.

Voted to support Boycott, Divest, Sanctions movement and to oppose efforts to criminalize it.

Voted to establish a People of Color Caucus.

Voted to establish a Labor Commission.

Voted to establish a forum for political debate within the organization.

The Democratic Party and Labor

DSA members by and large oppose both Trump and the neoliberal Democrats. As I argued before the convention, I viewed the progressive wing of the Democratic Party as the central issue. Two different motions  I was involved with both  attempted to get DSA to adopt a more critical attitude toward the Democratic Party and especially toward the progressive Democrats in groups such as Indivisible, MoveOn.org, and Our Revolution. The motion failed, but received about two-fifths of the vote, another sign of the growing radicalization of the DSA membership. A third resolution that called for DSA to begin to transform itself into a political party was tabled on the grounds that there were legal questions about running candidates. And, finally, a motion to draft Bernie Sanders for a Peoples Party also went down to defeat by an overwhelming vote.

DSA labor activists had pushed for the creation of the labor commission. That Commission begins with 350 labor union members, while according to one of its organizers there are in DSA some 1,440 rank-and-file union members, or about 6 per cent of the total membership, based on an extrapolation from a survey of 5,000 members. There was one labor gathering during the convention as about twenty teachers met to discuss rank-and-file labor perspectives.

The convention agenda, determined by earlier surveys of the members and delegates, recommendations from the convention committee, and by the delegates themselves was focused on healthcare and politics, and as was pointed out by delegates during the last session, did not include the critical issue of climate change. And, as one activist pointed out, there was not one motion on LGBT issues. DSA members, of course, are involved in both of those issues already and will no doubt continue to bring them up at the chapter level as well as making demands on the new National Political Committee (NPC) in the future.

When at one point the chair moved an untimely disability resolution out of order, a small, short protest by a group of disabled members chanting Nothing about us without us, led to a motion to overturn the chair, another to suspend the rules, and then to the adoption of a resolution to add disability language acceptable to the disability caucus to the priorities resolution.

There were also moments of tremendous enthusiasm. Not only did DSA break with the Socialist International, but it made symbolic moves to identify itself with the broad left parties of the left in Europe and Latin America. At the banquet held on Saturday night DSA delegates cheered wildly the spokespersons from the Party of Socialism and Liberation (PSOL) of Brazil, of France Insoumise, of Podemos of Spain, the Left Bloc (BE) of Portugal, and the British Labour Party. The Labour Party spokesperson could hardly speak over the riotous singing of O Jeremy Corbyn.

Election of a New Leadership

There were 42 candidates for DSAs 16-member National Political Committee. The DSA Constitution specifies that, Of the elected members, at least eight shall be women and at least four shall be racial or national minority members of DSA. (A motion to expand the committee to 24 failed on Friday.)

Throughout most of its history DSA has had no history of caucuses, but this convention was different. Going into the convention there was a statement titled Unity and Diversity signed by a number of DSA members, which if not exactly a caucus represented an attempt by some longtime members to join with younger members around a reaffirmation of DSAs big tent conception. A group of young DSA members  several of whom had been friends in YDS a few years back  created the left leaning Momentum slate which emphasized a rank-and-file labor perspective and the Medicare for All campaign. There was also a Praxis slate, which promoted NGO-style training, combined with an emphasis on localism. Most of the candidates ran as individuals, some with little or no political platform. I ran as an advocate of a more critical attitude toward the progressive Democrats, which I had argued was the central issue facing DSA.

In the end, the convention elected six Momentum delegates and another independent close to Momentum, five Praxis delegates, and four DSA members from the old leadership team. I was not among those elected. (The election results can be found here where the winning candidates names are given in bold face.)

If it can meet the challenges, DSA will lay the foundations for the first really mass socialist party in twenty-first century America.

The new leadership team will head the largest socialist organization in the United States since the Communist Party of the 1940s and the Socialist Party of the early 1900s. The challenges are many, above all the Trump administration and the neoliberal Democrats, but the opportunities are also great. Future developments  the 2018 elections, a possible economic downturn, a turn to a more authoritarian government  will test the DSA. If it can meet the challenges, DSA will lay the foundations for the first really mass socialist party in twenty-first century America.

The convention ended with the singing of the Internationale. I was delighted to be one of those leading the singing of the workers anthem. The Portuguese Left Bloc comrade turned to me and said, Its just so exciting, you are teaching them the Internationale! And we both knew that she meant, we are helping a new generation of socialists in America to come into its own. 
LEONARDTOWN, Md. (August 08, 2017)On Monday, August 7, at approximately 5:36 p.m., state police troopers from the Leonardtown Barrack responded to a wooded area in the 22,000 block of Newtowne Neck Road, Leonardtown, St. Mary's County, for a subject not breathing. Investigation revealed Kristopher B. Gray, 30, had been operating an ATV (4 wheeler) on private property and for reasons unknown, he lost control and was thrown from the ATV.



Mr. Gray suffered life threatening injuries and was subsequently pronounced deceased on scene. Mr. Gray's body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, pending an autopsy.



The incident is under investigation, anyone with information is urged to contact TFC C. Ruth at 301-475-8955.
WASHINGTON

(August 09, 2017)The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced the following contract awards that pertain to local Navy activities., is being awardedfor firm-fixed-price delivery order N0042117F0291 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (FA812214G0001) for the procurement of 369 A51 Aircraft Component Power Plant Change modification kits in support of the F/A-18 C/D Hornet F404 engine Component Improvement Program. Work will be performed in Lynn, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed in February 2020. Fiscal 2015, 2016 and 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,262,500 will be obligated at time of award, $6,162,500 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is being awardedfor cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order 5523 issued against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-14-G-0020). This order provides for supplies and services in support of the F-35 Lightning II milestone event capabilities, including retrofit modification kits and installation services for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in July 2020. Fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy); fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps, Navy); and non-U.S. DoD participant funds in the amount of $14,392,050 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order combines purchases for the Air Force ($12,800,716; 45 percent), Marine Corps ($8,617,376; 30 percent); Navy ($5,282,268; 18 percent); and non-U.S. DoD participants ($2,083,740; 7 percent). The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded amodification to a previously awarded firm-price-incentive-firm-target contract (N00019-12-C-0112). This modification calls for the incorporation of an Early Warning Self Protection 6th sensor engineering change proposal into 11 P-8A Poseidon low-rate initial production Lot 4 aircraft. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be completed in February 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award. The, is the contracting activity., is being awarded acost-plus-fixed-fee, undefinitized order (N00019-17-F-1633) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-14-G-0020) for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program milestone event capabilities, including retrofit modification kits and installation services. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in April 2019. Fiscal 2016 and 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force); and non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants funds in the amount of $4,709,533 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order combines purchases for Navy ($4,589,067, 49 percent); non-DoD participants ($2,219,000; 24 percent); Air Force ($1,335,000, 14 percent); and Marine Corps ($1,276,000; 13 percent). The, is the contracting activity.
This year's Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Summer Conference will allow county elected officials, county staff, state and federal officials and business representatives to discuss Maryland's workforce growth and wealth of opportunities in a variety of industries. The conference will be held at the Roland Powell Convention Center in Ocean City from August 1619.St. Mary's County Commissioner President Randy Guy and Commissioner Mike Hewitt (2nd District), members of MACo's Legislative Committee, along with Commissioner Todd Morgan (4th District), will attend the conference. In addition, County Administrator Dr. Rebecca Bridgett, Chief Financial Officer Jeannett Cudmore, County Attorney George Sparling, Human Resources Director Catherine Pratson and Public Information Officer Tony Jones will also attend.MACo's annual conference attracts more than 2,000 stakeholders in Maryland's local government. County elected officials and staff, state officials and department leaders, Senators and Delegates, Congressmen and representatives from commercial and nonprofit organizations will discuss challenges and opportunities facing Maryland's residents. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and their Cabinet traditionally participate throughout the conference.The conference kicks off with Wednesday's Tech Expo, hosted by the Maryland Tech Council (MTC) and MACo. This tradeshow will include special technology-focused sessions and a nearly 50-booth expo of technology products, services and best practices. Other session topics include economic development opportunities around specific industries in Maryland, including agritourism, energy, technology, manufacturing and the sharing economy."MACo's summer conference affords us an opportunity to learn from our colleagues across the state best practices on how to deal with the vast number of challenges we face in St. Mary's County," said Commissioner President Randy Guy. "We always come away from the conference with a fresh perspective on how to best serve our citizens."There will be a heavy focus on the opioid crisis as officials at every level of government strive to battle this epidemic. A panel discussion, several industry perspective presentations and a general session forum will take place. Attendees will discuss partnership opportunities and strategies to help address the crisis and support the treatment of individuals suffering from opioid addiction.The conference will adjourn on Saturday following the Governor Larry Hogan's Closing Address.The time to clean out barns, basements, sheds, garages, storage areas under kitchen sinks, etc. to properly discard of potentially toxic/dangerous materials is coming on Saturday, August 19.The St. Andrew's Landfill will host its Hazardous Waste Collection day between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.Hazardous waste items which will be accepted for collection include Acids, Ammonia, Bleach, Cleaners, Fuels, Gas/Oil Mixtures, Gasoline, Household and Lawn Pesticides, Mercury Thermometers, Photography Chemicals, Pool Chemicals, Solvents, Wood Preservatives, Paint Thinners, and Alkyd (oil-based) Paint. Since Latex Paint is not considered hazardous, it can be disposed with your regular trash collection as long as the mixture is harden by adding absorbents (cat litter, sand, sawdust, or paint drying crystals) prior to disposal. If, however you are unable to do so, Latex Paint will also be accepted.Items which will not be accepted include Ammunition, Asbestos, Explosive Materials, Medical Waste, Pharmaceuticals, Radioactive Materials, and Picric Acid.Last year's event collected just over 40 tons of materials. Citizens can help us collect even more and dispose of it through safe, environmentally responsible practices.For more information contact the St. Mary's Department of Public Works and Transportation at 301-475-4200 or log on to the department's website at www.stmarysmd.com/dpw/Household.asp The St. Mary's County fiscal year 2018 budget book has been released and is available for online viewing. The Commissioners of St. Mary's County voted on May 16 to approve the General Fund budget at $221,324,105. The figure represents a 0.4 percent decrease over fiscal 2017. The balanced budget was adopted with a modest decrease in property tax rates. Funding for education, county departments and elected officials, along with public safety, accounts for nearly 87 percent of the General Fund budget. The adopted budget supports a fiscal year 2018 Capital budget of $50,581,291.The FY2018 budget highlights include  Real Property Tax Rate is reduced to $.8478 per $100 of assessed value (Constant Yield Rate). The decrease amounts to about $12 per household. Certain elderly individuals and Veterans are eligible for a 10% property tax credit for up to five years Income Tax Rate remains at 3% of net taxable income St. Mary's County Board of Education receives a funding increase of $2,472,539 over fiscal 2017 to $102,189,940. The county's investment supports salary increases for teachers and other school employees. State mandated Maintenance of Effort is $100,850,888 based on an increased enrollment of 192.5 students. The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office will realize a $1.7 million increase over fiscal 2017 to $38,575,373. Various increases were approved for county employees for performance-based merit increases as well as funding for other one-time costs.'This year's budget proved to be challenging in every aspect," said Commissioner Randy Guy. "We were able to provide a small tax decrease while holding the line on spending. I thank our hard working finance staff for all of their work through this year's process."The full budget can be viewed at: www.stmarysmd.com/docs/Final%20FY2018%20Approved%20Budget%20for%20Print.pdf
Sheriff Mike Evans and Emergency Management Division Chief Al Jeffery display one of the new Individual First Aid Kits.

The Sheriff's Office, in conjunction with the Department of Public Safety, is proud to announce the issuance of an Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) to every deputy of the Calvert County Sheriff's Office. The kits are custom made for the Calvert County Sheriff's Office. While the sheriff's deputies will continue to be issued standard first aid kits, the IFAK contains readily deployable equipment that can help treat serious life threatening injuries. The deputies were able to receive initial training, which will continue annually. The kits were purchased with a Homeland Security Grant obtained by the Department of Public Safety. Sheriff Mike Evans stated, "These kits will allow us to provide better care to the citizens of Calvert County, at no additional cost."On August 06, at approximately 11:58 a.m. deputies responded to a serious personal injury accident at the intersection of Maryland Route 261 and Ponds Wood Road in Huntingtown. A preliminary investigation revealed that a 2009 Ford Flex, operated by, was traveling eastbound on Ponds Wood Rd. At the same time,, was operating a 1998 Harley FLH Motorcycle northbound on Maryland Route 261. The operator of the Ford failed to stop and yield at the stop sign for traffic on Ponds Wood Rd at Route 261. The Ford entered the travel path of the Harley and was struck on the passenger side. The operator of the motorcycle was ejected and received serious injuries from the collision. He was transported to Baltimore Shock Trauma by Maryland State Police Aviation. An infant from the Ford was transported to Children's Hospital with minor injuries. The remaining passengers from the Ford were transported to Calvert Memorial by Ambulance for minor injuries.At this time it appears that the failure of the operator of the Ford to stop and yield at a stop sign is the contributing factor to the collision; however, the investigation is on-going. Anyone with additional information about the accident is asked to contact Sgt. Phelps, of the Crash Reconstruction Team, at 410-535-2800 or via e-mail at: phelpsts@co.cal.md.us.On July 31, at 2:23 p.m. Deputy Barger responded to a single vehicle accident at 5th Street and Megan Circle in Owings. A Chevy pickup left the roadway and struck several signs, eventually colliding into a tree. The driver of the vehicle was identified as. Deputies on the scene originally requested the Crash Reconstruction Team. However, they were cancelled once it was determined the injuries were non-life threatening. It is not known at this time why the vehicle left the roadway. Driver impairment is not suspected in this case.
Florida Medical Center was the presenting sponsor of Tuesdays coffee & conversations program at Pride Center.

Miguel Fernandez, director of Florida Medical Centers Behavioral Health Services unit, gave tidbits on his 27-year career in health care. Fernandez recently returned to Florida from Georgia where he worked in juvenile justice for 16 years.

Florida Medical Centers Behavioral Health Services unit is located on its North Shore Campus, 5000 West Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. It is a 47-bed facility that offers electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) to treat people suffering from severe depression, mania or catatonia.

I want to make sure that when people come to our psychiatric unit they are treated with dignity and respect, that we address their psychiatric needs and we return them back to the community in proper placement, Fernandez said.

Before Fernandez spoke, John Baumgartner informed the audience of a new Life program starting Aug. 22. The 18-week cycle meets Tuesday nights and is designed for HIV positive men who have sex with men. The program is proven to increase T-cell counts, Baumgartner said.

It gives guys a boost, Baumgartner said.

Other speakers included Julia Schwartzman with the Tools for School drive, Patti Lynn, community liaison for the Broward Sheriffs Office, Lee Lawson of American Veterans for Equal Rights, James Senior of Edward Jones Investments, AARPs Betty from the Bronx, Pride Center CEO Robert Boo and Pride Center Development Director Roger Roa.

More than 125 people signed in for this weeks coffee and conversations.

For more information, contact Bruce Williams, Senior Services Coordinator at 954-463-9005, ext. 109.
Shorts Gone Wild, the annual festival of LGBTQ-themed short plays presented by Island City Stage and City Theatre, returns to the Abyss Stage in August with a game show theme.

In previous years, the audience selected the order of the eight 10-minute short plays, lending a nervous energy to each performance and challenging the cast of six actors to quickly jump into character, said Island City Stage associate artistic director Michael Leeds.

And, last year, in the run-up to the presidential elections, the plays took on a political dimension with the Wilton Manors theater transformed into a mini-political convention.

For the fifth season, a nostalgic television game show provides the vehicle to present the wide array of short plays. The order of the plays will again be selected by the audience competing in a contest similar to the classic show Concentration, interspersed with retro commercials, a few words from our sponsors and other surprises.

The cast includes Jordan Armstrong, Larry Buzzeo, Sabrina Gore, Christina Groom, Rita Joe and Marquise Rogers, performing 26 different roles in the eight plays. All are familiar to South Florida theater audiences and many are veterans of Shorts Gone Wild.

The plays are directed by Leeds, Margaret Ledford, Gladys Ramirez and Matt Stabile, ensuring a variety of theatrical approaches. Ramirez was a member of the Shorts Gone Wild cast last year.

Ledford, the recently named artistic director of Miamis City Theatre and its popular Summer Shorts Festival at the Arsht Center, has directed Shorts Gone Wild plays in the past, but this is her first season co-helming the festival with Island City Stage.

Ledford describes Shorts Gone Wild as a different beast from her companys two-decade old series in Miami.

Shorts Gone Wildthe title tells youis a little more fun, more unanticipated, more about the performers interacting with the audience. Its a little more freeing, with an unknown factor, she said, acknowledging the power of the audience to select the order each night.

As a director, you try to control every aspect and this is something you cant control. So many times, great things happen on their own, which is a good reminder for a director, Ledford added.

The festival has historically relied on new works from local playwrights. Both Leeds and Carbonell-winner Michael McKeever again have plays in the line-up. This season, the creative team cast a broader net, beginning a nationwide search last winter and selecting plays from Spenser Davis, Cassandra Rose, Seamus Sullivan, Kris Thompson, Korde Tuttle and Steve Yockey.

Leeds play is inspired by the joke, So a Rabbi, a Priest and a Minister Walk into a Bar, while Thompsons The Adventures of a Gay Man  Birth of a Hero features a gay superhero at an employment agency. Other plays are set in bars and bedrooms, while Sullivans Valkyrie in the Roller Derby takes play in a roller rink and Davis Give Me Space is set in a space station.

The plays are very funny, noted Leeds, and Ledford assured, We took time to make sure there was wild in Shorts Gone Wild, too.

Shorts Gone Wild 5 opens Aug. 17 and runs through Sept. 10 at the Abyss Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. Tickets are $35 at IslandCityStage.org.
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.




Pathway to ParisRed Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, ex-R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe, and Patti Smith will perform at this year's Pathway to Paris concert, an event held to raise awareness of climate change. The show takes place November 5 at New York City's Carnegie Hall.

Other Pathway to Paris performers include rapper Talib Kweli and indie artist Cat Power. The night will also feature talks from environmentalists and activists.

This year's event will be held on the eve COP 23 United Nations climate change conference, held in November 6-17 in Bonn, Germany. For ticket info, visit CarnegieHall.com.

The inaugural Pathway to Paris concert, held December 2015, featured performances from Flea, Smith and Radiohead's Thom Yorke.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 8 August 2017 - ISS Emergency Response Simulation. NASA

Today  Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR): The crew replaced the two FIR white lights. One was burned out and the other had high usage and was nearing its end of life.

After replacement, the rack was powered from the ground and the Payload Developer verified both lights were functioning properly. The next FIR science operations will occur next week for Light Microscopy Module (LMM) Biophysics 3.

Human Research Program (HRP): The crew collected blood, urine and air samples to satisfy Flight Day 15 Biochemical Profile and Flight Day 8 Marrow requirements.

The Biochem Profile experiment tests blood and urine samples obtained from astronauts before, during and after spaceflight. Specific proteins and chemicals in the samples are used as biomarkers, or indicators of health. Post-flight analysis yields a database of samples and test results which scientists can use to study the effects of spaceflight on the body.

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.

Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF): The crew swapped sample cartridges in the ELF and investigated an unidentified object on the ELF observation window that is affecting sample position control. The ELF is an experimental facility designed to levitate, melt and solidify materials by containerless processing techniques using the Electrostatic Levitation method. With this facility, thermophysical properties of high temperature melts can be measured, and solidification from deeply undercooled melts can be achieved.

At Home In Space: The crew completed an At Home in Space questionnaire today. This Canadian Space Agency experiment assesses culture, values, and psychosocial adaptation of astronauts to a space environment shared by multinational crews on long-duration missions. It is hypothesized that astronauts develop a shared space culture that is an adaptive strategy for handling cultural differences and they deal with the isolated confined environment of the spacecraft by creating a home in space. At Home In Space uses a questionnaire to investigate individual and culturally related differences, family functioning, values, coping with stress, and post-experience growth.

Rodent Research-5 (RR-5) Systemic Therapy of NELL-1 for Osteoporosis: Yesterday the crew stowed the RR-5 Habitats, completing payload operations for RR-5. 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.

Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Communication Unit (CUCU): In preparation for SpX-12 arrival currently planned for August 16, the crew powered up and checked out the CUCU and Dragon Crew Command Panel (CCP). CUCU provides a command and telemetry communications link between ISS and Dragon during free flight operations in the vicinity of ISS.

On Board Training (OBT) ISS Emergency Response Simulation: All crew members participated in this training exercise to practice a rapid depress and a fire emergency response based on information provided by the simulator displays. The crew also performed the following:

 Physically translated through ISS to the appropriate response locations to visualize the use of station equipment and interfaces.

 Practiced procedure execution and associated decision making based on cues provided by the simulator.

 Practiced communication and coordination with Mission Control Center (MCC)-Houston and MCC-Moscow as required for a given emergency scenario.

 Following the exercise, the crew and ground teams participated in a review to discuss results and address questions and comments.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Yesterday and overnight, Robotics Ground Controllers maneuvered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to grapple and unstow the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) from Mobile Base System (MBS) Power Data Grapple Fixture 2 (PDGF2). Next they rotated the SPDM Enhanced Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU) Temporary Platform (EOTP), then maneuvered the SSRMS and SPDM to unstow the Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) from External Stowage Platform 2 (ESP2) Site 4 and stow it on EOTP Side 2.

Todays Planned Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

ISS Handover Ops

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test

Miniature Exercise Device Operations Session

SARCOLAB-3 Consumables Kit Refurbishment

URAGAN. Observation and Photography

ECON-M. Observation and photography

Marrow Breath And Ambient Air Sample Collection

HRF Generic Frozen Blood Collection

HRF Generic Urine Collection Male

HRF Generic Sample MELFI Operations

HRF Generic Frozen Blood Collection Operations

Virus Definition File Update on Auxiliary Computer System (???) Laptops

HRF Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Operations

JEM Airlock Depressurization

Checkout of CO Gas analyzer toggle position Warm up

Move of the MagVector power cable from PPS-1 to PPS 2

Preparing For Upcoming MagVector Science Run

Activation and Inspection of Orlan-MK Spacesuits #6.

Activation and Inspection of Orlan-MKS suit #4.

Fluids Integrated Rack White Light Lamps Replacement

??? ??? (Orlan Interface Unit) Checkout

CO Gas analyzer toggle position to Work

Checkout of ??? (Spacesuit Interface Unit) in DC1

Environmental Health System (EHS) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Collect

Combined Orlan #4 and ??? cooling loop separation in DC1.

Combined Orlan #6 and ??? cooling loop separation in DC1.

Environmental Health System (EHS)  Formaldehyde Monitoring Kit (FMK) Deployment Operations

Environmental Health System (EHS)  Grab Sample Container (GSC) Sampling Operations

Environmental Health System (EHS)  Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Analysis

Environmental Health System (EHS) Coliform Water Processing

Cleaning Fluid System by using Degassing Pump Unit (???) in ???.

At Home In Space Questionnaire

Water Resource Management (WRM) Condensate Sample

HRF1 PC 3 USB Load Installation

Orlan #6 ORUs Activity.

Orlan #4 ORUs activity.

Glacier EXPRESS Rack Relocation

Training for Emergency Response On-board ISS

Circadian Rhythms Instrumentation w. Armband

JPM Window Shutter Close

ISS Crew Orientation

Photo/TV Photo/TV, Checking Camcorder Settings

Marrow Breath And Ambient Air Sample Setup Historical Photo

COTS UHF Communication Unit (CUCU) Crew Command Panel (CCP) Checkout

ISS HAM Video Operations

Completed Task List Items

Electrostatic Levitation Furnace Sample Holder Exchange

Verify SSRE v5.2 installed and SSRE v4.1 removed

Swap out PS-120 cables at NOD3 UOP3 and Cupola UOP2

CEVIS IVIS Measurement

J-Pro Kit Audit

Ground Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

OBT ISS Emergency Sim

MT Translate WS3 to WS7

CUCU Checkout

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Wednesday, 08/09: Mouse habitat unit prep for stow, Ultrasound scans, Dragon RoBOT OBT, Dragon pre-pack

Thursday, 08/10: CMS MAX CEVIS, Mouse habitat unit stow, Rodent Research inventory, SABL relocation

Friday, 08/11: CMS MAX CEVIS, SPHERES ops, 51S unpack, mobiPV checkout

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)  Process

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)  Standby

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab  Full up

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3  Off
On Sunday, August 6, pieces of history were exchanged during Berlin Trotting Derby Day at Germanys century-old Berlin-Mariendorf raceway. A whip exchange between Canada, Germany and the USA served as gestures of international cooperation between the three nations.



A shot of the scene at Berlin-Mariendorf raceway on Berlin Trotting Derby Day (Photo courtesy Bill Galvin)

Bill Galvin travelled to Germany to take part in a trackside ceremony. He presented a Hans Fromming whip and signed biography to the German Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Fromming had given the biography and silver-toned whip to Galvin in 1975. The gifts had been in appreciation of Galvin having arranged for Fromming to compete in a racing series with Herve Filion at Greenwood Raceway in Toronto.

Fromming was the most popular driver in Germany in 1975, as his 5,592 wins made him the leading dash-winning driver in the world at the time. He was also well known in America for having driven Delmonica Hanover to a victory in the 1974 Prix dAmerique.

In the same ceremony, legendary German horseman Heinz Wewering, a member of the German Hall of Fame of the Trotting Sport since its foundation, presented Galvin with two of his signed whips. The black whip that Wewering gave Galvin was the whip he recently carried when he won the German Filly Derby with Motion Pure. One of the whips is being sent to the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, and the other will head to Goshens Hall of Fame and Museum in New York.

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame Director Linda Rainey has said that she is thrilled with the whip exchange.

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of horse racing in Canada, we are honoured to be part of this symbolic exchange of memorabilia, Rainey said. It represents the international bond that exists within the sport of harness racing, and the importance of sharing the history of our great sport.



Race fans at Berlin-Mariendorf raceway watch the action from under umbrellas on Berlin Trotting Derby Day (Photo courtesy Bill Galvin)
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has ruled that former Premier Dalton McGuinty and former Minister of Finance Dwight Duncan, among others, will be forced to answer questions on the record in regard to the controversial decision to cancel the Slots at Racetracks Program.

The decision was released late last week (Friday, August 4). It came via a motions-to-quash ruling by Ontario Superior Court Justice Michael Emery. A group of Ontario Standardbred breeders has filed a $65-million lawsuit against the Province of Ontario and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. in regard to the SARP cancellations.

As part of the legal proceedings, the breeders lawyers issued summonses for 13 witnesses, including McGuinty, Duncan, economist Don Drummond, current Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, and Ted McMeekin, the provinces former Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. In turn, lawyers representing the Province and the OLG filed a motion to quash the summonses.

Justice Emerys Friday ruling dismissed the motions brought by the Province and the OLG, except when it came to Premier Kathleen Wynne and MPP McMeekin, whom are both currently sitting members of the legislature. When it came to the decision to exclude Premier Wynne and McMeekin from the lawsuit proceedings, Justice Emery cited parliamentary privilege.

According to a report by the Toronto Star, the group of Standardbred breeders have emailed a letter to Premier Wynne and MPP McMeekin requesting that they waive their privilege. According to the article, the letter references Premier Wynnes recent decision to waive her privilege in order to take part in an upcoming trial in Sudbury.

In addition to McGuinty, Duncan and Drummond, former ORC Chair Rod Seiling and Horse Racing Transition Panel members John Snobelen and John Wilkinson have been summoned to testify.

The list of the 11 individuals that will have to testify as part of the summonses appears below.

Karim Bardeesy  In February 2012, Bardeesy was the Director of Policy and Research in the Office of the Premier.

Dwight Duncan  Minister of Finance in 2012, and Minister responsible for the OLG.

John Wilkinson  Wilkinson was a panelist on the Horse Racing Industry Transition Panel starting around June of 2012.

Rod Seiling  Seiling was the Chair of the Ontario Racing Commission in 2012.

Don Drummond  Drummond is the author of a report commonly referred to as the Drummond Report.

Blair Stransky  Stransky was a Senior Policy Advisor in the Ministry of Finance in 2011 and 2012.

Tim Shorthill  Shorthill was Chief of Staff to Staff to the Minister of Finance in 2011 and 2012.

Darcy McNeill  McNeill was the Director of Communications in the Ministry of Finance in 2012.

John Snobelen  Snobelen was a member of the Horse Racing Industry Transition Panel starting around June 2012, worked for Ontario Horse Racing in March 2014, and was a former Cabinet Member in Premier Mike Harris government.

Steve Orsini  Orsini was Deputy Minister of Finance in 2012.

Dalton McGuinty  Premier of Ontario in February 2012.

Click this link or view the PDF below to read Justice Emerys Friday ruling.

(With files from the Toronto Star)
Unmanly Catholic Left

NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue (photo) comments on an editorial in today's National Catholic Reporter:

"Time for a Dialogue on Sexual Ethics." That is the dishonest title of an editorial in today's National Catholic Reporter. It's dishonest because the media outlet does not want dialogueit wants the Church to drop its teachings on sexuality, mostly to satisfy the homosexual agenda.

This is classic doublespeak for the Left, secular and religious. When they ask for dialogue on matters important to them, they mean change, not discourse. For example, they don't want dialogue on capital punishment: they believe they've won that one, so there is no need to revisit this teaching. Gay marriage, which is of paramount importance to the Reporter, is different.

In one sense, there is no real news here. The National Catholic Reporter, a dissident media outlet that has drawn the wrath of many bishops, has long rejected the Church's teachings on sexuality. In 2002, I confronted one of its senior editors, Tom Roberts, about this issue in a TV debate.

"Now guys like Roberts, the National Catholic Reporter, they don't believe in anything the Catholic Church says on sexuality anyhow, so of course he doesn't want to talk about homosexuality," I said. Mike Barnicle, sitting in for Chris Matthews on Hardball, interrupted me: "Wait, Bill, please. Tom, take it up. I mean, you just got whacked across the face. Take it up." To which Roberts replied, "I'm not going to take that up."

A real man would have defended himself. But he didn't. And real men don't pen editorials like the one today in the Reporter. The statement ends by citing two of their favorite theologians, Charles Curran and Margaret Farley: their unequivocal rejection of Church teachings on sexuality led them to be censured by the Vatican.

The editorial says, "perhaps it is time for the Vatican to engage these Catholic theologians and ethicists in a constructive dialogue about the fruits of their ethical inquiries. Until the church is willing to engage in a deep re-examination of its doctrine on sexuality and sexual relationships, any dialogue around LGBT inclusion or divorce and remarriage will only be stymied."

In other words, the Vatican has a moral obligation to listen carefully to those whom it has sanctioned for their insubordination. A more manly thing to do would be to insist that the Church adopt the editorial preferences of the New York Times, and throw Scripture and Tradition overboard.

Perhaps the Reporter will lead the way in showing how fruitful dialogue can be by inviting me to be on its editorial board. My first request would be to say that any media outlet with the word "Catholic" in it ought to pledge fidelity to Church teachings. Dialogue anyone?
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Manufacturing drugs  Cowlitz County Sheriffs deputies Monday arrested Kristi Lynn Waddington, 35, of Castle Rock on suspicion of manufacturing and delivering drugs.

Harassment  Longview police Monday arrested John Fredrick Price, 54, of Longview on suspicion of felony harassment.

Theft, drugs  Woodland police Monday arrested Kannita Marie Kelly, 19, of Gresham, Ore., on suspicion of second-degree theft and felony drug possession.

Theft, drugs  Woodland police Monday arrested Jasmine Renee Douglas, 27, of Portland on suspicion of second-degree theft and a felony drug charge.

Tools  Sometime between Friday and Saturday, someone stole a tool set, palm sander, cordless drill battery and charger from unattached garage in the 100 block of Sareault Road, Toledo, according to the Lewis County Sheriffs Office.

Stolen vehicle  A 20 year old Toledo man, Gregory Dadda, was arrested Monday on suspicion of stealing a motor vehicle and reckless endangerment, according to the Lewis County Sheriffs Office. He is accused of taking and then wrecking a 2001 Ford Expedition in Vader.

Fake $100  Woodland police took a call from a business reporting that a female used a counterfeit $100 bill at a business located in the 1600 block of Pacific Avenue Sunday. Counterfeit bills were also found at Safeway, Walmart and Taco Bell.
After facing scant opposition for the past decade, local state Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, will have a young challenger from the opposing party next year in 27-year-old Brennan Bailey.

The fifth-generation Chehalis resident filed his paperwork and announced his candidacy for the 20th District on July 24.

Although Bailey is running as a Democrat, he told The Daily News that he was influenced by both parties growing up in conservative Lewis County.

After graduating from W.F. West High school in 2008, Bailey purchased his own real estate company when he was 19. He sold the company in 2015 and completed a bachelors degree and teaching certificate with Western Governors University later that year.

Bailey, the son of Lower Columbia College president Chris Bailey, has taught first grade in the Longview and Toledo school districts and currently serves as the president of the Chehalis School Board. He also holds a masters degree in educational leadership from Concordia University in Portland.

Bailey will head to Cambridge, Mass., on Aug. 20 for an eight-month masters program in education policy at Harvard University. Hes also on track to finish a doctorate in education leadership through Capella University in Minnesota in 2019.

Bailey pointed to his education background as one of the key differences that separates him from other local legislators.

I have a background in business and we also already have other representatives with business backgrounds, but we do not currently have someone with an education background, he said.

If elected, Bailey said he would focus on small towns and cutting red tape for local businesses.

Bailey cited the lengthy permitting process Millenium Bulk Terminals has faced for its proposal to build a coal terminal in Longview is a prime example of excessive regulation.

I believe that it shouldnt take six years to get an answer on a permit, he said, although he declined to say whether he supported the construction of the terminal.

Bailey knocked Orcutt for his vote against the state capital budget on his campaign website, writing that the move has caused the Chehalis School District and other school districts across the state to delay current construction projects.

Bailey said part of the reason why he decided to announce his candidacy with more than a year left before the 2018 general election was to light a fire under Orcutt and encourage him to make a deal with Democrats.

If history is any guide, Bailey faces an uphill battle. The last time Orcutt faced a Democrat he won by 30 percentage points in what was then the 18th District. His seat in the redrawn 20th District has been one of the safest in the state since 2010. The 20th includes Woodland, Castle Rock, Toutle and Kalama in Cowlitz County, most of Lewis County, and a small parts of Pacific and Thurston counties.

Orcutt, a consulting forester, likely will have a huge advantage when it comes to fundraising, having raised and spent nearly $90,000 in the 2016 legislative elections cycle.

But Bailey said hes been absolutely amazed by the amount of support and phone calls hes received since he declared.

Bailey has an official campaign kickoff march planned for later this month and will be back from Harvard for a month in January to meet with voters. He said he plans to kick his campaign into high gear when he graduates and returns home in April.
In an article written by TDN reporter Denver Pratt, we read about Laura Hamilton, a Chehalis midwife in the midst of battling multiple malpractice lawsuits. She is still allowed to practice and we want to know why.

Hamilton has practiced midwifery for the last 34 years and has delivered over 4,000 babies. To some this is very commendable. Its rumored that she delivered most of the babies born in Lewis County during the 1990s.

Giving birth has its share of risks, but Hamilton is being investigated for complications not considered an act of God. During her 34-year tenure, Hamilton collected at least 22 serious complaints ranging from not having a backup plan if an emergency happened to being investigated for wrongful death.

In 2014, Kylie Frost paid the ultimate price while under Hamiltons care. Frost developed complications and lost her baby, Oliver. Unfortunately, Frost was not aware of multiple investigations involving Hamilton, including a 1994 case where a judge found the midwife negligent in the death of a young mother.

Kathy Weed, program director for midwifery at the state Department of Health claimed she has never met any other midwife with as many complaints as Hamilton has against her.

In 1991, it was determined that Hamilton committed fraud by authorizing prescriptions and representing herself as a physician. According to investigative reports, the state took no action. It also wasnt the first time she committed fraud. In 1989, proof emerged that Hamilton wrote prescriptions outside the scope of her practice.

When does it become the states obligation to step in? How many more mothers and babies need to suffer at the hands of Hamilton?

Bringing a child into the world is one of the most rewarding events in life. From the moment you hear the babys heartbeat, you begin to prepare yourself for birth. Some choose to deliver in a hospital surrounded by nurses, while others choose a more natural setting using a midwife. In either case the end goal is to bring a healthy baby into the world.

You cannot put a price on health and trust. Check your midwifes history.

The fight against bullies

Last week, Indiana resident Phil Mick began his first day of sixth grade unlike any other kid. Mick was escorted to school by 50 bikers from surrounding cities in hopes of raising his self-esteem. The 11-year-old is a victim of bullying who got to the point where he felt worthless.

Micks story circulated to Brent Warfield of KDZ Motorcycle Sales and Service, who related to Mick. Warfield organized the motorcade through Facebook and dozens of bikers showed up to lend support. The group of bikers met at a local restaurant and began their journey with a prayer.

DeKalb Middle School Principal Matt Vince recalls the sound of the bikes radiating off the walls. Vince commends the bikers for showing up to support Mick and for standing up against bullying.

And we do too.

This isnt the first leather-clad biker group to help a bullied child. Recently, 16-year-old Shannon Purcifer missed her high school prom because peers bullied her. She was teased for years about her medical condition.

Word quickly spread and a large fleet of 120 bikers showed up to make her dreams come true. They organized a party in Purcifers honor to stick two fingers up at those who taunted the teen.

The biker group went all out to make Purcifer feel special. She said, The party was better than I could have ever imagined. The best part was when the bikes arrived. I knew they were coming, but I had no idea I was going to be riding there on a three-wheeled bike.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that suicide was the third leading cause of death for 10- to 14-year-olds in 2015. Studies claim the rise in youth suicide rates stems from substance abuse, social isolation and bullying.

Childhood bullying has been a huge topic over the years. Schools developed zero-tolerance policies, and positive reinforcement and intervention programs. Some believe early education will help reduce the growing numbers.

Researchers suggest the effects of bullying are life-long. Students who are targeted by peers are more likely to develop depression, mental health and behavior problems, not to mention falling into the nationwide substance abuse crisis. All of which, turns this into a much bigger issue for the economy.

Its great to see communities band together to help provide such positive support, one smile at a time.
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Sherakontho champ Brishty joins as college teacher

Sheikh Arif Bulbon :

Dream of the champion of Sherakontho-2012 Brishty Mutsuddi came into true after long time. During childhood she has planned to work as a teacher. Her dream came into true. Brishty has joined as Lecturer in Finance Department at Islamia University College, Sadarghat of Chittagong recently. First day of this month Brishty joined as faculty in that college. Members of her family including parents Ranjit Kumar Mutsuddi and Dr Shelly Barua became glad in this regard.

Due to her study purposes at Independent University in Dhaka Brishty had to stay here without parents. She has joined in a college in Chittagong so that now she can continue staying there with her parents before marriage.

While sharing her feelings to fulfil her dream Brishty told this correspondent, From my childhood I wanted to be a teacher. For this reason, despite became champion in Sherakontho in 2012 I could not become regular in music. I had to concentrate on my study rather than music. At last, I have joined as a teacher. It is my achievement in my career. I am grateful to my parents to come into this position. And I am grateful to my Nirbichita Didi who always inspired me. 

Tonight on Rtv Brishty will render songs in a live show Music Station at 11:20pm. After Eid, she will visit abroad to perform in different stage shows.


Managing South Asia's stressed water resources

Rafiqul Islam :

Experts and policymakers here say regional cooperation is a must to resolve long-standing water problems in South Asian countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India and Nepal, and to harness the full value of water.

There are many transboundary rivers, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna, in the region. Bangladesh in particular faces severe water problems, like flooding and riverbank erosion, due in part to a lack of cooperation with its neighbors, officials said at a consultation in the capital Dhaka.

On July 31, state ministers, senior and government officials, businesses and representatives from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and development partners gathered at the Fourth Consultation of the UN High Level Panel on Water (HLPW) on Valuing Water at the BRAC Center Inn.

Bangladesh has 57 transboundary rivers, and 93 percent of its catchment is located outside the country's borders.

Muhammad Nazrul Islam, State Minister of Bangladesh for Water Resources, said some countries have adequate water sources from upstream lakes and glaciers and think of water as their own resource, but water should be universal and all should have equitable access to it.

Highlighting various water-related problems Bangladesh has long been facing, he said, "When we get too much water during monsoon [season], then we hardly can manage or conserve water. But during the dry season, we face severe water scarcity."

"Basin-based water management is urgent in South Asia to manage water of common rivers and to cope with water-related problems in the region," said Abu Saleh Khan, a deputy executive director of the Dhaka-based think tank, Institute of Water Modelling (IWM).

Such management could include knowledge and data sharing, capacity development, increased dialogue, participatory decision-making and joint investment strategies.

With just 3 percent of the world's land, South Asia has about a quarter of the world's population. Rice and wheat, the staple foods in the subregion, require huge amounts of water and energy, even as water resources are coming under increasing strain from climate change, pollution and other sources.

In January 2016, World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon convened a High Level Panel on Water (HLPW), involving 11 heads of state and government to accelerate change in the way governments, societies, and the private sector use and manage water.

The regional consultation was held in Dhaka as part of a high-level consultation on water called the 'Valuing Water Initiative'.

The goal of the Valuing Water Initiative is to achieve the water-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by inspiring better decision-making, and making better trade-offs between competing claims on water.

Valuing Water

Today, freshwater is facing a crisis around the world, compounded by extreme weather events, droughts and floods. Water sources are threatened by overuse, pollution and climate change. But water is essential for human health, food security, energy supplies, sustaining cities, biodiversity and the environment.

"'We never know the worth of water until the well is dry' is a saying in several different languages from around the world. And indeed, water is often taken for granted. That is why the High Level Panel on Water launched the Valuing Water Initiative last year," said Netherlands Ambassador in Dhaka Leonie Cuelenaere. She said water is a key element of Bangladesh's culture and economy, but its 700 rivers frequently flood and create problems for local communities.

"Yet simultaneously, a shortage of fresh water occurs in the dry season. So valuing water - socially, culturally, economically and environmentally - is crucial here," said Cuelenaere.

Regarding excessive use of water, Nazrul Islam noted that about 3,000 litres of water is required to irrigate one kilogram of paddy in Bangladesh.

"We have to change our lifestyle to cut water use, and need to innovate new varieties of crops which could be cultivated with a small volume of water," he added.

Suraiya Begum, Senior Secretary and HLPW Sherpa to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, said about 90 percent of Bangladesh's people think that they have enough water, but some pockets in the country still face scarcity every year.

Focusing on Bangladesh's strong commitment to conserve water and environment, she said Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina considers water a precious resource and advocates for its wiser use.

Valuing water can make the cost of pollution and waste apparent and promote greater efficiency and better practices.

Willem Mak, a project manager (valuing water) of the Netherlands government, said pricing of water is not synonymous with its true value, but is one way of covering costs, reflecting part of the value of these uses, ensuring adequate resources and finance for related infrastructure services.

He said valuing water can play a role in peace processes via transboundary water management or mitigation.

Dr Khondaker Azharul Haq, the president of Bangladesh Water Partnership, said water has many values - economic, social, cultural and even religious - while the values of water depend on its quality and quantity, and time and dimension.

"Rather than [only] economic value," he said, "water has some values that you cannot count in dollars, particularly water for environmental conservation."

The main objective of the July 31 water consultation was to obtain views from a wide array of country-level stakeholders on the proposals from the HLPW on the valuing water preamble and principles.

The water meet also encouraged governments, business and civil society to consider water's multiple values and to guide the transparent incorporation of these values into decision-making by policymakers, communities, and businesses.

The members of the UN high level panel are heads of state from Australia, Bangladesh, Hungary, Jordan, Mauritius (co-chair), Mexico (co-chair), Netherlands, Peru, Senegal, South Africa and Tajikistan.

-IPS
Hajj free of cost

THE government programme of sending 318 people ranging from lawmakers to senior government officials and party men at a cost of Tk 10.15 crore from the government exchequer has raised eyebrow at many quarters. As we know Hajj is mandatory for people having physical ability and financial resources to pay the expenses but the way the government is turning the religious event in into a political fanfare is coming under severe criticism from almost every quarter including religious scholars. Many believe the programme aims at strengthening government popularity at a time when the next parliamentary election is closer to the door.



We want to say we are opposed to any action, which will degrade the religious sanctity of Hajj performed by devoted Muslims with sense of dedication. The government list has however selected people for their personal and political loyalty to the government and ministers. The Religious Affairs Minister has categorized all 318 persons in his list as 'Pious Muslims' but he must particularly know that performing Hajj by wealthy people or office staff and party workers with public money is unethical and clearly not acceptable. People who pay tax to the government to run the state have not paid tax for its misuse. He is clearly abusing power and misusing Hajj for political purpose.



It calls for bigger protest. Question arises as to why the government should send solvent people like MPs and senior government officials at the expense of the state. The list also includes scores of people like drivers, carpenters, gunmen and orderlies for whom Hajj is not mandatory. The government moves will provide them the opportunity for free of cost journey to Mecca and other religious places but its justification remain largely unanswered. Government leaders and bureaucrats are living lavish life and regularly making expensive tours abroad. Hajj will be new outlets now; which was never abused like this before.



The inclusion of 10 Awami League leaders and three lawmakers in the list made many to wonder if they are so poor not to be able to pay for their Hajj. The list also includes 15 officials and staffers of Bangabhaban and at least 24 from Prime Minister's Office and her office in Parliament. One also can't understand why priority was given to persons from special districts. A staggering 79 people, including Religious Affairs Minister Motiur Rahman's relatives, personal staffers and close aides come from his present and former constituency in Mymensingh. The Minister has also nominated 40 government staffers, officials and aides of his constituency in the Hajj medical team, although they are different people and not capable to help the sick.



Hajj mismanagement and cancellation of flights capture headlines on daily basis but the new disclosure shows a total chaos. We ask the government to make the journey for the pilgrims' safe.






Alarming rise in stealing food grains from govt depots

STEALING of food grains from government food depots is capturing headlines in the national dailies almost regularly but there is hardly any information that the thieves; mostly powerful people using political shelter, are facing arrest and trial. A national daily on Tuesday reported theft of at least 33,000 metric tonnes of wheat from government silos at Chittagong Port worth over Tk 90 crore. Investigation report shows traders and food officials had worked together to remove the imported wheat in loaded trucks. The organized theft took place in broad daylight; which people in the neighbourhood believed to be part of regular movement of food grains from the silos.



Surprisingly no government agency is now taking responsibility of the theft although preliminary probe blamed a syndicate of dishonest traders, local politicians, food ministry officials and shipping agents for removing the wheat during unloading before reaching the government silos. Only several weeks ago police had also seized 12 trucks of stolen rice loaded in food directorate's seal sacks in the port city.



It appears stealing food grains from government godowns all over the country is the easiest way of getting rich for some people overnight. Some law enforcers of different government agencies are also facilitating the theft instead of preventing it however earning bad name for the entire force. It is so unfortunate that unbridled corruption within the food ministry and at all places of the government has become so open and rampant but people don't understand why the government is not doing enough to stop it. Many believe since powerful people have their hands behind it, the government agencies feel restraint from going into action.



The wheat theft that was imported from South Korea was investigated at least by three agencies such as the Anti-corruption Commission, Special Branch of Police and the Police Criminal Investigation Department. They reportedly found involvement of ruling party men in the scam and no action so far followed. But the question is whether stealing by ruling party men is allowed while it is crime if committed by others.



Indeed the biggest food grains scandal had hit nation in 2014 when Bangladesh imported huge substandard wheat from Brazil and France. The food minister was openly blamed for importing rotten wheat and it was alleged that there was a huge kick backs involved. But no legal action followed while people were forced to eat the rotten wheat.



We must say most food grains trafficking take place at Chittagong Port during unloading and obviously greater responsibility lies with Chittagong Port Authorities and intelligence agencies to stop it. Bangladesh is importing over a million-tonnes rice soon and not only huge trafficking is feared at the port's unloading points, there are reasons that food ministry officials may also receive huge kick backs. Food import and maintaining the stock are highly vulnerable to theft and if the loopholes can't be plugged, the risks remain too high. Only exemplary punishment can dissuade people from the crime.
Gulf diplomatic crisis splits families, dashes dreams

Many Qataris, affected by the diplomatic crisis, face divided families and financial losses.

AFP, Doha :

For Qataris affected by the diplomatic crisis rocking the Gulf, the reality of politics is stark: families divided, assets frozen and dreams put on hold.

Sara, a 29-year-old Qatari, had been poised to start her senior year in business school in Dubai when on June 5, a bloc of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia abruptly cut ties with her country.

"We were suddenly told that we were no longer permitted to attend classes and had to go back to Doha," she said.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain accused the Gulf emirate of supporting Islamist extremism and being too close to Riyadh's regional arch-rival Iran.

They ordered all Qataris to leave their territories within two weeks, recalled their ambassadors and citizens from the emirate and banned Qatari carriers from their ports and airspace.

Qatar denied the allegations and denounced what it called a "blockade" aimed at bringing the wealthy emirate to its knees.

Qatari authorities have committed schools and universities to enrolling repatriated students.

But for Sara and many like her, the crisis was personal.

"When someone prevents you from studying, it destroys your dreams," she said.

"One day, overnight, with no warning- suddenly you're told 'you have to stay home, no school for you'."

As the standoff drags into its third month, the uncertainty is causing agony, particularly for families of mixed nationality.

Sara, who did not want her surname revealed because she feared the consequences for her relatives elsewhere in the region, has an Emirati mother and a Qatari father.

That is nothing unusual in a region where cross-border marriages are commonplace.

The diplomatic spat has thrown such families into their own crises.

"Half my family is in Dubai, in the UAE. I also have family in Bahrain," Sara said, choking back tears.

When her grandmother fell ill in Dubai, her mother was reluctant to travel to the UAE for fear she would not be allowed to return to her children in Qatar.
Feed back program for Malaysian students held at CVASU

Chittagong Bureau :

Fishery Faculty of the Chittagong Vaterinary and Animal Science University

Arranged feed back program for the internship students of the Malaysian govt University- University of Malaysia Terengana(UMT) was arranged at CVASU conference hall on Tuesday .

After one month long internship of the Malaysian students,this program was arranged . Divisional commissioner of Chittagong Md.Ruhul Amin graced the occasion as chief guest.

Vice chancellor of CVASU Prof. Dr. Goutam Buddha Das spoke in it as chief patroniser. Additonal deputy commissioner(Education) Md. Habibur Rahman, Chairman of Pedrollo Bangladesh Nader Khan attended the feedback function as special guests. Dean of the Fishery Faculty Prof Dr M Nurul Absar Khan presided over it. Among others, Director ter of External Programs Prof. Dr. AKM Saifuddin, Dr. Sheikh AhmedAl Nahid spoke on the occasion. On beginning of the programme , Malaysian students presented their experiences so achieved during internshsip through multimedia presentations. The chief guest handed over certificates of Internship to 10Malaysian students, sources said. Mentionable that as per MOU signed between CVASU and UMT , 35 students of first batch of Fishery Department went to Malaysia for internship in 2016 and simlarly 10 students of UMT underwent internship at CVASU in 2017.

Sources said all students of 2n d batch of fishery will go Malaysia in next month for internship there. Among others, Dean of Medicine Faculty Prof. Md. Abdul Halim, Registrar Mirza Faruk Imam , Proctor Prof Goutam Kumar Debnath, President of Teachers Association Prof Dr Md. Alamgir Hossain, teachers , officials and students were present on the occasion, Dy.Director(PR) Khalilur Rahman sources said.


EU approves Banco Popular rescue by Santander

AFP, Brussels :

EU competition authorities gave the formal green light Tuesday to the sale of Spain's Banco Popular to compatriot Santander, the first major test of Europe's new system for dealing with failing banks.

The approval by the European Commission comes just over two months after the European Central Bank-which took on the role of the eurozone's banking supervisor in 2014 -- allowed the sale to go ahead for a symbolic fee of one euro.

"The commission concluded that the transaction would not raise competition concerns in the European Economic Area," the commission said in a statement, referring to the 28 European Union nations plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

An investigation by the commission found that the two banks' combined market share would be less than 25 percent, adding that "strong competitors will remain in all affected markets."

"Today's decision is the final step by the commission clearing the acquisition," it said.

The ECB had announced on June 7 that Banco Popular was "failing or likely to fail" and should therefore be sold to Banco Santander.
North Korea 'considering missile strike on US Guam base'



North Korea has said it is considering carrying out missile strikes on the US Pacific territory of Guam.

The North's official news agency said on Tuesday the plan involved firing medium-to-long-range rockets at Guam, where US strategic bombers are based.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, flying into Guam, said there was no imminent threat from North Korea.

He also defended President Donald Trump, who on Tuesday threatened Pyongyang with "fire and fury".

Mr Tillerson said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did not understand diplomatic language, and a strong message was needed that he would understand.

"I think the president just wanted to be clear to the North Korean regime that the US... will defend itself and its allies," he said. On Wednesday, Mr Trump tweeted that the US nuclear arsenal was "more powerful than ever before", but added he was hopeful "we will never have to use this power".The recent exchanges mark a sharp rise in rhetoric between Washington and Pyongyang, but China has urged calm. A foreign ministry statement quoted by Reuters called on all sides to avoid words or actions which might escalate the situation and to make greater efforts to resolve the issue via talks. The UN recently approved further economic sanctions on North Korea, which Pyongyang said were a "violent violation of our sovereignty", warning the US would "pay a price". Media captionPresident Trump threatened a response "like the world has never seen"

On Wednesday, the official KCNA news agency said North Korea was "carefully examining the operational plan for making an enveloping fire at the areas around Guam" using its domestically made medium-to-long-range Hwasong-12 missiles. The news agency reported a military statement issued on Tuesday, which probably came in response to US military drills in Guam. However, there has been no indication that any attack on Guam by North Korea is imminent.

In a message to the public, the governor of Guam Eddie Baza Calvo said there was currently "no threat" to the island and the Marianas archipelago, but that Guam was "prepared for any eventuality".

North Korea's statement is the latest stage in a heating up of rhetoric and tension.

Pyongyang, which has tested nuclear devices five times, launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in July, claiming it now had the ability to hit mainland US.

On Tuesday, media reports in the US claimed the North had achieved its goal of making a nuclear warhead small enough to fit inside its missiles. While not confirmed, this was seen as one of the last obstacles to North Korea being a fully nuclear-armed state.

A report in the Washington Post, citing US intelligence officials, suggested North Korea was developing nuclear weapons capable of hitting the US at a much faster rate than expected.
Police hunt for car driven at soldiers

A car has struck a group of soldiers in Paris, injuring six, two seriously, police say.

An urgent police operation is now under way to find the vehicle - reportedly a BMW - and driver involved in the incident in the north-western suburb of Levallois-Perret.

The Paris prosecutor says the anti-terror unit is investigating what happened. France has been under a state of emergency since November 2015.

On 13 November, 130 people were killed in a night of carnage in Paris, and more than 100 more have been killed in jihadist attacks since.

They include a string of assaults on the heavily armed security forces who now dot the streets of the capital - the last only four days ago.

While the hunt for the perpetrator continues, the Paris prosecutors' office said its anti-terrorism unit was looking into "attempted killings... in relation to a terrorist undertaking".

Wednesday's attack at about 08:15 local time (06:15 GMT) took place outside a military barracks on the Place de Verdun in Levallois-Perret, the local mayor, Patrick Balkany, told BFMTV.

He said he had no doubt that the "disgusting" act was deliberate.

He said a vehicle had been waiting in the road for the soldiers to emerge as they came on duty.

"It was a BMW which accelerated very quickly the moment they came out."

A resident in a nearby block of flats, Jean-Claude Veillant, told reporters he saw part of the attack.

"I heard a loud noise, the sound of scraping metal. Shortly after, I saw one of the badly wounded lying in front of the Vigipirate [army patrol] vehicle and another one behind it receiving treatment," he said.

The injured soldiers are being treated at the Percy military hospital in Clamart, but their precise condition has not been made public.
Trump boasts of US nuclear arsenal in new NKorea warning

AFP :

President Donald Trump said Wednesday the United States' nuclear arsenal was "more powerful than ever" in a fresh warning to North Korea over its repeated missile tests.

Hours after putting Pyongyang on notice that it faced "fire and fury" over its weapons program, Trump took to Twitter to proclaim that the US military's nuclear capability had become stronger since he came to power.

And after North Korea said it was considering a missile strike near the US Pacific territory of Guam, Trump's top diplomat delivered a message of reassurance to its residents and military personnel as he made a stop-over on the island. Trump's "fire and fury" comments on Tuesday marked a sharp intensification of Washington's rhetoric over the North's nuclear and missile programs, triggering expressions of concern from China as well as from US allies.

But his early morning tweets-written from New Jersey, where he is on vacation for two weeks-dashed hopes of a cooling of tensions.

"My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before," Trump wrote.

"Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!" Trump's language towards North Korea has become increasingly hard-edged since Pyongyang staged a successful Intercontinental Ballistic Missile test (ICBM) in July which put the US mainland in range for the first time.

Guam-a 210-square-mile dot in the Pacific that is home to some 6,000 US troops-would be a far easier target were North Korea to confirm its position as a fully-fledged nuclear power.

Hours after Trump's "fire and fury" comments, Pyongyang's KCNA state news agency reported that plans were being drawn up for missile strikes against Guam that could be put into action at "any moment" after Kim Jong-Un gives the order.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who refuelled in Guam on Wednesday while flying back home from Southeast Asia, said Trump was determined to send an unequivocal message to his North Korean counterpart.

"What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong-Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," he said. Tillerson said that he did not believe "there is any imminent threat" to Guam or other US targets and hoped that diplomatic pressure would prevail in the crisis.

"I think Americans should sleep well at night, have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days," Tillerson said. Experts have long differed over the North's exact capabilities but all agree it has made rapid progress under Kim. Last month, Pyongyang carried out its first two successful ICBM launches, the first-described by Kim as a gift to "American bastards"-showing it could reach Alaska, and the second extending its range even further, with some experts suggesting New York could be vulnerable.

The Washington Post quoted a US Defense Intelligence Agency analysis on Tuesday as saying officials think North Korea now has "nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery"-including by its ICBMs-making it a potent threat against neighbors and possibly the United States.

The Pentagon did not comment on the story, but the Post said two US officials familiar with the analysis had verified the assessment's broad conclusions, and CNN said it had confirmed the report. The North's current ability to launch an accurate nuclear strike remains open to question, with analysts suggesting it has yet to overcome some major technical hurdles. After Kim's second ICBM test, some experts said it appeared the "re-entry vehicle" that would carry a warhead back into Earth's atmosphere from space had failed in the intense heat.

US officials have repeatedly said this year that military action against the North was an "option on the table," though Tillerson said nothing had "dramatically changed" in the military equation in the past 24 hours.

The UN Security Council unanimously approved a series of sanctions over the weekend which could cost North Korea $1 billion a year, with even the regime's main ally China voting for the US-drafted proposal.

While the sanctions vote was seen as a diplomatic triumph for the US, there is widespread unease about the ramping up in tensions.

The North's main ally China warned against "words and actions" that would stoke tensions, while Germany said it was watching the "increasing rhetorical escalation" with concern.
1.15cr local sacrificial animals ready

UNB, Dhaka :

The country has at least 1.15 crore sacrificial animals for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, one of the largest religious festivals of Muslims, according to the Department of Livestock Services (DLS).

Officials at the DLS said there has been a sharp rise in livestock production in recent years in the country reducing dependence on neighbouring countries for sacrificial animals during the Eid-ul-Azha.

Now there are some 61,72,990 healthy sacrificial animals across the country in addition to 53,85,000 which are old, unproductive, unprofitable but suitable for sacrifices, raising the total number to 1,15,57,990, the DLS officials told UNB.

According to government statistics, the country has 2.54 crore cows and buffalos, 2.93 crore goats and sheep, totalling 5.47 crore.Among them, the number of cows and goats are the highest.

They said there are some 33.42 lakh healthy cows and buffalos in dairy farms across the country. Besides, there are 11.15 lakh cows and buffalos in private ownership, which are old, unproductive and unprofitable but fit for sacrifice.

The dairy farmers have 28.30 lakh sacrificial goats and sheep while in private ownership there are 42.70 lakh goats and sheep in this year, totalling 71 lakh.

DLS data shows that there are 31,60,675 cows, 1,81,980 buffalos, 24,44,703 goats and 3,85,632 sheep in eight divisions of the country.

In Dhaka Division, there are 3,90,030 cows, 10,650 buffalos, 1,16,920 goats, and 2,1,948 sheep, totalling 53, 9,548 animals.

In Chittagong, the total number of sacrificial animals in the division is 11,59,219. Of them, there are 8,58,170 cows, 42,286 buffalos, 1,34,563 goats, and 1,24,200 sheep.

In Rajshahi, there are 6,79,165 cows, 2,046 buffalos, 12,54,562 goats, and 1,28,088 sheep raising the total to 20,63,441.

In Khulna, the number of sacrificial animals in the division is5,57,998. Of them, 3,20,369 are cows, 1,909 buffalos, 2,20,100 goats, and 15,620 sheep.

In Sylhet, the number of sacrificial animals in the division is 3,38,531.Of them, there are 1,99, 870 cows, 23,182 buffalos, 77,650 goats, and 37,829 sheep.

In Barisal, there are 2,46,419 cows, 91,510 buffalos, 5850 goats, and 735 sheep, totalling 3,44, 514 animals.

In Rangpur, there are 3,50,983 cows, 3,900 buffalos, 1,27,903 goats, and 47,497 sheep which is 5,30,283 in total.

In Mymensingh, the total number of sacrificial animals in the division is 6,39, 016. Of them there are 1,15,649 cows, 6,397 buffalos, 5,07,155 goats and 9,715 sheep.

DLS director general Dr Md Ainul Haque told UNB, "Our farmers will count losses if we import sacrificial animals despite having enough local livestock production."

He suggested people not to buy unhealthy and sick cattle. In 2014, there were 96 lakh sacrificial animals in the country, while 1.09 crore in 2015 and 1.14 crore in 2016.

Eid-ul-Azha

1.15cr local sacrificial animals ready

UNB, Dhaka

The country has at least 1.15 crore sacrificial animals for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, one of the largest religious festivals of Muslims, according to the Department of Livestock Services (DLS).

Officials at the DLS said there has been a sharp rise in livestock production in recent years in the country reducing dependence on neighbouring countries for sacrificial animals during the Eid-ul-Azha.

Now there are some 61,72,990 healthy sacrificial animals across the country in addition to 53,85,000 which are old, unproductive, unprofitable but suitable for sacrifices, raising the total number to 1,15,57,990, the DLS officials told UNB.

According to government statistics, the country has 2.54 crore cows and buffalos, 2.93 crore goats and sheep, totalling 5.47 crore.Among them, the number of cows and goats are the highest.

They said there are some 33.42 lakh healthy cows and buffalos in dairy farms across the country. Besides, there are 11.15 lakh cows and buffalos in private ownership, which are old, unproductive and unprofitable but fit for sacrifice.

The dairy farmers have 28.30 lakh sacrificial goats and sheep while in private ownership there are 42.70 lakh goats and sheep in this year, totalling 71 lakh.

DLS data shows that there are 31,60,675 cows, 1,81,980 buffalos, 24,44,703 goats and 3,85,632 sheep in eight divisions of the country.
Customs seizes cigarette at HSIA

Staff Reporter :

Customs Intelligence on Wednesday recovered import-restricted 450 cartons of cigarettes at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in the capital.

The USA 303 brand cigarettes were about 90,000 pieces worth Tk 27 lakh.

Tipped-off, customs launched a drive and

found the cigarettes after checking three baggages that were left abandoned.

The agency is suspecting that those luggage were carried by a passenger, who remained unidentified by Sri Lankan Airlines, arrived from Dubai, UAE at 11:45 am.

A case has been filed in this connection.
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CAIRO  During a visit to Cairo on Tuesday, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said that in his career as a physician, he often took on very, very difficult cases including people others had deemed too far gone to save. Through creative approaches, rare procedures, and by the grace of God, he sometimes was able to save their lives, he said.

Carson was roundly criticized by the citizens of Cairo  where a man-made crisis has placed public housing residents and an entire historic city in jeopardy  when in June he described the community as dying and with limited options during a Senate hearing in Washington. After touring the city and meeting with public housing residents and community leaders, Carson again affirmed that the patient  Cairo  is in serious trouble but added, I think by the grace of God its possible to save this place as well.

The crowd of local residents at Cairo Junior/Senior High School, where he spoke at noon, met his optimistic twist on the disheartening diagnosis he provided two months prior with applause.

Still, the path forward remains unclear. Much of what was offered to the citizens of Cairo was of the nature of hope and optimism and a commitment by Carson to do the best he could.

For example, Carson said the HUD team assigned to Cairo is working hard to keep as many people in Cairo as possible who are being displaced from two sprawling World War II complexes  Elmwood and McBride  constructed in the 1940s that have fallen into extreme disrepair, because of their age and decades of neglect.

He also said that his team would take a holistic approach to dealing with the crisis.

As federal housing officials continue the process of moving people out of unsafe housing conditions, he said HUD, under his direction, will continue to work alongside city leaders to see if theres still the potential to attract private investors to partner with the government to build new affordable housing in Cairo.

While federal HUD officials tried for more than a year to secure a private partner unsuccessfully, Carson said he hopes his visit helps elevate the opportunities that exist here at the confluence of the rivers. He said one of the things hes thought about is with more national exposure and a good marketing plan would it be possible to help the rest of the nation to recognize the opportunity that exists in this area. While the math may not add up for the private sector to invest in new housing in Cairo with the economic situation as it stands currently, perhaps they would change their mind if they can see the potential for growth in the near future, he said.

Carson said the citys location at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, the active, viable rail system in the region and the interstate highway system make this area a prime candidate for economic development. But what he did not promise was federal money to achieve these goals. We generally do not have right now the ability to simply say, Theres a problem, lets put $100 million there  he said.

Carson did commit to discussing the economic potential in Alexander County with other cabinet members and President Donald Trump.

In an interview with the newspaper prior to the meeting with public housing residents at the gymnasium, Carson  reminded that rural Southern Illinois joined other parts of Middle America in overwhelmingly supporting Trump, and that much of that support was because of the presidents promises on the campaign trail to rejuvenate rural economies, a promise people are anxiously waiting to see come to fruition, said: I think this is certainly one of the areas we will talk about, absolutely. Carson also noted that he sits on a cross departmental team focused on solutions to improve rural communities with leaders of the departments of Agriculture and Transportation, the Federal Communications Commission and others.

The potential for commerce is significant in this area, he said. I think probably a lot of people dont know about that. The same things that led to it becoming economically viable a half century ago, those same factors still exist, and I hope they can develop a good marketing plan. I hope some of the attention that being here brings to this place will cause some people to look down here. I hope that the state of Illinois will recognize the tremendous upside potential to them if this once again becomes a viable area.

State Sen. Dale Fowler said he was pleased that Carson responded enthusiastically to the efforts of city and utility company leaders to develop an inland river port terminal here. He knew a little bit about it. He knows a lot more now. I had an opportunity to speak with him personally and I talked to him about that and he sees the potential here and thats what is so encouraging, Fowler said.

Cairo Councilwoman Connie Williams said shes taking a wait-and-see approach to Carsons visit, to find out how it translates into results. I dont think its hurtful, she said of the visit. Im glad he did come so that he could see what our community is really about  But I dont know how helpful its going to be at this point.

In introducing Carson, Mayor Tyrone Coleman thanked God for the HUD secretarys visit. He said he was honored to stand next to Carson at the podium and grateful that he has made the decision to come to our great community to get a look for himself.

But Coleman said he also wished that Carson would have come before HUD officials announced the relocation plan of Elmwood and McBride residents on April 10 without a viable solution for alternative housing for those who wanted to remain in Cairo. Ten families have been relocated from the housing facilities as of Tuesday, according to HUD.

Despite our current challenge and given our history of being a resilient community, at the end of this challenge, Im certain that this community will once again triumph victoriously, he said.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who despite late notice of the meeting said she rearranged her schedule to get here, said she did so because this is a priority for her  and that shes committed to working with Carson and his team at HUD despite being from opposite political parties. This community is one that feels like it has not had the champions who have followed through. I think they have a lot of voices who sympathize and have the best of intentions but I dont feel like theres been the follow through that needs to be done.

Duckworth said shes committed to the follow through and drilling down to the nitty gritty to fully understand the scope of the housing crisis, the Cairo community and the economy of the deep south region of Illinois. Sen. Dick Durbin was not able to make the event on last-minute notice, but senior aides from his office attended. In a statement after the event, Durbin said, in an emailed statement, that he was glad Carson came to Cairo to see the crisis up close. This is a tragic situation that has impacted so many innocent people, Durbin said. We must ensure that all parties are held responsible and that the people of Cairo are given every tool and resource necessary to find a safe and clean place to live  and well continue working hard to ensure that.

Rep. Mike Bost said in a news release he was invited by Carson to the public forum and that the visit was an important step in saving Cairo.

I appreciate Secretary Carson accepting our invitation to visit Cairo, Bost said in the news release. These were tough conversations, but it was important that federal housing officials be able to put a face to these stories of struggle. Thats why I knew there was no substitute for having the secretary on the ground with us in Cairo. I am hopeful that this continued dialogue will spur new solutions to save Cairo and help these families transition to safer and more stable living conditions.

Carson also addressed the alleged mismanagement that led to the situation, including the failure of HUD in its oversight role to stop the alleged mismanagement earlier and to flag the unsafe living conditions sooner. He said that as a result of situations such as the one that transpired in Cairo, 42 inspectors have been let go. HUD spokesman Jereon Brown previously told the newspaper that those fired were contract inspectors who were terminated because of inconsistencies from one inspection report to another, and/or inconsistencies between inspection results and actual conditions.

It appears the latter case may have transpired in Cairo, where the condition of the housing stock has clearly been in a state of decline for years, and likely had become unsafe long before HUD flagged it as such. In aiming to improve the inspection process, Carson is replacing the contract inspectors with career inspectors, Brown said.

Carson said other changes also are afoot to make sure that different departments within HUD communicate with one another.

What Ive seen here (in Cairo) is not something that just popped up in the last year or two or ten or 20, Carson said after touring the complexes. "Obviously, theres been a lot of stuff going on here for a long time and people have turned a blind eye to it. So theres plenty of blame to go around  no question about it. Theres blame at HUD as well.

In addressing the public housing residents, Carson said he sympathizes with the desire of many to remain in their hometown. He said hearing people talk about how much they dont want to leave reminds him of his own experiences when as a young boy, his parents divorced, and his mother could no longer afford their home in Detroit. Though it was a humble home, Carson called it paradise.

all of the sudden we had to move to another state, and move from place to place just trying to make it while my mother was working two and three jobs," he said. But he said it was always his dream "to get back to that place. Six years later, he said he was thrilled when the family was able to return to Detroit. So I know what it means to have a place that is home for you and to want to keep that place, he said. So Im not coming at you from a completely oblivious standpoint.

Kandi Holder, a resident of McBride Court, said she didnt know what to make of Carsons talk because she struggled to hear most of it. I couldnt hear him. Thats the honest to God truth, said Holder, who asked Carson what he would do to make sure HUD does a better job in the future of making sure local housing authorities are doing their jobs properly.

During his introduction, Carson was instructed by a shout from the crowd to speak up as the poor acoustics of the gym and Carsons soft voice made it difficult to hear him from the audience. Can you hear me now? he asked at one point, and while the sound quality improved some, many residents said they only caught bits and pieces of his comments.

Kristen Simelton, a resident of Elmwood, said she doesnt entirely know what to make of Carsons conversation with public housing residents because she also could not hear most of it.

But from what I heard in his interview with you, I hope he is really looking to help, she said, referencing an audio recording The Southern Illinoisan posted online of a telephone interview with Carson this past week in advance of his trip.

Simelton lives at the complex with several of her grown children. One daughter has moved to Herrin, and her son is looking at relocating to Cape Girardeau. She helps take care of her grandchildren, and is struggling emotionally with being torn away from them if she ends up in another city and her other daughter stays in Cairo. Im really, really, really looking at this as an opportunity, she said. But at the same time, she said, Im sad because I dont want to go. She said that if she does have to leave Cairo for now, she hopes to be able to return to a city one day that is thriving.
MURPHYSBORO  Two local school superintendents and a state administrator are set to host a town hall meeting Thursday to tell the community how the governor's recent veto of a school-funding plan impacts them.

The meeting is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday in the cafeteria at McElvain School, 593 Ava Road, in Murphysboro.

Chris Grode, Murphysboro schools superintendent; Ed Shoemate, Cobden schools superintendent; and Brent Clark, of the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA), will lead the meeting.

They are hoping to educate the community about what the amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1  evidence-based school funding  means to public schools and their children's education. The veto makes money unavailable for school spending.

The governor vetoed the bill over his opposition to the state paying for the pensions of Chicago educators, which is part of the school reform plan. Now, a three-fifths vote in both the Senate and the House is needed to either override Rauners changes or approve them. If lawmakers cannot get the votes, the legislation will die.

As it is now, Murphysboro schools can operate through November, Grode said, before administrators have to find some other sort of funding plan. He said the district receives about 60 percent of its funding from state aid.

"Really what they need to do is listen to the information and decide what they think is right," Grode said. "What we want to do is inform the community of the facts, so they can then inform their (representatives on how they want them to vote)."

He said a lot of people have been talking about the pensions of Chicago educators, which are impacted by SB1, who agreed with the evidence-based funding, but disagree with that aspect of the bill.

"Either way, what we want is a model of funding thats fair throughout the state, that punishes no one throughout the state and is a drastic step forward," Grode said. "This (SB1) would be a huge catapult in improvement. Do you throw the baby (Chicago pension funding) out with the bathwater? There are no great laws that come out of any government entity."
Orangeburg

County

Sheriffs Office

A woman who was checking on a friends Myers Road home on Monday discovered someone burglarized it.

Someone gained access through a bedroom window and stole the following items: a Sony PlayStation 4, a money jar containing $500, a gold necklace with a diamond pendant, a gold watch and a gold Cuban link necklace.

Deputies recovered forensic evidence from the scene.

The value of the stolen items is $4,700.

In other reports:

On Friday night, a Bonner Avenue man called deputies to his Santee home to report that someone stole the following items: an Apple iPod, a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses, a Michael Kors watch and a pair of size 12 gray Nike Jordans sneakers.

The items are valued at $1,850.

Several pieces of jewelry and a firearm were stolen from a Begonia Road home between Aug. 2 and Aug. 4.

The Neeses homeowner called deputies on Friday afternoon to report the theft of the following: 1-carat white gold earrings with blue diamonds; a -carat white gold, square-cut diamond pair of earrings; a -carat white gold, square-cut, open-heart diamond pair of earrings and a .22-caliber, 4-inch barrel single-action revolver.

The value of the items is $4,750.

An Old Edisto Drive man returned to home Saturday to find the following items missing: a 60-inch Vizio flatscreen TV, a 37-inch Vizio flatscreen TV, a 19-inch Vizio flatscreen TV, a 19-inch HP laptop computer, a 12-inch Chromebook computer, $550 in cash and an electronic cigarette.

The value of the items is $3,150.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, someone stole a 2006 Honda motorcycle from a Cannon Bridge Road residence.

The motorcycle is valued at $3,500.

A Buckintella Lane man noticed Sunday that someone stole his 2002 Yamaha motorcycle.

He called officials to his Holly Hill home at 1:57 p.m. He reported that he last saw the $3,600 motorcycle the previous day at 7:30 p.m.
Denmark resident Doris Wright says its been a trying experience to not have access to local emergency care for the past five years.

"It is something that we are in desperate need of," she said.

Wright was one of a few hundred people who attended Tuesdays groundbreaking for the new freestanding emergency department that will be built to serve Bamberg and Barnwell counties.

"We are just elated to have this facility come and be a part of our community. It gives us hope and inspiration, Wright said.

The Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties is building an $8.63 million, 20,500-square-foot freestanding emergency department. It will be located on 10 acres of land adjacent to Highway 70 between Denmark and Barnwell.

Construction is projected to take a year.

Denmark resident Fredrema Odom said the emergency facility is just what the doctor ordered for the area.

"We had nowhere to go if we got sick except for Orangeburg, or Columbia, Aiken or Augusta," Odom said.

When she goes to a doctor, she travels all the way to Aiken, Odom said. "It is a long ways."

"We have been wanting this for a long, long time," she said. "This is much needed. We thank God for whoever decided to do this."

Bamberg County has been without an emergency room since 2012, when the county hospital was closed. Southern Palmetto Hospital, formerly Barnwell County Hospital, announced its closure in January 2016.

RMC opened an urgent care center in Bamberg in 2013. That facility will close once the new emergency department is up and running.

The new facility will include 24-hour emergency care with CT scan, X-ray and ultrasound diagnostic imaging, lab and observation services.

The facility will have everything needed for a standard emergency department, including 13 observation rooms, and will be equipped to handle ambulances and walk-in traffic.

Three observation beds will be available to take care of patients overnight. Incoming patients will also have access to diagnostic, outpatient lab and X-ray services.

The facility will have at least six doctors providing services to patients in the emergency department.

The emergency center will also use RMC's current affiliation with the Medical University of South Carolina to provide tele-medicine services at its facility.

The new, 24/7 facility will be funded by the state of South Carolina through a one-time, $3.6 million Transformation Fund Grant.

About $100,000 was made available from U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development through Congressman James Clyburns 10-20-30 initiative. The initiative seeks to provide 10 percent of federal money to areas that have been in persistent poverty for over 30 years.

Other funding has been committed by local community stakeholders.

RMC Interim President and CEO Burt Whitaker said the new emergency center shows how people at the hospital care about the people they serve.

"It goes without saying that health care has experienced monumental changes on the national, state and local levels over recent years," Whitaker said. "There are more changes to come and no one knows for sure where we are headed, but we do know the only constant is going to be change."

Whitaker said the hospitals that adapt to the change quickly will be the most likely so survive and flourish.

"Those of us who work every day at the Regional Medical Center are proud to participate in this and to provide the service," Whitaker said.

Bamberg County Council Chairman Evert Comer said Tuesday's news is welcome.

"This means a whole lot to not just Bamberg, but this region to have an opportunity to fill a void in health care," Comer said. "Hopefully, this is the beginning of something bigger. We are off to a good start."

Rep. Lonnie Hosey, D-Barnwell, encouraged Bamberg and Barnwell county residents to use the hospital.

"Youve got to support what we put here," Hosey said. "If you don't, it is not going to stay here. RMC has done us a great thing. Thank you so much RMC and we really love you."

Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, said Bamberg County is taking a step forward to providing residents of Bamberg and Barnwell counties high-quality health care.

"I know that all of you believe we live in the greatest nation in the world," Hutto said. "And people who live in the greatest nation in the world deserve access to high-quality medical care."

Congressman Joe Wilson described the emergency center as a symbol of counties working together for the betterment of rural communities.

"It is real. It is a national symbol," Wilson said. "The facility itself will be a national institution indicating the extraordinary people who live here."
Aug. 6 and 9 mark the 72nd anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The debate continues about the morality of dropping those weapons.

Most of the opinions that one hears are expressed by people who did not live through those days.

The United States was hit by a Japanese sneak attack at Pearl Harbor that killed more than 2,100 American sailors and virtually destroyed the Pacific fleet. The attack was a means to stop the United States from interfering with the Japanese intent to dominate the entire Asian Pacific rim under the guise of the "Great Asia Co-prosperity Sphere." As a result of that policy, the Japanese forces had run rampant over Korea and China, indiscriminately raping, torturing and killing civilians.

When the U.S. struck back with the Doolittle Raid, those planes went to China, and the Chinese people saved most of the crews, who were eventually returned to U.S.-controlled territory. The penalty exacted by the Japanese for this embarrassment (there was little damage in Japan) was the systematic murdering of more than 250,000 Chinese civilians.

The Japanese routinely killed any wounded troops they captured and turned the others into slave labor, killing many.

Since the Japanese always fought to the death, the expected casualty rate just to take the islands of Japan was projected to be more than 1 million. As a consequence, when faced with the prospect of those losses or using the two nuclear weapons that had been developed, the United States used "Little Boy" and "Fat Man" to bring the emperor and his forces to their knees.

President Harry Truman was faced with a no-brainer; he elected to use the weapons, and the Japan unconditionally surrendered in days.

Many critics say civilian population centers should not have been hit, but civilians were targets of both sides of the conflict in Europe and Asia. For some reason, there are those who feel the use of nuclear weapons was immoral. In reality, they were just larger weapons that caused much greater destruction.

Had those atom bombs not been used, the hierarchy of the Japanese government and military would never have capitulated, and the toll in Americans and Japanese lives would have been incomprehensible. It is possible that a significant percentage of the total Japanese population would have been killed in the ensuing fight for the islands.

The decision was correct in 1945 and was ultimately the humane thing to do. Amid a continuing international debate regarding nuclear weapons, there should be no recriminations seven decades later.
By Trend





The OSCE monitoring held along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops passed without incidents on August 9, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry.

The monitoring was held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative along the line of contact near the Sarijali village of Azerbaijans Aghdam district, said the ministry.

On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring was held by Andrzej Kasprzyk, ambassador and the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative, and Mikhail Olaru, field assistant of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative.

On the Azerbaijani territories occupied and controlled by Armenian armed forces, the monitoring was held by Ghenadie Petrica, Ognjen Jovic and Martin Schuster, who are field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
By Azernews





By Amina Nazarli

No cases of infection with such dangerous diseases as polio, diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, epidemic parotitis and rubella were registered in Azerbaijan in the first half of 2017.

The Health Ministry announced that the country has not registered any case of rubella since 2008, thanks to the measures taken by the Ministry.

Azerbaijan was ranked 10th among the 53 European countries for the prevention of the spread of measles and rubella, according to 2016 report of the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

Instead, there were reported cases with Scarlet fever and chickenpox, transmitted through the air.

The cases of acute respiratory viral infections decreased by 11.5 percent, while there was strengthened control over the epidemiological surveillance on acute lung paralysis, bacterial meningitis by type B hemophilia, pneumococcal and meningococcal infections in order to strengthen epidemiological surveillance on infectious diseases.

The cases with tuberculosis decreased by 1.3 percent in January-June of 2017 compared to the same period of 2016.
UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum toured the Expo 2020 Dubai Site Office yesterday (August 7) and said he was encouraged by the developments on site.



He was accompanied by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, said a Wam news agency report.



Upon arrival, they were received by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Dubai Airports, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group; and Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau director general. Also present were several ministers and senior officials.



Sheikh Mohammed conducted a helicopter tour of the expo site to see its progress.



He was briefed by department heads and directors on the considerable advancements made by the Expo team in the areas of real estate and development, international participants, legacy, business development and integration, and youth connect.



He underlined the importance of youth being integrated in the Expo journey and the key work being carried out involving them in planning both for Expo 2020 itself and the social, economic, physical and reputational legacy that will follow.



Sheikh Mohammed added that he was pleased to see the progress made by RTA in the construction of the metro link (Route 2020) to a new station on the Expo site, which will be one stop from the Al Maktoum International Airport, which is predicted to become the biggest and busiest in the world following completion of expansion in 2025.



He concluded by emphasising the role of thousands of volunteers who will be recruited to ensure that the culture and values of the UAE will be reflected throughout Expo, which is expected to be visited by 25 million including an unprecedented 70 percent from overseas.



Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum commented: "His Highness was a driving force behind our successful campaign to win the right to stage the next edition of the World Expo in 2020. He has continued to be extremely supportive of our mission on our journey since then towards October 2020 and is always interested in our progress.



"We have had private and public commitments for participation from more than 120 countries and have recently announced our seventh commercial Premier Partner.



"His Highnesss visit and continuing guidance is a source of great encouragement and inspiration as we work towards a World Expo that will have a long and meaningful impact on both the UAE and wider region."



Expo 2020 Dubai, through its theme Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, will provide a platform to encourage creativity, innovation and collaboration. This is underpinned by Expos three pillars: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability.



The Expo opens on October 20, 2020, and closes six months later, on April 10, 2021. More than 200 participants, including nations, multilateral organisations, corporations and educational institutions, are expected to take part.



It will be the first world Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region and the Arab World.
ABC/Randy HolmesLast year, Metallica released deluxe reissues of their first two albums: 1983's Kill 'Em All and 1984's Ride the Lightning. The next LP in the band's discography is, of course, 1986's Master of Puppets, and drummer Lars Ulrich says it will receive the same treatment.

Speaking with French-Canadian website Voir, Ulrich says Metallica hopes to release the Master of Puppets reissue by the end of 2017. He adds that the band has been very focused on their new album Hardwired...to Self-Destruct, but the Master of Puppets reissue will be their "next" project.

The Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning reissues featured multiple CDs, LPs and DVDs featuring demos, rough mixes, live tracks and band interviews, plus memorabilia like hard cover books and posters.

Metallica's Hardwired...to Self-Destruct tour continues tonight in Seattle.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
More than 50 speakers comprising ministers and senior executives of top global firms will speak at the fourth Dubai International Project Management Forum (DIPMF).

The project management (PM) event will take place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and chairman of the Executive Council, from November 18 to 21.

The event comprises 30 sessions, five keynote speeches and five specialist courses.

About 1,500 delegates are expected to attend the forum themed Making A Difference, which is organised by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in collaboration with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), Emaar Properties, DP World and the Project Management Institute (PMI).

An elite bunch of project management experts have been invited to enrich the fourth DIPMF 2017 and share their expertise, vision and practices, and further enhance the contents of this edition of the forum, said Laila Faridoon, executive director of the Office of RTA director-general and chairman of the board and chairperson of the organising committee of the DIPMF.

The line-up of experts includes Sultan Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, who will speak in a discussion panel about making a difference in the UAE business sector. Reem Al Hashimi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and director general of Expo 2020 Office, will speak about Expo 2020 projects and spotlight their management concepts.

The forum will also discuss work papers, practices and experiences of PM. Among the speakers will be Mattar Al Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors of the RTA; Mohammed Al Abbar, chairman of Emaar Properties; Khalaf Al Habtoor, chairman of Al Habtoor Group, Saeed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dewa; Sultan bin Sulayem, chairman and CEO of DP World; Mohammed Al Hammadi, CEO of Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation; Frode Mauring, UNDP resident coordinator; Mark Langley, president and CEO of PMI; Dr Harold Kerzner, senior executive director for project management, International Institute for Learning (IIL); Dr Sebastian Wernicke, chief data scientist, One Logic; Magnus Lindkvist, renowned trendspotter, futurologist and author; and several other inspired PM intellectuals, explained Faridoon.

A key aspect of the event will be focused on PM for Youth as it proved a hit and attracted the attention of youth in the previous rounds of the forum. The youth session will be coordinated with the Emirates Youth Council. It will feature the participation of Her Excellency Shamma Al Mazroui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, who will spotlight the development projects and the role of youth in managing them, said Faridoon.

Registration for the forum is open through its website (www.dipmf.ae).  TradeArabia News Service
Western Furniture, a premier retailer of upscale home furniture in the UAE, has entered into a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority for the Jebel Hafeet Project, a housing development for Emirati families living in Al Ain.



Western Furniture will provide products from American brand Magnussen Home, a leading full-line furniture supplier worldwide, to furnish the villas with the finest solid wood sofas, dining tables, and beds, complemented by the stylish home accents including curtains, pillows, and centre pieces. Each villas interiors exude warm hues and along with its contemporary architectural design reflect a modern lifestyle.



Established for more than eight decades, Magnussen Home creates compelling, state-of-the-art products and continues to produce innovative furnishings that meet residential and business needs, said a statement.



Mikdad Bhabhrawala, CEO of Western Furniture, said: For 25 years, Western Furniture has been committed to provide the finest and first-class furniture and home furnishings in the UAE through having retail partners who are leaders in innovation and industrial know-how. It is a great privilege to partner with the Jabel Hafeet Project under the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority. - TradeArabia News Service


Oman-based National Business Centre (NBC), which is part of the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE), recently signed incubation agreements with Rove Adventures and Swift Beam, said a report.



NBC aims to be the premier platform to supporting and developing Omani entrepreneurs.



The two companies will benefit from the services and incentives offered by NBC with the aim to develop and flourish their businesses, added the Muscat Daily report.



Rove is an adventure tourism company aiming to provide unique, authentic and entertaining experience to the residents and visitors to Oman.



The activities of Swift Beam involve telecommunication and IT consultancy, fibre optic network design, FTTX network design, FTTX network rollout, supply of test equipment, supply of fibre optic monitoring system, supply of fibre optic cables and accessories, supply of harsh environment connectors and cables, and provision of customised telecom solutions.
Huawei has announced the launch of its Middle East ICT Skill Competition 2017 aiming to unearth and nurture the regions finest ICT talent for driving the digital transformation.



Ten countries in the region are expected to participate, with registration open till October 10.



Close to 80 of the regions best universities have registered for the competition. The top 13 most skilled teams will be selected to travel to Huaweis home in Shenzhen, China, where the final stage of the competition will take place between December 11 and 15.



This will be the last step in an arduous journeycompetitors registered at the event starting from June, and those who make it to the final stage will already have passed through two rounds of highly selective examinations at the local and national level. In the past, the competition has attracted top talent globally, with competitors hailing from countries ranging from the Netherlands to Malaysia to Pakistan.



Not only will the winners of the competition receive certificates, trophies, and prizes, they will also have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to China and gain insider access to a top global ICT company. Huawei will grant the winners an exclusive fully paid trip to the companys international headquarters in Shenzhen and the chance to meet with the brands leadership. They will gain unrivalled exposure to Huaweis expertise in telecommunications, enterprise, and consumer business, not to mention a priceless cultural experience and knowledge exchange.



Participants will work in a real laboratory, and tackle some of the industrys most complex challenges. The competition material is based on advanced IP and IT material, and tests competitors on their knowledge of cloud computing, switching, routing, and network security. It is a unique opportunity for students to test their abilities in ICTs most cutting edge fields.



The ICT Skill Competition works in partnership with local government authorities to ensure Huawei is doing all it can, together with leading universities, to nurture local ICT talent, in order to support and grow the future leaders of the industry. As one of the worlds leading innovators, the promotion of innovation and creativity among ICT students is essential to Huawei.



Knowledge transfer and nurturing future ICT talent has always been a core pillar of the Huawei way, and we are thrilled to be able to launch the ICT Skill Competition for that exact reason. The future of ICT progress lays in the hands of our students, and by developing platforms and programs that allow them to grow and mature into experts, we can better equip the next generation of technology leaders, said Charles Yang, Huawei ME president.



We are committed to supporting governments in the region as they work towards achieving their national targets. We do this by fostering lasting relationships with all levels of society, from business leaders to students. The ICT Skill Competition allows us to work closely with the future champions of industry, using the Huawei way to grow a generation that will drive the digital transformation forward, Charles added.



In addition to awarding the top $30,000 cash prize to the most outstanding team, the next two teams will claim second place and three teams will be awarded third place. The next seven teams will receive Excellence Prizes, while 6 tutors and 5 academies will also be recognized with the Excellent Tutor and Best Academy Prizes.  TradeArabia News Service



Huawei, ICT skills competition




Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du), today announced the launch of its youth council in the UAE as part of the International Youth Day Celebration across the country.



The announcement event was attended by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development; Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs; and Osman Sultan, chief executive officer, du.



The council is specifically created to empower the UAE youth and enhance their contribution towards the nations development through ICT and the enormous potential this sector holds, and is a platform that will enable them to unlock their career potential. It is aligned with the vision of the UAEs wise leadership to empower and enhance the role of young Emiratis in the overall development process that is taking place across all sectors in the country.



dus Youth Council will provide an environment that listens to ideas and ensures that these ideas are brought to the organisation, reinforce the role of the youth, and support their engagement within the company. The council will be a pacemaker for change and a unified and sustainable platform to engage decision makers in youth-led organisations and initiatives. Utilising their capabilities, it will inspire youth-centric dialogue across a variety of areas for a sustainable future with young Emiratis. In addition to this, the council creates practical solutions and innovative ideas to challenges that the UAE faces in ICT, said a statement.



Al Mazrui said: The UAE and its leaders strongly support this investment in the people they consider the cornerstone of development and progress. The du Youth Council will undoubtedly empower and support the youth by utilising ICT as a platform; it will also allow us as a nation to enable them to voice their aspirations and creative ideas before the leadership, allowing us to develop them.



Sultan said: The UAE leadership has always looked to galvanise Emirati youth through initiatives aimed at developing the next generation of UAE leaders by encouraging their personal and professional development. At du, we continue to focus on unlocking the potential of our future leaders of tomorrow, and we are looking at new ways to innovate and add value for the next generation of Emirati ICT trailblazers."



dus Youth Council will provide an environment that listens to ideas and ensured that these ideas are brought to the organisation, to reinforce the role of the youth and support their engagement within the company. - TradeArabia News Service


Randa Bessiso, founding director of the University of Manchester Middle East Centre in Dubai, UAE has been named amongst the Forbes Middle East 100 Most Powerful Arab Businesswomen for 2017.



Bessiso was previously recognised by Forbes in the 2014-15-16 lists.



Originally established in 2006 to support Alliance Manchester Business School, the Middle East Centre has now grown to represent the entire University and its academic programmes and activities in the region. It is now the largest and fastest growing of the Universitys international Centres.



The inclusion in the Forbes Middle East 2017list is in recognition of Bessisos contribution to business education and higher education in the region; she is also chair of the UAE-UK Business Councils Higher Education Group.



Professor Fiona Devine, dean of Alliance Manchester Business School said: Congratulations to Randa; we are delighted that Forbes continues to recognise her outstanding commitment to corporate education in the region. This is testament to her insight and understanding of a fast-growing and complex market. We look forward to continuing to innovate and develop our portfolio in region, as the Centre grows from strength-to-strength as part of The University of Manchester.



Over the last 10 years, the Middle East Centre in Dubai has supported more than 2,200part-time Global MBA students across the Middle East and a regional alumni community of over 2,500 graduates.



More than 1,000 MBA students from the region have graduated since 2006, many of them at the Middle East MBA Graduation Ceremony hosted in Dubai - the only graduation ceremony held by the University outside the UK.



Randa Bessiso, a Lebanese national of Palestinian origin, has overseen the development of the Middle East Centre and new products, services and initiatives including the Manchester Innovation Award for Emiratis.



Most recently, Alliance Manchester Business School launched an original research programme into Creativity and Innovation in the GCC, a series of new industry-led specialist Masters degrees, and a range of shorter executive education programmes.



My congratulations to Forbes Middle East for the excellent work in highlighting the achievements of talented and successful Arab businesswomen, and in helping to create inspirational role models for all Arab women, said Bessiso.



The expansion of The University of Manchesters presence and commitment to the region is a result of the success of the Middle East Centre in Dubai. We enjoy the support of many people and organisations, from students and alumni to corporate partners in a range of amazing collaborations, the British community and of course our hosts in Dubai. Our expansion will help us create even more higher education opportunities across the region, which is an exciting prospect just 10 years after launching the centre.  TradeArabia News Service
Iran and Ghana have signed a number of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) including those on dam constructing dams and setting up pharmaceutical factories, a report said.



The MoUs were signed by Iran's Minister of Labour Ali Rabiei and Ghanaian Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia in Tehran, Iran Daily reported, citing Fars News Agency.



Iran can exchange technical knowledge in different fields with Ghana, including housing, cement production, processing cocoa, oil, gas, and medicine production, Bawumia was quoted as saying in the report.



Irans exports to Ghana include tires, cement, ceramics and tiles, polymer products, medicine, agricultural produce and machinery like tractors, steel products, piles, motorcycles and spare parts, butane liquefied gas and plastic products, said Mojtaba Khosrotaj, head of Iran's Trade Promotion Organization (TPO).
Kanoo Oil & Gas, a division of YBA Kanoo Group, has signed an assembler agreement with BRDR Christensen of Denmark for the local assembly of lubricated plug valves in Saudi Arabia.



The agreement was signed during a recent visit by a high-level management delegation from BRDR Christensen, which included Kurt Erling Bang Christensen- chairman; Thomas V Christensen - chief executive officer; and Dennis W Larsen - chief commercial officer.



Group CEO of YBA Kanoo, Dr Patrick Chenel said: This assembly facility for plug valves is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia and an important milestone for Kanoo Oil & Gas as it enhances our capabilities and helps us to be a more effective contributor to the In-Kingdom Total Value Add (IKTVA) program of Saudi Arabia.



BRDR Christensen is a privately-owned company located in Denmark founded in 1942 and has been setting manufacturing standards for plug valves for more than 50 years and has obtained a unique "first choice" status amongst the leading companies in the oil and gas industry across the globe, said a statement.



During this visit, BRDR servicing team also conducted the plug valve repair and assembly hands-on training for Kanoo Oil & Gas technical staff, as a part of the authorised service agreement and assembler agreement. BRDR Christensen imparted the training at the Kanoo Oil & Gas Dammam workshop facility.



Kanoo Oil & Gas executive general manager Manoj Tripathy said: Kanoo Oil & Gas provides exceptional solutions to the oil, gas and petrochemical industries offering unique value-added solutions through a well-developed network of international companies and associates. We provide engineered solutions to refineries, petrochemical and gas plants through ultimate adherence to local legislation as well as compliance with global standards and practices. Having local assembly lines adds to our capabilities in serving our client base in the region.  TradeArabia News Service


Welcome to Transfigurations! This blog is intended to serve the orthodox Anglican community and the wider Christian community. We pray that all that is posted here will be faithful to the Scriptures as the inspired word of God, speak the truth in love, edify, bless and transform this local body of Christ, and be an impetus for revival, repentance, prayer and intercession!
Meet award-winning artisans and buy their products at Kerala Arts and Crafts Village
The Trump administration rolled back another Obama-era rule Monday that would have increased the amount of money coal companies pay to state and federal governments.

Wyomings coal industry is the largest in the country. Though recovering from the severe downturn in 2015 and 2016, it still contributes about $1 billion to the states economy annually.

Those who supported the now-defunct rule say coal companies may have been using loopholes to underpay on taxes. The rule corrected that, they say.

However, firms maintain they pay their fair share in taxes to state, local and federal governments. The repeal, from their point of view, rights a politically motivated wrong against the coal industry. Meanwhile, state officials may be considering the same issue soon.

The Office of Natural Resources Revenue rule was finalized last year but in effect for only about a month, from January to February. The administration put it on hold before disbanding the rule Monday. Most of the rules in the federal coal program were written in the 1980s, and changes have been a matter of significant contention in Wyoming, where just two mines provide nearly one-fourth of the nations coal.

Coal companies are taxed on the fair market value of their coal  the amount it sells for on the open market. Some argue that firms sell the coal to subsidiaries at a lower price in order to pay a cheaper tax. Without the ONRR rule, thats what they will do again, said Connie Wilbert, director of the Sierra Clubs Wyoming chapter. Wilbert supported the updated rules.

After that first sale to a subsidiary, companies sell the coal to another buyer for a much higher price and pocket the difference in unpaid taxes, she said.

I would argue that its unfair, its dishonest in a way  that is what they will be allowed to do again now that the rule has been rescinded, Wilbert said. The losers here are the American taxpayers who own the resources. The losers are the state of Wyoming thats missing out on tens of millions of dollars every year in this lost tax money that goes to our local communities.

No loopholes

Companies like Cloud Peak Energy, a Powder River Basin coal firm based in Gillette, say the loophole argument is simply false.

The Office of Natural Resource Revenue (ONRR) of the Department of Interior receives detailed information on every single ton of coal sold from a federal lease-hold: how much was sold, to whom, on what date, and how much it was sold for, said Richard Reavey, spokesman for the company. They have the power to investigate any sale, to any entity, and to determine the sale was made under market value or below the value of comparable sales to third parties, and to fine and penalize any such sales. There are no loopholes.

Reavey also pointed out that about 40 percent of the selling price for its coal goes to the government.

Last year, Cloud Peak Energy lost money but paid $231 million in taxes, fees, and royalties to federal, state and local governments, he said.

These rules were not established to provide a solution for a common problem but to create a value-added tax on coal for political reasons, Reavey said. Value-added taxes levy fees at each step in production, from raw material to finished product.

The proposed rule would have, for example, attempted to impose a royalty on coal used to generate electricity at a mine-mouth power plant based on the selling price of the electricity it generated, he said.

In its public comments to the department during the development of the rule, Cloud Peak argued that the rule also allowed oil and gas companies flexibility in regard to establishing the fair market value while denying that flexibility to the coal industry.

Opponents dont buy these arguments.

To be perfectly honest, I have read the response from the coal corporations and their claim that this was inhibiting their ability to mine coal and be profitable, said Wilbert, of the Sierra Club. I dont believe the facts back that up. Its about money and profit.

A state debate

Disagreement on how much coal companies should pay in taxes is not purely a federal one. Wyoming has also come into conflict with coal companies who may have sold their coal to a subsidiary or sister company and attempted to pay taxes based on that price tag. The potential loophole is something the states Department of Revenue is uncomfortable with as well.

Obviously, were wanting to get the true fair market value and thats an arms length price, said Craig Grenvik, administrator for the Mineral Tax Division of the Wyoming Department of Revenue.

The division is currently performing a number of audits on coal companies that run up against this problem, he said. When those audits are completed, companies will have an opportunity to protest the departments conclusion that royalty rates should apply to a firms first coal sale to a non-affiliated company. The matter would then go before a panel that hears contested tax cases.

It will be debated [based on] existing statutes, Grenvik said. If we win, we collect, and if we lose, then it becomes a decision of Do we go to the Legislature to get the statutes changed to be more specific? Well have to see how it plays out.

Sen. Mike Enzi agrees with the coal companies that the federal rule had a political agenda and punished coal producers.

The Obama-era valuation rule was burdensome and confusing, but its intent was clear, to limit energy development on federal and tribal land. Rescinding the rule was the right way to go, Enzi said in a statement Monday.

He also said he was appreciative of the Trump administrations support for the coal industry.

Our energy sectors should be encouraged to invest in the future for our communities and our country, he said. Not discouraged and punished for their efforts to create affordable energy.
Wednesday support meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous: 6:30 a.m., 917 N. Beech; 8:30 a.m., 500 S. Wolcott; 10 a.m., 328 E. A; noon, 500 S. Wolcott; 2 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 5:30 p.m., 1124 Elma, Imitate the Image Church; 5:30 p.m., 328 E. A; 7 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, closed; 7 p.m., 520 CY; 8 p.m., 328-1/2 E. A; 8 p.m., 328 E. A; 8 p.m., 917 N. Beech. Douglas: 7:30 p.m., 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back). Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: (307) 351-1688.

Narcotics Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 7 p.m., 15th and Melrose, at the church. Web site: http://www.urmrna.org.

Grief camp for kids

Central Wyoming Hospice and Transitions will hold a Kids Grief Day Camp from Wednesday through Friday at Reach 4A Star Riding Academy. The camp is for kids ages 6-16 who have experienced the death of someone they love. Please call 577-4832 for more information and registration.

Back to school vision screening

Jensen Eye Care is offering free vision screenings for school-age children (ages 5-18) Wednesday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. The screenings will be held at Jensen Eye Care, 3101 SW Wyoming Blvd., across from Sutherlands.

As school approaches, it is important to make sure your childs vision does not negatively affect their ability to learn. Let our eye care professionals test their vision. If you would like to schedule your child, call 265-7008 to reserve a time.

Lego contest at Toy Town

Toy Town is holding its 30th annual Lego contest through Friday, with judging on Saturday.

Contestants need to construct a model from Legos (only) at home and bring it to Toy Towns location, 130 S. Wolcott St., downtown Casper. Models will be taken during regular business hours, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Models should not exceed 3- by 3-feet at the base.

The age groups are 6 and under, 7-9, 10-12, and 13- and older. First, second and third prizes will be given out for each age group. An overall Best of Show will be given out.

There are certificates and goodies for each entrant.

Entries are judged on creativity, stability, color, unique use of bricks and more.

For more information, contact Toy Town, 235-0550.

Quilts of Valor every Wednesday

The Central Wyoming Chapter of Quilts of Valor meets from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays to sew at the Central Wyoming Senior Services Center, 1831 E. Fourth St. Quilts of Valor are made by volunteers. Donated fabrics, supplies or monetary donations are appreciated. The chapter awards quilts to veterans who reside in the Central Wyoming region. Dues are $5 per year, and new members are always welcome. If you have any questions, please contact Yung Hui Torske at 258-5578, Sandy Elliott at 307-554-0331 or any chapter member.

Twenty-one days of prayer

Each night through Aug. 26, gather at First Baptist Church, 514 S. Beech, for 21 Days of Prayer. We will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. on Saturdays. There will also be special prayer activities for the children each evening. Questions? Call the church office at 234-6946.

Bosom Buddies meet Wednesday

Bosom Buddies of Wyoming will meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Dancing Sheep Yarn, 120 E. Second St. Planning will take place for participation in the Wyoming Breast Cancer Initiative event on Saturday at the Tate Pumphouse. Knitted bosoms were recently supplied to the American Cancer Society in Casper.

Hot roast beef at Elks

Wednesday Night Special at the Casper Elks Lodge is hot roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetable and roll. Add dessert for $1. All you can eat for $7, children 5 to 12 are $3. Serving from 6 to 7 p.m. or until gone. Members, significant other and guest accompanied by a member. For more information, call 234-4839. The menu is subject to change. All proceeds will go to any of the Elks Charities.

Flycasters meet

The monthly meeting of the members of Wyoming Flycasters is held the second Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Izaak Walton League Lodge, 4205 Fort Caspar Road. Wednesdays meeting will include a presentation by Tom Rhodes titled Carp on the Fly. Interested people are encouraged to come and consider joining. Annual membership fee is $30. Wyoming Flycasters is dedicated to educating and assisting new or old fly fisher men and women in Wyoming and conserving waters and habitat for Wyomings wildlife and fisheries.

Auto club meets

The regular monthly meeting of the Oil Capitol Auto Club will be held at 7 p.m. at Zs Classics on E. Yellowstone. All members are urged to attend. There are numerous events coming up, including the club picnic as well as shows and cruises. The veterans scholarships will also be discussed in detail. New members are encouraged to bring a guest. For more information, contact Jerry at 577-7119.
The University of Wyomings new $68 million High Bay Research Facility will be officially unveiled next week.

The 90,000-square-foot center will have space for a number of research areas, including geomechanics, structural engineering and improved oil recovery, according to a UW press release. The facility has been under construction since March 2015, and university officials will cut the ribbon on Aug. 17.

The building itself was completed in January, said university spokesman Chad Baldwin. The equipment has been installed over the past seven months.

This is really kind of like the best in the world for this particular purpose, Baldwin said of the facility and its equipment.

The Legislature provided more than $25 million for the project. An additional $13 million in abandoned mine land money was also set aside, with the rest of the money coming from private donations. Donors included Hess Corp., Halliburton, ExxonMobil, Shell Oil Co. and Saudi Aramco, the kingdom-owned oil behemoth.

The facility will be shared by the School of Energy Resources and the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

The High Bay Research Facility contains approximately 90,000 square feet of traditional high-bay research laboratories, office and meeting areas, the release says.

In 2014, the university announced the center would span 60,000 square feet, cost $30 million and be open by summer 2016. Baldwin said additions have raised the price and increased the square footage.

Gov. Matt Mead, Senate President Eli Bebout, UW President Laurie Nichols and Hess Corp. President and executive Greg Hill will attend the ribbon-cutting on Aug. 17. The university will host a welcome barbecue on Aug. 16 at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center, according to the release. The ribbon-cutting is open to the public.
GILLETTE  A Wyoming bus driver's DUI charge has been dismissed because prosecutors could not locate a key witness.

Barbara J. Sleeth of Gillette was arrested on May 1 after someone reported a bus driving recklessly through a residential area, running stop signs, speeding and leaving the road.

Court records say Sleeth failed a field sobriety test and acknowledged taking several over-the-counter and prescribed medications the previous night. The 58-year-old also was charged with five counts of reckless endangering. There were five students on the bus.

The charges were dismissed on Friday.

Maureen Costello, a spokeswoman with the Campbell County Attorney's Office, said that the charges likely would be refiled if the witness is located.
A longtime advocate for a more powerful American presence overseas, Wyomings U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney successfully advocated for taking a tough line with both Russia and North Korea, along with investing in the United States nuclear weapons program, in a major military spending bill.

The Republican sponsored three successful amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House of Representatives last month and is expected to be debated soon by the Senate.

The amendments focused on ensuring the military maintains a minimum number of intercontinental ballistic missiles, forcing President Donald Trumps administration to penalize Russia if it violates an arms treaty and developing a plan to extend military deterrence in the Asia-Pacific region as a hedge against North Korean aggression.

Tom Donnelly, a security policy analyst with the American Enterprise Institute, said Cheneys amendments presented a cohesive view of a more powerful U.S. military and one that retains strong nuclear capability. He acknowledged that much of the language in the amendments would not require major action to be taken but noted that her advocacy for the issues is meaningful in itself.

Shes raising attention to ideas whose time has come, Donnelly said. Her voice is a new one on these things and potentially a powerful voice, so thats not nothing.

Donnelly said that Cheneys belief in a stronger and more active military might put her at odds with Trump, who has oscillated between calling for restraint and a focus on domestic issues and promising to crush Americas perceived enemies.

While Cheney has disagreed with Trumps stance on Russia in the past, she said in an interview that she supported much of what shes seen from Trump  specifically referencing the decision to bomb a Syrian government airfield following the suspected use of chemical weapons in April.

The message of those strikes is heard not just in the Middle East or in Syria, Cheney said. Its something adversaries around the world watch.

Maintaining missiles

One of Cheneys amendments would require the United States to maintain a minimum of 400 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, capable of firing nuclear warheads at targets thousands of miles away.

Cheney said a meaningful ICBM force is part of maintaining the nuclear triad, which refers to the United States ability to deploy nuclear weapons from land-based missiles, aircraft and nuclear submarines.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has said he is open to reevaluating the need for the triad, possibly moving to a two-legged nuclear force and eliminating the use of ICBMs.

Having language in the bill that ensures theres a floor below which we wont cut our ICBM forces is very important, Cheney said.

Maintaining a strong ICBM force has local significance in Wyoming because F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne is one of just three ICBM launch sites in the country and is a major employer in the area.

Michael OHanlon, an expert on American defense strategy at the Brookings Institution, said in an email that Cheneys support for the ICBM program smacks partly of parochial politics but was also consistent with her overall foreign policy.

In fairness to Cheney, she is a consistent and committed conservative/hawk so Im sure the sentiment is founded in her analysis of military requirements as well as local political and economic considerations, OHanlon wrote.

Addressing North Korea

In contrast to the requirement to maintain a minimum number of ballistic missiles, Cheneys other two amendments are more symbolic in nature and would require the Trump administration to consult and develop plans, rather than take specific action.

The first is focused on shoring up American military deterrence in the Pacific by requiring the Secretary of Defense to consult with military commanders in the area and comprehensively evaluate existing forces in east Asia as well as ongoing military exercises and arms sales to Asian allies.

Cheney said that the amendments breadth and flexibility was an asset. She said it was essential that the United States develop a clear plan to manage the threat posed by nuclear-armed North Korea and that commanders in the region are best positioned to do so.

The deterrent strategy and approach that weve had in place  that worked during the Cold War, for example  I think its pretty clear that same type of deterrence doesnt work with North Korea, Cheney said. We need to be in a position where were looking at a whole range of options.

OHanlon said that compelling the Pentagon to consult with regional commanders and develop a strategy was an especially good idea because the Trump administration has been slow to assemble a team at the Defense Department, potentially delaying regular policy reviews.

As such, calling attention to a crucial region and asking how deterrence can be enhanced is smart and timely, he wrote.

Though Cheney did not outline her preference for how to address the threat from North Korea during the interview, conducted in late July, she said that if the country used nuclear weapons, our response would be swift and devastating.

Those comments mirror ones made by Trump on Tuesday. While Cheney was describing how the United States would respond to an attack by North Korea, the president told reporters that if North Korea continued to threaten the U.S., they will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

Message to Moscow

The final Cheney amendment addressed the New START arms reductions treaty negotiated with Russia during the Obama administration. It would require the Defense Department to develop a plan for how to respond if Russia fails to comply with the treaty requirements by the mutually agreed-upon deadline of February 2018.

Cheney has long opposed the treaty itself. In her 2015 book Exceptional, co-authored with her father and former vice president Dick Cheney, the pair wrote that the treaty should be allowed to expire in 2021: The treaty restricts our missile defense capabilities and limits our deployed launchers ... below the number that the Department of Defense and Department of Energy determined was necessary for purposes of deterrence.

She said the amendment was important to help the Pentagon prepare a response in advance because, while its clear that Russia is not reducing its arms as required by the treaty, it is not technically in violation until February.

We dont have time on our side, Cheney said. I thought it was important not to wait until we get to next February.

Though he expressed concern over Congress interfering with executive branch policy decisions, OHanlon said that the benefit of putting Russia on notice that the United States will respond to violations of the New START treaty outweighed the drawbacks.

It sends Moscow a message that Moscow needs to hear, he said.

Wider latitude

Cheney also hinted at exploring a withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces, or INF, treaty between the United States and Russia. Signed under President Ronald Reagan, the agreement bars missiles with a range of around 300 to 3,000 miles. Cheney said that the Russians are not abiding by the treaty and that mid-range missiles might aid deterrence in Asia.

Donnelly said advocating a withdrawal from a decades-old treaty might be a risky political move for a junior politician like Cheney, who took office in January, if not for her pedigree.

If youre a Cheney, youre known to be a skeptic of treaties, he said. You have a little wider latitude than others may.

Donnelly said the Cheney amendments represented an auspicious start for the representative and will help raise the profile of her foreign policy outlook.

Shes talking about a serious issues in a serious way and elevating it, to some degree, in the public conversation, he said.
An Idaho man faces criminal charges after leading Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers on a 91-mile chase on Interstate 80.

A trooper saw a 2017 Ford Explorer traveling 91 mph in a 75 mph speed zone around 9 a.m. Tuesday and stopped it for speeding at milepost 224, the highway patrol said in a news release.

During the stop, the trooper decided there was reason to request a K-9 team with the Carbon County Sheriffs Office. The officers K-9 indicated that narcotics were present in the vehicle. When troopers tried to get the occupants to exit the Explorer so they could search the vehicle, the driver, later identified as Idaho resident Jason Carr, sped off with his girlfriend and her children, ages 7 and 2, still inside the vehicle, the release said.

Troopers followed, pursuing the Explorer for 91 miles. Several times during the chase, speeds exceeded 110 mph, according to the release. It ended when the Explorer ran out of gas around milepost 133, where Carr left the vehicle and troopers chased him on foot, then caught him. He was taken into custody.

Suspected methamphetamine and other drug contraband were found in the vehicle.

Carr is facing several criminal charges and was booked into the Carbon County Jail. The children were taken into protective custody by the Department of Family Services in Sweetwater County.
The upcoming solar eclipse is expected to draw heavier-than-usual traffic to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks.

Park officials are warning that roads and facilities may not be able to handle the number of visitors planning to be in the area to witness the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21.

They also recommend that travelers do not attempt to use Yellowstones South Entrance that day because it borders Grand Teton, which is in the path of totality.

That means viewers there will see the moon fully block the sun. It will happen around 11:35 a.m. for about two minutes, depending on the location within the park.

Because of that, Grand Teton is bracing for its busiest day ever. The park will adjust its traffic flow and parking to accommodate the influx of viewers. The Gros Ventre Road will be one-way traffic eastbound from the junction with US Highway 26/89/191 to Kelly, and parking will be allowed in the westbound lane. Totality there will last for 2 minutes, 19 seconds.

The park has also chosen four other designated eclipse viewing areas: Gros Ventre Campground Amphitheater, Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, Jackson Lake Lodge and Colter Bay. Park rangers will be offering interpretive programs that day at those sites.

Yellowstone is near the path but just north of it, so people who see the eclipse from the first national park will witness a partial eclipse, in which only a portion of the sun is blocked. The partial eclipse will take place between about 10:15 a.m. and 1 p.m. and should be most dramatic around 11:36 a.m. for about two minutes.

If youre planning to be in the area that day, park officials recommend:

Being patient.

Expecting heavy traffic on park roads.

Allowing more travel time than you think youll need.

Not expecting to have cellphone service, even in areas where thats typically not a problem.

Bringing enough fuel, food and water in your vehicle for the entire day.

Bringing proper viewing glasses and solar filters for cameras or special viewing equipment, such as telescopes.

The path of totality spans a 70-mile swath that stretches from Oregon to South Carolina. Many Wyoming towns are in that path, including Casper, which is expecting up to 35,000 visitors.
Who would have thought that pizza and barbecue under one roof was a good idea?

Jay Healy, owner of the east side cowboy bar Cow Pony, thats who.

Healy last week opened Fire N Smoke in a 2,300-square-foot space at 6502 E. Tanque Verde Road next to the bar. Theres an imported wood-burning brick pizza oven in the front of the restaurant, a giant smoker in the back.

It makes sense if you look at the Tucson restaurant market. So far this year, weve welcomed several pizzerias, including Barros Pizza in Marana that is set to open in mid-August; and weve embraced a couple of barbecue-centered food trucks and restaurants, including two with Ken in the name  Kens BBQ, 1830 S. Park Ave.; and Kens Hardwood Barbecue at 5250 E. 22nd St.  that opened within weeks of each other in the spring.

Healy went to New York City and learned how to make New York-style pizza fast-baked in a flaming wood-fired oven. And he spent time in Kansas City and Texas, learning the tasty nuances of smoking ribs, chicken and pork until the sweet aroma perfumes the neighborhood. Then he put them on one menu, with some salads, pastas and sandwiches, and has sat back for the past week watching diners scratch their heads in happy amusement.

In the first four days after opening late last week, Healy said business has been pretty equally split between the pizza and barbecue.

Its kind of crazy. Even at the same table were seeing 50-50, he said.

Pizzas run about $16 for a large build-your-own; specialty pies can run as high as $23.49 Barbecue plates (chicken, pork and tri-tip) run $11.99 to $13.99, ribs are $14.99 a half slab, $23.99 for a full slab.
Commerce Bank of Arizona says that state and federal regulators have lifted a consent order the bank has been operating under since 2013.

Commerce, Tucsons only locally owned and managed bank, has raised millions of dollars in new capital to meet reserve requirements set forth in the consent agreement with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions.

Commerce Bank President and CEO John P. Lewis said the ending of the consent order represents the culmination of over three years of hard work for our team.
Dan The Deacon Bunnell believes in magic.

And the magic is the music.

Bunnell, long a professional drummer, is immersed in the magic when he leads music jams. He does that twice a week: Sundays at Rockabilly Grill and Tuesdays at Chicago Bar. Though the bars have changed over the years, he has led jams in Tucson since shortly after he moved here from Los Angeles in the early 1980s.

I love watching him, says musician Amber Gaia, who has been joining the jams for about two years. She talked as she was at the Chicago Bar, in the middle of the dance floor and moving to the music.

I go to the jams a lot and dont even bring my guitar because I love what he creates.

Actually, Bunnell, 70, doesnt know exactly what he will create each night. Musicians from around the city come in and sign up with the hopes of playing. Some he knows, others are new. He matches the musicians with each other and the music. Those who have come to jam play three songs; if the sign-up list is short and the musician good, theres a chance of more time on stage.

Each jam has a core band  it changes according to availability. Those professional musicians, including Bunnell, step in to play when it is needed, backing up players with less experience but as much passion.

I love how Deacon puts people together to play and have fun, says Gaia, who did a few solo songs at a recent Tuesday night jam.

Hes a master bandleader. I love to sit back and watch what he does and how he puts people together.  He creates a wonderful time for everyone.

For Bunnell, a member of Arizona Blues Hall of Fame, its all about keeping the magic alive.

In the beginning

Bunnells first decade was spent in rural Kentucky. We were dirt farmers, he says. It was there he discovered a knack for banging on drums. I was good at it, he says. I just had a natural talent for it. I would beat up my mothers furniture with knives and forks. He was so good, in fact, a cousin signed him on to play drums in a bluegrass band.

When he was 10, the family moved to Louisville. He dove more deeply into music.

I learned how to read and write music and play classical, he recalls. I played in the marching band in high school  I was the drum leader.

Bunnell had no doubt what his future would hold.

I didnt have any what-am-I-going-to-be crisis, he says. I knew I was going to be a drummer.

He was in love with the music that was created in the late 50s  The Drifters, Bo Diddley, Little Richard. And, especially, James Brown.

I stole hubcaps one time to get James Brown tickets. Thats how foolish I was, says Bunnell, who was about 15 at the time.

James Brown was practically the second coming  his band changed my life. I had always known I would be a musician, but I was lacking inspiration. James had it.

High school ended with a joke he cant remember.

I got into a little row with the English teacher. I made a joke about a dangling participle. It got me kicked out of class and that was the end of my high school career.

He drifted around Kentucky, getting into minor trouble with the police. Then came the time, in about 64, that he found himself in front of a judge who figured the young man needed some direction.

The judge requested that I join the military, says Bunnell.

He enlisted in the Navy and much of the time during his 1964-68 service he was on a ship off the shores of Vietnam.

But he never forgot music.

I played around here and there with different bands, getting my chops together. I knew I wanted to start music when I got out.

The L.A. years

He got off his last Navy ship in Long Beach, California, and immediately started searching for music gigs in the Los Angeles area. Fame was not his goal; playing music was.

I didnt care if I were a star; I kept searching until I found musical work.

He played at hotels, bars and clubs. Often he was called upon to be a backup musician on recordings.

I called myself an unrepentant musical prostitute, he says. Id play polka in a cow pasture if I got paid.

He also started putting together jams in the Los Angeles area.

The idea is the networking, says Bunnell. If you are in touch with a lot of musicians and see whats happening, it can be very beneficial. I knew a jam would do that. I did it for networking and to help fill an off night.

His childhood resolve to make a living as a musician had become a reality.

But Los Angeles was becoming glutted with musicians. It was a too-packed scene that no longer appealed to him. In the early 80s, Bunnell moved to Tucson.

The Tucson jams

Once here, Bunnell continued to play music, joining a variety of local bands.

By 1985, he had started his first jam here. In the 90s, he headed up the jams at the now-closed Berkys, where he packed in musicians and fans for about 15 years.

Its also where his reputation as a master jam host grew.

Amo Chip Dabney used to grab his sax and join those jams. These days, the Grammy-nominated musician is often too busy to jump on stage for the jams, but he makes sure to go to them as frequently as possible.

We go to the jams to see new musicians in town, says Dabney, who recently spent a fair amount of time on the dance floor at a Chicago Bar jam. We have a wealth of talent here in the Old Pueblo.

But he also goes to see Bunnell in action.

Its not as easy as it looks, says Dabney about leading the jams.

Deacon is so good at it. Everyone feels involved and invited and theres a real connectivity there with jammers. Deacon is masterful at coordinating people who have shown up, being aware of instruments they play, and he has a pretty extensive song book they can play. Its his specialty.

At a recent Chicago Bar jam, Bunnell stands on stage with his core band for that night: Koko Matsumoto on bass and her husband Bryan Dean on guitar  they are two-thirds of the popular Bryan Dean Trio.

Bunnell has a train conductors cap on  his trademark at the jams  and a T-shirt with an image of Goofy on it.

He has turned the drums over to another musician, but keeps a cowbell nearby  if he starts beating it, you know someone has lost the beat and he is trying to get the music back on track.

Bob Richards, who has been playing jams hosted by Bunnell for about 10 years, straps his guitar around his neck and the band breaks into Mustang Sally. Bunnells bluesy voice growls while the musicians sound, well, as though theyd been playing together much longer than just this night.

Take it Bob, Bunnell says to Richards, a retired civil engineer with a gift for playing guitar. Bunnell makes sure musicians get their time in the spotlight.

While there are other jams to go to in town, Richards prefers the Bunnell-led ones.

Deacon is always at the jam early, setting up the drum kit and the PA and making sure everything is ready to go, says Richards.

He takes it very seriously. He calls it a pro jam. You do not have to be an expert but you had better be professional in behavior. And he will get in your face if you are not paying attention to the cues. Everyone is welcome, young and old alike. It is all about producing good-sounding music.

Good-sounding music is why Cindy Mullozzi attends the jams as a fan.

I like the variety of musicians, she says. The music is always good  well, almost always good. And its good to dance to. I hope the jams last for a long time, or at least as long as I am able to go.

The following Sunday, Bunnell is on stage at Rockabilly Grill. He has his conductor hat on, and this time a T-shirt that says Thou shalt not snivel. Its the 11th commandment, he explains with a chuckle.

On this Sunday, the core band consists of Kenny Wheels and John June, both professional musicians with extensive experience and striking chops.

Thank you all for believing in live music, Bunnell says as he opens the jam. He plays drums and sings on the first song  Knockin On Heavens Door. He dedicates it to the late musician Eric Garcia, who regularly sat in on the jams.

Soon, Terrence Kelly steps up to play harmonica and wail the blues. The veteran musician knows how to hold a stage and demand attention.

Bunnell, who has turned the sticks over to another drummer, walks around the outskirts of the dance floor, checks the sign-up list, and leans back against a pool table as he listens. This is one set where he does not need his cowbell.

He gives everyone a chance to interact, a chance to connect, says Wheels, who has jammed with Bunnell for about 19 years.

But there are a few rules, he adds.

Make sure your instrument is tuned before you come up, and if you cant sing, dont try.

Bunnell doesnt discriminate; he tries to give all musicians a chance to play.

If youre only a beginner, youll have some trouble, Bunnell says. But I do my best to help beginners out.

And the key to making musicians who have never before played together sound as though they had?

Simple songs, he says.

If you have real good players and you do simple tunes, then its pretty easy to come together. Theres a lot of 12-bar blues tunes  Johnny B. Good is a 12-bar format. Its a certain pattern of chord progression that is standard. You can go to Afghanistan and have that same progression.

Why he does it

For most, theres not a lot of money in making music, or hosting jams.

But money doesnt motivate Bunnell; music does.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Aug. 9 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.
A car thief made the mistake of going to the place where the Fraternal Order of Police was holding its meeting. His description had just been given over the radio.
PHOENIX  State lawmakers have no legal right to make it a crime for medical marijuana users to possess the drug on college campuses, an attorney for a student who was arrested is arguing to the Arizona Supreme Court.

In new legal filings, Thomas Dean is urging the justices to void the conviction of Andre Maestas. He was arrested by Arizona State University campus police in 2014 when they found 0.4 of a gram of the drug in his dorm room.

Dean said the presence of the drug is not in question. In fact, it was Maestas who told the officers about the marijuana.

But the attorney said the 2010 initiative which legalized the possession of marijuana for medical use had only a limited number of places where people could not use the drugs. That includes public schools and prisons.

That law does not, however, include university campuses. Yet lawmakers voted anyway in 2012 to extend the scope of the law.

Dean said whats wrong with that is that the initiative is subject to the constitutional Voter Protection Act. It specifically prohibits lawmakers from repealing or sharply altering anything approved on the ballot.

He acknowledged there is an exception for any change that furthers the purpose of the original law. But Dean said a plain reading of what voters approved shows that what legislators approved in 2012 does not fit within that definition.

The purpose of this act is to protect patients with debilitating medical conditions, as well as their physicians and providers, from arrest and prosecution, criminal and other penalties, Dean quoted from the 2010 law. And he said that expanding the list of places where medical marijuana is not permitted to include college campuses obviously does not further the purpose of what voters approved.

Maestas was arrested on a charge of obstructing traffic after ASU police said they found him sitting in an intersection.

When a search of his wallet turned up a medical marijuana card, Maestas admitted to having the drug in his room. That allowed police to obtain a search warrant, turning up less than 0.02 of an ounce, far below the 2 ounces medical marijuana users can legally possess.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Dean Fink found Maestas guilty of drug possession, fined him $1,000 and placed him on unsupervised probation.
PHOENIX  Saying the case isnt legally ripe, a judge on Tuesday tossed out a challenge to a new statute that imposes additional restrictions on the ability of citizens to propose their own laws.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens acknowledged there is evidence that HB 2244, approved earlier this year by the Republican-controlled Legislature, will create additional burdens for future initiatives.

Thats because it overrules existing requirements that initiative petitions need be only in substantial compliance with election laws. Courts have repeatedly interpreted that to mean that measures can go to voters even if there are inadvertent errors by organizers or circulators, or mistakes that do not affect the ability to determine what is at issue.

Instead, the law that Stephens ruling allowed to take effect Wednesday requires judges to void initiatives not in strict compliance with all election laws. That could mean disqualification of petition drives based on technical errors.

The judge said all that is legally irrelevant, at least for the time being.

She said anyone challenging an Arizona law must demonstrate that he is realistically threatened by a repetition of a constitutional violation. Merely the fact that the law could affect someone who violates it  and can avoid violating it  is insufficient to give Arizona courts the authority to rule.

And Stephens pointed out there is no current initiative drive that has been affected by the new requirement.

Tuesdays ruling does not end the legal fight.

Attorney Roopali Desai, who represents opponents of HB 2244, said she disagrees with Stephens conclusion that the challenge is premature. She contends courts can intercede when there is a threat to someones constitutional rights.

Desai is meeting with her clients  individuals and organizations that are contemplating ballot initiatives  to decide whether to appeal. But even if there is no appeal, that does not automatically mean the statute is legal  or enforceable.

The essence of what Stephens decided is that a ruling on whether the Legislature acted illegally has to wait until a petition drive is actually affected.

That likely would come when petitions for a future initiative are turned in and foes ask a judge to quash the measure. At that point, a judge would have to decide whether the Arizona Constitution allows him or her to review the petitions under the new strict compliance standard.

Separately Tuesday, a referendum drive against HB 2404 also came up short when foes of that law were unable to get sufficient signatures to put the question to voters.

Organizer Mike Shipley said volunteers were able to gather about 23,000 signatures against the measure, which bans paying petition circulators based on the number of signatures they gather. But that is far short of the 75,321 needed to delay enforcement of the law until voters get a chance to ratify or reject the legislation.

At the heart of both issues is the right of voters to create their own laws.

The Arizona Constitution spells out that any group that gets the signatures equal to 10 percent of the people who voted in the last gubernatorial election can put a statutory change on the ballot. This year that figure is 150,642.

Constitutional changes have a 15 percent requirement, or 225,963.

Many lawmakers have complained about the initiative process, saying it has led to special-interest groups proposing measures that affect the state and its budget.

But proponents contend they go directly to voters when legislators wont act. Recent examples include allowing patients to use marijuana for medical reasons and an increase in the states minimum wage.

It was that last measure, approved by voters in November over the objection of the business community, that led some GOP lawmakers to seek curbs.

Lawmakers are powerless to increase the number of signatures required without voter approval. But they can  and did  impose the new requirements.

One is this new strict compliance standard.

Had that standard been in effect in 2012, voters would not have been able to decide whether to make permanent a1 -cent increase in the state sales tax. Thats because there were wording differences between the electronic and printed versions of the initiative filed with the secretary of state.

But the courts said those were not meaningful, allowing a vote. The measure failed anyway.
The U.S. Attorneys Office has taken over the investigation of last springs Sawmill Fire, raising the possibility of some kind of legal action against the Border Patrol agent who told authorities he accidentally started it while off-duty.

But the parent federal agency that employs the agent is standing firm on its refusal to release information about the agent, including his salary, job title and employment status.

The U.S. Forest Service finished its work last week investigating the fire, which burned more than 70 square miles last spring on land owned by three state and federal agencies.

That is our chain of command, to turn the case over to the U.S. Attorneys Office at this point, said Coronado National Forest Supervisor Kerwin Dewberry. All of the information related to the case has been turned over to the U.S. attorney.

Although the fire started on state land north of the Santa Rita Mountains, the feds have been leading the investigation ever since because federal property was damaged in the blaze, Dewberry said.

Dennis Dickey, an off-duty Border Patrol agent, has admitted to investigators that he accidentally triggered the fire through his use of an exploding target containing a compound known as Tannerite. Dewberry and U.S. attorneys spokesman Cosme Lopez would not comment on specifics of the case since the investigation is ongoing.

The fire started on the state-owned Santa Rita Experimental Range thats used to test sustainable grazing methods. It later spread to Forest Service land to the east before reaching the Bureau of Land Management-owned Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. It cost about $7.3 million to contain the fire.

No buildings were burned and no people were injured in the blaze, which began in late April and lasted more than a week. But hundreds of homeowners were warned they may have to evacuate their homes and dozens of homes were evacuated for a time. Parts of Arizona 83, the scenic drive from Interstate 10 to Sonoita, which separates the Santa Ritas from Las Cienegas, were also closed for a time during the fire.

C.J. Karamargin, district director for U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, R-Arizona, said the Forest Service couldnt provide him with a timeline for the investigation when he called last week.

When you have a fire that consumes 47,000 acres and costs more than $7 million to contain, there is obviously going to be a degree of public interest in the investigation, he said. That investigation, however, needs to be as thorough, accurate and detailed as possible.

Attorney Sean Chapman, who represents Dickey, didnt return phone calls seeking comment.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, which oversees the Border Patrol, last week upheld its earlier decision not to give the Star information about Dickeys salary, his tenure with the Border Patrol or his employment status during the ongoing investigation. It turned down an appeal by the Star of that decision, which also barred release of investigative reports on the blaze through the federal Freedom of Information Act.

The agency cited an exemption to the act that it says justifies withholding records or information kept for law-enforcement purposes.

There is an ongoing investigation involving the activities of a government agency, wrote Shari Suzuki, chief of the agencys FOIA appeals, policy and litigation branch, in an Aug. 4 letter to the Star. The premature release of evidence or the scope and direction of the investigation could interfere with the integrity of the investigation; i.e., it could interfere with the governments ability to make accurate factual and legal determinations.

Release of these records could lead to inappropriate disclosure of evidence, witnesses including government employees and prospective testimony, Suzuki wrote.

Suzukis comments drew sharp criticism from the nonprofit Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, which filed the appeal for the Star, and David Cuillier, director of the University of Arizonas School of Journalism.

The Forest Service and the Arizona State Land Department also have refused to discuss this case. The state agency did provide a set of public records on the fire in response to a records request.

Adam Marshall, an attorney for the reporters committee, said hes frustrated and disappointed at the agencys stance.

Its not clear at all why some of the information that you requested, including the title and salary of the employee, would interfere with the investigation. Thats just silly, Marshall said Tuesday. They dont explain how release of that information would interfere with any law-enforcement activity.

The agency discusses a lot of past court cases on similar issues, but doesnt offer a convincing explanation as to why the records the Star sought can be withheld, said Marshall.

Under FOIA, its the government that has the burden of showing that records are exempt. The burden is not on requesters to show they have the right to them, Marshall said. Theyre frankly not taking into account the great public interest that there is in finding out what happened here.

It's outrageous that the agency would withhold such basic information as an employee's salary or job title, Cuillier added

"These basic facts are routinely provided by any city, school district, or state agency, and taxpayers are entitled to it  its their money at work here," he said.

If the agency has information about the investigation whose release could be damaging, the agency should simply black out those facts, explain the harm and release the rest, Cuillier said.

People want to know how a public employee caused a serious fire that cost taxpayers a lot of money. What does the Border Patrol have to hide? he said.

Because the enforcement case remains open, the agency isnt in a position to provide more information, said Roger Maier, a CBP spokesman in Washington, D.C.
An 18-wheeler leaking motor oil fluid shut down two westbound lanes on Interstate 10 Tuesday, Aug. 8.

The closed interstate lanes are between the West Prince and West Ruthrauff roads exit, said Capt. Brian Keeley of Northwest Fire District.

Keeley said the lanes were expected to re-open by 9 p.m.

Hazardous material crews tested samples of the then unknown substance, said Keeley. Shortly before 8:30 p.m., crews learned it was motor oil. Passersby reported the semi-truck leaking the substance.

He said Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers have taken over the scene.
PHOENIX  Got one of those plastic covers on your license plate to thwart photo radar?

Get out your screwdriver. As of Wednesday, Aug. 9, theyre going to be illegal.

Its one of several hundred new laws that kick in that day, the fruits of this years 122-day legislative session.

Others range from expanding who can teach in Arizona classrooms, to when police need warrants to track cell phones, to exactly how much of someones foot a podiatrist can amputate. For the record, its a toe  not the whole foot.

There also are some odd new statutes including one that specifically allows counties to put up signs that say Enter or proceed with caution. Use at your own risk. This surface is not maintained by the county.

The new laws, in general, fall into several areas.

Law and order

The measure on license plate covers culminates years of efforts by Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson.

Farley did not present it as a method of helping police catch more speeding motorists with photo radar, a technology that has proven unpopular with many lawmakers. Instead, he sold it as a law-and-order measure, saying that bad guys get away because police and witnesses to crimes cant read the license plates of all vehicles.

Legislators also voted to curb the ability of police and prosecutors to seize property, requiring they prove by clear and convincing evidence that the items they want to confiscate were involved in criminal activity.

Thats not as stringent as required to gain a criminal conviction where a judge or jury must find someone is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

But it is more than required now, when a prosecutor can prove by a preponderance of evidence theres a link between the property and a crime. That is basically a balancing test, meaning all a judge need find is that the evidence show its more likely than not there is a link.

The change is important because police and prosecutors can seize property without ever charging the owner with a crime, much less getting a conviction.

Other new laws include:

Requiring police to get warrants when tracking the location of cellphones.

Expanding the definition of terrorism to include acts intended to coerce civilians and further the goals, desires, aims, public pronouncements, manifestos or political objectives of any terrorist organization.

Allowing for an enhanced sentence if the defendant acted because the victim was a peace officer, whether or not that officer was on duty.

Requiring the Department of Corrections to provide notice to area residents when locating a correctional facility nearby.

Allowing community notification of registered sex offenders to be done electronically.

Guns

It wouldnt be a legislative session if lawmakers did not enact some measure under the banner of protecting Second Amendment rights.

The 2017 measure with the broadest implications doesnt even mention firearms. Instead, it bars state and local governments from mandating that anyone who sells any property must get a background check on the buyer.

The effect, though, would be to preclude Arizona or local governments from closing whats been called the gun-show loophole in federal law, which says background checks are not required for sales by individuals, including at gun shows, no matter how many weapons they sell.

Rep. Randall Friese, D-Tucson, derided contentions the measure is not about guns.

No one is talking about background checks for refrigerator sales or microwave sales or dining room furniture sales, he said during floor debate. Lets just be serious.

Other bills include:

Prohibiting local governments from telling employees or independent contractors they cannot have a weapon that is on their own property or in their own vehicle.

Barring any laws saying the only guns that can be sold are those thart are smart and can fire only if held by an authorized person.

Carving out an an exception from laws that require $600,000 in reserves for insurers who offer prepaid legal services: It is now $50,000  but only for those who specialize in lawful use of firearms.

Education

Lawmakers adopted several measures that could have sweeping impact.

One of the biggest would expand eligibility for who can get a voucher of public funds to attend private or parochial schools.

Started in 2011, what are formally known as education scholarship accounts were designed for students with special needs. But proponents have incrementally expanded it to where it now also includes foster children, reservation residents and children attending schools rated D and F.

The new law removes all those conditions. But backers had to agree on a cap of enrollment of 30,000 by 2023.

Whether it becomes law, however, is another question.

Foes have until close of business Tuesday to submit at least 75,321 valid signatures on referendum petitions. If theyre successful, the law would remain on hold until November 2018, when voters would get the last word on whether to ratify or veto the change.

Other education bills include:

Easing requirements for people from other states to be able to teach in Arizona and allowing local school districts to decide whom to certify as teachers through a classroom-based preparation program.

Imposing new requirements on school districts to make new high school textbooks available for public review for at least 60 days.

Allowing children at public schools and childrens camps to use sunscreen with a note or prescription from a doctor.

Requiring schools to report on suspensions and expulsions involving illegal substances.

Health and welfare

Arizona now will have what may be the most comprehensive requirements in the country on what doctors have to do if a baby is born alive during an abortion.

Until now the law has said if there is a live birth, it is the duty of doctors in attendance to see that all available means and medical skills are used to preserve and maintain the life of such fetus or embryo.

The new law provides the first-ever definition in Arizona of delivered alive. That covers any fetus or embryo, no matter how premature, who shows breathing, a heartbeat, umbilical cord pulsation or definite movement of voluntary muscles.

At that point, medical professionals must do everything possible to keep the baby alive. A separate provision says any clinic that does abortions on women beyond the 20th week of pregnancy must have someone available with neonatal skills to care for the child if born alive.

Separately, lawmakers agreed to restore the two-year lifetime limit on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families the state had previously cut in half. But they added some new restrictions that will prevent everyone from being eligible for that second year.

Lawmakers also approved:

Expanding existing laws designed to protect health-care providers and institutions against discrimination for refusing to facilitate in someone ending his or her own life.

Repealing a requirement for fingerprints for welfare and food stamp recipients after it was determined the cost to administer it exceeded any fraud that was prevented.

Requiring the Department of Economic Security to post information online about those who have not made child support payments in at least 12 months.

Permitting judges to create exemptions from laws that suspend the drivers license of those who are in arrears on child support, a move designed to ensure they keep their jobs and can start making payments.

Elections

Lawmakers moved on two fronts to impose new hurdles on the ability of individuals to propose and enact their own laws through initiatives.

Until now judges have said that initiatives can be on the ballot if they are in substantial compliance with election laws. HB 2244 says there has to be strict compliance, disqualifying petition drives for what could be minor violations.

A judge is set to decide Monday whether the change is unconstitutional. But that is unlikely to be the last word, as an appeal is expected.

Another new restriction eliminates the ability of groups hoping to put measures on the ballot to pay circulators based on the number of signatures they gather.

But this measure is subject to a referendum campaign, with opponents hoping to get enough signatures by the end of the day Tuesday to give voters the last word.

Other ways election laws are being changed:

Stipulating that envelopes used for early ballots have to be designed so no one can see through them.

Making it illegal to vote in more than one state in elections featuring federal offices that are held on the same day.

Allowing voters to opt to get the legally required publicity pamphlet about issues on the election ballot by email rather than snail mail.

Imposing new requirements for meetings and voting by homeowners associations.

Odds and ends

Exempting those who break into a locked vehicle to rescue a child or pet in imminent danger from civil liability.

Putting new limits on who can file lawsuits over issues of disability access.

Barring people from calling themselves art therapists unless they are registered with the Art Therapy Credentials Board.

Repealing limits on how much landlords can pay in finder fees to those who locate prospective tenants.

Enacting new regulations on intrastate movers, including prohibition against refusing to deliver goods, while asking for a higher fee, if the customer pays the price agreed upon before the move.

Imposing new limits on the ability of counties to regulate home-based businesses regarding things like traffic, parking and delivery.

Increasing the number of licenses to sell beer and wine.
Nearly six months after the beleaguered superintendent of Tucsons largest school district quit, the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board has zeroed in on four possible permanent replacements.

But the board wont say who those four finalists are, despite an Arizona Supreme Court decision stating all serious candidates for a public position must be identified.

The TUSD board majority at their meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 8, decided to narrow their list of candidates to just four finalists, but declined to release the names  identifying them only by code names B, G, P and W.

Instead, the board, in a unanimous vote, opted to invite the finalists to an interview and give them one last chance to back out before announcing their names to the public, which board members said would happen by Thursday morning.

Nicholas Clement, a consultant the district hired to head up the search for a new superintendent said the late announcement is a professional courtesy to those finalists to give notice and prepare.

TUSD board member Rachael Sedgwick said she thought the withholding of the names is justified, because the finalists, should they continue with the application process, will be thrust into the spotlight.

Do you think the public has a right to know before the candidate? she said.

The board received 17 completed applications, and a board of volunteers winnowed that down to five finalists. The TUSD Governing Board selected four of those candidates for final interviews and scheduled a question-and-answer session with community members on Aug. 14, 15 and 16.

TUSD has been without a permanent leader since former superintendent H.T. Sanchez quit in February while the governing board majority was in the middle of a weeks-long attempt to oust him.

Its not the first time the board has refused to name finalists for the districts top job.

In the 2013 search for a superintendent that eventually led to Sanchezs hire, TUSD withheld the names of then-superintendent finalists. The Arizona Daily Star brought a lawsuit, and a Pima County Superior Court judge ordered the names and resumes released.

Then, as board members attempted to replace Sanchez in March, they originally were set to offer the post of interim superintendent to Maggie Shafer, a former assistant superintendent in the district. But Shafer withdrew her application at the last minute, after being named publicly.

After a month without a superintendent, the board made Gabriel Trujillo, a former assistant superintendent, the district's interim leader.

The new superintendent will be paid a base salary ranging from $180,000 to $230,000 to oversee more than 47,000 students in 89 schools and programs.

Sanchezs base salary was $270,000, not including performance pay bonuses and the $200,000 he was paid upon his resignation.

The new superintendent will be the seventh permanent or interim superintendent in the past decade.
Holding a round disc, Greyson Batz pretends to drive a bus. The passengers are his teacher and another student.

He turns the wheel and even bounces in his seat.

"Where are we going?" Maria Serrano-Lopez asks her students at Intermountain Academy, a private school for children with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum.

"Toys-R-Us," replies Greyson, who is 8.

"Are you happy?" Serrano-Lopez asks.

"Yes!" Greyson says as he waves both hands in the air, beaming.

When the imaginary bus stops, Serrano-Lopez tells the kids they need money to purchase a toy.

"How much do you want, Greyson?" she asks.

"Five," Greyson replies.

"Count with me, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5," Serrano-Lopez says as she places coins in Greyson's hand.

Greyson counts along, as he unknowingly receives a math lesson.

Imaginative play was a milestone Greyson never reached as a younger child.

"When I got him, he wouldn't play," Serrano-Lopez said. "He wouldn't touch a toy, now he does. He was really in his own world, but we guided him to do this."

Through games and repetition, Serrano-Lopez taught Greyson to imitate without forcing him.

"I led him to see how I was interacting, then one day he started playing with dinosaurs," Serrano-Lopez recalled. "For him to pretend play, that's amazing."

Autism in Arizona

There are no specific numbers for Tucson, but to illustrate how many families with children on the spectrum are searching for schools  Intermountain Academy has a waiting list of 200 children.

Though the school plans to add two classes per year until it reaches its full capacity of 120, it still won't be able to accommodate that entire waiting list.

To help fill the need, Intermountain Academy hopes to expand to another campus in the future, said Paul O'Rourke, the school's director of communications.

Tucson Unified School District, Tucson's largest public school district, has 490 children with autism enrolled this year.

For a bigger picture, in 1975, 1 in 5,000 children were identified as having autism spectrum disorder or ASD. Now, that number is 1 in 66 or 1.5 percent of 8-year-olds in Arizona. According to the Center for Disease Control, that percentage is about the same as the national average.

Of those children, boys are four times more likely to be identified as autistic than girls, with white and black children more likely to have autism than Hispanic children.

"There are definitely more students identified as being with autism," said Maura Clark-Ingle, director of exceptional education for TUSD. "Students are identified at a younger age...we're really excited about that because we now know students that are struggling and do have autism or are on the spectrum can get services earlier instead of waiting until they're older and have had trouble in school."

Public school

Autism is often first spotted in school when a child is struggling with language, social engagement and play.

"Oftentimes students with autism have something they're very interested in  trains or cars  so they can talk a lot about an object, but to have social conversations can be very difficult," Clark-Ingle said. "We have a lot of parents who say 'I just want them to say 'I love you Mom.'"

Once a student is screened and identified as having autism, an IEP (individualized education program) meeting is planned with a team that typically includes teachers, exceptional education teachers, a psychologist, the principal and parents to discuss the child's needs.

"The programs that are developed at the IEP meeting are so individual because each student needs something different," Clark-Ingle said. "That's the beauty of having the team process. It's not a cookie cutter process."

Services discussed at the meeting include speech and language therapy and behavioral and social support. The IEP meeting lays out what a whole day would look like for the student.

"What does this student need to be successful and to really flourish," Clark-Ingle said. "Not to just be OK. We really want them to flourish and learn skills they need in school and we look at the child as an adult and what kind of social skills, self-help skills will they need to be successful and independent when they grow into being an adult. That's what public schools do well."

The first goal of TUSD's exceptional education program is to give students access to their typical peers in the general education population. Self-contained classes are available for children with more significant needs.

"We don't want them to feel like that self-contained class is their forever home," Clark-Ingle said. "Our goal is to have them in general-ed as much as possible because we know that's where great learning takes place."

Angela Nelson's 11-year-old son, Drake, has been in public school since kindergarten and he had a mostly good experience, often excelling in math and science.

"School itself was good," Nelson said. "Kellond had some very caring, dedicated teachers and staff to guide him. And the general-ed kids really took the 'be kind' motto to heart and accepted Drake even though he's different."

That being said, the therapy he received was limited. In his IEP he was scheduled to have 90 minutes per week for speech, but often he only went for 60 minutes, Nelson said.

"It simply wasn't enough time to modify any speech or behaviors, so Drake did speech and behavior therapy outside of school," Nelson said. "OT (occupational therapy) wasn't offered to Drake since his gross motor skills weren't an issue anymore after years of therapy. He still needed OT for his fine motor skills but again we did that outside of school."

Education-wise, Drake excelled and was asked to help other kids on projects. He was also one of the first kids to be included in the fourth-grade GATE program for gifted children. His mom said he did well in all of the subjects and projects he was included in.

All TUSD schools are equipped to assist students with autism. However, Clark-Ingle said Sewell and Wright Elementary Schools, as well as Tucson High have particularly good exceptional education programs.

When choosing a school for a child on the autism spectrum, parents should make sure the school can address the needs of their particular child. For example, parents of a child who has meltdowns might ask if there is a safe place for their child to go if they're losing control; how the school will respond when a child loses control; and how the school is going to help their child go to college, said Mary Kirpes, a mother of two grown sons with autism, author and former TUSD exceptional education teacher.

"They need to be able to say 'I'm losing it.' I have to go. And they need a place to feel safe," Kirpes said. "If they talk about punishment, punishment isn't always the answer. They need to be made aware they did something wrong, but it's out of their control...The right thing is, 'We will work at calming him in a calm voice, helping them understand themselves."

Parents should ask about the service delivery model  what the child's day will look like, so they know what kind of classroom their child will be in, Clark-Ingle said.

Also, they should ask the teacher what his or her philosophy on working with students with autism is, Clark-Ingle said.

"I also think for a student with autism, it's really important to get gen-ed, so 'What kinds of accommodations will you provide to my child's academic day so they can be successful in third-grade math or third-grade reading?' Clark-Ingle said.

Teachers should figure out what inspires each child with autism in order to teach them, Kirpes said. That's true even for kids who are severely challenged by autism.

"If someone is really into astronomy, pull them in with astronomy. No matter what the course is, you can do it." Kirpes said.

Even with all of the support, parents of children with autism sometimes worry what it will be like for their kids after elementary school.

Up until second grade, Greyson attended a public TUSD school, but his mom started to get nervous thinking of the higher grades.

"It's not like he was receiving a horrible education in TUSD," Amanda Hinton said. "I was nervous about what was coming the year after... He's not someone that inclusion worked for. He has some behaviors that hurt himself or others, so because of that I was very anxious about making sure he received the appropriate therapy for what he was dealing with."

There's a saying in the autism world: "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism." Meaning, the autism spectrum is very wide and no two kids are the same.

Southern Arizona parents looking for programs that work best for their individual child have more options now than they ever have  public, private, online and home school.

Private schools

Intermountain Academy, on Tucson's west side, was started four years ago for children in grades K-12 who have an autism diagnosis, as part of its parent organization, Intermountain Centers.

Class sizes are kept small, with only about 10 students per class and a teacher-to-student ratio of 1-to-3, said O'Rourke, the school's communications director.

Intermountain Academy prides itself on being the only school in Tucson specifically for students with autism, although at least one other serves kids with autism.

The school is also accredited, which means it meets or exceeds certain standards of educational quality and it assists other schools in determining acceptability of transfer credits. Intermountain Academy is accredited through AdvancED Accreditation Commission.

When Hinton heard of Intermountain Academy, which focused on Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA therapy, she thought it would be a good fit for her son.

ABA is the "best practice intervention for autism," said Kyle Lininger, director of the school.

Though some critics say that ABA therapists are too focused on getting rid of behaviors that might bring the children emotional comfort.

"The difference between ABA and other disciplines is that it focuses on behavior (what people do and can be observed by others) instead of their inner mental world," Lininger said. "It uses scientific laws of behavior that have been experimentally confirmed, and it uses very clear instructions that can be replicated by most anyone to specify how to change behavior."

Children who attend Intermountain Academy also have access to behavioral therapy in school as well as in their homes, Lininger said.

"A big piece is outpatient services, so we're serving people in the community in the cultural and environmental context in which they live...We get to serve people in their homes, so unlike traditional schools  these kids are getting the same services they have at school translated into home," Lininger said. "We give support with the hope they can transition into less restrictive settings or a general education setting."

Since attending school at Intermountain Academy, now-9-year-old Greyson's behavior has improved dramatically. And his mother, Amanda Hinton, has peace of mind knowing she doesn't have to worry about him at school.

"I know here the teachers are supported because the staff is supported, therefore everybody has our children's best interests at heart. I feel safe here," Hinton said. "I feel like he's not gonna be lost. It's not 'Oh well, Greyson doesn't like to do math and he hits, so I'm just gonna put him over here.' They're gonna challenge him and work through these challenges even though they might get hit or scratched on a daily basis."

The small class sizes and individual attention contributes to that.

"There's a statewide push to get kids more included," Lininger said. "But, what happens when you include someone who needs one-on-one support with a class of 40 kids...They're not gonna be successful...We build their skills and never exclude them from any activity... Even if you're with typical kids, you're going be excluded at different times of the day."

Each school day includes musical therapy, physical education for an hour, math, reading, language arts as well as specific programs catered to social skills. The clinical focus is brought to the table as needed, Lininger said.

The school's before- and after-school program was also something Hinton needed since she works full time. She said Greyson tried an after-school program with "typicals" but it ended badly with someone sitting on Greyson to restrain him.

"He's a very sensitive kid. He doesn't like hurting people, so when it happens he's a little destroyed and as a parent, it kills ya," Hinton said. "You just want what's best for them. He was going into third grade and I was worried because I knew it wasn't structured, which is the kiss of death for Greyson."

According to Lininger, about 85 percent of people on the autism spectrum are unemployed. To combat that, Intermountain's high school program is also targeting work skills.

On the east side, a group of parents took action when the private school their children with autism were attending closed in December 2013.

"I couldn't bear the thought of sending her back to public school," said Jennifer Moore of her daughter  who is now 15 and had been in public school through third grade. "It was fine until it wasn't. Then it was a nightmare. Her special-ed teacher went on maternity leave and in her place they put an aide and she wasn't really qualified and didn't have the tools necessary to work with my daughter. She had this personality that was like, 'don't cross this line' and my daughter is like, 'I'm gonna put my toe over the line.' It went from nice behavior to being out of class in three weeks."

Thanks to Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account funds, Moore was able to put her daughter in what was then called the Abbie Loveland Tuller School and hire an aide to be with her.

Families can apply for state money also known as ESAs to help pay for private schools. For children with special needs, the money can be used to help pay for vocational or life-skills education, psychological or education evaluations, assistive technology rentals, braille translation services and more.

Awards for special-needs children range from $3,000 to $33,500 with an average award of $18,971.

"By sixth grade she had a best friend and was having sleepovers, and as a parent with a child with autism, those are things you think your child will never have," Moore said.

When Moore found out the school she loved so much was going to close, she and a few parents got together to take action.

One of the parents held a 5013c called Arizona Center for Autism, a non-profit organization which focused on helping children with autism through therapeutic educational services. Now it is called the Arizona Center for Autism doing business as the Abbie School.

In January 2014, the new school opened its doors.

"I think it's really important for public school to be strong, but I think there need to be other options," Moore said. "Kids with special needs need choice...I'm not saying we have it all figured out for every child, but she (Moore's daughter) needed small. She needed flexible. She needed peaceful. And she knows she's different, so being with all the other kids was really stressful for her. She didn't want the support they were gonna provide because that meant looking different. Here everybody is different. They have their own idiosyncrasies."

There are 34 students enrolled at the Abbie School in grades two through 10 with a student teacher ratio of 8 to 1. There's room for six more students this year.

The school anticipates having its first graduating class in 2020.

As of right now, Abbie School is not accredited, but it is something the administration is working toward.

Students take regular academic classes as well as electives such as photography, drama, orchestra, student council and home economics.

"A lot of kids come here and are then able to transition back to public school," said Liz Gallagher, the head of the school. "They just need confidence. They find their passions. It's nice because when they go back to public school they try different clubs."

While the Abbie School takes kids with an assortment of special needs, two-thirds of them are on the autism spectrum.

Now that Drake, 11, is advancing to middle school, his mother, Angela Nelson, decided to send him to the Abbie School rather than continuing through the public school system because she worried about bullies and things like transitioning from class to class.

"All through elementary school Drake has only needed to transition from one classroom to another," Nelson said. "It takes him at least 10 minutes to center himself. In middle school, he'd have to do that six times a day, adding up to a lot of time and potentially missed classwork. Abbie School transitions, but they have accommodations if he gets out of sorts."

The school invited Drake to attend a half day to see if he liked it and if the school was a good fit for him. And they helped his mother apply for ESA money to pay tuition. Drake was awarded enough money to cover the $22,000 tuition.

Most students at The Abbie School and Intermountain Academy qualify for ESA money and other funding.

"We try to work with them to get funding," Moore said. "We have a lot of low-income families. Families are trying to juggle kids with special needs and sometimes there's medical situations involved. There's a lot of stress in the home life so we try to help as best we can with all of that...Most everybody has funding and through tax credits we've been able to meet the deficit."

Home school and online school are also options

Ciara Martinez's daughter, Isis, was two when she stopped talking.

Martinez took her to several doctors before receiving an autism diagnosis. Further genetic testing found she has Rett Syndrome, a rare genetic mutation affecting brain development.

Isis is 7 now and nonverbal.

The family lives in Marana and there are no private schools for kids with special needs nearby. Martinez said public school was not an option for them.

"They'd want her in a self-contained class which is K-6 and we wanted her included," Martinez said. "We wanted her included in regular-ed classrooms and they wouldn't work with us on that and I knew it would be a fight...I'm not willing to go down that road. It'll be a heartbreak for me."

So Martinez applied for ESA money to purchase adaptive equipment and hire a para professional, or teacher's aide, so she could homeschool her daughter.

Home school is going well for Isis.

She's starting second grade this school year and is about one grade level behind, her mother said.

Isis is able to communicate through a TOBY communication device  a computer-based tool that uses lasers to connect with her eyes. So if she gazes at a certain picture for a few seconds, the computer says the word out loud.

She uses the device to do math, reading, learn colors and communicate.

"She's doing really well with it, actually," Martinez said.

When Isis gains more independence, her mother says she may consider public school in the future.

"When she's at a level I know she doesn't need as much help from the school district, then maybe I'd be willing to have her go to public school," Martinez said.

At 9 years old, Brandon Sosa felt like he didn't belong in this world anymore.

His autism made it difficult for him to communicate and an overcrowded classroom in public school made it impossible for him to learn.

His mother gave him an online test and found that he had regressed in his math and reading skills. He was coming home with bruises from biting himself because of the stress.

"He would come home with a notebook full of drawings, no homework and nothing learned," said his mother, Victoria de Sosa. "Brandon is extremely smart, but it's also difficult as parents because we didn't know how to support him. We went to every therapy and repeated it every day at home and even though they didn't give him homework, I gave him homework."

At the end of the first semester of third grade everything came to a head for the Sosa family.

"In third grade I had trouble communicating and I didn't understand why others were mocking me, just that they were and it came to a climax," Brandon said. "I came home one night with words that some kids had said to me. Repeating them I had said that I don't belong in this world...I may not have been able to communicate well, but I was able to understand for the most part. That was put very blatantly for me and that was hard."

That's when Victoria had to take action. She spoke with one of his special education teachers and he confirmed that Brandon was in fact being bullied by students and sometimes mistreated by other teachers. He told her about Arizona Virtual Academy, an online public school system.

"I asked Brandon if he wanted to go back to school and he said no," Victoria recalled. "And I said, 'You don't have to. We will find a school and this will be a world where you belong. So no worries. We will work it out.'"

The Sosa family enrolled Brandon in the online school and never looked back.

"Our first goal as parents was to raise his self-esteem," Victoria said. "To believe in himself and realize his own worth because everything stems from that...and when I spoke to teachers and counselors at Arizona Virtual Academy I said he may not get the best grades, but that's not our goal. They were very open. They said he would be able to move at his own pace and that's what we did and as he had successes he believed in himself and realized his own worth. He's brilliant and has a lot to offer."

Arizona Virtual Academy provided a loaner computer, books, supplies to do chemistry labs and artwork for school at no cost. Lessons were done in real time with a teacher on the computer and work was done at Brandon's own pace. If he needed extra help he was able to ask the teacher directly.

Brandon is 18 now and graduated high school in May. When he took his SAT he scored 1440. And he earned a 32 on the ACT.

He is attending the University of Arizona this fall to major in physiology, hoping to help other kids with autism and to help those without autism understand the disorder better.

Over the summer, he attended the New Start summer program at the UA to learn about college life. As part of the program, he took two classes  leadership and anthropology. He got an A in both.

"They were not easy at all," Brandon said. "But, I really enjoyed them a lot...

Over the past few years I started sympathizing with others who have gone through similar experiences I have because of my autism. I wanted to help them and I decided to look at my strengths and determine the best way to help them and I look at different qualities. I am patient. I am analytical. I want to help a person directly instead of just research. I decided to go into medicine and I believe I'd like to work in the field of neurology. The study of the brain. I feel that would be the best way to help others like me and help others understand people like me."

After years of struggling and being told Brandon would not excel, his parents are excited for what his future has to offer.

"Looking at him when he was in Pre-K to second grade and knowing now he's in the UA with the highest Wildcat Excellence award... He has earned scholarships. It is really a remarkable thing for us to see and I think having that online school was the foundation."
I'm sure that reporter Mikayla Mace reported exactly what associate professor David Raichlen told her to write. There is no doubt that any reporter from this newspaper would interject his or her own views on the age of the Earth. As Raichlen points out, man  or hominins as he calls them  roamed the earth in a rather sedentary lifestyle, two million years ago. It's amazing to me though that after that long, he didn't find any living (soft) tissue. Mary Schweitzer claims she did (Tyrannosaurus Rex in the state of Montana - Smithsonian Magazine - Helen Fields May 2006.
Columnist Joseph Morgan accuses Sen. John McCain of betrayal. Supposedly, McCain's vote on the Affordable Care Act repeal and replacement betrays conservatives. I believe any fifth grader would know that when the senator promised to "repeal and replace," that that implies replace with something better. On the vote in question, the replacement for Obamacare was not even close to being as good. McCain's promise to improve Obamacare was to the citizens of Arizona. We are the ones that McCain owes allegiance to, not to so-called "conservatives."
When is the U.S. government and its allies going to act on the Stalinist Venezuelan government's suppression of its citizens? If history holds true, the world will stand on the sidelines while Maduro follows his leaders  Talaat Pasha, Adolph Hitler, Josef Stalin, Pol Pot and Sadaam Hussein  as he devolves into genocide. It's inevitable and we now have a chance to correct 100 years of neglect.
I'd like to point out, as many have (including many Republicans in moments of candor), that the bill was a subterfuge, having been drafted quickly and in secret by a handful of white male Republican partisans hiding in a back room. They knew that given a reasonable examination by either party it would be found lacking  no heart and no economic benefit.

No mandate to buy insurance, thus overwhelming insurers with only the sickest customers, ballooning of rates for the elderly and sick, and massive loss of coverage. Insurers would once again peddle junk policies with unaffordable deductibles and co-pays, lacking complete coverage and costing society more overall. McCain knew that a repeal without replacement would ultimately prime Congress to diminish health insurance and Medicaid for Americans, the poor in particular. In the end, he did the honorable thing. He stood up for his constituents and our country. Thanks, Sen. McCain.
Donald Trump revived an embarrassing time for Sen. Richard Blumenthal. The lawmaker was a Marine Corps reservist during Vietnam, but had to apologize for saying he had served in the war, which he did not.

Trump, himself, received five phony deferments from the draft board for alleged bone spurs, yet cant remember which foot or both. He never served in uniform. Yet, he tweeted:

Interesting to watch Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut talking about hoax Russian collusion when he was a phony Vietnam con artist!

'Never in U.S. history has anyone lied or defrauded voters like Senator Richard Blumenthal. He told stories about his Vietnam battles and.......conquests, how brave he was, and it was all a lie. He cried like a baby and begged for forgiveness like a child. Now he judges collusion?

I ask, has anyone in U. S. history, ever lied to voters as much as Donald Trump. For space sake, I will not repeat the long list of lies. You know them all.

Sheldon Metz

Northeast side
Representatives from the United States, Mexico and Canada are scheduled to begin talks next week to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. Arizona has directly benefited from the treaty, with exports from the state increasing 332 percent since it was implemented in 1994.

As negotiations begin, the U.S. should follow through on a good faith effort to update the 23-year-old treaty, which could lead to more open markets, stronger economies for all trading partners and improved benefits for Arizonans.

When Donald Trump  who as a candidate called the agreement the single worst trade deal ever approved and threatened to withdraw  was elected president, it sent pulses racing in Arizona, which annually does about $16 billion in trade with Mexico and close to $4 billion with Canada.

More than 257,000 jobs in Arizona depend on trade and investment with Canada and Mexico, according to the Arizona Export District Council. Tourism from those countries is vital to the states economy.

When the U.S. trade representative called for public comments on NAFTA, it received feedback from lawmakers, business interests and more than 12,000 responses in support of the trade deal. Fortunately, the administration backed away from scrapping the pact.

It is an agreement that has worked extremely well, and has been extremely successful in promoting trade and investment flows between our countries, Kenneth Smith Ramos, Mexicos chief negotiator for the NAFTA renegotiation, said in an interview. He was in Tubac recently to speak to the Nogales-Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce.

Still, Smith Ramos and other trade experts concur the agreement needs updating and the list of objectives for the NAFTA renegotiation put out by the Trump administration lists some needed improvements.

Digital trade (which didnt even exist in the early 90s), intellectual property protection, level of involvement of state-owned enterprises, anti-corruption provisions, and labor and environmental standards are all worthwhile issues that need to be addressed.

However, some points in the blueprint for renegotiation are ill-conceived. They run from the pointless  such as the manipulation of exchange rates, something that is not really an issue in North America  to the troubling, including the issue of trade deficits and rules of origin.

The U.S. seeks to reduce the trade deficit with NAFTA countries, but the reason these deficits exist does not rest on trade agreements, and in the case of North America its even more muddled.

A deficit occurs when a country imports more from another country than what it exports there, but take the $63 billion trade deficit between the U.S. and Mexico. The way a lot of goods are produced in an ever more integrated supply chain means that about 40 percent of the value of imports from Mexico is created in the United States.

For example, a Ford car assembled across the border in Hermosillo includes several parts built by American workers. In Arizona alone, automotive manufacturing product exports to Mexico increased from $153.3 million in 2008 to $571.9 million in 2015, according to a report by the University of Arizona.

On rules of origin, this matters to manufacturers in particular because to benefit from NAFTAs provisions for low or no tariffs, their products must be mostly composed of North American goods  which must be certified in a costly and complicated process.

This makes sense, but trade experts, including Melissa Proctor, a Phoenix-based lawyer with the Polsinelli law firm, said determining rules of origin is a very complicated and technical process and she worries any change would hit hard for small businesses.

Some companies could be required to re-qualify their products  which could number in the thousands  as well as change their supply chains in order to continue using the NAFTA, she said. It would be burdensome to the automotive sector. It would be impossible for smaller companies. But even with those concerns, most trade experts and government officials we spoke with are cautiously optimistic about the results of renegotiation.

It is ironic that an improved agreement that may end up further eliminating tariffs and continuing to liberalize trade comes from an initially protectionist impulse. It is heartening that stakeholders and legislators, including Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake, have been very vocal about the importance of NAFTA to our economy.
While Vietnam stipulates strict advertising policy for products or services in certain areas, Google is offering a much lenient rule that allows bad products to reach consumers through deceptive online ads.

In Vietnam, one has to provide papers or quality certificates for their products if they want to advertise medicines or healthcare products or services.

However, it only takes 30 minutes to complete procedure to launch an ad campaign on Google.

A Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporter has gone undercover as a food supplements seller and called a Google hotline in Vietnam, asking to create online ads on the Internet search giant.

The reporter was told that he only needs an international bank card and a website to display the ads to run a campaign, and was asked to select a campaign option for the keyword-based ads.

Fooled by Google ads

Vietnamese newspapers often ask for licenses or papers related to the products being advertised before accepting ads for such products.

However, the Google representative told the Tuoi Tre reporter that he did not have to do so with the online ads.

It only takes 30 minutes to create an ad campaign with Google, which will allow the advertised websites to appear on the first result page when a related keyword is searched.

The lax policy has allowed dubious services or poor-quality products to be advertised online, so long as the sellers are willing to pay.

Many local consumers have in fact been fooled by the misleading ads they found when googling for medicines or healthcare services.

L., a Hanoi resident, said she had searched for some food supplements sellers and decided to choose one website that appeared on the first page of Google.

The site claims to sell goods taken from Australia and has a few dozen thousands of followers, L. recalled.

The Hanoi woman bought some digestive support supplements and collagen skincare pills, only to see her skin became yellowish and her health worsened.

L. went to the doctor and was diagnosed with elevated liver function. Her complaint and request for a refund was rejected by the website.

Similarly, Nguyen Quoc Tuan, another Hanoi resident, googled for the best clinics to treat his sore throat, and eventually visited one that was listed in the top three search results.

Tuan was given a VND2 million (US$46) prescription, which eventually did nothing to cure his disease.

The patient said he had tried to contact other clinics listed as the top Google results, but none of them appear to be trustworthy.

Follow the rule

Many experts have said Google ads should be regulated as per the Vietnamese law, adding that online ads should be treated the same as traditional ads on prints or other means of mass media.

Huynh Thanh Phi, a marketing expert, said Vietnams law on competition and advertising prohibit such acts as providing false or misleading ads, but the regulations do not cover ad campaigns launched by Google or Facebook.

The rules must be amended to include such a new form of ad, Phi said.

Vu Manh Cuong, deputy head of the communication department under the Ministry of Health, said the ministry already stipulates that Google follows the rule on healthcare-related ads in Vietnam.

Google is working with advertisers in Vietnam through local agents, who I believe clearly know such a regulation from the health ministry, Cuong said.

These agents must follow the rule rather than accepting ads from anyone who are willing to pay, ignoring the fact that false ads could cost fooled consumers of their time, money and health.

Cuong acknowledges that Google may already have their own policy on ad content management.

What should be done now is that Vietnamese authorities should check if Google, through their local agents, are complying to the law or not, he suggested.

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Dozens of parents spent a white night outside an elementary school in the southern province of Dong Nai on Monday to be the first to sign their children up for first grade the next morning.

Parents began queuing up outside Tran Quoc Toan Elementary School in An Chu Hamlet in Trang Bom District as early as 6:00 pm on Monday, despite an earlier announcement that the school would not receive applications until 7:30 am the next day.

Most grade schools in Vietnam are only allowed to accept students with permanent residency in the same locations as the institutions. In the case of Tran Quoc Toan, the school could only take in 65 students from local families in An Chu.

About 30 minutes past midnight, more than 50 parents had already gathered outside the school in two waiting lines that stretched to the back gate, with a long makeshift metal fence fixed into the ground to separate the lines.

Parents who were staying barely awake rested against the fence for power naps, or walked a few rounds to relax their muscles before rejoining the line for fear of losing their hard-earned spots.

According to Tran Van Ch., one of the parents in line, if his child could not get into the school, they would have no choice but to go for another school that was three kilometers from home.

My husband and I have camped here since 7:00 am on Monday, his wife said.

We have both taken two days off to take turns securing our spot and taking care of our children at home.

We dont have much choice, since its for the good of our own kid.

Another parent called the effort a sacrifice worth making for the sake of the next five years.

I dont mind taking one or two days off or even get penalized at work for that, he said.

A parent rests against the metal fence for a quick nap. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Parents take a nap on mats that they had brought with them. Photo: Tuoi Tre

At 6:00 am on Tuesday, around 200 parents were already crowding the front gate of Tran Quoc Toan school, most of whom had not eaten anything since the previous night.

At 7:30 am, the school started allowing the parents to enter, pair by pair, to submit their application.

Despite the presence of police officers, hundreds of parents elbowed each other to reach the front of the line.

Less than one hour later, the school announced that it would not receive any more application to the disappointment of dozens of parents still waiting outside for their turn.

According to Bui Huy Toan, head of the Division of Education and Training of Trang Bom District, Tran Quoc Toan Elementary School were opened three years ago and has since been popular among local residents due to its location.

However, the school could not admit any more than 30 students per class due to requirements on national-standard schools, Toan said.

Meanwhile, out of the 130 slots for first-graders every year, Tran Quoc Toan Elementary School had to put aside 65 slots for children of workers from a local factory that had funded its construction, leaving only 65 slots for local residents.

A parent rests against the metal fence for a quick nap. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Parents queue outside Tran Quoc Toan Elementary School in Dong Nai Province, August 8, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A police officer tries to settle a row between parents. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A parent is shooed away as he tries to cut in line. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Parents queue outside Tran Quoc Toan Elementary School in Dong Nai Province, August 8, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Parents queue outside Tran Quoc Toan Elementary School in Dong Nai Province, August 8, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Parents eat banh mi for breakfast while waiting for the school to open. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Parents elbow each other for the front of the line. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Parents are allowed inside in pairs. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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Check out what is in the news today, August 9

Politics

-- Vietnam organized flag-hoisting ceremonies in its two biggest cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday to mark the 50th official establishment anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Society

-- The Food Safety Department in the central city of Da Nang revealed on Tuesday they had slapped a fine of VND4 million (US$174) on a restaurant located in Son Tra District for serving a maggot-infested dish to a local diner, who later complained on social media.

-- Statistics released by the Ministry of Health show that more than 78,000 patients have come down with dengue fever since early 2017, with 20 deaths recorded, including the latest case of a woman in Hanoi who died on Monday during the outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease, which has been battering localities across the country.

-- Deputy Minister of Defense Tran Don on Tuesday affirmed they will remove kiosks and filling stations located in the vicinity of the overloaded Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City within August and will not grant permits to new economic projects.

-- Nearly 50 assaults targeted at reporters have been recorded nationwide over the past five years, according to the Vietnam Journalists Associations statistics released at a seminar on Tuesday.

-- Customs officers at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City disclosed on Tuesday they captured a 37-year-old Vietnamese woman for trafficking four packs of heroin hidden in her luggage as soon as she got off a plane from Brazil on Monday night.

Business

-- The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam revealed on Tuesday four airlines canceled 177 flights out of 25,657 ones within July, up 0.1 percent against the same period last year.

-- Ho Chi Minh City has received a total inbound remittance of approximately US$2.6 billion within the first seven months of 2017, or a 1.5-percent year-on-year rise, according to Nguyen Hoang Minh, deputy director of the citys branch of the State Bank of Vietnam.

Education

-- Dozens of caring parents stayed put overnight since Monday morning at the entrance to an elementary school situated in Trang Bom District in Dong Nai Province, which neighbors Ho Chi Minh City, in hopes of securing their child a place in its first-grade classes.

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The tourism director of the southern Vietnamese province of Kien Giang believes that Western beg-packers are intrinsically the same as local panhandlers.

Street begging is not allowed in Vietnam, and the rule applies to locals as well as foreigners, Tran Chi Dung, the Kien Giang tourism chief, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Tuesday.

No exception was to be made for foreign street beggars in Vietnam no matter how polite they appeared to be, he said.

Dung was referring to a recent photo posted on Facebook of a foreign woman meditating on a pavement on Kien Giangs Phu Quoc Island, with a note written in Vietnamese placed in front of her that reads meditate for luck, need money.

According to Dung, foreigners have long come to Vietnam seeking short-term jobs and even resorting to begging on the street to fund their trip.

The problem is, [foreign beg-packers] appear to be very polite in comparison with Vietnamese beggars, Dung said.

They play music, sing, perform magic tricks or, in the recent case, meditate, to ask for money so it does not annoy others.

The department head added, however, that current regulations do not allow for street begging, and Vietnamese beggars who are homeless and have no family would be taken in by social protection centers.

However, Pham Van Nghiep, deputy chairman of Phu Quoc, said that the local administration had no authority to take the begging woman into a protection center as she was a foreigner and caused no disturbance in the area.

Nghiep added that Phu Quoc authorities have received reports of similar foreign beg-packers recently, who claimed to have run out of money during their leisure trip to Vietnam.

According to Van Cong Dau, director of Kien Giang Department of Foreign Affairs, police officers are tasked with maintaining order and security in their area of operation, which included protecting the safety of foreigners.

As these foreigners had resorted to begging on the street, it must mean they were in desperation and needed help from local authorities in making contact with diplomatic offices of their respective countries, Dau said.

If foreigners come here looking for a short-term or long-term job  and I have to make it clear that street-begging is not considered a job in Vietnam  then they must have a legitimate labor contract in accordance with Vietnamese laws, Dau said.

Police of Phu Quocs Duong Dong Town, which had been working with the female foreigner for identification, have not responded to Tuoi Tres request for comment.

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Light displays were held in several major cities in Vietnam on Tuesday night in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In Ho Chi Minh City, the show was held at the municipal headquarters, fronting the Nguyen Hue Walking Street in the downtowns area, attracting a number of visitors.

Similar light displays were also exhibited at the Reunification Palace, the Municipal Theater, the Ho Chi Minh Museum, and the Saigon Central Post Office.

Residents in Hanoi, the northern city of Hai Phong, the central city of Da Nang, and Can Tho City in the Mekong Delta, were also able to enjoy the light art display to celebrate the 50th birthday of the ten-country bloc.

Established on August 8, 1967, ASEAN is a political and economic organization whose current members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the same day chaired a ceremony in Hanoi to mark the special occasion, as well as 22 years of Vietnams accession to the bloc.

During the event, the head of government stated that ASEAN should reinforce solidarity and unity, promote internal strength to increase its connectivity and build a rules-based community with the widespread participation of people.

ASEAN is always a priority in Vietnams foreign policies, the premier remarked.

The country pledges to continue coordinating with other member nations to build the ASEAN Community of unity, peace, stability and strength.

People gather at Nguyen Hue Walking Street in downtown Ho Chi Minh City to enjoy the show. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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A Vietnamese passenger has been caught transporting cocaine at a major airport in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Customs Department of Tan Son Nhat International Airport confirmed on Tuesday they had arrested a 37-year-old local woman for carrying four packs of cocaine.

The passenger, hailing from the south-central province of Binh Thuan, was caught red-handed at the airport upon arrival from Brazil on Monday night.

The illegal drugs were hidden among clothes, shoes, cosmetic products, and other personal belongings in her luggage.

Initial statements showed that the suspect was in a relationship with a Nigerian man after they had met on social media.

The foreign boyfriend had bought the Vietnamese woman a flight ticket to Brazil and asked her to help him send some gifts to his relatives in Ho Chi Minh City when she returned home.

The suspect and drugs have been transferred to the anti-drug unit under the municipal police department for further investigation.

More than 50 people have been nabbed at Tan Son Nhat for drug smuggling in the past five years, 19 of which were Vietnamese women, Dan Tri newswire quoted the airports customs department as saying.

Most of the suspects claimed they had been tricked into committing the crime by foreign men, according to the department.

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Help India!

New Delhi/Hyderabad, (IANS): The Congress on Wednesday urged the NHRC and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes to direct the Telangana government to take action against police officials allegedly responsible for committing atrocities on Dalits in Karimnagar district.

A delegation of Congress leaders led by All India Congress Committee Secretary R.C. Khuntia met the officials of National Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes in New Delhi on the issue.

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The delegation, including party MPs from the state, brought to the two commissions notice the July 2 incident in Nerella village of Rajanna-Sircilla district wherein eight innocent villagers belonging to the Scheduled Castes/Tribes and other backward castes were arrested after a mob set afire three trucks during a protest.

The party alleged that police poured hot water on the private parts and gave electric shocks to the arrested villagers.

On July 31, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar called on the villagers in Karimnagar jail where they said police kept them in illegal custody for four days.

The Congress leaders urged the commissions to direct the Telangana government to register cases under the Scheduled Castes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the district Superintendent of Police and other police officials allegedly responsible for the torture.

They also demanded an independent inquiry by the commissions, and compensation and protection for the villagers.
Help India!

New Delhi, (IANS): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday imposed a restraining order on students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), prohibiting them from protesting within 100 metres of the administrative block.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru said students can protest at sites designated by the JNU administration and should not block ingress and egress of officials in the admin building.

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The court also said that police should not normally come inside the university campus in case students are holding protest peacefully. However, if there was flouting of the courts order, the administration could call the police, it said.

The judge also allowed for CCTV cameras to be installed at the main entry gate of the campus and in and around the admin building.

The JNU administration had earlier this year moved the high court contending that students, who were protesting against a University Grant Commission (UGC) notification, were blocking the Vice Chancellor and other officials of the university from visiting the administrative building.

The university had said that the manner of protest by blocking the ingress and egress of the officials was hampering the functioning of the university and complaints were lodged with the local police, consequent to which, two FIRs have been registered.

The high court had in previous hearing said that policemen should be sensitised about the manner of dealing with the students in case of any untoward situation.
Dismantling the camp known as 'The Jungle' was seen as the ending of the migrant crisis in Calais. Every day and night Migrants had tried to get across the Channel to England, often ending in disaster for the would be travellers. It was the wish of many a migrant to get to England as they thought wrongly the streets were paved with gold. Also, because they thought the UK was a soft touch for migrants and immigrants which patently it is not anymore.

Despite the destruction of the Jungle migrants are still trying to gain access to the UK via trains or trucks.

The migration is not as much as it used to be but it is reckoned since January this year 17,000 have tried to cross the Channel.

There are rumours too that French police are abusing and attacking the migrants living in nearby woods. The migrants tend to come from war zones or famine stricken lands. Others are obviously not fleeing any crisis some are just coming for the jobs and benefits they think Europe has.

Most migrants are men

The question has to be asked why are most of the migrants' men and why are there few women and children? One idea is that because in many third world countries like Africa and the Middle East men are the main earners. They leave their family and head to Europe in a hope that once established there they can send back money from whence they came.

Of course, the other worry is that some of these may also be terrorists out to do us harm, as was the case in the Paris attack.

Many of the migrants are people that have left Italy and headed for Calais hoping that they can get into the UK. Some children were taken from Calais because they had relatives in the UK but others were suspicious in case they were not children but youths.

The process was not helped as when the so-called children arrived in the UK they were screened from observers and the media.

The future

With migrants still present in Calais trying to get across the English Channel what is the answer? Destroying the 'Jungle' camp did not solve the problem the migrants have simply scattered elsewhere.

Alleged harsh tactics by the French police does not help the situation either. French locals may resent the migrants but that does not give them or the police the right to abuse their human rights.

It is possible some could claim asylum in Europe but with austerity bearing down on many European people this would be unpopular.

The left says they welcome migrants and I am sure it is genuine, but there are many on the left that could be using the migrant crisis to push their own agenda. It is clear there are no quick fixes to this problem, either now or in the future.
Once upon a time in Rome, a young restaurateur named Alfredo Di Lelio invented a pasta dish and named it after himself  Fettuccine Alfredo! Today, it had become one of the worlds most famous pasta dish. Numerous versions and fusion makeovers of this dish have been made flattering the meticulous taste palates of eaters across the globe. But, did you know that this dish had a very interesting saucy secret?

Fettuccine Alfredo and its saucy history

It was in 1914 when Di Lelios wife gave birth to their first child. She lost her appetite after childbirth and could not eat anything at all.

But she needed strength to nurse the newborn baby. Alfredo struggled to find a solution but to no avail.

Out of desperation, the new papa stormed his kitchen and gathered every best ingredients available in his restaurant. He grabbed freshly done egg noodles, grated young Parmesan cheese, and scooped the best butter he could find. Yes, the original recipe was only made up of 50% young Parmesan, 50% butter, and egg noodles. And yes again, this very popular pasta dish was originally served without cream, flour and garlic.

Luckily, the sick wife loved it and started regaining her appetite. He included it to the restaurants menu and even named it after himself. Indeed, the Alfredo in Fettuccine Alfredo was named after its inventor.

It attracted the locals and eventually became a sensation in their small citadel.

However, it was in 1927 when the dish became a phenomenon. A visiting silent movie stars, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, dined at Ristorante Alfredo and fell in love with this cheesy and savory pasta bowl. The newlyweds brought it to Hollywood and the rest is history.

But, funny enough, the international success of the dish overwhelmed the domestic one. As a matter of fact, Italians werent really keen in cooking Fettuccine Alfredo. Well, apart from  touristic restaurants! True Italian recipes were more oriented to tomato seasonings and even amongst the white saucy dressings (which are more popular in the Northern regions).

Meaning, the Alfredo sauce wasnt really so widespread.

Fettuccine Alfredo, WHO? - Italians

Amid its international popularity, majority of the Italian population wasnt even aware of Fettuccine Alfredo. In fact, when you come across locals in Italy and ask about the dish, they will surely answer you back, (drum rolls) Who is Alfredo?

Authentic Italian dishes usually, if not by default, were tomato-based. The flair of this tradition had been used for centuries and passed on from generation to generation. Previous popes, conquerors, and past ruling monarchs of the warring Italian states had feasted with cuisines immersed in real tomato goodness  the true Italian spirit!

To set things straight about Italys real food identity, Cirio  the Ambassadors of authentic Italian cuisine  had launched a campaign in the United Kingdom to separate the true Italian from fake commercial dishes being offered to tourist.

Embarking on a mission, Cirio reached out to online foodies to be in line with the Italian tradition. The campaign was called I Am Not Alfredo, a sarcastic reference to Fettuccine Alfredos fake commercial success. Participants were asked to photograph themselves while cooking or eating a tomato-based dish, of course, using the Cirios canned tomato products.

You need to register first at whoisalfredo.com to join the campaign. Then, share your pictures online via Facebook timeline or through the image gallery embedded in the mini website. Make sure to use our official hashtag, #IAmNotAlfredo, to spread this gastronomic awareness.

Post one photo each day starting today until July 15 and get a chance to win Cirio Goodie Bags in the daily raffles.

Five lucky Italian dish lovers would have the chance to fly for two in Italy for a 3-day Cooking Holiday in Tuscany from September 23 to 26. Winners should present a proof-of-purchase of any Cirio product bought within the contest period.

Lets shatter fake consumerism and live up for the true Italian food heritage by joining Cirios Who Is Alfredo campaign!
Donald Trump made yet another controversial remark on Tuesday, this time threatening potential war with North Korea. While many have criticized the president for his comments, Presidential Counsel Kellyanne Conway was quick to come to his defense.

Conway on Trump

It's become routine to hear Donald Trump make a statement that leaves many scratching their heads. Whether it's about Democrats, his fellow Republicans, celebrities, or the alleged "fake news" media, the former host of "The Apprentice" doesn't pull many punches when it comes to offering up his opinion on a variety of issues.

While supporters of the president tend to stand by him regardless of what the topic is at hand, critics are quick to pile on the billionaire real estate mogul, calling Trump out on the spot to highlight what many believe is ignorance and incompetence. On Tuesday while addressing reporters, Trump was asked about the recent comments coming out of North Korea who pushed back against sanctions that were imposed by the United Nations over the weekend. In response, Trump replied, "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States," while vowing to hit back with "fire and fury." As reported by Mediaite on August 8, Kellyanne Conway made sure to defend the president in regards to the comments in question.

Kellyanne Conway on Trump's North Korea comments: "I think the president's comments were very strong and obvious." https://t.co/jgPbCgiilY  NBC News (@NBCNews) August 8, 2017

Following Donald Trump's remarks, which took place during a discussion on the opioid crisis in the country, Kellyanne Conway was asked to address the comments that were made by the president.

"I think the presidents comments were very strong and obvious," Conway told those in attendance. "I would defer to other members of Dr. Price's cabinet to comment further," she went on to say.

JUST IN: Trump warns North Korea it "will be met with fire and fury" over any future nuclear threats https://t.co/mzwtNhRAqZ pic.twitter.com/xLyU3rXoYF  The Hill (@thehill) August 8, 2017

Twitter reacts

In response to Donald Trump's comments about North Korea and Kellyanne Conway's follow up remarks, critics of the president gave their thoughts across social media.

"The White House is about to send out Kellyanne Conway. Should a nuclear holocaust occur, she's looking to become queen of the roaches," one Twitter user wrote.

The White House is about to send out Kellyanne Conway. Should a nuclear holocaust occur, she's looking to become queen of the roaches.  Aiden Wolfe (@AidenWolfe) August 8, 2017

Way to make the people feel safe Kelly Ann ..... was it just me or did she seemed " out of it"  Chris (@ChrisMcTague3) August 8, 2017

Thank you for that mind blowing analysis of your presidents rambling  Chuck Vroom (@Chuck_Vroom) August 8, 2017

"Oh good Kellyanne Conway is going to brief the press in a few. that should help calm things down," another social media user added.

"A whole lot of talk and not action. Just like the rest of the stuff you guys do," yet another tweet read.

@KeIIyannePolls looks like she's been hitting the opioids big time. I would be too if my job was to lie for Dumpy. Such a ghoul.  Nancy  (@ImpeachDumpy) August 8, 2017

Oh good Kellyanne Conway is going to brief the press in a few. that should help calm things down  john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) August 8, 2017

Others decided to troll Kellyanne Conway for continuing to push Donald Trump's questionable agenda on the opioid crisis. "@KeIIyannePolls looks like she's been hitting the opioids big time. I would be too if my job was to lie for Dumpy. Such a ghoul," a Twitter user wrote. As the backlash continued, it was more than obvious that the divide between the political left and right was not going to improve anytime soon.
What was supposed to be a fun night turned into a tragedy when a gun-wielding man approached a group of friends outside a restaurant in Florida on Saturday. Juan Javier Cruz was with his gay friends when an unknown man confronted them before the actual shooting took place.

Murder case fueled by homophobia

According to a Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office report, the gunman specifically mocked and threatened Cruz' gay friends during the encounter. I hate you damned gays. Im going to kill you all here, the man said as cited by an eyewitness. If we were in my country, I'd kill all of you like rats."

Several witnesses said that the man pulled out a handgun and opened fire after mocking the group.

Cruz was reportedly trying to defend his gay friends when the suspect shot and killed him on the spot. Aside from the 22-year-old Florida man, another unidentified bystander was reportedly shot in his ankle during the incident.

A day after the tragic encounter, authorities were able to arrest the suspect, identified as Nelson Hernandez Mena, a 48-year-old native of Honduras. He was immediately charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and aggravated assault with a firearm, while the police are still investigating if Mena will be charged with hate crime.

The suspect explained that he was "very drunk" when the incident happened and insisted that it was not his intention to harm anyone.

On Monday, a judge ordered that Mena should be held accountable without bail.

The internet reacts to shooting incident

Meanwhile, the shooting incident, which was believed to fueled by Homophobia, has caused outrage online. Several social media users condemned the act, while others called to denounce hate crimes against the members of LGBTQ community.

I hate this world. https://t.co/CeLUvlGwQ3  ydr-y'all dont read (@anthoknees) August 7, 2017

Others have also expressed their condolences to the bereaved family of Cruz, whom they called a "hero" for laying down his own life to protect his friends from a homophobic man.

"Rest in peace, Juan Javier Cruz. May your heroic spirit soar in a place without hate and pain," a Twitter user wrote. Another one said, "Fragile masculinity is deadly. Rest in power, Juan Javier Cruz. My heart goes out to your beautiful spirit and those who are grieving your loss."

According to an NBC News report, right activists consider Honduras, where the suspect came from, as "one of the most hostile and dangerous countries for human rights defenders." In fact, LGBT activists fear for their lives after they saw the drastic increase in LGBT killings in the country since 2009.
During the first seven months of the Donald Trump administration, the first lady has kept mostly out of the spotlight. However, Melania Trump does post on social media from time to time, which often results in backlash from critics.

Melania on Twitter

When Donald Trump first announced that he was running for president back in the summer of 2015, he did so with his family by his side on the floor of Trump Tower in New York City. As the months rolled on, Trump's unorthodox campaign style and controversial rhetoric found its niche in the Republican primary and he was eventually nominated at the GOP convention last July.

During the event, Melania Trump gave a speech that was initially praised, but was later ripped apart after it was found that portions were plagiarized from an earlier speech given by Michelle Obama. In the months that would follow, Melania would go back to keeping a somewhat low profile that has continued into the White House. Despite this, Melania has taken time to voice her opinion about a select group of issues which was evident when she spoke out about Drug Addiction during a August 8 tweet.

Opioids are destroying our youth/people. Mtg w @Potus & @SecPriceMD today to give my support to #STOPDRUGADDICTION pic.twitter.com/aAjNNnu98n  Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) August 8, 2017

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday morning, Melania Trump decided to bring attention to the issue of drug addiction in the United States.

"Opioids are destroying our youth/people," Melania tweeted out, before adding, "Mtg w @Potus & @SecPriceMD today to give my support to #STOPDRUGADDICTION." As expected, the negative response from those who are critical of the president came quick and didn't hold back.

Twitter reacts

Just moments after Melania Trump sent out her tweet about drug addiction, opponents of the administration fired back.

"The Trumps are destroying our youth/people, meeting with my friends to give my support to #STOPTHETRUMPS," one Twitter user wrote.

Hopefully your contribution today will be more successful than your anti cyberbullying efforts, eh?  GM (@GimpusMaximus) August 8, 2017

The Trumps are destroying our youth/people, meeting with my friends to give my support to #STOPTHETRUMPS  Laurie Walski (@LaurieWalski) August 8, 2017

People need the treatment programs provided by Medicaid to survive and get off the drugs  Caleb Newton (@thesmilingknife) August 8, 2017

"How to #Stopdrugaddiction?

Say it with me everyone.... DONT CUT MEDICAID," another social media user posted, while adding, "People need the treatment programs provided by Medicaid to survive and get off the drugs." "Poverty and inequality cause despair and hopelessness resulting in people turning to drugs to escape...poverty caused by people like Trump," The Socialist Party Twitter page added.

Tell us what drugs @realDonaldTrump is on for him to act so outrageous and crazy all the time.  Zen (@ZenInHouston) August 8, 2017

Poverty and inequality cause despair and hopelessness resulting in people turning to drugs to escape  poverty caused by people like Trump.  The Socialist Party (@OfficialSPGB) August 8, 2017

"Tell us what drugs Donald Trump is on for him to act so outrageous and crazy all the time," an additional tweet went on to read. As the negative responses continued, it became clear that the rift between the political left and right in the country was not going to end anytime soon.
There's a new rumor dragging the name of "Alaskan Bush People" mother Ami Brown in the legal Marijuana tension happening at the moment. The word has been out speculating that the reality star was seen several times in Colorado to get Cannabis treatment due to severe pains caused by her cancer.

The 54-year old "Alaskan Bush People" star was diagnosed with Stage 3B Lung Cancer. Her doctors in UCLA Hospital gave her several treatment options to stop the growth and spread of cancerous cells in her body. However, some gossip monger fans are starting a rumor mill accusing Ami of shying away from these medical options and seek marijuana infused treatment instead.

Rumor mill

Last August 6, "Alaskan Bush People" verified Facebook page posted a photo of the rural Alaska. It was meant to tease whats in store for the shows upcoming episode after two weeks of absence in its regular Wednesday prime time slot. The posts caption said, With Ami's diagnosis, the Browns are out of Alaska. But where to next?

"Alaskan Bush People" fans started giving away their guesses and well-wishes for Ami and her family. Meanwhile, some eagle-eyed followers are quick to notice a very interesting comment. The comment says, They're in Colorado where she can use the Cannabis for pain. Other people jumped right on the thread and started agreeing to the proposition.

Although this was never confirmed nor denied by anyone related to the show, it actually made sense.

You can see a screen grab of their conversation below.

But, why would they rather travel far to Colorado when marijuana is also legal in Alaska and California where they had Amis diagnosis. The answer is rather simple, the family and the show's production team might be taking precautions to avoid bad publicity associated with cannabis treatment.

Current national marijuana tension

Just last week, Senator Cory Booker introduced the Marijuana Justice Act aiming to legalize marijuana across the United States of America and penalize local communities that deny and sidestep the implementation of this drug.

According to USA Today, the move sparked outrage from other factions who believe marijuana is a dangerous drug that could birth to generational consequences.

Being involved directly or indirectly in marijuana use at the moment could incite backlash from people who are against it. Thus, the "Alaskan Bush People" moms rumored involvement with cannabis treatment was taken away from the public eye.

After two-week hiatus, "Alaskan Bush People" Season 7 returns with the Bush Code episode tonight, August 9, at 9:00 PM Eastern on the Discovery Channel.
"The Real Housewives of New York" star luann de lesseps filed for divorce suddenly last Thursday from her husband, Tom D'Agostino. Many fans of Luann had expected this divorce filing because she had been very unhappy in her marriage to Tom. He had been caught cheating on her once before prior to the wedding, but rumors continued to surface about his bachelor ways and how he couldn't be a one-woman man.

There was nothing in particular that happened in the days leading up to the divorce filing, but Luann was shocked and surprised to hear about what people were saying about her marriage in the press.

Tom had supposedly seen an ex-girlfriend last weekend when Luann was in the Hamptons with her former "Real Housewives of New York" co-star, Jill Zarin. The rumor was that he was trying to hook up with an ex-girlfriend after having texted her all night. When Luann was confronted with this rumor, she laughed and downplayed it. But something was happening behind closed Beadors as they have now filed for divorce.

Leaving the country

Many fans may be wondering what Luann de Lesseps is doing these days as she is coping with the aftermath of her failed marriage. Based on a new tweet, it sounds like fans spotted her at the airport getting on the flight to Switzerland.

Luann has spent a long time in Switzerland as she was married to a Count for many years.

Perhaps she just needs to go back to where she had spent so many years to get a sense of who she used to be. One can imagine she also has friends and family there to rely on as she works through this divorce.

Thank you to the internet sleuths who have pointed out Luann is wearing her PLEASE DONT LET IT BE ABOUT TOM dress at the airport!!!!  pic.twitter.com/L0CdPkvOfC  Michelle Collins (@michcoll) August 5, 2017

What about her RHONY co-stars?

She may not be relying on her "Real Housewives of New York" co-stars these days, as many of them had previously warned her about his cheating ways and had tried to tell her that he was bad news.

Despite reports that he wanted to make it work, it sounds like the marriage is done for good. Something must have happened suddenly as she filed for divorce, not separation.

Luann has revealed that she's doing well after the decision to file for divorce and that she's enjoying life to the fullest overseas. Perhaps she just needed some time away to deal with her emotions and to get back to who she was prior to getting married.

No word on whether her children went with her to possibly see their father.

What do you think of Luann de Lesseps decision to flee to Switzerland just days after filing for divorce? What do you think she's going to do there?
Narcos season 3 is about to come as Netflix now drops its new trailer introducing the Cali Cartel. As Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) is now dead, the crime dramas continuation will pick up the story of his drug trades successor.

A new drug empire is about to rise and will be the main focus of the web television series. The DEA agents will be now in a new hunt to take this illegal trade down in Colombia once again, but it looks like it might be more difficult for them this time.

Introducing the new drug lords

Narcos Season 3 is going to introduce the richest drug-trafficking organization in the world, the Cali Cartel.

It is led by four powerful and influential godfathers namely Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela (Damian Alcazar), Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela (Francisco Denis), Pacho Herrera (Alberto Ammann), and Chepe Santacruz Londono (Pepe Rapazote). These four have their own ways to handle their business perfectly and to keep themselves in a low-profile to be away from the spotlight.

In the shows third season, they are expanding their territory from Colombia to New York City. And they wont just stop there as they are also planning to make it bigger, reaching other countries.

In the new trailer, the DEA agent Javier Pena (Pedro Pascal) returns to hunt these drug lords. In fact, he will be asking for American and Colombian law enforcements help against their war on drugs.

Try to go through the Cali bosses, all youll get are more bodies, he got warned. He was also advised that this kind of people never make mistakes.

The rise of the new drug empire

Moreover, Narcos Season 3 is about to feature the repercussion of Pablo Escobars death. It will focus mostly on telling the story of the narcoterrorists successor.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, executive producer Eric Newman revealed that the Cali cartel has knocked Medellin cartel down. In fact, it has benefitted from its loss rising to be the number one drug dealer in Colombia after being left behind in the second spot. Evidently, the country has a rotating story about the narco kingpins, and the Netflix series is planning to make the most of it.

Since the web drama started, they have decided to call the show "Narcos" instead of Pablo Escobar as they wanted to continue the story of illegal drug trade in Colombia and the drug war after his death. We had always planned on continuing on, he confessed.

Narcos Season 3 will be released on Sep. 1 on Netflix. It also has new cast members Matias Varela, Michael Stahl-David, Miguel Angel Silvestre, and Arturo Castro.
Microsoft Surface Pro 2017 owners are showing their disappointment over the devices unexpected shutting off. The issue is taken into the spotlight as Surface Pro users demand Microsofts explanation regarding the glitch. This comes as a major upset for the breakout device which fared so well in recent tech reviews  it is even helmed by MacWorld as the faster device against its iPad Pro counterpart.

Microsoft forums are bombarded by complaints

Note that the Surface Pro in question does not bear a descriptive number but bears the 2017 moniker. The units are reportedly dying unexpectedly.

The thread was created by Becca05 on the Microsoft Answers forum. She has complained that her new Surface Pro is randomly shutting off. She has already checked on its setting but the glitch continues to happen  it still randomly turns off without warning. Worse, the said problem has started causing the loss of her schoolwork.

She then asked, Is anyone else having this problem? At press time, the question has already gathered 367 Me too replies. Other users have brought up the same issue on Reddit and other independent forums.

What went wrong?

Microsoft representative BryanH [MSFT] has initially responded to becca05s query saying that their team is aware of the reports made by a Small Group of customers.

He has noted that the devices inadvertent hibernation is already under investigation.

But his small group of customers referenced to the group of faultfinders seem to worsen the problem.

On July 10, the representative came back to give Surface Pro users a quick update. Microsoft has already identified the issue and is currently testing a fix that will be delivered via Windows Update.

Heres what you need to do

Microsoft MVP and Forum Moderator Barb Bowman advises affected Surface Pro owners to return their units if they are experiencing random shut offs. He came up with the announcement after angry Surface Pro 2017 complainers went berserk when the company representative labeled them as a "small group."

The tech guru has admitted in his statement that it has historically taken Microsoft months and months to identify issues and come out with a fix.

To calm the storm, he offered an immediate solution to the problem  return the units for either a full refund or a replacement. He added that each unit replaced will be eligible for another 30-day warranty.

Moreover, after six months of tests, Microsoft will refurbish the Surface Pro 2017 when they detect the real problem and if the replaced units show inconsistency.
From food stalls to classy shopping malls, the ubiquitous presence of mobile payment in China is budding beyond borders, thanks to an increasing number of Chinese tourists, analysts said.

Here are the top eight destinations attracting the most Chinese tourists, according to research institute China International Travel Mart (CITM).

No 5 United Kingdom

Percentage of Chinese travelers: 10%
The latest earthquake in Sichuan province is a reminder of the never-ending wish for a way to predict such deadly cataclysms.

The latest - a magnitude 7.0 that occurred on Tuesday evening at 9:19 pm 177 miles north of Chengdu and 12 miles deep - killed at least 13 and injured 175.

It came along the same Longmen Shan fault line that produced the 2008 magnitude 8.0 temblor that killed 69,000 and left 5 million homeless. That was 50 miles to the west-northwest of Chengdu.

The fault line is basically where the Australian and Indian plates are slamming into Asia, and the most apparent nearby result is the Longmen Mountains range, where elevations rise from about 2,000 feet to 21,000 feet in a space of less than 30 miles, forming the eastern ridge of the Tibetan Plateau. It's one of the planet Earth's most dramatic escarpments, and it's obviously not done being built.

Plate tectonics - the study of the Earth's crust and what makes it do what it does - has a lot of theories that are impossible to test. As one scientist once told me: "It's not like we can go down there and see what's happening."

Another expert suggested that all of the tectonic activity on Earth - the heaving land masses, the exploding volcanoes, the rupturing fault lines on the oceans' floors - are all byproducts of the planet trying to release its inner heat.

Tectonics really comes down to scientists making educated guesses about what's going on deep inside our planet and then seeing how well their theories explain events like Tuesday's earthquake.

A group at Princeton is bringing supercomputers to the task of shining a light on what's going on miles and miles beneath the ocean's floor by creating a picture of it.

Using advanced modeling and simulation techniques, seismic data from earthquakes scattered around the planet and one of the world's fastest supercomputers, a team led by Princeton's Jeroen Tromp has been constructing a 3-D image of the Earth's interior down to 1,800 miles, where the mantle meets what's believed to be the planet's iron core.

The result is a high-fidelity visualization that ties together tectonic plates, magma plumes and hot spots - like the one under the Pacific Plate that has been (and still is) forming the island chain of Hawaii.

It's all about modeling and reading the waves that travel from a quake's epicenter in all directions, the same ones that wreak havoc on things living on the crust's surface - like us - but also leave a trail for scientists to sleuth out, track and chart.

Not a simple task. "You need really big computers to do this," one team member said.

In this case it was Titan, a 27-petaflop Cray XK7 managed by the US Department of Energy at its Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, where the team was able to push the envelope of their science - computational seismology - to its limits.

Seismic waves change speed when they pass through hot magma or cooler zones where plates slip under their neighbor. The variations paint a picture that the computer was able to stitch together to create the 3-D image.

Tromp's team used earthquakes between magnitudes of 5.8 and 7 on the Richter scale. The range extended to include more than 6,000 of the earthquakes in their data base.

The team continues to dig deeper and refine the model. As one of the project's investigators - Ebru Bozdag, assistant professor of geophysics at the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis - told a DOE newsletter: "Most global models in seismology agree at large scales but differ from each other significantly at the smaller scale. That's why it's crucial to have a more accurate image of the Earth's interior.

A living, breathing model of the Earth's core would be a first step toward predicting earthquakes below in the way we can forecast storms above.

Contact the writer at chrisdavis@chinadailyusa.com.
Just days after the Trump administration submitted a letter to the United Nations withdrawing the US from the Paris climate accord, a leaked government draft report shows that climate change is already having an impact on the United States.

Temperatures have risen dramatically since 1980, according to the report that was published by the New York Times on Monday and renewed on Tuesday.

The US Global Change Research Program Climate Science Special Report, compiled by a group of scientists from 13 federal agencies, shows that recent decades have been the warmest of the past 1,500 years and concludes that people in the US are feeling the effects of climate change right now.

"Many lines of evidence demonstrate that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse (heat-trapping) gases, are primarily responsible for recent observed climate change," the authors wrote.

The report, part of the National Climate Assessment, was congressionally mandated to take place every four years since 1990. It was supposed to be approved by the Trump administration before being released publicly.

The report's message contradicts the opinion held by US President Donald Trump and many of his cabinet members.

Trump has called the concept of global warming a "Chinese hoax" that was "created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive".

On Tuesday, both the White House and the Environmental Protection Agency said the draft has been in the public domain for months. "We continue to discuss the best path forward for an honest, open dialogue in regard to climate science," EPA spokesperson Liz Bowman told ABC News.

Last Friday, US officials submitted a letter to inform the UN that the US will withdraw from the Paris agreement. The letter, sent to UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres by US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, left the door open to reengage if the terms improved for the US.

Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the Paris accord on June 1, describing it as bad for the US economy and jobs. As part of the Paris agreement, the US had pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent from its 2005 levels by 2025.

The Friday letter is in fact not qualified as a letter for formal withdrawal. Under the rules, the US can only submit such a letter in 2019. The earliest date for the US to completely withdraw from the accord is Nov 4, 2020, one day after the 2020 US presidential election.

Guterres called the US decision as a "major disappointment for the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote global security" but he welcomes any efforts toward the US' reengagement, according to his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Andrew Light, a distinguished senior fellow in the global climate program of the World Resources Institute, told China Daily on Tuesday that the report "really represents the best that we know in terms of climate science and we hope the administration will listen to it."

chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Brookings' Dollar says cooperation on key public issues bolsters China-US ties

The ballast in the relationship of the world's two largest economies is their cooperation on the global public goods, which the Trump administration's "America First" approach is undermining, according to a senior researcher at a US think tank.

Without successful cooperation on issues that matter to the public, it is likely that US-China relations will become more volatile and bounce back and forth on small events, said David Dollar, senior fellow with the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution.

For years, academics and politicians in Beijing and Washington have agreed that trade relations are the foundation of bilateral ties, given that China and the US are each other's largest trading partner.

But Dollar said that China's economy is much less export-dependent today than it was before the global financial crisis in 2008, when the country's ratio of exports to gross domestic product fell from 32 percent then to about 18 percent last year.

On the US side, exports to China accounts for less than 1 percent of US GDP, and some American companies have complained about a lack of access to China's markets, according to Dollar.

"It is becoming less true that the economic relationship is the foundation of the overall relationship," Dollar, who specializes in foreign policy and global economy and development, told China Daily in an interview on Monday.

"I see the ballast in the relationship being the cooperation on global public goods," he said.

Global public goods include issues such as peace and security, health, climate change, market efficiency and financial stability, according to Bernur Akgz Ersoy, author of Globalization and Global Public Goods published in 2011.

The two most important public goods for the US and China to cooperate on are climate change and free trade, said Dollar, a former World Bank and US Treasury representative to China.

However, US President Donald Trump's "America first" policy puts little or no value on those public goods, he said.

"We are in danger of losing that ballast now because the Trump administration has a negative view of many global public goods," Dollar said.

The US-China cooperation on climate change, culminating with the Paris Agreement in 2015, was one of the best examples of the two countries working together for the public good, Dollar said.

Other examples include their cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation in Iran, on Ebola control in Africa and on piracy off Africa's coasts, according to Dollar.

"But Trump pulled out of the Paris Agreement and does not believe in addressing climate change," Dollar said, adding that the new US administration also does not like the Iran nuclear agreement and has reintroduced sanctions against the Middle Eastern country.

The Korean Peninsula is one potential area for cooperation, but that will be much harder to solve than Iran because the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is not integrated into the global economy, and sanctions are likely to have a limited impact, Dollar said.

The international community expects China to contribute more to the public good now that its national strength has been significantly enhanced, said Cao Dejun, a PhD candidate at the School of International Studies at Peking University.

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, has become the most popular public good that China provides to the world, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in March.

Dollar said the Belt and Road Initiative, comprising the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, could provide greater integration and faster development of poor countries.

He said the US and China could potentially work together on the Belt and Road, most effectively through multilateral development banks.

"I fear that we will have a bumpy few years because the US has turned away from climate action and free trade," Dollar said. "But I am optimistic that in the long run, the common interests of China and the US will keep relations conflict-free."

huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com
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Courtesy Shania Porter(PHOENIX) -- A U.S. Air Force master sergeant has surprised both her sons at their schools after her return from a 7-month deployment overseas.



Shania Porter, 36, of Phoenix, Arizona, made the two stops on Monday to announce her homecoming to her boys, Bryce, 5, and Blake, 4.



"It was the best feeling ever," Porter told ABC News on Tuesday. "It was the completion to know it was over and I was home. That was the feeling of home for me."



First, Porter went to Primrose School of Palm Valley in Goodyear, during Blake's first day of school.



Porter surprised her preschooler by broadcasting her voice over the school intercom in the front office: "Attention Pre-K 1," Porter said. "I have a special announcement for a little boy that I flew so many miles to see and to tell him how much I love him."



Porter then walked inside Blake's classroom to reveal herself during their emotional reunion.



"[Blake] was confused and I said to him, 'Did that sound familiar? Do you know who that was on the intercom?'" school franchise owner Karen Verlardi told ABC News. "His mom came in and his back was turned and she tapped him on the shoulder and that's when they embraced."



She added, "To just see them together was incredible."



After lunch, Porter surprised her eldest son, Bryce, a first-grader at Crown Charter School in Maricopa County, Arizona. School Principal Janis Ramirez had given her cellphone to Bryce to FaceTime with Porter.



Bryce thought his mom was FaceTiming him from 3,000 miles away but soon realized that she was standing at the playground right outside of his school.



When Bryce realized where Porter was, he ran outside, where the two tearfully embraced.



"[T]o see him reunite with his mother who I know he just loves, it was just a memorable moment that we were happy to be apart of," Ramirez told ABC News.



Since being home, Porter said she's been enjoying visits to the arcade and movie night with her boys and her husband.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
HA NOI  Starbucks will start re-selling Viet Nams a Lat coffee globally this year after a year of disruption, the company announced in a session with the Starbucks Coffee Ambassador on Tuesday.

a Lat coffee, designated as a Starbucks Reserve Coffee, which is exceptional coffee in limited quantities, was sold globally by Starbucks for the first time in January 2016.

Due to its limited quantity, a Lat coffee could be supplied only for a short time. It stopped selling early last year when the 2016 coffee crop did not meet the Starbucks quality standards.

D. Major Cohen, Starbucks Coffee Ambassador, said a Lat coffee is roasted in a roastery in Seattle in the United States, but he declined to disclose the specific time when the products go on sale.

He added that this year a Lat coffee is much tastier than the previous crop with more flavours. a Lat coffee is known to have a bright refreshing acidity that brings out the flavours of kola nut, toffee and vanilla. It cost US$50 per small bag last year.

With the aim of ensuring the supply of the finest coffee, Starbucks only purchases coffee beans from farmers and suppliers who perform the C.A.F.E (Coffee and Farmer Equity) Practices, which are used to evaluate the quality, economics, social and environmental aspects of coffee production, Major added.

He also said that Starbucks is committed to selecting one coffee origin from the coffee-growing countries such as Viet Nam, India or Indonesia, to sell in their stores globally.

a Lat coffee is the first single-origin coffee from Viet Nam that is being sold globally.

In the session, Major also shared his experience in the local shops in Ha Noi on his first trip to Viet Nam where he got a taste of the rich coffee tradition in the country.

He also shared his passion for coffee and the core success of Starbucks that has been built on passion and curiosity, which encourage its partners (employees) in constantly learning.

Major has worked with Starbucks for more than 22 years and is the Starbucks Coffee Ambassador for China and the Asia-Pacific region.

Starbucks, established in Seattle in 1971, has expanded its presence in over 30 countries with more than 24,000 stores worldwide.  VNS
HA NOI  The VN23 trillion (US$1 billion) WHA Hemaraj Industrial Park in the Nghe An central provinces Southeast Economic Zone will break ground this October.

A representative from the Thailand-based Hemaraj Land & Development Public Co Ltd released the news on Wednesday at a meeting of Nghe An Provinces leaders, Thailands Board of Investment led by deputy secretary general Chokedee Kaewsang and 60 Thai firms.

The first phase of the project, which will cover a combined area of 3,200ha in the two districts of Nghi Loc and Dien Chau with rental contracts for 70 years, is expected to be put into operation in early 2018.

This project will be developed through a joint venture between Viet Nam-based Civil Engineering Construction Corporation No 4 (CIENCO 4) and Thailand-based Hemaraj Land & Development Public Co Ltd.

At the meeting, vice chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee Le Ngoc Hoa said the province has enhanced administrative reforms to provide the most favourable conditions for investors.

Investors can find all information related to investment opportunities or licensing procedures from a single body under the provinces Nghe An Centre for Investment Promotion and Development Consultancy, Hoa said.  VNS
HA NOI  The Korea Trade Commission (KTC) has extended its anti-dumping investigation against ferroalloy imported from Viet Nam, Ukraine and India and will arrive at a final decision on October 1 this year instead of August 1 as per the previous deadline.

The information was revealed by the Viet Nam Trade Office in the Republic of Korea.

The items under investigation are imported ferro-silico-manganese products under the HS code: 7202.30.0000.

On December 7, 2016, the KTC initiated an anti-dumping investigation on ferroalloy imported from Viet Nam, Ukraine and India at the request of companies Dongbu Metal, Simpac Metal, Simpac Metalloy and Taekyung Industrial.

Earlier, an investigation into dumping and material injury issues had been scheduled from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016, and from January 1, 2013, to June 30, 2016, respectively.

After four months of investigations, the KTC arrived at a preliminary conclusion that there was enough evidence of anti-dumping practices and substantial damages to the Korean industry.

The KTC said it would recommend that the finance ministry levy punitive duties of 6.08 - 32.32 per cent on ferro-silico-manganese products imported from these three countries, for underselling and causing damage to the local industry.

The tax rate for Viet Nam is expected to be 7.48 per cent.

The alloy made of iron, silicon and manganese is a key ingredient for manufacturing steel, the Korean antitrust agency said.

The Korean market for the alloy was estimated at 230,000 tonnes in 2015, worth 250 billion won (US$220 million). Products imported from Viet Nam, India and Ukraine accounted for nearly 40 per cent of the market.

This June, the KTC conducted on-site investigations of Vietnamese enterprises.  VNS
HCM CITY  The second International Conference on Information Technology Outsourcing/Business Process Outsourcing in Viet Nam will be held in HCM City next October.

Speaking at a press conference in HCM City yesterday, Lam Nguyen Hai Long, president of the Viet Nam IT Outsourcing Alliance (VNITO Alliance) and CEO of Quang Trung Software City, said according to Cushman & Wakefield, Viet Nam ranked first in BPO and Shared Service Location in the world last year.

A Jones Lang LaSalle report earlier this year ranked HCM City (second) and Ha Noi (seventh) in the top 10 global City Momentum Index.

Gartner placed Viet Nam among the Asia-Pacifics top six Global Delivery Country Destinations, and that is a rewarding endorsement and motivation for us to have Viet Nam  Asia Tier 1 Delivery Destination as the slogan for the 2017 VNITO Conference, Long said.

Nguyen Huu Le, chairman of TMA Solutions and a VNITO advisory board member, said the outsourcing industry in Viet Nam had many opportunities and challenges.

"The opportunities are that more and more people know about Viet Nam, many organisations rank Viet Nam highly in IT processing, and the Industrial Revolution 4.0 has a high demand for IT human resources," he said.

"The challenges are how to meet the global requirements and develop the industry in the long-term," he said.

To do that, there must be contributions from all stakeholders in ICT, he added.

Hung Q.Nguyen, chairman and CEO of LogiGear Corporation, said with technology today changing faster than ever, businesses would be required to know about cloud technology, artificial intelligence and other technologies.

"To develop further, businesses in the sector need to invest in innovation, training and research and development," he said.

Besides the English-speaking markets, Japan is also a promising market for Viet Nams IT outsourcing companies, according to Le.

But to do businesses with Japanese firms, Vietnamese companies must have IT engineering teams that can communicate in Japanese.

This is a big opportunity but also a challenge for Vietnamese firms since there is a shortage of IT workers who know Japanese.

To be organised by VNITO Alliance, QTSC and the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre and supported by the HCM City Computer Association and Viet Nam Resource and IT Development Group, the conference on October 19-20 at the GEM Convention Center is expected to attract 500 participants from multinational and hi-tech companies, Vietnamese IT services enterprises, IT associations, trade promotion centres, and IT universities, colleges and training centres.

The event will provide information about the countrys software industry, big data, cloud, Internet of Things and artificial intelligence in Viet Nam.

There will be discussions on how to attract talent, capabilities of IT human resources, outlook on and insights into the Vietnamese BPO industry and others.

The 2017 VNITO Conference will also focus on promoting the countrys BPO capabilities and investment in localities such as Lam ong Province.

The bi-annual conference targets to promote Viet Nam as an emerging IT outsourcing destination and offer a business matching platform for buyers and Vietnamese vendors.  VNS
HCM CITY  Businesses should co-operate closely with the Government to usher in a second export wave of products with higher added-value and promotion of brands, participants at a seminar in HMC City said on Tuesday.

According to Nguyen Phu Hoa, deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trades Import and Export Department, the second wave is crucial given the world has entered the tech-based Fourth Industrial Revolution that is tranforming society, services and trade.

For example, in Japan and the US, humans are working with robots while China is targeting more modern production similar to South Koreas and Japans.

Viet Nams first export wave, in which businesses exported raw material, is over.

The seminar pointed out that certain foundations would need to be established to successfully develop the second wave.

The first is setting up a system to share know-how innovated with the support of the Government, according to participants.

This kind of sharing will enable companies to access new technologies, talents and scientists.

Thus, all research outcomes must be shared and published so that they could be applied.

The second requirement is creating trust and confidence since now many consumers doubt the origin and quality of goods.

Thirdly, a competitive infrastructure needs to be developed.

Hoa said one huge thrust would be needed to upgrade roads, bridges, ports, and logistics facilities to serve production and exports.

"But exports cannot be competitive when traffic jams occur regularly when goods are on the way to airports and ports," and this problem should be fixed soon, he said.

Yasuo Nishitohge, general director of Japanese retailer AEON Vietnam, said Vietnamese goods suppliers were constantly improving their products and skills, and now supplied 81 per cent of all items sold in his supermarket.

Fred Burke, governor of American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in HCM City, said notwithstanding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) shock, Viet Nams growth and reform continued apace.

The orientation may shift but the US remains a key export market, albeit with new challenges.

Beyond the TPP, there were many factors boosting Vietnamese exports, he said.

The ASEAN Economic Community established in 2015 had created an economic block of substance, and free trade agreements with the EU and Korea and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership would have multiplier effects, he said.

The entry into effect of the Trade Facilitation Agreement was another boost, he said, adding that Viet Nam was staying the course in its global integration strategy.

Identifying the target markets and managing risk in export activities was organised by the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre.

A report from the Ministry of Industry and Trade has said that in the first seven months of this year the countrys estimated exports were US$115.2 billion, nearly 19 per cent higher year-on-year.

Some 20 products exceeded the $1 billion export mark.

Exports to markets that have signed free trade agreements with Viet Nam continue to increase.

For the full year the ministry expects exports of $200 billion, a 13 per cent rise.

Imports are expected to increase by 17 per cent to $205 billion.  VNS
HA NOI  The nations fibre and yarn exports reached 750,000 tonnes, worth more than US$1.85 billion over the past seven months, surging 17 per cent in volume and 26.5 per cent in value against the same period last year.

Over 341,000 tonnes of fibre and yarn were shipped abroad for $933.4 million in the first half of this year alone, up 18.5 per cent in volume and 29.47 per cent in value, according to the General Department of Customs.

Vietnamese fibre and yarn have been exported to nearly 20 countries worldwide. Of them, mainland China is the leading importer, accounting for 54.4 per cent of the total value. South Korea and Turkey were the two other largest importers of Vietnamese fibre and yarn. Other markets recording positive import turnovers included Taiwan, Hong Kong and Pakistan.

Baodautu.vn quoted the Viet Nam Cotton and Spinning Association as saying that Vietnamese businesses have shifted their export targets from Turkey to China and Pakistan after its anti-dumping duties were imposed in recent years.

Although Turkey remaied the third largest consumer of Viet Nams fibres and yarns, exports to the market slumped signficantly by 37.5 per cent in volume to 30,000 tonnes and 28.3 per cent in value to $67.9 million from January to June period.  VNS
HA NOI  Authorities in the southern province of Ca Mau should accelerate the administrative reform process and offer the most beneficial policies for investors, business leaders have said.

Ca Mau Provincial Peoples Committee on Tuesday held a dialogue with nearly 100 representatives from businesses and co-operatives in the province to detail the provinces socio-economic situation and investment attraction policies as well as to fix difficulties for enterprises.

Many enterprises in the province expressed concerns, proposing that provincial authorities take measures to support firms and remove difficulties in investment, production and business.

Nguyen Tien Dung, a representative from Thuan Nhat Ca Mau Specialties Company Limited suggested that Ca Mau authorities continue implementing supportive policies, especially those relating to financial support for startups.

Huynh The Gioi, representative of Ca Mau Housing Investment and Development JSC, lauded the provinces efforts to improve investment environment and administrative reform, creating favourable conditions for investment projects in the province.

However, he said, there still remained inappropriate policies and regulations related to planning and the implementation procedure of projects, wasting firms time and risking a loss of investment opportunities for the province.

Prolonged procedures to grant land use rights for projects and degraded infrastructure also affected investment activities in the province, Gioi said.

Nguyen uc Nam, representative of Hoa Hiep Passenger Company, complained about unhealthy competition in passenger transportation in the province, adding that drivers often fight amongst themselves for passengers, causing traffic disorder in the locality.

Nam requested that provincial authorities handle the situation in a timely manner to create a good image of Ca Mau province in the eyes of visitors and guests.

At the conference, leaders of the State Bank branch in Ca Mau, the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Planning and Investment and Department of Natural Resources and Environment listened to businesses feedback and proposals on the development of brands and the protection of trademarks.

Firms were also encouraged to step up the fight against fake goods and poor-quality products and to propose preferential mechanisms and policies on land tax, credit loans and investment in the construction of transport infrastructure, as well as handling environmental pollution and better managing construction material prices.

One of the most concerning issues during the meeting was the inventory of shrimp shell in seafood processing factories in Ca Mau, which has the countrys largest shrimp cultivation area. Previously, enterprises could sell shrimp shell for VN20,000 per kilogramme to businesses who buy shells to process shrimp powder, but no one buys them anymore.

Firms attributed the problem to factories poor waste treatment and outdated technologies, resulting in a buildup of shrimp shells at many seafood processing factories in the province.

Nguyen Tien Hai, Chairman of Ca Mau Provincial Peoples Committee requested that the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment work with agencies and enterprises to propose measures to tackle the problems.

Hai said Ca Mau Peoples Committee pledged to continue to create favourable conditions and beneficial policies to support investors and businesses.

Up to now, provincial authorities have granted registration certificates to more than 4,600 enterprises, with total registered capital exceeding VN29 trillion (US$1.3 billion).

In the first seven months of this year, there were 317 newly established enterprises with registered capital of nearly VN1.4 trillion. In addition, the province has 164 co-operatives and some 25,000 individual business households.  VNS
HA NOI  The Communist Party and the government of Viet Nam have for long realised that climate change and its devastating consequences are not just a scientific forecast but already a reality and they are aware one of the countrys key tasks is to protect its natural forests.

Commitment to this task was evidenced by last years official order "closing down natural forest," effectively barring the use of natural forest land for other purposes, and attempts to sustainably utilise resources from natural forests were promoted.

A statement on this was made by Cao uc Phat, permanent vice-head of the Party Central Committees Commission for Economic Affairs, at a high-level forum on realising opportunities for sustainable natural forest management held on Monday in Ha Noi.

The event was organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, UN-REDD Viet Nam and the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment. Representatives from various government agencies, international partners and the private sector participated in the event to ensure a broad-based dialogue.

Viet Nam ranks 33rd globally in terms of natural resources, but is comparatively poor in turning those assets into economic opportunities. Viet Nam has been a leader in experimenting redistribution mechanisms like payment for forest environmental services (PFES), which is expected to reach and redirect $100 million annually from 2017 onwards, however, there are rooms for improvement, as the current rate of $15 per ha of forest is quite low compared to leading countries like Costa-Ricas PFES $60 per ha or Indias budget devolution mechanisms rate of $120.

Tim Boyle, UN co-ordinator for UN-REDD Asia Pacific Region, lamented upon the fact that the value of forest land had not been fully calculated by the national accounting system, as forests accounted for only one per cent of the total national GDP in 2010, while other critical benefits from forests  providing protection for watershed, biodiversity conservation, and ecotourism  had not been accounted for in the GDP.

Nguyen Van Ha, deputy head of the Viet Nam Administration of Forest (MARD), said national forest coverage had jumped from 33.3 per cent in 2010 to 44.19 per cent in 2016.

However, the forestry bureau also said the maximum coverage that Viet Nam can achieve will stay at 45 per cent.

In the future, when the first phase of UN-REDD related to restoring forest coverage has been completed, the country will switch its attention to improve the quality of natural forests (currently accounting for 71 per cent of forest coverage) as the majority of natural forest area is recently replanted or considered "poor quality."

Ha listed improving the living standard of locals and contributing to the development of a green and low-carbon economy as the strategic goals of forest protection, development and the REDD+ programme in Viet Nam towards 2020.

Accordingly, Dr Tran ai Nghia from the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development said one of the important economic opportunities from natural forests could be eco-tourism. According to his report, in 2016, forests received two million tourists, up 80 per cent compared with the previous year, collecting revenue of VN114 billion (US$5 million), a figure Nghia thought was modest compared with Taiwans revenue of $3.5 million, although it only had one-fiftieth of Viet Nams 2.2 million hectares of natural forest land.

Eric Solheim, UN Environment Director Executive, was elated with Viet Nams respectable achievement and considered the country a success story in achieving the United Nations sustainable development goals. He, however, also urged further improvement in forest protection efforts, which would need inter-sectoral combined contributions from government leadership to private sector, as well as indigenous and local people.

Profits are privatised, while costs are socialised is one capitalistic systematic failure that needs to be addressed when forest resources are exploited, according to the UN official, We must make sure those who use the forest use it sustainably or pay the bills for the consequences of their activities.

Representatives from the private sector businesses who engage in producing and trading local products made sustainably from natural forests spoke of the challenges they faced. Sapanapro, a social enterprise based in remote Ta Phin Commune of Sa Pa District, Lao Cai Province, encouraged Red Dao minority locals to commercialise their traditional herbal therapies, while VietRAP, an essential oil extraction company, wanted the implementation of a standard process of assessing medicinal plants under forest canopies. The current lack of such mechanisms hurt the products price and did not reflect the true value of the natural forest resources used.

Under the community-driven model, locals are allocated forestland, and in this way, they feel more responsible about ensuring forest resources are not harmed.

UN-REDD (United Nations Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) is a programme aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by improving forest management and land use and conserving forest carbon stock.  VNS
Washington D.C  Defence Minister Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich held talks with US Secretary of Defence James Mattis in Washington DC on Tuesday following a welcome ceremony the same day.

Lich, who is on a visit to the US from August 7-10, said Viet Nam considers the US one of its most important partners and always prioritises the development of bilateral ties based on the principles of equality, respect for political regimes, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of each country.

He spoke highly of the USs collaboration with the Vietnamese coast guard in law enforcement at sea as well as in United Nations peacekeeping missions.

The two officials hailed the outcomes of bilateral ties on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding on promoting defence links and the Declaration on the Joint Vision on bilateral defence ties covering the exchange of all-level delegations, training, dialogue consultation, maritime security, search and rescue, bomb and mines clearance, Agent Orange/dioxin detoxification, and United Nations peacekeeping activities.

They agreed to reinforce coordination under signed agreements, with priority given to post-war recovery efforts in Viet Nam, response to non-traditional security challenges and the UN peacekeeping activities.

On the subject of dioxin clean-up in contaminated areas, Lich said the two sides have concluded the first stage of the a Nang airport remediation project and are embarking on the second stage to serve the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit 2017. They are also conducting studies to launch a similar project at Bien Hoa airport in the southern province of ong Nai.

Host and guest also talked about the upcoming Viet Nam visit by a US aircraft carrier, saying that agencies concerned will further discuss the trip when the carrier meets the necessary technical requirements.

Mattis, for his part, lauded Viet Nam for its effective joint efforts in seeking the remains of US servicemen listed as Missing in Action (MIA) during the war.

He pledged continued support to Viet Nam in seeking the remains of Vietnamese soldiers missing in the war and cleaning up the traces of dioxin at Bien Hoa airport.

On the occasion, Lich handed over a new document on the locations of searches for the remains of MIA servicemen to the host, making it easier for both sides to continue the effort. In the afternoon on the same day, Lich visited the US Coast Guard. VNS
HCM CITY  Customs officers may have colluded in the disappearance of 213 containers full of electric appliances, electronics and other goods, according to the General Department of Customs and Police.

In mid-2015, 213 containers of 56 logistics enterprises transited HCM Citys Cat Lai Port to Cambodia. However, the containers never arrived at the Viet Nam-Cambodia border.

We are collaborating with the General Department of Security under the Ministry of Public Security and the HCM City Department of Public Security to investigate, the General Department of Customs announced.

A representative of the General Department of Customs told Zing News that 50 of the 213 missing containers had been found. He also said similar cases had occurred in the past.

On July 31, C46 investigators from the Ministry of Public Security and related agencies checked one container which hadnt disappeared. The 40-foot container contained electronic goods, including Japan-made washing machines, air conditioners and speakers, which are prohibited for import into Viet Nam.

At the end of March, the General Department of Customs found there was no document prepared by customs officers relating to the container.

According to the regulations on transit goods, customs offices track the goods and verify their arrival at the border. However, there are indications that customs officers intervened in the computer system to delete the information.  VNS
HCM CITY  The Government Committee for Religious Affairs granted a certificate for a new Bible school under the Seventh-Day Adventist Church of Viet Nam at a ceremony held in HCM City on Monday.

Speaking at the ceremony, Bui Thanh Ha, deputy head of the Standing Board under the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, said the school would offer religious training courses for pastors, dignitaries and followers in an aim to uphold benevolence, humanitarianism, patriotism and observance of laws.

The establishment of the school shows the efforts of the churchs management board and States recognition to the churchs contributions to social security, he said.

He also lauded the churchs religious activities regarding environmental protection and protecting peace and the nation.

Pastor Tran Thanh Truyen, head of the church, thanked the Party, State and local authorities for creating favourable conditions for the church to develop and serve religious practices.

The churchs dignitaries and followers will continue to observe its motto of worshipping God, serving the Fatherland, observing laws and regulations on religious management, and participating in healthcare and social support activities, he said.

The school is the third Protestant denomination and the 50th religious training establishment in the country.

The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, a Protestant Christian denomination granted a licence in 2006, has expanded to 33 cities and provinces nationwide.  VNS
HCM CITY  Nguyen Van uc, a volunteer with a dengue-fever prevention team in District 12s Hiep Thanh Ward, takes a walk around his residential quarter three times a week with a handheld loudspeaker, calling on residents to throw away containers that could be breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

uc and his team visit each household once a week, looking for mosquitoes or larvae in tyres or other containers that could be filled with water. If containers with larvae are found, the team issues an official warning to clear it away, and then returns later to check the site.

In May, when the number of dengue fever cases rose in the ward, the local Peoples Committee asked all of the wards residential quarters to set up teams composed of the heads of the quarters, local womens unions and volunteers.

In July, the ward recorded 30 fewer cases than in either May or June, which saw a combined total of 156.

During her visit to District 12 on July 29, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien praised the ward for setting up the teams and encouraged other districts to do the same.

At a meeting between the citys Department of Health and district health centres, Dr Nguyen Huu Hung, the departments deputy head, said that local health officials and authorities should study District 12s methods, noting that District 8 had also used effective dengue-prevention measures.

The district was a hotspot for dengue fever in 2015 and 2016, according to Dr Nguyen Thi Hong Bien, deputy head of District 8s Health Centre.

However, this year the district was not included on the list of areas with the highest incidences of the disease, she said.

This year the district Peoples Committee set up a team, including the vice chairman of the committee as the leader, to complete monthly checks of all polluted areas including canals and other sites at a high risk for spreading dengue fever via mosquitoes.

When the team visits these sites, its leader assigns local authorities to work with the district Public Welfare and Service Company to clean standing water and debris within one to two weeks, she said.

Local authorities are fined if garbage and pollution are detected after the two-week period.

Owners of empty houses and construction sites are also required to commit that they will clean water and rubbish containers that could be home to mosquito larvae.

Local authorities are in charge of cleaning waste at empty houses and construction sites without owners and erecting sheet metal fences to prevent residents from throwing waste into the areas.

Bien of District 8 said that more than 2,000 families were using jars common in rural areas in the Mekong Delta to store water. Local authorities are responsible for instructing residents in clearing away larvae in water.

Hung pointed out that preventive measures must be done frequently and that local authorities and health officials should co-ordinate efforts to improve the efficacy of the measures.

However, the most important action would be to increase fines on violators, he said, adding that several districts had ignored the fines.

In the first half of the year, fines were handed out in 75 cases in which containers with larvae were found.

Since early this year, HCM City has recorded 11,200 dengue fever incidences, an increase of 24 per cent compared to the same period last year, with a total of four deaths.

Substandard services

Many companies on the internet advertise their services to destroy insects, including mosquitoes, but many are substandard, according to the citys Preventive Health Centre.

A number of the companies use pesticides used to protect plants or chemicals belonging to the carbamate group, leading to environmental pollution and resistance against certain chemicals.

Residents should choose services that use standards described by the Department of Health on its website, according to the Preventive Health Centre.  VNS


HA NOI  Consuming magic mushrooms has emerged as the latest trend among Vietnamese youth who are into mind-altering substances.

Many people are worried about the impacts this trend could have on the youth.

Local reports say magic mushrooms (Psilocybe pelliculosa), have become particularly popular among the youth who tend to consume substances like marijuana and American grass, slang for numerous synthetic drugs.

The magic mushroom contains psilocybin, a hallucinogenic substance.

It is said that the hallucinogenic effects can start approximately 30 minutes after the mushrooms are consumed. A persons perceptions of color, sound and light may change. Surfaces may seem to move or ripple. Moving objects may seem to have visible trails that linger behind them. Along with these effects, some people also feel nauseous, muscle weakness, and other physical changes. Changes in perception and thinking can last between three and eight hours.

The mushroom grows across wide sections of Mexico, South America, Malaysia, India and Indonesia.

Because of its effects, the mushroom has been made illegal in many countries.

In Viet Nam, meanwhile, it has gained popularity among some groups of young people as a new kind of drug. It is easy to find the mushroom on many websites, promoting it as a magic product.

According to some websites, around 30 minutes after taking the mushroom, a person feels very excited and experiences a trip to paradise or promised land.

The websites also carry some comments from those who tried the product out of curiosity to experience the trip.

inh Van B, a supplier of the magic mushrooms in Ha Noi, told the Tieng Chuong (The Bell) website of the National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention and Control that it costs around VN300,000 (US$22) for 5g of mushroom to experience a trip.

You should try it at least once in your lifetime, you will have a very exciting time, he said.

However, some people whove tried the mushroom have said that theyve had bad experiences, very unlike what is advertised.

Bui Van N. of Ha Noi said he tried the mushroom once and would never do it again.

At first, it was exciting and fun. Everything seemed to change completely and it sounded like I was in a completely different world. Something magic happened and changed the world.

However, a few hours later, I lost consciousness and fell into a deep dream with terrible things. At that time, I had thought that I was facing death and wanted to escape but could not. I felt desperate, he recalled.

The trip lasted for nearly a day, he said.

Another user said 50 minutes after taking the mushroom, he felt that his head had automatically turned round and his body seemed to be bent.

I cried sometimes and laughed at other times. I also did many strange things. It was very frighteningg, he said.

One expert said that as a natural product with different amounts of active elements, users could have bad or good trips, depending on their moods, bodies, characteristics and surrounding environment.

"Besides, it is easy for sellers to mix mushrooms with other kinds of substances to make profit and users wont know this," he warned. Using this mushroom in a wrong way could lead to temporary or long-term schizophrenia, he added.

Doctor Tran Thi Hong Thu of the Mai Huong hospital, which specialises in mental health and addiction, said the use of mushrooms containing hallucinogenic substances can make people feel dizzy, sick and tired.

Overuse of the mushroom can make users dependent on it, she said, adding that it would be particularly dangerous for those suffering from mental illness.

According to the Ha Noi Polices Drug Crime Investigation Office, it has discovered some cases of trading and smuggling of the magic mushrooms into Viet Nam. Tests show that these contain narcotics that are yet to be named in the Governments list of banned substances.

Bui uc Thiem, Deputy Head of Office No 5 of the Ministry of Public Securitys Drug Crime Investigation Department, said some kinds of drugs, like American grass and khat (Catha edulis) leaves are being used in Viet Nam, but it was very difficult for police to crackdown on this crime because they were not in the list managed by the Government.

We will co-ordinate with relevant agencies to propose that the Government brings these kinds of drugs into the list it manages, so that this abuse can be fought more effectively, he said. - VNS
HA NOI  The Ha Noi Police Department has proposed to move the Ha Noi Railway Station and all the inter-provincial rail tracks to the suburbs to avoid traffic congestion and fatal accidents in the inner city.

Speaking at the conference on reviewing traffic safety in the first seven months of this year on Tuesday morning, Major General Pham Xuan Binh, deputy-director of the department, said that Ha Noi was among the five cities left in the world that was using inter-provincial rail tracks with many intersection points in densely populated areas.

Currently, there are about 10 kilometres of rail tracks in the inner city, which lead to traffic congestion and pose potential risks of accidents. Thus, it was necessary to move the Ha Noi Railway Station and its rail tracks out of the inner city, he said.

Binh said it would help eliminate traffic conflicts between railways and roads, ease traffic pressure in the inner city, and reduce accidents.

Figures from the citys Traffic Safety Steering Committee show that in the first seven months of this year, as many as 14 traffic accidents occurred on railroads, leaving 13 dead and a few others injured.

Most of the accidents occurred at the intersection points or the crossing of the railways and streets as drivers and pedestrians failed to observe or obey railway signals.

Vu Van Vien, director of the citys Department of Transport said that rail accidents tend to increase in provinces where illegal crossings are installed. Many crossings were installed temporarily by local residents without warning systems, he added.

Binh said from now until the end of this year, the Department of Transport would work with the Viet Nam Railway Corporation to build speed bumps at 92 intersection points to ensure the safety of people passing through the area.

The department would also urge the Ministry of Transport to ask the Viet Nam Railway Corporation to upgrade intersection points on crowded streets with barriers and automatic warning systems.  VNS
HCM CITY  A Vietnamese passenger was detained on Tuesday at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport for illegally transporting drugs, airport customs said.

The passenger, residing in Binh Thuan Province and returning to HCM City from Brazil, was checked and found to be carrying drugs.

Customs found four packets of cocaine hidden in her luggage between clothes, shoes and cosmetics.

The detainee said that she met a Nigerian through a social network site and the man offered her air tickets to Brazil.

Before her return home from Brazil, the Nigerian asked her to bring gifts for his relatives in HCM City.

The detainee and the drugs were transferred to the city police for further investigation.

In the last five years, Tan Son Nhat airports customs have discovered and arrested 53 suspects, both Vietnamese and foreigners, for illegally carrying drugs through the airport.  VNS
THANH HOA  Rescue forces are trying to prevent an oil spill incident that might occur after a ship carrying 18 tonnes of diesel sank in the waters between Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces on Sunday.

The cargo ship, named uc Cuong 06, sank when it was on the way from Thanh Hoa Provinces Nghi Son Port to HCM Citys Long Binh Port, the Maritime Administration of Thanh Hoa said. The ships body was reportedly broken. All 10 crewmen were rescued by fishing boats nearby.

The ship, which is also carrying around 5,000 tonnes of clinker, has now sunk 13 metres below sea level.

The maritime administration has informed all vessels running in and out Nghi Son Port about the location of the sunken ship so that they avoid the spot.

The cause of the incident is being investigated.  VNS
HA NOI  Humane Society International - Viet Nam (HSI - Viet Nam) is calling on the South African government to honour its commitment to protect rhinos by refusing permits for an auction of rhinoceros horns.

The online auction is targeting buyers from the worlds two largest destinations for trafficked rhino horn  China and Viet Nam. The auction is being organised by John Hume, the worlds largest rhino farmer, on August 21 and the auction website has both a Vietnamese and Chinese language option in addition to English.

HSI believes there is a significant risk that horns from this auction, even if purchased legally in South Africa, may end up being trafficked to Asian consumer markets by organised criminal syndicates.

The South African government estimates that a rhino is killed for its horn approximately every eight hours in South Africa, largely to satisfy the black market demand in Viet Nam and China.

The horns to be auctioned are "trimmed" from Humes 1,500 farmed rhinos, and purportedly aimed at the domestic rhino horn trade, which is now legal following a ruling in April by South Africas constitutional court, lifting a 2009 ban.

However, in light of the suspicious language options on the site, the Vietnamese Government has reiterated in an official statement that according to Vietnamese law, rhino horn purchased at this auction cannot be legally exported to Viet Nam for commercial, medical or personal purposes.

Vuong Tien Manh, deputy director of the Viet Nam CITES Management Authority, said According to Decision 11/2013/Q-TTg dated 24/01/2013, Viet Nam prohibits all trade in white and black rhinoceroses and their products with only narrow exceptions for purposes such as law enforcement, political, scientific research, and zoological display.

This auction comes at a time when rhino poaching has reached a crisis point, with poachers killing 1,054 rhinos in South Africa last year, according to the government.

HSI believes any trade, such as this auction, will encourage poaching, and that any exported horns will be difficult if not impossible to monitor.

Horns illegally obtained through poaching can be easily be laundered in the legal market, circumventing efforts to protect threatened rhino populations.

Tham Thi Hong Phuong, executive director of HSI - Viet Nam, said Amidst an ongoing rhinoceros poaching crisis, HSI and the Government of Viet Nam have been co-operating successfully to reduce the demand for rhino horns within Viet Nam.

While this auction seems intent on targeting Vietnamese and Chinese nationals, HSI stands with the Government of Viet Nam in sending a strong message that rhino horn has no medicinal benefits, consumption and ownership of it contributes only to the extinction of rhinos, and those caught smuggling rhino horn into Viet Nam will face up to 15 years in prison.

Regulations to manage South Africas recently-legalised domestic trade in rhino horn still do not exist and the proposed regulations rely too heavily on provincial South African authorities that have historically been wrought with corruption.  VNS
HA NOI  The Viet Nam Red Cross Society (VNRC) has called on local and international organisations, individuals and the community to help those affected by heavy rains and floods in the northern provinces.

A campaign was launched by the society from August 8 to the end of September aimed at mobilising financial and material resources from local and international communities to help flood victims overcome difficulties.

As part of the campaign, the society in collaboration with the National Humanitarian Portal 1400 also kicked off a charity text message drive from today to October 7.

People can support the campaign by texting UH to 1409. Each SMS costs VN20,000 (US$0.9). All the money that is collected will be used to buy essential commodities, build houses and support the livelihood of those affected by the torrential rainfall and help them face challenges.

People can also directly send donations to the VNRC headquarters on 82 Nguyen Du Street, Ha Noi, or to its southern representative agency on 201 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Road, District 1, HCM City.

Previously, on August 4, the society released emergency aid of more than VN1 billion ($45,600), including money and essential goods, to help flood-affected residents in Yen Bai, Son La and Lai Chau provinces overcome difficulties following the heavy rains and floods.

Twenty six people were killed and five others were missing due to floods that occurred in the northern region of the country. Damage was estimated at more than VN940 billion ($41 million). Flood waters washed away more than 25,000cu.m of highways and 118,000cu.m of roads in provinces and districts, according to the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.  VNS
The director of the National Eye Bank, Dr Nguyen Huu Hoang, has strongly condemned the recent trend of sending children to eye-training centres and yoga practice for eyes as exploiting parents desire for their children to dispose of glasses.  Photo tamsugiadinh.vn

HA NOI  The director of the National Eye Bank, Dr Nguyen Huu Hoang, has strongly condemned the recent trend of sending children to eye-training centres and yoga practice for eyes as exploiting parents desire for their children to dispose of glasses.

Hoang said that these centres operated illegally, without proper licences, and the eye trainers possess no qualifications, especially in the field of pediatric refractive errors, which is a difficult field even for professional ophthalmologists.

Each refractive disorder is different, but these so-called trainers all treat them as the same and give out the same non-scientific exercises, Hoang said.

The eye banks director reaffirmed that refractive errors cannot be "trained" away, and only amenable to surgeries. These centres cannot treat eye errors, they may actually cause more or worsen existing conditions, Hoang warned, recommending parents bring their children to professionals in reputable hospitals for treatment.  VNS
WATERLOO  A person may have called officials to say they had set a garage on fire.

Waterloo Fire Chief Pat Treloar said a call came in to dispatch Monday morning from a person who said they had set fire to a garage at 203 Candlewick Road.

When fire crews arrived, they found heavy black smoke coming from the detached garage.

No vehicles were inside at the time and no injuries were reported.

The garage did not suffer structural damage, but the contents of the garage were damaged, according to Treloar.

The city fire marshal was called in to investigate the possible arson, according to Treloar. The person who allegedly called in the fire was not at the scene.

I have no idea if it was truly intentionally set, Treloar said.

The homeowner, who Treloar said was not a suspect, arrived on scene and was cooperative with investigators.

Waterloo police confirmed they are investigating it as an arson.

Chase leads to arrest

for Waterloo man

WATERLOO  A Waterloo man was arrested on drug and other charges over the weekend after leading police on a chase Sunday evening.

Michael David Dawson, 31, of 619 Linden Ave., was arrested for felony eluding, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and driving while barred after officers found him hiding behind a wood pile a block from his home. His bond was set at $37,000.

An Evansdale officer began following Dawson after suspecting he was looking at his cell phone while driving on Lafayette Road at about 7:20 p.m. Sunday.

The officer attempted to stop him after he allegedly ran a stop sign at Lafayette and Evans roads, and Dawsons vehicle reached speeds of up to 90 mph in the chase the followed, according to court records.

The pursuit headed into Waterloo on Dubuque Road, and Dawsons vehicle almost hit a motorcyclist before he exited in an alley in the 700 block of Fowler Street and started running on foot.

Police found a bag with more than 5 grams of crystal meth in a yard near the scene.

Sumner mom booked

for making false report

SUMNER  A Sumner woman has been arrested for filing a false report to authorities.

Crystal Mary Wirkler, 29, of Sumner, reported her 4-year-old son was dropped off during a child custody exchange by his father in Hawkeye before she arrived to pick him up, leaving the child unattended, according to the Fayette County Sheriffs Office.

After an investigation, it was learned Wirkler made up the story to get the father of the child in trouble. Wirkler was arrested for false report to public safety entities, a simple misdemeanor.
Jam session set for Sunday

CEDAR FALLS  The Country Good Timers will host a country music jam session from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

The group meets the second Sunday of each month at the Cedar Falls Senior Center, in the 500 block of Main Street.

The public is welcome.

AMVETS host war exhibit

CEDAR FALLS  AMVETS Post 49 will host the Remembering Our Fallen exhibit from Monday through Aug. 20.

The exhibit is sponsored by Bellevue University and recognizes the United States soldiers who lost their lives in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

For more information, go to www.rememberingourfallen.org.

Blood drive

set in Dike

DIKE  There will be a Dike/New Hartford communities blood drive from 2 to 6 p.m. Aug. 16 at Dike United Methodist Church, 439 Church St.

Make an appointment at lifeservebloodcenter.org or call (800) 287-4903.

MS support group to meet

WATERLOO  The Waterloo/Cedar Falls chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will have a support group meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 17 at Covenant Medical Center, wing G, fourth floor, room 10.

Resilience: Addressing the Challenges of MS will be the topic for the meeting. Sue Schlette will lead the discussion.

All patients, families and anyone interested in learning more about MS is encouraged to attend.

For more information, call Shirl at 235-8946.

Rough Risers meeting set

CEDAR FALLS  The Kiwanis Rough Risers will meet from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. Aug. 16 at the Clarion Inn on University.

Vickie Robinson, associate provost for educator preparation, will discuss the direction of the University of Northern Iowa Educator Preparation program.

For more information, go to http://kiwanisroughrisers.org.

Workshop set

at Fontana

HAZLETON  The Buchanan County Naturalists will host a workshop at 10 a.m. Aug. 19 at the Fontana Park Nature Center to make viewing devices for the upcoming solar eclipse.

Participants are asked to bring a cereal box or similar-sized box to create a solar eclipse projection viewer. There also will be a safe viewing demonstration.

All ages are welcome.

Otherwise, inexpensive viewing glasses can be purchased in the Fontana Park Nature Center gift shop or through an online retailer.

For more information, call (319) 636-2617.
WATERLOO  A teenager has been arrested for allegedly setting fire inside a garage at her home earlier this week.

Waterloo firefighters were sent to 203 Candlewick Road at about 11:20 a.m. Monday and found items inside the garage had been set on fire.

On Tuesday, Waterloo police arrested Brenna Janea Branch, 17, for first-degree arson. She was charged as an adult, according to court records.

Authorities said Branch had called dispatchers to report the fire and told operators she set the blaze. She also told a police officer she set the fire because she had been locked out of the house, court records state.
WATERLOO  Authorities continue to investigate the two-vehicle crash that claimed the life of a Waterloo infant last week.

Seven-month-old Liam Xander Mwanje, who was a passenger in a 2013 Chrysler van that overturned, died in the collision.

Preliminary indications are that Liam wasnt in a child safety seat, according to the accident report, which states that six other children in the van --- ranging in age from 1 to 10 years old --- were in safety seats or wearing seatbelts and had minor injuries. They were taken to UnityPoint-Allen Hospital for treatment.

The vans driver, 35-year-old Danny Lewis Jr., of Waterloo, and an adult passenger, 26-year-old Lela Lewis, both suffered minor injuries. Both were buckled, the report states.

The other driver, 36-year-old Derrick Earl Johnson of Waterloo, was taken to Covenant Medical Center for possible injuries.

Waterloo police continue to investigate the collision, and the Iowa State Patrol is conducting a technical investigation of the crash.

Witnesses told police that Johnson was driving a Dodge pick-up truck at a high rate of speed west on Sycamore Street at about 6:35 p.m. when he ran a stop sign at East First Street and broadsided Lewis northbound van, the report states. The van then rolled and came to a rest on its wheels, the report indicates.

Officers did request a blood test on Johnson, according to the preliminary report. Lt. Al Carrier with the Waterloo Police Department said police asked for the test after finding a suspicion of alcohol. He said the results of the blood tests are pending.
WATERLOO  Black Hawk County is dipping into its savings to bail out the financially struggling Country View care center.

Members of the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to transfer $500,000 from the county general fund reserves into the accounts of the county-run nursing and mental health care center.

County Finance Director Susan Deaton said Country Views cash balance had dwindled to just $83,000 after last weeks payroll, so the transfer was necessary to continue paying bills for the facility on Dunkerton Road north of Waterloo.

The supervisors and county social services staff have been meeting in recent years to seek a solution for Country View, which lost $610,000 in fiscal year 2016 and was expected to lose even more in the recently completed 2017 fiscal year once all receipts are tallied.

Were going to have a work session to look at our future vision for Country View, said board chairman Frank Magsamen. We wanted to run it as an enterprise operation and have it be self-sustaining.

Instead, the nursing center has a higher-than-average percentage of Medicare and Medicaid clients whose federal reimbursements dont cover operating costs. Absent other solutions, board members will need to decide whether to continue ongoing property tax subsidies to the center.

Supervisor Craig White said he wont vote to close Country View, which is home to 142 residents.

I feel weve got a responsibility to those people, White said. Most of them, its not their fault theyre out there. Its just something that happened in their life thats unfortunate. It could be any one of us at any given time.

The county historically provided property tax support to Country View over the years even though it is not a state-mandated service and all but Black Hawk and Dubuque counties had gotten out of running nursing homes.

Country View was placed in its own enterprise fund separate from the county general fund in 2011. But the tax dollars transferred in to serve as the fund balance have fallen from a high of $4.8 million to nearly nothing today.

The supervisors anticipated having to subsidize Country View this fiscal year. When adopting the budget in February, board members noted the county had a healthy general fund balance which could support up to $1 million in transfers to the nursing center.

Magsamen expected the work session would be scheduled in the next two weeks.
DES MOINES  Gov. Kim Reynolds says her human services director will look into methods used to restrain boys at a state training school after a critical report from an advocacy group.

I have a lot of confidence in DHS Director Jerry Foxhoven, Reynolds said.

The governor noted the facility repeatedly has passed the scrutiny of accrediting agencies and independent assessors.

A report from the nonprofit group Disability Rights Iowa said staff at the Boys State Training School in Eldora overuse seclusion rooms and restraints in dealing with troubled youths.

Foxhoven, a long-time leader in child protection and family law, oversaw a study of a state juvenile home in Toledo that eventually was closed. He took the reins at DHS in June.

He will assess the situation at Eldora, and then well move forward, Reynolds said.

Officials with Disability Rights Iowa alleged teens with mental illnesses are placed in isolation or restrained with wraps to control unruly behavior. The group threatened to bring a federal lawsuit unless changes are made.

On Tuesday, Reynolds and DHS spokeswoman Amy McCoy responded by noting the Eldora school is where youths with the most serious criminal offenses are placed by the juvenile court.

The State Training School provides supervision and support to keep more than 250 youth each year safe from themselves and others, protect the community, keep staff safe and rehabilitate youth to reduce the likelihood of re-offense, McCoy noted.

In its report, Disability Rights Iowa  a nonprofit law center authorized by Congress to advocate for the rights of Iowans with disabilities and mental illness  said it intensively investigated mental health services at the school over the past year.

About two-thirds of the roughly 120 boys living at the facility have been diagnosed as having a serious mental illness and are on psychotropic medications. But the group contends the school is not providing mental health services to residents beyond medication, a violation of its mission and the constitutional rights of the residents.

There is an overreliance on the use of restraint and seclusion, which disproportionately affects African-American youth and youth with disabilities, according to the DRI report. There are no regulations that govern the use of restraint and seclusion and provisions of mental health care and education at the BSTS. This is an anomaly in the juvenile justice system in Iowa.

DRI calls for the transfer of all youths with mental illness to placements where mental health services can be provided. It called for additional staff training and for the reduction of restraint and seclusion along with establishing licensure and oversight by an independent state entity.

But McCoy argued Eldora is a very different type of facility than the other facilities that DRI is trying to compare them to in the report. Its not apples to apples.
An Iranian drone came within 100 feet of a US Navy F/A-18 attempting to land on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday, according to two US defense officials with knowledge of the incident. The officials said the drone forced the US aircraft to take evasive action.

The "QOM-1" drone came within 100 feet below the aircraft and 200 feet to the side of the aircraft. The F/A-18 was in a landing pattern several thousand feet off the deck of the ship waiting to land.

The F/A-18 maneuvered repeatedly to avoid the drone officials said and it did not appear to be armed.

The officials said the drone encounter was considered "unsafe and unprofessional."

The US used an emergency radio frequency in the immediate area to warn those operating the drone to back away. It did eventually move off.

US Naval Forces Central Command issued a statement later Tuesday confirming the incident.

It said the US jet "had an unsafe and unprofessional interaction with an Iranian QOM-1 unmanned aerial vehicle," adding that "despite repeated radio calls to stay clear of active fixed-wing flight operations," the Iranian drone "executed unsafe and unprofessional altitude changes in the close vicinity of an F/A-18E."

"The dangerous maneuver by the QOM-1 in the known vicinity of fixed wing flight operations and at coincident altitude with operating aircraft created a collision hazard and is not in keeping with international maritime customs and laws," the statement said.

The Navy said this was the thirteenth such "interaction between US and Iranian maritime forces in 2017."

Pentagon spokesman US Navy Capt. Jeff Davis previously told reporters that there had been 35 incidents of such behavior by Iranian vessels in 2016.

This is not the first time the US Navy has accused Iranian drones of operating unprofessionally while in close proximity to US ships.

In January 2016 an Iranian drone flew over the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and the USS Harry S. Truman, both of which were operating in international waters in the Gulf at the time.

A Navy helicopter was launched from the Truman in response and it determined that the Iranian drone was not armed.

The US Navy described that incident as "abnormal and unsafe" and it took place the same day that Iran seized 10 American sailors whose boats had strayed into Iranian waters.

Tuesday's incident comes on the heels of another encounter between US and Iranian ships late last month.

The USS Thunderbolt fired warning shots at an armed Iranian patrol boat in the northern end of the Persian Gulf after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to a defense official familiar with details of the incident. The officials said the Iranian boat approached and came within 150 yards of the USS Thunderbolt, a US Navy patrol ship.
Physician, heal thyself, said hometown citizens to Jesus. By which they meant prove you can work miracles here like youve done elsewhere.

Jesus, knowing their skeptical put-down, replied, A prophet is without honor in his own hometown. (Luke 4: 23-24, slightly modified.)

Which brings us to former Waterloo physician Mark Louviere, now returned from a decade in prison for facilitating methamphetamine sales  part of a ring of suppliers and dealers.

A doctor helping supply meth? First, do harm? It didnt add up, and the news hit the Cedar Valley in 2007 like an E5 tornado. It devastated patients, colleagues and friends. Some remained loyal, others turned on him, wanting nothing more to do with him or his partners.

When Louviere was arrested in 2007, agents discovered more than 12 pounds of methamphetamine in a neighbors Cedar Falls garage  street value around a million dollars. Because Louviere stored guns in his house, they added years to his sentence  up to 100. Under the law at time, he was required to serve 33 years, and that minimum was reduced to 22 because of his guilty plea.

No trial. He confessed, and the details of his crime were frankly sordid and shocking.

Louviere himself was addicted, admitting he had lived the life of an addict toward the end.

His 22-year sentence was further reduced to 10 for good behavior, and now hes out on work release from the Newton Correctional Facility. Parole will follow, if all goes well, in about five weeks.

At his suggestion, I interviewed Louviere recently in his workplace  the Waterloo St. Vincent de Paul warehouse. Hes certain hes ready to become a contributing member of the larger community, and not necessarily as a doctor.

I asked how he was feeling. Since he allowed me to record him, I can quote directly. I feel great. Im happy to be out, of course. I was able to exercise every afternoon and became a tutor for inmates earning their high school diplomas, and taught advanced math and science courses.

Prison was not too bad? I actually returned to my younger days of reading and contemplating. For the last five years, I kept track of all the books I read, and in that time I read 687 books. Nobel prize-winners, winners of various literary awards. I actually enjoyed that part of prison, since I had time to read and contemplate.

Has he transformed? I know this sounds like a terrible cliche, but I found religion, or rather returned to my childhood belief in Catholicism. I went to mass every Sunday and now work four nights a week at the Catholic Worker House. For work release, I chose to work at St. Vincent de Paul, thanks to Pat Russo, who offered me a job as a computer and fundraising specialist. I love this work, and might stay on after work release.

Russo, incidentally, confirms Louvieres change, saying, He has a great work ethic, hes deeply religious, and hes had a positive influence on everyone.

Louviere continued, I do feel remorse, especially because I not only betrayed my family, my friends, my colleagues and the community, I betrayed myself.

Why? During that time I became someone else. I was no longer myself, and now realize what a hypocrite I had become.

So, whats next? He hopes to find a new life. There are three things that Im contemplating for my future. One of them is getting my medical license back. They might restrict me to practicing prison medicine. This would be an interesting thing for me.

The second option would be mission work  depending on my parole officer, I might be able to work in Africa, or Haiti, or the Dominican Republic. I dont know what the requirements would be, but I would have the skills to be a medical worker in missions.

Third, I have a very close friend whos a nun in Dubuque, and I would happily spend a year at the New Melleray Abbey in Dubuque to continue my contemplative life.

Mark Louviere, the wild man, the motorcycle-obsessed free spirit of old, known for his love of wine, women and living large? Living a monastic life by choice?

They have a program at the Abbey for people who want a quiet life to decide what they want to do next. Im considering that.

A glimmer of his old life broke through. I still love motorcycles. Of course I sold them, but I still have access, and Id like to ride occasionally, though Ill probably never buy one.

My skepticism came out most when I confronted him with a straightforward question:

Do you feel like you might be a sociopath, devoid of any real feeling for those you hurt? I had heard that from several people.

He seemed taken aback. My gosh. The only thing I can say that if they knew me before I was involved in the drug culture, they wouldnt ask. I can tell you, once you become involved in the drug culture, your ability to make moral, spiritual and ethical decisions becomes clouded.

During a period of time, I was still functional, but I did behave in ways I cant justify. I am totally, completely and solely responsible for the decisions I made.

He describes himself as a changed man, ready to contribute, utterly uninterested in returning to his old life and anxious to make a contribution that will justify his 10 years of punishment. I can guarantee you I will never, ever return to an addicts life.

In fact, he doesnt even seek to live the good life of a wealthy doctor. Instead, hes content to drive his mothers old Buick and work in the St. Vincent de Paul warehouse.

As we ended, he mentioned, A guy asked me, Are you a bad guy with a streak of good, or a good guy with a streak of bad? he laughed. I had wondered the same.

Im still a bit skeptical, since newly released inmates sometimes continue a con by claiming a religious conversion. But from what I saw and heard, hes straight-on sincere.

I called two of his close recent friends, older women who drove to Newton to play cards with him nearly every weekend for years. They spoke highly of him, and both were certain the old Mark Louviere is gone forever. Hes a changed man, they agreed, and were happy to have provided him with Christian friendship and support when he needed it.

Hes certainly a high-energy talker, a hypomanic Type A personality. Yet he looked me right in the eye for the whole interview, and our conversation seemed entirely natural and on the level.

With the crucial help of his Catholicism, which he reveres, Mark Louviere may well be healing himself.

Now to find honor in his own hometown.
If ISIS or gangs of immigrants were killing 1,000 Americans weekly, we would be on national alert, and patriotic fervor to defeat the enemy would be palpable.

Yet 52,400 Americans died from opiate overdoses in 2015 (142 daily), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than gun-related homicides and car accidents combined, and little has been done.

Last week, President Trumps Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, stated, We must act boldly to stop it. The opioid epidemic we are facing is unparalleled.

But to quote Pogo, a comic strip character of another era, We have met the enemy, and he is us, with corporate America flooding the market with opioids, although dark web sales are another elusive problem.

The epidemic epicenter is West Virginia with a fatal overdose rate of 41.5 per 100,000. That translates into 55 people in Black Hawk County dying annually from opioid overdoses.

In its 2016 Pulitzer-Prize winning series, the Charleston (West Virginia) Gazette-Mail documented how the Big Three drug distributors, all Fortune 500 companies  McKesson (No. 5, $192 billion revenue), AmerisourceBergen (No. 11, $147 billion) and Cardinal Health (No. 15, $122 billion)  had legally flooded the state with opiates at the behest of unscrupulous doctors and pharmacists.

The Big Three distributes 85 percent of pharmaceuticals nationwide from chemotherapy to aspirin.

In six years, drug wholesalers showered the state with 780 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills, while 1,728 West Virginians fatally overdosed on those two painkillers, the Gazette-Mail reported.

Earlier this year Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen settled lawsuits with the state for $36 million without admitting fault. The McKesson suit is pending. Even tiny Gilbert (pop. 433), filed suit, alleging that between 2007 and 2012 it was shipped 5,331,970 doses of hydrocodone and oxycodone.

The Gazette-Mail obtained information from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency from the state attorney generals office showing between 2007-12:

Small independent drugstores in Raleigh and Wyoming counties ordered 600,000 to 1.1 million oxycodone pills a year. Local pharmacies in Mingo and Logan counties got 1.4 million to 4.7 million hydrocodone pills annually. Meanwhile, a Wal-Mart in Charleston received only 5,000 oxycodone and 9,500 hydrocodone pills annually.

Cardinal Healths shipments to Logan County increased six-fold over three years. AmerisourceBergens oxycodone sales to Greenbrier County soared from 292,000 pills to 1.2 million pills a year. McKesson saturated Mingo County with 3.3 million hydrocodone pills in a year  more than the five prior years combined. The companies also shipped increasingly stronger formulations craved by addicts.

Wholesalers failed to report suspicious order for controlled substances to state authorities, even though sales orders at the Tug Valley Pharmacy in Mingo County for hydrocodone jumped from 820,000 pills in 2007 to more than 2.4 million in 2008 to more than 3 million in 2009.

Meanwhile, West Virginias inept Board of Pharmacy, which had the power to inspect small-town pharmacies, didnt do so.

The drug distributors placed blame elsewhere, maintaining they shipped to licensed pharmacies filling prescriptions from licensed doctors. Yet they frequently turned a blind eye.

In 2008, the Justice Department alleged McKesson didnt warn the DEA about the large number of suspicious orders of highly addictive painkillers, prompting a $13.25 million fine. Michele Leonhart, one the DEAs acting administrators, said, McKesson Corporation fueled the explosive prescription drug abuse problem we have in this country.

But McKesson CEO John Hammergren stated, Pharmaceutical distributors play an important role in identifying and combating prescription drug diversion and abuse. McKesson, as one of the nations largest distributors, takes our role seriously.

How seriously? Not so much. The Justice Department fined it $150 million again last January, finding 12 McKesson distribution centers didnt maintain effective controls against diversion of particular controlled substances.

Fines aside, Hammergren has been rewarded with $639 million in total compensation during the past decade.

The Justice Department also reached a settlement with Cardinal Health in December for $44 million. In 2008, Cardinal Health paid $34 million for failing to report suspicious sales of hydrocodone. In 2012, the DEA suspended it from shipping painkillers and other drugs from a Florida warehouse for two years after not reporting suspect orders.

Turning off the opioid spigot also means authorities must deal with growing internet sales, particularly synthetic opioids such as fentanyl purchased with Bitcoin currency on the virtually impenetrable dark web.

Many of those sales originate in China and Asia, requiring shipment into the U.S.  often through common carriers. More vigilance is needed to stem that flow.

If President Trump and Congress are serious about stopping the opioid crisis, the Big Three are a starting point  without deference to their Fortune 500 standing. But this fight not only means stopping the flood of opioids  no matter their source  but offering treatment to those addicted, one reason Medicaid cuts didnt play well in the effort to repeal Obamacare.
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The trap is being set:

Congress openly have touched off war on Russia with its latest sanctions bill; the Russians know that it is not a matter of maybe the USA attacks them, it is a matter of what day at this point. Russia, China and North Korea have a common enemy and a common border

We are attacking China in things that have no meaning to our welfare. You would think that Games of Thrones is real in this day and age?

We have openly illegally pushed, prodded and declared war on Iran through sanctions, regime change and whatnot for as long as I can remember. The Chinese, Russia, Iran, North Korea know that there will come a time (Sooner than we want to admit!) when they and the US fight it out for global chess and or checkers (Which ever you play?) domination; the U.S. has by her actions made that clear

Issue with pushing and antagonizing North Korea:

Both Russia and China have mobile all-terrain ICBM launchers. North Korea has nothing. Admit to this fact and you will be freed from part of the lies, North Korea has nothing in the way of a Nuclear Bomb. BUT. China and Russia will have mobile all-terrain launchers embedded in North Korea, waiting for the USA to go Nuclear. Just as America has nukes in dozens of countries all over the world. Stupid is as stupid does and I hope for a internal civil war in America, than a stupid, Lets take the world with us war! from out of America. Many less will die from an American Civil war

Good example is; Russia and China have nukes mounted in freight cars of trains, shipping containers on sea docks. They look like any other freight car and or large shipping containers. These, believe me are scattered through out NK. Much less all of China, Russia and most likely, while we worried about Iran and defense missiles systems that Russia was not delivering, the real missile defense was delivered to Iran. Just as America did with Israel many years ago and helped Israel to build nukes too boot, long ago

If the USA does go Nuclear against NK?

The Russians and the Chinese and Iran knows (They already know this though!) that they are next, if they sit back and watch the fireworks and eat popcorn. Even if America simply, as in all you arm chair idiots think, attacks with conventional weapons. We are attacking a country that has nothing to lose. Mainly NK has nothing to lose, because we Americans have made sure to goad them since before the Korean War of 1953 and ever since it has been a non-stop goading. NK has spent the years since the Korean War never ceasing to prepare for the USA to continue that war The Korean War is not over. Russia knows this and China Knows this. No peace treaty was ever signed. The fighting ended in 1953, but only an armistice was signed  a temporary measure to end the conflict. Fighting can partake at any time. With no declaration of intent to war even needed. It has never ended and thus America has a huge force, with nukes in South Korea. That is why we are playing fire with NK. easy to set off the bag of fireworks

If the USA goes Nuclear on North Korea?

North Korea will be able to respond with nuclear payloads which will with ease will reach reach the USA. Not their Nukes, but nukes from two giant countries with tens of thousands of nukes that NK borders with. China and Russia know that to have NK take the nukes, is better than taking them themselves. This gives massive warning as to the real intentions of America and the Western Empire. We do not stand a chance to come out alive in America with China and Russia raining nukes upon our heads. Get real people. If we attack NK? We have signaled to the world that we are the crazy, North Korea is just the bait to draw in the flies

The U.S.A. has Enemies, Frenemyies, Smiling Puppets and Demons in every nook and cranny of the globe; external drive-by shootings will be come the new norm for America. Even if we try to take out Russia and China first. Just too damn many submarines waiting in the oceans to deliver their packages of love

The North Koreans are not the only ones who need to chill things down and quickly. America needs to get off her high horse and change the heroic attitude

Sad to see how we Rah Rah, Bomb Bomb, War War for situations that we created and we instigated and we goaded on

Russia and China are patient and they will sit back and take it for now. But, as they take it, they build weapon after weapon, for they know, sooner than later they will have to use these weapons

Against a Bully!

WtR

This is a good article to see how Russia looks at what is happening. As Russia says, Calm Down, Children!

[contentcards url=http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/russia-downplays-north-koreas-saber-rattling-tells-us-to-be-prudent/article/2630940]
A startup needs to test an idea quickly. For this, an MVP is created. MVP, Minimal Viable Product  a test version of a product or service with a minimum set of functions (up to one or two), which allows you to see the product's value for consumers and the market. MVP is created to test hypotheses and check the viability of the intended product: is it worth developing the project further, what changes should be made? The sooner a startup brings its MVP to market and tests the idea, the better. This article will look at how no-code technology can help founders achieve their business goals.

This article will try to cover everything that a founder needs to know about no-code at the initial stage of creating a startup.

What is no-code?

No-code, zero-code platform is a tool for creating websites, applications, chatbots, and other programs without the need for direct code writing by programmers. No-code is a valuable alternative to traditional development.

No-code is confused with low-code, but there is a difference in these terms. Low-code includes no-code and the ability to "finish code", add parts of code and the functionality.

A user of a no-code platform usually does not need to know layout, programming languages, or hire a team of programmers. The user of the no-code tool creates an application using a visual block constructor, which he fills with the necessary content and functions, and the no-code platform itself does the processing of requests, compiling the application and other "magic." It generates code using AI and/or contains blocks of code pre-written by programmers.

No-code allows the startup founder to create an MVP himself, entrust it to his employee with basic technical literacy and understanding of the project, or hire a no-code developer. Even in the case of hiring a no-code developer, the cost of creating an MVP will be significantly lower than with classical development with programmers. For example, you can read the interview of a startup and no-code developer on our website, who initially worked as a Product Manager and was able to master no-code for his project himself.

Benefits of no-code for a startup founder

There are the following key advantages for a startup founder in using no-code technology:

a large selection of no-code tools, platforms, and their integrations at the moment  already in 2022, there are many tools and platforms for creating an MVP, a larger project, or even a finished product on no-code, but few people still know about them, and others are far from all startups and founders use their potential;

cost  no-code development saves the money by speeding up the development process, not hiring professional programmers or no need to maintain a developer department, monitoring functions and quick bug fixes, avoiding or reducing the growth of technical debt;

speed is the main advantage over classical development  no-code allows you to build a simple application in a weekend, and a more complex one can be built in a month. In this way, you can test an MVP and even several versions of an MVP very quickly;

low entry threshold  to master a no-code platform, you often do not need technical education at all, but only an understanding of a company's business processes or product from the inside. In the case of pro-level no-code platforms, technical education is required, but you can get used to it hundreds of times faster than with any programming language. This makes no-code available to almost everyone who wants to work with technology;

ease of use  no need to write hundreds of code lines  just move the blocks and assign links between them. Work on a project can be entrusted to your employee without communicating with a team of third-party developers. You can speak "in your language" without the need to understand the "inner kitchen" of developers;

flexibility  with the help of no-code, it is easy for a startup founder to add new functionality and new features right during a project or a MVP testing without a significant increase in development costs.

Possible disadvantages of no-code for a startup founder

As often, any property can be, under certain conditions, both a disadvantage and an advantage. In no-code, many of the benefits with the wrong choice of tool can turn into disadvantages:

no-code is not always a budget solution for a project. Sometimes in a no-code development package, you get unnecessary functions and additions (on AppMaster.io you can separately connect the frontend and pay only for the backend or only for those functions that you are using); if you do not understand the needs of your project, then you can make a mistake with the choice of a no-code tool and not be able to implement the necessary functions on it, or it will be too difficult to implement them; often, no-code tools fail to ensure proper data security and contribute to data leakage (but AppMaster.io allows you to host a finished application on any server); no-code tools often do not provide the ability to upload source code or provide uploading in an inconvenient format, which makes it difficult to move to another tool or to your development. You have to choose a no-code tool "once and forever immediately" (AppMaster. io gives you the ability to download the source code. Also, we generate human-readable code and you will not have any difficulties with its transportation); most no-code tools on the market are not suitable for creating a finished product, and there are significant difficulties with scaling the project if the MVP is successful (AppMaster.io is a professional no-code platform and our capabilities allow us to implement and support the finished product and scale it in the future).

Forewarned is forearmed. Choose your no-code tool wisely and take full advantage of your choice.

Types of no-code platforms

Conventionally, all no-code tools can be divided into several types: no-code devices with a low entry threshold (you can create frontend and not very powerful backend on them), integrators that help connect applications and services, and professional no-code platforms (they strive to replace the code completely, provide the ability to create a robust backend and high bandwidth).

The basic principle of operation of your MVP and the choice of a no-code platform depend on such a conditional division into types. For example, if you make a simple application like a diary, you can limit yourself to a no-code tool with a low entry threshold and a beautiful design.

If your application has powerful potential, high bandwidth, multi-user interface, and works with large amounts of data or real-time data, it is better to choose a professional no-code platform like AppMaster.io or Direcual.

If you use several services at once, link them on integrators like Integromat and Zapier.

Adalo

An easy-to-learn designer with a relatively user-friendly interface. The free version is helpful for learning. The free version contains Adalo watermarks and does not allow you to upload your applications to GooglePlayMarket and AppStore. Beginners often choose this no-code platform to create their first applications with simple logic.

Bubble

It will take more time to learn Bubble , but the platform allows you to work with the backend, databases, business processes, and layout. There are many plugins. The free plan allows you to master the tool, and you can start developing at the middle rate. The price increase is due to the rise in the number of users.

Integromat

It is an integrator. Experts talk about it as a simple and affordable platform for linking applications and services. Scenarios can be created personally, or you can use templates. If you need to connect an application with a service not from the Integromat database, fill out the form and connect to its API via HTTP.

Zapier

This is an integrator for linking applications with each other or with other external services. You can transfer data between thousands of applications. There is a script constructor (one event starts a chain of necessary actions).

Directual

The no-code platform positions itself for creating MVP applications (Minimal Viable Product, minimum viable product) and full-fledged applications of finished products. Scenarios are the backbone of the platform. Using scripts, you can automate the backend logic of the application, create and combine workflows. The Directual catalog includes out-of-the-box connectors, HTTP requests, webhooks, database listeners, and integration with popular services.

AppMaster.io

No-code next-generation platform for creating native and web applications on a real backend. Visual drag-and-drop designer, user-friendly business process designer, one-click app publishing to AppMaster Cloud, or integration with any cloud platform. Push notifications, authorization using social networks. Networks, email, and more. Connect applications to hundreds of services or programmatically access them using APIs. The ability to upload source code and documentation in a human-readable format and transfer it to your servers. Documentation auto-generation. Modern and fast language GoLang at the core.

No-code perspectives for startups

No-code development is gradually gaining popularity around the world. There are already more than 500 no-code tools for creating websites and various types of applications.

According to the forecasts of IT world experts, no-code will develop more and more actively and capture parts of the market responsible for medicine, small online business, small business, and all niches where it is possibly necessary to optimize and automate development processes.

The mass shift of businesses and their customers online and to gadgets has increased the demand for the fast and inexpensive creation of mobile applications that would work according to a single quality standard and have a simple, understandable, user-friendly interface.

Conclusion

No-code is visual programming in the form of a constructor without directly writing code. Usually, basic knowledge in development is enough to build applications on no-code.

The logic of no-code constructors is intuitive: the application interface is assembled from blocks, icons, buttons, and text which are connected to the database. Usually, you can choose a suitable template or do everything from scratch. Speed and economy are the main advantages of no-code tools.

No-code is suitable for creating an MVP, testing an idea or new features in a product, saving time for solving standard tasks. PRO level no-code platforms can provide you with a finished product, an application.

If you don't have an account on AppMaster.io yet, join us. After registration, you will be given a free trial period for 14 days, in which all the basic functionality of the platform is available. It will allow you to learn the intricacies of working with a professional-level no-code platform and understand its potential.
Aug 9, 2017 | By Tess

Ortho Baltic, a Lithuanian manufacturer of bespoke 3D printed medical implants, recently made the decision to adopt a CT inspection technology to improve the quality of its products. To do so, Ortho Baltic reached out to Nikon Metrology, an expert in industrial measurement, inspection, and quality assurance.

The Kaunas-based company is the first in the Baltic region to offer patient-specific temporomandibular joint (TMJ) endoprostheses, which are implanted to help patients recover the functionality of a joint. More generally, the company has been working towards establishing patient-specific implants as the norm, as well as making them more accessible in terms of cost.

Ortho Baltic has been using 3D printing technologies in its operations since 2012, as has seen the benefits of using AM to create made-to-order bespoke implants based on a patients CT scan. Currently, the company produces patient-specific joints, cranial implants, spinal implants, bone plating systems, dental and jaw restoration implants, and surgical guides.

In order to certify that these one-off implants and guides are up to par, the medical device manufacturer has come to rely on one-off inspections which are made possible with Nikon Metrologys systems.

A 3D printed acetabular implant being scanned and inspected

To meet its stringent demands, Ortho Baltic chose to leverage Nikon Metrologys XT H 225 system, which includes a Varian 4030 digital panel and Inspect-X software. The inspection system can reportedly accommodate large parts (weighing up to 15 kg) and is capable of penetrating dense materials (like titanium alloys) with its 225 kV micro-focus source.

For producing its patient-specific medical devices, Ortho Baltic uses a variety of 3D printing processes and materials. For instance, to manufacture implants it typically uses a direct laser metal sintering (DMLS) process and a medical grade-5 titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V). For making surgical guides and implant models, the company uses selective laser sintering (SLS) and PA 2200, a biocompatible polymer.

To create the patient-specific anatomical models, 3D reconstruction engineers work with a radiologist (if necessary) using the patients radiological data to perform a 3D reconstruction. The anatomical bone structures are segmented and virtual 3D models are prepared, explained Milda Jokymaityte, a clinical engineer at Ortho Baltic.

A patient-specific 3D printed temporomandibular joint (TMJ)

Jokymaityte goes on to say that the entire process of manufacturing a custom implant (specifically a TMJ prosthesis), from printing, quality control, packaging, and sterilization, took about four weeks. From this point onwards, the pre-surgical planning commences between patient and surgeon, ultimately leading to surgery completion.

To check the quality of its 3D printed parts, Ortho Baltic uses a multi-sensor coordinate measuring machine (CMM) in combination with a micro-CT system, provided by Nikon Metrology. Micro-CT scanning has offered the company a non-destructive and non-invasive way to check and qualify the interior of a 3D printed part.

For today, micro-CT is the best solution for our product development and quality control, said Domantas Ozerenskis, Product Quality Manager at Ortho Baltic. 3D printing is a very complicated technology and has a big variation of processing parameters, consequently it is hard to predict the structure quality and geometry of a printed part.

Ultimately, Ortho Baltic has stated that Nikon Metrologys quality assurance system has proven to be an irreplaceable tool in its patient-specific 3D printed implant manufacturing. The Nikon solution offers better knowledge of what we are manufacturing; it gives better precision and understanding of 3D printing errors and deviations, commented Ozerenskis.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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Aug 9, 2017 | By Tess

Renishaw, a UK-based metal 3D printing company, has announced a partnership with British aerospace and defense company Aeromet International Limited. Through their collaboration, both companies are seeking to establish additive manufacturing process parameters for Aeromets new aluminum alloy, A20X.

The material, which recently debuted at the Paris Air Show, has the potential to be used with Renishaws metal 3D printing systems, and could have significant applications in producing parts for the aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors.

By working together, Renishaw and Aeromet are hopeful they can establish optimal processes and settings for 3D printing the new high-performance aluminum alloy on Renishaws AM systems.

Aeromets new A20X family of materials includes the A205 casting alloy and AM205 powder for additive manufacturing, both of which are approved by the Metallic Materials Properties Development and Standardisation (MMPDS) organization.

As the aerospace company explains, it initially developed the aluminum-copper alloy for the purpose of casting parts. Only recently has it branched out to offer an A20X powder that is suitable for use in additive manufacturing.

Aeromet describes its new material as possessing a highly refined microstructure and a unique solidification mechanism. These features reportedly give the material better strength, fatigue, and thermal characteristics than many other alloys.

A20X is being rapidly adopted for additive manufacture of aero engine, airframe, space, defence and automotive parts, explained Mike Bond, Director of the AMT division of Aeromet.

Renishaws AM400 metal 3D printer build chamber

Its unique combination of high strength, high ductility, and performance at high operating temperatures make it ideal for light-weight, stressed components," he added. "We look forward to making processing techniques for this innovative alloy more widely available to accelerate its adoption.

Renishaw will also work with Aeromet to explore different heat treatment processes in order to find the one that offers the most optimal properties with parts 3D printed from A20X.

Marc Saunders, the director of Global Solutions Centres at Renishaw, stated: Renishaw's metal AM systems feature high power lasers, an inert processing environment and open parameters, making them ideal for supporting innovative new materials like A20X.

Marc Saunders, Director of Renishaws Global Solutions Centres

We are working closely with Aeromet to qualify this exciting new alloy on our machines," he added. "Through our network of AM Solutions Centres, we can help manufacturers to develop industrial AM processes using A20X."

Once the material and its print settings have been established, both companies say they will offer A20X components to their clients and will release data on the processing techniques and material properties.

Posted in 3D Printing Materials

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My childrens upbringing and the problems, the joys and the celebrations  all of those things are in my memory bank, Williams says. Its with me every day.

Mick OBrien and his ex-wife, Megan (Barbara Niven), have five children: lawyer Abby (Meghan Ory), inn owner Jess (Laci J. Mailey), playwright Bree (Emilie Ullerup), Army medic Kevin (Brendan Penny) and law student Connor (Andrew Francis). They each have transitioned into a world where they make their own decisions. Thats an interesting part of the journey with your children, learning how to step back and let them leave the nest and come back when they feel like it, Williams says.

From helping Abby with her relationship with her ex-husband to cheering up Bree after her play is criticized to helping Kevin through the trauma of an IED attack, each of Williams scenes is coated in the distinctive Hallmark tenderness. The show is filled with the brands patented warmth.

"Weve been working ... to get to that sweet spot of what [Hallmark] wants the show to be, Williams says. And I think we hit it this summer. Viewers agree: Chesapeake Shores is the most-watched show in Hallmarks history.

Williams is looking forward to going home to Vermont and flying his two planes  something he wasnt able to do during shooting. And when hes not streaking across the sky, hell be biking to work for the first time. He is starring in a production of his friend David Mamets American Buffalo at the Dorset Theatre Festival (Aug. 24-Sept. 2), playing a thief named Teach with a foul mouth. Dad would never approve.
These trends suggest that Americans are becoming less socially connected and experiencing more loneliness, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, professor of psychology at Brigham Young University, said in an APA article summing up the research.

Being connected to others socially is widely considered a fundamental human need  crucial to both well-being and survival, she said. Yet an increasing portion of the U.S. population now experiences isolation regularly.

Holt-Lunstad presented data from scores of studies indicating that social isolation, loneliness or living alone has had an impact on the risk of premature death that is as bad or worse than other risk factors, including obesity.

With an increasing aging population, the effect on public health is only anticipated to increase, said Holt-Lunstad. Indeed, many nations around the world now suggest we are facing a loneliness epidemic. The challenge we face now is what can be done about it.

She recommended that schoolchildren get social-skills training and that doctors include social connectedness in medical screenings. And she advised adults to prepare for retirement socially as well as financially because many social ties are forged in the workplace.
The bills proponents said one goal is to ensure that fraud complaints are handled quickly by appropriate law enforcement agencies.

"A new fraud scheme designed to target seniors appears almost daily, and in many cases seniors watch their entire life savings disappear in scams that are specifically designed to target their assets," Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) warned in a news release.

Klobuchar joined with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) to sponsor the Seniors Fraud Prevention Act.

One of my top priorities as chairman of the Senate Aging Committee is to combat scams that target seniors, said Collins.

I am pleased that the Senate unanimously supported our legislation, which will enhance fraud monitoring, increase consumer education and strengthen the complaint tracking system to help prevent seniors from being robbed of their hard-earned savings through threatening and manipulative scams.
Countering earlier trends of older women not participating in the workforce, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) now projects that by 2024, women over 65 will make up roughly the same percentage of the female workforce as older men do of the male workforce. Additionally, BLS predicts that twice as many women over 55 will be in the labor force as women ages 16-24, Quartz reports.

Overall, labor force participation rates ticked up between 1950 and 2000, but older workers steadily dropped. These trends have now reversed, particularly for older women, who are working at higher rates than ever. Women age 65 and over are projected to make up 25 percent of the female labor force in 2024, while older men are projected to make up 21 percent of the male labor force.
Kienholz does it all to lead Pierre to sixth-straight 11AA title

Pierre quarterback Lincoln Kienholz had an interception and scored the game-winning touchdown on consecutive drives to seal Pierre's sixth-straight 11AA title.


Aconex Key Dates

Melbourne, Aug 9, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Aconex Limited ( ASX:ACX ) ( ACNXF:OTCMKTS ) advises key dates (see Note below) in relation to the year ended 30 June 2017.



Full year results: 22 August 2017



Aconex plans to release its FY2017 results before the market opens on Tuesday, 22 August 2017. Following the release of the results, Aconex CEO Leigh Jasper and CFO Paul Koppelman will host a teleconference and webcast briefing for investors at 10:00am AEST. This briefing will be webcast and accessible via the Aconex Investor Centre http://investor.aconex.com



Annual General Meeting: 8 November 2017



The meeting will be held at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square, Flinders Street, Melbourne at 10.00am.



Note: Indicates proposed dates, which may be subject to change.





About Aconex Ltd





Aconex Limited (ASX:ACX) project collaboration solution digitally connects owners, builders and other teams, providing complete visibility and management of data, documents and costs across all stages of a construction project lifecycle. The Aconex cloud-based solution has been used to manage over $1 trillion in projects across 70,000 user organisations in over 70 countries. The companys ordinary shares are traded on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) under the ticker code ACX and are included in the S&P/ASX 200 Index.

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KATHMANDU - Nepali Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara said Tuesday that his country wants to reap maximum benefits from the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

Unveiling a policy document of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the minister said: "Nepal-China relations have remained cordial over the years and the government is working to implement all bilateral agreements reached with China."

Mahara said that the government has formed mechanisms to accelerate the development projects under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

"We want to reap benefits from the Belt and Road Initiative," he said.

Such mechanisms are composed of senior government officials from different government ministries, including foreign affairs, finance, energy, industry, commerce, among others, according to the minister.

"We are committed to pushing forward Nepal-China cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative," he said.

Nepal and China reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on bilateral cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative on May 12 this year.

The Belt and Road Initiative, announced by China in 2013, is aimed at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes.
Actor Halle Berry said being a biracial child, it was tough for her to be in an all-white school.

The actor said she was often bullied for being a mixed- race child, reported People magazine.

The Oscar-winning actor was moved out of her neighbourhood school by her mother because of the violence. While the change of the school saved her from the danger, it ended disrupting her normal life.

Because my mother was white and my father was black  we got called Oreos and names, and kids just didnt understand, so we were different. We were the brunt of a lot of jokes.

So, I think my need to please and my desire to achieve was because I was constantly trying to prove that I was as good as the other white students. I felt very less than, and I thought, If I can beat them at everything, then I can be as good as them.
The state government has finally given nod for the coastal road which will decongest the traffic in Mumbai. The coastal road is proposed to be a freeway along Mumbais coastline, from south Mumbais Nariman Point to the far western suburb of Kandivali. The 35.6-km link is expected to provide relief to lakhs of commuters who currently take up to three hours to travel the distance in peak-hour traffic. The road will complement the 17-km Eastern Freeway, which connects south Mumbai to the eastern suburbs. The coastal road also seeks to create large patches of open green space which is a rare sight in the metropolis. The government has promised to create marinas, promenades and provide pedestrians access to the green patches to walk or cycle.

It is unjustified to compare Mumbai with other cities. There is huge difference between the population of Mumbai and Singapore moreover the former suffers dearth of open spaces. The fishermen are just doing their job and are not selfish. If more reclamation is done then city may end losing up more beaches according to environmental activists.

The impressive move to construct Coastal road has come at a right time when motorists are facing tough time in the busy streets of the metropolis. Sooner or later we wish to have a free ride and coastal road has come handy to solve this peculiar problem. This thinking echoes the recommendations of a technical committee set up by the government whose report, submitted in 2011, had advanced two incredibly counter intuitive arguments for building a coastal freeway. The initiative taken by the government is a step in the right direction and needs to be complimented. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis deserves all praise for his whole hearted efforts to make things move in a proper direction. Having faced traffic jam in focal points of the city, it is time to look for an alternative. The much expected plan will cost over Rs.12000 crores but the corridor from Nariman Point to Kandivali will get major boost.

It is notable that the Coastal Regulations Zone rules will remain in force for the reclaimed land but the coastal road will soon become a reality in future. Why does this road have only 8 lanes and with 2 lanes reserved for bus transit as it reduces the number of usable lanes to only 6, only 3 in each direction and that is not a wise one with increasing traffic in the citys roads. Singapore has 10 lanes expressways and similar land area to Mumbai. At least try to make it appear that you plan for future traffic volume while constructing roads.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Warning India not to flirt with disaster, state-run Chinese media on Wednesday said New Delhi would be foolish to underestimate Beijings prowess to safeguard its soil and territory.

Describing the two-month long Doklam impasse as an unsettled border issue between China and Bhutan, Xinhua News agency asserted that, It has nothing to do with India. China respects Bhutan as an independent sovereign state and resents Indias attempt to turn it into a de facto protectorate.

The article further warned India, India must not underestimate China. The Peoples Liberation Army was built to safeguard peace and to protect national sovereignty, security and development interests.

It charged New Delhi with double standards in resolving the Doklam issue by not removing Indian troops from the area.

The article said, Despite Chinas demonstrable goodwill, India has nothing but words. Its External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said India would keep engaging with China to resolve the dispute, and patience, control on comments and diplomacy can resolve problems. The truth is that India has not only failed to withdraw its troops, but continues to make eccentric demands and is not looking for a resolution.

Adding, There are not many signs that India is seeking peace. If India is sincere about peace, its troops should never have invaded China in the first place, and ought to immediately and unconditionally get back to their own side of the border.

The agency also ruled out negotiation with India.

The commentary read, The Indian side is deluded if it thinks that China is about to negotiate with an invading force while its national territorial integrity remains infringed indefinitely.

As per latest report, China did not respond to Indias suggestion in the talks that it move its troops back 250 metres (820 ft) in return.

According to Geo TV, In the low-key diplomatic manoeuvres that took place outside the public eye, the Chinese countered with an offer to move back 100 metres (328 ft).
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid tributes to the martyrs of the countrys freedom struggle, on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement.

Fadnavis tweeted, My salutations to all freedom fighters for their sacrifice for Bharat Mata and on August Kranti Din!

Various events were organised on the anniversary of the Quit India movement, which has been one of the major milestones in the history of Indias struggle for independence.

At the main event held in August Kranti Maidan here, floral tributes were paid to the freedom fighters and those who laid down their lives in the struggle for Indias Independence.

It is the same ground from where Mahatma Gandhi gave the clarion call of Do or Die for independence.

The movement of disobedience was launched in August 1942 with Mahatma Gandhis call for immediate independence made at Mumbais Gowalia Tank, which is now well known as August Kranti Maidan.

On the Quit India movements anniversary last year, the Maharashtra government had launched the Quit India 2- from Swaraj to Suraj initiative at the historic ground, stressing on freedom from illiteracy, farmer suicides, wastage of water, addiction among youth and corruption.
As more time went on, I started seeing truly vaccine injured kids. I started seeing a lot of autistic children, and their parents all said the same thing. They said: My child was fine till they got this shot and then within a week, we lost him. They quit having eye contact, they lost language. And I heard that so often, and so then I started doing research. And the more I started researching, the more I found that the ingredients were also toxic.

As time went on, in the late 80s, they started to increase the number of vaccines, and I had a problem with that because giving just two at a time was hard enough, but now they wanted to give 4, 5, 6 at a time. I made the decision at that time that our practice would only give two at a time. So it was never more than two at a time.

I started out the same as everybody else: You need your vaccines. When I started practice everybody only got two at a time. I actually began to see problems with it even early on because when I started practice, we used the original DTP. So kids on monitors, I noticed that they had increased alarms after vaccines. 

Dr. Cornelia Franz, a Florida pediatrician http://www.thefranzcenter.com/team/anne-j-downing/ with over 30 years experience, talked to Polly Tommey about the state of our childrens health. Hers is an extremely rare and courageous position in the medical community. While she does vaccinate patients, its on a very limited scale and based on what parents want for their children. While many might be critical of a doctor who gives any vaccines, Dr. Franz provides parents with an option that is almost non-existent anywhere else, and in her practice, there is real informed consent.

Thank you to the Vaxxed team for this video. By Anne Dachel

I can tell you today, having been in clinic practice for over 30 years, that the children I see today are sicker than they were when I was a resident. Its like theyre genetically weaker. And we give four times, quadruple, the number of vaccines that we did when I started practice. 

Theres a sign that says by the time your kids is five, they get 81 different vaccines. Its really 117, and its not really vaccines, but its antigens. So like a DTP is diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough, and there are three ingredients. So you get diphtheria, tetanus, whooping coughyou get five of those total. So you get 15 different components there. Hib has three separate strains, so you get four times three, you get 12. Prevnar has 13 strains of pneumococus, so you get four times thirteen, 52. When you add all that up, leaving out the flu vaccine, you get 117 different vaccine antigens by the time theyre five. When I started practice, they got 30 to 33. So its huge.

What I can tell you is from clinical practice because my field is clinical practice, not research. Ive just seen so many vaccine injured kids. Its over and over and over.

Polly asked Dr. Franz what she does when parents come to her for vaccines.

My practice is integrative. So we do both traditional and non-traditional. In our practice, our policy is we dont even start vaccines till age one because its not the kids immune system until really after six months, and its really not strong till 12 months. So we dont even begin until age one. That way, I dont have a lot of problems with them early on.

Many parents come to us because they dont want to vaccinate the traditional schedule with 5 and 6 shots at a time. We support what they want to do, and its turned out really well because these kids seem to be much healthier than previous decades.

Polly wanted to know if Dr. Franz typically tells parents about side effects connected with the vaccines a child receives in her practice.

We dont give the measles vaccine till age 3. I wont even entertain it. I would then ask you what is your problem with measles. What is your fear, what is your concern? I would educate you on that because measles is a virus. It can cause problems. Its going to cause more deadly problems in people who are vitamin A deficient because we know the measles, mumps, rubella shot drains vitamin A stores, and then that creates a disconnect in the brain, and many kids become autistic after that. 

I try and debunk what is your fear about measles because there are alternative ways to treat it that are equally as safe, that bring you through it with no harm.

Polly was interested in why Dr. Franz doesnt give the MMR until age three.

Because so many children become autistic after the MMR that I believed before I had the evidence and before Vaxxed came out that there was a very clear connection.

So, if autism is a naturally occurring congenital problem, typically shows up by age two, and the MMR is really implicated, then I just separate them and said, why do it? Initially I wouldnt give until after two, and then I just moved it to three.

Polly then brought up the risks associated with Gardasil, the HPV vaccine. Polly asked her if she gives this vaccine.

 No, no. Im very adamant and passionate about not giving Gardasil. I did give it to five girls initially and all five had bad reactions. Fortunately, none of them were lethal, none of them were long term crippling, but it was enough for me. And then when I did the research on thatthe last time I looked at the data, Gardasil had killed 120 girls outright, it has maimed over ten thousand, it is causing premature menopause,

I actually have an ethical issue with it too. What happened to teaching our kids values? Why do you need a shot?

In the movie, The Greater Good it was such a really good movieand that young lady who was probably just the beginning. Her story was so awful, and it was so clear it was the Gardasil, that I go, Im not doing that.

Next Polly brought up the childhood schedule. As a pediatrician, are you not supposed to follow the CDC schedule?

No, its a recommendation.

Polly asked her if shed seen vaccine injuries in her practice.

Not that I can recall from my own practice. I have received patients who have been injured after age one. Yeah, lots of them actually because thats when the MMR is, after age one. So in that age group of giving it at 12 to 15 months, I think theres probably the largest number of problems with autism afterwards.

Polly asked her about the attitude of doctors who dont see a connection between the MMR and side effects like seizures and bowel disease.

There has to be a temporal association. I maintained for years that if you brought me a healthy child, I give a vaccine and within a few days, theyre back sick, there has to be some kind of temporal connection.

Early on in practice, there were kids that would come back that were ill, and I found myself saying, Oh, its a coincidence. Oh, it couldnt be the vaccine. And then one day I stopped and wentbecause I didnt believe what was coming out of my mouth. I had to stop and think about it, and I went, This doesnt make sense.

So you start looking, and you start listening, and you listen to the parents: What motivation do you have to lie to me? I need you to tell me whats wrong with your child, and I need you to make connections.

Im also a homeopath, and so we do homeopathy and one of the big things in homeopathy is Never been well since. And it happens very often. People will say, I have never been well since I had the flu. I have never been well since I broke my leg. Ive never been well since I had a vaccine.

And that has to be real. Its a very clear point in time.

So youre telling me, prior to that flu you had, not even a vaccine, just a flu, you were healthy.

Oh yeah. I could do anything Its very clear when you listen to people. 

Dr. Franz then talked about the toxins in vaccines like aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde and why shes worried about them.

Polly asked Dr. Franz if, based on all she knew about vaccines, it was hard for her to vaccinate a child.

It is, but its ultimately not my decision, its the parents. All I can do is educate and support. And I do trust a parents gut. And so I tell them the thing I require is that you must be at peace about this vaccine. If you are not at peace, I will not give it. If you as parents are arguing about it, I will not give it.

Polly raised the question of SIDS and asked if Dr. Franz had had any SIDS among her patients.

No, no. She added that shed never had any shaken babies either.

Polly asked the critical question: If you were a young mom today, would you vaccinate your baby?

No. I would not.

Then Dr. Franz went further.

The other thing that Im seeing, and I dont have any evidence or numbers to back it up, so this is what they call anecdotal or clinical empirical evidence. Ive been in practice long enough now that some of my own patients are coming back with their kids. I can actually tell you that the unvaxxed kids are healthier.

Ive been in practice long enough that I can also tell you that if the unvaxxed kids are a problem, if my population is a problem, then according to whats out there, they should have a very high risk and there should be a lot of hospital admissions for my unvaxxed kids getting those things. And Im seeing the opposite. Theyre not. The children I have who are unvaccinated are across the board, healthier. 

Dr. Suzanne Humpries asked Dr. Franz about the claim that all the children with autism are the result of better diagnosing. Where do you think all these autistic children were 30 years ago?

It just wasnt there. They werent there. Were more informed because were seeing more of it. Thirty years ago, it didnt exist. 

I have one statistic that autisms up 6,000 percent in the last 30 years. Thats not because were better informed or better at diagnosing. Were better at diagnosing because theres more of it.

Then Dr. Franz addressed the failure of vaccine makers to provide separate mumps, measles, rubella vaccines. For those who chose to do it, the single vaccines had fewer problems.

Would I push that? No.

Polly asked Dr. Franz what she would do if she were head of the CDC.

I wouldnt be head of the CDC.

Dr. Franz called for more research, including a vaxxed/unvaxxed study. She also said she would never vaccinate an autistic child. And I wont do their siblings.



Additional video: Vaxxed Tour Stop Orlando Q&A Dr Franz Dr Suzanne & Polly Tommey  YouTube
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 42F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
A History Of Violence -- The Myth Of The Moderate Kurdish Rebel

In Part I of independent analyst Sarah Abed's three-part analysis for MintPress News, Abed began exposing the modern day Kurdish/Israeli alliance that both parties have tried to keep hidden in order to avoid drawing the public's attention to their ultimate plan, as well as the U.S.' use of Kurdish factions in destabilizing the Middle East. The Kurds have engaged in such relationships in part because of internal divisions and disunity, which have also made it difficult to fulfill their goal of establishing a fully autonomous Kurdistan spanning over the four countries they currently occupy. Abed also examined the Syrian government's attempts at keeping the country united by addressing and implementing constitutional changes that benefit the Kurds -- attempts that have still failed to convince separatist Kurds to abandon their goal of Balkanizing and illegally confiscating parts of Syria at the cost of the people who reside there. Read Part I here. Part II examined this topic in greater depth in hopes of raising awareness of this little-known but imperative part of the Syrian puzzle. Abed analyzed the Kurds' link to apartheid Israel and why the country has taken such a strong interest in the group, as well as the strange phenomenon of Western military veterans traveling to Syria to fight alongside the Kurds. The Kurdish link to Daesh (ISIS) was also covered, as a number of Kurds have chosen to fight on their side. Kurdish alliances with armed terrorist groups in Syria -- particularly Daesh -- are very telling signs as to what extremes some Kurds will go to in order to bring their ideological manifestation of an independent, autonomous Kurdistan into existence. Read Part II here. In Part III of Abed's analysis, she will cover human rights violations, both past and present, that have been committed by the Kurds against Arabs and Christian minorities, as well as address misconceptions as to why the Kurds remain stateless. It's important to reiterate that this three-part analysis is not meant to be understood as a sweeping generalization of the Kurdish ethnicity at large. The points being addressed are specifically in reference to the corrupt factions. The West has effectively preyed on the Kurds' internal divisions and has used some factions to fulfill an imperialist goal of dividing and weakening the Near and Middle East. The Kurdish people are diverse, and in recent years, aspects of their culture and customs have been discussed in mainstream media. But the behavior of some of their more corrupt factions must be addressed.

Kurds and Assyrians: a tumultuous past and present

Kurdish guerrillas of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, guard the entrance of Irbil, Iraq, Sept. 1, 1996, after they seized the main Kurdish city from the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan on, Aug. 31, 1996. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's forces stormed Irbil to dislodge one Kurdish group, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, and allow its rival, the KDP, to move in. Internal quarrels have long plagued the estimated 20 million Kurds who live in the mountainous region where the borders of Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan converge. AP/Anatolia) AP/Anatolia)

Watch: The assassination of an Assyrian leader by Kurdish forces:

Sporting a revised version of the phrase "Mesopotamia: The Cradle of Civilization," this sign is located near the Assyrian heritage site of Khinis in Dohuk Province. Such sites are typically unguarded and are often vandalized. AINA) AINA)

Modern day horrors as Kurds allow Daesh to murder Assyrians

A disarmament order that was circulated by the KRG in Assyrian towns on the Nineveh plains. ankawa.com) ankawa.com)

Watch: Assyrians demanding an end to the Kurdish occupation of their land:

"My name is Salwa Khalaf Rasho. I was born in 1998 and was in the ninth grade. I was leading a simple and modest life with my family until the day when Daesh attacked Shengal on August 3, 2014. I liked my city, Shengal, very much. I grew up under the principle of coexistence with all societies within the community, regardless of one's religion or sect, because the values of my religion do not allow to hate others and discriminate against them. Therefore, Shengal was well known as the city of tolerance and ethnic diversity. What happened was shocking and unexpected, because we saw Daesh as our brothers. With this, I mean the Arab tribes of the villages that belong to Shengal. Suddenly, they became monsters and wolves. They collaborated with Daesh when Yazidi women and children were enslaved and men were killed. There were about 9,000 Peshmerga in my city who were armed with various types of weapons. They said to us, 'We will protect and defend Shengal, and Daesh will only enter Shengal over our dead bodies. We will defend Shengal until the last bullet.'" Unfortunately, they ran away without any resistance and without warning or giving notice to the civilians so we could escape from falling into the arms of Daesh monsters. They left us women and children to our cold-blooded fate. I and the people with me tried to flee into the mountains like the others."

Watch: How Kurds disarmed Assyrian Christians and abandoned them to Daesh:

A history of human rights abuses

Watch: Widely-documented human rights abuses:

Why are they stateless?

Much of what the Kurds claim as their own unique culture is actually borrowed from older cultures, such as the Assyrians, Armenians and Suryoye. In fact, much if not all of the land in Eastern Turkey that the Kurds claim as their own once belonged to the Armenians. It is hardly surprising, then, that the Kurds assisted in the Turkish genocide of Assyrians and the 1915 genocide of Armenians . Also known as " Shato du Seyfo ," or the "Year of the Sword, " this genocide targeted Christians in the Ottoman Empire during World War I, mainly in 1915. The size of the Assyrian population was reduced by as much as 75 percent as a result. On the Nineveh plains of northern Iraq, the Kurds dwell in cities such as Dohuk (formerly known by the Assyrian name of Nohadra). But these cities are theirs only in that they have established a relatively recent presence there. Employing the criteria of cultural identity and thousands of years of historical authenticity, these lands are, and have been, uniquely Assyrian. The Kurds were essentially given these lands in the early 1970s as a means of drawing their eyes away from the oil-rich lands in and around the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. To this end, there were large migrations of Kurds into Dohuk which displaced, often forcibly, Assyrians who had far greater legal and historical claims to these lands. This is a tactic commonly employed by the Kurds when attempting to ascribe validation to their sacred quest of establishing a Kurdish state  something which has never existed at any point in recorded history. By defining Kurdistan as any place where Kurds happen to dwell at any given point, they seem to be going by the maxim "possession is nine-tenths of the law"  which may work well in determining criminal liability, but not so well in determining ones homeland. In the early 1970s, the Kurds of Nineveh began to fall into what would become a familiar pattern of being used as a pawn of U.S. interests . In this instance, they betrayed their host country when the U.S.  through its puppet, the Shah of Iran  began arming them and encouraging them to rise up against the government. The Iraqi government cracked down, which resulted in many Kurds being forced out of the lands they had only recently acquired. Iraq and Iran came to a diplomatic resolution and the Kurds were left holding the proverbial bag in what would also become a recurring scenario. Nearly the exact same phenomenon occurred in the 1980s and 1990s when, during the first Gulf War, a no-fly zone was established that granted the Kurds a tangible measure of international support and protection."Despite the oppression the Kurds have suffered at the hands of the Turks, they have not learned to be tolerant. In the Kurdish autonomous of North Iraq, The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) are acting in the same way as the Turkish government has for 90 years against Kurds and Assyrians. Reports of systematic abuses against Assyrians within the Kurdish autonomy in Iraq are constantly increasing in number. There is organized harassment, sanctioned by the Kurdish authorities. The aim is obviously the same as that of the Turks, to assimilate or expel the Assyrian indigenous people who have lived in these parts of the country for more than 7,000 years." Augin Haninke wrote in her article The Kurds: Victims and Oppressors with Assyrian International News agency.As explained in the video above, Kurdish security forces in Syria tortured and murdered Assyrian military commander David Jindo after a false invitation under the pretense of cooperation. This was a move reminiscent of Kurdish leader Simko Shikaks 1918 assassination of Assyrian Patriarch Mar Shimun XXI Benyamin, which took place when he invited the patriarch into his home. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of northern Iraq claims that it is $25 billion dollars in debt , despite having negotiated its own oil deals and received significant amounts of foreign aid. One has to question how much corruption exists within the Kurdish administration for it to be in the financial situation it claims to be in. This has resulted in circumstances where small charity groups are left to facilitate and distribute aid to the Assyrians and Yazidis, who are supposed to be under the governorship of the KRG.In 2011, imams in Dohuk encouraged Sunni Kurds to destroy Christian churches and businesses . In response, shops were attacked and clubs were besieged by mobs of people numbering in the hundreds. Hotels and restaurants were attacked with small arms fire. In recent years, Kurds have continued acting disingenuously towards Christian minorities, including Assyrians and even Yazidis. Their abuses have gone far beyond historical revisionism  an example of which can be seen in the picture below. This was also seen when they took refuge in northern Syria in the early 19th century and proceeded to drive Arabs and Armenians out of numerous towns.In July 2014, as Daesh began its incursion into Iraqi territory, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) began its systematic disarmament of Assyrians and several other ethnic groups so that it could use their weapons in its own struggle.Notices were circulated threatening severe punishment for noncompliance. Assurances were given that the Peshmerga would provide some degree of protection. But as Daesh advanced, the Peshmerga took the weapons and fled, following the same example as the Iraqi Army. This left the Assyrians and Yazidis with no means to resist or defend themselves against Daesh. Reports even surfaced of these same Peshmerga gunning down Yazidis who tried to prevent them from fleeing with all the weapons. Haydar Shesho, a Yazidi commander who managed to procure weapons from the Iraqi government, was then arrested by KDP authorities for organizing an illegal militia. This scene was repeated elsewhere throughout the country, as 150,000 Assyrians were forced to flee the Nineveh plains, their ancestral land. These actions can only be seen as a deliberate ploy by the Kurdish leadership to allow foreign forces to violently cleanse these areas of all non-Kurdish residents and then, with the help of their U.S. allies, retake and "liberate their lands."On April 13, 2016, Kurdish security forces blocked hundreds of Assyrians from participating in a protest outside of the Kurdistan Regional Government Parliament building. The protest was planned in response to the ongoing confiscation of Assyrian land by Kurds in northern Iraq. Many testimonies have surfaced, such as a statement given to the UK Parliament by Yazidi ex-captive Salwa Khalaf Rasho, in which it is said that the Peshmerga, eager to flee first ahead of Yazidi civilians, has refused requests to stay and protect Yazidis or at least leave them their weapons. They had even reassured the Yazidis that they should return to their homes, where they would be defended. Some Peshmerga ultimately started firing on Yazidis when their protests grew forceful  killing some of them  in order to clear the way for their convoy of vehicles to pass unhindered. Yazda, an organization that campaigns for Yazidi genocide recognition , wrote in its last report in January 2016: Had they [Yazidis] been defended for one day, they could have been evacuated safely and the massacres and enslavement crisis could have been averted. The following is an excerpt from Rasho's testimony to the UK Parliament in which she pleaded for help after escaping eight months of Daesh slavery, rape and multiple attempted suicides.In light of these horrors, it should easily be understood why the Kurds would have a vested interest in claiming Arab, Assyrian or Armenian history as their own. Failing in that endeavor, they often resort to destroying any relevant history altogether. In this aspect, they operate in a similar manner to Daesh. Every time the Kurds failed in an attack against Turkey, they would migrate to Syria and try to claim Syrian land as their own. For instance, they tried to claim the Syrian city of Ayn al Arab, naming it "Kobani." The origin of the name is the word "company," a reference to a German railway company that built the Konya-Baghdad railway. The Kurds also claimed Al Qamishli, another Syrian city, as their illegal capital and renamed it Qamishlo. It's worth mentioning that the Kurds are not even a majority in the land they claim as theirs in northeast Syria. For example, in the governorate of Al Hasakah, they amount to about 30 to 40 percent of the population. That number has decreased since the outbreak of the current Syrian conflict, as many Kurds have left for European countries. Most of the have fled to Germany, where their numbers are about 1.2 million, a little less than the number of Kurds living in Syria. However, they do not seem concerned about seeking autonomy there. They only seek it in the Middle Eastern countries that have provided them with refuge all of these years  these are the countries they want to stab in the back instead of thanking them for their hospitality. Amnesty International 's many refutable allegations against the Syrian government and the Syrian Arab Army cannot be taken at face value in the absence of other corroborating reports. In some cases, however, they do report truthfully, such as when they released a report in 2015 accusing the YPG, the militia of Syria's Kurdish population, of a range of human rights abuses . "These abuses include forced displacement, demolition of homes, and the seizure and destruction of property," the group wrote. "In some cases, entire villages have been demolished, apparently in retaliation for the perceived support of their Arab or Turkmen residents for the group that calls itself the Islamic State (IS) or other non-state armed groups." Amnesty International has also documented the use of child soldiers, according to Lama Fakih, a senior crisis advisor for the group. The Kurds claim that their Kurdistan is multicultural and multireligious, which is disingenuous when you consider that those additional cultures consist of people now dwelling amongst a Kurdish majority in lands the Kurds took by force. These people will be faced with the prospect of casting meaningless votes on Kurdish independence since, even if they all voted "no," they would nonetheless be outvoted by the Kurdish yes majority and as a result would still find themselves subject to a Kurdish government and agenda.The Sykes-Picot agreement , officially known as the Asia Minor Agreement, was a secret 1916 agreement between the United Kingdom and France, to which the Russian Empire assented. It set the borders for countries like Syria, Iraq, and Jordan, but the Kurds held little or no influence. The main purpose of the agreement for the French and British was to bolster their own influence and power in the region. The Kurds have made the argument that they were promised land at the time, but were then cut out of the deal at the last minute. Kurdish history in the 20th century is marked by a rising sense of Kurdish nationhood focused on the goal of establishing an independent Kurdistan in accordance with the Treaty of S
August 8, 2017

The children sitting around a tall rectangular table listen attentively to a Chinese artist as he shows them how to turn clay into an elephant. "You take this piece of clay and form it in a circular shape. Then you stretch it that way," Chinese artist Du Shao yong tells them, as the elephant slowly takes shape in his well-practiced hands.

When you finish, you put wooden sticks through his stomach to help the clay stand upright," he adds in Chinese. An Arabic translator swiftly tells the children what Du just said.

The childrens clay workshop is one of several Chinese-Egyptian cultural activities that are organized at the Talaat Harb Culture Center in Cairo until Aug. 13. Du was invited by Egypt's Cultural Development Fund, affiliated to the Ministry of Culture, and the Chinese Culture Center in Cairo to hold clay workshops to teach the craft to the Egyptian youth.

It is my first time in Egypt. I feel lucky that I am here to introduce the Chinese way of pottery-making to the Egyptian children, Du told Al-Monitor. The Egyptian civilization is one of the oldest in the world  especially in pottery-making and use of clay. So it is important for any Chinese pottery artist to make Egypt his first stop to introduce Chinese pottery to the Arab world.

Fatma Ali, a pupil at an elementary school in Cairo who attended Du's course, stared in amazement while the instructor made an animal out of clay. Ali, 9, told Al-Monitor, I have never seen this animal before, but the artist said it is very common in China, pointing at the statuette of a Bactrian camel with two humps. The artist promised to show us other strange animals and birds that we have not seen before and how he colors them as well.

Chinese artist Du Shao yong explains to children how to form different shapes using clay at a workshop at the Talaat Harb Cultural Center in Cairo, July 31, 2017 (photo by Salwa Samir).

Chinese potter Li Hong liang teaches workshops at the Foustat Traditional Crafts Center in Old Cairo for students of Cairos art colleges and technical institutes, with the aim of exchanging experiences in pottery-making.

Born in 1958, Li has practiced the art of clay modeling for more than 40 years. There is a difference between the Egyptian clay and Chinese one, as the latter is a bit hard, he told Al-Monitor.

Both the Chinese and the Egyptians have a centurieslong tradition of pottery, by forming pots and objects out of clay and heating them in a kiln using a high temperature to remove the water. People in ancient Egypt used to make many items using clay, mostly vessels that were used to serve and store food. The paintings on some temples' walls and illustrations inside tombs provide information on the variety and quantity of clay containers used by the Egyptians. Ceramic jars filled with food offerings were also found in the Egyptian tombs from the early pre-dynastic period of ancient Egypt and continuing throughout Egyptian history.

Chinese pottery, on the other hand, is known for its use of ceramics in daily life. Vessels of clay were used mostly for rituals. The earliest evidence of any art consisting of crude, cord-marked pottery and artifacts decorated with geometric designs is found in Mesolithic sites in northern China.

The Foustat Traditional Crafts Center is an inspiring place for traditional crafts, where pottery and ceramics classes take place. Fustat, the first capital of Egypt under Muslim rule, is an ancient city built in A.D. 641 by Muslim Gen. Amr ibn al-As and became an important center for Islamic arts. Presently part of Old Cairo, Fustat hosts a number of pottery-making workshops.

Nada Abdel-Kereem, a professor at Helwan Universitys faculty of art education and one of the attendees at Li's workshop, told Al-Monitor, I noticed there is a difference between the Chinese and Egyptian pottery. The quality of the clay in China is better, she said. Thats why the products finishing is beautiful.

Li said that the temperature of heating the clay is different in the Egyptian and Chinese pottery-making process. In China, we use a higher temperature in heating the clay compared to the Egyptian method. Thats why there is a glossier finish, he added.

Li has been practicing pottery for more than 18 years, and he established his own atelier where he creates pots, vases, jugs and seals.

He said that there will be an exhibition at the end of the workshop displaying the attendees art works. I will also keep in contact with them for further collaboration in this field. I hope the students show their creations to their friends so that people become acquainted with Chinese pottery, he said.
August 9, 2017

An Egyptian delegations angry assertion that the death of less than 100 Christian Copts is non comparable to US gun violence is backfiring on Capitol Hill.

In a letter dated July 26, 18 Egyptian lawmakers furious at a recent State Department travel warning insist that perception is always worse than the truth in this part of the world. The letter was leaked by a congressional source dismayed by the apparent downplaying of the terrorist threat against religious minorities.

All it does is irritate Americans enormously, a former senior State Department official told Al-Monitor. Its dumb and all its going to do is irritate people and itll make [the authors] look sort of stupid in Congress.

Coptic Solidarity, a watchdog group advocating for the rights of Egyptian Christians, denounced the gun violence comparison as a false equivalency.

The comparison of terrorist activities in Egypt to gun violence in Baltimore and Chicago is a conflation of entirely different issues and is a fallacious claim, said Lindsay Griffin, the groups director of development and advocacy. The government fails to protect Copts throughout the country and is complicit in the culture of discrimination and impunity that drives increasing numbers of attacks against Copts.

Griffin went on to denounce the repeated targeting of houses of worship in Egypt as the kind of hate crime that would trigger an immediate investigation by the FBI if it were to occur in the United States.

The letter was spearheaded by Egyptian Foreign Relations Committee member Dalia Youssef, who participated in a delegation to Washington in June. It takes issue with a routine State Department travel advisory dated July 19 that reiterated a previous US warning to American citizens to consider the risks of travel to Egypt due to threats from terrorist and violent political opposition groups.

The US Embassy in Cairo explained that this warning was triggered by the three church bombings that occurred during this year, which led to the unfortunate loss of life of less than 100 Egyptians, Youssef and her colleagues wrote. [That death toll] is non comparable to the number of shootings Chicago and Baltimore have witnessed in one year, resulting in approximately 950 Americans dead according to recent statistics of gun violence in 2016.

Neither Youssef nor the Egyptian Embassy in Washington responded to Al-Monitors repeated requests for comment on the letter.

While the July travel advisory cited the general terrorist threat in Egypt, it did single out attacks on Egyptian Copts. Separately, the latest report from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom notes that Egypt continues to struggle with religious discrimination, including a recent uptick in blasphemy cases, while praising President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for his crackdown on religious incitement.

Terrorists continue to threaten Egypts religious minorities and have attacked sites and people associated with the Egyptian Coptic Church, read the travel advisory.

According to the Cairo-based daily Egypt Today, Youssef was part of a delegation of 14 parliamentarians led by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ahmed Said. Interestingly, Said and eight other members of his delegations declined to sign Youssefs letter. The Egyptian daily also reported that the delegation discussed the grievances of Egypts repressed Coptic community with their House counterparts.

The former US State Department official also disputed the basis of the letters complaint that the State Department issued the travel advisory with no prior coordination whatsoever with any Egyptian entity nor their counterparts, or with any explanation regarding the reasons that led to it. The source told Al-Monitor that the United States rarely gives advance notice or coordinates with another country before issuing such an advisory.

Every single country with a travel warning complains about it.  Theyre really for the most inexperienced traveler and I know countries get upset about them because it has a big impact on tourism, but theyre hugely widespread, the former official said. I dont know what [the one for] Mexico says, but I bet its worse than Egypt.

While the State Department refused to comment on the letters language regarding terrorist attacks on Egyptian Copts, a current State Department official stressed, Travel warnings are not indicative of our bilateral relations with a country. They are part of our commitment to protect US citizens traveling and residing abroad.

The United States was itself beset with an unusually high volume of travel advisories last year, for myriad reasons. USA Today reported that the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, New Zealand, Germany and the Bahamas all urged their citizens to be vigilant when traveling throughout the United States, citing reasons as diverse as anti-Muslim and anti-LGBT violence, mass shootings, police violence and the Zika epidemic.
August 8, 2017

CAIRO  As Egypt announces its next steps linked to a forthcoming space program approved over a year ago, some are wondering why the country's out-of-this-world plans are moving at an astronomically slow pace.

Mohammed Hussein, acting chairman of the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS) at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said in a press release July 31 that Egypt is preparing to launch a new Egyptian satellite in September 2018 simultaneously with the establishment of the first Egyptian space agency in cooperation with the UAE, Russia and China. The Cabinet OKd the law to establish the agency on Aug. 3, 2016.

The plan to establish an Egyptian space agency dates to the 1960s, when a number of space scientists proposed it to President Gamal Abdel Nasser. However, in light of the successive crises and conflicts in the years that followed, particularly the wars with Israel in 1967 and 1973, the project was set aside. Some media reports have claimed President Hosni Mubarak neglected the project as a result of pressure from Western countries not to establish the space agency.

Calls to establish the space agency were renewed when NARSS proposed the project in 2013 to interim President Adly Mansour, who approved it in December of that year. Since then, work has begun with the aim to seek sources of funding and establish foreign partnerships to prepare and implement a law on a space agency.

Hussein said there are employees at NARSS who traveled abroad for training in space programs and about satellites. He said Egypt had an agreement with China about the establishment of the Egyptian agency. He said the new Misr Sat 2 satellite that Egypt is preparing to launch as part of the space agency project is being assembled at the satellite assembly center in the space city in the Fifth Settlement district of New Cairo.

Khalid Abdul Ghaffar, the minister of higher education and scientific research, said in press statements July 12 that Egypt had made an agreement with the German space agency for a number of Egyptians from NARSS (including engineers and scientists) to be trained in preparation for the establishment of the Egyptian Space Agency. He did not provide details about the date or the duration of the training.

Hossam el-Mallah, head of the Scholarships and Foreign Students Affairs department at the Ministry of Higher Education, said in a press statement July 29 that the training of the Egyptians in Germany will include lessons about the satellite industry and on how to use related tools and programs.

While these steps appear to be very serious, many people are still wondering why the agency has not been formed yet. These include journalist Ahmed Abdelfattah, who wrote an article published on Al-Ahram website July 21 titled The suspended Egyptian space agency ... the ball is in parliaments court. He said that despite the availability of all the necessary elements, infrastructure and space to launch a successful Egyptian space agency, despite the availability of the necessary funding and the trained scientific personnel to introduce Egypt into the space age, and following the Cabinet and State Council approval on the draft law last year, there is a severe and unjustified delay in passing the law in parliament.

Former NARSS Chairman Medhat Mukhtar agreed on this point and told Al-Monitor, The law on the establishment of the agency was approved by Cabinet in August 2016. It was submitted to State Council for legal review. The council finished reviewing the law in September 2016, when the law was set for submission to parliament for approval. But up until my departure from the chairmanship of the presidency in March 2017, the law had not been introduced or discussed.

Mukhtar said, I do not know why the law has not been submitted to MPs for discussion and voting yet, and it is unlikely for financial obstacles to be behind the delay. The Egyptian side is more reliant on brains and human skills than capital, and many friendly countries supporting Egypt's space program, such as China, the UAE and Russia, are expected to provide the needed capital.

He added, Most of the infrastructure is secured for the initial phase of the project, for which 100 acres have been allocated in New Cairo, in addition to 23 acres that were subsequently added to accommodate more projects in the space city, such as the center for the assembly and testing of satellites. In the context of the funding problems, it is noteworthy that the center, for example, was created with a grant of $23 million from China, which confirms that there are many sources of funding and that funding is not the obstacle.

Although Abdelfattah and Mukhtar attributed the delay in the launch of the Egyptian space agency to parliamentary bureaucracy and a holdup in bringing the draft law to a vote, many experts believe other factors are keeping the issue low on the legislature's priority list.

Ayman al-Desouki, a former chairman of NARSS, told Al-Monitor, The establishment of such an agency requires a year, but with the start of the project it is difficult to make an initial estimate of the financial support needed for the agency, especially when prices change by the day amid a deteriorating economy. The simplest change that caused confusion is the decision to liberalize the exchange rate, which increased project costs due to the change in the price of the currency.

He continued, It might take the parliament a few days to discuss the draft law and approve it, but it might take more than a year to estimate the financial support required, find the parties that can provide that support, convince these parties, establish the organizational structure of the agency, train those who will manage the agency and develop a full-fledged strategy. Statements of experts and officials that everything is ready and parliamentary approval is the only remaining step are overly optimistic. Therefore, the parliament, in coordination with the Ministry of Scientific Research, may postpone discussions about the law until everything is ready  to grant more attention to current issues and crises.

Desouki said the space agency could provide important gains to the country. The agency can play a prominent and important role in monitoring Egyptian borders and coasts through satellite imagery in order to prevent the infiltration of terrorists and weapons, and it can have a great role in facilitating the detection of mineral and oil wealth without relying on foreign companies in that regard. Many officials who were probably very enthusiastic about the project had great expectations regarding the speed of its establishment based on its importance.

Still, it appears that consensus on the paramount role that the project plays in maintaining security and discovering wealth will seemingly not help speed up its execution in light of the existing constraints, beginning with the bureaucracy and ending with the planning difficulties and the negotiation of the grants necessary to implement it.
August 9, 2017

CAIRO  Egypt has recently upped its role in the Syrian crisis, sponsoring a new de-escalation deal in Syrias Homs on Aug. 2. This came after Egypt succeeded in mediating a cease-fire agreement in Eastern Ghouta after hosting three days of negotiations in Cairo between representatives of some Syrian opposition factions and the Russian Defense Ministry.

The negotiations led to the signing of agreements involving the de-escalation zone in Eastern Ghouta. A statement released by the Russian Defense Ministry on July 22 said, These documents define the borders of the de-escalation zone, the deployment sites, and powers of the de-escalation control forces, as well as the routes for delivering humanitarian aid and free passage to the residents.

As a result of the cease-fire agreement in Eastern Ghouta, signed in Cairo on July 20, the Syrian armed forces general command announced the cessation of hostilities in a number of areas in Rif Dimashq. The general command said in a statement that the cessation of hostilities enters into effect in a number of areas in the Eastern Ghouta as of July 22, the Syrian Arab News Agency said.

Mohammad Alloush, the political leader of Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam)  a large opposition faction backed by Saudi Arabia in Eastern Ghouta  participated in the negotiations. He told the Russian news agency Sputnik on July 22, It is true; the agreement was reached and now it has come into force. Alloush said he expected humanitarian aid to be delivered to Ghouta under the agreement.

In an interview with the Portuguese TV channel RTP on Nov. 22, 2016, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed Egypts support for the Syrian army in its operations inside Syrian territory and for a political solution of the crisis.

Egypts position on the Syrian crisis was confirmed by Cairo's vote on Oct. 7, 2016, in the UN Security Council in favor of a Russian draft resolution on Syria that urged an immediate cessation of hostilities, particularly in Aleppo. The Egyptian position siding with Moscow angered Saudi Arabia.

Ahmed Jarba, the head of the Syrian al-Ghad Movement  a Syrian political opposition faction that participated in the Eastern Ghouta de-escalation agreement  announced at a press conference in Cairo on Aug. 5 that Egypt is brokering a new cease-fire agreement in Homs that was signed July 31. It provides for a cessation of hostilities between the moderate armed opposition and the Syrian regime's forces in the northern Homs countryside, under the sponsorship of the Egyptian government and the guarantee of the Russian Defense Ministry.

The Egyptian brokerage of the Eastern Ghouta and Homs' cease-fire agreements comes after a number of events hosted by Cairo for Syrian opposition factions, most notably the Syrian opposition conference May 3 in parallel with secret and public visits and contacts between the Syrian and Egyptian intelligence services.

The last publicly announced meeting between Egyptian and Syrian security chiefs took place Oct. 18, 2016, when the head of the Syrian National Security Bureau, Maj. Gen. Ali al-Mamlouk, paid an official visit to Cairo upon an invitation from the Egyptian side, accompanied by six Syrian officials. During the visit, Mamlouk met the director of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate, Maj. Gen. Khaled Fawzy.

Qasim al-Khatib, a member of the general secretariat of al-Ghad Movement, told Al-Monitor, Egypts role in the Eastern Ghouta de-escalation agreements was limited to hosting negotiations under Russian support between the parties to these agreements on Egyptian territory, without any interference by the Egyptian authorities in the clauses of these agreements or any attempt to impose its vision on the parties involved.

He added, The participants in the negotiations for both cease-fire agreements included the representatives of the Egyptian government, the Russian Defense Ministry, Jaish al-Islam and the head of the Syrian al-Ghad movement, Ahmad Jarba.

Khatib said, Russia convinced the Syrian regime to accept the Egyptian sponsorship of this agreement." He said al-Ghad also sought to play a supporting role in the Homs and Eastern Ghouta de-escalation agreements. He added, "Saudi Arabia welcomed the Egyptian sponsorship of this agreement and encouraged Jaish al-Islam to take part in the agreement.

He continued, Moscow is the guarantor of this agreement through the deployment of Russian military police forces in the eastern region of Ghouta and in the city of Homs, to monitor the border crossings and observe abidance of the cease-fire by all factions within this area. Egypt will be sponsoring more than [one] truce agreement within the Syrian regions in the coming days. More than one party in the Syrian crisis wants Egypt to take on this role, except for extremist organizations backed by Qatar, as well as Iran, which seeks military escalation.

Egypt did not contribute in drafting the clauses of the Eastern Ghouta agreement and did not enter into the details of the negotiations, said Tarek Fahmi, a professor of political science at the American University in Cairo.

He told Al-Monitor, Egypt hosted the negotiations as a result of the clear Russian endeavor to boost the Egyptian role in the Syrian crisis. Russia will push Egypt to fill the vacant position of impartial mediator in the Syrian crisis by hosting and organizing more negotiations and agreements relating to the Syrian crisis in the coming period.

Fahmi asserted that this requires continuous efforts by Egypt at all levels, which means mending relations with the Syrian regime and coordinating positions with Russia.

In turn, Rabiha Saif Allam, a researcher at the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor, Since the outbreak of the Syrian crisis, Egypt has never taken radical positions. It rather maintained balanced relations with the moderate Syrian opposition and offered it platforms in the Egyptian capital. At the same time, it maintained contact with the Syrian regime and did not close the Egyptian Embassy in Damascus. This turned Egypt into a perfect choice to host these negotiations.

Regarding the possible difficulties that may hinder Egypts sponsorship of the cease-fire agreement, Saif Allam said, The Egyptian sponsorship in other areas may be threatened by pro-Turkish Syrian factions such as Ahrar al-Sham, which is active in northern Syria. But the Egyptian sponsorship of the Eastern Ghouta de-escalation agreement was accepted and successful given the close connections between al-Ghad and the main factions in the eastern region, especially in the absence of any control by the regime in this area.

Allam said Jaish al-Islam, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, took part in these negotiations since it is in a weak position and is no longer the sole power in the eastern region of Ghouta. Allam said that even if Saudi Arabia encouraged the faction to participate in the negotiations, this does not mean that the kingdom has changed its stance on the Syrian crisis.

Egypt seems to be nothing more than a platform for negotiations and a messenger between the parties to the Syrian conflict. In the meantime, Russia seems to be encouraging Egypt to keep playing this role. Moscow believes Egypts relations with both parties to the Syrian conflict may qualify it to sponsor future agreements that may end the long-running conflict.
August 9, 2017

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon agreed on Aug. 8 to allocate 100 million shekels ($28 million) for Israel's 70th-anniversary celebrations in April 2018. It was the second time the two men had cooperated in as many days. On Monday, the Supreme Court struck down the Third Apartment Tax Law, one of Kahlon's major initiatives to lower housing costs. Nevertheless, he was able to reach an agreement with Netanyahu's right-hand man in the Knesset, coalition Chairman David Bitan, that the law would be legislated again as early as the Knesset's summer recess in September. What this means for him is that he will not have to wait to pass this law until the winter session begins in October.

Until only recently, Bitan never missed an opportunity to attack and ridicule the finance minister. He even set obstacles for Kahlon's "Net Family" plan of benefits for families with children. Then there was the third side of the triangle that made up the political maneuvering to pass the proposed tax on apartments: the chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee, Moshe Gafni, of ultra-Orthodox Yahadut HaTorah. Although he expressed reservations about the law and the way it had been legislated, he agreed to Kahlon's request to expedite the process.

It is strange to see the coalition interacting so harmoniously given the current wave of investigations that threatens to topple Netanyahu's fourth government. This is especially true of the relationship between Netanyahu and Moshe Kahlon of the Kulanu Party. Only last March, differences between them over the creation of the new Public Broadcasting Corporation (to replace bankrupt Israeli Broadcasting Authority) really did threaten to bring down the coalition.

The coalition's dire state became even more palpable for Netanyahu last weekend when his former Chief of Staff Ari Harow signed an agreement with the State Attorney's Office to become a state witness against his former boss. According to reports in the media, Harow will be providing the investigation with the smoking gun that will lead to indictments against Netanyahu in Case 1000 (accepting gifts from business figures) and Case 2000 (the recorded conversations with Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Arnon Mozes for a positive media coverage deal of Netanyahu).

Oddly enough, this drama did not send the anticipated shockwaves through Netanyahu's government. In fact, it only strengthened the coalition and improved the alliances between its various components.

Kahlon is considered the weak link in the chain of parties that make up the coalition, but even he has no desire to see it fall apart. Now that his Third Apartment Tax Law was overturned, he will need more time to chalk up achievements before the next election. And he is not the only one who needs more time. The same is true of the heads of all the coalition parties. The chairman of Yisrael Beitenu, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, already said that if the prime minister is indicted, he will recommend that he doesn't resign. Liberman loves his position as defense minister and his senior status in the government. He also believes that over time, these two factors will combine to increase his popularity among the electorate. Like Kahlon, he would only lose if the elections are moved up.

While Liberman and Kahlon have been relatively restrained in their remarks, Minister of Education Naftali Bennett released on Aug. 6 a very warm statement in support of the prime minister, even though he is usually seen as competing with Netanyahu for votes from the right. "Israel needs stability," he said. "I am committed to the continuation of this government. The prime minister should be presumed innocent. I hope that the investigation ends without an indictment.  A right-wing nationalist government is vital to Israel's security, and we will continue to lead in this way until the next election, which we hope will be held as scheduled. The public that regards us as Israel's nationalist leadership expects us to act responsibly for the benefit of the state."

At this stage, even Bennett sees no advantage in advancing the election. In his case, the situation is even more complicated. He cannot be seen by his electorate as having brought down Israel's most right-wing government ever. At the same time, he cannot ignore the polls, which seem to say that currently he has no real chance of being prime minister, even if Netanyahu's political career comes to an abrupt end. The No. 2 member of HaBayit HaYehudi, Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked, also announced that Netanyahu should not have to resign, even if he is indicted. At the same time, the prime minister also received support from HaBayit HaYehudi's far right flank. "Don't resign, even if you are indicted," wrote Minister Uri Ariel and Knesset member Betzalel Smotrich.

Last but not least are the leaders of the ultra-Orthodox parties. They are pleased to have gotten their power back after being tossed into the opposition in 2013 because of pressure from Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid. After the recent developments in the Netanyahu investigations, the ultra-Orthodox parties remained silent.

At this point, Netanyahu can also take a modicum of pleasure from what is happening within the Likud Party itself. It took them a few days, but almost all of its ministers and Knesset members expressed their support for him in interviews and on social media. Minister of Transportation Yisrael Katz, who regards himself as Netanyahu's successor, released a Facebook post in support of the prime minister. Former Minister Gideon Saar, who announced that he would also run for leadership of the Likud, also backed Netanyahu. In other words, the Likud's leadership isn't taking advantage of Netanyahu's troubles. Ministers Gilad Erdan, Ofir Akunis and Miri Regev also released statements supporting the prime minister, and almost all of them are expected to participate in a demonstration of support for Netanyahu that the Likud is organizing in Tel Aviv Aug. 9.

Likuds support for Netanyahu can be attributed to a combination of three factors. First, Bitan has threatened that anyone who fails to defend the prime minister will be punished for it in the primaries. Second, even his potential rivals recognize that the head of their party still has a safe lead in the polls and massive support among the Likud base (where the investigations are regarded as nothing more than persecution by the left in order to bring Netanyahu down). Finally, there is the timetable. It could still take a year or more before there is any indictment, so there is no reason to risk dismantling the coalition now.

That is why Netanyahu's situation is unlike that of Ehud Olmert, the last prime minister to face a criminal investigation. Under pressure from the Labor Party and people within his own Kadima party, Olmert was eventually forced to resign. In contrast, Netanyahu is in no political danger, at least for the near future.
August 8, 2017

Background noise." This is how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking on a short Aug. 4 video clip, characterized the official police announcement that he was suspected of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

The plot he allegedly cooked up with Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper publisher Arnon Mozes to obtain positive coverage in return for undermining a rival newspaper was background noise. The alleged attempts by his personal attorney and cousin David Shimron to promote a deal for the purchase of expensive and unnecessary naval vessels from German shipmaker ThyssenKrupp barely caused a ripple in the calm waters at the official residence on Jerusalems Balfour Street. The report that his former chief of staff Ari Harow had turned states evidence did not wipe the smile off Netanyahus face. Nor did the detention of his confidant, Communication Ministry director Shlomo Filber.

Indeed, Netanyahu may have no cause for concern. Even Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked of HaBayit HaYehudi, who is hardly a devotee of the Netanyahu family, said that an indictment does not necessarily mean an eviction notice from the office of the prime minister. Another Netanyahu coalition partner, the center-right Kulanu Party, headed by Mr. Clean Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, has been mum. Opinion polls indicate that a sizable majority of Israelis want Netanyahu to keep working for them, as he pledged in a clip he posted Aug. 4.

The weekly scandals, as Netanyahu dubs the tightening noose of investigations against him, do not seem to be bringing about the end of his political career just yet.

Indeed, the weekly protests against Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit for supposedly dragging his feet in the major Netanyahu-related corruption investigations have picked up steam. But for the right-wing and ultra-Orthodox voters who constitute a majority of the Israeli electorate, its almost business as usual. In fact, this is nothing new. Israelis have grown accustomed to their country's very low rank of 22 out of 34 in the corruption index of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Since the year 2000, 18 ministers and Knesset members and 35 municipal and local council heads and deputies have been indicted on criminal charges, according to a study conducted by the law firm of Gideon Fisher in conjunction with Haifa University law professor Emanuel Gross. The public indifference to the renewed appointment of convicted felon Aryeh Deri as interior minister is indicative of the fact that the Talmudic saying still holds true: One does not appoint a public servant unless he has skeletons in his closet. It brings to mind a reprimand I received from the ambassador of Cameroon when I wrote about the impressions of my visit in 1985 to his corrupt, undeveloped country, and described my shock on seeing the gold and marble presidential palace across the street from hovels. You dont understand anything, the ambassador said. The people want their tribal chief to live in a magnificent palace. He deserves it.

Unknowingly, or perhaps knowingly, Israeli pollsters actually perpetrate the forgiving approach vis-a-vis politicians gone astray, thus legitimizing their rule. For instance, in a poll published Aug. 6, Channel 10 asked whether the prime minister should resign if indicted. Yes he should, 66% responded. Still, the respondents were also asked whom they would vote for if elections took place today. One option was the Likud Party, headed by Netanyahu; the poll indicated it would win 29 seats, a likely plurality in the Knesset. As a result, the public at large might assume that a politician who evidently has enjoyed the good life along with his family members at the expense of the average Israeli citizen and of Israeli businesspeople deserves without any reservation to hold again the reins of power.

Undoubtedly, poll results would have been different had the question been phrased as follows: Former Supreme Court President Meir Shamgar said that when there are many gifts received [by politicians], such as cigars and champagne, then he firmly believes that the prime minister must resign. Dont you think that Netanyahu must resign?

Asaf Matskin, a researcher of corruption and public opinion and lecturer at the Interdisciplinary Center and the Tel-Aviv-Jaffa Academic College, warned nine years ago that the fight and passion against political corruption that existed in Israel at the start of the 1990s had waned. The mass demonstrations and hunger strikes against political corruption had stopped, and the strong sense that the electoral system must be reformed had dissipated. In a 2008 article published in a periodical titled Readings in National Security, in the midst of the investigations against then-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Matskin underscored that the shrinking public campaigns against corruption were by no means indicative of a decline in the extent of political and bureaucratic corruption in Israel. Indeed, Matskin wrote that political corruption was actually more prevalent than in the past among elected officials because law enforcement and judicial agencies treated elected officials differently than they treated Joe Public. This held true especially regarding those in higher office.

Matskin noted in his 2008 article that the new political corruption was characterized by a lack of shame and moral inhibitions on the part of elected officials, a breach of all possible moral limits and total disregard for the rule of law. In that regard, he mentioned the affair involving Netanyahu during his first term in office in the late 1990s in alleged wrongdoing involving a moving contractor. Then-Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein extricated Netanyahu at the time from a criminal indictment. Less than a decade later, the public extricated Netanyahu from the opposition and sent him back to the prime ministers office.

The public in a democratic society can influence items on the agenda and as a result also the handling of various issues by the political system, Matskin wrote. However, the growing acts of corruption by elected officials and the shamelessness characterizing parts of the political system have increased public indifference.

In an article in the same periodical, former Supreme Court Justice and Attorney General Yitzhak Zamir likened political corruption to a cancer that spreads unnoticed throughout the body for a long time. When the cancer is discovered at an advanced stage, it cannot be destroyed. We are at the stage of a silent cancer of corruption spread, Zamir added. He named political corruption as one of the top five issues threatening the existence of the State of Israel.

When a regime is corrupt, what is the point of paying taxes or serving in the military? Zamir warned, noting that each one takes care of himself only. Political corruption results in a decline in the level of public services, affecting everyone except for a small group of cronies close to the top who enjoy an ostentatious lifestyle. Under such circumstances, the public may despair of its elected rulers and look for a strong leader who will have a free hand to root out corruption. Such a leader, in his fight against corrupt systems, is also a threat to democracy, Zamir added.

Netanyahu, for his part, succeeded in making corruption much more sophisticated than ever before, all while undermining the pillars of democracy. But given the heavy "background noise" emanating from police investigations against him to every Israeli household, the guardians of democracy and the judicial system may just end Netanyahus rule before he destroys them.
August 9, 2017

Turkeys main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) and its leader may be in serious trouble. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its media arm are going after CHP Chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu for an interview published in the German magazine Focus Aug. 5.

In the interview, Kilicdaroglu simply complains that there is no guarantee for life and property in Turkey because of the horrendous deterioration in the countrys judicial standards and the rule of law. He allegedly told Focus that German tourists should not visit Turkey, a statement that the CHP leader denies making.

But if he did say it, Kilicdaroglu has a point. In recent months, the Turkish state has been arresting human rights activists, including representatives of major international groups such as Amnesty International as well as the Turkish German journalist Deniz Yucel on terrorism charges. As Al-Monitor columnist Amberin Zaman wrote Aug. 7, "1990s-style disappearances" may be coming back to Turkey.

Kilicdaroglu received considerable attention and support at home and abroad earlier this summer for organizing a Justice March to protest Turkeys troublesome trajectory. The march saw the nearly 70-year-old CHP leader walk from the capital Ankara to Istanbul (a distance of about 450 kilometers, or 280 miles) to protest the imprisonment of a CHP deputy and highlight judicial abuses. Kilicdaroglus walk started with a whimper in Ankara June 15  attended by a few hundred people  but ended with a bang. By the time the Justice March ended in Istanbul July 9, hundreds of thousands of Turks from all walks of life were accompanying the CHP leader.

It is not surprising, then, that AKP leaders and their supporters in the media are using Kilicdaroglus Focus interview for their own benefit. Ignoring German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriels statement in July that Turkey was not safe for German citizens and companies, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim condemned the CHP leader at a ceremony in Ankara Aug. 8, saying, How dare you complain about your country to outsiders?  Mr. Kilicdaroglu clearly doesnt want this countrys tourism to develop and for wealth to expand. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed wonder at how, if Turkey wasnt safe and democratic, Kilicdaroglu could be allowed to walk from Ankara to Istanbul? Without a hint of irony, Erdogan added that the CHP leader will answer to justice for his Focus remarks.

Pro-AKP media outlets ran similar stories attacking the CHP leader for his alleged remarks.

Although Turkey is not the hot tourist spot it once was after taking hits from last years successive terror attacks and the coup attempt, foreign visitors are indeed coming back. Thanks to a rise in Russian tourists, the total number of foreign visitors coming to Turkey has increased by 14% in the first half of 2017 compared to 2016.

In this context, it is important for the AKP to signal to the public and the countrys vibrant business community (which badly needs the tourism industrys foreign currency earnings) that the CHP would jeopardize much-needed economic recovery for political gains.

Unless the CHP and its chairman impress upon the Turkish public and the private sector that the rule of law and democracy are key ingredients of economic growth, the ruling AKP will turn back the tide that Kilicdaroglu started this summer.
August 8, 2017

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey  I feel as if we are inching toward Sharia, a young woman from the southeastern city of Diyarbakir told Al-Monitor, asking her name be withheld. She was concerned by a new bill in the Turkish parliament that would empower state-registered muftis to perform civil marriages.

The bill, submitted to parliament July 25, caused a major controversy over secularism, underage marriage and the motivations of the government in giving new powers to muftis. Muftis are Sunni civil servants who work under the umbrella of Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) and do not presently have the right to perform civil marriages. They can, however, perform a religious marriage if requested by the couple, though religious marriage is not recognized by the Turkish state and gives no rights to the spouses.

Currently, municipality officials, ship captains and mukhtars (the elected leaders of villages) have the authority to conduct civil marriages. Religious leaders  muftis, priests or rabbis  do not. Under the new proposal, when it comes to the representatives of religious faiths in Turkey, only state-registered muftis would be allowed to perform such marriages.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) government maintains that the new arrangements will facilitate civil marriages. Critics say that granting the right to conduct marriages to the clerics of a certain group is against secularism and the practice itself will increase religious marriages and marriages involving minors. Womens groups express concern that the muftis would be more likely to turn a blind eye to an underage bride than registry officials.

In the nationwide debate, the most outspoken groups opposing the new law come from Diyarbakir, where the bar association and women's associations have been fighting long and hard against child marriage and child abuse. Despite their efforts, however, sexual abuse of underage girls, incest and forced marriages with minors, including taking young girls as second and third wives, remain common in the region. Turkey's Human Rights Association has documented 110 cases of child abuse under Article 103 of Turkish Penal Code, which addresses the sexual abuse of minors, in eastern and southeastern Turkey in 2016 and 82 cases in the first six months of 2017. The Diyarbakir Bar Association, quoting the Justice Ministrys own numbers, said 17,000 child abuse complaints were filed in 2015 across Turkey.

For Asli Pasinli, the chair of the Diyarbakir Bar Associations Womens Rights Center, the bill will strip women of many of the rights they have acquired over the years through the constitutional principles of secularism and the civil code's equality provisions. Pasinli told Al-Monitor that although the law was presented as a way to facilitate civil marriage, she thinks the motivations are entirely different. This proposal, if adopted, will facilitate religious marriage as well as open the way for underage marriages. The muftis are religious authorities. Giving them the right to conduct a civil ceremony will increase their role and influence in the civil life.

Pasinli also pointed said that under the proposed law, babies who are not born in a hospital could be registered by a declaration from parents at the registry office. Pasinli said that this practice would make it more difficult to protect children. Often," she said, "we learn of child abuse cases or underage marriage when the child gets pregnant and is taken to hospital to give birth. The doctors in the hospital report the situation when they see an underaged mother and we step in and bring the abuser before the court.

She added that because the proposal would allow newborns to be registered with a simple declaration, families could force underage brides or abused children to give birth at home to avoid prosecution. It will put the lives of underage mothers and their children at risk during childbirth, as they would be deprived of medical care, she said.

For Zahit Ciftkuran, who has been a mufti in the southeast for years, what is important is not who conducts the ceremony but whether the law provides any loopholes for underage marriage. He called for careful scrutiny of the draft. AKP ministers fervently deny that the law would change anything aside from facilitating civil ceremonies for all Turks, as the marriage procedures and requirements, including age limits, will remain untouched.

But for some, allowing a religious official to conduct a civil ceremony represents a radical change. Dilek Akin, 25 and recently married, thinks that the muftis role should remain strictly religious and not wield authority over civil matters. This law gives the mufti the right to interfere in our life or to exert influence on how or whom we marry, she said.

Another Diyarbakir resident, Sefer Yegul, thinks that the proposal is shameful. All those years, the religious officials conducted religious weddings between grown men and underage girls. Now, the law gives them the authority to do the same thing in civil marriages, he said.

Supporters of the law say that such concerns are baseless. Omer Evsen, the desk officer of Diyanet-Sen, the labor union for Diyanet employees, told Al-Monitor, The new law will remove many difficulties from the civil ceremony. It will mean that 1,038 muftis around the country will be able to conduct weddings in addition to the municipality officials authorized at present. We think that this is an important step as it will make civil ceremonies more accessible and faster. In Turkey, there are many people who live together without marriage or with a religious marriage [considered invalid under Turkish law]. This creates major problems socially and legally.

Echoing government officials who made similar remarks, Evsen said that giving the state-employed muftis the right to perform marriages would prevent religious weddings without civil validity as well as polygamous marriages.

According to Evsen, the number of people who would turn to the muftis to perform their marriages would not be large. There are more than 600,000 civil marriages in Turkey every year, he said. I would calculate that only 35,000 to 40,000 of these will be conducted by the muftis. The muftis will be requesting the same documents as the registry officers, so it is unthinkable that a mufti will perform civil marriages in a different way from the other officials, he said. There can be no abuses.

The Turkish parliament is on its summer break, so the parliamentary debate on the bill has not yet started. But given the controversy it has already created, it is safe to predict a fiery debate on the parliament floor.
A Delaware company has purchased one of Clearview Cancer Institute's buildings in Huntsville.

Wilmington-headquartered Anchor Health Properties bough the three-story building that houses CCI's operational headquarters for the Huntsville market, including multiple oncology bays, two linear accelerators and office space.

The 112,500-square-foot project at 3601 CCI Drive was developed in 2006 and was formerly owned by some of CCI's oncology doctors.

"Our operations have historically extended across the state of Tennessee, and gaining a large footprint in northern Alabama is a natural extension of that," Anchor's CEO Ben Ochs said. "We intend to provide regional leadership for the building out of our Nashville, TN office."

Physicians Realty Trust helped fund the investment. Crunkleton Advisors and Colliers International provided sales advisory services. Anchor Health Properties in a national healthcare real estate development, management and acquisition company that focuses only on medical facilities.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Alabama is one of 11 states on the short list for an announced $1.6 billion Toyota-Mazda manufacturing plant.

According to the Wall Street Journal, people familiar with the project say the companies are eying possible sites in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.

Last week Toyota and Mazda announced they will build a $1.6 billion manufacturing plant in the U.S., which is expected to create as many as 4,000 jobs.

The plant is projected to be operational by 2021, but a location has not been announced. Analysts say southeastern sites may have a better shot because of existing supply chains with plants already located there. Employment in the automotive sector in Alabama tops 57,000, with 25,000 jobs in the automotive supplier chains among more than 160 companies.

For the U.S. factory, Toyota says it will build the Corolla, while Mazda will focus on crossovers. The plant could produce about 300,000 cars a year.

Officials with the Alabama Department of Commerce did not comment, citing policy to refrain from comments on pending or potential economic development projects.

According to the Journal, Toyota has been exploring those states for a plant location for about six months, working through real-estate services firm JLL.

The plant will need more than 1,000 acres of space, as a second assembly line has been added to the projected plant.

Experts say the Toyota-Mazda venture is likely to make its decision in part based on labor force and government incentives.
Mr. Jim was past retirement age when he heard about the fancy new restaurant that was opening near Lake Martin.

"I was already over the age limit," he remembers. "The application said, 'from 18 to 68,' and I was already 70 years old."

He applied anyway.

James Black, after all, had been cooking since he was 12, and he had worked in restaurants almost all his adult life, including in swanky hotels like the Ritz-Carlton.

So he thought maybe that new restaurant and its young chef could use someone with his experience.

And he was right.

Hiring James Black -- or, "Mr. Jim," as most everybody knows him now -- was one of wisest moves Rob McDaniel made when, at 31, he became the executive chef at SpringHouse, the Southern-influenced farm-to-table restaurant that opened outside of Alexander City in 2009.

"We were like the Bad News Bears when we opened this place," McDaniel recalls. "He was our 70-year-old grill cook."

With a menu that features produce grown by local farmers and seafood fresh from the Gulf, SpringHouse has since become one of Alabama's finest dining gems, and McDaniel, a James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist for best chef in the South for the past five years in a row, is one of the state's rising culinary stars.

But McDaniel will tell you he will always owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Jim.

"I don't own this restaurant, and I never will," McDaniel says. "But I feel like this restaurant is a part of my soul, as much as people say that I am a part of it.

"And I think that Mr. Jim is just as much a part of it as I am, because of how long both of us have been here and what we've been through to get to this point. I will forever be grateful for the job Mr. Jim has done."

A tribute to Mr. Jim

Fittingly, one of the most popular items on the summer menu at SpringHouse is Mr. Jim's Vegetable Plate, a bountiful and beautiful medley of squash casserole, grilled okra, marinated cucumbers, creamed corn, field peas, heirloom tomatoes, "pool hall" slaw and a wedge of cornbread.

"I guess it was three or four years ago that I put his name on it," McDaniel says. "I was sitting there one day, and I realized that Mr. Jim made everything on that plate. So it only seemed right that we honor Mr. Jim with that."

During the summer, the $28 vegetable plate is the most popular entree on the SpringHouse menu, and the restaurant typically sells 75 to 80 orders on a Friday or Saturday night, McDaniel says.

"People get upset when we take it off the menu, and they get upset when we don't have don't have it on the menu yet," he adds. "But I've always said that we will not have it on the menu unless all of those things are to a certain degree of perfection."

Mr. Jim's Vegetable Plate will always be a summer staple at SpringHouse, but this will be the last summer Mr. Jim will be here to prepare it.

Now 79, Mr. Jim is talking about retiring again, and this time, he sounds like he really means it.

Next February will be his ninth anniversary at the restaurant -- and he'll turn 80 a couple of months later -- so he figures that will be a good time to hang up his apron for good.

"I'll have to talk it over with him," he says, pointing to McDaniel. "He may talk me into staying a little longer."

The son of a sharecropper

Raised on a small farm outside of Alexander City, James Black was the seventh of 11 brothers and sisters.

"I had a nickname -- 'Brother,'" he remembers. "That's what all the siblings called me until I became an adult."

His father, Newt Black, was a sharecropper who grew apples, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, peas and corn, which he sold out of the back of a mule-drawn wagon.

"Those were good ol' days," Mr. Jim says. "It really was."

When he was 12 years old, though, his mother, Mattie Lou Black, suddenly fell ill while washing clothes one morning.

"Huge balls of sweat started running down her face and she started to shake," he remembers. "We took her in the house and put her on the bed and called the doctor. The doctor was there in about an hour, I guess.

"He said he had to get her to the hospital right away, and she passed away about five o'clock in the afternoon. I don't know if she had a stroke or what because my dad would never talk about it."

Not yet a teenager, James Black took it upon himself to feed the family.

"Somebody had to cook for them, so I just got in the kitchen and started doing the things I had seen her do," he says. "I found out I really liked it."

Some nights, dinner was just buttermilk and cornbread.

"We were poor," he says. "We didn't have much. My dad would kill hogs in the wintertime. We grew our own vegetables. It was just country food, you know."

To St. Louis and back home again

After he finished high school, James Black joined the Army and became a cook in the mess hall. He later settled in St. Louis, where he worked for a few years as a line cook at the Ritz-Carlton.

"I loved the Ritz," he says. "I loved the glitter and glamour of hotels."

Until one day when he didn't love it anymore.

"We were busy on a Sunday morning for breakfast, and there were four cooks on the line," he recalls. "We were putting some food out, and one of the servers says, 'Uh, which one of these is an eggs Benedict?'

"I said, 'Did you go through the same training we went through here, and you don't know what an eggs Benedict is?' And she told me to kiss what she sits down on.

"I didn't curse her or anything, but I had some choice words to say to her. She went out and told her manager. They suspended me for three days."

He added some vacation time to that suspension and went back to Alexander City for a family reunion.

It had been more than 25 years since he moved away, but when he found out that Willow Point Country Club was hiring, he decided it was time to come back home again.

"I liked hotel work, but it was just too much going on in the big city," he says. "I haven't regretted at all moving back home."

He worked as a line cook at the country club for about six months, and then he was offered a job running the kitchen at Lake Hill Restaurant in Alexander City.

"I did the buying, made out the menu, did all of the inventory," he says. "I ran the whole thing."

Mr. Jim stayed at Lake Hill Restaurant for about 14 years, until it closed around 2005, and he later worked part-time at Ruby Tuesday.

Then he found out that they needed help at SpringHouse.

A new home at SpringHouse

They had quite a crew back then.

McDaniel had been a chef at Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham and for the Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q chain. His sous chef had worked at Highlands Bar and Grill. Another cook came from Taco Bell, and a couple of others had never worked in a restaurant before. Another one had cooked with Mr. Jim at Lake Hill Restaurant.

"I often think back to when we first started," McDaniel says. "There was one day in particular that I thought everybody was going to walk out on us because it was a rough day. And we hadn't even opened the restaurant yet. We were still training."

McDaniel was the one who started calling his 70-year-old grill cook "Mr. Jim," out of respect.

"We've always called him Mr. Jim because he's our elder," McDaniel says. "We had another James (Bramlett) who was my sous chef when we opened, and James and I called him Mr. Jim, and it just stuck."

After about three years at the restaurant, Mr. Jim, who is diabetic, found out during one of his checkups that he had leukemia.

His doctors caught it early, though, and he has been able to treat it with medication without missing any work, he says.

"I'm doing fine now," he says. "I just have to take these pills every day."

Still, when he first heard the news, it got him to thinking that maybe it was time to retire.

"I'm a praying person, and I'm a believer in the man upstairs," he says. "When I came to work here, with my age, I said, 'Lord, if you just let me get three good years at SpringHouse, I'll be happy.'

"And when three years was up, I decided I was going to retire."

After a couple of weeks, though, he got restless and bored being at home all by himself.

"I called Rob up and said, 'Chef, I need to come back to work.' He said, 'Well, when can you come in?' I said, 'I'll be there in an hour.'"

That was five years ago, and Mr. Jim says he hasn't missed a day of work since.

Three years turned into eight

As he should, Mr. Jim takes pride in the fact that McDaniel -- whom he calls "the best chef I have ever worked for" -- is often recognized as one of the top chefs in the South, and that SpringHouse has become one of the region's best destination restaurants.

"I'm very proud of that, I really am," Mr. Jim says. "We had one couple that lived in Columbus, Ga., and they came up to SpringHouse every weekend and always sat at the chef's counter just to see me work. Right now, we are really in the big time, so to speak."

McDaniel and Mr. Jim are the only two left from the original kitchen crew that opened the restaurant more than eight years ago, but as he approaches his 80th birthday next spring, Mr. Jim knows it's time to say goodbye to the job he has loved the most.

Of Newt and Mattie Lou Black's 11 children, now it's just him and his three sisters, two of whom live in St. Louis and one of whom is in Huntsville.

"I never got married," Mr. Jim says. "But now I wish I had because all of the siblings have children except me. I'm the last male in my family living now. I lost two brothers and a nephew in the last six months."

This year, he was ordained as a deacon at Darian Missionary Baptist Church in Alexander City, and he feels like the Lord is calling on him to do something else.

"My legs just don't hold up the way they used to," he says. "The Good Lord gave me the three years that I asked for, plus five more, and I don't want to push it.

"Those three years have turned into eight, so I think it's time I left work and I can spend more time studying the word.

"I'll probably find some volunteer work," he adds. "I have to stay busy. I'd be dead in six months if I just went home and sat down."

McDaniel starts to tear up when he talks about what Mr. Jim has meant to the restaurant, and when he thinks about what it will be like there without him around.

"There have been a lot of folks (come) through these doors that have helped us get to this point," he says. "But none of them has meant as much to me as Mr. Jim has."

There's still time, though, to get one last vegetable plate from Mr. Jim before it goes out of season in September.

"We will continue to make the vegetable plate," McDaniel says. "But unless he comes back next summer, it won't be made by him."

Years from now, though, when guests see it on the menu and wonder how it got its name, McDaniel can tell them the story of Mr. Jim, the elder statesman of SpringHouse.
The bus was full, and the riders were rowdy. They were out of their seats, shouting noisily and holding signs out the window. The bus driver honked the horn as they drove through Hueytown, Ala.

School starts Thursday at Hueytown Elementary School in Jefferson County, but last week a busload full of teachers and administrators unofficially kicked off the school year with a rolling "welcome back" party.

As they drove around town in a yellow school bus, the teachers, waving pom-poms and carrying signs made of neon-colored poster paper, yelled, "We love you! Welcome back! See you on August 10th."

The bus stopped at the Boys and Girls Club in Hueytown, and cruised through apartment complexes and neighborhoods. The teachers paraded through Wal-Mart and Publix.

The group found inspiration in the book "Kids Deserve It," which was required reading for all faculty and staff over the summer. The book "is all about building relationships," said Allison Hart, a 5th-grade teacher at Hueytown.

"We wanted students and their parents to know we're looking forward to seeing them back at school," she said. "That's one thing we're really working on at Hueytown: building not just an elementary school but a community."
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is appealing a federal judge's ruling against parts of the Alabama law that governs how minors can undergo abortions without parental consent.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Russ Walker ruled in July that certain changes the Legislature made to the law in 2014 were unconstitutional.

The amendments to the law set up a process for district attorneys to challenge a pregnant girl's request for a waiver of the parental consent requirement. DAs can call witnesses in court and appeal the court's decision. The amended law allows for appointment of a lawyer to represent the fetus. It allows the girl's parents or guardians to participate if they become aware of the case. They can appeal the judge's decision.

In her ruling, Walker wrote that no other states mandated or allowed such involvement by district attorneys and parents in requests by minors for waivers of their parental consent laws.

Before the changes made in 2014, only the minor, her attorney and the judge were involved in the process, Walker's ruling said. Only the minor could appeal the decision.

Walker ruled that the amended law "violates a minor's constitutional right to an anonymous and confidential judicial bypass to Alabama's parental consent law."

Marshall filed a notice of appeal Tuesday with the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Marshall said Walker's ruling ignored protections for the minor included in the Alabama law.

"In fact, changes made to Alabama's parental consent law serve to strengthen the ability of bypass courts to obtain sufficient evidence in rendering a decision when a pregnant minor seeks an abortion without the consent of a parent," Marshall said in a press release. "During these bypass proceedings, the minor's right to confidentiality is preserved and the release of any identifying information is prohibited. Furthermore, parents or legal guardian participation is only allowed if they are 'otherwise aware' of the proceeding.

"Alabama's parental consent law strikes a balance between protecting the privacy rights of a pregnant minor and the obligation of a bypass court to render a decision in the best interest of the minor's well-being."

Walker's ruling came in a case filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama on behalf of Reproductive Health Services, a Montgomery abortion clinic.

The application of the law was on public display last month when a district attorney appealed a court ruling allowing a 12-year-old rape victim to receive an abortion.

The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals upheld the lower court's decision allowing the abortion. The names of the girl and district attorney and their county were not disclosed.

Updated at 3:32 p.m. with additional information and a copy of Walker's ruling.

Abortion Parental Consent Law Ruling by Mike Cason on Scribd
Candidates for Birmingham mayor took aim against the incumbent when addressing questions on crime, education and growth Tuesday evening during the first televised debate sponsored by WBRC Fox 6 News and AARP Alabama.

"We have to find a way to put guns out of our young boys' hands and replace them with jobs," candidate Randall Woodfin, an assistant city attorney for Birmingham, said on how he would combat crime in the Magic City. "Fighting poverty is the way we address crime in our city."

Candidate Chris Woods, a contractor, said 90 percent of the violent crime in Birmingham is committed by young black men. "That tells me that education has failed us," he said, adding his No. 1 tool for fighting crime will be to fund education fully. He wants to fully support early education and give other training options for students who can't go to a traditional college.

Watch the debate here.

WBRC Fox 6 News invited five candidates - the highest performers in its recent poll -- to participate in Tuesday's hour-long debate. The candidates were given one-minute to address each question asked by the moderator. They also given one-minute each for opening and closing statements.

Twelve candidates qualified to run for Birmingham mayor. The municipal election is Aug. 22.

Incumbent Mayor William Bell was the top choice for voters polled by WBRC receiving 54 percent. Woods and Woodfin came in at second and third with 17 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Candidate Patricia Bell received 6 percent while Randy Davis received 4 percent.

The poll, directed by Natalie Davis, a political science professor at Birmingham-Southern was conducted between July 28 and July 31 and reached 214 registered voters in Birmingham. The poll had a margin of error of 5 percent to 7 percent and a 90 percent certainty.

William Bell said the city's high crime rate is related to the state of education in Birmingham.

"Our education system has failed too many young people," he said. He spoke about 25 young men in the city's Violence Reduction Initiative. These men have the potential to be victims of violent crime or commit violent crime, he said. Through the program, the men will get to go to school and to hear from mothers who have lost their children to violence.

Davis, a former law enforcement officer, said he wants to create a community relations program where police officers can build relationships with residents. Through the program, all officers would be able to speak with residents at least 10 times a day and "develop a rapport with the community" and work together to fight crime.

Patricia Bell said she would create a volunteer program to support law enforcement. She said supporting economic development would also reduce crime.

Education

For education to work the mayor needs to be committed to education, Woodfin said, adding that he has that experience as the former president of the Birmingham Board of Education.

Woodfin and the rest of the candidates said more city money needs to be invested in Birmingham City Schools.

Woods said learning must be exciting. "Education must be presented with a purpose and a plan to stimulate our young people to be who they are," he said.

William Bell said under his administration, a new reading program will be implemented.

"You have to spend more money in the area of reading for our children," he said.

Randy Davis said he plans to create a sweepstakes program that would allow Birmingham students to attend community college for free. He said this program will allow the city to put more money in schools and create after-school programs

If elected, Patricia Bell said she would speak with the new Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Lisa Herring. She wants to see public schools teach courses on cultural heritage.

She said she would put triple the amount of funds the mayor has proposed into Birmingham City Schools.

Streets and economic development

William Bell said the city is paving city streets now, some in conjunction with the state, and municipal bonds secured several years ago. He said he has presented a plan to the City Council to have every road in the city paved as long as the city commits $10 million a year for the next five years.

He said he went to the state and formed the Land Bank Authority, which allows for blighted property to be sold at a low-cost to residents and be redeveloped. Bell said 600 dilapidated homes were demolished in the last year.

Woodfin said this paving hasn't happened soon enough.

"The No. 1 complaint I hear over and over is paving the streets," he said. "The current administration hasn't paved the streets in seven years. That is unacceptable."

He said basic services such as street paving, home demolition and weed abatement haven't been a priority of the current administration.

Woodfin said the city currently needs $60 million in street paving now. The streets should also be reconfigured to include bike lanes.

Patricia Bell contributed the lack of paving until this year to "mismanagement" and "negligence." She said "there has to be a reason" why bond money approved in 2012 is only now being used.

Davis spoke about the creation of a bike path around the city to protect bicyclists.
In Odingas hometown people vent their anger, but still hopeful their leader will be president  the first from their tribe.

Kisumu, Kenya  Those who like me, like me too much and those who hate me, hate me with passion.

Those are the words of Raila Odinga  the man who ran for Kenyas top job four times, three times with no luck.

In Kisumu, they like him unconditionally. It is hard to find someone who has not voted for him here.

It is said that an endorsement from the man they affectionately call Baba (father) can get you elected for political office in this city on the shores of Lake Victoria.





Go against Baba and you might find yourself banished from the political arena in this part of the country.

Kijana Wamalwa, a former vice president of Kenya, described Odinga supporters as suffering from Railamania and those against him as hit by Railaphobia.

Kisumu voters and Nyanza region as a whole backed Odinga overwhelmingly in his presidential bids.

In 1997, 2007 and 2013, they patiently cast their votes and held their breaths as counting began.

Every time, the wait ended in disappointment. Every time, like Odinga claimed, they blamed vote rigging for the disappointment.

And this morning when provincial results showed President Uhuru Kenyatta  the man who defeated Odinga in the last election  leading, their heart sank. For a minute, they thought history was repeating itself.

And then Baba stepped forward. He rejected the count and said the countrys electronic voting system was hacked.

No Raila, no peace

Baba called for calm but, in some parts of this city, it was too late. They took to the streets in anger burning tyres while shouting: No Raila, no peace. Police responded with tear gas.

Many here feel, at 72 this is Odingas last chance. The engineer-turned-politician has promised to serve only one term in office if he wins this election.

They want to see the former prime minister go a step further than his father, the countrys first vice president and for decades an opposition leader, and lead the East African country of 48 million people.

Odinga and Kenyattas fathers were political opponents for many years. Odingas supporters feel beating Kenyatta to the presidency is a victory long overdue.

Tonight, as residents of the city go to bed for the second night since they cast their ballots, plenty of prayers will be said in the hope that the provisional results are untrue and that Baba will be named Kenyas fifth president and be the first from his tribe to do so.

Follow Hamza Mohamed on Twitter @Hamza_Africa
Chai Buri District, Thailand  As he manoeuvred his pick-up truck along the dirt track leading to his village of Klong Sai Pattana one afternoon, Supot Kalasong, 42, heard a loud bang. He had been driving home after getting an oil-change in a nearby town and for a split second, he thought one of his tyres had exploded, burst by one of the sharp rocks on the path.

But when a man wielding a gun leapt from a ditch on the right side of the car, he realised someone was trying to kill him. It wasnt until the second bullet was fired that I realised it was gunfire, Kalasong said a few months after the attack.

I tried to get away to the left side and was shot in the leg twice. I then tried to grab the radio walkie-talkie to call for help from our security team, but he kept firing until the fifth bullet went into my arm, recalls Kalasong of the incident that took place on April 8, 2016, in Surat Thani Province in southern Thailand.

Kalasong would have been killed had it not been for two villagers who, upon hearing the shots, ran down the hill towards the car less than 200 metres away. Spooked by their approach, the gunman fled into the dense undergrowth of a palm oil plantation. Kalasong was taken to a hospital in the provincial capital, returning to the village 12 days later to recover.

On that day, remarkably, he survived. Four other villagers from the Klong Sai Pattana community, however, were not quite as lucky.

The investigation

Since 2008, this community of around 70 families have been embroiled in a conflict with a palm oil company that locals believe is behind the violence.

For decades the palm oil company Jiew Kang Jue Pattana Co Ltd has illegally occupied and cultivated palm oil trees on a 535-acre plot of land in the Chai Buri District of Surat Thani Province.

The company operated with no official legal documentation or land concession, until the Southern Peasants Federation of Thailand (SPFT) began investigating them and collecting evidence.

The SPFT was officially registered in 2008 but its founding members have long been fighting for land reforms in Surat Thani Province. The organisation works on behalf of landless farmers, identifying expropriated land owned by the state that can be made available for living and cultivation.

It reported its findings about the palm oil company to the Agricultural Land Reform Organisation (ALRO), a government agency in Surat Thani, which then took legal action against the company in 2005, suing them for illegal trespassing and land encroachment.

The ALRO won this case in the provincial court in 2007, but the palm oil company appealed the verdict continuously. In 2014, the ALRO resolutely won the case when a final decision was handed down by the Supreme Court in Bangkok.

But, even in 2008, after the successful resolution of the initial court case, hundreds of landless farmers under the supervision of the SPFT settled on a 26-hectare part of this land  building ramshackle houses from wood and growing small crops.

In May 2010, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajivas cabinet passed a regulation on the Issuance of Community Land Title Deeds and the community has been expecting to receive a land title deed since then.

This cabinet resolution set up a community land title deed programme which offers land use documents to entire communities as part of the governments broad strategy to help reduce income disparity within the society. But the people of Klong Sai Pattana have yet to receive a deed.

No backing down

The community has refused to succumb to intimidation and be forced off the land despite continuous opposition to their presence through ongoing violence from what they believe to be people hired by the palm oil company.

Prateep Rakangthong, 62, has lived in the village since its establishment in 2008. I asked the villagers whether they want to stay and fight for our right to be here. Most said they had nowhere else to go, explains Rakangthong, a respected figure in the village and committee member of SPFT.

The first month I moved here, I could hear gunfire every night. They were firing bullets into our village at night-time, he recalls, sitting in the pavilion in the centre of the village often used for meetings.

What began as intimidating warning tactics ultimately resulted in the fatal shooting of their first community member, Somporn Pattaphum, in 2010.

In 2010, the influential group of investors tried to drive us out the area by using tractors to destroy our houses, Rakangthong says, referring to the palm oil company. One of our members was shot dead. Some villagers left while some wanted to stay and fight back.

Other deaths followed. In 2012, Montha Chukaew, 54, and Pranee Boonrat, 50, were found shot dead. The two women were found a few minutes away from the entrance of the village, at the edge of a palm oil plantation surrounded by assault rifle bullet cases. In 2015, another villager, Chai Bungtonglek was found shot dead outside his family home.

The gunman, who was arrested but later released for the alleged murder of Bungtonglek, has since also been arrested for the attempted murder of Kalasong, but was acquitted by the Surat Thani Provincial Court for lack of evidence in February 2016.

When we visited the community in 2010, we went there to represent the Rights and Liberties Protection Department (RLPD) because wed received complaints about people being killed and property being damaged, explains Nongporn Roongpetchwong, deputy director general of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department under the Ministry of Justice in Bangkok.

I went there myself. It was very scary at that time. We saw the conditions that they lived in, she explains in a meeting room inside the sprawling government compound in northern Bangkok.

To date, however, no one has been held accountable for the murders and acts of violence in Klong Sai Pattana, even though officials in Bangkok are aware of the communitys plight.

In my personal opinion, in the case of human rights defenders in Klong Sai Pattana community, its still ambiguous because theres a fight going on to take over the land that belongs to the government and those individuals do not have the right and neither does the company, the deputy director general told Al Jazeera.

Pranom Somwong, the country representative of Protection International, a human rights organisation, explained that they work very hard to put recognition on SPFT as a community-based human rights defender organisation. Because, first of all, people are scared about assisting them, in part because they have doubt about the occupation of the land and dont understand the community land title issue, she says from her cramped Bangkok office.

At the beginning  diplomats, the media and others didnt dare go to Klong Sai Pattana because of too many killings there. So we [Protection International] affirm their legitimacy at the national and international level, recognising SPFT as very rightful and inspirational land rights defenders and eventually a delegation from the European Union and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations visited the community, she explains.

After numerous attempts, Al Jazeera was unable to reach the Jiew Kang Jue Pattana Co Ltd using publicly available contact information for comment on the numerous allegations brought by the organisations and villagers.

Working with the community

Protection International is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to the protection of human rights defenders and has worked with the community since 2012. As well as supporting the community with legal and security assistance, the organisation has worked to raise awareness of their plight both within Thailand and outside.

The first day, they [Ministry of Justice] went down they had lots of questions and we felt they were still not understanding the issue. The Ministry of Justice asked how SPFT could still be peacefully defending their rights because there had been so many killings, Somwong says.

Faced with such violence and having received no assistance from the government, the community has taken measures to protect themselves peacefully and collectively.

Since villagers were killed, we started to protect ourselves rather than waiting for help from the government, Kalasong says. The security team has been arranged for everyones safety. Theres a rule that no one can leave the village after 6pm until 7am the next day. Its not safe to leave the village when its dark. We all agreed on this since the deaths of Ms Montha and Ms Pranee.

The village has four security posts constructed of sand bags and wood, located at its four outer corners. Every villager  man or woman  takes turns to man the posts in groups of three to four with rotating shifts every 12 hours in order to ensure the posts are manned 24 hours a day.

The only entrance for vehicles is closed at night to all traffic, with the exception of emergencies. Every vehicle that enters or leaves is meticulously logged in books, recording the licence plate, date, time and reason of entry. The more senior members of the community always carry walkie-talkies and video cameras attached to the dashboards of their pick-up trucks.

The community hold daily gatherings at 7am where they perform role call, discuss anything out of the ordinary and voice grievances. Everything is discussed and decided communally.

Things are slowly improving for Klong Sai Pattana and there are signs that the years of lobbying by the community, SPFT and other groups such as Protection International and the UN High Human Rights Commission (OHCHR), the Thai government is taking the threat against human rights defenders and communities more seriously.

In 2013, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights defenders stepped in to raise the issue of Klong Sai Pattana with the Thai authorities.

The Ministry of Justice has been tasked with setting up so-called working groups that puts focus on those at greatest risk. For these groups, Klong Sai Pattana has been selected as the pilot case.

The working group will focus on the protection of the community leaders, whereas the Rights and Liberties Protection Department will look at the human rights violations in accordance with our mission. From this, the working group will be able to set up an organised model where it can specify criteria of who human rights defenders are, how to protect them and if there should be regulations to support them, Roongpetchwong says.

It remains to be seen whether the actions of these working groups can prevent further violence towards the community, but they are hoping that this path will ultimately lead to the universal recognition of their right to live and farm at Klong Sai Pattana, something for which they have fought for almost a decade.

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Some 1,268 Palestinians have been arrested by Israeli occupation forces over the last two months.

Israeli forces arrested some 1,268 Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories over the last two months, according to rights groups.

Several non-governmental organisations, including the Ramallah-based Addameer prisoner rights group and al-Mezan rights centre in Gaza, released the figures in a joint press release published on Tuesday.

In June, the arrest of 388 Palestinians from across the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Jerusalem, including 70 children and six women was documented.

In July, Israeli forces proceeded to arrest an additional 880 Palestinians, including 144 children and 18 women.

The rise in arrests intensified after the al-Aqsa crisis in occupied East Jerusalem, which began on July 14, after two Israeli guards were killed by three Palestinian citizens of Israel, who were shot dead.

More than 550 Palestinians were arrested over the past two months from Jerusalem alone.

The reason why the number got higher in July is because of al-Aqsa uprising. Israelis started a mass arrest campaign during and following al-Aqsa events, which mainly targeted Palestinians from Jerusalem and the West Bank, Laith Abu Zeyad, Addameers international advocacy officer, told Al Jazeera

The number is definitely the highest in 2017, but I would [also] say the highest in years.

According to Abu Zeyad, in October 2015, Israeli occupation forces arrested 1,195 Palestinians, including 177 children and 16 women.

READ MORE: Israeli measures at al-Aqsa will increase resistance

The attack on al-Aqsa came against the backdrop of what has been termed the Jerusalem Intifada (uprising), which began in October 2015. Since then, some 285 Palestinians have died in alleged attacks, protests and raids. Simultaneously, 47 Israelis have been killed by Palestinians in car-ramming and knife attacks.

Following the attack, Israel responded by installing metal detectors and surveillance cameras at the entrances to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which was seen by Palestinians as an Israeli attempt to impose further control on the holy site.

For more than two weeks, Palestinians refused to enter al-Aqsa Mosque compound and resorted to praying outside, spurring a civil disobedience movement and international pressure that forced Israel to remove the added measures.

But since the removal, Israeli forces have been targeting Palestinians across the occupied territories in nightly raids and arrests, which rights groups describe as a form of collective punishment and revenge for the Israeli retreat from its position surrounding al-Aqsa.

Israels campaign of arrest, whether it be in times of crisis or times of relative peace, is always a political tool and a form of collective punishment. It represents a premeditated policy of discouraging Palestinian political involvement, and an attempt to stop a people who are pursuant of their legitimate right to both self-determination and basic dignity, said Abu Zeyad.

The current wave of arrests has been centred on Jerusalem and attempts to halt the spread of protests and activism throughout the West Bank. Such arrests represent collective punishment against a people who peacefully call for the Israeli authorities to maintain the status quo at the holy site, he added.

Amina al-Taweel, spokesperson for the Hebron-based Palestinian Prisoners Center for Studies, says the average figure of Palestinians arrested per day stands at about 20 to 25 over the past two months, with some days reaching over 150 during the al-Aqsa crisis.

Some of those arrested were sent back home in the same day, others after a week, while some others were given house arrest orders. About 70 percent of the more than 1,000 are still in detention, Taweel told Al Jazeera.

It has become a systematic tool for oppression, to suppress any political backlash, to foil any attacks; there is not one clear reason for these arrests, Taweel added. Any one who has the potential to spur disobedience or to unify Palestinians for their cause is treated as a security threat, so they go after him or her.

Taweel estimated there were 170 orders for administrative detention last month alone. Administrative detainees are arrested on secret evidence, unaware of the accusations against them and are not allowed to defend themselves in court. Their detention periods can be indefinitely renewed.

READ MORE: What it means to be a Palestinian prisoner in Israel

The arrests come in various forms, but mostly during night raids. The period from 12am to 3am, at sunrise, is when everyone becomes nervous, especially when there is a sensitive political environment.

The occupation army surrounds the town and raids it. They break into the homes, sometimes by blowing up the entrance if the door is locked, they wreck the furniture and search the house. They usually put the family in one room and interrogate the person theyre after in another room, and then detain him or her, explained Taweel.

Other forms of arrests take place during crackdowns by Israeli forces during protests or confrontations with Palestinians. Israeli forces, posing as Arabs  known as mistaarivim in Hebrew  also arrest Palestinians by assimilating with them in their towns and villages.

Umm Firas, a mother whose son, Mohammed, was recently arrested and released from the neighbourhood of Silwan in occupied East Jerusalem, said Israeli forces detained her son twice over the past three weeks.

In the latest arrest, they came in the evening for the first time. We were sitting together and they took him from me. They handcuffed him at the entrance to the house, Umm Firas told Al Jazeera. They arrested him and took him to court the next day, but found no evidence of anything against him.

They come in without even knocking on the door. The way they come into the house is very violent. They come armed from head to toe in a very barbaric way. More than 15 [soldiers] come into the house, each one with their hand on the rifle, said Umm Firas, describing the way the Israeli forces arrested her son.

People were coming over to congratulate him over his release  and then they arrested him again  his grandmother was going to faint, added Umm Firas, saying they also took her 71-year-old sisters husband in Hebron.

They dont want people to defend al-Aqsa.
On July 25, Faiz Abu Rmeleh, a freelance photojournalist, was reporting on the Israeli police crackdown against Palestinian protesters near Bab al-Asbat (Lions Gate) at the entrance to al-Aqsa compound in occupied East Jerusalems Old City.

Later that evening, Abu Rmeleh, 25, was detained and interrogated by Israeli police for several hours.

The Israeli police came and started pushing us back down the steps and throwing sound bombs at us, he told Al Jazeera. I tried to tell the police that there is no need to push, but soon I was grabbed and handcuffed by two policemen and I found myself detained, he continued.

According to Abu Rmeleh, the Israeli interrogator accused him of assaulting a police officer and obstructing his work. Abu Rmeleh denied the accusation saying that he had videos to prove he did not resist the police.

READ MORE: Crackdown aims to silence Palestinian journalists

Abu Rmeleh was not alone. Several journalists covering the confrontations between Palestinians and the Israeli forces during that day testify to an escalation in Israeli police violations against the press corps.

Rajae el-Khatib, a video journalist, told Al Jazeera that he was also assaulted by the Israeli police near Lions Gate during the crisis.

Khatib, 38, is now suffering from a knee injury as result of the heavy beating after he was caught filming the Israeli police as they were removing railings near Lions Gate in the early morning hours of July 27, the day Muslim worshippers re-entered al-Aqsa Mosque compound after more than two weeks of protesting the new measures of Israeli control in the form of metal detectors and surveillance cameras.

What did you film? the police asked me. I told them I was from the press. They beat me with sticks and kicked me on the knee and I was badly hurt, Khatib told Al Jazeera. The Israeli police officers also broke Khatibs equipment including a camera lens, a neck mic and his mobile phone.





Abu Rmeleh described the Israeli police officers questions as not professional, adding the Israeli interrogator asked me what your religion is. Are you Arab or Israeli? Are you a leftist?

Abu Rmeleh was released the following day after he agreed to a police order banning him from entering al-Aqsa Mosque, Lions Gate and Herods gate for 15 days. A few days later, a lawyer representing Abu Rmeleh annulled the police ban for lack of substantial evidence against him.

On July 23, the Israeli police unexpectedly blocked journalists from entering Bab al-Asbat, a major news site at the time. The police then ordered journalists to stay a distance of several hundred metres away from the gate, effectively restricting journalists from covering the story which was taking place just outside the compound.

In response, the Foreign Press Association, an NGO representing journalists based in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, tweeted: FPA protests deplorable situation in Old City Jerusalem where tourists given access while accredited journalists and photojournalists not.

Not only have journalists been banned access, they have been pushed and shoved into areas where their safety is at risk, and where they bear the brunt of the Israeli security response to rioting crowds including teargas, stun grenades and beatings resulting in several serious injuries, the FPA added.

This was not the first time for the FPA to note violations against the press by the Israeli police. Last April, less than three months before the crisis at al-Aqsa Mosque, the FPA reminded Israel on the need to respect journalists reporting on the ground.

The FPA has time and again raised its concerns about the aggressive behaviour of the Israeli border police. It is time the Ministry for Internal Security took action to rein in the force and establish much stricter guidelines to ensure serious injuries, and potentially worse outcomes, are avoided it said in a statement.

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, a human rights NGO, criticised the Israeli polices conduct towards the press during the crisis. On July 30, ACRI filed a petition at Israels High Court demanding that the Israeli police stop restricting press coverage in the Old City of Jerusalem and harming journalists ability to perform their public duties.

The Israeli police released a general statement on the criticism leveled against it by the press

Under our democratic system we attach a lot of importance for the freedom of the press and we extend a helping hand to all journalists and photographers with the reopening of the al-Haram al-Sharif we have allowed free access to journalists but with the violent clashes that ensued and with the crude and offensive disregard to the law [exhibited] by some journalists [it was decided] to keep them away from the site, Luba Samri, spokeswoman for the Israeli police, said in a statement.

The ACRI petition stated that the Israeli police conduct raises concern that the polices intention was to prevent the free flow of information through the media on the events taking place and on the polices handling of those events.

The conduct of the police is worrisome and contrary to all the basic principles of democracy, ACRIs petition stated.

READ MORE: Israel moves to close Al Jazeera, ban its journalists

And, in a recent brazen attack on the media, on Monday, Israel moved to shut down Al Jazeeras operations in Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly threatened to shut Al Jazeeras operations in the country, accusing the network of inciting violence against Israel. His most recent attack on July 27 accused the network of inciting violence.

Amnesty International described the closure of Al Jazeera offices in Jerusalem as chilling message that Israeli authorities will not tolerate critical coverage.

ACRI also condemned the Israeli governments move to ban Al Jazeera. ACRI issued a statement describing the decision as a declaration of war by the Israeli prime minister and the minister of communication against the offices of Al Jazeera in Israel.

Two months ago, the Israeli Knesset cancelled the Press Ordinance of the British Mandate, which authorised the Minister of Interior to close newspapers, thanks to a petition submitted by ACRI to the High Court of Justice, according to the statement.

Now, the new minister of communications wants to close a media outlet [Al Jazeera]. This joins a series of steps taken by the government against freedom of expression and against anybody that criticizes [Israeli] government policy.
Muhammad Muslehuddin Malik was a teenage schoolboy from a well-to-do Muslim household in Delhi when partition happened. His family was uprooted from their ancestral home and survived the partition riots as they made their way to Pakistan. In the newly built Muslim nation, Malik became his familys main breadwinner for a time. Malik, who is today a leading banker in Pakistan, recounts living through partition and its immediate aftermath.

I was 14 in September 1947 and had just finished high school when one day my maternal uncle brought a tonga ride (a horse-drawn carriage) to our house and told us we had to leave immediately as our neighbourhood was about to be attacked by Hindu mobs. I was aware that a new country called Pakistan had been created for the Muslims of India, but I never imagined we would have to leave our ancestral home and neighbourhood because of our religion.

All the Muslim villages on the outskirts of Delhi had been destroyed and the attackers had now moved on to residential estates within the capital. We lived in Sabzi Mandi, which was one of the three main Muslim majority areas in addition to Karol Bagh and Pahar Ganj to be targeted by Hindu mobs. We were not prepared or armed to deal with such attacks, so moving out was our only option.



The only safe place left for Muslims was Jama Masjid, so our uncle, who lived there, had come to take us with him. He told us we didnt have time to pack or reconsider, so we left in the state we were in. The women of our family observed the purdah and would never step out of the house without covering their faces, but such was the haste that some of them werent even able to wear a scarf over their head before leaving. The idea of packing jewellery and other prized possessions didnt even cross our minds. It was a matter of life and death. Our only thought was safety first.

The military took over the following day and evicted all Muslim households from different parts of the city, including Jama Masjid. We were all moved to Lal Qila, from where we would leave for Pakistan.

My uncle was working with the government, so he was entitled to move his family to Pakistan by air. We spent a few days at the evacuee camp in Lal Qila before it was our turn to leave for the airport. Until that day, we had never imagined we would be uprooted from our hometown in such a manner. We loved Pakistan and fought for the idea of a Muslim state but didnt want to leave our home in Delhi. I loved St Stephens College, my alma mater, and my friends whom I never saw again.

We spent a few days at Palam Airport (now Indira Gandhi International Airport) as there were no set flight schedules. On one of those days, another uncle took me and my two cousins to a nearby market. While we were away, our turn on the flight to Karachi was announced. My maternal uncle, on whose entitlement we were travelling, decided to leave immediately and left a message for us to take the train to Lahore instead.

WATCH: India and Pakistan: Forever rivals? (UpFront, 25:25)

Slain train passengers

We boarded an overcrowded train and set off for Lahore at sunset. We had heard reports of brutal attacks on trains carrying Muslims to Pakistan, so we began the 12-hour journey with great trepidation but also with excitement for our new homeland.

The train began to slow down as it approached Amritsar just before sunrise. As it got closer to the station, Sikh men brandishing brazen swords, spears and daggers began climbing on the train in hordes. Luckily, the doors of the cabins were locked and the glass windows shut. I was sitting by the window and could see men raging with anger banging on the door and the windows.

We were sure the train would pull up at the platform and the mob would enter the cabins. Inside the train, it was a scene of great horror. People were crying, screaming and chanting Quranic verses. We were staring death in the face and feared we would be butchered like the thousands who undertook this journey before us.

The train picked up speed again just as it reached the platform, making it difficult for the attackers to keep holding on to the doors. They either hurriedly climbed off or were thrown off by the speeding train. It was a miracle. We couldnt believe our luck. How our fate changed within minutes remained a mystery. However, some people believed that a British man was guarding the trains engine and that there were some British soldiers aboard the train, so the driver was urged to keep going.

In the dozens of trains transporting Muslim migrants before and after ours, everyone was killed. Slain. Slaughtered. Muslims were also killing non-Muslims leaving Pakistan. It was a grave attack on all of humanity.

READ MORE: Modi is Gods gift to Pakistan security establishment

Karachi: A sea of refugee camps

We reached Lahore at sunrise. It was a moment of great relief. Locals welcomed us at the train station and fed us during our six-hour stay before we continued our journey to Karachi. We were asked to get off the train a few miles outside Karachi at a quarantine camp where we stayed for a few weeks. Here, migrants underwent medical checks for major illnesses and diseases before entering the main city.

For all this time, our family members who had arrived in Karachi a few weeks earlier had no clue where we were or if we had made it out alive amid the train riots. Two weeks later, my uncle arrived at the camp searching for us and was finally able to locate us.

Karachi was a sea of refugee camps when we arrived. Soon, we moved into a two-room unit which was allocated to my uncle. More than a dozen people were crammed into this small living space. I realised I had to take some of the burden off my uncle so I found work as a dispatch clerk in a garment import company.

Once my father arrived from India the burden of being the familys breadwinner was taken off my shoulders and I went back to my studies. I joined Pakistans fledgling banking and finance sector. Within a few years, I was heading the Institute of Bankers Pakistan, which I helped develop into a leading bankers development hub in the region.

Such was my devotion to my new homeland that I also joined the military as part of the reserve force in the wake of the 1965 war with India. We were all very passionate about making this new country work. India was lucky as the British left it with a running system of governance, whereas, in Pakistan, we had to start from scratch. There were no official records. Files and records were dumped into small wagons transferred from India overnight.

Even before the riots of 1947, it was obvious that Hindus had the upper hand over Muslims, but there was no sense of intense enmity. However, once partition was announced they turned into worst enemies.

What happened in 1947, especially during the train journey, is deeply etched in my memory. The bloodthirsty faces of the Sikh mobs formed the most haunting moment of my life. Migrating to Pakistan seemed like the only option for Muslims. From being second-class citizens in India we suddenly had a homeland of our own.

As told to Hafsa Adil. This narration has been edited for clarity and length.
Cuetzalan, Mexico  In 2009, the Danza de los Voladores, or Dance of the Flyers, was recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, the UN agency responsible for education, science and culture. It is a pre-Colombian, Mesoamerican ceremony that is still practised in very few areas of Mexico.

The ceremony is a rain and fertility dance seeking harmony between the ancient gods and the earth and its people. The performers dance around a 30-metre-high pole, then climb atop it. The flyers representing four elements  water, wind, earth and fire  perform a ritualised greeting to the four cardinal directions and fling themselves off while attached to ropes, spiralling down as the platform to which their ropes are attached slowly unwinds and lowers them to the ground. One person remains on top of the pole playing a flute, beating a drum and dancing.

The ritual has since been adapted to be performed during Catholic ceremonies and is also performed for tourists.

Cuetzalan village was named as one of Mexicos first Magical Towns in 2002 by the Mexican National Department of Tourism. The programme was introduced to encourage local tourism. Villages can request a nomination if they meet certain criteria in historical, cultural and natural elements.

The status has brought much-needed publicity, tourists and funding. More tourists generate more donations and with the municipal funding, the Flyers can request new embroidered suits, that cost between 4,500 and 6,000 Mexican pesos each (around $250-$300).

This has also generated interest among local children in becoming Flyers themselves, which will ensure that the tradition lives on.

MORE: Pilgrimage to Ethiopias 12th-century iconic churches
There was probably a time when the current leader of the Hungarian conservative party, Fidesz, Viktor Orban, was quite grateful to George Soros. Back in 1988, as a 25-year-old fresh law graduate, he became a member of the Central-Eastern Europe study group funded by the Soros Foundation. A year later, he received a Soros scholarship to study British liberal political philosophy at Pembroke College, Oxford University.





And in more recent times, Soros donated $1m to Orbans government to cope with the environmental disaster in the town of Devecser, which was flooded with toxic sludge from a nearby aluminium factory in 2010.

But today, Orban has no words of gratitude for Soros. Rather, he has launched a vicious campaign against his former benefactor. And while his aggressive rhetoric is verging on anti-Semitism, the Hungarian prime minister has also  strangely enough  managed to weave in Islamophobic threads into his verbal attacks on Soros. And surprisingly (or not), this symbiosis of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia has been well received elsewhere in Europe and even the US.

A symbiosis of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia

Although Orban is said not to be anti-Semitic himself but rather deeply opportunistic, he has turned his former benefactor Soros into the ideal scapegoat for the Hungarian governments failures. Pushing for illiberal policies and anti-EU reforms, Orban has been using Soros name in his populist rhetoric on a regular basis. He has been pandering to anti-Soros conspiracy theorists in Eastern and Central Europe, many of whom hold anti-Semitic views and enthusiastically spread their theories about Jewish conspiracies to dominate the world.

Orban has not shied away from using anti-Semitic tropes, talking of Soros wealth, power, influence and a network of NGOs and has called him billionaire speculator. It was no surprise that when his government launched an anti-immigration campaign spreading posters of Soros with the slogan Lets not let Soros have the last laugh, some of them got defaced with anti-Semitic statements like Stinking Jew.

Anti-Soros politicians in Eastern and Central Europe have also joined in the chorus, with one Polish MP calling him the most dangerous man in the world.

While propagating anti-Semitic stereotypes, Orban has also managed to accuse Soros and the EU of wanting to Muslimise Europe. In a speech in late July, he said that the Soros Empire is using money, people and institutions to transport migrants into Europe.

In Orbans rhetoric, Soros  and his alleged co-conspirator the EU  threaten the Christian character of Europe. Europe is currently being prepared to hand its territory over to a new mixed, Islamised Europe. [] In order for this to happen, for the territory to be ready to be handed over, it is necessary to continue the de-Christianisation of Europe  and we can see these attempts, he said.

Orbans Islamophobic accusations against Soros have been shared by far-right groups in Europe and the US which have attacked the Hungarian philanthropist for his perceived support for Islamisation.

Leading Islamophobic voices polemicise against Soros. Some portray him as a Nazi sympathiser involved with Islamists, who are supposed to be the last of Adolf Hitlers World War Two coalition partners that have yet to be vanquished- as one right-wing website put it.

Could it be that spooky dude George Soros is playing god again? Is it really possible that the grand puppet master is pulling the strings on Europes demise?, says an Islamophobic right-wing blog and goes on: George Soros has all sorts of ideas  dictates, really  for how Europe must sign up for its demise by importing hordes of Muslims.





The anti-Soros campaign even managed to get into the US Congress. Six senators signed a letter calling on Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to investigate USAID funding for Soros Open Society Foundation and its activities in Macedonia and Albania. Apparently, the letter was based on a pamphlet sent to Congress by a Macedonian group called Stop Operation Soros.

A long history of hate

That Soros has been dragged into this racist vortex of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia should not come as a surprise.

For centuries, the images of the Muslim and the Jewish other have gone hand-in-hand in Western racist thought. As Edward Said wrote in his magnum opus, Orientalism is a strange secret sharer of Western anti-Semitism.

Historically, Jews and Muslims have faced similar accusations, racist tropes and persecution. Western Europeans used both as a projection surface to imagine itself as racially pure, white and Christian. In medieval times, Jews were accused of well-poisoning to kill Christians and Muslims  of inciting them to do so. During the Reformation, Jews were portrayed as the companions of the devil who had entered into a pact with the Muslim Turks.

Today, the international Jewish conspiracy has joined the Islamisation conspiracy in the minds of many followers of the far right. Once again, there are many who want a pure white and Christian Europe. And in the past few years that has proven deadly: Anders Behring Breiviks manifesto 2083  A European Declaration of Independence is full of twisted Islamophobic and anti-Semitic fantasies.

Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are not separate and unrelated. Both forms of racism go hand-in-hand today, as they have in the past, and that needs to be acknowledged.

Neglecting Islamophobia as the sibling of anti-Semitism will only strengthen racist ideologues and far-right politicians, from the Breiviks to the Orbans.

Farid Hafez is a political scientist and senior research fellow at the Bridge Initiative at Georgetown University.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Lately there have been quite a few alarmist headlines in Brazilian media suggesting that Brazil might be the next Venezuela, comparing its current political crisis to that of its northern neighbour.

The growing polarisation between the left and the right in Brazil has reached a point where  just like in Venezuela  no compromise appears possible, the argument goes. Brazil could, therefore, succumb to a similar vortex of violent protests and instability.

Another line of comparison between the two countries has been the dramatic process of de-industrialisation. The overdependence on oil left the Venezuelan economy in a shambles after the collapse of the oil prices. Similarly, Brazils economy relies heavily on the export of commodities such as soybeans and iron ore. Without a strong industrial base, the country faces the danger of falling prices destroying the agricultural and mining sectors and perhaps causing a breakdown as in Venezuela.





But while on the surface these comparisons portray Brazil as heading for a serious crisis, it is unlikely that it will become the next Venezuela. With all its problems, the country is unlikely to face a full collapse of its governing system. Nor will the economy  which is far more complex and diverse than Venezuelas  be indefinitely stuck.

In fact, it is possible that Venezuela will become the next Brazil. Recent developments suggest that the traditional Brazilian elites have regained their ground and are currently taking measures to entrench their rule. And as Nicolas Maduros government faces instability, it is likely that in the future Venezuelans will wake up to a Brazilian-style oligarchy ruling their country.

Venezuela in the old days

In 1958, three major political parties in Venezuela signed a pact called the Punto Fijo to preserve the countrys new democratic regime and prevent single party hegemony. Yet the pact transformed Venezuela into an oligarchical paradise and ushered in a period of exclusionary politics in which the political system  and the presidents office  was dominated by the elites from the leading political parties.

This plan did work well for almost three decades. Venezuela, which had had no fewer than 25 national constitutions up to 1961, suddenly became a stable democracy in the heart of troublesome Cold War South America. The developmental model adopted by its leaders, which was fuelled by the abundant money flowing from oil exports, transformed the Caribbean nation into a relatively successful rentier state.

READ MORE: Venezuela crisis  whats next?

However, with the exhaustion of the Punto Fijo paradigm and the economic deterioration caused by liberal policies, socioeconomic tensions boiled over and waves of protests swept through the country in the 1990s. After a decade of instability, confrontations and failed coup attempts, in 1999 Colonel Hugo Chavez became the president of the country following not a coup, but a landslide election victory.

Soon after taking office, Chavez ousted Venezuelas old-time oligarchs from power. As a result, during Chavezs three consecutive mandates (he died in the beginning of his fourth term in 2013), most of the families who used to run the country during the 20th century fled to either Miami or Madrid.

The self-professed Bolivarian experiment in Venezuela achieved some encouraging results for a while, and people seemed happywith wealth redistribution policies and welfare. From 2004 until 2008  before the advent of the global financial crisis  the Venezuelan GDP grew by an impressive yearly average rate of 10 percent.





But after Chavezs death, Venezuelas Bolivarian experiment started to crumble. And at the moment, under Nicolas Maduro, nothing seems to work properly in the country.

Venezuela was severely hit by the end of the commodities boom and the oil price downturn that followed suit, and this led to an unprecedented economic and social crisis in the country. As a result, authoritarianism on the part of the incumbent government reached new heights and the country has plunged into violence and instability.

And once Maduros government comes to an end and the Venezuelan economic elite in exile comes back home, the Bolivarian experiment will be denounced and killed  and anti-welfare policies will possibly come back.

A Brazilian Venezuela

To imagine what future is possibly coming for their country, Venezuelans can peek across their southern border. In Brazil, the oligarchs are back in power, doing as they please while hiding behind the promise of much-needed economic reforms.

After imposing budgetary constraints to education and health, the ruling class in Brasilia started investing all of its energy against labour laws and the pension system. A plan for privatising state-run companies could also be on the radar screen.





At the same time, the judicial system is nowhere near reigning in the pervasive corruption. Last week, the National Congress of Brazil absolved President Michel Temer of corruption charges and allowed him to continue his ill-supported mandate.

And Brazilians are stuck with Temer although an overwhelming majority of them want him out (just 5 percent approve of his government). The congress would simply not listen to the wishes of the public that elected it. This is business as usual for Brazils powerful.

There is a widespread feeling that Brazilian citizens are being deprived of their fundamental democratic rights, but there is no substantial societal reaction to all this corruption, impunity and oppression at the moment.

As Brazil is turning to its old ways, it is becoming the yardstick of what will happen to the rest of Latin America. And Venezuela will very likely follow in its path.

Dawisson Belem Lopes is a professor of international and comparative politics at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais and a researcher of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development in Brazil.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Death toll includes six Red Cross volunteers who were attending a crisis meeting at a health facility in town of Gambo.

Clashes between an armed group and a self-defence group in southeastern Central African Republic have left at least 30 civilians dead, including six Red Cross volunteers who were attending a crisis meeting at a health facility, officials said on Wednesday.

The violence took place late last week in the town of Gambo, which is about 75 kilometres from Bangassou, a town that has been a flashpoint amid the upsurge of bloodshed in the long chaotic country.

We are appalled by the news of the death of our fellow volunteers, said Antoine Mbao-Bogo, president of the Central African Red Cross. We call on all parties to take steps to spare the civilian population, and to respect all humanitarian workers.

READ MORE: Why are civilians still being killed in the CAR?

The deaths marked the third such attack on the Red Cross this year, officials said. Many humanitarian workers have been blocked from doing their work, and fighters also have tried to kill wounded enemies in public health facilities.

The violence late last week also underscored the deepening conflict in and around Bangassou, where at least nine UN peacekeepers have been killed this year alone.

Observers warn that the sectarian violence that erupted in 2013 in Central African Republics capital has now moved into the southeast, prompting warnings of a national conflict roaring back to life.

Gambo fighting blamed on Seleka fighters

Local authorities blamed the Gambo fighting on a faction of the mostly Muslim rebel group once known as Seleka  fighters who now call themselves the UPC. The fighters battled against a self-defence group that has arisen in the area in an effort to ward off the UPC and other armed fighters. At times the UPC fighters shot arrows to kill their victims, local authorities said.

Central African Republic currently has some 12,000 UN peacekeepers but none are in Gambo and none was present during the deadly clashes last week.





Souleymane Daouda, a UPC spokesman for the faction led by Ali Darassa, denied to the Associated Press agency that his fighters were responsible for the violence in the town of Gambo, saying his men were protecting civilians.

A thousand people attacked the town of Gambo, Daouda said. As our elements were there, they reacted by evacuating the civilian population first and then, on their return, they used arrows to defeat these armed bandits who massacre the population.

While UN peacekeepers were not there at the time of the violence, spokesman Vladimir Monteiro said reinforcements had been sent to the area to reassure residents.

The diamond-rich but poverty-stricken nation has been in crisis since late 2012, when violence broke out between Muslim and Christian armed groups. A peace deal signed by the government and 13 armed groups in June was followed by renewed fighting.

Renewed clashes in the Central African Republic are early-warning signs of genocide, the UN aid chief said on Monday, calling for more troops and police to beef up the UN peacekeeping mission in the strife-torn country.
A smuggler forced the mostly Somali and Ethiopian refugees into the sea as they approached Yemens coast, says the UN.

Up to 50 refugees and migrants from Somalia and Ethiopia were deliberately drowned when a smuggler forced them into the sea off Yemens coast, the UN migration agency said on Wednesday, calling the drownings shocking and inhumane.

International Organization for Migration (IOM) staffers found the shallow graves of 29 of the refugees and migrants on a beach in Yemens Shabwa during a routine patrol, the agencys statement said. The dead were buried by those who survived.

At least 22 people are still missing, the IOM said. The passengers average age was 16, the agency said.

OPINION: Why are African men and women still fleeing to Yemen?

The narrow waters between the Horn of Africa and Yemen have been a popular migration route despite Yemens ongoing conflict. Refugees and migrants try to make their way to the oil-rich Gulf countries.

The smuggler forced more than 120 people into the sea on Wednesday morning as they approached Yemens coast, the IOM statement said.

The survivors told our colleagues on the beach that the smuggler pushed them to the sea when he saw some authority types near the coast, said Laurent de Boeck, the IOMs chief of mission in Yemen.

They also told us that the smuggler has already returned to Somalia to continue his business and pick up more migrants to bring to Yemen on the same route.

"The suffering of migrants on this migration route is enormous," says @ldeboeck after latest tragedy in #Yemen  https://t.co/0NnrcDRKBu pic.twitter.com/MFIJB4c9TX  IOM  UN Migration (@UNmigration) August 9, 2017

IOM staffers provided aid for 27 survivors who remained on the beach, while others left.

Laurent de Boeck told Al Jazeera that the chaos of Yemens war is providing fertile ground for people smugglers.

Its absolutely awful, and this is reflected in the real big business which is happening now in Yemen where there is no capacity to actually control the border. We have seen since the war increased smuggling to the country actually, he said.

Last year we counted 117,000 people entering the country irregularly  and these are those who have identified, added de Boeck.

False hope of a better future

De Boeck called the suffering of refugees and migrants on the route enormous, especially during the current windy season in the Indian Ocean. Too many young people pay smugglers with the false hope of a better future, he said.

The IOM says about 55,000 people have left Horn of Africa nations for Yemen since January, with most from Somalia and Ethiopia. A third of them are estimated to be women.





Despite the fighting in Yemen, African refugees and migrants continue to arrive in the war-torn country where there is no central authority to prevent them from travelling onward.

The refugees are vulnerable to abuse by armed trafficking rings, many of them believed to be connected to the armed groups involved in the war.

The conflict itself is a deadly risk. In March, Somalias government blamed the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen for an attack on a boat that killed at least 42 Somali refugees off Yemens coast.

Some Somalis are desperate to avoid years of chaos at home with attacks by homegrown armed group al-Shabab and deadly drought. Some Ethiopians have left home after months of deadly anti-government protests and a 10-month state of emergency.

More than 111,500 refugees and migrants landed on Yemens shores last year, up from around 100,000 the year before, according to the Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat, a grouping of international agencies that monitors migration in the area.
FBI agents have seized documents from the home of Paul Manafort, President Donald Trumps former campaign manager, as part of a probe into Russias alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election.

A Manafort spokesman confirmed the search on Wednesday.

The Washington Post, which first reported the raid, described it as a pre-dawn search of Manaforts home in the Washington suburb of Alexandria on July 26.

It came a day after Manafort met staff members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Post said, citing unidentified people familiar with the probe.

The Post said federal agents took away documents and other materials acting on a search warrant from independent special prosecutor Robert Muellers investigation into possible collusion between Trumps campaign and Russia.

Investigators were looking for tax documents and foreign banking records, the New York Times reported.

READ MORE: Russia  A resurgent superpower?

FBI agents executed a search warrant at one of Mr Manaforts residences, Manafort spokesman, Jalon Malobi, said in a statement.

Mr Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well.

US intelligence agencies say Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a covert effort to hurt Democrat Hillary Clintons presidential effort last year and boost Trumps chances of winning.

Al Jazeeras Kimberly Halkett, reporting from Washington, DC, said the timing of the raid points to a view that Manafort did not cooperate fully with the Senate Intelligence Committee and had not turned over all the documents relevant to this investigation.

Halkett said the raid as well as Muellers decision last week to convene a grand jury suggests the Russia probe is gaining steam.





Key figure

Manafort has been a key figure in the congressional and federal investigations into Russias alleged interference in last years presidential election.

He has denied any wrong doing.

The use of a search warrant shows law enforcement officials have convinced a judge there is probable cause to believe a crime may have been committed.

One focus of the multiple probes is a June 2016 meeting Manafort attended with Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump Jr.

That meeting, held at Trump Tower in New York, was described to Trump Jr as part of a Russian government effort to help the Trump campaign by passing along information that could be used against Clinton.

He managed Trumps campaign until he was forced to resign in August amid questions about his dealing in Ukraine and work for the countrys pro-Russia former president, Viktor Yanukovych.

Manafort has been cooperating with the congressional committees in their Russia probes, meeting with staff members behind closed doors and turning over documents.

He also has been in talks with them about testifying publicly.

Committee leaders said they wanted to discuss not just the campaign, but also Manaforts political work on behalf of interests in Ukraine.

Russias annexation of Ukrainian territory was one reason the US Congress defied Trump and passed new sanctions on Russia last month.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation did not immediately return a request for comment on the report.

Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for Muellers office, declined to comment.
Protesters bring Mumbai to a halt demanding set quotas in government jobs and colleges amid slumping rural economy.

At least half a million protesters brought Mumbai, the financial capital of India, to a standstill on Wednesday as they demanded set quotas in government jobs and colleges amid unemployment and reduced farm incomes.

Many businesses in the southern part of Mumbai were closed, and traffic was diverted as the protesters descended on the bustling city in a sea of saffron flags and banners.

It was the concluding protest of a series of 57 silent marches staged over the past year by the Maratha community, which is mainly dependent on farming.

Devendra Fadnavis, the chief minister of the western Indian state, responded with a promise to consider reservations to the Marathas.

Organisers put the number of protesters at more than two million and said it was the largest rally ever staged in the city of 20 million.

Indian media estimated the number of people at the rally between 600,000 and about one million.

READ MORE: India\s sugarcane farmers  A cycle of debt and suicide

Demands for quotas for highly sought-after government jobs and university places have escalated as unemployment has risen and conditions in rural areas worsened.

Farming is no longer profitable, and jobs are not available, one protester, Pradip Munde, a farmer from Osmanabad, a town more than 400km southeast of Mumbai, told Reuters news agency.

Reservation can ensure us better education and jobs.

Virendra Pawar, a spokesman for the Maratha Kranti Morcha or Maratha Revolutionary Front, said that the protesters were also demanding higher prices for farm produce and loan waivers for poor farmers.

In June, the government of Maharashtra state agreed to write off loans to farmers estimated to be worth nearly $5bn after 11 days of protests that strangled supplies to Mumbai.





Maharashtra is one of several largely agricultural Indian states that have suffered disappointing rains and crop failures in recent years.

More than 1,417 farmers killed themselves in Maharashtra in 2016, according to official figures.

India reserves places for lower castes, including the former untouchables, to try to bring victims of the countrys worst discrimination into the mainstream, but in recent years other castes have demanded quotas amid dwindling farm incomes.

Protesters dismissed as insufficient Fadnavis proposal to consider granting reservations.

We are not satisfied with the governments promises. The Chief Minister hasnt given any concrete assurances to solve farmers problems, Bhaiya Patil, one of the rally organisers, told Reuters.

Fadnavis, after meeting a delegation of Maratha Kranti Morcha, also promised interest-free loans and training for farmers.

More than 10,000 policemen helped to maintain order during Wednesdays rally.

Mumbais famed dabbawalas, who deliver packed lunches to people working in offices across Mumbai, suspended operations for the day, as did schools in the affected area.

Two-thirds of Indias population of 1.3 billion depend on farming for their livelihood, but the sector makes up just 14 percent of gross domestic product, and there is a growing divide between the countryside and increasingly prosperous cities.
According to the law, people forcing women to follow the Hindu practice of chhaupadi may face jail term.

The parliament of Nepal has criminalised an ancient Hindu practice called chhaupadi that banishes women from the home during menstruation and after childbirth.

A woman during her menstruation or post-natal state should not be kept in chhaupadi or treated with any kind of similar discrimination or untouchable and inhuman behaviour, reads the law, passed in a unanimous vote on Wednesday.





The new law, which will come into effect in a years time, stipulates a three-month jail sentence or a 3,000 rupee fine ($30), or both, for anyone forcing a woman to follow the custom.

Mohna Ansari, a member of national human rights commission who was part of the push for the new law, told Al Jazeera that the development was a big achievement.

The law gives an open space for women to come forward if they are forced to follow the practice. It is a custom that makes women feel isolated and puts psychological pressure, she said.

Supreme court ruled against chhaupadi 12 years ago, but it was not effective because it issued just guidelines. But it also directed that in case the guidelines were ineffective, there should have been a law passed against chhaupadi, so thats what happened now.

But womens rights activist Pema Lhaki described the law as unenforceable because it is related to a deeply entrenched belief system that is harder to change.

Its a fallacy that its men who make the woman do this. Yes, Nepals patriarchal society plays a part, but its the women who make themselves follow chhaupadi, she told AFP news agency.

They need to understand the root cause, have strategic interventions and then wait a generation.

INTERACTIVE: Nepals menstrual exiles

Many communities in Nepal view menstruating women as impure, and in some remote areas, they are forced to sleep in a hut away from home called chhau goth during their periods and after childbirth.

They are also barred from touching food, religious icons, cattle and men.

Last month, a teenage girl died after being bitten by a snake while sleeping in a chhau goth.

Two other women died in late 2016 in separate incidents while also following the ritual  one of smoke inhalation after she lit a fire for warmth, while the other death was unexplained.

Rights activists say many other deaths likely go unreported.
Nawaz Sharif is embarking on tour from Islamabad to Lahore just weeks after he was disqualified as prime minister.

Islamabad, Pakistan  Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has started a rally from the capital Islamabad to Lahore, in a defiant show of political strength after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office for omissions in a parliamentary wealth declaration.

Thousands of Sharifs supporters gathered in Islamabad on Wednesday to accompany him on the 370km journey, bringing the commercial heart of the capital to a virtual standstill.

Sharif was disqualified from office by the Supreme Court on July 28, on the grounds that he did not declare a salary which he says he never took from a company in the United Arab Emirates.

Sharif resigned swiftly after the Supreme Court decision, and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a staunch party loyalist, was appointed as his replacement last week.

[I was disqualified because] my son has a company that I never took a salary from, a defiant Sharif said on the eve of his planned caravan to Lahore. When I never took it, what would I declare?

READ MORE: Pakistan Supreme Court disqualifies Nawaz Sharif

The disqualified prime minister said that while he respects the courts decision, he would be challenging it in a review petition to be filed shortly.

The court also ordered Pakistans anti-corruption watchdog to register cases against Sharif, three of his children and several aides, including Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Everyone should be held accountable  but if they wanted to dismiss him, it should have been for proven corruption, not for an unpaid salary, said Arsalan Mazhar, 24, a supporter who was waving a stuffed tiger, the symbol of Sharifs PML-N party, at the rally in Islamabad.

Sharif vowed to push ahead with the rally, which is expected to take roughly two days to reach his hometown of Lahore along Pakistans historic Grand Trunk Road, despite security concerns.

On Monday, dozens of people were wounded when a truck exploded near a Lahore market which falls along the planned route for Sharifs rally, rescue officials told Al Jazeera.

I am going to my home. Ive been sent home [by the courts], so am I now not supposed to [actually] go home? Sharif asked, in response to a question about security concerns.

Many days have passed now. A new government has been formed; a new prime minister has come, a new cabinet has been made. So now I think I should go home.

Supporters at the commencement of the former prime ministers journey in Islamabad waved flags and danced to songs proclaiming Sharif to be the beat of our hearts.

Several pick-up trucks were fitted with speakers to raise the spirits of party supporters, proclaiming Sharif to be the bringer of Pakistans atom bomb.

Sharif was prime minister when Pakistan first publicly tested a nuclear weapon in 1999. He was overthrown soon after in a military coup led by then army chief Pervez Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan for the following nine years.

No democratically elected civilian prime minister in Pakistan has completed a full term in office.

Speaking on the eve of his departure, Sharif said that Pakistan had only ever seen a crippled democracy.

Will the nations mandate ever be respected? he asked.

Or will it continue to be dishonoured and ignored? Will we ever have the rule of law in this country? Will we have the rule of the peoples mandate?

Sharifs supporters echoed those views, saying they were joining him in order to support democracy.

His caravan will make its way through his partys political heartland in Punjab province, stopping often for public gatherings and rallies over its planned two-day journey.

We will walk to Lahore if we have to, said Nazeer Hussain, 60, a PML-N party worker who was wearing a shirt imprinted with Sharifs face and a hat bearing his election symbol of a tiger.

To join the caravan, Hussain rented a car that cost him Rs 20,000 ($190), roughly half his monthly income as a shopkeeper in the city of Muzaffarabad, 90km north of Islamabad.

Not everyone who braved the sweltering heat at the rally in Islamabad supported Sharif, however.

Im selling sunglasses here because wearing these makes you look like a big leader or a politician, and people seem to like that, said Abrar Hussain, 45.

Abrar voted for Sharif in the last election but said he was left dismayed by persistently high unemployment during Sharifs tenure.

Pakistans unemployment rate was 5.87 in 2016, according to the World Bank.

Pakistans next parliamentary election is due in mid-2018, and Hussain said he would be voting for the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

They steal money, too, but at least there is a chance that I might get a job.

Asad Hashim is Al Jazeeras Web Correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim.
Israel says attacks carried out after rockets were fired out of Gaza, a claim that Hamas denies.

At least four Palestinians have been wounded, one of them seriously, after Israel carried out air attacks on Hamas locations in Gaza.

The attacks on Tuesday targeted three locations in Gaza, officials told Al Jazeera.

The Israeli military said it carried out the air attacks in response to a rocket fired towards Israel.

Hamas spokesman, Hazem Qasem, rejected Israels claims.

The airstrikes targeted Hamas positions in the centre of the Gaza Strip, Qasem told Al Jazeera.

The occupation claims that a group from Gaza launched rockets at them, but there is no side in Gaza that has claimed responsibility.

We are maintaining the period of calm and did not launch any rockets. It is not beneficial for the occupation to violate this period of calm.

The emergency director at the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza, Ayman al Sahbani, told Al Jazeera that three of the injured were discharged after undergoing treatment.

The fourth person, a 26-year-old, is in serious condition. He has a fractured skull and is unconscious in the ICU, Sahbani said.

Israel holds Hamas responsible for all fire coming out of the Gaza Strip.

For the last decade, Hamas has been the de facto government of Gaza, while the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority has controlled the West Bank.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since the group took control of Gaza, most recently in 2014.
Rights body slams the culture of impunity after documenting third case of killings in Benghazi since July.

A human rights group has held the Libyan National Army (LNA) and its allied armed groups responsible for misconducts that amount to crimes against humanity in the countrys second city of Benghazi.

In a statement published on Tuesday, the Human Rights Solidarity organisation based in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, called for urgent action to stop what it called mass killings.

The statement came after the group documented the unearthing of six bodies from a dumpster in the eastern neighbourhood of Shabneh in Benghazi on Monday night. The bodies showed signs of torture with bullet holes in the head and chest areas.

Some of the bodies were still bleeding, which the group said meant that the killings were recent.

READ MORE: Qatar, the UAE and the Libya connection

The organisation said that this was the third incident of its kind since the LNA, run by General Khalifa Haftar, took control of Benghazi from rival armed groups last month after a three-year campaign.

The LNA remains heavily dependent on alliances with local brigades and tribes.

Five of the six were identified by their families. Human Rights Solidarity said that the victims were kidnapped by military forces from their homes and were taken to an unknown location.

The growing phenomenon of finding the bodies of victims of torture is an indicator of the disruption of injustice in most areas of Libya, said Khaled Saleh, a researcher from Human Rights Solidarity.

In some areas, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies are barely functioning, which had led to a culture of impunity.





Saleh said that this was the main reason for the growing tide of killing people in cold blood.

Locally, there is no reaction or efforts by the various Libyan authorities, and on the international level there is a terrible indifference, he added.

The organisation has called on the LNA, which is aligned with the eastern government based in Tobruk, to protect citizens.

Additionally, it demanded the UN-recognised government in Tripoli to take the necessary measures to curb abuses committed by armed groups operating under the banner of Operation Dignity, the name of the military operation that the LNA used to take control of Benghazi.

Libya has been locked in a state of violence and turmoil since 2011, when a bloody popular uprising ended with the overthrow and death of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The country has splintered into rival political and armed groups, with the factions backing opposing governments and parliaments in the east and the west.
Security campaign against Shia fighters reduced dozens of buildings to ruins and forced thousands of residents to flee.

A security campaign against Shia Muslim fighters in eastern Saudi Arabia has reduced dozens of buildings in the town of Awamiya to ruins and forced thousands of residents to flee.

Security forces have been trying for three months to flush out fighters responsible for years of attacks on police in the small town of 30,000 that has been the centre of protests by minority Shia Muslims against the Sunni government.

Journalists on a government tour of the town on Wednesday were the first outside witnesses to the damage caused by the fighting in the otherwise tightly controlled kingdom, a key Western ally and the worlds top oil exporter.

Reporters escorted by special forces in armoured vehicles saw streets in Awamiyas old quarter transformed into a war zone a world away from the sparkling cityscapes elsewhere in the energy-rich Gulf.

There was no fighting during the tour, although residents reported an explosion and gunfire shortly afterwards.

Rusted cars lay half-flattened next to wrecked homes pocked with hundreds of bullet holes.

Crudely photocopied portraits of martyrs  one apparently 16 years old  were tacked on to lamp posts and buildings.

The land which is mixed with the blood of martyrs gets sufficiently watered by Gods light to defeat the mighty, said graffiti along one rubble-strewn street.

Final push

Fighting picked up this month when elite forces joined an operation that began in May to tear down the old quarter, known as al-Musawara, to prevent fighters using its narrow streets to evade capture.

Casualty figures have not been published, but an interior ministry representative said eight members of a police rapid response team and four special forces troops had been killed since the latest campaign began.

Residents said nine civilians had been killed in the violence in the past week and more than 20,000 had fled or been evacuated to safer towns and villages nearby.

OPINION: On ISIL, Arab TV and post-ideological politics

Activists said five fighters and 23 civilians were killed in the fighting. Among them was a three-year-old boy, who died on Wednesday after having been shot in his familys car by an armoured vehicle in Awamiya in June.

The ministry representative said the old quarter had been empty except for terrorists for the past six months, but the security forces had to wait until families left adjacent areas before they could begin their final push.

The authorities say they are clearing the area to build an attractive district of shopping centres, office buildings, green spaces and fountains in place of al-Musawara.

We informed everyone in the community there would be development stages for several areas in Qatif, starting with al-Musawara, said Esam Abdullatef Almulla, the regions acting mayor.

He dismissed concerns raised by United Nations experts in April that the demolition of the 400-year-old neighbourhood threatened Awamiyas cultural heritage, saying the majority of the community accepted the project.

Of course, we didnt get approval from everyone, but most Qatif and Awamiya residents wanted to see their neighbourhoods developed, said Almulla.

The government compensated residents who had to leave with more than 800 million riyals ($200m) and has demolished about 80 out of 488 homes in al-Musawara, he said.

May sow discontent

Footage on social media on Wednesday showed security forces celebrating by linking arms and dancing in a circle, their automatic weapons raised in the air.

But the fighting may not yet be over, and the campaign may sow more discontent among the Shia population, which complains of discrimination. Saudi authorities deny that charge.

Posters of local Shia religious leader Nimr al-Nimr, whose execution last year set off a wave of protests and prompted a break in diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, still hung throughout the town.

Around 10 bulldozers worked to demolish more buildings and clear up the detritus of combat, the soldiers driving them still wearing helmets and body armour.

The bright pink walls of a childs bedroom lay exposed on the first floor of a collapsed house. A dog wandered around the towns abandoned streets, dragging an orange leash behind him.
Civilians were released after negotiations between Taliban and tribal elders but an unknown number still held hostage.

The Taliban have released 235 villagers held since the fighters seized control of an area in northern Sar-e Pul province five days ago, Afghan provincial officials said on Wednesday.

Local authorities believe the capture of the area was jointly carried out by the Taliban and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) fighters. If confirmed, this will mark the first time the two rival groups have joined forces in battle.

The information was gleaned after some of the freed villagers told local media that they saw both the Talibans white banner and ISILs black flag flying together during the attack.

The civilians were released after negotiations between the Taliban and tribal elders.

Speaking from Kabul, Al Jazeeras Jennifer Glasse said that the freed villagers were instructed by their hostage-takers not to say anything to the media because at least 18 people were still being held hostage.

They say that two different groups had approached the village from two different sides, and that one group was far more brutal than the other, killing everything in its path and burning some 30 houses, Glasse said.

READ MORE: Officials  Taliban, ISIL coordinated Sar-e Pul attack

In Sar-e Pul, the fighters defeated Afghan local police forces after almost two days of intense fighting and took control of the area early on August 5, Zaib Amani, the spokesman for the provincial governor, said.

Most of the civilians are staying in local mosques or with relatives in the city and provincial officials are trying to provide food and other necessities for them before finding a long-term solution, he added.

Amani also said that since the fighters took control of the area, 52 civilians, including women and children, have been killed in the village of Mirza Olang in Sayad districts. The victims were mostly Shia Muslims and minority Hazaras.





Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the killings in Mirza Olang.

I will promise that our brave security forces will take revenge, Ghani said during a ceremony at the presidential palace, broadcast live on TV.

Provincial governor Zahir Wahdat said as many as 450 families had fled the fighting, which has underscored the lack of government control in many areas of Afghanistan and deepened public anger at the growing insecurity.

Sayed Ismail, a man who said he had been detained and then released by ISIL, told Reuters news agency he had lost three members of his family, including a son and grandson.

Government officials put their hands on the holy Quran to provide security for us, but they have their security guards and armoured cars and do not think of their people, he said.

We were with Daesh for four days, he said, using a common Arabic name for ISIL. Some of our relatives were buried without shrouds and their dead bodies were spoiled in open weather. We are tired of our government.

Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, confirmed the fighters had seized the area but denied civilians were killed in Mirza Olang.

So far, ISIL has not commented on the attack or said whether it had joined forces with the rival Taliban.

There have been reports of battles in the past months between the Taliban and the ISIL affiliate in Afghanistan in several provinces. Afghanistans ISIL affiliate is made up mostly of disenfranchised former Taliban members.

Two women shopping at market shot and killed

Meanwhile, gunmen opened fire on a group of four female employees at the Bagram airfield, the main US military base in the country, killing one and wounding a second woman, said Zaman Mamozai, the provincial police chief.

He said that two suspects were later arrested in connection with the shooting.

Abdul Shukor Qudosi, governor of northern Bagram district, told Anadolu Agency that a group of four women guards employed at the airbase were shopping at a nearby market at around noon time when they came under attack.

Four women employees of a private security firm stationed at the outer first entry point of the base were shot at in the market, he said, adding one of the women died on the spot, while a second one succumbed to her wounds on the way to hospital.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
Rights group NRC says closure of Sanaa airport since 2016 has blocked thousands from receiving treatment abroad.

At least 10,000 people have died in Yemen as a result of the Saudi-led coalitions restriction on airspace and the closure of Sanaa airport a year ago, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said citing Sanaas Ministry of Health.

The rights group joined 14 other aid organisations that called on warring parties in Yemen to reopen the countrys main airport on Wednesday, saying the year-long closure was hindering the flow of aid and preventing thousands of patients from flying abroad for life-saving treatment.





Denial of access to travel has condemned thousands of Yemenis with survivable illnesses to death, Mutasim Hamdan, the NRCs director in Yemen, said in a statement.

Without access to safe, commercial travel, Yemenis are left with no way to access critical medical care.

The result is devastating. Thousands of women, men and children who could have been saved lost their lives.

The coalition, which intervened in the Yemen conflict in 2015 to support the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, controls the airspace over Yemen.

Sanaa International Airport was closed on August 9 last year leaving many Yemenis with no safe means of transport in or outside of the country, NRC said.

Citing UN figures, the NRC estimated that 7,000 Yemenis went abroad from Sanaa annually for medical treatment before the conflict.

Now, the number of people needing life-saving healthcare is around 20,000 over the past two years because of the violence, the group added.

Journey was too much

The NRC told the story of Mohammed, whose father, in need of urgent treatment outside of the country, died after travelling for more than 24 hours by road to Seiyun Airport in southern Yemen.





The doctors said it was dangerous for him to travel all the way there and he might die on the way, but it was our only option, Mohammed was quoted as saying in the NRC statement.

We had to pass through many checkpoints, but the journey was too much for my father.

In addition, another 10,000 people have been killed in violent attacks and more than three million displaced since the conflict began, according to the UN.

The country is also coping with the worlds worst cholera outbreak as the heathcare system continues to crumble.

The outbreak has independently claimed the lives of at least 1,800 people and infected more than 370,000 others, according to the World Health Organization.

The Saudi-led coalition has repeatedly been accused of blocking aid to Yemen.

Earlier this month, the UN said the coalition obstructed the deliveries of jet fuel to UN planes bringing desperately needed humanitarian aid to rebel-held Sanna.

It also said aid efforts have been hampered by delays and refusals of visa by the Yemeni government and by the rebels controlling the capital.

INTERACTIVE  Yemen: Worlds worst cholera outbreak mapped

According to the NRCs Hamdan, Yemens public services are crumbling under the pressures of war.

Hundreds of thousands more people are sick, injured or in need of services, but there are drastically reduced resources to meet them, he said.

It is critical that all channels of domestic and international air movement are reopened so Yemenis can get help, and help can get to Yemenis.
People across 25 cities join scientists in demanding more funding for research and promotion of scientific temper.

Thousands of scientists and their supporters have marched across India to promote their work and demand that the government invest more in the field.

Inspired by the global March for Science earlier this year, rallies were held in more than 25 cities across the country on Wednesday.

The march is not a protest, Meena Kharamtal, one of the organisers of the rally in Mumbai told Al Jazeera.

This is a march for science, she said.

Kharamtal, along with the thousands who have rallied across the country, demanded that the government increase the funding for scientific and technological research.

Funding for basic science in India is facing a grave situation, Anindita Brahma, a research associate at the Indian Institute of Science, told Al Jazeera.

Among the demands of Wednesdays rallies was the allocation at least three percent of the GDP to scientific and technological research and 10 percent towards education, a statement by the march organisers said.

In January, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the importance of scientific research at the Indian Science Congress.

If we want science to deliver, we must not constrain it, he said, adding that by 2030, India will be among the top three countries in science and technology.

While many welcomed Modis comments, those who attended the rallies on Wednesday said the government has not translated them into action.

Although the government expects us to achieve groundbreaking discoveries, it fails to realise that the basic necessity is infrastructure, which requires sufficient funding, Brahma told Al Jazeera after attending the march in Bangalore.

READ MORE: Tens of thousands protest Trumps climate policies

According to the World Bank, Indias expenditure on research and development has remained stagnant at about 0.8 percent of the GDP over the last few years.

This is way smaller than anything needed to make any kind of breakthrough in science, Deepak Modi, a scientist from Mumbai, told Al Jazeera.

China, for example, invested more than two percent of its GDP in research and development in 2014.

Further, there is a significant push to generate money from science being done, Deepak Modi said.

We wish to tell the government that science cannot be compared to business. Science is a creative activity and it may take many years before research yields any practical value and the government must support science.

At the time of publication, the Indian government had not responded to Al Jazeeras request for comment.

In addition to funding, the organisers called for the end to propagation of unscientific, obscurantist ideas and religious intolerance, as well as better adherence to Article 51A of the Constitution, which states that it is the duty of every citizen to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform.

Souvik Mandal, an ecologist who also marched in Bangalore, said he was worried about the ignorance of public and government bodies, and their denial of scientific facts.

The intensity in which pseudoscience and superstition are currently propagated in India and throughout the world is alarming, he said.

Gargya of the Indian Science Forum of New Delhi added that he believed that in the last few years, many Indian policies that are coming are based in beliefs, which are not actually true.

Science must be a priority

Indias March for Science grew out of the global march that took place on Earth Day in April.

Thousands from more than 600 cities worldwide rallied to defend the role of science in policy and society, especially in the wake of what they called a growing number of attacks on the field.

It was heartening to see [the global march], Amol Amodkar, a student from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, told Al Jazeera.

It gave us confidence that the scientific community can and will stand together for what we believe in, he said before the rally in Chandigarh.

Science must be a priority for a growing nation like India.

READ MORE: Tens of thousands protest Trumps climate policies

Mandal agreed, adding that he is optimistic about the future of science in India.

We have seen a wonderful, and unexpected, number of participants from the younger generation, at the marches, he said.

This gives us hope of a future where the public may prefer a government which abides by the scientific thinking and makes decisions, including policies, through scientific knowledge.

Follow Laurin-Whitney Gottbrath on Twitter @elledubg.
Trump remains silent but adviser Sebastian Gorka suggests Minnesota attack could have been staged.

A senior White House officials suggestion that the bomb attack on a mosque in the US state of Minnesota could have been staged has sparked derision on social media.

Sebastian Gorka, a senior adviser to US President Donald Trump, told MSNBC on Tuesday that some recent hate crimes were fake.

He failed to give examples to back his allegations.

The comments led to criticism of the official, who has ties to far-right activists in Hungary and was sacked from a consultancy role by the FBI over his anti-Islam rhetoric, according to US outlet, the Daily Beast.

When asked by anchors whether the White House would be commenting on the Minnesota bombing that took place in the early hours on Saturday, Gorka said it would but only after an investigation into who was behind the attack.

Theres a great rule, all initial reports are false, you have to check them, you have to find out who the perpetrators are, said Gorka.

Weve had a series of crimes committed, alleged hate crimes by right-wing individuals, in the last six months, which turned out to be actually propagated by the left.

People fake hate crimes in the last six months with some regularity. I think its wise to find out what exactly is going on before you make statements, he added.

The Southern Poverty Law Centre, which documents hate crimes, noted 1,863 incidents between Trumps election in November 2016 and April 2017.

In May, two men were killed by a white supremacist in Oregon when they tried to stop him abusing two Muslim girls on a bus.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) noted a 91 percent rise in anti-Muslim hate crime since the start of the year.

The comments by the Trump official on MSNBC prompted criticism online.

Translation: If targets are Muslims, assume it's a hoax. If targets are white Americans, assume it's genuine. https://t.co/akKoM3UDft  Todd Green (@toddhgreen) August 8, 2017

https://twitter.com/ggrushko/status/895164940713168897

FBI investigation

No one was hurt when the explosion happened during morning prayers at the mosque in Bloomington, a suburb of Minneapolis.

The mosque affected has received more than $100,000 in donations after the attack.

The FBI is trying to determine who was behind the explosion and Minnesotas Governor Mark Dayton has labelled the incident a terrorist attack.

Trump has not spoken about the attack on the place of worship but has posted 26 tweets on topics as varied as fake news, the failing New York Times, a senator he described as a con artist, the ongoing tensions with North Korea, and new job figures.

The US president was criticised on social media after the attack for his silence and his lack of response to other attacks when the perpetrators do not appear to be Muslim.

Far-right links

In April the online magazine Forward published a piece detailing Gorkas ties to a Hungarian far-right groups that stretched back decades.

Vitezi Rend has historic links to the Nazis during their occupation of Hungary, but Gorka said he never swore allegiance formally.
Government agencies and NGOs collaborate to empower Bolivian women to take on a greater role in their communities.
Denied citizenship, forced from their homes, and subjected to cruelty; we investigate the plight of Myanmars Rohingya.

Filmmakers: Salam Hindawi, Ali Kishk, Harri Grace

Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has a population of around 51 million people. The Bamar ethnic group constitutes around two-thirds of this figure and controls the military and the government. But there are also more than 135 ethnic groups in the country, each with their own culture.

Many of them have become internally displaced by government moves to exploit land, provoking long-standing friction.

In fact, the conflict between Myanmars ethnic minorities and the ruling Burmese majority represent one of the worlds longest ongoing conflicts.

One group, the Muslim Rohingya, are not recognised as an ethnic nationality of Myanmar, so they suffer from arguably the worst discrimination and human rights abuses of all. The Rohingya population is somewhere between one and two million and they are living mainly in Rakhine State in the north of the country.

We don't hate Bengalis but we hate the Rohingya who are trying to occupy areas in Rakhine State. The monks, the Rakhine Party and the Rakhine people hate them. by Aung Win, Rakhine National Party

In this film, Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent Salam Hindawi goes to Myanmar to investigate the situation surrounding the Rohingya.

Myanmar has been tightly controlled for decades and Hindawi has enormous difficulties gaining access to certain areas of the country that the government simply doesnt want anyone from outside to see.

I think the military and the government are blocking people from going into northern Maungdaw [a majority Rohingya town], because they have something really horrible to hide, says David Mathieson, a former director of Human Rights Watch in Myanmar and now an independent analyst and observer.

There are signs of this in satellite pictures and by the governments own admission and through credible reporting coming out of the area, saying there have been extensive human rights violations. They want to hide the extent of the abuses against the civilian population. Its a cover-up, he says.

In 2012, the capital of Rakhine state, Sittwe, saw a wave of violence in which hundreds of Rohingya were killed and tens of thousands forced to leave their homes and move to camps.

Our houses were burned down by the Rakhine people, says Sander Win, a Rohingya refugee. We stayed at a friends house and were then sent here. Ive been here for five or six years.

Muhammed Yasin, the so-called camp doctor, says: Our lives are very difficult. All our houses have been destroyed. In cold weather, we sleep on the floor  our children get diseases and die.

The government restricts their movement, ability to marry and access to education and healthcare. The refugees Hindawi met seemed to have been in the camp for years  and the children appeared to never have lived anywhere else.





At the heart of the Rohingyas problems lie Myanmars citizenship laws which deny them full nationality and therefore rights. This mirrors the widespread official and public prejudice against them.

As a Buddhist, I feel sorry for them, says Buddhist monk U Par Mount Kha. But these Muslims living in Myanmar, we cant just look at their human rights. Theyre not qualified to be citizens under our citizenship law  If we let them out, the terrorist attacks will increase in Myanmar. There are 57 Islamic countries in the world, so if the leaders of those countries would take these people into their countries, there will be no problems in our country at all. We should consider that idea.

This discrimination has created tension and in October 2016 at least nine police officers were killed and four injured in multiple assaults along Myanmars border with Bangladesh. The attackers were identified only as terrorists but were believed to belong to an armed Muslim group.

There was an immediate violent backlash and the army began a siege on Maungdaw. There were reports of mass killings, torture, rape  and of tens of thousands of Rohingya sought refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh.

READ MORE: Who are the Rohingya?

The government says these reports are exaggerated  but the UN has since reported a raft of human rights violations. It has even gone as far as suggesting that Myanmars strategy may be to expel the Rohingya altogether. It announced a fact-finding mission to Myanmar but the government said in June that it would deny entry to officials taking part in the UN investigation.

Former Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi now holds the post of State Counsellor and is effectively the head of the Myanmar government. But since her days as an anti-government campaigner, she has been accused of ignoring the plight of the Rohingya in Rakhine state.

[Aung San Suu Kyi] stays relatively silent about the abuses going on, says Mathieson. Shes really been absent when her voice as a leader needs to be heard.

Developments in 2018

Since this film was made in February 2017, more than 700,000 Rohingya have been displaced and now live in refugee camps in Bangladeshs Coxs Bazar, which shares a border with Myanmar.

In May 2018, representatives of the UN Security Council concluded a fact-finding visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh. The possibility of Myanmar investigating and pursuing accountability for the atrocities that have been committed was raised.

There are also growing calls for the UN Security Council to refer the matter to the International Criminal Court (ICC), as previously reported by Al Jazeera. While Bangladesh is a member of the court, Myanmar is not  so the Court has no jurisdiction there. International prosectors have therefore sought to assert the jurisdiction of the court for the deportation of Rohingyas from Myanmar to Bangladesh (given the cross-border nature of the crime of deportation).

In June, the ICC has issued a deadline for Myanmar to submit a written response to a request for a ruling on whether the tribunal should exercise jurisdiction over the countrys mass deportation of the Rohingyas to Bangladesh. The deadline for Myanmar to respond, which was set for July 27th, has now passed.

Though Myanmar has agreed to take back displaced persons who want to return to Rakhine state and whose prior residency in the region can be verified, pressure from the international community has continued to grow with the United Nations and rights groups pushing officials to guarantee safe conditions for the returnees.
Canadas probe of allegations that weapons it sold to Saudi Arabia were used against civilians reopens ethics debate.

The Canadian government has launched an immediate review into allegations the military vehicles it sold to Saudi Arabia have been used against civilians.

The controversy has reopened the debate about the ethics of selling weapons.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under pressure to suspend a multibillion-dollar weapons deal with Riyadh.

For many countries, the question is the same: Do economic benefits outweigh human rights?

Presenter: Martine Dennis

Guests:

Pieter Wezeman  Senior researcher at the International Peace Research Institute in Stockholm.

Andrew Smith  Spokesman for the Campaign Against Arms Trade in London.

Steven Chase  National Correspondent for the Globe and Mail in Ottawa, Canada.
Today, as general elections take place in Kenya, the World Council of Churches (WCC) joins the churches and people of the country in prayer for the peaceful and successful conduct of this pivotal democratic process. We call for all people and groups in Kenya to participate in the democratic expression of the will of the []Source : http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric...
Huge logo of Wanda Group in a Wanda Plaza. [Photo/VCG]

Dalian Wanda Group began to sell a stake in its financial arm to China Unionpay, after it sold 91 percent equity of 13 tourism projects to Sunac China for 43.84 billion yuan last month, The Economic Observer reported on Tuesday.

This move will likely aim to prepare for listing, or reduce its debt, a person familiar with the matter told the newspaper. In 2016, Wanda Group chairman Wang Jianlin vowed to spin off Wanda Financial by 2020.

On Feb 22, the registered capital of the Wanda financial platform, Shanghai Wanda Internet Financial Service, rose from four billion yuan to nine billion yuan, and later, the figure increased to 9.3 billion yuan on July 20.

The shareholders of Shanghai Wanda Internet Financial Service also changed  the three newly-added shareholders include China UnionPay's subsidiary Shanghai Lianyin Investment Co Ltd.

Currently, detailed information about the stake of China Unionpay in Wanda Financial have yet to be disclosed.

Wanda Group signed a strategic partnership with China Unionpay in March, speeding up its efforts to integrate its offline and online resources.

As part of the strategic cooperation, China UnionPay's subsidiary, Shanghai Lianyin Investment Co Ltd, will acquire a stake in Wanda Internet Technology Group.

In 2016, Wanda Internet Technology Group was spun off from Wanda Financial Group into a separate company.

After the spin-off, the new Wanda Financial Group focused on traditional financial business such as banking, insurance and investment, while Ffan Technology, 99Bill, big data and cloud computing center belonged to Wanda Internet Technology Group.
Silk Way West Airlines, a growing cargo operator based in Azerbaijan, and Alaska Airlines on Thursday signed contracts with Boeing for two freighters apiece  but that is where the similarities ended. Silk Way West said it will take two 777-8s, the largest plane available from Boeing (NYSE: BA) and one so modern it isnt []
The modified toll structure offers better rates per loaded container on the return voyage for Neopanamax vessels deployed on the canal route, according to the Panama Canal Authority (ACP).



PHOTO: Diego Grandi / Shutterstock.com

The Cabinet Council of the Republic of Panama has officially approved a modified toll structure for the Panama Canal that will lower rates for containerships.

The Cabinet Council of the Republic of Panama on Aug. 8 officially approved a proposal to modify the Panama Canal tolls structure, following a recommendation from the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) Board of Directors.

The newly approved modifications, which lower rates for containerships, were first approved by the canal authoritys board of directors on May 25. Then on July 5, the ACP held a public hearing on the tolls structure modifications proposal, following a 32-day formal consultation period for industry feedback.

The toll modifications offer better rates per loaded container on the return voyage for Neopanamax vessels deployed on the canal route in the head and back haul legs. Containerships will only receive the new rates if they follow mandated standards, including that the utilization rate for a ships northbound transit is greater than or equal to 70 percent; and the time between the northbound and southbound transit is no longer than 28 days.

Tolls for LPG and LNG vessels are also being modified, but the units of measurement wont change. The vessels are being reclassified as container/breakbulk within the general cargo segment, rather than the current others segment.

Additionally, container/breakbulk vessels which were formerly part of the others market segment, are being reclassified into the general cargo segment, thus resulting, according to the ACP, in more attractive tariffs for customers, since general cargo tolls are lower.

The ballast tariff will be applied to the LPG vessels transporting up to two percent of the total cubic meters of LPG cargo capacity of the spaces designed and certified for such use. Regarding LNG vessels, the ballast tariff will be applied to LNG vessels transporting up to10 percent of the total cubic meters of LNG cargo capacity of the spaces designed and certified for such use.

The operators that use the same LNG vessel for a voyage to and return from a specific destination through the Panama Canal, will pay the laden tariff for the laden portion of the trip, and would be eligible for the roundtrip ballast fee if the return transit in ballast is made within 60 days after the laden transit.

The approved changes were proposed, according to the authority, after an analysis of utilization and productivity of the Neopanamax Locks, and after meetings with Panama Canal executives, customers and industry representatives in Europe, Asia and North America. The meetings, according to the ACP, provided a deeper understanding of the industry today, the challenges faced by individual market segments, and the projected demand for the Neopanamax Locks.

The modified tolls will safeguard the Canals competitiveness, charge a fair price for the value of the route and provide a competitive service to the global shipping industry, Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano said in a statement.

The newly approved tolls modifications are scheduled to go into effect on Oct. 1, at the beginning of the Canals new fiscal year. Full details on the tariffs are available in English on the Panama Canal Authoritys website.
Perhaps, as the Irish writer Jonathan Swift asserted, its useless to attempt to reason people out of a thing they werent reasoned into. Yet, in the current midst of manifestations of the bad and the ugly in Germany and Britain, it is a pleasure to see the recognition of the good in the form of a relatively unknown Irishman, Hubert Butler, a righteous individual who courageously confronted evil words and deeds.

In August 2017, an Irish television station is airing a documentary on the life of Butler, a writer on a wide range of subjects, an Anglican who strongly opposed the refusal of leaders of the Irish Catholic Church to help Jewish victims of Nazi Germany. Butler was disgusted by the anti-Semitism in his own country. At its worst, it was expressed most vehemently by Oliver J. Flanagan, later minister of defense.

In his maiden speech in the Irish parliament, the Dail, on July 9, 1943 Flanagans diatribe was that Jews "crucified our Savior 1,900 years ago and they have been crucifying us every day of the week. He suggested root the Jews out of this country where the Jews are, is the money. Surprisingly, Flanagan was awarded a Papal Knighthood by John Paul II in 1978.

Butler was disappointed by the outcome of the international conference to discuss the plight of Jews held at Evian-les-Bains, France in July 1938 and was ashamed of the poor attitude of the Irish delegation there. Of the 32 countries attending, only two, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, agreed to increase their quota of Jewish refugees. With the help of some Quakers, Butler operated what was in fact his own, if small, refugee policy.

Butler, aged 38 at the time, fluent in Serbo-Croat, went in 1938 to Vienna on his own initiative and expense to rescue Austrian Jews, and smuggle them into Yugoslavia, and then to Ireland. In this way, he saved more than 100 Jews. Irish policy at the time was that only Jews who had converted to Christianity could be allowed to stay in Ireland, and Jews who had not converted could go to the United States which they did if possible.

By contrast to this example of objective humanitarian behavior, two events have shown either the persistence of hatred or the implicit bias against the State of Israel. They also invoke the issue of maintenance of free speech in spite of its offence to some.

Imitation of past and persisting hatred was displayed when about 6,000 neo-Nazis invaded the small town with 3,000 inhabitants of Themar in Thuringia, Germany on July 15, 2017 in a demonstration called Rock against Foreign Domination.

With ominous allusions to the past, many of the marchers were wearing shirts I Love Hitler, gave the Hitler salute, and shouted Heil. They communicated a sick joke, Whoever says A must also say Dolf. Though Germany has banned unconstitutional organizations and those engaged in National Socialist activities, and though 500 citizens protested the march, two separate courts ruled in favor of the neo-Nazi march, holding that this far-right group had freedom to organize the event.

More troubling and controversial is the production planned to take place at the Young Vic theater, in London, of a play called My name is Rachel Corrie, previously performed in London in 2005 when it played to full houses.

This is a short 70-minute calculated anti-Israeli play, based on the dairies and emails of a 23-year-old American pro-Palestinian activist, Rachel Corrie, a student. The production is controversial and disturbing for a number of reasons. The first is that it may be deliberately insolent and disrespectful since the opening will be on September 29, 2017, the night of Kol Nidre, the holiest night in the Jewish calendar.

A second problem is that the Young Vic theater is an organization that gets pubic funding from the British Arts Council, which therefore is implicitly financing a one-sided production. It is clearly intentional that the play is a one-sided portrayal of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, focusing on the Israeli treatment of Palestinians. No one will deny the importance of free speech, even if uncongenial, but it is dispiriting that the Young Vic, nor any other London theatre, let alone the Arts Council, is contemplating a more balanced perspective of the conflict.

This is important because the facts are clear. Rachel Corrie, despite the warning of the U.S. State Department not to visit the area because of the continuing fighting there, worked in the Gaza Strip for the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a Palestinian-led group dedicated to assisting the Palestinian cause that calls on people around the world to participate in protests against the Israeli military.

Corrie was killed on March 16, 2003 while trying to prevent Israeli bulldozers from demolishing a house that Israel Defense Forces believed was hiding the entrance to tunnels used by terrorists. She was fatally struck by a bulldozer. The Haifa District Court ruling on the case that was brought found that Israel had neither intent nor negligence in her death. The Court held her death was accidental, and that she had put herself in a dangerous situation.

Three things are relevant in this case. One is that Corrie was not naive but worked for ISM, known worldwide as a prime example of partisan negativity, using its supporters virtually as shields for activists. A second matter is that the Gaza Strip was the scene of daily fighting since the beginning of the second Intifada, started in 2000 by Yasser Arafat, as his widow Suha explained in December 2012.

A third and most important point is that the no context is provided in the play for the realities on the ground. It is not a question of innocent Palestinian civilians being killed by Israeli militants. The reverse is true. Palestinian gunmen used the structures in Gaza as cover to shoot at Israeli troops or to conceal the many tunnels being built by Hamas. The reality became known in the July 2014 war, Operation Protective Edge, when Israeli troops found and destroyed at least 34 tunnels for terrorists to use against Israeli civilians.

For any resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict and the elimination of anti-Semitism and unjustified attacks on Israel the example of the righteous Irishman sets an agreeable model. Hubert Butler with courage and conscience in opposing official prejudiced policy not only saved his country from shame, but showed the right path for humanity.
One does not know if Chicago Mayor and former Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Rahmbo Emanuel ever met the family of Dennis McCann of Chicago. He cant talk to McCann himself about Chicagos lawsuit against DOJ enforcement of federal immigration laws since McCann is dead, killed by an illegal alien who was driving drunk. As Jessica Vaughan reported at the Center for Immigration Studies:

In June 2011, an illegal alien and habitual drunk driver named Saul Chavez ran over and killed Dennis McCann, of Chicago. Chavez had recently finished a sentence of two years of probation for an earlier aggravated drunk driving offense. The judge set bond at $250,000, and ICE issued a detainer, but just before Thanksgiving, Chavez's brother appeared with the $25,000 cash, so the sheriff's office took the money and let Chavez run. After Chavez missed a court date (surprise!), police paid a visit to his house to take him back into custody. His roommate, the brother, insists he's just out running errands, but police have concluded that he has fled Dennis McCann's family is not only grief-stricken at this senseless and preventable loss (Chavez should have been turned over to ICE after his first offense), but astounded at how indifferent the county government and ICE have been to this outcome. They have written to all the commissioners asking them to rescind the ordinance, and tried unsuccessfully to obtain information from ICE on whether it gave the OK for Chavez's release. The County Commissioner who sponsored the ordinance, Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, has replied to Brian McCann, the victim's brother, in a three-page letter overflowing with legal fictions and delusional statements. In the letter, Garcia insists that obstructing ICE efforts to take custody of criminal aliens is necessary "to protect the integrity of the criminal justice process."

Also concerned with the integrity of the process rather than the victims of illegal alien crime is Rahm Emanuel who has announced a lawsuit to block DOJ from denying funds from cities that refuse to cooperate with ICE. As Fox News Politics reported:

T he city filed its suit over the Justice Department's threat to withhold Byrne grants for law enforcement groups from sanctuary cities. The citys mayor, Rahm Emanuel, likened this to blackmail. Chicago will not be blackmailed into changing our values, and we are and will remain a welcoming city, Emanuel said. The federal government should be working with cities to provide necessary resources to improve public safety, not concocting new schemes to reduce our crime-fighting resources. (Atty. Gen.) Sessions said the city of Chicago has chosen to protect criminal aliens who prey on their own residents instead of enforcing laws meant to protect law enforcement. Chicago will not let our police officers become political pawns in a debate, Emanuel said. Chicago will not let our residents have their fundamental rights isolated and violated. And Chicago will never relinquish our status as a welcoming city.

Indeed it has. And what exactly are Chicago values in a city that has more murders than New York and Los Angeles combined? How does allowing sanctuary for those who kill, rape, maim, and murder American citizens improve public safety? Chicago is a welcoming city only to criminal and illegal alien killers: As a July 28 Chicago Sun-Times article reprinted in the suburban Daily Herald documents, Rahm Emanuels policies have done little to stem the carnage:

A man was shot to death early Friday near the former Cabrini-Green public housing projects on Chicago's Near North Side, according to police, marking the city's 400th homicide so far this year His death, the city's 400th homicide of 2017, happened early on the 207th day of the year, meaning Chicago has logged nearly two homicides per day, according to data maintained by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Rahm Emanuel had no objection to Obamas proposed defunding of unrelated matters in North Carolina. Implicit in accepting federal funding, one would think, would be the condition of obeying the laws of the United States which sanctuary city officials are sworn to uphold. The laws of the United States give the President control of immigration policy and the Constitution gives the President control of foreign policy and border security.

Title 8 U.S.C. 1324 makes it quite explicit that harboring and concealing from detection illegal aliens is a felony, whether committed by individuals or sanctuary city officials:

Harboring  Subsection 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii) makes it an offense for any person who -- knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, conceals harbors, or shields from detection, or attempts to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection, such alien in any place, including any building or any means of transportation.

Now it may be argued that the DOJ would be better off legally prosecuting sanctuary city mayors rather than trying to withhold federal funds from their cities, but one is not exclusive of the other. Sanctuary city mayors are in clear violation of federal statute, so for anyone to argue that withholding federal funds from those violating federal law is unconstitutional is, again, nonsense.

Sanctuary city officials could very well be prosecuted for breaking the law and recklessly endangering their citizens by harboring and shielding from scrutiny illegal aliens among whose number may include assorted Islamic State agents, sympathizers and potential lone wolf recruits, along with assorted criminals, like the one charged with the murder of Kate Steinle in the sanctuary city of San Francisco. They are accomplices in crime.

That is the suggestion of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Jindal made the case on recently on Boston Herald Radio:

Absolutely, I would hold them as an accomplice. Make them criminally culpable, the Republican presidential candidate said when asked if hed arrest mayors of sanctuary cities. Id also make them civilly liable so that families, victims families could sue. Especially if the prosecutor isnt taking action or the mayors not changing their ways, Id allow the families to go to court as well to recover damages.

Again, neither Rahm Emanuel or any others who legislate from the bench had no problem with the Obama administrations guidance to schools that sex discrimination now included sexual identity and that those that didnt provide transgendered restrooms put their federal funding at risk.

Where is the sanctuary for American citizens? While Emanuel welcomes criminals from south of the border, children are being murdered on the South Side of Chicago. When President Obama opened our borders to many thousands of unaccompanied minors and others, Chicago residents exploded at the politically motivated double standard. As Investors Business Daily editorialized:

It hasn't escaped notice of the residents of Obama's hometown who gathered Friday to protest the president's $3.7 billion request to help Central American children escape violence while they see little being done to end the violence in which 120 people have been shot and 26 killed so far this month. "You're spending billions of dollars in Texas, but we've got a problem right here in Chicago," said a local resident Friday, one of many from Chicago's Southside who assembled in front of the Chicago Police Department to protest the violence plaguing their neighborhoods. They condemned President Obama for paying more attention to illegal aliens crossing our southern border than to the children of his hometown. "Do something for our children," said one of the protesters in a video posted at the blog Rebel Pundit. "Have the same love for these young people like you got for the ones across the border, and you want to save them." May we be so cynical as to suggest that in the political calculations of President Obama and the Democrats the black vote is taken for granted but the Hispanic vote is still in play? Are these undocumented aliens or undocumented future Democrats?

Aye, theres the rub. Illegal aliens can vote for the mayors that welcome them. Too bad their victims cant. American citizens lives matter.

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.
The Assad regime's chemical weapons attack on its own citizens on April 4, followed by the Trump administration's resolute military response a few days later, should prompt a reevaluation of the direction of our foreign policy during the preceding decades. With clearer vision, we see again that despots have the will and the means to attack the foundations of civilized order to advance their ambitions. In more recent years, our foreign policy has been driven so timid by the traumas of the interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, and by the interventionist peacekeeping missions of the 1990s, that many of us deceived ourselves that creating a world of decreased American responsibilities would advance the security of our own interests and values. Yet when free countries abide by the principle of nonintervention while despots remain free to help other despots, the now-all-too-clear outcome is that free countries become spectators to a world where aggressors impose their will on human societies at the expense of the rule of law, state sovereignty based on the consent of the governed, and basic human rights.

"Aggressors," observed the late Jeane J. Kirkpatrick in her final book Making War to Keep Peace, "are a constant in history." The pattern is always the same. "They seek to impose their will on governed masses, which are denied any voice in their own destinies and any recourse to justice." The observation applies to non-state actors like Al Qaeda just as well as it does to totalitarian dictators like Josef Stalin. The common denominator is the imposition of will wherever force is unable or -- as has been the case lately with the United States -- unwilling, to thwart it. Further, and as the chemical attack against civilians in Syria reminds us, realizing the international norms underlying the West's conception of a civilized and prosperous world order is not, to borrow a phrase from Kirkpatrick, "the priority of all groups who seek power in the world." It's the same lesson we learned after September 11: Not only are our values not universally shared the world over, there are groups devoted to and motivated by principles and conceptions of world order at direct odds with our own, and they are prepared and even eager to unleash violence, war, and revolution to realize their values.

It is difficult to pinpoint the moment with precision, but the regional order in the Middle East that emerged following the Arab-Israeli war of 1973 fell apart sometime during Obama's tenure as president. Two key features of the old order in the Middle East were America's stabilizing role and the absence of a permanent Russian military presence. In 2011, Obama withdrew a limited number of troops from Iraq despite warnings from military advisers that the withdrawal was premature. ISIS quickly filled the resulting power vacuum most prominently on the Sunni side, while Iranian agents and clients filled the vacuum most prominently on the Shiite side. In 2013, after Syria used chemical weapons against its own people, Obama accepted Putin's overture to allow Russia to work with Syria to remove Assad's chemical weapons from the country, inflating Putin's perceived stature so much that hardly a protest was registered when, in September 2015, the Russian military unilaterally intervened in the Syrian Civil War -- and thus definitively established itself as a military power in the Middle East. The rise of ISIS destabilized not only Iraq but Syria and Lebanon, and the power vacuums created by Obama's withdrawals and sustained by his calculated adherence to nonintervention created the perfect openings for Iran and Russia to entrench themselves much more deeply into the Middle East.

Jeanne Kirkpatrick was fond of John Stuart Mill's teachings, including those on the principle of nonintervention. "The doctrine of non-intervention," Mill wrote (and Kirkpatrick quoted approvingly),

to be a legitimate principle of morality, must be accepted by all governments. The despots must consent to be bound by it as well as the free states. Unless they do, the profession of it by free countries comes but to this miserable issue, that the wrong side may help the wrong, but the right must not help the right. Intervention to enforce non-intervention is always rightful, always moral, if not always prudent.

On Kirkpatrick's interpretation of Mill, the first principle of international relations is reciprocity, a situation where each actor is bound equally by whatever the legal principle in question is. As applied to nonintervention, this means that unilateral nonintervention -- a doctrinal approach toward Syria, for example, advocated by many across the political spectrum in America today -- is unacceptable as a doctrine (as distinct from a tactic), because that amounts to a situation where "the wrong side may help the wrong, but the right must not help the right." When the United States abides by the principle of nonintervention while Russia and Iran remain free to help a criminal regime in Syria, the outcome is that we become spectators to a world where autocrats impose their will on human societies at the expense of the pillars of civilization.

Now that the United States has reawakened to the ice cold realities of tyranny, it's time to introduce Russia and Iran to the Kirkpatrick doctrine in Syria, which does not necessarily imply either intervention, nonintervention, or withdrawal as tactics, but does have strategy implications for dealing with ISIS, Russia, and Iran.

First is the destruction of ISIS, which controls geographically-defined territory and threatens to become a permanent haven for terrorists. As ISIS is dismantled, it will become necessary to empower non-radical Sunnis in Syria. This will be an enormous challenge, given how thoroughly Al Qaeda's offshoots have integrated with Sunnis there. Nevertheless, the challenge is far from insurmountable: Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War and the Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, for example, have developed comprehensive strategic plans for dealing with these Sunni populations.

With respect to Russia, Putin's military role in the region is already a geopolitical fact. While the mutual interest in the defeat of ISIS may have presented an opportunity for cooperation with Russia in the recent past, relations with Russia are probably soured for the foreseeable future. Given that Russia is an expansionist power that explicitly opposes the American conception of world order, the immediate strategy must be to reduce Russia's influence and perceived importance in Syria and the region, which will require a reassertion of the American role as not only a purveyor of stability in the Middle East, but as a staunch ally of the Arabs -- Shiite as well as Sunni -- against Putin, who should be branded as thoroughly as possible as a destabilizing pro-Iranian dictator.

Finally, with respect to Iran, the broader geopolitical goal for America in the Levant and surrounding area must be to eliminate the lock Iran and Hizballah have established over the administrative and military levers in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, because they are expansionist aggressors with a radically illiberal conception of world order. Regaining a preponderant influence over Iraq and Lebanon relative to Iran would put America in roughly the geopolitical position it was prior to Obama's premature withdrawal from Iraq, wherein not all Arab Shiites were allied against Sunnis and Iran had greater difficulty than it does today arming its terrorist confederates throughout the Middle East.

None of this will be easy, but something must be done, and the trajectory of our foreign policy must be altered. Decades of arguing over the tactics of intervention and nonintervention caused us to lose focus on a general strategy grounded in our most fundamental values. We forgot the lessons of history, which show unmistakably what happens when despotic actors gain administrative control over states. "We cannot protect ourselves or others," Kirkpatrick said, "against the resurgence of aggressive powers or the reoccurrence of evil unless we face the fact that tyranny and war have the same source -- in persons who use force to expand their control of others." All we need to succeed is the resolve to preserve civilized order while, in Kirkpatrick's words, "preserving our military and reserving our sovereign right to wage war to maintain true peace."

Anthony Tsontakis is an attorney with the Arizona Legislature. Views expressed are personal to the author.
Media rivals had plenty of space for more coverage of the woes that continue to plague the Fox News Channel yesterday  even on a day when North Korea's nukes and the missiles that might deliver them to the U.S. led the news. Events from the past week, including prominent host Eric Bolling's head-spinning immediate suspension for an alleged years-old incident of sexual harassment and the sudden flip of FNC contributor former homicide detective Rod Wheeler on the unsolved Seth Rich murder case, continued to be included in the coverage of other breaking stories involving the news channel. The mere mention of the Rich murder stoked calls for a boycott by leftist activists of FNC's #1 host, Sean Hannity.

Last night, in an article destined for a prominent place in Wednesday's print editions, the New York Times broke a story titled "Fox Is Said to Have Declined to Settle Suits for $60 Million."

The sexual harassment scandal at Fox News has cost its parent company 21st Century Fox tens of millions of dollars, untold reputational damage and some of its biggest personalities. And the drama is far from over. At a confidential mediation proceeding in late July, the lawyer Douglas H. Wigdor asked for more than $60 million to settle several disputes with Fox News and 21st Century Fox, according to two people familiar with the matter. Mr. Wigdor proposed that the settlement be paid in a lump sum, according to one of the people. Those cases included gender-and racial-discrimination lawsuits against the company that Mr. Wigdor had filed on behalf of more than 20 current and former employees in the last several months and at least one explosive complaint that had not yet been made public. The company would not accept Mr. Wigdor's offer and no resolution was reached.



Douglas H. Wigdor.

The Times article then rehashed the news from last week, in which attorney Wigdor filed an "explosive" (as the Times described it) lawsuit against 21st Century Fox and the Fox News Channel on behalf of his client, former detective Wheeler, who is African-American. Wheeler is alleging that he was the victim of defamation and racial discrimination primarily because of an article published by Fox News on its website in May about Wheeler's investigation of the Seth Rich murder. Fox News prime-time host Hannity figured in that controversy, although he was not named as a defendant in the suit, because he covered the Seth Rich case and included Wheeler's perspective in a segment on his nightly broadcast on May 16. The article also broke the news that Wigdor has been in touch with authorities in the U.K. in an apparent attempt to influence the British government to rethink or decline to approve 21st Century Fox's proposal, which is floundering as it is, to gain control of the profitable English and Euro TV provider SkyTV.

This line from the Times story could prove to be an understatement:

As the Wigdor cases proceed through the legal system  a process that could cost millions in legal fees and take years  the state of affairs could grow even uglier for all parties.

The article then transitions into a rehash of the controversy surrounding suspended host Eric Bolling. Although that salacious story, relying on anonymous sources, none of whom was quoted, came to light only late last Friday in an article in HuffPost, it has already consumed endless amounts of print and online coverage and broadcast time.

Interestingly, The Specialists, the 5 P.M. E.T. program that Bolling co-hosted through last Friday, won its time slot in both the demo and total viewers on Monday, August 7, the first day Bolling was off the program. The ratings win Monday might be due to several factors: The Specialists has been doing well since its premiere with Bolling. Its competition is extremely weak: on MSNBC, there is a program called MTP Daily  Meet the Press Daily  hosted by unappealing and obnoxious Sunday Meet the Press host Chuck Todd, while over on CNN, whose ratings are dismal most times of the day and night, aging and tiresome Wolf Blitzer continues to host an hour of The Situation Room from 5 to 6 P.M. (the program actually goes on until 7 P.M.).



Chuck Todd.



Wolf Blitzer.

The cable news wars in the United States apparently have attracted international interest. The Tuesday World edition of SCMP  the South China Morning Post  published in Hong Kong, ran the AP's story about MSNBC's rise, "MSNBC rides anti-Trump wave to close in on Fox News in US cable network ratings  Rachel Maddow is now the most popular host on prime time, seizing spot held by Fox personalities since 2001." The article did not mention Bowling or Rod Wheeler.

Maddow's ratings victory comes with one asterisk: she no longer has Fox's Bill O'Reilly to compete with. O'Reilly's ouster in April after harassment charges, coupled with Megyn Kelly's departure for NBC, leaves Sean Hannity as the one constant in Fox's prime-time lineup.

There's plenty of competition for this honor, but the low point in Tuesday's coverage of cable news  this time dedicated to Fox News  was Max Boot's attack piece published in the Council on Foreign Relations' house organ, Foreign Policy: "Fox News Has Completed Its Transformation Into Trump TV  Who needs state-owned propaganda when the president has friends like these?" With a large photo of Sean Hannity at the top, Boot, an alleged conservative, takes 1,500 words to bash Fox News, Eric Bolling, Bill O'Reilly, and Tucker Carlson  while reserving special enmity for Sean Hannity:

It scarcely seems possible, but [Tucker] Carlson is exceeded in his devotion to Trump by the host of Fox's 10 p.m. hour: Sean Hannity, the president's de facto minister of information. Every night Hannity will peddle whatever line serves Dear Leader's interests, no matter how risible or odious.

Fox's three-hour morning program, Fox & Friends, is also in Boot's sights:

The official party line, enunciated every night by Comrade Hannity, is faithfully echoed and extended every morning by the blow-dried apparatchiks on Fox and Friends, the president's favorite morning show.



Max Boot.

But hold on: A bona fide intellectual is cited by Boot for his sophisticated and high-toned critique:

An inveterate TV watcher, Trump echoes Fox's fantasies in his own tweets and remarks. Fox, in turn, cites the president as confirmation for its made-up stories. As Dartmouth professor Brendan Nyhan notes, it's a "perpetual motion machine of [b-------]."

The article concludes with six paragraphs spinning the channel's coverage of the Seth Rich murder  which provides the author an opportunity to bash Hannity again. Even though a visitor supposedly gets free access to five articles a month at the Foreign Policy site (and this one is my first in a long time), obnoxious nag screens kept blacking out the story as they extorted me to "sign up." Don't think so. I can get endless amounts of this kind of journalism at CNN.com or MSNBC.com, all for free.

This disturbing item in the Wall Street Journal relating to a development in broadcast news  not on cable or conventional broadcast TV, but streaming on the internet  caught my eye: "Political News Outlet Young Turks Raises $20 Million After Viewership Gains  Left-leaning YouTube network plans to double newsroom size."

The Young Turks is the brain child of aging Turkish-American Cenk Uygur, 47, who was born in Turkey (get it?) and who has a law degree from Columbia University. According to Wikipedia, Uygur was once a conservative who opposed abortion but for the past decade-plus has been a far-left broadcaster who had a show for five months on MSNBC in 2011. He then moved to Al Gore's Current TV during its final two years until that channel was sold to Al Jazeera in 2013.



Cenk Uygur.

Since 2005, Uygur's Young Turks (TYT) has been streaming its far-left political programming on YouTube. With the Democratic Party's hard left turn in recent years, accelerating under the Trump administration as it has evolved into The Resistance, TYT has seen its audience expand. Among the investors who are contributing a share of the $20 million to TYT in hopes of reaping a significant return of their investment is Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg.

Peter Barry Chowka is a veteran journalist who writes about national politics, media, popular culture, and health care. He is a frequent contributor to American Thinker. His new website is AltMedNews.net.
How does an electricity-generating plant count as "green" and worthy of subsidy if it will slaughter some of the remaining members of an endangered species? A battle is going on right now in Hawaii over a proposed wind farm that admits that it will be lethal and seeks government permission to commence the killing.

Hawaii News Now reports:

An endangered native bat is at the center of a fight over a controversial wind farm proposal on Oahu's North Shore. Concerned residents showed up for Monday's contested case hearing for the Na Pua Makani project in Kahuku. The facility would include 8 or 9 wind turbines. The developer, Na Pua Makani Power Partners, considered different models ranging from 427 feet to 656 feet in height. A company spokesman said the wind turbine generators used in the project will be 500 to 600 feet tall. The developer is seeking a permit that would allow the project to harm or kill certain threatened and endangered species, including 51 Hawaiian hoary bats over a 21 year period.

The partnership [i] that seeks to build the bird blenders has put together a hundred-some-page "mitigation plan" to reduce the impact and claims that there would be no net reduction in numbers.

Critics, however, aren't convinced the steps will make any difference. "Currently, all major wind farms in Hawaii have exceeded their amount of take that they've been approved for. In fact, the two existing wind farms on Oahu have already killed over 70 bats in just a few years of operation," said Maxx Phillips, an attorney for Keep the North Shore Country.

The question is acute in Hawaii because of an endangered species at risk. Extinction is forever, as they say. And Hawaii is already plagued by at least five abandoned ghost energy farms, whose maintenance expenses were so high that the owners walked away. If you wonder why native Hawaiians seek to halt this plant on the grounds of desecration of their sacred land, consider the spectacle of this abandoned wreck:



Image via webecoist, sky#walker; Center for Land Use Interpretation; Terminal Tower.

How do wind farms, which slaughter, at a minimum, hundreds of thousands of birds annually (some say millions), get counted as "environmentally friendly" and qualify for all sorts of subsidies? Why are they allowed to kill bald eagles, when you and I would go to prison if we did so?

And why do we subsidize the slaughter?

Hat tip: Peter von Buol
Kim Jong-un had better think more than twice about making another threat about incinerating the United States. As things now stand, one more threat will be fatal for him and for North Korea.

This message, loud and clear, has been sent by the president.

I believe that the president has the support of the American people. That is all he needs.

It is really foolish of North Korea and her myopic leaders and sycophantic generals to threaten the U.S., the world's only true superpower. They cannot defeat the United States, and they cannot survive an air attack from the United States.

Probably we will launch B-1 and B-2 bombers, followed by B-52s to carpet-bomb some of the missile factories and nuclear installations. The United States does not need to use nuclear weapons to do the job; the bunker-busters and the biggest conventional bomb of them all, the GBU 43/B, sometimes called the Mother of All Bombs, will do the job. The MOAB was tried out this past April in Afghanistan, where it was pushed out the back of a C-130. It destroyed deep underground caves to the point where there was nothing left.

That's the sort of bomb, now proven to work, that can destroy North Korea's nuclear stockpile, her underground facilities, her reactors, and the government's underground network in Pyongyang. Kim will have no place to hide, and afterward, it is unlikely that anyone will find any single part of him worth burying.

Why would North Korea be so brazen and make such dangerous moves?

For a long time, it was thought that if a country had nuclear weapons, even if it couldn't feed itself, it had a strange kind of ultimate leverage over civilized countries and peoples. That's why South Africa (when it was still an Apartheid state) was building nuclear weapons. No more. South Africa realized that nuclear weapons were more of a hazard than a benefit.

Today, many other wobbly countries have tried to obtain nuclear weapons. Libya made many efforts over the years to buy ready-made weapons or the technology to produce her own. Perhaps it was Gaddafi's dream. Iraq tried to do the same thing, but the Israelis smashed their reactor, and the United States and coalition forces flushed out whatever other nuclear weapons technology survived thereafter. Syria built a reactor like the one at Youngbin, hoping it would not be discovered, but the Israelis found it and ruined it utterly. And Iran is still in the midst of developing nuclear weapons, although she is supposed to be in a "pause" under the deal made under the Obama administration.

Some have gotten away with it  India, which is a very large country, and Pakistan, which is not. They are a danger to each other, and Pakistan is responsible for spreading nuclear technology around the Third World. The country remains a true menace still tolerated by the United States, which is bizarre, given her inherent instability and the fact that no solution exists if Pakistan falls completely into the hands of radical Islamists.

Others have tried to get nuclear weapons but for one reason or another failed. Some other countries may have them but don't say so, such as Israel and Sweden. Indeed, it is Israel's policy to maintain a posture of strategic ambivalence. It is Sweden's to keep quiet.

But overall, it is clear that the promise of inviolability to be gained from nuclear weapons does not always pan out. In the case of North Korea, she does not yet have delivery systems for her missiles, although the U.S. apparently now thinks North Korea has succeeded in miniaturizing her bombs so they can be put on top of a rocket. Why, then, should we allow the North Koreans to keep threatening us at a time when they can't deliver on their threats, and where, if we allow them time, they will be in a position to incinerate our cities in a few years?

That's why President Trump could attack North Korea at any time with or without new threats. But even the president of the United States needs a casus belli. Kim is about to hand him just that.
Let me say it again: I don't get this campaign to bring down Confederate symbols. As far as I can see, there are more pressing problems in the nation than getting all worked up about a statue from the Old South.

Therefore, I was happy to see that someone is standing up to this madness, as we see in this report:

The U.S. Army won't scrub the names of Confederate generals from a base in New York City, military officials told Congress. A group of Democratic lawmakers asked the Army in June to rename a pair of streets at Fort Hamilton, in Brooklyn, which currently honoring Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, part of a broader effort to take down Confederate memorials across the country. But the Army rebuffed the appeal. "After over a century, any effort to rename memorializations on Fort Hamilton would be controversial and divisive," Diane Rendon, an official in the Army's bureau of manpower and reserve affairs, wrote in a July 20 letter. "This is contrary to the nation's original intent in naming these streets, which was the spirit of reconciliation." Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., mocked the decision as a victory for white supremacy. "That reconciliation' was actually complicity by the North and the South to ignore the interests of African Americans and enforce white supremacy, effectively denying the result of the Civil War for generations," she said Monday. "These monuments are deeply offensive to the hundreds of thousands of Brooklyn residents and members of the armed forces stationed at Fort Hamilton whose ancestors Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson fought to hold in slavery."

General Lee and General Jackson mean a lot to U.S. Army history. They were distinguished U.S. Army veterans who fought in the Mexican War and enjoyed respect from their friends in the Union. General Lee, in particular, was one of the great military men and came in second in his class at West Point. He was wounded in the Mexican War and earned a reputation as a great soldier.

We can disagree with their decision to fight for Virginia, in Lee's case, but it's historical revisionism to say they fought for slavery. In other words, there was a lot more to that war than slavery. Right or wrong, General Lee was motivated by his love of Virginia, not slavery.

Again, we can disagree with their decisions without deleting the many other contributions they made to the country.

It's time to leave the Civil War in the past and worry about today's real problems. The war ended 142 years ago! The lousy inner-city public schools are a crime that is happening today.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
The man who brought us the phrase "nasty, rotty" food has unsurprisingly been busted for corruption.

That's one David Binkle, a former chef who bit and clawed his way to the top of the Los Angeles Unified School District's $354-million food operation, running the Michelle Obama-ordained school lunch reform that was so bad in Los Angeles that the students set up a black market in Flamin' Hot Cheetos as a substitute. His horrible operation gave us that evocative descriptor, "nasty rotty stuff," which got around.

Turns out he was overpaying contractors, taking kickbacks, and billing it all to the taxpayer. One of those contractors, by the way, was Tysons Food, a Fortune 100 company that just incidentally was involved in the teaching of Hillary Clinton, back in her Arkansas days, to become an ace commodity cattle futures trader. Those guys.

It probably should have been a red flag that kids, who cannot be fooled, sounded the first alarm about how bad the food was, compared to the copious praise that came down from the White House on that same plan. Michelle Obama praised Binkle for his newly reformed school lunch program, which nominally imposed his rarefied chef tastes of quinoa, pad thai, black bean burgers, and other chi-chi nouvelle cuisine as a substitute for tacos, burgers, and corn dogs favored by children across the vast multi-ethnic school district. In reality, they were overcharging, overbilling, and under-delivering, with the food turning out to be basically slop. It probably didn't help that it was public employee unions executing the mess. Of course the food turned out to be inedible and detested.

Little kids just don't lie about these things.

It goes to show that the Obama food reform micromanagement plan was nothing but a Democrat enrichment scheme to jack up prices through fat-shaming and to wrest control of how children eat from their parents. Is it disgusting? Across the board. And does Michelle Obama own this Chicago-style politics scheme? She sure does. Look for more of this to shake out as corruption scandals come rolling out about the true nature of that scheme.
How quickly, indeed, the years go by. It is forty-three years since the fall of Richard M. Nixon, August 9, 1974. (By comparison, only 29 years separated that date from August 9, 1945, when we dropped a second atomic bomb, on Nagasaki.)

The following is taken from Nixon's farewell remarks to his White House staff, forty-three years ago:

Always give your best; never get discouraged; never be petty. Always remember others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.

Nixon's words offer hope  not for those who fervently wish a Watergate denouement for President Trump, but to those who wish to see America made great again. Clearly, Trump is despised by his enemies  and, it must be acknowledged, they are legion, controlling the media, the Democratic Party, and the country's East and West Coasts. Nixon's words offer President Trump the instruction that his enemies will not prevail, so long as he does not respond to their hate with hate. Nixon's words also, perhaps, suggest a corollary: that the president should respond to aggrandizing political hate with a nationwide address filled with optimism, encouragement, and renewed commitment to our founding legacy of liberty.

Consider, for example, the hatred for President Trump held by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), who, appearing on The Breakfast Club, August 7, predicted that first Trump will go, and then Vice President Pence. (Indications are that on another program, Ms. Waters confused Mr. Pence with Vladimir Putin.) Behold the mindset of the Trump-hater: "democracy does not include the right of the people to elect leaders whom I detest."

Reports that President Trump has low approval ratings in polls suggest more media disinformation. The ties that bind are what counts, and the ties between the president and his supporters remain securely bound indeed  arguably far more secure than were the bonds between Nixon and his voters.

The media, no doubt sharing Hillary Clinton's view that ordinary Americans who support Trump are "deplorables" and "irredeemables," cannot appreciate the meaning of the Trump victory in all its democratic significance. After all, no one they know voted for him. And so the media are as isolated from political reality, today, as Nixon, alas, came to be, by August 1974  finding themselves on August 9, 2017 at odds with our democratic institutions and, consequently on the path to political irrelevance.
When does the unthinkable become thinkable? When tantrum-throwing children have in their possession the most destructive force on Earth.

North Korea and the U.S. exchanged bombastic threats on Tuesday, making it ever harder for the two sides to climb down from the ledge and find a peaceful way forward.

For the uninitiated, we're talking about nuclear war. The threat is real. The possibility is real. Both President Trump and Kim Jong-un are painting themselves into a corner, where it is becoming less likely that one or the other can extricate himself without unleashing devastation upon the world.

In truth, it is Kim who must yield. The U.S. cannot allow a paranoid, unstable regime to possess a weapon that can devastate American cities. Some American intelligence officials believe that the North has already been able to marry a nuclear warhead to one of its ICBMs. But there is no evidence that the warhead has been tested yet, leaving open the probability that the North is one step short of being able to hit the American mainland.

Can we take that chance? Prudence demands that we don't. But every time Trump ups his rhetorical attacks, Kim does the same. And today, the North Korean military issued a statement saying it is targeting the U.S. territory of Guam.

Reuters:

North Korea said on Wednesday it is considering plans for a missile strike on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after President Donald Trump told the North that any threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury". The sharp increase in tensions rattled financial markets and prompted warnings from U.S. officials and analysts not to engage in rhetorical slanging matches with North Korea. North Korea said it was "carefully examining" a plan to strike Guam, which is home to about 163,000 people and a U.S. military base that includes a submarine squadron, an airbase and a Coast Guard group. A Korean People's Army spokesman said in a statement carried by state-run KCNA news agency the plan would be put into practice at any moment once leader Kim Jong Un makes a decision. Guam Governor Eddie Calvo dismissed the threat and said the island was prepared for "any eventuality" with strategically placed defenses. He said he had been in touch with the White House and there was no change in the threat level. "Guam is American soil ... We are not just a military installation," Calvo said in an online video message. North Korea, which is pursuing missile and nuclear weapons programs in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions, also accused the United States of devising a "preventive war" and said in another statement that any plans to execute this would be met with an "all-out war wiping out all the strongholds of enemies, including the U.S. mainland". Washington has warned it is ready to use force if needed to stop North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs but that it prefers global diplomatic action, including sanctions. The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Saturday. Trump issued his strongest warning yet for North Korea in comments to reporters in New Jersey on Tuesday. "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen," Trump said.

One diplomat, Douglas Paal, who works for the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, had this to say about the president's rhetoric:

"It strikes me as an amateurish reflection of a belief that we should give as we get rhetorically. That might be satisfying at one level, but it takes us down into the mud that we should let Pyongyang enjoy alone," said Paal, who served as a White House official under previous Republican administrations.

There is something to be said for rhetoric that seeks to calm a dicey situation rather than make it worse. Perhaps the president thought his explicit threat would cause Kim to pull back. Instead, it appears to have had the opposite effect. Within hours of the president's statement, the North issued its threat against Guam.

Kim is now well and truly trapped by his own rhetoric and his actions regarding nuclear and missile tests. An attack on Guam would be suicide for North Korea. But what may be driving Kim's rhetoric is the internal politics of the North Korean regime, not only rhetoric from Washington.

By almost all reports from recent North Korean defectors, Kim does not enjoy the kind of control over the regime that his father, Kim Jong-il, and grandfather, Kim Il-sung, exercised during their tenures at the top. Any backtracking by Kim at this point could give his domestic enemies an opening to take him down. While little is known of the inner workings of the regime, the cutthroat nature of politics there is well documented. Purges under the younger Kim have been common, with gruesome means of execution to frighten dissenters.

Perhaps Kim is hoping China will intervene between the two sides. They certainly have a lot to lose if war breaks out on the Korean peninsula. Not only would refugees stream across their border, but the economic impact of another Korean war would devastate their economy (and the economy of the world).

There is some indication that the regime is planning another missile test. If the North Koreans go through with it, President Trump will have to decide whether to make good on his threats or look for another way out.

Few are betting on a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
While the Democrats are pushing some narrative of Russian interference in American elections to ease the pain of their surprising (to them!) loss of the anointed Hillary Rodham Clinton, a top Democrat is blatantly butting in  um, advising another country on its upcoming election, according to the New York Times.

Obama Weighs In on Kenyan Election, Urging Calm The former president, who has largely stayed out of American politics, said there had been "too much incitement" in the election in his father's home country.

Interfering in elections seems to be an Obama habit, according to former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Giuliani reminded reporters outside the Democratic convention in Philadelphia that Obama worked to defeat Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when the key U.S. ally conducted its election last spring. "His aides were over there. His pollsters were over there. His fundraisers were giving money to the opposition. He was doing everything he could to defeat Bibi Netanyahu," Giuliani said. "So it's a little bit disingenuous for us to get all upset that a foreign power is interfering in our election when President Obama interfered directly in the election regarding Bibi Netanyahu."

And a few months ago, the now officially retired president stated his forceful opinion on the French election.

Barack Obama has made a last-minute intervention in the French presidential election in support of Emmanuel Macron, saying "the success of France matters to the entire world". Macron, a centrist, faces Marine Le Pen of the far-right Front National in a runoff vote on Sunday. Polls put him 20 points ahead. The former US president said he had chosen to declare his support, in a video tweeted by Macron on Thursday afternoon, because of the importance of the election. "I'm not planning to get involved in many elections now that I don't have to run for office but the French election is very important to the future of France and the values that we care so much about," he said. Obama said he supported Macron because he appealed to "people's hopes and not their fears" and ended his message with the words "Vive la France." Before leaving the White House, Obama said he would intervene in public life again when "our core values may be at stake". While in office Obama also opposed Brexit, England's decision to leave the European Union. Obama flew to London in April 2016 to urge Britons to "stick together" with the EU, but it failed to fend off Brexit. "One will never know whether the visit to London was a help or in the end did more harm than good," Kupchan said. "But if we had to do it again, I would recommend the same thing. We should be speaking out."

Oh, I get it: it is fine to interfere  um, speak out when the Democrats do it.
Ancient Oplontis residents were healthy, had bad teeth Study reveals habits of residents killed in Mt Vesuvius eruption

(by Aniello Sammarco).



(ANSAmed) - TORRE ANNUNZIATA (NAPLES), AUGUST 8 - Residents of an ancient Roman villa near the Campania town of Torre Annunziata, Naples, were healthy but often had dental problems, according to a new study on the remains of dozens of victims of the Mt Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD.



The anthropology and DNA study, which is still ongoing and will be completed at the end of the month, is being carried out by Professor Nicola Terrenato from the University of Michigan, Professor Kristina Killgrove from the University of West Florida and Andrea Acosta, a PhD student at the University of Southern California.



Researchers are analyzing the remains of at least 54 victims found in the archaeological area of Oplontis, at the Villa of Lucius Crassius Tertius near Poppea's Villa, the area's two major buildings.



The remains were first found in the 1990s in the villa where they had fled in an attempt to save their lives during the eruption.



Coins and jewels were found close to their remains.



The research was conducted by the three US universities along with the direction of the archaeological park of Pompeii and were funded by the National Endowment for Humanities, the Rust Family Foundation for Archaeological Research and the University of West Florida.




France: prefecture, 'voluntary' aggression against soldiers Anti-terror prosecutors to handle investigation

(ANSAmed) - PAROS, AUGUST 9 - An unidentified driver rammed a car into a group of soldiers near Paris in a ''voluntary'' act, the police prefecture of Hauts-de-Seine said Wednesday.



Six soldiers deployed in the Sentinelle operation were injured, three are in serious conditions.



Well-informed sources said French anti-terror prosecutors will be in charge of the investigation.



Meanwhile a manhunt is ongoing with French police and security forces deployed in Levallois-Perret and the areas around it to find the driver and the BMW used in the attack.



The area of Place de Verdun where the soldiers were hit, a few meters from town hall, has been cordoned off.



Levallois-Perret hosts the headquarters of the French national anti-terrorism division. (ANSAmed).




TEL AVIV/GAZA - After a rocket was launched yesterday against the Israeli city of Ashqelon, the Israeli army struck two Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip, a military spokesman said Wednesday. The spokesman said Israel considers Hamas to be ''responsible for what occurs in the Strip''.

According to Palestinian news agency Maan, the Israeli reaction injured four people, including one who is in serious condition. Hamas issued a statement saying that, ''with this attack Israel has crossed a dangerous red line and will suffer the consequences''. ''We will not allow Israel - added Hamas - to turn our land into an area to experiment with its munitions''.
Libya: vice-president,'Sarraj to summon Council in 72 hours' 'Illegal decision' on Italian naval mission

(ANSAmed) - ROME, AUGUST 9 - The vice-president of the Libyan Presidential Council, Fathi Al-Mejbari, has given Fayez al-Sarraj a 72-hour ultimatum to summon a meeting of the council of ministers of the government of national accord to discuss an agreement signed with Italy on the Italian naval mission.



According to the website Al-Wasat, the vice-president - who had already spoken against the Italian naval mission in recent days - has said that, ''we don't intend to be passive witnesses in the story of the government of national accord''.



Al-Mejbari said all of the government's decisions must be taken unanimously and thus ''all unilateral decisions taken by al-Sarrak are to be considered illegal''.



Al-Mejbari, who is one of four vice-presidents of the Presidential Council, then urged all officials not to respect these decisions and questioned the way Libya ''in the country's current circumstances'' will fund the Italian naval mission.



(ANSAmed).




We must try to resolve peoples problems, so lets not make this a political thing. This was Mariano Rajoys cynical answer when he was asked about the ongoing industrial action in Barcelonas El Prat airport. How can Rajoy advise against political action when he spends all day accusing the Catalan authorities of doing nothing for the Catalan people? When a mixed publicprivate company such as Aena jeopardises the interests of Catalans with its appalling management of Barcelonas airport, are we expected to just keep quiet? Politics is supposed to serve the people and Mr Rajoy has shown that he could care less if the city's airport is a shambles due to industrial action because, until yesterday, he had ignored the issue entirely.

The truth is, the Spanish PM has every reason to keep quiet. In 2016 Aena the publicly-held firm that manages Spains airports earned the princely sum of 1,164m, a figure that only multinational companies such as Inditex can dream of. In the first semester of 2017, Aenas profits amounted to 460m, with the airports of Madrid and Barcelona as its two cash cows.

Spains Transport Ministry is ultimately responsible for Aena, given that the Spanish State holds a 51 per cent stake in the firm. Thanks to the strike by Eulens employees, we have begun to understand the companys methods a little better: it outsources its services to low-cost suppliers whose employees earn under 1,000 a month with junk contracts and few benefits. And these are the people who are supposed to ensure that passengers are safe.

In this context, yesterday we learned that the employees of Ilunion, the company that Aena outsourced baggage handling to, are making similar demands and have called a strike beginning next week. And if that wasnt enough, Aenas own staff are planning industrial action in September. Is all that not enough reason for the Spanish government to take action and provide an answer urgently? Or do they simply not care that the airport through which most foreign visitors arrive in Spain should present such a dismal image? Transport Minister Inigo de la Serna must provide an immediate explanation of Aena's employment policy and, if necessary, he must be held accountable. That is what they call politics in civilised countries.
The four new flights will increase the number of frequencies between the two cities to three each day, and take the total number of weekly Emirates flights serving Cairo to 21.

Emirates is committed to offering customers more flights choices, which will enable them to seamlessly connect to points across the Middle East, Asia, Americas, Africa and Australia including Bahrain, Muscat, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hong Kong, New York, San Francisco, Cape Town, Entebbe, Melbourne, and Sydney; while experiencing the most comfortable and entertaining experience in the sky, said Orhan Abbas, Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations for Africa. We will continue to invest in Egypt, empowering the local economy and helping it expand its business and tourism presence.
The force, which is led by Abdul Raouf Kara, has allegedly turned down all requests from Shattis family and lawyer for permission to see him.

Sources at Mitiga Airport said Al-Shatti was seized after he turned down demands by two Libya Airlines pilots and other members of staff to be transferred to the airlines offices in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt.

This is kidnapping in the name of the law. If Al-Shatti has a case to answer, then he should be properly charged and tried in a court of law," the source told the Libya Herald, a Tripoli-based daily.

In October last year, Al-Shatti was kidnapped and when held for nine weeks before release. The kidnapping appeared to be connected to power-struggles within the troubled airline. In January 2016, he survived a kidnapping attempt in Tripoli.
Oman Airports welcomes Qatar Airways' direct flight to Sohar Airport

Oman Airports Management Company has congratulated Qatar Airways on its first direct flight new service between Doha and Sohar.
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An Artesia main is awaiting preliminary examination on charges of assault after he reportedly threatened a friend with a tire iron.

Around 11:30 a.m. July 25, Artesia Police Department officers were dispatched to Circle K in reference to an unwanted subject.

There, they made contact with Danny Murray, 34, of Artesia, who, according to police reports, exited a red pickup in the parking lot as he saw officers approach and told them he didnt know what the problem was but would leave peacefully.

Inside Circle K, officers spoke with the victim, who said she had been in her vehicle at First and Main streets when she noticed Murray, whom she described as a friend. She said Murray entered her vehicle uninvited.

The victim told police Murray was behaving erratically and told her to drive him somewhere. She proceeded north on First Street, at which time Murrays erratic behavior increased, and he grabbed a tire iron from the backseat, threatening to kill the victim.

The woman pulled over at a business in the 1100 block of North First and said she was able to calm Murray down, telling him there were people outside who could see him wielding the tire iron. According to the report, Murray responded by placing his shirt over the window and ordering the victim to begin driving again.

The victim was finally able to pull over at the Circle K, at which point she again reminded Murray of the amount of people around. As he replaced the tire iron in the backseat, she ran inside the store.

Officers said Murray appeared agitated and told them they needed to call the FBI because his rights were being violated. Once at the Artesia Detention Center, Murray gave a detention officer what appeared to be a loaded syringe, removed a white, powdery substance from his boxer shorts, and attempted to swallow it in the presence of the officer.

Police were able to retrieve some of the substance from Murrays mouth. The report says Murray also produced a red candy wrapper containing an unknown substance and placed it in his anal cavity while changing clothes.

He was subsequently charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, tampering with evidence, and possession of drug paraphernalia. A preliminary exam has been set for Aug. 9 in Artesia Magistrate Court. Murray was also found guilty of probation violation and sentenced to 90 days in the Eddy County Detention Center.
Mumbai: Expressing confidence that Chabahar Port in Iran will be ready for operations by 2018, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said India is considering sending wheat to Afghanistan via the strategically located port.

"Government of India is going to send one lakh tons of wheat to Afghanistan, and we are trying to send that via Chabahar," the minister said at an event here, days after his visit to Iran.

He said the civil construction of the port project, being developed by India, is complete, and the government is in a position to place orders worth Rs 400 crore for mechanised equipment and cranes.

"I feel we will commence the operations by 2018," he said. During his visit, Gadkari said, he met Iran President Hasan Rouhani, and construction of a railway line liking the port with Russia was discussed.

"Now, we are building a railway line in Iran. From Chabhar, we can go to Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Russia," he said.

An official statement had said yesterday that India and Iran had expressed commitment for early completion and operationalisation of Chabahar Port.
The second installment of Salman Khans spy thriller with Katrina Kaif is almost ready and done.

Its almost done. And director Ali Abbas Zafar says its been a load of fun. The shooting of Tiger Zinda Hai is now largely done. He reveals that Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif have moved to Abu Dhabi for the last lap of shooting.

A source close to the project, says, The film is 70 per cent complete. The unit shot in Morocco last month. They are now shooting in Abu Dhabi for the last schedule. The entire shoot will be wrapped up by the first week of September.

A source from the location adds that Salman and Katrina share an amazing comfort level. Theyve taken their relationship to the next level. There is an amazing understanding between them now. They sit and chat for hours between shots. He gives her a lot of gyaan between shots. Earlier, she didnt listen to him. Now she does; very carefully, says a source from the location. Salmans special friend Iulia Vantur is expected to join him in Abu Dhabi soon.

And there is no stress about it. Katrina and Iulia have found a common ground. They both know they cant take each others place in Salmans life, says a source close to Salman.
Air China will allow passengers to change or cancel their flights to Jiuzhaigou for free, according to the company. The airline will increase flights to Jiuzhaigou to evacuate people out of the quake zone.

28 minutes after the quake, Air China 4393 left Jiuzhaigou on 9:47 pm on Tuesday, 28 minutes after the quake, for Guangzhou, the first flight to leave the area after the disaster. The flight carrying 119 passengers landed safely on Wednesday.

According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, facilities of airports near the quake zone, including Jiuzhai, Chengdu, Hongyuan and Mianyang, were operating well. The administration carried out emergency conference on Tuesday night to plan the rescue effort. Airlines are ready to fly to the area to carry out rescue.
A bench by Chief Justice J S Khehar accepted submission of ECI and disposed of plea seeking direction for VVPAT in Gujarat assembly polls.

The VVPAT machine is connected with EVMs and dispenses a paper proof for the voters so that they can verify that their vote is cast correctly. (Photo: File | PTI)

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it will be able to conduct the Gujarat assembly elections, due late this year, using EVMs with paper trail.

A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar accepted the submission of Election Commission of India (ECI) and disposed of the plea seeking direction for use of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines in Gujarat assembly polls.

"ECI in its affidavit has said that it will conduct the Gujarat polls using VVPAT. We are satisfied by the submission. The petition is disposed of," the bench also comprising Justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and D Y Chandrachud said after the ECI's counsel apprised it of the poll panel's stand.

The VVPAT machine is connected with EVMs and dispenses a paper proof for the voters so that they can verify that their vote is cast correctly.

The court, however, posted other matters connected to use of VVPAT in polls for tomorrow on the plea of petitioners.

"If the adjournment is without any reason, there will be consequences. You can't waste the court's time," the bench said.

In its affidavit, the EC has said it will be able to conduct the upcoming Gujarat assembly polls using EVMs with paper trail if it gets 73,500 VVPAT machines by September from the manufacturers.

The poll panel maintained that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) currently used for conducting Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the country cannot be tampered with.

It told the apex court that around 70,000 VVPATs units would be required for the Gujarat polls scheduled later this year.

The poll panel said that around 48,000 units were expected to be delivered by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) by August 31 while another 25,500 such units would be delivered by September.

"If the said consignment of VVPATs is delivered on time, the Election Commission expects to be able to conduct the elections to the Gujarat legislative assembly completely with the use of VVPATs," the poll panel told the apex court in its affidavit.

The ECI said that currently it was in possession of 53,500 VVPAT units.

"It is pertinent to point out herein that the Election Commission of India (ECI) currently has 53,500 of VVPAT units in its possession and the number of VVPAT units required for conducting election to the Gujarat legislative assembly is 70,000 units.

"The ECI expects to receive the delivery of 48,000 VVPAT units from BEL and ECIL by August 31, 2017 and another 25,500 VVPAT units in September 2017," the poll panel said.

It, however, said that though there has been a debate over alleged EVM tampering, "no political party or person" was able to demonstrate how these machines could be tampered with during the course of open EVM challenge.

The ECI's affidavit was filed in pursuance to the apex court's July 6 directive asking it to file a response on the possibility of using EVMs with VVPATs in the Gujarat polls.

The apex court was hearing the plea filed by a Gujarat Patidar leader seeking the use of either ballot paper or EVMs with VVPAT for the assembly elections.

Petitioner Reshma Vithabhai Patel, the convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, which was in the forefront of the Patel quota agitation, had claimed that the EVMs were not "fully reliable, foolproof, tamper-proof or hacker-proof".

The ECI should be asked to replace EVMs with ballot paper or to ensure VVPAT for every EVM, she had demanded.
The state cabinet has approved two ordinances to assign land and property rights to about two lakh slum dwelling households.

Bhubaneswar: Odisha will give land rights to slum dwellers in small towns and property rights to those living in city settlements in a "historic" step officials said would benefit tens of thousands in the state.

The state cabinet has approved two ordinances to assign land and property rights to about two lakh slum dwelling households that will enable redevelopment, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Tuesday.

"The urban poor in slums will get land rights for residential use that are heritable, mortgageable and non-transferable," he told reporters in state capital Bhubaneswar.

"As far as is practicable, efforts will be made to provide these rights on an in situ basis," he said, adding that the "historic" decision will help remove residents' constant fear of eviction and harassment.

The 2011 census data shows 65 million people live in slums across the country. That number is rising quickly as tens of thousands of migrants leave villages to seek better prospects in urban areas. Many end up in overcrowded slums, lacking even basic facilities and with no claim on the land or the property.

Evictions from slums and the demolition of settlements have risen as cities expand and are spruced up under programmes such as the Smart Cities plan that aims to create centres with living standards comparable to Europe.

Slum dwellers have long opposed efforts to relocate them to distant suburbs which limit their access to jobs and amenities. Instead, they favour development with upgrading of facilities and secure tenancy.

While Odisha and other states have programmes to give land to the landless poor in rural areas, a similar effort has not been undertaken in cities before, said G Mathi Vathanan, Commissioner at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In small towns, slum dwellers will get rights over up to 600 square feet of land, while in the cities, they will get rights over up to 450 square feet, he said.

The initiative "will improve the living conditions of the urban poor", he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Mahendra Parida of the slum dwellers' rights group Bhubaneswar Basti Basinda Mahasangha said the move was a welcome first step, but many uncertainties remained. "The government has yet to properly identify all slum dwellers... so not all the urban poor will benefit," he said.
The police swung into action and picked up the trio for questioning.

Bengaluru: The Cubbon Park police has arrested three people who had committed thefts in ATM kiosks in Mumbai and were hiding in Bengaluru, leading a luxurious life.

The accused have been identified as Rakesh (24), Nayan Vijay Bhanushali (24), and Jyotish Chadilal Gupta (22), all residents of Mumbai. Rakesh was working as cash custodian in a reputed cash management services company in Mumbai.

According to the police, they received credible information that three people were staying in room no. 402 at Southern Star hotel on Lavelle Road since more than a month and leading a lavish lifestyle. They were also behaving suspiciously.

The police swung into action and picked up the trio for questioning. When grilled thoroughly, they confessed to have committed thefts in three ATM kiosks in Mumbai and were absconding.

Rakesh worked with a cash management services company, he was given the responsibility of depositing cash to several ATMs. He had the keys and passwords of the machines. About three months ago, he along with his two friends hatched a plan to commit thefts in ATM kiosks. Accordingly, they identified ATM kiosks that did not have security guards and committed thefts at three ATMs in Kolegaon, Sonar Pada and Pisavali near Mumbai. They had stolen a total of `34 lakh by committing these offences. They went to Delhi, Kulu Manali, Amritsar, Jammu, Goa, Pune and others places to evade arrest, the police said.

Investigations revealed that they had come to the city in June and were staying in Southern Star hotel since June 23. They spent time going to luxurious pubs and had planned to leave to Mumbai on August 7. In all, `4,28,780 of stolen cash, gold rings and expensive mobile phones were recovered from the arrested persons. The Mumbai police has confirmed their involvement in the ATM theft cases and they will be handed over to Mumbai police soon, the police added.
Both were from 221 battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force.

The two accused allegedly barged into the bathroom of the school, and molested some girls.

Bhopal: A CRPF jawan was on Wednesday arrested on the charges of molesting tribal schoolgirls during a cultural programme that was held recently in Palnar village under Chhattisgarhs south Bastar district of Dantewada.

The co-accused in the case is absconding, the Bastar police has said. While one of the accused, Shamim Ahmed, has been arrested, the other accused, Neeraj Pondawal, fled to Uttarakhand after the incident, the police said. Both were from 221 battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The incident occurred when the students of the Palnar tribal girls school had organised a cultural programme to tie the sacred thread to the CRPF jawans, invited for the occasion, on Raksha Bandhan on August 7.

The two accused allegedly barged into the bathroom of the school, and molested some girls. The police sprang into action when 20 students of the school lodged a complaint, alleging their molestation by the two accused. Later, the victims were shown the pictures of all the jawans who attended the programme. They identified the two from their photographs, according to the CRPF inspector general, Raipur, D.S. Chouhan.

We handed over one of the accused to the police after he was identified by the victims, and have launched a manhunt to arrest the other one, Mr Chouhan said.
In another incident, Ethiopian plane clipped wings of an Air India aircraft.

The Air India plane has been grounded temporarily and the national carrier will be claiming damages from the Ethiopian airlines.

New Delhi: It was a day of unforeseen circumstances for the national carrier, Air India. An Air India flight, flying in from German city of Frankfurt and heading for New Delhi, made a precautionary landing enroute at the Iranian capital, Tehran, following a technical glitch.

The aircraft that faced technical issue was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Notably, Air India has had technical problems with its Dreamliner fleet in the past too. The national carrier despatched a Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet as a replacement aircraft to fly the passengers to Delhi. It also had engineers on board.

In the second incident, the wing of a parked Ethiopian airline aircraft that was being pushed back at the New Delhi IGI airport near T3 terminal collided with a wing of a parked Air India aircraft. About the first incident, an Air India official said, AI 120 flight Frankfurt-Delhi made a precautionary landing in Tehran due to technical reasons at 6.20 am local time. All the 249 passengers were transferred to a hotel there. The grounded flight is a 787 (Dreamliner). A relief flight, i.e. 747 aircraft, departed from Mumbai to Tehran. A team of engineers and other technical staff also boarded the relief flight. The relief flight will return to New Delhi with all passengers while engineers and other technical staff will come back to Mumbai after maintenance work on the grounded aircraft.

About the second incident, an AI official said that at the New Delhi airport, near T-3 terminal, an Ethiopian airline aircraft and an Air India aircraft were parked and that around 2 am the Ethiopian aircraft push-backed.

The Air India official added, During the push-back, the right wing of the Ethiopian aircraft hit the left wing of Air India aircraft.

The Air India plane has been grounded temporarily and the national carrier will be claiming damages from the Ethiopian airlines.

The Ethiopian airlines issued a statement, saying, On August 9, 2017, our B-767 aircraft, registration number ET-AMG, preparing for a regular Delhi-Addis Ababa bound flight, number ET687 , had a minor ground incident of wing tip collision with Air India A320 aircraft during push-back at the IGI Airport.

The necessary repair work is being conducted on the aircraft as per our safety and maintenance procedures. As always, safety and comfort of our customers is our first priority and we flew a substitute aircraft to continue the flight service for our valued customers. We would like to apologise to our passengers on the flight for the inconvenience caused.
He also criticised the imposition of hyper-nationalism on the masses.

New Delhi: Outgoing vice-president Hamid Ansari said that India was becoming an intolerant society. Breakdown of Indian values, breakdown of the ability of the authorities at different levels in different places to be able to enforce what should be normal law enforcing work and overall the very fact that the Indianness of any citizen is being questioned is a disturbing thought, he said.

In a 52-minute interview to a television channel, covering a range of subjects, he also said this propensity to be able to assert your nationalism day in and day out was unnecessary.

He was speaking on the issues of cow vigilante attacks, mob lynchings and people not shouting Bharat Mata Ki Jai being told to leave the country.

He added that India had been a plural society for centuries, not for seventy years, and that it had a certain ambience of acceptance which is under threat.

The vice-president told the television channel that he raised the concerns of growing intolerance in the country with the Prime Minister and other ministers, also. On being asked about their response, he said, Well, there is always an explanation and there is always a reason. Now it is a matter of judgment, whether you accept the explanation, the reasoning and the rationale.

He also criticised the imposition of hyper-nationalism on the masses. This propensity to be able to assert your nationalism day in and day out is unnecessary. I am an Indian and that is it, he added.

On being asked about the apprehensions in the Muslim community, the vice-president agreed and said, I have heard about it in other parts of the country, I hear more about it in north India that there is a feeling of unease, a sense of insecurity creeping in. There is a sense of insecurity.

He also expressed concern on the growing violence in Jammu and Kashmir. Well, when young boys and girls come out on to the streets and throw stones day after day, week after week, month after month, its something to worry about because they are our children, they are our citizens. Something is obviously going wrong. What exactly, I am not the final word on it, but I think there are enough people in the country who are worried about it. Eminent people belonging to different political persuasions and their worries must be taken on board, Mr Ansari said.

The vice-president, however, decided not to comment on the difference between the leaderships of Dr Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi. The functioning styles are very different. Now, you may find common points in their functioning styles. Personalities are obvious to everyone, I dont have to talk about it, he said.
The issue has raked up an intense debate in the rest of the country, as well.

Srinagar: The Kashmir Valley is united, the Jammu region divided and Ladakh seems indifferent as a row over the possible abrogation of Article 35A of the Constitution intensifies in Jammu and Kashmir. The issue has raked up an intense debate in the rest of the country, as well.

Article 35A empowers the J&K legislature to define permanent residents of the state and provide special rights and privileges to them. It was added to the Constitution through a Presidential Order in 1954 in exercise of the powers conferred by clause(1) of Article 370. Article 370 guarantees a special status to Jammu and Kashmir within the Indian Union.

However, a petition seeking the removal of Article 35A is currently pending before a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court. An NGO, We the Citizens, believed to be an RSS think-tank, challenged the Article in 2014. In another case filed in the SC in July, two Kashmiri women said that the states laws from Article 35A had disenfranchised their children. On Tuesday, the SC sought the response of the Centre on yet another plea challenging validity of Article 370.

The mainstream political parties, as well as separatist parties, see in these moves a serious threat to the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. They have been joined by various social, religious, trade and lawyers bodies in a fight against the onslaught against the special status of the state.

In a significant development, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday drove to her political bete noire National Conference chief Farooq Abdullahs residence to discuss the issue with him and his son, former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who is also the leader of the NC Legislature Party. The two sides agreed that if Article 35A was abrogated by the SC, it might result in the abolition of the State Subject law, introduced by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1927, according to which only permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir can own immovable property in the state and enjoy benefits like employment in government departments.

Ms Mufti sought the NC leaderships support in defending Article 35A. She also requested Farooq Abdullah to raise the issue in the Lok Sabha and explain its ramifications on the relations between the people of the state and rest of the country.

The meet came a day after Farooq Abdullah chaired a meeting of all Opposition parties at his residence. In the meeting, it was decided that a united front would defend and protect Article 35A in the SC and also, launch a campaign among the people of all three regions of the state on the repercussions that the abrogation of Article 35A would have.

Mr Abdullah later warned of an Amarnath land row-like uprising if Article 35A was abolished.

The other parties whose leaders attended the meet were CPI(M), Congress, Peoples Democratic Front and Democratic Party Nationalist.

The same day, the chief minister said that the special status enjoyed by the state needed to be protected and preserved at any cost. Ms Mufti had, in July, said in New Delhi that if Article 35A was tampered with, there would be no one in Kashmir to hold the Tricolour.

Ms. Mufti on Wednesday held a separate meet with Opposition parties at her official residence. Those who met her included CPIMs state secretary Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami, PDF chairman Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen and DPN president Ghulam Hassan Mir. We discussed the serious consequences of removal of Article 35A on Jammu and Kashmir and its relations with the rest of the country, said a spokesman.

Meanwhile, key separatist leaders  Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik  has called a general strike in Kashmir on August 12 against Sangh Parivar-backed attempts to fiddle with the special status of J&K.

These attempts are aimed at changing the demography of the state and dilute its Muslim-majority character, it has alleged.

Various other like-minded political, social and religious organizations and groups besides the lawyers associations have endorsed the call.

On the other hand, political parties in Jammu region are divided on the issue. Some of these are against opening a Pandoras box by fiddling with the States special status guaranteed in the Constitution of India in a peculiar circumstances soon after the accession. But others are in favour of removing the constitutional barriers in complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with rest of the country. The BJP is among the parties which has all along supported complete integration call but says that the coalition compulsion are stopping it from speaking on abrogation of Article 35A and Article 370 now.

The coalition government with the PDP is run as per Agenda of the Alliance. It is because of coalition compulsions that the BJP is not speaking about abrogation of special status or Article 35-A, Sat Sharma, the BJPs State president and MLA said on Tuesday. He added that the BJP will not speak on the petition seeking abrogation of Article 35A till SC gives its ruling. Our party has decided not to give any view point on the Article 35A till the Supreme Court delivers its decision on the petition on its removal, he said.
The DGP said that the accused will be taken to the place of the incident to reconstruct the scene.

29-year-old Varnika Kundu had accused Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar of stalking her after midnight on Friday. (Photo: Screengrab)

Chandigarh: Vikas Barala, son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala and the main accused in the Chandigarh stalking case, was arrested by the Chandigarh police on Wednesday after questioning.

The two accused, Vikas and his friend Ashish, arrived at the Sector 26 police station following summons to join the probe into the stalking incident.

They had been asked to appear before the police at 11 am, but they arrived at around 2.30 pm in an SUV, with the Chandigarh police throwing an elaborate security ring inside the police station complex to keep away Congress protesters and the media.

According to director general of police Chandigarh, Tajinder Singh Luthara, after detailed interrogation of both accused, Vikas and his friend Ashish have been booked and arrested under Section 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent to secretly and wrongfully confine person) and 511 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The two will be produced in court on Thursday and police will seek their remand. The DGP said that the accused will be taken to the place of the incident to reconstruct the scene. Mr Luthra said that there is no political pressure on the police and that it is functioning in proficient, independent and objective manner.

Earlier, addressing a press conference at his official residence, minutes before his son reached the police station, Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala said that police should take appropriate action against Vikas if he is named in the FIR.

If my son is named in this FIR, then the law should take its course, he said. But, finding media queries difficult to handle.

Varnika Kundu, a 29-year-old DJ, and daughter of IAS officer Virender Kundu, has alleged that Vikas and Ashish followed her when she was driving back home last Friday. She has said that they blocked her way, banged on her car window and tried to force her door open. In a Facebook post she shared, she wrote, I feel lucky, because Im not lying raped and murdered in a ditch somewhere.

On Tuesday, breaking his silence on the case that involves his son, Shubash Barala said, Varinka is like my daughter.

After Vikas Barala and his friend were let off within hours of their arrest, because the charges against them  stalking and drunken driving  were bailable, there were accusations that Chandigarh police was under political pressure.

The police said that the tougher kidnapping charge was not applied because Varinka Kundu had not referred to it in her statement before the magistrate.
The Chandigarh Police had on Monday retrieved 'lost' CCTV footage of Kundu being chased by the accused.

29-year-old Varnika Kundu had accused Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar of stalking her after midnight on Friday. (Photo: Screengrab)

Chandigarh: Police on Wednesday summoned Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala's son Vikas Barala, accused of stalking IAS officers daughter in Chandigarh late on Friday night.

The Chandigarh Police has asked Vikas to appear before the Station House Officer (SHO) of Sector-26 Police Station at 11 a.m. 'sharp', according to ANI.

The notice been issued under 160 Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the case has been filed against Barala under Section 354D (stalking), 341 (wrongful restraint), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 185 MV Act (rash driving).

As per sources, the notice has been issued to both the accused in the case. While Ashish Kumar accepted the notice, Vikas did not, following which the Chandigarh police pasted the summons outside Barala's residence, ANI reported.

29-year-old Varnika Kundu had accused Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar of stalking her after midnight on Friday. She had also alleged that Vikas tried to open her car door.

She had filed a police complaint on the same night, following which Vikas and his friend were arrested. However, they were later released on bail.

The Chandigarh Police had on Monday retrieved lost CCTV footage of Kundu being chased by the accused.

After being mute for over three days, Subhash finalling broke his silence on the matter on Tuesday. Addressing media, Subhash said Varnika "is like his daughter" and assured action against his son.

"Investigation is being done in the case. Whatever action is required it will be taken against Vikas in this case. BJP bats for daughter's freedom and Varnika Kundu is like my daughter. Neither I nor BJP is pressuring anyone in this matter," he told ANI exclusively.
Congress MPs shouted her down, and even BJP members were seen asking her not to speak when PM Modi was present in the House.

New Delhi: In a veiled attack on the NDA-led dispensation, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said on Wednesday that with clouds of hate and division hovering over secular and liberal forces, forces of darkness are trying to destroy the roots of democracy.

Speaking in a discussion in Lok Sabha to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, Ms Gandhi, who spoke in Hindi, said that the people of the country will have to fight for India in which they believe, which is loved by one and all and which was envisioned by its freedom fighters.

It should not be forgotten, she said, that there were people and organisations which had opposed the Quit India Movement and made no contribution to the countrys freedom. Though the Congress president did not name any party or organisation, her reference to the RSS was quite obvious. The Hindutva outfit, considered to be the BJPs political and ideological mentor, has been accused of not playing any role in the freedom struggle.

Ms Gandhis remarks evoked a sharp response from first-time MP from Chandigarh, Kirron Kher, who could be heard shouting, Sad, travesty of Parliament.

Congress MPs shouted her down, and even BJP members were seen asking her not to speak when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House.

The Congress chief used her speech in Lok Sabha to underline the contributions of the Congress and Jawaharlal Nehru to the landmark episode in Indias struggle for Independence and also attacked the ruling BJP, accused by her party of communalism.

We will not allow the idea of India to be a prisoner to narrow mindedness and communal ideology. Today it looks like secularism and free speech are in danger. If we have to preserve freedom, well have to defeat forces endangering it. We cant and we wont allow sectarian forces to succeed, she said.
Archaeologists have long sought to locate Julias.

Tiberias, Israel: Researchers may have found the home town of Peter and two other apostles of Jesus near the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel, an archaeologist said Monday.

Israeli and American archaeologists have likely uncovered the lost Roman city of Julias near the banks of the lake, also known as Lake Tiberias, Mordechai Aviam of Kinneret Institute for Galilean Archeaology said. First century Roman historian Flavius Josephus wrote that Julias was built around 30 AD on the ruins of Bethsaid, a fishing village where Peter was born according to the Gospel of John.

Christians recognise Saint Peter, originally a fisherman, as one of the first followers of Jesus and the leader of the early Church following the ascension. The Catholic church also venerates him as its first pope.Two other apostles -- Philip and Peter's brother Andrew -- are also believed to have been born or lived in Bethsaida.

Archaeologists have long sought to locate Julias, focusing their search on three different sites. Aviam told AFP that one of the sites, the only one so far excavated, was believed to be the correct site.

"We have uncovered fragments of pottery, coins, and the remains of a public bath, which tends to prove that it was not a small village, but a town which may correspond to Julias," he said. "Based on these findings, we believe this site is likely to be located at the site of Bethsaida."

The site, not far from the Jordan River, is a few hundred meters from Lake Tiberias. Water levels would have been far higher during the first century.

Work is also being carried out on another site a few kilometres away, Aviam added. He said he hoped further excavations would reveal evidence from pre-Roman times, including ancient Jewish remains, which could help verify whether the site is Bethsaida. The site will not immediately be opened to the public, he said.
This is not the first instance of History getting a biased gloss in school textbooks.

With the Maharashtra education board omitting much of Mughal history in favour of Chhatrapati Shivajis rule, history buffs around the city examine the repurcusions of the move...

The battle between Babur and Ibrahim Lodi, the expansion of the kingdom by his grandson, Akbar the Great, the battles of Panipat, the construction of the Taj Mahal and the strict rule of Emperor Aurangzeb  all of these will be relegated to the corners of history text books for Class seven and nine students in Maharashtras SSC board schools. A more detailed study of Chhatrapati Shivajis rule and the Indian political scenario will be made available for the students of these classes from the next academic year, instead. It is not just the Mughal history that has borne the brunt, but also western history, as the books will feature significantly less international events such as the French Revolution, the American War of Independence and Greek Philosophy, which were a part of the syllabus before.

This is not the first instance of History getting a biased gloss in school textbooks. The Rajasthan board also changed the narrative on their Maharana Pratap history a while back. Instead of stating the fact that the ruler lost the battle of Haldighati to Akbar, books there now say that he won. The suffix of the great has also been removed from Akbars name.

Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Though the members of the Maharashtra education board have denied any political motives behind the move, historians are not quite satisfied with their explanation. It is like deleting a massive chunk of history and you simply cannot do that. The sign of a mature culture is being able to tolerate views other than your own. You cannot just erase facts from text books or relegate events that took up so much of our history to tiny amounts of space, says an outraged Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, director of the Bhau Daji Lad museum.

The historian adds that it is ridiculous to change the narrative in an era where the Internet makes any information available at the tips of ones fingers. You can just look up alternative narratives online within minutes, so putting a skewed perspective in texts is pointless, she adds.

A biased view making its way into texts, however, is nothing new, says film historian S.M.M. Ausaja. If you look at the texts, there is very little you will find about the Indo-China war, since it was such a defeat for the Indians. You will easily find a lot more books dedicated to our victories than our defeats, because that is what people want to read about, and that is the legacy they want to pass on to the next generation. This nationalist pride is reflected in our films, our popular culture and our books, he says.

Indeed, Tasneem agrees, that historical records have been biased for as long as they have existed. Even in ancient times, when a king lost a battle, he would still have his scribe record it as a victory, since these records would remain for posterity. It is only by reading contemporary records from other quarters that one can gauge the actual historical facts, she smiles, adding that this is still no excuse to completely exclude historical events, instead of investigating the existing texts.

History buff and former SSC tutorial teacher, Karthik Chandru, however, does not see much of a problem in the changed syllabus. What the Maharashtra education board is doing is emphasising its local history instead of the broader national history. In a federal set-up thats quite natural. So long as they are not changing facts, I dont really see a problem with it. Im sure that the history books of Tamil Nadu will focus a lot on the history of that state, just as the books in Rajasthan will reflect the history from there. Im willing to bet that history books from each of these states will look quite different, says a confident Karthik.

Whats needed, though, is not such a drastic change in the syllabus but a re-evaluation of historic facts in themselves, to check if they are correct or told from a British perspective. For that to be successful, however, it would have to be done with expert historians and thorough study, says Tasneem. A study of that nature is what people should be focusing on, instead of indiscriminately cutting away parts of history from the syllabus. Hinduism itself preaches tolerance. So, when you make a move like this, apparently to propagate religious bias, you are, in fact going against the very roots of Hinduism itself, she sighs.
The 80,000 personnel strong force raised in 1962, in the aftermath of the Chinese agression, is primarily tasked to guard the China border.

New Delhi: Actor Akshay Kumar, on Wednesday, visited the headquarters of the Sino-India border guarding force Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in New Delhi.

The actor met jawans and officers of the mountain-warfare trained force and said he recognises the hardships faced by the troops and will take steps to help them get an enhanced recognition, a senior ITBP officer said.

"Lovely visiting the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Wednesday morning. Nothing but deepest respect for their never- dying spirit!," the actor wrote on Twitter after visiting the headquarters of the force in New Delhi.

The officer said Kumar was also shown a display of equipment and gadgets used by the force during operations as he interacted with the personnel and said he also would visit the forward posts of the paramilitary.

ITBP Director General (DG) RK Pachnanda and other senior officials told the actor about the functioning of the force in high-altitude areas and other risk-prone areas, the officer said.

Earlier in 2017, Kumar, along with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had launched an online government portal called 'Bharatkeveer' where any person can donate funds to the families of those Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel who were killed in the line of duty.

The about 80,000 personnel strong force raised in 1962, in the aftermath of the Chinese aggression, is primarily tasked to guard the 3,488-km China border apart from rendering a variety of duties in the internal security domain of the country.
The three sanitation workers died on Sunday after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a gutter in Lajpat Nagar.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal meets the family members of one of the sanitation workers who died due to asphyxiation in a sewer. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the families of each of the three sanitation employees who died while cleaning a gutter. He also promised a government job to one family member.

The three sanitation workers died on Sunday after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a gutter in Lajpat Nagar. The chief minister met the family members of the deceased and announced the compensation.

A financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh shall be granted to the affected families. One family member of each of the victims would be given a government job, he said. I have ordered a probe. Those guilty will not be spared and punished under the law. He said that a high powered committee would examine why such incidents were happening and required action would be taken to check them.

Meanwhile, Mr Kejriwal said that a probe has been ordered into the incident. We will form a high-powered committee to examine why such incidents keep happening. This is the second such incident in a month. We will try and figure what can be done to prevent such incidents, the chief minister said.

The police has already registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the private contractor who hired the three to clean the DJB sewer line, but did not provide them with necessary protective gear.
These machines were placed in the residences of locals in the slum pockets to hoodwink detection.

Mumbai: The Mumbai crime branch busted an illegal telephone exchange racket in the Trombay-Govandi area and has arrested five persons in two separate raids. The accused were allegedly operating a company Dial to India, which processed internet calls originating from the gulf countries and converted them into normal phone calls. According to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), these illegal operations led to loss of Rs 49 crore to the Indian government.

Investigations conducted by the state Anti-terrorism squad (ATS) and the crime branch revealed that the accused used latest SIM pooler technology and the machines were procured from China under the pretext of importing amplifiers. These machines were placed in the residences of locals in the slum pockets to hoodwink detection.

Officials said that the machines were made in China, few of the servers were placed in Govandi/Trombay and others were installed in the United Kingdom. Calls predominantly came from Gulf countries, where the virtual calling SIM cards are sold openly. The callers would deposit money online into banks in Hong Kong, officials said.

Supervised by Mohan Dahikar, deputy commissioner of ATS and Dilip Sawant, deputy commissioner of crime branch, the teams of ATS and crime branch comprising of officers Ajay Sawant and Pravin Kharade conducted raids and seized 44 SIM boxes, 182 SIM cards, routers, antennas, servers used to divert calls and other equipments.

The arrested accused have been identified as Shams Shaikh (34), a Mankhurd residence, Shahid Jamal (36), a resident of Cheetah Camp area of Trombay and Noor Mohammad Shaikh (35) and Nassir Hussain (30).

The officials said that the main accused in the case, Nazim Shaikh (27) went to China to take training for setting up an illegal telephone exchange in Mumbai. He runs a cable internet service business, and he duped the slum dwellers into keeping the SIM boxes at their residence in lieu of payment of electricity bills and rent. The residents were told that these were cable internet machines.

Following raid on such rackets in Marathwada and Latur in June, we were keeping a tab on such activities. Latest technology was used to convert Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) calls from overseas to voice calls and to transfer them to recipients. The contractor was in the process of getting an ISD licence which would have made it virtually impossible to trace these calls, said Mohan Dahikar, DCP (ATS).
Sources said Mr Shelar reached Azad Maidan at around 10.30 am.

Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) city unit chief Ashish Shelar allegedly had to leave Azad Maidan after being heckled by protestors soon after his arrival there on Wednesday to participate in the Maratha protest rally. However, Mr Shelars office denied he had been heckled and left the ground early because the Assembly session was about to start.

It is believed protesters made Mr Shelar the traget of their ire because they were agitated due to what they saw as Maharashtra governments delaying tactics over granting reservations in jobs and education to the Maratha community.

Sources said Mr Shelar reached Azad Maidan at around 10.30 am. However, he was not welcomed and many protesters raised slogans against the BJ.P, sources said. Akshay Patil, who was present in the crowd, said, We asked him questions as he is close to the chief minister. Why were the promises made during the Nagpur session not completed? Another protestor, Ankit Jadhao, said BJP MP Sambhajiraje Bhosale had been allowed to speak as he participated as a Maratha activist.

But Mr Shelars office issued a statement denying he had been heckled. Mr Shelar left the ground early. He met protestors at various places around Azad Maidan,it said.
The contested election in 2013 was taken to the courts, and ended largely peacefully even though Odinga lost.

An electoral counting officer, center, counts votes while others hold the piles of ballots counted for each candidate, at a polling station in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo: AP)

Nairobi: President Uhuru Kenyatta appeared headed for re-election Wednesday as his rival Raila Odinga rejected early results as "fake", setting nerves on edge in east Africa's richest economy.

With ballots from 90 percent of polling stations counted, electoral commission (IEBC) results showed Kenyatta leading with 54.6 percent of the nearly 13 million ballots tallied against Odinga's 44.5 percent, a difference of 1.3 million votes.

"These results are fake, it is a sham. They cannot be credible," Odinga told a press conference in the early hours of the morning as partial results fell quickly via an electronic tallying system aimed at preventing fraud.

Odinga claimed the IEBC had not provided documents that would show how the tallies were arrived at. "It is the machine that has voted," Odinga told reporters. "These results are wrong."

Odinga, 72, who is making his fourth stab at the presidency as the flagbearer for the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, accused his rivals of stealing victory from him through rigging both in 2007 and 2013.

In 2007, the disputed vote resulted in two months of ethnically-driven political violence that killed 1,100 people and displaced 600,000 in a major blow to a nation seen as a regional bastion of stability.

The contested election in 2013 was taken to the courts, and ended largely peacefully even though Odinga lost. The run-up to this year's vote was fraught with tension, heightened by the torture and murder of Chris Msando, a key administrator of the biometric voting system, whose body was found on the outskirts of Nairobi earlier this month. "We fear that this is the precise reason why Mr. Chris Msando was assassinated," Odinga said, referring to his fraud claims.

Winners and losers: Local media praised a calm day of voting Tuesday, but urged the losers to peacefully accept the result and turn to the justice system with their grievances.

"The voters, too, must await the results while acknowledging that their favourite candidate can actually lose. It is a critical measure of democracy that there will be winners and losers," read an editorial in the Daily Nation newspaper.

The normally traffic-choked streets of Nairobi were unusually quiet the day after the vote. However some businesses slowly began opening as the country held its breath over the results.

Odinga asked the IEBC to stop streaming results on its public website until the forms backing up the figures sent in from constituencies could be produced.

However IEBC commissioner Roslyn Akombe declined to do so. "As a commission we decided that as part of the commitment we made to the voters and the Kenyan people, transparency and accountability are part of them."

The will of the people: The contest between Odinga and Kenyatta was seen by pollsters as too close to call ahead of the vote.

It is the second time the two men have faced off in a presidential election in dynastic rivalry that has lasted more than half a century since their fathers Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Odinga went from allies in the struggle for independence to bitter rivals.

The men belong to two of Kenya's main ethnic groups, Kenyatta from the Kikuyu, the largest, and Odinga from the Luo. Both had secured formidable alliances with other influential communities in Kenya, where voting takes place largely along tribal lines.

In 2013 Kenyatta won by 800,000 votes. Kenyatta, 55, is credited with overseeing steady economic growth of more than five percent, however food prices have soared under his watch and several major corruption scandals broke out in his first term.

Raphael Tunju, secretary-general of Kenyatta's Jubilee party, shrugged off Odinga's fraud charge. "I don't expect anything else from NASA," he said. On Tuesday, Kenyatta urged Odinga to accept the result should he lose. "I also want to say that if I lose, I will accept the will of the people," Kenyatta said after voting.

A quiet vote: Despite reports of some technical glitches and delays, Tuesday's vote went off peacefully, and the IEBC moved quickly to deal with any complaints.

A clerk in a polling station where ballot papers were pre-marked as "rejected," was fired, and police arrested another clerk in the port city of Mombasa who was caught issuing double ballot papers to certain voters.

Shortly before polls closed, NASA put out a statement praising poll officials and security forces, but complained that some of its voters had been turned away or not found their names on the register.

NASA also said it had reports of "pre-marked ballot papers" and attempts to bribe voters. Kenyans voted in six different elections, including several knife-edge races for governor that have fired up local tensions.

Early results showed the opposition looked set to lose the governorship of the capital Nairobi which had been seen as a major coup in 2013 to the ruling party candidate.
Guam is armed with the US Army's defense system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, which can intercept missiles.

North Korea said Wednesday that it was examining operational plans for attacking Guam, an angry reaction to U.N. punishment for recent North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile tests and a U.S. suggestion about preparations for possible preventive attacks to stop the Norths nuclear weapons program. (Photo: AP)

Hagatna (Guam): Residents of the tiny Pacific island of Guam say they're afraid of being caught in the middle of escalating tensions between the US and North Korea after Pyongyang announced it was examining plans for attacking the strategically important US territory.

Though local officials downplayed any threat, people who live and work on the island, which serves as a launching pad for the US military, said Wednesday they could no longer shrug off the idea of being a potential target.

"I'm a little worried, a little panicked. Is this really going to happen?" said Cecil Chugrad, a 37-year-old bus driver for a tour bus company in Guam. "If it's just me, I don't mind, but I have to worry about my son. I feel like moving (out of Guam) now."

Guam is used to the threats from North Korea but advances in the country's nuclear program paired with fiery rhetoric from President Donald Trump has raised the already high animosity and heightened worries that a miscalculation might spark conflict between the nuclear-armed nations.

Reports suggested North Korea mastered a technological hurdle needed to strike the US with a nuclear missile. The advances were detailed in an official Japanese assessment and later a Washington Post story that cited US intelligence officials and a confidential Defense Intelligence Agency report.

In response, Trump on Tuesday threatened the communist country "with fire and fury." On Wednesday, the North Korean army said in a statement that it was studying a plan to create an "enveloping fire" in areas around Guam with medium- to long-range ballistic missiles.

While it is extremely unlikely that Pyongyang would risk the assured annihilation of its revered leadership with a pre-emptive attack on US citizens, some residents are concerned.

"If anything happens, we all got to be ready, be prepared, and pray to God that it doesn't happen," Daisy Mendiola, 56, said after finishing lunch with her family at a restaurant near Hagatna. "Everyone's afraid, because we're dealing with powers that's beyond us."

Other residents are worried about the political atmosphere and the government's ability to find a peaceful solution. Todd Thompson, a lawyer who lives on Guam, said he laughed off past threats because he "figured cooler heads in Washington would prevail, and it was just an idle threat."

"But I have to say, I'm not laughing now," Thompson said. "My concern is that things have changed in Washington, and who knows what's going to happen?" His brother Mitch Thompson, who also lives on Guam, added he believes "a lot of people have no confidence that the White House will do the right thing under the circumstances."

However, the brothers say they haven't seen anyone panicking or stocking up on supplies. "I think people are just stunned and really don't know what to think," Todd Thompson said.

Guam is about 2,100 miles (3,380 kilometers) southeast of Pyongyang and 3,800 miles (6,115 kilometers) west of Honolulu in the Pacific Ocean. For years, North Korea has claimed Guam is within its missiles' striking distance, making furious statements each time when the US flew powerful bombers from the island's air base to the Korean Peninsula.

In August last year, the North's Foreign Ministry warned that all US military bases in the Pacific including Guam would "face ruin in the face of all-out and substantial attack" by the North's military.

In the spring of 2013, state media cited leader Kim Jong Un as having ordered his military to prepare plans on launching strikes on US military bases in Guam, Hawaii and South Korea as well as the American mainland.

Guam is armed with the US Army's defense system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, which can intercept missiles.

Similar threats in 2013 led Guam's US Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo to advocate for the THAAD system, she said in a statement Wednesday.

"North Korea's most recent threat to target Guam is dangerous and it further heightens tensions in our region," Bordallo said. "While we have heard threats like this in the past, I take them very seriously."

Guam's Homeland Security Adviser George Charfauros urged calm and said defenses are in place for such threats.

"An attack or threat to Guam is a threat or attack on the United States," said Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo, who said he spoke with White House officials Monday morning. "They have said that America will be defended."

A travel agent on Guam said they haven't had a surge of customers seeking to book flights off the island. "It's not bad at all, no chaos," said Mariah Sablan, who works for Golden Dragon Travel Inc. "It's just like a regular business day."
Hyeon Soo Lim, 61, was freed on 'sick bail', the agency announced after a Canadian govt delegation arrived in Pyongyang to discuss the case.

Canadian Hyeon Soo Lim speaks in Pyongyang, North Korea. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus office confirmed a delegation is in North Korea to discuss the Canadian pastor imprisoned there and North Korean media said Trudeaus national security adviser, Daniel Jean, had arrived in Pyongyang. (Photo: AP)

Seoul: A Canadian pastor serving a life sentence with hard labour in North Korea was released Wednesday on medical parole as a humanitarian gesture, the official KCNA news agency said.

Hyeon Soo Lim, 61, was freed on "sick bail", the agency announced after a Canadian government delegation arrived in Pyongyang to discuss the case. A court ordered Lim's release "from the humanitarian viewpoint", it said in a brief two-paragraph report.

Lim was arrested in 2015 for allegedly meddling in North Korean state affairs. The South Korean-born pastor had been accused of subversive acts against Pyongyang, an allegation which Canadian authorities strongly denied.

A Canadian delegation including national security adviser Daniel Jean visited Pyongyang this week to discuss the case. "Pastor Lim's health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada as we continue to engage on this case," said Cameron Ahmad, a spokesman for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in Ottawa before the release.

Lim's family told local media they had become increasingly worried about his welfare since the death of American student Otto Warmbier in June, just days after he had been released from a North Korean prison.

Three US citizens remain in custody as relations with Washington worsen sharply. The North said earlier Wednesday it was considering a missile strike near US bases in Guam. That comment came hours after US President Donald Trump threatened Pyongyang with "fire and fury" over its missile programme.

At the time of Lim's arrest, other members of the close-knit circle of ethnic Korean missionaries in Canada and the United States called him one of the most influential Christian missionaries operating in North Korea. He had visited the country dozens of times, working with orphanages and nursing homes.

But some projects he worked on, including a noodle plant and flour mills, were linked to associates of Jang Song-Thaek, the purged uncle of leader Kim Jong-Un. Jang was arrested and executed for treason in December 2013.

Lim told CNN last year that he spent his days in prison digging holes. "I wasn't originally a labourer so the labour was hard at first," he said, his head shaven.

Pyongyang views foreign missionaries with deep suspicion, though it allows some to undertake humanitarian work. A number of Christian missionaries mostly ethnic Koreans who are US citizens have been arrested in the past, with some of them only allowed to return home after intervention by high-profile US political figures.
An Afghan security source said he thought there were still around 100 people being held hostage in Mirzawalang in Sar-e Pul province.

Amani, the provincial spokesman, has said that dozens of Taliban and IS group fighters, under the command of a local Taliban commander who he claimed pledged allegiance to IS, launched a co-ordinated attack on the area on Thursday. (Photo: AP/Representational)

Mazar-I-Sharif (Afghanistan): The Taliban released 235 hostages from a remote village in northern Afghanistan where it allegedly massacred around 50 civilians along with Islamic State insurgents but others were still feared held, officials said Tuesday.

"This evening 235 people including women and children were released from Mirzawalang as a result of mediation by the local elders and provincial officials," Zabihullah Amani, a spokesman for the provincial governor, told AFP.

"They have been safely evacuated to Sar-e Pul city, but there are still an unknown number of people being kept hostage there," he added.

Read: Afghan children smuggled to Pak madrasas, taught ways of Taliban: police

An Afghan security source said he thought there were still around 100 people being held hostage in Mirzawalang, situated in the Sayad district of Sar-e Pul province, after insurgents captured it at the weekend.

Taliban and IS fighters killed around 50 men, women and children in the mainly Shiite village on Saturday after overrunning a government-backed militia in a 48-hour battle, according to local officials, who also said they took a number of residents captive.

"Despite the efforts of elders the bodies of the victims have not been recovered," Mohammad Zaher Wahdat, the provincial governor, told Tolo News, an Afghanistan television news channel.

"Two hundred and thirty-five hostages have been released. They are so shocked they can't even speak to tell us about anymore other hostages," he added.

Amani, the provincial spokesman, has said that dozens of Taliban and IS group fighters, under the command of a local Taliban commander who he claimed pledged allegiance to IS, launched a co-ordinated attack on the area on Thursday.

They defeated the Afghan Local Police (ALP) after a 48-hour battle before massacring civilians, he claimed. The majority of those killed were Shiites. Most were shot or beheaded, he said.

Read: 26 soldiers killed, 13 injured as Taliban storms Kandahar army base

Afghan defence ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri told AFP that 34 civilians were known to have been killed.

The discrepancy highlights the difficulty of verifying information from poor, mountainous areas of Afghanistan made inaccessible by fighting and with patchy communications. AFP was not able to access the village.

Before confirmation of the release of hostages Amani said that 150 families were being held while Waziri said "an unknown number of people" had been taken hostage.

"Since the villages are cut off, we can't confirm any new killings by the terrorists," Amani told AFP.

The Taliban confirmed capturing Mirzawalang but said it did so alone. It has also denied allegations it had killed civilians.

Taliban and IS fighters have regularly clashed in Afghanistan over the past two years but security sources say they have teamed up in the past to strike Afghan forces in certain areas.

Read: Taliban claims responsibility for Kabul suicide blast that killed 35

"Commando forces have been deployed to the area, air strikes are being carried out as we speak, and commanders on the ground are busy planning the recapture of the valley," said Waziri, the defence spokesman.

"The operation to retake the valley will happen soon, and the terrorists will pay for their crimes," he added.

Sediq Sediqi, a spokesman for the Afghan government, told AFP it was difficult to know numbers of civilians concerned but said "President Ashraf Ghani has instructed everyone to do everything to safeguard those people".
A justice ministry official said counter-terrorism investigators had been assigned to the case.

The incident follows a string of Islamist-inspired attacks on soldiers and police in France (Photo" AP)

Paris: A car rammed into a group of soldiers in a Parisian suburb on Wednesday, injuring six before speeding off in what officials identified as a suspected terrorist attack.

The vehicle, a BMW, was parked in an alley before it accelerated into the soldiers as they left their barracks to go on patrol, said Patrick Balkany, mayor of Levallois-Perret.

"The vehicle did not stop. It hurtled at them ... it accelerated rapidly," he told broadcaster BFM TV.

Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said the driver was on the run and being sought, and an investigation was under way to determine "the motives and circumstances" for what she called a "cowardly act".

A justice ministry official said counter-terrorism investigators had been assigned to the case.

The incident follows a string of Islamist-inspired attacks on soldiers and police, who have been deployed in large numbers nationwide after calls by militant group Islamic State for attacks on France and other countries bombing its strongholds in Syria and Iraq.

The soldiers hit on Wednesday were rushed to hospital and police said two of the six were seriously injured.
Court police's Inspector Anwarul Islam said charges against 3 suspects were dropped as they had died while 4 of the convicts are absconding.

The additional district and sessions judge's court ordered 20 years in jail for the convicts. (Photo: Representational/File)

Dhaka: Fourteen militants of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh were sentenced to 20 years in jail by a local court for carrying out a series of deadly coordinated bomb attacks in 2005.

The group carried out serial blasts at over 600 locations in 63 districts in 2005 soon after the government banned it, killing at least two people and wounding over hundred others.

The additional district and sessions judge's court ordered 20 years in jail for the convicts. They have also been fined by Tk 30,000 (Rs 23,588) each, failing to pay which will make them stay in jail for another three years.

In 2012, police pressed charges in court against 17 JMB operatives, the bdnews24 reported. Court police's Inspector Anwarul Islam said charges against three suspects were dropped as they had died while four of the convicts are absconding.

The group is also blamed by Bangladeshi authorities for a deadly attack on a Dhaka cafe in July last year that killed 22 people, mostly foreigners and an Indian woman.
Supreme Court banned chhaupadi more than a decade ago but it is still followed in parts of Nepal, particularly in remote western districts.

Nepal's new prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba waves to the media at the Parliament House in Kathmandu (Photo: AP)

Kathmandu: Nepal's parliament Wednesday criminalised an ancient Hindu practice that banishes women from the home during menstruation.

Many communities in Nepal view menstruating women as impure and in some remote areas they are forced to sleep in a hut away from home during their periods, a custom known as chhaupadi.

The new law stipulates a three-month jail sentence or a 3,000 rupee fine ($30), or both, for anyone forcing a woman to follow the custom.

"A woman during her menstruation or post-natal state should not kept in chhaupadi or treated with any kind of similar discrimination or untouchable and inhuman behaviour," reads the law, passed in an unanimous vote.

It will only come into effect in a year's time.

Chhaupadi is linked to Hinduism and considers women untouchable when they menstruate, as well as after childbirth.

They are banished from the home -- barred from touching food, religious icons, cattle and men -- and forced to sleep in basic huts known as chhau goth.

Last month a teenage girl died after being bitten by a snake while sleeping in a chhau goth.

Two other women died in late 2016 in separate incidents while also following the ritual -- one of smoke inhalation after she lit a fire for warmth, while the other death was unexplained.

Rights activists say many other deaths likely go unreported.

The Supreme Court banned chhaupadi more than a decade ago but it is still followed in parts of Nepal, particularly in remote western districts.

Lawmaker Krishna Bhakta Pokhrel, who was part of the committee that pushed through the bill, said he hoped the new law would finally see an end to the custom.

"Chhaupadi didn't end, because there was no law to punish people even after the Supreme Court outlawed the practice," Pokhrel said.

Women's rights activist Pema Lhaki described the law as unenforceable because it is related to a deeply entrenched belief system that is harder to change.

"It's a fallacy that it's men who make the woman do this. Yes, Nepal's patriarchal society plays a part but it's the women who make themselves follow chhaupadi," she told AFP.

"They need to understand the root cause, have strategic interventions and then wait a generation," she added.
The strongest quake occurred last night. The area is a very well-known tourist area. Yesterday 38,000 tourists visited the site. Emergency teams are in action along with four helicopters and rescue dogs. Yesterdays shock brought back memories of the 2008 earthquake that killed 87,000 people.

Chengdu (AsiaNews/Agencies)  A new shock struck the city of Jiuzhaigou (Sichuan) this morning at 10.17 am, after a much stronger earthquake yesterday when the popular tourist site was hit by a magnitude 7 quake at 9.20 pm.

First reports say about 13 people were dead and 175 injured, but some official sources indicate possibly hundreds of deaths. This morning's shock had a magnitude 4.8; other shocks are expected.

The epicentre of the earthquake was about 300 kilometres north of the provincial capital Chengdu, at a depth of 10 kilometres, in a very crowded tourist area.

According to Xinhua, at least 38,000 tourists visited the area the day before. Jiuzhaigou is at the centre of a famous nature reserve, and UNESCO heritage site. The shock was also felt in Xian (Shaanxi), 700 kilometres northeast of Chengdu.

The Sichuan provincial government sent about 1,200 firefighters and 30 rescue dogs.

The army sent four helicopters to view the damage and organise rescue operations. Several roads in the area were blocked due to landslides. Other landslides were caused by rain.

Xinhua reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to rapidly organise relief work and rescue.

North Sichuan is a very active seismic area. A powerful earthquake killed more than 87,000 people in May 2008, including thousands of children who died when poorly-built schools collapsed.
US bombers fly over the Korean peninsula. South Korean President did not comment Trump's words but decided to boost defence. US intelligence community is still uncertain about North Koreas nuclear capabilities.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies)  US President Donald Trump yesterday issued an ultimatum against North Korea, warning Pyongyang not to make any more threats against the United States, or face Americas "fire and fury like the world has never seen".

In its response, North Korea said that it was examining operational measures to strike US military installations in Guam with its ballistic missiles.

Over the past few years, North Korea has been building up its long-range nuclear capabilities in order to threaten South Korea and Japan and discourage the United States from overthrowing the Kim regime.

Pyongyang looks at regimes like those of Saddam Husseins Iraq and Muhammar Gaddafis Libya, overthrown by the United States, as a reason for its nuclear brinkmanship to deter its adversaries.

Trump's latest statement comes as reports indicate that Kim Jong-uns military have produced a miniaturised nuclear warhead that could fit on an ICBM. US intelligence is not yet certain of it. Some media report that some analysts believe North Korea could hit the US mainland; others do not.

Whilst both the US and North Korea have frequently used strong rhetoric as a strategic messaging tool, analysts warn that verbal escalations pose the risk of causing a catastrophic miscalculation.

"Complicating this delicate game is that we have two inexperienced, impulsive presidents in control of these massive military machines," Joe Cirincione, president of Ploughshares Fund, a global security foundation, told CNN on Monday.

Meanwhile, the escalating threats from the US and North Korea have put North Asia on edge. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has called for the country to reform and improve its defence capabilities to counter threats from North Korea.

"I believe our given task is reform of the military. It should be an intensive one. I believe we need a defence reform at a level of a complete overhaul, instead of minor improvements or modifications," Moon said today.

The South Korean president did not address Trumps remarks or Kims refusal to engage in talks.

Responding to a question about Trump's comments, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said his country welcomed a strong US response.

"As the security situation in the region becomes increasingly difficult, the US's deterrence capability is extremely important to Japan. The US has said all options are on the table and Japan welcomes this," Suga told a press briefing.

Yesterday, two US B-1B strategic bombers flew over Korea as part of a regular exercise with South Korean fighter jets.

The presence of US bombers, air carriers and nuclear submarines near North Korea has fuelled tensions.

In this heated situation, calls by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to his North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong Ho, to respect UN resolutions and ceasing provocations, including missile and nuclear tests, have fallen on deaf ears.

An interfaith ceremony was held on 3 August in Seongju in which participants made an appeal for "true peace" between the two Koreas on the 64th anniversary of the end of the Korean War and the start of a truce, which is still in place.

Catholics, Protestants and Buddhists remembered that 27 July 1953 marked the end of the conflict, but not the conclusion of a peace treaty.
Recent airstrikes hit the Saada and Taez governorates. In the latest incident, nine members of one family were killed and three critically injured. Casualties were between 3 and 80 years old. We strongly deplore the trend of targeting public places and private houses, said the ICRC. This pattern runs against the basic tenets of the law of armed conflict.

Sanaa (AsiaNews/Agencies)  The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Tuesday that is extremely alarmed at a pattern of recent airstrikes that killed and injured dozens of civilians in the Saada and Taez governorates in Yemen.

In the latest incident, nine members of one family were killed and three critically injured. The casualties ranged in age between 3 and 80.

Our colleagues have been to the village of Mahda, on the outskirts of Saada city, where they saw a house literally flattened by the explosion, while a crater showed where the impact had occurred, said the head of the ICRC delegation in Yemen, Alexandre Faite.

According to two eyewitnesses, a single strike hit the house in the early morning of 4 August, continued Mr. Faite. We strongly deplore the trend whereby public places, such as markets, as well as private houses, have been targeted by the belligerents. This is a pattern that runs counter to the basic tenets of the law of armed conflict, and it must be stopped. Civilians keep paying far too heavy a price in this conflict.

The ICRC added that, according to international humanitarian law, civilians must not be attacked and warring parties must do everything feasible to verify that targets are military objectives.

The ICRC is calling on all parties to ensure that constant care is taken to spare civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of military operations, the Committee urged.

Since January 2015, Yemen has been the scene of a bloody civil war opposing the countrys Sunni elites led by former President Hadi, backed by Riyadh, and Shia Houthi rebels, who are close to Iran. In March 2015, a Saudi-led Arab coalition began attacking the rebels, sparking criticism from the United Nations over heavy casualties, including many children.

To date, more than 8,000 people have died, more than 44,000 have been injured and 3 million displaced. Nearly 19 million people (out of 24 in total) are in need of varying degrees of humanitarian assistance. Of these, at least seven million are considered at the brink of famine. Among them, 2.3 million are "malnourished" children less than five years old.
Seventeen ministerial positions are filled out of 18. Key figures in the previous cabinet are re-confirmed, including the Foreign, Oil, Intelligence and Interior ministers. New picks go to Defence and Justice. Reformists criticise the lack of women members. Rouhani has surrendered to the pressure of the religious establishment.

Tehran (AsiaNews)  Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who won a second term in May, submitted his list of cabinet nominees to parliament (Majlis) yesterday. The list includes his picks for 17 out of 18 ministries.

The nominee for the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology has yet to be presented to the Iranian parliament.

President Rouhani replaced eight ministers from the old cabinet.

Some of the ministers who retained their portfolios are Mohammad Javad Zarif as Foreign Minister, Bijan Namdar-Zangeneh as Oil Minister, Mahmoud Alavi as Intelligence Minister, Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi as Health Minister, and Abdul-Reza Rahmani Fazli as Interior Minister.

Some of the new names include Brigadier General Amir Hatami to head the Defence Ministry and Seyyed Alireza Avaie to head the Justice Ministry.

It was not clear when the nominee for the Ministry of Science would be named.

Separately on Tuesday, the Iranian president appointed Es'haq Jahangiri as his first vice president. Jahangiri held that same position during Rouhani's first term.

In May, Rouhani won re-election in a landslide victory with 57 percent of the vote.

On August 3, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei formally endorsed Rouhani for his second term as president. Two days later, Rouhani took the oath of office in parliament.

Since the swearing-in ceremony, he had two weeks to present his cabinet to parliament for a vote of confidence.

The parliament will begin debating the nominees next Tuesday, with the Iranian president able to defend his cabinet picks.

Meanwhile Irans all-male cabinet has sparked criticism. Mr Rouhani is regarded as a relatively moderate figure, and supporters had hoped he would pick some women.

There has been only one female cabinet member since Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979.

The cabinet, which must be approved by parliament, also has no Sunni members. Sunni make up around 10 per cent of the population in Shia-majority Iran.

Mr Rouhani beat hardliner Ebrahim Raisi in the presidential election in May after vowing to improve Iran's civil liberties and rebuild ties with the West.

At a conference in February titled "Women, Moderation and Development," he called for greater female presence in politics and culture.

He focused on women's rights and promised equal employment opportunities and access to services if he was re-elected. Critics now accuse the 68-year-old cleric of breaking his pledges.

How can you speak of equality of the entire nation and ignore women and religious minorities? tweeted Mohammad Karroubi, son of jailed opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi.

Analyst and experts believe the lack of diversity in the new cabinet is a sign that Mr Rouhani is bowing to pressure from Iran's religious establishment, mostly from Khamenei.

The Supreme Leader is the commander-in-chief of Iran's armed forces, and dictates major policies in the Islamic Republic.
By Faisal Al-Alamy,

Special to The Post

As a non-native English speaker, writing in English is a constant challenge. I often find myself struggling to find the perfect words to express myself on paper, especially when I know that those words are going to be analyzed and interpreted as part of an immigration application.

From personal statements to letters of support, the quality of ones writing can often make or break an application.

While a well-written statement can clarify issues for an immigration officer, confusing, convoluted and contradictory writings can complicate the process and potentially result in an unfavorable outcome.

Here are some tips to guide you as you prepare a written statement for the immigration process:

Step 1: Identify Who You Are

This is the most essential aspect of any written statement and, surprisingly, the one that is most often overlooked.

Begin by identifying yourself and/or the subject of the application. If you are not writing about yourself be sure to identify the relationship of the person you are writing about. Many people assume that an immigration officer will see a name at the bottom of the page and understand its significance after having read an entire document.

While this might be the case in some instances, remember that the goal is to help an immigration officer recognize who you are at the start of a letter rather than at its end. Here are some examples of initial and revised statements:

Initial:

I met Ms. Sotomayor when we were 8 years old and have remained friends ever since.

Revised:

My name is Samuel Alito. I am Ms. Sotomayors best friend and have known her since we were both 8 years old.

Initial:

I want to study Biology at UBC in Canada, which is why I am seeking a study permit.

Revised:

My name is Ruth Ginsberg. I am applying for a study permit to come to Canada to study Biology at UBC.

Step 2: Define Your Purpose

After identifying yourself or the person you are writing about, tell the officer the reason why youre writing.

Defining your purpose clearly and concisely helps the immigration officer understand the submissions context.

This in turn makes it more likely that the officer will fully consider the submission. Examples:

Initial:

My name is Marshall Rothstein. I have been working in my company, Big Screen, for over 15 years. I want to set up an office in Canada.

Revised:

My name is Marshall Rothstein. I am writing to provide you with more information about my company, Big Screen, which I hope to establish in Canada to promote the fil and television industry and create new jobs.

Initial:

My name is Stephen Breyer. I am Mr. Rothsteins accountant. Mr. Rothsteins company has an annual gross profit of $$$.

Revised:

My name is Stephen Breyer. I manage Big Screens accounting portfolio. I am writing to provide you with more information on Big Screens financial performance in support of Mr. Rothsteins intra-company transferee work permit application.

Step 3: Tell Your Story

Whether its explaining why you want to come to Canada (i.e. to work, study or live) or how you met your spouse, providing this information adds not only credibility but also a crucial human element to your immigration application.

Remember, your statement must be genuine and honest, and there is no better way to show this than by providing details. Examples:

Initial:

I met Laurie while I was studying. We are happily married and I would like to sponsor her to come to Canada as my spouse.

Revised:

I met Laurie during my time as an engineering student in Santa Monica. She was working at a coffee shop I frequently visited. I always asked to be seated in her section. One day, I asked her out on a date to the movies. This was the start of our relationship.

Always remember that, when writing a statement, clarity is key. Using simple words, uncomplicated sentences with clear and concise structure gets your point across effectively. You want to make it easy for the officer to understand your perspective and grant the application you are making.

For more information go to www.canadian-visa-lawyer.com
The Melbourne start-up trying to change in-flight drinking





Australian start-up, Melbourne Martini, is hoping to change in-flight drinking by sending its ready-to-drink cocktail jars to the skies.

From early September 2017, Melbourne Martinis Tommy Tequila Margarita cocktail jar will be available on Australian domestic and short-haul international flights.

The beverage is the first ready-to-drink cocktail available on Australian domestic flights.

Alex Haeusler, Director of Melbourne Martini, said he hopes the cocktail will create a unique in-air experience.

By bringing Melbourne Martini to the sky we plan to revolutionise the way people

consume in the air, creating a new experience for travellers, Haeusler said.

Melbourne Martini was founded in 2016 by two friends, Alexander Haeusler and Dylan Alexander, who came up with the idea to sell pre-made cocktails in jars while drinking espresso martinis at a bar.

The pair established their business believing there was a gap in the market for high-quality ready-to-drink cocktails.

In its first year, Melbourne Martini sold over 210, 000 units. The company is expecting to sell the same number of units within the first quarter of the 2017-18 financial year alone.

Melbourne Martini cocktail jars are also stocked at Dan Murphys.

Related articles


(AlexLMX/Bigstock.com) (AlexLMX/Bigstock.com)

Despite attempts to deter wealthy investors from buying homes in Australia, the number doing so is not falling with Sydney and Melbourne increasing popular with buyers from overseas.The appreciating dollar and new taxes have not deterred overseas investors buying up luxury homes in these cities, which are placed sixth and 10th in the latest prime global cities property index from international property firm Knight Frank.Expats are buying homes and also would-be expats regarding Australia as a good buy because of the currency differences, according to Michelle Ciesielski, Knight Frank's head of residential research in Australia.'Foreign interest in prime Australian residential property has remained relatively strong over the past year, with many currencies holding an ongoing purchasing power against the Australian dollar,' she said.'In saying this, more due diligence is being carried out by purchasers, particularly due to tax surcharges being introduced, stronger penalties being enforced by the Australian government for those who breach the rules, and the processing fee now payable for every application to the Foreign Investment Review Board,' she added.Buyers from Asia and Europe seem to be particularly active and the wealthiest are looking for signature, luxury homes that may only come on the market occasionally.However, there are warnings that foreign buyers are pushing up prices at all levels, and this means that first time buyers are having to pay more for a home. The latest housing data from real estate firm CoreLogic shows that in Melbourne prices in July were 15.9% higher than a year ago and in Sydney 12.4% up year on year.The First Home Super Saver Scheme (FHSSS) aims to allow first time buyers to save for a deposit inside their superannuation account, attracting the tax incentives and earnings benefits of superannuation, and turbo-charging their ability to save.The Government also released draft legislation to stop foreign residents investing in residential real estate, claiming the main residence exemption. It will stop foreign tax residents from claiming the main residence capital gains tax (CGT) exemption when they sell property in Australia from Budget night 2017.Foreign tax residents who hold property on Budget night can continue to claim the exemption until 30 June 2019. The legislation will also modify the CGT principal asset to test to apply on an associate inclusive basis.'This will ensure that foreign tax residents cannot avoid a CGT liability by disaggregating indirect interests in Australian real property. These changes to foreign investors buying residential real estate are part of a package estimated to add $600 million in revenue over the forward estimates,' said Assistant Minister to the Treasurer, Michael Sukkar.'These important measures are part of the Government's comprehensive approach to housing affordability announced in the 2017/2018 Federal Budget that aim lower the cost of living for Australians,' he pointed out.'Housing affordability is a major issue affecting many Australians and there is no silver bullet. The Government's comprehensive plan will improve outcomes across the housing spectrum from the homeless and those who depend on social housing, to first home buyers and older Australians looking to downsize,' he concluded.
car2go currently offers Mercedes-Benz vehicles in eight of its 11 North American locations. Photo courtesy of car2go

car2go N.A. has seen an increase in its carsharing service during the first six months of 2017.

Usage of car2go increased by 40% year-over-year in the first half of 2017 compared to the first half of 2016 across all 11 of the service's North American locations  with more than 4.5 million trips taken so far this year.

car2go members have also spent 33% more time traveling in car2gos in the first half of 2017 versus the first half of 2016, according to the company.

"car2go is an increasingly important part of more and more peoples' lives, and it's so satisfying to see how we are tangibly improving quality of life through carshare in cities across North America," said Paul DeLong, CEO of car2go North America. "We are continually working to help more people in cities travel easily and affordably, and are in discussions with a number of additional cities who  like us  want to deliver the many economic and environmental benefits of one-way carsharing to their residents and visitors."

In January, car2go started offering Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Since then, car2go currently offers larger four-door, five passenger Mercedes-Benz vehicles in eight of the services 11 North American locations. According to the company, it plans to bring Mercedes-Benz vehicles to additional North American locations and will eventually have a North American fleet made up predominantly of Mercedes-Benz CLA and GLA vehicles.

"In July 2016, we released results of our three-year study examining the impact of one-way carsharing across five North American cities, said Susan Shaheen, co-director of the University of California Berkeley's Transportation Sustainability Research Center. Across the cities, we found that one-way carsharing services, like car2go, were responsible for removing up to 11 other vehicles from urban streets while also reducing carbon emissions on net. It's encouraging to see that car2go's membership not only continues to rise, but that car2go's members are opting to choose carsharing more frequently when they travel."

Among car2go's locations, New York, Toronto, and Vancouver have experienced the fastest year-over-year membership growth in the first half of this 2017. Vancouver tops all North American car2go membership with over 135,000 local members. In the U.S., Seattle leads with more than 95,000 members.
If youre looking for authentic Mexican cuisine, Bakersfield is probably the city where you can drive a few blocks and find a local spot whose
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What's old is new at the Tampa Theatre.

Tampa Theatre renovates in vintage style

Theatre raises money through chair campaign

Theatre to incorporate aspects of the 1920s

The movie palace is going retro, and they want to take the public along for the ride.

"We're not changing things   we are changing them back," explained Jill Witecki, the theatres Director of Marketing and Community relations.

It's the final push of a $6 million renovation to return much of this 91-year-old building back to its original 1920s look.

Tampa Theatre currently has $5.3 million, and that includes the biggest ever individual donation.

A local arts supporter left more than $600,000 in his will for the theatre. He passed away last August.

That final money-raising push The Cush Your Tush campaign.

A cool $500 gets you a chair with your name on it  no word if it will be reserved seating for you though.

Upgrades include the lobby -- where the theatres new restoration tour begins-- and where the 1970s concession stand will end.

Its a little bit domineering, explained Witecki. It takes over the lobby, and it's certainly not the first thing our architect John Eberson wanted people to see when they walked in.

Since there was no concession stand in the theatre until the 1930s, they are working to create something simple.

It's going to be much lower profile. It's not gonna have a huge canopy. It's going to kind of disappear into the architecture, said Witecki.

We want the lobby to speak -- certainly not the popcorn stand.

Now the lobby speaks in damaged plaster and faded, smoke damaged tapestries.

All of it will be repaired and replaced by a company specializing in public space restoration.

Next up, patrons will head down to the rare gem of a Florida basement.

New floors, drainage field and sump pumps hooked up to an emergency generator will help fight future flooding.

Then, a walk up to the auditorium to say goodbye to the 1976 theatre seats Witecki calls awful.

They've been here for 40 years, they are not comfortable, they're way too close together, Witecki said.

The new seats are going to be as close to the 1926 original in looks as we can, said Witceki.

The 1926 chair color  not red, but a deep chocolate brown.

Eberson thought decorating in red was bad luck. It is a chocolate brown fabric stash.

Add in the ornamental touches and you get a throwback look but with a modern feel -- padded, plush, more leg room and for the first time, cup holders.

Also in the auditorium, the red curtain is being replaced after newly-surfaced pictures show the original one had pinstripes.

It will be peacock blue with pinstripes included.

Those new pictures showed more than pinstripes -- they even brought clarity to the carpet.

We were able to measure how big the patterns were and recreate it exactly, said Witecki.

Witecki says the restoration tours are to ensure the public the changes they are making honor the original 1926 opening night and Ebersoles vision of the unique landmark.
All the rules you've ever known about coming up with a password have been thrown out the door.

This is coming from the man who came up with those rules.

Guidelines to create strong passwords changing

Longer phrase passwords harder to hack, expert says

Banks, social media sites providing extra security checks



Bill Burr created the old guidelines in 2003. He worked for the federal government's National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Burr thought back then if you replace a few letters with numbers and characters you'd create a harder to crack password.

This week, Burr told The Wall Street Journal his thinking was misguided.

For example, say you're signing into a website.

The stronger passwords are the ones that look like this: W0r7h1e$5. That password is as good as the word WORTHLESS.

And now the guidelines to create passwords are changing. The NIST unveiled new best practices or guidelines this summer.

Dr. Nathan Fisk from the Florida Center for Cybersecurity said the best passwords are random phrases. They are easy for us to remember but harder to hack by a computer because of the human factor.

"Guessing passwords is like guessing patterns," Fisk said. "So if you know the pattern and you know that someone is going to have the capital letter in the beginning and the special character at the end, it's easier to guess."

Fisk said a longer phrase password can be remembered fairly easily and it'll be fairly hard to guess.

"These are really big positives for everyday users. Even then, for people who don't have a particularly strong password, multifactor authentication is going to the be the next big thing," Fisk said.

He means providing additional security checks. Bank websites, social media sites and others online are doing this already.

"Many people have noticed who traveled a little bit that Google will actually check who you are if you just move outside the area that you are in," he explained.

Fisk said if you dont have a strong password that's OK because Google is actively checking to make sure you are who you say you are.
The state Department of Children and Families has shut down the Orlando day-care facility where a 3-year-old boy died after being left in a hot van for more than 11 hours.

The agency issued an emergency suspension order Wednesday, closing the Little Miracles Academy on Plymouth Avenue as well as a second location on Colonial Drive.

The facility had received citations by the agency in the past for not keeping proper paperwork.

DCF reports show that the day care committed five violations over the past two years, not including Mondays tragedy. Among the citations, Little Miracles was noncompliant in keeping proper transportation logs and keeping current attendance records.

Little Miracles' Plymouth Avenue location, where Myles was found, never opened Wednesday.

"DCF child care licensing staff are conducting a thorough investigation and will also continue to coordinate with law enforcement as they investigate. DCF is pursuing every legal option available to cease operations by tomorrow at both of these facilities," DCF Secretary Mike Carroll said in a statement.

DCF said it's in touch with the Early Learning Coalition to provide options to families whose children attended Little Miracles Academy on Plymouth Avenue.

Owner says she's 'devastated'



The owner of Little Miracles Academy, Audrey Thornton, says she's "devastated" about what happened.

"When I heard it, I started screaming and hollering, and crying and crying and crying," she said during a news conference Wednesday. "I said 'No, no.' I was devastated that this happened."

Thornton called him a "loving child. He was a good little boy," she said.



Her attorney deflected a number of legal questions about the case. But Thornton said she would fight to keep the day care open.

"(We'll) try to figure something out," she said of her plans. "I'm a fighter. I'm not going to give up."

Court records show that Thornton has multiple arrests in 1994 for theft, possession of drugs and trafficking cocaine.

Myles' family wants justice



Parent Iesha Bailey brought her daughter, Armoni, to the center to see the makeshift memorial for Myles, who died Monday after spending more than 11 hours in the hot van.

It hits home. It could have been her," Bailey said of her daughter. "And Im pretty sure they played (together). Theyre the same age. It just hit home and its sad. Its a sad occasion."

Orlando Police said the driver of the day cares van forgot Myles was in the back seat when he was picked up Monday morning. It wasnt until that night he was found dead.

Chiquerria Banks, Myles aunt, returned to the day care Wednesday, playing music and bringing some of the boy's favorite things to the growing memorial.

The building just needs to be condemned. They can turn it into a parking lot," Banks said. "It doesnt need to be standing here. I dont even want to ride by it a year from now and still see this day care standing here, she said.

Banks wants justice for Myles, including a murder charge for the driver of the van. Orlando Police Chief John Mina said criminal charges will be filed after an autopsy is complete.

Bailey said she's made alternative plans for her daughter.

I changed her day care yesterday. And I still havent heard from them. They didnt even text the parents and say theyre closed, Bailey said.

'Own up to this'

Vigil for Myles Hill, 3, is going on outside the daycare where he died. He was left in a van. @MyNews13 pic.twitter.com/64eIRrlEV6  Erin Murray News 13 (@emurray1) August 8, 2017

At a vigil Tuesday night, Myles' family was calling for justice for the little boy, who would have turned 4 in two weeks. The childs family says his death could have been prevented.

I just want justice for my baby, said Chiel Banks, Myles mother as the boy's grandfather, Corey Esters, could be heard saying through tears, My grandchild suffered.

On Monday night, Myles' grandmother, Barbara Banks, became worried when he did not return home. She called 911 and the day care center, where workers there found the boy in the van, dead.

She says she wants answers from Little Miracles Academy.

And that is all we want you to do, is come up and own up to this. We are supposed to be friends, and you need to come own up to this, Banks said.
The Yamal-Nenets delegation will study Icelandic agricultural and municipal administration expertise during its official visit to Iceland, the area's Department of International and Foreign Economic Relations told TASS. Yamal officials will learn how to grow vegetables using geothermal energy.

"The Yamal-Nenets official delegation <> will be on a business trip to Iceland until August 12. Yamal officials will visit local Icelandic agricultural companies: a cheese plant, a dairy cooperative in Reykjavik, and a fishing company. They will also study Icelandic experience in growing vegetables using geothermal energy," the department's spokesperson said.

Another goal of the visit is to study the best international practices of municipal administration in Iceland. "An official meeting between the Yamal-Nenets delegation and the Icelandic prime minister is planned as part of this visit," the spokesperson said.

According to TASS, the Yamal-Nenets authorities will invest over 2.6 billion rubles in agro-industry in 2017. This year, Salekhard will get a modular potato storehouse.
On August 9, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic), the OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, in the direction of the Askeran region, on the Akna-Hindarkh road section, press service of the Artsakh foreign ministry stated.

August 9, 2017, 14:43 OSCE conducted planned monitoring in direction of Askeran region

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 9, ARTSAKHPRESS: From the positions of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistants to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) Ghenadie Petrica (Moldova) and Ognjen Jovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), as well as staff member of the Office of the CiO Personal Representative Martin Schuster (Germany).

From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring was conducted by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk and his Field Assistant Mihail Olaru (Moldova).

The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule.

From the Artsakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the Republic of Artsakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense.
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Ten-year-old Lauren McMillan sat happily in the back seat of her family's car the morning before she returned to the fourth grade from winter vacation.

Her mother, Melissa McMillan, asked her which teachers she was excited to see and if she had remembered to grab her lunch. That morning, Jan. 7, 2012, they took a right turn at a red light that changed both of their lives forever.

"A guy fell asleep at the wheel and hit Lauren's side of the car," Melissa said. "It paralyzed her from the neck down. After that, we had to learn how to live a new life."

Lauren was unable to care for herself. She could not breathe or eat on her own. It took six years to get an electric wheelchair that allowed her to move herself.

The first day of each school year was always the toughest. Students shied from sitting next to her in class while teachers openly suggested that she be put in special education.

"Her body was broken, but not her mind," Melissa said. "I know that was tough on her."

"When I first got here, she had so much fear and anxiety. She was this little girl with a whole new body," said Katie Wagstaff, who has worked as Lauren's home nurse for the past 15 years. "She had to learn about a completely new normal, but once she did, it was like nothing could stop her."

After graduating in the top 10 percent of her class at Lumberton High School, Lauren decided she wanted to continue her education. But her family had a natural fear about her mobility and her ability to keep up with her classes.

To quell her own worries, Melissa decided to attend her daughter's lectures at Lamar State College-Port Arthur, where she enrolled Lauren in 2011.

"During the first semester one of the professors came up to me and said, 'You're pretty much taking this class, why aren't you getting credit for it?" Melissa said. "The next semester I enrolled myself."

The college experience wasn't new to Melissa, but the hope of finishing was. She dropped out when she was younger to become a hairdresser. In 2013, the two graduated with associate degrees, but decided to dream bigger. In 2014, they enrolled at Lamar.

A year later, their graduation dreams were almost wrecked by another near-fatal accident.

"It was like I was in the movie 'Groundhog Day,'" Melissa said. "It was like reliving the same horrible day all over again."

On Sept. 10, 2015, a driver distracted by his phone slammed into the back of Melissa's car while Lauren rode in the back seat. The collision broke both Lauren's legs, lacerated her kidney and collapsed her lung. She was airlifted to a Houston hospital but survived the ordeal.

"There are some days that I think, 'why me?' But I have to think of all the blessing I have in my life," said Lauren, who has limited speaking ability. "I don't think I would change my situation if I could. I'm proud of who I am and who I've become."

Lauren returned to Lamar with her mother the next year. They continued to take classes together but began moving toward their own educational goals. Lauren, now 25, began working on her nutrition degree, and Melissa, 45, chose to work toward a family studies degree. They'll begin their final semesters in September and plan to walk the stage together in December.
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Nearly 17,000 people from all over the country followed Austyn Halter's two-year battle with leukemia.

Members of the #AustynStrong Facebook group shared encouraging words for Halter's parents, Joshua and Sarah, and sent virtual prayers to the 4-year-old girl with blonde hair and an "incredible smile."

More than 2,000 people wrote condolences on Sarah Halter's post Saturday announcing the couple had lost their "miracle girl."

Austyn Halter died Friday night at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Austyn, born Jan. 20, 2013 in Port Arthur, was diagnosed with acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AML-M7), a rare form of cancer that affects a group of white blood cells called myeloid cells, on Aug. 17, 2015, according to the #AustynStrong page.

During her two-year battle, loved ones and strangers held regular bake sales, blood drives and other events to support Austyn and her treatment.

A visitation for Austyn is scheduled for 3 p.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday at Clayton-Thompson Funeral Home, 5200 39th St. in Groves.

Her funeral is scheduled for noon Thursday at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica in Beaumont, with burial to follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches.

Memorials may be sent in Austyn's name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Make-A-Wish Foundation or a foundation of choice supporting childhood cancer and cancer research.

"During her short time on earth, she touched thousands of hearts with her unwavering strength, bravery, and her contagious smile," Austyn's obituary stated. "Austyn loved to love, and was loved by all. She will be greatly missed."

Austyn's parents ended her obituary by saying they appreciated all of the "prayers and concerns extended during this difficult time," adding the social media hastags #AustynStrong #ForeverFour.

NKrebs@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/natalie_krebs
The body of a man who was last seen sacrificing his life jacket for his daughter on Canyon Lake was recovered Tuesday after a two-day search, officials with the Comal County Sheriff's Office said.

Michael Talley, a 45-year-old from the Houston area, was on a jet ski with his daughter Sunday when the pair made a sharp turn and were flung into the water. Though both had life jackets on, Talley threw his to his daughter, who swam to shore.
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HOUSTON (AP)  A man on death row for the notorious slaying nearly 20 years ago of a black man chained to the back of a pickup truck and dragged along a bumpy rural East Texas road will get his claim of innocence and poor legal representation reviewed by an appeals court.

> > PHOTOS: Click through the slideshow for photos from the James Byrd Jr. case

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals late Tuesday said it would review a claim from John William King that lawyers were deficient in presenting a case for innocence during his trial for what became one of the nation's most shocking hate crimes since the Civil Rights era.

King's appeal said that only a few pieces of circumstantial evidence that could be innocently explained tied him to the scene of a fight that resulted in 49-year-old James Byrd Jr. being chained at his ankles to the bumper of a truck in June 1998 and fatally dragged outside Jasper, about 125 miles (201 kilometers) northeast of Houston.

King, now 42, was the first of three white men convicted of capital murder for the hate slaying. Each was tried separately.

> > PHOTOS: Scenes from Lawrence Russell Brewer's execution

King's attorney, A. Richard Ellis, raised five claims to the 5th Circuit, four of them focusing on what he said was King receiving ineffective legal help at his 1999 trial in Jasper. The fifth claim contended a federal district judge who rejected King's appeal denied him due process and a fair hearing.

The 5th Circuit rejected all but the claim questioning the trial attorneys' effectiveness regarding some of the state's evidence in the case. King's appeals attorney described the trial lawyers' response to the evidence as "confusing and disjointed," according to the court.

The evidence included a cigarette lighter engraved with a Klan symbol and King's prison name, "Possum," along with cigarette butts found at the crime scene and King's sandals stained with Byrd's blood. Other evidence at his trial included letters in which King wrote about launching a racist gang and tattoos on King's body that prosecutors said showed he hated blacks.

> > MORE: Brewer ended 'Last Meals' for all Texas inmates

King's lawyers called three witnesses who testified for less than an hour at the guilt-innocence portion of the trial. The attorneys appeared to concede the conviction and hoped to save his life in the punishment phase. Jurors decided he should die.

King's lead defense attorney, Haden "Sonny" Cribbs, died in June. His trial co-counsel, Brack Jones, declined comment Wednesday.

> > MORE: Colleagues remember Haden "Sonny" Cribbs

The appeals lawyer, Ellis, based in Mill Valley, California, did not immediately respond to a message left by The Associated Press.

The 5th Circuit gave Ellis 30 days to submit a brief on his claim. State attorneys then will have 15 days to respond.

The second participant in Byrd's killing, Lawrence Russell Brewer, 44, was executed in 2011. Evidence at their trials showed Brewer, previously convicted of cocaine possession, and King, a convicted burglar from Jasper, met in a Texas prison where they got involved in a KKK splinter group and adorned themselves with racist tattoos.

The third man, Shawn Berry, 42, is serving life in prison. Evidence showed that after King was released from prison, he returned to Jasper, became friends with Berry and moved in with him. Brewer later joined them.

Evidence and trial testimony showed the three men offered Byrd a ride in the early morning hours of June 7, 1998, and they all drove about 10 miles (16 kilometers) into the wooded county before stopping along an isolated logging road. A fight broke out and the outnumbered Byrd was tied to the truck bumper with a 24 1/2-foot (7.32 meter) logging chain. Three miles (4.8 kilometers) later, what was left of his shredded remains was dumped between a black church and cemetery where the pavement ended on the remote road. Fingerprints taken from the headless torso identified Byrd.

King, Brewer and Berry were in custody by the end of the next day.
Springfield, Ore.-based McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center's outpatient surgery volume has gradually declined in recent years, according to The News-Review.

Here are six notes:

1. In 2014, the hospital had a record high of 5,022 outpatient procedures.

2. However, that number declined 20 percent in 2015.

3. From 2015 to 2016, the number of outpatient surgeries decreased an additional 11 percent.

4. McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center CEO Chad Campbell said this decline is, in part, due to more ASCs not affiliated with the hospital taking these types of cases.

5. Despite the decline, the hospital is faring fairly well, mainly driven by the high percentage of patients with private insurance.

6. McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center is in the midst of an $85 million expansion. The News-Review speculates these plans could include adding more operating rooms to increase its outpatient surgery volume.
A recent review of hospital records by The Salem News revealed Massachusetts hospitals' community benefit spending declined over the last five years.

Here are five things to know.

1. The federal government requires nonprofit hospitals to spend money on community benefits and report that spending to the Internal Revenue Service annually to stay tax-exempt, according to the National Center for Healthy Housing. The Salem News notes the community benefit spending may include charity care as well as outreach programs focused on the community.

2. Beverly (Mass.) Hospital and Addison Gilbert Hospital in Gloucester, Mass., both members of Burlington, Mass.-based Lahey Health, together reported $5.5 million in community benefit spending in fiscal year 2016 compared to $7.2 million in fiscal year 2012, according to The Salem News.

3. North Shore Medical Center, part of Boston-based Partners HealthCare, has campuses in Salem and Lynn, Mass. NSMC reported $7.9 million in community benefit spending in fiscal year 2016 compared to $10.6 million in fiscal year 2012.

4. Hospital officials partly attributed the decrease in community benefit spending to the reduction in uninsured residents under the ACA, meaning less charity care is required, according to the report. However, The Salem News reports hospitals have not increased spending on outreach programs due to the decline in charity care spending.

5. Nancy Kane, a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, told The Salem News she and others have formed a task force to examine hospitals' community benefit spending outside of charity care, particularly to address "broader social disparities that contribute to poor health."

Read the full report, including individual hospital responses, here.
Louisville, Ky.-based Kindred Healthcare plans to close its long-term care hospital in Detroit by Sept. 30.

The closure will result in about 145 layoffs, according to Crain's Detroit Business, which cited a filing with the Michigan Workforce Development Office.

Kindred Hospital Detroit CEO Mary Hoskins told Crain's the hospital is assisting affected employees in finding new jobs outside and within Kindred Healthcare.

Ms. Hoskins told Crain's the hospital is closing for "strategic" reasons, but declined to provide any additional information.

Kindred also announced plans in late July to close Kindred Hospital Central Ohio in Marshfield by Sept. 30. The closure will result in 111 layoffs.

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Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems put the future of Lutheran Health Network in Fort Wayne, Ind., in doubt by failing to make necessary investments to improve the quality of care at LHN's hospitals, a group of physician advocates wrote in a recent op-ed in The Journal Gazette.

CHS became the second largest for-profit hospital operator in the U.S. by buying up smaller community hospitals. However, this strategy has left CHS "chasing its tail to pay down debt," wrote William Cast, MD, Matthew Sprunger, MD and J. Philip Tyndall, MD. The three physicians are founders of Northeast Indiana Citizens for Healthcare Excellence, a group focused on holding CHS accountable.

The physicians say LHN's hospitals are in dire need of upgrades. CHS has promised to invest $500 million in the facilities over the next six years, but the physicians argue that isn't enough. "CHS would need to invest nearly $800 million to correct its missteps and return LHN to form," the physicians wrote.

The physicians also expressed doubt about whether the promised investment would come to fruition. "We can only judge CHS by its actions, not its words," they wrote. "Be not comforted by promises that are followed by no action  and know that CHS' pain will undoubtedly become our pain, too."

Tensions have flared between physicians in Northeast Indiana and CHS since May, when CHS rejected a buyout offer from a group of LHN physicians. Shortly after CHS rejected the physician group's takeover bid, the hospital operator fired two Lutheran Health Network executives: CEO Brian Bauer and CMO Geoff Randolph, MD. Lutheran Hospital CMO Matthew Sutter, MD, resigned in June.

There was a leadership exodus at LHN in July, as Steven Orlow, MD, the system's CMIO, resigned, Chuck Surack and Tom Kelly stepped down from the advisory boards of LHN and Lutheran Hospital, three physician executives  LHN Medical Staff President James Cameron, MD, Lutheran Hospital President-elect Matt Carr, MD, and Lutheran Hospital Medical Staff Vice President Marlene Bultemeyer, MD  left their positions and two physicians resigned from the board of Dupont Hospital, which is part of LHN.

In an earnings call last week, CHS chairman of the board and CEO Wayne T. Smith said Fort Wayne is a "strong market" in the company's portfolio and LHN is a "great healthcare system."

"We're working on strategic ways to grow market share and we continue to see good opportunity to expand access points in health services. The Lutheran team has a long history of delivering quality care for their patients in the community. We continue to focus on quality improvements, patient experience and physician relationships," said Mr. Smith.

CHS ended the second quarter of 2017 with a net loss of $137 million on revenues of $4.14 billion. That's compared to the same period of 2016 when CHS reported a net loss of $1.43 billion on revenues of $4.59 billion.

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Many physicians have reported frustration with EHRs. To address this dilemma, one Midwestern private practice has taken a straightforward approach  removing EHRs altogether.

The majority of physicians report EHRs slow their workflow, according to the Medscape EHR Report 2016, and a 2016 study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings linked EHRs with physician burnout. Physicians even say EHRs have infringed on the quality of their patient interactions, according to a study published in the Journal of Innovation in Health Informatics last month.

John Prunskis, MD, founder and co-medical director of Illinois Pain Institute, which has multiple locations in Lake, Kane, McHenry and DuPage Counties, says these concerns led the practice to consider the overall necessity of EHRs. "We felt the level of patient care was not enhanced by an electronic health record," says Dr. Prunskis, a practicing interventional pain management specialist. "We saw it was inefficient and added nonproductive work to physicians' time."

The Illinois Pain Institute staff made a unanimous decision to return to paper records two years ago, and hasn't looked back since. "We have over 70 employees, so we took a vote to see whether anyone thought the EHR was providing a better patient care experience or a better office experience," he explains. "Not one person in the practice thought we should keep the EHR."

Dr. Prunskis spoke with Becker's Hospital Review about what prompted the practice to revert to paper records and the inherent tension he sees between EHR vendors and practicing physicians.

Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Question: How did the EHR impact patient care at the practice?

Dr. John Prunskis: The face-to-face interaction was lost. We felt patients didn't like it, because physicians were typing, instead of looking at them. Now, so many patients tell me, "I am so happy you are dictating in front of me. I'm hearing everything. I'm sick and tired of watching my doctor type onto a screen and not look at me." I honestly believe that's one of the reasons our outcome data is so strong, because while we're dictating, the patient hears what's going into the record. When I'm done dictating, the patient will frequently say, "You know what, doc, there's one more thing," because they've heard what I'm entering into the record and recognize there's something they forgot.

Q: How must EHRs change for Illinois Pain Institute to feel comfortable implementing another system?

JD: No. 1, if we see that it enhances patient care. No. 2, if we see that it does not add extra work for our staff. Everyone talks about evidence-based medicine, but the EHR was launched without enough evidence to support that it improves patient care. The EHR is not a tug-of-war with physicians who are not willing to adopt technology; doctors have traditionally embraced electronics and technology, and were among the first to use electronic pagers, laptops, et cetera. In my opinion, it's a battle between the manufacturers and vendors of the EHR who are reaping huge profits and doctors who are just trying to give patients the best level of care.

Q: How has the move toward EHRs affected hospitals and private practices, like Illinois Pain Institute, differently?

JD: Anybody who's employed by a hospital system, their lips are sealed. They're stuck, because their employer, the hospital, is attempting to meet the requirements for an incentive payment. It's very sad to talk to my primary care colleagues in hospitals, for example, because they're just exhausted. They say it's a disaster, but since most of them work for a hospital, the hospital gets that financial incentive to implement the EHR. They don't get a choice. Primary care physicians are losing hours a day; they're coming home, having dinner, playing with their kids, putting their kids to sleep and then they spend another two to three hours at night doing data entry. It's horrible for them.

Q: Does the use of paper records hinder Illinois Pain Institute's ability to exchange data with other healthcare organizations, like hospitals?

JD: No, all the referring doctors get our notes transmitted however they want them transmitted. Right now, really, the EHR hinders data exchange. One EHR doesn't talk to another EHR, and there's many reasons for that. The other thing is when you dictate a paper note with the relevant clinical findings and history, it's rather succinct, but with the EHR, there's a problem. The EHR is pages and pages of mind-numbing text, where important labs and information can be lost. Before, a note might be a half-page long, but now it can be five, six pages long, and doctors frequently can't find what's relevant through the reams of text and clutter.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he is dissatisfied with the stalemate on healthcare, but Congress has to move on to other priorities, while speaking at a Rotary Club event in Florence, Ky., according to Cincinnati.com.

"I'm not happy about our inability to dramatically change Obamacare, so I'm not sure frankly what happens next," he said, according to the report. Mr. McConnell said he would gladly return to the healthcare debate if at least 50 senators can agree on a policy, according to the report. In the meantime, lawmakers plan to move on to addressing the debt ceiling and tax reform.

"I'm unsure as to what the path forward is right now," Mr. McConnell said, according to the report. "I think no action is probably not going to work because you've got a lot of private health insurance markets imploding. So, exactly what form that takes is unclear right now."

Read the full story here.

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David Craig

Early in 1959, I attended what I believe was the first ASOPA short course for teachers selected for secondment to Papua New Guinea. I had been teaching in NSW for four years before applying for secondment. A distinguishing feature of our course was a very infectious influenza which swept through the school and caused the cancellation of our bulk travel booking from Sydney to Port Moresby. We were given a weeks vacation before boarding a special charter flight brought down from Townsville. We left Sydney at 2.30 am and were nearly turned back from Moresby as dusk was approaching and there was no night landing available. Fortunately we made it as the sun was setting.

I was appointed to the Henganofi Primary T School as head teacher. As I arrived, I received the news that much of the school had burnt down and one of my first tasks was to organise its rebuilding. Luckily I had an excellent Tolai couple on staff who understood building and after a few weeks we had comfortable classrooms and a dorm.

In 1960 I was appointed as head teacher of Kundiawa Primary T School, which was situated at Gon on the western edge of the station. Kondom, the paramount luluai and prominent Chimbu leader, had demanded a master who could speak English for the school. At that stage I was the only Government expatriate teacher in the Eastern Highlands outside Goroka, except one at Kainantu. The following year some of the E course graduates from Rabaul arrived in the highlands.

My main reason for writing is to contact Frank Hiob, a Bathurst Teachers College and ASOPA graduate who taught at the Goroka Technical School in North Goroka in 1960. Des Peisker, who was mentioned in one of the Missing Person requests was head teacher at the time. I got to know Frank on my infrequent weekends in Goroka and we spent a Christmas holiday backpacking together in Asia . This was before back packing was in our vocab. We flew to Hollandia and went by Dutch cargo boat to Singapore and overland to Penang. We went 3rd class rail to Bangkok and flew to Hong Kong before returning to PNG.

I read with interest your tale of how you received a nickname after an episode at the Chimbu Club. The club must have changed from when I was at Kundiawa as it was very family oriented with film nights and weekend BBQs. I was secretary for quite a while.

My memories of my two years at Kundiawa are very positive as I met my wife of 46 years there. She was teaching at Ega Lutheran Mission in Kundiawa. We are now retired in Adelaide but spend 3 or 4 months a year in Asia doing voluntary teaching of English.

Congratulations on your election as president of the PNGAA. I have been a member for many years and find it extremely interesting. Ross Johnson, the treasurer, was the kiap at Henganofi when I was posted there.
A judge sentenced Hengjun Chao, a former assistant professor of medicine at New York City-based Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, to 28 years in prison Aug. 9 for the attempted murder of Icahn School of Medicine Dean Dennis Charney, MD, according to CBS New York.

Judge Barry Warhit sentenced Mr. Chao to 23 years in prison for attempted murder and an additional five years in prison for criminal use of a firearm, the report states.

At the hearing, Mr. Chao said, "I respectfully and sincerely apologize to all the residents of Chappaqua, the workers and the customers of the Lange's Deli.  I also apologize to Dr. Charney and his family for his unfortunate injury. I also apologize to my wife and my family."

At a previous June 8 hearing, Dr. Charney testified to "hearing a loud boom and having blood on his shoulder" before running into Chappaqua, N.Y.-based Lange's Little Store & Delicatessen Aug. 29, 2016, seeking help. He proceeded to spend five days in the intensive care unit at Mount Sinai "fighting for his life" after being shot in the shoulder and chest, according to Patch.com.

Police speculated the attack was a form of retribution after Dr. Charney fired Mr. Chao following incidents of "research misconduct" in 2009. However, during his testimony June 14, Mr. Chao said he did not try to kill or hurt Dr. Charney out of revenge. Rather, he claimed he attempted to shoot Dr. Charney to "expose" his alleged unethical relationship with a drug manufacturer.

Mr. Chao's lawyer told the television news station Wednesday he plans to mount a "vigorous appeal" against the judge's verdict, the report states.
Wyndham Lathem, PhD, a former associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Chicago-based Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and a British individual were apprehended by California police for their alleged role in the "savage killing" of a hairstylist in Chicago last month, according to The Washington Post.

Here are six things to know about the incident.

1. Chicago police named Dr. Lathem, 42, and Andrew Warren, 56, who worked in the pension and paycheck processing department at Oxford University in the U.K., as suspects in the fatal stabbing of Trenton Cornell-Duranleau, 26, July 27. Officials said the alleged attack, which occurred inside Dr. Lathem's luxury apartment at the Grand Plaza Apartments in downtown Chicago, was "so vicious it left the knife blade shattered," according to the report.

2. Mr. Warren surrendered to San Francisco police, while Dr. Lathem reportedly turned himself in to U.S. marshals outside of a federal building in Oakland, Calif., according to The New York Times.

3. Dr. Lathem allegedly waived extradition during a court hearing Aug. 7, meaning he may be escorted back to Illinois by the Chicago police as early as Aug. 8, The New York Times reports. A court hearing for Mr. Warren has not been scheduled.

4. Police said it is unclear if the three individuals knew each other prior to the incident. Officials said in a statement, "Both individuals will be held accountable for their actions and we hope today's arrest brings some comfort for the victim's family. We are also thankful that this did not end in further tragedy," The Washington Post reports.

5. Chicago police also disclosed the existence of a video Aug. 4 in which Dr. Lathem reportedly apologized to friends and family for his alleged involvement in the incident. Officials declined to release the footage, claiming it is "integral to any future interrogation efforts," according to The Washington Post.

6. Northwestern University terminated Dr. Lathem's tenure at the facility Aug. 4 and banned him from entering campus facilities. His faculty profile was also removed from the medical school's website.
Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center officials issued an apology Aug. 8 after sending a North Carolina family the blood-stained clothes their daughter had been wearing at the time of her death in April, according to The News & Observer.

Leslie Rogers, 23, died at Wake Forest Baptist April 30 from a gunshot wound to the head. Her family reportedly asked the hospital for Ms. Rogers' belongings at the time, but was told she did not have anything when she came to the facility, according to the report.

Mark and Michele Rogers said they received a call from a Wake Forest Baptist employee last week  roughly three months after the incident  asking if they wanted their daughter's belongings. Mr. Rogers reportedly asked the employee what the items were, but the employee said she did not know and was not allowed to open the plastic bag they were contained in.

Ms. Rogers said she later received a package containing her daughter's clothes "stained with blood and tissue from the bullet wound," the report states. She claimed the clothes were contained inside a regular plastic bag, not a biomedical bag, and said other small items were also inside.

"I'm angry because no parent should ever receive their kids bloody clothes that they died in," Mr. Rogers told WBTV-3 News. "We're still grieving over our child and it was a surprise to get a box that had her bloody clothes cut off her body.  I just want to know if this is normal to ship a grieving family the clothes that their daughter got killed in.  I think it was untasteful and wrong."

In an emailed statement to The News & Observer, a hospital executive said, "I know I speak for all of us at Wake Forest Baptist when I say that we were saddened to learn that we had mistakenly returned soiled clothing in a package of belongings sent to the parents of a past patient.  While we have a policy in place that directs how patient belongings should be handled, our teams are reviewing it to determine how we can improve the existing process that meets the variety of wishes from our patients' families while ensuring a safe transition of personal belongings."

To read the full statement, click here.
The following healthcare mergers, acquisitions, partnerships and general transactions took place or were announced during the past week.

1. Baylor Scott & White now co-owner of Texas Spine & Joint Hospital

Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health, along with Addison, Texas-based United Surgical Partners International, obtained joint ownership of Texas Spine & Joint Hospital in Tyler, Texas.

2. University of Chicago Medicine partners with Community Hospital of Indiana to treat high-risk pregnancies

University of Chicago Medicine partnered with Munster, Ind.-based Community Hospital to provide specialized care for expectant mothers facing high-risk pregnancies.

3. MU Health, Boone Hospital in partnership discussions

Boone Hospital Center in Columbia, Mo., will exclusively explore a partnership with University of Missouri Health Care, also in Columbia.

4. Southampton Hospital joins Stony Brook Medicine

Southampton (N.Y.) Hospital, hereafter called Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, finalized an agreement to join Stony Brook (N.Y.) Medicine.

5. Health Quest adds Sharon Hospital

Health Quest, a LaGrangeville, N.Y.-based nonprofit regional group, obtained ownership of 78-bed Sharon (Conn.) Hospital.

6. LHC Group, Christus Health to form joint venture: 6 things to know

Lafayette, La.-based LHC Group, a national provider of post-acute care, and Christus Health in Irving, Texas, entered into a definitive agreement to form a joint venture.

7. Mount Sinai partners with Contessa Health to expand home care program

New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System partnered with Nashville, Tenn.-based Contessa Health, a company that manages home acute care bundled payment programs, to expand its existing home care program to new markets.

8. Tenet sells 3 Texas hospitals to HCA

Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare completed the sale of three Texas hospitals and their related assets to Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare.

9. LabCorp to purchase Chiltern for roughly $1.2B

Burlington, N.C.-based diagnostics company LabCorp revealed plans to purchase Chiltern, a Wilmington, N.C.-based contract research organization, for about $1.2 billion in cash.
New Hampshire filed a lawsuit against Stamford, Conn.-based Purdue Pharma LP for allegedly misleading marketing campaigns, which state officials believe fueled their current opioid epidemic, according to Reuters.

The suit alleges that Purdue did not accurately represent the addictive qualities of OxyContin in their marketing campaigns and overstated the benefits of using opioids to treat chronic pain. It is still unknown what kinds of damages New Hampshire is seeking.

"We share New Hampshire officials' concerns about the opioid crisis and we are committed to working collaboratively to find solutions," Purdue said in a statement, though they denied any wrongdoing.

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Less than two months into the job, the new CEO of Seattle-based Swedish Health, Guy Hudson, MD, is changing the policy about how many cases surgeons can work on at the same time, he told The Seattle Times.

Dr. Hudson took the helm at Swedish Health in late June, a few months after The Seattle Times published an investigative report about how some surgeons frequently performed overlapping surgeries at the health system.

His new policy requires surgeons to be present for the "substantial majority" of the surgery, which includes everything except minor activities at the beginning and end of a case, such as closing the incision, according to the report. Staff will also record every time a surgeon enters or exits the OR.

The policy was not adopted because concurrent surgeries were unsafe, nor is the practice uncommon at teaching hospitals, Dr. Hudson told The Seattle Times. However, the new policies aim to address patient concerns and expectations that a surgeon would be present for the majority of a case, according to the report.

The policy could limit patient access to surgeons, he said, so the health system plans to evaluate the need for more ORs and surgeons going forward, according to the report.

Read the full story here.

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Major pharmacy chains have taken steps to prevent harmful drug interactions after a 2016 investigative report found pharmacists often dispensed dangerous drug combinations without warning patients, reports Chicago Tribune.

Here are four things to know.

1. Chicago Tribune published the investigative report in December 2016. Of 255 chain and independent pharmacies assessed in the Chicago area, reporters found 52 percent dispensed risky drug combinations without discussing potential adverse interactions with patients. Among pharmacy chains, CVS dispensed the most drug pairs without warning at 63 percent.

2. Following the report's publication, CVS upgraded its computer alert system at its 9,700 stores nationwide to better prevent drug interactions and conducted additional training for its 30,000 pharmacists and 50,000 technicians. When the computer system flags a serious drug interaction, pharmacists must warn the patient and/or consult with the prescribing physician. The system blocks the sale of these medications until pharmacists take these steps, according to a Chicago Tribune article published Wednesday.

3. Walmart adjusted the alert levels on its computer system for various drug combinations and changed its operating manual to reflect the updates. All 16,700 pharmacists at its 4,700 locations completed additional training following these changes.

"We are confident the measures we've taken have not only helped to improve our pharmacy alert system but also improved overall patient care," Wal-Mart said in a statement to Chicago Tribune.

4. Costco's new computer system alerts cashiers that specific medication combinations should not be sold until a pharmacist speaks to the patient. Walgreens also provided additional training on drug interactions to 27,000 pharmacists at 8,175 stores across the country.

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A man from Uttar Pradesh posted a caption on his facebook wall with his picture saying I support Pakistan was booked to sedition. The post was protested against by lot of Hindu Orgnisation. The mans family claim that he leaves his phone at the shop, and someone has tried to frame him.
Northern Ireland's average house price has fallen nearly 4% year on year to reach 148,499 as political uncertainty at home and concerns over Brexit drag on, according to Ulster University research.

But the quarterly house price index, produced in association with the Progressive Building Society and the Housing Executive, also said the number of transactions between April and June was the highest since the property crash of 2007 at 2,372.

On a quarterly basis, there had been a 1.1% fall in average house prices since the first quarter.

And the high number of deals over the second quarter reflected the "seasonality" of the market with many people moving house during spring and early summer.

There were strong variations between Northern Ireland regions, with Lisburn having the highest average price at 175,921, while Londonderry and Strabane had the lowest at 118,627.

Belfast's average house price was 154,980.

A spokesman for Ulster University said there was a combination of factors at play in the 3.7% fall year-on-year.

"Uncertainty from Brexit, the outcomes of the UK general election, the present lack of agreement on the formation of the NI Executive, slower growth rates in the national and local economy and a number of pessimistic economic forecasts over the short to medium term are all recorded as contributing factors," he said.

Professor Stanley McGreal, lead researcher at the university, said: "This latest survey has mixed messages regarding the health of the Northern Ireland housing market - transaction levels are high suggesting a strong market in the second quarter of 2017, however, this optimism is not reflected in average prices which are generally more subdued."

But estate agent John Minnis, whose practice sells homes around NI with a focus on north Down and east Belfast, said: "On a quarterly basis a fall in house prices of 1.1% is not great, when you consider the global and local political uncertainty over Brexit, the general elections and the lack of a Stormont government.

"People may allow themselves to be affected by it all but ultimately, they still have to move house because their families are growing, or for whatever reasons."

Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland housing bulletin from the Department for Communities has shown a year-on-year increase of 16.2% in the number of new dwelling starts to 1,883 over the first quarter.

But the number of new dwellings completed was down 1.1% year-on-year to 1,482.

And there were 5,242 households who told the department they were homeless, up 34.7% on the previous quarter.
Mr Kipling is among the brands for Premier Foods

Mr Kipling's cake firm Premier Foods has appointed former Travelodge chairman Keith Hamill as its new chairman.

Mr Hamill, who was also previously chairman of Tullett Prebon, Moss Bros, Collins Stewart, Go and Avant Homes, will join the company on November 9, replacing current chairman David Beever.

He is also a former finance director of WH Smith and currently serves as non-executive director of easyJet and Samsonite.

Ian Krieger, senior independent non-executive director of Premier Foods, said: "Keith's background in consumer facing businesses in addition to his breadth of experience as a chairman and non-executive director will be invaluable as we continue to focus on our strategic objectives."

Mr Hamill added that he is looking forward to joining the company and "working with the team to deliver value from its great portfolio of brands".

Mr Beever, who is leaving after nine years, wished his successor well, adding: "Premier Foods is well positioned for future growth."

The London-listed firm, which also owns a raft of other household brands including Oxo, Ambrosia and Batchelors, has had a rocky ride over the past year, as it battled with surging commodity costs as well as the collapse in the pound.

In January, the group warned over profits and said it plans to slash costs throughout its supply chain.

Last month, it reported a dip in first quarter revenues after a combination of warm weather and lacklustre dessert sales dragged on its performance.

The appointment of Mr Hamill also comes a year after Premier Foods rejected takeover advances from US group McCormick.

In July, McCormick turned its focus to household goods giant Reckitt Benckiser, which agreed to sell its food business to the American firm for 3.2 billion.
Thomas Galbato was employed as a part-time community liaison for Assemblyman Gary Finch, but that role didn't prevent him from spending winters in Florida.

Florida property records, state Assembly documents obtained by The Citizen and conversations with four people familiar with Galbato's living arrangements reveal he spent several winters in Florida while remaining on Finch's payroll.

Finch, R-Springport, hired Galbato in January 2002. In previous interviews with The Citizen, Finch said Galbato, 81, was a part-time driver and photographer. Information uncovered about the job has raised questions about the Assembly's employment policies and what  if any  accountability measures are in place.

Galbato deferred to Finch regarding a story about the job that The Citizen published in June. He could not be reached for comment for this article.

'He was a snowbird'

For more than 20 years, Galbato owned property in Florida. In 1992, he paid $39,500 for a three-bedroom ranch at 5915 Deleon Ave. in Fort Pierce, a city in St. Lucie County.

Claude Burke, who lives near Galbato's now-former home in Fort Pierce, said he and his wife knew the Owasco businessman for nearly a decade and he was a dinner guest at their home "a couple times."

"He was a winter guy. He was a snowbird," Burke recalled. "He'd come down for a few months out of the year."

When Galbato was in Fort Pierce, Burke said he would spend much of the time working on his house. With the house empty for most of the year, some improvements or repairs were necessary.

"He'd stay busy," Burke added.

The neighbors became friends. Burke said he and his wife visited Galbato in Owasco and remembered the restaurant, Tom Thumb Drive-In, that Galbato owns and operates.

Galbato sold the Fort Pierce house for $58,500 in September 2013, according to St. Lucie County property records. The sale followed the purchase months earlier of his new Florida residence: a condominium in West Palm Beach.

Palm Beach County property records show Galbato bought the two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo for $45,000 in March 2013.

Carol Castro, a resident of the same condominium complex, said she saw Galbato at the facility during the winter months.

"He was a snowbird," she said.

Galbato transferred ownership of the condo in early 2016.

After The Citizen published its initial story on Galbato's work for Finch, two sources who requested anonymity contacted the newspaper to say that the Owasco businessman lived in Florida during the winter.

The details of Galbato's time in Florida aren't limited to property records. The Orlando Sentinel published a story on April 3, 2005 about the rebuilding effort after multiple hurricanes. A photo that accompanied the story showed a man standing on a boardwalk in Vero Beach, Florida.

The caption of the photo identifies the man as "winter resident Tom Galbato."

Paid leave

As a state legislative employee, Galbato's salary ranged from $5,000 a year in 2002 to $8,851 in 2017. In 2016, his last full year of employment, his personnel records indicate his annual salary was $8,213.

Along with a modest salary, Galbato received benefits. He's enrolled in the Empire Plan, a health insurance program for state employees. He's also eligible for a state pension.

Another benefit he utilized was paid time off. The Citizen obtained his Assembly timebanks  documents showing how much leave time he accrued and used  through a Freedom of Information request.

From January 2002 to July 2017, Galbato used 750 hours of vacation leave, 211 hours of sick leave and 34 hours of personal leave  most of which was used within the last six years. As a part-time employee who reported working three days a week, the paid leave he received equated to at least 165 work days.

Galbato accrued significant chunks of paid leave during his tenure with Finch. In 2012, his timebank listed him having 581.82 hours of available sick leave and 281.75 hours of available vacation time. He used 144 hours of vacation time that year.

Whether Galbato used vacation hours during his time in Florida is not clear. Timesheets The Citizen obtained from 2010 to 2017 showed him logging a combination of regular and paid leave hours during the months of October to April.

He also utilized paid leave when he corrected a time sheet he submitted for the two-week period beginning May 4. Finch told The Citizen in early June that Galbato suffered a heart attack on May 14  Mother's Day  and was out of work. But Galbato's time sheet showed he reported working six-hour shifts on May 15, May 16 and May 17.

The correction form he submitted two days after The Citizen's initial story was published changed the 18 hours he worked from "legislative duties" to "sick time taken."

Galbato's status as a paid aide for Finch has raised questions about the Assembly's employment policies. Kerri Biche, a spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, said each Assembly member is "responsible for staff employment decisions within his or her own office."

Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause/NY, said jobs like Galbato's are a "classic way" for political connections to be paid.

"The problem is that the Legislature exempts itself from so many things that ordinary businesses have to comply with," Lerner said. "Nevertheless, it's never a good policy to have an employee for whom there are no employment terms."

She added later, "The real question is are there any rules in play here at all?"

The end

Galbato is no longer on Finch's payroll.

The state comptroller's office said Galbato, who was employed as Finch's community liaison for 15 years, retired effective July 14. As a member of the state retirement system, he is eligible to receive a pension. The comptroller's office said his benefit calculation may take months to complete.

Galbato's final time sheets, which were obtained by The Citizen through a Freedom of Information request, show he used the remainder of his vacation time before retiring. He used 36 hours of vacation time for the biweekly pay period from June 29 through July 12. He used six hours of vacation leave on July 13  the first day of the new pay period and his last as a state government employee.

At the beginning of 2017, Galbato had 187 hours of vacation leave available. He used a bulk of that time  114 hours  from June 1 through July 13.

Galbato had a significant amount of sick leave, according to his timebank. At the start of the year, he had 606.87 hours of sick time. When he retired, he had 577.87 hours of sick leave. His timebank notes that a negative adjustment of 577.87 hours was made after his retirement.

According to the Assembly's rules and procedures for sick leave, Galbato can apply that remaining total to his health insurance premiums or retirement service credits.

In prior interviews with The Citizen, Finch discussed Galbato's impending retirement. The friendship between the two dates back to when they were members of the now-defunct Auburn Jaycees. After Galbato's heart attack on May 14, Finch conceded that the health issues may prevent his longtime employee from continuing his work.

"He's a valued employee but deserves his retirement," he said in June.

Finch couldn't be reached for comment on this story. Dan LaFave, a spokesman for the assemblyman, acknowledged Galbato's retirement in a statement to The Citizen.

"Tom retired for health reasons and at least as of yesterday, it's a personnel matter on which the assemblyman wouldn't have further comment," he said.
Actor and rapper Will Smith was the first celebrity to join James Corden for Carpool Karaoke: The Series.

The popular segment from Corden's The Late, Late Show released its first episode in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air star joined the UK presenter as they drove around Los Angeles while listening and singing to Smith's back catalogue.

During the episode Smith revealed that he only pretended to recognise Corden during their first meeting.

Corden said he felt he could count Smith among his fans after their first encounter at an awards ceremony, but the Hollywood star said it had been a sham.

Smith, 48, said: "It was the first time we met. We talked and it was, 'Ah man you know it's great, I love what you do'... we did all of that.

"I didn't really know you then. I had to look you up after."

Corden, laughing, said: "I remember it so clearly. I think I even text a friend of mine and I was like, 'Dude, Will Smith is so into me - it's incredible'."

The episode saw the pair take to the air in a helicopter before Smith supposedly abandoned Corden on top of the US Bank skyscraper in Los Angeles.

They also rapped along to Smith's musical hits, including The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air theme and Gettin' Jiggy Wit It.

Smith mocked Corden, 38, after the Briton said he had a "rap troupe" at school, and his pseudonym was "Chub Nasty".

Corden is an executive producer on the show and will appear in some of the episodes.

Miley Cyrus, John Legend and Ariana Grande are among the stars who will feature in the online show.
Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The Bonfire in the New Lodge area on North Belfast.

The Bonfire in the New Lodge area on North Belfast.

Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Belfast City Council's policy on removing material from bonfires lies in tatters after the contractor employed withdrew its services following violence in nationalist areas.

An internal City Hall email, seen by this newspaper, reveals fears that council vehicles would be hijacked by youths angry that pallets had been lifted from nationalist bonfires.

In the document, the council admits it is "no longer in a position to assist with the removal of any bonfire as the contractor has withdrawn, citing increasing tensions and significant health and safety concerns".

It says that "council officers are also not in a position to directly involve themselves in the removal of any bonfire material".

The council's decision will be seen as a massive climbdown on the issue.

Just last week, it voted to give its officers the power to order the removal of bonfire material from public and private land in Belfast. The move was supported by Sinn Fein, the SDLP and Alliance but opposed by unionist councillors.

The decision was seen as setting a precedent for lifting material from loyalist bonfires next year.

Read More

But sources said that if the council couldn't deal with the response from "a relatively small number of nationalist youths", it was unlikely to be able to implement the policy with far bigger Eleventh Night bonfires in 2018.

A council-employed contractor removed bonfire material from Divis and the Markets areas on Monday morning but this led to violence in several nationalist areas across the city.

Growing concern for the safety of staff resulted in City Hall ordering employees to remove their cars from a city centre car park and advising them not to use the exit in the Markets area where there have been serious disturbances.

The dramatic step was taken to close community centres in three nationalist areas last night amid fears that they would be attacked.

The details of the emergency response to the situation on the ground was contained in an email to councillors from City Hall's director of city and neighbourhood services, former PSNI Belfast commander Nigel Grimshaw.

Some youths in nationalist areas reacted violently to the move on their bonfires, claiming it was unfair that they were targeted while the council hadn't taken practical action against loyalist bonfires last month.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close The damage caused to the old Credit Union building by arson attacks over the past two nights Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The damage caused to the old Credit Union building by arson attacks over the past two nights The damage caused to the old Credit Union building by arson attacks over the past two nights A masked rioter armed with an iron bar taunts onlookers and the PSNI Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A car is left burning after it was set alight during a riot Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

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Whatsapp The damage caused to the old Credit Union building by arson attacks over the past two nights

Mr Grimshaw revealed that a planned cleansing operation in the New Lodge area yesterday had to be cancelled as the contractor "withdrew their services, citing increasing tensions and significant health and safety concerns".

He said that the local authority "has been made aware of unsubstantiated speculation in relation to the potential for a council vehicle to be hijacked".

Two council vehicles were stoned by youths in west Belfast yesterday.

The windscreen of one was broken and the driver sustained a minor head cut from broken glass.

In his email, Mr Grimshaw disclosed that community centres in the New Lodge, Markets, and Divis areas were closed yesterday evening as was a council car park near the city centre.

The situation regarding the closures is to be reassessed today.

The correspondence continued: "There may be some minor impacts to cleansing and parks services but efforts are being made to ensure they are kept to a minimum, whilst taking in to account our obligations to staff health and safety."

Mr Grimshaw said that while police had no knowledge of a specific threat against council officers, they are "aware of tensions".

The situation is "being monitored on an ongoing basis and staff health and safety remains our focus".

He added: "Relevant service managers and staff - particularly in liveried vans - have been updated on tensions throughout the day and vigilance in carrying out duties has been advised."

In a separate correspondence, the closure of the main car park used by council staff was ordered by City Hall.

The gates of the Raphael Street car park in the Markets area were shut at 4.30pm.

Employees were told not to use the Stewart Street exit in the Markets "but instead turn left out of the car park on to Cromac Street".

A spokeswoman for Belfast City Council last night confirmed the stoning of two council vehicles in west Belfast and the closure of the three community centres but made no comment on the contractor's withdrawal from removing bonfire material or on the details of Mr Grimshaw's email.
Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets area of Belfast after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Divis area of Belfast as the Credit Union is set alight after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 7th August 2017 General view of the Credit Union office building in the Divis area of the Lower Falls, west Belfast this evening after Nationalist youths set fire to it during disturbances in Northern Ireland. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

Trouble erupts in the Divis area of Belfast as the Credit Union is set alight after bonfire material was removed on August 7th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Trouble erupts in the Markets and Divis areas of Belfast [Photos] Close

A car was set on fire in north Belfast on Tuesday night near a bonfire beside the New Lodge flats.

North Queen Street was closed to traffic but police said it has reopened and is now "passable with care".

Extra patrols have been put in place across Belfast after the removal of wood from a bonfire site in the Markets area near the city centre by Belfast City Council-hired contractors triggered disorder on Monday.

A derelict credit union and cars were set alight during the violent scenes which saw cars belonging to commuters set alight and officers targeted by a petrol bomb, bricks and bottles.

PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton said: "These were largely young people involved in causing destruction and mayhem in their own communities.

"There is absolutely no excuse, no justification for the burning of cars and the causing of destruction in people's own communities - it just doesn't make sense at any level."

Mr Hamilton said children as young as 12 were involved and that arrests would follow.

"People engaged in this are responsible for their actions but parents have a responsibility too in all of this", he said.

Bonfires were lit in some nationalist areas on Tuesday night to mark the anniversary of the introduction of the controversial state policy of internment without trial.

Tensions have been raised in some loyalist and nationalist areas in Belfast this summer amid efforts by the council to take action against a number of unregulated fires.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Bonfire in the New Lodge area on North Belfast. Pacemaker The Bonfire in the New Lodge area on North Belfast. Pacemaker Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

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Whatsapp Divis as Anti-Internment bonfires are lit on August 8th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill has denied her party's drive within the council to take action against dangerous bonfires - a proposal to allow the seizure of material was cleared last week - had stirred tensions among the young people who build them.

"The community don't want to see that action and it is the action of a small number of people," she said.

"It is not something the community want to be involved with, it is not something that is a wider problem.

"I believe that it is time for strong political leadership. Sinn Fein have not been found wanting in that regard, particularly in the last number of days.

"Tackling these issues is a policing issue on one hand, but it is also a political problem on the other hand."
A DUP councillor has gone further than any other politician in the party on gay rights by voicing direct support for the Belfast Pride parade.

Tom Smith also backed the PSNI taking part in the demonstration, saying he is glad the "persecution and abuse" of gay people is coming to an end.

The member of Ards and North Down Borough Council went further than South Belfast MP Emma Little-Pengelly, who sent best wishes to constituents celebrating on Saturday, but didn't directly mention Pride.

Mr Smith yesterday tweeted: "For the record, I have absolutely no problem with Belfast Pride or PSNI taking part - we must end hatred!"

In another tweet, he said: "There is nothing wrong with being gay/transgender. We are all different thank goodness."

The DUP councillor also revealed that he "had friends who, because of persecution and abuse they would face, did not come out as gay - glad that's changing".

Responding to a story about TUV leader Jim Allister opposing uniformed police officers marching in the Belfast parade, Mr Smith used the hashtag #BelfastPride. He tweeted: "Regardless of views on SSM (same-sex marriage), many LGBT suffer hate crime and PSNI showing this is wrong and offering support - no problem with this."

Mr Smith was not available for interview yesterday and the DUP declined to comment on the matter.

Council colleagues described him as "an absolute gentleman" and "very liberal and compassionate" on a range of issues including gay rights.

Divisions in the DUP over the issue are becoming increasingly evident.

Veteran politician Jim Wells MLA quit the National Trust last weekend over its support for gay rights.

However, party colleague Emma Little-Pengelly voiced apparent support for Saturday's demonstration, without mentioning the march by name.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the organisers of Belfast Pride stopped a woman from carrying an anti-DUP sign at the parade.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Members of the PSNI and the Garda join thousands of people as they take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Christian protestors outside Belfast City Hall as thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Christian protestors outside Belfast City Hall as thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Members of the PSNI and the Garda join thousands of people as they take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Members of the PSNI and the Garda join thousands of people as they take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Members of the PSNI and the Garda join thousands of people as they take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Christian protestors outside Belfast City Hall as thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 ITV's Frank Mitchell and Julian Simmons join thousands of people in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 ITV's Frank Mitchell and Julian Simmons join thousands of people in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 ITV's Marc Mallett joins thousands of people in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Members of the PSNI and the Garda join thousands of people as they take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Raymond Sewell as Cruella De Vil pictured at the start of the parade. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Raymond Sewell as Cruella De Vil pictured at the start of the parade. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Belfast Azlans rugby team pictured at the start of the parade. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar pictured at the beginning of the parade. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar pictured at the beginning of the parade. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, rounds off his visit to Northern Ireland by attending the Pride breakfast in Belfast by meeting PSNI and Garda officers. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 5th August 2017 Thousands of people take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Jonathan Porter / Press Eye. / Facebook

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Whatsapp Members of the PSNI and the Garda join thousands of people as they take part in the annual Belfast Pride event in Belfast city centre celebrating Northern Ireland's LGBT community. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

Eleanor Evans told Pink News that an official at the demonstration told her that if she didn't discard her 'F*** the DUP' sign, she couldn't continue marching.

The organisers believed that her placard breached the Parades Commission's guidelines on "using words or behaviour considered sectarian, abusive, insulting or lewd".

Ms Evans told Pink News: "(A Pride official came) running towards me with such a strange sense of urgency, as if I was holding a gun or something.

"He started saying 'You can't have that sign, you can't have it'. And I was sort of like 'Why? What's going on?'"

A banner with the same slogan was carried at last month's London Pride parade.

Ms Evans complained about the Belfast organisers' response, but they strongly defended their actions.

Meanwhile, the Chief Constable yesterday defended the decision to let uniformed officers march in Pride, but acknowledged it had caused "offence in some quarters".

"People will make their own judgment on the rights and wrongs. We want to show support for that marginalised community who under-report hate crime," said George Hamilton.

"We think that was appreciated by that community, but we may have caused offence in other places, and policing is a balancing act - it's not an easy decision to come to."
A West Belfast Festival event focusing on how Protestants would be accommodated in a united Ireland has come in for criticism for its exclusively nationalist panel.

Former Labour Senator Mairia Cahill questioned why no unionist or loyalist voices were heard on the Feile an Phobail panel at the Imagining a New Ireland event at St Mary's University College last night.

The event was chaired by Andree Murphy, deputy director of Relatives for Justice and the panel was formed of SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, Sinn Fein's northern leader Michelle O'Neill and Fianna Fail Senator Mark Daly.

Ms Cahill, who is from west Belfast, said it was a strange panel make-up. "I think it would be more useful to have a debate in this context which examines all of the difficulties the unionist community face with this issue," she said.

"There is no point in talking about what can be done to make people feel more comfortable with an issue if you don't include their voices from the outset.

"It would be interesting to see if that invite was extended for this debate, and if not, why not."

Last night, DUP Lagan Valley MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said talk of a united Ireland is neither here nor there, as unionists have no desire to give up their British identities.

"In fairness, the West Belfast Festival had invited the DUP to come to a number of events and I'm not sure whether they were invited to this one or not," he said. "I think that any consultations that need to be had, will be had around the political table.

"While events of this nature are interesting for some, they do tend to be a little bit academic in nature and culminate in one side talking to itself, rather than the kind of proper cross-community engagement we need in a neutral environment to accommodate the dialogue and a better understanding of the needs of both side of the community here. In the end we are unionists and we have no desire to give up our British citizenship, so talk of a united Ireland is neither here nor there."

Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn said it would be a better discussion if unionists were involved.

"If they are talking about a post-Brexit all-island solution, unionism must have an input. I see Alliance isn't there either," he added.

A festival spokesman was unable to say if any unionist speakers had been invited to take part in the panel or not.

"To focus on one event in a programme where all voices including many unionist voices on this subject are being heard seems wilfully disingenuous," he said.

"Feile is a platform for all voices to be heard and no discussion is off the table. There are many other events on this very subject where exclusively unionist voices are heard. It's surprising [Ms Cahill] didn't bother to look at the rest of the programme where there are lots of unionists talking and taking part."
Michelle O'Neill and Arlene Foster wait to sign the book of condolence after the death of Martin McGuinness

Northern Ireland's two largest parties both have female leaders for the first time in history - but any hopes of sisterhood across the sectarian divide have mostly been in vain.

To date, images of Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neil standing awkwardly together have rarely suggested warmth, and the leadership of both women has seen them preside over Stormont stalemate this year.

Most famously, the DUP leader became embroiled in a sexism row this year when she characterised Ms O'Neill in an interview as "blonde". Mrs O'Neill retorted that there could be no place for sexism in public life.

This followed Mrs O'Neill's combative start as Sinn Fein's Stormont leader, just as the 'cash for ash' scandal hit fever pitch, where she immediately demanded Mrs Foster should step down.

Compared to the famous 'Chuckle Brothers' image cultivated by the Iate Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, for many it was impossible to even imagine Mrs Foster and Mrs O'Neill sharing a joke let alone a joint political office.

Despite the tetchiness and barbs, an unexpected olive branch between the two at Martin McGuinness' funeral briefly hinted at the potential for mutual respect.

Mrs Foster's very presence at a former IRA commander's funeral was significant, given that her own father had survived an IRA murder bid. After being applauded on her way into church, an appreciative Mrs O'Neill returned the gesture by reaching out for a spontaneous handshake.

Smiles also emerged when the two women met then US president Barack Obama in 2013 before the G8 summit here - although that was long before both women became party leaders.
The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Carl Frampton as the funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place and as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Carl Frampton as the funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place and as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Carl Frampton as the funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place and as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Carl Frampton as the funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place and as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Batman consoles Spiderman as the funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place and as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Batman consoles Spiderman as the funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place and as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Carl Frampton as the funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place and as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Captain America consoles Leonardo as the funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place and as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Batman consoles Spiderman as the funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place and as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The funeral has been held for little east Belfast boy Jayden Morrow who sadly lost his battle against cancer.

The six-year-old died from the rare form of cancer rhabdomyosarcoma on Saturday. Jayden was diagnosed with the condition that develops tumours in the back, head and chest area, when he was just 18 months old. The aggressive form of cancer affects around 60 children in the UK each year.

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The boy's funeral took place at Willowfield Parish Church on Wednesday. Scores of mourners dressed as superheroes in a fitting send-off for the little boy. Champion boxer Carl Frampton, who met young Jayden, was among those to pay their respects.

His devastated parents Maggie McCullough and Ian Morrow, and brother Jaxson, announced the news in a statement over the weekend.

It read: "It is with the heaviest heart Maggie, Ian and Jaxson would like to inform you their wonderful son and brother, Jayden, passed away peacefully this morning.

"Jayden spoke earlier about the superheroes and the baddies, and said the beautiful words 'I love you mummy'. These will most certainly be precious moments for Maggie and Ian throughout their hard days.

"Jayden has touched the hearts of many people who will all be devastated by this news but can I ask you all to respect the wishes of Maggie and Ian as the family home is private.

"Thank you so much to each and everyone of you who supported Maggie and Ian, who gave them precious memories to cherish forever and who held Jayden and his family in their prayers.

"Your kindness means so much to the family and gives them strength to get through the days ahead. To our darling wee Jayden, fly high little man, you will live on in our hearts forever."

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Messages of support and condolences flooded in to the family following his passing.

For most of his short life Jayden endured gruelling chemotherapy and radiation treatments at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

But hope was renewed when tests showed last year that his body was finally cancer-free, prompting his parents to agree to a break in treatment to allow Jayden to live a normal childhood.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Carl Frampton as the funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place and as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

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Whatsapp The funeral of Jayden Morrow takes place as Super Heroes gather at Willowfield Church in Belfast on August 9th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

However, the good news lasted only seven weeks and Jayden underwent more scans which showed the cancer had returned.

His family resolved to make the most of every precious minute to create happy memories for Jayden.

With help from his parents and charity Angel Wishes, Jayden, a fan of superheroes, drafted his bucket list. It included meeting Batman, Spider-Man and the Ninja Turtles. He also fulfilled his dream of meeting Belfast boxer Carl Frampton, as well as taking flight in a helicopter.
A 20-member team from New York has returned from a two-week stint fighting the Sunrise Fire in the Lolo National Forest in Montana, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation employees and volunteers departed New York July 24 and returned Tuesday. When the crew first arrived, there were 80 firefighters and other personnel battling the blaze. As the fire spread, the large firefighting team expanded to more than 500 people.

The New York firefighters created control lines to contain the wildfire and cleared materials from the fire's path, according to Cuomo's office. They also protected 81 homes that were near the fire.

The fire is only 15 percent contained and could burn until late September.

Cuomo has sent another firefighting crew to Montana to assist with the wildfire containment effort. The team could be sent to other western states as needed.

"As we welcome home the brave men and women who have been battling these wildfires, we give our best wishes to the second crew on their way to continue our efforts to help protect and preserve communities out west," Cuomo said. "New Yorkers are proud to lend a hand to neighbors in need, and I commend our courageous volunteers and forest rangers for stepping up and helping to save lives and natural resources on the West Coast."

New York has dispatched firefighting crews to help extinguish western wildfires since 1979. The state has sent at least one crew annually to fight the spread of wildfires.

The New York firefighting teams' personnel and travel expenses are either paid by the U.S. Forest Service or reimbursed to the state.
A Labour MP who was instrumental in securing free abortions for women from Northern Ireland travelling to England has defended herself after critics accused her of political cynicism.

Stella Creasy was given a police escort to a discussion on abortion held at the West Belfast Festival, which was picketed by anti-abortionists.

In June, Ms Creasy's surprise amendment to the Queen's Speech led to funded abortions in England for women from Northern Ireland.

Following the proposed amendment, the Government immediately announced a policy change and found funding for the policy.

The move meant the DUP wouldn't have to vote against the Conservative programme for government - thus saving the DUP-Tory deal.

Yesterday, Ms Creasy joined a panel of other abortion campaigners at the Time For Change event. The Labour MP said she got involved in the London Irish abortion rights campaign after meeting women from the group within her constituency.

Speaking in response to Dr Aaron Edwards, an academic and historian who accused the Labour MP in this newspaper of engaging in "cynical political posturing", she said: "I had been asking and trying to meet with (Secretary of State) James Brokenshire for some time about this, then the general election got in the way and then they did this deal with the DUP, and the Government said that social issues weren't part of the deal.

"For me social issues are an absolute integral part of a better future for everyone.

"People will look at it and say this was about scoring points but the reverse is true - it's about why we are all here, why does it matter to get re-elected, why does it matter to be championing causes."

She went on to criticise the Department of Health here for its failure to update abortion guidelines for health professionals.

She told the discussion group she was "horrified" by the department's response and claimed that people in Northern Ireland want to see a change in its abortion laws.

"When a community and a parliament is out of sync with one another that's not democratic," she added.

"What we have done in the UK Parliament is not the solution but it's a step forward. The question is, how do we get to a solution for that disjunction between where people are now and what the politicians are offering?"

The Labour MP was given a police escort from the Falls Library after anti-abortion group Precious Life held a protest.

A spokeswoman for the group said: "If we want a society of equality, choice can't take priority over life."
A chef from Co Armagh was "caught red-handed" with 700,000 (633,000) worth of heroin at Dublin Airport after he flew in from Spain, a court has heard

A chef from Co Armagh was "caught red-handed" with 700,000 (633,000) worth of heroin at Dublin Airport after he flew in from Spain, a court has heard.

Father-of-four Alan Maginn (40), whose address was given as Drumhillery Road, Keady, but who has been living in Malaga in Spain with his family, was denied bail after a judge held that he is a serious flight risk.

He is charged with possessing heroin for the purpose of sale or supply on July 19 this year at a car park at the airport.

Objecting to bail, Detective Garda Chris Elliot told Judge Kathryn Hutton at Cloverhill District Court that it was the State's case that Maginn was caught red-handed in a car with a controlled drug worth 700,000.

He said the accused arrived on a flight from Malaga and was due to make a return trip with Aer Lingus four hours later. Detective Elliot told the court the man had an "extensive flight history this year between Dublin and Malaga".

He agreed with the defence that the accused has offered an address in the State where he could stay if granted bail.

However, Detective Elliot learned that the property is up for sale and the defendant would have to move out once it is sold. He said the accused has resided in Spain for three and a half years and his other address is at Drumhillery Road in Keady.

He also accepted Maginn had no previous convictions or a history of bench warrants.

A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions but forensic reports are awaited and that will take four weeks, Detective Elliot said.

It was fairly certain that a book of evidence would be prepared and that the case would go to a different court, he continued.

He also gave evidence that it was his belief the accused was a flight risk.

Roisin Maginn travelled to Dublin for the bail hearing and the defence barrister said she intends to remain here pending her husband's trial.

The defence proposed that he could reside at the address provided and be ordered to obey a curfew. However, the detective pointed out that this would not stop the accused leaving the jurisdiction.

Mrs Maginn told the court that when she works at the restaurant her husband minds their children. He is a qualified chef and helps in their restaurant when she is at home, she said.

The defence also pointed out that Mr Maginn has surrendered his passport and argued that it would therefore be difficult for him to flee the jurisdiction. His wife would also surrender her son's passport, the barrister said.

Judge Hutton noted Mrs Maginn relies heavily on her husband, and one of their children has a condition that requires a good deal of care. However, refusing bail she found that the accused was within the ambit of the principles of the O'Callaghan Rules and he was a serious flight risk.

She remanded him in custody to appear again on a date in September.
The Education Act of 1947 brought many changes to classrooms in NI

Seventy years ago, the Stormont Parliament passed into law an Education Act that was to have far-reaching consequences for the whole community in Northern Ireland.

The Act was the unionist government's version of the Butler Act of 1944 in England and Wales and the Education (Scotland) Act of 1945 and was similarly designed to increase educational opportunities at secondary and higher levels.

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Like the other Acts, the 1947 legislation was of a piece with the social reform ethos of the times and the determination to build a more just society out of the trauma of war.

The significance of the Act today might lie in how it relates to the conventional narrative of unionist rule in Northern Ireland.

The 1947 Act, in effect, subverts that narrative: it was socially progressive, fair and beneficial to the Catholic minority.

It is often remarked that the leaders of the civil rights movement in the 1960s - such as John Hume, Austin Currie and Bernadette Devlin - formed a new generation of political activists who had taken the opportunities of higher-level, university education.

It was, indeed, the discrepancy between such social improvements and the remaining petty, discriminatory and hide-bound attitudes and actions of unionists in control of some local authorities that strengthened the case for equal rights and opportunities for all citizens in whatever part of the UK they happened to reside.

The Act was not pushed through without difficulty or controversy. There was fierce Orange Order and populist Protestant opposition to the Act's provisions to increase funding to the Catholic school sector (notwithstanding the Catholic Church's refusal to allow state representation on the governing boards of their schools) and the Act's outlawing of compulsory Bible-teaching in the non-denominational schools which were, in practice, attended almost exclusively by Protestants.

Again, the history of the 1947 legislation is notably at odds with the dominant narrative of a unionist government pandering to its extremist supporters.

The protests of the critics were faced down by Prime Minister Basil Brooke (later Lord Brookeborough) and his government, in spite of certain cabinet ministers being less than happy.

Although it is true that the Education Minister responsible for piloting the Bill through, Samuel Hall-Thompson, was forced to resign two years later, the provisions of the Act were not watered down, far less reversed.

It is also worth noting that the school-leaving age was officially raised to 15 by Hall-Thompson's successor, Harry Midgley, a former leader of the Northern Ireland Labour Party.

Midgley's decision to join the Unionist Party in 1947 was based on his belief that the UUP under Brooke was committed to the new welfare state and the concept of a more socially egalitarian UK.

Brooke is a figure much traduced in broad-brush accounts of the political history of Northern Ireland.

It might be said that his long premiership was very much a 'game of two halves'.

During the first decade - 1943 to 1953 - there were substantial achievements, many of them of a socially progressive kind.

Besides the Education Act, there was the setting-up of a Housing Trust, the cross-community achievements of which are seldom weighed in the balance against the discrimination practised by certain local councils in respect of housing allocation.

There were also advances made in the fight against tuberculosis, as well as the reproduction of the Attlee Labour government's welfare state and NHS legislation in Northern Ireland in the face of Right-wing opposition from UUP members at the grassroots.

The relative stagnation of Brooke's 'second half' - 1953 to 1963 - and his failure to get his party to appreciate the need for the kind of reforms that might have pre-empted the civil rights protests should not detract from the post-war legislative landmarks that opened up the possibility of the modernisation of Ulster Unionism.

One of the consequences of the DUP's political dominance of unionism today is the extent to which unionist history has been allowed to be forgotten or distorted. Quite simply, the DUP has never felt obliged to speak to that history, shaped as it has been by their UUP rival.

As it was being lambasted - and, indeed, misrepresented - by the British media in the course of reaching its deal with Theresa May's Government, the DUP might have had cause to reflect on the damage that the neglect of history can do.

How many of those commentators, who relished the chance the DUP gave them to paint a picture of 'Protestant Ulster' as unremittingly reactionary, knew the slightest thing about the UUP's legislative record - the positive as well as the discreditable?

More to the point, how many in the DUP itself knew?

Graham Walker is a Professor in the Centre for Irish Politics in the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics at Queen's University Belfast. This article first appeared on QPol, the 'front door' for public policy engagement at Queen's (http://qpol.qub.ac.uk/)
George Hamilton is still waiting for a new independent Historical Investigations Unit to be created

Northern Ireland's police chief has expressed frustration at a political stalemate over introducing new mechanisms to deal with the legacy of the Troubles.

George Hamilton said he aired his feelings during a meeting with Sinn Fein at Stormont.

During the exchanges the republican party challenged the chief constable on his efforts to clamp down on the violence and criminality of the UDA, and also on the PSNI's failure to complete a probe into the historic activities of the UVF's notorious Glenanne gang.

After the meeting, Mr Hamilton stressed a new independent Historical Investigations Unit, as outlined in the 2014 Stormont House Agreement, has still not be created due to the wider political impasse at Stormont.

He said: "I was able to share my concern and indeed my frustration at the political stalemate that means that we haven't got the Stormont House institutions up and running.

"I want to see the Historical Investigations Unit established, I've been a long time advocate and supporter of that. Whatever help we can bring to the table around professional policing advice to that we will do that.

"We recognise the need for independence around these legacy investigations and whatever we can do to assist with that then we are happy to work with Sinn Fein and the other political parties to that end."

During the discussions inside Stormont Castle, Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill highlighted the recent court judgment that criticised the PSNI for a failure to conduct an overarching examination of the extent of alleged state collusion with the Glenanne gang.

The gang was a unit of the UVF that counted renegade police and Army personnel among its members. It was responsible for around 130 murders in the 1970s and 1980s.

Outside Stormont Castle, Mrs O'Neill said: "We need to see action from the PSNI because clearly the fact that over 130 people lost their lives at the hands of the Glenanne gang means the PSNI need to do their job in terms of bringing together all the evidence that's there, not just in individual cases but looking at it in terms of the whole picture."

Sinn Fein called for the meeting in the wake of the UDA murder of Colin Horner in Bangor in May.

Mr Horner, 35, was shot dead by a lone gunman moments after he had put his three-year-old son in the back of his car. The murder has been linked to a feud among loyalist rivals.

He was a friend of fellow loyalist George Gilmore, who was shot dead in Carrickfergus in March.

Mrs O'Neill said more action against the terror group was needed, adding: "They are holding communities to ransom, particularly around racketeering, drugs and extortion."

Mr Hamilton said he provided Sinn Fein assurances over the level of resources it was committing to combating the UDA.

Sinn Fein also raised concerns about hate crime incidents around loyalist 'Eleventh night' bonfires in July, where effigies and posters of the party's politicians, including a coffin with a picture of the late Martin McGuinness's face, were attached to the fires.

Mr Hamilton described the incidents as "disgraceful and despicable" but said officers faced challenges in identifying those responsible.
The twin brother of a murder victim in Lurgan questioned by police investigating the killing has been released.

Police arrested the 45-year-old, believed to be from Lithuania, after his twin brother's body was discovered in a Lurgan apartment block on Sunday.

Police were called to the scene on Victoria Street at around 2.15pm. The man has not been named and no details of his injuries have been released.

Police were given additional time to question the 45-year-old man. He was released in the early hours of Wednesday morning on police bail pending further enquiries.

The PSNI has appealed for any information in relation to the new investigation, asking the public to call detectives in Lurgan on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 769 of August 6, 2017.
George Gilmore's death is believed to be related to a loyalist feud

Two people have been arrested in connection with the murder of loyalist George Gilmore.

Mr Gilmore, 44, was killed in March as part of a feud involving the UDA.

He was driving in his car in Carrickfergus when he was shot in the neck.

He died the following day in hospital.

A 37-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman were detained in Carrickfergus on Wednesday morning.

They have been taken to Musgrave police station in Belfast for questioning.

Two men have already been charged with Mr Gilmore's murder.

Two months after his death, Mr Gilmore's friend and fellow loyalist Colin Horner, 35, was shot dead in a supermarket car park in Bangor, a crime also blamed on the UDA.
The Bonfire in the New Lodge area on North Belfast.

The Bonfire in the New Lodge area on North Belfast.

The UUP has hit out at bonfire builders in the New Lodge area of Belfast after an election poster of former South Antrim MP Danny Kinahan was placed on the pyre.

The party said that it was "disturbing" and there was "no place for such hatred in Northern Ireland".

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Bonfires lit to mark the anniversary of the introduction of internment in 1971 have sparked disturbances in the city over the past number of days, with cars being burnt out and a derelict Credit Union building being set alight in the city.

This trouble followed after the removal of material from bonfires by council employees.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Kinahan said that he did not wish to comment on the issue.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticized a joint U.S.-Canada board for reducing Lake Ontario outflows as high water levels continue to affect communities along the lake and St. Lawrence River.

The International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board announced Tuesday that outflows will decrease from 367,300 to 349,970 cubic feet per second. The board first mentioned the decrease in an update that was distributed to media outlets Friday.

The decision to reduce outflows comes as lake levels have decreased by a foot from its peak in late May. But Cuomo believes the board is favoring shipping interests over residents who live along the lake and river.

"Water levels remain at historic highs and it is senseless to reduce outflows at this time," he said. "This decision must be immediately reversed to protect our residents, businesses and communities along the shoreline."

Cuomo has repeatedly criticized the International Joint Commission's handling of Lake Ontario flooding. When the board initially decided to increase outflows on a temporary basis, he called it insufficient.

In July, he urged President Donald Trump to replace the U.S. appointees who serve on the commission with individuals who have knowledge of the Great Lakes.

The commission not only oversees Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River, but other shared waterways between the U.S. and Canada.

Cuomo has criticized the commission for Plan 2014, a water level management plan for Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River that was adopted in December 2016. Some elected officials in New York have blamed Plan 2014 for the flooding. The commission has attributed the high water levels to record rainfall across the Northeast.

As high water levels continue along the lake, Cuomo has extended a 5 mph speed limit for vessels traveling within 600 feet of the shoreline. The speed limit will be in effect until Sept. 2.
Gardai searched a number of properties in the Dublin area

A man arrested under terror legislation on suspicion of possessing fraudulent documents has been released pending a report to prosecutors.

The man, in his 40s, was detained in Dublin on Tuesday.

Gardai from the Special Detective Unit in conjunction with the London Metropolitan Police searched a number of properties in the Dublin area on Tuesday.

The man was held at a Garda station in the north of Dublin under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 for an offence under Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Act 2015.

He has been released without charge

A Garda spokesman said: "A file will now be prepared for the information of the Director of Public Prosecutions."
Some eggs have been subject to contamination (PA)

Dutch authorities knew as far back as November that some eggs in the country were contaminated with an insecticide and they failed to notify their European partners at the time, Belgiums agriculture minister has said.

Dozens of producers in Belgium and the Netherlands are being investigated for eggs containing Fipronil, which is dangerous to human health.

Britain, France, Sweden and Switzerland have also been warned to keep an eye out for tainted eggs.

Belgium signalled on July 20 that it had found contamination.

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Agriculture Minister Denis Ducarme said Belgiums food safety agency has official documents that indicated the presence of Fipronil in Dutch eggs as early as the end of November 2016.

Mr Ducarme told Belgian politicians there was concern over that lack of official communication from the Netherlands.

He said he wrote to his Dutch counterpart for an explanation, and also spoke to the European Commissions agriculture commissioner, who seemed to already have this information.

Mr Ducarme also said that food safety controls have been boosted after contaminated eggs were discovered in Belgium last month.

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Almost all eggs tested in Belgium have been found to contain very low levels of the insecticide.

One company tested on July 18 was found to have Fipronil levels well below the European limit. But the company demanded a second opinion, and the second test was above the maximum permitted.

The company has been quarantined since July 18, Mr Ducarme said.

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It is believed that Fipronil got into the food chain when it was illegally added to a product used to treat poultry for lice and ticks.

An investigation is under way in Belgium and the Netherlands
In some places 20 to 30 millimetres of rain is predicted to fall within two or three hours (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Heavy rain has brought localised flooding to a stretch of the east coast of England, and further severe downpours are expected.

Flash flooding in a number of towns and villages in East Yorkshire and North East Lincolnshire included scenes of 3ft (1m) deep standing water in parts of Withernsea and numerous incidents across the Grimsby and Immingham areas.

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Humberside Fire and Rescue Service said it responded to numerous calls on Tuesday evening from the Bridlington area down to Hull and towns south of the Humber.

Social media users posted pictures of stranded cars on the road into Flamborough, and Melanie Onn, Labour MP for Great Grimsby, shared pictures on Twitter of the waterlogged roads, adding that some were like a river and that the water was over my ankles.

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With forecasts that up to 3.2in (80mm) of rain could fall across parts of the country over the next 24 hours, the Met Office has warned that more flooding of homes and businesses is possible.

A yellow weather warning for rain has been issued for parts of the UK, including the East Midlands, West Midlands, London, East Anglia and the South East.

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In some places 0.8in (20mm) to 1.2in (30mm) is predicted to fall within two or three hours.

An area of heavy rain will sink slowly southwards across the east and south east of England during Wednesday, said the Met Office.

Some transport routes may be affected by localised flooding, leading to longer journey times.

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In addition, flooding of homes and businesses is possible. The heaviest of the rain should gradually become confined to the extreme south east of the UK later in the day.

The Environment Agency has issued a flood warning for the River Leen in Nottinghamshire, meaning flooding is expected.

Several flood alerts have also been issued  meaning flooding is possible  for areas including around the North Sea coast at Scarborough.

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The warnings come three weeks after heavy rain lashed the country and led to flash flooding in the coastal village of Coverack.

Fifty properties were affected and several people had to be rescued from their homes from the village in Cornwall.
Tensions between North Korea and the United States have reached a dramatic high, with talk of nuclear weapons flying back-and-forth between Pyongyang and the White House.

Heres everything you need to know about how the story has unfolded so far.

What started the latest tensions?

Expand Close The North Korean regime launched two Hwasong-14 missiles in July (PA Graphics/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook

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Diplomatic scuffles with North Korea are nothing new.

While the communist nation has been known to verbally tussle with the United States, the south-east Asian country has stepped up the intensity of its threats in recent weeks following declarations that it is now able to strike US soil.

On July 28, Japan announced that North Korea had fired what appeared to be an Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with the capability to reach major US cities.

It was the second such launch of an ICBM in a month, following a similar exercise on July 4.

A combination of analysis from America, South Korea and Japan showed the missile had flown for around 45 minutes, reaching a height of around 2,300 miles and a distance of 621 miles, with a location in Mupyong-ni, near the Chinese border, as the likely launch site.

Had the missile flown on a flatter trajectory, it would have been able to reach major US cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago.

How did the world react?

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The launches were roundly condemned by the United States, Japan, South Korea and North Koreas usual ally, China, which has remained keen to diffuse the escalating tensions.

The US drafted a resolution at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), requiring a ban on North Korean exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood, worth over $1 billion USD (770 million)  amounting to a third of North Koreas annual export revenue.

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The sanctions were unanimously passed in a 15-0 vote on August 5, prompting a furious response from Pyongyang.

The country has been subject to other sanctions since 2006 over its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes.

A nuclear turning point

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North Korea promised to exact a thousand-fold revenge on the United States for initiating the sanctions at the UNSC, and described the restrictions as a violent violation of our sovereignty.

A day later, on August 8, a report in the Washington Post revealed details from a confidential US intelligence assessment, in which analysts concluded that North Korea had successfully produced a miniaturised nuclear warhead, capable of fitting inside missiles.

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The development marked a key threshold in its journey to becoming a fully fledged nuclear power  an aim it has doggedly pursued in an attempt to rival its arch-enemy, the United States.

Some estimates now place the number of nuclear warheads held by North Korea to be as many as 60, although other independent experts believe the figure is much lower, at under 10.

Preparing for fire and fury?

Donald Trump stepped-up the ferocity of his condemnation against the communist regime and its leader, Kim Jong-un on Tuesday, threatening to unleash fire and fury like the world has never seen if the North persisted with its combative rhetoric and nuclear arms programmes.

The comments were later contextualised by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who said the president was addressing Kim in language that he would understand, since he doesnt seem to understand diplomatic language.

Despite stating that there was no imminent threat to the United States, North Korea declared that it was considering a possible strike on the US territory of Guam, around 3,400 kilometres (2,112 miles) off the North Korean mainland.

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Experts have now warned that a military clash between North Korea and the United States could quickly escalate into a major conflict with a devastating loss of life.

Cristina Varriale, a research analyst at the Royal United Services Institute military think tank, said: Tensions have increased significantly and we have seen the military option elevated.

I dont necessarily think that equates to nuclear war being imminent but the option of that being likely does seem to have increased  especially over the past weeks.
The vehicle appeared to clearly target the soldiers but the motive is unclear, officials have said.

A French soldier patrols near the scene where French soldiers were hit and injured by a vehicle in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret near Paris.

French soldiers stand near the scene where French soldiers were hit and injured by a vehicle in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret near Paris.

French police officers work near the scene where French soldiers were hit and injured by a vehicle in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret near Paris, France.

TOPSHOT - Officials and rescuers gather near vehicles after a car slammed into soldiers on patrol in Levallois-Perret, outside Paris on August 9, 2017 injuring six, two of them seriously, police in the French capital said.

A French soldier is silhouetted between police cars near the scene where French soldiers were hit and injured by a vehicle in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret near Paris.

French Police work on the scene where French soldiers were hit and injured by a vehicle in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret near Paris.

Armed French police officers stand at the entrance of the Begin Military Teaching Hospital in Saint-Mande, outside Paris, on August 9, 2017, where the French soldiers injured earlier in the morning in Levallois-Perret are being treated.

French security forces and emergency vehicles surround a car, foreground centre in front of the 2 vans, on a highway between Boulogne-sur-Mer and Calais in northern France that authorities say was used in an attack on soldiers near Paris

TOPSHOT - Police officers gather around a damaged BMW car with a broken windscreen, after the police arrested a suspect on the A16 motorway, near Marquise, northern France, on The servicemen were hit by a BMW which drove down a quiet street in the upmarket western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret. Police later gave chase to the vehicle on a motorway north of Paris, and shot and wounded the suspect, a man aged in his late 30s who was also arrested

French police and emergency workers intervene on the site after the police arrested a suspect on the A16 motorway, near Marquise, northern France, on August 9, 2017. Police gave chase to the vehicle on a motorway north of Paris.

French police have arrested a man, believed to be the driver of a BMW that rammed into a group of soldiers on patrol.

Six people were injured when the vehicle slammed into soldiers guarding a Paris suburb, French police said.

An official has said the man was wounded in a gunfight during his capture. No other information about the suspect or his condition has been released.

The mayor of the area said it was "without doubt a deliberate act".

He said a vehicle had been waiting by the road for the soldiers to emerge as they came on duty.

"It was a BMW which accelerated very quickly the moment they came out."

A resident in a nearby block of flats, Jean-Claude Veillant, told BBC reporters he saw part of the attack.

"I heard a loud noise, the sound of scraping metal. Shortly after, I saw one of the badly wounded lying in front of the Vigipirate [army patrol] vehicle and another one behind it receiving treatment," he said.

"The vehicle appeared to clearly target the soldiers but the motive is unclear," the spokesman added.

"Two people were seriously injured and four others were less badly hurt," he said.

It has been reported the injured soldiers are being treated at the Percy military hospital in Clamart, but their precise condition has not been made public.

French counter-terrorism prosecutors have opened an investigation aimed at pursuing perpetrators on charges of attempted murder of security forces in connection with a terrorist enterprise, the Paris prosecutors office said.

This move means authorities believe the attack was deliberate and planned with a terrorist motive.

French President Emmanuel Macron is holding a previously scheduled top-level security meeting.

The incident is the latest in a series targeting security forces in France guarding sites after a string of deadly attacks.
Pakistan's deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif has launched two days of rallies in a move aimed at demonstrating his political strength, making stops from the capital Islamabad to his home town of Lahore.

Ignoring security threats, Mr Sharif plans to spend at least two nights along Grand Trunk Road, the main road from Islamabad to Lahore, during his first public appearances since July 28, when the Supreme Court disqualified him from serving for concealing his assets.

Current prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a legislator from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League party - who replaced Mr Sharif days after his removal from office - hugged the three-time premier as he boarded a vehicle with supporters.

Asif Kirmani, a legislator from Mr Sharif's party, said vehicles carrying supporters will pass along Islamabad's key road before entering the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi. From there the rally will continue on the main road to Lahore.

The rally comes a day after Mr Sharif said he was determined to go to his home despite Monday's truck bombing in Lahore, in which two people were killed.

Former information minister Pervaiz Rashid and leaders from Mr Sharif's party were seen in his car as he started his journey amid claims from opponents that his political career ended after his disqualification by the court.

Mr Sharif insists his removal from office does not mean the end of his future in politics. He plans to file a review petition in an effort to get his disqualification reversed.

He says he wants to start a debate in parliament and among the public to discuss why no elected prime minister has completed their full term in Pakistan, which has been ruled by army generals for more than half of its 70-year history.

Mr Sharif has a history of rocky relations with the military, but since his removal he has exercised restraint in commenting on civil-military relations.

Last month's removal of Mr Sharif briefly plunged Pakistan into political turmoil but parliament later elected Mr Abbasi as the country's new prime minister.

Mr Sharif's party initially wanted Mr Abbasi to serve as an interim premier for 45 days until Mr Sharif's younger brother Shahbaz, the chief minister of Punjab, secures a national assembly seat in a by-election.

But now Mr Sharif says his party will not replace Mr Abbasi with his brother.

Under Pakistan's laws, Mr Sharif cannot lead his party because of his disqualification and he is expected to give this position to his brother this week.

The rally comes a day after firebrand opposition cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri returned home from abroad amid pending court cases against him in Pakistan. He wants justice for eight of his supporters killed in anti-government rallies in 2014.

Mr Qadri has asked his supporters to wait for his call for holding a rally on Grand Trunk Road.

AP
Game of Thrones scripts are thought to be among a fresh cache of stolen files from HBO which were posted online.

Hackers are demanding a multi million-dollar ransom to halt the release of the entire series, which is filmed in Northern Ireland, and other sensitive files.

HBO, which had previously acknowledged the theft of "proprietary information", said it was continuing to investigate and was working with police and cyber security experts.

In a five-minute video from 'Mr Smith' to HBO chief executive Richard Plepler included in the 'dump', the hackers used white text scrolling on a black background to deliver an ultimatum - pay up within three days or see the group, which claims to have stolen 1.5 terabytes of HBO shows and confidential corporate data, upload entire series and sensitive proprietary files.

Specifically, the hackers demanded "our six-month salary in bitcoin" and claimed they earned 9m to 11.5m a year from blackmailing organisations.
The U.S. Senate passed legislation to reauthorize two key federal grant programs that have benefited central New York fire departments.

The bill would extend the Assistance to Firefighters Grants and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant programs, which are administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, through the 2023 fiscal year. The Senate passed the measure Aug. 2.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand highlighted the legislation's benefits during visits to Ithaca and Norwich Tuesday. She cosponsored the measure in the Senate.

"This bill will ensure the continuation of vitally important federal funds that our first responders rely on for the training, equipment and staffing they need to do their jobs safely and effectively," she said.

Many New York fire departments have received grants through the Assistance to Firefighters or Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response programs. Over the last two years, the Ithaca Fire Department has received more than $1 million in federal grants.

Other central New York fire departments have received aid through the programs. In 2014, the Auburn Fire Department was awarded a $735,000 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant after initially being rejected. The funding allowed the department to hire six additional firefighters.

This year, at least two Cayuga County fire departments have received Assistance to Firefighters grants. The Throop Fire Department secured an $88,752 grant to buy new self-contained breathing apparatus units. The Locke Fire Department was awarded $120,000 to purchase 21 new air packs and 21 spare bottles.

Ithaca Fire Chief Tom Parsons said his department received an Assistance to Firefighters grant to help buy new radios and breathing equipment. The agency also received a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant to support four additional firefighters over the next two years.

"We have received overwhelming support from our congressional representatives with our applications for these funds," Parsons said. "Senator Gillibrand has been a strong advocate for our department and all the departments in our region who have received these most valuable grants and we are truly thankful for her support."

With the Senate's passage of the bill, it will head to the House of Representatives for consideration. It must be approved by the House before it heads to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature.
A Facebook photograph of an atheist gathering has caused an uproar in Malaysia, with one official suggesting that the people pictured should be tracked down to fix their faith if they are Muslim.

The Malaysian government has also ordered an investigation following a meeting of the local chapter of the Canada-based nonprofit Atheist Republic in Kuala Lumpur last week, during which the group posted a photo on social media of people smiling, with their arms in the air.

Shahidan Kassim, a senior official in the Prime Minister's Department, on Tuesday called on the public to help locate the group members, so that action could be taken.

"I would like to propose that we go all out to hunt them, he said, without elaborating. Help us to identify these groups.

"Secondly, we need to bring them back and fix their faith if they are Muslims," he was quoted as saying in a MalaysiaKini report Tuesday.

Shahidan also called on religious groups and muftis to "educate" Muslims who have decided to choose atheism.

Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor, a mufti from the northern state of Penang, criticized the ministers statement, saying Islamic authorities should have approached the matter more gently.

I disagree. If one starts to be rude, the reaction would indeed be harsh. When they use such words, people would then misunderstand the word of God, Wan Salim told BenarNews. They will call Islam a violent and cruel religion.

Other legal experts agreed.

"It is an uncalled-for remark, exaggerated and can alarm the public unnecessarily, Eric Paulsen, executive director of Lawyers for Liberty, told BenarNews.

Belief in God

Malaysia is home to about 19.5 million Muslims who make up more than 60 percent of its population. Buddhists, Hindus and Christians live side by side with Muslims. Religion is considered a sensitive issue in multi-ethnic Malaysia.

On Monday, Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, deputy minister in charge of Islamic affairs, said he had instructed officials from the governments religious department to investigate the Atheist Republics local chapter to find out if Muslims participated in the photographed event.

If it is proven that there are Muslims involved in atheist activities that could affect their faith, the state Islamic religious departments or Jawi could take action, he was quoted by the Malay Mail Online as saying on Sunday. I have asked for Jawi to look into this grave allegation.

While apostasy is not a federal crime in Malaysia, religious scholars have expressed concerns about deepening fundamentalism within the nation of more than 31 million people.

Malaysia does not allow Muslims to formally renounce Islam and those who have tried have found themselves going through lengthy, unsuccessful court proceedings.

Armin Navabi, founder of Atheist Republic, complained in Facebook posts on Wednesday that members of the groups Malaysian chapter did not harm anyone and do not deserve to be investigated.

The group has more than a million followers, with chapters called consulates in every country, including the Philippines, Armin said.

"Targeting atheists will ruin the so-called moderate image, Malaysia thinks it has. Well, not anymore, he said, confirming that several members in Malaysia had been questioned by authorities.

"We are also in search of lawyers in Kuala Lumpur that would be willing to help them out pro bono, he said.

Authorities should provide counseling to atheists, instead of lambasting them on social media, said Zaim Azizi, a religion teacher at a local university.

From an Islamic point of view, they have gone astray from their belief, but the current law on such issues has not been strong enough, he told BenarNews.

Wan Salim, the mufti, called on Malaysian authorities and Muslim preachers to approach the issue carefully.

We are learned people. We should preach the religion in a more scholarly fashion, he said. Islam is a beautiful and simple religion.

Fairuz Mazlan in Penang, Malaysia contributed to this report.
As Congress drafts tax reform legislation, a Republican advocacy group has launched a $2.5 million national television ad campaign in support of changes to the tax code.

The ad will air in 24 congressional districts across the country, including two in New York  the 22nd and 24th districts represented by U.S. Reps. Claudia Tenney and John Katko, both Republicans.

The American Action Network's ad features Albert, a former metal worker from Ohio who blames the existing tax code for job losses and the inability of some American companies to compete in the global market.

Corry Bliss, executive director of the American Action Network, urged Congress to act on tax reform legislation.

"We are committed to standing up for Americans who have been left behind by our broken tax code, and sharing real stories to raise awareness on how jobs have fled to countries like China," Bliss said.

Tax reform is a top priority for President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. Trump, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recently announced an agreement on principles that would guide tax reform discussions.

Katko, R-Camillus, and Tenney, R-New Hartford, have indicated that they support tax reform.

In an interview last week, Katko said tax reform can boost economic growth and provide relief to workers.

"I really believe that if we do that, jobs will start coming back to New York state," he said.

Congressional leaders hope to have tax reform finalized by the end of the year.
A Philippine worker helps prepare bodies recovered from the Marawi war zone for a mass burial at the Maqbarah Muslim cemetery in Papandayan village, July 24, 2017.

Updated at 9:26 p.m. ET on 2017-08-09

Vicious fighting in the southern Philippine city of Marawi entered its 79th day with the death toll topping 700, as government troops kept battling on Wednesday to push out Islamic State-backed militants, officials said.

As of Tuesday evening (local time), 122 troops had been reported killed along with 539 Abu Sayyaf and Maute gunmen since hostilities broke out on May 23, military spokeswoman Capt. Jo-an Petinglay said.

Forty-five civilians had also died, while more than 1,700 others were rescued from the battle zone. But the gunmen could still be holding up to 70 hostages, she said.

Fighting continues in about a square kilometer general area where the terrorists are currently holed up, Petinglay told reporters as sporadic bursts of gunfire could be heard in the distance.

Four civilians who claimed to have escaped from the fighters were picked up by troops on Aug. 4 near a lakeside area, Petinglay said.

The civilians were from the city of Zamboanga, about 272 km (169 miles) southwest of Marawi. They were still being questioned by the military about how they ended up in the Marawi area, so far from home.

Their families in Zamboanga City coordinated with the Philippine Navy. There was a close coordination made by the wife of one of the civilians to our Navy in Zamboanga and eventually coordination with the units under us, Petinglay said.

On guidance [from] our troops, they swam the lake to reach the nearest Army troops waiting for them, she added.

Petinglay said the rescued civilians appeared healthy and unharmed, although traumatized by their ordeal. They were brought to an army base for medical attention.

Paraffin test

Their debriefing included a paraffin test to determine whether they had fired a gun, according to Petinglay. It was not immediately clear why the rescued men had to undergo this test, considering that the military had said that they were former hostages.

At the same time, Petinglay said, a blue armored vehicle with the word DASIA printed in front, was recovered by soldiers last week in one of the structures being cleared in the main battle area.

A vehicle of a similar make had been commandeered when the gunmen took over the city, and was used to protect rebel fighters mobilized against the government.

A propaganda photograph that appeared on the Internet showed a van of the same make carrying Abdullah Maute, one of the leaders of the rebel. A black Islamic State (IS) flag could be seen fluttering from its front.

The vehicle was retrieved in a building used by the gunmen as a temporary storage area where their wounded were taken. Inside the structure was a tunnel where, according to the military, the enemy fighters had hidden food supplies and weapons.

Guns

Meanwhile, International Alert Philippines, a non-governmental organization, called on President Rodrigo Duterte to begin a nationwide capture, inventory and immediate destruction of illegal guns, starting in Mindanao.

Duterte placed the entire southern region under military rule in a bid to quell the fighting in Marawi. But he has failed to quickly contain the fighting, citing superior firepower by the rebels.

Duterte has been forced to accept help from the United States and Australia, which are providing intelligence back up to the troops. Neighbors Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia have also offered counter-terrorism help, saying they fear the spread of IS in the region.

Statistics from International Alert reveal that in 2014, there were an estimated 3.9 firearms in the hands of the public, about half of which were illegal. In contrast, it said the armed forces as well as the police form possess less than a million guns.

Martial law presents a unique window of opportunity to get rid of illegal guns and reduce the possibility of these being recycled within the shadow economy, said International Alert consultant Ed Quitoriano.

The weapons to be collected from Marawi and other areas in Mindanao should be transferred to a central storage, and immediately destroyed, he said.

State forces are clearly outgunned, Quitoriano said. The sheer number of illicit weapons poses a serious challenge to the governments monopoly of the use of force to protect its citizens. This is a problem that can no longer be ignored.

Armored military vehicles arrive at the port of Iligan City to reinforce troops fighting Islamic State-linked militants in nearby Marawi, Aug. 2, 2017. [Richel V. Umel/BenarNews]

An earlier version gave wrong information about where four civilians who claimed to have escaped from IS fighters were found.
Thai journalist Pravit Rojanaphruk flashes a V-sign as he stands with his mouth taped outside a military base in Bangkok where he had been summoned by the junta, May 25, 2014.

A Thai court Wednesday sentenced a man to 20 years in prison for posting content online deemed as insulting the monarchy, his lawyer said, in the latest case of a person convicted of breaching Thailands strict royal defamation law.

The defendant, a 59-year-old herb salesman identified by his lawyer only as Tara, was found guilty by a military court for re-posting on his website audio files of recorded comments by critic of the monarchy, the attorney said. The website promotes herbal medicines.

Taras conviction under the so-called Lese-Majeste law came the same day that rights and free-press advocacy groups criticized the filing of sedition charges against a Thai journalist and two prominent political critics for Facebook posts that allegedly criticized the military government.

Tara was convicted of six counts of Lese-Majeste. He was sentenced to five years for each count. Since he pleaded guilty, the jail term was reduced to 20 years, lawyer Sasinan Thamnitinan told BenarNews.

He was a medical herb seller and never got involved in politics, she said.

Since the junta came to power after a military coup three years ago, at least 82 people have been charged under Lese-Majeste and at least 64 others have been charged for seditious speech, according to iLaw, a local legal advocacy group.

One count of Lese-Majeste carries a sentence of up to 15 years, while a person convicted of one count of sedition can go to prison for seven years. But it is common for Thai courts to reduce sentences if the defendant pleads guilty to the charges.

In June, a Bangkok military court handed the longest recorded Lese-Majeste prison sentence, ordering a Thai man to serve 35 years for Facebook postings that officials had considered as offensive to the monarchy. The original sentence was 70 years.

Calls for charges to be dropped

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned charges of sedition brought against Pravit Rojanaphruk, a journalist at the online news website Khaosod English, Pichai Naripthaphan, a former energy minister, and Watana Muangsook, a former social development and human security minister.

The Thai juntas dictatorial reach has expanded well beyond traditional sources to social media like Facebook, said Brad Adams, HRWs Asia director. These dubious charges for peaceful Facebook commentary should be dropped immediately.

On Tuesday, police charged Pravit with sedition and violating the countrys Computer Crimes Act after he posted comments on his Facebook page criticizing military rule and the juntas slow response to recent flooding in northeastern provinces, HRW said.

Last week, police also charged former government ministers Pichai and Watana, accusing them of committing sedition and computer crimes for their Facebook commentary about Thailands political and economic problems under Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha.

I am keeping my fingers crossed, given the complex legal situation, Pravit said on his Facebook page after he was fingerprinted at the police headquarters on Tuesday.

In 2015, Pravit was summoned by Thai authorities for an attitude adjustment detention session for speaking out against the May 2014 military coup in Facebook posts.

Members of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance also protested the new charges brought against their colleague, Pravit.

Pravits posts are well within his right to express his opinion as a journalist and as a Thai citizen to criticize the government, the alliance said Wednesday in a statement urging the authorities to drop the charges that encourage further self-censorship among the Thai journalist community.
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BELMONT UNIVERSITY

 Kaitlin Hlywa, an Auburn native, traveled to Brazil and Argentina this summer as part of Belmont University's largest group of student travelers in university history. With more than 650 students participating in 34 programs, including Maymester trips, students will spend time in Greece, Brazil, England, France, Switzerland and Haiti, among many other locations.

PHILADELPHIA COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE

 Alex Tabone, of Auburn, was awarded a Master of Science degree in physician assistant studies. He is the son of Louis and Christina Tabone and the brother of Jordan Tabone, of Auburn. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in respiratory care from Upstate Medical University in 2015.

SUNY CORTLAND

President's list

 Giorgi Ervolina, of Owasco, majoring in adolescent English education

WELLS COLLEGE

Dean's list

 Rachel Cleere, of Seneca Falls, class of 2018, is majoring in film and media studies and is a graduate of Mynderse Academy.

 Michael Donovan, of Auburn, class of 2019, is majoring in physics and is a graduate of Auburn High School.

 Joseph Dyson, of Auburn, class of 2019, is majoring in biology and is a graduate of Auburn High School.

 Robyn Fordyce, of Port Byron, class of 2019, is majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing and is a graduate of Dana L. West High School.

 Tyler Francis, of Auburn, class of 2017, majored in computer science and is a graduate of Auburn High School.

 Eric Hartmann, of Auburn, class of 2018, is majoring in physics and is a graduate of Auburn High School.

 Alexas McBride, of Auburn, class of 2018, is majoring in psychology and is a graduate of Dana L. West High School.

 Andrew Zellers, of Seneca Falls, class of 2017, majored in English with a concentration in creative writing and is a graduate of Mynderse Academy.
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AUBURN  Jarrel Whiten said he doesn't completely recall raping a woman in March, but he doesn't dispute that it happened.

According to the Auburn Police Department, on March 15, officers responded to a domestic incident at 5 McMaster St. Upon further investigation, police found a woman had been strangled and raped at the residence, where Whiten lived.

Whiten, 24, was initially charged with first-degree rape, second-degree strangulation, third-degree menacing and two counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief. However, on Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to strangulation and third-degree rape, both felonies, in full satisfaction of the charges.

During his plea, Whiten told Judge Mark Fandrich that he suffered from blackouts and mental illness, so he could not completely remember what happened the day of the crime. But, he said, he believed the victim's account.

"It is true that I obstructed the victim's breathing due to anger issues," Whiten said. "From what I can recall ... I had sexual intercourse with the victim while she was unconscious."

Whiten could face up to seven years in prison. However, Fandrich said he will likely sentence Whiten to one year in Cayuga County Jail, which was amenable to the victim.

Meanwhile, Whiten was remanded to jail without bail. His sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 10.

Also in court:

 Two Auburn men were sentenced to prison Tuesday for selling narcotics in Cayuga County.

First, 19-year-old Treaver Myers was sentenced to two years in prison and two years post-release supervision. Myers, of 61 E. Genesee St. Apt. 3, had pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance for selling cocaine in November 2016.

Then, in a separate matter, 37-year-old Joseph Daniels was sentenced to three years in prison and two years post-release supervision. Daniels, of C60 Brogan Manor, also pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance for selling narcotics in October.

Both defendants were also granted a shock camp order to allow them to receive substance abuse treatment while incarcerated. Myers was ordered to pay $145 in restitution while Daniels will have to pay $380.

 A Syracuse woman also appeared in court Tuesday for selling drugs in Auburn.

Juwanda Tyler, 32, of 249 Valley Dr., pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. During her plea, she admitted to selling cocaine in April 2016.

A second felony offender, Tyler could face up to 12 years in prison. However, Judge Fandrich agreed to sentence her to three years in prison and two years post-release supervision. In addition, he said he would consider a shock camp order.

Tyler was remanded to jail without bail. She is currently incarcerated in Onondaga County on a separate matter, but is scheduled to be release next month. From there, she will be transferred to Cayuga County Jail until her sentencing in Cayuga County Oct. 31.
For Immediate Release, August 9, 2017 Contact: Meg Townsend, (971) 717-6409, mtownsend@biologicaldiversity.org Lawsuit Targets Trump Administration's Refusal to Release National Monument Records Zinke Records, Meeting Schedule Also Kept Secret PORTLAND, Ore. The Center for Biological Diversity today sued the Trump administration for refusing to release public records about its review of national monuments and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's emails and schedule. For months, the Interior Department has failed to respond to the Center's requests for Zinke's communication records and schedule, as well as records concerning the agency's national monuments review, violating deadlines established under the Freedom of Information Act. Zinke's review of these national monuments has been a sham from the start  so it's no wonder they're keeping this process out of the public view, said Meg Townsend, open government staff attorney with the Center. Why would he hide his emails and his schedule unless he doesn't want the public to know who he's talking to? Zinke's deluded if he thinks his Roosevelt image squares with the Trump administration's sellout of our public heritage to oil, gas, mining and timber industries. Over the past century national monument designations have protected some of the country's most iconic natural and cultural landmarks. About half of the nation's national parks first received protection as national monuments, including Grand Canyon, Death Valley and Grand Teton national parks. In May the Center requested all records referencing national monument designations, including emails and other correspondence, meeting minutes, presentations, memos, and any unpublished reports or studies. FOIA requests for Zinke's records and scheduled meetings were submitted in April. Diminishing our natural heritage lands to benefit polluting industries is shameful and misguided, Townsend said. Keeping the decision-making process a secret makes it even worse. The public has a right to know how these decisions are being made and who's influencing this administration. Documents released in response to the Center's records requests will be made available to the public and the media. Download original public-records requests here.
Starting your day with a cup of mushroom coffee can give a much-needed twist to your daily regimen. Many speak of its benefits, and some even prefer it to regular coffee. But given its unique
The scientists discovered properties of the metal that allow its catalytic abilities to be accessed in living things without any side effects.

According to a recent study, tiny flecks of gold could be used in the fight against cancer.

The study was carried out in collaboration with researchers at the University of Zaragoza's Institute of Nanoscience of Aragon in Spain, with funding coming from Cancer Research UK (CRUK), and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

Minute fragments, known as gold nanoparticles, were encased in a chemical device by the research team.

While this has not yet been tested on humans, it is hoped such a device could one day be used to reduce side effects of current chemotherapy treatments by precisely targeting diseased cells without damaging healthy tissue.

Gold is a safe chemical element and has the ability to accelerate, or catalyse, chemical reactions. The scientists discovered properties of the metal that allow these catalytic abilities to be accessed in living things without any side effects.

The device was shown to be effective after being implanted in the brain of a zebrafish, suggesting it can be used in living animals.
At Kinsey Elementary School, veteran kindergarten teacher Nina Andersson and new first-grade teacher Jessica Fetsco are ready to start the new school year.

Im looking forward to getting to know my students and celebrating their successes with them, Fetsco said.

Andersson is looking forward to watching her students grow thoroughout the school year.

We call it being classroom friends, she said. I want them to know that that theyre here to have fun and learn. And its OK if theyre at a different learning level than another student. They may not be there yet, but well all get there. Were all different and thats OK.

Fetsco is one of 67 new teachers who were hired by Flagstaff Unified School District. Itll be the first year that shell have a whole classroom to herself.

Its a little nerve-wracking, she said.

But shes not too worried because shell be surrounded by veterans like Andersson, who has been teaching kindergarten at Kinsey for the last 17 years.

Andersson started working with children at a young age as a babysitter and started working in the teaching field in Sweden at age 18.

I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, she said. Although babysitting is very different from teaching.

In order to help new teachers get used to the profession, the district has a mentorship program that partners newer teachers with more experienced ones, Andersson said.

Its a great program. It really cuts down on the stress for new teachers to have someone they can talk to. I love mentoring new teachers, Andersson said. But even if we didnt have that program, the faculty at this school is really good about helping each other out. They really care deeply about the kids.

Both women said that theyve been working on their classrooms for the past several weeks. As a new teacher Fetsco had to remove some stuff from her new room, purchase supplies, decorate, figure out her room layout, decide on a seating chart and create lesson plans. She also attended professional development classes and scoured Pinterest for project and decorating ideas.

Fetsco said she resisted going into teaching for several years.

My entire family are teachers, my siblings, my parents, my uncles and aunts, she said. I wanted to be different so I went into business.

After a few years, she went back to school for a masters degree in teaching. Now shes starting her first year as full-fledged teacher.

Andersson had things a bit easier when it came to setting up her room this year because she already has a stockpile of books, supplies and decorations. But every year she has something that she tweaks in her classroom, a different seating arrangement, a different room layout or different way of teaching something.

For example, she tried out using yoga and meditation in her classroom last year and plans to continue doing it this year because it worked so well.

Teachers really work on their rooms and lesson plans year-round, Andersson said. For example, she worked on a math book over the summer and took several professional development sessions as well. She also frequently checks websites and Pinterest for ideas. This year she will be working on a year-round professional development session in science and place-based learning.

We do a lot of work from home, she said.

A lot of thought goes into what teachers put on the walls, shelves and cabinets in their classrooms, Andersson and Fetsco said.

For Andersson, play is an important part of learning for her kindergartners, as well as educational materials.

We want to give them the tools theyll need for the rest of their lives, she said. We want them to be excited to come to school. You also have to work with who you are and how you teach.

We want to make it conducive to learning, Fetsco said. And what you want yourself and the students to accomplish.

Teaching is also about finding ways to make learning and meeting state education standards fun and accessible, Fetsco said.

You have to be creative -- you could easily meet the standards with a worksheet and pencil, but why? she said.

Being creative allows students to not only to have fun, but to grasp a concept in a way that makes sense to them, she said.

Teaching today is less about rote memorization and more about understanding concepts or why something is the way it is, Andersson said. Like learning letter combinations to make certain sounds, instead of memorizing how a word is spelled.

But you have to be clear with students, here is where we are and here is where we want to be by the end of the year. And you have to reassure them that they can do and you can believe they can do it, she said.

Seeing their faces light up when they grasp a concept on their own and watching students grow throughout the year is what makes teaching so rewarding, Andersson and Fetsco said.
PHOENIX  State lawmakers have no legal right to make it a crime for medical marijuana users to possess the drug on college campuses, an attorney for a student who was arrested is arguing to the Arizona Supreme Court.

In new legal filings, Thomas Dean is urging the justices to void the conviction of Andre Maestas. He was arrested by Arizona State University campus police in 2014 when they found 0.4 of a gram of the drug in his dorm room.

Dean said the presence of the drug is not in question. In fact, it was Maestas himself who told the officers about the marijuana.

But the attorney said the 2010 initiative which legalized the possession of marijuana for medical use had only a limited number of places where people could not use the drug. That includes public schools and prisons.

That law does not, however, include university campuses. Yet lawmakers voted anyway in 2012 to extend the scope of the law.

Dean said what's wrong with that is that the initiative is subject to the constitutional Voter Protection Act. It specifically prohibits lawmakers from repealing or sharply altering anything approved at the ballot.

He acknowledged there is an exception for any change that furthers the purpose of the original law. But Dean said a plain reading of what voters approved shows that what legislators approved in 2012 does not fit within that definition.

The purpose of this act is to protect patients with debilitating medical conditions, as well as their physicians and providers, from arrest and prosecution, criminal and other penalties, Dean quoted from the 2010 law. And he said that expanding the list of places where medical marijuana is not permitted to include college campuses obviously does not further the purpose of what voters approved.

Maestas was arrested on a charge of obstructing traffic after ASU police said they found him sitting in an intersection.

When a search of his wallet turned up a medical marijuana card, Maestas admitted to having the drug in his room. That allowed police to obtain a search warrant, turning up less than 0.02 ounces, far below the 2 1/2 ounces medical marijuana users can legally possess.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Dean Fink found Maestas guilty of drug possession, fined him $1,000 and placed him on unsupervised probation. When the Court of Appeals overturned that ruling, Attorney General Mark Brnovich sought review by the state's high court.

Brnovich contends that lawmakers had no choice but to recriminalize marijuana possession on campus for medical users.

He pointed out that marijuana remains a felony under federal law. And Brnovich said federal funding for universities is contingent on compliance with federal law.

But Dean said the flaw in that argument is that federal law does not require making marijuana possession a crime.

The (federal) act simply requires that the school impose an internal disciplinary action against students or employees that discourages them from engaging in conduct that would violate the federal Controlled Substances Act, he told the justices. As long as that procedure is in place, then federal funding is secure.

And Dean pointed out that the state's three universities already have such policies in place. In fact, he said, Maestas was subject to disciplinary action by ASU for violating its code of conduct, though he did not detail what that involved.

His criminal prosecution was, therefore, completely unnecessary in order for ASU to receive federal funding, Dean told the justices.

Dean also derided Brnovich's contention that the question of whether to ban marijuana on campus, even by those who can legally use it, is a political question delegated to the legislature.

He acknowledged that courts will avoid interceding in decisions by lawmakers on what are complex matters where there are not clear and easy-to-decide standards. But Dean said that's not the case here.

The laws are quite simple, actually, he said, with the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act containing no authority for lawmakers to criminalize possession by legal users on college campuses.

The legislature ought not be permitted to 'end-run' the Voter Protection Act by simply claiming that their enactment touches on 'complicated' matters, Dean continued. He said allowing such a standard would create a huge loophole through which lawmakers could overturn anything approved by voters.

After all, matters of the state are all somewhat complicated and usually involve politics, Dean said.

Ultimately, he told the justices, they are bound to look at what is  and is not  in the law that voters crafted and approved.

If Arizona voters had intended to completely bar registered patients from possession (of) marijuana on public university campuses, they could have easily done so by using specific language to that effect, Dean said.
After Tatmadaw officials made personal assurances guaranteeing their safety, Buddhist Rakhine villagers have begun to return to Buthidaung township.

Over 600 people had fled to Zay Di Pyin Village and Khwa Sone Village after an increase in violence in the area. Eight Buddhist Mro villagers were found dead earlier this month.

On August 7, Lieutenant General Aung Kyaw Zaw, chief of the Bureau of Special Operations from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, flew to Zay Di Pyin Village to try to persuade the Rakhine residents to return.

He told them to go home since security forces have been assigned [to their areas]. The villagers told him that they will go back home if the Tatmadaw sends its troops. Since the Tatmadaw is sending troops, they agreed to return, said U Maung Aye Tin, Zay Di Pyin Village Administrator.

A total of 203 people from 72 households went back on August 7. The remaining 419 people from 62 households returned the following day.

Security forces have been deployed in northern Rakhine State and the area has been on lockdown since a Rohingya insurgent group launched a deadly attack on border guard posts killing nine officers last October. According to UN estimates, the ensuing counter-insurgency campaign led to the displacement of at least 92,000 Muslim Rohingya villagers, including around 75,000 who fled across the border to Bangladesh, bringing with them allegations of arson, murder and sexualized violence committed by the security forces.

The government has claimed that the Rohingya insurgent group is continuing to operate training camps in the Mayu Mountain range, and has pinned a series of murders on the militants, who call themselves the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. An unverified Twitter account self-described as representing ARSA, has denied that the group ever targets civilians.
The National League for Democracy (NLD) office in Kayah (Karenni) State suddenly has a windfall of new members, with over 600 people joining the party as of August 9.

Many of the new members are part of the local 88 Generation Peace and Open Society, a political organization that had discussed forming its own opposition political party.

Members said they decided to join the NLD instead in order to support the existing political infrastructure.

Kayah States NLD office held a ceremony at City Hall in Loikaw on August 9 to induct over 600 new people including those from the 88 Generation group and some members of the public.

We want to effectively work for the future of Kayah State and the political development of the country. We want to do so with a great number of forces. Thats why the majority of the members from Kayah States 88 Generation, youth from the new generation and members of the public have joined the NLD, said Ko Thet Naung Tun, an 88 Generation member from Kayah State who joined the NLD.
A man arrested by Flagstaff Police across from the Drury Inn & Suites on Milton Road was armed with an air pistol.

Police reported that the man was not using a real gun after he was arrested and tased when he repeatedly ignored police request to stand down.

Earlier reports stated that the subject was on campus with Northern Arizona University Police responding to the incident. However, NAU Police only assisted Flagstaff Police in the off-campus incident.

2:15 p.m.

An armed man sighted with a gun on the Northern Arizona Campus is in custody, according to NAU Police.

The area near the Drury Inn & Suites is safe for public use.

2 p.m.

Northern Arizona University Police are investigating man with a gun sighted near the Drury Inn & Suites on campus.

The man is a Native American male wearing a gray t-shirt and blue jeans.

Police are urging the public to avoid the area.
Activists, politicians and former political prisoners in Shan State commemorated the 29th anniversary of the student-led democratic uprising with a ceremony in the state capital yesterday, urging the government to revise the constitution and reign in the militarys control over the country.

At the gathering at the 1988 memorial monument in Taunggyis Bogyoke Aung San Park, speakers noted that the countrys democratic reforms are not yet complete, despite the advent of a popularly elected government.

Peace wont be obtained if we are unable to control the Tatmadaws authority. The 2008 Constitution must be amended to control the Tatmadaws authority. Thats why I believe we wont get peace without amending the 2008 [Constitution], said U Tin Maung Toe, a member of the 88 Uprising Anniversary Ceremony Preparatory Committee.

The 2008 Constitution guarantees the Tatmadaw a 25% share of all parliamentary seats  giving them veto power on changing the constitution  and allows the Commander-in-Chief to appoint three key ministers.

U Tin Maung Toe also recalled that 88 anniversaries were held annually in secret for many years, banned until 2012. But now that the commemorations can be held publically, he called on former political prisoners to remind the younger generation of the movements history.

The demonstrations that began on August 8, 1988, targeted economic stagnation and rising costs under the one-party dictatorship of U Ne Win. The demonstrations unseated Ne Win, but a military coup ensued, laying the groundwork for the juntas rule.

U Myo Myint, a former political prisoner and chair of the Shan State Hluttaw Complaint Scrutiny Committee, said activists are still monitoring the democratic reforms closely.

All of the democracy activists are still ready to fight if another military dictator came into power. Our strengths have not died down yet, he said.

The ruling National League for Democracy, which was birthed as part of the 88 movement, has said that peace must be a priority and changing the constitution is on the backburner until a ceasefire is signed.

Former political prisoner and lawyer Daw Khin Moe Moe warned however that fighting will not stop in Shan State until the military-drafted 2008 Constitution is amended to enshrine ethnic rights to self-determination.

Former political prisoner Ko Than Naing suggested at the Taunggyi event that August 8 be made into a public holiday, so that the 1988 uprising will never be forgotten.
https://www.facebook.com/TheAjitDoval/posts/1919539338258534

Make Tibet an independent country to guarantee India's security.

As the Doklam standoff, which has been going on for about 50 days now, refuses to die down and China's stand on the issue gets murkier, Tibetans living in exile in India are set to hold a protest rally over the issue on August 11 in New Delhi.

"Tibet's independence, India's security" is being organised by the Tibetan Youth Congress, the members of which will gather at the Ramlila Maidan on Friday and the rally will go on till the Jantar Mantar.

"We are the largest NGO in exile and are going to hold this rally to highlight that Tibet's independence is the safest guarantee for India's security and peace along the Himalayas. We believe that Tibetans must be a part of discussions concerning the borders" the Times of India quoted Tenzin Jigme, president of TYC, as saying.

The Tibetan Youth Congress, which is based in Mcleodganj in India, will also be backed by local groups in the protest rally. Additionally, confirmation regarding a few Indian leaders and local group joining the protest is likely to come soon, according to the organisation.

Speaking of the ongoing Doklam standoff, Jigme said that recognising Tibet as an illegally occupied land will work out in favour of not just Tibetans but also India in terms of security. He also explained that New Delhi must lead a coalition to pressurise China to vacate the land.
The Alzheimers caregivers' support group will meet on Monday, Aug. 28, at 6:30 p.m. in the small conference room at Jefferson Community Health & Life.

The program will include a video about "Making visits valuable (taste and pills)" by Teepa Snow.

The easiest way to access the building will be by parking on H Street and entering through the JCHC main entrance. Follow the lobby signs to Hospital. The meeting rooms will be to the left. The small conference room is the second door.

The Alzheimers caregivers' support group meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Jefferson Community Health & Life. It is designed for those who are caregivers and family members of those who have Alzheimers disease or other forms of dementia.

The group is designed to provide an opportunity for anyone interested to share their experiences with Alzheimers disease. There is no cost and no pre-registration.

For more information, contact Lana Likens at Jefferson Community Health & Life at 402-729-6855.
Local think tanks and participants at The first Israel-Botswana Innovation Hub seminar have highlighted need to establish a full database of nationally impactful innovations with potential to create short and long term employment opportunities.

The workshop held at the University of Botswana conference centre was facilitated by Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) and hosted by the Ministry of Tertiary Education Research Science Technology. BIH is charged with the responsibility of driving the national innovation agenda. Notable amongst the participants was the Minister of Tertiary Education Research Science Technology Dr Alfred Madigela, Alan Boswaen the Chief Executive officer of BIH, non- resident Ambassador to Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Gershon Kedar, and a high ranking official Anya Eldan- the vice president of Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) who heeded the appeal by her counterparts to share experiences on innovation funding.

Others were academics from the local university and high ranking officials from different ministries. BIH is strengthening its ability to implement an innovation hub. The purpose of Botswana Innovation Hub Fund (BIHF) is to (a) promote innovation through technology, product and business development in the private sector by providing cash grants to companies and organisations registered with the Botswana Innovation Hub, and universities and research organisations inside or outside the Botswana Innovation Hub, to which companies and organisations registered with the Botswana Innovation Hub may subcontract part of the research and development work. It also encourages companies and organisations registered with the Botswana Innovation Hub to transfer skills to citizen employees by providing cash grants to be utilised for institutionalised training and, or approved on the job training programmes.





Among the key issues that stakeholders mentioned for the nation to realise its aspirations of innovation were that Botswana has opportunities within its youthful population-demographic distribution to grow entrepreneurship with a technology focus. There is need for more interactive sessions between Research Science Technology and Innovation (RSTI) stakeholders to strengthen the national system of Innovation.

It was observed that there is disconnection between Centres of Excellence in Botswana which when working closely together through collaboration can nurture innovation. Lessons from the past include the failed national projects which led to a number of alternative opportunities citing the case of the Hyundai plant that operated and created much needed artisan skills but later decommissioned, with the same resources finding opportunities in the auto industry and starting their own motor workshops.

Israel advised Botswana that it needs an independent funding authority such as NRF in South Africa or the Israel Innovation Authority but should not just copy and paste as what is working for Israel and other countries may not necessarily work in Botswana.
The catchphrase in all SADC Secretariat management responses to the Auditors findings is, we have noted the observation, an independent investigation will be conducted and internal weaknesses will be addressed as would be identified.

Both the Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Tax and Acting Senior Procurement Officer, Gift Mike Gwaza claimed that everything was done in accordance with the tender documents when BG News started to expose the corruption on awarding of the tender to provide air travel and conference facilities.

They have maintained the same answer to the Board of Auditors on almost all the queries and findings of the audit. However, they promised having noted the observations, that an independent investigation will be conducted and that internal weaknesses identified will be addressed.





The records show that Gwaza in his official capacity has on many occasions taken part in recommending and approving the many tenders that are questionable. The undisputable facts provided by the Board of Auditors findings show that the internal audit is allegedly not independent as the head of internal audit and its team members were involved in the bid evaluations for the activities not relating to the internal audit.

Under the procurement and contract management, the board of auditors confirmed that a Tanzanian company -World Link Travel Tours Ltd - was favoured as the terms prescribed in the prequalification criteria ITA 5.3 (d) were flouted. The audit states that the bidder - World Link Travel Tours Ltd- who was awarded a tender to the value of USD 20 million did not meet the required criteria stipulated in the bidding of documents as the bidder did not meet the financial requirement and did not submit the tax clearance certificate before the bid was closed.

The bidding documents were signed on the contract is that the contract will be reviewed every six months. The period of the contract signed in December 2016 elapsed at the end of May.

The audit is clouded by the Secretariat management position led by Tax stating that they will ask the external tender committee to do the investigation. But the financial experts are saying management should not hide behind the innocent tender committee as the committee relies on the information provided by the Secretariat, a matter which means if the information provided to them by the Secretariat is inaccurate, then it will be difficult for the tender committee to detect it.

Worse still, amongst the weaknesses the auditors commented on is that under financial and performance management, the Secretariat did not implement proper record keeping to ensure that supporting documents for financial transactions and procurement are timely retrievable, user access management processes are inadequate, as there were weaknesses in terms of the segregation of duties on payroll and leave approval on the VIP systems.
A Beatrice business will have a new home this winter when it moves to a building being constructed in east Beatrice.

Collection Associates, currently at 115 S. Sixth St. in downtown, will relocate to a new building near 19th and Court streets.

At around 4,000 square feet, owners Andy and Jana Maschmann said the building will allow more room to grow.

We ran out of space, Andy Maschmann said of the current building. This facility has been great, but weve been looking for a little bit better function.

We just love downtown. Its busy down here and weve always enjoyed that. Our neighbors have been fantastic, but were not going to be that far. Were anxious to meet our new neighbors on the east side of town. Theres been a lot of growth over there.

Collection Associates has expanded all it can in the current building, and currently occupies what was once three separate offices.

The business has 13 workers and the new location will allow for a staff of up to 22, though there are no immediate plans to add more than two positions.

The couple has owned Collection Associates since 2004, and said 2017 also marks the 60th anniversary of the business.

Collection Associates works with a variety of clients and businesses, even in other states, to help them collect on debts.

"The collection industry as a whole, I think people forget how important it is to the credit system in the United States," Maschmann said. "They have no idea that if there was no accountability what the life would look like for an individual family."

Maschmann said each family in the U.S. saved $389 in 2013 as a result of collections, and $378 million was returned to businesses in Nebraska alone by collection agencies.

If they havent done that, it would have a huge impact. I think people forget just how impactful we are, he said. One thing I think people dont know about the collection industry is that were here to help. Dealing with delinquent accounts can be stressful, but it doesnt have to be. The most important thing consumers can do if they have a collection issue is to communicate to the collection agency. Thats the best possible outcome, when they can talk.

Maschmann said hell miss the downtown location, but is eager to move the business once construction is complete.

Beatrice has been home for Jana most of her life and Ive called it home since 1994, he said. Were just glad we can have a home office in Beatrice and add to and have an economic impact. Weve had very nice growth over the years. Its been a lot of hard work, but rewarding to see that growth.
The media can and should in certain instances be activists to fight any form of injustice or drive democracy.

This is according to Uyapo Ndadi, of Ndadi Law Firm. The Human Rights advocate was responding to statements made by the new president of Botswana Movement for Democracy Sidney Pilane who recently pointed an accusing finger at local journalists for being unethical.

Advocate Pilane accused journalists of being paid by certain politicians, specifically those from the rival faction of Ndaba Gaolathe and his team. His take is that journalists gave the Gaolathe faction positive coverage over his own that comprises Nehemiah Modubule, among others.





They are biased and they are on the payrolls of certain politicians. They are captivesand no one takes them seriously because they spread lies about me and my faction. Now is the time to answer them because I am now active, a scathing Pilane had said.

He said he had been informed that journalists are broke hence some politicians pay them to attack his camp.

Ndadi began by posting his sentiments on his Facebook page that got people debating. We are generally broke in Botswana, including journalists, but not all of us, including journalists, would sell their souls. Like in any field, including politics, there are thieves and thugs. Some have been thieves and corrupt for many years, and their deeds are also known across borders, he said.

Ndadi said in an interview with BG News that the media should be allowed to exercise its activism role. This is particularly important in countries where the civil society is relatively weak like Botswana, he said. Ndadi clearly wants journalists to stand up and tighten their activism.

There is nothing wrong with being passionate about a cause, provided that no propaganda is peddled. The beauty of being a journalist is that one gets exposure to information far better than people outside their industry. Hence their activism is bound to be more informed, which is great, he stated.

In addition, Ndadi said that media is expected to expose any wrongdoing because in doing so, the public expects them to give direction if they are able to.

That is not wrong, provided they remain objective in their pursuit of justice and enhancing democracy. Any act that is offensive to growing our democracy should be condemned by all, including the media, he said.
Newly-elected Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) President Advocate Sidney Pilane has expressed concern over the performance of opposition Members of Parliament.

According to Advocate Pilane, little is heard in terms of contribution by opposition MPs. Advocate Pilane who was speaking during his maiden press conference as the BMD leader, stated that the opposition used to be strong and vibrant in Parliament. Advocate Pilane is leading one faction of the BMD while the other is led by MP for Gaborone Bonnington South Ndaba Gaolathe.

Advocate Pilane explained that he would love to see and hear a united opposition voice in Parliament with robust debate. There used to be times when Parliament was led by opposition MPs in terms of debating issues. Currently there isnt much that we hear of our colleagues.





Unless if I do not hear properly and there isnt much reporting about your performance as opposition MPs in Parliament but you are many in numbers. Back in the days we used to have the likes of the late Dr Kenneth Koma, Maitshwarelo Dabutha and Robert Molefhabangwe who caused uproar in Parliament. They were few but their contribution used to shake Parliament, he stated.

He explained that opposition MPs should demonstrate that the UDC is an alternative government. Advocate Pilane challenged the opposition MPs to stand up and stage robust debates in Parliament so as to cause an upset on the ruling Botswana Democratic Party. He said through robust engagement by opposition MPs, people would even feel motivated to attend Parliament.

We need to see you and hear you more. Please inspire us, said Advocate Pilane who has been linked with intentions to contest for a Parliamentary seat in Gaborone North Constituency. Gaborone North is held by UDC under BMD. He has however dismissed claims that he intends to challenge area MP Haskins Nkaigwa during the BMD primary elections.

This week the BMD leader stated that he would announce when the time is right if he is contesting for any constituency or not. Gaborone North is the same constituency that rejected Advocate Pilanes membership application in 2015.

Opposition MPs have however been hailed by Leader of Opposition in Parliament Advocate Duma Boko for a sterling job. He said they have shown commitment through their questions and motions tabled in Parliament. Currently MP for Selibe Phikwe West Dithapelo Keorapetse is the only opposition MP who has tabled Private Members Bills.

Keorapetse, who is also Botswana Congress Party Publicity Secretary, has tabled Bills calling for the amendment of disciplined forces Acts (Botswana Defence Force, Botswana Police Services and Botswana Prison Services).
Task teams mandated with reviewing the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) revenue sharing formula will this month (August) resume the negotiations, which were suspended several years ago.

Ahead of SACU Council of Ministers meeting in September, the worlds oldest Customs Union has already assembled a team from individual countries to look into the sharing formula which has been a hot topic among members for more than five years. The review, sources have said, has divided the worlds biggest Customs Union, which is based in Windhoek, Namibia.

This week, Dr Taufila Nyamadzabo, finance ministrys secretary for financial and economic policy told Botswana Guardian that negotiations on the review of the sharing formula will start after it was stopped four years ago.





Once negotiations start, it will take two years before a decision can be reached, said Nyamadzabo. He was speaking on the sidelines of a Wednesday press briefing that was meant to discuss the agenda of the two-day African Caucus Meeting on World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) which ends today (Friday).

Before the meetings on the review of the sharing formula were suspended, it is understood that South Africa, Africas most advanced economy, had stopped attending for various reasons.

Nyamadzabo said the revenue sharing formula is among the key priority areas which the SACU Council of Ministers will deliberate on when they meet in Pretoria, South Africa in the coming month. SACU has in the past commissioned an Australian company, Centre for International Economics Consultants, to undertake the revenue sharing review, but it was agreed that the report was not convincing, which led to an agreement that each of the five members come up with their own proposals.

Over the years, the SACU revenue pool has contributed significantly to Botswanas national budget. According to Botswana Unified Revenue Service annual report for 2015/16, the SACU Revenue Pool stood at R88, 8 billion. From the above pool, Botswana received R20 billion, compared to R19 billion the year before, which represents an increase of 4 percent on a yearly basis.

The SACU revenue sharing formula was implemented for the first time in December 2004 to calculate 2005/06 revenue shares for Member States. In practice, Member States annual revenue shares are determined and approved by Council in December for distribution during the subsequent year.

The current revenue sharing formula has three components; namely the customs component, excise component and the development component. The customs share is allocated on the basis of each countrys share of intra-SACU imports. The excise component is allocated on the basis of each countrys share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The development component, which is fixed at 15 percent of total excise revenue, is distributed according to the inverse of each countrys GDP per capita.

The structure of the Revenue Sharing Formula is such that member states get a significant share of their revenue from the Customs component whilst South Africa gets more than 90 percent of its share from the Excise component.

The Development component, whilst meant to compensate the least developed economies, is distributed more or less in equal shares among all the Member States. The implementation of the current Revenue Sharing Formula has a number of challenges, associated with the data that informs the variables in the formula. Furthermore, the recent global financial crisis has exposed some weaknesses in the structure of the Revenue Sharing Arrangement.
It is now official; Botswana Movement for Democracy virus has spread into the opposition coalition - Umbrella for Democratic Change whose leadership appears divided over the Orange Movement.

Contracting partners of the UDC- Botswana National Front (BNF), Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) and Botswana Congress Party (BCP) this week Wednesday held a scheduled meeting at Oasis Hotel in Tlokweng to discuss among others, the problems afflicting their colleague, the BMD.

The BMD is currently paralysed after the party held parallel elective congresses in Bobonong where two different National Executive Committees were elected.





On Wednesday a fractured UDC executive committee met at Oasis to deliberate on the BMD issue. Botswana Guardian can safely confirm that BPP was not part of the meeting. Only the BCP and the BNF convened in the meeting that started at 10:30AM and was adjourned at 12:30PM.

The meeting was attended by among others BNF President Duma Boko and Secretary General Moeti Mohwasa, BCP President Dumelang Saleshando and UDCs Treasurer Dennis Alexander and Taolo Lucas who is UDCs additional member from the BCP.

According to the current UDC agreement, each party has been given one slot for an additional member to the UDC Executive Committee. It has since emerged that the BPP snubbed the meeting in support of the expelled BMD President Ndaba Gaolathe.

Gaolathe has been expelled together with his deputy Wynter Mmolotsi. According to sources, the Gaolathe faction met on Tuesday night in Gaborone at Falcon Crest and agreed with BPP to snub Wednesdays UDC meeting.

The possibility of forming a new party was discussed at the aforesaid meeting. BPP, especially its leader Motlatsi Molapisi, is a known staunch supporter of Gaolathe. It is said that at the Tuesday meeting the Gaolathe-led faction promised to work with BPP once a new party is formed. The Gaolathe faction has left three options open; going to court; wait for UDC intervention or form a new party.

The majority agreed that they should wait for the outcome of the UDC leadership but if it does not favour them then a new party should be formed. The meeting came after Gaolathe BMD NEC addressed party members this past weekend. Out of the 12 addressed regions, nine (9) called for the formation of a new party, Botswana Guardian has established.

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The Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs Edwin Batsu was expected to officially open the newly refurbished Nhabe Museum earlier this week.

The buildings and the refurbishment were fully funded by the European Union (EU) to the tune of P1million. The Nhabe Museum, one of the tourist attractions in Maun is located strategically at Mauns CBD, and prides itself for being the regions centre of arts, crafts and culture.

A press release states that the museum underwent a facelift in 2015 that included the erection of new structures. Constructed with innovation and creativity using timber and iron sheets, the new structures morphed into artists studios, offices and an auditorium/conference hall. The construction of the facilities was completed in 2016, the release says.





The new buildings house stakeholders such as the Okavango Artists Association (OAA) and the Poetavango Collective. The two organisations, as well as other stakeholders, local businesses and the general community, will benefit directly from the facilities/buildings, the release points out.

The structures and the new refurbished space in the museum are a direct result of what is possible when organisations and NGOs work in unity to achieve common goals. Since Poetavango and OAA were already working creatively together, it was easier to convince donors, through the assistance of SAREP and Travel for Impact, the release explains.

The release hopes that the shared space and resources will become a model of inspiration for more allegiances and collaborations between other NGOs. The museum is home to an assortment of artistic and cultural displays of sorts, promoting the cultural, artistic, educational and historic aspirations of all the people of Ngamiland.

For years now, says the release, the museum has become a shelter under which lovers of arts and culture meet to share, to learn, to teach and to delve in various artistic and cultural expressions. The museum welcomes all, regardless of age, tribe or nationality and encourages participation by the community in activities of self expression such as arts, crafts, dance, music drama and poetry, the release explains.

The Nhabe Museum, which opened its doors to the public in April 1996, is a Non-Government Organisation based in Maun that receives an annual grant from Ministry of Environment Natural Resource Conservation and Tourism through Department of National Museum and Monuments.
Indeed, difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations. The road from Nyingchi to Lulang town in Tibet, China is a breathtaking one; it takes you up mountains and down valleys.

Twisting between big mountains, the road may not be ideal for the fainthearted but it offers serene views of the huge mountains enveloped by clouds and fog, valleys and the thick forest covering the area.

The road takes you to the Lulang International Tourist Town which is a sight to behold in its own right. Local journalists and academics who visited China recently were introduced to this tourist attraction town rightly named, a place that will make you forget your home by the locals.





Lulang means Loong King Valley in Tibetan language, or a place that will make you forget your home. The town offers nothing but natural scenery. Forest-clad mountains, flowers and lakes; the place looks like it has been ripped right from a fairy tale book.

Visitors to the area are also treated to traditional Tibetan dance and song. Unfortunately the place for now is out of bounds for international tourists. According to officials of the Nyingchi town, which Lulang falls under needs proper road networks and the fact that not many planes land at the Nyingchi Milin Airport, makes it difficult for international tourists to travel to Lulang. The airport, which sits in a winding valley, is one of the difficult airports to land an aircraft and according to officials, currently only former army officers are able to fly to Nyingchi Airport. The municipal government is currently planning to build a tricky railway line that will link Nyingchi with Lulang.

Lulang currently attracts close to half a million local tourists a month. However, Lulang town is not the only place which caught the eye. In Beijing, the capital of China everything you have seen in most of the Jackie Chan movies rolls before your eyes. From the Jackie Chan and other Chinese movies I have always been fascinated by the Forbidden City.

The place sounded so mysterious. And it sounded and even looked more mysterious on my visit there. Forbidden City, now a museum, lies at the city centre of Beijing. It once served as the imperial palace for 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911) and during those times people were not allowed to visit the palace unless given such permission hence the name Forbidden City.

The museum attracts huge crowds of visitors a day and has an amazing history. Our tour guide was telling us that close to 10 000 people were living at the palace at the time with the Emperor. The latter, a married man, was allowed to live with any number of concubines he wished to live with at the palace. The wife though staying at the palace did not stay in the same room or house with the Emperor but only visited the Emperors bedroom when requested.

All the male workers at the Palace were castrated before being offered any job. The Emperor could not risk one of his many concubines sleeping with a worker. And just like I saw in the movies, the Emperors Palace has a big empty space where the Emperors guards would assemble and train..
Jazz lovers ate from the palm of their hands at Masa Square Hotel this past Sunday as the legendary Congolese guitarist Kapenda Katuta and his team mesmerised them at this months Jazz X Change.

The night was absolutely lit as everyone in the house enjoyed the live performance in the warm Masa Square Hotel which provided space for the dancers to express themselves. The atmosphere allowed families to attend, assured that the place would be suitable for their children in this cold. The Jazz Frica Fusion session started promptly even before the time set as almost everyone was punctual to enjoy the glamorous jazzy night.

Dressed to kill in their elegant clothes, everyone paid strict attention to the performance of the night, while responding so well to the beats. Thus, Katuta and Afro Jazz Citizens captivated the audience with their renditions. Amongst the band, another guitarist stole the night as he expressed his various dance moves as if he was boasting with his talent, while at some point he would dance alongside Kapenda with their guitars.





The night seemed to be too young for the event to finish as the band continued to have more fun and engage the audience.

The house was at awe when the band played a song with the keyboard and Kapenda imitated it through the guitar. That was level onelets go to level two, Kapenda would say while the audience gave a loud cheer, saying you go, yeay.

The performance literally confirmed that the Congolese guitarist started performing from a tender age of 14 years.

Those who always attend his shows said in confidence that he never disappoints and they will forever be thankful to Jeff Matheatau who invited the star to Botswana in 2002 to date.

He is a renowned guitarist who can fluently sing in many languages including Spanish and Brazilian among other languages.

When he performed Bosanova Katanga, everyone in the house could not contain themselves as they continuously praised the band. Not only had the locals gathered to this show, some people came from as far as Angola just to watch the show. The Angolan gentlemen Jose Daio and his friend Rufino said that they could not afford to miss the show as they are great lovers of Jazz.

We enjoy Jazz and we are enthusiasts of good music and Jazz sessions.

We do not even regret coming here because the man is exceptionally good. The team is amazing and we compare him to the likes of the Guitarist Robert Gray, said Daio.

On the other hand, Rufino pleaded that the good initiative should also be taken to other towns and not only be based in Gaborone because it is something good to share.

Founder and Executive Producer of Jazz X Change, Rahman El-Kindiy dubbed the show brilliant. He said contemporary music promotes local music scenery and applauded the band for the good work.

The event was also in a cultured venue, that is kid friendly and people always enjoy music from the eloquent environment, said El-Kindiy.

Some of the local Jazz artists that were present at the event include Baba Joe, Mike and John Selolwane to mention a few. Afro Jazz Citizens aspires to participate at Gaborone International MusicFestival.
For those who have been curious and wondering about the whereabouts of the Miss Botswana 2017 beauty pageant, fret no more.

The pageant is back and audition dates for three towns have been revealed. This coming weekend, aspiring beauty queens in Maun have the opportunity to go and try their luck. The Maun auditions were initially pencilled to take place this past weekend but were postponed after it emerged that those who might wish to participate were not given sufficient time to prepare for the big day.

The next weekend (August 12th), the scouting team will move to Francistown. And the last auditions pencilled for August 19th and 20th will take place in Gaborone. Venues for these auditions are yet to be disclosed. The reigning queen, Thata Kenosi will crown the next queen who will represent Botswana at the 67th Miss World beauty pageant slated to take place on November 18th at the Crown of Beauty Theatre, in Sanya, China PR.





The reigning Miss World, Stephanie Del Valle of Puerto Rico will crown her successor. Close to 120 queens from across the world are expected to arrive in China early November. But while some countries are already busy prepping their queens for the big stage, Botswana will only have a couple of weeks to prepare Miss Botswana for the international pageant.

The question of time and whether enough time is allocated to getting the next representative ready continues to be a hot topic. Social Media commentators took to the Miss Botswana Facebook where they raised this critical issue. For example, South Africa crowned their queen, Demi Leigh Nel Peters in March, giving her ample time to work on the important Beauty with a purpose project.

Speaking in an interview one of the organisers, Dorcus Thobega from Botswana Council of Women was confident that they had time to do all the work that goes into prepping the queen for Miss World. We are going to orientate the finalists about aspects such as grooming and everything else before the final crowning, she said.

They would have loved to start with the pageant earlier but could not do so. She highlighted that Botswana remains in a better position to reclaim her past positions at the pageant. According to one of the leading observers in the world of pageants, missosology, this year Miss World will have a new format with greater emphasis on Social media and Interactivity.

Miss World was established in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Following his death in 2000, his wife, Julia took over the chairmanship of the pageant. The pageant was originally planned as a Pageant for the Festival of Britain, says Wikipedia but grew from there.
The early 1950s provided residents of New York with ample reasons for doom and gloom, thanks to fears of an atomic attack. America paid the price for using the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, helping to end World War II, by living with the anxiety of an atomic horror on its own shores for the next forty years. Not surprising, this was the decade that the destruction of New York City began graphically appearing in motion pictures in earnest.

Below: 1950s magazines got in on the game too 

Although a great many films focused on the destruction of West Coast cities  the famous A Day Called X depicts the evacuation of Portland, Oregon  New York City also received its fair share of warning due to its size and prominence. Videos on survival and the construction of fall-out shelters, meanwhile, usually focused on the suburbs.

1. Civil Defense: NY Streets Cleared In Air Raid Drill

The citizens of New York City, a rather prime target for an atomic attack, prepare for an enemy onslaught in an orderly fashion, at least according to this video. No panics, only precision.

2. Duck And Cover

The classic duck and cover video was produced in 1951 using children from P.S. 152 (today the Gwendoline N. Alleyne School) in Woodside, Queens. Perhaps one of your parents stars in this video? The use of an animated turtle playfully hid the consequences of the bombardment of radiation and helpfully ignored how useless a maneuver like duck and cover would possibly be in such an attack.

3. Air Raid!

From the WNYC-produced film The Price of Liberty in 1952, this well-directed video is structured like a suspense film. Were in good hands, thanks to brazen voiced shrieks and some film noir shadow effects.

4. Pattern For Survival

This coolly produced film, released in October 1950, A featuredA William L. Laurence, science writer for the New York Times, in full scare mode. Although this one looks like it was filmed elsewhere (possibly Los Angeles), the animated sequence is clearly a city of the size and shape of New York. *sigh* This film came out less than a year before The Day The Earth Stood Still, embedding the ideas of non-fiction survivals into Hollywood dramas.

5. Atomic Attack

Then, if you have the stomach, theres an entire 1953 50-minute film about a suburban family who  thankfully  live just outside of New York City to survive a devastating blast from a hydrogen bomb. From the company that now provides you with cell phones!

6 He May Be A Communist

Of course, the real threat are the communists in our midst. Luckily in this video, New York proves to be stridently anti-Communist. Look theres a parade!
Two key administrators in the Nebraska state Child Welfare division have resigned, on the first day that new Children and Family Services Director Matt Wallen assumed his duties.

Spokesman Russ Reno said Vicki Maca, protection and safety deputy director for the Health and Human Services Department's division of children and family services resigned Monday and gave two weeks notice, but left Tuesday, according to an email from Wallen to stakeholders and other people in child welfare. Lindy Bryceson, field operations administrator, left immediately on Monday after resigning.

Doug Kreifels, division financial officer, will serve as interim Southeast Area child welfare administrator, according to Wallen's email.

Lynn Ayers, executive director of the Child Advocacy Center, said Sherrie Spilde, the former Southeast Service Area administrator left a couple of weeks ago.

Ayers said it appears the division is taking a new direction and were looking for new leadership.

"Those of us that work in the child welfare field (view it as) years of experience that just went out the door, and we're just concerned that the agency can stabilize and move forward," she said.

Wallen replaced Doug Weinberg as division director, effective Friday. Weinberg resigned a month ago and will return to his hope state of Indiana, Gov. Pete Ricketts said in announcing his departure.

Maca has worked with the department in several capacities since May 2005, Reno said. Bryceson has worked for the department since 1982.

A Child and Family Services review by the federal government, conducted every three years, was done this year in June, said Julie Rogers, inspector general for child welfare. But she did not know the results of the review, or if it had anything to do with Weinberg's, Maca's or Bryceson's departures.
OMAHA, Neb.  Prosecutors say they've charged a Nebraska prison inmate whose state-required DNA test links him to four rapes reported more than 10 years ago in Omaha.

Court records say a judge ordered Monday that Brandon Weathers be held for trial on four counts of forcible sexual assault  one committed in 2002 and three in 2004. His attorney didn't immediately return a call Tuesday from The Associated Press. Weathers already is serving 100 to 160 years for raping a 13-year-old child.

A June 5 court order gave officials authority to use force to obtain Weathers' sample, which he'd refused to provide despite Nebraska law requiring it. Guards held him down and took a sample from a cheek.

Authorities say the Nebraska State Patrol lab connected the sample to the four cases.
Gov. Pete Ricketts heralded the vital importance of Nebraska's trade relationship with Canada as he embarked Tuesday on a five-day trade mission to "express appreciation" for that partnership and seek new Canadian trade opportunities.

"As Nebraska's largest export market and fourth-largest agricultural export market, Canada is vitally important to the state," the governor said.

The trade mission also will "help showcase how critical NAFTA is to Nebraska and our trading partners," the governor's office stated in a news release.

Nebraska beef products are the state's No. 1 agricultural export to Canada, totaling $138.2 million in 2015. Pork exports to Canada totaled $61.3 million that year.

After threatening to withdraw the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement during his presidential campaign, President Donald Trump now is focused on amending, or "modernizing," the treaty that binds the United States, Canada and Mexico.

This trip marks Nebraska's first official trade mission to Canada.

Ricketts and other Nebraskans will meet with government, agricultural and manufacturing officials in Toronto and Ottawa.

Other officials from Nebraska include Agriculture Director Greg Ibach and Courtney Dentlinger, director of the Department of Economic Development.

"International trade and engagement is a crucial part of our state's long-term growth," Ricketts said.

"That's why my administration is continuously pursuing new strategies for expanding international markets, attracting new investment and building the state's profile internationally.

"We are committed to maintaining a competitive edge in a global economy," he said.
NEW DELHI (PTI): The Government says it is procuring for the Indian Army 1.58 lakh ballistic helmets, which are light weight and have better safety features.



"A contract for procurement of 1,58,279 ballistic helmets through capital routes has been concluded in December 2016," Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question on Tuesday.



The helmets are being manufactured by a Kanpur-based company, MKU limited, Army sources said, adding they will be light weight and have better safety features.



"There is no shortage of quality protective material for soldiers of the Indian Army fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir," Bhamre said.



Replying to another question, Bhamre said a committee headed by Lt. Gen. (retd) D B Shekatkar has recommended closure of Army Education Corps (AEC).



"The recommendations of the Committee are under consideration of the government," he said.




Defence Minister Arun Jaitley during his address in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. A PTI photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): Amid the border standoff with China, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said the Indian armed forces are strong enough to meet any challenge to the country's security as he underlined that lessons have been learnt from the 1962 war.



He also said in the Rajya Sabha that the people of the country have a predominant wish of retrieving the parts of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan since 1948.



Jaitley, while initiating a special debate to mark the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942, said India had faced many challenges over these decades but "we can proudly say the country became stronger with each challenge".



He said India had "learnt a lesson" from the 1962 war with China that "the armed forces will have be made fully capable on our own because even today the nation faces challenges from our neighbouring countries."



Compared to 1962, the armed forces were made stronger in 1965 and 1971 wars, Jaitley said.



In 1962, India had to face a war imposed by China and suffer severe reverses. However, in the wars of 1965 and 1971 thrust by Pakistan, India had emerged victorious.



"I agree that some challenges are still there. Some people are targeting our country's sovereignty and integrity.



But I am fully confident that our brave soldiers have capabilty to keep our country secure, may it be challenges on the eastern border or the western border," he said.



"The armed forces can give any kind of sacrifice for the security of the nation," the defence minister asserted.



Jaitley's message assumes significance as it comes amid a two-month-long border standoff with China in Doklam even though he did not specifically mention it.



He also referred to the occupation of parts of J&K by Pakistan soon after the Independence.



"Initially (after Independence), we faced a crisis. Our neighbour had an eye on Kashmir. Even today, we cannot forget that a part of the country has got separated. It is a wish of every Indian today as to how to retrieve that part," the minister said.



Jaitley, who is Leader of the Rajya Sabha, said today was the day to commit to make India a strong, just and economically-progressive country.


The number of tourists coming to Ireland has increased, despite a Brexit backlash.

182,000 more people are coming to Ireland in the first half of the year with 22% more Americans visiting the country.

The number of UK visitors is likely to fall by more than 100,000 this year based on CSO figures.

There has also been a 6.4% decrease in visitors from the UK, which is Irelands largest visitor market, despite more British people travelling abroad.

Tourism Ireland CEO, Niall Gibbons, said, Ireland was always the one that was more likely to be hit hardest because were nearest to the UK and were more dependant on it than most other european countries.

Data shows that Americans spend more in Ireland, so the damage to tourism despite the drop in British travelers probably will not be felt too keenly.

Tourism Minister Shane Ross says he will look for more money in the upcoming budget.

We will be looking for increased marketing money, we will be looking at substantial amounts, particularly in what happened in the light of Brexit, he said.

Tourism Ireland say the overall boost in numbers is partly down to shows like Game of Thrones and Star Wars, which showcase the scenic beauty of the country.
A man arrested in connection with the forging of documents has been released from Garda custody.

The Algerian man was detained in Drumcondra yesterday morning in relation to fraudulent identification documents.

The Metropolitan Police Service in London sought the assistance of gardai when, during an international terror investigation, they uncovered suspect documentation with the details of an individual purporting to live in Ireland.

The Garda Counter Terrorism International unit raided three properties at 7am yesterday - two on the southside of Dublin and one in Drumcondra, north Dublin, where they arrested a man.

A computer and documents also seized are being examined for potential terrorist links.

A file is now being prepared for the DPP.

The Irish Examiner understands the London Met gathered the identification documents from searches in Greece during an international investigation into Islamist terrorism.

The London Met SO15  known as Counter Terrorism Command  sought out the assistance of the Garda Security and Intelligence Section at Garda Headquarters.

Counter Terrorism International, a dedicated part of the Special Detective Unit (SDU), carried out the searches.

Senior officers at the SDU and S&I were in contact with their counterparts in SO15 throughout yesterday.
A six-year-old Irish girl is in a serious condition in hospital in Malta after getting into difficulty in a swimming pool.

The incident happened yesterday evening on the island of Gozo.
The number of cars being abandoned across the country has rocketed by 260% since 2014.

Most of 820 vehicles ditched last year were in Cork, Dublin, Louth and Wicklow.
Update - 4.3pm: A chief constable has defended his decision to pay a convicted child rapist almost 10,000 to spy on parties where it was suspected under-age girls were fed drugs and sexually abused.

The NSPCC was "appalled" Northumbria Police chief Steve Ashman authorised the paedophile's deployment, which can only be reported now that 18 people have been convicted or admitted offences prosecuted in a series of trials related to child sexual exploitation (CSE) in Newcastle.

The informant, known only as XY, was recruited despite being a sex offender who had drugged an under-age girl and invited another man to rape her after he had done so, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Years later, the force recruited him to work as an informant on the massive Operation Sanctuary inquiry, one strand of which, known as Operation Shelter, has just finished going through the courts.

Mr Ashman, who is due to retire, said in a statement: "We know concerns have been raised about our use of a police Informant known as XY.

"XY was an authorised covert human intelligence source (CHIS), an informant, who was able to report on criminality including CSE.

"He was a convicted rapist and to some of us the thought of the police engaging with such a person and paying them for information may appear repugnant, however he proved he was in a position whereby he could, and did, alert police to situations which allowed them to prevent offending and provide safeguarding measures towards potential victims.

"The lawful and regulated use of such tactics is always overseen by a senior police officer and is also subject to review by an independent body.

"Furthermore in this case the handling of XY by Northumbria Police was the subject of an independent investigation by the IPCC in which no misconduct was found nor any recommendations made whatsoever.

"In the case of XY it is clear that his relationships with others have allowed the police to prevent and detect some of the most serious crimes occurring in our communities, this would not have been possible through conventional methods."

But Jon Brown, of the NSPCC, said: "We are appalled to learn that police paid a child rapist and planted him in the midst of vulnerable young girls.

"You just couldn't make it up.

"It beggars belief that it would ever have been considered, let alone approved, and serious questions must be asked about the force's approach to child sexual exploitation operations."

The force's police and crime commissioner Vera Baird said it was a difficult decision to use XY.

She said: "I would have wished this man not to be used, in particular because of his conviction for rape.

"But, I have questioned the chief constable and, in liaison with other senior officers, Mr Ashman has satisfied me that the difficult moral decision to use the informant was taken with care and with particular regard to the welfare of victims.

"I am assured that the information this male supplied has contributed to the investigation and hence to the prosecution of these dangerous men, that it could not have been obtained in any other way, and that it will have ensured the speedier rescue and safeguarding of vulnerable women who would otherwise have continued to suffer abuse."

The startling information about XY came out during pre-trial hearings in Newcastle which attempted, but failed, to halt prosecutions against a number of men accused of a range of serious offences including drug dealing and sexually abusing girls.

Update - 3.41pm: Under-age girls and vulnerable young women were taken to parties in Newcastle and groomed with drugs before being raped and sexually abused, it can now be reported.

A total of 17 men and one woman have been convicted of, or have admitted, charges including rape, supplying drugs and inciting prostitution, in a series of trials at Newcastle Crown Court.

Older men preyed on immature teenagers who were plied with cocaine, cannabis, alcohol or mephedrone, then raped or persuaded into having sexual activity with the lure of the illegal drugs at parties known as "sessions".

Northumbria Police launched a major investigation after receiving information from social workers and initially spoke to 108 potential victims.

Over the course of four trials, 20 young women gave evidence covering a period from 2011 to 2014.

Those prosecuted were from the Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Iraqi, Iranian and Turkish communities and mainly British-born, with most living in the West End of Newcastle.

The investigation into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle, Operation Shelter, was part of a wider inquiry called Operation Sanctuary.

The wider operation has seen around 100 people convicted of a range of serious offences, including drugs, modern-day slavery and firearms charges, with jail terms totalling more than 300 years.

Northumbria Police made frequent announcements after launching Operation Sanctuary in 2014, but then stopped releasing details once reporting restrictions were imposed by the courts to avoid prejudicing later prosecutions.

That left a vacuum of information which some on the far right looked to exploit, claiming details were suppressed.

The English Defence League claimed "the long silence about these cases reeks of manipulation and procrastination for political purposes".

Over the course of the consecutive trials, a picture emerged of how victims were befriended by abusers and lured to parties where they would be given mephedrone, or M-Kat, for free.

Police pieced together links between the offenders, using telephone data to show how they knew each other, gathered at the same places or had mutual acquaintances.

As with the Rochdale, Rotherham and Oxford grooming cases, victims were conned into thinking they were in a relationship with their abuser, who would then pass them round their network to be used for sex, sometimes with the encouragement of the class B drug M-Kat, or cannabis.

Known as "Bubble" on Tyneside, M-Kat has similar effects to Ecstasy and can be quickly addictive.

Defendants were charged with conspiracy to incite prostitution for gain - reflecting how women were exploited with drink or drugs.

Roles within the conspiracy included providing the premises, supplying drugs, transporting victims, having sex with them or encouraging it to happen.

There was no suggestion the victims were working as prostitutes or were paid.

Not all the defendants were part of the conspiracy.

The progress of the four trials was halted in October last year when defence barristers tried to have the cases thrown out over the existence of a police informant - named in court as XY - who it emerged was himself a child rapist. That application failed.

John Elvidge QC, who prosecuted the cases, said girls were exploited ruthlessly.

Summing up the final trial, he said: "This was a section of young women who were tricked into believing they were in the company of friends.

"They were groomed and lulled into trusting those who would ultimately abuse them."

Under cross-examination, one victim said she did not go to the police because she was addicted to the drugs the abusers were handing out.

One girl described how a victim was demeaned in a flat in Newcastle's West End.

She told the jury: "She seemed scared. She came into the room where I was and the men were treating her like a slave.

"They were dropping things on the floor on purpose to make her pick them up."

While investigating the abuse of girls, police used disruption tactics such as pulling over taxis to check occupants were safe and alerting hotels to what might be happening.

Earlier: Police paid a convicted a child rapist almost 10,000 to spy on parties where they suspected under-age girls would be intoxicated and sexually abused, a court heard.

He was recruited despite being a sex offender who had drugged an under-age girl and invited another man to rape her after he had done so, a court heard.

Years later, the man, who can only be identified by the media as XY, was tasked by Northumbria Police to assist their investigation into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle.

Subsequent trials which followed Operation Shelter, until now unreportable, have heard girls were groomed by men who gave them cannabis, alcohol and the designer drug Mkat at parties, then encouraged into having sex.

The startling information came out during pre-trial hearings at Newcastle Crown Court which attempted but failed to halt prosecutions against a number of men accused of a range of serious offences including drug dealing and sexually abusing girls.

During proceedings which can only now be reported, more than 20 prosecution and defence barristers in wigs were in court arguing whether the cases of more than 10 men should be thrown out.

Defending barristers argued that the public's confidence in the justice system would be undermined if the trials went ahead, given that the rapist had acted as an informant, formally known as a Covert Human Intelligence Source, or "CHIS".

Robin Patton, representing one of the defendants, said the rapist was paid 9,680 over 21 months by Northumbria Police for informing.

Mr Patton said that the rapist was a "convicted child rapist who drugged a child and invited someone else to rape her after he had" and was subject to a suspended sentence when he was deployed by police in 2014.

He said the confidence of the public in the administration of justice would be "substantially diminished" if they knew police had chosen "such an individual" to help their investigation into the exploitation and possible use of drugs by young people.

Police claimed they carried out a risk assessment, but that the "very next day" after he was recruited, the man in question was in court for a dishonesty offence.

After he was recruited, he was arrested in September 2015 on suspicion of inciting sexual activity with a child after a teenage girl claimed a man approached her and made an indecent proposition.

The informant was later told he would face no action after he took part in an identity parade.

Also on the Sex Offenders' Register, he failed to notify police he had moved house, Mr Patton said.

"I have tried to think of convictions that make him less suitable to act as a CHIS in an operation of this sort... I have not been able to, he said.
Brexit Secretary David Davis has hit back at suggestions that there are a lack of women in the team negotiating the UK's withdrawal from the European Union.

Mr Davis said 40% of the 98 officials who travelled to Brussels for July's round of talks were women and stressed 52% of his Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) staff are female.

Concerns over a gender imbalance emerged after photographs from the June and July negotiations showed mainly men on the UK side of the talks.

But the senior officials seen in those pictures only make up a small proportion of Britain's negotiating team, according to Mr Davis.

In an update letter to the House of Lords EU Committee, Mr Davis said: "Using the July round as an example, approximately 60% of the UK's negotiating team were men and 40% were women. This represents those from Whitehall and UKRep (UK Representation to the EU) who attended working groups or plenary meetings and is not limited to senior civil servants.

"The senior team is neither exhaustive nor necessarily fixed, as evidenced by the incorporation of Sarah Healey, Director General at DExEU, as a senior lead for the July negotiating round.

"As I say, though, this will vary from round to round as we deploy the best available staff for each issue under negotiation.

"I thought it might also be useful to include some information on the gender makeup of the department as a whole, as each member of the department is key to making the UK's exit a success.

"As of 31 July 2017, women make up approximately 52 percent of the department's workforce and men 48 percent.

"We continue to strive towards achieving diversity across the civil service, representative of modern day Britain, and as Secretary of State for DExEU, I remain committed to supporting that objective.

"I will also continue to work for the best possible deal for the UK during these negotiations, and that means using the best expertise we have available to support the negotiation in DExEU and across Whitehall, regardless of gender or any other factor."
The family of an 83-year-old man who was stabbed to death while walking his two dogs have described him as "a lovely, gentle husband, dad and grandfather".

Peter Wrighton, from Banham, Norfolk, was repeatedly stabbed in the neck and head on Saturday morning.

No arrests have been made since his body was found by a member of the public in woodland near the Fiveways Junction close to the village of East Harling.

The family of retired BT worker Mr Wrighton, who had been married for 59 years, paid tribute to his "kind nature" and his "love of walking his dogs and chatting with people to pass the time of day".

They said: "Peter was immensely kind and never had a bad word to say about anybody and people always seemed to take a liking to him.

"We are extremely thankful for all the people who have come forward to speak with the police and hope we will soon be able to understand why this has happened.

"When we think of Peter, we remember him with fond and happy memories that will stay with us always."
An 18-year-old man has died in England after a fight in which three other people were injured.

Greater Manchester Police were called to reports of a large brawl in Crosshill Road, Moss Side, just before 8.40pm on Tuesday.

Four people were taken to hospital with stab wounds, including the 18-year-old, who died shortly afterwards.

Superintendent Dave Pester, from GMP's City of Manchester team, said: "We completely understand that the community will be concerned after waking up and hearing this tragic news this morning. I want to assure you we have had officers on the ground, working solidly through the night, trying to get to the bottom of what has happened.

"We are in the very early stages of this investigation and we are trying to understand the motive behind this attack and who is responsible."

The incident comes after 11 people, including a 14-year-old boy, were convicted of murder and manslaughter following the death of 18-year-old Abdul Hafidah, who was chased and attacked by a gang in Moss Side in May last year.

The murdered teenager was reportedly a childhood friend of suicide bomber Salman Abedi, who killed 22 people when he detonated a device at the Manchester Arena on May 22.

Three men were found guilty of Mr Hafidah's murder on Tuesday following a trial at Preston Crown Court.

Police said there was no information to link Tuesday night's incident to the trial.

Mr Pester added: "At the forefront of this investigation, as always, are the victims and their families. Specially trained officers continue to offer their support and we will do everything in our power to give this young man's family the answers they deserve."

Anyone with any information should call police on 101 quoting incident number 1918 of Wednesday 9 August 2017.
I wasnt even a fan of Glen Campbell when I set up the phone interview with him in 2009, just before his June show at the Alberta Bair Theater.

At the time, I didnt know that he was likely in the early stages of Alzheimers. That would come out a few months later. Campbell died Tuesday at 81.

Campbell was witty and humble. We talked about the American Idol winner that year, Kris Allen, because he is from Campbells home state of Arkansas.

Then, we talked about John Wayne, who starred with Campbell in the 1966 movie True Grit. It was Campbells first foray into film and he was understandably nervous acting with Wayne, a man who Campbell said had more charisma in his little finger than most other people do in their whole body.

But when Campbell had had enough trouble on the set, he told me he jokingly threatened Wayne: I said, Ive never done this before. You keep yelling at me, you know I could whoop your ass. He laughed.

My favorite part of the interview was when Campbell brought up one of my now-favorite songs, Gentle On My Mind, then sang into the phone, Its knowing that your door is always open and your path is free to walk.
The Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn is proposing redevelop or sell three of its ACT properties in an apparent bid to improve its financial position.

Plans to knock down St Luke's Church in Deakin to build eight supportive townhouses will be discussed at a meeting with residents next week.

An historic photograph of the foundation Stone laying ceremony at St Luke's Anglican Church in Deakin in 1959. Her Excellency, Lady Slim, wife of the Governor-General Sir William Slim, is pictured centre.

The diocese is also considering developing the Bishop's house in Campbell into another eight supportive units.

It also applied to remove the concessional status of a four-bedroom house in Pearce and sell it.
Hello Canberrans.

There might be frost about in some areas this morning, but thankfully it'll be another mostly sunny day, with a maximum of 16 degrees expected. You've got to love the Canberra winter sunshine.

Stay tuned if you want to know today's headlines. Grab your beverage of choice, turn the heater up and see what's making news.

Workplace injury woe
The produce was on its way to international hotels, supermarkets and leading restaurants in Singapore.

The inaugural shipment on Singapore Airlines SQ 292 comprised fresh bacon and smoked salmon from Pialligo Estate; Helm Wines and Ravensworth Wines from Murrumbateman, Nick Spencer Wines from Canberra, Lark Hill wines from Bungendore and Nick O'Leary Wines from Lake George as well as Fedra olive oil from Collector.

It means producers can now get their wares to Singapore within a day of an order being taken rather than wait up to five days through Sydney airport, according to Pialligo Estate director Rowan Brennan.

In what could be a game-changer for producers throughout the national capital region, the first shipment of local perishable produce on Wednesday night flew direct to Singapore from Canberra Airport.

Mr Brennan said he hoped more local producers would use the direct flights out of Canberra, not least to share the costs, but also to promote the region as a centre for food and wine excellence, rather than just the heart of federal politics.

He believed it would be the start of more perishable item exports to Singapore. While wine had been exported before, the perishable meat and fish were a first, travelling in refrigerated containers to keep them fresh.

"I think once they get a taste of what Canberra has to offer, I think the world will really open its eyes to the produce we have," he said.

Mr Brennan said the future of exports was for producers across the region to work together; with the cost of freight still out of reach for many, who were usually small concerns focused on high-quality goods.

"Freight is expensive and the whole purpose of this very first one is to establish just how good our produce is and let every other producer in Canberra know this is not just about us. It's all about getting them involved so as a dominant group we can send over a hell of a lot more shipment and obviously prices will come down." he said.
Etihad Stadium's historic anchor tenant club Essendon looks certain to push to cut its match quota there in exchange for one extra game a season at the MCG.

And Geelong, from 2018, looks determined to turn its back entirely on the Docklands ground.

With some Etihad tenant clubs privately admitting to a growing level of frustration at the complex and dragging financial negotiations with the AFL, the Bombers' move to change their 18-year seven-game deal with the stadium rests also on their preference for a bigger presence at the larger ground.

The club, whose comeback season has been marked by record membership and the largest attendances in the competition, will move to lock in another season-opening clash with Hawthorn, along with Anzac Day and Dreamtime games and a Carlton clash at the MCG, along with a fifth MCG opponent in Melbourne.
Salim Mehajer, the embattled former deputy mayor of Auburn, has put his house up for rent.

The lavish six-bedroom, five-bathroom property was posted on Domain on Wednesday, with an advertised rent of $2950 a week and a bond of $11,800.

An online listing boasts underground parking for 13 cars, a "highly-integrated security system with 56 surveillance cameras", multiple office spaces, an elevator, and a private sauna.

It also lists a crystal chandelier, home theatre system with massage chairs, heated swimming pool and sunken spa baths as features of the 800-square-metre property.
DAUGHTER: But what if they really, really love each other? ME: Under the law they can't legally marry - but that's the postal vote we're about to have. DAUGHTER: That's plain stupid. Was that Tony Abbott's idea? ME: Well yes. But he's not the prime minister now. You know that. The new prime minister is supporting Tony Abbott's idea though. DAUGHTER: Mum, he's not new. He's been there for ages. Doesn't he have his own ideas?

ME: Yes, but he's struggling to get them through his party. DAUGHTER: But isn't he the leader of the party that's in the government now? ME: Yes, but he needs his followers - those in the party - to listen to him. DAUGHTER: I quite liked Malcolm Turnbull when you showed us the clip about domestic violence and told us about all sides of politics trying to support women. He was saying women needed help to escape someone who was hurting them and abusing their kids. ME: Well there should be a lot of effort thrown at domestic violence. You shouldn't be forced to stay in a marriage where you are hurting like that, and when your children are in danger.

DAUGHTER: So are kids in danger in gay marriages? ME: Probably quite the contrary. Their parents are fighting for the right to get married because they really want to commit to each other. DAUGHTER. So you are saying it's hard sometimes because of the law to leave a horrible marriage where you are being abused, but it's against the law to go into a marriage where you are loved because you are gay? ME: Yes. But you might be over-simplifying it. It's a bit more complex than that. DAUGHTER: Sounds simple to me. We were talking about it at school today. Politicians are stupid. Really, mum, I reckon they should come to one of our life skills' classes. They need a few skills in life.

ME: And leadership perhaps too, Sweetie. But there will be a plebiscite now where we will vote by post. DAUGHTER: So how will people make up their minds if they don't know whether to support it or not? ME: There will be lots of pamphlets put into our letterbox by both sides, but I suggest there is no need to read them. DAUGHTER: What will the people against the gays say? ME: Oh, that their children will be drug addicts, that they are ruining the legacy of families, that they are responsible for everything from teen depression to climate change ...
Former prime minister Tony Abbott has kicked off his campaign for a 'no' vote in a postal plebiscite, urging Australians to reject same-sex marriage if they want to protect religious freedom and reject political correctness.

"Obviously I will be voting no. But in the end this is not about the politicians, this is about the people, it's about your view," he said on Wednesday morning.

"And I say to you if you don't like same-sex marriage, vote no. If you're worried about religious freedom and freedom of speech, vote no, and if you don't like political correctness, vote no because voting no will help to stop political correctness in its tracks."

The Turnbull government on Tuesday agreed to hold a $122 million non-compulsory, non-binding plebiscite on whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. Ballots will likely be posted from September, should the plan survive a likely High Court challenge.
One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts is fighting for political survival after Pauline Hanson averted an embarrassing defeat in the Senate by personally referring his "complex" dual citizenship case to the High Court.

Despite insisting for weeks that Senator Roberts properly renounced his British citizenship before the last election, Senator Hanson moved the Senate motion after it became clear a Greens-led push against him would succeed.

Richard Di Natale's motion had the support of Labor, the Nick Xenophon Team and other key crossbenchers. Senator Hanson's eleventh hour intervention ensured the motion passed without a potentially damaging debate.

The referral caps a turbulent three weeks for Senator Roberts, who has been refusing to answer key questions about his citizenship history or produce documents that he says proves he is eligible to remain in the Senate. Section 44 of the constitution prohibits dual citizens from serving in Federal Parliament.
A Billings couple tied up their young son with duct tape and broke his bones through beatings, court charging documents allege. The abuse started when the boy, now 6, was 3 years old.

Cornelius Mitchell, 49, and Julie Mitchell, 40, are both facing three counts of assault on a minor by accountability, two counts of aggravated assault by accountability and one count of assault with a weapon by accountability  all felonies. The Mitchells also face one misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of children.

Neither parent has made an initial court appearance.

Witnesses told police investigators the Mitchells used duct tape on their son and would make him stand on a puppy pad, naked, with a belt draped over his shoulders to remind (him) what happens when he is bad.

Witnesses also told investigators they have heard the boy being beaten and crying.

Court documents state that on Feb. 20, Cornelius Mitchell took his son, then 5 years old, to St. Vincent Healthcare to report the child was having seizures. Julie Mitchell, the step-mother, arrived later. The child was hypothermic, skinny, and had scabs and bruising all over his body.

The parents said these injuries were due to the childs self-harming behaviors. Both parents told investigators the childs self-harming behaviors were related to his autism diagnosis, but doctors interviewed in the case have disputed that diagnosis.

The child was then flown to Primary Childrens Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, where doctors were concerned about his comatose state. Doctors there discovered the child was severely underweight, had four fractured ribs and a fractured hand bone, and suffered from severe anemia.

Doctors in Salt Lake and back in Billings concluded the injuries were the result of extreme force being used on the boy and it would be impossible for him to inflict the injuries on himself.

The Mitchells told investigators they occasionally had to restrain their son, but doctors said a restraint hold would not account for the broken ribs.

The child was reportedly healthy until he went to live with his father and step-mother in October 2014. Before then, the childs biological mother had taken him to regular medical appointments where he was found to be thriving, and was at a normal stage of development.

Both Mitchells were arrested Friday and are being held in the Yellowstone County Detention Facility on $100,000 bond.
Okay, time for me to go. What happened?

Australia is headed for a voluntary postal vote on marriage equality ;

; this is because the Senate this morning rejected the government's attempt to bring back the plebiscite proposal ;

; there are legal questions surrounding the validity of the postal vote;

surrounding the validity of the postal vote; but the government could begin posting out ballot papers next month ;

; One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts' citizenship has been referred to the High Court ;

citizenship has been referred to the ; and the government wants power companies to be fairer to consumers.

My thanks for Alex Ellinghausen and Andrew Meares for their work and to you for reading and commenting.

You can follow me on Facebook.

Alex, Andrew and I will be back in the morning. Until then, good night.
The owners of Victorian cafe, Handsome Her, have found themselves at the centre of a polarising debate after its introduction of an 18 per cent "gender surcharge" for its male customers.

The vegan cafe in Melbourne's inner north suburb of Brunswick, which labels itself as a cafe "by women, for women" stipulates three anti-patriarchal "house rules," including priority seating for women, a premium charge for males and respect for both genders.

"House Rules, Rule #1: women have priority seating. Rule #2: men will be charged an 18% premium to reflect the gender pay gap (2016) which is donated to a women's service. Rule #3 respect goes both ways," the chalkboard reads in the cafe.

While Handsome Her's main goal is to help give back to women's charities, according to Broadsheet Melbourne who spoke to owner Alexandra O'Brien, it also hopes that the initiative that runs for one week every month will help spark conversations about the gender pay gap.
Mamamia founder Mia Freedman has "unequivocally apologised" to members of the LGBT community, after an attempt to start a hashtag movement for married women to show support for marriage equality backfired.

In a post on Tuesday headlined "Straight, married women want marriage equality too," Freedman shared a photo of herself pointing towards her ring and encouraged other married straight women to do the same, along with the hashtag #married4marriageequality. Freedman has since clarified that she came up with the concept after being approached by Australian Marriage Equality.

The backlash was swift on social media, with critics on Twitter labelling it "tone-deaf" and "gloating about your ability to get married".
Centrelink has been accused of intimidating clients with text messages warning them against committing welfare fraud, only days after it was attacked for using the AFP's logo on letters to customers.

The agency has sent the messages to welfare recipients telling them its fraud crackdown, Taskforce Integrity, was operating in their area and urging them to update their personal details.

Centrelink has drawn criticism for 'intimidating' text messages to clients. Credit:Marina Neil

Critics have blasted Centrelink for the text messages, saying they were 'intimidating' and 'threatening' to welfare recipients, and accusing the government of being callous towards people with mental illness.

But the Department of Human Services says the messages are meant to educate people about their obligations.
A 67-year-old man was beaten with a piece of wood during a violent home invasion on Bluewattle Road in Nowra on Wednesday morning.

A man forced his way into the Worrigee home at about 2:20am and confronted a couple in their 60s while they were in bed.

The man demanded cash before he struck the husband and the pair struggled in the hall before the burglar fled with a handbag, wallet and the couple's Mazda.

The husband had minor hand, shoulder and chest injuries and was treated by NSW paramedics. The wife was left uninjured.
Jaron Chester, who claims to be a Jewish community leader, allegedly had his head shaved and eyebrows plucked as punishment for taking laundered funds for himself. Credit:Twitter They were allegedly running an illegal tobacco importation racket that would bring millions of cigarettes into Australia from Dubai for millions in profit. Yet unbeknown to the group, the fourth man, known as MW1, was a police witness. John Ibrahim and his business partner Margaret Staltaro. Crown prosecutor Anna Payten told the court that Michael Ibrahim was allegedly the "key organiser" in the importation and he used others, including Mr Derbas, to ship the cigarette packs around Sydney.

He allegedly made $7.50 profit for each pack while his cousin allegedly made 50 for every pack he distributed. It was Ryan Watsford who brought the two syndicates and the Ibrahim family undone. Credit:Facebook After the Sheraton meeting, Mr Derbas was allegedly involved in four importations conducted under the noses of surveillance officers. On December 12, he was photographed collecting a truck full of cigarettes from Greenacre and returning with it empty hours later. He was seen holding a brown cardboard box containing $550,000. John Ibrahim's girlfriend Sarah Budge was granted bail on Wednesday after police allegedly found a loaded Glock during raids. Credit:Facebook

On a second occasion, he was seen taking a truck of 95,000 packets from Greenacre and returning with it empty. Police allege Mr Watsford was carrying a box of $600,000 that had Mr Derbas' fingerprints on it. When Michael Ibrahim was in Thailand with his brothers Fadi and John and Mr Chester earlier this year, he allegedly sent Mr Derbas' BlackBerry details to MW1 and said "my cuz" would be "looking after the cigarettes" coming into Australia. Fares Derbas, 39, who runs cafes in Bondi and Maroubra, allegedly distributed illegal packets of cigarettes around Sydney for Michael Ibrahim. Credit:Instagram During another meeting in March, Michael Ibrahim allegedly boasted to MW1 that he, Mr Derbas and Mr Watsford each made $60,000 from one transaction. It's alleged that a shipment of 900,000 packets from Dubai defrauded the authorities by $11 million.

Michael Ibrahim, left, and brother Fadi, right, will face court on Monday. They are pictured with their brother John and mother. Credit:Facebook In July, Michael Ibrahim allegedly handed over $2.25 million to MW1 for tobacco, saying $2 million of it was his "investment" and the rest was Mr Derbas'. It's alleged John Ibrahim's 26-year-old son Daniel passed on a bag containing the money between some syndicate members, although, his lawyer, Nick Hanna, has strenuously denied any involvement. Police search John Ibrahim's clifftop home in Dover Heights. Credit:Janie Barrett On Wednesday, Daniel Ibrahim was granted strict bail to live with his mother in Bondi Junction.

Ms Budge, who is charged with possessing a loaded Glock pistol found during raids on Tuesday, was granted bail. It's understood she will argue the gun is not hers. Mr Chester, who runs a luxury travel company and claims to be president of the little-known Australian Jewish Communal Lobby, allegedly performed duties as a "money collector and handler" for the Ibrahim family, Ms Payten said on Wednesday. On several occasions, he was allegedly given money by Fadi Ibrahim, deposited it in his Commonwealth Bank account, withdrew it and gave it back to the brothers either as cash or bank cheques. On another occasion, after being given a cooler bag filled with $300,000 from Mr Waterford and Michael Ibrahim, he attended the Martin Place Commonwealth Bank branch to deposit it and withdraw it as a bank cheque, however, he had trouble with the withdrawal. He drove to the Rose Bay branch where Fadi met him and helped him withdraw a bank cheque. It was deposited straight back into Fadi's account at the branch.

On May 19, Mr Chester again attended the Martin Place branch to withdraw $200,000, however, he only withdrew $170,000 contrary to Michael Ibrahim's instructions. Two days later, when his alleged boss became aware of it, he shaved Mr Chester's head. Mr Chester's barrister, Charles Waterstreet, said any alleged offences were committed under duress and his client took the $30,000 to pay rent to his parents. Loading His eyebrows were plucked "as trophies by other members" of the alleged syndicate, he said.
Two patients have died during a gastro outbreak at an aged-care home in Brisbane's south.

A Metro South Health and Hospital Service spokesman confirmed its public health unit was informed on July 29 of a norovirus outbreak at a Yeronga facility, operated by Regis Aged Care.

Two patients have died during a gastro outbreak at Regis Aged Care in Yeronga. Credit:Nine News / Twitter

"Metro South Public Health Unit is aware of the deaths of two frail residents who were affected by the outbreak," he said, in a statement.

Regis confirmed the outbreak and said controls had been in place since July 28 but said the gastro outbreak did not kill the patients.
For years we've been encouraged to dream up weak passwords which are easy for machines to crack, concedes the guy who wrote the book on creating passwords.

We've all spent time staring at our keyboards, trying to think of yet another password containing a mix of upper and lowercase letters along with at least one number or special character. You can thank former National Institute of Standards and Technology manager Bill Burr, who came up with these rules back in 2003 when writing the password guidelines which many organisations now treat as gospel.

The traditional password rules encourage us to dream up terrible passwords. Credit:Reuters

It's a challenge to dream up memorable passwords which follow these arcane rules, so we tend to use tricks like 'p@ssw0rd1'  thinking that we're outsmarting hackers when we're actually playing right into their hands.

After a brute force password attack cycles through common dictionary words, it goes back and tries the obvious leet-speak tricks such as substituting '0' for 'o'. It doesn't take long to crack your seemingly uncrackable p@ssw0rd.
A sleek and solid handset with a $399 price tag, the Nokia 6 is the easiest of the bunch to recommend. Like all three phones it runs a virtually untouched current version of Android, with the promise of immediate software updates whenever they're issued by Google.

The Nokia 6 looks and feels cold and utilitarian, but also looks much more expensive than it is.

The Nokia 6, 5 and 3 are the first phones from HMD global, a company created to carry on the legacy of the once-beloved Nokia name, and while there's talk of a Nokia 8 on the horizon  with true flagship specs and Carl Zeiss optics  these less expensive phones compromise on some luxury features to deliver a pretty attractive value proposition. Well, at least two of them do.

Running pure Android, coming in at reasonable prices and outperforming many of their mid-to-low-range contemporaries, a trio of new Nokia smartphones look to pick up the mantle dropped by Google's erstwhile Nexus brand.

With a minimalist aluminum facade in black or silver, the 6 bucks the budget phone trend of looking like an imitation iPhone or Galaxy, appearing instead somewhere between a Lumia and one of Google's own phones.

Nokia and Google both have a thing for blue circles. Credit:Tim Biggs

In fact it's almost the exact same size, weight and shape as Google's Pixel XL, with a 5.5-inch screen on the front, sandwiched top and bottom with some decently-sized bezels. The fingerprint scanner  doubling as a capacitive home button and sitting between light-up back and recent buttons  is a bit low and makes one-handed unlocking perilous, but it works well. Of course the Nokia 6 is a third of the price of Google's flagship, and it's not hard to see where money was saved.

The 1080x1920 LCD here is nowhere near the quality of a Sony LCD, let alone an OLED you might find on the Pixel or Samsung's Galaxy S8, and out of the box it's quite blue (although you can fix that with some tinkering). The body might be physically similar to Google's phone, but it feels less refined  albeit just as sturdy  in the hand with sharp chamfered edges. The Nokia 6 also doesn't sit flush on a horizontal surface, with its slight camera bulge allowing it to rock from side to side.

Internally the Snapdragon 430 is an understandable choice of chipset for mixed use, but its age is starting to show and it won't set any records as far as performance goes. The 3GB of RAM is similarly middling. Noodling around the operating system is smooth and snappy on the Nokia 6, but the lack of grunt is noticeable when playing games or during quickfire multitasking.
A Google employee's 10-page letter about gender at the company ripped through Silicon Valley this week, putting into writing what many feared about the sexism inherent in the technology world.

James Damore, a computer engineer, drew on now-defunct gender stereotypes and pseudo-biology in a 3,000-word appeal to Google to end programmes designed to increase diversity. He argued that women were less technically minded than men, and that they were more interested in people than things. On Monday, he was fired as a result.

The letter cannot be read in isolation or be written off as the opinion of one employee. It is yet another piece of evidence in the case against technology's Californian idealism, which is in fact built on foundations of sexism.

Silicon Valley is idealised as a liberal and progressive centre of innovation that is dedicated to educating and connecting the world through technology. Its representatives claim their mission is to democratise access to human rights.
Once headed to the exits, Colstrip Power Plant operator Talen Energy has informed co-owners it will keep the coal-fired facility running for the foreseeable future.

Spokesmen for some of the six utilities that co-own the southeast Montana power plant confirmed separately this week that Talens offer had been accepted, but final details were still being worked out.

The reversal comes roughly a year after Talen informed its co-owners that the Pennsylvania-based energy company said it was not economically viable to continue operating Colstrip. Talen Energy did not respond to interview requests placed over two weeks.

Talen Energy has half ownership in Colstrip Units 1 and 2, which it co-owns with Puget Sound Energy. It is also paid by Colstrips other stakeholders to operate the entire facility. In May 2016, the company informed the owners of Colstrip Units 3 and 4 that they would need a new operator no later than May 23, 2018.

Paul Farr, Talen CEO at the time of the notice, said the company would lose millions of dollars operating Colstrip through the second half of 2016. A new generation of cheap natural gas power plants was driving down market prices so low that unregulated power companies like Talen were struggling to compete on the spot market.

But last fall, Talen sold to New York-based Riverstone Holdings LLC.

The new management at Talen sent a request to the other Colstrip owners asking to rescind their notice, said Grant Ringel, of Puget Sound Energy.

Talen sticking around provides the power plant with some stability as it prepares to shutter its two oldest units in six years or less. Units 1 and 2, the biggest polluters of the Colstrip complex, are being shut down to settle an environmental lawsuit between defendants Talen and Puget Sound Energy and plaintiffs Sierra Club and Montana Environmental Information Center.

None of Colstrips other owners were interested in replacing Talen as operator, which meant a third-party contractor had to be found to keep things running.

Colstrip Units 3 and 4 face challenges beginning in 2030 when PacificCorp will be required by law to cut coal power from its Oregon energy portfolio. Portland General Electric will begin removing coal power from its portfolio at the same time, eliminating the fossil fuel completely by the middle of the decade.

Those deadlines stem from a 2016 law introduced in response to a consumer petition for the utilities to drop coal power immediately to curtail carbon dioxide emissions. Concerns about climate change drove the discussion.

PacifiCorp has said it will continue to use Colstrip to provide electricity to customers outside Oregon.

The other Colstrip owners are Avista Utilities of Washington and NorthWestern Energy, Montanas largest regulated utility.

Avista has included Colstrip in its generation plans through 2037. NorthWestern has said it expects Colstrip Units 3 and 4 to be viable through 2046.
Federal authorities will investigate Victorian opposition leader Matthew Guy's lobster dinner with an alleged mobster.

The scandal claimed a Liberal party scalp on Wednesday, with Liberal Party figure Barrie Macmillan tending his resignation hours after Mr Guy called for him to step down.

Mr Guy spent a second day batting away allegations, revealed exclusively by a Fairfax Media/ABC Four Corners investigation, that his April dinner at Melbourne's lavish Lobster Cave restaurant with alleged Melbourne mafia boss Tony Madafferi was a cover to procure a political donation.

And then Canberra intervened. "Those reports will be carefully examined by federal authorities," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told parliament on Wednesday afternoon.
Liberal leader Matthew Guy says party official Barrie Macmillan should no longer be involved in fundraising activities for the party as the fallout continues from revelations Mr Guy dined with alleged Mafia figures in April.

Liberal MPs insist they have not lost confidence in their leader, who now faces the biggest test of his political career.

But Mr Macmillan's career appears to hang in the balance after it emerged in secretly recorded phone calls he discussed an offer to make undisclosed donations from alleged Mafia figures Tony Madafferi and others to the Liberal Party.

"I think that he will move on and I think that would be the right thing to do," Mr Guy said.
One man has died and another in is hospital after two shootings in Melbourne's north overnight.

Police are hunting a gunman after a 21-year-old man was shot dead at Roxburgh Park at 12.45am on Wednesday morning.

A number of men were seen in Coronet Avenue around the time multiple shots were fired, police said. The Roxburgh Park man died at the scene.

It is believed there may have been an altercation between a group of men before the shooting. Detectives have closed off the residential street.
Overcrowding and delays on V/Line trains have become worse since the multibillion-dollar rail extension that was built to fix congestion problems opened two years ago.

Passenger numbers have exploded on V/Line trains from Geelong, since the $3.6 billion Regional Rail Link opened.

Another crowded peak-hour V/Line train heads for Geelong. Credit:Joe Armao

During peak-hour, Geelong trains are at up to 140 per cent capacity, mainly along the outer-western suburb stations that were added as part of the rail link.

It means 12 of the 16 morning peak trains are more than 100 per cent full, well before they reach Southern Cross Station.
For rescue dogs Marna and Parley, the outlook was bleak.

The pair were found on a Medina property in May this year, dehydrated, malnourished and riddled with fleas.

The pair with their new family. Credit:RSPCA WA

The two Shar Peis were assessed by an emergency vet, and it was found both dogs were on the brink of starvation and had suffered from a range of painful infections.

"They arrived at RSPCA WA in July 2016, after our inspectors found them in poor condition with no access to fresh food or water," a spokesperson said.
A man suspected of deliberately driving a car into a group of soldiers in Paris on Wednesday morning, leaving six injured, has been shot and arrested on a French motorway.

The man, who sources said was in his 30s, was stopped on the A16 motorway near Marquise, several hours north of Paris. Police said after the car was stopped, officers "fired to neutralise the individual".

French security forces and emergency vehicles surround a car that authorities say was used in an attack on soldiers. Credit:AP

A witness at the scene said they saw a car with several bullet holes in it, which was surrounded by ambulances. The black BMW appeared to have a shattered windscreen and damaged bonnet in photographs from the scene.

The shooting comes hours after a car drove into a group of soldiers in the north-western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret at 8am local time (4pm AEST).
Washington: Defence officials on Guam say there is no imminent threat to people there or in the Northern Mariana Islands after North Korea said it was examining its plans for attacking the US-held Pacific island.

Guam's Department of Homeland Security and Office of Civil Defense say they are monitoring North Korea with US military and government officials.

Guam's homeland security adviser, George Charfauros, said on Wednesday officials were confident "the US Department of Defense is monitoring this situation very closely and is maintaining a condition of readiness".

Charfauros in his statement urged calm and said defences were in place on Guam and its neighbouring Pacific islands for threats such as North Korea.
Dubai: Staff at the clean-eating restaurant owned by an associate of the two Ibrahim brothers arrested in Dubai have tearfully described their boss as a "good guy" who would never do anything wrong and said they are shocked by his arrest in an Australian global drug bust.

Michael and Fadi Ibrahim were two of five Australian men arrested in Dubai on Monday night in a massive drug bust spanning three continents orchestrated by the Australian Federal Police. Fairfax Media understands Australian consular officials have not yet had any contact with the detainees but are expected to within days.

Arabic media has reported the men had been dining at Fit Food Kitchen on Monday night, a trendy eatery specialising in protein shakes, acai bowls and sugar-free sweets, with the owner, whose name has been suppressed, before they were arrested.

On Wednesday the manager of the restaurant, 30-year old Zahira described their shock at his arrest and praised him as a "caring, good guy" who "doesn't do bad things". Speaking through tears, she said she had not heard anything from him or about him since Monday and pleaded for information.
Bogota: Accused drug courier Cassandra Sainsbury may have the opportunity to negotiate another deal in future, according to the judge who struck down her plea deal.

Judge Sergio Leon on Wednesday afternoon local time rejected the deal struck between the prosecution and the defence that would have seen the 22-year-old serve a maximum of six years prison.

The plea deal was thrown into jeopardy after Ms Sainsbury told the court at a hearing on July 26 that she had only agreed to smuggle 5.8kg of cocaine after her family had been threatened.

The judge determined that the revelations of threats against her family, during her last court hearing two weeks ago, meant the current plea deal was no longer valid.
National franchise Mortgage Choice has hired an industry veteran from one of the major banks as one of its state managers.Amanda Scott has joined the company as the South Australian state manager, moving from ANZ where she worked for more than 20 years in a number of senior positions.Scott said she was humbled to be working for Mortgage Choice and looked forward to working closely with the firms South Australian franchisees.I have a significant amount of experience in mortgage broking, financial planning and small business management, and I look forward to bringing all that I know to this new role, she said.Throughout my career, I have dealt extensively with the Mortgage Choice South Australian network. And, from my experience, I know the network to be filled with professional, ethical, hard-working mortgage brokers who are best of breed.When the opportunity to join Mortgage Choice came up, Scott said the job offer was too good to refuse.I look forward to helping Mortgage Choices South Australian franchisees grow and evolve their business over the coming months and years.Scott said she was looking forward to helping the states franchise network and their customers make better choices for a better life.I am excited for this new chapter and cant wait to do whatever it takes to help my new network of small business owners achieve every success.While at ANZ, Scott was the banks SA/NT regional manager of mobile lending. Prior to that, she was a senior business development manager with the bank for over 15 years.Mortgage Choice CEO John Flavell said that it was wonderful to have someone of Scotts experience and calibre joining the team.Amandas wealth of experience means she is ideally placed to lead Mortgage Choice to further growth in the financial services sector across South Australia, he said.Amandas previous experience with ANZ means she is already well known and well loved by everyone within the Mortgage Choice network. Her knowledge, intelligence and can-do attitude will put her in good stead.He expressed his confidence that Scott would have the skills and abilities required to help the firms South Australian network of franchisees grow, evolve and prosper.
A U.S. Senate bill that would name two Billings veterans clinics after local war heroes passed the United States Senate last week.

Cosponsored by Sens. Steve Daines, a Republican, and Jon Tester, a Democrat, S. 1282 would name two U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Clinics on the West End after Joe Medicine Crow and Ben Steele.

If passed, Medicine Crow's name would adorn the VA's outpatient clinic. The specialty clinic would be named after Steele.

The bill would also name a Missoula VA clinic after World War II vet David J. Thatcher, who participated in the Doolittle Raid in response to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

It passed the Senate on Aug. 2.

David Thatcher, Joe Medicine Crow, and Ben Steele are Montanas heroes and Americas heroes, Tester said in a press release. These three represent the greatest generation and what is best about Montana, and today we are one step closer to ensuring future generations will forever remember their brave service."

Steele and Medicine Crow, both of whom died in 2016, are celebrated area veterans.

Known as the last Crow war chief, Medicine Crow joined the Army in 1943. During his service he fulfilled the requirements needed to be a war chief, which are leading a war party, touching the first fallen enemy and stealing his weapon, and entering an enemy camp and stealing horses.

Medicine Crow was a lifelong ambassador for the Crow tribe. Among his honors is the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which he received from President Barack Obama in 2009.

He died in April 2016 at 102.

Steele joined the Army Air Corps in 1940 and is well-known as a survivor of the Bataan Death March, a perilous journey for prisoners of war at the hands of the Japanese.

Steele later captured that experience in his artwork. After the war, he honed that craft as an art teacher at Eastern Montana College, now Montana State University Billings.

He died in September 2016 at the age of 98.

Both men have already been honored by the Billings school district. Medicine Crow Middle School opened its doors for the 2016 school year last fall. Ben Steele Middle School is scheduled to open this coming fall.

S. 1282 will go to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.
Details about the annual National Finance Brokers Day (NFBD) have been finalised with brokers called to come together and participate for better public awareness around the profession.On 16 August, NFBD founder Dino Pacella and Yellow Brick Road chairman Mark Bouris will host a livestream video on Facebook to take consumer questions about the industry.In an interview with Australian Broker, Pacella said he hoped the event would raise greater awareness of the advantages that consumers can receive when dealing with a broker. Other topics to be raised included the current lending environment and tips on how to navigate the market.The main objective of the day is to encourage more Australians to seek out a broker when requiring any type of finance, he said.Bouris was chosen to participate due to his strong support of NFBD from its inception and his wide consumer reach through the Yellow Brick Road brand, Pacella added.He said he would love to see brokers get involved in the day by organising small celebrations with clients and posting on the NFBDs social media pages.A couple of ideas may be to hold an afternoon tea whilst watching the live Facebook event at 3pm EST or to take a couple clients out for a coffee. The array of celebration ideas are endless and I look forward to seeing what the country gets up to.The event will also be connected with a charity drive for Make-a-Wish Australia which hopes to raise $50,000 in funds for the foundation.NFBD has partnered with Tracy Keary and Mhairi MacLeod from Astute Connexion who will be donating $10 for every client/broker meeting held on the official day. Brokers and/or clients simply need to post a pic or message to one of the social media pages tagging #NFBD.The previously planned main consumer event for NFBD had to be cancelled due to a lack of sponsorship and funding. However, Pacella said he already had plans in place for next years event.My dream moving forward would be that all businesses within the intermediary space, whether a lender, aggregator or broker, will come together for the good of the industry and assist in further promoting the amazing work that brokers do in helping make dreams become a reality for the Australian consumer.We need the whole industry to come together as one and be proactive in building market awareness of all finance brokers.
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84th Precinct

Brooklyn HeightsDUMBOBoerum HillDowntown

Subway gang

Cops are searching for a crew of bruisers who beat up their former gang member and stole his phone on a Manhattan-bound R train as it was leaving the station near Pacific Street on Aug. 3.

The victim told police he was on the train by Fourth Avenue at 7:45 pm, listening to music from his phone, when he noticed approximately 10 guys use the end train car doors to enter. He recgonized one of the punks from when he used to be part of the Crips gang and did prison time with him, authorities said. An argument then ensued over past issues of loyalty to the gang, followed by the assailants punching and kicking him. He was left with contusions, cuts, and scrapes to the right side of his face, a left sprained wrist, and right sprained thumb, according to a report. During the fight, one of the baddies snatched his Samsung phone, police said. The creeps finally fled, and the victim boarded a Manhattan-bound 6 train, which he took to the Bronx, and then was taken to the hospital, authorities said.

Vending vengeance

An illegal water vendor punched a hot dog vendor in the face and stole $500 from his cart on Prospect Street on Aug. 1.

The dog vendor got into a dispute with the water guy near Cadman Plaza East at 3:15 pm. The thief then socked him, snatched the cash, and fled, according to a report.

Shopping nightmare

Some sneak stole an Australian womans wallet while she was shopping on Montague street on Aug. 4.

The tourist had her wallet inside a shop by Henry Street at 1:30 pm and proceeded to hit more stores in the area, before discovering she didnt have it anymore, police said. She returned to check all of the places she went and didnt find it, according to a report.

The victim then went to cancel all of her credit cards and realized a weasel had used it several times at different places, cops said. The $150 red eel-skin Foldon wallet also contained $650, authorities said.

Broken pitcher

Cops cuffed a guy who they say bashed a woman with a glass pitcher inside a Livingston Street store on Aug. 1.

The suspect hit her with the drinking vessel in the shop by Bond Street at 1:05 pm, cutting her nose and causing pain in her hand, she told police.

 Lauren Gill
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West Virginia 7

Cyclones 3

Aug. 8 in West Virginia

It was bad news for the Cyclones.

Brooklyn pitchers Jose Geraldo, Trey Cobb, and Marcel Renteria allowed seven hits and seven runs, and the Cyclones mustered up only three runs in the teams fifth-straight defeat, this one at the paws of the Black Bears.

The Cyclones and the Black Bears exchanged runs early on. West Virginia got on the board first when Chris Sharpe reached home after Geraldo made a throwing error trying to pick Sharpe off as he was stealing third, but the Cyclones tied it when Leon Byrd Jr. singled with runners on the corners to score Franklin Correa in the third.

The Bears went on a tear in the next two innings. Rau Siri reached third after Correa made a throwing error to second before Raul Hernandez hit a sacrifice fly to score Siri in the fourth. In the fifth, Jared Oliva led off the inning with a triple and Dylan Busby walked before Lucas Tancas hit a three run homer to make it 51.

But our boys didnt go away quietly. Walter Rabbi Rasquin led off the sixth with a double before Jose Miguel Funky Cold Medina was hit by a pitch. After Bears reliever Sergio Cubilete threw a wild pitch to advance Rasquin and Medina to third and second respectively, Quinn Brodey grounded out to score Rasquin and advance Medina to third. Carl Stajduhar then hit a sacrifice fly to score Medina, making it 53.

The Bears bumped their lead up to four the following inning. Jared Oliva led off with a walk and then advanced to second off a wild pitch from Renteria. Busby then singled to score Oliva, then advanced to second on the throw.

Cyclones manager Edgardo Alfonzo replaced Renteria with Connor ONeil hoping to stop the rally, but the strategy failed. After ONeil threw a wild pitch to advance Busby to third, Tristan Gray hit a sacrifice fly to score Busby to make it 73.

Brooklyns Boys of Summer failed to catch up, cementing the loss.

The defeat puts the Cyclones at 1433, good enough for dead last in the McNamara Division and eight and a half games in back of the Hudson Valley Renegades, the second-to-last place team. On the plus side, Medina and Rasquin both made the New York Penn League South All-Star Team.

The Cyclones take on the Black Bears again tonight at 7:05 pm in West Virginia.
LODGE GRASS  Crow tribal officials Tuesday night pressed for increased law enforcement presence to police the sprawling reservation, speaking to about 60 residents of Lodge Grass days after a triple homicide shook the small town of about 400.

Several local delegates to the tribes legislature joined Tribal Chairman Alvin A.J Not Afraid in strongly condemning an epidemic of meth and related violence plaguing the Crow Reservation, which they blamed for the Friday shooting that left three tribal members from Lodge Grass dead and two other people injured.

Theres still lots of respectable people in the Lodge Grass community, and this event has tarnished us, Not Afraid said.

The town hall meeting took place less than a day after an early-morning fire destroyed the one-story house where tribal officials have said a meth-related dispute ended in the killing of three people who entered the home.

Leslie Frank Nomee Jr., 27, his wife Denise Stewart Nomee, 25, and Nehemiah Brokenrope, 30, were killed in a gunfight Friday. Two other people were injured, one of whom was still hospitalized Monday.

The fire, which started late Monday night or early Tuesday, was reported to the Big Horn County rural fire department at about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

It happened during a 9 p.m.-5 a.m. curfew imposed by tribal authorities following the shooting that remains in effect.

I think that each one of us is affected one way or another, either by a family member or a friend on meth, Tribal Sen. Tyson GrosVentre, whose district includes Lodge Grass, told the crowd. Its getting to the point where its getting out of control. Theyve got guns, they steal from their family to get money.

He was joined in condemning the reservations drug problem by another local representative, Sen. Tom Yellowtail, who introduced a proposal to enter into negotiations with state and federal agencies and Montanas congressional delegation to request resources to add officers to the tribes police department.

Yellowtail said that at times, only two or three officers are on duty to patrol the roughly 2.2-million acre reservation. If an arrest is made, he added, that leaves only one or two law enforcement officials while the arresting officer drives the suspect to the detention facility in Lame Deer, located on the adjacent Northern Cheyenne Reservation.

The legislature is your voice, Yellowtail told the residents. But we cant speak for you if no one comes to our meetings, if not one talks to us.

Not Afraid also focused on growing law enforcement presence on the reservation and suggested diverting more money from the tribes general fund to that end. He said he had spoken with Gov. Steve Bullock about possibly bringing the National Guard in to the reservation to assist what he characterized as meth-fueled violence on the reservation, where a 9 p.m. curfew remains in place following last weeks shooting.

But he also urged increased community involvement in combating crime, asking more residents to join a community watch task force his administration has begun organizing in response to the slayings. He added that the tribe needs to be compassionate toward those addicted to meth and other drugs.

The end result is rehab, he said. The end result is a life for those people, because they are Crow.

FBI Senior Supervisory Agent Travis Burrows said the investigation the agency is conducting into the shootings was ongoing, with no suspects publicly identified or arrested, but that the FBI was not investigating the fire. He did not know the cause of the fire.

The Big Horn County Sheriff's Office said any investigation into the fire would be led by the county fire department. The county's fire chief, Matt Redden, was responding to a wildfire on Tuesday and was unavailable to comment.
Bucks County schools help Give a Christmas reach local families in need

In its 64-year history, the Give-a-Christmas drive has raised $5.26 million to help thousands of families at the holiday season.
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October 31, 2022

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In November, there are hundreds of new and returning TV showsit can be overwhelming to try and choose what to watch. That's why we've selected some of the best options...
In this episode of The Bold Type, titled The Breast Issue, things get personal for all three of the protagonists. Jane struggles with writing an article about genetic testing for the BRCA mutation, which indicates a higher risk for breast cancer. Kats #FreeTheNipple campaign threatens her job. And Suttons first day in the fashion department isnt quite what she expected.

What Makes the Bold Type Ladies Stand Out from Other Female Protagonists? >>>





#FreeTheNipple

Episode six starts off with a bang as Kat and Sutton take off their shirts for breast equality in the park. Jane refuses to participate.

Its Suttons first day in the fashion department, and it isnt quite what she expected. Instead of having a say in fashion decisions, she is making coffee runs.

Kat runs into trouble after posting a photo of female breasts from the park rally. Instagram took down the photo, which Kat had posted to Scarlets account. Even though Jacqueline likes Kats angle, she and the board request that Kat stands down.

Kats conflict with Adena is mentioned briefly; Adena did go to Paris to make up with Coco, and it seems like Kat is using the #FreeTheNipple campaign to distract herself. Meanwhile, Sutton is determined to acquire a piece of jewelry that Oliver wants to prove shes worth more than coffee runs.

Jaqueline assigns Jane a story that Alex pitched about a doctor who is testing for a mutation, the BRCA gene, in women in their 20s. A mutated BRCA gene increases a womans likelihood for breast cancer significantly. Clearly, Jane is not thrilled with this assignment, and Alex mentions something about her mother, but it is unclear what he is referring to.

Jane vs. Fear

Sutton and Kat go to Jane asking her to get the test from the doctor. It turns out that Janes mother had the BRCA genetic mutation and was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 32. Jane is reluctant and is aggressive in her interview with the doctor.

Sutton manages to make a deal with a friend to get the pendant that Oliver wants. Kat continues, despite being told otherwise, with her campaign, posting photos of male nipples and nipples on statues.

After Jane returns from the doctor, she lashes out at Jacqueline when Jacqueline asks about the interview. She accuses Jacqueline of using and abusing her writers for her benefit. Jaqueline tells Jane to take a walk and Jane leaves the office, afraid shes lost her job.

Sutton comes to Janes rescue as shes wandering around Midtown. When Sutton gets out of the cab, however, she forgets the pendant. Sutton and Kat call around to different companies, desperately trying to locate the necklace. But since Sutton cant remember the cab company, they dont have much luck.

Later, Jane goes to a meeting at a random address, thinking shes going to be fired. It turns out shes meeting Jacqueline at her apartment. Jacqueline gives Jane some personal information about her and encourages her to get the test so she doesnt have to live in fear.

Quiz: Who is Your Ideal TV Boyfriend >>>

Jane Makes a Big Decision

After having no luck with the cabs, Sutton tries to finish her other work for Oliver. Alex finds her in Olivers office and gives her an idea on how they can find the necklace.

Kat is reprimanded again by Jacqueline about her Instagram posts. Jacqueline says Kat is not trying to actually help women; shes just trying to win against the board. Jacqueline reminds her that they should be helping and supporting women.

Alex and Sutton try to get video footage from a dry cleaner to find out information about the cab. After some pushing, they find out the info and contact the cab company, which has the necklace. Just as the pair have a moment, Richard comes walking into the dry cleaners. When Alex and Sutton ride back to the office in a cab, Alex says he would kiss Sutton if she werent seeing Richard.

Finally, Jane makes the decision to go get the test done. Sutton and Kat go with her, and Kat records the process (at Janes request) for Janes article. One week later, Jane finds out that she is positive for the BRCA mutation. Despite this possibly life changing news, the three girls go and take their shirts off in the park.

Episode six tackled another important issue in the lives of young women. Moreover, it introduced the possibility of a long lasting conflict with Janes positive test result.

What did you think of the conclusion of this episode? Were you surprised that Jane tested positive? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

The Bold Type season 1 airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Freeform. Want more news? Like our Facebook page.

(Image courtesy of Freeform)
While most eyes will be skyward during the Aug. 21 solar eclipse, a dozen or more area ham radio operators will be at Pompeys Pillar hunched over their equipment and contributing to a nationwide science project.

While everyone else is watching the optical effect, said Ron Glass of the Yellowstone Radio Club, we will be testing whats happening with the ionosphere. When you have a 2-hour interruption (in solar energy), we want to know how quickly the ionosphere loses its charge.

From 8 a.m. through 4 p.m., local ham radio enthusiasts will join hundreds of their fellow operators across the nation collecting data and feeding their findings to a Virginia Tech University team studying the eclipses effects on the ionosphere.

Hovering about 50 miles over the surface of the planet, the ionosphere serves in part to bounce low-frequency radio waves back to Earth.

With the eclipse providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, scientists want to learn more about how the phenomenon will affect many kinds of everyday communications.

Glass offered this example: In western states, the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service operates hundreds of remote snow telemetry stations that measure snowpack and moisture content and automatically send the data via a one-watt radio transmitter. Scientists want to know how the eclipse will affect that kind of low-watt data transmission.

The eclipse will present a very rapid drop in solar radiation, said Glass, who works in information technology at St. Vincent Healthcare. Itll be interesting to see how that gets affected by the eclipse.

Diana Jansma of Worden, another club member, said Pompeys Pillar has been a venue over the centuries for eclipse viewing. In July 1860, an Army lieutenant named Henry Maynadier, whod been ordered to map the Yellowstone River and its tributaries, observed a solar eclipse from the top of the pillar and also noted the Indian pictographs there.

This will be part of the history of Pompeys Pillar too, she said.

Jansma said that on the day of the eclipse, club members will assist anyone who wants to get on the radio and communicate with whoever they can. Those who do make contact will receive a certificate to mark the occasion.

A second station  one that relies on Morse code  will be used to transmit the scientific data, Glass said. The work is supported by NASA and the National Science Foundation.

Itll be by far the largest data collection during an eclipse, he said.

On the day of the eclipse, many club members will be in Casper, Wyoming, for the opportunity to see the eclipse in totality. But that can be a risky strategy, Glass noted.
Its all change for two Shropshire managers who have swapped roles at a family-owned builders merchant after a total of 50 years combined service.

Jon Griffiths has worked for Tudor Griffiths Group for over 30 years managing several branches in the companys builders merchants network, and Paul Morris began working for the firm by taking a Saturday job almost 20 years ago.

Jon has most recently been the manager at the Oswestry branch and Paul was in charge at Ellesmere. But now Jon has moved to Ellesmere, with Paul moving in the opposite direction to lead the team at Oswestry.

TG Builders Merchants Manager, Mark Evans, said: Its great to have such key members of our team playing these important roles in the company, as their experience is absolutely invaluable.

Now with Jon and Paul swapping roles, its a good opportunity to change things around and take a fresh approach to two of our main branches. Its also a new challenge for Jon, as not only will he be managing Ellesmere, he will also be supporting me with other divisional work, and getting involved in the overall divisional operations.

Jon began his career with Tudor Griffiths Group as an office junior, before progressing through counter sales, working as an assistant manager at Ellesmere and Nantwich, before a seven-year spell managing the Ellesmere branch where he will now be based once again.

Paul started with a Saturday job before becoming a full-time sales supervisor, and after leaving the company to work elsewhere, he returned to manage the Ellesmere branch before his latest move to Oswestry.

The TG Group includes a network of eight builders merchants branches  in Ellesmere, Nantwich, Northwich, Oswestry, Chester, Welshpool, Kidderminster, and the very latest branch in Bridgnorth.
Democrats largely prevail in SJ, but reversals loom in two townships

Democratic incumbents held on to many seats, but GOP challengers made inroads in two large townships
It was back in 1894, that Gustav Adolf Pfleiderer established a lumber rafting and trading business in Heilbronn, Germany. By 1920, the family-owned company Pfleiderer was already supplying wooden sleepers to Deutsche Bahn (then known as Deutsche Reichsbahn), the German railway operator. Several innovations followed in the subsequent years, the company emerged as one of the important partners of Deutsche Bahn in supplying high speed tracks. Meanwhile, the Mittelstand company (term used for typically a family-owned small and medium-sized manufacturing firm in Germany) had expanded footprints across the globe.
Ivanhoe Cambridge, the real estate investment arm of Canadas second largest pension fund manager CDPQ, has shown interest in buying stake in the rental assets of Bengaluru-based Prestige Estates, said a source in the know. Prestige is looking to sell 40-50 per cent stake in its rental assets and could raise about $500 million, said the source. Ivanhoe is looking at this stake as it wants to enter the South Indian commercial property market and Prestige is one of the biggest asset owners there, said the source. Ivanhoe Cambridge has C$56 billion ($42.76 billion) of assets as of last year. According to sources, Canadas biggest pension manager Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is also in the race. When contacted, a public relations executive for said the company cannot comment on the matter due to its board meeting. An Ivanhoe spokesperson said they do not comment on rumours.
A Plevna-area rancher admitted Tuesday that he killed a bald eagle by illegally using a pesticide.

Dale Duwayne Buerkle, 66, pleaded guilty to the unlawful taking of a bald eagle during a hearing in U.S. District Court in Billings.

A plea agreement calls for two other counts, including unlawful taking of a migratory bird, a hawk, and unlawful use of a registered pesticide, to be dismissed at sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sullivan said that in March 2016, landowners near Buerkles property notified a warden with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks that they had found a dead bald eagle on their property.

The warden retrieved the eagle carcass and also three coyote carcasses. The warden noticed that across the property line, on Buerkles land, was a calf carcass about 20 yards from where the first coyote was found, Sullivan said.

The next month, the landowners found a dead hawk in the same pasture where the dead coyotes were recovered.

Toxicology tests on the carcasses of the bald eagle, the coyotes and hawks, along with tests of a calf carcass, bugs and soil samples, all were positive for carbofuran, a pesticide, Sullivan said.

The landowner denied using carbofuran.

In an interview with an FWP warden, Buerkle admitted he injected carbofuran into the stomach of two calves, Sullivan said. Buerkle admitted he knew that using the pesticide was illegal but had no clue that it killed birds, he said. Buerkle also admitted he knew the poison was not selective.

Buerkle gave his remaining carbofuran to the FWP warden and said he put out the calf carcasses at the end of February or early March.

The plea deal calls for the prosecution to recommend one year of probation and payment of $1,000 restitution.

Buerkle faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan set sentencing for Nov. 16.
Despite roadblock, in the form of Goods and Services Tax (GST), electric two-wheeler makers are going ahead with their investment plans.

said it would invest around Rs 50-75 crore a year to bring high-speed scooters, while the new entrant Okinawa said it would invest around $40 million (around Rs 300 crore). Interestingly, Okinawa is even planning to manufacture batteries, through its vendors, locally.
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A Silicon Valley culture war pitting liberal-leaning tech firms against a small conservative cohort took on new intensity on Tuesday after Google fired a male engineer for a memo that decried the company's commitment to hiring women.
Ajay Hattangdi and Vinod Murali, former executives at venture debt firm InnoVen Capital, are planning to launch their own venture debt firm . Ajay Hattangdi, in an interview with Ranju Sarkar, shares his plans and prospects for venture debt in India.
One of the investments could be in a 800,000 sq ft business park, owned by Adani Realty, in the Bandra-Kurla Complex area of Mumbai
A release to the stock exchanges on Wednesday said the shareholders of the company passed resolutions at the annual general meeting (AGM) appointing Price Waterhouse & Co as the companys statutory auditor and Deepak Kapoor as independent director.
is offering a 30 per cent discount on return flights to the UK from three Indian cities as part of a special Independence Day sale starting on Wednesday.

The 70-hour sale will be open till August 11 for a travel period up to March 31, 2018.

As part of the scheme, a discount of 30 per cent will be offered on return flights in Economy, Premium Economy or Upper Class cabins, the airline said in a statement.

Those already travelling with the airline will also be treated to Indian sweets.

Those celebrating their birthday on August 15 will be offered upgrades subject to availability of seats, the airline said.

Special return fares for economy class from New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, start at Rs 82,192, Rs 82,831 and Rs 83,750, respectively. The fares will be valid for a travel period between May 4 and June 28, 2018.
Delhi, 23 August 2016: It was two months into their marriage that the abuse began. Mohan, 30, slapped his wife Ragini Sharma, 27, for giving a lower dowry than expected by her parents-in-law. (Names have been changed to maintain anonymity.) First he used to be sarcastic about our class differenceI was from west Delhi and he from a posh south Delhi societybut then one day, he attacked at me, said Ragini, an energetic woman, who now teaches at a school in New Delhi. I tried to attack him back at times but all that I could do was scratch him. When Ragini told her mother-in-law about the abuse she was told all this is normal. It was when Raginis husband dragged her, and beat her up so severely that it left her with wounds on her head, she left the house and registered a complaint with the Delhi police under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), passed in 2005.

I was in a dilemma then, because filing a case meant that my marriage is going to break and we are going to have a divorce, but her familys support firmed her resolve for justice. The court has provided partial compensation to Ragini, while divorce proceedings are still ongoing in the case.

In the 10 years since the the PWDVA, a civil act, was passed, over 1,000,000 cases have been filed across the country under sections pertaining to cruelty by husband and dowry, data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) show. Cases registered under the abetment of suicide of women, collected by the NCRB since 2014, increased by 34%, from 3034 in 2014 to 4060 in 2015, data show.

For a decade from 2005 to 2015, 88,467 women, or an average of 22, died each day in dowry-related cases. In 2015 alone, 7,634 women were killed over dowry, data show.
The Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board on Tuesday filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court saying a mosque can be built in a Muslim-dominated area maintaining a reasonable distance from Lord Ram's birth place in Ayodhya.

Filing an affidavit, the Shia Waqf Board said closeness of places of worship "should be avoided in as much as both denominations using loudspeakers tend to disturb religious performance of each other, often leading to conflicts and acrimony in the two factions".

"To bring a quietus to the issue, Masjid can be located in a Muslim-dominated area at a reasonable distance from the most revered place of birth of Maryada Purushottam Sri Ram," it added.

The Shia Waqf Board contended that the Sunni Waqf Board has no stake in the case since the mosque was a Shia property.

"Since Babri Masjid was a Shia Waqf, only Shia Central Waqf board, Uttar Pradesh, is entitled to negotiate and arrive at a peaceful settlement with other remaining stakeholders," the affidavit stated.

The Shia Board also suggested that a panel headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and all stakeholders should find an amicable solution to the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid dispute.

The committee should also include nominees from the Prime Minister's Office and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's Office, and make suggestions and proposals for amicable settlement, affidavit said.

The Supreme Court has constituted a three-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra to hear a batch of petitions challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case from August 11.

The bench, whose other members are Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice Abdul Nazeer, would adjudicate the dispute over ownership of Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid land.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court in 2010 had said the land should be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
A Busby man accused of murder in the beating and burning death of a Crow Agency woman last year is mentally competent to proceed to trial, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters of Billings found that Dimarzio Swade Sanchez, 19, is competent to stand trial after hearing testimony from a forensic psychologist Tuesday afternoon.

Sanchez is among three people charged in the death of Roylynn Rides Horse, 28, who died on June 28, 2016, in a Salt Lake City hospital after being beaten unconscious, set on fire with gasoline and left in a field on the Crow Reservation on April 17, 2016.

Sanchez has pleaded not guilty to first degree murder.

Watters ordered a mental competency exam after finding there was reasonable cause to believe Sanchez may be suffering from a mental disease that could make him incompetent to understand the proceedings against him or to assist in his defense.

Sanchez underwent a competency exam at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons Metropolitan Center in Los Angeles. He was at the center from late March to about mid June.

Tiffany Smith, a BOP clinical psychologist who conducted the exam, testified that in her opinion, Sanchez was mentally competent.

Smith also said that while Sanchez had substance use and adjustment disorders, they did not impair his ability to understand the court process. Sanchez demonstrated a level of competency, she said.

Sanchez, Smith said, had substance use issues that included meth, cocaine, opiates, cannabis, alcohol and hallucinogens. The adjustment disorders involved anxiety and depression, she said.

The examination also indicated that Sanchez put forth a poor effort and lack of investment in some of the testing in an attempt to appear worse than he was, Smith said.

The examination involved various psychological tests, a review of his history and the case and interviews with him and others, Smith said. She met with Sanchez five or six times for a total of about 12 hours, she said.

Watters said she would set a trial date for Sanchez. Earlier, the judge vacated a May 8 trial date until further notice.

Sanchez faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted of first degree murder.

Co-defendant Angelica Jo Whiteman, of Billings, also is charged with first degree murder and is set for trial on Sept. 25.
The Chandigarh Police today asked Vikas, the son of Haryana BJP leader Subhash Barala, to join the investigation into alleged stalking case of a woman here in which he is an accused.

A notice of summons was pasted outside the house of the accused here.

Vikas Barala has been asked to join the investigation by 11 am at the sector-26 police station, a police official said.

Vikas (23) and his friend Ashish Kumar (27) have been booked under sections 354 D (stalking), 341 of IPC (punishment for wrongful restraint) and also section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act (driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drugs).

Both were earlier arrested for allegedly stalking the 29 -year-old woman but were released on bail subsequently.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In his maiden Independence Day speech in 2014 from the historic ramparts of the Red Fort in the Indian capital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke on the issue of rape and sexual violence against women in the country. Raking up the issue was a political necessity because the Nirbhaya rape case in December 2012 had added to the erosion of the UPAs credibility. In order to harness public anger on this, Modis spin doctors and publicists coined a catchy slogan: Bahut Hua Nari Pe Waar, Abki Baar Modi Sarkar.
Rejecting India's suggestion for a simultaneous withdrawal of troops to end the standoff at Doklam, China on Tuesday upped the ante, wondering what New Delhi would do if it "enters" Kalapani region in Uttarakhand or Kashmir.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau. Bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims the area belongs to it and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.

"Even if there is only one Indian soldier, even for a day it is still a violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity," Wang Wenli, Deputy Director General of the Boundary and Ocean Affairs of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said.

Wang was briefing an Indian media delegation, whose visit was sponsored by the state-run All China Journalists Association (ACJA), on China's stand on the .

"It is impossible to have a dialogue with India at this time. Our people will think our government is incompetent."
Amid the border standoff with China, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said the Indian armed forces are strong enough to meet any challenge to the country's security as he underlined that lessons have been learnt from the 1962 war.

He also said in the Rajya Sabha that the people of the country have a predominant wish of retrieving the parts of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan since 1948.

Jaitley, while initiating a special debate to mark the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942, said India had faced many challenges over these decades but "we can proudly say the country became stronger with each challenge".

He said India had "learnt a lesson" from the 1962 war with China that "the armed forces will have to be made fully capable on our own because even today the nation faces challenges from our neighbouring countries."

Compared to 1962, the armed forces were made stronger in 1965 and 1971 wars, Jaitley said.

In 1962, India had to face a war imposed by China and suffer severe reverses. However, in the wars of 1965 and 1971 thrust by Pakistan, India had emerged victorious.

"I agree that some challenges are still there. Some people are targeting our country's sovereignty and integrity. But I am fully confident that our brave soldiers have capabilty to keep our country secure, may it be challenges on the eastern border or the western border," he said.

"The armed forces can give any kind of sacrifice for the security of the nation," the defence minister asserted.

Jaitley's message assumes significance as it comes amid a two-month-long border standoff with China in Doklam even though he did not specifically mention it.

He also referred to the occupation of parts of J&K by Pakistan soon after the Independence.

"Initially (after Independence), we faced a crisis. Our neighbour had an eye on Kashmir. Even today, we cannot forget that a part of the country has got separated. It is a wish of every Indian today as to how to retrieve that part," the minister said.

Jaitley, who is Leader of the Rajya Sabha, said today was the day to commit to make India a strong, just and economically-progressive country.

He underlined the need for freeeing the country from all kinds of violence, be it in the name terrorism, politics or religion.

Jaitley said the country is facing a bigger challenge from terrorism and Left-wing extremism.

In a clear reference to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, he said a prime minister and a former prime minister had to lose their lives to terrorism.

Jaitley said people from across the border and also some people within the country who have taken to arms, are trying to spread terrorism especially in the northern region of the country.

He said the security forces, including the army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir police have contributed a lot in the fight against terrorism in J&K, though some incidents still take place.

Jaitley stressed that the House and the whole nation needed to commit in one voice to fight the menace of terrorism.

He also emphasised on probity in public life and reduction of money use in politics.

Emphasising that different religions and castes are an integral part of the country, Jaitley said it is important to manitain harmony in the country.

The minister said there should be no place in the country for violence in the name of politics, religion and terrorism.

"The country should be freed from such violence," he said and added that on this historic day there is a need to take pledge to make India strong, just and economically progressive.

While recalling the events related to Quit India movement launched on this day in 1942, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad took a jibe on the ruling BJP, saying "last night too several incidents happened", an apparent reference to Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat and subsequent events.

As Azad said parties of those who participated in the freedom struggle and those who did not could be easily searched online, CPM member Sitaram Yechury quipped that internet was not working.

To this, Azad said the country has defeated the "mightiest powers" and one should not get afraid of such small issues like absence of internet.

Samajwadi Party member Ram Gopal Yadav talked about contribution of socialist leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and Jai Prakasah Narayan.

He asked the government to keep an eye on Himalayan region as "the threat is from that side".

Senior JDU leader Sharad Yadav stressed that one should learn from history. "History should not distorted," he added.
The Indian Army is in a 'no war, no peace' mode against the Chinese military in Dokalam and status quo continues in the area, official sources said on Wednesday.

They said there has been no specific movement of troops and weapons by the Indian Army in the area, adding whatever "movement" is taking place is for maintenance purpose.

Asked specifically about reports of sending of troops from the Sukna-based 33 Corps to Dokalam, the sources said there has been no enhancement of army personnel in the India- Bhutan-China trijunction.

We are in no war no peace mode in Dokalam, the sources said.

In military parlance, no war, no peace mode refers to a confrontation or face-off position with enemies.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Dokalam area of the Sikkim sector for 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Dokalam plateau.

Bhutan says Dokalam belongs to it but China claims it to be its territory and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Dokalam area of the Sikkim sector for 50 days
The standoff between India and China at the Doklam area of the Sikkim section has enormous consequences for the world, including America, so the Trump administration should have its diplomacy at the ready, a former CIA analyst said today.

Bruce Riedel, who is now working with the Brookings Institute -- a Washington-based think-tank -- said both India and China have built up their conventional forces facing each other in the Himalayas.

"China and India are now nuclear weapons powers with nuclear-armed missiles targeting, respectively, New Delhi and Beijing. Both are huge economic powers with considerable trade between them," Riedel wrote in an op-ed in the Daily Beast.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in Doklam for 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

"This is a face-off with potentially enormous consequences for the world. Neither side has asked for American intervention but American interests are very much at stake," he said.

The Chinese incursion into Bhutan coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the White House, probably a deliberate move by Beijing, he wrote.

"Washington should have its diplomacy at the ready. We need experienced hands in the State Department South Asia bureau. We need the best possible ambassadors on the scene. Our military ties to India need to be on watch. JFK was ready in 1962, we should not be caught off guard today," Riedel said.

In 2015, Riedel wrote a book 'JFK's Forgotten Crisis: Tibet, the CIA, and the Sino-Indian War Hardcover', whose paperback edition is coming out soon.

The book gives an account of how then US president John F Kennedy came out in support of India during the 1962 war with China.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A has written an emotional letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, narrating her ordeal when she was forced into flesh trade and urging him to rescue women like her.

The letter was handed over to Modi by chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) Vijaya Rahatkar yesterday. Rahatkar met the prime minister in New Delhi and tied a rakhi on his wrist on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

In her two-page letter, the survivor said she was trafficked and sold to a city brothel where she spent six years in "hellish" conditions.

"I was beaten up regularly and treated as worse than an animal. I had lost all hopes of coming out of the brothel and was sure to die there," she said.

However, the woman was lucky enough to be rescued from the "dark world" and is now living a dignified life.

"A day came when the Mumbai Police, along with an NGO, rescued me from the dark world and gave me a new lease of life. I was rehabilitated and I'm now working in a garment outlet," her letter reads.

The woman requested the prime minister to ensure victims like her are rescued and properly rehabilitated. "On the day of Raksha Bandhan, I request you to please act as a saviour of your sisters who are still living hellish life in brothels."



Rahatkar, who is also the president of the BJP Mahila Morcha, said she is confident that the PMO would take cognisance of the letter and act on it.

"Our (MSCW) motto is to bring qualitative changes in the lives of distressed women. I am confident the PMO would take suitable action on it (the letter)," she told PTI.
The Maharashtra Government on Wednesday announced land and grant of Rs. 5 crore to build hostels for students from the Maratha community in every district.

The announcement was made by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the state assembly.

Meanwhile, Fadnavis also met representatives from the Maratha Morcha and leaders from all political parties.

Earlier in the day, over six lakhs people of the Maratha community halted Mumbai when the Marathi Kranti Morcha (MKM) came out on the streets to raise their demand of reservation for Marathi people. Students, women, and leaders took part in the mammoth rally under the umbrella of .

The MKM handed over a letter comprising of their demands to Fadnavis.

More than 10,000 police personnel, several drones and CCTV cameras were deployed to control the traffic and also to provide security during this mammoth rally. Mumbai Police, Traffic Police, BMC, Fire Brigade and intelligence units from state and Centre are on high alert to prevent any untoward incident during the Morcha.

A street packed with Maratha community people during a silent protest in Mumbai on Wednesday, to demand reservation in government jobs and educational institutions | PTI Photo

The silent protest March started from Jijamata Udyan in Byculla at 11 am.

Lakhs of people of the Maratha community entered Mumbai from cities like Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur, Raigad, and Satara.

The Morcha had organised 57 protests last year.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday announced in the state legislative assembly that the government would extend to the Maratha community the educational concessions that are currently given to OBCs.

He said the government would form a cabinet sub- committee, which would review the implementation of various schemes for the Maratha community.

The chief minister's announcement came on a day the Maratha community took out a massive silent march- 'Maratha Kranti Morcha' - in south Mumbai to press for reservation in jobs and education, among other demands.

The announcement was made after Fadnavis held a meeting with the representatives of the Maratha community.

A delegation of 40 people, including women, met him at the Vidhan Bhawan this afternoon. Congress leader Narayan Rane, BJP's associate member and Rajya Sabha member Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje, NCP leaders Ajit Pawar, Shashikant Shinde and Sunil Tatkare were also present on the occasion.

Speaking in the assembly, Fadnavis said, "Earlier, the Maratha community students were getting a scholarship for 35 various educational courses."



"Now, these students will get scholarship benefits for all the 605 courses like the OBC students get. The educational qualification criteria for Maratha students would be the same as the OBC students."



"The Maharashtra government will also form a cabinet sub-committee, which will review the implementation of various schemes and hold talks with the delegation of Maratha Kranti Morcha every three months," he said.

The Annasaheb Patil Development Corporation of Maharashtra would provide skill development training to three lakh Maratha students, he said, adding that the government will also offer some relief on the interest on an educational loan up to Rs 10 lakh.

"The government will provide Rs five crore for every district to construct a hostel for Maratha students. It will be operated by NGOs," Fadnavis said.

On the Kopardi rape incident, the chief minister said, "The defence lawyers are deliberately buying time and trying to postpone the trial. They have been fined by the high court as well. The case is currently being heard in a sessions court in Ahmednagar district."





Speaking outside the House, Fadnavis said, "The hearing is almost over. Once the entire hearing gets over, I am hopeful of the court announcing its verdict soon."In the House, NCP leader Ajit Pawar said, "We are not satisfied with the announcements by the CM."Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi and AIMIM leaders Imtiaz Jaleel and Waris Pathan said the government should extend similar benefits to Muslims students as well.

Fadnavis said, "The educational benefits to OBC Muslims and SC Muslim students are not changed. Those scholarships and relaxation in educational qualifications will continue to be there.

"The Muslim students also get scholarship for 605 courses and state government is not changing it either. If there are some individual cases, we will sort them out separately."



Thousands of people belonging to the Maratha community from different parts of Maharashtra converged in the megapolis today as part of their campaign to press for reservation in jobs and education among other demands.

Amid tight security, the massive silent march began from the Jijamata Udyan in Byculla this morning and ended at Azad maidan.

This is the 58th march of the Maratha community, exactly a year after the first such protest was held in Aurangabad.

The march has been organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups.

These 'mook morcha' or silent rallies were held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl, belonging to the Maratha community, at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district in July last year.




For fostering entrepreneurship in the state, the Odisha government has forged a partnership with social networking giant Facebook to train about 25,000 MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) and SHG (self-help group) entrepreneurs in the next one year.


All the candidates are jockeying for position as they come around the home bend. Get right up there on the edge of the running, as it were, when the North Valley Coalition and

Weekly Alibi

present a forum for Albuquerque Mayoral Candidates at the

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (2401 12th Street NW)

.
Straddling Montana and Wyoming, the Beartooth Plateau is a veritable playground for hikers, fishermen, climbers and culinary adventurers alike. With access points stretching from Red Lodge to Cooke City, the plateau is home to hundreds of lakes filled with brook trout, cutthroat and even some grayling.

With trails skirting and soaring over alpine lakes, visitors are treated to an explosion of wildflowers and breathtaking views of Granite Peak (Montanas highest point) and and the plateaus dramatic namesake peak, the Beartooth.

Whether fishing Beauty Lake from the Beartooth Lake trailhead or Shelf Lake out of Red Lodge, the fish are aggressive. Catching dinner is a fun and, generally, quick affair. On a recent trip with my family to celebrate my husbands 50th birthday, we feasted on fresh-caught trout and many other backpacking delicacies.

Dan has been talking about taking this trip since I started dating him nineteen years ago. He grew up backpacking the Beartooth Plateau annually for ten years with his parents and two younger brothers the first week of August. Their family photo albums are filled with images of the three Vermillion brothers hoisting their catches and grinning for the camera dressed in everything from Tough Skins jeans of the 1970s to their college sweatshirts. Dan loved getting to celebrate his birthday in this wild place and wanted to share it with our children (an 11-year old and 9-year-old twins) and kick off his 50th year with a nostalgic bang, fly rod in hand.

My sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Jeff and Catherine Vermillion of Bozeman, and their two daughters did this trip last summer and invited us to join them for a 4-day, 3-night adventure. Dan began planning our menu the moment he shot an elk near Augusta last fall, ordering elk jerky snack sticks and jalapeno cheddar elk sausage (which he recently sliced and vacuum-sealed with wedges of cheese) from Allen Meat Processing in Augusta. We paired the sausage and cheese with crackers for an easy lunch every day on our trip.

The key to packing light is to keep it simple, advised my sister-in-law, who grew up backpacking in Yosemite and the Sierras and is far more experienced at cooking in the backcountry than I am. You can use a cup for all meals if youre really watching your ounces, but since were setting up camp only a couple miles in and doing day trips from there, we can carry plates and sporks.

Catherine shared her list of essential gear with me: Water filter, propane stove, gloves (to act as potholders), a lightweight kitchen set. Ours came with pots and pans, a thin plastic cutting board and sharp knife. You can get them at Bob Wards, The Base Camp, an Army Navy Store or REI. She also advised bringing biodegradable soap and a sponge. When you wash dishes in rivers or lakes, you want to be sure to bring soap that's environmentally sound.

For Christmas, I gave Dan a powerful, lightweight Whisper Light propane stove from Timber Trails in Livingston, which quickly heated water for our morning coffee (Starbucks Instant packets) and instant oatmeal. On Dans birthday, Jeff made pancakes from Bisquick and water  without adding milk or eggs. The pancakes taste every bit as good without them!

Catherine also advised we bring toilet paper, a shovel and rope to hang our food from trees since we were in bear country. We pitched our tents away from the campfire/cooking area and kept our cooking clothes suspended (i.e. not inside our tent).

I noticed when we were packing up to leave that Dan had brought an entire roll of aluminum foil (ouch!), when we only needed to tear off about ten feet. We needed it for wrapping our trout, which Dan and Jeff stuffed with butter, wild chives and Penzeys Foxpoint Seasoning and cooked over the campfire. Yum!

We also brought salt and pepper, olive oil and our favorite popcorn (a 16 oz. bag from the Amish Store near Lewistown), which was a great appetizer; Jeff rotated a deep pot over his propane stove as the kids hovered over him. Catherine and Jeff also smoked a small salmon fillet at home and vacuum sealed it in three pieces. Catherine served it for one of their lunches as well as making two evening appetizers, placing it on crackers and pita bread topped with a cream cheese and caper spread, which shed packed in a plastic tube from REI, and diced onions. Fancy!

For dessert we brought chocolate bars (also a good incentive when the kids packs were feeling heavy) and also nibbled on Dans homemade trail mix (banana chips, peanuts, almonds, raisins, walnuts and M&Ms). Catherine even brought a Raspberry Crumble from REI (like a raspberry crisp with crumbled chocolate graham cracker topping) as Dans birthday cake. It tasted delicious! For some reason, everything in the backcountry always does.
Pakistan on Tuesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh to protest and condemned the alleged firing by Indian troops along the LoC in which 35-year old woman was killed and one more person was injured.

The Foreign Office said "Director-General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner and "condemned the ceasefire violations by the Indian forces in Khuiratta and Karela Sector on August 7, 2017, resulting in Shahadat of a 35-year old woman, Munira Bibi, in Karela sector and injury to another woman."

"The Director-General urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations, instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC," the Foreign Office said.

Meanwhile, an encounter is underway on Tuesday between the security forces and terrorists in Drubgam area of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district as terrorists are believed to be trapped at the encounter site.

Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Monday along the Line of Control (LoC) in Baramulla's Silikoot of Jammu and Kashmir in which one Indian soldier was injured.

Indian security forces allege that many times ceasefire violation by Pakistan is aimed at facilitating terrorists to cross over to India.

India has upped the ante against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past and security forces have gunned down many terrorists.

On Aug 2, suspecting the presence of terrorists, the Indian Army and the police, launched a cordon and search operation at Sugan village of Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district.

In a major breakthrough, LeT chief commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan along with his accomplice Arif were killed in an encounter with security forces at Hakripora village in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.
Observing the 75th anniversary of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged the nation to make India free from poverty, corruption, terrorism, casteism, communalism and to create a 'New India' by 2022.

The Prime Minister took to his Twitter handle to praise the sacrifices of all the bravehearts who were part of the movement to free India from the British rule.

"On the 75th anniversary of the historic Quit India movement, we salute all the great women & men who took part in the movement (sic)," he tweeted.

"Let us pledge to free India from poverty, dirt, corruption, terrorism, casteism, communalism & create a 'New India' of our dreams by 2022 (sic)," he added.

Prime Minister Modi appealed to the people to create a nation on which the country's freedom fighters would be proud of.

"In 1942, the need of the hour was to free India from colonialism. Today, 75 years later the issues are different (sic)," he tweeted.

"Let us work shoulder to shoulder to create the India that our freedom fighters would be proud of. #SankalpSeSiddhi (sic)," he added.

He also praised Father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi for launching and leading this campaign which helped India to gain freedom.

"Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, the entire nation came together with the aim of attaining freedom (sic)," he tweeted.



On the 75th anniversary of the historic Quit India movement, we salute all the great women & men who took part in the movement.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, the entire nation came together with the aim of attaining freedom. https://t.co/ixJtixAQn0  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

In 1942, the need of the hour was to free India from colonialism. Today, 75 years later the issues are different.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

Let us pledge to free India from poverty, dirt, corruption, terrorism, casteism, communalism & create a 'New India' of our dreams by 2022. pic.twitter.com/x4zbaxGKkN  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

The nation is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the .

A number of events are being planned at organisational and local levels to mark the occasion.

This year's theme is "Sankalp se Siddhi- the attainment through resolve.

Prime Minister Modi in his recent Mann Ki Baat programme had called for launching the mega campaign Sankalp Se Siddhi from today. He suggested youth, student organisations and NGOs to organise group discussions to bring forth new ideas.

Prime Minister Modi termed the month of August as a month of revolution as the non-cooperation movement was launched on August 1, 1920, Quit-India movement on August 9, 1942 and on August 15, 1947 India became independent.

Both Houses of Parliament will hold a special session on the occasion. Both Houses will suspend the Question Hour and Zero Hour to make way for the special session's proceedings.

All parties are also expected to express their views on the movement, with the discussion culminating into a resolution that will be passed in order to reaffirm their commitment to the nation.

The Archives of India is organizing a special exhibition in New Delhi from today to mark the 75th year of and Azad Hind Fauz. The two big events of the Indian history will be displayed through thousands of declassified files and documents.

The Quit India Movement was an important milestone in the Indian freedom struggle. Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, people across India came together to uproot imperialism.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Election Commission of India, in a midnight order Tuesday, ruled in favour of the Congress party when it invalidated the votes of two rebel Congress MLAs for the election of three members from Gujarat in the Rajya Sabha. This ruling came as a huge boost for Ahmed Patel  political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi  who was contesting for his fifth term in the upper house.



With six MLAs deserting the party right before the elections and constant political manoeuvering by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress was seen struggling to retain the only possible seat it could win in the run-up to the polls. As BJP has a comfortable majority in the assembly, the two BJP candidates  party president Amit Shah and cabinet minister Smriti Irani  in the fray were assured victory. For the third seat, the contest was between Patel and Balwantsingh Rajput, who defected from the Congress to the BJP on the eve of the election.
In Tamil Nadu, fishermen in Pudukottai district announced indefinite strike from Wednesday urging the immediate release of fishermen and their boats by Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Navy apprehended 49 fishermen from Tamil Nadu yesterday and detained their twelve fishing boats.

Fishermen from Pudukottai Ramanathapuram districts of Tami Nadu were apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy when they were fishing in Lankan waters.

Tamil Nadu fishermen say that they should be allowed to fish in traditional waters of Palk Straits.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapady K Palanisamy in a letter urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and secure the release of 64 fishermen from Tamil Nadu lodged in Lankan jail and 125 mechanised boats detained by Lanka.

He pointed out that subsidy scheme to buy long liners for deep sea fishing was launched by the Prime Minister at Rameswaram.
An Ethiopian Airlines plane clipped wings with an Air India aircraft at the Indira Gandhi International airport in Delhi.

The incident happened on Tuesday night when the Ethiopian Airlines' plane was pushing back for take off and Air India's Airbus A320 was parked. The wings of the two planes collided with each other, said an Air India official on the condition of anonymity.

The Air India plane has been grounded temporarily.

A statement from Ethiopian Airlines is awaited.

The Air India official said the carrier will be claiming damages from Ethiopian Airlines.
Changes in the food provided onboard its aircraft will help Air India save Rs 20 crore annually, the government said on Tuesday.

Air India had last month decided not to provide non- vegetarian meals to economy class passengers on domestic routes in a move to reduce expenses.

"This was started to save costs, reduce wastage, improve service and also to avoid any chances of mix-up of meals," Minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

The airline is expected to save Rs 8-10 crore due to this move, he added.

According to the Minister, there have been other cost cutting measures too, such as meal schedule, rationalisation of dry stores and ancillary items.

Altogether, the airline is expected to save Rs 20 crore because of changes made to its catering policy.

Air India CMD Ashwini Lohani had told PTI that the national carrier is likely to take more such measures in order to rationalise costs.

Last year, Air India replaced veg and non-veg sandwiches with veg hot meals on flights of up to 90 minutes duration. It had also decided to strike off both tea and coffee from its lunch and dinner menu.

The national carrier, however, has a different strategy for its international flights after its was told by the civil aviation ministry "spend more to fill the aircraft".

The airline plans to offer a variety of wines, mock-tails for teetotallers and regional cuisine. There are also plans to offer passengers food of their choice, which will be collected from them days ahead of their flight.

Air India is reeling under a debt of Rs 48,876.81 crore and the government has in-principle given approval for disinvesting its stakes in the airline, and has constituted a group of ministers to look into the modalities.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After the GST Council empowering the Centre to bring an amendment in the compensation law to increase ceiling on cess on the luxury cars, infuriating auto companies, the finance ministry on Thursday ruled out lowering cess on hybrid luxury cars. Demand for hybrid cars has been on the decline ever since GST was rolled out in July.

A key finance ministry official said there would not be any downward revision in GST rates or cess for hybrid cars.
Textile exporters have urged the government to exempt the sector from the integrated goods and services tax (IGST) to boost the country's exports as they fear that Indian products will become uncompetitive in global markets.
PM addresses Lok Sabha during Special Discussion on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today, delivered an address in the Lok Sabha, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement. He said that the recollection of movements such as the Quit India Movement, is a source of inspiration, and added that the current generation has a responsibility of passing on the legacy of such movements, to the future generations. The Prime Minister recalled that even as many senior leaders like Mahatma Gandhi were jailed at the beginning of the Quit India Movement, a new generation of leaders emerged to fill the vacuum and take the movement forward. The Prime Minister noted that the freedom struggle went through several phases, and recalled various leaders and movements that emerged at various points since 1857. He added that the Quit India Movement that began in 1942, was a decisive movement. Quoting Gandhiji, the Prime Minister said that all sections of people joined in, responding to Mahatma Gandhis clarion call of Do or Die. He said that from political leaders to the common man, everyone was imbued with this spirit. Five years was all it took to achieve the objective of independence, once the entire country shared this common resolve, the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister quoted the writer Ramvriksha Benipuri, and the poet Sohanlal Dwivedi to describe the mood that prevailed at that time.

The Prime Minister noted that corruption, poverty, illiteracy and malnutrition are challenges that India now needs to overcome. He said that a positive transformation, and a common resolve is required for this. He also mentioned the role played by women in the freedom struggle, and said that women can add immense strength to our common objectives, even today.

Speaking about rights and duties, the Prime Minister said that while we are well aware of our rights, we cannot forget our duties, and these too, must become part of our way of life.

The Prime Minister said that colonialism began in India, and its end too, began with Indias independence, which was soon followed by the fall of colonialism across Asia and Africa.

In 1942, conditions internationally became favourable for India to get independence, the Prime Minister said, noting that today again, the global conditions are favourable for India. He said, that from 1857 to 1942, the move towards freedom was incremental, but the years from 1942 to 1947, were transformative, and delivered on the objective. The Prime Minister urged the Members of Parliament to rise above differences, and join in a common effort to create an India of the dreams of the freedom fighters in the next five years, from 2017 to 2022, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of independence.

The Prime Minister said that if in 1942, the clarion call was Karenge Ya Marenge, today the call should be Karenge aur Karke Rahenge. He said that the next five years should also be about Sankalp se Siddhi  a resolve which will lead us to accomplishment.

The Prime Minister concluded with the following resolve to overcome corruption, give the poor their rights, give youth self-employment, end malnutrition, end barriers to women empowerment, and end illiteracy:

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Autonomous vehicles, health care, energy and education will be among topics covered at Bismarcks first DisruptWell Technology Summit.

The event is scheduled for Oct. 31 at the National Energy Center of Excellence, 1200 Schafer St., Bismarck.

Disruptive innovation and technologies are global game changers with local impacts that will transform life and business, Mayor Mike Seminary said in a statement.

Disruptive technology, a term made popular by Clayton Christensen's 1997 book The Innovator's Dilemma," is a technology that significantly alters the way things are done, creating a new market and forcing others to adapt to it. While companies often plan to make incremental improvements to the way they do business, disruptive technology completely changes it. Some examples include, computers, e-mail, smart phones and social media.

"My personal hope is that it starts a conversation in the community about what changes are coming because of technology," said Bismarck-Mandan Development Association President Brian Ritter.

And the event is specific to Bismarck in that three of the four industries of focus  health care, energy and education  are Bismarck's core industries. Speakers will talk about what technologies are on their way and how they'll change the makeup of the workforce and jobs being done.

For example, Marlo Anderson, one of the panelists and event committee members, said, truck driving, a major state industry, won't look the same 20 years from now do to vehicle automation. And the training needed to get a career in that industry is going to be much different than it is today.

Ritter said organizers hope to prepare the community for these changes in order to take advantage of them rather than fearing them.

Presenters will include Gov. Doug Burgum and North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott. The event will mark the launch of North Dakota's Disruptive Innovation Challenge," the purpose of which is to highlight North Dakota companies that are developing these technologies.

Students, financial investors, business developers, marketing directors, academic researchers, those involved in STEM initiatives and faculty policy leaders are encouraged to attend.

Speakers and schedules are still being finalized but will include visionaries from both North Dakota and outside the state, said Anderson.
The provincial council of Mirzaolang village in the Afghan province of Sar-e Pul convened several times to demand help from the central government before their village was overrun by Taliban-aligned militants. The help never came.

By the time hundreds of Taliban from the Afghan provinces of Ghor, Faryab, Badghis, and Jawzjan, were gathering under the command of Sher Mohammad Ghazanfar, a local warlord, it was already too late. After closing all the roads leading into the village, the militants began to kill and abduct residents. The governor's office says at least sixty residents were killed and as many as 150 families abducted, with some 47 girls still unaccounted for.
Former US Vice President Al Gore suggested on Tuesday that the presidency of could end prematurely for "ethical reasons," drawing laughter from a packed movie theatre at the European premiere of his latest film on climate change.
Days after an anti-diversity 'manifesto' went viral inside Google and infuriated thousands of its employees, over 60 current and former Google employees are now considering suing the company for sexism and pay disparities against women.

According to a report in The Guardian on Tuesday, civil rights attorney James Finberg is working on bringing a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the female employees who believe they have earned less than men at Google despite equal qualifications and comparable positions.

Others have alleged that the culture at Google is hostile to women and hampers their chances to advance their careers at the company.

"Sixty people is a really small sample size. There are always going to be differences in salary based on location, role and performance, but the process is blind to gender," the report quoted a Google spokesperson as saying.

A leak from Google over an anti-diversity manifesto, written by a Google engineer, last week suggested that the company should halt initiatives aimed at increasing gender and racial diversity within the company and instead focus on "ideological diversity".

It prompted Google CEO Sunder Pichai to fire the engineer who wrote the 10-page memo, which claimed that "the representation gap between men and women in software engineering persists because of biological differences between the two sexes".

"A class-action gender discrimination suit would build in a case brought by the US Department of Labour (DoL), which is arguing that Google systematically underpays women and recently convinced a judge to force the company to hand over a portion of the company's salary records," the report noted.

Last month, Google emerged victorious in its fight with the US Department of Labor over supplying pay gap data. The department alleged that the tech giant tried to restrict media coverage of the gender discrimination case.

According to Finberg, the testimony of the women who are considering to file a lawsuit indicated there are clear disparities and prejudices that hurt women at the Mountain View company.

"They are concerned that women are channelled to levels and positions that pay less than men with similar education and experience," Finberg was quoted as saying.

During his interaction with several former and current women employees from Google, Finberg said they make around $40,000 less than male colleagues doing the same work.

The report quoted a female Google employee as saying that she regularly dealt with sexist remarks such as comments about her looks.

She accused the company of discrimination for denying her a promotion despite her achievements and large workload.

According to Finberg, the class-action case will have a strong impact on other tech giants in Silicon Valley.

"Google is not alone in Silicon Valley. The goal of the case is to not only get Google to change its practices, but to encourage other Silicon Valley to change their pay practices as well," Finberg stated.
the overall amount of fraud on Australian cards increased from A$461 million in 2015 to A$534 million in 2016

card not present fraud increased to A$417.6 million in 2016, up from A$363 million in 2015

78% of all fraud on Australian cards in 2016 was card not present fraud.

Online is on the rise in Australia, but pointing the finger at any one group wont help. Its an ecosystem problem: from the popularity of online shopping, to the insecure sites that process our transactions, and the banks themselves. A recent report from the Australian Payments Network found that:

Card not present fraud happens when valid credit card details are stolen and used to make purchases or other payments without the physical card, mainly online or by phone.
During a live-streamed video of a swimming event in the Zhujiang, known in English as the Pearl River, a reporter from the Southern Metropolis Daily drank a few mouthfuls of river water to prove that it was clean.
After leaving Harvards doctorate program in systems biology to join Google as a software engineer in 2013, James Damore joked on his Facebook page that he knew he had made the right move as he enjoyed a morning smoothie with oats. It was the type of workplace perk that is standard for Google employees.
When Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission met Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Riga in May 2015, he greeted him by saying hello dictator Junckers words were perhaps an ironic response to Orbans earlier statement that he wants to build an illiberal state based on national foundations, citing Russia and China as examples. He might also have been referring to the way Orban has been gradually amending Hungarys constitution to give his government more power. His efforts to date have left his FIDESZ party with significant control over the judiciary, media and banks.

Whatever Junckers motivation back at that meeting in 2015, the scathing greeting now doesnt look all that misplaced.



Orban has long been a nationalist but his rhetoric of late has whipped up xenophobia. His government has cracked down on the media and non-governmental organisations that are considered disloyal to the nation. All this seems to be part of a general shift away from Hungary as a liberal democracy.
There has never been a better time to be a politician. But its an even better time to be a machine learning engineer working for a politician.Throughout modern history, political candidates have had only a limited number of tools to take the temperature of the electorate. More often than not, theyve had to rely on instinct rather than insight when running for office.

Now big data can be used to maximise the effectiveness of a campaign. The next level will be using artificial intelligence in election campaigns and political life.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani appointed two female vice presidents today, a day after coming under fire from reformists for nominating no women ministers.

Massoumeh Ebtekar, known internationally for her role as spokesperson during the 1980 US embassy hostage crisis, was named as vice president in charge of women's affairs, having previously run the environment brief in Rouhani's office.

Laya Joneydi was appointed as the vice president for legal affairs, while another woman, Shahindokht Mowlaverdi, was named as a special adviser for citizens' rights.

Rouhani, who had three female vice presidents during his previous term, still has several more deputy positions to fill and it was unclear if any would go to women.

The lack of any women among Rouhani's new ministers, announced on Tuesday, has been strongly criticised by his reformist allies who say he has bowed to pressure from the religious establishment.

Rouhani, a moderate cleric, sailed to victory in May over hardliner Ebrahim Raisi with the backing of reformists after vowing to improve civil liberties and rebuild ties with the West.

But he faces a difficult balancing act in seeking to address popular pressure for reform while assuaging conservative opinion in parliament and other power centres behind the scenes.
Ex-Google engineer James Damore says problems with the companys culture prompted him to write the memo on gender differences that ignited a social media firestorm and led to his dismissal.
Defence Secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday warned North Korea to "stand down" from pursuing nuclear weapons and cease considering actions that would lead to the "end of its regime", after Pyongyang threatened missile strikes against US strategic military installations in Guam.

The strong statement from Mattis came a day after US President Donald Trump said North Korea's threats against the US will be met with "fire and fury".

"The DPRK must choose to stop isolating itself and stand down its pursuit of nuclear weapons. The DPRK should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people," Mattis said.

DPRK stands for Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea.

Mattis said the US and its allies have the capabilities and commitment to defend themselves.

"Kim Jong-Un should take heed of the United Nation Security Council's unified voice, and statements from governments the world over, who agree the DPRK poses a threat to global security and stability," he asserted.

While the State Department is making every effort to resolve this global threat through diplomatic means, it must be noted that the combined allied militaries now possess the most precise, rehearsed and robust defensive and offensive capabilities on Earth, Mattis said.

"The DPRK regime's actions will continue to be grossly overmatched by ours and would lose any arms race or conflict it initiates," said the US defence secretary.

A day earlier Trump warned the North against threatening the US. "North Korea best not make any more threats to the US. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen," he told reporters at his vacation home in New Jersey.

He was responding to reporters' questions on the North Korean nuclear capabilities. "As said, they will be met with fire, fury, and, frankly, power the likes of which this world has never seen before," he said.

Trump's remarks came amid reports that North Korea was nearing to obtain an atomic weapon that can strike the US. Media reports said the North has successfully miniaturised a nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles.

North Korea responded by warning to attack Guam.

Democratic leaders criticised Trump for his statement on North Korea.

"President Trump's threat against North Korea is reckless and shows a serious lack of judgment. No matter how much the Kim regime deserves condemnation and action - which it does - it is not a strategic or responsible response to issue wild threats of destruction," said House Democratic Whip Steny H Hoyer.

Congressman Dan Kildee of Michigan was in South Korea wehn the North Korean regime tested another missile.

"There's obviously growing concern, and that concern is fueled when the president of the US deliberately uses language that escalates sort of the war of words and I think, unfortunately, matches the tone and tenor of North Korean officials," Kildee said.

"We ought not engage in this sort of belligerent talk," he told CNN.
A University of Oxford study has caused uproar in the Philippines for examining the administration of Rodrigo Duterte's efforts to manipulate social media through trolling and fake accounts. The findings confirmed what government critics have long suspected while stirring harsh denials by the president's supporters.

Duterte himself, however, later said in a press conference that he had in fact hired online commenters during the election.
Whether its scrapping charges for overdrafts , setting up research centres for responsible business , or hiring big advertising firms like M&C Saatchi to invite us to hold them accountable for their actions, you may have noticed, British banks are on a charm offensive. NatWests slick campaign We are what we do epitomises the distinct sense that banks are trying to win the public over again. Add to this the buoyant market for financial products, it begs the question: have we learnt the lessons of the crisis or are we about to see history repeated?

Peer beneath the advertising gloss and things seem worryingly similar in the wider industry. Soaring levels of consumer debt, together with a growing number of non-high street lenders doling out subprime loans for houses and cars (the same loans that only ten years ago precipitated the crisis) echo pre-crisis conditions.



A key problem remains the phenomenon of mis-selling  the deliberate or negligent sale of financial products or services. Mis-sold products are either unsuitable for the customers needs, misrepresented or too complex to understand. This is a core issue that retail financial services must face in order to avoid future catastrophes and rebuild confidence. Indeed, the mis-selling of financial products and services is a recurrent theme and the stand out systemic problem in the UKs market for consumer financial products and services.
remained on cautious footing as US stocks slumped a second day and haven assets pushed higher after tensions mounted between the US and North Korea. Crude oil erased gains after inventories data.
In a major disappointment for new entrant farmers, cotton crop has come under severe pest and bollworm attacks in major producing states, which is sparking fears of a sharp decline in India's fibre productivity this Kharif season.
India's non-basmati rice exports are likely to slow over the next few months as its shipments of the grain have become too expensive on the world market due to a rally in the rupee and an increase in local paddy prices.
It was a third straight session of loss for stocks on Wednesday, as the benchmark BSE Sensex took a hit of 216 points, or 0.68 per cent, to close at a three-week low below the 32,000-mark on growing sense of disquiet following market regulator Sebis crackdown against suspected shell companies.
Finally! Kangana Ranaut has spoken about the controversy over the writing credits of her upcoming movie 'Simran'.

When asked about the controversy, Kangana, who was present at the trailer launch of the movie 'Simran' dismissed actual writer Apurva Asrani's claims that she's been unduly credited for 'additional story, screenplay and dialogue'.

She said, "First of all I want to make it clear that there are no dues pending. Somehow people make it look like Apurva has not been given his credit that is not true. We made the contract exactly the way he wanted it to be, in fact, Apurva is the one who suggested me to take additional credit for dialogue writing. So we made the contract that way."

The actress also shared that after 'Rangoon' failed, some people attacked her and he decided to write the note and said what he wanted to say which I found in very bad taste.

The controversy got into the limelight after the poster of the film released showing Kangana's name as co-writer.

Apurva took to Facebook to raise objection to it and slammed the actress for taking undue credit.

The 'Queen' star also noted that she had made her stand on nepotism very clear in her open letter and does not feel the need to say anything else on the topic now.

She said, "I've written about it. I've said everything on that matter in the letter. It is pretty much that."

The debate first started at Johar's celebrity chat show where Kangana called the filmmaker "flag bearer of nepotism." At an award function, Varun Dhawan along with hosts for the event Karan Johar and Saif Ali Khan mocked Kangana in the wake of the nepotism controversy.

The trio were criticised on social media for the joke made at the expense of the actress and had to eventually apologise for the same.

Helmed by Hansal Mehta, ' Simran' is slated to release on September 15.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Wednesday said a Court of Inquiry was ordered in the molestation case which surfaced in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district.

Few CRPF troopers were blamed for allegedly molesting school girls during Raksha Bandhan function on August 7 in Palnar village of Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district.

D.S. Chauhan, Inspector General of Police, CRPF said that as a policy, CRPF does not tolerate this kind of conduct and has a policy of zero tolerance to such acts by any member of the Force.

He further said that as soon as the matter was brought to his notice, he spoke to District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, Dantewada and told them to register an FIR and order a magisterial inquiry consisting of lady magistrate.

The IG CRPF said that two delinquent constables were immediately placed under suspension after the girl students identified them during inquiry.

He further said that one constable who was present was handed over to Police by CRPF for arrest and criminal prosecution while the other who is absconding will be apprehended soon.

A warrant has been issued against the absconding CRPF personnel.

Few CRPF troopers were blamed for allegedly molesting school girls during Raksha Bandhan function. When the programme concluded, few school girls were allegedly molested in the toilet of a government-run Ashram in Palnar.

An FIR in this case was registered by Chhattisgarh Police on Tuesday and investigation is underway. The CRPF has also been investigating the matter.

Sundarraj P, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Baster, told ANI that the accused CRPF jawans are being interrogated.

"Strong action will be taken against those who will be found guilty, further investigation is underway." said Sundarraj.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The on Wednesday filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, stating that most likely the next elections would be held with the help of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) along with Electronic Voting Machines (EVM)s.

The apex court deferred the matter for further hearing on August 10.

The top court was hearing several pleas seeking to include VVPATs along with the EVMs in upcoming elections.

Earlier in May, the had clarified that future elections would be conducted using both EVMs and VVPATs.

In lieu of this clarification, the had also issued a statement challenging state and central political parties to prove their stance on the EVMs being tampered with.

"The Election Commission has put forth a challenge, which will be open from June 3. Interested participants must register by 5 p.m. on May 26. Either through a combination of key press or communication with the control unit, ballot unit or both via external hardware, participants must be able to prove their allegation of tampering," asserted Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi.

Zaidi while rubbishing the claims of EVM tampering said no credible information was received to strengthen the complaints of tampering.

"Complaints came after elections in the five states, but we did not receive any credible material information on EVM tampering from the complainants. We believe in complete transparency and have no reason to hide anything," he said.

The Election Commission 's new version of EVMs comes with self-diagnostic tamper-detection software which recognises digital signature. Hence, any alleged mishandling would be immediately detected, said Zaidi.

Developing on this, he also revealed that the technology behind these machines is being tested thoroughly in Bengaluru and Hyderabad by eminent technocrats under stringent security procedures, thus dismissing claims of software being imported from abroad.

With regards to Assembly by-polls, the Election Commission clarified that it was not responsible for electoral procedures in the state, adding that these are conducted and governed by the State Election Commission and other such regulatory bodies.

During the recently concluded elections, some of the political parties questioned the transparency of EVMs.

(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.)
Morton County prosecutors appear to have quit recharging protesters after they dismiss cases for lack of evidence.

A review of court records indicate no new charges were filed from June and July against Dakota Access Pipeline opponents, who were arrested on Oct. 22 and Oct. 27  two of the most contentious days during the protests  and whose cases were dismissed at the request of prosecutors.

This represents a reversal from April and May, when the Morton County State's Attorney's Office dismissed and recharged 39 cases from Oct. 10 and Oct. 22. Defense attorneys criticized the practice as a way of coercing people to plead guilty.

Prosecutors did not respond to an email and handwritten message left at the office for comment.

Motions entered by the prosecutors do leave open the possibility of new charges.

"Due to the concern the state cannot meet the elements of the offenses as charged, at present" is how many of the motions read.

And people already recharged from those dates have warrants or upcoming court dates.

In June and July, most cases set for trial were dismissed at the request of the prosecutors or by a judge. In total, 71 of 101 cases closed were the result of dismissals with no new charges filed. Four people had cases dismissed, but were already recharged from May. Sixteen people pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges for deferred sentences and fines, two people were found guilty at trial and one person took a pretrial diversion. In addition, seven people were acquitted at trial.

Meanwhile, 10 people had warrants issued for their arrest, because they did not appear at court dates.

Most of the cases handled derive from Oct. 22 and Oct. 27.

On Oct. 22, several people locked themselves to pipeline equipment in Morton County. In solidarity, a group of more than 200 people marched toward the site across private property. Police allege the protesters ripped survey stakes from the ground and yelled at law enforcement when they were told to leave. A total of 126 protesters were arrested and charged with criminal trespass and engaging in a riot, when police surrounded the group.

Prosecutors took several of those cases to trial, and most were dismissed by a judge for lack of evidence.

On Oct. 27, law enforcement evicted protesters from a northern camp established atop the pipeline route on Dakota Access property, which they claimed as treaty land. During the hours-long confrontation, some protesters prayed while other set fires and threw objects at police, who responded with pepper spray and less lethal bullets.

A total of 147 people were arrested, but no cases from the date have yet gone to trial. Several people faces felony charges in federal court, including one woman for allegedly firing a gun at police and five others for allegedly starting fires that day.

In total, 327 of 843 state-level cases have been closed, according to court records. Among the cases, 158 people have active warrants. There is one case on appeal to the North Dakota Supreme Court.
Eros group is in early negotiations to sell its content library to Apple, Netflix or Amazon for "around 1 billion USD."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mumbai-based Eros shared a statement that it also issued to the Bombay Stock Exchange, "It may be noted that we are not privy to any strategic discussion that our NYSE listed parent company Eros International plc may be having with various potential partners."

Adding, "As always, the company will continue to make the necessary disclosures as and when material events occur."

Eros' Indian listed entity - which primarily focuses on content creation, is a subsidiary of Eros International, which handles international distribution and also runs ErosNow, which has said it has 2.9 million paid subscribers.

Eros' catalog library of about 3,000 titles covers mainstream Hindi-language Bollywood and regional language cinema, considered the largest of any Indian film group. Eros' hits include last year's historical epic 'Bajirao Mastani'.

While its upcoming slate of 50 titles includes co-productions with China with the working titles 'The Zookeeper' and 'Love in Beijing'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani for winning the Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat in the Rajya Sabha polls.

"Congratulations to BJP President @AmitShah & ministerial colleague @smritiirani on getting elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat (sic)," he tweeted.

Congratulations to BJP President @AmitShah& ministerial colleague @smritiirani on getting elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

The Prime Minister also wished Shah for completing three successful years as party chief and wrote it was under his presidency the BJP expanded its base and worked towards nation building.

"Congratulations to Shri @AmitShah on completing 3 successful years as @BJP4India President (sic)," he tweeted.

Congratulations to Shri @AmitShah on completing 3 successful years as @BJP4India President.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

"During the Presidency of Shri @AmitShah, @BJP4India has expanded its base in several areas & diligently worked towards nation building (sic)," he added.

During the Presidency of Shri @AmitShah, @BJP4India has expanded its base in several areas & diligently worked towards nation building.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

On Tuesday, after a high stake political drama in Gujarat Shah and Irani emerged victorious in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha election.

Meanwhile, Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel retained his Rajya Sabha seat by winning 44 votes.

With this Shah, will enter the Parliament as a member for the first time, while Irani will return for a second term.

Voting for the three Rajya Sabha seats was conducted on Tuesday, wherein the influential political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the BJP Chief, Smriti Irani and ex-grand old party cadre Balwantsinh Rajput were in the fray.

After the intense political developments, the Election Commission (EC) declared results for the three seats of the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat. Total 176 MLAs voted in the crucial elections, but two votes were declared invalid.

The EC, on late Tuesday night, declared votes of two Congress MLAs- Bhola Bhai Gohil and Raghav Bhai Patel- invalid. The decision was taken on a complaint of the Congress.

Earlier in the evening, Congress had complained to the EC and said that the two MLAs showed their votes to unauthorized persons and demanded their votes should not be counted and should be rejected.

Congress said these MLAs showed their votes to Shah and Irani and independent candidate Balwantsinh Rajput instead of representative of Ahmed Patel.

Congress suffered major blow ahead of the RS polls when six of its Gujarat MLAs joined BJP. Panicked Congress sent its 44 MLAs to Bengaluru and termed the move as a bid to save its legislatures from the horse-trading by the BJP.

The Congress also accused BJP of offering Rs 15 crore to its MLAs to join BJP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], Aug.9 (ANI): Shortly after the Kargil war, 1999, in which twelve soldiers hailing from Gujarat were martyred, Kathiawar's Patel community formed five trusts under the Jay Jawan Nagrik Samiti (JJNS), to provide financial assistance to their families.

Capitalizing on the patriotic sentiments of the local citizens of Surat, the Varachha Bank opened a savings account, in which money started pouring in. The families of the twelve Gujarati soldiers were honoured publicly and financial assistance was gifted to their next of kin.

Following the unfortunate earthquake in Gujarat in 2000, on a request from Brigadier B.S. Mehta (retd), former Vice Chancellor, Maharishi University of Management and Technology, Bilaspur (Chattisgarh), JJNS, extended support and financial assistance to 120 families of the Indian Air Force base at Bhuj, which had been completely wiped out.

Since then, JJNS has been holding a public function named Samarpan Gauarv Samaroh every year on/around Kargil Diwas, 26 July, to honour and gift financial assistance to next of kin of martyrs of the armed forces. Following this event held in 2016, JJNS had disbursed a total of Rs. 3.15 crore to 198 families of martyrs.

This year, for the Samarpan Gauarv Samaroh, held on 22 July, 2017, JJNS invited Gen. V.P. Malik, PVSM, AVSM (retired), the Army Chief during the Kargil War, to attend this function as its President. He was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Mrs Ranjana Malik, who headed the Army Wives' Welfare Association during Gen Malik's tenure as army chief and was quite involved with the welfare of war-widows.

The Guests of Honour were Rifleman Chandulal Babulal Chauhan, who had inadvertently strayed across the Line of Control and was repatriated after three months and Padma Shri Bipinbhai Girdharbhai Ganatra, Agnirakshak, a voluntary fire fighter from Kolkata.

The five chief guests were Mr Mahendrabhai S Patel, Collector, Surat, Mr Satish Sharma, Police Commissioner, Mr M Thannarassan, Commissioner, Surat Municipal Corporation, Brig B S Mehta (retd) and this writer.

The four special guests heading some of Gujarat's leading industries were Mr. Nanubhai K Savaliya , Sukhram Group, Mr. Manharbhai J Saspara, Euro Fresh Foods India Ltd, Mr Lavjibhai D Daliya, Anjani Group and Mr Maheshbhai Savani, Savani Group.

The Trustees of JJNS are Messrs. Kanjibhai R Bhalala, Chairman of the Varachha Bank, KD Vaghani, Devchandbhai K Kakadiya, Mavjibhai D Mavani, Devshibhai K Bhadiyadra, Mukeshbhai K Navadiya and Sureshbhai G Patel. Brig Mehta is an advisor to the JJNS and its Vyasthapak (organizer ) is Mr Bhikubhai Timbadiva.

What overwhelmed all the guests-families of martyrs and others- attending the four events over two days, was not just the warmth , hospitality and high regard accorded to them by all the various hosts and organizers, but also the spirit of patriotism and pride, which was so evident. And what is particularly noteworthy is that a large number of very well-placed individuals and organizations have enthusiastically involved themselves by volunteering to take on various responsibilities and activities, devoting not only their time and effort, but also substantial amounts of money.

Every year the JJNS is approached by many industrialists and organizations to offer their sponsorship for the Samaroh and all connected events. While the Samaroh managing committee has 45 members, over fifty business houses and voluntary/philanthropic organizations were involved in looking after various aspects and responsibilities, like contacting, coordinating, receiving and escorting the guests as well as looking after their accommodation/comfort, transportation and any other requirements, till their departure.

Up to three to five family members of twenty two Army personnel and one from Central Armed Police Forces, martyred mostly in Jammu and Kashmir and some in the North East and some other locations, including the four Army personnel and one of Border Security Force, inhumanly mutilated by Pak army on 22 November 2016 and 01 May 2017, were invited, honoured and disbursed financial assistance totaling Rs. 46,00,000/- (46 lakhs).

The four events included a function at the Veer Narmad University, where a Cadet Corps contingent presented a Guard of Honour to Gen. Malik, following which a large gathering of students met and honoured the martyrs' families and were addressed by Gen.Malik.

At this function, Mr Dileepbhai Bunha, Campus Director, SUV International School, made a spirited comment suggesting the raising of a Gujarat Regiment in the Army. Next was a visit to the Umiya Temple Trust, Varachha.

The main function on 22 July began after an early dinner, at 8.30 p.m., at Sardar Patel Smruti Bhavan, Sardar Chowk, Varachha Road, Surat and continued till past midnight. In the function, compered by Mr Kanjibhai Bhalala, each martyr's act of bravery was described before presenting a memento and the financial assistance amount to the family members.

The auditorium with a capacity of 1200 was more than full and for every martyr's account of valour, there was heavy applause.

In his address, Gen.Malik recalled a number of events/incidents during the three-month-long Kargil confrontation, including reading out the last letter written by posthumous Param Vir Chakra recipient Vikram Batra to his parents, with his wish "Yeh Dil Maange More"-more victories.

Over two more addresses at other functions, he shared many anecdotes about the gallantry of Army personnel during Pakistan's misadventure at Kargil. All the speeches by Gen.Malik and the other speakers were punctuated with spontaneous cheers and applause.

For the family members of the martyrs, attending the series of functions in Surat was a rare experience with a mix of emotions. On the one hand being reminded about the sorrowful loss of their loved ones and on the other, the feeling of pride at being honoured and rewarded.

But one reaction common to all of them was being overwhelmed by the warmth and cheering by their audiences. And also an unexpected pleasant surprise that there are people in India, who value so highly the sacrifices made by their deceased dear ones.

Lance Dafadar Swaran Singh (retd), the uncle of Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh of the Sikh Regiment, mutilated on 1 May 2017, could not help commenting that despite there not being many Gujaratis in the Army, Gujarat's public and business community had set an unprecedented example of patriotism and great pride in the country's armed forces.

He reflected the feelings and reactions of many other relatives/family members of martyrs attending the functions in Surat, who this writer interacted with. Awed by the arrangements, hospitality and public praise for the armed forces, many of the martyr's family members conveyed their appreciation and thanks for being invited for what they considered an unforgettable occasion.

In December, corresponding with Vijay Diwas, JJNS will organize a prayer recitation programme by Morari Bapu, renowned exponent of the Ram Charit Manas. The large collection of monetary offerings expected will be used for financial assistance to martyrs' families.

At a time in India when the bandwagon of leftists/pseudo-intellectuals/pseudo secularists/human rights activists, including some senior political leaders have politicized and even ridiculed patriotism and pride, with some also crticising the Army's actions in Kashmir valley, it is a revelation and reminder of how these sentiments have been upheld with great spirit by the general public in Gujarat, led by a group of very prosperous but also large-hearted industrialists.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tibetan spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama on Wednesday urged India and China to maintain peace, saying that both nations are like brothers and have to live side by side.

"Eventually, 'Hindi-Chini- Bhai Bhai' is the only way; the two big nations, you have to live side by side," Dalai Lama said while attending a programme here.

He said he likes India as there is freedom in this country and he has more opportunity to share.

"There is freedom in this country, I can do more and have more opportunity to share. Where there is no freedom, I don't like," he said.

He also added that as per the wish of Chinese people, the Communist Party of China may follow his practice of democracy.

"Our small Tibetan community fully practices democracy and I am an admirer of democracy.

People are real rulers of a country and free press is important to inform & educate people about reality," he added.

The Dalai Lama's appeal for peace came amid the standoff between the Indian and Chinese force in Doklam.

The stand-off between both the countries emerged after Chinese troops were stopped by the Indian Army from constructing roads along the Doklam border.

On August 8, State-run media in China said that if the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government continues to ignore the warning coming from a situation spiraling out of control in the Doklam region, Beijing would activate unavoidable counter-measures to restore its right over territory.

Last week, India had issued a one line statement negating the claim in this 15 page Chinese document about the reduction of Indian troops at Doklam amidst the standoff: "India considers that peace and tranquillity in the IndiaChina border areas is an important prerequisite for smooth development of our bilateral relations with China."

India claims Sikkim border as part of its territory, while China has said that the area falls on their side as per the 1890 treaty signed between British and China.

Consequently, China suspended the annual Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and conceded that the decision to suspend the pilgrimage was due to the border scuffle.

It also alleged that the Indian troops had crossed the Sikkim sector of the Indo-China border.

Beijing has accused New Delhi of violating a convention signed in 1890 between Britain and China relating to Sikkim and Tibet.

In April 22, China announced its decision to rename six places in Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing considers to be a disputed territory. New Delhi protested this 'illegal' move.

It has been speculated that China's decision was triggered over its fury over India allowing the 14th Dalai Lama in the border region earlier in April.

In regard to Dalia Lama, China had also categorically asked India to honour its solemn promises on Tibet-related issues.

"For some time, due to reasons known to all, the political foundation for China-India relations has been damaged, casting a shadow over bilateral relations and the boundary negotiations," China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said.

"What is imperative now is for the Indian side to take concrete actions to honour its solemn promises on Tibet-related issues as well as the important consensus reached by the two sides on settling the boundary issue, in particular never again using the 14th Dalai Lama to undermine China's core interests, so as to create a good atmosphere for greater mutual trust between the two countries and proper settlement of the boundary question," he added.

Earlier, with Beijing issuing a stern warning that the Dalai Lama's visit will have a "negative impact" on the settlement of the border dispute, India stated that its policy towards Tibet and border issue with China remained unchanged.

China is opposed to the Dalai Lama, who it regards as a separatist, visiting Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tawang.

Meanwhile, India has repeatedly said that no political colour should be attributed to the Dalai Lama's Arunachal visit, which it described as religious and spiritual.
At least 14 Saudi mercenaries have reportedly been killed in separate incidents by the Yemeni Shia Houthi rebels in Taizz, located in country's southwestern part.

The soldiers of fortune were killed when they tried to approach the Houthi's strategically important camp of Khalid bin al-Waled, Sputnik reported.

While in a separate incident, Houthi Rebels hit a military vehicle killing three mercenaries.

The incident happened in Saudi Arabia's southwestern province of Najran, when the Houthi rebels shelled Saudi troops deployed there.

The exact number of victims in the incident remains unknown.

In another incident, the rebels shelled Saudi troops and mercenaries in the Saudi province of Jazan.

Yemen has been immersed in a violent conflict between President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi's government and the Houthi Shia movement.

Houthi Shia movement is also known as Ansar Allah which is backed by army units loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf countries has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In continuous drive against drugs, the Imphal East district police nabbed consignments of drugs worth altogether over nine lakh in two separate raids today.

In the first incident, after getting specific information, a team of Imphal East police and a combined to district commandoes rushed to Nambol Kabowakching Village, and Leimaram Woroiching under Nambol Police Station, Bishnupur District and raided one house in presence of a Magistrate.

They arrested one Takhellambam Shashikanta Singh and followed by another Ningthoujam Anganmgtomba Singh.

From their possession, one polythene bag containing 25 grams of white powder suspected to be Heroin powder worth Rs. 3 lakh and two numbers of mobile phones were recovered and from the later 25 grams of suspected Heroin powder along one mobile was seized.

Smilarly, sleuths arrested Sangomshungbam Mujibur Rahaman and seized around 20,890 of Spasmo Proxivon ( S.P.) Tablets in fourteen polythene bags containing 1400 S.P. tablets each and one polythene bag containing 1,290 S.P. Tablets worth Rs. 5, 22,250 in the international market.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Warning India not to "flirt with disaster", state-run Chinese media on Wednesday said New Delhi would be foolish to underestimate Beijing's prowess to safeguard its soil and territory.

Describing the two-month long Doklam impasse as an unsettled border issue between China and Bhutan, Xinhua News agency asserted that, "It has nothing to do with India. China respects Bhutan as an independent sovereign state and resents India's attempt to turn it into a de facto protectorate."

The article further warned India, "India must not underestimate China. The People's Liberation Army was built to safeguard peace and to protect sovereignty, security and development interests."

It charged New Delhi with double-standards in resolving the Doklam issue by not removing Indian troops from the area.

The article said, "Despite China's demonstrable goodwill, India has nothing but words.

Its External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said India would "keep engaging with China to resolve the dispute," and "patience, control on comments and diplomacy can resolve problems. The truth is that India has not only failed to withdraw its troops but continues to make eccentric demands and is not looking for a resolution."

Adding, "There are not many signs that India is seeking peace. If India is sincere about peace, its troops should never have invaded China in the first place, and ought to immediately and unconditionally get back to their own side of the border."

The agency also ruled out negotiation with India.

The commentary read, "The Indian side is deluded if it thinks that China is about to negotiate with an invading force while its territorial integrity remains infringed indefinitely."

As per latest report, "China did not respond to India's suggestion in the talks that it moves its troops back 250 metres (820 ft) in return."

According to Geo TV, "In the low-key diplomatic manoeuvres that took place outside the public eye, the Chinese countered with an offer to move back 100 metres (328 ft)."

Earlier, a former Indian diplomat had said that China's 15 pages 'Fact Sheet', titled "The Facts and China's Position Concerning the Indian Border Troops' Crossing of the China-India Boundary in the Sikkim Sector into the Chinese Territory" does not bring out anything new and significant

"The Fact Sheet is in furtherance of the false narrative of Indian intrusion into Chinese territory that has been projected in the Chinese media in a bid to divert public attention away from the real issue, which is, China's attempt to unilaterally alter the position on the ground in the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction area, in brazen violation of accords reached with it by India and Bhutan (separately) not to change the status quo in areas of dispute pending a final agreement to the mutual satisfaction of both parties," said former Ambassador Saurabh Kumar.
A bill aimed at confronting "the U.S. support for terrorism and adventurism in the Middle East" has been discussed in Iran's Parliament (Majlis) committee on Tuesday and now it will be referred to the Guardian Council, for final ratification, like all laws in Iran.

The final session of discussing the bill to confront US hostile measures was held in Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee on Tuesday, and after being ratified by members the related report was submitted to the Parliament presiding board, Deputy Chairman of the Committee Kamal Dehghani Firoozabadi,Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

The bill was approved in the extraordinary session of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee last Saturday, attended by Foreign Minister's Deputy for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi and the Ministry's Deputy for Parliamentary Affairs Hassan Qashqavi.

"This move means that Majlis acts in unison in face of America's Senate approval," said Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the committee's chairman.

The bill is considered by the Parliament to retaliate a U.S. Senate bill which includes anti Iran non-nuclear sanctions, known as Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act.

Washington said the sanctions are targeting Iran's ballistic missile program, as well as what it calls 'Iran's support of terrorism' and 'human rights abuses'.

Tehran has denounced the US officials' allegations on the ties between the ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that the main priority of his country is to de-escalate tensions with the United States.

The Trump Administration had announced new sanctions against entities and individuals with ties to Iran.The top Iranian diplomat made the remarks in a meeting with members of the Majlis (parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.

While elaborating on priorities of foreign policy programmes in the President Rouhani's second term, IRNA quoted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying,"De-escalation of tensions and tension management with the U.S. are among the Foreign Ministry's priorities."

"We want peace among countries and we do not want tension," Zarif said.

He said that the Foreign Ministry is committed to defend Iran interests enshrined in the JCPOA.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Americans are not able to prevent Iran to benefit from the Joint

Comprehensive Plan of Action reached between Iran and G5+1 (the US, the UK, Russia, France and China plus Germany).

'Americans themselves should pay the costs of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) potential termination,' the foreign minister added.

Zarif said United States policy of isolation of Islamic Republic has failed and their Iranophobia plot has been foiled as President Rouhani's inauguration was attended by leaders .

He underlined that economic department has been established in the Foreign Ministry to boost economic, trade relations and diplomacy with other countries.

Striking a hardline against Iran, the Trump administration has branded Iran "state sponsor of terrorism", called for efforts to "isolate" it, and pledged to "renegotiate the deal" among others.

The U.S. State Department has criticized Iran for continuing to develop its ballistic missile program

US officials have also accused Iran of supporting groups that Washington has designated as terrorist organizations, such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and violent groups, including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, arguing the country is threatening to destabilize the Middle East.

In mid-July, the Trump administration sanctioned 18 people and entities, under existing laws, for non-nuclear reasons, such as supporting ballistic missile development.

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In a shocking incident in Jharkhand, a tribal girl was stripped and beaten in her college hostel by a group of girls for allegedly stealing a mobile phone.

A video of the incident and nude images of the girl were also circulated on social media.

The incident, that took place at Santhal Pargana Women's College on August 4, came into light after a video of the victim being thrashed, went viral on the social media.

In her complaint, the victim, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) first year student said she had bought a second-hand mobile phone for Rs. 500 for which she was later accused by another hostel resident of theft.

The victim claimed that the students later called a student council meeting and imposed a fined on the victim of Rs. 18,600. They also threatened to circulate her nude video if she failed to pay the fine.

Following the incident, the victim's father, a farmer, threatened to commit suicide along with his daughter.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has asked officials to investigate the incident and take strict action against the culprits.

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RICHARDTON -- The sight of a truck ladened with a mountain of hay bales is a welcome sight as it comes down the narrow stretch of North Dakota Highway 8 leading to the Rebel Farm.

It takes the better part of an hour for Rodney Rebel and Jerry Christian, a volunteer truck driver with Farm Rescue, to unload the 37 bales of hay, and stack them alongside the others -- all destined as feed for Rebels cows.

It isnt going to be enough.

We dont got near enough hay right now, Rebel said. We only got 500 bales so far. You need about 2,000 to get through winter.

North Dakota is in the midst of a terrible drought, compounded by a particularly miserable past winter. For farmers like Rodney Rebel, who is the fourth generation of his family to run the Rebel Farm, this means making some sacrifices to get by.

Its way worse because there is no hay. You end up selling your cows in order to make it. Thats pretty much your livelihood, Rebel said. Weve sold 70 cows already. Were thinking were going to have to sell another 100.

In wetter years, Rebel said they try to stockpile a two-year surplus of hay to serve as feed when the snows and the cold make it impossible to put cows to pasture. Now, its markedly different after this past winter.

Were down to nothing, Rebel said. Weve been hauling water to our cows from our well and weve been cutting a lot of our wheat down for hay and thats bad because thats your cash crop.

Farm Rescues Operation Hay Lift is a welcome asset to beleaguered farmers like Rebel, and its a testament to how bad the drought has become. Farm Rescue generally serves to help farmers who have been debilitated with an injury -- in fact, theyd lent a hand to Rebel back in 2013, after he was struck by a semi-truck.

In 2013 Farm Rescue had come helped me, because I had an accident. I got hit by a semi out here, Rebel recalled. I broke my pelvis, broke my arm, ripped my tendon off, they had to reattach my bicep muscles.

This time around, it isnt injury thats brought Farm Rescue, but aridity.

This is the first time its (because of) drought, Christian, the volunteer who drove these 37 bales hundreds of miles to the Rebel Farm. Most of the time its (for) if somebody gets hurt and they cant work. They wont do it year after year for the same person. But if theyre gonna get healed up in the next year then (Farm Rescue) will go in and do everything and its all free. That part I really, really like. A guys down and theyll come in and help you, thats wonderful.

Nobody can control the weather, and no amount of government nor private investment can bring the rains back to North Dakota, but Rebel said that theres been assistance for farmers like him.

I dont really know what can be done. Theyve got some farm programs in place, they got something for hauling water. But its just not enough when you dont got hay, Rebel said. Whats worse is that hay is $180 a ton right now when before it was $50 a ton, $60 a ton. Supply and demand.

This is about the worst its ever been to Rebels recollection. Back in the 1980s he could remember there being some dry years, but even his father, Tony, who lived through during the Dust Bowl years, cant recall a worse circumstance for the farm.

I still remember when I was smaller, we lived in the sod house here, Tony Rebel said. There was a fence back there and the fields over there, they blew so bad that you couldnt even see the fence. Everything was covered in dirt.

If you can survive the Dust Bowl, you can survive just about anything, but Rebel said that if things dont change, it may not be possible to keep the farm alive for another year.

Most people can slide through a year, somehow, Rodney said. Its not even so much the farmers, the businesses in town are (hurting) already because the farmers wont have no money to spend. They dont have anyone going by.

This affects every industry that supports farming, such as manufacturers and sellers of farm equipment and implements, he added.

The state water commission, Rebel said, had been helping pay to haul water up to a certain dollar amount, which has been helpful. In general, Rebel said that support from the state had been good -- it just wont be enough if the drought stretches into a third year.

Theres always something you gotta do to make it to the next day, Tony said.

Farm Rescue is a nonprofit organization that provides planting, harvesting or haying assistance to farm and ranch families who have experienced a major illness, injury or natural disaster. According to a press release issued by the organization, free hay hauling will be available through the remainder of the year as funding allows, though restrictions regarding distance and hay quality may be a factor. Anyone willing to provide a gift of hay to help a ranch family in need is encouraged to call 701-252-2017 or visit farmrescue.org/donate.

Farm Rescue is also looking for CDL drivers willing to volunteer their time to help deliver loads of hay.

The Rebel Farm is located 11 miles south of Richardton. It is both a farm and ranch, raising beef cattle as well as wheat, corn and barley.
Two members of a Maoist group in Purulia's Dalma area have surrendered with two rifles before the police.

Hazari Hembram alias Kherwal alias Bijoy, who had joined the Maoist group in 2006, was an active squad member Dalma area and Bengal-Orissa-Jharkhand border area.

Whereas, Rani Munda, who was an active squad member of east Singbhum, had joined Dalma squad in 2015.

"They both have surrendered before us under government's surrender policy. We hope across the border of Jharkhand other active squad members will also surrender before us," Superintendent of Police (SP) Joy Biswas said.

According to police officials, "Over 220 Maoists have been brought back to the mainstream under the present state government, so far.

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Jumpstart, a forum that brings thinkers, creators, practitioners and publishers together in an innovative and unique way to propel the learning of children, was held here at India International Centre, on August 4 and 5.

Jumpstart, which had started as a series of master classes has now grown to become an exemplary platform for ideation, training, development and collaboration in the world of children's content.

Widely attended by professionals from the field of education, publishing, arts, and education technology, it is an ideal connecting ground and a learning opportunity for everyone involved in creating content for children.

Led by Prashasti Rastogi, director, German Book Office, New Delhi, Jumpstart said "The culture of innovation needs to be planted right at the school level, boundless classroom and experiential learning are the flavor of today. This Jumpstart was a confluence of such ideas - from dance to games to storytelling - all dissolved into a sweet nectar quenching a bunch of authors, publishers and teachers".

The first day of the event witnessed the presence of renowned dignitaries like Devdutt Pattanaik, author and mythologist; Geeta Chandran, dancer and choreographer; Moritz Stetter, illustrator; Venita Coelho, author and screenwriter; and storyteller Rituparna Ghosh.

The second day of the event was followed by the masterclasses.

As per Rohit Kumar, festival advisors, "Jumpstart 2017 truly made an impact on how the conference is truly a melting point of ideas and perspectives. It continues to be the platform where the future of how content creators and authors can create content that will impact learning in a positive way in the future! Looking forward to the next year for an even more exciting mix of ideas!"

Schools are a starting point for countless creative journeys. Learning, however, has moved beyond the four walls of the classroom-it's embracing movement and innovation. Jumpstart 2017 looks at learning from new, innovative perspectives to find ways to make it more integrated with life experiences. It evaluates the impact of learning on authoring blended experiences, discuss the emerging landscape of learning, and review the use of technology for better learning among children.

Neeraj Jain, MD Scholastic said, "It is the 9th year and Jumpstart is still going strong. The confluence of teachers, authors, publishers and lovers of children's literature with such aplomb is a strong indicator of just how important such events are to children's publishing."

With voices from various authors, teachers, tech evangelists, storytellers, artists and even children, Jumpstart 2017 has set new grounds to understand learning and innovation. It has coaxed its participants to think like children again-take everything they've ever seen, heard, learnt, written, drawn, published, and look at it for the first time. With a fresh perspective, an illustrator may find a gaming world in her art, a teacher may find a storyteller in herself, or a publisher may find the next JK Rowling!

As per Manisha, Festival Advisor, "Jumpstart 2017 has been a revelation in more ways than one!

Within the ambit of Learning +Innovation, we heard from seasoned experts as well as a young student. We demystified gamification and we immersed ourselves in the mystique of stories. We saw the body through the medium of dance and saw an outline of what an unboxed education could be... I think JUMPSTART is fulfilling its promise as a platform for creative ideas".

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to address alarming increase in the number of attacks against Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy.

Expressing concern over the recurrence of attacks on Indian fishermen, Palaniswami said Sri Lankan Navy's unwarranted 'display of military might against poor innocent Indian fishermen is unacceptable'.

"I wish to bring your kind attention to yet another instance of high-handedness of Sri Lankan Navy against the Indian fishermen pursuing their peaceful fishing operations in their traditional Palk Bay fishing waters. In a series of incidents that occurred on the night of 7.8.2017, the Sri Lankan Navy terrorized our fishermen by ramming their boats with armoured Naval vessels and en masse arrested 49 fishermen in 12 fishing boats," he stated in the letter.

He further said that eight fishermen were apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy on Tuesday in Ramanathapuram district.

The Chief Minister asked Prime Minister Modi to prevail upon the Sri Lankan government to resolve the matter.

"I sincerely urge you to take up this matter personally with the highest authorities in Sri Lanka to register our strongest disapproval of the mis-adventure of the Sri Lankan Navy in the mid-seas gravely endangering the lives of our fishermen.

He further requested Prime Minister Modi to direct the Ministry of External Affairs to secure the immediate release of fishermen and their boats.

Describing the attacks on fishermen 'as sharp escalation and needless provocation, the Chief Minister said fishing issues should be resolved peacefully.

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Congress President Sonia Gandhi's veiled dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its comments on the Quit India Movement, has attracted support from other leaders.

Congress leader, Renuka Chowdary told ANI, "Certain political parties had no role to play in the movement and they continue to disrupt the functioning of the country."

She added that certain parties would never understand the foundations of India's independence.

Communist Party of India leader D. Raja, said "The RSS and the BJP are trying to falsify and rewrite history. This is where the caution must be kept. They are trying to impose their ideology on the country."

Conference (NC) leader, Farooq Abdullah said, "It's true that the country is developing but the people are being divided.We are being divided on the basis of our religion."

Earlier, Sonia Gandhi recalled the Quit India Movement struggle and added that secularism and free speech are in danger today's NDA and BJP-ruled India.

Taking a jab at the BJP, she said, "Some organisations opposed the Quit India movement".

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Over six lakhs people of the Maratha community halted India's economic capital city of Mumbai on Wednesday when the Marathi Kranti Morcha (MKM) came out on the streets to raise their demand of reservation for Marathi people. Students, women, and leaders took part in the mammoth rally under the umbrella of Maratha Kranti Morcha.

The MKM has handed over a letter comprising of their demands, to the state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The Maharashtra government is likely to announce a package for Maratha students, which will include a reduction in the percentage needed to secure admission to professional courses and free ships.

More than 10,000 police personnel, several drones and CCTV cameras were deployed to control the traffic and also to provide security during this mammoth rally. Mumbai Police, Traffic Police, BMC, Fire Brigade and intelligence units from state and Centre are on high alert to prevent any untoward incident during the Morcha.

The silent protest March, started from Jijamata Udyan in Byculla at 11 am.

Lakhs of people of the Maratha community entered Mumbai from cities like Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur, Raigad, and Satara.

The Morcha had organised 57 protests last year.

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Ignoring security threats, former Pakistan PM began his two-days journey for Lahore via G T Road on Wednesday, saying "his innings was not over".

Sharif avoided answering questions on the chances of him returning as PM, but indicated that he would remain active in politics, saying confidently that his innings was not over.

"When I was sent into exile by Musharraf, many believed that was the end of my political career. But it did not happen then, and it will not happen now."

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has also arrived at the Punjab House to meet the former premier prior to his departure. A meeting between the two leaders is underway.

His caravan will first gather at D Chowk from where it will reach Faizabad via zero point. is expected to address the supporters and PML (N) party workers at different places en route to Lahore.

The PML (N) workers from across Punjab are being mobilised by the local leadership to reach Lahore and other points to welcome their leader who was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case on July 28, to get a 'Turkey like public reaction' and to gather the much-needed political mileage in the face of the challenges its government is facing, the Dawn reported.

City roads have been decorated with welcome banners that read, "A leader does not need any post... as he lives in hearts." The banners are from the local leaders and ministers as well.

"I will not wait for the situation to calm down because I have every right to go home," Dawn quoted Nawaz as saying at the Punjab House on Tuesday.

Reports suggested that his brother Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and his predecessor Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan were among several close figures who warned the ousted PM against proceeding to Lahore by road.

emphasised that he had never tried to create anarchy in the country  be it the days of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf sit-in outside parliament, attempts to lock down the capital or matters relating to the Panama Papers case.

Sharif said a petition seeking a review of his disqualification would soon be filed before the Supreme Court with the plea that a larger bench hears the case.

Lamenting that none of the 18 prime ministers in the country's history had ever completed their constitutional term in office, he said that just three dictators had ruled the country for decades.

He said the Constitution was abrogated again and again, but the judiciary not only legitimised military rule every time but even went to the extent of giving military dictators the right to amend the Constitution at their whim.

"Countries cannot be run like this," he remarked, saying this was a time for grand debate, both inside and outside Parliament, to find a way forward.

He blamed the lack of continuity as the major reason for the country lagging behind in terms of economic progress.

He regretted that he was once removed as prime minister under the now-defunct Article 58(2)(b) of the Constitution, termed a hijacker by General Musharraf and had now been disqualified by the judiciary on an allegation never mentioned in the petition.

"Why should I have disclosed a salary I never withdrew from my son's company?" he asked, adding that a prime minister elected with the votes of 200 million people should not have been treated in such a way.

(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.)
Though preparations are on full swing for Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's visit to India, but Nepal is yet to receive a written invitation from the Indian government, sources here have informed.

"Though the preparation is gearing up, we haven't received a written invitation from the Indian side. But it is said that the Prime Minister will go on visit this month. If the visit is postponed by some days, it will not be a new note," a source inside Nepal's Foreign Ministry informed ANI.

With the invitation still to come, the government has been claiming of making preparations for the visit and has been discussing the agenda of reviewing the previous agreement rather than sealing a new one.

"We still have little hope of getting the written invitation with the arrival of Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj for the BIMSTEC Summit of Foreign Minister," the source added.

ANI approached Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Counselor Dr. Dinesh Bhattarai but could not meet him in his office but talked to him over the phone.

"After being elected as Prime Minister three months before, Prime Minister received a congratulatory message from India which carried the invitation for the visit.

Regarding the date, it is mentioned in the letter if not then, it will be fixed later," Dr. Dinesh Bhattarai told ANI over phone.

Nepal's 40th Prime Minister Deuba is set to visit India this month but the date for his visit is not fixed yet. Foreign Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara in his press briefing this week gave a tentative date of 23rd to 27th August for the visit.

Some of the scholars and experts in the capital have claimed of a tradition of receiving the invitation during the last hour of their visit. They claimed of Nepali Prime Minister asking foreign nations for the invitation for the visit.(ANI)

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North Korea has already developed a miniaturized nuclear weapon that can fit on top of an ICBM, according to new U.S. intelligence assessment.

North Korea has crossed a threshold to become a full-fledged nuclear power as they have successfully developed a nuclear weapon that can be fitted on top of a ballistic missile, including an intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the United States, CBS News quoted David Martin, as saying.

U.S. intelligence has also estimated North Korea has enough nuclear material to build dozens of weapons. The last time North Korea conducted a nuclear test, the estimated yield was roughly twice that of the bomb the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.

But North Korea is still in the development stage of a re-entry vehicle that can withstand the heat and the vibration of re-entering the earth's atmosphere, and develop the means to accurately target the warhead, Martin reports.

The Washington Post initially reported the intelligence assessment that North Korea is now making missile-ready nuclear weapons.

Sanctions were imposed in the wake of Pyongyang's testing of an intercontinental missile apparently capable of reaching the US mainland amid increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Moreover,Japanese defense white paper released on Tuesday, stated the threat from North Korean nuclear weapons has reached a "new stage," adding it was "conceivable" North Korea had made progress on miniaturizing a nuclear warhead to place on its new long-range missiles.

President Trump has emphasized the need to be "tough" on North Korea and its leader Kim Jong-un, most recently with a tweet while on his working vacation in Bedminster, New Jersey.

A CBS News poll released Americans are uneasy about the possibility of a military conflict with North Korea.

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North Korea military is "preparing and examining" a plan to launch a missile strike on the strategic U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after President Donald Trump warned the regime that any threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury".

Pyongyang said it was "carefully examining" a plan to strike Guam, located 3,400km (2,100 miles) away, and threatened to create an "enveloping fire" around the territory.

North Korea issued the warning through its state-run KCNA news agency, wherein it was specifically mentioned that a potential strike could be launched on Andersen Air Force Base designed "to send a serious warning signal to the US."

The base is one of two on the Pacific island, which are the closest bases on US soil to North Korea, and represent western most tip of the country's military might, the CNN reported.

Taking into account the threat and the fear of residents,Guam's governor, Eddie Baza Calvo, released a video address , reassuring the island's residents that there was no escalated threat.

"I want to reassure the people of Guam that currently there is no threat to our island or the Marianas," he said.

"I also want to remind national media that Guam is American soil and we have 200,000 Americans in Guam and the Marianas. We are not just a military installation."

.The US Department of Defense reiterated its capability to counter North Korean aggression.

"We always maintain a high state of readiness and have the capabilities to counter any threat, to include those from North Korea," spokesman Johnny Michael said.

Guam is home to a US military base that includes a submarine squadron, an airbase and a coastguard group and is armed with the U.S. Army's missile defense system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, the same system recently installed in South Korea.

Guam is capable for an integrated bomber operation as it has nuclear-capable bomber trio B-1B Lancer, B-2 Spirit, and B-52 .

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GRAFTON -- Friends of William Bill Gorder remembered him Tuesday as a man of high moral integrity who had a passion for issues affecting Walsh County, which he represented for eight terms in the North Dakota House.

Gorder, who also served two terms as Walsh County commissioner, died Thursday in Grafton. He was 88.

Sen. Tom Campbell, R-Grafton, remembered him as a good friend and someone were going to miss.

Gorder was of that mold that seems to be broken these days, said Campbell. He epitomized faith and high moral integrity.  He was an authentic, good guy. Id trust him with everything.

Campbell remembered his friends cheerful and inquisitive nature.

He always asked your opinion on life, he said. He was a deep thinker, a strong Christian.

Gorder strongly opposed abortion and businesses operating on Sunday, he said. Sunday opening was a battle he eventually lost.

Joyce Kingsbury, a former District 19 legislator who served after Gorder, starting with her election to the state House in 2000, also praised him as a godly man and a good community member.

He was a very honorable man and a good example to follow going to the Legislature, said Kingsbury.

He was very active in community affairs and interested in the quality of education in our district.

Kingsbury recalled that Gorder always greeted us as, my fine young friend.

Gorder was a very moral man -- someone to look up to, he said. He lived a very good life.

Gorder was born March 21, 1929, in Grafton to William and Stella (Eck) Gorder.

After graduating from Grafton High School in 1947, he farmed near Grafton and served in the U.S. Army in Korea from 1951 to 1953. Following his discharge from the military, he returned to farm near Grafton until enrolling at the University of North Dakota where he earned a degree in education.

He taught in high schools at Minto and Karlstad, Minn. Later, after earning a masters degree in guidance counseling, he was a junior high school counselor in Grafton.

Gorder led a task force to establish the North Valley Vo-Tech Center in Grafton. He was instrumental in getting the bond issue passed to support it and later served as its first director.

An active member of the Gideon Society, he was a lifelong member of Grafton Assembly of God Church. He and his wife, Marlene, took several international missionary trips.

Gorder is survived by his wife; his children, Roger (Morna) Gorder and Sheryl Gorder, Grafton; Dean (Vicki) Gorder, Grand Forks, and Janet (Bill) Hruby, Fargo; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren, and a brother, Glenn (JoAnn) Gorder, Fordville.
Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Subhash Barala on Wednesday rebuffed the claim of pressurising or influencing the Police in the Chandigarh stalking case, in which his son Vikas is an accused.

"Neither we tried to politicise this issue nor to pressure or influence the Chandigarh Police in the probe. Whatever allegation is being made we want the police to probe the same efficiently. I don't think police is being careless on this issue," Barala told the media here.

Barala reiterated his earlier statement and said the victim Varnika Kundu is like his daughter.

"Varnika Kundu is like my daughter and the daughter of the nation. As soon as I got to know about the notice issued by the Police, I informed Vikas and asked him to come and cooperate in the probe. Earlier also he co-operated with the police," he said.

While Subhash Barala was talking to the reporters here, his son called him up as he was about to reach Sector 26 Police station.

Following Vikas's call, the Haryana BJP chief left the press briefing in the middle.

Meanwhile, Haryana BJP spokesman Jawahar Yadav launched a scathing attack on the Congress party for politicising the case and said that from the statement of the grand party, it seems that they are more experienced in 'pressurising' the administration.

"The Congress Party accused us of pressurising the Police and influencing administration. It seems that they are very experienced in pressuring the administration and are just trying to impose their experience on us," Yadav said in the press briefing here.

He even highlighted few case of molestation against the Congress leaders and said the BJP never politicised such issues.

"We believe that justice should be given to Varnika Kundu. She is satisfied with the probe till now. She doesn't think that the administration is being pressurised," he said.

Yadav said it is the Congress Party who is playing with the feelings of the accused by fanning this issue.

Meanwhile, Vikas Barala and the other accused Ashish Kumar appeared in Chandigarh Sector 26 Police Station.

Earlier in the day, Tajender Singh Luthra, Director General of Police (DGP) said that both the accused in the Chandigarh stalking case had refused to give their blood and urine sample for the investigation.

The notice was issued to both the accused under 160 Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the case has been filed against Barala under Section 354D (stalking), 341 (wrongful restraint), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 185 MV Act (rash driving).

Vikas Barala was arrested on August 5 on the charges of stalking and harassing the IAS officer's daughter Varnika Kundu in Chandigarh. He was, however, granted bail on the same day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Additional U.S. Marines have been dispatched to Afghanistan to strengthen its forces in the violent Helmand province where Taliban has increased their attacks.

Pentagon decision of deploying more troops in Afghanistan comes when recently the Afghan Security and Defense Forces have successfully repelled the multiple attacks of Taliban fighters who targeted a bridge in the district and create a hurdle to the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India Pipeline (TAPI) pipeline project in Gereshk district in the southern Helmand province in which over 40 Taliban insurgents and four soldiers were killed.

The deployment is not a part of a Trump administration strategy for Afghanistan but 100 additional Marines are being delpoyed on a request from the Marine commander in the region.

"The depolyment will be to bolster Marines who are already deployed to the US Central Command area of operations", Tolo News quoted U.S. Central Command spokesman maj. Josh Jacques as saying..

"It will increase the capability for the commander on the ground," Jacques said.

The report said a spokesman for Resolute Support, NATO's train and assist mission in Afghanistan, also confirmed the move. He said the forces would be deployed "for a short period of time to assist Marines already there" advising Afghan forces as they fight the Taliban.

The US advisers are typically attached to Afghan fighting units to assist with ground strategy and airstrike coordination, according to report.

The US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson said National Security Council has already had three sessions "exploring a full range of options for Afghanistan."

"And when I say a full range of options, I mean the entire landscape. And I think it's reflective of the deliberations that we want to undertake," Tillerson said.

Currently, there are about 8,500 US forces in Afghanistan conducting counter-terrorism missions in Afghanistan.In addition, US forces support NATO's train, advise and assist mission to help Afghan forces fight the Taliban.

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Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Subhash Barala on Wednesday said his son Vikas will cooperate with the Chandigarh Police into the investigation in the stalking case of Varnika Kundu.

"We respect the law. I asked Vikas to cooperate and he has left for Chandigarh to join the probe. He will definitely cooperate in the probe," Barala told ANI.

Earlier, Haryana BJP chief had said that Varnika Kundu, who was allegedly stalked and harassed by his son, was like her daughter and justice will be done in the matter.

"Investigation is being done in Varnika Kundu case. Whatever action is required it will be taken against Vikas in this case. BJP bats for daughter's right and Varnika Kundu is like my daughter. Neither I nor BJP is pressuring anyone in this matter," he had told ANI.

Earlier in the day, Tajender Singh Luthra, Director General of Police (DGP) said that both the accused in the Chandigarh stalking case had refused to give their blood and urine sample for the investigation.

A summon-notice was also issued to Vikas by the Chandigarh Police which was allegedly refused by the former.

The Chandigarh Police asked Vikas to appear before the Station House Officer (SHO) of Sector-26 Police Station at 11 a.m. 'sharp' on Wednesday.

The notice been issued under 160 Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the case has been filed against Barala under Section 354D (stalking), 341 (wrongful restraint), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 185 MV Act (rash driving).

Vikas Barala was arrested on August 5 on the charges of stalking and harassing the IAS officer's daughter Varnika Kundu in Chandigarh. He was, however, granted bail on the same day.

A case was registered by the Chandigarh Police against Vikas and other youth under under Section 354 D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 185 (Motor Vehicle Act) of the CRPC on the basis of complaint filed by the woman.

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Tamil and Gujarati have joined Hindi to become the second and third Indian languages as part of Oxford Dictionaries' global languages initiative.

Launched in September 2015 Oxford Global Languages (OGL) is a major initiative from Oxford Dictionaries which aims to build dictionaries and lexicographical resources for around 100 of the world's languages and to make them available online.

For the first time, large quantities of quality lexical information for a huge range of languages will be systematically created, collected, and made available, in a single linked repository, to speakers, learners, and developers. The programme's objective is to transform the experience of millions of people worldwide by making content in their language available in digital form; on websites, in apps, and in many different tools and services.

"OGL is a bold initiative from Oxford University Press for a modern challenge and a huge opportunity" explained Judy Pearsall, Director for Oxford Dictionaries. "Digital communication across the globe is dominated by English and other major global languages such as Chinese and Spanish. We are at a critical time in the nexus of the internet and its impact on language diversity and viability, and the time to act is now."

"As we develop more languages for OGL, we are putting a special focus on Indian languages," said Pearsall. "India has a remarkable linguistic landscape with a richness and history that is found in few other places on the planet. Yet with only 35 percent of the Indian population using the Internet, OGL's mission to help digital communication through building resources for the world's languages is clearer than ever. We are very proud to be launching Tamil and Gujarati dictionaries as part of our global mission."

"We are excited at the launch of the Tamil and Gujarati online dictionaries following the launch of the Hindi online dictionary last year. The development of online dictionaries and lexicographical resources in various regional languages is testimony to OUP's longstanding commitment of growing its reach among learners across the region," said MD Oxford University Press India, Sivaramakrishnan Venkateswaran.

"The availability of curated and well-researched language content in digitized formats not just enables anytime access but also positively impacts learning and educational outcomes," added Venkateswaran.

A key feature of Oxford Global Languages is the language community itself, and as such the team works closely with local language communities to create living dictionaries. The goal is for users to feel a part of supporting and developing resources for their language.

These two new sites will be supported by a Language Champion who will provide strategic advice and help grow awareness of the initiative. Dr. Poonam Nigam Sahay, Associate Professor at Ranchi University, is the Hindi Language Champion.

"A thoughtful and praiseworthy initiative by OGL" Poonam stated. "Including Hindi in the [OGL] repertoire will undoubtedly enrich the language. and lend a solid support to its fast and phenomenal development" she explained.

The Oxford Global Languages initiative will also build a new type of language database which enables multiple links between languages and other content. Oxford Dictionaries has developed an innovative new Lexical Engine and Platform (LEAP) where our datasets can be integrated, standardized, and shared. This means that multiple languages can be stored and queried in a single platform.

"The addition of Gujarati and Tamil to the Oxford Dictionaries API gives a rapidly growing developer community access to this language data in a structured and flexible way, possibly for the first time, and enables the creation of content and applications that serve a huge language population." Philip Reimann the Senior Product Manager added.

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Separatist Shabir Shah, who was arrested on charges of money laundering, was sent to 14 days judicial remand on Wednesday.

"The remand time of 14 days got concluded so we had requested for a custodial remand of another 14 days, which the court has granted. We also have a lot of electronic evidences and telephonic information and call records. Basically we have been confronting him with the information we have. Rest cannot be disclosed more," ED lawyer, Rajeev Awasthi told ANI.

Earlier on Sunday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned Shah's wife in the ongoing money laundering case.

This comes after Delhi court on Sunday sent Aslam Wani, close aide of Separatist leader Shabir Shah from Srinagar, to an Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand till August 14.

The ED, earlier arrested Aslam Wani in connection with terror funding case.

Earlier on July 24, the Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested seven separatists over money laundering charges, for funding terror in the Kashmir Valley.

On July 25, Shah was arrested from his residence, where he was under house detention for a very long time, in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar.

On July 26, Shah was produced in the Patiala House Court, following which he was sent to seven-day ED custody.

All seven separatist leaders - Altaf Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Mehraj Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, Naeem Khan and Bitta Karate - were 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.

The NIA visited Srinagar in May to probe the alleged funding by Pakistan for illegal activities in Kashmir, and questioned several Separatist leaders on the issue of raising, collecting and transferring funds via the Hawala route and other channels to fund terror activities in Kashmir.

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The Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday said that the three militants who were gunned down in the ongoing Tral encounter today were members of Zakir Musa group.

Speaking to ANI, Kashmir Inspector General of Police Munir Khan said all the three are local militants, two of them had joined militancy in 2015 and one in 2016.

"All three militants have been killed; they were members of Zakir Musa group. We have recovered two AK47 and one pistol from Tral encounter site. All the three are local militants; two had joined militancy in 2015 and one in 2016," he added.

He further informed that the operation is still underway as there are chances of one more militant in Pulwama's Tral area.

The operation was launched on the basis of specific intelligence inputs.

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Armed Gunmen attacked Afghan women employees of Bagram Air Base, the largest American base in Afghanistan's Kabul province on Wednesday, killing three and wounding another, officials confirmed.

The attack took place close to the Air Base. The attackers managed to escape from the area, Tolo News quoted district governor Abdul Shokoor Qudousi as saying.

"The women were working in the security section at Bagram Air Base and their duties were to search people before entering to the base," Qudousi said.

No group, including the Taliban, has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

About 8,400 U.S. troops are deployed in Afghanistan and there are another 5,000 from NATO allies. Bagram, around 50 kilometres (31 miles) north of the Kabul, houses the largest contingent of US soldiers in the country.

In another incident, a suicide car bomber detonated his explosives near a police check post in PD8 of Kabul city on Wednesday, killing one and wounding another.

The incident happened in the Benihesar area of Kabul city, said an eyewitness.

"The man killed in the attack was the suicide bomber in a taxi," a security source said adding that "one civilian was wounded in the attack."

Security officials have not officially commented on the blast.

No group, including the Taliban, has yet claimed responsibility for the blast.

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Tehmina Durrani, the fourth wife of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has voiced her protest over her husband being given the responsibility of tightening security measures for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif two-day's rally from Islamabad to Lahore.

Durrani tweeted "CM Punjab shd hv been spared the responsibility of both, protecting & assisting his own party rally. V callous 2 put him in this position!"

Durrani's comment came days after it was reported that Nawaz Sharif's wife, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, or their daughter Maryam Nawaz, are emerging as top nominees to occupy the National Assembly seat vacated by Sharif following his disqualification by the nation's Supreme Court last month.

Earlier, Nawaz named his younger brother Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif should succeed him as prime minister (after contesting from NA-120 to become a National Assembly member).

Nawaz Sharif, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in Panamagate Case, is heading home to Lahore in the form of a rally via G T Road and strict security measures have been taken to assure that no untoward incident takes place in the meeting of his own party PML-N .

Meanwhile, Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif said that ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif is inspired by the trust of the people. 'It is people's trust that inspires Nawaz Sharif,' he stated.

He also prayed for the well-being of his brother and the participants of the party's rally as well.

'May Allah keep my brother, my leader & all the participants of rally in his protection,' the chief minister said.

The PML-N workers from across Punjab are being mobilised by the local leadership to reach Lahore and other points to welcome their leader who was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case on July 28, to get the much-needed political mileage in the face of the challenges its government is facing.

City roads have been decorated with welcome banners that read : "A leader does not need any post... as he lives in hearts." The banners are from the local leaders and ministers as well.

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In a shocking incident, two minors were stamped with an entry seal on their faces by the staff of the Bhopal Central jail as record of their entry into the prison.

This incident happened when they reached to meet their imprisoned relatives on Raksha Bandhan at the Bhopal Central Jail on Monday.

Speaking to ANI, the jailer of Bhopal Central jail said, "Roshni Rajput who was entrusted with the duty of stamping seal has been suspended. We have ordered a probe into the 'stamping on face' incident. I condemn it."

However, the jail authorities have described the stamping incident as an unintentional act as in the jail, there has been a practice of stamping visitor's hands at the time of entry.

Meanwhile, jail superintendent Dinesh Nargave said, "The seal might have been put mistakenly on their faces of the two children as over 8,500 people, mostly women and children, visited the jail for Raksha Bandhan."

This incident has sparked a public outrage, forcing the Madhya Pradesh Government to order a probe into it.

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A number of research / studies on medicinal values of plants are being carried out by various government as well as private universities / research institutions/ organizations in India.

Presently, research projects on various aspects (viz. literary research, survey, identification, documentation, micropropagation, agrotechnology, drug standardization, pharmacological and clinical research etc.) of medicinal plants are being supported by different Ministries/Departments of Government of India (viz. Ministry of AYUSH, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Ministry of Agriculture & Family Welfare, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology etc.) under their concerned schemes / programmes.

Under the Ministry of AYUSH, different Research Councils viz.

Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) and Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) are engaged in research & development activities on medicinal plants used in concerned system of medicine. In addition, the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH, under its Central Sector Scheme on Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants is also supporting research & development projects on various aspects on medicinal plants to number of government as well as private universities / research institutions/ organizations across the country. At present more than 140 research projects, supported under NMPB's Central Sector Scheme on various aspects of medicinal plants, are ongoing in various universities/ research organizations in different states of the country.

Some of the premier research institutions/organizations doing research on medicinal value of plants are: Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP)- Lucknow, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI)- Lucknow, Indian Institute for Integrative Medicines (IIIM)- Jammu, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT)- Palampur, National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI)- Lucknow, North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST)- Jorhat under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Directorate of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research (DMAPR)- Anand, Gujarat under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR); Indian Council of Forestry and Education (ICFRE)- Dehradun, and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

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North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is seeking a presidential disaster declaration, saying the state is "the epicenter of drought for the nation" because of a rain-free summer.

Burgum said in a statement Monday night that his request to President Donald Trump would be sent via the Federal Emergency Management Agency's regional office. A presidential declaration would pave the way for direct federal disaster payments to farmers who are facing the prospect of little or no crops and to ranchers who have nothing to feed the cattle they haven't sold off.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map shows 82 percent of North Dakota in some stage of drought. Most of central and western North Dakota remains in extreme or exceptional drought, the two worst categories.

"Our state climatologist ... indicated North Dakota has reached the D4 (exceptional) category only two times in the last 100 years," Burgum said in his nine-page letter to Trump.

The governor also is asking for federal agencies including the Agriculture Department to help drought-stricken producers through aid programs.

State Climatologist Adnan Akyuz, a professor of climatological practice at North Dakota State University, told The Associated Press that there is no simple explanation for the drought. There are a variety of factors, including less moisture coming up from the Gulf of Mexico and the jet stream staying farther to the north and not contributing to rain storms in North Dakota, Akyuz said.

Dry soil also causes warmer air temperatures that demand more moisture, further parching the soil in what Akyuz describes as a "wicked cycle."

"The drought really feeds into itself," he said.

The federal Agriculture Department has declared numerous North Dakota counties to be disaster areas, and Burgum in late July also declared a drought disaster. That has opened to door to various forms of aid, such as emergency loans and haying and grazing of conservation land that normally is left untouched.

North Dakota Farmers Union, the state's largest general farm group, late last week called for direct federal disaster payments for drought-impacted farmers and ranchers, the same aid Burgum is now requesting.

"There have been great efforts to get hay and forage into the hands of ranchers, but that won't fix the financial disaster that is looming," state Farmers Union President Mark Watne said. "The federal government needs to step up."
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised $1.25 billion to help finance climate change mitigation and adaptation projects with the issue of dual-tranche 5-year and 10-year green bonds.

ADB is responding to the rapidly growing demand for green bonds with our second dual-tranche outing and our first 5-year green bond offering, said ADB Treasurer Pierre Van Peteghem. We have found the dual-pronged approach taken today to be an efficient means of reaching ethical investors active at different segments of the yield curve. This approach means that ADB is reaching an increasing number of investors who understand the importance of the green label.

Proceeds of the green bonds will support low-carbon and climate resilient projects funded through ADB's ordinary capital resources and used in its non-concessional operations.

In 2015, ADB announced that it would double its annual climate financing to $6 billion by 2020. ADB's support for climate change will rise to around 30% of its overall financing by the end of this decade. Out of the $6 billion, $4 billion will be dedicated to mitigation through scaling up support for renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable transport, and building smart cities, while $2 billion will be for adaptation through more resilient infrastructure, climate-smart agriculture, and better preparation for climate-related disasters.

The 5-year bond has an issue size of $750 million, a coupon rate of 1.875% per annum payable semi-annually and a maturity date of 10 August 2022. It was priced at 99.531% to yield 16.3 basis points over the 1.875% US Treasury notes due July 2022. The 10-year bond has an issue size of $500 million, a coupon rate of 2.375% per annum payable semi-annually and a maturity date of 10 August 2027.

It was priced at 99.172% to yield 20.5 basis points over the 2.375% US Treasury notes due May 2027.

The transactions were lead-managed by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Credit Agricole CIB, and J. P. Morgan. A syndicate group was also formed consisting of Citi, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, and TD Securities.

Both issues achieved wide primary market distribution with 24% of the 5-year bonds placed in Asia; 29% in Europe, Middle East, and Africa; and 47% in the Americas. By investor type, 38% of the bonds went to central banks and official institutions; 31% to banks; and 31% to fund managers. For the 10-year bonds, 13% were placed in Asia; 69% in Europe, Middle East, and Africa; and 18% in the Americas. By investor type, 25% of the bonds went to central banks and official institutions; 52% to banks; and 23% to fund managers.

ADB plans to raise around $27 billion to $30 billion from the capital markets in 2017.

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The introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) aims to bring the informal sector under the ambit of formal economy. The GST framework captures every transaction from end to end, recording them from source to final destination, leaving no room for uncertainty while promoting transparency and corruption-free business environment, said Mr. Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (I/C), Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Government of India.

Alluding to the advantages of bringing sectors under a formal regime, Mr. Goyal said that GST would enhance the tax base eventually leading to reduction in tax rates. The increased revenue from taxes would enable targeted spending towards betterment of poor, old, children and women and other deprived sections of the society. Besides, the government would be able to develop better infrastructure.

Mr. Goyal said that GST would create a level playing field by removing discrepancies from the system with the help of technology. Earlier, with multiple taxes in place, it was easier to evade taxes but the GST framework makes it necessary for businessmen to record each transaction. He also urged women to promote and become the harbingers of GST.

Referring to different tax slabs in GST, Mr.

Goyal said that one tax for the entire range of goods and services would have created an imbalance in the economy by making common goods expensive. Therefore, with different tax rates, the government attempted to keep the tax on common goods lower or equal to earlier regime wherever possible to keep them affordable.

Ms. Vasvi Bharat Ram, President, FLO, said, With this session, we aim to empower women with enhanced knowledge on GST and the implementation of it in business as also daily lives. This is in sync with the vision of FLO, which is to Change Lives - Women Empowering Women as also with our mission to promote economic empowerment and equal opportunity for women.

Ms. Bharat Ram said, FLO believes that the resources and strengths of women need to be channelized, to help their full potential. It acts as a catalyst for the social and economic advancement of women and society at large. Educational and vocational training programmes, talks, seminars, panel discussions and workshops on a vast range of subjects especially concerning women and business are a part of this process.

She added, While we are happy that goods such as bindi, sindoor, kajal, bangles, which are specifically used by women, come under no tax slot. But, sanitary products, that are useful to every woman but is not accessible as widely has been made tougher to access because of its hiked up tax rate. This is something that we would request the government to look into as sanitary pads are not a luxury, it is a necessity for women.

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On 14 August 2017

Jain Irrigation Systems-DVR will hold a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company on 14 August 2017, to consider Unaudited Consolidated Financial Working Results for quarter ended on 30th June, 2017

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Sales rise 24.58% to Rs 7.35 crore

Net profit of Naga Dhunseri Group declined 49.15% to Rs 1.19 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 2.34 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016. Sales rose 24.58% to Rs 7.35 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 5.90 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016.7.355.9019.3250.001.523.031.492.991.192.34

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Total Operating Income decline 9.94% to Rs 1939.92 crore

Net profit of Punjab & Sind Bank declined 52.45% to Rs 25.37 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 53.35 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016. Total Operating Income declined 9.94% to Rs 1939.92 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 2153.92 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016.1939.922153.9267.2674.5753.27138.5253.27138.5225.3753.35

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The death toll from an earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter scale that struck China's Sichuan province on Tuesday night has risen to 13, an official said on Wednesday.

As of 9.30 a.m., the quake has also left 175 others injured, the official told Xinhua news agency.

The quake jolted Jiuzhaigou county, a popular tourist destination, at 9.19 p.m. at a depth of 20 km.

At least five deaths reported immediately after the quake were those of the visitors to Jiuzhaigou, the publicity department of the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture that administers the county, said.

Sangey, a worker at the popular Jiuzhaigou tourist site, told Xinhua on telephone that some houses in the scenic area collapsed or cracked in wake of the powerful quake. Authorities were evacuating the residents.

There were reported house collapses in towns like Heihe, Shuanghe and Anle, the department said.

Li Changyong, head of the Jiuzhaigou county health and family planning bureau, said the quake was strongly felt in the county seat, 35 km from the epicentre and many residents rushed out of buildings.

--IANS

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The Congress on Wednesday urged the NHRC and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes to direct the Telangana government to take action against police officials allegedly responsible for committing atrocities on Dalits in Karimnagar district.

A delegation of Congress leaders led by All India Congress Committee Secretary R.C. Khuntia met the officials of National Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes in New Delhi on the issue.

The delegation, including party MPs from the state, brought to the two commissions' notice the July 2 incident in Nerella village of Rajanna-Sircilla district wherein eight innocent villagers belonging to the Scheduled Castes/Tribes and other backward castes were arrested after a mob set afire three trucks during a protest.

The party alleged that police poured hot water on the private parts and gave electric shocks to the arrested villagers.

On July 31, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar called on the villagers in Karimnagar jail where they said police kept them in illegal custody for four days.

The Congress leaders urged the commissions to direct the Telangana government to register cases under the Scheduled Castes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the district Superintendent of Police and other police officials allegedly responsible for the torture.

They also demanded an independent inquiry by the commissions, and compensation and protection for the villagers.

--IANS

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief on Wednesday acknowledged that the party could not get enough votes as expected that led to Balwantsinh Rajput, the party's third candidate, losing the Rajya Sabha polls from Gujarat.

Shah, who on Wednesday resigned as legislator of the Gujarat Assembly, also challenged the Congress to a battle in the forthcoming Assembly polls.

In his last speech as Gujarat Assembly legislator, Shah also reiterated his stand that the party will win 150 of 182 Assembly seats in the state.

Shah submitted his resignation to Assembly Speaker Raman Vora at his residence, after he was elected to the Rajya Sabha along with Union Minister Smriti Irani. Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel won a tough electoral battle for the Upper House, defeating Rajput, a Congress turncoat who was made the third BJP candidate.

Shah also highlighted achievements of the Narendra Modi government and the party's over two-decade rule in Gujarat.

He was given a warm welcome along with Irani and Rajput at the state party headquarters Sri Kamalam.

"The 20-year rule in Gujarat would be dubbed as the golden period in history for development," Shah told the BJP gathering, and urged them to win 150 seats and bag all the Rajya Sabha seats in the future. "Be ready to work and ensure that we win three-fourths majority in the Assembly elections," he said.

State BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya said that if rebel Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela wished to rejoin the BJP, the party would consider it.

Vaghela, while quitting the Congress last month, had said that he would not join any political party or create his own outfit.

In the Congress camp, all the 43 legislators who voted for Patel, held a meeting with the senior Congress leader and vowed to fight the forthcoming polls with more vigour.

"The victory in Rajya Sabha elections will go a big way to boost our morale. Ahmedbhai will play a crucial role," state party chief Bharatsinh Solanki said.

Patel said that all the legislators would visit Tirupati Balaji temple to seek blessings for the victory and take a vow to bag 125 seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections.
Amidst the huge mess due to delayed examination results, University of Mumbai Vice Chancellor Sanjay Desmukh suddenly proceeded on leave on Wednesday, officials said.

In his place, Vice Chancellor Devanand Shinde of Kolhapur's Shivaji University has been given the additional charge of University of Mumbai, a Raj Bhavan notification said on Wednesday evening.

Additionally, in a bid to arrest the examination results crises, Governor C.V. Rao on Wednesday appointed Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) Director Dhiren Patel as Acting Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Mumbai and specifically assigned him to clear up the delayed results mess.

"Dhiren Patel will look after the work of University, in addition to his own duties as Diretor of VJTI. He will hold the post of Pro-VC till the completion of the work of declaration of results of the various exams held by the University in March-April this year or for a maximum period of three months, whichever is earlier," said a statement.

The fast-paced developments came against the backdrop of the crises of scores of examinations results getting delayed by several months, putting a question mark on students' further education and prospects in foreign universities.

The state Congress has strongly criticised the chaos in the examination department and demanded the Governor's resignation besides sacking of Education Minister Vinod Tawde and Higher & Technical Education Minister Ravindra Waikar for the university's lapses.

Earlier, in an unprecedented step on July 4, Rao had summoned Deshmukh and ordered him to ensure that all results were declared by July 31, which was extended, but still many results are pending declaration.

The Governor had also appointed an independent officer to monitor the results' progress and report daily and ordered Deshmukh to set up a "war room" at his level to ensure declaration of results on time and submit daily progress report to Raj Bhavan, but the measures failed to produce the desired results.

The Governor's ire was prompted by complaints that as of first week of July, out of 477 examinations conducted by the university, results of only 51 were declared.

As per the Universities Act, the university is mandated to declare examination results within 30 days and in no case beyond 45 days.

"While appointing the (current) Vice Chancellor, persons with more experience and qualifications were bypassed to appoint Deshmukh, merely because he is well connected with the RSS and had spent three years with RSS think tank Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini," Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant had said in a statement 10 days ago.

"As a 'guru-dakshina', the incumbent VC has accorded Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini the status of a research associate institute, and in future, it would award top degrees like M.A in Political Science and even doctorates," Sawant pointed out.

He condemned the VC for "wilfully" ignoring the administration of the university affairs, owing to which the future and careers of lakhs of student was now at risk with results not being declared as per schedule.

--IANS

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India has imposed anti-dumping duties on 93 products imported from China, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

"Anti-dumping duty is in force on 93 products imported from China," Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

These products include chemicals, machinery, steel and other metals, fibres, yarn, rubber, plastic, electrical items, and electronics and consumer goods.

She said 40 cases related to imports from China have been initiated by the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD).

Sitharaman told the Lok Sabha last month that the government was concerned about the country's growing trade deficit with China and was making efforts to realise greater access for Indian goods and services in the Chinese market.

"Trade deficit with China is a matter of concern. We are discussing the issue with China for greater access for Indian products and services in the Chinese market," she said.

She said with China topping the list of 25 countries with which India has trade deficit in the last three years, even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the issue with the Chinese authorities at the highest level.

India's trade deficit with China in 2016-17 had declined slightly to $51.08 billion, from $52.69 billion in 2015-16. It was $48.48 billion in 2014-15.

Sitharaman had earlier told Parliament that the increasing trade deficit with China could be attributed primarily to the fact that Chinese exports to India rely strongly on manufactured items to meet the demand of fast-expanding sectors like telecom and power.

She had also spoken of the difficulties faced by Indian firms in accessing the Chinese market, particularly by those in the IT and pharmaceuticals sectors.

--IANS

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Next week's ballot offers some intrigue for North Dakotans  from late congressional entries by independent candidates to term limits and marijuana legalization. Voters will decide whether to endorse changing the state constitution to limit the terms of the governor and state legislators. Another citizen-led initiative also will put the question of marijuana legalization before voters, who rejected the idea four years ago. Ninety-eight of the Legislatures 141 seats are on the ballot. All but one Democrat is up for reelection this year. Contests for secretary of state, attorney general and other state offices Also will appear on the ballot.
Adding two new smartphones to its popular 'Eluga' series, Panasonic on Wednesday launched 'Eluga A3' and 'A3 Pro' Android-based phones in India and roped in Bollywood actress Taapsee Pannu to endorse its smartphone lineup.

Eluga A3 and A3 Pro come equipped with 'Arbo' -- the company's in-house virtual assistant -- and would cost Rs 11,290 and Rs 12,790, respectively.

Both the devices would be available from August 10 on Panasonic-brand shops and other retail outlets.

"We believe our in-house developed artificial intelligence (AI)-based virtual assistant 'Arbo' will be a differentiator. Customers will continue to look for which will shape the product interface and the way we interact with our smartphones," Manish Sharma, President & CEO, Panasonic India & South Asia, told reporters here.

In terms of specifications, 'Eluga A3' features 5.2-inch full HD display topped with with 'Asahi Dragontrail' glass.

Eluga A3 and A3 Pro offer 16GB and 32GB internal storage, respectively, and support expandable storage of up to 128GB.

A 1.25 GHz, MTK 6737 Quad-core chipset powers the Eluga A3 while 1.3GHz, MTK6753 Octa-core processor powers the Eluga A3 Pro.

Both the devices are paired with 3GB RAM and run Android 7.0 Nougat OS.

The full metal body smartphones with split-screen feature come with a massive 4000 mAh battery, thereby giving it ample backup to last for a day.

The 13 MP 'Phase Detection Auto Focus' rear camera with LED flash and 8 MP front camera captures life-like pictures and superb selfies.

The 4G VoLTE-enabled smartphones provide additional security to the user with the front fingerprint sensor.

"With the new improved features and enhanced quality the user will be able to do so much more. The smartphones come in three colours -- Mocha Gold, Gold and Grey which define and compliment consumer's style quotient," added Pankaj Rana, Business Head - Mobility Division, Panasonic India.

--IANS

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Jailed gangster Neeraj Bawana told a court here on Wednesday that he is being treated "worse than an animal" in Tihar jail.

The plea was filed before Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Pandit, who has sought a reply from Tihar Jail officials and listed the matter for August 11.

"The applicant (Bawana) and other inmates are being treated worse than an animal by the jail authorities," said the application filed by Bawana's defence counsel M.S. Khan and sought the court's direction on the condition.

Bawana said that he and other inmates have proceeded on a hunger strike since Monday.

The application claimed the Bawana, who is lodged in the high-risk ward of the jail, was once locked inside a stinking cell for 24 hours, without any reason.

He also said that he has been deprived of fresh water, proper food and medicine.

"It appears the jail authorities want that he becomes ill or gets into depression," the plea said.

Bawana, former Delhi legislator Rambeer Shokeen, Pankaj Sehrawat, Sunil Rathi, Rahul Dabas, Naveen Dabas alias Bali, Naveen Hooda alias Bhanja, Amit Malik alias Bhura and Gurpreet Singh and Deepak Dabas alias Deepa are facing trial under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for allegedly running an organised crime syndicate.

Police said in its chargesheet that all the accused were running a crime syndicate which has been committing extortion and murders, apart from land grabbing and settling property disputes, all aimed at pecuniary benefits.

Police has described Bawana as "a symbol of lawlessness" and "kingpin" of the racket while Shokeen as the "political face" of the syndicate.

Shokeen was found using the clout of these criminals to contest MLA election to "further his political ambitions and gaining pecuniary benefits", police alleged.

On September 8, another Delhi court awarded seven years in jail to gangster Neeraj Bawana for illegal possession of firearms but had acquitted him of attempt to murder and obstructing and assaulting a public servant and deterring him while discharging his duty.

--IANS

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China on Wednesday expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to Japan's defence white paper for 2017 which accused Beijing of trying to change the status quo in the East and South China Sea based on "its own assertions".

In the white paper of more than 560 pages, Japan devoted 34 pages to unjustified criticism of China's normal defence construction and military activities, Xinhua news agency reported.

Japan claimed in its defence white paper that "China has tried to change the status quo in the East China Sea and South China Sea based on its own assertions, and this has become a common concern of the region and the world at large."

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang accused Japan of meddling in the South China Sea issue, saying China has lodged solemn representations to the Japanese side.

Geng said that the will of the Chinese government to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests is firm.

He said conducting patrol and law-enforcement activities in waters off the Diaoyu Islands is China's inherent right and Japan is in no position to point fingers at those activities.

The Chinese side, carrying out normal sea and air activities in accordance with international law, relevant domestic laws and regulations as well as national defence needs, is beyond reproach, he said.

The construction of necessary and appropriate facilities by the Chinese side in some reefs and islands of the Nansha Islands is a legitimate right granted to sovereign states by international law, which has nothing to do with militarisation and does not pose a threat to regional security, said Geng.

With the concerted efforts of countries in the region, the situation in the South China Sea has stabilised, he said.

China and the Asean countries are focusing on strengthening cooperation to promote comprehensive and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and jointly develop regional rules.

On Sunday, China and Asean Foreign Ministers adopted a framework of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, said Geng, noting that all parties affirmed the positive situation in the South China Sea and highly appreciated the early cooperation results, such as the China-Asean senior diplomats hotline.

Geng said he hoped that Japan would respect the efforts made by China and the Asean countries in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, stop intervention and play a constructive role in maintaining regional peace and stability.

He urged the Japanese side to learn lessons from history, stick to the path of peaceful development and act prudently in military security.

"We hope that the Japanese side could do more to help enhance mutual trust with China and other neighbouring countries and to safeguard regional peace and stability," Geng said.

--IANS

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Congress leader and Meghalaya's Urban Affairs Minister, Ronnie V. Lyngdoh, on Wednesday expressed doubt that the BJP would win even a single seat in the assembly elections next year.

The veteran Congress leader was reacting to BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli who claimed that a non-Congress government will be formed in Meghalaya after the assembly elections.

"I think Nalin Kohli is not in a right state of mind while uttering that a non-Congress government will be formed in Meghalaya. I doubt whether they (BJP) will win a single seat. Therefore, how can he talk of forming a non-Congress government," Lyngdoh told IANS.

"Meghalaya is not UP (Uttar Pradesh). We are conscious people and the electorate also cast their votes consciously. I don't think the electorate here would vote for a party (BJP) which is creating an atmosphere of intolerance, be it food habits or attack on religious institutions," he stated.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kohli said, "A non-Congress government is a certainty as of today as we assess the situation. Now, the only question is who is going to be in that non-Congress government and how many seats those parties will secure."

"I do not think that they are going to win the third term in Meghalaya," he added.

However, Lyngdoh was confident that the Congress will yet again form the government next year for its pro-development activities across the state.

He also rubbished Kohli's claim that many of the Congress legislators are in touch with the BJP.

"No Congress legislator will join the BJP as they know that people will not vote for a party which promotes communal tensions and divide by dictating someone's food habits and religious beliefs."

Asked if the sacking of two Congress ministers - Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar - would affect his party's prospects in next year's elections, Lyngdoh said, "The cabinet reshuffle was necessary to allow other legislators to entrust new responsibilities to the newly inducted ministers while the other two leaders (Tynsong and Dhar) will be assigned new responsibilities."

Elections to the 60-member state assembly are scheduled to be held in February-March 2018.

--IANS

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Brussels police opened fire at a vehicle and intercepted it after high-speed chase on Tuesday afternoon in the district of Molenbeek, local media reported.

The driver indicated that the vehicle contained explosives. A bomb squad, from Service for the Removal and Destruction of Explosive Devices (SEDEE), was called in to the scene to handle the emergency, according to Xinhua news agency.

The hunt took place at around 5:00 p.m. local time after the suspicious vehicle failed to stop at a traffic light. The driver refused to obey instructions of police officers and collided with a police vehicle, according to Le Soir.

Police used their guns to try to stop the vehicle from fleeing. However, he continued on the Ninove causeway in Molenbeek before striking a second police vehicle.

The man was taken out of his vehicle and claimed to have "explosives in the car", according to media reports.

Traffic is currently blocked on the Ninove causeway and a safety perimeter has been set up between the Dilbeek Road and the western railway station in Molenbeek.

Some 400 people were confined to the perimeter. The suspect has not yet been identified, according to Brussels prosecutor's office. The car, Citroen Picasso, was registered in Germany.

Molenbeek gained global attention in 2015 after terrorists from the district carried out attacks in both France and Belgium. It is regarded as the European capital city of extremism.

--IANS

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A high-ranking Canadian official is in Pyongyang to negotiate the release of an imprisoned Canadian pastor, the media reported on Wednesday.

An official on Tuesday said Daniel Jean, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's national security and intelligence adviser, was in the capital city of North Korea to discuss the case of Toronto Presbyterian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Obviously, Pastor Lim's health and well-being remain of utmost importance to Canada as we continue to engage on this case," said Cameron Ahmad, media relations manager for the Prime Minister's Office.

Lim has been suffering from high blood pressure and stomach pains, according to letters to his friends. His family has urged the Canadian Prime Minister to save his life.

The 62-year-old Canadian Korean pastor was arrested in 2015 and charged with harming the dignity of the supreme leadership and trying to use religion to destroy the North Korean system.

A Canadian government official said Jean was leading the delegation as Trudeau's special envoy, and while his focus was the release of Lim, he would also "discuss other issues of regional concern".

The Canadian delegation arrived on the same day US President Donald Trump warned that Pyongyang would be met "with fire and fury and, frankly, power the likes of which the world has never seen before", if it does not stop threatening the US.

The official said the timing of the delegation's visit was based on the condition of Lim, and not related to the increasing world pressure associated with Pyongyang's missile tests and last weekend's imposition of further sanctions by the UN.

--IANS

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The countdown to a military conflict between India and China has begun and New Delhi should come to senses and withdraw troops from Doklam before it's too late, a Chinese daily said on Wednesday.

An editorial in the state-run China Daily told India that the "clock is ticking away". The piece was latest addition to the hostile commentaries in the Chinese media.

The newspaper said "India will only have itself to blame" if it didn't withdraw troops from Doklam where its troops are locked in a stand-off with the Chinese Army since mid-June.

"The countdown to a clash between the two forces has begun, and the clock is ticking away the time to what seems to be an inevitable conclusion," it said.

"As the standoff ... enters its seventh week, the window for a peaceful solution is closing."

China has warned India of serious consequences if Indian troops were not pulled back from Doklam, which Beijing calls Donglang and claims is its territory.

India has proposed to China to simultaneously pull back from Doklam, which India and Bhutan say belongs to Thimpu. Beijing has refused.

The newspaper said India had ignored China's stern warnings.

"Anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear will have got the message. Yet New Delhi refuses to come to its senses and pull its troops back to its own side of the border."
The Delhi government has planned to execute development projects in unauthorised colonies through the Flood and Irrigation Department.

Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain made this announcement while replying to a question in the assembly on Wednesday.

At present, only the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) carries out civic projects in unauthorised colonies across the city.

"We (government) have made a plan to allow Flood and Irrigation Department to carry out development works in around 1,700 unauthorised colonies of the city along with DSIIDC," Jain told the House.

During the discussion, some legislators complained that the development works like new streets and drains in the unauthorised colonies in their constituencies were being delayed as a single agency (DSIIDC) was the only authority for all such work.

Jain also subtly slammed the central government over the delay in regularisation of unauthorised colonies in Delhi.

"Development works are being delayed because the Centre is not regularising the unauthorised colonies. The Opposition here, especially Jagdish Pradhan (BJP MLA) -- who said that 99 per cent colonies of his constituency are unauthorised -- should pressurise the central government to regularise these colonies," Jain said.

Jain also told the House that the Aam Aadmi Party government was "very seriously" working for the development of unauthorised colonies and it had allocated a budget of Rs 900 crore for the purpose.

"Next year, we aim to further increase the budget for the development of unauthorised colonies," Jain said.

--IANS

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Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday expressed concern over "attacks on democracy" by "communal and repressive forces" in the country.

The Congress President, participating in a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, said attempts were being made to destroy the foundation of Indian democracy.

"At a time when we are celebrating 75 years of the Quit India Movement, there are doubts among people that there is a fear that the dark powers are emerging again. Is not fear taking over the atmosphere of independence? Are attempts not being made to destroy the foundation of democracy? Freedom of thought, freedom of self expression, the freedom of faith and equality, freedom of social justice that is based on a law abiding structure..." Gandhi said.

"Quit India anniversary reminds us that we cannot and will not let the idea of India be a prisoner of a narrow, divisive, conservative mindset. In the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, our freedom fighters fought for an inclusive, democratic and just India. This was a thought which was established in our Constitution," she said.

"But it appears that clouds of divisive of hatred is overshadowing it. It seems secular, democratic and liberal value system is under threat. The scope for disagreement and debates in the public space is decreasing. Illegal powers appear to be taking over the rule of law at times."

The Congress President said there is a need to fight the 'divisive forces'.

"Quit India movement reminds us that if we want to keep our independence safe we will have to fight all oppressive powers, however strong they are. We have to fight for the India we believe in, the India we love in which every one is free," she added.

The Congress President mentioned that the resolution for Quit India was brought by Jawaharlal Nehru and supported by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. She added there were some who did not participate in it.

"We must not forget that in those times there were such organisations and people as well who opposed the Quit India movement. These elements did not play any role in getting us independence," she said, which also led to some members from treasury benched objecting to it.

At the beginning of her speech, Sonia Gandhi paid tributes to the Indian National Congress (INC) workers for their participation in the Quit India Movement and for sacrificing their lives in the struggle for Independence.

--IANS

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(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.)
Legendary actor Dilip Kumar, 94, who is undergoing treatment for kidney-related problems at the Lilavati Hospital here, is feeling better and will be discharged later on Wednesday.

"(He) will be discharged from Lilavati Hospital at 4 p.m. This is one great news," the actor's family friend Faisal Farooqui, founder and CEO of MouthShut.com, posted from Dilip Kumar's Twitter handle.

Confirming this, Udaya Tara Nayar, compiler of Dilip Kumar's autobiography, told IANS: "Dilip Kumar will be discharged in the evening. His creatinine levels and other levels are in good shape."

Nayar is close to Dilip Kumar's wife Saira Banu, who has been by her husband's side.

The thespian was admitted to the hospital on August 2 due to dehydration and urinary tract infection. High potassium and creatinine levels had raised concerns that he may have to be put on dialysis. Doctors decided against it after he started responding well to treatment.

Dilip Kumar was being treated by a team of doctors led by cardiologist Nitin Gokhale and nephrologist Arun Shah.

Last seen on the big screen in "Qila" in 1998, the actor was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015. He is known for films like "Devdas", "Mughal-e-Azam" and "Karma".

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kerala-headquartered Eram Scientific, the leading manufacturers of eToilets in the country, that has set up 2,200 electronic public toilets in 21 states has launched a campaign for feedback from the public.

"The public can make use of the 24X7 call centre number inside the toilet to call and give their feedback at any time. A feedback switch in the toilet provides the user the facility to press the switch if the floor of the eToilet is found to be dirty," S. Narayana Swami, Director, Eram Scientific, told IANS.

"This sort of a trigger from the public will send an e-notification to the web server and the call centre. The floor will then be cleaned automatically after the user exits the eToilet."

Etoilets are public toilets where once the user inserts a coin, the door opens, the light is switched on and the person is even directed with audio commands. They are programmed to flush 1.5 litres of water after three minutes of usage or 4.5 litres if usage is longer, says the social enterprise.

The highlight of the feedback system is that it is the first of its kind QR Code-enabled instant feedback.

This is made possible via QR code scanning through a unique QR code sticker which is placed inside and outside of the eToilet.

Once the user scans the QR code via his mobile phone, he is directed to a portal where the user can provide suggestions and remarks on the hygiene and cleanliness of that particular eToilet.

The user can also post photos as their feedback through the portal. Eram is looking forward to huge public participation in this, which provides the public an opportunity to partake in the holistic development of a public welfare facility such as an eToilet.

Since the feedback mechanism is e-enabled and instant, the public can share their feedback with minimum time and effort.

"This type of unique feedback facility in sanitation sector is first in India. The highlight of this feedback system is that it is user-friendly and the customer responses can be received in less than a minute," added Swami.

--IANS

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, known for coming to the rescue of Indians in distress abroad, on Wednesday said that she feels strongly for the welfare of Indian workers abroad.

She said this during a meeting with United Arab Emirates's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash here.

"I strongly feel for the welfare of our workers who are abroad," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, in a tweet, quoted Sushma Swaraj as saying during the meeting.

Sushma Swaraj also discussed ways and means to ensure welfare of the Indian workers in the UAE, he added.

There are over 2.6 million expatriate Indians in the UAE, most of whom are blue collar workers in the country's infrastructure sector. Most of them are from the south Indian state of Kerala.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the UAE in August 2015, the first prime ministerial visit to the Gulf nation in 34 years since the visit of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1981, and described the UAE as a most valued partner and a close friend of India.

--IANS

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The first single "Aalaporan Tamizhan" from Tamil actioner "Mersal", which has music by A.R. Rahman, will be released on Thursday, its makers announced on Wednesday.

In an official poster, the makers confirmed the release of the single.

The film's audio launch is scheduled to take place here on August 20.

Directed by Atlee and starring Vijay in the lead, "Mersal" marks their second collaboration after last year's blockbuster "Theri".

Vijay plays a triple role in the film, which is bankrolled by Sri Thenandal Studios.

The three roles feature him as a panchayat head, a doctor and a magician.

The film also stars Nithya Menen, SJ Suryah, Kajal Aggarwal and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.

"Mersal", which will have simultaneous dubbed Telugu release, is set to hit the screens this Diwali.

--IANS

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Foggia (Italy), Aug 9 (IANS/AKI) Gunmen killed four people in an ambush in Italy's southern Puglia region on Wednesday, the latest slayings believed to have been carried out by feuding local mafia clans in the Gargano peninsula.

The victims died in a hail of bullets when the gunmen opened fire with Kalashnikov rifles on two cars on a highway near the town of San Marco in Lamis in the province of Foggia, said police.

Two victims were found dead in a car near the town's station while the lifeless body of a third person was found inside a truck in nearby countryside. The fourth victims was pulled alive from the truck but died from his injuries soon after reaching hospital, police said.

Police identified the first two victims as 50-year-old Mario Luciano Romito, a boss from the Romito clan and his brother-in-law, Matteo De Palma, who was driving the Volkswagen.

The occupants of the truck were two local farmers, Luigi and Aurelio Luciani, both in their forties. They were innocent bystanders slain by the gunmen because they witnessed Romito and De

Palma's killings, investigators believe.

Prosecutors in the city of Foggia and anti-mafia investigators in Puglia's regional capital, Bari, are spearheading a probe into Wednesday's murders.

A total of 17 people have been killed so far this year in the suspected mafia killings and a further two people have disappeared and are feared dead.

Just two weeks ago, a 31-year-old man with previous criminal convictions was shot dead on July 26 at his restaurant in the coastal resort of Vieste in front of his wife and 7-month-old daughter.

Puglia's mafia, called the Sacra Colonna Unita, is Italy's fourth main organised crime syndicate, after the Calabrian mafia ('Ndrangheta), the Naples mafia (Camorra) and the Sicilian mafia (Cosa Nostra).

--IANS/AKI

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The US President has been granted the moral authority by the God to "take out" North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a leading pastor has said.

"When it comes to how we should deal with evil doers, the Bible, in the book of Romans, is very clear: God has endowed rulers full power to use whatever means necessary, including war, to stop evil," said Robert Jeffress, Texas megachurch pastor and one of Trump's evangelical advisers who preached a sermon on the morning of his inauguration.

"In the case of North Korea, God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong Un," Jeffress was quoted as saying by the Washington Post as saying.

Jeffress said that he was prompted to make the statement after Trump said that if North Korea's threats to the US continue, Pyongyang will be "met with fire and fury like the world has never seen".

The biblical passage Romans 13 gives the government authority to deal with evildoers, Jeffress said. "That gives the government the authority to do whatever, whether it's assassination, capital punishment or evil punishment to quell the actions of evildoers like Kim Jong-un," he said.

Jeffress, who is also an author and a TV host, was critical of former President Barack Obama and claimed Trump will follow through with his threats if it was necessary.

"People instinctively know that this President is not going to draw an imaginary red line and walk around it like President Obama did. I believe we're all going to be forced to soon if North Korea isn't dealt with decisively," he said.

A vocal Republican supporter and advocate of Trump, the senior pastor previously defended controversial plans to build a wall along the border with Mexico.

He compared Trump to the biblical leader Nehemiah who helped rebuild the city of Jerusalem and erected a wall to protect the citizens. In a sermon, he said: "You see, God is not against building walls."

Following Trumps's warning to North Korea, Obama's aide Dan Pfeiffer tweeted: "Don't gloss over the fact that Trump threatened what can only be interpreted as a nuclear attack on North Korea if Kim Jong-un taunts him."

In response to Trump's furious tirade, North Korea said it was "carefully examining" plans to strike Guam island, a US territory in the Pacific southeast of North Korea.

--IANS

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Lying on paper is bad. Five teachers in Haryana learnt this the hard way after the government transferred them to Mewat, a backward district in south Haryana, for providing wrong information under the transfer policy.

The transfer was ordered by the department upon learning that the five took undue advantage of the transfer policy by feeding false information on the Management Information System (MIS) portal, a senior official said on Wednesday.

"While taking stern action against the teachers who have given wrong information on the MIS Portal under the Teacher Transfer Policy and taken undue benefit in the transfer process, the Haryana School Department has transferred five teachers to Mewat on administrative grounds," Haryana Additional Chief Secretary, School Department, P.K. Das, said.

"Apart from this, disciplinary action under Rule-8 has also been initiated against them and their approving authorities."

The education department had asked teachers to provide information regarding their postings and also sought their choice of stations for new postings.

The department had said that effort would be made to adjust teachers in their home districts or nearby areas.

Das said: "The 'Teacher Transfer Policy' casts an inviolable duty on every teacher to fill the accurate details on the MIS portal and a corresponding duty on every approving authority to verify such details and then approve the same.

"A teacher is liable for disciplinary action as well as being posted out of the current school of posting on administrative ground if such teacher has given wrong information on the MIS portal to take undue benefit in the transfer process."

--IANS

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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday imposed a restraining order on students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), prohibiting them from protesting within 100 metres of the administrative block.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru said students can protest at sites designated by the JNU administration and should not block "ingress and egress" of officials in the admin building.

The court also said that police should not normally come inside the university campus in case students are holding protest peacefully. However, if there was flouting of the court's order, the administration could call the police, it said.

The judge also allowed for CCTV cameras to be installed at the main entry gate of the campus and in and around the admin building.

The JNU administration had earlier this year moved the high court contending that students, who were protesting against a University Grant Commission (UGC) notification, were blocking the Vice Chancellor and other officials of the university from visiting the administrative building.

The university had said that the manner of protest by blocking the ingress and egress of the officials was hampering the functioning of the university and complaints were lodged with the local police, consequent to which, two FIRs have been registered.

The high court had in previous hearing said that policemen should be sensitised about the manner of dealing with the students in case of any untoward situation.

--IANS

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State-run International Institute of Information Technology-Bengaluru (IIIT-B) on Wednesday said it is starting a post-graduate diploma programme to train about 10,000 students and engineers in smart software skills.

"The 11-month programme will provide hands-on learning to students and working professionals to hone their software skills required by a rapidly changing industry," said IIIT-B in a statement here.

Leading online higher education firm UpGrad, co-founded by entrepreneurs Ronnie Screwvala and Mayank Kumar, will partner with the reputed institute to create the human capital required for the resilient IT industry.

"We are seeing a huge change in the IT industry from automation, digital and data transforming many roles. Although many fear that this will lead to job losses, I am of the opinion that these changes bring in new types of opportunities," said IIIT-B Director S. Sadagopan in the statement.

As the programmers have to be thorough with core computer science concepts and software engineering principles, the programme will give them product focus for jobs that will be required in the near future.

"In view of the technology changes and increasing automation, about 30 per cent or one-million jobs in the Indian IT sector face lay-off. Hence, we need to reposition them to avoid net loss of jobs in the resilient sector," said Screwvala and Kumar in the statement.

As digital and data provide huge opportunity for growth in the IT sector, software developers who leverage open source technologies, Application Programme Interface micro services and software as a service will have to show product centric thinking than services-centric thinking.

"Besides training professionals on software engineering, the programme will focus on developing creative problem-solving and critical thinking by enabling the students to grasp new skills and adapt to the changing technology era," it said.

According to a recent study by 'Aspiring Mind', students of computer science and IT-related fields don't meet industry requirements and 95 per cent of engineering graduates are not suited for software development.

"There is an acute shortage of good teachers in most engineering colleges in the country. As a result, majority of students don't have access to quality education at the post-graduate level," said Sadagopan.

While 1.5 lakh students apply for Masters every year, many of them can't go on due to limited seats in the top colleges and the programme is meant to address this shortage, the statement said.

--IANS

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Amid a border stand-off with China, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said India did learn lessons from the 1962 war and asserted that Indian armed forces can now meet any challenge.

"In the 1962 war (with China), we learnt a lesson that our forces have to be fully prepared. The preparedness showed results when in 1965, in comparison to 1962, and in 1971, in comparison to 1965, our forces grew stronger," Jaitley said while initiating a special debate in the Rajya Sabha on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement.

"Some people have designs on our country's sovereignty and integrity. But I am fully confident that our brave soldiers are capable of keeping our country secure, be it the challenge on the eastern or the western border," said Jaitley, who is also the Finance Minister.

In 1962, India suffered humiliation at the hands of the Chinese, while in 1965 India fought back Pakistan and in 1971 it humbled Pakistan in the Bangladesh war.

India and China have been locked in a stand-off in the Doklam area for two months, with the Chinese media threatening India with "1962-like consequences" if it does not back off.

Jaitley identified two challenges -- one from LeftWing Extremism and another from "across the border as also some people within the country who go astray and take to arms and try to spread terror in the northern parts of the country".

"In these circumstances, the entire nation should speak in one voice as to how we should strengthen the nation's institutions and how to fight terror," he said.

Jaitley said terrorism was a big challenge to the nation's integrity that had claimed the lives of "one Prime Minister (Indira Gandhi in 1984) and one former Prime Minister (Rajiv Gandhi in 1991).

Pointing out that when the national leaders gave the call for Quit India in 1942, the entire nation stood with them due to their credibility, the Minister said such credibility of public figures and institutions was no longer seen and needed to be restored.

"One big question today is of probity and credibility in public life," he said.

"On this day, we, the representatives of all political parties, should resolve that in public life and in public institutions like tax, police and municipality, credibility should be restored and the element of fear should go away," Jaitley said.

Making a veiled reference to the Emergency, he said many challenges came before the Indian democracy, especially in the 1970s, but democracy kept on gaining strength with every challenge.

The Minister also said that judiciary and legislature, the two strong pillars of democracy, should avoid friction.

"A section of population is still living below poverty line. We need resources to fight poverty, for defence, social infrastructure, especially health and education, and for improving rural living standards. We should resolve on this historic day to make this country strong, just and economically progressive," he said.

--IANS

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India and other members of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) have decided to explore ways to boost maritime freight and land connectivity among the countries, including through extending the Trilateral Highway.

This was agreed following the Eighth MGC Ministerial Meeting held in Manila.

"The ministers reiterated the need to step up efforts towards enhancing connectivity between India and the Mekong Sub-region and agreed to establish MGC Joint Working Group to explore ways to enhance maritime cargo transportation and land connectivity amongst MGC countries, including the extension of the (Indian-Myanmar-Thailand) trilateral highway into Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam and connecting East-West Economic Corridor and the Southern Coastal Economic Corridor with the Indian subcontinent," a joint statement issued following the meeting said.

"The ministers also welcomed India's proposal to host the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) -India Connectivity Summit in New Delhi later in 2017 to further give impetus to enhancing cooperation amongst MGC partners," it stated.

Established in 2000 in Vientiane, Laos, the MGC comprises six member countries through which the Ganga and Mekong rivers flow - India, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh represented India at Monday's meeting.

According to the statement, the ministers agreed that there was tremendous potential for enhancing cooperation amongst the MGC countries in the field of tourism and appreciated the efforts being taken by Myanmar in coordinating efforts towards establishment of a "Buddhist Trail".

The ministers also encouraged national tourism organisations of MGC countries to accelerate tourism promotion through supporting each other's participation in professional travel fairs held in India and Mekong countries.

"The Ministers recalled the offer of a $1 billion concessional line of credit for enhancing connectivity that had been made by the Prime Minister of India in November 2015 and appreciated the efforts made by India in sharing details of digital connectivity projects that can be carried out in partner countries by utilising the LoC," the statement said.

The member states also appreciated India's capacity building in their respective countries.

"The ministers appreciated India's contribution towards capacity building and human resource development in the CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam) countries," a joint statement issued following the meeting said.

"The ministers noted with satisfaction that almost 50 percent scholarships were utilised during 2016-17 and agreed on the need for more effective utilisation of these scholarships," it said.

According to the statement, the ministers also appreciated the efforts of Nalanda University towards strengthening inter-Asian cooperation and facilitating research on the Mekong Ganga region.

"The ministers noted the updated status of the establishment of the Common Archival Resource Centre at Nalanda University and urged all partners to commence preparation of archives which can be shared for the creation of the Common Archival Resource Centre," it stated.

The ministers also welcomed the progress made in strengthening cooperation in agriculture and food security.

"The ministers welcomed the substantial progress made in the execution of the Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) and appreciated the efforts being made by the India in this regard," the statement said.

--IANS

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The Ruth Meiers Hospitality House was created in 1987 to provide food, shelter and other services to the needy. It was named after the late Lt. Gov. Ruth Meiers and based on many of her principles.

It hasnt always been smooth going for the hospitality house. Since it relies on donations, grants and other assistance there have been ups and downs. When it purchased the former Baptist Home, 1100 E. Boulevard Ave., residents in the neighborhood objected to some of the plans for the facility. They were worried about transients coming and going and the plans were scaled back.

Now, Ruth Meiers plans to sell and close its mens emergency shelter in Bismarck. This worries homeless people and their advocates. The closing could create a major gap in services to vulnerable people.

Ruth Meiers says its a business decision to sell the shelter based on increasing costs, fewer donations and the purchase of the Baptist Home. They hope to expand efforts to provide services for families and community reintegration.

Over the last 30 years Ruth Meiers has provided vital services to the Bismarck-Mandan area. Some of the people they have helped havent been model citizens. Unfortunately, when bad things happen some people dont react in the appropriate manner. When the mens shelter closes the area will need to have a plan in place to help homeless men. A meeting held last week should be the first in a series of sessions to develop a plan.

Theres no doubt that Bismarck-Mandan has homeless problems. Ruth Meiers mens shelter has 35 to 70 men sleeping there every night. Studies done recently indicate there have been up to 4,000 homeless children in the state. You see homeless people on Bismarcks streets every day.

There is some good news. Homelessness in North Dakota declined last year, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. North Dakota reported a 40.8 percent drop among homeless families, a 15.3 percent decline in veteran homelessness, but a 27 percent increase in those experiencing chronic homelessness since 2015. So homelessness remains a problem.

Ruth Meiers has given a lot to the community and it has been difficult work. Its understandable that Ruth Meiers might need to change its business plan. If donations arent as robust and the purchase of the Baptist Home has created challenges it makes sense to adjust. One step that Ruth Meiers could take that would be helpful would be as transparent as possible about finances. If the public knows they are making the best use of their resources it will be easier to get contributions.

The community needs Ruth Meiers and the Tribune editorial board expects them to be active in helping those who need assistance. The city and community groups, including Ruth Meiers, need to work together to develop a plan to assist homeless men. We only have to go back to December and January to remember a time when there were life-threatening weather conditions. We cant leave the less fortunate out in the cold.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday told the state assembly his government will write to the Centre to ban the computer game 'Blue Whale' that is suspected to be behind many suicides across the world, including of a teen in Mumbai.

Vijayan was responding to a submission moved by senior CPI-M legislator Raju Abraham who said that in Kerala alone there have been 2,000 downloads of 'Blue Whale' game that is said to have led to over 4,000 suicides across the world.

He demanded that the Kerala government immediately intervene in the matter.

"After knowing the ill effects of this game from across the world, the Kerala Police, educational institutions and other social groups have started a campaign in Kerala against this game. We will write to the Centre to see that steps are taken to ban this game," said Vijayan.

Vijayan added that the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) is the appropriate agency that will have to take the call.

"Four youths who were picked up by the police recently in Kerala were found to have left their homes after getting influenced by this killer game. By now itself several countries have already banned this game, after it was found to have a negative influence on the society at large. The need of the hour is an immediate campaign against this, which has already commenced in a small way in our state. The state government should take this up," added Abraham.

--IANS

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Lenovo India on Wednesday made a new addition to its Note line-up with 'K8 Note'. Priced at Rs 12,999 onwards, Lenovo has placed the 'K8 Note' in direct competition with the immensely-popular Xiaomi 'Redmi Note 4'.

The high points of the device are its primary dual cameras and stock Android (7.1.1) operating system (OS).

The company's 'Note' series has been quite popular in India and 'K8 Note' has come after a brief hiatus. In the mean time, Lenovo has launched seven Motorola-branded smartphones in the past six months.

We spent some time with 'K8 Note' and this is our first impression of the 4GB RAM, 64 ROM device.

Lenovo's Vibe UI was heavily-bloated and made devices pretty slow. But this time, the company has ditched its custom software in favour of stock Android for good.

Powerful internals make the smartphone a great performer.

Lenovo 'K8 Note' comes with Google Assistant and multi-window function as well.

Another highlight of 'K8 Note' -- the primary camera (with dual sensors) -- is capable of taking some really cool images.

The camera set-up has 13MP primary sensor and 5MP depth sensor for better pictures and enhanced depth of field.

It delivers good 'Bokeh' shots with good details in daylight. However, we are yet to test the camera in low light.

The camera app did not show lag and we were able to clicked multiple images without any lag.

In terms of looks, the smartphone has a great built but does not stand out of the crowd.

The 5.5-inch full-HD (1920x1080 pixels) display is pretty bright.

'Note' series is focused on battery life and 'K8 Note' also features a big 4000mAh battery. A 15-watt turbo charger is included that promises to charge the device quickly.

There's a dedicated music key on the device for music lovers. The smartphone also supports 4G connectivity and VoLTE.

While Lenovo has strategically placed 'K8 Note' in a fiercely-competitive segment, it would be interesting to see how it proves to be a stiff competition to Xiaomi 'Redmi Note 4'.

--IANS

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Actor Akshaye Khanna, who has portrayed myriad roles like a lover boy, an antagonist, a police officer and a soldier among many others in his decade-long career in Bollywood, feels lucky and fortunate to get a variety of roles to play on the big screen.

Asked if it has been a conscious decision to choose different genres of films, Akshaye told IANS over phone from Mumbai: "I have been fortunate. (But) That's not in my hands. I have to give the credits to the people, who have made those films with me because they have not slotted me and they have given me opportunities of doing different kind of stuff (roles)."

"But I have been fortunate, lucky that variety kinds of film have been offered to me. Not ever actor is that lucky in this particular sense. So I feel fortunate," he added.

Akshaye was last seen in the Sridevi starrer "Mom", a thriller directed by Ravi Udyawar.

Co-produced by Boney Kapoor, Sunil Manchanda, Mukesh Talreja, Naresh Agarwal and Gautam Jain, the film released last month in four languages.

"Mom" also marked Sridevi's 300th film appearance.

The actor is now gearing up for his next film "Ittefaq", a thriller, directed by Abhay Chopra. The film is an adaptation of the 1969 film by the same name. "Ittefaq" also stars Sidharth Malhotra and Sonakshi Sinha.

--IANS

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A mob attacked a private school in Meerut and vandalised property on Wednesday alleging that a seven-year-old girl student had been gang-raped by some students.

Police rushed to the school in Phoolbagh area of Nauchandi and tried to pacify the unruly mob which wanted the school principal to be arrested.

A medical examination was conducted on the girl and prima facie rape has not been confirmed, Maan Singh Chauhan, superintendent of police (SP) told IANS on phone, adding that the probe was on.

--IANS

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North Korea said on Wednesday that it has released an imprisoned Canadian pastor for humanitarian reasons amid escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula.

North Korea's news agency KCNA reported that Lim Hyeon-su, a Korean-Canadian pastor imprisoned since 2015, was released on sick bail in line with the decision of the Central Court of the North.

Lim had been in captivity in the North since he entered the country via China on a humanitarian mission in January 2015, Yonhap news agency reported.

In December, the North's highest court sentenced Lim to life in prison with hard labour, citing his "subversive plots" against the North's regime. His release came one day after a special envoy of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in the North.

Daniel Jean, National Security Adviser to the Canadian Prime Minister, and his party arrived in Pyongyang, the KCNA reported. The visit drew speculation that the envoy was to persuade the North to release the detained pastor.

Lim's family has been urging the Canadian government to step up efforts to have him freed after US college student Otto Warmbier was released in a coma from North Korea in June following a 17-month detention and died days after a medical evacuation.

--IANS

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The Japanese city Nagasaki on Wednesday marked the 72nd anniversary of the US atomic bombing during World War II, with Mayor Tomihisa Taue insisting that Tokyo joins a treaty to ban nuclear weapons.

In his Peace Declaration at a ceremony in the Peace Park to commemorate the lives lost on August 9, 1945, Taue said the government's position on nuclear weapons was "incomprehensible", Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Japanese government's stance of not even participating in the diplomatic negotiations for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is quite incomprehensible to those of us living in the cities that suffered atomic bombings," the Mayor said.

He implored Japan to join the treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons.

Taue said the government should "affirm to the world its commitment to the pacifist ethos of the Constitution of Japan, which firmly renounces war".

His remark comes at a time when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party have been eyeing to make Japan's first-ever postwar amendment to the pacifist charter, a move that has proved politically, publicly and internationally decisive.

In a speech to mark the anniversary, Abe said that both nuclear and non-nuclear weapon states needed to work towards nuclear abolition.

Three days after the nuclear attack on Hiroshima on August 6, the US dropped a second bomb on Nagasaki. The twin attacks left more than 225,000 people dead in both the cities.

--IANS

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Minister of State for Human Resource Development Upendra Kushwaha launched the NCERT web portal on Wednesday for the supply of textbooks to schools and individuals here in the national capital.

Schools can order these books by entering their Board's affiliation number and other details till September 8 for the session 2018-19, a statement from the ministry said.

The web service would soon be launched for individuals where they will be able to purchase books online.

"At the time of placing the orders, the schools are not required to make the payment; the payment can be made just before the supply.

"The schools will also have the option of directly procuring textbooks either from their nearest NCERT vendors or from the Regional Production-cum-Distribution Centres (RPDCs) of the NCERT located at Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Guwahati and Bengaluru," the statement read.

There are about 80 vendors to supply the books to schools. Individuals will receive the books through normal post.

"Our aim with the web service is that no child should be compelled to buy more expensive books for want of NCERT books," said Anil Swarup, Secretary, School & Literacy (HRD), at the book launch.

He said that new books will be updated with recent developments in the country, and complete with corrections.

The NCERT textbooks can also be downloaded, free of cost, from the NCERT's website www.ncert.nic.in and users can access the digital version by downloading the 'epathshala' mobile application.

--IANS

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called for an India devoid of corruption and poverty by 2022 when the country marks 75 years of independence.

Participating in a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, Modi said the coming five years could be as decisive as it was between 1942 and 1947 when the country got independence.

He said in the present world, India could again emerge as an inspiration.

In the nearly 40-minute speech, Modi recalled the role played by Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Chandrashekhar Azad, Sukhdev, Jayaprakash Narayan and others.

The Prime Minister made no mention of Jawaharlal Nehru.

"When Mahatma Gandhi, a leader who always propagated non-violence, raised the call to 'Do or Die', it was a surprise for the nation. He told each and all of us to consider ourselves as independent nationals," Modi said.

"From 2017 to 2022, when India turns 75, we need to create the same spirit that existed from 1942 to 1947."

Modi urged people to take a pledge to end corruption, poverty, malnutrition and illiteracy besides ensuring gender equality.

"We need to bring a positive change in this regard. Today, a similar call (like Gandhi made in 1942) and determination are needed to weed out corruption from our country," Modi said, adding a lot can be achieved with the determination of collective conscience.

Modi said a sense of entitlement had increased in the country but the sense of duty had depleted.

"People break law and do not feel they are doing something wrong," he said. He called for changing this attitude.

The Prime Minister said the Indian independence struggle was an inspiration for many countries suffering from colonial rule.

"British colonialism started in India and ended in India. India's independence was not just India's independence. It spread the urge to get independence in many countries," he said.
Vatican City, Aug 9 (IANS/AKI) Pope Francis on Wednesday urged an end to "every form of hatred and violence", especially attacks on places of worship, calling them "such shameful crimes".

"I hope that all forms of hatred and violence cease," Francis told pilgrims at the end of his weekly general audience in at the Vatican.

"And may such shameful crimes not be repeated, especially those perpetrated in places of worship, where the faithful gather to pray."

The Pope reiterated his "profound sadness" at the attack on a Catholic church in southern Nigeria on Sunday that left 13 people dead and injured 26.

"I remain deeply saddened by the massacre, which took place last Sunday in Nigeria inside a church, where innocent people were killed," he said.

The pontiff also deplored an attack reported on Tuesday in the Central African Republic, where Muslim militias killed 50 people, according to the bishop of Bangassou diocese, Juan Jose Aguirre.

"Unfortunately, news has arrived this morning of violent homicides in the Central African Republic against the Christian community," Francis said.

He called on pilgrims to think of "our brothers and sisters in Nigeria and in the Central African Republic" and to pray for them.

--IANS/AKI

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Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the historic Quit India Movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday remembered the freedom fighters who took part in the movement and urged people to take pledge to free India from poverty, corruption and terrorism.

"On the 75th anniversary of the historic Quit India movement, we salute all the great women and men who took part in the movement," Modi tweeted.

The Prime Minister said the entire nation came together with the aim of attaining freedom under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.

"In 1942, the need of the hour was to free India from colonialism. Today, 75 years later, the issues are different."

"Let us pledge to free India from poverty, dirt, corruption, terrorism, casteism, communalism and create a 'New India' of our dreams by 2022," he said.

Modi also appealed to the masses to work shoulder to shoulder in creating the "India that our freedom fighters would be proud of".

Mahatma Gandhi gave the 'Quit India' call on August 8, 1942, and with masses coming together the following day the movement began to uproot British colonial rule from India.

--IANS

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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.
Indian independence literature, including from the Quit India movement of 1942, which the British had banned can now be read at the National Archives of India.

An exhibition tiled "Quit India and Azad Hind Fauj - 75th Anniversary (1942-2017)" was inaugurated by Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Mahesh Sharma on Wednesday.

The exhibition highlights public records, private papers, photographs, newspaper reports and some original papers that describe the intense phase of the Quit India Movement.

The exhibition also has large digital content which can be accessed through interactive mode. A film presenting the passing of the "Quit India Resolution", the arrest of independence leaders and the role of INA and Subhas Chandra Bose are also on display.

Spread over four sections -- 'The Prelude to Quit India Movement', 'The Actual Movement', 'The Impact of the Movement' and 'The Indian National Army and Azad Hind Fauj' -- the exhibition will continue till September 1.

"Quit India movement was an important milestone in the Indian freedom movement which made the entire nation determined to attain freedom from the British rule. Millions of Indians responded to Mahatma Gandhi's clarion call and the mantra of 'Do or Die'," Sharma said at the event.

--IANS

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Allowing trade in rhino horns in South Africa will undercut enforcement efforts in rest of Africa, China, Vietnam and other Asian countries. It is a major setback in tackling trafficking in wildlife, a renowned wildlife advocate has said.

"We see this as very dangerous and threatening the future existence of rhinos in many countries," US-based global advocacy Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Vice President for International Policy Susan Lieberman told IANS in an e-mail interview.

"There is no reason someone would need horns for personal use -- this would be a cover for trade, and would likely stimulate further trafficking and poaching," she added.

Breeder John Hume, who owns more than 1,500 rhinos on his private ranch in South Africa, has announced an online auction of horns August 21-24, saying "revenues will be used to further fund the breeding and protection of rhinos".

Admitting that there's a possibility that the limited trade in rhino horns will initiate demand to legalise its trade in other countries too, Lieberman, who has worked on the international wildlife trade for more than 25 years, said "poaching would likely increase, not decrease".

The government of South Africa, home to 80 per cent of the world's 25,000 rhinos, has prepared draft regulations for a limited export of rhino horns. It would allow foreigners to export up to two horns apiece for personal use.

The guidelines come in the wake of a constitutional court ruling in April overturning a 2009 moratorium on domestic trade in rhino horns.

India too is home to over 2,500 one-horned rhinos, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature. Indian wildlife advocates fear it could also lead to a surge in the demand for the horns of Indian rhinos in the international wildlife trade.

Lieberman, who has also worked with the US government, said "a legal trade in rhino horns stimulates demand and stimulates the market, which facilitates increased poaching and trafficking".

"It creates a flow of horns into which rhino horns from poached animals can be laundered. We have seen historically that the only thing that curbs poaching of rhinos and illegal trade in horns is a shutdown of the market," she said.

About lifting the ban with the aim of helping to generate revenues, she said: "Lifting the domestic ban in South Africa is about revenues for private reserve owners, and is a major setback in efforts to curb trafficking and poaching."

"There is no market to speak of in South Africa and allowing these sales will undercut enforcement efforts in other African countries with rhinos and those where horn is trafficked, besides China, Vietnam, and other Asian countries."

The international wildlife trade, which generates approximately 14 billion euros per year, is believed to be the fourth largest illegal trade in the world after drugs, weapons and human trafficking.

"Just as with ivory trade, there is no effective way to regulate the trade in rhino horns. In some cases, there can be a regulated commercial trade in species; under CITES, that is not allowed for Appendix I (threatened species) species. Rhinos are Appendix I, and there should be no commercial trade," said Lieberman, who foresees no domestic demand for rhino horns in South Africa.

"South Africa may allow export of rhino horns but that does not create a legalised international trade as they still need to be legally imported elsewhere and most source countries have banned the import of rhino horns, e.g., Vietnam and China," she said.

Saying that she cannot predict which country would be the main buyer of these legalised rhino horns, she added: "It's against the law in China and Vietnam to purchase or sell rhino horns or products with rhino horns; this would undermine their enforcement efforts."

"If South Africa proceeds with this, it could (be the end of rhinos) lead to an increase in poaching of wild rhinos in far too many countries, as well as undercut efforts aimed at curbing the trafficking of rhino horns."

On the demand of those who favour legalising the horn trade as this will help raise money for conserving rhinos, she said: "This is a commercial venture, and there is no evidence it will benefit conservation."

"Many countries and NGOs are working hard to change consumer purchasing behaviour in Asia, for example, and this will undermine those efforts. Many countries and partner organisations are also working hard to curb the trafficking of rhino horn and this will also undermine those efforts," she advocated.

A research finding published in Science Advances, an online academic journal, says the rhino horn is more valuable by weight than gold, diamonds or cocaine.

The rhino horn -- thought to have powers as a cure for cancer, an aphrodisiac and a cure-all in some Asian nations --currently goes for $60,000 a pound, says lead author William Ripple, a professor of ecology at Oregon State University.

(IANS correspondnet Vishal Gulati is an Internews' Earth Journalism Network Biodiversity Fellow. He attended the just concluded International Congress for Conservation Biology in Cartagena in Colombia. He can be reached at vishal.g@ians.in)

--IANS

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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani appointed two women Vice Presidents on Wednesday, a day after coming under fire for not nominating any women ministers in his Cabinet.

Masumeh Ebtekar was named the Vice President for family and women's affairs while Laya Joneydi was appointed the vice President for legal affairs, BBC reported.

Another woman, Shahindokht Mowlaverdi, was named the President's assistant for civil rights.

Rouhani, who had three female Vice Presidents during his earlier term, still has several more deputy positions to fill, said the report.

Mowlaverdi had said the all-male Cabinet showed that Iran was "treading water". Both Mowlaverdi and Ebtekar were Vice Presidents in Rouhani's previous government.

Lawmakers were not expected to challenge the chosen Cabinet as key roles were filled with the approval of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the report said.

Rouhani beat hardliner Ebrahim Raisi to the presidency in May after vowing to improve Iran's civil liberties and rebuild ties with the West.

At a conference in February titled "Women, Moderation and Development", he called for a greater female presence in and culture.

--IANS

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The Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) on Wednesday asked the securities market regulator SEBI to hear J.Kumar Infraprojects Ltd objecting to being classified as a 'shell company', said the company's attorney.

"The company had approached SAT today (Wednesday) against SEBI, NSE and BSE classifying it as a 'shell company'. The SAT had asked SEBI to hear the company on Thursday and take a decision, failing which the SAT would decide the company's appeal on merits," Amit Bikram Dey, Attorney for J.Kumar Infraprojects, told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

He said J.Kumar Infraprojects had made an appeal to SEBI against its order classifying it as a 'shell company'.

According to Dey, the action of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is a follow-up of a communication from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs listing out several companies as suspected 'shell companies'.

Dey said, the SEBI order/circular does not detail any evidence to indicate the companies as 'shell companies'.

J.Kumar Infraprojects had listed SEBI and others as respondents in its appeal to SAT.

According to the company, it closed last fiscal with a total income of Rs 1,466.22 crore and a net profit of Rs 105.51 crore. Majority of its clients are government authorities.

Similarly, Prakash Industries Ltd also affected by the SEBI circular has approached SAT for remedy.

The SEBI has imposed trade restrictions on 331 firms which are suspected of being "shell companies".

The aforesaid securities were placed in suspended animation from Tuesday, as exchanges stated that the trade in these stocks shall be permitted only once a month.

The development comes a day after SEBI directed -- National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India -- through a letter sent late on Monday evening to initiate action against stocks of these suspected firms.

The SEBI letter forwarded a list of 331 suspected "shell companies" identified by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

According to the letter, trade in all the 331 listed securities shall be placed in "Stage VI of the Graded Surveillance Measure (GSM)" with immediate effect.

"If any listed company out of the said list is already identified under any stage of GSM, it shall also be moved to GSM stage VI directly," the letter said.

The stage VI of GSM framework mandates the exchange to allow trade in the identified securities only once a month under its trade-to-trade category.

The framework further mandates that any upward price movement in these securities shall not be permitted beyond the last traded price amongst additional surveillance measures.

The letter further read: "Exchanges shall initiate a process of verifying the credentials, fundamentals of such companies.

"Exchanges shall appoint an independent auditor to conduct audit of such listed companies and if necessary, even conduct forensic audit of these companies to verify its credentials, fundamentals."

Besides, the letter stated that shares held by the promoters and directors in "such listed companies" shall be allowed to be transferred by depositories only upon verification by the exchanges concerned and they shall not be allowed to transact in the security except to buy securities in the said listed company until verification of credential, fundamental by exchanges is completed.

--IANS

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South Korea is monitoring "possible provocation" by North Korea after Pyongyang warned of missile strikes against the American Guam island in the Pacific, Seoul's Unification Ministry said on Wednesday.

Ministry spokesman Baek Tae-hyun said South Korean and US officials were closely monitoring relevant moves in preparation for North Korea's "further provocation", Xinhua news agency reported.

Baek said the South Korean military authorities maintained a complete defence readiness in preparation for several possible situations, urging North Korea "to stop provocation and change attitude".

The remarks followed North Korea's warning of preemptive missile strikes against the US military base of Guam in response to two US strategic bombers sent on Tuesday to South Korea.

A North Korean Army spokesman earlier on Tuesday said the military was examining an operational plan for an enveloping missile strike at areas around Guam with its intermediate-range ballistic missiles Hwasong-12.

According to North Korean media, the US military flew two B-1B bombers based on the US Anderson Air Force Base in Guam over the Korean peninsula.

The bombers have been "threatening and blackmailing" North Korea through their frequent visits to the sky above South Korea, it said.

Just hours before North Korea's warning, US President Donald Trump warned Pyongyang that if it continued to threaten Washington, the Communist nation would face "fire and fury" the world has never seen.

--IANS

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Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will leave for Lahore via the historic Grand Trunk Road on Wednesday morning, despite security concerns following a bombing here, the media reported.

According to Dawn online, the disqualified premier's younger brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and his predecessor Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan warned Sharif against proceeding to Lahore by road, a distance of 380 km.

But the former Prime Minister was adamant on taking the GT Road. "I will not wait for the situation to calm down because I have every right to go home," he told reporters at the Punjab House on Tuesday.

Security has been heightened in Lahore ahead of the arrival of Sharif as PML-N members believe that the Sunday explosion of a fruit-laden parked truck here was intended to target the former Prime Minister's convoy that was scheduled to pass on way to Lahore.

The PML-N chief has ignored his party members' advice, but sent his wife Kulsoom and daughter Maryam to Lahore a day before his own departure.

Sharif on Wednesday morning left the Punjab House in Islamabad and arrived at D-Chowk, the first stop of his procession, where the former premier's supporters greeted him.

He told the media that he had never tried to create anarchy in the country -- be it the days of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf sit-in outside Parliament, attempts to lock down the capital or matters relating to the Panama Papers case.

Sharif on Tuesday avoided questions on the chances of him returning as Prime Minister, but hinted that he would remain active in .

He said a petition seeking a review of his disqualification would soon be filed before the Supreme Court with the plea that a larger bench hear the case.

The Constitution was abrogated again and again, he said, but the judiciary not only legitimised military rule every time, it even went to the extent of giving dictators the right to amend the Constitution.

"Why should I have disclosed a salary I never withdrew from my son's company," he asked, adding that a Prime Minister elected with the votes of 200 million people should not have been treated in such a way.

The PML-N is banking on its workers for making Sharif's return to his hometown a "historic" occasion to get the much-needed political mileage in the face of the challenges its government is facing.

At least 5,000 persons are expected to accompany him throughout the journey, and thousands are expected to receive and see off the leader at the borders of their respective constituencies.

--IANS

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Shehbaz Sharif will be the new head of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Leader of the House in Pakistani Senate Raja Zafarul Haq has said.

Haq made the statement on Tuesday after the Election Commission of Pakistan asked the former Prime Minister to step down from the party post, after the Supreme Court late in July disqualified him as Prime Minister.

Haq said the decision to make Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif the President of PML-N would soon be announced as it had already been decided in the party's consultative meeting, the News International reported.

He said that most of the PML-N members were of the opinion that party be handed over to Shehbaz Sharif.

Sharif, 68, soon after his ouster as the Prime Minister had outlined a plan for Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to take over as interim Prime Minister until his brother Shehbaz Sharif becomes eligible to take over the post by winning the by-election.

But Sharif and other PML-N members later decided that Shehbaz Sharif should continue as Punjab Chief Minister.

Reports have been doing rounds that Nawaz Sharif's wife Kulsoom Nawaz and their daughter Maryam Nawaz Sahrif were the first and second choice as the PML-N candidate for the parliamentary seat vacated by him.

--IANS

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The teaser of superstar A.R. Murugadoss's Tamil-Telugu bilingual spy-thriller "Spyder" was released on Wednesday on the occasion of Mahesh Babu's 41st birthday.

The teaser was released in Tamil as well as Telugu.

Going by the visuals, the film assures epic clash between Mahesh and SJ Suryah, who plays the antagonist.

In "Spyder", Mahesh plays an Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer while Suryah is rumoured to be donning he role of a bio-terrorist.

Interestingly, Mahesh has dubbed in his own voice for the Tamil version of the teaser.

Produced by Tagore Madhu, the film is slated for release on September 27.

"Spyder" also stars RJ Balaji, Priyadarshi Pullikonda and Rakul Preet Singh.

--IANS

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Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi will inaugurate a three-day international conference here on Friday to review the progress towards democracy in the country, the challenges ahead and the roadmap for the future.

More than 30 speakers from Myanmar and abroad are to participate in the "Forum on Myanmar's Democratic Transition", that will see ambassadors from India, Norway and Singapore and other diplomats, UN functionaries and leading academics specialising on Myanmar join in the deliberations.

The conference, being held at Convention Centre-2 here, is organised by Myanmar's Ministry of Information with support from a host of global and local partners.

After her inaugural speech, Information Minister Pe Myint will spell out the context in which the Forum is being organised, its objectives and what it seeks to achieve.

Several ministers and lawmakers, leaders of civil society groups, media practitioners, business leaders and veteran civil servants and representatives from Myanmar military will be joined by a number of international participants that include Indonesian Lt. Gen. (retd) Agus Widjojo, former Vice Chairman of Indonesia and Tentara Nasional Indonesia's (TNI) Chief of Territorial Affairs, and one of its leading intellectuals.

Six plenary sessions bringing together more than 30 speakers will be followed by as many winding-up interactive sessions that will seek out views from a cross-section of more than 500 participants that would include special observers from foreign governments and global bodies who support Myanmar's transition to democracy.

The Forum is seen as both a stock-taking exercise in Myanmar's transition to democracy as to identify the hurdles that confront the complex process and chart out a roadmap for the future.

"The Forum will be the largest review exercise on Myanmar's democratic process so far," said U Myint Kyaw, deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Information, who is heading the organisational effort for the Forum.

At a time when the world is drifting towards intolerant right-wing sectarian regimes and even established democracies are showing signs of erosion of the spirit of democracy, Myanmar is struggling hard to emerge into a functional democracy, leaving behind more than five decades of authoritarian rule.

In the process, it faces many challenges like the one of establishing democratic federalism to ensure inclusive future for the nation's many ethnic minorities, many of whom have challenged the Union government with force of arms for decades.

(Subir Bhaumik can be reached at sbhaum@gmail.com)

--IANS

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As the 17th edition of the Bangalore Fashion Week came to a close here on a much larger scale than before, one could take a moment to trace the transformation that the city's fashion scene has undergone through this fashion event, which has been serving as a mirror to the city's ever-expanding couture industry.

According to designers and fashion industry experts, there is no other place that is so welcoming to the new entrants just as it has been for the established designers as the Bangalore Fashion Week (BFW). From internationally acclaimed designers like Riyaz Gangji to students of Dream Zone College from the city, the biannual fashion conclave had the stage set for everyone just like its every other edition had been since its inception in 2009.

"Ever since it began, BFW has become one of the most sought after fashion events in the country. Despite being one of the new guys on the block, as compared to Lakme Fashion Week and others, BFW has done so much more in these years than the other fashion platforms could, in terms of organising editions even internationally -- from Bangkok to Dubai and soon in London. From starting off with audiences who wanted to know what fashion weeks meant to bringing together some of the most serious fashion enthusiasts from across the country, it (BFW) has come a really long way," said organiser Feroz Khan, creative director of Dream Merchants.

Parimala J. Shetty, a Bengaluru-based designer found a platform for her designs through this edition of BFW, her first ever fashion week participation. Known for her fusion of Indian and Western styles, taking inspiration from local dressing styles of various regions of India, Parimala says the fashion week could be one of the few in the country that don't discriminate the designers based on their experience.

"This was my first ever fashion week and I found that the opportunity I have had at BFW to showcase my collections and the exposure I could get wouldn't have been the same at any other city. Bengaluru has grown over the years to be a truly fashionable city. People from all walks of life are turning more conscious about what they choose to wear and how they appear. The same dynamic also reflects in BFW in the way that it's evolving constantly," shared Shetty.

Renowned designer Pali Sachdev of the label MonaPali, who has seen the Indian fashion industry for over three decades now, concurs. "The most unique aspect of BFW is the way that it promotes a lot of students and fresh talent. This way a lot of new ideas are brought forth. Most of the times, it takes beginners quite a lot of effort to find a medium to showcase their work, but through BFW, they get to present their designs before designers from across the country. It's a great way of promoting local talent that is expanding with more and more people coming to Bengaluru through IT and other means," said Delhi-based Sachdev, who has been a part of BFW for many editions.

The differences between the cities New York, London, Delhi and Bengaluru are gradually blurring in terms of fashion due to the advent of social media, believes globally recognised designer Riyaz Gangji, whose label Libas made him the first Indian designer to be listed with the National Stock Exchange.

"Nothing regarding fashion is really new to Bengaluru now. The fact that almost every show was jampacked shows the increasing interest among people in Bengaluru towards fashion. The city has grown to be one of the biggest fashion destinations in India after Mumbai and Delhi, particularly when it comes to bridal fashion. BFW helps in providing quality buyers and the sales are quite a huge number, and is growing immensely," Gangji, who is soon going to design for Ganesh Acharya's Marathi film "Bhikari", told IANS.

Marking his presence at the fashion week for over six years now, Kolkata-based designer Abhishek Dutta said a large number of young consumers in Bengaluru allows for designers to connect with them easily.

"Through tie-ups with online platforms, the fashion week has expanded its market over the years, from not just B2B but also B2C. Being one of the oldest fashion weeks in the country, Bengaluru is a great city even for designers -- whether established or beginners, as it provides for a good brand positioning with a lot of Bengalureans taking interest in fashion trends. This time we've had actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who rarely does the ramp walking for us," an elated Dutta said.

According to Hyderabad-based designer Shruti Chopra, "if the platform focuses on using social media tools to reach out to wider audiences, it could scale newer heights."

(Bhavana Akella can be contacted at bhavana.a@ians.in)

--IANS

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Three militants were killed and two policemen injured on Friday in two gunfights in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian and Kishtwar districts.

Police said security forces started a cordon and search operation in Marwah village in Kishtwar in Jammu region following information that some militants were hiding there.

"As the cordon was tightened, the militants opened fire, triggering an encounter which is going on," a police officer said. "Two policemen sustained injuries in this encounter."

In another gunfight in Dragad-Sugan village of Shopian district in the Kashmir Valley, police said the body of a militant was recovered. Earlier, the police recovered two bodies of militants along with their weapons.

The gunfight took place in an orchard in Dragad-Sugan village after security forces surrounded the area.

--IANS

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Three Noida residents, including a woman, were killed when their car rammed into a truck in Kaushambi in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, police said.

The accident took place on the Allahabad-Kanpur highway when the victims were returning from Varanasi after celebrating Raksha Bandhan, police said. They were heading to Noida.

The victims were identified as Abhishek, 35, Reena, 30, and Himanshu, 24. An injured woman, Neha, 26, has been admitted to a medical facility.

--IANS

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The battle of nerves for the Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat that ended at 2.30 a.m. on Wednesday with a hard-earned victory for the beleaguered Congress veteran Ahmed Patel was a fight for just one vote which accrued to him by disqualification of two votes of Congress rebels.

The ruling BJP in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Amit Shah is, however, not taking it lying down. It is considering to move the Supreme Court to challenge the Election Commission's decision to disqualify the two votes.

With the cancellation of the two votes, the number of first preference votes needed by Congress official nominee Ahmed Patel came down to 44 from 45 earlier. This is because the effective strength of the House for the purpose of vote got reduced to 174 from 176.

Patel had 43 Congress votes and one of the Janata Dal-United, adequate to touch 44. Earlier, he was believed to have one more vote of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), giving him the required strength of 45 in a House of 176. But it dawned on the party later that this was not so.

The Congress had complained that its two rebel MLAs, Raghavji Patel and Bholabhai Gohil, who are close to maverick leader Shankersinh Vaghela, had violated the electoral code of conduct by displaying their ballot papers to BJP nominees Amit Shah, Smriti Irani and Congress turncoat Balwantsinh Rajput and not just to the Congress official polling agent.

After reviewing the details, hearing both sides and watching the video of the polling, the Election Commission upheld the Congress complaint and disqualified the two votes.

In a belated response, the Bharatiya Janata Party raised a similar legal wrangle against two Congress MLAs, Shailesh Parmar, also the Chief Whip of the party, and Mitesh Garasia, but the Commission dismissed it.

If this had been allowed, Patel's strength would have come down to 42, leaving him thirsting for one vote in an effective assembly strength of 172.

In the end, as expected, Amit Shah won with 46 votes, Smriti Irani with 45 and Ahmed Patel with 44. The third BJP candidate and Congress turncoat Balwantsinh Rajput, for whose victory the BJP had deployed its combined might, managed 39 first preference votes - eight of which came from six Congress rebels, including Shankersinh Vaghela, and two NCP MLAs.

If the two votes had not been rejected, Rajput would have got 41 and the shortfall of four would have been filled by second preference votes.

The victory came as a major boost for the Congress party. "This has infused new life among Congress cadres and leaders and we will show them (BJP) our might in the December assembly elections," Ahmed Patel asserted after his victory.

--IANS

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Actor Varun Sharma, who is gearing up for the release of the sequel of the 2013 film "Fukrey", says though he wishes to experiment with different genres, he is enjoying to play comedy roles.

"Chucha is the first on-screen character I played, so it will remain special. And I enjoy playing comic roles," Varun told IANS.

The actor says he wants to grow as an actor.

"Though it is not my agenda to act only in comedy films, I know that the audience is appreciating me in that genre. At the beginning of my career, I don't want to stop doing something just for the heck of doing something different or experimental. But, yes, as an actor I want to grow and therefore I want to explore different genres of roles," he said.

Varun's character Chucha has a special power of seeing future in his dream.

In a hypothetical situation, if given the power, what is the future of the film that he could see, Varun quipped: "No, people with special power, never apply it to them. This is my film, and all the actors (in the film) are part of my family. So I will not use my power to see the future of the film!"

Directed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba and co-produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, the film also features Pulkit Samrat, Ali Fazal, Manjot Singh and Richa Chadha.

The "Fukrey Returns" is releasing on December 8.

--IANS

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Seventeen American and Caribbean nations meeting here in Peru to discuss the situation in Venezuela has reaffirmed their joint opinion that the latter South American nation "is no longer a democracy", a media report said.

The Latin American Foreign Ministers bloc on Tuesday also said the Venezuelan National Constituent Assembly convened by President Nicolas Maduro and tasked with drafting a new Constitution was "illegitimate".

The Lima Declaration released by the ministers upon conclusion of their day-long meeting, included recognition of the National Assembly or Venezuelan Parliament as the only legitimate elected body in the country.

They also condemned the violence and human rights violations being committed in that country, Efe news reported.

The declaration was presented by Peruvian Foreign Minister Ricardo Luna, who told reporters "what occurred in Venezuela" - the installation of the constitutional assembly - "is a decisive rupture" in the country's political situation and "what we have now is that Venezuela is a dictatorship".

Declaraing "full support and solidarity" with the "democratically elected" National Assembly, it stated that all judicial acts under the prevailing Constitution "require the authorization" of the same and will only be recognized when the Parliament "has approved them".

In addition, Luna expressed the group's "support for and solidarity with Attorney General Luis Ortega Diaz and the officials of the Venezuelan Public Ministry" who were fired by the Constituent Assembly.

It also demanded the "implementation of the precautionary measures issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights."

The foreign ministers also requested the suspension of any arms transfers to Venezuela while the current situation continues there.

Venezuela has been beset by a wave of anti-government protests since April 1 that have left at least 121 people dead.

The situation became more acute with the installation of the Constituent Assembly last Friday, given that the body was not recognized by the Venezuelan opposition or by many governments and international organizations.

--IANS

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The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday questioned West Bengal Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim in connection with the Narada sting probe, an official said.

"He has appeared before our investigating team and was interrogated today (Thursday) as a part of Narada sting probe," an ED official said.A

The Trinamool Congress leader was allegedly caught on video tape while asking for money to be given to one of his accomplices in exchange for a promise to dole out favours to a fictitious company. The clipping was uploaded on the Narada news portal in March last year ahead of the assembly elections in West Bengal.

Apart from Hakim, state Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Panchayats, Rural Development and Public Health Engineering Minister Subrata Mukherjee were also summoned by the investigating agency.

The agency had also asked Kolkata Mayor and state Minister Sovan Chatterjee to appear before it.

Party MP Sultan Ahmed and city's Deputy Mayor Iqbal Ahmed were also interogated by the ED in connection with the case.

--IANS

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China on Wednesday said that 53 Indian soldiers remained in Doklam and asked India to pull them back.

The Foreign Ministry told the Global Times that 53 soldiers and a bulldozer from the Indian side remain in the Chinese territory as of Monday.

"India should withdraw its troops and equipment. Regardless of how many Indian troops have trespassed into and stayed in Chinese territory, they have gravely infringed on China's sovereignty," the ministry said.

Last week, China said 48 Indian soldiers were present in Doklam. China has been insisting that India withdraws its troops from Doklam where both sides have been locked in a nearly two-month stand-off.

India is for a simultaneous withdrawal from Doklam, which, it says, belongs to its other neighbour Bhutan. Beijing says the area belongs to China and has asked India to stay out its dispute with Bhutan.

The crisis began in mid-June when the Indian Army prevented Chinese troops from building a road in Doklam.
Following a dramatic series of event, senior Congress leader pulled off a victory in the bitterly fought Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat. The events lasted until the wee hours of Wednesday. For the Congress, snatching the win from a BJP determined to prevent it is the biggest boost it has had in a long time. Patel got 44 votes, the required number to cross the line after the Election Commission declared two votes cast by rebel Congress legislators invalid. Amit Shah and Smriti Irani, who were also contesting the election, received 46 votes each. Congress turncoat Balwantsinh Rajput registered only 38 votes.
Claiming that democracy and freedom were being disrupted under the Narendra Modi-led Central government, West Bengal Chief Minister on Wednesday launched a "BJP quit India" movement.

"The nation's democracy has been disrupted and people's freedom and right to live are under threat in the hands of the current Central government. That's why our slogan from today is 'BJP quit India, communalism quit India, intolerance quit India'," Banerjee said at a public rally here on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement.

Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to divide the country, she said her party would not allow it at any cost.

"The party at the Centre is trying to divide India. They are also trying to divide Bengal for political benefits. We will not let that happen. We will not let the country to be divided," said Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress chief.

The first phase of the movement would continue till September 5, with the second phase resuming after the festive season in Bengal is over, she said.

"Meetings and rallies in support of the movement would be held at every block, village and district in West Bengal."

Accusing BJP of lynching Dalits and taking away land from the tribals in various parts of the country, Banerjee said she would keep fighting against these atrocities even in neighbouring states of Jharkhand and Bihar.

"The BJP is snatching away lands from the tribal people. They are lynching the Dalits and then pretending to get close to them by eating in a Dalit's house. This is not the way to win the heart of the Dalits," she said.

"I will be present at Lalu Prasad's Patna rally on August 27. I would also participate in the rally supporting tribal issues on August 31. Our fight against these atrocities of BJP would go on."

The Chief Minister also attacked the Centre for bad implementation of demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax, calling the initiatives "calamitous for the poor and commoners".

She claimed more than 100 people have died since the Centre scrapped old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in November last year, while the price of essentials has been hiked many folds by levying GST.

"Who would take the responsibility of these deaths. The farmers were not able to grow crops because of demonetisation... the Centre is constantly lying," she complained.

Claiming that nearly Rs 45,000 crore were deposited in the cooperative banks after demonetisation, Banerjee claimed the Central government should announce if it is the common man's money and what are they planning to do with such huge deposits.

She also accused the Central government of stopping the supply of rationing materials like sugar and kerosene that are essential for the poor and drastically reducing the funding for Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) employees.

"They are trying to withdraw the ICDS scheme by reducing the funding. But we cannot do that. Lakhs of women from our state are employed there," she said.
Sonic's announcement of new policies to bring about better conditions for all the chickens in its supply chain will surely reverberate through the poultry sector. Photo by iStockphoto

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Today, the national fast food chain Sonic has announced new policies to bring about better conditions for all the chickens in its supply chain. The Oklahoma-based company serves food to more than three million customers each day at its 3,500 locations, so this announcement will surely reverberate through the poultry sector.

Sonic joins the surging ranks of retailers interested in animal welfare. Over the last several months, fast food giants like Burger King, Subway, and Jack in the Box; food service operators such as Aramark, Sodexo, and Compass Group; and dozens of other companies have made similar announcements. Even Perdueone of the countrys largest chicken producershas a made a series of groundbreaking announcements committing to address these animal welfare concerns.

These companies announcements are part of the response to our 9 Billion Lives campaign, aiming to overhaul how the chicken industry treats birds raised for meat. Specifically, theyre mandating ameliorative changes in breeding (so the birds rapid growth isnt causing immense suffering to their young bodies), the amount of room birds are given, the living conditions the animals are afforded (theyll have enrichments like perches and hay bales so they can engage in natural behaviors), and a switch to Controlled Atmosphere Stunning (so birds are rendered unconscious prior to being shackled during slaughter).

Even as we and other animal protection organizations continue making headway toward replacing these outdated, cruel systemsand even as large-scale customers like Sonic demand changesome in the industry still seem to have their heads in the sand. Reports from the industrys recent Chicken Marketing Summit, for example, assert that consumer concerns about animal welfare stem from misguided beliefs and call those concerns a farce. At the Summit, Bill Lovette, CEO of Pilgrims Prideone of the largest chicken producersheld firm to this belief, bemoaning that consumers just dont understand what we do.

For anyone in industry to think all is well in conventional poultry production is an example of willful denial. And Lovettes claims, specifically, are particularly tone-deaf. Just a few weeks ago, we released details of a multi-state undercover investigation into a Pilgrims Pride contract farm and company-owned slaughterhouse that documented a farm owner bludgeoning animals with a metal rod, and slaughterhouse workers punching birds and maliciously abusing them in other ways. To Mr. Lovette and others in the industry who think consumers concerns about animal welfare stem from a naivete about poultry production, perhaps its time for them to take ownership of animal welfare issues rather than treat them as optional features of their production standards. Perdue and other poultry producers are showing leadership and embracing the advancement of broiler chicken welfare, and its time that the rest of the industry follow suit.

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Video footages circulated on social media by Tuesday evening showed Congress MLAs Bhola Gohel and Raghavji Patel revealing their ballots to people other than the party's authorised representatives during the Rajya Sabha.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Union minister Smriti Irani and BJP chief Amit Shah on being elected to Rajya Sabha from Gujarat.

Shah and Irani made their maiden entry into the upper house, polls for which were held yesterday.

"Congratulations to BJP President @AmitShah & ministerial colleague @smritiirani on getting elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat," Modi wrote in a tweet.

The prime minister also congratulated Shah for completing three years as the BJP chief and noted that the saffron party's base had expanded during this period.

"Congratulations to Shri @AmitShah on completing 3 successful years as @BJP4India President," he said in another tweet.

Modi said under Shah's leadership, the BJP has expanded its base in several areas and diligently worked towards nation building.
The lone JD(U) MLA in Gujarat, Chhotu Vasava, on Tuesday said he voted for Congress' nominee Ahmed Patel in the as the ruling BJP has done little for tribal people and the poor.

Vasava represents Scheduled Tribe reserved Jhagadia assembly seat in Bharuch district in south Gujarat.

The legislator, whose party recently forged ties with the BJP in Bihar, said he decided to vote for the Congress candidate as "he is unhappy with the ruling party's works for the poor and tribal population" that he represents.

"BJP has ruled the state for 22 years but has ignored the state's tribal areas, which remain undeveloped as the government has done nothing for the poor and tribal population," he told PTI over the phone.

He said the decision to vote for the Congress nominee was solely his own and not necessarily that of the party which he represents.

"Nitish Kumar (Bihar chief minister and JD(U) president) did not contact me over voting, and there was nothing like a whip issued by the party in this regard. The decision to vote for Patel was my own," he said.
The state unit of BJP has prepared a strong force of 1.35 lakh party workers who will be virtually a call away from relatives of patients (admitted in government hospitals), and not hesitate in walking the extra mile to donate blood, an official said today.

After conducting extensive blood tests, the UP unit of the BJP has come up with a directory of 1.35 lakh BJP workers who will double up as blood donors.

Party workers are of the view that the directory will come handy to needy patients during critical hours.

"This will help us in forging a blood relationship with the common and ordinary citizens of the state, and help us in realising Antyodaya -- the teachings and philosophy of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay -- in letter and spirit," UP BJP spokesperson Shalabh Mani Tripathi told PTI.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today dedicated the directory of blood donors to public in Gorakhpur.

"The directory containing names of 1.35 lakh BJP workers, who will also be blood donors has been mentioned along with their mobile numbers.

"This blood donors' directory will come handy to patients and their relatives during critical hours, when they need blood.

"At times, it has been seen that during critical hours, relatives of patients (especially the poor ones) are forced to run from pillar to post to arrange blood. This blood directory will come handy at such junctures," the UP BJP spokesperson said.

The directory of blood donors has been prepared under the birth centenary celebrations of Jan Sangh stalwart Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay.

"The enthusiasm level of the BJP workers was at an all- time high during the campaign. During the last six days blood test camps were held under UP BJP secretary Neelima Katiyar, after which the directory of blood donors was finalised," Tripathi said.

The directory will consist the names of the blood donors (district-wise), their blood groups, mobile numbers and residential addresses.

"The list of donors has been classified as per 75 districts of the state. It will be made available at all the district hospitals in the state. The party workers (blood donors) whose name is mentioned will be allowed to donate blood twice in a year," the UP BJP spokesperson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three local militants, who were part of Zakir Musa-led Ansar Gazwatul Hind - an offshoot of al-Qaeda, were today killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district in south Kashmir.

A teenaged boy also died due to pellet injuries during clashes between protesters and security forces near the encounter site.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Gulab Bagh area of Tral after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

As the forces were conducting the search operation, the hiding militants fired on them, resulting in an encounter, the official said.

He said three militants were killed in the gun battle with security forces.

They were identified as Zahid Ahmad Bhat, Ishfaq Bhat and Mohammad Ashraf Dar.

A 16-year-old boy died after suffering pellet injuries near the encounter site during clashes between protesters and security forces.

Mohammad Younis was brought to SMHS hospital here with critical pellet injuries in the chest, the official said, adding, the boy succumbed to injuries at the hospital.

The security officials said the group affiliation of the slain militants was being ascertained.

However, Hizbul Mujahideen claimed that the trio were on their way to rejoin the ranks of the outfit after being associated with so-called Ansar Gazwatul Hind for sometime.

Zahid, Ishfaq and Ashraf who were part of the Zakir Musa-led group were about to rejoin Hizbul Mujahideen but they were killed in a gunfight on the way, a Hizb spokesman told local media outlets over the phone.

The spokesperson said the doors of Hizbul Mujahideen were always open for militants who are part of Ansar Gazwatul Hind.

Ansar Gazwatul Hind headed by Musa has been created to divide the Kashmiri nation, he claimed.

"We will issue a detailed statement in this regard and will also expose the elements behind this conspiracy," he added.

Musa recently left the Hizbul Mujahideen and was said to be in touch with other terror organisations.

He was a close aide of top Hizb commander Burhan Wani, whose killing last year had triggered a series of attacks and massive protests against security forces in the Kashmir Valley.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fifty-three Indian soldiers and a bulldozer were present at the Doklam area, a report in a state-run daily said today, quoting the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The ministry, according to the Global Times, asked India to withdraw its troops and equipment from what it called the "Chinese territory".

Citing the ministry, the daily said that 53 people and a bulldozer from the Indian side remain in "Chinese territory" as of Monday.

"India should withdraw its troops and equipment...They have gravely infringed on China's sovereignty," the ministry was quoted as having said by the daily.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang last week said that "there were 48 Indian soldiers and one bulldozer" in Doklam area as of August 2.

"In addition, there are still a large number of Indian armed forces congregating on the boundary and on the Indian side of the boundary," Geng had said.

A 15-page fact sheet issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry had earlier said that there were over 40 Indian border troops and one bulldozer in the area by the July end.

Countering Chinese contention, sources in New Delhi last week maintained that around 350 Indian Army personnel have been in Doklam for last six weeks after China tried to build a road in the area, triggering the standoff.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for over 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau. Bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims the area belongs to it and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Doklam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

The military standoff between China and India in the Doklam region has lasted for almost two months now, and there is still no end in sight, the Chinese daily added.

India's position on the issue was made clear by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj recently, saying both sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place, favouring a peaceful resolution of the border standoff.
The year 2017 was to be a crucial one for the AAP. It had pinned its hopes on a win in Punjab but with its poor performance in the state, the party has now decided not to contest Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

A senior leader, who did not wish to be quoted, said the party was focusing on "regrouping" in Delhi, its home turf.

The leader cited "lack of adequate organisational strength" in the state.

The party was currently convincing a section of state leaders about the move, who were in favour of contesting the polls, before making the decision official.

In June, the state leaders had appraised the leadership of the organisational strength, but there was an ambivalence on contesting the polls.

The Political Affairs Committee (PAC), the AAP's top decision-making body, would soon take a call, making an official decision on this.

The party has also decided not to contest polls in Himachal Pradesh.

Incidentally, the AAP was to contest 2012 polls in the hill state, but later decided to make its political debut from Delhi a year later.

Gujarat was also the state where the AAP and its chief Arvind Kejriwal had invested a lot of political capital keeping in mind the 2017 assembly polls scheduled by the end of the year.

From picking on contentious issues for a new entrant in the state --- the simmering discontent within the Patidar community, the agrarian crisis and the "atrocities" on Dalits and making frequent trips to the state --- the script now seems to have gone haywire.

By mid-2016, the AAP had chalked out its plan to go in a big way. A win in Punjab was paramount to give its ambitions a fillip. However, the party realised that it was lacking traction in the coastal state.

Banking on ten-years of anti-incumbency, the "misrule" of the Badals and factionalism in the Congress, the party pulled out all stops to ensure a victory in the state.

However, the results were unexpected for the party. To make things worse, the Punjab polls and a massive win of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh had a cascading effect on the polls in Delhi.

The AAP won 20 seats in Punjab and could not open an account in Goa.

It was handed over a humiliating defeat in an assembly by-poll and crucial MCD elections, with its bastion coming under threat.

Since then, several major changes have taken place within the party with Delhi getting a new convener in form of Labour Minister Gopal Rai.
Taliban and Islamic State fighters unleashed a killing spree targeting civilians after capturing a remote village in northern Afghanistan, traumatised families said today after being released by the insurgents.

The militants killed about 50 villagers, including women and children in Mirzawalang -- a mainly Shiite village in Sayad district of northern Sar-e Pul province -- on Saturday after overrunning a government-backed militia, said officials.

The insurgents also took a number of residents captive, but released 235 hostages late yesterday after elders and provincial officials struck a deal with the group.

Survivors fleeing the violence described nightmarish scenes, detailing how the militants went from house to house, shooting villagers.

"When the fighting began, the villagers tried to flee, but they were stopped by IS fighters. They took a group of men, women and children behind a hill and shot them," said Ali Dad Zafari, a Mirzawalang resident.

"Since my mother was too old to walk, she was left behind, I don't even know what has happened to her," he added.

Villager Yasin Abuzar said IS and Taliban fighters cut off the main roads to the area before launching a killing spree.

"I could only rescue my kids. When they entered our village they opened fire at everyone indiscriminately, they didn't even spare women and children," he said, adding that hundreds were still missing.

"I buried 10 bodies in one grave. We don't want the government to give us coffins, we want them to provide us security," he said.

Local officials called for more aid as hundreds of displaced arrived in the provincial capital.

"The families who have come to Sar-e Pul city need shelters and food. They are living in the mosques, schools, with their relatives and some even on the streets," Zabiullah Amani, a provincial spokesman, told AFP.

"If aid agencies don't help we will face a humanitarian crisis," he added.

The villagers said most of those killed were Shiites and Hazaras who were either shot or beheaded.

IS has given a sectarian twist to the Afghan conflict, with a number of deadly attacks on Shiites in the past year.

Last week two suicide bombers killed more than 33 worshippers at a mosque in Afghanistan's western city of Herat, in an attack claimed by group.

A resurgent Taliban, whose ranks are mostly made up of Sunni Muslim ethnic Pashtuns, is at the peak of its summer fighting season.

The Taliban confirmed capturing Mirzawalang but said it did so alone. It has also denied allegations it had killed civilians.

Army spokesman Nasratullah Jamshidi said Afghan forces launched an operation today to retake the district.

"We will avenge the blood of our innocent people," Mohammad Zahir Wahdat, the provincial governor, told reporters.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After being in police custody for five days, Saddam Hussain, one of the accused in the murder of Hindu Munnani spokesman C Sasikumar in 2016,was today produced before a court here and sent back to Salem Central Jail.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court had allowed CB-CID, the investigating agency in the murder of Sasikumar, to take Saddam into custody for five days for interrogation.

Saddam was arrested on August 1 in connection with the murder of Sasikumar in September last year and sent to judicial custody the next day till August 16.

On an appeal by police, CJM Maduraseakharan had allowed police to take Saddam for interrogation for five days and asked them to produce him before the court today.

Accordingly, SID produced Saddam before the first Judicial Magistrate, Nambirajan, (in-charge CJM) today and ordered to take him back to jail.

Police are on the lookout for Mubarak, another accused.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP chief Amit Shah, a five-time MLA, today bid adieu to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly after being elected to the Rajya Sabha, asserting his party is "unassailable" in the poll-bound state.

Shah, 52, tendered his resignation as an MLA to Assembly Speaker Ramanlal Vora after giving an hour-long farewell speech in the House on the second and the last day of the monsoon session of the state assembly.

Shah, who represented Naranpura assembly seat in Ahmedabad, in his speech said he was "proud to be from a state, which is an unassailable fortress of the BJP".

Congress MLAs were not present during his speech as the 20-odd legislators boycotted the proceedings for the rest of the day after some of them were evicted from the House for creating ruckus in the beginning of the first half.

In his address, Shah came down heavily on the Congress alleging that its leaders, both here and at the Centre, had taken an "anti-Gujarat" on the Sardar Sarovar Dam project over the river Narmada.

The BJP president also hit out at the opposition party for stalling the OBC Commission Bill in the Rajya Sabha.

As the assembly polls are approaching in the state, he called upon the party legislators to highlight both these issues prominently during their public interactions.

"Congress' stand always remained anti-farmer. Though Narmada Control Authority had already completed all the formalities to raise the height (before June 2014), their (UPA) government did not give the nod. But PM Narendra Modi gave it within one month of assuming office" said Shah.

"Now, Congress leaders must tell the citizens, who sat on that permission? Even today, their leaders Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia speak against the project in Parliament. Gujarat Congress is silent, because they agree to what is being said by their leaders. It shows their anti-Narmada mentality," said Shah.

Shah said the people of Gujarat would seek an answer from Congress in December, when the state goes to polls. He predicted that the Congress' strength will reduce to half from the current tally of 51 after the polls.

"Congress showed their anti-OBC mentality by stalling the OBC Commission Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Mark my words, that next election in Gujarat will be fought on the issues of Narmada and the welfare of OBCs and poor. And, I can easily predict that oppositions' strength will reduce to half after the polls," he added.

Almost all the BJP members, including Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy CM Nitin Patel and state president Jitubhai Vaghani were present in the House to listen to Shah's farewell speech.

After his speech, in which he also thanked his colleagues for being with him since his journey started 20 years back as a party worker, Shah tendered his resignation to the Assembly Speaker.

"Today is my last day here, as I will resign after my speech. I never fought to acquire anything, instead, I proudly gave up what I had. I am proud to be from a state which is an unassailable fortress for the BJP," he said.

The two-day monsoon session of the state assembly, which ended today, is likely to be the last session as the state polls are expected to be held by the end of the year.

As the assembly complex here is undergoing renovation, the session was held at Mahatma Mandir in the state capital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
American nuclear arsenal is now far stronger and "more powerful than ever", US President Donald Trump said today in an apparent warning to North Korea over its repeated missile tests.

Trump's tweets come a day after he told reporters that North Korea's threats against the US, if they continue, will be met with "fire and fury" like the world has never seen before.

"My first order as President was to renovate and modernise our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before," Trump said in the first of his two tweets.

"Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!" Trump said in another tweet.

A day earlier, Trump warned North Korea of consequences of threatening the US.

"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen. He has been very threatening, beyond a normal statement," Trump told reporters at his vacation home in New Jersey.

He was responding to reporters' questions on the North Korea's nuclear capabilities.

"As said, they will be met with fire, fury, and, frankly, power the likes of which this world has never seen before," he said.

Trump's remarks came amidst reports that North Korea is coming close to obtaining an atomic weapon that can strike the US.

Media reports said North Korea has successfully miniaturised a nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi slammed Trump for making such a remark.

"Since President Trump took office, North Korea has accelerated its nuclear programme to unprecedented levels. The president's most recent comments are recklessly belligerent and demonstrate a grave lack of appreciation for the severity of the North Korean nuclear situation," she said.

"The US must respond to the North Korean nuclear threat by working with other nations including Russia and China to enforce the new United Nations sanctions and must join with our allies to advance a diplomatic solution," she said.

Senator Dianne Feinstein said isolating the North Koreans has not halted their pursuit of nuclear weapons.

"And President Trump is not helping the situation with his bombastic comments. There is no question that North Korea is seeking to add a nuclear warhead to an ICBM capable of reaching the United States," she argued.

"What this tells me is that our policy of isolating North Korea has not worked. The United States must quickly engage North Korea in a high-level dialogue without any preconditions. Hopefully, Secretary Tillerson is already discussing the possibility of reopening talks with our Asian partners during his current trip. In my view, diplomacy is the only sound path forward," Feinstein said.

According to Arms Control Association, a peaceful resolution to the escalating crisis is more difficult than ever to achieve.

"Trump's attempt to play the role of nuclear 'madman' is as dangerous, foolish, and counterproductive as North Korea's frequent hyperbolic threats against the United States," it said in a statement.

"Trump's latest statement is a blatant threat of nuclear force that will not compel Kim to shift course. In fact, repeated threats of US military force only give credibility to the North Korean propaganda line that nuclear weapons are necessary to deter US aggression, and it may lead Kim to try to accelerate his nuclear programme," Arms Control Association said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad today targeted the ruling BJP by equating yesterday's developments related to the Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat to the events witnessed when the Quit India Movement was launched on this day in 1942.

He trained his guns at the BJP in the Rajya Sabha while participating in a special debate to commemorate 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.

"I don't want to mention the incidents of the last night. It looked like the same night (August 8/9, 1942) because the developments kept us awake till morning," the Congress leader said.

He was referring to the bitter fight witnessed during counting of votes in the Rajya Sabha polls which ended after the Election Commission declared votes of two rebel Congress MLAs as invalid, resulting in the victory of Ahmed Patel of the Congress.

"I don't want to bring politics because today it's a different occasion. But yesterday's night and day were the same," the veteran Congressman said, equating it to the events of 1942.

Referring to the August 7-9, 1942 events, Azad said that night a resolution was passed and Mahatma Gandhi gave a clarion call.

Mahatma Gandhi, the then Congress president Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel were arrested on the same night and the Congress was banned on August 9, 1942, Azad recalled.

Even newspapers -- National Herald, in which Nehru used to contribute, and Young India and Harijan, in which Mahatma Gandhi contributed, were banned.

"It is now a different issue that we are fighting for the newspapers which were mouth piece of India's freedom movement," he quipped.

In another apparent jibe on BJP and RSS, Azad said he did not want to go into details which parties participated in the Quit India Movement and which opposed it.

"This is a history and the entire information could be found on Wikipedia and Google," he said.

At this point, CPM leader Sitram Yechury said internet was not working.

To this, Azad said the country has defeated the "mightiest powers" and one should not be afraid of such small issues like absence of internet.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Competition Commission has given the nod to private equity major Warburg Pincus' entity buying 49 per cent stake in Tata Technologies Ltd (TTL).

Under the deal, Green Boat Investment Ltd will acquire an aggregate of up to 49 per cent stake in TTL on a fully diluted basis.

Green Boat is an investment holding company, ultimately owned by certain private equity funds managed by Warburg Pincus LLC.

In a tweet today, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said it has approved the acquisition of up to 49 per cent stake by Green Boat in TTL from existing shareholders.

TTL -- a subsidiary of Tata Motors -- provides services for advanced engineering, R&D, and connected IT solutions.

In June, Tata Motors had said that Warburg Pincus would buy 43 per cent stake in Singapore-based TTL for USD 360 million (around Rs 2,320 crore).

An affiliate of Warburg Pincus will acquire around 30 per cent from Tata Motors and its subsidiary Sheba Properties as well as Tata Capital's entire 13 per cent stake, Tata Motors had said in a regulatory filing.

CCI keeps a tab on unfair business practices across sectors and transactions beyond a certain threshold require the regulator's approval.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China today lodged a diplomatic protest with Japan over its defence white paper which criticised Beijing's aggressive policies in the South and East China seas.

In the white paper of more than 560 pages, Japan devoted 34 pages to "unjustified criticism" of China's normal defence construction and military activities, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

Japan said in its defence white paper that "China has tried to change the status quo in the East China Sea and South China Sea based on its own assertions, and this has become a common concern of the region and the world at large."



Geng accused Japan of meddling in the South China Sea, saying China has lodged solemn representations with the Japanese side.

Geng reaffirmed that the will of the Chinese government to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests is firm.

China claims almost all of South China Sea and also laid claims on the Senkaku islands under the control of Japan in East China Sea and resorted to aggressive patrols in the last two years.

Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the South China Sea.

Geng said conducting patrols and law-enforcement activities in waters off the Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands is China's inherent right and Japan is in no position to point fingers at those activities.

The Chinese side, carrying out normal sea and air activities in accordance with international law, relevant domestic laws and regulations as well as national defence needs, is beyond reproach, he said.

The construction of necessary and appropriate facilities by the Chinese side in some reefs and islands of the Nansha Islands is a legitimate right granted to sovereign states by international law, which has nothing to do with militarisation and does not pose a threat to regional security, Geng said.

With the concerted efforts of countries in the region, the situation in the South China Sea has stabilised, he said.

China and ASEAN countries are focusing on strengthening cooperation to promote a comprehensive and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and jointly develop regional rules, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

On Sunday, China and ASEAN foreign ministers adopted a framework of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, said Geng, noting that all parties affirmed the positive situation in the South China Sea and highly appreciated the early cooperation results, such as the China-ASEAN senior diplomats hotline.

Geng hoped that Japan would respect the efforts made by China and ASEAN countries in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, stop intervention in the South China Sea issue, and play a constructive role in maintaining regional peace and stability.

In the recent years, Japan has drawn broad attention from countries in the region and international community as it sharply adjusted its military security policy and attempted to make excuses for developing its armed forces and amending the constitution by exaggerating neighbouring safety threats, Geng said.

He urged the Japanese side to learn lessons from history, stick to the path of peaceful development and act prudently in military security.

"We hope that the Japanese side could do more to help enhance mutual trust with China and other neighbouring countries and to safeguard regional peace and stability," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CISF chief O P Singh today conducted a surprise check and took a ride in the Delhi metro in the wake of heightened vigil at public places ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.

The Director General (DG) of the paramilitary force, entrusted to secure the metro network, travelled between Central Secretariat and JLN stadium stations in the evening.

These two stations have the largest inter-station distance (about 3.5km) on the network.

Singh, who reached unannounced, inspected the deployment of the force at the two stations and the anti-sabotage and counter-terror mechanisms in place there.

A senior CISF officer said the DG also sought information about the CCTV surveillance and functioning of other gadgets at the two stations.

The DG, the officer said, also asked the CISF officials to give special emphasis on security drills but ensure that no passenger experienced any hassles.

The rapid rail network caters to over 25 lakh commuters per day, on an average.

The officer said the DG was also briefed about the patrolling and intelligence paraphernalia of the force deployed to secure over 150 stations in the National Capital Region that includes Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Gurgaon.

The security apparatus at Delhi Metro, apart from other vital facilities, has been put on alert in the wake of the Independence day celebrations in the national capital region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said today that maintaining the cleanliness and 'aviralta' (ever-flowing nature) of Ganga was the responsibility of all, as rivers were connected to the development of present and future generations.

Adityanath lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for creating a separate ministry for cleaning of the river.

"The current government at the Centre is working with a sense of attachment to maintain the cleanliness and ever- flowing nature of the river," Adityanath said today while flagging off the 'Namami Gange Jagriti Yatra' undertaken by the homeguards of UP police here.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi started the Namami Gange Pariyojana in July 2014 to maintain the ever-flowing nature of Ganga from Gangotri to Gangasagar and Rs 20,000 crore have been earmarked. To give more strength to the PM's efforts, more than 1.30 core saplings were planted. As many as 1,627 villages situated on the banks of river Ganga have been made open-defecation free," he said.

Adityanath said that the state government has taken serious steps to stop effluents of various tanneries, drains etc from flowing into the Ganga river.

The UP government is working on an effective programme to ensure cleanliness of various rivers, and help from the Centre will be sought to complete the programme, he said.

"Any type of material used for worshipping or solid waste should not be thrown into river Ganga. The cleanliness of the rivers is directly linked to the development of our present and future generations," the chief minister said.

He appealed to people to undertake plantation programmes on the banks of river Ganga.

"Had there been no rivers like Ganga or Yamuna in the northern India, this region would have been transformed into a desert. Thanks to nature, there are such rivers in the region, and to save to these rivers is the responsibility of the local residents," Adityanath said.

He urged that all stakeholders should take a pledge to keep Ganga clean and said that in 2019, Ardh Kumbh, will be held at the Sangam -- the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati river.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Highlighting the dangers of communalism, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury today warned against creating a "Hindu Pakistan" out of India.

He was speaking in the Rajya Sabha while participating in a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.

While talking about the freedom struggle, he said the country's Independence also had the painful episode of partition attached to it.

Yechury, whose term as Rajya Sabha member is coming to an end with this session, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned that communalism must quit India. "The question is -- are we doing anything to make it quit?"



Reciting a couplet about communal harmony, he said a 'Hindu Pakistan' should not be created.

The CPI(M) leader recounted the contribution of several communist leaders in the fight against British rule. He said a lot of people in the cellular jail were communist leaders from Bengal and Punjab.

He, however, emphasised that attempts should not be made to appropriate the freedom struggle.

Yechury said there were two communist leaders - a maulana and a swami - who had moved a resolution for complete independence at a meeting of the Indian National Congress in 1921.

The Quit India movement belonged to the people and is a common heritage, he said.

He said the divide between the rich and poor was widening. From 49 percent earlier, the amount of the country's GDP held by 1 percent of the country's population has risen to 58.4 per cent.

The need is to eliminate neo-liberal policies and communalism, Yechury said.

Participating in the debate, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Congress) recalled the contribution of freedom fighters in the country's Independence.

However, he regretted that there were some traitors at that time also, who did not participate in the movement at that time.

There were parties at that time which sided with the British to derail the Quit India movement, Roy said.

"Even today, there are some traitors who threaten our brotherhood," he said, adding that Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would launch 'BJP Bharat chhodo andolan' (BJP Quit India movement) from today.

At this juncture, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said politics should not be brought into this discussion which has to be at a higher level.

Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also said that at least for today, criticism should be left aside. Congress leader Anand Sharma, however, said that if something is a fact of history it must remain in record.

Prasanna Acharya (BJD) said the need is not create a Congress-free or BJP-free India but a corruption and communalism free India.

Veer Singh (BSP) spoke against the inequality in the society while Majeed Memon (NCP) spoke about mountains of hate being created and emphasised on the need to counter poverty and unemployment.

Kanimozi (DMK) said an atmosphere prevails today that not speaking Hindi or eating some food were seen by some as being less India. "Why have we become this?".

She said that 50 percent of the population -- the women -- were still not being given their due and there were incidents like stalking and honour killings, a reference to the Chandigarh stalking case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Highlighting the dangers of communalism, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury today said a 'Hindu Pakistan' should not be created in India.

He was speaking in the Rajya Sabha while participating in a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.

Yechury referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments in the recent episode of his monthly radio programme 'Mann ki Baat' in which he had said that all out efforts should be made to end the problems of the country in five years from now, just like the period between 1942 and 1947 was a decisive one.

"Now, Sir, what is that objective? In 1947, we became Independent. We are all proud... In those five years, we also saw the partition of India. We saw the communal polarisation that led to this unfortunate partition, aided by the British. So, if you are alluding to those five years, there is an ominous sign. It is a very dark cloud," Yechury said.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad immediately objected to Yechury's remarks, saying the prime minister had spoken about unemployment, education etc.

"This is wrong quoting...It is going on the record and I must protest," Prasad said, adding "today is a pious day, he should not talk against the prime minister".

Deputy chairman P J Kurien asked Yechury to "please avoid controversies".

Continuing his speech, the CPI(M) leader, whose term as Rajya Sabha member is coming to an end next week, said it was the prime minister who had said that communalism must quit India.

"I am talking of that communalism. It was the prime minister of India, and your leader, who said that communalism must quit India. I am asking, are we doing anything to make it quit," Yechury asked.

He said that secularism and democracy were enshrined in our Constitution.

He said that the movement forward should be for strengthening the secular democratic republic of India and "not for creating a Hindu-Pakistan in India".

Yechury also criticised the "neo-liberal" economic policies and held those responsible for disparity.

He said the divide between the rich and poor was widening. From 49 percent earlier, the amount of the country's GDP held by 1 percent of the country's population has risen to 58.4 per cent.

The need is to eliminate neo-liberal policies and communalism, Yechury said.

The CPI(M) leader recounted the contribution of several communist leaders in the fight against British rule. He said a lot of people in the cellular jail were communist leaders from Bengal and Punjab.

He, however, emphasised that attempts should not be made to appropriate the freedom struggle.

Yechury said there were two communist leaders - a maulana and a swami - who had moved a resolution for complete independence at a meeting of the Indian Congress in 1921.

The Quit India movement belonged to the people and is a common heritage, he said.

Participating in the debate, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Congress) recalled the contribution of freedom fighters in the country's Independence.

However, he regretted that there were some traitors at that time also, who did not participate in the movement at that time.

There were parties at that time which sided with the British to derail the Quit India movement, Roy said.

"Even today, there are some traitors who threaten our brotherhood," he said, adding that Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would launch 'BJP Bharat chhodo andolan' (BJP Quit India movement) from today.

At this juncture, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said should not be brought into this discussion which has to be at a higher level.

Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also said that at least for today, criticism should be left aside. Congress leader Anand Sharma, however, said that if something is a fact of history it must remain in record.

Prasanna Acharya (BJD) said the need is not create a Congress-free or BJP-free India but a corruption and communalism free India.

Veer Singh (BSP) spoke against the inequality in the society while Majeed Memon (NCP) spoke about mountains of hate being created and emphasised on the need to counter poverty and unemployment.

Kanimozi (DMK) said an atmosphere prevails today that not speaking Hindi or eating some food were seen by some as being less India. "Why have we become this?".

She said that 50 percent of the population -- the women -- were still not being given their due and there were incidents like stalking and honour killings, a reference to the Chandigarh stalking case.

She said it was a sorry state of affairs that leaders were questioning the victims of stalking etc, asking why they were out late.

The DMK MP regretted that Parliament had been unable to pass the Women's Reservation Bill and half of the population did not get proportional representation in the passing of laws.

Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena) said the Quit India movement was not the monopoly of any one party. He mentioned the contribution of Veer Savarakar and mill workers in the struggle.

Naresh Gujral (SAD) spoke about the sacrifices made by his family and the people as a whole. He said the need was to reflect collectively and not indulge in blame game.

D Raja (CPI) mentioned about the role played by communist leaders along with the Congress.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale, Rajni Patil (Congress) and A V Swamy also spoke.
FMCG player Dabur India's step- down subsidiary Dabur Tunisie is being wound down and the liquidation is in process, the company said today.

It, however, did not disclose the reason.

"Our step-down wholly-owned subsidiary Dabur Tunisie is being dissolved and the liquidation is in process," Dabur India said in a BSE filing.

In 2016-17, Dabur Tunisie had a turnover of Rs 9.32 crore, 0.12 per cent of the consolidated turnover of Dabur India. Its net worth was Rs 1.02 crore as on March 31, 0.02 per cent of the consolidated net worth of Dabur India.

The Dabur India stock closed 1.41 per cent down at Rs 310.35 on the BSE.

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leader M Thambidurai, who is also Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, today demanded that all Indian languages be called and that official status is granted to these.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha during a discussion to mark the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, he said people from all languages had fought for the freedom of the country and it was Parliament's "bounden duty" to treat each of them equally, instead of giving priority to any one language.

The remarks of Thambidurai, MP from Tamil Nadu, came amid claims of some opposition parties that the BJP government at the Centre was pushing the use of Hindi in southern states, where language has long been a sensitive issue.

He read from a newspaper the pledges proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he wanted to add some.

"Let us pledge to see that all our languages are called languages and not regional languages. Let us pledge to see that all languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, etc. Are recognised as official languages of this country," he said.

Apparently, to make a point, he earlier began his speech in Tamil which could not be understood by most lawmakers as the member had not informed the Speaker's office in advance, a requirement so that arrangement for real time translation could be made.

As some members queried about it, he said this was the situation that if he has to speak in Tamil, he has to get permission in advance.

"I am forced to speak in English or Hindi," he said.

While members cannot hear the speech in vernacular languages like Tamil and Bengali, they are forced to hear it in either Hindi or English, the two languages in which translation is available, Thambidurai said.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the facility will be available with the help of technology.

Thambidurai also recalled the enthusiastic participation of people in the freedom movement from Tamil Nadu and named leaders who took an active part in it.

The Dravidian movement may have had a difference of opinion with the Congress, the pre-eminent party in the independence struggle, but they fought for an independent India.

founder and late Tamil Nadu chief minister M G Ramachandran was a staunch Gandhian, he said and had put a condition to his mother that he would marry only if he was allowed to wear khadi, which his mother did not like. "Then it happened as he wished," he said.
DMK today termed as 'atrocious' the arrest of 49 Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, saying it amounted to 'impeding' the deep sea fishing initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently.

Referring to the arrest of 49 fishermen from Tamil Nadu yesterday near Nedunthivu off the island nation, DMK Working President and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly M K Stalin also slammed the Lankan Navy for the 'barbaric' action of ramming its boats into the mechanised fishing vessels.

"Attacking and arresting the fishermen who take up the vocation for their livelihood and to feed their family doesn't befit Sri Lanka which claims itself to be a friendly nation (to India)," he said in a statement here.

"Not just the atrocious arrest, but ramming of their boats into the vessels of the fishermen and seizing other boats is barbaric," he added.

The 'attack' came days after the Prime Minister had launched a deep-sea fishing initiative in Rameswaram and the latest arrest was in complete violation of human rights, he claimed.

He said the arrest amounted to 'impeding' the deep sea fishing initiative.

Stalin also noted that every time Indian fishermen were released from Lankan jails, their colleagues are "arrested in hordes" soon after.

He also alleged that Colombo did not live up to its promises made to India in the fishermen representatives level talks held in both countries.

"It is a matter of concern that fishermen are arrested and boats seized with the intention of scuttling those talks," he added.

The Centre should exert consular level pressure on Sri Lanka to immediately secure the release of 69 Indian fishermen, including those arrested yesterday, and 125 boats from Lankan custody, he said.

India should also convey to the Sri Lankan Prime Minister or its External Affairs Minister that Colombo should not damage the fishing vessels by ramming naval boats or seize them and hold in their custody, he added.

While arresting the 49 Indian fishermen yesterday, the Lankan navy allegedly rammed their boats into the fishing vessels and had also fired in the air.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami had already taken up the matter with Modi.

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Judges cannot run a government and ask it to do "miracles", Attorney General K K Venugopal today told the Supreme Court while opposing fresh pleas being made by NGO 'Swaraj Abhiyan' in a PIL for relief measures in drought-hit states.

A bench, headed by Justice M B Lokur, directed the Centre to set up state food commissions, as mandated under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, even in the states not hit by drought.

Venugopal took strongly opposed the submissions of Prashant Bhushan, representing the NGO run by activist Yogendra Yadav, and termed them as fresh ones.

"New submissions are being made every time. The issue (PIL) cannot go on forever. We have filed a detailed affidavit stating all steps are being taken by us. There has to be an end. Your lordships cannot run the government.

"We cannot be asked to do miracles as this is such an enormous task. We are trying to persuade the state governments to do the best thing possible. The government is concerned with the issue and is putting the best way forward. But grant us some time, preferably six months," Venugopal said.

He said that if fresh issues were raised, then there would be no end to the grievances and moreover, the Centre was looking into the issues and has written numerous letters to states concerned.

The bench, also comprising Justice N V Ramana, then told the attorney general that the petition would be confined to only three issues -- delay in payment of wages and compensation, reduction in person days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and absence of social audit.

Ordering setting up of state food commissions, the bench said the provisions under the NFSA provided for such commissions in all the states and Union territories (UTs).

"Although this writ petition is confined to 10 states, we have brought it to the notice of the attorney general that since we are dealing with a parliamentary statute namely the National Food Security Act, 2013, it will be appropriate if the provisions of the Act are faithfully implemented in all the states and the Union territories.

"The attorney general has assured us that the matter will be taken up with due earnestness and the provisions of the Act will be implemented in all the states and the UTs. All efforts will be made by the central government in this regard," the bench said.

During the proceedings, the chief secretaries of various states were present in the courtroom. The judges were informed that state food commissions have been set up in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Karnataka.

With regard to constitution of the commission in Haryana, the counsel, appearing for the state, told the bench that the matter was pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The top court also asked the states to implement other provisions of the Act including appointment of vigilance committees and the district grievance officers and conduct of social audits of government ration shops.

The court made the observations when Bhushan sought relief measures for farmers in the drought-hit states under the statute.

Bhushan told the court that the implementation of the NFSA still remained a major challenge and adequate work under the MNREGA was not being given by the state governments.

He said there has been a one-third cut in the protected labour budget under the MNREGA and almost 67 per cent of the budget has already been exhausted by the Centre in the initial four months of this financial year.

The matter would be hear again on December 5.

The apex court had on March 22 summoned the Cchief secretaries of ten states for failure to implement the NFSA. It had said that with regard to the statute, the state governments have to appoint the food commissions and could not give a go by to the law enacted by Parliament.

The court had also impleaded the Reserve Bank of India as a party to the case as the petition had said that the guidelines issued for loan waiver and loan restructuring of farmers of drought-hit areas were not being implemented by the banks.

The PIL had claimed that parts of 12 states-- Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana and Chhattisgarh -- were hit by drought and the authorities were not providing adequate relief.

The petitioners had claimed that the directions issued by the court in the matter were not complied with by these states.

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Any escalation of tension between India and China on the Dokalam standoff will be potentially "very disruptive" for the countries of the region and both sides should try to resolve the issue amicably, the United Arab Emirates said today.

UAE's minister of state for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash said his country has been keeping an eye on the issue and hoped that both the great powers will find a way to resolve it.

Gargash today held talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj covering all major bilateral and regional issues. The face-off between the armies of India and China in Dokalam is understood have figured at the meeting.

"Any escalation between two great powers -- India and China -- is potentially very disruptive for all of us. More we have a way in adressing the the issue between these two great nations, I think we will feel more stable," he told reporters.

Gargash said he conveyed to Indian leaders that the dispute a number of Arab countries including the UAE are having



with Qatar will not impact the Indian community as well as Indian interests in the region.

At the same time, he accused Qatar of attempting to destabilise the Gulf region by openly supporting extremism, terrorism and jihadist elements and said that country must abandon such destructive policy.

Asked about terror attacks on India from Pakistani soil, he said the UAE has been very vocal against such attacks and asserted that terrorism in the name of pushing political agenda cannot be tolerated at all.

He said terrorism must be dealt with firmly and all countries must come together to combat the menace, cautioning against politicisation of religion.

Gargash said ties between India and the UAE have intensified to a great extent over the last few years, adding the focus of the cooperation is now on strategic and political sphere.

Asked about investment in India from the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth funds, the minister said a framework has to be put in place for investments.

He said both sides are working together to ensure that investments in India from Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth funds are on a solid institutional ground.

"I think we are working on this together. It will be a collective effort in order to make sure that our investments in India are on solid institutional ground," he said.

Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, has a sovereign wealth fund of USD 800 billion. India has been eyeing the fund, parked with the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, for its infrastructure sector.

"We have huge appetite for India. We need a legal framework (for investment). There is a huge potential," he said.

The minister indicated that the investments from the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth funds will come to India through its National Infrastructure and Investment Fund (NIIF).

India is the UAE's number one trading partner and the annual trade currently stands at nearly USD 60 billion. The UAE, a major player in the Gulf region, is a strategically important country for India.

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The EU today pledged a financial assistance of 61.4 million euros to support Nepal's education reform programmes.

Nepal and the EU have signed signed a financing agreement titled 'Supporting Nepal's School Sector Development Plan'.

The agreement reinforces the cooperation between the EU and Nepal by continuing to support the promotion of inclusive and equitablequality education for all in addition to the ongoing joint initiatives on ruraldevelopment, earthquake recovery, and governance, according to a joint statement.

The agreement was inked by EU Ambassador Rensje Teerink and Nepal Finance Secretary Shantaraj Subedi.

"This Financing Agreement provides Nepal with an importantEU contribution topoverty reduction and socio- economic development in Nepalby raising educational access and achievements of the young generation on anequitable basis," said Teerink.

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today recalled his father's incarceration during the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government, while paying rich tributes to the former prime minister.

He was speaking in the Legislative Council here after tabling a motion hailing Gandhi on her birth centenary.

"We do not subscribe completely to Indira Gandhi's ideology. I particularly oppose the Emergency, during which my father (Gangadhar Fadnavis, a Jan Sangh leader) and my aunt spent 19 months in jail. The whole nation suffered immensely. I am sure even she (Indira Gandhi) must have been sad and dissatisfied with her decision later," he said.

But the Emergency can not undo Indira Gandhi's immense contribution to the country, Fadnavis said.

"She was a dynamic leader in the international arena. It was because of her that Bangladesh was liberated, and she was the one who kept our country safe from Pakistan," he said.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee (then an opposition leader) was large-hearted enough to heap praise on Gandhi after the Bangladesh war, saying she was not "Gungi Gudiya" (mute doll, as called by her detractors), but Goddess Durga, Fadnavis noted.

She nationalised banks notwithstanding opposition from within her cabinet, and acquired an image of champion of poor classes, he said.

When countries across the world joined the camps led by Soviet Russia or the USA, she managed to maintain friendship with both the superpowers, Fadnavis noted.

"She took strong measures against terrorism. Operation Bluestar, which eliminated terrorists, is one example," he said.

Discussion on the motion hailing Indira Gandhi will continue in both Houses of the Legislature tomorrow.

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FBI agents have searched one of the homes of President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, whose past foreign political work has been swept into the investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

A Manafort spokesman confirmed the search today.

Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni said in a statement that FBI agents had obtained a warrant and searched one of Manafort's homes, but he would not say when the search occurred.

The Washington Post, which first reported the raid, said agents working Special Counsel Robert Mueller conducted the search the morning of July 26 at Manafort's home in Alexandria, Va.

"Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well," Maloni said.

Manafort has been a subject of a longstanding FBI investigation into his dealings in Ukraine and work for the country's former president, Viktor Yanukovych.

That investigation has been incorporated into the probe led by Mueller, who is also scrutinizing Manafort's role in the Trump campaign as he looks into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and any possible collusion with Trump associates.

Manafort, who led the Trump campaign for several months, has denied any wrongdoing. The use of a search warrant shows law enforcement officials have convinced a judge there is probable cause to believe a crime may have been committed.

Manafort has recently cooperated with congressional committees investigating the election interference. He sat for a private interview with staff of the Senate intelligence committee the day before the FBI raid.

The topic of the panel's interview was confined to a June 2016 meeting Manafort attended with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump Jr. That meeting, held at Trump Tower in New York, was described to Trump Jr. In emails as part of a Russian government effort to help the Trump campaign by passing along information that could be used against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

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Outgoing Vice President Hamid Ansari today said there is a feeling of unease and a sense of insecurity among the Muslims in the country, asserting the "ambience of acceptance" is now under threat.

Ansari, whose second five-year term as the Vice-President ends tomorrow, made these remarks in the backdrop of incidents of intolerance and cow vigilantism and comments made by some saffron leaders regarding the minority community.

Stating that he had flagged the issue of intolerance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet colleagues, Ansari, 80, also described as a "disturbing thought" that Indianness of citizens was being questioned.

Asked in an interview to Karan Thapar on Rajya Sabha TV whether he shared his concerns with the prime minister, Ansari replied in the affirmative.

"Yes...Yes. But what passes between the Vice President and the Prime Minister in the nature of things must remain in the domain of privileged conversation," the Rajya Sabha Chairman said.

He also said that he has flagged the issue with other union ministers too.

"Well, there is always an explanation and there is always a reason. Now it is a matter of judgement, whether you accept the explanation, you accept the reasoning and its rationale," he said when asked about the response of the government.

In the interview, Ansari referred to incidents of lynching and 'ghar wapsi' and killings of rationalists as a "breakdown of Indian values, breakdown of the ability of the authorities at different levels in different places to be able to enforce what should be normal law enforcing work and over all the very fact that Indianness of any citizen being questioned is a disturbing thought."



"Yes it is a correct assessment," Ansari said when asked whether he agreed with the assessment that the muslim community is apprehensive and that it was feeling insecure as a result of the kind of comments made against them.

"Yes it is a correct assessment, from all I hear from different quarters, the country; I heard the same thing in Bangalore, I have heard from other parts of the country, I hear more about in north India, there is a feeling of unease, a sense of insecurity is creeping in," he said.

Asked whether he felt that the muslims are beginning to feel they are not wanted, Ansari said, "I would not go that far, there is a sense of insecurity."



He said India is a plural society that for centuries, not for seventy years, has lived in a certain "ambience of acceptance" which is now under threat.

He was of the view that the propensity to be able to assert your nationalism day in and day out is "unnecessary".

"I am an Indian and that is it."



Ansari was of the view that while tolerance is a good virtue, it is not a sufficient virtue. "...Therefore you have to take the next step and go from tolerance to acceptance," he said.

At an event in Bengaluru on Sunday, Ansari said the "version of nationalism" that places cultural commitments at its core promotes intolerance and arrogant patriotism.

Responding to a question on comments made by some BJP leaders related to minorities, he said he would not talk about political people or political parties.

"But to me, every time such a comment appeared or came to my knowledge; I mean my first reaction was that, A: the person is ignorant, B: that he is prejudiced and C: he does not fit into the framework that India has always prided to itself on, which is to be accommodative society," he said.

Responding to questions on triple talaq, Ansari said it is a social aberration, not a religious requirement.

"Firstly, it is a social aberration, it is not a religious requirement. The religious requirement is crystal clear, emphatic, there are no two views about it but patriarchy, social customs has all crept into it to create a situation which is highly undesirable," he said.

He said the courts do not have to step in as the reform has to come from within the community.

"The courts can say that we don't recognise it. That's all. I mean a marriage has to be recognised on certain occasions by the system of the state. And if a state functionary at a particular point of time refuses to recognise a happening which may be the product of a triple talaq, that's it," he explained.

To a poser on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the former diplomat said, "the problem has always been primarily a political problem. And it has to be addressed politically."



He agreed to a suggestion that politicians are ducking the problem.

"That's my impression. And I'm not the only one in the country...When young boys and girls come out on to the streets and throw stones day after day, week after week, month after month, it's something to worry about because they are our children, they are our citizens.

"Something is obviously going wrong. What exactly, I am not the final word on it, but I think there are enough people in the country who are worried about it. Eminent people belonging to different political persuasions and their worry must be taken on board," the Vice President said.

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The Delhi High Court today directed the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to draft fresh guidelines for streamlining waste collection in Dwarka sub-city as the language of the norms framed by it were "not easily comprehensible" in English or Hindi.

A bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and S P Garg said the guidelines framed by the SDMC were couched in such language that every household would need a lawyer to understand it or a dictionary would be required to decipher the meanings of the words used.

"Make it comprehensible for ordinary citizens," it said while hearing a PIL by law student and Dwarka resident Ebbani Aggarwal on the issue of lack of cleanliness and poor condition of roads as well as pavements in the sub-city.

It directed the SDMC to put up the draft guidelines on its website and to invite comments and feedback from the people within a specified time and with a specific word limit.

The court directed the corporation to carry out the exercise and to inform it on the next date of hearing on September 6.

The bench also said to the corporation that it has "an army" of staff, so why cannot it collect the garbage from the sub-city, a relatively newer addition to the national capital housing high rise apartment blocks and several offices and hotels.

"Why are you charging us property tax if you cannot do it? Ensure efficient collection of dry waste and use it for energy generation," it said.

The court suggested having such plants in the vicinity of Dwarka so that the dry waste need not be transported long distances to dumping areas or far-off waste to energy units.

The court had earlier said the failure of municipal corporations to provide an efficient garbage removal mechanism was one of the main reasons for lack of cleanliness in the national capital, especially in Dwarka.

In November last year, the court had asked senior officials of the police department, municipal corporation and DDA to show cause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for not cleaning up Dwarka despite judicial orders.

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Move beyond files and go to the field to understand ground realities.

This was the message of Prime Minister to the district collectors of the country during his first-of- its-kind interaction with them via video conference.

He said the collectors should particularly understand the conditions related to health services in remote parts of the districts, according to a statement issued by the PMO.

During the interaction under the theme 'New India - Manthan, he said the more a collector visits the field, the more active he will be on files.

The prime minister said collectors must also make people aware about the benefit of initiatives such as LED bulbs, BHIM App etc as many times, schemes fail to have the desired impact, just because people are not aware about them.

Similarly, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is dependent upon a responsive administration and awareness among people, he said, while emphasising that the real change in this regard can only come through public participation.

Referring to GST, the prime minister asked collectors to explain to traders in their districts how it is a "Good and Simple Tax."



He asked them to ensure that each trader is registered under GST.

He also asked them to avail of Government e-marketplace for all procurement in their district.

Recalling Mahatma Gandhi's message that the ultimate goal of governance should be to improve the lives of the poorest of the poor, Modi urged the collectors to ask themselves every day whether they had done something to bring change in the lives of the poor.

He asked the collectors to listen carefully to the poor, who approach them with their grievances, the statement said.

Noting that district collectors are young and capable, he said they could make resolutions for 'New India of 2022' in respect of their districts.

He expressed confidence that their resolutions would be achieved, and in the process, the country too, would reach new heights of achievement.

The prime minister compared the development work in a district to a relay race.

Just as the baton is passed on from one athlete to the next in a relay race, with the ultimate objective of winning the race, similarly, the development baton passes on successively from one collector to the next, he said.

He said that as representatives of their districts, collectors now have to decide where they want to see their districts in 2022, what deficiencies must be overcome, and what services must be ensured.

The prime minister said the government is asking each individual, each family, each organization to aim for certain goals which they should accomplish by 2022, the PMO said.

He noted that some districts have always lagged in basic services such as electricity, water, education and health.

He said that when the socio-economic conditions improve in the 100 most backward districts, it would give a big boost to the overall development parameters of the country.

This puts an onus on the collectors of these districts to work in a mission mode, Modi said.

The prime minister encouraged replication, and scaling up of best practices from districts where good results are being achieved in a particular field or scheme.

He asked the collectors to seek help from colleagues, intellectuals of the district, and students of schools and colleges, to prepare a vision document, or resolution document for their district before August 15.

This 'resolution document' should include those 10 or 15 objectives which they feel should be achieved by 2022.

The prime minister informed the collectors about the website www.Newindia.In - which contains information and activities related to the 'Sankalp Se Sidhhi' (achievement through resolve) movement.

He said that just as he was doing this 'manthan' with the collectors, they can do the same in the districts.

He mentioned the important features about the 'New India' website, such as an online quiz on the freedom struggle, and a comprehensive calendar on various events being held as a part of the 'Sankalp Se Sidhhi' movement.
Around 23 lakh students graduating from over 13,000 industrial training institutes across the country may soon be awarded certificates equivalent to the ones given to ICSE and CBSE Board pass-outs.

A proposal for the establishment of a separate board benchmarked with the quality standards of CBSE and ICSE, which was mooted by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, has been accepted by the HRD ministry.

"First time we have decided, and the HRD ministry is on the same page, that we are going to establish a Board for a certification of equivalence of CBSE and ICSE to all these 2.3 million students (in ITIs)," Union Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Rudy said addressing the media here.

He said the ministry was working in the direction to establish a national board so that exams all over the country are conducted on the pattern involving 70 per cent practical and 30 per cent elective subjects.

Rudy asserted that industrial training institutes (ITIs) will come up like CBSE and ICSE schools in the days to come, adding that the ministry has completely revamped their infrastructure requirements and syllabus.

The minister said the figure of 2.5 per cent skilled workforce in India put out by the National Sample Survey Organisation was "not true" as there were many areas which have not been captured while arriving at the outcome.

Rudy said the ministry was looking at the services sector "in a big way" towards skilling its workforce to meet the demands of the industry.

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The Madras High Court today gave the go ahead to Tamil Nadu government for filling the posts of PG Assistants (Grade-I) and others in schools under the general category but directed it to put on hold the process in respect of differently-abled persons.

First bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar passed the interim orders on a petition by Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently-Abled and Caregivers seeking to provide four per cent reservation for persons with disabilities for the posts.

It then posted the matter to August 28.

After the petition was filed, the government had informed the court that an order had been issued enhancing the reservation from three per cent to four per cent for the differently-abled persons.

The petitioner had contended only 18 posts had been shown in the roster to be filled up by persons with disabilities which does not even cater to three per cent reservation.

The court on June 7 last had directed the state government not to make any appointments to the posts in school education and other departments but allowed it to process the applications received.

Noting that there were 3,456 vacancies of PG Assistants and Physical Education Director posts, the bench said educational institutions cannot possibly function with such large number of vacancies and keeping in abeyance the process of filling them up would be against the interest of students.

Since only four per cent of the posts were reserved for the differently abled, pending the categorisation of posts and determination of suitability of differently abled persons with different degrees of disabilities in reserved posts, the government may fill up the posts under the general category, it said.

In reply to the queries raised by the bench, the Additional Advocate General submitted that the percentage of disability shall be reconsidered within a period of two weeks.

The government has constituted an expert committee, which has held two meetings on May 30 and August 3 on identification of Group A and B posts for the newly added categories of disability.

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The Bombay High Court today rejected an appeal filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against a lower court's order quashing a charge against a Kalyan youth, arrested for joining the ISIS.

The special NIA court in February had dropped the charge under section 20 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act ('being member of terrorist organisation') against Areeb Majeed.

Police had arrested Majeed, resident of Kalyan in neighbouring Thane district, upon his return from Syria. He was accused of travelling to Iraq and fighting for the ISIS.

The NIA court dropped the charge, saying that the ISIS hadn't been declared as a terrorist outfit by the Indian government when the case against Majeed was registered in February 2015.

The NIA filed appeal against the lower court's order.

A division bench of justices Ranjit More and S S Jadhav today dismissed the agency's appeal, said advocate Mubin Solkar, Majeed's lawyer.

The NIA court has framed charges against Majeed under sections 16 (terrorist act) and 18 (conspiracy) of UAPA, and section 125 of the Indian Penal Code (waging war against a friendly Asiatic power).

Majeed returned to Mumbai on November 28, 2014, following which he was detained and later arrested.

Police lodged a case under UAPA and section 125 of IPC against him and three others, all engineering students.

The four youths had flown to Baghdad in 2014 as part of a group of 22 pilgrims, and upon returning to India, others in the group told the police that Majeed, Fahad, Aman and Shaheen Tanki left them to head for Fallujah, a city in Iraq which was under ISIS' control.

While Majeed later returned, other three have been declared absconding.

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The Delhi High Court today reserved its order on a plea of jailed ex-Calcutta High Court judge C S Karnan challenging the constitutional validity of the Contempt of Courts Act.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar concluded the hearing during which senior lawyer Sanjay Jain, appearing for the Centre, opposed Karnan's plea saying the apex court has given ample opportunity to him to defend himself.

"The challenge (to the Act) is uncalled and unwarranted. This exercise is misconceived and it should not be entertained," he said.

Karnan, in his petition filed through advocate Mathews J Nedumpara, has also sought a declaration from the high court that the apex court's May 9 sentencing order and further proceedings under it were "unconstitutional and void" as the principles of natural justice were allegedly not followed.

The high court had on July 28 asked the Centre to place on record all the orders passed by the Supreme Court in the contempt case against Karnan, but refused to issue notice.

It had asked the central government to also place on record the apex court rules that said only an advocate-on- record could file petitions in the top court.

The high court had disagreed with the submission of Nedumpara that there was an apex court judgement which permitted a Supreme Court order to be challenged before a high court, saying he was "misquoting" the verdict.

The lawyer had argued that the order of May 9 against Karnan holding him guilty of contempt of the apex court was a "nullity" in law as it was passed "without jurisdiction" and "authority of the law".

He had said the judge was appointed by the President and could only be removed by Parliament.

The apex court by its May 9 order had sentenced Karnan to six months in jail.

Nedumpara had, however, argued that the order by a seven-judge apex court bench, headed by Chief Justice of India J S Khehar, "resulted in his (Karnan) removal from office for all practical purposes".

The plea has also challenged certain rules of the apex court which required that petitions in the Supreme Court be only filed through an advocate-on-record.

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Invoking the spirit of Quit India Movement, Parliament today pitched for strengthening secularism and democracy amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for a determined effort by all sections to rid the nation of ills like communalism, casteism and poverty by 2022.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, however, warned that the "forces of darkness" were trying to destroy the roots of democracy and the "clouds of the politics of division and hate" are hovering over the plural and egalitarian values enshrined in the Constitution.

Parliamentarians paid rich tributes to the freedom fighters and recalled their sacrifices as both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha took up a special discussion on the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement launched on this day in 1942 by Mahatma Gandhi.

Leaders from all parties were unanimous in underlining the need for strengthening democracy and secularism even as some in the Opposition equated the current situation to that prevailing during the colonial days.

Some Opposition leaders contended that democracy and secularism was under threat today, with CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury warning against creation of "Hindu Pakistan".

The prime minister, who initiated the discussion in the Lok Sabha, underlined that everyone would need to rise above political and ideological affiliations to rid the nation of ills like communalism, casteism, poverty, corruption and dirt.

He said ideological differences, which are there today, existed even during the freedom struggle and despite the different approaches, everyone had worked for the common goal of Independence.

Corruption, poverty, illiteracy and malnutrition are the greatest challenges that India now needs to overcome and to do that, there is a need to create the same spirit that existed between 1942 and 1947, he said.

Setting 2022, the 75th anniversary of the country's Independence as the target year, Modi said people should take a pledge of 'Karenge, Aur Kar Ke Rahenge' (We will do and surely do).

"In 1942, the clarion call was 'Karenge Ya Marenge' (Do or Die) - today it is 'Karenge, Aur Kar Ke Rahenge.' The next five years should also be about 'Sankalp Se Siddhi', a resolve which will lead us to accomplishment," Modi said.

He said in the next five years till 2022, India must try to bring positive changes so that it can become inspiration for many other nations.

India's freedom from colonial rule was not only about India, but a defining moment in ending colonialism in other parts of the world too, the Prime Minister said.

He said from 1857 to 1942, the move towards freedom was incremental, but the years from 1942 to 1947, were transformative and delivered on the objective.

"In 1942, conditions internationally became favourable for India to get independence. Today again, the global conditions are favourable for India," he said.

The prime minister hailed the role of freedom fighters, saying the struggle for independence saw participation of people from all sections, responding to Mahatma Gandhi's clarion call in 1942 of 'Do or Die'.

During his nearly 30-minute speech, he remembered the role played by different leaders in different period of times which include Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Jai Prakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekar Azad and Raj Guru and Sukhdev.

Modi recalled that even as many senior leaders like Mahatma Gandhi were jailed at the beginning of the Quit India movement, a new generation of leaders emerged to fill the vacuum and take the movement forward.

"The Quit India movement marked the rise of a new leadership. They supported Mahatma Gandhi during the movement," he said.

Modi said the recollection of movements such as the Quit India was a source of inspiration and the current generation has a responsibility of passing on the legacy of such movements to the future generations.

While talking about the success of collective efforts, he referred to the rollout of the GST and said it could not have been possible without the cooperation of all parties.

He said a similar approach would be required to resolve the problems of the country.

Speaking after Modi, Sonia Gandhi said, "It seems secular, democratic and liberals values are being endangered. The public space for debate and difference of opinion is shrinking...

"Have the forces of darkness emerged? Is there a fear about the existence of a sense of freedom? Are attempts being made to destroy roots of democracy which is based on equality, social justice, law-based system and freedom of expression?"



She took digs at the BJP and its ideological mentor RSS, without naming them.

"We should not forget that there were people and organisations which had opposed the Quit India movement and had played no role in getting our country freedom," she said.

BJP member Kirron Kher shouted "travesty, travesty", as Gandhi made these remarks but was signalled from the treasury benches to remain quiet.

The Congress has often accused the RSS of playing no role in the freedom movement, a charge vehemently denied by it.

People have to fight for the India they believe in, which is loved by one and all and which was envisioned by the freedom fighters, Gandhi said.

"We can and will not allow the idea of India to be a prisoner to narrow mindedness, divisive and communal ideology. If we have to preserve freedom, we will have to defeat the forces endangering it. We can't and we won't allow sectarian forces to succeed," she said, asking people to defeat such "repressive" forces.

She also underlined the contributions of the Congress and Jawaharlal Nehru to the landmark episode in India's struggle for independence, adding that her party's workers had made countless sacrifices.

After about 4 hours of discussion during which leaders of all parties spoke, the Lok Sabha unanimously adopted a resolution, pledging to work tirelessly in the next five years to build a nation as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters.

"We, the representatives of more than 125 crore people, resolve to take along every citizen in working towards building a nation as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters by 2022 when we will celebrate 75th anniversary of our independence," the resolution said.

The resolution, read out by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, said, "We shall remain committed and dedicated to build a strong, prosperous, clean and glorious India which is free of corruption. We are committed to welfare of all sections and promote harmony and patriotism."



In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said it was the day to commit to make the country a strong, just and economically-progressive country.

He underlined the need for freeeing the country from all kinds of violence, be it in the name terrorism, politics or religion.

Jaitley, who holds the portfolios of Defence and Finance, said the country still faces challenges to its security and sovereignty but the armed forces were capable to deal with these.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad targeted the ruling BJP by equating yesterday's developments related to the Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat to the events witnessed when the Quit India Movement was launched on this day in 1942.

After three hours of discussion, the Upper House also adopted a resolution pledging to build a strong, self-reliant, secular and democratic India.

Moving the resolution, Chairman Hamid Ansari said the House recalls that 75 years ago, Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi gave a clarion call to people for "do or die" to end the British Rule while asking the British to quit India.

He said the House observes "on the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement that it is important to remember the heroic struggle of people, students, peasants, workers and government officials who defied the brutal oppression of the British Raj to launch mass Satyagraha that shook the very foundation of the British Rule."



The House "solemnly takes a pledge to uphold and safeguard the values and ideals of the freedom movement and rededicate ourselves to build an India that is strong, self- reliant, inclusive, secular and democratic," Ansari said.

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Researchers, scientists and students of premier institutions today marched in the city today demanding better allocation of funds for science education and research.

The rallyists joined their counterparts in other cities of the country where similar 'India March for Science' rally was taken during the day.

"We demand allocation of 3 per cent GDP for S&T and 10 per cent of GDP for overall education on an immediate basis," Dr Nilesh Maity, Convenor Kolkata Organising Committee 'India March for Science' told reporters as the rally began from Rajabazar Science College.

The rallyists, who included scientists and students of Calcutta University, Jadavpur University and various other institutions, also advocated for drafting of an education system that moulds scientific ideas among students.

The rally culminated at Esplanade at the heart of the city.

On April 22, people had taken part in 'March for Science' rally in around 600 cities in the world.

"Today's rally was in continuation of that global campaign," JU professor Goutam Maity said.

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An Indian-origin man is among 18 people convicted of child sex offences by a UK court today.

Prabhat Nelli is among mostly Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Iraqi, Iranian and Turkish-origin men found guilty of involvement in a sex grooming network in the town of the Newcastle in north-east England.

The men plied vulnerable girls, some as young as 14, with drink and drugs before assaulting them, the Newcastle Crown Court was told.

In a series of four trials at the court, juries found the men guilty of a catalogue of nearly 100 offences - ranging from rape, human trafficking, conspiracy to incite prostitution and drug supply - between 2011 and 2014.

"This investigation all began after one initial police enquiry in December 2013, an enquiry which led to the significant uncovering of sexual abuse which was being hidden away in our community," said Chief Constable Steve Ashman of Northumbria Police, which led inquiries to investigate claims of sexual abuse against girls and young women by mostly Asian men.

"By the end of January 2014, Operation Sanctuary was set up and we had already made nearly 30 arrests. To date we have arrested 461 people, spoken to 703 potential complainants and have found 278 victims. In total, we now have 93 convictions delivering more than 300 years of imprisonment in addition to today's convictions," Ashman said.

According to the police investigation presented in the court, victims revealed they had been raped, exploited or sexually abused while intoxicated by either drink or drugs, often both.

On occasions the victims were so inebriated that they were abused while they were unconscious. The girls met the men through other friends and social media.

The men would contact them at all hours of the day and night to say they had alcohol and drugs for them and would pay for taxis to collect them. They would be bought vodka and drugs like MCAT and cocaine.

"The sexual exploitation of vulnerable people is in my opinion the challenge of our generation. It is a huge task that we are faced with. To date Operation Sanctuary has been the most complex investigation in this forces' history and has not stopped. There is a wider debate as to how this is to be tackled by moving forward," added Chief Constable Ashman.

The others convicted in the case include Eisa Mousavi, Mohammed Ali, Nashir Uddin, Monjur Choudhury, Taherul Alam, Habibur Rahim, Badrul Hussain, Carolann Gallon, Saiful Islam, AbdulHamid Minoyee, Abdul Sabe, Jahanger Zaman, Nadeem Aslam, Mohammed Azram, Yassar Hussain, Redwan Siddquee and Mohibur Rahman.

The 17 men and one woman were found guilty of offences including conspiracy to incite prostitution, rape and drugs.

During the various trials in the case, the court was told that Northumbria Police also recruited a sex offender, who can only be named as XY, to assist the force with its investigation into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle.

During legal submissions, XY gave evidence to the court and made a series of allegations against the police, including claims of racism and that he was asked to plant drugs.

Judge Penny Moreland rejected his evidence in its entirety, describing it as "inherently unreliable" and "clearly dishonest".

A spokesperson for Parents Against Child Sexual Exploitation (PACE), said: "Sadly we know that child sexual exploitation has been widespread throughout the country and it can affect any child or family. It is good that the perpetrators have finally been brought to justice."



"There has been immense trauma inflicted on those young people and their families. There will be lessons to be learned," the spokesperson said.

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Four boys and two girls have been arrested in Iran for teaching "Western" dance moves including Zumba, a Colombian fitness routine, a local Revolutionary Guards commander said.

"The members of a network teaching and filming Western dances have been identified and arrested," said Hamid Damghani, commander of the Guards in the town of Sharhoud in Iran's northeastern Semnan province, according to Jamejam Online website late on Tuesday.

"The team attracted boys and girls, taught them Western dances and published their video clips on social media apps like Telegram and Instagram," he added.

"They were arrested by the Guards' intelligence forces while teaching and creating video clips... As they sought to change lifestyles and promote a lack of hijab," he said.

They were charged with dancing and failing to wear proper hijab -- Islamic regulations that require women to wear headscarves and ban revealing clothing in public.

Dancing is banned in Iran for women in front of men outside their immediate families, but in recent years Zumba and other dances have been banned even in women-only gyms, even if the rules are widely flouted.

"The promotion and teaching of dancing in the name of sport in women's gyms is a serious issue," Damghani said.

In 2014, seven young Iranians were arrested for dancing to Pharrell Williams's hit "Happy" in a home-made video that went viral on the internet.

They were given suspended jail and lashing sentences.

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J&K NCP chief Thakur Randhir Singh today welcomed the Centre's policy to combat militancy in the state, saying Kashmir is an integral part of the country and the problem is "only because of Pakistan".

"We welcome the steps taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team to curb Pakistan-sponsored militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. The involvement of National Investigation Agency to crackdown on terror funding is praiseworthy," Singh said at a function to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi here.

He said it was easy to get freedom from the British but difficult to preserve it "because of hostile neighbours like Pakistan and China".

Blaming the Congress and National Conference for the turmoil in Kashmir, the Nationalist Congress Party leader said corruption and nexus among corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and contractors has "ruined" the nation and the state.

"The handing over of political legacy to the heirs was started by Nehru family in the country and (NC founder) Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in the state. The two families are responsible for the present turmoil in the valley," he said.

Singh paid rich tributes to Gandhi and other stalwarts on the occasion of 75thanniversary of the 'Quit India' movement and said "this day reminds us of the role and sacrifice of the youth who fought the British to achieve freedom for the country".

"The power of the youth needs to be tapped and groomed in a positive direction to take the country to new heights," he said.

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The Jammu and Kashmir Police will set up an Inventory Management System (IMS) to provide real-time information about stocks, requirements and procurement of the force.

The force has invited Expression of Interest (EOI) from organisation and firms to design, develop, install, commission and implement the Inventory Management System.

Police have invited EoI to set up the system covering all equipment and uniform stores of J&K Police spread across all districts and system integrators to study and automate the set up, AIG, Provision and Transport, Police Headquarters, Sheikh Junaid said.

Jammu and Kashmir Police has a total strength of nearly 75,000 personnel and 224 police stations across the state.

The system is aimed at facilitating all horizontal and vertical end-users hooked to the system to have updated and real-time information pertaining to indents containing stocks, requirements, procurements, purchase, surveys of received items with acceptance or rejection user interface holdings of stock items and subsequent distribution and allotment, he said.

It is aimed at giving real time information on records pertaining to items issues to employees and subordinate formation units of Jammu and Kashmir Police.

It will ensure maintenance of electronic ledgers containing transactions pertaining to inventory management and process paperwork in timely manner, the EOI order said.

It will ensure automation of manual practices and procurement development in management, it said.

At present, the overall posted strength of the Police Department is 74,913 and there are 224 police stations in the state.

The government said apart from 224 police stations, 228 police posts also exist in the state.

Out of 224 police stations, six are women police stations, 11 are in railways, two CID, two belong to the Crime Branch, one tourist police station and seven anti-human trafficking units.

228 police posts, including 20 in railways and 108 border police posts, also exist in the state.

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Some key Kashmiri separatists are in touch with militant leaders based in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and are believed to be receiving funds from across the border, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said that inputs indicate the existence of nexus or collusion of disruptive elements sponsored by the neighbouring country and separatists in Kashmir.

"Some of the key separatist leaders have been noted being in touch with militant leaders based in Pakistan/PoK. They have also been believed to be receiving instructions and financial support from Pakistani establishment for adverse activities in Jammu and Kashmir," he said in a written reply to a question.

Ahir said necessary action is taken against such elements in accordance with the provisions of law.

"There is a well established institutional mechanism to effectively deal with illegal activities on the India-Pakistan border or Line of Control," he said.

The minister said a cell to check terror funding and the fake currency has been set up by the Investigation Agency to investigate such cases.

"Five cases pertaining to funding of separatists and terrorists in have been registered by the Investigation Agency (NIA)," he said.

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UPDATED

A key section of Michigans plan to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act is so sparse that the U.S. Department of Education isnt sure its ready for formal review, according to a letter the agency published Tuesday . (Maine also received a response Tuesday, scroll down for more on that.)

The department told Michigans state chief, Brian Whiston, the information it provided was insufficient to adequately review the section of the plan dealing with the states accountability system, arguably the heart of ESSA. That could be partly because the states application , filed this spring, Michigan offers three possible approaches on accountability. (Michigan has since settled on one of them, a dashboard, Whiston said.)

Otherwise the letter, which followed a phone call between state officials and the education department on the plan, is fairly light when it comes to the list of things the state needs to fix. (More on that below).

Michigans state chief, Brian Whiston, said in an interview that he was pleasantly surprised by the feedback, particularly given that department officials told Michigan earlier this year that they had a long list of concerns with the plan . Whiston received another call from the department last week, in advance of the formal feedback, which he described as cordial.

Most of the information the department asked for on the call was small, nitpicky stuff, Whiston said. Well respond to that. Its no big deal. Well get the little stuff back to them in a matter of a couple days ... Well have our response within 15 days.

Brian Gutman, the director of public engagement for Education Trust Midwest, an advocacy organization that looks out for disadvantaged students, had an entirely different take on the federal response.

This is yet another person who is saying this plan is just simply inadequate for Michigan students, Gutman said. There seems to be a real disconnect between what were hearing from the U.S. Department of Education and what the Michigan department of education seems to be taking from that.

Michigans governor, Rick Snyder, a Republican, and Lt. Governor Brian Calley, have each expressed concerns with the states plan .

And outside experts who have reviewed ESSA plans consider Michigans one of the weakest of the seventeen that have been filed so far. Michigans plan got the lowest rating from a team thirty experts who looked at ESSA plans for the Collaborative for Student Success Bellwether, an advocacy organization .

Kerry Moll, who reviewed Michigans plan for the Collaborative, said the departments take echoes her own. ED is saying they did not give us enough information, which mirrors our own review process, Moll said.

Another independent review by the right-leaning Thomas B. Fordham Institute a think tank, also said Michigan supplied too few details to offer an overall rating.

Whiston said those outside reviews dont bother him, hes more interested in what our teachers and board members in Michigan have to say.

So what kinds of problems did the department cite in the portions of the plan that it did review? The department wants much more detail on how Michigan will support migrant students, homeless kids, and rural schools. Its seeking a more complete explanation of how the state will train teachers to work with gifted students. The feds are also unclear if the states proposed use for teacher quality grants follows rules for spending federal funds.

On the list of things not included in the letter, in part because the department isnt formally reviewing the accountability section:

Any mention of the fact that Michigan proposed three possible accountability systems. The department also didnt formally ask the state to explain how it will identify the lowest-performing schools and schools where particular groups of students, such as English language learners and student in special education are struggling. It didnt ask the state to be more specific about how it will decide when a struggling school has made enough progress that it no longer needs special help and attention. And the feds didnt say anything about the fact that Michigan is proposing one minimum subgroup size, or n-size, for English language learners, and another for other historically overlooked groups of students, an ESSA no-no.

Michigan wasnt the only state that got feedback recently. Maine also received feedback from the department that was released publicly Tuesday . The Pine Tree State needs to make sure it is setting goals for English-language learners to achieve proficiency in English, not just make progress in learning the language, the department found. The department also said Maine needs to explain how much things like graduation rates, academic achievement, and English-language proficiency will count towards a schools rating. The state also needs to better explain how it plans to identify struggling schools, as well as schools that need help educating particular groups of students, including English-language learners and students in special education.

Reminder: So far, sixteen states and the District of Columbia have submitted ESSA plans. The rest of the states will file in the fall. One state, Delaware, has already been approved.

Michigan and Maine are the third and fourth states, after Illinois and the District of Columbia, to have its plan reviewed under the departments new system. Originally, the department gave states all of their feedback in writing. Under the new process, department officials will call states first and go over any potential trouble spots. Then theyll send a letter that may or may not flag those problems. The department revamped its process after advocatesand Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn .said the feds were being too heavy-handed in their ESSA approach.
The government must impose anti- dumping duty on import of Chinese truck and bus radial tyres that continue to flood Indian market at cheaper prices to ensure a level-playing field for domestic players, JK Tyre Chairman Raghupati Singhania has said.

Almost 80 per cent of the imports are at concessional duties thereby eroding a significant part of the market of the domestic tyre industry, Singhania said while addressing the company's shareholders at its AGM.

The domestic tyre manufacturers have undertaken large scale capacity additions with investments of nearly Rs 45,000 crore in the last few years, he added.

Seeking government intervention, Singhania said: "It is a matter of great concern that Chinese truck/bus radial tyres continue to flood the market unabated at dumping prices, thereby, threatening the large investments made in the recent past."



He further said the issue is not only about imports from China but also from other Asian countries with whom India has a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

"It is indeed high time for the government to undertake necessary steps by imposition of anti-dumping duties on such low cost tyres," he added.

The government has already taken steps towards addressing the concern raised by the domestic industry.

In a notification on August 7, the commerce ministry's investigation arm - Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) - has recommended imposition of definitive anti-dumping duties on the imports of these tyres from China.

India may impose anti-dumping duty of up to USD 452.33 per tonne on a certain variety of Chinese pneumatic radial tyres to guard domestic players from cheap imports.

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The Delhi High Court today asked the police to keep away from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus unless there is any evidence of disruption of law and order or in case of varsity seeking its assistance.

The high court further said that the university is not a place where police is warranted.

"They are students, not criminals," it said, adding that the police will only enter the varsity campus if assistance is sought by the JNU administration or after examining the appropriate evidence.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru said this while disposing of the JNU administration's plea for police protection for the varsity officials so that they can enter the administrative block at the time of protests by the students.

The JNU had alleged that during regular agitations carried out by the students in protest against the varsity's policy decisions outside the administrative block, which were accompanied with drum beats, no one could enter the building.

The varsity through their lawyers Monika Arora and Harsh Ahuja said that JNU staff and Students Union (JNUSU) leaders be asked not to protest within 200 metres of the administrative block and the academic complexes as per the academic rules and regulations.

Taking note of it, the court asked the JNU students not to protest within 100 metres radius of the administrative block, which houses several offices including that of the Vice Chancellor.

It also observed that the varsity has already earmarked a place for protest, therefore, the students should stage their 'dharna' at Sabarmati hostel lawns.

"Why near the administration block?" the court asked the counsel for the students' union.

To this, the counsel said they won't be visible at site of protest.

The court said that protest was not for show off.

It further said that the JNU administration, for the time being, can only install CCTV cameras in and around the administrative block, where the students stage protest, and at the campus main gate.

The varsity had also urged the court to allow them to install over 600 CCTV cameras in the campus in wake of several controversies involving students.

The court was hearing the JNU administration's petition against the blocking of its administrative block by agitating students.

Earlier, the JNU had said that in the past nine months there have been 92 protests in the campus and these were disrupting the functioning of the varsity.

The varsity had moved the high court when the students were protesting against the JNU's admission policy based on a University Grants Commission notification slashing the seats for MPhil and PhD courses.

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Kerala Travel Mart, a leading tourism body in Kerala, has expressed concern over high taxation rates under the new GST regime, saying it would "stifle" the tourism business in the country by making it unsustainable and drive away foreign tourists to destinations other than India.

A KTM delegation had recently met Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma, Tourism Secretary Rashmi Sharma, GST Council Chairperson and officials of the Finance ministry and GST Council at New Delhi.

The delegation led by KTM president Abraham George along with K V Thomas, MP, drew their attention to the "serious anomalies" in the GST, which would throw the tourism industry into a major crisis, a KTM release said here today.

The delegation included Riaz Ahmed, past president of KTM and Jobin Jose, who represented the houseboat industry.

"The high incidences of taxes will make India uncompetitive when it comes to tourism as international tourists will skip the country as a destination. There is almost a 19 per cent tax hike for an Indian product after the implementation of GST. The Centre should address the issue urgently," Abraham said.

The industry has already been reeling under the impact of demonetisation and liquor ban on highways, he said, adding that implementation of GST has also started adversely impacting the business.

KTM has also submitted a memorandum to Finance minister Arun Jaitley, pointing out that that "the new GST structure is the highest in the world and is seriously affecting the sustainability of tourism business."



In the memorandum, the KTM president appealed to the Centre to reduce the tax for hotels from 28 per cent to 18 per cent, substantially bring down the tax on houseboats and declare tax holiday for inbound travellers. In the pre-GST regime, hotels were charging 19 per cent tax on rooms.

Making a strong case for rectification of tax anomalies, he said the tax has been to the tune of 38 per cent on tour packages for domestic travellers and 33 per cent for inbound international tourists clubbing the hotel tax with tour operators.

"The high tax of 28 per cent plus the tour operator's tax of five per cent is costing a foreign traveller hotel tariff of 33 per cent whereas the average tax rate in foreign countries is between 7 per cent and 17 per cent," Abraham pointed out.

The KTM, which has members from hotels, resorts, houseboats, home stays and tour operators, also demanded bringing down the GST on houseboats from 28 per cent to earlier tax rate of five per cent.

Inclusion of tourism in 'Make In India' scheme, tax holiday for inbound travellers and input credit to tour operators were the other demands raised by KTM in the memorandum.
Two Lebanese ministers are to travel to Damascus next week to attend an industrial fair, they announced today, in the first high-level visit since the outbreak of Syria's war.

Industry Minister Hussein al-Haj Hassan said he and Agriculture Minister Ghazi Zeaiter had received invitations to the Damascus International Fair, which opens on August 16.

"I will take part in the expo as the minister of industry in order to hold talks... I am going to Syria first and foremost as part of my vision for Lebanon's national interest," Hassan told reporters.

Hassan is a member of the powerful Shiite party Hezbollah, which has intervened in Syria on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad's government.

Zeaiter belongs to Amal, an allied Shiite movement.

"There are some issues that need to be dealt with on the trade and industry levels between the two countries," Hassan said.

"The ties between Lebanon and Syria are still in place politically and diplomatically. We have an ambassador (in Damascus) and they have an ambassador (in Beirut)," he added.

Syria's conflict broke out in March 2011 with protests demanding Assad's ouster.

The following year, Lebanon's government adopted a policy of "disassociation" -- preferring to maintain a neutral stance towards the complex war in a bid to avoid spillover.

Lebanon's political parties are bitterly divided between those opposing Syria's regime and factions like Hezbollah and Amal which support it.

The announced visit sparked controversy today.

"If the minister wants to visit Syria, it will be on his own and not through a decision from the council of ministers," said Information Minister Melhem Riachi.

Many Arab countries cut off ties with Syria when its crisis erupted six years ago, but Lebanon maintained diplomatic relations.

Still, official visits between the two countries have remained rare.

In November, Damascus dispatched its minister of presidential affairs, Mansour Azzam, to Beirut to congratulate newly-elected Lebanese President Michel Aoun.

The trip was the first by a Syrian official to Lebanon since 2010, when Assad and then-Saudi King Abdullah visited the country in a bid to ease rising political tensions.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Maraland Democratic Front (MDF) today announced that it would soon merge with the BJP.

Founder president of the MDF P P Thawlla announced the party's decision at a press conference in south Mizoram's Lunglei district.

Thawlla said that the merger ceremony would be formally held at Siaha town, the district headquarters of southernmost Mizoram's Siaha district soon.

"The merger function would be held as soon as Union Ministers can come for the ceremony," he said.

THe MDF was earlier an electoral ally of Mizoram's main opposition party the Mizo National Front (MNF).

BJP Mizoram unit president Prof John V Hluna said that the BJP would open an account in the 2018 state assembly polls as at least one BJP candidate belonging to the Chakma community would win in the areas where the Chakmas are concentrated.

Hluna urged the Mizo people to distinguish between the Indian citizens and foreigners in the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) area.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lakhs of Maratha community members filled the city's streets today as they took their battle for reservation in government jobs and education to the capital of Maharashtra with a massive show of strength.

The metropolis turned into a sea of saffron as members of the politically influential community from different parts of the state converged here to press for reservation in government jobs and education among other demands.

The Marathas took out a silent march from Jijamata Udyan in Byculla to Azad Maidan in South Mumbai.

As the agitators assembled at Azad Maidan, Mumbai's protest hotpsot, a few kilometres away, in Vidhan Bhawan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced his government would extend to the Maratha community the educational concessions currently given to OBCs.

He also said the BJP-led government would form a cabinet sub-committee to review the implementation of various welfare schemes meant for the Maratha community.

The announcements were made after Fadnavis held a meeting with representatives of the Maratha community, whose demands have received support from almost the entire political spectrum in the state.

A delegation of 40 people, including women, met him at the Vidhan Bhawan this afternoon. The legislature is currently having its monsoon session.

Earlier this morning, the Marathas took out their silent march from Jijamata Udyan amid tight security with participants wearing saffron caps and carrying saffron swallowtail flags.

Police and traffic personnel were deployed in large numbers to manage the huge inflow of people and the movement of vehicles in Mumbai.

Mumbai's famed 'Dabbawalas' (lunchbox deliverymen), majority of whom hail from the Maratha community, also joined the march.

This was the 58th march of the community and was held exactly a year after the first such protest in Aurangabad. The march was organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups.

According to police, around 3 lakh people took part in the protest march.

These 'mook morcha', or silent rallies, were held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl, belonging to the Maratha community, at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

The rally ended at Azad Maidan after covering a distance of 10km. At the venue, the campaigners raised slogans as Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar reached the site. Some said they don't want politicians to interfere. Shelar rubbished reports he was stopped and manhandled at Azad Maidan.

In the legislature, lawmakers cutting across party lines shouted slogans demanding quota for the Marathas.

Social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter were used to mobilise the community members, the organisers said.

Azad Maidan turned into a sea of saffron as multitude of Maratha reservation supporters thronged the venue for the massive protest.

The JJ flyover in south Mumbai, which was closed for vehicular traffic, was full of protesters who were carrying saffron flags and winding their way to the venue.

Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh also displayed his support to the protest march in a late night tweet. "Ek Maratha, Lakh Maratha," the actor tweeted in Marathi.

At Azad Maidan, a morcha participant was dressed like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and was seen extolling the virtues of the 'government of the people and for the people' concept practised by the Maratha king.

Another protester came to the venue as a farmer about to commit suicide, with a rope dangling from his neck. "This is an attempt to draw the government's attention to the plight of farmers," he said.

Young girls and women were at the forefront in addressing the protesters at Azad Maidan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Holding aloft saffron flags, lakhs of Maratha community members today filled the city's streets as they took their battle for reservation in government jobs and education to the Maharashtra capital, throwing traffic haywire and putting the overburdened suburban railway under severe strain.

The metropolis turned into a sea of saffron as members of the politically influential community from different parts of the state converged here to press for reservation in government jobs and education among other demands.

The Marathas took out a silent march from Jijamata Udyan in Byculla to Azad Maidan in South Mumbai.

As the agitators assembled at Azad Maidan, Mumbai's protest hotpsot, a few kilometres away, in Vidhan Bhawan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced his government would extend to the Maratha community the educational concessions currently given to OBCs.

He also said the BJP-led government would form a cabinet sub-committee to review the implementation of various welfare schemes meant for the Maratha community, but stopped short of announcing quotas for them in jobs.

The announcements were made after Fadnavis held a meeting with representatives of the Maratha community, whose demands have received support from almost the entire political spectrum in the state.

A delegation of 40 people, including women, met him at the Vidhan Bhawan this afternoon. The legislature is currently having its monsoon session.

Earlier this morning, the Marathas took out their silent march from Jijamata Udyan amid tight security with participants wearing saffron caps and carrying saffron swallowtail flags.

Police and traffic personnel were deployed in large numbers to manage the huge inflow of people and the movement of vehicles in Mumbai.

Mumbai's famed 'Dabbawalas' (lunchbox deliverymen), majority of whom hail from the Maratha community, also joined the march.

This was the 58th march of the community and was held exactly a year after the first such protest in Aurangabad. The march was organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups.

According to police, around 3 lakh people took part in the protest march.

These 'mook morcha', or silent rallies, were held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl, belonging to the Maratha community, at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

The rally ended at Azad Maidan after covering a distance of 10km. At the venue, the campaigners raised slogans as Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar reached the site. Some said they don't want politicians to interfere. Shelar rubbished reports he was stopped and manhandled at Azad Maidan.

In the legislature, lawmakers cutting across party lines shouted slogans demanding quota for the Marathas.

Social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter were used to mobilise the community members, the organisers said.

Quotas for Marathas, a politically influential community that constitutes around 30 per cent of the state's population, has been a hugely contentious issue.

The Bombay High Court had in 2014 disallowed 16 per cent reservation for them in government services and educational institutions.

In 2003-04, National Commission for Backward Classes rejected the demand for including Maratha community in the category of Other Backward Class (OBC) category. Earlier, 1980 Mandal Commission had noted that the Maratha community is a forward class in Maharashtra.

The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission had held in 2008 that "Marathas are both economically and politically a forward caste. They never faced social stigma to invite the backward class status.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thousands of people belonging to the Maratha community from different parts of Maharashtra converged here today as part of their campaign to press for reservation in jobs and education among other demands.

Amid tight security, the massive silent march began from the Jijamata Udyan in Byculla this morning with participants carrying saffron swallowtail flags.

People had started arriving in the city since early morning in private vehicles as well as public modes of transport. Police and traffic personnel were deployed in large numbers to manage the huge inflow of people and the movement of vehicles in Mumbai.

The Mumbai's famed 'Dabbawalas' (lunchbox deliverymen), majority of whom hail from the Maratha community, also joined the march.

This is the 58th march of the Maratha community, exactly a year after the first such protest held in Aurangabad. The march has been organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups.

These 'mook morcha' or silent rallies were held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl, belonging to the Maratha community, at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

The JJ flyover was closed for traffic in view of the march, police said. Schools in south Mumbai were closed today as a precautionary measure, an official said.

At Azad Maidan, where the Maratha morcha will culminate later today, the campaigners raised slogans as Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar reached the venue.

Some of the campaigners said that they don't want politicians to interfere.

Shelar rubbished reports that he was stopped and manhandled at Azad Maidan.

In Maharashtra Legislature, where the monsoon session is underway, Shiv Sena MLAs joined legislators across parties in shouting slogans demanding reservation for Marathas.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter have been used to rally the community members, the organisers said.

The silent protest is a peaceful way to press the demands for reservation in jobs and educational institutions and punishment for culprits in the Kopardi case, they said.

Their other demands include amendments in SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its misuse, loan waiver to curb farmer suicides and remunerative prices for agricultural produce.

A police official said over five lakh people are expected to participate in the morcha.

No toll will be collected today from vehicles coming into Mumbai in order to avoid delays at collection points, considering the large number of vehicles entering the city.

In the state legislature, Shiv Sena members, led by Eknath Shinde, supported the demands of the Maratha community.

The party MLAs raised slogans on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan.

Shinde said, "We completely support the demands of the Maratha community. A large section of the community is deprived of education, good income sources and skills that would get them good jobs. Reservation in education and jobs could be one way of supporting them."



"The other demands, such as strict action against those who had allegedly sexually assaulted the girl and murdered her, will be given the required support," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The raging issue whether to make forced martial intercourse and sexual acts part of offence of rape in penal law has been extensively debated and now it cannot be considered as a criminal act, the Supreme Court today said.

Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which defines the offence of rape, has an exception clause that says the intercourse or sexual act by a man with his wife, not below 15 years, is not a rape.

The apex court, however, sought to know as to whether Parliament debated the aspect of protecting married girls, between the age group of 15-18 years, from the forced sexual acts by their spouses.

It also asked whether the court could intervene to protect the rights of such married girls who may be sexually exploited by their spouses.

"Parliament has extensively debated the issue of marital rape and considered that it was not an offence of rape. Therefore, it cannot be considered as a criminal offence," a bench of justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

The apex court also said that marriage of a girl, who is below the age of 15 years, was "illegal".

"There are cases when college-going teens, below 18 years of age, engage in sexual activities consensually and get booked under the law. Who is going to suffer? The boy is not at fault. The punishment of seven years is too harsh," the bench observed.

It said, similarly, problem arises when a girl, under 18 years of age, elopes and engages in consensual sexual activity, the male gets booked for rape.

"In these cases, we do have problem if look at various aspects," the bench said as it asked the Centre to apprise it about the number of prosecutions under the Child Marriage Act for past three years in three weeks.

It also asked Centre to apprise it about appointment of the Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPO) under statutory provisions in the country and posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.

The bench was hearing a plea questioning the constitutionality of a provision permitting a man to have physical relationship with his wife even if she is aged between 15 and 18.

The apex court said according to prevailing law, if a man has physical intercourse with a girl under 15 years of age, it is termed as rape irrespective of "consent or no consent" and if she is below 18 years of age, but more than 15 and married, then no offence of rape is made out.

Advocate Gaurav Agarwal appearing for NGO Independent Thought said that distinction made in between 18 and 15 is illegal and unconstitutional.

"Parliament cannot impinge upon Article 21 by allowing the girl to marry under 18 years of age and allowing her to get pregnant or have intercourse. The Parliament should have considered various reports of the United Nations," he said.

He said that a girl in the age group of 15-18 is not that physically developed and she is not capable of taking an informed decision or consent.

"The State has failed to protect her as there is no protection for her is she is below 18. Above 18 years of age she is developed and can think of coming out of abusive relationship," the lawyer said.

Senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam, who was part of the Justice J S Verma Committee constituted in the aftermath of the December 16 gangrape in Delhi and was present in the courtroom said, they had considered various aspects and after that, suggestion to criminalise marital rape was made.

The committee was headed by former Chief Justice J S Verma and comprised former judge Leila Seth and Subramaniam.

"Without any renumeration we have submitted the report to the government and that too without any extension. It was an exhaustive work," he said.

Advocate Binu Tamta appearing for Centre said that keeping the social and economic conditions of the country in mind, the Parliament has kept the age of 15 as threshold.

"It has been considered pragmatically and every aspect was considered by the Parliament," she said, adding that keeping the child marriage prevalent in some societies it has been done.

Earlier, the apex court had in 2015, made National Commission for Women (NCW) party to explain how the offence of rape in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) afforded an exception to a man to have physical relationship with his minor wife and still not qualify it as crime.

The NGO in its petition sought direction to declare exception 2 to Section 375 of the IPC as "violative of Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution to the extent that it permits intrusive sexual intercourse with a girl child aged between 15 and 18 years, only on the ground that she has been married."



It has also referred to the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012, and said these provisions were contrary to the IPC provision.

The POCSO provision provides that physical relationship with a minor constitutes the offence of rape and it does not exclude such relationship between a man and his minor wife.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fatima Nafees, the mother of missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmad, today took part in a sit-in protest in front of the CBI headquarters here, demanding that the central investigation agency find her son.

The family members of Najeeb, along with the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU), had organised the protest after the Delhi High Court yesterday pulled up the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for not making any headway in the case of the student's disappearance.

"Find my son, I don't want any reasons," Nafees told reporters and wondered why the government was "so scared" to take action in the case.

The court had reprimanded the CBI, saying it had placed on record the same status report submitted earlier, and added that the case had not been transferred to the central probe agency "for fun".

The protesters also threatened to block all the gates of the CBI office and hold such demonstrations every day till the whereabouts of Najeeb were known.

"We were happy when the case was transferred to the CBI. But shockingly, the same report was submitted yesterday. The CBI is making a mockery of the system. We will be protesting again and again till Najeeb is found," said Khalid Saifi, a family friend.

Some protesters demanded that they be allowed to probe the case if the investigating agencies were "scared of something".

"Let us do the investigation if you are not able to do so or are scared of something. We will find Najeeb," a JNU student said in his speech.

Some told PTI that they still could not understand why the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students' wing of the BJP, "targeted" a fresher like Najeeb.

JNUSU president Mohit Kumar Pandey accused the CBI of "not being independent" and "receiving orders from the home minister".

"We are only asking the CBI to carry out its institutional responsibilities and nothing else," he said.

Former JNUSU vice president Shehla Rashid asked the probe agency to look into "all the aspects" of the case.

"The CBI should show some spine and probe all the aspects of the case. Besides, those who had alleged that Najeeb had joined a terror outfit should be arrested," she said.

Later, a five-member delegation, including Najeeb's mother, was called inside the CBI office for talks.

Umar Khalid, a member of the Bhagat Singh Ambedkar Students' Organisation of the JNU, alleged that the entire government machinery was being "used for political reasons".

"It is really scary that right from a small office in a university to the NIA and CBI are being used for political reasons. If this goes on, we have no idea where we are headed," he said.

Syed Azharuddin, the national secretary of the Students Islamic Organisation of India, alleged that there were "attempts to suppress the issues related to the minority community".

"Najeeb's case and the talks of withdrawing the minority status of the Jamia Millia Islamia university indicate attempts to suppress the (minority) community. The CBI should act independently," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Editors Intro: Julia McMahon-Cole, a 17-year-old rising senior in Lincoln, Nebraska shares her thoughts on Chinas Gao Kao- the test that determines the fate of high school graduates - and sometimes their families.

What could possibly be more terrifying than the ACT or the SAT for American high school juniors and seniors? If youre like me, nothing comes to mind ... that is, until a few weeks ago. That was when I came face to face with the Gao Kao - Chinas national college entrance exam - which may be the worlds hardest and most stressful test.

I recently took the 28-hour journey from my hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska, to the town of Jingmen, in Chinas Hubei Province. I traveled to Jingmen to live with a retired couple and fully immerse myself in Mandarin for a month.

In Jingmen I saw firsthand real high-stakes testing. Initially, I didnt see how the Gao Kao, Chinas national exam, differed that much from American ACT or SAT tests. Both are college entrance exams, and there is no mistaking the stress that students in both countries face. But as I interacted with more and more Chinese high school seniors, I realized how different their stress was from mine as an American student. Quite literally, the Gao Kao seems to decide their future.

The best schools for children to attend are typically private, so no matter if it is elementary, middle, or high school, Chinese parents (and grandparents) who can afford to, pay private school tuition. Because of this level of investment, for the first 18 years of their lives, Chinese students one and only job is to study for the ever-looming Gao Kao, which takes place every year on the last two days of the school year.

The morning of the first test day was dead silent, and I learned that silence is part of the annual test-day ritual. The Gao Kao is taken in four parts: the sciences, history, Chinese, and English, spanning two days and roughly adding up to about nine hours. During these two long days - the Gao Kao serves as students one-time capstone project - the surrounding community steps up. Construction is halted within a mile of the testing centers; and police and ambulance sirens are turned off. Communities even set up recovery stands for students leaving their testing building, to help any who collapse from the stress of testing.

When I arrived at 10:45 in the morning, students had been testing since 8:00 and were allowed out at 11:30 for an afternoon break. A quiet crowd had formed in front of the gates of the school. Needless to say, quiet crowds are not the norm in China, but in this instance, anyone making noises was glared at by concerned parents. After dropping off their children in the morning, many of the parents remained outside the gates waiting patiently for them to finish. Once on break, they would rush them home to power up for their next test.

While waiting, I talked to a few parents about what exactly they were hoping for today. Their answers were telling: One mother told me in a whisper that her best friends son had gotten a 500 (out of a highest possible score of 750) last year and was so disappointed with his low score that he withdrew from his family and now doesnt talk to many people anymore. That morning, she was praying that her daughter did well so she could be proud of herself and confident about her future.

An older man told me that he hoped his grandson would do well and make the rest of the family proud. As the only grandchild, they had put a lot of resources into his education over the years in preparation for these two precious days. Other parents had similar stories and thoughts: how a high Gao Kao score would bring future success to their children and pride for the whole family.

The second day was similar - nervous parents awaiting the release of their exhausted children, with their fates (in their minds) determined by this test. The families of students who did well had elaborate parties to celebrate their success. Those who did not do well kept quiet.

In China, most students apply to the best college that accepts their Gao Kao score, since it is the only thing that they consider in the application process. No wonder Chinese students feel such intense pressure. But this pressure is not new for the students because to get into the best middle and high schools they also must test into them, and only have one chance to do so, like the Gao Kao.

While everyone agrees that the Gao Kao puts an unhealthy amount of pressure on teenagers, and there have been efforts over the past several years to put reforms in place to make the exam more equitable for all students, some feel that the Gao Kao should be canceled entirely. But no one I talked to can think of a better way to test so many students while trying to make sure every student has an equal chance.

I dont pretend to be a testing expert or fully understand the Chinese education system, but whatever the solution to this complex problem, we should ensure it focuses on developing in young people the critical thinking skills that allow them to solve problems and take action themselves, be better prepared to confront new situations, and adapt to changing times that are sure to come in our ever-changing world. No standardized test, not even the Gao Kao, can truly prepare you for that.

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Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala, whose son and his friend were arrested today on charges of stalking and attempting to abduct a 29-year-old woman, maintained that his son had cooperated with the police right from the start.

Making a brief presence before media here, minutes before his son Vikas Barala made an appearance before the police, the BJP leader said his son and the other accused were given bail earlier as charges pressed against them were bailable.

"They (accused) were earlier called for joining investigation and they reached the police station. As soon as I got the information about the notice (of summon) posted at my Chandigarh residence today, I immediately asked Vikas, who was out of station at that time, to join the probe," he said at the press conference.

Barala rubbished opposition charge that the police were acting under political pressure in the case.

"These charges are baseless. Never have I tried to influence the investigation. Whatever action is made out against my son as per law, that should happen. I have said that the victim is like my daughter.

"I think the charge that police is not properly investigating the case is not fair," he said.

The state BJP chief then left the media briefing in a huff, claiming that he had received a phone call from his son, who was just about to appear before the Chandigarh Police.

Meanwhile, opposition INLD leader Dushyant Chautala demanded fast-tracking the case, "so that an example is set and a strong message goes out that even people in powerful positions are equal before law".

Commenting on the state BJP chief's statement that the victim was like his daughter, Chautala said, "If that was the case, why didn't he hand over his son to the police earlier? When a nationwide outcry broke out over the case, the BJP chief appeared before the media."



Vikas Barala (23) and Ashish Kumar (27) were arrested today on non-bailable charges of trying to abduct the 29-year-old-woman, daughter of an IAS officer. The accused will be produced before a court tomorrow.

The incident had come to light when the woman called up the police last week, complaining that two youths were chasing her along a stretch of over five kilometres from Chandigarh right up to a point in the Union Territory, which is adjoining Haryana's border.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Trump administration imposed sanctions on eight more individuals in Venezuela, including the brother of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, in the latest US bid to try to deter further democratic backsliding in the South American country.

The penalties focus on current or former Venezuelan government officials accused by the US of supporting President Nicolas Maduro's creation of a constituent assembly.

That body has been given the job of rewriting Venezuela's constitution, in what the United States has said was an attempt by Maduro to solidify his hold on power.

The assembly, formed by a July 30 election, has declared itself superior to all other government institutions and has ousted Venezuela's outspoken chief prosecutor.

"President Maduro swore in this illegitimate constituent assembly to further entrench his dictatorship, and continues to tighten his grip on the country," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

Many of those targeted by the US are regional representatives on the new assembly, including Adan Chavez, the brother of Venezuela's former leader, who died in 2013.

Adan Chavez has been appointed secretary of the new assembly and also is a former governor and minister in Venezuela's government.

The sanctions freeze any assets the individuals may have in the US and prevent Americans from doing business with the Venezuelans.

The US has said the vote to create the assembly was illegitimate and a sign that Maduro is trying to strengthen what the US calls his "dictatorship."



Last week, the US targeted Maduro with sanctions, in a rare action against a foreign head of state. Those sanctions followed a previous round, days before the planned vote, that hit 13 current or former top officials in Maduro's government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung today claimed in a city court that the CBI has not been able to provide any specific proof of his involvement in the murder of All India Gorkha League chief Madan Tamang.

Gurung's counsel Milan Mukherjee submitted before Chief Sessions Judge Kundan Kumar Kumai that specific proof has to be provided by the prosecutor even for framing of charges against an accused.

Hearing in the matter was adjourned for the day and would resume tomorrow.

The city sessions court is hearing arguments for framing of charges against 46 accused for criminal conspiracy and murder of Tamang.

Mukherjee dismissed as was baseless the prosecution's claim that Gurung had along with other GJM leaders conspired to kill Tamang. He claimed that the CBI has not been able to provide any proof.

"The CBI has claimed that Kalia, who had allegedly attacked Tamang with a sharp weapon, was Gurung's bodyguard. But just being seen beside him at some public rallies does not mean he was the bodyguard, he can be a party supporter," Mukherjee submitted.

Gurung and some other GJM leaders accused in the murder were allegedly in Kalimpong when Tamang was killed in Darjeeling on May 21, 2010.

According to Mukherjee, though it has been claimed that mobile phones of some leaders including Gurung were under surveillance, the prosecutors have not submitted any transcript



of alleged conversations among them to prove that they had conspired to get Tamang killed.

Claiming that five years of investigation by the premier agency has produced only hypothesis and unsubstantiated allegations, Mukherjee prayed that it is a case of no-evidence against Gurung and some others whom he represented.

The CBI has prayed for framing of charges against the accused, among whom are the top brass of the GJM, including its president Bimal Gurung, his wife and GJM women's wing chief Asha, Roshan Giri, Col (retd) Ramesh Alley, former MLA Harka Bahadur Chetri, Binay Tamang and Rabin Subba.

The CBI has claimed that the murder was a premeditated one to prevent any other political party from holding meetings or rallies in Darjeeling hills, where GJM held sway through coercive measures.

Tamang was attacked with sharp weapons when he was overseeing preparations for a public meeting at Clubside in the heart of Darjeeling town on May 21, 2010 and was declared brought dead at the sadar hospital there.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The city police today told the Delhi High Court that there was no threat perception to AAP leader Ashish Khetan, who had alleged death threats from right-wing organisations.

The court, however, asked the police to file a status report on Khetan's complaint and communicate the same to him.

A bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar made it clear that it could not frame guidelines to be adopted by probe agencies for dealing with such complaints as it was an exercise to be done by the police.

"We also do not take cognisance of the complaint in this regard. We cannot frame guidelines, it is their exercise. They have their own procedure for citizens who have threat perception," it said and listed the matter for November 28.

The bench stated that even judiciary was dependent on the police for security of judges.

"They are the ones who provide all kinds of arms and ammunitions. They are doing it," it said.

During the hearing, the police informed the bench that it had received Khetan's complaint which had been forwarded to the special cell, and as of now they had not been able to trace the source of the alleged threat letter sent to him.

"As of now, there is no threat perception to him," Delhi Police counsel Gautam Narayan told the court.

The counsel for Khetan argued the police should at least imform the AAP leader about the status of his complaint.

The high court had earlier asked the Centre and Delhi Police to inform it about the system adopted in assessing the threat perception of an individual seeking security.

Khetan had also sought framing of guidelines to be adopted by probe agencies for dealing with such complaints.

The Supreme Court had earlier refused to interfere in the matter and transferred the plea to the high court.

The AAP leader's counsel had said neither the police nor its chief had responded to his complaint despite Khetan having a rank of a cabinet minister. Nobody had given him a hearing, he had said.

"All I am asking is that these threats should be investigated. Such threats are coming due to the atmosphere nowadays," the petition has said.

Khetan had moved the apex court on May 24 and sought protection alleging threats.

He had said that on May 9, he received a threat letter written in Hindi at his office stating that his death was imminent.

"The language and content of this letter is similar to the threatening article published by Sanatan Prabhat against Narendra Dabholkar, both before and after he was killed.

"The threat is a chilling reminder of the growing confidence of the anti-national and fascist forces who want to exterminate all dissenting voices," the plea has alleged.

Khetan, who is the vice chairman of the Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi, had sought a ban on right- wing organisation, Sanatan Sanstha, and a CBI probe monitored by the court into the alleged death threat.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 31-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh, who had come to Mumbai for an interview, was allegedly molested by an Ola cab driver in Shivaji Park area here, police said today.

Cab driver Arun Matashankar Tiwari (38) was arrested late last night.

The alleged incident took place yesterday afternoon when the victim booked an Ola cab in suburban Marol to go to Parel in central Mumbai, senior police inspector Gangadhar Sonawane told PTI.

While the victim sat next to the driver, another woman, sharing the ride, sat in the rear seat. After the other woman got down, Tiwari slowed down the cab and struck conversation with the victim.

Moments later, he unzipped his pants and engaged in an obscene act, the victim told police.

She immediately asked him to stop and got down, and went to the Shivaji Park police station.

A case under section 354 (outraging woman's modesty) and 354 (A) (sexual harassment) was registered against the driver. To nab him, police booked his cab through the Ola app and arrested him when he arrived to pick up the passenger.

An Ola spokesperson said the company has "zero-tolerance" for such behaviour, and it blacklisted the driver as soon as the incident was reported.

"We have extended full support to the customer and relevant authorities for further investigation," the spokesperson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The opposition today demanded in the Assembly that the government withdraw the proposed land acquisition amendment bill, 2013, Jharkhand Religious Independence Bill, 2017 and other controversial bills to run the House smoothly.

As soon as the House convened after an hour's adjournment in the morning session following a ruckus over these bills, the Leader of Opposition, Hemant Soren, demanded that the government withdraw these bills along with the controversial CNT/SPT amendment acts, while initiating a discussion in the Assembly on the issue of smooth running of the House.

Soren, working president of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), alleged that the state government has 'hijacked' the House and it is trying to run the show according to its 'whims and fancies'.

Giving the example of passage of the controversial CNT/SPT acts in November last year, Soren said that because of the alleged unilateral approach of the state government, the opposition had no option but to protest inside and outside the House on the issue, and ultimately as per his own assessment Governor Droupadi Murmu had returned both the bills because of the statewide protest against them.

Marxist Coordination Committee MLA Arup Chatterjee, Bhanu Pratap Sahi of Nau Jawan Sangharh Morcha and Gita Koda of the Jai Bharat Samanta Party urged to allow the smooth functioning of the House.

Chatterjee and Sahi made special mention of the issues of common people and said that they could not be raised for about a year due to obstruction of the question hour. They said at least it should be unanimously decided today that the question hour, zero hour and point of information should never be disrupted.

Urban Development Minister C P Singh, who was a former Speaker, stressed that in a Parliamentary democracy the Treasury benches and the opposition both have equal rights as all the MLAs represent the people and they are elected by the people of their respective constituencies.

Singh said that the frequent disruption of the House was not proper. He alleged that on several issues the opposition created din even without having any understanding the issue itself.

The chief whip of the BJP in the House, Radhakrishna Kishore alleged that because of the stubborn approach of the opposition the assembly could not function properly for the last three sessions.

Kishore said that according to the rules of the House the issues, which were not in the agenda of the day cannot be raised to disrupt even the question hour.

He said that the government has proposed to bring the Land Acquisition Amendment Act 2013 and Religious Independence Bill, 2017 in the interest of the people of the state and the opposition should let the House discuss and debate the bills threadbare, so that appropriate amendments and changes could be made to the proposed bills.

The Treasury benches are prepared for debate each and every issue on the floor of the House. And the opposition should not shy away from debate, he said.

Later, speaking to reporters, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saryu Roy said that the leader of the opposition, Hemant Soren, should withdraw the comment of 'hijack' of the House as the allegation pertains to the Speaker's ability to run the House impartially and smoothly.

Roy said that the comments of the leader of the opposition are against the respect of the House.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Japanese tech major Panasonic expects a revenue of Rs 2,000 crore from its smartphone business this year as it revamps operations by launching new devices and undertakes aggressive marketing.

The company plans to launch as many as 28 devices this year, priced in the range of Rs 6,000 to Rs 20,000.

"We ended our partnership with Jaina in April and are now pursuing the smartphone business on our own. Last few months have been spent on preparing for the launch and now we are ready to bring in the best products for Indian customers," Panasonic India Business Head Mobility Division Pankaj Rana told PTI.

He added that the company is targeting the youth with its smartphone offerings so as to convert them into buyers of its consumer durables range also.

Panasonic has also roped in actor Taapsee Pannu as brand ambassador, along with Varun Dhawan, for the smartphone vertical.

"We will launch 28 smartphones this year. About 20 will be offline and rest will be online. In the next 30-40 days, we will bring in 11 of these into the offline market," Rana said.

Panasonic has been trying to make inroads into the hyper competitive Indian smartphone market but has not met much success.

India is one of the world's fastest growing smartphone markets. Driven by increasing data consumption and falling data prices, a huge number of feature phone users are also migrating to smartphones and seek affordable devices.

According to research firm IDC, 27 million smartphones were shipped to India in the January-March quarter of 2017. Samsung led the market with 28.1 per cent share, while Xiaomi and Vivo had 14.2 per cent and 10.5 per cent share respectively. Lenovo had 9.5 per cent, while Oppo had 9.3 per cent share in the said quarter.

"We are not running after market share. We are working on strengthening our brand presence and delivering quality products to customers. This year, we hope to get Rs 2,000 crore in revenue from the smartphone business," he said.

Rana added that last year, the smartphone business had revenue of about Rs 1,400 crore.

He said the company expects tier II and III cities to account for major chunk of the sales, especially states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal.

Panasonic will also use its 250 exclusive retail counters that sell its other products to showcase its handsets.

"Apart from the exclusive counters, we are working with distributors across states and large format retail stores to reach customers," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A number of companies, including Parsvnath Developers, JKumar Infraprojects and Prakash Industries, today moved the Securities Appellate Tribunal against Sebi classifying them as "shell companies", contesting that their businesses are legitimate.

Defending the move, Sebi said it took the action after receiving the list of companies from the corporate affairs ministry.

Several other firms are expected to take similar recourse to challenge the market regulator's decision asking stock exchanges to restrict trading in 331 firms for being "suspected shell companies".

JKumar Infraprojects and Prakash Industries told the SAT that their businesses are legitimate and that they are not shell companies.

The tribunal asked Sebi as to why the matter was not investigated before issuing the circular.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) told the tribunal that it got the information from the corporate affairs ministry and subsequently asked the exchanges to investigate and take action.

The hearing at the tribunal has been adjourned till tomorrow.

Observing that Sebi received the list of companies on June 9 and the circular was issued on August 7, the SAT asked the regulator whether investigation was carried out in the intervening period.

The regulator is expected to give its reply tomorrow.

The term 'shell company' is not defined under the Companies Act but Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley had told the Lok Sabha recently that many such entities have been found to be indulging in large scale tax violations.

Contrary to general perception, shell companies are apparently being referenced here for those suspected to have indulged in abetment of tax evasion and money laundering activities post demonetisation, including through share dealings, regulatory sources said.

Many of those stocks also saw huge jump in their prices and volumes after demonetisation in November last year.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said 37,000 shell companies indulging in tax evasion had been detected and more than three lakh firms were under the scanner for suspicious dealings after demonetisation.

Sebi has asked the exchanges to restrict trading in shares of 331 "suspected shell companies", some of which have investments by several well-known domestic and foreign investors.

Out of the 331 companies, shares of more than 160 firms are actively traded on the exchanges.

"We have filed an appeal before SAT. Our plea is to set aside the Sebi order. We are not a shell company and we have complied with all the rules and regulations and not evaded any tax," Parsvnath chairman Pradeep Jain said.

On Tuesday, many of the companies tagged annual reports and other financials along with their filings to press upon the exchanges that they are not shell companies and are in compliance with all regulations.

"We are shocked to find our company's name amongst the list of suspected shell companies as a result of which, our equity shares...Are being shifted to GSM VI on the stock exchanges.

"As a result, our company's securities may be traded only once in a month on a trade to trade basis and Sebi has envisaged a "financial audit" thereby implicitly castigating us and tarnishing our reputation," Parsvnath had said.

Similarly, J Kumar Infraprojects had said it is not a shell company and suspicion of the regulator is uncalled for.

Prakash Industries had also said that directions issued by Sebi are "totally devoid of merit and uncalled for. Besides, there has never been a occasion when our company has indulged in any kind of malpractices in stock market".

In a communication sent to the BSE, the NSE and the Metropolitan Stock Exchange on Monday, Sebi had asked them to keep the 331 shares in stage six of the Graded Surveillance Mechanism (GSM) with immediate effect.

These entities would be subject to independent audit and if required, forensic audits could also be initiated to check their credentials.

Apart from initiating a "process of verifying the credentials/fundamentals of such companies", the exchanges have also been asked to appoint an independent auditor to carry out audit of these entities. If necessary, even forensic audit could be ordered to verify their credentials and fundamentals.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress leader Ahmed Patel's "historic" victory in the Rajya Sabha poll in Gujarat has "rejuvenated" the Congress party, Goa state unit president Shantaram Naik said here today.

"I would say that the victory of Ahmed Patel is historic. For the last several days, they (Congress MLAs in Gujarat) withstood the gimmicks of the BJP," Naik told reporters.

Patel retained his Rajya Sabha seat in the dramatic election, results of which were announced late night by the Election Commission.

"Patel's victory has rejuvenated the Congress party across the country," he said.

Referring to the 75th anniversary of Quit India movement, Naik said, "It was the Congress which had been at the forefront of Quit India movement. In contrast, the party which is in power in Goa and rest of the country always colluded with the British...They have no right to teach us anything on freedom or on running the country. The BJP leaders should understand that their ancestors had betrayed the country".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar was arrested today when she was on her way to Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh to meet the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) oustees, the police said.

"We have arrested her as she insisted on going back to meet the oustees. We have told her that it is not possible to allow her to go to Dhar as section 144, CrPc has been imposed in the area," Ajay Sharma, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Indore range, said.

The police stopped Patkar and informed her that she could not proceed to Dhar, but as she refused to relent, she was placed under arrest at the border of Indore and Dhar districts, and subsequently, taken to Dhar, he added.

"We will ask her to furnish a bond stating that section 144 will not be violated. If she furnishes it, we will release her," the ADGP said.

Subsequently, Patkar was produced before a sub-divisional judicial magistrate at Dhar who sent her to jail.

Patkar (62) and 11 others were forcibly removed from Chikhalda in Dhar on August 7, where they were staging an indefinite fast demanding a proper rehabilitation of the oustees, and were admitted in different hospitals.

Earlier in the day, Patkar was discharged from a private hospital in Indore after her condition improved.

After she was discharged from the Bombay Hospital, Patkar said her indefinite fast would continue.

Patkar (62) and the other activists have been fasting for 14 days.

"Medicines were administered through drips to the fasting agitators in various hospitals but none of us has eaten food so far. We demand the oustees be allowed to stay in their original dwellings till proper arrangements are made for their rehabilitation," Patkar, who came out of the hospital on a wheelchair, told reporters.

She claimed that the process of rehabilitation of the displaced people in the Narmada valley was yet to be completed.

"At many places, even drinking water is not available. But the state government is insisting the people to go to these places. This situation is not acceptable to the oustees and therefore, they continue to stay put at their original dwellings," she added.

Patkar said a special leave petition (SLP) came up before the Supreme Court yesterday, but it was dismissed as a related case was pending before the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

"The hearing in the case is scheduled tomorrow in the high court. On behalf of the dam oustees, we appeal to the judiciary to deliver justice in the matter," she added.

Patkar termed as "incorrect" Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's "claims" that different decisions of the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal on the issue of rehabilitation were being followed by his government.

"The state government is just making announcements, statements and giving out figures, but is doing nothing on the issue," she alleged.

Asked about her future course of action, the activist said a plan to stage a "big agitation" would be finalised soon.

Patkar alleged that after her removal from the site of the fast, she was kept in an "illegal" custody in the hospital.

"I was allowed to meet only two-three persons. They also did not allow me to use my mobile phone," she claimed.

However, Indore Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Dube dismissed Patkar's charge.

"Every hospital has its own rules. In view of the health condition of the patient, the management did not allow every visitor to go to the ICU (where Patkar was admitted). Still, some were allowed to meet her," he said.

Dube said Patkar was admitted in the hospital on a written advice of doctors that her life was in danger due to the fast.

Thousands of families, living along the banks of the Narmada river in Barwani, Dhar, Alirajpur and Khargone districts of Madhya Pradesh, are at the risk of getting displaced with the closing of the gates of the Sardar Sarovar dam in neighbouring Gujarat and the resultant rise in the water level in its catchment area.

The Centre recently gave the nod for closing the gates of the dam.

The dam is likely to be filled to its capacity by August-end.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Disney Sued for Spying on Kids With Apps

The Child Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) makes it illegal for app developers and third-parties to obtain the personal information of children under 13 years of age without first obtaining verifiable consent from their parents. The law was designed to keep companies from tracking kids online and targeting ads to unsuspecting children.

But a San Francisco mother claims Disney is using over 40 apps to spy on children, secretly collecting their personal information and sharing data illegally with advertisers. So is Disney really tracking your kids online? And if so, which apps do you need to look out for?

A COPPA Tea

Under COPPA:

It is unlawful for an operator of a website or online service directed to children, or any operator that has actual knowledge that it is collecting personal information from a child, to collect personal information from a child [without] provid[ing] notice on the website of what information is collected from children by the operator, how the operator uses such information, and the operator's disclosure practices for such information; and ... obtain[ing] verifiable parental consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information from children.

According to Amanda Rushing's class action lawsuit, filed on behalf of her child, Disney and app developers use software development kits (SDK) to collect "persistent identifiers," like unique numbers linked to a specific mobile device. "These persistent identifiers allow SDK providers to detect a child's activity across multiple apps and platforms on the internet, and across different devices," the complaint alleges, "effectively providing a full chronology of the child's actions across devices and apps. This information is then sold to various third-parties who sell targeted online advertising."

App-ocalypse Now

Along with Disney Princess Palace Pets, which Rushing claims her child was playing, the lawsuit alleges Disney collected persistent identifiers with the following apps and games:

AvengersNet, Beauty and the Beast: Perfect Match, Cars Lightening League, Club Penguin Island, Color by Disney, Disney Color and Play, Disney Crossy Road, Disney Dream Treats, Disney Emoji Blitz, Disney Gif, Disney Jigsaw Puzzle!, Disney LOL, Disney Princess: Story Theater, Disney Store Become, Disney Story Central, Disney's Magic Timer by Oral-B, Disney Princess: Charmed Adventures, Dodo Pop, Disney Build It Frozen, DuckTales: Remastered, Frozen Free Fall, Frozen Free Fall: Icy Shot, Good Dinosaur Storybook Deluxe, Inside Out Thought Bubbles, Maleficent Free Fall, Miles from Tomorrowland: Missions, Moana Island Life, Olaf's Adventures, Palace Pets in Whisker Haven, Sofia the First Color and Play, Sofia the First Secret Library, Star Wars: Puzzle Droids, Star Wars: Commander, Temple Run: Oz, Temple Run: Brave, The Lion Guard, Toy Story: Story Theater, Where's My Water?, Where's My Mickey?, Where's My Water? 2, Where's My Water? Lite/ Where's My Water? Free, Zootopia Crime Files: Hidden Object

Recent guidance from the FTC suggests that persistent identifiers do qualify as personal information under the statute. But Disney told the Hollywood Reporter it "has a robust COPPA compliance program, and ... maintain[s] strict data collection and use policies for Disney apps created for children and families."

Related Resources:
Chennai Police have filed a case in connection with the online abuse of a woman journalist by alleged fans of top Tamil actor Vijay after she made some comments about his film, even as the star urged that no such campaign should be carried out against women.

City Police filed the case against two or more Twitter handles, and invoked various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), Information Technology Act 2000 and TN Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 2002.

Sections such as 'stalking' and 'criminal intimidation' were invoked against two Twitter handles.

Earlier, the journalist Dhanya Rajendran, editor-in-chief of an online portal, had preferred a complaint with the city police and its Central Crime Branch today filed the FIR.

She had earned the wrath of self-professed Vijay fans after she made some critical remarks against one of his films in a recent tweet while talking about the latest Shah Rukh Khan starer 'When Harry Met Sejal.'



Rajendran had to face a volley of abuse from various Twitter users who were allegedly fans of actor Vijay, who has a number of hits under his belt.

Responding to the incident, the journalist said she could be criticised for her work or "question my ethics", but that use of abuse and sexual threats were not proper.

"I may have done a lot of things you don't like or do not appreciate. You don't like my stories, jokes or plain stupid stuff I did. Criticise me, question my ethics... But please never use that to support abuse and sexual threats in any way. By doing that, we strengthen anonymous mobs," she wrote on her Facebook page.

Meanwhile, actor Vijay, currently shooting for his film 'Mersal', said everybody had a right to criticise films.

"I respect women in society. Anybody has the freedom of expression to criticise anybody's film. My opinion is that maligning or making slanderous comments against women should not be made," he said in a statement.

Womanhood should be praised, he said, and urged that no comments "hurting anybody" and women in particular, should be published online.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Ram Nath Kovind today felicitated 93 freedom fighters from across the country at his first 'At Home', presenting each of them with a gift that carried a personalised message from him, a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman said.

The President of the country hosts a function today on the anniversary of the Quit India Movement. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the movement, which called for an end to British rule in India.

The President's press secretary, Ashok Malik, said in a statement that each of the freedom fighters was gifted an electric kettle with a personalised message from Kovind.

"I extend warm greetings to you on the 75th Anniversary of the Quit India Movement. The nation is proud of our freedom fighters and salutes them. This small token is our people's appreciation of your successful struggle against colonialism. I wish you happiness, good health and a long life," was the President's message on each gift.

The function was attended by outgoing Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other dignitaries.

The President also released a set of eight commemorative postage stamps to mark the occasion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other government agencies had made elaborate arrangements to ensure that the Maratha community's morcha in Mumbai passed off smoothly.

Anticipating a large gathering of the community members, the Mumbai civic body had made arrangements to provide water, emergency medical help as well as of mobile toilets.

"Our administration made arrangements by putting mobile toilets and medical vans at important locations across the city, besides providing water tankers.

"BMC made another gate for entry and exit for smooth movement of the crowd at the protest site in Azad Maidan," said a civic official.

Since a large number of vehicles came to the city from Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur, Raigad, and Satara districts traffic movement during the peak hours was affected, said officials.

Taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers were advised not to ply in the area from where the morcha was supposed to pass.

A L Quadros, head of Mumbai Taximen's Union said, "We have asked our drivers to avoid plying in areas from where the morcha was to pass."



In a bid to facilitate smooth flow of vehicles, the Mumbai traffic police blocked certain roads leading to south Mumbai, the site of the protest and diverted traffic between Byculla and Mumbai Central to CST and Churchgate.

The Central Railway too had made special arrangements to clear the extra rush after the protest was over.

Additional suburban services were pressed into service from 2 pm, said a railway official.

Chief spokesperson of the CR Sunil Udasi said, "Passengers are being regularly informed about our services at all the stations. We ran special local trains in the afternoon as we run during the peak hours. We have also deployed additional RPF jawans at all important stations."



Sitaram (45), one of the participant in the Maratha morcha, who came from the Sangali district, said, "I am happy with the arrangements. But we want justice for our Maratha Samaj. Therefore, our struggle and arrangement made by the administration will be successful only when our demands are met."



A few participants opted to visit the Gateway of India, after the morcha.

Thirty-two year old Prasad Chavan who came from Nanded said, "Today was the big day of my life as I got a chance to become part of this historic rally besides, I also got to see the Gateway (of India) today which was a long-pending wish.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court today pulled up the Public Works Department (PWD) of the state government for the use of manual scavengers by contractors in de-silting drains.

A bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and S P Garg asked the PWD how it had allowed the prohibited activity of manual scavenging and why it was not supervising the work of its contractors.

It asked the PWD to compile data on the number of manual scavengers being used by contractors and how it planned to deal with the problem. Three sanitation workers died of asphyxiation while cleaning a drain in Delhi last week.

The Delhi government department also faced flak from the court for the alleged levelling and encroachment of the Kushak storm water drain under the Barapullah flyover here.

The bench told the PWD to initiate immediate action to remove all encroachments as well as buses parked there.

The court was also displeased with the conflicting statements made before it by the PWD, which earlier said work on the Barapullah bridge would be finished by the end of June 2017, which it later extended to July 2017. Today, the department said work would be over by December 31.

"Can you do one thing correctly? Can you set a timeline and stick to it," the court asked the department.

The court also pulled up municipal corporations for not filing data on the number of safai karamchaaris employed by them. The court had sought the data in May this year.

It directed the corporations to submit the information before the next date of hearing on August 16.

Directions were also issued to the Delhi Jal Board to give an action plan addressing the issue of untreated sewage flowing into the Yamuna.

During the hearing, the court commissioner appointed by the bench drew its attention to manual scavengers who, without proper equipment, were made to de-silt drains opening into the Kushak drain.

The commissioner and some of the residents of the adjoining areas also informed the bench about the alleged levelling of the land under the entire stretch of the bridge.

They alleged the levelling was being permitted to allow encroachments and added that buses were being parked there.

The court commissioner said the debris had not been removed completely as was ordered by the bench on the last date of hearing on July 25.

The court had then pulled up the civic bodies for the "dismal" state of the Kushak drain and directed the removal of debris within three days.

The court's directions came on a PIL initiated by it in 2012 on the issue of water-logging in the South Extension Part II area and in which it had passed orders from time to time to the PWD to clear rubble from the Kushak nullah.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Rajya Sabha today witnessed heated exchanges between the government and the opposition over whether to take up legislative business or debating the Chandigarh stalking case and printing of differently-sized new currency notes, leading to its adjournment for the day.

The House, which had earlier seen a discussion on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, witnessed two adjournments as the opposition and the treasury benches stuck to their respective stands before the Chair called it a day.

While the government wanted to push the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill for consideration and passage, the Congress-led opposition members wanted to discuss the contentious issue of Chandigarh stalking case and discrepancies in the printing of new currency notes.

Consensus eluded on running of the House even after the leaders of the two sides met in the presence of Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to break the deadlock.

Those who attended the meeting after the second adjournment included Union Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Ravi Shankar Prasad, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Jairam Ramesh and Kumari Selja.

Naqvi later said in the House that the Congress party had agreed to take up legislative business first and later discuss the issues raised by them and claimed that the Congress party was "now retracting from its commitment".

He said the government understood the opposition's intention that they would first discuss the issues they are raising and then walk out of the House so that the bill is not passed.

Prasad repeatedly stressed that the Banking Regulation Bill was "very important and pro-poor" and would empower the RBI to ask banks to initiate proceedings against bad loans.

However, the opposition members did not relent and stuck to their stand on discussing the issues first and then taking up the legislative business.

Pressing for a discussion on their issues including the Chandigarh stalking incident, the opposition members led by those from the Congress trooped into the well, raising anti- government slogans.

They also raised slogans against the BJP on the matter related to stalking of a girl in Chandigarh by the son of a Haryana BJP leader.

Congress deputy leader Anand Sharma said Chandigarh being a Union Territory was directly administered by the Home Minister who should come to the House and give a statement on the issue.

Terming the banking bill as important one, Sharma said that "Please do not pass it in the din."



D Raja of CPI also said no bill should be passed in the din.

Kurien then said if the House was always witnessing a pandemonium, "what can the Chair do".

Pressing for a discussion on the issues raised by the opposition, Sharma said tomorrow the new chairman of the House will join and there would be no time for a discussion on the bill.

Selja said the government was protecting the accused in the stalking case and trying to push matter under the carpet.

Even after intervention by Kurien, both sides remained defiant on their respective stands, leading to the premature adjournment of the House for the day.

Earlier initiating the discussion, senior congress leader Kapil Sibal gave a notice to suspend legislative business in and take up the matter related to discrepency in the sizes of the new currency notes being printed.

"We are confronted with a very serious issue...We have discovered differently-sized notes in the public domain. We would like to know what is going on? Who is printing these notes," Sibal said.

His notice was however rejected by the Deputy Speaker.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today alleged that there was "jungle raj" in Punjab and paraded 58 persons claiming that they are victims of Congress' "oppression".

"Punjab is descending into jungle raj under the Congress government because its leaders were unleashing terror against political opponents," SAD leaders Daljit Singh Cheema and Bikram Singh Majithia said here.

Both the leaders presented 58 persons who they claimed are alleged victims of Congress "oppression" before media here.

The two leaders said there was a clear cut pattern to "punish" people who had voted against the Congress by registering non-bailable cases against them.

"Many such cases have come to the notice of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal during his 'jabar virodhi lehar' visit to Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency recently. But we feel this is a pan-Punjab epidemic," they said.

The two leaders said that they will not let this conspiracy succeed. "We will present the entire list of cases as well as victims before the state police chief," they said.

They urged the police chief to act in a non-partisan manner and give justice to the victims and also take action against SHOs who are "dancing" to the tune of Congress leaders and "implicating innocents in false cases".

Majithia said that if this is not done, then they will approach courts and demand a CBI inquiry into the entire list of politically motivated cases being registered under the Congress regime.

He alleged that in Tarn Taran, Congress "goons" supported by local legislator Ramanjit Sikki had forcibly taken possession of 16 kanal of land belonging to an Army jawan who is posted in Jammu and Kashmir.

Majithia alleged even wards of freedom fighters were not being spared with one such person, a resident of Madhir village in Muktsar district, being "tortured in lock up" at the insistence of Congress legislator Amarinder Raja Warring.

"The only fault of the young person was that he had given an application detailing how the pond in his village had been encroached by Congress workers," he said.

He said this case and many others were endemic of the manner in which Congress MLAs and constituency in-charges were terrorising their political opponents.

However, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had been maintaining that his government is not implicating political opponents in false cases.

Later in the evening, a SAD delegation submitted a list of "false politically motivated cases" registered at the instance of Congress leaders in Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency to Punjab police chief Suresh Arora and asked him to get all these cases examined so that justice could be served to the victims of Congress "repression".

The delegation, which included Cheema, Majithia, Suchha Singh Langah and Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal, told the DGP that Congress leaders were "misusing" the police force at the lower level to get cases registered against their political opponents.

Arora assured the delegation that he would get all the cases looked into "immediately".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mumbai's Azad Maidan turned into a sea of saffron today as thousands of people demanding reservations for the Maratha community gathered in what was their 58th protest in a year.

Wearing saffron caps and carrying flags, the protesters walked down south Mumbai's JJ flyover, which was closed for vehicular traffic, winding their way to the protest venue.

At the Jijamata Udyan, where the Maratha Morcha began at 11 AM, protesters tore banners put up by the Shiv Sena, stressing that they did not want any "political interference".

Rajya Sabha member Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje told reporters at Azad Maidan he was participating in the march not as a Member of Parliament but as an "ordinary member" of the Maratha community.

Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh also voiced his support to the protest march with a late night tweet.

"Ek Maratha, Lakh Maratha," the actor tweeted in Marathi, referring to a popular slogan.

At Azad Maidan, a Morcha participant -- dressed like Chhatrapati Shivaji -- was heard extolling the virtues of a "government of the people and for the people", as practised by the Maratha king.

Ishanvi Deshmukh, a three-year-old girl, impressed the gathering with a well-memorised speech seeking reservations for the Maratha community.

Some residents of Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district, where the brutal rape and murder in July 2016 of a 14-year-old girl belonging to the community triggered massive protests across the state, also participated in today's Morcha.

Also present at the venue was Manohar Anandrao Patil from Latur district, who said he had participated in all the 58 Maratha morchas till date.

The first protest was held in Aurangabad on August 9 last year.

Another protester came to the venue in the attire of a farmer in distress, with a noose dangling from his neck.

"This is an attempt to draw the government's attention to the plight of farmers," he said.

All parking areas in Navi Mumbai were full as Morcha participants coming from across Maharashtra parked their vehicles on vacant lots.

The protesters have been demanding reservation in jobs and educational institutions for members of the Maratha community, punishment for culprits in the Kopardi case and loan waivers for farmers.




The Supreme Court today sought a senior law officer's assistance in deciding whether the CCTV cameras installed in court rooms should be allowed to record the audio of the proceedings.

A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar told Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh that he has been appointed amicus curiae (friend of the court) to assist it in the matter.

The apex court had on March 28 directed installation of CCTV cameras, without audio, in at least two districts in every state and Union Territory.

It had made it clear that the CCTV footages would not be available under the the Right to Information Act and would not be given to anyone without the permission of the high court concerned.

The bench said it would hear a petition filed in this regard on August 14.

The apex court had earlier directed that CCTV cameras be installed in the court rooms within three months.

The Centre had told the court that audio-video recordings could contribute to transparency in judicial proceedings.

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Scientists across the country marched on the streets today, urging the government to stop the "propagation of unscientific and obscurantist ideas".

The "March for Science", held in 27 cities, also urged the government to allocate at least 3 per cent of the country's GDP to scientific and technological research.

The RSS-linked science organisation Vijnana Bharati dubbed the march "politically motivated, left-oriented and "anti-government".

In Delhi, some 400-500 scientists, researchers, students and others took part in the rally from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar.

Vinay Kumar, a mathematics professor at the Zakir Hussain College here and a part of the Delhi Organising Committee, said a memorandum with a set of demands had been submitted to the Prime Minister's Office.

"Allocate at least 3 per cent of GDP to scientific and technological research and 10 per cent towards education. Stop the propagation of unscientific, obscurantist ideas and religious intolerance, and develop scientific temper, human values and spirit of enquiry," the memorandum said.

It urged the government to "ensure that the education system imparts only ideas that are supported by scientific evidence and enact policies based on evidence-based science".

In Mumbai, some 250 scientists, educationists and others participated in the march from Wilson College to Azad Maidan.

Aniket Sule, an astrophysicist by training and educationist with the Mumbai-based Homi Bhabha Centre for Science, denounced the "propagation of pseudo-science under the pretext of research" and expressed concern at the government's emphasis on Panchgavya, a concoction of cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd and ghee.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has formed a 19- member panel to study the benefits of Panchgayva. The panel will shortlist projects for research.

"We have demanded that this pseduo-science be stopped under the name of research on Panchgavya and cow urine. Science should be evidence-based," Sule told PTI.

Vijnana Bharati secretary general A Jaykumar described the protest march as "shocking" and said "renowned intellectuals" were not only "diminishing the reputation of the government, but that of the scientific fraternity".

He said the budgetary allocations for the Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Science had not been reduced.

"It was Rs 6275 crore in 2013-14 and in 2016-2017, it was increased to Rs 8100 crore. We urged the scientific community not to fall prey to a false campaign devoid of facts and against science and scientists in India," he said.

India spent about 0.88 per cent of its GDP on research and development in 2011-12, compared to US's 2.79 per cent and South Korea's 3.36 per cent.

The march -- held in Bengaluru, Mysore, Pune, Lucknow and other cities -- was initiated by breakthrough-india.Org, a science portal, Sule said. But the cities had their separate chapters which organised the protests, he said.

The Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), under CSIR, Ministry of Science and Technology, had sent out an email asking its scientists not to attend the march.

When contacted, IGIB Director Sanjay Kumar said this was done because of security concerns.

"Some scientists wrote to me asking for my permission to participate in the march. How will I allow them to participate when there is a mob? It was done due to security concern," Kumar said.

On April 22, 2017, more than one million people in over 600 cities around the world participated in a similar protest.

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The Delhi High Court today urged the police to "secure each woman to the extent you secure us (judges)", and said it was "willing to forsake" its own security for safety on university campuses.

The remarks by a bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Najmi Waziri came while it was hearing a plea initiated by it on an alleged assault on the Dean and professors of the Delhi University's Law Faculty by some students last year.

The bench said "a sense of security" was missing on the campus of Delhi University (DU), especially among women and students, and directed the police to ensure that people felt safe there.

It chastised the police for taking over one year to lodge FIRs in connection with the incidents of violence against the faculty and directed it to ensure there was no recurrence.

The police should also ensure that its staff does not tell victims of such an incident to "live with it" or that "it happens".

"We are not interested in how you do it. We are interested in the results, that women and others feel secure while moving around the campus. The Constitution empowers you (police) to ensure the safety of the people. We don't need to tell you what the Constitution says. So just do it," the bench said.

It went on to add, "Secure each woman to the extent that you secure us. We are willing to forsake our security. We want university campuses to be safe and secure."



The court told the police that certain crimes such as molestation and eve-teasing were "endemic" and these could be prevented if the agency knew where such offences were rife.

It said lack of immediate action by the police was the reason why people took to such crimes and this had to change.

The bench appointed an amicus curiae to assist it in determining the causes of such "unsavoury incidents", the "systemic failure" as well as "the complicity of the officials of the Delhi police and DU".

It said the amicus curiae would also "consider necessary steps and guidelines to be framed to ameliorate the sense of security in DU, especially in the Law Centre, to prevent the recurrence of such unpleasant incidents".

The court asked the police to expedite its probe in the matter and file an affidavit before the next date of hearing on September 26.

Law Faculty Dean Ved Kumari had earlier told the court that during the alleged violence against her and other professors, police officers present there were like "silent spectators" and did not lodge an FIR on the grounds that no complaint was received.

She also said there had been lawlessness on the campus for the past one year and complaints to the police had not been acted on.

The first alleged incident of violence took place on May 19 last year when Law Faculty students were protesting at not being allowed to sit for semester examinations because of a shortage of attendance.

Similar incidents of unruly behaviour had occurred in November and December last year.

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Ko Ko Gyi, 88-Generation students leader, said, I would like to use a giant multi-coloured panoramic picture as a metaphor [for the 8-8-88 pro-democracy uprising]. We should not say the giant picture was painted by only one person, only one party, or only one group. Those who took part in the uprising are coloured dots in the picture. I also took part as a dot in this giant panoramic picture.

Ah Yine, comedian and actor commented, Whoever did it [whoever launched the crackdown], may be inferior officers or other people, a leader must must say he did it if he is an accountable leader. Im still displeased until today for their lack of accountability.

Min Zayya, 88-generation student leader, remembers the period vividly, The 8888 period was like a front where fighting between armed soldiers and unarmed people took place. I also witnessed the hell. I saw the roads stained by blood. I saw many scenes of people running in fear for their lives, screaming and crying. I witnessed the scenes in which people were shot dead, and I heard many similar stories. If I have to say frankly, I was lucky to survive.

The uprising ended on 18 September, after a bloody military coup by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). Thousands of deaths have been attributed to the military during this uprising, while authorities in Myanmar put the figure at around 350 people killed.
Senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav today congratulated Congress' Ahmed Patel for winning the election to a Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat, "in spite of the toughest hurdles".

"Heartiest congratulations on your victory in Rajya Sabha election in spite of toughest hurdles. Wish you all success in your career (sic)," he wrote on Twitter.

Yadav also posted a photograph of his with Patel, the political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, on the microblogging website.

Apparently charting a different path vis-a-vis his party, the senior JD(U) leader is scheduled to embark on a three-day tour of Bihar from tomorrow to have a "direct dialogue" with the people.

His congratulatory message to Patel assumes significance at a time, when the JD(U) has joined hands with the BJP to form the government in Bihar.

Yadav's message comes in the backdrop of reports of the lone JD(U) MLA in the Gujarat Assembly, Chhotu Vasava, voting for Patel, notwithstanding the fact that his party is in a coalition with the BJP in Bihar.

The JD(U) had last night removed Arun Shrivastav, a close confidante of Yadav, from the post of party general secretary for writing "without authorisation" to the returning officer of the Gujarat Assembly, appointing an election agent for the Rajya Sabha poll.

Yadav, who is a Rajya Sabha member from Bihar, has posted the details of his three-day tour of the eastern state on his Twitter handle.

After he lost to Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav from the Madhepura Lok Sabha seat in 2014, the JD(U) had sent Yadav to the Upper House of Parliament last year.

Yadav's Bihar tour is being viewed as a sign of his annoyance over Nitish Kumar breaking the Grand Alliance of the JD(U), RJD and Congress and joining hands with the BJP to form the government in that state.

Two other JD(U) MPs, Ali Anwar and M P Veerendra Kumar, also reportedly miffed over Kumar's decision, had met Yadav to express their resentment.

Meanwhile, the JD(U) distanced itself from Yadav's Bihar tour.

"We have nothing to do with his yatra...It is a personal programme of Sharad Yadav," JD(U) chief spokesman in Bihar Sanjay Singh told PTI.

Another JD(U) spokesman, Neeraj Kumar, also described Yadav's tour as a "personal" programme.

Singh refused to speak much on Yadav, but said, "He has changed his path."



RJD supremo Lalu Prasad has praised Yadav and appealed to the veteran leader to join the fight against the communal forces in the country.

During his three-day Bihar tour, Yadav is scheduled to interact with the people of Patna-Sonepur and Muzaffarpur tomorrow.

On August 11, he is scheduled to visit the Muzaffarpur- Darbhanga-Madhubani stretch and on August 12, he is scheduled to go to Madhubani-Supual-Madhepura.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Argentina's Diego Schwartzman saved four match points to shock third-seeded Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 7-5 in the second round of the ATP Montreal Masters.

World number 36 Schwartzman seized the initiative against the seventh-ranked Austrian, who fell at the first hurdle after enjoying a first-round bye yesterday.

On the defensive early, Thiem held on to level the match at a set apiece on his fifth set point of the second-set tiebreaker.

And the 23-year-old appeared to have gained control when he powered to a 5-2 lead in the third set.

But Schwartzman wouldn't go away, saving two match points on his serve at 3-5, another in the next game and yet another as he served to take the set to 5-5.

Schwartzman then broke to serve for the match. He fell behind 0-40, but won the last five points of the match for his first win over a top-10 player and a berth in the third round.

Schwartzman's wasn't the only great escape of the day.

Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov saved four match points en route to a three-set victory over Rogerio Dutra Silva in their first-round encounter.

The 18-year-old trailed 4-6 in the second-set tiebreaker but saved all four match points he faced to force a third set.

"I don't remember all of them. Honestly, it's a little bit of a blur," Shapovalov said.

"I remember one of them, he passed me. I hit a pretty tough volley. It was a pretty long point there. On one of them, I remember I was pretty far back. I went for a backhand down the line, which was pretty good. I wasn't holding back.

"I just told myself, he's got to win it from me, I'm not going to give it to him. I think I did a good job to stay tough out there."



Shapovalov broke Brazil's Dutra Silva in the seventh game of the third and went on to close out a 4-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-4 victory.

"It's matches like this I live for and that I play for," said Shapovalov, who earned a second-round meeting with former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina.

With old-guard stars Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer taking a day off -- 19-time Grand Slam champion Federer to celebrate his 36th birthday -- Shapovalov was one of a wealth of young talents to shine on Tuesday.

South Korean 21-year-old Chung Hyeon withstood 16 aces to beat 2014 semi-finalist Feliciano Lopez 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3).

After the third set went to the tiebreaker without a break of serve, the 56th-ranked Chung built a 4-2 advantage and went on to secure the victory in two hours and 16 minutes.

He next faces ninth-seeded Belgian David Goffin, a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 winner over Japan's Yuichi Sugita.

- Coric books Nadal match -



===========================



Croatian 20-year-old Borna Coric breezed past Russian lucky loser Mikhail Youzhny 6-2, 6-4 to set up a second-round meeting with top-seeded Nadal.

Coric has won two of three prior encounters with the Spanish great, who won a 10th French Open title this year and can regain the world number one ranking with a run to the semi-finals this week.

American Ernesto Escobedo, 21 years old and ranked 85th in the world, got his chance as a lucky loser when 10th-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych withdrew with a rib injury.

Escobedo stepped in and defeated Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.

In other first-round matches American Sam Querrey defeated Vincent Millot for the second time in as many weeks, peppering the French qualifier with 18 aces in a 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 win. Querrey beat Millot in the quarter-finals at Los Cabos en route to his 10th ATP title.

American Jack Sock, seeded 15th, also advanced, downing France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.

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Gujarat Health Minister Shankar Chaudhary today claimed that the stone which was hurled at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's car at Dhanera town came from Rajasthan, and it was a "political conspiracy" involving members of the opposition party.

Chaudhary was speaking in the Legislative Assembly during a discussion on the steps taken by the BJP government following the floods in Banaskantha and Patan districts.

"We have learned that the stone was from Rajasthan. Stones with such features are not found in Dhanera. It seems someone brought it from Rajasthan," said Chaudhary, MLA from Vav in Banaskantha district.

On a tour of flood-affected areas in Banaskantha district on August 4, Rahul Gandhi escaped unhurt when a stone was thrown at his car at Dhanera. Gandhi had arrived there after visiting flood-affected areas in Rajasthan.

Police have arrested four persons including Jayesh Darji, who, the Congress has alleged, is a BJP worker.

But the minister claimed that the culprits belonged the Congress.

"It's possible that someone brought the stone from Rajasthan as a part of political conspiracy. We are sure those who hurled the stone were from Congress," Chaudhary said.

Congress MLAs were not present in the House as they had walked out in protest.

Earlier, Congress MLA from Palanpur, Mahesh Patel, had sought to know what steps the government was taking to restore normalcy in the flood-hit areas.

Out of 51 Congress MLAs, around 20 were present today.

Revenue minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said the administration had done a commendable job of providing relief.

Congress MLAs from Banaskantha, including Deesa MLA Gova Rabari, alleged that several villages were still awaiting relief.

Without naming Rahul Gandhi, Rabari said Congress leaders were even attacked when they visited the area.

To this, Chudasama said, "Your leader ignored security set-up. Instead of taking a vehicle provided by the government, he travelled in party worker's car. He did it for publicity."



When Congress MLAs started shouting slogans in protest, Speaker Ramanlal Vora said the Congress legislators had abandoned their people in the time of need.

As the sloganeering continued, the Speaker asked marshals to evict those who were near the Well. Remaining Congress MLAs then walked out in protest.

The two-day monsoon session, which ended today, would be the last session of the 13th Gujarat Assembly, as elections are due by year-end.

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Worried over multi-fold jump in from South Korea, the government is contemplating steps to check the surge in inbound shipments from the country, an official said today.

from South Korea, with which India has a free trade agreement since January 2010, has jumped to $338.6 million during July 1 and August 3 this year. The import in 2016-17 was 470.46 million.

"We have lots of mechanisms in place to control this surge like we can stipulate that the gold which is imported should be used for designated purpose like for export only.

"Safeguard duty can also be imposed but we have to plug the loophole before the onset of the festive season," the finance ministry official said.

Under the free trade pact between India and South Korea, basic customs duty on gold was eliminated.

Further, the 12.5 per cent countervailing duty on has been subsumed in the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Accordingly, the imports now attract only 3 per cent integrated GST.

The official added that similar surge in gold imports could be witnessed from other countries with which India has free trade pacts.

Currently, gold imports attract 10 per cent customs duty. India is the world's second biggest gold consumer after China. The imports mainly take care of demand by the jewellery industry.

India has implemented free trade agreements with countries including Japan, Asean and Singapore.

The collections from customs duty and IGST from imports post implementation of GST has almost doubled to Rs 30,000 crore in July.

Gold imports contributed significantly to this increased collection.

The revenue collected include those on account of customs duty, Integrated-GST (IGST) from imports, Countervailing Duty (CVD), special addition duty (SAD) and cess collection on imported items.
A Syrian Kurdish official and a spokeswoman say 17 Indonesians who had joined the Islamic State group in Raqqa have been handed over to representatives of their country.

Omar Alloush says the Indonesian nationals included men, women and children. They were handed over on Tuesday at a Syria-Iraq border crossing. They had been asking to be sent back home.

Spokeswoman Nisreen Abdullah from the Women's Protection Units also today confirmed the handover.

The identities of the Indonesians were not immediately available.

An Indonesian family of 17 last month recounted to the AP in Syria their journey from Jakarta and initial desire to live in IS' self-proclaimed capital.

The women and children were living at a camp run by the Kurdish forces near Raqqa, after they escaped from IS.

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Jammu and Kashmir's main opposition National Conference has advised the government to seek the help of its ally BJP and the Centre in forging a common stand against attempts to alter the Constitutional provisions that give the state its special status, political sources said today.

This was conveyed to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti when she paid a surprise visit to National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah at his residence last evening, amid a debate on Article 35A of the Constitution that grants special privileges to the state.

The provision, which empowers the Jammu and Kashmir legislature to define the state's "permanent residents" and their special rights and privileges, has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

The sources said Mehbooba was asked to rope in the state government's alliance partner BJP as well as the Centre to step in in the Supreme Court and take a stand in favour of the people of the state.

Mehbooba was asked to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all important central ministers besides asking the BJP to convince the Sangh Parivar.

Two Kashmiri women recently approached the Supreme Court challenging the Article -- added to the Constitution through a presidential order of 1954 -- as they contended that it had disenfranchised their children.

Mehbooba had said at a recent event in Delhi that there would be no one in Kashmir to uphold the national flag if Article 35A was tinkered with.

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President Donald Trump scolded his own party's Senate leader for the crash of the Republican drive to repeal and rewrite the Obama health care law, using Twitter to demand of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, "Why not done?"



Trump fired back at the Kentucky Republican yesterday for telling a home-state audience this week that the president had "not been in this line of work before, and I think had excessive expectations about how quickly things happen in the democratic process."



The exchange came less than two weeks after Senate rejection of the GOP effort to scuttle President Barack Obama's health care law, probably McConnell's most jolting defeat as leader and Trump's worst legislative loss.

The House approved its version in May, but its Senate failure thanks to defecting GOP senators marked the collapse of the party's attempt to deliver on vows to erase Obama's statute it's showcased since the law's 2010 enactment.

"Senator Mitch McConnell said I had 'excessive expectations,' but I don't think so," Trump tweeted. "After 7 years of hearing Repeal & Replace, why not done?"



Trump had repeatedly used Twitter to pressure McConnell to find the votes to approve the health care bill, even saying hours after its failure that GOP senators "look like fools."



But his tweet was an unusually personal reproach of the 33-year Senate veteran, who is deeply respected by GOP lawmakers.

Trump will need him to guide the next major Republican priority, a tax system overhaul, through the chamber. And he might be a useful White House ally as investigations progress into collusion between Russia and Trump's presidential campaign.

For his part, McConnell's statement was surprising because he is typically among the capital's most guarded politicians. When it comes to criticizing Trump, he's seldom gone further than saying he wishes he would stop tweeting, and often refused to chime in when Trump made widely condemned comments during last year's campaign.

McConnell told the Rotary Club of Florence, Kentucky, on Monday that people think Congress is underperforming partly because "artificial deadlines, unrelated to the reality of the complexity of legislating, may not have been fully understood."



He added that 52 is "a challenging number," a reference to the GOP's scant 52-48 Senate majority. "You saw that on full display a couple of weeks ago," when McConnell failed to muster a majority to push three different Republican health care plans through the chamber.

McConnell's Kentucky remarks also drew a tweet from Dan Scavino Jr., the White House social media director.

"More excuses," wrote Scavino, one of Trump's more outspoken loyalists. "@SenateMajLdr must have needed another 4 years - in addition to the 7 years - to repeal and replace Obamacare."



Also joining the fray was Fox Host Sean Hannity, a close Trump ally.

"@SenateMajLdr No Senator, YOU are a WEAK, SPINELESS leader who does not keep his word and you need to Retire!" Hannity tweeted.

Hard-right conservatives have long assailed McConnell for being insufficiently ideological.

Before taking office and after becoming president, Trump spoke often of moving legislation erasing Obama's law rapidly through Congress.

On January 10, 10 days before taking office, he told The New York Times that Congress could approve a repeal bill "probably sometime next week," and a separate replacement measure would be passed "very quickly or simultaneously, very shortly thereafter."



Top congressional Republicans also fed expectations for quick work, placing health care atop their 2017 agenda. In January, House leaders unveiled a schedule calling for action by late March, and McConnell said in March that he wanted Senate passage by the April recess.

Congress has begun its summer break without passing any major legislation. It has passed bills buttressing veterans' health care and financing the Food and Drug Administration, and the Senate confirmed Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.

McConnell told the Kentuckians that lawmakers should be judged when the current two-year Congress ends in January 2019.

Hours before Trump tweeted about McConnell, the president took his side when he tweeted his endorsement of Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., for next week's Senate GOP primary. McConnell has backed Strange in that multi-candidate race.

Yet one loyal Trump supporter donated USD 300,000 this month to a political committee backing a primary opponent of Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona. Flake, expected to get establishment GOP backing, faces a competitive race next year and is one of the biggest thorns in the president's side.

Robert Mercer's check marked the "first major gift" this cycle to the committee backing Senate candidate Kelli Ward, said Doug McKee, chairman of Kelli PAC. Mercer has helped fund the vigorously pro-Trump Breitbart .

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US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said today President Donald Trump was simply using language "that Kim Jong-Un would understand" when he gave Pyongyang an apocalyptic warning of "fire and fury" over its weapons program.

"What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong-Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," he said.

Tillerson was talking to journalists aboard his plane en route to the US territory of Guam, where North Korea had warned it was considering missile strikes.

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Donald Trump was sending a strong message to North Korea in a language "that Kim Jong-Un would understand", US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said today as he defended the president's "fire and fury" warning to Pyongyang over its nuclear threat.

"North Korea's rhetoric has just ratcheted up louder and louder and more threatening. So I think what the President is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong-un can understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," Tillerson told reporters.

Responding to a question on Trump's remarks that North Korea's threats against the US, if they continue, will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen before, Tillerson said it was important that he deliver that message to avoid any miscalculation on their part.

However, Tillerson said there is no imminent threat.

"The North Korean missile capability can point in many directions, so Guam is not the only place that would be under threat. No, I never considered re-routing the trip back, and I do not believe that there is any imminent threat, in my own view," he said when asked if he would re-route his trip from Guam, which has been threatened by the North Koreans.

He told Americans to sleep well at night and have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days.

"I think that the President, again, as commander-in- chief, I think he felt it necessary to issue a very strong statement directly to North Korea," Tillerson said.

"What the President was just reaffirming is the US has the capability to fully defend itself with any attack, will defend our allies, and we will do so.So the American people should sleep well at night," he said in response to a query.

Tillerson said the current US strategy is working well and there is no need for a new one.

"We have now garnered widespread international support, obviously, not just with the UN Security Council resolution, but globally, countries are speaking out and expressing the same view as to what North Korea should do, which is not be a threat to the stability of the region," he said.

Pressure on North Korea is starting to show, he said.

"Why the rhetoric coming out of Pyongyang is beginning to become louder and more threatening.Whether we've got them backed into a corner or not is difficult to say, but diplomatically, you never like to have someone in a corner without a way for them to get out," he said.

Tillerson said there has been no change in the situation.

"Nothing that I have seen and nothing that I know of would indicate that the situation has dramatically changed in the last 24 hours," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kenyan police shot dead two protesters in the capital's flashpoint Mathare slum today, as unrest broke out after opposition accusations the general election was rigged, a senior officer said.

"They were part of a group that was protesting in the area and officers were sent to quell the chaos," the officer said on condition of anonymity.

"We are told many of them were also thieves who took advantage and could not even obey the police. Two have been fatally wounded."



An AFP photographer saw one of the victims, with a massive gunshot wound to his head.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thursday 10

First In Human (Discovery 7pm) This documentary series profiles the National Institute of Healths famed Building 10, the largest hospital in the world dedicated to medical research. Meet the brilliant minds and brave (some might say crazy) test subjects participating in the first human clinical trials of various experimental treatments.

Friday 11

Atypical (Netflix streaming anytime) This ... lets say atypical sitcom introduces us to autistic high school senior Sam (Keir Gilchrist) and his parents (Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Rapaport) as they try to get through this thing called life.

Son of Sam: The Killer Speaks (KRQE-13 9pm) We were all so busy marking the 20th anniversary of Princess Dianas death, we almost forgot to celebrate the 40th anniversary of serial killer David Berkowitz capture by the NYPD.

DuckTales (Disney XD 10pm) If you spent an inordinate amount of the 90s watching cartoons on TV (guilty as charged), you should be very excited for this reboot of Disneys duck-based adventure series. Its heavily modernized and the animation style is slightly differentbut thats David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck and Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz and Bobby Moynihan as Huey, Dewey and Louie. Other voice cast members include Kate Micucci, Paul F. Tompkins, Jim Rash, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Margo Martindale and Allison Janney! You cant miss it. Literally. The hourlong pilot episode is airing continuously for the next 48 hours.

Saturday 12

Orphan Black (BBC America 8pm) For five seasons this sci-fi series has been an addictive weekly watch (thanks, largely, to the double- time- and- a- half work of star Tatiana Maslany). Tonight, the clone wars come to an end with Sarah (Maslany), Alison (Maslany), Cosima (Maslany), Helena (Maslany), Rachel (Maslany) and a few other survivors (also Maslany) taking on the Neolutionists in a final, winner-take-all battle.

Sunday 13

Teen Choice 2017 (KRQEDT2 7pm) Is it really a choice, teens, if you just keep giving all the awards to One Direction, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus? (Those four entities have 92 Teen Choice Awards between them.)

Get Shorty (Epix 8pm) Chris ODowd (The IT Crowd) takes over for John Travolta in this reimagining of the 1995 movie (and the 1990 novel before it) about a crime family fixer who shows up in LA and teams up with a starry-eyed screenwriter.

Reunion Road Trip: Return to the Jersey Shore (E! 12am) The cast of Jersey Shoreno doubt looking like dollar store beef jerky these daysreunite for a new docuseries (yeah, right).

Monday 14

I Hart Food (Food Network 8pm) My Drunk Kitchen creator Hannah Hart ditches YouTube for basic cable. Its just another travel-and-eat show, but Hart is hilarious, and she has the good taste to start off in Santa Fe.

Tuesday 15

Haunted Towns (Destination America 8pm) Why bother with lame old haunted houses when you can do like the Tennessee Wraith Chasers and ghostbust entire towns?

Wednesday 16

Marlon (KOB-4 8pm) Marlon Wayans plays some dude named Marlon whos a dad to some kids he fathered. How does Hollywood come up with all this crazy stuff?

Growing Up Supermodel (Lifetime 8:02pm) Surprisingly, having rich, famous supermodels as parents isnt the social stigma it used to be.
Paul Manafort, who served as President Trump's campaign manager and is otherwise famous for shady dealings in Ukraine, was paid a visit by the FBI in recent weeks. The Washington Post reports that the "predawn raid" was in connection with the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 general election.

Federal agents appeared at Paul Manafort's home without advance warning in the predawn hours of July 26, the day after he met voluntarily with the staff for the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The search warrant was wide-ranging and FBI agents working with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III departed the home with various records.

The raid came as Manafort has been voluntarily producing documents to congressional committees investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. The search warrant indicates investigators may have argued to a federal judge they had reason to believe Manafort could not be trusted to turn over all records in response to a grand jury subpoena.
UttarakhandChief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today expressed grief over the death of Army jawan Pawan Singh Sugra who was killed in Pakistani firing in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

The 21-year-old jawan, who succumbed to injuries yesterday, hailed from Uttarkhand's Sugri village in Pithoragarh district.

"Yet another son of Uttarakhand has made the supreme sacrifice to protect the country's frontiers," the chief minister said.

Saluting the jawan's valour, he said, "The state government will extend all its support to his family and prayed for fortitude to them to bear the loss."



Uttarakhand Congress chief Pritam Singh also expressed grief at the jawan's death and said the country will always remember his martyrdom.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A burglar in the US was arrested after he left behind 'key evidence' at the crime scene -- an unflushed toilet.

Andrew David Jensen's faecal matter in the toilet bowl at a home in Los Angeles' suburb of Thousand Oaks matched the DNA on an FBI database.

The 42-year-old was arrested on July 28, nearly a year after the residential burglary in October 2016, the Ventura County Star reported.

While searching the crime scene, police found faecal matter in an unflushed toilet that possibly had the suspect's DNA, Detective Tim Lohman of the Thousand Oaks Police Department was quoted as saying.

Authorities took a sample and submitted the evidence to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office Forensic Services Bureau for processing.

Once the DNA profile was processed, scientists submitted the results to the Combined DNA Information System to see if the profile matched a known suspect, police said.

On July 25, the California Department of Justice informed Thousand Oaks police that the profile matched Jensen.

Authorities arrested Jensen on suspicion of first-degree residential burglary, a felony. His bail was set at USD 70,000.

This was not the first time fecal DNA has helped lead authorities to a crime suspect in Ventura County.

The case of 1997 murder of Ventura teenager Jake Bush during a burglary remained "cold" for years.

However, DNA extracted from faeces left inside the burglarised home helped identify Marco Casillas, of Port Hueneme, as a suspect in 2014.

Casillas was convicted and sentenced in March to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jet Airways today said Vinay Dube has joined as its chief executive officer after receipt of all requisite government and regulatory approvals.

An Indian American, Dube's appointment was approved by the airline's board of directors on May 30. Jet Airways has been without a full-time CEO since Cramer Ball quit in February 2016.

Since the exit of Ball last year, there have been two acting CEOs -- Gaurang Shetty and Amit Agarwal.

In a release, the airline said Dube has joined the company as CEO "after receipt of all requisite government and regulatory approvals".

His appointment also comes at a time when the airline is facing challenging business conditions.

Dube has served in various roles at Delta Airlines, Sabre Inc and American Airlines in the USA, Europe and Asia.

"Vinay (Dube) will lead the executive management committee to deliver on our strategic objectives, at a time when the Indian aviation market is poised to develop manifold going forward," Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal said.

Under Dube's leadership, Goyal said the airline would accelerate the momentum of turning around the company as well as deepen relationship with strategic partner Etihad Airways.

"I am indeed happy to return to India after more than three decades to join the country's premier international airline at an extremely interesting and exciting time.

"I look forward to meeting the organisation's objectives with the support of the entire management team and employees, in order to strengthen and grow the airline and its illustrious legacy," Dube said.

In a filing to the stock exchanges, Jet Airways said the civil aviation ministry, through a letter today, granted security clearance for the appointment of Dube as CEO.

Consequently, Amit Agarwal ceases to be the acting CEO of the company, the filing added.

Prior to the appointment, he had served as Senior Vice President (Asia Pacific) at Delta Airlines. He was also a board observer at China Eastern.

"During his tenure in Asia, Vinay (Dube) successfully led the turnaround of the Airline in the Asia Pacific markets, restructured the network, established strategic partnerships, worked extensively on brand-building and successfully brought about a transformation in the work culture of his teams," the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Ethiopian Airlines plane clipped wings with an Air India aircraft at the Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi.

The incident happened on Tuesday night when the Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing B767 plane was pushing back for take off and Air India's Airbus A320 was parked. The wings of the two planes collided with each other, said an Air India official on the condition of anonymity.

"Our B-767 aircraft while preparing for a regular Delhi- Addis Ababa flight (number ET687) had a minor ground incident of wing tip collision with Air India A320 aircraft during pushback," the Ethiopian Airlines said in a statement.

The two planes involved in the incident have been grounded temporarily.

While there were no passengers in the Air India plane, those in Ethiopian Airlines aircraft were accommodated in a substitute plane.

The Air India official said the carrier will be claiming damages from the Ethiopian Airlines.
By Bart Meijer

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch bank ABN Amro reported on Wednesday a larger than expected 45 percent rise in second-quarter underlying net profit, helped by a growing loan book and lower costs.

Underlying net of 960 million euros ($1.1 billion) compares with an average forecast of 750 million by analysts polled by the bank, and with 662 million a year before.

"The underlying trend in the second quarter was generally positive and supported by continued growth of the Dutch economy", Chief Executive Kees van Dijkhuizen said in a statement.

Earnings were helped by a 200 million euro gain on the sale of private banking activities in Asia, concluded in April. With nearly 50 percent of its loan book linked to the real estate market, however, ABN also benefited from the strong growth of the Dutch housing market.

Coupled with the improving health of its corporate clients, this helped the Netherlands' largest domestic lender to release 96 million euros from earlier provisions for bad loans.

Since its bailout by the Dutch state in 2008, ABN has refocused its operations and orientation on the Dutch market, cutting thousands of jobs in the process.

In the first half of this year these measures helped to lower the ratio of costs to income to 57.4 percent, compared with 61.8 percent a year earlier.

ABN continues to hold high levels of capital while it awaits new rules from the Basel Committee of banking regulators on asset risk weightings, with its core capital adequacy ratio standing at 17.6 percent of risk-adjusted assets at the end of June, up from 17 percent at the end of 2016.

The bank said it will decide on its capital position in the first quarter of 2018 if regulators don't reach an agreement on the new rules, known as Basel IV, this year.

ABN Amro was re-privatized in 2015 but the Dutch state still owns 63 percent of the shares.

($1 = 0.8519 euros)

(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and David Holmes)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China's top aluminium foil producers are preparing a legal defence challenging a preliminary U.S. ruling on Wednesday that would impose hefty penalties on imports from the world's top producers, two sources familiar with the matter said.

Loften Aluminum, China's top foil exporter to the United States, is joining 11 other firms to fight the ruling, the first such case since the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, an official at the company said on condition of anonymity.

The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNIA) is leading the charge in the case, which will be filed with the US Trade Commission, a CNIA official said.

The companies plan to launch their case this month, the Loften official said. If duties are implemented, Loften would face anti-subsidy duties on its foil sales to the United States of 80.97 percent.

Among the companies involved are Dingsheng Aluminum Group, Xiashun Holdings Ltd and Jiangsu Zhongji Lamination Materials Co Ltd.

The US ruling came five months after the domestic foil industry filed a petition accusing Chinese manufacturers of dumping the product in the United States.

The Chinese challenge will likely heighten tension between the world's two largest economies as Washington threatens further action against China's steel and aluminium sectors.

China produces over half the world's aluminium and exported 1.1 million tonnes of foil last year, up 13 percent from 2015 and more than double levels at the turn of the decade.
The government has referred a list of 331 suspected shell companies to capital markets regulator Sebi as part of its broader crackdown on illegal offshore transfers of money and tax evasion.

The suspect list includes the names of real estate major Parsvnath Developers, SQS India, Prakash Industries, J Kumar Infraprojects and Pincoin Spirits and Sebi has asked the stock exchanges to restrict trading in the shares of 162 of these companies.

Sebi chairman Ajay Tyagi is soon expected to also issue orders for similar restrictions on the trading of other companies followed by an audit into their share market transactions.

The restrictions include limiting trading in the affected companies to once a month and curbs in the trading of shares held by the promoters and directors of the companies. Some of the companies on the blacklist have investments by prominent domestic and foreign investors and the surprise move rattled market sentiments on Tuesday.

The Nifty plummeted below the key 10,000-mark and the BSE 30-share benchmark Sensex crashed 260 points at the end of the day's trading.

In addition to the curbs imposed by the capital market regulator and the stock exchanges, these companies may face further action depending on the outcome of the probes by the income tax department and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).

West Bengal accounts for the largest number of companies with 127 companies on the list of 331 suspected shell firms, referred by the corporate affairs ministry to Sebi.

Gujarat and Delhi also account for a large number of such firms, against which Sebi has recommended trading restrictions. While at least 124 companies are believed to be under scanner for alleged tax evasion, another 175 firms were being investigated by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).

However, reacting to the Sebi action, Parsvnath Developers, SQS India BFSI Ltd and Pincoin Spirit denied any wrongdoing."We are shocked to find our company's name amongst the list of suspected shell companies as a result of which, our equity shares are being shifted to GSM VI on the stock exchanges. As a result, our company's securities may be traded only once in a month on a trade to trade basis and Sebi has envisaged a financial audit thereby implicitly castigating us and tarnishing our reputation," Parsvnath Developers said in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges.

J Kumar Infraprojects said it is not a shell company and suspicion of the regulator is uncalled for. The company said majority of its clients consist of government authorities and mentioned Delhi Metro, Mumbai Metro and JNPT Port connectivity as some of the projects underway. Prakash Industries also said that directions issued by Sebi are totally devoid of merit and uncalled for.

Besides, there has never been a occasion when our company has indulged in any kind of malpractices in stock market. Similarly SQS India BFSI Ltd has expressed shock that it has been placed under the surveillance list even as it has been complying with all the norms under Companies Act and Sebi regulations.

Pincoin Spirit also stated that it has been following all the rules and regulations stipulated under Companies Act and Sebi norms.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said last month that 37,000 shell companies indulging in tax evasion had been detected and more than three lakh firms were under the scanner for suspicious dealings, post demonetisation announced in November last year. As part of efforts to curb the black money menace, the Corporate Affairs Ministry has already cancelled the registration of more than 1.62 lakh firms.
If you owe someone money in China and kidnap them to get paid, the police are likely to treat the whole thing as a civil matter of "unlawful detention" and stay out of it (especially if the debtor is a foreigner and the lender is Chinese).

Chinese public opinion boggles at foreigners who are outraged when their nationals are kidnapped in debt-collection procedures, and often chalk up such scandal to "nationalism" and a bias against Chinese people.

But there are limits: don't kidnap some rando from a company that owes you money in order to get the boss to pay you and don't kidnap where there are no debts involved.



But the police are also predisposed to see it as none of their business. Public security is broken into two areas: minshi and xingshi. Translated loosely, they can be considered civil and criminal issues, respectively. When it's a financial dispute, rather than a hostage taken for ransom, police generally consider it more of a minshi issue and thus more in need of mediation than law enforcement, if it requires any police input at all. Debt kidnappings aren't the only situation this applies to: Even in fights with quite serious injuries, the police often attempt to negotiate a payoff to the injured party instead of bringing charges. The theme of the wise official mediating among disputants has long been a staple of Chinese literature. In the modern context, the strangeness of the police's dual role as social mediators and law enforcers has been noted by Fordham University professor Carl Minzner. Minzner attributes it to the authoritarian system's top-down approach to dealing with tensions between citizens and the state and to the Chinese Communist Party's refusal to allow the development of independent legal bodies that could deal with such disputes. Harris's China Law Blog repeatedly stresses the risks of being taken hostage in China over debts. In many cases, the best move for foreigners facing such circumstances is simply to get out of the country before the thugs reach you.

Hostage Taking Is China's Small-Claims Court

[David Dawson/Foreign Policy]

(Image: USAG- Humphreys, CC-BY)
Amazon India is taking on Flipkart by launching the Great Indian Sale at the same time as Flipkart's Big Freedom Sale. Amazon's sale began at midnight yesterday. The sale will go on till August 12 whereas Flipkart's sale will end on August 11.

The US-based e-commerce giant is offering discounts on gadgets, fashion, large appliances and other segments. Amazon prime members, who need to pay a yearly fee of Rs 499, also get 30 minutes early access to some top deals.

Also Read: Flipkart's Big Freedom Sale vs Amazon's Great India Sale: Who's giving better discounts?



Other than that, there are additional app-only offers available for a limited period only; Amazon Pay and holders of credit or debit cards from certain banks will get additional cashbacks. The in-app purchase can also get the buyer an all-expenses paid trip to Bali.

According to a MailToday report, the worlds' largest ecommerce company Amazon's profit for April-June quarter plummeted 77 per cent although sales surged 25 per cent as it invested heavily in video content and fast-growing economies like India.

However, the company has insisted it is committed about continuing to invest in India. "With The Great Indian Sale, we are excited to bring together exciting and fantastic deals from thousands of brands and sellers across a vast selection of products in all types of product categories," said Amazon India vice president (category management) Manish Tiwary.



Also Read: Flipkart Freedom Sale: Rs 18,000 off on Pixel XL, Rs 5,000 on iPhone 6, special offer on Redmi Note 4



Here are the best deals being offered on the Great Indian Sale:

iPhone 7 (32GB) is being offered at a discount of Rs 6,000 and is available at Rs 42,999.

iPhone 6 (32GB) is available at an attractive price tag of Rs 23,999.

OnePlus 5 will get an additional exchange discount of Rs 2,000.

Moto G5 Plus will be available at Rs 14,999 with a discount of Rs 2,000.

Honor 6X is being offered at Rs 10,999 with a discount of Rs 1,000.

Up to 40 per cent off on pen drives, 50 per cent off on Bluetooth speakers and 40 per cent off on hard disks.

Products on Amazon Fashion are also being offered at a discount of 40 per cent to 80 per cent.
Outgoing Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya has said that writing off some debt of Air India, so as to make it attractive to prospective investors, could be a "wise" move.

Following a suggestion by Niti Aayog, the government is endeavouring to privatise the state-owned carrier and a committee has been set up under Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to carry forward the process.

"I don't know whether you need to write off debt to find a buyer, I don't know the market. Transaction advisers are competent on that," Panagariya told PTI in an interview.

"I am just saying that it's probably wise to write off part of the debt before this happen (privatisation of Air India)," he added.

On whether there is need for a asset stripping before sale of national carrier, he said, "No, why would you do asset stripping. It's a well running, well functioning Airline."

Panagariya, who will leave Niti Aayog this month-end to return to academia in the US, further said that there are details which need to be sorted out by the transaction advisers.

As regard the real estate of the Air India, Panagariya said: "Real estate part is a separate issue... We made some recommendations and all but not to the level of that details to keep this and sell this."

Citing provisional figures, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha recently had said Air India's total debt stood at Rs 48,876.81 crore at the end of March 2017.

Out of the total amount, Rs 17,359.77 crore is aircraft loan, while Rs 31,517.04 crore is working capital loan.

"The rates of interest on aircraft/ working capital loans are linked to the respective bank's prime lending rates/base rate/libor plus margins prevalent at the time when these loans are taken," Sinha had said.

The previous UPA regime had extended a bailout package worth a little over Rs 30,000 crore to the national carrier for 10 years starting from 2012.

"Air India is facing financial pressure and earning less profit due to high debt burden as an offshoot of past accumulated losses. The debt servicing is at around Rs 6,000 crore per annum," the minister had said.

As per the figures, the number of contractual staff rose to 2,636 as on April 1, 2017 compared to 1,740 at the same period a year ago.

The Union Cabinet on June 28 gave in-principle approval for the disinvestment of debt-laden Air India. The Jaitley- headed group of ministers is finalising the modalities and held its first meeting last month.

IndiGo, the country's largest airline with a domestic market share of a little over 41 per cent, is keen on snapping up the international operations of Air India as well as its profitable low-cost arm Air India Express.

As an alternative, the budget carrier is "equally interested" in buying out all the operations of Air India and Air India Express, according to the letter sent by IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh to the civil aviation ministry.
In a bizarre diktat issued, the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) has asked all the nationalised, rural banks' non -Kannada employees working in the state to learn the Kannada language in six months.

KDA further stated the bank employees have to leave their job if they did not follow the order. The authority has also asked the banks to set up Kannada units at all their branches in the state, in line with Hindi units which exist for the implementation of the language.

The KDA Chairman said that it is important for the banks to follow a three-language formula in all advertisements - Hindi, English and Kannada, saying that it has to be implemented on an 'emergency basis.'

The chairman said he will personally review if the banks have followed the instructions on the circular or not.

In July, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had demanded that people from outside the state adapt to the Kannada culture. "We will not tolerate any attack on our language, land and water. Protecting Kannada land and Kannada people is our responsibility," he had said.

The move by the authority comes a few days after it intervened in the row over Hindi signs in Bengaluru Metro stations by issuing notices to the metro authorities.
Maratha community in Maharashtra has been taking to the streets for more than a year now. In what is being touted as Maratha Kranti Morcha's final mega march in Mumbai, Marathas have put forward 22 demands which include reservation in jobs and education institutes among others.

The community that accounts for more than one-third of Maharashtra's population is dependent on agriculture. The growing discontent in the community is being blamed on dwindling profits in agriculture.



Mumbai witnessed a standstill as members of Maratha Kranti Morcha began their protests in the city. Lakhs of members of this politically powerful community are taking out their first 'mook morcha' or silent protest in Mumbai to pitch for reservation in jobs and colleges.

The 58th protest march in Mumbai comes after 57 processions were held in various parts of Maharashtra following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old Maratha girl in Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in July 2016, according to reports, reported Financial Express.

Protestors are also demanding amendment in SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its 'misuse' and loan waivers to curb farmer suicides.



The morcha, which began at 11 am from the BMC's Jijamata Udyan and culminate at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai.

1:25 pm: The Central Railway has made elaborate arrangements to deal with the rush which is expected today on account of 'Maratha Morcha'. Chief PRO of Central Railway told PTI that probably after 2 pm, railway will run additional suburban services as per the requirement.

1:10 pm: Former chief minister Ashok Chavan is expected to join the protests



1:08 pm: First to reach Azad Maidan is Congress leader Narayan Rane who is heading a one-man commission which looked into the Maratha reservation policy during the Congress-NCP government.

1:05 pm: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to announce the formation of a committee comprising several Maratha leaders to look into reservation. Fadnavis is likely to meet leaders of the Maratha protests and Maratha MLAs and make an announcement in the Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday.



12:50 pm: Students of SoBo schools have been given the day off, so they are not inconvenienced by the traffic congestion expected due to the Maratha Kranti Morcha.



12:10 pm: Most of the protesters have come from Mumbai's satellite cities of Navi Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Nashik



12:00 pm: All Opposition MLAs are set to go to Azad Maidan in support of the Maratha protesters. The Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha has been adjourned till 3 pm

11:45 am: No injuries have been reported so far due to the Maratha Kranti Morcha rally, according to reports.



11:30 am: Maratha Kranti Morcha rally is expected to culminate at Bombay Gymkhana by 3 PM.



11:15 am: Mumbai Police is completely geared all over South Mumbai to handle any kind of situation, said Deven Bharti, joint commissioner of Mumbai Police.



11:05 am: Traffic movement affected at various places due to Maratha Kranti Morcha rally.

11:00 am: Maratha Kranti Morcha rally by Maratha community to demand for reservation begins



10:50 am: The morcha has been organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups.

10:45 am: Schools in south Mumbai will remain closed as a precautionary measure. The JJ flyover will be closed for traffic.

Samajwadi Party supports #MarathaKrantiMorcha.I demand Reservation for Marathas as well as Muslim Community as proposed by previous Govt. - Abu Asim Azmi (@abuasimazmi) August 8, 2017
A parliamentary panel today quizzed officials on the decision to sell stake in Air India and Pawan Hans, with some committee members flagging concerns over debt burden and job security at the airline.

Senior officials from the civil aviation ministry and the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) were present at the meeting.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, chaired by TMC MP Mukul Roy, had called the meeting to hear the views on the divestment of Air India and Pawan Hans.

During the meeting, which went on for a little over one- and-a-half hours, some members raised concerns over the future of employees, post divestment of Air India and Pawan Hans.

Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey, Air India CMD Ashwani Lohani and Pawan Hans CMD B P Sharma, among others, were present.

Air India and Pawan Hans, which provides helicopter services, come under the civil aviation ministry.

According to a member of the panel, the government officials said formalities for disinvestment of Air India are being worked out even as he claimed that there was no specific response to queries about jobs.

Another member said the issues of jobs and large debt burden of the airline were flagged.

An Opposition party member, who is part of the panel, cited the officials saying that NITI Aayog has suggested that the government has no business of being in aviation business.

The member also wondered by that logic, even Doordarshan should not be run by the government.

All three members spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Air India has a debt burden of more than Rs 52,000 crore and is staying afloat on taxpayers' money. The previous UPA regime had extended a bailout package worth a little over Rs 30,000 crore to the national carrier for 10 years starting from 2012.

A group of ministers headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is looking into various aspects of the proposed Air India disinvestment after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave its in-principle nod in June.

The government has already decided to sell its entire 51 per cent stake in Pawan Hans Ltd (PHL), in which the rest 49 per cent holding is with ONGC.

The employees' unions at both Air India and Pawan Hans are opposed to the privatisation of the two companies.
At least a dozen employees of information technology and telecom firms here who lost their jobs have moved the labour commissioner's office seeking justice.

"We have received 12 complaints against managements of IT and telecom companies from the employees who were sacked," said Harish Puri, Government Labour Officer.

"Since the complaints were genuine, we tried the reconciliation route, but after reconciliation talks with the managements failed, we are in the process of referring these cases to the Labour Court under the Industrial Disputes Act," Puri said.

The complainants have come together under the aegis of Pune Chapter of Forum For Information Technology Employees (FITE).

FITE office bearers claimed that over 100 such complaints have been filed with labour commissioners all over the country, including IT hubs such as Chennai, Hyderabad, Noida and Bengaluru.

Elavasaran Raja, Pune and Mumbai coordinator for FITE, said that managements of IT firms are blatantly violating the labour laws by sacking their employees. "We are putting up a collective fight against lay-offs," he said.
No matter how fancy your new phone, how superior the camera or how bankable the battery is, not being able to find the app you are looking for, even after scrolling sideways multiple times can be exasperating. As an Android user, you may have grappled with custom UI every time you bought a new phone or even upgraded to the latest OS. This is because, unlike Apple iPhones - that have a fixed user interface with apps across home screens - handset manufacturers and developers are able to customise the whole experience on the open source Android OS. Bloatware that may consume memory and slow down your phone, and a whole new user interface are the avoidable outcomes.

Apart from Google Pixel and Motorola smartphones that run on stock Android, every other Android smartphone has a custom UI. If you have trouble getting used to the new UI, installing app launchers is a great idea. They offer a neat interface and help you tide over the home(screen)sick feeling. While the Google Play Store is loaded with such launchers, we picked out the best ones for you to consider.

Google Now Launcher: This is a great launcher for those who prefer the Google experience. When installed, the launcher asks you to log in using your Google account to start with for a better grip on web and app activity. The Google search bar with voice search icon appears at the top and the app tray icon at the bottom. The launcher settings feature includes notifications, selecting search language (regional Indian languages or English), hands-free voice search and offline speech recognition, auto complete, feed, app suggestions and more. Swiping right from your home screen brings up the Google Now cards - news, travel time, recent emails, temperature, stories to read and more. With the launcher, you can access Google's popular voice assistant. The much-talked-about Pixel launcher for Google Pixel and Pixel XL is not compatible with most Android phones. However, you can instal the .apk file if you wish to try it. Contrary to rumours that Google Now Launcher would be taken off the Play store, it is available for download and for free.

Microsoft Arrow Launcher: If you are looking for a neat interface with room for customisation this is the one for you. Along with apps on the home screen, there is a Google Search bar at the top which also has shortcuts for barcode/QR code scanning and voice search. The Utility page, accessed by swiping right on the home screen, is useful as it lists frequently used apps, contacts, fetches information from the calendar, news and more. The Arrow Hub allows file transfers from Android phones to desktops if you log in using a Microsoft account through OneDrive. You can also use basic gestures to get work done - double tap on screen to lock, swipe down to show local search or expand notification centre and swipe up to extend dock. The apps in the main app tray appear alphabetically in a vertical order (like the Windows Phone interface); one can switch to a horizontal layout or even hide apps that are not in use.

Nova Launcher: This is the cleanest, no-nonsense launcher that offers an almost stock-Android interface. There is an elaborate process to set up Nova Launcher. Begin by selecting the overall theme (dark or light), choosing your app drawer style - card style or immersive, then select the app drawer access style - with a button on the homescreen or by swiping up from the bottom. These settings can be changed any time. The app tray has a search bar at the top, followed by a row of recently used apps; the rest of the apps are arranged alphabetically. Nova Settings allows one to customise the desktop/ home page, including the grid size for apps and widgets on the desktop, icon layout, scroll effect, page indicator, etc.

Solo Launcher: This one claims to save on memory space and offers avenues for customisation. For instance, there is a DIY tab using which you select the home screen layout, size, colour, turn on the status bar and notification tab. To make a fixed place for apps and widgets on the home screen, one can lock the desktop from the DIY tab. In the beginning, frequently used apps are automatically placed on the home screen; and the app tray arranges apps alphabetically. The only downside to this launcher is the constant ads to download other apps such as Solo Security, Solo Cleaner and Solo Battery.

@nidhisingal
If you are wondering how to give your Royal Enfield a boost of power, then Carberry Motorcycles has just the thing for you. Originated in Australia and now based in Bhilai, the custom motorcycle manufacturer recently launched a 1000cc V-twin engine made by combining two 500cc Royal Enfield Unit Construction Engine (UCE) blocks.

Priced at Rs 4.96 lakh (ex-factory), the India-made engine units are available for export, or for existing homologated Carberry motorcycles or for display purposes only. For this price, buyers will get a primary drive and gearbox. Exhaust set is not included in the package though. Those interested in buying the engine will have to pay half the price as a deposit.

The handmade 1000cc carburetted V-twin engine units are capable of producing approximately 52.2hp of power and 82Nm of torque. This engine will be coupled with a 5-speed gearbox and 7-plate clutch and a strengthened primary chain.

ALSO READ: Govt notifies timeline for filing of tax returns under GST. Here are the filing dates

The engine will have an oil capacity of 3.7 litres which will be filtered through an external spin on oil filter. The rate of pumping oil into this V-twin engine will be 10 times the capacity seen on a single cylinder Royal Enfield engine, the official Facebook page of Carberry Motorcycles claimed.

The engine will come with a heavy duty starter motor, sprag clutch design capable of withstanding load even from a 2-litre engine, and magnetic slumps, the company claimed. Hydraulic lifters and oil pumps will run in their own housings to protect the engine casings from wear and tear.

The engine will have linear power delivery with minimal vibration despite the powerful configuration, owing to extensive research and development, assured Carberry.

ALSO READ: New Ford EcoSport to get 1.5-litre Petrol Engine; launch during festive season

Those looking for something more than an engine unit will have to wait for some time as Carberry has promised motorcycles to accommodate these engines later this year. The company drew attention to itself after launching Carberry Enfield, a custom motorcycle running 1000cc V-twin engine made from older 500cc cast-iron Royal Enfield engine blocks. The motorcycle featured a strengthened chassis, to bear the increased torque and power, and components from Royal Enfield vehicles, to keep costs low.

Carberry Motorcycles was founded by Paul Carberry in Australia. He later moved to Bhilai in Chhattisgarh after 2011 upon entering a partnership with Jaspreet Singh Bhatia due to rising costs in Australia. They now plan to move to Pune sometime soon.

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Cyprus: Twelve gods and a man

Published on August 9, 2017

Story by Chloe Emmanouilidis Translation by: Lara Bullens

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Monotheism may still reign in Cyprus, but that isn't the case for Limpia. Here, polytheistic Cypriots gather to worship Dionysus. Between sacrifices, the Golden Dawn party and Zeus, this small village has a lot of thunder.

In a small village situated 30 minutes from Nicosia called Limpia, which sounds a lot like Olympia, lies a temple dedicated to the Twelve Olympians. Georges Constantinou, a 43-year-old hairdresser, built the temple himself on his own land. In between a pasture and a wasteland, the view is surreal. Shining atop the temple in broad daylight are the words        (meaning Come Zeus who is the greatest of kings, the most perfect, the most gentle) carved in red. Georges hasnt entirely finished building the temple. He proudly shows an image of what will soon be a mosaic depicting Dionysus on his iPhone. The 12 pillars that hold the temple represent six goddesses and six gods, even if up to 30 000 gods are worshipped, according to sources. In the middle of the temple is an altar that serves as a kind of sanctuary. Hellenic Neopaganism, Pagan and Polytheistic are the terms associated with this religion, but Georges prefers to be called a Greek national from Cyprus.

The temple's magical history

In Cyprus, as is the case with Greece, about a thousand people believe in a nostalgic and distant past: a time where we dedicated a cult to the power of the Twelve Gods. Although the separation of the church and the state didn't take place in Greece as it did in Cyprus, the subject is still taboo. This is why many young polytheists and other high-ranking people in Cypriotic society, such as senior army officers, want to keep their anonymity out of fear of being fired. An official organisation called the Supreme Council of Ethnic Hellenes was created in 1997 in Athens, and aims to get the religion officially recognised. "We are still a theocracy like Iran and Turkmenistan," Georges claims. "I find it scandalous that tourists have to pay to visit archeological sites, whereas I see them as sanctuaries." This could lead us to think that his temple has been built illegally, but in reality there's nothing fraudulent about it. Georges made a request to the state so that his temple could be recognised as a cultural structure.

Having been baptised, Georges had a traditional Christian wedding. After having leafed through the magazine Epanellinisis [NB. meaning 're-hellenisation'], he noticed a few things. "Everyone can become a Greek national, we don't want to impose anything on the individual, we don't ask them to join our religion, for example," he insists. Since that moment, he hasn't stepped foot inside a church or celebrated Eastera holiday that is important to Catholics. "Christianity has destroyed everything. It was imposed on us and mocks us," he admits. Georges is actually referring to the time where the Roman Emperor Theodosius I reigned, between 379 and 395. The emperor converted to Christianity and persecuted pagans, idolisers of Antiquity. Under Theodosius I, Christians wanted nothing to do with antiquity and Paganism. According to some historians, Theodosius I was the forerunner of the Byzantine Empire.

Georges is a part of the cult group called "" [NB. "beautiful" in Ancient Greek], who gather 12 times a year to organise ceremonies and respect a very rich calendar. According to their official almanac, every festivity is linked to the ethical practice that relates to their god's qualities. For example the month of July sees the start of the zodiac sign Leo, and is the month in which Zeus dominates, so virtues of justice and good social order are practiced. Each god has their own hymn. "Our cult connects us with our ancestors, and that's why every participant is a saint," Georges explains. For the Greek nationals, the word "god" doesn't mean the same as it does in monotheism. For them, gods are entities, they form a whole. For them, ancestors play a huge role in their religion. "Why is the dominant religion in Egypt Islam, when their ancestors are Anubis, Isis and Osiris?" shouts Georges.

"Death is a part of nature"

As with any religion, Greek Cypriots have their rituals. They dress in togas like the Ancient Greeks and place milk, honey, wine and flower crowns on the altar as an offering, lifting their arms to the sky and praying to the gods. When thinking of polytheists, we often think of meat sacrifices the ancients would give but Georges smiles: "Nature is the crux of it all, we don't make animal sacrifices." They don't have a bible and are not represented by a prophet, but their scripture is the 147 maxims carved on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.

Needless to say, philosophy plays a big role in their religion. The meaning of life, death and love is not the same as in Christianity. For Georges, "death is a part of nature. We shouldn't see death as something scary, the way it is depicted in Christianity. What happens after death is a philosophical question." Georges expresses himself in Greek with hints of Ancient Greek: "What interests us is the most perfect and excellent life." For him, "Christianity transformed values into shame. Sex is still taboo, whilst in ancient Greece that was not the case." In the end, polytheism doesn't impose rules on one's daily life, but merely gives suggestions to practical questions using ancient Greek philosophies.

It's for this reason Hellenic Neopagans are sometimes linked to nationalist parties, like the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party in Greece. Why? Because they use the same ornamental pattern called the "Greek key pattern" and also love the ancient Greeks. "This is the label Christians want to put on us. We don't have anything to do with political parties," Georges assures. The orthodox Cypriot priest Constantinos Kyriakides understands atheists and other religions. But for him, studying the works of Cicero or Confucius or a Greek tragedy is not the same as loving Apollo or Dionysus 15 centuries after their disappearance. "The resurgence of ancient religions in nationalist slogans varyI admit that it's a bad habitand their aspirations are entirely foreign to the culture and spirituality," he insists.

But for Georges, being a Greek Cypriot is more than a religion, it's a way of life. A perpetual search for ancestry and the meaning of being Greek. But first, he's going to have to roll up his sleeves and finish this mosaic that will bring the finishing touch to one of the only temples dedicated to the Greek Cypriot gods.

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Europe may be losing its religion, but we decided to explore what's left of it. Our newest project Voglio Credere Cosi dives into the world of alternative spirituality and religion around the continent.

Story by Chloe Emmanouilidis

Translated from Chypre : des hommes et des dieux
| BY Ricki Green |

The Natural Chip Co. brand is highlighting its all-natural ingredients in an animated campaign from The Royals.

Wombats, kookaburras and platypuses are among the animals collecting only the finest, real ingredients that go into the making of The Natural Chip Companys chips, in the brands first campaign by The Royals.

Titled Natural Selection, the integrated campaign launches this weekend with a 30-second TVC showing the hard-working animals in a quintessential Australian landscape, gathering natural ingredients such as potatoes, chillis, peppercorns and honey, and transporting them to a large shed from which they emerge as delicious Natural Chip Co. chips. A voiceover by respected Australian actor Deborah Mailman describes the journey as it unfolds.

The integrated campaign follows a recently completed logo and packaging redesign by the brand. In addition to the TVC and digital, The Natural Chip Co. is road-testing innovative ShopaLites with 3D moulds protruding from digital screens, among other digital out-of-home executions in retail centres.

With six great tasting flavours containing 100% natural ingredients, The Natural Chip Co. products contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, no added MSG and are gluten free.

Says Andy Jones, creative director, The Royals: We love working with passionate clients at The Royals, and they dont come any more passionate than The Natural Chip Co. The naturalness in their chips is right there in their name, so it seemed natural (pun) for us to show how nature does most of the work, so we can all enjoy great tasting chips.

Says Angela Solomou, marketing manager at Snackbrands Australia: We are very excited to support our brand relaunch with a creative work that has resonated so strongly with consumers and that has communicated our naturally great tasting brand proposition so clearly. We are looking forward to many more consumers discovering the great taste of our Natural Chip Co. chips.

Client: Snackbrands Australia

Brand: The Natural Chip Co.

Marketing Director, Snackbrands Australia: Mark Fryday

Marketing Manager, Snackbrands Australia: Angela Solomou

Agency: The Royals

Managing Partner: Dan Beaumont

Creative Partner: Nick Cummins

Creative Director: Andy Jones

Strategy Director: Clare La Palombara

Copywriter: Gareth Sweet

Art Director: Alberto Talegon

Integrated Producer: Rene Shalala

Group Account Director: Ian Hartley

Account Director: Kelso Winnick

Production Company: Passion Pictures

Director: Tulips & Chimneys

Composer: Electric Dreams
| BY Ricki Green |

Young drivers are urged to ignore the distractions and get their hands off their mobile phones before getting behind the wheel.

As part of an education campaign with the Sydney Swans via Gemba, Transport for NSW has released a new video to highlight the risks associated with young drivers and their always on approach to social media.

Roads, maritime and freight minister Melinda Pavey said mobile phone distraction is an increasing problem on our roads, particularly among younger drivers who are less experienced at anticipating or identifying the level of attention required for safe driving.

Says Pavey: Its important to point out that at 60km/h, if you look at your phone while driving for just two seconds, you travel 33 metres blind.

A national study also revealed that more than 75% of provisional licence holders self-reported the use of their mobile phone while driving.

Last year, 38,894 infringements were issued for illegal mobile phone use in NSW.

Says Pavey: The consequences of using a mobile phone while driving are devastating and sadly its not just killing and injuring those who are illegally using their phones but putting innocent people at risk of lifelong injuries and death.

In NSW, it is illegal for novice drivers to use their mobile phone at all while driving including the GPS functionality, so it is important that notifications are off and the phone is out of sight and out of mind.

Says Pavey: The Sydney Swans, who are ambassadors in the sporting community, have helped highlight this road safety problem and we thank the players involved for their support.

The story behind the video came from within the Sydney Swans camp with players Kieren Jack, Sam Reid, Callum Sinclair and Heath Grundy throwing their support behind the potentially life- saving campaign.

Jack said behind selfies and pretty filters was an important road safety message: The stories from people in the community, including some of our fans prove that this is an issue that needs to be spoken about.

Far too many people are being killed and seriously injured on our roads from mobile phone distraction and people need to think about the heartache this causes to other road users and the people around you  its just not worth it.

Agency: Gemba

Executive Creative Director: Boyd Hicklin

Art Director: Parisa Rezaei-Abyaneh

Graphic Designer: Felix Jong

Agency Producer: Jonno Durrant

Account Manager: Zoe Hartas

Head of Client Services: Clare Stewart-Hunter

Director & Head of Marketing: Andrew Condon

Production: NB Content

Director: Oliver Waghorn

Executive Producer: Tanya Stankovic

DoP: Cesar Salmeron

Editor: Dane Scotcher

Sound Design: Jason Murphy  GAS Inc

Stills: Adam Amin
| BY Ricki Green |

WiTH Collective has appointed M&C Saatchi strategy director Alex Roper (right) to the newly created role of group planning director, charged with helping the agency stay at the leading edge of ideas, technology and data driven marketing techniques.

The role forms part of the agencys trans-Tasman growth plans, and will work across Sydney, Auckland and Melbourne  in line with future expansion plans.

Roper joins after five years in strategy at M&C Saatchi, and five years at FCB Global where he worked in account service in London and as head of digital firect in Australia. Roper brings a wealth of experience with blue-chip clients, notably Optus and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and a passion for the WiTH business model.

WiTH CEO and co-founder Justin Hind (above, right) said it is Ropers shared belief in the future of customer marketing grounded in creativity, data and technology that made him a perfect fit.

Says Hind: Were very excited to welcome Alex aboard in this new role. His pragmatic and collaborative nature aligns perfectly with our business, our clients and the way we work. His strategic mind complements, and will push, our current team, and help us deliver amazing results for our clients.

As group planning director, Roper will work closely with Hind and CCO Steve Coll to help raise the creative and strategic thinking of projects across clients and the company.

Says Roper: I cant wait to start at WiTH Collective. Their vision for expansion and clear role within the ever-growing Dentsu Aegis Network make it a really exciting time to join and help make those plans a reality. And theyre a terribly nice group of people.
080817BOUGAINVILLE MEMBERS WELCOMED

By Aloysius Laukai



Two of the four National members representing the people of Bougainville were welcomed to Buka at the Buka airport today by supporters and including the ABG Government leaders led by the President, Chief DR. JOHN MOMIS.

The two were the Alliance members, who are now in the Opposition, member for South Bougainville TIMOTHY MASIU and the member for North Bougainville, WILLIAM NAKIN.

The other two members who are in the Government, the member for Central Bougainville, FR. SIMON DUMARINU and Regional member, JOE LERA did not accompany the other members to Buka today.

In welcoming the members to Buka, ABG President Chief Dr. John Momis thanked the two members for standing firm with their beliefs in riding corruption in Papua New Guinea.

DR. MOMIS called on the four members to work with the ABG to move Bougainville forward into Referendum and beyond.

He said that this parliament was very crucial for the Bougainville members to talk about outstanding issues that the National Government has not met which are in the Bougainville Peace Agreement.

DR. MOMIS said that the members must not sit back and relax and forget the problems the people of Bougainville are facing when the National Government is not meeting its financial obligations to Bougainville.

He said he does not want to see a repeat of the last five years in which Bougainville members did nothing to support the ABG progress Bougainville forward.



Ends

Caption of the two leaders arriving at the Buka airport( in Blue Protocol officer Philip Kiha, Timothy Masiu and William Nakin picture by Aloysius Laukai






Wednesday, August 9, 2017 at 10:50AM

If youre paying close attention to the recent tech news, one of the biggest things to come out of Silicon Valley, or Google to be more specific, is this anti-diversity memo, as its being called, written by a now ex-Google engineer. James Damore, whos written the manifesto, was just fired by the company on Monday for perpetuating gender stereotypes and violating Googles code of conduct. Damore was arguing in the memo that the biological differences between men and women are the cause of the gender gap at Google and in the tech industry in general. And he puts to question Googles diversity efforts. Google CEO Sundar Pichai spoke up, or rather wrote down his thoughts in a note to employees saying, "To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK."

On the day Damore was fired, he also filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board in the US saying that Googles upper management has been misrepresenting and shaming him. I have a legal right to express my concerns about the terms and conditions of my working environment and to bring up potentially illegal behavior, which is what my document does, Damore told The New York Times. And he seems to have a case on his hands, at least enough to get through the courtroom door, as one lawyer points out to Wired that Damore's lawyer might argue that his memo was protected under California law, because it related to allegedly unequal treatment of employees.

Source: The Verge
Wednesday, August 9, 2017 at 10:00AM

Sky Atlantic

HBOs headache over its recent security breach is far from over. The hackers who got into HBOs system have supposedly released 3.4GB of the reported 1.5TB of data it obtained from the company. While it was discovered that upcoming Game of Thrones episodes dont look like theyve been taken, things like scripts for upcoming GoT episodes, technical documents with HBOs internal network and administrator passwords, and unreleased episodes of Room 104 and Ballers have landed into the hands of the hackers.

Now these baddies have started to release some of these information, including draft scripts for five GoT episodes and the technical docs, which also includes one that contains a list of personal numbers, home addresses, and email addresses of all season 7 Game of Thrones actors (like Emilia Clarke, Lena Headey, and Peter Dinklage). Even HBOs Vice President for Film Programming Leslie Cohen had a months worth of her emails released.

The hackers sent a five-minute video letter from one Mr Smith and are demanding for six-month salary in bitcoin. And that HBO needs to pay within three days or have their shows and confidential data leaked online. HBO says they are still working with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to get to the bottom of this. But they believe that their entire email system hasnt been compromised.

The hackers claim they earn US$12m to $15m a year from blackmailing organisations theyve hacked. They say theyll only work with HBO Chief Executive Richard Plepler and only send one letter to detail how HBO will pay them.

Source: The Guardian
The court heard evidence from a woman, whose name has been suppressed, who spent time with Cole and several others at the unit block, where the two men lived in neighbouring units, the day of the killing.
You can get your Disney princess fix on the big screen from this weekend, with the Disney Princess Movie Festival running over four weeks at both Palace Electric and Dendy Canberra. First up, see Ariel and friends in The Little Mermaid this weekend. It's playing both Saturday and Sunday, 10am at Dendy and 11am Palace. Also showing during the festival is Tangled (August 19-20), Sleep[ing Beauty (August 26-27) and Cinderella (September 2-3). On Sundays during the festival, Dendy is also holding free kids activities from 9am, with a visit from each of the featured princesses. Tickets at palacecinemas.com.au and dendy.com.au.
"We need the community's assistance in reporting any suspicious behaviour or activity they see at or around school grounds immediately to ACT Policing on 131 444, or alternatively through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," he said in a statement.
The new guidance, more than 3000 words covering everything from the vexed question of if a retweet equals an endorsement and just how potent is an angry face emoji, seeks to clarify the parameters around what public servants can and cannot say and is designed to give individuals greater confidence.
080817SOHIA ON PARTY POLITICS

By Aloysius Laukai



The President of the NA party on Bougainville, PETER SOHIA today thanked the people of South and North Bougainville for providing quality leadership that will fight for Bougainvilles future at the National Parliament.

MR. SOHIA was speaking at the welcome ceremony of the two members of NA to Buka today after the election of the Prime Minister and Government of Papua New Guinea.

He said although his team was in the opposition they have the power to block the government if it makes laws that are not in the best interest of Papua New Guinea.

He said his alliance members total to 49 which makes it impossible for the Government to make reforms with the Opposition supporting it.

MR. SOHIA also called on the other two Bougainville members to join the other members and meet the ABG leaders so that they can discuss the way forward for Bougainville into the future.

He said Bougainville needs a unified Bougainville to move into Referendum stating without unity the referendum will fail.



Ends


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 ...
Business / Companies

by Staff Reporter

STEWARD Bank has cut its interests rate to below eight percent and joined the bandwagon of institutions that offer mortgage facilities to clients for housing development.The bold move is likely to excite the market given widespread concern over the high cost of finance by businesses. Most banks are charging an average 12 percent following a directive by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. In the past most banks charged up to 40 percent interest, which has been blamed for high levels of non-performing loans.Speaking at the official opening of the Steward Banks' Gweru branch on Saturday, chief executive officer, Dr Lance Mambondiani, said the Econet subsidiary has been awarded a licence by the regulators to offer mortgage facilities."We have seen a lot of developments in terms of housing, our peers at National Building Society (NBS), FBC Building Society are very aggressive in this area and doing a great job."We are not a building society but we have thought of assisting our customers who have entrusted us with banking services," said Dr Mambondiani."We have been authorised by the regulator to offer mortgage facilities to our customers hence soon we will be in the market offering our customers with the finance."He said that since his bank had acquired a licence it was setting aside capital for this development and will soon start offering loans to their customers."As for now we are cleaning up house so that we know we have the full capacity of the product that our customers will consider as relevant to their needs."In terms of the geographical planning we have looked into two segments, which is the national and the diaspora market. Our customers are also into the diaspora so we also need to consider them," said Dr Mambondiani."We are doing mortgage finance differently in supporting what is being done by the building societies because it is something that is at the core of every family so we want to be part of the journey."Meanwhile, the bank has reduced its lending rates from 12 percent ceiling in line with the central bank guidelines."We have reduced our rates to as little as below eight percent on long time lending. We want to allow our customers to repay without struggling," he said.
Business / Companies

by Staff reporter

WRANGLING over chrome mining claims by artisanal miners in the Midlands Province is continuing unabated, with the Zimbabwe Small Miners Confederation (ZSMC) now threatening to appeal to President Robert Mugabe.The small-scale miners are fighting over 93 claims they have to share out of a total 205 they once owned.The province has a total 306 claims, with some owned by private entities. The dispute comes as government is re-allocating 21 170 hectares of land once owned by chrome miner Zimasco to new smelters and small-scale miners.With prospects for improved chrome prices on the international market high, the battle is likely to get uglier as the ore-rich zones will be targeted by many.ZSMC vice president Emmanuel Mubobo told the Daily News that there was heel dragging by government on addressing the dispute, despite impressions from the authorities that they were seized with the matter.He said when his organisation recently met Mines minister Walter Chidakwa, it appeared all was on course for a resolution."We agreed at a meeting with Chidakwa that those who have been mining will be given the right of first refusal but we are now having people coming and threatening to displace us, claiming to have been allocated our blocks by government," Mubobo said, questioning that "how is that possible"?"We have been occupying 205 claims out of 306 claims in Midlands. We then agreed to shed some of the claims and remained with 93. Of those 93, we then agreed to share, meaning people would come together and mine but it seems they are still not satisfied with that 93 and that is why we are saying the government must come in and solve this once and for all.""Despite all those efforts to try and solve this, some people don't see this hence everyday we continue to see individuals from outside Midlands coming to occupy claims which they say they were given by government."Now we have people coming from elsewhere to take our land, while locals are suffering and surely that cannot happen," Mubobo said."As a result, we are appealing to Mugabe to help restore sanity in this area. He is the only one who can understand our language. It's now a game of politics being played out at our expense and some are using the president's name for their personal benefit and we don't want that," he said.He said there was need to address the issue as a matter of urgency as it was likely to get out of hand if not dealt with properly.Mubobo added that despite numerous engagements, Mines deputy minister Fred Moyo was taking long to address the matter, which he said was worsening their plight."Fred is just good at promising. We have appealed to him several times but nothing has happened while we continue to be victimised," Mubobo told the Daily News."Efforts to get attention from government through the deputy minister have failed," he said, adding that Moyo "has on numerousoccasions given us false hope and on the ground there is nothing positive happening to show that he is doing something".On Monday, Moyo told the Daily News: "The invasion, as some people might put it, that's a wrong term. What happened is government acquired 50 percent shares from Zimasco and government entrusted Zimasco to give vacant land where there is nobody such that other miners can be allocated. But naturally as you know, those who are on the ground want to protect their claims and those who don't have want a share of the claims."Asked about the accusations of dillydallying Moyo said; "We don't just come up with solutions that easily. It's a complex matter."We also need Zimasco to say these are the people we have been working with. Such that we can see who is legally occupying the land and who has imposed himself on the claims."We are not after evicting people but we are after solving the issue amicably. As I am speaking, there is a conference that is currently taking place in Gweru where such issues are being addressed."We are also dispatching a taskforce team headed by my director this week to go on the ground and find out the real issues on the ground as we strive to address the matter."When quizzed about the matter during recently-ended Mine Entra he said his ministry was already seized with the matter."I have heard there are squabbles over mining claims. However, when the government allocated the claims we had the minister of Provincial Affairs (Jason Machaya) and Zimasco, who held a meeting with all small-scale miners contracted with the company," he said."Those who are complaining were not on the list. However, there might be some isolated cases and as such, we are sending a team of surveyors and officials from Zimasco to go on the ground and rectify the situation."
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News / National

by Staff reporter

A USA based business woman Violet Mariyacha surprised Zimbabwe as she announced her plans to join the 2018 Presidential race, challenging the 93 year old Robert Mugabe. Mariyacha is thanking the citizens of Zimbabwe for their outpouring support and acceptance, which took the candidate by surprise.The United Movements and Unions Party opposition leader and humanitarian announced her bid for the presidency last week and has launched a global campaign to spread awareness and solicit support from the diaspora and the international community to intervene and help stop atrocities and election violence committed by the ruling ZANU-PF party.A human rights activist, businesswoman and published author based in California, USA, Mariyacha has recently launched a grass roots campaign via her website to force pressure on the United Nations and the world to intervene in the country's upcoming 2018 elections, vowing to prevent the human rights violations, arbitrary arrests and abductions, beatings, torture, and killings of members and supporters of the opposition parties that has plagued Zimbabwe's most recent elections.Mariyacha has received many messages of encouragement and offers of help from volunteers that are hungry for change, to assist with campaigns in different areas in the country. The amount of messages received by Mariyacha has made it difficult for her to respond to each one but she said that she is reading every message. Mariyacha adds, "Thank you Zimbabwe!! Please know that I am reading every message and being even more inspired by your kind words. For those volunteers who left their phone numbers we shall contact them shortly. Freedom is certain!"Mariyacha is encouraging those interested to visit her website www.violetmariyacha.com/petition to sign the petition to urge the United Nations to monitor the Zimbabwe Elections in 2018, share the link, as well as use the tag to ask others to sign the petition to spread awareness about the anticipated election violence in the upcoming elections. #StandwithZimbabwe
Demand for cyber insurance from firms in Greater China and elsewhere in Asia is poised to soar, based on enquiries received after the WannaCry ransomware attack earlier this year, executives at American International Group Inc said.

The American insurer saw an 87 percent jump in enquiries for cyber insurance policies in May compared to April for Greater China including Hong Kong as a direct result of the WannaCry attack, while the global increase was 38 percent, they said.

The big increase means the organizations are aware they really need protection, Cynthia Sze, head of an AIG business in Greater China that provides solutions to companies dealing with cyber breaches, told reporters. AIG executives declined to give details on numbers or say how many of the enquiries actually resulted in policy sales.

The self-replicating WannaCry malware in May infected over 200,000 computers in 150 countries.

A typical cyber insurance policy can protect companies against extortion like ransomware attacks. It could also cover the investigation costs and pay the ransom.

In Hong Kong, which is dominated by small and medium sized enterprises, the impact of a cyber attack could be severe as cyber threats are not a priority given the limited resources of SMEs, said Sze.

Citing Hong Kong police statistics, Sze said computer security incident reports have grown to about 6,000 last year from 1,500 in 2009. Financial losses resulting from such incidents jumped from HK$45 million ($5.76 million) to HK$2.3 billion over the same period, she said.

Hong Kong police did not immediately respond to a request for comment to confirm the numbers.

WannaCry has really changed the dynamics. We used to tap large multinational companies that understood where the exposure was. Now we are really talking about mid-market and SMEs, said Jason Kelly, AIGs head of liabilities and financial lines for Greater China, Australasia and South Korea.

The global market for cyber insurance is worth $2 billion, with 30 percent of middle to large firms purchasing cyber insurance protection, according to AIG. The insurer has also seen an average annual growth rate of 20 to 25 percent in cyber insurance policies over the past three years worldwide, said Kelly.

Insurance companies have been cautiously entering the cyber insurance market as they look for growth amid stiff competition and potential exposure to cyber breaches.

According to Kelly, the annual damage from hackers to the global economy reached about $400 billion in 2015. ($1 = 7.8134 Hong Kong dollars)
Nissan would be forced to pay $97.68 million if a proposed settlement over its Takata airbag recalls is approved for vehicle owners.



The Detroit News states that the settlement, filed to a federal court in Miami on Tuesday, would pay for an outreach program designed to ensure that all 4.4 million affected Nissans in the U.S. with Takata airbag inflators are repaired.

Additionally, the settlement would compensate owners for any relevant expenses they may incur while their vehicle is being repaired, such as using a rental car.

In May, BMW, Mazda, Subaru and Toyota agreed to a very similar settlement with the United States government worth $553 million.

Before being approved, Nissans settlement needs to be signed off by a judge.

PHOTO GALLERY
Space is the Place

National Geographic Channel has committed to a rebooted miniseries version Tom Wolfes nonfiction novel The Right Stuff. The story was previously turned into an Academy Award-winning 1983 movie of the same name, which would seem like a tough act to follow up on. The series is being produced, however, by superstar actor Leonardo DiCaprio. The network is planning on several seasons, each of which will focus on a different NASA mission. The first season is expected to be set during the Cold War and will follow Americas race to put men into space. No word on whether Leo will grace the space race with his face.

Vamp It Up

Stephenie Meyer, who gave the world the sparkly teenage vampires of Twilight, is also moving into television. The author is serving as executive producer on The Rook for Starz. The show is described as a supernatural spy thriller about a woman who works for a secret British government agency protecting the world from paranormal threats. The series is based on the 2012 novel by Australian writer Daniel OMalley. The Rook was originally set to air on Hulu, but has since migrated to Starz. The series is expected to debut sometime in 2018.

Emergency Call

Prolific creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuck (Popular, Nip/Tuck, Glee, American Horror Story, Scream Queens, American Crime Story, Feud) are producing a new drama called 9-1-1 for FOX television. The procedural drama follows the high-pressure experiences of police, paramedics and firefighters in the wake of the critical question, 9-1-1, whats your emergency? Peter Krause (Six Feet Under) and Angela Bassett (Whats Love Got To Do With It) are among the cast. The show is scheduled to air sometime in 2018.

Deadwood Not Dead?

Its a longshot, but theres still a chance HBO could commit to a feature-film spinoff of David Milchs much-admired Shakespearian Western Deadwood (2004 to 2006). Since the show aired the last of its 36 episodes, fans have been begging for a resolution to the ongoing storyline. Earlier this year, series star Ian McShane announced that Milch had submitted a two-hour movie script to HBO. At the recent Television Critics Association press tour, HBOs president of programming Casey Bloys said hes read Milchs proposed script and called it terrific. The films extensive sets were torn down when the show stopped filming, and the large castmost of which are busy on other showswould be costly to reassemble. Nonetheless, it appears that HBO is at least interested in considering the possibility of a Deadwood movie.

Youll Sing Your Eye Out

FOXs next live musical will be A Christmas Story. The much-loved (and much aired) 1983 holiday film is based on the semi- autobiographical writings of humorist Jean Shepherd. The film was adapted into a Tony Award-nominated stage musical in 2012. Benj Pasek and Justin Paulwho nabbed Tony Awards for the musical Dear Evan Hansen and served as lyricists on the Academy Award-winning song City of Stars from La La Landwill compose several new songs for the television event. So far, former SNL star Maya Rudolph is the only announced cast member. Shell star as Ralphie Parkers mother. The musical will air live Sunday, Dec. 17, on FOX.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Zimbabwe Peace Project has reported that Civil servants in Mutasa South were ordered by the Mutasa District Administrator, Tendai Kapenzi, to contribute money towards the Heroes Day celebrations.ZPP said according to the Manicaland Amalgamated Teachers Union leader Obert Masaraure, the District Administrator for Mutasa District wrote a letter requesting contributions towards the Heroes Day commemorations."It was alleged that according to the letter from Kapenzi schoolheads are to pay $3, teachers and other officers pay $2, office orderlies pay $1, villagers pay 50 cents, A1 farmers pay $3, A2 farmers pay $10 and small holder farmers also pay $10," said ZPP."In Mutare West, Chiadzwa mining area, it was reported that ten diamond panners were murdered in July. One of the deaths was recorded after a group of over 200 panners were shot at by police and Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) security officers. It is alleged that police and ZCDC security officers at Chiadzwa diamond fields tried to intercept a group of artisanal miners during an operation by the security personnel, which was clamping down on what they termed illegal miners at the site."ZPP said Farai Maguwu, Director of Centre for Natural Resource Governance confirmed the incidents to ZPP.
Alanna Kelly

Neighbours in West Kelowna say there has been a long history of issues with workers at some farms in their area.

West Kelownas bylaw department said it is "very aware" of conflict on Scharf Road, largely stemming from observed illegal activities and concerns about living conditions of farm workers.

What are you waiting for, for somebody to get killed? Is that what has to happen in this area for you guys to take notice?" said Sheila Kennedy.

Kennedy has lived in the neighbourhood for 20 years and said a petition was signed by everyone in the area about issues with one farm in particular, but that the city didnt acknowledge it.

Collin Crabbe, whose wife was attacked by a migrant worker on Sunday, said several of the farmers force them to live in squalor, in tents and without running water. They are told to bathe in the creek.

The RCMP know this street very, very well," said Kennedy. This is a volatile area."

She said the farm workers are "treated like they are in a Third World country. Its disgusting. I have had them at my door saying they cant believe what they have come to.

She said some farms do things right, and she doesn't want to hurt local businesses  but everyone should follow the rules.

City spokesperson Kirsten Jones said the bylaw department has investigated two properties on Scharf Road that house farm workers.

Complainants have been advised that although current zoning would not allow some of the housing that is on the properties, they were built under RDCO bylaws that permitted the construction and, therefore, the housing is lawfully non-conforming (grandfathered) and bylaw cannot require them to be vacated, she said.

Jones said the properties will be inspected to ensure compliance, and matters of a criminal nature and traffic offences will be dealt with by police.
Vernon's Upper Room Mission has been hard at work this summer, serving between 350 to 400 meals per day.

This year, there does seem to be lots of new faces, said Lisa Anderson, the Mission's director of resource development. I'm not sure if it's because of the wildfires and different things going on. We had some evacuees coming in and transients. Summer is usually busy for us.

While Anderson agreed that is a lot of people to cram in the dining room at meal times, the guests themselves help out.

It gets pretty packed in here but the guests are really good. If it is really busy they will eat and then move on so others can come in and have a meal as well.

As well, she said more people are accessing the URM's giveaway table, bread racks and kitchen services.

This year's heat and smoke has been particularly hard on the street population which often has nowhere to go to get away from the conditions.

It's been hard on everybody, especially the street population, said Anderson. We've seen guests come in with heat exhaustion or they're coughing because of the smoke or complaining of tightness in the chest.

For the first time, the URM opened Charlotte's Place  which stays open between meal times and until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Named after a well-remembered former guest who passed away, Charlotte's Place is in the basement of the URM and offers a cooler option than the hot and smoky city streets.

It has couches, a TV, games, snacks and a washing machine.

It has been run since June by two summer students thanks to a provincial grant.

Unfortunately that is going to be ending on Aug. 18th because our students will be all done so we don't have the funding to hire two additional staff members to keep the doors open, said Anderson.
The countdown is on, final preparations are underway for the 70th annual Penticton Peach Festival.

Centred on Okanagan Lake Park, the iconic event is one of Canadas largest free festivals.

We are really excited, we have such a great lineup this year, Peach Fest President Don Kendall said while overseeing the setup.

The Festival will open Wednesday with the Home Hardware Kids Zone, a new addition this year, which will run from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday to Friday in Gyro Park.

At 12 p.m. the peach bin race right on Main Street, starting at City Hall. Weve got the motocross doing two shows tomorrow on Lakeshore Drive, and of course the big air show tomorrow night with the Skyhawks, the Snowbirds and the CF18 hornet, Kendall said.

The Skyhawks and CF18 hornet will be flying regardless of the smoke conditions, but Kendall said the Snowbirds will be making the decision of whether to fly or not immediately before showtime at 6 p.m.

They generally fly, but they may have to modify their show somewhat, but that will be a decision made by their captain, Kendall said.

Musical headliners this week include 54:40 (Wednesday), Trooper (Thursday), Aaron Pritchett (Friday), Rod Stewart Tribute (Saturday) and the Powder Blues Band (Sunday).

A full schedule of the week's events can be found here.
Photo: Contributed

A West Kelowna farmer says he did everything he could to provide a safe and healthy work environment for a woman he believes had a mental breakdown when she attacked a neighbouring home owner.

Brante Farrell said one of his employees at Westbank Harvest, a migrant worker from Brazil, went missing Saturday night, and he contacted police.

The 24-year-old woman walked about a mile and was found naked, yelling at a family's dog on Scharf Road Sunday afternoon. She broke through the front door and fought with the mother before barricading herself in a shed.

Farrell said she was out of her mind." He wants her taken in for a mental health assessment.

I dont want anyone to have any doubts about safety of the environment that we provide, he said Tuesday.

Farrell said migrant workers are good people, coming from other countries to work in Canada.

What the issue is... is drug sellers, local landlords who do not care for their workers, and landlords that do not have proper housing for year-round tenants."

West Kelowna Bylaw Enforcement says it's "very aware" of conflict between neighbours on Scharf Road, largely stemming from observed illegal activities and concern about living conditions of farm workers, but criminal and traffic offences should be referred to the RCMP.

I am fully aware that we have at the opposite end of the street, issues for the last 10 years with drug abuse and a house that has been known to house drug addicts and drug sellers for many years, said Farrell.

Ninety per cent of Westbank Harvest's workers are repeat staff, but this woman had only worked at the farm for a few months. Farrell said she agreed to a no drugs, alcohol or smoking policy.

The family said a bag left at the top of their driveway contained the woman's identification and drug paraphernalia.

The woman was expected to appear in court Tuesday, but was taken to hospital. Police have yet to comment on the case.
Photo: Wayne Moore

The City of West Kelowna is adding to its firefighting roster in response to the extreme fire danger in the region.

The city has agreed to spend nearly $90,000 to add four more positions and create a "dedicated roster" of paid-on-call firefighters for the Glenrosa and Rose Valley fire halls.

In addition, one full-time firefighter per shift will be added at Station 32 in Lakeview Heights, bringing the number of firefighters per shift to four from three.

The city will also add a chief officer who will be on call 24/7, supporting the organization, deployment and command of major responses.

Changes are designed to ensure West Kelowna Fire Rescue is best able to address the fire threat within the community during these extreme circumstances.

These positions will be in place until conditions improve.
Photo: Contributed

A combination of lightning and tinder-dry conditions has led to more than two dozen new wildfires igniting in British Columbia in a period of less than two days this week.

Kevin Skrepnek of the BC Wildfire Service says the majority of the 17 fires that started Monday were the result of lightning.

Another 11 fires had started by midday Tuesday, bringing the total number of fires seen this season to 928.

Heavy smoke from the fires continues to pose a health risk for infants, the elderly and people with chronic health conditions, and is causing poor visibility on some highways.

An air quality advisory from Environment Canada that already covered the southern half of the province has now expanded north past Smithers.

Skrepnek says while there is still no significant rain in the forecast, inflow winds from the ocean are expected to roll in by Friday and clear the smoke hanging over the south coast.
Photo: Contributed

RCMP are at the scene of a report of shots fired in the Clayton area of Surrey.

Cpl. Scotty Schumann says police were called to the 7000 block of 180th Street.

On attendance, police located a vehicle and a garage door that had been struck by bullets. The vehicle was occupied at the time and, thankfully, no injuries were reported. The suspect was on a motorcycle that fled the area prior to police arrival, said Schumann.

Surrey RCMPs General Investigation Unit is investigating the case, with help from the Lower Mainland Integrated Forensic Identification Service.

Police believe this to be a targeted incident.

Shots-fired investigations are a priority, said Schumann.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

MDC official Discent Collins Bajila has said MDC-T Vice President Thokozani Khupe and other top officials of the party think that they have definite authority to distribute power amid the violence which erupted at the party offices on Sunday.Bajila said he understands the position of Thokozani Khupe and her supporters quite well.He said their position is that Morgan Tsvangirai has over the years faced so much heckling and vilification from numerous corners of the country including Matebeleland."They have correctly identified themselves as the people who have stood with Morgan Tsvangirai through the thick of things and therefore feel that they deserve to have a definite say on the distribution of power in Matebeleland," he said."This is the level at which engagement should begin. There are however certain unfortunate realities that need to be faced and interrogated before engagement on these issues. The first reality is that the popularity of Morgan Tsvangirai in the region has been on a steady decline over the past years with the exception of 14 Constituencies namely Binga North, Binga South and the 12 Constituencies that form Bulawayo Province. These are the only places that have consistently stood with Morgan Tsvangirai even in the face of unfair tactics of ZANU PF."Bajila said Matebeleland is made up of 38 constituencies and this means that there are 24 Constituencies in the region that are elusive to Morgan Tsvangirai."If the alliance was just about making Morgan Tsvangirai a President, it would make sense to then say when it comes to Matebeleland, the coalition must restrict itself to the 24 elusive constituencies. However the alliance is neither about Morgan Tsvangirai nor about 38 of the 210 constituencies," he said."The second reality to face is that there's no condemnation, even by the numerous women's rights groups and feminist voter lobbyists, of the fact that one of the signatories to the alliance is a self confessed rapist. The plotting that is open to all is around ensuring that whatever coalition is formed, there must be no room for the imagination of Welshman Ncube as a senior or equal person when it comes to the people from Matebeleland. Dennis Mutyasira, Agrippa Mutambara, Jacob Ngarivhume and all can get anything they want. It is Welshman Ncube and the party he leads who must be marked north, east west and south of the coalition alliance matrix.""I am not sure whether at this juncture it could be appropriate to remind us of the biblical story of King Solomon or I should attempt at an inquiry on whether it is a superiority complex that makes people think that there's nothing one can do to 210 without 38 or it is an inferiority complex that makes powerful people think they can be replaced in the ratio 3:1," he added.Bajila said in his latest BBC HardTalk interview Ncube said " If we're to agree on Morgan Tsvangirai as the Presidential Candidate, it will be very important for us to ensure that the people who have consistently stood by him over the years, form the core of the team ".
Photo: Twitter The federal and provincial governments are promising help for ranchers hit by wildfires.

Angry B.C. ranchers have been promised help from the federal and provincial governments in response to the wildfires burning their way through grasslands, especially in the Cariboo.

The potential impact is severe as ranchers have an estimated 30,000 animals within the boundaries of wildfire-affected areas. The number of livestock injuries and losses is unknown as the emergency continues.

The B.C. government has promised once that information is available, officials will work quickly with industry stakeholders to develop a fair and timely response, said a Ministry of Agriculture press release.

Officials say the recognize that additional programs will likely be needed given the scope of the wildfires but ranchers and crop producers should also look at existing federal and provincial government insurance and income protection programs.

The government estimated more than 500 ranchers have already received support and information through the wildfire emergency response, including emergency livestock feed.

A total of $6 million is expected to be used for fence reconstruction efforts along highways and on Crown range once the crisis is at an end.

On the weekend, ranchers in the Clinton area demanded compensation and an apology from the government after a controlled burn got out of control and added to the massive Elephant Hill wildfire putting more of their properties and livestock at risk.

The BC Wildfire Service defended the practice of fighting massive fires with fire.
Photo: Contributed The Canadian Press - file photo

Two people were taken to hospital after a whale-watching tour boat struck a humpback whale off the coast Victoria.

Prince of Whales Whale Watching said one of its zodiac vessels was in the area watching a humpback whale when another one surfaced without warning.

The vessel was near Race Rocks Ecological Reserve just before 3 p.m. on Monday, travelling about 25 and 35 knots when it launched off the whale.

Operation manager for the tour company, Ben Duthie told CTV News that the animal had not been observed but happened to surface immediately in front of the vessel.

The front of the bow went airborne and came down. Two of the passengers moved to the side and were injured, said Duthie to CTV News. The severity of the injuries have not been disclosed at this point.

Whales Whale Watching said this is an unpredicted and isolated incident.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: The Dorcas ladies Anne Polishuk, manager of the Osoyoos United Church Thrift Shop.

The Osoyoos Dorcas ladies are giving $30,000 to the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundations campaign to supply the medical equipment for the Penticton Regional Hospital expansion.

The Dorcas ladies run a thrift store, located in the basement of Osoyoos United Church, and donate all profits to charity. The thrift store, which has been operating for more than 50 years, generates about $50,000 a year in proceeds.

It still surprises me how well we do with the Thrift Store because Osoyoos is not a large community, said Marie Therrien, president of the Dorcas Unit. We have very limited space but we do very well with what we have.

The gift has enabled the organization to gain provincial approval to have their name associated with a patient room in the new PRH patient care tower, now under construction.

So many Osoyoos residents end up as patients in Penticton that we decided it would be very worthwhile for our own community to support it, Therrien said.

The community knows the Dorcas ladies have a history of giving and Therrien wants emphasize they have not overlooked Osoyoos charities.

"We have been able to do many things locally here in Osoyoos plus contributing to some individuals needs as well, she said.

The Dorcas ladies will also continue to donate to the local Osoyoos food bank, an Osoyoos Secondary School scholarship, fire relief efforts, a foster child in Africa and the Osoyoos United Church.
Photo: Contributed The Allan Brooks Nature Centre will be getting some financial assistance from Finning Canada for the next three years.

The Allan Brooks Nature Centre will be getting some financial assistance from Finning Canada, the Cat dealer in B.C. and across Western Canada, for the next three years.

The ABNC is a not-for-profit organization that provides opportunities for youth and families to gain a greater awareness and understanding of the rich natural history and resources of the Okanagan region.

The three-year sponsorship will help the ABNC expand its programs and activities at the Vernon-based facility.

ABNC recently created the Grasslands Theatre for 150 people and added a unique live bird-of-prey program to the schedule that allows all-ages visitors to experience the thrill of getting up close to some of natures top predators.

Finning Canada joins Nixon-Wenger LLP as Osprey sponsors, Bannister Honda and Ex Nihilo Vineyards as Red-tail sponsors, and Kal Tire as Golden Eagle sponsor of Allan Brook Nature Centre.

Finning Canada is pleased to partner with the Allan Brooks Nature Centre by supporting science-based education programs to help inspire young minds and build awareness and respect for our natural environment, says Scott Wakefield, Finning branch manager, Vernon.

Finning Canadas sponsorship provides Allan Brooks with operational funding support to deliver youth and family focused nature educational programming, which during the past year, engaged a record 2,865 children on-site and more than 12,000 off-site at events throughout the Okanagan region.
Photo: Skylar Noe-Vack

Crews were called to a house fire Tuesday evening in Penticton.

Just before 7 p.m. emergency crews converged on a home at 188 Hastings place for reported structure fire.

There were also concerns dogs may be trapped in the home, but upon arrival the dogs were out and so was the fire which damaged a Honda Civic in the driveway.

In June, an SUV fire happened at the same location.

RCMP and Penticton fire are investigating the cause.
Photo: CTV Deadpool rides a scooter through Vancouver.

Deadpool has told the City of Vancouver thank you for putting up with him.

Well, actor Ryan Reynolds said thank you.

The Vancouver-born actor thanked residents of his hometown and local police for their patience during the filming of the "Deadpool" sequel.

The A-lister, who has been in the city for several weeks, posted on social media Tuesday thanking police and "the great people of Vancouver" for putting up with delays.

Vancouver police responded, writing: "Who doesn't love Spider-Man?!" with a winking emoji.

- with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: File photo

Conservation officers say complaints about bears in communities throughout British Columbia have nearly doubled since last year.

Chris Doyle, deputy chief with the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, says officers received 8,900 calls about black bears between April 1 and Aug. 1 of this year, up from 4,900 such complaints during the same period in 2016.

He says most of the calls are about bears getting into human "attractants," like garbage or fruit trees in developed areas.

An officer's response will depend on the bear's behaviour, and Doyle says that may include relocating or destroying the animal.

He could not give figures for how many bears had been euthanized this year, but says when bear conflicts rise then the number of animals destroyed also goes up.

He says a variety of factors could be contributing to the increase in human-bear conflicts, including an increased bear population and a wet, cold spring leading to less ripe fruit for the animals to eat in the wild.
Photo: Thinkstock.com

After issuing warnings about the threat of wildfires this season, B.C.'s Conservation Service handed out 19 tickets over the long weekend to people who flouted a campfire ban that covers much of the province.

Chris Doyle, the deputy chief with the service, says each of those caught were issued $1,150 tickets.

Doyle says ignorance isn't an excuse because the campfire ban and fire danger have been very well promoted through the media, on social media and with signage.

He says it would be difficult for anyone heading into the woods not to know there is a campfire ban in place.

There were more than 140 wildfires burning in the province on Wednesday.

The BC Fire Service says on average, 40 per cent of fires are caused by humans.
Nanaimos mayor has made it clear he wont be seeking re-election next year.

Fed up with drama and dysfunction on council, Mayor Bill McKay made it official Tuesday, saying his name will not be on the ballot.

I knew politics was dirty. I had no idea it could be this dirty," he told CTV.

This isnt what I signed up for. Just the agony of coming to work every day in an atmosphere where you dont know what attack is coming today," he said.

McKays announcement comes after a video surfaced of former councillor Wendy Pratt assaulting city manager Tracy Samra.

There have also been allegations of bullying and harassment.

Meanwhile, a group of people is circulating a petition calling on city staff and politicians to either get along or resign.

 with files from CTV Vancouver Island
Photo: The Canadian Press Members of the Canadian armed forces erect tents to house asylum seekers in Lacolle, Que.

About 100 Canadian soldiers began arriving at the Quebec-U.S. border on Wednesday to help authorities cope with the crush of asylum seekers crossing into Canada.

They will assist the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency as well as other partners at the border.

The soldiers were preparing a site in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, where tents will be set up to accommodate close to 500 people. They will also install lighting and heating equipment such as generators and fire-safety material, if needed.

All but a few of the soldiers will return to their home base once the site is completed, the Forces said in a statement. It also said the military personnel will have no role in security matters and will not participate in law-enforcement tasks.

Many of the hundreds of people who are crossing the Canada-United States border into Quebec to seek asylum are of Haitian descent.

In the United States, the Trump administration is considering ending a program that granted Haitians so-called "temporary protected status'' following the massive earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010.

Many of the arrivals are being housed in Montreal at the Olympic Stadium.

The City of Montreal said recently between 250 and 300 people were crossing the Canada-United States border to seek asylum every day, up from 50 per day in the first half of July.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

The skirmishes which took place at MDC-T offices in Bulawayo on Sunday, where Thokozani Khuphe and other MDC-T officials were attacked by thugs allegedly from Harare sent by Morgan Tsvangirai, are a replica of what happened in 2005 at Harvest House in Harare that resulted in the first MDC split, Mthwakazi Republic Party has claimed.The party said prior to the MDC split in 2005, Welshman Ncube and other cdes who were not singing to the tune of Morgan Tsvangirai were severely beaten by the thugs from Harare, hence we all know that it is the people like Thokozani Khuphe at that time who aided Morgan Tsvangirai against her kith and kin."Surprisingly the pendulum has shifted the 2005 ghost, once again has came and this time its now Welshman Ncube aiding Morgan Tsvangirai. This time Welshman is now wining and dining with Morgan and the swords have been turned against Thokozani Khuphe and her team," said MRP."The happenings and the events are so amazing to the point that the Ndebeles continue to be used by these people from the East against each other. "Lafa Elihle" sibhekile because of the love of money and positions at the expense of our suffering Mthwakazi people. People like Welshman and Thokozani are failing to understand the current political dispensation. Shona people will never change, they are wolves in ship skins. Whether in church or politics they are just cunning and heartless."MRP said Welshman Ncube has not told the people of Mthwakazi what caused their split in 2005 and we all know that they are some casualties of those split and am vividly reminded by one of our own, a former Member of Parliament for Mpopoma constituency Bekithemba Nyathi who nearly lost his eye through those skirmishes."We are aware that MDC split in 2005 aided by ZANU PF's advice to Morgan Tsvangirai that MDC of that time was too powerful for shonas because the top five were from Matabeleland, hence the first split was supposed to be the one which was orchestrated by Ari Ben Menashe that comedian Canadian guy who was hired by ZANU PF in cahoots with Morgan Tsvangirai. Hence the arrests of the three, Morgan , Welsh and the late Renson Gasela. Surprisingly Welsh and Renson were first to be acquitted of those fake treason charges and our people were quick to say they have sold out as per the plan of ZANU PF and Tsvangirai. Albeit the split failed and ZANU had to come up with another project to split these people but this time it was the Senatorial elections project which indeed managed to split these guys. We remember the likes of Bhebhe Abednico and others who went to sellout in 2008 to Morgan and were each paid US$3000," said the party."These are the same Bhebhes who received beatings and harassment from the thugs sent by Morgan Tsvangirai all the way from Harare. Welshman Ncube has not told us how they have fixed the differences of 2005, yet they have formed the alliance which I feel is not people centred but it is derived from donor funding. We know that both of them are broke.""Our MRP message to people like Welsh and Thoko and other so called Ndebele leaders who dine and wine with shonas is that please stop taking our Mthwakazi people for a ride nothing good will come from Mashonaland. We know you are in these marriage of conveniences for your own personal benefits not for the benefit of people of Matabeleland. We urge you to stop confusing the masses because this time Welsh is taking his followers to Tsvangirai and Khuphe will withdraw her followers from Morgan Tsvangirai and our Matabeleland people will continue to be tossed around," MRP added.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A first-of-its-kind study in Canada has painted a national picture of homeless youth and drawn a link to the foster care system that researchers say could be playing a more active role in keeping young people off the streets.

The study found nearly three out of every five homeless youth were part of the child welfare system at some point in their lives, a rate almost 200 times greater than that of the general population.

Of those with a history in the child welfare system, almost two of every five respondents eventually "aged out" of provincial or territorial care, losing access to the sort of support that could have kept them from becoming homeless, the study found.

The result is that Canada is creating a group of young people who are at higher risk of becoming homeless because they lack resources when coming out of foster care, said Stephen Gaetz, the study's co-author and director of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness.

The study released Wednesday comes before dozens of cities will take part in the second, federally organized point-in-time count of the homeless population that will include a focus on young people.

There are about 6,500 young people between the ages of 13 and 24 homeless on any given night.

The report urges the federal government to focus on preventing youth homelessness  particularly among Indigenous youth  and on provinces and territories to focus on "after care" by providing support as needed until age 25.

"We're not calling out child protection services," Gaetz said. "We're not pointing fingers going, 'It's horrible what you're doing.'

"Rather, we're saying this is an unintended consequence of a whole number of things, but it's something that we can identify as leading to bad outcomes when young people leave care."
Photo: RCMP Police are looking for Allan Ellsworth, a Kelowna man who went missing near Revelstoke.

Police are looking for a Kelowna man who went missing south of Revelstoke on July 31, the second man missing in the area around the same time.

RCMP say 53-year-old Allan Ellsworth was last seen on Trout Lake, about 15 kilometres southeast of Beaton.

The Kelowna man was camping in the area before he disappeared.

Police issued a similar missing person alert earlier this week after 29-year-old Jared Szabo went missing from the Beaton area on Aug. 1.

Police recently discovered Szabo's white pickup submerged in Fish River, near Beaton.

They found tire marks leading off the Fish River Forest Service Road into the river, over an embankment, where we located a fully submerged vehicle, which has been eventually confirmed as that of Jared Szabo, Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said.

Police can't access the truck due to the high water, so they don't know if the missing man is inside.

Despite the close proximity and the similar timeline of the two missing men, Moskaluk says police can't conclusively state just yet that there is any connection between the two.

Police describe Ellsworth as six-foot-two, 235 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes.

Anyone with information should call Nakusp RCMP at 250-265-3677.
Photo: hellobc.com

B.C. tourism officials are starting to assess the impact of devastating wildfires and have received mixed feedback on the toll so far on the travel sector.

Maya Lange of Destination BC says businesses outside the fire zone have complained of cancellations, while evacuation orders and restrictions to backcountry parks, particularly in the Interior, have limited some service providers' ability to operate.

She says most evidence of a slowdown in the sector has been anecdotal, and data reflecting the financial implications won't be ready for another two to three months.

But, monitoring of tourists coming into the province week-to-week has shown visitor numbers remain on track.

Lange says that may mean visitors are changing their plans of where to go in the province rather than cancelling their trips entirely.

Destination BC has been working to inform potential visitors about what areas of the province are affected by fires, and Lange says the message appears to be getting through that not all of B.C. is burning.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Kagonda village head in Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe, Gladmore Nyamukapa reportedly recently forced villagers to buy exercise books for Zanu-PF youths.According to the Zimbabwe Peace Project names of people who would contribute money towards national events, specifically the forth-coming Heroes Day commemorations would be noted in the books."Recently residents were each forced to pay 50cents towards Heroes Day commemorations. Nyamukapa told the gathering that the president had given youths powers to crush all those opposed to Zanu PF and would use violent means if necessary. Benard Nyamukapa a delegate during the proceedings, also echoed the same sentiments, and added that Zanu PF youths were given power and authority by the president to ruthlessly clamp down all opposition movements," said ZPP.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Another coalition of opposition parties - which are offshoots of the ruling Zanu PF party - could emerge ahead of polls in 2018 to take on President Robert Mugabe, whose party is already scheming against another alliance consummated over the weekend, under the leadership of Morgan Tsvangirai.The Daily News reported that opposition parties that were left out of the weekend pact are unlikely to smoke a peace pipe with Tsvangirai's grouping because of their entrenched differences, and are already making overtures towards conglomerating under a parallel initiative to be negotiated through the Coalition for Democrats (Code).Joice Mujuru, the former vice president and leader of the National People's Party (NPP), is tipped to lead the parallel initiative even though her formation is not a signatory of Code.Mujuru, who had a tiff with Tsvangirai over the leadership of the coalition, was conspicuous by her absence at the MDC Alliance weekend rally, which nominated the former trade unionist to lead the alliance.Tsvangirai has gone to bed with parties led by his former secretaries-general, namely Tendai Biti's People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Welshman Ncube's smaller MDC formation.He also received the thumbs up from Transform Zimbabwe, under Jacob Ngarivhume; Zimbabwe People First, led by Agrippa Mutambara; Zanu Ndonga and the Multi-Racial Christian Democratic Party.The MDC leader's supporters and those he went to bed with over the weekend are resolute that Tsvangirai should lead the coalition, while those lining behind Mujuru are questioning why they should trust a man who has previously failed to end Mugabe's rule.Zapu leader Dumiso Dabengwa has already made it clear that his party will not be joining Tsvangirai or the MDC. The former Zipra intelligence supremo, who, along with former Finance minister Simba Makoni, broke ranks with Zanu PF in early 2008 to form Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn (MKD) party, averred recently that they were negotiations their coalition under Code, which Tsvangirai and his group had refused to be part of.As such, Dabengwa - who now leads Zapu - does not see why they should depart from Code to join the MDC Alliance even though other Code members such as Ncube's MDC and the PDP are now working with Tsvangirai.Those in Code who are not part of the MDC Alliance include MKD, the Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe (RDZ), the Zimbabweans United for Democrats and the Democratic Assembly for Restoration Empowerment."Did you want us to dump our parties to join an MDC alliance when we do not even know what they are up to and what their strategy is?" Dabengwa was recently quoted saying, rhetorically." . . . They decided to form their own coalition so should we also jump ship and join them? We are not MDC. This is MDC going back to MDC", said Dabengwa.Yesterday, leader of the RDZ, Elton Mangoma, said they will only accept a leader who is ready to work under Code and with a supreme council."We have Code as a coalition that is already in place but it can be improved to accommodate all. We have since drafted the framework, which we have since given to parties and adopted," said Mangoma."We therefore really don't care about who will lead the coalition as long as they are committed to having a supreme council that will ensure there we will not be situations where the leader will use his power to pursue those who did not back his or her presidency whether it's Tsvangirai or whoever."The supreme council will also be a conflict resolution platform for the coalition partners and address the issues and vaccinate against likely mischief, including unilateralism, overruling collective decisions, non-implementation of agreed positions, policy deviations, lack of integrity, unreliability and violence," added Mangoma.Mujuru has lately been weighing her options and recently, she tried to sign an agreement with parties uniting under Code only stopping short of putting pen to paper for undisclosed reasons.NPP secretary-general elect, Gift Nyandoro, said while the parties might be having problems over leadership - there is agreement that the grand coalition is the best way forward."Let us see the parties that are coming to our convention. I can speak with authority that we need each other, of all the notable parties there is a consensus that we need each other, of course they may be differences on leadership but those sticking points will be resolved," said Nyandoro.According to sources, Dabengwa feels belittled by Tsvangirai and is considering working closely with Mujuru, Makoni and Mangoma.Political analysts were unanimous yesterday that the disunity within the country's opposition parties could result in two coalitions emerging.Shakespeare Hamauswa, an analyst, opined yesterday that what is emerging is a manifestation of complicated political gamesmanships in the country's body politic with the whole opposition if not all political parties likely to explode."The recent violence in MDC-T therefore indicates how the opposition is highly divided. The absence of (Thokozani) Khupe of MDC-T is not the only sign since in other parties like PDP the likes of Gordon Moyo are against the MDC Alliance," said Hamauswa. "So in light of coalition talks, we are going to see at least two big coalitions of opposition parties. Khupe and team might join hands with Simba Makoni, Dabengwa, Mujuru and Priscilla Misihairabwi".He was referring to the violence that engulfed the MDC on Sunday after suspected thugs from the country's main opposition party stormed a meeting that was being attended by the party's vice president Khupe in Bulawayo.Although Tsvangirai has condemned the violence, there is growing disquiet in his party over Khupe's close ties with Mujuru.Incidentally, both Khupe and Mujuru did not attend the MDC grand coalition rally on Saturday but behind the scenes the two have been meeting, under the Women Convergence Platform which is coordinated by Misihairabwi.Although, Mujuru, Khupe and Misihairabwi have in the past denied that they would want to challenge male dominance in politics, they have not disputed choruses to the effect that time has come for a woman to take over power.Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme also said the likely scenario would be the creation of two coalitions."That scenario is likely. The Tsvangirai one will be a reunited MDC while the Mujuru one will be a Zanu PF faction that broke away. The real coalition will be when the reunited MDC coalesce with the Mujuru Zanu PF breakaway faction but that is a long shot," he said.But MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu was hopeful yesterday that all parties would eventually unite under Tsvangirai's leadership."The MDC Alliance is a formidable force. Actually, there will be more political parties joining this alliance. Political negotiations are ongoing and please, never, ever rule out the possibility of having only one formidable opposition alliance to face Zanu PF in next year's elections. As they say, a day in politics is very long. Just watch the space," said Gutu.
News / National

by Staff reporter

AFTER realising that most ex-liberators who fought on the Zipra front were not being recognised by the ruling Zanu-PF during the annual Heroes Day celebrations, Zipra has come up with an initiative to remember its unsung own.The party, in conjunction with pressure group Ibhetshu Likazulu, is planning to hold a commemoration, which will be led by the former Zipra liberators.The August 14 event will see the laying of wreaths on graves of fallen Zipra heroes and heroines at Lady Stanley cemetery in Bulawayo.After that, there will be a march to Stanley Square where the commemorations will take place under the theme "unsung heroes".Zipra war veterans' national secretary, Petros Sibanda, said they were motivated by the party veterans' role in the struggle."If you look at how our role in the liberation struggle is portrayed in the local history, it appears as if Zanla played a major role in liberating this country.Even at the heroes celebration nothing much is said about us so we are just saying let's make our history clear," he said.Ibhetshu Likazulu secretary-general Mbuso Fuzwayo said it was never too late to honour some of the fallen heroes, whose liberation roles were ignored by Zanu-PF."We are convinced that time has come for us as a nation to celebrate all the people that have made sacrifices for this country both in pre and post-independence Zimbabwe," he said."We believe that the past and current narrow and questionable definition of our heroes on a thin political line is not helpful and seeks to distort our history and mislead our current and future generations on what constitutes a proper hero," he said.As a result, Fuzwayo said until today, it does not make sense to them and the people of Matabeleland that the former Zipra army commander Lookout Masuku was buried at Lady Stanley cemetery."This is what we are challenging today, and we want our children and the next generation to know the truth about the true history of this country."We can't have people like Border Gezi lying at Heroes Acre yet people like Masuku who had their history in the liberation struggle overlooked," he said."We wish to state our commitment to contribute to the proper definition of a hero. Heroes like Masuku, Swazini Ndlovu, Masala Sibanda and Charles Grey among others deserve a better honour considering their role in liberating this country," Fuzwayo said.
News / Press Release

by Luke Tamborinyoka

Luke Tamborinyoka

Presidential Spokesperson and Director of Communications

MDC-T President Morgan Tsvangirai has suspended five people, including two members of the Standing Committee, following his promise to decisively deal with the disturbances in Bulawayo over the weekend in which Vice President Thokozani Khupe and other senior party officials were injured.The President has suspended the party's Deputy Treasurer-General Mr. Charlton Hwende and Deputy Secretary for Information and Publicity, Hon. Thabitha Khumalo, pending full investigations, for suspected crimes of omission and commission before and during the disturbances. He has also suspended three members of the Youth Assembly over the same matter.President Tsvangirai has already dispatched a probe team to Bulawayo and a full comprehensive investigation will determine any further action to be taken.Violence is not part of the culture of the party and President Tsvangirai, a victim of violence himself countless times since the party was formed, has moved in to take decisive action over the matter.
Opinion / Columnist

We have always had tribes existing next to each other precolonial era. While it is true that colonial governments emphasised ethnicity in their policy of "divide and rule," they can hardly be said to have created ethnic divisions.Is it surprising then that the modern African speaks the same tribal language of divide and rule? Is it a surprise then that the modern Zimbabwean speaks against and mocks other tribes in our motherland? Is it a surprise then that a Shona mocks, ridicules, belittles and insults a brother or sister from Masvingo?I am not from Masvingo but a proud Zimbabwean. I am a Zimbabwean first before my tribe. I am a proud Zimbabwean first before my Humba-Makombe clan. I proudly fly the flag of my nation and I love it. I love being a Zimbabwean. I love Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is my Zimbabwe as much as it is yours.If you happen to be one of these fellow Zimbabweans creating mocking and spiteful memes to target the people of Masvingo, I encourage you to redirect this initiative to developmental issues in Zimbabwe. As a devil's advocate, suppose I propose that these Masvingo memes are a product of the G40, a Zanu PF faction aiming to discredit Lacoste faction from Masvingo. Unknowingly, the online moles molesting the people from Masvingo could be driving someone's political agenda.There are a lot of social, economic and political issues bedevilling Zimbabwe and we must use this energy to rebuild Zimbabwe. The social media tool is powerful and we should harness it to share developmental issues. We must debate about the future of Zimbabwe. We have great political activism going on in Zimbabwe and we need to harness this energy for the good of the nation.We are all Zimbabweans first before we become political affiliates. For too long, we have been divided along tribal lines. This weakness has been exploited by unscrupulous politicians who use it as a weapon against their opponents from other tribes. Shallow minded politicians often exploit tribal loyalty to advance personal gain, parochial interests, patronage, and cronyism.Tribalism has caused a lot of misery in Africa. Think of the panga wielding Kikuyus and Luhyas of Kenya. The 1994 genocide of the Tutsis in Rwanda should have jolted us out of this idyllic stupor. The massacre of the Ndebele people in Zimbabwe is still an open wound on our conscience. Ethnic cleansing is a result of ingrained hatred of other tribes and is usually politically motivated. We are entrenched in genocidal tribalism, which is a tragic result of decades of political manipulation by our politicians to incite hatred in order to control and retain power.Well, in a much more modernised world, for instance in United Kingdom, Gordon Brown ran that country as a Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer. The issue of Brown being a Scottish became irrelevant at national level. Yes, he met some tribal challenges from shallow minded people alike, but the impact of tribalism is of less significance in more developed democracies.As we approach our next harmonised elections, we must remember that tribalism can hijack any democratic process. We must emphasise the importance of building Zimbabwe around ideas rather than clan or tribal identities.While we are busy creating and making viral sickening Masvingo memes, Zanu PF is busy campaigning from cell, ward, branch, province and national levels. Even if the electoral field is uneven, let us register to vote en masse. Let us campaign hard in our respective political parties. By so doing, we will make it harder for anyone to rig the elections. We can use social media, such as WhatsApp and Facebook to educate our families in the impenetrable Zanu PF stronghold rural Zimbabwe. We need to make them understand the importance of making a right choice on Election Day.Most of the voters aged 18 - 40 are on mobile phones with WhatsApp and Facebook platforms in Zimbabwe. Let us take advantage of this technology to rebuild Zimbabwe and to grow our democracy. Tribalism is detrimental to nation building.Our attention should not focus on trivial tribal mockery. Let us scrutinise the impact of the MDC coalitions. In order to avoid a coup or a civil war after Mugabe, let us agitate for a peaceful leadership transition from the president. Let us task our members of parliament and demand for answers. Let us debate and focus on the future of Zimbabwe. There are a lot of issues bedevilling Zimbabwe. Let us channel our ideas on how to develop Zimbabwe, not on ridiculing fellow tribes' men and women. Let us refuse to be used by politicians and further antagonise ourselves on tribal lines.Tendai Kwari - Son of the Soil.
Five Minutes With Damien Geter Audio Article Vocalist, composer and Richmond Symphony artist in residence Damien Geters musical roots sprouted when he was a boy in the Matoaca District of Chesterfield County, where he was raised and...
Women didn't match men in pay in a single location out of 25 leading U.S. tech cities, according to salary data from Paysa. (iStockphoto)

Silicon Valley might be famous for its tech sector opportunities, but for some women in the industry, Chicago offers a better deal.

The pay gap between men and women is much smaller in Chicago than in San Francisco, according to salary data from Paysa, a San Francisco-based firm that collects information on jobs and compensation in the tech industry.

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On average, women in Chicago make 94 cents for every dollar a man earns, while in Seattle and California, where many major tech jobs are concentrated, women make only 85 and 86 cents, respectively.

The pay gap was smaller in Atlanta and Denver, where women make 96 cents for every dollar a man makes. However, out of 25 leading U.S. tech cities Paysa tracks, women didn't match men in a single location.

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According to Paysa's data, women in the Chicago tech world lose more than $5,000 every year, with an average salary of $78,800 compared to $84,100 for men. In San Francisco, women are underpaid annually by $24,000.

Chicago-based Megan McCann said the data shows an encouraging trend, but with room for improvement.

"It is great to see Chicago is ahead of San Francisco," McCann said in an email. "As a thriving (and growing) tech hub, it sends a message to other markets that Chicago values talent and that we are taking action to close the gap  although there still is work to be done."

McCann has a long experience in IT recruiting, as CEO of McCann Partners, and with women's advocacy, as co-founder of ARA. The small difference follows the trend she's seen of a narrowing wage gap.

Gender pay gap in tech by city Location Pay gap (cents) Pay gap (cents) Difference between female and male (avg.) Seattle 15 $33,150.54 San Francisco 14 $23,820.51 San Diego 11 $12,033.26 Los Angeles 10 $10,619.43 New York 9 $10,228.31 Charlotte, N.C. 8 $9,014.41 Austin, Texas 7 $7,345.80 Boston 7 $8,369.28 Houston 7 $5,473.57 Chicago 6 $5,344.44 Philadelphia 6 $6,133.08 Washington 6 $5,908.99 Minneapolis 5 $4,921.73 Atlanta 4 $4,998.86 Denver 4 $4,261.88 Source: Data is generated by online platform Paysa Yuliana Romanyshyn, Blue Sky Innovation

Ask for more

One way to keep shrinking the gap: negotiation. Through mentoring in ARA, McCann noticed that one of reason women don't ask for more money is a lack of confidence.

"If you don't ask, you don't give someone an opportunity to say 'yes'," McCann said in an interview. "What's the worst that can happen? You'll get a 'no.'"

She suggests that before going to interviews, women should do due diligence to understand their self-worth in the market. Using online tools, like Glassdoor or Salary.com, can help to prepare for better negotiations.

Katie Donovan, who founded Boston-based Equal Pay Negotiations in 2011, helps women from various industries negotiate for better financial results. Around the time she started her business, a friend discovered she was paid $30,000 less than a male colleague.

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"If you are a woman, that's all you need to know.  Assume that you are underpaid," Donovan said.

One tip for women from Donovan: Always ask for a higher-than-average salary to avoid leaving money on the table. If your first counter-offer is accepted off the bat, that likely meant there was even more money to be had  and you didn't ask for enough.

"If they're willing to give (an increase) to you, it means that there is more," she said. "You really shouldn't be happy until they say 'no' to you."

Collective power

Although Donovan thinks it's positive that discussion around the wage gap is growing, something still keeps many women from going public about differences in pay. Many women would rather discuss salary without being identified.

"If they share their experience, the next employer will not want to hire them," Donovan said.

Just the fact that a woman is negotiating might be interpreted by employers as a sign that she is difficult, Donovan adds.

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To make women safe with their discussions and encourage a conversation, former Washington Post social media editor Alex Laughlin co-created a Slack-based community for women in tech in 2016. Called Pay Up, it now has around 600 members.

"We wanted to do something that highlighted the conversation that we know that women will be having in private," Laughlin said.

Topics in the group vary from salary to workplace inclusion to dealing with mental illness at work. Pay Up also serves as a consulting tool. In a negotiation channel, women help look over others' job offers. Laughlin said it feels amazing that advice like that can bring, for instance, a $10,000 increase to someone's salary.

"That doesn't do much to adjust the systemic issue that contributes to pay inequality, but it's really nice to see that, one by one, people are leveling up for themselves," she said.

yromanyshyn@tronc.com

Twitter @JulRomanyshyn
Ten years ago this week, I wrote my first column for the Los Angeles Times. The topic was the huge mess that ensued after a guy in Connecticut stole my identity and ran up unpaid bills with credit card companies and Indian casinos.

I wrote about how I had to investigate the case myself  police nab fewer than 5% of identity thieves  and serve up my findings to law enforcement authorities.

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This resulted in my ID thief, Derrick Davis, being arrested and convicted for Social Security fraud. He was subsequently set for deportation to his native Jamaica, a prosecutor told me.

And that, I thought, was that.

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Last week I got a call at home. It was for Davis. He was being sought in connection with an unpaid hospital bill in Connecticut. From just five years ago.

In other words, he's back.

And just like that, the nightmare starts again.

"It's one of the most significant problems with identity theft," said Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy for San Diego's Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. "Once your information gets out there, it can stay out there."

It's unclear if Davis is once again using my Social Security number. But the fact that his personal troubles are still being linked to me illustrates the near-impossibility of fully correcting erroneous online information  which I spent many hours trying to do the last time I dealt with this problem.

Yet even now, a debt collector searching public and private databases for Davis came up with my home number, raising the possibility that my credit score could be in danger if any action were to be taken against Davis, such as a lien on his property.

"Information gets sold, exchanged and stored in many, many databases," Stephens said. "You just can't find all the places it's kept."

I and a researcher at the newspaper scoured a bunch of databases for listings related to my Social Security number. After all this time, it still produced hits for Davis as well as for corruptions of our two names, such as Derrick Lazarus. A search for Davis' wife, Charmaine, listed me as a relative.

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My original investigation into Davis' activities, 15 years ago, revealed that he apparently had pulled my Social Security number out of the air. The first three digits of people's numbers relate to their place of birth, and I was born in Connecticut.

It was Davis' bad luck to have inadvertently picked the Social Security number of an investigative reporter.

It didn't seem like he was out to scam me. He was using my Social to hold various jobs. When I found him, he was working for a catering company.

But he was also decidedly cavalier with his spending. Davis owed nearly $4,000 to a pair of Indian casinos and had bills outstanding for nine different credit cards.

And now this latest situation. I received a call from a Las Vegas investigator trying to track down Davis on behalf of a debt collector. The investigator refused to provide me with any information, except that the debt was for "a couple of thousand dollars" related to a 2012 hospital visit.

My home number, the investigator said, came up in a search for Davis' possible whereabouts.

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Two can play at this game. My own search for Davis last week revealed that the state of Connecticut went after him and his wife in 2014 for $5,338 in unpaid taxes. The Internal Revenue Service put them in the cross-hairs in 2009 for almost $15,000 in unpaid federal taxes.

In 2013, Charmaine Davis was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 24 months in prison for mortgage fraud. She also was fined $6,000 and ordered to forfeit $39,434.

I spent days trying to piece together a trail to Davis' current location. Most of my efforts hit dead ends  disconnected numbers, former addresses.

Then, on Friday, a woman with a Jamaican accent answered the phone. After all these years, I'd found Davis' wife.

"I'm sorry to know this is happening to you," she said of my latest encounter with a debt collector.

Charmaine Davis confirmed that she and her husband still reside in the New Haven area but she said they're together only "on and off." She wouldn't give me his number but agreed to pass mine along.

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She acknowledged that about 15 years ago Davis "came in the country and made up a Social Security number so he could get a job. It was your number."

She said he "got that straightened out" and now has his own Social Security number. She declined to comment on Davis' current immigration status.

Davis "has never been in the hospital," she said, so she doesn't know why a debt collector is seeking him in connection with a medical bill.

She wished me luck in extricating myself from this situation.

So what do you do when an ID thief reappears? Privacy experts say the first thing is to accept that you can never make the problem completely go away.

"This is one of those super-scary crimes," said Eric Goldman, co-director of Santa Clara University's High Tech Law Institute. "It can persist for decades after the crime occurred."

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He said there's not much use in playing offense  that is, trying to clean up the thousands of databases containing consumer information. At the very least, though, it's important to make sure your record is spotless with the three leading credit-reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

Beyond that, all victims of ID theft should enroll in a credit-monitoring program to keep tabs on their credit files, particularly if, as in my case, your Social Security number is known to someone else.

There are various services available that will monitor all three credit agencies at a cost of roughly $20 a month.

Pro tip: If you're a Southern California AAA member, you're entitled to free monitoring of your Experian credit file, with additional safeguards available for $8.95 monthly. Contact the auto club.

If you really want to circle your wagons, contact each credit agency and have a freeze put on your files. This means no one can unlock them without a code number, which should prevent anyone from, say, applying for a credit card in your name.

Typically, you have to pay $10 every time you freeze and unlock your files.

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I told Goldman the story of how Davis had resurfaced in my life. "That has to be both frustrating and disconcerting," he responded.

It is.

After I spoke with his wife, Davis didn't get in touch. If he knows what's good for him, he'll keep his distance.

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.
In this May 13, 2015 file photo, Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda, left, and Mazda Motor Corp. President Masamichi Kogai pose for photographers prior to a press conference in Tokyo. Illinois is among states in the running for a manufacturing plant the Japanese automakers want to build in the U.S. (Shizuo Kambayashi / AP)

Illinois is among states in the running for a manufacturing plant that Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda want to build in the U.S., with plans to hire as many as 4,000 workers.

The state has provided information to the car companies about potential locations, according to sources. Northern Illinois cities along Interstate 88 are believed to be under consideration, including a site in Rochelle along two expressways.

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Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, whose 90th district includes Rochelle, said that city is actively pursuing an unnamed project that is believed to be the auto plant. Also involved are two state economic development groups, the Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity and Intersect Illinois.

"I am aware that we are pursuing a project and I believe it to be the Toyota-Mazda project," Demmer said.

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Toyota Motor Corp. and Mazda Motor Corp. announced Friday they've established a joint venture, with plans to invest $1.6 billion on a U.S. plant. The news release, which said the firms would split the cost, did not name any potential locations for the facility.

Illinois' efforts to land the automakers come after recently losing another Asian firm's plant to a neighboring state and its current lack of any broad jobs incentive program to lure companies. Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn Technology Group, a major Apple supplier, recently said it planned to bring 3,000 to 13,000 jobs to a new plant in southeast Wisconsin, wooed by a $3 billion incentive package.

There are 11 states competing for the Toyota-Mazda plant, including Illinois, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the shortlist. The list, according to the report, includes three other Midwestern states  Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan  as well as several southern states, including Mississippi, which is already home to a Corolla plant.

Toyota and Mazda representatives declined to comment. The offices of Gov. Bruce Rauner, the Department of Commerce and Intersect Illinois declined to comment on whether Illinois is pursuing the deal.

In an email, Intersect spokeswoman Sarah Schwartz said, "We are actively and aggressively pursuing all opportunities that would benefit Illinois," but she declined to comment specifically on Toyota-Mazda.

The auto plant is expected to require at least 1,000 acres, an enormous site that limits the field of municipalities in the running. DeKalb, about 65 miles west of Chicago, and Rochelle, about 80 miles west, have available mega-sites near expressways and rail lines, according to economic directors for those communities.

Rochelle has received interest from site selectors seeking 1,000 or more acres on behalf of unnamed companies, said Jason Anderson, Rochelle's economic development director.

The Greater Rochelle Economic Development Corp. has an option to buy 1,000 acres of farmland near the interchange of interstates 39 and 88 in order to accommodate a major new employer, Anderson said. The site provides access to BNSF and Union Pacific rail lines, he said.

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"We are trying to open up more and more rail-served industry by picking up this option," Anderson said.

Nearby, another Japanese manufacturer already has a large industrial campus. There, Nippon Sharyo makes commuter rail cars for clients including the Chicago area's Metra system.

Paul Borek, executive director of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corp., a partnership of local businesses and governments, declined to comment on Toyota-Mazda. But he noted easy access to I-88 and Union Pacific railways and availability of large sites are advantages in attracting industrial developments, including existing distribution centers for large companies including Target, Nestle and 3M.

The DeKalb area has development sites as large as 500 acres available now, and swaths of additional farmland could be assembled for a larger development, Borek said.

"One of our advantages is available land at competitive prices," Borek said. "DeKalb County is ripe for development. We have public and private partners that are more than willing to welcome new businesses with open arms."

The new U.S. auto plant will have as many as 4,000 workers, the companies said. As part of the new venture, Tokyo-based Toyota and Hiroshima-based Mazda said they plan to jointly develop new technologies, including for electronic vehicles.

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The U.S. plant, expected to open by 2021, will have a capacity of 300,000 vehicles annually, the companies said. It will produce Toyota Corollas and Mazda crossover models.

Previously, Toyota expected to produce Corolla cars for North American customers in a plant under construction in Guanajuato, Mexico. Instead, the Mexico facility will manufacture Tacoma pickup trucks and Corollas will be built in the U.S.

A team of brokers from Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle is representing the Toyota-Mazda venture in its site selection. JLL represented Toyota in its recent headquarters relocation to Plano, Texas, from California.

There's another Illinois connection too. Toyota Motor North America's CEO, James Lentz, is a native of Glen Ellyn.

Illinois has built-in advantages for huge manufacturing projects, such as its transportation infrastructure, central location and large workforce, said site selection expert Bradley Migdal of Cushman & Wakefield, who is not involved in the Toyota-Mazda search.

Yet the state is also hindered by political dysfunction and financial woes.

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Amid battles between Rauner and Democratic leaders, the state's largest jobs incentives program Economic Development for a Growing Economy, or EDGE, tax credits  expired earlier this year with no new legislation passed to replace it.

"The biggest challenge Illinois will face is competitiveness of incentives," Migdal said. "If Illinois is competing with states like Alabama or Mississippi, at the end of the day the key tool is going to be incentives.

"To do something now would require special legislation, because right now there is no legislation in place for providing EDGE incentives."

While declining to comment on Toyota-Mazda, Rauner's office acknowledged hurdles in attracting new jobs.

"We should be an economic power, but unfortunately years of mismanagement, red tape and tax increases have hurt the state's business climate," Rauner spokeswoman Laurel Patrick said in an email. "... We need fewer regulations, lower workers' compensation costs and lower property taxes in order to attract more jobs to our state."

Lauren Zumbach contributed.

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A group of about 2,500 University of Chicago graduate students have been cleared to proceed with a union vote, a victory for organizers after a long hearing in which the university administration argued they are not employees.

The Chicago regional director for the National Labor Relations Board issued a decision late Tuesday that directed a union election for a large group of graduate students who work as teaching and research assistants in a half-dozen divisions and schools. They will vote Oct. 17 and 18 on whether to be represented by Graduate Students United, which is affiliated with Illinois Federation of Teachers and the American Association of University Professors.

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"It's very exciting," said Claudio Gonzales, 24, who is pursuing his doctorate in mathematics and is an organizer with Graduate Students United. "We believe that we are workers, and we want the right to bargain collectively."

The University of Chicago said Wednesday evening it was reviewing the NLRB decision.

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"The University of Chicago has a long-held commitment to graduate education, and we take seriously our mission to provide the mentorship and training that allow students to excel academically and become leading scholars," Jeremy Manier, assistant vice president for communications, said in an email. "We do not believe a union would promote the academic values that are at the core of graduate education at the University of Chicago."

The decision came more than two months after a 10-day hearing in which the university argued its relationship with its graduate students is exclusively educational and lacked the economic component at issue in last year's landmark Columbia University ruling.

In the Columbia ruling, the NLRB said graduate students are employees covered by federal labor law, reversing a 12-year precedent and opening the floodgates for unionization campaigns on campuses across the country.

How long that ruling holds remains to be seen. The NLRB's Democratic majority will soon give way to a Republican majority, and if it takes up an appeal on a graduate student unionization case it could revert to the position that teaching and research assistants are primarily students without collective bargaining rights.

In his decision on the University of Chicago case Tuesday, Chicago Regional Director Peter Sung Ohr said teaching and research assistants are employees because they "perform services for the benefit of the employer, under its direction and control, for which they are compensated." He also upheld the proposed bargaining unit, rejecting the university's argument that some types of students shouldn't be included.

The bargaining unit of about 2,500 is made up of teaching assistants, instructors, lecturers and others in the School of Divinity, School of Social Services Administration, Division of Social Sciences, Division of Humanities, Division of Biological Sciences, and Division of Physical Sciences.

While there has been a rush of campaigns since the Columbia ruling, the number of private universities with unionized graduate students remains small. Graduate students at Loyola University Chicago voted in February to unionize with the Service Employees International Union and American University graduate students voted do so in April. New York University and Columbia University grad students are represented by the United Auto Workers.

Other votes have been inconclusive, including at Harvard and Cornell universities. Organizers at Duke University withdrew their unionizing petition after a vote was inconclusive.

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In addition to the University of Chicago effort, the American Federation of Teachers has campaigns to organize graduate student workers at Northwestern, Princeton, Cornell and Brown universities. The union represents 23,000 graduate students at public universities.

The University of Chicago's Graduate Students United has represented grad students informally since 2007, winning improvements such as child care stipends, but the power and security of an official labor contract would be a game-changer, Gonzales said. Among the issues he hopes a union could negotiate are the cost of health care premiums and deductibles, which have risen markedly in recent years, though a survey of constituents to determine priorities has not yet been conducted, he said.

His teaching work, he said, has saved his instructors a significant amount of time and benefited the university.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said she is "immensely proud of the University of Chicago graduate employees."

"The board confirmed what we already know  that graduate students are also workers who teach the classes and undertake the research central to the university's mission," she said. "The Chicago administration decided to cynically relitigate established precedent to delay democracy, but in the fall, the graduate employees will have their say loud and clear."

aelejalderuiz@chicagotribune.com

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A California man is suing Walgreens Boots Alliance, accusing it of profiting by charging customers with insurance more for generic drugs than what they would have paid if they had not presented an insurance card. (Bob Bong/Daily Southtown )

A California man is suing Walgreens Boots Alliance, accusing it of profiting by charging customers with insurance more for generic drugs than what they would have paid if they had not presented an insurance card.

David Grabstald filed the proposed class-action lawsuit in federal court in Illinois on Wednesday, accusing the Deerfield-based pharmacy giant of fraudulently overcharging many customers for generic drugs.

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Walgreens does this, Grabstald alleges, because of its agreements with pharmacy benefit managers  which act as middlemen between pharmacies and insurance companies.

Customers pay pre-determined copays for medications even if the medications actually cost less than the copays, according to the lawsuit. Some of the extra money goes to the pharmacy and some of it goes to the pharmacy benefit manager, Grabstald alleges.

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For example, if a patient's copay on a generic drug is $15 but the drug only costs the pharmacy $2, the pharmacy might get to keep an extra $5 of that copay and send the remaining $8 to the pharmacy benefit manager, he alleges.

Grabstald alleges that he was charged an average of $17.74 when he used his insurance to buy a prescription drug at Walgreens on several occasions this year and last year, but that he would have only been charged $10 for that same drug if he had not used his insurance. Walgreens did not tell him it would be cheaper to pay for the drug outright, he alleges.

"You don't expect when you go into your pharmacy that you're going to pay more by using your insurance card than a cash payer would just walking in off the street," said Steve Berman, an attorney for Grabstald and a partner at law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro. "You don't expect that a pharmacist is hiding that from you."

Walgreens spokesman Phil Caruso said in an email Wednesday, "The complaint lacks merit and we will vigorously defend against the allegations."

The same law firm that filed the suit on behalf of Grabstald filed a similar lawsuit against Walgreens rival CVS Health earlier this week.

At least 16 other lawsuits have also been over so-called clawbacks, according to a Bloomberg investigative story on the issue published earlier this year.

CVS Health spokesman Mike DeAngelis said in a statement that the allegations against CVS are without merit and built on a false premise. He noted that copays are determined by a patient's prescription coverage plan, not pharmacies, and he said CVS' own pharmacy benefit manager, CVS Caremark, does not engage in the practice of copay clawbacks.

"CVS has not overcharged patients for prescription copays, and we will vigorously defend against these baseless allegations," DeAngelis said.

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Such clawbacks are not uncommon, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association. About 83 percent of pharmacists surveyed by the association earlier this year said they had witnessed such copay clawbacks at least 10 times in a month, though two-thirds of those surveyed said not all pharmacy benefit managers engage in the practice.

According to that survey, pharmacy benefit managers sometimes also impose "gag clauses" that forbid pharmacists from volunteering to customers when it might be cheaper to pay for a drug outright than with insurance.

Attempts to reach the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, which represents pharmacy benefit managers, were not immediately successful Wednesday afternoon.

lschencker@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @lschencker
The quilt maker is not an old woman. You can see that, can't you?

What you can't see is the huge framed 8-foot poster of Liza Minnelli (as she appeared in the film "Cabaret") leaning against one wall or some of the books on a table: "Swann's Way" by Marcel Proust and "Why I Write" by George Orwell.

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But you can  and should  know that this woman, whose name is Mary Fons, turned 38 a few days ago and that she is an actress, writer, award-winning slam poet, prolific blogger, TV star, amateur quilt historian, accomplished quilter and designer, and that she is currently pursuing a writing MFA at the School of the Art Institute.

"Writing is how I order reality. Quilting is how I fade from it," she says, flashing a radiant smile. "There is a sense that quilting is something grandmothers do on the farm. And while it's true that most quilters are in their early 60s, people have always been making quilts. It's our most democratic art and people have and always will be drawn to it. More and more young people are coming to it. We are in a new quilting era. Look, you can't wrap a baby in an iPad."

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There are 20 million serious quilt makers in this country, give or take, and like the majority of them, Mary Fons has never sold any of the quilts that she has made.

"I love to give them away to people I love," she says, sitting in her spacious apartment in the South Loop that also functions as her workspace/studio/sanctuary.

She has many times, and presumably will again, given a quilt as a gift. Those she has kept, about 20 or so, sit in a neat pile on the bed in her second bedroom. She might show them to visitors and frequently brings them to the lectures and workshops in which she participates across the country.

They are beautiful. You can see that, can't you?

Fons came to Chicago some 15 years ago, after growing up in the small (6,000 give or take) town of Winterset, Iowa, best known as the birthplace of John Wayne. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in theater arts and was drawn to Chicago.

She did well here. She helped found The Gift Theater (thegifttheatre.org), worked with the Neo-Futurist ensemble (neofuturists.org), and wrote for a variety of publications. She was a regular participant, and frequent winner, of the Sunday night poetry slams at the Green Mill.

What she did not do was sew, something at which her mother was particularly accomplished and famous. "My mom is a certifiable  what we call 'sewlebrity'," says Mary, the middle of the three girls raised by their single mom.

That mom, Marianne Fons, began quilting in the mid-1970s and, teaming up with fellow quilter Liz Porter, created not only a brand but something of an empire. Their books were bestsellers and they began co-hosting a PBS show called "Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting" in 2003.

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"I really love my mom," Mary says. "And I respect the hell out of her."

About a decade ago, while her short marriage was falling apart, Mary got very sick with ulcerative colitis. As she told my colleague, Cindy Dampier, in a terrific story about quilting, "When life as you know it is torn into a million pieces, it makes perfect sense to tear up perfectly good fabric into a million pieces and sew it back together again."

Thousands of quilters gathered in Rosemont for the International Quilt Festival, one of the biggest in the Midwest. (Cindy Dampier / Chicago Tribune) (Cindy Dampier / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

So, she sewed and after her recovery and divorce, the producers of her mother's show asked her to be the co-host the program in the wake of Porter's departure.

"I barely knew how to sew," Mary says. "I was such a novice, a rookie asking all the dumb questions. The show got a lot of nasty letters at first but those questions I was asking started to find an audience."

Mary knows how to sew now, though she will admit that she is a "better designer than technician." She also admits to having become a "sewlebrity" herself and has become what she calls "an ardent amateur quilt historian." She will talk of the early days, "when quilts were made for shelter and warmth." She will cite the 19th century as "the Golden Age," explain how quilting took a dive in popularity after World War II and about how a famous exhibition in 1971 at the Whitney Museum Museum of American Art in New York and the country's bicentennial celebration in 1976 fueled renewed interest in quilting. She will talk passionately of the famous AIDS Memorial quilt (www.aidsquilt.org) and of the "astonishing African-American contribution to the art."

She returns to the television show in the fall after taking a short hiatus. She will get her MFA in May. It is, of course, impossible to know if attaining such a degree will lead to great books. But she already has one: "Make + Love Quilts: Scrap Quilts for the 21st Century" (Stash Books, 2014). The book features 12 of Mary's quilts and some fine writing:

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Human beings love quilts because quilts are objects of love; indeed, most quilts are made and given to someone as a gift. Just as love is not selfish, neither are quilters.

A great painting is made on purpose and may make you feel awestruck or inspired.  But what work of art can you literally wrap around your shoulders when youre sad?

Her blog, part of her wildly entertaining, very personal and informative website (maryfons.com) is titled PaperGirl and it too is peppered with such first-rate writing as this:

"On the way to the airport at 5 a.m. last weekend, riding the El, you cannot believe the sky I saw. A storm was coming in from the west making the sky a deep sapphire blue, almost purple around the edges. But the sun was coming up over the lake behind us and suddenly, all the metal storage warehouse buildings along the Orange line route were bathed in gold, dripping with the gold light of that early spring sun. The dark heaven behind them threw each bright square into even sharper relief. It took my breath away. Not even Monet could've captured what I saw through my train window. Only spring can deliver that kind of beauty in the first place. "

In 2015 Mary began Small Wonders, a line of quilting fabrics for the firm of Springs Creative, becoming a tiny part of the estimated $4 billion quilting industry.

She is a bundle of energy and advocacy. She proposed a quilt exhibition to the Chicago Design Museum (https://chidm.com) and is hopeful something will happen. She still writes poetry and occasionally performs at literary events, reads Proust and Orwell, is a spokeswoman for the Baby Lock brand of sewing machine that she uses, goes to school and every day takes pieces of fabric and sews them together and in so doing makes herself happy and fulfilled and also creates magical art of a wonderful (and warm) kind.

rkogan@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @rickkogan

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 126 Woody introduces the gang to a homemade spork toy with self-esteem issues in "Toy Story 4." Read the review. (Pixar / AP)
The Picasso in Daley Plaza turns 50 on Aug. 15, 2017. Here are some details you may not know about the iconic statue.

One of the iconic images of Chicago is a bunch of 50-foot-tall pieces of rusty steel that, seen from the right angle, resembles a mix of a woman, an Afghan hound and a guitar. From other perspectives, it looks like a jungle gym, a big heap of scrap metal or a place to catch some shade on a sunny plaza.

I've been thinking lately about these different ways of seeing the untitled Picasso sculpture that stands in front of the Daley Center. Although it's been around since 1967  50th anniversary celebrations were held Tuesday  the cubist aesthetic it foregrounds remains jarring to many. Everyone knows the Picasso, most tourists take a selfie in front of it, but how many people genuinely contemplate it? Does anyone really like it?

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"Like" is not actually a useful term for discussing art. I don't like Greek and Roman sculpture, but that doesn't keep me from appreciating the way in which the human form was idealized in ancient times, and how great has been its influence ever since. I don't like Andy Warhol's silkscreens much either, for that matter, but they reify consumer and spectacle culture like nothing else. I also don't much like the Picasso sculpture. It's not his best and, as far as monumental modernist art in the Loop goes, it's got nothing on the glorious fiery bird that Alexander Calder landed in Federal Plaza, nor the weirdly penetrable and mountainous drawing that Jean Dubuffet plopped down at the Thompson Center. I much prefer Joan Miro's awkwardly elegant 40-foot-tall lady, who stands right across the street, cruelly squeezed between two high-rises.

Like it or not, however, we need the Picasso because it remains aesthetically challenging, and because it puts that provocation out in public, where it demands confrontation and insists on its legitimacy. We probably need more public art like it, in fact, and a whole lot more visual arts education in our lives. How do I know this? Apart from silly comments overheard while standing in Daley Plaza on a summer afternoon, I can guess at it based on a fight I am currently having with my neighbor.

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Outside the two-flat where I live, in a Far North Side neighborhood, on a fairly average residential block, not too posh, not too shabby, my kids and the kids next door have built something they call "Kidland." It's made of scavenged materials ranging from bricks and two-by-fours to broken pottery, branches and repurposed household goods. They slave over this construction every day, like artists in the studio, tweaking this, adding that. They tear down and rebuild, reconceive, bicker and break for snack time. They make a real effort to keep the sidewalk clear for pedestrians, and they have even set up garbage bins. People who walk by often ask them questions about what they are doing, and they discuss. Then they get back to work.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 23 William Hartmann, of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, gestures toward a quarter-scale model of the Picasso sculpture Dec. 21, 1966, at a news conference at the Gary plant of U.S. Steel's American Bridge division. Hartmann personally persuaded artist Pablo Picasso to create the famous sculpture in Chicago. (Jack Mulcahy / Chicago Tribune)

My neighbor considers this assemblage a terrible eyesore. I believe it to be creative expression, inventive reuse of materials and a reason for strangers to talk to one another. (Never mind that it's far more beneficial to young heads and bodies to be outside building their own world than inside watching some virtual version of it on a screen.)

I see Kidland (or whatever they decide to call it next) as art, the kind of art that Picasso promulgated throughout the 20th century. The kind of art that Chicago is proud to call a landmark, the kind we need not just in the Loop but throughout the city, on every block.

Lori Waxman is a freelance critic.

ctc-arts@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @chitribent

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
David Rawlings laughs when he's asked to compare and contrast his singing and performing style to that of his musical partner Gillian Welch. The pair has made eight studio albums since the mid-'90s  five of which have come out under Welch's name, three  including the latest "Poor David's Almanack" (Acony)  under his own.

"Gillian's voice is such a beautiful instrument and has such a consistent texture, so that if she's playing a guitar part and I add just the tiniest embellishment, the song is complete in my mind," he says. "To listen to her play and sing on just a guitar, you don't need anything else. You can color it, but you don't have the need to. The sparer it is, the more the emotion seems to come across. That's this thing we've spent our lives trying to perfect and bring to the world. But the two of us, when we look at the world of music we listen to, there is a lot of music closer to what I do, a slightly larger band, a less consistent (laughs) guy thing. I don't sing as consistently as Gillian does. I'm a touch closer to what might be considered rock 'n' roll."

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That nuanced reading of their styles explains how Welch and Rawlings divvy up the songs and figure out whose name should appear on the album cover.

"In general, it doesn't get discussed that much  we both know where we're putting these things we write together," he says. "We usually understand from the beginning the mood and feeling a song has and how we are going to tailor that to our individual style."

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That was the case once again with "Poor David's Almanack," out this week. "It wasn't on the docket to record another Rawlings record," Rawlings says. "We really wanted to give people a new album of Gillian Welch songs," in part because there hasn't been one since "The Harrow & the Harvest" in 2011. "But the impetus for these songs initially came from me on the last tour for (the Rawlings album) 'Nashville Obsolete,' and needing some more traditional-sounding songs to balance out the show."

Rawlings and Welch met at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in the early '90s, and they've expanded the vocabulary of American roots music with literate lyrics and a sophisticated approach to melody and harmonics that owes as much to jazz as it does older folk forms. But Rawlings recently found himself gravitating toward simpler, more traditional structures, and "Poor David's Almanack" breaks ground for the duo because it hews so closely to the classic folk that is the underpinning of so many story songs in Western music.

"In playing shows before these new ones were written, I'd drop in a traditional song, a Woody Guthrie song or something like that, in wanting some contrast," he says. "After we got off the road, I started listening to some old records and sitting on the couch and playing through them, then Gillian and I would play through them together and we had great time. It wasn't conscious  I don't think any great things ever done ever came from conscious decisions. You find yourself doing something and you chase it down."

Rawlings quickly found himself with enough songs for another album, and it was quickly recorded once the band got off the road. "When we started playing them, there was this great satisfaction in realizing we had spent our careers all around material like that but never just diving in and doing that. It felt great to get into it and feel like we were harnessing the power of this kind of melody and this kind of structure. When you take a melody that is based or derived from something that has survived for 500 years, or a story that has been told in different ways for a couple thousand years, it's quite a feeling. A friend of mine found that the story behind the song 'Yup' was mentioned in a Hindu text in 600 B.C. It's daunting but rewarding to inject a little part of yourself into that bloodstream that has coursed through time for that long."

One of the elements that led him to more traditional music, with its great storytelling passed down across generations, was the pop hits he'd hear on radio as a kid.

"Something like Jim Croce's songs or something as popular as (Kenny Rogers') 'The Gambler,' " he says. "I would learn all the words as soon as I heard them. These were like modern versions of old folk stories. (Croce's) 'Bad, Bad Leroy Brown' isn't far from 'Stagger Lee.' My dad would tell me to run into the house so I could hear all the words to (Bob Dylan's) 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' when it played on the radio. I got my dad Dylan's greatest hits for his birthday one year and promptly absconded with it. On the early Dylan records especially, he might take a melody and chords and make some alteration and write his own song. This is something I never thought to do exactly, but in this case ('Poor David's Almanack'), we're close to doing that."

The simplicity of the form, the way it allows a phrase to grow and change meaning, fascinates Rawlings. "I see the wisdom in it," he says. "The simplest structures are best for expressing complicated thoughts. If you sing a line that has some weight three or four times but each time the contour is different, I think about that thought differently each time it's sung with a slightly different color. You come to understand there is no real answer and that we're part of the process of music. It's a good representation of life."

Greg Kot co-hosts "Sound Opinions" at 8 p.m. Friday and 2 and 11 p.m. Saturday on WBEZ-FM 91.5.

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When: 8 p.m. Aug. 25

Where: Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St.

Tickets: $27, $30, $37; www.thaliahallchicago.com

Greg Kot is a Tribune critic.

greg@gregkot.com

Twitter @gregkot

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
After Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton and Democrats failed to take control of the Senate, many saw 2016 as a disastrous election for Democrats. At least nationwide.

But in New Mexico the party retook control of the state House of Representatives and expanded their majority in the Senate. Statewide, Clinton defeated Trump by 8 percent, even though over 9 percent of voters backed Libertarian nominee and former Gov. Gary Johnson. While the election took place 10 months ago and may seem like old news, the results can provide a glimpse into which races will be competitive in 2018.

University of New Mexico political science Professor Lonna Atkeson says that Trump will be a big issue for voters in the 2018 elections. Off-year elections are referendums, at least in part, on the president, she told NM Political Report in an interview. A presidents party typically does not do well in the midterm elections.

In New Mexico, voters will decide on statewide races, including those for governor, secretary of state, attorney general and state land commissioner. In addition, all the state House of Representatives seats will be up for election.

Congressional Races

In New Mexico, the congressional races may not be as interesting as in past years, at least in the general elections.

Each of the incumbents received over 60 percent of the vote in 2016.

There will be two open Congressional seats. Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham already announced she wont seek reelection to the 1st Congressional District seat and will instead run for governor. Republican Steve Pearce, who currently represents the 2nd Congressional District, announced the same decision last month. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, a Democrat, will seek reelection, for his sixth term in office.

So far, a large group of Democrats is seeking to replace Lujan Grisham, while a smaller but still sizable group of Republicans want to replace Pearce. Pearce won reelection to the 2nd Congressional District by 25 percent in 2016, making it an unlikely pickup opportunity for Democrats, and Lujan Grisham won by an even wider margin in the 1st Congressional District.

Legislative Level

State Senate seats are not up for election again until 2020, but the House and gubernatorial elections will have a dramatic impact on New Mexico. Democrats are likely to maintain control of the state House and the majority in the Senate. The balance of power, between parties and between the governor and legislators, has broad impacts on the state. That has been clear during the last seven years as there have been vocal, at times bitter, divides on partisan lines between the Democrats in control of the House and Senate (Republicans held the state House from 2015 through 2016) and Republican Gov. Susana Martinez. Those battles play out both in back rooms and headlines, but budget decisions can affect everything from education to how much the state spends repairing roads.

There are several House of Representatives races where Republicans narrowly won in 2016 or Clinton outperformed Trump. In a wave election, as 2018 could prove to be, these races could shift to Democratic candidates.

Still, Atkeson doesnt expect big changes at the Roundhouse. Its hard to imagine the Democrats really expanding their legislative majority in an off-year or midterm election, Atkeson said. Obviously a lot depends on turnout and what happens at the top of the ticket.

There also just arent that many seats that Democrats could take from Republicans this year after their gains in 2016. The progressive website Daily Kos compiled election results by New Mexico legislative district in the presidential races in 2016 and 2012, as well as non-judicial statewide races between 2012 and 2016 except for the 2016 secretary of state race.

All 34 districts where Clinton defeated the combined votes of Trump and Johnson are currently held by Democrats. Republican legislators hold seats in only nine districts where Clinton outperformed Trump.

The Johnson effect on New Mexico complicates things. Four Democrats won in districts where the combined Trump and Johnson votes outstripped Clinton (Daymon Ely in HD 23, Elizabeth Thomson in HD 24, Candie Sweetser in HD 32 and George Dodge Jr. in HD 63). In two of those districts (HD 23 and HD24), Clinton outstripped Trump, while in the other two Trump had more votes than Clinton.

If 2018 were to turn into a good year for Republicans in New Mexico these are the types of districts that would be in play.

On the other hand, if 2018 is a bad year for the presidents party, some races where Clinton beat Trump and narrowly lost to the combined Trump/Johnson vote could become competitive in play.

Three Races to Watch

HD 53

Rep. Rick Little of Chaparral is the lone Republican legislator standing in Dona Ana County. He narrowly defeated Democrat Willie Madrid by just 138 votes in 2016 after winning his previous two elections by wider margins.

Trump won the district, but only narrowly, while in 2012 Barack Obama won by just 15 votes over Republican Mitt Romney. Martin Heinrich also won the district in 2012, but all other statewide races in the district swung for Republicans. That included a near-30 percentage point win by Martinez over Democrat Gary King.

HD 30

House Minority Leader Nate Gentry of Albuquerque won by 4.38 percent over Democrat Natalie Figueroa after an 8.68 percent win in 2014 and 7.82 percent in 2012. Clinton had more votes than Trump in his district, but a large Johnson vote there kept Clinton from a majority of the votes.

In general, the seat is close in statewide races. Republicans Martinez and Commissioner of State Lands Aubrey Dunn won the district among statewide racesbut Heinrich won the district in 2012 by just 12 votes.

HD 15

Rep. Sarah Maestas Barnes, also of Albuquerque, also represents a district where Clinton easily outstripped Trump (by nearly 10 percentage points), but a stronger- than- average performance by Johnson meant that Trump/Johnson combined beat Clinton by 1.72 percentage points. Maestas Barnes herself won reelection in 2016 over Democrat Ane Romero by 6.44 percent after defeating then-incumbent Emily Kane by 3.84 percent in 2014.
When it comes time to eat for two, you may need to change your thinking about what a healthy diet consists of. Women need to make sure their diet provides an adequate amount of nutrients and energy for the baby to grow, as well as prepare their own body for the coming changes and sleepless nights. (p_saranya/Shutterstock/Photo Illustration)

Dear Amy: My mother lives in a beautiful lake house that has been in our family for 50 years, and for the second summer in a row, she had my (now 14-year-old) daughter to stay for three weeks.

I sent a check for $300 to my mother to cover my daughter's expenses during her visit. Upon my daughter's return, my mother sent me an invoice for $475.50 for additional expenses, including the cost of gas to and from the airport to transport her (45 minutes away), train tickets to go to the city to a museum, and the cost of the museum admission. It was an itemized bill.

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This is hurtful, as this past winter my mother came to live with us for four months and we paid for everything, including a nice vacation to an island over Christmas. Neither of my siblings has a relationship with my mother because she is petty and doesn't respect boundaries  like a $300 budget.

How do I address her behavior? I am hurt and angry by her decision to charge me for gas to pick up her granddaughter from the airport, as well as the other expenses. My mother is a single woman (a retired college professor), and we have never asked her to pay for anything. We even write her a check for groceries when she hosts Thanksgiving dinner.

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Now I feel she has taken advantage of my generosity, and I don't trust her to spend time with my daughter because it is just too costly for me (financially and emotionally).

 Burned by Grandma

Dear Burned: You are going to have to express your concern directly to your mother. Your daughter's trip to see Grammy has cost you (I'm estimating) around $1,000, with plane tickets, plus the invoiced expenses incurred while she was there.

Is your mother financially insecure? Is she worried about maintaining her own lifestyle in retirement? These are legitimate concerns.

But is there a legitimate reason she couldn't stay within the reasonable $300 budget, spending over twice that amount? Is this itemized bill her passive-aggressive way of telling you that she doesn't actually want to host your daughter for such a long visit?

After you communicate your questions and concerns to your mother, you will have to make the tough decision about future visits. Because your mother seems to communicate through monetizing relationships, you'll simply have to decide whether this relationship between grandmother and granddaughter is one you can afford to foster.

Dear Amy: I had six sisters. Now I have only two, but I have been very blessed to have my sisters and the love and the bond that we share. I have a couple of friends who were only children  never being blessed to know the love of a sibling. Recently, they have told me that, "I am the sister they never had."

Today I had a text from one of my friends who addressed me: "To my sister from another mother."

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I love these two friends, but I have sisters. I do not want to hurt them and do not want to say anything that would emphasize the fact that they have no siblings.

What can I say that is not hurtful and will show my love for them? Should I pretend that I love them like a sister?

 Not a Sister

Ask Amy Daily No-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. For a limited time, sign up for the Ask Amy newsletter and get the book Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from Americas Favorite Advice Columnist for $5. >

Dear Not a Sister: You don't have to pretend anything. You only have to respond with kindness and generosity to an extremely kind expression of friendship and intimacy. People enjoy fellowship and kinship in a variety of ways. Many people form "families" with people outside their own biological circles.

You seem confused  or even a little offended  by these sisterly expressions. Instead you should celebrate the bounty these friendships offer, and let these women feel their own feelings and express their affection however they choose. You are all quite lucky.

Dear Amy: I especially liked your answer to "Waiting for Sorry," because you suggested that she talk to her mom directly. People are so fast to yell at each other but rarely sit down one on one to say what they really feel.

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Once I did that with my mom, I didn't need her apology anymore. Asking for an apology is like closing the deal on a sale. Ask for what you want. Sometimes you don't get the sale and sometimes you hit the jackpot and get the apology and a hug.

 A Faithful Reader

Dear Reader: It's important to negotiate this particular transaction with reasonable expectations.

(You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Amy Dickinson, c/o Tribune Content Agency, 16650 Westgrove Drive, Suite 175, Addison, Texas, 75001. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or like her on Facebook.)

COPYRIGHT  2017 BY AMY DICKINSON

DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.






Chance the Rapper performs at Studio Paris nightclub during an official Lollapalooza after party in Chicago on Aug. 6, 2017. (Alyssa Pointer / Chicago Tribune)

John Lennon famously provoked outrage across the Bible belt in 1966 when he made his widely misunderstood claim that The Beatles were "more popular than Jesus."

Now Chicago's own Chance the Rapper says he has "a bigger voice than Donald Trump"  and he wasn't talking about the president's singing chops.

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"I just have a larger platform than all politicians," the artist born Chancelor Bennett told the NPR podcast "What's Good with Stretch & Bobbito."

"I have a bigger voice than Donald Trump, you know what I'm saying? Than literally anybody that works in politics. So yes I can connect with people on a level of appealing as a person who is a citizen, who still does, you know, what he wants."

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Beloved though he may be, Chance's math is a little off, at least when it comes to online clout. The president has 35 million Twitter followers, while Chance has 5 million.

Still, Chance, whose father, Ken Bennett, once worked as a deputy chief of staff for Mayor Rahm Emanuel, sounded a little more like Trump than he may have intended, when he added, "I have ideas for how to voice opinions and make change that other people just don't have."

Trump did not respond Wednesday.

kjanssen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kimjnews
This July 28, 2017 picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, celebrating a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Hwasong-14 at undisclosed place in North Korea. (STR / AFP/Getty Images)

I guess there's nothing like a crazy little fat guy armed with nuclear weapons that can strike America to set off a series of good jokes.

Because what's funnier, really, than the potential for thermonuclear war?

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And now the internet is full of hilarious takes and memes with Kim Jong Un's threats and President Donald Trump's threatening response that America would unleash "fire and fury like the world has never seen."

Some of the jokes are actually quite good. And I suppose that later, if the missiles do fly, humor may also be found in the way dusty bodies collapse like charcoal ash when hit with a tiny breeze. Add more jokes about survivalists and about Trump for his tough talk, and hilarity ensues.

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Naturally, Democrats whined, as did war party Republicans, at Trump's fiery rhetoric. Though much of it is posturing  both the left and the GOP military interventionists want Trump gone  I don't doubt their concern when a president says he'll unleash hell.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Trump was using strong words for a reason.

"I think what the president was doing was sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," Tillerson said.

There may be a message in his madness directed not at North Korea, but at China. But the thing about nukes is that if you're wrong, it really doesn't much matter afterward.

Still, Trump didn't force the threats from the crazy little fat guy who says he could hit Guam, and even the American mainland, with his new missiles. And Trump didn't create a nuclear North Korea.

We might remember that decades of polite and restrained diplomatic language didn't prevent a nuclear North Korea either.

Many presidents have tried. And year after year after year of mostly measured, responsible, diplomatic language by Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton failed. Nothing funny about that.

North Korea has nukes. They reportedly have developed miniature nuclear devices that can fit into the tips of long range missiles.

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Those of us old enough to remember the parade of intelligence agencies and generals and leaders insisting that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction might be somewhat skeptical at these new findings.

My own personal belief, based on nothing but gut feelings, is that this won't end in war. If I'm wrong, who'll remember?

But now the slightest mistake, a missile fired by accident or by some malevolent third party, could ignite a chain of death. Comedy is all about building tension and releasing it, but I don't know what's so funny about a mistake that ends that way.

The main thing is that North Korea has made incredibly stupid threats. The hermit kingdom is a paranoid and murderous regime, where social madness compelled a starving slave nation to weep and scream in ostentatious, frenzied mourning at the death of their last evil dictator, Kim Jong Un's father.

And this Kim murders anyone who knows anyone who disagrees with him.

"Can't his generals just get together, and maybe share a knowing look?" asked a friend.

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Yeah, that knowing look, the kind we see in movies, the kind rational people hope for. I suppose it's still possible. You'd think some of his generals would give each other that look, like Chicago Outfit bosses with a rogue nephew problem, and take him out, cut a deal and maybe begin feeding their own people again.

So far that hasn't happened. It should happen, and if the generals are smart, it will happen. They might be so whipped by fear that they can't think. China should have done it long ago, or Russia.

But they didn't, because they used North Korea as their dog. And now the dog's gone mad and you can't trap it in a corner with sharp sticks.

Naturally, Americans are worried, and I suppose jokes about war can be funny, if delivered properly. Unfortunately, I tried making jokes about North Korea weeks ago, and I got a few calls from the families of American soldiers and realized that I'm not funny enough.

My dad never joked about war, but a decade of combat can take the jokes right out of you. He loved comedians, though. And he hated war movies.

Still, I thought about writing humorously about North Korea, just to take the edge off a little. I tried some absurd jokes out on people and they seemed to work.

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There's nothing like graveyard humor, is there?

I'm remembering my first deadly fire as a young reporter, when they brought the bodies out. The old man in a high-rise apartment had broken a window and he caused a backdraft. The flames were like an explosion. An older reporter said in a Southern drawl: "Anybody bring the marshmallows?"

Nobody laughed, but I understood the joke. He wasn't a stupid man, but a good one. He just needed a shield against what was coming toward us: solemn firefighters wheeling out the old couple, who were tiny in life and much smaller in death, in those bags.

There are about the 168,000 people on the American island of Guam, and they have friends and loved ones here. And there are thousands of soldiers in the U.S. Army stationed in South Korea, and sailors in the Navy out in the Pacific, and all their loved ones at home.

I don't think they're laughing about anything right now.

Listen to "The Chicago Way"  radio free Chicago in podcast form  with John Kass and Jeff Carlin at http://wgnradio.com/category/wgn-plus/thechicagoway/

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jskass@chicagotribune.com
Mayor Rahm Emanuel announces a lawsuit against the Trump Justice Department over sanctuary city funding on Aug. 6, 2017, at City Hall. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) (Brian Cassella)

Before Mayor Rahm Emanuel feuded with Attorney General Jeff Sessions over federal immigration policy, before sanctuary city politics and long before Donald Trump became president, a man they didn't know was standing at a street corner in Chicago.

Dennis McCann, an insurance broker, was about to cross North Kedzie Boulevard and have dinner with a friend.

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"He was going to meet a friend, a client, Jose Gonzalez, owner of El Cid, a restaurant there," McCann's brother Brian told me Tuesday. "They were close. My brother just wanted to cross the street and see his friend."

It was June 8, 2011, and Rahm Emanuel had just been elected a few weeks before on the charms of his former boss, then-President Barack Obama. Jeff Sessions was a senator from Alabama. President Donald Trump was just a rich guy on reality TV.

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Most likely there was nothing on McCann's mind about illegal immigration  and whether Americans have the right to control their own borders  issues that would later propel Trump to the presidency.

What was Dennis McCann thinking about? "He was probably thinking the same stuff you and I would think about when we cross the street and a friend is waiting," said his brother, "like what to order, what to drink."

So Dennis McCann began crossing the street.

And he was hit by a speeding car.

All that was left on the street were his sandals.

And the rest of Dennis McCann was being dragged hundreds of feet down Kedzie.

"I heard the impact, saw this man go up into the sky and land on the windshield," witness Alberto Aceves told the Tribune at the time, describing how Dennis McCann fell off the hood to roll under the speeding car. "I pull up to the passenger side screaming at him. 'Stop! The guy's under your car.'"

The driver finally stopped the car, got out, tried to run and was arrested by police.

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Saul Chavez, then 35, a Mexican immigrant here illegally, had been drinking heavily. The Cook County sheriff's office said Chavez had a blood alcohol content of 0.29 percent, more than three times the legal limit. Chavez had just completed probation after a drunken driving conviction two years before.

Chavez was charged with a felony  aggravated DUI  and was given a $250,000 bond. Two days after McCann was killed, federal officials filed an immigration detainer, believing Chavez was living in the U.S. illegally. The form requested that Cook County notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement if Chavez was scheduled to be released.

But as Chavez sat in jail, Chicago Democrats on the Cook County Board were playing immigration politics. Led by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, and catering to the Latino vote, they worked out a new policy:

The Cook County Board decided that federal detainer requests would be ignored, and those suspected of being in the country illegally and in jail on criminal charges could make bond without fear of deportation.

Chavez did make bond. Cook County did not notify immigration officials. And within days, what happened?

Chavez fled. He disappeared back into Mexico, where he remains out of reach of the short, stubby arms of Chicago's law.

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"I've talked to the feds recently," said Brian McCann. "They know where he is. Chavez is in Mexico. There is a Mexican warrant out for him. But it hasn't been served."

McCann was quiet for a moment.

"What justice did my brother get? Chicago Democrats got to pander to the Hispanic vote and ignore the rule of law. And Rahm now gets a campaign issue. And my brother? Nothing."

I first wrote about this case years ago, and called Brian McCann on Tuesday to write about it again, to remind people that politics isn't the only thing at stake here. Lives are at stake. And the confidence in the rule of law is also at stake. Without confidence in the rule of law, a republic collapses into mob rule.

Sessions is threatening to withhold federal law enforcement grants if Emanuel continues with Chicago's sanctuary city policy. Emanuel filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, demanding the federal funds.

"Chicago will not be blackmailed into changing our values, and we are and will remain a welcoming city," Emanuel said.

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Our Chicago values?

Hearing the mayor talk, so forcefully, you almost forget that he was stridently opposed to illegal immigration. And under Presidents Bill Clinton and Obama, he demanded repeated and high-profile federal immigration raids and deportations and crackdowns at workplaces across America.

But now he's Mayor Zorro.

What's amusing is that some are so blinded by their hatred of Trump, and so oblivious to how Chicago politics really work, that they're actually applauding Emanuel for standing up to alleged Trump bullying.

Rahm must smirk at such useful idiocy. It all plays into his hands. He's hurt himself with African-Americans, so he drops his sanctuary city card again and again, cozying up to Latinos as he seeks re-election.

"Under Clinton and Obama, Rahm was against all this," said Brian McCann. "Now he's a sanctuary cities proponent. The rule of law is always compromised by power politics. That's all this is: power politics for Rahm and Preckwinkle. And public safety be damned."

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Big-city Democrats step over people like Dennis McCann, because the Dennis McCanns are in their way. Mentioning the Dennis McCanns runs counter to approved narratives, and they become the forgotten.

And you wonder why Trump won the election?

Listen to "The Chicago Way"  radio free Chicago in podcast form  with John Kass and Jeff Carlin at http://wgnradio.com/category/wgn-plus/thechicagoway/



jskass@chicagotribune.com
The former principal bassist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is accusing two of his children and his son-in-law of refusing to return two "priceless" double basses he has owned for nearly 70 years, according to a lawsuit filed this week in Cook County Circuit Court.

Joseph Guastafeste, now 87 and living in Minnesota, is asking a Cook County judge to declare him the lawful owner of the two instruments  a bass made by Gasparo da Salo around 1585 and another made by Domenico Buzon, circa 1749, according to court documents.

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He's also asking for damages allegedly suffered while the three defendants tried to "strong-arm" him out of the "rare and priceless" instruments, according to the lawsuit. Guastafeste says he only allowed the defendants to store the instruments temporarily when he sold his Highland Park home.

Guastafeste says in the lawsuit he intends to file criminal charges for the loss of his "prized instruments" purchased in 1948 and 1949. Guastafeste's attorney declined to comment.

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According to the lawsuit, the defendants claim the instruments were gifts from Guastafeste, though they could not produce any documents to prove that. An attorney for the defendants could not be reached.

Guastafeste, a Brooklyn native and Juilliard School graduate, was hired by Fritz Reiner in 1961 and worked under five CSO music directors before retiring in 2010 after 49 years as the orchestra's principal bassist.

Four years later, Guastafeste, who was already living in Minnesota, decided to sell his north suburban home, according to the lawsuit.

His son-in-law Michael Spadaro allegedly offered to remove the two double basses and several valuable bows from the home's basement and store them temporarily at the A440 Violin Shop in Roscoe Village, the lawsuit says. The shop was started in 1982 by cellist Roberta Guastafeste, according to its website. Spadaro managed the store, the lawsuit says. Roberta Guastafeste's relationship to the plaintiff could not immediately be determined.

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Guastafeste told his Highland Park neighbor, who had a key to the home, to let Spadaro inside so he could get the bows and instruments, the lawsuit says.

In June, Guastafeste contacted Spadaro and asked him to return the instruments and bows. The bows were returned, but not the double basses, according to the lawsuit, and Guastafeste asked a friend to attempt to retrieve them.

That friend was then contacted by an attorney, Stephanie Denby, who said she represented Guastafeste's daughters Manon Spadaro, who is married to Michael Spadaro, and Camille Avellano, who lives in Los Angeles, according to the lawsuit.

Denby allegedly told Joseph Guastafeste's attorney, Gary Klinger, that Spadaro had the instruments but would not turn them over because Guastafeste had provided them as gifts to his two children, the lawsuit says. But Denby could not produce any documents to prove that, the lawsuit says, while Guastafeste has continued paying to insure the instruments.

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A message left for Denby was not returned.

sschmadeke@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @SteveSchmadeke
The Chicago Tribune tested 255 pharmacies to see how often stores would dispense risky drug pairs without warning patients. Fifty-two percent of the tested pharmacies sold the medications without mentioning the potential interaction. (Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

CVS says it has upgraded its computer alert system at pharmacies nationwide to better protect patients. Walgreens says it has provided additional training for thousands of its pharmacists. Wal-Mart, Costco and Kmart say they have taken similar safety steps.

Since a Tribune investigation exposed last year how pharmacies often failed to warn patients about deadly drug combinations, leading national chains say they have made significant improvements.

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The changes affect more than 23,000 U.S. drugstores with the potential to impact millions of consumers. The actions represent some of the most important safety steps in years to address the escalating risk of patients taking multiple medications.

Six of the seven pharmacy chains the Tribune investigated say they have implemented changes. Only local chain Jewel-Osco has provided few details about what, if any, improvements it made in response to the newspaper's findings.

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For the Tribune investigation, published in December, reporters presented pairs of prescriptions at 255 chain and independent pharmacies in the Chicago area and nearby states. The scripts, written by a local doctor, were for medications that pharmacists should not fill without warning patients because the drugs could be dangerous when taken together.

Yet 52 percent of the pharmacies sold the medications without mentioning the potential interactions. CVS had the highest failure rate among the chains tested, dispensing the drugs with no warning 63 percent of the time. Walgreens did the best but still failed 30 percent of the time.

Drug interactions are a major health issue, hospitalizing tens of thousands of people a year. Recently released statistics show that about 1 in 9 people take five or more drugs  more than twice the percentage seen in 1994.

CVS, the nation's largest pharmacy retailer by store count, said that since the company made changes in April it has seen an increase in the number of times its pharmacists have warned patients about interactions.

"We are confident that we will see continued improvement," the company said, declining to provide figures.

CVS said that after the Tribune published its findings, a company team of experts, including pharmacists, nurses and a physician, began reviewing the numerous drug combinations that generate computer alerts. The company then implemented rules regarding the most critical interactions. The changes applied to the 9,700 CVS pharmacies nationwide, including about 1,600 inside Target stores.

The new rules state that when the pharmacy's computer system flags a serious interaction, CVS pharmacists must warn the patient, consult with the prescribing doctor, or both. The computer system now prevents medication from being sold until pharmacists have taken these steps, CVS said.

If pharmacists determine that the medications are appropriate, they must document details of the discussion they had with the patient or doctor.

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These changes, CVS said, apply only to the most serious interactions; pharmacists can still use their professional judgment and information in the computer system to decide whether to fill other orders without raising the issue with patients or doctors.

CVS said its 30,000 pharmacists and 50,000 technicians were trained on the new rules.

The company also said it has implemented similar changes involving other safety issues, such as drug-allergy interactions, duplicative therapies and orders involving unusually high or low doses.

Others chains said they also have improved their alert systems.

Wal-Mart said it adjusted the alert levels for certain drug interactions and amended its operating manual accordingly. The firm said all 16,700 pharmacists at its 4,700 locations have completed updated computer-based training that reflects these changes, as have 1,500 pharmacists at about 620 Sam's Club pharmacies, a provider under Wal-Mart Inc.

"We are confident the measures we've taken have not only helped to improve our pharmacy alert system but also improved overall patient care," Wal-Mart said in a statement.

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Costco, which has 500 pharmacies in the U.S., said it implemented procedures in which the computer system alerts cashiers that certain medications should not be sold until the pharmacist talks with the patient.

The firm, which employs about 3,300 pharmacists and 5,475 support staff, said that after the Tribune investigation was published, the company reviewed operations and discovered that pharmacists were inundated with computer alerts regarding drug interactions.

"Numerically, there are more drug interactions presented to pharmacists than the number of prescriptions that they fill," the company said. To address this issue, Costco said it has color-coded the most serious drug interactions.

Costco also said it was studying the industry-wide issue of worker fatigue, "though we believe that we have an excellent staffing balance inside our pharmacies."

Kmart, which has more than 200 pharmacies, said it made changes to its computer system to reduce repetitive alerts so pharmacists have more time to consult with patients. The company also said it reminded pharmacy staffers that only pharmacists  and not technicians  are allowed to override computer alerts on serious safety issues.

The Tribune investigation quoted one Kmart pharmacist as saying technicians at his store and others often checked for drug interactions after entering patients' orders into a computer. If interactions appeared, he said, the technicians were trained to print out the warning on the screen and hand it to a pharmacist.

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Kmart spokesman Howard Riefs said the company does not permit pharmacy technicians to screen orders for drug interactions. "Our systems require a pharmacist-unique password to confirm moderate to severe drug interactions in our systems," he said.

Walgreens said it provided additional training involving drug interactions for its 27,000 pharmacists at its 8,175 U.S. drugstores, including the 222 pharmacies in the New York metropolitan area operating under the Duane Reade banner.

Of the two local chains tested, only Mariano's said it took action in response to the Tribune test results. The company said current and new pharmacists must complete training covering drug interactions, therapeutic duplication, drug allergy contraindications and other patient safety issues.

Mariano's has 41 stores in the Chicago area, employing 97 pharmacists.

A shopper enters a CVS store on Chicagos Michigan Avenue on Sept. 2, 2014. CVS is among the pharmacy chains that have made changes in response to a Chicago Tribune investigation of pharmacies handling of dangerous drug combinations. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune )

Jewel-Osco, meanwhile, has declined to make company officials available for interviews, and some key questions posed in writing have gone unanswered.

Osco pharmacies failed 43 percent of the Tribune's tests. Prior to publishing the results, the newspaper informed Osco of the findings and requested an interview with a company official. Osco declined and instead emailed the Tribune a one-sentence statement: "Osco pharmacists have a history of providing knowledgeable, exemplary care to our customers and their health, well-being and safety is our primary concern."

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When the newspaper recently asked the company if it had made changes in light of the broad action taken by other pharmacy chains, it wrote: "Technological and operational adjustments have been made to assist and monitor our pharmacists as they perform their jobs to ensure patient safety."

The company did not say what those adjustments entailed but said that they were made at all Osco stores "and were part of a planned system enhancement." Jewel-Osco operates 187 stores in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa.

Michael Brandfon, spokesman for Teamsters Local 727, which represents hundreds of Osco pharmacists, said the chain recently required pharmacists to place their finger on a scanner for every new prescription. He said the union doesn't know what sparked this new rule or its purpose.

Osco did not respond to questions from the Tribune regarding fingerprint scanning, but experts on pharmacy rules and policies say pharmacies typically use fingerprint technology to track who is filling the order or to ensure that pharmacists are present to answer patients' questions.

"The result of this new requirement is that it adds another task to the pharmacists' already jam-packed workload," Brandfon said.

sroe@chicagotribune.com

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rlong@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @samroe

Twitter @raylong
Governor Bruce Rauner laughs after a reporter asks him about the Cubs after speaking at the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago on Monday, July 24, 2017, about the SB 1 school funding bill. (Alexandra Wimley / Chicago Tribune)

With both state legislative chambers set to return to Springfield next week, Illinois House members on Wednesday heard testimony that put a spotlight on how schools across the state are dealing with the impasse over education funding.

A new education funding formula is needed before money can flow to more than 800 school districts in the state. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner last week rewrote a bill passed by the General Assembly, and lawmakers haven't overridden him, accepted his changes or come up with a compromise plan. That means a state payment won't arrive when due Thursday.

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Several school leaders who testified during a House committee meeting in Chicago said they likely would have to burn reserves and potentially resort to borrowing and cuts to get through the coming school year, absent any action.

"We could argue until tomorrow about each and every one of the governor's amendatory vetoes," said Mike Lubelfeld, superintendent of the Deerfield Public School District. "You have an opportunity to fund education, and you know what, you don't have time. You've had years to debate this."

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As the hearing was in progress, Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan announced his chamber will meet next Wednesday, which is Governor's Day at the Illinois State Fair. So while Republicans typically appear at various rallies and events at the fairgrounds, some GOP lawmakers likely will be at the Capitol instead. The move is a signal Democrats want to keep pressure on Republicans ahead of a potential override of Rauner's veto.

Rauner's proposed changes would base state support on the assessed property values of each school district, regardless of whether they could tap into the value or not. As a result, districts that have tax increment financing districts and those under mandated property tax caps would receive less state money.

The precise impact of Rauner's veto on individual school systems has yet to be publicly detailed. The Illinois State Board of Education on Tuesday said its initial analysis of the veto was complicated by significant errors in calculations involving TIF districts.

Under both the Democratic-passed bill and the governor's version, the amount of state money schools receive would depend in part on the assessed value of property in the district. The less available property wealth in a district, the more state money it could receive.

But unlike in the Democratic bill, Rauner's version would count the assessed property value that includes TIF districts and in areas that have mandated property-tax caps. School districts can't tax the growth of property value in those areas but still would receive less state money.

"I think pretty clearly that was meant to be an assault on Chicago," Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, said of Rauner's position regarding TIFs. A handful of downstate counties, Currie said, have a larger percentage of their equalized assessed value in TIF districts than Chicago.

Rauner's veto removes block grant sof about $200 million in state funds that Chicago Public Schools has received for more than 20 years for programs such as special education.

While the poor financial condition of CPS loomed over Wednesday's House hearing, officials from districts around the state were on hand to criticize Rauner's veto of the legislative package known as Senate Bill 1.

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"It's unfair. We have significant challenges," said Nathaniel Cunningham Jr., superintendent of the Crete-Monee school system.

"We felt like SB1, the way it was built, did not create winners and losers. But now with the amendatory vetoes, everyone on this panel will agree there is a great chance that we will all become losers."

Republicans at the hearing countered with criticism of Democrats' version of the bill.

"If you're confused about this formula, that's because it's confusing by intention," Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Naperville, said.

"This is a failed model. If your superintendents want to be directed by the state government about how they should spend their money, then this model is what you would want," Ives said. "But if you think that you're smart enough to do it yourself, then you should reject this model."

The state Senate will be back in Springfield on Sunday afternoon "with the intention of acting on school funding legislation," Senate President John Cullerton said on Wednesday.

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The Senate's expected effort to override Rauner's changes could lack needed Republican support in the House. A motion to override hadn't been filed in the Senate as of Wednesday afternoon, with Democrats saying they want to keep trying reach a compromise with Republicans.

If some Republican lawmakers' concerns could be addressed via followup legislation, some of them might join Democrats in an override attempt.

"Our caucus is determined to find a reasonable path to compromise, and there is still time for that," said Sen. Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat and sponsor of the education funding bill. "But as the Senate president stated, and I think he is right, we are going to fix the system one way or the other."

Manar said the purpose of the legislation has taken a back seat to the political fight, saying it's important that both sides remember that "what we are after is equity for children in public education."

Rauner, during an unrelated event in Chicago, said he did not think he sabotaged an opportunity to change the state's education funding system. He called on lawmakers to back his veto and suggested he was open to other ideas.

"Whether my (amendatory veto) as I proposed it stands or whether there's a compromise or another idea, I am open, but we should do this quickly and in a way that is fair to our kids," the governor said.

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Rauner often contends CPS should not be bailed out for years of mismanagement, an assertion Mayor Rahm Emanuel scoffed at when asked about it Wednesday at a conference of potential investors in city debt.

Emanuel said students had made substantial academic gains during his six years in office and said he would "not take ownership" of past failures both other leaders to pay into pensions and inadequate state school funding.

"What is in front of the governor is an opportunity to actually fix what has been mismanaged," Emanuel said.

Tribune reporter Hal Dardick contributed.

jjperez@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @perezjr

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mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com
On Aug. 21 in the Chicago area, the moon will slowly start to block the sun at 11:54 a.m., eventually covering up to 87 percent of the sun's surface by 1:19 p.m. Downstate Carbondale sits within the 70-mile-wide path where the sun is completely blocked. The full eclipse will last 2 1/2 minutes.

Chicago is well situated for this eclipse and should have a good view of eclipses forecast for 2024, 2045, 2048, 2057, 2093 and 2099, where the sun will be obscured at least 75 percent from the city's vantage point.

Looking to plan ahead? The 2099 eclipse path will travel right over the city blocking out the sun entirely.

What's the big deal? A coast-to-coast total solar eclipse will occur for the first time in the U.S. since 1918. Everyone in North America will have a chance to see at least a partial eclipse.

When will it happen? 12:16 p.m. to 2:48 p.m., Central time, Monday, Aug. 21

How does an eclipse happen? Partial Total Earth Sun Moon Penumbra Umbra Partial Total Sun Moon Earth Umbra Penumbra Partial Total Earth Sun Moon Penumbra Umbra The moon passes between the sun and Earth blocking, or eclipsing, the sunlight, and casting a shadow on the Earth. The fully shaded inner region of the shadow, or umbra, projects the total eclipse, a full blocking of sunlight. Areas of the shadow that are partially shaded, or penumbra, project a partial eclipse.

How will it move across the U.S. Percent eclipse view Begins 80 ORE. TOTAL 90 100 ILL. Ends S.C. Percent eclipse view Begins ORE. 80 90 100 ILL. TOTAL Ends S.C. Percent eclipse view Begins 80 ORE. 90 100 TOTAL ILL. Ends S.C. The eclipse path starts over the U.S. beginning in Lincoln City, Ore., at 12:16 p.m. CDT, and will travel southeast ending in Charleston, S.C., around 2:48 p.m.

What about Illinois? 55 ILL. St. Louis IN. 1:15 p.m. CDT 57 64 1:18 p.m. 1:21 p.m. Carbondale KY. Makanda MO. 1:24 p.m. ILLINOIS St. Louis 1:15 p.m. CDT 64 1:18 p.m. INDIANA 57 1:21 p.m. Carbondale 55 KENTUCKY MISSOURI Makanda 1:24 p.m. Miles 50 55 ILL. 1:15 p.m. CDT St. Louis IN. 57 64 1:18 p.m. 1:21 p.m. Carbondale KY. Makanda MO. 1:24 p.m. Chicago and northern Illinois will get the most of its views, 80 to 90 percent coverage, around 1:20 p.m. Peak viewing will last about 6 minutes, and you'll have to face south to southwest to see it. In southern Illinois the direct path, or path of totality, will pass over Carbondale and nearby Makanda. The total eclipse, and longest period of darkness, will last an estimated 2 minutes and 42 seconds. The eclipse path will enter around the south edge of St. Louis and move southeast into Kentucky.

Is it safe to look at? A pair of protective glasses from www.eclipseglasses.com. The light from an eclipse can be dangerous during an eclipse due to elevated levels of ultraviolet radiation. The eye is sensitive to these higher levels, and people should wear special glasses or watch through a projection with a pinhole device, binoculors or telescope. The UV radation can cause serious retinal burns or "eclipse blindness," which can result in temporary or permanent loss of vision.

How often does this type of eclipse occur? It is a rare occurance. Because the moon's orbit is tilted by about 5 degrees compared with the Earth's orbit, the Earth has one total eclipse every 18 months on average. This may not seem rare, but the moon's shadow is small, so a person may only see one or more over their lifetime. Being able to view an eclipse across the entire U.S. is even rarer, the last one taking place 99 years ago. Future eclipses when Chicago will have a good view NASA 's database shows these eclipses where the sun is at least three quaters obscured to a Chicago viewer. A total eclipse is when the moon completely blocks the sun, where an annular eclipse is when a ring of the sun's light is visible. Date Type Peak time Fraction of sun obscured April 8, 2024 Total 1:07 p.m. 94% Aug. 12, 2045 Total 11:03 a.m. 71% June 11, 2048 Annular 5:26 a.m. 86% July 1, 2057 Annular 7:05 p.m. 81% July 23, 2093 Annular 4:54 a.m. 86% Sept. 14, 2099 Total 9:51 a.m. 100%
Lawyers for Richard Stephenson, the investment banker who made a fortune after founding Cancer Treatment Centers of America, say his ex-wife is trying to "extort" money from him and "impugn" his "fine reputation," according to court documents unsealed Wednesday as their bitter divorce trial heads toward a ruling.

With at least tens of millions of dollars at stake, Stephenson's attorneys asserted his ex-wife "walked out on Richard," saying she wanted a "simpler life" but is now asking for more than $400,000 in monthly maintenance.

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"She now wants a life that is anything but simple," his lawyers said in their closing arguments, adding their claim that Alicia Stephenson has not lived up to her terms of the ex-couple's prenuptial agreement, even though it was ruled valid in court.

She "has and continues in her attempt to impugn Richard's fine reputation and extort an unreasonable financial settlement from him to which she is not entitled," the lawyers wrote.

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In the closing arguments, his attorneys proposed a much more modest deal for Alicia Stephenson of nearly $9,000 per month, plus a lump sum of nearly $450,000 for housing. They would also allow her to keep about $4 million in jewelry but not personal property  including artwork, furniture and cars.

Unable to reach a settlement privately despite the eight years that have passed since Alicia Stephenson filed for divorce, the former couple went to trial in McHenry County last year, and the proceedings have been marked by discord, drama and near-constant bickering between Richard Stephenson's team of lawyers and his ex-wife's single attorney.

Judge James Cowlin was scheduled to rule Wednesday on how much in assets and monthly maintenance Alicia Stephenson should receive in the divorce. But he indicated he needed more time to go through the voluminous arguments and set another hearing for next month.

Richard Stephenson's attorneys said the drawn-out proceedings have "taken a great emotional toll on Richard, his family, friends and business associates, not to mention the millions of dollars in temporary maintenance payments and attorneys fees he has spent in defending Alicia's unwarranted demands and claims." The closing arguments put that figure at $5.6 million.

It was apparent throughout the trial that the sides were far apart. In addition to the more than $400,000 a month she is seeking in maintenance, Alicia Stephenson has argued that she should get a luxury Chicago condo, a home in a gated community in Florida and summer rental in Michigan, as well as a Porsche and other assets.

Richard Stephenson's camp asserts that his ex-wife did little to contribute to the vast wealth that he acquired during the marriage but was merely "along for the ride." They point to a prenuptial agreement that provides her with $250,000 toward housing. But the agreement stated that monthly maintenance would be negotiable if the marriage lasted a certain number of years.

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Richard Stephenson's lawyers strongly objected to a claim by Alicia Stephenson's attorney that his camp had sought to settle for $35 million but then rescinded the offer.

In court Wednesday, Alicia Stephenson's attorney, Elizabeth Wakeman, asked Cowlin to allow her to submit new evidence in the case. The judge denied the request, telling her she'd had enough time. He also denied a request to reconsider a $3,000 sanction imposed against Wakeman for missing deadlines to submit her closing arguments, but he granted her request to unseal the other side's written closing arguments.

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Cowlin also acknowledged that whatever ruling he makes will likely be appealed.

Richard and Alicia Stephenson met when she was a teenager, and one of their first dates was a ride on a private jet to attend the Super Bowl. They married in 1991 in an extravagant ceremony at Richard Stephenson's sprawling estate in Barrington Hills, where they lived together until Alicia moved out in 2007. The couple has a daughter together, and Richard Stephenson has other children with his first wife.

Richard and Alicia Stephenson's divorce was finalized last year with the financial terms still pending.

Since then, Richard Stephenson has remarried. Last year, in the midst of the trial, his new wife, Dr. Stacie Stephenson, was featured on the cover of Country: Barrington Style and Substance magazine with photos in the Barrington Hills estate she now occupies. The article was titled, "It's a Wonderful Life." Other photos showed a charity event taking place at the estate, known as Tudor Oaks.

Amanda Marrazzo is a freelance reporter.
An appeals court has rejected a plea for new trial filed by a former Northlake man serving a life sentence as a habitual criminal.

In an opinion handed down last week, the 2nd District Appellate Court in Elgin upheld the armed robbery conviction of Luis Moreta, 46, in DuPage County court. Moreta received a mandatory life sentence in 2015 because it was his third Class X felony conviction.

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Moreta had argued that his trial judge should not have allowed a police officer to offer testimony about cellphone records at Moreta's trial because the officer was not qualified as an expert witness in that field of technology.

However, the appeals court ruled that the officer had received cellphone company records of the general whereabouts of Moreta's cellphone, based on cell tower records, on the night Moreta allegedly robbed three men. The officer then transferred the tower records to a map and testified about it at trial.

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"He merely plotted the information from cellular records onto several maps," the court said in its ruling. "No scientific, technical, or specialized training was required to read those documents or produce the maps; therefore, (the officer) did not need to be qualified as an expert to testify as he did."

Moreta was the alleged mastermind behind a December 2011 robbery in which a man and two of his friends were robbed of $3,700 in cash, along with personal items.

The man responded to an online ad offering a motorcycle for sale. He contacted the purported seller and made arrangements to meet at an Addison apartment complex. When the man, accompanied by two friends, met the purported seller, he drew them to an alley where Moreta and another man came out of a van and held up the men at gunpoint.

Moreta was found guilty of armed robbery in December 2014. He is imprisoned at the Menard Correctional Center, according to Illinois Department of Corrections records.

DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin issued a statement Wednesday, lauding the court's ruling.

"Mr. Moreta's criminal history has finally caught up with him and the issues raised in his appeal were nothing more than a last, desperate attempt to avoid spending the rest of his life behind bars," Berlin said.

Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
Cook County has withdrawn its legal motion to exact $17 million from retailers that sued the county over its controversial sweetened beverage tax, County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's spokesman said Tuesday.

The move came days after Preckwinkle defended the effort during a WGN-AM 720 radio interview. The criticism was mounting, though, with newspaper editorial boards bashing the effort and county commissioners looking to curtail her authority to sue for damages in such cases.

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In explaining the reversal, spokesman Frank Shuftan said it was triggered by a new appeals court denial of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association's motion to halt collection of the tax as the judges considered the merits of the overall case. At the same time, he reiterated Preckwinkle's earlier justification  that a temporary delay in implementing the penny-per-ounce tax on artificially and sugar-sweetened beverages cost the county significant revenue it was counting on to pay the bills this year.

"It was always our intention to protect the revenue that finances the county's critical public health and public safety services," Shuftan said in a statement. "Now that the appellate court has rejected the emergency motion that would again prevent us from collecting the sweetened beverage tax, we believe we should move forward cooperatively and in good faith with the county's retail industry. As a result, the county has determined that withdrawing its petition for damages would serve the public interest."

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Despite Preckwinkle's conciliatory move Tuesday, merchants association President and CEO Rob Karr said the "motion for damages displayed a dangerous disdain for legal rights we all enjoy. We look forward to the Preckwinkle administration beginning to exercise cooperation and good faith with the county's retail industry."

The group and individual retailers sued to block the tax on the eve of July 1, its original implementation date. Circuit Judge Daniel Kubasiak initially blocked it from going into effect, but he later ruled in the county's favor. Retailers began imposing it last Wednesday at the county's direction.

Then, the county last week went to court and sought $17 million in damages  the amount the county estimates it lost by the monthlong delay  from the retailers that sued the county.

That drew a skeptical response from Kubasiak. "I can tell you that I am troubled by this, the chilling effect of the government saying that you best not challenge us because if you are proven wrong we will come and get damages from you," he said.

Preckwinkle said on the "Sunday Spin" radio show that people had a legal right to challenge the tax  approved last November when Preckwinkle broke a rare County Board tie vote  but defended her countersuit by saying the lost month of collecting it "had a very dramatic consequence in terms of county revenues."

Preckwinkle said that more than 30 meetings and conferences were held with officials from the retail and beverage industry and that the rules and regulations related to the tax were changed as a result.

"You know, the retail merchants could have started this suit in November, in which case it would have been resolved by July 1st and we would have been in a much better position to determine where we were before the end of the fiscal year (on Nov. 30)," Preckwinkle said. "I think they exercised their right to challenge our action and we're countersuing."

The tax was expected to bring in $67.5 million this year. Before the judge ruled in the county's favor, Preckwinkle called for other county elected and appointed officials to cut 10 percent from their budgets for the remainder of fiscal 2017. She's since scaled that back to 5 percent.

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Preckwinkle's move to withdraw the motion came as County Board commissioners were laying plans to introduce an ordinance that would require board approval for the state's attorney  the county's lawyer in the case  to sue for damages. The change had backing from both Republicans and Democrats, including close allies of Preckwinkle.

hdardick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @ReporterHal
Gov. Bruce Rauner talks with members of the press at the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago on Aug. 7, 2017. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Subscribe here.

Topspin

House lawmakers are scheduled to hold a hearing in Chicago on Wednesday to delve into the changes Gov. Bruce Rauner made when issuing his veto of legislation that would overhaul how state money is doled out to school districts.

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The committee hearing comes a day after the Illinois State Board of Education said its initial analysis of how the change will affect schools will have to be redone following a data error. However, the hearing may be more about raising the pressure on GOP lawmakers than diving into the details.

"Personally, I think it's pretty clear this is not a good thing that the governor did," said Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago. "I don't need more information from the State Board of Education to tell me it was a mistake to take the minimum funding level out of the bill."

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The Senate is widely expected to move to override Rauner's changes as early as Sunday. If it succeeds, the matter would then go to the House, where Democrats would need Republican help if they want to reject the governor's changes.

Though more than a dozen GOP lawmakers broke ranks with Rauner to put a budget and tax hike in place, Republicans have predicted more unity this time around. (Monique Garcia)

What's on tap

*Mayor Rahm Emanuel will speak at the 2017 Investors Conference in the afternoon.

*Gov. Bruce Rauner will sign a Senate Bill 1413 about former prisoners' birth certificates in Chicago in the morning and sign Senate Bill 8 about procurement in Urbana in the afternoon.

From the notebook

*Pritzker camp pokes at Rauner problems over school funding: Democratic governor candidate J.B. Pritzker's campaign has released a new video raising questions about Republican Gov. Rauner's knowledge of the government process over his veto of school funding.

The ad, titled "Get Educated," notes Rauner didn't know that it took a three-fifths majority of the House and Senate to enact his amendatory veto of a Democratic-passed school funding measure. Rauner initially said it took a simple majority, but since it has portions requiring an immediate effective date, it takes the bigger vote majority.

It also shows Rauner repeatedly using the term "outrageous" from a recent Springfield news conference when he dismissed Democratic calls to negotiate with him and Republican lawmakers on a replacement bill. Rauner subsequently asked GOP lawmakers to negotiate with Democrats, though there appears to be little movement toward a deal. (Rick Pearson)

*Pawar participates in anti-violence march in Danville: Northwest Side Ald. Ameya Pawar took his campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor to an anti-violence march in Danville that is depicted in a new video.

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"Stop the Violence" shows Pawar participating in a march conducted by the Three Kings of Peace, a group of Danville pastors that the candidate says holds regular marches, organizes school activities and provides training on keeping teens out of trouble.

Pawar says the video is part of his One Illinois video campaign series.

"You have communities in Danville that have been hard hit by violence and poverty. The same thing that's happening on the South and West sides of Chicago, and in other parts of the state -- East St. Louis," Pawar says in the video.

"So, when are we going to start talking about poverty and helping people? And moving beyond dividing the state and actually bringing people together, and transcending race and class?" he says.

Pawar also is critical of the decision by the state Democratic Party to forego a fairgrounds rally at the Illinois State Fair next week and is hosting what he calls a Progressives Day rally at a park closer to Springfield's downtown area.

"As Democrats, we should be the 'big tent' party. And we must be willing to take our message directly to the public and present our case as to why a progressive Democrat is better suited to be governor than Bruce Rauner," Pawar said in a statement.

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Pawar says all of his rivals are invited to the noon event at Douglas Park in the state capital on Aug. 17. Democrats curtailed the fairgrounds rally in favor of the annual morning brunch held by the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen's Association earlier that day. (Rick Pearson)

*DCCC targets Rep. Peter Roskam: The campaign arm of U.S. House Democrats plans a weekslong digital ad campaign beginning Wednesday to take Republican U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam to task for not holding a town hall meeting during the August congressional break.

Roskam, from Wheaton, is the only Illinoisan among 25 Republicans being targeted nationally, said Rachel Irwin, a DCCC spokeswoman.

Ads will appear online if certain people identified in the 6th Congressional District search Google for a variety of terms related to Roskam, health care and town halls, Irwin said.

Roskam does not appear at large-scale public meetings but holds tele-town halls and sits down with smaller groups. His Facebook page shows he has been making the rounds in his west and northwest suburban district in recent days, appearing with small groups or invited guests.

In his sixth term, Roskam is the only Illinois Republican in Congress who won re-election last year even though Democrat Hillary Clinton carried his district. A raft of Democrats have begun campaigning for his seat leading up to 2018.

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Roskam spokesman David Mork had no comment Tuesday on the DCCC effort. (Katherine Skiba)

*Boykin flirts with Preckwinkle challenge: Richard Boykin, a first-term Cook County commissioner, said Tuesdays hes considering a challenge to County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in next years Democratic primary election. Boykin, an Oak Park resident and former chief of staff for Democratic U.S. Rep. Danny Davis of Chicago, defeated a candidate backed by Preckwinkle to win office in 2014. Hes a frequent critic of the board president and voted against both the penny-on-the-dollar sales tax increase and penny-an-ounce sweetened beverage tax Preckwinkle pushed through the County Board during her current, second term in office. Taking on Preckwinkle, who so far is unchallenged in her bid for a third and final term, would not be easy. Shes backed by unions and is the vice chair of the Cook County Democratic Party. But Boykin might be able to tap anger  and deep pockets  of business interests frustrated by the countys recent tax increases. Boykin said hell make a decision on whether to form an exploratory committee right after Labor Day. (Hal Dardick)

What we're writing

*Officials report 'significant error' in analysis of Rauner's school plan.

*Preckwinkle ends bid to win $17 million from retailers in pop tax case.

*McDonald's, Walgreens hit with lawsuits over Cook County soda pop tax.

*Emanuel's latest emails: High-speed O'Hare tunnel, rapper's charter school pitch.

*SEC to rule on sale of Chicago Stock Exchange to Chinese investors.

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What we're reading

*Gov. Rauner signs law allowing 16-year-old organ and tissue donors.

*Northwestern prof, suspect in fatal stabbing, was denied security clearance to work in France.

*Replica water tower raised to roof of Swedish American Museum on North Side.

Follow the money

*Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here.

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Beyond Chicago



*Trump threatens 'fire and fury' against North Korea.

*U.S. analysis say North Korea is making missile-ready nuclear weapons.

*Why Democrats like veteran candidates.

*Venezuela assembly declares itself superior to other government branches.
A potential political challenger to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle launched a campaign-style attack against her Wednesday tied to her controversial sweetened beverage tax.

On Tuesday, Preckwinkle withdrew a controversial motion seeking $17 million in damages from the Illinois Retail Merchants Association after the group's challenge to the penny-per-ounce pop tax delayed its start date.

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Commissioner Richard Boykin, D-Oak Park, Wednesday announced he would introduce an ordinance that would require Preckwinkle get the County Board's approval to go to court for similar reasons.

Boykin also broadened his critique to include Preckwinkle's leadership style and other decisions she has made. "Why should the executive be able to act like a monarch and actually go and bind the county to a lawsuit, especially when it's done in a retaliatory manner?" Boykin said. "That should not happen. Not in America. This is America. This is a democracy, and people can challenge ordinances."

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He added Preckwinkle's action against the retailers group "bordered on an abuse of power," saying he would ask the county inspector general to look into it.

Preckwinkle spokesman Frank Shuftan responded by calling it "curious" that Democrat Boykin was joined at the news conference by Cook County Commissioner Tim Schneider, the chair of the Illinois Republican Party. Shuftan said it's "nonsense" to claim Preckwinkle was retaliating against the group in seeking the $17 million in damages.

"As for the rollout (of the sweetened beverage tax), merchants had eight months to prepare for this," Shuftan said in an email. "Any merchant with questions could have, and still can, contact the Department of Revenue for guidance."

Boykin, a first term commissioner, said he hasn't decided whether to run against Preckwinkle in 2018.

Boykin's ordinance would require the Cook County state's attorney to notify county commissioners before filing a court action seeking damages over $100,000 and to get approval of the County Board's Finance Subcommittee on Litigation before seeking damages over $500,000.

In addition, county Commissioner Sean Morrison, R-Palos Park, said at the news conference that he will introduce an ordinance to repeal the beverage tax, which passed by one vote in November with Preckwinkle breaking a tie.

jebyrne@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @_johnbyrne
Mayor Rahm Emanuel recently warned at least two people writing him for government favors that they should be careful not to break City Hall lobbying laws, newly released emails show. (Matt Marton / AP)

As Chicago ethics officials were reviewing nearly 30 cases of possible lobbying violations in his personal emails, Mayor Rahm Emanuel warned at least two people writing him for government favors that they should be careful not to break City Hall lobbying laws, newly released emails show.

Late last year, Emanuel made public a trove of emails from his personal accounts under pressure from lawsuits from the Chicago Tribune and Better Government Association. The suits alleged the mayor had hidden government business he conducted via email on his personal, non-City Hall email accounts.

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A subsequent Tribune report found that Emanuel's personal email accounts had served as a private avenue of influence for lobbyists, corporate executives and campaign donors who sought action from  or access to  the mayor. A sharp increase in the number of lobbying cases reviewed by the Chicago Board of Ethics  28 total  followed the story, which placed a spotlight on how influential people emailing the mayor about City Hall action could cross the line into lobbying.

Amid that added public scrutiny, Emanuel in April cautioned a real estate executive and longtime political ally about making requests of him and cited the city's "strict lobbyist rules" in one exchange, new emails show. The mayor had not previously raised the city's ethics laws in thousands of email threads the Tribune reviewed.

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In April, Emanuel was quick to bring up the rules to longtime Democratic political consultant and TV pundit Paul Begala, who, like the mayor, served as an adviser in former President Bill Clinton's White House.

"Hey, one of my neighbors is with a renewable energy firm. He heard you are retrofitting all city buildings, which is amazing," Begala wrote to Emanuel on April 11. "Who should he contact to find out more? Thanks, Paul."

"Got some strict lobbyist rules on this kind of thing," Emanuel wrote back to Begala, the chief strategist of Clinton's 1992 campaign and a CNN political commentator. "Will explain more next time we talk."

"Oh. Ok. I have absolutely no interest or connection," Begala wrote back minutes later. "My neighbor knows I know you and is interested in finding out more. But don't worry about it. He can find out on his own. No need for you to be involved."

"Cool," the mayor replied. "After event will call."

Asked Tuesday about his emails with the mayor, Begala responded, "I don't even know the name of the company my neighbor works for, and obviously would never advocate for any company with the mayor. I have no corporate clients and have never lobbied."

Had Begala taken the conversation with Emanuel further and advocated for his neighbor's business, it could have qualified as lobbying under the city's rules. Lobbyists have to register with city ethics officials and have to report contact with the mayor.

Chicago's ethics law defines a lobbyist as someone who "undertakes to influence any legislative or administrative action" by city officials, employees and the City Council or its committees. A person does not have to be paid by a company or a party to be considered a lobbyist; they just have to try to influence city officials on behalf of another individual or entity. Exempt from having to register are individuals acting on their own behalf, acting on behalf of a company that is a sole proprietorship or representing a nonprofit organization that does not have any for-profit members.

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Lobbyists are required to register with the city and report each contact with government officials. Those who fail to register within five days of contacting a city official face a fine of up to $1,000 per day.

In reviewing the 28 cases tied to Emanuel's emails, the Chicago Board of Ethics found probable cause for lobbying violations in 15 cases. It dropped seven of them after meeting with individuals involved. The board issued fines for eight lobbying violations tied to the emails Emanuel released late last year, a review it wrapped up last month.

Emanuel's exchange with Begala is included in more than 1,000 pages of emails the mayor recently released from his personal accounts in which he discussed city business. In settling the Better Government Association lawsuit, the mayor agreed to provide such emails on a quarterly basis. Emanuel's personal attorney decides which records are made public, and the BGA has since sought to reopen its lawsuit against the mayor, saying his office has improperly withheld emails or portions of emails under the deal. The Tribune's lawsuit for Emanuel's emails and text messages is ongoing.

Also included in the most recent batch of emails is an exchange between Emanuel and Gary Rossi, director of real estate for The Marmon Group, a Chicago-based company that is part of billionaire investor Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Rossi wrote Emanuel on April 12 to tell him that "Angelo Pantaleo, CEO Duracell, and I selected Chicago for its new HQ." Rossi then quickly transitioned from delivering good news to asking Emanuel for some personal help.

"My wife, Erin, and I purchased the Cabrini-Green church (photo attached) to renovate for our family residence," Rossi wrote. "Off-street parking is possible only at the rear. This requires a curb-cut off Stanton Park's driveway."

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Rossi then said that John Cullerton called Chicago Parks Superintendent Michael Kelly "on my behalf" and that the Park District's attorney agreed to allow the curb cut if Ald. Walter Burnett signed off. Rossi did not specify whether he was referring to the John Cullerton who serves as president of the Illinois Senate, but he did send Emanuel a copy of Burnett's February endorsement letter and explained to the mayor that the Park District had yet to issue him a permit.

"I am in the unfortunate position of reaching out to you, not only in my interest but also Chicago's, to save this significant historic church," Rossi wrote. "On a personal note, you and Erin chatted briefly at an American Theater Company performance some months ago. We live nearby and attend regularly ... I graciously thank you in advance for your efforts."

Emanuel replied with a warning a few minutes later: "Let me look into. Given our ethics laws and for your own good I have to warn you not to email on permitting or zoning issues."

It's unlikely ethics officials would consider Rossi's request lobbying since he was reaching out to the city on his own behalf as a homeowner and not for another individual, entity or business. A Chicago Park District spokeswoman said the department did not grant Rossi his permit request.

In responding to Emanuel's email, Rossi wrote that he was "not looking to bend any ethics laws, just get a credible response" from the Park District.

"I know but ethics committee may not," Emanuel responded.

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"Got it. I can only imagine the depth of the political optics as they are now," Rossi wrote back. "Thanks again."

bruthhart@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @BillRuthhart
A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer in July receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker during a 10-hour mission from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, into Japanese airspace and over the Korean Peninsula. (Kamaile Casillas / U.S. Air Force via Getty-AFP)

NEW YORK  A new round of blustery threats emerged over North Korea on Tuesday, as President Trump warned that any military action by Pyongyang "will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen," and North Korea's military signaled it was "carefully examining" a plan to attack Guam.

What could possibly go wrong?

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Diplomats lately have been warning of a chain of events they fear could escalate into a deadly new Korean War.

Threats and bluster are part of a familiar and long-running game of brinkmanship between Washington and Pyongyang, but this time, it has been made more dangerous by two volatile new players: Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump.

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Kim, the current incarnation of North Korea's ruling dynasty, is in his early 30s  a callow youth and a less predictable character than his father, Kim Jong Il. In little more than five years in office, he has executed his uncle, ordered the assassination of his half brother and redoubled efforts to develop a nuclear weapon capable of reaching the United States.

Then, there is President Trump, often prone to impulse and almost always undiplomatic, only 12 weeks in office and, like other new presidents, still learning on the job. Through his tweets and his words, Trump has promised to stop North Korea's progress toward becoming a nuclear power.

"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States," Trump told reporters in New Jersey on Tuesday. "They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

Trump's order in April to launch airstrikes against Syria to punish President Bashar Assad's government for a poison gas attack just 63 hours earlier signaled to supporters his decisiveness, to critics his impetuousness. The president's penchant for action also was on display later that month when the U.S. dropped its largest conventional bomb (nicknamed the "mother of all bombs") on an Islamic State cave complex in Afghanistan.

"The most unpredictable part of this story is Trump, not North Korea. North Korea is doing what it always does," said Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA analyst who specializes in North Korea. She believes that Kim Jong Un, like his father, is essentially a rational player who will not launch a suicidal attack that would bring about the end of his government. "There is a lot of brinksmanship going on, but people can miscalculate," she warned. "And things could go very, very wrong."

What might North Korea do?

North Korea has recently been conducting tests of its intercontinental ballistic missiles, and U.S. officials now believe the secretive country has developed the capability of loading a miniaturized nuclear warhead onto its missiles.

Another nuclear test could also be in the works. North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests since 2006, each of them followed by howls of indignation from the international community and fresh U.N. Security Council sanctions.

How would the U.S. respond?

The Trump administration has been signaling that this time it will respond forcefully to another North Korean nuclear test. Officials have disparaged the Obama administration's policy toward North Korea, a strategy known as "strategic patience." No one knows whether Trump would take military action. U.S. intelligence officials have in the past signaled they might be prepared to launch an airstrike with conventional weapons, most likely Tomahawk cruise missiles.

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Exactly what the U.S. would strike is unclear. North Korea's nuclear tests are conducted underground, and there is no obvious target that wouldn't have the risk of nuclear fallout. Analysts say it would be possible to retaliate through other means, such as attacking North Korea's submarine fleet off its east coast, something that could be accomplished more discreetly through sabotage than airstrikes.

"Trump needs to make sure he does something different from Obama in response to a nuclear test. They can't just go through the motions at the U.N. Security Council, but they have to be sure they don't pursue a unilateral response that backfires or fails," said Scott Snyder of the Council on Foreign Relations.

How might North Korea respond if the U.S. takes military action?

Given all its rhetoric, North Korea would feel hard-pressed not to retaliate against a U.S. strike. "Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focused on the U.S. invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theater but also in the U.S. mainland," North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper warned Tuesday.

Boasting aside, it is unclear whether North Korea could target the U.S. mainland, but 28,000 U.S. troops in South Korea and 50,000 in Japan are within striking distance. The most exposed are those stationed near the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea. The South Korean capital of Seoul lies only 30 miles away, making it vulnerable to conventional artillery dug into the mountainsides near the DMZ.

"There would be a great temptation for the North Koreans to throw a few artillery shells into Seoul. They might not be able to flatten the place, but they could do a lot of damage," said Carl Baker, a retired Air Force officer who was stationed in South Korea, now with the Pacific Forum CSIS in Honolulu.

Military analysts have no doubt that combined U.S. and South Korean forces could beat North Korea. But a wounded North Korean government could punish its adversaries with what strategists sometimes refer to as the last lash of the dragon's tail.

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During a showdown with North Korea in 1994, the Clinton administration weighed airstrikes to prevent North Korea from reprocessing fuel rods from its Yongbyon nuclear complex. The plan was scuttled after computer simulations showed that up to 1 million people could be killed by North Korean retaliation. The casualties could be even larger today because of new real estate developments in the northern suburbs of Seoul, Baker said.

"The Trump administration now is relearning the same lessons that we learned in 1994. Trump needs to understand that all options are not on the table," Baker said. "We hope that he will make good, rational decisions based on input from policy advisors."

How would Asian neighbors react if the U.S. struck North Korea?

China would vociferously protest any U.S. airstrikes against North Korea, its traditional communist ally, with the same type of language that Russia used in complaining about the American attack against its ally, the Syrian government. Analysts do not believe that China would directly step into the conflict today as it did during the 1950-1953 Korean War, when Mao Tse-tung sent troops across the Yalu River to fight for North Korea. But Chinese leaders almost certainly would position themselves in a more confrontational position. "I would expect they would move forces toward the border to prevent North Koreans from fleeing into China and to prevent the Americans from becoming more adventurous," Baker said.

How would military action against North Korea be received in South Korea and Japan?

The U.S. allies of South Korea and Japan might be angrier than China if the United States took unilateral action because they stand to bear the brunt of North Korean retaliation.

Trump's strong stance toward North Korea could alienate South Koreans. "The safety of South Korea is as important as that of the United States. There should never be a preemptive strike without South Korean consent," South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a Facebook post before his election in May. Moon also has said he would try to solve the problem by heading to Pyongyang, not Washington.

Robert Gallucci, a professor at Georgetown University who was with the Clinton administration in 1994 when it considered striking North Korea, said the U.S. would have to spend months preparing its allies to defend themselves and their civilian populations before taking what in military parlance is called "kinetic action."

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The question, he said at a Council on Foreign Relations discussion last month in New York, boils down to this: "Are we ready to go to war? And if we're not, what the hell are we talking about?"

If we dont want to go to war, what other options are there?

Trump has said he offered Chinese President Xi Jinping better terms on trade if China would do more to rein in North Korea. Almost all of North Korea's fuel oil, hard currency, construction material and imported food passes through the 850-mile border between the two countries. The United States also could apply pressure on China with so-called secondary sanctions, which would target Chinese companies and banks that deal with North Korea.

And then, the Trump administration could consider direct negotiations with the North Koreans. During the campaign, Trump offhandedly raised the idea of inviting Kim over for a hamburger. A North Korean delegation was supposed to come to New York last month for back-channel talks, but after the assassination of Kim's half brother, Kim Jong Nam, in Malaysia, the visa for the head of the delegation was abruptly canceled.

If there ever was a hamburger, it was taken off the table.

barbara.demick@latimes.com

@BarbaraDemick
WASHINGTON  A British company hired to train Afghan intelligence officers billed the U.S. government for high-end cars, including Porsches and an Aston Martin, and paid the "significant others" of the firm's top executives six-figure salaries even though there's no proof they did any work, according to a Pentagon audit made public Wednesday.

Sen. Clarie McCaskill, D-Mo., said New Century Consulting also spent $42,000 on automatic weapons, using cash to get around a prohibition in the contract on purchasing the firearms, and showered other personnel with hefty pay and bonuses they hadn't earned. Overall, the military contractor "left taxpayers on the hook for over $50 million in questionable costs," McCaskill said in a statement.

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McCaskill, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, summarized the audit's major findings in a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. She demanded to know which Defense Department office was responsible for overseeing the contractor, what steps are being taken to recover the disputed payments, and whether New Century Consulting will face disciplinary action.

Michael Grunberg, chief executive officer of New Century Consulting, said the company is being portrayed unfairly and that it strives to follow federal acquisition rules. Grunberg said it "is most unfair and is significantly inaccurate" that the executive assistants received excessive salaries.

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He said the audit "questioned solely the use and depreciation treatment of vehicles" and that New Century Consulting "accounted for no more than three vehicles across the entire business at any one time." The purchase of the weapons was done properly and at the direction of the U.S.-led command overseeing the training and equipping of the Afghan security forces, according to Grunberg.

McCaskill's disclosure of the audit's key findings is a rare glimpse into the opaque world of battlefield contracting. Contractors are indispensable in Afghanistan, handling security, transportation, construction and more. Yet the Defense Department has faced widespread criticism that it often fails to perform rigorous oversight of the companies and how exactly U.S. taxpayer dollars are spent.

The report also comes amid the tense debate inside the Trump administration over the way ahead in Afghanistan. Two of President Donald Trump's most senior advisers  chief strategist Steve Bannon and son-in-law Jared Kushner  have been advocating for military contractors to fight the war there instead of American forces.

The United States has about 8,400 troops in Afghanistan, and so far Trump has resisted the Pentagon's recommendations to send as many as 4,000 more. The Associated Press reported last week that Blackwater Worldwide founder Erik Prince, the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, was approached by Trump's top advisers to develop proposals to gradually swap out U.S. troops and put contractors in their place.

The Defense Contract Audit Agency examined New Century Consulting's invoices between fiscal years 2008 and 2013, when it was a subcontractor to another company, Imperatis Corporation. Among the costs charged to the U.S. were expenditures for seven high-end cars  Porsches, Alfa Romeos, a Bentley, an Aston Martin and a Land Rover, according to McCaskill's letter to Mattis. The actual cost of the vehicles isn't specified.

"NCC claimed that the vehicles were available to all employees but the vehicles actually were used exclusively by the chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer and the significant others of the CEO and CFO," McCaskill told Mattis. Her letter doesn't identify who the significant others are.

These "significant others" also were employed by New Century Consulting as executive assistants and had an average salary in 2012 of close to $420,000 each even though McCaskill said the company was unable to provide evidence they actually performed any work.

The audit also challenged millions of dollars in compensation for other employees, including the consultants whom the company sent to Afghanistan to train the forces there. McCaskill said the consultants were supposed to be paid at a 100 percent rate when deployed overseas, but only at 60 percent when on leave. But New Century Consulting gave its consultants the full rate regardless of where they were.

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"These excessive payments cost taxpayers over $15 million," she wrote.

New Century Consulting also gave its consultants more than $3.3 million in bonuses that they either didn't earn or that weren't required by their contracts, according to the senator.

McCaskill said the audit, completed last year, was conducted partly in response to concerns she and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, had raised after the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction identified a litany of problems with Imperatis' billing and record-keeping practices. The Defense Contract Audit Agency doesn't publicly release its audits.

Imperatis had a contract dating to 2007 for intelligence training in Iraq. The work shifted to Afghanistan in 2010. Three years later the Army Contracting Command awarded New Century Consulting a contract all its own to professionalize the intelligence units within the Afghan ministries of defense and interior. Imperatis went out of business last year.

The two companies were paid $522.4 million overall, according to contract data compiled by the special inspector general.

Army Contracting Command didn't respond to a request for comment.

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McCaskill said the Defense Contract Audit Agency is currently auditing New Century Consulting's billings through early 2016 on the contract it received as its arrangement with Imperatis was ending.
Special counsel Robert Mueller, left, arrives at the U.S. Capitol for closed meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C. on June 21, 2017. (Alex Wong / Getty Images)

Robert Mueller left a $3.4 million partner job in the white-shoe law firm WilmerHale, where he worked for clients such as Facebook, Apple, Sony and the NFL, to serve as the special counsel overseeing the law enforcement investigation into whether the Kremlin and the Trump campaign coordinated to impact the 2016 election, according to documents released Monday.

Mueller's public financial disclosure - along with those of seven members of his team - was released after a request from The Washington Post. The document offers a glimpse into who the special counsel and the lawyers he has hired have worked for, and where they have made and invested their money.

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They are likely to be closely scrutinized by allies of President Donald Trump, who has criticized Mueller and his team as having conflicts of interest.

The documents show that several lawyers on the team, particularly those who came from the private sector, left behind substantial salaries to work on the Russia case. James Quarles, who left WilmerHale with Mueller, drew more than $5.8 million from his partnership there. Jeannie Rhee, another partner, drew more than $2 million, and Aaron Zebley, who was Mueller's chief of staff at the FBI and also worked with him at WilmerHale, drew more than $1.4 million.

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It is unclear precisely how much each is getting paid to work on the Russia investigation - the special counsel's office has declined to make its budget proposal public - though it is likely a far cry from their private-sector work.

In addition to his firm income, Mueller drew tens of thousands of dollars from paid speaking engagements in recent years, talking to groups such as Goldman Sachs, Citi and Ford Motor Co. For one speech, to the Mexican bank Banamex, he made $52,000.

Those on the team who had come from private practice represented a wide range of clients. Notably, Zebley represented Justin Cooper, a former Clinton aide, and Rhee represented the Clinton Foundation.

Trump has been highly critical of Mueller and his team, writing on Twitter that their investigation is the "single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history" and that the probe was being "led by some very bad and conflicted people!" He has noted particularly several team members' donations to Hillary Clinton and other Democrats: federal records show eight lawyers in the group have given to Democrats - five to Clinton's campaigns.

The president has asserted Mueller, a registered Republican, is also conflicted because he interviewed to be the FBI director, and he has a relationship with James Comey, who Trump fired from the post.

Comey's attorney has disputed Trump's characterization of Comey and Mueller's relationship, and many lawyers and ethics experts say they can see no significant legal or ethical concerns with his team's giving.

Mueller, too, might feel he cannot consider the donations because Justice Department policies and federal law prohibit discriminating based on political affiliation when it comes to hiring for nonpolitical positions.

The investments listed for many of the team members are lengthy, but among those Mueller lists as belonging to a family trust is money in Amazon.com. Amazon founder and chief executive Jeffrey Bezos owns The Washington Post in his personal capacity. The president has derisively labeled the news organization the "Amazon Washington Post."

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Mueller's form indicates it was revised several times after Mueller made clarifications. Those who reviewed it noted on the form that Mueller was counseled on criminal conflicts of interest and standards of conduct, and they found no apparent conflicts of interest.

The forms are interesting in their own right, but they also reveal who on the team might be in leadership positions.

The forms are only required of those earning higher incomes. The Justice Department ethics office released just eight, for Mueller, Quarles, Rhee and Zebley, along with Andrew Weissmann, who had led the Justice Department's fraud section; Andrew Goldstein, who ran the public corruption unit in the Southern District of New York; Zainab Ahmad, an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of New York specializing in terrorism cases; and Michael Dreeben, a Justice Department deputy solicitor general who has argued more than 100 cases before the Supreme Court.

Seeking to discredit those conducting an investigation is a familiar tactic: Democrats famously put Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr in the crosshairs during his examination of President Bill Clinton. And just as he has sought to raise questions about Mueller and his team personally, Trump has tried to limit what areas the investigators might explore.

Trump told the New York Times in a recent interview that he did not believe the special counsel should be permitted to inspect his and his family's finances - saying that would be "a violation," though not indicating what action he might take in response.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein - who appointed Mueller and is supervising him because Attorney General Jeff Sessions is recused from the case - said on Fox News recently that Mueller's investigation was "not a fishing expedition," and Mueller would need Rosenstein's approval to expand it.

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"If he finds evidence of a crime that's within the scope of what Director Mueller and I have agreed is the appropriate scope of this investigation, then he can [investigate]. If it's something outside that scope, he needs to come to the acting attorney general, at this time me, for permission to expand his investigation," Rosenstein said.
Carrying on a new tradition, the president of the United States once again stood next to the CEO of a private company and announced a deal. The company will get a package of taxpayer-financed privileges and the president will get to say he is making America great again. Meanwhile, the rest of us get to move another step away from what made the American economy great in the first place.



Wisconsin state legislators will soon decide whether to bless a deal struck by Gov. Scott Walker and President Donald Trump with a Taiwanese manufacturing giant called Foxconn.



Foxconn is a leading maker of iPhone components and says it is planning to open its first major manufacturing plant in Wisconsin, a liquid-crystal-display facility. In 2013, the firm promised to open a similar plant in Harrisburg, Pa., but eventually reneged. This time, Foxconn will reportedly benefit from a lucrative incentive package of tax credits worth $3 billion. In exchange, it promises to create 3,000 jobs initially, though that number could eventually grow to 13,000. Unfortunately (and unsurprisingly), taxpayers will be footing the bill for this giveaway, paying between $230,000 and $1 million for each job created.



When governments fund what should be private projects with special tax breaks and subsidies, taxpayers bear the cost. Money that will now go to Foxconn could have instead financed a tax cut for all Wisconsinites whose effective income tax rates are the third-highest in the nation or gone toward a public good such as public safety.



And since taxation discourages economic activity (such as a business hiring more workers), every dollar taxed out of the economy actually costs society more than a dollar. When the government taxes a transaction, some people  mainly those who were on the fence about it  will not find it worthwhile to take part as often, or at all. One estimate by Harvard's Martin Feldstein suggests that one dollar in income taxation discourages up to 76 cents of labor exchange. This means that as much as $5.3 billion may be drained from the Wisconsin economy in order to fund a $3 billion transfer to Foxconn.



Consumers also lose because deals like this encourage firms to expend valuable time, money and effort currying favor with politicians. Since these efforts create no new wealth, but are instead aimed at simply redirecting existing resources, they are extraordinarily wasteful. When governments allow and even encourage such privilege-seeking activity, a country's best and brightest minds spend their time thinking of new ways to create value for politicians rather than new ways to create value for customers.



Over the long run, even those firms that receive special treatment often end up losing. For one thing, firms must make costly concessions to politicians in order to obtain special treatment. For another, subsidies often encourage risk-taking. Because public subsidies allow firms to unload some costs on to taxpayers, they divorce these firms from the economic risk of their ventures and encourage bad choices.

President Donald Trump, embraces Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, as Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., Terry Gou, president and chief executive officer of Foxconn, and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., also stand on stage in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 26, 2017. (Carolyn Kaster / AP)

This helps explain why historically privileged industries such as agriculture, steel and autos typically fail to outperform the rest of the economy.



Ultimately, privileging certain firms over others is economically destructive. The American economy's greatest strength lies in its dynamism, in the ability of firms and individuals alike to make decisions to allocate their scarce resources toward their most productive ends. Government-granted privileges encourage the opposite. They prod firms to make decisions that they wouldn't make but for the subsidy. With enough subsidies, Mr. Walker could conceivably get orange growers to relocate to Wisconsin and build greenhouses. But that wouldn't be a wise choice, now would it?



Favoritism muddies the signals typically generated through profit and loss, and further eliminates the natural flow or "churn" that keeps markets evolving and changing to meet new needs.



The American economy grew great because it was the most open and competitive in the world. With rare exceptions, any entrepreneur with a good idea could enter any market and expect to compete on a level playing field. But as lawmakers, governors and now presidents increasingly seek to pick winners and losers, the playing field grows ever more tilted. And perceptions of the great American dream grow ever more jaded.

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Matthew Mitchell is director of the Study of American Capitalism at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, where Tammy Winter is a program associate.
Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. MICHAEL THREATTE, Defendant-Appellant. No. 2-16-0161 Decided: August 08, 2017

OPINION

 1 Defendant, Michael Threatte, was charged with domestic battery (720 ILCS 5/12-3.2(a)(1) (West 2014)). In the middle of his jury trial, the prosecutor became ill and the trial court declared a mistrial. Defendant moved to bar reprosecution, on double-jeopardy grounds. The trial court denied the motion. Defendant appeals, contending that no manifest necessity existed to declare a mistrial, as other prosecutors were available to take over the case. We affirm.

 2 I. BACKGROUND

 3 The record reveals that, when the case was called for trial, a jury was impaneled and sworn. The parties gave their opening statements, and the prosecutor, Britta Girmscheid, began questioning the complaining witness. Approximately halfway through the direct examination, Girmscheid requested a recess because she was feeling ill. She was unable to continue, and the court adjourned for the day at about 4 p.m.

 4 The following day, Girmscheid was not in court. Prosecutors Stephen DeRue and Donald Tyler were present. They told the court that Girmscheid was very ill and could not make it to court. The judge remarked that, if she had what he himself had had the prior weekend, norovirus, it was serious.

 5 DeRue requested a 24-hour continuance. The defense objected to any continuance. The court noted that the attorneys had informally discussed the possibility of a two-hour continuance to allow one of the other prosecutors to familiarize himself with the case, but decided against it. The court noted that it was considering the prejudice to either side of granting or denying a continuous [sic], the inconvenience to the jurors, and to the overall court system in the administration of case load. After weighing those factors, the court declined to grant a continuance, even for a short time.

 6 DeRue informed the court that he and Tyler were not prepared to take over the case at that point. DeRue asked the court to declare a mistrial. Defendant objected to a mistrial, arguing that Tyler could step in and finish the case. The court declared a mistrial, over defendant's objection.

 7 Defendant then filed a motion to dismiss on double-jeopardy grounds. He argued that the Court abused its discretion in granting the State's motion for a mistrial instead of granting the State's requests for either a 24-hour or even two-hour continuance.

 8 At a hearing on the motion, Girmscheid recalled that she was not in court on Tuesday, the second scheduled day of the trial, and did not come to work on Wednesday either, so that a 24-hour continuance would not have allowed her to resume the trial. The court stated that it was aware of the alternatives and thoroughly considered them before declaring a mistrial. The court noted its concern that [t]he jury, which had already been here for all of one day and part of the morning of a second day, would have had to sit doing nothing for at least two more hours on top of the two hours or so they had already been present the second day without ever even having come into the courtroom. A 24-hour continuance would have required the jurors to spend an entire day waiting and would possibly lead to mischief by the jurors. The court denied the motion, and defendant timely appeals.

 9 II. ANALYSIS

 10 Defendant contends that the trial court erred by denying his motion to dismiss. He contends that there was no manifest necessity for declaring a mistrial, because other options were available.

 11 The fifth amendment to the United States Constitution provides that no person shall be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb. U.S. Const., amend. V. These same principles are embodied in the Illinois Constitution. See Ill. Const. 1970, art. I,  10. These provisions are based on the notion that the State, with all of its resources, should not be allowed multiple attempts to convict a person of an alleged offense. People v. Bagley, 338 Ill. App. 3d 978, 980-81 (2003).

 12 The protection against double jeopardy attaches after the jury is selected and sworn. See 720 ILCS 5/3-4(a)(3) (West 2014); Bagley, 338 Ill. App. 3d at 981. A defendant who requests or consents to a mistrial is presumed to have deliberately elected to forgo a decision on his or her guilt or innocence before the jury seated at that time. People v. Dahlberg, 355 Ill. App. 3d 308, 312 (2005). However, where the court, acting without the defendant's consent, declares a mistrial, the court necessarily deprives the defendant of his valued right to have a particular jury decide his fate. Id. This does not necessarily preclude a second trial, because a defendant's right to have his trial completed by a particular jury must in some instances yield to the public's interest in fair trials designed to end in just judgments. Id. When the court declares a mistrial without the defendant's consent, the State should be allowed to retry the defendant only if there was a manifest necessity for declaring the mistrial. Id. Accordingly, reprosecution of a defendant following the declaration of a mistrial is constitutionally permissible if (1) the mistrial was attributable to the defendant by virtue of his motion or consent; or (2) the mistrial was warranted by manifest necessity.  Id. (quoting People v. Hill, 353 Ill. App. 3d 961, 967-68 (2004)).

 13 Essentially, in deciding if a manifest necessity exists, the trial court must balance the defendant's interest in having the trial completed in a single proceeding, reserving the possibility of obtaining an acquittal before that particular tribunal, against the strength of the justification for declaring a mistrial rather than attempting to continue the trial to a verdict. People v. Street, 316 Ill. App. 3d 205, 211 (2000) (citing 5 Wayne R. LaFave et al., Criminal Procedure  25.2(c), at 654 (2d ed. 1999)). Deciding whether a manifest necessity warrants a mistrial should be based on the facts of each individual case. On review, we may consider several factors, including whether (1) the difficulty was the product of the actions of the prosecutor, defense counsel, or trial judge, or was the product of events over which the participants lacked control; (2) the difficulty could have been intentionally created or manipulated by the prosecution to strengthen its case; (3) the difficulty could have been cured by an alternative that would have preserved the trial's fairness; (4) the trial judge actually considered the alternatives to a mistrial; (5) a subsequent conviction would be subject to reversal on appeal; (6) the trial judge acted in the heat of the trial confrontation; (7) the trial judge's decision rested on an evaluation of the demeanor of the participants, the atmosphere of the trial, or any other factors that similarly are not amenable to strict appellate review; (8) the trial judge granted the mistrial solely for the purpose of protecting the defendant against possible prejudice; (9) the evidence the State presented, prior to the mistrial, suggested a weakness in its case (e.g., a witness failed to testify as anticipated); (10) the jurors had heard enough of the case to formulate some tentative opinions; (11) the case had proceeded so far as to give the prosecution a substantial preview of the defense's tactics and evidence; and (12) the composition of the jury was unusual. Id. Our review is for an abuse of discretion. People v. Campos, 349 Ill. App. 3d 172, 175 (2004).

 14 The parties acknowledge that the majority of the Street factors do not apply here. They focus primarily on the third and fourth factors: whether alternatives were available and the extent to which the court actually considered those alternatives.

 15 Taking the second point first, the court stated that, after balancing the prejudice to either side of granting or denying a continuous [sic], the inconvenience to the jurors, and to the overall court system in the administration of case load, it concluded that even a short continuance was inadvisable. Moreover, DeRue stated that he and Tyler were not prepared to take over the case at that point.

 16 The court thus did consider the possible alternatives and concluded that they were not practical. Defendant seems to argue that the court did not devote enough time to considering the alternatives, but we are aware of no case prescribing a particular amount of time that must be devoted to the subject. The concern in cases such as Dahlberg was that the court not declare a mistrial as the first and only option without giving the defendant an opportunity to respond. Dahlberg, 355 Ill. App. 3d at 313. That type of hasty decision did not occur here, as the court sought defendant's input and discussed with counsel possible alternatives.

 17 Moreover, the court referred to an earlier, off-the-record discussion during which the court and the attorneys discussed the matter, and, obviously, we do not know what factors were discussed at that time. Generally, to support a claim of error on appeal, the appellant has the burden to present a sufficiently complete record. Webster v. Hartman, 195 Ill. 2d 426, 432 (2001) (citing Foutch v. O'Bryant, 99 Ill. 2d 389, 391-92 (1984)). Absent such a record, we presume that the trial court's order conforms to the law and has a sufficient factual basis. Id. Here, without knowing what was said during the off-record discussion, we must at least presume that the court adequately considered possible alternatives.

 18 Defendant's principal point is that the trial court abused its discretion by ordering a mistrial when it could have resolved the situation by ordering a relatively short continuance. This is the opposite of the position he took in the trial court, where he objected to any continuance. Under the doctrine of invited error, an accused may not request to proceed in one manner and then later contend on appeal that the course of action was in error. People v. Carter, 208 Ill. 2d 309, 319 (2003). To permit a defendant to use the exact ruling or action he procured as a vehicle for reversal on appeal would offend all notions of fair play (People v. Villarreal, 198 Ill. 2d 209, 227 (2001)) and encourage defendants to become duplicitous (People v. Sparks, 314 Ill. App. 3d 268, 272 (2000)). Here, defendant objected to any continuance, even for a few hours, but now argues on appeal that granting a continuance is precisely what the trial court should have done. Defendant is not entitled to simply change positions this way.

 19 Defendant objected to both a continuance and a mistrial, apparently taking the position that the only viable option was for DeRue or Tyler to take over the case immediately, without any preparation whatsoever. We are aware of no case, and defendant cites none, holding that the double-jeopardy clause entitles a defendant to force an unprepared prosecutor to take over the case immediately.

 20 Even apart from that, defendant's argument that a continuance was a better option is essentially based on speculation. Girmscheid's condition was unknown. It was also unknown whether Tyler, or any other prosecutor from the office, would have been available to take over the case in the foreseeable future. Thus, the jury, which was told that the case was expected to last one or two days and which had already been in court for two days, would have had to return the following day, with no guarantee that the State would be ready to proceed. We do not know whether the court, the prosecutors, or even defense counsel had other matters on their schedules that would have precluded resuming the trial. Thus, we cannot say based on this record that the court abused its discretion.

 21 The parties do not cite, and our research has not disclosed, any Illinois case addressing this precise issue: whether a manifest necessity for a mistrial exists where the prosecutor becomes seriously ill in the middle of a trial. Courts from other jurisdictions that have considered the issue generally hold that a mistrial is proper where the prosecutor would be absent for a lengthy period and no other prosecutor would be able to step in and resume the trial within a reasonable period. See State v. Anderson, 988 A.2d 276, 286-87 (Conn. 2010) (collecting cases).

 22 In any event, we note again that the record does not fully reveal the scale by which the trial court balanced the competing interests and concluded that a mistrial was necessary. We do not know how long Girmscheid was expected to be indisposed or when another prosecutor would be available to take over the case. In the absence of a positive indication in the record, and knowing that at least some discussion took place off the record, we must presume that the court's balancing of these factors was proper. Webster, 195 Ill. 2d at 432.

 23 III. CONCLUSION

 24 The judgment of the circuit court of Lake County is affirmed and the cause is remanded. As part of our judgment, we grant the State's request that defendant be assessed $50 as costs for this appeal. 55 ILCS 5/4-2002(a) (West 2014); see also People v. Nicholls, 71 Ill. 2d 166, 178 (1978).

 25 Affirmed and remanded.

PRESIDING JUSTICE HUDSON delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion.

Justices Hutchinson and Birkett concurred in the judgment and opinion.
"I strongly believe in gender and racial diversity, and I think we should strive for more," the Google employee wrote. "Women on average show a higher interest in people and men in things. ... Women on average are more cooperative. ... Women on average look for more work-life balance while men have a higher drive for status on average," he continued.

"The male gender role is currently inflexible. Feminism has made great progress in freeing women from the female gender role, but men are still very much tied to the male gender role. If we, as a society, allow men to be more 'feminine,' then the gender gap will shrink, although probably because men will leave tech and leadership for traditionally feminine roles," he wrote. These are all quotes from James Damore, the Harvard-educated employee who worked as a Google engineer until being fired for daring to suggest Google needs more diversity, but should rethink how to foster that diversity.

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According to the tech site Gizmodo, Damore wrote an "anti-diversity screed." Re/Code referred to it as "sexist." The tech site Mashable assailed anyone who defended Damore as being part of the "alt-right." The problem, chiefly, is that many critics claimed Damore said things he did not and painted the things he did say in the worst possible light.

It is, for example, true that Damore said women suffered from "neuroticism" more than men, but he made clear he was using the psychological, scientific terminology for suffering higher anxiety and having a lower stress tolerance in job and life situations. He did not mean it as a pejoratively as the Left painted it. In fact, he did not pull his statements out of thin air or make them up. Damore based his statements on sociological and psychological studies that are accepted by the scientific community, of which he is a part.

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Social conservatives are looking at what Google has done and, while acknowledging Google has every right to fire an employee, are concerned this outcome bodes poorly for anyone who thinks differently from the Left.

There are shadows of Brendan Eich's firing from Mozilla in this. Eich, Mozilla's then-CEO, was driven from his job by outrage generated by technology reporters and pundits for having the audacity to give money to a traditional marriage campaign in California. No one questioned Eich's qualifications or abilities in technology. But Eich had the wrong values and thoughts so he had to be fired. Silicon Valley has no place for social or intellectual conservatives. Or look at Silicon Valley's treatment of Peter Thiel, the gay billionaire, who has had the audacity to give legitimacy to President Trump. Thiel is now treated as a pariah in the tech press.

In his Google memo, Damore made clear that he too wanted to increase diversity at the company. But he also wanted Google to consider other ways to do it. For example, noting that "women generally ... have a stronger interest in people rather than things," Damore suggested Google could "make software engineering more people-oriented with pair programming and more collaboration." Noting that women often find it difficult negotiating for a higher salary, Damore noted this was a generalization and that some men shared this characteristic. He encouraged Google to abandon women-only programs on salary negotiation and make it available to anyone who had that problem. For daring to suggest Google not stereotype men and women, Damore stands accused of stereotyping people.

Unfortunately, many believed Damore dared to engage in wrongthink. Danielle Brown, Google's Vice President of Diversity, declared she disagreed with Damore, but said, "Part of building an open, inclusive environment means fostering a culture in which those with alternative views, including different political views, feel safe sharing their opinions." It is pretty clear now, despite those words, views outside left-wing groupthink are not shareable inside Google.

This is par for the course at Google. Ben Domenech, editor of The Federalist, noted in June that Google's Eric Schmidt declared anyone who disagreed with him politically would not be operating from "science-based thinking." According to Google's current CEO, Sundar Pichai, Damore had to be fired for daring to cross "the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace." This is quite an ironic line to take considering Damore's memo pointed out repeated instances of Google engaging in stereotypes and generalizations that often apply to people regardless of gender.

The firing feels rather Orwellian. Damore agrees with diversity. Damore admits and acknowledges that there is a gender and race diversity problem and he shared his employers' desires to fix it. But he wanted to caution the company not to perpetuate sex or race-based programs that do not actually fix the problems. He likewise dared to suggest intellectual diversity was as important as skin color and gender diversity.

Many in the left-leaning tech press were so outraged Damore would differ from their views they could not even fairly assess his views. He has been treated as a sexist, racist outcast who is anti-diversity. His views were mischaracterized or characterized in the worst possible light to dismiss him and his ideas.

By daring to think differently, even by relying on studies and using defined words in the sociological and psychological lexicon, Damore was painted as an anti-diversity bigot. No matter how Damore had phrased his memo, it seems he would have offended someone and been fired. The only way to avoid it would be to keep his mouth shut and embrace the groupthink.

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Therein lies the problem for Google. Despite what Brown may have said about diversity of ideas at Google, it is clear no one can actually have diverse ideas at Google. Doing so might lead to offense and offense must lead to job termination. It creates a situation where one's views, no matter how reasonable or how commonly shared they are, can be out of bounds if they differ with prevailing groupthink.

Conservatives have every reason to be worried by Google's actions. Google has become the default search engine for the world. It does not take a rocket scientist to know how easy it would be for Google to change its search algorithms to devalue what its employees believe is wrongthink. With Google in a near monopoly position for web searches, it has the ability to alienate conservative thought, Christian values and others to internet silos and ghettos that most would be unable to find.

The most troubling part is that much of the political left would be okay with silencing because they see censorship of ideas they hate as a positive thing for the world. Many of the left seek to win culture wars not on the merits of arguments and ideas, but simply by punishing and silencing any who disagree.

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A submarine-launched ballistic missile is displayed in Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea, to celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, the country's late founder and grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong Un, on April 15, 2017. (Wong Maye-E / AP)

As the world ponders the meaning of President Donald Trump's threat of "fire and fury" on North Korea, it's worth asking why his predecessors never took those steps to stop its nuclear program.

When Bill Clinton was confronted with the threat of North Korea's exit from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, he considered military force. But he ended up going for negotiations in what became known as the joint framework agreement. The North Koreans froze their plutonium program in exchange for fuel shipments and a light water reactor from the U.S. Neither side ever fully delivered.

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Then there was George W. Bush. He didn't like North Korea. He put the nation in the original "axis of evil." On his watch, the U.S. discovered Pyongyang had a secret uranium enrichment program, in violation of the spirit of Clinton's deal. Then in 2006, North Korea tested its first nuclear device. By 2007, Bush had lifted crippling sanctions on the regime's elites and entered into new negotiations. And surprise: The North Koreans backed out of those talks at the end too.

By the time Barack Obama came into power, the North Koreans were back to building up their program. They perfected missiles, sunk a South Korean ship and shelled a South Korean island. The current tyrant, Kim Jong Un, ascended to power and proceeded to consolidate his position, killing his uncle and later his half-brother. All the while, Obama pursued a policy of "strategic patience," aimed at not rewarding Kim's regime for its provocations and rogue behavior.

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Now Trump has inherited a mess. Not only is Kim testing ballistic missiles at an alarming rate, as The Washington Post reported this week, but also the Defense Intelligence Agency now assesses that North Korea can miniaturize a nuclear warhead so that it can fit inside a missile. Game, set, match.

So why didn't the last three presidents take out North Korea's nuclear facilities when they had the chance? The answer is Seoul, the thriving capital of South Korea. The North has enough artillery pieces within range of this metropolis to kill hundreds of thousands of people, which could very well begin a world war and throw the global economy into a tailspin.

Past presidents have understandably feared the North would retaliate in this way. But for some today, that fear is fading. John Plumb, a former director of defense policy and strategy for Obama's National Security Council, told The Atlantic last month: "If I were the Trump administration, I would be looking at the threat to incinerate Seoul and trying to figure out how real it is. Because to me, it's become such a catchphrase, and it almost  it starts to lose credibility. Attacking Seoul, a civilian population center, is different from attacking a remote military outpost. It's dicey, there's no doubt about it."

Intelligence officials have told me in recent months that this threat remains very real. While there are steps the U.S. can take to mitigate the problem, such as dropping cluster munitions on the big guns, it's an imperfect and high-risk strategy. An attack on North Korea would be unpredictable and could unleash far worse on U.S. forces (which have been stationed in South Korea for more than 60 years), not to mention allies such as Japan.

All of this gets back to Trump's bluster. At this point we as Americans ought to expect more careful words from the president. At the same time, nothing Trump said was that different from the implicit threat against North Korea, or any power that threatens American cities with nuclear destruction.

Don't get me wrong: There are few people on the planet more deserving of "fire and fury" than Kim Jong Un. But would such a strike even eliminate its nuclear program? How far is Trump willing to go? Will he order an invasion of North Korea to topple the regime? And if he does, would he commit the manpower, capital and time to stabilize the country once the Kim dynasty falls?

According to retired Adm. William Perry, Clinton's second secretary of defense, the U.S. couldn't take out North Korea's nuclear infrastructure with military strikes, given how much it has expanded in the last 20 years. What's more, the price paid by South Koreans would be unacceptable. This is what he told a group of journalists this spring at an event sponsored by the Hoover Institution.

It's possible that Trump is counting on his reputation as an impetuous novice  one whom Kim just might fear would roll the dice by attacking North Korea. But Trump's ultimatum allows the boy-tyrant in Pyongyang to test the president's mettle. (Already the North Korean state media has threatened Guam.) We can expect more taunts and threats in the coming days, proving Trump's threat was hollow. As hollow as past presidents' pledges to do the same.

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Bloomberg

Eli Lake is a Bloomberg View columnist. He was the senior national security correspondent for The Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for The Washington Times, The New York Sun and UPI.
The summer is prime time for nostalgia. Theme parks are open, blockbuster movie remakes breathe life into old favorites and frozen sweet treats abound. Get your hands on these milkshakes for your next night out before the warm weather fades, and we turn to hot chocolate instead.

R.J. Grunts

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2056 N. Lincoln Park W. 773-929-5363

Take a traditional milkshake and make it suitable for grown-ups only with a shot of your booze of choice. Flavors include vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, pineapple, coconut, raspberry, creamy caramel, peanut butter, Oreo, coffee or Dreamsicle. $6 without alcohol.

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Tallboy Taco

325 W. Huron St. 312-488-4917

Tacos and milkshakes aren't a common pair, but a delicious one nonetheless. Try their boozy Cafe Dominicano at brunch, made with Jameson, tres leches, horchata, Dark Matter coffee, vanilla and cinnamon to cool yourself down. $12.

BLVD

817 W. Lake St. 312-526-3116

Nothing says "1950s" like a malt in a milk bottle. Newly-opened BLVD's take on mid-century Hollywood includes their Mini Malt milkshakes with house-made ice cream and whipped cream with house-malted milk brittle. $7 without alcohol, $12 with.

M Burger

Various locations

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Honor the Midwest with M Burger's shake varieties, all made with dairy from Illinois and our neighboring states. Flavors include the traditional vanilla, strawberry and chocolate, and a rotating monthly flavor. August's is s'mores. $3.49.

The Heavy Feather

2357 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-799-8504

Keep it tropical at the Heavy Feather with this month's shake selectionAugust features a Bananas Foster shake, made with Jamaican and Bermudan rums, Falernum, bananas, ice cream and vanilla wafers. $12.

Joy District

112 W. Hubbard St. 312-955-0339

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Is there such a thing as a healthy milkshake? Probably not, but Joy District gets credit for trying. Their green tea milkshake can be made boozy with a shot of Tyku Silver Sake, either on the side or mixed in. $7 without sake, $11 with.

The Sixth

2202 W. Lawrence Ave. 773-433-5959

Nostalgia is a fickle beast but it makes for a damn good milkshake. Visit The Sixth for shakes inspired by childhood faves, like the Broken Resolution, made with Jim Beam Rye, chocolate ice cream, peanut butter and Nutella cream or a French Toast with cognac, vanilla ice cream, cinnamon, egg and apricot cream.

Rhyme or Reason

1938 W. Division St. 773-687-8240

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Take your indulgence up a notch at this recently opened '70s-inspired restaurant in Wicker Park with their vanilla, Oreo, Dreamsicle or chocolate malt milkshakes topped off with house-made whipped cream. You can also add a shot of your liquor of choice. $8 without alcohol, $10 with.

Chicago Diner

3411 N. Halsted St. 773-935-6696

No dairy necessary at this vegetarian staple in Lakeview or Logan Square (2333 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-252-3211). Their vegan shakes come in 10 different flavors, including chocolate chip cookie dough, vanilla chai and carrot cake. $7 for a regular, $8.50 for a large.

Allium

120 E. Delaware Place 312-799-4900

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With only two options, Allium is tasked with making every shake they make count  and boy, do they. Try out a Nutella milkshake, as delicious and simple as it sounds, or a miso butterscotch. Each can be paired with a shotFrangelico for Nutella, and Fantasia liqueur for the butterscotch. $8 without alcohol, $12 with.

Tiztal Cafe

4631 N. Clark St. 773-271-4631

Two words: Oatmeal. Shakes. Trust us on this one. These shakes aren't just defying the norm; they're doing it really well. Try the original creamy oatmeal shake, or dabble with pecan, banana and granola flavors. $5.49.

25 Degrees

736 N. Clark St. 312-943-9700

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You can keep it classic with traditional milkshakes at 25 Degrees, or you can go big with their creative spiked shakes, with flavors like the Salty Caramel with Maker's Mark, Bananas Foster with Captain Morgan spiced rum, the Night Owl with Godiva dark chocolate liqueur, the Cinnashake with house-made cinnamon whiskey, RumChata and an Irish Car Bomb with Jameson. $7 without alcohol, $12 with.

Medici on 57th

1327 E. 57th St. 773-667-7394

If you're OK sharing your shake experience with a flood of UChicago students, head to Medici on 57th for their classic shakes and malts, in traditional flavors as well as their specialty offerings, like fudge banana-nut, Mexicana (made with Mexican chocolate and cinnamon), mocha and strawberry-banana. $4.50 for classic, $4.75 for specialty.

Bobtail

2951 N. Broadway St. 773-880-7372

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The cutest little ice cream shop makes the cutest little shakes, too. This Lakeview staple uses its house-made ice cream flavors for their shakes, with flavors like Cream Espress with a double shot of espresso, Raspberry Truffle, S'More Sensation (all $6.79) or a Chai Shake with Oregon chai ($5.59 for a regular).

Public House

400 N. State St. 312-265-1240

You haven't lived until you've gorged yourself on a boozy shake from Public House. Their cake shakes come in two regular flavors and one rotating seasonal offering, including Chocolate Porter made with Boulder shake chocolate porter, chocolate ice cream and chocolate cake and a Vanilla Stout made with a JP's Casper white stout, vanilla ice cream and confetti buttercream cake. Did we mention there's a slice of cake on top? $14.

Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. >

Mindy's Hot Chocolate

1747 N. Damen Ave. 773-489-1747

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Nobody puts Mindy in a corner. This local favorite might make a killer titular hot chocolate, but don't count out its milkshake offerings made from the shop's house-made ice cream flavors. Options include vanilla, malted milk chocolate, stout and caramel, mint chip, peanut butter and malted coffee cocoa nib. $9.

Bar Siena's BomboBar

832 W. Randolph St. 312-492-7775

What pairs better with a milkshake (or, in BomboBar terms, a "cooler chocolate") than a doughnut? Bar Siena's to-go window offers coffee, doughnuts, gelato and these delicious cooler chocolate offerings in either Chocolate S'mores or Matcha Made in Heaven, topped off with a bombolini, an Italian hole-less doughnut. $9.

@shelbielbostedt | sbostedt@redeyechicago.com
If you're anything like me, you run solely so you can gorge yourself on doughnuts afterward and not feel quite so guilty. Stan's Donuts is embracing this idea with its Donut Dash 5K on Saturday, Aug. 12.

This goes beyond just post-gaming your run with a doughnutthe glorious fried and glazed treats will be available throughout the course and at the end of the raceso runners can celebrate making it all the way to the finish line on a doughnut-full stomach.

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The cost to register is $40 for the 5Kkicking off at 8 a.m.or $10 for the kids' dash, which starts at 9:30 a.m. Day-of race registration will be available on-site from 6:30-7:45 a.m. at Montrose Harbor.

Packet pick-up is available noon-8 p.m Thursday, Aug. 10, and Friday, Aug. 11, at Fleet Feet Old Town (1620 N. Wells St. 312-587-3338).

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Proceeds from the race will benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository, an organization that provides food for Chicagoans in need. The depository distributed 70 million pounds of food in 2016 and distributes the equivalence of 160,000 meals per day through its 700 partner agencies and programs throughout Cook County.

The race kicks off from the southeast corner of Montrose Harbor and makes its way north toward Foster Beach, where runners and walkers can make a doughnut pit stop before continuing toward another doughnut break at the mile-two marker. Are those enough doughnuts to get you to lace up your sneakers?

Don't worrythere are just as many water stations are there are doughnut stations, so you'll stay well-hydrated through your sugar high.

For more information and to register, visit donut5k.com.

@shelbielbostedt | sbostedt@redeyechicago.com
Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. RUBEN ZENDEJAS, Defendant-Appellant. No. 2-16-0565 Decided: August 08, 2017

OPINION

 1 Defendant, Ruben Zendejas, appeals the denial of his motion to reconsider his sentence of 10 years' incarceration after he pleaded guilty to aggravated driving under the influence (625 ILCS 5/11-501(a)(6), (d)(1)(C) (West 2014)). Defendant was sentenced on May 27, 2016, and he moved to reconsider on June 10, 2016. On June 24, 2016, defendant's counsel filed an amended motion to reconsider and a certificate under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 604(d) (eff. Mar. 8, 2016) stating in part:

2. That [counsel] discussed with the Defendant either by mail or in person his plea of guilty, his sentence of ten years IDOC and the Defendant's contentions of error in his sentence or the entry of the plea of guilty.

***

4. That [counsel] has examined the Trial Court file and report of proceedings of the plea of guilty and has made any amendments to the motion necessary for adequate presentation of any defects in those proceedings. (Emphasis added.)

 2 Defendant contends that his sentence was excessive. The State, however, observes that a remand might be required because the certificate did not strictly comply with Rule 604(d). We agree.

 3 Our review is de novo. People v. Prather, 379 Ill. App. 3d 763, 768 (2008). Rule 604(d) requires strict compliance. People v. Janes, 158 Ill. 2d 27, 35 (1994). If the certificate did not strictly comply with the rule, we must remand the cause for the filing of a proper certificate and the opportunity to file a new postjudgment motion. People v. Lindsay, 239 Ill. 2d 522, 531 (2011). Defendant argues that the State lacks standing to raise the adequacy of the certificate, because the rule is for the protection of the defendant. However, a Rule 604(d) certificate is primarily for the benefit of the trial and appellate courts. People v. Munetsi, 283 Ill. App. 3d 326, 333 (1996), overruled on other grounds, People v. Fitzgibbon, 184 Ill. 2d 320, 326 (1998). [A] Rule 604(d) certificate, and its accompanying requirements, are not a personal right of a defendant and therefore cannot be waived by a defendant. (Emphases in original.) Munetsi, 283 Ill. App. 3d at 332-33; cf. People v. Youngbey, 82 Ill. 2d 556, 564-65 (1980) (a presentence report is for the enlightenment of the court as well as for the benefit of the defendant, and as such it is not a personal right of the defendant that can be waived). Thus, not only does the State have the power to raise an issue concerning the certificate, but it is to be commended for doing so. Munetsi, 283 Ill. App. 3d at 333. We therefore address the State's contention.

 4 Under Rule 604(d), which was recently amended:

No appeal from a judgment entered upon a plea of guilty shall be taken unless the defendant, within 30 days of the date on which sentence is imposed, files in the trial court a motion to reconsider the sentence, *** or, *** a motion to withdraw the plea of guilty and vacate the judgment.

* * *

*** The defendant's attorney shall file with the trial court a certificate stating that the attorney has consulted with the defendant either by phone, mail, electronic means or in person to ascertain defendant's contentions of error in the sentence and the entry of the plea of guilty, has examined the trial court file and both the report of proceedings of the plea of guilty and the report of proceedings in the sentencing hearing, and has made any amendments to the motion necessary for adequate presentation of any defects in those proceedings. (Emphases added.) Ill. S. Ct. R. 604(d) (eff. July 1, 2017).

The amendment applies retroactively. People v. Easton, 2017 IL App (2d) 141180,  11.

 5 Here, the certificate did not strictly comply with the amended rule. First, it did not state that counsel consulted with defendant about his contentions of error in the sentence and the entry of the plea of guilty. Ill. S. Ct. R. 604(d) (eff. July 1, 2017). Instead of and it used the term or, which is not in strict compliance with the rule. See Easton, 2017 IL App (2d) 141180,  3, 18. Second, the certificate did not state that the attorney had examined the report of proceedings of the sentencing hearing (and not merely of the proceedings on the plea of guilty). Thus, the certificate was defective, and a remand is required.

 6 We vacate the order denying defendant's motion to reconsider his sentence, and we remand for (1) the filing of a [valid] Rule 604(d) certificate; (2) the opportunity to file a new motion to withdraw the guilty plea and/or reconsider the sentence, if counsel concludes that a new motion is necessary; and (3) a new motion hearing. Lindsay, 239 Ill. 2d at 531.

 7 Vacated and remanded.

PRESIDING JUSTICE HUDSON delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion.

Justices Schostok and Birkett concurred in the judgment and opinion.
United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit. UNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Forrest T. GOODWIN, Jr., Defendant, Appellant. No. 16-1981 Decided: August 08, 2017

Before Torruella, Lynch, and Kayatta, Circuit Judges. Jeffrey W. Langholtz, Biddeford, ME, by appointment of the court, on brief for appellant. Renee M. Bunker, Assistant United States Attorney, and Richard W. Murphy, Acting United States Attorney, on brief for appellee.

After his conviction in 2012 for acting as an accessory after the fact to an armed credit union robbery, Forrest Goodwin was sentenced to forty-two months' imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release subject to standard and special conditions. During the period of supervised release, Goodwin repeatedly violated release conditions pertaining to substance abuse. In 2016, he was arrested, and the U.S. Probation Office filed a petition for revocation of his supervised release. At the revocation hearing, the district court sentenced Goodwin to ten months' imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release subject to the same previously imposed conditions. On appeal from the revocation sentence, Goodwin challenges the term and the substance-abuse-related conditions of his supervised release sentence. We affirm.

I.

In June 2012, Goodwin was found guilty of acting as an accessory after the fact to an armed credit union robbery. There was trial evidence that Goodwin used the robbery proceeds to purchase drugs. Goodwin's presentence investigation report (PSR) for the robbery offense disclosed a history of substance abuse and drug-related prior convictions. Adopting the PSR's guidelines sentencing range of thirty-seven to forty-six months, the district court sentenced Goodwin to forty-two months' imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervision. Among other conditions for release, the court mandated that Goodwin not use or possess any controlled substance, alcohol, or other intoxicant; that he participate in a substance-abuse treatment program; and that he report to his probation officer for testing.

Goodwin was released from prison in December 2014, but arrested again in May 2016 following his repeated violations of supervised-release conditions. The Revocation Report carefully described the many instances of Goodwin's continued drug use, failure to report for testing, and refusal to submit to further testing. The report also noted that Goodwin made statements to his probation officer denying that he had a drug-addiction problem. At the revocation hearing, Goodwin admitted to all of these violations. Goodwin's counsel explained, there is no question that [Goodwin] is addicted to opiate drugs; [i]f given [a] second chance, [Goodwin] understands that he now needs to work with, and not against, his probation officer; [Goodwin] is in agreement with the 24-month term of supervised release and understands that basically he needs to do all of his supervised release over again; and really what [Goodwin] has is a drug problem and he's trying to address it.

The district court remembered Goodwin's case extremely well, having presided over Goodwin's trial and sentencing hearing in 2012. In revoking Goodwin's original supervised release, the court imposed a ten-month prison term, to be followed by two years of supervised release subject to the same set of previously imposed conditions. The court also imposed a ninety-day period of community confinement as a new special condition of release. The court described post-revocation supervised release as a final opportunity for changeGoodwin's last chance to cooperate with counseling and treatment and conquer [his] drug problem.

Goodwin now challenges this new term of supervision and the substance-abuse-related requirements. Goodwin argues that the district court committed plain error because (1) supervised release will likely fail, given Goodwin's ongoing struggles with substance abuse; and, in any event, (2) the release conditions are not sufficiently related to Goodwin's original robbery offense.

The government disputes that Goodwin's sentence was in error, but also argues as a threshold matter that Goodwin waived his challenges when his counsel stated at the revocation hearing that Goodwin agree[d] with the 24-month term of supervised release. Goodwin maintains that he forfeited, but did not waive, his objections.

II.

We ordinarily review a district court's revocation sentence, including any conditions of supervised release, for abuse of discretion. United States v. Marino, 833 F.3d 1, 10 (1st Cir. 2016). If the defendant forfeited his claims, we review only for plain error. United States v. York, 357 F.3d 14, 19 (1st Cir. 2004). If the defendant instead affirmatively assented to parts of his sentence, any objections thereto are waived and cannot be resurrected on appeal. United States v. Rodriguez, 311 F.3d 435, 437 (1st Cir. 2002). Goodwin has conceded forfeiture but he contests the government's assertion of waiver. We need not address the waiver dispute, however, because the record clearly establishes that the supervised-release component of Goodwin's revocation sentence was not in error.

When a judge revokes a defendant's supervised-release term, the new sentence may include an additional supervised-release stint Marino, 833 F.3d at 10 (citing 18 U.S.C.  3583(h)). Here, the district court did not abuse its discretion in sentencing Goodwin to a new two-year period of supervision. During his initial term of supervised release, Goodwin flouted his release conditions. In addition, he flatly denied to his probation officer that he had any drug addiction. At the revocation hearing, however, Goodwin requested a fresh start, and his counsel emphasized that Goodwin was ready to work with, and not against, his probation officer. After recounting Goodwin's original offense and sentence, as well as the uncontroverted evidence of Goodwin's ongoing struggles with substance abuse, the district court decided to give Goodwin a second chance. In setting the term of supervision for the post-revocation sentence, the court warned that if Goodwin did not seize this opportunity he would find himself in jail for a long time. The district court's sentence was eminently reasonable in light of Goodwin's record of recurrent non-compliance and his professed motivation to overcome his drug addiction.

Undermining his own representations to the district court at the revocation hearing, Goodwin now argues that his ongoing substance-abuse problem warrants foregoing any further supervision. His rationale runs counter to the rehabilitative and deterrent ends of supervised release. As the government puts it, [i]t would seem odd to reward Goodwin for his repeated acts of intransigence, flouting of release conditions and non-compliance with drug-treatment opportunities with a free pass on supervised release altogether.

The cases on which Goodwin relies in seeking to avoid post-revocation supervision are inapposite. United States v. Mora involved reversal of a lifetime term of supervised release (TSR), an unreasonable upward departure that had been imposed on the sole basis of recidivism. See 22 F.3d 409, 413-14 (2d Cir. 1994). Here, the district court imposed a TSR of just two years after taking into account Goodwin's representations at his revocation hearing. United States v. Tsosie generally discusses how district courts have the authority to terminate, revoke, or extend terms of supervision, but nowhere does it suggest that non-compliance warrants foregoing a post-revocation TSR. See 376 F.3d 1210, 1215 (10th Cir. 2004), abrogated in part by Tapia v. United States, 564 U.S. 319 (2011). As for United States v. Thornhill, it involved a fact-specific assessment that does not have any bearing on Goodwin's case. See 759 F.3d 299 (3d Cir. 2014). In Thornhill, the district court opted, at a third round of revocation proceedings, to impose extended incarceration but no new TSR. See id. at 305-06. By contrast, Goodwin acknowledged his substance-abuse problem at his first revocation hearing and professed his motivation and readiness to overcome it.

Goodwin separately argues that the supervised-release conditions relating to drug rehabilitation are insufficiently correlated to his offense of acting as an accessory after the fact to an armed credit union robbery. This argument also fails. As the district court recalled at the revocation hearing, Goodwin's initial offense did bear a connection to his drug addiction: Goodwin immediately used the robbery proceeds to purchase drugs. Regardless, the Sentencing Guidelines do not limit district courts to consideration only of the facts of the crime charged. York, 357 F.3d at 19-20. Rather, the district court should consider the defendant's history regardless of the nature of the crime of conviction, and can impose release conditions that are reasonably related to any of the permissible goals of supervised release: (1) the defendant's offense, history, and characteristics; (2) the need to deter the defendant from further criminal conduct; (3) the need to protect the public from further crimes by the defendant; and (4) the effective educational, vocational, medical, or other correctional treatment of the defendant. Id. at 20. The substance-abuse treatment mandated here by the district court serves the correctional purpose of helping Goodwin conquer [his] drug problem and avoid criminal conduct that would land him back in jail for a much longer period of time.

III.

The district court committed no error, plain or otherwise. Accordingly, we affirm Goodwin's sentence.

LYNCH, Circuit Judge.
United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit. Christopher HAYDEN; Denine L. Murphy, a/k/a Denine L. Hayden, Plaintiffs, Appellants, v. HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee FOR WELLS FARGO ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATIONMORTGAGE ASSET-BACKED PASS THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2007-PA3; Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Defendants, Appellees. No. 16-2274 Decided: August 08, 2017

Before Lynch, Kayatta, and Barron, Circuit Judges. Glenn F. Russell, Jr. and Glenn F. Russell, Jr., & Associates, P.C., Fall River, MA, on brief for appellants. Sean R. Higgins, Y. Frank Ren, and K&L Gates LLP, Boston, MA, on brief for appellees.

In March 2007, Christopher Hayden and Denine Murphy (the Haydens) borrowed $800,000 from GN Mortgage, LLC (the lender) to purchase a property in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. The Haydens executed a promissory note memorializing the loan and a mortgage identifying Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) as the mortgagee, acting solely as a nominee for the lender and the lender's successors and assigns. The mortgage also granted MERS, and its successors and assigns, power of sale over the property. In January 2008, MERS assigned the mortgage to HSBC Bank USA, N.A. (HSBC) as trustee for WFALT 2007-PA03. In February 2010, HSBC reassigned the mortgage to itself as trustee for Wells Fargo Asset Securities Corporation, Mortgage Asset-Backed Pass Through Certificates, Series 2007-PA3.

The Haydens defaulted on their loan in 2008. They then filed several bankruptcy petitions and requested injunctive relief, thereby delaying foreclosure until 2016. After HSBC provided notice of a foreclosure sale in June 2016, the Haydens sued HSBC and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (Wells Fargo), the mortgage servicer, to enjoin the sale. They now appeal the district court's decision to deny their request for a preliminary injunction and to grant HSBC's and Wells Fargo's motion to dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). Specifically, the Haydens challenge the district court's dismissal of their claims that (1) HSBC cannot foreclose on their property under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 244,  14, and (2) the mortgage is obsolete by operation of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260,  33.

We review the district court's order of dismissal for failure to state a claim de novo. Lemelson v. U.S. Bank Nat'l Ass'n, 721 F.3d 18, 21 (1st Cir. 2013) (citing Artuso v. Vertex Pharm., Inc., 637 F.3d 1, 5 (1st Cir. 2011)). The district court properly dismissed the Haydens' claim that HSBC cannot foreclose on the property on their view that MERS's assignment of the mortgage to HSBC was invalid. As the district court found, this claim is foreclosed by precedent, which holds that MERS can validly assign a mortgage without holding beneficial title to the underlying property, see Culhane v. Aurora Loan Servs. of Neb., 708 F.3d 282, 291-93 (1st Cir. 2013), and that borrowers do not have standing to challenge a mortgage assignment based on an alleged violation of a trust's pooling and servicing agreement, see Butler v. Deutsche Bank Tr. Co. Ams., 748 F.3d 28, 37 (1st Cir. 2014) (citing Woods v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 733 F.3d 349, 354 (1st Cir. 2013)).

Our decision in Dyer v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 841 F.3d 550 (1st Cir. 2016), which was issued approximately six weeks after the district court issued its decision in this case, provides further support for this finding. Dyer reaffirmed Culhane's holding that a mortgage contract can validly make MERS the mortgagee and authorize it to assign the mortgage on behalf of the lender to the lender's successors and assigns. Id. at 553. Dyer also disposed of the claim that the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's (SJC) decision in Eaton v. Federal National Mortgage Association, 969 N.E.2d 1118 (Mass. 2012), renders Culhane noncontrolling where, as here, the foreclosing party holds both the note and the mortgage. See Dyer, 841 F.3d at 553-54 & n.2; see also Eaton, 969 N.E.2d at 1133 n.28 ([A] foreclosing mortgage holder such as [the nominee's assignee] may establish that it either held the note or acted on behalf of the note holder at the time of a foreclosure sale by filing an affidavit in the appropriate registry of deeds). In fact, many of the arguments advanced by the Haydens' counsel, who also represented the borrower in Dyer, mirror the arguments that we rejected in Dyer.

The district court also properly dismissed the Haydens' obsolete mortgage claim, which has no basis in the plain text of the statute or in precedent. Under Massachusetts's obsolete mortgage statute, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260,  33, a mortgage becomes obsolete and is automatically discharged five years after the expiration of the stated term or maturity date of the mortgage. Nothing in the text of the statute supports the Haydens' assertion that the acceleration of the maturity date of a note affects the five-year limitations period for the related mortgage. Their citation to the SJC's decision in Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. v. Fitchburg Capital, LLC, 28 N.E.3d 416 (Mass. 2015), is inapposite because the decision makes no mention of the impact of an accelerated note on the obsolete mortgage statute's limitations period.

We agree that the Haydens failed to state a claim, substantially for the reasons articulated by the district court. Without adopting the district court's opinion, we summarily affirm. See 1st Cir. R. 27.0(c).

So ordered.

FOOTNOTES

. The Haydens do not challenge the district court's dismissal of their claim that Wells Fargo violated Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93A by failing to comply with 209 C.M.R.  18.17 and  18.21.

LYNCH, Circuit Judge.
Pueblo East, Pueblo West football teams knocked out of playoffs

Both Pueblo West and Pueblo East high schools had their faced stiff competition Friday night on the road.
United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit. LOUISIANA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, PETITIONER v. FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, RESPONDENT MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, ET AL., INTERVENORS No. 14-1063 Decided: August 08, 2017

Before: ROGERS, KAVANAUGH and WILKINS, Circuit Judges. Michael R. Fontham argued the cause for petitioner. With him on the briefs were Paul L. Zimmering and Noel J. Darce. Lona T. Perry, Deputy Solicitor, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, argued the cause for respondent. With her on the brief was Robert H. Solomon, Solicitor. Clifford M. Naeve argued the cause for intervenors supporting respondent. On the brief were John S. Moot, Matthew W.S. Estes, Gregory W. Camet, Glen Ortman, Dennis Lane, and Paul Randolph Hightower. Adrienne E. Clair entered an appearance.

WILKINS, Circuit Judge: This case continues a lengthy saga of litigation dealing with the allocation of production costs among Entergy Corporation's utility operating companies (Operating Companies). During the period relevant here, Entergy sold electricity, both wholesale and retail, in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, through five Operating Companies under the framework provided by the Entergy System Agreement. The System Agreement sets forth a rate schedule administered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that allocates certain costs among the Operating Companies and seeks to maintain rough equalization of those costs among them. In Louisiana Public Service Commission v. FERC (LPSC), 522 F.3d 378 (D.C. Cir. 2008), we affirmed FERC's imposition of a so-called bandwidth remedy (Bandwidth Remedy or Remedy) to address unjust allocations of production costs among the Operating Companies and return them to rough equalization. We remanded to FERC, however, to address, among other things, its decision to delay the effective date of the Remedy until January 2006 when FERC had decided the Remedy was necessary in June 2005. The Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) petitions this Court for review of FERC's decision on remand.

I.

We described the relevant background at length in LPSC and we recount it only briefly here. In Opinion No. 480, issued on June 1, 2005, FERC determined that cost allocations under the System Agreement were unjust and unreasonable, and announced the Bandwidth Remedy to cure the disparities going forward. See La. Pub. Serv. Comm'n v. Entergy Servs., Inc. et al., 111 F.E.R.C.  61,311 (2005) (Op. No. 480), on reh'g, 113 F.E.R.C.  61,282 (2005) (Op. No. 480-A). The Remedy provides that when an Operating Company's production costs deviate more than 11 percent above or below the Entergy System's average on an annual basis, the Operating Companies with the lower costs will make payments (Bandwidth Payments or Payments) to the ones with higher costs such that their overall costs return to rough equalization. Op. No. 480, 111 F.E.R.C.  61,311, at 62,372. At the outset, FERC ordered that the Remedy be implemented prospectively and declared it would be effective in 2006. Id. at 62,373. FERC later clarified that the first of any Bandwidth Payments would be made in 2007, once a full year of 2006 cost data was available. Op. No. 480-A, 113 F.E.R.C.  61,282, at 62,140. Such data is reported in Entergy's annual Form 1 filed with FERC each April, covering the previous calendar year.

FERC envisioned the first set of Bandwidth Payments would be calculated and exchanged as follows: in April 2007, Entergy would report the production costs of each of the Operating Companies for the 2006 calendar year in its Form 1. Based on that data, Entergy would use a formula to determine whether any Operating Company's production costs exceeded the established bandwidth. If so, Bandwidth Payments based on 2006 data would be exchanged thereafter, but no later than December 2007, to eliminate any severe disparities. The process would repeat the following year, with Entergy determining in 2008 to what extent Bandwidth Payments should be exchanged based on 2007 production cost data. Putting aside certain disputes about the formula used, LPSC acknowledges that Payments were made in 2007 based on 2006 disparities, and again in 2008 based on 2007 disparities.

In LPSC, we held that FERC's remedial choice of the Bandwidth Remedy was a lawful way to return the Entergy System to rough equalization of its production costs. 522 F.3d at 391. But we remanded to FERC to address certain issues with its implementation. Of particular relevance here, we determined that FERC would need to explain its decision to delay implementation of the Bandwidth Remedy to a later date  i.e., making it effective January 1, 2006 with Payments commencing in 2007  when it found that as of June 1, 2005, the cost allocations under the System Agreement were unjust and unreasonable. See id. at 400.

On remand, FERC advanced the effective date of the Bandwidth Remedy from January 1, 2006 up to June 1, 2005, and ordered that Bandwidth Payments be exchanged based on production cost disparities that occurred in the June December 2005 period. See La. Pub. Serv. Comm'n v. Entergy Servs., Inc. et al., 137 F.E.R.C.  61,047 (2011) (Order on Remand); La. Pub. Serv. Comm'n v. Entergy Servs., Inc. et al., 146 F.E.R.C.  61,152 (2014) (Reh'g Order). FERC explained that although the agency initially contemplated that the Remedy would apply to cost data on an annual basis, it made an exception for the 7-month period now lodged between the old and new effective dates of the Remedy  i.e., the period from June 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005. Reh'g Order, 146 F.E.R.C.  61,152, at 61,624-25. It ordered the Remedy to be applied to that period. Id. at 61,625-26.

In the instant case, LPSC is satisfied with FERC's decision that the Remedy should begin as of June 1, 2005, but it challenges the way in which the Remedy has been implemented. Specifically, LPSC claims that FERC neglected to provide a remedy for a portion of the post-2005 period and that FERC engaged in unlawful retroactive ratemaking with respect to its application of the Remedy to the June  December 2005 period.

II.

We review FERC's orders under the Administrative Procedure Act's arbitrary and capricious standard. Sithe/Independence Power Partners, L.P. v. FERC, 165 F.3d 944, 948 (D.C. Cir. 1999). The scope of review under [that] standard is narrow. Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Ass'n of United States, Inc. v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 463 U.S. 29, 43 (1983). As we explained in LPSC when approving FERC's selection of the Bandwidth Remedy, [T]he breadth of agency discretion is, if anything, at zenith when the action assailed relates primarily  to the fashioning of policies, remedies and sanctions. 522 F.3d at 393 (quoting Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. v. FPC, 379 F.2d 153, 159 (D.C. Cir. 1967)). Similarly, we owe FERC great deference in fashioning electricity rate design. FERC v. Elec. Power Supply Ass'n, 136 S. Ct. 760, 782 (2016), as revised (Jan. 28, 2016) (quoting Morgan Stanley Capital Grp. Inc. v. Pub. Util. Dist. No. 1, 554 U.S. 527, 532 (2008)). A court is not to ask whether a regulatory decision is the best one possible or even whether it is better than the alternatives. Id. Rather, we ask whether the agency has examined the relevant considerations and articulated a satisfactory explanation for its action, including a rational connection between the facts found and the choice made. Id. (quoting State Farm, 463 U.S. at 43) (alterations omitted).

III.

LPSC contends that, on remand, FERC eliminated a 7-month delay (i.e., by providing a remedy for June to December 2005) but still left open a 17-month gap (i.e., January 2006 to May 2007 ) to which it asserts FERC failed to apply the Bandwidth Remedy. At first glance, this argument appears to contradict LPSC's acknowledgment that Bandwidth Payments have been exchanged based on all production cost disparities from June 1, 2005 onward. But LPSC's challenge stems primarily from a disagreement with FERC about what it means for the Remedy to be effective.

When FERC said the Remedy was effective January 1, 2006, that meant production cost disparities would be roughly equalized from that date forward, with Payments commencing once the prior year's data had been collected. In LPSC's view, however, the Remedy could not effectuate the just and reasonable rate under 16 U.S.C.  824e(a) until Payments were exchanged  only then could the proper rate be thereafter observed and in force. As such, FERC's original announcement in Opinion No. 480 that the Bandwidth Remedy would be effective in 2006 was a fiction because no Payments were made until June 2007. Pet'r Br. 34, 42. Under that premise, LPSC sought on remand to have the Remedy (theoretically) begin with Payments in 2005 based on 2004 data, Payments in 2006 based on 2005 data, and so on, until the purported two year delay was resolved. See Reh'g Order, 146 F.E.R.C.  61,152, at 61,625.

FERC addressed this point on remand, explaining there was simply no basis for LPSC's assertion that FERC was required to provide a remedy for a two year delay or Payments based on disparities occurring in calendar years 2004 and 2005. Id. FERC correctly observed that this Court's decision ordering remand did not provide the directive sought by LPSC. Id. at 61,625-26.

LPSC relies here  as it did before FERC  on a reference in LPSC to the delay of the Bandwidth Remedy until 2007, 522 F.3d at 400, as an endorsement of its view that the Remedy does not begin until Bandwidth Payments commence. In that decision, although we took issue with the unexplained delay of the Remedy beyond June 2005, we did not purport to resolve the outer bound of that delay. See id. In any event, we understood the effective date of the Remedy was January 1, 2006, even though Payments would not commence until 2007. See, e.g., id. at 388, 399. Read in its proper context, our reference to 2007 simply did not tak[e] sides in any dispute over the meaning of the effective date of the Bandwidth Remedy. AT&T Wireless Servs., Inc. v. FCC, 365 F.3d 1095, 1103 (D.C. Cir. 2004).

On remand, rather than attempting to offer an explanation for delaying the Remedy to a date beyond June 2005, FERC sought to cure it by advancing the effective date to June 1, 2005. Order on Remand, 137 F.E.R.C.  61,047, at 61,214-15. In doing so, FERC reiterated its conceptualization of the Bandwidth Remedy as one that would come into play only if the Entergy System exceeded historical cost disparities  that is, if any Operating Company has production costs more than 11 percent above or below the Entergy System average. Id. at 61,210; see also Op. No. 480, 111 F.E.R.C.  61,311, at 62,356. In practice, that meant the Remedy would be effective in 2006 but Payments would only be triggered if severe production cost disparities existed among the Operating Companies across the entire year  a determination that would not be made until after that year's end. See Reh'g Order, 146 F.E.R.C.  61,152, at 61,625-26. On remand, FERC explained that Payments had already been exchanged for 2006 and 2007 production cost disparities, and thus there was no basis for LPSC's contention that FERC had left a two year delay unresolved. Id. at 61,625 ([T]he 2006 calendar year's data is accounted for under the bandwidth formula th[r]ough payments the following year. Similarly, the 2007 calendar year's data is roughly equalized through payments commencing in 2008.). LPSC offers no basis for undermining the great deference we owe to FERC in fashioning the Bandwidth Remedy the way it did.

LPSC claims that FERC's explanation on remand is specious because it deviates from the way FERC typically designs formula rates. Pet'r Br. 31. But FERC confronted an unusual problem here  one that is only highlighted by LPSC's comparison of this case to Louisiana Public Service Commission v. FERC, 482 F.3d 510 (D.C. Cir. 2007). There, we held that it was unlawful for FERC to continue to allow any amount of interruptible load to be included in cost allocations among the Operating Companies after FERC determined that such inclusion resulted in an unjust and unreasonable rate. See id. at 514, 518. However, the Bandwidth Remedy evaluates total production costs for disparities among the Operating Companies at year's end  there is no factor comparable to interruptible load that can be preemptively controlled for to maintain a just and reasonable rate going forward. To the extent LPSC asserts the Remedy should have used historical disparities as a proxy for future ones, we are mindful of our obligation to refrain from asking whether a regulatory decision is  better than the alternatives, as long as the agency gives a satisfactory explanation for its decision. Elec. Power Supply Ass'n, 136 S. Ct. at 782. We have reviewed LPSC's remaining arguments challenging FERC's decision to proceed as it did on remand and find they are all without merit.

On remand, FERC retroactively applied its Remedy such that it cured any severe disparities from June 1, 2005 onward. LPSC does not dispute that, prior to FERC's final decision on remand, the Bandwidth Remedy (as conceived of by FERC) had been applied and Payments exchanged based on cost data from 2006 and 2007 the period it claims FERC has neglected. Nor does it dispute that FERC applied the Remedy to the June  December 2005 period on remand. Thus, any severe production cost disparities that post-date June 2005 have been accounted for with Bandwidth Payments, and we agree with FERC that there was nothing left for it to resolve on remand. Accordingly, LPSC's petition is denied with respect to FERC's advancement of the effective date to the 2005 period.

IV.

LPSC also challenges the particular formula FERC applied to the 2005 period, arguing FERC engaged in unlawful retroactive ratemaking. To be sure, LPSC does not object to FERC's altering the effective date of the Bandwidth Remedy to cure disparities in the previously-overlooked 2005 period. Indeed, that is the result LPSC urged. That result is also consistent with FERC's ample authority to remedy its own errors after being reversed in court, notwithstanding the prohibition on retroactive ratemaking. See, e.g., Pub. Utils. Comm'n v. FERC, 988 F.2d 154, 162 (D.C. Cir. 1993); see also Xcel Energy Servs. v. FERC, 815 F.3d 947, 955-56 (D.C. Cir. 2016).

Rather, LPSC contends that FERC should have retroactively applied to that period the methodology announced in Opinion No. 480 in June 2005 (which was not to go into effect until January 2006), instead of the methodology later integrated into the System Agreement in 2006. LPSC agrees that if the 2006 formula had adhered to the one announced in Opinion No. 480, FERC's decision on remand would be lawful. Pet'r Br. 57. However, when presented with the 2006 methodology, FERC determined that it did adhere to the one announced in Opinion No. 480. See La Pub. Serv. Comm'n v. Entergy Servs., Inc., 117 F.E.R.C.  61,203, at 62,000-01 (2006), on reh'g, 119 F.E.R.C.  61,095 (2007), aff'd, La. Pub. Serv. Comm'n v. FERC, 341 Fed. App'x 649 (D.C. Cir. 2009). As we previously held, LPSC waived any dispute it had with that conclusion by failing to raise it in the compliance proceedings. See La. Pub. Serv. Comm'n v. FERC, 606 F. App'x 1, 5 (D.C. Cir. 2015). In sum, there is no basis for LPSC's contention that FERC engaged in unlawful retroactive ratemaking. Accordingly, we deny its petition as to the application of the Bandwidth Remedy to the 2005 period.

V.

For the foregoing reasons, LPSC's petition for review of FERC's decisions regarding the implementation of the Bandwidth Remedy to the June 2005  May 2007 period is denied. We grant FERC's request to remand to FERC for further consideration of the denial of Section 206 refunds for the September 2001  May 2003 effective period.

So ordered.

FOOTNOTES

. We use Entergy in this Opinion to refer to either Entergy Corporation (the corporate parent of the Operating Companies and their affiliates) or Entergy Services, Inc. (a service affiliate that has acted on behalf of the Operating Companies in various FERC proceedings).

. This range  from 11 percent above average to 11 percent below average  is the bandwidth, hence the term Bandwidth Remedy.

. In its petition for review, LPSC also challenged FERC's decision on remand regarding Section 206 refunds for the September 2001  May 2003 effective period. FERC has since requested that we remand this issue to FERC in light of our more recent decision in Louisiana Public Service Commission v. FERC, 772 F.3d 1297 (D.C. Cir. 2014). We agree that FERC should reconsider this issue and remand to FERC for further proceedings.

. This is the gap between the 2005 period addressed on remand and the date the first set of Bandwidth Payments were exchanged as originally contemplated by FERC.

. To the extent LPSC claims that [t]he 2007 payments and receipts did nothing to remedy undue discrimination in 2006, it is taking issue with the fact that the Bandwidth Remedy was not structured to use prior year data as a proxy for disparities going forward, and instead Payments were not exchanged until 2007. Pet'r Br. 34.

. City of Anaheim v. FERC does not control the outcome here because, in that case, FERC was not responding to a court decision when it imposed retroactive surcharges. 558 F.3d 521, 525 (D.C. Cir. 2009).

Opinion for the Court filed by Circuit Judge WILKINS.
With the scope and penalties of Chinas social credit system being further clarified in 2021, legal and regulatory compliance has become more important than...
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Chinese machinery manufacturers' revenue is expected to grow 8 percent to 26.51 trillion yuan ($3.94 trillion) this year on the back of the Belt and Road, or B&R, Initiative, potentially reversing two years of export slowdown, industry officials said on Tuesday.

In the first half of this year, exports of Chinese products such as automobiles, construction machinery and equipment for mining, oil drilling and power industry grew nearly 7 percent year-on-year to $193.5 billion, according to the China Machinery Industry Federation.

Their imports increased almost 12 percent to $142.7 billion.

Overall sales revenue of machinery manufacturers reached 12.51 trillion yuan, up 11.6 percent year-on-year.

Fixed-asset investment in the sector grew by 4.61 percent to 2.35 trillion yuan.

Last year, exports dropped 3.6 percent year-on-year to $374.8 billion, while imports fell nearly 2 percent to $272.7 billion.

In 2015, exports dropped 3 percent year-on-year to $388.76 billion, while imports fell 14 percent to $277.75 billion.

In the key construction machinery sector, excavator output surged 70 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year, indicating the sector has entered another replacement cycle after its last peak year in 2011.

Excavator manufacturers do not have much stock after a five-year period of consumption, industry insiders said.

Chen Bin, executive vice-president of the Beijing-based CMIF, said domestic machinery manufacturers have made notable technological breakthroughs.

The achievements will help them to supply products to big-ticket projects like smart cities, nuclear power plants, ultra-high-voltage supply lines, hydro-electric plants and wind power farms.

The federation said the construction machinery segment will continue to grow robustly in the second half of this year, thanks to China's ongoing railroad, highway, airport projects in lower-tier cities as well as urbanization.

Growth opportunities will also come from the increasing demand for excavators, bulldozers, pipe-layers, road rollers and wheel loaders in the B&R markets.

Such demand is particularly strong in fast-growing markets such as Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Brazil.

The B&R markets' focus is on sustainable development, urbanization, industrialization, services and telecommunications.

Chen said: "Chinese construction machinery makers have already shifted their focus from selling their products to developing markets through dealerships to building after-sales service centers and staff training centers overseas. They are also printing user manuals in French, Portuguese and Russian.

"Both domestic and global markets are no longer dominated by foreign companies in many important high-tech fields. All the core parts for the country's new-generation Hualong One nuclear reactor are made by domestic players."

Zhao Chi, secretary-general of the CMIF, said: "As many developed countries adopted trade protectionism measures to protect their own industries, diversifying market channels in countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative has helped companies ease export pressure.

"Weak domestic demand for machinery from industries like steel, coal, power, oil refining and chemicals will be a long-term phenomenon as all of these sectors readjust their product development focus."
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China's leading bike-sharing company ofo on Wednesday announced its expansion into Japan under the cooperation with Japan's SoftBank Commerce and Service.

Japan is the seventh overseas market for ofo, following Singapore, the United States, Britain, Kazakhstan, Thailand and Malaysia.

ofo's signature yellow bikes will be placed in Tokyo and Osaka in September.

Cao Xiao, in charge of the Asia-Pacific department of ofo, said the company hopes to provide local residents with a good bike riding experience.

"We hope ofo can better serve local residents and help Japan's cities improve transportation and the environment," said Tetsuo Kuramitsu, director of SoftBank C&S.

Currently, ofo operates around 8 million shared bikes around the world. Statistics show that it has offered over 3 billion rides for customers in more than 170 cities.

After huge success in the domestic market, Chinese bike-sharing companies are accelerating their steps into the global market. Last month,ofo's major rival Mobike announced its entrance into Italy, the company's fourth overseas market following Singapore, Britain and Japan.
It was an ordinary mid-July day in Qinhuangdao, a coastal city in Hebei province. Yang Sheng was on his way to work and happened to see an electrical power box covered in thick rust.

He stopped, took a picture with his cellphone and uploaded it to a digital management platform using an app called Citywide Management Inspectors. He wrote a brief description of the problem and gave the location of the box.

The whole process took about two minutes.

Over the next several days, the city's urban management office contacted all the telecommunication companies operating in the area but couldn't find the owner of the box. So they went in person, visiting nearby companies. At last, they found that it was owned by a nearby shopping center.

On July 21, five days after his posting, Yang got a call informing him that he might want to check the app again to see a picture of a new power box, which had been installed to replace the rusty one.

Yang is far from alone. The digital platform handles a massive number of tips from members of the public every day.

"We began to promote the app in late April and have turned more than 8,000 volunteers into our eyes. The group is still expanding rapidly," said Li Yaobin, director of the Qinhuangdao urban management office. "They are our fans and intend to closely watch the city's performance. Just imagine how powerful the group will be if the figure of active users reaches 10,000."

Li said Beijing has its so-called Chaoyang qunzhong and Xicheng auntiesresidents who provide crucial information on public security. They've risen to prominence on Chinese social media.

"Now, Qinhuangdao has its own citywide crowd of inspectors," Li said.

Chen Jianfu, director of the digital city management supervision and command center, said there are strict deadlines for handling certain cases. Illegal street stalls, for instance, should be dealt with-in three hours; broken pavement should be fixed within five working days.

In 2015, the cityfamous for its shoreline and as a summer resort for Chinese leaders since the 1950svowed to turn itself into one of the cleanest in the country.

Now, with an urban population of about 1.4 million, the city has mapped a digital gridan overlay in which every road is assigned to four people of various levelsfrom municipal leaders to sanitation workers, Chen said. Once a problem is identified, the people in charge of fixing it can be found by simply clicking the map.

An early step was the ability to track all sanitation vehicles to assess daily performance.

All security cameras in the city have been linked to the system and are continuously monitored.

Xie Xiaobing, deputy director of the urban management office, said that in the past, during the rainy season, the city was nervous about flooding, especially in underpasses, and sent staff members to keep an eye on high-risk places.

Now, cameras do the watching, and water levels are monitored automatically. If it reaches a warning line, the area will be blocked off.

"We can do many other things on the platform. It is a war map of our daily work," Xie said.

The efforts have paid off. Last year, Shanhaiguan district got the highest score in Hebei province as a clean city.

"I visit Qinhuangdao about three times a year and have witnessed impressive changes, from sanitation to management," said Wang Xu, 66, a tourist from Beijing. "Now more of my friends intend to spend the summer here."
U.S. President Donald Trump [Xinhua]

In recent days, Vice President Mike Pence has been visiting Estonia, Georgia and Montenegro in an effort to reassure America's partners that it remains committed to collective defense against Russia.

President Donald Trump himself has softened his rhetoric on Europe, although he does not believe in the importance of European integration. Hence, some security concerns have naturally been eased in recent weeks.

However, other problems in transatlantic relations have been apparent since January and cannot be necessarily alleviated with some goodwill visits or a generally calmer tone in Washington in comparison with the pre-election period.

U.S. economic policy vis-a-vis Russia could also have a serious impact on the relationship between Washington and Brussels. This issue is currently on the agenda after Trump signed legislation levying new sanctions on Moscow and restricting his own ability to ease them.

Specifically, sanctions will be extended to third-country companies that cooperate with Russia on large infrastructure projects, notably in the energy sector. As a result, some European companies doing relevant business with Russian counterparts will be seriously affected.

The only concession gained by the Europeans is a 30-day consultation period, but this does not seem sufficient to ease fears of a major disruption in trade patterns.

Attention has turned towards Germany, where a lively debate on the potential construction of Nord Stream II is evolving. If constructed, this pipeline will transport Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, complementing Nord Stream I, which was completed six years ago.

The project is controversial because it is not in line with EU strategy to reduce energy dependence on Moscow. While it is not clear how Berlin will act over Nord Stream II, those supporting the pipeline focus on its economic importance while ignoring any political repercussions.

In this context, German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Brigitte Zypries, in a recent interview, criticized recent sanctions as "against international law, plain and simple" and called on the European Commission to look into countermeasures.

Her interview is similar in content to comments by Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who has said Berlin will not tolerate sanctions against European companies involved in the Nord Stream project.

The head of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Volker Triere, went even further and directly criticized the U.S. for "looking to its own economic interests." In particular, Germany and some other European countries are suspicious that the U.S. is pushing new actions against Russia in order to serve its own energy interests and promote liquefied gas exports to Europe. If this is the case, Trump is practically implementing his "America First" policy.

Nonetheless, although the U.S. president is perhaps attempting to help American energy companies increase their profits, the new sanctions might cause a serious economic misunderstanding with Europe.

It is too early to describe it as a trade war, but that could happen if misunderstandings escalate. Should Trump impose tariffs on steel imports, for example, the red line will be crossed. Then, the EU will proceed with retaliatory tariffs.

All in all, after the new American sanctions against Russia were approved with a large bipartisan majority in Congress, Germany is left in the middle of American-Russian hostility.

Last May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi. Despite the prolongation of European sanctions against Russia a few weeks earlier, Merkel is certainly interested in exploring the opportunities of the so-called selective engagement approach towards Russia.

Although such a foreign policy shift will take time, Trump will possibly accelerate the process. In that regard, The Guardian, a leading British newspaper, portrays the situation as an awkward moment in which Europe  principally Germany  is "somehow siding with Putin against the U.S. Congress."

Future developments can hardly be anticipated. Transatlantic relations have certainly entered a new period of crisis, which might increase tensions between Washington and Brussels in spite of Trump's NATO security commitment.

At the same time, the Russian reaction to sanctions  ordering the U.S. to cut its diplomatic mission by 755 people  dashes any hopes for a rapprochement between the two countries. This is a lose-lose political development. Experience suggests that world challenges can only be dealt through enhanced international cooperation.

George N. Tzogopoulos is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/GeorgeNTzogopoulos.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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China has played "a very positive role in the (Southeast Asian) region," Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said on Tuesday.

He said China's strong economy has fueled growth in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.

"Definitely China will be a better driver for a socio-economic development in the region," Cayetano told a news conference at the end of the series of ASEAN and related foreign ministers' meetings that kicked off Saturday.

At the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting, the 10 ASEAN ministers commended the "growing role" of China in the region.

In a joint communique, the ministers also stressed the need for more economic integration between ASEAN and China and the need to have more "high-level" dialogues and exchanges.

"We acknowledged China's growing role in the region and highlighted that China's economic growth continues to benefit the region," the ministers said.

At the press conference, Cayetano stressed the need to maintain stability in the region by focusing on positive development, adding that there is now relative peace in the South China Sea.

Foreign ministers of China and ASEAN approved a framework of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea here on Sunday.

"I can honestly say that the relationship of ASEAN and China has improved and been strengthened over this ministerial meetings," the Philippine foreign secretary said.
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The second annual China-Canada Foreign Ministers Dialogue is to open in Beijing, China, on Wednesday, according to the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa Tuesday.

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland said Tuesday that she will co-chair the dialogue with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to explore ways to further consolidate Canada-China ties.

"Canada will continue to work with China to deepen and broaden our relationship," said the Canadian minister in a statement before heading to Beijing.

Chinese Ambassador to Canada Lu Shaye said China and Canada have maintained close high-level exchanges, and the mutual understanding and trust have constantly increased since Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau exchanged visits last year, forging a new "Golden Era" for the bilateral relations. Before it, Chinese President Xi Jinping met Trudeau several times on the margin of international conferences.

Canadian Governor General David Johnston just concluded his visit to China last month, and both sides reached important consensus on many fields, including economic and trade cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, etc.

According to the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Canada's bilateral trade with China reached a value of 85 billion Canadian dollars (64 billion U.S. dollar) in 2016, and Canada's two-way foreign direct investment with China stood at almost 34.7 billion Canadian dollars (27 billion U.S. dollars) at the end of 2016.

China is Canada's fastest-growing tourist market and the biggest source of overseas students. The average annual growth rate of Chinese tourists to Canada has remained around 20 percent, and more than 620,000 Chinese tourists visited Canada last year.

Chinese students are the largest group of international students on Canadian campus, totaling about 180,000 this year.
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South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday survived a no confidence motion by secret ballot.

Parliament Speaker Baleka Mbete announced that 198 MPs voted against the motion, while 177 voted in favor and nine abstained.

South African President Jacob Zuma (1st R) visits local communities of Mhlabuyalingana in northern KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa bordering Mozambique, on March 14, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

MPs of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) burst into applause when the result was announced.

Opposition MPs walked out of the chamber, looking crestfallen.

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane vowed to continue the struggle to remove Zuma from office.

Hundreds of anti-Zuma protesters who gathered outside Parliament, anxiously waiting for the result, expressed disappointment over the outcome.

However, crowds of ANC supporters waiting outside Parliament were jubilant when hearing the news.

"This was a victory not only for Zuma but also for the ANC and the country," Swowan Laura, a middle school teacher, told Xinhua.

Zuma has survived eight no confidence motion in the past seven years. But this was the first time that a no confidence motion was conducted through secret ballot.

Opposition parties had been pushing for a secret ballot so as to encourage ANC MPs to support the motion.

After Mbete gave the green light to the secret ballot on Monday, the ANC said it has full confidence in the loyalty of the ANC MPs when voting in the no confidence motion.

"We do not nor have we ever doubted their loyalty and discipline in relation to the decisions of the movement," the ANC said.

The result of Tuesday's voting once again showed the unity of the ANC and the loyalty of ANC MPs to the organization, an ANC MP said on condition of anonymity.

He said that by defeating the motion, South Africa has avoided anarchy.

Under the Constitution, if Zuma was removed, the whole cabinet would resign, and if no candidate was chosen from MPs within 30 days to succeed Zuma, general elections would be held in 90 days.

The ANC has warned that any of its MPs who support the anti-Zuma no confidence motion risk being disciplined by the party, insisting that removing Zuma from office would not be in the best interest of the country.

After the vote, the ANC congratulated the Parliament for its robust engagement in the National Assembly that resulted in the "resounding defeat" of the motion of no confidence in Zuma and the cabinet.

The ANC regards it as paramount that not just the elected representatives, but all South Africans are able to engage on the most critical issues facing the country without fear of favor, ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.

"The biggest victor of today's event is our constitutional dispensation. It once again reaffirms the ANC's position as the leader of society in that the country's MP's are able to exercise this critical constitutional provision aimed at safeguarding our democracy," said Kodwa.
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The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

The conclusion was made in a confidential assessment completed last month by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the newspaper said, citing anonymous U.S. intelligence officials.

"The IC (intelligence community) assesses North Korea (DPRK) has produced nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery, to include delivery by ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile)-class missiles," the assessment states, in an excerpt read to The Post.

The assessment's broad conclusions were verified by two U.S. officials familiar with the document, said the Post, adding that the development signals that the DPRK has crossed "a key threshold on the path to becoming a full-fledged nuclear power."

The Japanese Defense Ministry has also warned that the threat posed by the DPRK nuclear weapons program has entered "a new stage."

"It is possible that North Korea (DPRK) has already achieved the miniaturization of nuclear weapons and has acquired nuclear warheads," the ministry said in a report released on Tuesday, according to NBC news.

On Saturday, United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a U.S.-drafted resolution that aims to slash by a third the DPRK's 3 billion U.S. dollars annual export revenue over Pyongyang's two ICBM tests in July.

The resolution would ban DRPK's exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood. It would also prohibit countries from increasing the current numbers of DPRK's laborers working abroad, ban new joint ventures with DPRK and any new investment in current joint ventures.
Fletcher Bright Realty announces Leona Thomas and Rebecca Hamilton have joined the firm as affiliate brokers.

Originally from the Philippines, Ms. Thomas brings several years of banking experience with Wells Fargo to the position.

Formerly a teacher in Charleston, S.C., Ms. Hamilton attended the University of Alabama.

Celebrating its 90th year in Chattanooga real estate, Fletcher Bright Realty is the second oldest real estate firm in the city.
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A U.S. federal judge has ruled in favor of Chinese businesswoman Zhao Yan, who sued the U.S. government after she was beaten and injured by a U.S. border inspector at the Niagara Falls in 2004.

District Judge Elizabeth Wolford awarded Zhao 461,152.09 U.S. dollars in damages for the injuries that she suffered from the assault by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Officer Robert Rhodes, according to the ruling documents of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York in Rochester.

Wolford's ruling found the U.S. government liable for Rhodes' "assault and battery and false arrest" of Zhao when she was sightseeing at the Rainbow Bridge U.S.-Canada border crossing in Niagara Falls 13 years ago.

Zhao was entitled to recover 64,313.18 in past medical expenses, 1,838.91 in past lost earnings, 260,000 in past pain and suffering, 125,000 in future pain and suffering, and 10,000 for false arrest, said the ruling.

On July 21, 2004, Zhao, from North China's Tianjin, was pepper-sprayed and struck by Rhodes as he mistook then 37-year-old lady as a drug smuggler. Zhao was never charged in the case and she sued the U.S. government for 10 million dollars soon after the incident. Rhodes initially was fired and criminally charged with violating Zhao's civil rights. He was acquitted at a 2005 trial and eventually reinstated to his job.
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A high-ranking Canadian official is in Pyongyang to negotiate the release of an imprisoned Canadian pastor, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that a Canadian delegation is in Pyongyang now, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), CBC said.

Pyongyang media reported Monday that Daniel Jean, Trudeau's national security and intelligence adviser, is in Pyongyang leading a delegation to discuss the case of Toronto Presbyterian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim.

"Obviously, Pastor Lim's health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada as we continue to engage on this case," CBC quoted Cameron Ahmad, media relations manager for the Prime Minister's Office, as saying.

Since early summer this year, Lim has been suffering from high blood pressure and stomach pains, according to letters to his friends. His family has urged the Canadian prime minister to personally save his life.

The 62-year-old Canadian Korean pastor was arrested in 2015 and charged with harming the dignity of the supreme leadership and trying to use religion to destroy the DPRK system, among others.

CBC news also reported that a senior official of the Trudeau government confirmed that Jean is leading the delegation as the Canadian prime minister's special envoy, and that while his focus is the release of Lim, he would also be free to "discuss other issues of regional concern."

The Canadian delegation arrived on the same day U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Pyongyang would be met "with fire and fury and, frankly, power the likes of which the world has never seen before," if it does not stop threatening the United States.

The senior official said the timing of the delegation's visit to Pyongyang is based on the condition of Lim, and not directly related to the increasing world tensions associated with Pyongyang's missile tests and last weekend's imposition of further sanctions by the United Nations.
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"We should not expect a full-blown trade war between the U.S. and China," and "China's 'win-win' diplomacy will prove the stronger historic force and all-out war will be avoided." These are the predictions of Ms. Jude Woodward, advisor to the Mayor of London from 2000 to 2008.

Such optimism comes at a time of uncertainty over the most important bilateral relationship of this century caused by President Donald Trump and his policies.

Trade war - unlikely; Trump's "deceit and tricks" - definitely

The cover page of Ms. Woodward's new book "The US vs China: Asia's new Cold War?" Imposing tough import tariffs, labeling China as a currency manipulator  thus have Trump's trade policies prompted concerns about a possible trade war.

However, Ms. Woodward argues that a trade war is hardly likely, because it "would inflict just as much  probably more  damage on the American economy as on China."

In a globalized economy, countries with different levels of development offer different competitive products. "Attempting to protect globally-uncompetitive American industries" would only result in a rise of domestic prices and the drainage of resources from other sectors capable of delivering a "greater number of jobs and more competitive outputs."

According to Ms. Woodward, whose new book "The US vs China: Asia's new Cold War?" was published recently, American living standards are greatly aided by the import of price-competitive products from China, while many American jobs depend on exports to China.

If the Trump administration did seek to a trade war with China, the inevitable Chinese countermeasures would lead to difficulties for major American business sections and higher prices that the American public would surely complain about.

The author says the Trump administration is facing a "Catch 22" situation. Waging a trade war with China would result in strong domestic opposition. However, doing nothing makes the "promises of Trump's election campaign look more and more hollow, which will also undermine his support."

Foreign policies: America First vs. peaceful rise

Although the U.S. and China are major countries, they "set out entirely different frameworks for foreign policy," observes this experienced writer and lecturer on China.

The Trump administration pursues "America First," a foreign policy focused on American interests and national security.

The goal of the policy is simple, as Trump advisers set out in the Wall Street Journal: "America First signals the restoration of American leadership and our government's traditional role overseas; to use the nation's diplomatic, economic and military resources to enhance American security, promote American prosperity, and extend American influence around the world."

In contrast, China is firmly committed to the path of peaceful development, "seeking to both gain from and contribute to human development through 'win-win' initiatives."

China has no intention of seeking "world domination," insists Ms. Woodward, whereas the U.S. claims its preordained right to global leadership.

She views the Belt and Road initiative as a prime example of how China practices its win-win foreign policy. It "will be a boost to China's own economy, but the recipients will also benefit economically from it."

As to alleged Chinese self-aggrandizement, she insists, "there are no grounds for opposing the successful development of the Belt and Road Initiative."

Although success would increase China's prestige, "it would take the form of greater regional 'soft power', not a coercive influence backed by military powerof the type that was characteristic of 19th century imperialism or the so-called 'Pax Americana' of the last 70 years. On the evidence of its own actions the US claims no country can rise peacefully and without conquest; China is proving America wrong."

Thucydides Trap: Groundless but U.S. might create it

It is claimed that China and the U.S. could find themselves at war in the next decade. Ms. Woodward quotes President Xi Jinping as commenting on the frequent references to Thucydides: "There is no such thing as the so-called Thucydides Trap. However, should major countries time and again make the mistakes of strategic miscalculation, they might create such a trap for themselves."

According to the author, there are powerful objective factors reining in any drift towards war.

The balance of military and nuclear power would make an all-out war between the two countries globally destructive. Besides, America's own global position would probably be destroyed by such a horrifying adventure, let alone the damage to China.

However, the U.S. might "create such a trap for itself" through miscalculation, she notes. Instead of seeking to accelerate its own economy, which is wholly legitimate, the former hegemon is tending to avoid its decline by hindering or slowing down the development of other economies in Asia.
Dateline: Australia

An Australian senator who was elected three times to the countrys Parliament resigned in mid-July after learning that he was not an Aussie but a Kiwi. Deputy leader of the Greens Party, 47-year-old Scott Ludlam, apologized to his constituents for being born in New Zealand and not Australia as previously believed. Ludlam recently learned that his family moved to Perth, Australia when he was 3 years old and was unaware his parents had not renounced his citizenship. Officially, Ludlam holds dual citizenship between the neighboring island nations. Unfortunately, under the Australian constitution, members of Parliament cannot be anything other than Australian citizens. The shocking revelation has rendered Ludlams recent reelection null and void. An Australian court will now have to name his replacement. Ludlum, who has served in the Australian Senate for nine years, described the mater as entirely my responsibility. In a tweet announcing his resignation, Ludlam told his constituents, Hey everyone. Im sorry about this, but its a thing. Ill really miss it, but there are other ways to make trouble. Love and thanks. No word on whether Ludlam will now seek office in New Zealand.

Dateline: California

A woman who forgot to tip her pizza driver is requesting a restraining order against him after he allegedly sent her a threatening, four-page letter following the snub. According to the Redondo Beach Patch, Lauren Ledford ordered a pizza using the phone app Postmates. The tip on Ledfords pizza would have been $4 (or only 4 fucking dollars, according to the delivery drivers follow-up letter), but she wrongfully assumed the tip was included in the overall charge. Almost a week after getting the pizza, Ledford received a handwritten letter from the self-described disgruntled employee. Ledford told the Redondo Beach Patch, I was terrified that he had been stalking me since he returned six days later. In his letter the driver advises, Next time tip your delivery driver. And if it turns out that delivery driver is me again, and you do not tip yet again, Im probably going to rob you. Im only joking, but not really. Dont risk it though. He goes on to say that Ledford is a Jew ... not in the religious/ethnic sense ... just the cheap/frugal sense. Eventually, the driver admits to being kinda high and that he needs your tip money to stay toasty. In the final paragraph, the writer adds some sexist comments about womens menstrual cycles and concludes his rant with the brilliant observation, Having a weiner has its advantages. After the incident was reported in local media, Postmates told KTLA-5 that the driver had been suspended.

Dateline: Tennessee

It wasnt a shotgun wedding precisely, but it was close enough for Tennessee. A newly married couples wedding night ended with the bride being hauled off to jail after she pulled a gun out of her wedding dress and pointed it at her new husbands head. News Channel 5 in Nashville reports that, shortly after exchanging vows, Kate Prichard and James Burton got into a heated argument. The fight escalated to the point at which Prichard reached under her wedding dress and started brandishing a 9mm pistol. Authorities were called to the Clarion Inn Hotel in Murfreesboro on reports of a man and woman fighting. The couplewho had been drinking, of coursewere described as uncooperative. Witnesses told police the couple were arguing outside the motel. Thats whenas Sgt. Kyle Evans of the Murfreesboro Police Department. explained 25- year- old Prichard pulled out of her wedding dress a 9mm pistol, pointed it at her new husbands head and pulled the trigger. The gun did not go off, however, because it wasnt loaded. Undeterred, Evans reportedly loaded a round into the chamber and fired a shot in the air, causing everyone to run from the scene. After the incident, police say Prichard went to the bathroom and disposed of the weapon. According to Sgt. Evans, Responding officers let the husband know the honeymoon was over and his new wife was going to jail. The bride was charged with aggravated domestic assault. Local law enforcement said additional charges could be pending.
The Regional Planning Agency staff is recommending denial on a rezoning request to allow a commercial development on Igou Gap Road 600 feet off Gunbarrel Road.

The staff said the project by Kanta Chaudhari would be an intrusion into a residential section.

The case goes before the Planning Commission on Monday at 1 p.m. at the County Courthouse.

The proposal calls for a one-story commercial building with 5,000 square feet of space.

It would be set back from the street with parking between the street and the building.

The staff report said there is potential to connect to a commercial development to the rear of the site.
Two weeks ago Liu Xiaobo became only the second Nobel Peace Prize Laureate in history to die in custody. Other Nobel Laureates, such as Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi, spent many years in detention, but the only other Laureate to die in state custody was Nazi opponent Carl von Ossietzky.

Compounding the cruelty is the fact that Liu Xiaobos widow, Liu Xia, has been incommunicado since his death. It is believed she remains in detention. A regime that does not even have mercy on a grieving widow is one that is completely devoid of humanity.

Lius death could have been prevented if proper medical treatment was provided at an earlier stage. The refusal to provide it constitutes torture. It is no exaggeration to say that the Chinese regime murdered Liu Xiaobo.Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.

Liu Xiaobos death has shaken Chinese dissidents and international human rights advocates profoundly. It exposes the extent of the cruelty of a regime which jails and tortures prisoners of conscience without trial and uses torture and other violence with impunity. If the Chinese regime blatantly ignores appeals from the Nobel Committee and the international community, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and is prepared to see a Nobel Laureate die rather than receive proper medical care, what hope is there for dissidents and activists without such a high profile?

Lius death, while a tragedy in itself, shines a spotlight on a far wider crisis for human rights in China. On July 9, 2015, an unprecedented crackdown on human rights lawyers and activists, and their relatives and colleagues, began, with over 300 being detained, interrogated or disappeared. While most have now been released, some on bail conditions amounting to house arrest, many speak of horrific physical and psychological torture.

The United Nations has long highlighted Chinas record of torture. In its fifth review of Chinas implementation of the UN Convention Against Torture (CAT), ratified by China in 1988, the UN Committee Against Torture concluded that China has failed to implement previous recommendations. The committee highlighted the lack of legal safeguards to prevent torture, the harassment of lawyers, human rights defenders and petitioners, and accountability for abuses, particularly in Tibet.

These grave concerns are illustrated by testimonies of former prisoners and their lawyers and family members.

Wang Qiaoling, the wife of lawyer Li Heping, who was released in May after almost two years in detention, provides a harrowing testimony about her husbands treatment: He was forced to take medicine. They stuffed the pills into his mouth After taking the pills he felt pain in his muscles and his vision was blurred He was beaten. He endured grueling questioning while being denied sleep for days on end Wang told The Guardianthat: He has changed completely, his appearance, his physical looks [he is] so different from the husband I remember I am pretty sure he was treated with great cruelty.

Li Chunfu, Li Hepings brother, also a human rights lawyer, was released on bail on January 12, 2017. He was then swiftly hospitalized after it emerged that torture had left him physically frail and suffering from symptoms of schizophrenia.

In a letter to world leaders, the families of detained lawyers said: Prisoners were also put in cages submerged mostly in water, and left inside for seven days, the entire body underwater with a space to breath at the top. As they stood in the water and tried to sleep, rats would scurry about outside the cage, biting their nose and ears.

Of course, torture is not a new phenomenon in China, and certainly predates Xi Jinping. Prominent human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng has endured years of torture both before and during his prison sentence. Since 2004, he has been forcibly disappeared, arrested, imprisoned, and tortured on numerous occasions. Yet he has emphasized that he is just one of many suffering under the Communist Party regime.

Under Xi Jinping, however, there has been an unprecedented crackdown on human rights defenders and the space for civil society. The use of secret prisons  essentially extra-legal detention facilities  and a measure called residential surveillance at a designated location (RSDL), create the perfect conditions for torture and ill-treatment.

RSDL is not the same as house arrest. Under Article 37 of the Criminal Procedure Law (CPL), an individual can be held in a police-designated location for up to six months; police have to inform their family members of their detention within 24 hours, but they dont have to tell them where prisoners are being held. RSDL takes the accused off the map: most people detained under this measure have no contact with the outside world and no access to legal representation. For six long months, their families have no idea where they are, what condition they are in, or even whether they are dead or alive. These conditions mean that torture is less likely to be investigated, and much more likely to occur in the first place.

Frequent beatings, sleep deprivation, forced medication and prolonged isolation are the norm for prisoners of conscience in China  not only for the lawyers and activists detained in the last two years, but for the people they were trying to defend: practitioners of the banned Buddhist-inspired Falun Gong spiritual movement, unregistered Christians, Uyghur Muslims, Tibetans, and any perceived critic of the Communist Party of China. Shocking allegations of forcible removal of vital organs from prisoners of conscience, for sale for transplant, persist.

Zhang Shaojie, a pastor from Henan, is barely alive after enduring various forms of torture. He was sentenced in 2014 to a 12-year term and according to his daughter, Esther Zhang Huixin, he is being intentionally starved of daylight, sleep and food. They cruelly torture my father, Esther said. Hes unable to see the sun during the day. Hes deprived of sleep for 24 hours at a time. The prison gives him only one steamed bun a day and intentionally starves him. According to people who have been released from that prison, my father is barely alive, suffering both mentally and physically.

Yang Hua, another jailed Christian pastor, was described in March as on the verge of paralysis as a result of severe inflammation in his legs. Proper medical treatment has been denied, with only penicillin prescribed.

In 2015, Tibetan monk Tenzin Delek Rinpoche died in a Chinese prison after 13 years in detention. Last year Memet Ibrahm, a Uyghur Muslim was jailed for watching an Islamic video on his mobile telephone, died in police custody. Uyghurs in Xinjiang describe a police state in which those who study abroad are rounded up upon return, often disappearing into detention.

If a dissident or religious minority leader is not arrested, they are often disappeared. The whereabouts of Wenzhous Catholic Bishop Peter Shao Zhumin, for example, are unknown, prompting the Vatican to issue a statement of grave concern.

Even beyond Chinas shores, critics of the regime are not safe. In October 2015, Hong Kong-based bookseller Gui Minhai disappeared from his holiday home in Thailand. Four of his publishing colleagues  Lin Rongji, Lu Bo, Zhang Zhiping, and Lee Bo  disappeared at around the same time, but all returned to Hong Kong last year. Gui, however, remains incommunicado in detention in China.

His daughter Angela Gui, who has spoken about his case at the United Nations, the U.S. Congress, and the British Parliament, says her fathers case is not about one man alone. This is about China actively extending its control beyond its borders, she argues. This is about China kidnapping and illegally detaining more and more people because of their political beliefs. Its about European citizens no longer being able to know that their human rights will be protected  In what has been called the darkest moment for human rights in China in recent years we have to make sure that people like my father are not forgotten. Because to stay silent over what happened to him is to guarantee that it will happen again.

Democratic nations must unite to condemn Chinas rampant use of torture. For too long there has been a tendency among the international community to kowtow to China. The mindset is that Chinas economic power is too great, trade too important, and so human rights are sacrificed. Western leaders should listen to UN experts who said in a statement to mark the International Day for the Victims of Torture this year that the prohibition of torture is absolute and that torture can never be justified under any circumstances. Torture destroys lives, say the UN experts. Any tolerance or acquiescence concerning such practices, however exceptional and well argued, will inevitably lead down a slippery slope towards complete arbitrariness and brute force, in disgrace for all of humanity.

The best way to honor Liu Xiaobo is to ensure that the values to which he dedicated  and ultimately sacrificed  his life live on. The international community  or at least those within it who believe in human rights and the rule of law  must draw a line with China. They must stand up and speak out with one voice, to tell Xi Jinpings regime that if it wants to be respected on the world stage, it must stop torture. China must be told that with global leadership come particular responsibilities. Those include an end to arbitrary detention, forced disappearances and inhumane treatment of prisoners.

Benedict Rogers is East Asia Team Leader at Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Deputy Chair of the UK Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, and author of the report The Darkest Moment: The Crackdown on Human Rights in China 2013-2016.
Guangfu Church members gather for

a church service. (Photo: ChinaAid)

ChinaAid

(Guangzhou, GuangdongJuly 31, 2017) Authorities in Chinas southern Guangdong province gave a house church pastor an ultimatum on Wednesday: join the state-run church or be subjected to extensive government monitoring.

On July 26, officials summoned Ma Ke, pastor of Guangfu Church, to the police station and told him the church could either become a government-run Three-Self Patriotic Movement or comply with specialized personnel sent to watch the congregation. The church refused the first option, citing a belief that house churches and Three-Self Churches followed different theological avenues and saying that their church already experienced surveillance.

Guangfu Church has been a constant target of government persecution over the past few years. After accusing the church members of organizing illegal religious activities, authorities banned all of the churchs meeting places in 2015 and confiscated some of its materials. Undeterred, the church members still met outside of their buildings walls, and Ma filed an administrative lawsuit in an attempt to get the officials to revoke their decision. His requests were rejected, which prompted him to seek the audience of higher officials, but those were declined as well.

Ma later reported that a recent attempt to renew his residential permit failed after a government computer locked him out. Other church members reported similar occurrences.

ChinaAid reports abuses, such as those suffered by the members of Guangfu Church, in order to promote religious freedom, human rights, and rule of law.

ChinaAid Media Team

Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985

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NTD Television

By Ivan Pentchoukov

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

 In an unprecedented decision, a Chinese court ordered that significant compensation be paid to the family of a woman who was persecuted to death as a prisoner of conscience.

Xu Chensheng was killed after a 12-hour interrogation at a local police station in Chenzhou City, Hunan Province, on May 16, 2012. She was arrested for distributing materials about Falun Gong, a meditation discipline she practiced.

Xu Chensheng (Minghui.org)

Falun Gong is a spiritual practice with exercises, meditation, and teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. The Chinese communist regime has spent 18 years persecuting Falun Gong, which had as many as 100 million adherents in 1997.

Xus case is the first time since 1999 that a Chinese court of law handed a compensation order to a victims family. They received 319,000 yuan, or $47,500, at the end of 2016.

Xus son Yang Xujun had petitioned the courts and police since her murder in 2012. Beihu District Police Station refused to pay Yang, so he appealed to a district court. On Dec. 19, 2016, the court issued the decision to compensate the family.

Since the persecution of Falun Gong began, the Chinese communist regime has been undermining the legal system. Many Falun Gong practitioners had been persecuted to death or became disabled due to the persecution. But they had nowhere to appeal, said Heng He, a China analyst with NTD Television.

The report clearly stated that the victims family has applied through legal procedure, mediated by the court, and compensated by the state. As far as I know, this is the first case, he added.

Former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Jiang Zemin launched the nationwide persecution of Falun Gong in China in 1999. He ordered that authorities can count it as suicide if a practitioner is beaten to death.

Heng believes that the states compensation in Xus case is a manifestation that the persecution of Falun Gong is becoming difficult to maintain in China.

The persecution of Falun Gong is led by the 610 Office, executed by the police, the procuratorate, and the court system. This means the long-term persecution mechanism and the persecution policy are starting to fail, Heng said.

The judges and even the local Communist Party officials who are involved in this case also dont want to be held responsible for the persecution. It is undoubtedly a warning to the CCP officials who are still persecuting Falun Gong practitioners, Heng said.

At least 4,114 Falun Gong practitioners have been persecuted to death, according to cases documented by the Minghui website and operated by practitioners. Due to the regimes tight grip on information, the true scale of the killings likely far surpasses the documented numbers.

Lawyers recommend that more victims and families pursue legal justice. The families should demand compensation from all levels of government said lawyer Teresa Chu.

In terms of the levels of compensation, firstly, Jiang Zemin used the national machine to launch the persecution. The victims should sue Jiang Zemin and demand state compensation, said Chu.

Secondly, the perpetrators who directly exert violence, should be held accountable for criminal and civil liability. Thirdly, as in this case, due to the illegal acts of the police department, victims should demand to receive state compensation.

Xus family doubted the official autopsy findings and requested an independent autopsy after they learned of her death, but police, prosecutors, and court officials interfered.

Local residents read a notice that demands an independent

autopsy for Xu Chensheng and that the pepetrators be brought

to justice. (Minghui.org)

Xus family started a grass-roots campaign in town to expose the meddling officials. The family teamed up with fellow Falun Gong practitioners to blanket the area with brochures and posters exposing the circumstances behind Xus murder.

Local residents who read the brochures publicly criticized the officials involved in the case. Police were sent to maintain security in the area, but ended up leaving after incessant questioning from the locals.

Lawyers believe that the grass-roots support from the community, in addition to the persistence of the victims family, ultimately led to the state compensation. The case is now a precedent for future lawsuits.

Its not only on the issue of persecution of Falun Gong, that people should come to support practitioners to pursue justice. People from all parts of China that have been persecuted by the CCP should not feel desperate or give up. With help from each other, they should also continue to fight for their rights, whether its administrative compensation or legal civil compensation, or sue the perpetrators, Chu said.

If this trend can be spread to all over China, the dictatorship mechanism cannot be maintained, she said.





Tina Lin from NTD New York contributed to this article.

ChinaAid Media Team

Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985

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Five local middle and high schools have been selected by green|spaces as a pilot group to build the fastest solar powered electric race cars to compete at green|spaces 2018 Green School Summit. Howard High School, Dalewood Middle School, East Lake Academy, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy, and STEM School Chattanooga are in the pilot group.

A Huntsville Public Schools official was the keynote speaker at our 2017 Green School Summit and part of the presentation was about their international electric car races they host annually," said Michael Walton, executive director at green|spaces. "We thought it would be a great hands-on STEM learning opportunity for students. Plus, this adds the solar component to teach them about renewable energy."

Each school will have 1030 students on a team working on everything from designing, building, and racing the cars that on average go 1825 mph. Each student will have a role to play including team manager, supplies and parts manager, marketing director, communications, and design manager.

GreenpowerUSA base kits are provided to each team by green|spaces and teachers at the schools will be leading the teams. Teams are responsible for assembling the kits and using recycled materials to build the shell of the car. Once assembled, the team will have opportunities to identify tweaks that can be made to make the car go faster. The teams will then compete in the 2018 Green School Summit held in the spring. The winner will be judged based upon the speed of the car, creativity of design of the exterior, and a paper composed about the teams experiences and what was learned through the project. The winner of the Chattanooga race will be sent to compete in the Huntsville International Race in May 2018.

The American Association of Blacks in Energy East TN Chapter is a partner with GreenpowerUSA. The AABE works with public schools and provides STEM activities throughout the school year.

This program is just another opportunity for us to educate young students about clean energy and being good stewards of the environment, said Ken Jones with the AAABE. Its a fun way to teach and learn how we can build something from sustainable materials while producing an inspiring race car.

Although green|spaces is only able to provide the funding for supplies to five schools, any school in the area is welcome to participate and compete. Additionally, green|spaces is seeking companies who would like to support the pilot program. Interested schools or companies can contact Dawn Hjelseth at dawn@greenspaceschattanooga.org.






FILE PHOTO: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks during a press conference after talks with Chinese diplomatic and defense chiefs at the State Department in Washington, US, June 21, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

First it was United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stating Washington's willingness to talk with Pyongyang, if the latter halts its missile stunts.

Then US President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea against making "any more threats" to his country, which he promised "will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen".

Neither seems to have worked, though. Pyongyang's attitude, which Tillerson deems critical to the US engaging in dialogue, remains defiant.

Responding to Tillerson's offer, DPRK Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho said at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila that his country "under no circumstances" will put its nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles on the negotiating table. And on Wednesday, the Korean People's Army announced it is "carefully examining" an operational plan for "enveloping fire" around the US military bases at Guam with its newly-acquired missile capabilities.

The latest round of saber-rattling between Pyongyang and Washington is particularly ominous because, although both parties sent "mixed messages" and hinted at a degree of flexibility, both set impossible preconditions.

So while it is good that neither has slammed the door shut on potential talks, it looks increasingly like a ploy to sabotage that prospect.

Pyongyang has justified its plan for missile strikes on Guam with Washington's "reckless military provocation", while the latter has employed the same pretext for refusing dialogue. Over time, this mutual finger-pointing has pulled both into a spiral of escalating distrust and hostility, which is the biggest obstacle to resolving the crisis.

The US' approach to the standoff has been counterproductive because it has simply escalated the threat from Pyongyang's nuclear/missile programs.

While some of Pyongyang's claims of technological breakthroughs no doubt need to be taken with a grain of salt, it has been making steady progress despite the strict international scrutiny and sanctions.

And now, Pyongyang has intercontinental ballistic missiles and reportedly a miniaturized nuclear warhead. From this point on, the threatening rhetoric from Pyongyang cannot be taken lightly.

United Nations Resolution 2371, which authorizes additional, potentially damaging sanctions against the DPRK's military adventures, is a timely response, and it is widely anticipated they will finally bite. But sanctions alone may not easily bring Pyongyang to its senses and the Beijing-proposed "dual suspension" approach, a freeze on the DPRK's nuclear and ballistic missile tests in exchange for a cessation of the large-scale military drills conducted by the US and the Republic of Korea, fair as it is, needs a starting point.

While making sure the UN sanctions are fully, honestly implemented, stakeholders must also make meaningful endeavors to persuade the US and the DPRK to take a step back from the brink.


A technician operates a high-tech production line in Xuanhua, Hebei province. CHEN XIAODONG / FOR CHINA DAILY

Chinese machinery manufacturers' revenue is expected to grow 8 percent to 26.51 trillion yuan ($3.94 trillion) this year on the back of the Belt and Road, or B&R, Initiative, potentially reversing two years of export slowdown, industry officials said on Tuesday.

In the first half of this year, exports of Chinese products such as automobiles, construction machinery and equipment for mining, oil drilling and power industry grew nearly 7 percent year-on-year to $193.5 billion, according to the China Machinery Industry Federation.

Their imports increased almost 12 percent to $142.7 billion.

Overall sales revenue of machinery manufacturers reached 12.51 trillion yuan, up 11.6 percent year-on-year.

Fixed-asset investment in the sector grew by 4.61 percent to 2.35 trillion yuan.

Last year, exports dropped 3.6 percent year-on-year to $374.8 billion, while imports fell nearly 2 percent to $272.7 billion.

In 2015, exports dropped 3 percent year-on-year to $388.76 billion, while imports fell 14 percent to $277.75 billion.

In the key construction machinery sector, excavator output surged 70 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year, indicating the sector has entered another replacement cycle after its last peak year in 2011.

Excavator manufacturers do not have much stock after a five-year period of consumption, industry insiders said.

Chen Bin, executive vice-president of the Beijing-based CMIF, said domestic machinery manufacturers have made notable technological breakthroughs.

The achievements will help them to supply products to big-ticket projects like smart cities, nuclear power plants, ultra-high-voltage supply lines, hydro-electric plants and wind power farms.

The federation said the construction machinery segment will continue to grow robustly in the second half of this year, thanks to China's ongoing railroad, highway, airport projects in lower-tier cities as well as urbanization.

Growth opportunities will also come from the increasing demand for excavators, bulldozers, pipe-layers, road rollers and wheel loaders in the B&R markets.

Such demand is particularly strong in fast-growing markets such as Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Brazil.

The B&R markets' focus is on sustainable development, urbanization, industrialization, services and telecommunications.

Chen said: "Chinese construction machinery makers have already shifted their focus from selling their products to developing markets through dealerships to building after-sales service centers and staff training centers overseas. They are also printing user manuals in French, Portuguese and Russian.

"Both domestic and global markets are no longer dominated by foreign companies in many important high-tech fields. All the core parts for the country's new-generation Hualong One nuclear reactor are made by domestic players."

Zhao Chi, secretary-general of the CMIF, said: "As many developed countries adopted trade protectionism measures to protect their own industries, diversifying market channels in countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative has helped companies ease export pressure.

"Weak domestic demand for machinery from industries like steel, coal, power, oil refining and chemicals will be a long-term phenomenon as all of these sectors readjust their product development focus."
Xiongan New Area disclosed on Monday that it has established a State-owned company for the investment and construction of local infrastructure and other facilities, a major step toward creating a new economic zone in the area.

The companyChina Xiongan Construction & Investment Group Co Ltdwas set up on July 18 in Rongcheng county in North China's Hebei province, with a registered capital of 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion), according to the website of the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System.

It was approved by Hebei provincial government, which is also the only shareholder of the company.

Its chairman and general manager is Zhang Weiliang, who used to be an official in the government of Xiongan.

The company also has two other directors and six supervisors, the website showed.

With innovative investment and financing patterns, the company will raise funds including social capital to build in the area.

The projects involve the land development, constructing residential and commercial buildings, improving the environment and tourism development of Baiyangdiana freshwater lake in the area, as well as building infrastructure such as transport links, energy and public facilities.

China announced its intention in April to set up Xiongan New Area, a planned new economic zone of national significance to help phase out some non-capital functions from Beijing.

It is located about 100 kilometers southwest of downtown Beijing and covers Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin counties in Baoding, Hebei.

It will eventually cover 2,000 square kilometers.

Since Xiongan is new, the current transportation and commercial facilities in the area need to be improved, Zhang Gui, deputy head of the Research Center for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Development at Hebei University of Technology, said in a report by Beijing Business Today.

But to do this, the company will not just carry out the direct investment by itself; it will also help leverage more investment from social capital to promote the area's construction in various fields, Zhang said.

"In the future, private investment in Xiongan would possibly exceed 100 billion yuan, even reaching the trillion level," Chen Ji, a business researcher with the Capital University of Economics and Business, was quoted as saying by the report.

Before the establishment of the company, many enterprises made plans or wanted to participate in the construction of the area, such as China Railway Group Ltd, which has set up a subsidiary in Xiongan for participating in the construction of local infrastructure.
A worker directs the unloading of containers in Qingdao Port, Shandong province. [Photo by Yu Fangping/For China Daily]

China's foreign trade in July, though slower than expected, still achieved double-digit growth, as the country maintains steady demand for foreign commodities and continues to diversify its trading with various partners.

China's exports in yuan-denominated terms rose by 11.2 percent year-on-year last month, and imports by 14.7 percent, according to General Administration of Customs data on Tuesday. Previously, customs forecast July year-on-year export growth of 14.8 percent and import growth of 22.6 percent.

Trade figures showed a monthly surplus of 321.2 billion yuan ($47.8 billion), a 1.4 percent year-on-year increase.

In the first seven months, exports rose by 14.4 percent year-on-year and imports by 24 percent, lowering the trade surplus by 14.5 percent. Foreign trade from January to July totaled 15.46 trillion yuan, up by 18.5 percent year-on-year.

"Slower-than-expected July growth is understandable because last year had a high base figure. And the double-digit growth is high enough to support the growth stream," said Zhang Yongjun, a researcher at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges.

Shen Jianguang, chief economist of Mizuho Securities Asia, Ltd, said unlike the past two years, when China's economic growth heavily depended on investment and domestic consumption, exports now have proved an important economic growth engine.

January to July trade with the EU climbed by 17.1 percent year-on-year to 2.33 trillion yuan. Trade with the United States rose by 20.6 percent, with ASEAN by 20.9 percent and with Japan by 16.9 percent.

Exports of machinery, electronics and labor-intensive products continued to expand in the first seven months, but the volume of steel exports dropped by 28.7 percent year-on-year to 47.95 million metric tons.

The Ministry of Commerce plans to assist manufacturers in identifying "specific regions" in key emerging export markets, particularly in BRICS economies and markets related to the Belt and Road Initiative, to further diversify and expand trade ties.

Zhang, the China Center for International Economic Exchanges researcher, urged developed economies to reduce the trade imbalance by expanding exports and creating jobs.
BEIJING - China's new rules on overseas bank card transactions will have a limited effect on card holders as they aim only to gather information to curb money laundering, not spending, an official said Tuesday.

From Sept 1, banks are required to report all cash withdrawals on a daily basis, as well as domestic card transactions worth more than 1,000 yuan ($148) at overseas brick-and-mortar and online stores, according to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE).

"It is the banks, rather than the individual, that will report the information about bank card holders' overseas spending to SAFE. Therefore, the move will not increase card holders' costs, and it has nothing to do with customs declaration," said the unnamed SAFE official.

The new rules do not mean there will be adjustment of forex management policies related to the use of bank cards overseas, according to SAFE.

The move is intended to improve transparency and data quality of overseas bank card transactions to meet the demands of international cooperation to fight crime, including money laundering, SAFE said.

SAFE said it will continue to support legal and convenient use of domestic cards overseas under the current account.

The new rules will be piloted starting Aug 21.

Bank cards have become the main tool for overseas payment for Chinese, with overseas transactions by domestic individual card holders exceeding $120 billion in 2016, SAFE data showed.

Transactions made through non-bank payment institutions do not need to be reported.

Individuals in China are allowed to change the equivalent of up to $50,000 from yuan to foreign currencies every year under the current quota system. Overseas spending on bank cards is not included in the quota provided the debt is repaid from a yuan-denominated domestic bank account.

China has strengthened oversight on financial risks including large-scale capital outflows.

China's regulator said last month that the country was seeing its most balanced forex market supply and demand in three years due to improving economies at home and abroad, as well as an intensified crackdown on irregularities.

The country's foreign exchange reserves rose for a sixth consecutive month in July to hit $3.08 trillion as pressure from capital outflows eased and the value of the US dollar weakened, data from the central bank showed Monday.
A petro station in Qionghai, South China's Hainan province. MENG ZHONGDE / FOR CHINA DAILY

A price war between China's State-owned oil majors has cut costs for motorists at gasoline stations in a move to combat overcapacity and the rise of "teapot" refineries.

The China Petroleum and Chemical Corp, or Sinopec, and PetroChina Co Ltd have become victims of an oversupply in crude oil and an increase in independent refineries known at "teapots".

But analysts dismissed claims that the country's booming bike-sharing sector, spearheaded by Mobike and Ofo Inc, have played a leading role in falling pump prices.

"Most of the bike-sharing customers do not really drive," said Li Li, an energy research director at ICIS China, a consulting company which provides energy market analysis.

"The essential reason for the price war is the country's refinery overcapacity and the rise of teapot refineries," Li added.

In a move to prop up crude prices, OPEC, or the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, have cut production, but the slack has been taken up by oilshale operators in the United States.

At around $50-a-barrel, crude refineries across the world, including China, are suffering from overcapacity with output outpacing demand.

A forecast by CNPC Research Institute of Economics and Technology expects gross margins in the sector to be lower this year than in 2016.

In Asia, the situation is likely to deteriorate with a number of large refinery projects coming online or under construction.

"Relaxing crude import licenses, which allowed China's independent teapot refineries to increase their operations, have also added to overcapacity," Li, at ICIS China, said.

Independently run firms with relatively small capacity in China tend to range from 20,000 barrels per day to 100,000 barrels per day.

In the first half of this year, they imported more than 40 million metric tons of crude.

Total oil imports for the same period were 212 million tons, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Wang Lu, an Asia-Pacific oil and gas analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, has forecasted slower growth for the refinery sector in the next five years because of limited capacity. "China no longer plans to boost refinery capacity and refiners are gearing up to produce higher-quality fuels with less sulfur to reduce pollution," she said.

"Rapid capacity expansion in the past and the economy's shift away from heavy industry have made China a net exporter of refined-oil products, including gasoline, diesel and kerosene," Wang added. "Sinopec and Petro-China will slow down the pace of refining capacity expansion."

The rise of "teapot refineries" has played a major part in the supply glut, Oceana Zhou, a senior analyst at S&P Global Platts, pointed out.

"Competition in the retail market has been intensive and independent oil companies are also expanding their retail networks to compete with the State-owned ones," she said, adding that Sinopec's retail volume fell 3.47 percent year-on-year in the first quarter.

"The independent refiners' average operation rate is up 7 percent year-on-year to 63 percent in the first half of 2017," Zhou added.

Still, she believes China's refining capacity will continue to grow in the coming years with it rising to at least 462,000 barrels per day.
LANZHOU - Li Na, 26, has been working as a painted-pottery maker for two years at a cultural center in the northwestern Chinese city of Yumen since 2015.

Li had no hesitation to go back to her hometown Yumen in Gansu province, after studying sculpture at a university in central China's Henan province for four years.

"Yumen is famous for its painted-pottery culture. I am happy to become a pottery maker in my hometown," Li said.

The Huoshaogou Ruins, remains of a Bronze Age culture that flourished from about 1900 BC to 1500 BC, were discovered in Yumen in 1976.

Apart from a large number of bronze items, nearly 1,000 painted vessels were also unearthed at the site.

"Different from others in Gansu, Huoshaogou pottery was produced with various colored decorations," said Wang Pu, curator of Yumen Museum.

In 2006, China listed the Huoshaogou Ruins under national protection.

Li bikes for 20 minutes each day to reach the center set up in 2014 by Yumen Art Gallery. It is the only place that officially produces hand-made painted-pottery in the city.

Li said hand-making painted pottery is a very complicated process. From picking clay and modeling to firing and glaze, it often takes days to produce a small batch of pottery.

"Yumen's pottery is all handmade, unlike many other places where painted pottery is produced by machine," Li said.

The pottery will soon be displayed at a number of arts exhibitions, museums and souvenir shops to raise awareness of Yumen's painted pottery.

However, Li would not have been able to find such a job before 2014 when Yumen authorities sped up its transform from an oil drilling town into a cultural and tourism city.

Yumen was the first petroleum base in China which was put into operation as early as 1939. During the 1940s, the oil output in Yumen accounted for about 90 percent of total crude oil production nationwide.

But after decades of development, many oil wells in Yumen have seen dropping output in recent years, with annual oil output reaching a record low in 1999.

The city's prosperity has decreased with the depleted oil resources.

In 2003, local people started to leave the old town for new residential areas or other cities for more job opportunities. The population dropped below 30,000 people, down from from the previous 100,000. House prices in Yumen were less than 500 yuan ($75) per square meter in 2005, while Shanghai saw prices of 9,300 yuan.

Yumen saw a new opportunity in 2013 when China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, which is poised to bring changes and create development opportunities for people and countries along the ancient trade routes.

Yumen is at the west of the Hexi Corridor, a major part of the Silk Road. It is also only a few hundreds kilometers away from Dunhuang, home to the world-renowned Mogao Caves, and Yumen Guan, the entrance to the old trade route.

Dating back to the second century BC, the city has a long history and many historical sites. There are 126 important cultural sites, including the Huoshaogou Ruins, among which four are under national protection and five under provincial protection.

In the past years, Yumen has allocated a total of 17 million yuan to protect and repair cultural relics, launch museum exhibitions, establish a painted pottery museum and set up cultural centers to foster infrastructure and tourism.

Yumen is also planning to build an "oil culture" theme park to make use of its resources as the first petroleum base in China.

"The Belt and Road Initiative will enhance exchanges among Yumen and countries on the trade route, which will attract more visitors to Yumen from home and abroad," said Gao Zhengsheng, director of Yumen Tourism Administration. "We hope Yumen can take the development opportunities created by the initiative and become a sustainable tourism city."

After it rose by nearly 30 percent in May, Li's monthly salary is about 2,300 yuan and she has a positive outlook for the future.

"The income is not quite enough and life is indeed hard, but everything will be better. My hometown will also become better soon," Li said.
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak reiterated his belief on Tuesday that China's Belt and Road Initiative will be a game changer for regional economy.

"Belt and Road Initiative is creating enormous trade and investment prospects via greater connectivity in sea and land links," he said during Malaysia's National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) Economic Forum.

He is expecting additional economic growth brought by the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) which would be built with Chinese support.

Malaysian state of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan on the its east coast is expected to achieve 1 percent to 1.5 percent in additional growth per year upon the completion of the ECRL, he said.

"China's massive investment commitment in Malaysia demonstrates the real and transformative results of the excellent relations between the two countries," Najib emphasized.

Meanwhile, Najib highlighted that Malaysia's e-commerce industry will shine with the establishment of the world's first Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ) that led by Alibaba Group founder and executive chairman Jack Ma.

"With Jack Ma as Malaysia's digital economy adviser, we can draw on his vision and foresight to guide Malaysian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on how to gain from the limitless e-commerce market," he added.

Malaysia's e-commerce grew by 12.8 percent per annum between 2012 and 2015 to 68 billion ringgit ($15.88 billion). The government is aiming to double growth to 20.8 percent per annum to 170 billion ringgit in 2020.

Proposed by China in 2013, the 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.
A plane carrying the logo of Tibet Airlines lands at an airport in Lanzhou, Gansu province, May 21, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

KATHMANDU - China's Tibet Airlines on Tuesday started its direct flight service on Chengdu-Kathmandu-Chengdu sector, establishing first ever direct flight between the two cities.

The airline's plane TV 9899 departed from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport at 6:16 pm local time (1016 GMT) and touched down at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Kathmandu at 7:15 pm local time (1315 GMT), according to a press statement issued by Himalaya Airlines, general sales agent of Tibet Airlines.

Lhasa-based Tibet airlines has 49 percent stake in Himalaya, a Nepal-based international airline company.

According to Himalaya Airlines, the Tibet Airlines is conducting four flights a week on the route on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The airline operates its Airbus 319 on the route.

Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the aviation regulator, had granted permission to the Tibet Airlines to fly on the route last month.

After conducting a successful proving flight on June 19, the Chinese airline company started the scheduled flights to Nepal starting from Tuesday.

It is the fifth Chinese airline entering into the Nepali sky after four Chinese carriers - Air China, China Southern, China Eastern and Sichuan Airlines.

According to Nepali government officials, increased flight connectivity with China is expected to bring more Chinese tourists to Nepal. Chinese tourist arrivals jumped 55.26 percent to 104,005 in 2016.




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Warren Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church will celebrate its 150th church anniversary onSaturday and Sunday, Aug. 19 -20. The theme for this occasion is Rooted in Our Legacy, Moving to Our Destiny.

An anniversary luncheon is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m., at the Downtown Marriott. The guest preacher will be Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath, Presiding Prelate for the 13th Episcopal District (Kentucky/Tennessee). The guest preacher for the 10 a.m.

Sunday worship service is Bishop Simeon Hall, senior pastor emeritus of New Covenant Baptist Church, Nassau Bahamas.

Warren Chapel is at 501 N. Market Street. The senior pastor is Rev. Dr. Pedro K. Basden. For information pertaining to the church anniversary or other ministries of the church, call the church office at (423) 267-4992.


British nurseries are being encouraged to expand into China as part of a government initiative to market the United Kingdom's expertise abroad.

The Great Early Years campaign, which is run by the Department of International Trade, aims to send 10 representatives from UK nurseries, nursery chains, and nursery training providers to Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen in September.

The DIT said it believes there is a demand for British nursery know-how in China, following on from recent changes in Chinese policies, including the one that means couples can now have a second child.

The DIT said Britain has a very good reputation in the education field.

Mark Garnier, a minister within the department, said: "The UK is a world leader and has a global reputation for providing outstanding expertise, education and qualifications in the early-years sector. There's growing demand for the UK offering, which is why we are now launching our Great Early Years education mission to China, to help UK nurseries export their services and knowledge on a global scale."

The program is designed to help British nurseries take their brands to China, where the overall size of the industry was estimated to have been worth 193 billion pounds ($251 billion) in 2015. The market is expected to grow, to 370 billion pounds, by 2020.

"As an international economic department, we're encouraging businesses to take advantage of this opportunity and tap into the lucrative Asian market, as part of an outward-looking global Britain," Garnier said.

According to UK-based leading property broker Christie& Co's Business Outlook for 2017, there is a "phenomenal" amount of interest from China in the childcare market, and education business owners in the UK are looking overseas for high-quality education business acquisition and investment opportunities.

Courteney Donaldson, head of childcare and education at Christie & Co, told Daynurseries website that many Chinese investors are interested in buying nurseries in the UK because they value education so highly.

She said: "They are also interested in partnering with British nurseries on a joint venture. They invest so highly in their children's education. Many of them are looking to build nurseries in China but they want to partner with high-caliber operators that will run the nursery in China with Chinese practitioners."
Two technicians adjust a robot at a high-tech enterprise in Chongqing. CHEN SHICHUANG / FOR CHINA DAILY

Official rules out coercion but says troubled firms will be persuaded to consider the alternative option

China will stick to market-based principles while promoting debt-to-equity swaps to tackle debt problems of companies, an official of the nation's top economic regulator said on Wednesday.

"The government will encourage debt-to-equity programs but won't force companies and creditors to make swap deals," said the official with the National Development and Reform Commission, who sought anonymity.

Debt-to-equity swaps will be key to lowering corporate debt levels, and are expected to gather pace in the future with improved regulation, the official said.

China unveiled guidelines for such swaps late last year to help companies reduce their mounting debt.

From December to July, more than 70 enterprises in certain sectors riddled with overcapacity signed agreements to launch the swaps, according to the commission.

That would allow banks holding debt in those enterprises to convert it into equity.

Total contract value of such swaps has already exceeded 1 trillion yuan ($149.4 billion), according to the NDRC.

More than 50 percent of the enterprises that opted for swaps are coal producers, followed by steel, transportation and metal companies, according to a report by China Orient Asset Company released in July.

"Debt-to-equity programs work well for companies that are facing short-term obstacles but are expected to see profits in the future," said Xu Gao, chief economist with China Everbright Securities. "The key is to ensure the programs can be implemented using legal means and with high transparency."

Li Peijia, a senior analyst with the research institute of Bank of China, said such efforts will help banks solve the bad debts problem, but the government may need to offer more incentives to promote swaps deals.

The government is able to provide more policy supports such as helping banks to improve risk management and gather information to select proper candidates for swaps offered by many debtladen companies, Li said.

As more good examples emerge, more banks and investors are expected to participate, she said.

With enhanced efforts to rein in debt risks, corporate debt levels have declined this year, according to the NDRC.

By the end of June, the debt-to-asset ratio of China's major industrial enterprises stood at 55.9 percent, down by 0.8 percentage points compared to the same period last year, the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.
WASHINGTON  Toyota Motor and rival Mazda Motor are expected to announce plans on Friday to build a $1.6 billion assembly plant in the United States as part of a new joint venture, a person briefed on the matter said.

The plant will be capable of producing 300,000 vehicles a year, with production divided between the two automakers, and will employ about 4,000 people when it opens in 2021, the person said.

A new auto plant would be a major boost to US President Donald Trump, who campaigned on promises to increase manufacturing and expand employment for US autoworkers.

The source, who requested anonymity, said the plant in a yet-to-be-determined US location was expected to build Toyota Corolla cars and a Mazda crossover utility vehicle.

Japan's Nikkei reported earlier on Thursday that Toyota would take a roughly 5 percent stake in Mazda Motor to develop key electric vehicle technologies and build a factory in the US.

The source confirmed the Japanese carmakers planned future joint efforts on electric vehicles.

Toyota said the two companies have been exploring various areas of collaboration under a May 2015 agreement, and added that the group intended to submit a proposal to its board on Friday regarding Mazda. It did not comment further.

"The industry pace of electrification has really picked up," Toyota Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamadawidely known as the father of the Prius hybridsaid at an event outside Tokyo, declining to comment on the US plant or a Mazda deal.

He defended Toyota against concerns the company has fallen behind its competition on electric cars, citing new technology.

Mazda said in a statement that "nothing has been decided yet" and added the company would have a board meeting. It did not comment further.

"Mazda needs electrification technology. In the past they've poo-pooed EVs, they've felt that they can make internal combustion engines more efficient, but the bottom line is that globally you need to have this technology," said Janet Lewis, head of Asia transportation research at Macquarie Securities.

With a research and development budget of around 140 billion yen ($1.27 billion) this yeara fraction of Toyota's 1 trillion yenMazda has said that it lacks the funds to develop electric cars on its own. Subaru, Japan's smallest major automaker, also has a partnership with Toyota.

Production boost

Toyota, the world's second-largest automaker by vehicle sales in 2016 and Japan's dominant car company, has been forging alliances with smaller Japanese rivals for several years, effectively consolidating the Japanese auto sector.

A new US assembly plant would likely become the prize in a fierce competition among Midwestern and Southern states eager to expand manufacturing jobs.

The plan comes as demand for cars has fallen sharply. Toyota's Corolla sales in the US are down nearly 9 percent this year.

In North America, Toyota builds Corolla cars in Canada and Mississippi, and announced plans in 2015 to shift Canadian Corolla production to a new $1 billion plant in Mexico.

Mazda, whose annual global vehicle sales are one-eighth of Toyota, currently exports vehicles from Japan and Mexico to supply the US market, where it generates roughly one-third of its global vehicle sales.

It caters to a niche audience in North America with its design-conscious sedans and SUVs, and has been focusing on developing more fuel-efficient gasoline engines.

Trump in January criticized Toyota for importing cars to the US from Mexico.

The Republican president also threatened to impose a hefty fee on Toyota if it were to build Corolla cars for the US market at a plant in Mexico. But since January, Trump has praised Toyota for its US investments.

Toyota said in January it planned to invest $10 billion in the US over the next five years to meet demand. Last month, Trump complimented Toyota for completing its long-planned new North American headquarters in Texas.

Reuters
A Lynk & Co concpet car is displayed at Geely's research facility in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, where Geely Holding and Volvo signs a deal on Aug 4 to share car technology. [Photo by Li Fusheng/China Daily]

China's Geely Holding has partnered with Swedish marque Volvo Cars to share existing and future auto technology, which is expected to enhance their competitiveness by slashing development costs.

According to a deal the two signed on Friday, the 50-50 partnership, called GV Automobile Technology, will enable Volvo Cars, Geely Auto and Lynk & Coall of which are controlled by Geely Holdingto share technologies via license agreements.

"It is a landmark moment in the development of Geely," said An Conghui, president and CEO of Geely Auto, "which will achieve synergy by closer internal cooperation on vehicle architectures, powertrain development and electrification."

The joint venture is headquartered in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, where Geely has recently built a 6 billion yuan ($893 million) research facility, and there will be a subsidiary in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Lars Danielson, a former senior vice-president of Volvo Cars, will serve as head of the joint venture.

While the technology will be available for use by the three companies, the intellectual property rights will remain with whichever company develops it, according to a Volvo statement.

An said the three companies will also cooperate in terms of production and purchasing.

"Our Luqiao plant in Zhejiang province, which is managed by Volvo, will produce both Volvo's SUV XC 40 and Lynk & Co's SUV 01."

He said achieving scale effects through collaboration will help them to stay competitive, adding that Volvo has been a good teacher and a good partner since Geely acquired the company in 2010.

Hakan Samuelsson, Volvo's president and chief executive, said the past seven years have been successful for Volvo, and further cooperation with Geely will help cut costs in Volvo's research and development and parts purchasing.

Separately, Volvo is to take a 30 percent share in Lynk & Co, joining its current shareholders Geely Holding and Geely Auto. But details, such as how much money Volvo will offer for the stake, have not been disclosed.

"We look forward to expanding our cooperation with Lynk & Co. It will be beneficial for both of us," said Samuelsson.

Volvo and Lynk & Co are already sharing technology, most notably the Compact Modular Architecture platform.

An, also head of Lynk & Co, said future modular vehicle architecture platforms and other technologies will be shared and developed based on cost-sharing agreements.

Besides technological cooperation, An said Volvo will offer help to Lynk & Co when it makes its foray into Europe and the United States, which the marque set as its destination markets when it debuted in Berlin, Germany, last year.

Alain Visser, senior vice-president of Lynk & Co, said he believes the cooperation is especially helpful to his company.

"Let's face it, if you come up with a new car brand, it is not surprising that some customers may think 'hm, let's wait and see', but the fact that we now officially have the backup of Volvo technology will give us a lot of substance."

Analysts believe the partnership will also give Lynk & Co an advantage in terms of awareness, because Volvo is a well-known brand in China.

Lynk & Co's first model, a compact SUV, will hit the market later this year. Another two models are expected to roll off the assembly line in 2018.

The company's sales network is taking shape. An said the automaker has received more than 1,000 applications from investors who would like to sell its cars and more than 100 dealerships are expected to open within the year.

Visser said the Chinese market will account for 55 percent to 60 percent of Lynk and Co's total sales worldwide.
The US-based Faraday Future unveils its prototype EV FF91 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. Provided to China Daily

The electric vehicle startup Faraday Future has recently secured $14 million in bridge funding while it seeks new investment sources.

"The $14 million is the bridge funding till the Series A. We are in the process of seeking $1 billion in funding through a Series A fundraising campaign, with a target of $500 million by the end of Q3, and the other funding by early 2018," Dan Zhu, a spokeswoman with Faraday, told China Daily on Monday.

The company has pledged its corporate headquarters in Los Angeles as collateral to secure the rescue loan from Innovatus Capital Partners, a New York investment firm, for a term of one year, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Aug. 3.

Innovatus Capital Partners declined to comment.

The startup's planned $1 billion funding is aimed to protect itself from the financial woes of its primary backer, LeEco.

Early last month, the assets of Jia Yueting, LeEco's founder and chairman, valued at about $183 million, were frozen by a Shanghai court after LeEco failed to pay interest due on bank loans taken out to fund its smartphone business.

But FF said that development has no impact on the startup's daily operations, as LeEco and FF have been two separate companies since the latter was founded in 2014.

FF has recently signed a lease on a new factory in Hanford, California, as it was shifting its manufacturing focus to a turnkey facility that offers a faster path to production.

A cleanup process has begun to prepare the site for the arrival of the manufacturing equipment.

Over the weekend, the company hosted an event for the new facility, which is 1 million square feet (92,888 square meters) and will eventually employ up to 1,300 workers over three shifts.

"We know there is a lot of work and risks ahead, but this event represents a major step forward for the company," said Stefan Krause, COO and CFO, in a statement.

Krause, a former Deutsche Bank executive and BMW Global CFO, joined the startup recently to drive investor diversification.

The company also hired Ulrich Kranz, former senior vice-president at BMW as CTO.

FF will continue the process of site preparations, including planning, refurbishment and permitting.

Following the departure of current tenants in late November, the company expects significant activity on site in early 2018.

But it did not provide an update on the construction of the originally planned 3 million-square-foot factory in North Las Vegas.

Qiong Liu, North Las Vegas city manager, told Reuters earlier this year that the company would build a 60,390-square-meter facility beginning later this year.

It has ended talks with the city of Vallejo, California, for a planned second factory on a 157-acre site on the city's Mare Island.

LeEco and FF are intricately linked. Jia has personally invested $300 million in FF. The cash crunch at LeEco has worsened since November last year, when Jia admitted publicly that it was expanding too fast into smartphones, automobiles, the cloud and internet finance.

In May, Jia stepped down as chief executive of Shenzhen-listed Leshi Internet Information and Technology Corp, the company's video-streaming branch.
The logo of Didi Chuxing is seen at its headquarters in Beijing, May 18, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]

China's ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing announced on Tuesday that it will invest in Dubai-based ride-hailing platform Careem, as part of a new partnership agreement between the two companies, to grow their networks in the Middle East and North Africa.

It marks Didi's latest move to strengthen the company's global presence, right after it announced a week ago a similar investment in Uber rival Taxify to expand in Europe and Africa.

The two companies on Tuesday said they would cooperate in intelligent transportation technology, product development and operations. Didi declined to reveal the size of the investment in Careem.

"We will tap into the significant potential of the local internet economy and foster more innovative services for a broader network of communities around the world," said Cheng Wei, founder and CEO of Didi Chuxing.

Careem, founded in Dubai in 2012, provides affordable transportation to more than 12 million customers, with 250,000 drivers in over 80 cities across 13 countries, including Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait.

Careem CEO and co-founder Mudassir Sheikha, said Didi would bring leading edge AI capabilities, insight and expertise to his company as it enters its next phase of growth.

"It will enable Careem to more effectively pursue growth opportunities through continued innovation and sustainability," Sheikha said.

He added that the cooperation would also provide the region with huge support to develop and leap-frog traditional infrastructure.

Didi has already extended its overseas businesses to more than 1,000 cities across North America, South America, Southeast Asia and South Asia, according to company figures.

Didi is pushing to boost its global presence, mainly through partnerships and investments with global ride-hailing companies. It has invested in Lyft, Grabtaxi, Uber, Taxify and Careem and other ride-hailing platforms from different countries and regions including the United States, India and Brazil.

The company said it would continue to advance its internationalization strategy to bring homegrown innovation from China to new markets in the future.

Zhang Xu, an analyst from Beijing-based internet consultancy Analysys, said the recent moves underscored Didi Chuxing's ambitious goal to expand globally.

"With its unique partnerships and investment mode to grow its global networks, Didi will work more efficiently and have a better understanding of the local markets compared with its rival," Zhang said.
A man shows a used BlackBerry cell phone to a customer at a show room in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 7, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

Foreign smartphone brands BlackBerry Ltd and Sharp Corp returned to the Chinese market on Tuesday with the help of local electronics makers. The two companies hope to compete in the world's largest smartphone market, and square up against domestic rivals such as Huawei Technologies Co and Oppo Electronics Corp.

Chinese consumer electronics company TCL Corp has introduced its first BlackBerry-licensed phoneBlackBerry KEYone, aimed at the mid-and high-end market. Equipped with a 4.5-inch full HD display, the smartphone possesses a physical keyboard that provides more flexibility and usable space for typing.

The move follows an agreement between the two companies in December that saw TCL become the manufacturer of BlackBerry smartphones, as BlackBerry moves away to focus on its security software business.

After years of trying to turn its smartphone business around, BlackBerry has largely ceded its global market share to its rivals such as Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co.

On Tuesday, Japanese electronics giant Sharp revealed its latest full-screen smartphone, Sharp Aquos S2, in Beijing.

Luo Zhongsheng, a senior vice-president of Foxconn Technology Group, said Sharp will put more efforts into developing full-screen smartphones.

Last year, Foxconn acquired Sharp to rejuvenate Sharp's business, with an aim to expand its product portfolio, including televisions and smartphones.

Analysts said foreign smartphone brands are attracted to China by its huge market potential. However, they may encounter steep challenges as China's smartphone industry is witnessing a slowdown and the competition among major smartphone makers is very intense.

"At present, it is very difficult for BlackBerry and Sharp to challenge the supremacy of Huawei and Oppo, although Chinese consumers have some expectations for these old brands," said Wang Yanhui, secretary-general of the Mobile Phone China Association, adding that users' loyalty to smartphone brands is relatively low.

Xiang Ligang, CEO of telecom industry website cctime.com, said the brand influence of BlackBerry is much weaker, lacking competitiveness compared with local rivals. He added the newly launched smartphones of niche brands may not be accepted by consumers quickly.

A report by consultancy Counterpoint Research said smartphone shipments in China grew a modest 3 percent year-on-year in the second quarter. Huawei and Vivo were the fastest-growing brands, followed by Oppo and Xiaomi, together cementing the top four spots and extending their lead over Apple and Samsung by a widening margin, the report said.

"The top four Chinese brands now capture close to 69 percent of the market as these brands have raced ahead of international and other local brands with expansive distribution reach and exciting portfolio," said James Yan, research director at Counterpoint.
BEIJING - Nearly 300 artificial intelligent (AI) specialists and representatives of over 150 robot enterprises will gather in Beijing from Aug 23 to 27 for the World Robot Conference 2017, according to a press conference Tuesday.

Delegates from universities, research institutions and enterprises will discuss opportunities for the robotic industry, said Luo Junjie, an official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

The event will feature a three-day forum, an exhibition and a set of contests.

The conference will be jointly hosted by Beijing municipal government, the MIIT and China Association for Science and Technology.

China has been the world's biggest producer of industrial robots for three years, accounting for 25 percent of global production.

"China's robotics are on fast track, but many enterprises are small and weak in R&D," Luo said. "It is a problem we need to tackle."

Since it was established in 2015, the World Robot Conference has become the biggest and the most international event in the industry.
A pedestrian using a smartphone walks past stores selling mobile phones and accessories at the Nehru Place IT Market in New Delhi, India, May 30, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

India's smartphone market suffered its first downturn in history, as shipments to the country declined by 4 percent year-on-year to less than 27 million units in the second quarter of this year, according to a report by Canalys.

The global technology market analyst firm said while Samsung Electronics continued to be the market bellwether with a 25 percent share in Q2, Chinese smartphone vendors experienced their finest hour to date.

Xiaomi Corp, quadrupling its shipments to 4.8 million units in Q2 in India, took the second place of the market, the report said. In the same period, it got back to the fifth place of the global smartphone market with 23.20 million shipments, covering 6.4 percent of the market share, according to consultancy Strategy Analytics.

Vivo, gaining popularity in India's tier-two and tier-three cities, finished third with a record high 3.4 million shipments in Q2, Canalys's report said. It was followed by Oppo and Lenovo.

More than half of India's smartphone market is secured by Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Lenovo and Gionee collectively.

Indian market is strategically crucial for Chinese smartphone vendors, as their domestic market also suffered decline in Q2, Ishan Dutt, an analyst at Canalys, said in the report.

The report said the decline of Indian market in Q2 was affected by the launch of Goods and Services Tax (GST), a tax applicable from July 1 across all products and services.

Canalys analyst Rushabh Doshi said the market, confused over GST and worrying about its impact on prices, has adopt a wait-and-see policy.

"The market will emerge stronger post-GST. Vendors can look forward to leaner distribution, faster delivery and increased demand from local retailers and distributors," Doshi said in the report.
The 2017 World Robot Conference will be held in Beijing from Aug 22 to 27, with various world-famous robot companies showcasing the latest robotic technologies that can handle work and daily tasks, like playing piano and performing a surgical operation.

The conference will be hosted by Beijing Municipal Government, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and China Association for Science and Technology. Other backers include the Chinese Institute of Electronics.

Japan's SoftBank Group Corp, Swiss engineering group company ABB Group and other world-leading companies will display the industry's latest achievements, including specialized industrial and service robots and artificial intelligence technologies. It will cover a total exhibition area of 50,000 square meters.

At the forums held during the conference, more than 300 worldwide industry experts and entrepreneurs will share the status quo of the robotics and artificial intelligence industry, research and applications, and will discuss future trends in the industry.

Xu Xiaolan, secretary-general of Chinese Institute of Electronics, said the conference will create an international robotic technologies communication platform for worldwide firms.

"It allows entrepreneurs to have a better access to the latest development of robotic technologies, which also will help them to avoid reinventing the wheel."

China became the world's biggest market for industrial robots in 2013, surpassing Japan, according to the International Federation of Robotics. And the robotics federation estimates that China will likely usher in more than one-third of the industrial robots installed worldwide in 2018.
Tennessee Senator Mark Green announced the formation of a 501 (c)(4) Five Stones Network, for the purpose of training, equipping and mobilizing leaders of faith to impact the world of politics and good government.

As a result of my own experience in Washington, DC being attacked by many simply because of my Christian faith, I felt frustration and sadness for our country, commented Green, previously nominated to be Secretary of the US Army by President Donald Trump in April. The animosity personally experienced in the confirmation process and witnessing others of faith being equally attacked is honestly un-American.

In his second term as the Tennessee Senator serving the Montgomery, Houston and Stewart counties and as vice-chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, Senator Green began the confirmation process following President Trumps nomination of him to lead the US Army. Many of the attacks on Senator Green revolved around his faith positions with activist groups specifically targeted speeches he had made at churches across the country.

Despite my years of military service and professional qualifications, the confirmation process turned to my comments as a believer in the Biblical creation story. I knew this was about my Christian faith, continued Green who addressed the infrequently-used US Senate Rule permitting a Democratic Senator to place an indefinite hold on action, blocking the nomination. An indefinite hold kept the men and women of the US Army from having a leader operational and meeting the urgent needs of our fighting force. The sequence of events demonstrated the urgent need for more men and women of faith in the political process.

Senator Green is joined in establishing Five Stones Network by former Georgia State Senator Judson Hill, an Atlanta-area attorney who served as the Senate Finance Committee Chairman and Deputy Majority Whip and as Assistant US Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia during the Ronald Reagan Administration.

Senator Green currently serves as TN Senate Chaplain and Hill led the Legislative Fellowship in the Georgia Legislature. He recently sold his successful healthcare company Align MD, which he founded and grew to revenues in excess of $200 million annually. Marks a proven leader recognizing a tremendous need in creating Five Stones Network, noted Robin Smith, former TNGOP Chairman and friend of Senator Green. His vision coupled with the ability to recruit and mobilize an effective team using his military service and entrepreneurship will fuel the success of this effort.

Five Stones Network, a faith-based non-profit is working to partner with other conservative advocacy groups such as Lift the Vote, 2nd Vote, the Family Research Council, the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute. The groups mission is based on the biblical account of David victory over a massive giant using five, smooth stones in faith.
Liguan Yanping reads China Daily for a break from his translation work at his home in Chongqing. [Photo by Tan Yingzi/China Daily]

Despite having cerebral palsy, 28-year-old has overcome physical challenges and proven outstanding English-language ability

Dressed in a green T-shirt and wearing a big smile, Liguan Yanping looks like a teenager. He likes to talk, both in Chinese and English, at a slow speed.

He spends most of his time in front of a computer translating or writing songs. Last year, he translated two books about Chinese calligraphy and painting into English.

When Liguan was born prematurely, in Southwest China's Chongqing in 1989, he weighed just 1.4 kilograms and was later diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is caused by abnormal development or damage to the parts of the brain that control movement, balance and posture, leading to poor coordination, tremors and weak or stiff muscles. People with cerebral palsy may also have impaired senses of touch, sight and hearing as well as difficulty swallowing and speaking.

There are about 6 million people with cerebral palsy in China, according to the China Disabled Persons' Federation.

"A doctor told us that surgery may help alleviate his muscle spasms, but that he would have difficulty sitting or walking in the future," said Guan Ping, Liguan's mother. "I had no idea what I was facing at that time."

Despite objections from family members, Guan decided not to have a second child, so she could focus on looking after Liguan.

In 1990, she quit her job as a factory worker and started looking after her son full time.

"I will do my best to help my son live a normal life," Guan said.

Guan has spent 20 years taking her son to see specialists across the country to help him improve body movement. Every day, she spends two hours massaging Liguan to help ease his muscle spasms, and supervising his physical training.

When Liguan was young, Guan was so strict with his training that no matter how much he cried, she would not allow him to give up. It led to people calling Guan "Tiger Mom", and some neighbors even told local authorities that they suspected Guan was abusing Liguan.
Sun displays his self-made spiked club, which he uses to frighten thieves. Photo by Shi Wenzhi/China Daily

Like a hero from a kung fu story, Sun Yunyi seeks to help the needy every day, out of a sense of justice. Carrying a 1.5-meter-long self-made spiked club, he has caught more than 6,000 thieves in the past 42 years.

In addition to running a key-cutting store in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, Sun, 75, has dedicated more than half his life to catching thieves.

He is only 1.65 meters tall and of medium build. However, Sun's kung fu ability sets him aside from other men his age.

A typical day for Sun begins with half an hour of exercise before opening his store at 7 am. At midday, he walks around the marketplace near his store on the lookout for thieves. He said his personal record is catching 43 thieves in a day and eight at one time.

When talking about catching thieves, Sun appears full of passion, gesticulating wildly.

"The modus operandi is different depending on the type of thieves I am catching. I can tell by their behavior if they are up to no good, and I have never made a wrong judgment," Sun said.

Sun's belly, chest, feet and legs have many scars caused by knives or clubs used by thieves. To prevent his family from worrying, Sun sets rules for himself to ensure his safety, carries his spiked club while patrolling the neighborhood, and keeps a first-aid kit at his store.

Sun Yunyi works at his key-cutting store in Kunming, Yunnan province. Photo by Shi Wenzhi/China Daily

In 1975, while Sun was working as a cook in a hospital canteen, he caught a staff member stealing cooking oil from the canteen three times. Sun claims he was framed and lost his job after being accused of stealing the oil.

"Ever since then, I have hated thieves from the bottom of my heart," Sun said.

He has provided local police authorities with nine notebooks recording detailed information about the thieves he has caught and the crimes they committed.

"My dream is to catch a total of 10,000 thieves. But now I am getting older and weaker, so it is harder to achieve that goal," Sun said.

Li Hongyang contributed to this story.

liyingqing@chinadaily.com.cn
A returnee from the US displays the model trains he sells on his online store in Shanghai.Photo by Nu Jing/China Daily

Young Chinese returning from study overseas are taking advantage of government incentives and starting their own businesses, as Zhang Yue reports.

For the past two and a half years, Li Guanjiao has spent every day contacting potential investors, promoting her products and brainstorming design ideas with colleagues.

"It's exhausting, but great fun," said the 28-year-old budding entrepreneur, in a telephone interview she fitted in between meetings with potential backers.

Li studied for a master's degree in branding at the London College of Communications from 2012 to 2014, and landed a job in the fashion and design section of a Chinese-language newspaper in the British capital straight after graduation. There, she embraced the United Kingdom's highly-developed fashion, design and printing industry.

"I noticed that many countries, such as the UK and South Korea, have iconic painting styles of their own, yet Chinese cultural images and designs don't seem straightforward and iconic enough," she said, explaining how she had the idea of starting her own company.

Her brand and company is BCZW, which stands for the first letters of syllables of benchuziwu, or "prime meridian", in pinyin. It produces decorative Chinese designs, which can be screen-printed on mugs, notebooks, hats and T-shirts.

The company, which has about 20 employees, is located near the Today Art Museum in Beijing, where modern art is exhibited and Li can better promote her products.

In addition, she has a major promotion channel via an online store on Taobao.

Li is one of a growing number of young Chinese with experience of working and studying overseas who have returned to start businesses.

Growing enthusiasm

In December, a report published by the Center for China and Globalization and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences showed that enthusiasm for entrepreneurship has soared among returnees in recent years.

More than 40 percent of students who return to China to start businesses opt to work in large cities such as Shanghai and Beijing. Last year, more than 2.65 million students returned to China.

Li started her business in an entrepreneurs' incubator established by Renmin University of China in 2015.
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Bioengineering, advanced science and technology, retail, advanced manufacturing, the cultural and creative industry, energy conservation and environmental protection are the most popular sectors for returnees who want to start businesses, according to a report published by the Center for China and Globalization in 2015.

Those sectors are rapidly becoming strong drivers of China's economic transition.

Since 2000, the country has established a number of platforms to build communications with young entrepreneurs returning from overseas.

Gatherings are held at both central and city government level. For example, Dalian, a coastal city in the northeastern province of Liaoning, hosts the annual China Overseas Scholars Innovation Summit in association with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other organizations.

Since it was first held in 2000, the event has become a major platform for returnees in search of business opportunities who want to brainstorm and exchange experiences, and has attracted more than 300,000 participants from 63 countries and 45,000 businesses.

Amending policies and removing barriers are not easy tasks, so, in line with the country's ongoing strategy of encouraging new economic drivers, the government has been paying close attention to problems encountered by would-be entrepreneurs.

In June last year, the State Council, China's Cabinet, noted that students returning from overseas and hoping to start businesses face many obstacles. They include problems in accessing funding and obtaining permanent residence equivalent to the hukou household registration system, applications for Intellectual Property Rights, and a number of policy restrictions.

In a written guideline, Premier Li Keqiang urged the relevant ministries to work together to provide more opportunities for budding entrepreneurs and startups. In response, 18 ministries looked into the issues.

In April, the State Council issued a raft of incentives to help returnees start businesses. One major incentive encourages returnees to cofound businesses by granting intangible assets, such as intellectual property rights. Other measures include a more-streamlined process in education certification and related services, and returnees with high-grade experience are provided with greater convenience when applying for permanent residence.

In April, Yang Tao, vice-minister of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, said 432,500 people returned from overseas last year, and the proportion of Chinese students who returned to China after overseas study rose to 82.23 percent last year from 72.39 percent in 2015.
Rescue teams clean up an area that was buried by a mudslide in Puge, Sichuan province, on Tuesday. The slide had claimed 24 lives as of Tuesday night. In Gansu province, slides were responsible for at least seven deaths. [Photo/Xinhua]

Two mudslides killed at least 31 people, with four still missing, on Tuesday after downpours in two provinces, authorities said.

Rainfall from Monday to Tuesday caused slides in Gengdi village of Puge county, Sichuan province. As of 6 pm Tuesday, rescuers had saved one person from the debris, but 24 were found dead. Four people were injured and one other remained missing, according to the local government.

The mountain floods also damaged 5 kilometers of road and five bridges, and inundated about 12 hectares of farmland.

Direct economic losses from the disaster, which affected 577 people from 157 households, was estimated to be 160 million yuan ($23.5 million), it said.

The Sichuan weather observatory said more heavy rainfall is expected in some areas of the province, which may lead to more disasters.

In Gansu province, downpours from Sunday evening to Monday morning triggered mudslides in three townships in Wenxian county. Some houses were swept away, and water and power supplies, telecommunications and traffic in some villages were disrupted, local authorities said in a statement.

Rescuers have found seven bodies. Two people were still missing, while nearly 1,000 had been transferred to safe areas as of Tuesday morning, it said.

Zhang Jiatuan, spokesman for the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, said in late June that casualties from mountain flood disasters, including mudslides, had been reduced substantially thanks to the national warning system set up by the government.

From 2010 to 2016, China developed monitoring and warning systems for mountain flood disasters in 2,058 counties, he said.

Around 1,300 people per year, on average, died in mountain flood disasters from 2006 to 2010. After the warning system was developed, the average annual death toll decreased to 400(2011-15).

About 75,000 precipitation and water-level monitoring stations have been established, and more than 1.4 million alarm facilities have been put into operation, he said.

He added, however, that some of the facilities had been damaged in natural disasters and needed to be replaced. Moreover, the system doesn't yet cover all villages.

"In some areas, local governments are short of funds to maintain these facilities," he said.
Tianjin authorities provide early results in pyramid crackdown

The Tianjin Public Security Bureau announced early results on Tuesday in what is expected to be a 20-day campaign against pyramid schemes in the city.

It said police have identified 85 suspects involved in pyramid schemes and broken up 420 dens of the illegal business operation, after two deaths were reported recently.

Around 3,000 police officers have been assigned since Sunday to ferret out the organizations, it added.

About 100 suspects have been arrested in connection with 86 scams since the beginning of this year, according to figures from the bureau.

Pyramid schemes usually involve an organization that compels individuals who wish to join to make a payment, and the organization promises its new members a share of the money taken from every additional member they recruit.

In practice, unwitting victims are often lured to a place they believe they will meet legitimate job recruiters. They are asked, often under duress, to hand over hundreds of yuan to become a member.

The leaders of such organizations always profit from the recruiting of new members.

Zhang Chao, 25, was found dead on a road in Xiqing district of the city on the morning of July 14, four days after he inadvertently joined a pyramid scheme organization, the police said in a statement.

Police detained two people connected to the organization on Monday who admitted abandoning Zhang after finding that he was seriously ill, the police said. Autopsy results will be available in a month.

The body of 21-year-old university graduate Li Wenxing was found on July 14 in a pond in Tianjin's Jinghai district. An autopsy showed that he drowned, but the circumstances that led to his death are still under investigation.

Five people were detained in Li's case, and all confessed to luring him into a pyramid scheme, the police said.

According to media reports, pyramid schemes are rampant in Jinghai district. Local police detained more than 400 suspects in 2015 and 2016. They carried out seven operations targeting one such organization, called Die Beilei, which they say caused the death of Li.

In September 2007, the Tianjin government set up a joint working group to fight against the schemes. The authorities carried out seven operations targeting the illegal activity.

The two deaths made headlines in Chinese media because both of them were lured into pyramid schemes in Tianjin through job-seeking websites, raising questions about the legitimacy of online recruitment websites and whether the sites should be responsible for vetting advertisers.

zhang_yi@chinadaily.com.cn
Robert Panza of the US marrow donor program accepts Zhao Yuedong's marrow on Tuesday from Li Mu, director of Liaoning branch of the donor program. Zhao, 39, wrote to the recipient, "Don't be afraid... remember, I'm here with you." Photo by Jiang Meng/For China Daily

Zhao Yuedong, a 39-year-old villager from Liaoning province, became a hero to a leukemia patient in the US city of Los Angeles when he became the first international bone marrow donor from Shenyang on Tuesday.

"Hello, brother from another land. It's lucky that our bone marrow matches. Don't be afraid of the illness and remember, I'm here with you. I will help whenever you need," Zhao wrote in a letter that will accompany his marrow, which contains hematopoietic stem cells.

Those are immature cells that can enable leukemia patients to regenerate healthy blood cells. The marrow is usually harvested under general anesthesia using a needle inserted into the hipbone.

Zhao, a villager from the southern outskirts of Shenyang, began donating blood in 2000 and registered as a marrow donor in 2013.

Last year, he received a phone call from the China marrow donor program's Liaoning branch and was told that his blood matched a US patient. He was asked whether he would agree to donate.

"The patient will definitely need my stem cells. It would be nice to save a person," Zhao recalled thinking.

Bone marrow transplantation is the last chance for survival for some leukemia patients. The probability of a blood match between two unrelated people can be as high as one in 1 million, according to Li Mu, director of Liaoning branch of the donor program.

After half a year's preparation, the collection operation was conducted at the PLA 463 Hospital.

"My son said he thought his father was very glorious and handsome," Zhao said after the procedure.

Wang Hongmei, hematology director of the Shenyang-based hospital, called the procedure challenging because the marrow must be delivered in 48 hours and the distance to the patient is great.

Robert Panza, a volunteer from the US marrow donor program, was expected to arrive with Zhao's marrow at 6 pm Tuesday local time.

"This is the first international donation case conducted in Shenyang. It also opens the door of life to international donations from Liaoning," said Li Mu.

wuyong@chinadaily.com.cn
Shared cars are parked in Beijing. [Photo/VCG]

City governments and private property managers have been encouraged to cut parking fees and even allocate free spaces for shared cars as a way to promote the nascent business.

Similar to the model used for shared bikes, motorists can now rent cars parked in public areas simply by scanning a QR code using a smartphone app.

Last year, dozens of car-sharing enterprises operated more than 26,000 vehicles in China, according to consultancy firm Roland Berger, which estimates the number will hit 600,000 by 2025.

To help the sector flourish, local authorities should ease parking charges, while shopping malls, residential communities and other areas should set aside spaces for these vehicles, according to a central government guideline released on Tuesday.

Car-sharing companies also were urged to improve their services online and offline, as well as to use new energy vehicles, with charging facilities installed close to designated parking areas.

The guideline, which covers the entire car rental industry, was issued by the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. It aims to protect customers' rights, improve car rental services and traffic networks, and promote the industry's healthy development.

"The car rental business has been well-developed in China for a long time. However, along with the innovation of technology and services, the guideline also solves some of the difficulties of the car-sharing business," said Li Yanxia, an associate researcher of the China Academy of Transportation Sciences.

She said the national guideline encourages city authorities to draw up more detailed plans based on local conditions.

Since the first car rental companies established in China in 1989, the industry has grown to more than 6,300 companies, according to the Transport Ministry.

The number has increased by 20 percent each year. But 93 percent of car rental companies own fewer than 50 cars. The market leaders, such as Shenzhou Zuche and eHi, account for 20 percent of the market, figures from the ministry show.

Unlike traditional car rental services, car-sharing services take advantage of modern technologies such as GPS and mobile internet.

Such services improve user experience and offer an alternative for urban commuting, easing growing demand for private cars and parking space, the guideline said.

luowangshu@chinadaily.com.cn
2 People Were Stabbed At Last Night's Dropkick Murphys, Rancid Concert At Northerly Island

By Stephen Gossett in News on Aug 9, 2017 2:38PM



Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island / Via Twitter / Photo: Ink180Boss

A man and a woman were stabbed on Tuesday night after a fight broke out at a Dropkick Murphys and Rancid concert at the Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island.

A man, 29, and a woman, 34, got into an argument with another man inside a bar at Huntington Bank Pavilion during the concert, at around 9:28 p.m. The fight then spilled into the venue where the attacker pulled out a knife, police said.

The male victim was stabbed in the neck and face, and the woman was cut on her abdomen, according to police. Both were taken to Northwestern Hospital, where their conditions stabilized. The suspect was taken into custody and charges are pending.

The concert carried on after the stabbing, and some concertgoers didn't realize that an attack had taken place, according to the Tribune.

It's not clear how the knife made it into the venue. Attendees told ABC7 that they did have to go through a security check to get into the concert.
Air China will allow passengers to change or cancel their flights to Jiuzhaigou for free, according to the company.

The airline will increase flights to Jiuzhaigou to evacuate people out of the quake zone.

Air China 4393 left Jiuzhaigou on 9:47 pm on Tuesday, 28 minutes after the quake, for Guangzhou, the first flight to leave the area after the disaster. The flight carrying 119 passengers landed safely on Wednesday.

According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, facilities of airports near the quake zone, including Jiuzhai, Chengdu, Hongyuan and Mianyang, were operating well. The administration carried out emergency conference on Tuesday night to plan the rescue effort. Airlines are ready to fly to the area to carry out rescue.
Tourism Development Committee in Sichuan province is collecting information about tourists in Jiuzhaigou, a hot scenic spot in Sichuan province, hit by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday night, China National Tourism Administration said in a notice on Wednesday.

As summer is a busy season for Jiuzhaigou and the number of tourists traveling there has increased greatly in recent days, Sichuan tourism committee has been collecting and gathering information about tourists and is cooperating with travel agencies, local government and hotels to evacuate.

A task force led by Yang Jian, deputy director of the committee, left for Jiuzhaigou county on Wednesday, the national tourism administration said.

Data from Jiuzhaigou National Park showed that more than 38,000 tourists were travelling at the scenic spot on Tuesday. About a half was traveling by themselves and the others were in tour groups.

The Sichuan tourism committee has asked tourism administration authorities in neighboring cities such as Mianyang and Deyang to offer necessary help to tourists.

The national tourism administration has requested tourism administration authorities in Sichuan to report the situation of tourists in a timely manner.

Tourists in Jiuzhaigou could call 12301  the national tourism service hotline - for help, the national tourism administration said in the notice.
Rescue work is under way in Jinghe county, Bortala Mongol autonomous prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on Aug 9. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Many people in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region were woken up by a 6.6-magnitude earthquake at 7:27 am on Wednesday.

The epicenter of the quake was near Jinghe county, Bortala Mongol autonomous prefecture, about 37 kilometers from the county seat of Jinghe. Three villages are located within 10 kilometers of the center.

Thirty-two people in Jinghe county were injured in the quake, seven of them seriously, as of 11:37 am Wednesday; 142 houses collapsed and 1,060 houses sustained damages, according to authorities of the autonomous region. But no deaths were reported.

Although the epicenter was about 383 kilometers from the regional capital of Urumqi, many people in the city felt its power.

"I was asleep and I suddenly felt my bed move from side to side. I also felt the building swinging. I soon realized it was an earthquake," said Qiu Jin, 28.

When he checked his phone he found many of his friends had shared the same experience on social media. "Many wanted to know if the earthquake in Xinjiang was related to the one that rocked Jiuzhaigou on Tuesday evening," he said.

People in Ily Kazak autonomous prefecture, which borders with Bortala, felt the earthquake even stronger. "The house was shaking for at least 30 seconds. I can heard the roaring sound coming out of the earth," said Zhao Xiao in Ily city.

Two houses collapsed in Ily Kazak autonomous prefecture and 544 others were damaged.

Others in Karamay, Shihezi and Changji in Xinjiang also said they felt the earthquake.
Cheng Ning, 38, a tourist from Beijing to Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan province, which was hit by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake at 9:19 pm Tuesday, talked to Cao Yin about his experience.

I was resting with my family in a hotel in Jiuzhaigou when the room began shaking violently.

At first I did not realize what was happening. But then understood that it was an earthquake and immediately ran out of the room with my wife and son.

After escaping to an open ground in front of the hotel, I saw other tourists standing there, many of whom had apparently hurried down as they were dressed only in short pants. Some told me that they were taking shower when the hotel began shaking.

The hotel staff members quickly launched an emergency response, maintained order and provided us with bathrobes and quilts, which calmed our nerves.

Some tourists, especially children from other provinces, were anxious at first, repeatedly asking what was going on. But after the hotel's management swung into action, they calmed down.

My son was OK, as I had told him about earthquakes and had also shared stories about the quake in Wenchuan, Sichuan, in 2008.

Now tourists have left the hotel and the area by bus, and my family will arrive in Chengdu later in the evening on Wednesday.
Sheep graze on the grassland in Urat Middle Banner of Bayan Nur city, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, May 14, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING  The Inner Mongolia autonomous region has made great achievements on the path of modernization over the past 70 years.

Modern Animal Husbandry

It has been very popular in Inner Mongolia today to take advantage of modern technologies in livestock farming.

Farms in Huugjilt village, Sunite Left Banner in north Inner Mongolia were equipped with video monitoring system in 2014, allowing herdsmen to observe their animals from home on computers or mobile phones. The system has not only saved herdsmen time physically going to check their herds, but also helped cut labor costs.

Automatic drinking system was also equipped on many farms in Inner Mongolia. With a sensor that keeps the water at a certain level, the system ensures adequate water for the herds.
CHENGDU -- A French man and a Canadian woman were among the injured after a powerful earthquake rattled a mountainous area in southwest China on Tuesday.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Jiuzhaigou, a popular tourist destination in Southwest China's Sichuan province Tuesday evening. So far, 13 died and 175 others are injured, according to the information office of the provincial government.

Maxence Vallon, 18, a French national was wounded in both legs, while the Canadian woman, who declined to be named, suffered slight injury in the head.

Both are being treated at the people's hospital of Jiuzhaigou county.

Exact number of casualties of foreign nationals in the disaster are not available yet.

Yuan Jin, a doctor specialized in treating bone injuries, said there are stone fragments in Vallon's right leg, and he needed immediate surgery to prevent infection.

Vallon is travelling with his elder brother and mother in the area.

"We ran out of the hotel when the earthquake happened. The power was out, so we lay on an open ground. I was lucky, but my brother was hit in the leg by a fallen stone," said Romain Vallon, who studies aerial engineering in Tsinghua University in Beijing.

"He bled heavily, and the hotel staff brought towels and white liquor for disinfection. They helped me band his leg with plastic bags, and one of the staff drove us into a nearby clinic with his private car. There, we waited an hour or so until an ambulance picked us up and delivered us to the county hospital," he said.

"The medical staff are very efficient. No people got left behind, and everything is in good order," he said.

"My mother is in panic after the earthquake, and she is recovering from yesterday's experience. We hope we can return home as soon as possible," he said.

The Canadian woman can leave hospital within two or three days, doctors said.

"We received excellent care. The rescuers and doctors have been very helpful," she said.

The quake zone sits in a region that has been hit by at least three major tectonic earthquakes and other geological disasters over the past decade.

In May 2008, an 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck Wenchuan, about 200 km south of Jiuzhaigou, killing more than 80,000 people.
A Latin American businessman interacts with a teacher in a Chinese teaching activity organized by Seed International in 2013. [Photo/Provided to China Daily]

Taking up a job on the other side of the planet and happenstance combine to bring China and Latin America closer together, LYU XIAOQIAN reports.

Plenty of Peruvians have experienced earthquakes, which is not that surprising given that their country is in a seismic zone, but it was an earthquake half a world away that really shook up Jose Carlos Feliciano's life.

In 2009, Feliciano, then 25 and after having just quit a job with UNESCO in Lima, boarded a flight bound for China, where he was to take up a 14-month job contract.

In May the year before, an earthquake had devastated Wenchuan county and surrounding areas in Sichuan province, killing almost70,000 people and leaving more than 370,000 injured.

It was the involvement in the disaster relief five months after Feliciano arrived in China that totally changed his attitude toward China.

"My many weeks in the mountains of Sichuan with Chinese volunteers helping affected schools really marked a turning point in my China story," Feliciano said. "Most of my compatriots have only heard about the big cities, but had very little idea of central and western China.

"But during that trip I discovered  not just from books, but from personal experience  how fascinating China can be, including its landscape, the faces, people working together and so on."

Now, eight years later, Feliciano, 33, can call China home, a place in which he has invested not only money, in the shape of a company founded with Chinese partners, but soul as well.

In 2010 Feliciano co-founded Seed International in Beijing, which provides consulting services and training programs to help foreign companies and institutions better understand Chinese business culture and the country's economic prospects. Although it has customers in more than 10 countries, the business related to Latin America has always been among the fastest-growing.

Feliciano admits he founded the company to meet the huge market demand.

"The very little I knew about China was gleaned from news and TV programs. Although I had visited Beijing for the Olympic Games in 2008, I was surprised by the infrastructure, the universities, the people and the atmosphere of development here when I came to the country to take up the job. The gap between what you know about a country and the reality can be huge."

The expansion of Seed International came at a time when China-Latin American relations were beginning to flourish, the Chinese government having published its first policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean in 2008, raising the relationship to the strategic level. In 2015 the first Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum was held in Beijing, bringing China-Latin America relations to a new stage of integral collaboration.

Supported by a series of mechanisms aimed at promoting collaboration, trade between China and Latin America rose 16-fold between 2000 and 2016, being worth $217 billion at the end of that period, and China-Latin America trade as a proportion of all Chinese international trade grew from 2.7 percent to 6 percent. China has become Latin America's second-largest trade partner.

However, people-to-people and cultural exchanges have long been a grey cloud over all this. A survey by Pew Global Indicators Database showed that in 2015 only 58 percent of Latin American respondents were positive about China, compared with their great satisfaction with their largest commercial partner the US (74 percent), and lower than Spain (65 percent), the European Union (63 percent) and Japan (63 percent).

Those figures may help explain why Latin Americans are willing to fork out hefty sums of money for the services of Seed International. Feliciano said a two-week training program of visits to two or three cities, courses and conferences in first-tier Chinese business schools, boarding and round-trip flights from Peru, cost about $5,000. According to statistics published by the Word Bank, Perus gross national income per capita was $5,950 in 2016. Still, Feliciano said the number of its Latin America clients rose an average of 20-25 percent a year between 2010 and 2016.

A dearth of cultural and people-to-people exchanges is likely to be detrimental to China-Latin American collaboration, even when commercial exchanges are a priority, said Zhou Zhiwei, an associate professor at the Institute of Latin American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.


BEIJING -- Nearly two months have passed since Indian troops illegally crossed the China-India boundary in Sikkim Sector, and there is no sign of withdrawal so far.

What the Indian side has done is committed seven "sins" against Chinese sovereignty and international law. These severe mistakes may trigger unpredictable consequences and greatly undermine regional peace and stability.

India's military trespassing is an infringement of China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. On June 18, Indian border troops, carrying weapons and driving bulldozers, illegally crossed the boundary in the Sikkim Sector at the Duo Ka La (Doka La) pass and entered Chinese territory.

For almost two months, India has maintained its military presence in the Doklam area, a place recognized by both India and the international community as part of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Chinese sovereign territory.

It is fundamentally different in nature from past frictions between the border troops of the two sides at an undefined part of the boundary.

The blatant move contravenes the 1890 Convention between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet, which has clearly delimited this part of the boundary between the Tibet Autonomous Region and India's Sikkim State.

Every Indian government since independence has confirmed the boundary as it stands under the Convention. It is hard to understand why India abandons its previous position at this time.

Once a boundary is established by a convention, it is under the protection of international law. It is obvious that India's military invasion, under the pretext of so-called "security concerns," tramples on the principles of the law as well as international order and cannot be tolerated by any sovereign state.

Since the incident broke out, India has invented various excuses to whitewash its illegal move and smear China's normal and legitimate activities, but its arguments have no factual or legal grounds and are simply untenable.

India has argued that China's building of roads would represent a "significant change of status quo with serious security implications for India," but the fact is, Chinese construction is being conducted within its own territory. It is India that has broken the status quo by trespassing onto Chinese soil.

Even more ridiculous, India has attempted to justify its incursion in the name of "protecting Bhutan," arguing that Doklam is Bhutanese territory.

The fact is that the Bhutanese authorities have clearly told Chinese officials that Doklam is not Bhutan's territory and expressed bewilderment at India's trespassing into Chinese soil.

Matters concerning the China-India-Bhutan boundary tri-junction have nothing to do with this incident. By kidnapping an unrelated third party to stir up troubles in the border area, India seeks to obstruct border negotiations between China and Bhutan.

China has a strong will to solve the problem peacefully, but the prerequisite is that the Indian trespassers must withdraw unconditionally and immediately. China will never negotiate with an invading force when its national territorial integrity remains infringed.

The Indian side keeps playing lip service of seeking diplomatic channels to resolve the issue while refusing to withdraw its troops.

India must be fully aware that as a reckless intruder to its neighbors, it should take responsibility for inflaming border tensions and swallow possible consequences.
Hu Wenjie, 47, has been fascinated with woodcarving for nearly 30 years. [Photo by Shi Baoyin/chinadaily.com.cn]

Woodcarving has so fascinated Hu Wenjie that after almost 30 years in his craft, he now mainly captures Buddhist figures from his workshop in Xinxiang city, Central China's Henan province.

Hu 47, is also called Hu Yidao by locals, because he is regarded as a skilled carving craftsman.

Woodcarving, a Chinese traditional craft with a history of over 3,000 years, was enrolled in the second batch of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List, which was approved by the State Council in 2008.

Hu noted that as he held a precious piece of thuja sutchuenensis, an evergreen coniferous tree. He said he prefers to imagine the piece he's going to carve before putting his knives to it.

Shi Yongxing, 26, Hu's student, said he studied woodcarving for three years. Hu told him to learn woodcarving by heart because it is meaningful to pass this Chinese traditional craft forward.

Hu said his works are mainly sold to his friends in the city, but he also plans to have an online store to let more people know about his woodcarving.
BEIJING -- China has begun all-out efforts in relief and rescue work after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck a remote area in southwest China's Sichuan province Tuesday night, killing 19 and leaving another 247 injured.

The earthquake hit Jiuzhaigou county at 9:19 pm at a depth of 20 kilometers. Jiuzhaigou is a popular tourist destination in the mountains on the eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known for its mountainous landscape and stunning scenery.

When the quake hit, 35,000 tourists were in Zhangzha township. Thousands have already been evacuated, and authorities aim to relocate all tourists by the end of Wednesday.

Chinese leaders have called for all-out efforts to organize relief work and rescue the injured.

The State Council, China's cabinet, has sent a national work team to the disaster-hit area to guide relief work.

Feng Zhenglin, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), confirmed immediate activation of level-III emergency response procedures, asking civil aviation authorities to cooperate with local government in disaster relief.

The CAAC has instructed airports to keep track of available runways and gate positions while asking airlines to help with emergency evacuation of tourists in the disaster-hit area.

The Ministry of Transport has initiated level-II emergency response procedures and formed a leading group to guide local transportation authorities to aid the rescue.

Traffic on highways to the disaster-hit area is being monitored, with special lanes set aside for rescue vehicles travelling into the area.

The China Meteorological Administration has initiated enhanced weather forecasting in the area in order to prevent secondary disasters that could inhibit rescue work.

According to the National Meteorological Center, the quake zone in Jiuzhaigou County will experience cloudy weather from Wednesday night to Thursday, while light to moderate rain is expected on Friday.

The China National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs also issued a grade-III emergency response.

The Red Cross Society of China has sent 1,000 first aid kits, 2,000 quilts and 200 tents to the area.

Besides government agencies, more than 20 state-owned enterprises supervised by the central government have contributed to the rescue efforts.

The country's biggest telecommunications operators have set up emergency hotlines to help people locate their relatives while resources including tents, medical equipment and clean water are being delivered to the area.

China's oil giants have stepped up efforts to ensure fuel supplies along the roads and insurance companies have initiated emergency response procedures for settlement of claims.

Sichuan is frequently struck by quakes. At least three major tectonic earthquakes have struck mountainous areas of the province in the past decade.

In 2008, an 8.0-magnitude earthquake in Wenchuan claimed more than 80,000 lives. Five years later, a 7.0-magnitude quake hit Lushan, killing 196.
Barack Obama Now Officially Has A Holiday In Illinois

By Stephen Gossett in News on Aug 9, 2017 6:20PM



McCormick Place (Photo by Tyler LaRiviere/Chicagoist)

On the fourth of August next year, Illinois will officially celebrate Forty Four.

Just over six months after leaving the White House, former president Barack Obama was given his own state holiday, in his adopted home state of Illinois. That was fast.

Governor Bruce Rauner signed the measure late last week, on Aug. 4, the same date it will be observed, beginning next year. That date, you might recall, also happens to be Obama's birthday. On a day in which the former president got some pretty memorable birthday wishes, we would not have expected perhaps the most noteworthy one to come at the pen of Illinois' Republican governor, but here we are!

To answer the question undoubtedly on your mind, no, don't expect to have the day off on "Barack Obama Day." In fact, a previous version of the bill that would have given state workers and students a day off didn't pass muster with many Republican lawmakers. Once it was altered to be strictly honorary, legislators voted unanimously in favor.

Anyone who followed the budget stalemate or is keeping tabs on the struggle to pass the school-funding mechanism might feel a sense of whiplash that it was Barack Obamathe most polarizing modern president, according to a Gallup pollwho brought together the legislature. But as Rauner said in February, "It's incredibly proud for Illinois that the president came from Illinois. I think it's awesome, and I think we should celebrate it."

The holiday honors Obama, "who began his career serving the People of Illinois in both the Illinois State Senate and the United States Senate, and dedicated his life to protecting the rights of Americans and building bridges across communities," the bill reads, according to NBC Chicago.




CHENGDU -- Ground and air forces from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Western Theater Command are carrying out relief operations following a deadly earthquake in Southwest China's Sichuan province Tuesday.

A total of 1,285 soldiers, 90 vehicles and 9 aircraft have been dispatched to the affected area, while more forces on standby awaiting confirmation of casualties and damage.

All-out efforts are being made to rescue the injured as this is the current focus of the operations, the Western Theater Command said.

The earthquake hit Jiuzhaigou County at 9:19 p.m. Tuesday at a depth of 20 kilometers, leaving at least 19 dead and 247 injured, including 40 in serious condition, according to local authorities.
Armed Police and militia carry an injured person on Wednesday after Tuesday night's earthquake in Sichuan province's Jiuzhaigou county. Armed Police and the PLA Ground Force also were mobilized. WANG QIN / CHENGDU ECONOMIC DAILY VIA REUTERS

Xi urges all-out efforts to minimize the number of dead and injured

The death toll from a magnitude-7.0 earthquake that struck Jiuzhaigou county in Sichuan province on Tuesday night rose to 20 and the tally of the injured rose to 431, including 18 seriously, by Thursday noon. All-out rescue efforts were continuing.

About 60,000 tourists and migrant workers had been evacuated from the epicenter of the quake by 5 pm Wednesday. "The evacuation has been swift and efficient," said Liu Zuoming, director of the disaster relief headquarters.

The quake struck Jiuzhaigou county in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture at 9:19 pm on Tuesday at a depth of 20 kilometers. More than 1,000 aftershocks  the strongest magnitude-4.6  had struck by late Wednesday, according to the China Earthquake Administration.

On Tuesday night, President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to rapidly organize relief work and rescue the injured. Xi said authorities should check the impact of the earthquake, evacuate and settle visitors and local people, and reduce death and injuries as much as possible.

Since the earthquake took place during the peak tourist season as well as flood season, authorities should enhance meteorological early warnings and geological monitoring to guard against other disasters and try their best to protect people's lives and property, Xi added.
China has become the first country to send quantum keyshighly complex encryptionsfrom a satellite to a base on Earth, and to teleport light particles the other way.

The accomplishments are two major breakthroughs in the effort to create an unhackable global communications network.

The two experiments mark the completion of the the second and third of the three main goals of Micius, the world's first quantum communications satellite, which China launched last year.

The first goal, to send entangled light particles further than ever before, was achieved in June. Entanglement is a phenomenon in which two or more particles can affect each other simultaneously regardless of distance. Entangled particles cannot be described independently of each other.

Bai Chunli, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said China is now the world leader in quantum communication technologies and is working with scientists from Austria, Germany and Italy. He said Micius will continue to perform experiments until its expected service life expires next year.

"The trio of quantum experiments will be central to any global space-based quantum internet," Karl Ziemelis, chief physical science editor at Nature magazine, said in a video interview. The magazine published two articles about China's breakthroughs on Thursday.

"They are testaments to China's investment and significant effort in physical sciences  and pushed research in practical quantum communication technology to such astronomical heights."

All private data, from bank accounts to social media pictures, are protected by "keys", which are extremely complex mathematical codes transmitted between users and companies. However, these codes can be exploited if a hacker "eavesdrops" on these keys during transmission.

Quantum keys use quantum physics rather than math to encrypt data, making them impossible to hack by conventional computers. They also have the ability to alert authorities when someone tries to eavesdrop, said Pan Jianwei, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the chief physicist behind Micius.

"This will have major applications in government, military, finance, energy and other fields where security is paramount," he added.

However, distributing quantum keys is difficult because sending them over long distances via fiber optics or during daytime results in massive signal loss or disturbance.

In the latest quantum key experiment, Micius beamed photonsindividual particles of lightand created an optical link with the observatory station in Xinglong, Hebei province. When the link was at 1,200 kilometers, scientists discovered that quantum key distribution efficiency between the two improved 100 quintillion times (1 followed by 20 zeros) compared with fiber optics of the same length.

Micius produced and transmitted about 300,000 bits of quantum keys during the experiment. One practical use for these keys is to create advanced encryptions that are impossible for computers to hack with "brute force", a method in which a computer guesses all possible combinations of a pass code.

"Combine all the computing power of the world, which is around two to the power of 80 to 100, it will still take years for it to guess the correct combination," Pan said.

The second experiment is about one of the biggest mysteries of quantum mechanics known as quantum teleportation, Ziemelis said. In the experiment, Chinese scientists "spookily" transferred a photon on Earth to Micius in space, without needing the object itself to move.

"Its effect is like the Star Trek teleporter," said Pan. It works by deconstructing a photon on Earth, then sending its extracted quantum information to Micius's receivers via entangled link. Then an entangled photon in space downloads the information and takes on the complete identity of the original.

This experiment would have great theoretical research value in quantum science, as well as building a large-scale quantum internet and computation networks. But scientists are still centuries away from building a teleporter capable of transferring something as biologically complex as humans, Pan said.

China also plans to build the world's first global quantum communication network by 2030. It will consist of three high-orbit and dozens of lower-orbit quantum satellites connecting dozens of ground-based stations and networks.

"But the final number of satellites depends on its usage and market needs," said Pan, adding that there are other major hurdles to overcome, such as distributing quantum keys across continents during daytime. The latter feat was first achieved by China in July when Micius beamed one over 53 kilometers during the day.

The United States and Japan also have plans for quantum communication. Japan launched a microsatellite named SOCRATES in 2014, and it conducted its own quantum channel test in July.

However, Micius is a much larger, versatile satellite capable of different experiments, and has had more success. "China will lead the quantum space race for the next five years," said Pan. "But the world is also catching up fast."
Some 500 musicians from 20 orchestras attend the first Eurochestries Festival held in China, including the Golden Sails Symphony Orchestra of Beijing No 8 Middle School, Trio Sonata from Mexico, Chinese and French conductors Liu Zheng and Revolte Claude, the CasaSawt Choir from Morocco, and the brass quintet of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra of Norway. [Photo by Verde Yang/For China Daily]

Young musicians from 13 countries recently gathered in Qingdao for the first Eurochestries Festival held in China. Chen Nan reports.

Suit and tie, violin, homework, Zhang Muxiang can still vividly recall repeating to himself the three most important things he had to take with him on a trip to Quebec during his summer vacation in 2012.

Then 11, he was nervous as it would be his first trip abroad without his parents. He was also excited because along with about 50 members of the Golden Sails Symphony Orchestra of Beijing No 8 Middle School, Zhang was going to perform for the first time at the Eurochestries Festival, one of the world's largest youth classical music exchange platforms.

"The summer vacation in Quebec was unforgettable," says Zhang, now 17. "I am still in contact with the conductor we worked with in 2012."

Back in 2012, he was the youngest member of the orchestra; now he is the oldest and the orchestra's principal violinist.

He recently performed with the Golden Sails Symphony Orchestra at the first Eurochestries Festival held in China.
A girl paints with ink. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A group of youngsters and their parents gathered at the Beijing Royal School on Aug 6 to watch the annual Guoxue (study of Chinese traditional culture) Star Competition, launched in 2016.

Wang Nuoqian, 12, was one of the contestants who flew with her mother from Changchun in Jilin province to take part in the event. She said: "I've learned a lot from the Chinese classics, especially the historical stories."

Speaking about the event, Li Xiaoya, the CEO of Beijing-based Hanxiang, a franchised calligraphy and Chinese painting training school, said: "The study of Chinese traditional culture goes far beyond youngsters just memorizing classics or learning calligraphy and painting.

"We want to enhance their independent and critical thinking capacity and encourage them to express themselves."
The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development recently issued guidelines to promote a short-hire business model for small and micro vehicles.

It indicates short-time vehicle renting, known to the public as shared cars, is being officially supported by the authorities.

With the rapid development of the mobile internet, short-time car hire services have developed rapidly in China, with users quick to realize their advantages in terms of convenience, efficiency and cost. The periodic car leasing business model is also proving attractive to more and more companies, and it is being rolled out in an increasing number of cities, especially those with government restrictions on the purchasing and use of cars.

The short-time vehicle rental model is an improvement on the traditional car rental model in terms of service mode, technology and management. The guidelines issued by the two ministries predict short-time vehicle rentals will increasingly be the urban transportation mode of choice for many drivers, which will be conducive to reducing individual purchases of cars and so ease the traffic pressure in cities.

According to the document, short-time car rental companies are encouraged to use new energy vehicles and adopt a credit system instead of deposits.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attends a news conference after reshuffling his cabinet, at his official residence in Tokyo, Japan, August 3, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

What Japan's defense white paper, which was released on Tuesday, says about China is an about-face to what Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Monday.

Kono said Japan attaches importance to China, and the two countries can make important contributions to revitalizing Asia and promoting world peace by working hand-in-hand. Japan's defense white paper, on the other hand, portrayed a threatening China seeking to expand its military influence and territorial claims.

It is true Japan attaches importance to China, but in a malicious manner.

While China and the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations made headway by concluding the framework for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, Japan along with the United States and Australia jointly released a statement pointing an accusing finger at China for the territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Although it, as an outsider, has nothing to do with the South China Sea disputes, Japan spares no efforts in trying to stir up trouble and hinder China and the other territorial claimants in the waters from resolving their disputes through dialogues.

By seizing every opportunity to paint China as a "military threat" in the region, especially to Japan, the Abe administration hopes to be able to push though changes to the country's pacifist Constitution and play a bigger role as an accomplice of the US in the latter's efforts to undermine China's influence in the region, in order to serve Tokyo's ambitions for regional leadership.

Japan's upending of China's policy of seeking dialogue to resolve the disputes flies in the face of the progress China has made with the ASEAN member states on the issue of the South China Sea, the improvement of relations with the Philippines being a case in point.

Japan should stop being double-faced, which will do it no good and only betray the fact that it is the real troublemaker in the region and thus the real threat to regional and world peace.

As Foreign Minister Wang Yi said to Kono on Monday, China hopes Japan matches its words with actions and translates its positive stance about improving ties with China into tangible policies and actions.


THE LOCAL LEGISLATURE of Southwest China's Chongqing municipality plans to allow local employees to take paid leave if they have elderly parents admitted to hospital. Guangzhou Daily comments:

Chongqing is not the first provincial-level administrative region to propose such leave. Southwest China's Sichuan province and Central China's Hubei province are also reportedly planning to do the same.

Elderly care leave is a good idea because it will allow employees to care for their elderly parents if they are admitted to hospital. Without such leave, they have to ask for leave of absence, which often means lower wages and fewer opportunities for promotion.

As a result, there have been many cases of employees quitting their jobs so that they can care for their elderly parents in hospital or else elderly patients lying in hospital with no one beside them.

The proposed elderly care leave will hopefully solve this problem. Chongqing plans to allow employees to ask for 10 to 20 days of paid leave to take care of their elderly parents should they be admitted to hospital. This would be a legal right.

If the proposed elderly care leave becomes law, it must be strictly implemented so as to prevent it from becoming a right on paper only. The Labor Law says every employee nationwide has the right to enjoy paid annual leaves, but in reality many companies violate their employees' rights, and the latter dare not speak out because they fear they will lose their jobs.

Other measures must be taken to ensure the elderly care leave is not illusive. For example, the local authorities could make a black list, and the enterprises that refuse to let their employees enjoy the leave should be put on the list and excluded from getting government contracts. Only in this way will employees be able to take elderly care leave.
FIVE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DETAINED for their involvement in the death of a 23-year-old university graduate, who was found dead in a pond in Tianjin's Jinghai district last month, after reportedly falling victim to a fake job advertisement and being tricked into a pyramid scheme. Beijing News commented on Tuesday:

On the same day the college graduate died another 25-year-old lost his life in Jinghai, which is home to criminal networks that take advantage of ill-informed and naive job seekers who respond to fake job advertisements, then employ every possible tricksuch as brainwashing, swindling, beating and detainingto force them to prey on other prospective victims.

A fraudulent employment advertisement published on Zhipin, a popular recruitment website, lured the 23-year-old graduate to Jinghai on May 20. He was not alone in falling for such scams. Last year the Cyberspace Administration of China shut down 16 recruitment websites in a campaign targeting illegal activities related to recruitment websites, from fake job offers to pyramid promotions.

Police said 3,000 law enforcement officers have now been dispatched to hunt down those involved in such schemes. They also pledged to coordinate with neighboring provinces to break the networks.

Improved cross-regional enforcement is more than necessary to combat pyramid schemes, which have become a malignant tumor in social governance. The tragic death of two young men in Jinghai is just the tip of the iceberg, and should be a wakeup call to local authorities. Consistent, standardized efforts are called for to eliminate such deadly scams across the country, particularly in Central and South China.

The truth is that most parts of China have scammers, who go to great lengths to avert supervision and recruit followers. They even feel little shame in brainwashing their family and friends. The recent detention of a Jinghai resident, who was accused of knowingly renting his house to pyramid sellers, marks a laudable move to root out whoever is behind such crimes.
In recent years, President Xi Jinping has been reiterating that, to revive the nation, we must remain confident as ever of the path, theories, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Artists should learn to draw essence and power from Chinese culture to create classical works to inspire people.

How should the country and individuals draw confidence from Chinese culture? And what is the relationship between the cultural heritage of more than 5,000 years and cultural confidence?

It's not easy to understand the far-reaching significance of the Communist Party of China's confidence in the path, theories, system and culture of the country despite many of these aspects being part of individuals' daily lives. Even if a person is determined to achieve a goal, he or she may face problems when it comes to having cultural confidence based on his own character and morals. But the person could figure out his or her life's goal (path), the reasons behind that goal (theories) and the best way to realize that goal (system). And cultural confidence can inspire that person to achieve his or her goal.

In the same way, cultural confidence can help a country to pursue and achieve the dream of national rejuvenation.

In the past, doubts about our traditional culture undermined our cultural confidence, and forced us to wander in search of the right answers for individual and social emancipation. The lack of the right approach to traditional culture could prompt many people to conceive it as listless, if not flawed.

Many Chinese TV dramas have highlighted the wiliness of officials, the trickeries of the job market, the crisis of trust in interpersonal relationships and the "power" of vested interest groups. When audiences seem convinced that humans by nature are weak and thus susceptible to corruption, it becomes necessary to aggressively promote morality and probity in society.

Thanks to China's strengthening national power and the top leadership's promotion of traditional culture as a unique strategic resource, the public has gradually come to realize that traditional culture needs to be put on the development agenda.

By giving a new life to traditional culture, the Party has profoundly strengthened our cultural confidence in the future in at least four aspects.

First, the revival of traditional culture offers a solid basis for the rejuvenation of Chinese nation and realizing the Chinese Dream. The rejuvenation of the nation, however, is not limited to territorial integrity and safeguarding State sovereignty; it also means renaissance of the Chinese civilization.

Second, the revival of traditional culture has strengthened our sense of history and unity. China has a long and profound history, which motivates us to construct our cultural confidence as members of a leading world power, and to help other countries to distinguish China from the rest of the world.

Third, traditional culture's revival can help us find the roots of our civilization while also making it part of our daily life. If we extract the best parts of traditional culture such as friendship, virtue, reciprocity, harmony, benevolence and loyalty, and fit them into the socialist core values, we can trace concepts such as "people-based" society, ecological civilization, rule of law and the emancipation of minds to traditional culture. And by using these concepts to seek solutions to the contemporary society's problems, we can demonstrate our cultural confidence.

And fourth, the revival of traditional culture can invigorate China's power strategy. Amid the trend of global economic integration, traditional cultural concepts such as "all nations live side by side in perfect harmony" and "benevolence and good-neighborliness" will help the peaceful rise of China and contribute to world peace and development.

The author is a professor at the School of Sociology and Population Studies, and a research fellow at the National Academy of Development and Strategy, Renmin University of China.
Community Groups Blast Rahm's DOJ Lawsuit As A Political Misdirection From Real Immigration Reform

By Stephen Gossett in News on Aug 9, 2017 7:30PM



Getty Images / Photo: Scott Olson

The day after Mayor Rahm Emanuel formally announced the city's lawsuit against the Department of Justice, a coalition of immigrant-rights and community organizations slammed the move as little more than political theatre, and a misdirection technique from Emanuel's lack of progress on strengthening support for undocumented immigrants via bolstering the city's Welcoming City Ordinance.

The Chicago Immigration Working Groupa coalition of 14 local activist groupsblasted the mayor for not making meaningful progress in closing "discriminatory" carve-outs in the Welcoming City ordinance, while at the same time accusing Rahm of milking the lawsuit as a way to improve his image.

The Chicago's sanctuary-city policy dictates that local police not detain suspects beyond their release time in order to turn them over to federal immigration agents. But several major loopholes exist, including for individuals in the city's gang database, people with an outstanding criminal warrant and individuals with previous felony convictions. Groups like CIWG (along with some influential aldermen) have been trying to change that since last year; but they argue that Rahm's administration has not been receptive, even amidst his DOJ/Trump pushback and litigation.

CIWG said in a statement on Wednesday:



"While the Chicago Immigration Working Group supports efforts to push back against the Trump Administrations bullying and overreach of federal power, it is clear that the primary purpose of the lawsuit filed by the City of Chicago is not to defend the rights of undocumented Chicagoans but to preserve federal funding for the Chicago Police Department and bolster Mayor Emanuels national image as a champion of immigrants."

The group also links to a Fran Spielman story in the Sun-Times, which recounts Emanuel emailing high-profile news folk about his support of immigration, "to shore up a national media image" after he was left toxic in the wake of the Laquan McDonald scandal.

Aside from the image angle, CIWG argues that the Emanuel administration is now leaning on its DOJ litigation "as a tactic to end negotiations with community members" about closing the Welcoming City loopholes. They add in the statement:



"In an email to community organizations inquiring about the lawsuit and the Citys next steps, Seemi Choudry, the Director of the Mayors Office of New Americans  the office tasked with relating to the immigrant community  noted, 'As for scheduling a meeting to discuss the Welcoming City Ordinance, we are not in a position to discuss amendments to the ordinance as we are now in litigation with the federal government.'"

A measure that would strengthen the ordinance was introduced in February and has 29 co-sponsors, but it has yet to proceeded to the full City Council.

The city is suing the Department of Justice over its threats to withhold Byrne Justice Assistance Grants from sanctuary cities, such as Chicago. The city is expected to receive a relatively paltry (in the overall budget picture) $3.2 million in those grants, which mostly go toward purchasing new police vehicles. Emanuel argues that even though the sum of funds is comparatively minor, the precedent would be chilling.

But community groups continue to demand more. "If the City of Chicago is truly serious about ensuring public safety and resisting the Trump administrations anti-immigrant agenda, then it must take action to protect all individuals constitutional rights and amend the Welcoming City Ordinance to protect all Chicagoans without exceptions," CIWG added.
A worker cleans a steel lendle at the Dongbei Special Steel Group in Dalian, Liaoning province. LIU DEBIN / FOR CHINA DAILY

The Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in November 2013 decided to deepen reform in an all-round way, in order to develop socialism with Chinese characteristics and promote the modernization of China's governance system and governance capacity.

It is clear by now that China has comprehensively implemented reforms in the economic, political, social, cultural and environmental fields, as well as in the construction of the Party and the military.

The main goal of the economic reform is to strike the right balance between the government and the market, so that the market plays a decisive role in resource distribution while the government takes measures to improve governance.

The reform of the administrative evaluation and approval system, too, has proceeded smoothly, as 618 administrative evaluation and approval items have been cancelled or delegated to lower-level authorities. Besides, 323 intermediary services for administrative evaluation and approval, and 434 professional qualification licenses have been regulated. Also, the local authority power list, obligation list and negative list for market access have been established, and since 2014 government pricing of 80 commodities and services cancelled.

The reform of State-owned enterprises has been proceeding well, with central-level SOEs implementing reforms aimed at regulating capital. Fiscal and tax reforms, too, have deepened, and measures to replace business tax with value-added tax nationwide were taken on May 1 last year.

Thanks to the financial system reform, the renminbi has been included in the Special Drawing Rights basket of the International Monetary Fund, and the authorities have launched a development plan (2016-20) for inclusive finance so as to promote "green finance". As part of the urbanization reform, measures have been taken to help migrant workers to settle down in urban areas. And to boost the economy, 11 free trade zones have been established.

Moreover, the Belt and Road Initiative (the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road), and international production capacity cooperation have made significant progress, and the BRICS New Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank have started operation.

In the political field, the promotion of socialism with Chinese characteristics has achieved considerable success, and the judicial system reform has deepened.

As far as social reforms are concerned, education, healthcare, eldercare, employment and income distribution reforms have made remarkable progress. And in the cultural field, the production and management system have been further improved.

As for environmental protection, the eco-compensation system, the "river chief system" (total protection of rivers and lakes) and "national park (protection) system" have been implemented.

In terms of Party building, the anti-corruption mechanism has been strengthened with the aim of putting power in the cage of regulations.

The deepening reform has paved the way for sustainable social development and comprehensive social progress. China has maintained a medium to high growth rate despite the global economic downturn, and by the end of last year, its urbanization rate had reached 57.4 percent, up 4.8 percentage points compared with the end of 2012. The figure is likely to increase to 63 percent by the end of 2020.

From 2013 to last year, more than 13 million jobs were created every year, and the number of impoverished people declined by over 10 million a year. According to the poverty relief plan, China will become a moderately well-off society in an all-round way by 2020, which means all impoverished people will be lifted out of poverty by then.

With the main framework of deepening reform in an all-round way established, it is necessary to scientifically define the function and obligation of the government, so that the government and the market coordinate with and support each other. It is also important to establish an effective property right protection system, because the right to property is the basis of market economy. And a unified, open market system with orderly competition needs to be established to allow the free flow of key production factors nationwide, and guarantee market players equal access to production factors and the right to invest and do business freely.

The author is a researcher at the Institute of Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
There is much common ground for China and the European Union to take a hand in solving many Middle East political issues. [File photo]

I was in Brussels on a short academic visit with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung office from June 21 through July 8, and was able to meet a number of EU officials thanks to my host's thoughtful arrangements.

These fruitful contacts convinced me that China and EU can cooperate on a wide variety of Middle East issues since there is much common ground in political thinking.

China and EU firstly share concerns about Middle East security. The U.S. and Russia are competing fiercely for geopolitical influence in the region, while China and EU regard the Middle East as closely related to substantial common security and economic interests.

The EU is deeply concerned about the terrorist threat and refugee crisis as the war-affected area in the Middle East is geographically connected with Europe. China also believes the terrorist threat to its northwestern territory of Xinjiang originated from the Middle East.

China and the EU also regard the Middle East as a shared economic partner. They both depend heavily on a stable flow of oil from the Arab world, and they both take the region as a major consumer of their products. These shared interests provide a solid foundation for cooperation.

They also hold similar positions on major Middle East issues. The EU wants to promote the peace process between Palestine and Israel, and even intends to pressure Israel into compliance on settlement issues. Unfortunately, Israel turns a deaf ear to the EU pleas.

The EU does take measures such as labeling agriculture products from those Israeli settlements considered unlawful, to remind potential buyers about "immoral consumption;" however, these measures have had little effect.

The EU's position and awkwardness in this regard are very similar with those of China. It believes the legitimate rights of Palestinian nationhood must be respected, and that the international community should work together to promote a solution fair to the interests of Israel and the Palestinians.

On the Syrian crisis, EU interlocutors unequivocally support the Syrian opposition. They believe that, without strong opposition, there will be no fair solution of the longstanding crisis. However, the EU shares China's perception that an early political solution will reduce the pain and the grievances of Syrian people.

The EU particularly believes the impact on Europe from the Syrian crisis will be greatly reduced as a result of an early political solution and a fresh start.

China and the EU also share the same attitude toward the Iran nuclear issue. They adhere to the commitments of the JCPOA while President Trump said during his campaign last year that he would tear up the deal, and is currently trying to sabotage it by provoking Iran with sanctions.

The EU used to strongly push Western-style democracy and humanitarian concepts, and continues to do so in regard to the preconditions for Turkey's admission to the club, and decides its policy on Iran based on an evaluation of its human rights records.

However, there are signs of change. Many EU officials and scholars seek an increase of pragmatism instead of principles, some saying the EU's Middle East policy has been hijacked by security concerns.

Chinese scholars welcome this as it comes closer to their own country's approach. Ever since the reform and opening-up in the late 1970s, China's Middle East policy has been characterized by pragmatism. Or, to put that another way, China does not attach ideology to its Middle East policy.

China and Europe can cooperate on Middle East issues because of the cooperation that has been achieved previously. Both China and the EU regard the Iran nuclear deal, in which they played a major role, as a success not only for Iran, but also for the international community.

European officials believe that the successful experience can be duplicated in cooperation in mediating other regional conflicts, to the benefit of not only the immediate region, but the world at large.

All in all, the foundations for cooperation between China and Europe have never been so good as they are today, since the two sides share very similar concerns, perceptions, positions and approaches dealing with Middle East issues.

European officials believe China can increase its security resources patrolling waters in the Red Sea to combat piracy since the worsening regional security situation will lead to more piracy threatening sea lanes.

China and the EU can also jointly protect the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal by diplomatic means. The two can also jointly mediate for a political solution of the Syrian crisis, and jointly promote the Palestine-Israel peace process as well.




[Photo/Xinhua]

More than 8.6 million Chinese and foreign tourists visited Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region in the first half of 2017, up 25 percent year on year, authorities said Tuesday.

Tourism revenue during the period reached 9.3 billion yuan ($1.4 billion), according to a regional tourism development commission statement.

Tourism authorities and resorts now offer special tours in the region, inviting visitors to enjoy local festivals, hiking trails and cuisine.

Ctrip.com, China's largest online travel agency, has issued list of China's top ten summer resorts, with Tibet ranked first.

Tourism experts forecast more tourists in the following months than the first half of the year as the region will celebrate a series of events such as the Shoton (Yogurt) festival and the horse race festival.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (L) shakes hands with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha during their meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, on Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

BANGKOK - Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson agreed on Tuesday to enhance bilateral cooperation on security and economy.

Tillerson, the highest level US official visiting Thailand since 2014, met with Prayut and his Thai counterpart Don Pramudwinai.

The two countries agreed to have more cooperation on military, security, counter-terrorism and extremism and also trade and investment.

Tillerson arrived here Tuesday after attending a series of ASEAN and related foreign ministers' meetings in the Philippines.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano speaks during the grand celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Manila, the Philippines, Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

MANILA - China has played "a very positive role in the (Southeast Asian) region," Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said on Tuesday.

He said China's strong economy has fueled growth in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.

"Definitely China will be a better driver for a socio-economic development in the region," Cayetano told a news conference at the end of the series of ASEAN and related foreign ministers' meetings that kicked off Saturday.

At the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting, the 10 ASEAN ministers commended the "growing role" of China in the region.

In a joint communique, the ministers also stressed the need for more economic integration between ASEAN and China and the need to have more "high-level" dialogues and exchanges.

"We acknowledged China's growing role in the region and highlighted that China's economic growth continues to benefit the region," the ministers said.

At the press conference, Cayetano stressed the need to maintain stability in the region by focusing on positive development, adding that there is now relative peace in the South China Sea.

Foreign ministers of China and ASEAN approved a framework of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea here on Sunday.

"I can honestly say that the relationship of ASEAN and China has improved and been strengthened over this ministerial meetings," the Philippine foreign secretary said.
South African President Jacob Zuma (C, Front) addresses supporters of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) after he survived a no confidence motion in Cape Town, South Africa, on Aug 8, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

CAPE TOWN - South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday survived a no confidence motion by secret ballot.

Parliament Speaker Baleka Mbete announced that 198 MPs voted against the motion, while 177 voted in favor and nine abstained.

MPs of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) burst into applause when the result was announced.

Opposition MPs walked out of the chamber, looking crestfallen.

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane vowed to continue the struggle to remove Zuma from office.

Hundreds of anti-Zuma protesters who gathered outside Parliament, anxiously waiting for the result, expressed disappointment over the outcome.

However, crowds of ANC supporters waiting outside Parliament were jubilant when hearing the news.

"This was a victory not only for Zuma but also for the ANC and the country," Swowan Laura, a middle school teacher, told Xinhua.

Zuma has survived eight no confidence motion in the past seven years. But this was the first time that a no confidence motion was conducted through secret ballot.

Opposition parties had been pushing for a secret ballot so as to encourage ANC MPs to support the motion.

After Mbete gave the green light to the secret ballot on Monday, the ANC said it has full confidence in the loyalty of the ANC MPs when voting in the no confidence motion.

"We do not nor have we ever doubted their loyalty and discipline in relation to the decisions of the movement," the ANC said.

The result of Tuesday's voting once again showed the unity of the ANC and the loyalty of ANC MPs to the organization, an ANC MP said on condition of anonymity.

He said that by defeating the motion, South Africa has avoided anarchy.

Under the Constitution, if Zuma was removed, the whole cabinet would resign, and if no candidate was chosen from MPs within 30 days to succeed Zuma, general elections would be held in 90 days.

The ANC has warned that any of its MPs who support the anti-Zuma no confidence motion risk being disciplined by the party, insisting that removing Zuma from office would not be in the best interest of the country.

After the vote, the ANC congratulated the Parliament for its robust engagement in the National Assembly that resulted in the "resounding defeat" of the motion of no confidence in Zuma and the cabinet.

The ANC regards it as paramount that not just the elected representatives, but all South Africans are able to engage on the most critical issues facing the country without fear of favor, ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.

"The biggest victor of today's event is our constitutional dispensation. It once again reaffirms the ANC's position as the leader of society in that the country's MP's are able to exercise this critical constitutional provision aimed at safeguarding our democracy," said Kodwa.
GAZA - Israeli war jets carried out a series of successive airstrikes on the Gaza Strip early on Wednesday in response to earlier rocket attack carried out from the coastal enclave into Israel, security officials said.

Security officials and eyewitnesses said that a series of huge explosions were heard in northwest Gaza city, adding that it was a result of two heavy airstrikes at posts that belong to militants in the area.

Medical sources said that at least two civilians were injured and were evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment.

The Israeli airstrikes on the militants posts were an Israeli response to an earlier rocket attack fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel causing no damages or casualties, according to Israel Radio.
Londoners will get a glimpse of some of China's up-and-coming young performers when they take the stage at the City of Westminster College on Wednesday.

The show, which involves around 30 artists, who range in age from primary school students to those at university, will offer Chinese cultural performances in such areas as martial arts, calligraphy, Chinese poetry, and music.

The show is being organized by the Beijing-based cultural organization Young China. Each year, it takes a handpicked group of talented young Chinese artists on an overseas cultural tour. In the past, the event has made its way to the United States, Russia, Thailand, Singapore, and South Korea. This year marks the first time the group has visited the United Kingdom.

Zhao Hongli, artistic director of Young China, said: "We hope this show will facilitate cultural exchanges between Chinese children and children in the UK, so that they may learn from each other as they advance their performance skills in the future. This trip will also enable our children to learn more about British culture, and develop a broader vision. Many of our children may even realize that they would like to study in the UK in the future."

The concert will be attended by an audience of around 200.

The children will also be taken on a tour around important local landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, Globe Theater, the British Museum, and Windsor Castle. In total, around 60 children are participating in the trip.

"We are thrilled that our children are able to experience British culture for themselves," Zhao said. "Britain and China are two nations that are rich in culture, where the future opportunities for collaboration are immense, and these young people will become future bridges, to make these cultural collaboration opportunities a reality."

In addition to organizing the children's annual summer overseas performances, Young China also sets up shows for them in China.
PYONGYANG -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Wednesday released on humanitarian grounds a Canadian man who was serving life sentence for alleged anti-DPRK activities, according to Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"Rim Hyon Su (Hyeon Soo Lim), a Canadian civilian, was released on sick bail according to the decision of the Central Court of DPRK on Aug. 9, 2017 from a humanitarian viewpoint," said the KCNA.

"He had been under the penalty of indefinite hard labor as he conducted hostile deeds against DPRK," said the report.

The release came one day after a high-level Canadian government team led by Daniel Jean arrived here Tuesday.

The national security advisor to the Canadian prime minister and special envoy of the latter came to discuss the case of the Canadian pastor after Swedish charge d'affaires ad interim here met with Rim, 62, last month.

During the meeting, Rim reportedly talked about his health condition, and asked the charge d'affaires ad interim "to convey his request to the Canadian government for making active efforts" for his release.

Sweden has consular affairs duty for Canadian citizens in the DPRK.

In December 2015, South Korean-born Rim was sentenced to life education through labor for committing hostile acts against the DPRK during his stay in the country.
About China Law Blog

We focus on the practical aspects of Chinese law and how it impacts foreign companies that do business in or with China. Our goal is to help you understand what works and what does not work and what you as a businessperson can do to use the law to your advantage. Our aim is to assist businesses already in China or planning to go into China, not to break new ground in legal theory or policy.

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Andy Lau shows up for the first time and speaks at the premiere of his new film "The Adventures" in Beijing, Aug. 8, 2017, after six-month convalescence from injury. [Photo/China.org.cn]

After six months of recuperation from a severe injury suffered in an accident, Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau finally reappeared in Beijing on Tuesday to promote his new film.

The actor attended the premiere of "The Adventures" with director Stephen Fung, as well as fellow actors Jean Reno, Yo Yang, Sha Yi and actresses Shu Qi and Zhang Jingchu.

"I'm very good now, and sorry to have caused you to worry about me," Lau said after trotting onto the stage. "Now, I'm back to what I was half a year ago. I can freely talk and laugh; I can bounce and jump."

Lau was injured after he fell off a horse in an accident while filming a commercial in Thailand on Jan. 17, 2017, resulting in pelvic laceration. He put all work on hold for six months to undergo convalescence, including promotion of his film "Shock Wave" in April as well as dozens of concerts and shows.

The film premiered in Beijing is a treasure hunt action feature about the quest of three thieves traversing Europe while dodging a pursuing police officer. Lau also served as an executive producer for the project.

The director revealed that the role played by Lau was intended for actor Feng Shaofeng. But Feng was injured and unable to shoot the film. Fung said he was so anxious at that time that his hair "went white" because it was almost unprecedented for a switch in the leading role to take place one month before the film was ready to shoot. At last Lau agreed to join in to solve the worries.

Lau joked at the premiere that due to director Fung's romantic vision, he looked "even more handsome" in this film than any others in which he had starred.

The behind-the-scene story is also very romantic. Director Fung and actress Shu Qi married during the filming. The actor Yo Yang jokingly remembered that, originally, he was supposed to kiss Shu Qi at the end of the film. However, just before the scene was going to be shot, he was notified the kiss had been changed to a "slap on his face."

"And Miss Shu slapped me so hard, the cameraman was shocked, and even people in the whole building heard the sound," Yang complained.

The film is set for release on Aug. 11 in China.
One of the joys of blogging is finding gems in unlikely places. The gem is a post entitled Jewelry and Gold Plating Problems: Can You Trust Chinese Factories? I say unlikely because neither (nor I would bet, most of our readers) have much interest in jewelry plating problems. The post is written by a Shenzhen-based factory auditing company with whom my law firms international manufacturing lawyers have worked on many China manufacturing matters, and rest assured these people know whereof they speak when it comes to China manufacturing and this post is no exception.

The post ostensibly deals with how relatively inexpensive jewelry made of brass and plated with gold so often has quality problems. The post then does a great job digging into why this just keeps happening in this industry. This is an industry we know well because much of it is based in Qingdao and our law firm has long-standing connections to that city. This is also an industry with low profit margins and a lot of shady operators.

The post starts out asking what is happening in this industry? Are they [the Chinese manufacturers] cheating the buyers, or are they simply careless? It then gives the following three part explanation:

Profit maximization with a calculated risk approach  what is sometimes referred to as quality fade.

Reliance on so-called experience  not on facts and objective data.

Buyers who dont define their quality expectations clearly enough.

To which I say, yup.

The post then analyzes/explains each of these three things.

1. Profit maximization with a calculated risk approach. Once a Chinese supplier ships its goods, the shipment has usually been approved and paid for and the transaction is fully completed. There are a few reasons for that:

High logistics costs

The process to return jewels is a nightmare

Customs clearance (cost and time) at both the supplier and buyer sides

The above means China manufacturers try to ship products as cheap to produce as possible, and yet are likely to be accepted by the buyer. For example, if a buyer is asking for 1um gold plating, the jewels might only have a gold layer of 0.5um.

2. Reliance on so-called experience  not on facts or objective experiments. According to the post, most buyers are surprised by this. Chinese factories in general barely have an R&D team. Their expertise is based entirely on their intuition (which they call their experience), and unfortunately it cant be fully trusted.

Again, I can only assent.

When buyers bring a new case to their Chinese supplier, the supplier tries to remember similar cases. This might work in a factory that has been in business for many years with a stable staff and good problem solving abilities, but it doesnt work in a small workshop started recently.

3. Buyers who dont define their quality expectations clearly enough.

The post does not free buyers from at least partial blame. I personally see the foreign buyer as at least partially at fault most of the time. Not saying the Chinese manufacturer is not also at fault, because it usually is, but most of the time had the foreign buyer taken action before the problem arose, there would have been no problem.

What can you do to prevent quality problems? Im glad I asked, and for answers, I suggest you read the following, most of which focus on how having a China-specific manufacturing contract can protect you.

This post rightly blames buyers for not explaining their quality and manufacturing standards clearly enough to their Chinese manufacturers:

In some cases, the buyer asked for the plating to last for at least 6 months or 1 year. Thats better than nothing. But some factories see this requirement, confirm the need for 1um (or sometimes for 0.5um) gold plating, offer a competitive price, and are likely the get the customers business. For a case of greenish effect on the skin, I called and discussed with tens of Chinese factories. The result was surprising. A few (yes only a few) provided real expert feedback. Most of them provided different requirements (some of them scientifically ridiculous) and said do not worry, we will provide great quality if your client buys from us. Plating, be it on jewelry or other products, is an expertise area that most factories havent mastered. If plating is critical on your product, you might have to acquire the knowledge to guide (or force) your suppliers to be compliant with clear quality standards.

The post then explains how to be clear with your plating standards.

What this post does not do though is explain the various ways you as a buyer of manufactured goods from China can avoid quality problems. For that, I suggest you read Five Keys To Getting Good Quality Products From Your Overseas Manufacturer. In that post, I assure our readers that if they consistently do the following five things, they will get good quality products from their product suppliers:

Use a Good Company. Sounds rather basic, but we constantly see this rule violated. If you do nothing else that we suggest in this post, do this one thing as it matters as much as all the other things put together. Do your due diligence on your supplier. Use a Good Manufacturing Agreement. Good contracts ensure your Chinese company knows what is required of it and what will happen if it fails to provide it. For what constitutes a good Manufacturing Agreements go here, here and here. Most China contracts we see are completely worthless, with a good chunk of those being even worse than having no contract at all. See Why Your NDA is WORSE Than Nothing for China and Is Your China Contract Worthless? Use Detailed Documents. Chinese factories tend to do exactly what you tell them to do. This means that what you tell them to do needs to be clearly conveyed and that means your instructions and specifications should be detailed and in. Be specific. Visit the Factory. Either your own people or a third party QC company should pay regular visits to your factory. Doing this allows you to make sure it understands what you want and lets them know that you are serious about making sure you get it. Inspect. Perform regular product inspections appropriate to the product you are having made.

Do the above and your odds of getting good product go way up. Dont do the above and they go way down.
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Rescuers work at a quake-hit tourist site in Zhangzha town, Jiuzhaigou County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 9, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for all-out efforts to rapidly organize relief work and rescue the injured people after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The death toll has risen to 19, with 247 injured, including 40 in serious condition, local authorities said Wednesday.

The quake jolted Jiuzhaigou County at 9:19 p.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time) at a depth of 20 km, and the epicenter was monitored at 33.2 degrees north latitude and 103.82 degrees east longitude.

Authorities should check the impact of the earthquake, evacuate and settle visitors and local people, and reduce death and injuries as much as possible, Xi said.

As the earthquake took place during the flood period and tourism season, authorities should enhance meteorological early warning and geological monitoring to guard against other disasters and try their best to protect people's lives and property, Xi added.

Premier Li Keqiang also urged local authorities to go all out in relief and monitoring work.

China's cabinet, the State Council, has sent a national work team to the disaster-hit area to guide relief work. Local governments have activated top-level emergency response procedures.
A Korean Canadian pastor who had been detained in North Korea for two years and seven months was released on Wednesday over health reasons, a North Korean news agency reported.

Rim Hyon Su [Lim Hyeon Soo], a Canadian civilian, was released on sick bail according to the decision of the Central Court of the DPRK on August 9, 2017, from the humanitarian viewpoint, North Koreas official news agency KCNA said.

Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the release on Thursday, saying he was pleased and relieved that Lim will soon be reunited with his family and friends in Canada.

Pastor Lims health and well-being remain of utmost important to the Government of Canada, and we are working to ensure that he receives any required medical attention, Trudeau said in a statement.

Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim, 62, was detained in December of 2015 when he was in North Korea on one of his numerous humanitarian trips. He was sentenced to hard labor for life for committing crimes against the state.

According to his family, Lim had been to North Korea more than 100 times.

We are relieved to hear that Reverend Lim is on his way home to finally reunite with his family and meet his grand daughter for the first time, Lisa Pak, a spokesperson for Lims family, told CNN. There is a long way to go in terms of Reverend Lims healing. Therefore, in the meantime we ask the media for privacy as he reconnects with his loved ones and receives medical attention.

We want to thank the global community for the continued prayers and support and we also ask that the world does not forget the people of North Korea, her statement continued.

Since Lim, who formerly led Light Presbyterian Church in Toronto, was detained, the Korean community in numerous locations held multiple prayer gatherings for his release, including in Canada, the U.S., and South Korea.

Lims release came soon after a high-level official from Canada visited North Korea on Tuesday, hoping to intervene in his case.

This is a truly joyous occasion, Suzanne Scholte, the chair of the North Korea Freedom Coalition, told the International Christian Concern, a human rights organization focusing on persecuted Christians.

Meanwhile, Lims health condition is currently unclear. Prior to his release, Lims family expressed concern for his health as he was known to have lost a significant amount of weight, and to have complained of stomach pain.

Lim also has had high blood pressure, and his family was able to send him medication. However, Canadian Senator Yonah Martin expressed concern that Lim was not receiving the medicine in the way he should, according to Reuters.

This report was updated on Thursday, August 10, 2017 at 10:38 AM PST to include the confirmation from the Canadian government.
Is affirming same-sex sexual relationships as righteous before God a heresy? Even if you believe its un-Biblical, are heresy and orthodoxy even the right categories for addressing the problem?

Over the weekend, philosopher and Calvin College professor James K. A. Smith argued that recent use of the words orthodoxy and heresy in debates about sexual ethics surrounding same-sex marriage is a selective and illegitimate expansion of the terms. Instead, we should reserve the language of orthodoxy and heresy for those beliefs which are conciliar, and rooted in, and measured by, the ecumenical councils and creeds of the Church (Nicaea, Chalcedon) because they refer to the fundamental truths of Gods triunity, the resurrection, the virgin birth, and so forth.

In contrast to this ideal, Smith says these terms have been reduced from this creedal basis to a single issue: a particular view of sexuality and marriage. He deems this development, recent, innovative, and narrow, symptomatic of a modern tendency to reduce Christianity to its morality. Indeed, unless were careful, the term orthodox will simply become the adjective we append to any issue we personally find important, thereby writing off swaths of Christians who affirm conciliar orthodoxy and closing down conversation in the church.

Predictably, this argument set off some discussion on the internet. Notable entries include Alastair Robertss argument that Smith has truncated the notion of creedal orthodoxy, and Alan Jacobss defense of Smith against Roberts and other critics, which Smith himself has commended. No doubt more entries will come.

Before proceeding with my own judgments, its worth stating that I benefit greatly from Smiths work and respect him as a scholar and a Christian. Nor am I worried this is an attempt at moral revision or something on that order. I hope anyone reading this (including Smith himself) will read this article in that light.

Functional Orthodoxy

To begin, I find myself quite sympathetic to Smiths concerns. A few years ago I wondered aloud whether we needed another term to flag what sort of error is involved in affirming same-sex marriage (SSM) in the church. Im certainly in no rush to declare new heresies or label anyone a heretic. I have enough friends whom I am convinced are trying to love Jesus but honestly differ from me on this issue such that it would be painful and costly to do so.

Sympathies noted, Im not sure Smith has been fair to or grasped the point of those who have been using the terms this way.

For some who insist this is an issue of heresy and orthodoxy, their point is that SSM is and assumes a denial of a broader theological vision of creation as well as the meaning of the human body assumed by the whole of the Christian church and the creedal tradition itself. It is, in that sense, a functional denial of doctrines like creation and the Christology implied by the incarnation of the Son and the resurrection of the body. For them it is an issue of heresy and orthodoxy by good and necessary consequence, to take the language of the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF 1.6).

Second, others such as Roberts would object to this delimiting of the concept orthodoxy since it implies an unbiblical division between dogmatics and ethics. Pauls admonition against fornication and sexual immorality in 1 Corinthians 6 is grounded in the creation of the body as well as in Christs death and resurrection (the body is . . . for the Lord, and the Lord for the body, 1 Cor 6:13 ESV). Paul is articulating an explicitly Christological sexual ethic here. And the Christology and ecclesiology stated in Ephesians 5 both root and are rooted in the creational form of marriage between man and woman. Now, I dont think Smith intends this division, but it seems to be a danger inherent in his thin creedalism.

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Beyond that, I must say it does not seem those whom Smith suggests are stretching the markers of orthodoxy are oddly selective, as he claims. They are reactive to particular, current movements to normalize and sanction behaviors in the church that have been scandalous to it for 2,000 years. There may be a selectivity about it that is worth critiquing, given other scandals we may think are occurring without much notice. But theres nothing unintelligible or suspicious about a widespread reaction to this issue, since on no other issue does there appear to be such a full-court press toward revision and acceptance in both society and the church.

Whats more, it doesnt seem that the focus on sexual immorality is out of place, considering the focus it was given in the life of the early church. Consider the first church council, in Jerusalem (Acts 15). One of the first rules the apostles laid down for the Gentiles, in order that they be seen as Christians in good standing, was to abstain from sexual immorality, a term which, in first-century Judaism, was largely informed by Leviticus 18, including its proscription of same-sex intercourse. This indicates just how central sexual ethics was to the practice and understanding of the gospel in the first century.

Similarly, this focus continues in the writings of the Fathers. In fact, the Councils themselves had various canons attached to them which included much moral and ethical instruction beyond the specific definitions and creeds usually associated with them. For this reason, no less a theologian than Wolfhart Pannenberg thought churches who broadened their definitions of acceptable sexual behavior were formally schismatic, long before the recent wave of post-Obergefell anxieties.

Mountain or Molehill

Returning to the present moment, the danger most critics are reacting to is that if we dont label something a matter of orthodoxy, it tends to become minimized to an adiaphora, an agree to disagree issue. Smith is not trying to do that. He says this linguistic change doesnt signal that SSM is a matter of indifference. And yet there is a danger of doing just that when he asks this question:

Do you really want to claim that Christians who affirm all of the historic markers of orthodoxy but disagree with you on matters of sexual morality or nonviolence or women in office are heretics? So that someone can affirm the core, scandalous, supernatural tenets of the Gospel, and affirm the radicality of grace, and yet fall outside the parameters of your small-o orthodox Christianity?

There are couple of problems here. The first is lumping the issue of SSM together with issues like the ordination of women and nonviolence. The exegetical and traditional witness on womens ordination is much more split than that on SSM. Even starker (at least in the tradition) is the difference on the matter of nonviolence and just war theory. The affirmation of SSM in Western, post-Enlightenment cultures in the late 20th century is a new thing for the faith. Putting these issues in the same category understates the difference between them and (unintentionally) suggests that they should all be treated the same way.

Second, I think we fail to consider that the battles over orthodoxy in the first few centuries occurred between people who had much more agreement among themselves on core Christian beliefs than they did with the surrounding pagan culture. For instance, the sixth ecumenical council (Constantinople 3, 680681), which ruled on the issue of Monothelitism, was parsing very fine distinctions about the nature of Christs two natures. All the participants could plausibly say, Hey look, were all Nicene and Chalcedonian Christians here. Someone from the outside would certainly have seen their disputes as distinctions with barely a difference.

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You had a dispute between Christians who affirmed the supernatural tenets of the gospel, grace, the resurrection of Christ, the Sons consubstantiality with the Father, and so forth, yet this very fine distinction about Christs two wills was deemed a marker of orthodoxy because if it wasnt affirmed, it functionally and materially undermined the rest of orthodox Christian doctrine. At this ecumenical council, some Nicaea- and Chalcedon-affirming Christians believed other formally Nicaea- and Chalcedon-affirming Christians were nonetheless promoting heresy. No one sets out to create heresy, but some sincere attempts to explain our faith end there. I think we need to consider the reality of theological controversy in history when we think about Smiths questions and our unwillingness to use strong language about the issue.

Defining Orthodoxy

As I said, though, I dont mind using a different term, so long as we all agree that orthodox means only signs off on the right propositions on some foundational issues settled by church creeds and definitions. But what needs to be made absolutely clear at that point is that orthodoxy would then be an extremely limited concept for determining ecclesial boundaries and distinguishing normative Christian belief and practice. Orthodoxy would be necessary but nowhere near to sufficient for flagging the totality of beliefs within the acceptable spectrum of normative Christianity.

Let me put it this way: given this limited view of the term orthodoxy, it would be a coherent statement to say, Joe is an orthodox Christian who believes adultery can be Christian behavior. Or, Joe is an orthodox Christian who believes bearing false witness can be Christian behavior. Or, Joe is an orthodox Christian who believes coveting can be Christian behavior. None of those statements is incoherent unless orthodox just means formally aligns on key Nicene and Chalcedonian propositions. Yet its obvious in each case, somewhere Joe is severely out of line with the gospel. My point is that whatever extra term we might use to discuss the acceptability of SSM, that term would need to have some real, normative force.

Otherwise, while we may say this isnt an issue of indifference, the more we repeat sentences like Well, this is an argument between orthodox believers, the more we begin to hear, Well, this is a discussion between believers who are all basically in line with the gospel. Smiths thin definition of orthodoxy would still carry the thicker connotation it has typically had with all its boundary-defining force. Use of the term would become a theological bait-and-switch, or a reverse motte-and-bailey, in which we start with a modest claim and subsequently substitute it for a stronger one.

With that said, what different word would do? I suppose traditional could work, for the reasons Smith mentions. But that seems to lack something of the moral and ecclesial force it needs in order to flag the importance of the uniformity of opinion on the issue in church practice and history. Whats more, the implied binary term, un-traditional, still manages to carry with it a bit of cachet in our culture that is unhelpful.

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Im tempted to suggest a difference between a catholic sexual ethic versus an un-catholic or revisionist one. That term would be close in sense to traditional but give a clearer testimony that this view is the only one that could plausibly fit the Vincentian Canon or criterion of catholicity (what has been believed everywhere, always, and by all). In which case, someone could be orthodox creedally while un-catholic as to ethical practice, and we would have a better sense of the situation.

I am not committed to that language. Perhaps apostolic could do. Or maybe Im being too finicky and traditional is enough. The point is that whichever term we might choose, it would need to give an unambiguously clear signal that this is a very, very serious deviance from historic Christian belief. And its an issue that, if gotten wrong, has serious moral and spiritual repercussions.

The matter of sexuality and gender is one of the most controversial questions facing the church today. The conversations are inevitable and necessary, and we must not shirk them. Nor can we take them lightly. As Smith says, how we have these conversations matters. We need to conduct them with the love, grace, charity, and the courage of those whose lives are marked by the confession of Gods forgiveness.

I also think its pastorally wise to keep a clear eye on the distinction between teachers and congregants, and the sort of responsibility we apportion to those involved. With Wesley Hill, I want to be able to conduct conversations on the basis of shared convictions. Paul appealed to Peter as a brother, on the basis of the gospel they shared, to live consistent with that gospel. But its worth recalling that Paul was also ready to claim that anybody who persisted in denying that gospel the way Peter seemed to be doing risked anathema (Gal. 1:69). Paul was personally, lovingly engaged in calling his brother to the truth yet was crystal clear about the importance of that truth.

I suggest we be similarly clear on exactly what sort of conversation were having.

Derek Rishmawy is a doctoral student in systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. This article was adapted from a post on his blog, Reformedish.
After more than two and half years, North Korea has released a Toronto megachurch pastor the regime imprisoned and accused of attempting to establish a religious state.

Though Hyeon-Soo Lim was issued a life sentence to hard labor, his health suffered and North Korea agreed to release the Christian visitor on sick bail for humanitarian reasons on Wednesday, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

Lim is on his way home to his family, including a granddaughter he will meet for the first time, and his 3,000-member congregation, Light Korean Presbyterian Church in suburban Toronto. Canadian officials had traveled to North Korea to discuss his case a day prior to his release.

Lim, who was born in South Korea, had visited the Communist country around 100 times over 20 years to support an orphanage and nursing home his church founded. He was well-aware of the sanctions against proselytizing. In court, Lim read a statement admitting to a subversive plot to overthrow the government, but his church suspects that it was a forced confession.

His January 2015 arrest came just a couple months after the release of missionary Kenneth Bae, who faced similar charges as the longest-serving US prisoner in North Korean history.

During Lims imprisonment, his only outside contact came through letters until he was allowed a phone call home in March. His family also sent the 62-year-old blood pressure medication. Especially after the fate of Otto Warmbier (the American student who died after being freed in June), they remain concerned about his health.

The family spokeswoman told CNN:

There is a long way to go in terms of Reverend Lim's healing. Therefore, in the meantime we ask the media for privacy as he reconnects with his loved ones and receives medical attention. We want to thank the global community for the continued prayers and support and we also ask that the world does not forget the people of North Korea

Members of Light Korean held a daily prayer campaign for his protection and release.

Two other Western Christians, a pair of American professors at North Koreas evangelical-run private university, were taken into custody in April and Maythe latest in a string of missionaries to get in trouble in Pyongyang.

Since 2010, most of the foreign nationals detained in North Korea have had ties to the church, including Americans Robert Park and Jeffrey Fowles and Australian John Short.

The release of Lim, the only Canadian in North Korean custody, comes while tensions between the US and North Korea are high enough for the Trump administration to issue a travel ban on Americans entering the hostile country. There will still be opportunities for missionaries to continue to visit, due to exceptions for humanitarian workers.

President Donald Trump has responded to recent threats from North Korea by pledging fire and fury like the world has never seen if they continue. He has the backing of one of his faith advisors, First Baptist Church of Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress.

When it comes to how we should deal with evil doers, the Bible, in the book of Romans, is very clear: God has endowed rulers full power to use whatever means necessaryincluding warto stop evil, he stated. In the case of North Korea, God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong Un.
home World Secret ISIS unit behind Paris terror attack trains jihadis to strike other targets in the West

An Islamic State secret unit that was responsible for terror attacks in Paris and Brussels is reportedly training jihadis to carry out similar attacks in Britain and other parts of Europe, according to a captured militant.

The Mirror, citing The Sunday Times, reported that a captured ISIS fighter revealed how the secret unit, known as the al-Kharsa brigade, trains new recruits to carry out terror attacks in Europe.

The new recruits are reportedly subjected to seven months of training in bomb construction, physical endurance and ISIS ideology before they are sneaked back into Europe to carry out terror plots.

The captured militant noted that about 50 ISIS members from countries including Britain, Germany, France and Belgium graduated from the camp in the space of two and a half years. He said that the applicants must be willing to travel to Europe to kill, and possibly die in the name of ISIS.

The secret unit was still operational as recently as February this year, even as ISIS lost some territories to Iraqi troops and U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, the fighter claimed.

"It takes seven months to be trained in al-Kharsa brigade," the captive said. "It is very hard. Every European who crosses the border to Syria, they are offered [the opportunity] to join. If 20 start the training, only five finish it. Then after that they go back to Europe and attack," he added.

He explained that attacks were organized by the Amniyat, the terror group's external operations wing previously run by head strategist Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, who died in 2016.

The captive, who is being held prisoner by Kurdish forces in Syria, further noted that the special unit has a planning center to remotely instruct suicide bombers who are unable to join ISIS. He warned that fighters had recently made contact with "sleeper cells" in Britain.

"The attacks that happened in Paris and Brussels, the attacks were trained by them and left from Syria to Europe," he said.

"Sometimes there are foreigners who come to Syria and have training for specific missions. Then they do the attacks alone. Others are sleeper cells in Europe who want to join Daesh [Isis] here, but can't. They stay in their countries and contact [Isis]. Then they talk, and when they are ready they do the bombings," he added.

The captive claimed that ISIS fighters handed out sweets to children in the streets in celebration of the Paris and Brussels attacks, in which more than 160 people were killed.
home World Sweden refuses to grant asylum to Christian convert who risks imprisonment if she returns to Iran

The Swedish migration board is refusing to grant asylum to an Iranian actress who risks imprisonment if she is returned to her country because of her Christian faith.

Aideen Strandsson, who converted from Islam to Christianity after having a vision of Jesus in her dream, has twice been denied asylum in Sweden despite the risk of rape, torture or death if she is returned to Iran.

"They said to me it's your personal life and it's not our problem if you decided to become a Christian, and it's your problem," Strandsson told CBN News.

The Iranian actress is currently waiting for either the possibility of political asylum or deportation. She could be imprisoned if she is deported back to Iran because she has been very public about her new faith.

"It is really dangerous for me and I don't know why immigration doesn't believe that. I'm really in danger," she said.

Sweden's migration board has stated on its website that it will never deport asylum seekers to nations where they face danger, as doing so would be a violation of the Geneva convention on refugees. However, Strandsson's request for asylum has been rejected and has been turned over to border police for eventual deportation.

After Strandsson's story aired on CBN, numerous viewers contacted the migration board to express support for the Iranian actress, but the officials refused to budge. A migration board official reportedly contacted CBN and said, "the fact that your readers write to us will not change the Migration Agency's decision, nor can we change the court's decision."

"Her case has been appealed and processed by the Migration Agency and thereafter by the Swedish courts, which have also decided that she cannot be granted asylum," Ulrika Langels of the Swedish Migration Board wrote.

The network has reportedly received offers for asylum for Strandsson from other nations, but the actress could not leave Sweden because her Iranian passport has been taken away.

While the migration board refuses to grant asylum to the Christian actress, it has been generous in granting asylum to others.

In April, the Swedish Migration Agency granted asylum to Maria Teresa Rivera, a pro-choice activist from El Salvador. The agency officially granted Rivera and her 11-year-old son political asylum, saying it is "clear that this (political) persecution is rooted partly in her sex as female," and "political opinions."

In June, Swedish magazine Expressen reported that the Swedish government gave "protected identities" to hundreds of Islamic State fighters who returned from Iraq and Syria. The publication claimed to have tracked 150 militants who were provided with new identities to keep locals from finding out who they are.
Galveston Republican Bill Sargent is announcing Wednesday that he will challenge U.S. Rep. Randy Weber in the GOP primary next year in the 14th Congressional District, which stretches from the Gulf Coast to the Houston suburbs.

The announcement adds Weber, a three-term congressman and member of the House Freedom Caucus, to a growing list of Republican lawmakers facing primary challenges in 2018.

"We need people in Washington who will get the job done," Sargent said in a statement. "Introducing bills that don't go anywhere or fall short of accomplishing what we need won't cut it."

Sargent has political experience in Austin and Washington, where he worked for two congressmen and a U.S. Senator before spending 21 years handling legislation for the U.S. Department of Commerce.

In Austin, he worked with the state legislature to pass all of Galveston County's election-related legislation in the 2017 regular session, as well as a number of bills in the 2015 session.

In his announcement Sargent laid out a number of issues he wants to tackle, such as getting the coastal barrier system (or Ike Dike) funded and built. "We've studied this enough, it's time to give the Army Corps of Engineers the money to get the job done and then tell them to go and do it," Sargent said.

Another is helping the recreational red snapper fishermen. "We need to turn the management of this fishery over to the five Gulf Coast states, expand the recreational fishing season, and increase the bag limits," Sargent said, "but all of this will depend on getting accurate data, something the National Marine Fisheries Service seems unable to do."

Weber, a former Pearland City Councilman and state legislator, has represented the district since 2013, when he succeeded former Texas U.S. Rep. and presidential candidate Ron Paul.
News of two Chinese tourists who were detained for performing Nazi salutes in Germany has caused quite a stir among Chinese netizens and spurred heated online discussions.

The two Chinese tourists, aged 36 and 49, reportedly made the banned salutes in front of the Reichstag parliament building and were detained by Berlin police over the weekend for breaking German laws.

They were fined 500 euros each and reportedly have been released by the police.

Fierce criticism

The two men have already been met with fierce criticism from their countrymen, many of whom expressed support for Germany's punishment of the two.

"This is the price they have to pay for being ignorant," said user "OKLibing" of twitter-like Weibo on Monday.

According to German law, using the symbols of anti-constitutional organizations can lead to a sentence of up to three years in jail or a fine.

Any hate speech or symbols linked to illegal organizations such as Nazis are regarded as a serious violation of German law.

"I have to support German law," wrote Weibo user "Goodman-Zhou."

Obey the local law

In addition to condemning the insensitive actions, netizens and government alike have called on Chinese tourists to learn the local laws and customs before going abroad.

"Do remember to bring your own dignity and that of your country when traveling abroad, and don't humiliate your parents and motherland," said a comment by Weibo user "Liuche."

Chinese citizens who are or will be visiting Germany should obey the local law and respect local culture to avoid similar incidents, suggested the Chinese embassy in Germany.

Chinese media including The People's Daily, CCTV News and China News Service all covered the incident and reiterated the importance of acting in accordance with the local law while traveling abroad.

"It is necessary to be familiar with local laws before traveling overseas, and do not breach the bottom line," said a comment by popular blogger "Shiciyuan" that has received nearly 1,000 "likes."

Japan compared

While praising the German attitude toward its history, some Chinese netizens also make a comparison to that of the Japanese government.

"Germany has the courage to admit its mistake and correct it. However, Japan always refuses to admit and even glorifies its crimes," wrote "Madaha358" on Netease, a Chinese portal website.

While Germany is wary of the revival of extremism, Japanese right-wing forces have showed no remorse for the country's history and often tried to whitewash the crimes committed during the WWII, said "Haominiao" on Sina.com, another major portal.

"Some Japanese officials even visit the Yasukuni shrine which houses class A war criminals, what a shame!" said one netizen named "Woniumianbao."

Another comment by "2466323822" on Sina asked the Japanese government to learn from Germany when facing historical issues.

"I think it is why Germany was forgiven after WWII, but Japan wasn't and is still blamed," said another Weibo user.
Webster-based space-industry company NanoRacks is helping customers launch satellites into polar orbits, meaning they pass almost directly over the Earth's north and south poles.

This allows satellites to see virtually every part of Earth. And it's a new offering for NanoRacks, which has mostly hosted experiments or deployed satellites from the International Space Station.
High-end home sales were up nearly 20 percent in July, the ninth straight increase in sales of single-family properties that went for least $750,000, new housing data show.

Sales were up across most price points last month, as real estate agents sold 5 percent more homes than they did last July, according to a monthly report from the Houston Association of Realtors. Year-to-date, sales are 6.8 percent ahead of last year's volume.
The 2018 Mustang just got a whole lot sneakier. Ninja sneaky.

Ford is equipping it with an all-new Stealth Mode system that allows you to hush the V8 engine when slipping out for your early morning commute.

Former Mustang engineer Steve von Foerster came up with the idea after his neighbors called the cops on him after backing out his V8 GT. Being in a Mustang, he was long gone by the time the cops got there. He didn't get a ticket or even get angry, instead Good Neighbor aka Quiet Start was born.

Quiet Start comes as an add-on with the 2018 Mustang GT. It allows you to schedule the hours when you want to quiet start instead of the normal rumble. You can also select it when you get in the car as an engine mode at any time from the 12-inch cockpit display. For example, you can set it to start quietly between 8 pm and 7 am.

Technically, it works by closing valves to quiet the engine down to the about the same volume as a standard dishwasher. Now you'll just have to find a way to keep your dog from barking, your band practices from booming, and only mowing when all the neighbors are out.

Photo Credit: Ford
S'mores in the Park

Celebrate National S'mores Day with complimentary treats and more. Hosted by the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council.

When: 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday

Where: Levy Park Conservancy, 3801 Eastside

Information: gssjc.org

Circo Avenida

Acrobats and contortionists perform along the Avenida.

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney

Information: discoverygreen.com

Pakistan Independence Day Festival

Celebrate Pakistan's Independence Day with live music, traditional foods, raffles and more. Hosted by the Pakistan Association of Greater Houston.

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: Pakistan Centre, 12638 Bissonnet

Information: facebook.com/events/1903649269902849

National Roller Coaster Day

Kemah Boardwalk will be celebrating with a special discount for the all-day-ride pass. Guests can also join in the fun by celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Boardwalk Bullet with deals on single-ride Bullet tickets. When: 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday Where: Kemah Boardwalk, 215 Kipp, Kemah Tickets: $18.99-$24.99; kemahboardwalk.com
MFAH Film, A Family Like Many Others

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Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

1001 Bissonnet; mfah.org

VINCENT VAN GOGH: A NEW WAY OF SEEING: The life of Vincent van Gogh, as presented through the collection of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. 2 p.m. Thursday

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY: Rich Mr. Dashwood dies, leaving his second wife and her three daughters poor by the rules of inheritance. 7 p.m. Friday

A FAMILY LIKE MANY OTHERS: A Mexican patriarch is upset when his daughter falls in love with a salesman who visited their home without his consent. 7 p.m. Saturday

SOUL ON A STRING: A killer is entrusted with a sacred mission. 5 p.m. Sunday

Market Square

301 Milam; marketsquarepark.com

THAT THING YOU DO: A Pennsylvania band scores a one-hit wonder in 1964 and rides the star-making machinery as long as they can. 8 p.m. Friday

Memorial City Mall

303 Memorial City Way; memorialcity.com

SCHOOL OF ROCK: After being kicked out of a rock band, Dewey Finn becomes the substitute music teacher of a strict private elementary school. 8 p.m. Friday

Discovery Green

1500 McKinney; discoverygreen.com

FINDING DORY: The friendly but forgetful blue tang fish, Dory, begins a search for her long-lost parents. 8:30 p.m. Saturday

River Oaks Theatre

2009 W. Gray; landmarktheatres.com

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: Four teenage mutant ninja turtles emerge from the shadows to protect New York City from a gang of criminal ninjas. Midnight Friday

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW: A newly engaged couple has a breakdown in an isolated area and must pay a call to a bizarre residence. Midnight Saturday

Central Green Park

23501 Cinco Ranch, Katy; drafthouse.com

MOANA: When a terrible curse incurred by the demigod Maui reaches Moana's island, she answers the ocean's call to seek out the demigod to set things right. Dusk Saturday

Italian Cultural Center

1101 Milford; iccchouston.com

CHE VUOI CHE SIA: A young man challenges the web to offer money for a sex tape of him and his girlfriend to finance his work and finally be able to afford having a child. 5:30 p.m. Sunday

Miller Outdoor Theatre

6000 Hermann Park Drive, milleroutdoortheatre.com

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN: A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound. 8:30 p.m. Tuesday

LA LA LAND: A romantic comedy-drama, that explores the joy and pain of pursuing your dreams. 8:30 p.m. Wednesday

Houston Museum of Natural Science

5555 Hermann Park Drive; hmns.org

DREAM BIG 3-D: Learn how today's engineers are shaping the world of tomorrow. Multiple screenings daily

PENGUINS 3-D: The tale of a penguin's journey through his species' central rite of passage. Multiple screenings daily

AMAZON ADVENTURE 3-D: A Victorian-era naturalist discovers a butterfly that reinforces Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Multiple screenings daily
Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle

KPFT 90.1 FM has been in an uproar for weeks. Wednesday night, its local board of directors will meet to sort out some of the beleaguered radio station's problems.

Since interim general manager Obidike Kamau was fired July 14, a number of board members, staffers and station volunteers have protested the decision - and they're refusing to acknowledge Kamau's appointed replacement, longtime KPFT deejay Larry Winters. Three more KPFT staffers have been let go since Kamau's firing.
Houston police are searching for a man who shot and robbed a person in June at a parking lot in southwest Houston, according to a news release from Crime Stoppers.

As the robbery victim was exiting his vehicle on June 28 around 11:10 a.m., the suspect demanded the victim's money and wallet in a business parking lot in the 7000 block of Bissonnet Street.
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Concerns have been raised over the legitimacy of a Houston Groupon for tickets to an upcoming crab and beer festival downtown.

The Groupon is for a $79 ticket to a crab and beer festival Oct. 7 at 811 Caroline Street. At one point in the Groupon's life cycle, a $99 general admission ticket was offered (it is now sold out). In total, more than 30 tickets have been sold for the festival, which is organized by the California-based Expo Network headquartered in San Leandro.

Upon closer examination, many of the Groupon details listed above do not check out.

SWINDLED: Scam artist swindles three different local stores

For starters, 811 Caroline Street is a parking garage downtown. Cyrstal Molinar has been the property manager for the garage for more than three years and has never had such an event at the garage, nor would she ever, she told Chron.com. One of Molinar's employees reached out to Groupon Tuesday to question the festival and its claims.

A customer service representative confirmed Monday that Expo Network was headquartered in San Leandro and has been around for 10 months. San Leandro's business licensing office told Chron.com that it has no record for Expo Network, which claims it is also holding festivals this summer in Grayslake, Ill., Pleasanton, Calif., Jacksonville, Fla., Sacramento, Calif., and Los Angeles.

DON'T PICK UP: Texas justice officials warn of fraudulent scam calls posing as Inspector General's Office

Chron.com checked with the city to see if Expo Network had proper permits for the event and as of Aug. 9, the company has not applied for a noise permit or health permit. Expo Network could, however, apply for these permits as the event draws near, according to Houston city officials.

Expo Network turns up three customer complaints on RipoffReport claiming they were scammed by the company in California (read them here, here, and here).

"The day before the festival they changed the time to greatly reduce the value of the tickets. After I showed displeasure on their Facebook page stating that I felt I was scammed I was quickly blocked from the event," Dennis wrote on RipoffReport on May 18 from California.

GET SMART: How to avoid a scam when picking a power plan in Texas

Last summer, another company scammed people out of thousands of dollars for a crab festival in Houston, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. Tickets for these festivals were also sold on Groupon.

Repeated calls to Expo Network Tuesday were not answered. A request for comment has also been placed with Groupon.
U.S. News & World Report's annual survey of best hospitals came out Tuesday and, as usual, there was no shortage of Texas Medical Center institutions that fared well. MD Anderson Cancer Center, TIRR Memorial Hermann and the Menninger Clinic again were big winners.

But another familiar, more unsettling refrain also stood out: there's no Houston hospital on the magazine's Honor Roll of comprehensive hospitals.

It was the 26th time in the survey's 28-year history a TMC hospital failed to crack the survey's top tier, a blight to the center that wants to be known as not just the world's biggest medical complex but also one of the very best. Houston Methodist broke through in 2009 and 2016, but on Tuesday its leader could only try to make sense of the backslide.

U.S. NEWS HOSPITAL RANKINGS: Houston specialty institutions dominate

U.S. News' Honor Roll 1. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

2. Cleveland Clinic

3. Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore

4. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

5. UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco

6. University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, Ann Arbor

7. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles

8. New York-Presbyterian Hospital, N.Y.

9. Stanford Health Care-Stanford Hospital, Stanford, Calif.

10. Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian, Philadelphia

11. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles

12. Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis

13. Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago

14. UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside, Pittsburgh

15. University of Colorado Hospital, Aurora

16. Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Philadelphia

17. Duke University Hospital, Durham, N.C.

18. Mount Sinai Hospital, New York

19. NYU Langone Medical Center, New York

20. Mayo Clinic Phoenix See More Collapse

"Although it is disappointing to fall off the Honor Roll, remember that we focus on the fundamentals of safety, quality, service and innovation to provide the best care for our patients  not on awards," Methodist President Dr. Marc Boom wrote in an internal email that otherwise trumpeted the hospital's showing. "In fact, Houston Methodist beat many Honor Roll hospitals in the fundamentals of quality, but fell behind in its reputation scores. We will continue to build our reputation over coming years as we focus on our academic mission."

Methodist generally fared well, of course. It finished 24th overall (just outside the 20 selected), ranked in the top 50 in eight specialties and reigned as Texas' best hospital for the sixth straight year.

But did reputation hold it back? U.S. News' rankings have always been criticized as popularity contests, but in recent years its editors made changes to the methodology to emphasize objective measures, such as adjusted survival and readmission rates, patient safety and other care-related indicators. Still, a hospital's reputation in each specialty accounts for roughly 25 percent of its final score, enough to dilute objective measures and potentially explain why the Honor Roll includes nine hospitals from the East, six from the West, five from the Midwest and none from the South.

BREAKTHROUGH: Methodist's 2009 selection to U.S. News' Honor Roll

Or maybe the other regions' hospitals are just better? The South generally isn't known for the quality of its health care.

But one list compiled in the survey certainly gives pause. Of 4,500 hospitals, all evaluated for their handling of nine complex or common surgical procedures and chronic conditions, just 48 received a rating of "high performing" in every one. Methodist was one of them. Eleven Honor Roll hospitals were not.

Then again, reputation doesn't seem to hurt all Houston hospitals. Despite turmoil in recent years, MD Anderson's 2017 selection as U.S. News' No. 1 cancer center was its 10th such ranking in the last 11 years.

Go here to get the full scoop on U.S. News' Honor Roll, which begins with the Mayo Clinic's flagship hospital in Minnesota and ends with its satellite hospital in Phoenix. And go here if you want to dive into the all the nitty-gritty of the survey's methodology.
For some Americans without dental insurance or looking for better prices, the best bet may be to head south.

Just a few miles south of California and Arizona is Los Algodones, a Mexican town of roughly 5,500 people with more than 600 dentists, according to NBC Nightly News. The town has so much access to affordable dentistry that it is being dubbed Molar City.
With the new school year right around the corner, the Phenomenal Pearls Educational and Charitable Foundation (PPECF) and the Houston Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity will host its 4th annual Seersucker White Linen Day Party to collect backpacks for local kids.

The "Party with a Purpose" kicks off on Aug. 12, from 3-9 p.m. at Spire Club, 1720 Main St., Houston. During the party, guests can bring a backpack for a child and receive a raffle ticket for a 40-inch flat screen TV for each backpack.
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump ratcheted up his rhetoric against North Korea to an unprecedented level Tuesday, warning Kim Jong Uns regime will face a devastating military strike if it continues threatening the U.S.

North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States, Trump told reporters in Bedminster, New Jersey. They will be met with fire, fury and, frankly, power the likes of which this world has never seen before.

Trumps comment came as North Korea, reacting to new UN sanctions against its rapidly developing nuclear weapons program, warned the U.S. it would pay dearly for its crimes and said it was examining its plans to strike the American military base of Guam with a missile. It also followed a report in the Washington Post, citing a Defense Intelligence Agency analysis, that Pyongyang successfully developed a nuclear warhead that could fit onto its missiles.

What a U.S.-North Korea war might look like: QuickTake Q&A

He has been very threatening, beyond a normal statement, Trump said of Kim.

North Korea has routinely used bombastic rhetoric to threaten the U.S., including military bases in Japan, South Korea, Guam and Hawaii. It wasnt clear whether the president consulted with key allies, the Pentagon or State Department before making his comment. It was also unclear whether Trumps fire and fury threat meant an overwhelming conventional strike or the use of nuclear weapons.

Catastrophic Consequences

The Defense Department didnt offer an explanation. We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies and to use the full range of capabilities at our disposal against the growing threat from North Korea, Johnny Michael, a Pentagon spokesman, said in an email.

South Korea said on Wednesday its closely monitoring for additional provocations from North Korea, and would continue to push for peace on the peninsula. Japan welcomes the U.S. keeping all options on the table to deal with North Korea, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters in Tokyo.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Wednesday said the threats to the region were coming from North Korea, and said the international community was uniting to bring the maximum economic pressure on North Korea to bring them to their senses without conflict.

A conflict would be shattering, Turnbull said. It would have catastrophic consequences.

Startling Markets

Global powers and financial markets have long been accustomed to over-the-top rhetoric from North Korea, but the U.S. has traditionally taken a more diplomatic stance. Trumps comments signaled a dramatic change in that approach, startling markets and prompting a renewed focus on the narrowing list of military and economic options at the U.S.s disposal.

The S&P 500 Index fell to session lows Tuesday, and the CBOE Volatility Index jumped 11 percent after Trump spoke. The comments jolted markets from a summer slumber, with U.S. assets largely little changed for most of the session. The 10-year Treasury yield rose. Crude retreated toward $49 a barrel.

Stocks in Asia declined with U.S. equity-index futures. South Koreas benchmark Kospi index fell as much as 1 percent, while the won declined as much as 0.8 percent, falling to a three-week low. Japans Topix index fell 1.1 percent.

Read a QuickTake on North Koreas nuclear ambitions

North Koreas reported progress on miniaturizing nuclear warheads, coupled with two test flights of intercontinental ballistic missiles in July, are adding to the pressure on Trump, who vowed during last years presidential campaign that North Korea wouldnt develop a nuclear warhead capable of reaching the U.S.: It wont happen, he wrote on Twitter.

Now, Trump may have decided it was time to strongly signal to Kim that U.S. patience is running out.

In doing so, Trump runs the risk of entrapping" himself in his own rhetoric, said Scott Snyder, director of the program on U.S.-Korea policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. If he pursues that, its hard for me to see how it can accomplish anything positive, he said.

Senator John McCain, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Trump needs to be more cautious in his statements because he may not be able to make good on the implied threat.

The great leaders Ive seen dont threaten unless theyre ready to act, and Im not sure President Trump is ready to act, McCain said in an interview on Phoenix radio station KTAR.

Classic Trump

McCain said he didnt know how seriously to take the presidents warning. Its the classic Trump in that he overstates things.

Representative Eliot Engel, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs committee, said Trumps latest comments undermined American credibility by drawing an absurd red line.

Kims efforts to develop a missile capable of delivering a nuclear weapon to the continental U.S. still face significant technological hurdles. Air Force General Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, highlighted those issues in an Aug. 3 presentation. They include developing a missile that can survive reentry into the atmosphere and a guidance-and-control system capable of directing a rocket all the way to the U.S. without breaking up.

The missile tests show Kims regime making important progress. Trumps comments may be emotional rhetoric expressing unhappiness with what had gone on over past 10 years, said Paul Bracken, a professor of political science and management at Yale University and author of The Second Nuclear Age: Strategy, Danger, and the New Power Politics."

Just days ago, Trump was praising the United Nations Security Councils unanimous decision to tighten sanctions on North Korea, targeting about $1 billion of the nations approximately $3 billion in exports. Some analysts say those measures are too little, too late to slow Kims momentum.

Today North Korea became only the third U.S. adversary, after Russia and China, to attain the ability to threaten nuclear war against the United States, said Matthew Kroenig, a nonresident senior fellow with the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security at the Atlantic Council, referring to the Defense Intelligence Agency report. This news will likely provide motivation for the Trump administration to take a hard look at higher-risk options, including military force."

Kim shows no sign of being cowed by condemnation or threats. The regime has long viewed its nuclear weapons program as a means to winning respect and ending any potential threat to oust the Kim dynasty, which has ruled the nation for three generations.

We will, under no circumstances, put the nukes and ballistic rockets on negotiating table, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on Monday. Neither shall we flinch even an inch from the road to bolstering up the nuclear forces chosen by ourselves, unless the hostile policy and nuclear threat of the U.S. against the DPRK are fundamentally eliminated.

Tillersons Travels

Trumps latest statement comes as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson continues visiting allies in Southeast Asia, rallying support for tougher measures against Pyongyang and holding out an olive branch to the reclusive regime as well. Tillerson was in Thailand Tuesday and heads to Malaysia before returning to the U.S.

And we hope, again, that this ultimately will result in North Korea coming to the conclusion to choose a different pathway, and when the conditions are right that we can sit and have a dialogue around the future of North Korea so that they feel secure and prosper economically, Tillerson told reporters in Manila on Aug. 7.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi echoed Tillerson, saying the UN sanctions are intended to effectively block the DPRKs nuclear development process, using an acronym for North Korea. The purpose is to pull the peninsula nuclear issue back to the negotiating table, and to seek a final solution.

The focus on sanctions has continued because the military options are all so grim. Seouls 10 million residents live just 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of the border -- well within North Koreas artillery range.

Pentagon War Games

Among the war-game scenarios at the Pentagons disposal are an airstrike using precision-guided munitions, launched from submarines or stealth aircraft, against the Yongbyon nuclear reactor facility, where North Korea has produced plutonium for its bombs.

Another option would be an attack on facilities at Punggye-ri, the mountainous site in the northeastern part of the country where previous underground nuclear tests have been conducted. Evading radar, B-2 bombers built by Northrop Grumman Corp. could drop bunker buster bombs to try to do the most underground damage.

None of that would likely save Seoul, even with South Koreas defensive capabilities as well as a newly installed U.S. missile defense system known as Thaad.

"We are not going to stop North Korea, said Bracken. There is no alternative. Maybe 10 years ago we could have but it is too late now. Instead we have to learn to live with North Korea as a nuclear power.

(Updates with comments from South Korea, Japan, Australia.)

--With assistance from Nick Wadhams Tony Capaccio Jennifer Epstein and Jennifer Jacobs

To contact the reporters on this story: Justin Sink in Washington at jsink1@bloomberg.net, Nafeesa Syeed in Washington at nsyeed@bloomberg.net, Kambiz Foroohar in New York at kforoohar@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Bill Faries at wfaries@bloomberg.net, Daniel Ten Kate at dtenkate@bloomberg.net, Larry Liebert

2017 Bloomberg L.P.
Oil halted two days of declines as U.S. industry data showed crude stockpiles fell.

Futures added 0.3 percent in New York after dropping 0.8 percent the previous two sessions. U.S. inventories slid by 7.8 million barrels last week, the American Petroleum Institute was said to report Tuesday, while a Bloomberg survey also forecast a decline. The Energy Information Administration marginally boosted its estimates for American production in 2017 and 2018.

Prices have fluctuated around $49 a barrel this month as investors weigh rising global supply against output reductions from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies. OPEC said Tuesday that Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Kazakhstan, which have lagged behind in their pledged curbs, reaffirmed their commitment to cuts at a meeting in Abu Dhabi.

The recovery this morning is most likely in anticipation of a sixth inventory decline in crude oil this afternoon when the EIA releases its weekly stockpiles report, said Ole Sloth Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank A/S in Copenhagen. Gains will be capped by a stronger dollar, he said.

West Texas Intermediate for September delivery rose 15 cents to $49.32 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 10:44 a.m. London time. Total volume traded was about 14 percent below the 100-day average. Prices lost 22 cents to $49.17 on Tuesday.

Brent for October settlement advanced 14 cents to $52.28 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange, after sliding 23 cents on Tuesday. The global benchmark crude traded at a premium of $2.79 to October WTI.

U.S. crude output will average 9.35 million barrels a day this year, according to the EIAs monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook released Tuesday. Thats up from a July projection of 9.33 million. Production will average 9.91 million barrels a day next year, up from 9.9 million forecast previously.

Oil-market news:
Fort Bend ISD announced Wednesday that the students displaced from Willowridge High School due to a severe mold infestation will start the school year at nearby Thurgood Marshall High School.

The announcement comes less than two weeks before the first day of school and three weeks after Willowridge Principal Thomas Graham sent a letter to parents explaining that an aggressive mold infestation had taken over the nearly 40-year-old campus.

According the district officials, the mold ravaged almost the entire high school destroying nearly everything in it when the school's air conditioning was turned off for several days during construction earlier in the summer. The district expects remediation efforts to cost upward of $2 million.

BACK TO FOOTBALL: Meet Houston's new high school head football coaches

Willowridge staff has been housed at the Marshall campus since the mold was discovered in early July.

"Marshall High School has done a tremendous job of welcoming us into the campus and helping us in our time of need," said Graham in a video posted by the district Wednesday. "By having all of our students on one campus under one roof we can ensure that all of those educational needs are met during this very difficult time."

Thurgood Marshall High School Principal Alfred Holland said in the district video that students of the two high schools, which are about five miles from each other in Missouri City, already interact with each other in the community.

"They hang out on weekends together; they go to church together," Holland said. "So I think that this opportunity will help to bring the students even closer together in that they will be under the same roof to interact even more so."

Graham added that the two student bodies will become one as long as the Willowridge students are housed on the Marshall campus.

"For this transitional time, we will not have Willowridge students and we will not have Marshall students," he said. "We will have students that we will all service."

Fort Bend ISD will hold a community town hall meeting and celebration to share further details about the remediation and transitional plan next Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. at Marshall High School, 1220 Buffalo Run in Missouri City.

The district has created a page on its website about the Willowridge remediation and relocation that it is updated daily at 3 p.m.
Dear Toni:

I am a retired Texas teacher and I am turning 65 this October.

I am absolutely mortified by the TRS changes that I am hearing through the grapevine.

My doctor is not accepting Humana Medicare Advantage and I am concerned about future health issues. I have called TRS and they have advised me that I can opt out of the TRS Medicare Advantage plan for October when I turn 65 and enroll in TRS with Original Medicare, but will be enrolled in the TRS Humana Medicare Advantage plan beginning Jan. 1, when TRS stops the Original Medicare and Aetna group plan.

I expressed that I really want Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement and TRS said my other option is to cancel the TRS-Care Insurance plan and I will no long be a part of the TRS-Care insurance program. By doing this, I will totally lose being able to return to TRS-Care Insurance.

I have just received my cancellation form and I cannot believe what I must do to get out of the TRS-Care system.

Please explain what my Medicare options are. Will I lose my teacher pension? Sally from Pearland.

Hello Sally,

No, you will not lose your TRS retirement pension if you decide to cancel and leave your TRS-Care insurance program.

Many of the TRS teachers and retired employees are concerned with their Medicare options and need to understand what the changes with TRS are.

TRS does not want their retirees to know about how to cancel their TRS insurance plan or that the option is even available. Recently, a TRS retiree who did not want the TRS Humana Medicare Advantage plan learned his only option to not pay extra for the TRS-Care plan was to cancel the TRS plan.

He chose Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement, and was informed by a TRS customer service rep that TRS did not make this option readily available and this person really was not to let TRS retirees know about it.

He forwarded me the cancellation form and I can understand why many TRS retirees would be concerned about making this decision. TRS is doing everything the system can to keep as many retirees in their TRS-Care plan as possible.

Imagine how many TRS retirees are paying either $70 plus for TRS-Care 2 or $100 plus for TRS-Care 3 and not using the plan.

Come Jan. 1, those retirees will automatically be enrolled in the TRS-Care Humana Medicare Advantage plan and not be aware of that change.

The cancellation form is dated and one must give their reason for cancelling. (You do not have to have TRS's permission to cancel the policy) In my opinion, this is a scare tactic to make you wonder if you should cancel.

To make this process more complicated, TRS wants the form notarized and mailed back within 14 days of the date printed on the form or the effective date is the next month.

Sally, since you are turning 65 in October, you are in the 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment period and can qualify for any Medicare Supplement without having to answer health questions.

For those past 65 who have been enrolled in Medicare Part B longer than 6 months, other Medicare guarantee issue rules will apply. You will need a termination notice from TRS that you have left the plan if you cannot answer health questions to qualify for a Medicare Supplement.

Confused about TRS-Care Changes and Medicare Workshop: Aug. 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Spring Creek BBQ-Katy Banquet Room (dinner not provided) 21000 Katy Freeway, Katy.

Please RSVP at 832-519-8664 because seating is limited to 50.

Toni King, author of the Medicare Survival Guide which is on sale at www.tonisays.com. Email question for Toni at info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-TONI (8664).
July 25

At 8:18 p.m., Officer Younger made contact with a victim in the 4800 block of Pine Street who advised his wallet was stolen out of his unsecure vehicle.

At 6:40 p.m., Officer Liccketto conducted a traffic stop in the 6600 block of the West Loop S/B. Officer Liccketto observed a black Mercedes fail to signal lane change. During the course of the interview, the temporary license plate displayed on the vehicle was found to be fictitious. The driver was arrested and taken to the Bellaire Police Department for booking and processing without incident.

At 5:41 p.m., Officers Lysack and Delgado were dispatched to 5002 Bellaire Blvd. in reference to a disturbance. Officers arrived on scene and began investigating the disturbance. During the investigation it was discovered both suspects were lying about their identities and both had warrants. Both suspects were charged with fail to identify - fugitive from justice.

July 26

At 8:54 a.m., Ofc D.Rocha was in front of the Randall's store at 5130 Bellaire Blvd. when the store's loss prevention officer came out and advised of a possible shoplifting in progress. A suspect walked out of the store with stolen items and loss prevention officer behind her. Ofc Rocha was informed suspect had taken multiple items and left the store without paying for them. The suspect was subsequently arrested and charged with Class B Theft with a previous conviction.

At 5:56 p.m., Officer Delgado conducted a traffic stop in the 6700 block of the I-610 West Service Route on a 2014 white Dodge pickup for defective equipment and fail to signal lane change. Officer Delgado made contact with the driver who provided his Texas Identification and was unable to provide any proof of financial responsibility. The driver was placed in custody for traffic and warrants. The passenger of the vehicle was also placed in custody for warrants. Through investigation, the passenger was found to have given the wrong name and date of birth and was charged with fail to identify fugitive.

July 27

At 6:40 a.m., Officer H. Lopez was dispatched to 4900 block of Pine Street in reference to a burglary of a vehicle. Upon arrival, Ofc. Lopez met with the victim who stated an unknown person broke into his locked vehicle and stole a semi-automatic pistol. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the victim's garage door had been opened and the unknown suspect entered the attached garage and stole some miscellaneous keys.

At 10:17 a.m., Officer D.Rocha was dispatched to the 4700 block of Holt Street for a call in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle. Upon arrival, Ofc Rocha made contact with the owner of the vehicle. The victim stated between the hours of 5:30 p.m. July 26 and 10:15 a.m. July 27, unknown suspect(s) made entry into his locked vehicle and stole the vehicle's key fob.

At 4:30 p.m., Officer Carson was dispatched to the Bellaire Police station (7008 S. Rice, Bellaire) to meet with a victim of an identity theft. Officer Carson meet with the victim who reported his personal information was stolen and used by unknown suspect(s) to open credit cards at several department stores.

At 11:30 a.m., Officer Guerra was dispatched to the 4900 block of Palmetto Street in reference to found property. The reportee advised Officer Guerra she observed the bicycle in her driveway when she was leaving for work.

July 28

At 2 a.m., Officer Clisham arrived in the area of the 5200 block of IH 610 northbound in reference to a major accident involving one vehicle. Upon making contact with the driver and further investigation, the driver of the vehicle was placed into custody and charged with driving while intoxicated.

At 2:21 a.m., Officer Bellard was returning to the Bellaire city limits after clearing an accident when he observed a vehicle stopped at a green light in the area of 3800 Westpark Drive. Officer Bellard observed the driver to be asleep behind the wheel. After further investigation the driver was arrested for driving while intoxicated 2nd.

At 1:41 p.m., Ofc D Rocha was dispatched to the 5500 block of Grand Lake Street to meet with a victim/reportee in reference to a theft. Upon arrival at 1348 hours, Ofc Rocha made contact with reportee. The reportee stated that between 1 p.m. June 2 and 1:37 p.m. July 28 an unknown suspect(s) had stolen items.

At 8:19 p.m., Officer Liccketto was checking the speed of vehicles going N/B in the 6600 block of the West Loop. Officer Liccketto observed a vehicle going 77mph in a 60mph zone. Officer Liccketto conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and conducted an interview with the driver. During the interview, the driver was found to have a suspended driver's license and no proof of financial responsibility. The driver was arrested for driving while license invalid enhanced and transported to the Bellaire Police Department for booking and processing without incident.

July 29

At 4:29 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of 5134 Spruce St. in reference a possible forgery in progress. The investigation concluded with the suspect being arrested for two Class B Misdemeanor theft charges.

At 5:31 p.m., Officer Liccketto was dispatched to 5859 Bissonnet St. in reference to a shoplifting in progress. During the course of the investigation, the suspect was arrested for theft and public intoxication. Officer Liccketto located a vehicle in which the employees of El Ahorro were keeping from leaving the location. Officer Liccketto observed the vehicle to drive forward into the parking spot. The driver of the vehicle was arrested for driving while intoxicated. Both were transported to the Bellaire Police Department for booking and processing without incident.

July 30

At 2:40 a.m., Officer Ortega was notified via Houston Police Dispatch of an in-progress DWI with a citizen following. Officer Ortega located the vehicle observed the vehicle to be weaving in its lane in the 6900 block of IH 610 northbound. The driver was found to be driving while intoxicated. Officer Ortega placed suspect into custody and transported him to the Bellaire Jail for processing and booking.

At 3:52 a.m., Officer Clisham made contact with a male subject in the area of 5100 Bissonnet St. The subject was asleep in the driver's seat of the vehicle and was stopped in a moving lane of traffic at a green light. After further investigation, the male subject was placed into custody and charged with driving while intoxicated.

At 7:55 a.m., Officer Guerra was dispatched to the 5000 block of Evergreen Street in reference to a theft which occurred between 4 p.m. July 28 and 10:30 a.m. July 29. The victim advised Officer Guerra items were stolen.

At 11:49 a.m., Officer Schwausch was dispatched to 5002 Bellaire Blvd. in reference to a solicitor. Officer Schwausch arrived on scene and located the suspect. The suspect was subsequently charged and arrested for criminal trespass.

At 5:13 p.m., Officer Lysack was dispatched to the 4600 block of Evergreen Street in reference to a theft. Officer Lysack met with the victim who stated an item was taken from her house.

At 5:24 p.m., Sgt. Hefferin conducted a traffic stop in the 5400 block of Bellaire Boulevard on suspect vehicle for expired motor vehicle registration. The driver identified himself by name and date of birth. Sgt Hefferin conducted a computer query and found the suspect Virginia driver's license was revoked. The suspect was unable to provide any type of proof of financial responsibility for vehicle he was driving. The suspect later stated he did not have another type of proof of financial responsibility. The ownership of the vehicle driven by the suspect was in question. The suspect was taken into custody for driving while license invalid enhanced.

At 10:45 p.m., Officer Barrientos responded to a theft in the 4400 block of Mildred Street. Ofc. Barrientos spoke with victim who stated an unknown suspect(s) took a jumpstart kit from his garage without his consent.
Stafford voters will be asked on Nov. 7 to approve a $62 million bond proposal that would include building a new middle school and administration building for the Stafford Municipal School District as well as a magnet school.

After three hours of discussion, questions and comments on Aug. 2, the Stafford City Council voted 6-0 to place the school district bond on the ballot.

The council's decision was based on a recommendation from 20-plus members of the Stafford MSD Long Range Facilities Planning Committee (LRFP) and the Stafford MSD Board of Trustees.

If voters approve the proposal, it could raise the district's tax rate to $1.3352 per $100 of valuation. According to district officials, that would mean an increase of $8.76 per month in additional taxes for a home valued at $100,000. Homeowners 65 and older would not see a tax increase. The rate now is $1.230050 per $100.

More Information Lamar CISD On Aug. 1, Lamar Consolidated Independent School District trustees unanimously called for a Nov. 7 bond election totaling $445.451 million. It includes the district's sixth high school and junior high and three elementary schools. Visit http://www.lcisd.org/ for details. See More Collapse

Mayor Leonard Scarcella noted, also, that businesses represent a significant portion of the city's valuation or approximately 75 percent. The district is the only municipal school district in the state.

Farrah Sabouni, an architect and planner at AutoArch architects of Houston, reviewed the bond items at the meeting. The proposed bond includes:

A new Stafford Middle School for 850 students with an auditorium, cafeteria, library and gymnasium. The 139,000-square-foot school would serve grades 6-8. Total project cost is $33.8 million. She said it would offer flexible space and natural light.

A new magnet school for Science, Technology, Engineering & Math would be located in the original middle school and be open to grades 3-12. Tech and noninstructional rooms would be relocated. Project cost is $2.9 million.

A new 30,000-square-foot administration building would include a larger board room, multipurpose training rooms, offices and visitor center/Museum for Stafford MSD. The project cost is $7.7 million.

Repurposing the current administration building to a volunteer and community center at a cost of $1.1 million.

Sabouni said a central quad or educational plaza would line up with the high school and then connect with the new middle school. The outdoor space would be available to the community after school hours, she said.

Sabouni listed other bond-funded projects as including: $2.7 million for the elementary school, grades 1-5, with renovations to classrooms, life skills rooms and the library; $1.7 million for the high school to renovate the library and black box theater and expand the life skills classroom; and $1.6 million to repurpose the intermediate school for prekindergarten and kindergarten.

Other features include plans to improve street circulation and connectivity and add 200 parking spaces, she said.

Maintenance and operation costs are projected to increase by $497,000 after the bond projects are completed, according to officials.

Superintendent Robert Bostic emphasized the bond recommendation is the result of a team effort to make Stafford MSD one of the premier school districts in the state.

"Going into this process, it is not about just building a building," said Bostic. "It's about academics. Because at the end of the day, any pretty building we build is only a pretty building. It is only worth something based on what we put in it."

He talked about the district's 20/20 vision to improve academics and said the process has taken about a year.

At the Aug. 2 meeting, Auturo Jackson, Stafford MSD school board president, reminded City Council that a few months earlier school district officials came before the mayor and city council seeking a bond referendum.

At a Feb. 13 joint SMSD-Stafford City Council meeting, school board trustees voted unanimously (7-0) to place a comprehensive $79.4 million bond on the May 6 ballot, said Michael Sudhalter, the district's communications coordinator. At a special Feb. 16 meeting, however, City Council voted 3-3 (with one member absent) on the proposal, he said.

"Council asked us to slow down and not now," he said. "We went back as a school district and revised that original plan," he said.

Changes include a new architect, new community members and a revised and lower bond package.

The new proposal besides being for a lesser amount is different, said Sudhalter, because "the architect would construct a new middle school rather than taking down and rebuilding the current one."

The school district's last bond election was in 2011 for $49.9 million, he said.

Sudhalter said, "All of the funds have been dedicated to projects. All but approximately $300,000 of the $49.9 million has been spent."

During the public portion of the city council meeting, fewer than 10 people spoke but all favored the city placing the proposal on the ballot.

Officials noted the district was formed 40 years ago and Sadie Williams, a co-chair of the LRFP and a representative of the Stafford Historical Society, said a State of Texas Historical Marker for the school district would be unveiled on Oct. 8.
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One of two men suspected of using a dating app to lure two Houston-area men to their deaths will remain behind bars without bail, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Brandon Alexander Lyons, 18, is charged with capital murder in the death of Glenser Soliman, a 44-year-old St. Luke's Medical Center nurse whose nude, battered body was found in a field near Lyons' apartment Feb. 25.

The last entry on Soliman's car GPS navigation system was Lyons' apartment address, prosecutors said.

The judge Wednesday denied bail for Lyons, meaning he will stay behind bars while awaiting trial.

The search continues for Lyons' cousin, who is being sought in connection with the death of a UH student who went missing in March.

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Prosecutors suspect that Lyons lured Soliman to his Spring-area apartment in the early morning hours of Feb. 16 with robbery as the likely motive.

Hours later, surveillance footage shows Lyons driving Soliman's stolen car. Prosecutors said that Lyons admitted driving the car but said he explanation appeared suspect.

The car was found abandoned in parking lot near Lyons' apartment nearly a week later on Feb. 22.

Soliman's body was found nine days after he went missing, by a man walking his dog on a trail in the Spring area, just five miles from the dead man's home.

Prosecutors say they were able to trace the location of Lyon's cell phone use to the crime scene.

Investigators also found a scarf, known to be worn by Soliman, during a search of Lyons' apartment. Prosecutors suspect he took the garment from Soliman's car.

Lyons is also a suspect in the murder of An Vinh Nguyen, a 26-year-old University of Houston student last seen March 31, whose car was also found abandoned in the Spring area.

Lyons' cousin and roommate, Jerrett Jamal Allen, 26, also a suspect in Nguyen's death, is being sought on a charge of unlawfully using the student's credit cards. He was last spotted in April, using the cards in El Paso, detectives said.

Nguyen's family reported him missing April 1 after they couldn't contact him. Nguyen, who was studying hotel and restaurant management at UH, also missed a scheduled job interview.

Deputies presume Nguyen is dead, though his body has not been recovered.

Harris County Sheriff's investigators said they suspect the men met through a dating app and warned the public to be wary of meeting strangers online.

Investigators said the men may have been using the Grindr app, and said the killer may have been targeting Asian men. Prosecutors made no mention of an app during the hearing Wednesday.
At least one person was wounded Tuesday night in a possible drive-by shooting, according to police and local reports.

Officers were called to the 6100 block of Moss Oaks around 6:30 p.m. for a report of a shooting, police said.
A burglary suspect returned to a San Antonio home, shortly after his attempt was foiled on Tuesday, so he could yell at the homeowner for shooting at him, police say.

The burglar, dressed in all black, broke into the home in the 400 block of Millwood Lane around 9:30 a.m. He entered through the garage and then forced his way into the kitchen, where he encountered the homeowner, police said.
Thirteen Houston ISD campuses have received an "improvement required" rating for academic performance for three straight years. Under a new law passed in 2015, state-appointed managers can take over the entire district's operations or close campuses if any of the schools receives "improvement required" ratings in 2017 and 2018.

These 13 schools largely share similar characteristics. Minorities comprise at least 97 percent of the students in all of them. All but one school has more "economically disadvantaged" students, as defined by the state, than the district average. And several serve large numbers of English Language Learners.
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NAVASOTA  A plain, white school bus left the Wallace Pack Unit under moonlit skies Wednesday morning, transporting the first group of more than 1,000 heat-sensitive inmates to cooler climes under federal court order.

The bus entered the rural Grimes County facility at 4:13 a.m. and returned around 5 a.m. along an access road that smelled of fresh manure, likely emanating from the prison's swine and cattle operations.

The air-conditioned bus carried 43 passengers, officials said, but its windows only reflected the dark night sky.

The predawn transit marked a major turning point in a legal battle over inmates' living conditions at the Pack Unit that has played out in a closely watched civil rights lawsuit.

Now Playing: The United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, Particularity in the South. Nick Cardona has the story Video: Brandpoint

"This is the first time that the department has taken actual steps which we can say for certain will reduce the risk that these inmates will suffer a senseless heatstroke," said Jeff Edwards, the lead lawyer representing the Pack inmates.

LAWSUIT: Inmate's family sues over 2015 heat death

Texas Department of Criminal Justice officials assured U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison in a Houston courtroom Tuesday that this Bluebird bus outfitted for correctional use would be air-conditioned, as would all other vehicles used to deliver elderly and medically compromised inmates from the sweltering conditions in the Pack quarters.

Ellison ordered prison officials to complete the transfers within three weeks, giving what he said was sufficient time for "a massive move of humanity."

Breaking down heat deaths in Texas prisons Twenty-two people have died in Texas prisons from hyperthermia, or elevated body temperature, from heat exposure since 1998. Source: Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Created by Data Journalist Rachael Gleason | Houston Chronicle

Just one bus left the Pack Unit Wednesday with 43 heat-sensitive inmates headed for the Mark W. Stiles Unit, a facility near Beaumont that can accommodate CPAP machines and other medical devices, officials said.

"The transfer went smoothly and we do not anticipate any issues at this time," TDCJ spokesman Jason Clark said Wednesday. "The agency has significant experience in moving inmates and doing so in a safe and secure manner."

Two transports are set for Thursday, with more on Saturday. The bulk of the transfers to 11 air-conditioned facilities around the state is set to take place next week, another official said.

Inmates displaced by the Pack Unit transfers will move to state prisons that are not air-conditioned, but the move will be temporary  the state plans to return the Pack inmates to the Navasota site once the hot weather subsides.

Inside the prison, inmates were told to gather only legal papers, hygiene products and personal fans, which were then shrink-wrapped and loaded onto pallets for transport, according to Gaylyn Dutton, whose 55-year-old son, Stephen Parker, is serving his sentence at the Pack Unit.

Dutton said her son, who has hypertension, called to tell her 100 inmates had been moved to the gym for the next group of transfers. He wasn't one of them.

"He sounded real down, just not knowing what's going to happen, just the uncertainty of not knowing," she said. "He doesn't know how soon they will let him know and tell them to get on board."

Dutton questioned why the prison system couldn't just add a cooling system to the Pack Unit.

"They could have used the money they used to fight [the lawsuit] to take care of the problem and not have to move a bunch of people," she said. "I've heard of too many accidents. Everybody I've talked to on Facebook, the mothers, that's a concern."

The rapid-fire transfers also stirred concerns among prison guards.

"The transfer of so many has everyone on needles to make sure that it's done quickly yet accurately," said one guard, who asked not to be identified because he did not have permission to comment.

A group of inmates at the minimum-security Pack Unit filed a federal lawsuit in 2014, accusing the state of violating their constitutional rights against cruel and unusual punishment and the Americans with Disabilities Act after a series of heat-related deaths.

The unit houses more than 1,400 inmates, many of whom are elderly, mobility impaired or have health problems.

In July, Ellison issued a temporary injunction ordering the state to find cooler living quarters for Pack Unit inmates who are vulnerable to heat.

In a court hearing Tuesday, officials finalized plans for the transfers and outlined potential adjustments to the prison's heat wave policy.

The suit is being closely watched by civil rights groups and inmate advocates who see its potential to turn the tide in Texas. More than 30,000 inmates in Texas have been designated as sensitive to "extreme temperature" because of age, health conditions or medicines they take, according to documents obtained by the Chronicle through the state open records law.
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The Houston area was unexpectedly hit with a flood-causing round of storms earlier this week and the Houston SPCA is feeling the impact.

More than 200 orphaned or injured wild animals have been brought to their facilities over the past few days. The animals include opossums, baby birds, baby squirrels, a Mississippi kite, a 10-day-old cottontail rabbit and dozens of others.

KEEPING AN EYE OUT: Weather experts are watching two tropical systems in Atlantic

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While rescuing young animals who have been separated from their mothers is important, Houston SPCA officials warn there is a proper way to save them.

"Once the storm is safely over, check your yard for baby birds or squirrels who may have been blown out of their nests," said Sharon Schmalz, executive director of Houston SPCA's Wildlife Center of Texas. Schmalz adds that an impacted animal should not be given food or water, but should be wrapped in soft rags, placed in a box and brought to the Houston SPCA's Wildlife Center, located at 7007 Katy Road.

Schmalz also asks the Houston community to step up and donate dry cat and dog food or grocery store gift cards for fresh vegetables until the animals at the center are ready to be released to the wild. The center also has an Amazon wish list Houstonians can buy from and send to the center's address.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the center at 713-861-9453 or visit their website here.

FUNNY TAKE: Texas armadillo cracks open a cold one with the boys
A motorcyclist is in critical condition after he was hit by a car early Wednesday on Interstate 69.

The collision happened about 3 a.m. on the outbound lanes of I-69, also called U.S. 59 in Houston, at Wilcrest, said Lt. Larry Crowson with the Houston Police Department.
Monster trucks may not be the most practical vehicles for the Bayou City's roadways, but that doesn't mean the behemoths aren't useful.

Point in case: One supersized truck helped pull another truck out of water that covered a Houston road during Tuesday's flooding.
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This week during an announcement regarding two Houston killings, authorities raised a terrifying prospect - that the deaths could be the work of serial killers.

A pair of men, one arrested and one still being sought, are suspected of using dating apps to lure their victims to their death.

BACKGROUND: Killers may have used dating app like Grindr to lure victims, detectives say

Grindr, a gay dating app that may have been used in this case, also has been linked to violent but nonlethal attacks in the Dallas area. Detectives here warned there may be additional victims.



Sadly the Lone Star State has seen its fair share of serial killers over the years. A serial killer is defined as someone who commits a series of murders with almost no motive attached while also following a predictable behavior pattern. Three or more murders usually places a suspect into the serial killer camp.

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RELATED: Houston serial murderer known as 'Tourniquet Killer' gets October date with death

A professor at Radford University teamed up with Florida Gulf Coast University to determine which states had the most serial killer victims. Professor Mike Aamodt concluded that there have been 4,743 serial killers and 13,105 victims in the United States from 1900 through Sept. 4, 2016.

Texas has 893 victims (about 7 percent of the total), second in the country only to California, which has 1,628 known serial killer victims during that 116 year period.

Texas has been the killing ground for some of society's more infamous ghouls, including Coral Eugene Watts, who is suspected of killing more than 80 women. It is also the native state for two killers who gained notoriety in California - Richard Ramirez, the infamous "Nightstalker," who received 13 death sentences; and Rodney James Alcala, the "Dating Game Killer."

PREVIOUS: Looking back at the 'Candy Man' 42 years later

Texas is also home to multiple unsolved murders, including the "Texas Killing Fields" cases, which may be tied to serial killers.

While the odds of being murdered by a serial killer are long - only 6.11 people per million in Texas have become a victim - they sure do haunt our dreams.
Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the Mexican drug lord who has escaped from prison multiple times, has hired a high-profile lawyer to represent him in his trial, according to reports.

The BBC and NBC News report Guzman hired Jeffrey Lichtman, a New York defense attorney who helped John Gotti Jr., son of notorious convicted mobster John Gotti, avoid prison time in 2005.
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Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack plans to build a nearly 8,000-square-foot environmental education center in the Katy Prairie.

The proposed facility, to be called the John Paul's Landing Park Environmental Education Center, will have two classrooms that can be used by community groups, youth camps, or senior groups to hold classes on wildlife protection and conservation, among other topics.

Close to half of the building will be an outdoor deck. The center will sit on a hill overlooking the John Paul's Landing Park, a more than 860-acre park in the Katy Prairie.

The center will be located at 9000 Katy Hockley Road.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department awarded Harris County a $1 million grant , which was accepted by Commissioners Court last week. That will be complemented by $1 million from Radack, who represents Precinct 3.

Radack said he expects construction to begin in January and take about a year before the center is complete.

The park also is the site of a massive detention pond being build by the Harris County Flood Control District, part of a unique, regional approach to flood control.
AUSTIN -- Property tax relief measures working through the Texas Legislature would hurt public safety and be an example of overreach by state lawmakers, city and county officials declared at a rally at the Capitol on Wednesday.

Surrounded by dozens of law enforcement and firefighters, city and county officials from around the state took to a microphone to oppose the reform measures that they say will hurt public safety -- one of the biggest expenses for local governments.

Under Senate Bill 1, the Legislature would prevent cities, counties and other local taxing districts from raising their effective tax rate above 4 percent without first getting a vote of the people. Cities and counties say that is essentially a cap on them, even though the costs of public safety and other issues continue to grow.

The House has advanced a similar plan, but would allow cities and counties to get to 6 percent before seeing a vote of the public. Currently, cities and counties can go to 8 percent before votes can organize a petition to force a rollback election.

"We don't need any caps," said Live Oak Mayor Mary Dennis, who is also the president of the Texas Municipal League.

Dennis said state lawmakers are trying to substitute their judgement for how cities and counties should run over local communities.

"Some state officials seem to think they should have control over cities, but without any of the responsibilities for the vital services, like emergency services, streets, waste collection, water and sewer," Dennis said.

Woody Gossom Jr., president of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas and the Wichita County Judge, said lawmakers are overstepping their authority.

"We now have our political leadership that think, from Austin, they can do a better job of running local government than we can. I don't see how that is possible," Gossom said.

Gossom said counties need the flexibility to do what they need to to properly fund sheriff's offices, ambulance and jails -- essential government functions.

"When they have that wreck out there on the highway they want ambulance service," Gossom said. "It may not be there to do it for them."

State legislators, however, say local governments have been swimming in extra tax revenue collections thanks to surging property values.

"The data is conclusive that we have seen an unprecedented explosion in property tax bills throughout the state," State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said. He has said if Senate Bill 1 passes, the rate of growth in local tax revenues would slow at least some and people would see their property taxes go up by less than they would without the caps.

But the House and Senate remain at odds on what that rollback rate would look like. On Saturday, the House is expected to take up the Senate's plan but have the 6 percent rollback rate that the House has pushed.

Bettencourt said earlier this week in an interview that a lower rollback rate is essential to property tax reform.

"That's the guts of property tax relief," Bettencourt said. "If you don't have the rollback rate lowered for an election then you don't have property tax relief."
The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p.
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Lawyers for a man suspected of killing his millionaire grandfather in 2013 met with a judge Monday in a lawsuit over the sinking of his boat with his mother onboard.

Nathan Carmans boat sank last year during a fishing trip with his mother. He was rescued after a week on a life raft, but his mother was never found and is now presumed dead. Since then, Carman has been at the center of a number of legal matters. He has denied any involvement in his grandfathers killing and has said he didnt sabotage the boat.

Carmans insurance company is refusing to pay an $85,000 claim for the boat, saying that Carman made incomplete, improper, and faulty repairs to the vessel the day before it sank and that he knew it was unseaworthy.

Lawyers for Carman and his insurer met Monday behind closed doors with a federal magistrate judge in Rhode Island to discuss the case. Carman, who lives in Vernon, Vermont, was not seen at the courthouse, and both sides declined to comment after the hearing.

A court filing later Monday showed the judge issued a pretrial order that sets deadlines for discovery and other pretrial matters for Carman and his insurer.

David Farrell, a lawyer for the insurer, the National Liability & Fire Insurance Co. and Boat Owners Association of the United States, told the court in a filing last week that he anticipated that Carmans criminal wrongdoing and illegality will bar his insurance claim.

Farrell wrote that Carmans actions regarding his mothers death and his grandfathers homicide, Potentially similarly motivated by Carmans possible multimillion-dollar inheritance, are all within the scope of what the insurer might explore as it assembles evidence in the case. He proposed deposing Carman by video in the federal courthouse.

In email correspondence attached to the filing, Carmans lawyer, David Anderson, said he objected to that plan, telling Farrell, I told you that just because he had Aspergers and the tabloid press has had a field day with him, I was not going to agree to have him be treated any difference (sic) than any other litigant.

Lawyers for both sides agreed in the email exchange not to release any video deposition publicly.

Carman and his mother, Linda Carman, 54, of Middletown, Connecticut, left a marina in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, on Sept. 17 on a fishing trip. He was found alone in a life raft eight days later about 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers) south of Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts.

Police in Connecticut have described Nathan Carman as a person of interest in the 2013 unsolved slaying of his 87-year-old grandfather, John Chakalos. In April, a judge denied a request from Carman to seal from public view a warrant that revealed police at one time considered Carman a suspect in the crime. Carman was never charged.

His family filed a lawsuit in New Hampshire last month accusing Carman of killing his grandfather and possibly his mother to collect an inheritance now valued at around $7 million.

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New York authorities say a state psychiatric center employee who received nearly $3,000 in workers compensation benefits for work-related injury claims was caught kayaking in Puerto Rico.

The Inspector Generals Office says the 30-year-old man applied for benefits in 2016, claiming back injuries kept him from working at his job as a security treatment assistant at the Central New York Psychiatric Center in Marcy.

Investigators say that during the time he supposedly couldnt work, he was kayaking in Puerto Rico or vacationing with his girlfriend in California.

Ryan Haley, of Rome, faces charges, including grand larceny and insurance fraud. Investigators say he also has been charged in an attack on a patient.

An investigation by Inspector General Leahy Scott found that on two separate occasions in 2016, Haley applied for Workers Compensation benefits claiming an inability to work based on an October 2015 work-related back injury. Because of the alleged fraud in which he claimed re-injuries, Haley received $2,286.05 in benefits to which he was not entitled while in Puerto Rico in April, and $407.80 in benefits while in California that February.

Both vacations were planned and paid for before Haley took time off and put in for

Workers Compensation benefits.

In addition, while in Puerto Rico, Haley signed a medical release form for the kayak excursion certifying that he was physically fit and had no back injury.

This defendant is accused of a contemptuous fraud in which he feigns being too injured to work while paddling a kayak on a Caribbean retreat, said Inspector General Leahy Scott.

Haley was arraigned and released. It couldnt be determined from authorities if he has a lawyer.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The smell of jet fuel is fairly common in the passenger cabin when your plane is preparing to taxi. Far less so is the aroma of dirty socks, rancid cheese, or a wet dogthe typical unpleasant notice that engine oil vapors have seeped in, too.

These smells are usually found in jet engine bleed air, which is outside air thats been shunted from the engines into an air conditioning system and then to the cabin. In various systemscabin pressurization, water-tank storage pressure, even heating to dissipate wing icethis air is highly useful to the planes operation.

Yet, when engine seals deteriorate, the bleed air can mix with fumes from high-temperature synthetic engine oil. At high-enough concentrations, flight crews and passengers can grow ill, forcing pilots to divert to the closest airport. The latest publicly known incident was Aug. 2, when a Florida-bound JetBlue Airways Corp. flight diverted to Oklahoma City, where several people were treated for breathing difficulties. In October 2016, a British Airways Airbus A380 bound for London from California diverted to Vancouver after all 25 crew members became ill. Cabin fumes were suspected in that case.

Given the potential for catastrophe, these toxic fume events have spurred airline labor organizations to lobby for passage of a U.S. Senate measure called the Cabin Air Safety Act. The legislation, from Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, would require the Federal Aviation Administration to devise a standard form for incident reports from pilots, flight attendants and maintenance technicians. The agency would then publish a quarterly tally, require annual training so flight crews could identify fume events, and make airlines install carbon monoxide sensors fleetwide.

Blumenthals proposal was offered in June as an amendment to legislation reauthorizing the FAA, and co-sponsored by two other Democratic senators. A similar measure on fumes is pending in the House, proposed by Representatives Peter DeFazio, a Democrat from Oregon, and Rick Larsen, a Democrat from Washington State.

Existing FAA rules on fume event reporting apply to airlines as entities, while the proposed law would cover pilots, flight attendants, and maintenance personnel individually.Representatives of the FAA and the industry didnt comment directly on the cause of fume events, the increased safety and reporting demands of airline employees, or the rules laid out in pending Congressional legislation. Gregory Martin, a spokesman for the FAA, said the agency received reports from carriers of 98 fume events in 2015 out of almost 9 million flights. Kathy Grannis Allen, a spokeswoman for the industry lobbying group Airlines For America, said in an email that the FAA told Congress in 2015 that the risk of these issues is extremely low.

Fume events happen an estimated 2.6 times a day

The passenger jet engine-air design dates to the 1950s and has been used in virtually all commercial airliners save the Boeing 787, which uses electrical power for air conditioning and other tasks of bleed air. Boeing said this approach allows the engine to operate more efficiently and uses all the high-speed air to generate thrust.

In 2015, the UNs International Civil Aviation Organization issued guidelines for flight crew training and reporting of fume events. Often, oil fumes do not smell like oil, the group said. Instead, they are typically described as smelling like dirty socks/smelly feet, foul, or musty. Americans 737 operations manual uses similar terms for engine oil at high temperatures: Sweat, locker room, dirty sock, rancid cheese, wet dog, burning rubber, musty, sour milk, (fresh oil) sweet, mild irritation to eyes.

The frequency of these fume events is difficult to assess, but estimates run to as many as 2.6 per day. The Allied Pilots Association (APA), which represents Americans pilots, has cited as many as 20,000 fume incidents over the past decade, or about five per day.

One reason for the rough estimates is that each carrier typically has different procedures on how pilots and maintenance technicians characterize and then address a fume issue, said Dennis Tajer, a spokesman for the 15,000-member APA.

Its all done on a parochial basis, as each airline sees an issue, said Tajer, a Boeing 737 captain who said he experienced a fume event earlier this year while commanding a flight to Chicago. We took off from Orlando and just after liftoff  I looked at my first officer and she looked back at me holding her hand up to her nose, he said. Tajer said he strapped on his oxygen mask and considered returning to the airport but the fumes dissipated above 7,000 feet and they decided to continue. A similar odor returned during the descent into Chicago and the 737 was removed from service, he said.

The pilots union has been pressing American to add a distinct fumes checklist for pilots, one thats separate from a lengthier checklist for smoke and fumes in the aircraft. Spirit Airlines Inc. has taken that approach in a fumes checklist for its Airbus fleet.

Most of us will never experience a serious fume event, the union said last fall in its member newsletter, likening these to the rarity of jet engine failures inflighta common scenario in pilot training but unusual in commercial aviation. However, it is incumbent upon us to know how to react.

The issue has led to at least two lawsuits against Boeing Co. brought by five Alaska Air Group Inc. flight attendants who fell ill while working on Boeing 737s. In some cases, the employee is unable to return to work, according to the lawsuits, which were filed in Chicago.

Most Americans go to work with the expectation of breathing clean air, but until we achieve better standards for cabin air quality, flight attendants dont have this guarantee, Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the largest U.S. attendants union, said in a statement. When your workplace is 30,000 feet above the ground, you cant step outside for a breath of fresh air, added Bob Ross, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents 26,000 attendants at American.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
U.S. officials are abandoning plans to require sleep apnea screening for truck drivers and train engineers, a decision that safety experts say puts millions of lives at risk.

The Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said late last week that they are no longer pursuing the regulation that would require testing for the fatigue-inducing disorder thats been blamed for deadly rail crashes in New York City and New Jersey and several highway crashes.

The agencies argue that it should be up to railroads and trucking companies to decide whether to test employees. One railroad that does test, Metro-North in the New York City suburbs, found that 11.6 percent of its engineers have sleep apnea.

The decision to kill the sleep apnea regulation is the latest step in President Donald Trumps campaign to drastically slash federal regulations. The Trump administration has withdrawn or delayed hundreds of proposed regulations since he took office in January  moves the president has said will help bolster economic growth.

Late last year, the FRA issued a safety advisory that was meant as a stopgap measure urging railroads to begin sleep apnea testing while the rules made their way through the legislative process. Without a regulation mandating testing, which would have needed approval from Congress, regulators couldnt cite trucking companies or railroads if a truck or train crashed because the operator fell asleep at the helm.

Sleep apnea is especially troubling for the transportation industry because sufferers are repeatedly awakened and robbed of rest as their airway closes and their breathing stops, leading to dangerous daytime drowsiness. Treatments include wearing a pressurized breathing mask, oral appliances or nasal strips to force the airway open while sleeping. Some severe cases require surgery.

Its very hard to argue that people arent being put at risk, said Sarah Feinberg, the former administrator of the FRA, who had issued the safety advisory in December. We cannot have someone who is in that condition operating either a train going 70 mph or operating a multi-ton truck traveling down the interstate. Its just not an appropriate level of risk to be exposing passengers and the traveling public to.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it was disappointed the agencies decided to scrap the much-needed rulemaking.

Obstructive sleep apnea has been in the probable cause of 10 highway and rail accidents investigated by the NTSB in the past 17 years and obstructive sleep apnea is an issue being examined in several, ongoing, NTSB rail and highway investigations, NTSB spokesman Christopher ONeil said.

The NTSB has long recommended sleep apnea testing for engineers, and Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road started requiring it after finding the engineer in a 2013 Metro-North crash had fallen asleep at the controls because he had a severe, undiagnosed case of sleep apnea. The engineer, William Rockefeller, told investigators he felt strangely dazed right before the crash, which occurred as he sped through a 30 mph curve at 82 mph.

The engineer of a New Jersey Transit train that slammed into a station in Hoboken last September, killing a woman, also suffered from undiagnosed sleep apnea, according to his lawyer.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he will push the federal agencies to reconsider withdrawing the proposed regulation.

There are some regulations that go too far but this is not one of them, Schumer told The Associated Press. Repealing it will risk lives.

When asked about the governments contention that businesses could enact their own testing policies, the New York Democrat said: Tell that to the families of the people who died in Spuyten Duyvil, referring to the neighborhood where the Metro-North train crashed in 2013, killing four people.

Train engineers are currently required to undergo vision and hearing testing at least every three years. Some railroads require annual physicals, but there are no federal standards for comprehensive medical exams. Many of the largest passenger railroads, including Amtrak, require engineers to undergo sleep apnea screening.

The Association of American Railroads, an industry group, said railroads are continuing to take steps to combat worker fatigue, including confidential sleep disorder screening and treatment.

Marc Willis, a spokesman for the FRA, said the agency sought information from the public about sleep apnea and believes that current railroad and FRA safety programs sufficiently address this risk.

Feinberg said that isnt sufficient and the government shouldnt rely on industries regulating themselves.

A notice posted in the Federal Register said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration would consider updating a 2015 bulletin to medical examiners about the physical qualifications standard and respiratory dysfunction. Duane DeBruyne, a spokesman for the agency, declined to answer questions about the NTSBs concerns.

(Balsamo reported from Los Angeles and Sisak reported from Philadelphia.)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Travelers Companies, Inc., reported a 30 percent reduction in the use of opioids among the more than 500,000 injured U.S. employees covered by its workers compensation policies since 2015. This has been achieved primarily through the use of the companys Early Severity Predictor model. The model identifies the likelihood that someone will develop chronic pain  a leading cause of opioid dependency.

Travelers shares the Early Severity Predictor results with the injured employees physician allowing them to identify effective treatment alternatives, like physical therapy, and in some cases surgery is avoided to help ensure a safe recovery without the prolonged use of opioids. Since January 2016, surgeries for the companys workers compensation cases have fallen by 25 percent, and those who received alternative treatment methods recovered and returned to work 10 percent faster than those who did not.

Surgical procedures used to correct common workplace injuries are oftentimes followed by an opioid prescription for pain, said Dr. Adam Seidner, global medical director at Travelers, who is also an addiction specialist. Physical therapy and other treatments limit the employees exposure to opioids and often produce better long-term medical outcomes.

The insurer has helped employers reduce medical expenses on identified claims by up to 50 percent since it implemented the Early Severity Predictor model in the beginning of 2015. The company typically handles approximately 250,000 workers compensation claims each year.

Travelers in-house pharmacy management program has also contributed to these results. The companys claim professionals use detailed information gained from training with on-staff pharmacists to assess the merits of requests for pharmaceutical payments and identify the potential for overusing opioids and dangerous drug interactions.

Source: Travelers
On December 1, 2016, the Florida Supreme Court held in an insurance coverage case that when independent perils converge and no single cause can be considered the sole or proximate cause, it is appropriate to apply the concurring cause doctrine. This decision came on the heels of a recent district split in the state between Floridas Second District Court of Appeal and Third District Court of Appeal. The split concerned which legal theory of recovery should apply when two or more perils converge to cause a loss, and at least one of the perils is excluded from coverage. The Third District, in Wallach v. Rosenberg, 527 So. 2d 1386 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988), applied the concurrent causation doctrine, which holds that insurance coverage may exist when there are concurrent causes of a loss and at least one cause is covered under the policy. In contrast, the Second District, in American Home Assurance Co. v. Sebo, 141 So. 3d 195 (Fla. 2d DCA 2013), the decision from which the appeal was taken to the Florida Supreme Court, directed application of the efficient proximate cause doctrine. This theory holds that when different perils contribute to a loss, the efficient cause  the one that set the other causes in motion  is the cause to which the loss is attributable. If that cause is covered under the policy, the insured is entitled to coverage for the entire loss. The Florida Supreme Court resolved this divergence of views in Sebo v. American Home Assurance Company, Case number SC14-897, in favor of the Third Districts reasoning and the concurrent cause doctrine.

In Sebo v. American Home Assurance Company, homeowner John Sebo suffered severe property damage, resulting in the ultimate loss of his home, after Hurricane Wilma struck the West Coast of Florida in October 2005. Sebo had purchased his then four-year-old home in Naples, Fla., in April of that same year. Sebo then obtained homeowners insurance from American Home Assurance Company (AHAC) and was issued a custom all risks policy providing $8,000,000 in coverage. Shortly after purchasing the home, Sebos property began experiencing significant water intrusion and related problems during rainstorms. It became clear that the house suffered from major design and construction defects. When Hurricane Wilma subsequently hit Naples, Sebos home was further damaged. The residence could not be repaired and was eventually demolished. When Sebo submitted his claim to AHAC, the company denied coverage for any damage other than mold damage. Sebo subsequently renewed his claim but that was denied as well.

Sebo brought suit against the sellers of the property, the architect of the property, the construction company that built the property, and AHAC. Sebo settled against the other defendants and the issue went to trial with AHAC alone on the insurance coverage issue. The trial court entered judgment against AHAC and awarded Sebo the full policy limits of $8,000,000.

On appeal, the Second District Court of Appeal found that there was no dispute in this case that there was more than one cause of the loss,  that is, defective construction, rain, and wind  but disagreed with the trial courts application of the concurrent causation doctrine and reversed and remanded for application of the efficient proximate cause theory.

The Florida Supreme Court, in reviewing the Second Districts decision and the diverging theories, reiterated that ambiguous exclusionary clauses are construed even more strictly against the insurer than coverage clauses, and that in all-risk policies such as Sebos, the construction is governed by the language of the exclusionary provisions. The court then rejected the Second Districts decision and its reasoning and held that the concurrent cause doctrine applied.

The Second District, in remanding for application of the efficient proximate cause doctrine, had reasoned that a covered peril can usually be found somewhere in the chain of causation, and to apply the concurrent causation analysis would effectively nullify all exclusions in an all-risk policy. The court disagreed with this logic because AHAC had explicitly written other sections of Sebos policy to avoid applying the concurrent cause doctrine. Because the relevant exclusionary language did not explicitly avoid applying the doctrine, the court found that the plain language of the policy did not preclude recovery.

The court concluded that because there was no reasonable way to distinguish the proximate cause of Sebos property loss  it would not be feasible to apply the [efficient proximate cause] doctrine because no efficient cause can be determined. As such, when two independent perils converge and no single cause can be considered the sole or proximate cause, it is appropriate to apply the concurring cause doctrine.

This is a policyholder friendly decision as it is not uncommon for multiple perils to combine and simultaneously cause properly damage. The decision frees policyholders from having to prove that the primary cause of a loss was a covered peril in circumstances involving unrelated causes of loss. While this decision provides policyholders some benefit when concurrent causes converge, the decision does not prohibit the application of the efficient proximate cause doctrine when the causes of loss are not concurrent; that is, when it is possible to trace the damage back through a chain of events and pinpoint a single cause that set the chain into motion.

Given that both the concurring cause and efficient proximate cause doctrines can still apply under Florida law when multiple causes contribute to a loss depending upon the facts giving rise to a particular claim, insurers handling claims in Florida will have to carefully evaluate the specific fact pattern giving rise to the loss to consider which causation doctrine should be applied and how. Furthermore, the court, while briefly mentioning that AHAC did not employ anti-concurrent cause language in the relevant exclusion, did not squarely address how the case would have been resolved if such language had been employed.

The resolution of this case in favor of policyholders should be an indicator to the insurance industry that they can expect to see an increase in claims, especially in the volatile environment of Florida where windstorms and similar occurrences are far from irregular. Policyholder and insurers alike will need to consider the implications this has on coverage of current contracts and how policies language will now be written moving forward in the wake of Sebo. Needless to say, as insurers adjust to this state of the law, similar coverage issues involving causation of loss will inevitably surface and the courts will have to address them at such time.
Wells Fargo & Co.s admission that it charged customers for auto policies they didnt request has prompted an investigation by Californias insurance regulator.

The department will investigate fully to determine the extent to which California consumers were affected by improper placement of force- or lender-placed auto insurance and seek corrective action and penalties in the event that Californias consumer protection laws were violated, Commissioner Dave Jones said in a statement Tuesday on the watchdogs website.

Wells Fargo already settled a U.S. probe last year into the unauthorized opening of savings and checking accounts. The San Francisco-based bank said in July that an internal review found that it also placed unnecessary car insurance polices with National General Holding Corp. to protect against losses on auto loans.

National General Holdings Corp., the auto insurer that picked up business from Wells Fargo & Co. customers who didnt realize they were buying the coverage, said it acted appropriately.

We believe that our practices in this highly regulated industry are compliant, National General Chief Executive Officer Barry Karfunkel said in a conference call Tuesday discussing quarterly results.

Customers have sued Wells Fargo for forcing them to pay for unnecessary insurance that drove some of them into default on their car loans. They have alleged that National General was also involved in the scheme.

We are reviewing the recently filed litigation, Karfunkel said.

These most recent revelations by Wells Fargo are particularly troubling, Jones said.

The commissioner said his office is also reviewing the insurer and that his department will work with other state regulators investigating National General and Wells Fargo. The bank has said it may pay as much as $80 million to affected auto-loan clients  with extra money for as many as 20,000 who lost cars to repossessions. The chief executive officer of National General said Tuesday that it acted appropriately.

We believe that our practices in this highly regulated industry are compliant, National General CEO Barry Karfunkel said in a conference call discussing quarterly results.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
KENT, Ohio -- A by A, Akron students can earn up to $4,800 toward Kent State University tuition.

The university is expanding its raise.me micro-scholarship program, which began in 2015 with Cleveland Metropolitan School District, to Akron Public Schools.

The program, through the start-up website raise.me, allows students to earn money for each A and B earned in core classes. They can also apply for additional scholarships and financial aid.

More than 200 colleges nationwide, including Ohio schools such as Oberlin, the University of Dayton, offer micro-scholarships on raise.me. Each college has its own awards for grades, leadership roles, even sports, community service and jobs.

The genius of the program is that scholarships grow incrementally, said Akron Assistant Superintendent Ellen McWilliams-Woods.

"You get to see that scholarship money accrue as you go through school," McWilliams-Woods said in a phone interview. "That motivation is pretty powerful."

The program will be a mandatory aspect of career advising, she said. And it's retroactive, so high school seniors can earn money for every A or B, beginning freshman year.

For Akron schools, the partnership with Kent State deepens a relationship that includes a Kent-sponsored career academy focusing on arts and design in an Akron high school. The college will offer visits and internships to students and training to teachers.

Said Melody Tankersley, associate provost at Kent State, "With Akron we are building such a deep partnership in so many ways."

Here's how the micro-scholarship program will work.

If students enroll at Kent, they can use $1,200 of the $4,800 each year.

Students are awarded $25 for an A each quarter in college prep courses: English, history, math and science

Students are awarded $25 for a B each quarter in Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes

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AKRON, Ohio -- A 26-year-old man was shot several times while his 2-year-old nephew got a haircut, police say.

The man suffered gunshot wounds in the arm and torso in the incident that happened about 6 p.m. Tuesday at The Barber House at East Cuyahoga Falls Avenue and Thayer Street, Akron police Lt. Rick Edwards said.

The man's girlfriend took him to Akron City Hospital after the shooting. His injuries do not appear to be life threatening, Edwards said.

The man told police that he was sitting in a barber chair and holding his 2-year-old nephew while he got a haircut when an unidentified man walked up, pointed a gun at him and told him to put his nephew down, police said.

He gave his nephew to his girlfriend then lunged to get the handgun, Edwards said.

The shooter fired several shots. Officers found a handgun in a yard on Thayer Street, police said. Police do not know if the gun is the one connected to the shooting.

Investigators have not made an arrest.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.
GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio -- A Garfield Heights man accused of raping seven girls was once a part-time patrolman for the Kirtland Hills Police Department, records show.

Scott Brundage, 49, started working for the Kirtland Hills Police Department on Oct. 30, 1992, according to his work file obtained from the department.

He resigned Nov. 12, 1993 in a handwritten note that offered no explanation.

None of the current staff worked at the department with Brundage, Kirtland Hills police Lt. Jeff Bilicic said.

United States Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force agents arrested Brundage at his Granger Road home on a warrant, Stow police said.

He's charged with four counts of rape, nine counts of gross sexual imposition, two counts of sexual imposition and one count of corrupting another with drugs, police said.

The girls were between the ages of 10 and 15 years old, police said.

Police began investigating Brundage in January after the youngest girl told her mother that he took advantage of her, police said. The victim was known to Brundage and he lived in her Stow home.

Brundage also assaulted the girl's female siblings, according to the release.

Another parent told police in March that Brundage raped her daughters who knew the girl who made the initial claim, police said.

Brundage made one of the victims ingest illegal substances, although a statement from Stow police does not specify what substance.

A Summit County grand jury handed up an indictment Wednesday after the investigation and testimony from a Stow police detective, according to the release.

He is being held in Summit County Jail pending his arraignment.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments section.
MEDINA, Ohio - The Medina City School District won't need to buy any new buses for at least three more years. But that doesn't mean they can't start shopping now.

Last week, they had a chance to test drive and thoroughly inspect one of Blue Bird's new gasoline-powered school buses.

Blue Bird introduced the new bus line last year in partnership with Ford Motor Company and Roush Engineering.

The district's current buses all run on diesel fuel, which in the past was the more economical way to go, said schools Transportation Manager Robert Travis.

"Up until recently, diesel offered better longevity, cheaper fuel, increased mileage and decreased maintenance costs. But that's changing," he said.

The cost of diesel fuel has been rising, and government regulations on diesel engines to protect the environment have meant increased costs in terms of filters and fuel additives, he said.

On the other hand, gasoline prices have gone down and modern technology has made gasoline-powered engines more efficient and economical and cut back on maintenance costs, he said.

And the gas buses are $5,000 to $8,000 cheaper to purchase, Travis said.

"The industry is trending the other way now," Travis said.

He said the two types of engines are more comparable today in terms of miles per gallon.

"They're within one or two miles per gallon of each other now," he said.

Twenty years ago, a diesel engine in a school bus could offer 10 to 12 miles per gallon. Now, that's closer to seven to eight miles per gallon.

And gasoline efficiency has increased from about two to four miles per gallon then to five to six miles per gallon now, he said.

Head mechanic Dale Rohrbaugh said gasoline-powered engines are becoming a cost-efficient option.

"If you switch to a gas engine, you can eliminate turbo chargers, the exhaust system is cheaper and the fuel injections system is cheaper," Rohrbaugh said.

In Northeast Ohio's bitter winters, diesel-powered buses have to be plugged into an electrical source at night to keep them warm enough to start in the cold. That's not a problem with gasoline-powered engines, he said.

"It's just like our personal cars and trucks, which will still start in frigid temperatures," he said.

The gasoline-powered buses would still have the same kind of air brakes and other safety features as the current diesel buses.

"It's still just as safe a bus as it was with diesel, it's just a different motor," Rohrbaugh said.

Another advantage? Cutting back on noise, both inside and outside the bus.

"One of the most notable features is that it's quieter inside the bus," Travis said.

Brenda Arthur, a bus driver and trainer for the school district, had a chance to take the model bus for a spin around town.

"It's so much quieter. It makes such a huge difference with the volume on the bus. There's no big rumbling engine, so the kids won't have to talk as loudly," Arthur said.

Travis said he would be keeping tabs on other districts that have already bought gasoline-powered buses, to see if they really save money on maintenance and fuel.

"We're keeping an eye on longevity. That's what we're curious to find out," he said.

"It's nice to have options again. We really have been locked into the diesel market over the years," he said.

Travis said potential competition between the diesel and gasoline bus markets could also bring down costs.

"It's a win-win for all school districts," he said.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Case Western Reserve University students and recent alumni will compete for money for startup businesses in a new annual competition that honors legendary investor David Morgenthaler.

JumpStart Inc. and the Morgenthaler family, with CWRU trustee and venture capitalist Bob Pavey, created the Morgenthaler-Pavey Startup Competition.

Venture teams, each composed of at least one CWRU student or recent alumnus, will submit presentations for their business concepts to economics professor Scott Shane's entrepreneurial finance class by the end of October.

The class will evaluate the ventures and select the top six to present to a panel of venture capitalists in March.

The judges will select three winners, who will receive prizes provided by JumpStart. First place is $25,000, second is $15,000 and third is $10,000.

All six finalists will be mentored by JumpStart and connected by the nonprofit to capital, talent and other business development resources in Northeast Ohio.

"We want a competition that creates new, viable high-potential companies coming out of Case Western Reserve University, and we want to train students to invest in these companies," said Shane, the A. Malachi Mixon III Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at the Weatherhead School of Management, in a statement. Shane is directing the new program.

Lead backers of the competition are JumpStart, which supports and invests in Ohio-based tech startups, and Pavey, managing partner of Pavey Investments in Cleveland and Silicon Valley, California, and partner emeritus at Cleveland-based Morgenthaler Ventures.

Morgenthaler, who died in 2016, was president, chairman or director of more than 30 companies, and considered among the earliest venture capitalists, backing such emerging tech businesses as Apple and Nextel. His Morgenthaler Ventures has raised more than $3 billion and helped more than 325 startups.

"Dave and I have always believed institutions can enhance their student's academic and life experience by adding something new," Pavey said in a statement. "We have taken a similar approach at a number of universities around the country, where we were alums, and I am excited that we have an opportunity to do it at home here at CWRU in Cleveland, too. This would have made Dave very happy."

JumpStart CEO Ray Leach said Morgenthaler "was always asking me how JumpStart could play a more significant role in accelerating entrepreneurship at CWRU. That is why we're so excited about the opportunity to partner with Bob Pavey and our long-time partner, the Ohio Third Frontier, to create an entrepreneurial competition that will have a lasting impact at CWRU for many years to come."
Vacationers to Wisconsin hoping to whisk a case of Spotted Cow across state lines may want to plan ahead.

There is no shortage of the popular farmhouse ale from New Glarus Brewing Co. but the price can vary widely depending on where it is purchased and, in at least one instance, is nearly $15 more than a nearby grocer.

The 46,000-square-foot Mars Cheese Castle along Interstate 94 in Kenosha, about 8 miles from the state line, is a major tourist draw and often a last stop for out-of-state travelers before they cross into Illinois.

The business, founded in 1947, sells a wide variety of cheese from around Wisconsin and the world, has a bakery, restaurant, bar and a gift shop. The store, with six check-out lanes, also has an impressive craft beer department anchored by cases of Spotted Cow, which is famously sold only in Wisconsin.

But the price for 24 bottles of what has turned into the state's signature craft beer is eye-popping.

On a visit to the store last weekend, a case of Spotted Cow was going for $44.99 and appears to be one of the higher price-points around for the bovine-themed brew. In fact, less than four miles to the south, at the corner of I-94 and Highway 50, Woodman's Food Market sells a case of Spotted Cow for $30.79.

But what about other retailers at major state exit points?

At Keyport Liquors in Superior, a case of Spotted Cow sells for $34.79, while it goes for $32 a case at the Family Fresh Market in New Richmond, northwest of the Twin Cities. Historic Casanova Liquors in the I-94 border city of Hudson sells a case of Cow for $39.99.

In Beloit, the Cornellier Superstore, another popular tourist spot that sells cheese and souvenirs at the interchange of I-90 and I-43, a case of Spotted Cow retails for $37.99, while at the nearby Badger Spirits it's $36.98 a case. Over in Prairie du Chien, a case at the Piggly Wiggly sells for $34 and at the Woodman's in Onalaska it retails for $29.99.

In the Madison area, Steve's Liquor on University Avenue sells a case for $34.06, tax included, while Star Liquor on Williamson Street retails it for $33.99 and Costco in Middleton for $30.75.

But the Mars Cheese Castle price of $45 a case pales in comparison to the price of Spotted Cow in the Local to Go section at the Metcalfe's Market in the terminal at the Dane County Regional Airport. A six-pack of bottles is $19, which would equate to $76 a case, while a 12-pack of cans is $26.99.

Like I said, plan ahead.
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. >> Taxpayers in the Shenendehowa School District will see a lower-than-expected tax rate on their bills next month thanks to an increase in the value of their properties.

Figures released by the districts administration last week show a true value tax rate of $17.32 per $1,000 assessed value, a rate increase of 0.16 percent.

The final figure is a reduction from the estimated 1.13 percent tax rate increase used to figure the districts 2017-2018 budget. The reduction is due to an increase in the total assessed value of all the properties in the district.

It was an $81.6 million increase, said Shen Assistant Superintendent of Finance Kathy Wetmore-Chase.

In a presentation at the Aug. 1 at the Board of Education meeting, Wetmore-Chase showed the equalization rates for the six communities that make up the district and their associated tax rates for the coming school year.

Equalization rates are used to equalize the amount of money due the school district from individual properties in a particular municipality that are in the Shen School Districts boundaries. The rates are used to equalize the amount paid by those living in communities that regularly re-evaluate properties with those properties in other communities, within the same school district, that do not.

The six communities or parts of them that make up the Shen School District are Clifton Park, Halfmoon, Malta, Ballston, Stillwater, and Waterford.

Next years tax rates for the six communities are; $29.86 per $1000 assessed value for Clifton Park and Halfmoon, $17.32 for those properties in Malta, $18.58 for Ballston, $19.14 for Stillwater, and $54.47 for those properties in the Shen School District in the Town of Waterford.

The Town of Malta has a 100 percent equalization rate as it does a re-evaluation each year. Consequently, full value assessments and taxable assessed values are the same in that community. In Clifton Park, where a full re-evaluation has not been done since 1996, the equalization rate is 58 percent.

A home in Malta, in the Shen School District, with a full value assessment of $300,000 and a tax rate of $17.32 per $1,000 assessed value will pay $5,196 in taxes next year, an increase of about $9 from last year.

In Clifton Park and Halfmoon where the equalization rate is the same, a home with a full value assessment of $300,000 will have a taxable assessed value of $174,000. The tax bill for that home will be 5,195.64 using a rate of $29.86 per $1,000.

In Clifton Park taxpayers will see their tax bill increase about $8.60. In Halfmoon, which saw its equalization rate decrease this year by .5 percent, the tax bill will show an increase of about $52.

Those Shen taxpayers in the Town of Ballston with a comparable home should see a tax bill of $5,195, an increase in their tax bill of approximately $6.

In a second presentation at the Aug. 1 Board of Education meeting, this one on the impact of the districts military veterans exemption, Wetmore-Chase noted that there are 2,175 parcels getting the exemption. The number of exemptions and the amounts exempted were highest in the two largest contributors to the districts enrollment, Clifton Park and Halfmoon.

In Clifton Park, 1,303 parcels received the calculated exemption and in Halfmoon the number was 561. Malta had 167 exemptions, Waterford 104, Ballston 39, and in Stillwater there was one parcel.

The total amount exempted, as computed by the county using the individual properties and their communitys respective tax rates totaled $683,399. In Clifton Park the figure was $410,083 and in Halfmoon it was $170,840.

Veterans who applied from Malta received exemptions totaling $56,714, in Waterford the figure was $31,951, and in Ballston it was $13,603. The lone exemption in Stillwater will receive a $208 reduction on their tax bill.
The Chinese appetite for Australian gold is worth at least $11 bullion annually, according to the Perth Mint.

The Chinese appetite for Australian gold is worth at least $11 billion annually, according to the Perth Mint.

Chinese investors are buying more than 230 metric tons of Australian gold bullion, worth $11 billion, on the Shanghai Gold Exchange every year, the Perth Mint announced.

Chief Operating Officer David Woodford said the quality of Australian gold and the certainty of its supply has contributed to a dramatic increase in gold exports to China in recent years.

The fallout from the Enhanced Uncirculated Coin set release: Another column in the August 21 weekly issue of Coin World reveals that while forms of numismatic literature like fixed-price lists were meant to be fleeting, they can actually be quite useful.

In 2014, The Perth Mint became the first foreign refinery accredited on the Shanghai Gold Exchange and we have worked steadily to establish this new market, said Woodford. Today we are on track to achieve our goal of becoming the biggest source of imported gold in the Chinese market and that is great news for Australian gold producers and Australian mine workers.

Australian gold exports into China have more than doubled from 110 metric tons in 2011 to 232 metric tons in the past year. Over the past 12 months alone, growth has been more than 8 percent.

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Woodford said the Perth Mint had established direct distribution networks with both local Chinese banks and international banks operating across China.

The majority of our exports are in the form of [1 kilogram] gold bullion bars which are certified at 99.99 per cent purity, he said. Our direct relationships with the banks have enabled us to lift our sales volumes and we are confident this market will continue to grow.

Australia is the second largest producer of gold in the world after China, and the Perth Mint is focused on maximizing export income from gold production.

The Perth Mint has an established international reputation for excellence in refining and minting precious metals, Woodford said. In the past year, we refined more than 330 tonnes [metric tons] of gold and 540 tonnes of silver. We are focused on promoting the Australian gold industry to the world to build long term markets which will bring real benefits to Australian producers and workers for decades to come.
MENOMONIE  As a group of 10 girls in teal T-shirts assembled robots in a University of Wisconsin-Stout lab, Kari Berthiaume thought back to when she was in middle school.

I wish I had the opportunity to do something like this when I was that age. Its a key time for them to explore some of these things, Berthiaume said.

Although Berthiaume never attended a week-long science camp as a youth, she has become a role model for the 160 girls who attended UW-Stouts 21st annual STEPS for Girls camps over four weeks in July and early August.

Berthiaume, of Colfax, recently was promoted to an Advanced Manufacturing manager for Andersen Corporations Research and Development organization at its headquarters in Bayport, Minn.

In this new role for the national window and door manufacturer, she leads a team of engineers who are responsible for implementing new manufacturing systems at multiple company locations across the US. Previously, she worked for 10 years as a manufacturing engineer and three years as the engineering manager at the companys window assembly facility in Menomonie after graduating from UW-Stout in 2002 with a bachelors degree in manufacturing engineering.

Having succeeded in the mostly male world of engineering, she was giving back at the camp by helping girls build their confidence in and consider careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields.

Volunteer staff at STEPS included another 22 female engineers from Andersen, 3M, General Mills, Target, EcoLab and Nordson EDI, all of which generously gave their employees time off to help.

Learning new skills

In Berthiaumes case it was four Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. She was in the manufacturing lab, where girls finished their big project for the week, bug bots  saucer-size, remote-controlled robots. First, the girls learned about and made parts for the bots in other UW-Stout labs.

This experience is empowering them to be confident, set their goals high and be able to achieve them. Theyre learning life skills, Berthiaume said.

During their two hours in the manufacturing lab with Berthiaume, girls also learned how to set up a manufacturing line. As an exercise, they first assembled pens, doing it much faster when they developed a team system. Their speed increased from assembling a few pens to as many as 18 in two minutes.

Its very interactive. The girls are very engaged and positive. Its been such a rewarding experience for me, Berthiaume said.

Most of the professionals who volunteer at STEPS are women. The lab assistants and counselors include many female UW-Stout students.

Wanted: Female engineers

One of the instructors this year was Jessica Kuske, a 2015 technology education graduate from UW-Stout. She teaches at Ellsworth middle school and high school, where she encourages girls to try her classes.

There are very few females in the high school technology classes. I try to get them interested at the middle school level and then continue. One of the reasons I went into teaching technology is that I was the only girl in some of my classes, Kuske said.

According to the Society of Women Engineers, which has a chapter at UW-Stout, only about 12 percent of engineers in the U.S. are women. That number is virtually unchanged in the past 15 years.

It would be great 30 years from now even if 50 percent of the employees in technology were women, said Berthiaume, who also earned a masters degree in technology management from UW-Stout in 2009.

STEPS stands for Science, Technology and Engineering Preview Summer program. About 3,300 girls have participated since it began on campus in 1997. Jo Hopp, a physics professor at UW-Stout, is the programs director.

Sponsors, including UW-Stout, 3M, the Hampton Family Trust, Xcel Energy and Polaris, among others, fund nearly 70 percent of the program.

Learn more about STEPS for Girls at the website, www.uwstout.edu/steps.
PSC chairman Eddie Teo gets Singapores highest award

Recognising the outstanding contribution of Eddie Teo, chairman of Public Service Commission (PSC) has been conferred Order of Nila Utama (First Class) award  the highest honour given in Singapore.

In addition to this, a total of 4,323 recipients will receive National Day honours for their service to the nation. They will be presented at the National Day Awards Investiture at the end of the year.

The awardees include civil servants, community and grassroots leaders, educators, legal professionals, and military personnel. It is the largest pool of recipients since 1998, when 4,676 individuals were recognised.

Eddie Teo, Chairman of Singapore's Public Service Commission. Photo courtesy: psc.gov.sg

Eddie Teo dedicated his award to the late former President of Singapore, S R Nathan, who mentored him in the early part of his 47-year career.

Recalling the contribution of former president of Singapore in his life, Teo said, The one person who was my greatest mentor was the late S R Nathan. He taught me the values, discipline and instincts required for public service.

Teo was also grateful to his fellow PSC members, describing them as all busy people with important jobs or big organisations to run, who nevertheless are willing to volunteer their time and energy to contribute to the public good.

He said, I thank them for being willing to challenge my views and for disagreeing with me, in order that I can make better decisions.

Teo was appointed PSC chairman in 2008. He also concurrently chairs the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship Fund, the Dr Goh Keng Swee Scholarship Fund, and the Board of Governors of the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, while serving as a member in the Legal Service Commission. He also chairs the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC), and was part of the nine-member Constitutional Commission which was tasked last year with reviewing the Elected Presidency scheme. The six-member PEC is tasked to ensure that each presidential candidate has the qualifications required to run for office.

The Distinguished Service Order, another top award of Singapore has gone to two recipients: Chin Siat Yoon, who recently stepped down as Ambassador to Japan, and hotelier Ho Kwon Ping, who is chairman of the Singapore Management Universitys Board of Trustees.
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There are fears the seaside village of Perranporth won't be able to cope with the influx of people moving into the numerous developments that have been approved.

Residents and parish councillors have said that Perranporth Primary School is already at full capacity and has been turning children away, while the doctor's surgery is also struggling to keep up with local demand.

But while the services struggle to cope with the amount of people living in the area already, more than 200 homes are in the process of being built within the confines of the village, which will put yet more strain on the facilities.

Notable developments include 54 properties on land west of Liskey Hill, 120 new homes on land on the opposite side of Liskey Hill, 31 properties on land at Droskyn Point and the Posmere Hotel development which will include 41 new homes.

Perranzabuloe Parish Councillor Linda Higgins said: "We have had a problem with the doctor's surgery in Perranporth for some time, but it is a private company and there isn't much that we can do about it.

"We do know that the school is tight on places. You can only approve an application based on what you are seeing, but the problem is that there is an awful lot of them now and I'm really not sure if the infrastructure can cope with it. It is a concern. Services are struggling already."

Earlier this year Cornwall Live reported on a family whose daughter was left upset after being told she would not be able to go to Perranporth Primary School because her house was "outside the catchment area", despite her older sister, who lives in the same house, being a pupil at the school for two years.

Mum Tracy Curran said while she and her family have lived in Perranporth for years, and her oldest daughter Skye is already a pupil, the school is at full capacity and cannot give a place to her youngest daughter Ebony.

The four-year-old, who had been looking forward to joining her big sister, has instead been given a place at Mithian Primary School, even though it is further away from the family home.

Tracy also said that she had been told by the school that any families moving into properties on the new development next to the school, would be given priority over families with children already at the school, due to the location.

With the school already full, residents have been left concerned that there will not be enough facilities to cope with the developments that are currently being built.

One resident Rory Jenkins, said that although he is not against new developments he feels that not enough thought has been put into them.

The former parish councillor is now in the middle of forming a committee to create a Neighbourhood Plan for Perranzabuloe.

Mr Jenkins said: "I completely recognise the fact that we do need more housing and definitely more affordable housing.

"I have nothing against new developments, and a lot of people, including a few that I know personally have bought a house in one of the new developments and are so happy to be able to own a home in Perranporth. Without those developments they wouldn't have been able to do it.

"But one big concern for a lot of people, both in Perranporth and in Goonhavern is that there are a lot of building projects going on and facilities are not keeping pace with the developments that are going up."

A Facebook page has been created to gauge public interest in the creation of a Neighbourhood Plan and to find other people who would like to become involved, and a website is in the process of being put together.

Mr Jenkins added: "One thing that I would like the Neighbourhood Plan to consider is that unless the ratio of doctor's surgeries and schools and other services are above a certain level, then there should be no developments allowed until the services have caught up.

"Two years ago we had these problems with schools and the surgery being full already, and the new developments will obviously exasperate that. But the problem was there regardless, it has just now been made worse.

"The thing is that we do desperately need more housing, but with the new housing we do create these other problems such as putting strain on our services, that we have not had to deal with before.

"What we need to do is work together on a Neighbourhood Plan with the community

"We need to accept that we do need developments and work out how to word the plan so that we can make them work for the whole community."

The Perranzabuloe Network Plan has a Facebook page set up for people to get involved and find out more, and a website is also in the process of being built.
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Looking to make your first or next step on the education career ladder? Or perhaps you're seeking to boost your income with part time childcare work?

Here are some of the opportunities available in the county today.

Childrens activity supervisor

Bedruthan Hotel and Spa is recruiting a supervisor for its childrens activity club (aka Department of Mischief and Mayhem).

The childcare team at the hotel caters for childrens birthday parties, discos, pantomimes, arts and crafts activities and more.

This role is offered on a fixed term contract with an hourly pay of 9.43 and involves work in the region of 30 to 37 hours per week.

Click here to apply

School receptionist

Poltair School in Truro is seeking to appoint a confident, proactive and organised person to be its school receptionist.

Find Cornwall job vacancies near you

The role is advertised as being full time, but the school states that a job share arrangement will be considered for the right candidate seeking part time work.

Click here to apply

Learning services tutor

Truro & Penwith College I looking for a learning services tutor with a full time role available offering a salary of 16,682 to 17,459 pro rata.

The duties of the post involve organising and delivery of learning support to students across all areas of the curriculum, with a focus on delivering numeracy support.

Applicants must be qualified to at least A Level in maths and have good IT skills. The college says that those applying must possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills and have the ability to work with students and colleagues at all levels.

Click here to apply

Training advisor

Truro & Penwith College is also recruiting an auto engineering training advisor.

The college says: We are seeking an enthusiastic, highly motivated individual to support and assess students, studying Auto Engineering qualifications.

Find Cornwall job vacancies near you

The successful applicant will work with students on apprenticeship programmes across Cornwall.

This is a full time role offering a salary between 19,203 and 24,065.

Click here to apply

Foster carer

Five Rivers Fostering Service is actively recruiting foster carers across the county.

The company says that its carers transform the lives of young people whilst working from home as part of a professional team, benefiting from an excellent package including training, development and support as well as generous remuneration levels with the UK's leading independent social enterprise.

This role is advertised with a tax-free salary of over 20,000 per year.

Click here to apply

Lunchtime supervisor

Richard Lander School is recruiting staff to supervise its students during the lunch break.

Lunchtime supervisors are required to "encourage responsible and appropriate behaviour" and ensure the safety of the children at all times.

Find Cornwall job vacancies near you

This role involves 10 hours per week across week days between 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

Click here to apply

Craft professional trainer

You can earn between 150 and 210 a day training craft professionals as a JLT associate.

The company says that previous teaching experience is not an essential requirement and that it will provide the support needed to applicants with the necessary skills and qualities.

JLT says: As a JTL associate, you will be part of a dedicated team responsible for undertaking workplace NVQ assessments or technical reviews. Its a varied and challenging role that calls for verifiable and relevant industry experience and current knowledge of industry working practices and techniques.

Click here to apply
CORNWALL, Ontario  UPDATE: The previous version of this article ommitted a comment from the St. Lawrence Valley Animal Hospital. According to the St. Lawence Valley animal Hospital, they treated Gypsey with IV fluid and conducted some X-Rays. They arrived to treat Gypsey half an hour after receiving the call. They suggested to the owner that the dog be taken to Ottawa and setup the transfer.

Last Thursday, Aug. 4, Josee Davis and her husband were out for a walk with their Toy Poodle, Gypsy, when a large white dog attacked the small dog, leaving her fatally wounded.

The attack took place just outside the Monte Carlo Motel, with both the dogs owner and Davis husband working to release Gypsy from the jaws of the white dog, who, Davis presumes was at least 100 lbs.

Its an distressing scene  but unfortunately, its not a rare occurrence. A recent study found that there are an estimated 500,000 dog bites a year in Canada.

We didnt even have time to pick her up before the dog lunged at her, said Davis. I am hoping there is something we can do to stop this from happening to another precious pet or possibly a child.

Davis, who practises natural medicine and shamanism says that her clients took a real shine to Gypsy.

She was a total therapy dog, said Davis. She sat in clients laps when I worked with them, and even earned the nickname of shaman dog over the years.

While Davis and her husband continue to mourn the loss of their beloved family friend, she says that she isnt looking for revenge.

I understand this is traumatic for the other dogs owner, said Davis. He seems to be very sorry  we just want other people to be protected as a result.
CORNWALL, Ontario  Fresh Co has decided to jump into the Agape Centres One Bag Challenge in a big way.

The Agape Centre launched the One Bag Challenge at the end of July. The challenge is to bring one bag of groceries to the Agape Centre and to challenge your friends to do the same.

Agape Centre Executive Director Diane Plourde said that the summer months are the most difficult for the Agape Centre as they have the same number of people to support, but less donations. Particularly, the Agape Centre was running low on canned meats, peanut butter, pasta and pasta sauce.

Fresh Co always has bins at the end of their cash lines where people can drop off food for the Agape Centre, but they wanted to jump into the One Bag Challenge as well and get their customers involved. Customers have an opportunity to donate a $5 or $10 bag of groceries to the Agape Centre that has been prepared by Fresh Co. The Agape Centre will then come by and pick up the bags that have been donated.

Fresh Co is the only grocery store so far to join in the challenge.

After talking with Diane, we have prepared bags of things that they really need at the Agape Centre, said store owner Jordan OBrien. Right now our $5 bags have back to school snacks in them for the kids.

What people dont know, she went on to say, is that we do this all year- round.

The campaign has been very successful so far. As of Aug. 8, the Agape Centre was at 70 percent of their goal to collect 500 bags. Plourde estimates that they have collected nearly 4, 000 pounds of food.

The response weve gotten is amazing and people are having so much fun with this, she said. The centre has added seven new clients this week, so the demand for our services is growing.
It would take 25 years for state taxpayers to see a return on the billions Gov. Scott Walker wants to invest in a project that would bring Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn to Wisconsin, new state estimates show.

Walker has proposed giving Foxconn nearly $3 billion in refundable tax credits as part of an incentive package state lawmakers are considering to convince the company to build its first U.S. plant in the southeastern part of the state  a campus that is projected to employ 13,000 and create a supply chain that could employ more than 30,000 statewide.

A new analysis released Tuesday by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau shows taxpayers would pay to Foxconn Technology Group about $1 billion more than the state received in tax revenues during the first 15 years of the project, and that the state would start to recoup those payments starting in 2043  or a quarter of a century after the project starts.

That estimated break-even date assumes the workforce produced by Foxconn is 13,000 employees and entirely composed of Wisconsin residents. The more out-of-state workers that commute to the plant, the further away the break-even date will be, according to the analysis.

The analysis also shows that the tax incremental financing district created for Foxconn would have a multibillion-dollar value after the project is fully developed. Foxconn has said it plans to invest $10 billion in the project and is looking at sites in Dane County for a second potential campus.

Tom Evenson, spokesman for Walker, said after the analysis was released that the project is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that brings high-tech manufacturing back to America, right here in Wisconsin, and adds 13,000 good paying jobs.

And Walker in a tweet said, Foxconn is bigger than just future tax revenues and that the project would add more than $10.5 billion in payroll to the state economy over 15 years plus construction & indirect jobs.

A Foxconn-commissioned analysis shows that once the plant is up and running, for every 10 jobs created there, 17 jobs would be created elsewhere in the state and that the facilitys operations would support more than 35,000 jobs statewide  a figure that includes the 13,000 planned to be at the campus itself.

Fiscal bureau director Bob Lang, who authored the analysis, noted the review focuses only on the impacts of the Foxconn project on the states finances, and does not account for other benefits to the states economy and residents. Foxconn would spend $6.70 for each public dollar, for example.

But Lang also warned that any cash-flow analysis that covers a nearly 30-year time frame must be considered highly speculative, especially for a manufacturing facility and equipment that may have a limited useful life.

Technological advances and changes in Foxconns market share, operating procedures, or product mix could significantly affect employment and wages at the proposed facility over time, Lang wrote.

Some lawmakers supporting the package have said the Foxconn project would barely affect the 2017-19 state budget, which lawmakers are more than a month late in passing. But the fiscal bureau analysis shows the Foxconn project would likely take $15 million out of the next two-year spending plans general fund and more than $522 million in the following two-year state budget.

Democrats, including Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca who represents the area Foxconn is considering developing, said the analysis raises questions that need more time to be answered than the quick timetable some Republican lawmakers are pushing.

Budget-writing committee member Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, said the memo shows taxpayers are assuming 100 percent of the risk of the Foxconn proposal and that more vetting of the incentive packages impact on future state budgets is needed.

Taxpayer funded assistance this massive in size will certainly create budget problems for the state, and likely result in another round of cuts to our most valued priorities, Hintz said in a statement. When considering this multibillion-dollar legislation, we must also consider the far-reaching impacts it will have on every budget for the next 15 years.

And Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, said shes not convinced that handing over $3 billion in state subsidies to a foreign corporation is the best deal for Wisconsin families and small businesses.

Walker introduced a bill nearly two weeks ago that would give Foxconn the nearly $3 billion in refundable tax credits and another $150 million in sales tax exemptions. The company also would not be required to abide by environmental regulations during construction, and even after, of a proposed 20 million-square foot campus in southeastern Wisconsin, and would be eligible to pay lower utility rates.

Lawmakers in the state Assembly held a hearing on the bill last week and plan to advance the package for a floor vote as soon as Thursday.

Evenson said because Foxconn has promised to invest $10 billion, that the project is an excellent investment for our entire state.

Wisconsin is offering $3 billion for a $10 billion investment, $10.5 billion in new payroll, and 13,000 direct jobs, Evenson said.

A spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, did not respond to a request for an interview.

Myranda Tanck, spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said Fitzgerald is reviewing the fiscal bureau analysis. Tanck said Senate Republicans will meet with Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Mark Hogan to discuss the proposal on Thursday and Fitzgerald will meet with Walker this week to discuss Foxconn and the state budget.

Under fiscal estimates from state agencies released Tuesday, the states payments to fulfill the incentive package would reach their peak by fiscal 2023, when the state would annually be sending $119.5 million in income tax credits and $192.9 million in capital expenditure credits to the Apple iPhone manufacturer that wants to build LCD panels in Wisconsin.

The estimate from the Department of Revenue also shows annual payroll for the proposed campus would reach $703.4 million annually  nearly $100 million less than what Department of Administration Secretary Scott Neitzel estimated at the bill hearing last week.

Fiscal estimates from state agencies released on Tuesday also show provisions exempting Foxconn from sales taxes on construction materials and equipment would result in $139 million the company would not need to pay. Local governments would have gotten about $10.7 million in revenue if the exemptions were not in place and Foxconn created the same campus at the same size investment, the estimates show.

Another bill provision to rebuild and expand I-94 in the area of the proposed campus would cost about $408 million in principal and interest re-payments between 2019 and 2042, according to an estimate from the state Department of Administration.

Walkers bill proposes to use $252 million in bonding for the project.
CORNWALL, Ontario  Joshua Tilley, 24, of Cornwall was arrested on August 8, 2017 and charged with the following:

Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle

Fail to remain at the scene of an accident

Assault police with intent to resist arrest

Possession of a controlled substance

Breach of probation (fail to keep the peace)

Breach of recognizance (operating a motor vehicle)

It is alleged on August 8, 2017 the man was operating a motor vehicle in a dangerous manner when it collided with a tree in the area of Seventh Street West. It is also alleged the man fled the scene and was located by police a short distance away. He was taken into custody after a brief struggle and found to be in possession of a quantity of marijuana and hashish. He was charged accordingly and held for a bail hearing.
WASHINGTON  Do you believe in mermaids, unicorns and fairies?

If so, you may have taken interest in a new mythical creature that appeared during the 2016 election: the Trump Democrat.

It has become an article of faith that an unusually large number of people who voted for Barack Obama in 2008 or 2012 switched sides and voted for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton. It follows that Democrats, to win in the future, need to get these lost partisans to come home.

But new data, and an analysis by AFL-CIO political director Michael Podhorzer that he shared with me, puts all this into question. The number of Obama-to-Trump voters turns out to be smaller than thought. And those Obama voters who did switch to Trump were largely Republican voters to start with. The aberration wasnt their votes for Trump but their votes for Obama.

It follows for Democrats that most of these Obama-Trump voters arent going to be persuaded to vote Democratic in future; the party would do better to go after disaffected Democrats who didnt vote in 2016 or who voted for third parties.

In the aftermath of Trumps surprise win, the commentary quickly focused on the Obama-Trump voter. Nate Cohn of the New York Times said, Democrats have to grapple with the importance of the Obama-Trump voter. NBCs Chuck Todd said one of the big surprises of this election was the emergence of the Obama-Trump voter. Priorities USA, the super-PAC that backed Clinton, concluded that Democrats must win back Obama-Trump voters.

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) asserted that Trump is expanding the Republican tent. We used to call them Reagan Democrats. Now theyre Trump Democrats. Donald Trump Jr. embraced the Trump Democrats claim at a rally. And many Democrats have bought into this thinking. Not long ago, according to McClatchy News, the Democratic political firm Global Strategy Group concluded that Obama-Trump voters effectively accounted for more than two-thirds of the reason Clinton lost.

There was some justification for thinking this. Data from the American National Election Study survey found that about 13.4 percent of Trump voters had backed Obama in 2012. A University of Virginia poll found that 20 percent of Trump voters had supported Obama at least once.

But such polls have a flaw: People tend to forget how they voted in previous elections, with more recalling they voted for the winner than actually did. A poll released in June by the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group, a nonpartisan collaboration of analysts and scholars, avoided this problem because it re-interviewed the same respondents queried in 2012; they were asked who they voted for in real time.

Democracy Fund found a fairly ordinary crossover vote in 2016: 9.2 percent of Obama voters supported Trump and 5.4 percent of Mitt Romney voters supported Clinton. That was a typical and unsurprising degree of partisan loyalty. The 2016 election did not create more instability, in the aggregate, than others, it reported.

And those Obama voters who did cross to Trump look a lot like Republicans. The AFL-CIOs Podhorzer analyzed raw data from the Cooperative Congressional Election Study, out in the spring, and found that Obama-Trump voters voted for Republican congressional candidates by a 31-point margin, Republican Senate candidates by a 15-point margin and Republican gubernatorial candidates by a 27-point margin. Their views on immigration and Obamacare also put them solidly in the GOP camp.

Democratic analysts who are looking to solve the partys problem by appealing to this small group of Obama-Trump voters are pointing themselves to a group that by and large is a Republican group now, Podhorzer told me. The bulk of Obama-Trump voters are not fed-up Democratic voters; they are Republican voters who chose Obama in 2012. As such, few are available in 2018 or 2020. Democrats should instead appeal broadly to working-class voters, he said.

In 2008, a larger-than-usual number of Republican voters went with Obama during an extraordinary time, when the economy was in free fall and an incumbent Republican president was deeply unpopular. ANES polling found that 17 percent of Obama voters in 2008 had been for George W. Bush in 2004, compared to the 13 percent of Trump voters, the same survey found, who supported Obama at least once. These people arent Obama-Trump voters as much as they were Bush-Obama voters.

This is important, because it means Democrats dont have to contort themselves to appeal to the mythical Trump Democrats by toughening their position on immigration, or weakening their support for universal health care, or embracing small government and low taxes. What Democrats have to do is be Democrats.
Irby Williams Bair Named Executive Director of Advancement for College of Biblical Studies

HOUSTON, Aug. 9, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- The College of Biblical Studies-Houston recently named experienced fundraising professional Irby Williams Bair (photo) as executive director of advancement.

"Irby is highly accomplished in raising community awareness and funds in support of nonprofits -- most recently as director of development for the well-loved A.D. Players theater program," said Dr. Bill Blocker, CBS-Houston president. "She is a strong advocate of our mission, and she knows and loves this city."

Prior to leading development for the A.D. Players, Bair served as a fundraising consultant for a number of nonprofits and worked in banking. The University of Texas alumnus is a member and past senior panelist for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, an advisory board member for Lifeline Chaplaincy, a fundraising seminar instructor for the University of Houston, and a past board member for the Junior League of Houston and Pi Beta Phi Sorority.

Bair attends St. Luke's United Methodist Church.

"The College of Biblical Studies equips hundreds of Christian leaders each year with high quality, accredited degrees," Bair said. "CBS alumni are making a huge difference across Greater Houston and beyond -- and I want to help more people know about this fine, accredited college. It's a jewel."

Bair's advancement expertise and Houston ties will continue to strengthen CBS's advancement program that balances contributions from significant donors, foundations, churches and companies

"We are delighted that Irby is joining our dedicated team at CBS-Houston," Blocker said.
Editorial

CSIRO cuts threaten our future

In February last year after the CSIRO suffered $115 million in funding cuts, its CEO, Larry Marshall, announced that 350 staff positions would be terminated. They included 220 in the oceans and atmosphere division and the land and water division. Both divisions deal with climate change.

The axed positions included 100 out of 140 that deal specifically with climate change, including that of Dr John Church, by reputation the worlds leading expert on sea level rise. Last year his scientific team demonstrated that emissions relating to human activity have dominated sea level rises since 1970.

CSIRO climate change research data is used around the world. However, Marshall claims that the phenomenon of climate change has been proven, that CSIRO should move away from the laboratory bench and that climate change emphasis should be placed on adaptation and mitigation (i.e. just making the best of things).

But proving that climate change is actually taking place was only the first step. We must now determine its speed, its main impact, actions to slow it down and reverse it, and protection from its immediate impact. To do so, climate change must be monitored and analysed. But thats just where the axe will fall in CSIRO.

After a public furore over the cuts, the government hastily contributed a paltry extra $37 million over ten years. Marshall announced that only 35 positions dealing with climate change would be lost, and 15 new positions created  but with their salaries drawn from existing funding.

Although 350 positions will still be abolished overall, Marshall claims the numbers will return to the current level in two years, and that some climate change staff will simply transfer to other areas of CSIRO work.

One opposition Senator has called for Marshall to be sacked, but the government bears the main responsibility. Last May it announced proudly that a new $20 million ocean and climate change research centre would be built in Hobart. But the CSIRO will only get $8.25 million over five years for participating. Two universities will contribute $1.75 million and the Chinese government the remaining $10 million.

The government claims it is now investing $37 million in long-term climate change monitoring. However, the CSIRO has lost more than 20 percent of its staff positions since 2013. Research CSIRO has carried out to date, which provides most of the worlds climate change data concerning the southern hemisphere, cannot continue because of last years cuts, plus recent additional four-year funding cuts of $13.6 million. Nor can the research be carried out by the Bureau of Meteorology, as the government has claimed, because of limitations in the Bureaus funding and scope of operations.

The government claims it is reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but they have actually risen six percent since 2013, including a 1.6 percent rise in this years first quarter, the biggest quarterly increase in nine years.

The Australian Academy of Science says Australia requires at least 40 new climate scientists and modellers, and 77 new research positions, and that the CSIRO staff cuts should end immediately.

However, in order to retain power the government will compromise its policies in order to placate the climate change deniers within its ranks, while still maintaining the PR fiction that it is really concerned about the issue.

Australian coastal cities now face partial inundation by rising sea levels within 50 years. The government has tacitly acknowledged this by constructing a new runway at Brisbane airport much higher than the current level.

This year Canada and Portugal experienced immense bushfires, and Europe has suffered heat-related deaths and record heat waves as far north as Poland. Within 50 years daytime summer temperatures in some tropical countries will be too hot to permit residents to walk outside without risking heat stroke or death. Many Pacific Islands will be submerged.

Leading scientific organisations, including CSIRO, state that climate change results primarily from the emission of greenhouse gases, particularly from the combustion of fossil fuels.

But the government is determined to protect the fossil fuel industries and appears quite willing to hamstring the CSIROs operations because of its key role in highlighting the dangers of climate change.

We must replace the grossly irresponsible coalition government with one that is genuinely committed to the struggle against the terrible threat of climate change. And we must do so with the utmost speed.
Themis Speis

A free man

Every Wednesday morning Themis could be relied upon to turn up at the Communist Partys office in Sydney to wrap Guardians for the weekly mail-out. A warm, friendly and committed comrade, it meant a lot to him that in his 80s he was able to make a valuable contribution to the Party.

Wednesdays were a social occasion too. When the work was done, Themis produced the red wine and cheese and other comrades the soup, bread and other food. His taste in red wine and choice of cheeses was much appreciated.

Themis sadly passed away on July 12, 2017 at the age of 85. He remained a committed member of the CPA, attending his last meeting of the Beloyiannis branch just two days before his death. The following is an outline of his life story, as told by Themis in an interview with the Guardian.

I was born on the Greek island of Icaria in 1932 and had just commenced school in 1939 when the Second World War broke out. This brought an abrupt end to my formal education as schools were closed and did not re-open until 1945.

(Photo: Anna Pha)

Occupation

First Italy and then German and Bulgarian forces invaded the country. Despite assistance from the British, Greece was conquered and divided into three zones (German, Italian and Bulgarian). In Athens, a repressive puppet regime was established. The people had to fight three occupation armies and they had to fight very hard.

I remember the occupation was very bad. There were soldiers everywhere. They treated you like you were not human beings, more or less like animals.

The islands produced a bit of wheat, oil and some fish. The occupation army took almost all of this, hardly leaving enough for us to survive.

I remember my grandfather, he used to have a little factory manufacturing olive oil and an Italian soldier, he comes in, he wants some olive oil. My grandfather says. you have to give me something for me to give you oil.

The soldier held out a hand full of macaroni and said, I will give you that. My grandfather said that it was not enough, that there were six of them to feed.

The Italian soldiers took everything they wanted and left the rest for the local population.

Refugees

There was an organisation on my island which was not far from the Turkish coast. They organised and picked up people in a little brown boat and took them to Turkey. From there they went everywhere  to Egypt, to the Congo, Abyssinia [Ethiopia] Africa, Cyprus  like people do now.

That situation lasted about two or three years with people migrating from Icaria.

I remember an incident in January 1944. The Germans invaded Greece with their guns and bombs. They dropped their bombs in Athens and Icaria. They knew exactly where there were working class people, not any other, just the working class.

The Germans left Greece in October 1944. When they left people thought they were going to be free but it didnt last very long. Freedom was cut short by local right-wing governments. The civil war started in October 1944. That was much harder.

They went into the big cities and arrested all the democrats, any progressive people and sent them into exile in various places. My island was one of the islands that they selected for them to be exiled.

Icaria, at a good time, had a population of 14,000. Around 40,000 political prisoner were exiled there  communists, trade unionists and the people who fought fascism, who fought the occupation.

I remember I lived in a remote house. It was big but never finished. Me and a couple of other boys rented one room. The exiled selected it as their cooking house. They were very nice men. We knew every one of them that came around. We had plenty of food.

They said to us boys: Listen very carefully, listen we want you to finish school. One of them said to me, What I want you to do is read  read everything. As kids we laughed outside then said, those communists are right.

I remember one particular soldier, he was a general, Sariafris. He was one of the most popular generals at that time in Greece. His background was democratic. He went to another island, Makronisos, that they call the Island of Hell. That island was hell. There was no one else living there. They could do anything to him.

On my island, there were people living there, they could always see everything. He survived and after the war he became a member of parliament. They finished up killing him on the footpath. One of the US soldiers killed him with a car. It was done to look like an accident but it wasnt. That was in 1957, I was in Australia then.

Exiled welcomed

The exiled people were so nice, such popular people. The people on the island helped them, without that help they would probably have found it very hard to survive.

But the people on the island always gave everything, whatever they produced, whatever they had  food, even sometimes meat, when they killed the animals.

I would say that some of these small business people with shops  groceries  supplied them without being paid any money. They knew they would get the money back.

My father was here before the war. He came to Australia when he was 21 years of age and worked here up until 1930 when he returned to Greece. He married and I was born in 1932 and then he left to come back here. My brothers were born in 1933 and 1934.

A free man

I came here in 1950, a 17-year-old boy. I left high school and to be honest when I arrived I was feeling like a free man. I could walk freely on the street.

We lived in Waterloo, in Sydney, and used to walk around the streets in those days, nobody stopped me, no police stopped me.

Because, just months before that, every few yards theyd stop you and ask for your identity card and ask you what you were doing there. Im a free man, I said, I think this is the country, and I still do.

Then I started working in a glass factory. It was very easy to find a job in those days. I remember when I went to the glass factory to get a job. In the main door, on the side was an office and in big letters EMPLOYMENT OFFICE.

What you had to do was just walk in the door, you said you wanted a job and you got a job. It was good in those times.

I still remember the place in Waterloo  walking down all the streets in Alexandria. There used to be big signs Workers wanted.

Trade unionist

Working in the glass factory I met one particular fellow. His name was Ted Andrews, he was a union delegate and a member of the Communist Party.

I remember he had a square tin and hed come around and ask for money  not everyone, just the ones he knew  and I asked what it was for. He said it was for the Party and I asked what that was.

Then I joined the forces of the union. We did a lot of things to improve condition for the glass workers at Crown Crystal. There was no water. The toilets had no toilet paper, just newspaper, there wasnt any air conditioning. The union changed all these things day by day.

In 1956, everyone knew that Ted was a communist. He was a good talker and the most popular guy. I think they offered him a job to be a foreman but he refused.

I spent 38 years there. I was happy, it was so good. As I said, the union did all those things. I started as a labourer, then as a driver, a glassmaker, I operated on the machines and then I finished up a fitter-welder. I learnt a trade there. They taught you most of it.

Sometimes I think Id like to go to work again. Im too old! (chuckles.)

Communist

I joined the Party around 1978. At that time Greece was up and down. In 1977 one of the Communists came here from Greece. At that time it was the Socialist Party of Australia and Peter Symon was the general secretary. The Greek comrade came and said all communists should belong to the Party. Dont worry about our problems in Greece.

Your problems are here, this is your home and this is where you work. You have to join the Party here.

When I arrived in Australia I knew no English. I learnt it in the streets, not at school. Reading newspapers helped.

I used to go to a Greek coffee club. The people there were here before the war  they asked me what I was reading. I said the newspaper, and they said, But youve just come here and you read English! I said, Yes, I dont know all of it.

I remember the time when Gagarin went into space. It was in April 1961. I sat reading about it. Those people, they work in a restaurant in the kitchen and never leave the kitchen except to go to bed.

I was back in Icaria in 1973. I was talking to a man in a street in this particular village where there used to be a place where they cooked for the exiled people. I said I know where it is.

Then he asked me where I came from and I said from this island. He said thats not possible from the way you talk. So why do you say that?

Id lost my dialect and told him I came from Australia. I stood there and looked at the place. It was still the same. I looked, sat on a rock. People see us and come along. I ask about the people who were here exiled a long time ago. They said they were all dead.
The lion and the injured zebra

Getting Venezuela right

As Venezuelas fascist-minded oligarchy conspires with US imperialism to overthrow the democratically elected government of Nicolas Maduro, few in the US seem to care. Instead of denouncing right-wing violence that aims at regime change, many on the US left have stayed silent, or opted to give an even-handed analysis that supports neither the Maduro government nor the oligarchy trying to violently overthrow it. Rather, the left prioritises its energy on lecturing on Maduros authoritarianism and the failures of Chavismo.

This approach allows leftists a cool emotional detachment to the fate of the poor in Venezuela, and clean hands that would otherwise be soiled by engaging with the messy, real life class struggle that is the Venezuelan revolution.

A pox on both houses analysis omits the US governments role in collaborating with Venezuelas oligarchs. The decades-long crimes of imperialism against Venezuela is aided and abetted by the silence of the left, or by its murky analysis that minimises the perpetrators actions, focusing negative attention on the victim precisely at the moment of attack.

Any analysis of a former colonial country that doesnt begin with the struggle of self-determination against imperialism is a dead letter, since the x-factor of imperialism has always been a dominant variable in the Venezuelan equation, as books by Eva Gollinger and others have thoroughly explained, and further demonstrated by the ongoing intervention in Latin America by an endless succession of US presidents.

The Venezuelan-initiated anti-imperialist movement was strong enough that a new gravitational centre was created, that pushed most of Latin America out of the grasp of US domination for the first time in nearly a hundred years. This historic achievement remains minimised for much of the US left, who remain indifferent or uneducated about the revolutionary significance of self-determination for oppressed nations abroad, as well as oppressed peoples inside of the US.

A thousand valid criticisms can be made of Chavez, but he chose sides in the class fault lines and took bold action at critical junctures. Posters of Chavez remain in the homes of Venezuelas poorest barrios because he proved in action that he was a champion for the poor, while fighting and winning many pitched battles against the oligarchy who wildly celebrated his death

And while its necessary to deeply critique the Maduro government, the present situation requires the political clarity to take a bold, unqualified stance against the US-backed opposition, rather than a rambling non-partisan analysis that pretends a life or death struggle isnt currently taking place.

Yes, a growing number of Venezuelans are incredibly frustrated by Maduro, and yes, his policies have exacerbated the current crisis, but while an active counter-revolutionary offensive continues the political priority needs to be aimed squarely against the oligarchy, not Maduro. There remains a mass movement of revolutionaries in Venezuela dedicated to Chavismo and to defending Maduros government against the violent anti-regime tactics, but its these labour and community groups that the US left never mentions, as it would pollute their analysis.

The US left seems blissfully unaware of the consequences of the oligarchy stepping into the power vacuum if Maduro was successfully ousted. Such a shoddy analysis can be found in Jacobins recent article, Being Honest About Venezuela, which focuses on the problems of Maduros government while ignoring the honest reality of the terror the oligarchy would unleash if it returned to power.

How did the US left get it so wrong?

Theyve allowed themselves to get distracted by the zig-zags at the political surface, rather than the rupturing fault lines of class struggle below. They see only leaders and are blinded to how the masses have engaged with them.

Regardless of Maduros many stumbles, its the rich who are revolting in Venezuela, and if theyre successful it will be the workers and poor who suffer a terrible fate. An analysis of Venezuela that ignores this basic fact belongs either in the trash bin or in the newspapers of the oligarchy. Confusing class interests, or mistaking counter-revolution for revolution in politics is as disorienting as mistaking up for down, night for day.

The overarching issue remains the same since the Venezuelan revolution erupted in 1989s Caracazo uprising, which initiated a revolutionary movement of working and poor people spurred to action by IMF austerity measures. How did Venezuelas oligarchy respond to the 1989 protests? By killing hundreds if not thousands of people. Their return to power would unleash similar if not bloodier statistics.

In Venezuela the revolutionary flame has burned longer than most revolutions, its energy funnelled into various channels; from rioting, street demonstrations, land and factory occupations, new political parties and radicalised labour-union federations and into the backbone of support for Hugo Chavezs project, which, to varying degrees supported and even spearheaded many of these initiatives, encouraging the masses to participate directly in politics.

A rare event

Chavezs electoral victory meant  and still means  that the oligarchy lost control of the government and much of the state apparatus, a rare event in the life of a nation under capitalism. This contradiction is central to the confusion of the US left: the ruling class lost control of the state, but the oligarchy retained control of key sectors of the economy, including the media.

But who has control of the state if not the oligarchy? Its too simplistic to say the working class has power, because Maduro has not acted as a consistent leader of the working class, seeming more interested in trying to mediate between classes by making concessions to the oligarchy. Maduros overly-bureaucratic government also limits the amount of direct democracy the working class needs before the term worker state can be applied.

But Maduros power base remains the same as it was under Chavez: the working and poor people, and to that extent Maduro, can be compared to a trade union president who ignores his members in order to seek a deal with the boss.

A trade union, no matter how bureaucratic, is still rooted in the workplace, its power dependent on dues money and collective action of working people. And even a weak union is better than no union, since removing the protection of the union opens the door to sweeping attacks from the boss that inevitably lower wages, destroy benefits and result in layoffs of the most outspoken workers. This is why union members defend their union from corporate attack, even if the leader of the union is in bed with the boss.

History is replete with governments brought forth by revolutionary movements but which failed to take the actions necessary to complete the revolution, resulting in a successful counter-revolution. These revolutionary governments often succeed in breaking the chains of neo-colonialism and allowed for an epoch of social reforms and working class initiative, depending on how long they lasted. Their downfall always results in a counter-revolutionary wave of violence, and sometimes a sea of blood.

Sharp class divisions

This has happened dozens of times across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where the class divisions are sharper, where imperialism plays a larger role, and where the class dynamics are more variegated: the poor are poorer, there is a larger informal labour force, a larger section of small shopkeepers, larger rural population, etc.

Winning significant reforms under capitalism is incredibly difficult, even in rich countries; it is twice as difficult in former colonial countries, due to the death grip the oligarchy has on the economy plus the collaboration of imperialism, which intervenes in financial markets  or with bullets  to prevent the smallest reforms.

The example of Allendes Chile could be compared to Maduros situation in Venezuela. Allende was far from perfect, but can anybody claim that Pinochets coup wasnt a catastrophe for the Chilean working class? In Venezuela the counter-revolution would likely be more devastating, as the oligarchy would have to push back against decades of progress versus Allendes short-lived government. If it came to power the street violence of the oligarchy would be given the resources of the state, aimed squarely at the working class and poor.

Maduro is no Chavez, its true, but he has kept most of Chavezs victories intact, maintaining social programs in a time of crashing oil prices while the oligarchy demands pro-market reforms. Hes essentially kept the barking dogs of the oligarchy at bay, who, if unleashed, would savage the working class.

The oligarchy has not accepted the balance of power that Chavez-Maduro have tilted in favour of the working class. A new social contract has not been cemented; it is being actively fought for in the streets. Maduro has made some concessions to the oligarchy its true, but they have not been fundamental concessions, while hes left the fundamental victories of the revolution in tact.

The social contract we call Social Democracy in Europe wasnt finalised until a wave of revolution struck after WW2. Although Maduro would likely be happy with such a social democratic agreement in Venezuela, such agreements have proven impossible in developing countries, especially at a time while global capitalism is attacking the social democratic reforms in the advanced countries.

The Venezuelan ruling class has no intention of accepting the reforms of Chavez, and why would they so long as US imperialism invests heavily in regime change? A ruling class does not accept power-sharing until they face the prospect of losing everything. And nor should Venezuelas working class accept a social contract under current conditions: they have unmet demands that require revolutionary action against the oligarchy. These contradictory pressures are at the heart of Venezuelas still-unresolved class war, which inevitably leads either to revolutionary action from the left or a successful counter-revolution from the right.

Thus, for a US leftist to declare that either side is equally bad is either bad politics or class treachery. Many leftists went bonkers over Syriza in Greece, and they were right to be hopeful. But after radical rhetoric Syriza succumbed to the demands of the IMF that included devastating neo-liberal reforms of austerity cuts, privatisations and deregulation. Maduro has steadfastly refused such a path out of Venezuelas economic crisis.

This is why Maduro is despised by the rich while the poor generally continue to support the government, although passively but occasionally in giant bursts, such as the hundreds-thousands strong May Day mobilisation in support of the governments fight against the violent coup attempts, which was all but ignored by most western media outlets, since it spoiled the regime-change narrative of everybody hates Maduro.

Nicolas Maduro is no Chavez, its true, but he has kept most of Chavezs victories intact, maintaining social programs in a time of crashing oil prices while the oligarchy demands pro-market reforms.

The essential difference between Maduro and Chavez will make or break the revolution: while Chavez took action to constantly shift the balance of power in favour of the poor, Maduro simply attempts to maintain the balance of forces handed down to him by Chavez, hoping for some kind of agreement from an opposition that has consistently refused all compromise. His ridiculous naivety is a powerful motivating factor for the opposition, who see a stalled revolution in the way a lion views an injured zebra.

Venezuelan expert Jorge Martin explains in an excellent article, how the oligarchy would respond if it succeeded in removing Maduro.

they would massively cut public spending implement mass layoffs of the public sector destroy the key social programs of the revolution (health care, education, pension, housing, etc.) there would be a privatisation frenzy of public resources, though especially the crown jewel PDVSA, the oil company massive deregulation, including turning back rights for labour and ethnic-minority groups they would attack the organisations of the working class that came into existence or grew under the protection of the Chavez-Maduro governments

This is Telling the Truth about Venezuela. The US left should know better, since the ruling class exposed what it would do during the Caracazo Uprising, and later when they briefly came to power in their 2002 coup: they aim to reverse everything, using any means necessary. The documentary The Revolution Will Not Be Televised is still required watching about the 2002 coup.

No middle ground

Maduro may have finally learned his lesson: Venezuelas crisis has forced him to double down on promoting the interests of the poor. When oil prices collapsed it was inevitable the government would enter a deep crisis, it had only two choices: deep neo-liberal reforms or the deepening of the revolution. This will be the litmus test for Maduro, since the middle ground he sought disappeared.

Rather than begging for money from the International Monetary Fund  which would have demanded such Syriza-like reforms  Maduro instead encouraged workers to takeover idle factories while a General Motors factory was nationalised. A new neighbourhood-based organisation, CLAP, was created that distributes basic foodstuffs at subsidised prices that benefits millions of people.

On May Day this year, in front of hundreds of thousands of supporters, Maduro announced a Constituent Assembly, an attempt to re-engage the masses in the hopes of pushing forward the revolution by creating a new, more progressive constitution.

Its true that Maduro is using the Constituent Assembly to overcome the obstruction of the oligarchy-dominated National Assembly  whose stated intention is to topple the government  but the US left seems indifferent that Maduro is using the mobilisation of the working class (the Constituent Assembly) to overcome the barriers of ruling class.

This distinction is critical: if the Constituent Assembly succeeds in pushing forward the revolution by directly engaging the masses, it will come at the expense of the oligarchy. The Constituent Assembly is being organised to promote more direct democracy, but sections of the US left have been taken in by the US medias allegations of authoritarianism.

If working and poor people actively engage in the process of creating a new, more progressive constitution and this constitution is approved via referendum by a large majority, it will constitute an essential step forward for the revolution. If the masses are unengaged or the referendum fails, it may signify the death knell of Chavismo and the return of the oligarchy.

And while Maduro is right to use the state as a repressive agent against the oligarchy, an over reliance on the state repression only leads to more contradictions, rather than relying on the self-activity of the workers and poor. Revolutions cannot be won by administrative tinkering, but rather by revolutionary measures consciously implemented by the vast majority. At bottom its the actions of ordinary working people that make or break a revolution; if the masses are lulled to sleep the revolution is lost. They must be unleashed not ignored.

Its clear that Maduros politics have not been capable of leading the revolution to success, and therefore his government requires deep criticism combined with organised protest. But there are two kinds of protest: legitimate protest that arises from the needs of working and poor people, and the counter-revolutionary protest based in the neighbourhoods of the rich that aim to restore the power of the oligarchy.

Confusing these two kinds of protests are dangerous, but the US left has done precisely this. Maduro is accused of being authoritarian for using police to stop the far-rights violent student protests that seek to restore the oligarchy. Of the many reasons to criticise Maduro this isnt one of them.

If a right-wing coup succeeds in Venezuela tomorrow, the US left will weep by the carnage that ensues, while not recognising that their inaction contributed to the bloodshed. By living in the heart of imperialism the US left has a duty to go beyond critiques from afar to direct action at home.

Protesting the Vietnam war helped save the lives of Vietnamese, while the organising in the 1980s against the dirty wars in Central America limited the destruction levied by the US-backed governments. In both cases the left fell short of what was needed, but at least they understood what was at stake and took action. Now consider the US left of 2017, who cant lift a finger to re-start the anti-war movement and who supported Bernie Sanders regardless of his longstanding affection for imperialism.

The pink tide that blasted imperialism out of much of Latin America is being reversed, but Venezuela has always been the motor-force of the leftward shift, and the bloodshed required to reverse the revolution will be remembered forever, if its allowed to happen. Their lives matter too.

Counterpunch
Solidarity groups stand up for Venezuela

On Saturday July 29 outside Sydney Town Hall a rally organised by the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network heard from unions and solidarity groups about the shocking pressure that the present government of Venezuela was withstanding: the Constitutional Government of President Nicolas Maduro who is continuing the Bolivian Revolution started by Hugo Chavez. This revolution aimed to restore the ordinary peoples resources robbed from them by neo-liberalism of former governments.

The Maritime Branch of the Communist Party of Australia issued the following release on the occasion of this rally.

We support the Constitutional Government of President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuelas Bolivarian revolution swept aside the forces of neo-liberalism which had brought nothing but massive misery for the poor, the ordinary workers and massive inequality. In doing so Venezuela, its people, and its government earned the enmity of US imperialism and elite sections of the Venezuelan society that benefited from US exploitation.

These forces are organising disruption and disturbances. Gangs of thugs who are presented in our media as heroes are nothing more than paid criminals and vandals. Massive propaganda using their media monopoly is being used to project a false picture of the Government of the Venezuela. The scenario they present is completely false. Maduro is the democrat while his opponents are hoping for a return to dictatorship. The Maritime Branch of the Communist Party recognises these people for what they are  nothing but agents of US imperialism, neo-liberalism and the oppression of the ordinary people.

We have no trouble in knowing where our loyalty lies  it is with the Venezuelan people, President Nicolas Maduro, and the patriotic, progressive and revolutionary forces.

The MUA and CFMEU also issued similar statements condemning the actions of those who are seeking to undermine the present legitimate Government of Venezuela. These unions were well represented at the rally at the Town Hall. They also put the resolutions to the ALP State Conference but the ALP conference rejected the motion on technical grounds. A prominent member of the MUA noted: They can find room for right winger Richo (former Senator Graham Richardson) but they cant find room to stand up for democracy.

The rally was timed to support the Venezuelan people as they voted in Saturdays elections. True to form many countries such as the US and other western powers have condemned the elections as undemocratic and are urging the people to revolt against the results of the recent election.
Killing chemical protections

Scott Pruitt doesnt want you to know what hazardous chemicals are being manufactured or used in the plant next door. And his decision, yanking a federal rule revealing the existence of such chemicals to workers, communities and first responders, has the United Steelworkers (USW) and a top job safety and health specialist mad.

Rescue personnel search the damage from the explosion of the West Fertilizer plant, West, Texas, 2013.

Pruitt, GOP President Donald Trumps Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator, gained notoriety as Oklahomas Republican Attorney General for suing the agency he now runs on any environmental issue he could challenge, up to and including curbing the emissions that cause climate change.

But now that Pruitts in charge of EPA, hes not suing it any more. Instead, hes yanking its rules that would protect people. In doing so, hes also parroting chemical company claims.

Pruitts plan would, in essence, let the chemical firms return to the bad old days when they didnt have to tell communities, workers and first responders what chemicals are in their plants  and how dangerous they are.

He accomplished that by deciding in early July to again delay implementing updated Risk Management Protection (RMP) for communities around the chemical plants for 20 more months, until February 19, 2019, reports Jordan Barab, former deputy director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration during the Obama administration, in his blog, Confined Spaces.

Pruitt said the EPA wants to conduct a reconsideration proceeding and to consider other issues that may benefit from additional comment. Thats on top of a current 4-month delay. We are seeking additional time to review the program, so that we can fully evaluate the public comments raised by multiple petitioners and consider other issues that may benefit from additional public input, the EPA notice adds.

Or to simplify: What the chemical industry wants, the chemical industry gets, added Barab, a former union job safety and health director.

The Steelworkers, who represent workers in US chemical factories, are upset.

The EPAs delay is another tactic for the chemical industry to return to the days when companies didnt tell their workers or the surrounding communities about the hazardous chemicals being used and the possibilities for a dangerous chemical reaction, Lynne Hancock, spokeswoman for the United Steelworkerss sector that represents chemical workers, said in an email to this writer.

It only makes sense for companies to inform workers about the nature of the chemicals they are working with and to give chemical information to emergency responders so they know what they are dealing with if there is an explosion and fire, Hancock added.

The 25-year-old risk management program was updated in 2013, following Obamas executive order for better chemical plant safety and security. Obama issued that order, which USW lobbied for, after the West, Texas, chemical plant exploded, killing 15 people, including 12 first responders. But Pruitt used that fire as a reason to yank the rule.

It is disturbing the EPA is justifying its delay of the updated Risk Management Protection rule with unsubstantiated arson allegations about the cause of the West, Texas, fertiliser plant fire, Hancock said.

It is the lack of company adherence to process safety management and failure to use inherently safer materials and processes that cause more workers, emergency responders and community members to be killed. Process safety management requires inspectors to probe an entire plants manufacturing processes and products, not just individual machines.

Once such an inspection reveals hazardous chemicals, the updated RMP rule helps avoid unnecessary deaths and injuries. Delaying it puts the lives of workers, emergency responders and community members at unnecessary risk, Hancock concluded.

Nevertheless, Pruitt used that Texas fire as a reason to yank the chemical revelation rule. Citing yet another federal agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Pruitt says arson caused the West plant fire. Which he claims changed everything.

Barab said EPAs rule significantly improved communication between facilities and emergency responders, clarified information emergency responders need to safely respond to incidents, required root-cause analyses of chemical plant incidents and near-misses, and required chemical facilities to consider inherently safer chemicals and production processes.

The most infuriating thing about this delay is not just that it caved into petitions from the chemical industry to weaken or repeal the rule, but that Pruitts justification for reconsidering the rule was primarily based on the completely unsubstantiated 2016 allegation by ATF that the fire at West Fertiliser was caused by arson, he said.

ATF inappropriately based that conclusion on the fact that it couldnt figure out how the fire had started, and concluded that it therefore must be arson. The chemical industry picked up that and ran with it. Arson, the industry said, could have changed the whole background for Obamas order and EPAs rule. So it demanded EPA do so. Pruitt readily acceded.

This statement by the chemical industry is demonstrably false, Barab noted. Nevertheless, in a response to the industrys petition, Pruitt noted the Clean Air Act lets EPA reconsider a rule if there were issues that arose after the comment period or were impracticable to raise during the comment period, and Pruitt wrote that he had, in fact, identified just such an issue, the alleged arson.

The US Chemical Safety Board  which Trump wants to eliminate  found that improper nitrate storage procedures led to the West plant blast.

If you look at the history of chemical facility catastrophes affecting workers and citizens in this country, youll find that faulty plant management is much more effective than terrorism in killing Americans in chemical incidents, and not just at the West plant, Barab said.

Modernisation of safety oversight of US chemical facilities is needed and President Obamas Executive Order and the RMP regulation moved the federal government further down the road to making these facilities safe for the workers who operate the plants, and the people who live near them, he concluded.

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Culture & Life

The ongoing Cold War

Anyone who tries to tell you that the Cold War finished years ago with the fall of the Soviet Union, has not been paying attention to what is happening right now in various parts of the world, most conspicuously perhaps in Venezuela. A democratically-elected government that is trying to meet the needs of the poor is being destabilised by a well-organised, well-funded foreign-directed campaign supported by a massive, co-ordinated propaganda blitz through all the worlds monopoly-controlled media.

That was the essence of the Cold War  that and the fact that it was always aimed at disrupting and if possible removing left-wing governments, whether the social democrat Allende in Chile or the Communist-led government in Moldova.

Capitalism prefers to remove troublesome left-wing governments by way of Cold War destabilising because that way the illusion can be retained that it was popular discontent that brought about the regime change that imperialism wanted and that somehow democracy is not only still in place but has actually triumphed.

But if the Cold War was not so much a thing as a collection of tactics used by imperialism against progressive governments everywhere, those tactics have been refined over the century since 1917. They certainly did not come to an end in 1989.

Attempts by the imperialist powers to preserve Russian capitalism from the dread prospect of socialist revolution began in 1917 well before October. The American Ambassador cabled his government that an anarchist named Lenin was stirring up trouble but the ambassador assured Washington that he would deal with the problem before it got out of hand. After all, Russian capitalism had installed Kerensky in power in Petrograd, but his efforts to continue the imperialist war met with resistance from the Russian people.

When the Revolution broke out, Kerensky fled in a car flying the American flag. Almost immediately imperialist-backed anti-Soviet conspiracies broke out. The aristocratic officer corps felt besmirched by the Revolutions raising up of common working people and peasants. The ruling class in Britain and France agreed that the Revolution was unnatural and an affront to the established order and that it must be put right by being promptly removed from history.

Unfortunately, the Russian workers and peasants saw things differently. When the British agent Sidney Reilly tried to play on the Lettish Kremlin Guards supposedly anti-Russian sentiments to get them to arrest Lenin (who would probably have been summarily shot had they done so) they played along with Reillys conspiracy while reporting everything to the Cheka (the Revolutions security service). Reilly only just evaded capture himself.

For the next decade, European imperialism tried to cripple the new Socialist state with a trade boycott, while simultaneously conducting a non-stop propaganda campaign against it together with espionage and sabotage actions (and even assassinations) against Soviet diplomatic and trade missions. Meanwhile, imperialism prepared to launch an actual invasion. The latter was ultimately set down for 1929 but the collapse of Wall Street and the onset of the Great Depression rendered imperialisms plans null and void. (To the aggravation of the capitalist powers, the only country that was not afflicted with economic chaos during the Great Depression was the USSR, which actually closed its last employment bureau in 1929.)

That was the time, at the end of the 1920s, when the USSR launched its industrialisation program. Leading capitalists everywhere saw this ambitious program as the chance to make profits by breaking the boycott and trading with the socialist enemy. By skilfully taking advantage of this capitalist greed, the USSR was able to obtain the necessary technology and expertise it required to carry out its unprecedented program of rapid industrialisation and modernisation throughout the 1930s. At the same time, the most reactionary elements of capitalism sought to protect themselves from the danger of Red Revolution by imposing fascism on the rest of the world by force.

Fortunately for the rest of us, the USSR was able to take advantage of the rivalry between the imperialist powers to stall their manoeuvres and  by great effort and with considerable sacrifice  to build up its industrial capacity to the point where it was able when the Nazi invasion finally came, to smash it and thereby save us all.

Since then, imperialisms methods have been further refined and made more sophisticated. The language of the Left has been appropriated by the Right and applied in a topsy-turvy fashion. The counter-revolutionary disturbances that overthrew the Peoples Governments of Eastern Europe were labelled by the Right wing as revolutions, distinguished by their chosen colour, always a colour with no actual political connotations. Now the destabilising of any left-wing government is promptly and enthusiastically labelled a revolution by the bourgeois media.

At the same time, a left-wing leader such as President Maduro of Venezuela is prominently and  in the bourgeois media  universally labelled a dictator. Maduro is striving to save the genuine revolution in Venezuela, the Bolivarian Revolution launched by Hugo Chavez that has so improved the lives of the poor and the landless in his country.

In the Cold War lexicon of capitalism, black is white and white is black. The rich are benevolent and the poor are terrorists. The crimes of mass murder and genocide once egregiously ascribed to the leaders of the USSR are now laid at the feet of the anti-imperialist government of Syria, and before that the government of Libya, to justify war against them.

The manipulation of public opinion has long been a favoured tactic of capitalism. With the concentration of the mass media in fewer hands and ingenious research into ways of moulding popular perception this manipulation has become much more adroit and enormously more powerful. The unscrupulous albeit sometimes subtle methods used to increase sales are now applied to the manipulation of bourgeois democracy.

The Cold War is not dead and buried: it is alive and well. It has merely altered its camouflage. It is just as vicious, dangerous and destructive as it ever was. It is up to us of the Revolutionary Left to expose it wherever and whenever it rears its evil head.
That means that every time there is a false alarm in our detection system -- and there certainly have been false alarms ( close ones ) -- a chain reaction begins that ends with the president having less than the playtime of "Paranoid Android" to figure out whether to unleash hell. Regardless of your thoughts about current or recent presidents, that can't be comforting.

1 Russia Has Tighter Security At Its Nightclubs Than On Its Nukes

In 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, Russia went from a "communist" economy to a "grab anything that isn't nailed down" economy. As you might imagine, that had some negative effects on their nuclear storage. In the mid-'90s, one Russian official investigating the theft of highly enriched uranium actually said: "Even potatoes are probably much better guarded today than radioactive materials."

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The incident that inspired that quote took place in 1993 at a "secured" shipyard near Murmansk. A thief had climbed through one of several holes in the wooden fence, and then used a hacksaw to cut through a common padlock to steal three fuel assemblies of highly enriched uranium -- the intensely radioactive fuel used to power nuclear submarines. The stolen material was later traced to the house of a Russian naval officer, who presumably thought he was stealing an old bicycle, judging by security.

While it has gotten better in recent years, the county is still ranked 18 out of 24 in terms of nuclear security. Nuclear materials on the black market keep coming up with one conspicuous source, as three nearly identical samples of bomb-ready material have revealed. That means all that's stopping a very bad person from getting their hands on a substantial amount of nuclear material is a whole stack of rubles. Thankfully we're on such good terms with both Russia and the ultra-wealthy these days ...

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For ways we're probably very, very screwed, check out The 6 Most Insane Things Ever Done With Nuclear Weapons and 5 Dumb Things I Saw (And Did) While In Charge Of US Nukes.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel, and check out How The Defense Industry Lit A Trillion Dollars On Fire, and other videos you won't see on the site!

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Want to know how to go mano-a-mano with a president? Daniel O'Brien can help, with How to Fight Presidents: Defending Yourself Against the Badasses Who Ran This Country!
What happened to that FSOC Veto Threat?

The OCC chickened out of its implied threat to raise an FSOC veto challenge to the CFPB's arbitration rule (probably its single most important rulemaking), and with good reason too, as the challenge lacked any plausible legal grounds. It was just some posturing: the acting Comptroller wrote that he didn't have enough time to analyze the issue to determine if there should be an FSOC challenge. At the same time, however, he apparently had done enough analysis to recommend that Congress overturn the rule under the Congressional Review Act. Thats laughably chickenshit behavior, and it undermines the Comptrollers credibility in a way that helps no one.

Congressional Review Act Veto?

A CRA veto remains a real possibility for the CFPB's arbitration rule. The House has passed a Joint Resolution on partisan lines, and one has been introduced in the Senate, which has 60 session days to act, running from, but not counting, I think, July 19th. The White House has indicated its support for the CRA override. Im a little unsure of the counting, but I believe 60 session days should lapse in early November, and that we're at day 11 in the count.

Note, that its entirely possible that there will never be a CRA vote in the Senate. There wasnt one on the CFPB's prepaid rule, and there wont be if the GOP doesnt have the votes. Its not clear if they do. Assuming that all 48 Dems and Independents vote to uphold the rule, it will take only 3 GOP Senators to join them (or just not show up to vote) for the rule to survive. Senator Graham has indicated that he will not vote to overturn the rule, and its unclear if Senator McCain will be present for the vote. So that means that with one GOP Senator voting to uphold the rule or just not voting the rule will survive. Its unclear to me how the voting dynamic will evolve here, especially if the CFPB also puts out its nearly finished payday rule. My own gut sense is that the payday rule will actually provide cover for the arbitration rule as they will become symbolically linked, but thats just a guess.

What Happens If Director Cordray Resigns?

The latest development is a bunch of speculation about what will happen if/when Director Cordray leaves the CFBP (such as to run for Governor in Ohio). The American Banker has a (paywalled) piece that, based on interviews solely with financial services lawyers (none of them admin law experts)m concludes that President Trump can put in his own Director under the Federal Vacancies Act. That's simply wrong. Its just wishful thinking by some financial services industry attorneys. The Federal Vacancies Act is a law of general applicability providing for three methods of filing vacant agency head positions: (1) the deputy head steps in as head, (2) the President can appoint another Senate-confirmed individual as acting head, or (3) the President can appoint someone who has been at the agency for at least 90 days in the past year and is paid at least at the GS-15 rate as head. But the Federal Vacancies Act also provides that these are the exclusive methods of temporarily filing the head of an agency, unlessa statutory provision expresslydesignates an officer or employee to perform the functions and duties of a specified office temporarily in an acting capacity.

As it happens, there is such an express statutory provision. The Consumer Financial Protection Act specifies that in the absence or unavailability of the Director, the Deputy Director serves as acting Director. Thus, the CFPA provision, not the FVA governs here. Moreover, even without the Federal Vacancies Acts exception, the CFPA is a later and more specific statute that the FVA, so it should control. The idea put forward by Alan Kaplinsky, the so-called father of forced arbitration, that the FVA controls because the CFPA uses the words in the absence rather than vacant is baseless. In the absence here clearly means that the position is not filled, because anything less is covered by unavailable (e.g, sick, out of the country, imprisoned); in the absence does not mean absent as in the Director decided to stay home today because he was under the weather. (To be fair to those peddling the FVA-controls story, I mistakenly thought the FVA applied before I looked at the issue more closely because I hadnt noticed the separate exclusivity provision in the FVA.).

So it's pretty clear that if Director Cordray leaves, then his deputy, David Silberman, becomes acting Director, fully empowered to do everything the Director can do. The only possible wrinkle is that Silberman is the acting deputy. But I can't know how, if at all, that would affect the application of the CFPA to him. In any event, the Director line of succession doesnt matter for the arbitration rulemaking (or for the payday rulemaking if it is completed on Cordrays watch) because there's no realistic way the CFPB can recall the rule. To do so would require a whole notice and comment rulemaking under the Administrative Procedures Act, and there's no basis on which to do such a rulemaking. Any attempt would get thrown out in court in a second, as happened with the Pruitt EPA's attempt to do the same sort of move. At best, the rule's effective date could be delayed by a reasonable time length, but even that would require some reasonable basis, and it's hard to see why financial services firms would need a particularly lengthy time period to adjust their prospective contracts.

Contempt of Congress?

The House Financial Services Committee is threatening to hold Director Cordray in contempt of Congress for failure to produce certain documents about the CFPB's rulemaking process with the arbitration rulemaking. Im not going to address the specifics of the accusations in this post other than to say that it is a baseless, vindictive, partisan move that represents the culmination of the House Financial Services Committees incessant harassment of the CFPB and of Director Cordray personally.

I see four possible non-exclusive motives for this action. First, it might just be an expression of the HFS GOPs frustration at failing to stymie the CFPB, much like ACA-induced berserker rage. (Truth be told, Id be pretty mad if I were the Wile E. Coyote of financial regulation.) Second, if Cordray is held in contempt, it might enable President Trump to fire him for cause as permitted by the CFPA, although that just doubles back to the succession question. Third, a contempt finding could be used to tar Cordray if he enters the Ohio governors race or any other political race. And fourth, the whole episode is based on the HFS's attempt to do pre-litigation discovery for a financial services industry court challenge to the arbitration rulemaking. (Note the hypocrisy, given how consumers aren't guarantied any discovery in arbitration.) I dont have a good understanding yet of how contempt charges work procedurally; in any case well see where, if anywhere, this issue goes.
Applications & OS News

Digital Solutions Firm CI&T Acquires Comrade, A Strategy And Design Agency

Alec Shirkey

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CI&T, one of Brazil's largest digital marketing companies, has bolstered its U.S. presence with the purchase of a 50-person solution provider based in Oakland, Calif.

Comrade, a strategy and customer experience design agency, joins CI&T's team of more than 2,500 strategists, designers and engineers in a deal that closed earlier this week, ending an 18-month-long search conducted by CI&T.

The acquisition helps CI&T add to its holdings in the U.S. About 40 percent of the company's geographic footprint is in the U.S. and CI&T's President, Bruno Guicardi, told CRN that will likely grow to more than half in the next decade.

[Related: Accenture Acquires 200-Person Solution Provider To Boost Search, Content Analytics Capabilities]

"We've gradually created a name for ourselves in that bigger [U.S.] market," Guicardi said. "This transaction helps us toward that direction  a bigger operation and more visibility."

CI&T works with global enterprises such as Coca-Cola, AB InBev, and Johnson & Johnson, providing them with design, digital transformation and technical services that include products in artificial intelligence, machine learning, analytics, cloud and mobility. Comrade specializes in design and strategy but primarily deals with the financial services, health care and technology verticals. The agency's customer list features more than 30 financial-technology companies.

Like CI&T, however, many of Comrade's clients are established businesses trying to fend off threats posed by start-ups and emerging technologies. By joining forces with CI&T and gaining access to its technological resources, Comrade hopes it can better serve the "speed at scale" needs of those companies.

"We believe API [application programming interface] technology is going to be very important and continues to play a major role in how these organizations take better control of their customer experience and have more control over their own digital products and services, as opposed to relying on third-party vendors," said Comrade CEO and founder Thelton McMillian.

Comrade's regular competitors include the likes of IDEO and Accenture Fjord. McMillian said that when he spoke with companies that could potentially acquire his firm, the conversations included large consulting firms and even representatives at client-side opportunities. He cited Capital One's purchase of Adaptive Path as one example of large enterprise clients buying digital agencies.

Ultimately, CI&T became the ideal partner for Comrade because of the two companies' shared philosophy of valuing long-term relationships as well as CI&T's balance of technological prowess.

"[It] was a no-brainer for us in terms of who we should partner with and how we can differentiate from the Accentures of the world, and even ad agencies getting more into the consulting and technology business," McMillian said.
Networking News

Avaya Appoints New CEO And Plans To Emerge From Bankruptcy As A Public Company

Mark Haranas

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Avaya CEO Kevin Kennedy is stepping down after eight years of running the unified communications specialist as the company prepares to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this fall. Taking the baton from Kennedy is Avaya's current chief operating officer and global sales leader Jim Chirico, who has been with Avaya since 2008.

"I'm excited to have the opportunity to lead Avaya at a critical point in its history," said Chirico, in a statement. "We will enter this next chapter with unique strengths and a new capital structure, and I look forward to working with the talented Avaya team to accelerate our long-term success."

Avaya said Kennedy is retiring and will officially step down from his CEO and board member role on October 1. He will remain an advisor to the company.

[Related: RingCentral CEO Scoffs At Mitel-ShoreTel Acquisition; Talks Winning Over Top Avaya Partners And $1B Sales Goal]

"It's been an honor to serve as Avayas CEO, especially working with our outstanding and committed employees, partners and customers," said Kennedy, in a statement. "The industry has shifted significantly over the last several years  I'm confident [Chirico] has the knowledge, experience and skills to help Avaya effectively serve our customers, grow, continue the companys spirit of innovation and capture even more market share."

Dan Silverman, president of Telanet, a Toronto-based solution provider and Avaya partner, said he has high hopes with Chirico taking the leadership role.

"Kevin did a good job transitioning the company from a hardware vendor to set the table for the next generation of Avaya. If you're making changes, you need some fresh blood at the top. You need a guy like Chirico that comes out of the sales side. Kevin was an engineer. Having a sales leader come in that can really continue to sell the value of Avaya is great news for partners."

Silverman said his Avaya business hasn't slowed down since Avaya's Chapter 11 filing in January.

"Avaya's number continue to do better than expected. It shows that despite everything, there is still confidence in the product. That's the same message that's been drilled down since the Chapter 11 happened, which is, 'This Chapter 11 isn't about our product set. It's not about the quality we deliver. It's about a debt that we inherited,'" said Silverman.

In 2007, Avaya was acquired by the private equity firms TPG Capital and Silver Lake Partners for $8.2 billion. Avaya said it had taken the initial steps to enable the company to emerge from Chapter 11 as a public company.

"When you look at the fact that they're going to come out as a public company, so now they're going to go head-to-head with Mitel-ShoreTel, with Cisco and all the other players out there, I think is good," Silverman said. "Those that predicted Avaya's doom and gloom  I dont see that happening."

Santa Clara, Calif.-based Avaya filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January. The vendor later revealed a reorganization plan in April with a strategy to address its $6 billion in debt. In July, Avaya sold its networking business to Extreme Networks for $100 million.

On Aug. 7, the company said it entered into a Plan Support Agreement with holders of over 50 percent of its first lien debt, while also reaching a separate agreement with the U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, in moves that would reduce Avaya's debt by more than $3 billion, according to the vendor.

"We are very pleased to have reached these agreements," said Kennedy. "This is an important milestone in the Chapter 11 process and marks Avaya's progress toward our goal of emerging a stronger, more competitive company."

"It is encouraging to see Avaya make progress in this process and move closer to emerging from the bankruptcy," said Jeff Gardner, CEO of Carousel Industries, an Exeter, R.I.-based solution provider, and top Avaya partner. "Im happy to see Avaya make changes in their effort to drive a positive outcome in the marketplace."

There is a scheduled court hearing for the Avaya agreements set for Aug. 23. If approved, the company hopes to set a date for Avaya to resume business outside of bankruptcy protection with hopes to emerge from Chapter 11 this fall.

Chirico has held a variety of executive sales positions since joining Avaya in 2008. Before joining Avaya, he was executive vice president of global operations development and manufacturing at Seagate Technology.
Security News

Flaw Or Feature? CarbonBlack Refutes DirectDefense Report Of Data Leak From Endpoint Detection And Response Product

Sarah Kuranda

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Security solution provider DirectDefense said it has discovered a significant data leak in Carbon Blacks endpoint detection and response offering that is exposing thousands of files and critical data on the security vendor's customers. But what DirectDefense calls a flaw, Carbon Black calls a feature.

In a blog post Wednesday, DirectDefense CEO Jim Broome said the data leak problem centers around Carbon Black's Cb Response EDR offering and the third-party cloud-based multi-scanner service it uses to upload files to determine whether they are good or bad against multiple anti-virus engines.

However, the blog post said any files uploaded by Cb Response and then forwarded to the cloud-based multi-scanner were available for sale to "anyone that wants them and is willing to pay." That involves the sale of the files submitted as samples of malware.

[Related: Carbon Black Hires Former Dropbox Exec As Its First Chief Revenue Officer ]

DirectDefenses blog post called the situation the "world's largest pay-for-play data exfiltration botnet."

DirectDefense did not respond to a request for comment by press time. The Englewood, Colo.-based solution provider also is a top Cylance partner, advocating in many of its blog posts for the technology. Cylance is a direct competitor of Carbon Black.

Carbon Black, for its part, pointed to its own blog when asked for comment on DirectDefenses allegation. In the blog post, Carbon Black called the DirectDefense blog "incorrect" in saying that it has an architectural flaw that exfiltrates data. It said "this is an optional feature (turned off by default) to allow customers to share information with external sources for additional ability to detect threats."

While Carbon Black said it does allow customers to use cloud-based multi-scanners -- something it calls "one of the most popular threat analysis services that enterprise customers opt into" -- it said its services are not dependent on the engines.

The company also took issue with DirectDefense's decision to publish its report without first informing Carbon Black of its findings.

"We appreciate the work of the security research community. However, it is important to note that Carbon Black was not informed about this issue by DirectDefense prior to publication of the blog to validate their findings.  It is also not a foundational architectural flaw. It is a feature, off by default, with many options to ensure privacy, and a detailed warning before enabling," the Carbon Black blog post said.

Justin Kallhoff, CEO of Infogressive, a Lincoln, Neb.-based MSSP and security specialist, said the cloud provides benefits and drawbacks to companies. He said companies should carefully consider the implications of uploading data to the cloud, as even companies with extensive security around the cloud like Microsoft and Amazon are now "huge targets" for attackers.

"Cloud-based anything has pros and cons. One of the downsides is trusting other companies with your data, which should never be forgotten. Cloud is now ubiquitous and companies' data is everywhere," Kallhoff said.

Carbon Black, Cambridge, Mass., said customers and partners can reach out to the company's support personnel with any questions. It also said it will "happily use our strong relationship with VirusTotal to remove any sensitive data that was exposed via this feature."

DirectDefenses blog post noted that not all files uploaded to the cloud-based multi-scanner service would be critical information, citing a Windows update as an example. However, it said the company's security experts did find the cloud keys for Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Compute; keys for the Google Play Store and Apple App Store; internal usernames and passwords; network intelligence; communications infrastructure; single sign-on and two-factor authentication keys; proprietary internal applications; and customer data on several Fortune 1000 companies in its research.

"Our intention with releasing this information was not to attack customers or security vendors, and we dont pretend that weve performed an exhaustive analysis of the breadth of the leaks. We only know that every time we looked, we found this same serious breach of confidentiality. We also do not know if this is the only key Carbon Black uses, nor if this problem is unique to Carbon Black, only that Carbon Blacks prevalence in the marketspace and the design of their solutions architecture seems to be providing a significant amount in data exfiltration," the blog post said.

DirectDefense said it discovered the issue when it responded to a potential breach at a customer site in the middle of last year. The solution provider, No. 14 on the 2017 Fast Growth 150 with 186 percent year-over-year revenue growth, said it was analyzing a malware sample using the multi-scanner engine's analyst interface and was able to see an unrelated customer's sensitive information when it queried for similar samples. It said all the samples were uploaded using a similar uploader, the primary key of which belonged to Carbon Black for Cb Response.

The blog post said it is not clear if the problem is limited to Carbon Black.

The EDR market in general has seen a boom in recent years, with multiple new startups jumping into the space, although Carbon Black is still one of the largest players in that market.

"It is imminently likely that there are other EDR sources and products to exploit (perhaps even other keys being used by Carbon Blacks solutions and even other vendors). Over the last couple years, there have been over 50 EDR companies launched, and likely, some of them may follow the same inspection model as Carbon Black," the DirectDefense blog post said.
NEW HAVEN >> Milton Omar Colon, a self-proclaimed lover of heights, climbed more than 45 feet up a high-power electric tower alongside Metro-North train tracks in West Haven, he said, to catch a better glimpse of a deer he had seen minutes before. As he turned to get a better look, he said, he fell onto high-voltage lines.

That was in 2011.

Now, to go up the 14 steps to the second floor of his brothers house, he uses his arms to drag himself, leaving his wheelchair at the bottom for someone to carry up separately.

Colon, 32, described his difficulties climbing stairs Tuesday during the second day of a federal civil trial in New Haven in which he seeks to hold Metro-North Commuter Railroad Co. and The United Illuminating Co. responsible for the injuries he suffered after falling from the electric tower he climbed in March 2011.

Colon is a native of Puerto Rico who has lived in New Haven since 2006. He filed the suit along with his wife, Arlene Davis, in March 2013, claiming that the couple has suffered economic hardships because of the accident as well as injury to their marital relationship. In addition, the suit details the hardships Colon has suffered due to his injuries from the fall.

The couple is seeking more than $20 million in damages.

Based on my experience, I was pretty confident and secure in what I was doing, Colon, who speaks Spanish, said through a translator about climbing the tower. And it cost me my legs.

According to previous reports by the Register, Metropolitan Transportation Authority police said at the time of the accident that Colon fell from a tower near Mix Avenue and Interstate 95 in West Haven that carries 12,000-volt cables to power trains. After he fell, he dangled by his foot from a high-voltage cable.

The Register reported at the time that it took 45 minutes for West Haven Fire Department and Metro-North Power Department to cut the power and rescue Colon as he burned while hanging from the cables. Police said at the time that Colon had been trespassing when the accident occurred.

During his testimony Tuesday, Colon said he had been to a methadone clinic the morning of the incident for treatment. He had been struggling with a heroin addiction since he was a teenager, he said. After his visit to the clinic, Colon admitted he went to buy drugs and smoked marijuana.

Colon said he only smoked marijuana that day after leaving the clinic and before climbing the tower, but the attorney for Metro North, Robert Hickey, said hospital records showed that there were traces of cocaine in a urine sample obtained from Colon following the fall.

The impacts from the accident have been long-lasting, Colon said, even impacting his memory of the events. Colon said a number of times in his testimony that he couldnt recall the order or events or what happened during different points of that day because the electric shocks have impacted his ability to remember.

Several times, during cross examination from Hickey, Colon said he could not recall statements he had made during his deposition with attorneys. Hickey said that during a deposition Colon had said he remembered slipping because his shoes were wet and that he had walked through a wet area that might have even still had been covered with snow on his way to the tower.

But Colon said during his testimony Tuesday that he did not recall those things occurring.

What I remember seeing, I was looking at the deer, I felt my skin crawl, I felt the impact and that was it, Colon said. I dont remember anything else.

Colon said in earlier testimony he no longer has control of his finances and his wife is now his official guardian because of his problems with his memory since the accident.

When Hickey pressed if Colon had seen any signs warning of danger or if he had looked up to see if there were electrical wires on the tower, Colon said he did not remember seeing any and he did not look for any. He also added that even if he had seen signs warning of danger, he wasnt sure he would have understood. Colon reported in earlier testimony that he has dyslexia.

At the moment, I was simply focused on my animals, not my decision-making process, Colon said. He added that he never would have climbed the tower, if I had knowledge of the magnitude of the damage it would cause.

Colon said during his testimony that he had been over near the tower in the first place because he was using the area as a short cut to get to a friends house to do some mechanics work. He said he had worked in construction with his father and brother prior to his accident.

Colon said he first noticed the deer as he made his way through the area.

While he answered questions from his own attorney, Brian Rush, Colon began to cry as he talked about the impacts the accident has had on his everyday life, from a now-strained relationship with his wife of 8 years, who is also wheelchair-bound, to his daily pain from the injuries. Colon and his wife live in a third-floor studio apartment in New Haven, and the space seems even more cramped now that they are both in wheel chairs.

Due to the cramped conditions and difficulties in managing their relationship, Colon said he often spends time at his brothers home near Bishop Woods School. Getting himself there on sidewalks is often treacherous, he said.

The suit alleges that Metro-North should be liable because they are required to have effective and legible warnings and signage and other protections and barriers to protect and warn [Colon] from the hazard of the high-voltage electric transmission lines, according to an amended complaint filed in April 2014. The suit alleges that the Metro-North towers are located on public land owned by the state and that the tower in question has a lattice-work ladder which extends from the ground level base to the high-voltage electric transmission lines and Defendants were aware of this lattice work ladder and its danger to the public.

The trial is scheduled to continue until Aug. 25.
NEW HAVEN >> A Southern Connecticut State University student was found dead in a campus apartment this weekend, the university said in a statement.

Southern Connecticut State Police said in the statement there was no evidence of foul play in the death of the student, a junior at the university.

A university police officer on Tuesday declined to say whether they were investigating the untimely death. University spokesman Patrick Dilger confirmed Tuesday afternoon that university police were investigating the incident.

Southern police are investigating this, Dilger said. Its standard procedure in the event of an untimely death. Its not being investigated as a criminal matter, however.

The student was a sport management major from New Jersey who had been working as a summer associate in residence life since May, according to the statement. The student was found unresponsive in his North Campus apartment. In the statement released by the university, SCSU President Joe Bertolino described the student as a vibrant and well-liked member of the campus community.

Our deepest sympathies are extended to his family and friends on this untimely loss, Bertolino said in the statement.

An exact cause of death had not been determined, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The medical examiners office reported the students cause of death is pending further studies.

Counseling services are available in Engleman Hall, Room B219. Students can also call 203-392-5475 to schedule an appointment. Reach Esteban L. Hernandez at 203-680-9901
In 2015, two American sisters were arrested in Cambodia for using their visit to Angkor Wat, an ancient temple and major tourist destination, as an opportunity to strip down for a nude photoshoot. Really. And it wasn't even the first time this has happened.

Most people visiting another country would know that taking your clothes off at a sacred temple is a really bad idea, but there are plenty of other mistakes made by sane, non-exhibitionist travelers who don't know any better. In fact, it's practically unavoidable: part of the tourist experience is getting things wrong.
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An American Airlines flight lurched violently over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, sending drinks and people flying - and putting 10 in the hospital after landing in Philadelphia.

Alex Ehmke and his family had spent nearly 10 hours in the air - flying home from a vacation in Europe, he told The Washington Post. Flight attendants were handing out a last round of drinks before landing, and the U.S. shore had just come into view.

"It had been completely uneventful," Ehmke said. "It looked like a nice day."

He and his wife got their coffees. Five minutes or so passed.

What happened next is a bit of blur to Ehmke, but he recalled an announcement urging passengers to fasten their seat belts, though the safety light was already on.

Another passenger, Ian Smith, told ABC affiliate WPVI that flight attendants were told to return to their seats, too.

"They didn't even have time," he said.

It began with a few seconds of shaking - not severe, the sort of turbulence any frequent flier gets used to.

"I was fine," Ehmke recalled. "This is all within normal bounds."

But the shaking got worse. Ehmke saw drinks spilling and sensed a faint panic in the aisles. Still, he wasn't worried.

Then, suddenly, what he calls "the lurch."

He would later tell NBC News that everything in his field of vision shot up four feet in the air, and he would tell WPVI that "it felt like the whole plane was in free fall."

Other passengers would later report screaming and babies crying. Ehmke didn't recall that but can relive the surreal experience of beverages suddenly being severed from gravity.

"The liquid catches your eye," he told The Post. "I saw all the drinks fly up at once."

This seemed amusing at first, when the plane settled down and Ehmke and his family had a chance to collect their thoughts.

"I was wearing half of my coffee; my brother was wearing the other half," he said. "My wife ended up with a pastry in her cup that was not hers."

His wife, a reporter for ProPublica, documented the aftermath on Twitter: beverages sprayed across the ceiling of an Airbus A333, coffee trapped in the housing of the cabin lights.

But in the row behind him, Ehmke said, a man had flown up from his seat, hit the ceiling and landed on his father - hard.

The man was one of three passengers who would be hospitalized after the plane landed.

According to American, the other seven injured were crew members.

All the flight attendants disappeared from the main cabin after the jolt, Ehmke said. He and the other passengers took stock of their soaked clothes and the trash-strewn plane and tried to laugh off the fright.

After a few minutes, one of the crew members reappeared, Ehmke recalled, and told the passengers, "I'm the only flight attendant that is able to help everyone right now."

The others, he gathered, needed help themselves.

Ehmke would later see the attendant who had served him throughout the flight with a sling on her arm and two passengers with ice packs on their heads.

The plane didn't divert to another airport. In the half-hour or so before it reached Philadelphia, Ehmke said, the pilot apologized for what the Federal Aviation Administration and American Airlines later described as "severe turbulence," cause unknown.

"He said another plane had flown through previously and reported only moderate turbulence," Ehmke recalled of the pilot's speech. "So they didn't try to go around it or predict it was as bad as it was."

When another crew member took the microphone to explain how people would get off the plane, Ehmke said, "it was the most shaken I've ever heard flight staff sound. She clearly didn't know what was next."

What was next was a safe landing at Philadelphia International Airport, where paramedics were standing by.

American Airlines didn't provide details about the 10 people hospitalized but said all had been released by Sunday morning.

"We want to thank our team members for taking care of our customers," the airline said in a statement.

American called Ehmke's wife to check up on her after she tweeted about the incident. She and her husband praised the flight crew's response to what - for a split second, at least - had felt like a plane falling out of the sky.

"I was worried people would take it out on the pilot or staff," Ehmke said. "I'm not, by any means, technically informed about aviation, but from my perspective these things happen."
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Public tap water is tested around the clock in Connecticut, yet drinking contaminants still make it to our homes, according to a new report.

The states water supplies are in compliance with state and federal maximum contaminant levels, but at least half a dozen contaminants were found in some of Connecticut's drinking water at levels above current health guidelines, according to a new database released last week by the Environmental Working Group, a national advocacy organization based in Washington D.C.

Because of potential health risks, Connecticuts public health code sets maximum contaminant level goals (MCLGs) for chemicals. These guidelines are not enforceable, but they help water utilities and consumers determine at which level a contaminant has any known or expected health risks.

In Fairfield County, three disinfection byproducts known as trihalomethanes were detected in water samples from 2010 to 2015, according to the database, which catalogues water test results from state agencies and the EPA. Many scientific studies show these three chemicals increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy at certain concentrations, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

For two of these chemicals, bromodichloromethane and dibromochloromethane, EWGs data shows that all towns in Fairfield County exceeded the states MCLG limits.

With current chemical water treatment technologies, these contaminants are difficult to avoid, and will remain legal until it becomes technically and economically feasible to remove them.

I think weve seen improvements in treatment technology over the past 40 years and technology will continue to improve our ability to detect chemicals at lower and lower levels, said John Herlihy, vice president of water quality and environmental management at Aquarion Water Company, the state's largest water utility provider.

Some chemicals occur naturally in drinking water like radon and uranium, while others can be due to industrial pollution. Trihalomethanes are formed during the treatment process, when chlorine is used for disinfection, Herlihy said.

Hexavalent chromium, dubbed the "Erin Brockovich" chemical, was found in Stamford, Norwalk, Greenwich, Darien, Seymour and Danbury, according to EWG. Despite scientific studies finding that hexavalent chromium can cause cancer when consumed at low levels, the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and the Connecticuts public health code havent set a limit or health goal for the chemical.

The lifetime risk of developing cancer from hexavalent chromium is low in Fairfield County, according to EWG. A 0.02 ppb level of hexavalent chromium would represent a cancer risk of one in a million, according to Californias Public Health Goals. This risk is doubled is some towns like Danbury and Greenwich.

More Information Aquarion encourages customers with additional questions about water quality to contact its Water Quality Department at 1-800-832-2373. See More Collapse

Drinking bottled water is not necessarily a healthier alternative since water manufacturers are not required to disclose all contaminants, according to EWG. To reduce exposure to contaminants, the environmental group suggests purchasing water filters.

But Herlihy argues that water filters can also put you at risk, if you dont change them regularly. Chemical compounds that are trapped in an overused filter can come out at high concentrations.

The customers can have confidence that their drinking water is safe to drink, Herlihy said. We meet all the health standards set by the EPA and by the Connecticut Department of Public Health.
STORY LINK EUR GBP Exchange Rate Slips on Rising Geopolitical Tensions

Euro (EUR) loses Out as Geopolitical Tensions Spook Currency Markets

Pound (GBP) Slowed by BoE Report

EUR GBP Exchange Rate Forecast: UK Trade Figures to Disappoint on Thursday?

Current Interbank Exchange Rates

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The Euro Pound (EUR GBP) exchange rate dipped this morning as currency markets were rocked by rising tensions on the Korean peninsula.The Euro was driven lower this morning as a sudden escalation in tensions between the US and North Korea rattled markets on the 10th anniversary of the financial crisis.The surge in tensions was initially prompted yesterday evening as in responding to recent reports that North Korea had managed to miniaturised a nuclear weapon US President Donald Trump claimed that the rogue nation would be met by fire and fury if it made further threats against the US.Speaking to journalists in New Jersey Trump said;North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and the fury like the world has never seen.Trumps warning follows a number of missile tests by Pyongyang, with the country carrying out even more launches in recent months as it tests its new long range ICBM that it claims gives it the capability to strike targets in the mainland US.However North Korea has responded to Trumps comments in kind, with its state media reporting that the country was considering a missile strike on US targets in Guam just hours later, with the Euro weakening as investors look for safer harbours to shelter in as fearing further escalation.Stuart Culverhouse, global head of macro & fixed income research at Exotix Capital said;The North Korean threat has been present in one form or another for some time, and despite periods of nervousness, markets generally have not tended to focus on it too much.Now, with the tension between the US and DPRK reaching a level that appears somewhat unprecedented in the last decade, if not longer, the question is whether this time is different.Time will tell, but markets may look to safe haven assets if things escalate. The best hope is for all parties to return to the negotiating table.The latest war of words comes just days after the UN approved a number of further economic sanctions against North Korea, which Pyongyang called a violent violation of our sovereignty as it said that the US would pay a price.European markets came also came under further pressure this morning as news that a number of French soldiers were rammed by a car in a potential terrorist heightened tensions even further.However Sterlings gains were tempered somewhat this morning following the release of a UK business report from the Bank of England (BoE).In its latest Agents summary of business conditions the Bank reported that UK wage growth remains weak despite firms struggling to hire staff, saying;Recruitment difficulties had edged higher, and were gradually broadening across sectors and skill areas. Despite this, labour cost growth had been modest, with pay awards clustered around 2%3%.The BoE previously warned that anaemic wage growth is likely to have a major impact on the UKs economic growth over the coming months as tighter household finances likely leads to a drop in consumer spending.Looking ahead the EUR GBP exchange rate may rally again tomorrow as the UK releases its latest trade balance figures, with economists forecasting that Britains trade deficit will have risen from 3.07bn to 3.6bn.The Pound may also be pressured by the UKs industrial production data on Thursday as analysts predict that factory output will have contracted for the third consecutive month in June.Meanwhile the Euros attempts to advance may be slowed slightly by Frances own industrial production figures as markets expect output to have plummeted from 1.9% to -0.4% at the end of the second quarter.At the time of writing the EUR GBP exchange rate was trending around 0.9035 and the GBP EUR exchange rate was trending around 1.1067.

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

TAGS: Euro Pound Forecasts
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.
James Damore said he had been fired by Google for 'perpetuating gender stereotypes' in a 10-page memo to colleagues

The retribution was as swift as it was harsh.

After an employee at Google circulated a memo to colleagues arguing that differences between men and women may partly explain why there were fewer females than males at the company, he was sacked by the internet giant.

According to the firms CEO Sundar Pichai, he had breached the companys basic values. Any suggestion that one group of colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to certain areas of work is offensive, Mr Pichai explained, and breached Googles code of conduct.

Certainly, the memo was controversial and politically incorrect. Many female employees were reportedly incandescent.

But did it really merit such a response? After all, common sense and millennia of real-life observation have shown that men and women operate differently, and that men on average have more interest in technology than women.

The fact is that men are good at concentrating with extraordinary focus, whereas women tend to be better at seeing a broader picture.

Men are usually better at chess, while women often have superior people skills, greater intuition and are more able to solve big picture problems.

Yet for a company such as Google, so keen to flaunt its politically correct worldview on issues such as diversity and inclusivity, its employees opinions were beyond the pale.

Which is why it has sacked engineer James Damore.

In his memo, Damore stated that Google has a Left-liberal bias in all it says and does  and, more perniciously, that it wants all of us who use its services to share these Lefty views.

That is a terrifying thought, given the extent to which the company pervades our lives.

Punished

Far from solely providing efficient access to useful and unbiased information, Google relentlessly promotes a very particular brand of Californian, hippie-derived, one-world politics on everything  from minority rights to a contempt for traditional values, as well as a cast-iron belief in man-made climate change.

For a company such as Google, so keen to flaunt its politically correct worldview on issues such as diversity and inclusivity, its Mr Damore's opinions were beyond the pale

When it comes to diversity and inclusion, wrote Damore in his infamous memo, Googles Left-bias has created a politically correct monoculture that maintains its hold by shaming dissenters into silence. Those with conservative views stay in the closet to avoid hostility, he added.

The great irony, of course, is that although Google and YouTube, the video sharing site which it owns, both proudly declare their commitment to free speech, its own employee, Damore, has been punished for speaking freely.

There appears to have been scant debate or discussion prior to his dismissal. Simply an illiberal and arrogant pronouncement from on high that his job had been terminated.

But then Google has always excelled at arrogance  and hypocrisy.

For while it sanctimoniously parades its supposed high morals, its commitment to equality and support for minorities and the oppressed, such are its warped priorities that it allows all sorts of poisonous content to be shown unchecked on its internet sites and continues to make money from such appalling material.

On Monday, for example, it emerged that Google had ignored pleas from Scotland Yard to remove YouTube videos extolling gang violence and inciting knife and gun crime  material that puts lives at risk and yet is accompanied by adverts from which the internet giant profits.

Indeed, this week, London Mayor Sadiq Khan criticised YouTube for glamorising gang culture, citing four videos in which gangsters wear balaclavas and masks, and brag about how they would murder rivals.

According to the Googles CEO Sundar Pichai (pictured), Mr Damore had breached the companys basic values

Google has also been reprehensibly slow to crack down on pornography, despite repeated warnings from the British Government.

It allows jihadist videos to be shown online and while it has promised recently to do more to ban them, this as yet unfulfilled pledge came only after years of pleas from politicians and security forces on both sides of the Atlantic.

Billions

Of course, this is a company that has made billions from harvesting peoples private information from their computers  monitoring internet sites we visit, what we buy and what were interested in  and passing it on to advertisers.

In 2013, Google was fined millions for violating internet privacy after collecting vast quantities of personal information, such as personal emails and bank details, through its Street View mapping operation.

Earlier this year, it was fined 2.1 billion by the EU for breaching competition rules by putting the search results for its own shopping service at the top of users screens.

On top of all this, what about oh-so moral Googles tax dealings?

Two senior academics recently calculated  despite the firms fog of fiscal secrecy  that it pays tax in the UK at some 2.8 per cent a year on revenues of 1 billion. How can that be called social justice?

When Googles boss Eric Schmidt was challenged, he snapped: Its called capitalism. We are proudly capitalistic.

With the breathtaking arrogance that comes from being a $600 billion behemoth, he said Google was delighted to be paying so little tax, and had no intention of paying any more.

Perhaps thats why the firm can afford to host lavish international gatherings for the wealthy and influential  such as one in Sicily recently where Prince Harry was a guest.

In 2013, Google was fined millions for violating internet privacy after collecting vast quantities of personal information

Such secretive gatherings of the rich and powerful confirm public suspicions that high-tech firms such as Google form an unaccountable elite that control increasingly large areas of our public and private worlds.

Equally worrying, a symbol of Googles huge interest in direct political power and influence is its plush new offices on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., which are the same size as the White House.

Yet while aggressively pursuing power and avoiding tax  at the same time as providing a platform for criminals and terrorists and using our private data to enrich its cult-like bosses  Google persists in an awful charade in which it tries to convince us that it cares and celebrates diversity. Good grief, on its website, it even talks about love. It says: We believe in removing barriers so Googlers can focus on the things and people they love, and in providing benefits that serve the unique needs of our Googlers.

In practice, Googles only real belief is in making money. Its founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page are each worth around $40 billion each: the 12th and 13th richest individuals in the world.

It is not the money-making I object to, however. To my mind, capitalism, as long as its conducted within the law, is the best system yet devised for lifting people out of poverty.

The problem is Googles sinister but self-righteous instinct to control information, direct opinion and suppress dissent.

Censor

Recently, the firm announced it would be working with a group called the Anti-Defamation League to block videos that constitute hate speech.

And while this could mean gangland and jihadist material is policed better, there is a big risk Google might censor content that conflicts with its own politically correct outlook.

Significantly, the director of the Anti-Defamation League is a former special adviser to Barack Obama, who has been accused of turning the once impartial organisation into a Left-wing pressure group.

This week, the historian and Harvard professor, Niall Ferguson, lambasted vigilantes who increasingly dominate our media and the internet.

Chillingly, he said: Mark my words, while I can still publish them with impunity: the real tyrants, when they come, will be for diversity (except of opinion) and against hate speech (except their own).

This is something the Google rebel who voiced his views on the fundamental differences between men and women found to his cost yesterday.
When I was 15, back in the day when people whispered 'She's divorced' behind their hands, my parents split up  and my mother almost instantly lost most of her friends.

Forty years ago, you couldn't have a pretty, single woman in your friendship group. She'd be out to steal your husband!

The next sentence should be 'How times have changed'  except, sadly, they haven't.

Lots of single women are still ostracized from close groups of friends for the same reason: they're seen as a threat and as a result become victims of 'single blacklisting'.

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Tracey Cox says that if your friends have suddenly shunned you because you're single it could be because they see you as a threat

In a couple, you're their 'lovely friend Maria'; single, you become 'Maria who's desperate and sex-starved and might just have her eye on my partner'.

It's the complete opposite for men: half decent single men aren't just welcomed by couples and groups of friends, they're snapped up within seconds for single girlfriends. Why not the reverse?

Because another thing hasn't changed: there always seems to be a much higher proportion of great single women than single men and women are still the social organisers.

It's unusual for men to arrange the get-togethers, so if a woman does feel threatened by a desirable, newly single friend, it's remarkably easy to suddenly forget to include her. Don't.

Anyone who has ever been given the cold shoulder for this reason by friends they love and rely on for support will never do this to others. It hurts!

Breaking up with your friends can sometimes hurt more than breaking up with a partner. It's unfair, it's cruel and it's mean.

Here's how to deal with 'single blacklisting' if it's happening to you (and something you should also read if you're thinking of doing it to your single friend).

WHAT TO DO IF FRIENDS OSTRACIZE YOU SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU'RE SINGLE

Take it as a compliment

Their bad behaviour stems from fear: they're frightened their partner will find you so irresistible, they'll either attempt to seduce you for a bit on the side or fall madly in love and run off into the sunset.

It is possible, according to Tracey, that your break-up has made a couple nervous about their own relationship

In essence, it's a compliment: if you weren't attractive, they wouldn't feel threatened.

Give them time to adjust

Another reason why people avoid seeing a couple once they split is because it makes them feel nervous about their own relationship.

If you split up, it means they might too.

Even the happiest couple imagines what it might be like to be single again when good friends separate or divorce. It's unsettling.

This is all normal and, again, no reflection on their affection for you.

After a month or so, most friends have dealt with it and are over the blip. So give people time to adjust.

Think about how much you want the friendship

You've waited a while and it's now obvious you have been dropped by certain friends?

Personally, I'd have a good think about whether you still want the friendship.

Any friend who suddenly doesn't want to see you purely because you're single is effectively saying they don't trust you or don't consider you interesting enough to see solo.

If you understand where the insecurity is coming from or think there might be more to it, fine. But if you don't, maybe it's wise to let them drift away.

Be proactive

If you do still want the friendship, fight for it.

Any friend who suddenly doesn't want to see you purely because you're single is effectively saying they don't trust you

Call and say 'Look, I feel like we don't see each other enough anymore and I miss you. Is there a reason why I'm not invited around as much?'.

Few people will have the courage to admit they're threatened and are pretty much forced to make a date to see you.

Once she's seen you a few times and realised nothing has changed and you aren't making a dastardly play for her or other friend's husbands or partners, she might well calm down.

Don't flirt

If you've just been dumped or single for longer than you'd like, you feel unattractive as well as unloved.

Flirting with your male friends  innocently  seems just what the doctor ordered to lift your confidence. And it is, if they're single.

Sometimes, even if they're attached, their partner won't mind a bit, especially if you're very old friends and she knows you wouldn't dream of muscling in on her man.

But if they're not old friends or she's the jealous type, don't go there. Also be careful when getting dating advice from someone else's husband or partner.

It's a great idea to get a male perspective on things or another view from a gay girlfriend whose opinion you really value  especially if they know you well.

It is important not to ostracise yourself from friends in a couple as there is no shame in becoming single

YOU'RE A SINGLE GIRL? AHH! WELL, YOU MUST BE. Here are some comebacks for when people assume you're. DESPERATE They say: 'You'll never guess what. Dave's friend John has broken up from his girlfriend. He's a lot older than you and a bit podgy but nothing a good woman can't sort out. When shall I set something up?' You say: 'Actually, I'm seeing someone right now. He's a model and far too young but it's probably not the right time to meet your friend.' FLAWED They say: 'I really can't understand why you're single all this time. You're attractive, funny, talented. Why hasn't someone snapped you up?' You say: 'Thanks for the compliments. I'm asked out all the time but right now, I'm really enjoying not committing to anyone.' STILL HEARTBROKEN OVER YOUR EX They say: 'Poor you. Not only did that guy break your heart, you're still hung up on him. Being dumped is so humiliating. It took me years to get over Steve. Remember?' You say: 'You know what, I was upset for a while but now I've decided I quite like being single. Weird isn't it? Best thing that ever happened was him leaving.' LONELY They say: 'You should get a cat to keep you company. Being on your own isn't good for you. You know George and I more than happy if you want to pop over when you're lonely one Saturday night. We're always home, aren't we George?' You say: 'That's so sweet. I thought about getting cat but I'm out six nights out of seven, who would feed it? And I promise I'll find time to see you on a Saturday night but I'm booked out until December. Sorry guys!' SEX STARVED They say: 'Pete and I had the best sex last night. Oops! Sorry  I forget you aren't getting any. Hope I didn't make you jealous!' You say: 'Not at all.' Smile mysteriously then add, 'You should be the one who's jealous  I get to sleep with someone for the first time again.' Add a wink. TOO FUSSY They say: 'What was wrong with that last guy you dated? I know he was boring and been out of work a while but he wasn't that bad, surely? You're just too fussy that's all.' You say: 'Don't you think I deserve the best?' Advertisement

But even if you don't want the other person's advice, it's respectful to ask both of them together.

Even if they know you're completely uninterested in their partner romantically, the intimacy can feel disturbing.

Don't ostracize yourself!

Sometimes, you ostracize yourself from your couple friends rather than the other way around because you feel like the odd one out.

One woman I counselled lives in Kent, and said she felt so 'ashamed' not to have a husband, she stopped seeing her friends.

I was shocked that she thought that way: half of Britain is divorced, why on earth should she feel shame?

'It's different in London,' she said. 'In the suburbs, people are old-fashioned. I rarely get included and when I do the women are embarrassingly territorial over their men or I feel sad that I haven't got someone by my side.'

The obvious advice  to hang out with single people instead  works for younger people. But if you're a bit older, single friends can be hard to find.

Make new friends

But it's not impossible to find them.

It's much easier to expand your world by trying new things when you're single because you only have yourself to answer to.

Make a list of five things you've always wanted to try then do one new thing a month (or a week if you're feeling adventurous).

The more new people you meet, the more new friends you'll make.

Friends who have a healthy mix of single and coupled up friends and couldn't care less if you're 'you' or part of two.

See your couple friends as inspiring

Rather than seeing couples as people to envy, see them as inspiration. They found love, so will you.

If you really can't handle being around couples right now, see friends separately.

Not all couples are joined at the hip.

Ditch any friends who make you feel bad about being single

To be happy single, you have to stop listening to people who tell you you shouldn't be, that it's 'unnatural' to be single, that life can only be good when you're part of a couple and people who insist your entire life purpose is to find a mate.

Nonsense!

People mean well but those boring, repetitive, antiquated things others assume just because you're (Gosh! How tragic!) On Your Own, will do nothing but drag you down.

Being single isn't something to be pitied. It's damn good fun a lot of the time!

Mix with people who wholeheartedly agree. And on that note

Dazzle 'smug couples' with statistics

Some people really do believe their coupled status makes them superior to single people. They're deluded.

Research shows single women are healthier, happier and wealthier than their shackled sisters.

Single women travel more, are more likely to drink champagne, eat in expensive restaurants and buy designer clothes than married women.

Single people also go out more, have more friends, meet more new people and have more sex than people who are married.

Sounds dreadful, doesn't it? You can see why everyone thinks you're a threat.

You must be so eager to give it all up, right? Hmmmm.

Visit traceycox.com for more of Tracey's views and advice on love, sex and relationships.
A dog with just 24 hours to live was given a second chance at life after a pilot flew 750 miles to rescue it from its kill shelter.

Adrienne, two, had a severe bladder prolapse after a suspected case of abuse and was in desperate need of surgery.

Vets say the damage may have been caused by a breeder ripping a puppy out from inside her during a traumatic birth or she could have been raped by a human.

Helping hand: Pilot Paul Steklenski flew 750 miles in order to rescue two-year-old dog Adrienne after she was sent to a kill shelter and given just 24 hours to live

Recovery: The adorable dog had a severe bladder prolapse and required serious surgery in order to save her life

The poorly pup was taken off the streets and put into a kill shelter last week. She would have been euthanized within 24 hours if rescuers hadn't stepped in.

Dog charity Animals R Family was alerted to the case and agreed to fund the $1,500 treatment Adrienne desperately needed to survive.

But they needed to get the dog from Granville County Animal Shelter, North Carolina to a vet in Stamford, Connecticut who agreed to do the treatment for a third of the price.

When pilot Paul Steklenski, a 45-year-old former tank trainer who now runs an animal charity, heard about her ordeal he knew he had to help.

The ex-US serviceman, who trained to fly in 2013, filled his five-seater plane with fuel and flew from his home in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, to North Carolina.

He loaded Adrienne into the plane's front seat, strapped in 13 other abandoned dogs in crates to the rear and flew back to the airport in Westchester, New Yorka 750-mile round-trip.

The lovable poochthought to be a beagle or Basset houndwas then driven to an animal hospital in Stamford and underwent surgery to reinsert her bladder on Monday.

SOS: Paul now runs an animal charity and when he was told about Adrienne's ordeal he knew he needed to help the abused animal

Safe and sound: After a lengthy flight to Westchester, Adrienne was driven to a nearby vet in Stamford where she under went surgery to repair her prolapsed bladder

Rest: The rescued pooch is now recovering in the veterinary hospital

Once she's back up to full strength, rescuers will find her a new home along with the other pups Paul rescued, which have been taken to other, non-kill shelters.

Pain: The prolapsed bladder (pictured) could have killed the young animal

'When I heard about Adrienne I knew I had to help,' Paul said.

'Animals R Family managed to get the funding for the surgery and I knew I was the missing link.

'It was touch and go because her bladder could have twisted and that would have been fatal, but all it required was for me to save that animal's life.

'I didn't think about it - I just had to do it.'

Paul set up a dog and cat rescue charity called Flying Fur Animal Rescue in 2015 and estimates he's saved more than 700 unloved animals from euthanasia.

He travels to Southern states where rescued dogs can be killed at some shelters and transports them north, where there is less of a pet overpopulation problem.

On Sunday, Paul rescued Adrienne and 13 other dogs in his plane, a $70,000 Beechcraft Bonanza.

'Adrienne was very scared and timid and gentle. She sat next to me the whole way because I needed to keep an eye on her,' he said. 'It was so sad. She was malnourished and all these problems. It was not how a two year old dog should be.

Support: Adrienne is now being cared for by professionals, having been saved just 24 hours before she was due to be put down

The journey: Paul flew from his home in Pennsylvania to North Carolina to pick up Adrienne, before taking her to Westchester

'I flew 750 miles from Pennsylvania to North Carolina to get Adrienne and then to get her back to Westchester. I left at 9am and was in the air for six hours.

'It was a very emotional rescue because of when was at stake. I was exhausted by the end of the day.'

Adrienne is now on painkillers and an IV drip but experts expect her to make a full recovery.

'It is a good feeling,' Paul, who writes about his rescue missions on his website, added. 'The trip was the difference between life and death but now, given the proper care, Adrienne will life a perfectly normal life.'

Animals R Family founder Nicole Bruck said she and the rest of the team now wishes for the best regarding Adrienne's future.

'We are hoping she will be OK but she has faced a big trauma,' Bruck said. 'The disturbing thing is that things like this are unusual in females and it is possible she was trying to give birth when she was injured, or that she was raped by a human.

'Something large ripped out from inside her with force.

'She has been through so much but we are just happy she survived because she now has a chance of finding a forever home.'
Chloe Green and Jeremy Meeks spotted enjoying Kadooment Day in Barbados

On the latest leg of their perma-holiday, Chloe Green and her jailbird boyfriend Jeremy Meeks attended a festival in Barbados.

The couple, still in the passionate throes of a grisly summer romance, got into the spirit of the event by dressing up in fiesta costumes while snogging lasciviously at every opportunity.

And millions of us, perhaps still digesting our breakfast or feeling a little tender about life, really wish they had not.

For it is not just their glutinous, half-naked displays of public affection that are so revolting, although they dont help matters. Nor is it the indigestible knowledge that Meeks abandoned a wife and child to be with Miss Green, who is now known as the homewrecker heiress.

It is more that together they present a united front of such boorish revelry and rampant, empty-minded hedonism that they even put Big Daddy Sir Philip Green to shame.

For just when you think that the Green family name could not be dragged further into the gutter, here comes Chloe; a young woman with a real talent for eyeball-scorching vulgarity.

At 26, with access to unlimited funds and opportunities galore, she is a person of privilege and wealth who could, if only she were different, do a lot of good.

She chooses instead to fritter away her time in jetset fleshpots, with a convicted criminal at her side and nothing more weighty on her mind than where, oh where, to holiday next.

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The couple, still in the passionate throes of a grisly summer romance, got into the spirit of the event by dressing up in fiesta costumes while snogging lasciviously at every opportunity

Her father Sir Philip is said to be in denial about his beloved daughters affair with the tattooed, shaven-headed former gang member from America who has been in jail several times and has a history of violence and thieving.

Meeks became an unlikely internet sensation two years ago when police posted his arrest photos online. When he came out of prison, he got himself an agent and a new career as a male model.

Friends have been gruffly informed by Green that his daughters relationship with the man now known as the hot felon is just a holiday romance. Yet that is hardly a comforting thought, given that Chloe has been on holiday for the past four years at least.

The parameters of her shallow life extend from teak deck to discotheque, with nothing much in between except a parade of cocktails, lunches and designer frocks.

So what? She wouldnt be the first poor little rich girl to fill her life with expensive fripperies and unsuitable men, after all.

But, one might hope, given the recent Bhs pensions scandal that engulfed Sir Philip, that he might have a word with her about toning down the partying and the ostentatious high living.

At one point, moved by the music, he even agrees to carry Chloe on his shoulders in time-honoured festival tradition, but soon put her down

He might tell her to dial it down, do a bit of charity work, darling, maybe show a little respect and decorum for the people he had wronged? But, no, that hope would be in vain. Look at Chloe in Barbados, if you dare. She is wearing a rhinestone bra which struggles to encage each breast, like trying to cram a trifle into a tiara.

Her reinforced bikini bottoms are garlanded with baubles, while the final accessory to this terrible fashion crime are her too-tight, bejewelled booties on her feet. They appear to be blocking her lower leg circulation, giving rise to a condition quite possibly known as thrombo-cankle.

Meanwhile, lovely Jeremy (such a nice boy) has his full panoply of gangland tattoos on show under some kind of sequined baby harness.

A pair of shorts, some expensive new trainers and a glass of rum in his fist complete his carnival look.

Chloe Green with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth

At one point, moved by the music, he even agrees to carry Chloe on his shoulders in time-honoured festival tradition, only to sink to the ground after a few painful steps, knees shot, sinews screaming.

Whatever it was that first attracted him to billionaires daughter Chloe Green, it wasnt her faint resemblance to a puff of swansdown.

Once he had recovered his strength, the couple got back to what they do best; drinking and dancing, slurping and slobbering, taking selfies and then drinking some more under the hot Caribbean sun.

To this end, Chloe recently posted a photograph of Meeks and herself on her Instagram account. Underneath it, she wrote: Life is too short not to laugh and smile, and that is all we do.

Well, quite.

Never mind that Meekss poor wife Melissa found out about his affair only after photographs were published of her husband and the perma-tanned Miss Green canoodling half-naked on a yacht together.

She told newspapers that she felt humiliated by his affair, and no wonder. The couple had been married for eight years and share one child, seven-year-old Jeremy Jnr.

Elsewhere, the images that chronicle Jeremy and Chloes torrid month-long relationship show them doing the usual happy, rich couple things; relaxing by the pool, sunbathing on yachts, driving around in supercars and exiting nice restaurants.

She looks thrilled. He looks slightly feral, a cat on the prowl, a man who cant quite believe his good luck.

Since leaving prison (his wife waiting for him while he was inside, what a fool) one of his most lucrative contracts is worth a cool 1 million to model clothes for the Topman range  facilitated by Chloe.

After all, it is Daddys company! Violent criminal turned pin-up? Why not? It seems incredible that someone with such a sickening past should be lauded by the idiotic fashion world.

But, as the Greens know better than most, there is no shame in public life any more. And bedazzled Chloe is going to do everything she can to make sure Meeks stays at her side.

Friends say Chloe Green is actually very sweet. At any gathering she is the first to put her credit card behind the bar or on the restaurant table.

She pays for everything  and everyone lets her. Miss Green even has a personal photographer on hand 24/7 to capture every one of the tacky, almost tragic magic moments she shares with her new love. She likes to think of herself as independent, and boasts that her motto in life is: She Flies With Her Own Wings.

The couple taking a selfie on the Caribbean island

It is laughable, really, and the only person she must fool is herself. She seems utterly oblivious to the fact that she only flies with a credit card, courtesy of Daddy, in her designer handbag, and it is he who bankrolls her lavish lifestyle. And now, it seems, Jeremys, too.

Imagine how galling this must be for Bhs pensioners, confronted with such vulgar bling and shameless peacockery from two such awful people.

Sir Philip must have been hoping for a relaxing summer on his 300ft yacht, Lionheart, this year. For it has certainly been a torrid 12 months in Green-land: pre-tax profits at his fashion empire fell nearly 80 per cent to 36.8 million, turnover fell 17 per cent  all this and his personal reputation flushed down the loo.

Earlier this year, Sir Philip agreed  finally  to pay 363 million into the pension scheme to make some kind of amends to retired Bhs workers.

Yet there was no compensation for the worry those pensioners endured. Now they have to suffer the ghastly spectacle of his pampered daughter gallivanting around the world, exulting in the controversy publicly garnered by her dodgy gangster lover.

She is bewitched and bothered, thrilled with her new bad-boy love. Some reports say she has a Jeremy-inspired tattoo on her bikini line that reads: Cant stop, wont stop.

And, if this latest crass display is anything to go by, it seems she is determined to stay true to her word. Heaven help us all.

Meanwhile her father enjoys a day at the beach in Mykonos with his wife and friends

He's known for his love of the sun and sea, and spends much of his time cruising the Mediterranean in his super yacht.

So it's no surprise that Sir Philip Green has escaped the cooler climes of Britain to soak up some sun in Mykonos instead.

The billionaire has been spotted enjoying the hotter weather of the Greek island with his wife Tina and their friends.

Sir Philip Green along with his wife Tina, and their friends were spotted on Psarou beach, in Mykonos

Sir Philip wore a plain white t-shirt and a black and white baseball cap as he hopped onto a boat for some of the trip

The billionaire was spotted on the Greek island with his wife and a group of their friends

The group was spotted in Psarou beach, around five kilometres, or three miles, from the main town.

It is a popular beach, famed for white sand and crystal clear blue waters.

It also has a lot of space to dock boats and private yachts, but it isn't clear if Sir Philip has his super yacht with him for this trip.

Sir Philip Green helps his wife onto the boat as the group enjoy some sun in the island

Sir Philip speaks to his wife who was wearing light and colourful clothes and brown wedges, as he hits dry land

Sir Philip meets a group of women wearing sailor style hats as he arrives in Mykonos

Sir Philip Green leans in for a kiss as he greets a woman in a sailor hat, flanked by women in a matching uniform of black tops and denim shorts

Sir Philip is known for enjoying to spend time in the sun around the Mediterranean and this is not his first time in Mykonos.

The 65-year-old took a two month jolly around the Greek islands from July last year, soaking up the beauty spot as well as Corfu, Skopelos, and Skiathos.

Sir Philip looked ready to relax in his blue shorts and loafers as he strolled around the island

The beach the group was spotted on is about five kilometres, or around three miles, from the main town of Mykonos
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It was while wandering down Sydney's iconic beach that Dale McCarthy hatched a plan.

The chief marketing officer for Fairfax - who had worked in the corporate and media worlds for twelve years - would launch an Australian luxury swimwear label inspired by Bondi Beach.

Three years later, Bondi Born has made waves in Europe and the US, and been embraced by names as big as Miranda Kerr, Beyonce, Hailey Baldwin and Nicole Trunfio.

FEMAIL sat down with the inspirational entrepreneur and designer, Dale McCarthy, to find out how she did it - and why the Australian home market is next on the agenda.

Bondi Born swimwear label (pictured) was dreamed up by former chief marketing officer for Fairfax, Dale McCarthy, when she was walking along Bondi Beach and thinking about launching her own business

According to Ms McCarthy, while she had always been happy in her corporate role, she also had dreams of launching her own business:

'I spent so much time scouting for entrepreneurs in my day job, who were always so passionate about what they did,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

Ms McCarthy (pictured) had always known she wanted to launch her own business at some point

'I remember thinking I can't go to the grave without trying my own hand in business.'

But rather than jump head first into something un-planned, Ms McCarthy had enough professional experience to know that she needed to get into something she loved to make the long entrepreneurial hours worthwhile:

'One day in 2014, walking down Bondi Beach, it struck me,' she said.

'I'm an Aussie girl, I was a competitive swimmer in my teens and I pretty much spent my twenties in swimwear. I would design an Australian premium swimwear label and take the spirit of Bondi to the world.'

After doing some research into the saturated swim market, when she found out that there was a growing desire for luxury swim labels at a higher price point in Europe, Ms McCarthy decided she would launch a 'test season' abroad to see how her label fared.

'I sent 1,000 of my designs to a warehouse in the UK and approached a whole pile of e-commerce stores to sell them,' she explained.

'They gave it a go, and that season did well.'

In fact, 'well' is an understatement.

Before she knew it, Ms McCarthy's passion project was snapped up by high-profile retailers including Selfridges and Harrods in the UK, Oberpollinger and KaDeWe in Germany, the Four Seasons in Hawaii and Miinto in Scandinavia, as well as bikini.com in the US.

Bondi Born is also projected to turn over AUD $4 million this financial year.

The luxury swim label has proven hugely popular abroad, where it launched - the markets in Europe and the US are booming, and now Ms McCarthy will launch the new SS18 collection (pictured) in Australia as well as elsewhere later this year

Ms McCarthy launched Bondi Born because she saw a gap in the market for premium luxury swimwear, and wanted to make a product without compromise - 'I want to make the female body look as good as it possibly can,' she told FEMAIL

So what sets Bondi Born apart from other popular swimwear labels?

'Bondi Born is a luxury brand with no compromise,' Ms McCarthy said.

'I use fabrics that sculpt the body, I spend the money on lining for the suits and design my own hardware. From the beginning, I knew I wanted to make the female body look as good as it possibly can.

'I'd go swimwear shopping and feel like I was buying a mass-produced commodity. I never got that when I was buying dresses from high-end stores.

'As soon as I knew that I wouldn't compromise on the quality of the garments, I knew that this meant a higher price point. But going to the beach is a vulnerable experience.

'You socialise with people normally all week, and then you go to the beach on Saturday and you're pretty much naked. I think it's important for women to feel as confident as they can when they're in swimwear.

'It's not just about making a product that looks good on Instagram, it's about looking good in real life.'

A typical Bondi Born piece ranges from USD $150 (AUD $190) to USD $350 (AUD $440), whereas a typical bikini or one piece will cost around AUD $100-$200 in many Australian boutiques.

'I tend to look at what's big in fashion, and interpret that for swimwear,' Ms McCarthy explained.

'Having worked in media, I am a voracious consumer of content - whether it's Pinterest, glossy magazines or Instagram. I think there is a growing market here in Australia for a luxury swimwear piece you can keep forever.'

The fabrics on all of her products help to sculpt the body, meaning a higher price point, but a swim piece that will last (pictured: the new collection)

Ms McCarthy shared her tips for entrepreneurs, principally that it is most important to get into something you are passionate about - she described herself as an 'Aussie girl' who was a competitive swimmer in her teens; she loves swimwear

Speaking about her tips for entrepreneurs in general, Ms McCarthy said you need be aware that you will be working hard - 'ridiculously hard' at times:

'Much harder than you might have done in your 9-5 - all the risk lies with you,' she told FEMAIL.

'That's why you need to make sure you get into something you're passionate about. With a new business comes hard work and lots of ups and downs.

'If you love what you're doing, you'll enjoy it and see it all as part of your journey.'

Right now, Ms McCarthy is in talks with various premium boutiques and retailers around Australia to sell her wares.

The Spring/Summer '18 collection will be available for pre-order from the site from October and elsewhere in Australia from November.

'A lot of Bondi Born is about female empowerment and making women look as good as is physically possible on the beach. The celebrities who have worn the label so far have been hugely helpful.

'I'd love to see women like Scarlett Johansson or Michelle Obama rocking the styles one day.'

For more information about Bondi Born or to shop the label, visit the website here. You can also follow Bondi Born on Instagram here.
An Australian model who battled with an eating disorder when she younger is now a model embracing her curves in a Berlei campaign.

Jenn Ateilemile, 26, has been modelling as a 'plus sized' model for the last two years but was asked to lose two dress sizes when she was 16 and a size 8.

'I started off as a size 6 to 8 but because of industry pressures my mum pulled me out because she wouldn't let me lose more weight to conform to that waif like body type,' Jenn told Daily Mail Australia.

Jenn Ateilemile, 26, has been modelling as a 'plus sized' model for the last two years but was asked to lose two dress sizes when she was 16 and a size 8

battled with an eating disorder when she younger is now a "plus sized" model embracing her curves in a Berlei campaign

She was in line for Australia's Next Top Model when two agencies said they would sign her but she needed to lose two more dress sizes.

'At the time being a size 8 and also being really impressionable I probably would have done it if my mum hadn't stepped in.

'I look back at those moments in my life and I already wasn't eating properly and wasn't looking after my body, it wasn't really reasonable and mum was right in that regard.'

'Listening to my mum really helped and I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't take that on board.'

She was in line for Australia's Next Top Model when two agencies said they would sign her but she needed to lose two more dress sizes

Although Jenn was never officially diagnosed she said she knows that her behaviour when she was younger definitely followed the pattern of one.

'I was limiting my calorie intake to about 1000 calories a day, which is not healthy... and I had this app on my phone which i recently opened up to see what my target weight was.

'My goal weight was 58 kilos and I was limiting what I ate and also for a while was bulimic and it was not healthy at all.

'Growing up I didn't have the best relationship with my body, I wanted it to be something that it couldn't be, which was thin and I wanted lighter hair.'

Although Jenn was never officially diagnosed she said she knows that her behaviour when she was younger definitely followed the pattern of one

'My goal weight was 58 kilos and I was limiting what I ate and also for a while was bulimic and it was not healthy at all'

She told Daily Mail Australia that she was trying to fit into the mold of the typical Australian model, the 'blonde haired, blue eyed, surfer beach babe'.

'I was never going to be like that but there wasn't the diversity in advertising that we're seeing now there was no one I could identify with or want to look like,' she explained.

'I definitely did struggle with my body, it was never thin enough for me and it took me a long time to realise that my body isn't meant to be thin, my dad's side of the family are Islander women... and Islander women aren't stick thin, they're curvy, voluptuous women and they're beautiful.

'It took me a long time to see that connection, that my DNA is not going to work trying to constantly striving to be thin.'

She told Daily Mail Australia that she was trying to fit into the mold of the typical Australian model, the 'blonde haired, blue eyed, surfer beach babe'

'I definitely did struggle with my body, it was never thin enough for me and it took me a long time to realise that my body isn't meant to be thin'

Jenn explained that it has only been within the past four years that she has finally come to terms with her current body shape.

It has been a slow progression for Jenn to love the skin that she's in but she said it helped when she started to see curvier bodies in the media.

'I remember reading Cosmo in my first year of uni and i saw Robyn Lawley and Laura Wells and I saw them in the magazines and I was just like "okay this is cool, we're seeing a body that's not that stick thin in magazines".

'But I don't think it was until I went to my dad's home country of Reunion where I really did notice that my genetic make up isn't meant to be a waif like thin woman.'

Jenn explained that it has only been within the past four years that she has finally come to terms with her current body shape

'That's when I stopped fighting with forces out of my control, I'm supposed to be curvy, I'm supposed to have a butt, I'm supposed to have boobs, let your body do it's thing.'

These days Jenn is a 14 or 16 but explained that some days she can go up to a 20 depending on what shop she is in and although she is larger than the typical model she doesn't like the term "plus size".

'I'll accept that it's an industry term and a size 10 and above is considered plus sized but if we keep labelling women as certain things it still creates a divide.'

These days Jenn is a 14 or 16 but explained that some days she can go up to a 20 depending on what shop she is in

'It should just be one size, we're all models, brands shouldn't have a plus size range but should just extend their sizing.

'For me I've come to the realisation recently that I'm just a model, but I'm a model with curves.'

She also disagrees with recent comments being made that have said larger women should not be allowed on runways as some believe they encourage unhealthy lifestyles.

'I think it's completely out of order, I think it's not true, the women who were on the runway were a size 14-16 some were 18 but a lot of them are tall and in proportion, some of them exercise and are vegan - size doesn't equate to health.'

Recently Australian lingerie company Berlei released a campaign to celebrate 100 years of existence where they featured strong, confident women of all shapes, sizes and forms, of which Jenn was a part of.

Although this isn't Jenn's first foray into the modelling world it was her first lingerie campaign.

'It was quite daunting that it was going to be seen on such a wide level.'

Although this isn't Jenn's first foray into the modelling world it was her first lingerie campaign

'Being surrounded by other women it's hard not to compare yourself to everyone else and knowing I wasn't that skinny model definitely did play on my mind,' she said.

'I did have a little freak out but I told myself that there was a reason I was chosen, because I am the way that I am and I want other women to see that and know that their bodies are okay.'

Jenn believes that if she can overcome her own self doubts then she can help to inspire other women to overcome theirs as well.

'I remember the day we shot the campaign we were talking about what this meant for us as women and in general and there was so much love and just this feeling of empowerment was in the room when we shot it.'

'It really is something monumental I think for women in that kind of capacity to all come together and create something amazing.'

Jenn said that as a curvier woman it feels good see more representation.

Jenn believes that if she can overcome her own self doubts then she can help to inspire other women to overcome theirs as well

'Not just curves and different body shapes in the media but different ages and ethnicities is something that has not been shown for so long.

'The fact that it is finally coming out in Australian media and worldwide media is a step in the right direction and a step that needs to keep propelling forward.'

This being said, like most women Jenn is still trying to learn to embrace every aspect of her body.

'I've got this one area on my belly, some days I love it some days I hate it depending on what time of the day it is, after I've eaten and have bloating I hate it but that's all part of being a woman and it's natural.'

Jenn put emphasis on the need to talk about our bodies and to 'laugh it off' as something natural so that people are less insecure and self-conscious about their bodies.

'Not just curves and different body shapes in the media but different ages and ethnicities is something that has not been shown for so long'

'I saw the shoot as an opportunity for me to break my own goals in my self confidence, I always knew that I could do it.

'With it being my first campaign and knowing you're now going to be seen nationally by thousands and potentially millions of people it does play on you a little bit.

'But I know that the feed back I do get from women who follow me on my social media when I do post photos in my underwear and I do talk about being finally confident and comfortable in my body inspires other women,' she said.

'One day, when this campaign comes out, I'll be that girl who I never had to look out for in an advertising form, someone of colour and with a curvy body.

'There's going to be a girl out there that's really excited to see someone that they can identify with in the media.'
As stories of triumph over adversity go, Paralympian Kelly Cartwright's is pretty inspiring.

The 28-year-old two-time gold medallist was just fifteen years old when she had to have her leg amputated, after she had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, synovial sarcoma.

'I remember telling the doctors I'd rather die than have my leg amputated,' Kelly - who has partnered with Rare Cancers Australia (RCA) - told Daily Mail Australia.

In fact, it wasn't until she read around the cancer, and saw the statistics for survival without amputation that the then 15-year-old reconsidered.

The 28-year-old two-time gold medallist, Kelly Cartwright (pictured), was just fifteen years old when she had to have her leg amputated

Back then, she had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, synovial sarcoma - she has since gone on to win two gold medals (pictured competing in the Long Jump)

When Kelly found herself struggling with what doctors thought was growing pains, she knew something wasn't right - but it wasn't until they operated on her cyst that she found out

According to Kelly, she had always been sporty - even as a child.

Growing up in Port Arlington, she loved netball and harboured dreams of becoming a professional netballer.

'I adored the beach - my brothers and I would go down every day and jump off the pier,' she told FEMAIL.

However, when she found herself struggling with what doctors thought were 'growing pains' in her knees, Kelly knew something wasn't right.

'When the doctors performed yet another scan, I was told that I had a cyst deep down in my knee joint, which would eventually go away on its own,' she explained.

'I remember telling the doctors I'd rather die than have my leg amputated,' Kelly told FEMAIL of how she felt at age 15

One of the things that has kept the Paralympian going is meeting with other amputees and focusing on small positives as well as larger ones

'I've always had goals, but it's all about the little goals in between the big ones,' she said

While Kelly admitted that she never thought anything was seriously wrong, she told FEMAIL that she opted to have the minor surgery to remove the cyst:

'It was mainly because I was told I would get two weeks off school and what teenager wouldn't say yes to that,' she laughed.

'In retrospect, it was pretty lucky I did.'

Two weeks after her cyst had been removed, Kelly's parents were contacted and told that Kelly needed to come back in for a follow-up appointment.

'It was during this that we got the devastating news had a rare form of cancer, known as synovial sarcoma,' the 28-year-old said.

'They told me I could have my leg amputated or not - a decision you never think you'd have to make,' she added.

Kelly is also hugely enjoying being a mother to her baby son, Max (both pictured) - she explained she hopes he grows up to be accepting of others thanks to his circumstances

After she had done the research, Kelly opted to have her leg amputated - and thankfully the 28-year-old hasn't looked back since.

Kelly Cartwright has partnered with Rare Cancers Australia (RCA)

'I remember meeting other amputees afterwards, which was hugely helpful - as was the rehabilitation,' she said.

'Speaking to other people and working with my mentor was also invaluable - it helped me to go back to sport.'

Speaking about her tips for people going through a similar situation, Kelly said the most important thing is to 'focus on a small positive each day':

'I've always had goals, but it's all about the little goals in between the big ones,' she said.

'They're what get you through.'

Now that she is a mother, Kelly also added that she has a dual focus:

'Max comes first now, before it was sport. It's hard being a mum, I didn't realise that. But it's also the most precious gift.

'I hope he grows up to be more accepting of others.'

Kelly Cartwright has partnered with Rare Cancers Australia (RCA).

This has the aim of improving the outlook for the 52,000 Australians diagnosed with a rare and less common cancer each year, and the 25,000 who die annually.

For more information about Rare Cancers Australia (RCA), you can click here.
An Australian mother has offered to give away her used washable breast pads online in a bid to avoid unnecessary waste.

The woman, Rebecca, posted about her offer on a freecycle Facebook page, writing: 'Possibly icky to some, but waste not, want not'.

'2 sets of Avent washable breast pads, and wash bags. Take one or both sets,' she wrote.

An Australian mother has attempted to give away her used washable breast pads online in a bid to avoid unnecessary waste (stock image)

Rebecca, posted about her offer, writing: 'Possibly icky to some, but waste not, want not'

'Only used for 2 months, washed religiously and looked after. A great option rather than disposable ones that go in the bin and much more cost effective,' she added.

After no one snapped them up, Rebecca told Kidspot that she acknowledged 'some might see a hygiene issue' but she felt disposable options were 'wasteful'.

'I am surprised that no one wants them considering they are free - however I'm not surprised in that some people might find it a bit 'icky' to have something that was used by someone else like this,' she told the publication.

Rebecca isn't the only mother to take to social media in a bid to give such items away (stock image)

Rebecca isn't the only mother to take to social media in a bid to give such items away. This woman offered hers up for $1 saying they were 'pet and smoke free'

'However it's breast milk, not a more unpleasant 'secretion' for want of a better word,' she added.

'They aren't the cheapest thing to buy, so the fact that these things are so near new, it's a little disappointing that no one has taken me up on the giveaway.'

Rebecca isn't the only mother to take to social media in a bid to recycle the popular pads.

Another offered a set of plain and patterned pads for $10, saying she 'would like to keep them all together'. It was unclear from the post whether these pads were unopened or not

'Five sets of washable breast pads. In very good condition. Pet and smoke free. Porch pick up Wadsworth,' another woman wrote on Facebook - offering hers up for $1.

Another offered a set of plain and patterned pads for $10, saying she 'would like to keep them all together'.

It was unclear from the post whether these pads were unopened or not.

Over on eBay, a set of six used pads in 'absorbant, organic cotton' were on sale for US$5.75, with the seller listing the item as being in 'very clean condition'.
A new poll by ITV's Good Morning Britain has shown that 80 per cent of those over 55 think children should give up their seats, compared to just 30 per cent in the 18-25 age bracket.

Nearly one in five think children should give up their seat from the age of four - but why is that stat so low?

Past the age of four, a child on public transport should be perfectly capable of standing on their own two feet and staying put.

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'Punchable': Etiquette expert William Hanson said on Good Morning Britain that children should stand for adults from the age of four and up

Its an important lesson to teach to children that, with todays overly liberal parenting skills, is not being taught.

A child is not as important as an adult. Deference goes to the grown-ups, kids.

Does that mean children do not have rights? No, it doesnt. This Is nothing to do with their rights or their worth in society.

I dont have children but this does not mean that my opinion or those who have chosen or chosen not to have children is any less valid than anyone elses. That argument is irrelevant and a waste of everyones time.

Yesterday evening, on the London Underground's District line, I saw two children of eight or nine-ish, taking up a seat each, both wriggling and writhing - full of beans.

They were not exhausted; they were not sick or in desperate need - it was 5.45pm and the carriage was packed. Did they offer their seat to any of the adults? Did their mother (who just stared, doe-eyed, down at them) do anything or realise anyone else was on the train? Of course not.

William's comments provoked something of an outcry on Twitter, with some viewers questioning if he'd ever travelled by public transport himself

One GMB fan described the etiquette expert's attitude towards children as 'Dickensian'

Parents, guardians and those responsible for the education of children need to teach the younger ones that when an adult (regardless of whether they are pregnant or elderly) gets on the bus, the tube or the tram that the child should offer their seat to the adult.

The adult doesnt need to accept the childs offer, but this is an important way for children to learn that good manners are about other people - they are selfless, not selfish.

And that is the problem: just look at the millennials - the most entitled and selfish generation the world has seen so far (and, I fear, they wont be the last - or the worst). They have been coddled from day one and tragic victims to helicopter parenting, so much so that they enter the adult work and arrive at work and are unable to cope with the ferocity and pace of the real world.

William says the issue offers an important lesson to children about good manners

He came in for a landslide of criticism on Twitter, where viewers accused him of being 'snobby'

Some did agree with elements of his controversial remarks, agreeing that children should give up their seats - but only for pensioners or those less able to stand

The moment their line manager tells them that their report hasnt quite hit the mark and needs re-writing before tomorrows meeting they go into transports of hysteria and cry in the stationery cupboard, stewing over how mean their boss has been, and wondering if they realise they have a spin class plus dinner plans to fit in tonight.

These entitled tranches think that they can do anything and anyone who dares hold them back or tell them otherwise is a monster.

It should also be pointed out that buying a ticket for the bus or tube is not buying you the right to a seat. You are buying the right to use the service. Its not a aeroplane with a guarantee of somewhere to park your posterior.

I never sit down on public transport (no, not because they are all germ-infested buckets) but because I do not need the seat. There will always be an adult who is more in need and it is easy for me to stand. I can cope - being younger, its not a problem. It would be even easier for someone much younger than me to stand.

His outspoken remarks infuriated some viewers, who took to Twitter to criticise the expert

Earlier, one angry tweeter (ironically with the online moniker Its all about me) suggested that my view was skewed due to my privileged upbringing. If by privileged they mean I had parents who taught me to know my place and the importance of respect for others and putting self second then yes, I guess it was quite privileged.

Another correspondent told me her 13 year old son had just finished a few days work experience in London and was exhausted and so was thus in greater needed of a seat when commuting home. Point proven - the darling angels cant hack it after just two days! Pathetic, really, isnt it?

Granted, general manners on public transport isnt top at the best of times, but caving into the poorer form is not the way forward - for any of us, regardless of age.

Children need to learn to stand on their own two feet - that starts at home, transfers to public transport, and then will set them up for life.

Its the best lesson any parent or educator can teach.
A woman was so traumatised after suffering a miscarriage she developed a terrible skin picking condition that left her with such badly scarred legs people accusing her of having a drug problem.

Paula Saadatmand, 27, from Winnipeg, in Canada developed dermatillomania, which compels somebody to pick at their skin causing visible wounds, when she was 20 and even used tweezers to tear her own skin.

Her condition spiralled out of control, leaving her body completely covered in scabs and scars before she finally sought help two years ago and began her recovery process.

And now she has bravely worn shorts for the first time in nearly a decade with her scars clearly visible and shared the picture online to raise awareness of the condition.

Paula Saadatmand, 27, from Winnipeg, in Canada has bared her legs in shorts for the first time in seven years, after beating the condition dermatillomania, which made her constantly pick her skin

Paula's legs were constantly covered in scars and sores and strangers would ask her if she had a drug problem

Paula would also pick at her face with tweezers to get rid of what she saw as imperfections

Paula said: 'My entire body is pretty much covered in scabs. It became completely uncontrollable.

'I was trying to find any little imperfections anywhere I could and try to get rid of them.

'I had gone to a counsellor to try and work through my issues. I was told that I was feeling negatively about myself and I was projecting that to my body.

'I couldn't get rid of the problems on the inside so I was trying to get rid of any imperfections on my body.

The dermatillomania sufferer would also scratch compulsively, and would even wake up bleeding after tearing at her skin in her sleep

Now Paula is happy to reveal her scarred legs to show that the marks are part of who she is

'I was scratching in my sleep. I would have blood all over my blankets. I would be scratching without even thinking about it.

WHAT IS DERMATILLOMANIA? Dermatillomania - or compulsive skin picking - is an impulse control disorder characterised by the uncontrollable desire to pick at one's skin. Some sufferers have the condition so severely they pick at their skin until it is damaged. Sufferers usually start by picking at their face before moving on to other parts of the body. The condition is often categorised as an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It can lead to bleeding, bruising and infections. CSP will often be carried out after the individual has experienced a high level of tension which has caused an urge to carry out the behaviour. The skin picking is often accompanied by a feeling of relief or even pleasure due to the reduction in anxiety levels. However, once the damage has been done, those affected will often be left with a feeling of depression or hopelessness. Although the damage that is caused can be very severe, the gratification experienced can lead the individual to carry out CSP again and again. Treatment usually involves counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy. Source: Anxiety UK Advertisement

'For years I've had wounds and scabs and I was so ashamed to go out in public. When some people saw my legs, they would ask if I had a drug problem and ask what's wrong with me. It hit my self-esteem.'

When the homemaker first visited a doctor they feared she had a skin disease but after seeing a dermatologist she was diagnosed with dermatillomania two years ago and was given a topical cream to help heal her wounds and began counselling.

Paula said: 'I was 20 years old and I had just had a miscarriage and after that I developed dermatillomania.

'The first year wasn't too bad but I progressively kept getting worse and worse.

'I started going to a bit more counselling and my fiance is a huge part of my self-esteem. Since being with him I have completely stopped scratching.

'It was a gradual thing but I stopped about eight months ago. I was allowing myself to keep scratching and I wasn't quite ready mentally to stop but it was like I woke up one day and said enough is enough.

'I cut my nails down so I didn't have means to scratch myself and I got rid of my tweezers. I made the effort to take out these tools that allowed me to make those wounds.

'For the most part I have stopped. I have always had really bad acne on my face. Every once in a while, I still pop pimples on my face but I don't go to the extent that I used to get out imperfections.'

Paula didn't wear shorts, dresses or skirts for seven years because of the looks and comments she would get from passers-by.

Paula said: 'I had just started wearing them [shorts] again a month ago. I've started to realise that I'm not my scars they are just a part of me and everything I have been through in my life.

After receiving cruel questions from strangers, Paula would cover up the scars on her legs

'I get a lot of looks now but not many comments. I just tell them, if you're curious just ask me.

'One lady couldn't even wash her hands [in a public bathroom] because she was staring at me so much. I said to her, it is because of people like you that I haven't worn any shorts, skirts or dresses in years.

'I would rather people ask me rather than staring at me or judging me. A stranger doesn't know me or the struggles I've been through in my life.

'I am a very open person and I am open to explain the situation. Not many people know about this disorder. Most people assume it's a drug problem.

Paula has always suffered with acne and will still pop pimples on her face, but has stopped digging at her skin with tweezers

'It doesn't bother my partner because he loves me for who I am. People are going to look because it's a human reaction.

'I know to love myself regardless of my scars. There are people in my life that actually matter and they don't care about what I look like.'

Paula shared a photo of her wearing shorts and exposing her scarred legs on social media in a bid to raise awareness to the condition and help others who are still suffering.

Paula also has some scarring on her face as well as her legs

Paula has come to terms with the idea of people looking at her legs, but she used to cover up after strangers asked if she had a drug problem

Paula said: 'I do sometimes get a bit of anxiety about it depending on how many people are around me but I've been able to remind myself to take a deep breath and prepare myself and say it's okay if people look.

'Let them look you can't stop everybody. You can't change everybody's mind.

'I have been able to ease that anxiety and to comfort myself and not getting anybody else to reassure me and to remind myself that I'm a good person.

'I have amazing people around me and the opinion of somebody I don't know really doesn't matter. It isn't going to change the outcome of my life.

Paula hopes that other people with similar scars might be inspired after seeing her walking around with hers uncovered

'It isn't just for me anymore. If there is one person in that mall that sees me walking around with my scars openly and they are going through the same thing and think if she has the guts to and not care, maybe I can do that too.

'I've stopped thinking about myself and started thinking about how I can help others in the same situation.

'If I had seen someone do that five years ago I might have changed my own behaviour a lot earlier but I never saw that.

'Maybe this person looking at me needs to look at me and needs the influence.'
From the aquamarine waters to the glorious sunshine bouncing off her oversized shades, this swimsuit-clad model appears to have found paradise.

Apart from the sinister looking school of sharks lurking just inches away, that is.

The incredible image is one of a series taken when the sharks gatecrashed an exotic photo shoot in the ocean off Exuma, in the Bahamas.

And far from hauling themselves onto dry land as quickly as possible, the bikini clad models continued reclining on a partially submerged dock, swimming among the unexpected guests, and even petting them like cats or dogs.

It's not because they're willing to die for the perfect shot. The visitors were nurse sharks, a breed that prefers to feed on small fish and other invertebrates - not models.

No fear: A swimsuit-clad model looks entirely relaxed despite the presence of the sharks

Two models playfully splash around surrounded by the school of sharks in the Bahamas

A blonde model in a white swimsuit floats contentedly among sharks in the aquamarine watear

The models even petted the sea creatures as they swam across a partially submerged dock

Attracting a crowd: The models got up close and personal with the sharks in Exuma

Fortunately, nurse sharks prefer to feed on small fish and invertebrates, rather than models

All in a day's work: The models were happy to get up close and personal with the visitors
She is enjoying a well-earned break after stepping down after 25 years as editor-in-chief of Vogue.

And Alexandra Shulman appeared to be enjoying every minute of her newfound freedom as she posed a bikini snap from her holiday villa on Wednesday.

The 59-year-old, who is currently on holiday in Greece, captioned the candid mirror selfie on Instagram: 'Ready for the boat trip!'

Wearing a black and white two-piece, with her hair scraped back into a messy bun, her holiday look was a world away from the preened and polished look she assumed as fashion editor - and has earned her a flood of praise on social media.

Scroll down for video

'Ready for the boat trip!' The former Vogue editor, who stepped down this month, posted a candid bikini selfie during her holiday in Greece this week

The image, posted on Wednesday afternoon, quickly racked up thousands of likes with fans thanking the fashion doyenne for her 'honesty'.

Shulman, who has previously described herself as being 'slightly overweight' and having 'sandpaper-like skin', once lamented 'the pressure of the beauty parade we all undergo' in a piece in the Mail.

'Despite all this, I am comfortable in my body. I don't think it's particularly great,' she wrote.

'But it doesn't bother me hugely and makes me realise that being comfortable with your figure has relatively little to do with how you actually look.'

She added: 'My chosen method of preparation for the great summer unveiling is to have a really good pedicure, so that my toes are ready to greet the fresh air for the first time this year - with a little help from three layers of Butter's coral-coloured Macbeth varnish.'

Usual look: Shulman at the V&A summer party in June this year. She recently signed off her final issue, writing: 'So excited to receive my final issue of Vogue as Editor-in-chief'

Pressure: Shulman, who has previously described herself as being 'slightly overweight' and having 'sandpaper-like skin', once lamented 'the pressure of the beauty parade we all undergo'

In her diary of Vogue's 100th year she told how she prefers clothes from high street favourite Jigaw - amid fears that dressing in designer wares would make her look like a 'bag lady'.

Shulman, who was at the helm of fashion bible Vogue for 25 years, announced earlier this year she was stepping down to be replaced by Edward Enniful amid a huge shake-up at the Conde Nast offices.

Just a week ago she signed off her final issue, writing on Instagram: 'So excited to receive my final issue of Vogue as Editor-in-chief.

'Filled with fashion and memories and the women who made a difference in the past quarter of a century.'
If you missed out on the now sold-out Natasha Denona Sunset Eyeshadow Palette, the Jaclyn Hill Morphe palette or the ColourPop x Karrueche collab, don't sweat it. The make-up world is already onto the next big things.

Currently generating major hype among make-up junkies? A cosmetics set designed by Kate Moss that has everything you need to achieve her iconic look, a dreamy Huda Beauty palette with dazzling eyeshadows almost too pretty to use and the expansion of Too Faced's popular peach-themed line.

Here, we've rounded up all of the juicy details, including how, where and when you can get your hands on these and more lust-worthy products.

DECORTE KATE MOSS FAVORITES SET

Shop a Kate Moss-designed make-up set inspired by her iconic look: Decorte Kate Moss Favorites Set ($190, saksfifthavenue.com)

We may never be as cool as Kate Moss, 43, but we can at least attempt to recreate her signature, effortlessly sexy beauty look.

The supermodel has teamed up with Japanese beauty brand Decorte on a seven-piece set that includes a palette of powder eyeshadows and matte lipsticks, a brow pencil and liquid eyeliner.

'Decorte gave me complete creative control with the palette. I chose shades that work for every day but added richer colors to give you the option to go for a stronger look,' the beauty icon told hapersbazaar.com.

COLOURPOP YES PLEASE! PALETTE

Shop ColourPop's popular Yes Please! palette when it's restocked on August 10 at 10PM PST: ColourPop Yes Please! Pressed Powder Shadow Palette ($16, colourpop.com)

For its first ever fixed, 12-pan palette, ColourPop chose colors inspired by the golden hour - a.k.a. the perfect time of day to take a killer selfie.

Fans of the brand have been raving about the pigmentation and versatility of the shades and the seriously affordable $16 price tag.

It's not surprising that the summer-y palette has sold out several times since launching in June. Thankfully, the brand is giving hopeful customers one last chance to get their hands on it Thursday, August 10, at 10AM PST. To that we say, 'Yes please!'.

HUDA BEAUTY DESERT DUSK EYESHADOW PALETTE

Arabian nights: Beauty guru Huda Kattan looked to the landscape of the Middle East when designing her latest eyeshadow palette

The countdown is on: The Huda Beauty Desert Dusk Eyeshadow Palette will be available Monday, September 18 on shophudabeauty.com and sephora.com

When Huda Kattan revealed the contents of her forthcoming palette on Instagram yesterday, the post quickly racked up over one million views, so it's safe to say that when it drops on September 18, it won't be in-stock for long.

Among the 18 hues included in the Desert Dusk Eyeshadow Palette are rich, iridescent neutrals and striking matte jewel tones.

When creating the palette, the Dubai-based beauty guru looked to the landscape that surrounds her city. 'Going to take you guys on a journey,' she wrote on Instagram.

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS SUBCULTURE PALETTE

Shop Anastasia Beverly Hills' edgy new palette: Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture Eye Shadow Palette ($42, sephora.com)

Hit or miss? After receiving major buzz, beauty lovers are divided on the eyeshadow formula featured in the brand's latest palette

When Anastasia Beverly Hills debuted its Modern Renaissance palette in May, it was an instant hit, so fans were obviously psyched for brand's follow-up palette, Subculture.

Since being released at the end of July however, reviews have been lukewarm. Customers have complained about how powdery the formulas are and how difficult they are to blend.

The company's president, Claudia Soare, was quick to respond on Twitter, offering refunds to those who are unhappy with the purchase and to explain that a new manufacturing method of automated pressing might to blame.

Still, there are plenty of satisfied customers. 'I received a gorgeous work of art. I have had zero issues blending, and the colours are jaw droppingly pigmented and blendable,' said Reddit user sothatshowyougetants. Many other Redditers have posted stunning looks they've created with the shades.

While the divisive palette sold out on the brand's website, you still have the chance to form your own opinion by picking one up at Sephora.

TOO FACED PEACHES AND CREAM PALETTE

Sweet! Too Faced's forthcoming Peaches and Cream collection will include a matte eyeshadow palette called Just Peachy

Sneak peek: Influencer Diana Saldana was lucky enough to preview the palette last week

Following the success of Too Faced's Sweet Peach products, the brand is launching a fresh, new line called Peaches and Cream.

While the collection, hitting Sephora on August 31 and toofaced.com on September 1, includes 11 delectable products like lipstick and highlighter, we have a sneaky feeling that the eyeshadow palette will be the top-seller.

Just Peachy contains 12 warm, velvet matte shades with hunger-inducing names and a sweet scent.
Jill and Derick Dillard are ending their mission trip in Central America after two years to and will stay in the US, one month after the birth of their second son.

The couple announced their decision on Wednesday in a blog post titled 'New direction in ministry'. Jill, 26, and her 28-year-old husband had previously revealed they were doing mission work in Central America in July 2015, not long after TLC cancelled 19 Kids And Counting.

In their post, Jill and Derick, who also have a two-year-old son named Israel, acknowledged it had been 'a joy and a blessing' to work in Central America, but explained God was currently guiding them back to their home country.

Family: Jill and Derick Dillard are ending their mission trip in Central America after two years to live in the US, one month after the birth of their second son

Newborn: The pair welcomed their second son, Samuel (pictured), last month, and it looks like the baby boy will grow up in Northern Arkansas, where the Duggars are from

The pair's announcement that they had moved to Central America came in the wake of revelations concerning Jill's older brother Josh, which resulted in the show being nixed from its network.

In the summer of 2015, it was revealed that Josh had molested several minors when he was a teenager, including his sisters Jill and Jessa. Josh later admitted he had cheated on his wife and was addicted to watching porn online.

Jill and Derick first traveled to Central America with their firstborn, Israel, and said he had become 'the talk of the town' among locals who couldn't get enough of the 'big blue-eyed, white baby'.

The whole family also has been working on their Spanish.

After staying in El Salvador for a while, the pair came back to the US in August 2016, where they stayed through sister Jinger's wedding. They then returned to Central America with Israel with Jill was pregnant.

They came back to the US again in time for little sister Joy's wedding, where they remained for the birth of their second child.

They welcomed their second son, Samuel, last month, and it looks like the baby boy will grow up in Northern Arkansas, where the Duggars are from.

'It has been a joy and blessing to see how our Lord has worked in Central America, and your generous giving has been a huge part of making that possible!' the parents told their readers in their latest blog post.

Snaps: Last week, the parents shared more photos of baby Samuel, including this shot of the little boy resting on his dad's shoulder

Growing up: Jill shared a first photo of Samuel on Instagram last month (pictured) and posted more after he turned one month old

Message: 'At this time, God has seen fit for our family to continue serving him in ministry within the context of Northwest Arkansas,' the parents (pictured while Jill was pregnant) wrote

'During our time working with SOS Ministries over the past 2 years, we have witnessed God transforming the lives of many involved in the gang community and positively influencing the lives of young people for the sake of the Kingdom.'

The parents then gave more insight into what had driven their decision to come back to the US, but didn't cite a specific reason.

'Through a number of circumstances, and guided by much prayer and counsel, we are discerning the Lord leading our familys full-time ministry back to the United States for the time being,' they wrote.

In a lower paragraph, they added: 'At this time, God has seen fit for our family to continue serving him in ministry within the context of Northwest Arkansas.'

Journey: Jill and Derick (pictured in December 2015 shortly after the beginning of their travels to Central America) first went there with their firstborn, Israel

Talk of the town: The parents (pictured in March 2016) said Isreal had become 'the talk of the town' among locals who couldn't get enough of the 'big blue-eyed, white baby'

Last week, the parents shared more photos of baby Samuel, showing the little boy in his older brother's arms and resting on his dad's shoulder.

At the same time, Derick came under fire on Twitter after attacking the 16-year-old transgender star Jazz Jennings, claiming being transgender is 'a myth' and gender is 'ordained by God'.

Many pointed out that they were surprised by the attack coming from a married father towards a teenager and high school student.

TLC, who airs a program dedicated to Jazz, later said Derick's tweet does not represent its views.
A Chilean woman has claimed she was called a 'b***** foreigner' and told to go 'back to her country' by a racist thug in a Sainsbury's.

Francisca Luco, who says she has lived in Tonbridge, Kent, for 30 years, wrote that she burst into tears after the incident yesterday in an emotional Facebook post.

The teacher claims the man launched the racially abusive tirade after she attempted to reclaim her spot in the queue at the check-out after leaving momentarily to grab another item.

This is the man Francisca Luco claims hurled racist abuse at her while she was shopping at a Sainsbury's. We have protected his identity for legal reasons

Francisca claims the incident was the first time she has suffered racist abuse in the 30 years she has lived in the UK

Ms Luco, who is originally from Santiago in Chile, told the tale in a public post on Facebook after photographing the man who she claims was racist towards her, which has since been 'liked' 80 times.

She wrote: 'Today in Sainsbury['s] this man attempted to jump my turn in the till when I picked some tights 4 meters away from the things that I was buying.

'When I told him very politely that I was there and he heard my accent, he told me "bloody foreigners , far too many in this country. You should go back to your country".

'I told him that he was a racist and he was not having my place... after I burst into tears.

Francisca wrote the emotional post on Facebook, and it has now been shared widely online

Francisca used her platform to speak up for 'vulnerable' people who may experience racism on a more regular basis than she has done

'This was my first direct encounter with racism in [the] many years that I have lived in the UK. I felt upset and angry so I took his photo so I can remember this man!!

'How many people far more vulnerable than myself are having to experience his abuse?'

It is not known at which Sainsbury's the incident is alleged to have taken place.

Dozens of friends have shared the post and comforted Ms Luco in the comments.

One said she was 'so ashamed of my country,' while another called the man a 'mean human being as well as a racist'.

FEMAIL has contacted Sainsbury's and Ms Luco for comment.
The NHS has been accused of ignoring damning studies that show the damage controversial vaginal mesh procedures cause is much higher than the health service is willing to admit.

Published in various journals, the alarming evidence prompted doctors in three US states to suspend the controversial practice - used to treat incontinence - and saw them call for a review into its safety.

The studies, handed exclusively to MailOnline following our calls to review the safety of mesh implants, revealed pain, erosion and perforation from the surgery can strike up to 40 per cent of women. Others suggest it could be as high as 75 per cent.

But English health officials have yet to acknowledge the risks of the brittle implants which can break into tiny fragments and cause nerve damage. Currently, the NHS and MHRA state only 1 to 3 per cent will experience complications such as pain.

Vaginal mesh has been considered a high-risk device for nearly a decade in the US, with officials accepting that up to 40 per cent of women may experience injury.

Outraged women have consistently argued for UK health bodies to adopt a similar stance as thousands of British women have been left suicidal and unable to have sex as a result of the controversial procedure.

Tireless fights by campaigners have helped gather momentum for a public inquiry into the implants, with MPs now beginning to ask questions about the safety of mesh and calling for further investigations over the devices.

Vaginal mesh implants (pictured) have left women wheelchair bound and unable to have sex

Its usage has been suspended in Scotland since 2014 pending a safety review, but hundreds of women are still believed to be having the surgery. And just last month the English MHRA insisted the mesh was safe.

Kath Sansom, founder of Sling The Mesh, a campaign dedicated to reviewing the usage of mesh, has backed our calls for addressing the problem.

She told MailOnline: 'I wish the NHS would wake up to the number of women suffering.

'I dont know why they are unwilling to accept the higher complication rates that have seen the surgery suspended in three US states and Scotland.

'However, it could have something to do with a large number of studies that have received funding from manufacturers of the controversial implants.

'I really wish they were willing to acknowledge the results of various studies and accept the true risks to the procedure, for the thousands of affected women.

'It's clear to see that US doctors have acknowledged the results of multiple studies suggesting much higher complication rates.'

Her concerns come just days after we revealed that having mesh implants fitted had destroyed the lives of two women.

The scandal came to light earlier this year, but its true extent is yet to be uncovered - though mounting pressure is being placed on health officials to address concerns.

WHAT ARE VAGINAL MESH IMPLANTS? Vaginal mesh implants are devices used by surgeons to treat pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence in women. Usually made from synthetic polypropylene, a type of plastic, the implants are intended to repair damaged or weakened tissue in the vagina wall. Other fabrics include polyester, human tissue and absorbable synthetic materials. Some women report severe and constant abdominal and vaginal pain after the surgery. In some, the pain is so severe they are unable to have sex. Infections, bleeding and even organ erosion has also been reported Advertisement

Senior doctors have already called for a public inquiry into the use of vaginal mesh surgery in Britain, saying it could be akin to the thalidomide scandal.

An editorial published in European Urology five years ago suggested adverse effects strike nearly half of women who are fitted with the implant.

Author Dr Firouz Daneshgari, of the Department of Urology, Case Western Reserve University, slammed the alarming rates.

He said: 'By any modern industrial standards of quality, a 3040 per cent rate of adverse events is simply unacceptable.

'Can any of us imagine what would happen if one-third of all cars, computers, food packages, or any other commodity we purchase would fail or result in recalls?

'Moreover, it is unlikely that the manufacturer would remain in business after such recalls and failures.'

Reporting in the journal Nature in 2015, nine leading researchers concluded the risk to be more in the region of 15 per cent.

Research led by Loyola University Chicago in November 2012 showed adverse episodes occur in up to 42 per cent of women.

'THE DAY BEFORE MESH SURGERY I RAN 5K, NOW I WET MYSELF' A mother-of-five who had a vaginal mesh implant fitted for mild stress incontinence now has to rush to the toilet and has even wet herself on several occasions as a result of the procedure. Julie Gilsennan, 41, from Liverpool, had an implant fitted on February 1 as she would experience leaking if she coughed, sneezed or lifted something heavy, which was impractical given her job as a paramedic. Although she can now sneeze without leaking, Ms Gilsennan has been left with an overactive bladder that makes her desperate for the toilet within 20 minutes of drinking. Previously highly active, Ms Gilsennan even ran 5km the day before having the implant fitted, yet she now struggles to move as she suffers unbearable pain. The agony has even forced her to quit her highly-challenging career as a paramedic in order to work from home alone. Ms Gilsennan was told she would need up to six weeks off work after having the mesh fitted, however, she has been unable to return to work as a paramedic and instead works from home processing complaints to the ambulance service. She said: 'I loved my job, I did it for 12 years. I miss being out on the road with colleagues and talking to people. Now I'm trapped inside my house. 'I'm in immense pain permanently. It's like a cheese wire, glass pain in my groin. 'I also have constant pain across my hips as if I have arthritis. I can't return to work as a paramedic.' Previously highly active, Ms Gilsennan even ran 5km the day before having the implant fitted, yet she now struggles to move as she suffers unbearable pain Advertisement

However, the scientists wrote in the America Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology that mesh was still acceptable to use.

Of women suffering problems from vaginal mesh, a study published in the same journal showed 77 per cent to have severe effects.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MESH Different types of mesh implants include: Mini-sling: This implant is embedded with a metallic inserter. It sits close to the mid-section of a woman's urethra. The use of an inserter is thought to lower the risk of cutting during the procedure.

This implant is embedded with a metallic inserter. It sits close to the mid-section of a woman's urethra. The use of an inserter is thought to lower the risk of cutting during the procedure. TVT sling : Such a sling is held in place by the patient's body. It is inserted with a plastic tape by cutting the vagina and making two incisions in the abdomen. The mesh sits beneath the urethra.

: Such a sling is held in place by the patient's body. It is inserted with a plastic tape by cutting the vagina and making two incisions in the abdomen. The mesh sits beneath the urethra. TVTO sling : Inserted through the groin and sits under the urethra. This sling was intended to prevent bladder perforation.

: Inserted through the groin and sits under the urethra. This sling was intended to prevent bladder perforation. TOT sling : Involves forming a 'hammock' of fibrous tissue in the urethra. Surgeons often claim this form of implant gives them the most control during implantation.

: Involves forming a 'hammock' of fibrous tissue in the urethra. Surgeons often claim this form of implant gives them the most control during implantation. Ventral mesh rectopexy : Releases the rectum from the back of the vagina or bladder. A mesh is then fitted to the back of the rectum to prevent prolapse. Advertisement

The mesh, introduced 20 years ago, was promoted as a quick, cheap alternative to complex surgery for incontinence.

Because it did not require specialist training to implant, outraged women have since begged for tougher regulations to conduct such surgery.

More than 10,000 women a year have the procedure. But only 7,800 have suffered lacerations and nerve damage from the mesh breaking into tiny fragments.

However, campaigners stress these are just the tip of the iceberg and that actually there are thousands more - but they have been kept silent.

A three-year investigation by NHS England confirmed many more women have complained of injuries than previously suggested.

But it steered away from looking at the safety of mesh, and stopped short of demanding a register of all implant operations.

Professor Keith Willett, of NHS England, said: 'Theres no doubt there has been significant progress to improve information, care and support for women affected by stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.'

John Wilkinson, Director of Devices at MHRA, said: 'We are not aware of a robust body of evidence which would lead to the conclusion these devices are unsafe if used as intended.

'What we continue to see is that evidence supports the use of these devices in the UK for treatment of the distressing conditions of incontinence and organ prolapse in appropriate circumstances.'
Going into a care home can make elderly residents give up on life, researchers say.

A lack of mental stimulation often causes apathy which can lead to premature death, a study by foreign academics has revealed.

The charity Age UK says some care homes do not provide engaging activities, leaving frail pensioners withdrawn and unmotivated.

The warnings follow a Dutch study which found half of nursing home residents are suffering from apathy which has left them indifferent to everyday life.

A lack of mental stimulation in care homes often causes apathy which can lead to premature death, a study has found (file photo of an elderly woman in a nursing home)

Apathy, which is distinct from depression and can often go unnoticed, was found to increase the risk of older people dying in the next four months by 62 per cent.

Tom Owen, co-director of the My Home Life project at City, University of London, said: We are seeing older people helping children with history projects and cocktail parties being held in care homes, but it is still a postcode lottery.

There are massive problems around social care funding, as well as the problem society has with facing up to frailty and people who are dying. When there is very limited time with staff, even though they are doing their absolute best, you are going to have residents who are not being given the stimulation they need.

In those situations they might be likely to end up sitting without much to do in the lounge with the television on.

There is a funding crisis in adult social care in the UK, with almost half of patients having their residential or home care paid for by councils whose budget cuts often leave them struggling to pay the fees.

This has led to falling standards, with some homes forced to close. Apathy is not one of the outcomes recorded by officials, but the latest study shows how damaging it can be.

Dutch researchers who looked at 713 care home residents found half were suffering from apathy, defined as reduced interest and participation in the main activities of daily living.

The authors of the study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, dont know why apathy may cause premature death, but cite evidence that it accelerates a decline in brain function.

The charity Age UK says some care homes do not provide engaging activities for residents, leaving frail pensioners withdrawn and unmotivated (file photo of senior woman's hands)

Lead author Johanna Nijsten, from Radboud University in the Netherlands, said: The presence of apathy in nursing home patients should get more attention in daily care. She is calling for older people to be screened for the problem, as well as depression and psychiatric disorders, and says offering more activities could help.

In Britain, children in Bristol are being invited into homes to talk to older people and get help with their homework. While people from museums and community groups are being invited to speak to residents in Buckinghamshire.

Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK, said about 40 per cent of people in care homes are living with depression.

She said many care homes support active lifestyles but many offer the very basics.

That leads to people, who may already feel withdrawn and unmotivated, to deteriorate further and is not helping those people who are finding the move itself challenging, she said.
The best time to have sex is at 7.30am - around 45 minutes after you wake up, according to new research.

Energy levels are at their highest after a good night's rest which means both sexes have more stamina.

The rush of endorphins sparked by sex lowers your blood pressure and stress levels and makes you feel more upbeat for the rest of the day.

The findings are from a survey by Forza Supplements, which asked 1,000 healthy and active people to report on the optimal times to engage in activities for their body clocks.

It also found that the ideal time for a run is just before - at 7am. Experts say doing cardio exercise in a fasted state (i.e. before breakfast) leads to a small increase in the amount of fat being burned.

That is because blood sugar, insulin and glycogen levels are all lower than normal after an overnight fast.

The research suggests the best time for getting intimate with your partner is 7.30am

Concentration levels peak around three hours after we have woken up, so it is best to save the most taxing jobs of the day at work for around 9.45am.

Around an hour later, stress levels peak at 10.45am - most typically early in the week when our to-do lists are heaviest, so this is the best time to relax.

The best time for an alcoholic drink is 6.10pm - what many would call 'wine o'clock' - four hours before we go to bed to maximise the time for liver recovery.

The ideal for sleep is at 10.10pm - allowing for 20 minutes to get to sleep and 90 minutes of the most restorative non-REM sleep which is most likely to occur prior to midnight.

THE BEST TIMETABLE FOR OUR BODY CLOCKS 6.45am - Wake-up This is ideal after between seven and nine hours of sleep. You need more sleep up to the age of 18 (typically up to 10 hours for a young teen) but it is myth that we need less sleep as we get older. 7am - Go for a run Research shows that doing cardio-exercise in a fasted state (ie before breakfast) leads to a small increase in the amount of fat being burned. That is because blood sugar, insulin and glycogen levels are all lower than normal after an overnight fast. 7.15am - Breakfast This should be around 30 minutes after waking. Around 84 per cent of respondents in the Forza study said that sticking to defined meal times is the best way to lose weight. 7.30am - Sex Ideally around 45 minutes after waking to get over night-time grogginess and allow you to be completely refreshed. Both sexes have more energy because they are well rested. Male testosterone levels peak in the morning, meaning they last longer in bed. 9.45am - Work Research shows we reach our mental peak around three hours after waking. Your concentration, memory, focus and creativity should be best at this time of the day. Use this period to do that work that needs your best thinking, rather than using it for other tasks. 10.45am - Relax This is when our stress levels are at their highest, particularly early on in the week when to-do lists tend to be biggest. 12.15pm - Lunch This should be four hours after eating breakfast. Three-quarters of those surveyed (75 per cent) found they benefited from never skipping a midday meal. 3.30pm - Watch out for 'snack o'clock' This is when our willpower is at its weakest. Four out of ten respondents (39 per cent) said that mid-afternoon was when they were most likely to break a diet. 6pm - Dinner Don't pig out even if you have been watching your calories all day. The vast majority of dieters surveyed by Forza (72 per cent) said the key to successful weight loss was not to exceed your lunch-time calorie count at dinner - so you have even calorie intake throughout the day. 6.10pm - Wine 'o-clock This is when we unwind after a long day at work. The key is not to leave it too late because your body needs at least four hours for your liver to recover from alcohol consumption before sleep. 6.30pm - Weights Most studies find that strength is at a low point in the morning and gradually climbs until it tops in the early evening. The Forza research found that if training involved a lot of strength or power-based exercise, performance in the gym was best after work in the early evening. 10.10pm - Bed This allows us 20 minutes to get to sleep and then 90 minutes for the most restorative non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep which is best achieved before midnight. Advertisement

When 'snack o-clock' strikes

The study also pinpointed the weak moments when are most likely to put on weight by needing a sugar rush - or snack o'clock. This is at 3.30pm - when we are starting to lag at work - and 8.15pm, when we are relaxing in front of the TV - so this is the best time to exercise your willpower.

The best times to eat breakfast is 7.15am, lunch is 2.15pm and dinner is 6pm if you want to maximise weight loss, found the study.

The key to healthy eating was not to have an uneven calorie intake throughout the day, according to 72 per cent of respondents.

The study also highlighted the optimum times of the day to work-out.

Around half of those who took part (54 per cent) found their calorie burn from running was best with pre-breakfast run at around 7am.

Strength levels do build up during the day and 52 per cent of gym fans who like to lift weights found they were most effective after work, with 6.30pm being the favoured time.

More than half (56 per cent) felt they were not getting the optimum eight hours of sleep a night, and this was impacting on our effectiveness throughout the day.

Are you not a morning person?

Most people's body clocks are broadly similar, but there is scientific evidence to back up some people's beliefs that they are not 'a morning person'.

Scientists have long known that we all have an individual chronotype - the main biological trait that explains why some people spring out of bed feeling alert while others struggle.

If you are a 'night owl' type who rises later, experts suggest you could simply adjust the recommended timetable by how ever much later you wake up after the optimum time of 6.45am.

So if you wake at 8.45am, the rest of timetable should be two hours later with a bedtime of just after midnight.

Colin Espie, professor of sleep medicine at Oxford University, previously told MailOnline that people should not force themselves to become a morning person.

He said: Its important for people to experiment and find the sleep pattern that feels comfortable.

But he stressed: Get up and go to bed at roughly the same time to ensure your internal clock is set to and working towards the same time each day.

A long lie-in on a Sunday effectively resets your body clock to New York time. If you get up at midday, your internal clock is confused as it expects more time awake and - teamed with anxiety about the coming week - hey presto, you have Sunday night insomnia.'

Forza Supplements managing director Lee Smith said: 'While no two people are the same, these were found to be the very best times for the average person to do the key activities which make for a healthy and happy life.

'Making small adjustments to your routine can really help you to lose weight, get fitter, be more effective at work and even a better lover.'
An engineering student has created a treatment for the hair-pulling compulsion that left her bald, feeling like a 'freak' and hiding her head for two decades.

Emily Kight, 27, from Philadelphia, became addicted to hair pulling after being told at seven years old her wishes would come true if she plucked out her eyelashes and blew them.

Over time Ms Kight developed a condition known as trichotillomania, which caused her to pluck out all her eyebrows and remove patches of hair on her head as a coping mechanism.

Called a 'freak' and 'bald' by her classmates, Ms Kight hid beneath wigs and hats, as well as penciling in her eyebrows in an effort to blend in.

Yet, last year, the biomedical engineer researcher started work on the world's first lotion-based remedy for her disorder, which has given her a full head of hair for the first time in 20 years.

An engineering student has created a treatment for the hair-pulling compulsion

Emily Kight was told as a child her wishes would come true if she blew her eyelashes

After creating a leave-in conditioner, Ms Kight is relieved of the condition after 20 years

WHAT IS TRICHOTILLOMANIA? Trichotillomania is a psychological disorder that causes sufferers to pull out their hair. It is more common in females and usually develops in early life. A person's lifetime risk of developing trichotillomania is thought to be 0.6 per cent. Yet many are embarrassed by their condition and attempt to hide it, causing many causes to be undiagnosed. The condition varies in severity but most commonly includes hair pulling from the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes and pubic area. Some sufferers also suck or chew their hair, which can cause digestive issues if swallowed. Treatment usually includes counselling. Source: OCD UK Advertisement

'I struggled for 20 years with this thing I couldn't stop'

Ms Kight's class were set a project to create a solution to a medical problem. She decided to work on the world's first lotion for trichotillomania.

According to Ms Kight, the leave-in conditioner creates a relaxing, hot and cold sensation that eases pulling urges, meaning she now has a full head of hair, eyebrows and eyelashes for the first time in 20 years.

She said: 'I went to therapists growing-up but they were expensive and no medication worked, so when I got older I wanted to start work on a product myself.

'I made a leave-in conditioner that when put in creates a sensation to replace hair pulling and use it to create awareness of when a person is doing it so they don't get a bald patch.

'When you get stung by a bee or have itchy skin from a bug bite there is a cream, so I thought why not work on a remedy to address this urge.

'It makes your skin feel hot and cold and more relaxed, like a hot ice-cube on your head, I found it doesn't make me want to pull.'

She said: 'For me now, the impulse is no longer engraved in my brain, I'm able to say "no" and choose not to pull instead of instinctively doing it without realizing.

'I have a full head of hair, eyebrows and eyelashes now, I still keep the cream with me in case the impulse comes back so I don't pull and use that instead.

'It's a big relief, I can walk around without a hat and feel like I have overcome the urge now, I struggled for 20 years with this thing I couldn't stop and now I finally made myself a cure.'

Ms Kight hid beneath hats and wigs, as well as penciling in her eyebrows, to hide the disorder

Cruel classmates called her 'bald' and a 'freak', causing Ms Kight to hide and cry in bathrooms

Ms Kight made up excuses for her bald patches, blaming a horse accident and even Velcro

Like a 'hot ice-cube' the lotion has reduced her urge to pull; she now hopes to help others

Ms Kight's condition worsened when her parents divorced and she struggled to cope

'I told people Velcro caused by hair to come off'

Ms Kight's trichotillomania developed during childhood and worsened during her parents' divorce.

She said: 'I started off pulling out eyelashes to wish for world peace, then my cat and things for my family, it was my seven-year-old version of fixing things and became a way of coping.

'I remember my parents being so disappointed with me when I had pulled out all of my eyelashes, but it became a thing I couldn't stop for some reason and moved onto other areas.

'Trichotillomania is such a manic thing, everything with my life was out of my control, I struggled with anxiety and depression, I didn't manage any of it so pulled at my hair.

'At my worst point I remember being very depressed, with exacerbating stress and growing pains, which left me pulling so much that I had a landing strip on my head, no eyebrows or eyelashes.

'At school, I would leave the room and cry in the bathrooms when classmates would ask why I didn't have eyelashes, why I had bald spots or called me freak.

She said: 'It was worsened when people would make comments about me balding, it made me feel like a weirdo, those who I did explain it to didn't understand and often broke my confidence.

'I had this feeling of inadequacy and a longing to be normal, people would say "at least I don't pull my hair out like a freak" that kind of thing, which just cut me down.'

For years, Ms Kight felt like an outcast, hiding beneath hats and wigs, as well as penciling in her eyebrows. She also often made up stories to excuse her bald patches.

She said: 'I didn't have the emotional intelligence to say to people that I was pulling out my hair and so I would come up with crazy stories to justify it.

'I told someone I was in a horse riding accident, that Velcro caused my hair to come off and other things.

'I literally ran out of any stories to make up, people would always ask me about and it was horrible, I felt on the spot and just tried to hide.'

Ms Kight is fundraising to help make her product available to other sufferers. Donate here.
It's bad news for Bulgaria - it's just been revealed to be the laziest country in Europe.

Some 78 per cent of adults living in the Balkan nation claim they don't exercise at all, according to a new survey.

But at the other end of the spectrum, the cold landscape of Sweden was found to be the move active.

Nine in ten adults living in the forest-heavy nation hit the gym and stay active on a weekly basis, the research showed.

Residents in the UK fell midway in the full rankings, based on answers from 28,000 adults across all countries in the EU.

Some 78 per cent of adults living in the Balkan nation claim they don't exercise at all, according to a new survey. But at the other end of the spectrum, the cold landscape of Sweden was found to be the move active. Nine in ten adults living in the forest-heavy nation hit the gym regularly

The poll, which was commissioned by Ladbrokes, quizzed 1,000 adults face-to-face in each of the 28 member states.

Each participants was asked how often they exercised or played sports. Answers were recorded for those who said 'never'.

Jessica Bridge of Ladbrokes told MailOnline: 'With one of the highest obesity rates in Europe it's perhaps not too surprising to see that Bulgarians can be a little shy when it comes to sport and physical activity.'

She added: 'However, it's a shame to see the UK outside of the Top 10 most active countries, perhaps an indication that the Olympic legacy is fading.'

Who are the most active?

THE FULL BREAKDOWN The percentage written shows the amount of people in each country who said they never exercise or play sport. Bulgaria Malta Portugal Romania Italy Greece Cyprus Poland Lithuania Spain Hungary France Slovakia Latvia Estonia UK Czech Republic Ireland Belgium Croatia Netherlands Germany Luxembourg Austria Slovenia Finland Denmark Sweden 78% 75% 64% 60% 60% 59% 54% 52% 46% 44% 44% 42% 41% 39% 36% 35% 35% 34% 31% 29% 29% 29% 29% 27% 22% 15% 14% 9% Advertisement

Scandinavia, notorious for its high life expectancy rates and dazzling views of the Northern Lights, occupied the top three spots.

Denmark and Finland finished below Sweden, which was the only nation to record single figures in response to the question.

The former, famous for its pastries and love of bicycles, had only 14 per cent of its citizens claim to do no physical exercise at all. The latter scored 1 per cent worse.

Economic powerhouse Germany, famous for sausages, ranked in seventh place with three in ten of its population claiming to not exercise.

France, hosts of the most famous bike ride on the planet, took 17th with 42 per cent, while the pizza-loving Italians made the bottom five with 60 per cent.

Who are the least active?

Among the worst offenders for skipping the gym in Europe were minnows Malta, who recorded three-quarters of its citizens having a phobia of exercise.

Portugal, with its array of beautiful beaches to exercise on and hilly terrain to keep residents fit, collected the third worst score, with 64 per cent.



Ireland ranked slightly better than the UK at 34 per cent, according to the small findings collated as part of the Ladbrokes Ultimate Athlete Campaign.

The survey also showed men are 8 per cent more likely than women to exercise, with the biggest difference clearly shown at a younger age.

What do previous studies say?

The new findings come nearly a year after a landmark study which collected data from 188 countries across the world in terms of their health.

At the time, University of Washington, Seattle, researchers placed Britain as being the fifth healthiest place to live in the world.

They found a clear difference in accessible healthcare across the US meant their own nation fell much further down the list in 28th place.

Their lowly ranking, below Brunei and Slovenia, was mainly due to deaths caused by HIV, alcohol and childhood obesity.
The reaction times of elderly people may predict how long they have to live, according to new research.

The new study by the University of New South Wales suggests that speed does not indicate a decline in cognitive function.

Instead, people with increasingly inconsistent reactions to stimuli had the most dramatic downturns in brain health, increasing their risk of dementia and even early death.

People that responded slower but remained consistent showed less of a decline than those that were inconsistent.

Researchers tested reaction times in 861 elderly people through computerized tests to see if it is a neurological indicator of how long they have to live (file photo)

Researchers at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) at the University of New South Wales in Australia measured the variability of response on computerized reaction time tests in older people.

They then assessed each person's risk of an early death by analyzing their medical records, conducting heart tests, brain tests, and physicals.

Comparing the two, they found that people with a higher risk of premature death from dementia or heart disease tended to display more erratic reaction times than others.

Lead author Doctor Nicole Kochan said: 'The study was the first to comprehensively account for effects of overall cognitive level and dementia on the relationship between intraindividual variability of reaction time and mortality.

'Our findings suggest that greater intraindividual reaction time variability is a behavioral marker that uniquely predicts shorter time to death.'

The study examined 861 people aged 70 to 90 for eight years from CHeBA's Sydney Memory and Ageing Study.

The participants completed two computerized reaction time tests at the start of the study and had comprehensive medical and neuropsychological assessments every two years.

HOW THE BRAIN AGES OVER YOUR LIFETIME The brain changes over time in size, cognition and availability of neurochemicals. After age 40, the brain shrinks at about 5 percent per decade. These size changes are not equal in all regions of the brain. Gender is a large contributor to how the brain changes with age. The largest change in cognition in the brain is memory loss. Both episodic, long-term memory of events, and semantic, long-term memory of facts, decline the most with age. Neurochemicals such as dopamine and serotonin decline over time. Dopamine starts to decline in early adulthood. It's key responsibilities are with memory and motor function. Serotonin also declines and affects mood and social behaviors. Source: The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine Advertisement

During the timed tests the participants were presented with colored squares on a computer screen and had to touch each square as quickly as possible.

Additionally, they had to make a choice between two squares based on a pre-specified rule.

Dr Kochan said greater reaction time variability, not average speed of response time, significantly predicted survival time after researchers adjusted for known mortality risk factors, including age, sex, global cognition score and cardiovascular risk.

As people get older, efficiency of brain processing decreases and some neurochemicals also decline.

This can lead to an erratic type of responding which variability measures may be capturing.

She said not only as you get older, but as you get closer to death, the variability in response time becomes more exaggerated.

Co-author Professor Perminder Sachdev said the findings are an important contribution to a small but growing field investigating reaction time variability as a behavioral marker.

Professor Sachdev said: 'Further research exploring the mechanisms involved is needed, including possible links between intraindividual reaction time variability, cognitive decline and structural and functional brain changes.'

The findings were published today in the medical journal, PLOS ONE.
Your baby's first words are a critical milestone in their development - and parents focus on encouraging them with 'baby talk'.

But now researchers have shown the importance of sleep when it comes to an infant learning to talk.

In particular, sleep helps the important process of associating meanings to words - and not just perceive them as random noise.

That's according to scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany.

They found that babies as young as six to eight months old were capable of the association - which until now was thought to happen later on.

And this occurred as a direct result of them being put down for a midday nap, the researchers say.

A study has shown the importance of sleep for a baby's speech development (file photo)

'Our results demonstrate that children hold real word meanings in their long-term memory much earlier than assumed, ' said senior author Angela Friederici.

'Although the brain structures relevant for this type of memory are not fully matured, they can already be used to a distinguishable extent.'

How the research was carried out

Scientists introduced six- to eight-month-old infants to 'fantasy objects' which they gave fantasy names such as 'Bofel' or 'Zuser.'

This was to make sure that the babies could not access any existing knowledge.

Objects that were the same type but differed only in form or colour were called the same names.

From the infants' reaction it was clear that they could not connect new objects of the same type with the corresponding name.

That means they did not recognise a new Bofel as a 'Bofel' although it was quite similar to the previously seen 'Bofel' versions.

ESTABLISHING A BABY BEDTIME ROUTINE You may feel ready to introduce a bedtime routine when your baby is around three months old. Getting them into a simple, soothing bedtime routine can be helpful for everyone and help prevent sleeping problems later on. It's also a great opportunity to have one-to-one time with your baby. The routine could consist of: Having a bath

Changing into night clothes and a fresh nappy

Brushing their teeth (if they have any)

Putting them to bed

Reading a bedtime story

Dimming the lights in the room to create a calm atmosphere

Giving a goodnight kiss and cuddle

Singing a lullaby or having a wind-up musical mobile you can turn on when you've put your baby to bed As your child gets older, it can be helpful to keep to a similar bedtime routine. Too much excitement and stimulation just before bedtime can wake your child up again. Spend some time winding down and doing some calmer activities, like reading. Leave a little time between your baby's feed and bedtime. If you feed your baby to sleep, feeding and going to sleep will become linked in your baby's mind. When they wake in the night, they'll want a feed to help them go back to sleep. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

Essentially, every new object-word pair was unknown and unique, the babies were unable to build a general relation between them.

However, their performance improved after a midday nap. In babies who fell asleep after the learning activity, the brain could differentiate between the right and wrong term for a new object.

The team say this shows they had consolidated their knowledge while they were sleep.

Babies that stayed awake could not manage to do so.

The duration of sleep had an influence too. A half-hour nap was not enough to see results, but those who slept for 50 minutes showed an improved reaction.

Key findings

The researchers say memory is processed during sleep that also happen in typical lexical development of protowords.

These are words that are similar to - but not quite - actual words, such as 'gaga' for Grandma or 'baba' for bottle. This is said to usually happen between 10-12 months of age.

The team believe the duration of one stage of sleep could be of particular importance to 'lexical memory': the second of the four distinct phases.

'In our study, the babies received such a lot of information which they normally pick up within a longer time period,' says study leader Manuela Friedrich.

'But only during sleep, when the child's brain is disconnected from the outer world, can it filter and save essential relations.

'Only during the interaction between awake exploration and ordering processes while sleeping can early cognitive and linguistic capabilities develop properly.'
The racial disparity between black and white heart attack patients has narrowed more than ever thanks to vast improvements in care for African Americans, a new report reveals.

Experts warn much more work is needed since large racial differences exist in all sectors of healthcare.

However, new data collected by the University of Iowa reveal there has been a huge push in the last decade to improve survival of black patients who suffer a cardiac arrest in hospitals.

The latest figures from 2014 show black patients now have a 21.4 percent chance of surviving, compared to a white patient's 23.2 percent chance.

In 2000, black patients had an 11 percent chance of survival, white patients had a 16 percent chance.

The data from the University of Iowa show black patients now have a 21.4 percent chance of surviving, compared to whites' 23.2 percent. That's up from 11 percent and 16 percent in 2000

The shift comes after the American Heart Association issued a new set of national resuscitation guidelines in 1999, and started collecting data on survival rates in hospitals.

The comprehensive rules offer a minute-by-minute breakdown of how to approach resuscitation, and offer various scenarios for different age groups. It also takes into account risk factors for different races.

Since implementing the new guidelines, hospitals have seen huge survival gains since 2000 - especially in hospitals with a higher proportion of black patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest.

Lead author Dr Saket Girotra and colleagues conducted a study that included 112,139 patients from the GWTG-Resuscitation registry from January 2000 through December 2014 with in-hospital cardiac arrest who were hospitalized in intensive care units or general inpatient units.

Among the patients 27 percent were black and 73 percent were white.

Risk-adjusted survival improved over time in black (11.3 percent in 2000 and 21.4 percent in 2014) and white patients (15.8 percent in 2000 and 23.2 percent in 2014), with greater survival improvement among black patients.

A reduction in survival differences between black and white patients was attributable to elimination of racial differences in acute resuscitation survival.

In a commentary analyzing the data, two of the team's researchers explain the desperate need to improve survival for black Americans.

Drs Myron Weisfeldt and Lance Becker say they were first looking at out-of-hospital health disparities between black and white patients who suffer cardiac arrest.

'The disadvantage of black race was striking,' they said. The issues ranged from socio-economic factors, to a lack of people trained in CPR, and delayed reactions times from emergency services.

They were even more struck after seeing American Heart Association data that showed even in hospitals black people have a much lower chance of surviving a cardiac arrest.

Looking at the new data, the authors write: 'The promising news is that not only has the risk-adjusted lower survival of black patients disappeared but also that overall survival for both white and black individuals has increased substantially and significantly.'

However, they warn that there are significant limitations to the study.

For example, the GWTG program is costly to be part of. As a result, since the hospitals in the study were all GWTG-affiliated, it is not necessarily an accurate representation of national healthcare.

'Whether the gap in racial disparity in survival has diminished in the rest of the nation is therefore uncertain,' they warn.

The authors acknowledge that limitation in the study.

'Further understanding of the mechanisms of [the improvement found in this study] could provide novel insights for the elimination of racial differences in survival for other conditions,' the authors write.

However, they insist the findings could offer an insight into how to narrow health disparities on a broader scale.
A baby boy whose family have been raising money for life-saving surgery in the US will now have his treatment paid for by the NHS.

Health bosses had been unwilling to fund the operation for Oliver Camerons extremely rare heart condition as it is not available in the UK. But they have now changed their mind and agreed to meet the 150,000 cost.

Six-month-old Oliver has cardiac fibroma, a large tumour in the heart. His is one of only three known cases in the UK and 200 around the world.

His parents Lydia and Tim were told it was near impossible that the NHS would pay for surgery abroad.

Lydia Cameron with her six-month-old son Oliver, whose treatment for a tumour in his heart will now be paid for by the NHS

Six-month-old Oliver has cardiac fibroma, a large tumour in the heart. His is one of only three known cases in the UK and 200 around the world

They found that Boston Childrens Hospital in Massachusetts had treated around 20 babies with the condition, with a 100 per cent success rate, and had been trying to fund the US operation themselves, raising 140,000 through an online appeal.

Last night the couple, first-time parents from Wantage, Oxfordshire, told of their relief at the U-turn. They wrote on social media: It appears due to generous public support... and the persistent support of Olivers consultant that this change of decision has been confirmed.

Mrs Cameron, 28, who works in the legal profession, said: We are just pleased that [NHS England] are now supporting us. We were told it was highly unlikely. The consultant appealed but we were constantly being told no. It has been an absolute roller coaster.

Police officer Mr Cameron, 30, admitted: We were a bit shocked. His wife added: In an ideal world it would be a lot less stressful. We just feel it has been an added pressure. It has been hard on us. We are overwhelmed by the support of the public. For complete strangers to help us, we are so grateful from the bottom of our hearts.

Oliver was born in January weighing 7lb 5oz but struggled to breathe and was taken into intensive care.

He was subsequently diagnosed with the tumour, which causes his pulse to race dangerously fast.

Lydia and Oliver, in hospital together when he was a few days old. He was born in January weight 7lb 5oz but struggled to breathe and was taken into intensive care

He needs medication four times a day and his parents have to monitor his heart rate and carry a defibrillator at all times.

In the first sixth months of his life Olivers heart has had to be shocked three times. Emergency medication was given to save him on another three occasions.

The NHS could have offered a heart transplant but Oliver would have been unlikely to survive into adulthood.

He will travel to America for surgery /when he turns one in January but may have to fly sooner if his health deteriorates.

The NHS is considering also sending a surgeon along with the family to learn from the doctors in America. Mrs Cameron added: It is for future babies too. He is not going to be the last to have this condition. Other parents wont have to go through the stress.

Oliver playng at home with his toys, left, and in hospital with receving treatment through a series of wires, right

NHS England said: The application identified there is not currently a surgical service in the UK with experience of treating this exceptionally rare condition and we have therefore agreed to fund Olivers treatment abroad.

The spokesman denied there had been a U-turn, adding that the NHS had received only one official request for the funding in this case, and it was approved.

It follows the tragic case of Charlie Gard.

He died last month after his parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard, took Great Ormond Street Hospital to the High Court in an unsuccessful bid to be allowed to take him to America for experimental treatment in a bid to halt a rare degenerative genetic disorder.

Experts have stressed that Olivers case is different because his procedure has been shown to work on similarly ill patients.

Mrs Cameron said: We related with Connie and Chris. It broke out heart.

We would fight to the end to get what [our child] needed.
At a time when doctors and nurses at India's top ranked hospital should be fighting disease and caring for patients, a new menace has arrived in the form of a roving mob of malevolent monkeys.

In the past 15 days, about 120 people including doctors, nurses, hospital staff, patients and their relatives have been bitten by the simians at The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences

Monkeys occasionally snatch food from unsuspecting passers-by and even bite them (file pic)

A man in Delhi with a monkey bite on his arm

The AIIMS administration is now recruiting 17 professionally trained trappers who are capable of protecting and safely evacuating animals from the area.

With the city's forest cover shrinking, thousands of macaques have been running riot for years at government buildings, temples and many residential neighbourhoods.

The cheeky monkeys occasionally snatch food from unsuspecting passers-by and even bite them on the way though.

Dr Randeep Guleria, director of AIIMS, told Mail Today, 'Today, I held a meeting with the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) here regarding the matter. It has become a serious issue now as patients and doctors are getting bitten.

'So, we are in the process of hiring 17 animal trappers and save our doctors and patients too.'

At the hostel and emergency areas, these animal trappers will be at work all the time while at other hospital departments such as the dental centre, cardiothoracic sciences centre and main AIIMS building, the catchers will work from 7 am till 7 pm, Guleria said.

Monkeys in Delhi are becoming an 'increasing menace'

Lord Hanuman statue in Singapore

Observers say part of the problem is that many Hindus believe monkeys are manifestations of Lord Hanuman and feed them bananas and peanuts - encouraging them to frequent public places.

Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti, president of the resident doctors association (RDA) at AIIMS, said, 'On an average, 10 people are bitten by the monkeys daily.

'We cannot move inside the campus and cannot even sit at the canteen. There is too much panic.'

He also informed that the animal trappers who have been hired have previously worked at the Prime Minister's Office and at other central government offices such as Nirman Bhawan and Shastri Bhawan in catching monkeys.

The AIIMS RDA has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to 'save' the doctors and students of the institute from monkeys and stray dogs inside the campus.

The letter said there was a 'continuous threat' of being bitten by the monkeys and stray dogs, as a result of which academics as well as the 'psychological status' of the doctors and students were being affected.

Even the patients are being hounded by the monkeys, which often snatch food from them, said Dr Vijay Gurjar, adding that the macaques move in packs.

'It is not easy to move freely in department corridors, the biodisposal waste area and at the hostel.'

A senior resident doctor was bitten on his arm by a monkey when he was sitting at the cafeteria, Gurjar said.

The doctors had also urged union minister Maneka Gandhi to intervene as wildlife protection and animal cruelty laws stop them from hiring langurs or beating the monkeys and stray dogs.
Tough but cheerful: that's how peers describe Justice Dipak Misra, who has been appointed the 45th Chief Justice of India.

The 63-year-old led the bench that awarded death sentence to Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon and the Nirbhaya killers.

An official order by the law ministry said Justice Misra, presently the senior-most SC judge and a native of Odisha, will take over from Chief Justice JS Khehar who retires on August 27.

Justice Dipak Misra is said to be tough but cheerful

He will hold office for the next 13 months till October 2, 2018. Justice Misra is also famous as the judge who issued the controversial order that all cinema-goers should stand in attention when the national anthem is played before the screening of a movie.

It is he who is issuing periodic orders in a PIL for gradual blocking of pornographic sites Justice Misra was also among the three judges who were up all night in July 2013, giving a historic hearing to decide on Memon's last-minute appeal against his hanging.

A fight at a movie hall in Mumbai after a disabled man was unable to stand for the anthem

Memon was convicted in 1993 Mumbai blasts, in which 257 people were killed. It was Justice Misra who announced the court's decision at 5 am: 'Stay of death warrant would be a travesty of justice. The plea is dismissed.'

Memon was hanged two hours later.

It was after his orders that the doors of Kerala's Sabarimala shrine were opened up for female devotees.

Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court before he was elevated as a Supreme Court judge in 2011, Justice Misra had been described as a 'procitizen judge' by his peers.

It was Justice Misra who had ordered the police to upload a copy of the complaints registered by cops, or First Information Report, on their website within 24 hours so that the accused and victim did not have to run around for a copy.

Justice Misra assumed charge of the office of Chief Justice, Patna High Court, on December 23, 2009, and charge of the office of the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court on May 24, 2010.

He was elevated as a Supreme Court judge with effect from October 10, 2011.
After a hearing spanning more than a year, the Supreme Court in India has finally concluded that yoga training cannot be made compulsory in schools.

'It was not for court to design curriculum for schools. Government and its experts, were the right forum to do it you may approach them. There is indeed a fundamental right to education but there is no fundamental right to do yoga under this right,' said a bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur.

The bench added: 'We can't decide what is to be taught... that's for the government to do.'

Indian students of Delhi Public School perform yoga in Hyderabad

The petitioners said there have been notifications issued by the central government in this regard, but the bench pointed out no judicial order could be passed to include any subject in the curriculum.

The Centre in its affidavit told the Supreme Court that yoga cannot be an enforceable fundamental right under the Right To Education Act.

In November last year the apex court had sought Centre's response on a PIL filed by one J C Seth for making yoga a compulsory subject in schools citing Section 7(6) and 8(g) and (h) of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF).

The PIL said yoga should be made compulsory for school students aged between six and 14 by framing a national yoga policy. The court's decision came after the Centre's affidavit

The Centre told the Supreme Court that yoga cannot be an fundamental right

'RTE Act does not specifically mention about the curriculum of yoga. As such, it cannot be concluded that yoga education has become an enforceable fundamental right.

'Yoga is an integral part of the curriculum of 'Health and Physical Education', which is a compulsory subject for classes 1 to 10.

It was argued that yoga should be made compulsory for students six to 14

'To that extent, yoga has not been neglected in school education,' HRD ministry informed the SC in an affidavit.

The Centre also said education figured in the concurrent list and a majority of schools were under the control of states and Union Territories.

Hence, it was for states and UTs to ensure compliance of the provisions of NCF, under which yoga is an integral part of 'Health and Physical Education' at all levels of school education, it said.
The Hurriyat has been given a long rope by successive governments in Jammu & Kashmir. That rope is about to become a noose.

Hurriyat separatists are Pakistan's Trojan Horse in the Valley. They perform three tasks for their handlers in the Pakistani army and ISI.

One, to subvert and indoctrinate Kashmiri youth in jihad against India.

Two, to serve as financial conduits for terrorists infiltrating across the Line of Control (LoC) from Pakistan.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah (left) and CM Mehbooba Mufti (right)

Three, to engage with Indian civil society and journalists to alter the narrative of terrorists in the Valley as homegrown freedom fighters, absolving Pakistan of complicity.

Kid gloves

For years the UPA and NDA governments have treated Hurriyat separatists with kid gloves. They were given Z+ security, covert payments to moderate their rhetoric, and even government jobs to mollify their family members.

In this self-defeating exercise, every state government has been complicit. The Omar Abdullah-led National Conference presided over one of the most violent summers in 2010 as a result of its dilatory approach to the Hurriyat.

The PDP-BJP alliance government hasn't been much better. Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti is as much of a closet separatist sympathiser as Abdullah.

The BJP has played the role of junior partner in the J&K government with inexplicable timidity. It took a major policy change by the Centre to end soft-pedaling the Hurriyat.

Since the crackdown on separatists by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), several Hurriyat leaders are in jail.

The NIA estimates that the family of the head of the Hurriyat's hardline faction, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, owns 14 properties in Kashmir and Delhi valued at over Rs 150 crore.

These include a prime seven-acre land in Sopore, Baramulla.

The Geelani family has done well out of terror financing through hawala and benami transactions from Pakistan.

The properties owned by the Geelanis include an educational institution, residences and agricultural land in Kashmir and flats in Delhi.

These are allegedly owned by Geelani, his two sons, Naseem and Nayeem, and four daughters (from two marriages) Anisha, Farhat, Zamshida and Chamshida.

The NIA's crackdown on the Hurriyat caught the terrorist-enablers by surprise. The arrested Hurriyat foot soldiers (six from Srinagar, one from Delhi) include Altaf Ahmad Shah, Funtoosh Geelani, Ayaz Akbar Khandey, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Peer Saifullah, Aftab Hilali Shah (alias Shahid-ul-Islam), Nayeem Khan and Farooq Ahmad Dar (alias Bitta Karate).

Kashmiri pro-independence leader Syed Ali Geelani

Does this mean the end of the Hurriyat in the Valley? Clearly not. The 'leaders' arrested are mid-level operators.

Terror financing carries on as before. Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq continue to flit between house arrest and medical treatment at Delhi's best hospitals.

They retain India's tax-paid security, albeit downgraded. India remains a soft state, Kashmir its soft underbelly.

In chief minister Mehbooba the Hurriyat has a longstanding champion. She has opposed the NIA's jurisdiction in J&K.

She also opposes a central government proposal to block cross-LoC trade. Valued at over Rs 2,200 crore, the 'trade' is rife with corruption.

Elements in the Border Security Force at border crossings are alleged to have struck deals with Pakistan's Rangers.

Some of the money and goods smuggled across the border are used by the Hurriyat's operatives to foment unrest in the Valley.

Charade

If the NDA government wants to end this debilitating charade, it must follow up the NIA arrests with three sets of concrete actions.

First, make sure the arrested Hurriyat members stay in jail. The Hurriyat has already hired top Indian lawyers (always available to the highest bidder) to defend them in court.

Separatist leader Shabir Shah (left) arrested for funding terror produced at Patiala Court in New Delhi on Wednesday

Meanwhile, strip all senior Hurriyat leaders of security, perks and government jobs for family members.

Second, continue the high intensity campaign by the security forces (the army, CRPF and J&K police) to eliminate terrorists Pakistan infiltrates into the Valley.

The Hurriyat supports them with paid stone-pelters to distract the security forces whenever an encounter take place.

There are around 250 active terrorists currently in the Valley. An estimated 124 have been killed since January 2017. There must be no let-up by the security forces either in the Valley or at the LoC.

Terrorism

Third, focus on development in the Valley. Only five major districts in Kashmir are hotbeds of terrorism.

The rest of the Valley has not yet been Wahhabised. Unlike in Syria and Iraq, stones, not bombs, are Kashmir's weapons of choice.

It is now vitally important that the full funds promised by the NDA government for flood relief and all-round infrastructure development are released quickly.

Kashmiri youth want the same things other Indian youth seek: education, jobs, family and peace.

The PDP-BJP alliance government will complete 18 months under Mehbooba's leadership in October 2017.

It has not been a successful partnership of two opposite ideological poles. The options though are limited.

Villagers have increasingly protected the rebels by hurling rocks, and abuse, at Indian troops when they enter their areas

Governor's rule would imply the battle against terror in the Valley is not being won. Dissolving the PDP-BJP alliance and calling for fresh elections three years before they are due (in December 2020) would be another admission of failure.

The campaign to neutralise Pakistani terrorists like Abu Dujana must be intensified. As summer fades into autumn next month, the security forces will have an advantage.

The long winter months ahead will give them the opportunity to finish the job.

Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi government must seize the moment to deliver on its promise on development and remove the Hurriyat permanently as a factor in the Valley.
A pensioner allegedly busted by police with a trove of gold rings and designer watches in a stranger's house has blamed the incident on his 'low blood sugar' and a 'Greek man called Ivan'.

Hamzigo Nuhic, 77, claimed he was a diabetic and said it was 'all a mistake' when he was found allegedly breaking into a home in Sydney's Bexley North last month.

'I didn't go there to pinch anything... I was confused... the very nice ambulance lady gave me some chocolate so I could recover,' Mr Nuhic said outside Sutherland Local court, The Daily Telegraph reported.

'I am a sick man - I'm very apologetic but my memory is not working right... I don't know what I took, it's all a mistake. I just know Ivan dragged me there.'

Hamzigo Nuhic, 77, claimed he was a diabetic and said it was 'all a mistake' when he was found allegedly breaking into a home in Sydney's Bexley North last month. He is pictured eating a biscuit outside court on Tuesday

Mr Nuhic was allegedly busted by police with a trove of gold rings and designer watches in a stranger's house has blamed the incident on his 'low blood sugar' and a 'Greek man called Ivan'

Mr Nuhic reportedly said 'Ivan', who he claimed owed him money, had driven him to the Bexley North home.

It is alleged the pensioner is behind a string of burglaries in Sydney's south, including one in May where he is accused of stealing $1,500 cash, several watches, gold rings and chains, according to the paper.

Police reportedly told court the accused has an 'extensive criminal history relating to break and enter, fraud and property offences with the last conviction for theft in 2002'.

Mr Nuhic's case was adjourned until next Tuesday and his curfew of not leaving his home between 8pm and 6am is ongoing.
Ian McCarthy, 39, (pictured) has been charged with murder over the death of Clinton Missouri Police Officer Gary Michael

A man accused of killing a Missouri cop during a traffic stop before going on the run, has been charged with first-degree murder.

Clinton police Officer Gary Michael, 37, was shot dead after he stopped Ian McCarthy, 39, at around 10.45pm on Sunday evening for registration violation.

Police reports state that Michael, who had only been on the force for one year, was approaching McCarthy's Dodge Nitro at an intersection on Missouri 13 in Clinton, Missouri, when the suspect got out of the vehicle and started shooting.

McCarthy fled in his car, crashing just three blocks away, but was able to flee the wreckage on foot. Michael was taken to hospital where he later died of his injuries.

Following a three-day manhunt, which involved around a hundred local, county and state law enforcement officers, police confirmed McCarthy had been arrested and had been charged with first-degree murder.

McCarthy is also wanted in New Hampshire, where a warrant was issued in 2013 when he failed to show up for sentencing on a disorderly conduct charge, according to court records in that state. He served about four years in prison there for first-degree assault and a parole violation.

He also is wanted on a warrant out of Johnson County, Missouri, in 2015 for unlawful possession of a firearm.

Clinton police Officer Gary Michael, 37, (left and right) was shot dead after he stopped McCarthy, 39, at around 10.45pm on Sunday evening for registration violation

Officer Michael had only been on the force for a year and leaves behind his wife Cresinda and stepsons

Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said McCarthy may have shot Michael to avoid arrest on his outstanding warrants.

He also could have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or not in his right mind for some reason, but 'it's hard to say unless we have him here to ask,' Lowe said Tuesday afternoon.

Moments before Michael was shot, McCarthy was reportedly seen on surveillance video entering a Clinton convenience store and buying cigar wrappers, according to a probable cause affidavit by Sgt. Greg Martin, an investigator with the highway patrol.

The footage later shows McCarthy driving away in a Dodge Nitro before a Clinton officer in an SUV activated his lights to pull over McCarthy, Martin wrote.

Michael approached McCarthy at the intersection of North 2nd Street and East Green Street in Clinton, Missouri, on Sunday at 10.45pm for a registration violation. Police say McCarthy opened fire then fled

The shooting took place in Clinton, a town which is around 75 miles south east of Kansas City

Michael managed to give a dispatcher a description of the Nitro - registered to McCarthy - before he was shot, Martin wrote.

Michael, who had been on the force less than a year, was the first police officer killed in the line of duty in Clinton.

He was a military police officer overseas for about five years before returning to the Kansas City area. He decided in his 30s to become a police officer and served in Appleton City for a short time before joining the force in Clinton.

Michael married his wife Cresinda in 2015, becoming a stepfather to her two sons. He is survived by Cresinda, children and a grandchild. His brother, Chris Michael, told area media that Gary had always wanted to serve.

'My brother was a light to the world,' Chris Michael said. 'One man's bad decision took that light from the world. He was a husband, he was a father, he was a brother and he did all of them pretty darn good.'

Michael (pictured with wife Cresinda, left and right) who had been on the force less than a year, was the first police officer killed in the line of duty in Clinton

Authorities paid tribute to Michael who they said had died a hero.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said the officer's death was 'devastating'.

'In a small community, the police department is very tight-knit, so it's obviously devastating for the family and also for the police department.

'(Michael) was heroic right to the end. He was protecting his community,' he said.

On Monday, authorities lamented that even the most unassuming of scenarios, such as a traffic stop, puts police officers in danger.

'Every traffic stop is different. Every traffic stop yields its own issues sometimes.

'We know as police officers that those traffic stops are always dangerous because we don't know the individual that is driving. We don't know the individuals in the car,' Lowe said.
A shocking video has emerged showing men stuffing synthetic cannabis into pipes before smoking the drugs, with one man appearing to be passed out on a table.

The video posted to social media shows three men placing the drugs into pipes on a table, while the radio plays in the background.

The video appears to have been filmed in New Zealand, and shows one of the men hunched over the table seemingly passed out after smoking the drug.

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Four men are hunched around a table while synthetic cannabis is prepared and smoked

A homemade bong made out of a plastic bottle can be seen on the table, along with cigarettes

One of the men takes two hits of the drug from a metal pipe.

A homemade bong made out of a plastic bottle and a packet of cigarettes are also visible on the table.

The men preparing the smoking devices appear lethargic and barely able to move during the video.

A deadly batch of synthetic cannabis was to blame for 10 deaths in New Zealand last month as the drug wreaked havoc on the country's largest city, Auckland.

Detective Inspector Gary Lendrum of the New Zealand Police said tests conducted of synthetic cannabis show that it can be laced with unknown chemicals.

Toxic chemicals including weed killer and fly spray are sometimes used in the preparation of homemade synthetic cannabis, which can cause life-threatening reactions.

New Zealand's chief coroner together with the police issued a warning to the public after a recent spate of deaths related to synthetic cannabis use.

Synthetic cannabis was blamed for 10 deaths in New Zealand, with police issuing a warning

Police carried out a targeted investigation into the manufacture and supply of synthetic cannabis in Auckland last week, where search warrants were carried out at addresses suspected to be involved.

About three kilograms of the drug was seized from five addresses, together with methamphetamine, cannabis, six firearms and cash.

Four people were charged as a result of the investigation.
Jeremy Corbyn (pictured at a rally in Crawley, West Sussex) was last night under growing pressure to stop backing Venezuelas regime

Jeremy Corbyn was last night under growing pressure to stop backing Venezuelas regime after the UN blamed its president for brutal attacks on civilians.

The Labour leader, who has long been a cheerleader for socialist Nicolas Maduro, has refused to specifically criticise him following a crackdown on his opponents.

But yesterday the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights laid the responsibility for the violence squarely at Maduros door.

Officials found security forces in the South American country had wielded excessive force. They have killing dozens of civilians and have arbitrarily detained 5,000 people since April  including 1,000 still in custody.

Witnesses told how officers fired marbles, and nuts and bolts at protesters. Those arrested said they had faced electric shocks, beatings, suffocation with gas and the threat of sexual violence against their families.

The UN said the security services and armed groups that support Maduro were responsible for at least 73 deaths.

Its human rights spokesman Ravina Shamdasani said: Responsibility for human rights violations we are reporting lies at the highest level of government.

A masked anti-government demonstrator breaks down a wall to release pieces of concrete to throw at Bolivarian National Police

The UNs damning report warned of widespread and systematic use of excessive force and arbitrary detentions against demonstrators. It also described violent house raids, torture and ill-treatment of those detained.

Witness accounts suggested the police and national guard had systematically used disproportionate force to instil fear, crush dissent, and to prevent demonstrators from assembling, rallying and reaching public institutions to present petitions.

Mr Corbyn, who has previously supported the countrys left-wing governments, remained silent in recent weeks as Maduro cracked down on his enemies following a widely disputed vote which gave his ruling party nearly unlimited powers.

The president called the vote for a constitutional assembly to overhaul Venezuelas political system in May. It followed a month of protests against his government, which has overseen the countrys 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.

Venezuelan Bolivarian National Guard officers fire teargas toward a resident who tries to walk to the Paramacay military base

Labour MPs have criticised their leaders failure to directly condemn Maduro and insistence that the violence has been inflicted by all sides. Last night a senior member of the countrys opposition accused him of not fully understanding the crisis.

Juan Andres Mejia, founding member of the Popular Will party, told BBC Newsnight: What I would say to Jeremy Corbyn is that he really has to know whats going on in our country to be able to make a statement.

Violence has not been done by both sides. Violence has been promoted by the government.
An Islamist extremist group has released a video saying falling out of bed or being struck by lightning is a bigger killer in Australia than terrorism.

Hizb ut-Tahrir, which wants Sharia law, has accused Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of exaggerating the threat of terror following raids across Sydney to stop an alleged plot to bomb a passenger plane.

'Terrorism is statistically irrelevant in Australia but the media and the government continually exaggerate it pretending to care about innocent lives,' it says.

They released a two-minute video only days after the third man was charged as part of arrests linked to that alleged plot to bomb a 412-seat Etihad passenger plane and let off chemical gas at Sydney airport.

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Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Hamzah Qureshi says lightning kills more people than terrorism

Hizb ut-Tahrir's spokesman says the media and the government exaggerate the threat of terror

Listing eight things that are more likely to kill the public than terorrism, Hizb ut-Tahrir's video said '47 people per year die from falling out of bed'.

That statistical argument comes only three weeks after Muslim Al Jazeera journalist Medhi Hasan was given airtime on the ABC's Q&A program to argue that terrorism killed fewer people than domestic violence or bedroom accidents.

'The statistics show you're more likely to be killed falling out of bed in the morning in Australia than be killed by a terrorist later in the day,' the British-raised commentator with the Qatar government-owned TV network said.

Hizb ut-Tahrir's video also listed domestic violence as a deadlier killer than terrorism on its video, even though Women of Hizb ut-Tahrir released a video in April saying it was permissible for husbands to hit their wives with a small stick.

Al Jazeera journalist Mehdi Hasan also says falling out of bed is a more likely killer than terror

The group's spokesman Hamzah Qureshi highlighted lightning in his Facebook post this week.

'You're 10 times more likely to be struck by lightning than to be killed by 'terrorism', but the media and government just loves to talk up the 'threat',' he said.

In another misleading statement, Hizb ut-Tahrir said terrorism had killed four people in Australia during the past 20 years.

Since December 2014, terrorists have killed five people in Australia.

These terror atrocities have included the deaths of Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson at Sydney's Lindt cafe siege, the shooting death of New South Wales police accountant Curtis Cheng in October 2015, the stabbing of a service station attendant at Queanbeyan near Canberra in April and the killing of a man at a Melbourne serviced apartment in June.

Five Australians have been killed by terrorists since December 2014 but Hizb ut-Tahrir says the threat is 'statistically insignificant'

Hizb ut-Tahrir says lightning is 10 times more likely to kill someone in Australia than terrrorism

Two people died at Sydney's Lindt cafe siege in December 2014 (hostages escape pictured)

Hizb ut-Tahrir also listed alcohol, drug overdoses, sharks, bathtubs, suicide and domestic violence as bigger threats than terrorism.

In March, Hizb ut-Tahrir leader Uthman Badar told a public forum capital punishment was an appropriate penalty for ex-Muslims.

'The ruling for apostates as such in Islam is clear, that apostates attract capital punishment and we don't shy away from that,' Badar said in the presence of children.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is campaigning for a global Islamic caliphate based on Sharia law and is so extreme it is banned in Indonesia, the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation, along with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Germany and The Netherlands.

Of the four men arrested during raids across Sydney on July 29, three have been charged.

A man arrested at Surry Hills in Sydney on July 29 following raids across Sydney over an alleged plot to bomb a passenger plane

One is out on bail while another was set free without charge.

On Thursday last week, a 49-year-old Lakemba man and a 32-year-old Punchbowl man were charged with two counts of acts done in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act.

They face a maximum penalty of life in jail if convicted.

A 50-year-old man was released from police custody on August 1, without charge.

A 39-year-old man was charged on Sunday with one count of possessing a prohibited weapon and released from police custody.

He was given bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on August 24.

Police alleged they were plotting to smuggle a bomb disguised as a meat mincer on to an Etihad flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi.

Two brothers accused of trying to take down an Etihad flight allegedly planned on setting their devastating gas bomb off at Sydney Airport if they could not get it onto a plane, a source told Daily Mail Australia.

Accused terrorists Khaled and Mahmoud Khayat allegedly initially planned to sacrifice their own brother by planting a bomb disguised as a meat mincer in his luggage on July 15.
Following widespread outrage over a passenger who was violently dragged off an overbooked United Airlines plane, US airlines are bumping customers at the lowest rate in at least two decades.

The Transportation Department said Tuesday that just one in every 19,000 passengers was kicked off an overbooked flight in the first six months of this year.

That's the lowest rate since the government started keeping track in 1995.

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Following widespread outrage over a passenger who was violently dragged off an overbooked plane, US airlines are bumping customers at the lowest rate in at least two decades

US airlines bump fewer passengers after dragging backlash over Dr. David Dao being forcibly removed from United flight (pictured)

The biggest decline took place between April and June, partly because airlines began paying many more passengers to give up their seats.

Airlines have routinely overbooked flights for years in the expectation that some passengers won't show up. When a flight is overbooked, airlines typically offer travel vouchers to encourage a few passengers to take a later flight.

That practice backfired in April when United employees, whose offers of vouchers were ignored, asked Chicago airport officers to help remove four people from a United Express flight to make room for airline employees commuting to their next flight.

Dr. David Dao, 69, was dragged forcibly down the airplane aisle and other passengers captured the spectacle on camera phones, turning the incident into a public-relations disaster for United.

Since then, United and other large US airlines have introduced new measures to reduce overbooking, and raised the maximum amount that passengers can be offered to give up a seat.

Passengers still get bumped, however. Besides instances in which airlines sell too many seats, passengers may get booted when a mechanical breakdown causes an airline to use a smaller aircraft, or when the plane's weight must be reduced for safe takeoff.

Dr. David Dao was dragged off a United Airlines plane in April when he refused to be bumped on his flight

United Airlines spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said the carrier has sharply reduced bumping since the April incident. United booted 1,964 passengers in the first six months of 2017, with more in the second quarter than the first.

However, McCarthy said, bumpings dropped from 957 in April to 61 in May and 46 in June. The Transportation Department did not provide a monthly breakdown.

Travelers were least likely to be bumped on JetBlue Airways, Hawaiian Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

Spirit Airlines had the highest rate of booting passengers, although Southwest Airlines, a much bigger carrier, bumped the most people, 2,642 in six months.

JetBlue, Delta and Southwest all convinced more passengers to give up their seats than they had in the same period a year ago.

The Transportation Department issued the latest numbers of bumped passengers as it released its monthly report card on airline performance.

The department said 76.2 percent of flights in June arrived on time, down from 78.0 percent in June 2016. The government counts a flight on time if it arrives within 14 minutes of schedule.

Hawaiian Airlines had the best rating among the 12 largest U.S. airlines, and JetBlue Airways had the worst rate - two of every five flights arrived late.

Consumer complaints about US airlines ticked up 3 percent to 1,115 in June. That is a tiny fraction of the millions of airline travelers, but most people who complain go straight to the airline, not the government.

United had more complaints than average but not the worst rate. That belonged to discount carrier Spirit Airlines by a wide margin. Alaska Airlines had the lowest rate of complaints.

The on-time ratings will be expanded next year to cover 18 airlines, including Allegiant Air, a discount carrier, and Envoy Air, a major operator of American Eagle flights.
Chris Williamson claimed the allegations were part of a proxy war against Jeremy Corbyn

A close ally of Jeremy Corbyn yesterday launched an astonishing defence of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro as he blamed reports of his brutal crackdown on silly season.

Despite warnings about the violence of his regime from international organisations including United Nations, Amnesty International and Human Rights, Labours shadow fire minister Chris Williamson claimed the allegations were part of a proxy war against Jeremy Corbyn.

In an article for the left-wing Morning Star newspaper, Mr Williamson said Mr Corbyn was completely correct to commend the achievements in Venezuela.

But the proxy-warmongers have seized the opportunity to use Venezuelas current travails to express faux outrage about the regime, he added.

A member of the national guard fires his shotgun at protesters during clashes in Caracas

Mr Williamson said Maduros job as president had been made almost impossible by opponents inside the country and the U.S. government.

He wrote: The collapse in the price of oil has inevitably affected Venezuelas economy. This has been made worse by economic sabotage, by the countrys elites, to create shortages in the shops, widespread violent street protests and external interference by the US.

The US Department of State openly budgets to spend millions of dollars every year to support right-wing opposition forces in Venezuela.

It is the combination of these factors together with alleged cronyism, corruption and inefficiency that has made the job of Maduros government almost impossible since Chavez died.

He added: It is perhaps understandable that Labours political enemies are using Venezuelas difficulties to make mischief, but it is frustrating to see the dwindling band of New Labour neocons (neo-conservatives) doing likewise.

Anti-government activists stand near a barricade burning in flames in Venezuela's third city, Valencia,

Mr Williamson said Maduros (pictured) job as president had been made almost impossible by opponents inside the country and the U.S. government

They conveniently ignore the history and the extreme violence of the right-wing opposition groups.

Thanks to the hysterical media hyperbole, casual observers could be forgiven for thinking that Venezuela is in the grip of a totalitarian despot.

Mr Williamson, who has been one of Mr Corbyns most vocal supporters in the Labour party, regained his Derby North seat at the election in June after losing it in 2015.
Stamp duty is making the housing crisis worse because it is deterring older homeowners from downsizing, it has been claimed.

A report by the London School of Economics and the VATT Institute for Economic Research claimed that the rate of home moving would be 27 per cent higher if the levy was completely abolished.

It identified both younger and older homeowners moving in different directions on the housing ladder as the victims of high stamp duty costs - leaving many to stay put in unsuitable homes that are either too small for a growing family, or too big for pensioners.

This shows how the cost of stamp duty has risen substantially for those buying more expensive homes since banding was first introduced by Gordon Brown in 1997, before that stamp duty was a flat 1 per cent

In addition, many pensioners in larger homes in more expensive areas are unable to move because buyers are put off by stamp duty, which costs 20,000 on a 600,000 home and a huge 143,000 on a 2million property.

Professor Christian Hilber, who co-authored the report, said: 'Stamp duty discourages young expanding families from moving to more adequate, larger housing and it discourages the elderly from downsizing.

'Our analysis suggests that mobility would be 27 per cent higher if stamp duty was abolished or replaced with an annual tax on the value of property.'

He added: 'Stamp duty hinders household mobility substantially - it creates a mismatch and distortions in the housing market.'

The current stamp duty system was ushered in by former Chancellor George Osborne in 2014, who reformed the previous slab-style system where a set percentage was charged on the entire purchase price to a tiered tax, on the basis that this would be a fairer system.

HMRC figures show how the Government has cashed in on stamp duty revenue since 2008. George Osborne reformed it at the end of 2014, but still kept the take high

Stamp duty bands were radically rejigged to be levied progressively above thresholds - in a similar way to how income tax works.

But the switch meant that upper bands for more expensive properties had to be set at high levels in order to maintain the amount of stamp duty raked in by the government.

Previously buyers paid the percentage above thresholds on the entire purchase price  creating a situation where tax bills rocketed from 2,500 to at least 7,500 when buying a home costing more than 250,000.

A report has found that older people are choosing to stay in their homes and not downsize because of stamp duty, while younger families can't move up the property ladder

HOW HAS STAMP DUTY CHANGED? Osborne's 2014 reform of stamp duty was the biggest since Gordon Brown ushered in higher rate bands when he became Chancellor in 1997. Before that point stamp duty had been levied at a flat 1 per cent above a threshold of 60,000. Brown initially launched a 1.5 per cent charge above 250,000 and and 2 per cent charge above 500,000 By 2000 he had hiked these to 2 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively, as he cashed in on rising house prices and the property boom. But despite huge house price inflation since 1997, the higher and top stamp duty thresholds didn't move until Osborne's reform.

Current Chancellor Philip Hammond is understood to be under pressure from within the Cabinet to reform the stamp duty system.

Lord Lawson of Blaby, a former chancellor, last night told the Telegraph: 'The present levels of stamp duty are clearly counterproductive, in terms of housing policy and revenue alike, and need to be reduced.

'For what it's worth, when I was Chancellor, I halved the rate of stamp duty on house sales, and the revenue increased.'

Mark Littlewood, director general of the Institute for Economic Affairs, told the newspaper that the Chancellor should be seeking to scrap stamp duty altogether.

'It is not a tax on wealthy property owners. It is essentially a tax on moving home,' he said.

'Britain's extortionate housing market is broken enough already without further penalising homeowners by charging them thousands of pounds unless they stay put in their current property.'

The number of people moving home grew after the financial crisis lows in 2008 until 2015 and has fallen back since then. Osborne introduced his stamp duty changes at the end of 2014

He added: 'The government is actively encouraging people, especially the elderly, to remain in large properties when they would prefer to downsize and release a family-sized home onto the market.'

'Given the difficulty young families already face in getting on the housing ladder, it is an absurdity that the government is making it even harder through this outdated and nonsensical tax policy.

Chancellor Philip Hammond (pictured) is understood to be under pressure from within the Cabinet to reform the stamp duty system

'If the Chancellor fails to take action in the budget this autumn, he will be guilty of exacerbating the crisis in our housing market.'

An HM Treasury spokesman said: 'Almost 90 per cent of people want to own a home, but only 63 per cent do. We reformed property taxes including stamp duty to help more people get onto the property ladder.

'In addition, we are helping people  including young families  to buy their first homes through policies such as Help to Buy and the Lifetime ISA, and the recent 2.3bn Housing Infrastructure Fund which will free up over 100,000 properties in high demand areas.'

Are older people staying in homes too big for them to avoid hefty stamp duty on downsizing?

How much stamp duty would you pay to move home? Our calculator shows how much stamp duty a home mover or first-time buyer would pay when buying their new property. It shows the cost of stamp duty for your main residence, higher rates apply for those purchasing buy-to-let or additional homes, as shown in the table below. Stamp Duty Calculator How much tax would you have to pay on a home or buy-to-let? Purchase price 

Is this a buy-to-let or second home? (Higher rates apply)

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*Transactions under 40,000 do not require a tax return to be filed with HMRC and are not subject to the higher rates Stamp duty charge Find the best mortgage for you Check the rates you could apply for
The model girlfriend of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim will be released on strict bail conditions after being charged with one count of possessing a loaded pistol known as a 'baby Glock'.

Pale and quivering, bar owner Sarah Budge appeared in front of a Sydney magistrate Clare Farman via video link on Wednesday morning. Ms Budge said little other than confirming her name, staring down at the ground and biting her lip.

A Commonwealth prosecutor did not oppose bail and agreed to conditions including a $50,000 security deposit, Ms Budge surrendering her passport and reporting to police three times a week.

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Sarah Budge, the model girlfriend of John Ibrahim, has been granted strict conditional bail after being charged with one count of possessing a loaded pistol

Ms Budge (pictured left with Ibrahim), the owner of a trendy bar in Potts Point, stared at the ground and bit her lip as she appeared via video link in court on Wednesday

The 27-year-old's lawyer, Ian Lloyd QC, said he had 'nothing to say'. Ms Budge could face up to five years in prison if found guilty of the firearm offence.

Police allegedly found the loaded Glock 26 pistol when they entered her home on Tuesday.

It is understood Ms Budge - first linked to the 46-year-old Kings Cross nightclub identity two years ago - will not be charged with anything else in connection to the raids on Tuesday.

Earlier, Ibrahim's lawyer confirmed that police raided nightclub owner John's house, but said his client has not been charged.

Ms Budge faces up to five years in prison if found guilty of the firearm offence

Police allegedly found the loaded pistol, known as a 'baby Glock', when they entered her home on Tuesday

Ms Budge was one of 17 people arrested in three countries after massive raids this week - including nine men in Sydney, five men in Dubai and two men in The Netherlands.

Police seized 1.8 tonnes of ecstasy, 136kg of cocaine, 15kg of methamphetamines and $5.45m in cash after a number of raids on crime figures in Sydney and Dubai.

As part of her bail conditions she was ordered to pay a $50,000 security deposit, surrender her passport and report to police three times a week
The most seriously injured soldier of the Afghanistan war is to sue the Ministry of Defence and the NHS over failures in his care.

Ben Parkinson, 33, lost both legs and suffered more than 40 injuries, including brain damage which affected his memory and speech, in a bomb attack in 2006.

He has now announced he will sue both the organisations, over delays in the specialist care he needs since the injuries.

Ben Parkinson was the most seriously injured soldier to survive the Afghanistan war, losing both legs. Left, before the bomb attack, and right, after, pictured in 2007

He told the Sun: 'I've been lucky to have amazing support from my family but I need specialist help too. It feels like the organisations aren't taking me seriously.

'We keep being promised things but they don't happen. I'm concerned about other members of the Armed Forces too.'

The paratrooper was given 152,000 in compensation but that was raised to 570,000 in 2011 after a campaign.

According to the paper, Mr Parkinson has asked his lawyers to act against NHS England, the Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group and the MoD.

Mr Parkinson appeared in a TV show called Journey Down The Yukon: A Soldier's Challenge

The former soldier also carried the Olympic torch during the London 2012 games, cheered on by his fellow soldiers

The MoD has said a new care package is being developed, while the NHS claims he receives a 'comprehensive' package and it will be reviewed regularly.

The most seriously injured soldier to survive in Afghanistan, he lost both his legs and broke his back, hips and ribs, as well as suffering brain damage, when his Land Rover hit a mine. He was unconscious in a military hospital for three months.

Eight years after the accident, he made incredible progress when he was able to walk unsupported by crutches for the first time. His speech was also becoming clearer.

Not content with battling back from his horrific injuries, L/Bdr Parkinson was one of a group of injured veterans who took part in a gruelling trek in Norway in 2013.

He claimed he should have higher levels of care than he has received and plans to act against both the NHS and the MoD

The expedition, organised by the charity Pilgrim Bandits, retraced the footsteps of the Second World War heroes of Telemark to mark the 70th anniversary of the mission.

Along with other amputees and severely injured servicemen, L/Bdr Parkinson travelled 65 miles (105km) across the Hardangervidda in winds of up to 80mph (129kph) and temperatures of minus 30C (minus 22F).

He was awarded an MBE in 2013.

Prince Charles told the brave man he was an 'inspiration' as he gave him the recognition.

Speaking moments afterwards, L/Bdr Parkinson said: 'I was surprised at how much Prince Charles knew about me.

'He said I was an inspiration. It made me feel so proud.'

In 2015, he bravely canoed the Yukon river, one of the most remote rivers on earth.

His eight-day trip down the Canadian river started on the ninth anniversary of the day he was severely injured by a bomb in Afghanistan, a date he calls 'Survival Day'.

He had to contend with freezing temperatures, bears, wolves and violent rapids, while living off reduced rations and having to kayak 40 miles a day.

Those taking part could only eat what they could carry in their kayaks and had to camp alongside the river every night in sub-zero temperatures.
Wetherspoons has been ripping off his customers by charging twice as much for meals in its airport branches.

Britain's cheapest pub chain has doubled the price of its large breakfast, ultimate burger and Caesar salad at Stansted and Gatwick airports compared to what it charges on high streets.

Wetherspoons inns' are a staple at the nation's biggest airports, with many tourists popping in for a bite to eat as they fly abroad.

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Wetherspoons has been ripping off his customers by charging twice as much for meals in its airport branches (file photo)

There are just under 1,000 branches of the pub across the UK with annual sales exceeding 1.5billion.

However, this doesn't appear to have stopped bosses making sure diners dig deep.

If early risers fancy a large breakfast during their trip through Stansted it will cost them 10.75 and 9.40 at Gatwick - while on the high street it will set them back just 5.95.

Britain's cheapest pub chain has doubled the price of its large breakfast, ultimate burger and Caesar salad at Stansted (pictured) and Gatwick airports compared to what it charges on high streets

For those looking to chomp into a burger at Stansted and Gatwick, it will cost them 11.79 and 11.70 respectively - but just 8.15 on the high street.

While for travellers wanting a Caesar salad lunch, it will cost 10.60 at both airports and just 7.30 on the high street.

A Wetherspoons spokesman told the Mirror: 'Local mark-ups depend on rent and rates. Airports are top of the scale in respect of these costs.'
Northwestern University professor Wyndham Lathem, 42, was denied security clearance to work in France just six months before he became a suspect in a brutal Chicago stabbing

A fired Northwestern University professor was denied security clearance to work in France just six months before he and an Oxford University employee allegedly stabbed a hairstylist to death.

Microbiologist Wyndham Lathem, 42, had been refused clearance by French authorities to work at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The Paris institute, which studies the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, had approved Lathem's application to work there but it was later revoked when the French government rejected his working clearance.

The institute's spokeswoman Aurelie Perthuison said in a statement that the French government would not divulge the reason behind Lathem's rejected security clearance.

Lathem had reportedly already begun making arrangements to move his Chicago-based microbiology lab to Paris.

The university professor is a suspect in the brutal stabbing death of hairstylist Trenton Cornell-Duranleau.

He and fellow suspect Andrew Warren, a 56-year-old Oxford finance worker, were both arrested on Friday in California - nine days after the victim was found stabbed to death in Lathem's Chicago apartment.

Hairstylist Trenton Cornell-Duranleau, 26, was found brutally stabbed to death in a Chicago apartment on July 27

Suspects: Wyndham Latham (left) and Andrew Warren (right) are accused of killing a male hair stylist in Latham's Chicago apartment. Latham appeared in court for the first time Monday

Lathem appeared in a California courtroom on Monday afternoon and waived extradition back to Chicago to faces charges.

He responded 'yes' when asked if he understood that he was charged with murder, and a judge set a deadline of September 6 for his extradition to Chicago.

Wearing red inmate clothes with his hands shackled, Lathem smiled at his supporters as he fronted the court.

It came as Northwestern announced that Lathem had been fired, effective on the date of his arrest.

His fellow suspect Warren is set to appear in court on Friday, but was seen in a mugshot released on Monday wearing a green anti-suicide garment.

Details of the gruesome case emerged over the weekend, including reports of genital mutilation, a bizarre donation made in the victim's name at a Wisconsin library and a videotaped confession sent to friends.

But Lathem's attorneys tried to paint a different picture in court on Monday.

'What he is accused of is totally contrary to the way he has lived his entire life,' California attorney Kenneth Wine said, calling Lathem 'a kind, intelligent and gentle soul'.

Wine said Lathem plans to plead not guilty and urged the public to withhold judgment until all of the facts of the case emerge.

Authorities have not divulged the relationship of the suspects to the victim, or a possible motive in the case.

Reports claim two knives were found in the apartment on the 10th floor of the Grand Plaza Apartments where Lathem resides. One was near the sink, and another with a broken handle was in a trashcan

Cornell-Duranleau was found dead in a luxury Chicago apartment block about 8.30pm on July 27 after police received a mysterious call from an unidentified man telling them 'there may have been a crime committed in Room 1004' of the Near North Side high-rise.

Officers got into the apartment using a master key. Once inside, they followed a trail of blood into the bathroom where the 26-year-old was lying face down, with stab wounds to his back.

Police found a knife with a broken blade in the trash can and another knife near the sink.

A source told the Chicago Sun Times: 'The victim was savagely killed. The crime scene was covered in blood.

Andrew Warren is a British national who had once worked as a bus driver and cashier - he is on his first trip to the United States

'The body was mutilated. His genitals were cut, mutilated. It was so savage it broke the knife found at the crime scene.'

Police believe Cornell-Duranleau was killed in Lathem's apartment in the 500 block of North State Street around 5am.

But officers were not alerted until an anonymous caller reached the front desk of the building around 8.30pm, more than 15 hours later, the Tribune reported.

Chicago police on Friday revealed that Lathem sent a 'video message' apologizing to his loved ones and describing the killing as 'the biggest mistake of my life.'

Investigators say they have spoken to several people who have received the video from Lathem in the wake of the murder.

Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi would not go into the specific contents of the video, only saying that Lathem apologized in the video for his involvement in the slaying and called it 'the biggest mistake of my life.'

It also emerged on Friday that the two suspects drove to Wisconsin after the killing and made a $1,000 donation to a library in the dead man's name before his body was found inside Lathem's apartment.

Cornell-Duranleau, a native of Michigan, worked as a hair stylist and loved video games, cars and cartoons, according to his obituary shared on Facebook by his mother

Warren, a former bus driver and train buff who works in payroll at Oxford's Somerville College in the UK, is believed to have been just days into his first trip to the US when the murder took place.

Lathem is an associate professor of microbiology at Northwestern, where he is an expert in immunizing against bubonic plague.

Cornell-Duranleau, a native of Michigan, worked as a hair stylist and loved video games, cars and cartoons, according to his obituary shared on Facebook by his mother.

Cornell-Duranleau and Lathem were friends on Facebook, although it's not clear when and how the two had first crossed paths.

His mother, Charlotte Cornell, released a statement on Wednesday morning the family does not know Warren or Lathem.

'Our Family is deeply saddened by the death of our son. It is our hope that the person or persons responsible for his death are brought to justice,' Cornell's statement said.

'We are asking that you allow our family to process and grieve this tragedy privately.'

Lathem and Warren were apprehended more than 2,000 miles away from the lavish Windy City apartment where they allegedly stabbed and mutilated Cornell-Duranleau.

Chief Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said they were taken into custody 'without incident'.

'Both individuals will be held accountable for their actions and we hope today's arrest brings some comfort for the victim's family,' Guglielmi said in a statement.

'We are also thankful that this did not end in further tragedy.'
A grieving family is mourning the loss of two loved ones in less than a week after a man was tragically killed as he helped set up his own father's funeral.

Isileli Palu, from New Zealand, was electrocuted at his family home in Tonga last Thursday, according to local publication Kaniva Tonga.

The 36-year-old had reportedly just arrived to his father's funeral and had been helping erect tents when he touched a power cord, killing him instantly.

Isileli Palu (left), from New Zealand, was electrocuted at his family home in Tonga last Thursday while helping set up his father Sione's (right) funeral

The 36-year-old had reportedly just arrived to his father's funeral and had been helping erect tents when he touched a power cord, killing him instantly

Mr Palu's wife led dozens of heartfelt tributes on social media to the South Auckland man and his father, Sione.

'I can't stop thinking about u. Ur my husband but u not here looking after me i missing u all night.... I love u bby so sad u gone now (sic),' she wrote.

'No one can prepare you for a loss, it comes like a swift wind,' another woman wrote, adding the hashtag 'father and son in one week.'

Police told local media they were investigating the cause of Mr Palu's death.
Uber driver Chad Farley (pictured) is being called a hero after he saved a suicidal passenger's life by calling 911

An Uber driver in Florida is being hailed a hero after calling 911 on his despondent passenger who was suicidal after revealing he recently learned he has brain cancer.

Chad Farley, 41, who has been driving with Uber for the past year, says his passenger's destination was suspect, as he requested to be dropped in the middle of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in St. Petersburg.

The span has the grim distinction as Florida's top destination for suicide. Farley had chatted with his passenger who is in his 20s as they drove and the man said he had been diagnosed with brain cancer.

Farley says his passenger 'hopped in and began to tell me of his month old diagnosis of a certain brain cancer and the new procedure his doctor wants to use that has a lower risk than the alternative.'

'I noticed that the destination for this passenger was dead smack at the center of the Skyway Bridge so I asked him where he was going.'

'He gave me the weirdest story that was not even close to being believable' says Farley.

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Uber driver Chad Farley called 911 with a photo of his passenger and let police know his passenger was contemplating suicide

Farely's quick thinking saved his passenger's life when he called 911. State troopers responded and they were able to rescue the man from the water

His passenger went on to tell him that his doctor told him to have an ambulance pick him up in the middle of the span. Farley knew his passenger's story didn't add up, so he jumped to action.

Farely continued to talk to the man and stopped at the toll booth for the bridge and gave an 'eye signal' to the booth attendant to say 'that 'something was up with my passenger.'

The toll's supervisor advised them to drive to the rest area near the pier and use the phone there to call the ambulance.

He and his passenger continued to chat, and he assured Farley he would not jump, but Farley knew he was lying.

'He was getting out, but before he did, I told him how much God loves him,' Farley told the Tampa Bay Times. 'I just held out my hand, and when he gave me his hand it was shaking like an uneven wheel on a car going down the highway, it was shaking so badly.'

The driver then prayed with his passenger before asking for a photo. He told the man he wanted to remember him when he prayed, but Farley really wanted the photo for something more urgent.

The rest area where Farley took his passenger to safety, away from the bridge span he originally wanted to be dropped off at

Uber driver's call about passenger he feared was suicidal leads to water rescue off Skyway

Farley shared his experience with his passenger to Facebook

They said their goodbyes at the fishing pier near the approach to the bridge and Farley called 911. He used the photo to send to the cops to let them know his suicidal passenger's plans.

The highway patrol arrived soon after and started talking to the man, when he jumped into the water despite their pleas.

The troopers jumped in after him and searched underwater. They were able to locate him after several minutes and gave him CPR until medical responders arrived.

Sgt. Steve Gaskins, spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol, told the Tampa Bay Times, the two troopers Cpl. Robert Friesen and Trooper Kristen Middleton 'did an outstanding job.'

Gaskins also praised Farley for calling 911: 'We're the ones trained to deal with people in these kinds of situations.'

Uber, in a statement to the Times: 'We deeply appreciate Mr. Farley's quick thinking and compassion for his rider, as well as law enforcement's fast response.'

The man was listed in critical but stable condition at Bayfront Medical Center on Tuesday. The troopers were not injured.

Farley says he is planning to visit his passenger in the hospital.

If any readers are seeking help, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255 or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.




New York's famed Plaza hotel is being sued for sexual harassment by six female staffers who claim the historic institution fosters a 'rape culture'.

The three current and three former employees claim The Plaza's management turned a blind eye when they reported allegations of unwanted groping, kissing and sexual remarks from male staffers.

The women, who were employed as cocktail servers, bartenders and hostesses, filed the lawsuit against the hotel on Tuesday.

New York's famed Plaza hotel is being sued for sexual harassment by six female staffers - including Paige Rodriguez (left) and Crystal Washington (right) who claim the historic institution fosters a 'rape culture'

Dana Lewis, who still works at the hotel, has accused general manager Christian Floren of following her into a coat closet, grabbing her and kissing her multiple times on one day in February, the New York Post reports.

The 32-year-old alleged in the lawsuit that she rejected his advances and on the third instance Floren started crying and begged her not to report him.

The lawsuit claims Lewis was suspended last month for three days when she took a photo of Floren when they were alone together.

Former cocktail waitress Paige Rodriguez claims in the suit that she was hit with sexual comments from male employees back in 2014.

The female employees claim The Plaza's management turned a blind eye when they reported allegations of unwanted groping, kissing and sexual remarks from male staffers

Another manager, Raul Abrantes, allegedly told her: 'I want to take you to the back and f**k the s**t out of you'. He is also accused of bragging to co-workers about having sex in one night with three women he met at a bar.

Crystal Washington, a 27-year-old current employee, claims server Syed Islam allegedly once told her: 'You've got a nice a**' and 'I can tell you had sex last night'.

Washington claims she was placed on leave when she complained.

Other female employees were allegedly told by hotel management to dress more conservative to avoid unwanted attention by male employees, according to the lawsuit.

The complaint also details a number of other encounters with male staffers, including one who allegedly showed a female coworker pictures of his penis.

The women were employed as cocktail servers, bartenders and hostesses at the hotel and its famed bar Palm Court (above in a file photo)

Another is accused of making cucumbers, bananas and pens resemble male genitals while making lewd comments to his female colleagues.

The sexual harassment lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages.

A spokeswoman for Fairmont Hotels, which owns the Plaza, said: 'The safety and welfare of our guests and staff is always our highest priority. Any attempt at harassment or discrimination toward our colleagues and guests has not and never will be tolerated.

'We take all claims of harassment or discrimination seriously, take appropriate remedial action where warranted, and do not retaliate against any staff member who raises a claim of harassment or discrimination in good faith.'
A postal plebiscite has been confirmed after the Senate rejected the same-sex marriage vote for a second time.

The plebiscite could happen as early as September 12, and would be returned as early as November 7.

The Australian public will be able to formally voice their support for the issue later this year through the postal vote. It is non-compulsory and non-binding, and is expected to cost up to $122 million.

They will get the opportunity to express their view, fulfilling the commitment we made at the election,' Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in a press conference on Tuesday.

'We will hold a postal vote on this issue asking the same question, in which all Australians will have their say.'

Turnbull said both the Liberal and National Party 'overwhelmingly support' the postal vote and the commitment to the outcome.

If a majority vote 'yes' same-sex marriage could be legalised as early as next year. The Prime Minister said he and his wife will be voting 'yes'.

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A postal plebiscite has been confirmed after the Senate rejected the same-sex marriage vote for a second time

Turnbull said both the Liberal and National Party 'overwhelmingly support' the postal vote and the commitment to the outcome

The plebiscite could happen as early as September 12, and would be returned as early as November 7

Senator Penny Wong delivered an emotional speech to the Senate on Wednesday saying of the plebiscite 'this ain't a respectful debate.'

'Have a read of some of the things which are said about us and our families, then come back and tell us this is a unifying moment,' Senator Wong said.

'The Australian Christian Lobby described our children as the stolen generation. We love our children and I object, as do every person, who cares about children as do all the same-sex couples in this country. To being told our children are the stolen generation.

What happens next? Postal plebiscite could be held as early as September 12 If plebiscite returns majority 'yes' a private member's bill to change the Marriage Act will be brought before Parliament All MPs would vote on the bill to legalise same-sex marriage If plebiscite returns majority 'no' vote the Coalition will not seek an amendment bill Labor have promised to legislate same-sex marriage should they win the next election Advertisement

You talk about unifying moments? This isn't a unifying moment, it's exposing our children to that kind of hatred.'

'The government believes that we have a constitutional and legal right to keep faith with our commitment to the Australian people to let them have their say on whether or not the definition of marriage should be changed,' Senate Deputy Leader Mathias Cormann said.

The Finance Minister said he will appropriate $295 million towards the plebiscite, which he says is 'more than enough' to fund the postal vote.

Turnbull turned the blame on Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for the plebiscite not already being held.

'You heard me again say again and again that every Australian will have a say on this issue. Now, we have sought to have a compulsory attendance plebiscite,' the prime minister said.

The only reason it has not been held is because of Bill Shorten's opposition. If he had not opposed it it would have been held in February and in my view it would have been carried, in which case same-sex marriage by now would have been legal for some time.'

If a majority vote 'yes' same-sex marriage could be legalised as early as next year. The Prime Minister said he and his wife will be voting 'yes'

Turnbull said both the Liberal and National Party 'overwhelmingly support' the postal vote and the commitment to the outcome

If a majority vote 'yes' same-sex marriage could be legalised as early as next year

The Labor Party are questioning the legality of a postal vote with the Coalition needing to use Commonwealth money to fund the plebiscite.

'The Commonwealth can't spend money without legislation in the Parliament authorising the expenditure of that money, unless it's part of the ordinary activities of a department,' Shadow Attorney General Mark Dreyfus told Sky News today.

'On no view could the conduct of a national voluntary postal vote be seen as part of the ordinary activities of any of the commonwealth departments.'

Liberal members attending a special meeting in Canberra on Monday stood by the policy taken to the 2016 election for a national vote on changing marriage laws.

If the postal ballot comes back with a majority 'yes', a private member's bill will go to parliament, with Liberal members exercising a free vote on it.

Crossbencher Derryn Hinch has already vowed to block the revived plebiscite push, saying the issue should be resolved through a conscience vote.
Are these the worst house rules of all time?

An outrageously strict list of rules for tenants moving into a new house in Invercargill, New Zealand has gone viral after it was posted on social media.

The list begins with some fairly reasonable expectations, including no partying, no loud music and no noise after 10pm, as well as keeping the house clean and tidy and being mindful of fellow tenants who want to study and sleep.

Dan Muir posted a photo of the house rules to Facebook (pictured) after his friend moved in

However the next few rules have sent online commenters into a spin.

Written in bold capital letters, rule number three states tenants should not bring friends round often, especially at night, while 'to maintain comfort and privacy together' housemates are not allowed to bring a 'friend with opposite gender' to the house after 10pm.

Housemates are expected to inform the others at least one day in advance if they want to have a friend of the opposite gender over at the house, 'so that everyone well informed' according to the rules.

Dan Muir posted to the Facebook group Kiwis being Kiwis after his friend moved into a new house.

'So my friend moved into a flat and apparently these are house rules' his post read.

Muir told Daily Mail Australia his friend was 'blown away' by the list when she moved in.

More than 250 people have chipped in with their opinions on the unusual demands, with mixed responses.

Some were strongly opposed to the idea of putting up with the rules.

Online commenters were quick to chip in with their own thoughts as the post went viral

Reaction to the list of strict rules was mixed, with some saying they thought the rules were fair

'Have more freedom living with the parentals than living there. F*** that!! Rip off,' one commenter wrote, while another said 'break every single rule from from 1 to 6, you only live once, have fun with life, control freak alert'.

Another person sarcastically suggested a seventh rule should be added: 'Do not inhale all of the oxygen as the other residents may want some'.

Others were more sympathetic to the creator of the list, suggesting no-one was being forced to live there.

'Well you got to respect each other's space, don't like it, don't stay there,' one wrote.

'If you can't respect the rules of the home owner then buy your own f***ing home', another posted.
Donald Trump has reportedly been sending 'private messages of 'appreciation' to special counsel Robert Mueller.'

The president, who previously branded the investigation a 'witch hunt,' appears to be on surprisingly good terms with Mueller, who was appointed to investigate whether Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia.

'He appreciates what Bob Mueller is doing,' Trump's chief counsel John Dowd told USA Today. 'He asked me to share that with him and that's what I've done.'

Donald Trump (pictured at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on August 8) has reportedly been sending 'private messages of 'appreciation' to special counsel Robert Mueller

Mueller (pictured) was appointed to lead the probe into Russian collusion after the Attorney General Jeff Session recused himself

Dowd added that Trump's legal team had passed on his messages expressing 'appreciation and greetings' to the special counsel. He added the messages had been 'back and forth'.

Yet in public, Trump has been extremely critical of the executive branch investigation.

Last month, the New York Times even reported that Trump was on a mission to find dirt on Mueller to discredit him.

Those sources said that the president's team is hard at work trying to prove conflicts of interest among Mueller's team of investigators and hopes to thwart the entire investigation by forcing those investigators to recuse themselves.

Attorney Jay Sekulow, a member of the president's external legal team - which is not involved - told The Associated Press that the lawyers 'will consistently evaluate the issue of conflicts and raise them in the appropriate venue'.

The presiden appears to be on surprisingly good terms with Mueller (right) who was appointed to investigate whether Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia

BROAD MANDATE: The letter appointing Mueller authorizes him to probe 'any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation' of Trump campaign's Russia ties as well as 'other matters'

The president has publicly stated his belief that Mueller's team is compromised.

He is now relying on his team of lawyers and representatives to find damaging proof of his suspicion, the Times reported.

The request has however pushed Mark Corallo, the spokesman for the legal team going up against Mueller to step down, the sources said.

Mueller, a former FBI director who served a decade and was then reappointed by Barack Obama, was appointed to lead the probe into Russian collusion after the Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from it and in the wake of Trump's firing of the most recent FBI director, James Comey.

Trump told The New York Times last month that he would consider it a 'violation' if Mueller began probing his family's finances as part of his investigation.

The White House stood by Trump's warning to Mueller not to cross a 'red line' by probing his own personal finances.

Speaking from the White House podium at an off-camera briefing, spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders did not dispute the president's claim that it would be a 'violation' if Mueller were to probe alleged Trump financial ties to Russia.

President Trump said if Mueller were to probe his business or family it would be a 'violation' He is pictured with children Ivanka, Donald Jr., and Eric in January

'The president is making clear that the special counsel should not move outside of the scope of the investigation,' Sanders said last month.

She said the president had 'no intention' of firing Mueller, although she said he has the right to do so.

She went on to say that the president is frustrated' with the 'witch hunt' of the Russia investigation.

Mueller's Russia probe is casting a wide net that examines an array ofTrump business transactions  exactly the direction the president said in a new interview would be a 'violation.'

Mueller began his probe under a mandate from Deputy Attorney Rod Rosenstein to investigate Trump associates' Russia contacts  as well as 'any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation.'

A new Bloomberg News report states that Mueller is probing a skein of business transactions, from Trump condo sales to large number of wealthy Russians, the 2013 Miss Universe pageant which was held in Moscow, and Trump's sale of a $95 million mansion to a Russian oligarch.

Trump has denied any collusion between his campaign and Russia and called the investigation a witch hunt

'No, I think thats a violation,' Trump said, asked if Mueller were to look at his finances or family finances unrelated to Russia.

'Look, this is about Russia. So I think if he wants to go, my finances are extremely good, my company is an unbelievably successful company. And actually, when I do my filings, people say, Man' Trump responded.

After praising his company, he added: 'But I have no income from Russia. I dont do business with Russia.'

The president previously denied attempting to influence the investigation when it was in the hands of former director Comey. Comey said he felt pressure to drop the probe and claimed that the president had told him to ease off disgraced National Security Adviser General Michael Flynn.

Trump also said this week that he thought it was 'unfair' for Attorney General Sessions to have taken the role only to step away from the investigation afterwards.
John Ibrahim's brothers spent Monday afternoon partying on a luxury yacht in Dubai, blissfully unaware a sophisticated police sting would soon see them handcuffed and behind bars.

Moments after the multi-million dollar boat docked in the city's prestigious marina district, officers swooped, taking Fahdi and Michael Ibrahim, along with two others, into custody.

Stephen Elmir and underworld figure Mustapha Dib, who walked free from jail in February 2016 after his murder conviction was quashed, were also arrested.

John Ibrahim's (right) brothers Michael (centre) and Fahdi (not pictured) spent Monday afternoon partying on a luxury yacht in Dubai. They were arrested after the boat docked. Pictured left is oldest brother Hassan 'Sam' Ibrahim, an ex-bikie boss who has no reported involvement in Tuesday's raids and arrests

The men had spent the day on a sun-drenched cruise along a stretch of Persian Gulf shoreline which has become a playground for the rich and famous (stock image of a boat party in Dubai)

The area has become renowned for alcohol-fuelled parties, with Western expatriates making the most of Dubai's year-round sunshine

The men had spent the day on a sun-drenched cruise along a stretch of Persian Gulf shoreline which has become a playground for the rich and famous.

On Monday, theirs was one of dozens of multi-million dollar yachts to dock at the opulent marina, surrounded by glistening skyscrapers and man-made waterways.

The area has become renowned for alcohol-fuelled parties, with Western expatriates making the most of Dubai's year-round sunshine outnumbering the locals.

After the cruise, three of the four men are believed to have planned a lavish dinner at one of the many trendy restaurants along the waterway, but they never made it.

The Dubai Police Force and the Australian Federal Police had been watching their every move and made the dramatic arrests before they could take their seats.

The party was over.

The area (pictured in 2015) is surrounded by glistening skyscrapers and man-made waterways

Above, a stock image of a man diving into a hotel pool in the marina neighborhood of Dubai

After the cruise, three of the four men are believed to have planned a lavish dinner at one of the many trendy restaurants along the waterway

Extradition proceedings from Dubai are underway and are expected to be completed within 60 days.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan said there was perception among organised crime syndicates that a person is 'untouchable' once they are overseas.

'Our international partners, one day, will come knocking on your door... This is only the beginning,' he said on Tuesday.

John Ibrahim (left) is seen with brother Michael (second from right), son Daniel (right), and friend Margaret Staltaro

Moments after the multi-million dollar boat docked in Dubai's prestigious marina district, officers swooped, taking Fahdi and Michael Ibrahim, along with two others, into custody

Mustapha Dib, who walked free from jail in February 2016 after his murder conviction was quashed, was also arrested in Dubai

The AFP began investigating two inter-related crime syndicates in mid-2016, with information they were working with criminals in Dubai and the Netherlands.

Middle Eastern Crime Squad and Australian Federal Police officers conducted dawn raids on 32 homes scattered across Sydney on Tuesday, issuing 52 warrants.

Investigators arrested 17 people in three countries - nine men and one woman in Sydney, five men in Dubai and two men in The Netherlands.

The raids mark the biggest police operation on organised crime in the last ten years.

Extradition proceedings from Dubai (pictured) are expected to be completed within 60 days

Notorious Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim (pictured in 2010) is not under suspicion

Police seized 1.8 tonnes of ecstasy, 136kg of cocaine, 15kg of methamphetamines and $5.45m - allegedly proceeds of crime.

The drugs, with an estimated street value of $810 million, had been stopped from entering Australia by authorities in the Netherlands.

Notorious Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim is not under suspicion, despite his luxury eastern suburbs house being raided on Tuesday.

He flew into Sydney late on Monday night after holidaying in Los Angeles for a week.

It's believed he was at his home when officers executed the early morning search warrant.

John Ibrahim's Dover Heights residence (pictured) was raided by Federal Police on Tuesday morning
Australia's chief law officer predicts gay marriage will be legal by Christmas.

Attorney-General George Brandis has made the prediction as the Turnbull Government prepares to hold a voluntary postal vote on redefining marriage.

Asked by ABC 7.30 host Leigh Sales if gay marriage would be legalised by Christmas, Senator Brandis said, 'Yes, I do.'

Scroll down for video

Attorney-General George Brandis predicts gay marriage will become law by Christmas

ABC host Leigh Sales asked Senator George Brandis if he saw gay marriage happening in 2017

The former barrister, who supports gay marriage, predicted more people would vote 'yes' than 'no' if there was a compulsory plebiscite or a voluntary postal vote.

'My prediction, and it's only a prediction, is that in the plebiscite, whichever of the two forms it takes, more people will vote yes than no,' Senator Brandis said on Tuesday night.

'The Prime Minister has said that in the event that there is a 'yes' vote in the plebiscite, he will facilitate a parliamentary vote on a bill to reform the Marriage Act before Christmas.'

The Brisbane-based attorney-general made the prediction on the eve of a parliamentary vote on Wednesday, which rejected a government plan for a compulsory plebiscite.

Gay marriage supporters rallied in Sydney over the eve of a Liberal Party meeting on the issue

Labor, the Greens and crossbenchers vote against the bill in the Senate.

However, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is instead proceeding with a voluntary postal vote.

Ballot papers are expected to be posted from September 12 with voters given until November 7 to return their ballots and a result declared on November 15.

If there is a majority 'yes' vote in the $122 million poll, the parliament would debate and vote on a private member's bill to change marriage laws in the final sittings for the year.

Gay Liberal senator Dean Smith was agitating for a conscience vote on gay marriage

However, if the result is 'no' the government won't take any action, leaving it to renegade Liberal MPs and Labor to bring on a bill for debate if they want to pursue it.

The postal vote compromise is a political fix to fulfill an election promise for a plebiscite, which right-wing Liberal MPs including former prime minister Tony Abbott want.

Gay Liberal politicians, including Dean Smith, Trevor Evans, Trent Zimmerman and Tim Wilson, have been pushing for their side of politics to be allowed a conscience vote on the issue.

However, an emergency Monday night meeting of Liberal MPs and senators rejected their position, voting to stick with the plebiscite promise taken to the 2016 election.
Senator Penny Wong delivered an emotional speech to the Senate on Wednesday after a postal plebiscite was announced by the government.

Senator Wong became the first Australian politician to be in an openly same-sex relationship. She has a daughter named Alexandra with her partner Sophie Allouache.

Addressing the Senate, Wong said of the plebiscite 'this ain't a respectful debate.'

'Have a read of some of the things which are said about us and our families, then come back and tell us this is a unifying moment,' Senator Wong said.

Senator Penny Wong delivered an emotional speech to the Senate on Wednesday after a postal plebiscite was announced by the government

Senator Wong (right) became the first Australian politician to be in an openly same-sex relationship. She has a daughter named Alexandra (left) with her partner Sophie Allouache (center)

'Have a read of some of the things which are said about us and our families, then come back and tell us this is a unifying moment,' Senator Wong said

'The Australian Christian Lobby described our children as the stolen generation. We love our children and I object, as do every person, who cares about children as do all the same-sex couples in this country.

'To being told our children are the stolen generation.

'You talk about unifying moments? This isn't a unifying moment, it's exposing our children to that kind of hatred.'

A postal plebiscite has been confirmed after the Senate rejected the same-sex marriage vote for a second time.

The plebiscite could happen as early as September 12, and would be returned as early as November 7.

Senator Wong became the first Australian politician to be in an openly same-sex relationship. She has a daughter named Alexandra with her partner Sophie Allouache

'The Australian Christian Lobby described our children as the stolen generation. We love our children and I object, as do every person, who cares about children as do all the same-sex couples in this country'

A postal plebiscite has been confirmed after the Senate rejected the same-sex marriage vote for a second time

Same-sex marriage advocates announced Wednesday they will challenge the postal plebiscite at the High Court.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie will lead the opposition to the involuntary vote.

LGBTQI activist Shelley Argent says the postal plebiscite is 'the last straw' and is 'designed to fail.'

The Australian public will be able to formally voice their support for the issue later this year through the postal vote. It is non-compulsory and non-binding, and is expected to cost up to $122 million.

They will get the opportunity to express their view, fulfilling the commitment we made at the election,' Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in a press conference on Tuesday.

'We will hold a postal vote on this issue asking the same question, in which all Australians will have their say.'

Turnbull said both the Liberal and National Party 'overwhelmingly support' the postal vote and the commitment to the outcome.

If a majority vote 'yes' same-sex marriage could be legalised as early as next year. The Prime Minister said he and his wife will be voting 'yes'.

Turnbull said both the Liberal and National Party 'overwhelmingly support' the postal vote and the commitment to the outcome

'You talk about unifying moments? This isn't a unifying moment, it's exposing our children to that kind of hatred,' Senator Wong said

The plebiscite could happen as early as September 12, and would be returned as early as November 7

'The government believes that we have a constitutional and legal right to keep faith with our commitment to the Australian people to let them have their say on whether or not the definition of marriage should be changed,' Senate Deputy Leader Mathias Cormann said.

What happens next? Postal plebiscite could be held as early as September 12 If plebiscite returns majority 'yes' a private member's bill to change the Marriage Act will be brought before Parliament All MPs would vote on the bill to legalise same-sex marriage If plebiscite returns majority 'no' vote the Coalition will not seek an amendment bill Labor have promised to legislate same-sex marriage should they win the next election Advertisement

The Finance Minister said he will appropriate $295 million towards the plebiscite, which he says is 'more than enough' to fund the postal vote.

Turnbull turned the blame on Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for the plebiscite not already being held.

'You heard me again say again and again that every Australian will have a say on this issue. Now, we have sought to have a compulsory attendance plebiscite,' the prime minister said.

The only reason it has not been held is because of Bill Shorten's opposition. If he had not opposed it it would have been held in February and in my view it would have been carried, in which case same-sex marriage by now would have been legal for some time.'

If a majority vote 'yes' same-sex marriage could be legalised as early as next year. The Prime Minister said he and his wife will be voting 'yes'

Turnbull said both the Liberal and National Party 'overwhelmingly support' the postal vote and the commitment to the outcome

If a majority vote 'yes' same-sex marriage could be legalised as early as next year

The Labor Party are questioning the legality of a postal vote with the Coalition needing to use Commonwealth money to fund the plebiscite.

'The Commonwealth can't spend money without legislation in the Parliament authorising the expenditure of that money, unless it's part of the ordinary activities of a department,' Shadow Attorney General Mark Dreyfus told Sky News today.

'On no view could the conduct of a national voluntary postal vote be seen as part of the ordinary activities of any of the commonwealth departments.'

Liberal members attending a special meeting in Canberra on Monday stood by the policy taken to the 2016 election for a national vote on changing marriage laws.

If the postal ballot comes back with a majority 'yes', a private member's bill will go to parliament, with Liberal members exercising a free vote on it.

Crossbencher Derryn Hinch has already vowed to block the revived plebiscite push, saying the issue should be resolved through a conscience vote.
Carmel Johnson takes 30 pills and suffers 50 debilitating symptoms a day after being diagnosed with a genetic lifelong disability called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

The ambitious 23-year-old has suspended her degree at the University of Adelaide and turned down a dream scholarship following her diagnosis of a connective tissue disorder that has triggered a whole host of other chronic conditions.

Ms Johnson has suffered a range of serious illnesses since she was five-years-old and now faces a financial battle to afford her medical bills, according to her GoFundMe page.

Carmel Johnson, 23, (pictured) was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome leading to other chronic illnesses

Ms Johnson has started a GoFundMe page to help with the medical expenses

Johnson needs mobility aids, a walking stick to stand and vital medication for her late stage neorological Lyme-like Disease, Myalgic Encephalopathy and Dysautonomia that cost her up to $600 a month.

'I take about 30 pills a day to manage my conditions. I also have liquid medications and as needed,' she wrote on GoFundMe.

'Without them I would be bedridden. I am currently treating my M.E. and Lyme with a natural antibiotic. I have several specialists that perform consultations, tests and treatments that are very expensive.

'I use a walking stick or a walker to get around. I need help doing the smallest of tasks like showering, shopping or using stairs.'

However, despite a host of illnesses and expensive bills at such a young age, Johnson has had issues with applying for a disability payment with Centrelink, according to The Advertiser.

The brave woman gathered her medical history and documents and was wheeled into Centrelink, with the help of her mum - to apply for disability payment support - but her claim was rejected a week later, according to the publication.

Ms Johnson was reportedly initially denied welfare payments from Centrelink before the situation is believed to have been amended

'Later we got a call and they said 'your claim has been rejected, you didn't have enough evidence'. They said 'we need you to come in for an appointment to talk about getting a job',' she told the publication.

Since being contacted by Daily Mail Australia Centrelink have contacted Johnson and have claimed to have rectified the application.

'The department has been in contact with this person to ensure they are appropriately supported,' a Department of Human Services spokesperson said.

'We require any available supporting medical evidence about a persons disability, injury or illness to ensure the assessment for Disability Support Pension eligibility is comprehensive and considers all available information.

'Generally we cannot assess medical eligibility for Disability Support Pension where claimants do not provide medical evidence with their claim.'

Centrelink said Disability Support Pension payment is often denied because 'criteria' are often not met, but it will seek to help a person achieve the application if they are struggling to provide evidence.

Ms Johnson has to take 30 pills a day to help her stay active

Johnson wrote since the generous donations on the GoFundMe page she has been able to afford a second-hand wheelchair, which has brightened her spirits.

'I really appreciate you guys giving me my freedom! Going out for a ride with friends and family in the sunshine does wonders for my mental health,' she wrote.

The motivated university student wishes to finish her International Development degree and start an NGO in Indonesia and Australia to give back to those struggling with disabilities and chronic illnesses.
Video footage has caught the moment a stage show depicting a deadly earthquake is struck by a real jolt.

The stage show about the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake was being held in Jiuzhaigou, China's Sichuan province when the quake struck yesterday.

Members of the audience at the time thought that the shakes were special effects.

The audience appear to be unaware of the fact that the earthquake is happening

As soon as the actor says 'watch out', the stage can be seen shaking and moving and those on the stage can be seen fleeing for their lives.

The audience however appear to be calmer, thinking that it is all part of the experience.

Two strong earthquakes have rattled China in the past 24 hours leaving at least 19 dead and 247 injured.

The death toll is from the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit a remote, mountainous part of southwest China's Sichuan province.

New pictures show people queuing up to donate blood.

Queuing to donate: Citizens donate blood after Jiuzhaigou 7.0-magnitude earthquake

19 people have died and 247 have been injured in the quake which stuck

A rescuer is seen in the debris of a building devastated in the 6.6 magnitude earthquake

Residents stay outside at the Yangguang Meiju residential area in quake-hit Jinghe County

A few hours later a 6.6 magnitude earthquake rocked northwest China's Xinjiang province however no casualties were reported.

The Xinjiang earthquake hit on Wednesday morning just hours after the quake in Sichuan.

No casualties have been reported but video footage shows the sheer damage and destruction in the area.

A shop is in chaos after an earthquake hit Jinghe County, northwest China

Residents stay outside at the Jinfu community in quake-hit Jinghe County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Chinese rescuers evacuate local residents from the quake-hit area after the earthquake

Rescuers check a house damaged in earthquake in Jinghe County

The U.S Geological Survey put the magnitude of the quake at 6.3.

Residents several hundred kilometres away in Urumqi felt the strong tremors which lasted around 20 seconds.

Xinjiang is China's most remote region but an important source of oil, natural gas and coal.

Workers in Sichuan rescue tourists, who were injured in the 7.0-magnitude earthquake

Chinese paramilitary police take care of a survivor after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck a remote, mountainous part Sichuan in China's southwest on Tuesday night

The quake hit a sparsely populated area 200 km (120 miles) northwest of the city of Guangyuan late on Tuesday at a depth of 10 km (6 miles)

In southwest China's Sichuan province, the recovery operation is underway after the area was hit by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

It was close to the Jiuzhaigou nature reserve, a popular tourist destination.

According to China News Service, six of those killed in the quake are tourists.

While state media claimed that 31,500 tourists had been evacuated from the quake zone.

A crack, caused by an earthquake, is seen on a road in Jiuzhaigou on Wednesday following the damaging natural disaster

A bus is destroyed by falling stones on the S301 highway in quake-hit Jiuzhaigou County

Chinese paramilitary police search for survivors after the earthquake. China says 19 people, including six tourists, were killed and 247 were injured

A woman was being treated at Jiuzhaigou County Hospital on Wednesday. She was among the 175 injured by the earthquake

The Sichuan earthquake administration, which also measured the quake at a magnitude of 7.0, said the epicentre of the tremor was in Ngawa prefecture, which is largely populated by ethnic Tibetans, many of whom are nomadic herders.

The area was rattled by a number of aftershocks on Wednesday.

Pictures on state-run social media sites showed some damage in Jiuzhaigou, with tiles having fallen from buildings and people gathering outdoors.

Chinese rescuers carry a survivor, who was injured in the 7.0-magnitude earthquake

At least 19 people were killed and 247 others were injured after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake

Over 770 aftershocks were detected in the area as rescue and relief work is still underway

State television said electricity had now largely been restored to the affected areas and the military was also sending rescuers to help with relief efforts. Jiuzhaigou airport was operating as normal after the runway was checked for damage.

The Sichuan government said on one of its official social media sites that more than 38,000 tourists were currently visiting Jiuzhaigou.

Police help an injured man at Jiuzhaigou County Hospital on Wednesday

Police rush to get an earthquake survivor help after the 7.0 magnitude quake hit on Tuesday

A tour bus damaged during an earthquake is seen in Jiuzhaigou. The earthquake struck close to the Jiuzhaigou nature reserve - a tourist destination

Shaking was felt in the provincial capital, Chengdu, and as far away as Xi'an, home of the famous terracotta warrior figures, according to users of Chinese social media.

Situated in south-west China on the edge of Tibetan Plateau, Sichuan Province is prone to earthquakes, and most of the quakes seem to take place in the Longmen Mountain fracture zone in Western part of Sichuan.

In May 2008, a Magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Wenchuan, Sichuan, killing nearly 70,000 people.

A car is damaged after it is hit by falling rocks in the 7.0 earthquake, where thousands may have been injured

The quake occurred near Jiuzhai Valley, a famous national park, in the western part of the country
Google's Ideological Echo Chamber

How bias clouds our thinking about diversity and inclusion

go/pc-considered-harmful

James Damore - damore@

July 2017

Feel free to comment (they aren't disabled, the doc may just be overloaded).

For longer form discussions see g/pc-harmful-discuss

Reply to public response and misrepresentation: 1

TL;DR: 2

Background: 2

Google's biases: 2

Possible non bias causes of the gender gap in tech: 3

Personality differences: 4

Men's higher drive for status: 5

Non discriminatory ways to reduce the gender gap: 5

The harm of Google's biases: 6

Why we're blind: 7

Suggestions: 8

Reply to public response and misrepresentation

I value diversity and inclusion, am not denying that sexism exists, and don't endorse using stereotypes. When addressing the gap in representation in the population, we need to look at population level differences in distributions. If we can't have an honest discussion about this, then we can never truly solve the problem.

Psychological safety is built on mutual respect and acceptance, but unfortunately our culture of shaming and misrepresentation is disrespectful and unaccepting of anyone outside its echo chamber.

Despite what the public response seems to have been, I've gotten manypersonal messages from fellow Googlers expressing their gratitude for bringing up these very important issues which they agree with but would never have the courage to say or defend because of our shaming culture and the possibility of being fired. This needs to change.

TL;DR

Google's political bias has equated the freedom from offense with psychological safety, but shaming into silence is the antithesis of psychological safety.

This silencing has created an ideological echo chamber where some ideas are too sacred to be honestly discussed.

The lack of discussion fosters the most extreme and authoritarian elements of this ideology.

 Extreme: all disparities in representation are due to oppression

 Authoritarian: we should discriminate to correct for this oppression

Differences in distributions of traits between men and women may in part explain why we don't have 50% representation of women in tech and leadership.

Discrimination to reach equal representation is unfair, divisive, and bad for business.

Background (1)

People generally have good intentions, but we all have biases which are invisible to us.

Thankfully, open and honest discussion with those who disagree can highlight our blind spots and help us grow, which is why I wrote this document (2).

Google has several biases and honest discussion about these biases is being silenced by the dominant ideology.

What follows is by no means the complete story, but it's a perspective that desperately needs to be told at Google.

Google's biases

At Google, we talk so much about unconscious bias as it applies to race and gender, but we rarely discuss our moral biases. Political orientation is actually a result of deep moral preferences and thus biases.

Considering that the overwhelming majority of the social sciences, media, and Google lean left, we should critically examine these prejudices:



Left biases Right biases Compassion for the weak

Disparities are due to injustices

Humans are inherently cooperative

Change is good (instable)

Open

Idealist Respect for the strong/authority

Disparities are natural and just

Humans are inherently competitive

Change is dangerous (stable)

Closed

Pragmatic

Footnotes:

1. This document is mostly written from the perspective of Google's Mountain View campus, I can't speak about other offices or countries.

2. Of course, I may be biased and only see evidence that supports my viewpoint. In terms of political biases, I consider myself a classical liberal and strongly value individualism and reason. I'd be very happy to discuss any of the document further and provide more citations.

Neither side is 100% correct and both viewpoints are necessary for a functioning society or, in this case, company. A company too far to the right may be slow to react, overly hierarchical, and untrusting of others. In contrast, a company too far to the left will constantly be changing (deprecating much loved services), over diversify its interests (ignoring or being ashamed of its core business), and overly trust its employees and competitors.

Only facts and reason can shed light on these biases, but when it comes to diversity and inclusion, Google's left bias has created a politically correct monoculture that maintains its hold by shaming dissenters into silence. This silence removes any checks against encroaching extremist and authoritarian policies. For the rest of this document, I'll concentrate on the extreme stance that all differences in outcome are due to differential treatment and the authoritarian element that's required to actually discriminate to create equal representation.

Possible non-bias causes of the gender gap in tech (3)

At Google, we're regularly told that implicit (unconscious) and explicit biases are holding women back in tech and leadership. Of course, men and women experience bias, tech, and the workplace differently and we should be cognizant of this, but it's far from the whole story.

On average, men and women biologically differ in many ways. These differences aren't just socially constructed because:

 They're universal across human cultures

 They often have clear biological causes and links to prenatal testosterone

 Biological males that were castrated at birth and raised as females often still identify and act like males

 The underlying traits are highly heritable

 They're exactly what we would predict from an evolutionary psychology perspective

Note, I'm not saying that all men differ from all women in the following ways or that these differences are 'just.' I'm simply stating that the distribution of preferences and abilities of men and women differ in part due to biological causes and that these differences may explain why we don't see equal representation of women in tech and leadership. Many of these differences are small and there's significant overlap between men and women, so you can't say anything about an individual given these population level distributions.

3: Throughout the document, by 'tech', I mostly mean software engineering.

Personality differences

Women, on average, have more:

Openness directed towards feelings and aesthetics rather than ideas. Women generally also have a stronger interest in people rather than things, relative to men (also interpreted as empathizing vs. systemizing).

These two differences in part explain why women relatively prefer jobs in social or artistic areas. More men may like coding because it requires systemizing and even within SWEs, comparatively more women work on front end, which deals with both people and aesthetics.

Extraversion expressed as gregariousness rather than assertiveness. Also, higher agreeableness.

This leads to women generally having a harder time negotiating salary, asking for raises, speaking up, and leading. Note that these are just average differences and there's overlap between men and women, but this is seen solely as a women's issue. This leads to exclusory programs like Stretch and swaths of men without support.

Neuroticism (higher anxiety, lower stress tolerance).

This may contribute to the higher levels of anxiety women report on Googlegeist and to the lower number of women in high stress jobs.

Note that contrary to what a social constructionist would argue, research suggests that 'greater nation-level gender equality leads to psychological dissimilarity in men's and women's personality traits.' Because as 'society becomes more prosperous and more egalitarian, innate dispositional differences between men and women have more space to develop and the gap that exists between men and women in their personality traits becomes wider.' We need to stop assuming that gender gaps imply sexism.

Men's higher drive for status

We always ask why we don't see women in top leadership positions, but we never ask why we see so many men in these jobs. These positions often require long, stressful hours that may not be worth it if you want a balanced and fulfilling life.

Status is the primary metric that men are judged on4, pushing many men into these higher paying, less satisfying jobs for the status that they entail. Note, the same forces that lead men into high pay/high stress jobs in tech and leadership cause men to take undesirable and dangerous jobs like coal mining, garbage collection, and firefighting, and suffer 93% of work-related deaths.

Non-discriminatory ways to reduce the gender gap

Below I'll go over some of the differences in distribution of traits between men and women that I outlined in the previous section and suggest ways to address them to increase women's representation in tech without resorting to discrimination. Google is already making strides in many of these areas, but I think it's still instructive to list them:

Women on average show a higher interest in people and men in things

We can make software engineering more people-oriented with pair programming and more collaboration. Unfortunately, there may be limits to how people-oriented certain roles at Google can be and we shouldn't deceive ourselves or students into thinking otherwise (some of our programs to get female students into coding might be doing this).

 Women on average are more cooperative

Allow those exhibiting cooperative behavior to thrive. Recent updates to Perf may be doing this to an extent, but maybe there's more we can do.

This doesn't mean that we should remove all competitiveness from Google. Competitiveness and self reliance can be valuable traits and we shouldn't necessarily disadvantage those that have them, like what's been done in education.

 Women on average are more prone to anxiety

4: For heterosexual romantic relationships, men are more strongly judged by status and women by beauty. Again, this has biological origins and is culturally universal.

Make tech and leadership less stressful. Google already partly does this with its many stress reduction courses and benefits.

Women on average look for more work-life balance while men have a higher drive for status on average

Unfortunately, as long as tech and leadership remain high status, lucrative careers, men may disproportionately want to be in them. Allowing and truly endorsing (as part of our culture) part time work though can keep more women in tech.

The male gender role is currently inflexible

Feminism has made great progress in freeing women from the female gender role, but men are still very much tied to the male gender role. If we, as a society, allow men to be more 'feminine,' then the gender gap will shrink, although probably because men will leave tech and leadership for traditionally 'feminine' roles.

Philosophically, I don't think we should do arbitrary social engineering of tech just to make it appealing to equal portions of both men and women. For each of these changes, we need principled reasons for why it helps Google; that is, we should be optimizing for Googlewith Google's diversity being a component of that. For example, currently those willing to work extra hours or take extra stress will inevitably get ahead and if we try to change that too much, it may have disastrous consequences. Also, when considering the costs and benefits, we should keep in mind that Google's funding is finite so its allocation is more zero-sum than is generally acknowledged.

The harm of Google's biases

I strongly believe in gender and racial diversity, and I think we should strive for more. However, to achieve a more equal gender and race representation, Google has created several discriminatory practices:

Programs, mentoring, and classes only for people with a certain gender or race (5)

A high priority queue and special treatment for 'diversity' candidates

Hiring practices which can effectively lower the bar for 'diversity' candidates by decreasing the false negative rate

Reconsidering any set of people if it's not 'diverse' enough, but not showing that same scrutiny in the reverse direction (clear confirmation bias)

Setting org level OKRs for increased representation which can incentivize illegal discrimination (6)

5 Stretch, BOLD, CSSI, Engineering Practicum (to an extent), and several other Google funded internal and external programs are for people with a certain gender or race.

6 Instead set Googlegeist OKRs, potentially for certain demographics. We can increase representation at an org level by either making it a better environment for certain groups (which would be seen in survey scores) or discriminating based on a protected status (which is illegal and I've seen it done). Increased representation OKRs can incentivize the latter and create zero-sum struggles between orgs.

These practices are based on false assumptions generated by our biases and can actually increase race and gender tensions. We're told by senior leadership that what we're doing is both the morally and economically correct thing to do, but without evidence this is just veiled left ideology (7) that can irreparably harm Google.

Why we're blind

We all have biases and use motivated reasoning to dismiss ideas that run counter to our internal values. Just as some on the Right deny science that runs counter to the 'God > humans > environment' hierarchy (e.g., evolution and climate change), the Left tends to deny science concerning biological differences between people (e.g., IQ (8) and sex differences). Thankfully, climate scientists and evolutionary biologists generally aren't on the right. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of humanities and social sciences lean left (about 95%), which creates enormous confirmation bias, changes what's being studied, and maintains myths like social constructionism and the gender wage gap (9) . Google's left leaning makes us blind to this bias and uncritical of its results, which we're using to justify highly politicized programs.

In addition to the Left's affinity for those it sees as weak, humans are generally biased towards protecting females. As mentioned before, this likely evolved because males are biologically disposable and because women are generally more cooperative and agreeable than men. We have extensive government and Google programs, fields of study, and legal and social norms to protect women, but when a man complains about a gender issue issue affecting men, he's labelled as a misogynist and a whiner (10). Nearly every difference between men and women is interpreted as a form of women's oppression. As with many things in life, gender differences are often a case of 'grass being greener on the other side'; unfortunately, taxpayer and Google money is being spent to water only one side of the lawn.

7: Communism promised to be both morally and economically superior to capitalism, but every attempt became morally corrupt and an economic failure. As it became clear that the working class of the liberal democracies wasn't going to overthrow their 'capitalist oppressors,' the Marxist intellectuals transitioned from class warfare to gender and race politics. The core oppressor-oppressed dynamics remained, but now the oppressor is the 'white, straight, cis-gendered patriarchy.'

8: Ironically, IQ tests were initially championed by the Left when meritocracy meant helping the victims of aristocracy.

9: Yes, in a national aggregate, women have lower salaries than men for a variety of reasons. For the same work though, women get paid just as much as men. Considering women spend more money than men and that salary represents how much the employee sacrifices (e.g. more hours, stress, and danger), we really need to rethink our stereotypes around power.

10: 'The traditionalist system of gender does not deal well with the idea of men needing support. Men are expected to be strong, to not complain, and to deal with problems on their own. Men's problems are more often seen as personal failings rather than victimhood, due to our gendered idea of agency. This discourages men from bringing attention to their issues (whether individual or group-wide issues), for fear of being seen as whiners, complainers, or weak.'

This same compassion for those seen as weak creates political correctness11, which constrains discourse and is complacent to the extremely sensitive PC-authoritarians that use violence and shaming to advance their cause. While Google hasn't harbored the violent leftist protests that we're seeing at universities, the frequent shaming in TGIF and in our culture has created the same silent, psychologically unsafe environment.

Suggestions

I hope it's clear that I'm not saying that diversity is bad, that Google or society is 100% fair, that we shouldn't try to correct for existing biases, or that minorities have the same experience of those in the majority. My larger point is that we have an intolerance for ideas and evidence that don't fit a certain ideology. I'm also not saying that we should restrict people to certain gender roles; I'm advocating for quite the opposite: treat people as individuals, not as just another member of their group (tribalism).

My concrete suggestions are to:

De-moralize diversity.

As soon as we start to moralize an issue, we stop thinking about it in terms of costs and benefits, dismiss anyone that disagrees as immoral, and harshly punish those we see as villains to protect the 'victims.'

Stop alienating conservatives.

Viewpoint diversity is arguably the most important type of diversity and political orientation is one of the most fundamental and significant ways in which people view things differently.

In highly progressive environments, conservatives are a minority that feel like they need to stay in the closet to avoid open hostility. We should empower those with different ideologies to be able to express themselves.

Alienating conservatives is both non-inclusive and generally bad business because conservatives tend to be higher in conscientiousness, which is required for much of the drudgery and maintenance work characteristic of a mature company.

Confront Google's biases.

I've mostly concentrated on how our biases cloud our thinking about diversity and inclusion, but our moral biases are farther reaching than that.

I would start by breaking down Googlegeist scores by political orientation and personality to give a fuller picture into how our biases are affecting our culture.

Stop restricting programs and classes to certain genders or races.

These discriminatory practices are both unfair and divisive. Instead focus on some of the non-discriminatory practices I outlined.

11: Political correctness is defined as the avoidance of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against, which makes it clear why its a phenomenon of the Left and a tool of authoritarians.

Have an open and honest discussion about the costs and benefits of our diversity programs.

Discriminating just to increase the representation of women in tech is as misguided and biased as mandating increases for womens representation in the homeless, work-related and violent deaths, prisons, and school dropouts.

Theres currently very little transparency into the extent of our diversity programs which keeps it immune to criticism from those outside its ideological echo chamber.

These programs are highly politicized which further alienates non-progressives.

I realize that some of our programs may be precautions against government accusations of discrimination, but that can easily backfire since they incentivize illegal discrimination.

Focus on psychological safety, not just race/gender diversity.

We should focus on psychological safety, which has shown positive effects and should (hopefully) not lead to unfair discrimination.

We need psychological safety and shared values to gain the benefits of diversity.

Having representative viewpoints is important for those designing and testing our products, but the benefits are less clear for those more removed from UX.

De-emphasize empathy.

Ive heard several calls for increased empathy on diversity issues. While Istrongly support trying to understand how and why people think the way they do, relying on affective empathyfeeling anothers paincauses us to focus on anecdotes, favor individuals similar to us, and harbor other irrational and dangerous biases. Being emotionally unengaged helps us better reason about the facts.

Prioritize intention.

Our focus on microaggressions and other unintentional transgressions increases our sensitivity, which is not universally positive: sensitivity increases both our tendency to take offence and our self censorship, leading to authoritarian policies. Speaking up without the fear of being harshly judged is central to psychological safety, but these practices can remove that safety by judging unintentional transgressions.

Microaggression training incorrectly and dangerously equates speech with violence and isnt backed by evidence.

Be open about the science of human nature.

Once we acknowledge that not all differences are socially constructed or due to discrimination, we open our eyes to a more accurate view of the human condition which is necessary if we actually want to solve problems.

Reconsider making Unconscious Bias training mandatory for promo committees.

We havent been able to measure any effect of our Unconscious Bias training and it has the potential for overcorrecting or backlash, especially if made mandatory.

Some of the suggested methods of the current training (v2.3) are likely useful, but the political bias of the presentation is clear from the factual inaccuracies and the examples shown.

Spend more time on the many other types of biases besides stereotypes.

Stereotypes are much more accurate and responsive to new information than the training suggests (Im not advocating for using stereotypes, I just pointing out the factual inaccuracy of whats said in the training).
A feisty Irish restaurant owner has slammed an Australian tourist who wrote a review complaining the jacket he left behind in the eatery had not been posted to Sydney.

The Australian tourist visited Eala Bhan in Sligo, north-west of the Republic of Ireland, but left his wind breaker in the restaurant.

When the owner failed to send it back straight away he left an angry review on TripAdvisor accusing the restaurateur of lacking integrity.

Fighting back: Anthony Gray (pictured) slammed an Australian tourist who wrote a review complaining the jacket he left behind in the eatery had not been posted to Sydney

An Australian tourist left his wind breaker and eyeglasses at a restaurant (pictured) in Ireland

Displeased by the three-star review - well below the 4.5 star average - irate owner Anthony Gray hit back mercilessly with a diatribe of his own.

'I apologise that I had not immediately sent your belongings back to Australia,' Mr Gray began.

'I should have done a Joe ninety on it and hot tailed it up to the local post office and made your jacket a priority but unfortunately these things don't always happen the way you may have planed,' (sic) he wrote.

The Sligo native then explained that he has young children 'running around the house like gladiators and tearing to pieces while not going to bed on time, rising like ninjas at dawn.' (sic)

TripAdvisor user 'Graham267' left a review (pictured) on Tripadvisor after leaving his jacket in a restaurant

The tourist left his credit card details so the owner could send the jacket from Sligo (pictured) to Sydney

'I should have pushed this way up my priority list but forgot and while all of this is going I'm very busy busting a gut here and in the UK promoting my beloved Sligo.'

Mr Gray then takes aim at the reviewer's accusations, calling him a hypocrite.

'I mean you are butchering my name insofar as my forgetfulness yet it was your forgetfulness that has us here!' he wrote.

Not content with the brutal takedown he had delivered thus far, the furious foodie turned his attention to his target's homeland.

'Finally I just checked the weather forecast in your part of sunny Australia and I reckon you will be fairly safe insofar as your lack of windbreaker......jaysus it's roasting in your spot boi!! You lucky duck!!!' (sic) he said.

Anthony Gray did not hold back in his response (pictured) which took aim at the reviewer and his fashion sense

Mr Gray then assured the forgetful man that his jacket was on the way.

'Your possessions are en route you will be glad to know!!! and as far as my honesty is concerned I'm not even going to charge your credit card for the post.'

The Irishman then winds up his rant with a final jab at the reviewer's fashion sense.

'Next time you visit the beautiful Emerald Isle and my County I'll bring you shopping locally for a new Wind breaker as far i see its a bit of a crime against fashion.' (sic)

Mailing a jacket from Sligo to Sydney using An Post, the Irish postal service, would cost at least $40.
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US defence secretary James Mattis has issued a dramatic ultimatum to North Korea to 'cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and destruction of its people'.

In a star warning he said: 'The DPRK should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people.

'The DPRK regime's actions will continue to be grossly overmatched by ours and would lose any arms race or conflict it initiates.'

His comments come amid fears the crisis over North Korea could spiral in to global war after Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un made unprecedented threats to trade devastating missile strikes.

President Trump tweeted that America's nuclear arsenal is 'far stronger and more powerful than ever before', adding: 'There will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!'

His remarks came after Pyongyang's volatile dictator warned he was 'carefully examining' plans to make 'an enveloping fire' around the US island of Guam, which is home to about 163,000 people and a sprawling American military base.

President Trump earlier made an apocalyptic warning that North Korea faces 'fire and fury like the world has never seen' over its nuclear program.

Scroll down for video

The world is holding its breath today amid fears the crisis over North Korea could spiral in to global war after Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un made unprecedented threats to trade devastating missile strikes

Two U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers from Guam's military base participated in a strategic bilaterial mission with South Korea and Japan hours before North Korea threatened to strike Guam. Pictured top left and right are the two B-1B Lancer bombers and bottom left and center are Japan Self-Defense Forces F-2 fighter jets near Kyushu, Japan during the mission

Pyongyang's volatile dictator (right) warned he was 'carefully examining' plans to make 'an enveloping fire' around the US island of Guam - hours after Donald Trump (left) had told the hermit state it faces 'fire and fury like the world has never seen' over its nuclear programme

Tens of thousands of North Koreans gathered for a rally at Kim Il Sung Square today carrying placards and propaganda slogans as a show of support for their rejection of the United Nations' latest round of sanctions

The 10-hour mission from Guam's Andersen Air Force Base (above) took place on Monday and was the first for the aircraft and crews recently deployed from South Dakota's Ellsworth Air Force Base to support U.S. Pacific Command's Continuous Bomber Presence missions

'How we train is how we fight and the more we interface with our allies, the better prepared we are to fight tonight,' one of the pilots with the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron B-1 said. Pictured above is a B-1B Lancer bombers taking off for the mission

The two bombers (above at take off) flew in the vicinity of Kyushu, Japan, the East China Sea, and the Korean peninsula. The U.S. released photos of the mission late Tuesday seemingly in response to North Korea's threat to strike Guam

The crews practiced intercept and formation training, which gave them an opportunity to improve their combined capabilities and tactical skills. Above a B-1B Lancer bomber is pictured during the mission

The fresh war of words comes weeks after Kim Jong-un carried out a test launch of its Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile (pictured)

America released images of supersonic bombers flying over the Korean peninsula while American airmen in Guam have said they are ready to 'fight tonight'. The North said the training mission 'proves that the U.S. imperialists are nuclear war maniacs'.

Kim Jong-un's officials today staged a rally in Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung Square where tens of thousands stood in organised rows interspersed with placards and slogans. The giant gathering was a response to tough new sanctions adopted by the UN and spearheaded by Washington.

As tensions escalated today, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson attempted to play down President Trump's earlier incendiary warning, saying he was just trying to send a strong message in language its leader would understand.

He explained: 'I think Americans should sleep well at night, have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days.'

He added: 'I think what the president was just reaffirming is that the United States has the capability to fully defend itself from any attack, and our allies, and we will do so.'

In his tweet earlier, Trump reaffirmed his threat from a day earlier by reposting video of him warning that Pyongyang would be 'met with fire and fury like the world has never seen' if it made more threats to the US.

He added: 'My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before....'

Kim, who boasts that his intercontinental rockets can reach the west coast of America, has warned the US that it would 'pay dearly' for UN sanctions it successfully imposed over the weekend, which were backed by China and Russia.

Amid heightened tensions in the region, Beijing staged 'large-scale' military exercises with dozens of ships, fighter jets and submarines adjacent to the Korean Peninsula on Monday - just months after moving 150,000 troops to its border with North Korea.

Russia, meanwhile, moved military equipment including helicopters and combat vehicles to its southern frontier with the hermit state earlier this year. Moscow has displayed its own frightening military strength at a war games event in Siberia this week and during a vast Navy Day parade in Vladivostok - about 100 miles from North Korean territory.

Guam, which is known as the 'Tip of the Spear', is home to thousands of American service members and their families at both Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam

North Korea said it is 'carefully examining' a plan to strike the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam with missiles. The strike plan will be 'put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment' once leader Kim Jong Un (file above) makes a decision

That announcement came just hours after President Donald Trump (above on Tuesday) delivered his fiercest warning yet to North Korea Tuesday afternoon

Kim, who boasts that his intercontinental rockets can reach the west coast of America, has warned the US that it would 'pay dearly' for UN sanctions it successfully imposed over the weekend, which were backed by China and Russia. The Russian President Vladimir Putin is pictured with fighter Vyacheslav Vasilevsky at the International Sambo Tournament In Sochi today

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson addressed the escalating tensions this morning, saying 'I do not believe that there is any imminent threat' from North Korea, and 'Americans should sleep well at night'

Kim Jong-un has angered the international community by test firing missiles into the sea between North Korea and Japan in recent weeks. Last year, the 33-year-old tyrant ordered the country's fifth nuclear test amid fears he has an arsenal of 60 bombs and has produced a miniaturized warhead for his missiles.

The isolated, Stalinist state often speaks of turning the capital of neighbour South Korea into a 'sea of fire' and frequently warns of 'merciless' and unprecedented attacks on its enemies, including nuclear strikes on the United States.

But Trump has responded with his own threats and told reporters on Tuesday: 'North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States.'

His tweets today read: 'My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before....

'...Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!'

In June, Trump sent the giant aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson and the USS Ronald Reagan to the Korean peninsula in a dramatic show of force with officials reiterating America's 'ironclad commitment' to protecting allies in South Korea in Japan. This was followed by a successful test of America's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Alaska two weeks ago.

Kim Jong-un's officials organised a mass rally in the centre of Pyongyang today to protest against tough new UN sanctions

Rows of men wearing North Korean badges held their fists in the air as they gathered for the rally in Pyongyang today

Kim Ki Nam, member of the Political Bureau and vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, told the crowd that 'the U.S. and its allies have fabricated a sanctions resolution again, taking over the United Nations while picking on our ICBM test launch'

Men and women stood under huge banners showing pictures of North Korean soldiers during the rally, ordered by Kim Jong-un's dictatorship

Tens of thousands of people packed Kim Il Sung Square in downtown Pyongyang for the event, which followed a familiar format of speeches from a balcony, with the crowd listening below, standing in organised rows interspersed with placards and slogans

Last night pictures emerged showing supersonic B-1B bombers flying out from Guam Air Force base. North Korea said the exercise 'proves that the U.S. imperialists are nuclear war maniacs'.

During a ten-hour mission on Monday, the aircraft flew from Guam's Andersen Air Force Base towards Kyushu, Japan, the East China Sea, and the Korean peninsula.

North Korea said the exercise 'proves that the U.S. imperialists are nuclear war maniacs' while officials in Guam say they have been reassured by the White House that 'America will be defended.'

HOW TENSIONS HAVE GROWN IN 12 MONTHS July 8, 2016: US and South Korea announce plans to deploy an advanced missile defence system -- THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) August 3, 2016: North Korea fires a ballistic missile directly into Japan's maritime economic zone for the first time September 9, 2016: North Korea carries out its fifth nuclear test March 6, 2017: North fires four ballistic missiles in what it says is an exercise to hit US bases in Japan March 7, 2017: US begins deploying THAAD missile defence system in South Korea May 14, 2017: North fires a ballistic missile which flies 700 kilometres before landing in the Sea of Japan. Analysts say it has an imputed range of 4,500 kilometres and brings Guam within reach June 1, 2017: US aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson and the USS Ronald Reagan carry out drills in the Sea of Japan July 4, 2017: North Korea test-fires a ballistic missile which flies 930 kilometres before landing in the Sea of Japan. Analysts say it has an imputed range of 6,700 km and brings Alaska within reach. Pyongyang later says it was a 'landmark' test of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). July 28, 2017: Kim Jong-un carries out a second intercontinental rocket launch test in under a month, sending a missile 1,000km before it splashes down in the waters off the Japanese coast. August 5, 2017: The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposes tough new sanctions on Pyongyang. North Korea responded, saying: 'The day the US dares tease our nation with a nuclear rod and sanctions, the mainland US will be catapulted into an unimaginable sea of fire.' Advertisement

But US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson - who is on a plane to Guam - addressed the escalating tensions this morning, saying 'I do not believe that there is any imminent threat' from North Korea, and 'Americans should sleep well at night'.

The bomber mission was the first for the aircraft and crews recently deployed from South Dakota's Ellsworth Air Force Base to support U.S. Pacific Command's Continuous Bomber Presence missions, Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs stated.

'How we train is how we fight and the more we interface with our allies, the better prepared we are to fight tonight,' one of the pilots with the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron B-1 said.

The crews practiced intercept and formation training, which gave them an opportunity to improve their combined capabilities and tactical skills.

'These flights with Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) demonstrate solidarity between Japan, ROK and the U.S. to defend against provocative and destabilizing actions in the Pacific theater,' according to a release from the Air Force.

Germany this morning urged North Korea and the United States to show 'restraint' following their mounting war of words.

'We are watching the increasing rhetorical escalation regarding the Korean Peninsula with the greatest concern,' foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer told reporters. 'That is why we call on all sides to use restraint.'

Schaefer said Berlin was convinced a 'military option' could not be 'the answer in the quest for a nuclear weapon-free Southeast Asia'.

He urged the international community to 'thoroughly implement' the latest round of sanctions against North Korea approved by the United Nations Security Council.

And he backed a call by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to resume talks with Pyongyang if it halts ballistic missile tests.

'We must all continue our diplomatic efforts - it is the only way to ensure that the threat of the illegal North Korean nuclear weapons programme can be contained,' he said.

Calling the situation on the Korean Peninsula 'complicated and sensitive', China's foreign ministry issued a statement warning that parties involved in the impasse should avoid 'words and actions that escalate the situation'.

The European Union said tensions over North Korea can only be resolved by peaceful means with foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini's spokeswoman saying the developments are 'of great concern to the EU.'

The U.S. released photos of its bomber training mission late on Tuesday - seemingly in response to North Korea's threat to strike Guam.

A spokesman for the Korean People's Army, in a statement carried by the North's state-run KCNA news agency, had said that its strike plan will be 'put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment' once leader Kim Jong Un makes a decision.

The remote island of Guam - a 210-square-mile dot 2,128 miles from North Korea in the Pacific - is a key US military outpost and home to some 6,000 US troops spread across facilities including the sprawling Anderson Air Force Base, as well as Naval Base Guam.

Roughly 28 per cent of the island is occupied by the U.S. military. The base houses bomber assurance and deterrence missions, including six B-52s which the air force says provide 'strategic global strike capability [to] deter potential adversaries and provide reassurance to allies' and that they are ready to go.

Tensions: North Korea frequently flexes its military muscle with displays of its rocket launchers and huge army in Pyongyang

Preparations: Russia carried out its own display of military strength this week during the International Army Games held in Siberia. A solders from Uzbekistan - one of the many countries invited to take part - is pictured in action

Russian tank T-72 opens fire during a 'safe route' exercise as a part of Army Games 2017 outside the town of Tyumen, Russia

Escalation: This image released by the US Navy shows the USS Ronald Reagan (front) and USS Carl Vinson (right, at the back) carrying out drills in the Sea of Japan in June

War games: Amid heightened tensions, Beijing staged 'large-scale' military exercises with dozens of ships, fighter jets and submarines adjacent to the Korean Peninsula on Monday - just months after moving 150,000 troops to its border with North Korea

The U.S. tested THAAD off the Alaskan coast in July, two days after North Korea successfully fired an intercontinental ballistic missile with a range long enough to hit America's mainland

Build up: Earlier this year, Putin moved tanks, helicopters and other combat vehicles to Russia's border with North Korea

Residents of the island expressed concern over North Korea's threat.

'The threat is pretty scary,' Graceful Fiden, 28, of Tumon, Guam told USA Today. 'It's going on further, so we should worry about it. I believe in the military on Guam, together with the U.S.'

Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defense office issued a statement Wednesday morning saying they are working with military officials to 'continue to monitor the recent events surrounding North Korean and their threatening actions.'

'As of this morning, we have not changed our stance in confidence that the U.S. Department of Defense is monitoring this situation very closely and is maintaining a condition of readiness, daily,' stated George Charfauros, Homeland Security adviser.

North Korea has sparked international outrage by continuing to test its missile capabilities. A comparison of its rockets is shown in this graphic

'We will continue to keep the public updated on any changes or requests for action. For now, we advise the community to remain calm, remember that there are defenses in place for threats such as North Korea and to continue to remain prepared for all hazards.'

The release stated that there is no imminent threat to the safety of Guam's 160,000 residents and visitors of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

In addition, Gov. Eddie Calvo said he had spoken to Joint Region Marianas Cmdr. Rear Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, who confirmed there was no immediate threat to Guam.

'My Homeland Security Advisor who is in communications with Homeland Security and Department of Defense notes that there is no change in threat level resulting from North Korea events,' Calvo said in a statement.

'Additionally, I have reached out to the White House this morning,' Calvo said.

'An attack or threat to Guam is a threat or attack on the United States. They have said that America will be defended.'

Earlier Tuesday, in another statement citing a different military spokesman, North Korea also said it could carry out a pre-emptive operation if the U.S. showed signs of provocation.

Earlier Pyongyang said it was ready to give Washington a 'severe lesson' with its strategic nuclear force in response to any U.S. military action.

The statement from the North comes after Trump told the country's leader Tuesday that additional threats of violence against the U.S. 'will be met with fire and the fury like the world has never seen.'

'He has been very threatening beyond a normal state, and as I said they will be met with the fire and fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before,' Trump added in remarks at the top of an unrelated meeting.

Trump told the country's leader that additional threats of violence against the U.S. 'will be met with the fire and the fury like the world has never seen'

Comments from Trump came during a briefing on the opioid crisis on Tuesday at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster

He stopped just short of a firm promise to declare war on Kim's government if the dictatorship continues to talk about 'physical action' to the U.S.

'North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,' Trump cautioned after a reporter asked him about the nuclear standoff.

Trump told the world Tuesday morning that it must be vigilant against North Korea in the face of new threats from the country's young dictator.

Kim had warned the United States that it would pay 'pay dearly' for the United Nations sanctions regime it successfully imposed over the weekend and hinted at military action as tensions continued to escalate.

THE PARADISE ISLAND HOME TO 6,000 US TROOPS Residents of the tiny Pacific island of Guam say they're afraid of being caught in the middle of escalating tensions between the U.S. and North Korea after Pyongyang announced it was examining plans for attacking the strategically important U.S. territory. Though local officials downplayed any threat, people who live and work on the island, which serves as a launching pad for the U.S. military, said Wednesday they could no longer shrug off the idea of being a potential target. 'I'm a little worried, a little panicked. Is this really going to happen?' said Cecil Chugrad, a 37-year-old bus driver for a tour bus company in Guam. 'If it's just me, I don't mind, but I have to worry about my son. I feel like moving (out of Guam) now.' Guam is used to the threats from North Korea but advances in the country's nuclear program paired with fiery rhetoric from President Donald Trump has raised the already high animosity and heightened worries that a miscalculation might spark conflict between the nuclear-armed nations. Naval Base Guam (file above) is located on the southwest side of the island. About one-third of the 210-square-mile island is occupied by the military While it is extremely unlikely that Pyongyang would risk the assured annihilation of its revered leadership with a pre-emptive attack on U.S. citizens, some residents are concerned. 'If anything happens, we all got to be ready, be prepared, and pray to God that it doesn't happen,' Daisy Mendiola, 56, said after finishing lunch with her family at a restaurant near Hagatna. 'Everyone's afraid, because we're dealing with powers that's beyond us.' Other residents are worried about the political atmosphere and the government's ability to find a peaceful solution. Todd Thompson, a lawyer who lives on Guam, said he laughed off past threats because he 'figured cooler heads in Washington would prevail, and it was just an idle threat.' 'But I have to say, I'm not laughing now,' Thompson said. 'My concern is that things have changed in Washington, and who knows what's going to happen?' His brother Mitch Thompson, who also lives on Guam, added he believes 'a lot of people have no confidence that the White House will do the right thing under the circumstances.' Aircraft from Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533 stand on the runway at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam (file picture) Guam is about 2,100 miles southeast of Pyongyang and 3,800 miles west of Honolulu in the Pacific Ocean. For years, North Korea has claimed Guam is within its missiles' striking distance, making furious statements each time when the U.S. flew powerful bombers from the island's air base to the Korean Peninsula. In August last year, the North's Foreign Ministry warned that all U.S. military bases in the Pacific including Guam would 'face ruin in the face of all-out and substantial attack' by the North's military. In the spring of 2013, state media cited leader Kim Jong Un as having ordered his military to prepare plans on launching strikes on U.S. military bases in Guam, Hawaii and South Korea as well as the American mainland. Guam is armed with the U.S. Army's defense system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, which can intercept missiles. Similar threats in 2013 led Guam's U.S. Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo to advocate for the THAAD system, she said in a statement Wednesday. 'North Korea's most recent threat to target Guam is dangerous and it further heightens tensions in our region,' Bordallo said. 'While we have heard threats like this in the past, I take them very seriously.' Guam's Homeland Security Adviser George Charfauros urged calm and said defenses are in place for such threats. Of the North Korea threat, Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo (above) said he had spoken to Joint Region Marianas Cmdr. Rear Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, who confirmed there was no immediate threat to the island on Wednesday morning 'An attack or threat to Guam is a threat or attack on the United States,' said Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo, who said he spoke with White House officials Monday morning. 'They have said that America will be defended.' Two U.S. military bases on Guam house nuclear bombers and other key assets; they both fall under Joint Region Marianas. Andersen Air Force Base is located on the north end of Guam, approximately 15 miles from the capital Agana. It is in the village of Yigo. The base houses bomber assurance and deterrence missions, including six B-52s which the air force says provide 'strategic global strike capability [to] deter potential adversaries and provide reassurance to allies'. Naval Base Guam is located on the southwest side of the island and has four fast-attack nuclear submarines and an expeditionary helicopter squadron. Roughly 28 percent of the island is occupied by the U.S. military. At least 6,000 U.S. troops are stationed there. Advertisement

'Physical action will be taken mercilessly with the mobilization of all its national strength,' North Korea's state-run news agency said Tuesday.

The 33-year-old Kim was lashing out at a U.S. push to drain him of the hard currency he needs to develop his nuclear program that Russia and China reluctantly signed on to last weekend.

The sanctions put a hard stop to a third of North Korea's export revenue - a deafening blow to the country's economy.

Trump celebrated the universal participation of Security Council countries in the sanctions with a tweet this morning that said, 'After many years of failure,countries are coming together to finally address the dangers posed by North Korea. We must be tough & decisive!'

A Washington Post report on Tuesday suggested that North Korea had invented a miniaturized warhead that it has the capability of attaching to the intercontinental ballistic missiles its been testing.

A Washington Post report earlier in the day on Tuesday suggested that North Korea had invented a miniaturized warhead that it has the capability of attaching to the intercontinental ballistic missiles its been testing.

The development brings the country dangerously close to its goal of creating of a nuclear weapon that can hit targets in the U.S.

Alaska, Hawaii and California would be at an especially high risk if Kim's scientists finish the weapons and North Korea decides to use them.

Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said on Tuesday that he is seriously worried about a possible North Korean missile strike on his state as well as the rest of the United States.

'There's concern, but there's also pride,' Sullivan said on Fox News's 'The Story' Tuesday. 'Alaska is the cornerstone of our nation's missile defense.'

He added that Alaska's missile defense battalion 'is literally protecting the country.'

'The Alaska guard unit there calls themselves the 300, protecting the 300 million,' Sullivan said. 'So that's what they're doing now, protecting us.'

According to the report, US officials estimate that Kim now has 60 nuclear weapons in his possession.

By comparison, the US is estimated to have more than 6,800 in its stockpile, and Russia is thought to have 7,000.

Trump stopped just short of a firm promise to declare war on Kim's government if the dictatorship continues to talk about 'physical action' to the U.S. during the meeting in New Jersey with Kellyanne Conway (left), HHS Secretary Tom Price, (second left), Melania Trump (second right) and the National Drug Control Policy Center's Richard Baum (right)

Former President Barack Obama's aide Dan Pfeiffer went after Trump's warning to North Korea on Tuesday. Pfeiffer tweeted, 'Don't gloss over the fact that Trump threatened what can only be interpreted as a nuclear attack on North Korea if Kim Jong Un taunts him.'

Shortly after Trump's morning message Tuesday, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley appeared on Fox & Friends to deliver tough talk to North Korea and take a victory lap on sanctions.

'The United States will respond accordingly, and I think the international community will respond accordingly,' she said of the dangerous actions that Kim could take in response to the punishing actions.

It's up to North Korean leader to decide whether his response is, 'OK the international community is telling me to stop or he is going to have, you know, a temper tantrum,' she'd said.

Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy worried that Kim is rejecting the international mandate. 'It sounds like, we are getting closer to a shootin' war,' he told Haley.

'But we don't run scared,' Haley asserted. 'This had to happen, we had to go after his hard currency, we had to stop it.'

'How he responds? He's now going to have to think what's the end game? Is he really going to come after the United States knowing what the United States can do back? He's gotta make that calculation,' the high-ranking U.S. diplomat assessed.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, 33, first warned that the United States would 'pay dearly' for the United Nations sanctions regime it successfully imposed over the weekend and hinted at 'physical action' as tensions continued to escalate

Former President Barack Obama's aide Dan Pfeiffer went after Trump's warning to North Korea on Tuesday.

Pfeiffer tweeted, 'Don't gloss over the fact that Trump threatened what can only be interpreted as a nuclear attack on North Korea if Kim Jong Un taunts him.'

On Monday, North Korea promised to 'teach the US a severe lesson' if it puts its military might to the test on the Korean Peninsula.

'We will, under no circumstances, put the nukes and ballistic rockets on the negotiating table,' North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said, effectively declining to engage in talks about the nuclear program.

State-run KCNA news agency meanwhile claimed that North Korea 'will make the US pay dearly for all the heinous crimes it commits against the state and people of this country.'

KCNA cautioned the U.S. against 'believing that its land is safe across the ocean' in what it described as a 'stern warning to the US.'

Tuesday it slapped the U.S. again, saying in a statement that appeared in the New York Times: 'Packs of wolves are coming in attack to strangle a nation...They should be mindful that the D.P.R.K.'s strategic steps accompanied by physical action will be taken mercilessly with the mobilization of all its national strength.'

Kim is fuming over a United Nations Security Council resolution that will cut a billion out of his $3 billion economy annually. The resolution bans North Korea exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood and blocks off other cash-rich avenues, including joint ventures.

Shortly after the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley appeared on Fox & Friends Tuesday to deliver to more tough talk to North Korea

The U.S. pushed the resolution through the Security Council on Saturday with the aid of Russia and China, North Korea's largest trading partner.

'Yes, China and Russia were not the easiest, but at the end of the day they came through, and that's all that matters,' Haley said this morning on Fox & Friends of the vote to put heavy penalties on North Korea over its continued nuclear tests.

China favors deconfliction with North Korea and denuclearization of the Korean peninsula but not the displacement of Kim. Beijing is concerned that a coup would put the country's stockpile of weapons in nefarious hands.

It joined the U.S. and 13 other nations that sit on the Security Council in approving new sanctions on North Korea, a nation with whom it shares a border, after Washington threatened to restrict access to its financial institutions last week.

North Korea's ramped up missile tests since Trump took office has the United States pursuing aggressive measures in the region, including Chinese sanctions.

Military action remains on the table, as well, sparking fears internationally that the conflict will result in war.

The Trump administration's attempts to pressure North Korea into abandoning its nuclear and missile ambitions have so far gained little traction.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has warned of an 'effective and overwhelming' response against North Korea if it chose to use nuclear weapons but has said any military solution would be 'tragic on an unbelievable scale.'

The United States has 28,500 troops in South Korea to guard against the North Korean threat. Japan hosts around 54,000 U.S. military personnel, the U.S. Department of Defense says, and tens of thousands of Americans work in both countries.

Seoul is home to a population of roughly 10 million, within range of massed pre-targeted North Korean rockets and artillery, which would be impossible to destroy in a first U.S. strike.

A rising number of Republicans - 48 percent - want Trump to go that route. That's a jump from 37 percent in an April CBS News poll.

A majority of Americans are fearful that Trump is not equipped to go to battle with Kim, though. In the CBS survey, 61 percent of voters expressed doubts.

Most do not think North Korea will actually try to strike the U.S. with one of the intercontinental ballistic missiles it's been testing, however.

Nearly seven in 10 Americans think Kim is using the nuclear program to gain power and influence.
A semi-automatic handgun that landed the model girlfriend of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim in court was allegedly found loaded in a cupboard in her bedroom.

Police will say they found the Glock 26 when they carried out a search warrant on bar owner Sarah Budge's apartment at Double Bay in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

The 9mm weapon, which is often called a 'baby Glock' and has a 10-round magazine, was allegedly located in Budge's bedroom on Tuesday morning, shortly after another woman left the unit.

Daily Mail Australia understands the handgun's serial numbers had been removed.

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Model Sarah Budge, believed to be pictured at a legal Las Vegas shooting range with a Thompson sub-machinegun, has been charged with possession of an unauthourised firearm

Sarah Budge leaving the Sydney Police Centre on Wednesday afternoon after being granted bail

Bar owner Sarah Budge leaves the Sydney Police Centre after being granted $50,000 bail

Bar owner Sarah Budge with former King of the Cross John Ibrahim on a boat in Ibiza

Model Sarah Budge has not been charged with any offence related to the alleged drug syndicates raided on Tuesday

Budge appeared in court as details emerged about the unrelated ecstasy, cocaine and ice smuggling ring allegedly involving John Ibrahims brothers Fadi and Michael.

Police will allege the operation was run using encrypted messages sent on Blackberry mobile phones, Nine News reports.

Those arrested in Tuesdays drug raids in Sydney, Dubai and The Hague are alleged to have used a series of handles including hollywood, rakontur and narcosaint to communicate with each other.

Budge has made no admissions about her knowledge of the handgun, which is likely to undergo forensic testing for fingerprints and DNA, Daily Mail Australia understands.

Sarah Budge was been charged with possession of a Glock 26 like this pictured weapon

Model Sarah Budge leaves the Sydney Police Centre in Goulburn Street on Wednesday

John Ibrahim's girlfriend Sarah Budge leaves the Sydney Police Centre after being granted $50,000 bail

Sarah Budge could face 14 years in jail if convicted of possessing an authorised firearm

As part of her bail conditions she was ordered to pay a $50,000 security deposit, surrender her passport and report to police three times a week

It is further understood that people other than Budge had recently been living in the apartment where the firearm was found.

Budge appeared pale when she fronted magistrate Clare Farman via video link in Central Local Court on Wednesday morning.

She said little other than confirming her name as she stared down at the ground and bit her lip.

A Commonwealth prosecutor did not oppose bail and agreed to conditions including a $50,000 security deposit, Budge surrendering her passport and reporting to police three times a week.

Glock describes its G26 handgun as 'the most sought-after concealed carry option since its release in 1994 - a market once dominated by the 5-round snub-nose revolver'.

John Ibrahim's girlfriend Sarah Budge was granted bail in Central Local Court on Wednesday

Sarah Budge looked tired as she was released from the Sydney Police Centre on Wednesday

John Ibrahim's girlfriend Sarah Budge gets into a car after leaving the Sydney Police Centre

John Ibrahim's girlfriend Sarah Budge and his son Daniel, both pictured, faced court on Wednesday

'The highly accurate firing characteristics explain why the G26 is the mainstay backup option among security personnel and agencies worldwide,' the prosecutor said.

Budge has been charged with possessing an unauthorised firearm, possessing ammunition without a licence and possessing a defaced firearm.

The 27-year-old's lawyer, Ian Lloyd QC, said he had 'nothing to say' in court.

Budge could face up to 14 years in prison if found guilty of the firearm offence, which carries a standard non-parole prison term of four years.

Police allegedly found the loaded pistol, known as a 'baby Glock', when they entered her home on Tuesday

Sarah Budge has been charged with possession of an unauthorised firearm, namely a Glock 26

Ms Budge (pictured left with Ibrahim), the owner of a trendy bar in Potts Point, stared at the ground and bit her lip as she appeared via video link in court on Wednesday

Ms Budge faces up to 14 years in prison if found guilty of the unauthorised firearm offence

It is understood Budge - first linked to the 46-year-old Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim two years ago - will not be charged with anything else related to the raids on Tuesday.

Earlier, John Ibrahim's lawyer confirmed while police had raided the former nightclub baron's house at Dover Heights, his client was not charged with any offence.

Budge was one of 17 people arrested in three countries after widespread raids this week - including nine men in Sydney, five men in Dubai and two men in The Netherlands.

Police seized 1.8 tonnes of ecstasy, 136kg of cocaine, 15kg of methamphetamines and $5.45m in cash before the raids.

Sarah Budge is the managing director of the inner-city restaurant and music venue Crane Bar on Bayswater Road in Kings Cross. Her Facebook status says she is in a relationship.

Bar owner Sarah Budge was granted bail on strict conditions at Central Local Court on Wednesday
Malcolm Turnbull has vowed no Australian family will be paying more than they need to for electricity.

The prime minister made the pledge as met with utility executives at Parliament House in Canberra.

'We must ensure that Australians are paying no more for electricity and energy than they need to,' he told them on Wednesday morning.

It comes as electricity bills soar, with Energy Australia putting up prices by 19.6 per cent, or $320 a year for average bills in Sydney since July.

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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has vowed no Australian family should pay more for power

The millionaire Liberal leader has threatened to slap electricity company chiefs with more regulations if don't act to cut power bills.

With his government struggling in the opinion polls, Mr Turnbull has declared Australian families were paying too much for their power.

'What we want to do is see that you work with us to protect your customers, to make sure that they know what is the best deal for them, how they can ensure that they are paying no more for electricity than they need to,' he told them.

'We believe that's in your interests, it's in the public's interests, it's in the nation's interest.'

Malcolm Turnbull called on electricity chiefs in Canberra to curtail to rising price of power

It's been estimated households could save $1000 or more a year by switching companies.

The government blames a lack of transparency by electricity retailers and the difficulty in switching providers.

Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg wants power companies to give Australian more and better information about their charges in a comparable form.

He labelled regulation as 'the sword of Damocles' but said the government first wanted to hear what companies were doing.

Malcolm Turnbull (centre), Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg (right) and Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce (left) meet with electricity chiefs in Canberra

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has threatened to slap electricity companies with more regulations if power bills keep rising

Energy Australia, Momentum Energy, Simply Energy, Alinta Energy, Origin Energy, AGL and Snowy Hydro were expected to front up to the meeting, together with peak body the Australian Energy Council.

The Greens want the government to re-regulate the retail electricity sector and put a cap on power prices.

Energy spokesman Adam Bandt says the commonwealth should give states until the end of the year to re-regulate prices then step in and put the national regulator in charge.

'Simply jawboning the retailers won't help,' Mr Bandt said.

And Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm says GST should be removed from electricity bills in a bid to save households about $200 a year, saying those bills were 'horrendous and getting worse'.

He queried why water was GST-free but electricity attracted the tax despite both being essential services.
Most people dream of big houses and expensive cars if they ever strike it big in the lottery - but a tradesman only thought of buying a new barbecue with his multi-million dollar windfall.

A tradie, from Armadale in Perth's south-east, was working the night shift when his wife called to tell him he had won last week's division one OzLotto, netting a prize of $6 million.

The 35-year-old man, who did not wish to be named, was at work when he saw he had 'about 100 missed calls' from his wife who was frantically trying to reach him with the life-changing news, WA Today reported.

The winning ticket was sold at Carousel Lottery Centre & News in Cannington, Perth (pictured)

'When she finally got through to me, she told me to sit down and not to stress before telling me we'd won the lotto,' he said.

'It could have been a combination of night shift and nerves but while she was busy screaming I began feeling light-headed.

'It didn't take long to pull myself together and remind her that I could now buy that barbecue I had my eye on.'

The man's wife said it was 'still sinking in' they could buy a bigger home for their family.

She said the young family would also 'probably afford to pay the rates now'.

'We couldn't ask for anything more than a nice house for our kids to grow up in,' she said.

The 35-year-old tradie was working the nightshift when his wife called him with the news

The family purchased their winning ticket from Carousel Lottery Centre & News in nearby Cannington.

The tradie's big win comes just days after a mother and daughter from East Victoria Park nabbed $720,000 in division one from Saturday's Lotto draw.

According to the daughter, her first priority was to get her 15-year-old Toyota Corolla serviced.

The winning ticket was one of three division one wins in Western Australia, and Lotterywest are still waiting for one more winner to come forward.
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Adorable photographs have surfaced of a lovable Australian fur seal named Tarwin watching a computer screen intently as his arthritis is monitored by Melbourne Zoo's vet team.

Melbourne Zoo has taken care of the seal since she was found inland on a dairy farm near the small town of Tarwin, south Victoria, in 1998. She was six kilometres away from the nearest body of water.

Vets cleared Tarwin and released her at Seal Rocks, the breeding colony. But she was found a short time later stuck at a beach and underweight as a result of feeding issues.

She has been taken care of by the zoo ever since.

Adorable photographs have surfaced of an aging Australian fur seal named Tarwin watching a computer screen intently as his arthritis is monitored at Melbourne Zoo

Melbourne Zoo has taken care of the seal since she was found inland on a dairy farm near the small town of Tarwin, south Victoria, in 1998

As Tarwin grew older, she developed arthritis and epilepsy - conditions which are common with aging seals

An x-ray image shows the condition of the arthritis in Tarwin, who was an 'active and playful' seal in her youth

As Tarwin grew older, she developed arthritis and epilepsy - conditions which are common with aging seals.

Melbourne Zoo's vet team have strategies to maintain the quality of life for Tarwin, who was an 'active and playful' seal in her youth but now spends her time lounging around.

'She is very good natured and has a large repertoire of trained behaviours. She cooperates very willingly with us when she is due to provide blood samples, in exchange for fish and patting,' seal keeper Mark said in 2013.

'We need to test her blood a couple of times a year to monitor the dose rate of a medication she is given daily to manage her epilepsy. She was diagnosed with this in 2004 and is being treated successfully with a drug very similar to that used for human patients.

'She is not as food motivated as the other seals and tends to chew her fish instead of swallowing it whole, which is unusual for a seal. Her favourites are Pilchards and Tommy Ruff.'

Melbourne Zoo's vet team have strategies to maintain the quality of life for Tarwin. A veterinarian monitors the arthritis

A Melbourne Zoo veterinarian monitors the arthritis of an Australian Fur Seal named Tarwin

'She is very good natured and has a large repertoire of trained behaviours,' seal keeper Matt said in 2013
An Indianapolis man accused of fatally shooting a police officer who was helping him following a car crash is due in court for his initial hearing.

Jason D Brown, 28, has been hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds since the incident on July 27, where he killed Southport Police Lieutenant Aaron Allan.

His mugshot reveals some of the injuries he sustained when officers shot back at him.

Jason D Brown, 28, has been hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds since the incident on July 27

Court documents say Brown was dangling upside down in his car after it overturned on Madison Avenue, Homecroft.

Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive in the slaying of the 38-year-old father of two, whose wedding was held on Saturday.

Brown, who has now been transferred to Marion County Jail, is charged with murder and one count of misdemeanor marijuana possession.

Officers said he was still fastened in with his seat belt as his BMW 325 lay upside down in the middle of the road, the Indy Star reported.

Major C T Bowman of Homecroft Police said Brown fired dozens of shots at officers as they went to help him.

He said the suspect became hysterical and shot at Allan after he stuck his head inside the car to speak to him.

Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive in the slaying of the 38-year-old father of two, whose wedding was held on Saturday

Allan (his funeral pictured) is reported to have suffered 11 gunshot wounds to his arms, leg, stomach, back and heart as he tried to crawl away

Officers said he was still fastened in with his seat belt as his BMW 325 lay upside down in the middle of the road. Pictured: Allan's funeral

Allan is reported to have suffered 11 gunshot wounds to his arms, leg, stomach, back and heart as he tried to crawl away.

Brown was shot in the right cheek, the right clavicle and the left arm, court documents said.

He was taken to Eskenazi Hospital for treatment where Allan was later pronounced dead.

Officers found a 9mm handgun and several bags filled with what is suspected to be cannabis in Brown's car after the shooting.
An Iranian-born senator who describes himself as a 'non-practising Muslim' has slammed an anti-immigration group for threatening to ambush him at a pub.

Labor powerbroker Sam Dastyari is angered at Reclaim Australia for calling on their supporters to infiltrate his Wednesday night Politics in the Pub talk in Canberra.

'If a bunch of racists and rednecks think I'm that easily intimidated, they can f*** off,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

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Senator Sam Dastyari (left with his friend Richard Angell) is holding a Politics in the Pub talk

Reclaim Australia has urged their supporters to 'join' Senator Sam Dastyari at a Canberra pub

'They're even dumber than I thought which is saying something because I think they're all pretty dumb.'

Senator Dastyari, who moved to Australia in January 1988 when he was four, describes himself as a 'non-practising Muslim' who enjoys a beer.

'There's no doubt it must infuriate them, a non-practising Muslim going to a pub,' he said.

'I understand they don't have Hawkie's new beer at the pub we're going to tonight so I'll just be having a Carlton.'

Labor senator Sam Dastyari (centre) says Reclaim Australia is angry he's a non-practising Muslim who likes a beer

Labor's right-faction warrior, from Sydney's inner-west, is holding a Politics in the Pub event in Canberra's city centre with Australian Capital Territory Labor MP Chris Steel.

Reclaim Australia published a Facebook post on Wednesday afternoon calling on their followers to 'feel free to head to Civic Pub tonight to have a chat with Sam Dastyari'.

One follower said he would turn up to 'share a non halal-certified beer and bacon and egg roll with him' even though Senator Dastyari drinks alcohol and eats pork.

A woman hoped One Nation supporters would 'turn up and boo him out of the pub'.

Senator Sam Dastyari (right with SBS newsreader Lee Lin Chin) enjoys a glass of wine

Senator Sam Dastyari has previously admitted to trying marijuana as a year 12 student in 2001

Reclaim Australia has a Facebook meme asking if Senator Dastyari is a dual Iranian citizen.

The Labor senator maintains he hired lawyers in 2013 before he was sworn in as a senator to verify he was only a citizen of Australia.

Labor's former New South Wales general secretary has written a book, One Halal of a Story, which tells of how his parents Naser and Ella regularly enjoy a glass of wine.

He is launching this book in Canberra on Wednesday night.

Senator Dastyari talks of having beer at weddings and with political comrades, and has admitted to Daily Mail Australia he first tried marijuana in 2001 when he was preparing for his year 12 exams at the selective Baulkham Hills High School, in Sydney's north-west.
Seven colleagues showed up to work last week with no idea their lives were about to change - but their co-worker had other ideas.

Melanie was holding in her hand a winning Powerball lotto ticket worth NZ$1 million their eight-strong New Zealand syndicate bought days earlier.

One of them captured on video the moment the office burst into jubilation after she blurted out to her friends that they were all NZ$125,000 richer.

Toni, Liz, Sandra, Melanie, Laurel, and three of their colleagues won NZ$1 million - NZ$125,000 each - in a lotto syndicate jackpot

Several of them jumped around the officer floor, waving their arms in the air and dancing with glee while others embraced in tight hugs or stood in disbelief.

'Oh, I'm going to die,' one older woman, almost too excited and out of breath to speak, shouted before the whole room broke into a chorus of ecstatic screaming.

'Everyone was jumping around and screaming. There were a lot of tears and a lot of hugs,' Melanie said.

'The news spread pretty quickly through the office and everyone came up and congratulated us. To be honest, the day was a bit of a blur - I'm not sure anyone got much work done.

'The best part about this win is knowing that it will help out seven other wonderful families.'

They won first division on a Powerball bonus draw with Melanie announcing the win at work after checking the numbers the night before

One of them captured on video the moment the office burst into jubilation after she blurted out to her friends that they were all NZ$125,000 richer

The young woman caused a stir the night before when she discovered their win at the local squash club in Te Kuiti, a small town south of Auckland.

Someone mentioned her local New World supermarket sold a big prize so her friend convinced her to look up the results on her phone.

'The words "Major prize winner" popped up on the screen and my heart started racing,' she said.

Melanie wanted to be sure so she looked up the winning numbers and compared them to her ticket while a crowd gathered around them.

'We read each number outloud one by one, and when the last number was read out and they all matched  the whole club erupted in cheers! I fell to the ground - I was in so much shock,' she said.

Several of them jumped around the officer floor, waving their arms in the air and dancing with glee while others embraced in tight hugs or stood in disbelief

'Oh, I'm going to die,' one older woman, almost too excited and out of breath to speak, shouted before the whole room broke into a chorus of ecstatic screaming

She gathered the rest of the syndicate the next morning and while everyone waited wondering what serious news she had, Melanie couldn't keep her composure.

'I had all these witty lines prepared to surprise the group, but when it came down to it I was a blubbering mess, all I could manage to say was "we've won Lotto!",' she said.

The group played as a syndicate for a year before they won the jackpot, buying a triple dip ticket every draw, but say they will keep playing.

'Hell yeah! You've got to be in it to win it!' Melanie said.
Confronting video has been released showing Aboriginal men stomping on children and dragging them by the hair in a bid to stop drug and alcohol-fuelled violence.

The disturbing footage was put together by the Minderoo Foundation, councils and the police to show the dire situation in regional Western Australia.

Aboriginal and community leaders hope the horrific CCTV video will shock the government into expanding the use of cashless welfare cards.

The horrific footage (pictured) shows an Aboriginal man stomping on a defenceless child lying on the ground

The group - who will present the video in Canberra on Wednesday - believe the cashless welfare card can break the cycle of drug and alcohol-fueled violence.

The video reveals communities torn apart by drug abuse and alcoholism, where children are committing suicide and being attacked by their own families.

Men are caught on camera punching, kicking and stomping on children, and dragging their limp bodies by the hair.

Large groups of men and women can also be seen brawling in the street in front of children and young families.

In another piece of confronting footage (pictured) a man can be seen dragging a child by the hair

Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan says children in the areas are falling victim to endemic violence, sexual abuse and even rape, The West Australian reported.

'It is a war zone out there and the victims are little children,' he said.

Port Hedland Mayor Camillo Blanko appears in the video pleading for help dealing with the horrors being inflicted in the region.

'Young children are being raped, little kids. Alcohol and drugs are killing our towns, turning adults into child rapists,' he said.

Aboriginal and community leaders hope the horrific video (pictured) will shock the government into expanding the use of cashless welfare cards

In the town of Roebourne 300 child abuse charges have been levelled against 36 men, and 184 children out of 500 have been sexually assaulted.

In Leonora, the last 18 months have seen lat least six children commit suicide.

Minderoo Foundation Chairman, mining magnate Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest, believes cash welfare is to blame for the rampant drug and alcohol problems in the region.

'It might give families a fighting chance at building an optimistic future and a chance to redirect their money to spend on food for their children,' he said.

Commissioner O'Callaghan said welfare dependency means a 'circuit breaker' is needed.

He also called on the Federal Government to prioritize the wellbeing and safety of children and not wait for town leaders to act.
President Donald Trump reportedly gets a folder twice a day filled with admiring tweets about him and photos of him looking powerful.

The folder, which has been dubbed 'the Propaganda Document' by some in the White House, is prepared daily by Trump's communications team, Vice News reports.

The team starts monitoring content on the President at around 6am each morning.

Republican National Committee's staffers keep tabs on various cable news shows, including CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, as well as scouring for positive online stories and social media posts.

President Donald Trump reportedly gets a folder twice a day - one at 9.30am and the other at 4.30pm - filled with admiring tweets about him and photos of him looking powerful

Sources told Vice that the team then forwards the material to the White House to include in the 20-25 page document, which is generally in Trump's hands by around 9.30am.

If there is any given day where there isn't enough positive content to present to the President, staffers reportedly find press photos of him 'looking powerful', three current and former White House officials claim.

The second batch of positive stories is hand-delivered to Trump by about 4.30pm.

Ex-Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and former Press Secretary Sean Spicer both jostled to try and personally deliver the 'propaganda document', according to Vice.

The only feedback reportedly given out about the folder is that 'it needs to be more f***ing positive'.

The folder, which has been dubbed the 'propaganda document' by some in the White House, is collated by the communications team. Former press secretary Sean Spicer denied the reports

'Maybe it's good for the country that the president is in a good mood in the morning,' one RNC official told Vice.

Spicer disputed the story, saying it 'is not accurate on several levels'. He declined to elaborate further.

Reuters reported back in May, citing officials who have briefed Trump previously, that the President has a short attention span.

He likes single-page memos and visual aids like maps, charts, graphs and photos.

National Security Council officials strategically included Trump's name in 'as many paragraphs as we can because he keeps reading if he's mentioned,' one source claimed.
An Alabama mom kicked back on a pool floaty with a drink in hand as she happily saw her dismayed children head back to school after the summer break in a hilarious Facebook snap which has now gone viral.

Jena Willingham and her husband Edd came up with a fun photo opportunity to commemorate the first time all three children will be out of the house and in class in 11 years.

Jena said after dealing with non-stop summer bickering between her children 11-year-old Wrangler, seven-year-old Emmy, and four-year-old Sykes, at their home in Beulah she was eager for the break.

'So I said, ''I'm so tired of listening to y'all argue, I'm just going to sit in the pool on the first day of school and let my brain hear the silence.''

After listening to her three children argue all summer, mom Jena Willingham told her kids 'I'm just going to sit in the pool on the first day of school and let my brain hear the silence'

Looks like the Willingham kids are alright with mom poking a bit of fun at their expense

'It's the first time in 11 years I haven't had a kid at home,' Jena told BuzzFeed News. 'I was excited to get a break because they're a lot of work.'

'They have been fighting over everything all summer...over who's going to use the charger, who's going to sit in the front seat,' she said.

Jena even had a countdown clock to tick away until the day of her freedom.

While Jena is simply swimming in Facebook likes and comments, she's taking it all in stride.

'I told my husband, I am too famous to cook tonight!' she in an interview with AL.com.

One commenter under her Facebook post said: 'This is going to be me,' followed by a slew of laughing emojis.

The Willingham family can laugh together and make a good natured joke over trials and tribulations of daily life

Another chimed in 'Too funny! I love that you can joke about it and give us all a good laugh! Best back to school pic yet!'

'You say in the pic what so many of us moms are feeling but aren't brave enough to say!' said another.

The photo didn't really disrupt the kiddies big first day of school, it was staged the Sunday before and taken by husband Edd.

And, mom Jena didn't actually get her big Monday off, she ended up having to babysit her niece.

'I would just say not to feel guilty about wanting a break from your kids, because we do a lot for them,' she said.

And to the online haters, she says anyone with 'negative things to say about me being excited that my kids are going to school, I take very good care of them, and I deserve a break too!'

'I would just say not to feel guilty about wanting a break from your kids, because we do a lot for them,' she said.
Armed police were called in after British Airways passengers 'went crazy' when their flight to Las Vegas was delayed for two days.

Furious holidaymakers had already been put up in hotels after their original flight from London Heathrow Airport was cancelled on Sunday afternoon due to a technical fault.

On Monday, the passengers boarded the flight and were seconds from take off when the service was axed again - because of a baggage mix-up - sparking angry scenes on board.

Furious holidaymakers has already been put up in hotels after their original flight from London Heathrow Airport was cancelled on Sunday afternoon due to a technical fault

People vented their fury at staff and cabin crew alerted the cockpit, who called for armed police, according to The Sun.

After four hours on the plane, everyone was hauled off and had to go back into the terminal.

The mix-up meant the passengers had to stay in a Heathrow hotel for a second night, before their flight finally took off for the American party city yesterday afternoon.

But even that did not go smoothly, without problems. Some people took to Twitter to say their bags hadn't arrived - with one holidaymaker learning their luggage flew to Las Vegas before them.

Bianca Chan tweeted: 'So we're finally back in Vegas after the third attempt to depart but decided our bags want to stay an extra day in Heathrow.'

Seb Haikel wrote: 'Oh my god BA this is relentless... how the hell did my bag end up in Vegas when the flight never left? Please explain?'

Emily Joyce said her 'dream honeymoon' has been ruined because of the airline.

In a series of tweets to BA's account, she posted: 'Flight is now cancelled till tomorrow!! Really bad start to our honeymoon.

'Completely understand you need planes to be 100% to fly but can't understand how a huge company can't make other arrangements.

'Can you upgrade us?? We have worked so hard to save for this dream honeymoon and it's been ruined.

'WE'RE NOT GOING AGAIN!!!!! What are you going to do for us?! You need to get us to Vegas today!!!!!!'

The British Airways Twitter account apologised to Ms Joyce, but said they could not offer her and her husband an upgrade.

Jim Allison wrote: 'If you are thinking of flying between London and Las Vegas avoid @British_Airways #BA0275 #BA275 We have been delayed for 2 days. Terrible.'

Mr Allison appeared to ditch BA for America Airlines and thanked them for getting him to Vegas earlier.

He added: 'Congratulations @AmericanAir you did what @British_Airways couldn't do for 2 days in a row...you got us home to Las Vegas!'

American Airlines even poked fun at BA, by replying: 'Welcome back home, Jim. We're always happy to give you a lift. Let's know when you're ready to soar through the skies again.'

A spokeswoman for British Airways said: 'We fully appreciate how frustrating this experience has been, and have apologised to our customers for the long delay to their flight.

'We provided refreshments, hotel accommodation and help with expenses during the delay, and the flight departed yesterday.'

MailOnline has contacted Heathrow Airport for comment.
A mother is outraged her teenage son found a bag of meth in the pocket of a jumper he bought from an op shop.

Cindy Henderson said her son Dylan Reed, 18, got a surprise when he put his hand in the pocket of the black 'Tapout' branded hooded jacket when he got home.

'I was horrified, but also thankful it was my 18-year-old who'd found it and not one of his younger siblings or the dog,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

Cindy Henderson said her son Dylan Reed, 18, found a bag of the deadly drug in the jacket after he brought it home

The teenager got a surprise when he put his hand in the pocket of the black 'Tapout' branded hooded jacket when he got home

'If [meth] can kill an adult, no matter how much or little they have, imagine a poor innocent child - they'd have no hope.'

The mother-of-five said she threw the small bag of the deadly drug straight in the bin outside her home in Brookdale on the southeast outskirts of Perth.

'I didn't want my younger kids finding it, they don't need to see stuff like that,' she said of her other children aged 17, 15, 10, and four.

Ms Henderson was outraged that someone would donate clothing and leave drugs in the pocket, and that the charity didn't check before hanging it out for sale.

'It's a pretty poor effort by the charity selling it, meth is a killer drug and I'm told they rarely wash or even check clothes before they sell them,' she said.

Ms Henderson was outraged that someone would donate clothing and leave drugs in the pocket, and that the charity didn't check before hanging it out for sale

The mother-of-five said she threw the small bag of the deadly drug straight in the bin outside her home in Brookdale on the southeast outskirts of Perth

'I hate to even think about what might have happened if it wasn't an adult who found it.'

Ms Henderson said her 10-year-old son found used two used needles with no caps on them lying in the front of her house three times since her family moved in seven months ago from country South Australia.

'That was bad enough, I'm so thankful he didn't prick his fingers,' she said.

'I had to give him a huge lecture on not touching them if he found more and explained why. Now this.'
This picture is believed to show Hamou Bachir, 36, the suspected terrorist shot and arrested in connection with this morning's attack in Paris, which saw six soldiers injured when a BMW mowed down their patrol

This picture is believed to show the suspected terrorist shot and arrested in connection with this morning's attack in Paris, which saw six soldiers injured when a BMW mowed down their patrol.

Hamou Bachir, 36, is under armed guard in hospital after he was 'seriously wounded' in a fierce gunfight close to the northern port town of Boulogne-sur-Mer after he was intercepted driving towards Calais.

Bachir, who was not known to the security services, was shot five times, with one officer also hit by a bullet, before being arrested, according to a security source.

The suspect - who also uses the name Benlatreche - is thought to be an illegal immigrant who was subject to a foreigner infraction notice meaning he faced deportation to Algeria, which used to be French colony.

A search is underway at a building believed to be connected to Bachir in Sartrouville.

'The suspect was driving a black BMW identical to the one used in the attack on the soldiers,' said the source.

'Its number plate was recorded by video surveillance, and put out to police forces around the country.'

Bachir was speeding along the A16 motorway, towards Calais, when specialist firearms officers from nearby Lille and Rouen engaged.

The suspect is thought to have a mad 'a sudden movement' as if he was taking a gun out, and then he tried to escape.

It is then that bullets were fired at the man. It is not known whether he was in fact carrying a weapon.

BREAKING NEWS: Six soldiers injured after vehicle ploughs into... BREAKING NEWS: Six soldiers injured after vehicle ploughs into them in Paris Full story: http://dailym.ai/2hIb7j7 Posted by Daily Mail on Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Caught: The terrorist suspect was shot five times before his arrest in connection with this morning's attack in Paris, which saw six soldiers injured when a BMW mowed down their patrol

Emergency operation: Paramedics and security services gather at the scene where a BMW slammed into six soldiers outside their barracks in a northwestern suburb of Paris

Police fire: Police opened fire during the arrest of the man, who was driving the black BMW which had been used in the attack in Paris Wednesday morning

Arrest: The suspect was intercepted on the A16 motorway, near Marquise, northern France

'The arrested individual, born in 1980, is suspected to be the culprit of the assault in the Levallois-Perret area of Paris at around 8am,' a security source said.

'He was driving the vehicle we were looking for and tried to flee,' the source added, explaining why police opened fire.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has since confirmed that police had arrested the suspect behind the attack while speaking to MPs during parliament question time.

The anti-terrorism unit of the Paris prosecutors' office has launched a probe into the 'attempted killings... in relation to a terrorist undertaking', the office said in a statement.

The driver of a dark BMW is alleged to have been waiting for the soldiers to leave the barracks in Levallois-Perret, a northwestern suburb of the capital, before speeding into the group.

A search is currently underway at a building believed to be connected to Bachir in Sartrouville

The officials say information about the suspect's identity is being verified, and it is unclear whether the suspect lived in the building

Incident: The car was allegedly purposely driven into the group of soldiers as they left their barracks in Levallois-Perret, a suburb of the French capital

Two soldiers were seriously injured in the incident, which took place at about 8am local time on Wednesday.

Levallois-Perret is meant to be one of the most secure towns in France, as it contains the headquarters of the DGSI (General Directorate for Internal Security), the countrys main counter-terrorism intelligence agency.

The security initiative was set up in 2015 following a series of atrocities inParis carried out by Islamic State and Al-Qaeda operatives.

I heard a huge crash which I thought was the sound of scaffolding being put up, said Thierry Chappe, an eyewitness to todays attack.

Then I saw soldiers scattered all over the ground.

Taken away: This image appears to show the suspect being loaded onto an ambulance helicopter after being shot five times by police on the A16 motorway, near Marquise

Heavily armed and masked French police stand guard at the scene following the shootout

Intervention: The 37-year-old was 'seriously wounded' in a fierce gunfight close to the northern port town of Boulogne-sur-Mer, after he was intercepted driving towards Calais

Police officials said witnesses described seeing a dark-coloured BMW with one person inside waiting in a cul-de-sac near a building used for soldiers from the Sentinelle security force, which was created after the Paris terrorist attacks in 2015.

The BMW drove into the group as they were leaving their barracks, before speeding off.

Eye-witnesses have described horrific scenes of injured soldiers on the ground and troops chasing after the speeding car.

Nadia LeProhon said she was startled by a loud crash outside her building in the Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret, and rushed outside to see two soldiers on the ground.

Other soldiers ran after a speeding car, shouting 'After him! Follow that car!'

She said the scream that followed the crash was still echoing through her head. 'I'll never forget that scream - a scream of pain and distress.'

French police and emergency workers intervene on the site after arrested Wednesday

The suspect is thought to have a made 'a sudden movement' as if he was taking a gun out, and then he tried to escape

Jean-Claude Veillant, resident of an apartment building directly above the scene, witnessed part of the attack.

'I heard a loud noise, the sound of scraping metal. Shortly after, I saw one of the badly wounded lying in front of the Vigipirate (army patrol) vehicle and another one behind it receiving treatment,' he told reporters.

The mayor of Levallois-Perret, Patrick Balkany, said the incident had 'without any doubt' been deliberate. 'It's an odious act of aggression,' Balkany told BFM TV.

Mr Balkany claimed that the driver of the BMW had 'pre-positioned itself in the alley (where the barracks is located) and barreled into them,' adding that the car had 'accelerated very quickly'.

France's Defence Minister Florence Parly has condemned the suspected terrorist attack as a 'cowardly act'.

The incident 'does nothing to dent soldiers' determination to work for the security of the French people,' she said in a statement.

Arrest: The man in his late 30s has been arrested in connection with the attack, following a police shootout during an intervention to track down the driver of the BMW (not pictured)

Investigation: Paris prosecutors have opened up a terror probe as police still hunt for the driver, who fled the scene in Levallois-Perret

Accusations: The mayor of Levallois-Perret, Patrick Balkany, claimed the driver of the BMW had been 'parked up in wait' outside the barracks before the incident

Levallois-Perret is home to France's main intelligence agency and a staging point for soldiers assigned to protect prominent sites after recent attacks.

The attack happened as a three-soldier night patrol handed over their duties to a day patrol of the same number, said local council spokesman David-Xavier Weiss.

Mr Weiss said that the layout of the street had prevented the person behind the wheel from injuring more people.

'The arrangement of the square meant that the attacker did not have enough of a run-up to cause more damage,' said Mr Weiss.

He said the men were standing next to a temporary barracks set up by the council for soldiers taking part in Operation Sentinelle.

'It gives them a place to change, eat and rest,' he said. The municipal building is less than a mile from the anti-terrorist HQ.

France's Defence Minister has condemned the suspected terrorist attack as a 'cowardly act'

Soldiers secure the street near the scene where French soldiers were hit and injured by a vehicle in the north western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret

A security perimeter has now been set up around the area, with shops and homes evacuated, and a local park shut.

The weekly council of ministers was taking place at the Elysee Palace as the first reports emerged.

Operation Sentinelle is an anti-terrorism force made up of 10,000 soldiers and 4,700 police and gendarmes, deployed following the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris.

In January 2015, two brothers who had vowed allegiance to Al-Qaeda gunned down 12 people at satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in Paris.

In November that year, some 130 people were killed in a wave of shootings and bombings in Paris, a carnage claimed by the Islamic State group (ISIS).

France has been under a state of emergency since November 2015 and has seen a string of attacks on Operation Sentinelle forces who have been regularly targeted, particularly those guarding key tourist sites.

Attack: Police and military work near the scene where French soldiers were hit in what the local mayor has branded a 'deliberate, odious act of aggression'

Targeted: The soldiers were all members of an anti-terrorism operation which has been deployed in Paris since the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January 2015

Injured: The soldiers were hit leaving their barracks at 8am on Wednesday

On Saturday, an 18-year-old with a history of psychological problems was arrested at the Eiffel Tower after brandishing a knife and shouting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is Greatest).

He later told investigators he wanted to kill a soldier.

In February, a man armed with a machete attacked four soldiers on patrol at Paris's Louvre Museum, while in April another extremist shot and killed a policeman on the Champs Elysees.

In June, a 40-year-old Algerian doctorate student who had pledged allegiance to IS attacked a policeman with a hammer outside Notre Dame cathedral.

France is part of the US-led international coalition fighting IS and has carried out air strikes against the extremist group in Syria.
A young woman has been killed in a shocking head-on crash - while driving to her own wedding.

Guzel Zakirova, 23, was heading to meet her groom after getting her hair done ahead of the civil ceremony.

But what was meant to be her 'happiest day' instead became one of sadness and horror for friends and relatives after her car was 'crumpled like a tin' in the Bashkortostan region of Russia.

The bride was pronounced dead at the crash site and her body was shown lying on the ground under a cover.

What was meant to be Guzel Zakirova's 'happiest day' instead became one of sadness and horror for friends and relatives after her car was 'crumpled like a tin' in the Bashkortostan region of Russia. Pictured: The aftermath of the crash

Ilnar Shafikov's mother said he was 'madly in love' with his fiancee, adding: 'I don't know how will he live now'. Pictured: The happy couple before the devastating crash

Guzel, 23, had just had her hair done and was driving to her wedding when the Nissan - driven by a 31-year-old man - smashed into her Lada and killed her.

A relative said of Guzel (pictured): 'This was supposed to be your happiest day, and now you're dead'

Her female passenger was badly injured and rushed to hospital.

A Nissan driven by a 31-year-old man rammed into her Lada as it overtook another car on a busy road in the oil-rich area.

Ilnar (pictured right) was said to be 'madly in love' with Guzel (pictured left)

He and a female passenger were also hospitalised.

'This was supposed to be your happiest day, and now you're dead', said a message posted by a relative.

Instead of attending her wedding, relatives were forced to organise her funeral.

Her heartbroken husband-to-be Ilnar Shafikov, 26, was the last to leave the cemetery.

His mother Alfiya Shafikova, 57, said: 'They had such a bright, strong love.

'He was madly in love with her.

'He would call her after waking up in the morning, and in the evening when he was back home from work.

Pictured: Guzel (centre) with her parents on the day of her graduation

A friend said: 'She was so bright and happy. How could this happen on what should have been her best day?' Pictured: Bride-to-be Guzel Zakirova, 23

Guzel was pronounced dead at the crash site and her body was shown lying on the ground under a cover. Pictured: The bride-to-be poses on a bridge before her devastating crash

Pictured: Guzel Zakirova before her untimely death. The mother of the groom-to-be said the couple had 'such a bright, strong love'

'He had her photos on his phone, on his computer.

'I don't know how will he live now.'

A friend said: 'She was so bright and happy. How could this happen on what should have been her best day?'
Weis, the iconic Australian ice cream company, has been bought by multinational giant Unilever.

The business is currently run by a second generation of the Weis family after it was started by Les and Val Weis in Toowoomba, Queensland, in 1957.

Since then, the brand has become beloved and known for its iconic Fruito Bar  still made in the company's Toowoomba factory using locally sourced, natural ingredients.

But on Wednesday, Unilever announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Weis, adding it to a portfolio that already includes Streets ice cream and Ben & Jerry's, but did not reveal details about the price paid.

Weis, the Australian ice cream company, has been bought by multinational giant Unilever

Weis managing director Julie Weis said the family made the decision to sell because Unilever understood the brand.

'Our family made this decision because Unilever demonstrated their understanding of our brand, our products and how important our people and the Toowoomba manufacturing site are in ensuring Weis' success into the future,' she said.

'In addition Unilever's scale will enable greater market access and growth that will provide opportunities for our extended Weis family of staff, suppliers, customers and of course our wonderful consumers.'

Weis founder Les Weis added: 'Learning about the many Founders involved in Unilever's business right from its original founder William Lever through to Australia's Edwin Street has greatly encouraged my wife Val and I, and the family, that Weis will be in good company and under long-term care with Unilever.

The business is currently run by a second generation of the Weis family after it was started by Les and Val Weis in Toowoomba, Queensland, in 1957

'Val has always said to me 'Business is like a wheelbarrow, it doesn't go anywhere unless someone pushes it' and I think Unilever will give Weis just the push it needs.'

In a statement, Clive Stiff, the CEO of Unilever Australia & New Zealand CEO said production of the company's products will remain in Toowoomba.

Around 85 people who work in the Weis factory in Harlaxton will keep their jobs, according to The Chronicle.

'We are committed to providing Weis consumers and customers with the same exceptional products with the same high quality natural ingredients and we are pleased to be continuing its manufacturing operation here in Toowoomba,' Mr Stiff said.

'We look forward to welcoming Weis' strong, dedicated and passionate team to Unilever.'

Unilever announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Weis, but has said the company's ice cream production will stay in Toowoomba

'We are delighted to bring Weis' exciting and delicious range into our portfolio, adding another Australian favourite to our leading ice cream range. This acquisition will bring Weis the benefits of scale, strong market access and ice cream category expertise to help take the business to the next level in its growth.'

'Our Streets ice cream brand was created here in Australia by Edwin 'Ted' Street in the 1920s and is one of the nation's best loved brands so ice cream is strategically important to Unilever Australia.

'Weis is another great Australian success story  a story that will continue with Unilever.'

He added: 'Weis' values align with Unilever's vision to make sustainable living commonplace and its products will help meet increased consumer demand for ice cream made with premium ingredients.

'We know that Weis has been a long-term supporter of the local fruit industry and we look forward to continuing to work with this well-established supplier base.'
It was a miracle in the Simpson Desert for a mother-to-be, who lost her wedding ring in the largest sand dune desert in the world while on holidays husband.

In a testament to the power of social media, Elizabeth Docherty will soon be reunited with the wedding band that she lost nearly two months ago while holidaying 1700km away.

On Tuesday morning, a traveler found a ring in the 176,500 square kilometre Queensland desert near Birdsville, and posted it to the ABC Western Queensland Facebook page.

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A traveler stumbled upon the silver wedding ring that was lost by Elizabeth Docherty in June

It was shared more than 5,600 times until finally, a family member alerted Mrs Docherty to the post.

She checked the post after a call from her sister-in-law only to find the ring was the same one she'd lost on Big Red almost two months ago - one that she never expected to see again.

'I can't even fathom that someone has found it, let alone handed it in,' Mrs Docherty gushed to ABC News on Wednesday.

Mrs Docherty said that she last saw the ring when she took a photo at the top of a sand dune, and only later realised it was gone.

'You walk that sand dune  and you walk 10 metres and you don't know which way you've just come from. It's huge,' Mrs Docherty said.

She said that she is in disbelief that someone found it in the 'magnitude of sand' that makes up the fourth largest desert in the world.

The 176,500 square kilometre Simpson Desert is the world's largest largest sand dune desert

She is doubly thrilled that the ring has been found before her baby is born next month, because the holiday was her 'baby-moon' as well as her anniversary.

'I'm just thrilled  it couldn't have come at a better time. As you can imagine, I'm pretty emotional as it is these days.'

Mrs Docherty said that she is grateful to every person who shared and commented on the Facebook post.

'it couldn't have come at a better time,' said Mrs Docherty, who's baby is due in September

Officers at Birdsville Police Station have been tying to reunite the owner with the ring, which is reportedly in good condition

'You've lost it in the desert - you'd never thought that you were ever going to see it again, so they're in for a great surprise,' Senior Sergeant Robin Taylor-Ward said.

'It will be a bit like Christmas morning... you'd probably have a greater chance of winning the lotto.'
This is the dramatic moment a group of armed thugs tried to rob a cell phone store in Arlington, Texas.

The two suspects entered the store on the 3400 block of South Cooper Street on July 18 at 5:11pm.

Commenting on the incident, police said: 'We do not recommend that you try and fight off armed robbers. These clerks got very lucky that they were not shot or killed.'

This is the dramatic moment a pair of armed robbers attempted to hold up a cell phone store

The first raider vaulted the counter in an effort to intimidate the two store clerks

The clerks wrestle with the first raider while his accomplice pulls out his own gun

One of the suspects, who was wearing a black hooded top and black shorts removed a small silver snub-nosed revolver from a bag and pointed it at the two staff behind the counter.

The suspect leapt over the counter where he was confronted by the two men.

The two staff pushed the armed robber towards the door while his accomplice stood in the middle of the cell phone store retrieving his bag.

The second armed robber, who was wearing a white tee-shirt and grey cap pulled out a small semi-automatic pistol from the waist band of his trousers and pointed it at the two staff members, who continued to struggle with the first raider.

One of the staff then attempted to grab the gun from the second raider who is forced to retreat towards the door.

CCTV footage of the attempted raid shows the dramatic struggle. Fortunately neither of the staff members were injured as a result of the raid.

Arlington Police asked anyone who recognizes either of the raiders to contact Detective Houchin on 817-459-5301.

The second man pulls out his own gun - a small semi-automatic pistol - in an attempt to scare the two clerks who continue to push the first raider from behind the counter
The family of an 83-year-old dog walker stabbed to death in broad daylight have paid tribute to the 'lovely, gentle' grandfather who 'never had a bad word to say about anybody'.

Retired BT worker Peter Wrighton was brutally murdered after going out for a morning stroll in a quiet Norfolk village on Saturday.

His wife of 59 years today praised the pensioner's 'kind nature' as police continued to probe the possibility her husband may have stumbled upon a drug deal.

Residents of East Harling claimed yesterday that the woodland was often used by drug dealers, while it has also since emerged the spot where Mr Wrighton was killed was the scene of an unsolved rape more than 20 years ago.

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The dog walker stabbed to death in broad daylight has been named as 83-year-old Peter Wrighton

The retired BT worker was described by his family as a 'lovely, gentle husband, dad and grandfather'

In a statement released this afternoon, his wife Ann and family said: 'Peter was immensely kind and never had a bad word to say about anybody and people always seemed to take a liking to him.

'We are extremely thankful for all the people who have come forward to speak with the police and hope we will soon be able to understand why this has happened.

'When we think of Peter we remember him with with fond and happy memories that will stay with us always.'

Mr Wrighton had worked for British Telecom for 35 years and retired to Banham, Norfolk, 30 years ago where his family said he enjoyed living a simple life with his family and dogs.

His two beloved dogs, a ten-year-old foxhound-cross and a 13-year-old trailhound-cross, stayed by him until a fellow walker found his body.

Terry Ransom, 73, said he and his wife walked where Mr Wrighton was found nearly every day  and the elderly victim could have stumbled upon a drug deal.

He said: 'I have been coming up here for 20 years and the woods have become more dodgy. The area is a bit scary.'

He added: 'I am used to seeing people drawing up in cars. You see them exchanging something. I am sure it is to do with drugs.

'At around the end of June I saw two men. One looked like he was hiding things in the wood while the other was keeping watch.

'Two days later I saw a teenager come to a stop in the same area and he picked up a package which he put in his pocket.'

Peter had worked for British Telecom for 35 years and retired to Banham, Norfolk, 30 years ago where his family said he enjoyed living a simple life with his family and dogs

Mr Wrighton's two dogs, a ten-year-old foxhound-cross and a 13-year-old trailhound-cross, stayed by him until a fellow walker found his body

A post-mortem examination found that Mr Wrighton died after he was repeatedly stabbed in the neck and head.

Friends and neighbours have paid tribute to Peter Wrighton after hearing how he was brutally murdered.

Claire Hansey, 52, said: 'He was a nice bloke, just a lovely bloke.

'You don't expect to be murdered, particularly after getting to that age, not when you're walking dogs.

'He was polite and if you did see him you put your hand up and that was it.

'He and his wife used to have cats too, they were animal lovers. It is horrible, that poor lady.

'You just hoped that they catch whoever it is because it wasn't just a knock on the head, it was absolutely horrific. That poor man.'

Melissa Nelson, 39, who lives nearby, said: 'Peter was a true gentleman who wouldn't hurt a fly.

Pictured is Mr Wrighton's home in Banham, Norwich. Police are continuing to appeal for information to help find Mr Wrighton's killer and still believe that the public may hold the key

'I would often see him out about and while he wasn't the centre of attention, he was always very polite to everyone he spoke to.

'He absolutely loved his dogs and would do anything for him. It's no surprise they stayed with him in his hour of need.

'It's heartbreaking what happened to him, you wouldn't wish it on your worst enemy. I hope he is at peace now.'

Locals told how Mr Wrighton, who lived in London until his retirement, spent his days walking his dogs and caring for animals without a home at the Dogs Trust charity.

Norfolk Police are continuing to appeal for information to help find Mr Wrighton's killer and still believe that the public may hold the key.

Norfolk's County Policing Commander, Chief Superintendent Mike Fawcett, said: 'I would like to reassure the public that we are following several lines of enquiry and are pleased the public are supporting us in our investigation.

Scenes of crime officers hunt for clues in the area where Mr Wrighton's lifeless body was found

It is understood that the pensioner had gone to walk his dogs alone between 9am and 11am

'We have received more than 100 calls in the last three days and we would continue to urge people with information, particularly those who were in the area between 9am and 11m, to make contact.

'I would like to ask again, that if you live within five miles of The Street please can you check your bins, gardens and outbuildings for any items which may have been discarded by a potential suspect.

'I would also request that premises or businesses within the same area with CCTV systems preserve any footage that relate to the hours of 6am until 9pm on Saturday 5th August.

'Similarly, if you have a dash-cam or other recording devices and travelled in the area, save the footage and contact the police.

'We remain concerned that we have not yet been able to trace the person or people responsible for Peter's death.

'I hope residents will take some reassurance from the increased policing presence today which will be continuing throughout the evening and as long as is necessary, but I am aware that this incident will be causing some to worry.

'I would ask people to remain vigilant and to contact us if they see anything suspicious.'
A drug smuggling operation has been smashed after Coast Guard officers spotted huge bundles of marijuana while responding to a distress call.

The crew of a boat in San Diego were caught red handed with 1,200lbs of weed onboard, after calling to report battery problems.

The distress call came in at around 9.30am on Sunday, just under 30 miles southwest of Point Loma.

The crew of a boat in San Diego were caught red handed with 1,200lbs of weed onboard, after calling to report battery problems

Fifty bundles of the illegal drug were seized and unloaded, and both people on the boat were arrested

Fifty bundles of the illegal drug were seized and unloaded, and both people on the boat were arrested.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Justin Eaton told CNN: 'Working together with multiple Coast Guard assets we were able to make another seizure and slow down the flow of illegal drugs into America.

'It's never an individual effort, but always a team effort, that make these cases so successful.'
COLUMBUS  Dan Miller works in a big city, but he knows all about small-town life.

I really like small-town Nebraska values, Miller said.

Thats part of what drew him to the fire chief position in Columbus.

Miller grew up in rural Nebraska and still enjoys camping, fishing and hunting in his free time.

Although hes worked for the Omaha Fire Department since 1998, serving as a captain, chief of training and special operations and battalion chief, Miller still resides in Yutan, where he got his start in firefighting.

Miller has 36 years of firefighting experience, beginning in 1980 with the Yutan Volunteer Fire Department, where he has served as chief and assistant chief and as an elected member of the board.

Hes still involved with the department there, although that will soon change as Miller was hired Monday night to be the next fire chief in Columbus. Miller begins his duties here immediately, but will only work part time (a minimum of 20 hours per week) until Jan. 1 while completing his tenure with the Omaha Fire Department.

The 53-year-old will retire from the Omaha department, giving him a financial boost on top of the $92,280 annual salary hell receive in Columbus.

Dean Hefti, who has been with the local fire department for 45 years, including 25 as the volunteer fire chief, will help bridge the gap between now and when Miller comes aboard full time.

Hefti announced at the beginning of this year that he plans to retire in January and the city council voted in April to turn the fire chief position into a full-time job.

Miller, who taught hazmat classes at the local community college in the late 1990s and early 2000s and spent some time camping and fishing in the area as a youth, said his career goal has always been to become fire chief in a small- to mid-size city. And Columbus was always in the back of his mind.

It happened at a time in my career that worked out timing-wise, he said of the full-time opening here.

Millers previous experience will help him step into the new role.

He joined the Millard Fire District, a combination career/volunteer department, in 1991, advancing to captain before the district merged with Omaha in 1998, and has served as a volunteer firefighter in Yutan for more than three decades.

The new chief said he understands the important role volunteer firefighters have in a city like Columbus, which now has 16 career firefighters and rescue personnel, including Miller, and roughly 55 volunteers.

Miller said the Columbus department needs the volunteer force when responding to large fires and other incidents.

That cant just be handled by a small paid staff, he said, adding that the departments budget would swell if the volunteers were replaced by career firefighters.

The goal, he said, is to solidify response training for both volunteers and career firefighters and create a cohesive department with a common goal of keeping the community safe.

Miller, who graduated from Yutan High School before earning associate degrees in electronics and fire science technology from Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, has experience hiring career firefighters and recruiting volunteers.

He spent 19 years as a part-time instructor for the Nebraska State Fire Marshals Office, was an adjunct instructor in fire science technology at Metropolitan Community College and runs his own business, Training Under Fire, which teaches firefighting, technical rescue, command and leadership skills.

Miller said he uses a volunteer academy program that allows recruits to gain their certifications within the first year and get in the field quicker, which increases the likelihood that theyll stick with the department.

Its less PowerPoint, less classroom, more hands-on, he said.

In Omaha, Miller supervises six fire captains and oversees four fire stations and 28 firefighters and EMS personnel through his role as battalion chief, a position he was promoted to in 2012.

He said another goal here is to use his experience with career fire departments to begin long-range planning and set the stage for the next 15 to 20 years.

One of the first projects on his plate is replacing the aging downtown fire station, which could include the creation of a joint public safety facility that serves both the fire and police departments.

I think I can help a lot in that regard, said Miller, who served on the building committee for two fire stations and helped establish the E911 system in Saunders County.

Miller, who was named the Nebraska Veterans of Foreign Wars Firefighter of the Year in 2000 and Nebraska Society of Fire Service Instructors Instructor of the Year in 2012, said he and his wife Melanie plan to move to Columbus as soon as physically possible.

They have three children, who are all attending college this fall.
A married music teacher at a Victorian school continued his affair with a student, even after his wife found out about it.

Daniel James Zampatti was stripped of his teaching registration last month, where a Victorian Institute of Teaching panel found any remorse the man had for his actions to be 'intermittent and shallow' at best.

The student involved told the panel there were at least five occasions where Zampatti 'kissed, embraced and/or touched her', including one instance at a hotel in Melbourne after the teacher suggested they spend the weekend together.

The student said she and Zampatti had travelled to Melbourne in the teachers' van on a Saturday morning. During the trip, the pair kissed and held hands while swimming in the hotel pool, dined together in China Town, and spent the night in the same bed.

Pictured: Daniel Zampatti. who was found to have had an inappropriate relationship with his student - even after his wife found out about it

She told the panel the pair 'did not have sexual intercourse, however we did perform sexual acts. I touched the teacher and he touched me. I was not forced to do anything I did not want to do at the time'.

When he eventually admitted his misdeeds to his wife, Zampatti reportedly gave a guarantee he would end his relationship with the student but failed to do so.

Zampatti's wife, who also worked at the school, says she was forced to choose between her professional responsibilities and her love and concern for her husband and their family.

The woman says she: 'pointed out to [Zampatti] that this was a black and white situation; right and wrong, and that if he couldnt recognise this then he wasnt fit to be a teacher.'

The panel concluded Zampatti was 'not fit to teach' and cancelled his registration.
Jim Carrey's legal team has won its bid to be able to use his ex-girlfriend's medical records to defend the actor in a wrongful death suit filed against him.

A lawyer for the actor, who has been embroiled in a wrongful death lawsuit after the overdose death of Cathriona White, 30, in September 2015, claimed that the woman was prescribed medication that could have been responsible for her death.

White's estranged husband Mark Burton and mother Brigid Sweetman, have alleged that Carrey gave her multiple STDs and provided her with the drugs with which she took her own life.

Carrey's lawyer, Raymond Boucher, argued at Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday that White had recently had a breast augmentation and was prescribed medication that could have been responsible for her death.

White's STD history will also be disclosed for the 20-day jury trial next April, the court ruled on Tuesday.

A lawyer for Jim Carrey, who is embroiled in wrongful death suit in the drug-overdose death of ex-girlfriend Cathriona White (right), has won its bid to be able to use his ex-girlfriend's medical records to defend the actor

White's estranged husband Mark Burton (left) and mother Brigid Sweetman (right, with White), have alleged that Carrey gave her multiple STDs and provided her with the drugs with which she took her own life

Carrey, 55, has maintained that his ex-girlfriend had a history of depression and denied all allegations he gave White any prescription pills and alleges she took them without his knowledge.

White's family had tried to prevent the makeup artist's medical records from being used in court based on privacy grounds, but the court ruled that they should be disclosed.

Judge Deirdre Hill said: 'One of the issues is her prescription medication. We know she had breast surgery that month, we know she had oxycodone prescribed to her that month.'

The judge also ruled that White's STD history will be released to Carrey's legal team after White's family accused the actor gave her herpes 1 and 2 in 2013.

DailyMail.com revealed back in October that the STD test submitted as evidence in the wrongful death suit filed against Jim Carrey by Sweetman shows positive results for multiple diseases.

The Quest Diagnostics test belonging to 'Jose Lopez' and filed under seal has been seen by DailyMail.com and shows that 'Lopez' tested positive for Herpes I and II, Chlamydia and Hepatitis after being tested on January 28, 2013, with the results being reported three days later according to the test.

The date of birth for Lopez is listed as January 17, 1962, which is also Carrey's date of birth.

Sweetman and her attorney claim in court papers that 'Jose Lopez' is Jim Carrey.

Boucher said that Tuesday's ruling was an 'extremely important' victory for Carry.

He told The Telegraph: 'The most important thing is we want the medication evidence.

White's family had tried to prevent the makeup artist's medical records from being used in court based on privacy grounds, but the court ruled that they should be disclosed

'We want to be able to establish that Mr Carrey absolutely did not transmit any herpes and he did not give her his pain medication and she could access her own.'

White's family's lawyer, Michael Avenatti, however, warned that Carrey's records could also be made public.

'We are pleased because now the same standard will apply to Mr Carrey. He should be very nervous,' he said.

Carrey began dating White, an Irish native, in 2012, but the two later broke up after it was revealed she had secretly married Burton to obtain a Green Card after her visa expired, according to court papers.

White allegedly attempted to taker her own life after the break up in January 2013, using medication she had obtained from her dentist, whom she was seeing for dental work.

Around this time, she also accused Carrey of transmitting multiple STDs to her, which he denied.

Following the confrontation, the pair broke up, with Carrey sending her a text message saying 'You have become too much drama.'

In a note to Carrey, White described herself as 'damaged goods' and claimed he called her a 'w***e' and an 'opportunist', threatening her with the help of 'fixers' to silence her.

Under California law, willfully exposing someone to a STD can constitute a cause of legal action for intentional infliction of emotional distress, a factor which can be relevant in determining a cause of suicide.

The pair got back together in 2014 and remained in a relationship for ten months until her suicide.

In a note to Carrey, White described herself as 'damaged goods' and claimed he called her a 'w***e' and an 'opportunist', threatening her with the help of 'fixers' to silence her

Carrey began dating White, an Irish native, in 2012, but the two later broke up after it was revealed she had secretly married Burton to obtain a Green Card after her visa expired, according to court papers

White was found dead in her Los Angeles home in 2015, surrounded by empty bottles of painkillers - drugs which were acquired by Carrey, lawsuits allege.

Her mother filed a suit last October demanding general damages, economic damages, funeral and burial expenses, punitive damages and attorney fees.

Last month, it was revealed that Carrey requested records from the three police officers who arrived to the scene, her medical prescriptions, including those from her dentist, and records from her physician who performed nasal surgery in 2014.

Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com showed the comic's lawyer served ten deposition subpoenas in April for business records on seven of White's medical providers for her medical, dental, and pharmacy records, and three police officers and investigators for records relating to the investigation of her death.

They were also served on Sweetman and Burton's lawyers, who objected to the demands.

However, documents show they would withdraw their motion if Carrey agreed to re-serve the papers without two requests for physical items collected at the scene of White's death - including prescription or non-prescription bottles, clothing, notes, computers, laptops, and cellular phones.

They also requested to view the evidence before it is turned over to him.

Carrey and his attorney stated that the other party's requests are 'completely unworkable,' as the items sought are relevant to the case.

Earlier this week it was revealed in a documentary titled Jim Carrey: I Needed Color, that the star began painting after a challenging breakup to heal himself after his split from Jenny McCarthy in 2010.
Sarah Barton has been banned from teaching after having sex with a schoolgirl after taking her on a trip to London's West End to watch the musical Matilda

The husband of a drama teacher who was banned from the classroom after having sex with a female pupil she took to the West End to watch Matilda is standing by her.

Sarah Barton, 37, admitted to having sex with the girl in a hotel after arranging a trip to the theatre in London to watch the beloved Roald Dahl play.

The Essex-based teacher has been told she will never teach again after admitting 12 allegations of misconduct at a teacher disciplinary panel.

Neighbours say Barton went on holiday with her husband a week and a half ago and said the married couple are still together.

An NSPCC spokesman said today: 'As a teacher, Barton was trusted by pupils, parents, her school and the local community to put pupils' welfare first. Instead she abused their trust for her own sexual gratification.

'Teachers play a vital role in safeguarding and it is therefore right that she is banned from a profession which would have seen her working in close proximity and having contact with children on a daily basis.'

Barton, who taught at a high school in Essex, had initially struck up a friendship with the girl.

Soon the pair were regularly meeting in private and Barton told friends of a liaison she had with the pupil in her car and in fields.

She admitted taking the pupil to see the musical during half term, booking a hotel and having sex with the her

Mark Tweedle, chair of the misconduct panel, said: '[A witness] states that you told her you had sex in your car with [the pupil] and it is a natural inference that this happened after you had [her] picked up in your car.

He concluded: 'On balance, we find this allegation proved.'

Despite being warned by friends, Barton then took the youngster to the theatre last June and spent the night in a hotel.

He added: 'Regardless of who actually organised this trip to Matilda, it took place in June 2016 when your relationship with [the pupil] had been developing for some time. This was clearly inappropriate.'

A married drama teacher took a pupil to a production of Matilda before having sex in a hotel, an education standards panel has heard

Mr Tweedle added: '[The witness] states that you had told her that you had had sex with [the pupil] in your car and in fields.'

One of Barton's neighbours said: 'I understand they have gone on holiday together.

'I last saw them about a week and a half ago. As far as I know they are still together.'

Barton admitted that she had failed to maintain boundaries and abused her position of trust by having an inappropriate relationship with the pupil by contacted her by telephone, meeting her at school and kissing.

She admitted to taking the pupil to see the musical Matilda in London during half term, booking a hotel and having sex with the her.

Barton worked as a drama teacher at the Essex school from 2007 to 2016 before becoming head of department for drama and dance, the panel heard.

Mr Tweedle concluded: 'Whilst there was no evidence that Mrs Barton's actions began in any deliberate manner, in light of the length of time that the relationship developed and the emotional benefit gained by Mrs Barton, the panel had to conclude there was planning by her to some degree.

'There were numerous opportunities for the relationship to be terminated by her. This was a sexually motivated relationship that continued despite warnings from her colleagues. It was not a one-off spontaneous event.'

Alan Meyrick, who decides on teacher misconduct cases on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, said: 'In my view a five year review period is proportionate and in the public interest.

The misconduct emerged at a hearing at a National College for Teaching and Leadership

'I am therefore taking the decision to impose a prohibition order with a provision for an application to be made to set the order aside after a minimum of five years.

'This means that Mrs Sarah Barton is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.'

A neighbour of Bartons, who asked not to be named, said he was shocked by her behaviour, adding: 'They just seemed like a normal couple.'

The school has been contacted for comment.
A young single mother has been left outraged after working an entire day at a local cafe, to then be told afterward she wouldn't be paid a cent.

Helen Mawhinney forked out $70 to put her daughter into daycare, paid the costs of transport, and then went to work her eight-hour trial shift at Wadestown Kitchen.

A day earlier the 25-year-old from Wellington, New Zealand, completed her first one-hour trial, before going home and ordering KFC to celebrate what she though would be a new job.

But Ms Mawhinney was shocked, when after working her day-long second trial shift she claims she was told by cafe owner that she would not be paid - something she says he did not mention earlier, the New Zealand Herald reports.

Helen Mawhinney (pictured) has been left outraged after working an entire day at a local cafe, having earlier paid to put her son in daycare, only to later be told she wouldn't be paid a cent

The 25-year-old claims she forked out $70 to put her daughter into daycare, paid the costs of transport, and then went to work at Wadestown Kitchen (pictured) in Wellington, New Zealand

Ms Mawhinney, who has worked in hospitality for more than a decade, says had she known she would be asked to work for 'free' she would never have taken the job.

'The childcare and transport costs certainly wouldn't have made it worth it,' she said.

After her second shift the mother-of-one was offered a job, but in light of allegedly discovering the trial was unpaid she turned it down.

However Ms Mawhinney's claims that she wasn't told about the pay arrangement were disputed by cafe owner Curtis Gregorash.

'It is false that it was a day of work. The girl was told it was unpaid beforehand,' Mr Gregorash said.

He also reportedly sent an email to Ms Mawhinney in the days after apologising to her for 'confusion' over the trial.

Ms Mawhinney's (left) claims that she wasn't told about the pay arrangement were disputed by cafe owner Curtis Gregorash (right) who said: 'The girl was told it was unpaid beforehand'

In the days after her second shift Ms Mawhinney took to a popular Facebook group to share her story (pictured), but in response her mother's cafe began copping bad reviews

In the days after her second shift Ms Mawhinney took to a popular Facebook group to share her story, but in response her mother's cafe began copping bad reviews.

The reviews included one that appeared to be from Mr Gregorash which read: 'Disgusting cafe, full of rats and cockroaches! Don't eat here it made us all sick!'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Mawhinney and Mr Gregorash for comment.
A woman who police say was killed by her wife with a gunshot to the face over the weekend confessed to her mother that she and her partner were breaking up just hours before her death.

Felicia Dormans, 29, died on Sunday, after her wife, Laura Bluestein, 28, shot her in the face during an argument in Mount Holly, New Jersey, authorities said.

Bluestein was booked into Burlington County Jail and charged with murder, weapons possession and tampering with evidence.

Dormans mother, Christina, said on Tuesday that she had been texting and and speaking with her daughter on the phone in the hours before the shooting.

Felicia Dormans (right), 29, died on Sunday, after her wife, Laura Bluestein (left), 28, shot her in the face during an argument in Mount Holly, New Jersey, authorities said

Bluestein, 28, was booked into Burlington County Jail and charged with murder, weapons possession and tampering with evidence

Burlington County Sheriff's deputies were called to the couple's home (pictured) after receiving a call from one of Bluestein's relatives, saying there had been an assault at the residence

She said Dormans told her that she and Bluestein had gotten into an argument over food left out on the counter that attracted ants and told her mother that she and her wife would be splitting up.

Dormans debated driving to her parent's home in Danielsville, Pennsylvania, or go to a hotel as Bluestein requested, but instead decided to stay in the house that the couple shared.

Later that night, as the argument continued, Bluestein shot Dormans in the face, killing her, police say.

Christina Dormans said that she called her daughter twice after their last conversation, but she didn't answer.

She later received a call from Bluestein, show said that Dormans' phone was broken, so she couldn't answer, and then she apologized for the argument.

Lehigh Township Police later knocked on Christina Dormans' door, telling her that her daughter was dead, but she'd be unable to see the body due to the nature of the gunshot wound.

The couple had reportedly been fighting before the shooting, and Dormans told her mother that she and Bluestein were splitting up

Bluestein 'took away my daughter, but even seeing her one last time, she took that away from us,' Dormans told NJ.com.

The family plan on cremating Dormans' body.

Christina Dormans said that she never expected Bluestein to be capable of the violence authorities have said she is responsible for.

'Felicia was a beautiful person, a beautiful girl,' her mother added. 'She would give you the shirt off her back if you needed it.'

Dressed in an orange jumpsuit, Bluestein appeared in court on Monday. She has a detention hearing on Friday.

Burlington County Sheriff's deputies were called to the couple's home after receiving a call from one of Bluestein's relatives, saying there had been an assault at the residence.

The couple had been married for a year before Sunday's violence and were new to the neighborhood they lived in

When police showed up at the house, they found Dormans dead from a gunshot wound to the face, WPVI reported.

According to Dorman's Facebook, the couple had been married for a year.

Both of their Facebook accounts are filled with pictures of them together smiling and kissing in happier times.

Photos showed that they had recently taken a vacation to the beach.

The couple had been living in Bluestein's parent's home in Mount Holly since 2015, and bought the house from them last year.

Christina Dormans hopes there is a jail sentence in Bluestein's future.

'I want to look at her and let her know what she's caused,' Dormans told NJ.com. 'I can't ever see my daughter again.'

Bluestein, who has a criminal record including convictions for drug possession in 2012 and 2014, is being held without bail.
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Kim Jong-un's announcement that he is looking into the logistics of striking US military base in Guam is not the first time he has threatened America - but it is the first time he has singled a territory out.

Following a failed missile test in April, Kim warned of a 'super mighty pre-emptive strike' to wipe out US forces in South Korea and reduce its mainland 'to ashes'.

It was dismissed by most experts as saber-rattling but his most recent claim to strike Guam, an American territory around 2,100 miles from the Korean Peninsula, seems worryingly more specific.

Say Kim Jong-un does risk all out war by attacking Guam, in what some experts have branded a 'suicide' move, what force does the US have to beckon from its bases in the region?

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has again sparked panic after announcing his military is considering plans for a missile strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam

Following a failed missile test in April, Kim warned of a 'super mighty pre-emptive strike' to wipe out US forces in South Korea and reduce its mainland 'to ashes'

Kim's most recent remarks came hours after US President Donald Trump promised 'fire and fury like the world has never seen' if Pyongyang threatens his country again.

There has always been a shadow of doubt cast over Kim's nuclear credentials but analysts now believe the North does have missiles capable of reaching the Pacific island, where thousands of US personnel are based.

And while 'heightened tensions' between Kim and Trump have previously been brushed aside as nothing more than a clash of egos, military experts are now admitting this 'verbal spat could turn into a military clash'.

North Korea recently claimed to have successfully created a miniaturised nuclear warhead (with unverified claims he has as many as 60). The US already has more than 6,800.

The US also has by far the more fearsome military overall - comprising around one million active personnel, 13,000 aircraft, 5,800 tanks and 400 naval vessels - but its presence in the North Pacific is far smaller.

North Korea recently claimed to have successfully created a miniaturised nuclear warhead. Pictured: Trucks affixed with rocket launchers are paraded through the streets of Pyongyang in 2015

The US has a mighty military force comprising two million personnel, 13,000 aircraft, 5,800 tanks and 400 naval vessels but its presence near Korea is far smaller. Pictured: The USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier during drills in the Sea of Japan

Trump is believed to have around 80,000 personnel stationed across his bases in Japan, South Korea and Guam.

But Kim has an impressive arsenal of one million active soldiers, 944 aircraft, 5,025 tanks, 202 helicopters, 111 frigates and 76 submarines at his immediate disposal, according to military experts at Global Fire Power.

Say Kim Jong-un does risk all out war by attacking Guam, in what some experts have branded a 'suicide' move, what force does the US have to beckon from its bases in the region?

NUCLEAR WEAPONS

What has Kim got?

North Korea claims to have conducted five successful nuclear tests - in 2006, 2009, 2013, as well as January and September 2016.

The latest launch suggested Kim may have a 30 kilotonne bomb. In comparison, the bomb dropped on Hiroshima by the Us in 1945, killing more than 100,000, is believed to be a 20 kilotonne device.

North Korea claims to have three intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking Guam - the Hwasong-12, the Pukguksong-2 and the Musadon - though none has ever been used in combat.

It is also unclear whether North Korea has mastered the technology needed to protect the missiles from extreme heat and pressure upon atmospheric re-entry so they can hit the intended target.

North Korea claims to have three missiles capable of striking Guam, the Hwasong-12 (pictured), the Pukguksong-2 and the Musadon

South Korean defense officials estimated the Pukguksong-2 (pictured) missile's range to be around only 1,242 miles

The Hwasong-12, a liquid-fuel missile previously described by North Korea as built for attacking Alaska and Hawaii, has a range of up to 4,350 miles.

The Musadan, which has a maximum range of around 2,180-miles, was finally launched successfully in June last year following seven failures.

Though some fear the 'medium to long-range' Pukguksong-2 a is capable of reaching Guam, South Korean defense officials estimated its range to be around only 1,242 miles.

Despite heightened tensions, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says he does not 'believe there is any imminent threat' from North Korea, adding: 'Americans should sleep well at night.'

How would the US respond?

Earlier this year, South Korea deployed the US anti-missile defense system, THAAD, around 155 miles from the North Korean border to counter the growing missile threat from the North.

The THAAD is a US-built anti-ballistic missile system which shoots down rockets in their final phase of their flight.

Each THAAD 'battery' - costing around 615m each - consists of six launchers, each equipped with eight missiles and an extremely powerful radar system, according to Defense Tech.

The THAAD is a US-built anti-ballistic missile system which shoots down rockets in their final phase of their flight

China objected to the system, saying the radar could probe deep into its territory, but South Korea and the US said it was aimed solely at defending against North Korean missiles.

US nuclear expert Siegfried Hecker, who has repeatedly visited North Korea's nuclear facilities, does not believe the North has weapons systems for 'enveloping fire' around Guam as it threatened.

He said: 'The real threat is stumbling into an inadvertent nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula by misunderstanding or miscalculation. Inflammatory rhetoric on both sides will make that more likely. It's time to tone down the rhetoric.'

ARMY

What has Kim got?

Though estimates vary, a US Department of Defense report estimated North Korea has around one million active troops and more than 3,500 main battle tanks including 'ageing T-34, T-54, T-55 and T-62s'.

And while the world focuses on Kim's alleged nuclear arsenal, its ground forces are said to be a far greater threat to the South and US forces positioned there, according to experts at The National Interest.

As much as 70 per cent of its overall ground force is positioned less than 100 miles from the South Korean border and capable of conducting a surprise attack 'at any time', according to a South Korean Ministry of National Defence report.

North Korea is estimated to have around one million active troops and more than 3,500 main battle tanks including 'ageing T-34, T-54, T-55 and T-62s'

As much as 70 per cent of the North's overall ground force is positioned less than 100 miles from the South Korean border

It went on to say the North's 170 mm self-propelled guns and 240 mm MRLS [multiple launch rocket systems] 'were capable of massive concentrated fire on the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Area (GSMA)'.

'The 300 mm MRL currently under test development by North Korea is able to reach the middle part of the ROK considering its maximum firing range,' the report warned.

The paper also claimed the North is also looking at modernising its battalion by 'replacing the existing T-54 and T-55, the main tanks of the armored and mechanized units'.

How would the US respond?

In comparison, the US is believed to have only 140 M1 Abrams tanks stationed in the South Korean city of Paju, just miles from the border.

Its ground force battalion in the country also comprises around 170 Bradley armoured vehicles, 30 155mm self-propelled howitzers and 30 MRLs, according to Global Security.

And while it has around 80,000 personnel stationed across the region, only 28,500 are based in South Korea.

In comparison, the US is believed to have only 140 M1 Abrams tanks (pictured several years ago in Iraq) stationed in the South Korean city of Paju near the border with the North

AIR FORCE

What has Kim got?

The North Korean Air Force (NKAF) has a fleet of around 1,000 aircraft, according to a US Department of Defense report.

It says the North's most dangerous fighters are the MiG-29s procured from the Soviet Union in the late 1980 and the used MiG-21s it purchased from Kazakhstan in 1999.

As well as the 'capable' MiG-29 and MiG-23 fighters and SU-25 ground-attack aircraft, it claimed the majority of its aircraft - the MiG-15s, MiG-17s, MiG- 19s and MiG-21s - were 'less capable'.

The North Korean Air Force (NKAF) has a fleet of around 1,000 aircraft, the most dangerous of which are its Soviet-era MiG-29s (pictured in 2016)

The US Department of Defence claims North Korea's MiG-15s, MiG-17s, MiG- 19s and MiG-21s (pictured) were 'less capable' than the MiG-29s

How would the US respond?

The US has around 250 planes throughout the region, the majority of which are stationed with its Seventh Fleet, headquartered in Japan.

As part of the fleet, the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier is permanently deployed in Yokosuka, Japan.

Meanwhile the Anderson air force base in Guam, known as America's 'permanent aircraft carrier', hosts both B52 bombers and fighter jets, according to ABC.

United States Forces Korea boasts around 100 planes including 70 F-16s and ten A-10 anti-tank jets, as well as intelligence-collecting jets and reconnaissance aircraft, according to Global Security.

The US is believed to have more than 20 MV-22 Ospreys in Okinawa, F-15 fighters at the Kadena Air Base and modern F-16 variants at the Misawa Air Base.

The US is believed to have more than 20 MV-22 Ospreys in Okinawa and F-15 fighters (file photo from the UK) at the Kadena Air Base

NAVY

What does Kim have?

'The North Korean Navy (NKN) is the smallest of the KPAs three main services,' according to the US Department of Defense.

It says the ageing coastal force is made up of a handful of small patrol craft which 'carry a variety of cruise missiles, torpedoes, and guns'.

It does admit North Korea has one of the largest submarine forces in the world,comprising around 70 attack submarines.

North Korea has one of the largest submarine forces in the world,comprising around 70 attack submarines (file photo of Kim Jong Un on one of his subs)

How would the US respond?

Here, the US may be able to take on Kim's immediate forces head-to-head.

Headquartered in Japan the Seventh Fleet - America's largest deployed sea force - is believed to be made up of between 50 to 70 ships and submarines and and 20,000 sailors across the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

It includes the 'aircraft supercarrier', the USS Ronald Reagan, and a collection of 14 destroyers and cruisers armed with ballistic missile interceptors, long-range Tomahawk land attack missiles and anti-aircraft missiles.
Argentina has grounded all the fighter jets in its air force - meaning it is being defended by just a few dozen propeller fighters first built in the 1970s.

Thirty-five years after the country's military invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands, the economically beleaguered South American republic now has a worse air force than it did under dictator Leopoldo Galtieri in 1982.

It was confirmed that all of its Lockheed Martin A-4AR Skyhawk jets - which are adaptations of the 1956 fighters it used in the Falklands War - had been grounded as the air force's working hours are cut to five hours a day while staff are set to stop working on Mondays and Tuesday.

Its Mirage fighters - also used in the war - were retired two years ago.

First line of defence: The Argentinian FMA IA 58 Pucara propeller aircraft, of which the country is believed to have 32

Pictured: The Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk, which have been grounded amid concerns over finances in the economically beleaguered country

Because its IA 63 Pampa jets have also been grounded, according to the UK Defence Journal, it leaves Argentina with just 32 FMA IA 58 Pucara propeller planes to act as its combat aircraft.

The journal quotes Jane's Defence Weekly as explaining that the Argentine Air Force is 'drastically cutting staff working hours and decommissioning its last fighter aircraft amid continuing budget issues.'

It adds: 'A recently published daily agenda indicates that the service's working hours have been significantly reduced, from 0800 to 1300; rationing of food, energy consumption, and office supplies has been directed headquarters staff and property residents; and only the minimum personnel required to staff headquarters, directorates, and commands are working.

'A next step will [be to] cut Monday and Tuesday as working days. Moreover, air force officials said any aircraft taken out of service will not undergo maintenance for now.'

Pictured: An Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher - or Dagger - aircraft attacking a British ship in San Carlos Water (known as 'Bomb Alley') during the Falklands War in 1982. The Argentine Air Force no longer has any of the jets

Pictured: HMS Sir Galahad ablaze after an Argentine air raid on June 8th at Bluff Cove near Fitzroy settlement on East Falkland. It was sunk by A-4 Skyhawks and Daggers during the Falklands War

Pictured: HMS Antelope, which was sunk by four A-4B Skyhawks during the Falkands War

Pictured: Two Dassault Mirage III aircraft flying a sortie during the Falklands War. The last of Argentina's Mirages were retired in 2015

Pictured: Skyhawks attack a British ship during the Falkands War

Pictured: Darwin, near Goose Green, which was the scene of fierce fighting in the Falklands War

Pictured: Part of the debris of an Argentine-built MB 326 plane sits at the end of the runway at Port Stanley on the Falkland Islands

During the war over the islands, Argentina had 15 McDonnell Douglas A-4C Skyhawks and 35 A-4B Skyhawks alongside 30 Israeli-made Dagger 30 jets and 17 Mirage IIIEAs.

The humiliating news comes after years of sabre-rattling by Argentina over the Falkand Islands.

Former president Cristina Kirchner regularly attacked Britain for retaining sovereignty over the dispute territory, claiming it represented colonialism, and cut trade links between the islands and Argentina.

It was hoped that Mauricio Macri, elected at the end of 2015, would take a much softer stance on the British possession - known to Argentinians as 'Las Malvinas' - but he still demanded sovereignty talks in September of last year.

Pictured: An Argentine Mirage III taking off before it was decommissioned in 2015

Pictured: An Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher - or Dagger - which was adapted from the Mirage 5

Last month it was revealed that a group of rogue Argentinian generals were planning to plant their country's flag on the Falkland Islands.

The nighttime operation, due to take place in September, would see 14 commandos fly to a remote part of the islands in two helicopters along with a flag and cameras.

Photographs of the operation would then be published days before the next election in order to humiliate the government and unseat President Mauricio Macri.

And in March of this year, Argentina complained about the RAF making 18 flights between the islands and airports in Brazil.

Pictured: The Eurofighter Typhoon, recently rated as one of the world's best fighters. Britain has 143

Pictured: HMS Queen Elizabeth, one of two new aircraft carriers designed to be the future of the Royal Navy

Pictured: A Lockheed Martin F-35, of which Britain has ordered 138

It stressed the deal between the country and Brazil 'to not allow British airplanes or warships based in the disputed archipelago'.

For now the Argentinian Air Force is searching for a replacement for its Mirage aircraft, but its chief - Brigadier General Amrein - said that cost will be a primary factor, 'particularly in times unfavorable to a country's economy'.

Britain, meanwhile, was ranked in 2014 as having the second-most powerful military in the world behind the United States, according to a European Geostrategy report.

The RAF has 143 active Eurofighter Typhoons - a plane recently rated as one of the world's best fighters.

The UK has also ordered 138 F-35 Lightning IIs, some of which will be deployed on the two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales (due in 2020).

Argentina lost 35 fighters and 25 helicopters in the Falklands War, while the UK lost 10 fighters and 24 helicopters.
A former professional boxer smashed a young Japanese tourist's head against concrete and tried to rape her in a Melbourne stairwell before shaving his head and going to church to pray.

Philippines-born Anton Olarte has a career including 51 super welterweight bouts and on Wednesday pleaded guilty to charges of attempted rape and intentionally causing injury stemming from the assault which took place in a city apartment building in August 2016.

Prosecutor Ray Gibson said Olarte, 34, grabbed the 23-year-old woman from behind as she waited for a lift and dragged her by the ankles into an alcove.

Philippines-born Anton Olarte (right) has a career including 51 super welterweight bouts and on Wednesday pleaded guilty to charges of attempted rape

A former professional boxer smashed a young Japanese tourist's head against concrete and tried to rape her in a Melbourne stairwell

'She continued to scream and the accused punched her multiple times to the stomach and face,' Mr Gibson told the Victorian County Court.

'As she began to feel weak, he grabbed her by the hair and pushed the right side of her head into the concrete floor two to three times.'

Olarte removed the woman's underpants and forced himself on her before being interrupted by a resident who heard the screaming.

The concerned man opened a stairwell door to find the woman crying for help as Olarte fled.

Olarte changed into a woollen vest he found in a nearby car park before returning to the apartment block, sharing a lift with police.

'He questioned the police officers as to what had happened in the building,' Mr Gibson said.

After taking his little dog Matilda for a brief walk, Olarte shaved his head and pubic hair.

After the attack Olarte then headed to the nearby St Augustine's Parish to 'pray for forgiveness' for two hours, before being arrested (the church is pictured)

'It was an attempt to disguise himself and destroy evidence,' Mr Gibson said.

Olarte then headed to the nearby St Augustine's Parish to 'pray for forgiveness' for two hours, before being arrested.

The victim outlined her suffering in a statement read to the court.

She suffered cuts, bruises and headaches and was struck with fear, anxiety and nightmares after the attack and still hasn't told her father of the ordeal.

'I have a scar under my eye which reminds me every day when I look in the mirror,' she said.

Defence lawyer Rob Melasecca said Olarte was remorseful for his crimes.
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A pavilion in China that has withstood numerous flooding has been dubbed 'pavillion strong' following the most recent submersion.

The 700-year-old temple has refused to buckle during the most recent flood which saw waters rise to some 35-feet-high over the past few weeks.

Located in Ezhou on China's Yangze river, Guanying Pavilion has remained intact despite various attempts by the weather.

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Devastation caused by storm: The platform can be seen completely submerged but the building itself is intact

The pavilion - which has since been dubbed Pavilion Strong by impressed locals - has refused to buckle in flood waters

The building, named the Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy) Pavilion, dates back to Song dynasty (960 - 1279AD)

Surviving: A pavilion is dubbed as Pavilion Strong after withstanding numerous floods in the Yangtze River

Images and footage shows the building withstanding the most recent flooding which has seen waters rise to around 35 feet

The building was partially submerged by the flood water, but it has not crumbled and is still standing

New images and footage shows the building withstanding the most recent flooding which has seen waters rise to around 35 feet, reports That's Beijing.

The platform can be seen completely submerged but the building itself is intact.

Inside it's as if nothing has happened.

On Chinese social media site Weibo, users have commended the structure's strength.

One user commented: 'This must be protected. We are losing temples.'

While another said: 'The foundations are strong. People from the past were superb architects.'

This is not the first flood the pavilion has withstood with experts saying it has survived a 'number already'

A pavilion is dubbed as Pavilion Strong after withstanding numerous floods in the Yangtze River

The pavilion dates back to the Song dynasty where it is estimated to have been built between 960 and 1279 AD

It's thought that the pavilion dates back to the Song dynasty where it is estimated to have been built between 960 and 1279 AD.

Since then it has undergone renovation work between 1644 and 1911.

Experts say during this time, it withstood several big floods.

China is currently in the middle of its rainy season with floods pounding south and central regions of the Middle Kingdom.

China is currently in the middle of its rainy season with floods pounding south and central regions of the Middle Kingdom
A British woman has died in a car crash while on a family safari holiday in South Africa.

Sharon Davies, 46, of Mountain Ash, South Wales, 'showed no signs of life' when she was found trapped inside the car after coming off the road near Rustenburg, northwest of Johannesburg.

Ms Davies' partner and their two children, a 17-year-old boy and a girl aged 14, were also injured in the crash with the teenage boy reportedly in a critical condition.

Tragic: Sharon Davies, 46, died in a car crash while on a safari holiday in South Africa with her partner and their two children

The family had been was travelling from O.R. Tambo International Airport to neighbouring Botswana when the tragic crash happened.

Paramedics arrived at the scene off the R509 motorway outside Rustenburg in the North West Province, to find the car lying on its side partially off the road.

The 17-year-old, reportedly the son of Ms Davies' partner, was airlifted to hospital with critical injuries.

An investigation of 'culpable homicide' - 'involuntary manslaughter' under UK law - has now been opened by the South African Police Service following the crash on July 31.

Horrible: This image of the crash scene, released by emergency services, show the car the family had been driving in lying on its side on the road

Emergency response spokesman Russel Meiring said: 'Upon closer inspection, paramedics found the woman lying trapped in the vehicle had sustained numerous injuries and showed no signs of life.

'Unfortunately, the woman had already succumbed to her injuries.

'Nothing more could be done for her and she was declared dead on the scene.'

Friends have now paid tribute to the tragic mother.

Sheila Mills said: 'Still can't stop thinking about her she was a lovely person inside and out.'

Joanne Bury Churcher said: 'Absolutely heartbroken. RIP Sharon.'
This week, I am leading a trade mission to Canada. The importance of Canada as a trading partner that is helping grow Nebraska cannot be overstated.

Canada is Nebraskas largest export market and fourth-largest agriculture export market. In 2016, total agricultural exports from Nebraska to Canada equaled an estimated $468 million out of a total agriculture export value of $5.4 billion. In addition to our important trade relationship, Nebraska and Canada are both celebrating our 150th birthdays this year, a special occasion which we will be highlighting along the way.

Our historic partnership is why I chose to lead what is quite possibly the first-ever governorled Nebraska trade mission to Canada. Why travel to Canada when Nebraska already has such a great relationship? We cannot take our best customers for granted. Appreciation is one of the most important aspects of any partnership, so we are taking the time to thank our largest export market for their business while solidifying our current relationships with government officials and investors. This mission can also help open new doors and new opportunities for Nebraska ag producers and businesses looking to grow.

The timing of this trade mission is critical, as negotiations between the United States, Canada and Mexico are set to begin on the modernization of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA has been pivotal to growing Nebraska agriculture, our states No. 1 industry. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, exports from Nebraska to free-trade agreement markets grew 104 percent from 2005 to 2015, with growth in NAFTA trade far outpacing our trade with other partners. As NAFTA negotiations have begun, Nebraska ag producers and I have been working together to showcase how critical this agreement is to the future of the farm families who help grow our state.

This week, the Department of Agriculture and Department of Economic Development, as well as ag producers, will be joining the mission. During our visit we will share the story of Nebraska and the high-quality commodities produced by our farm and ranch families with current and potential investors.

While in Canada, we will sit down for a roundtable discussion with the United States Consul General for Toronto, as well as a reception and meal featuring Nebraska beef that will be hosted by the Minister Counselor for Agricultural Affairs. Nebraska beef products are Nebraskas No. 1 agricultural export to Canada, totaling $138.2 million in 2015.

My cabinet directors and I will also have the opportunity to meet directly with the Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. This meeting will provide us an opportunity to share our thanks for the market access Nebraska products enjoy in Canada as well as a conversation about future growth opportunities.

Additionally, we plan to meet with the Canadian Pork Council and Canadian Cattlemen Association at the U.S. Embassy. Pork is Nebraskas third-highest agricultural export to Canada, providing $61.3 million of exports. We look forward to sharing Nebraskas beef and pork story with these two organizations.

During the trade mission, participants will also receive a number of briefings on trade issues. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture is hosting a workshop on the Safe Foods for Canadians Act. This workshop, which is also open to Canadian businesses, will allow for an open discussion about how the act will change the way we export food products to Canada. During visits with the U.S. Consulate in Toronto and the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, the delegation will learn more about Canadas economic and social structures and how those affect the Nebraska manufacturing and agricultural sectors.

Trade missions like these have allowed Nebraska to build on relationships that have been helping grow our state for 150 years. Nebraska has achieved great growth through trade over the years because of an ongoing commitment by our agriculture and business communities to raising Nebraskas international profile. As work begins on modernizing NAFTA, it is more important than ever that we demonstrate our appreciation for our states largest customer, and this trade mission will help do just that.
A man had his leg shattered and shoulder dislocated after angering a driver he had told off earlier for speeding.

Builder Gary Blinman, 46, was heading to get some pizza when he saw a driver speeding through his suburban area. The pair got into a verbal argument over the man's driving, which escalated soon after.

'I think I said "you should be ashamed of yourself mate, fair dinkum. It's school holidays, it's dinner time, there's kids everywhere... far out",' he told A Current Affair.

Gary Blinman (pictured) says more than six months after being hit in a road rage attack, he is still using a wheelchair and crutches to get around

Mr Blinman was hit by a 21-year-old driver he had earlier chastised for speeding in a suburban area

Footage from the parking lot shows the male driver pull out of his car park and drive aggressively towards Mr Blinman.

The builder says he didn't know where to go, and appeared to be frozen in fright as the car accelerated towards him.

Suddenly, the car lurches forward and hits Mr Blinman, who is seen rolling over the car before flying into the air. He says he landed in a gutter.

More than six months after the attack, the Central Coast father is still using a wheelchair and crutches to get around.

The attack shattered Mr Blinman's leg, which is still yet to recover. As a builder, he says he has been unable to work properly since

'It's hard for me to picture ever going up a ladder again,' he told the program.

'And I own ten of them.'

The car that hit him left the car park straight after the incident, The Gosford Express Advocate reported at the time.

The driver, a 21-year-old man, was later arrested at his home and charged with recklessly causing grievous bodily harm and failing to stop and assist after a crash.

His license was also suspended due to an alleged speeding offence prior to the incident, and the man was also fined for speeding more than 30km/h over the speed limit.

Pictured: X-ray images show the extent of the injuries to Mr Blinman
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

A woman has been convicted of animal cruelty after 51 dogs were freed from a puppy farm where they had been living in squalid conditions.

Leith Gatenby, 62, pleaded guilty to nine counts of animal cruelty in Gunnedah Local Court on Tuesday.

Inspectors from RSPCA NSW had seized 51 Koolies and mixed-breed dogs from a Gunnedah property following a complaint passed on by NSW police.

They found the animals living in tiny cages, and many of them needing veterinary attention.

A woman has been convicted of animal cruelty after 51 dogs were freed from a puppy farm where they had been living in squalid conditions

One of the charges related to an act of aggravated cruelty to a female Koolie with health issues so severe that veterinarians deemed it cruel for her to be kept alive.

The other eight charges relate to failure to provide veterinary care for 50 dogs, the court heard.

All 50 of the dogs were not treated for fleas, 36 were emaciated, 34 had ear infections and 18 had Conjunctivitis.

Seven dogs had untreated eye issues and one had with a necrotic tissue wound sustained during a dog fight.

Ms Gatenby was sentenced to a Section 9 Bond for 18 months in relation to the aggravated cruelty charge.

Inspectors from RSPCA NSW had seized 51 Koolies and mixed-breed dogs from a Gunnedah property following a complaint passed on by NSW police

She was also ordered to pay $130,647.19  the total veterinary and boarding coasts for the 51 dogs.

The magistrate ordered her to surrender or rehome the remaining dogs in her care within 28 days and banned her from owning more than five desexed dogs in the future.

Magistrate McPherson said, with the 73 dogs in Ms Gatenby's care, there was 'no way they were going to be properly cared for.'

He said the conditions were 'appalling' and 'the animals themselves have nobody to stand up for them.'

All 50 of the dogs were not treated for fleas, 36 were emaciated, 34 had ear infections and 18 had Conjunctivitis

Magistrate McPherson said, with the 73 dogs in Ms Gatenby's care, there was 'no way they were going to be properly cared for'

He added: 'There needs to be a clear message sent to the community that this type of treatment is not acceptable.'

RSPCA NSW Deputy Chief Inspector Scott Meyers added: 'The squalid conditions these dogs were forced to live in screams of Gatenby's inability to care for all 73 dogs.

'There were cages stacked upon cages, some with doors rusted shut it had been that long since they'd been opened.'

He added: 'As an inspector, you never get used to seeing this level of hoarding and neglect.'

RSPCA NSW said it worked closely with rescue groups to rehome many of the dogs.

However, a large number still remain in the group's care as they are receiving ongoing veterinary treatment and intensive behavioural rehabilitation for a variety of serious issues that had been left untreated for extensive periods of time.
The evacuation from Dunkirk was one of the biggest operations of the Second World War and was one of the major factors in enabling the Allies to continue fighting.

It was the largest military evacuation in history, taking place between May 27 and June 4, 1940. The evacuation, known as Operation Dynamo, saw an estimated 338,000 Allied troops rescued from northern France. But 11,000 Britons were killed during the operation - and another 40,000 were captured and imprisoned.

Described as a 'miracle of deliverance' by wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, it is seen as one of several events in 1940 that determined the eventual outcome of the war.

British soldiers fight a rearguard action during the evacuation at Dunkirk, shooting rifles at attacking aircraft in 1940

The Second World War began after Germany invaded Poland in 1939, but for a number of months there was little further action on land. But in early 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway and then launched an offensive against Belgium and France in western Europe.

Hitler's troops advanced rapidly, taking Paris - which they never achieved in the First World War - and moved towards the Channel.

They reached the coast towards the end of May 1940, pinning back the Allied forces, including several hundred thousand troops of the British Expeditionary Force. Military leaders quickly realised there was no way they would be able to stay on mainland Europe.

Operational command fell to Bertram Ramsay, a retired vice-admiral who was recalled to service in 1939. From a room deep in the cliffs at Dover, Ramsay and his staff pieced together Operation Dynamo, a daring rescue mission by the Royal Navy to get troops off the beaches around Dunkirk and back to Britain.

On May 14, 1940 the call went out. The BBC made the announcement: 'The Admiralty have made an order requesting all owners of self-propelled pleasure craft between 30ft and 100ft in length to send all particulars to the Admiralty within 14 days from today if they have not already been offered or requisitioned.'

Boats of all sorts were requisitioned - from those for hire on the Thames to pleasure yachts - and manned by naval personnel, though in some cases boats were taken over to Dunkirk by the owners themselves.

They sailed from Dover, the closest point, to allow them the shortest crossing. On May 29, Operation Dynamo was put into action.

When they got to Dunkirk they faced chaos. Soldiers were hiding in sand dunes from aerial attack, much of the town of Dunkirk had been reduced to ruins by the bombardment and the German forces were closing in.

A ship laden with troops sets off for home as Dunkirk burns in the background

Above them, RAF Spitfire and Hurricane fighters were headed inland to attack the German fighter planes to head them off and protect the men on the beaches.

As the little ships arrived they were directed to different sectors. Many did not have radios, so the only methods of communication were by shouting to those on the beaches or by semaphore.

Space was so tight, with decks crammed full, that soldiers could only carry their rifles. A huge amount of equipment, including aircraft, tanks and heavy guns, had to be left behind.

The little ships were meant to bring soldiers to the larger ships, but some ended up ferrying people all the way back to England. The evacuation lasted for several days.

Prime Minister Churchill and his advisers had expected that it would be possible to rescue only 20,000 to 30,00 men, but by June 4 more than 300,000 had been saved.

The exact number was impossible to gauge - though 338,000 is an accepted estimate - but it is thought that over the week up to 400,000 British, French and Belgian troops were rescued - men who would return to fight in Europe and eventually help win the war.

But there were also heavy losses, with around 90,000 dead, wounded or taken prisoner. A number of ships were also lost, through enemy action, running aground and breaking down. Despite this, Dunkirk was regarded as a success and a great boost for morale.
North Korea has released a Canadian pastor serving a life sentence for 'trying to overthrow the regime' on humanitarian grounds, Pyongyang said on Wednesday.

Hyeon Soo Lim, 61, was jailed 2015 for 'subversive acts against Pyongyang', accusations which Canadian authorities have strongly denied.

His release followed the arrival of a Canadian delegation sent to Pyongyang to discuss the case of Pastor Lim, also known as Rim Hyon Su.

Hyeon Soo Lim, pictured in 2015, has been released by the North Korean government on humanitarian grounds, described as 'sick bail' in a statement from Pyongyang

'Rim Hyon Su, a Canadian civilian, was released on sick bail according to the decision of the Central Court of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on August 9, 2017, from the humanitarian viewpoint,' North Korea's official KCNA news agency said today.

He was released amid heightened tensions between North Korea and North America, with both North Korea's Kim Jong-Un and U.S. president Donald Trump making threats of outright nuclear war.

Pyongyang's volatile dictator warned he was 'carefully examining' plans to make 'an enveloping fire' around the US island of Guam which is home to about 163,000 people and a sprawling American military base.

It came after US President Donald Trump's apocalyptic warning that North Korea faces 'fire and fury like the world has never seen' over its nuclear programme.

America then released images of supersonic bombers flying over the Korean peninsula while American airmen in Guam have said they are ready to 'fight tonight'.

The North said the training mission 'proves that the U.S. imperialists are nuclear war maniacs'.

Pastor Lim's release followed the arrival of a Canadian delegation, including the country's national security advisor, sent to Pyongyang to discuss his case with the government

Yesterday, a Canadian government spokesman confirmed that the country's national security advisor Daniel Jean was in Pyongyang.

'A Canadian government delegation is currently in Pyongyang, DPRK, to discuss Pastor Lim's case,' Trudeau spokesman Cameron Ahmad said.

'Pastor Lim's health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada as we continue to engage on this case,' he said.

'As this is an active case, we will not provide further comment at this time.'

Lim's family told local media they have become increasingly worried about his welfare since the death of an American student in June just days after he had been released from a North Korean prison.

Finger on the button: The release of Pastor Lim comes amid heightened tensions between North Korea and the west, in particular the United States

At the time of his arrest, other members of the close-knit circle of ethnic Korean missionaries in Canada and the United States called Lim one of the most influential Christian missionaries operating in North Korea.

He had visited the country dozens of times, working with orphanages and nursing homes.

But some projects he worked on, including a noodle plant and flour mills, were linked to associates of Jang Song-Thaek, the purged uncle of leader Kim Jong-Un. Jang Song-Thaek was arrested and executed for treason in December 2013.

Lim told CNN last year that he now spends his days in prison digging holes.

Pyongyang views foreign missionaries with deep suspicion, though it allows some to undertake humanitarian work.

A number of Christian missionaries - mostly ethnic Koreans who are US citizens - have been arrested in the past, with some of them only allowed to return home after intervention by high-profile US political figures.
A plastic surgery center has been ordered to pay out $18,000 to a patient after pictures of her bare breasts were uploaded online, alongside her name.

Mandi Stilwell sued the Aesthetic Laser Center in Fresno, California, after a man she had met on a dating site found the pictures after typing her name into Google.

She had agreed to having the photographs published, but said she would only allow it if she could not be identified.

Mandi Stilwell (left) sued Dr Enraquita Lopez (right) for $300,000 after discovering the images could be found by searching her name

Stilwell, 39, sued Dr Enraquita Lopez for lost wages and emotional distress after making the discovery.

The Fresno Bee reports that she filed a lawsuit seeking $300,000, saying she fell into a depression and needed time off work.

She accused Lopez of negligence and failing to safeguard her medical information, having had a breast lift, implants and a tummy tuck in March 2013.

Defending Lopez, attorney Michael Ball said the photos had been mistakenly uploaded from a folder containing Stilwell's name, and were removed as soon as the error was pointed out.

And it claimed that a Facebook post from 2014 showed Stilwell was not emotionally devastated.
This is the incredible moment two bothers see the colour on their own skin for the very first time, simultaneously, thanks to a surprise birthday gift.

Brisbane mum Michelle Elms had a very special gift for her two boys, Jared, 27, and Brock Rawlins, 25, who had both never seen colour before.

When she handed them both a pair of EnChroma colour-blindness correction glasses, the effect was initially a slow-burner for both boys.

But before long, Jared called out, 'Sweet Jesus,' as the paper cut-outs before him suddenly came alive with colour.

Brisbane mum Michelle Elms had a very special gift for her two boys, Jared, 27, and Brock Rawlins, 25, who had both never seen colour before

Overwhelmed by all that surrounded him, older brother Jared couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the colour of the grass, rust and even his own skin for the first time - and joked that he is actually 'browner than he thought'.

For younger brother Brock, changes weren't so instantaneous, but as the advisory 10 to 15-minute adjustment period came to an end, the red/green colourblind sufferer finally noticed a drastic change.

Holding up a pink dress with Jared, the pair admitted they'd never seen the colour before.

Delighted to see her boys enjoying the world in full clarity, Michelle said: 'I found out that the boys were colourblind just before they started school and I felt so guilty.

When the Brisbane mother handed them both a pair of EnChroma colour-blindness correction glasses, the effect was initially a slow-burner for both boys

'I was told that colour-blindness is usually inherited from the mother's side, so I felt like it was my fault.

'So, when the opportunity came to give them the gift of colour as I should've done the first time, I couldn't resist.

'It was a real mixture of emotions; Jared's reaction was so instantaneous I had a real teary moment enjoying him finally see the colour of all that surrounds him.

'But for Brock it didn't fall into place so quickly and he was visibly frustrated initially, especially when everything was working for his brother.

For Brock, changes weren't so instantaneous, but as the advisory 10 to 15-minute adjustment period came to an end, the red/green colourblind sufferer finally noticed a drastic change

Holding up a pink dress with Jared, the pair admitted they'd never seen the colour before

'Thankfully they finally did work, and he text me later that day saying how amazed he was to be able to see each colour in the traffic lights and what an incredible difference the glasses have made.'

Jared said: 'It was completely life-changing, it's an experience that is quite hard to put into words.

'I now take my glasses with me everywhere, so now I can experience at any time, just how beautiful the world is.

'After seeing the sunrise, my favourite colour is now orange, it's one of the most spectacular things I've seen.

'I can't wait till the day comes that I get to see a rainbow.'
A book about the drug related death of billionaire heiress Eva Rausing written by her sister-in-law has been slammed by her father as 'inexplicable, damaging and truly sad'.

Mrs Rausing, the American wife of Tetra Pak heir Hans, died from cocaine abuse in 2012 and he left her body to decompose for two months in their Belgravia mansion.

Five years after the death his sister, philanthropist Sigrid Rausing, publisher of Granta magazine, has written the memoir, Mayhem, revealing the effects of Hans and Eva's addiction on their family.

Mrs Rausing, the American wife of Tetra Pak heir Hans (both pictured) died from cocaine abuse in 2012 and he left her to body to decompose for two months in their 70m Belgravia mansion

But The Telegraph reports that her father, Tom Kemeny, believes that the book, an account of his daughter's death written by her sister-in-law Sigrid Rausing, is 'a cold, hollow and unsympathetic depiction of our beloved daughter'.

In a statement, he said the publication is 'inexplicable, damaging and truly sad'.

'I find it inconceivable that a family member, editor or not, would publicly expose such painful and personal details,' he said.

'If it is a personal act of catharsis, then it should have been done privately.'

Evas father, Tom Kemeny, has condemned the book, claiming it will tear the family apart

Together, while their retinue of staff in the couples 70 million house cared for their children, the Rausings would spend days at a time locked away in their vast annexe on the second floor getting high on a noxious mixture of crack cocaine and heroin

But the newspaper reports that Ms Rausing, the philanthropist, publisher and editor of Granta magazine, refuses to back down from the book's claims.

'The couple had struggled with drug addiction for years Sigrid tries to make sense of what happened to her brother and his wife,' says the publisher's blurb about the book, titled Mayhem: A Memoir, and which will be published in September.

It is the first time a member of the Rausing family has given a full account of the downfall of one of Britain's richest couples.

The story of how Hans, who is thought to be worth between 5 and 6billion, failed to alert the authorities, allowing Eva's body to decompose for weeks at their 70million house made headlines for weeks.

Hans Rausing after he was arrested when his wife's body was found in their flat in May 2012

Hans Rausing and Eva in 2012 (left) and Julia Delves-Broughton and Hans in 2016 (right)

Together, while their retinue of staff in the couples 70 million house cared for their children, the Rausings would spend days at a time locked away in their vast annexe on the second floor getting high on a noxious mixture of crack cocaine and heroin.

When he discovered the body of his wife, and in a drug-befuddled state himself, Hans Rausing decided to hide it.

He piled bed clothes on top of the corpse and, then, when it started to smell, he covered the pile in bin bags.

I did not feel able to confront the reality of her death, Rausing would later tell the police.

With the benefit of hindsight I think that following her death I did not act rationally.

It would not be until July 9  two months after she died, and during which time Rausing would mark his 49th birthday  that the body of Eva would be discovered

'I tried to carry on as if her death had not happened and batted away any inquiries about her.

It would not be until July 9  two months after she died, and during which time Rausing would mark his 49th birthday  that the body of Eva would be discovered.

After having arrested Rausing for driving erratically, and having found a crack pipe and drugs in his car, the police searched his house.

A smell of putrefaction permeated the annexe, and grew almost overpowering in the master bedroom.

It was there that Mrs Rausing was discovered. Her bodys state of decay was so advanced that she could be identified only by the serial number on her pacemaker.

Rausing was arrested and charged with preventing the lawful and decent burial of a body  an offence that can carry a limitless penalty.

He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to ten months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

He was also sentenced to two months imprisonment, suspended for two years, for driving when unfit through drugs.

When he discovered the body of his wife, and in a drug-befuddled state himself, Hans Rausing decided to hide it. He piled bed clothes on top of the corpse and, then, when it started to smell, he covered the pile in bin bags (the couple are pictured on their wedding day)

After Eva's death Hans sought help for his addiction and is now completely drug-free.

He has also found love again, with Christie's art expert Julia Delves Broughton.

They married in 2014, have new homes in London and the country and give tens of millions of pounds to charity, including organisations for drug rehabilitation.

Earlier this year Prince Charles singled them out in a speech for their generosity to his causes.

Sigrid Rausing is founder of one of the UK's largest philanthropic foundations and her trust has given away around 230 million to human rights causes.

She was brought up in Sweden and is the granddaughter of Ruben Rausing, who founded the food packaging company Tetra Pak.

Her interest in human rights was sparked as a child by a love of animals and hearing her parents talk about the Holocaust.
Tory leadership favourites David Davis and Boris Johnson have been beaten by 'other' in a poll asking members who should be the next party boss.

Speculation about who will succeed Theresa May if she is ousted as leader has been rampant following her humiliation in the General Election.

But a new survey of Conservatives has found that most are fed-up with the same old faces and want to skip a generation in the leadership race.

The poll by ConservativeHome found that 34 per cent of those surveyed picked 'other' when asked who they wanted to be the next part leader.

This beat Mr Davis, the Brexit Secretary, into second place on 20 per cent- down four per cent compared to last month's findings.

While Mr Johnson - once hugely popular with the Tory grassroots - has seen is support halve in the past month from 19 per cent to just nine per cent.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, pictured inspecting a lizard in New Zealand last month, was third in a poll asking Tory Party members who they think should be the next leader. He was lagging behind 'other' which topped the survey

Brexit Secretary David David, pictured outside No 10 last month, was in second in the poll while Chancellor Philip Hammond, pictured in Downing Street in March, was down in fifth

Chancellor Philip Hammond is down in fifth on just five per cent after his push for a so-called soft Brexit.

He was beaten by the pro-Brexit justice minister Dominic Raab, who was in fourth with eight per cent support.

In a bog post accompanying the results, the Tory MP turned editor of the website Paul Goodman said the findings show there is a 'yearning for a new generation of Conservative MPs to provide the next Tory leader'.

And Home Secretary Amber Rudd is down in seventh place with just five per cent of Tory party members baking her for leader.

Mrs May's position as Tory Party leader was left seriously weakened after her decision to the call the snap General Election backfired spectacularly wiping out the Tories' majority.

And while Cabinet ministers have publicly backed her to stay on as leader until at least the Brexit negotiation have been completed, Westminster is awash with rumours about who might succeed her.

The Tory Party conference in October will be seen as the first major test for Mrs May after the summer break.
A local council who blocked the building of a synagogue it deemed a 'terror threat' is reportedly set to backflip on its decision in the wake of widespread outrage.

Waverley Council last week blocked an application for the new synagogue at Bondi, in Sydney's east, claiming the building of worship could be targetted by terrorists.

The council's decision was slammed in the days following, with widespread anger on social media and a major rally planned by conservative Jewish activist Avi Yemini.

But Waverley Council seemingly bowed to the growing weight of public pressure on Wednesday, with Mr Yemini claiming the municipality has reached an agreement that will see the synagogue built as originally planned.

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A local council who blocked the building of a synagogue (artists impression) deemed a 'terror threat' is reportedly set to backflip on its decision in the wake of widespread outrage

The council's decision was slammed in the days following, with widespread anger on social media and a major rally planned by conservative Jewish activist Avi Yemini (pictured)

Having campaigned heavily for the synagogue to be approved, Mr Yemini told Daily Mail Australia the decision showed 'common sense had prevailed'.

'The rabbi is happy, they're going to take the application as it was originally planned and so by the end of the year they should have a synagogue,' he said.

'They're going to work through the security details but the rabbi is happy the council finally came to the table.

'It seems the pressure on them was a bit too much so they changed their tone and they respected him and his application. Theyve done a total backflip.'

A spokeswoman for Waverley Council said an understanding had been reached with the two parties and that it was 'likely' the synagogue would be built.

'The Mayor, Councillors or the General Manager have no say in any DA. They are determined by an independent panel. FREE are entitled to submit a new DA for this site and it would be considered on its merits,' the spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.

The council previously claimed the site proposed for the synagogue was a 'potential risk to users and other members of the general public'.

But Mr Yemini said that while council were concerned about the threat of terror, their initial decision to block the synagogue was only letting 'terrorists win'.

'Every day Australians were outraged by the idea that we have to change and give in to Islamic terror,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Mr Yemini took to his Facebook page on Wednesday night to announce a synagogue deal had been reached

Waverley Council seemingly bowed to the growing weight of public pressure on Wednesday, with the municipality reportedly reaching an agreement to build the synagogue as planned

The proposed site for the synagogue is just a short stroll from Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach

'When you set a precedent that victims have to change what they do, how they act and what they're allowed because of Islamic terrorism, where does it end?

'The moment you change what you do, they win. Now after this decision, everybody knows across Australia that we don't let Islamic terror win.'

Mr Yemini also said that the rally planned for this weekend had been cancelled in the wake of the good news.

The decision comes a week after the Land and Environment Court backed Waverley Council's decision to prohibit the construction, partly due to a terror threat.

The decision enraged Jewish leaders who claim the community was being prevented from practicing its religion because of the threat of extremism.

A spokeswoman for Waverley Council denied that an agreement had been reached between them and local jewish leaders to back building the synagogue (Proposed location pictured)

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies boss Vic Alhadeff told news.com.au the ruling set a 'dangerous precedent'.

'It's a very sad day for Australia if an established community, which needs a house of worship, is refused permission to build it because of fear that others may pose a threat,' he said.

'This simply shows how we're all losing our freedoms. Those who want us to be afraid are winning, and this ill-conceived judgment represents a dangerous precedent.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Waverley Council for comment on their decision.
A 'manipulative and predatory' former Victorian scout leader who molested eight young boys has been jailed for almost eight years.

Neville Budge, 56, abused the children who were aged 10 to 14 at a Geelong scout hall, during camps and at his home where boys visited as friends of his sons.

In June a jury found Budge guilty of 20 charges of indecent acts against four boys between 1995 and 2002.

Neville Budge, 56, abused four children who were aged 10 to 14 between 1995 and 2002

He had pleaded guilty to a further four charges against another four victims.

County Court of Victoria judge Gerard Mullaly on Wednesday condemned the abuse as 'simply abhorrent' and described Budge as having an ingrained perverted sexual interest in pubescent boys.

The boys were excited to join scouts for fun, adventure, learning skills, and developing a 'strong moral and social compass', but were let down by an 'otherwise popular' leader who sexually abused them, the judge said.

Budge's offending ranged from exposing himself to the boys, introducing them to pornographic material, groping and kissing them.

On one occasion Budge offered a boy a lift home and told the youngster to masturbate, paying him $5 for doing so.

In statements to the court, victims described the harrowing effect the abuse had in their adult lives.

Victims in court described the effect that Neville Budge's sexual abuse had in their adult lives

County Court of Victoria judge Gerard Mullaly condemned the abuse as 'simply abhorrent'

One man described himself as 'damaged goods', while another had attempted suicide in his teens.

'I feel like there is something inside me that is fundamentally broken,' one man said.

Budge moved with his wife and children to Tasmania in 2003.

He was jailed for seven years and 10 months and must spend at least five years and eight months behind bars before being eligible for parole.

Budge has been given a seven year, 10 month sentence for abusing four boy scouts in Geelong

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 and MensLine Australia on 1300 78 99 78.




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.
A police officer was handed more than 12,000 in compensation after being bitten by a flea while at work.

The news follows a series of astonishing compensation claims made by officers in recent years, which have included huge payouts for falling off chairs and tripping on kerbs.

The unnamed detective was awarded 12,127 in damages after he successfully sued West Midlands Police, which also had to fork out 4,185 in legal fees in the case.

It was just one of a number of workplace injury claims to the force and, in total, West Midlands Police paid out 61,131 in compensation between April 1 last year and March 31.

The unnamed officer was handed 12,127 in damages after he successfully sued West Midlands Police (headquarters pictured), which also had to fork out 4,185 in legal fees

Today the payout was branded 'ludicrous' by former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron and a former officer, who said compensation culture was rife in forces across Britain.

Mr Farron said: 'Our cops do an amazing job keeping us safe. Compensation should be paid for injuries at work but some of these claims seem to take the biscuit.

'It's frankly ludicrous that taxpayers are footing the bill for when someone gets fleas on them.

HOW SOME POLICE FORCES ARE MORE SECRETIVE THAN OTHERS Last year MailOnline revealed the large compensation payouts for officers were receiving across the UK. While many forces around Britain were open about how much taxpayers' money they had handed out in compensation, others were less forthcoming. Wiltshire and South Yorkshire police said they were unable to provide any information on how many claims had been made or how much had been paid. Thames Valley, Northamptonshire, Staffordshire and Avon and Somerset Police all refused to say how much they had paid out, claiming the information could breach data protection rules. Advertisement

'It's utterly barmy and will harm public confidence in the police.'

Chloe Westley, campaign manager for the TaxPayer's Alliance, added: 'At a time when taxpayers are feeling the pinch and departments are having to find necessary savings, these payments will certainly sting.

'Of course compensation payouts will sometimes be necessary because accidents can ruin lives, but it still falls on public sector organisations to make sure they are rooting out anyone making spurious claims with taxpayers' cash.'

A Freedom of Information request revealed the West Midlands Police was sued by 14 serving police officers and various other staff members for a range of other bizarre work place injuries.

One officer who tripped at work was given payments in excess of 5,000, while two cops who were injured due to 'manual handling' were given 6,000 and 8,573.30.

Another was handed 7,274 compensation for defective equipment used while on the job.

Last year a MailOnline Freedom of Information request revealed the astronomical cost that forces across the country were paying out in compensation claims by officers.

These included an officer in Durham who pocketed 25,000 for injuring his left knee falling over in a police station corridor, a Hertfordshire PC who was given 16,000 after they injured themselves tripping on the covering of a plug socket and a West Yorkshire police dog handler who was awarded 17,000 after his dog bit him.

A Freedom of Information request revealed the force was sued by 14 serving police officers and various other staff members for a range of other bizarre work place injuries.

Former West Midlands Police officer Ray Egan, who served on the force from 1967 to 1993, said the payouts 'beggar belief'.

'It's absolutely baffling,' he said. 'I was a policeman for over 20 years, and I can't even imagine what would have happened if I'd gone to my senior officer and started moaning because I'd been bitten by a flea.

'I'd have been kicked out the office with a clipping round the ear, I'd have thought.

'I'd have been told to get back to doing my job. There's no way they would have allowed that.

One officer who tripped at work was given payments in excess of 5,000, while two cops who were injured due to 'manual handling' were given 6,000 and 8,573.30 (stock photo)

'Times are a bit hard still, and to have the audacity to make a claim that on tax payer's money is extraordinary.

'It's gone soft, it really has. All I can say is that I'm glad that I've retired. Compensation culture if rife across many forces in this country.'

A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: 'A police officer received a settlement after receiving a flea bit at work that result in emergency surgery.

'Compensation pay-outs are only made following the assessment of appropriate medical evidence by insurers and solicitors who then make a recommendation to the force as to what the pay-out should be.

'The force does have liability insurance in place which operates in respect of compensation claims made as a result of injury.'
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As London's housing crisis deepens, developers are coming up with ingenious ways to use up every inch of available space in the capital.

One company's latest plan is to build a four-floor house in a disused alleyway just ten feet wide.

Dubbed The Skinny House, the 1,500sqft home will boast three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open plan kitchen, a courtyard and a fourth-floor terrace.

The house will be sandwiched between two large commercial buildings on Euston Road next to Great Portland Street tube station in central London.

The skinny house: This is an artist's illustration of how the multi-million pound luxury home will look at just 3.1 metres wide

Now: This is the alleyway that the house will be built in. It was previously used as a link path to the now-closed Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

The vision: These artist's images show how the building will look from the outside (right) and from the inside (left)

It replaces an alleyway that was previously used as a link path to the now-closed Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital near Regent's Park.

Plans were this week approved by Westminster Council - and the developer's 'out-of-the-box' thinking has been praised by property professionals.

Edward Corry-Reid, director at Aylesford International, said: 'It is an interesting idea and I am intrigued by it. By the looks of things it is going to be an incredibly unusual property.

'But it is sandwiched between two large commercial properties and located on a very busy road.

'It is always good to see developers creating housing stock and their out-of-the-box thinking should be applauded.

Plans were this week approved by Westminster Council - and the developer's 'out-of-the-box' thinking has been praised by property professionals

Floorplans: These plans show the (left to right) the ground floor, the first floor, the third floor and the fourth floor. The second floor is similar to the third

'It is fantastic to see someone has taken the initiative to create a living space for someone but is it going to work for a family? I am not sure.

'Will it work for a bachelor who wants a bit of fun in an area of town? Then maybe. It will be interesting to see who ends up buying it and what purpose they use it for.

'You have Regent's Park on your doorstep, Marylebone High Street is very popular at the moment and there are plenty of bars and restaurants on the doorstep.'

Buying agent Henry Pryor added: 'I presume that you will have to walk sideways into this house.

Edward Corry-Reid, director at Aylesford International, said: 'It is an interesting idea and I am intrigued by it. By the looks of things it is going to be an incredibly unusual property'

After looking at plans, buying agent Henry Pryor said: 'I presume that you will have to walk sideways into this house'

Marylebone estate agents have been unable to value the Skinny House, but similar-sized properties in the area are marketed for more than 2million

'This is of course just another example of the madness of the London housing market and the lengths that people now have to go to find somewhere to call home.

'Will it appeal to everyone? I doubt it. Will there be someone who will want to buy it? I'm sure there will be.

'You'll have to be fit though, the plans don't show a lift and every room is on a different level. For me it looks like you will be living in a stairwell but that's the housing ladder in the capital. '

The property was designed by HOK Architects and will be developed by Bolsover Street Ltd.

Marylebone estate agents have been unable to value the Skinny House, but similar-sized properties in the area are marketed for more than 2 million.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says that President Donald Trump's 'fire and fury' charge to Kim Jong-Un shouldn't have Americans panicking.

Tillerson says he does not believe that North Korea poses an 'imminent threat' and has 'no concerns' that Washington and Pyongyang are on the edge of war.

'Americans should sleep well at night,' Tillerson told reporters, 'have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days.'

Trump spoke harshly to Kim, a tyrant, 'because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language,' Tillerson contended.

'I think the president just wanted to be clear with the North Korean regime on the U.S. unquestionable ability to defend itself, will defend itself and its allies, and I think it was important that he deliver that message to avoid any miscalculation on their part,' he added.

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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says that President Donald Trump's 'fire and fury' charge to Kim Jong-Un shouldn't have Americans panicking

North Korea said Tuesday that it is 'carefully examining' a plan to strike the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam with missiles hours after Trump told the country's tyrant, Kim Jong-Un, that any threat to the U.S. would be met with 'fire and fury'

North Korea said Tuesday that it is 'carefully examining' a plan to strike the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam with missiles hours after Trump told the country that any threat to the U.S. would be met with 'fire and fury.'

A spokesman for the Korean People's Army, in a statement carried by the North's state-run KCNA news agency, said Wednesday the strike plan will be 'put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment' once leader Kim Jong Un makes a decision.

Guam, which is roughly 2,128 miles from North Korea, is home to both Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam housing thousands of American service members and their families.

Roughly 28 percent of the island is occupied by the U.S. military. The base houses bomber assurance and deterrence missions, including six B-52s which the air force says provide 'strategic global strike capability [to] deter potential adversaries and provide reassurance to allies' and that they are ready to go.

In another statement citing a different military spokesman, North Korea also said it could carry out a pre-emptive operation if the U.S. showed signs of provocation.

Earlier Pyongyang said it was ready to give Washington a 'severe lesson' with its strategic nuclear force in response to any U.S. military action.

Tillerson was making a pit stop in Guam this morning as he returned to Washington from Malaysia.

Despite North Korea's combative language, that was then mimicked by Trump, Tillerson told reporters riding with him, 'Nothing that I have seen and nothing that I know of would indicate that the situation has dramatically changed in the last 24 hours.'

North Korea said it is 'carefully examining' a plan to strike the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam with missiles. The strike plan will be 'put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment' once leader Kim Jong Un (file above) makes a decision

This comes hours after President Donald Trump (above on Tuesday) delivered his fiercest warning yet to North Korea Tuesday afternoon

Guam, which is known as the 'Tip of the Spear', is home to thousands of American service members and their families at both Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam

Trump warned North Korea's leader on Tuesday that additional threats of violence against the U.S. 'will be met with fire and the fury like the world has never seen.'

'He has been very threatening beyond a normal state, and as I said they will be met with the fire and fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before,' Trump added in remarks at the top of an unrelated meeting.

U.S. MILITARY BASES ON GUAM Guam, which is roughly 2,128 miles from North Korea, is home to both Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam. The two U.S. military bases house nuclear bombers and other key assets; they both fall under Joint Region Marianas. Andersen Air Force Base is located on the north end of Guam, approximately 15 miles from the capital Agana. It is in the village of Yigo. The base houses bomber assurance and deterrence missions, including six B-52s which the air force says provide 'strategic global strike capability [to] deter potential adversaries and provide reassurance to allies'. Naval Base Guam is located on the southwest side of the island and has four fast-attack nuclear submarines and an expeditionary helicopter squadron. Roughly 28 percent of the island is occupied by the U.S. military. At least 6,000 U.S. troops are stationed there. Advertisement

He stopped just short of a firm promise to declare war on Kim's government if the dictatorship continues to talk about 'physical action' to the U.S.

'North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,' Trump cautioned after a reporter asked him about the nuclear standoff.

Trump told the world yesterday morning that it must be vigilant against North Korea in the face of new threats from the country's young dictator.

Kim had warned the United States that it would pay 'pay dearly' for the United Nations sanctions regime it successfully imposed over the weekend and hinted at military action as tensions continued to escalate.

'Physical action will be taken mercilessly with the mobilization of all its national strength,' North Korea's state-run news agency said Tuesday.

The 33-year-old Kim was lashing out at a U.S. push to drain him of the hard currency he needs to develop his nuclear program that Russia and China reluctantly signed on to last weekend.

The sanctions put a hard stop to a third of North Korea's export revenue - a deafening blow to the country's economy.

Trump celebrated the universal participation of Security Council countries in the sanctions with a tweet Tuesday am that said, 'After many years of failure,countries are coming together to finally address the dangers posed by North Korea. We must be tough & decisive!'

A Washington Post report on Tuesday suggested that North Korea had invented a miniaturized warhead that it has the capability of attaching to the intercontinental ballistic missiles its been testing.

Trump told the country's leader that additional threats of violence against the U.S. 'will be met with the fire and the fury like the world has never seen'

Comments from Trump came during a briefing on the opioid crisis on Tuesday at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster

The development brings the country dangerously close to its goal of creating of a nuclear weapon that can hit targets in the U.S.

Alaska, Hawaii, California and Guam would be at an especially high risk if Kim's scientists finish the weapons and North Korea decides to use them.

Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said on Tuesday that he is seriously worried about a possible North Korean missile strike on his state as well as the rest of the United States.

'There's concern, but there's also pride,' Sullivan said on Fox News's 'The Story' Tuesday. 'Alaska is the cornerstone of our nation's missile defense.'

He added that Alaska's missile defense battalion 'is literally protecting the country.'

'The Alaska guard unit there calls themselves the 300, protecting the 300 million,' Sullivan said. 'So that's what they're doing now, protecting us.'

According to the report, US officials estimate that Kim now has 60 nuclear weapons in his possession.

By comparison, the US is estimated to have more than 6,800 in its stockpile, and Russia is thought to have 7,000.

Shortly after Trump's Tuesday morning message, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley appeared on Fox & Friends to deliver tough talk to North Korea and take a victory lap on sanctions.

'The United States will respond accordingly, and I think the international community will respond accordingly,' she said of the dangerous actions that Kim could take in response to the punishing actions.

A Washington Post report earlier in the day on Tuesday suggested that North Korea had invented a miniaturized warhead that it has the capability of attaching to the intercontinental ballistic missiles its been testing.

Trump stopped just short of a firm promise to declare war on Kim's government if the dictatorship continues to talk about 'physical action' to the U.S. during the meeting in New Jersey with Kellyanne Conway (left), HHS Secretary Tom Price, (second left), Melania Trump (second right) and the National Drug Control Policy Center's Richard Baum (right)

Former President Barack Obama's aide Dan Pfeiffer went after Trump's warning to North Korea on Tuesday. Pfeiffer tweeted, 'Don't gloss over the fact that Trump threatened what can only be interpreted as a nuclear attack on North Korea if Kim Jong Un taunts him.'

It's up to North Korean leader to decide whether his response is, 'OK the international community is telling me to stop or he is going to have, you know, a temper tantrum,' she'd said.

Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy worried that Kim is rejecting the international mandate. 'It sounds like, we are getting closer to a shootin' war,' he told Haley.

'But we don't run scared,' Haley asserted. 'This had to happen, we had to go after his hard currency, we had to stop it.'

'How he responds? He's now going to have to think what's the end game? Is he really going to come after the United States knowing what the United States can do back? He's gotta make that calculation,' the high-ranking U.S. diplomat assessed.

On Monday, North Korea promised to 'teach the US a severe lesson' if it puts its military might to the test on the Korean Peninsula.

'We will, under no circumstances, put the nukes and ballistic rockets on the negotiating table,' North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said, effectively declining to engage in talks about the nuclear program.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, 33, first warned that the United States would 'pay dearly' for the United Nations sanctions regime it successfully imposed over the weekend and hinted at 'physical action' as tensions continued to escalate

Shortly after the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley appeared on Fox & Friends to deliver to more tough talk to North Korea

State-run KCNA news agency meanwhile claimed that North Korea 'will make the US pay dearly for all the heinous crimes it commits against the state and people of this country.'

KCNA cautioned the U.S. against 'believing that its land is safe across the ocean' in what it described as a 'stern warning to the US.'

Tuesday it slapped the U.S. again, saying in a statement that appeared in the New York Times: 'Packs of wolves are coming in attack to strangle a nation...They should be mindful that the D.P.R.K.'s strategic steps accompanied by physical action will be taken mercilessly with the mobilization of all its national strength.'

Kim is fuming over a United Nations Security Council resolution that will cut a billion out of his $3 billion economy annually. The resolution bans North Korea exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood and blocks off other cash-rich avenues, including joint ventures.

Naval Base Guam (file above) is located on the west side of the island. There is an estimated 6,300 active duty Navy members and 6,900 family members living on Guam as well as a significant population of retired military personnel

The U.S. pushed the resolution through the Security Council on Saturday with the aid of Russia and China, North Korea's largest trading partner.

'Yes, China and Russia were not the easiest, but at the end of the day they came through, and that's all that matters,' Haley said this morning on Fox & Friends of the vote to put heavy penalties on North Korea over its continued nuclear tests.

China favors deconfliction with North Korea and denuclearization of the Korean peninsula but not the displacement of Kim. Beijing is concerned that a coup would put the country's stockpile of weapons in nefarious hands.

It joined the U.S. and 13 other nations that sit on the Security Council in approving new sanctions on North Korea, a nation with whom it shares a border, after Washington threatened to restrict access to its financial institutions last week.

North Korea's ramped up missile tests since Trump took office has the United States pursuing aggressive measures in the region, including Chinese sanctions.

Military action remains on the table, as well, sparking fears internationally that the conflict will result in war.

The Trump administration's attempts to pressure North Korea into abandoning its nuclear and missile ambitions have so far gained little traction.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has warned of an 'effective and overwhelming' response against North Korea if it chose to use nuclear weapons but has said any military solution would be 'tragic on an unbelievable scale.'

The United States has 28,500 troops in South Korea to guard against the North Korean threat. Japan hosts around 54,000 U.S. military personnel, the U.S. Department of Defense says, and tens of thousands of Americans work in both countries.

Seoul is home to a population of roughly 10 million, within range of massed pre-targeted North Korean rockets and artillery, which would be impossible to destroy in a first U.S. strike.

A rising number of Republicans - 48 percent - want Trump to go that route. That's a jump from 37 percent in an April CBS News poll.

A majority of Americans are fearful that Trump is not equipped to go to battle with Kim, though. In the CBS survey, 61 percent of voters expressed doubts.

Most do not think North Korea will actually try to strike the U.S. with one of the intercontinental ballistic missiles it's been testing, however.

Nearly seven in 10 Americans think Kim is using the nuclear program to gain power and influence.
Katie Chandler and Rebecca Lamb are stranded in Santorini

A couple who are celebrating their engagement in Santorini are stuck on the Greek island after they were kicked off their flight home.

Katie Chandler, 25, and Rebecca Lamb, 27, were unable to fly on Monday after there was a shortage of cabin crew.

But despite initially being told a flight would be rearranged for the next day, they are still in Santorini and aren't flying until tomorrow.

They will also be taken to Gatwick instead - roughly 220 miles from their original destination of Manchester Airport - and will have to make their own way back.

Ms Chandler said train tickets home cost them up to 400, which they can't afford.

In the meantime, the couple is stranded at a hotel on a hill 'in the middle of nowhere' - with no restaurant.

Speaking from Santorini, Ms Chandler, who is from Stoke, said: 'We were at a five star hotel and we'd just got engaged, it was perfect. Now we're at an absolute dump on a hill.

'easyJet have pretty much ignored us and have offered no apology. We agreed not to fly because they promised us 400 Euros in cash and a flight the next day.

But their flight home on Monday was cancelled, and they have been placed in a hotel that is 'in the middle of nowhere' (right)

'Now we've no money and when we get to Gatwick we'll have to buy our own train ticket. We're supposed to be in work, the car is at Manchester Airport and we'd only paid to Monday.

'We were having such a nice time. Our families had arranged a celebration for when we got back, but this has put a real dampener on it.'

The couple's ordeal began on Monday, when easyJet told the pair, who both work at the Co-operative bank, that 34 passengers would not be able to travel.

Ms Chandler said she and Ms Lamb, from Gorton, Greater Manchester, were offered 400 Euros compensation, plus a hotel with food and drink - and a flight home to Manchester on Tuesday.

But after being ushered back through security with the other 34 passengers, they had to wait seven hours with just a 9 Euro refreshment voucher before being informed there were no flights until Thursday.

They were then taken by bus where they were dropped off on a 'dusty track', before dragging their cases up a hill to a hotel with no restaurant.

Unable to get through to easyJet, Ms Chandler was eventually called by a representative from baggage handler Swissport, who said food would be served for free at a nearby restaurant.

Ms Chandler said: 'It's been horrible - I'll never again fly with easyJet, even if they are the cheapest option'

On arrival, Ms Chandler said the manager didn't seem to know about their situation, before agreeing to give them one main meal each with just four options to choose from.

'It's been horrible - I'll never again fly with easyJet, even if they are the cheapest option,' she added.

An easyJet spokesman said flight EZY1852 to Manchester had a reduced staff after a cabin crew member needed urgent medical assistance.

That meant that, due to safety regulations, the flight had to carry fewer passengers.

He added: 'easyJet asked for volunteers who we would arrange alternative travel for or a refund, along with compensation of EU400 each in line with EU261 regulations, hotel accommodation in Santorini and transfers to and from the airport.

'The safety and welfare of our passengers and crew is easyJet's highest priority.

'easyJet would like to thank the 34 passengers who volunteered and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused.'
Prince Henrik of Denmark has accused his wife Queen Margrethe of not showing him the respect 'a normal wife must give her spouse.' - because he was never made King.

Last week, the 83-year-old announced that he will not be buried next to his wife - the latest of a series of protest actions carried out by the Prince to over his title.

Henrik is upset over not being named 'King Consort' when Queen Margrethe ascended to the throne in 1972, instead having to settle for 'Prince Consort'.

Title fight: Prince Henrik of Denmark gave an interview to expand on his decision not to be buried next to his wife when the day comes - accusing the Queen of 'making a fool of me'

Now in an interview with local weekly magazine Se og Hor he has accused the Queen of 'making a fool of me.'

In a video on the magazine's website the prince tries to explain his earlier outburst when he refused to be buried with his wife at Roskilde Cathedral.

He says: 'It is her that is making a fool of me. I didn't marry the Queen to be buried at Roskilde.'

The prince adds: 'My wife has decided that she wants to be Queen, and I'm very happy about that.

'But as a human being she needs to know that if a man and wife are married, they are equal.'

Gruympy Frenchman: Last week, Prince Henrik has announced that he will not be buried next to Queen Margrethe when he dies in a long-standing row over his title

French-born Henrik expected to be named king consort after Margrethe ascended to the throne in 1972, but was named prince consort instead

He says in the video that he loves the Queen, but adds: 'My wife does not give me the respect a normal wife must give her spouse.'

There were reports that French-born Henrik made the request not to be buried next to the queen because he wanted to be buried in his home country, but the royal household said this was not true.

A statement from the royal house said: 'The Queen has for some time been familiar with the decision of His Royal Highness and acknowledges the decision.

'The Prince's decision does not change The Queen's funeral plans. The Prince's wish to be buried in Denmark remains, but the circumstances are not yet in place,' a spokesman said.

A statement from the royal household said the Queen 'has for some time been familiar with the decision' and will not change her own burial plans

Palace communications chief, Lene Balleby, told Danish tabloid BT: 'It is no secret that the prince for many years has been unhappy with his role and the title he has been awarded in the Danish monarchy.

'This discontent has grown more and more in recent years

'For the prince, the decision not to buried beside the queen is the natural consequence of not having been treated equally to his spouse - by not having the title and role he has desired.'

This is not the first time Prince Henrik, born Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, has taken to drastic measures to show his displeasure with the Danish crown.

In 2002, he went to France in protest after the Royal Couple's oldest son, Crown Prince Frederik, was made the host of a New Year's Day party in absence of the Queen.

Prince Henrik said he had felt 'pushed aside, degraded and humiliated' and relegated to third place, when Prince Frederik was made host instead of him.

Henrik left Denmark and went to stay at the couple's Chateau de Caix in Cahors in southern France, and refused to come back for three weeks.
A mother whose abusive boyfriend tried to electrocute her in the bath has issued a warning to other women as he approaches his release from jail.

Sophie Woolley, from Leeds, was abused by Gary Morris who tried to bundle her into bath containing a plugged-in lamp and radio.

The 30-year-old fought back and managed to escape before leaving him and reporting him to the police.

Sophie Woolley (left), from Leeds, was abused by Gary Morris (right) who tried to bundle her into bath containing a plugged-in lamp and radio

The attack was the culmination of a campaign of domestic abuse by Morris, 31, who was jailed for three years and nine months in March last year.

As he release date next month approaches, Sophie fears he will seduce other women using the same charming tactics he used to lure her from her partner and children.

She said: 'I feel lucky to have got out of that relationship alive. I do believe that if I'd have stayed I would be dead by now.

'I fear that if he hadn't have been arrested and jailed I might have even gone back to him.

'It's strange to think that I stayed with him for that long and that I put up with that behaviour.

'My friends say that if it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone.'

The attack was the culmination of a campaign of domestic abuse by Morris (pictured with Ms Woolley), 31, who was jailed for three years and nine months in March last year

Ms Woolley met Morris while she was attending a mental health day centre after a tonsillectomy left her feeling low and vulnerable in April 2015.

He befriended her at a time when she was at her weakest, telling her he could help her through what she was going through and that others did not understand.

After just two weeks she had fallen for him and left her long-term partner and father to their two children, Arron Healy, 31, to be with Morris.

Luckily Mr Healy would not let her take their young children.

She said: 'We found a flat together and started making it home. We were living in this bubble together. We had nothing, but we didn't need anything.

'He would tell me how much he loved me and that he would give me everything I ever wanted. I believed every word.'

Ms Woolley met Morris while she was attending a mental health day centre after a tonsillectomy left her feeling low and vulnerable in April 2015

Morris, an unemployed warehouse worker, became violent just one month into the relationship and it culminated in a five-hour ordeal on the evening of October 17, 2015.

He flew into a rage when Ms Woolley tried to end their six-month relationship.

Morris pleaded guilty to Actual Bodily Harm and making threats to kill at Leeds Crown Court.

Sentencing, Judge David Hatton QC, told him: 'You put her in terror and realistic fear of her own life.

'You abused her verbally and physically and, as far as I'm concerned, caused her to believe that you would kill her.'

Morris is due to be freed next month.

Ms Wooley said: 'I just knew I had to come out and say something, what happened was never reported at the time and I am worried he may target other women.

'He always told me he targeted me because he knew I was vulnerable. He said he faked depression to get into the same mental health facility I was at.

'I fell for it all. When I met him he seemed so gentle and kind and caring, I would have never have guessed that such a monster lay beneath.'
A British company hired by the US military to train Afghan intelligence officers spent $50million on high-end cars and paying the bosses' wives six-figure salaries.

According to a Pentagon audit, which was made public on Wednesday, New Century Consulting, blew $42,000 on automatic weapons.

The firm billed the US government for Porsches and an Aston Martin and also paid the 'significant others' of the firm's top executives six-figure salaries - despite there not being proof they did any work.

New Century Consulting - founded by Colonel Tim Collins OBE - provides 'bespoke and cost-effective' military skills and specialist police training around the world.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (pictured) said New Century Consulting showered other personnel with hefty pay and bonuses they hadn't earned

In 2015, it was under criminal investigation and faced questions over a 116million US contract to train Afghan security forces in counterinsurgency. The company denied any wrongdoing.

And on Wednesday, Sen. Claire McCaskill, said New Century Consulting showered personnel with hefty pay and bonuses that they hadn't earned.

Overall, the military contractor 'left taxpayers on the hook for over $50million in questionable costs,' McCaskill said in a statement.

McCaskill, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, summarised the audit's major findings in a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

She demanded to know which Defense Department office was responsible for overseeing the contractor, what steps are being taken to recover the disputed payments, and whether New Century Consulting will face disciplinary action.

Michael Grunberg, chief executive officer of New Century Consulting, said the company is being portrayed unfairly and that it strives to follow federal acquisition rules.

Grunberg said it 'is most unfair and is significantly inaccurate' that the executive assistants received excessive salaries.

He said the audit 'questioned solely the use and depreciation treatment of vehicles' and that New Century Consulting 'accounted for no more than three vehicles across the entire business at any one time.'

The purchase of the weapons was done properly and at the direction of the US-led command overseeing the training and equipping of the Afghan security forces, according to Grunberg.

McCaskill's disclosure of the audit's key findings is a rare glimpse into the opaque world of battlefield contracting.

Contractors are indispensable in Afghanistan, handling security, transportation, construction and more.

Yet the Defense Department has faced widespread criticism that it often fails to perform rigorous oversight of the companies and how exactly US taxpayer dollars are spent.

The Defense Contract Audit Agency examined New Century Consulting's invoices between fiscal years 2008 and 2013, when it was a subcontractor to another company, Imperatis Corporation.

Among the costs charged to the US were expenditures for seven high-end cars - Porsches, Alfa Romeos, a Bentley, an Aston Martin and a Land Rover, according to McCaskill's letter to Mattis. The actual cost of the vehicles isn't specified.

New Century Consulting - founded by Colonel Tim Collins OBE (pictured) - provides 'bespoke and cost-effective' military skills and specialist police training around the world

McCaskill told Mattis: 'NCC claimed that the vehicles were available to all employees but the vehicles actually were used exclusively by the chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer and the significant others of the CEO and CFO.'

Her letter doesn't identify who the significant others are.

These 'significant others' also were employed by New Century Consulting as executive assistants and had an average salary in 2012 of close to $420,000 each even though McCaskill said the company was unable to provide evidence they actually performed any work.

The audit also challenged millions of dollars in compensation for other employees, including the consultants whom the company sent to Afghanistan to train the forces there.

McCaskill said the consultants were supposed to be paid at a 100 per cent rate when deployed overseas, but only at 60 percent when on leave.

But New Century Consulting gave its consultants the full rate regardless of where they were.

She wrote: 'These excessive payments cost taxpayers over $15 million.'

New Century Consulting also gave its consultants more than $3.3 million in bonuses that they either didn't earn or that weren't required by their contracts, according to the senator.

Army Contracting Command didn't respond to a request for comment.

The report also comes amid the tense debate inside the Trump administration over the way ahead in Afghanistan.

Two of President Donald Trump's most senior advisers - chief strategist Steve Bannon and son-in-law Jared Kushner - have been advocating for military contractors to fight the war there instead of American forces.

The United States has about 8,400 troops in Afghanistan, and so far Trump has resisted the Pentagon's recommendations to send as many as 4,000 more.
A wrestler and a woman reported to be his ex-wife have been arrested after being caught having sex at the Wisconsin State Fair.

Robert Beasley, 28, and Desiree Anderson, also 28, were filmed engaging in the lewd act on the bleachers at the State Fair Park in Milwaukee on Saturday.

A horrified bystander filmed them and shared the footage on social media.

After realizing he was being filmed, Beasley continued thrusting and waved when the person behind the camera told him to 'say hi to mom'.

The pair were both taken in to custody by Wisconsin State Fair Police and were charged with public fornication.

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Robert Beasley, 28, and Desiree Anderson, 28, were filmed having sex on the bleachers at the Wisconsin State Fair Park on Saturday

Footage of the incident circulated on social media over the weekend but was removed at the request of state fair organizers who described the incident as 'appalling'.

Others who attended the fair were disgusted by the pair.

'We're here for a horse show or a dog show -- not to make babies,' one told Fox 6 in Wisconsin.

Beasley however seemed unrepentant on social media and suggested to critics that they did not know 'the real life s*** that people are going through'.

Anderson and Beasley were both arrested and were booked in to Milwaukee County Jail

The 28-year-old is a part-time wrestler. He wrestles under the name Bobby Valentino and his character is referred to at matches as 'the gay bar superstar'.

The Smoking Gun claims Beasley and Anderson were at one time married.

Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office could not immediately provide details of their arrests on Wednesday morning.

Both were booked into county jail but are both believed to have posted their individual $400 bonds.
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A fascinating series of images give an insight into life in Iraq in the twentieth century.

The images, which date back to the early 1900s all the way through to 1977, show Iraqis going about their day-to-day lives in times of peace.

Among the images is a picture of the world-renowned tomb of Jonah in Nineveh, which was destroyed by ISIS after it took control of the region in 2014.

A river of crude oil, a source of the country's wealth, and shots of young boys on barges filled with watermelons in the 1930s.

Two men stand close to the shrine of Ezekiel - the prophet who followed the Jews into Babylonian exile in the 6th century BC - in the town of Kifl, south of Baghdad. Inside walls display Hebrew text, while medieval Islamic floral designs make the structure of the tomb distinctive

The world-renowned tomb of Jonah in Nineveh, which was destroyed by ISIS after it took control of the region in 2014. Historians exploring the ruins found a previously undiscovered palace beneath it which is believed to have been built in the seventh century for the Assyrian King Sennacherib

A river of crude oil is pictured in the northeastern city of Kirkuk, which became increasingly urbanised in the latter part of the 20th century

A fisherman is seen throwing a net into the water in a scene on the Euphrates River taken at some point between 1950 and 1977 in Iraq

Two people and a donkey walk in front of the Birs Nimrud archeological site in the Babylon Province in Iraq. The distinctive tower has long split historians, with the structure traditionally thought to be associated with the Tower of Babel. Many modern scholars believe it was built as an act of worship for local god Nabu

The winding course of the Euphrates River, which is one of the key landmarks of Mesopotamia - meaning land between the rivers

The central Iraqi city of Kerbela is pictured in 1932. It is a holy city for Shi'ite Muslims, and rivals Mecca as a place for pilgrimmage

An Iraqi child is pictured with a child in 1932 in the series of historical images. It is not known where in Iraq the image was taken

An aerial view of the diverse and multilingual city of Kirkuk, in the northeast of Iraq, taken in 1932, showing the ancient caravansary in the foreground

A group of men and children pictured in twilight in the city of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq, more than 200 miles from Baghdad. The image was taken in 1932

The Boy King Feisal II of Iraq on a visit to the al-Aqsa mosque in Old Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam. He was the last king of Iraq, and was executed along with his family in the 14 July Revolution in 1958

Young boys sit on barges filled with watermelons on the River Tigris in 1932. The Tigris is is the eastern member of the two rivers that define Mesopotamia

A 1932 image shows a typical home in the city of Mosul, which in the 21st century has been the site of a humanitarian tragedy after being overrun by ISIS

A gateway flag and parade in Iraq in 1932 in the fascinating series of pictures showing what the country looked like in the 20th century

A lorryload of men on their way to the Iraqi city of Mosul is pictured in 1932, with one man standing atop a heap of items piled onto the top of the vehicle
Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte has announced that he will give policemen $40,000 if they capture or kill 'idiots' among their ranks accused of helping a mayor involved in the drug trade.

The call for police officers to kill their colleagues is the latest inflammatory comment by Duterte in his controversial drug war, which has claimed thousands of lives, and comes shortly after a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Duterte made the offer during a speech at national police headquarters, offering two million pesos ($40,000) for an unspecified number of officers who allegedly helped a mayor killed in an anti-drug operation on July 30.

'Each of those policemen carry on their heads now, I am announcing, two million per head and you are free to go on leave (to pursue them),' Duterte told the officers in the audience.

Pictured: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte inspects a police honour guard. He has called on police to kill or capture 'idiots' among their ranks who helped a mayor accused of trafficking drugs

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (pictured in fatigues) was elected on a promise to fight drug dealers

'I'll cut short my speech so that you will have a chance for a crack at the two million for those idiots.'

Duterte added the bounty would be paid if the policemen were found 'dead or alive -- better dead'.

He said the unidentified policemen had worked with Reynaldo Parojinog, the mayor of the southern city of Ozamiz, who was killed in the pre-dawn raid along with his wife, his brother and 13 other people.

Police said they were forced to kill the 16 people in self-defence, but Parojinog's lawyer has insisted the mayor and others had not resisted arrest.

Since Duterte's election, police have killed 3,400 people in anti-drug operations. Pictured: Officers round of drug suspects in the Philippines

Duterte had accused Parojinog of being a major drug trafficker.

As he has done in similar cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, Duterte also vowed to give legal protection to the policemen who killed Parojinog and the other 15.

If they were found guilty of murder, he would pardon them, he vowed.

Duterte easily won presidential elections last year after promising an unprecedented war on drugs in which tens of thousands of people would be killed.

Since he took office in the middle of last year, police have confirmed killing more than 3,400 people in anti-drug operations.

More than 2,000 other people have been killed in drug-related crimes and thousands more murdered in unexplained circumstances, according to police data.

Rights groups say many of those victims have been killed by government-backed vigilantes, and Duterte has boasted that he would be 'happy to slaughter' three million drug addicts.

Former US president Barack Obama was among the many international critics of Duterte's tactics.

But criticism from the United States, the Philippines' former colonial ruler and mutual defence partner, has been toned down under the administration of Donald Trump.

Tillerson met Duterte in Manila on Monday on the sidelines of a regional security forum. Duterte said American officials did not raise any concerns with him.
Muslim youth activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied has lost her spot on the board of the Council of Australian-Arab relations.

The 26-year-old's departure was announced in a press release from Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop on Wednesday, with no reason given behind her departure.

It is possible the mechanical engineer was stood down because she recently moved overseas to London.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied has lost her spot on the board of the Council of Australian-Arab Relations

Last year, Ms Abdel-Magied attended an Iftar dinner with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

She has been replaced by former Liberal MP Peter Hendy, who formerly served as the Executive Director of the Bahrain Economic Development Board, and as Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Council of Australian-Arab Relations was created to make recommendations to the Australian Government on 'strengthening Australias cultural, economic, political and social relations with Arab countries in support of Australian foreign and trade policy priorities.'.

The Council's website notes it is an advisory body with no executive or legal power.

Ms Abdel-Magied announced she would be leaving Australia for London early last month.

'Folks, it's been fun, but I'm off to partake in the Aussie rite of passage - I'm moving to London!' she wrote on social media.

The former ABC Australia Wide host made the comments months after she was severely criticised for posting 'Lest. We. Forget. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine...)' to Facebook on Anzac Day this year.

Ms Abdel-Magied said she received heavy backlash following the post including death threats 'on a daily basis' making her the 'most publicly hated Muslim in Australia'.
After being picked up by Australian Border Force and Victorian police officers on Thursday, a British-born bikie with a long rap sheet is set to be deported.

Danny Mousley, 57, is currently in immigration detention, after his visa was cancelled over his links to outlaw bikie gang the Rebels.

The Herald Sun reported that Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton personally ordered the cancellation.

Outlaw bikie Danny Mousley, 57, is currently in immigration detention pending deportation

Australian Border Force and Victorian police officers arrested Danny Mousley on Thursday

Mousley, who had been living in Werribee, has drug-related offences and a drug-trafficking history dating back to his teen years.

In 2008, he was caught arranging to launder drug money when detectives tapped a phone call he made to Chris Costelloe and arrested both men after Mousley gave Costelloe $89,900 wrapped in a white towel.

Mousley faced court in 2009 on charges of trafficking amphetamine and 'knowingly dealing in the proceeds of crime'.

Victorian police officers assisted the Australian Border Force in capturing Danny Mousely

He also pleaded guilty to money laundering offenses and served a combined sentence of 6.5 years.

Mousley was previously convicted of possessing an unregistered firearm and amphetamines, and driving a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.

It is understood that he was linked to the Geelong chapter of the Rebels bikie gang when Victoria police picked him up last week.

Mousley faced court in 2009 on charges of trafficking amphetamine and money laundering

The Rebels faced trouble in February of this year when a senior club member was arrested after police raided two properties on the Bellarine Peninsula.

A 33-year-old Leopold man was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and multiple counts of prohibited person possess firearm, theft, burglary and handling stolen goods.

Mousley has a history of drug-trafficking and drug-related offences on his criminal record

Earlier this year, the leader of the Sydney chapter of the Rebels was found dead in the back of a BMW 24 hours after his wife reported him missing.

Ricky Ciano, 35, vanished in February 2017, only months after surviving an alleged pizza delivery assassination plot for deserting the gang.

Mr Ciano left the bikie gang in 2015 after being told he must remove any tattoos linking him to the Rebels, the Daily Telegraph reported at the time.

Danny Mousley's visa was cancelled on the grounds of his links to outlaw bikie gang the Rebels

In a bid by the federal government to break up outlaw motorcycle gang, the visas of 148 people who have been linked to bikie gangs have been cancelled since 2014.

Some of those deported were long-time residents with children who were born in Australia.

Mousley supporters have posted on social media that his visa cancellation is 'unfair'.
Tory MP Jack Lopresti warned that a North Korean military strike on the US territory of Guam would trigger Article 5 of Nato and spark a British military response

A British MP today warned the UK could join a war against North Korea if the dictatorship attacks the American territory of Guam.

Jack Lopresti said Britain would be under an obligation to step in and defend its Nato ally by force if necessary if Kim Jong-un follows through on his threat to launch a missile strike.

And fellow Tory MP Dr Julian Lewis, chairman-elect of the defence select committee, warned that an attack would be seen as a modern-day Pearl Harbor and would trigger a ferocious response by the Americans.

Fears that tensions in the Far East could spill over into a deadly war intensified last night after Pyongyang threatened to attack the South Pacific island.

It came hours after Donald Trump promised to unleash 'fire and fury like the world has never seen' unless North Korea drops its threats against the US.

Mr Lopresti, a Tory MP who sat on the defence select committee before the election, told the Mail Online the US president is right to stand up to the rogue regime.

He said: It is obviously a very concerning development indeed and very troubling.

'I think the US President is absolutely right in being robust in his response to provide a deterrent.

The US and the UK have a very special relationship, and we are also Nato members.

Were he to attack them  as we saw with 9/11  Article 5 would be evoked which deems an attack on one an attack on all.

'There would be an obligation to do anything we can to support any further action.'

He said it would be 'insanity' for North Korea to launch the strike given America's massive fire power.

Mr Lopresti said: 'The President is right to say dont even think about it  the response would be unthinkable.

I think it is unlikely that a war will happen and that North Korea will act in such a risky or insane way.

'But if any of our allies were attacked we would be obligated to respond.

Tensions between the US and North Korea have been increasingly strained for months.

Donald Trump warned the North Koreans that they will face 'fire and fury the like of which the world has never seen' ' if they do not drop their nuclear threats to the United States

But they plumbed to a new low after reports emerged which claimed that North Korea would has successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles.

If correct, it means the country has crossed a key threshold on the path to becoming a full-fledged nuclear power.

Dr Lewis told the Mail Online, that if North Korea fires a nuclear missile at the territory is would be annihilated by the Americans.

He said: If North Korea were to attack Guam it would be a nuclear version of the Pearl Harbor attack.

If North Korea were actually to launch a nuclear weapon against an American base the inevitable reaction would be the total annihilation of its capital city and military infrastructure by American nuclear retaliation.

Kim Jong-un knows that perfectly well, which is why he is extremely unlikely to launch such an attack in the first place.'

He said the world should concentrate its efforts on a policy of 'military containment of North Korea' as the most 'sensible and safe option.

Lord West, the former head of the Royal Navy, said Mr Trumps fiery rhetoric is not helpful and that he fears there is a 50-50 chance the US could launch a strike on North Korea within the next year.

North Korean despot Kim Jong-un has threatened to launch a military strike on the US territory in the South Pacific. The threat has intensified fears that the two powers could go to war

He said the Americans have made it very clear they will not tolerate North Korea having an intercontinental ballistic missile system that could be used to attack the US.

Admiral Lord West said: So I think there is a 50-50 chance of there being a war within the next 12 months and that is very, very worrying.

I think it would be a pre-emptive strike by the Americans. I think it will be a conventional strike - I think they have been put off nuclear by discussions with us and others.

It will be a huge conventional strike, but they cant be sure of hitting all of the nuclear targets, they cant be sure of killing the president of North Korea and his close aides.

And certainly a war might start and Seoul is very near the border, the North Koreans have an army of 1.5 million.

Its all very well chopping the head of a snake off but a snake writhes around for a while before it dies.

I think the implications could be huge and so therefore I think it is extremely worrying.

Lord West called for diplomatic efforts to avoid war.

And he said that while it would be inevitable Britain would have to show support for America if war breaks out, we should not back a pre-emptive strike.
Jared Anderson, 29, was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison for sexual performance by a child

A former Texas high school teacher and church leader has been jailed for ten years after he confessed to hosting parties where he encouraged up to 12 teenage boys to get naked and perform sexual acts on each other.

Jared Anderson, 29, a married father of two - including a toddler son - admitted to hosting multiple parties at his home in 2016 and was slapped with numerous charges including sexual assault of a child.

Anderson ended up pleading guilty to four counts of sexual performance by a child and two counts of indecency with a child by exposure as part of a plea agreement about a month ago.

The age range of those attending the 'parties' would be from 15 to 18.

Anderson, who had been named 'teacher of the year' was only exposed after two of the victims contacted authorities and informed them of his antics.

English teacher and church leader Jared Anderson, 29, (pictured with his wife) has been jailed for ten years after he confessed to hosting parties where he encouraged up to 12 teenage boys to get naked and perform sexual acts. It's not clear if the couple are still together anymore

Anderson hosted multiple parties at his home last year with up to twelve boys between the ages of 15 and 17 years of age attending

The dad-of-two was an English teacher at Judson High in San Antonio

The father-of-two instructed boys to strip off their clothes and play games while he walked around 'naked with an erection', a police report read

Anderson would instruct the boys to strip off their clothes and play games while he walked around 'naked with an erection', according to the police report.

The boys were instructed to 'crawl around naked and touch each other' and 'place their genitals on another boy's face'.

He would also force the teens to wrestle one another and hug him while he was naked.

At one of the final parties before Anderson was arrested, police found a post-it note on the door that read: 'The last one to get naked has to get the first dare.'

On another occasion, Anderson challenged a 17-year-old to see who could be the most 'obscene', which involved them sending pictures 'of their genitals to each other'.

Two of the victims ended up reporting the incident to Anderson's Mormon church and the San Antonio Police Department in March 2016.

Six victims, all between the ages of 15 and 18, were then identified by the authorities.

Anderson pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual performance by a child and two counts of indecency with a child by exposure as part of a plea agreement about a month ago

After being caught, Anderson then sent texts and left voicemails on cellphones of the boys' parents, which were then also used as evidence against him.

A search warrant was also executed at Anderson's house to look for any visual or photographic evidence.

Anderson was then banned from his church and then fired from his job at Judson High School, where he worked as an English teacher for more than a year and had been declared 'Teacher of the Year'.

The former teacher had faced up to 20 years in prison but under a plea deal he was sentenced to 10 years jail time and fined $9,000 - $1,500 for each of the six counts.
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Donald Trump has been spotted playing golf at his vacation destination Wednesday while the nuclear crisis escalates with North Korea after his 'fire and fury' threat.

North Korea's state run news agency KCNA dismissed his warning as a 'load of nonsense' and said that only 'absolute force' can work on someone as 'bereft of reason' as Trump' as the country steams ahead with its plan to strike the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam by mid-August.

Pentagon chief James Mattis issued his own warning among the increasingly aggressive rhetoric, telling Kim Jong-un that he risks destroying his regime and his people if he attacks.

The magnitude of the nuclear crisis was underlined as one White House aide, Sebastian Gorka, compared it to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Meanwhile, the president appeared to be unfazed by the escalating threat, as he was revealed to be on the course with a golfing companion. A New York businessman posted an Instagram picture saying their match had gone 'down to the 18th hole'.

The White House would not confirm that Trump, who had tweeted that his 17-day stay in Bedminster, New Jersey, was not a vacation, was on the golf course Wednesday. Gorka scolded DailyMail.com during an encounter at the White House for daring to ask about the president's whereabouts.

Trump's reaction to North Korea's increasingly aggressive posture, which in the space of 24 hours saw the president and his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson apparently at odds, has fueled fears on a military conflict around the globe, especially after it was revealed that Trump's Pentagon chief, James Mattis, was initially out of the loop.

Mattis weighed in with his own stern warning to North Korea on Wednesday afternoon - shortly before the Instagram image of Trump on the golf course emerged - invoking the 'end' of its regime following President Trump's own admonition that Pyongyang's threats would bring 'fire and fury.'

President Donald Trump dashed claims that he is not on vacation but actually 'working hard' at his New Jersey property when he was seen today on the golf course today while the conflict with North Korea raged

Defense Secretary James Mattis referenced the 'end' of the North Korean regime in a new Pentagon statement

Say Kim Jong-un does risk all out war by attacking Guam, in what some experts have branded a 'suicide' move, what force does the US have to beckon from its bases in the region?

TRUMP WON'T TELL REPORTERS WHEN HE'S GOLFING BUT HIS COMPANION GIVES A MATCH REPORT Michael Fazio, a friend of a Trump donor, posted a picture of the president standing next him on Instagram that he says was taken at Trump's New Jersey golf course today. 'Fantastic day golfing with #45 @realdonaldtrump at Trump Bedminister today,' he said. 'We had an exciting match which came down to the 18th hole.' Fazio is a 42-year-old businessman from Bergen County, New Jersey, who runs a staffing agency for hospital and banks. He suggested in his post that the Bedminster tee-off had been organized by Richard Levine, a friend of Trump who has donated to his foundation. Fazio had previously boasted to Time Out that he is a blue-collar self-made man who wears only bespoke suits. Reporters at Bedminster, where Trump is spending time away from the White House, have been refused information on when the president is golfing. Advertisement

In his first comments since the crisis took a sharp escalation, Mattis, a former Marine general, said: 'The DPRK must choose to stop isolating itself and stand down its pursuit of nuclear weapons,' referring to North Korea.

He continued: 'The DPRK should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people.'

Hours after President Trump brought up the readiness of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, Mattis did his own touting of the military might of the world's reigning superpower - despite it being confirmed that the Pentagon boss had not been aware of the words used by the president the previous day.

Mattis said the U.S. had at its disposal 'the most precise, rehearsed and robust defensive and offensive capabilities on Earth.'

His reference to precision was a reminder of the U.S. military's ability unique ability to attempt to decapitate the regime with guided missile strikes aimed at individuals places where they gather should a military conflict ensue.

His own tough talk followed explosive comments by President Trump on Tuesday issued at his New Jersey golf course that North Korea would provoke 'fire and fury' if it continued with its threats.

Mattis commented on the 'readiness' of U.S. nuclear forces  a more staid version of Trump's own statements about the awesome power the U.S. could bring to any confrontation.

'President Trump was informed of the growing threat last December and on taking office his first orders to me emphasized the readiness of our ballistic missile defense and nuclear deterrent forces. While our State Department is making every effort to resolve this global threat through diplomatic means, it must be noted that the combined allied militaries now possess the most precise, rehearsed and robust defensive and offensive capabilities on Earth,' Mattis said.

'The DPRK regime's actions will continue to be grossly overmatched by ours and would lose any arms race or conflict it initiates.'

Mattis was confirmed by the White House not to have been told in advance about what the president would say precisely - but officials insisted his National Security team were aware of the tone.

That group would not routinely include the defense secretary. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump's words were emphatically his own.

Trump himself fired another flare in Kim Jong-Un's direction on Wednesday morning, saying in tweets the United States' nuclear arsenal is 'stronger and more powerful than ever before' and he 'hopefully' won't need to use it.

'My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before,' Trump said. 'Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!'

Trump made the show of might on social media after his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, tried to dial down the conflict as he returned to Washington from Southeast Asia on a trip that included a pit stop in Guam.

DON'T COMMIT SUICIDE KIM: MATTIS LAYS DOWN THE LAW TO NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR-RACE DICTATOR 'The United States and our allies have the demonstrated capabilities and unquestionable commitment to defend ourselves from an attack. 'Kim Jong Un should take heed of the United Nations Security Council's unified voice, and statements from governments the world over, who agree the DPRK poses a threat to global security and stability. 'The DPRK must choose to stop isolating itself and stand down its pursuit of nuclear weapons. The DPRK should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people. 'President Trump was informed of the growing threat last December and on taking office his first orders to me emphasized the readiness of our ballistic missile defense and nuclear deterrent forces. 'While our State Department is making every effort to resolve this global threat through diplomatic means, it must be noted that the combined allied militaries now possess the most precise, rehearsed and robust defensive and offensive capabilities on Earth. 'The DPRK regime's actions will continue to be grossly overmatched by ours and would lose any arms race or conflict it initiates.' Advertisement

President Donald Trump fired another flare in Kim Jong-Un's direction on Wednesday morning, saying in tweets the United States' nuclear arsenal is 'stronger and more powerful than ever before' and he 'hopefully' won't need to use it

Tillerson said Trump's 'fire and fury' charge to Kim shouldn't have Americans panicking because North Korea does not pose an 'imminent threat' to the United States.

Pyongyang's volatile dictator has warned that he was 'carefully examining' plans to make 'an enveloping fire' around Guam, which is home to about 163,000 people and a sprawling American military base.

American airmen in Guam have said they are ready to 'fight tonight,' if they have to. Officials on the island have said they've been reassured by the White House that 'America will be defended.'

The US has also released images of supersonic B-1B bombers flying over the Korean peninsula during a military exercise.

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Two U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers from Guam's military base participated in a strategic bilaterial mission with South Korea and Japan hours before North Korea threatened to strike Guam. Pictured top left and right are the two B-1B Lancer bombers and bottom left and center are Japan Self-Defense Forces F-2 fighter jets near Kyushu, Japan during the mission

The 10-hour mission from Guam's Andersen Air Force Base (above) took place on Monday and was the first for the aircraft and crews recently deployed from South Dakota's Ellsworth Air Force Base to support U.S. Pacific Command's Continuous Bomber Presence missions

North Korea says the training mission 'proves that the U.S. imperialists are nuclear war maniacs.'

Kim, who boasts that his intercontinental rockets can reach the west coast of America, has warned the US that it will 'pay dearly' for UN sanctions it successfully imposed over the weekend that were backed by China and Russia.

But Tillerson said Wednesday that he does not believe Washington and Pyongyang are on the edge of war.

'Americans should sleep well at night,' Tillerson told reporters as he flew from Malaysia to Guam.

Trump spoke harshly to Kim, a tyrant, 'because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language,' Tillerson contended.

'I think the president just wanted to be clear with the North Korean regime on the U.S. unquestionable ability to defend itself, will defend itself and its allies, and I think it was important that he deliver that message to avoid any miscalculation on their part,' he added.

An adviser to the president appeared on Fox & Friends soon after to warn Kim and his government that Trump would not be trifled with.

'He's saying don't test America and don't test Donald J Trump. We are not just the superpower. We were a superpower, we are now a hyper-power,' Sebastian Gorka, a deputy assistant to the president said. 'Nobody in the world, especially not North Korea comes close to challenging our military capabilities.

'Whether they are conventional, whether they are nuclear or whether they are Special Forces. So the message is very clear: don't test this White House, Pyongyang,' he stated.

Trump is spending time at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club while the White House undergoes critical updates. He'll relocate to New York early next week then come back to New Jersey for the maintenance's duration.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says that President Donald Trump's 'fire and fury' charge to Kim Jong-Un shouldn't have Americans panicking. Tillerson is on his way back to Washington from Asia. He made a pit stop in Guam

A spokeswoman assured reporters on Wednesday that Trump and White House chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly are receiving regular updates on North Korea from the president's national security council. Vice President Mike Pence is making the trek to Bedminster tomorrow, said deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters, and National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster is expected to arrive soon, too.

Walters said Trump's tweet about the arsenal referred to an executive order he signed his first week in office. The January 27 memo said directed the secretary of state to 'initiate a new Nuclear Posture Review to ensure that the United States nuclear deterrent is modern, robust, flexible, resilient, ready, and appropriately tailored to deter 21st-century threats and reassure our allies.'

'How we train is how we fight and the more we interface with our allies, the better prepared we are to fight tonight,' one of the pilots with the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron B-1 said. Pictured above is a B-1B Lancer bombers taking off for the mission

The crews practiced intercept and formation training, which gave them an opportunity to improve their combined capabilities and tactical skills. Above a B-1B Lancer bomber is pictured during the mission

The two bombers (above at take off) flew in the vicinity of Kyushu, Japan, the East China Sea, and the Korean peninsula. The U.S. released photos of the mission late Tuesday seemingly in response to North Korea's threat to strike Guam

North Korea said Tuesday that it is 'carefully examining' a plan to strike the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam with missiles hours after Trump told the country that additional threats to the U.S. would be met with 'fire and fury.'

A spokesman for the Korean People's Army, in a statement carried by the North's state-run KCNA news agency, said Wednesday the strike plan will be 'put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment' once Kim makes a decision.

Guam, which is roughly 2,128 miles from North Korea, is home to both Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam housing thousands of American service members and their families.

Roughly 28 percent of the island is occupied by the U.S. military. The base houses bomber assurance and deterrence missions, including six B-52s which the air force says provide 'strategic global strike capability [to] deter potential adversaries and provide reassurance to allies' and that they are ready to go.

North Korea has said it could carry out a pre-emptive operation if the U.S. showed signs of provocation.

Pyongyang said this week that it was ready to give Washington a 'severe lesson' with its strategic nuclear force in response to any U.S. military action.

Despite North Korea's combative language, which was mimicked by Trump, Tillerson said Wednesday, 'Nothing that I have seen and nothing that I know of would indicate that the situation has dramatically changed in the last 24 hours.'

Tillerson talked to reporters on the way to Guam this morning as he returned to Washington from Malaysia.

North Korea said it is 'carefully examining' a plan to strike the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam with missiles. The strike plan will be 'put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment' once leader Kim Jong Un (file above) makes a decision

Threat came hours after President Donald Trump (above on Tuesday) delivered his fiercest warning yet to North Korea Tuesday afternoon

Guam, which is known as the 'Tip of the Spear', is home to thousands of American service members and their families at both Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam

Last night, the US military put out photos of the supersonic B-1B bombers leaving Guam on a ten-hour mission that took them to the Korean Peninsula.

The aircraft flew Monday from Guam's Andersen Air Force Base towards Kyushu, Japan, the East China Sea.

The bomber mission was the first for the aircraft and crews recently deployed from South Dakota's Ellsworth Air Force Base to support U.S. Pacific Command's Continuous Bomber Presence missions, Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs stated.

'How we train is how we fight and the more we interface with our allies, the better prepared we are to fight tonight,' one of the pilots with the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron B-1 said.

Lt. Col. Daniel Diehl, 37th EBS, commander said in the release: 'As demonstrated today, our air forces stand combat-ready to deliver airpower when called upon.'

Trump cautioned Kim on Tuesday that additional threats of violence against the U.S. 'will be met with fire and the fury like the world has never seen' in a dramatic escalation of rhetoric that's put world leaders and U.S. politicians on the edge of their seats.

'He has been very threatening beyond a normal state, and as I said they will be met with the fire and fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before,' Trump said in remarks at the top of an unrelated meeting on drug abuse yesterday.

U.S. MILITARY BASES ON GUAM Guam, which is roughly 2,128 miles from North Korea, is home to both Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam. The two U.S. military bases house nuclear bombers and other key assets; they both fall under Joint Region Marianas. Andersen Air Force Base is located on the north end of Guam, approximately 15 miles from the capital Agana. It is in the village of Yigo. The base houses bomber assurance and deterrence missions, including six B-52s which the air force says provide 'strategic global strike capability [to] deter potential adversaries and provide reassurance to allies'. Naval Base Guam is located on the southwest side of the island and has four fast-attack nuclear submarines and an expeditionary helicopter squadron. Roughly 28 percent of the island is occupied by the U.S. military. At least 6,000 U.S. troops are stationed there. Advertisement

He stopped just short of a firm promise to declare war on Kim's government if the dictatorship continues to talk about 'physical action' to the U.S.

Yet said to reporters, 'North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States.'

New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English said Trump's remarks were 'not helpful' given the 'very tense' environment that presently exists.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told CBS that Trump has 'basically drawn a red line.'

The Senate Armed Services Committee said war would be 'horrific' but he thinks 'we're headed that way unless the world can stop North Korea.'

'The time for talking is running out.'

Amid heightened tensions in the region, Beijing staged 'large-scale' military exercises with dozens of ships, fighter jets and submarines adjacent to the Korean Peninsula on Monday - just months after moving 150,000 troops to its border with North Korea.

Russia, meanwhile, moved military equipment including helicopters and combat vehicles to its southern frontier with the hermit state earlier this year. Moscow has displayed its own frightening military strength at a war games event in Siberia this week and during a vast Navy Day parade in Vladivostok - about 100 miles from North Korean territory.

Germany this morning urged North Korea and the United States to show 'restraint' in their mounting war of words.

'We are watching the increasing rhetorical escalation regarding the Korean Peninsula with the greatest concern,' foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer told reporters. 'That is why we call on all sides to use restraint.'

Schaefer said Berlin was convinced a 'military option' could not be 'the answer in the quest for a nuclear weapon-free Southeast Asia'.

He urged the international community to 'thoroughly implement' the latest round of sanctions against North Korea approved by the United Nations Security Council and backed a call by Tillerson to resume talks with Pyongyang if it halts ballistic missile tests.

'We must all continue our diplomatic efforts - it is the only way to ensure that the threat of the illegal North Korean nuclear weapons programme can be contained,' he said.

Calling the situation on the Korean Peninsula 'complicated and sensitive', China's foreign ministry issued a statement warning that parties involved in the impasse should avoid 'words and actions that escalate the situation'.

The European Union said tensions over North Korea can only be resolved by peaceful means, with foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini's spokeswoman saying the developments are 'of great concern to the EU.'

Trump told Kim that additional threats of violence against the U.S. 'will be met with the fire and the fury like the world has never seen' on Tuesday

Comments from Trump came during a briefing on the opioid crisis on Tuesday at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster

Trump sent this tweet on Tuesday morning. That was before North Korea threatened to bomb Guam, escalating tensions

HOW TENSIONS HAVE GROWN IN 12 MONTHS July 8, 2016: US and South Korea announce plans to deploy an advanced missile defence system -- THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) August 3, 2016: North Korea fires a ballistic missile directly into Japan's maritime economic zone for the first time September 9, 2016: North Korea carries out its fifth nuclear test March 6, 2017: North fires four ballistic missiles in what it says is an exercise to hit US bases in Japan March 7, 2017: US begins deploying THAAD missile defence system in South Korea May 14, 2017: North fires a ballistic missile which flies 700 kilometres before landing in the Sea of Japan. Analysts say it has an imputed range of 4,500 kilometres and brings Guam within reach June 1, 2017: US aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson and the USS Ronald Reagan carry out drills in the Sea of Japan July 4, 2017: North Korea test-fires a ballistic missile which flies 930 kilometres before landing in the Sea of Japan. Analysts say it has an imputed range of 6,700 km and brings Alaska within reach. Pyongyang later says it was a 'landmark' test of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). July 28, 2017: Kim Jong-un carries out a second intercontinental rocket launch test in under a month, sending a missile 1,000km before it splashes down in the waters off the Japanese coast. August 5, 2017: The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposes tough new sanctions on Pyongyang. North Korea responded, saying: 'The day the US dares tease our nation with a nuclear rod and sanctions, the mainland US will be catapulted into an unimaginable sea of fire.' Advertisement

Trump told the world Tuesday morning that it must be vigilant against North Korea in the face of new threats from the country's young dictator.

'The pressure is starting to show,' Tillerson contended Wednesday. 'I think that's why the rhetoric coming out of Pyongyang is beginning to become louder and more threatening. Whether we've got them backed into a corner or not is difficult to say, but diplomatically, you never like to have someone in a corner without a way for them to get out.'

Kim had warned the United States that it would pay 'pay dearly' for the United Nations sanctions regime it successfully imposed over the weekend and hinted at military action as tensions continued to escalate.

'Physical action will be taken mercilessly with the mobilization of all its national strength,' North Korea's state-run news agency said Tuesday.

The 33-year-old Kim was lashing out at a U.S. push to drain him of the hard currency he needs to develop his nuclear program that Russia and China reluctantly signed on to last weekend.

The sanctions put a hard stop to a third of North Korea's export revenue - a deafening blow to the country's economy.

Trump celebrated the universal participation of Security Council countries in the sanctions with a tweet Tuesday morning that said, 'After many years of failure,countries are coming together to finally address the dangers posed by North Korea. We must be tough & decisive!'

A Washington Post report later on Tuesday suggested that North Korea had invented a miniaturized warhead that it has the capability of attaching to the intercontinental ballistic missiles its been testing.

According to the report, US officials estimate that Kim now has 60 nuclear weapons in his possession.

By comparison, the US is estimated to have more than 6,800 in its stockpile, and Russia is thought to have 7,000.

The development brings the country dangerously close to its goal of creating of a nuclear weapon that can hit targets in the U.S.

Alaska, Hawaii, California and Guam would be at an especially high risk if Kim's scientists finish the weapons and North Korea decides to use them.

Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said on Tuesday that he is seriously worried about a possible North Korean missile strike on his state as well as the rest of the United States.

'There's concern, but there's also pride,' Sullivan said on Fox News's 'The Story' Tuesday. 'Alaska is the cornerstone of our nation's missile defense.'

He added that Alaska's missile defense battalion 'is literally protecting the country.'

'The Alaska guard unit there calls themselves the 300, protecting the 300 million,' Sullivan said. 'So that's what they're doing now, protecting us.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, center, arrives at a military base in Subang, Malaysia on Tuesday. He's on his way back to Washington and is making a pit stop in Guam

Shortly after Trump's Tuesday morning message, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley appeared on Fox & Friends to deliver tough talk to North Korea and take a victory lap on sanctions.

'The United States will respond accordingly, and I think the international community will respond accordingly,' she said of the dangerous actions that Kim could take in response to the punishing actions.

It's up to North Korean leader to decide whether his response is, 'OK the international community is telling me to stop or he is going to have, you know, a temper tantrum,' she'd said.

Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy worried that Kim is rejecting the international mandate. 'It sounds like, we are getting closer to a shootin' war,' he told Haley.

'But we don't run scared,' Haley asserted. 'This had to happen, we had to go after his hard currency, we had to stop it.'

'How he responds? He's now going to have to think what's the end game? Is he really going to come after the United States knowing what the United States can do back? He's gotta make that calculation,' the high-ranking U.S. diplomat assessed.

A Washington Post report earlier in the day on Tuesday suggested that North Korea had invented a miniaturized warhead that it has the capability of attaching to the intercontinental ballistic missiles its been testing.

Trump stopped just short of a firm promise to declare war on Kim's government if the dictatorship continues to talk about 'physical action' to the U.S. during the meeting in New Jerseyon Tuesday with Kellyanne Conway (left), HHS Secretary Tom Price, (second left), Melania Trump (second right) and the National Drug Control Policy Center's Richard Baum (right)

Former President Barack Obama's aide Dan Pfeiffer went after Trump's warning to North Korea on Tuesday. Pfeiffer tweeted, 'Don't gloss over the fact that Trump threatened what can only be interpreted as a nuclear attack on North Korea if Kim Jong Un taunts him.'

On Monday, North Korea promised to 'teach the US a severe lesson' if it puts its military might to the test on the Korean Peninsula.

'We will, under no circumstances, put the nukes and ballistic rockets on the negotiating table,' North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said, effectively declining to engage in talks about the nuclear program.

State-run KCNA news agency meanwhile claimed that North Korea 'will make the US pay dearly for all the heinous crimes it commits against the state and people of this country.'

KCNA cautioned the U.S. against 'believing that its land is safe across the ocean' in what it described as a 'stern warning to the US.'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, 33, first warned that the United States would 'pay dearly' for the United Nations sanctions regime it successfully imposed over the weekend and hinted at 'physical action' as tensions continued to escalate

Shortly after the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley appeared on Fox & Friends to deliver to more tough talk to North Korea

Tuesday it slapped the U.S. again, saying in a statement that appeared in the New York Times: 'Packs of wolves are coming in attack to strangle a nation...They should be mindful that the D.P.R.K.'s strategic steps accompanied by physical action will be taken mercilessly with the mobilization of all its national strength.'

Kim is fuming over a United Nations Security Council resolution that will cut a billion out of his $3 billion economy annually. The resolution bans North Korea exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood and blocks off other cash-rich avenues, including joint ventures.

The U.S. pushed the resolution through the Security Council on Saturday with the aid of Russia and China, North Korea's largest trading partner.

'Yes, China and Russia were not the easiest, but at the end of the day they came through, and that's all that matters,' Haley said this morning on Fox & Friends of the vote to put heavy penalties on North Korea over its continued nuclear tests.

China favors deconfliction with North Korea and denuclearization of the Korean peninsula but not the displacement of Kim. Beijing is concerned that a coup would put the country's stockpile of weapons in nefarious hands.

Naval Base Guam (file above) is located on the west side of the island. There is an estimated 6,300 active duty Navy members and 6,900 family members living on Guam as well as a significant population of retired military personnel

It joined the U.S. and 13 other nations that sit on the Security Council in approving new sanctions on North Korea, a nation with whom it shares a border, after Washington threatened to restrict access to its financial institutions last week.

North Korea's ramped up missile tests since Trump took office has the United States pursuing aggressive measures in the region, including Chinese sanctions.

Military action remains on the table, as well, sparking fears internationally that the conflict will result in war.

The Trump administration's attempts to pressure North Korea into abandoning its nuclear and missile ambitions have so far gained little traction.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has warned of an 'effective and overwhelming' response against North Korea if it chose to use nuclear weapons but has said any military solution would be 'tragic on an unbelievable scale.'

The United States has 28,500 troops in South Korea to guard against the North Korean threat. Japan hosts around 54,000 U.S. military personnel, the U.S. Department of Defense says, and tens of thousands of Americans work in both countries.

Seoul is home to a population of roughly 10 million, within range of massed pre-targeted North Korean rockets and artillery, which would be impossible to destroy in a first U.S. strike.

A rising number of Republicans - 48 percent - want Trump to go that route. That's a jump from 37 percent in an April CBS News poll.

A majority of Americans are fearful that Trump is not equipped to go to battle with Kim, though. In the CBS survey, 61 percent of voters expressed doubts.

Most do not think North Korea will actually try to strike the U.S. with one of the intercontinental ballistic missiles it's been testing, however.

Nearly seven in 10 Americans think Kim is using the nuclear program to gain power and influence.

He added that Alaska's missile defense battalion 'is literally protecting the country.'

'The Alaska guard unit there calls themselves the 300, protecting the 300 million,' Sullivan said. 'So that's what they're doing now, protecting us.
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People have lashed out at a Chinese shopping mall after it hosted a catwalk show for young girls wearing skimpy lingerie in southwest China.

Pictures posted online show child models walking in bikinis with dramatic accessories including a pair of giant angel wings.

The event has caused an outcry online where web users condemned the organisers for provoking the sexual image of underage girls.

The models wore two-piece bikini with matching accessories in a similar style of American lingerie brand, Victoria's Secret

It is unsure of the ages of the models but little girls can be seen walking down the runway with bikini (left). Older teenager can also be seen in the show but web users said it was inappropriate (right)

Social media account 'Tianfusanjie' reported that a shopping mall in Chengdu, China's Sichuan Province carried out a Victoria's Secret-like fashion show on August 5.

Young girls can be seen dressed in two-piece lingerie along with decorations such as feathers and gems.

With full-on makeup and their hair done, the models looked confident on the catwalk while the audience took snaps of them.

One girl can be seen wearing a yellow triangle bikini top and a matching bottom in gemstones, wrapped with fairy lights.

Most of the young girls were given a massive headpiece and a pair of angel wings or a long train.

It's unclear how old the girls are but the show has sparked controversy on Weibo, a Twitter-like social media account.

Some web users suggested that the shopping mall was Intime City in Chengdu.

Most of the young girl models were given a massive headpiece and a pair of angel wings or a long train on the dress (left and right)

Web users accused the show for sexualising underage girls with the image of Victoria's Secret's models.

'Feliciaaaaa' asked for children to be given their right to be children.

Another web user 'BTS_PJM_' worried that there were paedophiles watching the show and warned the parents to protect their children.

Another asked: 'What kind of parent sends their daughters to this?'

Five months ago, American lingerie brand, Victoria's Secret, made its first step into the Chinese market opening its first full store in Shanghai.

The lingerie brand sells its products using sexy images of models with svelte figures that attracts millions of fans across the globe.

In China, there have been a lot of similar fashion shows copying Victoria's Secret's style with feathery wings and flashy accessories.

Victoria's Secret's models are known to have a svelte body figure: Adriana Lima (left) walking in white angel wings and Liu Wen (right) in colourful costume with Chinese elements

However, this lingerie show has upset a lot of parents online.

One parent said: 'If I have a daughter, I would definitely not allowed her to go on shows like this.'

Another parent commented that she would not let her children to do this.

Most web users expressed their anger as they thought the fashion show had misinterpreted the meaning of childhood.
#1 - The Interpol Spy Daggett was introduced to an Australian entrepreneur who was apparently well known to a senior staff member at Kelleher. Daggett and the man hit it off quickly, had two dates in California, spoke for hours nightly and then took a trip to Panama and Costa Rica in the spring of 2015. Daggett flew home on a Sunday with the understanding that this gentleman was going to meet her in Pennsylvania the following weekend. Two days later he called and said, 'He needed to go dark' for two weeks, but would stop on his way home to visit with Daggett. The man mentioned doing work for Interpol in previous conversations with Daggett, so Daggett thought this was a potentially legitimate, albeit strange occurrence. Eleven days later, Daggett received an email saying, 'His life was not his own, and that he'd be gone until the end of the year.' He went on to say that he would be totally off the grid with no cellular phone contact, text or email. On rare occasions, Daggett would receive messages saying he would call at a specific time, but these calls never took place. On another occasion, Daggett received a message from this same man stating that he had crossed three oceans, mountains, deserts and jungles, beaches, farmland and more time zones than he could count. According to Daggett, these brief communications had the feel of clandestine operations taking place in Eastern Europe. Thirteen months later, on or about June 20, 2016, Daggett received a telephone call from this gentleman's previous girlfriend with whom he had been cavorting around the globe. She informed Daggett that she had met with him after Daggett left their second date, and he had her fly in the same day that Daggett left Panama. When he went 'dark,' the two of them were actually sailing to Cuba. When he said he would be totally off the grid for the remainder of 2015, crossing oceans, deserts and the like, he was actually traveling all over Europe and Australia with this woman. During Daggett's conversation with this woman, she also mentioned to Daggett that this man was violent and had hit her twice. #2 - The Serial Lothario A few months later, in the fall of 2015, Daggett met a senior executive for a Fortune 500 company who lived in Belgium and worked in Poland. Despite the distance, he and Daggett spoke and texted multiple times a day. This gentleman flew to visit Daggett at Thanksgiving and again at Christmas. The relationship was off to a very positive start, and he and Daggett began planning their lives together. By all accounts, they were equally smitten and communicated this to Kelleher. On the morning of December 27, 2017, Daggett received a tender morning message from this man, as was the custom between them, and by 2pm that same afternoon, this man had called off the relationship via email, saying he did not want to live in Pennsylvania part time. There was no fight, no telephone call, no compromise and no conversation. Daggett wanted the opportunity to understand how this relationship went so wrong so quickly and was deeply hurt by this man. Daggett pleaded with staff at Kelleher not to match this man again based upon her concern that he would do this again. The staff at Kelleher re-matched this man shortly after his breakup with Daggett. Again, this man came on very strong, accelerating the relationship in a short period time and did the exact same thing to the next woman. The fact that Kelleher matched this man after Kelleher was warned about his strange behavior indicates a lack of vetting related to potential matches and a lack of concern for the well being of Kelleher clients.

#3 - The Alleged Widower Turned Convicted Felon and Stalker

In February 2015, Daggett was matched with an alleged widower from Virginia. During lunch, he told Daggett he was having flashbacks. When Daggett inquired what that meant, he said, 'It was a snowy and rainy day like today that my wife was killed.' The man was tearing up and Daggett comforted him the best she could.

For a multitude of reasons, Daggett was not interested in this man and did not continue to date him.

A few months later, Daggett received an email from him, asking if Daggett would consider helping him with some aesthetic decisions that needed to be made on an 11,000-square-foot house that he was building in Boulder, Colorado. Given that he had lost his wife and Daggett has some talent in this area, she agreed to help him. Daggett made very clear that she was doing this out of kindness and continues to have no romantic interest in this man. The gentleman sent architectural plans, reclaimed wood samples and a kitchen cabinet door prior to meeting with Daggett.

Daggett invited him to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to review his plans and samples in person, as it would be difficult to do over the phone. Daggett and the man went out for dinner and Daggett noticed that she had a voicemail from an unknown number. Twice, Daggett listened to the first five seconds of the message before turning the phone over to the man, saying, 'I think this call is for you. I'll give you a little privacy and I'll be back in a few minutes.' When Daggett returned, the man was ghostly pale. Daggett asked if everything was ok, and he said 'no.' When Daggett asked what was wrong, he said that he was married.

The woman who left the voicemail on Daggett's phone was his wife, even though he previously informed Daggett that he was a widower. The man went on to tell Daggett that he had been raped as a child and his lying was latent behavior associated with the trauma. The man also said, 'I need to cause pain and shame.' Daggett did not ask for clarity about upon whom he wished to inflict such pain. Instead, Daggett told him to get his bags and get out of her house immediately. All area hotels were fully booked so Daggett took him to the Philadelphia airport late that same evening.

Earlier in the evening, his wife apparently called Daggett's ex-husband saying, 'Did you know your wife is having an affair with my husband?' Daggett's ex-husband said, 'I'm not sure who you are, but I'm not married and I don't have a wife.'

Daggett called Kelleher the following Monday to tell them about this man. According to Kelleher, they immediately called him and removed him from Kelleher's client roster. At Daggett's request, this man was told to never contact her again. The man agreed saying, 'Out of respect for Darlene, I will not contact her by any means.'

The gentleman violated that promise by continuing to send emails to Daggett. Ultimately, an attorney was sent to him saying that if he continued to contact Daggett, she would seek a restraining order to stop these unwanted advances.

About one year later, Daggett was traveling with her daughter in Europe when she received a telephone call from her realtor saying that a client from Virginia (the alleged widower) was interested in coming to see her home. While Daggett's home was on the market, it did not have a sign on the property, so this man must have been keeping track of her residence or movements in some fashion. Daggett told her realtor that under no circumstances was this man to be let into her home.

Daggett believes that this man wanted to gain access to her home for one of three reasons. He wanted to see or speak to Daggett, leave something in her house or hurt Daggett or her children.

Daggett was genuinely frightened for her personal safety and that of her family. Daggett hired a prominent attorney to write a very stern warning regarding this continued contact, making clear that she would file a restraining order and a criminal complaint for violation of the Pennsylvania Stalking Statue. Local police officials were also made aware of the incident and patrolled Daggett's property while she was out of the country. Daggett consulted a Private Detective to see if she needed security for herself and her family. Most challenging of all, Daggett had to sit down with her four children and tell them that she had a potential stalker who had tried to gain access to their home.

As a result, doors needed to be locked at all times and Daggett asked her family to report any cars lingering in the driveway that did not belong on the property. Daggett unintentionally reported friends of her children to the police because she did not recognize their cars. This compromise to Daggett's privacy and safety has changed her way of life and her family's.

Last year Daggett's best friend received a call from a woman at her place of business. The woman said she got Daggett's friend's telephone number from this man's cellular telephone and that she was investigating a number of improprieties. Her friend was told that the FBI was involved. The woman said, 'He's been cooking the books and laundering money, running up $20,000 AMEX bills on designer dresses, women's shoes and high-end hotels.' Apparently this man was also paying 'hush money' to Ashley Madison - an online dating service that targets married individuals seeking to have affairs - and was also sending monthly checks to a woman in California because he was married. The woman on the phone said that the man also tried to kill himself.

On December 9, 2016, this man was convicted of bank fraud in the amount of $10.5million dollars. The government did not initially seek detention, but on February 10, 2017, his bond was revoked because he attempted to buy a King Air jet from a Texas aircraft consulting group. It was determined that this man was a flight risk and he was remanded to county jail where he currently awaits sentencing.

#4 - The Censured Judge Approximately two months ago, Daggett received a call from the Founder of Kelleher who said she had identified a man that she thought would be an interesting match. Daggett was told that he was a New York State Supreme Court Justice and top mediator in the country. The Founder of Kelleher said she had spoken with this man, but her contact in New York was away and had not met with him yet. Based on what Daggett was told, she was interested in meeting this man. The Founder of Kelleher provided his name and Daggett immediately conducted a rudimentary internet search of this man to learn more about him. What Daggett found on that initial search was alarming to her. This gentleman was censured for carrying on an affair with an attorney who regularly appeared before him and for sneaking off to broadcasting school while he was supposed to be in court. Daggett called Kelleher to share her concerns and the Founder of Kelleher said, 'It couldn't have been that bad. He still has a job.' #5 - First Seriously Ill Man Daggett, without her prior knowledge, was matched with a gentleman who had Crohn's disease for close to fifty years. After spending several months developing a relationship and traveling with this man, Daggett realized that she could not surrender her desire for an active and robust retirement to become a future caretaker for this man. Had Daggett been presented with the facts, she would not have chosen to be matched with this individual, saving both of them the heartbreak of breaking off a relationship. Daggett's concerns of future health problems turned out to be correct because this man was, sadly, diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the end of last year.

#6 - Second Seriously Ill Man

The very next man that Kelleher matched Daggett with, unbeknownst to Daggett, had a very serious heart condition and had suffered three prior strokes.

During the first date between this man and Daggett, this gentleman lost consciousness in her car. Daggett immediately tried to take him to the nearest hospital. When the man regained consciousness, he pleaded not to be taken to the hospital and instead asked that he be taken to Daggett's home. The man shared with Daggett that he had blockages in both carotid arteries and wanted to go back to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to be treated by his own cardiologist.

The man had surgery at the beginning of the year and is still on rehabilitation six months later.

Miscellaneous Mismatches

Kelleher also matched Daggett with a series of gentleman that did not meet her criteria for suitable matches, as Daggett reiterated during her weekly conference call with her matchmaker at Kelleher. Despite expressing that she wanted to be matched with a financially independent, retired or semi-retired gentleman who had significant flexibility in his schedule, a desire to travel frequently and was open to marriage, Daggett was matched with the following men.
Images have been released of the thug that allegedly threatened a mother and her 18-month-old baby with a knife.

During a terrifying confrontation in a western Sydney carpark, an armed man wearing a hoodie jumped into the vehicle a about 5pm on Tuesday.

Police are describing the attacker as being of Pacific Islander/Maori appearance, about 175-180cm tall, large build, believed to be in his early 30s, and was last seen wearing a grey hooded jumper.

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Police are describing the attacker as being of Pacific Islander/Maori appearance, 180cm tall

The mother had just put her child in the car in a Fairfield lot when the man, described as being of Pacific Islander appearance, jumped into the front seat of her car.

He then physically and verbally threatened the woman before demanding cash.

The man fled the Nelson Street carpark outside the Neeta City Shopping Centre after the woman handed over her cash and other personal items.

A mother and her 18-month-old baby have allegedly been threatened with a knife in her car

'She was in the process of loading and unloading bags from the car,' Fairfield Police Duty Officer Adam Bird said.

'She had placed the child into the car seat and was about to get into the driver seat when the man approached her.'

After the mother handed over her possessions the man ran away in the direction of Ware Street.

The man ran away in the direction of Ware Street after the attack on the mother and child

Both mother and child were unharmed. The suspect was spotted on CCTV in the area carrying a bright red handbag.

Police are urging anyone with information about the robbery to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
A 17-year-old Pennsylvania girl has been charged with attempted murder after her baby daughter was found alive in a plastic bag outside an upstate New York home.

Police in the city of Elmira say neighbors investigating a suspicious noise in the 600 block of Walnut Street Tuesday afternoon found a 12- to 16-month-old girl whose feet were sticking out of the bag.

They called 911 at around 1.15pm and began administering first aid until police and emergency crews arrived.

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Mother arrested: Harriette Hoyt (pictured left in her mugshot), 17, has been charged with attempted murder after her baby daughter (seen on the right) was found alive in a plastic bag

Residents in Elmira, New York, found the toddler near the bushes behind this home on Tuesday, more than 24 hours after she had been abandoned

The baby was taken to a local hospital, where she was listed in stable condition. She was later transferred to another hospital for further evaluation, according to a press release from the Elmira Police Department.

Later Tuesday, police charged Harriette Hoyt with second-degree attempted murder. Officials say she is from Sayre, Pennsylvania, on the New York border about 20 miles southeast of Elmira.

She was arraigned on Tuesday and remanded to the Chemung County Jail pending her next court appearance scheduled for Monday.

Elmira resident Kayla Seals, who rescued the baby girl, tells WENY she heard some strange noises coming from the backyard and went to check it out, initially thinking it was a cat or a dog.

When she took a closer look at a white plastic bag resting near the bushes, she saw a pair of legs poking out. The baby's head and the rest of her body were inside the bag.

Hoyt's daughter (pictured left) was found dehydrated and was taken to a hospital in a stable condtion. The teenage mom (right) was taken into custody hours later

Life saver: Neighbor Kayla Seals was the one who pulled the little girl out of the bag and administered first aid to her while waiting for first responders

Seals tore the bag open and carried the child inside the house, where she and her sister called 911 and tended to the child by cleaning her up and giving her water, as she appeared to be dehydrated.

Sgt William Solt, with Elmira police, on Wednesday confirmed to DailyMail.com that Hoyt is the mother of the little girl found abandoned in the trash.

Solt also revealed that it's been estimated the child had spent more than 24 hours in the plastic bag, but said she is expected to make a full recovery.
A Dutch photography enthusiast was stunned to find a hidden roll of film from 1929 when he bought a camera for his wife - and has now tracked down the relatives of the people in the pictures.

Martijn van Oers thought the camera would make a perfect decoration for his home in Breda, but was surprised to find a film inside marked 'expose'.

Despite being told that the chances any photos would have survived intact were incredibly slim, Martijn set about developing it and was 'flabbergasted' to get photographs from it.

The pictures were taken by architect Theo J. Lammers and show his family, including wife Elisabeth Lammers-Berveling

Theo's wife Elisabeth is pictured posing by a beach in Biarritz on the Basque coast, in an image found on the camera

After documenting his adventure online, social media users soon pointed out that the images looked like Biarritz, a seaside town on France's Basque coast.

Three days later he was contacted by Marion Jurrjens, who said that the man in the images was her grandfather, who was with his wife and daughter - her aunt.

Martijn, 40, said: 'After I had developed the photographs my one wish was to find the descendants of the people in the pictures and send them the negatives and camera.

'Three days after the story went viral, I got a message from Marion, a Dutch woman that moved to Canada in 2004, who told me that the man in the images was her grandfather.

The pictures found on the camera show Theo J. Lammers (left) and his wife Elisabeth Lammers-Berveling (right)

Theo J Lammers, along with his wife Elisabeth Lammers-Berveling and daughter Thea Lammers having a picnic at the side of an autobahn

'We started to chat on a daily basis and I am hoping that one day I will be able to fly over to her to deliver the negatives and camera myself.

'I was so shocked that we had developed a film that's been untouched inside a camera for decades, and we have been able to find pictures of people on them and then be able to find the descendants. It's an indescribable feeling.'

Marion read about the photos in a Dutch newspaper and instantly wanted to let Martijn know that the pictures were of her grandfather Theo J. Lammers, his wife, Elisabeth Lammers-Berveling and Marion's aunt Thea Lammers.

Martijn Van Oers pictured preparing to develop the film, despite being told there was very little chance of retrieving pictures from it

The camera owner, Theo J. Lammers (left) and his wife Elisabeth Lammers-Berveling (right)

Theo was an architect and used the camera, which was very expensive at the time, for his work but also always took it on holidays with him.

Marion said: 'When I saw the pictures in the paper I felt that it was really special that the pictures were of them.

'I began to wonder how the camera came to the thrift shop as my aunt was a hoarder and normally refused to get rid of things.

'When my aunt died in 2003 I emptied her apartment and collected 10 photo albums that belonged to my grandparents and took them to Canada with me, so I instantly recognised them.

Martijn Van Oers said he was stunned to discover the film inside the camera, but had little hope of getting images from it

The pictures show Theo's wife posing at a beach in Biarritz on a holiday in 1929

Incredibly Theo was able to track down a relative of the camera's former owner and share the pictures with her

'My grandfather was also meticulous in everything and wrote the date and place in white ink on the photos itself.

'Himself, my grandma and auntie travelled extensively and documented all their travels so I have plenty of pictures of them.

'I love all of the pictures and I would like to keep them all together as that is how they are meant to be.

'My house is already rather full, since my grandfather was also a painter, but I hope I can find a spot to put them on the wall so I can remember this whole event.'

The images include portraits of Theo and Elisabeth along with pictures of them with Thea having a picnic next to an autobahn in 1954.

The 1929 Zeiss Ikon 520/2 camera was bought by Martijn, who was stunned to find it had unprocessed

The film was found inside the 1929 camera which Martijn bought as a present for his wife

The Euro 30 camera was originally intended as a gift for Martijn's wife, but as he spends a lot of his time working with high-end digital cameras he decided to try it out when he discovered the undeveloped film.

Martijn, who works as a sales rep for a camera company, said: 'When I came home and gave the camera to my wife as a gift, she was over the moon.

'After dinner I told her I was considering using the camera to take pictures with, since all the mechanics from the camera seemed to be in pristine condition.

'I normally shoot all my photos with hi-end gear, so working with an old-school piece of equipment seemed like a lot of fun.

'I'm not sure how she'll react when I tell her I'm giving away her present.

'For now, I have had large prints made of the images and they're definitely going to go up on a wall in my house.

'I will be sure to check the inside of any vintage camera I come across from now on.

'If I find one that's holding a film, I'll definitely buy it.'
A third man has been arrested after a schoolgirl was raped twice in one night in separate incidents.

The 14-year-old is believed to have been raped in a vehicle in the Witton area of Birmingham at around 2am on Wednesday 26 July.

She had previously been raped at the area's railway station a few hours earlier, police believe, and flagged down a passing car, which is when the second incident took place.

The second rape is said to have taken place at Witton station in north-east Birmingham

A spokesman for British Transport Police said: 'A 22-year-old man has this morning been arrested by detectives in connection with the rape of a 14-year-old girl in Birmingham last month.

'The man from the Birmingham area was arrested on suspicion of rape and has been taken to police custody to be questioned by detectives.'

The spokesman added: 'A man has been charged and another man arrested in connection with the first incident which is being treated as a separate incident.

'The victim is continuing to receive support from specialist officers as the investigation continues.

'The media and public are thanked for their overwhelming support in sharing the numerous appeals in relation to this investigation.

'Detectives are still appealing for good Samaritan who picked up the victim after she was raped for the second time.

'The driver of a vehicle, described as a people carrier type car, is believed to have given the victim a lift home after she was raped a second time.

'If you were that person, then please get in touch as soon as possible. You could hold vital information.'

Khurram Rahi, 27, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates Court last month, charged with the first rape at the train station.

A second, unnamed man was arrested in connection with the first attack, and has been released pending further investigation.

The third man was arrested today in connection with the second, separate which took place after the schoolgirl flagged down a passing motorist.
President Donald Trump's childhood home in Queens, New York, can now be rented through Airbnb for $725 a night.

The Jamaica Estates Tudor fits 20 people, comes with a life-size cut-out of the Commander in Chief and the only books on the shelves are Trump's The Art of the Deal.

Trump, who lived in the five-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom home with his family from when he was born until he was four years old, has previously said he's against Airbnb when it comes to his own properties.

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President Donald Trump's childhood home in Queens, New York, is a five-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom property in Jamaica Estates that is advertised on Airbnb for $725 per night starting on Friday

The Jamaica Estates Tudor fits 20 people and comes with a life-size cut-out of the Commander in Chief

The listing plays up to the Trump connection while describing the president's childhood home

Trump, who lived in the home with his family from when he was born until he was four years old, has previously said he's against Airbnb when it comes to his own properties

Real estate developer Michael Davis bought the home in December for $1.39million and flipped it for a nearly million-dollar profit, selling it to his new business partners for $2.14million in March.

Now Davis and his business partners are advertising the home on Airbnb for $725 a night starting on Friday.

The listing plays up to the Trump connection while describing the president's childhood home.

'In 1946, Donald Trump was born to Fred and Mary Trump, and brought home to Jamaica Estates,' the listing says. 'Here they lived, in a home built by Fred himself.

One of the home's five bedrooms is made up much like a hotel, with white linens and towels, and lamps on each night stand

In order to fit 20 people into the home, the owners have set up bunk beds in some rooms to make more space

Real estate developer Michael Davis bought the home in December for $1.39million and flipped it for a nearly million-dollar profit, selling it to his new business partners for $2.14million in March

Davis said the home is furnished in a 'presidential style', adding that it's a 'good value' and 'part of history regardless of people's political affiliations'

'Not much has been changed since the Trumps lived here, the kitchen is original and the opulent furnishings represent the style and affluence in which the Trumps would have lived.

'This is a unique and special opportunity to stay in the home of a sitting president.'

Davis said the home is furnished in a 'presidential style', adding that it's a 'good value' and 'part of history regardless of people's political affiliations'.

Davis told the New York Post that the rental is legal because of the his business partners will be staying in the home.

It is against the law in New York to rent out an entire apartment for less than 30 days without the owner present.

Much of the home is set up seemingly like a shrine to Trump, with framed photos of the president covering countertops

One enclave of the home features three framed photos of Trump above a folded American flag

One side table in the home features a People Magazine cover with the Trump family on the front and sits below another framed art piece of the president

A framed note in one bedroom of the home says that it was likely the 'childhood bedroom of President Donald J Trump'

Another framed note in the bedroom that likely belonged to Trump's parents and was likely the location where the president was conceived, adding that 'the world has never been the same'

The listing opens on Friday, and breakfast will be provided to those who stay at the property.

Trump previously said that he was against Airbnb listings in his own properties.

'The concept [of Airbnb] is great for some people,' he told CNBC TV in October. 'I will not let it happen.'

He added, however, that 'sometimes, even when you say it can't happen, you never know what people are doing behind your back.'

A woman living in Manhattan's Trump Tower was among the first to pay a fine to New York under a law that bans advertising listings for short-term rentals.

The host and owner of the Trump Tower apartment unit, Yelena Yelagina, paid a $1,000 fine to the city in April.
Police in Massachusetts are on the hunt for the killer of two baby goats whose necks were broken and whose carcasses were left on the back steps of their owner's home.

West Brookfield police say the three-month-old miniature Norwegian goats were discovered slain Monday on their owner's property along Ridge Road.

'There's no question it was intentional,' said Sgt. Matthew Letendre, adding that the pet goats were not killed by another animal.

Kids killed: A pair of three-month-old miniature Norwegian goats had their necks broken and their bodies were left on their owner's porch Monday (stock photo)

The animals' owner came upon their lifeless bodies at around 6.30am on Monday on the back porch, in a spot where the family's children could have seen then, and tried to hide the dead goats in a nearby field.

Police officers were summoned to the house at 10.30am. They believe the goats were killed Sunday night after 7pm, or early Monday, reported the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.

The station NECN reported that both pets had their necks snapped and their heads were twisted around for what police have described as 'shock and awe' effect.

No animal bites were found on the carcasses, suggesting the assailant was human.

Police were interviewing witnesses in an effort to find the culprit.
A 'suspicious and jealous' Victorian farmer who murdered his son-in-law believing the younger man was having an affair with his wife has been jailed for 23 years.

Maxwell John Pain, 55, armed himself with two guns before driving to the home of his wife's daughter and son-in-law David Paris, 36, in June 2014.

During sentencing on Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Victoria was told Pain had a delusional disorder and suspected his wife Tracy Bush of infidelity with nearly 'any man who looked at her'.

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Maxwell John Pain, 55, armed himself with two guns before driving to the home of his wife's daughter and son-in-law David Paris, 36, (pictured) in June 2014

Victorian farmer Maxwell John Pain, 55, (pictured) Victorian farmer Maxwell John Pain, 55, (pictured)

He even suspected Ms Bush had slept with his best man after their wedding, the court was told.

Ms Bush eventually decided to end the relationship and was staying with her daughter and Mr Paris at Raywood, near Bendigo.

Justice Michael Croucher said the delusional farmer was wrongly convinced Ms Bush was having an affair with Mr Paris and had told others he intended to 'kneecap', 'smash his hands' and 'belt' the younger man.

On the day of the murder Pain sent Mr Paris a text message saying 'I am on my way, Davey boy'.

From his car window, Pain shot Mr Paris in the abdomen and he subsequently fell to the ground and died.

In 2015 Pain handed himself into police and pleaded guilty to murder.

Speaking outside court Mr Paris' mother Deborah told reporters 'the sentence was fair'

From his car window, Pain shot Mr Paris in the abdomen and he subsequently fell to the ground and died (scene pictured)

However a year later he successfully applied to the court to withdraw his guilty plea and was tried by a jury, which found him guilty in 2017.

Speaking outside court Mr Paris' mother Deborah told reporters 'the sentence was fair'.

'The way I see it is I have to live without my son, I've been sentenced, and it's only fair that he wake up every day in prison serving a sentence,' she said.

Mr Paris died trying to protect his loved ones, his mother added.

'He would do anything for anyone. I brought him up to be responsible and strong and Max Pain knows, like everyone else who knew my son, that he would protect his own, and that's all he was doing.'

Pain will serve a non-parole period of 18 years and has already spent more than three years in detention
The four-month-old girl who was abducted from Ruby Street, Bellbird, on Wednesday afternoon has been safely located at 9.55pm, near Armidale.

Two women and a man are currently in police custody and are assisting with inquiries.

Earlier today, NSW Police sought urgent public assistance to help locate the infant, who was abducted from Cessnock about 4pm.

A group of adults entered a house in Cessnock and abducted a four-month-old girl in Cessnock on Wednesday, before taking off in a White Mitsubishi Challenger (pictured) with the number plate 388-XFV

About 4.05pm two women and a man entered a home in Ruby Street at Bellbird.

The group took the girl and put her in a vehicle. The car was last seen heading west and possibly towards the Queensland border.

The vehicle is described as being a white 2010 Mitsubishi Challenger with a Queensland number plate of '388-XFV'.

The woman is described as being of Caucasian appearance, between 160 and 165cm tall, mid 20's, medium to solid build, dark hair and wearing a light coloured top.

A second woman is described as also being of Caucasian appearance, between 60 and 70 years of age with a large build and grey hair. She was wearing a grey t-shirt.

A man travelling with them is described as 30 years of age, between 170cm to 175cm tall with dark hair shaved at the back and a large build wearing blue pants and a yellow/blue high visibility shirt.

The group entered a home on Ruby Street, Bellbird, (stock image of Bell Street pictured)

The matter is now being handled by the relevant agencies.

Police wish to thank the piblic and members of the media for their assistance in relation to this matter.
Baby strangled: Nine-month-old John Norris suffocated in his sleep after he slid down in his car seat and had his neck caught between a buckle and a strap that was not properly fastened

The death of a Texas baby boy who was found suffocated in his car seat inside a closet on Monday has been ruled an accident.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office has concluded that nine-month-old John Norris died as a result of car seat belt strangulation.

Baby John's mother, Megan Norris, of Weatherford, was at work at the time of her son's death, which occurred at the home of his caretaker in Fort Worth where there were 10 or 11 other children.

Police were called to the home in the 600 block of Woodpecker Lane just after 10pm on Monday for a report of an unconscious person.

When they arrived, they found the infant strapped in his portable car seat in the closet. He had apparently been there for two hours, his airway cut off by the safety belt of the carrier, police said.

He was pronounced dead just after 10.15pm at the scene.

Sgt. Wade Walls, supervisor of the crimes against children unit, said the baby had been put in the carrier inside a walk-in closet of the home so he could sleep.

When his baby sitter went to check up on John two hours later, she found him dead inside the storage space. As of Wednesday morning, the caretaker has not been arrested or charged with any crime.

Police have concluded that John suffocated to death in his sleep after sliding down in the car seat, where the bottom strap was not properly connected.

The body of baby John was found in a closet inside this Forth Worth, Texas, home (pictured), where there were 10 or 11 others kids Monday night

Police said the baby's neck got caught between the chest buckle that was fastened, and he was strangled by the buckle and strap mechanism.

Detectives do not believe any foul play was involved, but they are investigating the circumstances surrounding of the boy's death to determine if his baby sitter has been running an illegal child care operation.

Child Protective Services and Child Care Licensing are also looking into this case.

The residence where John died was not licensed as a day care center, but the home has a history with CPS, according to an agency spokeswoman who declined to go into details, citing privacy laws.

A family attorney and friend of Megan Norris' said the mother is devastated by her son's death. The family did not have a history with CPS.

'For them, this is something they never saw coming and don't know how to handle at this point. It's a day by day thing for them,' Kitty Wise tells KENS5.
A toddler died after her father accidentally ran over her, despite his wife trying to save the little girl using CPR as the parents rushed her to the hospital.

Kelli Anderson, 17 months, was pronounced dead at a hospital in Grapevine, Texas, an hour after the accident was reported on Tuesday night.

Anderson's father had accidentally ran over the little girl in his Ford F-150 truck in the family's driveway around 8pm in Euless, Texas, according to police.

After the tragic accident, the Andersons rushed Kelli to the hospital while the mother reportedly performed CPR during the duration of the 10 minute drive.

Kelli Anderson, 17 months, died after she was run over by her father in Euless, Texas, on Tuesday night, according to police. The unnamed father reportedly ran her over in his Ford F-150 truck in the family's driveway on Brook Forest Lane (pictured)

Police received word of the incident just after 8pm when Kipton called to report the accident and informed officers he was driving Kelli to Baylor Grapevine Hospital.

The distraught father also told police that his wife was performing CPR on the little girl, trying to save her life, reported the Dallas Morning News.

Police were dispatched to the scene, located on the 400 block of Brook Forest Lane.

Doctors told police that Kelli didn't survive around 9pm that night.

Police are investigating the incident as a 'tragic accident.'

A Euless police spokesperson said to the DailyMail.com: 'There's no evidence that leads to anything other than an accident.'
A Texas megachurch preacher and one of the president's evangelical advisers has declared God has endowed Donald Trump with the moral authority to 'take out' North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

Pastor Robert Jeffress, a senior pastor at the First Baptist Church in Dallas who delivered a sermon on the morning of Trump's inauguration, spoke as the president threatened Pyongyang with massive retaliation.

'When it comes to how we should deal with evil doers, the Bible, in the book of Romans, is very clear: God has endowed rulers full power to use whatever means necessary - including war - to stop evil,' said Jeffress, to the Washington Post in a phone interview.

A Dallas megachurch preacher said that President Donald Trump has divine moral authority to take out North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (Pictured: Robert Jeffress with Trump in July 2017)

Robert Jeffress was prompted to make comments after President Trump warned North Korea it will be 'met with fire and fury' if it continues to threaten the US

Jeffress said he felt compelled to make the proclamation shortly after the President warned North Korea that if it continues to threaten the United States, Pyongyang will be 'met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.'

'In the case of North Korea, God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong Un,' he added.

Jeffress has been an informal evangelical adviser to the President and was invited to preach on the morning of Trump's inauguration at St. Johns Episcopal Church in D.C. on January 20.

During that sermon he compared Trump to the biblical figure Nehemiah, who helped rebuild the city of Jerusalem.

As governor of Persia Judea, Nehemiah's first step to rebuilding Jerusalem was to erect walls to fortify its territory and protect its citizens.

'You see, God is not against building walls,' Jeffress said during a sermon held at St. Johns Episcopal Church in Washington earlier this year.

Pictured are hypothetical bombing trajectories the US and North Korea could utilize if a nuclear exchange were to take place

This not the first time Jeffress has made controversial public statements in his career, once telling his congregation that Barack Obama's presidency paved the way for the Antichrist.

He also garnered national headlines in 2012 when he called Mormonism a cult during former Republican presidential candidate Mit Romney's run for the White House.

Jeffress has also attacked the gay community and people of the Muslim faith in past public statements.

In 1998, Jeffress reportedly attempted to rid a public library of books about children with homosexual parents. A decade later, he delivered a speech at his megachurch in Dallas titled: 'Why the Gay is not OK.'

Jeffress also claimed that Islam advocates the sexual abuse of minors, telling one congregation: 'The deep, dark, dirty secret of Islam: It is a religion that promotes pedophilia  sex with children.'

Citing biblical passage Romans 13, Jeffress said that the US government has the divine authority 'to do whatever,' including 'assassination, capital punishment or evil punishment to quell the actions of evildoers like Kim Jong Un.'

Congregation: Robert Jeffress speaks at the First Baptist Church in Dallas which boasts a membership of 12,000 - with a weekly attendance of more than 3,000

Asked if the position doesn't violate the pacifist message of 'do not repay evil for evil,' as cited in Romans 12, Jeffress said that only applies to individual Christians and not governments.

'Some Christians, perhaps younger Christians, have to think this through,' Jeffress said, anticipating a possible backlash for his controversial statement.

'It's antithetical to some of the mushy rhetoric you hear from some circles today. Frankly, it's because they are not well taught in the scriptures.'

Jeffress also praised Trump for his 'very measured' and 'thoughtful' approach to the presidency since taking office on January 20.

'People instinctively know that this president is not going to draw an imaginary red line and walk around it like President Obama did,' he added.

Tensions between North Korea and the United States have risen considerably in the past months, with Pyongyang continuing to build up its nuclear program.
An Irish restaurant owner whose response to an Australian tourist's negative review has gone viral, says he can't believe the enormous global reaction to their exchange.

Anthony Gray, the jovial and proud owner of Eala Bhan in Sligo, in north-west Ireland, wasn't so happy when he recently discovered a TripAdvisor review from a diner.

The review left by 'Graham', an Australian tourist who left his jacket at the restaurant, complained that Mr Gray had yet to post it the 17,000km (10,000mi) back to Sydney.

While not one to normally reply to bad reviews, the outrageous nature of the tourist's claim left the restaurant owner shocked - and so he unleashed with 'both barrels'.

Speaking to Mail Online about his online fame after his hilarious went viral, the good-humoured Irishman said he was amused by all the fuss about his response - and still couldn't understand the Aussie's desperation to get back his black wind breaker.

Anthony Gray (pictured) the Irish restaurant owner who slammed an Australian tourist after he wrote a review complaining the jacket he left behind in the eatery had not been posted back to Sydney has opened up about becoming a viral sensation

Speaking about the black jacket (like the one pictured) which so urgently had to be sent back to Australia, Mr Gray said: 'It's a windbreaker... but it's not a Dolce & Gabbana windbreaker I assure you!'

Mr Gray told Mail Online that when Graham had dined at his restaurant the pair never met, but that his wait staff recalled sharing 'banter' and him praising the eatery.

'He came down had a lovely meal, we were chatting to him about beautiful scenery, the waves, the greenery and we had a bit of banter with him,' Mr Gray said.

'The girls asked him if everything was OK, he said it was fantastic and superb, but he left his jacket behind and so a few days later he called to ask if we could post it.

'Then, low and behold, we got a TripAdvisor review in. I read it and he spoke about my honesty and I took offense - he was being a prat so he got it with two barrels.'

Displeased by a three-star review - well below his 4.5 star average - an irate Mr Gray hit back mercilessly with a hilarious diatribe of his own, apologising for not doing 'a Joe ninety and hot tailing it up to the local post office to make the jacket a priority'.

Within days of posting his brutal reply Mr Gray's comments had gone viral, with the internet applauding the restaurater for his take down of the needy Australian tourist.

And he told Mail Online that despite the international attention, he still couldn't quite understand what was so important about the plain black windbreaker.

'I tell you something, he didn't give me much time to get his precious windbreaker back to him, did he?' Mr Gray laughed.

Mr Gray, the jovial and proud owner of Eala Bhan (pictured) in Sligo, north-west Ireland, wasn't so happy when he recently discovered the incredible TripAdvisor review from Graham

TripAdvisor user 'Graham267' left a review (pictured) after leaving his jacket in a restaurant

'Look, everyone makes mistakes, but to command it and then have a swipe at me for my honesty and integrity because I didn't send it back ASAP was a bit much.

'At the end of the day it's just a black windbreaker, but it's not a Dolce & Gabbana windbreaker, I can assure you!'

While the furious foodie suspected his response may gain some traction, he said he never foresaw himself making international headlines.

'I was very very surprised. I couldn't believe the reaction, I did think it would get a bit of a reaction, but it's just gone global now,' Mr Gray said.

'But one of the biggest things I thought when I wrote the response was, "If this thing goes global, at least it will show Sligo in a positive light".

Mr Gray did not hold back in his response (pictured) which took aim at the reviewer and his fashion sense

'I'm proud of Sligo and I'm very proud of my county, and I want to promote it at any opportunity and I'm proud to have done that.'

Mailing a jacket from Sligo to Sydney using An Post, the Irish postal service, costs at least $40. But although Graham offered to pay, Mr Gray insisted that he cover it all.

And despite giving his most recent Australian visitor both barrels, Mr Gray said his restaurant would always be open to those from Down Under - especially those who take their belongings with them.

'I just want to point out I don't think every Australian is like our mate Graham. I've met a lot of Australians and theyre really great people so I just want to say that,' he said.
A California cop who was captured in shocking footage holding a car passenger at gunpoint for more than nine minutes has been defended by his department.

The Campbell Police Department said that the unnamed motorcycle officer did the right thing on July 26, when he pulled his sidearm on a man in a car he'd stopped on Highway 101.

The footage, filmed by the driver, shows the cop - who is not being identified - refusing to take his gun off the man, who has his hands visible and is audibly upset at the situation.

Campbell Police Capt. Gary Berg told ABC News that the cop was doing the right thing, although he admitted: 'The nine minutes are unfortunate.'

Scroll down for video

In the clear: Campbell PD said this cop was right to hold a passenger in a traffic stop at gunpoint for over nine minutes. Footage, filmed by the driver, went viral in early August

According to the Campbell Police Department, the cop stopped the car 'out of safety concerns' after seeing it driving in the far-right lane of a freeway at 85mph.

The department says that according to unreleased bodycam footage from the officer, the cop and the couple - a man and woman - had a 'cordial conversation' five minutes before the video began.

But things became heated when they were unable to find the driver's license and her paperwork.

'Both the driver and passenger spent several minutes looking for the requested paperwork,' the department said in a statement.

'The officer informed the occupants to wait in the vehicle as he prepared to walk back to his motorcycle to write a citation.

'It was at that time that the passenger began reaching under his seat. It is not clear why the passenger chose to reach under the seat since the officer was not requesting any other paperwork.'

Review: The PD said they reviewed the cop's bodycam footage, which showed the passenger reaching under his seat after being told to wait by the officer

Berg also told ABC News that the passenger also looked in the glove compartment.

At that point, the department says, the cop pulled out his weapon and the tense nine-plus-minute encounter began.

'You've got your gun on me for no f*****g reason right now,' the passenger is heard saying.

'Wow. We're looking for the f*****g paperwork, bro,' he adds.

The officer replies: 'I understand that. Don't move, all right?'

Berg said the reason the officer had his weapon drawn for so long was because rush hour traffic delayed backup from arriving. The officer can be seen checking his radio several times throughout.

'The officer requested additional officers respond to assist him so that he could safely resolve the situation,' the department said.

'We understand that it is never a comfortable position to have a gun pointed at you, regardless of whether it is a police officer.

'Unfortunately, the length of time that the officer's gun was drawn lasted much longer than normal based on his location.

'If this same situation would have occurred closer to backup officers, it would most likely have been resolved much sooner.'

'However, since this occurred on the side of Highway 101 during rush hour traffic, it took an extended amount of time until other officers could arrive and provide assistance in safely resolving the situation.'

The driver and passenger were cited for speeding and not wearing a seatbelt and let go.

The video drew mixed reactions after it emerged earlier this month.

It drew to other traffic stops caught on camera that ended in the death of unarmed civilians such as Philando Castile in Missouri in June 2016.

Castile was shot and killed after he was pulled over by police and told officers that he had a licensed firearm on him.

In the video's comment section some people defended the Campbell officer. Others questioned whether he needed to draw his gun, and why he held it in a way that appeared to obscure his body camera.

'There's a lot of negative sentiment. I mean, in reality, it's a bad situation for everybody involved,' Berg told San Jose Inside.

'Having a gun pointed at you for nine minutes is not a good situation. I get it. And having an officer by the freeway by himself, fearing for his safety because someone reached under the seat, that's not good for him either.'
A propaganda book co-written by Winnie The Pooh author AA Milne during his service in the First World War is to go on display.

The book, which is called The Green Book, was written by the author and fellow members of MI7b - a little-known intelligence branch of the War Office that produced propaganda - after the war.

It is filled with poems which imagine what poets such as Tennyson and Shakespeare would have written if they had been members of MI7b.

AA Milne at Portsmouth Garison Signalling School, 1917 (left), and Lt Harry Colebourn with Winnie (right)

Pictured is Mr Milne (circled) with other Signals instructors at Portsmouth Garison Signalling School

One poem, penned by Mr Milne, reads: 'In MI7B,/ Who loves to lie with me/ About atrocities/ And Hun Corpse Factories./ Come hither, come hither, come hither,/ Here shall he see/ No enemy,/ But sit all day and blether.'

As Captain Thomas Campbell, he wrote: 'It was the schooner 'Hesperus'/ Which sailed the wintry seas*/ And victory must remain with us/ While we have ships like these.'

But despite officials attempting to destroy all traces of the top secret department after the war ended, some documents were found four years ago in the attic of Captain James Lloyd, a former member.

The book is one of only two that exist, has been placed on display at the Royal Signals Museum in Blandford, Dorset.

Left is the front cover of The Green Book. Right is an invitation to join MI7b, found in Captain James Lloyd's attic

It is filled with poems which imagine what poets such as Tennyson and Shakespeare would have written if they had been members of MI7b

A museum spokesman said: 'It is a real honour and privilege to display the sole surviving accessible copy of this book, with all its proven provenance..

'This will be the first time it has ever been on public display - not just in the UK but as far as we know - worldwide.

'The connection with Milne and these other authors from almost 100 years ago is almost tangible.'

MI7b was established in 1916 to enhance the public perception of the war at a time when huge numbers of British soldiers were being killed.

Members, which also included prominent writers Lord Dunsany and Patrick MacGill, were ordered to write positive stories of British heroism and adverse ones about the 'Hun Corpse Factory'.

A poem by AA Milne. MI7b was established in 1916 to enhance the public perception of the war at a time when huge numbers of British soldiers were being killed

The book is one of only two that exist, has been placed on display at the Royal Signals Museum in Blandford, Dorset

Milne was ordered to France just before the start of the Somme Offensive in 1916.

He quickly experienced the horrors of trench warfare and before the year had ended he contracted trench fever and was sent back to England to recover.

Upon returning home and recovering from trench fever the literary skills of Milne were recognised and he was commissioned to MI7b.

The only other known copy of The Green Book is held by The Huntington Library in California.

The display at the Royal Signals Museum will remain up until October.
Shocking details of a large-scale Asian sex gang who spent four years plying vulnerable young girls with drink and drugs at 'sex parties' in Newcastle can be revealed for the first time today.

A total of 17 men and one woman have been convicted of, or have admitted, charges including rape, supplying drugs and inciting prostitution, in a series of trials at Newcastle Crown Court.

Older men preyed on immature teenagers who were plied with cocaine, cannabis, alcohol or mephedrone (M-Cat), then raped or persuaded into having sexual activity at parties known as 'sessions'.

The case has raised huge controversy after a convicted rapist was paid almost 10,000 of taxpayers' money to spy on parties where under-age girls were intoxicated and sexually abused.

Saiful Islam (left) bought one victim Malibu and took her to house where he and friends knew they could abuse girls and coerced her into having sex. Yasser Hussain (right) hosted 'parties'

Redwan Siddique (left) told a victim to have sex with him in return for drugs. Mohammed Azram (right) admitted five drugs offences, on count of sexual assault and one of inciting prostitution

Mohammed Hassan Ali (left) met his 15-year-old victim at a party and started a relationship after she claimed to be 18 but he continued to have sex with her after finding out her real age. Carolann Gallon (right) who was aged 17 and 18 at the time, admitted three offences of trafficking girls for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

Northumbria Police launched a major investigation after receiving information from social workers and initially spoke to 108 potential victims.

Over the course of four trials, 20 young women gave evidence covering a period from 2011 to 2014.

Those prosecuted were from the Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Iraqi, Iranian and Turkish communities and were mainly British-born, with most living in the West End of Newcastle.

This is the seventh large scale sex gang scandal to hit the UK after infamous cases from towns including Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford and Bristol

Northumbria Police has said that the force has thrown the 'kitchen sink' at the operation in Newcastle and assigned 50 officers to the lengthy investigation

A 13-year-old said she was taken from her home and repeatedly raped by men as if they were in a 'relay race' at one of the 'parties'

A chief constable has defended his decision to pay a convicted child rapist almost 10,000 to spy on parties during the investigation

The court heard that one of the men convicted, 37-year-old Badrul Hussain, was heard telling a ticket collector on the Tyne and Wear Metro: 'All white women are good for one thing, for men like me to f*** and use as trash, that is all women like you are worth.'

The sex ring was exposed when two women spoke to the authorities in 2013 and within weeks police had made 27 arrests under an investigation which became known as Operation Shelter.

During a series of trials that followed, one young person gave evidence on six separate occasions in front of six different juries about her plight.

Eisa Mousavi (left) was convicted of three counts of rape and two counts of supplying drugs. Prabhat Nelli (right) was convicted of two counts of supplying drugs and one count of conspiracy to incite prostitution

Taherul Alam (left) was convicted of supplying drugs, attempting to sexually assault, and inciting prostitution. Nashir Uddin (right) was convicted of sexual assault, inciting prostitution and drugs offences

Who was in the sex gang and what did they all do? Defendants who have been sentenced: Saiful Islam , 35, of Newcastle, was jailed for 10 years in January 2016 for raping a 15-year-old girl in 2011.

, 35, of Newcastle, was jailed for 10 years in January 2016 for raping a 15-year-old girl in 2011. Yasser Hussain , 28, of Newcastle, was jailed for two years in October 2015 for a sex attack and for allowing his premises to be used in the supply of drugs after a jury heard how he hosted parties.

, 28, of Newcastle, was jailed for two years in October 2015 for a sex attack and for allowing his premises to be used in the supply of drugs after a jury heard how he hosted parties. Mohammed Hassan Ali , 34, of Newcastle, was jailed for seven years in December 2015 for sexual activity with a child, supplying cannabis and possession with intent to supply M-Kat.

, 34, of Newcastle, was jailed for seven years in December 2015 for sexual activity with a child, supplying cannabis and possession with intent to supply M-Kat. Redwan Siddique , 32, of Newcastle, was jailed for 16 months in February for supplying M-Kat to a 19-year-old in return for sex at his student digs in 2013. Defendants yet to be sentenced: Carolann Gallon , 22, from Newcastle, aged 17-18 at the time, admitted three offences of trafficking girls for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Mohammed Azram, 35, of Newcastle, admitted five drugs offences and was convicted of one count of sexual assault and one count of conspiracy to incite prostitution for gain. Jahangir Zaman , 45, of Newcastle, was convicted of rape, supplying drugs and inciting prostitution. Nashir Uddin , 35, of Newcastle, was convicted of sexual assault, allowing premises to be used to supply drugs, conspiracy to incite prostitution and who admitted four counts of supplying drugs and three of possessing drugs. Abdulhamid Minoyee , 34, of Newcastle, was convicted of rape and sexual assault and pleaded guilty to supplying drugs. Eisa Mousavi , 42, of Newcastle, was convicted of three counts of rape, two counts of supplying drugs, allowing premises to be used for the supply of drugs and conspiracy to incite prostitution. Monjur Choudhury , 33, of Newcastle, was convicted of supplying drugs, permitting premises to be used for the supply of drugs and conspiracy to incite prostitution. Taherul Alam, 32, Newcastle, who was convicted of two counts of supplying drugs, one count of permitting premises to be used for supplying drugs, attempting to sexually assault, and of conspiracy to incite prostitution. Prabhat Nelli , 33, Newcastle, who was convicted of two counts of supplying drugs and one count of conspiracy to incite prostitution. Nadeem Aslam , 43, Newcastle, who admitted possessing cannabis and was convicted of two counts of supplying drugs, one count of possessing drugs and one count of permitting premises to be used in the supply of drugs. The final trial saw three men convicted and one man admit charges against him. Habibur Rahim , 34, of Fenham, was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to incite prostitution, relating to eight different victims. He supplied them with cannabis and mephedrone and was also convicted of a number of trafficking for sexual exploitation offences. He was convicted of one count of rape. Abdul Sabe , 40, of Newcastle, was convicted of conspiracy to incite prostitution, conspiracy to traffic for sexual exploitation, conspiracy to sexual assault, and supplying drugs to victims. He was already on the sex offenders' register. Badrul Hussain , 37, of Newcastle, was convicted of allowing drugs to be used at his premises and of supplying drugs. He was cleared of inciting prostitution for gain. Mohibur Rahman , 44, known to victims as Jimmy, admitted conspiracy to incite prostitution and five drugs charges. Defendants not yet sentenced will be back next month. Advertisement

A total of 17 men and one woman have now been convicted of a string of offences and face jail when they are sentenced next month.

Four of the men - Mohammed Ali, Solful Islam, Yasser Hussain and Redwan Siddquee - have already been sent to prison for a total of 20 years and four months.

The wider operation has seen around 100 people convicted of a range of serious offences, including drugs, modern-day slavery and firearms charges, with jail terms totalling more than 300 years.

Northumbria Police Chief Constable Steve Ashman said in a statement today: 'To date we have arrested 461 people, spoken to 703 potential complainants and have found 278 victims.

'In total we now have 93 convictions delivering more than 300 years of imprisonment in addition to today's convictions.'

He added: 'Many of us will never understand the traumatic experience some of these women and girls have endured and they have my wholehearted commitment that, together with our partners, we will continue to provide them with all the support they need. They have trusted us and we must not let them down.

'We have thrown the kitchen sink at this - a team of 50 officers have worked on this inquiry for almost three and a half years and continue to do so.

'We have not and will not stop. We have employed every technique available to us, covert and overt, in tackling the problem.'

Mohibur Rahman (left) admitted conspiracy to incite prostitution and drugs charges. Jahanger Zaman (right) was convicted of rape, supplying drugs and inciting prostitution

Nadeem Aslam (left) was convicted of drugs offences. Abdul Sabe (right) was convicted of conspiracy to incite prostitution, conspiracy to traffic for sexual exploitation and conspiracy to sexual assault

Abdulhamid Minoyee (left) was convicted of rape and sexual assault. Monjur Choudhury (right) was convicted of conspiracy to incite prostitution and drugs offences

Chief Constable Ashman added: 'There has been no political correctness here. These are criminals and there has been no hesitation in arresting them and targeting them using all the means at our disposal.

'It is for individual communities to ask themselves whether they are doing all they can to eradicate such attitudes and behaviour so that the stigma and shame attached to such people prevents it from rearing its head again.

'The communities that we work with are appalled at this offending and we have encountered nothing other than the fullest of support from them all.'

The investigation into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle, Operation Shelter, was part of a wider inquiry called Operation Sanctuary.

Prosecutor John Elvidge told Newcastle Crown Court at the start of one of the trials: 'The prosecution say the case concerns the sexual exploitation of vulnerable young women and girls in Newcastle.

'The events happened over a period of time between 2010 and 2014 and involved immature young women and teenage girls being exploited, say the prosecution, by a group of older men, using drugs and alcohol.'

A huge haul of drugs was recovered as part of the massive police investigation into the ring

Immature teenagers were plied with drugs and alcohol and then raped or persuaded into engaging in sexual activity with older men

The prosecutor added: 'You will hear the girls were exposed to a party culture where young women such as these were lured to parties known as sessions by the offer of intoxicants, alcohol and drugs, which were made freely available to them to incite them to perform sexual services in return.

'During this period of time this method of exploitation became well established in the West End of Newcastle particularly and provided a form of recreation for a group of men including these defendants, who were active in organising parties in the expectation the girls who came would be involved in sexual activity.

'The prosecution say in this period these defendants and other men were party to a conspiracy to incite prostitution using drugs and alcohol at these sessions or parties in Newcastle. Mcat was a drug of choice used to exploit young women.'

Harrowing evidence of 13-year-old victim raped by men 'like they were in a relay race' One girl who gave evidence claimed she was repeatedly raped by men acting as if they were in a 'relay race' at one of the sex parties. The vulnerable 13-year-old, who was in local authority care, told the court how she would regularly be supplied with cash, cigarettes and drugs in exchange for sex. She spoke of how she would be picked up in a Mercedes from the children's home where she was living and taken to flats in Newcastle to be used by anyone who wanted her. Prosecutor John Elvedge QC told the court how during one attack she was high on cocaine while men took turns to have sex with her. One victim, who was in local authority care, told how she was taken to flats around Newcastle and passed between men for rape Mr Elvedge said: 'She said she felt wrecked. The man who brought the Mcat had sex with her when she was in no position to consent. 'The second man was followed by several others, all taking advantage of her. 'She said it was like a relay race, one man after another, each having sexual intercourse with her to which she did not consent.' On another occasion, the girl was taken to a party at a flat where there was a group of seven men in a room with a Kurdish flag on the wall and was given Mcat, the court heard. Mr Elvedge added: 'She attempted to resist the first man. She was given more Mcat then, one by one, they took their turn having sexual intercourse with her.' The court heard when she left she was driven back to the children's home and given 200 along with more Mcat. The girl was a frequent runaway who would regularly go missing. Mr Elvidge said: 'The young women are now in their early 20s. You will gather when they were involved with the defendants they were leading extraordinary lives. 'The prosecution say it was their vulnerability that made it easier for them to be exploited and abused. They were females who were relatively naive and vulnerable. 'They were the victims of organised, well-practised cynical exploitation and were passed between abusers.' Advertisement

Sex gang police defend decision to pay 10,000 to undercover informer who was convicted child rapist  who judge found was 'unreliable and dishonest'

A chief constable has defended his decision to pay a convicted child rapist almost 10,000 to spy on parties where it was suspected under-age girls were fed drugs and sexually abused.

Northumbria Police deployed the man, who can be identified only as XY, to infiltrate the gangs who were hosting parties where underage girls were attacked and plied with drugs.

The use of the informant was roundly criticised in court by defence teams who said it was 'misconduct' and 'bad faith' and claimed the proceedings should have been stopped to 'protect the integrity of the criminal justice system'.

A judge also described him as 'dishonest', 'unreliable' and 'lacking credibility'.

But Northumbria Police has defended its use of the informant and said his involvement allowed the force to 'detect and prevent serious crimes'.

Northumbria Police Chief Constable Steve Ashman, pictured, has defended paying 10,000 to a convicted rapist who acted as an informant in the investigation of a child sex gang in Newcastle

XY, who said he was paid up to 300 per month for his information, had claimed the investigation was a 'racist' operation by the police and said his handler used the phrase 'darkies'.

The informant claimed he was instructed to plant drugs, hide the fact that an alleged rape complainant had told him she had lied, listen to privileged conversations between defendants and their lawyers at court and put under pressure to do nothing to help the defence.

After days of legal arguments, Judge Penny Moreland refused to throw any of the cases out and concluded that XY, whose credibility was 'central' to the application, was 'wholly unworthy of belief in respect of any matter at all'.

Judge Moreland said XY had acted out of 'self interest' and not a desire to tell the truth and that she found him 'inherently unreliable, so lacking in credibility and so clearly dishonest'.

The judge said she was not satisfied there had been any misconduct on behalf of the police to allow XY to be deployed as an informant.

Judge Moreland added: 'There is no evidence that any of the proper procedures for the handling of informants were breached.'

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IS THE 'CHALLENGE OF OUR GENERATION' Sexual exploitation is the 'challenge of our generation' and must be considered socially unacceptable in all communities, a top policeman has said. Chief Constable Steve Ashman, of Northumbria Police, also said strong punishments are needed to deal with the 'vile' individuals who target vulnerable people, and to act as a deterrent. His statement followed a number of trials that heard how immature teenagers were plied with drugs and alcohol and then raped or persuaded into engaging in sexual activity with older men. The officer suggested something must have gone wrong in society for such actions to be considered acceptable. Chief Constable Steve Ashman (second left) said strong punishments are required Mr Ashman said: 'The sexual exploitation of vulnerable people is in my opinion the challenge of our generation. 'It is a huge task that we are faced with.' He added: 'Firstly, for this challenge to be overcome there needs to be a high likelihood that offenders will be caught and victims supported. 'I am confident that we are getting this right, we will never stop pursuing those responsible, and we will throw everything we can at them and we will catch them. 'Secondly, we need a heavy sanction that acts as a clear deterrent and to deliver punishment to those vile individuals that prey on the vulnerable. 'Thirdly, and most importantly, it has to become socially unacceptable in every community to behave in this way. 'Given the number of men that we have arrested 461 in total, clearly somewhere along the line something has gone wrong if it has become acceptable to entice, through alcohol, drugs or just through bullying and violence, vulnerable people into sex. 'This behaviour can never be tolerated.' A total of 17 men and one woman have been convicted of, or have admitted, charges including rape, supplying drugs and inciting prostitution, in a series of trials at Newcastle Crown Court. Advertisement

Chief Constable Ashman, pictured with Newcastle City Council chief executive Pat Richie, said the informant, known as XY, had helped 'detect and prevent serious crimes'

The judge said: 'Despite the criticisms levelled at the police for the use of XY, there is no evidence that XY was guilty of any sexual misconduct towards any of the complainants or anyone else during his time as informant.'

XY gave evidence in court in person during the application and said: 'This was for Asians, Muslims.

'It's an Asian, Muslim operation. I was told that from the beginning. I told him (unknown person - possibly a police officer) it was a white party.

He said he's not actually interested in that, this operation is about Asian group gangs.

'I know that, from the beginning, it's called Operation Sanctuary. They said it is an Asian group gang operation.'

NSPCC 'appalled' at police payments of child sex offender NSPCC lead expert on tackling child sexual abuse, Jon Brown, said: 'We are appalled to learn that police paid a rapist and planted him in the midst of vulnerable young girls. 'You just couldn't make it up. It beggars belief that it would ever have been considered, let alone approved, and serious questions must be asked about the force's approach to child sexual exploitation operations. 'However good the force's intentions, their misguided actions run entirely counter to all current child protection procedures and what we know about sex offenders and could have compromised this investigation. 'What we mustn't forget in all this is the victims who were preyed on by a series of despicable men for their own sexual gratification. It is right that these men are now behind bars.' Advertisement

XY said that he was asked to attend court during one of the early trials and 'watch the defendants and the barristers'.

He claimed he had been asked to 'watch what the barristers were getting up to' and ended up getting his hands on a DVD containing defence material.

XY said: 'After the DVD was found I got a standing ovation from police, they were clapping, laughing and everything. They said, 'Do you want anything for it?'

'After the DVD was found I met up with them. Two officers and myself. They were ecstatic.

'I was told to keep an eye on the defendants and the people around, the barristers.

'I would talk to defendants, find out what they said to their barristers and what their barristers said to them.'

XY told the court that he was asked by the police to provide information which would lead to a conviction.

When asked what he was requested to find out, XY said: 'What was going on in the area, the party scene, places where there was activity.

'There were certain individuals they were very interested in, which I was close to.'

XY said he was given a list of around ten Asian names by the police and these belonged to people he had spent time with.

When asked by a defence barrister if he was told to plant drugs in the homes or cars of the defendants, he said: 'I can't incriminate the police in any way. I refuse to answer that question.'

EDL CLAIMED SILENCE 'REEKS OF MANIPULATION' The investigation into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle, Operation Shelter, was part of a wider inquiry called Operation Sanctuary. The wider operation has seen around 100 people convicted of a range of serious offences, including drugs, modern-day slavery and firearms charges, with jail terms totalling more than 300 years. Northumbria Police made frequent announcements after launching Operation Sanctuary in 2014, but then stopped releasing details once reporting restrictions were imposed by the courts to avoid prejudicing later prosecutions. That left a vacuum of information which some on the far right looked to exploit, claiming details were suppressed. The English Defence League claimed 'the long silence about these cases reeks of manipulation and procrastination for political purposes'. However, Chief Constable of Northumbria Police Steve Ashman, said: 'There has been no political correctness here. 'These are criminals and there has been no hesitation in arresting them and targeting them using all the means at our disposal. 'It is for individual communities to ask themselves whether they are doing all they can to eradicate such attitudes and behaviour so that the stigma and shame attached to such people prevents it from rearing its head again. 'The communities that we work with are appalled at this offending and we have encountered nothing other than the fullest of support from them all.' Advertisement

The full sacle of the abuse emerged in a series of trials at Newcastle Crown Court (pictured)

He also refused to confirm whether or not he was asked to do anything illegal.

He said: 'I can't answer any question against Northumbria Police. I can't say anything about them, my hands are tied. No matter what I do, it will affect my family.'

XY told the court that after a time he had trouble trusting the police and had recorded them.

He said: 'They (the police) would not show me their badges. I didn't know if they were police, I got suspicious. I didn't know if they were there to protect me. I didn't know who they were.'

The court heard how XY had complained to the National Crime Agency about the police and his allegations have been referred to the IPCC.

Some of the so-called 'sessions' took place at Todds Nook flats, where alcohol and Mcat were freely available, the court heard

Despite his comments about the officers' behaviour and his reluctance to answer questions, XY denied being threatened by the police.

He added: 'The handlers have been nothing but supporting. They said to me make sure you tell the truth, the truth is better than anything else.'

However he also said he 'was not allowed to be open and honest'.XY had become agitated during his evidence and even shouted 'f*** off you divvy' to one of the defendants during the hearing.

Northumbria Police Chief Constable Steve Ashman said in a statement: 'We know concerns have been raised about our use of a police Informant known as XY.

'XY was an authorised covert human intelligence source (CHIS), an informant, who was able to report on criminality including CSE.

'He was a convicted rapist and to some of us the thought of the police engaging with such a person and paying them for information may appear repugnant, however he proved he was in a position whereby he could, and did, alert police to situations which allowed them to prevent offending and provide safeguarding measures towards potential victims.

'The lawful and regulated use of such tactics is always overseen by a senior police officer and is also subject to review by an independent body.

'Furthermore in this case the handling of XY by Northumbria Police was the subject of an independent investigation by the IPCC in which no misconduct was found nor any recommendations made whatsoever.

'In the case of XY it is clear that his relationships with others have allowed the police to prevent and detect some of the most serious crimes occurring in our communities, this would not have been possible through conventional methods.'

Abuser whose flat the gang used smiled at girl who challenged him Girls as young as 14 visited the flat of one gang member, Eisa Mousavi, where Mcat was freely available. Prosecutor Mr Elvedge said: 'One girl became so intoxicated she became unable to refuse him for sex. 'She only had sex with him because she was high and heavily addicted to Mcat. She returned many times to feed her addiction. 'One time she refused Mousavi's request for sex and he continued to pester her. He was manipulating her. She was shouting that she didn't want to have sex. 'Other girls told him to leave her alone and he banished them and told them they would get no more drugs.' Mousavi raped the girl on more than one occasion. When she asked for more drugs, he told her: 'Just do it, you know the deal.' Mr Elvidge said: 'She told him he couldn't keep treating her like this but he just smiled.' Advertisement
FBI agents swooped in on the Virginia home of former Donald Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort last month, it was revealed Wednesday.

The agents conducted the raid before dawn in search of documents, the Washington Post reported.

The New York Times reported it was part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation - and that the feds took foreign banking records.

Manafort is among a series of Trump officials under scrutiny for Russia ties.

He is among a trio of top campaign officials who attended June 2016 meeting with Kremlin-linked lawyer.

He was forced out of the campaign after a series of reports about his business ties after having done consulting work in Ukraine.

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FBI agents swooped in on the Virginia home of former Donald Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort last month, it was revealed Wednesday. He was on stage with Trump at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July 2016

Raid: Manafort's home in this Alexandria, VA, condo block was raised before dawn late in July by FBI agents operating under the orders of Robert Mueller

Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, special counsel on the Russian investigation, leaves following a meeting with members of the US Senate Judiciary Committee at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on June 21, 2017. His agents raided former Trump campaign Paul Manafort's home

It happened just a day after Manafort met with staff for the Senate Intelligence Committee.

He has been providing documents to congressional panels investigated ties between Trump campaign officials and Russia, after Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

The raid happened July 26, the Post reported, but is only coming to light now. Last week, it was revealed that special counsel Robert Mueller has empaneled a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. for his Russia probe.

Manafort is known to have flown to Los Angeles this Tuesday, sitting in the first seat of the first class cabin on the American Airlines 7.15am flight from Washington D.C.

The raid's focus was on tax documents and banking records.

Prosecutors may want to probe Manafort's finances as a way to persuade him to provide information on other Trump associates who may have had Russia ties during the campaign.

The agents used a warrant to grab documents and other materials, sources familiar with Mueller's special counsel investigation told the paper.

Manafort's spokesman confirmed the raid to CNN.

The raid happened despite Manafort's testimony and decision to hand over documents.

On the same day, Manafort had been scheduled to testify before a separate Senate Judiciary Committee  although that appearance got canceled as the two sides negotiated over the terms of when and how he would appear.

Judiciary at first subpoenaed Manafort, then dropped the subpoena after reaching an agreement to work out a way to receive documents and interview him with a transcript being kept.

Paul Manafort, advisor to Donald Trump, is seen on the floor of the Quicken Loans Arena at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, July 19, 2016. One year later, FBI agents raided his Virginia home

The FBI, congressional committees, and New York prosecutors all have sought documents related to Manafort and his financial transactions

Manafort's name appeared in a Ukrainian ledger in what Ukrainian authorities said was a record of off-the-books payments by a pro-Moscow political party.

The AP reported in April that at least two payments totaling $1.2 million that were listed in the ledger were received by his consulting firm, citing financial documents.

Manafort has said all the payments he got were legitimate and were processed through U.S. banks.

The payments for $750,000 and $455,249 matched ledger entries.

Manafort also had a contract to do work for Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

The New York Times reported in July that Manafort owed as much as $17 million to Russian interests.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Mueller was investigating possible money laundering by Manafort.

The probe, which President Trump has branded a 'witch hunt,' involves both Russian election interference and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The Manhattan district attorney has subpoenaed records related to $16 million in loans that Manafort and his wife got, secured by real estate.

The loans were from Federal Savings Bank, a Chicago bank run by Steve Calk, who served on Trump's economic advisory panel during the campaign.
Police in South Carolina are warning cryptozoology enthusiasts who think they've spotted Bigfoot, not to take potshots at the creature.

The Greenville Police Department, in Greenville, South Carolina, posted the tongue-in-cheek warning on its Facebook page on Tuesday morning.

It came the day after a report surfaced about an alleged Bigfoot close encounter in neighboring North Carolina.

The police Facebook post was equal parts poking fun and straight up 'don't shoot!' safety advice for its community.

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Greenville police were equal parts tongue-in-cheek and serious in their warning against shooting during Bigfoot sightings after this news report from North Carolina resurfaced

In the post, police exhorted: 'If you see Bigfoot, please do not shoot at him/her, as you'll most likely be wounding a fun-loving and well-intentioned person, sweating in a gorilla costume.'

The post also stated, tongue-firmly-in-cheek that after having reviewed shaky video of an apparent Bigfoot sighting from 2015, 'we can say with some confidence that proof of Bigfoot still eludes us.'

The police linked to the video, which showed a Yorkie trying to scare off a two-footed, rapidly moving entity in daylight.

The Greenville police's Bigfoot warning went up the day after the Charlotte Observer revealed that a member of a Bigfoot-watching group claimed to have had an encounter with a 'large bipedal animal covered in hair,' on Friday night at about 11pm, in a wooded area in North Carolina's McDowell County.

Greenville, South Carolina police warned its community against shooting during a close encounter with Bigfoot - seen here in the infamous 1967 'Patterson' video shot in northern California. It has yet to be conclusively debunked or proven to be real

John Bruner, of Bigfoot 911, reported that at the time of the apparent sighting, he and six others were in the woods, spreading out glow sticks in hopes of attracting Bigfoot's attention.

According to the Charlotte Observer, Bruner wrote in a Facebook post that, 'I turned on my headlamp and saw a large bi-pedal animal covered in hair.' He described the creature as having had a smooth, solid black face and shaggy hair.

Bruner noted that he chased the creature and had a 'stare-down' with it, before it disappeared deeper into the woods.

Bigfoot sighting reports in the Carolinas are common, with multiple reports circulating around Bigfoot enthusiasts Facebook groups and drawing enough attention from professional Bigfoot hunters to warrant filming episodes of TV series in the area.

Laws regarding the shooting of Bigfoot and other similar cryptids vary by state.

Mental Floss reported, for example, that killing Bigfoot is expressly outlawed in Skamania County, Washington, but it's technically legal to hunt and kill one in Texas because the cryptid is not on the state's recognized official species list.
I slept uneasily last night.

The North Korea crisis has reached an incredibly serious point.

One that could very easily tip over into something genuinely catastrophic if those charged with avoiding such catastrophe are not extremely careful.

Yes, Im talking to you, President Trump.

The worlds most powerful man spent yesterday making bellicose warnings to the most unstable and dangerous regime on the planet.

Trump stared down a camera and warned: North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.

I didn't sleep well after President Trump spent yesterday making bellicose warnings to the most unstable and dangerous regime on the planet

Two hours later, with chilling predictability, North Korea responded by making another threat, saying it was examining the operational plan to attack the US territory of Guam in the Pacific.

A second statement, from North Korean state media, said a preemptive strike is no longer the monopoly of the US.

So its leader, Kim Jong Un, thus instantly called Trumps bluff with arrogant impunity.

How Trump responds to this remains to be seen, but it is no longer a wild exaggeration to suggest a large part of the worlds future may depend on his actions in the next few days and weeks.

For decades, North Korea has taunted the US with dire threats.

Nobody has ever taken them too seriously because until now, the country has not had any nuclear capability.

Within hours North Korea responded by making another threat, this time to Guam. For decades, Kim Jong-Un's father and now Kim Jong-Un have taunted the US with dire threats that nobody took seriously, but now the country has produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead

So if they did attack anyone, like its neighbours in South Korea for example, they would themselves be vaporised in minutes.

The belief has always been that North Koreas rhetoric is based entirely on self-preservation; Kim Jong Un, like his father before him, works on the principle that the stronger the North Korean military, and the tougher his talk about using it, the less chance of him becoming the next Saddam Hussein or Muammar Gaddafi.

But this week, US intelligence analysts confirmed North Korea has successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead.

That changes everything.

It means it has crossed a key threshold on the way to becoming a fully-fledged nuclear power.

The same analysts believe Jong Un may have up to 60 nuclear weapons at his disposal, so North Korea can now actually carry out the sinister, bombastic threats he makes - to devastating effect.

The big question now is what to do about it?

Trump had a major diplomatic success this week when the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously 15-0 to impose new economic sanctions on North Korea.

China and Russia both backed the move, which was highly significant because it confirmed they too now realise the very real danger posed by a nuclear-powered Jong Un.

Strangling the North Koreans financially is crucial, but that is no longer enough.

Strangling their expanding nuclear capability is far more urgent and important.

Achieving this goal now they have developed that capability is going to be hideously difficult and the situation is worryingly uncertain.

But one things for sure, making empty threats plays right into Jong Uns hands.

President Trump can talk about fire and fury all he likes but if he doesnt actually respond to continued threats with any fire and fury then Jong Un will simply laugh in his face and claim hes neutered the United States.

President Trump can talk about fire and fury all he likes but if he doesnt actually respond to continued threats with any fire and fury then Jong Un will simply laugh in his face

As Senator John McCain, who needs no explanation from anyone as to the perils of warfare, put it yesterday: The great leaders Ive seen dont threaten unless theyre ready to act, and Im not sure President Trump is ready to act. I take exception to the Presidents comments because you gotta be able to do what you say youre gonna do.

Exactly.

Trump knows this because he repeatedly taunted President Obama over his failure to act on his chemical weapons red line with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, saying it made America look weak  which it did.

Now he himself runs the risk of doing the same. Or worse, he feels compelled to unleash some fire and fury to make himself look strong.

If the US launched a military attack on North Korea without North Korea either attacking or trying to attack first, it would be a disaster of epic proportions.

As the world holds its breath today, all eyes, as so often, are on Trumps Twitter feed.

His first two posts this morning read: My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before. Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!

That sentiment is perfectly acceptable. Jong Un needs to be reminded that the US remains the worlds No1 superpower and is not to be messed around.

What will not be acceptable is if Trump, like he did yesterday, gets angry and starts directly tweet-taunting Jong Un using the same inflammatory language with which Jong Un taunts him.

And lets be honest, this is Trumps default position with ANYONE who taunts him.

Unlike many, I find Donald Trumps tweets utterly compelling.

It is both fascinating and riveting to have such uniquely transparent real time access to the mind of a US president.

Trump once told me he particularly loves Twitter because he can speak directly to the world and change the entire news agenda with one provocative tweet.

But right now, one provocative tweet could do a lot more than that.

Kim Jong Un is the only world leader with an even thinner skin than Donald Trump, and he is infamous for responding to critics in an impetuous, lethal way.

So this is a time for steely calm and resolve, and a time for Trump to listen to the three very experienced generals in his inner circle  Mattis, McMaster and Kelly - and act on their advice.

Its most definitely not a time to ratchet up the rhetoric and match Jong-Un threat for threat, insult for insult.

This is not Mayweather/McGregor, or even Trump/CNN; its America versus North Korea and the stakes are gigantic.

In short, Mr President, this is not a time to trash talk or tweet taunt us into a war.
A man who appeared to threaten a female driver at gunpoint as they both drove down the interstate in Texas has been arrested.

49-year-old Joseph Sida, was arrested for deadly conduct and was booked into the Tri-City Jail for the alleged incident on $1,000 bond

The motorist was identified on Tuesday by police as 49-year-old Joseph Sida who was subsequently arrested for deadly conduct and was booked into the Tri-City Jail for the alleged incident on $1,000 bond.

Sida was caught just a day after more than 11 million people viewed Victoria Best's pictures and videos of the frightening encounter which she posted onto her Facebook page.

'This happened to me yesterday on my way to work, when I realized that my life was in danger I broke down in front of my coworkers....I'm posting this just to let everyone know that any day could be your last and also to warn everyone to be aware of your surroundings, I'm truly blessed to be alive today please call Lancaster PD, Detective M.G.', she wrote.

But in an interview with investigators, Sida told police that he was acting in self-defense and was in fear of his own life.

He said he noticed a woman approaching with something in her hand that he thought was a weapon.

A driver ended up threatening a fellow motorist as they traveled down a Texas interstate

The woman who shot the video didn't notice the gun being pointed at her until afterwards

The object was nothing more than a camera phone.

Best told WFAA that she was on her way to work in Dallas on Friday afternoon when she noticed the car in front of her braking repeatedly and aggressively.

'It was like he was trying to cause a rear-end accident,' Best said. 'That was what made me pick up my phone and start recording.'

Victoria Best burst into tears after seeing when reviewing the footage

However, she says she did not look at the driver as she passed him, and it wasn't until she arrived at work and played the video to herself that she noticed the man pointing the gun directly at her vehicle.

'It was really the look on his face that scared me,' Best said on her Facebook page. 'I wasn't sure if I wasn't recording if he would have shot me.'

Best has since conceded that it is possible Sida may have felt she was driving too close to his vehicle, however she said that she only pulled out her camera phone in case he caused her to crash.

It was when she reported the incident to police and they asked her to try and read the license place of the car that she spotted the driver holding his weapon in the air.

'I got to looking through the video and pausing and pausing  I get to a point where I pause and I look and he's just pointing a gun at me.'

The video makes for shocking viewing as the driver looks to take aim while travelling

'At first it was shock and then I just started crying,' Best told WFAA.

'I'm happy that people shared the picture and I hope somebody knows who he is,' Best said. 'Road rage is real. It was just the look on his face that scared me the most. Somebody like that needs to be off the street.'

'Right now it appears this is an isolated incident,' Detective Maeland James with Lancaster police said.
A British factory boss has been caught on camera calling workers 'animals' and 'peasants' after they complained about being paid late.

Eleftherios Vanellis was secretly videoed by an unnamed employee at the textile factory he runs in Paulesti, central Romania.

Vanellis, who holds dual Cypriot and British citizenship, unleashed the tirade after telling a large crowd of workers that their wages would be paid a day late.

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Bad boss: Eleftherios Vanellis, who runs a factory in Romania, was filmed unleashing his anger on some employees after they complained about late wages

A woman in the crowd then starts berating him in Romanian, to which Vanellis, replies in English - laced with profanities.

'Wait for your money like a civilised person,' he tells her, but the woman continues to complain in her native tongue.

Vanellis then loses his cool and attacks the entire work force : 'I am fed up with the f***ing lot of you. The way you behaved yesterday, you're f***ing animals!'

In the face of further complaints, Vanellis goes on: 'You're disgusting. Oi! F*** off! F*** off! If you don't like it you can f*** off!'

Brits abroad: Vanellis called his employees 'animals', 'peasants' and 'scumbags'

He screams at a woman to get out and adds that he thinks his workers are 'scumbags'.

Other highlights from the boss' tirade were pointing out that other bosses were even later with their wages than him, and threatening to fire workers with 'big mouths'.

Local media reported that social media accounts linked to Vanellis show him made up to look like Adolf Hitler next to a swastika, however it is not known if Vanellis himself is responsible for the image.

The Territorial Labour Inspectorate from Prahova County is currently investigating the events.

The County Police Inspectorate's spokeswoman Marian Popescu said they were carrying out a separate investigation into Vanellis's social media account.
An eerie 'yellowish white' ord was filmed by UFO hunters as it passed through the night sky.

Rob Freeman and Marcus McNabb captured a 'ball of light' travelling over Stawamus Chief in Squamish, British Columbia, before it disappeared from sight.

Mr Freeman said the orb's green appearance on film was due to it being shot through night vision.

The orb was captured through a night vision camera and more than 43,000 people have watched the video since it was posted in July

The UFO enthusiast told the Daily Star he captured it flying over the 'sacred mountain' at 10.59pm.

'At first we thought it was an airplane. There was absolutely no sound then we absolutely knew it was no airplane.'

'The trees behind the orb were all lit up. That means it was in front of the trees.'

The orb passes over a mountain at night in British Columbia

A keen YouTuber, he posted the video online on July 23.

Since then more than 43,000 people have watched the orb fly over the Canadian mountain.

The pair have taken their hunt for UFOs to 11 countries and 30 cities in the last three years.
A former student caused a security alert at a suburban Atlanta high school after tweeting a Bible verse threatening 'great vengeance and wrathful rebukes' that was also used in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction.

The tweet, posted on Monday by a former student at Lassiter High School in Marietta, Georgia, said: 'After what Lassiter did to me last year, you can expect something special I have planned. Go to Ezekiel 25:17.'

According to the King James translation, Ezekiel 25:17 reads: 'And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.'

The tweet, posted on Monday by a former student at Lassiter High School in Marietta, Georgia, referenced the Bible verse Ezekiel 25:17

Police worked with officials in the area where the former student now lives - outside metro-Atlanta - to assess the level of threat and later determined no one was in danger.

The verse was quoted in an iconic scene in Pulp Fiction in which Samuel L Jackson's mob enforcer character executes a crook who double-crossed his boss.

Jackson's character's quote is a slightly different translation from the King James Bible.

He says: 'Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children.

'And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.'

Donna Lowry, spokeswoman for the Cobb County School District, said that the tweet gained social media traction, which launched the investigation.

The verse was quoted in an iconic scene in Pulp Fiction in which Samuel L Jackson's mob enforcer character executes a crook who double-crossed his boss

Lassiter principal Chris Richie sent a note to parents at 7.30am to tell them about the tweet.

'As principal, it is important for me to keep you informed about anything regarding the safety of your children,' the note, obtained the the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, read.

The note continued: 'The administration has been made aware of a disturbing social media post by a former student.

'The incident has been investigated, authorities have made contact with the young man and his parents to eliminate any possibility that students or staff are in danger.

'We believe students are safe, and we truly appreciate our students, staff, and community's vigilance in working to ensure everyone's safety.'

The incident caused several parents to drop their students off at school late and pick them up early on Tuesday.

It is unclear if the student who posted the tweet will be disciplined.
Court security guards are making people sip their drinks at the door to prove they're not smuggling acid inside

Court security guards are making people sip their drinks at the door to prove they're not smuggling acid inside.

The nationwide tests are being ordered by the Ministry of Justice as the country faces an epidemic of life-changing acid attacks.

The new rules apply to anyone entering courts including lawyers, judges and journalists.

A security guard at Cardiff Crown Court said: 'It would be very easy to conceal in a plastic bottle so when people come through and into the court we have to ask them to take a sip of their drink to prove that it isn't acid. The Ministry of Justice has issued us with the order.

'One family came into the court with a little boy who looked about three of four years old and was carrying a child's beaker.

'We had to ask the parents to take a sip of the drink to prove it wasn't acid, but it was the little boy who took the sip of the drink so we could allow them into the court.'

One regular worker at the court added: 'I was having my bag searched while going into court last week and the guard held out my water bottle and asked me to take a sip to prove it's not acid.

'I thought they were joking. I asked "Are you serious? I've been coming here every day'."

'But they wouldn't let me carry on until I took a sip so I didn't have much choice.'

An HM Courts & Tribunals Service spokesman told MailOnline: 'We take the safety and security of court users and staff extremely seriously, which is why we're bringing in enhanced safety measures across the court estate.

'We keep our security procedures under constant review, and will always take action where appropriate.'

The new rules apply to anyone entering courts including lawyers, judges and journalists

Today the Home Secretary and Britain's most senior police officer have backed more stop and search checks in a crackdown on acid attacks.

Amber Rudd gave her support to using the controversial powers to take out the 'appalling weapon of violence'.

And Cressida Dick, the Met Police Commissioner, said she will 'support my officers' if the number of stop and searches increases in response to the growing threat of acid and knife crime.

The intervention represents a radical departure from the policy of Theresa May, who when she was home secretary pushed through reforms to reduce the number of stop and searches by police.
A woman who was wrongly jailed after being framed by her ex-fiance's wife in a sick rape fantasy scheme sobbed as she recalled her time in prison in an interview after being exonerated.

Michelle Hadley, 30, spent almost four months behind bars after being framed by her ex-fiance's wife Angela Diaz last year.

Diaz, 31, told police in Anaheim, California, she had been attacked by the woman and lied about being pregnant.

It was part of an elaborate and meticulously planned scheme against Hadley, an MBA student who was formerly engaged to her US Marshall husband Ian Diaz.

Hadley was freed last October and had all of the charges against her dropped. In a new episode of Dateline, she wept as she described the ordeal as a 'nightmare'.

'There were mornings when I would wake up and think "OK I'm going to wake up a second time, this is just a nightmare". And it wasn't. It was for real.'

Michelle Hadley wept as she described her time in prison in a recent interview with Dateline. She was framed by her ex-fiance's wife last year

She added that being in prison made her feel 'like an animal'.

Hadley and Ian Diaz started dating in 2013 and later became engaged but broke up in August 2015. They maintained contact to discuss a condo they purchased together during the relationship but the communication ended in late 2015.

Diaz met the man at the start of 2016 on a dating website. They married a month later and she claimed she was pregnant with twins.

At the beginning of June 2016, Diaz reported receiving threatening messages from the woman including text messages and emails.

On June 24, she called police claiming to have been attacked in her garage. She had a ripped shirt and had bruises on her face.

She later pointed authorities to a Craiglist ad which had been posted under her name and which invited men to take part in a violent rape fantasy with her.

Hadley was set up by Angela Diaz (right). Diaz began dating Hadley's former fiance Ian (left together) six months after they broke up in 2015

The ad provided details of Diaz's daily routine and told the men to 'to have forcible sexual intercourse with [Diaz], even if she screamed or resisted.'

Diaz said Hadley (above in her driver's license) sent her threatening messages and emails

Diaz painted a picture that Hadley was not over their ended relationship and that she was trying to exact revenge for it on her ex's new wife.

She said Hadley created the listing, posing as her, for revenge. Hadley was arrested that night and had her bond set at $1million.

In October, evidence which suggested Hadley's innocence mounted and she was released from jail.

Her lawyer was able to prove that the messages had been sent from computers and cell phones linked to Diaz including her father's home in Arizona and her husband's condo.

It was later discovered she had been using third party proxies to try to disguise her identity.

Diaz claimed she was attacked in her garage by men she said Hadley had told to go to her home to rape her. She presented herself to police on June 24 with a ripped shirt and marks on her neck

Hadley was arrested in June last year (left) and spent three months in jail. She was exonerated in January (right)

She had spent 88 days behind bars accused of orchestrating a rape attack in which Diaz was the intended victim.

Hadley, an MBA student, was released in October and resumed a quiet life.

In January, all of the charges against her were dropped and Diaz was arrested. She now faces charges including 22 counts of reporting a false crime.

Hadley is now suing the Anaheim Police Department, claiming they failed to properly investigate the case.

Diaz denies the charges against her and is awaiting her next court date. Ian has filed for an annulment.
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The incredible story of how Sir Winston Churchill ordered Britain's art treasures to be hidden away inside Welsh caves amid fears of a German invasion has resurfaced.

Masterpieces by Rembrandt and Van Gogh were among those concealed inside a disused slate mine at Manod Mawr, Wales amid fears they could be destroyed by an invading Nazi army or from a bombing campaign.

Churchill was said to be so concerned with the potential damage to morale that losing the treasures could have, that he had a team of experts move the precious collection away from the National Gallery in London.

Tensions within Britain were running high in the summer of 1940, after the British and French armies were forced to flee mainland Europe and the advanced Germans by evacuating from Dunkirk beach.

Art treasures from the National Gallery were moved to Manod Quarry slate caverns in Merionethshire, Wales, for safekeeping during the Second World War. Pictured here is the narrow entrance to the mine, which had to be blown open with explosives to accommodate the largest artworks in the collection

Paintings from the National Gallery, moved deep within a Welsh mountain to protect them from Nazi hands, undergo their daily dusting by an expert in a subterranean chamber at Manod Quarry, north Wales. The lower painting is Rembrandt's 'Saskia as Flora'

Experts transport some of the art treasures on re-purposed rails originally installed deep inside the cavern during its use as a slate mine. Churchill was said to be so concerned with the potential damage to morale that losing the treasures could have, that he had a team of experts move the precious collection away from the National Gallery in London

A painting is taken out of storage for routine inspection at the underground facility. Hundreds of similar artworks - in a collection valued into the millions - were stored deep underground, with a team of experts working around the clock to maintain their condition and safe-keeping

A painting is brought in a sealed container from the underground storeroom to the restoring studio. Tensions within Britain were running high in the summer of 1940, after the British and French armies were forced to flee mainland Europe and the advanced Germans by evacuating from Dunkirk beach

Attendants take 'Cardinal Richelieu' by Philippe de Champaigne out of storage for routine inspection. Many of the artworks had been scattered throughout Wales in a bid to save them from all being lost in a single bombing attack, but as fears of invasion grew, the Prime Minister ordered they be sent underground

Expert art restorer W. A. Holder works on 'The Virgin and Child with Saint John' by David Ghirlandaio. All of the prized artworks were eventually taken back to the National Gallery, many rooms of which were destroyed within the first two years of the Second World War

Experts begin their daily undertaking of inspecting each artwork, which they did every day for almost four years. As the Allies forced the Germans further east and out of France, the paintings were slowly brought back to their previous home, with the mines eventually being used for storage during the Cold War

A container of National Gallery art treasures is placed in a storage chamber in Manod Quarry, north Wales. The containers were sealed to maintain an even temperature and attendants were able to move the heavy boxes on a network of rails which were re-purposed by engineers from its time as a slate mine

Many of the artworks had been scattered throughout Wales in a bid to save them from all being lost in a single bombing attack, but as fears of invasion grew, the Prime Minister ordered they be sent underground.

Following a suggestion to Churchill they be sent to Canada for safekeeping, the National Gallery's director Kenneth Clark, was told: 'Hide them in caves and cellars, but not one picture shall leave this island.'

Work was quickly undertaken to make the mine a suitable location for the treasures, with 'bungalows' built within the cavern to protect the paintings from the humidity and explosives used to enlarge the entrance.

Within a year, the National Gallery's entire collection - worth millions of pounds - had been moved into the secret cavern.

Concerns over housing the masterpieces in London proved to be warranted - the National Gallery was bombed on nine occasions between October 1940 and April 1941, with many of its rooms totally destroyed.

As the Allies forced the Germans further east and out of France, the paintings were slowly brought back to their previous home, with the mines eventually being used for storage during the Cold War.

Attendants take the painting 'Mother and Child', of the Botticelli school, out of storage for routine inspection in a subterranean chamber at Manod Quarry, north Wales, where paintings from the National Gallery were moved en-masse for safe keeping during wartime

Churchill was said to be so concerned with the potential damage to morale that losing the treasures could have, that he personally ordered that a team of experts move the precious collection away from the National Gallery in London and to Manod Quarry slate caverns in Merionethshire, Wales

A workman inspects 'Saint George and the Dragon' by Tintoretto for damage. All of the paintings were transported through the cavern by a single track road which ran through the entire length of the former line. Lorries were built to fit the track, meaning the paintings could be ferried from storage to restoration studios

Ledgers with details of the artworks were also stored in the mountain hideaway, to make sure that each was properly documented. Concerns over housing the masterpieces in London proved to be warranted - the National Gallery was bombed on nine occasions between October 1940 and April 1941, with many of its rooms totally destroyed

Two nighttime security guards settle down in their subterranean dormitory. Following a suggestion to Churchill they be sent to Canada for safekeeping, the National Gallery's director Kenneth Clark, was told: 'Hide them in caves and cellars, but not one picture shall leave this island'

Mr G. Wilkinson checks the air conditioning in the caves sometime in September 1942. Work was quickly undertaken to make the mine a suitable location for the treasures, with 'bungalows' built within the cavern to protect the paintings from the humidity and explosives used to enlarge the entrance
In a rage, a McDonald's customer was filmed attacking and threatening an employee because he had waited 'two hours' for his fries.

The unidentified man turned violent over his alleged botched food order at a McDonald's location in El Paso, Texas, on Sunday night.

An explosive video shows the man hitting a worker in the face and jumping over the counter to scream at employees, saying he had waited hours for his fries.

Local police were called to the escalated scene after the half-naked man caused a cookie stand to go flying and the employee was left visibly bleeding from the mouth.

A McDonald's customer was filmed jumping over a counter and hitting a store employee because he had waited 'two hours' for his fries on Sunday night in El Paso, Texas

Local police were called to the escalated scene after the unidentified half-naked man caused a cookie stand to go flying and the employee was left visibly bleeding from the mouth (pictured)

The incident was captured by Alfredo Sanchez, another customer at the fast-food restaurant that night.

Posting several videos and pictures to Facebook, he wrote: 'So some guy came in raging jumped over the counter and punched a McDonald's MANAGER in the face because they "TOOK TOO LONG TO GIVE HIM HIS FRIES".'

The video begins with the man, who was still wearing a shirt, slapping away the counter's cookie display, making it hit the floor.

The man's large dog quickly runs for the door in a fright, as its owner flies off the handle in an expletive-filled rant.

The man appears to hit the employee in the face then tears off his shirt, saying that he was ready for a fight.

The man appears to hit the employee in the face then tears off his shirt, saying that he is ready for a fight before he jumped over the counter (pictured)

The video continues with the man jumping over the counter, ready to square off against the McDonald's worker and hits him again. Other employees try to deescalate the situation

Explaining the odd encounter further, Sanchez said to KFOX14: 'We were eating and all of a sudden, like, I hear my friend say, like, what the heck.

'And like, I see a guy come in with a big dog. He's telling the people, like, I waited two hours for my fries.

'The guy takes off his shirt and he's ready to fight him, ready to fight, jumps over the counter and that's when he hits the guy.

'He just punches him, right here, right on the lip. The employees were already trying to stop the guy and it was just kind of a mess.'

The video continues with the man jumping over the counter, ready to square off against the McDonald's worker and hits him again, while other employees quickly try to intervene and deescalate the situation.

El Paso police take the man outside but he wasn't arrested (pictured). The department said the investigation is still on-going

Eventually police are called to the scene and escort the man outside, but he wasn't arrested according to KFOX 14.

The El Paso Police Department said the investigation is still on-going, according to the news outlet.

Sanchez added: 'I was like, I'm not getting in this, but I'm recording, just for proof, to protect me too. What if the guy attacks me? What if the dog does something?'

'I didn't believe it was happening. I've never experienced anything like it.'
The NSPCC said it is 'appalled' that police paid a convicted child rapist 10,000 to be an undercover informer while investigating an Asian sex gang.

Northumbria Police deployed the man, who can be identified only as XY, to infiltrate the gangs, who were hosting parties where underage girls were attacked and plied with drugs.

But the men who face jail for multiple attacks on vulnerable girls in Newcastle could have walked free as he was roundly criticised in court.

The court heard XY was a 'convicted child rapist who drugged a child and invited someone else to rape her after he had' and was on a suspended sentence when he was deployed by police in 2014.

He was arrested on suspicion of inciting sexual activity with a child during the inquiry but no further action was taken against him.

Defence teams said it was 'misconduct' and 'bad faith' and claimed the proceedings should have been stopped to 'protect the integrity of the criminal justice system'.

Northumbria Police Chief Constable Steve Ashman, pictured, has defended paying 10,000 to a convicted rapist who acted as an informant in the investigation of a child sex gang in Newcastle

A judge also described XY, who is an Asian man in his 30s, as 'dishonest', 'unreliable' and 'lacking credibility'.

Northumbria Police has defended its use of the informant and said his involvement allowed the force to 'detect and prevent serious crimes'.

However, NSPCC lead expert on tackling child sexual abuse, Jon Brown, said: 'We are appalled to learn that police paid a rapist and planted him in the midst of vulnerable young girls.

'You just couldn't make it up. It beggars belief that it would ever have been considered, let alone approved, and serious questions must be asked about the force's approach to child sexual exploitation operations.

'However good the force's intentions, their misguided actions run entirely counter to all current child protection procedures and what we know about sex offenders and could have compromised this investigation.

'What we mustn't forget in all this is the victims who were preyed on by a series of despicable men for their own sexual gratification. It is right that these men are now behind bars.'

During the proceedings in October and November, barristers argued over whether the cases of more than 10 men should be thrown out.

It was argued the public's confidence in the justice system would be 'diminished' if the trials went ahead, given the rapist XY had acted as an informant.

Robin Patton, representing one of the defendants, said XY was paid 9,680 over 21 months by Northumbria Police for informing.

Chief Constable Ashman, pictured with Newcastle City Council chief executive Pat Richie, said the informant, known as XY, had helped 'detect and prevent serious crimes'

Mr Ashman, second left, was speaking at a press conference on the case, pictured, and said the use of XY was overseen by a senior officer and subject to an independent review

XY had claimed the investigation was a 'racist' operation by the police and said his handler used the phrase 'darkies'.

The informant claimed he was instructed to plant drugs, hide the fact that an alleged rape complainant had told him she had lied, listen to privileged conversations between defendants and their lawyers at court and put under pressure to do nothing to help the defence.

After days of legal arguments, Judge Penny Moreland refused to throw any of the cases out and concluded that XY, whose credibility was 'central' to the application, was 'wholly unworthy of belief in respect of any matter at all'.

Judge Moreland said XY had acted out of 'self interest' and not a desire to tell the truth and that she found him 'inherently unreliable, so lacking in credibility and so clearly dishonest'.

The judge said she was not satisfied there had been any misconduct on behalf of the police to allow XY to be deployed as an informant.

Judge Moreland added: 'There is no evidence that any of the proper procedures for the handling of informants were breached.'

Saiful Islam (left) bought one victim Malibu and took her to house where he and friends knew they could abuse girls and coerced her into having sex. Yasser Hussain (right) hosted 'parties'

Redwan Siddique (left) told a victim to have sex with him in return for drugs. Mohammed Azram (right) admitted five drugs offences, on count of sexual assault and one of inciting prostitution

The judge said: 'Despite the criticisms levelled at the police for the use of XY, there is no evidence that XY was guilty of any sexual misconduct towards any of the complainants or anyone else during his time as informant.'

XY gave evidence in court in person during the application and said: 'This was for Asians, Muslims.

'It's an Asian, Muslim operation. I was told that from the beginning. I told him (unknown person - possibly a police officer) it was a white party.

He said he's not actually interested in that, this operation is about Asian group gangs.

NSPCC 'APPALLED' AT HOW POLICE PAID CHILD SEX OFFENDER NSPCC lead expert on tackling child sexual abuse, Jon Brown, said: 'We are appalled to learn that police paid a child rapist and planted him in the midst of vulnerable young girls. 'You just couldn't make it up. It beggars belief that it would ever have been considered, let alone approved, and serious questions must be asked about the force's approach to child sexual exploitation operations. 'However good the force's intentions, their misguided actions run entirely counter to all current child protection procedures and what we know about sex offenders and could have compromised this investigation. 'What we mustn't forget in all this is the victims who were preyed on by a series of despicable men for their own sexual gratification. It is right that these men are now behind bars.' Advertisement

'I know that, from the beginning, it's called Operation Sanctuary. They said it is an Asian group gang operation.'

XY said that he was asked to attend court during one of the early trials and 'watch the defendants and the barristers'.

He claimed he had been asked to 'watch what the barristers were getting up to' and ended up getting his hands on a DVD containing defence material.

XY said: 'After the DVD was found I got a standing ovation from police, they were clapping, laughing and everything. They said, 'Do you want anything for it?'

'After the DVD was found I met up with them. Two officers and myself. They were ecstatic.

'I was told to keep an eye on the defendants and the people around, the barristers.

'I would talk to defendants, find out what they said to their barristers and what their barristers said to them.'

XY told the court that he was asked by the police to provide information which would lead to a conviction.

When asked what he was requested to find out, XY said: 'What was going on in the area, the party scene, places where there was activity.

'There were certain individuals they were very interested in, which I was close to.'

XY said he was given a list of around ten Asian names by the police and these belonged to people he had spent time with.

When asked by a defence barrister if he was told to plant drugs in the homes or cars of the defendants, he said: 'I can't incriminate the police in any way. I refuse to answer that question.'

He also refused to confirm whether or not he was asked to do anything illegal.

He said: 'I can't answer any question against Northumbria Police. I can't say anything about them, my hands are tied.

'No matter what I do, it will affect my family.'

XY told the court that after a time he had trouble trusting the police and had recorded them.

He said: 'They (the police) would not show me their badges. I didn't know if they were police, I got suspicious.

'I didn't know if they were there to protect me. I didn't know who they were.'

The court heard how XY had complained to the National Crime Agency about the police and his allegations have been referred to the IPCC.

Despite his comments about the officers' behaviour and his reluctance to answer questions, XY denied being threatened by the police.

He added: 'The handlers have been nothing but supporting. They said to me make sure you tell the truth, the truth is better than anything else.'

However he also said he 'was not allowed to be open and honest'.XY had become agitated during his evidence and even shouted 'f*** off you divvy' to one of the defendants during the hearing.

Northumbria Police Chief Constable Steve Ashman said in a statement: 'We know concerns have been raised about our use of a police Informant known as XY.

Mohammed Hassan Ali (left) met his 15-year-old victim at a party and started a relationship after she claimed to be 18 but he continued to have sex with her after finding out her real age. Carolann Gallon (right) who was aged 17 and 18 at the time, admitted three offences of trafficking girls for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

'XY was an authorised covert human intelligence source (CHIS), an informant, who was able to report on criminality including CSE.

'He was a convicted rapist and to some of us the thought of the police engaging with such a person and paying them for information may appear repugnant, however he proved he was in a position whereby he could, and did, alert police to situations which allowed them to prevent offending and provide safeguarding measures towards potential victims.

'The lawful and regulated use of such tactics is always overseen by a senior police officer and is also subject to review by an independent body.

'Furthermore in this case the handling of XY by Northumbria Police was the subject of an independent investigation by the IPCC in which no misconduct was found nor any recommendations made whatsoever.

'In the case of XY it is clear that his relationships with others have allowed the police to prevent and detect some of the most serious crimes occurring in our communities, this would not have been possible through conventional methods.'

A total of 18 people have been convicted of a string of drug and sex offences in relation.
This is the terrifying moment that a Las Vegas cop is forced to shoot down a naked man before he can reach the loaded pistol he previously dropped.

Police were called out to Life Springs Christian Church, in a busy area of Las Vegas, at 11am on Saturday after reports of that a naked, suicidal man was brandishing a gun.

They arrived to find Jason David Funke, 25, sitting nude in an alcove by the church - starting a bizarre and frightening negotiation.

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Dramatic: This is the moment that a police helicopter filmed Jason David Funke naked with a gun outside a Las Vegas church. Funke then picked it up and walked forward

Deceptive: At first Funke looked like he might go peacefully, dropping the pistol (seen here behind him) and walking towards police with his arms over his head

According to Assistant Sheriff Todd Fasulo, several units - including K-9 officers and a helicopter - converged on the area when the call came through.

The location was blocked to pedestrians and cars while police got into position - and then the negotiations began with the man, who had threatened to shoot himself.

Footage from the helicopter shows Funke stand up, take his pistol and walk - apparently unsteadily - out to a wide open public area.

Responding to shouts from police off-camera, he then drops the pistol, puts his hands on his head and walks towards a K-9 unit and an officer armed with a rifle.

The aerial unit suggests that one of the cops in a building behind Funke step out while he's not looking and retrieve the pistol.

However, he notes that they would be in danger of getting caught in crossfire. Nobody picks it up.

Running: However, bodycam footage from Officer Mark Hatten shows that he turned and fled. A confused K-9 unit attacked another police officer, who wasn't harmed, as Funke fled

The nude man stops in front of the other cops then turns and runs. He disappears behind trees as the other officers spring after him - and then a report comes over the radio that he's down.

A second video, taken from the bodycam of Officer Mark Hatten, shows what went down beneath the canopy of foliage.

Funke turns and runs, and the K-9 officer lets his dog off - but it immediately turns around and attacks a third cop.

Fasulo noted in a press conference that the dog only bit that cop on the belt buckle.

Hatten, meanwhile, continues unhindered, chasing after Funke, who is still sprinting after the gun.

Shot down: Ultimately Hatten had to shoot Funke (seen falling in the background) before he could reach the pistol. Funke was hit in the shoulder but survived

He fires a single shot and Funke falls, with the police dog - redirected by its handler - closing in to grab him.

According to Fasulo, Funke was hit in the shoulder and taken to hospital, where he remains under police custody in stable condition.

Funke had a history of depression and suicidal thoughts, Fasulo said, and it's believed he may have attempted suicide by cop.

This is the 16th officer-involved shooting for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police this year.
A couple of school children from North Carolina who wanted to raise money for their own school supplies have set up a lemonade stand to bring in some cash and help their families out.

Aniyah Williams, 11, and Isaiah Lattimer, 12, said they started their 'Sweet and Sour Lemonade' stand in Raleigh to help buy new clothes and school supplies for the upcoming school year.

When a member of the local community saw how hard the children were working, they decided to give the kids a helping hand and give the business a kick-start.

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Isaiah Lattimer, 12, left, andAniyah Williams, 11, right, set up a lemonade stand to raise money

The kids knew that their parents couldn't afford all of their school supplies to they decided to do something about it

For the past month they have been making and selling lemonade on the streets where they live

Passers-by have stopped at the stand for a refreshing drink on their way to or from work

Geraldine Alshamy said she noticed Isaiah using an old refrigerator box for the stand so managed to get them a proper tent, table and even helped with creating a tasty recipe.

'I live near there and when I saw him I asked why they were selling it,' Geraldine told ABC News. 'They wanted new clothes and school supplies, so I decided to see how I could help.'

'I taught them how to roll the lemons and mix all the ingredients so they could make fresh squeezed lemonade for people,' she continued. 'Everything else was on them.'

Geraldine hopes that their time together will have taught the budding entrepreneurs valuable social skills and a basic introduction into the world of business.

The youngsters are changing their fortunes - one cup of lemonade at a time.

Community members helped purchase a tent and even help supply the lemons and water

The kid's project puts a happy smile on all those who stop by and is inspiring other children

The kids made about $100 a day selling their delicious and refreshing drinks

'There's math involved when they're tracking their money each day and they deduct the amount they pay for ingredients,' she said. 'So they're learning the basics of good business and how to get along, respect people, be grateful and share.'

Even local grocery stores and the police have supported the children's work donating lemons and water to create the drink.

'When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!' Aniya and Isaiah said to ABC11 as they recited the slogan of their stand. 'Every day we at least try to make over $100,' Isaiah said.

Teamwork is essential for the lemonade stand to run smoothly

The children say they plan to sell hot chocolate in the winter to keep money coming in

'It's a great effort in terms of what they're doing, trying to sell lemonade to buy school supplies,' said neighbor James Walker. 'I just could not go by and not make a contribution.'

In the month since the stand has been up and running, the enthusiastic kids have managed to raise more than $800 and are already thinking about what to do next.

'What's next is we're making hot chocolate in the winter,' Aniya revealed.
Fitzgerald, whose grandfather was Major General Sir Allan Adair, the 6th Baronet Adair, caused more than 21,000 damage to the 1m King's Cross house

An aristocrat who smashed up his 1million terraced home in a bid to stop it being sold during his bitter divorce battle was jailed for 18 months today.

Desmond Fitzgerald, 63, smashed up pictures and ornaments with a hammer at the house he shared with his estranged wife, lawyer Catherine Akester, in King's Cross, London.

He then ripped off the radiators, knocked over furniture and blocked the sink to flood the terraced house, causing the kitchen ceiling to cave in.

Fitzgerald, whose grandfather was Major General Sir Allan Adair, the 6th Baronet Adair, caused more than 21,000 damage to the house.

Fitzgerald had carefully removed his own belongings from the house before unleashing his fury with the hammer.

Investigators found his fingerprints all over the damaged home, but he denied criminal damage, claiming he had been framed in an elaborate plot similar to that of a James Bond film.

He was convicted after a trial at Blackfriars Crown Court. Representing himself, Fitzgerald said he had been 'sofa surfing' at a friend's house in Islington since January this year and has been in touch with homeless charity Crisis.

He smashed up his marital home after a hearing at Central London county court on October 3, when a judge ordered him to give up the keys to the property and stay at least 200m away.

Fitzgerald had been trying to block the sale of the house since the breakdown of his 15-year marriage.

At trial, Ms Akester described Fitzgerald storming out of the family court hearing before going home to unleash his rage.

When she arrived at the house the following day she described her home as a scene 'of some devastation'.

Fitzgerald had specifically destroyed one framed picture of her and her siblings, she said, adding: 'It had been torn into tiny, tiny shreds. I found that extremely hurtful.

She said that Fitzgerald had treated the proceedings in the family court as a 'wrecking exercise from start to finish' and 'a campaign of abuse and obstruction'.

Jailing Fitzgerald for 18 months today Judge Davinder Gill said he had 'an arrogant and intimidating attitude not only to the witnesses you were allowed to question but also to me as the trial judge when I delivered decisions that went against you'.

The judge added: 'It's clear to me on the evidence at trial that you knew what you were doing. You had the insight and forethought to remove your own belongings and the proceeded to cause substantial criminal damage to the premises.

'I'm in no doubt that you were in a blind rage when you realised your attempt to block the sale of the property had finally come to an end.

'So you decided to embark on a criminal act, not only in revenge and retribution over your former wife but also in an act of defiance of the authority of the family court, for this reason this offence strikes at the heart of the system of justice.'

Fitzgerald ripped off the radiators, knocked over furniture and blocked the sink to flood the terraced house (pictured), causing the kitchen ceiling to cave in

'I also agree that there was an element of pre-planning because you deliberately failed to hand over the keys to the property but used them to gain access.'

Judge Gill said that she had seen 'no evidence of remorse at all from' Fitzgerald.

She slammed his time wasting at trial by making multiple 'often ridiculous' applications to the court.

The court previously heard that the aristocrat had also been embroiled in a legal dispute over land in Ireland he claimed belonged to his aunt.

A judge dismissed his claims as a 'farrago of nonsense' and landed him with legal costs of almost 100,000.

His relentless litigation was one of the reasons and spiralling costs was one of the reasons for his divorce, the court heard.

Prosecutor Warwick Tatford said: 'His wife became aware that in the last period of their relationship the defendant's mental health was deteriorating significantly, and he showed malice and aggression towards her that was uncharacteristic.'

Karlia Lykourgou, for Fitzgerald, argued that he should be given a suspended sentence to allow him to seek help for his mental health problems in the community.

Fitzgerald was also slapped with a restraining order banning him from contacting Ms Akester indefinitely, either directly or indirectly.

On top of his sentence he was ordered to undergo three months of mental health supervision.

Fitzgerald, currently of no fixed address, appeared in court in a smart suit and brightly coloured tie. He did not react as he was jailed.
This is the shocking moment a young boy got his buttocks trapped in an escalator while playing in northwestern China earlier today.

Mobile phone footage shows a three-year-old boy loudly crying as he sits at the bottom of an escalator.

He was rescued by local policemen shortly after and was confirmed to have no major injuries.

The young boy had had his buttocks trapped between the escalator belt and cover in China

He was unable to move but remained in an upright position (left). A policeman inspected the boy's situation before rescuing him (right)

Video uploaded on Youku claims the incident happened at a supermarket in Xianyang, China's Shaanxi Province today.

Over 20 onlookers gathered at the escalator as two policemen were seen trying to rescue the trapped boy.

It was reported that the boy had his buttocks trapped between the access cover and the escalator belt while he was playing on the moving machine.

Staff members passing by saw the accident and pressed the emergency stop button.

It is believed that he got himself trapped while playing on the escalator in a supermarket

Dozens of onlookers surrounded the escalator as two police officers freed the young boy out

The boy was unable to move and was forced to sit upright.

The video ends as the policemen are still trying to get him out of the machine.

He was later confirmed to be unharmed after being sent to a nearby hospital.

This isn't the first case of an escalator accident in China.

Just a week ago, a young boy had had his toe crushed after getting his foot stuck in a gap at the edge of an escalator in Yunfu, southern China.

Last month, a toddler got his fingers trapped in an escalator, leaving his desperate mother trying hard to keep her son awake after he showed signs of falling unconscious.
This shocking footage shows a fantasist dressed as a policeman in the home of a vulnerable gay man just hours before he smothered him while listening to Classic FM and set the house alight.

Jason Marshall, 28, tricked his way into 58-year-old Peter Fasoli's home in Northolt, west London by posing as an officer in January 2013 after meeting him on a gay dating app.

During a bondage sex session, he tied him up, gagged him and smothered him with cling film before setting fire to his one-bedroom bungalow to cover his crime.

This footage shows fantasist Jason Marshall, 28, dressed as a policeman in the home of vulnerable gay man Peter Fasoli just hours before smothering him and setting the house alight

Marshall is seen on camera talking to Fasoli in his bedroom just moments before his horrendous act

He then fled to Italy using his victim's money, where he strangled to death Vincenzo Iale, 67, three weeks later then tried to murder 54-year-old Umberto Gismondi.

Marshall was jailed for 16 years in Italy in July 2014 for murder and attempted murder, but was still not linked to Mr Fasoli's death - despite using his bank cards after killing him.

For nearly two years, Mr Fasoli's death was put down to a fire caused by a faulty light until his nephew discovered hours-long footage of the murder which Mr Fasoli had unwittingly filmed with a camera he set up in the room.

Marshall claimed he could not remember anything - but jurors took around 75 minutes to convict him unanimously of murder and arson at the Old Bailey today.

Flanked by three dock officers Marshall, wearing glasses, jeans and a black and grey striped zip-up fleece, showed no reaction, and stood still with his hands behind his back.

Trial judge Nicholas Hilliard QC, the Recorder of London, adjourned the case until tomorrow, but said he was unlikely to sentence until a later date to consider any potential psychiatric issues.

He thanked the jury, and noting they had to watch the video, added: 'I do appreciate the very considerable burden that puts on you.'

Mr Fasoli's nephew, Christopher Murgatroyd, examined his uncle's computer hard drive in November 2014, as he knew he had been researching the family tree.

Ed Brown QC, prosecuting, said: 'It was then, to Mr Murgatroyd's horror, that he found himself watching footage of his uncle's murder - at the hands of this defendant.

'It was these chance events that prevented this defendant from avoiding justice.'

Marshall, 28, tricked his way into 58-year-old Mr Fasoli's home in Northolt, west London by posing as a policeman in January 2013

Smashed up: This image shows the one-bedroom bungalow in London where Peter Fasoli died

The case has raised questions about why the original investigation failed to spot that Mr Fasoli's bank cards were used after his death or that his murder was caught on CCTV.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell likened the case to that of gay serial killer Stephen Port and said he was 'shocked and surprised' the Independent Police Complaints Commission was not investigating.

He said: 'This case has echoes of the serial killings by Stephen Port. There appears to have been missed opportunities and serious failings of the police investigation.

'Why did they not check the victim's mobile phone, computer, bank transactions and CCTV?

'I'm shocked and surprised that the IPCC is not ordering an investigation.

'Yet again we are hearing about the horrific killing of a gay man where the police seem to have not followed quite basic investigative procedures.

'This case is another example of an isolated, vulnerable gay man being targeted by a predator using gay dating apps.'

Marshall was eventually arrested at Heathrow Airport in February 2017 after he was extradited.

The graphic video, nearly six hours long, showed Marshall posing as an MI5 agent interrogating and torturing Mr Fasoli, as Classic FM blared out.

The victim, who was naked, bound and gagged, begged for his life as Marshall suffocated him, before starting the fire and leaving him for dead.

Pathologist Ashley Fegan-Earl told the trial Mr Fasoli was still alive when the blaze broke out - although the restraint and asphyxia contributed to his death.

The pair had met through the dating website Badoo, and Marshall promised 'loner' Mr Fasoli a threesome, but arrived at his house alone.

For nearly two years, Mr Fasoli's death was put down to an accident until his nephew discovered footage of the murder

Wearing a police utility belt and latex gloves, he accused Mr Fasoli of hacking into a government laptop and helping a terrorist, and told him he was arresting him for being a spy.

Mr Fasoli asked him to stop, but Marshall burned his chest with a cigarette, threatened him with a Tazer, and drew a hunting knife from his belt and pressed the blade against his face.

He demanded his Lloyds TSB bank cards and PIN numbers, and injected him with 'truth serum' and what he said was the anti-psychotic drug Halliperidol.

Mr Fasoli shouted 'No! No! Please!' as Marshall wrapped cling film round his face and a carrier bag round his head, and after a struggle he fell unconscious.

He calmly stood over the body and pronounced 'in the name of the father, the son and the Holy Ghost' in Latin, and 'I am the resurrection and the life'.

Marshall flushed items down the toilet, tidied the house and started dismantling electronic equipment, causing the camera to stop filming.

But the audio kept recording, and at 12.41am, a cigarette lighter and Marshall running out could be heard - followed by flickering sounds and the fire alarm.

A few hours later, at 9.33am, Marshall sent Mr Fasoli a message apologising because 'I couldn't make it last night', in an attempt to distance himself.

A fantasist who was caught on camera smothering a vulnerable gay man in his own home while listening to Classic FM has today been found guilty of murder and arson

He withdrew 400 in cash from Mr Fasoli's bank account, and the next day booked an EasyJet return flight in his own name from Gatwick to Rome, using the victim's bank card.

Marshall boarded the flight on January 11, having sent more messages to Mr Fasoli the day before.

Once in Rome, he strangled Mr Iale to death with an electrical flex on January 27, before removing his computer hard drive and stealing his car.

In the following days, he used Mr Iale's bank card to make a series of withdrawals from ATM machines.

Italian police found the naked body of Mr Iale on the floor of his home on February 3.

Marshall met Mr Gismondi via Badoo, using the same name - Gabriel - he had used with Mr Fasoli, and claimed he worked for the British Embassy.

He arrived at his home on February 3 wearing a holster and utility belt, and carrying a pistol, pepper spray and truncheon.

Marshall bound, gagged and assaulted Mr Gismondi, and demanded his money, bank cards and PIN numbers, then tried to smother him with a cushion.

But Mr Gismondi's shouting alerted his neighbours, so Marshall fled the scene but was arrested.

Giving evidence, Asperger's sufferer Marshall accepted it was him in the CCTV footage - and said he felt bad somebody died and it was 'potentially' him.

But he said he could not remember anything between Christmas 2012 and waking up in an Italian psychiatric hospital in late February 2013.

Jason Marshall: A timeline For more than four-and-a-half years, Jason Marshall evaded justice for the horrific murder of 58-year-old Peter Fasoli, who was terrorised and robbed in his own home. Here is how events unfolded. January 6 2013: At 7pm, Mr Fasoli invites Marshall, then 24, into his home in Rubens Road, Northolt, after meeting him on gay dating site Badoo. January 7: At 0049, emergency services are called to reports of a fire at his home and find the computer repairman dead. January 7 and 8: A total of 780 is withdrawn from Mr Fasoli's bank account. January 8: Marshall uses his victim's bank account to buy an easyJet flight from Gatwick to Rome in his own name. January 11: The defendant boards his flight at 6.50am and does not return. January 26/27: Vincenzo Iale, 67, is attacked in his home in Torvaianica on the outskirts of Rome. February 3: Italian police find his naked body lying on the floor with an electrical flex around his neck. His car is stolen and his bank card was used to make withdrawals. Meanwhile, Marshall meets 54-year-old gay man Umberto Gismondi on Badoo and they arrange to meet for sex. Marshall, posing as a British Embassy official, arrives carrying a pistol, a pepper spray can and telescopic truncheon and false identification. He binds and gags Gismondi and assaults him and demands money, bank cards and Pin numbers. Mr Gismondi alerts neighbours and Marshall flees. August 16: An inquest for Mr Fasoli records a verdict of accidental death. Fire investigators concluded the fire had most likely been caused by a faulty light bulb falling from the ceiling fitting on to bedding which was highly flammable. However, the court heard, the light was switched off. October 2013 - November 2014: Mr Fasoli's belongings are stored in the garage of the mother of a friend of Mr Fasoli's - John Stringer - who recovered anything of value. July 9 2014: Marshall is convicted by an Italian court of the murder of Mr Iale and attempted murder of Mr Gismondi. November 8: Mr Fasoli's nephew, Christopher Murgatroyd, collects his uncle's property and looks at the hard drive of his computer to look for his family tree research. Instead, he find hours of footage showing how his uncle died, and contacts police. September 15 2015: Following an appeal, Marshall is sentenced to 16 years in prison in Italy. February 15 2017: Marshall, now aged 28, is flown back to the UK and arrested on suspicion of murder. Advertisement

He said he had posed as police officers and ticket inspectors before, and had taken police radios from Southwark and Kentish Town police stations.

During the Italian trial, Marshall did not feign amnesia.

Asked why, Marshall said: 'I couldn't remember anything but my lawyer said that's not a good defence, you have to come up with something better.'

Marshall instead claimed someone called Michael killed Mr Iale, and he acted in self-defence after Mr Gismondi attacked him.

The prosecution said there was an 'important and fundamental difference' between the two trials - the CCTV, which he could not escape.

Marshall said: 'I am not trying to get away from it.

'I think if I had remembered it I could come up with a much better excuse than I can't remember.'

Referring to the messages he sent afterwards to Mr Fasoli, Marshall said: 'Or it could be that I did think that he was alive.'

Marshall told jurors he enjoyed dressing up as officials and was arrested many times for impersonating police officers.

Under cross-examination, he admitted he got pleasure from dominating naked men while pretending to be a policeman, although S&M sex was just 'a well-paid venture'.

Asked by Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC if he had been trying to 'terrify' Mr Fasoli, he said: 'Yes, my lord, with the prospect of torture.'

Marshall, formerly of Forest Gate, east London, was remanded in custody.
EU boss Jean-Claude Juncker splurged 24,000 of taxpayer's money to charter a private jet for a one-night trip to Rome, shock new figures reveal.

The revelation was part of a slew of expensive travel bills exposed after a European Commission finally handed over the document after a two-year legal battle.

The documents show that jet-setting European Commissioners racked up a 452,770 (500 euros) bill in travel expenses in just two months.

Many contain bills for so-called air taxis - private planes the Eurocrats charter when ordinary flights do not suit their schedule.

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage branded the claim 'outrageous' and 'clearly over the top'.

Among the most eye-watering claims is one put in by Mr Juncker for a chartered a private plane to jet off to Rome for February 25 and 26 last year - costing 23,862 (26,351 euros).

EU boss jean Claude Juncker, pictured in Brussels in march, was part of a delegation which chartered a private plane for a one-night trip to Rome which cost a staggering 24,000

The European Commission president was part of a nine-person delegation who shunned regular scheduled flights and made the short trip via private aircraft instead.

And serious questions will be raised over why the Brussels politicians ran up the hefty bill as according to the website for Brussels Airport there are six daily flights between the Belgian capital, home to the Commission headquarters, and Rome.

While there is an extra flight from Brussels South Charleroi airport.

In another bumper claim, the Italian politician and EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini claimed nearly 68,000 (75,000 euros) for a trip to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

The most expensive overnight stay, in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, cost 568 (629 euros).

The shocking revelations were made public after a legal fight with human rights group Access Info.

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, pictured in the European Parliament in Brussels in April, said the hefty travel bills are over the top and excessive

And it is only a tiny fraction of the overseas travel bills the Eurocrats have run up as so far just two months of claims have been published.

Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said the private jet was chartered by Mr Juncker and the delegation because there was 'no viable commercial plane available that would fit the president's agenda'.

And in comments that will infuriate taxpayers, she insisted private flights are 'hard work' because the politicians are'reading documents with your files and marking them'.

Mr Farage said: 'Outrageous! Juncker spending 27,000 euro on a private jet at taxpayers' expense is clearly over the top especially when many normal flights are available.

'I suppose these junket expenses are all part of the make-believe 'Brexit bill' which these commissioners have plucked out of thin air and trying to extort from our Government.'
A 37-year-old 'jack of all trades' claims he has been knocked back from thousands of jobs because employers consider him too old.

Michael Wooley from Rockhampton in Queensland told The Morning Bulletin he had applied for between 500-1000 jobs over the past two years.

He hopes to gain regular work to provide for his wife and 10-year-old son.

Michael Wooley (pictured) from Rockhampton in Queensland said he had applied for between 500-1000 jobs over the past two years

'Every now and then I'd get one day of a job but that doesn't even feed the family,' he said.

Mr Wooley says he is a 'jack of all trades' who has worked in a number of different industries.

'I've been a sales assistant, a PC technician, security officer, labourer and a kitchen hand,' he said.

Mr Wooley said he rarely received feedback on his applications, but when he did was told he was either over qualified, under qualified or too old for the job.

'They would rather hire someone younger than someone older with a family and responsibilities,' he said.

'Everyone's hiring the young ones because it's less wages, I think it's wrong.'
It has been revealed Qantas and Jetstar quietly started charging law-enforcement agencies every time they request formation about passengers during the course of police investigations.

Four months ago Qantas has been selling the information at $50 a pop which, based on an estimated 10,000 requests per year, would earn the airline $500,000 over a twelve-month period.

Investigators have slammed the fee as 'penny-pinching' and 'onerous', but according to Qantas, the money goes towards paying staff to respond to the requests.

Qantas has been selling their passenger information to law enforcement agencies for $50

'These checks can involve a substantial amount of work searching old passenger records and databases,' a Qantas spokesperson told The Australian.

'Inquiries that could relate to public safety are processed at no cost and usually on the spot.'

Senior police have also slammed the fee, saying that it is 'neither community minded nor compatible with being a good corporate citizen'.

A source within the police said that it was not the money that was the issue, but the principle.

The source warned that it could become the norm for businesses to charge the police if they needed assistance during an investigation.

It is alleged that police are now requesting less information, because of the 'red tape' involved, meaning that potentially crucial information does not make it into police hands.

Police are now allegedly requesting less information because of the 'red tape' around requests

Virgin Australia also charge a fee, but provide less information and only charge $30 each time.

Phone companies like Telstra and Optus also charge agencies to provide phone records,as do banks and utility companies.

This is the first time it has been reported that an airline have been charging such a fee.

Virgin's policy is to waive the fee if the request relates to an emergency regarding a child

Qantas does not charge the fee if the information is obtained under a warrant, however it costs the law enforcement agency significantly more than $50 to produce a warrant.

Virgin Australia's policy is to waive the fee if the request relates to 'an emergency regarding the welfare of a child, imminent risk to aviation security or imminent risk to the safety of a person'.

Virgin also does not charge is the information 'pertains to or is initiated by' the airline.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Australia Federal Police for comment.
The indecent exposure charge is being tried as a felony and he faces two-years behind bars

Family said they became aware of what was happening after feeling warm liquid on their 'backs and legs'

Man urinates on family of three during Metallica concert on Friday

Daniel Francis Daddio (Pictured), 44, was arrested on Friday for disorderly conduct and indecent exposure

Authorities in Arizona arrested a man over the weekend for indecent exposure and disorderly conduct after he urinated on a family of three during a live concert.

Albuquerque, New Mexico resident Daniel Francis Daddio, 44, was placed in police custody at the University of Phoenix stadium in Glendale, Arizona around 9.00pm Friday night after allegedly relieving himself on the family who were seated directly in front of him during a live Metallica concert.

The unnamed family, which court records show included a 10-year-old girl, said to police in their statement that they became aware of the situation after 'all three of his family members felt warm liquid washing over their backs and legs'.

The father of the family added that 'he observed Daniel Francis Daddio standing behind them in the row of seats just above theirs with his penis out of his pants and in his hands... Daddio was urinating on all three of his family members,' the documents state.

The horrified father told Glendale police he 'confronted Daddio concerning the urination on his 10-year-old daughter, at which time Daddio just shrugged.'

Daddio is accused of urinating on a family of three, including a 10-year-girl, during a Metallica (Pictured) concert in Glendale, Arizona

Court documents show that moments later, two Arizona state troopers arrived to investigate the matter.

'Two troopers responded and they contacted the wife and daughter. Minutes later, the two witnesses pointed out a man walking out of stands into concessions area and informed troopers he was the man who urinated on them.'

The affidavit notes that Daddio was 'heavily intoxicated at the time of his arrest' and denied the incident occurred.

Investigators later confirmed that Daddio's seats were located just behind the family's when they conducted searched and discovered a Metallica ticket in his possession.

The concert was held at University of Phoenix Stadium (Pictured). Daddio faces a maximum penalty of two-years behind prison if found guilty

During his appearance at Maricopa County courthouse on August 5, the judge presiding over the case commented taht 'In the 15 years I've been on the bench this is one of the most disgusting scenarios I've ever read,' according to broadcaster KOB4.

Daddio was released on his own recognizance and was scheduled to return back to court on August 18.

Daddio is facing a Class 6 felony since the indecent exposure charge involves a minor.

If found guilty, Daddio faces a maximum penalty of two-years behind prison.




A surfer has been pictured riding the waves in South Africa oblivious to the danger just yards away.

Photographer Tim Driman took the series of shots at Jeffrey's Bay, but did not spot the predator until he was uploading pictures.

He is certain the big circle in his images is a shark - and one has been spotted in the area.

The ominous dark circle appears to show a dangerous predator yards from the surfer on the waves

Photographer Tim Driman took the series of shots at Jeffrey's Bay, but did not spot the predator until he was uploading pictures

Tim said: 'I know the ocean and have spent many years diving, spearfishing, fishing and surfing, and know what sharks look like above and below the water.

'Personally, I think the shadow is too big, too round and hovering in such a way that it can't be human.

'My suspicions are even more founded after the public appearance of that shark a day or so later.

'This sequence was captured on July 16 while I was covering the World Surfing League at Supertubes point break.

'The surfer has not seen the photos, and blissfully unaware of what he had just passed!'
White House official Sebastian Gorka said on Wednesday that he's not convinced yet that the bombing of a mosque in suburban Minneapolis was not a 'fake hate crime'.

Top adviser Gorka was answering questions on MSNBC when he asked why President Donald Trump had not yet issued a statement on Saturday morning's attack on Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington.

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton called the bombing a 'criminal act of terrorism' as the FBI office said that investigating the incident was their top priority.

Gorka, however, said that Trump would not make a statement until 'local authorities provide their assessment'.

Top adviser Sebastian Gorka was asked why President Trump had not yet issued a statement on Saturday morning's attack on Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. He said Trump would not make a statement until 'local authorities provide their assessment'

An explosion damaged a room and shattered windows at the Dar Al Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, as worshippers prepared for morning prayers early Saturday

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton called the bombing a 'criminal act of terrorism' as the FBI office said that investigating the incident was their top priority

'When we have some kind of finalized investigation, absolutely  so, you know, there's a great rule, all initial reports are false, you have to check them and you have to find out who the perpetrators are,' Gorka said in response to a question about whether the White House will address the bombing.

He added: 'We've had a series of crimes committed, alleged hate crimes, by right wing individuals in the last six months that turned out to actually have been propagated by the left.

'So let's wait and see and allow local authorities to provide their assessment. And then the White House will make its comments.'

When asked why Trump immediately responded to the London terrorist attack in June but had not mentioned the Minnesota bombing days after the incident, Gorka questioned if it was a 'fake hate crime'.

'The question of who does it is a question,' Gorka said. 'When you've had people, fake hate crimes in the last six months with some regularity I think it's wise, don't you, to find out what exactly is going on before you make statements when in fact they could turn out to be not who you are expecting,'

When asked why Trump immediately responded to the London terrorist attack in June but had not mentioned the Minnesota bombing days after the incident, Gorka questioned if it was a 'fake hate crime'

People attend a rally at the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center on Tuesday, three days after the mosque was bombed

Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center Executive Director Mohamed Omar said that the mosque does not have outside security cameras

Local Muslim leaders called his comments 'outrageous and offensive', according to Buzzfeed News.

Meanwhile, the head of the Minneapolis FBI office said on Monday that the investigation into the bombing is their top priority and they going to focus every available resource on the case until it's solved.

Special Agent in Charge Rick Thornton said in a news release that he can't answer certain questions due to the ongoing investigation. He says it will take time to develop the information necessary to determine who carried out the Saturday's attack and why.

He did say, however, that the blast appeared to have been caused by an improvised explosive device and that the FBI had recovered pieces of it at the scene.

Officials are currently looking for a person responsible for the explosion.

Minnesota Gov Mark Dayton spoke at a news conference following the bombing, calling the incident an 'act of terrorism'

A group of women take part in afternoon prayers led by Dar Al Farooq Islamic Center Executive Director Mohamed Omar outside the police tape surrounding the center on Saturday

'At this point, our focus is to determine who and why,' Mr Thornton said at a press conference. 'Is it a hate crime? Is it an act of terror?'

Nobody was hurt in the explosion, which happened just before morning prayers at the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington.

The mosque does not have outside security cameras, which might have proved helpful in the investigation.

Mohamed Omar, executive director of the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center, told The Associated Press on Monday that his community doesn't have the money for security cameras.

He also said they didn't receive any threats before Saturday morning's attack or claims of responsibility afterward.

The blast damaged the imam's office across the hall from the worship space.

Officials say witnesses saw someone throw something from a truck or van before the blast and saw a vehicle speed away afterward.

The FBI hasn't said if it has arrested anyone or if it is pursuing any suspects.
Dawn Henry outside the court as she was cleared of handling stolen good and fraud

A woman who tried to pawn a stolen 175,00 violin has been cleared of fraud after telling a court she'd been asked to sell it by a man called Paul who'd just got out of prison.

Dawn Henry, 37, tried to pawn the hundred-year-old instrument which had been taken from Krysia Osostowicz, after she left it outside Brixton tube station and cycled off.

She pleaded not guilty at Inner London Crown Court to knowingly handling the stolen violin and fraud by false representation on July 28, last year.

Prosecutor Matthew Bainbridge told the court it was 7pm when Ms Osostowicz began unlocking her bike outside the tube station.

'She was carrying a violin case and put it down to make it easier to unlock her bike and rode off.

'A few minutes later she realised she had left it behind and despite only being gone a few minutes when she returned the violin had been taken.

'It was her existence, her passion, her livelihood and was irreplaceable to her and the next day she visited local pawn brokers and asked them to keep an eye out for her violin.'

Two days later, Henry tried to sell it at Streatham Cash Converters, but the keen eyed manager realised it may have been stolen goods.

When the case turned out to be locked, Henry told him she had the key in her car but then claimed she could not find it.

Krysia Osostowicz played the 300-year-old violin that she left outside the tube station by mistake after cycling off

The jury were shown CCTV footage of Henry outside the store chatting with an unidentified white male.

'The manager anticipated this was a stolen instrument and called Ms Osostowicz and she gave him permission to break open the case and he sent her pictures of it from her phone.

'The police were called and the defendant was arrested at the store,' added Mr. Bainbridge.

'She said she got it from someone called Paul and he asked her to sell it because he had just got out of prison and had no proof of address and told her she'd get some money.

Henry, 37, told the court she didn't steal it, but agreed to sell it for someone who had 'just got out of prison' and didn't have a fixed address

'She said she did not steal the violin or know it had been stolen.'

In a statement Ms Osostowicz, 56, a professor at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, told the jury: 'I am a professional musician. It is my livelihood and vocation.

'Every violin has a different sound and personality and the owner of a violin becomes very close with the instrument and it is the only one I own.

'I have performed hundreds of concerts with this violin. It has been my personal companion for twenty-one years.

'Losing it was like losing a child and I blamed myself for leaving it. I was tired and it was a disastrous absent-minded moment.

'The practical implications were huge. I would have had to perform concerts with a borrowed instrument and it would have had an effect on my play.'

London-born Ms Osostowicz was taught by legendary Yehudi Menuhin and the violin was manufactured in Venice in 1720 and can be heard on more than thirty of her albums.
A Russian man was refused a job because he 'looks gay' - with bosses claiming his well-groomed appearance suggested he would promote 'non-traditional sexual relations'.

Eduard Myra was rejected for a position at LLC Hardcore, but when he asked for feedback he was told his 'feminine manner' had cost him the job.

During his interview he was also predominantly asked questions about his appearance, rather than his professional experience.

Eduard Myra was rejected for a position at LLC Hardcore, but when he asked for feedback he was told his 'feminine manner' had cost him the job

He sued the nutrition store for 50,000 roubles, the equivalent of 642, but the court awarded him 30,000 roubles.

A controversial law in Russia states that it is illegal to promote homosexuality and LGBT values to children.

The law has been condemned by the European Court of Human Rights and Russian nationals.

This is the letter explaining that Mr Myra had been rejected because of his 'feminine' appearance

Mr Myra told Russian website Medusa: 'I don't know how I can be propagating anything. My clothes are reserved. The only thing that could probably confuse somebody is that my ear is pierced.'

However, the store's director said that he was unsure about how customers would have reacted to Mr Mrya.

He told Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta: 'Our customers are tough guys. If they see [that he is gay] they could be hostile towards him. I wasn't only concerned about the image of the store, I was concerned about this man's health.'
A former police dispatcher and his wife have been accused of repeatedly raping a seven-year-old girl and taking photographs of her naked.

Tyler Bush-Conn, 28, and his wife Talisha Bush-Conn, 27, were both arrested in South Daytona, Florida, on Tuesday after the girl reported the abuse to her grandmother.

Police say the abuse took place both at the couple's home and at the girl's home where the pair looked after her while her mother was at work.

It began in 2016 and was only revealed when the girl told her grandmother about it while visiting her in Alabama.

The girl made the confession about being caught looking at pornography on her grandmother's tablet.

Tyler Bush-Conn, 28, and Talisha Bush-Conn, 27, have been charged with child sex abuse for allegedly repeatedly raping a seven-year-old girl

When asked why she was looking at the explicit images, she told her that Tyler had touched her 'with his hands and with his private parts' and that he sometimes took photographs afterwards.

She later described to police how Tyler would attack her at her home once her mother had left for work, telling her: 'Let's do our thing' once they were alone.

Tyler would tell her once her mother left for work,"let's do our thing"

In police documents obtained by DailyMail.com, the girl recalled in graphic detail how he forced her to perform oral sex on him 'until white stuff came out of his penis'.

He told her to 'chew on it' as he pushed his genitals into her mouth, she said, recalling how she once threw up because of his force.

The little girl told police she remembered it tasted 'hairy'.

During other encounters, Tyler anally raped her on other occasions and stuck his finger 'in her anus', the report claimed.

The girl said his fingernail was once so sharp it caused her to bleed from her backside.

Once the abuse was over, he allegedly photographed her vagina, calling it her 'ya ya'. She also said he took photographs of her bare buttocks.

The girl tried to get out of the abuse by pretending she had headaches but claimed he 'stuck his penis in her anyway'.

Tyler, an army veteran and former cop, tried to silence her by telling her that he would hurt her if she ever told anyone about the abuse.

The little girl described to police how Tyler, who claims he was in the military and later worked for the police, assaulted her. He then told police that his wife was involved in the abuse

The couple have their own children who are not thought to have been abused. Tyler, who told police he 'has a sexual interest in children', carried out some of the attacks in the girl's bedroom after her mother - a friend of his - left for work. His wife took part in at least one attack, police say

Some of the alleged abuse took place in her bedroom with her brother outside. The boy told police he saw Tyler taking her brother in to her bedroom and locking the door.

The other child remained outside watching Free Willy.

Once in custody, Tyler told police he has a sexual interest in children and has done ever since he was 'young'.

Tyler would use his cell phone to take pictures of her "ya ya"..... he told her that if she ever told anyone, he would hurt her

His wife's interview was redacted from police files.

Police sources told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that the girl's mother, who is not facing any charges, was 'shocked, upset and surprised' by her allegations.

The child is known to the couple but they are not related.

Talisha faces four charges. They are sexual battery on a person under 12, lewd and lascivious exhibition,principal to child abuse and neglect of a child.

Tyler is charged with sexual battery against a person under 12 and lewd and lascivious exhibition.

Police are still examining his cell phone and intend to bring more charges relating to the pornographic images they believe it contains.

The couple have been married since 2008 and have children together.
A Bafta-nominated actor has been charged by police after allegedly bursting into a Wetherspoons pub armed with a fake gun.

John McEnery, 73, is accused of storming into the pub in Faversham in Kent with a fake gun.

The actor is famous for starring in Romeo and Juliet (1968), Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) and Merlin (1998).

Actor John McEnery (pictured in the film Black Beauty in 1994) has been charged in connection with storming into a pub with a fake gun

McEnery, who is the younger brother of actor Peter, has now been charged with inciting fear of violence in connection with the incident at the Leading Light pub at 8.30am yesterday morning.

Staff at the Wetherspoon bar called police and armed officers descended on the town centre.

McEnery, who joined the National Theatre company in 1966, was arrested nearby shortly before midday.

He was taken to hospital as a precaution before being taken into custody.

McEnery is reported to be of no fixed abode, but previously lived in a flat in Faversham.

One bystander, who witnessed the scene, said: 'A group of officers went into Wetherspoons.

'There was no shouting or much commotion, but it was a scary situation as people did not know if it was a real weapon or an imitation firearm.'

McEnery was nominated for a Bafta in 1968 for his role as Mercutio in Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet.

Staff at the Wetherspoon bar called police and armed officers descended on the town centre

He later played Russian politician Alexander Kerensky in Nicholas and Alexandra, and took the title role in the 1972 film Bartleby, in which he starred opposite Paul Scofield.

His other film credits include The Land That Time Forgot (1975) and The Krays (1990), in which he played gangster Eddie Pellam.

He is due to appear before Maidstone Magistrates' Court on August 25.
Several teenagers who were involved in a deadly crash after stealing two cars had a whopping 126 arrests between the six of them.

Keontae Brown, 16, Jimmie Goshey, 14, and Dejarae Thomas, 16, died after allegedly racing a stolen car through a red light going 100mph and smashed into another car.

Keontae Brown's younger brother Keondrae, 14, was also in the car but survived after the vehicle was launched into the air before bursting into flames in Palm Harbor, Florida on Sunday morning.

They were allegedly playing a 'cat-and-mouse' game with Kamal Campbell, 18, and Deyon Kaigler, 16, who were in a second stolen car, police said.

The three surviving boys were arrested and could face murder charges over their friends' deaths, as new reports reveal the teenagers had 126 arrests between them.

Police released video from the horrific car accident on Monday, revealing the final moments of three of the boy's lives.

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Keontae Brown, 16, (left) Jimmie Goshey, 14, (center) and Dejarae Thomas, 16, (right) all died after crashing a stolen car in Palm Harbor, Florida, on Sunday

Kamal Campbell, 18, (left) and Deyon Kaigler, 16, (right) were in a second stolen car that didn't crash. Keondrae Brown, 14, (center) survived the first car's accident. Between the six teens, they had 126 arrests

The teens were allegedly playing a 'cat-and-mouse' game when they raced one of the stolen cars through a red light going 100mph and smashed into another car before bursting into flames. Pictured: Wreckage of the horrific crash

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri was frustrated with the city's juvenile system after disclosing the teens' extensive criminal record that included several auto theft charges, reported the Tampa Bay Times.

Campbell, the eldest of the boys, had a total of 27 arrests dating back to 2013 on charges that included armed robbery, cocaine possession and grand theft.

Kaigler had 20 arrests, Thomas had 15, and Keontae Brown had 16 arrests.

Goshey and Keondrae Brown, the group's youngest members at 14 years old, had 27 and 20 arrests, respectively. One of the missing arrests was not provided.

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Gualtieri said the county had 'a serious problem and something else needs to happen,' before proposing that the boys should face more serious charges, such as murder.

Keondrae Brown and Kaigler are being held at a juvenile center for a maximum of 21 days and are both accused of grand theft auto.

Campbell, who is an adult, is being held at a jail on a $25,000 bond.

The three surviving boys were arrested and could face murder charges over their friends' deaths. The crashed Explorer is pictured

Keontae Brown, 16, (bottom left) Goshey, 14, (top left) and Thomas, 16, (right) died around 4am. Keondrae Brown, 14, was also in the car with them, but he survived and was taken to the hospital. He is now being held at a juvenile center

A gas station captured the deadly car crash as a horrified witness stood shocked (pictured)

All six teens had been 'running in tandem' since they stole a Ford Explorer and a Chrysler Sebring on Thursday, Gualtieri said Sunday morning at a press conference.

He called the three teens who died 'prolific offenders' and said the incident was 'an unfortunate continuation of the epidemic of juveniles engaging in the deadly game of auto burglary and auto thefts', WFLA reported.

Adults who knew the boys said they warned them that their reckless behavior would end in tragedy, all before Sunday's accident.

Tina Webber, who is friends with Kaigler's mother, said she cautioned Kaigler and Keontae Brown just last week.

Webber said to the Tampa Bay Times: 'I looked them right in the eye and said, 'Keep stealing cars, and you're going to wind up dead or in prison.

'These kids are going to keep dying, whether they're dying in a car or in prison. Because they're young and dumb and don't know nothing.'

Two other teens were arrested Sunday morning. The six teens had been 'running in tandem' since they stole the Explorer and a Chrysler Sebring on Thursday, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said. Pictured are Keontae Brown (left) and Thomas (right)

Around 4am, just before the crash, a deputy saw the two stolen cars playing a 'cat-and-mouse' game, where the cars would speed up and slow down. Goshey, one of the deceased teens, is pictured

The car was going up to 100mph when it blew through a red light and smashed into another car, launching it into the air and bursting into flames (pictured)

The boys stole the two cars from an auto dealership on Missouri Avenue in Clearwater, police said.

The cars weren't spotted again until around 1am Sunday, but officers were unable to apprehend the drivers. When the officer approached, they drove away and the deputy did not pursue them.

Gualtieri said the sheriff's office does not pursue stolen vehicles.

Police eventually put up a perimeter, but they were unable to find the stolen cars.

Officials claim that before the teens were spotted again at 4am, they smoked marijuana before committing a string of burglaries throughout subdivisions in Safety Harbor and Oldsmar. One of the boys was allegedly armed.

The Explorer (pictured) was going as fast as 100mph when it hit a car driven by a 29-year-old Ricky Melendez. The stolen car then flew into the air, hit a billboard and rolled down the road before it burst into flames

Around 4am, a deputy saw the cars again, this time playing a 'cat-and-mouse' game, Gualtieri said, where the cars would speed up and slow down.

The Explorer was going as fast as 100mph when it ran a red light and hit a car driven by 29-year-old Ricky Melendez at the intersection of US 19 and Tampa Road.

The stolen car then flew into the air, hit a billboard and rolled down the road before it burst into flames.

Melendez was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and is expected to be fine, WTSP reported.

The stolen Sebring was not involved in the crash and drove away from the scene.

The crash happened at the intersection of US 19 and Tampa Road (pictured) when the Explorer ran a red light

A deputy had seen the two stolen vehicles before the crash, around 1am Sunday, but was unable to apprehend the drivers. When he approached, they drove away and the deputy did not pursue them

Campbell and Kaigler, the teens inside the Sebring, eventually abandoned the car and ran on foot.

They were later taken into police custody.

The three deceased teens all have extensive criminal histories, with one who was released from jail as recently as last week.

Gualtieri said the teen in the hospital and the two in custody are expected to be charged, the Bradenton Herald reported.

Pictured: Kamal Campbell's 27 arrests, dating back to September 2013

Pictured: Record of Jimmie Goshey's 27 arrests, dating back to July 2015

Pictured: Keontae Brown's 16 arrests, only starting last year

Pictured: Keondrae Brown's 20 arrests, dating back to December 2013

Pictured: Dejarae Thomas' 15 arrests, dating back to October of last year
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The Royal Navy's new 3billion aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth met up with a convoy of British and US warships as they sailed off the Scottish coast in the North Sea.

A video showed the majestic ship cut through the waves as the USS George HW Bush and her carrier strike group followed, during a break in an exercise.

Other members of the group included the HMS Westminster, HMS Iron Duke, HNOMS Helge Ingstad from Norway, USS Donald Cook and USS Philippine Sea.

HMS Elizabeth, the jewell of the British fleet, has been taking part in a series of war games with her US counterparts as carrier strike skills are honed ahead of her entry into service at Portsmouth in two weeks time.

Military leaders have said the Elizabeth and her sister ship HMS Prince of Wales would mark Britain as a player on the world map, and be able to match the capabilities of the larger fleet of US warships.

Commodore Andrew Betton said the flagship was 'firmly the right thing' for the UK to invest in, given its role as a permanent member of the United Nations security council.

Extensive preparations have been under way at the naval base to accommodate the 280-metre, 65,000-tonne ship, including a dredging operation that unearthed more than 20,000 items including a human skull and sea mines from Portsmouth Harbour.

Aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth (second right) and the USS George H.W. Bush (third right) together with HMS Westminster (right), the HMS Iron Duke (left), the HMNOWS Helge Ingstad (second left), the USS Donald Cook (third left) and the USS Philippine Sea (centre)

U.S. Navy F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornets fly in formation above the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth

An MH-60S Sea Hawk, attached to the 'Tridents' of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9, patrols while the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush

A sailor on the USS George H.W. Bush operates artillery during the war games off the Scottish coast in the North Sea

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) fires the five-inch gun during exercise

Fire Controlman 2nd Class Jaileen Cruz, from Dallas, fires the five-inch gun while conducting a naval surface fire support training evolution aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook

U.K. Carrier Strike Group Commander Cdre. Andrew Betton, OBE, right, shakes hands with Aviation Electrician's Mate 3rd Class Hannahmae Kim

Operations Specialist 3rd Class John Jefferson makes notes aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook

HMS Trenchant submarine & Wildcat HMA2 helicopter operate together during the exercise in the North Sea this week
More than 130 military bases across the US now have the green light to destroy or seize drones that enter their airspace.

While it has been illegal for civilians to pilot drones above US bases since April 2017, the Pentagon has only now given the all-clear for guards on the bases to take them out.

The move comes after strong demand from the military - particularly in the wake of a near-collision earlier year between a drone and a $250 million fighter jet.

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US bases are now authorized to seize or destroy drones. It's been illegal to fly drones over bases since April, but they were treated like manned aircraft so could not be shot sown

The new rules say that military bases can stop the remote-controlled aircraft if they are deemed to be a security risk or pose a hazard to flight operations.

Exactly how they're cleared to do that remains a classified secret, but either destroying or seizing the drones are acceptable, under the new rules.

'The increase of commercial and private drones in the United States has raised our concerns with regards to the safety and security of our installations, aviation safety and the safety of people,' Navy Captain Jeff Davis said.

It's a problem that's only going to get worse as time goes on; the FAA estimates as many as 6.1 million drones in use by 2021.

But there have already been incidents involving drones, as Gen. Mike Holmes, commander of Air Combat Command, explained last month.

Speaking on July 11, he explained how a pilot in a $250 million Lockheed Martin F-22A had almost struck a drone while coming in to land.

He said the 'UAS' - unmanned aerial system - was likely being flown by a hobbyist, but that 'you never know'.

It emerged in July that a drone had almost hit a $250m F-22A fighter jet (one seen in file photo) in the US. They also pose a threat as they can be weaponized with simple armaments

He complained that while the Air Force is allowed to shoot down drones abroad, within the US 'The rules basically are the same if it was a civil aircraft.'

'If it was a civil aircraft I could track it back to where it came from and find that pilot and admonish them or take their license,' he said.

But the radio-controlled drones are harder to trace back to their owners.

'Imagine a world where somebody flies a couple hundred of those and flies one down the intake of my F-22s with just a small weapon on it,' he complained.

It's far from an unrealistic threat. Ukrainian officials say that in March a drone carrying a thermite hand grenade sneaked into a Ukrainian ammo dump and detonated it.

The massive resulting explosion killed one and injured five, and caused a billion dollars' worth of damage, Popular Mechanics reported last month. The incident was blamed on Russia or separatists.

US Air Force encounters with drones abroad have also been in the news lately.

Yesterday it emerged that an unarmed Iranian drone came within just 100 feet of an F/A-18E fighter jet that was coming in to land on the USS Nimitz.

A US official speaking on condition of anonymity, said that despite repeated radio calls to stay clear of the US plane, the Iranian drone 'executed unsafe and unprofessional altitude changes' in the incident.

And in June the US shot down an Iranian drone which it said had been advancing on Coalition forces in Syria.
On the fortieth anniversary of his arrest, the 'Son of Sam' is returning to reveal what lead him to commit the serial killing that held New York City in captive terror for a year, as well as the emotional turmoil he's now experiencing.

In a new interview, convicted serial killer David Berkowitz, 64, said that he now rejects the 'Son of Sam' nickname he made headlines under during his murder and shooting spree that left six people dead and seven wounded between 1976 and 1977.

'As far as Im concerned, that was not me,' Berkowitz said during the interview with CBS News. 'That was not me. Even the name, I hate that name, I despise the name.'

The nickname was lifted from a taunting letter Berkowitz wrote to authorities and left at a crime scene, in which he identified himself as the 'Son of Sam,' whose father, 'Sam,' ordered him to kill.

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On the 40th anniversary of his arrest, convicted serial killer David Berkowitz, 64, talks about what led him to embark on his killing spree and what life has been like while imprisoned during the upcoming 'Son of Sam: The Killer Speaks' news special

Berkowitz was arrested on August 10, 1977, following a massive manhunt from 1976 to 1977

Berkowitz, now a born-again Christian, said that the 'Son of Sam,' was actually 'a demon.'

Berkowitz's murderous rampage through New York occurred at a particularly fraught time for city dwellers, who were already facing a period of financial crisis, brutally hot weather and a city-wide blackout that resulted in massive looting.

Under the 'Son of Sam' and '.44 Caliber Killer' monikers, Berkowitz grabbed daily local and national headlines alike for the shocking, seemingly random and unstoppable shootings  particularly of couples in parked cars and women with shoulder-length brown hair  which appeared to be tied to demonic cult activities.

The act of leaving taunting notes for police at crime scenes and sending letters directly to local media only added fuel to the sensational fire.

Berkowitz was eventually caught during one of the biggest manhunts in New York City history.

Years after the fact, his notorious actions continue to interest the public, spawning movies, including Spike Lee's 'Summer of Sam' and the TV's 'Out of the Darkness,' starring Martin Sheen.

Berkowitz fatally shot six people and wounded seven others during his year-long killing spree

Berkowitz told CBS News that he wants to distance himself from the 'Son of Sam' moniker that was given to him after he identified himself with the name in a taunting letter left for police

Berkowitz has had a long time to reflect over the 40 years since his August 10, 1977 arrest, subsequent trial and sentencing to six consecutive life sentences  one for each of the people he killed.

In the new CBS News interview, Berkowitz, who was 24 when arrested, said that he felt 'isolated' during the time leading up to his arrest, claiming that he had been unaware of the feeling at the time and that he was 'just very lost and confused. There was a battle going on inside me.'

He also admitted to feeling remorse for his actions. He called the shootings, 'a break from reality, thought I was doing something to appease the devil. Im sorry for it.'

When asked what he would tell his younger self before the murders started, Berkowitz said, 'Ugh, turn around before its too late because destruction is coming.'

Berkowitz acknowledged the fact that 'people will never understand where I come from, no matter how much I try to explain it.' He added that, 'They wouldnt understand what it was like to walk in darkness.'

The victims of the 'Son of Sam's' reign of terror David Berkowitz, known as the 'Son of Sam' and the '.44 Caliber Killer' had killed six people and wounded seven others during his year-long serial killing and shooting spree that terrified New York City between 1976 and 1977. Berkowitz was arrested 11 days after his last attack  which left one dead and one wounded  on August 10, 1977, after police traced a parking ticket that had been left on his car in Brooklyn, near the scene of the last shooting. Police arrested him at his home in Yonkers, New York. They were tipped off after his car was ticketed near the scene of his last shooting. The then 24-year-old confessed to the murder and shooting spree. Berkowitz told police that he killed on the orders of a demon who was manifested in the form of a dog named Harvey that was owned by his neighbor named Sam. Berkowitz pleaded guilty in 1978 and was sentenced to six consecutive life sentences, one for each person he killed. Donna Lauria, 18, was killed in the Bronx on July 29, 1976, while exiting a car Donna Lauria, 18 Lauria and her friend, Jody Valenti, 19, were shot in Valenti's car at 1.10am on July 29, 1976 in the Bronx. Berkowitz shot Lauria as she exited the car. She died instantly. Valenti was shot in her thigh and survived. Berkowitz walked away without saying a word. Lauria and Valenti were Berkowitz's first shooting victims. Christine Freund, 26, killed in her fiance's car on January 30, 1977 Christine Freund, 26 (right) Freund and her fiance, John Diel, 30, were sitting in Diel's car at about 12.40am on January 30, 1977 in Queens. Berkowitz shot at them through the car, three times. Diel suffered minor, superficial injuries. Freund was shot twice and died at the hospital. Police discovered the bullet that killed Freund was fired from a .44 caliber revolver, the same caliber as was used previous killings, leading press to dub Berkowitz the '.44 Caliber Killer.' Virginia Voskerichian, 19, killed while walking home from university on March 8, 1977 Virginia Voskerichian, 19 (right) Columbia University student Voskerichian was shot at about 7.30pm on March 8, 1977. She was walking home when Berkowitz jumped out at her and shot her in the head. She was about one block from where she lived when she was shot. She appeared to have raised her textbooks to protect herself, to no avail.

Valentina Suriani, 18, and Alexander Esau, 20, killed in their car on April 18, 1977 Valentina Suriani, 18, and Alexander Esau, 20 (right) Suriani and Esau were each shot twice while sitting in Suriani's car in the Bronx at about 3am on April 17, 1977. Suriani died on the scene. Esau died at the hospital. Berkowitz fired the shots from the driver's side of the car, through the window.

Stacy Moskowitz, 20, killed while in her boyfriend's car on July 31, 1977 Stacy Moskowitz, 20 Moskowitz was with her boyfriend, Robert Violante, in Violante's car in Queens in the early morning of July 31, 1977. Berkowitz approached their car and shot four times at them from a distance of about three feet. He hit them both in the head. Moskowitz died at the hospital. Violante survived his injuries, but was left blind in one eye and with limited vision in the other. Advertisement

In addition to reflecting on his past, the CBS News interview, 'Son of Sam: The Killer Speaks,' airing August 11 at 10pm, delves into what Berkowitz's present is like as a prison inmate who has been behind bars for nearly 40 years.

It appears that, after all the time that's passed since his arrest, Berkowitz's actions are not just old news to new inmates, but not news at all.

He said that, 'Some guys, theyre not even familiar with the case.' To them, he's 'just another face in the crowd.'

During the interview, Berkowitz acknowledged that incarceration has left him in the dust. Everything from cell phones to the internet, is 'space-age stuff to me.'

'Im from the dark ages,' Berkowitz noted. 'You know, when I left, tokens on the subway, you know, yeah?' he said. Subway tokens were last used in New York City in 2003.

In addition to Berkowitz's interview, the special includes firsthand accounts from his shooting victims, as well as the police and reporters who worked the crimes.

Among those interviewed are Robert Violante, who was shot in a parked car alongside his girlfriend, Stacy Moskowitz, who died from her wounds, and NYPD detective Bill Clark, who investigated the case.

Berkowitz's interview was a sit down with WCBS anchor Maurice DuBois, conducted at the Shawangunk Correctional Facility in Wallkill, New York.

According to a CBS media announcement, it is Berkowitz's first major TV interview in 10 years.
A Kansas gym has removed all cable news networks from its television monitors after members started quarreling with one another over US politics.

The removal of networks like Fox News and CNN has angered several members of Element Fitness in Lenexa, who have called it a 'ridciulous' act.

Longtime gym member, Judith Zillner, whose father served in the military, told Fox 4: 'That's not what my dad fought for at all.'

Kansas gym, Element Fitness (pictured), has removed all cable news networks, such as CNN and Fox News, from its television monitors after members started quarreling with one another over US politics

A DailyMail.com request for comment was declined by the gym's manager.

But an employee reportedly told Fox 4 that the new policy is intended to cut down on arguments and drama surrounding politics.

Zillner said that someone told her one of the members 'got up and pulled the plugs' on the TVs.

'I don't like to be obstructed in my own great environment, that I'm paying for,' gym member Leslie Gutierrez said.

She and Zillner both agree that while working out, people should be able to tolerate news and opinion that doesn't match their own views.

'If there's four televisions sets, surely one of them will have something you like. And you shouldn't get to say the other three can't have what the other people like,' Zillner said.
Four suspected illegal immigrants from Iran have been arrested after being found on a beach in Dover.

The group of men were discovered by police and Border Force officers at Shakespeare Beach in Kent in the early hours of this morning.

Kent Police said an investigation has now been launched into the incident.

Four suspected illegal immigrants from Iran have been arrested after being found on Shakespeare Beach in Kent (pictured)

A Border Force spokesman told Kent Online: 'Four men, who presented themselves as Iranian nationals, were arrested by police officers.

'The men were handed to immigration officials and their cases will be progressed in line with the immigration rules.

'Investigations into the incident are continuing.'

A police spokesman confirmed: 'Kent Police was called to Shakespeare Beach in Dover at 7.16am on Tuesday 8 August 2017 following a report of suspected migrants.'
A 22-year-old man has died protecting his gay cousin from a homophobic gunman who opened fire on their group at a restaurant in Florida, shouting: 'I hate all you damned gays'.

Juan Cruz, who was straight, died in his cousin Pedro's arms after being shot outside Las Flores restaurant in Lake Worth on Sunday night.

Nelson Hernandez Mena, 48, has been charged with his murder.

The victim was out celebrating his new job with his cousin and some friends when one man in their group phone exchanged numbers with a man in Mena's group.

Juan Cruz (left) was killed defending his cousin Pedro (right) from a homophobic gunman on Sunday outside a restaurant in Florida

At 1am, after the restaurant closed, both groups went outside where Mena, who had drunk 15-20 beers inside, began hurling homophobic slurs at them.

Pedro claimed he called them 'rats' and said: 'If you were in my country, I'd kill all of you.'

Hernandez-Mena is from Honduras. Prosecutors have not addressed when he entered the US or if he lives in the country legally.

When Juan started to defend his cousin, the 48-year-old pulled out a gun from his waistband and started shooting.

Nelson Hernandez Mena, 48, has been charged with the 22-year-old's murder

Juan pushed Pedro out of his line of fire and was shot.

Exactly how many bullets hit him and where they struck his body is not clear.

Another person was shot in the ankle. They were taken to hospital.

Pedro said his cousin saved his life.

He told DailyMail.com that it happened 'so quickly' and that his cousin will 'always be' his hero.

she said they tooka piece of her heart.

His other cousin Brenda told DailyMail.com he was a 'kind' boy who would always stick up for the LGBT community.

'He was a very kind boy. He was very kind, very brave and he was a very happy boy who was, full of goals and life. He had so many goals in his life.

'The night he went out they went to celebrate his new job as a painter. He was very happy because he was going to be able to do everything legally.

'He had a lot to do. Then that night, happened.'

The men were both out with friends at Las Flores restaurant in Lake Worth, Florida, on Sunday

Juan was celebrating his new job with his friends with a night out. He checked in to the restaurant around an hour before he was shot

She explained that he and Pedro had always been close after growing up together in El Salvador and said that Juan was always the first to comfort him if he was teased about his sexuality.

'He would always defend the gay community because his sister is lesbian and he has cousins that are gay and bisexual. He always said "don't ever let nobody make you feel less than what you are. Always be yourself."

When Mena brandished his gun on Sunday, she said her cousin simply told him to calm down or he would call the police.

Pedro wept as he recalled how his cousin saved his life

'All he said was you cannot say that. He said that we are in the United States and this is the country where anybody can be who they want to be.'

The family is now raising money for his funeral through a GoFundMe page.

Juan's friends paid tribute to him online, describing him as 'such a good person'.

'Too much hate in the world. RIP' said one.

Mena was charged with first degree murder and is facing life behind bars but he has not been charged with a hate crime.

He appeared in court on Monday morning. Juan was single when he died.

Their campaign for his funeral has so far reached $8,000.

After her brother's dead, Juan's sister Nancy Benitez shared a heartbreaking Facebook post detailing her grief.

In Spanish, she wrote: 'I don't know how to cope with this pain. You will always be in our hearts.'

A friend of the victim's said he was happy to have landed a new job. What it was is not clear.

'We took him to cash his check Friday and he bought food and went home. We dropped him off.

'He was going to start a new job with more money. He was so happy,' they said.
Gemmel Moore, 26, was found dead in West Hollywood, CA on July 27

A 26-year-old man was found dead at the home of a well-known Democratic party donor late last month of a drug overdose.

The incident occurred on July 27 around 7.22pm at the West Hollywood home of Ed Buck, a high-profile political activist and wealthy contributor to the California and Los Angeles County Democratic Party.

The Los Angeles County Coroner declared Gemmel Moore's death an 'accident,' due to a 'methamphetamine' overdose, the WeHo Times publication reported.

But Moore's family believes that foul play was involved in the hours between Gemmel's arrival at Buck's home and his fatal overdose.

During a phone interview with the WeHo Times last week, Gemmel Moore's mother, LaTisha Nixon, said that her son had been involved with sex-work for the past few years.

Ed Buck (Pictured) has been a high-profile Democratic donor for decades (Pictured June 2015)

Buck pictured with California Governor Jerry Brown (Pictured November 2010)

'I called one of my sons friends and was like, "who the hell is Edward Buck?'" Nixon said, speaking from her home in Spring Texas. 'And my sons friend was like, "oh my God, thats that white guy, that wealthy white politician guy he was like "oh my God

A one-time registered Republican, Buck began getting involved in Southern California politics in the early 1990s.

Buck became a successful businessman, pioneering in computer technology, specifically in electronic information services, in Arizona before moving to Los Angeles.

He was also a prominent AIDS activist in the community, according to asmartvote.org profile in 2007.

During Nixon's conversation with her son's friend, a darker picture of Moore's life began to emerge, with Buck allegedly playing a role.

'When he calmed down, he told me that Ed Buck was one of my sons clients and that Ed Buck was one of his clients as well,' Nixon said. '[Buck] would have my son to go out to Santa Monica Boulevard looking for young gay black guys so he could inject them with drugs, see their reaction and how [they] would react and take pictures of them.'

Family: Gemmel Moore is pictured here with his sister and his mother, LaTisha Nixon

A phone call place to Buck for comment was not immediately returned. Buck is not a suspect in Gemmel Moore's death or any police investigation at the moment.

Nixon said that investigators with the West Hollywood Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department notified her that no drugs or paraphernalia was found at Buck's home following her son's death.

An unidentified source who claims that he and Gemmel Moore shared Buck as a client told the WeHo Times that the former Buck also supplied him with drugs.

In one account, the anonymous source said that Buck asked him if hed ever 'slammed,' a street term for intravenous meth use.

'I told him no, and that would take more money,' the source said, describing Bucks reaction as 'excited,' adding he seemed to 'get off on getting you higher and higher.'

Nixon told the WeHo Times that her son's troubles may have had their start over a year ago, when he gave her a call in a panic.

'He filed a police report because he said that Buck had held him in his apartment or whatever and had shot him up with a needle with something he didnt know what it was,' Nixon said,

Ed Buck is not a suspect in Moore's death or any other police investigation (Buck pictured here with celebrity dog trainer Cesar Millan in June 2011)

'He called me crying. Three minutes on the phone hollering and Im like "What the hell is going on?"'

'He said "This man, he shot me up with something I dont even know what it is," and Im like, my son is having a breakdown or episode. But he sent me pictures of his arm, his arm was red.'

The WeHo Times reported that at the time of publication, they had yet to obtain a copy of the police report.

No pictures of the alleged red markings on Moore's arms have been produced, said WeHo.

'Gemmel got scared and at the urging of relatives and few close friends who knew of these outrageous encounters; my son came home to me in Texas to get away,' Nixon continued. 'Yes, my son was an adult and didnt live a fairy tale perfect life, but he didnt deserve to die this way.'

Buck in 2015 gave Hillary Clinton $2700 and another $250 a year later, the WeHO Times reported, adding that Buck has also given thousands of dollars to Democratic incumbents in the state.

Other photographs found on his Facebook page show him with celebrities and high-profile California politicians, including Governor Jerry Brown.

The WeHO Times said that it placed numerous phone calls and emails to Buck, all of which has gone unanswered.
A Florida caretaker has been found guilty of attempted murder for beating a 91-year-old World War II veteran with his own oxygen tank after a dispute over money.

Elena Erickson, 47, was also convicted on Friday of aggravated abuse of an elderly person for the May 2016 attack on Michael Tristano.

The victim, now aged 92, testified during Ericksons weeklong trial in Miami.

Caregiver convicted: Elena Erickson, 47 (left), has been convicted of attempted murder and aggravated abuse of an elderly person for beating Michael Tristano (right), 92, with his own portable oxygen tank

Tristano told detectives that Erickson, who had been caring for him for a decade, arrived at his home on May 15, 2016, at around 7.45pm, and the two got into an argument about her pay.

After Tristano refused to give her a blank check, Erickson used a portable oxygen tank and struck him twice in the head while he was sitting in the dining room.

Tristano started bleeding and tried to wrestle the tank away from his caretaker, suffering bruises and cuts on his arms in the process.

After the May 2016 attack, police found blood on a portable oxygen tank similar to the one pictured (file photo)

Erickson eventually gave him paper towels to soak up the blood from his head, but refused to call 911.

Tristano tried to go to the bathroom to access his Life Alert necklace, but Erickson prohibited him from leaving the table, according to an arrest affidavit cited by CBS.

According to Tristano, Erickson hit him two more times around 10.30pm, and used a chair to pin him down on the floor after he fell over.

He drifted in and out of consciousness, and authorities said he was close to death.

Erickson left the next morning and only then called 911 from her home.

She said she found her elderly charge lying in a pool of blood and urine when she arrived at his home and denied any connection to the assault.

Tristano, who served as a gunner and flew 35 combat missions in a B-17 bomber during World War II, suffered a cut over his eye and several lacerations on his head, as well as cuts and bruises on his arms.

Staff at Venice Regional Hospital where the nonagenarian was taken for treatment became suspicious of his injuries and called police, reported Bradenton Herald. When Tristano eventually came to, he identified Erickson as his assailant, resulting in her arrest.

Erickson (pictured left and right in earlier booking photos) refused to call 911 until the following morning. She also pinned Tristano with a chair before leaving

North Port police, which investigated the attack last year, announced the outcome of Ericksons trial on the department's Facebook page on Friday, describing the case as 'very complex' and thanking the victim for his 'fighting spirit.'

'He fought for us and we are proud to have fought for him. #Justice,' the post read.

Elena Erickson is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13.
Anti-tourism protesters dubbed 'crazy extremists' by the Spanish prime minister adorned a visitor centre with spray-painted messages calling for a full-scale demonstration.

In Bilbao, hooded demonstrators sprayed bright red paint across the headquarters of the Basque Country tourist board, just a day leader Mariano Rajoy issued stinging criticism to protesters in Barcelona and Majorca.

Four protesters from the left-wing youth organisation Ernai graffitied the building with anti-tourism slogans in Basque, calling on people to join a demonstration next week.

The group then posted a video of the attack on social media, equating tourism with 'nepotism, exploitation and slavery.'

In Bilbao, in the north of the country, hooded demonstrators sprayed bright red paint across the headquarters of the Basque Country tourist board

The spray-painters were calling on people to join a demonstration next week

The regional government in the Basque Country called the protest an 'unacceptable demonstration of intolerance.'

And the director of the Basque tourist board, Harkaitz Millan, said: 'The perpetrators do not represent Basque society. We cannot allow them to continue sabotage of this sort.

'All they achieve is to damage the image of the Basque Country as a quality tourist destination, and put at risk the jobs of 100,000 Basques.'

It was the first anti-tourist protest carried out in the Basque Country, following a number of incidents in Barcelona and Majorca.

Meanwhile in Majorca, another group targeted holidaymakers' rental cars with stickers.

It was the first anti-tourist protest carried out in the Basque Country, following a number of incidents in Barcelona and Majorca

The activists from the group Arran, which carried out previous protests in Barcelona and Majorca, said they have stuck 1,000 stickers to cars reading: 'This car is unnecessary' and 'Tourism kills Majorca'.

The group said they would continue to target rental cars with the stickers all summer.

Last month members of Arran attacked an open-top tourist bus in Barcelona, slashing tyres and daubing it with graffiti. Others set off smoke flares outside a restaurant in Palma, Majorca.

On Tuesday Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy criticised the activists, calling them 'radical extremists.'

Protesters from the left-wing youth organisation Ernai graffitied the building with anti-tourism slogans in Basque

He said: 'I don't know if we have to receive tourists with placards saying welcome Mr Tourist, but what we can't do is kick those people who come here to spend money.

'That seems to me to be crazy.'

Mr Rajoy said that Spain was the third biggest holiday destination in the world, adding: 'Tourism today employs more than 13 per cent of people who work in Spain, with more than 2.5m Spanish people working in this sector.

'I call for responsibility, good judgement and common sense because this is one of the sectors which is driving the Spanish economy and we must support it and look after it.

'I'm in favour of tourism, of the jobs it creates and I don't like the radical extremists who I believe are growing in number in this country.'
President Donald Trump browbeat a top-ranking lawmaker from his own party on Wednesday after the GOP leader chalked up legislative challenges to Trump's 'excessive expectations.'

Sen. Mitch McConnell told a group of constituents that Republican senators are not 'under-performing' - Trump is assigning them 'artificial deadlines.

As the comments filled the airwaves, Trump punched back at the Kentucky senator on Twitter.

'Senator Mitch McConnell said I had "excessive expectations," but I don't think so. After 7 years of hearing Repeal & Replace, why not done?' he asked.

President Donald Trump browbeat Mitch McConnell, the top-ranking Senate lawmaker from his own party on Wednesday after the GOP leader chalked up legislative challenges to Trump's 'excessive expectations'

McConnell's caucus failed to pass an Obamacare repeal and replace bill before they left town for the August recess.

Trump demanded they stick around through the break and continue working on the bill, even as he made plans to decamp to his property in Bedminster.

With the debate at a standstill, McConnell sent senators home until September.

'Our new president, of course, has not been in this line of work before,' McConnell told a Rotary Club in his home state on Tuesday. 'I think he had excessive expectations about how quickly things happen in the democratic process.'

Trump pledged to repeal his predecessor's signature achievement on Day One and promised an ambitious legislative agenda his first year in office.

A massive tax reform package should have been done by now, based on Trump's initial timetable, and an infrastructure package should have been on the way.

Crucial vote: Arizona senator John McCain killed off the Obamacare repeal by voting against the last-ditch 'skinny repeal' which McConnell had hope he could get through

Changes to the health care system are looking less and less likely this year. Congress must approve appropriations bills to keep the government's lights on and raise the debt ceiling this fall. And Trump still wants a win on taxes before lawmakers leave Washington for the winter holiday.

'Part of the reason I think people think we're under-performing is because of too many artificial deadlines unrelated to the reality of the legislature which may have not been understood,' McConnell said Tuesday.

Republican senators are on defense this month in their districts after the Obamacare repeal disaster that Trump has distanced his administration from.

They spent the end of July haggling over details, but recessed at the beginning of August when it became clear they did not have a consensus.
A British tourist has been left with severe scars after getting a spur-of-the-moment henna tattoo while on holiday in Bulgaria.

Chloe Goodwin, 20, from Swadlincote, bought the floral tattoo while on holiday with her family in Sunny Beach.

She opted for the tattoo on her left forearm, not realising it was black henna, which contains para-phenylenediamine, often found in hair dyes.

Miss Goodwin had the tattoo done at a market stall along the sea front and explained that for the first 10 days or so, it felt fine.

Chloe Goodwin, 20, was on holiday in Bulgaria with her family for two weeks when she decided to get a henna tattoo on the beach

The dye used was black henna, containing harmful para-phenylenediamine, which has burnt her skin and left her with severe scarring

She said: 'It was fine at first, but after 10 or 11 days it started to burn as it faded. When I got back I was given antibiotics after going to the walk-in centre, the doctors and A&E.

'They all told me the same thing; that the black henna ink had given me a chemical burn and it will now be a permanent scar. Now I'm on strong antibiotics and I'm at high risk of getting sepsis. I can't even get my hair dyed anymore.'

Miss Goodwin explained that once the henna started to fade, it became itchy and started to burn. And now, Miss Goodwin has appealed to other people not to make the same mistake as she did and avoid having black henna tattoos.

She said: 'I've made the stupid mistake of having one done and could potentially be scarred for life. I'm on strong antibiotics due to the nasty chemicals that black henna contains, any slight change and 999 have to be called.

Miss Goodwin has appealed to other people not to make the same mistake as she did and avoid having black henna tattoos

'I'm not saying this for attention. This is to warn others of the danger and damage they cause. Don't be fooled into having black henna even if a patch test has been done. I had it on my arm for 11 days before I started to have a reaction; don't make the stupid mistake I did.'

The para-phenylenediamine in black henna can cause blistering of the skin, painful burns and can lead to scarring.

It can also cause the sufferer to have a lifelong sensitivity to para-phenylenediamine, increasing the risk of severe allergic reaction when using hair dyes in the future.

Henna is an ideal way of getting a tattoo, without the long-term implications.

And real henna, not black henna, is perfectly harmless, but the two can be confused.

The NHS has issued guidance to help people tell the two inks apart. Its suggests that simply the colour of the ink is typically a good guide, with black henna, as the name suggests being black in colour, and regular henna being an orange colour, with a red or brown tint to it.

Very dark temporary tattoos should be treated as suspicious and with caution. They also advise anyone considering having a henna or other temporary tattoo to ask for a list of ingredients in the mix. If there is no list, do not allow the product to be used.

It is not guaranteed that black henna will cause a chemical burn.

Signs begin with discomfort in the area, then burning and tingling, eventually leading to painful stinging, swelling, redness and blistering of the skin.

With many cases, like Miss Goodwin's, the sufferer is left with a permanent scarring of the temporary tattoo area.
Girish Dahyabhai Patel, 65, allegedly used a blank document, pre-signed by his mother, and printed a will around it for a 40m stake in the familys palm oil plantation in Malaysia

An accountant forged his dead mothers will and lied about it on oath to get a cut of the familys 160m fortune, a court heard today.

Girish Dahyabhai Patel, 65, allegedly used a blank document, pre-signed by his mother, and printed a will around it for a 40m stake in the familys palm oil plantation in Malaysia.

Patel then lied under oath during High Court proceedings into a family dispute over the will.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court today charged with seven counts of forgery, three counts of fraud by false representation, two counts of perverting the course of justice and destroying a valuable security or document.

Patels mother Prabhavati Dahyabhai Patel died aged 88 in September 2011.

Following an acrimonious falling out with the family in 2009 Patel allegedly forged her last will and testament leaving his brother Yashwant, a New York based doctor, with nothing.

After the family relationships broke down Patel forged a letter stating Yashwant and another brother Suresh had resigned as trustees of their mothers estate had appointed him as a trustee.

Patel, who lives in a gated community near Hampstead Heath, allegedly forged his mothers will to cut his family, originally from Gujarat in India, out of the palm oil business.

Patel then lied under oath during High Court proceedings into a family dispute over the will. Pictured: His mother

A will signed by their mother in 1986 left everything to Yashwant but Patel claimed she had made a new one in 2005, it was said.

During litigation at the High Court in 2015 Patel allegedly lied about forging the will, claiming to be genuine, and put pressure on witnesses.

He is also accused forging a letter stating Suresh had resigned as director of family run property development company Barrowfen Properties.

Patel claimed all the IT equipment at the offices of Barrowfen Properties had been stolen in a burglary so unavailable for examination at the High Court in 2015.

The registered chartered accountant also allegedly destroyed the Register of Members of Barrowfen Properties and knocked up a fake one.

Patel, who also sits as an arbitrator in disputes, allegedly removed entries showing Bedford Development Ltd were members.

He deleted information showing that Bedford Development held shares in Barrowfen Properties, it is claimed.

Patel, who has offices in north Acton and splits his time between the UK, the UAE and Singapore, also allegedly drew up a forged letter recording Trustees Resolutions.

Patel appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court today charged with seven counts of forgery, three counts of fraud by false representation, two counts of perverting the course of justice and destroying a valuable security or document

Wearing a black suit and purple tie the grey haired Patel, flanked by four members of his legal team, only spoke to confirm his name during the short hearing.

District Judge John Zani sent the case to be heard at the crown court.

You have to get yourself to Southwark Crown Court on 6 September at 9:30 in the morning unless otherwise informed, he said.

Patel, from Highgate is charged with five counts of making a false instrument with intent it be accepted as genuine, two counts of using a false instrument with intent it be accepted as genuine, three counts of fraud by false representation, two counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of destroying a valuable security or document.

He will next appear for a plea and trial preparation hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 6 September.
An Oregon court was shocked last month when a man sparked up a marijuana cigarette in the middle of a homicide hearing.

The thirtysomething man was in the public gallery when plumes of weed smoke began to rise in the courthouse.

'Never have I seen anything like that,' Multnomah County Circuit Judge Cheryl Albrecht, who has been overseeing cases for 16 years, told Oregon Live.

Scroll down for video

Smokey bandit: A thirtysomething man (seen center, in black jacket, being pointed at by a deputy) was ejected from an Oregon court on July 21 for lighting a joint during a court case

Shock: Local officials, including presiding judge Cheryl Albrecht (left) were shocked by the incident. The man (seen right entering court) wasn't cited in order to get him out quicker

The court was in session regarding the shooting death of a 17-year-old boy in an Oregon Park when Courthouse Deputy Chris Payne spotted the smoke clouds.

'I said, "Sir, you need to leave the courthouse now,"' Payne said.

'He said, "Why?" I said, "You can't smoke marijuana in public." And he said, "Oh, you can't?"

The man - who 'showed signs of being high' - seemed genuinely surprised to learn that, Payne said.

Oregon legalized recreational marijuana use for over-21s in 2015, but under state law it cannot be smoked in a public place.

That includes parks, bars, restaurants - and courtrooms.

Albrecht said she saw the commotion and the man being ejected from her court, but wasn't sure why.

At least, not at first.

'A couple of minutes later, I just smelled this strong smell of marijuana, and I don't know where it's coming from,' she said.

'I look at the detective on the stand and think "It's not him." And I look at my clerk, and I know it's not her.'

Fuss: The court (pictured as the man was being told off) was in session regarding a murder case when the incident occurred

She found out what had happened during a recess.

Deputies didn't ask for the mans name or give him a citation, saying they were just concerned with getting him out of the room so the case could continue.

''To me, that guy is living proof that marijuana makes you stupid,' Alicia Hercher, an attorney for one of the murder defendants, said.

'It's absolutely advertising for not smoking weed.'

Since the bizarre incident, talk of the man's outlandish behavior has 'astonished a broad cross-section of seen-it-all lawyers, judges, deputies and court staff,' Oregon Live reported.
New York City's rodent problem is so bad, residents are claiming the brazen rats are jumping in strollers in Manhattan.

The pesky creatures have been menacing parents, nannies and children at parks on the Upper West Side.

Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal said parkgoers are having the most trouble as hungry rats try to steal snacks from babies sitting in their strollers.

'They said that the rats jump into the strollers, so they're very brazen,' Rosenthal told CBS NY.

New York City's rodent problem is so bad, residents are claiming the brazen rats are jumping in strollers in Manhattan. This particular rat was seen running around in a sandbox at the Neufeld Playground in Riverside Park

The pesky creatures have been menacing parents and children on the Upper West Side, with some trying to steal snacks from babies by getting into strollers

There are about 2 million rats in New York City and a number of them them can be seen scavenging for food at the Diana Ross playground (file image) in Central Park and Neufeld Playground in Riverside Park

'There's rats everywhere,' one resident in the area told CBS. The uptick in rat sightings in broad daylight and near areas frequently visited by people have occurred in Central Park and Riverside Park.

There are about 2 million rats in New York City and a number of them them can be seen scavenging for food at the Diana Ross playground in Central Park and Neufeld Playground in Riverside Park.

'If you come towards the afternoon you see a lot of them running when it's getting darker outside it's kind of gross,' Lucy Torres told Fox 5 NY.

One mother who was visiting Neufeld Playground recorded video of one of the pesky critters running around in a sandbox.

Karen Messing told the station that the rats pose a 'safety concern' to children in the parks, who could get bitten by them.

'They're emboldened, they're all over the parks it's broad daylight, the playgrounds are full and the rats are running around,' she said.

The New York City Parks Department told DailyMail.com that they are 'diligently working to address rodents in parks, including deploying 90 big belly trash cans'.

According to the department, the big belly trash cans were provided by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and will be placed in Manhattan and the Bronx.

More than 20 big belly cans are expected to be deployed to Riverside Park by the fall.

In the future, the department said they will move forward with using dry ice in some cases.

The uptick in rat sightings in broad daylight and near areas frequently visited by people have occurred in Central Park and Riverside Park. State Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (right) has secured about $80,000 in funding for Big Belly trash cans that will be placed in Riverside Park

Part of the rat issue stems from playgrounds having 'old wire trash cans, which rats can easily get inside'

The department told the DailyMail.com that they don't use poisonous bait between March through August out of concern for the safety of fledgling raptors in the area.

'The reported increase in sightings is likely due to the baiting hiatus,' the department said.

In the meantime, the agency has increased trash pickups in Riverside Park and laid more mechanical traps.

On a case-by-case basis, the Parks department is planning a possible 'bleach spraying and looking at reducing the number of trash cans available as a way to reduce the presence of trash'.

Recently, two rat burrows were found at the Billy Johnson playground and were 'addressed by collapsing them'.

In July, Mayor Bill de Blasion said the city will spend $32 million to reduce the rat population by 70 per cent.

The places of concentration include the Grand Concourse area of the Bronx; Chinatown, the East Village and the Lower East Side in Manhattan; and the Bushwick and Bedford-Stuyvesant areas of Brooklyn.

But the plan focuses on using new trash cans, but it doesn't include the parks uptown.

The Sanitation Department is looking to replace wire trash cans with rat-proof solar compactors and steel cans similar to the ones above

The Sanitation Department will replace wire trash cans with rat-proof solar compactors and steel cans. The city also plans to cement basement floors in public housing.

Rosenthal told Fox that part of the rat problem stems from playgrounds having 'old wire trash cans, which rats can easily get inside'.

The assemblywoman has secured about $80,000 in funding for Big Belly trash cans that will be placed in Riverside Park, but it could still be months before they are deployed.

The Parks department also encouraged residents of the city to help their efforts.

'To help us with our efforts, its important to note that depriving them of food is key; we encourage New Yorkers to properly dispose their trash.'

There have not been any reports of children being bitten by a rat in a park.
A man and woman inside a 'Weed World' van have been arrested after police found $98,000 of marijuana-infused snacks inside.

Robin Moss, 51, and from Birmingham, Alabama, and Bradley Griggs, 36, were arrested after police looked inside her conspicuous vehicle on Saturday night.

She had parked it on North State Street near the Chicago, Illinois, park where the Lollapalooza music festival was being held.

The woman, who was drinking a can of Coors Light beer when she was taken in to custody, made no attempt to disguise the van's contents.

Police found $98,000 worth of marijuana-infused treats inside this Weed World Candies van that was parked near the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago on Saturday

Weed World Candies is a national business which drives around the country selling marijuana and hemp infused lollipops.

Its supporters are campaigning for marijuana to be legalized across the country.

Marijuana is illegal in Illinois and anyone caught carrying large amounts of it to sell can face up to 60 years in jail and a $200,000 fine.

When police searched the van on Saturday, there were more than 5,000 grams of the drug inside.

They discovered a trove of snacks inside including bags which contained green paste.

Robin Moss, 51, and Bradley Griggs, 36, were charged with felony drug possession and distribution

Weed World Candies sells marijuana-infused lollipops and other snacks. Police found more than 5,000 grams of it inside

There were pot-laced lollipops, brownies, Rice Krispie treats.

The van was emblazoned with images of lollipops and other treats on the side.

A large slogan reading 'don't smoke the van' was also printed on its body.

The company delivers to customs and says it is open '7 days a week, 420 days a year'.

There was no answer on the company's listed phone number on Wednesday when DailyMail.com tried to make contact with its bosses.

It is not clear whether they will pay Moss or Griggs' legal fees.

Both were held in custody on a $50,000 bond each on Sunday and face felony charges.
A 17-year-old high school graduate died while out rock climbing in Colorado soon after posting a selfie to his Instagram page.

Carter Christensen of Maple Grove, Minnesota died after falling from the First Flatiron on Sunday afternoon.

The Boulder County Sheriff's Office said Christensen was free-soloing and climbing alone, without the use of ropes or any kind of climbing gear.

Carter Christensen, 17, was climbing without ropes when he slipped and fell from the First Flatiron rock formation in Boulder's Chautauqua Park, Colorado

Although nobody witnessed the fall, hikers who were in the area heard the boy hit the ground and tried to help him.

It's estimated he fell more than 100 feet and suffered 'massive traumatic injuries' when he hit the ground.

Rescuers discovered Christensen near the bottom of the First Flatiron, in Boulder's Chautauqua Park, where he was not breathing and without a pulse. He was declared dead at the scene.

The fateful photo Christensen posted to his Instagram account took place minutes before the fall, although investigators are not sure if the taking of the selfie was in any way related to the accident.

The Flatirons are popular places to climb near Boulder and not particularly hard to summit, but without climbing gear the challenge is much harder

The sheriff's office said although he didn't have any climbing-specific equipment with him, he did have a small amount of camping and outdoor survival gear with him.

He posted an image on social media depicting a vantage point near the top of the First Flatiron minutes before he slipped.

Christensen was visiting friends in Longmont, Colorado before enlisting in the Navy with hopes of becoming a Navy SEAL.

'Carter was a lover of the outdoors and an adventurous spirit and was experiencing joy in summiting the First Flatiron in Chautauqua Park,' the family said in its statement. 'Carter will be loved and missed by all of his family and friends.'

Given that the Flatirons are low angle with few hand and foot holds, it is essentially slab climbing, climbers use friction on the ball of their feet to climb. Proper slab climbing technique is important to keep from slipping off the rock

'He was definitely a native,' Christensen's friend Michael Kelly said Wednesday to Daily Camera. 'I don't know how to explain it. He knew the mountains better than anyone. He loved those mountains.'

'It's a terrible way for such a young man to go, but I know that if there is any way he wanted to go, it would have been like this,' Kelly said. 'He died in a place he loved, doing what he loved.'

'Whenever we went out camping or hiking, he was always leading the pack,' Kelly continued, paying tribute to his friend. 'He was one of a kind. You meet so many fake people, but he was the most real person you could meet. He was so driven by what he wanted to do. When he set his mind to something, he achieved it.'
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker spent nearly 24,000 on a private jet for a one-night trip to Rome, it was revealed yesterday.

The visit  funded by EU taxpayers  was just one example of outrageous spending as the Commissions expenses were released for the first time.

The claims for the first two months of last year ran to almost 450,000 on 261 official trips  8,000 per month for each of the 28 unelected commissioners.

Campaigners have fought for two years for access to the expenses of the unelected commissioners, but the EU has released just two months worth.

Jean-Claude Juncker in Rome this year for the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. Last year, he spent 24,000 on travel for a one-night trip to the city

Jean-Claude Juncker arrives at Wattay airport to attend the 9th summit Asia-Europe in 2012, while he was Prime Minister of Luxembourg

The European Commission is refusing to disclose other expenses due to the excessive administrative burden  claiming it is already one of the most controlled organisations in the world.

A large chunk of the money was spent on chartered private plane trips  including Mr Junckers 26,351 euros (23,815) for a trip to the Italian capital from the commissions Brussels base in February last year.

The commission said such air taxis can be used if no commercial flights are available that fit a commissioners schedule.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini made the most expensive trip, spending 77,118 euros (69,695) going from Belgium to Baku in Azerbaijan

The commission said such air taxis can be used if no commercial flights are available that fit a commissioners schedule.

But there are six daily commercial flights between the Belgian capital and Rome, plus another flight from nearby Brussels South Charleroi airport.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini made the most expensive trip, spending 77,118 euros (69,695) going from Belgium to Baku in Azerbaijan.

Jean-Claude Juncker spent 24,000 on a one-night trip, while the biggest bill was from Federica Mogherini whose flight to Baku from Brussels cost 69,695

This included the cost of a chartered plane for a delegation of six to eight, which then travelled to another summit in Armenia before returning to Brussels.

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage branded the claims outrageous.

The MEP said: Juncker spending 27,000 euros on a private jet at taxpayers expense is clearly over the top especially when many normal flights are available.

I suppose these junket expenses are all part of the make-believe Brexit bill which these commissioners have plucked out of thin air and trying to extort from our Government.

The most expensive overnight stay, in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, cost 629 euros (568). A trip by Christos Stylianides, the commissioner for humanitarian aid, that stopped off at countries including Somalia and Turkey set taxpayers back 11,000 euros (9,940).

Project fear? Everybody wants to trade with the UK Nearly all of the countries that Remain campaigners said would not want to trade with Britain post-Brexit have called for deeper trade links. Of the 111 countries that Project Fear campaigners said would not want a deal if the UK chose to leave the EU, 105 have signalled that they want to work with Britain. In the build-up to last years EU referendum, the official Britain Stronger in Europe campaign claimed that the countries would have moved on after Brexit. But campaign group Change Britain found that eight nations have enthusiastically asked for a free-trade deal with the UK, 97 have said they want a deal in principle, and just six have not yet said whether they are interested in a deal. Change Britain supporter and former trade minister Lord Jones of Birmingham said: This report demonstrates that the pro EU Project Fear campaign was nonsense. The UK has the worlds fifth largest economy, the worlds leading financial centre and many of its best companies, innovators and universities. The rest of the world is queuing up to do trade deals with us. Advertisement

And Britains commissioner Jonathan Hill spent almost 3,500 euros (3,165) on flights, hotels and food and drink for a two-day trip to Davos in Switzerland.

The documents revealed that the commissioners from the 27 EU nations other than Britain ran up an expenses bill of nearly 500,000 euros (452,770) in January and February last year.

Commission spokesman Mina Andreeva said Mr Junckers jet had been chartered because there was no viable commercial plane available that would fit the presidents agenda and the flight cost 2,927 euros (2,650) for each of the nine-person delegation.

She said the flights on air taxis involved hard work such as reading documents with your files and marking them, adding: So I think you will be disappointed as to the travelling experience.

Asked if the cost of the flights would be included in the so-called divorce bill Britain is being asked to pay to settle budget commitments, she replied: The flights are part of the yearly budget that the commission has and that is audited and there is an administrative section so its within this section that we can spend travel expenses and this is outlined in the yearly budget.

She also denied that there was a Brexit bill, saying: There are outstanding commitments that need to be paid and this is part of the negotiations.

The European Commission is demanding Britain pays a financial settlement for leaving the EU of up to 100billion euros. The travel is paid out of the EU budget, of which it has been estimated Britain provides 12.5 per cent.

Travelling commissioners have accommodation covered, as well as getting a daily subsistence fee to cover food if they spend more than six hours out of Belgium. Mr Juncker claimed about 500 euros (450) for his room in Rome.

He also claimed nearly 2,000 euros(1,807) for a trip to Berlin, which can cost as little as 25 euros (23) on a budget airline.

Mr Juncker, whose salary is 324,377 euros (293,204), also submitted 48 euros (43) in daily allowances to attend a meeting in Germany. Neven Mimica, commissioner for international co-operation, went to Burkina Faso at a cost of 8,000 euros (7,233).

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage branded the claims outrageous. Above, Farage with Juncker earlier this year

And a four-day trip to Guatemala cost more than 10,000 euros (9,040). The commissioners are each paid between 18,000 and 21,700 a month.

Helen Darbishire, of transparency group Access Info Europe which campaigned to see the travel claims, said that the release of just two months expenses was a token gesture.

She added: The real cost here is not the cost of processing data, but rather its the cost to the credibility of and trust in the European Commission when it refuses to publish basic information about the spending of taxpayers funds.

What the EU commissioners spent on their jolly junkets

Austria's Johannes Hahn, commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy spent 19,547.69 (21,626.21 Euros), with 2,645.68 (2,927 Euros) of that with a travel agency to visit Strasbourg and London.

Belgium's Marianne Thysson, commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, spent 6,671.92 (7,381.35 Euros) on her two months worth of trips, with around 1,807.78 (nearly 2,000 Euros) on a trip to the European People's Party in Bratislava.

Britain's Jonathan Hill, commissioner for Financial Stability, spending 8011.69 (8,863.58 Euros), including more than 2,711 (approximately 3,000 Euros) on a trip between Zurich and London.

Left to right, Austria's Johannes Hahn, Belgium's Marianne Thysson, Britain's Jonathan Hill

Bulgaria's Krisalina Georgieva, a former commissioner for the budget, claimed more than 20,700 (around 23,000 Euros).

Croatia's Neven Mimica, commissioner for International Cooperation claimed 8518.25 (9,424 Euros) for a trip to Guatemala in his total of 23301.83 (25,779.53 Euros).

Cyprus' Christos Stylianides, commissioner for Humanitarian aid and Crisis Management, claimed 23397.62 (25,885.50 Euros) and racked up around 6,300 (approximately 7,000 Euros) bill during an eight-day trip.

The Czech Republic's Vera Jouvera, commissioner for Justice, Consumers, and Gender Equality took a two day mission to Bucharest, costing more than 1,800 (around 2,000 Euros) and spent 6723.01 (7,437.87 Euros) in total.

Left to right: Croatia's Neven Mimica, Cyprus' Christos Stylianides, The Czech Republic's Vera Jouvera

Denmark's Margrethe Vestager, commissioner for Competition, claimed more than 4,500 (around 5,000 Euros) to speak at the Global Women's forum in Dubai, and racked up expenses of 10123.65 (11,200.10 Euros).

Estonia's Andrus Ansip, commissioner for the Digital Single Market, claimed 5714.76 (6,322.41 Euros) with a three-day trip to Strasbourg and Davos costing just over 900 (1,000 Euros).

Finnish Jyrki Katainen, the Vice-President for Jobs and Growth, claimed nearly 9,500 (10,500 Euros), with a four day mission to the USA costing 3593.86 (3,976 Euros).

Left to right: Denmark's Margrethe Vestager, Estonia's Andrus Ansip, Finnish Jyrki Katainen

France's Pierre Moscovici, commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs claimed 7965.72 (8,812.72 Euros), with nearly 3163.61 (3,500 Euros) of that on a G20 finance meeting in Shanghai.

Germany's Gunther Oettinger, commissioner for Budget spent more than 1,800 (more than 2,000 Euros) in one week on meetings in Germany, and claimed 12522.48 (13,854 Euros) in total.

Greek Dimitris Avromopoulos, commissioner for Home Affairs, claimed nearly 18,077 (nearly 20,000 Euros), including a three-day trip to the USA and the Amsterdam costing 5,958.44 (6,592 Euros).

Left to right: France's Pierre Moscovici, Germany's Gunther Oettinger, Greek Dimitris Avromopoulos

Hungarian Tibor Navracsics, commissioner for Education, claimed 6,693.49 (7,405.21 Euros), with a European Parliament session costing 1,521.25 (1,683 Euros).

Ireland's Phil Hogan, commissioner for Agriculture, claimed a huge 15,584.67 (17,241.80 Euros) including a week-long visit to Mexico and Columbia, costing just over 7,200 (more than 8,000 Euros).

Italy's Federica Mogherini spent the largest amount in a single trip and in the two months, claimed 91,065.92 (100,749 Euros). On a two-day trip in Amsterdam and Armenia she spent nearly 51,500 (around 57,000 Euro).

Left to right: Hungarian Tibor Navracsics, Ireland's Phil Hogan, Latvia's Valdis Dombrovskis

Latvia's Valdis Dombrovskis, the commissioner for the Euro, claimed 6747.98 (7,465.50 Euros), including nearly 1,700 (around 1,900 Euros) on an EU Parliament meeting.

Lithuania's Vytenis Andriukaitis, commissioner for health and food safety, claimed 15420.31 (17,059.96 Euros), with an overnight trip to Geneva billing the EU 3079.55 (3,407 Euros).

From Luxembourg, Jean-Claude Juncker, current President, claimed 27026.53 (29,900.27 Euros). He only made six claims but they hit the high value when he added his 16,200 (about 18,000 Euros) private jet.

Left to right: Jean-Claude Juncker, current President, and Federica Mogherini, two of the highest claimants

Left to right: Karmenu Vella, Kristalina Georgieva, Vytenis Andriukaitis

Malta's Karmenu Vella, commissioner for environment, claimed 11973.45 (13,246.59 Euros) in the two months covered by the release.

Netherlands' Frans Timmermans, Commissioner for Better Regulation, claimed 6313.57 (6,984.90 Euros) in the two months expenses released by the EU.

Polish Elzbieta Bienkowska, commissioner for Internal Market, claimed 10331.09 (11,429.60) Euros in the two months, including more than 310 (350 Euros) a day in allowances in London and Copenhagen.

Left to right: Romania's Corina Cretu, Malta's Karmenu Vella, Slovakia's Maros Sefcovic

Portuguese Carlos Moedas, commissioner for Research and Science, spent 12111.75 (13,399.60) Euros, including a modest 573.97 (635 Euros) to fly to Tel Aviv.

Romania's Corina Cretu, commissioner for Regional Policy, claimed more than 9,000 (around 10,000 Euros), with 2,700 (3,000 Euros) of that on a two-day trip to Finland.

Left to right: Netherlands' Frans Timmermans, Polish Elzbieta Bienkowska, Portuguese Carlos Moedas

Slovakia's Maros Sefcovic, Vice-President of the commission for the Energy Union, claimed more than 18,620 (20,600 Euros) and claimed for 5472.14 (6,054 Euros) for a three-day trip to Oslo.

Slovenia's Violeta Bulc, commissioner for Transport, spent 3144.63 (3,479 Euros) at a three-day civil aviation summit and claimed more than 9310 (10,300 Euros) overall.

Spain's Miguel Arias Canete, commissioner for Energy and Climate Action, had three days of meetings in Turkey, Madrid and Strasboug costing 3921.07 (4,338 Euros), and claimed 15768.43 (17,445.09 Euros) overall.

Sweden's Cecelia Malmstrom, commissioner for trade, claimed more than 9,000 (10,000 Euros) and managed to rack up 1697.50 (1,878 Euros) in one day in Vienna.
Australian drug mule Cassie Sainsbury will stand trial and face 30 years behind bars for trying to smuggle cocaine out of Colombia after a judge rejected her plea deal.

The 22-year-old, who was pictured laughing with her mother just moments earlier, burst into tears as she was led handcuffed out of the Bogota court by prison officers.

She had previously agreed to reveal the identities of those involved in a smuggling ring in exchange for a sentence reduction from 20 to six years at El Buen Pastor jail.

But Judge Sergio Leon suspended an earlier hearing after Sainsbury said she'd only agreed to try and smuggle almost six kilograms of cocaine in her luggage when her family had been threatened.

She doubled down on those claims in court on Wednesday afternoon local time, saying she had been held at gunpoint and feared for her life.

Australian drug mule 'Cocaine Cassie' Sainsbury has had a plea deal to reduce her sentence to just six years rejected. She will now stand trial and face up to 30 years behind bars

The 22-year-old was pictured laughing with her mother inside court, but burst into tears when she realised the enormity of the situation and was led back to prison

The Adelaide woman was caught at Bogota's international airport in April trying to smuggle 5.8 kilograms of cocaine to Australia. She claims she was threatened at gunpoint

As she arrived at court in Bogota on Thursday (AEST), her lawyer Orlando Herran told reporters that Sainsbury was maintaining her story that her family was under threat.

'As the defence, we don't have the resources of the prosecution,' Mr Herran told Fairfax outside the court.

'At the moment, we only have Cassandra's words about the threat.

'Cassandra doesn't have the personal resources for a private investigator to prove the threat.'

Sainsbury was supported in court by mother Lisa Evans and fiance Scott Broadbridge, as well as Australian consular officials.

She told the court she initially thought she was carrying documents for someone in exchange for $10,000, but was later forced to carry drugs after being threatened at gunpoint, News Corp reported.

With the plea deal out the window, Sainsbury will now have to prove to a court she was threatened.

The Adelaide woman was caught at Bogota's international airport in April trying to smuggle 5.8 kilograms of cocaine to Australia hidden inside 18 separate packages of headphones.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said consular staff were at the court providing Sainsbury with assistance.

'It is a strong message to all Australians travelling overseas,' she told the Seven Network.

'You have to abide by the laws of the country you are visiting.'

Sainsbury had earlier agreed to reveal the identities of those involved in a drug smuggling ring in exchange for a sentence reduction from 20 to six years

Sainsbury and her family have maintained her innocence ever since her arrest on April 12, providing various different stories to explain her being caught with the drugs.

Colombian authorities are desperate to know how and why the drugs came to be in her possession and will not budge on a plea bargain without the information.

They are also keen to find out just who was the mystery person who purchased a plane ticket on Sainsbury's behalf from China to Colombia.

However, her legal team resisted demands for her to become an informant because it could put her in life danger from the cartel that hired her.

Senior Colombian narcotics police believed Sainsbury was too far down the food chain to be at significant risk.

But corruption and violence are rife within El Buen Pastor and the blonde alleged former prostitute has already been moved several times for her safety.

She is now housed in a separate wing reserved for foreign prisoners and those awaiting extradition.

Colombian authorities are desperate to know how and why the drugs came to be in her possession and will not budge on a plea bargain without the information




Dark Sky New Mexico has planned its second star party for observers and astroimagers for October 1314, 2017, in Animas, New Mexico. As astronomy enthusiasts know, enjoying a world-class dark sky is increasingly hard for the majority of people in the world. In the United States, about 80 percent of the population lives in places where it cannot see the Milky Way. Thats a sad state of affairs, and so truly dark sky star parties like this one are becoming far more important to those who want to observe, image, and enjoy star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies.

The two-day star party is organized by Dark Sky New Mexico, a group promoting dark-sky astronomy and offering observatory sites, telescope pads, and opportunities to visit for on-site observing and imaging as well as remote, robotic telescope access.

Ive been all around the astronomy world, and trust me  the skies here are among the very best in the United States. It is magnificently dark in this area. With the telescopes on hand and these skies, theres essentially nothing you cant observe or image. It is truly an astronomers paradise.

The star party will offer not only dark skies for viewing and imaging, but talks by astronomers including Astronomy Magazine Senior Editor Michael Bakich and myself. We will be on hand and will spend time with everyone at the party, observing and sharing info about deep-sky objects and all manner of astronomical topics. There will also be expert imagers on hand to discuss photography from the site. And the event will be cosponsored by The Albuquerque Astronomical Society, members of which will be on hand with telescopes for optical viewing.

On Friday, October 13, attendees will arrive and check into their hotels, well have a welcome ceremony, conduct a tour of the observatories on site, and get right into dark-sky observing.

The following day, Saturday, will feature a fuller program. Well have an optional tour to the Chiricahua Desert Museum, a lunch, six lectures throughout the morning and afternoon  including some by Bakich and Eicher  and breaks with solar observing on site. Well then have a lecture in which Bakich will describe the night sky and featured objects in detail, after which well have a long night of observing and imaging, interrupted only by door prize giveaways.

If you have not observed under a really dark sky, I encourage you to come to this star party. It will change the way you see the universe. If you are looking for a place for a remote telescope you can use for imaging, it would be very difficult to think of a better site. Join us, check out the site, and see what you think. Youll be blown away.

Not only is the DSNM site remote and world-class in terms of sky quality, but its also accessible. Animas is a 2-1/2-hour drive from Tucson, El Paso, or Las Cruces. Its a 4-hour drive from Phoenix. Its a 4-1/2-hour drive from Albuquerque. A relatively short drive to go from a bustling city to a world-class sky? Thats a dream for amateur astronomers the world over. This fall, you can make that dream a reality.

For more on the star party and to register, see https://darkskynewmexico.com/blog/2017/8/1/registration

Ill see you in New Mexico this fall!

Details follow:

America's Darkest Sky Star Party

Animas, New Mexico, October 1314, 2017

Join Astronomy magazine editors, authors, and well-known deep-sky observers Dave Eicher and Michael Bakich for a 2-day star party and seminar in Animas, New Mexico hosted by Dark Sky New Mexico (DSNM) and The Albuquerque Astronomical Society (TAAS). This event will include dark sky observing under the best sky in the United States, viewing deep-sky treasures through a variety of telescopes, and a daylong seminar of exclusive talks from Eicher and Bakich.





FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017 - 6:30 pm to midnight

(Moon sets-3:08 pm|Sunset6:46 pm|Astronomical Twilight-8:06 pm|Moon rises-1:08 am)

Dark Sky New Mexico - Washburn Road, Animas NM

6:30  7:00 pm Arrival/Check-in

7:00  7:30 pm Welcome

7:30 - 8:30 pm On-site Observatories tour

8:30  9:00 pm Star & Constellation Tour (Michael Bakich)

9:00  midnight Dark Sky Observing (TAAS members)







SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017 - 10:00 am - midnight

(Moon sets-3:54 pm|Sunset6:44 pm|Astronomical Twilight-8:05 pm|Moon rises-2:10 am)

Chiricahua Desert Museum - NM-80 & Portal Road, Rodeo, NM

10:00  11:00 am Optional Tour  Chiricahua Desert Museum

Animas Community Center - 21 Maverick Road, Animas, NM

11:30 - 12:30 pm Lunch

12:30 - 1:00 Guest Speaker/Lecture pm #1

1:00 - 1:30 pm Guest Speaker/Lecture #2

1:30 - 2:00 pm Guest Speaker/Lecture #3

2:00 - 2:30 pm Break/Solar Observing (TAAS)

2:30 - 3:00 pm Guest Speaker/Lecture #4

3:00 - 3:30 pm Guest Speaker/Lecture #5

3:30 - 4:00 pm Guest Speaker/Lecture #6

Dark Sky New Mexico - Washburn Road, Animas NM

7:00 - 8:00 pm Supper

8:00 - 8:30 pm Michael Bakich/Lecture #7  The Twilight Sky

8:30  Midnight Dark Sky Observing (TAAS members)

10:00 pm Door Prizes

Hotel accommodations are available in nearby Lordsburg, New Mexico.
A Texas woman has been charged with two separate road rage incidents after police were given a photo of her apparently brandishing a gun at another driver.

Amanda Downs, 25, of Baytown, is accused of the pair of bizarre threats - the earliest in July - in which she allegedly threatened other drivers with the weapon.

The latest incident occurred on State Highway 225 on August 2, when Downs was apparently snapped waving a gun out of the window of her red Silverado pickup, La Porte Police Department said in a statement.

Amanda Downs (left) has been arrested after allegedly pointing a gun at people in two separate road rage incidents. One alleged incident, from August 2, was photographed (right)

After being given the photo, 'the LPPD Criminal Investigations Division recognized the case was nearly identical to a previously reported case and immediately went to work,' the statement said.

Detectives canvased the area for two days, eventually finding Downs and her pickup in an industrial estate.

Down confessed to both incidents, police said, and handed over what appeared to be a gun but turned out to be a 'large folding knife' shaped like a firearm.

Harris County District Attorneys Office has charged her with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

'The La Porte Police Department wants to remind the motoring public that Road Rage can quickly escalate to the point where a person is seriously injured or killed,' the statement said.

'If you are a victim of Road Rage, call 911 and immediately begin driving toward the nearest police station or public place.'

The news of Downs' arrest came the same day that police in Dallas arrested Joseph Sida, 49, also for allegedly pointing his gun at someone in a road rage incident.
A man is suing two companies after he claims that he found two dead geckos at the bottom of his Heineken beer.

George Toubbeh said he was doubled over in pain and began vomiting after drinking a 'foul tasting' beer at his home in Fountain Valley, California, in August of 2015.

When his daughter peered inside the 24-ounce beer can, she allegedly discovered two small dead geckos lying at the bottom.

Toubbeh filed suit on Friday against beer manufacturer Heineken and Kroger Co., which owns the local Ralphs store where he purchased the cans.

George Toubbeh said he found two dead geckos in his Heineken beer (pictured) in August 2015 in Fountain Valley, California

The California man said he was doubled over in pain and began vomiting after drinking a 'foul tasting' beer at his home. Pictured: The geckos allegedly in the drink

The California man is suing for unspecified general damages, medical expenses, lost earnings and the cost of the lawsuit, reported the LA Times.

Toubbeh said he had to go the emergency room and was prescribed Xanax and Zofran, which are sedative and nausea medications, the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court, stated: 'When discovered, the geckos had not been decomposed at all and were likely alive when the beer was poured and sealed into the cans in the bottling and/or canning facility.'

Toubbeh filed suit on Friday against Heineken, and Kroger Co., which owns the local Ralphs store (file photo) where he purchased the cans

Heineken has doubts over Toubbeh's allegations and said it had investigated the incident and found there was no merit in his claim, reported ABC 7.

In a statement, the company said Heineken 'holds the safety and integrity of the products we import to the highest standards.

'We have investigated this isolated claim, and based on a number of factors, we confidently believe there is no merit to this claim.' '

Toubbehs attorney said he had the beer can examined and the geckos evaluated by a zoologist, each independently.

He added: 'We feel the action is meritorious and viable.'
A former high school teacher who admitted to having sex with a student was released from a Utah jail on Wednesday thanks to a state loophole.

In January, Sarah Lewis, 27, was accused of raping a 17-year-old male student after he said she supplied him with vodka and had videotaped sex with him.

The dance and social studies teacher at Landmark High School, in Spanish Fork, pleaded guilty to forcible sexual abuse in June, a second-degree penalty which holds a possible sentence of one to 15 years, reported KUTV.

However, Lewis's lawyer, Tom Means, filed a motion to dismiss her guilty plea in July after he claimed he had found an amended statute in Utah Code that could have reduced her original rape charge even more.

Sarah Lewis, 27 (pictured), a former high school teacher, was released from Utah County Jail on Wednesday after admitting to having a sex with a 17-year-old student. She pleaded guilty to forcible sexual abuse in June, a second-degree penalty which holds a possible sentence of one to 15 years

The statute, which was amended in 2014, states 'if a minor is 16 or 17 years old, the rape charge can be reduced to Unlawful Sexual Conduct, when applied to a person who holds a relationship of special trust: such as an adult teacher, employee, or volunteer'.

Lewis's charges were downgraded from a first-degree rape felony to the third-degree felony of unlawful sexual conduct.

After spending 195 days in jail, she was released with no further jail time.

'Because I was unaware of the amendment...until after Ms Lewis offered her plea I did not advise her of this change in the law that affected the degree of the offense to which she pled,' Means said, according to the Daily Herald.

Her lawyer presented an amendment in Utah Code in July that states that if the minor is 16 or 17 years old, the rape charge can be reduced to unlawful sexual conduct (Pictured, Utah County Jail)

Lewis's charges were downgraded from a first degree rape felony to the third-degree felony of unlawful sexual conduct and she was sentenced to three years' probation (Pictured, Landmark High School)

Lewis has also been given three years' probation. As a condition, she must register on the sex offender registry, obtain a psychosexual evaluation and complete recommended treatment.

One defense lawyer said the amendment is no loophole.

'I don't consider this a loophole,' Stephen Allred, a defense attorney with Zabriskie Law Firm, told KUTV.

'These 16 and 17 year olds do have a choice, and they have chosen to engage in this,' he said, adding that legislators amended the law to, 'take the teacher portion out of the equation'.
A daycare owner has begged for forgiveness after a three-year-old boy was found dead in a hot van where he had been for more than 11 hours.

The little boy, Myles Hill, was discovered on Monday night in the van outside the Little Miracles Academy daycare center in Orlando, Florida.

Orlando Police Chief John Mina said it was likely the boy had been in the van since 9.30am on a day that topped 93 degrees.

The boy's family reported him missing two hours after he was supposed to have returned home.

The little boy, Myles Hill, was found dead on Monday night in the van outside the Little Miracles Academy daycare center in Orlando, Florida

Audrey Thornton, who owns the daycare, begged for forgiveness from the boy's family on Wednesday at an emotional press conference

Audrey Thornton, who owns the daycare, begged for forgiveness from the boy's family on Wednesday at an emotional press conference.

Thornton said she had just arrived home from work when she received the call that Myles was missing.

'I just started screaming and hollering, and crying and crying and crying,' she said.

She begged Myles' family for a chance to explain what happened.

'I'm sorry for your loss and I don't want you all to be upset with me and I loved Myles and I took care of Myles since he was a baby and if you all could forgive me,' a tearful Thornton said.

'I'm so sorry just give me a chance to talk to you and explain.'

'Anyone who knows me... they know I took care of my kids, I love my kids. I give back to the community and I just want them to trust me and trust in me and that if I ever open back up this will never happen again.

The boy's family had called police after noticing he hadn't returned home from the daycare more than two hours after he was expected home

Orlando Police Chief John Mina said it was likely the boy had been in the van since 9.30am on a day that topped 93 degrees when they found him late Monday

Police revealed on Tuesday that the driver of the van will face criminal charges over Myles' death.

The police chief wouldn't say what charges the day care worker could face but says she has been cooperative.

Police said the child was supposed to have been dropped off in the morning at another Little Miracles Academy day care center instead of the location he was taken to.

When police arrived at the school later on Monday night, they found the young boy dead in the van.

The boy's aunt, Barbara Livingston, said that when she asked daycare workers where her nephew was, they said he was 'gone'.

Police revealed on Tuesday that the driver of the van will face criminal charges over Myles' death. Flowers and balloons were left outside a makeshift memorial on Tuesday

A closed sign was found taped to the door of the Little Miracles Academy daycare center in Orlando, Florida

'(We) said, 'Gone where?' And she pointed at the van,' Livingston told News 6. 'I'm numb. I don't know how to feel.'

A Florida Department of Children and Families inspection report from last month showed that the academy had been cited for not keeping track of children being transported.

'The facility's log for children transported did not include the following required elements: [destination time, arrival time, destination location and departure location.]. (Section 6.2, number 3) [SR],' the DCF report said.

The rule requires day care centers to maintain logs of the time children arrive, where they were supposed to be transported and what time they departed.

Myles would have turned four on August 22.
Eric Bolling is reportedly suing the Huffington Post reporter who broke a story claiming the Fox News host had sent several female co-workers lewd photos.

Yashar Ali tweeted that he is being personally sued by Bolling for $50 million in damages for the story which led to the Fox reporter's suspension on Saturday.

'It's important to note that Bolling's summons does not include HuffPost - he is coming after me personally. I'm a big boy...but very telling,' Ali tweeted on Wednesday.

Fox News Host Eric Bolling (left) is reportedly suing Yashar Ali (right) the Huffington Post reporter who broke a story claiming the Fox News host had sent several female co-workers lewd photos

Yashar Ali tweeted that he is being personally sued by Bolling for $50 million in damages for the story which led to the Fox reporter's suspension on Saturday

'Not going to stop reporting on Eric Bolling or anyone else. I've had family members killed/jailed in Iran, a lawsuit isn't going to scare me,' he added, writing that he 'stand(s) by my reporting + will protect my sources.'

Bolling is represented by Michael Bowe - a lawyer from the same firm as Marc Kasowitz, President Trump's personal attorney until July.

The defamation lawsuit seeks $50 million in damages for 'the defendant's efforts to injure the plaintiff's reputation through the intentional and/or highly reckless publication of actionable false and misleading statements about the plaintiff's conduct and character.

'As a result of the defendant's actions, the plaintiff has been substantially harmed,' the summons sent to Ali stated.

Fox News said Saturday that it has suspended Bolling, the co-host of its late-afternoon news program 'The Specialists,' while it investigates the allegations he sent a lewd photo to co-workers.

The summons reportedly sent to Huffington Post contributor Yashar Ali

The network said in a statement that Bolling 'has been suspended pending the results of an investigation' into claims that he sent unsolicited images of his genitals to three female Fox News employees several years ago, The Huffington Post reported Friday evening.

Fox News said that an investigation 'is currently underway,' with attorney Paul Weiss leading the proceedings.

The female employees said they knew it came from Bolling because of the phone number used in the message, with The Huffington Post citing more that dozen sources in their report.

The publication said that two female colleagues at the Fox Business Network and one co-worker at Fox News were the recipients of the tawdry text.

The identities of the women have not been released to the public.

Bolling has denied all allegations against him.

'The anonymous, uncorroborated claims are untrue and terribly unfair,' Bolling's attorney Michael J. Bowe wrote in an email.

'We intend to fully cooperate with the investigation so that it can be concluded and Eric can return to work as quickly as possible.'

Caroline Heldman claims she was the victim of unsolicited sexual advances from Fox host Eric Bolling between 2008 and 2011 when she would regularly appear on the network

Heldman made the accusations in a lengthy Facebook post on Saturday after Bolling was suspended

Since the allegations emerged, a Fox News guest, who says she was sexually harassed by Bill O'Reilly. has come forward to claim she was also on the receiving end of unwanted advances by Bolling.

Caroline Heldman, a 44-year-old Associate Professor of Politics at Occidental College in Los Angeles, made 'hundreds' of appearances on Fox between 2008 and 2011, many of which were on Bolling's show Bulls & Bears.

Between appearances, she claimed Bolling, 54, called and texted her to invite her to New York to 'have fun'. On one occasion when she was in town, he took her into his office and told her it was his favorite place to have sex, she said.

He called her 'Dr. McHottie' on air and, she said, would sometimes call her afterwards to apologize 'and then do it again'.

Heldman made her accusations in a lengthy Facebook post on Saturday in which she also claimed that 'several other women' received similar treatment from him.

Bolling (above with Fox hosts Steve Doocy and Elisabeth Hasselbeck) was suspended on Saturday

Bolling later tweeted that he was 'overwhelmed' by the support he had received since being suspended

'My only surprise is that it took this long for people to come forward about Bolling's behavior, which has been wildly inappropriate for years,' she wrote.

Bolling denies ever making inappropriate and unsolicited contact with her.

His attorney Michael Bowe told DailyMail.com on Monday: 'Mr. Bolling never had any interactions with Ms. Heldman of a sexual nature, and any such accusation would be false and defamatory.'

Bolling himself later tweeted that he was 'overwhelmed' by the support he has received since being suspended from Fox.

Eric Bolling's denial Bolling's attorney Michael Bowe issued the following statement to DailyMail.com on Monday morning: 'Mr. Bolling never had any interactions with Ms. Heldman of a sexual nature, and any such accusation would be false and defamatory.' Advertisement

'Overwhelmed by all the support I have received. Thank you I look forward to clearing my name asap,' he wrote.

Bolling first joined Fox News in 2008 after leaving CNBC, hosting the Saturday morning business show hosts 'Cashin In' at 11.30am.

The Fox network also said in their statement released Saturday that 'Cashin In' was taped yesterday morning per usual and was pulled last night once FNC was made aware of the allegations via the Huff Post inquiry/story.'

Rotating hosts will fill in for Bolling until the investigation is complete.

The suspension is the latest in a string of sexual harassment complaints against personalities who appear on Fox News and its business network.
Bia Hannides was enjoying a night out in Dubai when she was attacked by another club-goer

A British woman suffered horrific injuries and will be scarred for life after she was allegedly glassed by a jealous air hostess while partying with love split boxer Amir Khan.

Bia Hannides, 22, from Southampton, Hampshire, was enjoying a night out with the former light-welterweight world champion in Dubai.

She was partying with the star and his brother inside an exclusive club on Sunday night and was attacked and left with a huge wound over her right eye.

The following day, she said the boxer, from Bolton, sent her a message saying: 'I get punched in the face for a living and still get the best girls. Same for you.

'You will get the best guys regardless, scar or no scar.'

The make-up artist was rushed to hospital after the incident and her designer white dress was covered in blood.

Ms Hannides, who was in Dubai with her 53-year-old mother Denise, spent 12 hours in the hospital receiving five stitches for her wounds.

She said: 'We are all just having a really, really, good night and it was just a small group of us.

The 22-year-old from Southampton, Hampshire, had to go to hospital and have five stitches

She was hit with a glass at the Billionaire Mansion night club in Dubai while partying with Amir Khan. Above are messages she claims he sent to her

'We were all with Amir and he was keeping it very close knit.

'If he lost sight of me he would always try and find me or pull my hand. He was looking after us.

'He had has hands around my waist and we were all dancing and happy and having a really good night.

'It must have been jealousy.

'I had this beautiful white dress on, we were all having a good time and maybe because Amir wasn't giving her the time of day, she was jealous.

'Amir's brother was saying to her 'what are you doing in this circle in our area' and it must have upset her.

Ms Hannides is pictured with Khan and his brother Haroon (left, centre). She said the woman who attacked her was an air hostess

Ms Hannides, who was in Dubai with her 53-year-old mother Denise, spent 12 hours in the hospital

'Next thing she went to hit me but I was with it so I grabbed her wrist and with her other hand she glassed me straight in the face.

'It was pure jealousy. I can't think that it would be anything else.

'She wasn't even supposed to be there.

'I thought I was going to go blind. It was the worst moment of my life.'

Ms Hannides and her mother met Khan - who publicly split up with his wife, Faryal Makhdoom, 26, and posted about it on Twitter - in a shisha cafe when Denise approached him.

He apparently told her 'I want that girl' - meaning Ms Hannides - and the two began chatting before swapping numbers.

Ms Hannides said: 'He told my mum his wife had cheated on him and he was single now.'

He asked her to join him at the Billionaire Mansion club later that evening and she posed for a picture with the boxer and his brother.

The make-up artist said she accidentally brushed into a woman hanging around the VIP area at the Billionaire Mansion club prompting her friend to lash out.

The former world champion boxer uploaded a video to Snapchat which showed him partying in Dubai. He later deleted the clip

The make-up artist said she met Khan (pictured) and he later asked her to come to an exclusive club

Amir's brother Haroon told the hostess to leave the roped off section - so she allegedly smashed a glass into Ms Hannides' eye - leaving her covered in blood.

'It was really crowded and you were accidentally brushing into everyone around you - that's just how it is,' she said.

'She said to me: "You're pushing into one of my friends", and I told her I hadn't even touched her friend.

'I said to her: "Why are you guys even in here?" and Amir said the same to her as well.

'She swung up her hand to hit me and I blocked it but she smashed the glass into me with the other hand.

'I went down. There was blood everywhere. I couldn't see and I thought I was going to go blind.'

With a huge gash above her eye and glass embedded in her cheek, the brunette was helped into an ambulance by security.

She said: 'It was absolutely horrible. Amir and his brother said they couldn't come with us because it would be bad press.

'I understand but I would have expected him to find out what happened to me when he left.

'I think all he could think about was how it would look in the papers.'

Ms Hannides said police told the woman to pay a fine of 1,000 dirham which is around 200 and if she wanted to take it further, shed need to surrender her passport and remain in Dubai until the court case.

Last Friday, Khan posted on Twitter that he was getting divorced after his four-year marriage.

He accused his wife of having an affair with world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, who laughed off the accusation and posted a video clip of Shaggy's It Wasn't Me.
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A tent city for refugees is being built by soldiers on the American border as hundreds use a tiny back road to flee across it each day.

The tents are being rapidly erected on New York's border with Canada, where the Canadian army has been called in amid fears of a crisis as a remote and unofficial border crossing becomes inundated with a stream of refugees.

The extraordinary sight of a tent city on the U.S. border is just north of Champlain where hundreds of immigrants who had been resident in the U.S. flee for Canada each day, thinking it is a better option.

It is to be added to with tents for 500 in the town of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, two miles further north, which will be equipped with lighting and heating equipment, the army said in a statement.

The scale of the exodus is rapidly becoming a political crisis as Canada's Liberal prime minister Justin Trudeau sees its system for dealing with immigrants stretched to the limit - while he is criticized for kayaking and hiking instead of intervening.

The immigrants are using a legal loophole to come through unofficial crossings into Canada, which prevents them being turned back immediately and instead allows them to claim asylum, guaranteeing they will be in the country for at least months and may have a chance to stay.

Such are the numbers that in the nearby city of Montreal, the Olympic stadium has been pressed into service as a makeshift home for hundreds of immigrants, other emergency reception centers have been opened and schools are bracing for more students at the end of summer vacation, on top of the 14 per cent jump in the number of children enrolling it has seen so far this year.

This is North America: The scene unfolding on the Canada border is unprecedented and is fueled by a surge of Haitians who think the White House will revoke their special immigration status

Emergency shelter: Canadian soldiers are now being called in to the border where police and the Red Cross are providing shelter and emergency blankets for those crossing from the U.S. The numbers have exploded in recent weeks

Military effort: Canadian soldiers are now erecting tents for 500 people with power and heating as the crisis escalates

Army called in: The Canadian soldiers are using their own tents to build the center for new arrivals two miles from the U.S. border

Canadians soldiers carry boxes of blankets as beds are laid out in the tents at the refugee camp

Building to last: The 500-capacity tent city may only be the start as the numbers arriving from the U.S. continue to mount

members of the military carry supplies to set up camp for the influx of refugees

The Canadian Army are seen above setting up the camp for refugees next to Canadian border in Lacolle Quebec

An army truck is seen at the entrance to the camp site as the military rally to get the camp ready for refugees

Expanding: The numbers of tent at the tiny unofficial border crossing on Roxham Road is growing rapidly, with the Canadian army set to build a much larger facility nearby

Crisis: Canadian police officers are the first to come into touch with the new arrivals from the U.S. Many actually had legal status in America as they were refugees from Haiti, which give them special status, but they think they are going to lose that and do not want to return to their native country

Mounting scale: The numbers of people caught up in the crisis is growing. As well as the unofficial border crossing two miles north of Champlain, a similar crossing between Montana and Manitoba in the west is seeing an influx

What happens next? The number of tents at the border is being increased with the Canadian army deployed to put them and latrines in place - but those crossing face a seven-month wait and the possibility of being deported

Next step: Canadian authorities are having to decide what to do with the drastic increase in arrivals at unofficial border points and as well as puttin gup more tents are

Exhausting: Canadian police are stretched to the limit and see no end in sight as the exodus from the U.S. escalates

Security precautions: A man is searched after crossing the border. One Mountie told DailyMail.com that the influx was a national security issue

Processing center: The Canadian authorities are faced with the influx on this tiny border road because it is an unofficial crossing, which creates a loophole for those who want to get into the country. If they had arrived at an airport, official crossing nearby or gone on the train they would simply have been turned back

WHY ARE HAITIANS ON THE MOVE ACROSS THE U.S. BORDER? An estimated 58,000 Haitians live in the U.S. on 'temporary protected status' or TPS, an immigration waiver which lets them stay despite otherwise being illegals. It was introduced after the 2010 earthquake and allowed any Haitians in the U.S. at that point to stay. The Obama administration reviewed the system every 18 months and when their last renewal ended this July, Trump's then Homeland Security boss John Kelly - now his chief of staff - renewed it for only six months. That appears to have set off panic among some Haitians that it will not be renewed at all in January 2018. Other factors appear to have influenced them, including a fake WhatsApp message which went viral saying Canada wanted them to come. What happened in Canada may not be what they wanted. They will get some basic assistance while their claims for refugee status are processed. But despite Trudeau's 'welcome' message, Canada aggressively deports illegals, so if they do not get official refugee status, they could be deported within months. Canada gave refugee status - which comes with generous benefits - to 52 per cent of Haitian applicants in 2016 compared to 48 per cent of applicants in the U.S. But one analyst told the Globe and Mail that the fact the new arrivals had been living in the U.S. - some for many years- would not help them establish that there was a well-founded fear of being persecuted in Haiti, especially as the TPS scheme explicitly did not cover those claiming refugee status in the U.S. Advertisement

The huge wave of migration from the U.S. is being fueled by an exodus of Haitians in recent weeks, who fear their legal status in the country is about to end.

Some appear to have been encouraged by hoax messages on social media and WhatsApp, the free messaging service, claiming that Canada has opened their doors to them.

But at the border Canadian law enforcement officials told DailyMail.com they feared that their country's national security is at risk.

One officer with the RCMP told DailyMail.com: 'There are a lot of people who will come in, do good and work hard. But there are wolves among them too with criminal backgrounds and some who admit they want to benefit from our great system. We are struggling to keep on top of it.

'You know who [a reference to Justin Trudeau] has told them that everyone is welcome. At some point we have to stop being a doormat, we can't take everybody.'

Another officer said: 'We don't see the numbers decreasing any time soon. We are here 24/7. It's a national security issue.'

He added: 'In seven months or so when they get around to processing all these people, not all are going to be allowed to stay, so where will people go? They won't turn up for hearings, they will go underground.'

In New York this week, people queued on the U.S. side of the border to be arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police awaiting them in the Canadian town of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle.

People continually arrive from all over the U.S., often taking the bus or Amtrak to Plattsburgh and then taxis to Roxham Road, a drop-off point which drivers are now well familiar with.

If they had stayed on Amtrak they would have simply been turned back at the official border. The same would apply if they tried to fly.

Authorities estimate that 1,174 people overall crossed into Quebec last month, compared with 180 the previous year. At the Roxham Road border crossing on Tuesday, the numbers estimated by law enforcement  600 a day - far outstripped those statistics. And the building of tents for 500 nearby shows that they fear many more will come.

As darkness fell, a truck arrived to build more tents next to where a row of Porta Potties have been set up. Families sat on plastic chairs and tried to entertain toddlers and crying babies. Police officers patted down a steady stream of people for weapons and then their suitcases and rucksacks were lifted onto trestle tables to be searched.

Processing begins under the white tents with travel documents checked there, then people wait for buses which squeeze down the small road to transport them to RCMP near the border line. A truck is loaded with luggage to be transported separately.

The camp is set up in a camp site called camping premier, which is a few hundred feet over the border. The entrance to the grounds can be seen above

Authorities estimate that 1,174 people overall crossed into Quebec last month, compared with 180 the previous year. The tents at the camp are seen above

A canadian soldier gets tent ready at the Canadian border in Lacolle Quebec. Eeach tent has around 18 beds

All hands on deck: The military set up camp. A combination of factors appears to have added to a surge in the number of unauthorized border crossings by Haitians. Part of the confusion, particularly among the Haitian community, is a web of mixed messages being shared extensively across social media

Following Trump's visa ban for six Muslim-majority countries in January, Canadian Liberal Party Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: 'To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada'. The army carry beds around the camp, above

Critics are calling on Trudeau to use his global celebrity to clarify the situation. Lisa Raitt, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party, retweeted a message on August 5 that criticized Trudeau for calling on migrants to use 'proper channels'. She added: 'Maybe less kayaking and hiking and more briefings from officials is in order.' Military get to work at the camp, above

Jude Metellus, executive director of Haitian Diaspora Organization in Miami, told CBC he encouraged Haitian nationals, who were out of options in the U.S., to attempt the border crossing into Canada outside of official ports of entry. Electrical wires are seen above as the camp is set up

Border crossing: Those crossing on the unofficial route arrive by taxis having made their way to Champlain, some on the Amtrak which runs from New York City to Montreal. If they had stayed on the train they would have been turned back

Long lines: There is now a growing sense of crisis in Canada at the scale of the arrivals, who stand in line for hours after they have crossed the border. The country is powerless to deport them straight away

Warning: A Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer announces to a group of asylum seekers that identified themselves as from Haiti, that they will be crossing illegally into Canada - but that is what they want to do

Apparent open door: Justin Trudeau tweeted this in January at the same time as Trump introduced his controversial ban on entries from seven Muslim-majority countries - but now Canada's welcome is being tested

Push factor: A viral WhatsApp message among the Haitian community in the U.S. wrongly claimed that Canada wanted Haitians to come, and was even paying their legal fees. The 'fake news' is one of the factors pushing the scale of arrivals prompting a crisis for Justin Trudeau. Opposition parties have criticized him for going kayaking in British Columbia as it unfolds

Critique: The deputy leader of the opposition Conservatives made her point about Trudeau and his government's silence on the crisis clear

In a larger, fenced area at the Canadian Border Services Agency headquarters, people are interviewed more extensively, finger-printed and background checks are run. On Tuesday, crowds of people huddled in blankets to fight the summer night chill.

The next step is a short bus strip to the other side of the highway to Canadian immigration services. Another officer, who did not wish to be named, told DailyMail.com: 'We can only do so much, it's a lot of work.'

A combination of factors appears to have added to a surge in the number of unauthorized border crossings by Haitians. Part of the confusion, particularly among the Haitian community, is a web of mixed messages being shared extensively across social media.

In June, one immigration lawyer from Toronto held a presentation at a New Jersey church to explain the Canadian immigration system to the Haitian community. There was no mention of crossing outside of authorized points of entry to Canada, CBC reported.

A video of this meeting made it onto YouTube and was incorrectly described as being held at Canada's consular headquarters in New Jersey. It has been viewed 12,000 times so far.

Following the meeting on June 19, reports of WhatsApp message circulating among Haitian community began to emerge.

It reads: 'The Consul of Canada in the USA held a meeting in New Jersey for more than two hours. It invited and even encouraged all Haitians (with or without TPS) to apply for residency in Canada.'

Ready for influx too: Montreal's Olympic Stadium is now kitted out to sleep hundreds because other facilities in the city are full

Blocked off: Swathes of the Olympic Stadium are no longer accessible to the Canadian public because it is being used to house, temporarily, the influx

Logistical challenge: The influx has left Montreal reeling. Schools already had a 14 per cent increase in enrollments and fear even more

It is believed that the message was sent from an unknown individual in Montreal and gave out the name of the New York lawyer who organized the New Jersey meeting and an incorrect phone number. It also claimed the Canadian government would cover 'fees'.

The 'fake news' went viral - but Canada's welcome to new arrivals has also pushed people to cross.

Others have been encouraged to come from texts and phone calls made to the U.S. from those who have already crossed into Canada and can reassure them of the good treatment, new arrivals said.

Jude Metellus, executive director of Haitian Diaspora Organization in Miami, told CBC he encouraged Haitian nationals, who were out of options in the U.S., to attempt the border crossing into Canada outside of official ports of entry.

Trudeau's official Twitter account has been silent on the matter. On Saturday, the Canadian Immigration and Citizenship agency attempted to clarify the mixed messages with this Facebook post.

It read: 'We are aware of irregular border crossings by individuals who request refugee protection upon arrival in Canada. In some countries, messages have been circulating through channels such as WhatsApp which suggest that Canada is inviting individuals to seek refugee status here.

'In fact, the Government of Canada discourages people from entering Canada outside of designated ports of entry as it can be dangerous and is a violation of the law.'

Following Trump's visa ban for six Muslim-majority countries in January, Canadian Liberal Party Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: 'To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada'

Now many Canadians are calling on him to qualify this ambiguous statement about Canada's borders.

Critics are calling on Trudeau to use his global celebrity to clarify the situation. Lisa Raitt, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party, retweeted a message on August 5 that criticized Trudeau for calling on migrants to use 'proper channels'.

She added: 'Maybe less kayaking and hiking and more briefings from officials is in order.'
Robert Mueller walked away from millions of dollars in taking on the investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election.

The former FBI chief, was brought on in May to investigate Russian interference as well as possible collusion by President Trump's associates, after Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James Comey.

Mueller's financial disclosures shows a Justice Department ethics official found 'no apparent conflicts of interest' in his finances affecting his ability to investigate Russia and Trump's team.

Robert Mueller was brought on in May to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election as well as potential collusion from Trump's team with Russia after Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James Comey

Mueller's former law firm, WilmerHale, represented some big-name companies, including Facebook, Intel and Apple. Mueller and his team's finances are public record because of his appointment as special counsel.

The disclosures also show that his associates which he hired from WilmerHale to aide in the investigation, also had no financial conflicts that could impede them from moving forward in the investigation.

Mueller is disclosing his assets and income, including nearly $3.5 million he earned at the Washington law firm he stepped away from for his current post, and speaking engagements worth more than $240,000.

The former FBI director's finances will likely face scrutiny from Trump's attorneys and Trump supporters who have been looking for conflicts of interest to call into question his independence.

It has recently been revealed that Mueller is using a federal grand jury in Washington, DC as part of the federal probe he's leading into Russian interference in the US election.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed him in May after Mr. Trump abruptly fired Comey as FBI director.
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The war of threats between President Trump and the North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-Un, is setting global nerves on edge.

Were used to blood curdling propaganda from Pyongyang, but an American president using the same kind of language  fire and fury  is a new departure. The threat of nuclear war in East Asia is suddenly alarmingly close.

But before this hysterical rhetoric reaches a climax, Western leaders must consider what history and strategic analysis teaches us about how to avoid calamity  or how best to contain it.

The devastating nature of the first Korean War in 1950-53 is a warning of the huge costs of a second, which could also drag in countries as close as Japan, as remote as Britain or as reluctant as China.

The options Washington is considering, range from the tried-and-trusted  to the once unthinkable.

Option 1: A Limited Strike

In 1994, President Clinton considered using strategic bombers to attack North Koreas nuclear facilities before an atomic weapon could be produced.

Then, as now, the US had a range of airbases in South Korea, Japan and Guam from which to strike, with B1 bombers and cruise missiles plus its fleet of nuclear aircraft carriers, each with more attack planes than the entire RAF.

President Donald Trump has vowed any threat to the U.S. will be met with 'fire and fury like the world has never seen'

Clinton decided against military action because of fears North Koreas huge ground force would wreak havoc across the South Korean border. A major war would be needed to defeat it.

Today, North Korea is far better prepared to survive even a severe air attack by the US. Its nuclear forces are not sitting ducks. It has repeatedly deployed mobile launchers so it can move and hide missiles.

The newer North Korean solid-fuelled missiles can also be launched much more quickly than the older liquid-fuelled rockets. These developments make neutralising Kims atomic warheads by a massive airstrike far from fool-proof.

2: Full-Scale Invasion

The US military routed the North Koreans in the first Korean War, but the US had many more troops and landing craft at its disposal. The US navy facilitated the D-Day style landing on the coast behind the North Korean Army, trapping it in the South.

North Korea has no navy to speak of to protect its coastline, and its tempting to imagine US Marines pouring ashore and marching to Pyongyang, just as they did in October 1950. But this time the North Korean army  ill-equipped but vast in size  would be waiting. To win quickly and decisively the US would require the bulk of its military man power to be deployed to Korea.

North Korea said it is 'carefully examining' a plan to strike the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam with missiles. The strike plan will be 'put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment' once leader Kim Jong Un (file above) makes a decision

But Washington has other problems, from Afghanistan to Syria. War in Korea would tie down the army and marines  unless South Koreas 650,000 troops also took part. However, South Korea is reluctant to engage in a pre-emptive war that would threaten Seoul and other cities with destruction from the North.

Then there is China. It is vehemently hostile to the US THAAD missile defence system that has recently been deployed in South Korea. Beijings fear is the real target of any US military action in the region is ultimately China. To act without being sure of Chinese neutrality runs the risk of a wider and far more perilous conflict  World War III in all probability.

Even if China was ready to accept the fall of Kims regime, a conventional invasion would not be quick enough to prevent Kim launching some kind of nuclear strike, as well as firing off his stockpile of chemical and biological weapons.

The North has as many as 60 nuclear bombs, according to US intelligence. If only a couple were successfully launched at South Korea, the scale of the casualties would be horrendous.

3: A Decapitation Strike

A successful set of airstrikes on North Koreas nuclear stockpile will not halt Kims ambitions. As long as the regime survives, it will be attempt to rebuild. So knocking out the North Korean leadership in a so-called decapitation strike is being widely touted in Washington.

Smart bombs could surely locate and kill Kim and his key commanders before they could organise a deadly counter-attack?

Tens of thousands of North Koreans gathered for a rally at Kim Il Sung Square today carrying placards and propaganda slogans as a show of support for their rejection of the United Nations' latest round of sanctions

Unfortunately, a successful strike wouldnt stop a barrage of a rockets being fired in instant retaliation.

In any case, assassinating foreign leaders is easier said than done. It would be a very lucky strike that took out Kim and his fellow leaders. If it failed, Kims revenge would be indiscriminate attacks aimed at South Korea, Japan and any US bases within range.

In practice, a decapitation strike would mean all-out war. And even if that was successful, a US-South Korean occupation of North Korea could face guerrilla resistance using Kims poison gas and bacteriological weapons.

Nor would China  faced with the prospect of millions of refugees  be pleased by a speedy collapse of Kims regime.

4: A US nuclear strike

Hotheads in Washington talk about using Americas massive nuclear superiority to eliminate North Korea as a threat once and for all.

But such an attack would kill millions of Kims long-suffering subjects, making a mushroom-cloud sized mockery of Americas moral case against the regime. The fall-out from a US first-strike would shatter alliances and trigger massively increased defence spending by China and Russia.

5: Pressure on China

Trump has both wooed and warned Chinese leaders to use their influence to rein in Kim. It has even been suggested that Chinas contacts could be used to promote regime-change from within. But their reach might be limited. North Koreans are wary of being seen to be close to the Chinese. They remember what happened in 2013, soon after Kim came to power, when his uncle Jang was deemed to be in thrall to Beijing. He was allegedly fed to dogs.

China remains the conduit for much of Kims most threatening technology. US intelligence fears that even if the Chinese government could be persuaded to stop providing assistance, North Korea will be able to bribe Chinese manufacturers to share their military secrets.

Whatever role it plays in limiting North Koreas belligerence, China will want a guarantee of North Koreas survival as a state in return. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, has suggested he could live with that. Now he has to persuade Trump.

6: International action

The UN Security Council has backed sanctions since Pyongyang started its nuclear tests a decade ago, and last week reinforced that strategy. This means Beijing and Moscow agree in principle with what the US and its allies want.

China and Russia are North Koreas lifeline to the outside world. They could strangle the regime if they acted together to cut trade and transport links. But then Beijing and Moscow might become targets of Kim's missiles, too. Even if prepared for that risk, presidents Xi and Putin would demand a high price in exchange for their help.

Mark Almond is the director of the Crisis Research Institute, Oxford
Amazon has received 1.3million back from the taxman  despite annual sales in the UK soaring past 7.3billion.

The internet giant has recently joined an elite group of companies worth more than $500billion (385billion) but its tax bill in the UK has fallen despite vast growth.

Amazon has embarked on a huge expansion spree, promising to recruit thousands more staff and develop vast new warehouses in the country.

But accounts just filed with Companies House show that its UK Services arm, which used to be known as Amazon.co.uk, received a 1.3million tax credit for 2016.

The internet giant has recently joined an elite group of companies worth more than $500billion (385billion) but its tax bill in the UK has fallen despite vast growth

The sum is not given to the firm as a payment from the Treasury but knocked off future tax bills. The news has enraged MPs and business owners, who are calling on the Government to rethink the way it taxes foreign technology firms.

Small businesses also complain that Amazon is able to avoid crippling business rates as it does not have a high street presence and its warehouses are low-value properties that get a lower bill.

Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable accused the firm of manipulating the system to avoid paying the true extent of its tax.

He said: This is yet another example of how companies are taking the Government for a ride and were going to have to look at the way we charge these companies tax. We need to shift the system so that we tax real activity and the business they do here.

Revenues from sales made by Amazon in the UK are listed in a separate company that has not filed accounts yet, but the most recent figures for last year for its main US holding company show revenues in Britain soared above 7.3billion.

Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable accused the firm of manipulating the system to avoid paying the true extent of its tax

Accounts filed for Amazon show its official UK services division declared a turnover of 1.4billion, but other British sales go through other parts of its European operation.

It managed to write most of this off as administrative expenses to leave the business with a profit of 25.6million. This was down from the previous years 38.7million.

Amazons recorded corporation tax bill for last year was 7.4million. However, a complicated series of deductions including 35million of share awards to managers and bosses knocked this down so that its total tax on profits was a credit of 1.3million. Overall, Amazons total tax bill for the year fell from 9.79million in 2015.

Amazons main European holding company is in Luxembourg but it reports results for its warehouses, deliveries and lorries arm in the UK.

Amazon said: We pay all taxes required in the UK and every country where we operate. Corporation tax is based on profits, not revenues, and our profits have remained low given retail is a highly competitive, low-margin business and our continued heavy investment.

Weve invested over 6.4billion in the UK since 2010.
On this 2017 edition of National Book Lovers Day, let's run through some of the best summer reads.

"Fly Me" by Daniel Riley. A nation on the verge of a new era  and a girl caught between her past and the ever-expanding present. The year is 1972, and the beaches of Los Angeles are the center of the world.

"The Ministry of Utmost Happiness" by Arundhati Roy. The second novel by Indian writer Roy deals with some of the darkest and most violent episodes of modern Indian history.

"Black Edge" by Sheelah Kolhatkar. Story of the billionaire trader Steven A. Cohen, the rise and fall of his hedge fund, SAC Capital, and the largest insider trading investigation in history.

"Into the Water" by Paula Hawkins. A single mother turns up dead at the bottom of the river that runs through town. Earlier in the summer, a vulnerable teenage girl met the same fate. They are not the first women lost to these dark waters, but their deaths disturb the river and its history, dredging up secrets long submerged.

"13 Reasons Why" by Jay Asher. Basis of the television series "13 Reasons Why," released through Netflix. Clay Jensen, a shy high school student, returns home from school one day to find that he has received a mysterious package in the mail. It contains seven cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, a classmate who recently committed suicide.

"Runnin' With the Devil" by Noel E. Monk and Joe Layden. The manager who shepherded Van Halen from obscurity to rock stardom goes behind the scenes to tell the complete, unadulterated story of David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen and the legendary band that changed rock music.

"The Animators" by Kayla Rae Whitaker. In their first year of college, two young women, both outsiders at their prestigious East Coast college, meet in "Introduction to Sketch" and become instant best friends. A decade later, Mel and Sharon's lives remain intertwined, but so much else has changed.

"We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled: Voices from Syria" by Wendy Pearlman. Collection of wartime testimonies and poetic fragments from a cross-section of Syrians whose lives have been transformed by revolution, war and flight.

"Goodbye, Vitamin" by Rachel Khong. Ruth goes home for Christmas for the first time in three years to find that her father's Alzheimer's has progressed and her mother wants her to move back home and help with his care.

"Priestdaddy" by Patricia Lockwood. Lockwood's memoir recounts her upbringing as the daughter of a married Lutheran minister who converted to Catholicism, becoming one of the few married Catholic priests.

"Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty. Made into an HBO miniseries starring Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon. Critics praised the book's balance of humor with more serious issues like domestic abuse.

"New People" by Danzy Senna. As the 20th century draws to a close, Maria is at the start of a life she never thought possible. She and Khalil are planning their wedding. They are the perfect couple, living together in a black bohemian enclave in Brooklyn. Everything Maria knows she should want lies before her, but she can't stop daydreaming about another man.
Wealthy owners of luxury homes are having to slash around a quarter of a million pounds off their asking prices to get a deal agreed, research has revealed.

Properties in the 2million-plus bracket are being sold at 296,000 less than their asking price on average, a drop of 10 per cent, according to data from EstateAgent4Me.

Across England and Wales, luxury homes that were originally priced at between 1.75million and 2million are being sold at a typical discount of 225,000, while those between 1.5million and 1.75million have an average discount of 142,000.

Pictured: Map shows the average discounts available around the country on properties for sale

In Poole, Dorset - which includes the so-called millionaire's playground of Sandbanks - estate agents take more than 112 days on avearage to sell the most expensive homes

AVERAGE DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE AT THE TOP END OF THE PROPERTY MARKET Property Price Average Reduction from Asking Price Average Discount 2,000,000+ 10% 296,278 1,750,000 - 2,000,000 12% 225,775 1,500,000 - 1,750,000 9% 142,219 1,250,000 - 1,500,000 7% 92,970 1,000,000 - 1,250,000 7% 77,716 Source: EstateAgent4Me

Homes at the lower end of the market are also selling at a discount - but at a much lower percentage of their original asking price.

Those homes selling in the 175,000 to 200,000 bracket are selling at a discount of 4 per cent, the equivalent of around 7,700.

It is homes in the 'middle' range of the market, with original asking prices of between 200,000 and 300,000, which are seeing the smallest discounts of 3 per cent.

It means a property listing on the market for 300,000 would typical be sold at around 291,000, a reduction of 3,000.

Luxury homes that were originally priced at between 1.75million and 2million are being sold at a typical discount of 225,775, according to the latest research

AVERAGE DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE AT THE LOWER END OF THE MARKET Property Price Average Reduction from Asking Price Average Discount 175,000 - 200,000 4% 7,741 150,000 - 175,000 5% 7,405 125,000 - 150,000 5% 7,082 100,000 - 125,000 6% 6,915 Under 100,000 6% 5,030 Source: EstateAgent4Me

Properties in Durham take a total of 84 days on average before they sell and achieve 89 per cent of the asking price

The research covered the first six months of this year, using data from 24,000 branches of estate agents as well as Land Registry figures.

It also looked at how estate agents are performing across the country, contrasting the most expensive areas of each region with the least expensive.

It found that agents dealing with homes at the lower end of the market tend to be selling homes faster, and they achieve closer to their asking price than more expensive properties.

In Hampstead - the most expensive area of the country - only 24 per cent of properties listed for sale are selling. On average, those that do take 106 days to exchange and agents achieve only 89 per cent of the original asking price.

And in Poole - which includes the so-called millionaire's playground of Sandbanks - estate agents are selling homes for an average of 924,436 but take more than 112 days to do so, with agents achieving 93 per cent of the asking price.

HOW THE MARKET FUNCTIONS IN THE LEAST EXPENSIVE AREAS IN EACH REGION Region Area Av selling price Success Rate Time on Market (days) % of asking price London Barking 370.63 49% 54 96% South East Gosport 194,969 71% 36 97% South West Exmoor 364,166 62% 144 93% North East Hartlepool 101,237 49% 82 91% Yorkshire Leyburn 229,995 70% 103 95% North West Rawtenstall 137,850 47% 71 96% West Midlands Tamworth 186,768 60% 42 97% East Midlands Oadby 225,663 52% 76 95% East of England Bedford 283,628 53% 35 96%

By contrast, in less affluent areas of the country, agents tend to sell homes faster.

In Gosport - the least expensive area of the South East - property is selling for an average of 194,969 and is on the market for 36 days, with agents achieving 97 per cent of the asking price.

The exception to the rule is Exmoor, where property takes 144 days to sell - although the research blames this on its remote location rather than it being typical of inexpensive property.

Paula Higgins, chief executive of HomeOwners Alliance, which runs the EstateAgent4Me website, said: 'It is fascinating to see the difference in how the property market is performing at different levels and across the country.

'The key takeout is that there are significant reductions at the top end of the market where the market is very slow, while at more affordable levels, the market seems to be functioning fairly normally. Gone are the days of bidding wars for luxury properties, now it would seem that the lower the value of a property, the quicker it sells.'

It comes after Halifax reported earlier this week that the average price of a property in Britain currently stands at 219,266.

House prices rose by 0.4 per cent between June and July, partially offsetting the 0.9 per cent decline recorded between May and June.
Every parent knows the first thing to do with a cut arm or scraped knee is to kiss it better.

And now theres a scientific reason to do it too  experts say it could actually speed up the healing process.

Researchers found saliva has properties that can boost recovery, which is why cuts in the mouth heal quicker.

Harnessing its power opens a wide door to improving the treatment of wounds, said an experts

Kissing a cut arm or scraped knee better could actually speed the healing process, scientists have found as saliva has properties that boost recovery

Professor Vicente Torres, of the University of Chile, said: These findings open new alternatives to better understand the biology underlying the differences between oral and skin wound healing. We believe the study could help the design of better approaches to improve wound healing in tissues other than the mouth.

Prof Torres and colleagues made the breakthrough by delving into the mystifying fact mouth wounds mend better and quicker.

Until now, it was understood saliva played a part in the wound healing process, although the extent of its role was unknown.

The study examined the effects of histatin-1 on new blood vessels, a process known medically as angiogenesis.

It showed the molecule promoted angiogenesis, as well as improving the contact and migration of cells.

Prof Torres team carried out experiments on chicken embryos and human skin and blood vessel cells.

Prof Torres said: Saliva is a key factor that contributes to the high efficiency of wound healing in the inside of the mouth

Using these three models, histatin-1 and saliva samples obtained from healthy donors were found to increase blood vessel formation.

The researchers have already begun using these molecules to generate materials and implants to aid in wound healing.

Prof Torres said: Saliva is a key factor that contributes to the high efficiency of wound healing in the inside of the mouth.

This is not only attributed to physical cues but also to the presence of specific peptides in the saliva, such as histatins.

Histatin-1 is an antimicrobial peptide, highly enriched in human saliva, which has been previously reported to promote the migration of oral skin cells in lab animals.

However, the participation of histatin-1 in other crucial events required for wound healing, such as angiogenesis, is unknown.

Specifically, histatin-1 promoted skin cell contact and spreading as well as migration in the wound closure tests.

Finally, we showed that salivary histatin-1 is required for the promigratory effects of saliva on skin cells.

The research, published in The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal, revealed the protein histatin-1 found in saliva aids wound healing by boosting the formation of blood vessels. While it was understood saliva played a role in healing, the extent of its role was unknown.

Journal editor Dr Thoru Pederson, of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, said: The clear results of the present study open a wide door to a therapeutic advance.

They also bring to mind the possible meaning of animals, and often children, licking their wounds.
Driverless buses in Estonia have had a number of close calls, including ignoring a speeding police car's emergency lights.

The vehicles were introduced in the capital Tallinn in recent weeks as part of the Baltic state's presidency of the European Union.

Eyewitnesses have reported a few near misses since, including ignoring a red light, but no 'major incidents'.

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Driverless buses in Estonia (pictured) have had a number of close calls, including ignoring a speeding police car's emergency lights

AUTOMATED BUS SERVICES AROUND THE WORLD Tallinn is the first city in which driverless buses will come in direct contact with live traffic, according to reports from state broadcaster ERR. A number of similar trial schemes have already been tested around the world. Easymile, the firm behind the Estonian trial, has previously operated its vehicles in Dubai, Finland, Holland, Paris, Singapore, Switzerland and Taiwan. Similar efforts have been tried out by other firms elsewhere and more are planned for the future. This includes an ambitious scheme for Dubai that will see a fleet of 25 robot 'pod' buses that will hit the streets by 2019. Advertisement

Estonia's government brought in two of the buses on July 29 to operate a route between the city's Viru Square and the Tallinn Creative Hub.

This is the main venue being used by the Estonian presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Each shuttle can carry up to eight passengers at a time and riding them is free of charge.

The vehicles only come into contact with traffic and pedestrians at one intersection, travelling the rest of the way following a currently unused tramway.

It is at this intersection where problems have been reported, according to eye witnesses speaking to ERR.

On another occasion, one of the Easymile shuttles ignored a green pedestrian light and surprised pedestrians by driving through the crosswalk.

One eyewitness said that one of the buses failed to give way to a police car with its lights flashing.

Human operators are on hand at all times, ostensibly to explain how the buses operate but also to respond in an emergency situation.

Speaking to ERR Talvo Ruutelmaa, director of the agency responsible for the safety of the driverless vehicles in the city, said: 'The artificial intelligence must do everything, but just in case, there is a person on board, a human escort, who has a button with which they can stop the vehicle.

Two vehicles (pictured) were introduced in the capital Tallinn in recent weeks as part of the Baltic state's presidency of the European Union

The buses operate a route between the city's Viru Square and the Tallinn Creative Hub, the main venue being used by the Estonian presidency of the Council of the European Union

Tallinn is the first city in which driverless buses (pictured) will come in direct contact with live traffic, according to reports from state broadcaster ERR

Each shuttle can carry up to eight passengers (pictured) at a time and riding them during the trial is free of charge

'The artificial intelligence is designed so that if it has any doubts, it will come to a stop, so if anyone steps in front of it, it will stop in any case.'

The buses are capable of maximum speeds of around 30 to 40 mph (50 to 60 kmph), but will not exceed 12 mph (20 kmph) during the current testing phase, which is scheduled to finish at the end of this month.

They cost around 90,000 (100,000) each, two thirds of which has been funded by the private sector.

The testing of driverless vehicles has been allowed on Estonian roads since March of this year.

The vehicles only come into contact with traffic and pedestrians at one intersection, travelling the rest of the way following a currently unused tramway (pictured)

The buses (pictured) are capable of maximum speeds of around 30 to 40 mph (50 to 60 kmph), but will not exceed 12 mph (20 kmph) during the current testing phase

The buses (pictured) cost around 90,000 (100,000) each, two thirds of which has been funded by the private sector

Easymile, the firm behind the Estonian trial, has previously operated its vehicles (pictured) in Dubai, Finland, Holland, Paris, Singapore, Switzerland and Taiwan

A condition of their operation is that the vehicle has a designated person who can take over the controls if necessary.

Introducing driverless technology to the country will be gradual, according to Pirko Konsa, the head of the Estonian Government Office's group of experts on self-driving vehicles.

Estonia is currently taking its first steps in this process.

Eyewitnesses have reported a few near misses, including ignoring a red light, but no major incidents have so far beset the buses (pictured)

The testing of driverless vehicles (pictured) has been allowed on Estonian roads since March of this year

A condition of their operation is that the vehicle has a designated person who can take over the controls if necessary (pictured)

'Driverless technology has great potential,' he said.

'Ninety per cent of traffic accidents are caused by human error.

'Driverless technology is certainly a key solution in increasing road safety.

'Driverless shuttles could also be successfully used in low density areas to help people with restricted mobility.'
The mystery of the seagrass 'fairy circles' that have been cropping up under the surface of the sea has finally been solved.

The rings appear as glowing ovals in the Mediterranean and Baltic sea and are the result of large 'bald patches' devoid of vegetation in seagrass meadows.

Research has now revealed that the bare circles are caused by contamination by foreign species.

Scientists claim that the bizarre patches are a sign that entire ecosystems are at risk of extinction.

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The mystery of the 'fairy circles' that have been cropping up under the surface of the sea has been solved. Pictured is a fairy circle in a seagrass meadow in the Adriatic Sea as seen from the coast (left) next to a picture of the same fairy circle in a satellite image (right)

UNDERWATER FAIRY CIRCLES The circles have been found around the Danish coast as well as the Balearic islands, including Mallorca. They are caused by contamination from foreign species which are invading these areas due to climate change and polluted waters. The fairy circles indicate that seagrass, known scientifically as Posidonia oceanica, in these regions is at risk. A loss of seagrass populations could dramatically alter the planet's larger ecosystem, the researchers said. Although there is an abundance of seagrass around Mallorca, its slow growth rate of just a few centimetres per year means that losses are 'essentially irreversible', researchers claim. Advertisement

The circles have been found around the Danish coast as well as the Balearic islands, including Mallorca.

Invading species are being driven into these areas by polluted waters and climate change, the researchers, from the University of the Balearic Islands in Palma, Mallorca said.

'The spatial organisation of vegetation landscapes is a key factor in the assessment of ecosystem health and functioning,' lead researcher Daniel Ruiz-Reynes wrote in his paper Fairy Circle Landscapes Under The Sea, published by Science Advances.

'Spatial configurations of vegetation landscapes act as potential indicators of climatic or human forcing affecting the ecosystem.'

The fairy circles indicate that seagrass, known scientifically as Posidonia oceanica, in the affected regions is at risk.

A loss of seagrass populations could dramatically alter the planet's larger ecosystem, the researchers said.

Mr Ruiz-Reynes suggested that the circles are more prevalent than scientists realise because they are hidden under the sea.

'Satellite images and side-scan cartography reveals that complex seascapes are abundant in meadows of Posidonia oceanica, suggesting that self-organised submarine vegetation patterns may be prevalent but have remained thus far largely hidden under the sea.'

The circles have been found around the Danish coast as well as the Balearic islands, including Mallorca. This side-scan image shows a seagrass meadow in Pollenca bay, Mallorca Island, in the Western Mediterranean

Although the seagrass around Mallorca 'is a strongly clonal plant', Mr Ruiz-Reynes said that its slow growth rate of just a few centimetres per year means that losses are 'essentially irreversible'.

The Mallorca team used a mathematical model based on seagrass growth rates and long-distance interactions between underwater plants to uncover that competition for resources is the key driver of fairy circle formation.

The study showed that this competition radically changes the dynamics of seagrass growth, triggering the behaviour across several kilometres of the seabed.

This behaviour is difficult to predict using the simple rules of plant growth, study coauthor Dr Damia Gomila said.

'Starting from a microscopic description of the proliferation of clonal plants (such as posidonia) and of the theory of pattern formation, a macroscopic model has been developed,' he said.

The research follows a 2014 study into the origin of similar fairy circles (pictured) found off the coast of Denmark. The strange underwater rings, which were formed of eelgrass and measured up to 49ft (15m) wide, were caused by poison

'This model is capable of reproducing the various structures observed on the seabed and associating the different landscapes to the conditions of mortality.'

The result is a useful tool that helps scientists to better understand competition mechanisms in underwater plantlife.

Wildlife competition mechanisms are diverse and often difficult to determine.

In marine ecosystems, access to natural resources such as light and nutrients, as well as tidal forces, are crucial factors.

These mechanisms allow for non-local interactions between plants that span several metres.

'In other words, plants in a given region can limit the growth of distant plants, so that slightly more populated areas inhibit their environment more than their environment inhibits them,' Dr Gomila said.

Underwater fairy circles are named after strange patches of bare earth found dotted across grassy fields in Namibia, also dubbed fairy circles (pictured). These have long been one of nature's greatest mysteries, prompting wild theories they were created by aliens

The research follows a 2014 study into the origin of similar fairy circles found in a different species of underwater plant, also off the coast of Denmark.

The strange underwater rings, which were formed of eelgrass and measured up to 49ft (15m) wide, were caused by poison.

Danish biologists confirmed that the circles had nothing to do with either bomb craters or landing marks for aliens.

Instead, they believe the rings form because of the circular pattern in which eelgrass naturally grows and the toxin killing off older, weaker plants.

Studying the mud surrounding the bizarre rings, they discovered high levels of sulphide, which is poisonous to the grass and can gradually build up on a chalky seabed.

In January, a group of scientists led by Princeton University finally unravelled what causes these these fairy circles to form in their millions. Researchers said these s elf-organised regular vegetation patterns are created by a combination of plant and insect behaviour

The toxin can also occur if agricultural pollutants leak into the water, NBC News reported.

Underwater fairy circles are named after strange patches of bare earth found dotted across grassy fields in Namibia that are also dubbed fairy circles.

The ovals have long been one of nature's greatest mysteries, prompting wild theories they were created by aliens or legendary gods.

In January, a group of scientists led by Princeton University finally unravelled what causes these these fairy circles to form in their millions.

Researchers said these s elf-organised regular vegetation patterns are created by a combination of plant and insect behaviour.

The team looked at two leading theories for the fairy circles to make the discovery.

The circles have been found around the Danish coast as well as the Balearic islands, including Mallorca

The first theory suggests that plants around the fairy circles help their neighbours but compete with distant individuals in a tug-of-war for water and other scarce nutrients.

The tug of war causes the landscape to organise into rings of deep-rooted plants that are capable of draining water from a main reservoir.

The second theory argues the circles are formed by subterranean ecosystem engineers, such as termites, ants or rodents.

According to the termite theory, a species called Psammotermes allocerus is engineering the circles by destroying the plants above them.

The two theories on their own aren't enough to explain the bare patches.

But Corina Tarnita and colleagues at Princeton University combined both of these theories into a computer simulation.

They showed that, instead of one or the other, a combination of competition between subterranean social-insect colonies of the same species and a tug of war between plants can explain the self-organised regular vegetation patterns.
Scientists have been left baffled by an ancient stone slab covered in strange symbols called the 'stela of Montoro' after was found in a farmer's field in Spain.

Experts believe the engravings could be the earliest monumental script in Iberia, but no one can decipher what the extinct characters mean.

The artefact is thought to date from the Iron Age and contains elements of Spanish, Greek, Iberian, Canaanite and South Arabian languages.

These cultures were all active in the Iberian Peninsula at the time.

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Experts believe the engravings (pictured) could be the earliest monumental script in Iberia but no one can decipher what the extinct characters mean

WHAT COULD IT MEAN? There are two main hypotheses for what the carvings mean. 'What we have here perhaps would be local people  who were very probably illiterate people  replicating on a stone the signs that they have seen of or been told about, which they probably did not understand,' Garcia Sanjuan said. 'This would reflect very early contact between local people and people from outside Iberia  most likely Phoenicians coming from the eastern Mediterranean.' Phoenicians are known as the creators of the first alphabet, and inhabited the coastal cities, Tyre, Sidon, Byblos and Arwad, in what is now Lebanon and southern Syria. Alternatively it could have been made during the late Iron Age during the expansion of the Roman Empire. General Hannibal who led the Carthaginians was established in Iberia during this time and wanted to exploit the gold and silver in the region. The Romans and Carthaginians had people from different backgrounds fighting for them which could explain why there are so many different characters on the rock. Advertisement

The stela of Montoro is 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) high and 85cm (2.8 feet) wide and the engravings are believed to have been carved between 9th and 3rd century BC according to research published in Antiquity.

It was first unearthed by a farmer ploughing his field in Montoro of southern Spain in 2002 but was dumped at the side of the field.

Two years later, two rangers noticed the strange markings and took it to the Montoro Archaeological Museum where it stayed for another eight years, the IB Times writes.

In 2012, Garcia Sanjuan from the University of Seville examined the rock and found the symbols came from a variety of different languages.

'It's rare to find something like this  the inscriptions on this stela cannot be read. There isn't a single script that makes sense of them,' Dr Sanjuan said.

'They seem to be an assorted collection of graphemes taken from different scripts and put together on this stone,' he said.

It is not clear why the engravings were first made and there are two main hypotheses.

'What we have here perhaps would be local people  who were very probably illiterate people  replicating on a stone the signs that they have seen of or been told about, which they probably did not understand,' Dr Sanjuan said.

'This would reflect very early contact between local people and people from outside Iberia  most likely Phoenicians coming from the eastern Mediterranean.'

Phoenicians are known as the creators of the first alphabet, and inhabited the coastal cities, Tyre, Sidon, Byblos and Arwad, in what is now Lebanon and southern Syria.

The stela of Montoro is 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) high and 85cm (2.8 feet) wide and the engravings are believed to have been carved between 9th and 3rd century BC

The archaeologists excavated a small part of the field where the stela was found (pictured) - but discovered no additional artefacts to help date the stela

Their influence expanded across the Mediterranean and west to the Iberian Peninsula where they established settlements and trading posts.

Alternatively it could have been made during the late Iron Age during the expansion of the Roman Empire.

General Hannibal who led the Carthaginians was established in Iberia during this time and wanted to exploit the gold and silver in the region.

It was first unearthed by a farmer ploughing his field (pictured) in Montoro of southern Spain in 2002 but was dumped at the side of the field and not noticed again until two years later

In 2012, Garcia Sanjuan from the University of Seville examined the rock from Montoro (pictured) and found the symbols came from a variety of different languages

The Romans and Carthaginians had people from different backgrounds fighting for them which could explain why there are so many different characters on the rock.

The Carthaginians were in Iberia from 575 BC to 206 BC - when they were defeated by the Romans.

However, until more artefacts are located the stone will probably remain a mystery.

'It must have been very important to the people who made it,' Dr Sanjuan said.




The baby skull of a new species of primate that lived 13 million years ago could shed new light on the great mystery of how apes became human.

The skull, nicknamed Alesi, dates to Miocene epoch - around the time when apes were beginning to expand their range into Eurasia.

The infant creature is not related to living apes and humans, but may have looked similar to our long-extinct ancestor.

Scientists described the creature, found in Kenya, as being like a non-acrobatic baby gibbon with a small snout.

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The complete skull of a baby ape that lived 13 million years ago has been dug up in Kenya. The remarkable discovery sheds light on human evolution - and reveals what our common ancestor may have looked like

HUMAN AND APE COMMON ANCESTOR Apes diverged from Old World monkeys ancestors between 25 and 28 million years ago. The then diversified near the middle of the Miocene epoch. Many of those lineages died out roughly 7 million years ago. Modern great apes and humans are the descendants of one of these ape lineages. Little is known about the time before the living apes started to evolve, which in Africa was only previously documented by isolated teeth and broken jaw fragments. Alesi is not only the most complete extinct ape skull yet found, but it also comes from this poorly understood time period. Advertisement

Many fossils depict the evolution that has unfolded since the narrower lineage that led to people split from chimpanzees, our closest evolutionary cousins, 6 to 7 million years ago. Our species, Homo sapiens, appeared approximately 300,000 years ago in Africa.

Fossils more than 10 million years old that could illuminate the evolution of the common ancestors of people and modern apes are rare, often just scrappy teeth and jaw bones.

That is why this fossil, unearthed west of Lake Turkana in northern Kenya, is considered a revelation.

The fossil is nicknamed Alesi by its discoverers, and known by its museum number KNM-NP 59050.

The research was done by an international team led by Isaiah Nengo of the Turkana Basin Institute, Stony Brook University, and De Anza College in California.

In 2014, it was spotted by Kenyan fossil hunter John Ekusi in 13 million year-old rock layers in the Napudet area, west of Lake Turkana in northern Kenya.

The skull after attached sandstone rock was partially removed at the Turkana Basin Insitute, near Lodwar, Kenya

About the size of a lemon, it is only the second intact braincase of an extinct ape ever found - and almost twice as old as the previous record holder

Nyanzapithecus alesi probably looked remarkably similar to a gibbon (pictured), scientists claim. Like a gibbon, it had a tiny mouth and nose relative to its head size, and it had a similar orientation of its cheek bones and eye sockets

The fossil is the skull of an infant, and it is the most complete extinct ape skull known in the fossil record.

Many of the most informative parts of the skull are preserved inside the fossil, and to make these visible the team used an extremely sensitive form of 3D X-ray imaging at the synchrotron facility in Grenoble, France.

'We were able to reveal the brain cavity, the inner ears and the unerupted adult teeth with their daily record of growth lines,' says Paul Tafforeau of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility.

Q&A: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Q. How can you tell Alesi is an ape and not a monkey? A: Alesi has teeth like an ape rather than any kind of monkey that ever lived in Africa. In addition, Alesi possesses fully developed bony ear tubes, another feature shared with living apes that is not found in more primitive primates. Q: How do we know how long ago Alesi was alive? A: The rock layer from which the fossil derived could be identified. A sample of this rock was found to be 13 million-years-old by our project geologist Craig Feibel and dating specialist Sara Mana, based on measurements of argon isotopes. The time period is known as the Miocene and it lasted from approximately 23 to 5 million years ago.. Q: How do we know how old Alesi was when she/he died? A: When teeth grow they do so leaving daily growth lines, just like the rings inside a tree. Using an extremely sensitive form of X-ray imaging our team member Paul Tafforeau could make these growth lines visible in the unerupted adult teeth of Alesi. By counting them he could calculate an age of 1 year and four months. Q: What did Alesi look like? A: Compared with living primates the skull looks most like that of a baby gibbon, for example by having a relatively small snout. We don't have direct evidence about the rest of the body because no other bones than the skull were found. Q: Do we know how Alesi died? A: The area where Alesi was discovered was long ago blanketed by thick layers of ash from huge volcanic eruptions. Alesi might have been buried and perished in one such ash fall, but we do not know for sure. Q: Fossil skulls are regularly found. Why is this one any different? A: Little is known about the time before the living apes started to evolve, which in Africa was only previously documented by isolated teeth and broken jaw fragments. Alesi is not only the most complete extinct ape skull yet found, but it also comes from this poorly understood time period. Q: Does this discovery mean that humans evolved from apes 13 million-years-ago? A: No. Alesi is from a time when the common ancestor of living apes and humans was alive in Africa. In contrast, humans themselves diverged from apes much later, sharing a last common ancestor with chimpanzees about 7 million years ago. Advertisement

'The quality of our images was so good that we could establish from the teeth that the infant was about 1 year and 4 months old when it died.'

The unerupted adult teeth inside the infant ape's skull also indicate that the specimen belonged to a new species, Nyanzapithecus alesi.

The species name is taken from the Turkana word for ancestor 'ales.'

'Until now, all Nyanzapithecus species were only known from teeth and it was an open question whether or not they were even apes,' notes John Fleagle of Stony Brook University.

Alesi partially excavated after careful removal of loose sand and rocks with dental picks and brushes

Pictured is an experimental setup at the European Synchrotron Radiation facility, used for the high resolution X-ray scanning of Alesi. The skull is mounted on a rotation stage in front of the detector, and a laser beam is used for accurate alignment

'Importantly, the cranium has fully developed bony ear tubes, an important feature linking it with living apes,' adds Ellen Miller of Wake Forest University.

Alesi's skull is about the size of a lemon, and with its notably small snout it looks most like a baby gibbon.

'This gives the initial impression that it is an extinct gibbon,' observes Chris Gilbert of Hunter College, New York.

'However, our analyses show that this appearance is not exclusively found in gibbons, and it evolved multiple times among extinct apes, monkeys, and their relatives.'

That the new species was certainly not gibbon-like in the way it behaved could be shown from the balance organ inside the inner ears.

'Gibbons are well known for their fast and acrobatic behavior in trees,' says Fred Spoor of University College London and the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology, 'but the inner ears of Alesi show that it would have had a much more cautious way of moving around.'

'Nyanzapithecus alesi was part of a group of primates that existed in Africa for over 10 million years,' concludes lead author Isaiah Nengo.

'What the discovery of Alesi shows is that this group was close to the origin of living apes and humans and that this origin was African.'

Shown here is the discovery site at Napudet, west of Lake Turkana, Kenya. The red flag marks where Alesi was found

Akai Ekes and John Ekusi watch as Isaiah Nengo lifts the sandstone block with Alesi after six hours of excavation

Cyprian Nyete (left) and Isaiah Nengo (right) excavating Alesi, using fine picks and brushes, as well as a hardener to protect the fossil bone
The story of how humanity arrived in southeast Asia may have to be rewritten thanks to the discovery of ancient teeth.

Experts have analysed two hominid teeth, found in a cave in Indonesia in the 19th Century.

Their study claims our ancient ancestors were on the islands between 73,000 and 63,000 years ago.

This is potentially 13,000 years earlier than previously thought and ties in with new theories about human settlement in Australia.

It also represents the first time humans were known to inhabit rainforests, according to its authors.

A new study claims our ancient ancestors were on the islands of Indonesia between 73,000 and 63,000 years ago. This image shows a modern human tooth (left top) with its corresponding scanned image (left bottom) compared to an orangutan tooth (right)

WHO WERE THE FIRST INHABITANTS OF INDONESIA? Stone tools discovered on the large Indonesian island of Sulawesi last year suggest they were not the first human species to have braved the ocean to reach the lush tropical paradise. Instead, the findings suggest a mysterious species of seafaring early human relatives were living on the island up to 194,000 years ago  predating the arrival of our own species by tens of millennia. The stone flakes - shaped into sharp edged blades  were unearthed at four sites in Talepu in the Indonesian jungle alongside the Walanae River, north east of Maros in southern Sulawesi. The early inhabitants could have been members of the so-called Hobbits, Homo floresiensis - the 3ft-tall primitive humans which were discovered to have lived on the nearby island of Flores 190,000 years ago. Alternatively it could have been Homo erectus, remains of which have been found on present day Java. It could even have been the Denisovans, the Asian cousins of the Neanderthals. Advertisement

A team of experts, including Dr Kira Westway of Macquarie University in Sydney, conducted the research.

Previous genetic studies have suggested that modern humans were living in southeast Asia more than 60,000 years ago.

Physical fossil evidence has been hard to come by but the two teeth found in Lida Ajer, a Pleistocene ice age era cave, offer a unique window into our ancient past.

Scientists used scanning techniques to establish the age of the fossils, an upper central incisor and second molar.

They also used different methods to date the sediment in which they were found.

They conclude that the teeth are undoubtedly human, rather than belonging to an earlier species of hominid or another animal species.

Writing in the study, the authors said: 'We show that the teeth are unequivocally anatomically modern humans (AMH).

'Lida Ajer represents, to our knowledge, the earliest evidence of rainforest occupation by AMH.

'And [it] underscores the importance of reassessing the timing and environmental context of the dispersal of modern humans out of Africa.'

Lida Ajer is in the Padang Highlands of Sumatra, which has a rich rainforest environment.

Scientists have previously argued the preferred route of modern humans migrating out of Africa had been along the coast.

Their study claims our ancient ancestors were on the islands between 73,000 and 63,000 years ago. This is potentially 13,000 years earlier than previously thought and ties in with new theories about human settlement in Australia

Experts have analysed two hominid teeth, an upper central incisor and second molar, found in a cave in the 19th Century, as well as the sediment in which they were found. This image shows an enameldentine junction of the Lida Ajer molar

They conclude that the teeth are undoubtedly human, rather than belonging to an earlier species of hominid or another animal species. This image shows a Micro-CT image of the Lida Ajer teeth

Marine environments would have offered more opportunities for gathering food.

By contrast rainforests, with their highly spaced, seasonal resources and nutritionally poor sources of sustenance, would have presented serious difficulties for human colonisation.

The successful exploitation of the rainforest environment would have required complex planning and technological innovations.

The authors data, published in the journal Nature, indicates that this existed in Asia well before 70,000 years ago.

Indonesia is thought to have been a key stepping stone that helped modern humans spread from Asia into the prehistoric landmass that now forms Australia and Papua New Guinea.

This image shows scans of the internal and external structure of the Lida Ajer teeth, taken by CT scan

Scientists also used different methods to date the sediment in which the fossils were found. This image shows red thermoluminescence analysis

Experts studying ancient artefacts in Australia announced new findings in recent weeks that could corroborate the new study's findings.

They say new ageing techniques push back the date from which humans arrived on the continent by almost 20,000 years, to 65,000 years ago.

But stone tools discovered on the large Indonesian island of Sulawesi last year suggest they were not the first human species to have braved the ocean to reach the lush tropical paradise.

Instead, the findings suggest a mysterious species of seafaring early human relatives were living on the island up to 194,000 years ago  predating the arrival of our own species by tens of millennia.

WHO WERE THE FLORES HOBBITS? Standing a little over 3ft (0.9 metres) tall, the inhabitants of Liang Bua cave on the remote Indonesian island of Flores are known from just a few fragmented remains. The first remains were found in 2003 and since then partial skeletons of nine individuals, including one complete skull have been unearthed. Researchers believe the little people were descendants of prehistoric humans, who became isolated on the island around one million years ago. Standing a little over 3ft (0.9 metres) tall, the inhabitants of Liang Bua cave on the remote Indonesian island of Flores are known from just a few fragmented remains There are various theories for how they got there. Some believe they may have walked across a landbridge from the mainland Asia and as sea levels rose they became cut off. Others suggest they were swept to the island following a tsunami. Once cut off, these hominids then had to survive on what food they could find, they evolved a small stature. Scientists have previously said they were clever hunters because they had found evidence of toolmaking, butchering and fires. Advertisement

The stone flakes - shaped into sharp edged blades  were unearthed at four sites in Talepu in the Indonesian jungle alongside the Walanae River, north east of Maros in southern Sulawesi.

The early inhabitants could have been members of the so-called Hobbits, Homo floresiensis - the 3ft-tall primitive humans which were discovered to have lived on the nearby island of Flores 190,000 years ago.

Alternatively it could have been Homo erectus, remains of which have been found on present day Java.

It could even have been the Denisovans, the Asian cousins of the Neanderthals.

The two teeth were found in Lida Ajer, a Pleistocene ice age era cave in the Padang Highlands of Sumatra

This image shows the Sumatran karst highlands, which has a rich rainforest environment, with the Lida Ajer cave in the centre of the image
Human bones discovered in Somerset reveal how cannibal cavemen feasted on each other.

Now a beauty spot for tourists, Cheddar Gorge was populated by cannibals 14,700 years ago, who decapitated their dead, filleted the flesh from their bodies and made drinking cups from their skulls.

Archaeologists have now found the first evidence that the cannibals engraved the bones after butchering them.

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Cheddar Gorge was populated by cannibals 14,700 years ago, who decapitated their dead, filleted the flesh from their bodies and made cups from their skulls. Archaeologists have now found the first evidence that the cannibals engraved (circled in red) the bones

WHY DID THEY ENGRAVE THE BONES? It was first believed that all the cuts in human bones found in Somersets Gough Cave were left by a cannibal filleting muscle from the skeleton with a sharp piece of flint. However a study of marks on one arm bone, led by Dr Silvia Bello at the Natural History Museum, concludes by comparing them to 322 filleting marks on other human and animal remains, as well as engravings, that they are decorative. The zigzag markings carved into the bones could be a savage tribal emblem left by early humans who killed their victims and ate them up. Or they may be a funeral rite in tribute to the dead, who died naturally but were eaten by their companions out of necessity when food was scarce. Advertisement

It means new mystery over the hunter-gatherer remains in Britains most famous Palaeolithic site.

The zigzag markings carved into the bones could be a savage tribal emblem left by early humans who killed their victims and ate them up.

Or they may be a funeral rite in tribute to the dead, who died naturally but were eaten by their companions out of necessity when food was scarce.

Evidence that our cavemen were cannibals was met with much excitement years after the discovery of the bones in Cheddar Gorge in 1987.

The new findings shed fresh light on ancient dwellers of the West Country.

They are believed to have lived in a climate rather like modern Scotland, surviving by trapping animals in the gorge and drinking from its stream.

Professor Chris Stringer, from Londons Natural History Museum, said: We dont know what caused the death of these people or how they came to be in the cave.

'It may have been during warfare that they were killed outside the cave and their remains taken there, or this was crisis cannibalism where people had to eat their dead during a bad winter.

Or they could have been eaten as a tribute, in the same way that some cultures believe you can take on someones courage by consuming their remains.

It was first believed that all the cuts in human bones found in Somersets Gough Cave were left by a cannibal filleting muscle from the skeleton with a sharp piece of flint.

The Cheddar Gorge (file photo) cannibals are believed to have lived in a climate rather like modern Scotland, surviving by trapping animals in the gorge and drinking from its stream

THE CANNIBALS OF CHEDDAR GORGE Evidence that our cavemen were cannibals was met with much excitement years after the discovery of the bones in Cheddar Gorge in 1987. Now a beauty spot for tourists, Cheddar Gorge was populated by cannibals 14,700 years ago, who decapitated their dead, filleted the flesh from their bodies and made drinking cups from their skulls. They are believed to have lived in a climate rather like modern Scotland, surviving by trapping animals in the gorge and drinking from its stream. Archaeologists have now found the first evidence that the cannibals engraved the bones after butchering them. Advertisement

However a study of marks on one arm bone, led by Dr Silvia Bello at the Natural History Museum, concludes by comparing them to 322 filleting marks on other human and animal remains, as well as engravings, that they are decorative.

The meaning of the 2.5 inch (6.4cm) zigzag pattern found on the bone unfortunately died with the cavemen, but the experts base their theories on similar repetitive geometric patterns in ancient art.

Professor Stringer said: For some people these are symbols of tribes, which work as marks such as tattoos. Was this a final insult to someone killed during a conflict?

But the symbol may also mean something about the person who died - it could be a narrative of their life or a topographical representation of the landscape they lived in, so that it might even represent Cheddar Gorge.

The findings, published in the journal PLOS One, are a breakthrough as the first evidence of engraved human bones from the Palaeolithic period.

They are also the first example found in Britain, despite evidence from Europe that human teeth may have been worn as ornaments previously.

The cuts were ruled out as marks from a butcher who filleted flesh from bones, because there would have been no muscle to remove on the arm bone found.

They are also the wrong length for filleting marks and much more elaborate.

Dr Bello, Calleva Researcher at the Natural History Museum, said: The sequence of modifications performed on this bone suggests that the engraving was a purposeful component of the cannibalistic practice, rich in symbolic connotations.

Although in previous analyses we have been able to suggest that cannibalism at Goughs Cave was practiced as a symbolic ritual, this study provides the strongest evidence for this yet.
On August 21, a total solar eclipse will sweep through the United States, darkening skies from coast to coast as the moon passes in front of the sun.

And, as viewers look toward the suns tangled corona, the event could bear semblance to a scene that took place more than a thousand years before.

At New Mexicos Chaco Canyon, researchers have discovered a petroglyph carved by the early Pueblo people that appears to illustrate a total solar eclipse.

Evidence of ceremonial practices at the site indicates that the free-standing rock may have been used for solstice-related activities, and the experts now suspect the ancient people once gathered there to watch an eclipse in the summer of 1097.

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At New Mexicos Chaco Canyon, researchers have discovered a petroglyph that appears to illustrate a total solar eclipse (seen just below center in the image above). The researchers suspected a larger loop seen branching out from the circle could be a coronal mass ejection

THE CHACOAN PEOPLE For over 2,000 years, 'Pueblo' Native American peoples occupied a vast region of the southwestern United States. Chaco canyon in New Mexico became a major centre of ancestral Puebloan culture 1,000 years ago. This society is now known as the Chacoans. Chaco canyon contains large-scale public and ceremonial buildings with intricate architecture, suggesting that the culture thrived as a complex society. But historians have struggled to identify how Chacoan society worked because they did not write. Using masonry techniques unique for their time, the Chacoan constructed massive stone buildings (Great Houses) of multiple stories containing hundreds of rooms. Advertisement

In the petroglyph, the inclusion of several looping tendrils suggest high solar activity and even a coronal mass ejection, according to the researchers.

The free-standing rock decorated with the ancient carvings was first discovered in 1992 during a Chaco Canyon field school for students at the University of Colorado at Boulder Fort Lewis College.

Its since come to be known as Piedra del Sol.

The petroglyph exhibits a distinctly circular shape, with a solid center thats surrounded by jutting spirals on all sides.

To me it looks like a circular feature with curved tangles and structures, said J. McKim Malville of CU Boulders astrophysical and planetary sciences department.

If one looks at a drawing by a German astronomer of the 1860 total solar eclipse during high solar activity, rays and loops similar to those depicted in the Chaco petroglyph are visible.

The researchers suspected a larger loop seen branching out from the circle could be a coronal mass ejection.

These eruptions send billions of tons of plasma spewing from the sun.

But, if the sun was in a quiet phase in its cycle at the time of the eclipse, a CME would be unlikely.

To find out, the experts used tree ring data and records of naked-eye observations of sunspots, as well as historical data on auroral nights, to trace solar activity back hundreds of years.

Tree rings contain traces of the isotope carbon-14, which is caused as cosmic rays hit the Earths atmosphere.

The petroglyph exhibits a distinctly circular shape, with a solid center thats surrounded by jutting spirals on all sides. Evidence of ceremonial practices at the site indicates that the free-standing rock may have been used for solstice-related activities

In the petroglyph, the inclusion of several looping tendrils suggest high solar activity and even a coronal mass ejection, according to the researchers. This is illustrated in the interpretation above

WHAT ARE CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS? Two main types of explosions occur on the sun: solar flares and coronal mass ejections, or CMEs. Unlike the energy and x-rays produced in a solar flare  which can reach Earth at the speed of light in eight minutes  coronal mass ejections are giant, expanding clouds of solar material that take one to three days to reach Earth. CMEs are cloud like structures that are influenced by solar winds as they pass to Earth, found researchers from the University of Reading. This makes their movements much harder to predict than if they were single bubble-like entities as was previously thought. CMEs are capable of damaging satellites, destroying electronic devices and potentially exposing people at high altitude, such as astronauts and aviation crew and passengers, to cancer-causing radiation. Advertisement

As a result, this information can be linked to sunspots  less carbon-14 means more sunspots, and higher solar activity.

And, the analysis revealed the occurrence of a CME during the event on July 11, 1097 was certainly within the realm of possibility.

This was a testable hypothesis, Malville said.

It turns out the sun was in a period of very high solar activity at that time, consistent with an active corona and CMEs.

In addition to the eclipse petroglyph, another large spiral carving on the east side of the rock was found to mark sunrise in the 15 to 17 days leading up to the June solstice.

During this time, a triangular shadow cast by a large rock on the horizon crosses through the center of the spiral.

According to the experts, this may have been used to count down to the summer solstice, and related festivities.

The east side of the rock also contains a bowl-shaped depression, where its thought the Chacoans left offerings, such as cornmeal.

And, on the southwest side, the rock faces a small butte on the horizon, which marks the December solstice.

The east side of the rock also contains a bowl-shaped depressions, where its thought the Chacoans left offerings, such as cornmeal

These features, coupled with a set of carved stairs found at the rock, is indicative of the sites ceremonial importance, according to the researchers.

This possible eclipse petroglyph on Piedra del Sol is the only one we know of in Chaco Canyon, Malville said.

I think it is quite possible that the Chacoan people may have congregated around Piedra del Sol at certain times of the year and were watching the sun move away from the summer solstice when the eclipse occurred.

The free-standing rock decorated with the ancient carvings was first discovered in 1992 during a Chaco Canyon field school for students at the University of Colorado at Boulder Fort Lewis College. Its since come to be known as Piedra del Sol

WHERE TO SEE THE 2017 ECLIPSE The path of totality will stretch from Lincoln Beach, Oregon, to Charleston South Carolina. To find out exactly when and where it will be visible, visit NASA's interactive map, and click on a city along the path. Totality will cross the US from west to east, beginning at Lincoln Beach, Oregon, where totality will occur at 10:16 a.m. (PDT). It will the US over roughly an hour and a half, passing through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and North and South Carolina. It will end near Charleston, South Carolina, at 2:48 p.m. (EDT), according to NASA. Advertisement

And, this wasnt the only celestial event likely viewed at Piedra del Sol.

The experts say the other two petroglyphs at the site, were likely linked to astronomical events, including a bright supernova in AD 1054 that may even have been visible in the daytime for several weeks, and a comet that passed by in AD 1066.

According to Malville, The appearance of the spectacular supernova and comet may have alerted the residents of the canyon to pay attention to powerful and meaningful events in the sky.
Holidaymakers can expect to witness numerous unexpected wonders when they explore the world.

But tourists visiting the Micronesian archipelago of Palau discovered an unusually rare sight, recently - after stumbling across a doomed WW2 plane.

The long lost craft - believed to be a Japanese Aichi E13A long range reconnaissance seaplane - was found in a shallow river on the archipelago of Palau, which boasts 500 picturesque islands.

Discovery: The long lost aeroplane was found in a shallow river on the archipelago of Palau

An image of the remarkable relic, which surfaced on Imgur, shows the plane largely intact with the wings still attached to the fuselage.

Eerily positioned upside-down, it's not clear which country the military craft belonged to, but the undisturbed site has now become something of a makeshift grave.

And, clearly, it exerts a fascination with holidaymakers, two of whom can be seen canoeing past the plane's rusted body.

Unsurprisingly, the image has stunned people across the internet, with one saying:, 'Looks like a movie set or the beginning or end of a novel.'

Another added: 'If was the pilot that died with that plane, I'd be happy with my final resting spot. So beautiful and serene.'

A third chimed-in: 'For me, it's the juxtaposition between the wreck and the person kayaking carefree right next to it. It seems disrespectful given that someone could have died in that wreck.'

Aviation historian and seaplane pilot Paul Beaver told MailOnline Travel that the plane is Japanese.

He said: 'It's an A13 floatplane. It is inverted and has lost its floats. This is a rare beast.'

Destination point: Increasingly-popular Palau is dubbed 'the underwater Serengeti' because of its exciting seascape, fascinating wrecks and stunningly diverse marine life

Palau is an archipelago that consists of more than 500 islands

An increasingly popular location, Palau is described by Lonely Planet as 'scenically magical'.

'For such a tiny area of land, it packs a big punch. It's hard not to be overwhelmed by its extraordinary array of natural wonders: this is an archipelago of pristine limestone and volcanic islands, blanketed in emerald forest, surrounded by a shimmering turquoise lagoon.

'Unsurprisingly, diving is the number-one activity here, with truly world-class dive sites. Divers swear by Palau's exciting seascape, fascinating wrecks and stunningly diverse marine life  it's not dubbed 'the underwater Serengeti' for nothing.'
For a period of time, the Allenberry Resort appeared to be in danger of closingthat is, until a group of investors joined together to save the historic landmark.

Since then, work has been underway to bring the resort into the new era, while preserving much of its old-world charm.

Renovations have been ongoing for almost a year now, and a much-anticipated restaurant opened its doors to the public just recently. The Barn, located in the Fairfield Building, dates back to 1778 and serves up locally sourced farm-to-table fare.

Rather than give the establishment time to work out any service issues, I decided to take a chance that The Barn would hit the ground runningand they did.

My friend and I arrived on a Friday night and found our way to the restaurant area located behind the Lodge check-in desk.

The first sight guests see upon entering is a striking, L-shaped bar illuminated by grouped Edison pendant lighting and wall-mounted flat-screen televisions. An employee took our names and led us to a separate area with high and low-top tables and cozy banquettes where we were seated.

Within minutes our waitress appeared and offered us the After 4 Menu. From the wooden floors, to the cute tractor/silo salt-and-pepper shakers, to the pretzel bites served in a small pail before dinner, the decor hewed to the rustic theme that included the old mural on the front wall that the new owners decided to keep. The scene depicts a hunter in the brush with his trusty dogs at his heels. If you examine it closely, youll see that one of the characters has been carefully removedthe unfortunate outcome of a family squabble.

The two-page menu lists several starters, which include selections like charcuterie and house made fried cheeses. Shoestring French fries, are in a category by themselves. Patrons can choose from various iterations, ranging from standard, to truffle fries with grated parmesan and peppercorn aioli, to Barn Fries, with bacon, onions, peppers, poached egg and smoked maple ketchupan unusual combination that, in retrospect, I should have tried.

A selection of flatbreads with toppings like BBQ chicken, mushroom, fig and duck are meals unto themselves. For those who like to share small plates, there are four from which to choose, like crab cocktail and braised artichoke.

On the lighter side are salads, like the Barns take on the traditional Wedge, grilled peppercorn Caesar and a Victorian Watermelon, comprised of watercress, arugula, fennel, feta, radish flower and honey lemon vinaigrette.

Entrees include steak, trout, filet, scallops and chicken, to name a few. Vegetarians will likely appreciate the Vegetable Napoleon, made with roasted eggplant, sauteed spinach, plum tomatoes, roasted red peppers and goat cheese served over polenta and finished with rosemary red pepper coulis.

I chose the Antebellum Onion soup ($8) from the Salad and Soups selection, and paired that with the NY Strip Steak au Poivre ($26).

My dining companion selected the Mason/Dixon Chicken ($19), described on the menu as an airline chicken breast over farmhouse mash and bourbon Brussels sprouts with a wild mushroom veloute. For those unfamiliar with the term airline chicken, its best described as a boneless breast with the drumette attached and is sometimes known as frenched breast.

Our seat provided us a nice view of the attractive terrace that overlooks the Yellow Breeches, but also placed us right in the path of a busy door that opened and closed untold times while waitresses and waiters emerged from the kitchensomething Ill keep in mind on a return visit.

The staff appeared to do a good job of ensuring that everyone was happy, and our waitress was quite attentive.

Shortly after ordering, I was digging into my crock of onion soup, which arrived with a dainty pair of scissors. I arrived at the conclusion that more restaurants should do this to avoid the inelegant cheese struggle that usually ensues. As for the soup itself, I would have preferred a lighter hand with the salt.

My steak was the star feature that nightcooked to a perfect medium rare and served with sauteed spinach and thinly sliced potatoes. The green peppercorn cognac sauce that accompanied the entree allowed the flavors of the steak to shine through.

My dining companion enjoyed his dish as well, remarking on the flavorful meat and the roasted bourbon brussels sprouts. He described the wild mushroom sauce that contained just a hint of vinegar as a unique complement to the chicken.

Those with a sweet tooth may be interested to know that dessert selections change daily. During the evening of our visit, The Barn was offering lemon drop pie, gluten-free flourless chocolate torte and an Allenberry sticky bun with ice cream.

Those who have yet to see the resort, post-renovation, should consider visiting while everything is green and lush. The view from the terrace is particularly lovely this time of year.

Up Next: Lunch at Fays Country Kitchen in Carlisle.
She has just been cast in Josh Duhamel's The Buddy Games.

And Olivia Munn looked every inch the movie star following a flight from Vancouver to Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old revealed a peek at her enviable abs as she sported a cropped sweater and skin tight jeans.

Model traveler: Olivia Munn, 38, was spotted at Vancouver International Airport on her way to Los Angeles on Tuesday

The Oklahoma native looked relaxed in the casual ensemble as she toted her luggage through the busy international airport.

Daring to impress, the X-Men: Apocalypse star showcased her ample assets in the dark brown sweater that cut just above her navel.

The statuesque stunner made heads turn as she poured herself into the form fitting denim that flared at the bottom.

Olivia threw her trademark raven tresses up in a loose ponytail as she went virtually makeup free with just a touch of berry on her lips.

Chic peek: The beauty revealed a peek at her enviable abs as she sported a cropped sweater and skin tight jeans

Stunner: The Oklahoma native looked relaxed in the casual ensemble as she toted her luggage through the busy international airport

The Newsroom star accessorized with a set of small hoop earrings, a necklace, retro styled shades and a Chanel tote.

On Monday, Deadline reported that Olivia will star alongside Dax Shepard and Kevin Dillon for Duhamel's directorial debut which will arrive in 2018.

The comedy revolves around a group of adult friends who reunite to play an assortment of physical and mental games that ultimately strengthen their bond.

Full disclosure: Daring to impress, the X-Men: Apocalypse star showcased her ample assets in the dark brown sweater that cut just above her navel

Extra extra: The Newsroom star accessorized with a set of small hoop earrings, a necklace, retro styled shades and a Chanel tote

Meanwhile, Olivia was in San Diego for Comic-Con to promote her upcoming animated film, The LEGO Ninjago Movie.

In the film, Olivia voices Koko, the mother of Dave Franco's character, Lloyd.

The movie follows Dave's character, along with his teenage pals, as they do their best to protect their homeland, Ninjago. Lloyd also battles his father, Garmadon, voiced by Justin Theroux.

The Lego Ninjago Movie hits theaters on September 22.

Au natural: Olivia threw her trademark raven tresses up in a loose ponytail as she went virtually makeup free with just a touch of berry on her lips
Shannen Doherty debuted her 'sexy Parisian' pixie hairdo, which is her first cut/styling since shaving it all off a year ago while battling breast and lymphatic cancer.

The 46-year-old actress was coiffed on Monday by Anh Co Tran of the Ramirez|Tran Salon in Beverly Hills.

'Yes he gives the best haircuts ever!' the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum - who boasts 2.1M social media followers - wrote on Instagram.

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Looking good! Shannen Doherty debuted her 'sexy Parisian' pixie hairdo, which is her first cut/styling since shaving it all off a year ago while battling breast and lymphatic cancer

'It's nice to feel a bit more like a woman again!' The 46-year-old actress was coiffed on Monday by Anh Co Tran (R) of the Ramirez|Tran Salon in Beverly Hills

'After two years of either bald or a crew cut, it's nice to feel a bit more like a woman again.'

Shannen then ironically wigged out the very next day in her trailer on the set of Paramount Network's Heathers reboot.

'Back at work!' Doherty captioned a behind-the-scenes snap of her raven hairpiece.

'Nap time while I wait to film.'

Hard at work: The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum then ironically wigged out the very next day in her trailer on the set of Paramount Network's Heathers reboot

Doherty captioned a behind-the-scenes snap of her raven hairpiece: 'Back at work!'

Shannen also shared this barefoot snap captioned: 'Nap time while I wait to film'

Back in 1988, the former Hollywood bad-girl famously played ambitious, bulimic Heather Duke in Michael Lehmann's cliquey cult classic penned by Daniel Waters.

But this time, Shannen is playing the 'pivotal' mysterious role of an entirely different Heather in Heathers.

The halls of Westerburg High will now be stomped by Brendan Scannell, whose popular yet evil Heath Duke is gender-queer in the modern reimagining.

American Crime Story's Selma Blair nabbed a recurring role as Heath's mother Jade, a 'stripper who is biding her time until her 82-year-old husband kicks the bucket' - according to THR.

'Hallelujah!' Back in 1988, the former Hollywood bad-girl famously played ambitious, bulimic Heather Duke in Michael Lehmann's cliquey cult classic penned by Daniel Waters

'Jealous much?' But this time, Shannen is playing the 'pivotal' mysterious role of an entirely different Heather in Heathers

'Casual toe point Fridays!' The halls of Westerburg High will now be stomped by Brendan Scannell, whose popular yet evil Heath Duke is gender-queer in the modern reimagining

'Do I look like step mother Theresa?' American Crime Story's Selma Blair nabbed a recurring role as Heath's mother Jade, a 'stripper who is biding her time until her 82-year-old husband kicks the bucket'

Premiering January on the Paramount Network! The 10-episode hourlong dramedy will also feature James Scully, Grace Victoria Cox, Melanie Field, Jasmine Mathews, and Nikki SooHoo

The 10-episode hourlong dramedy - premiering January on the Paramount Network - will also feature James Scully, Grace Victoria Cox, Melanie Field, Jasmine Mathews, Nikki SooHoo, and Drew Droege.

After undergoing a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation since 2015 - Doherty announced that her life-threatening illness was finally in remission in an April 28 Instagram post.

The Tennessee-born brunette and her third husband, photographer Kurt Iswarienko, will celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary on October 15.

'#cancerslayer': After undergoing a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation since 2015 - Doherty announced that her life-threatening illness was finally in remission on April 28
She is busy getting ready for the David Jones runway show in Sydney, but there is one modelling job Jesinta Franklin (nee Campbell) doesn't have on the agenda.

The former Miss Universe Australia has admitted she is 'a little bit too old' to debut on the world-famous Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, as she turns 26 on Saturday.

Jesinta told The Kyle And Jackie O Show on Wednesday morning: 'I think all the girls that kind of get cast (by) Victoria's Secret are a little bit younger'.

'I'm a little bit too old now!' Jesinta Campbell admitted she may have missed her opportunity to model for Victoria's Secret, as she prepares for Wednesday's David Jones fashion show

The former beauty pageant queen, from Queensland's Gold Coast, will join former Victoria's Secret Angel Shanina Shaik for David Jones' seasonal showcase.

Jesinta, who met Shanina for the first time this week, said: 'It's really nice when you see Aussies that have gone overseas and achieved so much success.

'And they come home and work with a local brand but they're still so grounded and there's no attitude and they're just so lovely.'

'I think all the girls that kind of get cast (by) Victoria's Secret are a little bit younger': Jesinta told KIIS FM that the lengthy audition process means she's unlikely to be considered at 26

KIIS FM host Jackie 'O' Henderson then asked: 'Do you have any aspirations to do Victoria's Secret? Is that something you would look at doing down the track?'

Jesinta, who married AFL player Lance 'Buddy' Franklin in a secret Blue Mountains ceremony last year, replied: 'I think I'm a little bit too old for that now!

'I'm 26 on the weekend, on Saturday, and I think all the girls that kind of get cast (by) Victoria's Secret are a little bit younger.'

'I'm really settled here in Australia. I can't really be going overseas for months at a time': She also claimed that her marriage and blossoming career keeps her happily busy at home

Sydney power couple! Jesinta married AFL player Lance 'Buddy' Franklin (left) in a secret Blue Mountains ceremony last year

She explained: 'It really is such a process. You talk to all of the girls who have golden dreams to walk in the Victoria's Secret show and it sometimes takes five years of casting, and you've got to base yourself in New York and you've got to do a lot of auditions.

'But I think, me, like I'm married, I'm really settled here in Australia. I can't really be going overseas for months at a time.'

Other Australian and New Zealand models to find global fame on the Victoria's Secret runway include Miranda Kerr, Georgia Fowler, and Bridget Malcolm.

Superstars! Other Australian and New Zealand models to find global fame on the Victoria's Secret runway include Miranda Kerr (left) and Georgia Fowler (right)

Homecoming! Shanina Shaik, pictured at the 2015 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in NYC, has returned to Australia to walk for the David Jones runway
Anything dad can do . . .

Ewan McGregor stripped off in cult classic Trainspotting and now his 21-year-old daughter Clara is following suit.

The model-cum-actress shared this intimate snap online in which she bathes naked in a tub full of sliced lemons. 'When life gives you lemons . . . bathe in them?' she jokes.

Clara McGregor shared this intimate snap online in which she bathes naked in a tub full of sliced lemons

When not posing for nude snaps, Clara, whose mother, product ion designer Eve Mavrakis, has been married to Ewan for 22 years, is working towards a BA in film studies at New York University.

Mother of BoJo's lovechild and a fresh romantic tangle

Helen MacIntyre attends book launch party for Simon Sebag Montefiore's latest book

The court case involving the new married lover of arts consultant Helen Macintyre, who is the mother of Boris Johnson's love child, looks like it will run and run.

Macintyre, 43, had received a summons at her vast manor house in Kent for her boyfriend, French aristocrat Baron Cyrille de Gunzburg, to appear in court in Paris in June.

Baron de Gunzburg, 53, is charged with failing to make payments to his wife, Diana, 55, with whom he has a daughter, and abandonment of family.

He is now due at the court in the French capital in October for breach of a court order.

'Helen is more than welcome to him,' Diana tells me. 'I have to say 'bravo' to Boris for doing the honourable thing sticking by his wife and family.'

The Sixties hippie musical Hair, notorious for its onstage nudity, is to hold a 'clothing-optional' show for audience members during its revival at The Vaults in London.

Fans are advised to bring a sarong or towel to sit on while staff reserve the right to restrict access to anyone acting 'without suitable self-control'.

One can only hope that having let it all hang out at the Wilderness Festival, this isn't the next social event on David Cameron's calendar.

Hollywood actor George Clooney pictured with wife Amal Clooney as they are seen enjoying a romantic dinner

How sweet! Amal is so striking in stripes

Has George Clooney's glamorous wife, Amal, lost her sartorial touch?

She is widely seen as a fashion icon  however, she dressed like a humbug on holiday in Italy. The 39-year-old human rights lawyer, who gave birth to twins Ella and Alexander in June, went out for dinner with George in Lake Como, wearing a strapless black-and-white striped jumpsuit, chandelier earrings and her favourite 190 metallic Sarah's Bag clutch, made from 1,001 safety pins.

Clooney, 56, was in no danger of looking like a boiled sweet as he stuck to his trusty shirt and jeans.

Hallie Rubenhold, the historian whose book on 18th century courtesans inspired the saucy ITV drama Harlots, is not impressed by the broadcaster's decision to mount yet another adaptation of Pride And Prejudice.

'Too much Jane Austen is bad for 18th century history on TV. Everything has to be squeezed into a bonnet,' Hallie complains.

'Too much Austen means fewer new stories are told.'
They're the genetically-blessed duo who are set to strut the runway at David Jones' annual Spring/ Summer runway show.

And Shanina Shaik, 26, and her fiance DJ Ruckus couldn't help but put on an affectionate display as they stepped out in Sydney together following a fitting ahead of the big catwalk show.

Victoria's Secret model Shanina showcased her fabulous figure as she strolled arm-in-arm with her man, donning a pair of black PVC trousers that hugged her slender pins.

Here come the lovebirds! Shanina Shaik, 26, and her fiance DJ Ruckus couldn't help but put on an affectionate display as they stepped out in Sydney together following a fitting ahead of the big catwalk show

The brunette beauty completed her ensemble with a striped top, a pair of aviator sunglasses from Vera Wang and a YSL handbag.

She appeared to wear a light application of makeup, highlighting her cheeks with a bronzer and enhancing her eyes with a swipe of gold shadow.

Her sleek look was complemented with a slicked-back hairstyle parted to the side.

Legging it! Victoria's Secret model Shanina showcased her fabulous figure as she strolled arm-in-arm with her man, donning a pair of black PVC trousers that hugged her slender pins

Chic: The brunette beauty completed her ensemble with a striped top, a pair of aviator sunglasses from Vera Wang and a YSL handbag

Primped: She appeared to wear a light application of makeup, highlighting her cheeks with a bronzer and enhancing her eyes with a swipe of gold shadow

Meanwhile Shanina's handsome beau, whose real name is Gregory Andrews looked trendy in a pair of black acid-wash jeans and T-shirt.

His look was completed with a pair of white sneakers and a pair of reflective sunglasses.

The pair weren't afraid to get handsy in front of onlookers as they cuddled in the street.

On trend: Meanwhile Shanina's handsome beau, whose real name is Gregory Andrews looked trendy in a pair of black acid-wash jeans and T-shirt

Cuddling up: The pair weren't afraid to get handsy in front of onlookers as they cuddled in the street

Model pair: The sighting comes hours before Shanina and her beau will walk the runway for the first time together as they model David Jones' newest collections

The sighting comes hours before Shanina and her beau will walk the runway for the first time together as they model David Jones' newest collections.

DJ Ruckus will perform a set at the exclusive after-party.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday, Shanina said she isn't worried about her soon-to-be husband ahead of his catwalk debut.

Showcasing his talents: DJ Ruckus will perform a set at the exclusive after-party

'I think he'll be absolutely okay': Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday, Shanina said she isn't worried about her soon-to-be husband ahead of his catwalk debut

'The big difference is that I'm only in lingerie in The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show': Shanina revealed she hadn't put in any extra preparation for the highly anticipated runway show and felt more at ease than when she's getting ready to walk for Victoria's Secret

'I think he'll be absolutely okay, I'm not worried at all' she said. I'll be standing by his side making him feel really comfortable.'

Shanina revealed she hadn't put in any extra preparation for the highly anticipated runway show and felt more at ease than when she's getting ready to walk for Victoria's Secret.

'The big difference is that I'm only in lingerie in The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show,' she laughed.

All in a day's work! 'But I work out consistently for my job and when I'm on the runway in lingerie my workout becomes more intense. But it's part of my job and I want to sell the product,' she said

'Unfortunately I won't be having a wedding in Australia': Keeping mum on the finer details of her upcoming wedding, Shanina did reveal she wouldn't be getting married Down Under

'But I work out consistently for my job and when I'm on the runway in lingerie my workout becomes more intense. But it's part of my job and I want to sell the product.'

Keeping mum on the finer details of her upcoming wedding, Shanina did reveal she wouldn't be getting married Down Under.

'Unfortunately I won't be having a wedding in Australia,' she said.

'But Ruckus and I plan to get married on a beach. Growing up in Australia, all Aussie's love a beach so we'd love to see that happen.'

Sun and surf: 'But Ruckus and I plan to get married on a beach. Growing up in Australia, all Aussie's love a beach so we'd love to see that happen,' she said
Megan Fox and her husband Brian Austin Green left their three small sons at home to enjoy a seaside lunch date at Geoffrey's in Malibu on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old actress gave her 5ft4in frame a big boost with sky-high wedge sandals, which she paired with a white sleeveless top and blue distressed skinny jeans.

Instead of the requisite purse or iPhone, the New Girl star toted a mysterious book with her on the romantic outing and shielded her symmetrical face with aviators.

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Serene setting: Megan Fox and her husband Brian Austin Green left their three small sons at home to enjoy a seaside lunch date at Geoffrey's in Malibu on Tuesday

Ankle breakers: The 31-year-old actress gave her 5ft4in frame a big boost with sky-high wedge sandals, which she paired with a white sleeveless top and blue distressed skinny jeans

Brainy beauty: Instead of the requisite purse or iPhone, the New Girl star toted a mysterious book with her on the romantic outing and shielded her symmetrical face with aviators

Last Thursday, Megan guest-judged an episode of ABC's The Gong Show (hosted by Mike Myers as 'Tommy Maitland') alongside new father Andy Samberg and The Emoji Movie's Maya Rudolph.

Fox looked foxy as ever in her frilly floral mini-dress and nude stilettos for the retro reboot of NBC's 1976 amateur talent contest.

On July 29, 44-year-old Brian reunited with his former Beverly Hills, 90210 castmate Vanessa Marcil for the sake of their son Kassius, who's following in their acting footsteps.

Sing-a-long: Last Thursday, Megan guest-judged an episode of ABC's The Gong Show (hosted by Mike Myers, 2-L) alongside new father Andy Samberg and The Emoji Movie's Maya Rudolph

Summer style: Fox looked foxy as ever in her frilly floral mini-dress and nude stilettos for the retro reboot of NBC's 1976 amateur talent contest

It was opening night of the nepotistically-privileged 15-year-old's high school production of the 1960 musical Bye Bye Birdie, in which he plays manager Albert Peterson.

Meanwhile, Green and Fox - who met on the 2004 set of Hope & Faith -are the proud parents of four-year-old Noah, three-year-old Bodhi, and one-year-old Journey.

The on/off couple famously filed for divorce from each other in 2015 but reconciled in 2016.

Following in their footsteps! On July 29, 44-year-old Brian reunited with his former Beverly Hills, 90210 castmate Vanessa Marcil for the sake of their son Kassius

'Just put on a happy face!' It was opening night of the 15-year-old's high school production of the 1960 musical Bye Bye Birdie, in which he plays manager Albert Peterson

Frozen fan: Meanwhile, Green and Fox - who met on the 2004 set of Hope & Faith - are the proud parents of four-year-old Noah, three-year-old Bodhi, and one-year-old Journey

The Cross Wars action star will next play One-X delivery man Joe Holmes opposite Landon Gimenez in the father-son drama Chasing Titles Vol. 1.

Ryan Egypt's 30-minute short - which scored LA Top Shorts' film of the month prize - is scheduled to hit US theaters on September 15.

On June 8, Megan shared a snap from the set of the Frederick's of Hollywood FW/17 campaign with hairstylist Christian Wood, make-up artist Monika Blunder, and stylist duo Jill Lincoln + Jordan Johnson.

Next acting role: The Cross Wars action star will next play One-X delivery man Joe Holmes opposite Landon Gimenez (L) in the father-son drama Chasing Titles Vol. 1

Hitting US theaters on September 15! Ryan Egypt's (2-L) 30-minute short scored LA Top Shorts' film of the month prize

The astrology enthusiast signed on as brand ambassador, stakeholder, and creative partner of the formerly-bankrupt lingerie label in September.

Fox officially renewed the Tennessee-born brunette's sitcom New Girl for an eight-episode seventh (and final) season on May 14.

During her last two seasons, the TMNT stunner portrays pharmaceutical sales rep Reagan, who just broke up with Jake Johnson's character Nick Miller.

Glam squad: On June 8, Megan shared a snap from the set of the Frederick's of Hollywood FW/17 campaign with hairstylist Christian Wood and make-up artist Monika Blunder
British glamour model Chloe Ayling recently claimed to have been kidnapped in Milan, drugged, handcuffed and stuffed in a suitcase.

And on Wednesday's Sunrise, host Samantha Armytage took a cheeky swipe at the 20-year-old, insinuating that her story was in an effort to attract fame.

The 40-year-old journalist quipped on-air: 'I give it six months, no three months, before she's on Celebrity Big Brother!'

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'I give it three months before she's on Celebrity Big Brother!' Sunrise's Sam Armytage (left) took a cheeky swipe at Chloe Ayling, 20, after the model claimed she was kidnapped in Milan

Covering Chloe Ayling's story of having been abducted during a recent modelling trip to Italy, Sam offered her opinion: 'I give it six months, no three months, before she's on Celebrity Big Brother!'

The cheeky swipe saw co-host David Koch, 61, laugh heartily in response.

Sam's comments insinuated Chloe was not telling the exact truth regarding the sequence of events, and that she may be hoping to capitalise on her newfound fame.

Jokes: Covering Chloe Ayling's story of having been abducted during a modelling trip to Italy, Sam said: 'I give it six months, no three months, before she's on Celebrity Big Brother!'

Opinion: Sam's comments insinuated Chloe (pictured) was not telling the exact truth about the sequence of events, and that she may be hoping to capitalise on her newfound fame

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Chloe's management for comment.

The Page 3 model was flown back to Britain on Sunday after telling police she had been lured to a fake photoshoot in Milan.

Chloe stated she had been drugged, stripped and handcuffed, before being stuffed into a suitcase in the boot of a car and held hostage for six days.

Headlines: The Page 3 model was flown back to Britain on Sunday after telling police she had been lured to a fake photoshoot in Milan

Allegation: Chloe stated she had been drugged, stripped and handcuffed, before being stuffed into a suitcase in the boot of a car and held hostage for six days

Chloe claimed to have shared a bed with her alleged abductor Lukasz Herba during her captivity, and that he made 'various sexual advances' towards her which she rebuffed 'by putting it off to the future'.

Questions over inconsistencies in Chloe's telling of events has been a source of constant speculation.

Detectives are understood to be confused as to how she ended up going shoe shopping with her alleged captor during her ordeal.

Claims: Chloe claimed to have shared a bed with her alleged abductor Lukasz Herba during her captivity, and that he made 'various sexual advances' towards her which she rebuffed

Not telling the whole truth? Questions over inconsistencies in Chloe's telling of events has been a source of constant speculation

They are also said to be sceptical about Herba's alleged claims that he was working for Black Death, which is said to operate on the so-called Dark Web.

The model's Italian lawyer Francesco Pesce jumped to her defence, insisting she did not collude with her kidnappers.

'There was no cooperation, no kind of involvement with Chloe and her captors whatsoever,' he said.
The former WIN News journalist found love on last year's season of The Bachelorette.

And Georgia Love looked happier than ever arriving at a Priceline Pharmacy event in Sydney on Wednesday.

Donning a floral frock, the 27-year-old flaunted her figure in the high-slit design.

Pretty as a petal! The Bachelorette's Georgia Love looked happier than ever in a floral thigh-split dress while arriving at a Priceline Pharmacy event in Sydney on Wednesday

The former reality TV star appeared in high spirits as she posed at the function.

Georgia provided a glimpse of cleavage as the V-neck wrap dress cinched around her slim waist.

She added a pair of black peep-toe boots to her look, while opting for a neutral makeup palette.

Blooming lovely! The former WIN News journalist provided a glimpse of cleavage as the V-neck wrap dress cinched around her slim waist

Georgia's shoulder-length brunette locks were styled sleek and straight.

Sat up on the stage during the event, the personality confessed to the crowd that as a TV Journalist she was: 'used to sitting behind a desk.'

'So I didnt know my dress had such a big split,' she laughed, referencing her revealing gown.

The beauty also discussed the origins of her trademark confidence, opening-up about her years as a channel ten intern.

Cute couple! Georgia fell in love with mechanical plumber Lee Elliott (left) on The Bachelorette Australia last year

Georgia recounted a time she was sitting-in on a court session near her Melbourne university, when a massive story broke.

'I sat there as an employed student journalist and thought I could keep this exclusive to myself,' she said, 'or I could go and tap the channel ten reporter on the shoulder to make sure they didn't miss the big case.'

'I decided on the latter and the reporter got their lead story... and that taught me two things.'

Loved-up! Despite split rumours at the start of the year, the pair have looked especially smitten of late

'Be confident in myself, if I hadnt had the confidence to go up to the reporter in the first place it wouldnt have happened,' she began.

'And not to be selfish. It very much helped me, sharing and helping them and it helped my career.'

Georgia fell in love with mechanical plumber Lee Elliott, 36, on The Bachelorette Australia last year.

Runner-up Matthew Johnson returned to screens for a second chance at love this year as the new Bachelor.

Matty has already kissed two female suitors on the reality TV series, including rumoured winner Laura Byrne.

The Bachelor continues Wednesday at 7:30pm on Network Ten
He's at his buff-best back on set of Deadpool 2.

But Ryan Reynolds also generously shared a snap of hunky co-star Josh Brolin on Tuesday, as he was spotted scooting around the Vancouver, Canada, film set on Wednesday.

The 40-year-old actor was suited up ready to shoot the sequel to the popular superhero flick.

Scooting around: Ryan Reynolds was spotted in character on the Deadpool 2 film set in Vancouver, Canada on Wednesday

Muscle-bound: He also generously shared a snap of hunky co-star Josh Brolin on Tuesday

The Canadian-born actor also had an identically-clad stunt double on hand to share scenes.

Reynolds was aboard a scooter, which was stationery and loaded onto a trailer while the stunt double free-styled.

Reynolds portrays Wade Wilson in the Marvel Comics series, a disfigured and mentally unstable antihero with superhuman abilities of accelerated healing and physical prowess - all paired with quick quips and a scandalous sense of humor.

While Brolin stars in Deadpool 2 as Nathan Summers/Cable, and Reynolds joked that the camera adds ten pounds on the snap of the actor.

Got wheels: The 40-year-old actor was suited up ready to shoot Deadpool 2

The Marvel film's titular character, played by Reynolds, got the honor of revealing the cantankerous Cable, 'a time travelling soldier' with a glowing eye and scar strewn face.

The husband of Blake Lively captioned the shot of his on-screen antagonist with Wade Wilson's typical snark, writing 'We all have that one, grumpy, heavily armed Uncle from the future,' and the cheeky tags '#PremiumCable #MaximumA**hole.'

Brolin, 50, looks nearly unrecognizable in his crime fighting get-up, showing lean-as-can-be face while shushing audiences with a single finger.

Sequel: Reynolds portrays Wade Wilson in the Marvel Comics series

Dead exciting: He took a moment in costume

Movie magic! Reynolds was aboard a scooter, which was stationery and loaded onto a trailer

He's on wheels: The Canadian-born actor also had an identically-clad stunt double on hand to share scenes

No risks: The stunt double free-styled as he crossed his legs aboard the moped

Shooting scenes: Ryan's stunt double took the bike onto the tarmac

Another shot posted by the actor himself showed a fully armed Cable resting a hearty firearm over his shoulder while flaunting a bionic arm and chest strapped with artillery.

Blake and Ryan married in September 2012; they are parents to two daughters: James, two, and Ines, 11 months.

Deadpool 2 is set for release June 1 2018.
She's the Australian law graduate and Instagram model who is known for flaunting her figure in barely-there swimwear.

And Pia Muehlenbeck, 26, certainly turned heads as she stepped onto the red carpet at a Priceline Pharmacy event on Tuesday.

Clad in a one-shouldered floral tea dress, the brunette beauty proudly showcased her smooth complexion and busty frame as she posed for photos.

My, how you've changed! Pia Muehlenbeck looked VERY different from her glamour girl days (right) as the 'Instagram model' stepped out in Sydney on Wednesday (left)

However, longtime fans would be forgiven for not recognising the former Gold Coast lawyer-turned-travel blogger, as she looked VERY different compared to photos from her early modelling career.

Pia, who appears to have embraced a more wholesome image in recent years, had previously posed topless on the cover of a Danish men's magazine.

She looked remarkably different in the European photo shoot, with her lips and eyebrows both appearing much thinner than they do today.

What a difference! Longtime fans would be forgiven for not recognising the former Gold Coast lawyer-turned-travel blogger as she arrived at a Priceline Pharmacy event

Changing looks: Pia's cheeks also appear to be slightly fuller these days, compared to previous modelling photos (right)

Who's that girl? Pia previously worked as a stock image model (pictured), as well as stripping off for European men's magazines

Pia's cheeks also appear to be slightly fuller in recent photos of the 'social media influencer'.

These days, Pia regularly shares scantily-clad selfies with her two million followers, often using her online presence to plug products such as protein powder.

Speaking to Cosmopolitan magazine recently, Pia spoke without irony about the stress that comes with life as a professional Instagram model.

What she does best! Pia regularly shares scantily-clad selfies with her two million followers

Entrepreneur: She often using her online presence to plug products such as protein powder

'I work more hours now than I did as a lawyer. When it's your own business, it's really hard to figure out when to switch off,' she explained.

Pia also gave credit to her partner Kane Vato, who had helped launch and maintain her lucrative online profile.

'I'm lucky we are such a social media-obsessed world right now,' she said. 'Being in the right place at the right time is a big part of it. But also, Kane and I are both very business-minded.'

'While our friends were out on a Sunday having cocktails, we would be out creating content.'

It's a hard knock life! Speaking to Cosmopolitan magazine recently, Pia spoke without irony about the stress that comes with life as a professional Instagram model
The Salvation Army Thrift Store is changing its name and its location.

The store, rechristened as the Salvation Army Family Store, will be moving into a new location at 469 E. North St. this month.

Emily Kaufman, assistant store manager, said the goal is to hold a soft opening for the new store on Aug. 16 with a grand opening in September. The new facility is the site of a former gym, and will give the store considerably more space than it has at the current location on South Hanover Street.

The one (store) we have now is as big as this carpet, said store associate Jess German as she stood in what will be a reception area of the new store.

The larger space will allow items to be individually priced in the new store, which is not the case currently. The Salvation Army will be able to use more of the donations it receives as mens, womens and childrens clothing will be available, as will some seasonal items. Kaufman said they are also considering a rack of bridal and formal dresses.

Its definitely a bigger facility, and we are expecting to bring in more revenue, Kaufman said.

That revenue is used to support the Salvation Armys programs, such as Genesis House, My Brothers Table, kids club and other support services.

A warehouse space at the back of the new store will be used to hold donations. Though some donations have been dropped at the new location since the coming soon sign went up, the staff is not ready to accept and process them at that facility. Kaufman said they process about 30,000 donated articles of clothing each month.

Parking is definitely going to be an advantage here, Kaufman said.

There is still a lot of work to be done before the opening, such as putting in the jewelry cases and assembling the clothing racks when they arrive.

As soon as that is in, everything will start rolling, Kaufman said.
He told KIIS FM listeners on Wednesday that it feels like all of his mates are 'dead' following the recent drug arrests in Sydney.

And friends and colleagues of Kyle Sandilands, 46, took to Instagram after he declared his 'loneliness' to mock the shock jock using the hashtag #KyleAndMe.

'Intern' Pete Deppeler and reality TV star Lisa Oldfield were among those sharing photos of themselves with Kyle to show 'not ALL his friends have been arrested'.

Thanks, Pete! Friends of Kyle Sandilands mocked the 'lonely' shock jock with #KyleAndMe hashtag on Wednesday 'to show not ALL his mates were arrested' in Sydney drug raids

KIIS newsreader Brooklyn Ross captioned his photo: 'Uploading a selfie with Kyle to show not ALL his friends have been arrested #KyleAndMe'.

Real Housewives of Sydney's Lisa joked: 'So much love for my good mate Kyle! Oh s**t, the cops are at the door *hides stash* #KyleAndMe'.

'I'll be your friend Kyle #KyleAndMe,' wrote radio producer Krystal Sanders.

So... want to hang out this weekend? KIIS FM newsreader Brooklyn Ross (right) shared this photo with Kyle to 'to show not ALL his friends have been arrested'

LOL: Kyle's colleague Pedro Cuccovillo also joined in on the fun, sharing this photo of the pair

'So much love for my good mate Kyle! Oh sh*t, the cops are at the door': Even Real Housewives Of Sydney star Lisa Oldfield (second from left) got in on the action

Fellow KIIS FM colleagues Pedro Cuccovillo, Bruno Bouchet and Adam Price all uploaded beaming selfies with the radio star.

The posts were in response to Kyle joking his social life was over following multiple drug arrests - including two brothers of his close friend, Kings Cross nightclub identity 'Teflon' John Ibrahim.

On Wednesday's The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Kyle explained it feels like 'all (his) friends have died.'

Holding a candle for Kyle? Surprisingly, Lifestyle blogger Kyly Clarke (centre) shared this photo with Kyle and Jackie 'O' Henderson and also used the #KyleAndMe hashtag

Everything will be OK! A Kyle and Jackie O Show producer offered Kyle emotional support

Here if you need it! Sonia Jahshan (right) was pictured smiling alongside 'King' Kyle

'I'm gonna sit (in the cafe) today like a 90-year-old man who all his friends have died,' Kyle said.

He explain that while John himself wasn't arrested, the businessman has gone MIA a day after police raided his multi-million dollar Sydney mansion.

'You reckon I can find him? (It goes) immediately to message bank, I went round to his place - all locked up like Fort Knox... bit of police tape flapping in the wind,' Kyle continued.

'John's girlfriend (Sarah Budge) got arrested couldn't even ring her to find out where he was.'

So lonely! Kyle (left) feared his social life may be over in the wake of multiple drug arrests - including two brothers of his best mate, Kings Cross nightclub identity 'Teflon' John Ibrahim (second from right). Kyle is pictured on holiday in Ibiza in 2015, also with convicted drug dealer Simon Main (second from left)

Kyle's comments come after Sydney police arrested John's brothers Fadi and Michael in Dubai this week on charges relating to an alleged international drug syndicate.

John's 26-year-old 'secret son' Daniel, who served in the Australian army, was also arrested and charged in Sydney.

Model Sarah Budge, the 27-year-old girlfriend of John, was charged with possession of a loaded gun after police raided her Sydney home.

Long history: Kyle and his girlfriend Imogen Anthony are pictured partying with 'Teflon' John

Drug raids: Kyle's comments come after police arrested John's brothers Mick (centre) and Fadi (not pictured) over alleged drug importation charges in Dubai. Pictured left is oldest brother Hassan 'Sam' Ibrahim, an ex-bikie boss who has no reported involvement in Tuesday's raids and arrests

Arrested: John's 25-year-old son Daniel (right), who served in the Australian army, was arrested and charged on Tuesday
She's been busy shooting her new comedy film, Isn't It Romantic.

And on Wednesday, Australian actress Rebel Wilson revealed she had been rushed to hospital in an ambulance after falling and suffering a mild concussion.

The 37-year-old shared the news with her fans on social media, thanking those who helped her.

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'Thank you to everyone who helped me': Rebel Wilson reveals she was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after falling and suffering a mild concussion

Sharing an image of herself glammed up following the accident, Rebel wrote: 'Started the day with a fall that led to a mild concussion...yet somehow looking not bad at 7pm.'

'Thank you to everyone on Long Island who helped me today in the emergency room & ambulance x,' she added.

She also shared the same image on Twitter, writing: 'Slaying my mild concussion suffered today! Won't be doing any crazy stunts the next few days though!'

New flick: Rebel's been busy shooting her new comedy film, Isn't It Romantic (pictured in New York on Sunday)

In the snap she appears to be back on set, stunning in a purple figure-hugging dress as she hold a small fan.

Rebel's fans were quick to send their well wishes, with one commenting on Instagram: 'So sorry!! Hope you heal quickly and feel better soon!!'

Another wrote in part of their comment: 'Get better soon my friend. Concussions are not funny, make sure you rest your head.'

Sweet: Rebel's fans were quick to send her their well wishes, with one commenting on Instagram: 'So sorry!! Hope you heal quickly and feel better soon!!'

Rebel has been filming scenes for her new movie alongside fellow Australian actor Liam Hemsworth and her Pitch Perfect co-star Adam Devine.

She recently won a high-profile defamation case against Bauer Media's Woman's Day magazine.

During her defamation case in June, Rebel told court reporters she was looking forward to filming the blockbuster because she was going to be able to make out with Australian heartthrob Liam.

'I get to pash him in the movie,' she said.

'So when I have been feeling really down about the stress of this court case, I've just been thinking of pashing him and how good it is going to be!'

Last week Rebel took to Instagram to share a snap of herself kissing Liam as they filmed a romantic scene, simply captioning the post: 'yep x.'
She's the high profile host of Sunrise who reportedly earns an annual salary of $500,000.

And Samantha Armytage has been made fun of by radio talk back host Alan Jones after protesting the cost of her electricity during a segment about low income earners and their savings on Wednesday.

After the Sunrise host used the live TV segment as an opportunity to complain about her latest bill, Alan sarcastically quipped back: 'When youre on low incomes like you and I Sam, these things are really stressful.'

'When youre on low incomes like you and I these things are really stressful': Alan Jones makes fun of Samantha Armytage after she complains about her power bill

The duo were discussing new statistics which revealed one in four Australians only had $400 worth of savings when the Sunrise host revealed her own bill shock.

'I got my electricity bill the other day and it was only for July and my goodness it was huge  it had absolutely jumped,' Samantha revealed.

But rather than empathise, Alan quickly issued a sarcastic response to the high profile TV personality.

No sympathy: Rather than empathise, Alan quickly issued a sarcastic response that offered no sympathy to the high profile TV personality

'If Im finding it stressful well there are a lot of people out there that you really feel for': Seeming somewhat taken aback by Alan's quick-witted response, Samantha appeared to back track from her previous complaint

'When youre on low incomes like you and I Sam, these things are really stressful,' he said.

Seeming somewhat taken aback by Alan's quick-witted response, Samantha appeared to back track from her previous complaint.

'Well no, but if Im finding it stressful well there are a lot of people out there that you really feel for,' she said.

Two homes: Besides being rumoured to earn $500,000 a year, the Sunrise host also boasts an impressive property portfolio

Besides being rumoured to earn $500,000 a year, the Sunrise host also boasts an impressive property portfolio.

The Channel Seven purchased a $2.2 million country retreat in the NSW Southern Highlands earlier this year and lives in a $2.15 million home in Bondi.

It's not the first time Alan has caught Samantha off guard on Sunrise, with the radio veteran revealing the host's drinking habits last week.

'Sam, you started with the gin and it was very straight': It's not the first time Alan has caught Samantha off guard on Sunrise, with the radio veteran revealing the host's drinking habits last week

The breakfast show was discussing Queen Elizabeth's alcohol consumption when Alan revealed Samantha's drink intake during a recent night out together.

'Sam, you started with the gin and it was very straight with not much tonic water at all, you had the white and the red and you topped it up with some champagne,' he said.

Laughing at the lighthearted teasing, she told him to 'shush.'

'Alan, this is not about me this is about the Queen,' she retorted, later quipping that the radio host was a 'troublemaker'.
She's the AFL WAG and mother to son Ashton, 20 months, with partner Jimmy Bartel.

And in a candid clip posted to her Instagram Story on Wednesday, Nadia Bartel discussed a common problem for mothers.

The 31-year-old admitted she's been left 'desperate and sleep-deprived' over the last 18 months as her child, who suffers from silent reflux, is unable to rest at night.

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'When you're desperate and sleep-deprived': Taking to her Instagram Story this week, Nadia Bartel revealed her 18-month struggle to get one-year-old son Ashton to rest soundly at night

Nadia shared two text-based posts, which stated: 'Thanks for all the messages about Ashton's sleeping. Lots of you are wanting to know more details.

'He was waking up every few hours, so was in our bed every night. On the first night we started it, he still woke up four times.

'Instead of running in there straight away like I normally would, I would start the timer (so hard to do instead of going in), he then stopped crying at about eight minutes.'

Struggle: Nadia has been left 'desperate and sleep-deprived' over the past 18 months, with her son Ashton (pictured) unable to rest at night due to suffering from silent reflux

Mummy blogger: Nadia shared two text-based posts, which began: 'Thanks for all the messages about Ashton's sleeping. Lots of you are wanting to know more details'

The fashion blogger explained she and husband Jimmy have begun a new method of letting Ashton cry out for a shorter period of time, instead of 20 minutes, before going in to comfort him.

'Hopefully it lasts... sleep makes me feel human again. And I totally understand this isn't for everyone but when you are desperate and sleep-deprived after 18 months of broken sleep, you try anything.'

Nadia then posted a clip of herself and Ashton playing with the Snapchat dog filter, proudly revealing her son had managed to sleep through the night over the past four days.

This is not the first time Nadia has spoken of her attempts to get Ashton to sleep soundly at night.

Strategy: Nadia explained she and husband Jimmy have begun a new method of letting Ashton cry out for a shorter period of time, instead of 20 minutes, before going in to comfort him

Success! Nadia then posted a clip of herself and Ashton playing with the Snapchat dog filter, proudly revealing her son had managed to sleep through the night over the past four days

Taking to Instagram in June, Nadia said she would talk to Ashton about 'why he needs to go to sleep' and how he is 'a big boy in his own bed'.

Nadia also said she would lie next to him on the floor 'for a little while', making sure to leave before he is 'fast asleep'.

Silent reflux causes painful irritation in the esophagus due to stomach acid, and can leave babies irritable or refusing to eat.

Nadia previously wrote on her blog that from the day he was born, Ashton was a 'really fussy baby' who was constantly 'in a lot of pain'.

Candid: Nadia has previously spoken of her struggles with Ashton's silent reflux, a condition which causes painful irritation in the esophagus due to stomach acid

The socialite blamed herself at first for her son's constant tears, believing she was doing something wrong and was somehow at fault.

'I had nothing to compare it to and I felt like if I told people he cried a lot and wouldn't sleep at all then it was a sign of weakness on my behalf,' she wrote.

'But I knew that something wasn't quite right with my boy and his screams weren't your usual baby cries, he was screeching in pain.'

Nadia eventually realised something was wrong and sought the advice of a doctor.

Nadia married now-retired AFL player Jimmy Bartel in 2014, welcoming their first child in late 2015.
Naomi Watts flashed her mega-watt Hollywood smile after getting glam for a screening/Q&A event surrounding her next film The Glass Castle in Manhattan on Tuesday.

The two-time Oscar nominee - who turns 49 next month - looked chic in a white dress, matching shades, patent leather red heels, and a matching Fendi clutch selected by stylist Jeanann Williams.

Make-up artist Mary Wiles made sure the British-born Australian was camera ready for the TimesTalks Series presentation, while hairstylist Ryan Trygstad coiffed her blonde bob.

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Summer style: Naomi Watts flashed her mega-watt Hollywood smile after getting glam for a screening/Q&A event surrounding her next film The Glass Castle in Manhattan on Tuesday

Evergreen: The two-time Oscar nominee - who turns 49 next month - looked chic in a white dress, matching shades, Fendi clutch, patent leather red heels selected by stylist Jeanann Williams, and Anita Ko jewels

Sitting pretty: Make-up artist Mary Wiles made sure the British-born Australian was camera ready for the TimesTalks Series, while hairstylist Ryan Trygstad coiffed her blonde bob

Naomi was joined at Florence Gould Hall by her The Glass Castle castmate Brie Larson, author Jeannette Walls, and writer-director Destin Daniel Cretton.

The 27-year-old Oscar winner turned heads in a black cocktail dress featuring a pink silk trim, black Louboutin stilettos, and a cute purse selected by stylist Samantha McMillen.

The Kong: Skull Island stunner also wore her wavy bob down and side-parted to show off her dazzling Anita Ko earrings, but she sported heavy-handed make-up for the event.

Group shot: Naomi was joined at Florence Gould Hall by (L-R) her The Glass Castle castmate Brie Larson, author Jeannette Walls, and writer-director Destin Daniel Cretton

Fierce: The 27-year-old Oscar winner turned heads in a black cocktail dress featuring a pink silk trim, black Louboutin stilettos, and a cute purse selected by stylist Samantha McMillen

In demand: The Kong: Skull Island stunner also wore her wavy bob down and side-parted, but she sported heavy-handed make-up for the event

Q&A: The three ladies then sat down with moderator Parul Sehgal (L) to further discuss Lionsgate's big-screen adaptation of Walls' 2005 memoir before the Big Apple audience

The three ladies then sat down with moderator Parul Sehgal to further discuss Lionsgate's big-screen adaptation of Walls' 2005 memoir before the Big Apple audience.

Watts plays the eccentric artist mother-of-four Rose Mary Walls in the dysfunctional family drama, which hits US theaters this Friday and UK theaters October 6.

And Brie (born Brianne Desaulniers) portrays the older version of Jeannette in the flick, which currently holds a dismal 56 percent critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Nomads: Watts plays the eccentric artist mother-of-four Rose Mary Walls in the dysfunctional family drama, which hits US theaters this Friday and UK theaters October 6

Bad reviews: And Brie (born Brianne Desaulniers) portrays the older version of Jeannette in the flick, which currently holds a dismal 56 percent critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes

'#tbt': Last Thursday, the Golden Globe nominee - who boasts 844K followers - shared a behind-the-scenes Instagram video of the cast (including Woody Harrelson) bonding on set

Last Thursday, the Golden Globe nominee - who boasts 844K social media followers - shared a behind-the-scenes Instagram video of the cast (including Woody Harrelson) bonding on set.

Naomi - who's rumored to be romancing her Gypsy leading man Billy Crudup - reunited with her ex-partner Liev Schreiber for their son Sasha's 10th birthday festivities on July 25.

The acting duo - who are also parents of eight-year-old son Sammy - announced their amicable split on September 26 after 11 years together.

Amicable: Naomi - who's rumored to be romancing her Gypsy co-star Billy Crudup - reunited with her ex-partner Liev Schreiber for their son Sasha's 10th birthday festivities on July 25

'So far, it's been great': The acting duo - who are also parents of eight-year-old son Sammy - announced their amicable split on September 26 after 11 years together (pictured in 2015)

'It's our kids (that are the most important),' the 49-year-old Tony winner explained to Australia's TV WEEK last month.

'It's important we find ways to fill in the cracks with each other. In the case of me and Naomi, we're always going to have a relationship because we have children. So it's important we work together well in that way. So far, it's been great.'

Fans can catch more of Watts as spitfire married mother-of-one Janey-E Jones in David Lynch and Mark Frost's continuation of Twin Peaks, which airs Sundays on Showtime.
She put on a loved-up display with her American beau, DJ Ruckus (Greg Andrews), in Sydney earlier this week.

But on Wednesday, Shanina Shaik stepped out solo as she arrived at David Jones in Sydney for the SS17 runway rehearsal.

The 26-year-old showed off her slender pins in an oversized black and white blazer paired with Mara & Mine skeleton-print slippers.

Effortlessly chic! Shanina Shaik showed off her trim pins as she arrived at the David Jones runway rehearsal in Sydney on Wednesday

Clutching a chain-link designer bag and a smartphone, the Melbourne-native appeared to be in high spirits just hours ahead of David Jones' summer launch.

The exotic beauty, whose parents are of Lithuanian, Pakistani and Saudi Arabian descent, wore little makeup as she showcased her stunning glow.

Shanina will walk in Wednesday night's show with her fiance, DJ Ruckus.

Beaming beauty! Clutching a chain-link designer bag and a smartphone, the Melbourne-native appeared to be in high spirits just hours ahead of David Jones' summer launch

A family affair: Shanina will walk in Wednesday night's show with her fiance, DJ Ruckus

Marking their territory! Shanina was seen on the runway with Rukus during a dress rehearsal for the catwalk show

Stronger together: Shanina held her man's hand tightly as they strutted down the flower-lined catwalk with a David Jones staffer

Giving Shanina run for her money! DJ Ruckus showcased his modelling prowess as he walked during a dress-rehearsal for the menswear portion of the show

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday, the model said she is looking forward to the show before touching on her upcoming wedding plans.

'I think he'll be absolutely okay, I'm not worried at all. I'll be standing by his side making him feel really comfortable,' she said.

'Unfortunately I won't be having a wedding in Australia.

Catwalk queen: Also arriving at the Department Store on Wednesday was former Victoria's Secret beauty Bridget Malcolm, who stepped out makeup-free for rehearsals

Fashionista: Like Shanina, the 25-year-old wore a black and white ensemble, consisting of a midriff-baring jersey and loose-fitting pants

She added: 'But Ruckus and I plan to get married on a beach. Growing up in Australia, all Aussie's love a beach so we'd love to see that happen.'

Also arriving at the Department Store on Wednesday was former Victoria's Secret beauty Bridget Malcolm, who stepped out makeup-free for rehearsals.

Like Shanina, the 25-year-old wore a black and white ensemble, consisting of a midriff-baring jersey and loose-fitting pants.

A star is born: Bridget was discovered in a 2007 Vivien's model search

The Perth-native, who arrived Down Under with her husband Nathaniel Hoho on Monday, completed the chic look with maroon-coloured heels and a designer bag.

She recently told The Daily Telegraph that she is looking forward to relaxing with her hubby during her stay before they jet back to the US.

'I am really excited to be home, I am looking forward to a bit of relaxing and getting out to Bondi for a run,' she said.

Happy to be back: She recently told The Daily Telegraph that she is looking forward to relaxing with her hubby Nathaniel Hoho during her stay before they jet back to the US. 'I am really excited to be home, I am looking forward to a bit of relaxing and getting out to Bondi for a run,' she said

The countdown is on! Model Jesinta Campbell was also sighted backstage talking to media ahead of the show

Chic: The notoriously stylish pageant model wore a cleavage-baring silk slip dress layered underneath a fluffy black jumper
They want to win The Block, and are pulling out all the stops to impress the judges with their renovations.

And on the show on Wednesday, things were left in jeopardy for Ronnie and wife Georgia.

During the episode, it was revealed Georgia had 'sliced' her foot on nails and tools during the middle of the night, and had to be rushed to hospital, getting four stitches.

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'I'm absolutely heartbroken': The Block's Ronnie is left devastated as wife Georgia slices her foot and is rushed to hospital...putting their future on the show in jeopardy

'To think that a practical joke could end our competition, two weeks in, I'm absolutely heartbroken,' Ronnie said to camera after the incident.

Georgia added: 'I can't wait for this to be over,' saying she could be off her feet for a number of weeks.

Foreman Keith and foreman Dan called an emergency onsite meeting, as Georgia cut her foot on nails that were left in their house, as a prank from Wombat and Sticks.

After Sticks admitted that he was 'gutted' about the incident, and admitted he left the nails, Ronnie and Georgia revealed they were just playing a prank on their co-stars.

They unwrapped her bandaged foot as she sat in a wheelbarrow, and Georgia screamed as she they revealed it was all a joke.

On the mend? During the episode, it was revealed Georgia had 'sliced' her foot on nails and tools during the middle of the night

Close call? Foreman Keith and foreman Dan called an emergency onsite meeting, as Georgia cut her foot on nails that were left in their house, from a prank from Wombat and Sticks

Surprise! After Sticks admitted that he was 'gutted' about the incident, and admitted he left the nails, Ronnie and Georgia revealed they were just playing a prank on their co-stars

'I got proper stitched up by Ronnie and Georgia!,' Sticks said, with a laugh.

The pair got him and Wombat back, after the duo screwed Ronnie's work boots to the floor as a practical joke.

Also during the show, Wombat and Sticks had an issue when their tradesmen were pulling up their floors.

One of the tradesmen hit a water pipe, and they had to urgently source a plumber, due to the water going everywhere.

Prank wars: The pair got him and Wombat back, after the due screwed Ronnie's work boots to the floor as a practical joke

But things looked up for the pair when they won the $5,000 Domain award, for impressing Domain managing editor Alice Stolz, who toured The Block with Shelley Craft and host Scott Cam.

Clint and Hannah also began demolishing their bathroom, after their builders and tilers mucked it up, forcing them to start over again.

Jason and Sarah also struggled, when it was revealed at the end of the episode that the wallpaper they ordered for their guest bedroom, wouldn't be stocked in time for the room reveal on Sunday.
She split from her on-off boyfriend Cameron McCristal three months ago.

And Skye Wheatley, 24, has finally revealed why she split from her former flame, telling fans that her 'bipolar' and 'crazy' personality contributed to the break-up.

'I don't even know half the time, I just think that we're both really young,' she explained in a YouTube video uploaded to her page this Wednesday.

'I'm really bipolar and crazy': And Skye Wheatley, 24, has finally revealed why she split from her former flame Cameron McCristal, telling fans that her 'bipolar' and 'crazy' personality contributed to the break-up

'I don't know... I'm really bipolar and crazy. That's probably half the reason why we break up and get back together.'

The makeup artist put on a decidedly glamorous display in the question-and-answer video, donning a racy corset top in light pink, a glitzy choker necklace and a pair of hoop earrings.

She also painted her face with a heavy application of makeup that featured a bright pink lipstick hue and winged eyeliner.

Primped: The makeup artist put on a decidedly glamorous display in the question-and-answer video, donning a racy corset top in light pink, a glitzy choker necklace and a pair of hoop earrings

Skye and Cameron had been dating on-and-off since June 2015, a year after she appeared on Big Brother Australia.

In May this year, Skye confirmed that she and Cameron had called it quits following weeks of speculation.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia at the time, Skye declared: 'I am single! Cam and I have decide to break up amicably.'

Former flames: Skye and Cameron had been dating on-and-off since June 2015, a year after she appeared on Big Brother Australia

Splitsville: In May this year, Skye confirmed that she and Cameron had called it quits following weeks of speculation

'I am enjoying time working on myself and spending quality time with my family and friends,' she said.

The pair had previously split in December of 2016 before rekindling their romance a month later.

The couple also suffered a brief split back in January 2016, with Skye telling Daily Mail Australia at the time: We broke up, my life is s*** right now. It's a long story.'
She looks red hot whatever she wears.

But Eva Longoria looked extra scorching in a short scarlet Clarite dress on Tuesday night.

The 42-year-old stunner rocked the cute long-sleeve number for her chat with Seth Meyers on Late Night.

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Lady in red! Eva Longoria looked scorching in a short scarlet Clarite dress on Tuesday night

She complimented the outfit with a matching bold red lip, while her hair embodied - according to he stylist - 'sexy messy texture.'

The Desperate Housewives alum finished off her look in delicate nude ankle-strap heels.

She did have one more accessory as she arrived on the stage: a glass of white wine, which was likely a prop for one of Meyers' skits.

Meanwhile, she also told her host about how she had to sew her own dress for Serena Williams' 1950s-themed baby shower near Miami over the weekend.

She explained: 'Serena is really big on theme parties which is such a pain in the a**.'

'Actually if you look closely at my dress you'll see that I had to go to a Halloween shop in Miami Beach because this was in Florida, and there's pirates on my dress. It's actually a pirate outfit because I couldn't find a '50s outfit, but I sewed it to make it look like a '50s outfit.'

Gorgeous: The 42-year-old stunner rocked the cute long-sleeve number for her chat with Seth Meyers on Late Night

Snap: She complimented the outfit with a matching bold red lip

Sexy: Her hair embodied - according to her stylist - 'sexy messy texture'

Pretty: The Desperate Housewives alum finished off her look in delicate nude ankle-strap heels

Sup: She did have one more accessory as she arrived on the stage: a glass of white wine, which was likely a prop for one of Meyers' skits.

The Texas-born beauty has been non-stop over the past few days.

On Monday night, she attended the Accessories Council's ACE Awards ceremony in New York City.

On Sunday she enjoyed a beach day out with her 49-year-old husband Jose Baston.

Busy: The Texas-born beauty has been non-stop over the past few days.

Ambassador: On Monday night, she attended the Accessories Council's ACE Awards ceremony in New York City

Meanwhile on Saturday, she joined Ciara, La La Anthony, Angie Beyince, and Kelly Rowland for Serena Williams' 1950s-themed baby shower near Miami.

Eva celebrated her one year anniversary with her TV executive hubby in May.

The couple became engaged in December 2015 before marrying in Mexico just five months later.

Insta: She shared a sultry shot from backstage

Retro: Meanwhile on Saturday, she joined Ciara, La La Anthony, Angie Beyince, and Kelly Rowland for Serena Williams ' 1950s-themed baby shower near Miami




Her boyfriend Kyle Sandilands said it feels like all of his mates are 'dead' in the wake of a spate of Sydney drug arrests this week.

But the radio shock jock has at least one new friend, after girlfriend Imogen Anthony adopted a pet goat on Wednesday.

Clad in a pink faux fur coat, the 26-year-old took to Instagram to share a snap of her cuddling up to the rescue animal.

'How cute is the new baby addition?' Imogen Anthony is forming a menagerie. On Wednesday she adopted a new pet  a rescue goat  which she cuddled up to for an Instagram picture

'Absolutely LOVE this pic - How cute is the new baby addition?' she wrote in the caption.

Imogen's new addition was dropped to her by Runa Deliveries and one of its staff, 'Ashe', was seen in the image.

The post quickly garnered hundreds of likes and a number of comments, including one from Lisa Oldfield  who asked where she could find a similar pet.

'Where can I get a rescue goat?' The Real Housewives of Sydney star enquired.

Imogen replied: 'Bankstown apparently.'

New addition: Imogen and beau Kyle Sandilands have an ever-growing pet brood

The new pet comes just weeks after Imogen, who's known for sharing topless photos of herself and posting unfiltered rants to her social media, showed fans a softer side by fawning over her new cat.

The model introduced her grey Sphynx, named Voodoo, to her 132,000 Instagram followers in a video.

New family member: Imogen recently introduced her grey Sphynx cat, named Voodoo, to her 132,000 Instagram followers in a video

Racy: In addition to her love of animals, Imogen enjoys sharing topless snaps on her social media accounts

'Welcome baby Voodoo,' she captioned the clip of the kitten meowing.

The blonde bombshell was asked by a fan why Voodoo was crying, to which she replied: 'I think because I just walked in on her sleeping and she wants attention.'

In the weeks prior to her adopting the cat, Imogen posted an adorable snap of a Sphynx kitten and declared: 'I have a serious problem.'

Fan of felines: Last month Imogen posted a snap of a Sphynx kitten and declared: 'I have a serious problem'

Farm life: Imogen, who lives on a farm with radio personality Kyle Sandilands, often shares snaps of her many pets online

Imogen, who lives on a farm with radio personality Kyle Sandilands, often shares snaps of her many pets online.

She previously spoke to Daily Mail Australia about their life together.

'Kyle likes that whole farm life now,' she said.

'Kyle likes that whole farm life now' Imogen told Daily Mail Australia. 'He's been down to my parents' home and he gets eggs from the chickens and he goes out and feeds the alpacas'

'He's been down to my parents' home and he gets eggs from the chickens and he goes out and feeds the alpacas,' she said.

Adding: 'He loves it... We've got three dogs and a cat and he sits down on the couch and they all huddle around him.'
State health officials are reminding parents of a much shorter grace period for student vaccinations in the coming school year.

At a conference with school administrators and members of the press at Carlisle High School on Tuesday afternoon, state regulators stressed the importance of recent public school code revisions that reduce the provisional period for unimmunized students from eight months to five days.

Prior to the change, which was approved in April, students were allowed to attend school for up to eight months without having received mandated vaccine doses. The excessive grace period was increasing the portion of unvaccinated students and worrying public health officials.

This was not an effective policy. It was put in place in the 1970s, said Dr. Rachel Levine, the states physician general and acting secretary of Health. Some of these students were not getting immunized until the spring of the school year.

The tightening of Pennsylvanias school vaccine policies comes on the heels of a national debate over families who choose to not vaccinate their children. Increased levels of unimmunized students have been blamed for outbreaks of diseases that have otherwise been eradicated through mass vaccination.

Levine cited the 2014-15 measles outbreak in California as a potential outcome of lax vaccination polices. California officials had blamed the outbreak on an increased portion of California children who were opted out of vaccination, with many parents citing a belief that vaccination leads to developmental disabilities, despite no scientific evidence of such.

Immunizations are safe and effective, Levine said. It is important that we do not allow misinformation to get in the way of childrens health.

Pennsylvania law allows vaccine waivers to be granted on religious or philosophical grounds. But Levine said the state has not seen a significant increase in the rate of such waivers, with less than 2 percent of students being unvaccinated because of their familys ethical convictions.

The largest reason for vaccine noncompliance, Levine said, was the excessive leeway period that is now being curtailed.

Students may also be unimmunized because they have medical conditions that prevent them for receiving a full schedule of vaccines, Levine said. This makes it even more important for the rest of student population to be vaccinated, in order to limit the exposure of those who cannot be immunized.

Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller also stressed the importance of reminding parents that vaccinations for their children are required by law to be given favorable coverage by health insurers.

Under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, childhood vaccinations are classified as essential health benefits that must be covered without out-of-pocket co-pays or deductibles beyond a certain margin. This applies to employer-based health insurance as well as federally funded Obamacare plans.

Miller has been a vocal opponent of any federal health care legislation that would repeal such requirements on insurance companies.

If you stay in-network, these vaccines are available at no cost, Miller said. What we dont want to do is go back to a world where things like basic vaccines are not sufficiently covered.

Pennsylvania requires students entering kindergarten to be immunized for tetanus, diphtheria, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B and chickenpox. Students entering seventh grade must have proof of a meningococcal vaccine and a further dosage for tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis. An additional meningococcal dose is required before entering 12th grade.

Unless they seek an exemption, students without proof of treatment can be excluded from schools, but will be allowed to return once they have begun a physician-approved vaccination schedule.

We want to get the word out ahead of time that there is every opportunity for children to be vaccinated within five days of starting school, Levine said.

For more specific requirements, go to www.dontwaitvaccinate.pa.gov or call 1-877-724-3258.
Ashley Tisdale looked pretty as a present in her gift wrap-inspired ensemble for Variety's Power of Young Hollywood Issue party on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old Daytime Emmy nominee flaunted her cleavage in a white strapless cut-out creation featuring two bows, black stilettos, and a golden clutch selected by stylist Dani Michelle.

The High School Musical alum sported bronzed glow courtesy of make-up artist Patrick Ta and hairstylist Laura Polko coiffed her raven updo.

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Summer style: Ashley Tisdale looked pretty as a present in her gift wrap-inspired ensemble for Variety's Power of Young Hollywood Issue party on Tuesday

Night out: The 32-year-old Daytime Emmy nominee flaunted her cleavage in a white strapless cut-out creation featuring two bows and black stilettos selected by stylist Dani Michelle

'G L O W I N G!' The High School Musical alum sported bronzed glow courtesy of make-up artist Patrick Ta and hairstylist Laura Polko coiffed her raven updo

Joining the Charming actress at clubby Pan-Asian restaurant TAO was her husband Christopher French, with whom she'll celebrate three years of marriage on September 8.

The 35-year-old musician and composer has collaborated with Tisdale on her Music Sessions webisodes as well as her long-delayed third studio album.

Fans can catch more of the New Jersey-born vlogger - who boasts 43.9M social media followers - on her weekly #tizzietuesday advice videos on YouTube.

Ashley will also promote her Illuminate Cosmetics collection at the brand's booth #1455 this Saturday (3pm-4pm) at BeautyCon inside the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Still going strong! Joining the Charming actress at Pan-Asian restaurant TAO was her husband Christopher French, with whom she'll celebrate three years of marriage on September 8

Cradling their beloved Maltipoo, Maui: The 35-year-old composer has collaborated with Tisdale on her Music Sessions webisodes as well as her long-delayed third studio album

'I talk about never giving up': Fans can catch more of the New Jersey-born vlogger - who boasts 43.9M social media followers - on her weekly #tizzietuesday advice videos on YouTube
Tamra Judge and husband Eddie renewed their wedding vows in Aruba this Tuesday, marking four years of wedded bliss.

The Real Housewife Of Orange County and her other half appeared over-the-moon in pictures from their Caribbean recommitment ceremony, writing 'Celebrating love' with the Instagram.

The ceremony came as the 49-year-old Bravo star was the focus of a lengthy Monday Facebook post by her estranged daughter Sidney Barney, 18, who accused the reality figure of being 'mentally and emotionally abusive'.

New again: Tamra Judge and husband Eddie renewed their wedding vows Tuesday in Aruba, but the happy moment was overshadowed by the Housewife's daughter Sidney who accused her mom of being 'mentally and emotionally abusive' in a Monday Facebook post

Tamra seemed to indirectly address her current family drama in the photo's caption.

There, she wrote: 'Celebrating love  with all the hate that's going on. My God bless your life because it's not always easy. But God has a plan.. a big plan.'

Despite the drama, Tamra and her man look like a vision of wedded bliss in photos clad in beachy white garb while locking lips and strolling along the white sands of Aruba.

Date night! The pair were a vision of wedded bliss in photos, taken four years after their original wedding. Above the pair can be seen at the premiere of The Emoji Movie in July

Don't be a hater! Though the photos seemed to convey a perfect scene, Tamra couldn't help making a passive-aggressive comment about her daughter in the caption, writing 'Celebrating love with all the hate that's going on'

The former real estate agent gave a shout-out to the Housewives supporting her, writing: 'I wanna say thank you to @shannonbeador @oclydia @rhoc_kellyddodd (you know what you did and you all rock).'

She finished the post with the marriage-themed tag '#ArubaIDo.'

While Tamra tip-toed around the drama, 18-year-old daughter Sidney was being more than vocal about her issues with the mother-of-four.

Mean what you say: In the emotional post, Tamra's oldest said the Housewife 'continues to do the things that pushed me out of her house' like 'talking about me on the show/press/social media' and 'lying.' Above is a photo of Sidney's graduation which Tamra posted online in June

Stop snapping, mom! Barney explained her mom's desire to create a public image and her rampant social media usage were constantly at odd's with the teen's well being

In the emotional Facebook post published Monday, Sidney claimed her mother neglected her three youngest children throughout her divorce from husband of more than 10 years, Simon Barney.

Sidney went on to say that Tamra was 'mentally and emotionally abusive'.

The teen didn't mince words in her post, writing: 'She was no mother to me. This was an unhealthy environment for all of us kids and unfortunately I was the only one to recognize this and take steps to get out of that toxic environment.'

Not pulling punches: The teen didn't mince words in her post, writing: 'She was no mother to me' in the lengthy Facebook screed (above)

Strong words: Sidney's post goes into detail about her mother, explaining that the thrice-married reality figure (above) created 'an unhealthy environment for all of us kids'

Barney explained her mom's desire to create a public image and her rampant social media usage were constantly at odd's with the teen's well being.

'I have explained this to her numerous times in court, in therapy, and when we would meet up that the ONLY reason I am not living with her is because she continues to do the things that pushed me out of her house.

She continued enumerating her mom's slights, writing: 'Like talking about me on the show/press/social media, doing embarrassing things on the show, lying to me and putting herself first to name a few.'

This isn't a new battle for Tamra and Sidney, with the teen posting a strongly-worded message to her mother in 2015 that appeared to air out their family feud and subsequent estrangement

'The one thing I asked and have been asking for 4 years now has been to not talk about me because I dont want to be in the spotlight.

'But Again breaking her promises as per usual, she puts herself, her fame, her reputation, and her bank account before me,' the college freshman finished.

This isn't a new battle for Tamra and Sidney.

In 2015, Sidney posted a strongly-worded message to her mother for airing out their family feud and subsequent estrangement for similar issues.
They're two weeks into The Block and tensions have hit boiling point.

On Wednesday's show, Elyse Knowles' tradie boyfriend Josh Barker lost his cool and threw furniture out of their house, while Georgia had a go at Shelley Craft.

Josh's temper flared when he couldn't find grout for his tiler which Elyse said had been delivered, with her remarking: 'He can get a little cranky and then it kind of turns on us and our room as well.'

'He can get a little cranky': Tempers flare on The Block as Elyse Knowles' boyfriend Josh Barker THROWS furniture

Josh called Elyse - who was off site - to find out where the grout is.

The blonde model was also in a bad mood when she hanged up on her man.

'Elyse is in a great mood this morning, she may have got out on the wrong side of the bed today,' Josh said to camera.

Fuming! Josh lost his cool and threw furniture out of their house

Letting off steam! The blonde model was also in a bad mood when she hanged up on her man

Meanwhile, Georgia had a go at Shelley Craft and Domain's managing editor, Alice Stolz, when she and husband Ronnie showed them inside their guest bedroom which they're renovating.

Scott Cam was also present, and Shelley and Alice asked Georgia if they're keeping the room in theme with the style of their house.

Talking about the Victorian ceiling rose, Alice asked: 'Does it go with the style of the house you're selling?'

Georgia said she thinks it fits into the 'federation genre,' when Shelley chimed in.

Tension: Meanwhile, Georgia (R) had a go at Shelley Craft and Domain's managing editor, Alice Stolz

'But federation, Edwardian, Victorian, art deco, are all very different,' Shelley said.

She, Alice and Scott said their bedroom windows were art deco, while Georgia disagreed.

'When we come in here I just feel this angst towards us. We're here to help you,' Shelley said.

She continued, mimicking Georgia, saying: 'Yeah, yeah absolutely get the hell out of our house!'

Georgia calmed down and said she and Ronnie have to handle any criticisms better.

At the end of the chat, Georgia said to camera about Alice: 'I'm like, who are you?'
After the Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay accepted Dr. Bryan Abasolo's proposal on Monday's finale, runner-up Eric Bigger has been hitting the talk show circuit to express his disappointment.

The 32-year-old attorney said yes to the 37-year-old chiropractor atop a Spanish castle after her perceived favorite suitor Peter Kraus revealed he could not commit all the way.

'From what was shown last night I think Bryan was the consolation prize,' the 29-year-old personal trainer says on Wednesday's episode of Home & Family - according to People.

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Bitter? After the Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay accepted Dr. Bryan Abasolo's (L) proposal on Monday's finale, runner-up Eric Bigger (R) has been expressing his disappointment

'He was second place.'

Bigger thought he would have had a better shot at marrying Lindsay had the 31-year-old triathlete asked to leave the 13th season as soon as he knew he wasn't down for the long haul.

'It's like why move forward? [Peter should have] just been honest and upfront,' lamented Baltimore-born Eric, who was sent home after his Fantasy Suite date.

'There's a high percentage chance that I would've been engaged [to Rachel], because what we had was magic. It was powerful. I mean, I don't know if you guys watched [the finale]. It was real for me. It was like what's happened to my life? This is amazing. I think if I were to move forward it wouldve been that much harder for her to pick her top one.'

Sorry: The 32-year-old attorney said yes to the 37-year-old chiropractor atop a Spanish castle after her perceived favorite suitor Peter Kraus (L) revealed he could not commit all the way

The 29-year-old personal trainer says on Wednesday's episode of Home & Family: 'From what was shown last night I think Bryan was the consolation prize. He was second place'

'It's like why move forward?' Bigger thought he would have had a better shot at marrying Lindsay had the 31-year-old triathlete (M) asked to leave the 13th season as soon as he knew he wasn't down for the long haul

Eric, who was sent home after his Fantasy Suite date, lamented: 'There's a high percentage chance that I would've been engaged [to Rachel], because what we had was magic'

On Tuesday, the Dallas-based civil defense litigator flashed her new 3-carat platinum Neil Lane engagement ring 'accented by 80 round diamonds' alongside her fiance in Manhattan.

As for the naysayers like Bigger, Lindsay is enjoying her 'dream come true' and wrote to her 949K social media followers on Tuesday: '#Hatersgonnahate.'

The Marquette University grad is planning on walking down the aisle in 'winter of next year,' and her 6ft2in doctor is hoping for two to three children ('preferably two boys, one girl').

However, the odds are against Rachel and Bryan as out of the 30-some betrothed duos from The Bachelor/The Bachelorette franchise, only six have remained together.

Wedding bling: On Tuesday, the Dallas-based civil defense litigator flashed her new 3-carat platinum Neil Lane engagement ring alongside her fiance in Manhattan

As for the naysayers like Bigger, Lindsay is enjoying her 'dream come true' and wrote to her 949K social media followers on Tuesday: '#Hatersgonnahate'

Happily ever after? The Marquette University grad is planning on walking down the aisle in 'winter of next year,' and her 6ft2in doctor is hoping for two to three children
Pregnancy is sure to bring on an appetite.

And Mindy Kaling cradled her burgeoning baby bump as she headed out to dinner in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The Mindy Project star looked in good cheer as she dined out with a female friend at the upmarket Restaurant Madeo in West Hollywood

Girls night out: Pregnant Mindy Kaling cradled her burgeoning bump as she went to dinner in Los Angeles on Tuesday

Going for glamour, the 38-year-old was wearing a trendy red summer dress and matching stilettos.

Family members were apparently as shocked as her fans when she announced she was five months pregnant in July, but declined to name the child's father.

'For family members who were hoping for a traditional marriage and a son-in-law, this was a shock,' one source told Page Six.

Eating for two: No doubt she could hardly wait to enjoy her slap-up meal

Glamour: She was wearing a trendy red summer dress and matching stilettos

Some have speculated that Kaling, who has spoken in the past of wanting children, turned to an anonymous sperm donor.

Her brother, author and commentator Vijay Jojo Chokal-Ingam, shot down media inquiries about his sister last month, issuing a terse statement saying 'No comment.'

Kaling previously dated her co-star on The Office, BJ Novak, from 2005 to 2007, and then dated writer Benjamin Nugent from 2008 to 2012.

In March, she agreed to go on a date with never-married US Senator Cory Booker, 48, following a flirty exchange on Twitter.

Big secret: So far Mindy has not revealed who the father of her baby is

Former flame: Mindy dated writer Benjamin Nugent from 2008 to 2012
She sparked rumours of a reignited romance with Diego Luna, 37, when they were pictured together last month.

But Suki Waterhouse, 25, was flying solo as she jetted out of Los Angeles LAX airport on Tuesday afternoon.

Beaming broadly as she headed to catch her flight, the stunning model seemed to be enjoying her own company as she strolled through the terminal.

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All eyes on her: Suki Waterhouse, 25, was flying solo as she jetted out of Los Angeles LAX airport on Tuesday afternoon

Despite cutting a lone figure, the Vogue covergirl wasn't short of admirers as she looked sensational in a chic black and white ensemble.

Teasing a glimpse at her taut stomach, the Insurgent star donned a cream crop top, which she teamed with a pair of loose-fitting leather trousers.

Shunning the typical one bag carry on rule, the pretty blonde donned a large khaki rucksack along with a small pink handbag and a tiny black cross body bag.

Never fully dressed without a smile: Beaming broadly as she headed to catch her flight, the stunning model seemed to be enjoying her own company as she strolled through the terminal

Sweeping her golden locks away from her stunning features, the starlet wore her glossy locks in a half up style, whilst a sweeping side fringe framed her pretty face.

Highlighting her flawless good looks, the blonde bombshell donned a neutral make-up palette, lining her lips with a pink gloss and shading her prominent eyebrows.

Opting for no jewellery, her only accessory was her beaming smile.

Magical in monochrome: Despite cutting a lone figure, the Vogue covergirl wasn't short of admirers as she looked sensational in a chic black and white ensemble

All about the accessories: Shunning the typical one bag carry on rule, the pretty blonde donned a large khaki rucksack along with a small pink handbag and a tiny black cross body bag

Blonde bombshell: Sweeping her golden locks away from her stunning features, the starlet wore her glossy locks in a half up style, whilst a sweeping side fringe framed her pretty face

The blonde beauty was not joined by actor Diego, who first rose to prominence in the Dirty Dancing sequel, following their cosy stroll around New York City last month.

They first set tongues wagging in January, when they were spotted getting cosy during a holiday in Mexico.

After months of laying low, Suki was then seen spending a week in the Big Apple with the Rogue One actor last month, reigniting rumours of a romance.

The pair have never confirmed their relationship status.
He's rumoured to have enjoyed a threesome with two mystery reality starlets.

And days after the alleged incident took place, Jonny Mitchell proved he wasn't slowing down with the ladies as he enjoyed a night out with Russian model, Nina.

Following his split from fellow Love Island star Chyna Ellis, the 26-year-old business director proved he had well and truly moved on as he flaunted his new romance at DSTRKT in London on Tuesday.

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Loving life: He's rumoured to have enjoyed a threesome with reality stars. And Jonny Mitchell proved he wasn't slowing down with the ladies as he headed to DSTRKT in London on Tuesday

Stepping out hand in hand with his new squeeze, the star looked in great spirits as he headed to the club and partied with the likes of Calum Best and Marissa Jade.

Not content with putting on an united front with his new lady, the reality star took to Instagram to reveal their steamy antics from the inside of the club.

Sharing several videos of the pair enjoying a steamy smooch, he then uploaded a sweet snap of the pair cuddled up together.

Single: The outing came following his split from fellow Love Island star Chyna Ellis

Hot new couple: The 26-year-old business director proved he had well and truly moved on as he flaunted his new romance at DSTRKT in London on Tuesday

Cosy: Stepping out hand in hand with his new squeeze, the star looked in great spirits as he headed to the club and partied with the likes of Calum Best and Marissa Jade

Pucker up: Not content with putting on an united front with his new lady, the reality star took to Instagram to reveal their steamy antics from the inside of the club

Cosy: Sharing several videos of the pair enjoying a steamy smooch, he then uploaded a sweet snap of the pair cuddled up together

Flaunting his newfound love all over his social media, the star proved he was firmly back on Instagram, despite facing widespread mockery when it was claimed the millionaire lifestyle depicted on his account was a farce.

Jonny is also said to be maintaining he is a 'cut above' his co-stars, in reports surfacing after he enjoyed a threesome with two mystery reality babes after his split from Chyna - a night he is said to have 'no regrets over'.

Insiders tell The Sun, the business director got hot and heavy with the stunners following the show's final last month, after which he reportedly made claims about the stars of the show promoting 'naff' products.

Newfound freedom: Hours after she was evicted from the Celebrity Big Brother house, Mob Wives star Marissa Jade was also seen heading to DSTRKT with Calum Best on her arm

Suddenly camera shy? After appearing on the famed reality show Marissa suddenly appeared to be feeling bashful as she cuddled up to Calum on the outing

Lady in red: Marissa had dazzled upon her CBB departure - showing off her sensationally svelte figure in a tight-fitting red dress which she kept on for the night out

Racy in red: The slinky number hugged her slender frame from head to toe, and scooped into a low round neckline to tease at her famously ample cleavage

Jonny was a divisive late entrant to the show after he left fan favourite Camilla Thurlow heartbroken when they clashed in regards to views on feminism before unduly ditching her and leaving her in floods of tears.

Following his stint in the house, when her enjoyed a brief romance with Tyla Carr, he soon struck up a whirlwind relationship with fleeting star Chyna Ellis - who he swiftly whisked away on a mini break to Budapest.

However he soon parted ways with the stunner and is said to have enjoyed a night of passion with two mystery reality star beauties - much to Chyna's chagrin.

Insiders said: 'Jonnys night with the girls was sizzling hot. Hed only just come out of the villa on the show and landed back in the UK but was inundated with female attention, so whats a young good-looking guy like him to do?'

A fake? Sources insist Jonny maintains he is a 'cut above' his co-stars, in reports surfacing after he allegedly enjoyed a steamy threesome with two mystery reality babes hot on the heels of his split with Chyna

Romance: Following his brief stint in the house, when her enjoyed a brief romance with Tyla Carr, he soon struck up a whirlwind relationship with fleeting star Chyna Ellis - who he swiftly whisked away on a mini break to Budapest

Lucky guy: Insiders tell The Sun , the 26-year-old business director got hot and heavy with the stunners following the show's final last month, after which he reportedly made claims about the stars of the show promoting 'naff' products

The 'high' life: His social media accounts reveal luxury cars, first class travel and an abundance of cash ready to be flaunted at his every whim - it's been claimed the reality star's lavish lifestyle is nothing but a facade

A spokeswoman for Jonny told MailOnline: 'Jonny had split up with Chyna when this night is said to have occurred as it's been reported. He's got no regrets about either the split with Chyna or anything else that has happened since.'

While his love life certainly spins a convoluted tale, Jonny's financial and business affairs are equally mysterious as it was claimed the lavish lifestyle he depicts on social media, complete with private jets and champagne, is all fake.

His social media accounts reveal luxury cars, first class travel and an abundance of cash ready to be flaunted at his every whim - it's been claimed the reality star's lavish lifestyle is nothing but a facade.

Oops! Despite the alleged reveal of his hoodwinking his 511,000 followers, insiders insist Jonny deems himself a 'cut above' his co-stars - who he knocked for their promotion of an array of products often associated with reality show celebrities

Oh dear... The Mercedes Benz belongs to his father, the Cartier watch is a fake, the exotic holidays are 'throwback' photos and his plush pad he purports to live in is, in fact, rented from Airbnb

The Mercedes Benz belongs to his father, the Cartier watch is a fake, the exotic holidays are 'throwback' photos and his plush pad he purports to live in is, in fact, rented from Airbnb.

Despite the alleged reveal of his hoodwinking his 511,000 followers, insiders insist Jonny deems himself a 'cut above' his co-stars - who he knocked for their promotion of an array of products often associated with reality show celebrities.

Sources told the publication: 'Jonny sees himself as above the other islanders, he wont promote naff products like tea bags and teeth whitening kits.

'Hes posting about private jets and big brand clothing brands and wont settle for anything below him. Hes pretty much the Posh Spice of the group, not cut from the same cloth - but a finer silk, so to speak.'
She has already bagged an Academy Award for her role as 'Ma', a young woman raising her son in small confines due to captivity, in 2015's Room.

And Brie Larson showed off her A-list style status as she headed to New York's Florence Gould Hall to discuss her upcoming movie The Glass Castle on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old American actress oozed old school Hollywood glamour as she showed off her curves in a form-fitting cocktail dress with a pink silk trim as she strutted her way into the venue.

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Glamorous: Brie Larson, 27, showed off her A-list style status as she headed to New York's Florence Gould Hall to discuss her upcoming movie The Glass Castle on Tuesday

All eyes were on Brie as she emerged from the vehicle in the stunning dress which plunged down the middle to tease at her ample assets.

The garment fell at a flirty level past her knees, flashing her toned legs, which were boosted in a pair of towering black Louboutin heels.

The Kong: Skull Island stunner accessorised to perfection with a cute purse selected by stylist Cristina Ehrlich.

Brie looked flawless as she wore her wavy bob down and side-parted, which complemented her glamorous, vampy, make-up look.

Striking: The American actress showed off her curves in a form-fitting cocktail dress with a pink silk trim as she strutted her way into the venue

She's got front! All eyes were on Brie as she emerged from the vehicle in the stunning dress which plunged down the middle to tease at her ample assets

Once inside the venue: Brie was joined by her striking The Glass Castle cast-mate Naomi Watts, author Jeannette Walls, and writer-director Destin Daniel Cretton

Once inside the venue, Brie was joined by her striking The Glass Castle cast-mate Naomi Watts, author Jeannette Walls, and writer-director Destin Daniel Cretton.

The three ladies then sat down with moderator Parul Sehgal to further discuss Lionsgate's big-screen adaptation of Walls' 2005 memoir before the Big Apple audience.

Watts plays the eccentric artist mother-of-four Rose Mary Walls in the dysfunctional family drama, which hits US theaters this Friday and UK theaters October 6.

And Brie (born Brianne Desaulniers) portrays the older version of Jeannette in the flick, which currently holds a dismal 56 percent critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Beauty: Brie looked flawless as she wore her wavy bob down and side-parted, which complemented her glamorous, vampy, make-up look

Discussion: The three ladies then sat down with moderator Parul Sehgal to further discuss Lionsgate's big-screen adaptation of Walls' 2005 memoir before the Big Apple audience

Mixed reviews: Brie (born Brianne Desaulniers) portrays the older version of Jeannette in the flick, which currently holds a dismal 56 percent critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes

Nomads: Watts plays the eccentric artist mother-of-four Rose Mary Walls in the dysfunctional family drama, which hits US theaters this Friday and UK theaters October 6

Meanwhile, ahead of the event, Naomi flashed her mega-watt Hollywood smile after getting glam for the screening/Q&A event surrounding her next film The Glass Castle in Manhattan on Tuesday.

The two-time Oscar nominee - who turns 49 next month - looked chic in a white dress, matching shades, patent leather red heels, and a matching clutch selected by stylist Jeanann Williams.

Make-up artist Mary Wiles made sure the British-born Australian was camera ready for the TimesTalks Series presentation, while hairstylist Ryan Trygstad coiffed her blonde bob.

Summer style: Meanwhile, ahead of the event, Naomi flashed her mega-watt Hollywood smile after getting glam for the screening/Q&A event surrounding her next film The Glass Castle in Manhattan on Tuesday

Evergreen: The two-time Oscar nominee - who turns 49 next month - looked chic in a white dress, matching shades, and patent leather red heels selected by stylist Jeanann Williams

Sitting pretty: Make-up artist Mary Wiles made sure the British-born Australian was camera ready for the TimesTalks Series, while hairstylist Ryan Trygstad coiffed her blonde bob

'#tbt': Last Thursday, the Golden Globe nominee - who boasts 844K followers - shared a behind-the-scenes Instagram video of the cast (including Woody Harrelson) bonding on set

Last Thursday, the Golden Globe nominee - who boasts 844K social media followers - shared a behind-the-scenes Instagram video of the cast (including Woody Harrelson) bonding on set.

Naomi - who's rumored to be romancing her Gypsy leading man Billy Crudup - reunited with her ex-partner Liev Schreiber for their son Sasha's 10th birthday festivities on July 25.

The acting duo - who are also parents of eight-year-old son Sammy - announced their amicable split on September 26 after 11 years together.

Amicable: Naomi - who's rumored to be romancing her Gypsy co-star Billy Crudup - reunited with her ex-partner Liev Schreiber for their son Sasha's 10th birthday festivities on July 25

'So far, it's been great': The acting duo - who are also parents of eight-year-old son Sammy - announced their amicable split on September 26 after 11 years together (pictured in 2015)

'It's our kids (that are the most important),' the 49-year-old Tony winner explained to Australia's TV WEEK last month.

'It's important we find ways to fill in the cracks with each other. In the case of me and Naomi, we're always going to have a relationship because we have children. So it's important we work together well in that way. So far, it's been great.'

Fans can catch more of Watts as spitfire married mother-of-one Janey-E Jones in David Lynch and Mark Frost's continuation of Twin Peaks, which airs Sundays on Showtime.
She's one of the favourites to win Matty J's heart on The Bachelor.

And on Wednesday, Elora Murger ensured that all eyes her on her as she stepped out in Sydney with freshly-dyed hot pink hair.

The 27-year-old, who was on her way to aquarium, also had jaws dropping by wearing a totally sheer blouse with nothing but a busty black bra on underneath.

Think pink: Elora Murger ensured that all eyes her on her as she stepped out in Sydney with freshly-dyed hot pink hair

To further flaunt her enviable curves, the reality TV vixen sported a pair of skintight leggings.

For extra comfort, the fitness trainer wore white sneakers instead of glamorous high heels.

Elora recently opened up about the tension in the house, which lead to a fight between her and friend Simone Ormesher against Leah Costa and Jen Hawke.

Work it: The 27-year-old, who was on her way to aquarium, also had jaws dropping by wearing a totally sheer blouse with nothing but a busty black bra on underneath

The 27-year-old recently spoke with NW magazine about how things escalated into a 'brawl' off-camera between the quarrelsome contestants at the cocktail party.

'It was heated - the girls were really dramatic and glasses broke. Wine went everywhere' she detailed.

Her bestie on the reality series, Simone, explained why the duo faced off with Leah and Jen.

Drama: The 27-year-old recently spoke with NW magazine about how things escalated into a 'brawl' off-camera between the quarrelsome contestants at the cocktail party

'The girls would always complain and say Elora and I were the mean girls, because we weren't socialising with anyone else,' the 25-year-old offered.

She claimed the alliance between Leah and Jen is weaker than it appears on the show and they are 'not as close as they make out'.

'Leah looks up to Jen, but I think Jen does start to get a bit pissed off with her bi*ching. Honestly, Leah was making people in the house fed up,' she stated.
She shot to fame as the older sister of Ex On The Beach Chloe Goodman, 23.

But Lauryn Goodman ensured she was the centre of attention as she sizzled on the beach in Mykonos on Tuesday.

The beauty blogger, 26, oozed confidence as she showcased her perfectly peachy behind in thong high-cut bikini bottoms, which provided the perfect contrast to her alabaster skintone.

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Peachy: Lauryn Goodman, 26, ensured she was the centre of attention as she sizzled on the beach in Mykonos on Tuesday in a thong cut bikini

She teased her pert bust in a ebony crop top, which also flaunted her sensational hourglass curves and slender waist.

Striking a pensive pose as she stared out at the crystalline waters, the star added a chic twist to her bikini with a matching fabric choker.

Her ombre tresses were swept up into a low-maintenance updo.

Work it: The beauty blogger, 26, oozed confidence as she showcased her curvaceous figure in the skimpy bikini

Jaw-dropping: She pulled a series of pouty poses as she gazed out at her idyllic surroundings, with her sparkling peepers enhanced with smoky eyeshadow and lashings of liner

She pulled a series of pouty poses as she gazed out at her idyllic surroundings, with her sparkling peepers enhanced with smoky eyeshadow and lashings of liner.

Her pout was painted in a berry hue.

She accessorised with a pair of dark shades and a scarlet bangle

Public eye: She shot to fame as the older sister of Ex On The Beach Chloe Goodman, 23 (left)

Glamourpuss: She has recently been seen painting the town red with Lauren Goodger, 30 who is rumoured to have split from jailbird beau Joey Morrison and former TOWIE star Pascal Craymer, 30

The star was seen doing her best to avoid a wardrobe malfunction as she pulled up her skimpy top and strutted along the beach.

This is the latest in a series of sun-soaked breaks for the star who has been seen holidaying in Los Angeles, Barbados and the Maldives since June.

She has recently been seen painting the town red with Lauren Goodger, 30 who is rumoured to have split from jailbird beau Joey Morrison.
Leadington city officials are considering the formation of three local Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts to provide for the financing of economic development in the small St. Francois County town of about 500 residents.

Mayor Dustin Winick announced at Tuesday's board of aldermen meeting that he had met earlier in the day with a representative from GilmoreBell, a public finance law firm, and Chauncy Buchheit of Southeast Missouri Regional Planning regarding the possibility of forming local TIF districts within the city limits.

"We were discussing TIF district ideas, property tax abatements, things like that," he said. "We had a three-way conference call with Chauncy and they kind of laid a plan out of what they're wanting to do  projects that need to be taken care of, you know."

Local TIF districts permit the use of a portion of local property and sales taxes to assist funding the redevelopment of certain designated areas within a community. Eligible areas must contain property classified as a "blighted," "conservation" or "economic development" area, or any combination of the three, as defined by Missouri law.

"At some point we've got to do something with the roundabout or interchange here at the overpass," Winick said. "We're behind Desloge on the state doing anything on our overpass for the simple reason that Desloge has TIF money available to help with the project. So, they're ahead of us because we don't have the backing that they have."

According to Mayor Winick, GilmoreBell has suggested setting up three separate TIF districts.

"One will take in all of the [St. Francois] Plaza property," Winick said. "One will take in the [former Grecian restaurant building] and Jerry's [Fireworks] and then one will take in [the overpass area]. The plaza area funds will go to the plaza and to that property's development. The property at Grecian will go to developing a station  whatever goes into that spot over there. This area will be used to help fund our roundabout, the overpass and things of that nature."

Winick emphasized that the project is in the very early stages and that he intends to meet soon with owners of St. Francois Plaza, as well as the owners of the former Grecian restaurant building.

"They will be the one that pays the upfront cost of developing it," he said. "The one thing that I stressed to both of them is that I don't want this to raise any of our taxes in the city. I don't want to see any tax increase because of a TIF. They're working to try to take it out of what we've got and make it happen."

Winick explained that, because the process takes around three-and-a-half months to complete, the city is "crunched on time" to get the owners onboard by Dec. 31.

"If they get it in by the end of the year, it is based off the 2016 taxes which will help us moving forward," he said. "It was a good meeting and I learned a lot. We took a trip around town, kind of seeing what we have and they're both really excited about trying to make it happen so we can be able to use the funds for what we've needed to do for years and be able to compete with the people around us."

According to Winick, all the details will be worked out over the next few months as the project continues to move forward.

"When it does start  when we do finally settle in on it  they'll have to put a commission together and it's a whole long process," he said. "It really confused me, but they seem to know what they're doing, so we'll go with it."

In other action, the board approved the purchase of a police car radio; set a tax rate public hearing for 6 p.m. Aug. 29 at the municipal building; approved the seeking of bids for a dump trailer; OK'd the purchase of Christmas lights; approved seeking bids on city banners; and OK'd looking into an USDA Rural Development loan for the purchase of one or more city storm sirens.

The aldermen also approved training conferences and seminars for city firemen, police officers and several other city employees; considered finding cheaper cellular service for the police chief and street department supervisor; and OK'd an ordinance taking Penny Lane into the city and accepting responsibility for its "reasonable maintenance and repair."
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They've faced a backlash for their controversial romance.

But Jeremy Meeks, 33, and girlfriend Chloe Green, 26, continued to flaunt their romance during their loved-up holiday in Barbados, as they were all over each other when they hit the beach on Tuesday.

Keen to flaunt not just their dalliance but her sensational figure too, the daughter of billionaire Sir Phillip Green donned a tiny orange bikini that offered a look at her tanned and toned physique.

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Can't keep their hands to themselves: Jeremy Meeks and girlfriend Chloe Green continued to flaunt their romance during their loved-up holiday in Barbados, as they were all over each other when they hit the beach on Tuesday

Showing off her taut stomach and ample cleavage, the former Made In Chelsea star donned a skimpy bikini top which she teamed with barely-there bottoms, whilst the neon hue complemented her bronzed complexion.

With her glossy chestnut locks worn in loose beachy waves, the starlet opted to go make-up free as she strolled across the sand, accessorising with a gold body chain and myriad of bracelets and rings.

Jeremy, showing off his gym-honed physique, opted for a pair of baby blue swimming trunks on the outing, which saw him take full advantage of his girlfriend as he fondled her on the beach.

Not just soaking up the sunshine on the outing, the pair decided to rent a jet ski and were seen cruising around the water together, before snuggling up for a smooch in the sea.

Life's a beach: Keen to flaunt not just their dalliance but her sensational figure too, the daughter of billionaire Sir Phillip Green donned a tiny orange bikini that offered a look at her tanned and toned physique

Tanned and toned: Showing off her taut stomach and ample cleavage, the former Made In Chelsea star donned a skimpy bikini top which she teamed with barely-there bottoms, whilst the neon hue complemented her bronzed complexion

Brunette bombshell: With her glossy chestnut locks worn in loose beachy waves, the starlet opted to go make-up free as she strolled across the sand, accessorising with a gold body chain and myriad of bracelets and rings

Getting cosy: The pair weren't afraid to pack on the PDA as they got very cosy whilst strolling along the beach front together

Jeremy was famously nicknamed the 'hot felon' after his mug shot - taken in 2014 when he was conviced for possession of a firearm and grand theft - went viral owing to his handsome looks.

He is currently enjoying a romantic holiday in Barbados with Chloe, who he confirmed he was dating last month, with the pair recently enjoying a day out at the Crop Over Festival, which saw the pair sport some skimpy ensembles as they flaunted both their love and their figures.

Jeremy and Chloe, who is heir to her father Sir Philip's billions, were first revealed to be a couple in June after they were pictured sharing an intimate kiss and snuggling up together on a super yacht in the Mediterranean.

Arm in arm: The pair weren't able to keep their hands off each other as they soaked up the sunshine on their beach break

Battle of the beach bodies! Chloe's neon skimpy two-piece offered a look at her impeccable physique whilst Jeremy's swimming trunks showed off his heavily inked torso and extensive tattoo collection

Gifts for the girlfriend? Jeremy was seen browsing the jewellery stand on the beach, possibly picking out a gift for his new girlfriend to act as a reminder of their loved-up holiday

Daddy dearest: While Chloe lived it up in Barbados with her beau, her father Philip was in Mykonos with her mum Tina

Happy days: The Topshop tycoon seemed in good spirits as he moored his boat in Mykonos and disembarked with friends to enjoy at day at the exclusive Psarou Beach resort

The pair have not been discreet with their romance despite causing controversy with their relationship, as Jeremy was found to have enjoyed a dalliance whilst with his wife of eight years Melissa - who he is still legally married to.

He was married to the nurse, who stayed with him throughout his stint in prison, for eight years, now his heartbroken estranged wife Melissa, mother to his seven-year-old son, has removed reference to him on her social media bio, suggesting a reconciliation is not on the cards.

Chloe and Jeremy have received a backlash from fans amid the controversy, with Chloe turning her Instagram profile private following heavy criticism over their relationship. Yet despite not allowing new followers to see her images,the brunette proceeded to share sweet selfie with the 'hot felon' in the sunshine on Friday - proving they were only going from strength to strength.

All going swimmingly: Chloe and Jeremy heated up their display of passion when they jumped into the sea, barely able to stay away from one another as they cosied up together for a kiss and a cuddle in the water

Admiring the view? The pair couldn't keep their eyes off each other as they enjoyed a refreshing dip in the clear waters

The Topshop heiress captioned the snap: 'Life is to short not to laugh and smile and that's all we do... @jmeeks official. #nohatejustlove #everyonedeservestobehappy [sic].'

Chloe's post came after Jeremy switched off the comment section on his own Instagram page- leaving fans to only interact with his snaps by 'liking' it, proving he appeared to be feeling the heat after publicly parading his romance to the Topshop heiress.

The photogenic hunk was left with hoards of negative comments under his Instagram snaps, slamming him for leaving his wife Melissa for the British heiress and undoubtedly led to him disabling the comments function.

Green if you wanna go faster! Chloe looked in great spirits as she hopped on the back of a jet ski with her man

Cruising: The pair were speeding through the waves on the jet ski and looked as though they were loving every second

Taking it up a gear: The daredevil showed no signs of slowing down as the pair sped through the waves together

Cruise control: Chloe ran her hands through her glossy locks whilst she rested with one arm wrapped around her beau

All-smiles: The pair couldn't contain their joy as they soaked up the sights of the island on their own jet ski

Ready and raring: Chloe received some assistance with Jeremy reaching an arm out for his stunning girlfriend

Cosy: Chloe looked right at home as she wrapped herself around Jeremy whilst speeding through the ocean together

Jeremy has now filed for legal separation from mother-of-three Melissa, who he shares her youngest son with. Melissa also has son Robert, 11, and daughter, 16-year-old Ellie, from a previous relationship, and says both stepchildren consider Meeks a father figure.

The heartbroken mother previously told MailOnline of her devastation, admitting that her husband had been seduced by the glamour of his newfound modelling career.

She said: 'I know it takes two to tango but she knew he was married. To me, thats unforgivable. My whole world has been torn apart by this. What do I tell our children? My heart is broken. What sort of woman would do something like this to another woman?

Flashing the flesh: He is currently enjoying a romantic holiday in Barbados with Chloe with the pair recently enjoying a day out at the Crop Over Festival, which saw the pair sport some skimpy ensembles as they flaunted both their love and their figures

'My marriage wasnt perfect but I thought it could be saved, until this happened. Of course Im angry at her. What she did is unforgivable. And Im angry at him too. What they did destroyed my entire world.

'Did either of them think about the children and how this will affect them? Theyre the innocent victims in this. And so am I.'

Meanwhile, Chloe's billionaire father Sir Phillip Green is said to be in denial about his beloved daughters affair with the former gang member, and is currently holidaying in Mykonos.

Whilst Jeremy has also landed a 1million contract to model clothes for Topshop - a deal said to have been facilitated by Chloe, her father is said to have shrugged off their relationship as a 'holiday fling'.
Jordan Barrett was the toast of the David Jones Spring/ Summer fashion launch in Sydney on Wednesday night.

The handsome 20-year-old was seen posing with a bevy of lucky ladies, including Lisa Wilkinson, Montana Cox and Karl Stefanovic's girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough.

Engaging his runway honed skills, the blonde posed on the red carpet in a chic blue velvet suit that fitted his model physique beautifully.

All eyes on him: Jordan Barrett was the toast of the David Jones Spring/ Summer fashion launch in Sydney on Wednesday night

A white cotton shirt unbuttoned to flaunt his tanned chest, dress shoes and a watch completed the trendy ensemble.

Relieved of runway duties and merely a guest at the event, he posed alongside fellow model Tahnee Atkinson, placing an arm gently on the beauty's waist.

He poked his tongue out cheekily as the pair hammed it up for cameras.

Once inside the event, Jordan worked the room, posing with Jasmine and her businesses partner.

Posing: The handsome 20-year-old was seen posing with a bevy of lucky ladies, including Lisa Wilkinson, Montana Cox and Karl Stefanovic's girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough

Cosy: Relieved of runway duties and merely a guest at the event, he posed alongside fellow model Tahnee Atkinson, placing an arm gently on the beauty's waist

Lisa also got some attention from the strapping lad, who posed for photos alongside the TV host and her daughter.

Jordan put on a fun, flirty display with Montana, who laughed heartily and cosied up to the Byron Bay local for photos.

Friendly: Lisa Wilkinson also got some attention from the strapping lad, who posed for photos alongside the TV host and her daughter

Party pals: Jordan put on a fun, flirty display with Montana Cox, who laughed heartily with him

Smile! Montana cosied up to the Byron Bay local for photos

Photo bomb: Karl Stefanovic got in on the action also, placing his arm around Montana and posing with both models

Karl Stefanovic got in on the action also, placing his arm around Montana and posing with both models.

The TV host was later seen crossing the room as he walked alongside the male model.

At the event, Jordan told Daily Mail Australia that his raunchy Heavily Sedated Instagram account, which features racy images and nudity, was 'art'.

Giggles: Jordan and Montana posed for selfies at the dinner table inside the party

Inside the event: Jordan worked the room, posing with Jasmine and her businesses partner

Mates? The TV host was later seen crossing the room as he walked alongside the male model

'Those photos are all art. It's an art account. It's all art, every image on there,' he said.

Jordan maintains the 'art' account separately to his main, personal Instagram account, which also features racy imagery.

He said: 'What everyone else thinks is raunchy... Some people don't, it's everyone's opinion'.
She is currently causing drama on Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother.

But ahead of her entering the Borehamwood mansion, Jemma Lucy absolutely sizzled during a smoking hot shoot which saw her completely shed her clothes.

The 29-year-old Ex On The Beach star oozed body confidence as she flaunted her sensational figure and eye-popping cleavage in the risque snaps - as she's set to break down in tears on the upcoming episode of CBB.

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Racy: Ahead of her entering Celebrity Big Brother, Jemma Lucy absolutely sizzled during a smoking hot shoot which saw her completely shed her clothes

Emotional: In scenes yet to air on the Channel 5 series, Jemma is set to break down in tears as things become too much to handle

Jemma, who is no stranger to a nude shoot, once again sizzled in the striking images which saw her put her ample bosom on full display.

In one snap, the reality star confidently shows off her busty cleavage in nothing but a pair of lace bottoms.

In another she proves to be slightly more covered up in cage design lingerie set which struggles to contain her assets and draws in her tiny waist.

Jemma also dons a very skimpy pair of dungarees which leaves little to the imagination as it flaunts her white bra.

She's got front! The Ex On The Beach star, who is no stranger to a nude shoot, once again sizzled in the striking images which saw her put her ample bosom on full display

Risque: In another she proves to be slightly more covered up in cage design lingerie set which struggles to contain her assets and draws in her tiny waist

Hot stuff: Jemma also dons a very skimpy pair of dungarees which leaves little to the imagination as it flaunts her white bra

Meanwhile, Jemma is currently making a splash on Celebrity Big Brother - and in upcoming scenes, set to be aired on Wednesday night, the glamour girl is seen getting emotional.

The sensitive scene shows the inked beauty having an emotional moment with Brandi Glanville - where she expresses her concerns over a 'clique' in the mouth.

She also confides in the Real Housewife that she thinks she's being pushed out of Sam and Jordan's friendship circle by YouTube sensation Trisha Paytas.

The outspoken star can be seen cradling her head in her arms as she breaks down in tears, while Brandi comforts her.

Tears: Meanwhile, Jemma is currently making a splash on Celebrity Big Brother - and in upcoming scenes, set to be aired on Wednesday night, the glamour girl is seen getting emotional

Breakdown: The sensitive scene shows the inked beauty having an emotional moment with Brandi Glanville - where she expresses her concerns over a 'clique' in the mouth

Left out: She also confides in the Real Housewife that she thinks she's being pushed out of Sam and Jordan's friendship circle by YouTube sensation Trisha Paytas

Upset: The outspoken star can be seen cradling her head in her arms as she breaks down in tears, while Brandi comforts her

This comes after reports that Jemma has been filmed snorting a suspicious white powder off a kitchen worktop in the second shocking clip to emerge in just two days.

In a video obtained by The Sun, the star who entered the Celebrity Big Brother house last week, is seen arranging the substance by using a card while a bag containing more powder lay alongside, before saying: 'See the size of that? Ready!'

Before the latest video came to light, the Daily Star shared a similar clip in which the star snorted a white powder off a friend's derriere while stood in what appeared to be in a nightclub janitor's closet, while two similar images emerged online last year.
Channel Ten had been hyping up this week's rose ceremony and its mysterious drama for what seemed like an eternity.

So when Wednesday night's episode finally rolled around but cut to a 'to be continued' titlecard before revealing the drama, fans were incensed.

Swathes of viewers took to social media to unleash their rage, slamming the episode 'bullsh*t' and a 'rip off'.

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Incensed! The Bachelor fans are livid that Wednesday night's episode of The Bachelor ended on a cliffhanger midway through Matty J's (pictured) rose ceremony and took to social media to unleash their anger

Halfway through handing out roses at the ceremony, Matty mysteriously paused before placing one back on the table.

'Something isn't right here,' one woman could be heard saying, before adding: 'This hasn't happened before. What the hell is going on?'

But far from being intrigued by the anticipation, fans weren't thrilled that they didn't immediately find out what the drama was.

What's going on? Midway through the rose ceremony, Matty J paused and placed a flower back on the table before the episode ended with a 'to be continued' message

'What a RIP OFF': Viewers took to social media in droves to slam the cliffhanger

'What a RIP OFF,' one Twitter used sprayed, with another adding: 'What the f**k was with that ending. not a happy camper.'

Another vented: 'Seriously if the follow up episode tomorrow is nothing like how they're hyping it up to be, I'm gonna be so annoyed.'

Continuing the critiscism, one viewer wrote,'The Bachelor really pissed me off tonight'.

Another echoed the sentiment posting: 'I'm still mad. That ending was so not Dutch.'

'I'm still mad': Others were displeased with the way producers were treating their audience

Someone else claimed the producers were playing fans for fools.

'The Bachelor taking the piss, promo drama at the rose ceremony and then 'to be continued' ? Talk about mugging off the audience,' they wrote.

'Such a bulls**t US Bach thing to do! #notcoolbachieaunotcool,' another added.

Others saw the funny side, with one Twitter user writing: 'I am guessing Matty stopped the rose ceremony to use the restroom.'

Another drew comparisons with one of the most controversially abrupt TV endings of all time, tweeting: 'The ending for tonight's episode of The Bachelor was probably worse than the ending of the sopranos.'

Having a laugh: Others saw the funny side to the controversial ending
They announced their engagement at the end of May.

And on Wednesday night, Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich put on a loved up display at the David Jones Spring/ Summer fashion launch in Sydney.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Anna revealed that their wedding date is fast approaching.

Loved up: On Wednesday night, Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich presented a loved up front at the David Jones Spring/ Summer fashion launch in Sydney

The 30-year-old said: 'It will come around sooner rather than later'.

While she admitted she'd gotten some ideas from friend's wedding's she'd recently attended, the blonde claims she is 'easy going' on plans.

'I'm pretty easy going when it comes to wedding planning,' she said, adding that the pair are enjoying their engagement.

'We're taking it one step at a time. Taking it easy, just enjoying being engaged,' she said.

Soon! Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Anna revealed that their wedding date is fast approaching

The 30-year-old said: 'It will come around sooner rather than later'

cHILL: While she admitted she'd gotten some ideas from friend's wedding's she'd recently attended, the blonde claims she is 'easy going' on plans

Relaxed: 'I'm pretty easy going when it comes to wedding planning,' she said, adding that the pair are enjoying their engagement

The stylish twosome were both well-suited, with Anna wearing a button down dress that resembled an oversize suit jacket.

The short frock ended at thigh length, giving a glimpse of the beauty's tanned, toned legs.

Adding to her formal look, she carried a monogrammed handbag and finished the look with high black strappy heels.

Time to reflect: 'We're taking it one step at a time. Taking it easy, just enjoying being engaged,' she said

Looking good: The stylish twosome were both well-suited, with Anna wearing a button down dress that resembled an oversize suit jacket

Neat: Her 34-year-old beau looked handsome in a fitted grey jacket and matching dark pants with a crisp white shirt underneath

Her 34-year-old beau looked handsome in a fitted grey jacket and matching dark pants with a crisp white shirt underneath.

The couple have just returned from a holiday, having spent time in the Greek Islands, as well as France and Italy.

The smitten twosome met on The Bachelor Australia in 2013.
Matthew Johnson and Jasmine Yarbrough were rumoured to have be 'very good friends' back in their high school days.

And the rumoured 'old flames' certainly enjoyed catching up at the David Jones Spring/Summer fashion show in Sydney on Wednesday night.

Their friendly chemistry was quite obvious, and even Jasmine's boyfriend Karl Stefanovic couldn't resist jokingly telling The Bachelor star to keep his distance.

Keep your hands off! Karl Stefanovic wagged his finger at The Bachelor's Matthew Johnson as he chatted to the Today host's girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough at the David Jones show this week

An extraordinary behind-the-scenes photo shows the Today host, 42, affectionately wagging his finger at handsome marketing manager Matty, 30.

Meanwhile, glamorous Jasmine, 33, cheekily smiles between them, and appears to enjoy the fact her partner is 'marking his territory' at the soiree.

The three pals also had an audience in Today's entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins, who watched the friendly scene unfold while sitting at their table.

Fancy seeing you here! Matty and Jasmine were seen talking like old friends, weeks after New Idea claimed they were once 'really close' after 'both attending private schools in Brisbane'

Matty and Jasmine were seen talking like old friends, weeks after New Idea claimed they were previously 'really close' after 'both attending private schools in Brisbane'.

At one stage, Jasmine, smiled as she held up a finger in mock reproach while the reality TV heartthrob affectionately placed a hand on her shoulder.

While little is known about the pair's past friendship, it has been claimed Matty is still on good terms with Jasmine's brother, Josh Taffs Yarbrough.

Old friends: At one stage, Jasmine, smiled as she held up a finger in mock reproach while the reality TV heartthrob affectionately placed a hand on her shoulder

Dressed in a glamorous red velvet dress with a high neckline, Jasmine looked elegant and stylish at the exclusive social gathering.

Adding a touch of high fashion to her ensemble, the Mara & Mine shoe designer styled her blonde hair in a tight top knot.

Meanwhile, Matty looked every inch the Bachelor in a tailored navy suit, a black shirt and shiny dress shoes.

Psst... she's mine! While she enjoyed a catch up with Matty, Jasmine spent much of the evening getting affectionate with her television star boyfriend Karl

While she enjoyed a catch up with Matty, Jasmine spent much of the evening getting affectionate with her television star boyfriend Karl.

The couple first met last December, months after the Channel Nine personality split from his wife-of-21-years Cassandra Thorburn.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Jasmine's footwear designs will be stocked in David Jones department stores across Australia.
Australian actress Naomi Watts is experiencing incredible career resurgence.

Praised for her TV return in David Lynch's Twin Peaks, the 48-year-old has found yet another fan in The Glass Castle co-star Sarah Snook, 30.

'Naomi is so lovely,' the fellow-Aussie told The Daily Telegraph ahead of the film's world premiere in New York on Thursday.

'Naomi is so lovely': Ahead of the World Premiere of Naomi Watts' (L) new film The Glass Castle, the Australian actress has had praise heaped on her from co-star Sarah Snook (R)

Confidently sporting a figure-hugging white frock at a promotional event Wednesday, the publication likened Naomi's resurgence to that of Nicole Kidman.

But despite her superstar status and an enviable best friends list, her Glass Castle co-star praised the veteran's generosity and accessibility.

'She would organise family picnics because her sons were also in Montreal when we were shooting,' Sarah said ahead of the premiere.

'We would have these family picnics on Sunday. It was a good social time as well as work time, which I think has been infused into the film.'

'She would organise family picnics': Despite the 48-year-old's star status, her Glass Castle co-star praised the veteran's generosity and accessibility

Naomi plays the eccentric artist mother-of-four Rose Mary Walls in the dysfunctional family drama, which hits Australian theaters on August 16.

Sarah will play a character called Lori in the film, and despite being deep in the supporting cast, found Naomi accessible and down-to-earth.

Also starring in the film is Oscar winner Brie Larson, 27, with the flick currently holding a disappointing 56 percent critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

That explains it! Part of Naomi's clear resurgence may be attributed to the reports she's moved on from ex of 11-years Liev Schreiber

'Very into each other': A source reportedly told US Weekly this week that the beauty is 'in the early stages' of dating Gypsy co-star Billy Crudup, 49

Part of Naomi's clear resurgence may be attributed to the reports she's moved on from ex of 11-years Liev Schreiber.

A source reportedly told US Weekly this week that the beauty is 'in the early stages' of dating Gypsy co-star Billy Crudup, 49.

The source reportedly went on to state that the pair are 'very into each other.'
She found fame on The Bachelorette last year.

But it appears Georgia Love isn't impressed by the new series of The Bachelor, claiming on Facebook she is 'embarrassed' to have been part of the franchise.

After watching Wednesday night's episode, she wrote: 'Did I actually just watch a girl mocking a guy jacking off on national TV at 8pm?'

Regrets? It appears Georgia Love (centre) isn't impressed by the new series of The Bachelor, claiming on Facebook she is 'embarrassed' to have been part of the franchise

'What is happening?' After watching Wednesday night's episode, Georgia wrote: 'Did I actually just watch a girl mocking a guy jacking off on national TV at 8pm?'

She added: 'WHAT IS HAPPENING' and followed the comment with a series of embarrassed face emojis.

The former WIN News journalist then remarked she was 'officially tapping out' just half an hour into the episode.

A friend then asked Georgia to clarify she was discussing The Bachelor. She replied: 'Yes! I'm so embarrassed to be linked to this show'.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Georgia Love for comment.

No doubt about it! A friend then asked Georgia to clarify she was discussing The Bachelor. She replied: 'Yes! I'm so embarrassed to be linked to this show'.

Out: The former WIN News journalist remarked she was 'officially tapping out' just half an hour into the episode

Her old stomping ground: Georgia starred on The Bachelorette last year

The scene Georgia appeared to be referring to involved Dutch model Florence Alexandra Sophie and Matthew Johnson making hand molds.

The pair dipped their hands, which were entwined, into some plaster and made a cast.

While doing so, instead of removing her arm from the plaster, Florence held onto Matty's hand in a motion Georgia may have seen as suggestive.

Not impressed? The scene Georgia appeared to be referring to involved Dutch model Florence Alexandra Sophie and Matthew Johnson making hand molds

Dipping: The pair dipped their hands, which were entwined, into some plaster and made a cast

Offended? While doing so, instead of removing her arm from the plaster, Florence held onto Matty's hand in a motion Georgia may have seen as suggestive

'Um, Florence, if you just want to let go of my hand,' Matty said. She replied: 'I don't know how to. I'm stuck. I'm not kidding. I'm stuck'.

Matty then said: 'Florence, just let go of the hand. Come on, Florence!'

Later, Florence placed her hand on Matty's thigh as the pair kissed.

Loved up: She may not feel fondly about the new season, but Georgia found lasting love with Lee Elliott (left) on The Bachelorette last year

She may not feel fondly about the new season, but Georgia found lasting love with Lee Elliott on The Bachelorette last year.

In June, the Melbourne-based couple celebrated their one-year anniversary since meeting on the TV dating show.

The Bachelor Australia continues Thursday at 7:30pm on Network Ten
His acting career has enjoyed a resurgence in the past few years.

But it seems Josh Brolin, 49, has made a few enemies on his long path to success.

The actor admitted to a huge rift with famed director James Cameron after he turned down a role in the Avatar sequel in an interview with the latest issue of Esquire magazine.

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Making friends and enemies! Josh Brolin opened up about his long career in Hollywood and revealed a feud between himself and director James Cameron in the latest issue of Esquire

'If I don't want to do Avatar, I'm not going to do Avatar,' he told the publication, which hits newsstands on August 15.

Josh admitted his decision made Cameron angry - to the extent that he was bad-mouthing him around Hollywood.

'James Cameron's f*****g calling me this name and that name. Whatever. If James Cameron came to me and said, "Hey, man, why'd you say that?" I'd go, "Because it happened".'

Turning down a role in the hugely popular franchise has not stopped the actor from having a massively successful career of late.

'He's been calling me names': Josh admitted his decision not to take part in an Avatar sequel made Cameron angry - to the extent that he was bad-mouthing him around Hollywood

Feud: Josh said of his rift with the director (pictured in November 2016): 'James Cameron's f*****g calling me this name and that name. Whatever.'

This fall, he's set to star in Only the Brave, based on the true story of 19 firefighters who died battling a wildfire in Arizona.

As an ode to the firefighters and a tribute to the hard work everyone put into the film, Brolin took to Instagram to share a nude snap of himself wearing firefighter boots and little else.

He caption the photo: 'Boots are broken in.' He stuck on hashtags: #letsdothis, #youknowwhoyouare, #respect.

The actor admitted the photo received a backlash from the production company who accused him of being disrespectful.

Thriving career: This fall, the actor set to star in Only the Brave, based on the true story of 19 firefighters who died battling a wildfire in Arizona

Fun in the desert: The Deadpool 2 actor posted for a variety of shots in the desert for the accompanying shoot

Josh's interview with Esquire will hit newsstands on August 15

Brolin said he doesn't fault the studio for their reaction, but was adamant that it was exactly the kind of tribute the firefighters and their families would have wanted, so he didn't take it down.

He freely admitted he loves the social media site and 'has no shame' when it comes to sharing things.

'I love it. I have no shame. I'm not trying to pimp my career with it. I just don't give a shit. It's stuff that matters to me,' he told the publication.

The actor, who is currently filming Deadpool 2 in Vancouver alongside Ryan Reynolds is grateful for his career and where he is in life right now.

'I'm having more fun and I'm acting more than I ever have in my life,' he said.

He continued: 'In the morning, it's like I've taken half a cup of coffee and half a cup of liquid LSD and I'm tripping all day. And then there's no consequence and I actually get paid for it.'

Only the Brave is set to hit theaters in October 2017.

Josh's interview with Esquire will hit newsstands on August 15.
She's been soaking up the sun alongside her TOWIE co-stars in the balmy climes of Marbella, Spain.

And Gemma Collins channeled her inner Senorita as she stepped out to film alongside her pals in a plunging red dress on Thursday.

The 36-year-old reality star dressed to impress in a crochet scarlet sundress, revealing plenty of her ample cleavage - which almost threatened to spill out at the swanky beach club later on.

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Dressed to impress! Gemma Collins channeled her inner Senorita as she stepped out to film alongside her pals in a plunging red dress on Thursday

Fit to bust! However busty the reality star almost threatened to spill out of the plunging red frock later on, as she filmed at the swanky beach club with her co-stars

The businesswoman certainly made an entrance in the vibrant frock, which perfectly offset her bronzed skin as she sauntered into the party venue.

She elongated her pins with a pair of gold wedges, while toting her essentials in a leather clutch bag.

Her blonde locks were left to cascade in a glamorous, sleek style around her face, which modelled a dramatic make-up look beneath her over-sized shades.

Busty display: The 36-year-old reality star dressed to impress in a crochet scarlet sundress, which revealed plenty of her ample cleavage

Red hot: The dress extended down into a chic A-line skirt from a flattering cinched-in waist

Yet, Gemma appeared to encounter issues with her saucy plunging frock later on, as she was spotted fiddling with her bra to avoid awkwardly flashing onlookers.

Narrowly avoiding the wardrobe malfunction however, the blonde was soon back to her famously glamorous and bubbly self as she mingled with her co-stars, with a cooling beverage in hand.

A flurry of her fellow TOWIE stars followed Gemma into the venue - including Megan McKenna and her boyfriend Pete Wicks.

Finishing touches: She elongated her pins with a pair of gold wedges, while toting her essentials in a leather clutch bag

Bombshell: Her blonde locks were left to cascade in a glamorous, sleek style around her face, which modelled a dramatic make-up look

It's in the accessories: She also positioned a glamorous oversized pair of shades atop her heads as she relaxed in the sunshine

No issues here: Narrowly avoiding a wardrobe malfunction with her dress , the blonde was soon back to her famously glamorous self as she relaxed, with a cooling beverage in hand

Despite their previous fall-out, the couple looked closer than ever as they cosied up on their way to filming.

Megan looked typically stylish in a flamenco-inspired two-piece which clung to her svelte figure, while Pete opted for a tropical, floral shirt and chinos.

Chloe Sims also pulled out all the stops, with the beauty flaunting her ample cleavage in an off-the-shoulder pencil dress, which also boasted provocative button-up detailing.

On the up: Fans of TOWIE can breathe a sigh of relief as Megan McKenna and Pete Wicks looked closer than ever as they cosied up during filming for the hit show in Marbella on Wednesday

Busty: Chloe Sims, 34, showcased her surgically enhanced bosom in a tan clinging dress with a bardot neckline and buttons down the centre

Jaw-dropping: Chloe's ombre locks were styled sleek and straight, and parted in the middle and she accessorised with a furry blue clutch (left) while co-star Georgia Kousoulou looked red hot in a skintight scarlet strapless dress

Georgia Kousoulou was red hot in a scarlet mini dress that ensured her lithe limbs were on full display as she sashayed in the Spanish sunshine.

Meanwhile, Amber Dowding revealed her toned torso in a black, lace bralet, which she paired with high-waisted white flared trousers.

The group are currently filming the new series of TOWIE in Marbella, which is expected to air in the autumn.

Spicing up the new episodes however, former favourites Lauren Pope and Mario Falcone have also been seen filming in the Spanish hotspot.
With the first total solar eclipse since 1442 approaching, schools in the area have started to consider what the safest plan for students will be that day.

During the process of the eclipse, right before totality (total darkness) happens at 1:16 p.m. in this area, the moon will begin moving completely in front of the sun. About five to 10 minutes before that happens it will start getting more noticeably and visibly darker. Then about two to three more minutes before totality, the skies in the west will start to darken.

The moons shadow is 70 miles wide and only hits 12 states in America during the event and that is why it's called the Great American Eclipse.

The concern for local school officials is that there are some predictions that tourists will flood the path of the eclipse, snarling traffic and creating potential travel issues that day among any other concerns.

Due to growing concerns about student safety, several area school districts are deciding to cancel classes for the day.

The North County School District has decided to cancel classes. The unknown number of visitors to the community on that day and the potential of significant traffic issues after the event has caused the district to make this decision. While they understand the tremendous opportunity for an educational experience, a press release issued by the administration said the safety of students has to be the top priority.

All students in attendance at North County on Aug. 18 will be provided with a free pair of eclipse viewing glasses for them to take home. They will also provide educational activities both before and after the eclipse.

Additionally, Superintendent Jason King announced that the Bismarck R-5 School District will also not hold classes that day. Classes will resume as usual Aug. 22.

West County Superintendent Stacy Stevens said West County has also decided to cancel classes for the eclipse.

Central School District Superintendent Dr. Desi Mayberry said the district is cancelling classes on that day. The decision to close was made during a board of education meeting on Thursday.

Farmington R-7 Superintendent Matt Ruble said the district sill plans to be in session on that date.

"We feel it's an amazing learning opportunity for our students and we feel the safest place for them to view it is at school with their classmates and teachers," he said on Thursday afternoon. "We have and will continue to welcome parents onto our campuses to view this once in a lifetime experience with their kids."

Ruble said additional information would be available during open houses scheduled for this evening at each of the district's campuses.

However, Fredericktown R-I Superintendent Brett Reutzel announced the district has cancelled all Aug. 21 classes.

This story will be updated as additional area schools weigh in on their plans for Aug. 21.
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! 2022: Which stars are taking part? Who are the bookies' favourites to win? How can I watch it? Who won last year? Everything you need to know amid the new series
Her WWD interview alongside daughter Kylie Jenner about Kylie Cosmetics revealed the company will hit one billion dollars in 2022.

But one day before, Kris Jenner stepped out for a solo dinner in Los Angeles.

The 61-year-old star flaunted her legs in a bright mini dress and a coordinating Hermes Birkin bag on Wednesday night.

A lot to smile about: Kris Jenner stepped out for a solo dinner in Los Angeles on Tuesday

The Kardashian matriarch's colorful look featured yellow, brown, black and white hues.

Kris beamed as she made her way in the restaurant while carrying her luxurious Birkin bag in one hand.

The Keeping Up With The Kardshians star hit the pavement in strappy black heels with large hoop earrings adorning her ears.

Kris sported a diamond encrusted watch and a large ring on her left hand.

Fancy: The 61-year-old star flaunted her legs in a bright mini dress and coordinating Hermes Birkin bag on Wednesday night

Bold: The Kardashian matriarch's colorful look featured yellow, brown, black and white hues

The mother of six finished off her chic dinner ensemble with large reflective aviators and light makeup.

She recently returned to LA following a whirlwind holiday in Europe on Tommy Hilfiger's yacht named Flag.

Kris spent time in St. Tropez, Greece and Italy with her friends as well as boyfriend Corey Gamble.

The businesswoman sported a variety of bright looks for her lengthy vacation; in one Instagram post, Kris wowed in a Pucci pre-fall dress.

Completely relaxed: She recently returned to LA following a whirlwind holiday in Europe on Tommy Hilfiger's yacht named Flag

Strike a pose: The businesswoman sported a variety of bright looks for her lengthy vacation; in one Instagram post, Kris wowed in a Pucci pre-fall dress

The star was interviewed by Women's Wear Daily withdaughter Kylie Jenner, about Kylie Cosmetics.

Kris helped her teenage daughter build her successful makeup company, which has earned $420 million in just 18 months, according to WWD.

She brought documentation to the website to prove the astounding numbers.

The brand will become worth $1 billion by 2022, reports the website.

Happy: Kris spent time in St. Tropez, Greece and Italy with her friends and boyfriend Cory Gamble; pictured with Tommy Hilfiger, his wife Dee Ocleppo and Martyn Lawrence Bullard
She is continuing to enjoy an extended vacation in The Hamptons.

And LA-based Gwyneth Paltrow seemed to be easing into the slower pace of the affluent seaside community on Wednesday.

The glamorous star, 44, wore no makeup as she pulled her golden locks into a frizzy bun on the sweltering day.

The Eastcoast life: Gwyneth Paltrow seemed to be easing into the slower pace of the affluent seaside community of The Hamptons on Wednesday

Gwyneth kept her style equally toned down in a simple blue shirt dress and sandals.

The Shakespeare In Love star pulled on a pair of dark shades as she chatted on her phone during a solo stroll.

The mother of two seemed to be in an easy going mood, perhaps dealing with her Goop business remotely.

No worries: The glamorous star, 44, wore no makeup as she pulled her golden locks into a frizzy bun on the sweltering day

Taking care of business: The mother of two seemed to be in an easy going mood, perhaps dealing with her Goop business remotely

Friends in high places: The movie star also appeared in New York Times bestselling author Derek Blasberg Instagram feed the day before

Not seen on the outing, however, was the Oscar-winner's producer boyfriend Brad Falchuk.

Gwyneth and the American Crime Story producer have been together since 2014, but only became Instagram-official on Gwyneth's account in March, on Brad's 46th birthday.

She shared a cozy snap of the pair at the time, captioned: 'Happy birthday, handsome.'

Going public: Gwyneth posted a shot with her boyfriend Brad Falchuk in March, which was the first time she had posted anything with him since they started dating

The Seven beauty rarely comments on her relationship with Brad - who also created Scream Queens - but seems to be making it clear that they are consciously-coupled.

It's one of the very few times he's popped up on her social media - he made an appearance in a montage at Thanksgiving but is noticeably absent most of the time

Brad, on the other hand, has shared a few pictures of the Shallow Hal star - who shares her two children Apple, 12, and 10-year-old Moses with her Coldplay frontman ex Chris Martin, from whom she split in 2014.

#Beauty: Brad, 46, posted a rare photo of his love Gwyneth Paltrow getting ready last month

He posted a picture of his girlfriend alone outside the White House, after they attended Barack Obama's farewell party in January, as well as a snap together on vacation in Iceland last year.

Brad shares his two children Brody and Isabella with his ex-wife Suzanne Bukinik.
She split up with Formula One ace Jenson Button in December 2015.

And 20 months on from the heartbreaking split, Jessica Michibata, 32, has revealed that she is pregnant with a baby girl.

The Japanese model, who was in a relationship with Jenson, 37, for seven years, excitedly revealed her baby news on Instagram, sharing a joyful snap showing her holding a 'baby girl' cake and captioned 'So grateful for my #babyshower #itsaGIRL'

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Expecting: 20 months on from the heartbreaking split from ex-husband Jenson Button, Jessica Michibata, 32, has revealed that she is pregnant with a baby girl

Blessed: The Japanese model, who was in a relationship with Jenson, 37, for seven years, excitedly revealed her baby news on Instagram, sharing a joyful snap showing her holding a 'baby girl' cake and captioned 'So grateful for my #babyshower #itsaGIRL

Other sweet snaps show the bikini-clad brunette beauty lovingly cradling her blossoming bump on the beach with the caption 'Feeling summery and blessed' with another swimsuit snap under a waterfall entitled 'Can't wait to take my baby for hike again!'

Last month the clotheshorse showed off her growing belly in a lycra crop-top and and skintight leggings as she got in a gym workout, writing' Feeling better and started to exercise again'

Further sweet snaps show Jessica enjoying a prenatal massage and displaying her rounded bump while enjoying a pool day with her pooch in Hawaii.

Bumping along nicely: Last month the clotheshorse showed off her growing belly in a lycra crop-top and and skintight leggings as she got in a gym workout, writing' Feeling better and started to exercise again'

Excitement: Jessica joyfully captioned a swimsuit snap under a waterfall 'Can't wait to take my baby for hike again!'

The identity of the father of Jessica's baby remains unknown.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Jessica for further information.

Jessica and Jenson - who tied the knot in a lavish Hawaiian ceremony in December 2014 called time on their relationship just one year later but remain on good terms.

A spokesperson for Jenson told MailOnline at the time: 'Jenson and Jessica have decided to go their separate ways and it is very amicable. There is no one else involved.'

Jenson and Jessica first met in 2008 in a hotel bar in Tokyo and began dating eight months later.

Past love: Jenson and Jessica first met in 2008 in a hotel bar in Tokyo and began dating eight months later (pictured six months before their split in June 2015)

Their relationship experienced ups and downs and they split for a short time in 2011 before the McLaren star proposed on Valentine's Day 2014, with a ring worth 250,000.

Unlike conventional married couples, Jenson revealed the pair did not live together throughout their marriage due to their busy careers.

'We don't see each other any more than before we were married,' he admitted in an interview with Mail On Sunday in 2015.

The TAG Heuer model shares a modest flat with her mother in Tokyo, while the sportsman's home is in tax haven Monaco.

'Jessie still works a lot in Japan,' he went on to explain. 'She enjoys her job, she models, she had a television show and has done a Japanese film.

'Prenatal massage': The star shrouded her blossoming bump in a flowered shirt as she went for a prenatal massage

Expectant: Jessica offered a glimpse of her baby bump in this cute snap of her pooch

Moved on: Jenson has since gone on to find happiness with former Playboy model Brittny Ward, 27, who he started dating three months after the split

'She enjoys working, which is great, but it obviously means that we dont see each other very often.'

Jessica - born to an Argentine father and a Japanese mother - has often been seen supporting her husband from the sidelines as he took part in the world's biggest races.

Jenson has since gone on to find happiness with former Playboy model Brittny Ward, 27, who he started dating three months after the split.

The star, who has formally retired from F1 racing, is currently enjoying a sunsoaked break on the Amalfi coast with his girlfriend, with the pair seen packing on the PDA as they smooched and hugged one another.

Smitten: The star, who has formally retired from F1 racing, is currently enjoying a sunsoaked break on the Amalfi coast with his girlfriend, with the pair seen packing on the PDA as they smooched and hugged one another
She famously left girl group Fifth Harmony at the end of last year.

And as Camila Cabello prepares to release her freshman solo album next month, she has shed some light on the way music is made differently in a band in contrast to as a stand-alone artist.

Speaking to Wonderland about her album release and Rollacoaster cover, Camila said: 'In the group we would record songs for two weeks, it was a really fast process, like sometimes wed do five songs in a day.

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'Wed do five songs in a day!' Camila Cabello throws shade at Fifth Harmony as she admits girl groups rush their music and that 'it's more fun' being a solo artist

'It would just be like "alright you sing the verse, you sing that", and then you just record it and thats it!'

Of solo recording, she went on: 'Ive had a chance to really like, write and make the songs, and be involved in every aspect of it from the production to the mixing. Definitely a lot more challenging but more fun, for sure.'

Camila is currently touring North America with Bruno Mars, opening on his 24k Magic World Tour.

Going solo: Camila was speaking to Wonderland about her album release and Rollacoaster cover

Split: Camila famously left girl group Fifth Harmony at the end of last year

Earlier in the summer, she released Crying In The Club, was revealed as the face of the GUESS Jeans Fall 2017 advertising campaign and was unveiled as the latest LOreal Paris spokesperson.

Her latest two tracks - from forthcoming album The Hurting, The Healing, The Loving - are called OMG, featuring Quavo, and Havana, featuring Young Thug.

She has also collaborated with Charli XCX, which she said of the experience: 'Shes always been so nice to me. Before I met her I think she tweeted about my song Bad Things and then she expressed that she really wanted to write with me.

'Obviously Im such a huge fan of her, shes an amazing writer.'

Speaking about Havana, she said: 'A lot of my songs are more dark and emotional. [This is] more summer, upbeat, its very wind-your-waist tempo, if that makes sense.

'Its really cool, I did it with Pharrell, its like a story of me falling in love with this bad boy from Havana.'

Catch Camilas interview in full in the AW17 issue of Rollacoaster: coming soon.
His ex-wife Jessica Michibata recently announced she is expecting her first child, less than two years after their split.

But Jenson Button appeared unfazed by the news on Wednesday, as he soaked up the sun on a romantic holiday to Italy with his new girlfriend Brittny Ward.

The Formula One ace, 37, was seen drawing the Playboy model, 27, in for a passionate smooch, as they documented their cosy trip to the Amalfi Coast on social media.

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Pucker up! Jenson Button appeared unfazed by the news his ex-wife is pregnant on Wednesday, as he enjoyed a romantic holiday to Italy with his new girlfriend Brittny Ward

Sealed with a kiss: The Formula One ace, 37, and the model, 27, indulged in a number of smooches while abroad as they documented their cosy trip to the Amalfi Coast on social media

Flaunting her sensationally slender figure in a skimpy white and pink bikini, the model appeared completely relaxed as she topped up her tan aboard a boat in the selection of sizzling snaps.

First posing with her back to the camera, to reveal her enviably rounded derriere to all, the beauty then filmed herself diving into the crystal blue sea, as she and the sportsman became more playful during their trip.

Proving to be as loved-up as ever however, the pair then cosied up for the camera - first sharing a smooch in front of the stunning coastal backdrop, before Brittny placed another sweet peck on her man's cheek.

Model material: Brittny flaunted her sensationally slender figure in a skimpy white and pink bikini, first posing with her back to the camera, to reveal her enviably rounded derriere to all

Diving right in: the beauty then filmed herself diving into the crystal blue sea, as she and the sportsman became more playful during their trip

A kiss for a rose: Jenson later blew a sweet kiss at the camera as Brittny continued to film their boat trip for fans

Snack time: Later on the former beauty queen slipped into a chic bardot crop top and denim shorts - to display her rock hard abs to all - as she indulged in an ice-cream

Later on that day, the duo embarked on an adventure around the Italian town, with the former beauty queen slipping a chic bardot crop top and denim shorts atop her swimwear - to display her rock hard abs to all.

She and the racing car driver documented their visit to a gorgeous church with their fans, before they treated themselves to an ice-cream and pizzas that evening.

Proving their romance was only going from strength to strength Brittny, who has been dating Jenson since March last year, captioned the shot of the driver enjoying dinner: 'Boy + pizza + beer = heaven.'

Cultural: Another sun-soaked snap saw Brittny beaming outside a church as they explored the local town

You want a pizza this? The duo, who have been dating since March last year, then enjoyed a delicious pizza dinner and a few drinks together

Their cosy display on social media however, comes after it emerged Jenson's ex-wife Jessica Michibata is expecting her first child - just 20 months after their split.

The Japanese model, who was in a relationship with Jenson for seven years, excitedly revealed her news on Instagram, sharing a joyful snap showing her holding a 'baby girl' cake and captioned 'So grateful for my #babyshower #itsaGIRL'

Other sweet snaps show the bikini-clad beauty, 32, lovingly cradling her blossoming bump on the beach, with the caption 'Feeling summery and blessed', while another swimsuit snap under a waterfall was titled: 'Can't wait to take my baby for hike again!'

Pregantn: Their cosy display on social media comes after it emerged Jenson's ex-wife Jessica Michibata is expecting her first child (above) - just 20 months after their split

Blessed: The Japanese model, who was in a relationship with Jenson for seven years, excitedly revealed her baby news on Instagram, sharing a snap showing her holding a 'baby girl' cake

Last month the clotheshorse showed off her growing belly in a lycra crop-top and and skintight leggings as she got in a gym workout, writing' Feeling better and started to exercise again.'

Further sweet snaps show Jessica enjoying a prenatal massage and displaying her rounded bump while enjoying a pool day with her pooch in Hawaii.

The identity of the father of Jessica's baby remains unknown. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Jessica for comment.

Bumping along nicely: Last month the clotheshorse showed off her growing belly in a lycra crop-top and and skintight leggings as she got in a gym workout, writing' Feeling better and started to exercise again'

Excitement: Jessica joyfully captioned a swimsuit snap under a waterfall 'Can't wait to take my baby for hike again!'

Jenson and Jessica first met in 2008 in a hotel bar in Tokyo, and began dating eight months later.

However after tying the knot in a lavish Hawaiian ceremony in December 2014, the pair called time on their relationship just one year later - but remain on good terms.

A spokesperson for Jenson told MailOnline at the time: 'Jenson and Jessica have decided to go their separate ways and it is very amicable. There is no one else involved.'

Past love: Jenson and Jessica first met in 2008 in a hotel bar in Tokyo and began dating eight months later (pictured six months before their split in June 2015)

Their relationship experienced ups and downs however, as they split for a short time in 2011 - before the McLaren star proposed on Valentine's Day 2014, with a ring worth 250,000.

Unlike conventional married couples, Jenson revealed the pair did not live together throughout their marriage due to their busy careers.

'We don't see each other any more than before we were married,' he admitted in an interview with Mail On Sunday in 2015.

'Prenatal massage': The star shrouded her blossoming bump in a flowered shirt as she went for a prenatal massage

The TAG Heuer model now shares a modest flat with her mother in Tokyo, while the sportsman's home is in tax haven Monaco.

'Jessie still works a lot in Japan,' he went on to explain. 'She enjoys her job, she models, she had a television show and has done a Japanese film.

'She enjoys working, which is great, but it obviously means that we dont see each other very often.'

Jessica - born to an Argentine father and a Japanese mother - had often been seen supporting her husband from the sidelines, as he took part in the world's biggest races.
Divorce proceedings have stalled for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, friends of the stars claim.

A new report by Us Weekly sees multiple sources claiming the former power couple, who had a very public and very bitter split in September 2016, have not moved forward with proceedings to end their marriage.

One insider told the publication: 'The divorce is off. They haven't done anything to move it forward in several months and no one thinks they are ever going to.'

Not moving forward? Divorce proceedings have stalled for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, friends of the stars claim

The reason given for the alleged stall is Brad coming clean about his boozing in an interview with GQ this past May.

A friend of Jolie, 42, told Us Weekly that the commitment to self-improvement has struck a chord with the actress, who reportedly previously claimed she would consider taking Brad back 'if he showed he was committed to raising a family'.

The source went on to add that Brad had 'got sober to try and win her back' and that the move to quit drinking was 'all she ever wanted'.

Meanwhile, the insider claims: 'Everyone thinks they are going to get back together.

'It wouldn't be surprising if they announced that they're calling [the split] off and trying to work things out.'

Happier times: The Maleficent star and Brad were together for 12 years before they announced their split; pictured in November 2015 at the By The Sea premiere

A source told DailyMail.com that the divorce process has significantly slowed down but there has been no real change.

The insider claimed that the former couple are getting along for the sake of their children.

The actor, 53, claimed to have gone cold turkey from alcohol and now sticks to sipping on cranberry juice and carbonated water in his GQ interview.

He admitted his drinking had been a problem and that his parenting style needed amending.

The movie star confessed to entering therapy and has also been seen turning to art for healing, holing up in an LA studio to make sculptures.

While partying at Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, south-west England, in June, Brad didn't touch a drop of alcohol because he was facing weekly testing by his legal counsel.

Family: They have six kids together: Maddox, 15; Pax, 13; Shiloh, 11; Zahara, 12; and twins Vivienne and Knox, nine; with Shiloh, Zahara and Pax (pictured in 2011)

A source told DailyMail.com: 'Brad didn't touch a drop of alcohol all weekend and stuck to drinking English breakfast tea.

'He said he was being tested on a weekly basis by his legal counsel and didn't want to f**k up being able to see his children.'

Reps for both Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have been contacted by DailyMail.com in regards to the claims.

Angelina gave her first interview since separating from husband Brad in September 2016 to Vanity Fair for its September issue.

The Maleficent star addressed the split revealing that 'things got bad' between the two by summer of 2016, adding that 'It's just been the hardest time, and we're just kind of coming up for air.'

In character: Angelina and Brad, who became known as Brangelina, met on the set of their film Mr. And Mrs. Smith in 2004; pictured in the film

They have six kids together: Maddox, 15; Pax, 13; Shiloh, 11; Zahara, 12; and twins Vivienne and Knox, nine.

After filing for divorce, Angelina took the kids and stayed in a rental before purchasing a $25 million mansion in Los Feliz, California.

The Lara Croft: Tomb Raider star said the new house was 'a big jump forward for us, and we're all trying to do our best to heal as a family.'

The Salt star and Brad were together for 12 years before they announced their split in September; the divorce has not yet been finalized.

She is seeking sole custody of their children.

Honest: The reason given for the stalling of legal proceedings is Brad coming clean about his boozing in an interview with GQ this past May

In September 2016, there was an alleged 'altercation' that involved Brad and Maddox aboard a private jet that was heading from Nice, France to Los Angeles, California; after they landed, Angelina 'kicked him out,' according to Vanity Fair.

Brad was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Angelina and Brad, who became known as 'Brangelina,' met on the set of their film Mr. And Mrs. Smith in 2004 when Brad was still married to Jennifer Aniston.

They married in an intimate ceremony on August 23, 2014 in Correns, France.

She told the magazine that her and her estranged husband 'care for each other and care for our family, and we are both working towards the same goal.'
Every evening is a sartorial battle to be the best-dressed during filming for TOWIE's upcoming 21st season.

And Chloe Meadows proved she is determined to come up trumps, as she arrived at Mosaic nightclub in a tiny black bralette in Marbella on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old reality star looked chic as she joined her co-stars Georgia Kousoulou and Amber Turner who rocked thigh-grazing minidresses.

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Turning heads: Chloe Meadows proved she is determined to come up trumps sartorially, as she arrived at Mosaic nightclub in a tiny black bralette in Marbella on Wednesday

Sticking to a monochrome palette, Chloe added a pair of tapered black trousers with tassel detail along the sides.

She also carried a floral embroidered clutch and rocked a pair of colourful embellished three-strap heels.

Georgia, 26, meanwhile, looked red-hot in a skintight scarlet strapless with racy zip detail down the centre which clung to the star's ample assets and pert derriere

Hot on her heels was Amber, 24, who looked incredible in a asymmetric ivory dress which hugged her toned curves.

Taking centre-stage: The 24-year-old reality star looked chic as she joined her co-stars Georgia Kousoulou and Amber Turner who rocked thigh-grazing minidresses

Monochrome maven: Chloe added a pair of tapered black trousers with tassel detail along the sides

Ample: Chloe looked at risk of a wardrobe malfunction as her bralette struggled to contain her

Despite her bitter showdown with her former best friend of 20 years, Megan McKenna, during the explosive TOWIE season finale, Chloe seems to have decided to shelve her ongoing friendship woes this summer as she travels the world.

She partied in Dubai with a group of pals earlier in the month and has also been to Thailand.

Looking content and carefree by the water, Chloe's latest appearance is a far cry from the emotional scenes that saw the star break down in tears over feeling 'left out' by her friends.

Glamorous; Chloe flashed a beaming smile as she wrapped an arm around Georgia before filming began

Pert: Georgia, 26, looked red-hot in a skintight scarlet strapless with racy zip detail down the centre which clung to the star's ample assets and pert derriere

She became involved in a heated war of words with her former best friend Megan McKenna during the TOWIE season finale at a pool party in scenes aired in May.

Later opening up to The Sun, Megan insisted that the blonde bombshell doesn't want to salvage their relationship.

She told the publication: 'The truth is she only messages me during the show and even then it is only so she can use it as a storyline.

Looking good: Amber, 24, looked white hot in a asymmetric ivory dress which hugged her toned curves

Killer footwear: She added height with a pair of nude studded T-bar heels

Preened to perfection: She plumped her pout with a nude lipstick and framed her eyes with lashings of mascara

'I dont believe she genuinely wants to repair our friendship. Shes never actually been there for me.'

Reflecting on their friendship, she vowed that their friendship was over and is adamant that she won't be letting Chloe 'back into her life'.

She added: 'Thats not a friendship from me. I dont want none of it. Im better off without her. Our friendship is definitely finished. Its just that shes playing the victim. I cant be bothered with her any more. I dont need to let her back into my life.'

Power quartet: Chloe and Georgia posed up with Amber Dowding (second left) and LIam Gatsby
Hes enjoying the first flourishes of a second marriage after exchanging vows with Kate Mara.

But Jamie Bell insists there was never any doubt about him marrying the American actress, who he met little more than a year after announcing his separation and subsequent divorce from Evan Rachel Wood.

Speaking to ES magazine, the 31-year old revealed he developed an immediate rapport with Kate, 34, while working on 2015 blockbuster The Fantastic Four.

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In love: Speaking to ES magazine, Jamie Bell revealed he developed an immediate rapport with wife Kate Mara while working on 2015 blockbuster The Fantastic Four

There was an instant connection, like wed known one another forever, he recalled. It was obvious very quickly that we were going to get married.

Marriage, coupled with an increasingly demanding Hollywood career means Jamie has little time to relax, but he insists the inevitable responsibility to his young son  the British stars only child with ex-wife Evan  remains his top priority.

He said: I never watch any of the movies Ive done. I never take any of it that seriously, but without question the thing Im proudest of achieving is my son. Im obsessed.

Doting father: Marriage, coupled with an increasingly demanding Hollywood career means Jamie has little time to relax, but he insists the inevitable responsibility to his young son  the British stars only child with ex-wife Evan  remains his top priority

Every moment I spend with him I fall a little bit more for him. Its almost kind of painful. That thing when you are falling into something so unconditionally.

Raised in a working class family in the North-East of England, Jamie's own upbringing was notable for its absence of a male role model, with the actor's toolmaker father John leaving the family home before he was born.

But he admits becoming a parent in his own right has had a therapeutic effect on his attitude towards the father he has never met.

Happy couple: Jamie is enjoying the first flourishes of a second marriage after exchanging vows with Kate

Its difficult raising a child. Its really stressful. It requires a lot of you,' he reflected. 'You have to sacrifice your life and some people dont want to do that. Its not particularly noble, but I could see why the easier thing is to leave.'

However Jamie insists he could never take the easy option with his own child.

F***, no. You cant be thinking, Im doing this because no one ever gave me this experience.

'The thing is not to love from a place of anger because that is potentially devastating.

The full interview is available is available in the current issue of ES magazine, out now.
She's been working hard to launch her career as a model and actress.

And Paris Jackson certainly captured the attention of her fans as she posted a revealing Instagram video while posing in underwear earlier this week.

The 19-year-old daughter of late pop star Michael Jackson shared a video showing off her svelte frame wearing patterned shorts and a black bra.

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Daring: Paris Jackson certainly captured the attention of her fans as she posted a revealing Instagram video while posing in underwear earlier this week

The teen appeared to be in a trailer getting ready for a work gig and had her hair and make-up fully done.

Paris, who was recently signed to IMG Models, wore her hair halfway up in clips, suggesting that she was in the middle of getting ready when the video was taken.

The starlet is getting back to work after hitting Disneyland in Anaheim, California, over the with friends.

Dare to bare: The 19-year-old daughter of late pop star Michael Jackson shared a video showing off her svelte frame wearing patterned shorts and a black bra

Fun weekend! The starlet is getting back to work after hitting Disneyland in Anaheim, California, over the with friends

Beat the heat: Paris donned Mickey Mouse ears from his character in the classic Fantasia, while revealing her eclectic collection of tattoos in a tank tank and blue Hawaiian shorts

Paris donned Mickey Mouse ears from his character in the classic Fantasia, while revealing her eclectic collection of tattoos in a tank tank and blue Hawaiian shorts.

She was seen enjoying the rides with and even braving the park's most intense roller coaster, California Screaming.

The ride proved to be quite the adrenaline rush for Paris as she screamed her way through with a male friend, waving and smiling when it slowed down.

Brave: She was seen enjoying the rides with and even braving the park's most intense roller coaster, California Screaming

Scream if you want to go faster: The ride proved to be quite the adrenaline rush for Paris as she screamed her way through with a male friend, waving and smiling when it slowed down

Taking a break: The model appeared to enjoy a quick rest while still wearing Mickey hat

At one point, the only daughter of pop star Michael plopped herself on the ground to take a smoke break while posing with a wry smile for the rebellious snapshot.

Paris also shared a snap of her with her pals, wrapping her arms around friends Baylee Barton and Ashlee while each donned their own style of Disney attire.

She captioned the group pic 'My aliens' along with a lizard emoji.

Another photo showed the model along with six pals posing in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle and after sundown Paris snapped a shot of her carrying pal Baylee in front of the same magic castle.

Ear's to you! Paris also shared a snap of her with her pals, wrapping her arms around friends Baylee Barton and Ashlee while each donned their own style of Disney attire
DEAR HARRIETTE: My 90-year-old mother just moved into a retirement community because she could not live on her own anymore. My siblings and I have helped her to make this transition, and it's going well. She seems to be more active since there are other people around. I live in a different state and feel like I want to go visit her before the summer is out. At the same time, I want to give her space to settle into her new home. Should I wait? She has been in this place now for about a month. -- Missing Mama, Denver

DEAR MISSING MAMA: I bet any and every time you visit your mother, she will be happy to see you. At 90 years old, she is likely in the twilight of her life, so each visit is precious. Ask her if she would like you to come at a particular time and how long it would work for you to stay.

Always honor your mother's independence, even as she gets frail and in need of support. This will help her maintain her dignity. A visit to her new place could be great for her. As many parents do, she will likely walk you around to meet many of the residents and brag about her child. She will likely be in seventh heaven! Go now to see her, and go back again soon.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am going to a fancy white party this summer with a group of friends from my hometown. I am excited to go because when I come home to visit in the summer, I usually just hang out with family -- which is nice -- but I don't go out and socialize.

I learned about this party and bought a cute dress. I was super excited until I learned that my ex will be there. He and I dated all through high school and into college, and then it sort of fizzled out. I have been on my own for a few years now, living my life. It seems weird to run into him again. Things didn't end so nicely. We were young, and some things were said that were not kind, on both sides. How should I react to him when I see him at this function? Part of me feels like I shouldn't go anymore. -- Beware Ex, Cincinnati

DEAR BEWARE EX: Time has passed. Trust that you are adult enough to handle this potential encounter. If you see him, make eye contact, smile and walk over to greet him. Be kind and cordial. Ask how he's doing. You can leave the conversation very casual. If it seems, however, that the encounter is becoming awkward and emotional, you can also say to him that you are sorry that things turned out the way they did years ago. You were both young, but still you know you were not kind to him. Tell him you hope he is having a good life. Tell him that you are doing well, and move on. That's all you can do.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I just got into a heated discussion with a good friend about disciplining children. Typically, I stay away from these kinds of conversations because I know that people have various ways of dealing with their kids, but this was different. She told me a whole long story about how she had physically "handled" her teenage son so that he would listen to her. Then she asked me what I would do if I were in her situation. She asked! So I told her that I do not think that resorting to violence helps to teach kids how to behave. In fact, I think it can help teach kids to resort to violence rather than learn a lesson. She listened, but I could tell she wasn't going to do anything different. Should I bring it up again? How do I handle this topic moving forward? We are close friends, and we see each other a lot. -- Roughed Up, Dallas

DEAR ROUGHED UP: You stated your opinion clearly when your friend requested it. Leave it at that. You do not have ongoing permission to voice your thoughts about the way that she parents her son. Keep your opinions to yourself unless you are asked again or you witness anything that makes you believe she is putting her son in danger.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently moved to New York City, and everything is so different from my hometown. One of the things that is most troubling for me is I don't know what to do when people ask me for money. Just about every day as I am going to work or the grocery store or getting on or off the subway, somebody asks me for money. It's all kinds of people, too, from young people to people who obviously have been on the street for a long time to people with dogs, in wheelchairs, you name it.

At first, I gave something to everybody who asked, but I ran out of change fast. Now I am more mindful, but it's hard to deny people a dollar when they seem so in need. What can I do to help people without going broke or feeling overwhelmed? -- Want to Help, Brooklyn, New York

DEAR WANT TO HELP: There are thousands of homeless people in New York City, as well as others who have fallen upon hard times for a variety of reasons. Drugs, alcohol and mental illness affect many of them. Yes, they need help. On occasion, your dollar may make a difference. You may want to consider another option, though. Do your research and select a charity that supports homeless people, people with drug and alcohol addiction or people dealing with mental illness. Giving money to a program that is organized to support people in this type of need may be more manageable for you and your gift may be better honored by those who are administering the programs. Just make sure you select a program that has a good rating for using its resources for the people, not the staff.

Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106
He soared to fame as one tenth of rap collective Blazin' Squad in 2001.

And while 16 years have passed since the release of Crossroads, Marcel Somerville is back with a vengeance as he prepares to launch his solo career following his wildly successful stint in the Love Island house earlier this year.

The 30-year-old hitmaker, who came second on the ITV2 show with girlfriend Gabby Allen, announced his plans on Wednesday as he took to Twitter to reveal he would release Someone on Friday atop reuniting with his band for one night only.

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He's back! He soared to fame as one tenth of rap collective Blazin' Squad in 2001, Marcel Somerville is back with a vengeance as he prepares to launch his solo career following his wildly successful stint in the Love Island house earlier this year.

Marcel has been working as a music producer over the years since the group disbanded in 2006 before releasing a greatest hits album in 2009.

While he has remained out of the spotlight, the star was catapulted back to huge fame after entering Love Island in June leading to him instantly becoming a fan favourite and walking away as a runner-up in the July final.

On Wednesday, the delighted star took to Twitter to confirm his exciting news as penned: 'No.2 I will be releasing my debut single 'Someone' this Friday on ITunes! Check out my Instagram tomorrow for an exclusive!'

A spokesperson for Marcel told MailOnline: 'We are really excited about this release. The single will show a different side to Marcel and show off his production and songwriting skills. I think it will surprise a lot of people.'

Here he is: The 30-year-old hitmaker, who came second on the ITV2 show with girlfriend Gabby Allen, announced his plans on Wednesday as he took to Twitter to reveal he would release Someone on Friday atop reuniting with his band for one night only

Way back when: Marcel has been working as a music producer over the years since the group disbanded in 2006 before releasing a greatest hits album in 2009 (pictured in 2002)

Marcel was a point of ridicule when he first entered the Love Island villa as he was blasted for repeatedly telling his co-stars about his musical past - yet he quickly became one of the most beloved additions to the house.

Hours before the announcement, Marcel appeared on Good Morning Britain alongside former bandmates MC Reepa, Spike-E, Krazy, Melo-D and Freek, although Kenzie, Strider, Flava and DJ Tommy-B being absent were not present.

The group delightedly announced they are gearing up for a one-off reunion show in November which will see seven members of the group unite in Camden.

Back again: On Wednesday, the delighted star took to Twitter to confirm his exciting news as penned: 'No.2 I will be releasing my debut single 'Someone' this Friday on ITunes! Check out my Instagram tomorrow for an exclusive!'

Reunited and it feels so good: Speaking about reuniting on the show, Marcel said: I wanted to do something with the boys, because I came out of Love Island and there was loads of love and a lot of the fans were supporting me in there. I wanted to do something for them'

Speaking about reuniting on the show, Marcel said: I wanted to do something with the boys, because I came out of Love Island and there was loads of love and a lot of the fans were supporting me in there. I wanted to do something for them.

Atop returning to the charts, Marcel is also making his way into the literary world as he is releasing a book, which plays on his unofficial role of Love Island's resident agony uncle.

Of Dr. Marcel's Little Book of Big Love: A Guide to Finding Love, the Island Way, he said: 'Basically my book is gonna be just me sharing my experiences through and romance. I've been on love island it's gonna be a lot of my journey through that.

'And also my love and romance life before I went onto the island and it's just gonna be a bunch of tips and easy guide to modern love init.'
Stephanie Davis suffered a miscarriage two weeks ago, which she believed was due to stress in the midst of her ongoing court battle with ex-boyfriend Jeremy McConnell, and claimed in an Instagram post: 'He killed our baby'.

The 24-year-old actress' devastating news comes just hours after footage surfaced showing the star drinking and acting erratically, in images shot just three days after she discovered her heartbreaking loss.

In her post, the former Hollyoaks star revealed she was 'broken' and claimed she could 'never forgive' Jeremy - who was found guilty of domestic assault in Liverpool Magistrates Court on Monday.

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Devastated: Stephanie Davis suffered a miscarriage two weeks ago which she believed was due to stress in the midst of her ongoing court battle with ex-boyfriend Jeremy McConnell

Stephanie's heartbreaking post read: ' Too loose a child is something I hope no one EVER goes through. The grief and pain is UNBELIEVABLE . Words CANNOT describe. My heart is BROKEN. I lost my baby due to the stress Jeremy put me under, history repeating its self after carrying caben alone for 9 months while he goes out with women and partying and posting pictures on purpose when I was in hospital and nearly lost caben on several occasions.

'How evil someone can be to the mother of their child with revenge porn etc the list goes on, hitting me and setting up paps to take pictures of him on date whilst I'm carrying his child....

'cheating on me and treating me like I'm not even human I have No words! Evil. He ruined my life and killed our child!and for that I can never forgive him!! He knew I was pregnant and has never ONCE again asked about his unborn child OR asked how caben is, he's been to busy out on benders and spending money on drink and drugs and getting women to lick his nipples.'

Emotional: Stephanie was filmed looking intoxicated while walking around in bare feet, in images shot just three days after she discovered her devastating news

Distressing: On Wednesday Stephanie shared an Instagram post in which she explained she had lost her baby and placed the blame on Jeremy in a lengthy statement

Family: Stephanie shares eight-month old Caben-Albi with ex-boyfriend Jeremy McConnell. She was pregnant with his second child but has devastatingly suffered a miscarriage

Stephanie continued: 'He's not paid ANYTHING towards caben since he was born. He doesn't care about his child, he was simply a trophy child to him. He was found guilty, for a reason. He destroyed my life and took away my happiness, and if anything comes from me being in the public eye and some saddo selling videos of me for a bit of cash when someone's at there lowest says more about them than me.

'I hope to help women of domestic violence, to stop what happened to me to other women. I would like to Grieve for my child, find strength and move on. I walked into that court with my head held high after he laughed and goaded me, and I continue to be strong, be a good mum to my son and if ANYTHING has come from my horrific ordeal, to help those who have been in my shoes and help give them the hope, that there is light at the end.

'I don't know HOW I'm standing, but I am. And what doesn't kill you makes you stronger! I will NEVER again be treated the way I was, Thankyou to domestic violence for helping me and building me back up. It may seem mad what's in the press and a lot not 100% true about me, to deal with it in real life and in the public eye has been soul destroying, but thankfully I'm here to tell the tale. Mummy Loves u little one GBNF'.

MailOnline have contacted a representative for Stephanie for comment. Jeremy's representation declined to comment.

'My world': Hours after revealing the news of her devastating miscarriage on Instagram, Stephanie shared a picture of her son Caben that she captioned: 'My world, my everything'

Happier times: The couple's tumultuous romance had been intricately documented at every saddening turn

Heartbreaking: Reaching a guilty verdict in 15 minutes, Judge Wendy Lloyd said: 'This is a sad story, like many of this sort there is much emotion on both sides'

Stephanie's miscarriage came just two weeks before ex Jeremy was found guilty of domestic assault in Liverpool Magistrates Court on Monday, with the actress revealing she even feared he would kill her during one particularly heated row.

She told the court that Jeremy 'threw her around like a rag doll' - leaving her to think: 'This is it; he's going to kill me.' She claimed that Jeremy suspected her of a lesbian affair and a fling with a fireman as he attacked her at a property in Rainhill, Merseyside, on March 10.

While the Irish model awaits sentencing, of which he could possibly face up to 26 weeks, he has now been faced with news of the loss of his second child with the actress, who repeatedly mentioned his demons and battles in her statement.

Love of their lives: After many attempts at creating a family for Caben, the duo remain at loggerheads to this day much to their respective chagrin

Reaching a guilty verdict in just 15 minutes, Judge Wendy Lloyd said: 'This is a sad story, like many of this sort there is much emotion on both sides. Mr McConnell may prefer to think he acted in self-defence. I believe his judgement was totally clouded by drugs and alcohol.'

The footage appearing on Mirror shortly before her announcement, sees the star intoxicated and emotional, an understandable state after sources reveal to MailOnline the images were taken just three days after her miscarriage.

Make-up artist Claire Jane, who was present while the film was shot, claims the troubled actress 'cried in her arms' after she ushered her into a ladies toilet.

She said: 'I was so worried I got her in the toilets and she turned into a right state, crying, saying she had ruined her life. I was that worried I thought I should call the police because I just didnt know what to do.'

Way back when: During her testament in court on Monday, Stephanie described the assault 'like something out of a horror movie'

Additional video footage finds the actress playfully slapping a male patron across the face, prompting an animated exchange with an unidentified female.

Claire claims she left soon afterwards, adding: 'It turns out after the bar stopped serving her she went off with one of my female friends.'

During her testament in court on Monday, Stephanie described the assault 'like something out of a horror movie', adding that the Irish model threatened to smash a bottle over his head. The prosecution said the assault took place as Stephanie held Caben in her arms, a claim that was denied by Jeremy.

Concern: Stephanie (pictured leaving court on Monday) has suffered the horrific loss of her second child with her CBB co-star, with whom she has suffered a toxic on-off romance

Stephanie's devastating statement 'Too loose a child is something I hope no one EVER goes through. The grief and pain is UNBELIEVABLE . Words CANNOT describe. My heart is BROKEN. I lost my baby due to the stress Jeremy put me under, history repeating its self after carrying caben alone for 9 months while he goes out with women and partying and posting pictures on purpose when I was in hospital and nearly lost caben on several occasions. 'How evil someone can be to the mother of their child with revenge porn etc the list goes on, hitting me and setting up paps to take pictures of him on date whilst I'm carrying his child.... 'cheating on me and treating me like I'm not even human I have No words! Evil. He ruined my life and killed our child!and for that I can never forgive him!! He knew I was pregnant and has never ONCE again asked about his unborn child OR asked how caben is, he's been to busy out on benders and spending money on drink and drugs and getting women to lick his nipples. 'He's not paid ANYTHING towards caben since he was born. He doesn't care about his child, he was simply a trophy child to him. He was found guilty, for a reason. He destroyed my life and took away my happiness, and if anything comes from me being in the public eye and some saddo selling videos of me for a bit of cash when someone's at there lowest says more about them than me. 'I hope to help women of domestic violence, to stop what happened to me to other women. I would like to Grieve for my child, find strength and move on. I walked into that court with my head held high after he laughed and goaded me, and I continue to be strong, be a good mum to my son and if ANYTHING has come from my horrific ordeal, to help those who have been in my shoes and help give them the hope, that there is light at the end. 'I don't know HOW I'm standing, but I am. And what doesn't kill you makes you stronger! I will NEVER again be treated the way I was, Thankyou to domestic violence for helping me and building me back up. It may seem mad what's in the press and a lot not 100% true about me, to deal with it in real life and in the public eye has been soul destroying, but thankfully I'm here to tell the tale. Mummy Loves u little one GBNF' Advertisement

Troubled: Stephanie - who shares eight-month-old son Caben-Albi with the model - told the Liverpool court that Jeremy 'threw her around like a ragdoll' - leaving her to think: 'This is it; he's going to kill me'

Happier times: Stephanie and Jeremy's romance began in the CBB house in January 2016 (pictured), when the actress was still dating model Sam Reece

Tough times: Her appearance came shortly before ex Jeremy McConnell was found guilty of domestic assault, with the actress revealing she even feared he would kill her during one particularly heated row

Timeline of Stephanie and Jeremy's tumultuous romance January 2016 - Stephanie strikes up a romance with Jeremy in the CBB house despite dating model Sam Reece on the outside world February 2016 - After being voted out, Jeremy is faced with cheating rumours, leading to an explosive argument on night of the CBB final March 2016 - In a bid to reconcile, the duo head to Spain on holiday but yet again break-up and later make-up April 2016 - The couple are locked in a violent altercation during a holiday to Cape Verde after which Jeremy reportedly required six stitches May 2016 - After another split, Stephanie announced she was pregnant with Jeremy's child June 2016 - Jeremy insists he is not the father of her child, saying: 'Look, if she is pregnant it's not my kid' January 2017 - Stephanie gives birth to son Caben-Albi. After the birth, she said: 'A baby doesn't fix a toxic relationship, but if he hadn't lied and cheated, it wouldn't have been toxic.' February 2017 - Jeremy undergoes paternity test live on This Morning and finally confirms he is Caben's father March 2017 - After a brief reunion, Jeremy is arrested for assault while staying with Stephanie in Liverpool July 2017 - Stephanie is arrested on suspicion of GBH after attacking Jeremy in late night hotel brawl after which he confirms she is pregnant 7 August 2017 - Jeremy is found guilty of assaulting Stephanie 8 August 2017 - Stephanie confirms she suffered a stress-induced miscarriage with their second child Advertisement

The former Hollyoaks actress said: 'He's completely destroyed my life, it's been the worst 18 months of my life.' She also told the court: 'He threatened to throw acid in my face.'

As Stephanie gave evidence, Jeremy was heard to utter 'lies, lies, lies' under his breath, forcing Stephanie to shout 'Jeremy, can you stop talking over me when I'm trying to talk?'

The defence accused Stephanie of 'fabricating' parts of the assault and 'embellishing' her injuries. The court also heard that her original statement to police was retracted.

Following her social media confirmation, naturally Stephanie's fans were quick to send love and support, as users penned: 'You're the best mummy caben can ask for. Focus on him and yourself from now on. Sorry for your loss...

'Wow my thoughts are with you, Broken people cut you on their pieces... God bless u & take care...

'So sorry for your loss girl! You deserve so much better than this, You really do! Your amazing and your little boy will grow up knowing how amazing you truly are! Keep strong...

'Poor Stephanie, when someone you love treats you like this, it would send anyone barmy...

'Hope your ok keep smiling look that beautiful little boy of yours and he will give you all the strength and more that u will need your doing amazing and don't let any one else tell u different' (sic).

Stephanie now wants to use her public battle 'for good' by fronting a new show about domestic abuse, and is also working alongside charities to stop her ordeal happening to others.

Revealing her desire to start afresh after her difficult year, a source told MailOnline: 'If it could happen to her, to anyone. This is a new start for Stephanie and a chance for her to move on once and for all.

'For a long time she was in a toxic relationship and she is now relieved that everyone can see from the court reports what has actually happened. Stephanie will now be busy with recording her album, television commitments and other projects.'

Me and my boy: Stephanie appeared on This Morning with Caben in April

Tough times: Stephanie soared to fame with her role in Hollyoaks, and reached out to a wider fanbase after she appeared on CBB last year. During her time in the house, the star struck up a relationship with Jeremy - which proved to be notoriously turbulent

Comeback: In April 2016 Jeremy and Stephanie headed to Cape Verde on holiday, where they were alleged to have had a blazing row culminating in Jeremy requiring six stitches (pictured arriving at London Gatwick Airport after the trip)

Earlier this year, after the arrival of Caben Albi, the star appeared on Loose Women where she was asked if she ever considered not going through with her pregnancy.

She said: 'At one point I got certain phone calls and completely broke down and was on my hands and knees and I couldn't take any more.

'I said in the house what I went through in the past and I thought he was the one to save me from that and never let me go through anything like that again.

'I lost it and thought I am reliving the same nightmare but worse, now I'm pregnant. I thought this isn't fair to bring a baby into such a toxic relationship.'

Pior to Caben's arrival, Jeremy took to Twitter to pen: 'Everything will be dealt with accordingly and mature, but a baby doesnt fix a toxic relationship, end of discussion.'

Hard times: Pior to his arrival, Jeremy took to Twitter to pen: 'Everything will be dealt with accordingly and mature, but a baby doesnt fix a toxic relationship, end of discussion'
Jonny Mitchell is rumoured to be entering the I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! jungle later this year.

The 'fake millionaire', who left the nation divided after breaking Camilla Thurlow's heart on Love Island, is said to be 'in talks' with ITV bosses.

Sources claimed the 26-year-old businessman would be the 'perfect hunk' to entice any female contestants during the competition in the Australian outback.

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Rumour has it: Jonny Mitchell is rumoured to be entering the I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! jungle later this year

A spokesperson for Jonny told MailOnline: 'He's been in for talks at ITV recently but I can't confirm anything else.'

Meanwhile, sources told The Sun that bosses are itching for Jonny to stir up some romance in the jungle.

'Bosses said he would be the perfect hunk for the show and have asked him to come for a meeting,' an insider claimed.

'Obviously he's over the moon and would jump at the chance. He sparked controversy in the villa and if he did the same in the jungle it'd make excellent telly viewing  especially if there was a romance.'

MailOnline has contacted a representative for ITV for comment.

Speculation: The 'fake millionaire', who left the nation divided after breaking Camilla Thurlow's heart on Love Island, is said to be 'in talks' with ITV bosses

Congratulations: Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt won last year's series of I'm A Celebrity! drawing in millions of viewers

Huge ratings success: 11.4million fans tuned in to watch the Geordie beauty be crowned Queen Of The Jungle in the 2016 finale

Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt won last year's series of I'm A Celebrity! drawing in millions of viewers.

Boasting a huge ratings success, 11.4million fans tuned in to watch the Geordie beauty be crowned Queen Of The Jungle in the 2016 finale.

ITV are yet to confirm a date for this year's series, but there are already rumours swirling about who could be set to enter the jungle later this year.

And it looks like Jonny might have some competition from his Love Island co-stars, as it has been reported that winner Kem Cetinay and third runner up Chris Hughes could enter the jungle.

Entering the jungle? Also rumoured for the line-up is TOWIE's Megan McKenna (pictured) and her former co-star Danielle Armstrong

Gossip: They could be joined by infamous X Factor act Honey G (pictured) and Strictly Come Dancing alum Kristina Rihanoff, if speculation is to be believed

Also rumoured for the line-up is TOWIE's Megan McKenna and her former co-star Danielle Armstrong, infamous X Factor act Honey G and Strictly Come Dancing alum Kristina Rihanoff.

And it seems Jonny could certainly stir up some drama in the Australian outback judging by his recent antics.

He's rumoured to have enjoyed a threesome with two mystery reality starlets.

And days after the alleged incident took place, Jonny proved he wasn't slowing down with the ladies as he enjoyed a night out with Russian model, Nina.

Following his split from Love Island star Chyna Ellis, the 26-year-old business director proved he had well and truly moved on as he flaunted his new romance in London on Tuesday.

Pucker up: Not content with putting on an united front with his new lady, the reality star took to Instagram to reveal their steamy antics from the inside of the club

Cosy: Sharing several videos of the pair enjoying a steamy smooch, he then uploaded a sweet snap of the pair cuddled up together

Sharing several videos of the pair enjoying a steamy smooch, he then uploaded a sweet snap of the pair cuddled up together.

Flaunting his newfound love all over his social media, the star proved he was firmly back on Instagram, despite facing widespread mockery when it was claimed the millionaire lifestyle depicted on his account was a farce.

Jonny is also said to be maintaining he is a 'cut above' his co-stars, in reports surfacing after he enjoyed a threesome with two mystery reality babes after his split from Chyna - a night he is said to have 'no regrets over'.

Insiders tell The Sun, the business director got hot and heavy with the stunners following the show's final last month, after which he reportedly made claims about the stars of the show promoting 'naff' products.

Romance: Following his brief stint in the house, when her enjoyed a brief romance with Tyla Carr, he soon struck up a whirlwind relationship with fleeting star Chyna Ellis - who he swiftly whisked away on a mini break to Budapest

The 'high' life: His social media accounts reveal luxury cars, first class travel and an abundance of cash ready to be flaunted at his every whim - it's been claimed the reality star's lavish lifestyle is nothing but a facade

Lucky guy: Insiders tell The Sun , the 26-year-old business director got hot and heavy with the stunners following the show's final last month, after which he reportedly made claims about the stars of the show promoting 'naff' products

Jonny was a divisive late entrant to the show after he left fan favourite Camilla Thurlow heartbroken when they clashed in regards to views on feminism before unduly ditching her and leaving her in floods of tears.

Following his stint in the house, when her enjoyed a brief romance with Tyla Carr, he soon struck up a whirlwind relationship with fleeting star Chyna Ellis - who he swiftly whisked away on a mini break to Budapest.

However he soon parted ways with the stunner and is said to have enjoyed a night of passion with two mystery reality star beauties - much to Chyna's chagrin.

Oops! Despite the alleged reveal of his hoodwinking his 511,000 followers, insiders insist Jonny deems himself a 'cut above' his co-stars - who he knocked for their promotion of an array of products often associated with reality show celebrities

Oh dear... The Mercedes Benz belongs to his father, the Cartier watch is a fake, the exotic holidays are 'throwback' photos and his plush pad he purports to live in is, in fact, rented from Airbnb

Insiders said: 'Jonnys night with the girls was sizzling hot. Hed only just come out of the villa on the show and landed back in the UK but was inundated with female attention, so whats a young good-looking guy like him to do?'

A spokeswoman for Jonny told MailOnline: 'Jonny had split up with Chyna when this night is said to have occurred as it's been reported. He's got no regrets about either the split with Chyna or anything else that has happened since.'

While his love life certainly spins a convoluted tale, Jonny's financial and business affairs are equally mysterious as it was claimed the lavish lifestyle he depicts on social media, complete with private jets and champagne, is all fake.

The Mercedes Benz belongs to his father, the Cartier watch is a fake, the exotic holidays are 'throwback' photos and his plush pad he purports to live in is, in fact, rented from Airbnb.

Ahem: Tyla and Jonny enjoyed a brief romance in the villa yet he soon moved on




She's been busy promoting her latest endeavor as a fashion designer.

And Eva Longoria was her own best advert as she stepped out in New York City ahead of co-hosting ABC's Live with Kelly and Ryan on Wednesday morning.

The actress, 42, looked effortlessly elegant in the Reptile Print Surplice Maxi Dress from the Eva Longoria Collection.

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Taking the plunge: Eva Longoria looked elegant in the Reptile Print Surplice Maxi Dress from the Eva Longoria Collection as she stepped out in New York ahead of co-hosting ABC's Live with Kelly and Ryan on Wednesday

A matching silky belt was wrapped around the star's slender waist and gave some structure to the billowy dress.

Eva paired the classic look with nude heels, which delicately wrapped around her ankles.

Carrying a small pink Chanel purse, the Desperate Housewives star held her iPhone and a pair of sunglasses as she walked through the city.

The beauty accentuated her striking looks with smokey make-up and wore her caramel locks in loose waves around her shoulders.

Style queen: The actress, 42, paired the classic look with nude heels, which delicately wrapped around her ankles, and a matching Chanel purse

Natural beauty: The beauty accentuated her striking looks with smokey make-up and wore her caramel locks in loose waves around her shoulders

Eva smiled and waved as she gracefully headed into the network's studio to film her episode.

Later she was spotted touching down at LAX airport in Los Angeles.

The star looked comfortable and cool in an all white ensemble and dark shades.

Eva declined to sign any autographs and just wanted to get to her waiting car.

Hard at work: Eva smiled and waved as she gracefully headed into the network's studio to film her episode

Hostess with the mostest: Eva co-hosted Live with Kelly and Ryan with Ryan Seacrest

Live! Ryan and Eva interviewed Brie Larson on the Wednesday morning show

The Texas-born beauty has been working non-stop the last few days.

Before embarking on a rigorous press tour for her new fashion line, Eva Longoria Collection, she enjoyed some downtime at the beach with husband of one year Jose Baston.

On Monday night, she was named the Style Ambassador for the Accessories Council's ACE Awards.

Eva looked scorching hot in a short red dress on Tuesday night for a chat with Seth Meyers on Late Night.

In bound: Later she was spotted touching down at LAX airport in Los Angeles

Chill: The star looked comfortable and cool in an all white ensemble and dark shades

Desperate to get home: Eva declined to sign any autographs and just wanted to get to her waiting car

The actress also told her host about how she had to sew her own dress for Serena Williams' 1950s-themed baby shower in Miami, Florida, over the weekend.

She explained: 'Serena is really big on theme parties which is such a pain in the a**.'

'Actually if you look closely at my dress you'll see that I had to go to a Halloween shop in Miami Beach because this was in Florida, and there's pirates on my dress.

'It's actually a pirate outfit because I couldn't find a '50s outfit, but I sewed it to make it look like a '50s outfit.'
They have both been incredibly busy recently, following their stints on popular reality shows Love Island and Made In Chelsea.

So Chloe Crowhurst and Mimi Bouchard were keen to indulge in a spot of pampering on Wednesday, as they attended the VIP launch of celebrity dentist now launching into celebrity skin, Dr Richard Marques' Number One Skin in London.

The girls made equally glamorous arrivals at the Harley Street Skin Clinic - with Chloe flashing her midriff in a chic bardot crop top, while Mimi battled through the rain in racy thigh-high boots.

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Beauty queens: Chloe Crowhurst and Mimi Bouchard (L-R) indulged in a spot of pampering on Wednesday, at the VIP launch of Dr Richard Marques' Number One Skin in London

Chloe, 22, kept things casually-chic in a crop top and skinny jeans combo as she arrived at the exciting beauty event.

The glamorous Essex girl flashed her toned midriff in the crop top, which stretched into a stylish bardot neckline to tease at her delicate decolletage, before cutting off at her slim waist.

Not one afraid to show off her figure as a contestant on this year's Love Island, she then paired the top with skin-tight black jeans, which hugged her long and lean legs all the way down.

Don't rain on my parade: Chloe, 22, kept things casually-chic in a crop top and skinny jeans combo as she arrived at the exciting beauty event

Slender: The Essex girl flashed her toned midriff in the crop top, which stretched into a stylish bardot neckline to tease at her delicate decolletage

Leggy lady: Not one afraid to show off her figure as a contestant on this year's Love Island, she then paired the top with skin-tight black jeans

The beauty added height to her svelte frame with black sandal heels and accessorised with a smattering of gold jewellery.

Despite attending the clinic to test a skin treatment, Chloe sported her trademark matte make-up and thick false eyelashes as she beamed widely for cameras, despite the pouring rain.

Made In Chelsea star Mimi, 21, arrived soon after, in an equally stylish but low-key look.

Accessories are key: The beauty added height to her svelte frame with black sandal heels and accessorised with a smattering of gold jewellery

Glam girl: Despite attending the clinic to test a skin treatment, Chloe sported her trademark matte make-up and thick false eyelashes

Full of fizz: Indulging in her day of luxury, Chloe happily sipped on a glass of champagne as she waited for her appointment

The Canadian slipped her slender figure into an oversized white T-shirt, adorned with a Rolling Stones logo on one side.

Draping a denim jacket casually around her waist, the brunette then upped the sex appeal with risque suede boots, which extended all the way up to her thigh to accentuate her leggy figure.

The girls seemed to be very excited as they became the first to receive the new treatment - said to leave your skin 'refreshed and full of youth and vitality.'

Twice as nice: Made In Chelsea star Mimi, 21, arrived soon after, in an equally stylish but low-key look, jazzed up by racy thigh-high boots

Grungy-chic: The Canadian slipped her slender figure into an oversized white T-shirt, adorned with a Rolling Stones logo on one side

Privilege: The girls seemed to be very excited as they became the first to receive the new treatment

Chloe shot to fame on this year's hugely popular series of Love Island, and has attended a number of glamorous events ever since.

During her time in the villa however, the blonde's ex Jon Clark accused her of ditching him without warning, to chase fame by flying to Mallorca for the show.

Upon her departure three weeks later, the pair were seen reconciling and indulging in a few kisses outside a nightclub in Essex - but announced they had split for good last week.

Pampering session: The treatment is said to leave your skin 'refreshed and full of youth and vitality'

Taking a break: Chloe appeared utterly relaxed as she received the treatment, following a hectic few weeks

Trying it out: Nadia Essex was also among the stars testing out the new treatments

Man of many talents: Richard was a celebrity dentist before launching into skin

Speaking to The Sun, Chloe explained: 'When I got out of the villa we tried to make a go of things  but I'm not sure.

'There are feelings there  definitely from my side  but I'm not a mind reader, I don't know what he's thinking.

Hinting the TOWIE hunk had not been fully into their romance, she added: 'I'm really busy at the moment. Trying to work and then try and build a relationship is really difficult. But if you definitely want to, you can make it work.'

Fashionista: TV presenter Nicki Shields put on a stylish display in flared jeans a flower embroidered leather jacket

Rising star: Chloe shot to fame on this year's hugely popular series of Love Island (above), and has attended a number of glamorous events ever since

Meanwhile Mimi was no doubt in need of a spot of pampering, after a dramatic few weeks on Made In Chelsea: Ibiza.

The brunette has certainly ruffled feathers on the E4 show so far, having flirted with both Harry Baron and Sam Thompson - despite being an acquaintance of their respective love interests Emily Blackwell and Tiffany Watson.

Addressing the drama on the upcoming episodes of the summer series, she told MailOnline last month: ' think in the last season I came on strong, I came on with a bang. I'm the same again this time but less so.

'And there's a potential love interest. There's a kind of a love triangle.'
The who's who of Australian showbiz collided for a wild night of fashion and frivolity at David Jones' annual Spring/ Summer fashion show this Wednesday.

And as a kaleidoscope of new-season garbs paraded down the runway, an even more eye-catching spectacle was taking place in the audience.

From flirty supermodels to amorous couples, there was no shortage of action at this season's most exclusive fashion event.

Flirty supermodels, a Bachelor gone wild and cuddles with Karl Stefanovic! There was no shortage of action at David Jones Spring/ Summer collection show this Wednesday night

Genetically-blessed duo: Male supermodel Jordan Barrett was seen putting on a flirty display with Australia's Next Top Model winner Montana Cox, 23, as they sat in the audience together

Making a splash at the event was glamour couple Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough, who made no effort to hide their affection for one another.

Although they arrived separately at the event, the showy duo looked every bit the couple once inside.

At one stage the canoodling duo were interrupted by The Bachelor's Matty Johnson.

Two peas in a pod! Later in the night, Jordan and Montana carved it up on the dance-floor near the bar

Fancy seeing you here! Lisa Wilkinson also got some attention from the strapping lad, who posed for photos alongside the TV host and her daughter

Bros: Jordan has found a good mate in the form of Karl Stefanovic, who was chatting to the male supermodel all night

Cute couple! Meanwhile, actress Teresa Palmer was seen putting on loved up display with husband Mark Webber

Strike a pose! At one stage the Hacksaw Ridge starlet sat back in her seat to take a candid photo of her man

Old pals Matty and Jasmine were also seen chatting animatedly in the audience.

Catching up like old pals, the duo could be seen making strange finger gestures during their interaction.

However, the pair were interrupted by Karl who appeared to jokingly accuse Matty of some wrongdoing, prompting the reality star to recoil in mock fear.

Cosy couple: Making a splash at the event was glamour couple Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough, who made no effort to hide their affection for one another

The Bachelor swoops in! At one stage the canoodling duo were interrupted by The Bachelor's Matty Johnson

Also turning heads on the night was hunky Australian model Jordan Barrett, who has previously been romantically linked to the likes of Paris Hilton and Bella Hadid.

Relieved of runway duties and merely a guest at the event, Jordan was seen posing alongside fellow model Tahnee Atkinson, placing an arm gently on the beauty's waist while poking his tongue out cheekily.

Once inside the event, Jordan worked the room, posing with a slew of celebrities including Karl and Jasmine.

Catching up: Old pals Matty and Jasmine were also seen chatting animatedly in the audience

Cheeky! Catching up like old pals, the duo could be seen making strange finger gestures during their interaction

The handsome 20-year-old was seen cuddling up with Australia's Next Top Model winner and pal Montana Cox, 23, as they sat in the audience together.

The duo put on a fun, flirty display as they laughed heartily and cosied up for photos.

Later in the night, Jordan and Montana carved it up on a dance-floor near the bar.

Lisa Wilkinson also got some attention from the strapping lad, who posed for photos alongside the TV host and her daughter.

Wasn't me! However, the pair were interrupted by Karl who appeared to jokingly accuse Matty of some wrongdoing, prompting the reality star to recoil in mock fear

Meanwhile, actress Teresa Palmer was seen putting on loved up display with husband Mark Webber.

The couple gazed at each other lovingly as they sat together in the audience.

At one stage the Hacksaw Ridge starlet sat back in her seat to take a candid photo of her man.

Meanwhile, Today Show Richard Wilkins' son Christian turned heads when he stepped out in a ruffled skirt and see-through lace top.

Posing with his father, the stylish glamazon proudly flaunted his lithe legs and glossy mane on the red carpet.

One inside, he was seen posing with the likes of Anna Heinrich, Tim Robards and Jasmine Yarbrough.

Sassy! Meanwhile, Today Show Richard Wilkins' son Christian turned heads when he stepped out in a ruffled skirt and see-through lace top

Buddies: One inside, he was seen posing with the likes of Anna Heinrich and Tim Robards

Couple goals! Newly-engaged couple looked typically stylish as they posed arm-in-arm




They landed in Greece to assist those in need at a refugee camp last week.

And Jamie Jewitt and Camilla Thurlow continued to document their philanthropic efforts for fans on social media on Wednesday.

The 'humbled' Scottish beauty, 27, took to Instagram to share snaps of the pair helping out at a homeless shelter in Thessaloniki - before male model Jamie posted a number of sweet videos of him playing games with the children on his own page.

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Doing their bit: Jamie Jewitt and Camilla Thurlow continued to document their philanthropic efforts at a refugee camp in Greece on Wednesday

'Humbled': Camilla first shared their time at a homeless shelter, before Jamie shared a number of sweet videos of him playing with the kids and teaching them guitar (above)

Camilla, who is a keen contributor to charity, first took to her Instagram to share a number of snaps with Jamie, 26, at a homeless shelter in the north of Greece.

The pair were first seen preparing wraps for the refugees, clad in matching fundraising T-shirts with the words 'Choose Love' emblazoned across the front.

The couple, who came second on ITV2's Love Island, then posed in front of a blackboard at the camp - which detailed the impressive amount of provisions they have provided over the last year.

Helping hands: The pair were first seen preparing wraps for the refugees, clad in matching fundraising T-shirts with the words 'Choose Love' emblazoned across the front

Clearly overwhelmed by the day, Camilla accompanied the snaps with an emotional caption, which read: 'Today we were immensely humbled to join the Soul Food Kitchen team to help with the preparation and distribution of meals to homeless refugees in Thessaloniki.

'We met the loveliest volunteers who are not only giving their time here, but are acting as powerful advocates back at home.

'They have made the decision to #chooselove with @HelpRefugeesUK, and their efforts are making an incredible difference to wonderful people trapped in a desperate situation.'

Overwhelming: With the trip marking his first time helping out at such a location, Jamie, 27, was also keen to share his day with followers on social media (above)

Having announced they are making a short film about their time in the country, she then added to fans: 'The extremely talented @jamiejewitt_ is doing an amazing job of capturing footage of our time here, and we cannot wait to share it all with you.'

With the trip marking his first time helping out at such a location, it is no wonder Jamie, 27, was also keen to share his day with followers on social media.

Taking to his story on the site, he shared a snap of him standing in a marquee as he set up an obstacle course for the children - before posting a sweet video of him and Camilla racing round the track with the youngsters.

Let's go! He first posted a sweet video of him and Camilla racing round the track with the youngsters

'Story time with Cam': The pair then sat down to read the kids stories for the rest of the afternoon

Having displayed his musical talents on the reality series, the hunk then proceeded to teach the kids to play guitar, before they settled on the sofa to tell them stories for the rest of the afternoon.

He added of his day: 'Today we were working with the #soulfoodkitchen prepping and packing meals which we then drove around and distributed throughout the streets of Thessaloniki.

'We met multiple homeless refugees and visited their temporary homes, we were even cooked for after being given a tour of a particular groups makeshift settlement.'

What an experience: Sharing another emotional caption to his Instagram, he rounded off his statement with the overwhelmed: 'What a day'

Clearly emotional about the experience, he then added: 'What a day.'

Camilla and Jamie arrived at Greece's Nea Kavala relocation camp last week, where they planned to spend time helping with the refugee crisis.

Bomb disposal expert Camilla and her beau took to Instagram earlier this week to share snaps from their trip, with Camilla calling their time in Greece 'incredible' - amid reports some of their co-stars are charging thousands for nightclub appearances.

'Incredible': Camilla and Jamie have jetted out to Greece to at the Nea Kavala relocation camp to help with the refugee crisis after finding love on the ITV show

The couple have been volunteering with charity A Drop In The Ocean at the refugee camp, which is 20km from the Macedonian border, and are set to make a short film about the organisation's charity efforts.

Overwhelmed by the experience, Camilla wrote on Instagram on Monday: 'Our whole trip has been coordinated by the amazing @hollypenalver founder of @indigovolunteers, and after an exceptional day one we are so excited to see what the rest of the week will bring.

'We will be keeping you updated on a daily basis, and will provide full information on how you can get involved in a short documentary when we get back.'

Bomb disposal expert Camilla (pictured) and her beau took to Instagram this week to share snaps from their trip, with Camilla calling their time in Greece 'incredible'

The couple have been inseparable since leaving the villa, posting endless loved-up selfies on Instagram and documenting their time together

In the snaps, the couple could be seen distributing bags of food, water and clothing to the refugees present.

Calvin Klein model Jamie added: 'I have never had such a rewarding experience.'

Camilla, who is rumoured to have dated Prince Harry, has previously hinted she would like to make documentaries about humanitarian causes.

Their trip comes after the Mirror reported their Love Island co-star Olivia Attwood is charging as much as 10,000 for a public appearance, with winning couple Kem and Amber also raking in thousands.

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Olivia for comment.

Helping out: The couple can be seen distributing bags of food, water and clothing in a series of Instagram snaps posted this week

The couple posted a loved-up selfie on Sunday as they prepared to jet out from Manchester airport, writing: 'We our on our way! Thank you so much everyone who has supported us so far'

The couple have been inseparable since leaving the villa, posting endless loved-up selfies on Instagram and documenting their time together.

Despite bagging herself a model on the series, Camilla has 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 Mallorca, alongside statuesque Olivia Attwood and Tyla Carr.
She has reason to celebrate after it emerged her beauty company, Kylie Cosmetics, has earned an incredible $420 million in retail sales in just 18 months.

And Kylie Jenner toasted her achievement by posing for a series of seriously sexy swimsuit shots on Wednesday afternoon, just hours after news of her business success was revealed.

The teen entrepreneur, 19, showed off her famously voluptuous curves in a tiny nude string bikini as she relaxed poolside in Los Angeles.

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Bikini babe: Kylie Jenner toasted her latest business achievement by posing for a series of seriously sexy swimsuit shots on Wednesday afternoon

Arching her back to lap up the Californian sun, the reality star tilted her head towards the rays as she showed off her flat stomach.

The Life Of Kylie leading lady went seemingly make-up free for her pool day and wore her raven locks scraped back from her face in a tight bun.

Kylie wrote alongside the snaps: 'day at Mommy's.'

Spending the day at the family home with her momager mother, Kris Jenner, 61, the ladies certainly had plenty to celebrate.

Fun in the sun: The teen entrepreneur, 19, showed off her famously voluptuous curves in a tiny nude string bikini as she relaxed poolside in Los Angeles

Nude ambition: The Life Of Kylie leading lady went seemingly make-up free for her pool day and wore her raven locks scraped back from her face in a tight bun

Just 18 months after launching her first lip kit in 2015, the teenager's Kylie Cosmetics has earned $420 million in retails sales, according to Women's Wear Daily.

The entrepreneur's brand will hit one billion dollars by 2022.

In the exclusive story, WWD reported on Wednesday that Kylie Cosmetics will see a 25% increase in sales in 2017 - which would be $386 million.

Kylie, who is set to turn 20 on August 10, told the website: 'I do want stores, my own store...I think it's time people walk into a store and see Kylie Cosmetics.

Last year she released the limited edition Birthday Collection, which brought in $10 million in 24 hours.

Kylie's mom Kris Jenner presented documentation to WWD to prove the incredible sales numbers - the first time they have ever disclosed the information.

Boss: Kylie certainly has reason to celebrate after it emerged her beauty company, Kylie Cosmetics, has earned an incredible $420 million in retail sales in just 18 months

A huge success: The entrepreneur's brand will hit one billion dollars by 2022; pictured with her mom Kris Jenner in a new shoot for WWD

The WWD interview took place at Kris' house in Hidden Hills last week.

For comparison, Lancome reached one billion dollars in 2015 after 80 years in the beauty world, according to WWD.

Estee Lauder's Tom Ford Beauty took a decade to hit $500 million in sales, they added.

The brunette beauty has collaborated with sisters Khloe and Kim Kardashian on separate collections.

Family first: Kylie's mom Kris Jenner presented documentation to WWD to prove the incredible sales numbers

The limited edition KKW X Kylie Cosmetics lip kits with Kim debuted in April.

Soon after Kim launched her own makeup brand KKW Beauty with contour kits.

Kylie told WWD that 'there is room for the both of us in the makeup world,' adding We respect when we launch new things.'

She noted that they 'make sure there isn't overlap.'

Wow: The brunette beauty has collaborated with sisters Khloe and Kim Kardashian (pictured on left with Kylie) on separate collections; the KKW X Kylie Cosmetics campaign

Kylie released her first three items on November 30, 2015; they were the Dolce K, Candy K and True Brown K Lip Kits.

The $29 kits - which have a lip liner and a coordinating lipstick - sold out in under 30 seconds on kyliecosmetics.com; WWD reported that they only had 5,000 kits in each color - so 15,000 units total.

Kris told WWD that they don't count the time between the first release on November 30 and their second release in February 2016 because there didn't have any products available to sell.

There was however a mini restock of the three lips kits on Christmas Even in 2015.

Mogul: In the exclusive story, WWD reported on Wednesday that Kylie Cosmetics will see a 25% increase in sales in 2017

Everything in one package: This year's Birthday Bundle pictured; the entire collection, which is now sold out, retails for $325

During that time, Kylie and Kris secured a partnership with Seed Beauty, a manufacturer based in Oxnard, California; they don't have any equity in her makeup company, WWD reports.

The February 2016 launch saw the product numbers increase to six products with a total of 500,000 units, as well as the Kylie Lip Kits officially becoming Kylie Cosmetics.

She released the original three lip kits with three more shades.

Today, WWD noted that there are 300,000 units of each product on their website made.

The full interview with Kylie and Kris about the Kylie Cosmetics empire is available on WWD.
She split from husband of seven months Tom D'Agostino over claims of his infidelity earlier this month.

And Luann de Lesseps regrets giving up her Countess title for the short marriage to the diminutive balding businessman.

The 52-year-old reality television star is reportedly 'kicking herself', for the decision, according to PageSix on Wednesday.

Getaway: Luann de Lesseps regrets giving up her Countess title for the short marriage to the businessman

The Real Housewives of New York star is currently relaxing in Switzerland, while she nurses her broken heart, and a source told the publication she's reflected that it was a bad decision.

'Poor Luann. She loved being a countess,' the source told the publication.

De Lesseps used the title since she married French Count Alexandre de Lesseps in 1993, and has a clothing and bedding lines called 'the Countess Collection.'

She continued to go by it after their divorce in 2009, but had to give it up when she married DAgostino on New Years Eve last year.

Regrets: Luann gave up her title to marry diminutive businessman Tom, but ended things at the start of the month after discovering her husband of just seven months had cheated on her twice

On Tuesday, she told Page Six: 'I was married to my first [husband] for a long time and had two children with him. The countess will always be a part of who I am.'

De Lesseps ended her marriage at the start of the month after discovering her husband of just seven months had cheated on her twice, DailyMail.com revealed.

Luann then announced the split on Twitter Thursday afternoon.

'It's with great sadness that Tom & I agreed to divorce. We care for each other very much, hope you respect our privacy during this sad time!' wrote Luann.

She and Tom said 'I do' on New Year's Eve in Palm Beach, with guests at the event including past and present Housewives such as Jill Zarin and Dorinda Medley.

Before the wedding, she said on Bravos RHONYC that 'the only title Id give up "countess" for is "wife."'

Luann has two college-aged children from her marriage to her first husband, son Noel and daughter Victoria.
They greeted each other with a 'koala hug' at Sydney Fashion Week in May.

And the bromance between Jordan Barrett, 20, and Karl Stefanovic, 42, continues to blossom, with the unlikely pals hanging out at the David Jones Spring/Summer launch on Wednesday night.

On Thursday, Karl continued to fawn over the male supermodel on the Today show, gushing that Jordan 'looks like a summer dream' and is 'floaty and beautiful'.

'He looks like a summer dream': Karl Stefanovic, 42, fawns over male model Jordan Barrett, 20, after the two buddy it up at the David Jones fashion show

After co-hosts Lisa Wilkinson and Sylvia Jeffreys complimented each other on their outfits at the David Jones event, Karl piped up with some praise of his own.

'I'll tell you who is beautiful and floaty? Jordan Barrett - he is floaty and beautiful,' Karl said, bizarrely.

'He is fab,' Lisa agreed, adding that Jordan had chivalrously walked her and daughter Billie to their car after the soiree.

Bromance alert! They both cut suave figures in their blue suits as they walked around the exclusive event

'You know, the guy with the blond hair': Karl didn't hold back when complimenting Jordan

'[An] Australian model a young fellow who is carving it up around the world,' Karl explained to viewers.

'You know, the guy with the blond hair and he looks like a summer dream. Anyway he is a beautiful human being.'

On Wednesday night, Karl and Jordan enjoyed each other's company at the David Jones Spring/Summer launch.

Fancy seeing you here! On Wednesday night, Karl and Jordan enjoyed each other's company at the David Jones Spring/Summer launch

What's so funny? Separated only by Jordan's rumoured girlfriend Montana Cox, the two could be seen talking enthusiastically

Chatting away: Jordan and Karl previously hung out at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in May

Separated only by Jordan's rumoured girlfriend Montana Cox, the two could be seen talking enthusiastically and laughing together.

They both cut suave figures in their blue suits as they walked around the exclusive event.

In May, Jordan shared a photo to his Instagram of himself and Karl hugging each other backstage at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

'A young fellow who is carving it up around the world': On Today, Karl complimented Jordan on his many achievements at such a young age

'He is a beautiful human being': The Today host also praised Jordan's good looks

The ladies' man straddled the Today host, with both men grinning as Karl's girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough watched on laughing.

'Everything Karl does, Karl does it right @kstefanovic always and every time,' Jordan captioned the photo.

Jasmine was quick to comment: 'You must be pretty special getting the Stefanovic koala hug.'
During this season of gratitude, we are reminded of the many reasons we can be thankful for the freedom and opportunity to travel.
She is enjoying time off from hosting Live! With Kelly And Ryan.

And Kelly Ripa's proud husband Mark Consuelos shared his morning view as his wife showcased her super-fit bikini body on their summer vacation on Wednesday.

Consuelos did not mention where he and his wife were lounging, but Ripa, 46, was sure to protect herself from the sun's rays, keeping sunscreen nearby and wearing a large hat.

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Hot mama: Kelly Ripa's proud husband Mark Consuelos shared his morning view as his wife showcased her super-fit bikini body on their summer vacation on Wednesday

It's unclear if Ripa was aware her photo was being taken, but her flexed bicep and perfectly poised leg indicated she may have been clued in.

The petite blonde was pre-occupied by her phone on the lounge chair as she relaxed in her blue bikini.

Ripa normally has a busy shooting schedule with her daily live show, co-hosted with Ryan Seacrest.

Buff: Last month, the TV host, 46, shared a smouldering snap of her handsome husband with the caption #DaddysHome

In her absence, stars like Rita Ora and Eva Longoria have filled in alongside Seacrest, who just announced he will be returning to host the ABC reboot of American Idol.

Last month, Ripa shared pool shots of her husband flexing for the camera, proving they are just in love as ever after 21 years of marriage.

Mark and Kelly went back to Las Vegas' Chapel Of The Bells on their thirteenth anniversary for a segment on Live With Regis And Kelly.

During the 2009 segment, the pair revealed they broke up before they decided to get married in 1996.

We are family: Mark and Kelly have three children together, Michael, 19, Lola, 15, and Joaquin, 14 (pictured together in October 2015)

'We actually had an argument, Kelly and I, and hadn't spoken in a few days. It was ridiculous,' Mark explained.

They explained that during the taping of a post-breakup segment together for Live With Regis And Kathie Lee in April of 1996, they got back together.

'After we taped the show, we went for a walk,' Ripa continued.

'I convinced her to come back to my apartment, we had pizza and wine and I asked her to marry me.'

The couple tied the knot the very next day in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mark and Kelly have three children together, Michael, 19, Lola, 15, and Joaquin, 14.
He's one of fashion's 'It' models and has been linked to a bevy of beauties, including Australian models Bambi Northwood-Blyth and Cheyenne Tozzi.

And after Jordan Barrett was seen spending time with friend Montana Cox on Wednesday night at the David Jones SS17 launch, Today show's Lisa Wilkinson, 57, appeared to mistake the pair for a couple.

'He was there with his lovely girlfriend Montana Cox,' the journalist told co-host Karl Stefanovic of the 20-year-old while discussing the night the following Thursday morning.

Good friends: Today show's Lisa Wilkinson, 57, appeared to mistake friends Jordan Barrett, 20, and Montana Cox, 23, as a couple on Thursday's episode of the breakfast program

As Lisa and Today show reporter Sylvia Jeffreys, 31, spoke about the designer frocks seen on the catwalk, Karl, 42, was quick to comment on his idea of who was 'floaty and beautiful'.

'I tell you who was floaty and beautiful. Jordan Barrett,' the personality stated.

Completely agreeing, Lisa quipped: 'Isn't he fab!'

He wasn't expecting that! After stating on-air that Jordan was at the David Jones runway show on Wednesday night with his 'lovely girlfriend', co-host Karl Stefanovic, 42, was left squirming in his seat

Explaining how much of a gentleman Jordan was on the night, Lisa continued: 'He was so sweet. He escorted Billie (Lisa's daughter) and I down to see us into our car last night.'

It was then when Lisa shared on-air: 'He was there with his lovely girlfriend Montana Cox.'

Karl looked to be squirming in his seat, questioning his co-host as to whether what she had said was correct.

Close: Jordan and Montana were seated next to each other at the event

Joined at the hip: The genetically-blessed models were inseparable at the exclusive bash

But Montana has since confirmed that she and Jordan are nothing more than just friends, as she is smitten with boyfriend Jamie Valmorbida,

The brunette beauty told The Daily Telegraph that the pair are still together after three years.

'I am still really young so we will see what happens and see where we go,' she told the publication.

Valmorbida's family own Lavazza coffee and are reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Loved-up: But Montana has since confirmed that she and Jordan are nothing more than just friends, as she is still very much in a relationship with boyfriend Jamie Valmorbida (pictured), 32, whom she has been dating since 2014

Valmorbida, 32, is heir to Lavazza coffee, reportedly worth over $300 million.

On Wednesday, friends Jordan and Montana, winner of Australia's Next Top Model cycle seven, were seen spending time together at the event.

Seated on a table next to Karl at Wednesday's David Jones runway show, Jordan looked to have leaned in to whisper something to the beauty, numerous times.

In a cleavage-bearing pink frock and her hair slicked back, Montana was seen chatting to the star most of the night.

Showing off their moves: Later in the night, Jordan and Montana hit the dance-floor near the bar

Later in the night, Jordan and Montana hit the dance-floor near the bar.

Jordan is regularly featured on the arm of glamorous models, with hotel heiress Paris Hilton cited as one of his earliest rumoured flames.

Since then, he's been linked to Lara Stone, Kate Moss, Hailey Baldwin, Megan Blake Irwin and Sahara Ray.

Close pals: Jordan is regularly featured on the arm of glamorous models. Pictured with Lara Stone, 33
The TOWIE gang were seen heading out for Liam Gatsby's birthday meal in Marbella on Wednesday night.

But not invited to the party was Amber Turner, who joined lovebirds Megan McKenna and Pete Wicks for a much quieter affair.

The reality stars put on a stylish display, donning their glad rags for the occasion as they prepared for a fun-filled evening.

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Legs for days: Amber Turner flaunted her tanned legs as she stepped out in Marbella on Wednesday night

Keeping it simple: Yazmin Oukhellou wowed in a simple black dress as she hit the town

Amber stunned in a skimpy yellow miniskirt, the thigh-skimming, ruffled number displaying her tanned legs in all their glory.

She paired her statement attire with a skin-tight sheer lace bodysuit, going braless under the top.

The glamorous blonde pulled her look together with a simple black clutch bag and matching caged heels.

Sheer delight: The blonde donned a skin-tight sheer lace bodysuit, going braless under the top

Leggy: Amber stunned in a skimpy yellow miniskirt, the thigh-skimming, ruffled number displaying her tanned legs in all their glory

Meanwhile, Yazmin was spotted leaving her hotel in style, sporting a simple LBD.

James Lock's girlfriend displayed her post nose job look, setting off her smaller features with dewy make-up.

The brunette beauty rejoined the rest of the TOWIE cast as they celebrated Gatsy's birthday in style.

Going solo: Amber joined lovebirds Megan McKenna and Pete Wicks for a meal

Missing out: The blonde shunned Liam Gatsby's birthday celebrations

Buxom: Yazmin flaunted her cleavage in her low-cut dress, set off with peep toe heels

In recent weeks, she was pictured leaving a clinic in Turkey covered in bandages following cosmetic surgery.

'So the cat is finally out of the bag,' Yazmin posted on social media last week. 'I can confirm that I had a rhinoplasty... It has only been 2 weeks and I can already see the results are going to be amazing.'

The Essex native enthused about how 'amazing' the results of her rhinoplasty were going to be after decided to get the plastic surgery following an accident which left her with a broken nose.

She added: 'I had a previous broken nose and deviated septum so surgery was the only option for me. I am so glad I did it as I was nervous at first but so happy that I can now breathe properly and that the small bump has gone.'

Double trouble: Megan and Pete were in high spirits, despite missing out on the main event
She made headlines for her bizarre breakdown on Wednesday's episode of The Bachelor, which saw her scream: 'I'm better than this. I don't like him!'

An in a confession that will surprise many fans, Sian Kelly told OK! Magazine this week she didn't touch a drop of alcohol while in the mansion.

The tattooed WA retail assistant, 24, admitted: 'I drink to get drunk, and I'm not doing it there... I'd rather have chocolate milk.'

No booze! In a confession that will surprise many fans, Sian Kelly (left) told OK! Magazine this week she didn't touch a drop of alcohol while in the Bachelor mansion

In Wednesday's episode, which ended on a cliffhanger during the Rose Ceremony, Sian appeared tired and emotional during the nightly cocktail party.

At one point, she was even seen clutching a wine glass, which did not appear to contain her favourite beverage, chocolate milk.

The pressure of the competition clearly affected Sian, who went into full meltdown mode after becoming frustrated with the 'process' and lack of attention from Matty.

Meltdown mode! In Wednesday's episode, which ended on a cliffhanger during the Rose Ceremony, Sian appeared tired and emotional during the nightly cocktail party

She eventually burst into tears and, looking distressed, threatened to leave while The Bachelor's production staff desperately tried to comfort her in a bathroom.

She shouted, 'I'm better than him, I'm better than this... I don't like him!' before slamming the door in cameraman's face.

Later, Matty awkwardly tried to comfort Sian, and she told him: 'I just don't like this process. It's just awful... okay, I'm upset. I want to leave.'

Why doesn't he like me? The pressure of the competition clearly affected Sian, who became frustrated with the 'process' and lack of attention from Matty

'I'm better than this. I don't like him!' She burst into tears and, looking distressed, threatened to leave while The Bachelor's production staff desperately tried to comfort her in a bathroom

Second thoughts? Later, Matty awkwardly tried to comfort Sian, and she told him: 'I just don't like this process. It's just awful... okay, I'm upset. I want to leave'

While Sian eventually agreed to stay at least until the Rose Ceremony, the exchange may have confirmed Matty's decision she was not right for the show.

'Knowing Sian is finding the situation this difficult to the point where she wants to leave... I've got to ask myself, "Am I sure that I really want to keep her here?"' he said.

The Bachelor Australia continues Thursday at 7:30pm on Network Ten
She has been receiving rave reviews for her recent roles in Twin Peaks and Gypsy.

And so it's no wonder actress Naomi Watts, 48, was glowing as she stepped out for a leisurely lunch with a male pal in New York on Wednesday.

Revealing her ageless complexion and enviable figure, Naomi looked stylish in a black blazer layered over a quirky 'Merci' T-shirt and a pair of cropped jeans.

She's glowing! Naomi Watts, 48, beamed as she stepped out for a leisurely lunch with a male pal in New York on Wednesday

Her look was completed with a pair of sunglasses, a tan-hued handbag and white Adidas sneakers.

Naomi, who styled her shoulder-length blonde hair loosely, also appeared to be wearing minimal makeup for the casual outing.

Meanwhile, Naomi's male friend was clad in a black button-up shirt, matching skinny jeans and a pair of chic spectacles.

Chic: Revealing her ageless complexion and enviable figure, Naomi looked stylish in a black blazer layered over a quirky 'Merci' T-shirt and a pair of cropped jeans

In good company: Meanwhile, Naomi's male pal was clad in a black button-up shirt, matching skinny jeans and a pair of chic spectacles

The glamorous blonde smiled at onlookers as she and her mystery pal soaked up the sun at a local cafe before heading back to her apartment.

Naomi, who turns 49 next month, has been busy promoting her new flick The Glass Castle, in which she plays eccentric artist Rose Mary Walls.

The dysfunctional family drama also stars fellow Australian Sarah Snook, Academy Award winner Brie Larson and Wood Harrelson.

Kicking career goals! Naomi, who turns 49 next month, has been busy promoting her new flick The Glass Castle, in which she plays eccentric artist Rose Mary Walls

It follows rumours that Naomi has moved on from her ex Liev Schreiber with co-star Billy Crudup, with sources claiming she is 'very into' the new relationship.

According to US Weekly an insider has confirmed the new relationship, saying: 'Naomi and Billy are dating, but in the early stages'.

The pair star as husband and wife on the Netflix series Gypsy and are 'now dating' in real life, PEOPLE previously claimed.
Nepali members of the LGBT community take part in the Gay Pride parade

Hundreds of members of Nepal's gay community marched through Kathmandu Tuesday, many wearing vibrant costumes and carrying rainbow flags and balloons, in an annual pride parade.

The march is timed to coincide with the Hindu festival of Gai Jatra, which brings hundreds onto the streets to pay respects to those who have died in the past year.

Historically Gai Jatra, which dates back to when Nepal was under royal rule, was also a chance for people to criticise the government -- with many people in colourful costumes satirising politicians.

In recent years the gay community has started using the festival to call attention to its demands for equal rights.

Around 1,500 people took part in the parade, paying tribute to members of LGBTI community who had died in 2017, including American artist Gilbert Baker who designed the rainbow flag that has become an emblem of the gay community.

"Every year we celebrate a pride festival to show that we want to be recognised in this society with our different identity, that we are a part of this society," said Pinky Gurung, president of the Blue Diamond Society, a gay rights organisation in Nepal.

Nepal has some of South Asia's most progressive laws on homosexuality and transgender rights, but activists say members of the community continue to face discrimination and live in the shadows of society.

"The government has recognised us but should do more. People of third gender like us should be able to come out in the open, society should accept us," said Kirti Gurung, a 21-year-old transgender woman.

Last month a transgender woman and her husband were issued a marriage certificate by a district office, a first in Nepal.

But the country's laws are silent on same-sex or transgender marriages and the legality of the union is unclear.
Kenya's opposition alliance, National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate, Raila Odinga prepares to cast his ballots on August 8, 2017 mobbed by a battery of photo journalists at Old-Kibera primary school polling centre, in Nairobi

Kenya's main opposition candidate Raila Odinga said on Wednesday that he rejected the preliminary results of Tuesday's presidential election, which show President Uhuru Kenyatta with a substantial lead.

With more than 11 million ballots counted, Kenyatta was ahead with 55 percent of the vote against Odinga's 44 percent, a difference of more than 1.1 million ballots, according to results released by the electoral commission (IEBC).

Odinga called the results "fake" at a press conference early Wednesday morning and said the IEBC hadn't produced documents that could prove the authenticity of the tallies.

"The system has failed," Odinga told reporters. "This is basically the computer that is voting."

The contest between Odinga and Kenyatta -- old foes who previously faced off when Kenyatta was first elected in 2013 -- was always expected to be close, and emotions have been running high after a bad-tempered campaign marred by opposition claims of a plot to rig the vote.

Odinga, 72, is taking his fourth and likely final stab at the presidency. He claims the elections in 2007 and 2013 were stolen from him.

He has repeatedly questioned the validity of the polls, and occasionally claimed that he would only lose this year's election if it were rigged.

He levelled similar allegations of fraud after the 2007 general election, which degenerated into months of ethnic and political violence that left 1,100 people dead and displaced 600,000.

First elected in 2013, Kenyatta is standing for a second term.

Tensions in the country rose earlier this month when the tortured and strangled body of Chris Msando, a key administrator of a biometric voting system IEBC said would guard against fraud, was found on the outskirts of the capital Nairobi.

Referring to his belief that the results are being tampered with, Odinga said, "we fear that this is the precise reason why Mr. Chris Msando was assassinated."

A boy looks at trays of eggs next to election campaign posters of Kenya's National Super Alliance (NASA) opposition leader and presidential candidate Raila Odinga in Nairobi this month

IEBC commissioner Roslyn Akombe said an unspecified political party objected to the release of the results, "but as a commission we decided that as part of the commitment we made to the voters and the Kenyan people, transparency and accountability are part of them."

"This is why, as a commission, we have decided we will continue to display the results," she said.

To win Kenya's presidency in the first round of voting, a candidate must score a majority of the votes nationwide and at least a quarter of ballots in a 24 of the country's 47 counties.

Counting is considered the most sensitive step of the electoral process in a country with a history of post-poll violence.
This undated image released by the Lim family, shows Canadian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim (C) during a trip to Africa

Canada's national security advisor Daniel Jean was in Pyongyang Tuesday to discuss the case of a jailed Canadian pastor, a spokesman said.

Hyeon Soo Lim, 61, was arrested in 2015 for allegedly meddling in North Korean state affairs and sentenced to life in prison.

The South Korean-born pastor had been accused of subversive acts against Pyongyang, which Canadian authorities have strongly denied.

"A Canadian government delegation is currently in Pyongyang, DPRK, to discuss Pastor Lim's case," Trudeau spokesman Cameron Ahmad said.

"Pastor Lim's health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada as we continue to engage on this case," he said. "As this is an active case, we will not provide further comment at this time."

Lim's family told local media they have become increasingly worried about his welfare since the death of an American student in June just days after he had been released from a North Korean prison.

At the time of his arrest, other members of the close-knit circle of ethnic Korean missionaries in Canada and the United States called Lim one of the most influential Christian missionaries operating in North Korea.

He had visited the country dozens of times, working with orphanages and nursing homes.

But some projects he worked on, including a noodle plant and flour mills, were linked to associates of Jang Song-Thaek, the purged uncle of leader Kim Jong-Un. Jang Song-Thaek was arrested and executed for treason in December 2013.

Lim told CNN last year that he now spends his days in prison digging holes.

Pyongyang views foreign missionaries with deep suspicion, though it allows some to undertake humanitarian work.

A number of Christian missionaries -- mostly ethnic Koreans who are US citizens -- have been arrested in the past, with some of them only allowed to return home after intervention by high-profile US political figures.
Palestinians run for cover as smoke rises following an Israeli air strike on a Hamas post in northern Gaza

Three people were injured, including one critically, overnight Tuesday as Israel bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian security and medical sources said, hours after a rocket hit the Jewish state.

A security source told AFP that Israeli warplanes had struck two bases belonging to Hamas' military wing in northern Gaza, causing significant damage.

A medical official at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City said three people were being treated for injuries, including a 26-year-old man who was in critical condition after being struck in the head with shrapnel.

The Israeli army confirmed the strikes, saying they were in retaliation for a rocket fired a few hours earlier from Gaza, which landed in southern Israel.

That incident caused no casualties or damage, a military spokesperson added.

Israel and Islamists Hamas, who run Gaza, have fought three wars since 2008.

Since the most recent conflict in 2014, a fragile ceasefire has been observed along the largely closed border.

Missiles and rockets are periodically fired into Israel, generally by hardline Islamist groups opposed to Hamas.

But Israel holds Hamas responsible for all rocket fire from Gaza, regardless of who carried it out, and usually retaliates within hours.
The offices of the Compensation Claims Committee set up in Doha to aid people affected by the Gulf crisis

For Qataris affected by the diplomatic crisis rocking the Gulf, the reality of politics is stark: families divided, assets frozen and dreams put on hold.

Sara, a 29-year-old Qatari, had been poised to start her senior year in business school in Dubai when on June 5, a bloc of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia abruptly cut ties with her country.

"We were suddenly told that we were no longer permitted to attend classes and had to go back to Doha," she said.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain accused the Gulf emirate of supporting Islamist extremism and being too close to Riyadh's regional arch-rival Iran.

They ordered all Qataris to leave their territories within two weeks, recalled their ambassadors and citizens from the emirate and banned Qatari carriers from their ports and airspace.

Qatar denied the allegations and denounced what it called a "blockade" aimed at bringing the wealthy emirate to its knees.

A Qatari affected by the Gulf crisis files a complaint at the offices of the Compensation Claims Committee in Doha on July 27, 2017

Qatari authorities have committed schools and universities to enrolling repatriated students.

But for Sara and many like her, the crisis was personal.

"When someone prevents you from studying, it destroys your dreams," she said.

"One day, overnight, with no warning -- suddenly you're told 'you have to stay home, no school for you'."

- Families divided -

As the standoff drags into its third month, the uncertainty is causing agony, particularly for families of mixed nationality.

Sara, who did not want her surname revealed because she feared the consequences for her relatives elsewhere in the region, has an Emirati mother and a Qatari father.

That is nothing unusual in a region where cross-border marriages are commonplace.

The diplomatic spat has thrown such families into their own crises.

"Half my family is in Dubai, in the UAE. I also have family in Bahrain," Sara said, choking back tears.

When her grandmother fell ill in Dubai, her mother was reluctant to travel to the UAE for fear she would not be allowed to return to her children in Qatar.

A Qatari woman victim of the Gulf crisis files a complaint at the offices of the Compensation Claims Committee in Doha on July 27, 2017

States in the Saudi-led bloc have demanded that their citizens leave Qatar, but many have hesitated to do so -- especially those with families in the tiny gas-rich emirate.

Some say they fear punishment by their own governments.

One Saudi mother, who has been based in Qatar for years and asked to remain anonymous, said she was terrified.

She and her two adult daughters are caught between fear of their own government and uncertainty about their future in Qatar.

"We feel trapped," she told AFP by phone. "We will have to renew our visas in a year. It's frightening -- we don't know what will happen."

She said she does not want to go back to Saudi Arabia, but fears that if she does not she will be blocked from accessing her late husband's Saudi pension, her only source of income.

Her daughters, who work in Qatar, also want to stay. One has started losing her hair because of stress over the issue.

All three declined to meet AFP journalists in person for fear of the consequences.

Other Qataris, interviewed at a centre in Doha set up to support those affected by the crisis, fear for their assets in other countries.

Nour, who declined to be named in full, owns apartments in Dubai but can no longer access them.

Ahmad and Abdullah own camels worth a fortune, but they are in Saudi Arabia where they are traditionally sent to graze.

Many Qataris are in a state of shock.

Qatari civil servant Ahmad said political issues "should stay between leaders, people should not be involved".

Abdullah al-Marri, another government worker, said he was surprised at the turn of events.

"I didn't think such things could happen between brothers," he said.
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A Syrian man cuts holes in plastic bags used to grow mushrooms in the rebel-held town of Douma on the outskirts of Damascus on August 2, 2017

In a humid room in the besieged Syrian town of Douma, Abu Nabil inspects the pearly white mushrooms sprouting from white sacks hanging from a ceiling.

The oyster mushrooms poking out from holes in the bags are now a substitute for meat in the rebel stronghold, where a government blockade has created food shortages.

Abu Nabil walks between the sacks inspecting the clusters of mushrooms emerging from the plastic and checking the internal temperature to ensure conditions are optimal for the unusual crop.

Mushrooms are not a common crop in Syria, and rarely feature in local cuisine.

But in the Eastern Ghouta region, a key rebel bastion outside the capital Damascus, years of government siege have put traditional staples like meat far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

The Adala Foundation, a local NGO, began thinking about ways to help residents in need of nutritious alternatives.

"We turned to cultivating mushrooms because they're a food that has high nutritional value, similar to meat, and can be grown inside houses and basements," said Abu Nabil, an engineer who is project director.

Eastern Ghouta has been under siege since 2013, leaving locals to rely on food produced locally or smuggled in through tunnels or across checkpoints

"We were looking for a good source of proteins and mineral salts as an alternative to meat, which is very expensive," added Adala's director Muayad Mohieddin.

"We discovered the idea of mushrooms as a solution."

Eastern Ghouta has been under siege since 2013, leaving locals to rely on food produced locally or smuggled in through tunnels or across checkpoints.

While the area was once an important agricultural region for Syria, mushrooms were not a local crop.

"This type of cultivation was totally unknown in Ghouta before the war," said Mohieddin.

"We learned about it by searching on the internet for places in similar (wartime) situations to Eastern Ghouta," he added.

- A delicate growing process -

The NGO discovered mushroom farming required neither large amounts of space, nor major financial investment, making it a good fit for their needs.

A Syrian man prepares straw used to grow mushrooms in the rebel-held town of Douma on August 2, 2017

To cultivate the mushrooms, the project's workers begin by sandwiching thin slices of high-quality mushroom between pieces of carton and placing the samples in sterile plastic containers.

Over the course of 15-25 days, the mushroom slivers begin to process fungus that is then removed and mixed with sterlised barley grains to create "seeds".

Next, straw that has been boiled until sterile and then drained is placed on a table and sprayed with gypsum to prepare it for the "seeds."

Finally, the straw is packed into the sacks, with the mushroom starters sprinkled at intervals on top of the straw as it is layered in.

The bags are transferred to a room known as an incubator where they are suspended from the ceiling for between 25 to 45 days, and each produces between four and five mushroom harvests before being replaced.

The project relies on generators to keep conditions steady at 25 degrees centigrade and 80 percent humidity.

Mushrooms are highly nutritious and can be grown inside houses and basements

But with fuel also in short supply and expensive, the generators are fed with a locally produced fuel that is extracted from plastic.

In the three months since the project began, the NGO has distributed mushrooms across Douma and other parts of Eastern Ghouta free of charge.

"We distribute nearly 1,300 kilograms of mushrooms a week to 600 people," said Abu Nabil.

"The distribution is free for the poorest families, and for those suffering malnutrition or spinal cord injuries that need lots of nutrients," he added.

- 'What's that? A flower?' -

It's a major boon for people like Um Mohammed, a mother-of-four, who can only dream of affording meat at prices of around $10 a kilogram.

A Syrian woman prepares a meal using mushrooms in the rebel-held town of Douma where years of government siege have put traditional staples like meat beyond the reach of ordinary people

"If you're able to get mushrooms, it's a huge blessing," the 50-year-old said.

"It's as though you're eating a dish of fish or chicken or meat," she added, preparing a dish in her sparsely furnished home, wearing a black robe and headscarf.

Abu Adnan al-Sidawi, 30, had never even tasted mushrooms before he received them through the project.

"I received a bowl of mushrooms three or four weeks ago," said Sidawi, who suffered multiple fractures in his leg and back in an air strike in April.

"I didn't know what they were and I'd never eaten them before. I learnt how to cook them from the internet," he said.

"On the first day, I fried them up with some onions, and on the second day I cooked them in a yoghurt sauce," he said, lying on a bed in his house.

Mushrooms are not a common crop in Syria, and rarely feature in local cuisine

"Mushrooms are delicious cooked and we liked them in the yoghurt sauce," he said with a smile.

Like many adults in Douma, the city's children were also unfamiliar with the ingredient.

At one psychosocial centre, the children saw mushrooms for the first time when they were distributed during the fasting month of Ramadan, an employee said.

"I organised a small workshop to teach them about it and how it is cooked," said the employee, who asked to be identified as Rasha.

"When I showed it to them, they said to me: 'Miss, what is that? A flower?'"
Rebels' Amanaki Mafi (R) looks to tackle Lions' Courtnall Skosan during their Super Rugby match, at AAMI Park in Melbourne, in May 2017

Highly rated Japanese international Amanaki Mafi has opted to stay with the Melbourne Rebels for next season, the club said on Wednesday, in an apparent boost for the Super Rugby franchise which is threatened with closure.

The powerful back-row forward, who is in the running as Australia's Super Rugby player of the year, agreed to a one-year extension to remain with the Rebels for a second season.

Either the Melbourne Rebels or the Perth-based Western Force are facing the axe after Australia announced plans to cut one of its teams from Super Rugby, which is shrinking from 18 to 15 sides next year.

Mafi's re-signing follows last week's announcement that the Victorian Rugby Union has assumed control of the Rebels' licence, in a move aimed at securing the club's future.

Mafi, 27, had an outstanding debut season for the Rebels and proved one of the best forwards among the five Australian teams.

"We're thrilled that fan favourite Amanaki has chosen to remain with the Rebels in Melbourne for another year after a standout first Super Rugby season generated plenty of interest," Rebels CEO Baden Stephenson said.

"Amanaki was the most dominant forward in the Australian conference and quickly established himself as a highly respected member of the Rebels squad with his consistent hard running and physical presence in the back row."

Mafi has represented Japan on 16 occasions, including in the three-Test series against Romania and Ireland in June.

"It was an easy decision to re-sign with the Rebels, since I've arrived everyone has made me feel welcome," Mafi said.

"I'm looking forward to next year because there is more I want to achieve with the club and we've got some great young players so I think the Rebels will have a great season."
Washington's imports from Africa outweigh exports by some $4.3 billion

US President Donald Trump barely mentioned Africa or trade with the continent during his whirlwind campaign and has been mostly silent about the region since taking office.

But the annual African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum being held in the Togolese capital Lome this week will bring together top US officials and African ministers.

The gathering will finally shine a light on Trump's policies toward the region of 1.2 billion people.

- What is the African Growth and Opportunity Act? -

It was a trade deal inked between the United States and eligible African countries nations under Bill Clinton's presidency and enacted in 2000.

It gives 39 African nations duty-free access to the US market for about 6,500 products including textiles, cars, fruit and wine.

Those countries permitted to participate in AGOA are obliged to prove that they are making efforts to improve human rights, the rule of law and worker protections.

- Is Trump getting involved in Africa? -

Early signs were not good for the 45th president's interest in trade with the continent.

He spoke regularly on the campaign trail about the need to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and to get a better deal with China -- but Africa did not feature in his top priorities.

But he has now sent his top trade negotiator Robert Lighthizer to Lome for the two-day meeting that concludes on Thursday along with a top level negotiating team.

Trump himself will not attend the talks.

- A good deal for Africans? -

When asked if Trump's "America first" policies would benefit African countries or simply guarantee cheap commodities for the US, State Department spokesman Brian Neubert said that Washington has "very significant interests in Africa".

"There are opportunities for American investors in several sectors. For example in the energy sector -- the opportunities are enormous. Also in agriculture," he told AFP. "But Africa's infrastructure has to modernise, in partnership with the US private sector."

David Gilmour, the US ambassador to hosts Togo, told the tiny West African country that it must "continue to improve conditions for the private sector" to benefit from trade with the US.

- Could the law be changed to favour US companies? -

Trump has often hit out at perceived trade barriers and protectionist policies adopted by other countries.

If there was any change to the agreement or how it operates it is likely that it would be intended to ensure "the elimination of barriers to United States trade and investment" as detailed under the law.

The US has already forcefully warned African countries seeking to ban imports of used clothes not to do so if they want to continue benefiting from AGOA.

The ban was agreed by the six countries of the East African Community -- which includes Kenya and Tanzania -- in 2016 to stimulate local industry rather than relying on the importation of used garments, known locally as "okrika".

"The AGOA criteria is very clear about not putting in place bans or restrictions on US products," said Constance Hamilton, acting US trade representative to Africa, ahead of the Lome meeting.

She warned that the east African move put 40,000 US jobs at risk.

- What will happen in Togo? -

No significant change to the deal is expected at the Togo meeting, but US officials are likely to use the gathering to remind participating African nations not to risk Washington's ire by curtailing the free flow of US goods and services.

Hamilton's recent warning to east African nations not to impede exports of used US clothing follows a bitter battle between South Africa and the Obama administration over American meat exports in 2015.

Trump has also been highly critical of countries that run trade deficits with the US.

While US goods exported to Africa in 2016 were worth $22.3 billion in 2016, Washington imported $4.3 billion more from the continent, according to the US Census Bureau -- a deficit that US officials will be keen to shrink.
The Mekong Delta, long renowned as the "rice bowl of Vietnam", is now also home to a multi-billion-dollar shrimp industry and burgeoning numbers of farmers are building fortunes from the small crustaceans

With a flashy gold watch and a chunky matching ring, Tang Van Cuol looks a far cry from the average Vietnamese farmer as he slings back a shot of rice wine and boasts about his projected earnings.

After years scratching a living growing rice and onions or farming ducks, the 54-year-old says his life was transformed in 2000 -- by shrimp.

The Mekong Delta, long renowned as the "rice bowl of Vietnam", is now also home to a multi-billion-dollar shrimp industry and burgeoning numbers of farmers are building fortunes from the small crustaceans.

Vietnam's shrimp bonanza began in the 1990s when rising sea-levels seeped saltwater into the Mekong Delta

"Raising shrimp can bring so much income, nothing can compare," Cuol says over lunch with friends, a healthy spread of rice, salad, pork and -- of course -- shrimp.

This year he expects to make one billion dong, or around $44,000 -- an enormous sum in the delta, where rice farmers make around $100 a month.

The shrimp bonanza began in the 1990s when rising sea-levels seeped saltwater into the Mekong Delta.

It has surged in parallel with demand from the US and European Union.

Savvy locals were swift to spot the changing conditions were ripe for shrimp farming.

Vietnam's shrimp-fishing industry has surged in parallel with demand from the US and European Union

The wealth has transformed Cuol's part of Soc Trang province: motorbikes have replaced bicycles on newly-paved roads dotted with multi-storey concrete homes unimaginable just a generation ago.

Cuol owns several motorbikes, funded his daughter's wedding and claims an impressive collection of antiques "worth hundreds of millions of dong."

- Crisis is looming -

But environmentalists warn that the bounty from intensive shrimp farming may be short-lived.

Today pollution and disease frequently lay waste to crustacean harvests.

But a wider crisis is looming caused by the obliteration of mangrove forests to make way for farms, exposing the area to lashings from storms and further rises in sea-level linked to climate change.

Environmentalists warn that the bounty from intensive shrimp farming may be short-lived as pollution and disease increasingly lay waste to the crustacean harvests in Vietnam

"This is not sustainable," said Andrew Wyatt, Mekong Delta Program Manager at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The IUCN is encouraging farmers to preserve mangroves and stop using harmful chemicals so their shrimp can be certified as organic, earning a five to 10 percent premium in the process.

Yet shrimp farmers say the financial rewards are too great to ignore.

Just like his father and grandfather, Tang Van Tuoi struggled as a rice farmer.

He slept under a roof fashioned from coconut palms, earning just enough to support his family.

But when saltwater started creeping into his rice fields -- he saw an opportunity and started harvesting shrimp.

"Now everything is developed, we have vehicles, roads, things have changed massively," he told AFP from his polished living room, where a flatscreen TV hangs over a wood furniture set.

Even in a bad year, he can earn more than he did as a rice farmer. In a good year he can rake in upwards of $40,000.

A crisis is looming in Vietnam's Mekong Delta as mangrove forests have been oblierated to make way for shrimp farms, exposing the area to lashings from storms and further rises in sea-level linked to climate change

Flush with cash, he has built three homes for his family.

"We have money, we have enough of everything," said the father of six, as his granddaughter played a video game on a smartphone nearby.

But he admits that such farming is a gamble.

His ponds have been hit by disease and pollution.

Attuned to the long-term risks, the government has resisted opening the whole region to the shrimp industry even as seawater continues to seep further inland.

- Food fears -

Instead, authorities have ploughed millions of dollars into sealing off freshwater zones needed to grow rice -- the nation's staple -- throughout the Mekong Delta.

Vietnam's prime minister called for shrimp exports to reach $10 billion by 2025, a jump from $3 billion last year. In parallel, export earnings from rice have steadily declined since 2011, bringing in $2.2 billion last year

The strategy is in part to ensure the region can grow enough rice to feed the country, a historic pillar of the communist government's centrally planned economy.

But as the country has embraced market reforms, the lure of exporting high-earning shrimp -- mainly to Europe and the United States -- has become increasingly attractive.

This year, the prime minister called for shrimp exports to reach $10 billion by 2025, a jump from $3 billion last year.

In parallel, export earnings from rice have steadily declined since 2011, bringing in $2.2 billion last year.

In some areas, Vietnam's government is now urging farmers to grow rice half the year and harvest shrimp for the other half -- a hard sell to farmers keen to abandon the former as it is less lucrative

"They're trying to thread a needle between making money off of exports and economic development, but also not sacrificing long-term food security," said Tim Gorman, a Cornell University PHD researcher.

As a result, policies both encourage the quick cash generated by shrimp farms and protect the long-term future of the rice crop.

That can seem contradictory or haphazard to farmers.

In some areas, the government is now urging farmers to grow rice half the year and harvest shrimp for the other half -- a hard sell to farmers like Thach Ngoc Cuong who are eager to abandon rice.

He has two plots in Soc Trang province, one contains freshwater for rice, the other is salty for the prized crustaceans.

"I would be very happy if we could raise shrimp on the rice side," he said.
Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, where island residents have been told to "relax and enjoy the paradise"

The Pacific island of Guam remained outwardly calm Wednesday in the face of a threatened North Korean attack, and a senior official in the US territory urged people to "relax and enjoy paradise".

After US President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with "fire and fury" over its nuclear ambitions Tuesday, Pyongyang raised the stakes just hours later -- saying it was considering missile strikes near US strategic military installations on Guam.

In a televised address to the 162,000 residents on the Western Pacific island, Governor Eddie Calvo said Guam was working with Washington "to ensure our safety".

"I want to reassure the people of Guam that currently there is no threat to our island," he said.

George Charfauros, the territory's homeland security adviser, said there was "0.000001 percent chance of the North Korean missile hitting Guam".

His advice to residents to "relax and enjoy the paradise" appeared to hit home. There was no evidence of panic buying in stores Wednesday and gas stations were operating normally.

Shop worker Chelsea Nu told AFP the threat of attack was not even a conversation topic in her store.

"I haven't heard people talk about it. The customer traffic is normal. They're just buying school supplies because the school's just opened."

- American soil -

Guam, which advertises pristine beaches, clear blue skies and "world-famous sunsets" is a popular destination, with tourism a key pillar of its economy.

But it is also home to about 6,000 US troops and houses two US military installations -- the Andersen Air Force Base and the Naval Base Guam.

Pyongyang said it was considering missile strikes near US strategic military installations on Guam

Despite the significant contribution the military makes to the local economy, there is a small but growing opposition to its presence.

Nationalists argue the territory is a potential target of aggression due to the presence of US forces.

But Calvo said it was the military which provided protection. "Those who are against the military will keep that distinction and make that argument. In the same manner, those who support the presence of the military on Guam will argue that this is what keeps us safe," he said.

Guam was described by President Barack Obama's defence secretary Ashton Carter as "an important strategic hub for the US military in the Western Pacific".

Calvo said there were "several levels of defence" strategically placed to protect Guam and he had been assured by the White House that a strike on the territory would be considered an attack on the United States.

"They have said that America will be defended. I also want to remind national media that Guam is American soil and we have 200,000 Americans in Guam and the Marianas. We are not just a military installation.

"With that said, I want to ensure that we are prepared for any eventuality."

Residents of Guam and the Marianas hold US citizenship.

- 'Just in case' -

On the streets of the capital Hagatna, there was a sense of calm.

"It's not like there's anything we can do, anyway. This is a small island. There's nowhere to run to," James Cruz told AFP.

Edith Tajalle was one of the few people to admit to being scared but added: "I know God will protect us."

Shopper Chuck Hambley believed "cooler heads will prevail" but said he was taking precautions just in case.

"I just have to make sure that my emergency kits are ready if Homeland Security says we should get ready. I am monitoring the situation."

Madeleine Bordallo, Guam's delegate to the US Congress, said North Korea's nuclear capabilities were "deeply troubling" but she was confident the island was safe and protected.

Guam, settled about 4,000 years ago by its indigenous Chamorros who now make up less than 40 percent of the population, was ceded by Spain to the United States in 1898.

It was captured and held for two and a half years by Japan during World War II before being retaken by US forces in 1944.

In 1950 Guam was recognised as a territory of the United States, granting its people US citizenship. But as it is not a state, the islanders cannot vote for the president and their congressional representative is a non-voting member.
Thailand's lese majeste law has been broadly-interpreted to crush any criticism of the monarchy, an opaque, ultra-rich institution that wields vast power behind the scenes

A Thai man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Wednesday for uploading audio clips that insulted royal family members, his lawyer said, the latest harsh verdict under a defamation law that shields the monarchy from scrutiny.

Tara, whose last name was withheld to protect his relatives, was convicted on six counts of lese majeste, according to his lawyer Yaowalak Anuphan and iLaw, a group that tracks royal defamation cases.

He was detained in January 2015 for posting audio clips produced by 'DJ Banpodj', an underground podcast host known for fiery criticism of the powerful monarchy.

Later that year police claimed to arrest the DJ and nearly a dozen others allegedly linked to the 'Banpodj Network'.

"Tara would take the links and upload the clips to his own website," said Yingcheep Atchanont from iLaw, adding that most of the content concerned the late king and queen.

A Bangkok military court official confirmed the sentencing.

Lese majeste cases are routinely shrouded in secrecy, while media are forced to self-censor the details to avoid breaching the law.

Prosecutions have surged under Thailand's ultra-royalist junta, with more than 100 people charged since the 2014 coup.

The legislation specifically outlaws defaming the king, queen, heir or regent, with up to 15 years per offence.

But it has been broadly-interpreted to crush any criticism of the monarchy, an opaque, ultra-rich institution that wields vast power behind the scenes in Thailand.

Prosecutions and record sentences have continued under Thailand's new king Maha Vajiralongkorn, who took the throne in late 2016 after the death of his deeply revered father.
Elephants kill roughly 60 people every year in India's forested eastern state of Jharkhand

An elephant that has killed 15 people in eastern India over a months-long rampage could be shot within days if it is not brought under control, an official said Wednesday.

Wildlife rangers and hunters assembled in Jharkhand after another victim was trampled to death Tuesday evening, the state's chief forest and wildlife conservator L.R. Singh told AFP.

The rogue elephant crushed four victims in Bihar state in March before crossing into neighbouring Jharkhand and killing 11 more.

"Villagers are living in fear, especially the Paharia tribe that lives on the upper hillier regions where the elephant roams. Something must be done," Singh said, referring to one of the poorest indigenous tribal communities in eastern India.

"We have a team of experts and hunters here with us. We are brainstorming a solution... one of them is to shoot the animal. But that's the last resort and we will take a call in a day or two."

The marauding elephant likely wandered from its herd and became lost, straying into villages where the killings took place.

Elephants kill roughly 60 people every year in forested Jharkhand, Singh said, just a fraction of the estimated 1,100 who died nationwide from elephant or tiger attacks in the three years to May.

The environment ministry estimates a person dies every day in India in clashes with these endangered, jungle-dwelling animals -- the vast majority crushed by elephants.

Violent encounters between elephants and humans were an "increasing trend", said Singh, as vast swathes of forest are cleared for human settlements or industry.
Israeli soldier Elor Azaria, who was convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead a prone Palestinian assailant, arrives at the Tserifin military base to begin his 18-month prison sentence on August 9, 2017

An Israeli soldier convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead a prone Palestinian assailant in a trial that deeply divided the country arrived alongside motorcycle-riding supporters Wednesday to begin his 18-month prison term.

Elor Azaria, 21, entered the Tserifin military base near the city of Rishon LeZion to begin serving his sentence, his car driven by his father festooned with photographs of him and Israeli flags.

A few dozen supporters waved Israeli flags and chanted Azaria's name as the car pulled up. Journalists surrounded him and his arrival was broadcast live on television.

Along the route from his home in nearby Ramla, several supporters on motorcycles rode alongside his car, including some wearing leather vests with "God Bless Israel" on the back,

A smiling Azaria briefly exited the car outside the base but did not speak. His father spoke briefly, saying: "Thank you to the Israeli people," before driving inside the base's gates.

In a message posted on social media last week, the French-Israeli said that "I am going to prison with my head held high. I love this country with all my heart. I love the army."

Supporters of Israeli soldier Elor Azaria, who was convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead a prone Palestinian assailant, gather outside his home in Ramla on August 9, 2017 as he prepares to leave to begin his 18-month prison sentence

On July 30, a military court rejected Azaria's appeal against his conviction for manslaughter and upheld the prison sentence.

He could have appealed to the country's supreme court, but opted not to after Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman pleaded for him to allow the country to move on.

He has instead requested a reduced sentence from armed forces chief of staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot, asking for community service instead of prison time.

Azaria can also request a pardon from Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, with right-wing leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling for it to be granted.

Opinion polls have suggested more than two-thirds of Jewish Israelis support pardoning him.

- 'Deserved to die' -

The March 2016 shooting in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron was caught on video by a human 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.

Some 11 minutes after the initial shooting, Azaria shot him in the head without any apparent provocation.

He said he feared Sharif was wearing an explosive belt and could blow himself up, a claim judges rejected.

The grandfather of Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, the 21-year-old Palestinian who was fatally shot by Israeli soldier Elor Azaria in March 2016, sits next to a portrait of his grandson in his home in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron on July 30, 2017

"His motive for shooting was that he felt the terrorist deserved to die," Judge Colonel Maya Heller said as he read the verdict in January.

Azaria, a sergeant and military medic at the time of the incident, was sentenced in February.

He later appealed the verdict, while military prosecutors asked for an increased sentence after having initially requested between three and five years.

Both requests were refused by military judges.

In his message last week, Azaria did not express remorse, but said he would not have fired if he had known there was no bomb.

"I assure you that I acted out of a sense of immediate danger at the scene of a terror attack, but the court has said its piece," he said.

"We live in a state of law so I am going to serve the sentence imposed on me, with the hope that it will be reduced. It's important for me to emphasise: I grew up in a moral home. Had I known that the terrorist didnt have a bomb, I would not have shot."

The trial captivated Israel and highlighted deep divisions in public opinion between those who decry the shooting and those who say it was justified.

Military leaders strongly condemned Azaria's actions.

However, right-wing leaders including Netanyahu have called for him to be pardoned in an extraordinary public rift between politicians and the military.

Relatives and friends carry the body of Abdul Fatah al-Sharif, the Palestinian assailant who was shot dead by Israeli soldier Elor Azaria while prone, at his funeral in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron on May 28, 2016

Human rights groups pointed to the case as an example of what they call an unequal system of justice for Israelis and Palestinians.

Amnesty International has said Azaria's sentence does "not reflect the gravity of the offence", and the UN human rights office said it was an "unacceptable" punishment for "an apparent extra-judicial killing".

Azaria completed his mandatory three-year military service on July 20 and was moved from confinement to his base to house arrest.

His imprisonment had been postponed pending his appeal.
Iran's new vice president for women's affairs Masoumeh Ebtekar delivers a speech at the World Climate Change Conference outside Paris on November 30, 2015

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani appointed two female vice presidents on Wednesday but continued to take flak from reformists for nominating no women ministers.

The appointments came a day after the moderate president announced his all-male list of ministers to parliament, seen as a betrayal by reformists who backed his re-election campaign in May.

"It is incredible and shocking that the president has ignored the demands of women in nominating his government," Parvaneh Salahshouri, head of a parliamentary women's group, told lawmakers.

A letter calling for female ministers to be appointed was signed by 157 of the 290 MPs.

There was small comfort in the appointment of two women as vice presidents, who do not require parliamentary approval.

Massoumeh Ebtekar, known internationally for her role as spokesperson during the 1980 US embassy hostage crisis, was named as vice president in charge of women's affairs, having previously run the environment brief in Rouhani's office.

Laya Joneydi was appointed as the vice president for legal affairs, while another woman, Shahindokht Mowlaverdi, was named as a special adviser for citizens' rights.

Rouhani, a moderate cleric who had three female vice presidents during his previous term, has several more deputy positions to fill and it was unclear if any would go to women.

- Unsurprised -

In an interview with AFP, the head of the newly formed Reformist Women's Party, Zahra Shojaei, said she was unsurprised by the lack of female ministers given the continued opposition of many lawmakers and powerful religious figures behind the scenes.

A large independent faction of MPs "are still not in favour of female ministers," said Shojaei.

But she said female vice presidents actually have more power than ministers and have already broken the taboo on putting women in positions of authority.

An Iranian woman queues to vote in the presidential election on May 19, 2017

"We have gone past the symbolic stage. Female ministers are important but it's not our only demand. Even if Rouhani had appointed several women ministers, it would not have solved women's issues," she said.

She highlighted a number of legal issues -- including the need to gain permission from a male relative to leave the country, lower levels of legal compensation and "blood money" for women, and discriminatory inheritance laws -- as areas that needed action.

"Rouhani has worked on policies of empowerment for women over the past four years, and we want that to continue, as well as amending laws in parliament," she said.

The continued fraught issue of gender in Iranian politics was highlighted over the weekend, when EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini led an all-female team for talks with an all-male Iranian contingent led by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

The image from that meeting was "heavy with significance," Mohammad Reza Aref, head of the reformist faction in parliament, wrote on social media.

Rouhani sailed to victory in May over hardliner Ebrahim Raisi with the backing of reformists after vowing to improve civil liberties and rebuild ties with the West.

Some reformists have argued this week that Rouhani is failing to repay their confidence in him.

"We expected at least one woman among Rouhani's nominations," said Aref.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov talks with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi

Indonesia and Russia pledged Wednesday to strengthen cooperation in cyber-security and counter-terrorism as concern grows about the spread of radicalism in Southeast Asia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is on a two-day visit to Indonesia, said the two countries would work together more closely to counter the spread of Islamic State (IS) ideology.

"The threat that the ISIL is has not vanished. Its members have been spreading all over the world, including areas close to the Russian and Indonesian borders," Lavrov said, using another acronym for the group.

Hundreds of radicals from Indonesia have flocked abroad to fight with IS, and the country has seen a surge in plots and attacks linked to the jihadists over the past year.

Indonesian officials have also said dozens of Indonesians have travelled to the southern Philippine city of Marawi to fight with militants loyal to IS.

The militants seized parts of the city over two months ago and have resisted all attempts by the Philippine army to evict them.

"We have agreed that our special services will pay particular attention to increasing coordination in our joint efforts to fight this scourge," Lavrov said.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the two countries had strong ties on political and defence issues, and Indonesia wanted to deepen trade ties.

The ministers also discussed tensions on the Korean peninsula, the South China Sea and conflict in the Middle East, but gave no details.
The main opposition candidate in Kenya's presidential election, Raila Odinga, has cried foul, saying the electronic voting system designed to prevent fraud has itself been hacked

Hackers broke into the database of Kenya's electoral commission and manipulated the results of the election, the leader of the country's opposition coalition alleged on Wednesday.

Vote counting is ongoing in east Africa's strongest democracy after Tuesday's election where voters were asked to either re-elect President Uhuru Kenyatta or replace him with longtime opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Odinga claims hackers used the credential of a murdered employee of the electoral commission (IEBC) to hack into an electronic voting system and activate an algorithm that inflated Kenyatta's votes.

"These results are fake, it is a sham. They cannot be credible," Odinga told reporters at a morning press conference.

"This is an attack on our democracy. The 2017 general election was a fraud."

He later released what he claimed was a log from an IEBC server to support his allegations that the server was configured to increase Kenyatta's totals by 11 percent and cover up the modifications.

The log, and Odinga's allegations, have not been independently verified.

With ballots from 92 percent of polling stations counted, electoral commission (IEBC) results showed Kenyatta leading, with 54.4 percent of the nearly 13 million ballots tallied, against Odinga's 44.7 percent, a difference of 1.3 million votes.

But Odinga believes the vote is actually in his favour, and tweeted that a count of ballots by his National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition showed him in the lead.

He said the hacking affected all the results, both the presidential and the general election.

The hackers were able to access the system using the credentials of Chris Msando, a top IT official at the IEBC found tortured and murdered in late July, Odinga said.

He would not say how he got the information, saying he wanted to protect his source.

The 72-year-old is making his fourth bid for the presidency, and has previously accused his rivals of stealing victory from him through rigging in 2007 and in 2013.

In 2007, the disputed vote resulted in two months of ethnically driven political violence that killed 1,100 people and displaced 600,000, a major blow to a nation seen as a regional bastion of stability.

The contested election in 2013 was taken to the courts and ended largely peacefully, though Odinga lost.

Odinga urged his supporters to "remain calm as we look deep into this matter," but added: "I don't control the people."
Singapore has tough laws for minor offences

A 60-year-old Singaporean could be jailed for up to two years if found guilty of sticking toothpicks into a bus seat in a suspected case of "mischief", police said.

Singapore, whose crime rates are among the world's lowest, has tough laws for minor offences such as vandalism, which can be punished with caning. The import and sale of chewing gum is banned except for medical reasons.

Police launched an investigation after a bus company in the city-state reported last week that one of their vehicles' passenger seats was perforated with toothpicks.

"Through extensive ground enquiries and with the assistance of CCTV footages, officers... established the identity of the suspect," they said in a statement on Tuesday.

A Facebook user posted pictures at the end of last month of three toothpicks sticking out of a bus seat, with the post shared more than 2,500 times.

"This happens to me this morning (Thank God, I did check before I sat down)," the female user wrote.

If found guilty of the offence of mischief, the suspect -- whose identity was not revealed -- could be jailed for up to two years or fined, or both.

Singapore has faced criticism from rights groups about cracking down hard on relatively minor crimes. In 2015 two young German men were sentenced to nine months in prison and three strokes of the cane for spray-painting a metro train.
Pope Francis reacted to the latest wave of killings in Nigeria and Central African Republic

Pope Francis on Wednesday denounced "shameful" attacks on Christians in Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR), calling for an end to "all hate and violence".

"I have been profoundly saddened by the massacre last Sunday in Nigeria, inside a church, where innocent people were killed," the pontiff said at the end of his weekly public audience at the Vatican.

"And sadly this morning we have news of violence in the Central African Republic against Christian communities.

"I hope all forms of hate and violence will cease and such shameful crimes in places of worship, where the faithful are gathered to pray, will not be repeated," he added.

At least 11 worshippers were gunned down at a church in southeast Nigeria on Sunday, with authorities suggesting the bloodshed was due to a local feud.

Attacks on churches are rare in southern Nigeria, where there is a predominantly Christian population.

The country's mainly-Muslim north has been gripped by a violent campaign by Boko Haram jihadists, who specialise in targeting religious centres.

The violent campaign to impose strict Islamic law has killed at least 20,000 people and forced some 2.6 million others to flee their homes, sparking a dire humanitarian crisis in the northeast.

In the Central African Republic, reports of killings, some targeting aid workers have prompted the UN to warn of "early signs of a genocide" in the conflict-wracked nation.

At least 60 people have been killed in recent weeks in fighting between armed groups in Ngaoundaye and Batangafo in the north, Kaga-Bandoro in the centre and Alindao and Gambo to the south, witnesses have told AFP.

The fighting is largely between groups on opposing sides of the brutal conflict between Muslim and Christian militias that broke out in CAR in 2013 after President Francois Bozize was overthrown by a coalition of Muslim-majority rebel groups called the Seleka.
Kenyan police arrive to break up a protest from opposition supporters in Kisumu, western Kenya, on August 9, 2017

Riot police engaged in running battles Wednesday with protesters in the opposition stronghold of Kisumu in western Kenya, as presidential aspirant Raila Odinga claimed massive poll fraud, an AFP reporter witnessed.

Police fired tear gas as several hundred protesters in the neighbourhood of Kondele -- an epicentre of violence after disputed 2007 polls -- set fire to barricades and tyres and placed rocks in the streets.

A police helicopter hovered overhead as riot police wielding shields, assault rifles and batons deployed two water trucks to put out the fires.

"If Raila is not president, we can't have peace," one protester told AFP shortly before tear gas sent the crowd running.

The protesters chanted: "No Raila, no peace", their rallying cry after both 2007 and 2013 elections which the veteran opposition leader claims were stolen from him.

In 2007 post-poll violence raged for two months, leaving 1,100 dead and 600,000 displaced.

Voting in Kenya's general elections passed without incident on Tuesday but as provisional results began ticking up on the election commission website President Uhuru Kenyatta maintained a commanding lead with about 55 percent to Odinga's 44 percent.

Early Wednesday Odinga rejected the "fake" results, declaring "the system has failed".

He later detailed allegations of a massive hacking attack on the electronic tallying system, sending tensions soaring.

"Uhuru is not the elected one, he must have rigged it," said Dickson Otieno, 30 as piles of tyres burned in the street nearby.

However he said protests should be peaceful.

"The problem is between Uhuru and Raila and should not involve the common man," said Otieno.

In the early morning in Kisumu groups of mostly young men gathered on street corners, angrily discussing the results.

Steven Okeda, a 37-year-old primary school teacher, stood with others by a corrugated tin shack next to a fetid gutter in the poor, northern Kondele neighbourhood, a morning newspaper clutched in his hand.

"The voting was just okay, nothing was wrong, but the results that are going on, the transmission, that's where the problem is. What is happening here?" he asked. "Something is cooking."

"What we are saying is, Uhuru Kenyatta has stolen the election and we will not accept that," said Okeda.

Tensions also soared in Odinga's strongholds in Nairobi.

In the Mathare slum protesters placed burning barricades along a main road, while police patrolled and a helicopter flew overhead.
Myanmar authorities have seized 20 million meth pills -- which are combined with caffeine to create 'yaba' tablets (pictured) -- in what is believed to be the biggest haul of the year

Myanmar authorities have seized 20 million meth tablets, 600,000 ecstasy pills and blocks of heroin in the heart of the drug-producing 'Golden Triangle', in what is believed to be the biggest haul of the year.

Authorities raided four homes on Tuesday in Tachileik, a border town in Myanmar's Shan State next to Thailand and a regular sluice for drugs southwards to the big Southeast Asian market.

Each methamphetamine pill goes for between $2-5 in Myanmar.

But its value surges as it is transported from the warlord-run drug labs pumping out Southeast Asia's favourite high across the border into Thailand and beyond.

"Myanmar's police force is investigating the case and will take action against the four people arrested," Tachileik authorities said in the statement released Wednesday.

The seizure included 20 million meth tablets, some 200 kilograms of "ice" (crystal meth), 9.1 kilograms of heroin, 610,000 ecstasy pills and five bags of caffeine -- which is laced into the meth pills known as "yaba", meaning crazy medicine.

Police and soldiers also seized moulds used to brand the stimulants, including some with the '999' and 'WY' logos of drug labs belonging to the heavily-armed Wa ethnic group.

The North and South Wa share a self-governing state.

Analysts say they fund their large standing armies with drug money.

The Wa dominate opium and meth production in the Golden Triangle, a rugged region where Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet.

Authorities in the three countries are struggling to dismantle the sprawling drug networks that funnel narcotics through the region, making hundreds of millions of dollars a year but devastating communities.

The drugs were likely bound for Thailand, which lies just across the border and is a major market.

Low-level mules are often arrested, or gunned down in clashes with Thai officers along the jungle-covered border.

Thai and Laos authorities have arrested several alleged 'kingpins' in recent months linked to the trade, rare moves against those higher up the food chain in the drug trade.

But analysts say the overall drug battle is hampered by endemic official corruption as well as the ability of syndicates to bounce back from raids by ramping-up production.
A member of an Armenian Christian family who fled Raqa holds a rosary in Jazra, a suburb of the northern Syrian city, on August 8, 2017

Sawsan Karapetyan and her family lived in fear for years as some of the only Christians in the Islamic State group's Syrian stronghold Raqa. On Tuesday she fled, clutching her rosary.

Under the cover of darkness, the 45-year-old Syrian Armenian and six other family members left IS-held territory in the northern city on foot.

They were rescued by Christian fighters participating in the battle to oust IS from Raqa and taken to the safety of the western suburb of Jazra in the back of a truck.

"I didn't want to leave, but there was so much bombardment around us that we fled," said Karapetyan, 45, still clad in the black robes mandated by IS.

Like many of the thousands who have fled IS control, they escaped with virtually nothing.

An Armemian Christian family who fled Raqa sit with their pet parrots "Lover" and "Beloved" in Jazra, a western suburb of the city, on August 8, 2017

But Karapetyan could not bear to leave behind her rosary, or her pet parrots, "Lover" and "Beloved".

"It would have been a shame to leave these birds in Raqa. I left everything except them," she said.

As she spoke, she sipped a cup of tea handed to her by fighters from the Syriac Military Council (SMC), a Christian unit battling alongside the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces to oust IS from Raqa.

The anti-IS fighters have captured more than half of the city from IS since first penetrating it two months ago.

The offensive has ravaged the city, leaving civilians caught in the crossfire of mortar rounds, sniper fire, and US-led coalition air strikes.

Fighting against jihadists has ravaged Raqa, leaving civilians caught in the crossfire of mortar rounds, sniper fire and US-led coalition air strikes

"When Raqa was bombed, we'd gather together to pray to the Lord so things would be calm," Karapetyan said, fiddling with her greenish-grey rosary.

Along with three female and three male relatives, she fled Raqa at 3:00 am on Tuesday using an escape route the SMC opened two days ago.

"We lived through the hardest moments these last three days because of the fierce bombing. I was terrified for my husband and my family."

- Celebrating holidays in secret -

Thousands of Armenians and Syriac Christians once lived in Raqa, making up around one percent of the city's population, which is predominantly Sunni Arab.

Armenians in Syria are the descendants of those who fled mass killings in Anatolia at the peak of World War I, massacres the Armenians see as a genocide, though Turkey rejects the term.

When IS seized Raqa in 2014, most of the city's Christians, as well as its Kurdish population, fled.

Under IS rule, Christians face the choice of converting to Islam, paying a sectarian tax called jizya, or fleeing under threat of death.

A member of an Armenian Christian family who fled Raqa smiles inside a car in Jazra, a western suburb of the northern Syrian city, on August 8, 2017

The group has regularly destroyed religious symbols and houses of worship, and Karapetyan's relative Alexey told AFP she had haunting memories of IS's oppression of Christians.

"When IS entered they burned the churches, all the prayer books, the angels, the statue of the Virgin Mary and of Jesus the Messiah," she recalled.

The city's famed Armenian Catholic Church of the Martyrs and the Greek Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation were both ravaged by jihadists.

"We used to celebrate our holidays in secret, spending them at home in fear," Alexey, 50, said, still dressed in the headscarf and robes required by IS.

"We would light a bit of incense just to feel that it was a religious holiday."

Alexey presses the palm of her hand against her worn face, exhausted by the terrifying journey to Jazra and missing the home she left behind.

"We all left Raqa and all of our things stayed behind. It's a painful feeling. We tried to stay but we couldn't take it anymore."

From Jazra, she and her relatives planned to head west to Aleppo to be reunited with Armenian family members they lost touch with about a month ago.

- 'We will pray again' -

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced from Raqa by the escalating fighting.

Armenian Christians who fled Raqa sit in a house in Jazra, a suburb of the northern Syrian city, on August 8, 2017

Matay, a 22-year-old Christian fighter, told AFP that his forces had secured a route in recent days to help civilians flee.

"We got a Christian family out yesterday... This is our goal in the campaign to liberate Raqa."

Kardij Kirdian, 50, fled on Tuesday after his brother escaped the day before.

"I can't describe the feeling when we saw the Christian fighters welcoming us," he said.

He told AFP he had chosen to stay in his native Raqa even if it meant paying exorbitant taxes.

"The first year, they took 55,000 Syrian pounds (more than $100) per person as jizya. The next year it was 66,000, and this last year it was 166,000 pounds each (more than $300)," Kirdian said.

To afford the levy, he would rent out and farm fertile land around the city.

Armenian Christians who fled Raqa stand near Christian fighters from the Syriac Military Council in Jazra, a western suburb of the city, on August 8, 2017

The 50-year-old was wearing a loose charcoal grey robe and had thick, jet-black eyebrows and an unruly salt-and-pepper beard.

"Daesh blew up all of the churches, which devastated us. I haven't prayed inside a church since 2013," Kirdian lamented, using the Arabic acronym for IS.

But he remained hopeful.

"If we rebuild them, we will pray again in Raqa."
Last September hundreds of maids marched through Hong Kong in protest after several helpers fell to their deaths as they tried to clean tower block windows

Cambodia is recruiting hundreds of maids to work in Hong Kong, an official said Wednesday, as the wealthy city scrambles to meet growing demand for domestic helpers and fend off concerns about exploitation.

Hong Kong is home to more than 300,000 foreign maids, mostly from the Philippines and Indonesia.

But a series of high-profile abuse cases have seized global headlines in recent years and threatened to stem the tide of migrant helpers.

Hong Kong has now turned to Cambodia, one of Asia's poorest countries, to ward off a potential maid shortage exacerbated by its rapidly ageing population.

Under the pilot project, six agencies are authorised to recruit the first batch of Cambodian domestic workers for arrival in Hong Kong later this year.

"This is a new opportunity for our people," said Cambodian labour minister Ith Samheng, adding the minimum monthly wage for maids in Hong Kong was $550.

He said roughly 1,000 domestic helpers would receive training in English and Cantonese and other skills before their departure, which is slated for September.

The official urged recruiters to select "only employers who would provide good working conditions, appropriate accommodation, and respect the rights of workers".

A report last year by the Justice Centre found that one in six foreign maids in Hong Kong are subject to "forced labour".

Rights groups say unscrupulous employment agencies plunge helpers into debt and withhold their passports, while local restrictions such as requiring them to live with their employers make it difficult to escape abuse.

Last September hundreds of maids marched through Hong Kong after several helpers fell to their deaths as they tried to clean tower block windows.

Myanmar began sending domestic workers to the city in 2014. But most returned home within months and the government later banned its women from working in Hong Kong over abuse concerns.
IS has given a sectarian twist to the Afghan conflict, with a number of deadly attacks on Shiites in the past year

Taliban and Islamic State fighters unleashed a killing spree targeting civilians after capturing a remote village in northern Afghanistan, traumatised families said Wednesday after being released by the insurgents.

The militants killed about 50 villagers, including women and children in Mirzawalang -- a mainly Shiite village in Sayad district of northern Sar-e Pul province -- on Saturday after overrunning a government-backed militia, said officials.

The insurgents also took a number of residents captive, but released 235 hostages late Tuesday after elders and provincial officials struck a deal with the group.

Survivors fleeing the violence described nightmarish scenes, detailing how the militants went from house to house, shooting villagers.

"When the fighting began, the villagers tried to flee, but they were stopped by IS fighters. They took a group of men, women and children behind a hill and shot them," said Ali Dad Zafari, a Mirzawalang resident.

"Since my mother was too old to walk, she was left behind, I don't even know what has happened to her," he added.

Villager Yasin Abuzar said IS and Taliban fighters cut off the main roads to the area before launching a killing spree.

"I could only rescue my kids. When they entered our village they opened fire at everyone indiscriminately, they didn't even spare women and children," he said, adding that hundreds were still missing.

"I buried 10 bodies in one grave. We don't want the government to give us coffins, we want them to provide us security," he said.

Local officials called for more aid as hundreds of displaced arrived in the provincial capital.

"The families who have come to Sar-e Pul city need shelters and food. They are living in the mosques, schools, with their relatives and some even on the streets," Zabiullah Amani, a provincial spokesman, told AFP.

"If aid agencies don't help we will face a humanitarian crisis," he added.

The villagers said most of those killed were Shiites and Hazaras who were either shot or beheaded.

IS has given a sectarian twist to the Afghan conflict, with a number of deadly attacks on Shiites in the past year.

Last week two suicide bombers killed more than 33 worshippers at a mosque in Afghanistan's western city of Herat, in an attack claimed by group.

A resurgent Taliban, whose ranks are mostly made up of Sunni Muslim ethnic Pashtuns, is at the peak of its summer fighting season.

The Taliban confirmed capturing Mirzawalang but said it did so alone. It has also denied allegations it had killed civilians.

Army spokesman Nasratullah Jamshidi said Afghan forces launched an operation Wednesday to retake the district.

"We will avenge the blood of our innocent people," Mohammad Zahir Wahdat, the provincial governor, told reporters.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte inspects a police honour guard

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday announced "dead-or-alive" bounties worth $40,000 each for policemen he accused of helping an accused narco-politician, and said he prefered they be killed.

The call for police officers to kill their colleagues is the latest inflammatory comment by Duterte in his controversial drug war, which has claimed thousands of lives, and comes shortly after a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Duterte made the offer during a speech at national police headquarters, offering two million pesos ($40,000) for an unspecified number of officers who allegedly helped a mayor killed in an anti-drug operation on July 30.

"Each of those policemen carry on their heads now, I am announcing, two million per head and you are free to go on leave (to pursue them)," Duterte told the officers in the audience.

"I'll cut short my speech so that you will have a chance for a crack at the two million for those idiots."

Duterte added the bounty would be paid if the policemen were found "dead or alive -- better dead".

He said the unidentified policemen had worked with Reynaldo Parojinog, the mayor of the southern city of Ozamiz, who was killed in the pre-dawn raid along with his wife, his brother and 13 other people.

Police said they were forced to kill the 16 people in self-defence, but Parojinog's lawyer has insisted the mayor and others had not resisted arrest.

Duterte had accused Parojinog of being a major drug trafficker.

As he has done in similar cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, Duterte on Wednesday also vowed to give legal protection to the policemen who killed Parojinog and the other 15.

If they were found guilty of murder, he would pardon them, he vowed.

Duterte easily won presidential elections last year after promising an unprecedented war on drugs in which tens of thousands of people would be killed.

Since he took office in the middle of last year, police have confirmed killing more than 3,400 people in anti-drug operations.

More than 2,000 other people have been killed in drug-related crimes and thousands more murdered in unexplained circumstances, according to police data.

Rights groups say many of those victims have been killed by government-backed vigilantes, and Duterte has boasted that he would be "happy to slaughter" three million drug addicts.

Former US president Barack Obama was among the many international critics of Duterte's tactics.

But criticism from the United States, the Philippines' former colonial ruler and mutual defence partner, has been toned down under the administration of Donald Trump.

Tillerson met Duterte in Manila on Monday on the sidelines of a regional security forum. Duterte said American officials did not raise any concerns with him.
A group of young scientists have called on South Korea's President Moon Jae-In to scrap the appointment of a controversial figure accused of covering up a notorious stem cell research fraud

Hundreds of South Korean scientists expressed outrage Wednesday after a controversial figure accused of covering up a notorious stem cell research fraud was appointed as the country's top technology official.

Park Ki-Young was appointed to head a newly-created science centre, putting her in charge of allocating government subsidies and budgets for research projects.

But a decade ago Park was a key figure in a scandal involving the fabrication of research by prominent stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-Suk.

"Her name is far from innovation. The name is rather a nightmare to science and technology workers," a group of 240 young scientists said in a statement.

It called on President Moon Jae-In to scrap the appointment, announced earlier this week, accusing Park of remaining "unrepentant" despite being "at the centre" of the scandal surrounding Hwang.

The scientist was lauded as the "pride of Korea" after claiming to have derived stem cell lines from cloned human embryos -- a world first -- in two articles published in the journal Science in 2004 and 2005.

But his research was later found to be fraudulent and riddled with ethical lapses.

Park played a key role in supporting Hwang and his research projects with generous government subsidies when she served as a presidential aide for science and technology from 2004 to 2006.

She was also one of 15 co-authors of one of Hwang's Science papers.

She resigned after being accused of covering up crucial flaws in Hwang's stem cell study and sweeping under the carpet ethical lapses involved in Hwang's projects that used many human eggs.

Even so she went on to become a biology professor at Sunchon National University.

A labour union of government researchers issued a separate statement calling Park's new nomination a "death knell" for South Korean science and technology.

The Biology Research Information Centre, a renowned online community of researchers which revealed Hwang's frauds, also joined the criticism, together with multiple activist groups and the country's three opposition parties, which asserted she was parachuted into the post because of her connections with Moon.
Rebel groups have for decades been fighting the around 500,000 Indian soldiers deployed in the territory, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan

Three rebels and one civilian were killed in violence in Indian Kashmir on Wednesday, police said, two days after soldiers killed five fighters along the de-facto border with Pakistan.

Inspector general of police Muneer Ahmed Khan said soldiers and police cordoned off a residential area after receiving information there were armed militants there.

"During the patrol three militants were found right outside a house and they were killed in a short and good operation," Khan told AFP.

"All the three were locals," he said.

The deaths sparked clashes between government forces and residents of the area, near the town of Tral, where locals threw stones and shouted slogans against Indian rule.

A police officer later confirmed that a teenager struck by pellets fired by security forces died in hospital from his injuries.

Tral was the home town of Burhan Wani, a hugely popular rebel leader whose death last year at the hands of security forces sparked months of deadly protests in Kashmir.

The latest incident came two days after Indian soldiers killed five unknown combatants as they tried to cross the Line of Control (LoC) that divides the disputed territory with Pakistan.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in full.

Rebel groups have for decades been fighting the around 500,000 Indian soldiers deployed in the territory, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.
Photo taken by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on December 16, 2015 shows Canadian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim in court

A Canadian pastor serving a life sentence with hard labour in North Korea was released Wednesday on medical parole as a humanitarian gesture, the official KCNA news agency said.

Hyeon Soo Lim, 61, was freed on "sick bail", the agency announced after a Canadian government delegation arrived in Pyongyang to discuss the case.

A court ordered Lim's release "from the humanitarian viewpoint", it said in a brief two-paragraph report.

Lim was arrested in 2015 for allegedly meddling in North Korean state affairs.

The South Korean-born pastor had been accused of subversive acts against Pyongyang, an allegation which Canadian authorities strongly denied.

A Canadian delegation including national security adviser Daniel Jean visited Pyongyang this week to discuss the case.

"Pastor Lim's health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada as we continue to engage on this case," said Cameron Ahmad, a spokesman for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in Ottawa before the release.

Lim's family told local media they had become increasingly worried about his welfare since the death of American student Otto Warmbier in June, just days after he had been released from a North Korean prison.

Three US citizens remain in custody as relations with Washington worsen sharply. The North said earlier Wednesday it was considering a missile strike near US bases in Guam.

That comment came hours after US President Donald Trump threatened Pyongyang with "fire and fury" over its missile programme.

At the time of Lim's arrest, other members of the close-knit circle of ethnic Korean missionaries in Canada and the United States called him one of the most influential Christian missionaries operating in North Korea.

He had visited the country dozens of times, working with orphanages and nursing homes.

But some projects he worked on, including a noodle plant and flour mills, were linked to associates of Jang Song-Thaek, the purged uncle of leader Kim Jong-Un.

Jang was arrested and executed for treason in December 2013.

Lim told CNN last year that he spent his days in prison digging holes. "I wasn't originally a labourer so the labour was hard at first," he said, his head shaven.

Pyongyang views foreign missionaries with deep suspicion, though it allows some to undertake humanitarian work.

A number of Christian missionaries -- mostly ethnic Koreans who are US citizens -- have been arrested in the past, with some of them only allowed to return home after intervention by high-profile US political figures.
China, Pyongyang's traditional ally and biggest trading partner, has long called for the United States and North Korea to exercise restraint in the impasse and seek a negotiated solution that would de-nuclearise its secretive neighbour

China responded to US President Donald Trump's apocalyptic "fire and fury" threat against North Korea by pointedly warning on Wednesday against any rhetoric that could inflame tensions over Pyongyang's weapons programmes.

Calling the situation on the Korean Peninsula "complicated and sensitive", China's foreign ministry issued a statement warning that parties involved in the impasse should avoid "words and actions that escalate the situation".

The ministry had been asked to respond to Trump's comment on Tuesday that North Korea would "be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it did not refrain from further bellicose threats against the United States.

Trump's warning came as Pyongyang said it was considering a missile strike near the US territory of Guam and after US media reported North Korea may have successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead, considered a key step in becoming a full nuclear power.

Trump's words marked a sharp intensification of Washington's rhetoric over the North's nuclear and missile programmes, which saw a seventh set of United Nations sanctions imposed on it at the weekend, and appeared to echo Pyongyang's own trademark threats.

Trump's tone was markedly different to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's assurances last week that Washington was not seeking regime change in Pyongyang.

North Korea raised the stakes just hours after Trump's warning, saying it was considering missile strikes near US strategic military installations on the Pacific island of Guam.

Once finalised, the plan could be put into action at "any moment" once leader Kim Jong-Un made a decision, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted a military statement as saying.

China, Pyongyang's traditional ally and biggest trading partner, has long called for the United States and North Korea to exercise restraint in the impasse and seek a negotiated solution that would de-nuclearise its secretive neighbour.
Pakistani supporters of deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif gather around a container prepared for the rally led by Sharif in Islamabad

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the Supreme Court's decision to depose him last month was a "joke" and an insult to voters as he addressed a rally in Rawalpindi late Wednesday.

The speech marks the first time Sharif has publicly commented on the court's ruling and comes as the former prime minister leads a defiant procession from Islamabad to his party's stronghold in the eastern city of Lahore.

"I was not allowed to complete my third term," he said from a bomb-proof vehicle specially designed for the journey.

"No prime minister in Pakistan has ever been allowed to complete his term. This joke has been repeated for 70 years and Pakistan can no longer bear it, it's an insult to the voters," he said.

Sharif asked thousands of supporters to stand up for the "rule of law" and the mandate they had given him.

The procession took 12 hours to travel just 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the capital to Rawalpindi. Sharif said he would stay the night there before continuing towards Lahore, where he hopes to bring tens of thousands into the streets in a show of force.

Thousands of police earlier sealed off main streets in Islamabad and surrounding areas as fears lingered over security after a truck bomb exploded in Lahore Monday, killing one person and injuring dozens.

Supporters clogged the streets in the capital, waving flags and chanting political slogans.

"The Supreme Court's judgement to disqualify him is disputed, so people have not accepted it," Sharif supporter Arshad Iftikhar, a retired government official, told AFP.

- Corruption allegations -

Others lining the route voiced frustration with the political elite.

"Around 50 percent of the people here are those who have just come to watch the scene," said bystander Nazakat Ali.

"These politicians are not doing any good for the people."

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 last month 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.

The controversy erupted last year with the publication of 11.5 million secret documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca documenting the offshore dealings of many of the world's rich and powerful.

Three of Sharif's four children -- including his daughter Maryam Nawaz, his presumptive political heir -- were implicated in the papers.

Fresh questions have arisen over how Sharif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party (PML-N) plans to replace the ousted premier.

The PML-N initially named his younger brother Shahbaz as his eventual successor and Shahbaz was set to contest an upcoming by-election to enter parliament.

But media reports this week said the party appeared to backtrack on the plans, saying the PML-N would likely keep newly elected Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in place until next year's general elections.
The coalition of Arab states forced the closure of Sanaa airport to all but very limited UN flights in August last year saying it was necessary to prevent arms smuggling

Aid groups and rebels who control the Yemeni capital appealed on Wednesday to a Saudi-led coalition backing the government to allow the reopening of its airport now closed for a year.

The coalition of Arab states forced the closure of Sanaa airport to all but very limited UN flights in August last year saying it was necessary to prevent arms smuggling.

But aid groups have warned that the closure is hampering the delivery of desperately needed supplies which now have to go through the Red Sea port of Hodeida.

"The sick can no longer travel abroad for treatment and medicines can no longer be brought in," the rebels' transport minister Zeid al-Chami told reporters.

He appealed to the international community to put pressure on the Arab coalition to relent.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said the coalition's blockade of the airport was causing more deaths than its air strikes on the rebels.

"10,000 Yemenis have now died from health conditions for which they were seeking medical treatment abroad," the aid agency said, citing figures from the rebels' health ministry.

"The number exceeds the alarming death toll of close to 9,000 people killed in violent attacks."

NRC country director Mutasim Hamdan said it was vital that the airport reopen.

"It is critical that all channels of domestic and international air movement are reopened so Yemenis can get help, and help can get to Yemenis," he said.
Mugabe already has numerous public facilities named after him, including roads, streets and the government's school of intelligence

Cash-strapped Zimbabwe announced Wednesday that it plans to build a $1 billion university to honour Robert Mugabe, the 93-year-old president accused of brutal repression and bringing the country to economic ruin.

The university joins other facilities named after Mugabe including the government's school of intelligence, a main street in the capital Harare and the highway to his rural home.

"Cabinet has approved the establishment of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe University," Jonathan Moyo, minister of tertiary education, told a news conference.

"There can be no better recognition of President Mugabe's commitment to education and his exemplary leadership."

Moyo said the post-graduate university, to be located in Mazowe, 35 km (20 miles) outside Harare, would cost $1 billion, but he declined to say how the country would afford to pay the sum.

Construction would cost $800 million, with $200 million for an "endowment fund for research and innovation," Moyo said, adding the university would specialise in science, technology and engineering.

Mugabe, in power since Zimbabwe's independence from Britain in 1980, will contest elections due next year despite his advanced age and concerns over his frail health.

The country's economic output has halved since 2000, many basic services have collapsed, and government salaries use up more than 90 percent of all public revenue.

Mugabe has seven earned degrees and 11 honorary degrees, according to state media.
Islamic regulations in Iran require women to wear headscarves and ban revealing clothing in public

Four boys and two girls have been arrested in Iran for teaching "Western" dance moves including Zumba, a Colombian fitness routine, a local Revolutionary Guards commander said.

"The members of a network teaching and filming Western dances have been identified and arrested," said Hamid Damghani, commander of the Guards in the town of Sharhoud in Iran's northeastern Semnan province, according to Jamejam Online website late on Tuesday.

"The team attracted boys and girls, taught them Western dances and published their video clips on social media apps like Telegram and Instagram," he added.

"They were arrested by the Guards' intelligence forces while teaching and creating video clips... as they sought to change lifestyles and promote a lack of hijab," he said.

They were charged with dancing and failing to wear proper hijab -- Islamic regulations that require women to wear headscarves and ban revealing clothing in public.

Dancing is banned in Iran for women in front of men outside their immediate families, but in recent years Zumba and other dances have been banned even in women-only gyms, even if the rules are widely flouted.

"The promotion and teaching of dancing in the name of sport in women's gyms is a serious issue," Damghani said.

In 2014, seven young Iranians were arrested for dancing to Pharrell Williams's hit "Happy" in a home-made video that went viral on the internet.

They were given suspended jail and lashing sentences.
Many communities in Nepal view menstruating women as impure and in some remote areas they are forced to sleep in a hut away from home during their periods, a custom known as chhaupadi

Nepal's parliament Wednesday criminalised an ancient Hindu practice that banishes women from the home during menstruation.

Many communities in Nepal view menstruating women as impure and in some remote areas they are forced to sleep in a hut away from home during their periods, a custom known as chhaupadi.

The new law stipulates a three-month jail sentence or a 3,000 rupee fine ($30), or both, for anyone forcing a woman to follow the custom.

"A woman during her menstruation or post-natal state should not kept in chhaupadi or treated with any kind of similar discrimination or untouchable and inhuman behaviour," reads the law, passed in an unanimous vote.

It will only come into effect in a year's time.

Chhaupadi is linked to Hinduism and considers women untouchable when they menstruate, as well as after childbirth.

They are banished from the home -- barred from touching food, religious icons, cattle and men -- and forced to sleep in basic huts known as chhau goth.

Last month a teenage girl died after being bitten by a snake while sleeping in a chhau goth.

Two other women died in late 2016 in separate incidents while also following the ritual -- one of smoke inhalation after she lit a fire for warmth, while the other death was unexplained.

Rights activists say many other deaths likely go unreported.

The Supreme Court banned chhaupadi more than a decade ago but it is still followed in parts of Nepal, particularly in remote western districts.

Lawmaker Krishna Bhakta Pokhrel, who was part of the committee that pushed through the bill, said he hoped the new law would finally see an end to the custom.

"Chhaupadi didn't end, because there was no law to punish people even after the Supreme Court outlawed the practice," Pokhrel said.

Women's rights activist Pema Lhaki described the law as unenforceable because it is related to a deeply entrenched belief system that is harder to change.

"It's a fallacy that it's men who make the woman do this. Yes, Nepal's patriarchal society plays a part but it's the women who make themselves follow chhaupadi," she told AFP.

"They need to understand the root cause, have strategic interventions and then wait a generation," she added.
Pia Wurtzbach, the Philippines' former Miss Universe and UNAIDS goodwill ambassador for Asia, takes an HIV test in Manila to raise awareness of the issue

The Philippines' former Miss Universe conducted a public HIV test in Manila on Wednesday a week after the United Nations said her country had the fastest-growing number of infections in Asia.

Pia Wurtzbach, UNAIDS goodwill ambassador for Asia and the Pacific, took the test in front of reporters as part of her efforts to raise awareness of HIV and remove the stigma surrounding the virus in the conservative nation.

The United Nations and the government said last week the Philippines saw a 140 percent increase in new cases from 2010 to 2016, bucking a regional trend that saw infections decline by 13 percent over the same period.

"It is very tricky in the Philippines because we're a predominantly Catholic country and we are conservative. That's why it can be quite a challenge to spread awareness on this issue," Wurtzbach said.

"This is a problem that's really happening right now and if we don't do anything about it, we're gonna be number one in the world."

The nation of 100 million people, of whom 80 percent are Catholic, is heavily influenced by the church which frowns on contraceptive use. Testing for HIV is also considered taboo.

Wurtzbach has been campaigning for HIV awareness since winning the 2015 beauty pageant. She secured the crown following a major blunder in which host Steve Harvey initially gave it to Miss Colombia in error.

On Wednesday Wurtzbach launched an HIV information campaign for young people as she expressed support for proposed laws which would allow 15-year-olds to get an HIV test without parental consent. The minimum age is now 18.

The health department had said most reported HIV cases were among men having sex with men. This group on average started having sex at 16 before they had begun using condoms or taken tests, increasing the risk of infection.

"We hope to see an increase in the rates of regular HIV testing among Filipinos to normalise the procedure as a regular medical exam," Wurtzbach said.
Members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) move among destroyed buildings in Raqa on July 28, 2017

US-backed fighters battling to capture Syria's Raqa are being slowed by fierce resistance from the Islamic State group which has heavily mined the city, a militia spokeswoman has told AFP.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-Arab alliance backed by an international coalition battling IS, entered Raqa city two months ago.

SDF fighters have now captured more than half of the one-time jihadist bastion, Jihan Sheikh Ahmed, spokeswoman for the Wrath of the Euphrates operation to capture the city, told AFP on Tuesday.

But the force's progress has been hindered by IS which is fighting hard to hang on to the de facto Syrian capital of its self-proclaimed "caliphate."

"Our forces are continuing to advance inside Raqa, but slowly," Sheikh Ahmed said.

She said SDF forces had seized nine districts in the city's west and east, while IS was putting up a fierce defence of the seven remaining neighbourhoods.

"After being besieged from four sides, Daesh has no option but to surrender or die," she said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"That is what has made its reaction fiercer."

She said the jihadists had laid explosives "in every centimetre" of the city, slowing the SDF's progress.

"Our goal is not simply to liberate territory geographically, but to liberate the civilians in the city," she said.

The fight for Raqa has prompted tens of thousands of civilians to flee, with many wounded by crossfire or IS-planted explosive devices during their escape.

Syrians who fled the Islamic State group's stronghold of Raqa arrive in the village of Hawi al-Hawa, west of the city, on August 8, 2017

The United Nations has estimated between 20,000 and 50,000 people remain in the city, though others have given lower estimates.

Sheikh Ahmed said SDF forces were also facing IS snipers and weaponised drones, tactics the jihadist group has employed to defend its territories.

She said the jihadists had even staged commando-style attacks within territory recently captured by the SDF.

"Sometimes they infiltrate from behind (the front lines) through tunnels," she said.

But she said the campaign was progressing "with steady steps, no matter how slow".

The SDF is backed by the US-led coalition battling IS in Iraq and Syria, which has supplied weapons, air cover and a limited number of troops.

Sheikh Ahmed praised that support, which she said was growing as the SDF pushed deeper inside Raqa.

The US envoy to the coalition, Brett McGurk, said last week that SDF fighters hold 45 percent of Raqa, and estimated about 2,000 IS jihadists remained in the city.
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has said that India and China must resolve their tense border standoff through talks, as the festering row showed no signs of easing.

'That (dialogue) is the only way,' the Nobel peace laureate said in the Indian capital.

'One side's retreat and defeat is an old-time thinking. In modern times, every country is dependent on each other,' he was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said India and China must resolve their tense border standoff through talks

'Destruction of neighbour is destruction of yourself.... India and China have to live side by side.'

Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a standoff at a remote but strategically important Himalayan plateau near where Tibet, India and Bhutan meet.

The plateau gives China access to the so-called 'chicken neck' -- a thin strip of land connecting India's northeastern states with the rest of the country.

It has been decades since China last fought a war and the country insists it has no hostile intent, and simply needs to defend itself. However it's increasingly assertive stance in the South China Sea has rattled its neighbours

The row has festered for more than a month as Delhi and Beijing refuse to back down in the distant but key territory.

The 82-year-old Buddhist leader has lived in exile in India since he fled a failed Tibetan uprising nearly 60 years ago.

His presence in the country has long been an irritant in Delhi's already prickly ties with Beijing.
An estimated 200,000 protesters brought India's financial capital Mumbai to a halt as they demanded set quotas for government jobs and colleges amid unemployment and reduced farm incomes.

Many businesses in the southern part of Mumbai were closed and traffic was diverted as the protesters, largely from rural areas of western Maharashtra state, descended on the bustling capital in a sea of saffron flags and banners.

A spokesperson from Mumbai police told AFP an estimated 200,000 people participated in the march, which brought rail and roads to a standstill as protesters from the Maratha community pressed their demands.

An estimated 200,000 protesters arrived in Mumbai to demand better terms

Indian members of the Maratha community in the state of Maharashtra take part in a rally in Mumbai on August 9, 2017

'We want reservations for the Maratha community in government jobs, educational institutes, and better farm loan waivers,' Bhaiya Patil, one of the organisers told AFP.

In June, the government in Maharashtra agreed to write off loans to farmers estimated to be worth nearly $5 billion after 11 days of protests that strangled supplies to Mumbai.

Maharashtra is one of several largely agricultural Indian states that have suffered disappointing rains and crop failures in recent years.

India reserves places for lower castes to try to bring victims of the country's worst discrimination into the mainstream

'We want reservations for the Maratha community in government jobs, educational institutes, and better farm loan waivers,' Bhaiya Patil, one of the organisers told AFP

More than 1,417 farmers killed themselves in Maharashtra in 2016, according to official figures.

Demands for quotas for highly sought-after government jobs and university places have escalated as unemployment has risen and conditions in rural areas worsened.

India reserves places for lower castes to try to bring victims of the country's worst discrimination into the mainstream, but the policy causes resentment among other communities, who say it freezes them out.

Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis responded Wednesday with a promise for 'regular interaction' with the Maratha community through a committee.

India has nearly 260 million farmers and farm labourers and over half the population lives in rural areas, but agriculture accounts for just 17 percent of its gross domestic product.

Farmers around the country have been pressing for more government assistance, often through protests.
The first childhood home of Donald Trump in New York prior to auction

Those looking to savor US presidential history first-hand are being invited to rent Donald Trump's childhood home at $725 a night on AirBnb, complete with a giant presidential cut-out in the living room.

The $2 million, mock Tudor-style family home in Queens, where the New York tycoon turned Republican commander-in-chief lived for the first four years of his life, sleeps up to 20 people in five bedrooms.

Equipped with internet and cable TV, the listing says it is verified and calls itself "the perfect accommodation for a New York vacation."

"We decided to put it on AirBnb to share the house with the world," said Michael Davis, the real-estate developer who bought the home last year, sold it for profit and now leases it back at $4,000 a month.

"There's been a lot of activity," Davis said, with the first guests expected to stay this weekend.

The listing shows several dates blocked off in August but currently there are no reviews.

It claims little has changed since the Trumps' time, boasting an original kitchen and "opulent furnishings."

"We tried to have presidential furniture," explained Davis. "It's decorated very, very nicely and it has all of the amenities that you would need."

Built by father Fred in 1940 in the upmarket enclave of Jamaica Estates, the president lived in the home until the family moved into a colonnaded mansion that Trump senior built nearby in 1951.

The two-story home embellished with red brick sold at auction in January for 54 percent more than the $1.39 million the investor paid for last year. The $2.14 million deal closed in March.

Listing pictures show photographs of the president and quotations sprinkled around the property. Trump's best-selling business tome "The Art of the Deal" is in the house library -- the only book in the house.

It remains unclear what the president would make of the venture.

"I think he likes a good deal," said Davis. "His brand creates value and we were certainly the beneficiaries of that."

Asked about the house when he appeared on NBC's "The Tonight Show" during the election campaign, Trump said it was "sad" the building was on sale and said he wanted to buy it.

This AirBnb listing authors say they have no relationship with the White House, Trump or his Manhattan-based Trump Organization.
South Sudanese refugees at a UN camp in Sudan

More than 20 million people are at risk from famine in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and the northeast of Nigeria, the United Nations warned on Wednesday.

The Security Council officially declared for the first time that the threat was directly linked to the armed conflicts raging in the afflicted areas.

"The Security Council notes the devastating impact on civilians of ongoing armed conflict and violence," the 15-member UN body said.

The declaration added that the council "also emphasizes with deep concern that ongoing conflicts and violence have devastating humanitarian consequences and hinder an effective humanitarian response in the short, medium and long term and are therefore a major cause of famine in the situations above."

It called on all parties involved in the various conflicts to "respect and protect medical facilities and personnel and their means of transport and equipment."

The declaration, based on a Swedish initiative and subject to tough negotiations, was the first time the UN has formally established a link between famine and conflict in the region.

"The Security Council underlines the obligations of all parties to armed conflict to respect and protect civilians," it said.

It went on to issue a call for "all parties in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and northeast Nigeria to urgently take steps that would enable a more effective humanitarian response."

The council also called on UN members to make good on their pledge of aid to help tackle the burgeoning threat of famine.

According to the UN's humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, only $2.5 billion have so far been paid up by donors to tackle the crisis, out of a total of $4.9 billion urgently needed.
US President Donald Trump threatens North Korea with "fire and fury" in an escalating war of words over its nuclear and missile programs

Not long ago, US President Donald Trump said he would be "honored" to meet with Kim Jong-Un -- the North Korean leader the US president also has variously dubbed "a madman" and "a smart cookie."

Now Trump has warned Pyongyang it faces "fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it continues to threaten the United States with nuclear weapons.

Here are some key quotes from the mercurial Trump's escalating war of words with North Korea.

- 'It won't happen!' -

Just before assuming office, Trump on January 2 dismissed a North Korean statement declaring it was close to developing a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the US, vowing "it won't happen!"

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- 'Big, big problem' -

"Obviously, North Korea is a big, big problem," Trump said on February 13, after a fresh ballistic missile test from Pyongyang. "And we will deal with that very strongly."

- 'A madman with nuclear weapons' -

"We can't let a madman with nuclear weapons let on the loose like that," Trump told Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte during an April 29 phone call. "We have a lot of firepower, more than he has, times 20 -- but we don't want to use it."

But in an interview that aired April 30 he called Kim "a pretty smart cookie" -- expressing admiration that the North Korean strongman "was able to assume power" at a young age.

- 'Honored' to meet Kim -

"If it would be appropriate for me to meet with him, I would absolutely, I would be honored to do it," Trump said of Kim on May 1. He also made similar statements on the campaign trail, but it's an idea he hasn't repeated in recent months.

- Hot and cold on China -

China, Pyongyang's sole major ally, would "properly deal with North Korea," Trump said on April 13, after accusing Beijing for months of failing to put pressure on the North.

"China is trying hard!" the US president emphasized in a May 29 tweet.

But he has recently changed his tune: "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 tweeted on July 29.

"We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!"

- 'Patience is over' -

In the meantime, Trump's general attitude towards North Korea has grown increasingly severe: "The era of strategic patience with the North Korean regime has failed, many years it has failed. Frankly, that patience is over," Trump said after holding talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-In at the White House on June 30.

On July 6 in Warsaw, he called "all nations to confront this global threat and publicly demonstrate to North Korea that there are consequences for their very, very bad behavior."

"I have pretty severe things that we're thinking about," Trump said, but added: "That doesn't mean that we'll do them."

- The 'fire' and the 'fury' -

"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States," Trump said Tuesday, days after the UN Security Council unanimously passed ramped-up sanctions over Pyongyang's weapons program.

His warning included an apocalyptic threat: "They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

North Korea raised the stakes just hours later, saying it was considering missile strikes near US strategic military installations on the Pacific US territory of Guam.

On Wednesday the US president responded by boasting of America's nuclear arsenal, saying it was "far stronger and more powerful than ever before."
A Yemeni child suspected of being infected with cholera is checked by a doctor at a makeshift hospital operated by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in the northern district of Abs in war-battered Yemen's Hajjah province, on July 16, 2017

Yemen's spiralling health crisis has forced organisations treating war-wounded to shift their focus to diseases "nobody should die of", the International Committee of the Red Cross said Wednesday.

In an interview with AFP in Beirut, the head of the ICRC's Yemen delegation, Alexandre Faite, said the country's two-year conflict was turning easily treatable conditions into fatal illnesses.

"The ICRC for centuries now has been into war surgery -- people who have been shot, shelling on a house, people amputated. That was our main area of expertise," Faite said.

"Yemen is bringing a new dimension."

The humanitarian organisation has had to mobilise quickly to distribute life-saving insulin to diabetic Yemenis and provide haemodialysis units across the war-ravaged country, already the Arab world's poorest even before its conflict erupted.

"For the ICRC, this is something quite new: to be dealing with chronic diseases that nobody should die of," Faite said.

"The people who are directly killed by hostilities are maybe not as high as in other countries. But they are dying of indirect causes."

Yemen's health system has been gutted by the war pitting Saudi-supported government forces against Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels since March 2015.

Millions are at risk of famine after aid groups pulled resources from the fight against malnutrition to concentrate on battling a cholera epidemic.

That outbreak has already claimed 1,900 lives since April, with more than 400,000 suspected cases across the Arabian Peninsula country.

But cholera may only be the beginning, Faite warned.

"The main concern -- and it is a very big one -- is the fact that the cholera, as big as it has been, is for us more a symptom of something," he said.

"The question is what's next? OK, we had this huge cholera crisis. But what would come after? Is it going to be another disease?"

He described a healthcare system left "in shambles" by the ongoing war, with Yemeni medical staff working without salaries to care for their compatriots.

"In actual terms, you have people in cholera treatment centres who are working to save people without themselves being paid," he said.

- 'No access means ill treatment' -

Yemeni children infected with cholera receive treatment at Sabaeen Hospital in Sanaa, on June 13, 2017

Faite urged parties to the conflict to reach a speedy political solution so that hospitals and other medical infrastructure could be restored as quickly as possible.

"If it continues down this road for another year or two -- it's already been two -- then the time to reconstruct everything is going to be very, very long and the people are going to suffer tremendously," he warned.

The World Health Organization estimates the war has killed nearly 8,400 people and wounded more than 47,000.

Both sides are accused of rights violations, including ill-treatment of detainees.

Faite said the ICRC was pushing for increased access to "thousands of detainees" held by warring sides.

"We are in a vicious circle situation, whereby one party says, 'You cannot have access to my detainees unless you visit our guys held by the other party,'" he said.

"No access, whether we like it or not, means ill treatment can happen much more often -- torture, disappearances can happen."
The ICRC organisation gave a toll of three dead among its local staff, and said "dozens" of other people had also been killed

Six Red Cross workers were killed last week amid violent clashes in southern Central African Republic, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Wednesday in an updated toll.

The bloodshed occurred last Thursday at a health centre in Gambo, 70 kilometres (45 miles) from the town of Bangassou, where nine peacekeepers have been killed since early May, it said in a statement.

The organisation on Tuesday gave a toll of three dead among its local staff, and said "dozens" of other people had also been killed.

Concurring sources said the fighting was between so-called self-defence militias and members of a group called the Union for Peace in Central Africa (UPC), part of a Muslim-majority rebel organisation called the Seleka.

The Seleka overthrew former president Francois Bozize in 2013. The rebels themselves were swiftly ousted, leading to a wave of violent reprisals against the Muslim population by the Christian anti-Balaka militia.

On Monday, Stephen O'Brien, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said there were "early warning signs of a genocide" in Central African Republic.

On Tuesday, the agency said 24 people, including 14 civilians, died in northwestern Batangafo from July 29 to August 2.

Ten people were killed in a southern village near Alindao on August 4, according to OCHA, while fighting in Ngaoundaye, near the borders with Cameroon and Chad, killed at least 10 and forced around 7,000 people to flee the area, several sources told AFP.

UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix last week said he was considering sending a request for more troops for the 12,500-member force MINUSCA.

The government of President Faustin-Archange Touadera, who was elected last year, remains in control of Bangui but its authority is weak outside the capital.

The UN has received only 24 percent of the $497 million (400 million euros) it has requested in humanitarian aid for the country.
US President Donald Trump's recent announcement he is reinstating a ban on transgender people serving in the US military sparked protests and now a lawsuit by five transgender women in the US military

Five transgender women in the US military are suing President Donald Trump and the Pentagon over Trump's recent announcement he would reinstate a ban on transgender people serving in uniform.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court Wednesday, the five plaintiffs from the Air Force, Coast Guard and the Army said they faced uncertainty about their futures, including whether they would be fired or lose post-military and retirement benefits.

In a series of three tweets last month, Trump upended an Obama-era policy of more than a year that allowed transgender troops to serve openly.

His announcement came with little or no coordination with the Pentagon and landed while Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was on vacation, leaving the astonished department scrambling to come up with a coherent response.

The lawsuit was filed against Trump, Mattis and various other senior military officials by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLAAD, a legal advocacy group.

All the unidentified "Jane Doe" plaintiffs were previously men who have transitioned to being female.

"Trump's directive to exclude transgender people from military service has created a tidal wave of harms that have already been felt throughout our armed services," NCLR legal director Shannon Minter said.

"Transgender service members have been blindsided by this shift and are scrambling to deal with what it means for their futures and their families."

The lawsuit asserts that reinstating the transgender ban is unconstitutional.

The number of transgender troops among America's 1.3 million active duty service members is small, with estimates ranging from between 1,320 and 15,000.

On June 30, 2016, then defense secretary Ash Carter said the military could no longer discharge or deny re-enlistment to troops based solely on their gender identity.

That means transgender troops who were encouraged to come out under one administration now face getting booted under another -- a potential legal quagmire for the Pentagon.

In the two weeks since Trump's tweets, the White House has still not provided the Pentagon with clear directives on how it should implement a transgender ban, so the current policy remains in place for now.

A Pentagon spokesman said he could not comment on pending litigation.
Eritrean priest Mussie Zerai poses in front of Saint Peter's basilica on October 4, 2015 in Vatican

An Eritrean priest once in the running for the Nobel Peace Prize for helping migrants is now under investigation in Italy on suspicion of abetting illegal immigration.

"I received a letter from the Trapani public prosecutor's office on Monday informing me of the investigation," Mussie Zerai told AFP in Rome, insisting that he was innocent.

After fleeing Eritrea as a youngster and arriving in Italy alone aged 16, Zerai entered the seminary aged 45 and became a reference point for migrants in distress for a period of almost 15 years.

For a long time, his was the only telephone number many had to call for emergency assistance.

Don Mose would sometimes receive dozens of calls for help per day, mostly from migrants in distress calling from a satellite phone from their rickety vessels at sea.

He would transmit the coordinates of the stricken boats to the Italian coast guard but also sometimes to the privately-run rescue ships known to be in the vicinity.

That is likely the reason his name ended up in a probe Trapani prosecutors have opened into illegal immigration which focuses largely on the roles played in migrant rescues by the privately-funded NGOs.

The investigation lead to the seizure last week of a boat run by German NGO Jugend Rettet, which is accused of having had direct contact with traffickers off the coast of Libya.

"It's totally contradictory to attack the humanitarian organisations to fight illegal immigration. It's like protesting against diseases by taking it out on the doctors," Zerai said.

"Instead we should tackle the causes of the disease (illegal immigration), which make these people desperate enough to risk their lives at sea," he added.

He referred in particular to the plight of hundreds of thousands of people trapped in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Uganda, with barely enough food and water to survive and little hope of a better future.

"There is a famine going on in the Horn of Africa, the dictatorship, the war ... there will always be refugees, you cannot just tell them 'don't come, keep your suffering away from us'.

"Africans also have the right to live and have a future," he said.
A long line of asylum seekers wait to illegally cross the Canada/US border near Champlain, New York on August 6, 2017

The Canadian military began setting up tents near the US border on Wednesday to house a surge of Haitian refugees from the United States.

The modular tents being erected in the town of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, 60 kilometers (38 miles) south of Montreal, are equipped with lighting and heating equipment and will accommodate up to 500 asylum seekers, the army said in a statement.

The move comes as Haiti's Foreign Minister Antonio Rodrigue, along with the minister for Haitians living abroad Stephanie Auguste, met with Quebec Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil to discuss the flow and needs of Haitian asylum seekers arriving in Canada on foot.

Many of the Haitians were living in the United States for several years but now face expulsion after US President Donald Trump said that he would not extend temporary asylum granted to 60,000 Haitians affected by a devastating 2010 earthquake. The special status is due to expire at the end of the year.

"Assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces was requested to support the civilian authorities of the government of Canada to temporarily accommodate asylum seekers at the border," the Canadian military said.

"On August 9, nearly 100 soldiers from Joint Task Force (East) will set up tents in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle," it said.

Since late July, more than 2,500 Haitians have fled the United States seeking asylum in Canada, crossing the border into the Francophone province of Quebec. The flow continues at a steady pace, according to Canadian officials.

Montreal's capacious Olympic Stadium is being used to house recent arrivals, and a mothballed hospital is being reopened to accommodate even more asylum seekers.
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US investigators are continuing to probe a scheme that diverted funds from a United Auto Workers training program to union officials and executives of Fiat Chrysler, after a former company employee pleaded guilty in connection with the case

A former Fiat Chrysler employee has pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and tax violations as part of a case that involves skimming money meant for training autoworkers into the pockets of labor union and company officials.

In the case that has implicated former US executives at the company and at the United Autoworkers Union, Jerome Durden, who worked as a financial analyst for the automaker's American subsidiary, reached a plea agreement with US prosecutors announced late Tuesday night.

And investigators revealed in court documents that they are still probing a number of other people in the alleged scheme to take money from a training program for union workers, including at least one other UAW employee.

Durden admitted that he and his co-conspirators used the UAW-Chrysler National Training Center as a conduit to conceal over $1 million "in prohibited payments and things of value" paid to UAW Vice President General Holiefield, who died in 2015, and other UAW officials, the court documents said.

And a US Labor Department official said in a statement that Durden had conspired to divert more than $4.5 million from a union training fund and failed to report taxable income.

"We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat crimes that deprive American workers of training opportunities," Labor Department investigator James Vanderberg said in a statement.

A Detroit grand jury in July indicted former FCA US executive Alphons Iacobelli, who was in charge of negotiating and administering collective bargaining agreements, and Holiefield's widow Monica Morgan.

Prosecutors alleged Iacobelli hid illegal payments and gifts over a five-year period ending in 2014, including designer clothing, jewelry and furniture, and paid off a $262,219 mortgage on Holiefield and Morgan's residence.

"Mr. Darden's criminal conduct was part of a broader pattern of dishonesty and collusion among those implicated in this investigation," the FBI's David Gelios said in a statement.

The ongoing federal probe comes at a time when the UAW has struggled to unionize new auto factories in southern US states.

Workers at a Nissan plant in Mississippi last week rejected a bid to join the UAW. The union criticized the auto maker for engaging in scare tactics, which included telling workers the union was just after their dues money.

And in 2014, workers at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee also voted against joining the UAW.

The union said it has 55,000 members in southern factories, accounting for 13 percent of its active membership.

Meanwhile, Fiat Chrysler is facing challenges of its own. European and US regulators allege some of its diesel cars also had "defeat devices" to cheat on emissions tests, similar to those Volkswagen admitted using.
A member of Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) walks in the rubble near the destroyed ancient leaning minaret, known as the "Hadba" (Hunchback), in Mosul's old city on July 30, 2017

Canada will send up to 20 police officers to Iraq to help local authorities establish a police presence in Mosul, which was recently liberated from the Islamic State group, the government announced Wednesday.

The officers are scheduled to arrive in the coming weeks, joining three Canadian police officers already on the ground.

They are expected to stay until March 2019.

"Progress has been made in Iraq with the liberation of Mosul, and Canada remains fully committed to supporting the Iraqi government and its people," Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said in a statement.

"Canada's policing contribution will be targeted at building key capacities of Iraqi security institutions and enhancing local policing skill sets, including in areas such as community policing," he said.

Most of the police infrastructure in the city, which took eight months of gruelling fighting to retake, was destroyed.

Nearly one million residents fled, but have started to return.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at a gathering of Likud activists in Tel Aviv on August 9, 2017

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday slammed what he called a "left-wing and media campaign" aimed at overthrowing him as he faces ongoing investigations.

"The media has mobilised in an obsessive campaign against my family and me, but you the voters are the ones really targeted," he said to applause at a rally of his right-wing Likud party in Tel Aviv.

Organisers said more than 3,000 people gathered in support of the premier.

The rally came after officials last week said Netanyahu's former chief of staff, who has been investigated in graft cases involving the premier, had agreed to turn state witness.

According to reports, Ari Harow has already been supplying investigators with information regarding two of the ongoing investigations.

One is based on suspicions that Netanyahu unlawfully received gifts from wealthy supporters, including Australian billionaire James Packer and Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan.

Also being probed are allegation that he sought a secret deal with the publisher of top-selling daily Yediot Aharonot.

The deal, not believed to have been finalised, would reportedly have seen Netanyahu receive positive coverage in return for helping scale down the operations of Israel Hayom, Yediot's main competitor.

Netanyahu has been questioned on both cases.

The investigations have stirred speculation that Netanyahu may be forced to step down.

The premier has rejected allegations of misconduct in all the affairs, saying repeatedly that he is the target of a campaign by political opponents.

"The people are with us," Netanyahu said at Wednesday's rally, accompanied by his wife Sara, who has also been grilled on suspicion that she diverted public money for private housekeeping expenses.
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder expressed optimism that Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn Technology Group will open a facility in Michigan, but he said the specifics remain uncertain and it could be a few months before any potential deal takes shape.

In a phone interview Monday night from Shanghai, where he was concluding a nine-day trade trip in China, Snyder said there is a "strong possibility" for Foxconn to still locate in the state after the company in recent weeks picked neighboring Wisconsin for a $10 billion display panel plant with 3,000 employees that could grow to 13,000.

Snyder told The Associated Press that Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou invited him for dinner, meetings and a tour of the company's sprawling factory in Shenzhen near Hong Kong that employs some 200,000 workers. They discussed the autonomous vehicle industry and advanced manufacturing, Snyder said.

The company, he said, is highly advanced in tooling, machinery and robotics similarly to Michigan but does not yet have much of a U.S. presence in those sectors.

"We had very healthy, very good discussions about Michigan's strengths and how it could be very good for Foxconn to be present in Michigan in some fashion. What it is has yet to be determined," he said.

Chinese media outlets, quoting Gou, reported over the weekend that Foxconn plans to open a research and development center related to self-driving vehicles in Michigan, where General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler are based. The company has not confirmed the plans, instead repeating that Michigan is one of the states under consideration for some sort of investment.

Snyder declined to confirm Foxconn is eyeing an autonomous vehicle facility but said "that would be one of the natural things that they could well be looking at." Foxconn said last month that its Wisconsin announcement was just the first of several unspecified investments the company will be making in the U.S.

"It's going really well," Snyder said of the courtship. "But we're still getting to know each other, we're still working through that. They can make their own business decisions. But we're going to continue to present them good opportunities of what we can do in Michigan."

Little known to consumers, the maker of iPhones and other gadgets is a giant in the electronics industry thanks to its dominant position in the global manufacturing supply chain. Working conditions at Foxconn's factories in China have come under scrutiny in the past due to labor practices and suicides.

Michigan was one of seven states that competed for the Foxconn plant that went to Wisconsin, several of which were important in Donald Trump's presidential victory. Trump made the Foxconn announcement in a White House ceremony attended by Gou. Other states that vied for the plant were Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Illinois.

Critics have cautioned that Foxconn has made promises before to invest in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world 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 that was never built.

Foxconn also has struggled to meet high safety and other standards expected of consumer electronics brands while keeping costs low. Its Chinese plants making Apple products have drawn attention for worker suicides, accidents and labor disturbances. Labor advocates say the company imposes excessive overtime and pressure on workers, especially when it ramps up production ahead of new iPhone launches. Gou has raised wages and pledged to prevent more deaths.

Snyder and Michigan lawmakers last month enacted job-creation tax incentives, including one tailored to companies such as Foxconn that add at least 3,000 jobs that pay the average regional wage. But Wisconsin offered what Snyder called a "gigantic" $3 billion incentive package to land the factory that will construct liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors used in televisions and computers.

Snyder said Foxconn has other projects on its radar that "would be better suited for Michigan." He said it is too early to say how many jobs could come with a Foxconn facility in Michigan. He is hopeful that talks continue in the next few months and "things start solidifying."

The trip was the Snyder administration's seventh mission to China. Snyder said one theme throughout the trip was China's increased interest in autonomous mobility, and he wants Michigan to capitalize on potential business opportunities in the emerging sector.

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Follow David Eggert on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 . His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/David%20Eggert .
AMSTERDAM (AP) - In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines.

Known in Dutch as De Poezenboot, the houseboat in Amsterdam's picturesque canal belt has become a major tourist attraction, drawing cat lovers from all over the world.

The shelter has been operating since 1968, when Henriette van Weelde acquired an old Dutch sailing barge and converted it into a feline-friendly accommodation. Today the boat is run by around 20 volunteers and a few part-time workers and draws about 100 visitors a day.

In this Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017 photo, Koeienkat, a 10-year-old cat peeks through the a door at the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

"What I love the most is meeting all kind of people from all over the world," said Judith Gobets, who manages the boat.

Cat lover Judy Myton, 79, of Palm Springs, California, was in town for a week with family and said visiting The Catboat was one of the top items on her to-do list.

Monica and Tom Buijtendorp lives in nearby Zaandam and find themselves at The Catboat every time they're in Amsterdam. Their cat was hit by a car and died a year ago.

"For several years we have been visiting The Catboat when we are in town, and this time we felt it's the right time to adopt a cat," Monica Buijtendorp said.

Visitors can make a donation to "adopt" a cat; the cat keeps living on the boat and the adopter gets regular updates. In some cases, visitors also take cats home with them.

"We are, however, very picky about adoptions, as we want to find the right match for the cat and the new owner," Gobets said.

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Muhammed Muheisen is The Associated Press' chief photographer for the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan and a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner.

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Follow Muhammed Muheisen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Muheisen81 and on Instagram as https://www.instagram.com/mmuheisen

In this Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017 photo, people walk by the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines.(AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017 photo, Kasumi, a 9-year-old-cat looks out the window of the boat at the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017 photo, cats gather for food on the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017 photo, Borre, an 8-year-old cat cleans himself at the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017 photo, Kasumi, a 9-year-old cat sits in a spot of light at the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In this Saturday, July 22, 2017 photo, Samus, a ten-year-old cat rests on a shelf at the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017 photo, Borre, an 8-year-old cat sits in a basket next to the canal on the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017 photo, a group of cats sits in baskets on the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017 photo, Judith Gobets, the shelter's manager, prepares food for the cats on the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In this Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017 photo, a volunteer plays with a cat laying on the ground on the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017 photo, Koeienkat, a 10-year-old cat sits by the sink on the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping street, lays The Catboat. The only animal sanctuary that floats, sheltering on board around 50 cats, a refuge for the stray and the abandoned ones. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017 photo, cats sit on the Catboat shelter in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the heart of the Dutch capital, on a canal near one of the busiest shopping streets, a floating animal sanctuary called The Catboat provides refuge for about 50 stray and abandoned felines. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
"The Good Daughter" (William Morrow), by Karin Slaughter

Each Quinn sister, in her own way, tries to be the good daughter but neither of these complicated, often prickly, women has come to terms with the horrific crime that changed their lives in Karin Slaughter's excellent stand-alone novel, "The Good Daughter."

Samantha was 15 and Charlotte was 13 when two men forced their way into their rural Pikeville, Georgia, home looking for their father, Rusty, a disliked defense attorney who townspeople believed "served at the right hand of Satan" because his clientele includes "alleged" murderers, rapists and drug dealers.

This cover image released by William Morrow shows "The Good Daughter," a novel by Karin Slaughter. (William Morrow via AP)

Rusty was still at the courthouse, so brothers Zach and Daniel Culpepper take their hatred out on his family - killing his wife, Gamma, shooting Samantha in the head and leaving her for dead, and terrorizing Charlotte, who managed to escape.

Rather than uniting the sisters, the trauma coupled with anger and secrets of that day has estranged them for 28 years. Neither sister knows anything about the other's life. Rusty calls Samantha, now a patent attorney in Manhattan, every Sunday, but she never speaks to him, only listens. Charlotte has her own practice in Rusty's building, but she's determined to be a different lawyer than her father. For his part, Rusty cherishes his family more than they could ever know, but has always seemed more attuned to his clients' needs.

During a chance visit to the local middle school, Charlotte is caught in a school shooting in which teenager Kelly Wilson kills the principal and an 8-year-old girl. The violence that invaded Charlotte's young life has influenced her daily actions and the school shooting reinforces those memories. Despite being an eyewitness, Charlotte can't reconcile the teen shooter she saw dressed in goth style with the shy, fragile and mentally slow Kelly she meets later. The shooting and Rusty's frail health reunites Charlotte and Samantha.

Slaughter doesn't make it easy to like any member of the Quinn family, but the author is sharply attuned with each of her characters who are unfailingly interesting and believable. Slaughter's research into how a person recovers from a shooting is skillfully woven into the plot. For the Quinn sisters, discovering how the violence occurring in their teens shaped their personalities is paramount.

Slaughter's assured writing, her solid plotting with outstanding twists and intense characterizations make "The Good Daughter" a standout in a career highlighted by several superb novels.
BANGKOK (AP) - A prominent journalist in Thailand was charged Tuesday with sedition and violation of the country's computer law for online postings concerning politics.

A lawyer for the legal aid group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said Pravit Rojanaphruk acknowledged the charges at the police department's Technology Crime Suppression Division. Pravit is very active on social media and outspoken in his criticism of Thailand's military rulers, who took power after a coup in 2014 that overthrew an elected civilian government.

Thailand's ruling junta has tried to clamp down on dissent, targeting social media in particular. It has also imposed measures such as banning political assemblies and the temporarily detaining of its critics for "attitude adjustment" sessions at military bases.

The lawyer, Poomsuk Poomsukcharoen, said two counts of sedition against Pravit were for Facebook postings from February last year. Police said Pravit would be called back on Aug. 18 to hear more details of the charges.

Pravit is a senior staff writer at Khaosod English, a website of a Thai newspaper. Police announced last week that they would bring sedition charges against him and two politicians, one a former energy minister. Sedition is punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment.

A report issued Tuesday by the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights says at least 69 people in 23 cases have been persecuted under the current military government, formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order - NCPO - noting that the law was rarely used before.

"After the 2014 coup, this law became one of the primary tools used by state officials to suppress the political expression of the people. The meaning of sedition was expanded to include peaceful public expression of criticism of the NCPO, political campaigns, opposition to unjust laws, and protesting and opposing the state on other matters," said the lawyers group.

"Nearly all of the accusations are related to peaceful political expression or expression of opinion. Some cases involve the ridicule of those who hold power. None of the cases include instigation to cause violence," the report notes.

Other political prosecutions tallied by the group include at least 242 people in 37 cases prosecuted for political assembly, and 138 people in 93 cases for lese majeste, defaming, insulting or threatening the king, queen, heir-apparent or regent.

Rights groups such as the Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ, have urged Thai authorities to drop criminal proceedings against Pravit.

"Thai authorities should stop threatening Pravit Rojanaphruk for his writing," CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Steven Butler said from Washington, D.C. "The threat to charge a critical journalist with sedition charges for his Facebook posts shows just how badly press freedom has deteriorated in Thailand under military rule."

Pravit often comments on Thai politics on social media. He left a previous job at one of Thailand's daily English newspapers after his writing put the newspaper under pressure by authorities, he said. He has been detained by the junta on two separate occasions for "attitude adjustment" sessions.
BRUSSELS (AP) - European Union competition regulators are approving the landmark takeover of Spain's troubled Banco Popular by Banco Santander.

The European Commission, which oversees competition issues, said Tuesday that investigators concluded "the transaction would not raise competition concerns" in Europe's economic area.

It said their combined market share would be limited, and that strong competitors remain in all markets affected by the move.

Banco Santander said on June 7 that it would pay 1 euro to take over its rival in a deal that showcases Europe's new system to rescue failing banks without burdening taxpayers or markets.

The takeover was conducted in an auction sanctioned by European authorities after Europe's main banking regulator, the European Central Bank, said it believed Popular was "failing or likely to fail."
GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) - A man who police say tried to strangle a woman in a Kentucky cemetery has been arrested.

WKYT-TV reports that 19-year-old Brice Gross is charged with attempted murder and kidnapping in connection with a Saturday evening attack in the Georgetown Cemetery. Georgetown police say he sneaked up behind and began to strangle the victim, who fought him off.

The arrest citation says Gross told police he was going to strangle the woman to the point of unconsciousness, put her in a car, put a rock on the gas pedal and send it into a body of water.

Gross told the TV station he has several hundred personalities and went into one while visiting his uncle's grave. It's unclear if he has a lawyer.

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Information from: WKYT-TV, http://www.wkyt.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The Latest on a citizens review of the shooting of a black man by a North Carolina police officer (all times local):

5:25 p.m.

A citizens review board has recessed for the day after hearing testimony related to a police department's decision that the fatal shooting of black man was justified.

The board heard about eight hours of testimony behind closed doors Tuesday about the shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott in September 2016. More closed-door testimony is scheduled for Wednesday beginning at 9 a.m.

Board members left the session without commenting.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said the shooting by Officer Brentley Vinson was justified and Mecklenburg County District Attorney Andrew Murray said no charges would be filed. But the review board announced in June that it found a potential error in the department's decision. It didn't say publicly what that error might have been.

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9:45 a.m.

A citizens review board looking into the 2016 shooting of a black man by a North Carolina police officer has begun its second hearing

The board is revisiting a decision by the Charlotte- Mecklenburg Police Department which ruled the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott by an officer last September was justified. In late June, the board said it found a potential error in the department's decision, leading to Tuesday's hearing.

Moments before the meeting was called to order, two people holding signs walked into the meeting room. A woman held a sign that said "Police Accountability Now." She stood next to a man whose sign read "Justice for Keith Lamont Scott."

Also attending the hearing were attorneys for the Scott estate as well as members of the police force and their attorney.

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5 a.m.

A review board is set to take a second look at how a North Carolina police department handled the shooting of a black man by an officer last year.

The Citizens Review Board announced in June that it found a potential error in a decision by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department that the fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott was justified. A board attorney said the panel would seek additional information at the hearing scheduled for Tuesday.

Scott's death last September led to two days of unrest that resulted in one death, dozens of arrests and millions of dollars in damage.

In announcing no charges would be filed against Officer Brentley Vinson, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Andrew Murray said Scott had a handgun and Vinson feared Scott would shoot.
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HAGATNA, Guam (AP) - Dozens of clergy sex abuse lawsuits are scheduled to go through mediation later this year, but the attorney representing the plaintiffs said he is prepared to abandon mediation and take the cases to trial.

David Lujan made the statement Monday as four abuse lawsuits were filed against Archbishop Anthony Apuron, who does not want to participate in mediation with his accusers, but instead wants the federal court to move forward and rule on his motions to dismiss the cases.

A stay has been granted for the cases of accusers represented by Lujan, but a judge Monday denied Lujan's motion to postpone further action on the lawsuits, the Guam Pacific Daily News reports (http://bit.ly/2ul9PAC ).

Apuron, through his attorney, Jacqueline Terlaje, succeeded in blocking Lujan's request to stop a hearing on the motion to dismiss the cases.

Lujan, counsel for 77 plaintiffs, alleged in federal court that victims of clergy sex abuse and the court are being "scammed" and "played" by the Archdiocese of Agana and Apuron. Lujan said the church is rushing to settle the cases and at the same time is challenging the constitutionality of the 2016 law that allowed the lawsuits to be filed in the first place.

Lujan said the church is rushing to settle the cases and at the same time is challenging the constitutionality of the 2016 law that allowed the lawsuits to be filed in the first place.

Apuron's attorney has argued the cases against him should be dismissed because the law that retroactively lifted the statute of limitations on those cases is unconstitutional.

Apuron, who is also undergoing a Vatican canonical trial, is not considering any settlement until after the trial in Rome, Terlaje said Monday.

A meeting in Hawaii among all parties is set for Sept. 5, Lujan told the court.

Apuron is one of 14 Guam's current and former or deceased clergy accused of sexually abusing or raping minor boys and girls.

Both Lujan and Terlaje told the court their clients are now old and want the cases to be resolved.
BERLIN (AP) - A court has nixed the minimum height requirement for police recruits in Germany's most populous state, arguing that it is unfair to men.

The case was brought by a female applicant who was rejected because she is 161.5 centimeters (5 feet 3 inches) tall.

That's 1.5 centimeters shorter than the minimum height required of women, which is 163 centimeters. Male police recruits in North Rhine-Westphalia state have to be at least 168 centimeters tall.

Johanna Fee Dillmann, female police applicant, stands in front of the court in Duesseldorf, Germany, Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017. The court has nixed the minimum height requirement for police recruits in Germany's most populous state, arguing that it is unfair to men. The case was brought by the female applicant who was rejected because she is 161.5 centimeters (63.58 inches) tall. That's 1.5 centimeters shorter than the minimum height required of women, which is 163 centimeters. (Ulrike Hofaehs/dpa via AP)

Duesseldorf administrative court judges noted Tuesday that the state's differing height requirements were introduced to correct the gender imbalance among applicants, which is skewed toward men.

In disqualifying the height requirement for men, the court automatically eliminated it for women too.

The court ordered authorities to reinstate the application of the 22-year-old plaintiff, Johanna Fee Dillmann.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) - A man charged in connection with two slayings in Michigan will undergo a competency examination.

The Kalamazoo Gazette reports that a St. Joseph County judge on Tuesday ordered the psychiatric evaluation to determine whether 32-year-old Zachary Patten is competent to stand trial. His preliminary examination scheduled for next week has been postponed.

Patten was charged last month in the July 20 fatal shooting of 31-year-old Graciela Portillo-Esparza. Authorities say Patten killed her during an argument involving someone else in Kalamazoo before driving about 30 miles (50 kilometers) and killing 29-year-old Shane Richardson - the husband of Patten's ex-wife - in St. Joseph County's Florence Township.

Patten was arrested July 21 after he approached officers in South Bend, Indiana, and told them he "needed to be arrested."

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Information from: Kalamazoo Gazette, http://www.mlive.com/kalamazoo
Here are the government's rankings of the leading U.S. airlines and their on-time performance for June. The federal government counts a flight as on time if it arrives no more than 14 minutes behind schedule.

1. Hawaiian Airlines, 90.4 percent

2. Alaska Airlines, 82.9 percent

3. Delta Air Lines, 82.8 percent

4. SkyWest Airlines, 81.0 percent

5. United Airlines, 79.4 percent

6. ExpressJet, 75.1 percent

7. Southwest Airlines, 73.3 percent

8. American Airlines, 73.2 percent

9. Frontier Airlines, 73.1 percent

10. Spirit Airlines, 68.3 percent

11. Virgin America, 67.2 percent

12. JetBlue Airways, 60.6 percent

Total for all covered airlines: 76.2 percent

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Source: U.S. Department of Transportation

The report does not cover smaller airlines including Allegiant Air and some regional carriers.
LONDON (AP) - The Latest on the kidnapping of a British model in Italy (all times local):

6:45 p.m.

The chief suspect in the abduction of a British model has told investigators that he was drawn into the kidnap scheme unwittingly and did it to raise money to treat his leukemia.

In this image made from video taken on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017, model Chloe Ayling speaks with the media outside of her house in Surrey, England. The lawyer for British model Chloe Ayling says police are holding a suspect in her kidnapping. The 20-year-old says she was lured to Italy with the promise of a photo shoot, then drugged and kidnapped by a man who advertised her as a sex slave on the criminal "dark web." Ayling says her captor released her at the British consulate in Milan. Her lawyer acknowledges that aspects of the case seem bizarre. (RAI via AP)

According to a police deposition obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, Lukasz Pawel Herba said he was hired by a group of Romanians to rent properties around Europe to store garments they were selling. He said it paid 500,000 pounds ($650,000).

Herba said he later met the model, Chloe Aylilng, in Paris where he posed as a photographer and she had come for a job, but when he discovered the Romanians intended to kidnap her he backed out.

He said the Romanians later kidnapped her independently, and that he came to aid her after seeing her on a deep-web auction site.

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3:10 p.m.

A British model who says she was kidnapped in Milan broke down in tears when confronted by investigators with a witness who said she had gone to buy shoes with the alleged kidnapper.

According to a transcript of Chloe Ayling's deposition obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, the 20-year-old model initially said she was held at a remote farmhouse for six days without ever leaving.

But on the second day of questioning, she was confronted with witness testimony that said she and the main suspect had bought shoes for her the day before her release.

She told investigators that she couldn't give a "reasonable explanation" about why she had omitted the shoe shopping, but said she considered the alleged kidnapper to be her best chance at freedom.

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2:25 p.m.

The talent agent who sent British model Chloe Ayling to Italy, where she says she was kidnapped, has hit out at people questioning her story.

Phil Green of Supermodel Agency says, "I can assure everybody that it was real and very frightening for all concerned."

Green said Tuesday that Ayling went to Milan in July for a photo shoot that seemed legitimate. He said the person who made the booking had "a website, previous pictures, details of his studio, details of what the shoot was going to be, times, locations, fee - everything."

But the day after his 20-year-old client was due to return, Green says he received a ransom demand for $300,000.

Ayling was released at Britain's consulate in Milan on July 17. Police have arrested a suspect, Lukasz Pawel Herba.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - A traveler was shot to death Tuesday at the ticket counter of Caracas' international airport in the latest tragedy to befall the country's main connection to the world.

An airport security video circulating on social media shows another man with a handbag walk calmly past a group of bystanders and shoot at the victim before fleeing on foot. Authorities said they were investigating but gave no details other than to say the victim was from the Dominican Republic.

Local media reported the dead man was a lawyer and was waiting for a connecting domestic flight to the western Venezuela city of Maracaibo after arriving from the Dominican Republic. An employee of the local airline La Venezolana was also shot in the arm.

FILE - In this Dec. 14, 2013 file photo, passengers walk near the departure gates at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, near Caracas, Venezuela. Venezuelan authorities said a man was killed on Aug. 8, 2017 at the ticket counter of Caracas' international airport in the latest tragedy to befall the country's main connection to the world. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File)

It was not the first time a passenger has been fatally shot at Maiquetia airport. Last year an Egyptian visitor was killed walking outside the airport between terminals after arriving on a flight from Germany. There have also been a number of assaults recently, a reflection of a crime wave that has given Venezuela one of the world's highest homicide rates.

Colombian airline Avianca last month became the latest foreign carrier to pull out of Venezuela over security concerns as the country struggles with crime and political turmoil.

The almost always empty Maiquetia airport was voted the eighth worst in the world in a recent survey of travelers by the Sleeping in Airports website based on criteria such as cleanliness, food options and security.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday endorsed Alabama Sen. Luther Strange as Strange goes into a contentious GOP primary election next week.

Trump took to Twitter to throw his support to the Republican senator who is trying to hold on to the Senate seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The presidential endorsement comes as some polls have suggested that Strange is in a tight race with former state chief justice Roy Moore and Rep. Mo Brooks, a member of the House Freedom Caucus.

"Senator Luther Strange has done a great job representing the people of the Great State of Alabama. He has my complete and total endorsement!" Trump wrote.

In this July 11, 2017 file photo, Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala. responds to questions during a TV news interview on Capitol Hill in Washington

The endorsement is a welcome boost for the Strange campaign as all of the top Republican contenders in the Aug. 15 primary have openly tried to woo Trump voters in the state where Trump continues to enjoy heavy popularity.

"President Trump's election and hard work has given millions of people hope again and I'm proud to stand beside him to make America great again," Strange said in a statement Tuesday evening.

"Mr. President, what an honor. Thank you so much for your support and confidence. Proud to work with you," Strange responded on his Twitter account.

Strange was appointed to the post in February by the state's then governor. He is backed by a super political action committee tied to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that has spent heavily on advertising to try to fend off the slate of firebrand challengers in the red state.

The Senate vacancy was created when Jeff Sessions became attorney general

Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., left, and Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., arrive for a meeting of Senate Republicans after a vote in the Capitol on Thursday, July 20, 2017. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

GOP candidate for U.S. Senate Roy Moore, holding an article about Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks during the U.S. Senate candidate forum held by the Shelby County Republican Party in Pelham, Ala., on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017

Trump tweeted his support for Strange from his golf club in Bedminister, New Jersey. He left the White House Aug. 4 for a 17-day stretch

THIS IS STRANGE: Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., talks with a reporter on the East Front of the Capitol on August 2, 2017

Strange earlier this summer called Trump's election nothing short of a "miracle."

"President Trump is the greatest thing that has happened to this country. I consider it a biblical miracle that he's there," Strange told a crowd this summer.

Moore and Brooks have both criticized Strange for the heavy support from McConnell and have disparaged Strange as the candidate of the Washington "swamp" establishment.

Brooks has named his campaign bus the "Drain the Swamp Express" and argued that he is the one with the true conservative record that is aligned with Trump.

Moore, who was twice removed from duties as chief justice for defying courts on gay marriage and the public display of the Ten Commandments, is particularly considered a tough competitor for Strange in the GOP primary because of his heavy support from evangelical voters.

"We've got people up there that don't want change despite the fact in November 2016 the people of this country voted for change," Moore told a gathering Tuesday.
HAGATNA, Guam (AP) - Residents of the tiny Pacific island of Guam say they're afraid of being caught in the middle of escalating tensions between the U.S. and North Korea after Pyongyang announced it was examining plans for attacking the strategically important U.S. territory.

Though local officials downplayed any threat, people who live and work on the island, which serves as a launching pad for the U.S. military, said Wednesday they could no longer shrug off the idea of being a potential target.

"I'm a little worried, a little panicked. Is this really going to happen?" said Cecil Chugrad, a 37-year-old bus driver for a tour bus company in Guam. "If it's just me, I don't mind, but I have to worry about my son. I feel like moving (out of Guam) now."

FILE - In this May 13, 2017 file photo, Japanese soldiers use rubber rafts as part of an amphibious drill during joint military exercises between the U.S., Japan, France and the United Kingdom, on Naval Base Guam. North Korea says it is examining its operational plans for attacking Guam to contain U.S. bases there. The army said in a statement distributed Wednesday, Aug. 9 by the state-run news agency that it is studying a plan to create an "enveloping fire" in areas around Guam with medium- to long-range ballistic missiles. The U.S. territory is home to Andersen Air Force Base. The statement says the move is in response to a recent U.S. ICBM test. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)

Guam is used to the threats from North Korea but advances in the country's nuclear program paired with fiery rhetoric from President Donald Trump has raised the already high animosity and heightened worries that a miscalculation might spark conflict between the nuclear-armed nations.

Reports suggested North Korea mastered a technological hurdle needed to strike the U.S. with a nuclear missile. The advances were detailed in an official Japanese assessment and later a Washington Post story that cited U.S. intelligence officials and a confidential Defense Intelligence Agency report.

In response, Trump on Tuesday threatened the communist country "with fire and fury." On Wednesday, the North Korean army said in a statement that it was studying a plan to create an "enveloping fire" in areas around Guam with medium- to long-range ballistic missiles.

While it is extremely unlikely that Pyongyang would risk the assured annihilation of its revered leadership with a pre-emptive attack on U.S. citizens, some residents are concerned.

"If anything happens, we all got to be ready, be prepared, and pray to God that it doesn't happen," Daisy Mendiola, 56, said after finishing lunch with her family at a restaurant near Hagatna. "Everyone's afraid, because we're dealing with powers that's beyond us."

Other residents are worried about the political atmosphere and the government's ability to find a peaceful solution.

Todd Thompson, a lawyer who lives on Guam, said he laughed off past threats because he "figured cooler heads in Washington would prevail, and it was just an idle threat."

"But I have to say, I'm not laughing now," Thompson said. "My concern is that things have changed in Washington, and who knows what's going to happen?"

His brother Mitch Thompson, who also lives on Guam, added he believes "a lot of people have no confidence that the White House will do the right thing under the circumstances."

However, the brothers say they haven't seen anyone panicking or stocking up on supplies.

"I think people are just stunned and really don't know what to think," Todd Thompson said.

Guam is about 2,100 miles (3,380 kilometers) southeast of Pyongyang and 3,800 miles (6,115 kilometers) west of Honolulu in the Pacific Ocean. For years, North Korea has claimed Guam is within its missiles' striking distance, making furious statements each time when the U.S. flew powerful bombers from the island's air base to the Korean Peninsula.

In August last year, the North's Foreign Ministry warned that all U.S. military bases in the Pacific including Guam would "face ruin in the face of all-out and substantial attack" by the North's military. In the spring of 2013, state media cited leader Kim Jong Un as having ordered his military to prepare plans on launching strikes on U.S. military bases in Guam, Hawaii and South Korea as well as the American mainland.

Guam is armed with the U.S. Army's defense system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, which can intercept missiles.

Similar threats in 2013 led Guam's U.S. Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo to advocate for the THAAD system, she said in a statement Wednesday.

"North Korea's most recent threat to target Guam is dangerous and it further heightens tensions in our region," Bordallo said. "While we have heard threats like this in the past, I take them very seriously."

Guam's Homeland Security Adviser George Charfauros urged calm and said defenses are in place for such threats.

"An attack or threat to Guam is a threat or attack on the United States," said Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo, who said he spoke with White House officials Monday morning. "They have said that America will be defended."

A travel agent on Guam said they haven't had a surge of customers seeking to book flights off the island.

"It's not bad at all, no chaos," said Mariah Sablan, who works for Golden Dragon Travel Inc. "It's just like a regular business day."

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Bussewitz reported from Honolulu. Associated Press writer Mark Thiessen in Anchorage contributed to this report.

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This story has been corrected to show that the North Korean announcement came Wednesday in Guam due to the international date line.

People walk around Hagatna, Guam Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. Despite government assurances, residents of the U.S. territory Guam say they're afraid after being caught in the middle of rising tensions between President Donald Trump and North Korea. (AP Photo/Grace Garces Bordallo)

People walk around Hagatna, Guam Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. Despite government assurances, residents of the U.S. territory Guam say they're afraid after being caught in the middle of rising tensions between President Donald Trump and North Korea. (AP Photo/Grace Garces Bordallo)

People walk around Hagatna, Guam Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. Despite government assurances, residents of the U.S. territory Guam say they're afraid after being caught in the middle of rising tensions between President Donald Trump and North Korea. (AP Photo/Grace Garces Bordallo)

FILE - In this May 11, 2017, file photo, a memorial is seen at the War in the Pacific National Historical Park near Hagatna, Guam. Security and defense officials on Guam said that there is no imminent threat to people there or in the Northern Mariana Islands after North Korea said it was examining its operational plans for attack. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)

In this May 15, 2017, file photo, tourists walk through a shopping district in Tamuning, Guam. Security and defense officials on Guam said on Aug. 9, 2017, that there is no imminent threat to people there or in the Northern Mariana Islands after North Korea said it was examining its operational plans for attack. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)

In this May 11, 2017, file photo, cars enter Naval Base Guam near Hagatna, Guam. Security and defense officials on Guam said on Aug. 9, 2017, that there is no imminent threat to people there or in the Northern Mariana Islands after North Korea said it was examining its operational plans for attack. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)

FILE - In this May 13, 2017 file photo, Japanese soldiers take part in an amphibious drill as part of joint military exercises between the U.S., Japan, France and the United Kingdom, on Naval Base Guam. North Korea says it is examining its operational plans for attacking Guam to contain U.S. bases there. The army said in a statement distributed Wednesday, Aug. 9 by the state-run news agency that it is studying a plan to create an "enveloping fire" in areas around Guam with medium- to long-range ballistic missiles. The U.S. territory is home to Andersen Air Force Base. The statement says the move is in response to a recent U.S. ICBM test. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)

FILE - In this May 31, 2016, file photo, a man watches a TV news program reporting about a powerful new Musudan mid-range missile launch of North Korea, at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea. North Korea said Wednesday that it was examining operational plans for attacking Guam, an angry reaction to U.N. punishment for recent North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile tests and a U.S. suggestion about preparations for possible preventive attacks to stop the North's nuclear weapons program. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A man charged in the shooting death of a western Missouri police officer was arrested after an alert driver provided a tip that the fugitive was wandering within miles of where the killing took place, a law enforcement official said.

The driver reported seeing Ian McCarthy walking along a state highway near Bucksaw Marina, just east of Clinton, and he was arrested without incident late Tuesday, Sgt. Bill Lowe of the Missouri Highway Patrol said at a news conference later that night.

The arrest ended a two-day manhunt that began after 37-year-old Clinton police officer Gary Michael was shot to death during a traffic stop Sunday night in Clinton, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City.

This undated photo released by the Missouri State Highway Patrol shows Ian McCarthy, of Clinton, Mo., who was charged Monday, Aug. 7, 2017, with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the fatal shooting of Clinton police officer Gary Michael during a traffic stop on Sunday. McCarthy was arrested Tuesday, Aug. 8. Missouri State Highway Patrol dispatchers said he was taken into custody in Henry County, which includes the city of Clinton. (Missouri State Highway Patrol via AP)

Michael and McCarthy had exchanged gunfire before the officer died and the driver fled. Lowe said McCarthy, 39, was suffering from a gunshot wound when a patrol trooper arrested him. Lowe declined to provide specifics about the gunshot wound.

McCarthy was taken to a Kansas City area hospital for treatment and then was taken into custody at the Henry County jail. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Online court records as of Wednesday do not show whether McCarthy has an attorney.

"We're just extremely thankful to the citizens of Henry County and citizens of Clinton that continued to give us tips and information. Without that, we may still be looking for him," Lowe said.

McCarthy was not armed when he was arrested. Investigators will continue to look for the weapon used in Michael's shooting and try to determine a motive, Lowe said.

As the investigation continues, attention turned to honoring Michael, who was the first officer killed in the line of duty in Clinton.

His body was returned Wednesday to Clinton from Kansas City, where it had been since Monday while an autopsy was performed. A long line of police cars from across the state accompanied the body on the nearly 70-mile route, with emergency lights flashing. Along the route, vehicles stopped as the procession passed and onlookers paused to watch.

Hundreds of residents waited with police officers to greet Michael's body when it arrived in Clinton. At the funeral home, his fellow officers saluted as his body was carried into the building before a prayer was said.

McCarthy is also wanted in New Hampshire, where a warrant was issued in 2013 when he failed to show up for sentencing on a disorderly conduct charge, according to court records in that state. He served about four years in prison there for first-degree assault and a parole violation. He also is wanted on a warrant out of Johnson County, Missouri, in 2015 for unlawful possession of a firearm.

Lowe said earlier Tuesday that it was possible those outstanding warrants prompted McCarthy to shoot Michael to avoid arrest. He also could have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or not in his right mind for some reason, Lowe said.

Michael's brother, Chris Michael, said the family is relieved that the suspect has been caught alive so "justice could be served." Michael told KCTV5 that McCarthy's capture was a positive step for everyone mourning his brother.

"We're just happy that we're going to be able to put this one Band-Aid in a long process of healing on, and start to move forward," he said.

Michael, who had been on the force less than a year, was a military police officer overseas for about five years before returning to the Kansas City area. He decided in his 30s to become a police officer and served in Appleton City for a short time before joining the force in Clinton.

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Associated Press reporter Jim Suhr also contributed to this story.

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Despite North Korea's threat to attack Guam, it appears extremely unlikely that its leadership would risk its own destruction with a pre-emptive attack on the American territory. Still, analysts believe North Korea does have several missiles in its arsenal capable of reaching the Pacific island, which Pyongyang has regularly threatened because of its U.S. military bases.

What's much less certain, however, is whether the North's missiles can inflict serious damage once they reach Guam, located about 3,400 kilometers (2,100 miles) from the Korean Peninsula. Those missiles have never been used in combat situations and have had relatively few test flights. It's also unclear whether North Korea has mastered the technology needed to protect the missiles from extreme heat and pressure upon atmospheric re-entry so they can hit the intended target.

With those caveats, a look at some of the missiles possibly capable of reaching Guam:

FILE - In this April 15, 2017, file photo, a missile that analysts believe could be the North Korean Hwasong-12 is paraded across Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang. The country's official Korean Central News Agency said the missile fired Sunday, May 14, 2017, was a Hwasong-12 "capable of carrying a large-size heavy nuclear warhead." North Korea said Wednesday that it was examining operational plans for attacking Guam, an angry reaction to U.N. punishment for recent North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile tests and a U.S. suggestion about preparations for possible preventive attacks to stop the North's nuclear weapons program. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)

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HWASONG-12

The North Korean army's statement Wednesday that it plans to create an "enveloping fire" in areas around Guam are based on the Hwasong-12, a new intermediate range missile the country successfully flight-tested for the first time in May.

The liquid-fuel missile is designed to be fired from road mobile launchers and has been previously described by North Korea as built for attacking Alaska and Hawaii. The North followed the May launch with two flight tests of its Hwasong-14 ICBM last month. Analysts said that a wide swath of the continental United States, including Los Angeles and Chicago, could be within reach of those missiles, once perfected.

The flight data from the May launch suggested Hwasong-12's range was between 4,000 and 7,000 kilometers (2,500 and 4,350 miles.)

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MUSUDAN

Analysts say the liquid-fuel Musudan missile's potential 3,500-kilometer (2,180-mile) range puts much of Asia and the Pacific within reach. North Korea experienced several failures before a successful flight test in June last year, after which the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, declared that his nation had the "sure capability to attack in an overall and practical way the Americans in the Pacific operation theater."

Before last year's launches, North Korea had never flight-tested a Musudan missile, although one was displayed during a 2010 military parade in Pyongyang.

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PUKGUKSONG-2

A land-based variant of a submarine-launched missile currently under development, North Korea first successfully flight-tested this solid-fuel midrange missile in February. Three months later, Kim declared the missiles ready for mass production after another successful test.

Analysts say the Pukguksong-2 advances North Korea's weapons capabilities because missiles using solid propellants can be fired faster and more secretly than those using liquid fuel, which must be fueled before launch and transported to a launch site using trucks that could be spotted by satellites.

North Korea describes the Pukguksong-2 as a "medium-to-long range strategic missile," the same term it uses for the intermediate range Hwasong-12, and some South Korean experts see the missile as potentially capable of reaching Guam. But South Korean defense officials said after the May launch that they estimated Pukguksong-2's range to be around 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles), which would be enough to strike U.S. bases in Japan but come short of reaching Guam.

FILE - In this undated file photo distributed by the North Korean government on May 22, 2017, a solid-fuel "Pukguksong-2" missile lifts off during its launch test at an undisclosed location in North Korea. North Korea said Wednesday that it was examining operational plans for attacking Guam, an angry reaction to U.N. punishment for recent North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile tests and a U.S. suggestion about preparations for possible preventive attacks to stop the North's nuclear weapons program. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

FILE - In this image made from video of a news bulletin aired by North Korea's KRT on Monday, May 22, 2017, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, watches the test launch of what was said to be the Pukguksong-2 missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea.North Korea said Wednesday that it was examining operational plans for attacking Guam, an angry reaction to U.N. punishment for recent North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile tests and a U.S. suggestion about preparations for possible preventive attacks to stop the North's nuclear weapons program. (KRT via AP Video, File)

FILE - In this May 31, 2016, file photo, a man watches a TV news program reporting about a powerful new Musudan mid-range missile launch of North Korea, at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea. North Korea said Wednesday that it was examining operational plans for attacking Guam, an angry reaction to U.N. punishment for recent North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile tests and a U.S. suggestion about preparations for possible preventive attacks to stop the North's nuclear weapons program. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

FILE - In this image made from video of a news bulletin aired by North Korea's KRT on Monday, May 15, 2017, shows what was said to be the launch of the Hwasong-12 missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea. North Korea said Wednesday that it was examining operational plans for attacking Guam, an angry reaction to U.N. punishment for recent North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile tests and a U.S. suggestion about preparations for possible preventive attacks to stop the North's nuclear weapons program. (KRT via AP Video, File)

In this May 11, 2017, file photo, cars enter Naval Base Guam near Hagatna, Guam. Security and defense officials on Guam said on Aug. 9, 2017, that there is no imminent threat to people there or in the Northern Mariana Islands after North Korea said it was examining its operational plans for attack. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)
DENVER (AP) - Taylor Swift's mother and confidante took the witness stand Wednesday, saying she and her daughter's managers had told the bosses of a disc jockey accused of groping the singer-songwriter that they hoped he would be fired but didn't ask them to do so.

Andrea Swift said during her emotional testimony at a civil trial in federal court in Denver that she had no doubt about what happened during a pre-concert photo op, based on a conversation with her daughter.

"She said, 'Mom, a guy just grabbed my ass.' ... She was really shaken. She was humiliated," a tearful Andrea Swift told jurors.

In this sketch by courtroom artist Jeff Kandyba, pop singer Taylor Swift, left, and a defense attorney look on as former radio host David Mueller, background right, speaks during a civil trial in federal court Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017, in Denver. Swift alleges that Mueller touched her during a concert meet-and-greet in 2013. The case went to court after Mueller sued Swift, claiming her false accusation cost him his job. He is seeking at least $3 million in damages. Swift countersued, claiming sexual assault. (Jeff Kandyba via AP)

Andrea Swift is a co-defendant in the lawsuit filed by David Mueller.

Mueller's attorney, Gabriel McFarland, asked why Swift's team didn't contact police.

"I did not want this event to define her life," Andrea Swift said. "We absolutely wanted to keep it private, but we didn't want him to get away with it."

Mueller has sued Taylor Swift and others, claiming he was falsely accused and then fired over her allegation. He is seeking at least $3 million.

Swift has countersued, claiming she was sexually assaulted. She is seeking a symbolic $1, saying she wants to serve as an example to other women who have been assaulted.

Andrea Swift testified that her daughter never urged any specific action against Mueller.

She also said the encounter changed their interactions with the public, explaining that Taylor Swift's meet-and-greets are now smaller and her interaction with fans at concerts is more limited.

"It absolutely shattered our trust," Andrea Swift said. "It scared us, scared us very badly."

The final testimony of the day came from Frank Bell, Swift's liaison with radio stations.

He said he asked Mueller's employer to investigate the encounter but didn't request that Mueller be fired. Instead, he said he sought "appropriate action."

Bell is a longtime friend of Swift's father, Scott Swift, who was in court watching the proceedings.

Earlier in the day, Mueller testified that the photo taken before the 2013 concert in Denver was "weird and awkward," but he insisted that he touched Swift in the ribs, not in the rear, as she alleges in her lawsuit.

Swift's attorney Douglas Baldridge repeatedly asked Mueller why his right hand was behind Swift in the picture.

Mueller said his hand was touching Swift's skirt after he put his arm around her and their arms got crossed.

"My hand was at rib-cage level and apparently it went down," Mueller said.

In the image, shown to jurors during opening statements but not publicly released, Mueller's hand is behind Swift, just below her waist. Both are smiling.

McFarland told jurors that the photo does not show Mueller's hand under Swift's skirt and that the skirt was not rumpled.

Baldridge, however, said several people noticed the pop star was upset after meeting with Mueller.

Her bodyguard Greg Dent has testified in a deposition that he had seen Mueller lift Swift's skirt, the lawyer told jurors.

In addition, Baldridge quoted a deposition by Swift's photographer Stephanie Simbeck, who said Swift uttered "that guy" had grabbed her behind.

Dent and Simbeck are listed as possible witnesses at the trial.

Baldridge told jurors in his opening statement that Swift is "absolutely certain" she was sexually assaulted by Mueller, and the photo is "damning" proof of it.

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Associated Press writer P. Solomon Banda contributed to this report.

In this courtroom sketch, pop singer Taylor Swift, front left, confers with her attorney as David Mueller, back left, and the judge look on during a civil trial in federal court Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017, in Denver. Mueller, a former radio disc jockey accused of groping Swift before a concert testified Tuesday that he may have touched the pop superstar's ribs with a closed hand as he tried to jump into a photo with her but insisted he did not touch her backside as she claims. (Jeff Kandyba via AP)

In this sketch provided by courtroom artist Jeff Kandyba, former radio host David Mueller appears in federal court Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017, in Denver. Pop singer Taylor Swift alleges that Mueller touched her during a concert meet-and-greet in 2013. The case went to court after Mueller sued Swift, claiming her false accusation cost him his job. He is seeking at least $3 million in damages. Swift countersued, claiming sexual assault. (AP Photo/Jeff Kandyba)

Ian Simpson, right, of Provo, Ut., gives a kiss to his wife, Lauren, as they wait at the head of the line for the public wait to get courtroom seats to view the third day of a civil trial to determine whether a radio host groped pop singer Taylor Swift in a case in federal court Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, in Denver. former DJ David Mueller, who sued Swift after she said he touched her backside before a concert in Denver in 2013. He's seeking at least $3 million. Swift countersued for sexual assault and is seeking $1. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Borrowing a line from one of her songs, workers put up a sign in support of pop singer Taylor Swift in the window of an office building across the street from the federal courthouse Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, in Denver. Former DJ David Mueller sued Swift after she said he touched her backside before a concert in Denver in 2013. He's seeking at least $3 million. Swift countersued for sexual assault and is seeking $1. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Johnny Hultzapple, front, of Denver, waits in a public line to view the afternoon session of the third day of a civil trial to determine whether a radio host groped pop singer Taylor Swift in a case in federal court Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Hannah Gu, left, and Shantel Bartolme, both of Denver, emerge from the federal courthouse after attending the morning session of the third day of a civil trial to determine whether a Denver radio host groped pop singer Taylor Swift in a case in federal court Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Ian Simpson, right, of Provo, Ut., gives a kiss to his wife, Lauren, as they wait at the head of the line for the public wait to get courtroom seats to view the third day of a civil trial to determine whether a radio host groped pop singer Taylor Swift in a case in federal court Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, in Denver. former DJ David Mueller, who sued Swift after she said he touched her backside before a concert in Denver in 2013. He's seeking at least $3 million. Swift countersued for sexual assault and is seeking $1. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

A court officer directs members of the public into the federal courthouse to view the afternoon session of the third day of a civil trial to determine whether a radio host groped pop singer Taylor Swift in a case in federal court Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Dani Kuta, a 17-year-old from Denver, smiles as she heads back to wait in a public line to view the afternoon session of the third day of a civil trial to determine whether a radio host groped pop singer Taylor Swift in a case in federal court Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Tree Paine, center, publicist for pop singer Taylor Swift, leaves the federal courthouse after the afternoon session of the third day of a civil trial to determine whether a radio host groped the singer Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Baldridge, left, attorney for pop singer Taylor Swift, leads the singer's legal team back to a hotel after the third day of a civil trial Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, in Denver. David Mueller, a former disc jockey accused of groping Taylor Swift while posing for a photograph with her before a concert, acknowledged Wednesday that the image is "weird and awkward," but he insisted that he touched Swift in the ribs, not in the rear, as she alleges in a lawsuit. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Tree Paine, publicist for pop singer Taylor Swift, hurries across the street after the afternoon session of the third day of a civil trial to determine whether a radio host groped the singer in a case in federal court Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) - Egyptian security officials say four policemen have been killed in an ambush in restive northern Sinai peninsula where Islamic militants are active.

They said the policemen were heading to the town of el-Arish early Wednesday when gunmen attacked the car they were riding in and opened fire, killing one police officer, a low-ranking policeman and two conscripts.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

Egypt in recent years has been battling a stepped-up insurgency in northern Sinai, mainly by militants from an Islamic State group affiliate. The campaign accelerated after the military ousted elected Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.
Five dogs, including three champion show dogs, were killed in a fire at a Florida 'pet resort'.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue officials said firefighters found the dogs after putting out the blaze at the Almost Home Pet Resort in Valrico around 8.30pm Tuesday night.

Officials said the damgage from the fire was mostly contained to the kitchen, but there was heat and smoke damage throughout the home.

Five dogs, including three champion show dogs, were killed in a fire at a Florida 'pet resort' (pictured)

All of the dogs belonged to resort owner, Betsy Hicka (left), who breeds standard poodles. Pictured right is Lacey, a corded standard poodle who died in the fire

Betsy Hicka owns the home, which is connected to her pet resort. Hicka has been the CEO of Almost Home Pet Resort since 1992, according to her website.

While searching the house firefighters discovered the five deceased dogs inside.

A spokesman for the department said the dogs were 'varying sizes of poodles' and three of the dogs were 'champion show dogs'.

The animals all belonged to Hicka, who breeds standard poodles.

An employee at Almost Home Pet Resort told DailyMail.com that Maverick, Starr and Lacey were standard poodles.

Lacey was the mother of Starr and Maverick and all three were champion dogs.

Gidget was a female toy poodle and Casey was a male shih tzu-yorkie mix, the employee said. Those animals were turned over to animal control.

Authorities said it took about 30 minutes to control the fire.

A spokesman for the department said the dogs were 'varying sizes of poodles' and three of the dogs were 'champion show dogs'. Maverick (pictured) died in the fire

Hicka has been the CEO of Almost Home Pet Resort since 1992, according to her website. According to the site, she breeds her standard poodles every two years. Pictured is Lacey, a corded standard poodle who also died in the fire

The pet resort was not damaged and a fire department spokesman said none of the animals that were being boarded were harmed.

On Wednesday morning, the pet resort shared a post on Facebook to say all of the resort pets are safe.

'Just clearing up a few things, the kennel itself is ok and all of your precious pets are safe. We are open for business today,' the post read.

DailyMail.com reached out to the owner of the pet resort, but the request for comment was not immediately returned.

No other injuries were reported in the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

On Wednesday morning, the pet resort shared a post on Facebook to say all of the resort pets are safe. 'Just clearing up a few things, the kennel itself is ok and all of your precious pets are safe. We are open for business today,' the post read
An Atlanta gym owner banned police officers and military members from working out at his facility because they make the largely minority membership uncomfortable.

Jim Chambers put up a sign on the door of EAV Barbell Club that used an expletive to announce that police aren't welcome there.

'Do whatever the hell you want, correctly, execpt crossfit cultism. No f**king cops,' the sign read.

Jim Chambers, the owner of EAV Barbell Club in Atlanta, banned police officers and military members from working out at his gym because they make the minority members uncomfortable. This sign was plastered on the gym's outside door

Chambers (pictured) said his gym has 'had an explicitly stated "No Cop' policy" since it opened. He also said that active members of the military aren't eligible for membership

Chambers, who has owned the gym for more than a year, told DailyMail.com that the cop ban has been a policy since the gym opened.

He also said that active members of the military aren't eligible for membership.

The sign drew attention after a military veteran became offended when he saw it outside the gym.

A photo of the sign was also posted to the gym's Instagram with the caption: 'We simplified our membership policy.'

When asked why he put this particular sign up, Chambers told the DailyMail.com that he had just watched the news about a man who was shot to death by police officers in Mississippi a few days before.

Chambers was referring to Ismael Lopez who was killed last month by police who were serving a warrant for another individual in an apparent address mix-up.

He told the DailyMail.com that the sign and other signs that have been put up in the gym are a form of 'protest against policing in America'.

Despite the backlash, Chambers says he still stands by the message it conveyed.

'I dont believe in reforming police. I believe in abolishing police completely,' he said and 'normalizing anti-police mentality'.

Chambers said the he doesn't 'even feel comfortable in the presence of police', which is one of the reasons for the cop ban at his gym.

Despite the backlash, Chambers says he still stands by the message it conveyed. Chambers (right) said the policy stemmed from members of the gym who are uncomfortable with law enforcement, such as people of color and those who identify as LGBTQIA+

The Atlanta Police Department said the policy wouldn't prevent them from responding to an emergency at the gym (pictured)

And he's not the only one. Chambers said the policy stemmed from members of the gym who are uncomfortable with law enforcement, such as people of color and those who identify as LGBTQIA+.

Chambers said the sign was up for about a week and he took it down two days ago, but he plans to replace it.

'I didn't want the other folks there to take the heat that I'm willing to take,' Chambers said.

He said he plans to put up 'something about Colin Kaepernick' to show that he and the members of his gym support the quarterback's movement.

The Atlanta Police Department said the policy wouldn't prevent them from responding to an emergency at the gym.
PARIS (AP) - Attacks in France by Islamic extremists since 2015 have killed more than 200 "soft targets" - concertgoers, cartoonists and people celebrating Bastille Day. But French security forces are increasingly becoming the focus of the violence.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb says that as of Aug. 6, intelligence services have foiled seven attacks so far this year, while the nation remains in a state of emergency since 2015. Here's a look at attacks carried out in 2017:

-Aug. 9: A driver of a BMW slammed the car into a group of soldiers in a Paris suburb, injuring six of them, before speeding away. The driver's motive is unclear, but officials say he deliberately aimed at the soldiers, and counterterrorism authorities have opened an investigation.

French soldier stands next to the scene where French soldiers were hit and injured by a vehicle in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret near Paris, France, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. French police are searching for a driver who slammed his BMW into a group of soldiers, injuring six of them in an apparent ambush before speeding away, officials said. The incident in Levallois, northwest of Paris, is the latest of several attacks targeting security forces in France.(AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

-Aug. 5: A 19-year-old French teenager who had been treated at a psychiatric hospital tried to attack soldiers guarding the Eiffel Tower, while brandishing a knife and shouting "Allahu akbar," the Arabic phrase for "God is great." He was later deemed unfit for prosecution, and sent back to the hospital. No one was hurt in the incident.

-June 19: A 31-year-old Frenchman identified as Adam Djaziri slammed his car into the lead vehicle of a police convoy on Paris' tourist-filled Champs-Elysees avenue. The attack was aborted when his car exploded, killing only himself. His car and home were packed with weapons. In a letter serving as a last testament, the man pledged allegiance to Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and practiced shooting "to prepare for jihad."

-June 1: A 40-year-old Algerian doctoral student wielding a hammer attacked police officers patrolling in front of Notre Dame Cathedral. The assailant shouted "This is for Syria!" before being shot and wounded by police. Investigators who searched his student residence in the Paris suburb of Cergy-Pontoise found a declaration of allegiance to IS he filmed the morning of the attack. He presented himself as a "soldier of the caliphate."

-April 20: A gunman shot and killed a police officer on the Champs-Elysees just days before the French presidential vote. Karim Cheurfi, 39, opened fire with a Kalashnikov assault rifle on the famed boulevard, striking a police officer with two bullets to the head and wounding two others before being shot and killed by police. IS quickly claimed the attack.

-March 18: A man shot and wounded a police officer with a revolver loaded with birdshot, then attacked soldiers at Orly airport while brandishing a revolver and yelling that he wanted to kill and then die for Allah. Other soldiers fatally shot the attacker, Ziyed Ben Belgacem.

-Feb. 3: A machete-wielding assailant shouting "Allahu akbar" attacked French soldiers guarding the Louvre Museum, slightly injuring one of them. The attacker, 28-year-old Abdullah Reda Refaie al-Hamahmy, was shot four times but survived.

French Mayor of Levallois-Perret Patrick Balkany delivers his statement near the scene where French soldiers were hit and injured by a vehicle in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret near Paris, France, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. French police are searching for a driver who slammed his BMW into a group of soldiers, injuring six of them in an apparent ambush before speeding away, officials said. The incident in Levallois, northwest of Paris, is the latest of several attacks targeting security forces in France.(AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)
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Tens of thousands of North Koreans have come out in a show of defiance following US President Donald Trump's threats of 'fire and fury'.

The North Koreans gathered for a massive rally at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Wednesday with photos showing citizens holding propaganda placards and waving their fists in the air.

Footage shows thousands of North Korean workers dressed in white shirts as they angrily marched through the square brandishing flags.

The elite class, who were dressed in black, applauded the workers as they rallied.

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Tens of thousands of North Koreans have come out in a show of defiance against the US on Wednesday

The North Koreans gathered for a massive rally at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Wednesday

It came after a strict round of sanctions were passed by the United Nations security council over the weekend.

North Korea also officially dismissed Trump's threats on Wednesday, declaring the American leader 'bereft of reason' and warning ominously that 'only absolute force can work on him'.

In a statement carried by state media, General Kim Rak Gyom, who heads North Korea's rocket command, also said his country was 'about to take' military action near the US Pacific territory of Guam.

He said the North would finalize a plan by mid-August to fire four mid-range missiles hitting waters 19 to 25 miles away from the island.

The plan will then go to the commander in chief of North Korea's nuclear force and 'wait for his order,' Kim was quoted by KCNA as saying. He called it a 'historic enveloping fire at Guam.'

The statement only served to escalate tensions further in a week that has seen a barrage of threats from both sides. While nuclear confrontation still seems incredibly remote, the comments have sparked deep unease in the United States, Asia and beyond.

Photos showed citizens holding propaganda placards and waving their fists angrily in the air

The rally came after a strict round of sanctions were passed by the United Nations security council over the weekend

The elite class, who were dressed in black, applauded the workers as they rallied

Footage shows thousands of North Korean workers dressed in white shirts as they angrily marched through the square brandishing flags

A day after evoking the use of overwhelming US military might, Trump touted America's atomic supremacy. From the New Jersey golf resort where he's vacationing, he tweeted that his first order as president was to 'renovate and modernize' an arsenal that is 'now far stronger and more powerful than ever before.'

It was a rare public flexing of America's nuclear might. Trump's boasting only added to the confusion over his administration's approach to dealing with North Korea's expanding nuclear capabilities on a day when his top national security aides wavered between messages of alarm and reassurance.

If Trump's goal with two days of tough talk was to scare North Korea, Kim, the commander, put that idea quickly to rest. He called Trump's rhetoric a 'load of nonsense' that was aggravating a grave situation.

'Sound dialogue is not possible with such a guy bereft of reason and only absolute force can work on him,' the KNCA report quoted him saying.

Kim said the Guam action would be 'an effective remedy for restraining the frantic moves of the U.S. in the southern part of the Korean peninsula and its vicinity.'

Guam lies about 2,100 miles from the Korean Peninsula and it's extremely unlikely Kim's government would risk annihilation with a pre-emptive attack on US citizens. It's also unclear how reliable North Korea's missiles would be against such a distant target, but no one was writing off the danger completely.

A view shows a Pyongyang city mass rally held at Kim Il Sung Square on Wednesday

Tens of thousands of North Koreans packed the square in a show of support for their country

North Korea also officially dismissed Trump's threats on Wednesday, declaring the American leader 'bereft of reason' and warning ominously that 'only absolute force can work on him'

The new specificity from Pyongyang about its plans for a potential attack came as Trump and his top national security aides delivered contrasting messages over North Korea's expanding nuclear capabilities.

HOW TENSIONS HAVE GROWN IN 12 MONTHS July 8, 2016: US and South Korea announce plans to deploy an advanced missile defence system -- THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) August 3, 2016: North Korea fires a ballistic missile directly into Japan's maritime economic zone for the first time September 9, 2016: North Korea carries out its fifth nuclear test March 6, 2017: North fires four ballistic missiles in what it says is an exercise to hit US bases in Japan March 7, 2017: US begins deploying THAAD missile defence system in South Korea May 14, 2017: North fires a ballistic missile which flies 700 kilometres before landing in the Sea of Japan. Analysts say it has an imputed range of 4,500 kilometres and brings Guam within reach June 1, 2017: US aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson and the USS Ronald Reagan carry out drills in the Sea of Japan July 4, 2017: North Korea test-fires a ballistic missile which flies 930 kilometres before landing in the Sea of Japan. Analysts say it has an imputed range of 6,700 km and brings Alaska within reach. Pyongyang later says it was a 'landmark' test of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). July 28, 2017: Kim Jong-un carries out a second intercontinental rocket launch test in under a month, sending a missile 1,000km before it splashes down in the waters off the Japanese coast. August 5, 2017: The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposes tough new sanctions on Pyongyang. North Korea responded, saying: 'The day the US dares tease our nation with a nuclear rod and sanctions, the mainland US will be catapulted into an unimaginable sea of fire.' Advertisement

As international alarm escalated, Trump dug in on his threats of military action and posted video of his ultimatum to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The suggestion that Trump has enhanced U.S. nuclear firepower was immediately disputed by experts, who noted no progress under Trump's presidency. Still, Trump tweeted, 'Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!'

The tweets did little to soothe concerns that Trump was helping push the standoff with North Korea into uncharted and even more dangerous territory. While the prospect of military action by either side appears slim, given the level of devastation that would ensue, Trump's talk Tuesday of 'fire and fury like the world has never seen' compounded fears of an accident or misunderstanding leading the nuclear-armed nations into conflict.

This week, an official Japanese report and a classified U.S. intelligence document, the latter reported by The Washington Post, combined to suggest the North was closer to being able to strike the United States with a nuclear missile than previously believed. The U.S. document reportedly assessed that the North had mastered the ability to fit a nuclear warhead on its long-range missiles.

After North Korea issued its own warning that suggested it could attack Guam, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sought to calm the sense of crisis.

Speaking earlier Wednesday on his way home from Asia, he credited Trump with sending a strong message to the North Korean leader on the 'unquestionable' U.S. ability to defend itself, so as to prevent 'any miscalculation.' Tillerson insisted the U.S. isn't signaling a move toward military action, while it pursues a policy of sanctions and isolation of North Korea.

'Americans should sleep well at night,' Tillerson told reporters. He added, 'Nothing that I have seen and nothing that I know of would indicate that the situation has dramatically changed in the last 24 hours.'

No sooner had Tillerson ratcheted down the rhetoric than Defense Secretary Jim Mattis ratcheted it back up.

Echoing Trump's martial tone, Mattis said North Korea should stand down its nuclear weapons program and 'cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people.' As seldom as it is for a president to speak of using nuclear missiles, the reference to the 'destruction' of a foreign people is equally rare.

North Korea said it is 'carefully examining' a plan to strike the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam with missiles. The strike plan will be 'put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment' once leader Kim Jong Un (file above) makes a decision

President Donald Trump speaks during a briefing at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey on Wednesday. Trump had threated to unleash 'fire and fury' on North Korea

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says that President Donald Trump's 'fire and fury' charge to Kim Jong-Un shouldn't have Americans panicking. Tillerson is on his way back to Washington from Asia. He made a pit stop in Guam

It was unclear, however, how serious to take all the war talk. Markets weren't rattled by the back-and-forth threats. Trump had no meetings on his schedule Wednesday. There were no indications from the Pentagon of urgent planning or new assets being hastily deployed to the Pacific region. And Tillerson even made a pre-scheduled refueling stop in Guam, the target of the North's purported military designs.

Trump's alarmist tone sparked criticism among his political opponents in the United States and concern among allies and partners in Asia - the very nations the United States would need to work with to avert a military showdown with North Korea.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said 'reckless rhetoric is not a strategy to keep America safe.' Fellow Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein said the situation needs diplomacy, 'not saber rattling.'

China, North Korea's increasingly alienated ally, cautioned all sides against 'employing words or actions that could sharpen differences and escalate the situation.'

One regular critic of Trump's foreign policy stood up for the president. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican hawk, said he felt Trump wasn't bluffing with his threat of 'fire and fury.' Trump has 'basically drawn a red line' by saying Pyongyang can't ever have a nuclear-tipped missile capable of striking the U.S., Graham said.

Defense Secretary James Mattis referenced the 'end' of the North Korean regime in a new Pentagon statement

Say Kim Jong-un does risk all out war by attacking Guam, in what some experts have branded a 'suicide' move, what force does the US have to beckon from its bases in the region?

President Donald Trump dashed claims that he is not on vacation but actually 'working hard' at his New Jersey property when he was seen today on the golf course today while the conflict with North Korea raged
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Latest on the investigation into shooting death of a western Missouri police officer (all times local):

2:50 p.m.

The body of a slain western Missouri police officer has been returned to his home, accompanied by law enforcement officers in a long procession.

This undated photo released by the Missouri State Highway Patrol shows Ian McCarthy, of Clinton, Mo., who was charged Monday, Aug. 7, 2017, with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the fatal shooting of Clinton police officer Gary Michael during a traffic stop on Sunday. McCarthy was arrested Tuesday, Aug. 8. Missouri State Highway Patrol dispatchers said he was taken into custody in Henry County, which includes the city of Clinton. (Missouri State Highway Patrol via AP)

Officer Gary Michael was fatally shot Sunday during a traffic stop in Clinton, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City. His body had been in Kansas City while an autopsy was performed.

On Wednesday, a long line of law enforcement vehicles from across Missouri escorted his body home with emergency lights flashing. Vehicles stopped as the procession passed and onlookers paused to watch.

Hundreds of residents waited with police officers to greet Michael's body when it arrived in Clinton. Michael was the first officer killed in the line of duty in the city of about 9,000 residents.

At the funeral home, his fellow officers saluted as his body was carried into the building.

The suspect in the killing, 39-year-old Ian McCarthy of Clinton, was captured Tuesday night. He's charged with first-degree murder.

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8 a.m.

Services for a slain Missouri police officer will begin with a candlelight vigil Wednesday evening.

The Clinton Missouri Police Department says the vigil for Clinton Police Officer Gary Michael starts at 8:30 p.m. at the Henry County Court House.

A visitation is scheduled for Friday from 6-9 p.m. at the Vansant-Mills Funeral Home in Clinton.

Michael's funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Benson Convention Center, with a public viewing two hours before the service.

The 37-year-old Michael was shot to death Sunday during a traffic stop in Clinton, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City. A suspect, 39-year-old Ian McCarthy, was arrested Tuesday evening.

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7:40 a.m.

The family of a slain western Missouri police officer is expressing relief that a suspect in the shooting has been captured.

Ian McCarthy, who is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Clinton Police Officer Gary Michael, was arrested Tuesday. His arrest ended a manhunt that began after the shooting on Sunday.

Michael's brother, Chris Michael, told KCTV that the family had been hoping the suspect would be caught alive so justice can be served.

He says McCarthy's arrest brought a moment of joy and pride for him, his brother's wife and the family, calling it "a Band-Aid in the long process of healing."

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6:15 a.m.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says an alert driver called in the tip that led to the arrest of a man charged in the killing of a Missouri police officer.

Spokesman Sgt. Bill Lowe says 39-year-old Ian McCarthy was captured Tuesday night without incident as he walked along a state highway near Bucksaw Marina, just outside Clinton. Lowe says a motorist reported seeing the fugitive.

Authorities had been searching for McCarthy since Sunday, when Clinton police officer Gary Michael was shot during a traffic stop. Clinton is 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City.

McCarthy was initially taken to a Kansas City area hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound. He's being held at the Henry County jail.

Lowe says McCarthy was not armed at his arrest. An investigation into the shooting continues.

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12:10 a.m.

Authorities say a man charged with killing a Clinton, Missouri, police officer during a traffic stop has been arrested.

Missouri State Highway Patrol dispatchers say 39-year-old Ian McCarthy of Clinton was taken into custody Tuesday night in Henry County. Additional information about McCarthy's arrest was not immediately available.

Prosecutors on Monday charged McCarthy with first-degree murder in the death of Officer Gary Michael, who was shot during a traffic stop Sunday night.

Michael's brother, Chris, says his family was aware that the officer could be hurt but didn't believe it would happen in Clinton, a town of just 9,000 people about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City.

Gary Michael had been on the force less than a year and was the first officer killed in the line of duty in Clinton.
BERLIN (AP) - German prosecutors say they've arrested a 29-year-old Syrian man on allegations he committed war crimes as a member of the Islamic State group in his home country.

The federal prosecutor's office said Wednesday that Fares A. B., whose last name wasn't released in line with privacy laws, is also accused of membership in a terrorist organization.

Prosecutors allege that he joined the Nusra Front extremist organization in 2013, and then moved to IS in 2014.

There, he was detailed to a jail and allegedly abused three prisoners. He's also accused of beating a pickup truck driver with his assault rifle at a traffic control point, and executing an IS prisoner in 2014.

He was arrested in the southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg July 31 and brought before a judge Tuesday.
JOHANNESBURG (AP) - South Africa's main opposition party said Wednesday it will propose that parliament be dissolved and early elections be called after the country's president survived the most serious attempt yet to unseat him.

The Democratic Alliance statement came a day after President Jacob Zuma celebrated the failure of another no-confidence motion.

It was the first such vote on Zuma to be held by secret ballot, and dozens of members of his ruling African National Congress party revolted and supported the motion. The party holds a majority of parliament's 400 seats.

South African President, Jacob Zuma, jubilates after surviving a no-confidence vote by MP's in parliament in Cape Town South Africa, Tuesday Aug. 8, 2017. Zuma survived the vote which was the most serious attempt yet to unseat him after months of growing anger over alleged corruption and a sinking economy. (AP Photo)

"We believe the voters should now have the chance to express their opinion about the conduct of the ANC in defending Jacob Zuma," Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane said in a statement.

Zuma has faced growing anger over multiple allegations of corruption while the economy has slid into recession. His term is set to continue until elections in 2019.

The president carried on with business as usual Wednesday, addressing a crowd for the national Women's Day and making no mention of the events in parliament.

Zuma would have had to resign with his Cabinet if the motion had succeeded Tuesday night. Of the 384 votes cast in parliament, 177 were in favor of the no-confidence motion and 198 were against, with nine abstentions. The no-confidence motion needed 201 votes to succeed.

The Democratic Alliance said "the majority of the ANC have chosen corruption, looting" over the country's interests.

Concerns are growing that the decades-old liberation movement, which has ruled South Africa since the end of apartheid and the first all-race elections in 1994, continues to unravel. Some party members have openly called for Zuma to step aside.

The party is expected to replace Zuma as ANC president at a meeting in December.
VIENNA (AP) - The Latest on the flow of migrants into Europe (all times local):

8:10 p.m.

A 10-year-old migrant from Afghanistan, who has been nicknamed "Little Picasso," is using his first ever exhibition to help another boy in need.

FILE - In this Wednesday, March 2, 2016 file photo, a Greek police officer checks registration papers as refugees crowd to cross the border from the Greek side to Macedonia at the northern Greek border station of Idomeni. EU countries have begun the process of sending migrants who arrived in Europe via Greece over the last five months back to have their asylum applications assessed there, it was announced on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017. Under EU rules, migrants must apply for asylum in the country they first enter. But the rules were suspended as hundreds of thousands of people, many Syrian refugees, entered Greece in 2015. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, file)

Farhad Nouri's drawings and photographs were put on display Wednesday in what was also a charity event to raise money for a Serbian boy recovering from brain tumor surgery.

"Thank you all for coming here!" Nouri told dozens of visitors as he opened the exhibition organized with the help of aid groups and supported by Serbia's government.

Among Nouri's works exhibited in the garden of a Belgrade cafe were his drawings of Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Harry Potter.

Nouri's photographs mostly include scenes from Belgrade, where the boy and his family have been living for the past eight months in a crowded migrant camp.

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7:15 p.m.

A group of around two dozen people suspected to be migrants from Africa have arrived by boat on a Spanish beach and scattered among sunbathers.

Amateur video footage shows a black inflatable boat coming ashore in Cadiz, on the southern Spanish coast. As the boat pulls into shallow water, those on board leap out and run up the beach. One onlooker asks in an astonished voice, "What's going on?"

Carlos Sanz, who shot the video Wednesday afternoon while on vacation in Cadiz, said the group quickly vanished and police only arrived some time later.

Spanish officials couldn't immediately be reached after office hours.

Disembarkations by migrants on Spanish beaches aren't common but have happened before, especially at Spain's north African enclave cities Melilla and Ceuta, which border Morocco.

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3:20 p.m.

German officials say a review of the security situation in Afghanistan supports the current practice of deporting certain Afghan asylum seekers back to the country.

A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry says a recent official report concluded that the conflict in Afghanistan doesn't put all civilians at risk.

Martin Schaefer said Wednesday that "the individual threat level for people who live in Afghanistan or return to Afghanistan depends on a multitude of factors" including their ethnicity, gender and place of residence.

Interior Ministry spokesman Johannes Dimroth said Germany would continue to deport Afghans who are considered a threat, have committed crimes or persistently refuse to reveal their identity.

Germany suspended large-scale deportations after more than 100 people were killed in an attack near the German embassy in Kabul in May

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12:50 p.m.

Austria's interior minister says police and soldiers are increasing controls on the country's eastern and southern borders in response to what he says are increased numbers of migrants entering illegally.

Wolfgang Sobotka says the measures will be in effect on border crossing points with Hungary, Slovenia, Italy and Slovakia. He said Wednesday the move is necessary because larger than usual numbers of migrants have been intercepted along these borders.

He says without giving details that some of the migrants were stopped at border crossings that were previously seldom used in attempts to enter Austria illegally.
HOUGHTON, Mich. (AP) - A former Michigan Technological University student has been awarded more than $42,000 compensation after agreeing to settle his lawsuit against the school over an alleged internet threat against black people.

Matthew Schultz filed an agreement to settle the case in June, but terms weren't disclosed. MLive.com reports Wednesday a copy of the agreement obtained using the Freedom of Information Act says Schultz got a refund of about $27,800 he paid to the university and $14,500 for "other expenses."

The former third-year engineering student also had his disciplinary record cleared by the school. University spokeswoman Jennifer Donovan says in a statement that he won't return to the university.

Schultz said the November 2015 post wasn't a threat. Criminal charges were dropped against Schultz, who is from the Michigan city of Norway.

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Information from: The Grand Rapids Press:MLive.com, http://www.mlive.com
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Donald Trump's threat to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea might have been written by Pyongyang's propaganda mavens, so perfectly does it fit the North's cherished claim that it is a victim of American aggression.

Not since George W. Bush labeled North Korea part of an "axis of evil" has the nation had such a strong piece of presidential evidence to back up its argument that only nuclear and missile development can counter "hostile" U.S. policies aimed at ending the rule of the latest member of the Kim family of dictators.

Trump now runs several risks by matching his rhetoric to that of the North, which has regularly vowed to reduce archrival Seoul to a "sea of fire."

FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017, file photo, President Donald Trump speaks during a briefing at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. Donald Trump's threat to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea might have been written by Pyongyang's propaganda mavens, so perfectly does it fit the North's cherished claim that it is a victim of American aggression. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Word choice matters on the Korean Peninsula. A torrent of belligerent warnings by the North in 2013, for instance, including nuclear strike threats against specific U.S. targets, led to an anxious, weeks-long standoff that saw the United States fly its most powerful warplanes - nuclear capable B-2 and B-52 bombers, and F-22 stealth fighters - near the North Korean border.

The risk, now as then, is that heated words could cause a miscalculation that might trigger real fighting across the most heavily armed border on earth, a border that's only a short drive from greater Seoul's 25 million people.

Trump's comments Tuesday were actually linked to Pyongyang's never-ending stream of threats: "North Korea had best not make any more threats to the United States," Trump said. "They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

Though it seems unlikely it was directly responding to those comments, the North on Wednesday repeated past warnings that it's examining operational plans for attacking the U.S. territory of Guam.

This is mostly a bluff: North Korea is extremely unlikely to follow through on a suicidal pre-emptive attack on the United States. But there is also almost zero chance that the North will miss the opportunity to put its propaganda specialists to work topping Trump's threat of total war. Pyongyang, after all, may be the world's leading producer of such threats - against Seoul, against Tokyo, against Washington, against essentially anything or anyone seen as hostile.

As John Delury, an Asia specialist at Seoul's Yonsei University, tweeted following Trump's comments, "Trying to out-threaten North Korea is like trying to out-pray the Pope."

The risk is that what works for a tiny, impoverished dictatorship that has long seen itself as sandwiched between geopolitical behemoths whose only aim is using the Korean Peninsula for their own interests might not work for the world's most powerful economy and military.

Trump now confronts a problem that North Korea has long faced: Over-the-top threats are one thing, but what do you do when you can't back them up?

So far, of course, North Korea has favored smaller scale sneak attacks over following through with its threats to launch missiles into Seoul, let alone a U.S. territory. North Korea will surely continue its nuclear bluster, but Trump cannot bring "fire and fury" without risking the destruction of Seoul, and the deaths of tens of thousands of U.S. troops and citizens in South Korea.

Trump's comments also feed North Korea's craving for global attention.

The country uses its scary rhetoric and nuclear boasts to force itself to the top of outside governments' foreign policy lists. For the North, being ignored is a worse fate than being criticized.

Trump's "fire and fury" line might also hurt his efforts to get China, the North's economic and diplomatic enabler, to do more to curb Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

China, though it does not want a nuclear North Korea, sympathizes with Pyongyang's claim that it is under real threat from Washington.

"The U.S. is trying to tell China, 'We're not in this for regime change; we're not trying to take down (leader) Kim Jong Un; we're not trying to reunify the Korean Peninsula; what we want is to negotiate their nukes away,'" Delury said in an interview. "To use unprecedented, inflammatory language, to threaten war on North Korea because they make threats, undermines the work the U.S. is trying to do to keep the Chinese on board."

Before Trump's threat, the North's biggest recent example of so-called U.S. hostility was the joint military drills staged by allies Washington and Seoul. Those start up again in a few weeks. Expect to see "fire and fury" drive North Korean propaganda then, and for a long time to come.

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Foster Klug is AP's Seoul bureau chief and has covered the Koreas since 2005. Follow him on www.twitter.com/apklug

FILE - In this Jan. 29. 2002, file photo, President George W. Bush labels North Korea, Iran and Iraq an "axis of evil" during his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill. Donald Trump's threat to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea might have been written by Pyongyang's propaganda mavens, so perfectly does it fit the North's cherished claim that it is a victim of American aggression. (AP Photo/Doug Mills, File)

People walk by a TV screen showing a local news program reporting with an image of U.S. President Donald Trump at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. North Korea and the United States traded escalating threats, with President Donald Trump threatening Pyongyang "with fire and fury like the world has never seen" and the North's military claiming Wednesday it was examining its plans for attacking Guam. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A man watches a TV screen showing a local news program reporting on North Korea's missiles at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. Donald Trump's threat to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea might have been written by Pyongyang's propaganda mavens, so perfectly does it fit the North's cherished claim that it is a victim of American aggression. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

John Delury, associate professor of East Asian Studies at Yonsei University poses for a photo in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. Donald Trump's threat to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea might have been written by Pyongyang's propaganda mavens, so perfectly does it fit the North's cherished claim that it is a victim of American aggression. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Art student Usman Anwar planned to spend this summer at home in Pakistan, visiting family and hiking with friends, but as he followed news about President Donald Trump's orders on immigration, he decided it was too risky to leave the U.S.

"I had a feeling that if I would go back ... I won't be able to continue my studies here again," he said.

Instead of visiting Lahore, the 22-year-old sophomore remained at Adelphi University on New York's Long Island, which provided him with a free room and a campus marketing job - assistance that was key, he said, because his family hadn't budgeted for the expense and visa restrictions limit off-campus work.

In this undated photo provided by Adelphi University, student Usman Anwar works at his campus job on Long Island, N.Y. Anwar said he skipped a trip home to Pakistan this summer because he worried he might not be allowed to re-enter the U.S. if he left. Like Anwar, some international students have remained in the U.S. because they worried about potential travel troubles, even if they aren't from majority Muslim countries in the government's travel ban rules. (Noelle Fiallo-Evans/Adelphi University via AP)

Adelphi is among a number of U.S. schools that offered housing, employment or other help to accommodate international students who stayed because of the concern and uncertainty surrounding U.S. requirements since the White House imposed a travel ban on six mainly Muslim countries.

A Supreme Court ruling on the travel ban exempted many travelers who have a "bona fide relationship" with an entity in the U.S., such as those admitted to universities. But educators who work with and advocate for international students say many remain concerned, even if they aren't from the six listed countries - Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

"Whether or not the fears that the students have are based in a concrete reality is almost not relevant," said Perry Greene, Adelphi's vice president for diversity and inclusion. "What's relevant is the anxiety and fear that for our students was quite real."

It's unknown exactly how many international students decided to cancel travel plans and stay put this summer. Some schools say they learned of such students only through efforts to make assistance available.

Ohio University said it provided summer housing or dining accommodations for 18 students from the countries in Trump's temporary travel ban rules, covering the costs through an existing endowment used to help students in need.

A handful of Lawrence University students from two countries not on the list, Pakistan and Jordan, decided to stay in the U.S., and the school in Appleton, Wisconsin, provided reception-type campus jobs for two of them, said Leah McSorley, the associate dean of students for international student services.

Many other schools pointed foreign students to support services and legal resources that could help with travel questions.

"With the uncertainty that's there, I think people have been thinking twice about some of these decisions and wanting to make sure that they don't put themselves in situations that could complicate their lives," said Fanta Aw, the interim vice president of campus life at American University in Washington, D.C. The school surveyed international students in the spring and found that many planned to stay for summer, often for academic or professional reasons, but travel and visa concerns also were a consideration, Aw said.

Anwar said he reconsidered his summer plans after experiencing increased airport scrutiny and heightened anxiety among travelers when he returned to New York from a visit in January shortly before Trump's inauguration. He's still wary about traveling and wonders whether talking about his concerns might cause him trouble in the future.

Awaiting fall semester, he has spent his free time sketching or occasionally grabbing halal meals with friends at a Long Island restaurant.

He is getting homesick and wants to visit Pakistan during winter break - maybe, "if the situation changes."

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Find Kantele Franko on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/kantele10 and her work at http://apne.ws/2qEaebN .
MAHWAH, N.J. (AP) - Thin strips of PVC piping on utility poles around a New Jersey town have stirred worries that an Orthodox Jewish community just across the New York border plans to expand, and backlash from those who say the opposition raises worries about anti-Semitism.

While arguing over the expansion of Monsey, New York's "eruv," a ritual boundary that allows Orthodox Jews to carry items and perform some activities during the Sabbath, the town of Mahwah is also reconsidering a new law limiting its parks and playgrounds to New Jersey residents.

The law came after residents complained of families with New York license plates using a park near the border, but the county's prosecutor ordered the police not to enforce it after Mahwah's police chief raised concerns that people reporting violations were targeting Jews.

In this Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, photo, polyvinyl chloride piping is seen on an utility pole as a vehicle drives by on Airmount Road in Mahwah, N.J. Thin strips of PVC piping placed on utility poles around a New Jersey town bordering New York have stirred worries that an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community plans to expand. Along with a measure to limit Mahwah's parks to town residents, it has led to backlash from those who say the opposition raises worries about anti-Semitism. The county's prosecutor ordered the police not to enforce that measure after Mahwah's police chief raised concerns that complaints were targeting Jews. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

"What's your real target and agenda here?" said Rabbi Moses Witriol, a frequent liaison between Mahwah's police force and the Hasidic Jewish community, who questioned the motives of the councilmembers who backed the measure. "It's a park for kids to play. Are we going to differentiate between which kids can play?"

More than 200 people gathered to support the eruv removal last month. An eruv marking was also vandalized last week, and some have targeted the Jewish community with vitriolic posts in an online petition.

The eruv expansion and park ordinance follows years of growth among the Orthodox Jewish population in southern Rockland County in New York. There have also been complaints around the region of aggressive solicitation by real estate brokers looking to buy homes for the Jewish community in the suburbs of New York City and around New Jersey as real estate in New York becomes too expensive.

The eruvs are set up in communities of Orthodox Jews across the country, including one made of fishing line that stretches along utility poles for 18 miles around New York City. Some have led to disputes, including a six-year legal fight in Tenafly, New Jersey, which was forced to pay a Jewish group more than $300,000 in legal fees and allow them to keep their eruv up.

The Jewish community's supporters say the incursion into Mahwah is only because the layout of utility poles doesn't form an enclosure around the Rockland County border. Following an order from Mahwah to remove the eruv pipes by last Friday, the South Monsey Eruv fund retained a law firm, and the eruv remains standing.

The eruv dispute comes at the same time as the park ordinance, adding another layer to concerns the Jewish community is being targeted. Supporters of the measure say they are being unfairly maligned as anti-Semitic, when they're just looking out for their town.

Mahwah Council President Rob Hermansen said Mahwah residents began complaining this year about vehicles from New York occupying parking lots at Winters Pond, a recreational area across from the town's train station. The ordinance, he said, was to curb the number of people from outside Mahwah using parks, not to target Jews.

"No matter where they are from, or who they are, it is unsafe to occupy a playground ... in large, uncontrollable numbers," said Kate Nunez, a Mahwah resident for nearly 20 years. "Our safety concerns have been ignored, and instead Mahwah has been accused of discriminating against a religious group."

Hermansen, who condemned the anti-Semitic comments made online, said the town is looking to release a second ordinance that clarifies how the ban should be enforced.

"The principle behind this ordinance is very simple," he said. "In Mahwah, Mahwah residents come first."

In this Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, photo, polyvinyl chloride piping is seen on an utility pole on Airmount Road in Mahwah, N.J. Thin strips of PVC piping placed on utility poles around a New Jersey town bordering New York have stirred worries that an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community plans to expand. Along with a measure to limit Mahwah's parks to town residents, it has led to backlash from those who say the opposition raises worries about anti-Semitism. The county's prosecutor ordered the police not to enforce that measure after Mahwah's police chief raised concerns that complaints were targeting Jews. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
CHICAGO (AP) - When Illinois jurors convicted Patrick Pursley of murder, they relied on an expert's assurance that the scratches and dents on bullets and shell casings from the crime scene proved they could only have come from Pursley's gun.

More than two decades later, technological advances have eroded confidence in ballistic experts, and the analyst who testified against Pursley is no longer so sure of his findings. Now Pursley is awaiting a new trial, and the case could become the first in which a database used to help put countless criminals behind bars sets someone free. The issue could also pave a new path for other convicts to challenge convictions.

"I knew that this could exonerate me because there would be no bias. It would just be a computer algorithm saying it is or it isn't," said Pursley, who was convicted in 1994.

In this June 28, 2017, photo, Patrick Pursley and his fiancee, Michelle Carr, talk in his attorney's office in Chicago about how reexamination of ballistic evidence helped him get a new trial for a 1994 murder he says he didn't commit. The case marks the first time someone has gotten a new trial by using a ballistics software that investigators have been using to put countless criminals behind bars. Pursley is free on bail and living with his fiancee while he waits for a new trial. (AP Photo/Ivan Moreno)

Now 51, Pursley represented himself for more than a decade and convinced Illinois legislators to update the law to let him retest the evidence using a more advanced system that links shell casings to guns - a tool that became available five years after his conviction.

A judge agreed that the results from the Integrated Ballistic Identification System cast doubt on the trial expert's conclusions. Pursley was granted a new trial in March.

The system known as IBIS compares high-resolution, multi-dimensional images of shell casings to find markings unique to a specific weapon. In Pursley's case, it failed to match the gun police took from him to the bullets that killed 22-year-old Andy Ascher on April 2, 1993, in Rockford, northwest of Chicago.

It's not clear how many cases like Pursley's exist. So far, Illinois is the only state that allows the system to be used in appeals. Pursley is the first to use the 2007 law, "which could set an important precedent for others," said Andrew Vail, an attorney at the law firm representing Pursley for free along with Northwestern University's Center on Wrongful Convictions.

Steven Drizin, the assistant dean at the center, said he's hopeful other states will update their laws.

"This is pretty much uncharted territory and it shouldn't be," Drizin said.

The images placed into IBIS are stored in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network managed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Since 1999, the 2.8 million images entered into the database have helped investigators identify suspects in countless homicides nationwide, according to the ATF, which lists success stories on its website .

Winnebago County prosecutors are appealing the judge's ruling for a new trial. They maintain that Pursley was the man who approached Ascher and his girlfriend while they sat in a car and demanded money. Ascher's girlfriend told police she was looking for cash in her purse when she heard two shots and saw Ascher slouch down in the driver's seat. The gunman wore a blue ski mask and black gloves, according to Ascher's girlfriend, but police never found either item.

Since Pursley's first trial, at least five convictions nationwide that relied on ballistic evidence have been overturned, according to the National Registry of Exonerations.

Without the technology, matching bullets to firearms requires an expert to manually compare photographs of shell casings from a crime scene to shell casings test-fired from a gun.

IBIS can produce "high confidence" matches, but someone still must analyze them under a microscope. And even ballistic experts who believe in the accuracy of their craft acknowledge that it's reckless to declare their results with absolute certainty because it's impossible to examine every gun in the world.

When prosecutors made their case against Pursley, the only physical evidence they presented to connect him to Ascher's homicide came from ballistics expert Daniel Gunnell. Using a microscope far weaker than those available now, he told jurors Pursley's gun was the murder weapon "to the exclusion of all other firearms."

But during a three-day hearing in December, Gunnell said he "would not testify the same way today" and that the language he used then "could give an inappropriate opinion" to listeners.

Gunnell and the Winnebago County State Attorney's Office declined to comment to The Associated Press because the case is ongoing.

Pursley had run-ins with police long before he was charged with murder. He was 14 when his mother gave him up to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services because, he said, he was skipping school and smoking marijuana. He said he was shuffled between homes in Chicago and Rockford and joined a gang. Once he was no longer in the state's custody, he was in and out of prison for burglary and drug possession.

After he was convicted in Ascher's death, Pursley faced the death penalty but received a life sentence instead. In prison, he began taking courses in law and helped inmates with appeals. He also developed a website aimed at helping at-risk youth - a project he hopes to continue to work on.

He achieved some key victories on his own before obtaining legal representation. He got a court to preserve his gun and the bullets from the crime scene in 2005, which made the IBIS testing possible. Around that time, he learned Illinois' post-conviction law had to be updated to allow for IBIS testing so he sent letters to Illinois lawmakers.

His pleas went unanswered until an activist for inmates, Bill Ryan, took his idea to Chicago Democratic state Rep. Art Turner Sr.

"He started to say that if he could prove that it wasn't his gun that it would show his innocence," said Ryan, 83. "I frankly wasn't sure. A lot of guys tell me that stuff."

After the law passed, Pursley finally got legal representation. But even with lawyers, it's been a slow process. It wasn't until 2011 that a court ordered that the ballistic evidence be re-examined and five more years before his hearing for a new trial.

He is free on bail while awaiting the trial. Pursley put himself in jeopardy of going back to prison after recently testing positive for marijuana. He could have his $50,000 bail revoked or increased at an Oct. 3 hearing.

He said he doesn't feel free because the case isn't over.

"It's like the pit and the pendulum," he said. "This way or that way. Which way? ... It's a lot of pressure."
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) - Authorities in the Dominican Republic have detained a Catholic priest as a suspect in the killing of a 16-year-old who previously served as an altar boy in his church.

The Rev. Elvis Taveras was taken into custody after questioning by police and prosecutors who searched his residence in eastern Santo Domingo. He was expected to make his initial appearance before a judge Thursday.

Prosecutor Gilberto Castillo said he would seek to have the priest held while authorities continue the investigation. Taveras did not yet have a lawyer.

Fernelis Carrion's body was found in brush along a road leading north out of the capital. A taxi driver told newspaper Diario Libre that he had taken the teen to meet the priest and that Taveras paid the fare. Authorities have not disclosed the cause of death.

A statement from the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo says Taveras was suspended from his duties as a precaution.
WOODWARD, Okla. (AP) - A 14-year-old boy trying to speed away from police in western Oklahoma on Wednesday hit a curb and flipped the car, killing two girls and injuring one of two boys who were with him, authorities said.

The two girls, ages 12 and 13, were from Woodward, which about 125 miles northwest of Oklahoma City and the site of the 1 a.m. crash. Authorities haven't released their names.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, a Woodward police officer tried to stop the car for running a stop sign, but the driver sped away at high speed before eventually hitting a curb, going airborne and rolling. The girls weren't wearing seatbelts and were thrown from the car.

The patrol didn't say if the driver had been arrested. He and another 14-year-old boy who was in the car were treated at a hospital and released. A 13-year-old boy was hospitalized in stable condition. The boys are from Vici, which is 20 miles south of Woodward.

A patrol spokesman didn't immediately reply to a call seeking additional information.

The driving age is 16 in Oklahoma.
ELMIRA, N.Y. (AP) - Two sisters who thought a dog was making noises near their neighbor's bushes discovered something shocking: a filthy 8-month-old baby girl who survived three nights outside in a white plastic bag.

"Her legs were just dangling in the bag. Her head was in the bag. Her whole head was covered all the way down," Kayla Seals told Elmira television station WENY.

The baby was hospitalized in stable condition Wednesday and the 17-year-old mother, Harriette Hoyt, was in jail facing a charge of attempted murder.

This undated photo provided Elmira Police shows Harriette Hoyt. An 8-month-old baby found alive in a plastic bag outside a home had been abandoned there several days, authorities said. Elmira police said neighbors checking out a noise early Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017, and found a baby whose feet were sticking out of the bag. Hoyt was being held Wednesday in the Chemung County Jail and has been charged with attempted murder. (Elmira Police via AP)

Hoyt, who lives 20 miles from Elmira in Sayre, Pennsylvania, came here to visit a friend Saturday morning and left the infant in the bag under some bushes around noon, said Chemung County District Attorney Weeden Wetmore.

Police say interviews with neighborhood residents identified Hoyt as the baby's mother. Her public defender wasn't available for comment. Weeden said Hoyt had no prior criminal history.

Kayla and Karen Seals found the baby early Tuesday afternoon. They called 911 and cleaned up the child. She was wearing clothing and a soiled diaper and had a rash over parts of her body, but showed no signs of other physical abuse, Wetmore said. High temperatures over those days reached into the 70s with a low of 48 degrees on Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service.

The baby, whose name was not released, was taken to a hospital for examination and transferred to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, where she was in stable condition and may be released to social services officials as early as Wednesday.

Elmira police Sgt. William Solt called the two women "heroes."

"My sister came out off the porch and went to the side to the backyard of my neighbor's house with a stick, thinking it was a dog," Karen Seals told the television station.

New York has a law that allows a parent to leave a newborn in a safe place, such as a hospital or fire station, without fear of being prosecuted, but it wouldn't have applied to the 8-month-old. The law was enacted in 2000 and amended 10 years later to increase the length of time when a newborn could be abandoned from five days after birth to 30 days.

Hoyt was being held on $250,000 bail and is expected back in court Monday.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A judge has ruled the federal corruption trial of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez can begin as scheduled next month.

In an order published Wednesday, U.S. District Judge William Walls said he would wait to decide on the New Jersey Democrat's motion to dismiss the charges until after prosecutors present their case.

Menendez argues in court filings that the charges should be tossed because the alleged acts aren't criminal under a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year in the case of ex-Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.

In reversing McDonnell's conviction, the Supreme Court narrowed the definition of what constitutes "official acts" by legislators.

Menendez faces multiple bribery and fraud counts. He's accused of taking gifts from a wealthy campaign donor in exchange for using his position to lobby for the donor's business interests.

___

This story has been corrected to show the judge's order was published, not written, Wednesday.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - Morris Communications will sell its 11 daily newspapers and other publications in those markets to New Media Investment Group, the parent company of GateHouse Media Inc., the companies announced Wednesday.

New Media said in a news release it will pay $120 million to purchase Morris Publishing Group, the newspaper division of Georgia-based Morris Communications.

The sale includes The Augusta Chronicle, The Savannah Morning News and The Athens Banner-Herald in Georgia; The Florida Times-Union of Jacksonville and The St. Augustine Record in Florida; the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal and Amarillo Globe News in Texas; the Topeka Capital-Journal in Kansas; the Log Cabin Democrat of Conway, Arkansas; and the Juneau Empire and Peninsula Clarion of Kenai in Alaska.

Family-owned Morris Communications has operated newspapers for more than 70 years. William S. Morris Jr., hired as a bookkeeper at The Augusta Chronicle in 1929, bought a controlling interest in the newspaper with his wife and a friend in 1945. The couple's son, William S. Morris III, joined the company in 1956 and remains chairman of Morris Communications.

"Since 1929, the Morris family has had a great love and passion for journalism and the local communities that they serve," Morris said in a statement. "However, every newspaper company in America is battling trends and redirected advertising dollars, so it is necessary for newspapers to be part of a large newspaper group to build and maintain the necessary resources to compete."

The deal allows Morris to remain as publisher of The August Chronicle. He will also oversee editorial-page policies at the three Georgia newspapers. Morris Communications will still publish magazines, sell broadband services and operate other business ventures. The company said the sale, which includes its commercial printing operation in Lubbock, Texas, should be finalized in October.

GateHouse Media owns more than 130 daily newspapers and other publications in 36 U.S. states.

"For over 80 years, the Morris family has built and operated an incredible collection of local media assets," Michael E. Reed, New Media's president and CEO, said in a statement. "We are honored that the family has chosen us to uphold the rich tradition of journalism and innovation they have established. This transaction will expand our footprint into new states and add some very attractive markets to our local media portfolio."
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Amber Heard says she has broken up with billionaire SpaceX and Tesla mogul Elon Musk.

The actress writes on Instagram that although she and Musk have ended their romance, they "care deeply for one another and remain close." Heard says she is going through "difficult, very human times."

Both Heard and Musk made their relationship public with Instagram posts in April.

This combination photo shows Elon Musk at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Feb. 26, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif., left, and actress Amber Heard at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards on Nov. 14, 2016, in Los Angeles. Heard says she has broken up with SpaceX and Tesla mogul Elon Musk. She wrote on Instagram that although she and Musk have ended their romance, they "care deeply for one another and remain close." Heard says she is going through "difficult, very human times." (Photo by Evan Agostini, left, and Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Heard's divorce from Johnny Depp was finalized earlier this year. Musk has been married three times, twice to British actress Talulah Riley. He has five sons from another previous marriage.
Two LGBT-rights organizations filed a lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday challenging President Donald Trump's tweets declaring a ban on transgender people serving in the military.

The suit was filed in the US District Court in Washington, DC on behalf of five transgender service members with nearly 60 years of combined military service.

Transgender people have been allowed to serve openly in the military since June 2016. Trump, in a series of tweets on July 26, however, announced that he planned to end that policy.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Two LGBT-rights organizations filed a lawsuit on behalf of five active-duty transgender service members in federal court Wednesday challenging President Donald Trump's (pictured, August 3) tweets declaring a ban on transgender people serving in the military

The lawsuit, filed by GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, says such a ban is unconstitutional, denying transgender service members equal protection and due process (Pictured, protests in San Francisco's Castro District on July 26)

The five plaintiffs serve in the Air Force, the Coast Guard and the Army. Their years of service range from three years to two decades, and include tours in Iraq and Afghanistan (Pictured, demonstrators gather to protest the ban at the White House on July 26)

The government 'will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military,' he tweeted, contending that their service entailed 'tremendous medical costs and disruption'.

The surprise announcement appealed to some in Trump's conservative political base but created uncertainty for thousands of transgender service members, many of whom came out after the Pentagon said in 2016 it would allow transgender people to serve openly.

The lawsuit, filed by GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, says such a ban is unconstitutional, denying transgender service members equal protection and due process.

Attorneys handling the lawsuit said they hoped the court would move swiftly to prevent a ban from taking effect, given the uncertainty that transgender service members now face in regard to their livelihoods and retirement benefits.

'The damage is happening now,' said Jennifer Levi, director of GLAD's Transgender Rights Project. 'These service members were told in June 2016 they could come out and continue to openly serve.'

The five plaintiffs serve in the Air Force, the Coast Guard and the Army. Their years of service range from three years to two decades, and include tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

All have come out as transgender to their commanding officers but are anonymous in the lawsuit, named only as Jane Doe, for fear of retribution, said Levi.

President Trump announced the ban in a series of tweets on July 26, citing 'cost' and 'disruption' as the reasons

The Pentagon had no immediate comment.

Named in the suit, along with Trump, are Defense Secretary James Mattis; General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and other national security officials.

When Trump first tweeted his plan, Dunford said the military would not act on the tweets until a formal order to do so was issued by the president, who is also the commander-in-chief of the military.

Named in the suit, along with Trump, are Defense Secretary James Mattis; General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and other national security officials (Pictured, people protests the transgender ban in Times Square in New York City on July 26)

Transgender people have been allowed to serve openly in the military since June 2016 (Pictured, Nick Rondoletto, left, and Doug Thorogood, a couple from San Francisco, wave a rainbow flag and hold a sign against a proposed ban of transgendered people in the military at a protest in San Francisco on July 26)

One of Trump's explanations for the ban was the 'cost burden'. But financial reports showed that out of $6.7billion spent on healthcare, transgender-related healthcare equated to just $8.4million. Meanwhile, $84.24million is spent on erectile dysfunction

But a team of military lawyers has been pulled together to figure out how to handle the matter.

The American Civil Liberties Union says it told the White House on Tuesday it intends to sue, and requested that relevant documents be preserved in preparation for the lawsuit.

Fifty-six retired US generals and admirals protested the directive in a letter released last week, arguing the ban 'would cause significant disruptions, deprive the military of mission-critical talent, and compromise the integrity of transgender troops'.

A new report released on Wednesday by The Palm Center found that 'fully implementing President Trump's ban would cost $960million in pursuit of saving $8.4million per year'.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The two-year-old U.S. diplomatic relationship with Cuba was roiled Wednesday by what U.S. officials say was a string of bizarre incidents that left a group of American diplomats in Havana with severe hearing loss attributed to a covert sonic device.

In the fall of 2016, a series of U.S. diplomats began suffering unexplained losses of hearing, according to officials with knowledge of the investigation into the case. Several of the diplomats were recent arrivals at the embassy, which reopened in 2015 as part of former President Barack Obama's reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba.

Some of the diplomats' symptoms were so severe that they were forced to cancel their tours early and return to the United States, officials said. After months of investigation, U.S. officials concluded that the diplomats had been exposed to an advanced device that operated outside the range of audible sound and had been deployed either inside or outside their residences. It was not immediately clear if the device was a weapon used in a deliberate attack, or had some other purpose.

FILE - In this july 20, 2015 file photo, a member of the Cuban honor guard stands next to a new plaque at the front door of the newly reopened Cuban embassy in Washington. The State Department has expelled two diplomats from Cuba's Embassy in Washington following a series of unexplained incidents in Cuba that left U.S. officials there with physical symptoms. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File, Pool)

The U.S. officials weren't authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the U.S. retaliated by expelling two Cuban diplomats from their embassy in Washington on May 23. She did not say how many U.S. diplomats were affected or confirm they had suffered hearing loss, saying only that they had "a variety of physical symptoms."

The Cuban government said in a lengthy statement late Wednesday that "Cuba has never permitted, nor will permit, that Cuban territory be used for any action against accredited diplomatic officials or their families, with no exception."

The statement from the Cuban Foreign Ministry said it had been informed of the incidents on Feb. 17 and had launched an "exhaustive, high-priority, urgent investigation at the behest of the highest level of the Cuban government."

It said the decision to expel two Cuban diplomats was "unjustified and baseless."

The ministry said it had created an expert committee to analyze the incidents and had reinforced security around the U.S. embassy and U.S. diplomatic residences.

"Cuba is universally considered a safe destination for visitors and foreign diplomats, including U.S. citizens," the statement said.

U.S. officials told The Associated Press that about five diplomats, several with spouses, had been affected and that no children had been involved. The FBI and Diplomatic Security Service are investigating.

Cuba employs a state security apparatus that keeps many people under surveillance and U.S. diplomats are among the most closely monitored people on the island. Like virtually all foreign diplomats in Cuba, the victims of the incidents lived in housing owned and maintained by the Cuban government.

However, officials familiar with the probe said investigators were looking into the possibilities that the incidents were carried out by a third country such as Russia, possibly operating without the knowledge of Cuba's formal chain of command.

Nauert said investigators did not yet have a definitive explanation for the incidents but stressed they take them "very seriously," as shown by the Cuban diplomats' expulsions.

"We requested their departure as a reciprocal measure since some U.S. personnel's assignments in Havana had to be curtailed due to these incidents," she said. "Under the Vienna Convention, Cuba has an obligation to take measures to protect diplomats."

U.S. diplomats in Cuba said they suffered occasional harassment for years after the restoration of limited ties with the communist government in the 1970s, harassment reciprocated by U.S. agents against Cuban diplomats in Washington. The use of sonic devices to intentionally harm diplomats would be unprecedented.

___

Weissenstein reported from Havana.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on White House and conservative criticism of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (all times EDT):

4:25 p.m.

One of President Donald Trump's most loyal supporters has made a $300,000 donation to a super PAC for a primary opponent of Sen. Jeff Flake.

FILE - In this Aug. 1, 2017 file photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Ky. listens during a news conference on Capitol Hill Washington. A top White House aide and a Fox News host are criticizing McConnell after the Senate majority leader said people think Congress hasn't achieved anything this year partly because President Donald Trump has created "excessive expectations." (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

The Arizona Republican faces re-election next year and has been one of the biggest thorns in the president's side. He has a book out blaming Trump for problems within the Republican Party.

Robert Mercer's check marks the "first major gift" to the committee backing Senate candidate Kelli Ward, says Doug McKee, chairman of Kelli PAC. That group isn't directly controlled by Ward and can accept donations of any size.

Mercer has helped fund Breitbart News, which vigorously supports Trump and was once led by the president's top strategist, Steve Bannon. Mercer also gave $700,000 during Ward's failed bid to unseat Sen. John McCain last year.

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2:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump is using Twitter to take a whack at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for saying the president had "excessive expectations" about how quickly Congress could act on uprooting the Obama health care law.

Trump tweeted Wednesday, "Senator Mitch McConnell said I had "excessive expectations," but I don't think so. After 7 years of hearing Repeal & Replace, why not done?"

McConnell told a Rotary Club in Kentucky on Monday that Trump has "not been in this line of work before." The Kentucky Republican said Trump's "excessive expectations" are a reason why the public believes Congress has been unproductive this year.

Republicans have wanted to repeal President Barack Obama's health care bill since its 2010 enactment.

Trump's tweet was an unusually sharp reprimand of his party's Senate leader.

__

11:40 a.m.

A top White House aide and a Fox News host are criticizing Mitch McConnell after the Senate majority leader said people think Congress hasn't achieved anything this year partly because President Donald Trump has created "excessive expectations."

Dan Scavino Jr. tweeted Wednesday that McConnell was making excuses for the Senate's failure to repeal and replace the Obama health care law. The White House social media director suggested that the Kentucky Republican might feel he needs four more years to succeed.

Fox News Host Sean Hannity tweeted that McConnell is "a WEAK, SPINELESS leader" who is dishonest and should retire. Hannity is a close Trump ally.

McConnell said this week that Trump has "not been in this line of work before." He said deadlines haven't reflected "the complexity of legislating."
NEW YORK (AP) - For a year, David Berkowitz terrorized New York.

The papers called him the ".44 Caliber Killer." In taunting notes to police and a journalist, he called himself "Mr. Monster," the "Son of Sam."

When the police finally got him, 40 years ago Thursday, the man behind the killings was unmasked as a schlubby civil servant with a boyish face and a dopey smile.

FILE - In this August 11, 1977 file photo, David Berkowitz, center, the tabloid-loving, police-taunting "Son of Sam" killer, is escorted into a courthouse in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 is the 40th anniversary of Berkowitz's capture.(AP Photo/Ira Schwarz, File)

"I remember the courtroom was packed to the rafters. And it was almost like the air was taken out of the room when he walked in," said Richard A. Brown, who was the judge who presided over Berkowitz's first court appearance, the day after his 1977 arrest.

The room fell silent, except for a wailing cry from the mother of victim Stacy Moskowitz.

Brown looked at Berkowitz and was surprised.

"He was sad sack," said Brown, now the Queens district attorney.

A pretrial report had recommended Berkowitz be released without bail because he had a steady job as a postal worker and ties to the community.

"Request wasn't granted," Brown said as he paged through his yellowed personal file on the case this week.

Six people died and seven were wounded, sometimes horribly, as Berkowitz stalked the city, targeting young women and couples sitting in cars.

Fanned by news reports, and Berkowitz's own loquacious letters sent to newspaper columnist Jimmy Breslin, the "Son of Sam" saga whipped up fear. Young people turned down dates or parties to stay home. Since the killer appeared to favor women with long, dark hair, women cut or dyed their hair.

Brown, who lived in Queens, said his own two daughters were scared to leave the house.

"The city was just gripped with fear. Stores were closed early, there was no one on the street, it was like nothing anyone had seen," he said.

Donna Lauria was the first victim, shot and killed July 29, 1976, in the Bronx. But it wasn't until after the fifth attack, on March 8, 1977, that police put the pattern together; ballistics tests confirmed that one gunman was responsible for all five shootings. By then, three young people were dead and four others had been wounded.

"I am a monster," the killer had written. "I am the 'Son of Sam.'"

The New York Police Department formed a 200-person task force to solve the crime. Many undercover officers worked all night on the streets, hoping to catch the shooter in the act.

But it was routine police work that cracked the case.

When a witness reported a strange man on the street near the final shooting, police checked traffic tickets that had been issued in the area and traced them to Berkowitz's car and Yonkers home. He was arrested Aug. 10, 1977.

"You, sir, are David Berkowitz?" Brown asked, according to a transcript of the hearing.

"Yes, sir," Berkowitz replied, the only time he spoke. He wasn't required to enter a plea and was sent to Kings County Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

Berkowitz later pleaded guilty to the crimes and was sentenced to life in prison.

Victim Carl Denaro, who was 20 when he was struck in the head Oct. 23, 1976, by a .44-caliber bullet while sitting in a Volkswagen, said he heard about the arrest on the news.

Denaro needed a steel plate in his head and was hospitalized for weeks. He had to forgo a post in the U.S. Air Force. Still, Denaro, now 61, said he doesn't feel embittered and he's had a good life, a successful career and a lovely daughter, now 24.

"I'm the luckiest man alive, I really am," he said. "And while I live with this, I don't think I let it define me. I've had a great life."

Denaro stayed in New York City for most of his life, except for a brief stint in California, where he went to escape the fame of being a "Son of Sam" victim.

"After a while, it was wherever I went, everyone would just stop and it would be just dead silent, and then you'd hear the whispers, 'That's the guy who got shot by 'Son of Sam." it got to the point where I felt like I was losing my identity."

After a couple of years, though, he missed his family and the city, and he came back. He says he doesn't have a problem now; while the story is notorious, the victims have largely faded from public eye. Most rarely, if ever, talk about their ordeal.

Denaro, like others over the years, doesn't believe Berkowitz acted alone. While he believes Berkowitz was at the scene of his shooting, he believes the person who pulled the trigger was a woman, part of a cult that included Berkowitz and others.

According to news reports from the early 1980s, a lawyer for two of the victims said Berkowitz admitted he was part of a murderous cult. A prosecutor reopened the case after Berkowitz reportedly said more than one person was involved in the killings, but the investigation never gained steam.

The police department believes Berkowitz acted alone. He told police the "Sam" from his "Son of Sam" nickname was a neighbor who had a dog through which Berkowitz claimed he got the demonic orders to kill.

Berkowitz, now 64, remains in an upstate New York prison, a born-again Christian, and has a website called "Son of Hope."

"I see that people will never understand where I come from, no matter how much I try to explain it," he told CBS News in an interview from prison airing Friday. "They wouldn't understand what it was like to walk in darkness."

FILE - This August 11, 1977 file photo, shows the front page headlines of the New York Post and the Daily News the day after police arrested David Berkowitz, the tabloid-loving, police-taunting "Son of Sam" killer, in New York. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 is the 40th anniversary of Berkowitz's capture. (AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this August 11, 1977 file photo, David Berkowitz, center, the tabloid-loving, police-taunting "Son of Sam" killer, is in the custody of police after his arrest, in New York. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 is the 40th anniversary of Berkowitz's capture. (AP Photo/File)

In this June 2017 frame from video, provided by CBS News, Son of Sam killer David Berkowitz is interviewed at the Shawangunk Correctional Facility in Wallkill, N.Y., for a CBS News special to be broadcast Friday, Aug. 11 on the CBS Television Network. In the interview Berkowitz spoke out about what led him to terrorize New York 40 years ago by killing six people and wounding seven others in seemingly random shootings from 1976 to 1977. He also described his life before he turned into a murderer, and spoke about life in prison four decades after he was arrested. (CBS News via AP)

FILE - In this June 26, 1977 file photo, detectives investigate the area around a parked car where a young couple was wounded in the Bayside neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York during the "Son of Sam" killing spree of tabloid-loving, police-taunting David Berkowitz. The woman, Judy Placido and her companion Salvatore Lupo survived the attack as they sat in the parked car. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 is the 40th anniversary of Berkowitz's capture. (AP Photo, File)

This 2017 photo provided by Carl Denaro shows him at the Knights of Columbus hall in Floral Park, N.Y. Denaro survived being shot on Oct. 23, 1976 by Son of Sam killer David Berkowitz, but has lived with a metal plate in his head as a result. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 is the 40th anniversary of Berkowitz's capture. (Courtesy of Carl Denaro via AP)

FILE - In this July 31, 1977 file photo, police rope off the area around a car as they search for evidence in the early morning hours after a young couple was shot while parked in a secluded lovers' lane in the Gravesend section of the Brooklyn borough of New York. Robert Violante was shot in the eye, which was permanently blinded, and his date, Stacy Moskowitz, was killed , both victims of "Son of Sam" killer David Berkowitz. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 is the 40th anniversary of Berkowitz's capture. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 11, 1977 file photo, police escort David Berkowitz, center, through a crowd of media after the suspect in the the "Son of Sam," case was taken into custody in New York. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 is the 40th anniversary of Berkowitz's capture. (AP Photo/Carlos Rene Perez, File)

FILE - In this July 19, 1977 file photo, New York City police are seen at work on the "Son of Sam" serial killer case at Police Headquarters in New York. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 is the 40th anniversary of the arrest of David Berkowitz, the tabloid-loving, police-taunting killer. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 11, 1977 file photo, NYPD officers at the 84th Precinct in the Brooklyn borough of New York read news of the capture of David Berkowitz, the tabloid-loving, police-taunting "Son of Sam" killer. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 is the 40th Anniversary of Berkowitz's capture. (AP Photo/Dan Goodrich, File)

FILE - In this August 3, 1977 file photo, Neysa Moskowitz touches the coffin of her slain daughter Stacy at King Solomon Cemetery in Clifton, N.J. Stacy Moskowitz, died and her date Robert Violante survived but was blinded, when they were shot by "Son of Sam" killer David Berkowitz while parked in a secluded lovers' lane in the Gravesend section of the Brooklyn borough of New York. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 is the 40th anniversary of Berkowitz's capture.(AP Photo/Jack Kanthal, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 11, 1977 file photo, New York City police officer Edward Zigo displays a .44-caliber Charter Arms Bulldog revolver at a news conference, early in the morning after the arrest of David Berkowitz. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 is the 40th anniversary of the arrest of the tabloid-loving, police-taunting "Son of Sam" killer whose prolonged shooting spree terrorized New York. (AP Photo/Ira Schwarz)

FILE - In this July 31, 1977 file photo, Robert Violante is removed from an ambulance by hospital attendants in New York after Violante, 20, and his girlfriend Stacy Moskowitz were attacked by the "Son of Sam" killer, David Berkowitz. Violante was shot in the eye, which was permanently blinded, and his date, Stacy Moskowitz, was killed. Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 is the 40th anniversary of the capture of the tabloid-loving, police-taunting Berkowitz. (AP Photo, File)

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, who in 1977 was the supervising Brooklyn judge in the arraignment of the "Son of Sam" serial killer David Berkowitz, review case clippings and court documents during an interview in his office, Wednesday Aug. 9, 2017, in New York. Brown recalls that when Berkowitz first walked into a Brooklyn courtroom 40 years ago, it was dead silent but for the wail of a victim's mother. It was first time anyone really got a glimpse of the man who had been accused of terrorizing New York City for a whole year with late-night shootings. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, who in 1977 was the supervising Brooklyn judge in the arraignment of the "Son of Sam" serial killer David Berkowitz, review news clippings about the case during an interview in his office, Wednesday Aug. 9, 2017, in New York. Brown recalls that when Berkowitz first walked into a Brooklyn courtroom 40 years ago, it was dead silent but for the wail of a victim's mother. It was first time anyone really got a glimpse of the man who had been accused of terrorizing New York City for a whole year with late-night shootings. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, who in 1977 was the supervising Brooklyn judge in the arraignment of the "Son of Sam" serial killer David Berkowitz, shows a court document assessment of "low risk" for Berkowitz, during an interview in his office, Wednesday Aug. 9, 2017, in New York. Brown recalls that when Berkowitz first walked into a Brooklyn courtroom 40 years ago, it was dead silent but for the wail of a victim's mother. It was first time anyone really got a glimpse of the man who had been accused of terrorizing New York City for a whole year with late-night shootings. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, who in 1977 was the supervising Brooklyn judge in the arraignment of the "Son of Sam" serial killer David Berkowitz, listens during an interview in his office, Wednesday Aug. 9, 2017, in New York. Brown recalls that when Berkowitz first walked into a Brooklyn courtroom 40 years ago, it was dead silent but for the wail of a victim's mother. It was first time anyone really got a glimpse of the man who had been accused of terrorizing New York City for a whole year with late-night shootings. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, who in 1977 was the supervising Brooklyn judge in the arraignment of the "Son of Sam" serial killer David Berkowitz, review news clippings about the case during an interview in his office, Wednesday Aug. 9, 2017, in New York. Brown recalls that when Berkowitz first walked into a Brooklyn courtroom 40 years ago, it was dead silent but for the wail of a victim's mother. It was first time anyone really got a glimpse of the man who had been accused of terrorizing New York City for a whole year with late-night shootings. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

An aide to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, who in 1977 was the supervising Brooklyn judge in the arraignment of the "Son of Sam" serial killer David Berkowitz, shuffles through case clippings during an interview in his office, Wednesday Aug. 9, 2017, in New York. Brown recalls that when Berkowitz first walked into a Brooklyn courtroom 40 years ago, it was dead silent but for the wail of a victim's mother. It was first time anyone really got a glimpse of the man who had been accused of terrorizing New York City for a whole year with late-night shootings. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, who in 1977 was the supervising Brooklyn judge in the arraignment of the "Son of Sam" serial killer David Berkowitz, listens during an interview in his office while an aide, right, shuffles through case clippings, Wednesday Aug. 9, 2017, in New York. Brown recalls that when Berkowitz first walked into a Brooklyn courtroom 40 years ago, it was dead silent but for the wail of a victim's mother. It was first time anyone really got a glimpse of the man who had been accused of terrorizing New York City for a whole year with late-night shootings. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, who in 1977 was the supervising Brooklyn judge in the arraignment of the "Son of Sam" serial killer David Berkowitz, listens during an interview in his office, Wednesday Aug. 9, 2017, in New York. Brown recalls that when Berkowitz first walked into a Brooklyn courtroom 40 years ago, it was dead silent but for the wail of a victim's mother. It was first time anyone really got a glimpse of the man who had been accused of terrorizing New York City for a whole year with late-night shootings. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, who in 1977 was the supervising Brooklyn judge in the arraignment of the "Son of Sam" serial killer David Berkowitz, display news clippings about the case during an interview in his office, Wednesday Aug. 9, 2017, in New York. Brown recalls that when David Berkowitz first walked into a Brooklyn courtroom 40 years ago, it was dead silent but for the wail of a victim's mother. It was first time anyone really got a glimpse of the man who had been accused of terrorizing New York City for a whole year with late-night shootings. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
Aries Clark, 16, was carrying a BB gun when he was shot dead outside a youth centre in Marion, Arkansas

The officers who shot a black teen carrying a BB gun will not be charged, prosecutor have ruled.

Aries Clark, 16, was carrying a BB gun when he was shot dead outside a youth centre in Marion, Arkansas.

Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington released bodycam footage which showed Clark holding what appeared to be a pistol.

The officers 'ordered, cajoled, encouraged and begged' Clark to get rid of the gun, Ellington wrote in a letter to the head of Arkansas State Police who investigated the shooting.

In one video, an officer can be heard promising to put his gun down if Clark drops his, telling the teen: 'You're somebody's kid, man. We don't want to do this.'

Ellington said the two officers who fired their weapons - Brannon Hinkle and Wesley Smith - were justified in using lethal force. Both officers are white.

'Clark's actions that day brought about the circumstances that threatened the lives of at least four law enforcement officers had the gun he brandished been a firearm, as was perceived by the responding officers, and I cannot find that the officers acted criminally,' Ellington wrote.

'Therefore, I find the officers were justified under these circumstances and no criminal charges will be filed in the matter.'

Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington released bodycam footage which showed Clark holding what appeared to be a pistol

The teenager's grandmother, Vickie Burks, disagreed and said her grandson wasn't violent.

'I think it's unfair and unreasonable,' Burks said. 'If you're a trained police officer, you can injure someone and not kill them.'

An attorney said the Clark family had not been contacted by authorities about the decision. Attorney Kim Cole said the family had not viewed the footage released, but said her office had begun to review it.

'We will proceed with our independent investigation and continue our review of the footage.

We will make a determination of next steps once our investigation has concluded,' Cole said in a statement.

The teenager's mother, who declined comment Wednesday, told a Tennessee television station last month that the family had been trying to get help for her son because he was being disruptive.

Only Smith's shots hit the teen, according to Ellington's letter. Hinkle was on the southwest side of the building in Marion, a city just northwest of Memphis, Tennessee, while Smith was behind a tree on the building's northwest side.

The officers 'ordered, cajoled, encouraged and begged' Clark to get rid of the gun, Ellington wrote in a letter to the head of Arkansas State Police who investigated the shooting

Smith fired four shots when Clark raised his gun at Hinkle and the other officers, striking Clark three times in the back of his head, his back and his buttocks, Ellington wrote.

Police recovered a 1911 BB pistol from the location where Clark fell after he was shot. Hinkle fired two shots at Clark, but neither hit the teen.

The youth shelter contracts with the state to provide services to children in foster care or to children and teens who have been involved in the juvenile justice system.

Ellington said Clark had been placed at the facility by court order, but had left two days before the shooting without permission or court approval. Ellington did not say why the teen had been placed at the facility.

Clark was initially denied re-entry, and police were called when he returned a second time, which Ellington said was a common practice to ensure residents who walked away don't have drugs or weapons before they're allowed back in.

Madelyn Keith, the executive director and CEO of East Arkansas Youth Services, said last month that Clark wasn't a resident at the time of the shooting. She did not immediately return a call for comment Wednesday.

An attorney said the Clark family had not been contacted by authorities about the decision

The first officer to arrive observed Clark was holding what appeared to be a handgun, according to Ellington's letter.

Several other officers, including deputies with the Crittenden County Sheriff's office, responded.

Marion Police Chief Gary Kelley said the officers, who had been on paid administrative pending the investigation, will return to work. Kelley declined commenting beyond Ellington's letter.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - The Latest on the resolution of the pipeline protest case against former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein. (all times local):

3 p.m.

Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor criminal mischief in North Dakota for protesting the Dakota Access oil pipeline last year.

Judge Gail Hagerty on Wednesday accepted Stein's guilty plea. The judge dismissed a misdemeanor criminal trespass charge as part of Stein's deal with prosecutors.

Stein will be on unsupervised probation for about six months and must pay $250 in fees. She had faced a maximum punishment of two months in jail and $3,000 in fines.

Attorneys and Stein didn't respond to requests for comment.

Stein told The Associated Press in March that it was "very problematic to have this hanging over my head" and that she wanted the case resolved.

___

11:05 a.m.

Court records show former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors to resolve criminal charges filed against her in North Dakota nearly a year ago for protesting the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

Stein faces misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass and criminal mischief for spray-painting a bulldozer at a construction site last September. The maximum punishment is two months in jail and $3,000 in fines.

Records show the state filed the proposed plea deal with the court, but the document itself hasn't been released. A judge still must sign off. Attorneys and Stein didn't respond to requests for comment on details of the agreement.

Stein told The Associated Press in March that it was "very problematic to have this hanging over my head" and that she wanted the case resolved.
EL PASO, Texas (AP) - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are allowing an immigrant mother facing deportation to Mexico to stay in the U.S. for another six months while her daughter is treated for cancer at a Texas children's hospital.

ICE officials told The El Paso Times that this is the third permit they've granted Maria Elena de Loera in the past two years.

"I'm happy because I'm going to be able to stay with my daughter," she said.

Maria Elena de Loera poses with her daughter Alia at El Paso Children's Hospital in El Paso, Texas on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017. Maria Elena de Loera, facing deportation to Mexico has been allowed to stay in the U.S. for another six months while her daughter is treated for cancer at the Texas children's hospital. De Loera sought asylum in the U.S. in 2014, after her husband was killed in Mexico. Her daughter, Alia, had been diagnosed with bone cancer by the time immigration officials denied her request in 2015. (Mark Lambie/The El Paso Times via AP)

De Loera sought asylum in the U.S. in 2014, after her husband was killed in Mexico. Her daughter, Alia, had been diagnosed with bone cancer by the time immigration officials denied her asylum request in 2015.

De Loera's requests for a temporary stay of removal in 2015 and 2016 were granted, but her request this year initially was denied.

Her attorney, Linda Rivas, said the initial denial may be an indication of a change in approach under President Donald Trump's administration.

"This really indicated a shift in the new administration and their goals and policies because, in the past, we have not seen them deny this petition and now they did," Rivas said. "That, to us, is easy to speculate that the new leadership was the reason that this had to be so hard fought."

Rivas and local religious leaders met with ICE officials this week to request the deportation delay.

It's unclear what will happen once the six-month period is over, Rivas said.

"The fact that this was denied the first time and so hard fought, to actually get an approval, I think ICE is sending a clear message," Rivas said. "This may be very difficult to repeat."

Alia has undergone almost 10 surgeries since being diagnosed. She was briefly in remission in February, but tumors were found in her lungs later.

"It feels good to know that my mom is going to stay," Alia said.

___

Information from: El Paso Times, http://www.elpasotimes.com
The best thing IMO is to turn the spicket off now and let them drop like flies. Then. Maybe, after they are gone revisit the idea. Every one of them are getting new hips, eyes, knees and what not. The system was not designed for them to be turned into cyborgs on the taxpayers dime. Same w/ SS. If you want to comfortably live to 100 do it at your own expense.
The mother of a Florida girl found dead in a freezer has been sentenced to 65 years in prison.

Keishanna Thomas, 33, was sentenced Wednesday after pleading no contest to charges of second-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and abuse of a dead body.

Authorities say the body of 11-year-old Janiya Thomas was found in October 2015 in a freezer that her mother had delivered to a relative's Bradenton-area house.

Police found missing 11-year-old Janiya Thomas dead in a freezer in 2015

Keishanna Thomas was accused of killing daughter Janiya putting body in freezer, accepted a plea deal Wednesday to serve 65 years in prison

'I'm doing this, Your Honor, because I feel this is in my best interest and that I don't want to put my kids through a trial,' explained Thomas in court Wednesday.

'I think this is the most horrific child death I was ever involved in,' said prosecutor Arthur Brown, according to News Channel 8. Brown said this amounts to a life sentence.

Florida authorities first noticed Janiya Thomas was missing in October 2015, when officers with the Manatee County's Child Protective Investigations unit arrived at Thomas' apartment to take away her five children and found only four of them there.

Thomas refused to say where her daughter was. She was arrested for contempt of court.

Her body was in the freezer for up to 16 months before police found her body.

In the indictment it is alleged Thomas killed Janiya through some combination of starving, asphyxiation and drowning. She was last seen in June 2014.

A state report said child protective services investigators and partnering agencies failed to accurately assess the pattern of violence at the Thomas home for years.

Two days later, Janiya's aunt and grandmother called police to say they believed the girl's body was hidden in a freezer in their home.

They said that Thomas and a unknown black man had moved the padlocked freezer into their home on Wednesday, but the two women hadn't looked inside it until they heard that Janiya was missing.

It's believed that she has been missing since August 2014, but police say they only learned about her disappearance in 2015.

Hidden: Janiya's aunt and grandmother told police that Thomas dropped off the freezer at their home (pictured) but they didn't look inside it until they heard reports about Janiya's disappearance

Keishanna Thomas in her mugshot from 2015

'I'm really upset that we let this child down,' Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski said.

He added that he was 'flabbergasted' no one questioned Janiya's whereabouts for more than a year, saying he was angry that 'a child could just disappear and no one asked nothing'.

Thomas had apparently been under investigation by child protective services, but always had an excuse for why Janiya wasn't around when authorities checked in on her.

'Nobody told us until Friday night,' Bradenton Police Department spokesman Lt. James Racky said.

'Her mother pulled her out of school because of her medical condition ... and said she was home-schooling her in 2013.'

Janiya suffered a digestive condition. 'She could not always tell when she had to go to the bathroom,' Racky said.

'That's one of the reasons the mother was frustrated with the child and kept the child in the bathroom at her residence.

'That medical condition is the same one that killed Janiya's father.'
LAND O'LAKES, Fla. (AP) - Ralph Terry, a 73-year-old retiree who lives in a sleepy neighborhood in Florida's suburbs, seems particularly sanguine about living just a few doors down from a gaping, literal, void in the earth.

"I don't see no cracks in my blocks in my house," he said on Tuesday, peering out the front door of his house at the massive hole that has left seven of his neighbors' homes condemned. Then he paused.

"And anyway, I'm tying a rope to my waist at night and tying it to the tree out back," Terry chuckled.

FILE - This Friday, Aug. 4, 2017 file photo shows a large sinkhole in the Lake Padgett Estates community in Land O' Lakes, Fla. Florida officials say more homes could possibly be condemned due to a massive sinkhole that has already made seven homes unlivable, including two that were consumed entirely by the collapsing hole. The sinkhole opened July 14. It now stretched about 260 feet at its widest point. (Luis Santana Tampa Bay Times via AP, File)

Although he joked about the situation that has drawn reporters to his yard like ants to a picnic, Terry conceded he's ready to leave at a moment's notice - which is probably a good thing in this area.

Florida officials say more homes could possibly be condemned due to a massive sinkhole that has already made seven homes unlivable, including two that were consumed entirely by the collapsing hole. There were no injuries.

Authorities in Pasco County, a suburban area north of Tampa, told The Associated Press that engineering surveys are underway.

"I believe that future homes will be condemned based on the fact that we are getting technical surveys back and engineering reports back that say that some of the properties are not safe," said county administrator Kevin Guthrie.

The sinkhole opened July 14. It now stretches about 260 feet (79 meters) at its widest point.

Contractors have been working to clean debris from the sinkhole. Work temporarily halted on Friday after large chunks of its edge crumbled inward.

People in the two destroyed homes and five condemned homes have been helped by the United Way if they don't have family or friends to stay with.

Terry says he's seen neighbors whose homes haven't been condemned leave because they're scared.

"There's people been in here with U-Hauls, loading their furniture and everything. At least I haven't had to do that. Yet."

He added that he's lived in the neighborhood for a year and a half and that it's a great place to live - or was, until the earth decided to cave in. He doesn't think he could sell his home now.

He's gathered some belongings, such as important paperwork, and has stored them in a different location. Otherwise, he's just waiting to see if authorities condemn his home, too.

"There ain't much else I can do," he said.

Florida is highly prone to naturally occurring sinkholes because there are caverns below ground of limestone, a porous rock that easily dissolves in water.

Acidic rain can, over time, eat away the limestone and natural caverns that lie under much of the state, causing sinkholes. Both extremely dry weather and very wet weather can trigger sinkholes. State geologists generally consider March through September "sinkhole season" because that's when the state receives most of its rainfall.

In 2013 in Florida, a 37-year-old man was killed when a hole opened up underneath his bedroom. That sinkhole, which garnered international headlines, opened in Hillsborough County, about an hour south of the sinkhole that swallowed two homes this month.

Engineering experts said it was too dangerous to retrieve the man's body, so they demolished the home and filled the hole with gravel.

Said Guthrie, the Pasco county administrator: "There's a lot of individuals over there that are scared. However, they understand that they built on a lake. And they also understand that they built on the town of Land o' Lakes, and that means that many of those lakes are sinkhole lakes. So they knew they were moving into a sinkhole area. So it's one of those things like, if I build on the coast of Florida, I'm going to be susceptible to hurricanes. So there's anxiety, but there's also a level of, we know what we're dealing with."
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The Latest on the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy in Eastern Arkansas (all times local):

5:30 p.m.

The grandmother of a 16-year-old boy shot dead by police officers in Eastern Arkansas says her grandson's killing was unjustified.

Prosecuting attorney Scott Ellington released body camera footage that shows Aries Clark was holding and raising what appeared to be a pistol on July 25 outside East Arkansas Youth Services in Marion. Ellington said the two officers who fired their weapons were justified in using lethal force.

Vickie Burks told The Associated Press Wednesday that trained police officers can injure someone without killing them, and that Aries' death was unfair.

Kim Cole, an attorney representing Aries' family, said in a statement Wednesday the family had not been contacted by authorities about the decision to not charge the officers. Cole says the family hasn't seen any of the video footage.

___

A state prosecutor says two eastern Arkansas police officers won't face charges in the fatal shooting of a black teenager outside an emergency youth shelter.

Prosecutor Scott Ellington says 16-year-old saying Aries Clark pointed a black BB gun at officers when he was shot on July 25 in Marion.

Ellington said Wednesday that the two local officers - Brannon Hinkle and Wesley Smith - were justified in using lethal force. He noted that body camera footage shows Clark raised what appeared to be a pistol toward the officers outside East Arkansas Youth Services.

Ellington said Clark had been placed at the facility by court order, but had left and was trying to gain entry. The shelter contracts with the state to provide services to children in foster care or who have been involved in the juvenile justice system.
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - A judge in Colombia rejected a plea deal offered to an Australian woman charged with drug trafficking Wednesday, calling into question the prosecution's effort to establish her guilt.

Cassandra Sainsbury's lawyer and prosecutors had reached an agreement that would have allowed the 22-year-old to leave prison after serving six years and paying a fine.

But a magistrate in Bogota refused to accept the agreement, asking why prosecutors did not examine her phone and email records after Sainsbury said she'd acted under threat.

A police officer escorts Australian Cassandra Sainsbury to a court hearing in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. The 22-year-old was detained April 12 at Bogota's international airport when caught trying to smuggle about 6 kilos of cocaine inside packages of headphones. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

"She maintains she did this against her will," her attorney, Herran Vargas, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "If there are threats, there can't be a plea deal."

Prosecutors declined to appeal the judge's decision.

"Tomorrow, she will submit the indictment against you with evidentiary elements that she has in order to begin a trial against you," a court office translating proceedings to Sainsbury said.

Sainsbury, accompanied in court by her family, nodded her head calmly in response before being led out of court by a heavy contingent of police officers and a bevy of journalists.

Sainsbury's arrest in April captivated attention in Australia and shone a light on foreign drug mules in Colombia, the world's largest cocaine producer. As tourism to Colombia has boomed, the country's drug cartels have increasingly begun recruiting foreigners to smuggle cocaine out of the South American country.

If found guilty, Sainsbury faces up to 21 years in jail.

Her family has maintained in the past that Sainsbury was set up, and no details have been provided on what sort of threats she may have been facing or who exactly made them.

Authorities in Colombia contend she tried to board a flight at Bogota's international airport with almost 6 kilograms of cocaine. Investigators say an X-ray machine detected the cocaine hidden in 18 different packages stashed in her luggage.

The 22-year-old was preparing to board a flight to London on her way back to Australia when she was stopped.

Her family mounted a campaign online to hire an attorney and has been present at all of her court proceedings. She is being held at a woman's penitentiary located not far from the airport.

Colombia's police force is among the best-trained to detect and stop drug smuggling thanks in part to billions of dollars in U.S. anti-narcotics aid that has strengthened law enforcement.

Australian Cassandra Sainsbury attends a court hearing in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. The 22-year-old was detained April 12 at Bogota's international airport when caught trying to smuggle about 6 kilos of cocaine inside packages of headphones. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Two teenagers have been taken to hospital after reports of a shooting.

West Midlands Police were called to reports of a man being shot at about 10.20pm on Monday.

The force said in a statement that two 17-year-olds were taken to hospital with injuries not thought to be life-threatening.

West Midlands Police are continuing to investigate (Richard Vernalls/PA)

A detailed forensic search is now under way.

The scene in Manor Road in the Aston area of Birmingham, as well as nearby Witton Road and the local railway station, all remain sealed off as investigations continue.
Five men have been arrested after police were shot at during an operation to tackle gun crime.

West Midlands Police said an unmarked car was targeted in Birmingham just after midnight in the early hours of Tuesday.

The force said shots were discharged at the vehicle in the Ladywood area of the city, near St Marks Crescent and Crosby Close.

Five people have been arrested on suspicion of attempt murder after officers were shot at in Ladywood this morning. https://t.co/8KtNzvlHiK  West Midlands Police (@WMPolice) August 8, 2017

None of the officers were hit.

Five people were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remain in police custody.

A car thought to have been used in the shooting was recovered in West Bromwich.

Assistant chief constable Sarah Boycott, of West Midlands Police, said: Officers were working on a proactive operation to tackle gun crime and keep people safe and it is unusual that they should come under attack in this way in the line of that duty.

Police officers from West Midlands Police were tackling gun crime when they were shot at (David Jones/PA)

There is a minority within our society who dont give a second thought to illegally carrying and using guns; and although these are significant arrests we will continue to take action against those who think its ok to carry guns on our streets.

She added: We appreciate there will be concerns within our communities but we have increased our patrols in neighbourhoods to offer reassurance.

This includes firearms officers being on mobile patrol and standby 24/7.

The role of the public will play an important role in helping us to overcome this difficult period.

They can be our eyes and ears in helping to get guns in the wrong hands off our streets.
Brussels police opened fire on a car after a high-speed chase in the suburb of Molenbeek, where the driver told officers that explosives were inside the vehicle.

Police fired once at the car, which was involved in two collisions during the chase, Brussels prosecutors spokeswoman Ine Van Wymersch told The Associated Press.

Police were alerted to the vehicle after the driver went through a red light.

The Belgian flag

When they got the person out, he immediately claimed that there were explosives inside, Ms Van Wymersch said. The man was alone and no one has been injured, she added.

Army bomb disposal experts have been called in and police have sealed off the area, locking a number of people in nearby shops as a precaution, Ms Van Wymersch said.

The heavily protected team could be seen removing plastic bags containing some items from the car, which was surrounded by a number of police vehicles.

Police officers and forensic experts without protection were seen walking around the car about three hours after the incident, suggesting the area was safe.

Brussels police spokeswoman Dorothee Cattrysse said 400 to 500 people were being kept inside stores in the area.

Brussels has been on high alert since 32 people were killed in suicide attacks on the citys airport and subway in 2016. Many suspects linked to those attacks and the November 2015 massacre in Paris lived in or travelled through Molenbeek.
The chief suspect in the alleged kidnap of a British model in Milan has said he did not knowingly take part in any crime.

Lukasz Pawel Herba says his involvement stems from wanting to raise money to treat his leukaemia and that he was hired by a group of Romanians to rent properties around Europe to store garments they were selling, according to reports.

He is also said to have told investigators he posed as a photographer and met Chloe Ayling. He said he was paid 500,000, found out the Romanians intended to kidnap her, and backed out of the plan.

His side of the story has emerged as Ms Aylings representatives dismissed doubts about the ordeal, saying it was real and terrifying.

Italian police said she was snatched last month by a group calling itself Black Death.

She is believed to have been drugged and transported in a bag to an isolated village near Turin, where she was held for six days as her captors tried to auction her online.

Key dates and locations in the alleged kidnap of British model Chloe Ayling

As more details emerged about the episode, including that she went shopping for shoes and groceries with her captor, her lawyer and an agent have spoken out to defend her.

Lawyer Francesco Pesce said it is evil to suggest she was involved while Phil Green, of Supermodel Agency, said what took place was real and very frightening for all concerned.

Speaking previously, Ms Ayling said she had feared for her life second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour during the incident and thanked the Italian and UK authorities for all they have done to secure my safe release.

An Italian police photo of a man identified as identified as Lukasz Pawel Herba (Italian Police via AP)

Ms Ayling was informed she was going to be sold to somebody in the Middle East for sex and complied with her captor during the alleged kidnap because she was told she would be killed if she tried to flee, Mr Pesce said.

He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: So she thought that the best idea was to go along with it and to be nice in a way to her captor because he told her that he wanted to release her somehow and sometime and she thought that the best thing to do was not to go in conflict with him.

The Sun reported she told police she had developed a trusting relationship and even shared a bed with her kidnapper, who gave her chocolate and underwear, but she said he had not sexually assaulted her.

Photo released by police of the place where a man identified as Lukasz Pawel Herba, a Polish citizen with British residency, allegedly held a young British model (Italian police photo via AP)

Mr Green, of Supermodel Agency, said: I can assure everybody that it was real and very frightening for all concerned.

He also said, as reported by the Associated Press, that the person who made the booking for the photo shoot had a website, previous pictures, details of his studio, details of what the shoot was going to be, times, locations, fee  everything.

Mr Green said Ms Ayling was taken to the British Consulate in Milan after the alleged kidnap but was not allowed to return home for almost three weeks, arriving back in the UK on Sunday.

A Polish man who lives in Britain was arrested on July 18 on suspicion of kidnap and extortion, Italian state police said.
A 15-year-old boy stabbed to death in London has been named.

Jermaine Goupall was the second teenager to be killed in a knife attack in the capital in less than 24 hours  and the 15th so far this year.

A murder investigation has been launched after the latest incident, which took place in Thornton Heath, south London, on Tuesday night.

His grief-stricken family, gathered in their family home a short distance from the scene in Georgia Road, said they were too upset to talk.

A forensic tent remained in place on Wednesday afternoon while uniformed officers kept guard at the edge of the cordon in heavy rain.

A police forensics tent at the scene in Thornton Heath, south London

An elderly neighbour who knew the boy said: He was a nice lad, I would see him to speak to in the street and he would come over and stroke my dog, say hello.

I know his dad, Stan, better.

It seems desperately sad that this can happen to such an innocent boy.

Other shocked local people, including youngsters gathered near the scene, said they believed the death to be gang-related.

Floral tributes left close to the scene of a stabbing in Thornton Heath, south London (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Another, Nadir Sheikh, who has lived opposite the road where the stabbing took place for the last three years, said: There are always a lot of kids hanging around in groups here. There was another incident here a few weeks ago so the police came around then too.

I think there needs to be more police presence, surveillance, a way to stop this happening.

Another neighbour said: I was in my house and I heard a police helicopter at around midnight. Ive seen on the news that it was a 15-year-old boy; its just so sad.

The victim  who has not yet been formally identified by police  was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before midnight.

The stabbing happened in Georgia Road, near the junction with Green Lane (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The death follows the fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old man in Peckham, south-east London, in the early hours of Tuesday.

Police were called to a disturbance in Old Kent Road at around 2am and detectives believe the victim was involved in an altercation involving a large group of people outside a nearby venue.

Six people were arrested on suspicion of murder, although three have been released with no further action taken against them, while two were released pending a police investigation. The sixth person remains in custody.

Police at the scene in Thornton Heath, south London

Witnesses have spoken of seeing the teenager being mobbed by a crowd. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2.50am.

Post-mortem examinations are due to be held for both teenagers. Detectives from the Metropolitan Polices homicide and major crime command are investigating both murders.

The stabbings follow a spate of knife attacks in the capital this year, which has seen more than a dozen victims suffer fatal or serious stab wounds.

A handful of floral bouquets were left just inside the cordon, with handwritten notes addressed to Jermaine.

Anyone with information should call police on 101.
FBI agents searched one of the homes of US President Donald Trumps former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.

Mr Manaforts past foreign political work has been swept into the investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 US election.

A spokesman for Mr Manafort, Jason Maloni, said in a statement that FBI agents had obtained a warrant and searched one of Mr Manaforts homes.

Donald Trump

The Washington Post, which first reported the raid, said agents working with Special Counsel Robert Mueller conducted the search on the morning of July 26 at Mr Manaforts home in Alexandria, Virginia.

Mr Maloni said: Mr Manafort has consistently co-operated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well.

Mr Manafort has been a subject of a long-standing FBI investigation into his dealings in Ukraine and work for the countrys former president, Viktor Yanukovych.

Trump attacked AG Sessions & the acting FBI Director *the same day* the FBI raided Manafort's house for the Russia investigation (7/26). https://t.co/xQaFsME5lI  Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) August 9, 2017

That investigation has been incorporated into the probe led by Mr Mueller, who is also scrutinising Mr Manaforts role in the Trump campaign as he looks into Russias meddling in the 2016 election and any possible collusion with Trump associates.

Mr Manafort, who led the Trump campaign for several months, has denied any wrongdoing. He also spoke behind closed doors to Senate investigators for an interview just one day before the search of his home.
The documents included materials Manafort had already provided to Congress, said people familiar with the search .



If the FBI wanted the documents, they could just ask [Manafort] and he would have turned them over, said one adviser close to the White House .



Josh Stueve, spokesman for Mueller, declined to comment, as did Reginald Brown, an attorney for Manafort.



Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well, said Maloni, the spokesman for Manafort.

Grandstanding by Mueller.
A fantasist caught on camera terrorising a vulnerable gay man in his own home has been found guilty of murder amid accusations police missed opportunities to catch him before he struck again.

Posing as a policeman and an MI5 agent, Jason Marshall, 28, stripped, gagged and smothered 58-year-old Peter Fasoli with cling film before setting light to his flat to cover his tracks.

For nearly two years, computer repairman Mr Fasolis death was put down to an accident until his nephew stumbled across CCTV of his murder stored on his hard drive. The sound of Myleene Klasss Classic FM show was playing in the background of the footage.

In the meantime, Marshall had used Mr Fasolis bank cards to buy a flight to Rome, where he continued his violent spree, killing a second man and attempting to murder a third within weeks.

Marshall, from East Ham, east London, who is already serving 16 years for the attacks in Italy, was found guilty of Mr Fasolis murder and arson following an Old Bailey trial.

The jury deliberated for just over an hour.

Marshall showed no reaction as the verdicts were delivered.

Peter Fasoli

The case has raised questions about why the original investigation failed to spot that Mr Fasolis bank cards were used after his death or that his murder was caught on CCTV.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell likened the case to that of gay serial killer Stephen Port and said he was shocked and surprised the Independent Police Complaints Commission was not investigating.

He said: This case has echoes of the serial killings by Stephen Port. There appears to have been missed opportunities and serious failings of the police investigation.

Jason Marshall

Why did they not check the victims mobile phone, computer, bank transactions and CCTV?

Im shocked and surprised that the IPCC is not ordering an investigation.

Yet again we are hearing about the horrific killing of a gay man where the police seem to have not followed quite basic investigative procedures.

This case is another example of an isolated, vulnerable gay man being targeted by a predator using gay dating apps.

Peter Fasoli's flat

The trial had heard how former male escort Marshall stalked victims on gay dating website Badoo.

He went to Mr Fasolis flat in Northolt, west London, on the evening of January 6, 2013, on the pretext of bondage sex, dressed as a law enforcement agent complete with handcuffs, police utility belt, holster and latex gloves.

He arrested Mr Fasoli for being a spy and during his fake interrogation he threatened to cut his tongue with a large hunting knife to extract his PIN numbers. He then stole 780.

Jurors were shown harrowing footage of the victim bound and naked on his bed, begging for his life and complaining he could not breathe when Marshall wound cling film around his head.

The original investigation into Mr Fasolis death concluded he died accidentally from smoke inhalation and the blaze was probably caused by a light bulb above his bed, although the court heard it was switched off.
The United States has imposed sanctions on eight more individuals in Venezuela, including the brother of the countrys late president Hugo Chavez.

The penalties focus on current or former Venezuelan government officials accused by the US of supporting President Nicolas Maduros creation of a constituent assembly.

That body has been given the job of rewriting Venezuelas constitution, in what the US has said was an attempt by Mr Maduro to solidify his hold on power.

Treasury sanctions 8 individuals involved in Venezuelas illegitimate Constituent Assembly: https://t.co/G0yUCIn7pH  Treasury Department (@USTreasury) August 9, 2017

The assembly, formed by a July 30 election, has declared itself superior to all other government institutions and has ousted Venezuelas outspoken chief prosecutor.

President Maduro swore in this illegitimate constituent assembly to further entrench his dictatorship, and continues to tighten his grip on the country, US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

Many of those targeted by the US are regional representatives on the new assembly, including Adan Chavez, the brother of Venezuelas former leader, who died in 2013. Adan Chavez has been appointed secretary of the new assembly and is also a former governor and minister in Venezuelas government.

Removal of #Venezuela Atty Gen & CA announcement that it'll remain in session up to 2yrs is evidence #Maduro is using CA to stay in power  Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) August 8, 2017

The sanctions freeze any assets the individuals may have in the US and prevent Americans from doing business with the Venezuelans.

The US has said the vote to create the assembly was illegitimate and a sign that Mr Maduro is trying to strengthen what the US calls his dictatorship.

Last week, the US targeted Mr Maduro with sanctions, in a rare action against a foreign head of state. Those sanctions followed a previous round, days before the planned vote, that hit 13 current or former top official
By Denis Dumo

JUBA, Aug 8 (Reuters) - About 120 Rwandan peacekeepers have arrived in South Sudan, United Nations said on Tuesday, the first detachment of 4,000 extra troops approved by the U.N. last year to help protect the capital of Africa's newest country.

The U.N. approved the deployment in August after days of heavy fighting in Juba between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing former Vice President Riek Machar. There are already 13,000 U.N. peacekeepers in South Sudan.

South Sudan four-year civil war triggered by Kiir's sacking of Machar as his deputy. The men come from rival ethnic groups and the fighting, which has uprooted a quarter of the country's 12 million people, has been largely along tribal lines.

The U.N. Secretary General's special representative in South Sudan, David Shearer, told a news conference that the recruits, who arrived this weekend, would join a battalion from Nepal and Bangladesh attached to the regional protection force (RPF).

"The arrival of this contingent ... marks the beginning of the phased deployment of the RPF," Shearer said. More troops were also expected to be deployed from Ethiopia, he said.

The RPF is mandated to enforce peace in Juba and protect the capital's sole international airport and other important facilities as well as stopping anyone "preparing attacks, or engages in attacks" against U.N. sites, aid workers or civilians and would confront South Sudanese government troops if needed.

"Having additional troops means we can carry out more tasks related to our mandate to protecting civilian and build a durable peace," Shearer said. (Writing by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Louise Ireland)
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria Aug 8 (Reuters) - Boko Haram militants killed at least 30 fishermen in raids on communities around Lake Chad in northeastern Nigeria, the governor of Borno state, residents and military sources said on Tuesday.

The raids are part of renewed attacks by the militant Islamist group which, prior to the latest attacks, have led to at least 113 people being killed by insurgents since June 1.

Last month members of an oil prospecting team were kidnapped in the restive Lake Chad Basin region, prompting a rescue bid that left at least 37 dead including members of the team.

It was carried out by a Boko Haram faction allied to Islamic State which has been active around Lake Chad.

Kashim Shettima, governor of Borno state which is at the epicentre of the insurgency, told journalists that Boko Haram militants had attacked and killed over 30 people in different villages in the latest attacks.

Residents and military sources said the militants ambushed fishermen in a series of raids between Saturday and Monday at villages near the northeast Nigerian border town of Baga.

Baga is at Nigeria's border with Chad, Niger and Cameroon and in 2015 was the site of fierce fighting between the insurgents and Nigerian troops.

The Boko Haram insurgency, aimed at creating an Islamic state in northeast Nigeria, has killed 20,000 people and forced some 2.7 million to flee their homes in the last eight years. (Reporting by Lanre Ola, Ahmed Kingimi, Kolowale Adewale and Ardo Abdullahi in Bauchi; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (Reuters) - A U.S. aircraft carrier will visit Vietnam next year, the Pentagon said in a statement on Tuesday, in a sign of improving relations between the two countries.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Vietnamese Minister of National Defense Ngo Xuan Lich agreed to the carrier's visit in a meeting at the Pentagon on Tuesday, the statement said.

It is believed to be the first visit by a U.S. aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War ended in 1975.

President Donald Trump discussed the possibility of a U.S. carrier visit with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc when the two leaders met in May at the White House, Vietnam's government said at the time.

Relations between the United States and Vietnam have improved amid shared concerns about China's expansive claims in the South China Sea.

(Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
LIMA, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Peru called the government of Venezuela a "dictatorship" on Tuesday after hosting the first meeting of a new, 17-member regional bloc that aims to seek a peaceful end to the country's deepening political crisis.

In a joint declaration released after a meeting in Lima, countries including Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Colombia collectively condemned the "breakdown of democratic order" in Venezuela and said they would not recognize any action taken by its "illegitimate" new constituent assembly.

Peru called for the gathering of diplomats in the region after Venezuela held a widely-criticized election last month to form the constituent assembly, an all-powerful body run by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's Socialist Party loyalists.

"What we have in Venezuela is a dictatorship," Peruvian Foreign Affairs Minister Ricardo Luna told a press conference, flanked by his counterparts from the region.

Luna said that it was important to address the "unprecedented regional crisis" in Venezuela collectively, but said some member's of the new group may take individual actions to go further.

Luna's comments marked some of the harshest words for Venezuela from a foreign country amid the recent wave of international condemnations as Maduro's government cracks down on protests and seeks to consolidate power.

Peru has been one of the most outspoken critics of Maduro under centrist Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczysnki, a former Wall Street banker whom Maduro has described as a lackey of the United States.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kuczynski said Venezuela was "on its last leg economically."

The regional group, which plans to meet again, also condemned Venezuela's "systematic violation of human rights and fundamental liberties, violence, repression and political persecution, the existence of political prisoners and the lack of free elections."

Chile's foreign minister Heraldo Munoz told reporters that the group does not intend to meddle in Venezuela's sovereign affairs.

"What we want is to re-establish the broken democratic order," Munoz said, adding that "Chile does not accept military coups, auto-coups or military uprisings."

The meeting in Lima came as the regional ALBA bloc, which includes Venezuela's leftist allies in Latin America including Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador and Cuba, expressed support for Maduro in a meeting in Caracas.

Earlier on Tuesday, the United Nations slammed Venezuela for the use of excessive force against anti-government protesters.

(Reporting by Mitra Taj, Ursula Scollo and Eyanir Chinea Marco Aquino; Editing by Sandra Maler and Michael Perry)
MELBOURNE, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Endangered Super Rugby club Melbourne Rebels have re-signed Japan number eight Amanaki Mafi for a second season despite uncertainty over the team's immediate future in the competition.

The Australian Rugby Union has pledged to cut either the Rebels or the Western Force from Super Rugby as the competition contracts from 18 to 15 teams next season.

With media speculation haunting the team throughout 2016, the Rebels managed only one win in a dreary, injury-hit campaign to finish bottom of the Australian conference.

But 27-year-old Mafi was one of the rare good news stories and one of only three Rebels to play all 15 games of the regular season.

"Were thrilled that fan favourite Amanaki has chosen to remain with the Rebels in Melbourne for another year after a standout first Super Rugby season generated plenty of interest," Rebels CEO Baden Stephenson said in a statement on Wednesday.

Underlining his cult hero status in Melbourne, Mafi was named starting number eight in a 'people's choice' Super Rugby team of the year issued by the Australian rugby players' union, also on Wednesday.

"It was an easy decision to re-sign with the Rebels, since Ive arrived everyone has made me feel welcome and my family and I love it here in Melbourne, its a great city and my second home," Mafi said.

His re-signing follows the announcement over the weekend that former private owner Andrew Cox had transferred ownership of the team to the Victorian Rugby Union, a move both parties said would secure the team's future in Super Rugby.

The ARU has declined to comment on the impact of the move beyond a statement to say they were "urgently" seeking to confirm the terms of the transfer. (Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
CAIRO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Four Egyptian policeman were killed on Wednesday when gunmen fired at a patrol car in the northern Sinai city of al-Arish, state newspaper Al-Ahram reported.

Authorities in Arish, the capital of North Sinai province, were on the hunt for the attackers, the paper said.

Attacks on security forces have been frequent in Egypt since the army, led by general-turned-President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, ousted Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Mursi in 2013 after mass protests against his rule.

The violence has been concentrated in the Sinai Peninsula, where Egypt is fighting an insurgency, but has also expanded to hit Egypt's Coptic Christians, the country's largest minority.

On Tuesday, a group of gunmen killed two police officers and wounded another in a village north of Cairo, al-Ahram had said. (Reporting by Omar Fahmy; Writing by Ellen Francis; Editing by Alison Williams)
WARSAW, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Polish state-run utility Energa said it will go ahead with plans to build a coal-fuelled power unit at its Ostroleka power plant, irrespective of whether Poland introduces a power capacity scheme.

Poland plans to launch a so-called capacity market in which power producers are paid not only for generating electricity but also for keeping capacity available.

Parliament is now working on the capacity scheme law, which is designed to help state-run utilities finance the construction of more coal-fuelled power plants, at a time when some banks have turned away from financing coal and other projects that generate high levels of pollution.

"When it comes to Ostroleka, generally we are not waiting for the law to be introduced. This process will be conducted irrespectively of this," Energa's Chief Executive Officer Daniel Obajtek told a news conference on Wednesday.

The investment in building a 1,000-megawatt (MW) coal fuelled unit at Ostroleka, northeast Poland, is expected to total up to 6 billion zlotys ($1.7 billion) and will be co-financed by Enea, another state-run utility.

Energa will select a contractor in the first quarter of next year for construction of the unit, which is expected to be completed in mid-2023.

Energa's Chief Financial Officer Jacek Koscielniak told reporters that the financing model for Ostroleka should be ready within a month. He also said that Energa and Enea may consider inviting one more partner to co-finance the project.

"The process continues. We are in touch with the energy ministry and we hope that the legislative process (regarding the capacity market) will have a positive conclusion for us," Koscielniak said.

Energa's representatives also said the company does not plan to participate in building Poland's first nuclear power plant. The energy ministry is expected to take a final decision on whether to build the nuclear plant by the end of this year. ($1 = 3.6298 zlotys) (Reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko; Editing by Susan Fenton)
By Kane Wu

HONG KONG, Aug 9 (Reuters) - HNA Group is preparing its bid for a concession to operate Belgrade's airport, a company executive said, undeterred by Beijing's sharpened scrutiny of overseas acquisitions, which has clouded some of the Chinese conglomerate's other pending deals.

HNA is leading a consortium that includes AVIC International Holding Corp and China-Central and Eastern Europe Investment Cooperation Fund for the 25-year concession to operate Nikola Tesla airport, the biggest in the Balkan region.

The next round of bids for the deal in Serbia are due in October, Wang Hexin, vice president of HNA Airport Group, said in an interview, as the group also announced the closure of an acquisition of an airport in Germany.

Serbia, which has an 83.1 percent stake in the Nikola Tesla airport, expects the concession deal to be worth around 400 million euros ($446 million), Reuters reported in June, when five preferred bidders were announced.

HNA on Wednesday closed its acquisition of an 82.5 percent stake in Germany's Hahn airport, which it bought for 15.1 million euros (17.8 million) from the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, the airport's local government owner.

In mid-July, HNA announced a $19 million deal to acquire a stake in Rio de Janeiro international airport from Odebrecht SA, the Brazilian conglomerate which has been hit by a corruption scandal. Wang said HNA could be investing another $300-$500 million for an expansion project of the airport.

"HNA is actively carrying out the country's Belt and Road initiative with overseas airports construction and investments," Wang said.

HNA Airport is a unit of HNA Modern Logistics, the Chinese conglomerate's logistics and industrial arm whose assets includes Swissport International, a Zurich-based air cargo handler that HNA acquired for $2.8 billion in 2015.

The airport deals come as China plans to further tighten the screws on overseas acquisitions by Chinese companies and borrowing to fund those transactions. However, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said last week that domestic companies would still be encouraged to participate in Belt and Road activities.

The regulators stepped up pressure in June, which followed capital controls imposed by Beijing late last year. Chinese lenders were ordered to assess exposure to some of the more aggressive dealmakers, including HNA, the property-to-film conglomerate Dalian Wanda and Anbang Insurance Group.

Under pressure from regulators, Wanda last month announced a $9 billion property sale in China. On Tuesday, the group, however, denied media reports about it fielding offers to sell two real-estate projects in Australia.

"Wanda has never had any negotiations with any party," said John Wei, managing director of Wanda One Sydney, the groups Australian unit. "The construction of the two projects is moving forward smoothly, and apartment sales remain strong."

At least two of HNA's overseas deals have hit a hurdle as a result of the crackdown on transferring money outside China.

These deals are its announced acquisition of the London-based International Currency Exchange for about 200 million pounds ($264.36 million) and a mandatory tender offer to buy a larger stake in a Swedish hotel group.

HNA will prioritize investments that are in industries and regions mapped out under Chinas Belt and Road scheme, according to a person familiar with the companys thinking. The group is going through regulatory approval process for the announced deals and pushing them forward, the person said.

The airport deals are small compared to HNA's multi-billion dollar deals binge last year.

The privately-owned HNA entered into $50 billion of deals over the last two years, buying stakes in logistics firms, hotels and even Deutsche Bank.

The group's recent deals also included a $10 billion purchase of CIT Group's aircraft leasing arm, and a $6.5 billion deal for a 25 percent stake in Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.

HNA is in talks with offshore financial institutions for the investment in Rio airport and the Belgrade airport bid, Wang said.

HNA received over 70 million euros in subsidies for the Hahn airport deal, in which up to 25.3 million euros comes from the European Commission, Wang said.

The federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate provided the rest of the subsidies, he said. (Reporting by Kane Wu; Editing by Philip McClellan)
By Luiza Ilie

BUCHAREST, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Oil refiner KMG International(KMGI) wants to open more petrol stations in Romania and Bulgaria and is on the lookout for acquisitions in central Europe once its legal problems are resolved, a company executive told Reuters.

KMGI is controlled by Kazakhstan's state oil and gas company, KazMunayGaz, but its main assets are in Romania as it holds a controlling stake in Rompetrol Rafinare , which owns the Petromidia and Vega refineries, and Rompetrol Petrochemicals.

The Petromidia refinery on the Black Sea was seized by Romanian authorities in 2016 as part of an investigation into Rompetrol's initial privatisation in 2000. KazMunayGaz acquired the company in 2007.

Alexey Golovin, KMGI strategy and corporate development vice president, said the legal issues were making it difficult for KMGI to secure financing.

"The total amount of assets seized is $1 billion, which we perceive as excessive," Golovin told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.

"This does not affect our day-to-day operations, but we cannot use them as leverage to acquire financing lines, which are like lifeblood for any company."

CEFC China Energy is buying a 51 percent stake in KMGI in a deal expected to go through in the next few months. It will be co-owner with KazMunayGaz and has committed to pour $3 billion into the group over five years, but there would be little incentive to invest before legal problems are solved.

Golovin said the asset seizure would be in place at least until the first court hearing into Rompetrol's privatisation case, a date for which has yet to be set. A Bucharest court rejected KMGI's request to have the seizure lifted last year.

"To build a credible investment plan we would like to have a swift resolution of this long-standing legal dispute," Golovin said. "Time is of the essence and these long standing issues from the 1990s should not affect company activity in 2017."

"They should be fully decoupled, responsible stakeholders should be held accountable but at the same time the company should have clarity in building its investments and budgets."

A "measure of last resort" would be to ask for international arbitration, Golovin said.

KMGI has investment projects in the pipeline, including building a 70 MW in-house power plant to boost cost efficiency, and greenfield expansion of its petrol stations network.

It operates over 1,000 petrol stations in Romania, Moldova, Georgia and Bulgaria, along with 100 stations under the Dyneff brand in France and Spain.

Golovin said it aims to increase its share of Romania's petrol station market to 25 percent from 16 percent currently, and boost its share of the Bulgarian petrol station market to 15 percent over three years. It does not rule out acquiring existing networks, he said.

In the medium to long term, the group is looking to expand in the region, targeting countries like Turkey, Ukraine, Serbia and the rest of the Balkans. Acquisition targets could include petrol stations, storage capacities and distribution companies.

Golovin said there are no plans to boost Petromidia's refining capacity, although preliminary feasibility studies showed it could easily be expanded from the current 5 million tonnes per year to 8-10 million tonnes.

"In terms of capacity, the European refining market is generally perceived as oversupplied. But in practice you have to look into particular regions."

"If we see in the next three years that ... we have an asset base in terms of distribution large enough that we can talk about enlarging the capacity of Petromidia and justify the demand, then it would make sense," he said.

Golovin said the group was on track to triple its net profit this year compared with 2016. Its net result was $14 million in 2016. (Reporting by Luiza Ilie; Editing by Susan Fenton)
By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 9 (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley will travel to Vienna later this month to discuss Iran's nuclear activities with U.N. atomic watchdog officials, a U.S. official said on Wednesday, as part of Washington's review of Tehran's compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal

The official told Reuters that Haley, a member of President Donald Trump's cabinet, would meet with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials and the U.S. delegation in Vienna to further explore the extent of Iran's nuclear activities.

In April, Trump ordered a review of whether a suspension of sanctions on Iran related to the nuclear deal was in the U.S. national security interest. He has dubbed it "the worst deal ever negotiated."

Most U.N. and western sanctions were lifted 18 months ago under a deal Iran made with world powers to curb its nuclear program. It is still subject to a U.N. arms embargo and other restrictions, which are not technically part of the deal.

The IAEA polices restrictions the deal placed on Iran's nuclear activities.

Under U.S. law, the State Department must notify Congress every 90 days of Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal. The next deadline is October and Trump has said he thinks by then the United States will declare Iran to be noncompliant.

The U.S. review of its policy toward Iran is also looking at Tehran's behavior in the Middle East, which Washington has said undermines U.S. interests in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon.

"Ambassador Haley has consistently voiced her and the administration's concerns about Iran's illegal missile testing and other harmful actions," said the U.S. official, who requested anonymity.

The United States, Britain, France and Germany have complained several times to the United Nations, most recently last week, about Iran's ballistic missile launches, which they contend are "in defiance" of a 2015 U.N. resolution enshrining the nuclear agreement.

Under the U.N. resolution, Iran is "called upon" to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years. Critics of the deal have said the language does not make it obligatory.

The United States imposed sanctions on six subsidiaries of a company key to Iran's ballistic missile program, a day after Iran's July 27 launch of a rocket that can deliver satellites into orbit.

At the time, Haley said, "The issue with Iran always comes back to mistrust. Iran's widespread support for terrorists tells us we can't trust them. Iran's breaking its obligation on missile testing tells us we can't trust them."

Last week, Trump signed into law additional sanctions on Iran, which Tehran said violate the terms of the nuclear agreement. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Toni Reinhold)
Sri Lankan connoisseurs can now indulge in one of the worlds top gourmet cheese ranges thats a cut above the rest.



Fonterra Brands Sri Lanka unveiled its premium Kapiti Cheese range at an exclusive cheese and wine tasting experience at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo recently.



The launch event  hailed the Opera of Cheese - was hosted by Fonterra Brands Sri Lanka Managing Director Sunil Sethi. Guests sampled a selection of the finest cheeses harmonised with New Zealand wines provided by the events exclusive wine partner, House of Wines.



The Kapiti Cheese range was meticulously crafted in New Zealand 30 years ago, with its sophisticated flavours inspired by the countrys Kiwi heritage. The country now leads the world in exquisitely aromatic, delicious and distinctive speciality cheeses  each with its own story, legacy and heritage. Today, the range of specialty natural blues, soft and hard cheeses, and more is shared amongst cheese-lovers around the globe.



Gourmet cheese connoisseurs in Sri Lanka can now enjoy Kikorangi Moon (a blue cheese with a creamy texture), Pakari Smoked Cheddar (firm and smoked, with hints of hickory and ash flavours), Pakari Aged Cheddar (a golden mature cheddar aged for 18 months), Smoked Havarti (creamy with smooth, buttery flavours, a brown rind and a subtle, smoky taste) and Port Wine Cheddar (mature cheddar flavoured with port wine).



Craig Dryden, a Speciality Cheese Expert, all the way from New Zealandwho led the Cheese and Wine pairing experience said What really stands out about the Kapiti Cheese range is that each cheese has a unique flavour and texture, making the range incredibly versatile. This versatility creates endless possibilities to pair each cheese with exquisite food and beverages.



Truly the cream of the crop, Kapiti has been singled out for its taste amongst the best New Zealand brands at the countrys Champions of Cheese Awards.



Mr Sethi said: At Fonterra, were extremely passionate about offering products of exceptional quality and taste to Sri Lankans. We have seen a niche, but growing, demand for premium cheese from those hosting exclusive events to people looking to curate the best cheese board.



Leveraging decades of innovation and expertise in the art of cheese-making, we are able to answer this demand with some of the finest and most unique selections to ever hit Sri Lankan shores. We are pleased to introduce Kapiti, taking our leading portfolio of dairy solutions for consumers across all life stages to new heights.



The range is now available at Food for Thought (next to House of Wines) in Colombo and will soon be made available across selected supermarket outlets.
Ahead of the next round of talks on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India, Sri Lankas Chief Negotiator K.J. Weerasinghe said that he could not stipulate when the agreement could be signed exactly. However, Mr. Weerasinghe, who is also the Consultant to the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade, hinted that it might be at the end of this year or early 2018. The excerpts:

It may be end of 2017 or early next year

While ETCA talks progress, attention drawn to address Indo-Lanka FTA issues

SL seeks removal of quota system

SL imports fabric, yarn, finished garments worth approx. US $ 450 mn annually from India

Yet, SLs exporting of garments stand at US $ 40 mn a year

We said no to independent movement of professionals to provide services

If professionals are to come, that should be linked to mode 3 or establishment of an entity through investment

Cabinet already approved National Trade Policy

I cant comment on any document I have not seen

Six rounds of talks held with China over FTA

Q How far have you progressed regarding the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India?

So far, within a period of almost a year and-a-half, four rounds of talks have been held and we postponed the fifth round which was to be held in end June due to the demise of Dr. Kalegama. The next round, is now scheduled for the middle of this month.

Q But, how far have you progressed in terms of agreements on key areas of concern and all?

It should be mentioned that we have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) already in place with India  the Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISLFTA) signed in 1998, which came into force in 2000, covers only trade in goods. It does not include other areas like services, investment, customs cooperation, trade remedies and trade facilitation. The ETCA in addition to Goods will cover these areas as well. Therefore it is comprehensive in scope. In the case of ISLFTA, tariff liberalization programme has been completed. Sri Lanka eliminated customs duties on a large number of items approximately covering 70 percent of tariff lines over a period of eight years which ended in 2008, and we have close to thirty percent in the list with approximately 1180 tariff lines that are not subject to tariff reduction which include among others, fisheries and agriculture sector. In the case of India, they reduced tariff and completed their tariff liberalization programme in 2004. India has listed around 196 items in the negative list. However, India has imposed quotas on apparel of eight million pieces under the ISLFTA and there is a quota of 2500 MT on pepper and 2500 MT for Vanaspathi. If you add these items Indias negative list is around 962 tariff lines. What we say, firstly, under the current negotiation India has to remove quotas and open the market. Secondly, there are a large number of issues arising out of the implementation of the ISLFTA where exporters are facing difficulties due to non-tariff barriers, delays in clearance at ports, non-acceptance of standard certification issued by Sri Lanka and related testing issues etc. Therefore both sides agreed that while discussing ETCA, issues arising out of the ISLFTA should be addressed in parallel. During our negotiations on ETCA, the first session is devoted to address issues of exporters.

For example, during previous rounds, 16 company specific issues were tabled. In the last two rounds, we tabled five additional company specific issues. Some of these issues have already been resolved and this process will continue under each round.

Furthermore, under the ETCA negotiations, we have proposed an early harvest programme which has three components. One is the removal of quotas, on apparel, pepper and Vanaspathi. In case of Vanaspathi there are administrative delays in allocating quotas.

The second is to address day-to-day operational issues faced by Sri Lankan exporters We have proposed establishment of a structured Grievances Redress Mechanism under which nodal points at ports in Chennai, Mumbai to be established and a specific custom officer will be identified so that issues faced by importers/exporters can be referred to that nodal point. The officer concerned is required to provide solutions in a time-bound manner. If it cannot be resolved at that nodal point, it will be referred to the relevant department or ministry in New Delhi, again in a time-bound manner. The draft on this redress mechanism has been discussed and is at the final stage which we believe could be implemented even before the ETCA is signed.

The third element is completion of Mutual Recognition Agreement between the two countries. There are problems such as the non-acceptance of certification issued by Sri Lanka Standard Institution by the Indian authorities. We are proposing to sign a Mutual Recognition Agreements between Sri Lanka Standard Institution and relevant counterparts in India.Once this is done if an accredited laboratory in Sri Lanka issues certification on processed food or other items that will be accepted by the Indian side. In this regard collaborative work is being undertaken between EDB and the FSSI in India to resolve problems faced by our exporters.

With China, we have had six rounds of talks including two sessions held under the previous govt. With Singapore, we have had six rounds of talks and the sixth round was concluded last week. It was on the Ministry website. Most trade chambers have sent in their comments. Those comments have been taken into account in finalizing the NTP and Dr. Ravi Rathnayake played a key role with late Dr. Saman Kalegama in formulating this policy document. This NTP is the policy document of the government as it has already been approved by the cabinet.

Q When the quota system is removed, you mean to say that SL would gain unlimited access to India?

Now, there is a quota of eight million pieces on the apparel sector. In 2016, we have exhausted this quota. Therefore there is insufficient quota and a company would not undertake launching a market development programme unless the Indian market is open. SL imports fabric, yarn, finished garments worth close to US $ 450 million annually from India.Yet, on the contrary, SLs exports of garments stand at US $ 40 million. Thus there is a very good rationale for removal of the quota system.

Q How soon would the ETCA be finalized from your point of view?

Four rounds of talks have already been held. The fifth round would take place during the middle of this month. It is difficult to fix a time as dynamics of negotiations would guide the time. There may be a few more rounds needed. It depends on how the negotiation progresses. We cannot determine the exact date. But, it may be towards the end of the year or early 2018.

Q The most controversial part which is subjected to criticism is the opening up of the service sector. How are you going to do it?

The principles and concepts should be understood here. Any trade in services negotiations have to be consistent with General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) of the World Trade Organization. It is very clear in this WTO agreement that immigration policy of a country is independent and is excluded from the scope of the agreement. The countries such as the US, Canada and Australia have made commitments on service at the WTO under GATS. Yet, their immigration policies are independent. They have undertaken commitments to liberalize services. It does not mean that they have liberalized their immigration policies and have very clear immigration policies to determine the flow of people into their countries. Foremost importance in Sri Lanka is to strengthen immigration regulations/laws. Sri Lanka currently does not have the necessary regulatory framework in many areas to ensure that the movement of foreign professionals is regulated. At the Ministry of International Trade, there is a unit- the Regulatory Reforms Committee headed by a team from the Attorney Generals Department who have had a constructive dialogue with professional organizations such as Institute of Engineers, Architects, Accountants, Surveyors , Medical Council, UPM etc. to obtain their inputs and to identify gaps in order to introduce necessary reforms. This regulatory reforms committee, in collaboration with the controller of immigration has almost completed their work. When these regulations are implemented they will address many concerns of professional organizations with whom we have had consultations.

Under GATS, or for that matter under ETCA, is not about liberalization of labour markets. It is about temporary movement of persons and is not related to the unskilled or skilled labour market. On professional services, delivery of services happens in four subcategories. The first is the cooperate transferees. It means a branch of a foreign entity in Sri Lanka will have a manager or specialist transferred to work in that branch. For example, a particular bank has its branch in Sri Lanka. The head office can send a manager for a specific period. This is a transfer and it has been taking place for many years. The second is contractual supplies. This is, a foreign company getting a project to supply a particular service and to fulfil that contract, maybe allowing some professionals to come. This has also been happening for many years under the Board of Investment projects. The third category is business visits and like the previous two this has also been taking place in the past and currently. In addition to these three, there is another-the movement of sindependent professionals across borders to provide services. The first three have always taken place. The debate is about the fourth category allowing independent professionals visiting to provide services.We have categorically said that independent movement of professionals to provide services will not be allowed under the FTAs that are being negotiated.

If professionals were to come, that should be linked to the mode 3 or establishment of an entity through investment. Linked to that investment, a certain number of professionals can be allowed. And further conditions could be stipulated that managers or specialists are allowed subject to a minimum threshold salary. In addition for every foreign professional a minimum number of employment should be provided to Sri Lankan nationals.

Q There is fear here that the independent movement of natural persons may be seen because of SLs commitment given under GATS to the WTO. They say the immigration law would facilitate it. How do you see this?

In the GATS of WTO, Sri Lanka had made commitments in a few areas - hotels and restaurant services, telecommunication services and financial services and has not made commitments on movement of natural persons.

Q How keen are both sides to complete the process?

Both sides agreed that the current ISLFTA should be upgraded by broadening and deepening the current economic engagement and have committed to negotiate ETCA. Otherwise, we would not have started negotiations. It is a decision by both the governments at high political level that ETCA should be negotiated and completed it being an important component of economic development strategy. We are working on early harvest programme as I said earlier. That is essentially to address issues arising from the previous agreement. There are genuine issues faced by exporters. Those need to be addressed to build confidence among stake holders. If these issues are resolved, it will build confidence on the ETCA process. We have proposed the removal of quotas, the establishment of a structured mechanism to address grievances and mutual recognition agreement.

Q There is a school of thought that SL should have a proper trade policy before signing trade agreements. What is your position?

A team of experts have been working on National Trade Policy for the last one and-a-half years. There has been a wide range of consultations on this document and will provide guidance to FTA negotiations. This document on National Trade Policy has already been approved by the cabinet.

Q How inclusive is that process?

It was on the Ministry website. Most trade chambers have sent in their comments. Those comments have been taken into account in finalizing the NTP and Dr. Ravi Rathnayake played a key role with late Dr. Saman Kalegama in formulating this policy document.

Q Outside the govt, a group of independent professionals and experts are also working on a trade policy. How are you going to reconcile both?

This NTP is the policy document of the government as it has already been approved by the cabinet. I cannot comment on a document that I havent seen.

Q How far have you progressed in regard to the FTA with China?

With China, we have had six rounds of talks including two sessions held under the previous govt. With Singapore, we have had six rounds of talks and the sixth round was concluded last week.

Q How do you compare and contrast the trade negotiations with China and India?

Unlike with China, we have experience with India as we have negotiated ISLFTA which is limited to goods. We are moving towards ETCA with India covering trade in goods, services, investment, custom facilitation etc.

In the case of China, it is a new experience. We are focusing on the extent of tariff liberalization programme whereas with India TLP will be on review of negative list and to agree on the liberalization level. On China, SL has sought immediate market access with zero tariff for products covering apparel, gem and jewellery, rubber based products, tea, ceramics and fruits and vegetables, the day the agreement comes into force. With both India and China the trade balance is fairly large in favour of those two countries and with these two agreements it is expected that our exports will increase to these two large markets and investment from China and India will lead to increased exports, thus contributing to expand exports and reduce trade imbalance.
The agreement signed between the Sri Lankan Government and China Merchant Holdings to develop the Hambantota Port contains a clause which enables further amendments, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament today.

He said this in response to a matter raised by Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayke that Ports Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe had publicly stated that a clause enabling amendments in the future were included in the agreement while President Maithripala Sirisena had also given a similar assurance to Ceylon Petroleum Corporation unions.

Mr. Dissanayake asked whether such clause was included in the agreement or whether the President and the Minister had attempted to hoodwink the unions and the people.

There is a clause enabling the agreement to be amended but we need to determine the amendments that need to be made, the Prime Minister said and added that the CPC trade unions had not raised any issues on the agreement other than being allowed to handle oil bunkering but the Ports Authority had not agreed to it.

It would have been possible to postpone signing the agreement if Parliament was able to hold the debate on July 27 and decide on amendments. However the chaos created by the opposition on that day prevented any kind of debate or the submission of amendments," the Prime Minister said.

The Hambantota Port had up to date incurred operating losses of Rs.9,814 million with an overall revenue of Rs.7,119 million. The overall loses had amounted to Rs.51,530 million. The total debt repayment to date had amounted to Rs.40,813 million. We cannot leave this burden to future generations to settle. It will be possible to provide much needed employment opportunities to the younger generation."

The Prime Minister said Colombo Port unions had asked the government not to use the revenue generated from Colombo Port to maintain the Hambantota Port. (Yohan Perera)
Some yahapalanaya high-ups these days recount with great relish how they managed to sign the controversial Hambantota port lease agreement in a relatively calm atmosphere after outmaneuvering opposition political forces who were raring to create a hullabaloo to mar the big event.



Both JO and Red activists were fully prepared to stage a series of protests on that particular Saturday fixed for signing the agreement. However, in the meantime, the nerve centre of yahapalanaya issued a media communique announcing that the signing of the agreement was postponed for the following Tuesday. So the opposition forces set for action on Saturday changed their plans accordingly.



However, come Friday evening, the government announced again that the agreement would be signed on Saturday as initially planned. By this time practically all opposition activists had gone out of Colombo with instructions to return on Tuesday and it was too late for the JO and red leaders to regroup their activists for protest action.



So the event proceeded smoothly with hardly any incident to mar it.
At the recently concluded Sri Lanka Best Employer Awards, Just In Time Group (JIT) walked away with the award for the Best HR Event of the Year for its inaugural long service awards, that honoured and recognized their long standing employees by celebrating their dedication, commitment and loyalty.



Commencing operations with modest beginnings 20 years ago, Just In Time Group is proud of its position as a leading ICT systems and solutions provider in Sri Lanka to a niche market and has today grown to unparalleled success cementing its position.



It is indeed apt that upon reaching a 20-year milestone that the employees who contributed to this success be felicitated for their service and commitment. The inaugural Just In Time Group Long Service Awards, was held to honour and appreciate their longstanding employees for their continued dedication, commitment and loyalty towards making Just In Time Group the success that it is today. The Long Service Awards was launched to recognize staff who has served the company for over five years and upto 20 years. It is noteworthy to mention that over 70 percent of staff have completed five years or more at JIT.



JITLegal and Human ResourcesHeadSherene Goonetilekesaid: We are extremely pleased to be named as the winner of the Best HR Event of the Year Award for 2016. Throughout our journey, through the many ups and downs our staff have been resilient in the face of change  be it in the company or in the field of ICT and have adapted remarkably and been the backbone of our successes. We believe we can never suffice in our efforts to recognize our staff for their commitment to our organization and through these awards we wanted to validate their efforts and dedication.

JIT was also a recipient of the Sri Lanka Best Employer Awards for the second year in succession. This event was heldrecently at Taj Samudra,Colombo and the event was organised by the World HRD Congress. The award for JIT was for its human resource practices of creating innovation at the work place.Sri Lankas Best Employer Brand Awards features top organizations from Sri Lanka, who are exemplary in HR and who use marketing communications effectively for human resources development. Some of the key criterion that the organizations were assessed on were; translating and combining vision and action with HR strategy andbuilding line to mesh HR Strategy with business and cultivating competencies for the future to enable building the organization to be future-ready.



JIT is a company that believes in consistent improvement in HR policy and inculcating values of a social employer with a complete holistic approach. Creating a continuous dynamic place of work that adapts to change to keep the approach current and progressive can be a daunting task in this current fast track world, which puts JIT above the rest.



The no holds barred all or nothing attitude is a motto at JIT that is practiced daily.Empowering the people to reach their goals successfully and that of the organization is the key fundamental that JIT foresees as the cornerstone of the companys continuous growth and future business sustainability.
The joint opposition said today the losses incurred in the Central Bank (CB) bond sale scam colossal indicating the fact that more government bigwigs other than Minister Ravi Karunanayake were involved and benefited from the scam.

MP Keheliya Rambukwella, quoting State Minister of Finance, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardane, said the losses increased to Rs.1 trillion within the two and half years since it came to light. Minister Abeywardane said at a recent news conference that the losses might increase to Rs.2 trillion during the next 30 years.

This shows that what Ravi received was a small amount from the Rs.1 trillion which is about eight times greater than the revenue from the Hambantota Port, the MP told a news briefing.

He said the government, which came to power promising to end corruption, had no moral right to comment on corruption today and that the bond scam was not something that happened on the spur of the moment but a well planned operation.

The Central Bank was brought under the purview of the Prime Minister and then Arjuna Mahendran, a Singaporean citizen, was appointed as governor despite objections and these decisions had led to the scam, the MP said. (Lahiru Pothmulla)
The third in a series of sketches of the movies of Lester James Peries

After Rekava and Sandeshaya, Lester James Peries knew that no one was going to take a chance with him again. With Gamperaliya he found someone who would: Anton Wickramasinghe. Wickramasinghe, then separated from his wife, was living in the Orient Club, the haven of the Colombo 7 elite. In the history of our cinema, he was probably the only producer who had a connoisseurs taste for the cinema. The fact that he didnt want to continue with Gamperaliyas two sequels, even after it won lavishly abroad, attests to that. Lesters fourth film needed to be different, therefore.

Delovak Athara remains my favourite movie by Lester, if at all because it moved into a milieu I can identify with at once. The great achievement of Gamperaliya was that, despite the social backgrounds of the cast and crew, it evoked rural life rather startlingly. That famous opening sequence wasnt there in Martin Wickremasinghes novel, for instance; it was plotted by Regi Siriwardena, and it delayed the shooting of the film for a whole year until the Mahakappina Walawwa was discovered. The greatest art is sometimes born out of accident. The Sinhala cinema prospered because of those accidents, especially in Lesters career.

Its perhaps a testament to the mans individuality, but he never displayed any overt enthusiasm for the New Wave in continental Europe. His signature was Renoirean; graceful, poetic, never slipshod, always calculated. Delovak Athara became the only movie of his which swerved from that trend. For a moment at least, it embraced the grey, but freewheeling charm of Godard and Truffaut. What is your ambition? Patricia asks a celebrity in Godards Breathless. To become immortal, and then die, replies that celebrity. And yet, theres nothing random about these conversations; underlying and puncturing them was the freewheeling zeitgeist of its time, which symbolised an entire generation. Delovak Athara was a little like that. No less a critic than Philip Cooray called it his most continental work, comparing his cameraman, Willie Blake, to the great Raoul Coutard, Godards cameraman.

With Delovak Athara the man rebelled against the conventional wisdom of the sixties

With Delovak Athara the man rebelled against the conventional wisdom of the sixties; that the director was an auteur. No, he said to Malinda Seneviratne 15 years ago, The film director is like a conductor. He has to interpret a script with a whole group of people. Lesters first interest had been literature  the awards he won at St Peters were all for essay competitions  and he once recalled, for me, the days when hed cycle to the Public Library. He was respectful of the scriptwriter in the moviemaking process, which is why the quality of his work can be traced to his writers.

Delovak Athara doesnt succeed at being the terse thriller it tries to be. There are sequences which, while incidental to the plot, take time to unravel even after we stop anticipating their final punch. The sequence of Shirani (Jeewarani Kurukulasuriya) swooning after her fiancee and our protagonist Nissanka (Tony Ranasinghe) tells her his terrible secret is like that. We await it, are thrilled by anticipating her reaction to his ill-timed confession, but by the time she does swoon after two items in a concert-pageant, weve lost our interest. Even that wordless sequence of Nissanka contemplating his dilemma at night is melodramatic, and his paranoid imaginings (he sees the man he killed outside his window) add little to what we already know.

Its a rather flawed film, but it was probably the best of its kind made here. But while it managed to replicate the zeitgeist of Godards films, it had none of the Gallic spontaneity of the New Wave. The mood was intellectualised, unemotional, and cold. Of the penultimate sequence Cooray had this to say: Nissanka is standing by a tree, lost in his thoughts, the camera moves slowly around him, frames him between two tree trunks, and catches the slow trickle of a tear down his cheek. But the scene does not move us. The objectivity is all. Lester had abandoned Renoir, yes, but he hadnt abandoned the documentarian in him. Thats where the objectivity came from.

And its exactly that sharp, focused, unemotional objectivity which is missing in Ran Salu, the next film he directed. Anton Wickramasinghe, in a move characteristic of Lesters career, stopped making films with him after Delovak Athara. Considered at this point as a prestige failure (the movie didnt make a profit, and took time to break even), he was offered a most unlikely deal; a script by a man he once described as probably the only original scriptwriter in the Sinhala cinema, P. K. D. Seneviratne. Like Delovak Athara, it would be shot in the same milieu, with roughly the same cast (Tony Ranasinghe, Irangani Serasinghe, and J. B. L. Gunasekera) but with a different crew (particularly the cameraman, Sumitta Amarasinghe, who was closer to Seneviratnes glamourised view of village life than Willie Blake could be).



Youll notice that many writers and audiences describe Ran Salu as a Buddhist film today. But there are no Buddhist films, just as there are no Marxist films or capitalist films: these are convenient labels used to demarcate the ideology of the work of art, as opposed to what that work of art actually represents and contains. P. K. D. Seneviratne was less a scriptwriter of Buddhist movies than he was a moralist parading as a middle-of-the-road cineaste. Deeply influenced by the Colombo poets, he saw in the village the salvation of his country and his race.

Towards the end of the 1950s, when our directors began to feverishly adapt the novels of W. A. Silva, the trend was to capture the countrys lost innocence with certain stock figures borrowed from the early English theatre: the innocent virgin, the abusive, drunk, lascivious headman, and the devoted paramour. In Seneviratnes hands, that virgin became Punya Heendeniya, that headman became D. R. Nanayakkara, and that paramour became Dayananda Gunawardena. The film was Kurulubedda, which got so conflated with Rekava later on that even the compilers of the Insight Guide on Sri Lanka wrote that they were directed by the same person, Lester James Peries.

Youll notice that many writers and audiences describe Ran Salu as a Buddhist film today

Ran Salu was the inevitable continuation of Kurulubedda and Sikuru Tharuwa, and had the same cast, including Punya, Nanayakkara, and Dayananda. By shifting to the same milieu that had characterised Delovak Athara (Kurulubedda had been stimulated by the visual loveliness of Rekava, and as with that film, Seneviratne was inspired by Lester here too), he continued with the change of setting, a point reinforced by having Irangani Serasinghe and J. B. L. Gunasekera as the mother and the father.

Its a different kind of Buddhist ethos which sweeps across in the movie, consumerist, cosmetic, and lavish. Seneviratne depicted the contradiction at the heart of that milieu rather well. While Delovak Athara (like Rekava) didnt contain a hint of the temple or Buddhism, here the clash between the social aspirations of Sujathas family and their commitment to their faith accentuates the plot. So much so, in fact, that anyone repudiating that faith in favour of those aspirations had to be a villain.

That villain was Tony Ranasinghe. In one sequence he flares up, frustrated at his fiancees reserved attitude to their affair: I wont come to this house if that dasa sil gani does. To which he gets a typical Seneviratne-ist response from Sujatha (Punya): Dont ever speak of that nun like that again to me, Cyril. I dont like it.

In the American Western the saviour is always a man of the people, but hes more refined than the people hes with. In Seneviratnes movies, the heroes are rooted in their surroundings, but they are more sophisticated than their people, who are depicted as simpletons not unlike the forever grinning villagers (who exist to entertain) in John Fords films. Kurulubedda had a whole bunch of these simpletons, socially less well off than the two heroes. Even in Ran Salu, that discrepancy comes off: both Sujatha and Senaka are affluent, though from different milieus, while the servants are chatty, gossipy innocents. (This even pervades the score: for the servants, especially Nanayakkara, Amaradeva reserved the only upbeat musical motif in the movie.)

At a little more than two hours, Ran Salu was as long or short (depending on how you prefer to see it) as Delovak Athara. But while Delovak Athara was an intellectualised picture  it revolved around a single incident, after all  Ran Salu was, as Cooray called it, a plotted film. Emotionally it overwhelms, which is why it lacks the objectivity of its predecessor, but then it wasnt really Lester.

In Ran Salu Lester hence achieved his conception of the director as a conductor. I did nothing but transform the script, he once told me when I talked with him. True. Together with its fidelity to realism that was lacking in Seneviratnes previous work, Ran Salu was, at the end of the day, a scriptwriters dream come true. Lester wouldnt return to the theme of faith as a leveller for 40 years. And after those 40 years were done, he returned to it for one final time, as Ammawarune would be his last film.
Mr. Hashra Weerawardena - Chairman of the Marketing & Sales Forum (IASL) , .Mr. Deepthi Lokuarachchi, the President of the IASL

The National Forum for Life Insurance Advisors (NAFLIA) will take place for the 8th consecutive year with 2017s theme being, Towards the Day All Sri Lankans are Insured- Are we ready? The forum is anticipated to bring together top-level Life Insurance advisors from across the country and provide them with a platform for knowledge sharing and networking. Subjects such as new developments in the Insurance Industry and technological entities will become hot topics for discussion among other things.

The overall structure of the event this year has been scheduled to include an extremely informative keynote address and the participation of movers and shakers from outside the Insurance Industry in panel discussions will bring in thoughts and views of key personnel who are not from the Insurance industry explained Mr. Deepthi Lokuarachchi, the President of the IASL.

Mr. Lokuarachchi further explained, The Insurance Association of Sri Lanka (IASL) is a collective body representing all companies both in the Life and General Insurance fields. The IASL has various subcommittees that are tasked with the management of key areas such as, Actuarial, Finance and Technical sectors, which affect the industry. As such, the Marketing and Sales Forum (MSF) is a subcommittee of the IASL represented by key personnel involved in marketing and distribution of each company. Therefore, NAFLIA is the annual coming together of Life Insurance advisors and distribution management, facilitated by the Marketing and Sales Forum under the guidance of the IASL.

NAFLIA is being organized by a dedicated team of like-minded individuals from the MSF and has been the focal driving force for events pertaining to both the General and Life Insurance sectors of the Sri Lankan Insurance Industry over the years. Their most recent undertaking was the General Insurance Sales Congress (GISCO), which was held for the 2nd consecutive year with the participation of members from the General Insurance fraternity, stated the Chairman of the Marketing & Sales Forum, Mr. Hashra Weerawardena as he discussed the role of the MSF.

On the primary purpose of NAFLIA, Mr. Lokuarachchi said, The primary driving force in organizing NAFLIA is to provide a forum for Life Insurance advisors to share experiences and gain knowledge. As such these events have in their agendas, presentations and panel discussions by eminent personalities in the management of Insurance firms, industry experts and top advisors from major industries in the country so that the audience will be able to receive input from a wider spectrum.

Salesmen who would convince a customer to purchase an intangible product, and a benefit, which may not accrue to him or her during their lifetime, in particular and in the greater part of the world in general, predominantly drive the Sri Lankan Life Insurance Industry. The benefits of this unique product will be enjoyed by their loved ones, which will enable the continuity and prosperity of a family unit in society. Life Insurance will therefore bring in that certainty to the uncertainty that we all live in; the forum for Life Insurance advisors (NAFLIA) provides an opportunity for the Life Insurance advisors to sharpen their skills and share ideas about successes within the fraternity, added Mr. Weerawardena.

Primarily the pre-and post events publicity pertaining to the event and points discussed provide the general public information regarding the importance of Insurance and it also provides a stimulus for advisors to enhance their performance to be able to qualify for a part of this event. Together, these two facts help the industry boost its image both from the point of greater publicity in the media as well as greater activation at ground level, said the President of the IASL as he described the manner in which events such as NAFLIA improve the position of Life Insurance in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Weerawardena contributed by saying, Until a sudden, unforeseen and unfortunate situation takes place the general population would not think of the significance of having Insurance. This is the real situation even though in today's nuclear family setup it can be a necessity. Events such as NAFLIA enable the Insurance advisor to be more professional in the pre-sale approach as well as in post sale service that serves to be an integral part of a good life Insurance advisor's key role in society. These events propel the advisor to be a financial consultant, risk assessor, and more importantly a friend when in need.

The IASL through the MSF has been able to lobby the government with the help of the Insurance Board of Sri Lanka and have the 1st of September 2017 declared as National Insurance Day along with the launch of a commemorative stamp that will be unveiled to mark the date. Further, the month of September will be commemorated as Insurance Awareness Month, where hype will be created in the media as well as on ground level through various activations and promotions, Mr. Lokuarachchi announced.

The Chairman of the MSF further emphasized about Insurance awareness and its penetration within Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, this is still known to be at a low level when compared with some countries in the region. Our theme this year is very apt in this regard and speaks of our vision for Sri Lanka in the not too distant future when we wait for the day when Sri Lankans will embrace the concept of Insurance. Many events are being planned for the 1st of September and throughout the month of September in order to make the public aware of the need for Insurance and to take the message of Insurance to all corners of Sri Lanka, he added.
James Damore is fortunate that we don't burn heretics at the stake, because he has blasphemed.

The fired Google engineer might as well have been writing a script designed to prove that one of the world's largest companies embodies every left-wing stereotype imaginable  blinkered, intolerant and authoritarian. Damore's memo alleged that one problem with Google's corporate culture is that people feel "shamed into silence" on important questions, and, bam, they fired him. Hollywood might have rejected such a script, on the grounds that Google would never do something that so confirms people's suspicions about the left. These are supposed to be the smartest people, right?

Damore told the truth. This is not to endorse every word of his memo, but he was completely right that the subject of innate differences between men and women has become taboo. He pointed out, fairly, that whereas some on the right reject science on questions of climate change and evolution, some (many?) on the left resist science on issues of biological differences between men and women. Among left-leaning intellectuals, and that includes the types who run Google, it is not only assumed that all observed differences in traits, interests and choices between the sexes are the result of oppression (or are "socially constructed"); it is heresy to question this view.

Left-wing outlets, such as Vox, have labeled Damore's memo a "sexist screed," and Danielle Brown, Google's vice president for "diversity, integrity, and governance" issued a statement declining even to link to the memo because "it advanced incorrect assumptions about gender ... and it's not a viewpoint that I or this company endorses, promotes, or encourages." That doesn't quite capture it. Google suppresses dissent, just as the memo claimed. Orwell lives.

So what did he say that was so intolerable? Did he say that women aren't smart? Did he say that women should not be recruited to work at Google? Hardly. He offered that perhaps biological differences between the sexes partially account for the fact that women are not 50 percent of the engineers at Google (though they are about 48 percent of Google's non-tech employees). He observed that, on average, men tend to be more interested in things and women more interested in people. What a scandal! Except, in 2015, women accounted for 20.03 percent of all engineering graduates but 84.43 percent of health professionals. As Mark Perry of the American Enterprise Institute noted, the share of women holding tech positions at Google (20 percent) is close to the percentage of women computer science graduates (18 percent).

Damore said that men are more competitive and women more cooperative. Studies of the effects of testosterone and other hormones confirm that there is a biological foundation for these differing traits. Damore noted that women prefer more workplace flexibility than men and that, accordingly, Google might want to permit more part-time work to accommodate women's preferences. He pleaded, above all, that Google treat every person as an individual.

It is remarkable to me that any difference between the sexes is presumed to be a disadvantage for women  to the point that facts must be suppressed and orthodoxy enforced.

Our society erupts in routine firestorms about women in technical fields because that is one of the few fields that is male-dominated. But women far outnumber men in many other realms. Besides earning 56 percent of all bachelor's degrees, women comprise 55 percent of financial managers, 59 percent of budget analysts and 63 percent of insurance underwriters. Sixty-one percent of veterinarians are women, along with 72 percent of PhD psychologists. Why are these disparities tolerable?

What Damore said about men being attracted to things and women to people is of course a generalization. Individuals will vary. Some women are into engineering and technical subjects, God bless them, just as some men are drawn to pediatrics and social work. But the bell curves are different, and the fact that men lag behind women in veterinary medicine is not necessarily due to structural sexism or discrimination. It may be a matter of preference. That was Damore's point about engineers at Google.

The other truth that is obscured by this frenzy is that the economy is tilting in the direction of women's natural advantages, not men's. The post-industrial economy rewards communication skills, interpersonal skills and cooperative efficiency. Men's physical strength, independence and willingness to endure danger and other hardships are of diminishing value. Those are challenges we must address for everyone's good. But as Google just showed to its shame, you can't say that and hope to survive in corporate America.
Although government politicians, both UNP and UPFA, asked Mr. Karunanayake to relinquish office rather than get axed through a parliamentary process, it is learnt he has refused to resign

The no confidence motion against Foreign Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake that placed the government in a quandary, is now poised to set the stage for new political alignments in Parliament sooner or later. Yet, the complexion of possible political formation will be determined by the reaction of Minister Karunanayake who is implicated in a serious situation at the moment.

It triggered a confused state of affairs in the national unity government.

Referring to Section 9 of the Act, the government took up the position that the proceedings of the Presidential Commission amounts to a judicial inquiry

The no faith motion, bearing the signatures of 32 MPs of the Joint Opposition or the Mahinda Rajapaksa faction of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), has left the government in a spot.

It transpires that Arjun Aloysius, accused of the Central Bank bond scam, paid the rent of the penthouse leased by Minister Karunanayake

It transpires that Arjun Aloysius, accused of the Central Bank bond scam, paid the rent of the penthouse leased by Minister Karunanayake. The allegation is so grave it made it impossible even for the UPFA in government and some UNP MPs, to defend him if a vote of no confidence against the minister is brought up in Parliament. In fact, some MPs of the United National Party (UNP) met with party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and said they were not ready to defend Minister Karunanayake in the event of the no confidence motion being debated and put to vote in Parliament.

It triggered a confused state of affairs in the national unity government. If the motion is moved for debate in the House, it will create a split in the government. The UPFA MPs will vote for the motion while some UNPers will at least be absent during the vote giving the edge for the movers of the debate.

This situation will amount to a political fragmentation which is bound to have ripple effects later posing a danger to the stability of the government in its future activities. To avoid that, the government has to block the no confidence motion being taken up in the House. The problem does not end with that, though. If the minister is retained, the government will be brought to further disrepute in the eyes of people.It will also be a difficult case for the legislators of the ruling side to justify before the electorate. All in all, the government is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea on the issue.

Mindful of this predicament, government politicians, both from the UNP and the UPFA, asked Mr. Karunanayake to relinquish office rather than face the axe through a parliamentary process, humiliating the entire government. However, it is learnt from reliable political sources that Mr. Karunanayake has refused to resign from his position. That means the government has to avoid the no confidence motion.

The Business Committee of Parliament met with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to decide on it on Tuesday in the political whirlpools developing in government.

The government , in its desperation to thwart the motion, found a legal point in the Commission of Inquiry Act. Referring to Section 9 of the Act, the government took up the position that the proceedings of the Presidential Commission amounts to a judicial inquiry. Therefore, it argued that the matters that transpired before the Presidential Commission cannot be debated at all in the House. The government is counting on this legal point to avoid a debate to extract itself from the current political turbulence.

The Speaker is supposed to rule on it today after consulting the Attorney General on the legal status of the matter.Whether it is debated or not, it has created rifts within the government. With corruption charges hanging over his head, the SLFP and a UNP section will be averse to the presence of Minister Karunanayake in the government,

The government hot on corruption sought a mandate to weed out corruption in all its manifestation. It accused the previous government of wrongdoing, but today, it is also afflicted with the issue of corruption.

In fact, ministers representing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), met with President Sirisena as the party leader on Tuesday night and discussed, among other matters the issue related to Mr. Karunanayake. They asked the President to sack the minister. They also decided to make representations to the Prime Minister with the same request.

President keeps the ball rolling

It is President Maithripala Sirisena who kept the ball rolling in this respect by appointing a Presidential Commission. It keeps rolling even now, but nobody knows when it will stop.

Moves underway for new political alignments

In the meantime, attempts are being made in political circles towards new political alignments. In one instance, the Joint Opposition, acting under the leadership of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is working in luring SLFPers in the government. Already, a sizeable number have made up their minds to throw their weight behind the Joint Opposition whenever the signal is given.

Alongside, it is learnt that President Maithripala Sirisena is also trying to win over some UNPers. Concurrently, some SLFPers contemplate joining hands with the Prime Minister. It is likely that the end result in new political alignments may spring many surprises.

After the adjournment of Parliament during the last parliamentary week as a result of a commotion, the Joint Opposition staged a mock Parliament. In fact, an MP occupied the seat of the Speaker. The quorum bell was also rung.

At Tuesdays Business Committee meeting chaired by the Speaker, the government insisted on action against such members for what it called errant conduct in the House.

However, Joint Oppositions parliamentary group leader Dinesh Gunawardane protested action being initiated against his members.
Ajinkya Pawar, the planning head of Phoenix Ogilvy Pvt (Ltd), won the prestigious WPP Atticus award 2016.



WPP Atticus Awards honour original published thinking in marketing and communications services. It is a highly coveted award among the marketing fraternity, recognised globally to honour exceptional thought leaders and strategists.



The award recognises breakthrough thinking in ten different disciplines such as Branding, Public Relations, Research Methodologies and so on. Ajinkya won in the Advertising category for his paper titled, The Advertising Agencies of the future will be Open Sourced. He proposes that the global advertising companies need to radically relook at their business model to grow. He points out at the long-tail of SMEs and personal brands, that are as yet untapped by the industry. He goes on to provide the specific ways in which the business model will have to change, informed with digital interface and service innovations.



Among the ten winners, he is the only one from South Asia. The winners will meet Sir Martin Sorrell shortly to accept the award. Subsequently, the winning papers will be published, in extract form, in WPPs annual Atticus journal, which WPP makes available to clients, WPP people and press around the world.
At least 13 people were killed and 175 more injured late Tuesday after a powerful earthquake struck a popular tourist area in southwest China, according to state media.

Of those hurt, about 28 had been severely injured, state-owned media outlet Xinhua said.

The quake struck Jiuzhaigou County in China's southwestern Sichuan Province late on Tuesday night.

At least five of the people who died were tourists, Xinhua reported, citing the information office of the provincial government. About 2,800 people were evacuated from the severely damaged Intercontinental hotel.

Rescuers are still working to clear the rubble, and there are people buried beneath the debris, state broadcaster CCTV said.

There was some disagreement over the size and power of the earthquake.

The US Geological Survey reported a magnitude-6.5 quake 35 kilometers (22 miles) west-southwest of Yongle, Xinhua reported it was 7.0-magnitude, citing the China Earthquake Networks Center.

Residents in Chengdu, the provincial capital -- 300 kilometers (186 miles) away from the epicenter -- told state media they had felt the quake.

The China Earthquake Administration has launched a Level I emergency response, the highest of its four levels, according to state media.

Almost 400 fire trucks and more than 1,100 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, CCTV said. They are bringing with them 55 life detectors, 30 rescue dogs and 24 generators.

Local authorities announced the closure of the Jiuzhaigou tourist area, which includes a national park known for its waterfalls and topographical formations, beginning Wednesday.

Yu Qian, a local taxation bureau official, told Xinhua that the earthquake cut off power and disrupted phone service in her neighborhood. (CNN)
Minister Ravi Karunanayake should resign from his post in order to safeguard the reputation of the government, Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala said yesterday.

The Deputy Speaker made this remark at a media briefing which was held by him to educate the media on the interim report of the oversight committee on sustainable development. Minister Sumathipala is the chairman of the said oversight committee.

I am making this remark on Minister Karunanayake not as the Deputy Speaker but as a member of Sri Lanka Freedom Party " Mr Sumathiapa said.

Mr Sumathipala who explained about the interim report said, it contains the objectives the government intends achieving when it comes to sustainable development and objectives in line with UN agenda for the year 2030. (Yohan Perera)
The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) yesterday said the government should go for a referendum to seek people's consent if it were to bring in the 20th Amendment to the Constitution to hold the election for all provincial councils (PCs) in one day.

PHU General Secretary MP Udaya Gammanpila said the sole purpose of the 20th amendment was to postpone the PC elections till 2019.

"One clause of the proposed amendment says the election for all PCs should be held in one day and that the day should be decided by Parliament. Perhaps, after the amendment, an election for a PC may never be held," he told a news conference.

He said according to current Constitution, the Election Commission has the authority to call for the election once a PC's term was dissolved.

"If Parliament never decided on a date, the election for PCs will never be held. Not even the Supreme Court has the power to direct Parliament to pass a resolution in this regard," he said.

He said the proposed Amendment was against the third clause of the current Constitution and therefore, people's consent at a referendum was needed.

"However, this amendment doesnt mention that it will be subjected to a referendum. Therefore, we will go to the Supreme Court against this once it was presented to Parliament," he said. (Lahiru Pothmulla)

Video by Susantha
An Il-76 jet from the Russian Government has left Moscow for Colombo with humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka, the Sputnik reported today.

The Russian Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief Ministryhas sent around 32 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka hit by powerful floods.

"Today, on the request of Sri Lanka's government and by the order of the Russian government, an Il-76 jet of the Emergencies Ministry left Moscow for Colombo with humanitarian aid cargo. It will deliver about 32 tonnes of humanitarian aid to people suffering from the floods. These are portable electrical power plants, tents and dishes," the ministry's press service has told Sputnik on Tuesday.

Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief Minister Vladimir Puchkov has sent a telegram to Sri Lankan Disaster ManagementMinister expressing his condolences and readiness to provide the country with the necessary assistance.
The Sri Lanka Navy will provide services and security from the Galle Onboard Security Team (OBST) centre to Netherlands Merchant Vessel Protection Detachments (VPDs) operating in the Indian Ocean from this month.

The Navy said the Netherlands VPDs are expected to embark and disembark Dutch Marines as well as store small arms at the OBST facility in Galle in the coming weeks. They said the Dutch Marines will be providing onboard security to the Netherlands Merchant Vessels frequenting in the Indian Ocean.

Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne on Monday inspected the services being put up at the Galle OBST operations centre, to facilitate Netherlands VPDs operating in the Indian Ocean.



The arrangement to provide facilities transpired as a result of the MoU signed between the Netherlands and Sri Lankan Government on May 16, 2017 at the Ministry of Defence.

Former Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi, and the Netherlands Ambassador in Sri Lanka Joanne Doornewaard had then signed the MoU in the presence of Commander of the Navy and the Director General Operations of the Navy.

The initial discussion in this regard came into being during the bilateral discussions held at the last years Galle Dialogue organized by the Sri Lanka Navy.



The Navy said the Dutch shipping register includes more than 1,200 Merchant Vessels and is considered as one of the most modern merchant shipping fleets in the world today. Most of the Netherlands shipping companies have increased their operations and agents like Nedlloyd, Netherland Line, and APL (Netherlands) are some of the prominent shipping companies that have made increased presence in the Indian Ocean. The above agreement remains to date as the first ever Government to Government MoU signed between Sri Lanka and a foreign country.



The Sri Lanka Navy undertook the facilitation of OBST operations following a directive from the President in November 2015. Since then the Sri Lanka Navy has completed 11,105 movements from Galle, Hambantota and Colombo operations centres and has earned over Rs. 3.8 billion to the Government coffers as of Tuesday (08).



The highly convenient facilities provided by the Sri Lanka Navy at their Galle OBST operations centre have been praised by a large number of companies engaging in providing OBST for a Merchant Vessels, the Navy said.(Darshana Sanjeewa)
The objective of a free trade agreement (FTA) is not to bring about a balance in trade but to work out a win-win situation for both producers and consumers in the FTA member countries. In doing so, there can be instances where the trade deficit increases for one partner.



For instance, the inflow of necessary consumer goods, machinery and spare parts for industrial activity and intermediate goods like textiles and oil, to one trading partner can be huge, while the supply capacity of the same trading nation may be limited and cannot immediately expand its exports to match the import flow.



In the case of India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA), Sri Lanka has been able to reap benefits from the FTA, contrary to the general belief, if one looks beyond Sri Lankas trade deficit vis-a-vis India.



Usage of preferential tariffs in FTA

If one looks at the composition of imports from India to Sri Lanka, the bulk of it comes mainly to fulfil consumer needs, like vehicles, pharmaceuticals, sugar, etc. Some other imports are intermediate imports for the industry, like textiles, vehicle parts and oil. For example, Sri Lanka annually imports close to US $ 60 million worth of yarn and US $ 300 million of fabric from India as inputs in the apparel industry. All these items constitute, on average, nearly 80 percent of Sri Lankan imports from India and they are imported outside the provisions of the ISFTA.



In other words, these items are subject to normal customs duties and they do not benefit from any tariff concessions. Hence, they enter the Sri Lankan market because they are the most competitive input source and provide value for money for intermediate and/or final products for local producers and consumers.



Contrary to imports, nearly 70 percent of Sri Lankas exports go to India using the FTA provisions. Thus, these exports benefit from the zero tariffs granted by India. Clearly, Sri Lanka has been using the FTA more than India (Figure 1). Plotting the goods traded between the two countries under the FTA shows that there is hardly any deficit between the two countries (Figure 2). In fact, Sri Lanka has enjoyed a surplus on trade conducted under the bilateral FTA with India in six of the 16 years since the FTA came into force.



Trade balance and export basket

On the basis of the above data, one can convincingly argue that the trade balance between the two countries would have been more in favour of India if the FTA was not in existence. These facts demonstrate that it is misleading and incorrect to claim that India has benefited much more from the FTA, merely by citing the size of the overall bilateral trade deficit.



If we look at the import/export ratio between the two countries, we can clearly see that the ratio has declined from 10.3 in 2000 to 6.6 in 2015 (reaching a peak favourable ratio of 3.2 in 2005, as shown in Table 1). This indicates that the Sri Lankan exports to India have grown faster than Indian exports to Sri Lanka (Table 1).



While India has been the largest source of imports for Sri Lanka (even before the FTA) for many years, India has acquired the position of being the third largest destination for Sri Lankan exports  a rank achieved through the benefit of the tariff preferences in the FTA. In that sense, India is the most balanced trading partner for Sri Lanka  ranking high in both imports and exports of Sri Lanka.

If one looks at the Sri Lankan export basket destined for India before the FTA, which was dominated by agricultural products such as cloves, peppers, areca nuts, dried fruits, nutmeg, etc. exports have now (after the FTA) become more diversified. It includes boats/ships, wires and cables, glass and glassware, apparel, woven fabric, etc. In 2013, the largest Sri Lankan export to India was boats and ships.



Critics of the India-Sri Lanka FTA often state that Sri Lanka does not export items to India similar to those it exports to the European Union or United States (apparel, leather products, etc.). The point to note here is that the export basket may vary from country to country but what eventually matters is the overall exports. There was a time when copper was the largest export to India (in 2003), likewise vanaspathi (in 2005) and areca nuts (in 2014).



These fluctuations do occur in FTAs, especially when shrewd entrepreneurs exploit the loopholes in such agreements. The case of vanaspathi (a type of processed vegetable oil) highlights the volatility that can sometimes be brought about by distortionary protectionist measures in place.



Indian investors began to process vanaspathi in Sri Lanka for export to India due to the low preferential tariff rates that were available to Sri Lankan exporters, contributing to the surge in exports between 2003 and 2006. This eventually caused an outcry in India, leading to an imposition of quotas on vanaspathi imports from Sri Lanka. This eventual imposition of quotas negatively affected close to 4,000 jobs in Sri Lanka.



Having said that, the available data shows that, while Sri Lanka exported 505 product items to India before the FTA in 1999, the product items exported increased to 1062 by 2005 and to 2100 product items by 2012, after the implementation of the FTA. This quadrupling of the product items during 1999-2012 provides further evidence for Sri Lanka diversifying its export basket to India after the FTA came into operation in 2000.



Moving forward

Sri Lanka should not lament about the trade deficit or the export basket but move forward with the rest of the world to gain maximum benefits from FTAs. The India-Sri Lanka FTA has certainly worked in favour of Sri Lanka but more work needs to be done to broaden and deepen it to reap the maximum benefits from it for Sri Lanka in an equitable manner.



One of the key areas currently being addressed are non-tariff barriers in the Indian market. Non-tariff measures are not barriers to all Sri Lankan exports but for some of them, like marble, maggie boards and perishable food items. These barriers have been clearly identified through stakeholder consultation by the Commerce Department.



Trade facilitation shortcomings were identified by an extensive survey in the report prepared by the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS). All such findings have now been submitted to the Indian Commerce Department for early resolution. The Government of Sri Lanka is attaching high priority to resolving these issues expeditiously.



What needs to be noted is that even with some non-tariff barriers in the Indian market, Sri Lankan exports have made a mark in that market. Based on this, one can argue that a deeper economic engagement with India can generate even more positive and beneficial outcomes, provided the negotiations ensure that Sri Lankas interests are pursued vigorously. That is precisely what is being attempted through the proposal of the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA). It will lay the foundation for Sri Lankan exports and investments to benefit more from the rapidly growing Indian market.



(The late Dr. Saman Kelegama was Executive Director, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS). Dr. Kelegama passed away on June 23, 2017 in Bangkok. This blog is an abridged version of the Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT) Policy Brief (No. 50, July 2017), which was submitted prior to his passing. It was subsequently prepared by Panit Buranawijarn, a Research Assistant at the ARTNeT secretariat and published posthumously. The Policy Brief can be access at: http://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/polibrief50.pdf)
Wealth and success dont make you happy

 Leonardo DiCaprio

As events are being organized to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the iconic Hollywood blockbuster, Titanic, the best legacy of the movie perhaps is not its global fan following that revived the romantic genre in Hollywood. Its most important inheritance, one may say, is what the movies male lead, Leonardo DiCaprio did with his new found super stardom  starting a movement that has today become one of the biggest contributors to the global fight against climate change.

Leo made, the saving of the planet instead of preserving super stardom his lifes mission. The two decades that followed saw the young actor giving his heart and soul to the cause and the results are there for everyone to see today.

The Leonardo DiCaprio foundation started months after the phenomenal success of Titanic is today busy fighting global polluters, influencing policy on carbon emission, doling out grants for climate-resilient projects, protecting oceans, creating marine reserves including the worlds largest in Antarctica and breeding and relocating animals threatened by the effects of climate change especially in South America and Africa.

Ever since Titanic, fans all over the world had been desperately praying for an Academy award for their favourite actor. Last year they not only witnessed his much awaited metamorphosis in the The Revenant which earned him the Oscar but also the acceptance speech he dedicated to his pet cause. The Revenant was about mans relationship to the natural world, the world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in reported history -- our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow, Leo told the audience. Climate change is real. It is happening right now. Its the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating, he said.

It has been Leos stand that one who does not believe in climate change and its empirical truths should not hold public office. Last December, when President-elect Donald Trump was giving signals that he could care less about climate change, Leo met him and presented him and his advisers with a framework detailing how to create an economic revival with investments in sustainable infrastructure.

This June the Titanic star lashed out at Trump over the latters decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement on Climate Change. Today, the future livability of our planet was threatened by President Trumps careless decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. Our future on this planet is now more at risk than ever before. For Americans and those in the world community looking for strong leadership on climate issues, this action is deeply discouraging. Now, more than ever, we must be determined to solve climate change, and to challenge those leaders who do not believe in scientific facts or empirical truths. It is time for all of us to stand up, organize, fight back, and channel our energy into grassroots political action, Leo announced.

Last year during a visit to Beijing Leo praised the Chinese efforts to make a shift towards renewable energy. He said this positive work would help convert Chinas role as the largest greenhouse emitter in the world to that of the hero of the environmental movement.

As we all know, the United States and China are the two biggest contributors (to greenhouse effect) and I think that China has made radical movements forward as far as alternative energy and ways to be sustainable, he told the media.

RMS Titanic sank in the Northern Atlantic Ocean in 1912 after crashing into an iceberg. However the waves created by the movie which were inspired by the disaster continue to date. Last month Titanic stars, including Leonardo, Kate Winslet and Billy Zane who played Winslets fiance, raised more than US$30 million for climate cause of Leonardos foundation. Gangs back together. Now were saving icebergs, Zane wrote in his Instagram post with a photo of the event.
In a recent interview Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake -one of the leading figures who contributed to establish Good Governance in Sri Lanka-expressed the following views regarding the present political and economic situation in the country.

The JVP doesnt wish to make the people believe that corruption can be eradicated just by removing someone

It must be noted that education in the country has led to many problems

That is why we request you to join our struggle against privatization of education while your child learns at this place

No education system in the world is oppressive like the one offered to students in Sri Lanka

Q This government is in the midst of several crises at present. The opposition values these crises like gold. But, is the present opposition taking advantage of this situation?

There is a conflict between the government which is practising their policies and the opposition which helped them to gain power. However, the political parties that form the opposition have failed to add strength to their cause due to the lack of coordination.Therefore, the biggest challenge faced by us is to bring these forces together and build a strong foundation. As you said, we are compelled to bring everyone to one platform.

But, the SLFP and UNP are focused only on their problems. That is why they can get together and govern the country. Both these parties govern the country with the objective of getting something done for themselves. See how the general secretaries of these parties were transferred.

Q There is a recognized opposition in the Parliament. The allegation levelled by the people against the opposition is that they are fighting to achieve their personal goals.

Its necessary to mention here that there is a distortion in the composition of Parliament. This situation has been created due to some SLFP members not sitting on the side of the government. The Mahinda Rajapakse camp should be held responsible for this situation. With regard to the Tamil National Alliance(TNA) it only represents the problems of the Tamil people and the North. A national role isnt played by them. Such a thing cant be expected of them. Thats why we said during the elections that the problem isnt with the government, but is due to the lack of a strong opposition.

Q Does the opposition lack effort in solving problems? Is it not in a position to solve any problem?

If we talk about our party, we have appeared for the people in the country and highlighted their problems. But, the SLFP and UNP are focused only on their problems. That is why they can get together and govern the country. Both these parties govern the country with the objective of getting something done for themselves. See how the general secretaries of these parties were transferred. Not only that, as soon as the government was formed, they created a problem regarding 48 ministerial portfolios. This issue was created in order to obtain posts and perks required for themselves.These parties only think of their survival. This issue is applicable especially to the Rajapaksa camp.

There is a legal system to punish the corrupt in the country. There are also relevant institutions which deal with corruption. But these institutions arent independent because they are controlled by corrupt politicians

Q As you have said, is it due to the distortion in the composition of Parliament that the politicians have forgotten the people?

See how weak they were when they were in the opposition. There was no SLFP from 1977 till the end of 1993 and there was no UNP from 1994 to 2015. Therefore, a role on behalf of the opposition cant be expected of them. But, we have played that role throughout the time we have existed as an organization, even during this time we were banned. Even today, we hold that responsibility. We remember commencing our struggle against the Rajapakse regime in 2013. Still this government has been in power for only 2 1/2 years, so lets be patient. We dont oppose a regime in a haphazard manner.

Q The Rajapaksa Government was toppled as it was corrupt. There were allegations for corruption against this government at the very inception. Cant the parties govern the country without indulging in corruption?

Corruption is part and parcel of this socio-economic structure. Its not a mistake of one person. There is a ring present in these corruptions. In that ring there are politicians, top officers of the government to some extent, businessmen, media proprietors, Police, Army and the Judiciary. This is why the struggle against fraud and corruption isnt that simple. They have underworld connections. These powerful forces have the possession of illegal weapons and vehicles. We dont believe that this situation can be changed, just because there is a change of government. The reason is there is no change in bureaucracy and the political mechanism although governments change from time to time. The present government is also a partner of that ring of corruption. Just consider what happened when the previous government was toppled and a new government assumed power on January 8. A big bond scam took place even before two months could pass after the new government was formed.When the people oppose fraud, a government not only engages in fraud, but also appears to protect fraudsters.

Q When talking about bond scam, it was the JVP which took the initiative. How do you wish to see this issue conclude?

There is a legal system to punish the corrupt in the country. There are also relevant institutions which deal with corruption. But these institutions arent independent because they are controlled by corrupt politicians. This is why these issues drag on. Its our responsibility to highlight these issues and form an opinion. Since power is possessed by the rulers the public cant expect justice at any time. A thief wont mete out punishment on another thief. Only a clean person will come forward and punish a thief. Do you expect fraudsters to be punished by the Ranil-Maithri Government? This will never happpen.

If the economy is good, then democracy can be strengthened. The depth of the crisis the country is experiencing can be seen by the manner in which The Speaker is controlled

Q The Joint Opposition has decided to bring a no-faith motion against the Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayaka. Why is the JVP silent in this regard?

We believe in one thing. We arent prepared to identify Ravi Karunanayaka as the biggest fish entangled in this corruption net. Even when Karunanayaka was removed from the post of Finance Minister, there was an attempt to fabricate such a story. The JVP doesnt wish to make the people believe that corruption can be eradicated just by removing someone. Who can give a guarantee regarding the person who is brought in place of a corrupt official? Our aim is to create discussions regarding this issue. We support bringing a no-faith motion against fraudsters who serve as ministers. But we dont believe that the whole mechanism promoting fraud can be stopped by doing so. The Rajapakses are promoting the view that both the present government and those who were in power are corrupt and that the public should bring into power the least corrupt. We dont launch our struggle centering one person. However, we are in the process of discussing whether to bring a no-faith motion or not.

Q Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that a no-confidence motion shouldnt be brought against one person. He wants this motion brought against the whole government. Do you support this stance?

I think the government should be toppled not by counting the number of heads.We intend building an opposition against the policies which govern politics, the economy and the society. Why is it necessary to bring a no-faith motion? Such a motion must be brought to oppose how these two main political parties have governed this country for the past 70 years.

Q Minister Kabir Hashim has said that arrangements would be made to defeat the no-faith motion expected to be brought against Ravi Karunanayake. Isnt this proof that the government is strong?

Yes. This happens when the majority in Parliament act like signal posts; when people have no hearts nor human feelings and when people are like rotten fish. Given there is a situation like this, certain ministers can boast big. He has said that Ravi Karunanayake will be protected by the government. The present mechanism is such that thieves are protecting thives.

Q Your party has built an opinion against the SAITM by now. As a result doctors tend to stage strikes all over the country. Arent the people in the country adversely affected by such actions?

Its the people who are mainly affected due to any strike. Its necessary to be aware of people suffering. Even if people suffer for one day, one week or a long time it must be taken into consideration. It must be noted that education in the country has led to many problems. As a result children and the parents have become victims of these problems. They have to spend a lot of money for education. No education system in the world is oppressive like the one offered to students in Sri Lanka. This education system is created to open doors for the affluent.

Q There was an allegation against you when it comes to SAITM issue that your child is obtaining an education in SLIM and as a result the education of the other children has been hampered.

The main problem isnt whether its my child or someones child. If a child cant enter university after completing A/Levels he or she is compelled to enter a private university. But the government is going to stop the number of children entering the universities.That doesnt mean that the children of the JVP Leader and the children of other party members should remain at home after A/Levels. We are continuing our struggle while being aware of this reality. Therefore, we have a balanced opinion regarding this issue.

Q The people feel that its an ambiguous character. Isnt it?

Not at all. That is why we request you to join our struggle against privatization of education while your child learns at this place. We should join hands together. It is then only that a struggle will be successful. Our fight is against such a cause.

We dont intend to establish a government by shuffling the heads in Parliament. Until recently the President had the power of dissolving Parliament. Now he has no such power

Q That struggle is very successful isnt it? Now the Frontline Socialist Party is with you.

When we consider it as a political campaign, they are part of us. We dont treat them as colleagues in this battle because they arent a fighting force. Its the government which should build a proper stage for it. But the system followed by the government is disgusting. That is why such a stage had been built. The gazette regarding SAITM was presented by Dinesh Gunawardena. If he (Gunawardena) is against the SAITM, can Kiriella become more worried regarding this? They may share common opinions. But we must be more united in this struggle.



Q The government maintains that its now facing a problem after it took steps to put SAITM in order.

What have they done? There was a shop and a hospital named SAITM. The struggle was against SAITM. There was no facility for their children to receive training in clinics. Then the hospital was taken over by the government. Whose problem has been solved now? I came to know that the Cabinet had taken a decision to spend 200 million monthly regarding this. Is this how the problems of children are solved? The judiciary once gave a verdict for these studentsto go to the Homagama Hospital. This means that SAITM isnt up to the standard of even the Homagama Hospital. We dont know whether the President has fallen for the lies of Rajitha Senaratne. Or it could be that the president is aware of the situation and is taking us on a ride. In the history of Sri Lanka, this type of shaky solutions have never been given during such crises.

Q When the government was established, it promised to lend an ear to the voice of the protesters. But the government carries out the policy of oppression doesnt it?

The Rajapaksas took about 7 or 8 years to establish such a system. The Ranil- Maithri Government started oppressing people within a period of 2 1/2 years. That goes to prove that there is a severe economic crisis at the bottom of all this. The struggle carried out by the people against this crisis cant be stopped. When the government cant tolerate such protests they retaliate. The present Government has gone beyond the Rajapakse regime in this regard.

Q The president said recently that a Government cant be formed without his permission even if 113 ministers form a union in Parliament. Can a new government be formed like this?

We dont intend to establish a government by shuffling the heads in Parliament. Until recently the President had the power of dissolving Parliament. Now he has no such power. The powers that the president had in taking independent decisions have now been reduced. But, the Prime Minister is appointed by the President. If the chief of the Parliament is the Prime Minister and if he is appointed by the president, it is the president who then decides whether a new government should be established. That is why the president was able to establish a government with 70 members and make Ranil Wickremesinghe the Prime Minister. President Maithripala Sirisena was able to set a good precedent regarding this on 8th of January.

Q You said in Parliament recently addressing the media that the government is adopting a dictatorial attitude in passing Acts in parliament. You said that they are carrying the Mace on the shoulders when doing so. What do you have to say about this?

Democracy isnt a mere word in a sentence. Democracy, justice and good governance are connected with the economy. If the economy is good, then democracy can be strengthened. The depth of the crisis the country is experiencing can be seen by the manner in which The Speaker is controlled by gestures made by the hands of Ranil Wickremesinghe in the Parliament.



Q Then, what is the aim of the JVP which has such an opinion of the government?

The ruling power has to be established inevitably. We should go to a system where power has to be transferred to the grassroots. Otherwise, no change can be made even in another 50 years if the system of governance that existed 70 years continues.

Q Does that mean that in 2020, there will be a JVP stores?

We have decided to build a peoples campaign by 2020, so that the government can be toppled.We will go forward and tell the people to give us power. Its time to drop traditional politics.

QYou are the Leader of the JVP. Are you sure that the people will give you such power?

We believe that the people in our country are emotional, but flexible.

They often attend rallies. Therefore, this crowds which attend these rallies are mixed. If there is a policy that they can believe in, they will accept it.
Peter Courtney, the longest-serving current member of the Oregon Legislature and the president of the Senate, might be pondering retirement, and the news sent ripples through the state's political establishment.

Our guess is that the Salem Democrat is good for another session, but we'll see: He's 74 and even casual observers can tell that the increasingly partisan tone of the Legislature is taking its toll.

His comments as the legislative session ended reflected that: It has not been easy," he said in a statement. "Things have been said and done that will leave wounds. That is sad. There are the times when working together is not favored. Beating the other guys is all that matters it seems."

In addition, his relationship with his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Speaker Tina Kotek, was strained this session, and that couldn't have been easy for a man who always has sought to ensure the Legislature runs as smoothly as possible.

Earlier this summer, Courtney spoke at the dedication of a $10 million footbridge spanning a side channel of the Willamette River in Salem. The bridge was named in his honor, and he couldn't resist the opportunity to wax metaphorically.

"We live at a time when we're terribly divided as a people, terribly divided as a country," Courtney said. "Yet Salem today builds a bridge that brings people together, socially and economically. The timing couldn't be more extraordinary."

"With this sweet little bridge, you brought people together," Courtney said, addressing the project's backers. "The world today needs more sweet little bridges."

That's undeniably true, and the comments are vintage Courtney.

It also is true that some Democrats and some members of Oregon groups that are pushing a liberal agenda are growing frustrated at Courtney's leadership of the Senate. In a recent story in The Oregonian, those people (most of whom preferred not to be identified by name) pointed, for example, to bills on rent control and the national popular vote, which passed the House but stalled in the Senate. There is concern in some circles that the House is more progressive than the Senate.

But Courtney prefers to build bipartisan consensus on controversial issues and likes to bring only bills he knows will pass to the Senate floor.

If that's a strategy that frustrates more progressive souls, it also can result in some startling legislative victories, such as this year's transportation package, not to mention big bipartisan margins for proposals that had engendered considerable controversy, such as bills mandating equal pay and predictable work schedules.

It's also a strategy that has endeared Courtney to his Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle. For example, The Oregonian story quoted Bend Sen. Tim Knopp, a Republican, as saying that Courtney did "a great job managing what otherwise would have been a very contentious session."

Which all starts to suggest that, even if Courtney were to retire, the next president of the Senate likely would bring a very similar approach to the Legislature.

Portland Sen. Ginny Burdick has served as the No. 2 officer in the Senate since 2015, but she's declined comment as to whether she'd be interested in the job should Courtney retire. If she did succeed Courtney in the role, it's a cinch that she would try to manage the Senate in a similar fashion, with an emphasis on collaboration and bipartisanship.

In fact, it's hard to imagine any senator taking on the duties of Senate president and making a dramatic break from the Courtney style.

And that's fine. Although it can be frustrating for partisans to watch bills stall, it's important to have two legislative chambers that serve, to some extent, as checks on the other. Courtney may choose to retire before his term ends in 2019, but that doesn't mean the tenor of the Senate will be changing dramatically. (mm)
William Peiris has devoted his life to literary pursuits in Ceylon, fulfilling the positions of journalist, editor, writer, and radio broadcaster. More than this, he has done much to awaken an interest in Buddhism from the angle of Western contributors in this vast field.

Last year his paperback on Sir Edwin Arnold - torch-bearer of Buddhism to the West by means of his epic poem, The Light of Asia - was published by the world-famous Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, Ceylon.

Due to the formidable nature of the research that would be entailed, no one has yet compiled as comprehensive a work as the present one. Its true that some biographical sketches appeared at the end of 2500 years of Buddhism, published by the Government of India to commemorate the Buddha Jayanti Year, 1956, but those were largely confined to Pali and Sanskrit scholars, including analyses of texts edited or translated by them. The multitude of names normally associated with the growth, spread and knowledge of Buddhism in the Occident was thus omitted.

The present work, therefore, remedies a serious deficiency in our knowledge of Buddhist endeavours in Europe and North America. The author clearly deserves our admiration and respect for the great efforts that have been undertaken to complete this thesis. No doubt, individual biographies were to be had for the mere asking, but, nevertheless, most writers would have found the task of compilation from numberless sources too daunting even to consider. There is no doubt in my mind that the authors dedication to the Buddhadhamma induced him to persevere to the end.

Virtually all the Western European countries, together with the U.S.A., have made a distinct contribution towards a furtherance of Buddhist studies, and Mr. Peiris has endeavoured to include in this work almost all those concerned over a period of one and a half centuries.

A fascinating chronicle, this work should become a text-book for all wishing to pursue a study of Buddhist history.

By Ven Hammalawa Saddhatissa

The London Buddhist Vihara,

London

Buddhism has gained a foothold in the West because of the fruits of the labours of western Buddhist scholars who had displayed remarkable zeal and industry in the study as well as dissemination of it. Its equally owing to their ardour that Buddhism has become a subject of study and speculation in all the worlds premiere academic institutions and universities. Its well and fitting that these pioneering scholars be appreciated and their biographies recorded for posterity. This is what has precisely been done by William Peiris. We can now better appreciate certain Buddhist scholars and their splendid labours as herein light has been shed on hitherto unknown and veiled facets of their fruitful and ponderous lives.

I consider it a precious privilege for the Buddhist Cultural Centre to bring out this new edition of the monumental work of William Peiris The Western Contribution to Buddhism on the pioneering efforts of the western savants of Buddhism. We are immensely indebted to Ms. Manjari Peiris, the beloved daughter of William Peiris, for providing us with a copy of The Western Contribution to Buddhism and giving her permission to bring out this new edition of her fathers unique biographical treatise. I also wish to acknowledge the hard work of those who contributed to its successful publication in numerous ways.

May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!

By Ven. Kirama

Wimalajothi Thera

Chairman

Buddhist Cultural Centre

125, Anderson Road

Nedimala - Dehiwala
Several prominent star-gazers in the country are having a heyday now, they say. You have guessed right! Most of their clients are politicos from both sides of the divide.



In fact, the other day, one prominent politico declared for the world to hear that he sent his horoscope to an astrologer to have a glimpse into his political future ahead of quitting the government.



A much-talked about politico from the Colombo area and a purohita from Wayamba are among our lawmakers who had recently consulted astrologers. The question most of these politicos ask the astrologers is: What is the most auspicious time for me to cross the floor?



Some politicos want to know, they say, why the planets that favoured the ushering in of yahapalanaya have now turned against it.



Meanwhile, several political heavyweights had asked a popular city-based astrologer whether a certain high political authority would survive the brewing crisis. Pat had come the astrologers crisp reply: I will announce my prediction by mid-August!
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday a proposal has been submitted to set up a Police and Criminal Justice University for the benefit of police personnel in the country.

The Prime Minister who was the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony to discuss countering terrorism and transnational crimes that affect South and Southeast Asia, said the criminal justice system was paramount to strengthening law and order and enhancing the knowledge of our police personnel.

The event was organized by the International Police (Interpol) in collaboration with Sri Lanka Police Department had held at the BMICH. It was also attended by Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake, Inspector General of Police, Pujith Jayasundara, the Attorney General, the National Police Commission Chairman and senior police officers.

Unlike the tri-forces the police lack the opportunity for research because of the unavailability of a university. Apart from police officers, the Attorney General's Department, the Bar Association and Customs and Immigration officers could also interact with a Criminal Justice University, the Prime Minister said.

He said they were hoping to expand the scope of the university to transnational justice, rights and countering terrorism, which were some of the projects the government was working on.

The Prime Minister said once the Interpol audit was concluded, we should be able to increase the efficiency of the police cooperation in the region.

There are new challenges that the police force had to face globally with globalization and development of technology had changed the nature of maintaining of law and order, he said.

Senior officers from Police forces of seven countries in the South and Southeast Asian region including India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia and Philippines attended the conference.

The conference aims at expanding and developing the regional cooperation in countering terrorism and transnational crimes sharing experiences to enhance knowledge on law and order.(Darshana Sanjeewa)
In an age where online trolling is a menace, a new app  Sarahah  which experts claim "promotes cyber bullying", is kicking up a storm with its rising popularity. Though still relatively unknown in India, the app has spread like wildfire across rest of the world. Official figures reveal that it's getting far greater traction than other known apps like Snapchat or Facebook.

Sarahah was launched as recently as February 2017 as a website. But, within just 30 days it brought in 2.5 million users in Egypt, 1.7 million in Tunisia and 1.2 million in Saudi Arabia. However, as it turns out, this was just the beginning. It was then turned into an app and arrived on Google's Playstore and Apple's App Store in June. Then, within a matter of weeks, it climbed to the top of the download charts.

But what is Sarahah?

Essentially, an anonymous messaging service, Sarahah's creator say that it helps people "discover their strengths and areas for improvement by receiving honest feedback from colleagues and friends in a private manner".

Initially, Sarahah existed as a website with a simple purpose of allowing employees to post anonymous feedback to their employers. The website served as an efficient channel for employers to receive constructive criticism on the organisation. Understanding its potential, its Saudi Arabia-based developer Zain al-Abidin Tawfiq soon decided to expand this idea and apply it to personal use.

An update to the website soon allowed friends and family to share feedbacks on their loved ones without revealing their identity. The feature was lapped up by users, which prompted Tawfiq to turn Sarahah into a full-fledged social media portal that now even allowed even unknown people to send users anonymous messages.

How does it work?

Upon installing the application and registering for the service, users are given a link, which depending on the user's privacy choice, is shared with friends or made public to the world. Anyone with the link then can send users messages, but the recipient has no way of knowing who they are from. Though the idea of anonymous messages has been explored by other social media portals in the past, in the case of Sarahah, what sets it apart is the fact that there is no way the user can reply to the message.

Where did the trouble start?

Sarahah, since its appearance on Android and iOS' app store, has spread like wildfire in the west, and much of it is because how it integrates with Snapchat. The integration with the picture-sharing app has made Sarahah a tool to anonymously give feedback on shared stories and images.

Popularity among teenagers coupled with the freedom afforded by anonymity has turned Sarahah into the choicest tool for rampant cyber-bullying. Multiple cases have been reported where young teens and pre-teens have been subjected to untraceable, unsavoury comments and racist remarks, and in some cases, even serious attempts at gross cyber-bullying. A review posted on Google Play read, My 13-year-old sister uses this and she got a death threat aimed at our 2-year-old brother.

The problem at hand

Cyber bullying is hardly a new phenomenon, and has existed in different forms across multiple social media portals such as Twitter, Facebook, etc for years now. However, with Sararah ensuring complete anonymity and thus ridding users of any responsibility whatsoever for their actions, the platform has become a sought after tool for cyber-bullying.

As expected, most of the instances of cyber-bullying through the app appear to be cases of teenage users throwing caution to the wind and mishandling the unbridled freedom that the app provides.

However, there is more at play here than just a few adolescents not being able to comprehend the consequence of their actions. Sarahah, with its anonymity factor, is becoming the weapon of choice for trolls. As such, a serious discussion needs to take place over the powers of such apps.

Sararah users should be made aware that nothing in this day and age is completely anonymous. In the case of a criminal investigation, even companies promising anonymity are bound by law to reveal information with the authorities.
De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) is forging links with a well-respected science and technology institution in Poland after enjoying a sixth-annual conference trip to the country recently.

The three students (standing) and Daniel visiting the university's robotics labs

Two Computing (Aaron Edwards and Jonathan Brown) and one Mechanical Engineering (Bradley Ward) student along with DMU academics Daniel Paluszczyszyn and Anna Strzelecka spent six days in Poland last month, including taking part in a fascinating conference and workshop.

Located in the mountains of Lower Silesia, the workshop saw the DMU delegates mingle with students from the Technical University of Varna in Bulgaria, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology in Poland and Wroclaw University of Economics in Poland.

Two of the DMU students also earned best paper awards during the workshop.

DMU Racing member Bradley was recognised for his design, feasibility and improvement study of reducing a single-seat race car's wheel diameter.

Despite being the youngest participant in the workshop, Bradley received the highest marks from the judging panel.

Brad (left) with the leader of the university's Formula Student team

He said: I really enjoyed and benefitted from the trip, which was a great mix of education and culture. It was great to see how other universities teach the same subject from a different perspective and to learn about subjects I have never investigated, such as Computer Science.

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Aaron was praised for his presentation entitled Use of Facial Recognition and Deep Learning Neural Networks in Detecting Temperament and Deception.

"It was a great starting place for anybody interested in academic conferences, he said.

Not only did we meet a large number of friendly and interesting people, we also managed to fit in a bit of sightseeing and were given a tour of Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, including demonstrations in their robotics lab.

There was also a strong social aspect and everyone we met was very friendly and took a real interest in our various pieces of work."

During a hike to the Szklarki Waterfall in the Giant Mountains range

The papers were judged by leading academics from Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, The Technical University of Varna in Bulgaria, Vienna University of Technology in Austria and Wroclaw University of Economics in Poland plus business leaders from Rolls-Royce of Berlin, Metegrity Visions of Edmonton, Canada, and Razor Software of Wroclaw.

Anna, an early-career academic fellow at DMU, said: It was a wonderful experience for our students. The presentations were very beneficial as they received feedback from a panel of specialists in their areas of research. The members of steering committee were very complimentary about all three of the DMU students.

She added: We also received signals that people from Wroclaw University of Science and Technology would like to visit DMU to cement collaboration between our universities.

They suggested organising a workshop our respective students could present their research and they are very interested in having us as an official co-organiser of the workshop.

Dr Wojciech Kmiecik from Wroclaw University of Science and Technology said: "I am pleased with the co-operation with De Montfort University.

Their academic staff benefits our steering committee, and their students always present high quality work. I hope we can consolidate this relationship."
The Virginia ACLU and Albemarle County-based Rutherford Institute are representing Unite the Right rally sponsor Jason Kessler, saying a decision by Charlottesville officials to move the demonstration to McIntire Park may violate his First Amendment rights.

Meanwhile, officials reiterated their belief that the Aug. 7 decision to move the rally from Emancipation Park is constitutional and is not based on the content of the pro-white nationalist gathering.

The Rutherford Institute and ACLU Foundation of Virginia on Wednesday traded letters with City Attorney S. Craig Brown regarding Kesslers proposed rally and the reasons why the city approved the rally permit only for the larger McIntire Park.

The permit was originally for Emancipation Park, the site of a controversial statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

[The ACLU] sent a letter to the city in response to their letter stating that we are now legally representing Mr. Kessler, Whitehead said. The First Amendment requires there be a compelling interest to restrict speech and that has to be a safety issue. The people who have the permit have been shown to be peaceful so far, so there is no compelling interest that has been shown.

The civil rights organizations wrote a letter Tuesday to Charlottesvilles city manager and city councilors demanding that the city give Kessler permission to hold his rally in Emancipation Park as originally planned.

Brown responded with a letter restating the citys position that the decision to move the demonstration was not made on the content of the speech or the number of expected protesters and counter-protesters.

I will take this opportunity to respond to your statements that any actions by the city that are motivated by opposition to the content of Mr. Kesslers message, or by the presence of counter-demonstrators at his rally, would be constitutionally suspect. We agree, Brown wrote. In this case, however, the city manager based his decision on substantial interests that are totally unrelated to whatever message that Mr. Kessler and his associates will be delivering.

Brown did not specify what interests led the city to change the rallys venue, but he noted that the city allowed a July Ku Klux Klan rally, with a similar message and counter-protesters, to occur at Justice Park.

[The city] and its employees made significant sacrifices to ensure that the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan could hold a rally, albeit a much smaller one than planned for Unite the Right, at a downtown park despite substantial opposition from counter-demonstrators, Brown wrote.

While your letter makes a number of assertions that we would expect from [Kessler], you do not indicate whether either of you are or are not representing him, Brown wrote. Please let me know at your earliest opportunity whether you are, in fact, representing Mr. Kessler so that I will be able to fulfill my professional responsibilities pursuant to Rule 4.2 of the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct.

The rule restricts with whom lawyers may discuss legal matters.

Brown asked that the civil rights organizations contact him rather the city councilors, city manager or mayor regarding the rally.

In response to Brown, Claire Guthrie Gastanaga, the ACLUs executive director, confirmed that Kessler is a client. She said when the groups wrote the Tuesday letter they were simply rights organizations concerned with Kesslers First Amendment rights.

Since that time, and after we wrote to the council, Mr. Kessler has become a client of the ACLU Foundation of Virginia and Mr. Whitehead and his associate Doug McKusick have agreed to serve as co-counsel in the representation, Gastanaga wrote.

The citys Aug. 7 decision came after officials worried that multiple planned protests and thousands of protesters vehemently opposed to each other crammed into a four-block area could prove a safety issue.

Saturdays rally, scheduled for noon to 5 p.m., is expected to be attended by members of several groups in the alt-right movement and pro-white activists from across the country.

Local social justice activists have sent out calls on social media for others to join them in counter-protesting. Officials have declined to release a crowd estimate, but figures bandied about during the past week range from 2,000 to 8,000.

The ACLU and Rutherford Institute have often represented groups that are outside of the mainstream in defense of their First Amendment rights.

One of the best-known efforts came in 1978 when the ACLU defended a neo-Nazi groups effort to march in the Chicago suburb of Skokie, Illinois, where many Holocaust survivors lived.

The ACLUs defense of the Nazi group was based on the same arguments it used during the Civil Rights era to combat Southern cities trying to shut down civil rights marches due to potential violence and disruption.

In 2006, the state ACLU and Rutherford Institute joined forces to fight a Virginia law that prevented prisoners from using the state Freedom of Information Act to obtain public documents. In 2008, they fought efforts by corrections officials across the state to censor religious materials sent to inmates.

The First Amendment is there to protect the minority from the majority and often times the people who go out and use their free speech rights are irritating, Whitehead said. Ive defended a lot of people I found reprehensible and irritating. If you dont defend the reprehensible and irritating, you slowly lose freedom of speech for everyone in the minority.
For those looking to avoid Saturdays Unite the Right event, there will be more than a dozen counter-events including prayer services, music and public education opportunities available  including a series of free lectures at the University of Virginia.

Ahead of Saturdays event, Westminster Presbyterian Church on Thursday will hold a 7 p.m. prayer service. At 7:30 p.m., the Charlottesville Office of Human Rights will lead a presentation and discussion called the History of Race and Ethnicity in Charlottesville at Congregation Beth Israel, at 301 E. Jefferson St.

At 8 p.m. Friday, Congregate Charlottesville will hold a mass meeting at St. Pauls Memorial Church, at 1700 University Ave. Speakers will include nationally-known activist, commentator and author Cornel West and the Rev. Traci Blackmon.

On Saturday, almost a dozen counter events are planned, beginning at 6 a.m. with the Love Over Fear sunrise service at First Baptist Church, at 632 W. Main St.

At 8 a.m., the Charlottesville Clergy Collective will gather at the Jefferson School City Center to march to McGuffey Park and First United Methodist Church.

From 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., the Peoples Action for Racial Justice rally will be held at McGuffey Park and Justice Park, sponsored by Together Cville and the Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice. It will feature teach-ins, speeches, prayer, meditation, music and art.

The event is designed to be a peaceful protest against all forms of white supremacy, racial intolerance and discrimination, according to organizer Walt Heinecke. Calling Charlottesville the epicenter of larger issues of race and inequality throughout the U.S., Heinecke said he hopes people will leave his event with a better idea for how to start solving those issues.

White supremacy happens all the time; it is the rule, not the exception, Heinecke said. If the people of Charlottesville and the nation are waiting for the right moment to organize for a racially just and truly multicultural society, this is the moment to become focused.

This is not about statues, its about statutes, he said. The PARJ will focus on what citizens can do going forward on August 13 to build a stronger community based on the principles of racial harmony and justice.

Heinecke urged anyone who comes to the downtown area on Saturday to engage in nonviolent, civil protest. The goal of his event is to lawfully and peacefully assemble for racial justice and equity, he said.

Were trying to build a movement to undo the roots of the current issues of inequality in Charlottesville and the United States, Heinecke said. Its not all about the alt-right.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Albemarle-Charottesville NAACP will hold an advocacy training event at Burley Middle School, at 901 Rose Hill Drive.

From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., the Charlottesville Black Lives Matter chapter will host Art in Action performances in opposition to hatred at Champion Brewing, at 324 6th Street SE. For more information or to sign up for a performance slot, visit facebook.com/cvilleblm.

Prayer services will be held at First United Methodist Church from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and from 12 to 1 p.m. at Unity of Charlottesville, at 2825 Hydraulic Road.

From noon to 5 p.m., the Charlottesville Clergy Collective and Charlottesville Peace Initiative will co-host alternative peace-building activities at Common Ground Healing Arts at the Jefferson School City Center.

A Back to School Block Party will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. at Tonsler Park.

The University of Virginia also will offer a day of events displaying its commitment to mutual respect and inclusion, according to a news release.

Faculty and staff members will facilitate discussions on constitutional rights and citizenship; community dynamics and polarization; local history and other topics focusing on the theme of peaceable democracy.

The discussions will be free and open to the public.

Some of the UVa events include:

 Enfranchising Citizens in the United States: A Short History, led by Professor of History Brian Balogh and University of Richmond President Emeritus Ed Ayers;

 Whats Right about Conservatives Today, led by William Antholis, director of the Miller Center for Public Affairs;

 Freedom of Speech and Assembly: Whats Protected and Whats Not, led by UVa School of Law Professor Douglas Laycock; and

 Race and Education, led by assistant professor of Educational Psychology Natalie Palacios.

UVa President Teresa A. Sullivan said she hopes the series of seminars opens a door to a community-wide conversation on critical issues facing the Charlottesville community and the nation, according to the news release.

The events allow us to do what a public university does best: engage in open, critical, reflective conversation, always in pursuit of the common good, Sullivan said.

The discussions  scheduled to be 25 to 55 minutes long  will begin at 11 a.m. and will be held in three UVa libraries: Alderman, Clemons and the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections auditorium.

For a complete list of seminars, visit president.virginia.edu/events-planned-august-12.

Not wanting to draw attention to the Unite the Right event on Saturday, Charlottesville dance groups  including the Charlottesville Salsa Club  will hold the Unite the Pride Flashmob for Equality from 6 to 7 p.m. Sunday on Charlottesvilles Downtown Mall. The groups plan to dance to the song Imagine, and the public is invited to join.

Following the event, the groups will hold an after party at The Ante Room with all proceeds going to the Charlottesville chapter of the International Rescue Committee.

For more information, search Flashmob  Unite the Pride on Facebook.
FBI agents raided the Alexandria, Va., home of President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman late last month, using a search warrant to seize documents and other materials, according to people familiar with the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Federal agents appeared at Paul Manafort's home without warning in the predawn hours of July 26, the day after he met voluntarily with the staff for the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The search warrant was wide-ranging and FBI agents working with special counsel Robert Mueller departed the home with various records.

The raid came as Manafort has been voluntarily producing documents to congressional committees investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. The search warrant indicates investigators may have argued to a federal judge they had reason to believe Manafort could not be trusted to turn over all records in response to a grand jury subpoena.

It could also have been intended to send a message to President Trump's former campaign chairman that he should not expect gentle treatment or legal courtesies from Mueller's team.

The documents included materials Manafort had already provided to Congress, said people familiar with the search.

"If the FBI wanted the documents, they could just ask [Manafort] and he would have turned them over," said one adviser close to the White House.

Josh Stueve, spokesman for Mueller, declined to comment, as did Reginald Brown, an attorney for Manafort.

The search came as Mueller has increased legal pressure on Manafort, consolidating under his authority a series of unrelated investigations into various aspects of Manafort's professional and personal life.

Manafort's allies fear that Mueller hopes to build a case against Manafort unrelated to the 2016 campaign, in hopes that the former campaign operative would provide information against others in Trump's inner circle in exchange for lessening his own legal exposure.

The significance of the records seized from Manafort's apartment is unclear.

Manafort has provided documents to both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate and House intelligence committees. The documents are said to include notes Manafort took while attending a meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016.

Emails show Trump Jr. took the meeting and invited Manafort after he was promised the lawyer would deliver damaging information about Hillary Clinton as part of a Russian government effort to assist his father's campaign.
Democrat Ralph Northam maintains a six-point lead over Republican Ed Gillespie in the Virginia governors race about three months ahead of the November election, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.

Northam, Virginias lieutenant governor, received 44 percent of the vote to 38 for Gillespie, former head of the Republican National Committee, and 4 percent for Libertarian Cliff Hyra in the Quinnipiac survey released Wednesday.

The race is competitive in spite of President Donald Trumps low approval rating in Virginia  the only Southern state the president did not carry.

While 61 percent of Virginia voters disapprove of Trumps job performance, 36 percent approve, according to the survey.

The Virginia governors race leans toward Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, but not overly so, said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

With three months until Election Day, the race remains competitive.

Gillespie apparently has been able to convince many voters that he is his own man, Brown said. Gillespie is within 6 percentage points of Northam despite President Donald Trumps unpopularity in the Old Dominion.

Hyras 4 percentage points mean that in a tight contest Hyra could become a factor in the race, Brown said.

Quinnipiac surveyed 1,082 Virginia voters from Aug. 3-8. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

Virginians do not register by party, but Gillespies camp took issue with the polls sample, arguing that it will not reflect Virginias electorate in November.

In the Quinnipiac survey, 24 percent of respondents said they consider themselves Republicans, 36 percent as Democrats, 34 percent as independents, with 5 percent as other or dont know.

Northams campaign said Gillespie has barely moved the needle, although he and his allies have spent about $1.3 million in the contest.

Vice President Mike Pence will attend a Gillespie fundraiser in Richmond on Aug. 19. That date coincides with an Americans for Prosperity conference at the Richmond Marriott, where Gillespie is set to speak.

AFP, a national conservative policy advocacy organization backed by billionaires Charles and David Koch, is bringing its 11th annual volunteer conference to Richmond.

The Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan tracker of money in state politics, said on Tuesday that AFP has reported spending more than $250,000 in the past two weeks in an effort to influence the outcome of Virginias governors race, mostly on anti-Northam mailers and door hangers.

Northam led Gillespie by 5 percentage points in a poll conducted by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Gillespie and Northam were tied at 44 percent apiece in a July 24 poll released by Monmouth Universitys Polling Institute.

In Quinnipiacs June 21 poll, the first released after the June 13 primaries, Northam led Gillespie by 8 percentage points, 47 percent to 39 percent.
Hyundai Motors is gearing up to launch its next-gen Verna in the country on August 22. Bookings are already underway and will continue till August 21 with a refundable booking amount of Rs 25,000. With the newly added features in the Korean sedan being mostly segment-firsts, the carmaker plans to go all out against the Honda City, Volkswagen Vento, Skoda Rapid, and the segment leader  Maruti Suzuki Ciaz.

The next-gen Hyundai Verna, which is based on the Russia-spec Hyundai Solaris, will get five such features that were never there in this South Korean C-segment sedan. Among those are some segment-firsts as well. Without wasting any more time, lets see what these features are.

Sunroof: Yes, finally! The new Hyundai Verna will come with an electrically operated sunroof and will become the second product in its segment to boast one. The only other car that has had a sunroof for a while now is the Honda City. Rumours are that Maruti Suzuki will add this feature in the mid-life update of the Ciaz.

Hands-Free Boot Release (Segment-First): Hyundai has also equipped the new Verna with a hands-free boot release technology. All you need to do is wave your foot underneath it and it will pop open. Pretty good, isnt it?! This tech comes to the Verna as a segment-first and further enhances the convenience factor.

Cooled Seats (Segment-First): Another feature that the Verna has borrowed from its elder sibling, the Elantra, is ventilated front seats. While they dont feature heating function (not really needed in most parts of our country), the seats do suck up air from the AC and blows it back to keep you cool from almost every angle.

Projector Fog Lamps (Segment-First): We all know what projector lenses do to make our driving during the darker hours of the day more convenient. Well, in the new Verna, you will get projector lenses in the fog lamps too. It will help in illuminating the road ahead in a much more focused manner, without letting the light from the bulbs scatter.

Eco Coating (Segment-First): Eco Coating in Hyundais world is essentially a technology that eliminates odour from the AC. Result? Your sense of smell wont be disturbed beyond its comfort zone.

In case you are wondering what the new Hyundai Verna is like to drive, you can read our first drive review here.

Source: CarDekho.com
Mumbai: Retirement fund body Employees' Provident Fund Organisation has introduced over the years a slew of measures to further simplify online redressal of provident fund claims. For employees, applying for their provident fund corpus has been a tedious task, as the exercise requires filling up of at least six forms.

Duly filled forms are first scrutinised thoroughly by the employer for any mismatch or discrepancy in their personal records, then the 'correct' forms are sent to the EPFO office concerned for submission of PF claims.

The whole process starting right from downloading PF forms from EPFO website to filling it and then submitting it to the employer is not an easy task. On top of that, an application that seeks PF withdrawal is processed in 20 days. It means an employee gets their PF money back in 20 days from the time of submission of form with the PF office.

With an aim to reduce number of days taken for redressal of PF withdrawal application, EPFO reduced the time from 20 days to just 3 days. Now an employee can get his PF withdrawal redressed in just 3 days.

EPFO mobile app shows a very simple way to activate UAN.

EPFO had a few years back introduced a Universal Account Number system for all the members of retirement fund body. Under this scheme, employees were instructed to receive their UANs from their respective employers. This UAN makes PF withdrawal a much more easier process. Now read how to apply for and receive your PF money in simple steps:

First activate UAN

A UAN is a 10-digit number that an employer gives to its employee. UAN is used to check balance, see e-passbook. It also helps members to monitor their PF account either through mobile app or through internet. To activate your UAN, you either need to either log on to the EPFO website or download EPFO mobile app from Google Play Store.

The EPFO mobile app has a very simple facade and look. It follows a very simple procedure to unlock your PF balance, as your PF balance is locked until or unless you untie it by activating your UAN. The mobile app asks for your employer's establishment code, extension code, your employee ID, 10-digit UAN, registered mobile number. Once you fill all these details correctly, you are ready to go as your UAN activation is only a touch away.

After activation of UAN, an employee is free to use online PF facility as and when they require it. It offers a number of facilities. Members can also check their e-passbook that gives them details of last six monthly deposits into your account on a single page in mobile app.
ELKO  Looking for an escape from the summer heat? Then take a trip under the sea with Ariel and her friends when Overland Stage Theatre Co. presents Disneys The Little Mermaid Jr.

Featuring songs from the animated classic and new songs from the Broadway production, the musical starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a 3:30 p.m. matinee performance Saturday at Great Basin College Theater. Tickets are $10 and sold at the door.

A retelling of the fairy tale by Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen, Little Mermaid Jr. follows the story of Ariel, Eric, Flounder, Sebastian and Scuttle as they battle the sea witch Ursula.

Part of a summer childrens theater program, The Little Mermaid Jr. required a larger venue than Northeastern Nevada Museum, mostly because a large cast of 60 children ranging in age from 8 to 18 showed up to audition.

We got a huge response and it was great, said Junior Director Rosalynn Eardley said. We moved to GBC to fit all of the kids on the stage.

Performing as Ariel, Ruth Eardley understands the expectations the audience will have for such a beloved character, and admits that its kind of scary to take on such a role.

I dont want to mess it up for the kids, Ruth Eardley said.

Some cast members, including Caroline Gagnon and Kendall Thomas, saw the musical as an opportunity to get out of the house, meet new people and have some fun.

This is Hannah Kellums third production, and she said she enjoyed working with the younger cast members, showing them what to do in theater.

Staging the musical took two months, which for first-time directors Rosalynn Eardley and Ian Nisbet was a fulfilling challenge. Both have grown up in Elko and acted in numerous stage productions since they were children.

It opened my eyes to a lot of things I didnt know the director was doing behind the scenes, Rosalynn Eardley said.

Nisbet choreographed the dance numbers for the musical and said the production was a great learning experience, in addition to having fun with the children. Rosalynn Eardely also noticed how much effort came from the cast for the musical.

These kids have worked really hard to put this together, she said.
New Delhi: Outgoing Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya has said that writing off some debt of Air India, so as to make it attractive to prospective investors, could be a "wise" move.

Following a suggestion by Niti Aayog, the government is endeavouring to privatise the state-owned carrier and a committee has been set up under Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to carry forward the process.

"I don't know whether you need to write off debt to find a buyer, I don't know the market. Transaction advisers are competent on that," Panagariya told PTI in an interview.

"I am just saying that it's probably wise to write off part of the debt before this happen (privatisation of Air India)," he added.

On whether there is need for a asset stripping before sale of national carrier, he said, "No, why would you do asset stripping. It's a well running, well functioning Airline."

Panagariya, who will leave Niti Aayog this month-end to return to academia in the US, further said that there are details which need to be sorted out by the transaction advisers.

As regard the real estate of the Air India, Panagariya said: "Real estate part is a separate issue... We made some recommendations and all but not to the level of that details to keep this and sell this."

Citing provisional figures, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha recently had said Air India's total debt stood at Rs 48,876.81 crore at the end of March 2017.

Out of the total amount, Rs 17,359.77 crore is aircraft loan, while Rs 31,517.04 crore is working capital loan.

"The rates of interest on aircraft/ working capital loans are linked to the respective bank's prime lending rates/base rate/libor plus margins prevalent at the time when these loans are taken," Sinha had said.

The previous UPA regime had extended a bailout package worth a little over Rs 30,000 crore to the national carrier for 10 years starting from 2012.

"Air India is facing financial pressure and earning less profit due to high debt burden as an offshoot of past accumulated losses. The debt servicing is at around Rs 6,000 crore per annum," the minister had said.

As per the figures, the number of contractual staff rose to 2,636 as on April 1, 2017 compared to 1,740 at the same period a year ago. The Union Cabinet on June 28 gave in-principle approval for the disinvestment of debt-laden Air India.

The Jaitley- headed group of ministers is finalising the modalities and held its first meeting last month. IndiGo, the country's largest airline with a domestic market share of a little over 41 per cent, is keen on snapping up the international operations of Air India as well as its profitable low-cost arm Air India Express.

As an alternative, the budget carrier is "equally interested" in buying out all the operations of Air India and Air India Express, according to the letter sent by IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh to the civil aviation ministry.
IMG in June had held extensive dialogue with all telecom players as well as large banks to discuss the industry's financial difficulties.

New Delhi: The inter-ministerial group constituted to suggest measures to ease financial stress in the telecom sector will meet next week to discuss and finalise its report, according to a senior DoT official.

The high-level group will hold its next meeting on August 14 and August 16 to "discuss, finalise and sign" its report, said the official who did not wish to be named. The draft report is expected to be circulated among members on Wednesday.

In a bid to give relief to the sector reeling under massive debt and profitability issues, the IMG among other proposals, is considering giving telecom companies more time to pay for the spectrum they bought.

The IMG is learnt to be favourably considering relaxing the period of deferred spectrum payment to 16 years to improve the cash flow of telecom companies. At present, a portion of spectrum auction amount is taken as upfront payment by Department of Telecom (DoT) and the rest after a two-year moratorium is paid out every year in 10 instalments.

Other proposals being actively considered include shifting from PLR (over 13 per cent) to MCLR (8 per cent) for interest on deferred payments, and convergence between DoT guidelines and RBI guidelines on the issue of allowing spectrum as a collateral.

The IMG, in June, had held extensive dialogue with all telecom players as well as large banks to discuss the industry's financial difficulties.

United against Reliance Jio, three established operators Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular have cited Rs 4.6 lakh crore of cumulative industry debt to demand raising of the call termination charges from the current 14 paise per minute as well as reduction in licence fee, spectrum usage charges and GST, besides relaxation in deferred payment norms for the spectrum acquired.

Jio, backed by India's richest person Mukesh Ambani, has ascribed the financial stress in the telecom sector to existing operators like Bharti and Idea running businesses on debt and investing heavily in unrelated sectors, a charge that has outright been dismissed by the established operators.
The comment comes in the backdrop of the regulator's ongoing tussle with Apple that is reportedly not allowing convergence of the Trai's Do-Not-Disturb app on its iOS platform.

New Delhi: Telecom regulator Trai on Tuesday questioned the control of third-party entities such as app stores to "limit" mobile users' right over their own data in the name of data security and privacy.

Trai Chairman R S Sharma said the question is who owns data like call logs and messages that a user receives on his/her mobile, and whether third-party entities can actually "extinguish" the users' right over such data. He said that Trai will release a discussion paper on the issue in a day or two.

The comment comes in the backdrop of the regulator's ongoing tussle with Apple that is reportedly not allowing convergence of the Trai's Do-Not-Disturb app on its iOS platform.

Trai's app allows users to flag pesky calls and unsolicited messages directly to the regulator as it pulls out such details from messages and call logs. While Google's Android operating system supports the Trai app, the regulator's talks with Apple have reportedly not yielded much results.

Refusing to name specific companies or platforms, Sharma said: "The larger issue is who owns data generated by a mobile user, what are their rights, and whether any other entity can extinguish his (user's) right on the data" in the name of securing it.

Sharma, who was speaking on the sidelines of Digital India Foundation event, said questions like these are important in the current context of a digital world where data is a "currency, a property and valuable".

"What can be the objection of a third party, if the user wants to willing share his data," Sharma quipped adding that a consultation paper will be issued in 1-2 days.

Replying to a specific question on Apple not supporting the Trai's app, Sharma said that "be it any store, my basic question is who has the right over that data...and can a third party...a store owner...limit my right on data that is my property".

Sharma argued that given that SMS and call logs belong to a mobile user, a third party could not take control of such data in the name of data privacy or security.

When contacted, an Apple spokesperson pointed to the company's privacy website which quotes its global CEO Tim Cook as saying that Apple is committed to protecting its customer's privacy.

"Finally, I want to be absolutely clear that we have never worked with any government agency from any country to create a backdoor in any of our products or services. We have also never allowed access to our servers. And we never will," he said.

Industry sources said Apple's objections may be stemming from the company's concerns around privacy and encryption of the information.
Vodafone India is second largest telecom operator in country with over 22 crore subscribers.

Mumbai: Vodafone India, country's second largest telecom operator with over 22 crore subscribers after Bharti Airtel, has launched yet another SuperHour pack. Under the scheme, Vodafone subscribers will get unlimited 4G data and free voice calling whose validity will last for an hour.

The latest offering by Vodafone comes amidst reports of an inter-ministerial group preparing a report on country's ailing telecom sector which faces a debt of Rs 4.6 lakh crore. Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular have blamed Reliance Jio for sector's dwindling revenues. Whereas, Jio has said these companies' strategy of running businesses on loans has worsened the situation.

The new scheme promises that Vodafone users can get recharges in the range of Rs 7 and Rs 21 to avail off the scheme that promises free calls to the home network and unlimited 4G data for the pre-paid customers.

"Vodafone's prepaid customers can activate or purchase 'SuperPacks' -- including SuperHour, SuperDay, SuperWeek and SuperNight offers -- through the telecom company's app called My Vodafone," a report on NDTV said.

Follow these steps to activate Vodafone's SuperHour packs

1- For getting benefits of Rs 7 pack, Vodafone customers need to log on to the My Vodafone App, those who do not have it need to download it first. In the app, there is a SuperPacks section. Click on the pack of your choice to activate it.

2- The unlimited 4G data offer is priced at Rs 21. This pack can be activated by simply touching the activating button on My Vodafone App. Customers can also dial *444*21# USSD code.

Vodafone said in a statement on its website, "Under the SuperHour packs, the benefit on unlimited Vodafone-to-Vodafone calls is not applicable on domestic roaming."

Apart from SuperHour packs, the company has lined up SuperDay, SuperNight and SuperWeek packs. Vodafone customers can access these offers in the My Vodafone app and follow similar instructions to activate them.
Parliament on Wednesday adopted a statutory resolution on increase in basic customs duty (BCD) to 10 per cent on import of mobile phones, printers and ink cartridges. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: Parliament on Wednesday adopted a statutory resolution on increase in basic customs duty (BCD) to 10 per cent on import of mobile phones, printers and ink cartridges.

The resolution was moved in the Rajya Sabha by finance minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday. The Lok Sabha on Tuesday had adopted the resolution on hike in the BCD.

The government through a notification dated 30 June had increased the basic customs duty from nil to 10 per cent on various kinds of printers, facsimile machines, certain types of ink cartridges, telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, base stations, and other items.

The increased duty became applicable from 1 July.
Trai on Wednesday floated a paper on developing a framework that can give people more control over their personal data and prevent chances of misuse.

New Delhi: Telecom regulator Trai on Wednesday floated a paper on developing a framework that can give people more control over their personal data and prevent chances of misuse by various sources amid lingering privacy concerns.

"It is important to have a clear policy related to data ownership, data protection, privacy and security in the telecom space," Trai Chairman R S Sharma told PTI.

He said users of telecom devices are also consumers of telecom services and hence, device is an important part of access.

"There should be responsibilities with regard to data protection and security in the course of using telecom services," Sharma said.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) said there are provisions for data protection and privacy under the IT Act, but "we are yet to formulate a more comprehensive privacy and data protection law for the country".

The consultation paper said devices used by individuals can collect large volumes of data about the user's behaviour. "Incidents have come to light where device manufacturers have distributed pre-installed software that allowed them to monitor the location, call and messaging activities of the device owners," the paper said.

The observation comes in light of ongoing tussle with Apple that is reportedly not allowing convergence of the Trai's Do-Not-Disturb app on its iOS platform.

The regulator's app allows users to flag pesky calls and unsolicited messages directly to the regulator as it pulls out such details from messages and call logs.

Citing provisions under the Indian Telegraph Act, Trai said preserving data confidentiality is a fundamental motivator for ensuring security of telecom infrastructure and "vulnerabilities in the telecommunication infrastructure can lead to disruption of basic services with a severe impact on citizens, businesses and the delivery of public services".

The regulator has noted that many mobile applications seek access to subscriber data like call records, access to microphone, pictures, SMS and the like which may not be required for providing the service desired by the user. "The one-sided nature of these arrangements with an uneven bargaining power between the provider and the user implies that the user often does not have an effective choice in the matter -- the app may not be available for use without authorising those permissions," the consultation paper stated.

A panel has been formed amid concerns over personal information being compromised with increasing use of biometric identifier Aadhaar in an array of services -- from filing tax returns to availing of government benefits.

The paper made a mention of mobile directory applications that can compel a user to give access to phone number of another person, who may not be using the application, but his number gets leaked without his knowledge or consent.

The regulator in the consultation paper on privacy, security and ownership of the data in the telecom sector has sought public views on data protection in relation to the delivery of digital services.

The paper has sought public views to define personal data, who should be its owner, responsibilities of entities storing or controlling data of subscribers for delivering services among various other aspects to give users more control over their digital data.

Trai has set deadline of September 8 for comments on the paper and September 22, 2017, for counter comments.
New Delhi: Security and Intelligence Services (SIS) will make its stock market debut on Thursday after concluding its initial share sale offer last week. The initial share sale offer of Security and Intelligence Services (India) Limited was oversubscribed 7 times.

Qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) portion was oversubscribed 5.64 times, non institutional investors 1.66 times and retail investors 19.51 times. The company had set Rs 805-815 per share as the price band for the IPO.

The company provides security solutions and business support services to a wide range of customers across India and Australia. Axis Capital Limited, ICICI Securities Limited, IIFL Holdings Limited and Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited were the global coordinators and book running lead managers to the offer.
Mumbai: Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), for some members of the Bollywood fraternity, is like that noisy, pesky neighbour they cannot wish away. First Lipstick Under My Burkha, then Indu Sarkar, and now Babumoshai Bandookbaaz- CBFC has demanded numerous cuts, most of which involve physical intimacy.

The Pahlaj Nihalani led CBFC is a burning topic of discussion in Bollywood, second being nepotism. The latest to join the discussion is powerhouse of talent Randeep Hooda.

While addressing the issue of censorship, Randeep reportedly said, (The CBFC) asking for cuts or censoring scenes makes no sense to me.

As far as youngsters being exposed to sexuality is concerned, Randeep feels they have other means at their disposal to access things CBFC is trying to keep them away from.

He said, Youngsters  the people youre trying to prevent from watching (a films) content  are the ones who are mostly on the Internet. And whatever youre censoring is actually generating more curiosity and, at the end of the day, everything is easily is available on the Internet, which remains uncensored.

The Sarabjit actor has even accused filmmakers of using censorship as a tool to promote their films. Look how censorship is being used to create hype around a film, and it clearly has become a great promotional tool (in the hands of filmmakers), and I suspect if Mr Pahlaj Nihalani (CBFC Chief) is getting paid, he added.

He went to cite an example that, the actor alleges, worked only because of its hyped fight with the Film Board. Randeep stated, I recently watched a film that was very talked about [for] censorship; when I actually watched it, it was a bloody bore. A lot of people had gone to watch it only because it was hyped so much about scenes being censored.

I had read this films script as well  I figured out that the film reached multiplexes because it was sensationally promoted. It wasnt a very interesting movie to watch in the first place, and it used censorship as a promotional thing, concluded the actor.
Mumbai: All Dilip Kumar fans, breathe a sigh of relief as the 'Tragedy King' has been discharged from the Lilavati Hospital.

Taking to Twitter, wife and veteran actress Saira Banu expressed gratitude to 'fans, friends for prayers, doctors for expert treatment, hospital staff.'

Earlier, speaking about his discharge, Saira Banu said, "He is very good. It was like a nightmare. This has been a miracle. I thank god for all the good things. All the fans, doctors, everybody wished for his good health and God heard. I can't tell you how grateful I am. This was a terrible thing which happened all of a sudden. He is perfectly fine now. He is eating and also talking slowly. God willing he will be alright soon. Jiska shauhar Kohinoor hoga Hindustan hu, unki wife sati savritri Kyu Nahi hogi? Main deewani hu unki."

The 94-year-old actor's Twitter handle too posted the news, telling, "Saab will be discharged from Lilavati Hospital at 4pm. This is one great news. I'm on my way to the hospital."

Message from Saira Banu:

By the grace of Allah, Dilip Sahab is under the care of Dr. Nitin Gokhale, Dr. Arun Shah of Lilavati Hospital...1/  Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) August 9, 2017

2/:and Sahab's personal family physicians Dr. R.C. Sharma and Dr. S. Gokhale, along with the able input of Dr. S. D. Bapat...this excellent  Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) August 9, 2017

3/ team has given the green signal to take Sahab home today.  Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) August 9, 2017

4/ My gratitude to fans, friends for prayers, doctors for expert treatment, hospital staff n Sahab's personal attendants for all the care.  Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) August 9, 2017

5/ It is the Almighty God's will and benevolence that I wish to acknowledge in all humility and gratitude.  Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) August 9, 2017

The legendary actor was admitted to Mumbai's Lilavati hospital on August 2 due to kidney issues. As per Lilavati Hospital, his all vital parameters are reported to be stable.

This was the third time the actor had been admitted to the hospital. In April last year, he was hospitalised due to fever and nausea.

Known as the 'Tragedy King', Kumar has acted in over 65 films in his career and is known for his iconic roles in movies like 'Devdas '(1955), 'Naya Daur' (1957), 'Mughal-e-Azam' (1960), 'Ganga Jamuna' (1961), 'Kranti' (1981), and 'Karma' (1986).

Last seen on the big screen in 'Qila' in 1998, the actor was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015.
Utah's $1.9 billion claim against the Environmental Protection Agency for a multi-state mine waste spill says Utah's water, soil and wildlife were damaged, but it offers no specifics.

The Utah Attorney General's Office provided a copy of the claim to The Associated Press Wednesday.

The claim stems from the release of 3 million gallons of wastewater from the inactive Gold King Mine in southwestern Colorado in August 2015. An EPA-led contractor crew inadvertently triggered the spill.

The spill polluted rivers in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah and turned some waterways an orange-yellow color. Indian lands were also affected.

Farmers and utilities temporarily stopped drawing water from the rivers, and rafting companies had to suspend operations. The EPA said water quality quickly returned to pre-spill levels.

Utah's claim from the spill is believed to be the largest of 144 filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which allows people to seek government compensation without a lawsuit. The claims seek payment for lost crops, livestock, wages and income and other damages.

The Navajo Nation filed a claim for $162 million and the state of New Mexico for $130 million. Both have also filed lawsuits against the federal government.

Utah also filed suit, but it named mine owners and EPA contractors as defendants, not the government.

The EPA said January it was prevented by law from paying any of the damages under the Tort Claims Act, angering many. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who took over after President Donald Trump assumed office, has said the agency will reconsider at least some of the claims.

Utah's claim cites damage to the San Juan River and Lake Powell, a vast reservoir on the Colorado River which the San Juan feeds into. It also cites damage to other waterways, underground water, soil, sediment, wildlife and other, unspecified natural resources.

It does not say how state officials arrived at the $1.9 billion figure. Dan Burton, a spokesman for Attorney General Sean Reyes, said he was looking into the details in response to questions from the AP.

Donna Kemp Spangler, a spokeswoman for the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, said the state is still trying to assess the damage.

"I don't think we know the extent yet," she said. She referred other questions to Erica Gaddis, director of the state Division of Water Quality. Gaddis didn't immediately respond to a telephone message.

The state has said previously it detected elevated levels of aluminum and other metals in the San Juan River. Officials have also said they expect river flows to deposit some of the metals from the spill in Lake Powell.

The EPA-led crew was using heavy equipment to excavate the mine opening in preparation for a possible cleanup when a worker breached a debris pile that was holding back wastewater in the shaft. The water flowed into Cement Creek and then the Animas River in Colorado. The Animas joins the San Juan River in New Mexico before the San Juan crosses into Utah.

The EPA estimates that nearly 540 U.S. tons of metals reached the Animas, mostly iron and aluminum.

After the spill, the EPA designated the Gold King and 47 other mining sites in the area a Superfund district and is reviewing options for a broad cleanup.
Akshay Kumar has been a source of constant support to families of martyred Indian soldiers and has even donated money to them.

Mumbai: A self-professed nationalist, Akshay Kumar does not fit into your idea of a typical superstar- neither obnoxious nor self-centered.

Weeps at the loss of lives of soldiers at Indian borders and nurses their families shattered spirit, Akshay has the heart of a whale. He has not only lent his support to multiple causes, but has also provided bereaved families with financial aid.

So when you see him urging people not to compromise with sanitation, dont confuse it for a publicity stunt. In a tell-all interview with Deccan Chronicle, Akshay insists that he is eyeing on bringing about some major social changes in India, revealed the reason behind accepting Toilet and asserted that he cares a damn about publicity. Excerpts:

What made you sign Toilet Ek Prem Katha?

I liked the subject of this film. In the meantime, I got to know that this script is flowing in the industry for the longest time. I feel it is a risky subject for any actor. I find it very intriguing. I liked the fact that it was a real story where a woman filed a divorce since there was no toilet at her husbands home.





Do you feel that your film will help Salman Khans open defecation drive?

I dont about this but it will surely reach a larger audience. I am sure that there will be change since till date 54% of Indians have no toilets. Even if it becomes 5% less in our country after watching my film, I will be successful enough. I am not bothered about the collections of the film. I would also love if my producers make the tickets prices less than what it is usually.

What all changes you have seen in terms of sanitation after this film was announced?

I have seen people openly started talking about toilet, Sandaas or Shauch. I heard people saying the dialogues from the trailer. It was a very taboo thing for people to say but I felt it is a must to say and talk about it. Who doesnt go to toilet then why people feel are ashamed off. Believe me things are changing. The youth is very strong and come up with great ideas. It is about the mindsets which have been the same since long so it will take time to change it. Once I caught a man defecating on the beach and asked him why he is doing it in open? He replied to me that he likes to do it in open. This may sound funny to us but imagine he must have effected many mindsets and spread diseases. I must tell you that for a city like Mumbai, it is a much bigger problem.

Is it a conscious decision to do more real of life stories like Rustom, Airlift and now Toilet?

I find them intriguing actually. When I meet these real people, it is good to hear their stories. When I met that woman who has revolted for not having a toilet, I felt this story should come to the people.

Like your film Toilet, you are also a part of your wife Twinkles social film Padman, are you trying to bring about change in the area of female hygiene, too?

I want to bring a change with the help of media and government. I request the entire media fraternity to not about the film rather talk about the sanitation issue in our country. What a woman has to go through? I have come across many women who requested me to build a toilet in their houses. I need to clear that my film 'Toliet- Ek Prem Katha' is not a documentary but a two and half hours comedy but I am taking an advantage of being an actor to take this issue to the audience. Government is doing whatever they can do but people build their house in place of toilets, they give them on rents and so on. This is sad.





People say that you talk about social issues only before your films releases?

If you pointing out about sanitation issue then I didnt speak earlier since I didnt know about it. I know about Indian Army so I talk about it. I made Bharat Ke Veer. I talk about self defence and womens safety on which I am not making a film. I taught 10, 000 women about self defence. I dont want to do any kind of publicity.
Mumbai: Tusshar Kapoor recently celebrated his son Laksshya's first birthday in June with a lavish party. What's surprising is that the toddler, who is the apple of Tusshar's eyes and can't walk without holding onto his father's hand, has already started with pre-school!

"The plan was to get him into pre-school only after he turned two but I have noticed that in the last few months he has become extremely active and adores it when I read to him. This observation pushed me to get him into a parent child pre-school, a stone's throw away from home. 1st August was his first day and he was super comfortable and enjoyed the company of the other children, although he did stick by me for most of the time." says Tusshar.

Not only his first day at pre-school, but Laksshya has another 'first' up his sleeve. He is all set to join Tusshar on the Hyderabad schedule of Rohit Shetty's Golmaal Again. Quite a few celebrity parents opt for this as this allows them to spend more time with their young ones.

All this at only 1 year and 2 months! Here's to many more father-son milestones for this duo!
Hyderabad: Subhash Ghais superhit film Ram Lakhan, a comedy drama from the 90s that starred Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor, was all set to get a remake by one of the most loved director Rohit Shetty, under the banner of Karan Johars Dharma Productions.

With names such as Ranveer Singh-Shahid Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor-Sidharth Malhotra, Fawad Khan-Arjun Kapoor kept floating around for the film, the fans were eagerly waiting for this cult drama to be remade.

However, while interacting with the media on the sets of Golmaal Again, where they were shooting the titular song 'Golmaal,' producer-director Rohit Shetty set the record straight by saying that Ram Lakhan isnt happening.

He stated, Ram Lakhan is not happening. Two big heroes do not want to work with each other. The younger generation of stars will go on Twitter, Facebook to promote each others film, but not work with them. Last lot I guess was Akshay Kumar-Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchan-Hrithik Roshan, who worked together.

Known for making larger-than-life films, Shetty also revealed the reason that refrains the younger stars from sharing screen space with each other.

I dont know why the younger lot is so insecure? concluded the curious Rohit, leaving the fans of Ram Lakhan a bit dejected.
Screengrabs from the video posted on Twitter by Varun Dhawan, on which Akshay also replied.

New Delhi: The whole nation is waiting for the release of Akshay Kumar's upcoming movie 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha;' even Bollywood can't keep its excitement down for the movie.

B-town actor Varun Dhawan took to Twitter and shared a clip in which he can be seen talking about Akshay's movie.

He captioned the video, "Good morning just 3 days for #ToiletEkPremKatha. Best of luck @akshaykumar and @psbhumi."

In the video, the 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania' star can be seen working out and as he stops, he tells the trainer that he wants to go to toilet, but his trainer says that you can't go now because Toilet (the movie) is coming out on August 11.

The actor concludes by saying, "Oh yes, 'Toilet' just 3 days to go'.

Akshay also replied to the video and asked the young actor to have a little more control.

Bas thoda aur control Varun, #ToiletAaRahiHai in 3 days  https://t.co/pRCRMcVN7N  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) August 8, 2017

The movie 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha' portrays the subject of sanitation and open defecation in India that has been a major problem since decades.

The film features Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar in lead roles.

The movie is all set to hit the theatres on August 11.
Kannada actress Harshika Poonacha is making her Tamil debut with Un Kadhal Irundhal helmed by Hashim Marikar. Im glad to have this film as my launchpad in Tamil. Thanks to Facebook, through which Hashim approached me. I was initially signed on by him for a project which had Jai as the hero. Unfortunately, the project got delayed. That is when Hashim said that he has got another script in mind and roped me in for Un Kadhal Irundhal, she began the conversation.

Harshika is glad that the film is shaping up well. I play Sana, a college girl in the movie. Im a person who is loved by everyone in college. Ive completed 80 per cent of the talkie portions and will head to the UK with the team to shoot two songs  a solo number and a duet with my pair Maqbool Salmaan.

Though born and raised in Bengaluru, the actress is fluent in Tamil. It was easy for me to act in a Tamil film as I know the language very well. I grew up watching Tamil movies. Im a great fan of Ajith and Id love to do a movie like Sachien, she adds.

The talented actress also revealed that she is still a part of the film starring Jai and the shooting is expected to resume sometime in September.

Harshika is determined to choose the best roles for her. I want the audience to come to the theatre to see my performance. I take time to choose characters and I make sure I have scope to perform, she concludes.
After delivering his career best with the blockbuster A... Aa, Nithiin Reddy will soon be seen in LIE.

Explaining why he took time to come up with this film after the huge success of A... Aa, the actor says, The success of the film put me in a dilemma and I was confused about my next film. Then I called Trivikram garu for advice. He told me not to do a regular film and try something different. After listening to several scripts, I zeroed in on director Hanu Raghavapudis script and thats how LIE happened.

He describes the film as an emotional love story with stylish action sequences. The scenes between me and Megha Akash have come out well, and its an interesting film, says Nithiin.

Meanwhile, yesteryear actor Arjun is playing a villain in the film. I worked with him in Sri Anjaneyam more than a decade ago and he still looks the same! Without him, the film wouldnt shape up like this. Theres a thrilling fight between us in the film, reveals the actor.

Its no secret that Nithiin is a huge fan of Pawan Kalyan as he has openly spoken about it several times. I grew up watching Pawan Kalyan films and entered the industry with him as a huge inspiration. So I always use a scene or a dialogue of his in my films. In this film too, I have used a scene of his film Thammudu, he says.

Nithiin looks uber stylish in this film and he reveals that a lot of work went into it. Once we decided to work together, Hanu and I travelled a lot before shoot. We hired Alexander Vijay as the stylist. You will surely see a new Nithiin in this film! he says.

Nithiin says Trivikram Srinivas, who he worked with earlier, is his guru. Whenever I need advice or have a problem, I look to him for advice. I dont hesitate to ask him anything, whether its personal or professional, reveals. The actors next is being produced by Pawan Kalyan and Trivikram Srinivas. Starring Megha Akash as female lead, it will be helmed by Krishna Chaitanya.
Its been a while since we saw actress Poonam Kaur on the big screen in Telugu. But shes all set to return soon, and in a never seen before stylish avatar.

Poonam will be seen playing a key role in director Kunal Kohlis upcoming Telugu Tamil bilingual, starring Tamannaah and Sundeep Kishan as the leads, and a source tells us that shes set to break her girl next door image with this one.

She has lost oodles of weight in recent times and looks rather svelte in this new avatar. Her styling too is new, from her hair to the clothes she wears. In fact, the actress herself is rather chuffed about the part because it is giving her a chance to explore a new side to her, shares a source, adding, Having done two Hindi films in recent times, and now working on this one, Poonam is on the go.

Incidentally, the actress also spent a long time researching on handlooms and is keen to explore a future in that area. As she was shooting in London, she used the advance she was paid to shoot a video about handlooms in relation to Pawan Kalyan, for whom she had designed the panchekattu look for the audio launch of Katamarayudu, the source adds.

The actress has been meeting several bureaucrats to talk about the diminishing culture and crafts of India as shes very passionate about the subject. In fact, during her trip to London, she even participated in the Bonalu celebrations with the local Telugu community.
Birthplace of the men Christians believe were some of the first followers of Jesus have been found in Israel, a team of archaeologists has claimed.(Photo: AFP)

Tiberias, Israel: Researchers may have found the home town of Peter and two other apostles of Jesus near the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel, an archaeologist said Monday.

Israeli and American archaeologists have likely uncovered the lost Roman city of Julias near the banks of the lake, also known as Lake Tiberias, Mordechai Aviam of Kinneret Institute for Galilean Archeaology said. First century Roman historian Flavius Josephus wrote that Julias was built around 30 AD on the ruins of Bethsaid, a fishing village where Peter was born according to the Gospel of John.

Christians recognise Saint Peter, originally a fisherman, as one of the first followers of Jesus and the leader of the early Church following the ascension. The Catholic church also venerates him as its first pope.Two other apostles -- Philip and Peter's brother Andrew -- are also believed to have been born or lived in Bethsaida.

Archaeologists have long sought to locate Julias, focusing their search on three different sites. Aviam told AFP that one of the sites, the only one so far excavated, was believed to be the correct site.

"We have uncovered fragments of pottery, coins, and the remains of a public bath, which tends to prove that it was not a small village, but a town which may correspond to Julias," he said. "Based on these findings, we believe this site is likely to be located at the site of Bethsaida."

The site, not far from the Jordan River, is a few hundred meters from Lake Tiberias. Water levels would have been far higher during the first century.

Work is also being carried out on another site a few kilometres away, Aviam added. He said he hoped further excavations would reveal evidence from pre-Roman times, including ancient Jewish remains, which could help verify whether the site is Bethsaida. The site will not immediately be opened to the public, he said.
"If men dont want to pay it, were not going to kick them out the door" (Photo: Twitter)

Melbourne: An Australian cafe is charging its male customers an 18% man tax for one week every month and giving women priority seating to raise awareness about the gender pay gap.

Handsome Her, a vegan cafe in Brunswick, Melbourne, is a cafe where women reign supreme. Alexandra OBrien, the owner of the cafe, calls the place a space for women, by women with women receiving priority seating and an extra tax for men.

One week out of every month we have an 18% premium for men which is the same as the gender pay gap, OBrien was quoted as saying by 7 News.

The charge is also not compulsory. I think its fair - if you think about the world and the gender inequality that we have, a female customer was quoted as saying.

I think its a brilliant idea because I dont think many people actually know the gap, another female customer said.

A male customer named Phil Dempster said, I could wear that, given its a fairly unequal pay gap between men and women. Even though there is supposedly equal pay, it doesnt really equate out there.

The staff at the cafe was quoted as saying that the gender tax is not aimed at excluding people but rather educating them with proceeds going to charity.

If men dont want to pay it, were not going to kick them out the door. Its just an opportunity to do some good, OBrien said.

However, not many were pleased with this new and unique pricing system.
Porn is being viewed by millions of people on the internet all over the world and the number keeps growing thanks to the easy access to a wide variety of material. But while the effects of porn on men, women and their relationships are being discussed, the rise in porn consumption is also taking a toll on children.

While it has been known that teenagers have easy access to pornographic content, shocking statistics point to a grave situation where children as young as five are being reprimanded at schools for sex offences in Britain. Previously a boy convicted for sexual attacks at the age of 13 admitted that watching disturbing porn online did act as a reason behind his actions.

The revelation is alarming since a large number of children are watching porn and are copying what they see. Activists have urged schools to educate children about the effects of pornography as the offences include assaulting or harassing other children.

Last year a case emerged where a 12-year-old repeatedly raped his younger sister after becoming obsessed with hardcore porn he found online. Among the hundreds reprimanded for sexual misconduct, most were aged 14 but seven of them were just five.
A socialite and skincare entrepreneur, she had hit the headlines when she married Indonesian multi-millionaire Nurdian Cuaca after meeting him, as he travelled in business class. (Photo: Facebook)

A former flight attendant, Jamie Chua is a Singapore resident and mother-of-two who boasts of a bag collection that can put many others to shame. Her first Hermes was worth 17,000.

A socialite and skincare entrepreneur, she had hit the headlines when she married Indonesian multi-millionaire Nurdian Cuaca after meeting him, as he travelled in business class.

Post their marriage, Jamie, apparently set about amassing an impressive collection of bags worth millions from those starting at 8,000 to rare piece that may fetch 40,000. Her entire collection is worth more than 1.6 million.

Not only that the former flight attendant, who got a heft settlement sum during their divorce spends 8,000 on beauty treatments a month including cryosculpting treatment twice weekly to maintain her slim figure.

She also recently had her wardrobe revamped to give her a 'bird's eye view' of all her handbags.

Check out her bag wardrobe below
Fuku-chan can usually be seen dressed in a chequered waiters shirt and skirt, bringing guests beer and fetching napkins for diners. (Photo: Facebook)

It looks like any other traditional-style Japanese sake-house but Kayabukiya Tavern is one with a difference. What sets this restaurant on the modest premises in Utsonumiya different from others is that over here, human waiters have been replaced by Macaque monkeys.

While the original Mazaque waiter of the place was Yat-chan, seventeen year olf Fuku-chan was ushered into waiting table after she delivered a napkin to a table unprompted.

The restaurant owner Kaoru Otsuka then decided to pair the two and now people from all corners of the world come to be served the monkeys.

Fuku-chan can usually be seen dressed in a chequered waiters shirt and skirt, bringing guests beer and fetching napkins for diners.

If Fuku-chan and Yat-chan do a good job patrons are encouraged to leave them tip of soya beans.

The owner Otsuka says that the monkeys are closer to him than his own family and he even sleeps with them around. Monkeys have been working at the bar for some 29 years, reported 28 Lab.
29-year-old Varnika Kundu has accused Haryana BJP chief Subhash Baralas son Vikas of stalking and chasing her while she was driving home alone. (Photo: Screengrab)

New Delhi: Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Subhash Barala on Wednesday said his son Vikas will cooperate with the Chandigarh Police into the investigation in the stalking case of Varnika Kundu.

"We respect the law. I asked Vikas to cooperate and he has left for Chandigarh to join the probe. He will definitely cooperate in the probe," Barala said.

Earlier, Haryana BJP chief had said that Varnika Kundu, who was allegedly stalked and harassed by his son, was like her daughter and justice will be done in the matter.

"Investigation is being done in Varnika Kundu case. Whatever action is required it will be taken against Vikas in this case. BJP bats for daughter's right and Varnika Kundu is like my daughter. Neither I nor BJP is pressuring anyone in this matter," he had said.

Earlier in the day, Tajender Singh Luthra, Director General of Police (DGP) said that both the accused in the Chandigarh stalking case had refused to give their blood and urine sample for the investigation.

A summon-notice was also issued to Vikas by the Chandigarh Police which was allegedly refused by the former.

The Chandigarh Police asked Vikas to appear before the Station House Officer (SHO) of Sector-26 Police Station at 11 am 'sharp' on Wednesday.

The notice been issued under 160 Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the case has been filed against Barala under Section 354D (stalking), 341 (wrongful restraint), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 185 MV Act (rash driving).

Vikas Barala was arrested on August 5 on the charges of stalking and harassing the IAS officer's daughter Varnika Kundu in Chandigarh. He was, however, granted bail on the same day.

A case was registered by the Chandigarh Police against Vikas and other youth under under Section 354 D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 185 (Motor Vehicle Act) of the CRPC on the basis of complaint filed by the woman.
The boy is a student of Pauls Mahajana Higher Secondary School, police said.

Chennai: Police initiated investigation on Tuesday into a case of sexual harassment of a plus-1 boy by the correspondent of his school in Tiruvottiyur.

Forty-year-old Arockiya Raj who joined the school as a correspondent about three months ago, allegedly sent voice messages, demanding sexual favours from the teenager. The boy is a student of Pauls Mahajana Higher Secondary School, police said.

The student is from a poor family and the correspondent had bought the boy a uniform and a mobile phone, a police officer said.

According to a relative of the student, the boy joined the school two months ago. He started receiving sexually explicit messages and voice messages from the correspondent. He tried evading his requests, but the man persisted, the relative told DC.

On Monday, students of the school learnt about the harassment and staged a protest inside the school premises demanding ouster of the correspondent. Police sources said that protests continued on Tuesday too.

Around 200 students gathered on Sathangadu road and started walking towards the assistant commissioners office on Tiruvottiyur High Road, creating a traffic jam, a police officer said. The boys mother filed a complaint with police after which a case was registered. The students dispersed after being pacified by senior police officials.

School authorities said that they are cooperating with police officials regarding the enquiry.
Hyderabad: Vanasthalipuram police arrested Dr Ambula Girija Rani, who performed the abortion on engineering student M. Harika leading to her death, her boyfriend Sarangi Madhu and another woman, Kamavathi Sirisha, who mediated the deal between the couple and the hospital.

Dr Girija Rani, Madhu, who works as a photographer, and Sirisha, who works at a cloth store, have been arrested and sent to judicial remand. Earlier, they were booked under various sections of the IPC.
The victim had accused Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar of stalking her after midnight on Friday. (File photo)

Chandigarh: Police on Wednesday summoned Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala's son Vikas Barala, accused of stalking IAS officers daughter in Chandigarh late on Friday night.

Vikas has been asked to appear before the Station House Officer (SHO) of Sector-26 Police Station sharp at 11 am in connection with the Haryana stalking case, according to ANI.

The notice was issued after the Chandigarh Police examined the CCTV footage of the victim being chased by Vikas.

Police have issued the notice under 160 Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the case has been filed against Barala under Section 354D (stalking), 341 (wrongful restraint), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 185 MV Act (rash driving).

Chandigarh: Police summons Haryana BJP President's son Vikas Barala at 11 am today, in stalking case pic.twitter.com/tVtTESfAor  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

29-year-old Varnika Kundu had accused Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar of stalking her after midnight on Friday. She had also alleged that Vikas tried to open her car door.

She had filed a police complaint on the same night, following which Vikas and his friend were arrested. However, they were later released on bail.

A case was registered by the Chandigarh Police against Vikas and other youth under under Section 354 D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 185 (Motor Vehicle Act) of the CRPC on the basis of complaint filed by the woman.

Quoting its sources, ANI reported that the notice was issued to both the accused in the case. While Ashish Kumar accepted the notice, Vikas did not, following which the Chandigarh police pasted the summons outside his residence.

The Congress has accused the BJP of hatching conspiracy and pressurising the Chandigarh Police to protect the son of Haryana BJP chief.

Chandigarh Police, however, refuted claims that they are not willing to lodge complaints against Vikas and said that they are doing investigation with an open mind.

After being mute for over three days, Subhash finalling broke his silence on the matter on Tuesday. Addressing media, Subhash said Varnika "is like his daughter" and assured action against his son.

"Investigation is being done in the case. Whatever action is required it will be taken against Vikas in this case. BJP bats for daughter's freedom and Varnika Kundu is like my daughter. Neither I nor BJP is pressuring anyone in this matter," he told ANI exclusively.
Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said the call of RSS leader Indresh Kumar for boycott of Chinese products exposed its hypocrisy. The RSS is trying to divert the attention of people from the real issues. If the RSS believes what it is saying, it should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop bilateral trade with China, he said. He said the aim of the RSS was to create a false narrative so that everyone is swayed by its nationalism. He asked why when its own government is in power, it could not ask the BCCI to end the Indian Premier League sponsorship by a Chinese firm.
Some teachers have taken the initiative to make students aware of the popular reality show, which could possibly affect the emotional well- being of adolescents.

Chennai: Though no formal survey is yet to be conducted on the impact of Bigg Boss show, teachers are saying that students studying from classes 6 to 12 are watching the show.

Some teachers have taken the initiative to make students aware of the popular reality show, which could possibly affect the emotional well- being of adolescents.

Students write what they like and not in Bigg Boss show on the blackboard in a school at Madurai. (Photo: DC)

When I heard about the controversy on invocation to Goddess Tamil (Tamil Thai Vazhthu) I wanted to check whether students are watching the show. To my surprise, of 45 students in class 9 more than 30 students said they are watching the show along with their parents, said R.Shiva, a teacher from Madurai College Higher Secondary School.

Unlike television serials where the students know it's just a fiction, in this programme they believe everything is true and can be disturbed by the events happening in the show, he said.

He tried to bring some awareness by conducting a discussion on it. At discussion, many students said they did not like the occupants constantly talking ill of others and the groupism in the show. Among the positives, they mentioned cooking, emotions expressed and the house in which the occupants reside. Interestingly, the students did not like the show host and the big star Kamal Haasan

A teacher from the school in Elephant Gate said, Many students in our school are watching the programme. Our students are predominantly from in and around slum areas and it's their timepass."

Since our students are having a hard time as kids, this programme cannot create any major impact on them, he said.

A professor from the Quaid-e-Millath Government College for Women said, My son is studying class 12. We don't watch the television in our house. But, he insists on watching the programme during dinner.

Educationist P.B. Prince Gajendrababu said, Teachers should educate children and parents on watching television programmes. They should use the social science classes to create awareness on reality shows and television serials.

Dr Viruthagirinathan, clinical neuropsychologist, said, "The Bigg Boss programme is not advisable for children and adolescent children who may not have the emotional and social maturity.

Adults can understand the emotional issues involved in the programme. But, the children may not understand it and there are chances that it may affect them in long term, he said.
Stamps put on the childrens faces. However, their full face has been cropped as they are minors. Maintaining that stamping was done inadvertently, the jail authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

Bhopal: In a shocking inhuman act, two minors  a boy and a girl  were stamped on their faces by the staff of the Bhopal Central jail, as record of their entry into the prison. The children had gone there to meet an undertrial, a close relative of them, to celebrate Raksha Bandhan with him on Monday.

The incident sparked a public outrage forcing the Madhya Pradesh government to order a probe into it on Tuesday.

We have ordered a probe into the stamping on face incident. I condemn it. The officials responsible for the incident will be taken to task, state minister for jail Kusum Mehedele said on Tuesday.

It is a horrible thing to happen. The prison staff that stamped the entry seal on the minors faces were oblivious of the fact that this would leave a impact in their mind for the rest of their life.

We have sought a report from the jail authorities in connection with the incident, Dr Raghavendra, chairman of state commission for children, said.

The jail authorities however described the stamping incident as an unintentional goof up which might have occurred inadvertently in the wake of surge in visitors to the jail on the occasion of the Raksha Bandhan.

The seal might have been put mistakenly on their faces of the two children as over 8,500 people, mostly women and children, visited the jail for Raksha Bandhan. However, we have ordered a probe into the incident, jail superintendent Dinesh Nargave said.

According to him, there is a practice of putting an entry seal on every visitors hand in order to distinguish them from the jail inmates.

The additional director general (ADG) (jail) G.R. Meena, however, said the jail manuals did not provide for stamping an entry seal on a visitors body.

However, at the jail it has been a practice to put a seal on the visitors hands at the time of entry.
Varnika Kundu accused Vikas Barala, son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala, and his friend Ashish Kumar of stalking her through the streets of Chandigarh. (Photo: Screengrab | Twitter)

Chandigarh: A day after Chandigarh police retrieved CCTV footage in the Varnika Kundu stalking case after saying that it had gone missing, Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala broke his silence and said on Tuesday that the victim was like his daughter and that there was no pressure on the police from him or his party.

To get justice for Varnika, whatever action needs to be taken as per procedure against Vikas (Barala) and Ashish, should take place, Mr Barala told the media.

The BJP supports freedom of our daughters. Varnika Kundu is like my daughter. In this matter, there is no pressure, nor will there be, from the BJP or from me on anyone. We respect the law and law has taken its course. Truth will soon come out. I have full faith in the law, Mr Barala added.

There were murmurs of the Mr Barala, state BJP chief, being under pressure from his party and the government to issue the statement.

Mr Baralas son Vikas, 23, and his friend Ashish Kumar, 27, were arrested for allegedly stalking 29-year-old Ms Kundu, daughter of a senior IAS officer. Both were later released on bail as they had been booked under bailable sections of the IPC and the Motor Vehicles Act.

Following the incident, Opposition parties attacked Mr Barala and asked him to resign on moral grounds.

Footage retrieved from five CCTV cameras shows a car being followed by the SUV. However, faces of the persons occupying the vehicles or their registration numbers were not clearly visible in the 11-second footage which was aired by several news channels.

We are analysing the CCTV footages, said Chandigarh SSP. On Friday night, Ms Kundu had called up the police complaining that two youth were chasing her along a stretch of over five km.

There have been several protests in various parts of the state over the incident. The CPI, INLD and the All India Mahila Congress met the Governor seeking action against those who are delaying and denying justice to Ms Kundu.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Wednesday also refuted reports that the BJP used power and money to defeat Ahmed Patel. (Photo: ANI)

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Wednesday expressed disapproval over the Election Commission's decision of disqualifying two rebel Congress MLAs over cross-voting and said that in the coming days, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will move court for justice.

Speaking to ANI, Rupani said, "Don't agree with EC's decision. In coming days we will fight a legal battle and will get justice."

Stating that the Congress is a divided house, the Gujarat CM asserted that the BJP will surely get advantage of the situation in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

He further refuted reports that the BJP used power and money to defeat Ahmed Patel and said that the dream of Congress-free nation will be fulfilled soon.

Senior Congress leader Patel retained his Rajya Sabha seat by winning 44 votes.

BJP President Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani also emerged victorious in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha election.

Shah will enter the Parliament as a member for the first time, while Irani will return for a second term.

Voting for the three Rajya Sabha seats was conducted on Tuesday, wherein the influential political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the BJP Chief, Smriti Irani and ex-grand old party cadre Balwantsinh Rajput were in the fray.

Patel's win is being considered a major victory for the Congress and a blow for the BJP.

"This is not just my victory. It is a defeat of the most blatant use of money power,muscle power and abuse of state machinery," Patel tweeted.

Congress had made candidature of Patel as a matter of prestige. The BJP also left no stone unturned to win all the three seats. The saffron pitted Balwantsinh, a recent acquisition from the Congress, against Patel knowing that Patel's defeat will bring huge embarrassment for Sonia Gandhi since he is her political secretary.

After the intense political developments, the Election Commission (EC) declared results for the three seats of the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat. Total 176 MLAs voted in the crucial elections, but two votes were declared invalid.

The EC, on late Tuesday night, declared votes of two Congress MLAs- Bhola Bhai Gohil and Raghav Bhai Patel- invalid. The decision was taken on a complaint of the Congress.

Earlier in the evening, Congress had complained to the EC and said that the two MLAs showed their votes to unauthorized persons and demanded their votes should not be counted and should be rejected.

Congress said these MLAs showed their votes to Shah and Irani and independent candidate Balwantsinh Rajput instead of representative of Ahmed Patel.

Earlier, the constitutional expert Subhash Kashyap branded the Congress' demand to invalidate votes of two of its rebels over cross-voting as a "political drama."

Kashyap asserted that if there was any objection, the Congress should have raised it during polling.

Speaking to ANI here, he said, "It is not legal issue but a political drama. If there was objection, should have been raised during polling."

Congress suffered major blow ahead of the RS polls when six of its Gujarat MLAs joined BJP. Panicked Congress sent its 44 MLAs to Bengaluru and termed the move as a bid to save its legislatures from the horse-trading by the BJP.

The Congress also accused BJP of offering Rs 15 crore to its MLAs to join BJP.

The political environment was also heated when the Income Tax Department on July 29 raided Karnataka Energy Minister DK Shivakumar's Bengaluru residence and resort, where Congress' 44 MLAs were staying.

After the Congress branded the raids as a "political witch-hunt" by the BJP, the IT department asserted that the raids at Karnataka Energy Minister's residence and resort had nothing to do with the Gujarat's Congress MLAs staying at the resort.

The Congress also created ruckus in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha over the IT raids at the resort.

Patel's victory has acted as booster for the Congress ahead of the crucial assembly elections in the state.
Zakia Jafri, widow of the slain Congress leader Ehsan Jafri, had filed the criminal review petition against a magistrate's court's order that upheld the closure report of SIT. (Photo: PTI/File)

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court is likely to pronounce on Wednesday its order on a petition by Zakia Jafri, widow of the slain Congress leader Ehsan Jafri, challenging a lower court order upholding a clean chit to the then chief minister Narendra Modi and others regarding the 2002 riots.

Hearing on the petition before Justice Sonia Gokani concluded on July 3.

Jafri and Citizen for Justice and Peace, an NGO run by activist Teesta Setalvad, had filed the criminal review petition against a magistrate's court's order that upheld the closure report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

The petition demanded to make Modi and 59 others accused for being party to "the larger criminal conspiracy" behind the post-Godhra riots of 2002.

Ehsan Jafri, a former MP, was one of the riot victims. He and 67 others were killed when a mob set his house in Gulberg Society in Ahmedabad on fire on February 28, 2002, a day after the Godhra train burning incident.

The SIT, which probed Jafri's complaint alleging a deeper conspiracy, submitted before the high court that its investigation was monitored by the apex court, and its report was largely accepted by all.

The lower court looked into all aspects and held that there was no need to investigate the matter further from the angle of larger conspiracy involving the state functionaries, it said.

Zakia Jafri's lawyer Mihir Desai, on the other hand, argued that the magistrate's court did not even consider the option of rejecting the report and ordering a fresh probe.

The lower court ignored Supreme Court's guidelines and did not consider signed statements of witnesses which suggested that there was a conspiracy behind riots, he said.

The magistrate ignored submissions of key witnesses such as (former IPS officers) Sanjiv Bhatt, R B Shreekumar, and Rahul Sharma, and ignored findings of Tehelka magazine, advocate Desai argued.

The SIT filed its closure report giving a clean chit to Modi and others on February 8, 2012 before the metropolitan magistrate's court in Ahmedabad.
Arun Shrivastav, a close confidante of Sharad Yadav, was sacked for 'unauthorisedly' writing to the Returning Officer of Gujarat Assembly appointing an election agent for the crucial Rajya Sabha election there. (Photo: PTI/File)

Patna: The Janata Dal (United) on Wednesday removed Arun Shrivastav from the post of party general secretary for "unauthorisedly" writing to the Returning Officer of Gujarat Assembly appointing an election agent for the crucial Rajya Sabha election there.

A letter to this effect was served to Srivastav by party secretary general KC Tyagi.

"The party president (Nitish Kumar) has taken a serious note of the issue and has relieved you of your responsibility from the post of general secretary," Tyagi said in his letter to Srivastav, considered a close confidante of senior party leader Sharad Yadav.

"The act of yours not only amounts to anti-party activity, breach of discipline but is also treachery," Tyagi said in the letter.

The lone JD(U) MLA in Gujarat, Chhotu Vasava, on Wednesday claimed he voted for Congress' nominee Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha polls as the ruling BJP has done little for the tribal people and the poor.

The JD(U) MLA's claim of voting for the Congress nominee comes at a time when the party has forged ties with the BJP in Bihar to form government.

Tyagi showed a letter of JD(U) president Nitish Kumar written to the Returning Officer of Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat authorising only Tyagi to appoint authorised agent and to take all steps in Rajya Sabha elections for the three seats held today.

But, Srivastav wrote to the Returning Officer of Gujarat Legislature "unauthorisedly", it said.
Mumbai: A massive Maratha protest that is scheduled in the city for Wednesday, received support from an unexpected quarters on Tuesday  neighbouring Pakistan. The Maratha Qaumi Ittehad, which represents a section of Maratha community staying in Pakistan as descendants of the Maratha army men who were captured after being defeated in the Third Battle of Panipat (1761), has extended support to the protest.

Chief Maratha Qaumi Itehad fully supports this protest. In India, the community is facing injustice. I condemn it strictly. Reservation in government jobs and education should be given to the Maratha community, which is its national right. Disfavour with the community will not be tolerated. We are with it in every protest, Wadera Din Muhammad, chief of Maratha Qaumi Ittehad, Pakistan said in a post on the organisations Facebook page.

Muhammad said Marathas rights were being respected in Pakistan and questioned why it was not the case in India. The Maratha community in Pakistan condemns it strictly, he said.

Bhaiyya Patil, who is in charge of the social media wing for the Maratha Kranti Morcha, said that after the earlier protests, Maratha communities from across the world have supported their cause. Not only Marathas in Pakistan but also in Afghanistan and across the globe have supported us. The protest marches so far have become a big story all over the media. The issue has brought awareness among the people and hence they are supporting us. Even Mumbais Muslim community has given us a letter of support today, Patil said.

The Maratha Kranti Morcha has conducted 56 rallies from last year across Maharashtra. The rallies started as a response to the rape and murder of a 14-year-old Maratha girl in Kopardi in western Maharashtras Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

All the protests were silent and without any prominent leadership. In its last rally at Nagpur in December, during the winter session of the state legislature, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis met a delegation of agitators and promised to look into their demands.

However, the Maratha Kranti Morcha claimed that the demands were not fulfilled. The Mumbai morcha is considered important, as the strategy of the morcha is likely to change after the protest.
The letter was handed over to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women Vijaya Rahatkar on Monday (File photo)

New Delhi: A human trafficking survivor has written an emotional letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, narrating her ordeal when she was forced into flesh trade and urging him to rescue women like her.

The letter was handed over to Modi by chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) Vijaya Rahatkar on Monday. Rahatkar met the prime minister in New Delhi and tied a rakhi on his wrist on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

In her two-page letter, the survivor said she was trafficked and sold to a city brothel where she spent six years in "hellish" conditions. "I was beaten up regularly and treated as worse than an animal. I had lost all hopes of coming out of the brothel and was sure to die there," she said.

However, the woman was lucky enough to be rescued from the "dark world" and is now living a dignified life. "A day came when the Mumbai Police, along with an NGO, rescued me from the dark world and gave me a new lease of life. I was rehabilitated and I'm now working in a garment outlet," her letter reads.

The woman requested the prime minister to ensure victims like her are rescued and properly rehabilitated. "On the day of Raksha Bandhan, I request you to please act as a saviour of your sisters who are still living hellish life in brothels."

Rahatkar, who is also the national president of the BJP Mahila Morcha, said she is confident that the PMO would take cognisance of the letter and act on it.

"Our (MSCW) motto is to bring qualitative changes in the lives of distressed women. I am confident the PMO would take suitable action on it (the letter)," she said.
Sitaram Yechurys term as Rajya Sabha member is coming to an end with this session. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Highlighting the dangers of communalism, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday warned against creating a "Hindu Pakistan" out of India.

He was speaking in the Rajya Sabha while participating in a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.

While talking about the freedom struggle, he said the country's Independence also had the painful episode of partition attached to it.

Yechury, whose term as Rajya Sabha member is coming to an end with this session, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned that communalism must quit India.

"The question is -- are we doing anything to make it quit?" Reciting a couplet about communal harmony, he said a 'Hindu Pakistan' should not be created.

The CPI(M) leader recounted the contribution of several communist leaders in the fight against British rule. He said a lot of people in the cellular jail were communist leaders from Bengal and Punjab.

He, however, emphasised that attempts should not be made to appropriate the freedom struggle.

Yechury said there were two communist leaders  a maulana and a swami - who had moved a resolution for complete independence at a meeting of the Indian National Congress in 1921.

The Quit India movement belonged to the people and is a common heritage, he said.

He said the divide between the rich and poor was widening. From 49 percent earlier, the amount of the country's GDP held by 1 percent of the country's population has risen to 58.4 per cent.

The need is to eliminate neo-liberal policies and communalism, Yechury said.

Participating in the debate, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Congress) recalled the contribution of freedom fighters in the country's Independence.

However, he regretted that there were some traitors at that time also, who did not participate in the movement at that time.

There were parties at that time which sided with the British to derail the Quit India movement, Roy said.

"Even today, there are some traitors who threaten our brotherhood," he said, adding that Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would launch 'BJP Bharat chhodo andolan' (BJP Quit India movement) from today.

At this juncture, Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said politics should not be brought into this discussion which has to be at a higher level.

Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also said that at least for today, criticism should be left aside. Congress leader Anand Sharma, however, said that if something is a fact of history it must remain in record.

Prasanna Acharya (BJD) said the need is not create a Congress-free or BJP-free India but a corruption and communalism free India.

Veer Singh (BSP) spoke against the inequality in the society while Majeed Memon (NCP) spoke about mountains of hate being created and emphasised on the need to counter poverty and unemployment.

Kanimozi (DMK) said an atmosphere prevails today that not speaking Hindi or eating some food were seen by some as being less India. "Why have we become this?".

She said that 50 percent of the population -- the women -- were still not being given their due and there were incidents like stalking and honour killings, a reference to the Chandigarh stalking case.

She said it was a sorry state of affairs that leaders were questioning the victims of stalking etc, asking why they were out late.

The DMK MP regretted that Parliament had been unable to pass the Women's Reservation Bill and half of the population did not get proportional representation in the passing of laws.

Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena) said the Quit India movement was not the monopoly of any one party. He mentioned the contribution of Veer Savarakar and mill workers in the struggle.

Naresh Gujral (SAD) spoke about the sacrifices made by his family and the people as a whole. He said the need was to reflect collectively and not indulge in blame game.

D Raja (CPI) mentioned about the role played by communist leaders along with the Congress.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale, Rajni Patil (Congress) and AV Swamy also spoke.
New Delhi: Observing that it was not for the courts to frame school curriculum, the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed PILs, which had sought to make yoga compulsory in schools across India.

A bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta said that it was not for them to design curriculum for schools and that the government, with its experts, were the right forum to do it. There is indeed a fundamental right to education but there is no fundamental right to do Yoga under this right, observed Justice Lokur.

The bench added: We cant decide what is to be taught in schools, that's for the government to do. Even as the petitioner said that there have been notifications issued by the Central government in this regard, the Court pointed out no judicial order could be passed to include any subject in the curriculum.

The bench was hearing petitions seeking directions to all central and state governments-run and funded schools to include yoga as a subject in school education.
Hyderabad: TRS Lok Sabha member A.P. Jitender Reddy requested the Centre to immediately take steps to reduce the GST rate from 12 to 5 per cent on ongoing projects. Making a submission during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Mr Jitender Reddy said the state government was working on projects worth `2.3 lakh crores, including Mission Bhagiratha, irrigation projects and double bed room housing.

All these had been taken up before the introduction of GST, he said. After enhancement of the tax rate under the GST rate on construction material, the cost escalation would be between `20,000 crore and `30,000 crore, and the state government would not be able to bear this enhanced burden, Mr Jithender Reddy said. He demanded that the Centre come to the rescue of the state government which was seeking reduction in GST primarily for the reason that all the projects were taken up for public purposes.

The Centre needs to protect the Telangana state government from this burden, he said. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has said that he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter, and consider moving the apex court on the matter.
New Delhi: Waving Rs 500 currency notes allegedly having different sizes, designs and features, the Congress on Tuesday accused the BJP-led NDA government of printing two different notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 post-demonetisation, one for the government and the other for the ruling party, and termed it the biggest scam of the century.

The issue rocked Parliament as the Rajya Sabha witnessed six adjournments, with Congress members shouting slogans like farzi noton ki sarkar nahin chalegi, before the House was adjourned for the day. Interestingly, the JD(U)s Sharad Yadav, whose party is now with the NDA, also joined the Congress in demanding an explanation from the government on the issue while Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Narendra Modi government had no right to remain in power for even five minutes.

The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamul also joined the Congress members in raising the issue. The Samajwadi Party staged a walkout in support, while the Congress vowed it would keep flagging the issue in Parliament until the government comes out with an explanation.

We have discovered why this government took a decision on demonetisation (of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in November last year) ... these (waving a photocopy of Rs 500 notes) have different sizes, different designs and different features ... this is misuse of power ... the Prime Minister should explain in Parliament how it happened, said the Congress Kapil Sibal, who raised the issue on a point of order. Congress members were then seen passing each other the Rs 500 notes.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu says his predecessor, late YS Rajasekhar Reddy, had a hand in an attempt on his life by Maoist rebels in 2003. (Photo: PTI)

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has alleged that his predecessor late YS Rajashekhar Reddy was involved in the Maoists rebels' plot to kill him in 2003.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president's allegation came in response to Reddy's son and YSR Congress president, YS Jaganmohan Reddy's recent comment where they said Naidu should be shot dead in public for allegedly cheating people with false promises, Hindustan Times reported.

On October 2, 2003, Naidu survived an assasination attempt when a landmine missed his vehicle while he was on his way to Tirumala hills.

Reddy had allegedly helped the maoists and provided support by funding their attempt and provided mobile phones through one of his supporters, Gangi Reddy, the report added.

Gangi Reddy was arrested earlier this year in a red sanders smuggling case.

Jagan has a criminal brain. And that is the reason why he talks of killing me, Naidu said on Tuesday.

What crime have I committed? Even in the past, he asked people to beat me with chappals. But I never lost my cool. Even when his father conspired to eliminate me, I did not express my anger, Naidu added.

Naidu added that after he became chief minister, Rajashekar Reddy had tried to reduce his security and denied accomodation facility to the Special Protection Group commandoes.

But I never complained and maintained poise, he said.

After YSR's death in 2009, Naidu and Reddy have often had spats, accusing each other of betraying the state and its people.
The government wants to arrange special trips for delegates to the three-day summit to showcase the rich cultural and historical legacy and diversity of Hyderabad (Photo: File/ Representational Image)

Hyderabad: If nothing else, the grand Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GIS-2017), to be held at HICC in November, may upgrade infrastructure in the city. Or at least those parts of the city that the international delegates are likely to see.

The state government has allotted Rs 500 crore for improvement of roads, traffic junctions, beautification, and sanitation. The government wants to arrange special trips for delegates to the three-day summit to showcase the rich cultural and historical legacy and diversity of Hyderabad.

IT minister K.T. Rama Rao said that for Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, the summit was a matter of prestige, as the event was being held in India for the first time.

He said US President Donald Trump's daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump would lead the US delegation, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event.

Officials of NITI Aayog, which has been designated as the nodal agency to organise the event, will visit the city and meet Mr Rao soon to plan the arrangements for the event.

A team of senior officials from HMDA, GHMC, municipal administration and urban development, metro water and sewerage board and traffic police has been constituted to identify and plan the development programmes, he said.

The work will be taken up on a war footing once the monsoon ends in September. The work will begin in October first week and end by November first week. Beautification works will be taken up in the final stage, which will focus on greenery, fountains and LED lighting, Mr Rao said.

Mr Rama Rao said the infrastructure once spruced up will cater to three major events from November 2017 to March 2018, namely the Globan Investment Summit, Indian Science Congress, and World IT Congress.
Hyderabad: IT minister K.T. Rama Rao said there was no Dalit or sand mafia issue in the recent Nerella incident except police excesses.

He said as MLA of Sircilla constituency, under which Nerella falls, he met the victims in hospital who told him about 'police excesses' which is being investigated by a police officer now.

Once the report comes, the state government will suspend police officials involved in beating up people. There is no question of sparing them, Mr Rama Rao said during an interaction with media on Wednesday.

Mr Rama Rao said politics had stooped to such a low that the Opposition parties were even criticising his 12-year old son as obese.

There is no Dalit issue here since cas-es were booked aga-inst those from other castes also. There is no sand mafia issue as the government increased sand revenue to Rs 1,000 crore while the Congress government could achieve just Rs 10 crore and allowed private contractors to loot. There is only police excesses issue as all the victims are complaining about this. When I met them, no one complained about Dalit or sand mafia issue, Mr Rama Rao said.

On the Himanshu Motors controversy, he said, This company exists only on paper. I started it with two partners in 2004. After I entered politics in 2008, I ignored this company due to which it suffered losses till 2010. The company still exists because there is a process as per Registrar of Companies to wind up a company. There was a delay in doing that, and added that it sold tractors and not cars and bikes.

Mr Rama Rao made light of the complaint made against him by the Left to the Election Commiss-ion on the issue. I have declared in the election affidavit that I held shares in this company. I am confident that EC will treat this complaint as waste paper and throw it in dust bin, he said.

He said the state would approach court against 12 per cent GST on contracts if the Centre failed to exempt or reduce the rate on ongoing projects.
KOZHIKODE: Keezhariyur, a a non-descript village 8 km off Koyilandy, occupies a special place in the Quit India movement as it was there that a few persons experimented with bomb-making to fight the British rule. The region is all set to celebrate the 75th year of that event with grandeur. Keezhariyur was considered to be a safe place to make bombs by the young turks of Indian National Congress. The idea was to destroy British government offices, rails and bridges with bomb explosions. Dr K.B. Menon, who rubbed shoulders with Jawaharlal Nehru and Jayaprakash Narayan, was the brain behind the plan.

An experimental explosion was conducted at Maavatumala but the news spread like wildfire and British police charged a case that the accused tried to explode the bridge at Feroke and the registrar offices at Chemenchery and Naduvannur. As many as 32 were in the accused list, including Dr K.B. Menon, Mathai Manjooran and seven from Keezhariyur. Five of them went underground. None of them is alive now, says C.M. Vinod, general convenor of the organising committee. The judge who delivered the verdict on April 18, 1944 found 13 accused guilty. Of them, one was awarded imprisonment for 10 years and the rest were sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment.

Subhash Chandra Bose wrote to Mr Menon asking about the bomb case and the same was mentioned in detail in the book, Irumbazhikullil written by V.A Keshavan Nair. The anniversary is being organised by Vallathol library and Ente Keezhariyur collective. Minister Kadannapally Ramachandran will inaugurate the event at Keezhariyur at 4 p.m. on August 13. Programmes include felicitating the family members of the freedom fighters and family members meet. Artists will make on-the-spot drawings about the event.
Chikkamagaluru: In what could come as a disappointment to many Congress leaders lobbying for ministerial posts, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday ruled out a cabinet expansion in the near future.

Speaking to reporters in Kadur taluk , where he had arrived to participate in the death anniversary ceremony of former MLA, Krishnamurthy, he said no cabinet expansion was on the cards as of now when asked about the vacant ministerial positions.

Many Congress leaders lobbying for ministerial posts had hoped that the Cabinet expansion would be discussed with AICC vice-president, Rahul who was expected to arrive in Raichur for a Youth Congress event this month. But with the postponement of the event, he has put off his visit.

Meanwhile, referring to protests by Mandya farmers over release of water to Tamil Nadu from the Krishna Raja Sagar dam when they had no water for irrigation, the Chief Minister explained that Karnataka had released 12 tmc ft of water to the neighbouring state from KRS in accordance with the distress formula evolved for sharing of the water of the River Cauvery.

He said a meeting would be held on Wednesday with elected representatives of the district to explain to them the need to release water to Tamil Nadu.

Referring to the poor rainfall this year too, he said the government would resort to cloud seeding later this month if it did not rain over the next few weeks. Mr Siddaramaiah did not think taking a delegation to the Union Government would help as nothing had come of the many visits on the Mahadayi issue. On BJP national president, Amit Shah's visit to the state, he said, "Shall I ask him not to visit? Let him visit any mutts or mandirs, We have nothing do with it."
Medinipur (WB): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the BJP government at the Centre of subverting democracy and said the TMC will work with all opposition parties to oust the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Giving the slogan of 'BJP quit India in 2019', Banerjee charged that the BJP-led government at the Centre has "taken away the rights of the people in the country".

She also alleged that "secularism is under threat".

"The BJP-led government is trying to divide the country. We will not allow it. In 2019 our slogan will be 'BJP quit India'. We will work with all other opposition parties, so that we can unitedly fight against the BJP. We want this politics of communalism and hatred to come to an end," she said while kicking off the campaign in Medinipur.

The West Bengal chief minister launched the campaign on a day when the country is commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement.

"We will fight and not stop till the BJP is ousted from power. Democracy will triumph against all odds", she said.

"They can threaten us by using the ED, Income Tax and the CBI but we are not afraid of it. The central government has turned into a government of the agencies, by the agencies, of the agencies and for the agencies," she alleged.

Banerjee said she will attend the rally convened by RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna later this month.

The TMC leader also accused the BJP of shedding "crocodile tears" for adivasis and backward sections of the society, "On the one hand they (BJP) are lynching adivasis and people from backward sections of society, while on the other hand, they are are clicking photographs with adivasis and having lunch at their houses," she charged.
Chennai: The AIADMK camp led by Chief Minister K Palanisamy continues to keep its doors open for the rebel leader O Panneerselvam-led faction to facilitate a rapprochement.

The former chief minister-led camp is, however, firm in opposing the government even as sidelined deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran continues to strengthen his support base within the AIADMK by meeting party functionaries.

"It is my humble request that we (AIADMK factions) should be united and not give room for others to mock or criticise Amma's (J Jayalalithaa's) government led by Chief Minister K Palanisamy," Finance Minister and senior Amma faction leader D Jayakumar said on Tuesday.

Disagreeing with his view, senior Panneerselvam faction leader KP Munusamy said the incumbent regime was not Amma's government.

"Had it been the real Amma's government there would not have been a split or announcement for a protest," he told reporters in Chennai.

The Panneerselvam-led faction had announced a protest demonstration on August 10 here on various issues faced by the people. However, it has now been deferred to a later date, tentatively August 18.

Munusamy, who was a minister in late Jayalalithaa's 2011-16 regime, said opposition parties "should not mock at this government which was ushered in by Amma and people should not weep... that is why we have announced a protest."

The Panneerselvam camp has been maintaining that a patch-up was not possible.

Panneerselvam had on June 11 disbanded a seven-member party (AIADMK-Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) to facilitate a merger with the ruling AIADMK (Amma) faction.

AIADMK comprises factions led by chief minister Palaniswami, rebel leader Panneeerselvam and party deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran.

Meanwhile, several functionaries who were days ago appointed by Dhinakaran continued to call on him at his residence here, reassuring him of their support.

When Dhinakaran made the appointments on August 4, the Palanisamy camp had questioned the move and the Panneerselvam faction had kept aloof, saying "Dhinakaran is an outsider" and hence it did not matter.

Dhinakaran loyalist and sitting MLA Thanga Tamilselvan, to a question, said those who opposed (minister Jayakumar and others) the present appointments were themselves appointed by party general secretary VK Sasikala.

He demanded to know why they have not come forward to quit such party posts.

He said according to the plan, Dhinakaran would begin his state-wide tour from Madurai District on August 14.

On August 7, Palanisamy had said he expected to see the much-anticipated but delayed merger of the factions "soon."
Congress president Sonia Gandhi with former prime minister Manmohan Singh at the Congress Working Committee meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: On the eve of the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement the Congress Working Committee (CWC) met to pass a resolution commemorating the freedom struggle. The party launched an attack on the central government for erosion in the foundational values of the country.

The resolution of the Congress Working Committee said, Taking note of and expressing its grave concern over the planned and systemic assaults on the foundational values of the country, and the constitutional rights of our citizens, the Indian National Congress, re-dedicates itself to uphold and defend the idea of India as envisioned by the leaders of the freedom movement.

Speaking at the meeting Congress President Sonia Gandhi hit out at the central government for not protecting the minorities, dalits, tribals and women. Gandhi said, Many sections live in fear, none more than the minorities, the Dalits, the tribals and women. Not a day passes without an incident where the liberty of the individual has been trampled upon by anti-social elements or self appointed vigilantes.

She further accused the government of abetting and encouraging the attacks that take place. Far from curbing their onslaught, the government of the day encourages and empowers them to flout the rule of law and unleash oppression, Gandhi added. The Congress Working Committee also took note of the attack on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and condemned it attributing the incident to forces of violence unleashed by the BJP.

The meeting further discussed the contribution of the Congress in the freedom struggle. It also urged upon the partymen to uphold the values for which the Congress fought the British.

The meeting was chaired by the Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi could not attend the meeting as he was down with viral fever.
He said that the Chief Minister was cursed by a muni that if he were to utter a truth, his head would be broken into a thousand pieces (Representational Image)

Kurnool: In a scathing attack, YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday called Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu a liar and asked the people to dethrone him.

Let Nandyal play the trigger shot to dethrone Naidu, he roared at a road show held at Rythunagar and Kanala, ahead of the byelection to the Nandyal Assembly constituency.

Holding the party symbol, a fan, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy appealed to people to trust the efficacy of fan to breeze through problems and be the agents of change.

Claiming to be a truth teller, the YSRC president said he would fulfil his promises if he were to become the chief minister. His Navaratnalu scheme was designed to bring happiness to every household irrespective of caste, creed and community.

He said that he had no money, no media power and nothing whatsoever except the love and support of the people who had benefited from the policies of his late father, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.

He said that the Chief Minister was cursed by a muni that if he were to utter a truth, his head would be broken into a thousand pieces. Therefore, he said, Mr Naidu was overseeing the rule of falsehood steeped in unfulfilled promises.
Hyderabad: TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday alleged that the BJP government at the Centre and the TRS government in Telangana state were suppressing fundamental rights of common people, especially the weaker sections and the downtrodden. He said minorities, Dalits, tribals and women were not feeling safe.

Speaking at an event at Gandhi Bhavan to mark the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said Congress workers should feel their responsibility and fight for justice and equality for all.

Later, while speaking to mediapersons, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy read out a few excerpts from history books to show that the RSS had opposed the Quit India movement. He said RSS leaders who were considered heroes by the BJP had never participated in freedom struggle; in fact they had colluded with the British against the Independence movement.
Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said he was ready to contest against any candidate in the 2019 elections. What will you do? All of you unite with (BJP president) Amit Shah and come. I ready for the contest, he said at a public meeting, adding that some persons were repeatedly talking about the elections.

If you are with me then I will certainly win, he said. On Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joining hands with the NDA, Mr Owaisi said that both Mr Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav had cheated the Muslims in Bihar.

Minorities will prosper only when they are empowered with political power. We are ready for a meeting only if sincere plans are there to improve the socio-economic condition of Muslims, he said.

About the developmental works being taken in Old City, he said 11,000 LED lights had been installed and a lakh more would be installed soon. Restoration works of the Mahbub Chowk clock tower and the Murgi Chowk would be taken up, he said.
Hyderabad: Vice President-elect Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu doesn't want to live a largely ceremonial life in the comfortable environs of the palatial seven-acre bungalow on Moulana Azad Road.

Meeting people, touring areas, that has been my main activity for the 50 years of my life in politics. Even after I become Vice-President in two days, I want to continue the life I am used to, he mediapersons on Wednesday at his last public interaction before becoming Vice President.

I have been consulting officials in this regard and how best I can make changes," said Mr Naidu, who will be sworn in on Friday in the grand Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

I have toured 623 districts. I have visited ever district in Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh more than 20 times. Without touring and without talking to people, politicians will not understand the issues and concerns of the people, he said.

I know the limitations of the Vice Presidents post like I should not talk too much, my tours and visits will be subjected to protocol rules and regulations... But I have asked senior government officials to work out a method where I can continue my present busy life, meeting people and visiting places, Mr Naidu said.

He said after his name was cleared for Vice President, external affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told him: 'Venkaiahji you will miss two things which you are used to, one is pravas (tours) and another is the Press.'

What she said was correct. I must somehow make adjustments to continue my habit of tour and talk.He was asked whether he would continue to wear his adda pancha and full sleeve lalchi. I have already made inquiries and officials told me there is no specific attire for the Vice President. Hence I have decided to continue the same attire. I feel comfortable in this attire. If there is a ceremonial function that requires different attire, I will think about it then," he replied.

Commenting on his ex-officio post of Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Mr Naidu said, "It is a great opportunity for me to become Chairman of the House in which I was a member for 20 years. I believe no predecessor of mine has had this distinction of serving the House for so long and becoming its Chairman.

I believe the Opposition has a major role in exposing the Government and bringing people's issues before the House. I want to give more time to the Opposition in this regard, but it is also my duty to allow government to complete its business. Let government propose, Opposition oppose, and ultimately the House disposes of the issue, Mr Naidu said.
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao is a strong slogan to shake up a son-obsessed country, where female foeticide continues despite a law criminalising it, leading to a dangerously distorted child sex ratio. Soon after coming to power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a nationwide campaign from Haryanas Panipat district with those ringing words. The next census will show to what extent the campaign has achieved its goals.

Its time, however, to turn the spotlight on some critical questions that remain unanswered: what happens when an educated Indian beti grows up to be a spirited, assertive individual with a mind of her own, and what happens when she fights for her space and place in the sun?

The answer is there for all to see in the unfolding story of Varnika Kundu, a woman in her 20s, who was stalked by a young man and his friend as she was driving home late one night last week. Unless you have been living under a stone, you know the story.

But heres a brief recap. Ms Kundu, 29, a disc jockey, told the police two men followed her last Friday night for almost half an hour in their SUV as she was driving home. In the middle of Chandigarh, they blocked her car several times, though she tried to dodge them. At one point, they even tried to force open her car door. She called the police and shared details of her ordeal on her Facebook page. Ms Kundus travails have struck a chord among Indias urban middle class. The story has also stayed on the front pages because her father is a senior IAS officer and one of the young men in the dock is Vikas Barala, son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala. The other is Vikass friend Ashish.

Ms Kundu says the men were intent on abducting her and she was saved only by timely police intervention. The police booked Vikas and Ashish for stalking and drunken driving. Stalking is punishable with one to three years in jail.

There are lots of charges and denials about the investigation, whether it is being unduly influenced by politicians, whether CCTV footage is available and so on. The case will take its own course.

But amid all the noise, one thing is clear. Varnika Kundu is not the educated beti begging for sympathy. She wants justice. She has supportive parents, has been brought up to be independent and is perfectly comfortable telling her story in her own name.

She is also not going to be deterred by trolls, including politicians, who are playing the nudge-nudge, wink-wink game, asking why she was out late at night and whether she knew alleged stalker Barala.

By her statements and action, Ms Kundu has rattled those who are deeply uncomfortable when a woman uses her education to bolster her case and lay bare the ugly underbelly of a still deeply patriarchal society.

From the very first day, she made it clear she was conscious of her privileged position. I find it shocking, that in a place with cameras at every light and cops every 200 metres, these boys thought they could either get into my car, or take me into theirs, just because theyre from an influential background. Im lucky, it seems, to not be the daughter of a common man, because what chance would they have against such VIPs? Her statement also raised an obvious question: would the cops have responded similarly had it been a woman who knew no influential person?

Ms Kundu has got huge support from many people. A hashtag campaign has taken off  #aintnocindrella  with women tweeting photographs of themselves out in the street at night.

But the reactions of some of the political class tells you why talk of womens empowerment is just talk for regressive patriarchs. Ever since Ms Kundu took a stand against the men who stalked her, fake images attempting to prejudice the public against her have been circulated on the social media. A BJP spokesperson did so, and later claimed her account was hacked. A Modi government minister tried to peddle the line that Barala chasing Kundu in a drunken state was all part of midnight mischief or the proverbial Boy Chase Girl familiar to college students, as he put it.

This in a country where, by the governments own admission, stalking cases have showed a consistent rise in the last three years. In 2014, there were 4,699 cases. Last year, it had shot up to 7,132. Convictions remain a minuscule fraction of the total registered cases.

Another BJP leader garnished the time-worn tactic of blaming the girl by saying that it is the parents responsibility to ensure their daughters come home on time and not roam outside till late. Facing flak, the party leadership has now tried to distance itself from that remark.

The malaise isnt confined to the BJP. Who can forget Mulayam Singh Yadavs 2014 boys will be boys remark trivialising rape?

Social media trolls wont easily give up their vicious whisper campaign against Ms Kundu. But hearteningly, she and her family are unlikely to buckle down.

What gives hope is that more and more young women across the country, and not just from privileged sections, are refusing to cave in to the social conservatism that tries to suppress their personal and professional aspirations. Earlier this year, girl students of a government school in Haryanas Rewari district went on a hungerstrike to force the state government to upgrade their school to a senior secondary school. They wanted the upgrade from Class 10 to 12 as they were being harassed by men on motorcycles as they travelled to a school in a neighbouring village. Their tenacity paid off.

As betis are educated, some of them get more assertive about their fundamental rights, and this makes many in our patriarchal society deeply uncomfortable. The good news is that this is the way it should be; this is the way to social change.
Its on a technicality, really, that the Supreme Court dismissed the PIL seeking to make yoga compulsory in schools across India. The court noted that it was not the judiciarys job to frame the school curricula, that was the governments task, with the help of experts. It was also reassuring to hear that unlike the fundamental right to education, there couldnt be a right to yoga. Thats the crux of the argument. Its also not appropriate for the government to insist on yoga. Seventy years after we shook off the British colonial rule, were still struggling to define our freedom, that should really also include the individuals freedom of choice. Thats not understood clearly as India celebrates a freedom milestone next week.

Its one thing to mandate respect for the national anthem by judicial diktat, even if its restricted to filmgoers, given that we are observing 70 years of Independence, but to say Vande Mataram should also be compulsorily played in all institutions in a state may be stretching things too much. Yoga may be highly recommended as a form of physical exercise that may benefit practitioners, but so too could visits to the gym or the practice of tai chi, taekwondo or silambattam. How such activity could be introduced in the school curricula unless its just one of many activities, including sport and dramatics, and offers students the choice of participating, is open to question. Freedom of choice is also by definition a fundamental freedom, a foundational principle that must be recognised and respected in a democratic country.
The Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat that Congress president Sonia Gandhis political secretary Ahmed Patel has just won, despite the BJPs extraordinary efforts to have him defeated through the use of questionable (and unconventional) means, with defection being the least of it, is a political and psychological setback for the saffron party. For its blatant disregard of norms, this has been an election that will enter our electoral annals to highlight a series of actions that shouldnt have been taken, no matter how bold or power-hungry the party managers.

In normal circumstances, this should have been an ordinary indirect election for the Upper House of Parliament, with the BJP winning two seats and the Congress the third, given the parties respective strength in the state Assembly.

But the BJP leadership  under party chief Amit Shahs guidance  upped the stakes sky high in order to have a member of the Congress top brass defeated, the better to create the ground for the Assembly polls at the end of the year in which Mr Shah is working toward winning a record number of seats for his party and annihilating the Opposition.

The election showed in the end that 43 of the 57 Congress MLAs stuck with the party. The others left for factional reasons and to aid the BJP in return for incentives  to put not too fine a point on it  that have a distorting effect on democratic practices. They could be lured with relative ease as the BJP has had the state government since 1995 and appears all-conquering in Gujarat and the rest of the country since it has won some state polls legitimately and arm-twisted its way into power where it has been defeated.

The Congress candidate made it by the skin of his teeth, thanks to the Election Commission applying the law stringently and cancelling the votes of two rebel Congress MLAs. Stung by the defeat, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani has said he would challenge the ECs order in the Supreme Court. This seems a desperate tactic to keep the BJP ranks in good humour and to give them the impression that they were robbed of a victory that should have been theirs. It is evident, though, that the attempt to misuse power has gone half cock.

The Congress leaders win in dramatic, nail-biting, circumstances is expected to be a shot in the arm for the depleted Congress in the coming Assembly polls, though the BJP retains the upper hand as it controls power. The party will also be psychologically boosted across the country overall. In contrast, Mr Shahs all-conquering reputation has taken a knock. Many in the BJP may also draw quiet satisfaction from this due to the party chiefs arrogant and hectoring ways.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday said in an email to employees that, while he supports free expression by company workers, Damore's memo crossed the line of the company's code of conduct "by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace."

A 28-year-old former Google engineer who was fired over a memo he wrote about gender differences said Tuesday he's exploring all his legal options and has already filed a labor complaint about his treatment.

James Damore, whose memo over the weekend caused an uproar online, said in an email that he was terminated late Monday for "perpetuating gender stereotypes." He said that prior to being fired he had filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board and that "it's illegal to retaliate against an NLRB charge."

A filing by Damore with the board Monday alleged he was subjected to "coercive statements" while at Google. A Google spokesperson said Tuesday that the company could not have retaliated because it was unaware of his labor complaint until reading about it in the media after his dismissal. As of Tuesday afternoon, the company said it had not been sent notice of the complaint by the board. The board declined to comment.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday said in an email to employees that, while he supports free expression by company workers, Damore's memo crossed the line of the company's code of conduct "by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace." Pichai added that he was cutting short a family vacation overseas to address staff in a town hall Thursday.

"To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK," Pichai wrote. The engineer's widely shared memo, titled "Google's Ideological Echo Chamber," criticised Google for pushing mentoring and diversity programs and for "alienating conservatives."

Google's just-hired head of diversity, Danielle Brown, responded earlier with her own memo, saying that Google is "unequivocal in our belief that diversity and inclusion are critical to our success." She said change is hard and "often uncomfortable."

Damore's memo, originally circulated on an internal Google discussion group, begins by saying that only honest discussion will address a lack of equity. But it also asserts that women "prefer jobs in social and artistic areas" while more men "may like coding because it requires systemising."

The memo says biological differences between men and women may explain why women are not equally represented in the technology industry. Damore's filing with the NLRB cites a part of the labor relations act that gives employees the right to engage in "protected concerted" activities. That includes being active on social media, though it's unclear if his memo, written on a Google Doc and submitted to an employee-only forum, qualifies for such protection. The first tweets about the post by other Google employees began Friday, though a company spokesperson said the document appeared to have been created weeks earlier.

The Twitter hashtag #JamesDamore was drawing a storm of opinions both attacking Damore for his memo and his qualifications as an engineer, and criticizing Google for his dismissal.

The battling messages come as Silicon Valley grapples with accusations of sexism and discrimination. Google is also in the midst of a Department of Labor investigation into whether it pays women less than men, while Uber's CEO recently lost his job amid accusations of widespread sexual harassment and discrimination.

Leading tech companies, including Google, Facebook and Uber, have said they are trying to improve hiring and working conditions for women. But diversity numbers are barely changing.

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Hannigan, who stepped down earlier this year, says Britain desperately needs more computer scientists and engineers, and one way to produce them is for children to learn "through seeing and doing online." (Photo: AP)

A former British spy chief says parents should let kids spend more time online so they will learn vital cyber-skills, countering the conventional parenting advice. Robert Hannigan, ex-director of government electronic surveillance agency GCHQ, challenges "the assumption that time online or in front of a screen is life wasted."

Writing in Tuesday's Daily Telegraph newspaper, Hannigan said: "We need young people to explore this digital world just as they explore the physical world."

Hannigan, who stepped down earlier this year, says Britain desperately needs more computer scientists and engineers, and one way to produce them is for children to learn "through seeing and doing online."

He tells parents unable to drag their children away from screens: "Do not despair. Your poor parenting may be helping them and saving the country."

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The email message is a fake and ends up taking you to a website where the scamster makes you see ads and makes money by your visits.

Email scams are not new, and many emails are camouflaged with familiar looking messages, that can easily trick the user into believing and clicking on them. The main tricks used are curiosity, offers and panic. Similar is the case with a new type of email scam, which tricks users into believing that Facebook has sent an email with a message that the social media company will delete all the users messages since you havent checked them out for long.

Yes, we live in a world where smartphones are the primary source of our internet feed and most of our work and pleasure happens on the little glass display. Apps rule our world and we almost never use our good old PCs for social media anymore. Apps dont give out complete information as desktop browsers do  all no-thanks to that tiny display in your palm that needs to show important stuff, large enough to read, but all cramped into a tiny area. This makes it difficult for a person to know other important areas such as basic notifications, messages and alike. All you may see is a tiny dot or a number over a small icon in the topmost cornet of your screen, which is hardly visible since you are more interested in the large content area in the centre of the screen.

Taking advantage of these ignored features, scamsters seem to be gaining higher ground by scamming unaware victims.

In a new incident, an email came in which claimed to be a notification from Facebook. The subject line read Your messages will be deleted soon baird. Well, it did end up in my spam email, but the subject line did make me curious as to why would a Facebook message go into spam?

On analyzing the same, as usual, I opened it on my Gmail app, only to find out that the message was well camouflaged with a Facebook theme and font. The message in the body stated that You havent been to Facebook for a few days, and a lot happened while you were away. Your messages will be deleted soon. Below the themed message window were two icons to view the message and go to Facebook. Apart from this, the footer on the email also looks like the genuine message footer from Facebook. It stated, This message was sent to asdsicnarf@gmail.com. If you don't want to receive these emails from Facebook in the future, please unsubscribe. Facebook, Inc. Attention: Department 415 P.O Box 10005 Palo Alto CA 94303.

Do note that the messages to be deleted text, the two buttons and the unsubscribe text were all hyperlinked, leading to a website outside the mail box.

This could not be happening since most of our day usually goes checking out our Facebook timeline and we definitely dont skip any messages. However, an unsuspecting victim would curiously click on the links (buttons) to know what messages are in store are for him, and check them out before it is deleted by Facebook.

Once clicked, the link takes you to a shopping website. The scamsters work is done here. He has managed to trick you into viewing an ad, landing up on a website, that in turn pays him for each click and view. Victims who click it might think it was an error and try again. The same thing happens. Then he tries clicking on the other links too, which takes him to the same website, but different pages each time  the scamster wins again  he made a few cents off your click. Now imagine if this message sent by him around the world accounted in big numbers. He gets free money y simply tricking you into visiting the website for him.

In all this, you may have lost just a little amount of your internet data bandwidth. You may have probably even found out that the message was a fake, and finally deleted it or marked it as spam too. However, you should be careful too  the websites you end up on could be filled with malware. If redirected from a desktop PC, your system could be infected.

Fake, scam and spam emails are a norm today and most AI filters on email systems usually track down such emails to protect their users from malware, attacks and phishing websites.

Before you open any such message, take some time to analyse the email. Check from where it has come, what is the email address mentioned and check the links before you click on them. Right click on the link and paste it on your notepad, or simply hover your mouse on the link and check the bottom of your browser which shows you the url hyperlinked. In this case, the email came in from an email address esoyaa@proctors.org and the hyperlinked texts and buttons were redirecting to a website ladiscotek.com, which is a website for Forskolin Extract, a weight loss solution cream.

The message link takes you to a website that has an article written for the weight loss cream.

The other link takes you to the main shopping website.

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Qualcomm has not alleged that Intel chips violate its patents but says the way Apple uses them in the iPhone does.

US trade officials have agreed to investigate Qualcomm Inc's allegations that Apple Inc infringed on patents with its iPhone 7 and other devices, the US International Trade Commission said on Tuesday. The ITC will make its decision "at the earliest practicable time" and will set a target date for completing its investigation within the next 45 days, the commission said in a statement.

Qualcomm filed the complaint in early July, asking US trade regulators to ban certain models of the iPhone that contain so-called broadband modem chips, which help phones connect to wireless data networks, that were not made by Qualcomm. Apple began using broadband modem chips made by Intel in the iPhone 7.

Qualcomm has not alleged that Intel chips violate its patents but says the way Apple uses them in the iPhone does. "We look forward to the ITCs expeditious investigation of Apples ongoing infringement of our intellectual property and the accelerated relief that the commission can provide, Don Rosenberg, executive vice president and general counsel of Qualcomm, said in a statement.

Intel declined to comment. Apple pointed to Chief Executive Tim Cook's earlier comments that Qualcomm had not yet offered it "fair and reasonable" licensing terms for Qualcomm's technology. "I don't believe anyone is going to decide to enjoin the iPhone based on that," Cook told investors in May on the company's earnings call, his most recent public comment on the topic. "I think that there's plenty of case law on that subject, but we shall see.

As the ITC considered whether to take up the case, a group representing Alphabet Inc's Google, Amazon.com Inc, Microsoft Corp and Facebook Inc sided last month with Apple, saying Qualcomm's request to bar the import of some iPhones would hurt consumers. In turn, Qualcomm accused the group of "a coordinated effort aimed at misdirecting" the trade regulators. It said Apple was free to choose chips from a variety of vendors without necessarily infringing Qualcomm's patents.

The fight before trade regulators in Washington is one of the several major legal battles involving Qualcomm and Apple. The two companies have cases pending before separate federal courts in California, and Qualcomm also faces a complaint from the US Federal Trade Commission. Analysts are watching the ITC case closely because the trade regulator moves more quickly than many courts and could deliver a decision ahead of the pending lawsuits.

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In order to authentic yourself to systems, you are required to enter a password. In theory, this password proves to the system that you are yourself  be it anywhere: Facebook, Twitter or Gmail. But it has become an irritant in todays online life as choosing the right password can get tedious. Back in 2003, Manager of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Bill Burr published an 8-page primer, advising people to protect their accounts with passwords consisting of awkward formation of words with unpredictable characters, signs and numbers and even change them on a regular basis, in order to ensure its strength. This book on password management soon became the go-to guide on password security. Fourteen years later, Burr has come to a conclusion that his guidance was totally wrong.

Much of what I did I now regret, 72-year-old Burr, who is now retired told the Wall Street Journal. His advice of changing ones password every 90 days stands largely incorrect, as most people usually make minor changes, such as altering one or two characters, which are very easy to guess. For example, changing from Pa$$word1, to Pa$$word2. When Burr initially published the guidance, he did not have access to real-world password data. He tried approaching NIST, with a request to access actual passwords on their networks but they refused. In the end, it was probably too complicated for a lot of folks to understand very well, and the truth is, it was barking up the wrong tree, he explains.

Experts these days now suggest that using a simple series of words can be harder to crack, than a shorter, stranger formation of characters. Authorities even began advising companies to stop resetting their passwords, citing the inconvenience that the whole process created. US-based NISTs password guidelines have now received a thorough update. People are now being advised to use long but easy-to-remember passphrases, that does not necessarily feature special characters or numbers. For example, rabbitcarrotstablesaddle, would be much harder to crack compared to, P@55w0rd. Moreover, users are advised to change their passwords only if there is a sign that indicates that the passwords might have been stolen. "By simplifying your organisations approach to passwords, you can reduce the workload on users, lessen the support burden on IT departments, and combat the false sense of security that unnecessarily complex passwords can encourage" Ciaran Martin, Director General for Government and Industry Cyber Security.

Pick the right password

Avoid refusing passwords: You obviously have more than just one account. Its generally advisable to choose different passwords for different accounts in order to ensure maximum security.

Dont combine upper/lower case: For years, users are advised to combine upper and lower case characters and form their passwords. But, it is discovered that they are more easily cracked than you can imagine.

String a few words together: Choosing a longer password does not mean you must make use of a word that has more characters. Instead, string a few words together, such as bananamilkshakeisthebest.

Use a password manager: There are a lot of reliable options online that you can choose from, in order to generate secure passwords. They come handy especially if you dont want to spend too much time selecting the right password.

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Washington: FBI agents have searched one of the homes of Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Manafort's spokesman said Wednesday.

Spokesman Jason Maloni said in a statement that FBI agents had obtained a warrant and searched one of Manafort's homes, but he would not say when the search occurred. The Washington Post, which first reported the raid, said it occurred the morning of July 26 at Manafort's home in Alexandria, Va.

"Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well," Maloni said.

Manafort has been a subject of a longstanding FBI investigation into his dealings in Ukraine and work for the country's former president, Viktor Yanukovych. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is also investigating Manafort as part of his probe into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and any possible collusion with Trump associates.

Manafort has denied any wrongdoing. He has also cooperated with congressional committees investigating the election interference. Manafort recently spoke with staff of the Senate Intelligence committee about a June 2016 meeting he attended with Donald Trump Jr. That meeting was described to Trump Jr. in emails as part of a Russian government effort to help the Trump campaign.

Manafort has also turned over documents to the Senate Intelligence and Judiciary committees.

Law enforcement authorities seeking to obtain a search warrant must generally establish to a judge that there is probable cause to believe that a crime may have been committed. Applications for such warrants tend to be detailed about the evidence that agents are looking for and the nature of the criminal activity they are investigating.

Manafort led the Trump campaign for several months.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, watches the test launch of what was said to be the Pukguksong-2 missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea.North Korea said Wednesday that it was examining operational plans for attacking Guam, an angry reaction to U.N. punishment for recent North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile tests and a U.S. suggestion about preparations for possible preventive attacks to stop the Norths nuclear weapons program. (Photo: AP)

Hagatna (Guam): Residents of the tiny Pacific island of Guam say they're afraid of being caught in the middle of escalating tensions between the US and North Korea after Pyongyang announced it was examining plans for attacking the strategically important US territory.

Though local officials downplayed any threat, people who live and work on the island, which serves as a launching pad for the US military, said Wednesday they could no longer shrug off the idea of being a potential target.

"I'm a little worried, a little panicked. Is this really going to happen?" said Cecil Chugrad, a 37-year-old bus driver for a tour bus company in Guam. "If it's just me, I don't mind, but I have to worry about my son. I feel like moving (out of Guam) now."

Guam is used to the threats from North Korea but advances in the country's nuclear program paired with fiery rhetoric from President Donald Trump has raised the already high animosity and heightened worries that a miscalculation might spark conflict between the nuclear-armed nations.

Reports suggested North Korea mastered a technological hurdle needed to strike the US with a nuclear missile. The advances were detailed in an official Japanese assessment and later a Washington Post story that cited US intelligence officials and a confidential Defense Intelligence Agency report.

In response, Trump on Tuesday threatened the communist country "with fire and fury." On Wednesday, the North Korean army said in a statement that it was studying a plan to create an "enveloping fire" in areas around Guam with medium- to long-range ballistic missiles.

While it is extremely unlikely that Pyongyang would risk the assured annihilation of its revered leadership with a pre-emptive attack on US citizens, some residents are concerned.

"If anything happens, we all got to be ready, be prepared, and pray to God that it doesn't happen," Daisy Mendiola, 56, said after finishing lunch with her family at a restaurant near Hagatna. "Everyone's afraid, because we're dealing with powers that's beyond us."

Other residents are worried about the political atmosphere and the government's ability to find a peaceful solution. Todd Thompson, a lawyer who lives on Guam, said he laughed off past threats because he "figured cooler heads in Washington would prevail, and it was just an idle threat."

"But I have to say, I'm not laughing now," Thompson said. "My concern is that things have changed in Washington, and who knows what's going to happen?"

His brother Mitch Thompson, who also lives on Guam, added he believes "a lot of people have no confidence that the White House will do the right thing under the circumstances."

However, the brothers say they haven't seen anyone panicking or stocking up on supplies. "I think people are just stunned and really don't know what to think," Todd Thompson said.

Guam is about 2,100 miles (3,380 kilometers) southeast of Pyongyang and 3,800 miles (6,115 kilometers) west of Honolulu in the Pacific Ocean. For years, North Korea has claimed Guam is within its missiles' striking distance, making furious statements each time when the US flew powerful bombers from the island's air base to the Korean Peninsula.

In August last year, the North's Foreign Ministry warned that all US military bases in the Pacific including Guam would "face ruin in the face of all-out and substantial attack" by the North's military.

In the spring of 2013, state media cited leader Kim Jong Un as having ordered his military to prepare plans on launching strikes on US military bases in Guam, Hawaii and South Korea as well as the American mainland.

Guam is armed with the US Army's defense system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, which can intercept missiles.

Similar threats in 2013 led Guam's US Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo to advocate for the THAAD system, she said in a statement Wednesday.

"North Korea's most recent threat to target Guam is dangerous and it further heightens tensions in our region," Bordallo said. "While we have heard threats like this in the past, I take them very seriously."

Guam's Homeland Security Adviser George Charfauros urged calm and said defenses are in place for such threats.

"An attack or threat to Guam is a threat or attack on the United States," said Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo, who said he spoke with White House officials Monday morning. "They have said that America will be defended."

A travel agent on Guam said they haven't had a surge of customers seeking to book flights off the island. "It's not bad at all, no chaos," said Mariah Sablan, who works for Golden Dragon Travel Inc. "It's just like a regular business day."
Hagatna: The Pacific island of Guam remained outwardly calm Wednesday in the face of a threatened North Korean attack, and a senior official in the US territory urged people to "relax and enjoy paradise".

After US President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with "fire and fury" over its nuclear ambitions Tuesday, Pyongyang raised the stakes just hours later -- saying it was considering missile strikes near US strategic military installations on Guam.

In a televised address to the 162,000 residents on the Western Pacific island, Governor Eddie Calvo said Guam was working with Washington "to ensure our safety".

"I want to reassure the people of Guam that currently there is no threat to our island," he said.

George Charfauros, the territory's homeland security adviser, said there was "0.000001 percent chance of the North Korean missile hitting Guam".

His advice to residents to "relax and enjoy the paradise" appeared to hit home. There was no evidence of panic buying in stores Wednesday and gas stations were operating normally.

Shop worker Chelsea Nu told AFP the threat of attack was not even a conversation topic in her store.

"I haven't heard people talk about it. The customer traffic is normal. They're just buying school supplies because the school's just opened."

- American soil -

Guam, which advertises pristine beaches, clear blue skies and "world-famous sunsets" is a popular destination, with tourism a key pillar of its economy.

But it is also home to about 6,000 US troops and houses two US military installations -- the Andersen Air Force Base and the Naval Base Guam.

Despite the significant contribution the military makes to the local economy, there is a small but growing opposition to its presence.

Nationalists argue the territory is a potential target of aggression due to the presence of US forces.

But Calvo said it was the military which provided protection. "Those who are against the military will keep that distinction and make that argument. In the same manner, those who support the presence of the military on Guam will argue that this is what keeps us safe," he said.

Guam was described by President Barack Obama's defence secretary Ashton Carter as "an important strategic hub for the US military in the Western Pacific".

Calvo said there were "several levels of defence" strategically placed to protect Guam and he had been assured by the White House that a strike on the territory would be considered an attack on the United States.

"They have said that America will be defended. I also want to remind national media that Guam is American soil and we have 200,000 Americans in Guam and the Marianas. We are not just a military installation.

"With that said, I want to ensure that we are prepared for any eventuality."

Residents of Guam and the Marianas hold US citizenship.

- 'Just in case' -

==================

On the streets of the capital Hagatna, there was a sense of calm.

"It's not like there's anything we can do, anyway. This is a small island. There's nowhere to run to," James Cruz told AFP.

Edith Tajalle was one of the few people to admit to being scared but added: "I know God will protect us."

Shopper Chuck Hambley believed "cooler heads will prevail" but said he was taking precautions just in case.

"I just have to make sure that my emergency kits are ready if Homeland Security says we should get ready. I am monitoring the situation."

Madeleine Bordallo, Guam's delegate to the US Congress, said North Korea's nuclear capabilities were "deeply troubling" but she was confident the island was safe and protected.

Guam, settled about 4,000 years ago by its indigenous Chamorros who now make up less than 40 percent of the population, was ceded by Spain to the United States in 1898.

It was captured and held for two and a half years by Japan during World War II before being retaken by US forces in 1944.

In 1950 Guam was recognised as a territory of the United States, granting its people US citizenship. But as it is not a state, the islanders cannot vote for the president and their congressional representative is a non-voting member.
Washington: President Donald Trump declared the US nuclear arsenal "far stronger and more powerful than ever before," even as his top diplomat was working to calm the North Korea crisis and insisting there wasn't "any imminent threat."

In a series of early-morning tweets Wednesday, Trump reaffirmed his threat from a day earlier by reposting video of him warning that Pyongyang would be "met with fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it made more threats to the US Then he said that his first order as president had been to "renovate and modernize" the US nuclear arsenal.

In December, before being sworn into office, Trump called for the United States to "greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability" until the rest of the world "comes to its senses" regarding nuclear weapons. After his inauguration, he ordered a review of the nation's nuclear posture to ensure that US capabilities were modern and robust, but the White House has not detailed any findings from that evaluation.

Efforts to modernize the nation's aging nuclear stockpiles pre-date Trump's presidency. In 2016, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the Pentagon planned to spend $108 billion over five years to sustain and improve its nuclear force.

Trump tweeted Wednesday: "Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!"

Only hours before, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged calm and said Americans should have "no concerns" despite the exchange of threats between the president and North Korea. Aboard his plane as he flew home from Asia, Tillerson insisted the developments didn't suggest the US was moving closer to a military option to dealing with the crisis.

"Americans should sleep well at night," Tillerson said. He added: "Nothing that I have seen and nothing that I know of would indicate that the situation has dramatically changed in the last 24 hours."

The mixed messages from Tillerson and Trump put the onus on the North Koreans to decide how to interpret the latest missives from the US.

In more tranquil terms than Trump, Tillerson sought to explain the thinking behind Trump's warning. He said the president was trying to send a strong and clear message to North Korea's leader so that there wouldn't be "any miscalculation."

"What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un can understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," Tillerson said. "I think the president just wanted to be clear to the North Korean regime on the US unquestionable ability to defend itself." He said the US "will defend itself and its allies."

The comments put Tillerson once again in the role of translating the president's aggressive rhetoric into more diplomatic terms, and of working to minimize the chances of public panic. In fact, Tillerson argued that North Korea's escalating threats indicated it was feeling the pressure from a successful US strategy.

Tillerson spoke to reporters as he returned from Malaysia to Washington, stopping along the way in Guam. Hours earlier, North Korea's army had said in a statement it was exploring plans for attacking the tiny US territory, which houses US military bases and is a common refueling stop for US government aircraft traversing the Pacific Ocean.

Tillerson said he never considered re-routing his trip from Malaysia so as to avoid stopping in Guam. Though he insisted there was no imminent threat, he noted that even if there were, "the North Korean missile capability can point in many directions, so Guam is not the only place that would be under threat."

Though it's extremely unlikely the North would risk annihilation by pre-emptively attacking American citizens, the escalating rhetoric has heightened concern that a miscalculation could spiral out of control and lead to military conflict - a concern especially acute in Guam, residents of the territory said.

At least one prominent lawmaker felt Trump wasn't bluffing with his threat. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican on the Armed Services Committee, told CBS' "This Morning" that Trump had "basically drawn a red line" by saying Pyongyang can't ever have a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the U.S.

"He's not going to let that happen," Graham said. "He's not going to contain the threat. He's going to stop the threat."

Tillerson, who spent the past days in Asia working the North Korea conflict, said he didn't believe a new diplomatic strategy was needed. To the contrary, he said the latest threat from the North suggested the current strategy was working. After months of frustration over China's reluctance to pressure Pyongyang economically, the US on Saturday secured a unanimous UN Security Council vote to authorize sweeping new sanctions that target one-third of the North's exports.

"The pressure is starting to show," Tillerson said. "I think that's why the rhetoric coming out of Pyongyang is beginning to become louder and more threatening. Whether we've got them backed into a corner or not is difficult to say, but diplomatically, you never like to have someone in a corner without a way for them to get out."

To that end, Tillerson said there was still an off-ramp available to Pyongyang: A return to negotiations with the US, a step that Tillerson has previously said can happen only if Kim Jong Un's government gives up its nuclear aspirations, starting with an extended pause in missile tests.

"Talks," Tillerson said when asked if North Korea had a way out. "Talks, with the right expectation of what those talks will be about."
US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said he doesnt believe there is any imminent threat from North Korea, including to the US territory of Guam.

Mr Tillerson said Americans should sleep well at night and that they should have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days.

He spoke to reporters on Wednesday after President Donald Trump and North Korea traded escalating threats of fire, with the North saying it was examining plans for attacking Guam.

He downplayed speculation that the threats move the US closer to a military option. Mr Tillerson said nothing hes seen or knows of in the last day dramatically changed the situation.

He also said the Mr Trump was simply using language that Kim Jong-Un would understand when he gave Pyongyang an apocalyptic warning of fire and fury over its weapons programme.
President Donald Trump retweeted a Fox News story claiming US satellites detected North Korea was moving anti-ship cruise missiles to a patrol boat. However, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley indicated that the information in the report was classified and was leaked, CNN reported. I cant talk about anything thats classified and if thats in the newspaper thats a shame, Ms Haley told Fox. Just a few hours earlier, Mr Trump had retweeted a post from the Fox News show promoting the story.
Amani, the provincial spokesman, has said that dozens of Taliban and IS group fighters, under the command of a local Taliban commander who he claimed pledged allegiance to IS, launched a co-ordinated attack on the area on Thursday. (Photo: AP)

Mazar-I-Sharif (Afghanistan): The Taliban released 235 hostages from a remote village in northern Afghanistan where it allegedly massacred around 50 civilians along with Islamic State insurgents but others were still feared held, officials said Tuesday.

"This evening 235 people including women and children were released from Mirzawalang as a result of mediation by the local elders and provincial officials," Zabihullah Amani, a spokesman for the provincial governor, told AFP.

"They have been safely evacuated to Sar-e Pul city, but there are still an unknown number of people being kept hostage there," he added.

An Afghan security source said he thought there were still around 100 people being held hostage in Mirzawalang, situated in the Sayad district of Sar-e Pul province, after insurgents captured it at the weekend.

Taliban and IS fighters killed around 50 men, women and children in the mainly Shiite village on Saturday after overrunning a government-backed militia in a 48-hour battle, according to local officials, who also said they took a number of residents captive.

"Despite the efforts of elders the bodies of the victims have not been recovered," Mohammad Zaher Wahdat, the provincial governor, told Tolo News, an Afghanistan television news channel.

"Two hundred and thirty-five hostages have been released. They are so shocked they can't even speak to tell us about anymore other hostages," he added.

Amani, the provincial spokesman, has said that dozens of Taliban and IS group fighters, under the command of a local Taliban commander who he claimed pledged allegiance to IS, launched a co-ordinated attack on the area on Thursday.

They defeated the Afghan Local Police (ALP) after a 48-hour battle before massacring civilians, he claimed. The majority of those killed were Shiites. Most were shot or beheaded, he said.

Afghan defence ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri told AFP that 34 civilians were known to have been killed.

The discrepancy highlights the difficulty of verifying information from poor, mountainous areas of Afghanistan made inaccessible by fighting and with patchy communications. AFP was not able to access the village.

Before confirmation of the release of hostages Amani said that 150 families were being held while Waziri said "an unknown number of people" had been taken hostage.

"Since the villages are cut off, we can't confirm any new killings by the terrorists," Amani told AFP.

The Taliban confirmed capturing Mirzawalang but said it did so alone. It has also denied allegations it had killed civilians.

Taliban and IS fighters have regularly clashed in Afghanistan over the past two years but security sources say they have teamed up in the past to strike Afghan forces in certain areas.

"Commando forces have been deployed to the area, air strikes are being carried out as we speak, and commanders on the ground are busy planning the recapture of the valley," said Waziri, the defence spokesman.

"The operation to retake the valley will happen soon, and the terrorists will pay for their crimes," he added.

Sediq Sediqi, a spokesman for the Afghan government, told AFP it was difficult to know numbers of civilians concerned but said "President Ashraf Ghani has instructed everyone to do everything to safeguard those people".
Canadian Hyeon Soo Lim speaks in Pyongyang, North Korea. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus office confirmed a delegation is in North Korea to discuss the Canadian pastor imprisoned there and North Korean media said Trudeaus national security adviser, Daniel Jean, had arrived in Pyongyang. (Photo: AP)

Seoul: A Canadian pastor serving a life sentence with hard labour in North Korea was released Wednesday on medical parole as a humanitarian gesture, the official KCNA news agency said.

Hyeon Soo Lim, 61, was freed on "sick bail", the agency announced after a Canadian government delegation arrived in Pyongyang to discuss the case. A court ordered Lim's release "from the humanitarian viewpoint", it said in a brief two-paragraph report.

Lim was arrested in 2015 for allegedly meddling in North Korean state affairs. The South Korean-born pastor had been accused of subversive acts against Pyongyang, an allegation which Canadian authorities strongly denied.

A Canadian delegation including national security adviser Daniel Jean visited Pyongyang this week to discuss the case. "Pastor Lim's health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada as we continue to engage on this case," said Cameron Ahmad, a spokesman for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in Ottawa before the release.

Lim's family told local media they had become increasingly worried about his welfare since the death of American student Otto Warmbier in June, just days after he had been released from a North Korean prison.

Three US citizens remain in custody as relations with Washington worsen sharply. The North said earlier Wednesday it was considering a missile strike near US bases in Guam. That comment came hours after US President Donald Trump threatened Pyongyang with "fire and fury" over its missile programme.

At the time of Lim's arrest, other members of the close-knit circle of ethnic Korean missionaries in Canada and the United States called him one of the most influential Christian missionaries operating in North Korea. He had visited the country dozens of times, working with orphanages and nursing homes.

But some projects he worked on, including a noodle plant and flour mills, were linked to associates of Jang Song-Thaek, the purged uncle of leader Kim Jong-Un. Jang was arrested and executed for treason in December 2013.

Lim told CNN last year that he spent his days in prison digging holes. "I wasn't originally a labourer so the labour was hard at first," he said, his head shaven.

Pyongyang views foreign missionaries with deep suspicion, though it allows some to undertake humanitarian work. A number of Christian missionaries mostly ethnic Koreans who are US citizens have been arrested in the past, with some of them only allowed to return home after intervention by high-profile US political figures.
Rouhani, a moderate cleric who had three female vice presidents during his previous term, has several more deputy positions to fill and it was unclear if any would go to women. (Photo: File)

Tehran: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani appointed two female vice presidents on Wednesday but continued to take flak from reformists for nominating no women ministers.

The appointments came a day after the moderate president announced his all-male list of ministers to parliament, seen as a betrayal by reformists who backed his re-election campaign in May. "It is incredible and shocking that the president has ignored the demands of women in nominating his government," Parvaneh Salahshouri, head of a parliamentary women's group, told lawmakers.

A letter calling for female ministers to be appointed was signed by 157 of the 290 MPs. There was small comfort in the appointment of two women as vice presidents, who do not require parliamentary approval.

Massoumeh Ebtekar, known internationally for her role as spokesperson during the 1980 US embassy hostage crisis, was named as vice president in charge of women's affairs, having previously run the environment brief in Rouhani's office.

Laya Joneydi was appointed as the vice president for legal affairs, while another woman, Shahindokht Mowlaverdi, was named as a special adviser for citizens' rights.

Rouhani, a moderate cleric who had three female vice presidents during his previous term, has several more deputy positions to fill and it was unclear if any would go to women.

In an interview with AFP, the head of the newly formed Reformist Women's Party, Zahra Shojaei, said she was unsurprised by the lack of female ministers given the continued opposition of many lawmakers and powerful religious figures behind the scenes.

A large independent faction of MPs "are still not in favour of female ministers," said Shojaei. But she said female vice presidents actually have more power than ministers and have already broken the taboo on putting women in positions of authority.

"We have gone past the symbolic stage. Female ministers are important but it's not our only demand. Even if Rouhani had appointed several women ministers, it would not have solved women's issues," she said.

She highlighted a number of legal issues including the need to gain permission from a male relative to leave the country, lower levels of legal compensation and "blood money" for women, and discriminatory inheritance laws as areas that needed action.

"Rouhani has worked on policies of empowerment for women over the past four years, and we want that to continue, as well as amending laws in parliament," she said.

The continued fraught issue of gender in Iranian politics was highlighted over the weekend, when EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini led an all-female team for talks with an all-male Iranian contingent led by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

The image from that meeting was "heavy with significance," Mohammad Reza Aref, head of the reformist faction in parliament, wrote on social media.

Rouhani sailed to victory in May over hardliner Ebrahim Raisi with the backing of reformists after vowing to improve civil liberties and rebuild ties with the West.

Some reformists have argued this week that Rouhani is failing to repay their confidence in him. "We expected at least one woman among Rouhani's nominations," said Aref.
Al-Jazeera has said it has come under cyberattack as well amid the diplomatic crisis. (Photo: AFP)

The Al-Jazeera global news network has once again become the subject of the news.

The Israeli government called this week for the Qatar-based companys Jerusalem bureau to be closed, its journalists press credentials revoked and its transmission blocked.

The move follows a decision by Saudi Arabia and Jordan to shutter the networks local offices. Its websites and channels were also blocked in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Egypt has banned Al-Jazeera since 2013, when the military there took power.

These countries accuse Al-Jazeera of inciting violence. Al-Jazeera says the moves are an attempt by governments to suppress freedom of expression.

Heres a look at whats at play.

What is Al-Jazeera's Story?

Al-Jazeera is based in Qatar and has grown to become one of the most widely seen Arabic news channels in the world. The network says its channels reach 100 countries and 310 million homes worldwide.

Since its inception in 1996, the station has been one of the few to present views that contrast with traditional, state-censored Arabic press. It was the first Arab-owned news outlet to host Israeli officials and commentators, which some analysts note coincided with Qatars ties with Israel at the time.

While Al-Jazeera maintains that it operates independently of the Qatari government, critics say its coverage reflects Qatars foreign policy.

Al-Jazeera has said the measures to close it in Saudi Arabia are unjustified, and that Israels accusations of unfair coverage are odd and unsubstantiated.

Why Is Al-Jazeera Being Targeted?

In early June, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain launched a diplomatic assault on Qatar, cutting diplomatic and transport links with the small, energy-rich Gulf country due to its foreign policy. They also took aim at Al-Jazeera and other Qatari-funded media outlets for allegedly seditious and provocative coverage.

The four countries accuse Qatar of backing terror groups and want it to curb its ties with Iran. They also accuse Qatar of backing the Muslim Brotherhood group and its offshoots, which Egypt and UAE see as a top threat.

Qatar says the measures against it are politically motivated and an attempt to strong-arm Qatar into falling in lockstep with Saudi Arabia.

Israeli officials  seeing an opportunity in the Arab quartets blockade of Al-Jazeera  criticized the stations coverage of renewed tensions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and accused it of presenting unprofessional journalism before proposing to block it altogether.

What Is Qatar's Role?

Al-Jazeera and Qatar have been intertwined since the network was launched, with financial backing from the ruling emir at the time, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Throughout its existence, the station has received funding from Qatars leadership. Its chairman is a member of Qatars ruling Al Thani family.

The network generates some revenue from advertisers, though details of its finances and ownership are not made publicly available as it is not a listed company.

Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has outright rejected demands the country shut down Al-Jazeera. He told The Associated Press in June that Qatars foreign policy does not dictate Al-Jazeeras coverage.

How Will Al-Jazeera Be Affected?

Even before this diplomatic spat, the network was shrinking some of its global operations after years of ambitious expansion. It has laid off hundreds of employees in recent years and now has about 4,000 staff. The network in 2016 pulled the plug on its Al-Jazeera America channel less than three years after its launch to compete with US cable news broadcasters.

Its unclear how effective the bans will be in keeping Al-Jazeera from reaching its viewers. Across the region and in Israel, many Arab citizens watch Al-Jazeera through private satellite dishes rather than traditional cable transmission. The channels also livestream on YouTube.

What Is Al-Jazeera's Coverage Like?

American viewers became familiar with Al-Jazeera after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when its golden-hued Arabic logo became synonymous with video messages by Americas then-most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden. The channel aired the messages it received, sparking frequent complaints by then-President George W. Bushs White House. The station defended its policy, saying the messages were newsworthy.

Critics say in past years, Al-Jazeera  particularly its flagship Arabic channel  has reflected Qatari policy by promoting Islamist movements. Many of the regions Arab rulers, particularly in Egypt and the UAE, see the Muslim Brotherhood group and its offshoots as a top threat.

Israel has long been irked by Al-Jazeeras coverage of the conflict there. During past wars in the Gaza Strip, Al-Jazeera has carried unflinchingly raw images of Palestinian women and children killed by Israeli airstrikes. Its reporters refer to Israel as an occupying force and to east Jerusalem as Occupied Jerusalem.

However, Al-Jazeeras English and Arabic channels, as well as its news websites and its popular online AJ+ videos, do not mirror one another in style and target different audiences.

What Are Others Saying?

Reporters Without Borders says Al-Jazeera has become a collateral victim in the diplomatic offensive against Qatar. The group says closing the stations bureaus is a political decision that amounts to censorship of a TV broadcaster.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has criticized Israels moves against Al-Jazeera. The CPJ said closing Al-Jazeeras offices would put Israel firmly in the camp of some of the regions worst enemies of press freedom. It called on Israel to allow all journalists to report freely from the country and areas it occupies.

Rights group Amnesty International says moves to censor Al-Jazeera are a brazen attack on media freedom and sends a chilling message that the Israeli authorities will not tolerate critical coverage.
The additional district and sessions judge's court ordered 20 years in jail for the convicts. (Photo: Representational/File)

Dhaka: Fourteen militants of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh were sentenced to 20 years in jail by a local court for carrying out a series of

deadly coordinated bomb attacks in 2005.

The group carried out serial blasts at over 600 locations in 63 districts in 2005 soon after the government banned it, killing at least two people and wounding over hundred others.

The additional district and sessions judge's court ordered 20 years in jail for the convicts. They have also been fined by Tk 30,000 (Rs 23,588) each, failing to pay which will make them stay in jail for another three years.

In 2012, police pressed charges in court against 17 JMB operatives, the bdnews24 reported. Court police's Inspector Anwarul Islam said charges against three suspects were dropped as they had died while four of the convicts are absconding.

The group is also blamed by Bangladeshi authorities for a deadly attack on a Dhaka cafe in July last year that killed 22 people, mostly foreigners and an Indian woman.
The ongoing Doklam standoff between India and China has to be seen in the larger context.

Beijing: Fifty-three Indian soldiers and a bulldozer were present at the Doklam area, a report in a state-run daily said today, quoting the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The ministry, according to the Global Times, asked India to withdraw its troops and equipment from what it called the "Chinese territory".

Citing the ministry, the daily said that 53 people and a bulldozer from the Indian side remain in "Chinese territory" as of Monday.

"India should withdraw its troops and equipment...They have gravely infringed on China's sovereignty," the ministry was quoted as having said by the daily.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang last week said that "there were 48 Indian soldiers and one bulldozer" in Doklam area as of August 2.

"In addition, there are still a large number of Indian armed forces congregating on the boundary and on the Indian side of the boundary," Geng had said.

A 15-page fact sheet issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry had earlier said that there were over 40 Indian border troops and one bulldozer in the area by the July end.

Countering Chinese contention, sources in New Delhi last week maintained that around 350 Indian Army personnel have been in Doklam for last six weeks after China tried to build a road in the area, triggering the standoff.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for over 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau. bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims the area belongs to it and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Doklam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

The military standoff between China and India in the Doklam region has lasted for almost two months now, and there is still no end in sight, the Chinese daily added.

India's position on the issue was made clear by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj recently, saying both sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place, favouring a peaceful resolution of the border standoff.
Taking a leaf from peoples president APJ Abdul Kalam, who has brought Raisina hill close to people, Vice President elect Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu said that he would try bringing the Vice Presidents office close to people.



Speaking to the media here on Wednesday Venkaiah Naidu said that he was sad to leave his cabinet post as taking up vice presidents job meant an end to his political life which he is very fond of.



In this job I cant speak politics and I will not also. But it is no where mentioned that being in public life you cant react on issues that matter to people. I am still thinking on it, will be speaking to officials to make Vice Presidents office close to people, while discharging my duties as Chairman of Rajyasabha, Naidu said. He said that as Chairman he will give maximum chance to the opposition members to air their point of view.



However Naidu said that he is not keen on his two children join politics. Answering a question whether he will encourage his children to join active politics now that he has to forgo his portfolio he said that if they struggle and reach that position he would not mind but he will do nothing to bring them to politics. I maintained certain traditions. I have contested elections but never invested any money taken from home, nor took a penny home. They have to be the same, Naidu said.



He also denied that his son Harsha who owns a car dealership here used his influence to get a massive order from Telangana government. It was an absurd allegation and I was force to respond to that because the people who made these allegations took my name, he said. The Congress alleged that TRS government ordered police vehicles worth Rs. 270 crore in 2014 and some of the cars were bought from Harsha Toyota, owned by Mr. Naidu's son.




Ahmed Patels determined win in the Rajya Sabha elections against the full might of the BJP has been a morale booster for the Congress as it gears up to make a comeback in Gujarat in the year-end Assembly elections.



Congratulations poured in for Patel from the rank and file of the Congress from across the country with party vice president Rahul Gandhi making an early morning phone call to the master political strategist, as the party hopes to replicate the victory in the upcoming Assembly elections.



I have assured Rahul that we shall continue this fight with the same zest till the Assembly elections, Patel said about his phone call with Rahul.



Besides party leaders, Patel also received best wishes from political rivals such as the AAP, JD(U) rebel Sharad Yadav and the Trinamool Congress (TMC).



West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also spoke to Patel, indicating that plans to forge Opposition unity were well on track despite Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joining ranks with the BJP.



Congress president Sonia Gandhi has convened a meeting of Opposition parties on Friday, the last day of the monsoon session of Parliament, to draw up an agitation plan against the Modi government for the next three months.



The Rajya Sabha poll win against all odds has strengthened Patels position within the Congress, which appeared shaky ahead of the transition of power from Sonia Gandhi to Rahul, a senior Congress leader said.



Patel is already busy drawing up plans for the year-end assembly elections in Gujarat where it has been out of power since 1995.



Patel is expected to work in tandem with AICC general secretary and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot with whom he shares a good rapport.



DH News Service




When an old Gujarat hand Achal Kumar Joti was named the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) last month to replace retiring Nasim Zaidi, there was hush-hush talk in the opposition circles as to whether the poll panel be able to stave off "undue influence" from the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.



But the Election Commission's decision late Tuesday night to nullify the votes of two rebel Congress MLAs - Bhola Bhai Gohil and Raghav Bhai Patel- in the face of heavy pressure from the BJP leaders has enhanced its standing.



That decision, which was taken on a complaint of the Congress, altered the outcome of a high stakes political drama.



Consequent to the declaration of two rebel Congress votes as "invalid," Congress leader Ahmed Patel was re-elected easily by a single vote to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, along with BJP president Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani.



The EC's gamechanger move came after the Congress had complained to it that the two rebel MLAs showed their votes to unauthorised persons and demanded their votes should not be counted and should be rejected.



According to the rules, the voters (MLAs) for the Rajya Sabha elections have to show their ballots to authorised representative of their respective parties before casting them.



The Congress held that these MLAs showed their votes to Shah and Irani and independent candidate Balwantsinh Rajput, instead of the representative of Ahmed Patel.



Not to be outdone, a delegation of BJP leaders, including Union ministers Arun Jaitley, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Piyush Goyal, approached the EC demanding immediate counting of votes, contending that validity of votes once put in ballot boxes could not be questioned.



The Congress said it had to move the EC as the Gujarat Returning Officer (RO) rejected its plea and instead sought permission from the poll panel to go ahead with counting of votes at 5.30 pm after the polling was over



The Returning Officer told the EC that the complaints were examined by him and "even the video recording of the polling process was viewed and pursuant to that he rejected the objection raised by Congress election agent Shailesh Bhai Parmar."



As both sides mounted immense pressure on the EC to accede to their respective pleas, the EC decided to do a carefully examine the video in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Jyoti.



The BJP delegation, which was led by Jaitley comprising law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, power minister Piyush Goel and commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman, sought an early commencement of the counting. They argued twice before the poll panel that the Returning Officer is the statutory authority to conduct the polling, counting process and to decide the validity of a ballot paper as per the rules and the Commission has no power as the field is already covered by the enacted laws.



Countering this position, the Congress team led by the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and former finance minister P Chidambaram said it expected "justice" from the poll panel as it was the final authority and not the RO.



At one point, as delegations from the Congress and the BJP made repeated representations, the EC said it would not receive any more delegation.



After going through the video, the EC decided to overrule the Returning Officers conclusion, sending shock waves to the BJP establishment.



The poll panel found that "it has been observed therefrom that the said two electors( two rebel Congress MLAs) violated the voting procedure and secrecy of the ballot papers cast by them when they exercised their right to vote."



CEC Achal Kumar Joti and EC O P Rawat, who was also appointed by the NDA government, cited a judgement by a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court had held that open ballot in the Rajya Sabha election only means that "the MLA can show the vote to the authorized representative of his party and no one else."



Their order said: If a marked ballot paper by an elector is shown to, or be seen by, anyone other than the said representative, which may violate the secrecy of the vote, has to be rejected by the Returning Officer by recourse to the provisions of sub-rule (5) to (8) of Rule 39A, read with Rule 39AA. This position has been unambiguously made clear by the Commission in the Handbook for Returning Officers (for Elections to the Council of States and State Legislative Councils) 2016-Edition vide Para 35 (ii) in Chapter X. This position has been upheld by the Supreme Court in Kuldip Nayar vs Union of India and Others (AIR 2006 SC 3127) 10."



A 1975-batch IAS officer, Joti lived up to his reputation as "a hard task master, who prefers to go by the rule book," said a poll official. It was no surprise that the EC took this decision because Joti always believed in following the rules and enforcing them during elections.



Joti, who will remain as the head of the poll panel until January 17 next year, was chief secretary of Gujarat when Narendra Modi was the chief minister. He retired as Gujarat chief secretary in January 2013 after serving in various capacities in Gujarat, including as chairman of the Kandla Port Trust between 1999 and 2004, and managing director of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd.



As old timers recalled, Joti maintained a cordial working relationship with Modi when he was Gujarat CM enjoying his full trust.



But on Tuesday, Joti had a different task to perform as the Chief Election Commissioner.




Three militants of Zakir Musa-led Ghazwat ul-Hind terror outfit were killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces in volatile Tral area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Wednesday.



A civilian was also killed while several others were injured when security forces fired at a mob of protesters who threw stones at a nearby army camp.



Sources said based on a specific input about the presence of four to five militants, troops of army's 42-Rashtriya Rifles battalion CRPF 180 battalion and special operations group (SOG) of J&K police cordoned off Gulab Bagh area of Tral, 32 km from here, on Wednesday afternoon.



"The militants were taking a bath when they were zeroed in by security forces. As the security forces were zeroing in on the militants, intense gunfire raged between the two sides. While two militants were killed near bathing spot, one managed to enter a house nearby. However he too was shot dead," they said.



The slain militants have been identified as Zahid Ahmed Bhat from Nawdal Tral, Ishfaq Ahmed from Batgund Tral and Ashraf Dar from Trich, Pulwama. While Zahid and Ishaq had joined militancy in 2015, Ashraf followed them in September 2016.



Earlier, rumors were flying thick and fast that Global terror outfit al Qaeda cell Ghazwat ul-Hind chief Zakir Musa was trapped in the encounter. The slain militants were seen in photographs of Zakir Musa with his group, which were released recently.



A senior police officer said the slain militants were local cadres of Musa group. "The trio till recently were working for Hizbul Mujahideen outfit led by Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir based Syed Salahuddin. However, they changed the loyalities recently to Musa group. The current trend shows a clear disaffection among cadres of existing militant outfits, and Musa's appeal among them," he revealed.



Hizbul spokesperson Burhanuddin was quoted by a local news gatehring agency CNS as syaing that the slain militants were re-joining them after leaving so-called Ansar Ghazwatul Hind group led by Musa and on way got killed in a gunfight.



Meanwhile, reports said, as the word spread about the killing of three local militants, people took to streets in several areas of Tral and Pulwama and pelted stones on security forces. Muhammad Younis Sheikh, 16, was critically injured after forces fired on protesters in Gulab Bagh village. He was shifted to SMHS hospital in Srinagar where doctors declared him dead on arrival.



An official said that mobile Internet services were suspended in Pulwama district to prevent the spreading of rumours.



With militancy, especially home grown, on rise, security forces have launched a massive operation to flush out the ultras. Nearly 130 militants, including topcommanders Abu Dujana, Bashir Lashkari and Junaid Mattoo, have been killed so far this year in the Valley, which is highest in the last eight years. The security forces are going after militants as part of operation "hunt down" and on the basis of a hit list of militants.



In the first nine-days of this month, 23 people, including 17 militants, four civilians and two army personnel have been killed in militancy related incidents.
The year 2017 was to be a crucial one for the AAP. It had pinned its hopes on a win in Punjab but with its poor performance in the state, the party has now decided not to contest Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.



A senior Aam Aadmi Party leader, who did not wish to be quoted, said the party was focusing on "regrouping" in Delhi, its home turf.



The leader cited "lack of adequate organisational strength" in the state.



The party was currently convincing a section of state leaders about the move, who were in favour of contesting the polls, before making the decision official.



In June, the state leaders had appraised the leadership of the organisational strength, but there was an ambivalence on contesting the polls.



The Political Affairs Committee (PAC), the AAP's top decision-making body, would soon take a call, making an official decision on this.



The party has also decided not to contest polls in Himachal Pradesh.



Incidentally, the AAP was to contest 2012 polls in the hill state, but later decided to make its political debut from Delhi a year later.



Gujarat was also the state where the AAP and its chief Arvind Kejriwal had invested a lot of political capital keeping in mind the 2017 assembly polls scheduled by the end of the year.



From picking on contentious issues for a new entrant in the state politics --- the simmering discontent within the Patidar community, the agrarian crisis and the "atrocities" on Dalits and making frequent trips to the state --- the script now seems to have gone haywire.



By mid-2016, the AAP had chalked out its plan to go national in a big way. A win in Punjab was paramount to give its national ambitions a fillip. However, the party realised that it was lacking traction in the coastal state.



Banking on ten-years of anti-incumbency, the "misrule" of the Badals and factionalism in the Congress, the party pulled out all stops to ensure a victory in the state.



However, the results were unexpected for the party. To make things worse, the Punjab polls and a massive win of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh had a cascading effect on the polls in Delhi.



The AAP won 20 seats in Punjab and could not open an account in Goa.



It was handed over a humiliating defeat in an assembly by-poll and crucial MCD elections, with its bastion coming under threat.



Since then, several major changes have taken place within the party with Delhi getting a new convener in form of Labour Minister Gopal Rai.


The Supreme Court has asked the CBI to respond to a plea filed by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) general secretary Roshan Giri seeking transfer of his trial in 2010 Madan Tamang murder case from Kolkata to Sikkim apprehending serious law and order crisis.



A bench comprising Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and posted the matter for hearing to August 11.



Giri has been charged with alleged "criminal conspiracy for murder", along with several other GJM leaders, in the case of Tamang, who was the All India Gorkha League (AIGL) president.



Darjeeling in north Bengal has been on the boil in the wake of the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland. The West Bengal government has ruled out bifurcation of the state and has alleged that money from Nepal was being pumped in to fuel the agitation.



Giri's counsel had told the court that if he was to appear in court to face the murder trial, then there would be a serious law and order situation in Kolkata and it might pose a threat to his life.



He had said that in view of the agitation in Darjeeling, it was very likely that a serious law and order situation would arise if he was made to go to Kolkata to face the trial.



The state government's counsel had argued that the court should seek a report from the military intelligence on the stir and that would make everything clear.



The counsel had claimed that Giri wanted his trial to be shifted to Sikkim as its chief minister has extended his support to the GJM's demand.



The CBI has indicted the entire top leadership of the GJM for the murder of the AIGL president. Besides Giri, GJM president Bimal Gurung is among the nine top leaders named in the charge sheet.



Gurung, his wife Asha and several senior leaders of the hill outfit had surrendered before a trial court which granted them bail in the murder case.
RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav today launched an agitation against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for "insulting" people's mandate by dumping grand alliance and joining hands with the BJP.



The former deputy chief minister, accompanied by his brother Tej Pratap Yadav, state RJD chief Ramchandra Purbe and other leaders, sat quietly for about one hour under statue of father of the nation at Gandhi maidan in Motihari to seek an apology from him.



"We sought apology from Mahatama Gandhi for being under leadership of a person (Kumar) who ditched everybody and went with the RSS which killed Bapu," Tejashwi Yadav told reporters at the site.



Tejashwi Yadav is leading the RJD's "Janadesh Apman Yatra" (insult to mandate yatra) to protest Kumar dumping grand alliance of the JD(U), the RJD and the Congress and joining hands with the BJP to form a new government in Bihar.



The yatra is also aimed at mobilising support for the RJD's August 27 rally at Patna.



Tejashwi Yadav said the reason for apology was that he had earlier sat under the same statue with Nitish Kumar at a function to celebrate centenary celebration of Champaran Satyagraha and also walked with him to urge people to follow ideals of the father of the nation.



In Patna, Tejashwi Yadav's father and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad once again described Kumar as "Paltu Ram" (turncoat) to highlight his walking out of grand alliance and going with the BJP.



Prasad told reporters that he apprehends some JD(U) workers would disguise among public to attack senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav with water bottles, chappals when he arrives here tomorrow to start his three-day tour programme of direct dialogue with people reportedly against party decision to walk out of grand alliance and side with the BJP.



Addressing a rally at Madhopur on border of East and West Champaran, Tejashwi Yadav alleged that Nitish Kumar with the help of BJP president Amit Shah was targeting his family by getting cases foisted against them.



"He (Kumar) has gone with those who questioned his DNA," he said to highlight Prime Minister's speech during Bihar poll in 2015 against Kumar.



He also reiterated that Kumar found an "excuse" in him to disintegrate grand alliance and forge ties with the BJP.



Meanwhile, the JD (U) took potshots at Tejashwi Yadav's yatra.



"It would have been better if he had started 'Kanoon Samman yatra' (campaign to honour laws) to answer charges of graft with facts," JD(U) spokesman Neeraj Kumar said.



"As an accused in corruption case he (Tejashwi Yadav) has sullied his face in youths itself," Neeraj Kumar said.



Another JD(U) spokesman Nikhil Mandal said "it would have been better if he (Tejashwi Yadav) tendered apology to Mahatama Gandhi for indulging in scam."


Ahmed Patel's determined win in the Rajya Sabha elections against the full might of the BJP has been a morale booster to the Congress as it gears up to make a come back in Gujarat in the year-end assembly elections.



Congratulations poured in for Patel from the rank and file of the Congress from across the country with vice president Rahul Gandhi making an early morning phone call to master political strategist as the party hoped to replicate the Rajya Sabha poll victory in the upcoming assembly elections.



I have assured Rahulji that we shall continue this fight with the same zest till the Assembly elections, Patel said about his phone call with the Congress vice president.



Besides party leaders, Patel also received best wishes from political rivals such as the AAP, JD(U) rebel Sharad Yadav as also Trinamool Congress. West Bengal President Mamata Banerjee also spoke to Patel indicating that the plans to forge opposition unity were well on track despite Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joining ranks with the BJP.



Congress President Sonia Gandhi has convened a meeting of opposition parties on Friday, the last day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, to draw up agitations against the Modi government for the next three months.



The Rajya Sabha poll win against all odd has strengthened Patel's position in the Congress which appeared shaky ahead of the transition of power from Sonia Gandhi to Rahul, a senior Congress leader said.



Patel is already busy drawing up plans for the year-end assembly elections n Gujarat where it has been out of power since 1995. Patel is expected to work in tandem with AICC General Secretary and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot with whom he shares a good rapport.



The Patel-Gehlot friendship dates back to several years and was on display after the Rajasthan assembly elections in 2008. It was Patel who was instrument in getting Gehlot as the chief minister as the Congress had emerged as the single largest party after the assembly elections.



The duo then ensured the merger of BSP legislature party comprising six MLAs that ensured the Congress' majority in the assembly.




Students, parents, teachers and schools can now purchase textbooks of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) online.



The Council has come up with a new web portal where orders can be placed and text books would be delivered to the address of the purchaser.



Minister of State for Human Resource Development (HRD) Upendra Kushwaha launched the portal here on Wednesday.



As of now, the NCERT will deliver the books by post against the orders to be placed by individuals. In case of schools, the Council will ask the nearest vendor in its list to deliver the books.



The Council is also holding talks with certain private e-commerce companies including amazon.com for online purchase and supply of its textbooks.



We are negotiating with Amazon and others. It will take some time to finalise a deal with them. Students, parents, teachers and schools can log onto our portal www.ncertbooks.ncert.gov.in and place orders. We will deliver the books to the purchaser's address by post. We have about 180 vendors in our list. Delivery of books to schools will be made through these vendors, NCERT director Hrushikesh Senapaty told reporters.



The portal will ensure better distribution of textbooks across the country and will also address the apprehensions, on the part of schools and parents, regarding unavailability of the NCERT textbooks, School Education Department Secretary of the HRD Ministry Anil Swarup added.



The schools can log on to the portal, by entering their respective Boards affiliation numbers and other details, till September 8 for placing their orders for the session 2018-19.



At the time of placing the orders, the schools are not required to make the payment; the payment can be made just before the supply, Senapaty said



Purchasing of the books from the NCERT portal, however, is not mandatory for the schools. They can continue procuring textbooks either directly from their nearest NCERT-empaneled vendors or from the regional production-cum-distribution centres (RPDCs) of the Council located in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Guwahati, and Bengaluru.



Students would also continue to have the option of downloading the NCERT textbooks free of cost from the council's website.



The Central Board of Secondary Education has written to all the schools affiliated to it to consider procuring books from the NCERT web portal.



The government schools are already using NCERT textbooks. We are not making it mandatory for private schools to purchase NCERT books. Claims that the NCERT books are inferior in quality compared to the textbooks of other publishers is not correct. All the Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidhayalas use NCERT books and the performance of the students of these schools are better than others every year, the HRD Ministry secretary said.




Thousands of liquor establishments that were closed following a Supreme Court order will have to wait longer for relief as the Centre seems to be dragging its feet on the state governments request to denotify national highways in city limits.



More than 3,000 liquor establishments, 683 of them in Bengaluru, are waiting for denotification of NH stretches in city limits across the state.



The state PWD Department had last week replied to a letter from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), undertaking to maintain the stretches of the national highways measuring 704.5 km. The department had also suggested alternative roads to bypass several cities. In Bengaluru, NICE Road in the south and Dobbspet-Doddaballapur road in the north have been suggested as bypass roads.



After we wrote to MoRTH suggesting alternative routes, we received a copy of the letter which has again sought details of the stretches to be denotified, including maps, in several cities in the state. The letter is originally addressed to MoRTH regional officer, chief general manager of National Highways Authority of India and NH chief engineer. MoRTH will take the next step after getting a reply from them, sources in the PWD said.



As far as Bengaluru roads are concerned, NHAI officials have assured the PWD they will send the details within two days. It may take a few more days to submit details for other cities, sources added.



A PWD official admitted that there has been a delay in denotification. Though the state government is ready to take the responsibility of maintaining the denotified NH roads, MoRTH has to consider all stakeholders. There are several states, besides Karnataka, which have sought denotification, he noted.



Moreover, they are answerable to the Supreme Court, which directed closure of liquor establishments near highways in view of increasing road accidents caused by drunken driving, he added.






Bengaluru has a thriving startup culture which has proved valuable for entrepreneurs in Indonesia, we have many things to learn from here, Indonesian Consul General Saut Siringoringo said on Wednesday.



Speaking on the sidelines of an event to promote tourism in Indonesia, Siringoringo said the expertise of those involved in Bengaluru startups will be of great value for young entrepreneurs in Indonesia.



The experiences of those coming from a thriving startup culture like Bengaluru has already drawn several delegations from Indonesia. One delegation with 17 startup companies recently visited Bengaluru. More and more people will come here to learn, he said.



The consul general said Indonesia issues about 700 working visas every month to Indians. Out of the 700, more than 50 are from Bengaluru. Indians are sought after across all the sectors. We expect this trend to grow in the coming years, he said.



Stressing that Indonesia has more to offer to tourists than the usual destination near Bali, he said: There are 10 significant tourist destinations other than Bali and we are building additional infrastructure, including six international airports, to ease commuting to these places. Besides luxury tours and honeymoon trips, tourists come for anthropological and cultural interests.



At the same time, we want to increase the number of Indonesians coming to India. At present, we have only 23,000 people visiting this country. But, most of them go back after looking at famous places in north India. We will promote the rich heritage in south India, he said.



Siringoringo said Indonesia and India share a wide variety of similarities in religion and culture. We are Muslim majority country but we worship Ganesha and celebrate Ramayana. The best value we share with India is unity in diversity, he said.




Bowing to pressure from farmers, the state government on Wednesday decided to release water from the four reservoirs of the Cauvery river to fill up lakes in command areas.



Water will be released from Thursday. But it will be only for drinking purpose. The farmers have been urged not to take up cultivation of water-intensive crops like paddy and sugar cane, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters after holding a meeting with elected representatives from Mandya district.



In all, 45 tmcft of water is available in the four major reservoirs  the lowest in 46 years. Around this time last year, the major reservoirs of the Cauvery river basin  KRS, Kabini, Harangi and Hemavathi  had 53.52 tmcft of water. Our priority now is to improve groundwater levels that have plummeted. So, water will be released to fill up lakes and tanks in the river basin, he said, adding that cloud-seeding will be taken up next week.



Water Resources Minister M B Patil said Karnataka is expected to release to Tamil Nadu 10 tmcft in June, 34 tmcft in July and 50 tmcft in August in a normal year. Three-fifths of the monsoon has passed in June and July and we are in a crisis. We hope the Meteorological Departments forecast of rainfall in August will come true. Nothing is in our hands, Patil said. So far, the state has released 12 tmcft water to Tamil Nadu, he added.



The Supreme Court is hearing arguments on the review petition filed by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala against the 2007 Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunals final award. An apex court bench had earlier directed the state to release 2,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu every day till further orders. Our arguments have gone well. We have reiterated our stand that the 1894 and 1924 agreements on Cauvery water-sharing should not be given importance, Patil said.






Three years after a fascinating 18,000-km bike ride across Asia and Europe, mechanical engineer Kedarnath G M is at it again. But this time, the man from Hampi has raised the bar, revved up his Royal Enfield Himalayan bike for an unprecedented three lakh-km global ride, a mission destined to last well over four years.



Packed with essentials, riding gears and maps, Kedarnath had kicked off the journey from Chennai on Tuesday.



DH caught up with him in Bengaluru, as the 34-year-old prepared for that pulsating multi-national, inter-continental ride of a lifetime. Adventure beckoned him, so did his mission: An earnest yearning for global peace, an unbridled passion to connect with people across geographies.



In two days, Kedarnath will head out to Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Delhi and Kolkata before flying to Bangkok. My plan is to ride through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia and Singapore, and then cross over to Australia by ferry, informs the biker.



His plans only get grander on the trips American leg. I intend to go along the East and West coasts of the United States and Canada before turning South. Mexico, Argentina and Chile are also in the list. Europe and Africa will come next before the return trip to India, through Turkey and Iran.



Even on a shoestring budget, Kedarnath knows this tour will cost him nothing less than Rs 50 lakh. I had to quit my job to raise part of the money, through PF and gratuity. At least now, I have the money for fuel. I need to figure out how it goes, from country to country, he says.



Kedarnath calls himself the No Country Man, the title of his next book of experiences culled out from the bike journeys. An avid believer in a world without borders and man-made conflicts, he would connect with youngsters everywhere to send that message across.



I want to interact with as many young people as possible. They are our future world leaders.Nuts and bolts



Being a mechanical engineer, Kedarnath knows the nuts and bolts of his bike, the Himalayan. He has already packed the necessary spares, spark plugs, cables and indicators bulbs. But what about night halts? I do a bit of online research to find hosts to stay. If not, I have my tent and sleeping bag, says Kedarnath, now a veteran of many rides.



His first trip, a 39-day, 8,300-km expedition from Hampi to Leh had shown that the effort was totally worth it. I had met a lot of people, who had showered me with their love and affection. Even when they were struggling, they would find ways to share a meal with me. That human connection is what inspires me, says the man in a hurry to ride the world.






A Class XII student was brutally stabbed to death in full public view by a youth, who had been stalking her for several months, and his friends in Uttar Pradeshs Ballia district, about 400 km from here.



According to police, the 17-year-old girl was stabbed to death while she was on her way to school near Bajahan village in the district on Tuesday.



Five youths, including the main accused, who is the son of Bajahan panchayat chief, were booked in the matter, the police said, adding that two of them were arrested on Wednesday.



The younger sister of the victim, who was accompanying her, said that Prince Tiwari, the village pradhans son, who was riding a motorbike, hit their cycle from behind as a result of which they fell on the ground. Prince stabbed didi (sister) several times on her neck and chest, when she protested, she said.



Eyewitnesses said there were four other youths with Prince, who, too, were carrying sharp weapons. No one came to the victims rescue.



The victims mother said Prince had been stalking her daughter for the past several months. He would often stalk her, pass lewd comments at her while she was on her way to school, she said.



The victims father had also approached the Bansdih Road police station and lodged a complaint against Prince, but the police reportedly brokered a compromise rather than taking action against him. The police said two of the accused, including Prince, have been arrested and a massive hunt is on to nab the others.




The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to keep alive a plea that was made by former Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh against a High Court of Karnataka order for recovery of over Rs 23 crore from him for the losses caused to exchequer in transportation of illegally-extracted iron ores.



The petitioner is stated to be no more. The case does not survive, a bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Navin Sinha said and closed the special leave petition filed by the late Congress leader. Singh (80) passed away on July 27. Senior advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani, appearing for Singh, submitted that the matter should be decided by the apex court as his legal heirs could be affected by the high courts decision of 2012.



The bench, however, told the counsel, That is something which we cannot decide at the moment. You can move the high court as the petitioner had approached us against an interim order. In the event of high courts order against you, the matter can be mentioned here in case the legal heirs are affected.



The court also declined a plea by Pavani to keep alive the question of law if immunity granted to Governor is open to judicial review when he exercises his power as competent authority under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act in granting sanction of prosecution of a public servant.



Bengaluru resident

D Natesh had filed a PIL in the high court, claiming that Singh had ignored the advice given by then secretary of the Mines and Geology department. But, the then Governor Rameshwar Thakur on June 23, 2009 had held that no action was required against Singh as he had not made pecuniary gains.



The Lokayukta, in its first report on mining, had held Singh guilty of misconduct and responsible for causing losses to the exchequer by permitting transportation of 2.38 lakh tonnes of iron ore, mined and stored illegally by landowners in five districts during his tenure as chief minister.



The Governor, acting as competent authority in case of complaints against the then chief minister, had in June 2009 rejected the recommendation of the Lokayukta, which was not open to judicial review, Singh had claimed.






At a time when the Supreme Court has referred to a three-judge bench to study if corruption cases can be stayed, state's Special Investigation Team (SIT) for mining cases has a reason to closely watch these developments.



For, the trial in the cases of illegal mining probed by SIT is on a slow track as 20 of the 28 charge sheets filed by the SIT have been stayed by the High Court of Karnataka in the last two years.



The SIT, constituted by the state government to probe illegal mining and export of iron ore, has filed 28 charge sheets since 2015. These charge sheets pertain to illegal mining and export of 6.39 lakh tonnes of iron ore, which resulted in loss of Rs 97 crore to the state exchequer. Of the charge sheets filed by the SIT, 20 are against two sitting MLAs from Ballari district  B Anand Singh, the BJP MLA from Vijayanagara (Hosapete) and B Nagendra, Independent MLA from Kudligi. In all these charge sheets, several officials from the Department of Mines and Geology and Department of Commerce and Industry are named as accused.



Of the 11 charge sheets, Singh has obtained stay in eight cases. The other cases are stayed on the petitions filed by others, including government officials. We are trying our best to contest the cases in the high court to ensure a speedy trial in the cases. The trial is under way only in eight cases, a senior official told DH.



The SIT has so far registered 70 FIRs in connection with the cases of illegal mining in the state, including 28 already chargesheeted.



Sources said that investigation in five cases have also been stayed by the high court. Of the cases stayed at the stage of investigation, in a few cases prosecution sanction orders (PSOs) have already received. However, the charge sheets could not be filed in view of the stay on investigation.



In one such case against Kumaraswamy Mining Company, the investigation was stayed after the state government accorded PSO against all the accused. The case was initially registered at the High Grounds police station by the Department of Mines and Geology and later transferred to the SIT. Kumaraswamy Mining Company (lease number 2087) in connivance with officials of the Department of Mines and Geology got included iron ore mining in its working permission.



The lease only had permission to carry out manganese mining. The company had mined 56,000 tonnes of iron ore during 2009-10.




What does he know about problems of farmers. Dams in that part of Karnataka (north Karnataka) are full. Hence, he is busy with only Lingayat and Veerashaiva issue.



This is how rebel star and the Congress MLA from Mandya M H Ambareesh on Wednesday expressed his displeasure at Water Resources Minister M B Patil for delaying release of water from the Cauvery basin reservoirs for irrigation purpose.



Speaking at a meeting of elected representatives convened by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah here to discuss the issue of low water level in the reservoirs, the actor-politician said: The farmers are up in arms in Mandya.



They have even performed tithi (mock last rites) of politicians to express their anguish. We are not in a position to face people is our constituencies.




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A British man who was sentenced to death for murdering two men in a Miami hotel has spoken of his hopes to be cleared of the crimes so he can enjoy his remaining years in the Westcountry.

In 1987 Krishna (Kris) Maharaj, 78, was convicted of the murders of father of son Derrick and Duan Moo Young in a Miami hotel room.

Prosecutors managed to secure the death penalty, although in 2002 the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

Maharaj's lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith - founder of the charity Reprieve - said his client is not guilty of the double killing.

Maharaj, who has always maintained his innocence, will be eligible for parole once he reaches 101 under the current arrangements.

Mr Stafford Smith said Colombian drug cartels were active in Miami at the time of the murders. His legal team have represented their client for two decades for no fee and say the conviction is unsafe and should be quashed.

Mr Stafford Smith says he has new evidence pointing to the Medellin drug cartel as the real culprits, including admissions by former cartel members they were responsible for the murders, and admissions by former Miami police officers that they framed Maharaj and had a deal to help cover up Colombian cartel murders.

An appeals court in Atlanta agreed the self-made millionaire should receive a new hearing, although the case will have to return to a federal court in Miami to proceed further.

A single judge will consider new evidence collated by his legal team and Reprieve.

Mr Stafford Smith said federal authorities are holding records which could help exonerate his client, although there is no obligation for them to release the information - even if petitioned by a state court.

Speaking to the BBC yesterday, Mr Maharaj said: 'It is blatantly obvious that I was framed [] Believe you me; I will be vindicated.'

Mr Stafford Smith said: 'For years, the US government has held evidence that could help free an innocent man. Kris and his wife Marita have been through a nightmarish ordeal since 1986  all they want now is for justice to be done. It is high time the US authorities gave us the information we need to prove Kris innocence once and for all.

He said all his client and his wife wished to do was move to the South West of England to start a new life.
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Police are appealing for witnesses after a burglar smashed the front window of a charity shop with a boulder to steal a collection box  with just 15 in.

The incident happened between 5.30pm on Tuesday night and 7.45am on Wednesday morning at the Animals in Distress charity shop in Totnes Road, Paignton.

The burglar was caught on CCTV using big boulder to smash the shop window, and then going in to take the collection box.

Animals in Distress say that this is the fifth time the shop has had a break-in.

Kim-Marie Veasey, Head of Retail at Animals in Distress said: Words cant express how disappointed we feel, that someone has destroyed a big window that will cost us over 600 to replace, and whats even worse is they have stolen our supporters hard-earned money that had been donated to help the animals in our care.

A spokesman added that they couldnt believe that anyone would do anything just for a collection box that would have only had loose chase in.

A police spokesman said: We are appealing for witnesses after a burglary at the Animals in Distress charity shop in Totnes Road, Paignton, which happened between 5.30pm on Tuesday night and 7.45am on Wednesday morning.

The shop window was smashed with a boulder and then it appears that they have taken the collection box which had just 15 in cash roughly in loose change.

Anyone with any information or who saw anything suspicious is asked to contact police on 101 or email 101@dc-police.uk , quoting crime reference CR/66516/17.
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Further details have been released about the circumstances around a cat that was shot and killed by an airgun in Paignton on August 6.

The young rescue cat, named Connor, was found by its owner between 5pm and 9pm in the Barcombe Road area of Preston with severe wounds to his abdomen and shoulder.

Despite the vets best efforts, Connor couldnt be saved.

A spokesman from Paignton Police said: The vet retrieved air pellets from Connor indicating he had been shot at close range. Connor was a rescue cat and a much loved pet.



We take this kind of incident seriously and need your help to locate the offender.

Police are appealing for anyone with information about this incident to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101@dc.police.uk or by calling 101 quoting CR/065993/17.

Information can also be passed anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or reporting online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org .
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A group of fishermen in Plymouth have claimed that their is being deliberately sabotaged.

Four city-based fishermen have been catching live wrasse for a controversial trade to service the Scottish salmon farming trade, reports the Plymouth Herald.

The wrasse are used as cleaner fish, to eat the sea lice that infest caged salmon.

Sea lice cause serious damage to both the farmed fish and to wild salmon and sea trout.

Devon Wildlife Trust and the Angling Trust have both launched a national campaign against the wrasse fishery, which saw 57,000 captured and taken to Scotland from the Dorset coast two years ago.

The fishery has now moved to Plymouth Sound, where four small fishing boats are catching live fish for the Scots.

The two six-metre and two seven-metre boats are strictly regulated by the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA), which has put in place a monitoring regime and set strict size limits.

A spokesperson for the four said: "In the past weeks since the campaigns against them started they have had pots slashed, ropes cut and trapdoors on the pots opened while on the seabed, some have even been taken.

"Recently one of the fisherman was verbally abused and videoed by an angling boat while at work hauling his pots.

"Someone has to dive or actually haul the pots to do this. It is a worrying development that this type of criminal damage and harassment is occurring.

"This has been passed on to the IFCA and the fisherman will be contacting the police if there are any more incidents."

The demand for wild-caught wrasse has seen a boom in the value of the fish, which just a few years ago was of little commercial value and was only used as pot bait for crabs and lobsters.

The live capture fishery now means wrasse is fetching up to 150 a kilo, the Angling Trust said.

But it added that very little was known about the status of the stocks of wrasse species being targeted or about the impact of removing these fish from the ecosystem.

It said they spend just one year in the cages before being killed when they get too large.

The trust is calling for an immediate closure of the live wrasse fishery until fishery managers have sufficient evidence about the impact.

Wrasse angler Danny Parkins said: "Wrasse are such an important species to the environment and anglers alike.

"They are the keepers of the reefs and gullies and as such are a key part of the ecosystem.

"Recreational sea anglers like me catch and release wrasse whereas those taken for cleaner fish will be killed when they get too big for the salmon farms."

Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust and Fish Legal, said: "The only safe way to farm salmon is in sealed units with recirculation systems, which are now being required for all new farms in Norway."

The trust's campaign includes an online petition, an email system to lobby councillors and a poster to be displayed in fishing tackle shops.

Devon Wildlife Trust launched its own campaign against the practice last month.

The Plymouth fishermen did not want to be identified for fear of new attacks, but their spokesperson said: "The live wrasse fishery is the most regulated, documented and monitored inshore fishery in the country.

"Devon and Severn IFCA worked swiftly to introduce through their permitting bylaw system measures to deliver a precautionary approach to the protection of wrasse stocks and associated habitat."

"This is something that should be held up as best practice, fisherman working with scientists and regulators in such a collaborative way.

"It is a shame that Devon Wildlife Trust and now the Angling Trust have decided to wage such a big campaign against these fisherman," the spokesperson said.
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The latest bid in the project to create a Devon Metro frequent train service linking Exeter with other parts of Devon has been refused.

The decision not to give the funding go ahead to the proposed new station at the gateway to Torquay comes after a similar scheme at Marsh Barton on the outskirts of Exeter was also refused funding.

Edginswell would be the first new rail station in the resort for decades and is earmarked for woodland and open space alongside the railway and between Newton Road and Riviera Way.

Torbay MP Kevin Foster said it was disappointing that the bid for the latest round of new stations funding failed.

He said: While this is a set-back, all is not lost as the letter confirming the outcome made clear that it had proceeded beyond the initial stage of consideration.

"It also invited those working on the project to meet with Network Rail and the Department of Transport to discuss how it could be further developed.

"One issue is the significant cost added to the scheme for track alignment work that needs to be undertaken before a station can be built at the location selected.

(Image: Torbay Council)

Mr Foster added: When Parliament returns I will be seeking a meeting with the Rail Minister to push the case for a project that would not just benefit those living nearby, but also make Torbay Hospital and Edginswell Business Park easily accessible by train.

A Torbay Council spokesman said: We are very disappointed with the decision, but we are pleased the Department for Transport acknowledges the good strategic case for the station, demonstrating that the need exists.

The next step is to explore how the station can be delivered. The Department for Transport has requested a meeting with the council and Network Rail to consider alternative ways of providing a station at Edginswell and we will also look at where further savings can be made to reduce the estimated overall cost. An update on this project is expected to be presented to council in September.

A Devon County Council spokesman said: The Devon Metro strategy is continuing to progress. None of the elements of the strategy will be delivered overnight and much will depend on funding, the franchise process and support from Network Rail.

The new station, promoted by Torbay Council, was expected to open in 2018. It would consist of two 120m platforms, both with access to shelters, ticket machines, real time information lighting and CCTV.

The station would have pedestrian access from both Newton Road and Riviera Way via steps, ramps and a six meter high footbridge to platform level. Cycle access will also be provided from Newton Road.

The station would be served by trains operating between Exmouth/Exeter and Paignton, via Newton Abbot and it was anticipated that at least four trains per hour would stop at the station from December 29018.

(Image: Andy Styles)

The aim was to serve the residents of Shiphay and the Willows along with staff and visitors of Torbay Hospital and the surrounding Edginswell Business Park and employment areas, including The Willows retail parks. Torbay Council said the station would improve access to this area of the Bay and help local businesses to grow and become more accessible regionally and nationally.

Edginswell Station was to be funded by the Local Transport Board, which has already allocated 4 million of the Local Enterprise Partnerships Growth Deal settlement to the station. A further 4.2 million is still required to complete the project and Torbay Council is actively seeking funding from other sources, including the Governments New Stations Fund, additional Growth Deal, and developer contributions.

In 2014 it was said the station would cost 4.25m.

Last year planners approved the project as long as a proposed car park was scrapped after hearing there was community support for a railway halt to serve Shiphay and The Willows but not for an adjacent car park. Newton Road, to the south of the development site, currently has 45 on-street, pay-and-display parking spaces  six of which would be lost to create access for the car park.

The planners heard the 9million development, as proposed, would result in the felling of 72 trees and loss of a highly valued area of green space.

The station at Marsh Barton is expected to cost 7.4m. The two-platform station at Marsh Barton was due get under way at the end of 2016 only for it to be delayed due to technical reasons.

A new start date of early 2017 was then given but Devon County Council has now confirmed that the project is on hold pending the latest round of Government funding.

A Devon County Council spokesman said: We are extremely disappointed not to receive funding from the latest round of New Stations Funding and, as a result, it unfortunately means that the proposed scheme for a station at Marsh Barton will now be further delayed.

(Image: Devon County Council)

In making its decision on funding, the Department for Transport shared our concerns at the substantial rise in costs, but they recognised that the scheme has merit, and we will be taking them up on their offer to review the scheme with them and Network Rail. The scheme will remain on hold until this meeting can be arranged with the DfT.

He said the strategy had already provided stations at Newcourt on the Exmouth line and Cranbrook. Priority new stations also planned at Marsh Barton, and Okehampton East Parkway.

The 7.4m railway station, near Clapperbrook Lane, will eventually serve thousands of staff who work at the citys largest employment site.

The project was due to be completed by the end of the year but that date now seems unlikely.

When the scheme for the two-platform station was granted planning permission in 2015 the cost was estimated at 4.33m  it is now expected to be more than 3m higher.
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A vacant pub in Paignton has been secured after recent anti-social behaviour caused police officers to work with the owner to get possession handed back to the owner.

Squatters were evicted from the Half Moon Inn on July 14 after making life a misery for nearby residents for more than a week.

A group of people occupied the vacant pub on Torquay Road for 10 days.

Now, police officers have worked with county courts and the owner of the pub to secure a possession order to the owner of the Half Moon pub in Paignton which was secured yesterday at midday.

A spokesman from Paignton Police said: Due to the anti-social behaviour in the last few weeks, Police have been working closely with the owner of the property and the county courts. As a result a possession order was awarded back to the owner and the property was promptly secured yesterday around midday.

Squatter hung a variety of banners on the outside of the pub, and police officers removed these when securing the building.

The spokesman added: To those that hung the delightful banners across the front for all to see, if you would like them back please do get in touch, they are taking up much room and we would love to discuss with you some of the grammar errors.

The application submitted to Torbay Council by Enterprise Inns proposes the demolition of the pub and the building of three residential apartment buildings to provide 30 two-bedroom residential units, with 30 parking spaces.

The planning application will be heard at a meeting on Monday.
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Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service are calling for an increase in public vigilance after two incidents of deliberate fires within derelict buildings.

On Saturday, August 5, fire crews from Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service were called to tackle two deliberate fires within derelict buildings. The first fire took place in Wellington, Somerset, at 7.47pm, followed by the second in Bideford, North Devon, at 7.52pm.

A spokesman for the fire service said: Abandoned buildings can pose several challenges for firefighters. By their very nature, we dont know what state of repair or disrepair they are in. This poses all sorts of different hazards, such as risks of structural collapse and exposure to electricity. There could be floorboards missing and rails missing from stairwells.

A fire will spread much more quickly in a derelict building because fire safety measures such as doors and alarms may have been removed and disabled.

In a derelict building the Fire and Rescue Service may decide that it is simply too dangerous to commit firefighters into these premises, but its sometimes impossible to know if people are still inside.

Paul Bray, fire protection manager, said: Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service are asking that during the school holiday period everybody who lives, works or passes near to a derelict building becomes even more observant than normal and if anything suspicious is seen then to contact the Police.

The Service is encouraging parents to be aware of where their children are and what they are up to during the summer break. Derelict buildings can be seen as playgrounds and young people do not understand the danger they are putting themselves and the emergency services in.

Lee Howell, chief fire officer and chairman of the National Arson Prevention Forum, said: Arson is a crime and places unnecessary risk to those involved and to firefighters who respond to deal with the impact of deliberate fire setting. At the same time, whilst the Fire Service is dealing with fires in unoccupied and derelict buildings, we are tying up valuable resources that may be needed at other emergencies.

We urge anyone with information as to who may be setting these fires to call the police or Crimestoppers immediately.

If you see any suspicious activity, call the emergency services immediately on 999. Starting fires can sometimes be seen as pranks but they can lead to very serious consequences for any victims and offenders alike.

If you have information on a fire, big or small, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and give details anonymously.
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A 75-year-old man struck and killed by the first freight train of the day has been named.

Crediton-born Martin Copleston, of Alphington, died on Sunday morning on tracks at Clapperbrook railway crossing.

A spokesperson for British Transport Police, who were called to the scene at 8.30am, said a freight train from Dawlish was involved and Mr Copleston died at the scene despite the arrival of paramedics.

Devon and Cornwall Police also attended the incident, receiving a call at 8.43am with reports of a man "under a train." They assisted South West Ambulance Service in locating the incident.

The incident happened near to site where the delayed 7.4m Marsh Barton railway station is set to be built.

Trains were halted because of the incident, with delays between Exeter St David's and Newton Abbot of up to 60 minutes continued until lunchtime.

Police reports located the incident near Newton Abbot, however police soon updated their information.

British Transport Police said they were not treating the death as suspicious and an inquest was opened and adjourned to a date to be fixed.
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A man who was killed after he was stabbed at Plymouth station on Tuesday morning has been formally identified by police.

Wayne Fenton, a 49-year-old man from the Plymouth area was seriously injured on the concourse just before 10am. He was rushed to hospital by paramedics but sadly died as a result of his injuries.

A 29-year-old man from Plymouth was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody as of Wednesday afternoon.

Officers have received authorisation to detain him for a further twelve hours.

DCI Paul Langley from British Transport Police, said: "This is a fast paced investigation and I have a number of officers working behind the scenes. The man who was arrested yesterday remains in police custody and we're continuing to question him in relation to this incident.

"I would like to thank the large numbers of witnesses who have come forward and my officers are in the process of speaking to those individuals.

"Yesterday's news would have come as a devastating shock for this family. My thoughts are with them at this stage and we have specially trained officers supporting them as they come to terms with this news."

Police are appealing for witnesses following the incident, which happened at about 10am yesterday morning.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Paul Langley, of BTP, said: "We are now asking anyone who may have been at Plymouth station and witnessed what happened to come forward and speak to us.

"Any information, no matter how small, could prove vital in our enquiries.

"Together with Devon and Cornwall Police, we will have extra officers in the area in the coming days, so please do speak to them if you have any concerns at all."

Providing reassurance to the public, he added: "Thankfully, assaults such as this are very rare and we are doing everything to establish what has happened."

This morning the police cordon was lifted and the station was operating as normal.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police by sending a text to 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 159 of 08/08/2017.

Alternatively, you can ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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Police officers in Newton Abbot dispersed a group of 25 youths on Saturday night as part of an ongoing operation to combat gang crime and anti-social behaviour in the town.

A moped was also ceased as officers broken up the gang, which had no tax or insurance. The driver of the moped also had no CBT pass or license, and will be summonsed to court in due course.

Operation Turf is being run by officers in Newton Abbot after a large amount of anti-social behaviour was being reported around the Cattle Market and Bus Station area of the town.

Patrols have been increased, and the significant problem of gang crime in the area has been reduced as a result.

PC Matt Gill, who attended Newton Abbot on the night the gang of youths were dispersed, said that stops checks and arrest had helped to reduce anti-social behaviour and gang crime in Newton Abbot.

He said: On the night in question I had attended the Cattle Market (Underground car park) and there was a large group of youths there whom were dispersed and on conducting checks this particular bike had no insurance and the driver had no licence and had not even passed a test to drive a bike, so was reported for all those offences and will be dealt with in court.

Some of the individuals concerned also fall under an ongoing Operation Turf to reduce gang crime in the area which was a significant problem but due to the operation we have managed to greatly reduce this with proactive stops checks and arrests.
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Seasalt, the Cornish-based fashion brand, is holding a huge sample sale this weekend (August 12-13) with lots of bargains to be had.

It will be held at the huge main building at Westpoint on the outskirts of the city (EX5 1DJ) at Clyst St George, also the home of the Devon County Show.

The sale will include styles from its womenswear, rain and accessories collections. Why not come along and treat yourself - entry is free!

Opening times:

Saturday 12th August 9am  6pm

Sunday 13th August 10am  4pm

For details call: 01326 640075 or visit www.seasaltcornwall.co.uk
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A former UK diplomat and ambassador will soon be coming to Devon to talk about What the Jihadis Really Want. Sir Sherard Louis Cowper-Coles has had a distinguished career and now gives talks on terrorism and international relations.

The former British Ambassador to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan will be giving a talk in Clovelly, North Devon, on Saturday, October 7.

His lecture is entitled What The Jihadis Really Want. He will draw on years of experience working for the UK Government in the Middle East in this assessment of Muslim Fundamentalism and the rise of so-called Islamic State.

Hes being hosted by Clovelly Lectures Forum. According to the forums website bringing speakers like Sir Cowper-Coles to the area is meant to educate local people on international affairs.

The purpose of this Forum is to provide information on policy directions for making informed choices, states the website.

Do you ever feel that, despite the information overload from 24 hour rolling news and social media, you are disconnected from the people in power whose decisions affect the way we live?

The purpose of this Lecture Forum is to bring influential people out of the corridors of power and into a more relaxed setting where people can meet them and hear what they have to say.

To find out more visit www.clovellylectures.com.
Ever since its acquisition of Motorola, we have all wondered what Lenovos impact on the Moto brand is going to be. So much so, that most of us forgot that Motorolas rich heritage and engineering prowess may have an impact on Lenovo as well. There were signs of this all along, as Lenovos devices kept getting better over time, but the Lenovo K8 Note is perhaps the first time we see the Lenovo and Moto brands align. Its the first stock-Android smartphone from Lenovo, and the company is guaranteeing updates in future as well.

Stock Android

Why is this important? Well, because we do indeed hope that other manufacturers follow suit. Lenovo has essentially admitted that OEM built user interfaces make no sense on Android phones today. It also made a tacit admission that smartphones need to be updated from the OEMs end, regularly. The Lenovo K8 Note not only runs Android 7.1.1, the company has also promised updates in future.

Stock Android experience is the way to go for Lenovo from now on



The Lenovo K8 Note runs on Android 7.1.1, and the company has promised future updates

You may not see it right now, but this is a big move. The hope is that more OEMs follow Lenovos example and strip their devices off meaningless customisations. Of course, software changes for camera or other optimisations will continue, but app duplication, unnecessary apps etc. can certainly be removed.

While the Lenovo K8 Note is feature rich enough, but its real USP is in being the only other stock Android device in the sub-15k segment, after the Moto G5. And it beats the Moto G5 in almost every spec you can think of.

But

What I wrote up till now is essentially a summation of things Lenovo said and what stood out at the companys launch. Lenovos K series is easily its most successful brand, and the company made it a point to boast that legacy. But legacy only matters if you live up to it, which in my opinion is missing from the K8 Note. This is a first impressions only, but the K8 Note indeed felt somewhat sluggish when I tried it. The device does run on a deca core Helio X23 chipset from MediaTek though, so I wouldnt count it out based on first impressions alone.

The Lenovo K8 Note is available in "Fine Gold" and "Venom Black" colours

In tune with the lacklustre experience, the K8 Notes build also feels somewhat underwhelming. Even if we look past the fact that it looks like every budget phone today, the K8 Notes design feels markedly low-grade compared to a Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 or Moto G5 Plus. To be clear, Im not saying this is a poorly built phone. In fact, I barely had enough time with it to determine the same. But on first impressions, the Lenovo K8 Note doesnt feel as premium as even a Lenovo P2 for that matter. The company has tried to recreate the K3 Notes design, but with metal instead of polycarbonate, but where the K3 Note felt ahead of its time, the K8 Note feels behind.

The same can be said of the display, which lacks the premium touch feel. Lenovo has added an oleophobic coating here, so you wont get smudges, but the premiumness added by Gorilla Glass 4 or 3 is missing. The company did say that the phone has Gorilla Glass protection, but didnt specify the generation. Im going to hold my judgements on colour saturation etc. for now, but the display does seem decidedly behind some of its competitors.

Do first impressions matter?

While first impressions are never conclusive, with the Lenovo K8 Note I find myself in two minds. Im not a big fan of the device, but thats only because Ive seen each of Lenovos #killernote smartphones so far. Hence, Im automatically comparing the K8 Note to all of those devices and what they accomplished. This though doesnt really apply to the buyer, who is probably looking to upgrade from an older budget phone.

I appreciate the path Lenovos taken with stock Android and the promise of updates, but should that make up for a lacklustre experience?



The design is similar to most budget smartphones today



Lenovo has added a dedicated "Music Key", which can be programmed for other tasks too



The sides are slightly chamfered
The new plan is called the First Recharge (FR)  445 and is available for prepaid users in Maharashtra and Goa

Vodafone has launched a new plan that is aimed at new 4G prepaid users in Maharashtra and Goa. It is called the First Recharge (FR)  445 and costs Rs 445. It offers 84GB of data and unlimited local and STD calling over 84 days to those with 4G handsets. Those without 4G phones, the same plan offers 2GB of data with unlimited local and STD calls over 35 days.

Ashish Chandra, Business Head- Maharashtra & Goa, Vodafone India stated, At Vodafone, we have always believed in bringing the best products and services to our valuable customers. The first recharge offer is devised to provide maximum value for both voice and data to all our new pre-paid customers across Maharashtra & Goa. This new offering will further enable our customers to remain confidently connected and enjoy a worry free experience on our best network ever.

A few days ago, Vodafone launched a similar plan called the First Recharge Coupon (FRC) 244, which was also aimed at new customers. As the name suggests, the plan is priced at Rs 244, and offers 1GB of 4G data per day along with unlimited calls for 70 days. The unlimited calling is on local and STD, but is restricted to the Vodafone network. After the 70 days are done, the validity of the plan would change to 35 days.
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Cary Kopczynski & Co.

Padilla

Wang

Ali

Whiteley

Ferzli





Buob

Sellars

Hakim

In Bellevue, Cary Kopczynski & Co. appointed Joe Ferzli and Mark Whiteley to senior principal; promoted Zohrah Ali to senior design engineer and Angela Wang to senior BIM modeler; and hired Kelley Padilla as a controller, Allina Hakim as marketing coordinator, and Lianna Sellars and Rachel Buob as administrative assistants. Ferzli has nearly 20 years of experience on high-rise and mid-rise projects in the U.S., and works on client relations and project team management. He manages the Press Blocks development in Portland. Whiteley has over 20 years of experience in structural design of U.S. projects, and works on client relations and company operations. He was senior project manager on a two-tower project at 2326 Sixth Ave. in Seattle. Ali has nine years of structural engineering experience, including five with transportation-related structures. She is working on NW 14th & Glisan, a 16-story residential project in Portland. Wang has nine years of drafting and BIM experience in structural engineering. She is working on 1031 Walnut, two apartment buildings and parking structures in Fremont, California. Padilla has over 16 years of experience. She does accounting, including financial reporting, general ledger and reconciliations. Hakim works on marketing initiatives with the CEO and principals, and graphic design layouts. Sellars assists the office administrator and project managers. Buob assists other administrative assistants and project managers. CKC is a structural engineering firm, with offices also in San Francisco and Chicago.




West Seattle charter school opening

Photo from Summit Public Schools [enlarge]

Summit Public Schools is getting ready to open its newest school, Summit Atlas, at 9601 35th Ave. S.W. in West Seattle.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held Aug. 16 at the former church and Safeway store that Kirtley-Cole Associates is renovating.

The 23,700-square-foot charter school will open Aug. 21 to 350 students in grades 6-9. A future two-story addition of 23,000 square feet will provide space for another 350 students, in grades 10-12.

The overall project will contain several large open learning areas, smaller seminar classrooms, administrative offices, a lunchroom and outdoor play areas. Classrooms will have garage doors that can roll up to create a larger common space.

NAC Architecture was the designer. Pacific Charter School Development financed construction.

This is the third campus for Summit Public Schools in Washington. Others are in Seattle's International District and the Tacoma Dome area. Summit is tuition-free and open to all students.




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PORTLAND (AP)  State officials warned Monday that if California sea lions continue feeding below Willamette Falls, they could push winter steelhead trout to the brink of extinction.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reportsthat the state Department of Fish and Wildlife highlighted the threat in a population feasibility study. Without federal intervention, they said, there's an 89 percent probability that least one population of the iconic fish species will go extinct in the near future.





. . .
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The wealthy residents of Presidio Terrace were not aware their street was for sale  and not pleased when the new owner asked if they wanted to buy it back.



SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  These days, the price of a San Francisco home can easily top a million dollars. But one savvy investor has bought up a whole street in the city's most exclusive neighborhood for a mere $90,000.

Trouble is, some of the extremely wealthy residents of Presidio Terrace were not aware their street was up for sale and are not pleased it has been sold.





. . .
Defence ministry seeks 'urgent' Rs20,000 cr to meet current needs

The defence ministry on Tuesday sought an "urgent" additional allocation of Rs20,000 crore for military modernisation as well as day-to-day operating costs from the Centre.

While most reports have sought to link the demand with the standoff since mid-June between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam on the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction, such a connection is tenuous as defence purchases take years to materialise.

In fact The New Indian Express says defence ministry officials have ruled out that the additional budget requirement is a fallout of the face-off and called the demand not "unusual".

Reports said ministry of defence officials led by defence secretary Sanjay Mitra told their finance ministry counterparts in a meeting that the Rs20,000 crore was urgently required in addition to the Rs2.74 lakh crore allocated for defence in the 2017-2018 budget.

"The MoD officials said almost 50 per cent of the capital and 41 per cent of the revenue outlays in the defence budget had already been utilised in the ongoing fiscal. Moreover, the new customs duty on arms imports had also burnt a big hole in the defence budget. The finance ministry said the MoD request will be examined at the earliest," said a Times of India source.

The bulk of the capital outlay in the budget is earmarked for "committed liabilities or instalments" for deals inked earlier. The Rs2.74 lakh crore outlay also works out to just 1.56 per cent of the projected GDP, the lowest such figure since the 1962 war with China. And the bulk of the capital outlay is earmarked for "committed liabilities or instalments" for deals inked earlier.

The armed forces have projected a requirement of Rs26.84 lakh crore ($416 billion) over the next five years under the 13th Defence Plan (2017-2022) to ensure requisite military modernization and maintenance to take on the collusive threat from Pakistan and China as well as to safeguard India's expanding geostrategic interests.

The armed forces in fact want the annual defence budget to progressively reach at least 2 per cent of the GDP for their operational requirements.

While the Army has operational deficiencies in artillery guns, infantry weapons, light helicopters, night-fighting capabilities and the like, the Indian Air Force does not have enough fighters, mid-air refuellers, AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) and drones.

The Navy is struggling with shortages in the number of submarines, multi-role helicopters and minesweepers.

A notification issued by the government last week empowered Vice Chief of the Army to make hardware procurements up to Rs40 thousand crore to meet critical deficiencies. Army has identified critical deficiencies in 46 types of ammunition and 10 different types of spares to ensure reserves for "10 days of intense fighting".
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Superstar Elton John included a song by the Donegal band Little Hours to his Rocket Hour Show on an Apple Music radio station.

On the Little Hours Facebook page, the Killybegs-based duo said, Huge THANK YOU to the legend that is Sir Elton John for adding 'How Could I Love You?' to his Rocket Hour Show this week on Beats 1 Radio!

The band has been touring the UK and Ireland and this summer released a lyric video for their single, How Could I Love You?

The Irish Examiner described Little Hours as a sound that blends the earnestness of Coldplay and the shaggy blues-rock of Hozier.

Little Hours are returning to Killybegs to host a fundraiser for the Foresters Hall on Tuesday, August 15th.

The indie duo announced the special gig on the bands Facebook page.

The Foresters Hall was the first place locally that you could hear people playing original music, they said. Bands such as Submerged, Headrush, The Rails, The Revs and many more.

We've also played some of our first gigs there and have even used the Hall to rehearse and record. Without places like The Foresters Hall we wouldnt have had somewhere to go and be around other musicians, they said.

We heard they were looking to organise a fundraiser and we thought this would be a great way to give back, they said, adding, Hopefully well see you all there for a stripped back version of some old and new songs.
At least 52 people with disabilities are on social housing waiting lists in Donegal, according to one of the countrys largest charities.

Rehab, Irelands largest independent charity for people with disabilities, says the government is failing people with disabilities by not providing them with their basic human rights.

Access to appropriate social housing remains a major stumbling block for people with disabilities, the charity has said.

A lack of availability and choice makes housing a significant issue for the 600,000 people with disabilities living in our communities, it said.

The governments delay in taking responsibility for funding of appropriate housing, demonstrates a complete lack of priority for people with disabilities, according to Rehab.

The organisation , which supports over 20,000 people, has now reiterated its call for the government to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Kathleen OMeara, Rehabs Director of Communications and Public Affairs said: Ireland really needs to get to grips with how we support people with disabilities to live in their own homes. These figures show the Government is failing our most vulnerable members of society. The right to a home is a critical human right outlined in the UNCRPD.
Nixon resigns

A nation weary of Watergate and longing for an end to its divisions watched with mixed sadness and relief today as Richard M. Nixon surrendered the reins of government to Gerald R. Ford, who at 11 a.m. became President of the United States. President Ford was sworn in at an historic White House ceremony administered by Warren Burger, Chief Justice of the United States. It was a day of historic firsts.

Nixon became the first President to resign and Ford became the first to assume the office without having first been elected as either president or vice president by all the people of this country. At 8:09 last night, before a nationwide television audience estimated in excess of 130 million, Nixon announced he would step down.

Across the nation  in Jackson County as elsewhere  citizens were hoping the trauma of Watergate had ended and that the countrys business could be resumed. Jackson County Floridan, Friday, Aug. 9, 1974

Sidewalk survey: What do you think of Nixons resignation?

Under the circumstances, I think hed be better off to resign if hes guilty. I wish theyd take their mind off Watergate and put it on the economy. Odell Folsom, Marianna

I wish it wasnt necessary. I think hes a good man. Edith Orcutt, Marianna

Nixon is not the only one who should be resigning. Kay Burke, Altha

I think it would be best for the country and everyone involved  so they dont have to go through all those impeachment proceedings. Robert Felch, Campbellton

I think its good. He wasnt right to be in the White House. Margie Glass, Marianna

I think Ford will make a nice President. Janeen Demi, Curwensville, Pennsylvania

Jackson County Floridan, Friday, Aug. 9, 1974
Land pledged to the Jackson County School District will house the new Jackson K-8 school, but exactly which part of the 90-acre parcel will be used is up in the air, thanks to sinkholes found near the planned build site.

Its a problem many Floridians have faced and not one that has school officials worried about the fate of the new school.

I feel confident that its just a small challenge that well be able to work through, Superintendent Larry Moore said this week.

Hes confident that engineers and architects involved in the project will find a solution that will allow the district to safely build a new school on the city-owned property. With 90 acres to work with and plans to build on fewer than 10 acres, Moore says, theres room to shift, if we have to.

Facilities Director Stuart Wiggins echoed Moores confidence, but will know more about where the project is headed in the coming weeks, after data from ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity imaging tests have been compiled and analyzed by Nova Engineering out of Panama City and other consultants involved in the project.

The spot in question, Wiggins said, is a few hundred square feet of the 90 acres available. And though he thinks the sinkholesnot far from Russell Road, which runs along the western edge of the planned construction siteare isolated to a small portion of the land, Wiggins said additional soil borings are planned for the area that be home to the new school.

Worst case scenario: we just dont build over it.

Wiggins said shifting construction to the east is an option, adding that he thinks theres good ground surrounding the sinking area.

Were going to have a K-8 school that will meet the needs of this district on that location.

As of today, plans remain unchanged for a ceremonial groundbreaking in October with actual construction set to commence in April, in order to better align expenses with the funding cycle.

Despite the potential setback, Moore said hes still excited to be working through the process.

Its going to be a great addition to Jackson County and Jackson County schools.
Marianna Chapel Funeral Home 3960 Lafayette Street Marianna, Florida 32446 Phone: (850)526-5059 Robert "Hilton" Yon, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, August 08, 2017. By his side were his devoted wife, and three daughters. Son of the late Henry and Millie Yon, he was born December 30, 1932. He was employed as the Assistant Superintendent, with Wilson and Toomer Fertilizer Company, in Jacksonville, Port Everglades, Ft. Pierce, and Cottondale, Florida for a total of 18 years. The last 22 years of his employment, before retiring in 1991, he worked for Bell South of Chipley, FL. He was an active and faithful member of One Accord Sunday School class of North Florida Baptist Church. His hobbies and accomplishments included teaching himself to build and remodel houses, hunting, fishing, camping with his family, and traveling all the states after retirement, with his wife Jeanette, in their motor home. He also enjoyed playing with his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He is survived by many close family and friends including his beloved wife of 62 years, Jeanette Johnson Yon; three loving daughters: Diane (Richard Sprayberry) Childersburg, AL, Denise (Bruce Congleton), and Jan (Adalberto Martinez), of Tallahassee, FL; 8 grandchildren: Sunshine McLendon of Quincy, FL, Ashlynn (Jason Adank) of Tallahassee, FL, Jana Barnes (Lee), of Tallahassee, FL, Brittany Neel, of Havana, FL, Richard Sprayberry (Jamie), Madison, AL, Heather Shields, (Ray) of Tallahassee, FL, Paige Huffman, Tallahassee, FL, and Christy (David West) Tallahassee, FL; and 13 great-grandchildren: which he adored, loved to hold, and play with while displaying the biggest smile you have ever seen. He has three surviving sisters: Evelyn Andrews Wages, Betty Yon Finch, and Peggy Yon Mills. He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Millie Yon, one sister, Bernice Yon Barnes, and one brother Huston Yon. Hilton loved God, people, and his country. He was very smart, friendly, and never met a stranger. He greeted everyone with a smile and will be remembered most for his witty sense of humor and jokes. One practical joke involved him hanging a monkey on his daughters' bedroom door, so when they woke up for school and opened their door, the monkey was right there in their face. All the while, daddy-o was around the corner, laughing quietly, until his three girls screamed with excitement. Services will be held on Friday, August 11, 2017, at 1 pm (CST) time at First Baptist Church of Cottondale, Florida. Family will receive friends from 12:00 pm until time of service. Burial will be at the Baptist Cemetery in Cottondale, Florida immediately after the funeral service. In lieu of flowers please send a donation in honor to "Courage Through Cancer Ministry," P.O. Box 4067, Tallahassee, FL 32315-4067. Expressions of sympathy may be submitted online at www.mariannachapelfh.com. Marianna Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Alabama has a long history of propping up its budgets with duct tape and baling wire, cobbling together just enough to get by with the hope that nothing serious goes wrong.

Take, for instance, the state prison system. The facilities are at almost double capacity, funding cuts have tamped corrections staffing down to shockingly thin ranks, and the federal government has threatened to take control of Department of Corrections, but none of this has risen to the level of urgency. Before he resigned over a romance scandal, former Gov. Robert Bentley pushed a prison construction plan that would have cost almost $1 billion, but there were gaping holes in the plan, the least of which was how a billion-dollar loan would be paid back when the state is near broke.

Its not just the state prison system thats operating on a wing and a prayer. The Legislatures laissez faire also exists in many local governments in challenging areas such as jail operations.

Last month, a Walker County jailbreak made international news after 12 county inmates conned an inexperienced corrections officer with a little bit of peanut butter and a whole lot of chutzpah.

An attorney for one of the escapees  who were all captured  suggested that the incident was not as crazy as it may sound. The corrections officer was watching 150 inmates through security cameras, and the inmates had used peanut butter to alter a door number against an off-white background. Through the surveillance screen, the officer could have easily fallen for the ruse.

And once again, Alabama becomes an international laughingstock  the Great Peanut Butter Jailbreak follows the embarrassing unmasking of corruption, defiance and general bad behavior at the head of all three branches of state government.

Replacing unfit elected officials is the voters job.

Ensuring our lockups  state and county alike -- are both adequately equipped and well-guarded is the job of our elected leaders.
With the snap of scissors Wednesday, Bethel Christian Academy officially began its first school year with an open house following a ribbon cutting at its campus in southern Dothan.

BCA principal Donna Skinner said the original discussion about the school came about two decades earlier when Bethel Baptist Church, the parent entity, had a planning meeting.

About 20 years ago at a long-range planning committee, it was said that they wanted a family life center, said Skinner, a retired educator with 38 years of experience. I was the childrens director. I asked for a childrens wing. Someone there said, If we get all these facilities, we ought to put in a Christian school because those facilities would sit empty six days a week, and we need to be good stewards of what God gives us.

When the church added the childrens education wing to the family life center about five years ago, leaders returned to the idea of instituting a private Christian school, Skinner said. Planning for the school began in earnest about three years ago, setting the stage for Wednesdays ribbon-cutting and open house.

Forty one children from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade are enrolled for the schools first full academic day  a large number for a Christian school in its infancy. School leaders originally planned for just pre-kindergarten through third grade classes but increased the number of classes based on community response.

Providence (Christian) started with 56, Skinner said. We went to Dallas, Texas, to training, and most Christian schools start with less than 20. Weve been told that weve done great.

The number of students enrolled confirms what school and church leaders thought  a private Christian school was needed for the southern and eastern sides of Dothan. The school is located on Cottonwood Road south of the Ross Clark Circle.

With growth on the east side, we wanted to provide parents an opportunity on this side of town, Skinner said. The parents who were seeking Christian education were having to drive to Providence, which is 45 minutes from Cottonwood. Then we have parents who work at (Southeast Alabama Medical Center) who were driving over there and driving back. Location has been a great thing.

Stewart McCart enrolled his two children, Walker and Kameron, in the school because he desired a Biblically based education for them.

Were very interested in them receiving an education based on Biblical standards where they learn a Biblical worldview instead of a secular worldview, preparing them to be in the world and preparing them to be a difference-maker in the world for Christ, he said.

As a Bethel Baptist member, McCart rejoiced at the schools opening.

Its a blessing. Its a vision of our church 20, 25 years ago, he said. To see this come to fruition is a blessing. Its exciting. We view it as a ministry of the church that we can help train children up in a Biblical worldview.

The school has initiated the process to obtain accreditation through the Association of Christian Schools International, Skinner said, adding that ACSI accreditation takes three years to obtain once a school opens.

The school will add a grade level each year and is still accepting students for the new year, she said. For more information, visit the schools website at bcadothan.org.
Dothan City Schools employees walked away from the Dothan Civic Center Tuesday with insight into poverty and its relation to education following the systems annual institute event.

Ruby Payne, who holds a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from Loyola University in Chicago, discussed four hidden truths about poverty and how to approach them during a portion of her address.

Payne mentioned that one of the gifts of growing up in a survival environment is the ability to read nonverbal clues.

Nonverbals are all about intent. It tells you about whether youre going to live or die, Payne said.

She implored school staffers to be mindful of this when addressing students with a poverty background. These students can easily identify which educators like or dislike them, and that can dictate their responses to homework, instruction, and other facets of education.

If school employees find themselves encountering undesirable responses, Payne encouraged them to address it and be up front about it.

Payne also noted students in poverty often gain their value from their ability to entertain. She instructed the audience to discipline with humor and to contain those situations.

As an example of containment, Payne related a story about one of her students who incessantly made comical comments. She instituted a rule that he could make five comments in a period.

If you use them all in the first 10 minutes, were going to be really bored the rest of the time, Payne said she told him. It would be better if you made them every 10 minutes.

Payne also asked educators to never put kids down.

Another truth about life in poverty is respect is earned by being tough, Payne said, adding that students in this realm will likely test school employees to determine strength.

In response, employees should not show fear but also react without being mean, she counseled.

Educators must find ways to overcome noise levels that poverty brings. With higher numbers of people living in smaller quarters, the natural noise levels are high. TVs and radios are often at high volumes to cover unpleasant noises, Payne said.
I really enjoy the Discover Wiregrass editions, especially the one showcasing Fort Rucker. I sent my copy to my uncle in Smyrna, Georgia, who was stationed there when it was Camp Rucker. He's a very active 87 years old and he really loved reading the magazine. Thank you.
The Government needs to take urgent action to address new figures which reveal at least 400 people with disabilities are on social housing waiting lists in County Louth, that's according to one of the countrys largest charities.

Rehab, Irelands largest independent charity for people with disabilities, says the Government is failing people with disabilities by not providing them with their basic human rights.

According to a statement from the group, there are still a number of major stumbling blocks for people with disabilities.

"Access to appropriate social housing remains a major stumbling block for people with disabilities. A lack of availability and choice makes housing a significant issue for the 600,000 people with disabilities living in our communities.

"Furthermore, more than 3000 people with disabilities are still living in institutions. This figure does not include the 1,200 people under 65, most of whom have disabilities, inappropriately placed in nursing homes.

"These people housed in inappropriate setting are being deprived of the basic human right to live in the community and play an active role in society.

"The Governments delay in taking responsibility for funding of appropriate housing, demonstrates a complete lack of priority for people with disabilities.

"The organisation, which supports over 20,000 people, has now reiterated its call for the Government to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

"Ireland is the only country in Europe which has still failed to ratify this vital international agreement, which would afford people with disabilities the same basic human rights as everyone else.

"Article 19 of the UNCRPD specifically provides for people with disabilities to live independently in their communities."

Kathleen OMeara, Rehabs Director of Communications and Public Affairs said: Ireland really needs to get to grips with how we support people with disabilities to live in their own homes. These figures show the Government is failing our most vulnerable members of society. The right to a home is a critical human right outlined in the UNCRPD.

If the convention was ratified, the Government would have to be accountable. These worrying figures show that people with disabilities continue to be treated like second class citizens. The reality is that people with disabilities remain invisible when it comes to policy and service provision. Every day in Rehab services we see people living full and active lives. We support nearly 200 adults to live independently in their communities through our supported accommodation services. Its past time the Government prioritise people with disabilities, Ms OMeara added.
Scoil Naisiunta Bhride in Faughart is set to have just five pupils remaining in the school when the new school year begins this September.

As reported by LMFM, at a Parents Association meeting last night, it was revealed that the parents of 50 pupils intend registering their children elsewhere for the coming school year.

As reported by the Dundalk Democrat back in May, parents are concerned with the alleged quality of teaching in the senior classes.

This has been backed up by the Whole School Evaluation which also outlines the Dept. of Educations Inspectors serious concerns.

According to LMFM news, a School Manager was recently appointed to the school to help address the issues, but apparently this has not been a successful move.

Chairperson of the Parent's Association, Fiona O'Donnell, talking to LMFM radio, has said that if progress was not made, parents would be forced to withdraw their children from the school.

Read more here: Local parents remove children from school in protest
If Dr Stephen Snowdy had listened to the sceptics who told him it cant  or shouldnt  be done, he wouldnt have made the leap from being a high school dropout to being the CEO of Visioneering Technologies (VTI), a US-based, ASX-listed contact lense maker.

The venture capitalist and former US Navy serviceman spoke to Dynamic Business about his involvement with VTI, his interest in  and the challenges faced by  early stage medical companies and what he has accomplished by mixing risk, rigour and hard work.

DB: How did the company get started?

Snowdy: Dr. Richard Griffith  an optometrist in Florida  conceived, patented, and gave birth to Visioneerings optical designs. As an optometrist, he was frustrated with the poor performance of the lenses available for treatment of presbyopia (the age-related loss of ability to see near objects). Using his training and experience from a previous career in Aerospace Engineering, he set out to develop a clinically more effective and simpler optical method to treat presbyopia  and he succeeded.

We believe our NaturalVue MF contact lenses represent one of the most significant innovations in the optical design of multifocal contact lenses in over 20 years. The revolutionary optical design overcomes some of the major challenges associated with several existing presbyopia solutions by providing superior near, intermediate, and distance vision, and it is easy for eye care professionals to fit to their patients.

DB: How did you get involved with VTI?

Snowdy: After dropping out of high school to work with my dad, I joined the US Navy Special Forces, which required me to obtain a certificate of high school equivalency, sparking an interest in college. After moving on to study chemistry, I undertook both a PHD in Neurobiology and an MBA in finance, earning both qualifications simultaneously. From there, I started work at MB Venture Partners, which is a medical sciences venture capital firm.

I encountered Dr. Griffith and his technology during one of the firms mentoring programs, which connected venture capital investors with inventors to help them position their technologies for raising capital. I have always had a fascination with the nervous system, which is the most complex and powerful system in our bodies, and loved the way Dr Griffiths technology worked with the brain to revolutionize vision correction In 2008, after much diligence work, I led the Companys first institutional venture round, bringing in Charter Life Sciences as a co-lead. I served as the chairman of Visioneerings board until mid-2013, when I became the companys CEO.

DB: What mindset helped you become VTIs CEO?

Snowdy: The most important principle I employ in everything I do is rigour  rigour in thought, rigour in process, and rigour in personal and intellectual integrity. I was a high-school dropout, and so entered the military, and subsequently entered college academically well behind my peers.

Being so far behind, and having no study habits necessitated an approach to learning that was extremely thorough and rigorous. This involved being very aware of what I didnt know or what wasnt making sense and attacking it. Ive applied this approach to everything I do and every decision I lead.

Another principle I employ is to be very sceptical when someone says something cannot be done. Most of my major accomplishments, including many of the major accomplishments at Visioneering started with someone saying it couldnt be done. For example, as a high school dropout, I was told that I couldnt go to college. When I wanted to simultaneously earn a PhD and MBA, I was told that it couldnt  and shouldnt  be done (it is now common practice). When I performed my diligence on the Visioneering design, experts told me the design would never work (but adding that if it did work, it would be huge!).

Further, we were told that it is not possible to build a contact lens company from scratch; that we would never receive our FDA clearance, and so on and so onyet each time, we succeeded.

Accomplishment is a mixture of risk, rigour, and hard work. I feel that risk aversion, or only attempting to do what others think is easy to do, results in only incremental progress. Rigour comes into play when one needs to understand and dimensionalize the risks.

DB: What success has VTI seen under your leadership?

Snowdy: At VTI we have an incredible team of experts in contact lens design and manufacturing, regulatory affairs, finance, and sales and marketing. I am unable to take credit for what we have accomplished as a team at VTI. As a team, we have seen the company through initial product design and iteration, clinical trials, FDA clearance and inspections, building of quality systems, establishment of large-scale manufacturing, launch of a sales organization, tens of millions of dollars in fundraising, and an IPO. [Editors note: VTI listed on the ASX in March after raising A$33.3 million following the close of its IPO]

In my opinion, the key elements to these successes, and the corporate culture that is in common to everyone in our Company are intellectual rigour, high tolerance for risk and ambiguity, dogged perseverance, honesty, and deep appreciation of the uniqueness and contributions of others.

DB: Youve led a few medical startups  whats the appeal?

Snowdy: The really fun part of startups is building something from ground up; taking a concept in someones head or scrawled on the back of a napkin, through to design, patenting, clinical trials, regulatory clearances, production, and eventual sales and distribution. In a large company, a person is generally involved in only one of these areas. In a startup, everyone is involved in everything. Building a medical science company is incredibly complex, and regardless of position, every employee is directly involved in and accountable for the decisions, failures, and successes. The startup world also attracts incredibly bright people who are a blast to work with.

DB: What unique challenges do medical startups face?

Snowdy: The biggest challenges are securing funding and finding talent. Venture capital for early stage medical companies is anemic compared to past years. Also, finding intelligent people with a high tolerance for ambiguity that can tolerate financial risk is very difficult. Of course, these challenges layer onto the usual technology, regulatory, and competitive risks, but the real bottlenecks are money and peoples tolerance of the risks inherent in the startup and entrepreneurial worlds.

DB: What about the US makes it an ideal HQ for VTI?

Snowdy: The US is the largest contact lens market in the world (worth $5.4billion each year), with a massive reservoir of people experienced in the design, manufacture, and sale of contact lenses. That makes market entry and recruitment of talent much easier than it would have been elsewhere. The US also has a very mature, albeit diminished, private equity environment, which is critical to getting a medical company from founding to success.

DB: Looking ahead, what do you have planned for VTI?

Snowdy: Rocket-like growth into an internationally recognised contact lens brand, known for aggressive innovation, and for its support of eye care professionals.
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At the ceremony

This year, the ASEAN flag hoisting ceremony also aimed to mark nearly two years since the establishment of the ASEAN community and the 40year of the ASEAN - EU dialogue relationship, which shows the shared values, consensus and sustainable development of the association.

Addressing the ceremony, ASEAN members Ambassadors stressed that over the past 50 years, ASEAN has become a very successful regional organization which sees dynamic development, strict cooperation and close relations with many countries and leading organizations in the world.



The ASEAN flag hoisting ceremony honors the shared values and commitments in promoting solidarity and cooperation among ASEAN members, they said./.
As an educator, I know that many of my students experience fear and bigotry because of the color of their skin, the way they dress, or the beliefs they hold. Too often, this reality interferes with my students abilities to learn, feel accepted by their peers, and experience school as a happy and safe environment.

This past spring, a 3rd-grade student asked me, Why does our president hate me? This question caught me off guard, especially because this student was so serious and sincere in her delivery of it. When I asked the student to share why she felt that way, she responded, He wants to build a wall and send people like me to Mexico. I explained that hate is the byproduct of fear, and that people sometimes fear what they dont understand, including people who are different from them. I tried to calm her own fears by saying that the president doesnt hate her specificallyhe doesnt understand people who are different from him.

It was at that point that I realized our kids are paying significantly more attention to social media, quotes from national leaders, and news than my peers and I did as children. Shielding our kids from these potentially harmful influences might seem like the simplest solution, but as media becomes increasingly prevalent, that becomes more difficultand Ive seen many young people consume todays news with just as much savvy as adults.

When faced with my students question, I struggled to explain how our political leaders often use fear as a tool to make themselves appear necessary. As a recent TIME article explains, Fear has always been an effective form of political rhetoric, and one deployed to great effect by countless presidents. But only under our current leadership have I seen such rhetoric used to the extent that it deeply distresses my students .

President Donald Trump has relied on the fear factor from the start. In the first few minutes of his 2015 speech announcing his candidacy, he unfairly stereotyped Mexican immigrants to the United States, calling them criminals, drug users, and rapists. Close to the end of the speech, he announced his plan to build a wall along the Mexican border.

This language has naturally inspired fear in the children of immigrants. Immigrant children across the nation fear losing their parents as much as their parents fear being separated from them and their concerns are valid. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested a man in Los Angeles right after he dropped one of his daughters off at school, while his 13-year-old daughter was still in the backseat of the car. School no longer feels safe for these children, and some students fear they will be sent back to their home countries for speaking a language other than English.

In response to this hostile environment, schools across the nation are holding meetings to help immigrant parents make a plan in case they are separated from their children. Districts are sending letters home to parents to try to ease their fears that their children are not safe at school.

Our goal is to get children in school and have them engage in learning, Steven R. Staples, the superintendent of public instruction for Virginia, told The Washington Post . A frightened child doesnt learn much. He added that the state doesnt want children to be missing days of school because of concerns about immigration status.

But how can we ask our students to focus on standards when they feel like something bad could happen at any moment? A well-known sociologist, Barry Glassner, believes that Americans are living in one of the safest environments in one of the safest times in history, but that were made to feel otherwise: We are living in the most fear-mongering time in human history. And the main reason for this is that theres a lot of power and money available to individuals and organizations who can perpetuate these fears. In the Rolling Stone feature Why Were Living in the Age of Fear, writer Neil Strauss builds on Glassners research by making a distinction between fear (a response to a present threat) and anxiety (a more complex and highly manipulable response to something one anticipates might be a threat in the future).

As politicians make our students the scapegoats for Americans anxiety, many fear they are not welcome in this country. The impact of this message on their academic progress can be catastrophic. From stifling undocumented students college dreams to keeping the children of undocumented immigrants out of the classroom, fear has negatively affected our students abilities to learn.

By deriding inclusive attitudes and behavior as political correctness, politicians like Trump have made it more socially acceptable to taunt or dehumanize groups of people because of their disabilities, skin colors, cultures, or even beliefs. Our children dont need to be saved from those who are different. In fact, in an increasingly globalized world, they need to be protected from close-mindedness and unfounded fears, which can rob our nation of opportunities to thrive, grow, and benefit from our rich diversity .

Going forward, we must teach all of our students respectful ways to express themselves and connect with the world they live in, in order to provide for both their futures and the future of our nation. For me, art is the best tool for helping students understand their own sense of place and navigate the fear, hate, and intolerance in our sometimes-unaccepting world. The arts allow me to challenge my students and have them reflect on their identities and roles in their families, communities, cultures, and all the spaces they live.

My lessons ask students to consider family traditions, beliefs, and their heritage. I use global artists like Marc Chagall, Grant Wood, and Pablo Seminario to show how we can express those different roles and characteristics in healthy ways that allow us to understand our own experiences. I ask students to bring items from home, collaborate with their families to research their heritage, and share those findings with each other and in their artwork.

Next year, thanks to a grant from the NEA Foundation , I will have a new library in my classroom filled with diverse books that represent my diverse student populationbooks filled with characters that look like them, believe in different ways of life, and face adversity. These books celebrate both differences and similarities between the United States and the rest of the world.

While our world has changed, our basic need as humansto be understood and feel acceptedremains universal. I cant protect my students from the fear they may feel because of goings-on in the outside world, but in my classroom , I can create an inclusive environment for them to ask questions, be who they are, and understand that there is strength in diversity.




Philippines imposes total ban on Brazil meat

The Philippines has temporarily canceled the accreditation of all Brazilian firms exporting meat products to the country after some shipments from the Latin American country tested positive for salmonella.

A report by Business Mirror said Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Pinol had issued a memorandum formalizing his earlier pronouncement that he would impose a total ban on Brazilian meat imports. It also repeals an earlier memorandum that imposed a temporary import ban on 25 Brazilian foreign meat establishments (FMEs).

"A total of 246 out of 492 container vans were sampled and subjected to laboratory analysis from March 1 to June 30 wherein samples from 18 containers [7%] tested positive for salmonella spp.", Pinol said.

He explained that microbiological limits for salmonella spp. must be absent in 25-gramme sample.

The National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), an attached agency of the agriculture department, started performing tight inspections on all beef and poultry meat imports from Brazil on March 24. following media reports of the allegedly "rotten" Brazilian meat and the submitted communication of Brazil to the World Trade Organisation on March 22, according to Business Mirror.

Brazil exported 55,581.853 tonnes of meat and meat products to the Philippines last year, up 5.86% from the 52,505.429 tonnes in 2015.

More than half of the country's meat imports from Brazil last year were mechanically deboned meat (MDM) of chicken, reaching 30,557.036 tonnes, or 18% lower than the 37,314.374 tonnes in 2015.

Beef accounted for 33.3%, reaching 18,524.966 tonnes, or 69.04% higher than the previous year's 10,959.168 tonnes.
To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020.
Ambassador Hoang Anh Tuan (left) and Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

At the meeting, Ambassador Hoang Anh Tuan informed the Minister about the main development of the friendship cooperation and strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia over the past time, especially the results achieved during the visit to Indonesia of Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue from July 19th -21st.

At the meetings between Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue and leaders of Indonesias ministries and sectors, the two sides agreed on a series of measures to strengthen confidence and expand cooperation in a range of areas of economics, trade, investment, culture, education, security and national defence.

The Ambassador hoped that Vietnam and Indonesia would continue to promote high-level visits, as well as maintain working visits at different levels between the two countries in order to tackle emerging problems, as well as suggest measures to deepen the Vietnam-Indonesia strategic partnership.

On this occasion, he thanked Minister Pandjaitan for, in various positions, having made active contributions to the bilateral relations and expressed his wish that the Minister would continue to have more and more practical contributions.

Mr. Pandjaitan expressed his good impression of the struggle for independence of the Vietnamese people, and congratulated and appreciated Vietnams development achievements in recent years, especially in the field of economy.

The Minister said that the two countries have many cultural similarities, common strategic security interests, and need to work together to build a united, peaceful and prosperous ASEAN community.

He also emphasized that, on the basis of the good traditional relations that President Ho Chi Minh and President Sukarno built and fostered, the two countries need to deepen the bilateral cooperation to bring about practical benefits for the two peoples.

At the meeting, the two sides agreed that Vietnam and Indonesia should strengthen their cooperation, not only bilaterally but also at the multilateral level in regional and international forums./.
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Church gives over 1300 given to school

St Thomas's School has been given over 1300 by the Church of England over the last five years.

The Department of Education and Children revealed 1357 has been given to the school for ad-hoc resources since 2012.

St Mary's School has also received support from the Roman Catholic Church for resources and publication, but exact figures haven't been recorded.

The Department says it's not aware of plans for the two faith schools to receive further funds from their churches in the future.

The details were released in response to a Freedom of Information request.
More young visitors coming to TT

Visitors to this year's TT contributed almost 25m to the Manx economy according to Government statistics.

The Department of Economic Development revealed over 45,000 people came to the Isle of Man during the fortnight, contributing 24.6m to the economy - an increase of 9.3% compared to 2016.

Visitors number were up by 6.2% overall, with the majority of the new visitors coming from younger age groups.

Travelling TT fans aged 18 and under were up by more than 40%, while those aged 18 to 29 rose by 36%.

The average visitor stayed for 6.5 nights, spending 757 on their trip, while 23% of those coming to the Island were first time visitors.

Over 85% of TT visitors came from the UK and Ireland, but those coming from further afield rose by 14.5%.




The tickets are available for booking within the golden hours from 12h00 to 14h00 (GMT+7) at www.vietjetair.com (also compatible with smartphones at https://m.vietjetair.com) or at www.facebook.com/vietjetvietnam (just click the Booking tab).

The promotion is applied for all Vietjets international routes from Ho Chi Minh city, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hai Phong to Seoul, Busan (the Republic of Korea)/Hong Kong/Kaohsiung, Taipei, Tainan, Taichung (China)/Singapore/Bangkok (Thailand)/Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)/Yangon (Myanmar)/Siem Reap (Cambodia) with flight time being from September 1st, 2017 to May 31st, 2018.

In addition, the low-cost carrier continues to increase flight frequency for some international routes.

Accordingly, the Ho Chi Minh city-Seoul route will have 14 return flights a week from October 29th, 2017, increasing by seven return flights from the previous schedule.

The route will be operated with two return flights a day with departing from Ho Chi Minh city at 02h40 and 22h15 (local time) and arriving in Seoul at 09h50 and 05h25 of the next day (local time) respectively. The return flights take off from Seoul at 06h45 and 10h50 (local time) and land in Ho Chi Minh city at 10h15 and 14h20, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Da Nang-Seoul route will be also increased from the seven return flights to 14 ones per week from November 6th, 2017.

The route will fly two times a day with departing from Da Nang at 22h55 and 23h55 (local time) and arriving in Seoul at 05h00 and 06h00 of the next day (local time) respectively. The return flights take off from Seoul at 06h15 and 06h45 (local time) and land in Da Nang at 09h20 and 09h50 respectively./.
The price of one Bitcoin is $3419.05 in US dollars, 2912.06 in euros and 2632.10 in British Pounds on Wednesday 9th August.

The rally in bitcoin is approaching $3500 levels, as the buyers who had been waiting on the sidelines jump back into the digital currency after the August 1, event.

With the latest rally, bitcoins market capitalization has increased to $56.7 billion topping General Motors market capitalization of about $52 billion.

"I think a lot of new investors were waiting on the sidelines until after the hard fork" into bitcoin and bitcoin cash, said Benjamin Roberts, co-founder and CEO of Citizen Hex, an ethereum-focused start-up backed by three Canadian venture funds. "Now that it has happened with a favorable outcome (Bitcoin + Bitcoin Cash > Bitcoin), new fiat money is entering into the space," reports CNBC.

The sharp appreciation in bitcoin has encouraged the online retailer Overstock.com to hold on to about 50% of the bitcoin it gets as payment, up from the current 10%.

"I mean we can keep it either in Bitcoin or in some assortment of cryptosecurities. So you'll see a portfolio emerge there. We've had there -- had some good luck with some of our -- we've been storing some coins from counterparties for a couple of years and they've turned out -- they've grown up nicely. Anyway, we have some nice gains in the coin department," said Patrick Byrne, CEO of the company in an earnings call.

Harvard academic believes bitcoin can reach $100,000

Dennis Porto, a bitcoin investor and Harvard academic, believes that bitcoin has been following Moores law, a law formulated by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore.

"Moore's law specifically applied to the number of transistors on a circuit but can be applied to any digital technology," Porto wrote in an email to Business Insider. "Any technology that is growing exponentially (ie, "following Moore's law") has a doubling time".

Bitcoin has been doubling in price every 8 months, according to Portos analysis. If the trend continues, the cryptocurrency can reach $100,000 before it reaches mass adoption.

Bitcoin proves skeptics wrong, rallies above $3300

The huge crash and the extreme volatility being predicted by experts leading up to the hard fork never materialized.

On the contrary, bitcoin did split into two, but just days after the fork, it has surged to a new high, well above $3000. At the time of this piece, price was quoting at $3241.77 for a bitcoin.

The miner-orchestrated hard fork has had limited traction and will not impact the price or future development of bitcoin, said Aurelien Menant, chief executive officer of Gatecoin Ltd., a cryptocurrency exchange in Hong Kong, referring to the split. The activation of SegWit is a significant milestone in bitcoins technological evolution, as quoted by Bloomberg.

With the latest breakout, bitcoins market capitalization has reached $54 billion, a significant milestone. The latest rise underlines the leadership position of bitcoin.

On the other hand, the newly created bitcoin cash trades at $242, well below its highs of above $700 reached on August 2.
BoE dovish talk dents the Pound

UK judge calls for more clarity on post-Brexit legal issues

Scotiabank see rate hike hopes disappearing in the UK

Resilient or not this UK economy is still no indication of a Brexited Britain

Thursdays Bank of England meeting was particularly impactful on the GBP but it was not exactly clear why. As Governor Carney provided his usual doom and gloom Brexit dialogue and the MPC voted as expected, 6-2, to keep rates on hold, the GBP fell strongly. This weakness continued and on Tuesday GBP/USD was back below 1.30 and EUR/GBP was above 0.9000. The reason this was surprising was that we learned little new information from the meeting.

This leaves some interesting issues to consider as the reaction could have been caused by some speculative money expecting another hawkish shock from the BoE. This clearly did not materialise and so if expectations were higher than the consensus this could be the explanation. The most curious aspect of this is that the only new news was arguably hawkish as Governor Carney indicated that markets may be underpricing the potential for rates in the UK. This hawkish sting in the tail was largely ignored by markets who appeared far more concerned with the growth concerns of Brexit to pay attention to the fact that Carney was trying to feed the bulls, at least a little.

The major Brexit news on Tuesday was a Judge in the UK calling for more clarity on ECJ and UK supreme court rulings and how the whole mess would play out. The fact that this was news is frankly laughable. There has been absolutely and positively no clarity on any issue from the UK. While this is expected in the EU who have had the predicament forced upon them, Britain looks equally uncertain over the future and seems to be turning over layer after layer of fresh issues it had not considered before. The effect of all this uncertainty is being felt strongly in the economic data, but the economy, for now, is holding together. FX strategists at Scotiabank believe that despite a robust labour market, there is no hike on the horizon in the UK,

"UK house prices continue to decelerate, according to the Halifax house price survey (2.1% Y/Y in Jul, down from 2.6% in Jun) but the labour market remains robust, according to an industry survey which suggested the number of permanent positions increased at the fastest pace in two years in Jul amid a sharp fall in the supply of workers. Policy makers will have to continue juggling Brexit consequences but, after last weeks BoE hold vote, prospects for a rate increase anytime soon appear to have disappeared."

As people talk about whether or not the UK economy is performing well post Brexit, with Leave and Remain both pushing areas of the economy as examples of strength/weakness, everyone seems to be forgetting Britain is still in the EU and still making use of all its trade benefits. When Britain leaves we will see how it fares, the economy now is absolutely no indication of a fully independent UK.
Hi, I am new and can see some really interesting discussions on here!I am a retired teacher and have earned a good living to support myself and my husband over the last 9 years as a children's maths and English tutor. My husband has been working for our limited company building artisan audio products. The latter has had great reviews, s ( best sound in the NewYork Audio show 2016) but it eats money and certainly does not provide anywhere near enough to live on, just supports itself!He is shortly going to train in UK where we live as a top grade electrician- domestic and commercial and start that as a self employed business. We will keep up the audio limited company.I earn a good salary in the UK, as much as I would if I had stayed in teaching.Canada is top of our list for a new life. We are getting tired of England. In the UK every child whose parents can afford it has a tutor, so it is easy to get clients here and I have great references, reputation and of course tax records to prove the longevity of my income-How easy is it to make a living as a self employed qualified electrician-are they needed? I understand there would be tests to sit for him as an electrician. But is my self employment as a tutor transferable to Canada? Would I get the clients? Is tuition as big there as it is here in the UK? Thanks for reading. Please reply with any advice
Hi, people;

We've got a lamp, the base of which is a bust.

The nose has broken in transport, and we would like to get it fixed.

have had a search online, and finding it difficult.

anyone who can help?



Thanks!
Is anyone aware of any play groups for infants in Dubai that allows fathers to supervise their infant(s)? There seems to be plenty of mother / infant groups around, but I cannot find one that caters towards stay at home fathers.
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The train runs so close to Daniels Cafe that the whistle drowns out the Christian pop on the radio and the chatter from the 15 tables that fill the small space without making it feel crowded.

The cafes open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day but Sunday. But with a menu dominated by bacon, barbacoa, pancakes and huevos rancheros, you get the feeling that all-day breakfast is where its heart is.

The real heart of Daniels Cafe is the sister team of Sarah Linares, Cynthia Segovia and Jeanette Huerta, who have taken over the business started by their parents more than 30 years ago. I was 10 when I started, Linares said. Shes all grown up now.

Tacos: The waitress said to get chilaquiles, and a smart diner customer always does what the waitress says. The payoff was a tight scramble of fresh eggs, warm ranchera and thick homemade tortilla chips united by a blanket of melted American cheese for $1.99.

A test of a chilaquiles taco: If youd also order the full chilaquiles breakfast plate, somethings going right. Daniels serves that chilaquiles plate with beans, potatoes and bacon, ham or sausage with tortillas for $6.79.

Beans were the second recommendation. Were known for our beans, the chilaquiles advocate said. Heres why: Theyre whirled as smooth as a black velvet painting of beans, with the right ratio of salt and fat and spoon-standing body.

But after a taco with beans and bacon, Ill revise and extend her remarks to say Daniels should be known for bacon, too. Before this bacon hits the griddle, it gets a quick dredge in flour for body and extra crunch. It makes for one of the best breakfast tacos in this series ($1.69).

Daniels brought the same easy grace to barbacoa that it brought to the other tacos. It was more lean that fat, pulled in shiny fibers with just enough of the cheek meat gloss that makes barbacoa brag a little louder than the rest ($2.59).

Tortillas: Both the handmade corn and flour tortillas settled into their work with toasted purpose. Not oversize, not fat and fluffy, just strong enough in flavor and form to hold their own.

Salsa: Daniels squeeze-bottle red should have a skull and crossbones on it. You cant see the seeds or the pulp of the pepper that killed you. The evidence has been whirled away into a salsa as uniform as lava that never cools.

Im not saying thats a bad thing, but a little goes a long way  all the way to the emergency room.

By contrast, the pulpy jalapeno-tomatillo-cilantro verde will only cause slight blistering. Strong salsas for a strong taco game.

Location: 5008 S. Presa St., 210-878-4269, Facebook: @danielscafe5008

Rating: A solid neighborhood option

Follow the complete 365 Days of Tacos series at ExpressNews.com/Tacos. Get 365 Days of Tacos sent to your inbox. Sign up here.

msutter@express-news.net

Twitter: @fedmanwalking
Chef Pieter Sypesteyn woke up July 21 to the news that the Facebook rating on his New Orleans-inspired St. Marys Strip restaurant called the Cookhouse overnight had gone from an enviable 4.8 out of 5 to a dismal 2.2, thanks to several hundred one-star reviews within the span of a few minutes.

The establishment, consistently rated as one of the top in San Antonio by both diners and San Antonio Express-News critics, wasnt the only one; Wrigleyville Grill suffered the same fate.

Its very obvious its some sort of hack and were not the only ones it happened to, Cookhouse owner Pieter Sypesteyn said. Having a bad review on a format like that can be really devastating for a small business like ours.

This type of attack typically is committed by automatic computerized systems, often referred to as bots, and doesnt require hacking into the victims personal accounts.

The detractors appear on the screen as people living in Brazil, Cameroon and other far-flung locales, although its unlikely any of the accounts correspond with an actual human being. None left any commentary, and nearly all were on and off of Sypesteyns page between 6:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. the morning of the 21st.

They managed to hack Facebooks review system instead, or so it seems, Trinity University information technology communications coordinator Courtney Cunningham wrote in a message to the Express-News. Bots have gotten more sophisticated recently, able to create fake accounts quickly and get past guards for review legitimacy, how many reviews that can be left and how quickly.

Facebooks online forums have questions about similar strikes asked by business owners dating back at least two years.

The site does have a process for removing unwanted reviews, but theres a catch: only star ratings that include a comment can be reported, and none of the one-star ratings that deluged the Cookhouse and Wrigleyville did.

I can tell you that we have a dedicated team thats tasked with helping to detect and block these kinds of scams, and weve developed several techniques to help detect and block this type of abuse, a Facebook spokesman said in an email. If someone is repeatedly posting something you think is spam, consider unfriending , blocking or reporting that person. For tips on moderating Pages, we encourage you to visit: www.facebook.com/business/a/page-moderation-tips .

Sypesteyn did petition Facebook for intercession, and hes confident a resolution eventually will be reached. A post about the kerfuffle on his business page yielded more immediate results.

Cookhouse friends and family,  some unsavory folks overseas  have tainted our reputation with 300 1-star reviews in 2 minutes. Facebook customer service has been no help, so if youve been to the restaurant, and enjoyed it, please show us some love so we can get our ratings back up. Lots of love to all of you! the restaurants Facebook post read.

The spots rating currently sits at 3.9 thanks to a deluge of five-star nods, including a contribution from Cunningham.

I wanted to help because theyre a great local business close to where I work and live, she said, noting her office regularly takes job candidates to the Cookhouse during interviews. I hate to see these sorts of pointless, random digital attacks. Internet readers are notoriously poor at digging deep, so Im afraid theyll only notice the number of one-star reviews and nothing else.

The carnage was even worse at Wrigleyville Grill. The restaurant was swamped with more than 1,600 one-star posts between July 21 and Aug. 1, prompting owners to leave the following plea on their page.

These people have never been at Wrigleyville Grill. We know this was done by one of our competitors. Buying one-star reviews online and adding them to our site, the restaurants Facebook post read. We tried countless times to contact Facebook to no avail. All we get are the robot responses. We know this fraud was perpetrated with the use of Facebook. This abuse took place on Facebook. They allowed 600+ reviews to be published in a matter of hours. Where are the red flags on Facebooks part. Where is their customer service? This is a slap in the face of small business owners who use Facebook and spend hard-earned money for advertising. Where is our help?

The 1,600-point deficit has been countered with several hundred marks of high praise including a glowing five stars from San Antonio resident Bridget Garza.

While there are different means for hungry people to find new restaurants such as Yelp and Urbanspoon, many people opt to check a business Facebook page to get information. Its more convenient for individuals who would rather not have to download an app or visit a separate website, Garza wrote in a message to the Express-News. Ive been to Wrigleyville Grill several times and recommended it by word of mouth to everyone looking for a tasty affordable hot dog. If someone has never been to this restaurant before, one could quickly glance over it with its current two-star rating. It would be awful for a family business to lose potential customers and eventually be forced to shutter its doors due to a malicious spam attack.

Sypesteyn, for his part, was overwhelmed by the rapid and passionate outpouring of praise.

We felt a really awesome community response from it that we werent really expecting, said Sypesteyn, who was taking the attack in stride. For us, service is a really big aspect of what we do. We try really hard to keep up a good reputation on Facebook and Yelp. We try hard to respond to each of our guests. We put a lot into it.

But at the end of the day, social media is just one form of communicating with people. We still rely on word of mouth with our local clientele and the proof is in the pudding. Im really not too worried about it.

PStephen@express-news.net
Legislators are working to overhaul Texas' annexation law. Here's a look at how annexation works. Learn more about the laws being proposed in Austin and why these legislative changes could seriously affect San Antonio.

UPDATED

What happened with annexation reform in the special legislative session?

Annexation reform passed and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Aug. 15 and goes into effect Dec. 1. The bill was authored by state Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, and then revised in the House, to include a once-controversial, five-mile buffer meant to protect military bases from encroaching development. The bill is a big victory for those who want to have a say over where they live: the legislation gives residents veto power over a city's decision to annex them.

Read below for background on this issue.

What is annexation?

Annexation is a way for cities like San Antonio to grow, in size and in property tax revenue. City officials argue that annexation is a way to better control development happening all around them, because cities have zoning power that Texas counties don't. Cities also argue that annexation is a way to ensure people who live around cities, and utilize the services and infrastructure cities provide, help pay for those resources. There are schools of thought, however, that annexation doesn't yield the financial dividends cities argue it does.

William Luther, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

Why change Texas annexation law?

Proponents of annexation reform say no city government should be allowed to unilaterally annex unincorporated areas without residents having a say. Those residents often compare the issue to taxation without representation, meaning they should have a right to decide on annexation before a city like San Antonio can absorb them and tax them. They also say cities' intentions with annexation are not altruistic  cities often annex areas where they will gain property value in the long run, even if there are other, poorer areas, that could benefit from the city services that annexation would give them.

Is annexation reform a Republican or Democratic cause?

Generally, Republican legislators have been pushing to overhaul the state's annexation laws: state Sen. Donna Campbell and state Rep. Dan Huberty, both Republicans, have filed annexation reform legislation this special session and in previous legislative sessions. However, state Rep. Philip Cortez, a San Antonio Democrat, has also supported changing annexation law. He represents an area in far West Bexar County where residents have been aggressively pushing for the right to vote on annexation.

Tom Reel /San Antonio Express-News

What are Campbell's and Huberty's bills trying to do?

The bills, SB 6 and HB 6, respectively, would give people the right to vote or petition before a city can annex them. Residents would have the right to vote on annexation if cities in populous counties (the size is currently in flux in each bill) want to annex them. Cities in less populous counties would have to petition residents in order to annex them.

Tom Reel /San Antonio Express-News

Have these bills been attempted before?

Yes, several times, most recently during the regular session that ended in May. Campbell had proposed a bill, SB 715, giving residents the right to vote on annexation. But Democratic state Sen. Jose Menendez filibustered the bill and it died in the last moments of the regular session.

Tom Reel /San Antonio Express-News

What's the deal with a military buffer and annexation?

The idea of creating a buffer around military bases, to help protect them from encroaching development, isn't a new one. But connecting that buffer to annexation is a new idea  and a controversial one.

After Sen. Campbell filed her bill in the regular session, and it became clear the bill would likely pass, city and military officials panicked  suddenly, the possibility that cities could lose their power to unilaterally annex seemed close to reality. They said this could threaten the military bases, particularly because the federal government has indicated another round of base closures  known as base realignment and closures, or BRAC  could be on the horizon.

So, the idea of a military buffer was raised  San Antonio state Rep. Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat, along with Republican state Rep. Hugh Shine, proposed amending Campbell's bill in the House, giving cities the power to regulate land use within 5 miles of military bases. The argument is that cities and bases should be able to regulate the type of development that happens within this five-mile buffer, to ensure it doesn't threaten the mission of the bases. Because cities have powers that counties don't, the thought is that cities can better regulate development than counties can.

That five-mile buffer did not make it into the final version of Campbell's bill that Menendez filibustered.

DELCIA LOPEZ, STAFF / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Why five miles?

Five miles is the buffer recommended in a Joint Land Use Study, or JLUS, of San Antonio military bases.

Campbell and Huberty's bills originally suggested smaller buffers: a quarter mile and a half mile, respectively.

What do people who want to see annexation law changed think about the buffer?

Many of them don't like it and believe the idea conflates annexation and protecting military bases. They argue that Bexar County has ordinances in place that help protect encroachment around the bases. They also point to the fact that there is already a ton of development around the southern edge of Camp Bullis, including the large Rim shopping center  and that's in the city. San Antonio officials say this development is compatible with the military's mission.

Express-News file photo

When was the last time Texas annexation law was significantly changed?

The last major piece of annexation reform was in 1999, with the passage of SB 89. That bill required cities to implement annexation plans that meant they had to wait three years before an annexation is complete. Cities must hold public hearings on the annexation and must ensure a certain level of services are in place for those new residents once they are annexed. There are some exemptions to these rules, which include if an area has less than 100 residential properties; in that case, the annexation process can move much faster, within a matter of weeks.

Darren Abate /For the San Antonio Express-News

How complicated is Texas annexation law?

Very. Currently, there are two main types of annexations cities can do: limited-purpose and full-purpose annexation.

Under limited-purpose annexation, cities have three years to decide whether or not they want to annex all, part or none of a particular area. During that three year period, residents of the to-be-annexed area can vote in City Council elections but won't pay city taxes; certain city land-use regulations also apply in that three year period.

Under full-purpose annexation, cities also must wait the three year annexation period. But, residents can't vote in city elections and no city land-use rules apply. They still don't pay city taxes until they are fully annexed.

Ray Whitehouse /For the San Antonio Express-New

What can a city in Texas annex?

According to current state law, cities can't annex more than 10 percent of their total geographic area in a single year. Cities also can only annex areas in their extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ.

What is the ETJ?

The ETJ is unincorporated land adjacent to the city boundaries and where cities can extend certain regulations. San Antonio's ETJ is five miles in every direction from its city boundaries, but other, smaller cities can have smaller ETJs. A city can only annex land in its own ETJ. Every time a city annexes, the ETJ boundary line moves further out.

Jeff B. Flinn / Northeast Herald

Is San Antonio currently trying to annex anything?

Yes, San Antonio is in the middle of multiple annexations.

Would any of those annexations be affected by the proposed bills, if they pass?

Yes, many of them would. Let's go down the list:

 In September 2016, San Antonio City Council voted to annex an area along Interstate 10 West in north Bexar County, near Camp Bullis and the town of Boerne. However, this annexation won't be official until October 2019, so it would have to be put to a vote if any annexation reforms pass. Status: Ongoing

 In December 2016, San Antonio annexed a small, commercial area along U.S. 281. Because there were less than 100 residential properties in the area, the city could annex it quickly, by Dec. 31. Status: Completed

 In March 2017, San Antonio voted to delay annexation of a highly-populated, 12-square mile residential area along U.S. 281 until the year 2034. City officials say this agreement would be nullified if annexation reforms in the state legislature pass. Status: Ongoing

 City Council voted to annex a rural, mostly undeveloped part of south Bexar County in June 2017; because there were fewer than 100 residential properties, this annexation was made effective July 13, 2017 and so won't be affected by annexation reform bills. Status: Completed

 The city has proposed annexing a handful of commercial corridors and small enclaves scattered across Bexar County. All of these areas include less than 100 individual residential properties. San Antonio City Council is slated to vote on these annexations by Aug. 31, so they won't be subject to any new annexation laws passed during the special legislative session. Status: Ongoing

What about Alamo Ranch and areas near Lackland AFB and Potranco Road? I heard the city might annex those.

Yes, the city has considered annexing these other areas: a large, master-planned community called Alamo Ranch, just outside the intersection of Texas 151 and Loop 1604; a residential area near Loop 1604 and U.S. 90 near Lackland AFB; and an area, recently added to the list for consideration, outside of Loop 1604 near Potranco Road. However, the city has not decided whether to pursue these annexations. If the city were to pursue them, they are large enough that the plans would have to go to a vote, if the annexation bills pushed by Campbell and Huberty pass and are signed into law.

William Luther /San Antonio Express-News

Are there any areas the city has decided not to annex?

Yes. In summer 2016, San Antonio decided against annexing an area in northeast Bexar County that included the notorious Camelot II neighborhood, which suffered from numerous trash and crime problems. The city said annexing this area didn't make financial sense. However, the neighboring suburban city of Converse agreed to annex the area as part of a complicated, multi-year land swap with San Antonio.

Lisa Krantz/San Antonio Express-News

Why does annexation seem to be such a big deal in San Antonio?

Unlike Houston or Dallas, which are almost completely surrounded by other existing suburban cities, San Antonio still has room to grow. With the exception of the suburban cities along Interstate 35, headed to Austin, there are few other cities that actually border San Antonio or threaten to hem it in.

However, cities across the state do not want to lose the ability to annex.

vdavila@express-news.net
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The Border Patrol is considering building 32 miles of fencing in Starr County, a heavily used smuggling corridor thats also a region of Texas with no existing border wall and is dominated by private property, according to several people who met with the agency last week.

The U.S. House of Representatives last month passed a budget that would give the Border Patrol $1.6 billion to build 60 miles of new fencing in Texas.

Some of that would go to building 28 miles of levee wall farther south in Hidalgo County, but a proposed location of the remaining 32 miles had not previously been released. The Senate has not voted on the budget.

Scott Nicol, co-chairman of the Borderlands Team for the Sierra Club, said he and representatives of several other nonprofits met with Border Patrol officials on Thursday.

During the meeting, officials displayed a map that showed 32 miles of fencing broken into three segments in Starr County. Nicol provided the San Antonio Express-News with a picture he took of the map using his cellphone, and other attendees confirmed his version of events.

They used the word preliminary repeatedly, Nicol said. Essentially what they were saying was, until they get their funding from Congress, everything was preliminary and subject to change. I dont know if it would change or not, but that was how they described it at the time.

The map shows a segment of fencing running form the Hidalgo County line past the small community of La Grulla, a shorter segment near Rio Grande City and a fairly long segment  longer than any previously proposed fencing in Starr County  that would run from Roma to the Falcon Dam.

A Border Patrol spokesman said Tuesday that the agency still is in the research and planning process for construction of new wall and it would be premature to speak about specific locations or address the questions below because those are predicated on FY18 funding decisions.

Nicol said Border Patrol officials said the proposed fence would be built to the same specifications as existing fencing in Cameron County, which is composed of 6-inch-wide and 18-foot-tall steel posts with 4-inch gaps between them.

Its going to involve a lot of land condemnation, Nicol said of the proposal. Its mostly private property out that way.

The small community of Salineno, a popular birding location west of Roma, also could be affected by the fence, he said.

People come from all over the country and all over the world to see birds that they can only find in the Rio Grande Valley, and thats one of the key places that they go to, Nicol said.

Building fencing in the Rio Grande Valley, which sees more illegal immigration than anywhere else in the country and is a major drug trafficking corridor as well, has been a priority for the Border Patrol under President Donald Trump.

Starr County in particular has been a site of trafficking-related violence in the past year. There are 56 miles of fencing in Cameron and Hidalgo counties, but none in Starr County.

The Rio Grande Valley has been an area of exploitation and an area lacking in border infrastructure, Ronald D. Vitiello, the acting deputy commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said in a June news conference. These miles will help connect existing segments of wall throughout the area and fill critical gaps.

Nicol said that in the meeting, Border Patrol officials gave very broad explanations for why they want fencing on the chosen stretches of border.

They essentially said they had more apprehensions in Starr County than in Cameron County, so they wouldnt build any walls in Cameron, but they would build walls in Starr and Hidalgo, he said.

The Homeland Security Department asked for nearly $1 billion in an amended budget request for this year that would have allowed it to fill in gaps in the existing wall built atop levees in Hidalgo County, as well as 16 miles of fence planned but never constructed in western Hidalgo County and Starr County under the administration of then-President George W. Bush.

The 16 miles of fencing would have run near the community of Los Ebanos in Hidalgo County and the towns of Roma and Rio Grande City in Starr County, but the Border Patrol was not awarded the money.

Nonetheless, landowners in those areas received notices earlier this year that the Justice Department was reviving long-dormant condemnation lawsuits against their property. The Border Patrol is conducting soil samples for construction of the 28 miles of additional levee wall.

The FY 2018 budget passed by the House would provide funds to fill in the gaps in the levee walls, which environmentalists are concerned would cut off access to wildlife refuges, and would greatly expand the proposed fencing in Starr County. The Border Patrol also is evaluating prototypes of a new border wall that officials say will be more difficult to circumvent than the existing fencing, but its not clear where those will be used.

In an interview last week, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, whose district includes Starr County and portions of Hidalgo County, said reports that the Border Patrol had re-purposed existing funds to speed construction on the levee wall were false.

The bottom line is under the current budget theres no new money for fencing, and if they wanted to reprogram money, theyd have to come to us and wed have to authorize the reprogramming, said Cuellar, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee.

Cuellar in the past has called the construction of fencing atop the levees in Hidalgo County, which are owned by the government, a good compromise between border security needs and respecting property rights.

In a statement this week, he voiced opposition to the proposed fencing in Starr County.

While CBP has not released official maps, we can see from this photo that the proposed wall construction would encroach on wildlife habitats and private land, Cuellar said. What officials in Washington need to do is listen to the people here on the border.

Landowners and constituents want border security, but they have seen that walls and fences dont work. This massively expensive project is nothing more than a 14th century solution to a 21st century challenge. We can achieve better border security by funding our border patrol agents with the right technology and support systems.

Trump has issued various statments on whether the homeland security needs to build a fence along the entire 2,000-mile-long border with Mexico, most recently saying 700 to 900 miles may be sufficient.

There already are 650 miles of fencing on the border, including 115 miles in Texas. Much of the existing fencing in states farther west was built on public land, but construction in Texas sparked a legal battle over the use of eminent domain to take private property.

Earlier this year, a Justice Department official said about 100 lawsuits remained unresolved in the Valley.

Republican members of Texas congressional delegation, including Rep. Will Hurd of San Antonio and Sen. John Cornyn, have voiced skepticism about the need for a wall or more fencing.

Cornyn introduced a bill last week that would focus on funding technology, additional Border Patrol agents and grants for state and local law enforcement.

John Michael Torres, the communications coordinator for La Union Del Pueblo Entero who also was in last weeks meeting with the Border Patrol, said the newly proposed segments of fencing raise concerns about privacy and property rights and flooding if construction takes place in the Rio Grande flood plain.

Torres said the Border Patrol is not being sufficiently transparent and should be seeking public input about the location of fence.

The main takeaway that I got out of that meeting is they are pretty far in the planning process and that now is the time that they should be taking input from the public before they make the big decisions, he said. This is when we should have a voice, the public should have a voice.

JBuch@express-news.net
Edward A. Ornelas /San Antonio Express-News

San Antonios ozone levels are expected to rise to unhealthy concentrations for sensitive groups on Wednesday, state officials said.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is forecasting high ozone levels for the citys South and Southwest sides because of low winds, abundant sunshine and high background levels of the air pollutant.
Thirty-two men landed at Kelly AFB early on the morning of Feb. 15, 1973, the leading edge of San Antonios participation in Operation Homecoming  flights bringing prisoners of war to hospitals and soon, home.

That first plane carried 20 Air Force and 12 Army personnel. At the top of the list was Army Sgt. Ken Wallingford and Air Force Capt. James Ray, followed by many more arriving in San Antonio after an extended and less than pleasant stay in North Vietnam. They were taken to Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston and Wilford Hall Air Force Medical Center at Lackland AFB.

Ray had been a prisoner for nearly seven years after his plane was shot down and he was captured May 8, 1966. Wallingford had been in captivity for not quite a year. Eight other military hospitals across the country also were receiving returning POWs, 591 in all, including 23 civilians, released under the Paris Peace Accord between the United States, North Vietnam, the Viet Cong and South Vietnam.

Under the nationwide effort, the men were cared for, caught up with current events and reunited with their families.

Kelly became the focus of attention in San Antonio as the Vietnam War was drawing to a close, said Ann Hussey, a retired historian and co-author of Kelly Air Force Base: 85 Years of Service, published in 2001.

As soon as the peace accord was signed, Operation Homecoming began, Hussey said. Were talking about almost 600 men returning in various phases of physical well-being and emotional well-being. Needless to say, we had to have a plan.

The Paris accord had been negotiated for months and was signed on Jan. 27, 1973. Three weeks later, the Lockheed c-141a Starlifters began pulling the American prisoners out of Vietnam, bringing them first to Clark Air Base in the Philippines, where they were sorted according to their stateside destinations.

The first plane across the Pacific carried 142 men, followed by 53 more flights. Names of returning soldiers and airmen made the news. Each repatriated prisoners family was assigned a personal assistance officer to help ease the transition, answer questions or address concerns.

The officers in charge of the operation at Kelly wanted to keep things quiet for the returnees, to let them ease into their home life. Some of them had spent six years or more in the worst prisons in North Vietnam. One of the most notorious, the Hanoi Hilton, became part of the bitter lexicon of Americans divided by the war. Air Force Capt. James Ray described it in a response to Jane Fonda, the actress and outspoken opponent of U.S. policy, as the place where he suffered torture still visible on his arms.

While there was so much excitement publicly, they wanted to keep it as controlled as they could, Hussey said. The public was never allowed (to watch) any of the return flights. However, the Kelly folks said, if its on a weekend and you worked on Kelly, you and your family could come to the flightline. Everyone at Kelly took great pride in welcoming home these men who had spent years in captivity and experienced unbelievable horror.

Hussey comes from a military family  her dad was in the Army  and recalls how the length and cost of the war had drained everyone.

I can remember being in high school, and we were overseas, and Id be getting ready to go to school, and I would listen to the body count, Hussey said. Every morning, every single morning, we got the body count. It was a military radio (network), but here in the States, youve got the body count every night with Walter Cronkite.

Historian Andrew H. Lipps, who wrote, Operation Homecoming: The Return of American POWs from Vietnam, described the feeling of the prisoners as they realized they were being released.

Imagine you're imprisoned in a cage; imagine the cage surrounded by the smell of feces; imagine the rotted food you eat is so infested with insects that to eat only a few is a blessing; imagine knowing your life could be taken by one of your captors on a whim at any moment; imagine you are subjected to mental and physical torture designed to break not bones but instead spirit on a daily basis, Lipps wrote. Imagine one day, after seemingly endless disappointment, you are given a change of clothes and lined up to watch an American plane land to return you home.  That was Operation Homecoming.

The last of the freed prisoners left Clark Air Base on April 4, 1973. It had taken three months.

Kelly AFB closed on July 1, 2001, as the Air Force downsized. Hussey remembers the closing ceremony and the sadness felt by San Antonians. Now Kelly is Port San Antonio, putting the runway to use and expanding public-private partnerships, air freight and other services. Some historic buildings are gone, Hussey said, but the transformation has been an amazing job.

JPolcyn@express-news.net

COMING THURSDAY: Solar illumination at San Antonio missions.
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Anonymous companies have attracted much attention in the past couple of years, and for good reason. These companies are used to facilitate a number of crimes, including corruption, money laundering and the trafficking of arms, drugs and humans.

Recent discussions about how to address anonymous companies have raised important national security issues. News stories point to how Moscow interfered in Central and Eastern European countries by using anonymous companies to take over important sections of the economy.

NPR recently did a segment on how anonymous companies enable North Korea to dodge sanctions. And almost every story on money laundering and real estate seems to feature anonymous companies.

The steady stream of news is not surprising as the United States has been subject to increased criticism for its lax approach to anonymous companies, particularly in the aftermath of the Panama Papers. However, there are recent and positive signs that the U.S. is beginning to address the potential threat that anonymous companies pose to our security and economy.

Last December a report on the United States by the global anti-money laundering body, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), found significant weaknesses in the U.S. AML framework. The most important finding related to gaps in access to information on the ultimate owners (beneficial owners) of companies.

In January, the GAO issued a report which reviewed the available information on the ownership of General Services Administration (GSA) leased spaces that require higher levels of security protection due to factors such as mission criticality and facility size (high-security space). The GAO was unable to identify ownership information for about one-third of GSAs 1,406 high-security leases because ownership information was not readily available for all buildings. The report also found that 20 of the leases were in buildings with direct foreign ownership.

In response to this report, and to address the national security issues (such as cyber intrusions) that arise when federal agencies lack information about the beneficial owners of their high-security facilities, bipartisan legislation, the Secure Government Buildings from Espionage Act of 2017, was introduced by Congressmen Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Peter King (R-NY). This bill would require that beneficial ownership information by bidders for high security leases be disclosed to the federal government.

In February, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) renewed existing Geographic Targeting Orders (GTO) that temporarily require U.S. title insurance companies to identify the natural persons behind shell companies that pay all cash for high-end residential real estate in six major metropolitan areas.

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) recently introduced the End Secret Holdings and Ethical and Legal Loopholes (SHELLs) Act (H.R. 3295), which would require the President, the Vice President, and certain high-level officials to file a report with the Office of Government Ethics when selling real property, disclosing each natural person who is a beneficial owner of the real property upon completion of the sale.

In July, the Aircraft Ownership Transparency Act of 2017 (H.R. 3544), was introduced by Reps. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Peter King (R-NY), and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY). The bill would require that those seeking to register aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through anonymous shell companies disclose the beneficial owners behind the entities.

Finally, to address the lack of ownership transparency at the time of company formation, bipartisan pieces of legislation were introduced in June to require companies to disclose information about the real people who own or control them, upon incorporation. The Senate bill, True Incorporation Transparency for Law Enforcement (TITLE) Act (S.1454) is sponsored by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).

Over on the House side, the Corporate Transparency Act of 2017 (H.R.3089) has been introduced by by Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Pete King (R-NY). It is important to note that H.R. 3089 has 10 co-sponsors (more than ever before), 5 of whom are Republican including Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who co-chairs the Helsinki Commission and Rep. Ed Royce, the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Before Congress went on recess, two big names, Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) also introduced S.1717, the Senate companion bill to H.R.3089.

While both the TITLE Act and the Corporate Transparency Act require collection of beneficial ownership information at the time of company formation, the TITLE Act requires states to collect the information. The Corporate Transparency Act authorizes FinCEN to collect the information in cases where the state cannot. Both bills provide access of the information collected to law enforcement (upon receipt of a subpoena) and also to financial institutions (upon customer consent).

While bipartisan legislation requiring incorporation transparency has been proposed in each session of Congress since 2008, it has never become law. However, this time feels different because there is more press attention focused on anonymous companies. These bills enjoy support from anti-corruption groups, including the Coalition for Integrity, law enforcement groups, as well as new allies.

Clearing House, a banking association which conducts advocacy on behalf of the largest U.S. commercial banks, has expressed support for the legislation as banks could also potentially benefit from having access to the information for their due diligence efforts. The B Team leaders and CEOs of several companies including the Dow Chemical Group sent a letter to key members of Congress in support of these legislative efforts as transparency on company ownership would aid in risk management and corporate due diligence efforts.

A lot of work remains, but the momentum towards transparency has increased. We still need more supporters, especially from the private sector, to counteract the opposition that these legislative efforts face from the Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of State Secretaries. If you are interested in learning more or in supporting the movement for greater transparency, please contact us.

____

Shruti J. Shah, pictured above, is a contributing editor of the FCPA Blog. Shes the Vice President of Programs and Operations at Coalition for Integrity (formerly Transparency International-USA). She can be contacted here.
Travelling is important. I lived in Japan for a year and a half, and Ive done stints in China and Peru. Ive got my eye on the Arctic next. I always end up writing about people who go to and come from far-flung places  its because staying too long in one place feels wrong.

Natasha Pulley

I have bad luck with animals. The last time I went on a proper holiday, I went up a mountain to look at a waterfall, where I was promptly bitten by a territorial monkey and then spent six months being treated against tetanus. And Ive been pinned to a fence by an annoyed goat.

I love languages. I did linguistics as part of my degree and I was the worst in my year (my tutor flat out told me so) but I still think its massive fun. I speak some Japanese and Spanish, and I want to try Norwegian or Danish next. Researching for books, actually knowing the local language opens a lot of doors. A surprising amount of brilliant stuff, historical records especially, has never been translated.

Im lonely a lot of the time. I live by myself  writing is pretty solitary  and most of my interactions are with the automatic checkout at Morrisons. But thats important; it all goes into stories.

I write fantasy, usually set in real historical periods. Im always blown over by what crops up in the real world  marvellous, magic-sounding things sometimes  and I like the idea of not just having magic versus real in a book, but a spectrum where it all fades together.

Ive only ever been a writer. Ive worked briefly in bookshops and publishing houses, but only to fund my masters, which, not surprisingly, was in Creative Writing. I teach now too at a couple of universities, but I teach writing: theres nothing else to fall back on, so Im hoping pretty fervently that it works out.

I sleep badly. I tend to wake up at about four in the morning. Its great, though, because good ideas often come along then. I think a lot of it is about being tired enough to let go of what you think ought to happen, and see what you really want to.

I talk about seeing what youre writing because I do. I was much better at art than writing when I was younger  I even did mural painting as a summer job once  and that affects how I imagine. Now, the point at which I feel like I know a story properly is when I can see the dust in the air and the trademark imprints on peoples buttons. I think that detail is important  I think you have to know far more than you ever actually include. Theres less of a chance then that youll be unclear, and more of a chance it will feel rich.

The next book is in the works. Its on my editors desk now. Its a sequel to the first, and its set almost completely in Japan, in 1889. Part of it takes place in Tokyo and part in an extremely cold place in the far north, called Abashiri, where I once dragged twenty over-obliging members of the English Society round a prison museum for research.

I have a proper horror of sex scenes. My grandma reads my books. One day Ill be brave, but that day is not today!

Natasha Pulleys new novel, The Bedlam Stacks, is available on Audible.co.uk now, and is published in hardback and ebook by Bloomsbury Circus.
John Boyega believes Carrie Fisher encouraged people to be "authentic".

John Boyega

The 25-year-old actor appeared alongside Carrie in the critically-acclaimed 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' in 2015 and has promised the next instalment in the money-spinning franchise will pay homage to the actress, who died in December last year.

John said: "Carrie Fisher means freedom. She influenced people to be authentic and say what you want, however you want.

"I'll miss her energy. You were always going to hear Carrie Fisher somewhere saying something that she has no business saying, that makes everybody laugh."

The London-born actor has reprised the role of Finn for the much-anticipated 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi', which is due out later this year.

John's first performance as Finn has seen him become one of the most sought-after stars in Hollywood, but he's insisted the experience hasn't transformed his life.

Speaking to Variety magazine, John explained: "One movie can't change your life to the point where you can't walk the streets.

"I go to the supermarket. I do my own shopping. I go out to the park with my friends. I go to the movies. Some people recognise me, but with most it doesn't register."

John's casting in the 'Star Wars' series was not universally popular, with some fans questioning whether a black actor was suitable for the role.

But John said that experience served to remind him of the "ignorance" that still exists around the world.

He recalled: "When I was exposed to the world in 'Star Wars,' I also was exposed to the reality of ignorance that still exists around the world.

"When I was in 'Star Wars' there was a semi, kind of racial discussion that was quite negative when it first came out."
Rebel Wilson was rushed to hospital after a fall.

Rebel Wilson

The 37-year-old actress was taken to the accident and emergency department of a medical facility in Long Island, New York, on Tuesday (08.08.17) after a stumble which left her suffering from "mild concussion", and she took to her Instagram account afterwards to thank everyone who helped her.

Posting a picture of herself in a purple dress while holding a small fan, she wrote: "Started the day with a fall that led to a mild concussion...yet somehow looking not bad at 7pm...thank you to everyone on Long Island who helped me today in the emergency room & ambulance x (sic)"

The 'How to be Single' star is currently shooting new film 'Isn't It Romantic' and she hinted the fall was down to her performing some "crazy stunts", admitting she'll be taking it easy for the rest of the week.

She wrote on Twitter: "Slaying my mild concussion suffered today! Won't be doing any crazy stunts the next few days though! (sic)"

Rebel stars alongside Liam Hemsworth in the forthcoming comedy film, and she recently admitted being excited about smooching the hunk in the motion picture.

She said: "I get to pash him in the movie."

Last month, Rebel shared a picture of a scene from the film on her Instagram of her embracing the 27-year-old star.

She simply wrote in the caption: "Yep x (sic)"

The star shared another photo of herself and Liam standing under an umbrella on set just a week earlier.

Rebel wrote: "Just two Aussies trying to act in half-rain & with 20 paps shooting us x (sic)"
Will Smith "has the ears" to play former US President Barack Obama in a movie.

Will Smith

The 48-year-old rapper and actor was the first guest on the new Apple Music show 'Carpool Karaoke' and revealed to James Corden that he has been in talks with the former American leader to play him in a future biopic.

Smith said: "I have talked to Barack about it. He felt confident that I had the ears for the role."

The actor, who shot to fame in 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air', is known for a number of catch phrases and he joked he could incorporate some of them into the role as Obama.

'Carpool Karaoke' made the jump to Apple Music after becoming a regular feature of Corden's 'Late Late Show'.

During his time of the debut episode, Corden learnt that Smith wrote his first rhyme when he was just 12 and commercially released at 16.

Smith said: "You cannot beat your friends in high school knowing you have a hit record on the radio."

Two new episodes will be released each week and will feature various gusts including John Legend, Seth MacFarlane and 'Game of Thrones' stars Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams.

Smith recently was cast to play The Genie in the Guy Ritchie live-action remake of the 1992 Disney classic 'Aladdin'.

He joins Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine and Mena Massoud as the titular street urchin and Marwan Kenzari as the villain Jafar.

The original cartoon - which saw the late great Robin Williams voice The Genie - won two Oscars, Best Music and Original Song for 'A Whole New World'.

'Aladdin' has also been turned into a hit stage show playing at theatres all over the world.
Actor Klein married travel agent Thyfault on 9th August 2015 in Montana at the Rainbow Ranch on the banks of the Gallatin River in front of 115 people.

Chris Klein and Laina Rose Thyfault (Credit: Famous)

"Laina and Chris wanted to stay true to the nature of Montana and chose native grasses, sage and flowers in a soft color palette to reflect the beauty of Montana," their wedding planner Jennifer Horsley of Habitat Events told PEOPLE.

Klein reportedly wore a Shoreditch London three-piece suit on the big day after he popped the question in Venice Beach following three years of dating. They allegedly first met at a mutual friend's wedding.

This is the first time Klein has been married but the second time he has been engaged after a brief engagement to Katie Holmes.

"Katie and I were on a journey together. I was the actor who played Oz in American Pie and she was the actress who played Joey Potter in Dawson's Creek; we were like prom king and queen," Chris told People in 2012. "We had a similar upbringing and we were going through the same experience. As the teenage craze came to an end; we found that our relationship was changing as well. From my side, there was a lot of denial and fear about the future. It ended as amicably as these things can end." (www.hellomagazine.com)

In March 2016, Klein announced in a tweet that he and his wife were expecting their first child.

Their son, Frederick Easton Klein, was born on July 23, 2016.

Congratulations Chris and Laina!

Source: www.USmagazine.com and Wikipedia

by Lucy Moore for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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The world's largest brewery concern Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), headquartered in Belgium, has reached a non-binding agreement with Anadolu Efes, the leading brewer in Turkey, regarding a 50:50 merger of AB InBevs and Anadolu Efes' existing Russia and Ukraine businesses.

"The combined business' ambitions would be to lead the Russian and Ukrainian markets, with a diverse portfolio of brands and a broader range of beers for consumers," the companies said in a joint press release on Wednesday.

The companies anticipate the transaction could complete by the end of H1 2018. Until completion of the transaction, both AB InBev and Anadolu Efes' businesses in Russia and Ukraine remain separate and continue business as usual.

According to the press release, the announcement of this non-binding agreement follows AB InBevs acquisition of a 24% stake in Anadolu Efes as part of the companys combination with SABMiller, which completed in October 2016.

The transaction remains conditional on the completion of satisfactory due diligence and is subject to regulatory approvals in Russia and Ukraine.

This intended combination of the companies' operations in Russia and Ukraine would strengthen the competitive position of both AB InBevs and Anadolu Efes' brands in these markets, with the potential for further growth.

In addition, the combination would enhance AB InBev's existing relationship with Anadolu Efes and the value of its stake in Anadolu Efes.

According to the press release, following the closing of the intended transaction, the combined business would be fully consolidated in the Anadolu Efes financial accounts. As a result, AB InBev would stop consolidating its operations in Russia and Ukraine and account for its investment resulting from this transaction under the equity method.

The name of the combined company would be AB InBev-Efes and both AB InBev and Anadolu Efes would have equal representation on the Board of Directors, with Tuncay Ozilhan, current Chairman of the Anadolu Group and Anadolu Efes, serving as the Chairman.

Both AB InBev and Anadolu Efes have agreed in principle to the nomination of Dmitry Shpakov, the current president of the AB InBev Russia and Ukraine businesses, as the CEO candidate to lead and run the combined AB InBev-Efes business, and to the nomination of Roy Cornish, the current Managing Director of Efes-Rus, as its CFO candidate.

Other details of the deal are not disclosed.
Japanese retailer Uniqlo has launched vending machines called Uniqlo To Go that dispense clothes in the US. The company has installed the first machine at the Oakland Airport in California and plans to have machines at 10 locations including malls and airports across the country. The machine dispenses shirts and light jackets for both men and women.

The machines will be installed in major cities including Los Angeles and New York within the next two months, according to media reports.

The vending machines will help the Japanese retailer grow its presence in the US, without investing in stores. They will also help the company cut middle man costs.

Japanese retailer Uniqlo has launched vending machines called Uniqlo To Go that dispense clothes in the US. The company has installed the first machine at the Oakland Airport in California and plans to have machines at 10 locations including malls and airports across the country. The machine dispenses shirts and light jackets for both men and women.#

The machines featuring touchscreens, will allow customers to buy clothing items using their credit or debit cards. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
ASOS has announced that it has signed an agreement to establish a new North American e-commerce fulfilment centre (FC) in Union City, outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Final interior decoration is expected to commence shortly, with operations starting in Autumn 2018. It will significantly enhance ASOS' US customer proposition providing flexible delivery options.

As part of its planned, phased development programme, ASOS will initially invest approximately $40 million in fit-out, establishing a 10 million-unit capacity facility with the opportunity to expand further at the appropriate time.

The agreement marks a significant progression in the company's targeted geographic growth strategy, said the company in a press release.

ASOS has announced that it has signed an agreement to establish a new North American e-commerce fulfilment centre (FC) in Union City, outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Final interior decoration is expected to commence shortly, with operations starting in Autumn 2018. It will significantly enhance ASOS' US customer proposition providing flexible delivery options.#

"This agreement is a major step forward for ASOS in the US and demonstrates the opportunity we believe lies ahead in this key market. Our US business delivered 39 per cent constant currency growth in the first six months of the current financial year following sales of 179 million in the year ended August 2016. Our US FC will enable us to significantly develop our proposition for our 20-something US customers supporting our continued growth and future ambitions," said Nick Beighton, CEO, ASOS.

ASOS is a global fashion destination for 20-somethings. It sells cutting-edge fashion and offers a wide variety of fashion-related content. The company sells over 85,000 branded and own-label products through localised mobile and web experiences, delivering from its FCs in the UK, US and Europe to almost every country in the world. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The reduction in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate for job work for the entire value chain of textiles sector to 5 per cent is a huge relief for the sector, The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (Texprocil) has said. Prior to GST Councils recent decision, job works related to man-made fibres yarns and madeups / garments was 18 per cent.

The reduction in the GST rate for job work in the madeups and garment sectors is welcome and a positive measure which will bring down the costs for the textiles sector across the value chain, said Texprocil chairman Ujwal Lahoti in a media release.

Majority of the manufacturing activities in the textiles sector take place through job work and the reduction in the GST rate for job work has come as a huge relief for the sector, he added.

The reduction in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate for job work for the entire value chain of textiles sector to 5 per cent is a huge relief for the sector, The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (Texprocil) has said. Prior to GST Council's recent decision, job works related to man-made fibres yarns and madeups / garments was 18 per cent.#

With regard to exports, Lahoti said, Merchant exporters cannot benefit from the facility of exports under bond/ letter of undertaking (LUT). There is no enabling document prescribed so far by the Government under which goods can be cleared by a manufacturer without charging IGST meant for exports by a merchant exporter against bond/LUT.

In the absence of a prescribed provision, manufacturers charge IGST on the goods supplied by them to the merchant exporter meant for exports under bond/LUT. While in the erstwhile Central Excise regime, there was a facility under which a merchant exporter who had executed a Bond (B-1 Bond) was provided with C.T.1 certificates. The manufacturers supplied the goods without charging Central Excise duty to the merchant exporters against the C.T.1 certificates.

Texprocil chairman urged the government to introduce a facility similar to the one that existed previously, at the earliest so that the merchant exporters exporting under bond/LUT can get IGST free goods from the manufacturers.

The Foreign Trade Policy allows fulfilment of export obligations under various schemes though third party exports. Such a provision of getting exports goods without payment of IGST from the textiles manufacturers will lead to ease of doing business and also seamless flow of credits, according to Lahoti.

Further, to operate under the facility of bond/ LUT, a Bank Guarantee is required to be furnished by the exporters. However, in the Central Excise regime, merchant exporters who were members of an Export Promotion Council (EPC) were exempted from furnishing Bank Guarantees while executing B-1 Bond. Texprocil chairman urged the government to exempt those exporters holding a valid membership with an EPC from furnishing Bank Guarantees as it increases costs for the exporters. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Solidaridad and QuizRR have announced a collaboration that will provide business opportunities for the European textile industry. The association will help the industry meet its sustainability commitments. It will offer solutions based on measurable and scalable training for decent working conditions, safe workplaces and fair wages in developing markets.

"The only way forward is through collaboration and global partnerships between organisations and businesses that realise the benefits of dialogue and fair working conditions. Its about stepping up from compliance and developing leadership in social sustainability to become role models and drivers of change. The collaboration between Solidaridad and QuizRR will take businesses beyond audit to integrated sustainable practices," said Sofie Nordstrom, founder and deputy CEO at QuizRR.

Companies engaging in developing markets often lack tools to develop and secure functioning systems for workers rights, safety and health, as well as dialogue opportunities and attention for living wages. In addition, companies often struggle to meet the increasing demands of compliance. At the same time, many employees in factories producing commodities for global companies are not aware or their rights and responsibilities. This is a risk, not only for the people working in the factories but also for factory owners, sourcing companies and for countries involved in global trade.

Solidaridad and QuizRR have announced a collaboration that will provide business opportunities for the European textile industry. The association will help the industry meet its sustainability commitments. It will offer solutions based on measurable and scalable training for decent working conditions, safe workplaces and fair wages in developing markets.#

The joint effort will train greater numbers of workers, middle managers and managers on their rights and responsibilities, improving working conditions in global supply chains and changing lives. QuizRR and Solidaridad are also inviting global brands with headquarters in the Netherlands to join the initiative. The goal is to expand the collaboration across Europe to provide accessibility to tangible, measurable and scalable training solutions on workers rights and responsibilities, worker engagement and wages management. Initially, the focus will be on the Chinese and Bangladesh markets. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The Fiji Bureau of Statistics (FBOS) has released the preliminary findings of the 2015-2016 Employment and Unemployment Survey that show Fijis unemployment rate declined to 5.5 per cent in 2015-2016, down from 7.1 per cent in 2010-2011. The 2015-2016 rate of unemployment is the lowest on record in Fiji over the last 15 years.



Attorney-General and Minister for Economy pointed to the drop in unemployment as clear evidence that the record growth achieved by the Fijian economy was inclusive, and that ordinary Fijians were feeling the full benefits of Fijis economic development.



"The strong economic management and consistent policies weve introduced, along with our targeted investment in infrastructure and service delivery, have already brought us eight straight years of economic growth. Now weve seen that growth has translated directly into more jobs and new investment opportunities for the Fijian people, as we mark the lowest of rate of unemployment in Fiji in the last 15 years, he said.



The Attorney-General went on to describe the decline in unemployment as a major milestone in Governments strategic plan for Fijis national development over the long-term.



This Government has stayed true, not only to its vision to transform Fiji into a modern and dynamic economy, but to its promise to involve as many of our people as possible in our national development. In the years to come, we will continue to bring opportunity  including jobs  into the lives of our people and keep Fiji moving forward on the path of progress, he said.



The FBOS Survey also showed that the number of employers in Fiji in 2015-2016 increased by 37 per cent from 2010-2011. The Attorney-General welcomed this figure as a major victory for Governments pro-growth policies that have supported private sector activity in the Fijian economy.



The Fijian economy requires strategic engagement from Government and the private sector to function at a high level. Government has fostered an environment in Fiji that has brought in investment and given ordinary people a better shot at finding meaningful employment and business opportunities. That gives more people more opportunity to better their lives and the lives of those around them  and that makes us a stronger and more prosperous nation, he said.



The FBOS survey also reported on school participation, and showed a decrease of 9.1 per cent in Fijians that had left school in 2015-2016 compared to 2010-2011. The percentage of dropouts that had left the education system due to financial constraints had also dramatically dropped from 31.9 per cent in 2010-2011 to 4.8 per cent in 2015-2016.



The Attorney-General said the remarkable increase in school participation was a direct result of the massive investments made by Government to expand access to high quality education throughout Fiji.



The survey also reported that youth unemployment stood at 18 per cent in 2015-2016. The Attorney-General said that there was no benchmark year for comparison in youth unemployment, and noted that some refinement in the survey process was necessary to better screen for youth that were actually seeking employment rather than being enrolled in higher education institutions. He also emphasised access to education and support programmes as the key drivers of the Fijian Governments strategy to assist young people to secure jobs and pursue high-paying careers.



We are blessed with incredibly talented young people in Fiji and we have specific policies in place that are putting forward creative solutions to harness the potential of our young people and better involve them in our economic development. Our Young Entrepreneurship Scheme is supporting young entrepreneurs with financing for innovative ideas and projects. Our Farmer Assistance Programme is assisting potential farmers with land and preparation costs to help young people get farms started. And weve dramatically increased funding support for scholarships for students in tertiary institutions - including our technical colleges - to give them the skills they need to find and create employment in a modern economy.
HON PM BAINIMARAMA OPENING REMARKS AT COP23 REVIEW SESSION





We have assembled Team Fiji with local and international expertise so that we can manage the level of technical detail involved in this process. And to be a credible leader to the parties of this international agreement that is so vital for the future of humanity.

Friends, bula vinaka and a very good morning to you all.Time is moving on and we now have just three months till COP23 gets underway. Twelve weeks until Fiji's formal Presidency begins for what will be a little over 12 months until we hand over that responsibility to Poland.This week is about continuing to build a great team, setting priorities, simplifying objectives and being clear about how we will leave behind a worthwhile legacy from our presidency. I ask you all to be totally focused this week and in the weeks ahead as we prepare for the global spotlight that we know will be upon us.As President, I must take responsibility for the high level politics that governs this entire process. To meet and understand the positions of the key political actors; to build confidence; and to anticipate and ward off any threats to success. And part of this week is about identifying the meaning of success for the presidency, including what we leave behind when the talking is over in November.The world should be left in no doubt that while Fiji may be small, we are determined to make a big success of this process. And frankly, we have no choice. Because Fiji and the other nations are fighting for our prosperity and in some cases, our very survival.Friends, I understand that my power as President comes from the parties. But I intend to lead them to some very clear objectives they have already set. The paramount objective, of course, is to keep global warming to well below 2 degrees and to pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. But let me make this perfectly clear. Encouraging and enabling an effort by the global community to stay within 1.5 degrees must be our mission, however hard that appears to be.Last month, just a few hundred meters away at the GPH where you are staying, other Pacific leaders joined me in committing ourselves to the 1.5 degree goal. It is of the utmost importance to us, our people, our economies and our environment.So that is what I am going to go for. And Im looking to you all this week for advice on how to strike the right balance between my duty as COP President and my duty to the Fijian people to get the best possible deal for them.From where I sit, there has already been too much postponing of the dates for action. The Paris Agreement thankfully is now in force, more rapidly than people expected, but many of its provisions are not due to be implemented until after 2020. And let me also again be frank. In my view, this simply isnt good enough.We want more action all over the world and at all levels of government now. And that is why I am helping to build the Grand Coalition. Because national governments alone will not fix this.Friends, one of the priorities of the presidency is the Facilitative Dialogue. The reason why the Facilitative Dialogue matters to us is not just because it is our duty to do the design work this year, but because we believe that it is the best way to get governments to raise their ambition. And that is vitally important for Fiji, the rest of the Pacific and every vulnerable community, wherever they live in the world.So that is why we have structured Team Fiji the way we have. Me doing the politics and dealing with those who might get in the way; Our COP23 negotiator, Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan, conducting the detailed negotiations; our Climate Champion, Minister Inia Seruiratu, helping me build this Grand Coalition in the action agenda; the Attorney General and Minister responsible for Climate Change, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, leading the Fijian delegation and representing our national interests; our Pacific Regional Representative, Amena Yauvoli, making sure our Pacific neighbours understand our mission and feel part of it; and the whole extended team working as hard as they can to deliver real benefits to the Fijian people from this presidency.So, Friends, let us begin. And first of all, can I ask Ambassador Khan to give your perspective on the state of the negotiations.Vinaka vakalevu.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 8, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Axiom Holdings, Inc. ('Axiom' or the 'Company') (OTC PINK: AIOM) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and docketed under 17-cv-04756, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Axiom securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants' violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you are a shareholder who purchased Axiom securities between October 14, 2016 and June 19 2017, both dates inclusive, you have until August 21, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Axiom Holdings, Inc. is an independent power producer and real estate developer that develops, builds, owns & operates power generation plants and hotels. Axiom continues to leverage its global partnerships with real estate owners and hydropower developers and expand its asset portfolio through acquisition and development of identified pipeline.

On October 10, 2016, Axiom Holdings, Inc. entered into a Share Exchange Agreement (the 'Agreement') with CJC Holdings, Ltd. (together with its subsidiaries, 'CJC'), a Hong Kong corporation, and the two shareholders of CJC, Hu Dengyang and Yang Chuan (collectively, the 'CJC Shareholders'). CJC, through its subsidiaries, operates and constructs hydropower electric generation stations located in China with two in operation, a third under construction and a fourth in the planning stage and slated for operation in 2019. In addition, CJC, through its subsidiaries, operates two hotels in China.

Pursuant to the Agreement, Axiom was to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of CJC from the CJC Shareholders in exchange for the issuance to the CJC Shareholders of 200,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Axion lacked control over the merger process sufficient to ensure that the Agreement with CJC would be completed; (ii) accordingly, the Agreement with CJC was never completed; (iii) the Company's issuance of shares to the CJC Shareholders was thus improper; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Axiom's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On June 19, 2017, Axiom issued a press release disclosing that the Company had identified discrepancies related to prior news announcements in response to a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The following day, Axiom issued a second press release, advising investors that 'it now appears the merger was never completed' and advising investors that it would rescind the shares that were issued to the CJC Shareholders in connection with the merger.

On this news, Axiom's share price fell $0.44, or 37.93% over two trading days, to close at $0.72 on June 20, 2017.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 8, 2017) - Explorex Resources Inc (CSE: EX) ("Explorex" or the "Company") announces that as a result of a review by the British Columbia Securities Commission ("BCSC"), the Company is issuing the following news release to clarify our disclosure.

Certain information provided in the Company's news releases, corporate presentations, fact sheets and other material on the Company's website, as detailed further in this news release, is non-compliant with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Corporate Presentation, Fact Sheet and Website

In its corporate presentation, (posted on July 27, 2017), fact sheet and project information on its website, non-compliant or incomplete statements were made in regards to technical data.

The Company advises that the material was not prepared, reviewed nor approved by a Qualified Person ("QP") and the technical information disclosed should not be relied upon until it has been reviewed and approved by a QP.

The Company has removed the presentation, fact sheet and project data from its website and will amend the technical disclosure to fully conform to the requirements of NI 43-101.

News Releases and MD&As

In its releases of May 12, 2016, June 14, July 6, and July 16, 2017, a QP neither supervised nor approved the technical disclosure; thus, the information contained therein should not be relied upon until it has been reviewed and approved by a QP.

In its releases dated Nov 23, 2016, April 21, Rick Kemp, QP did supervise the preparation and approval of the technical disclosure, but it was not stated that he is independent of Explorex. Rick Kemp is independent of Explorex.

The Company will ensure the complete QP review and approvals statement is included and conforms to Section 3.2 of NI 43-101 on all future written disclosure of technical information.

Other

On its website, fact sheet and presentation posted on the website, the Company stated that the disclosed information had not been verified by a QP, and contrary to 43-101, did not provide an explanation why that was the case. The Company advises that technical information on its website should not be relied upon until a QP has been able to review and approve any technical material, or provides an explanation as to why any information has not been verified.

The Company has reviewed the non-compliant technical disclosure issues and has removed the relevant investor material from its' website and any related material on its social media sites. It will amend the specific material prior to reposting and will ensure that all future disclosures of technical information will be fully compliant with NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical disclosure in this news release has been supervised and approved by R. Kemp, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as that term is defined in NI 43-101. He is independent of the Company.



About Explorex Resources

Explorex is an exploration company with a recent focus on critical elements used in rechargeable battery technology, including cobalt, and is seeking to build a portfolio of exploration and development projects of merit in jurisdictions with favourable geologic settings and historic cobalt production within North America. The Company also has an option agreement to earn a 100% interest the Silver Dollar project, BC, subject to the favourable outcome of its ongoing due diligence period.

On behalf of the board,

Bill Wishart,

President, CEO

For further information, please contact Bill Wishart, President at bill@explorex.ca or phone 604.609.0555.

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 press release.

Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially. Except as required pursuant to applicable securities laws, the Company will not update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. More detailed information about potential factors that could affect financial results is included in the documents filed from time to time with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities by the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements.
National joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy has accumulated 13.4 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas in the underground storage facilities and with the current pumping pace the company would accumulate 16 bcm by the 2017/18 heating season, Naftogaz Chief Commercial Director Yuriy Vitrenko has said.

"Now we are pumping even more than we planned. Now we could reach 16 bcm, maybe this is too much," he said on Channel 5 TV late on Monday.

He said that in the previous years, Naftogaz had smaller stocks at the beginning of the heating seasons and they were enough. In particular, the company passed rather cold winter of 2016-2017.

Vitrenko said that extra gas stocks create additional financial burden on the company.

The action plan to prepare the energy complex to the autumn and winter period 2017-2018 approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine envisages that Ukraine by November 1, 2017 will accumulate 17 bcm of gas in underground storage facilities.

Ukraine started the 2016/17 heating season in the middle of October with 14.7 bcm of gas stocks.
Avita Medical, Ltd. (ASX: AVH), (OTCQX: AVMXY), a medical device company developing innovative therapeutic solutions derived from the regenerative properties of a patient's own skin, today announced that Avita's management will present a corporate overview of Avita Medical at the Wedbush PacGrow Healthcare Conference on 15 August 2017. The presentation will take place at 10:55 a.m. ET in New York City.

Presentation details: Date: Tuesday, August 15, 2017 Time: 10:55 a.m. 11:25 a.m. ET Location: Le Parker Meridien in New York

ABOUT AVITA MEDICAL LIMITED

Avita's patented and proprietary collection and application technology provides innovative treatment solutions derived from the regenerative properties of a patient's own skin. Our medical devices work by preparing a Regenerative Epithelial Suspension (RES), an autologous suspension comprised of the patients' own skin cells and wound healing factors that are necessary to regenerate natural healthy skin. This is then applied to the area to be treated.

In all countries outside of Europe, our portfolio is marketed under the ReCell brand to promote skin healing in a wide range of applications including burns, chronic wounds and aesthetics.

ReCell is TGA-registered in Australia, and CFDA-cleared in China. In the United States, ReCell is an investigational device limited by federal law to investigational use.

In Europe, our portfolio of medical device products received CE-mark approval as three tailored product presentations, with three individual brand names. ReCell is designed for the treatment of burns and plastic reconstructive procedures; ReGenerCell has been formulated for chronic wounds including leg and foot ulcers; and ReNovaCell is tailored for aesthetic applications including the restoration of pigmentation.

To learn more, visit www.avitamedical.com.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This letter includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "could," "may," "will," "believe," "estimate," "look forward," "forecast," "goal," "target," "project," "continue," "outlook," "guidance," "future," other words of similar meaning and the use of future dates. Forward-looking statements in this letter include, but are not limited to, statements concerning, among other things, our ongoing clinical trials and product development activities, regulatory approval of our products, the potential for future growth in our business, and our ability to achieve our key strategic, operational and financial goal. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. Each forward-looking statement contained in this letter is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statement. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, among others, the timing of regulatory approvals of our products; physician acceptance, endorsement, and use of our products; failure to achieve the anticipated benefits from approval of our products; the effect of regulatory actions; product liability claims; risks associated with international operations and expansion; and other business effects, including the effects of industry, economic or political conditions outside of the company's control. Investors should not place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this letter. Investors are encouraged to read our publicly available filings for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this letter speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of these statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808006574/en/

Contacts:

Australia

Monsoon Communications

Sarah Kemter

+61 (0)3 9620 3333

Mobile: +61 (0)407 162 530

sarahk@monsoon.com.au

or

USA

Westwicke Partners

Jamar Ismail

+1 (415) 513-1282

jamar.ismail@westwicke.com
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 8, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Envision Healthcare Corporation ("Envision" or the "Company") (NYSE: EVHC) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Middle District of Tennessee, and docketed under 17-cv-01112, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Envision securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants' violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you are a shareholder who purchased Envision securities between March 2, 2015 and July 21, 2017, both dates inclusive, you have until October 3, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, Ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Envision Healthcare Corporation provides health care services. The Hospital offers surgery, pharmacy, medical imaging, emergency care, and other related health care services. Envision Healthcare serves patients in the United States. At all relevant times, EmCare Holdings, Inc. ("EmCare") has been one of the Company's primary operating subsidiaries.

The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) EmCare routinely arranged for patients who sought treatment at in-network facilities to be treated by out-of-network physicians; (ii) EmCare accordingly billed these patients at higher rates than if the patients had received treatment from in-network physicians; (iii) the Company's statements attributing EmCare's Class Period growth to other factors were therefore false and/or misleading; (iv) Envision's EmCare revenues were likely to be unsustainable after the foregoing conduct came to light; and (v) as a result of the foregoing, Envision's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On July 24, 2017, The New York Times reported that hospitals associated with Envision's subsidiary EmCare were disproportionately likely to engage in "surprise billing," in which patients who sought treatment at in-network facilities were treated by out-of-network physicians and subsequently billed at higher rates.

On this news, Envision's share price fell $2.33, or 3.72%, to close at $60.28 on July 24, 2017.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP
WILMINGTON, Delaware, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- I am deeply disappointed in the recent decision of Romania's High Court of Cassation and Justice to affirm the criminal conviction of Romanian businessman, Gabriel Popoviciu, and sentence him to seven years in prison. This sentence and conviction are not supported by either the facts or the law.

In July 2016, I was retained to conduct an independent review of Mr. Popoviciu's conviction before the Romanian Court of Appeals. I conducted that review with the assistance of a team of experienced former federal prosecutors and former FBI Special Agents, one of whom speaks Romanian fluently.

Our team thoroughly reviewed the evidence presented against Mr. Popoviciu at trial, including documentary evidence and surreptitious tape-recordings of his conversations. That review documented numerous factual and legal deficiencies in the case against Mr. Popoviciu. For example, the prosecution's main witness, who repeatedly but unsuccessfully attempted to make Mr. Popoviciu incriminate himself using secret recordings, admitted in court that he was not bribed by Mr. Popoviciu -- with the alleged bribe including two bottles of liquor and corporate promotional materials (such as a pen, notebook, and calendars). The former Minister of Education, as well as other witnesses, testified that the Baneasa land parcel was never a publicly owned asset and therefore cannot support the legal charge of abuse of position. Many other serious factual and legal deficiencies, inconsistent with fundamental principles of the rule of law, were also highlighted in my report.

I am hopeful that courts and reviewing authorities will review this case and decide that justice and the rule of law demand another result.

Note to Editors

Louis J. Freeh served as an Assistant United States Attorney (Southern District of New York), United States District Judge (Southern District of New York), and as the fifth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is the Senior Managing Partner of Freeh Sporkin & Sullivan, LLP and the Chairman of Freeh Group International Solutions, LLC.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 8, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Tahoe Resources Inc. ("Tahoe" or the "Company") (NYSE: TAHO) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and docketed under 17-cv-05155, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Tahoe securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants' violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you are a shareholder who purchased Tahoe securities between April 3, 2013 and July 5, 2017 both dates inclusive, you have until September 5, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Tahoe, together with its subsidiaries, explores, develops, and operates mines in the Americas. The Company primarily produces copper, gold, silver, lead/zinc, and natural gas and petroleum, as well as precious metals assets.

On April 3, 2013, Tahoe announced that Guatemala's Ministry of Energy and Mines ('MEM') had granted the Company an exploitation license for the Escobal mine, a large silver mine located in the department of Santa Rosa in Southern Guatemala.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Guatemala's MEM had granted the Escobal mining license to Tahoe's Minera San Rafael subsidiary without prior consultation with Guatemala's Xinca indigenous people; (ii) the foregoing constituted a violation of Guatemalan law and provided a basis for suspension of the Escobal license; (iii) consequently, the Company's revenues associated with the Escobal mining license were unlikely to be sustainable; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Tahoe's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On July 6, 2017, Tahoe disclosed that the Supreme Court of Guatemala had issued a provisional decision suspending the Escobal mining license of Minera San Rafael, a Tahoe subsidiary, in connection with a legal action brought by the human rights organization Centro de Accion Legal Ambiental y Social de Guatemala ('CALAS') against Guatemala's MEM. CALAS alleges that MEM violated the Xinca indigenous people's right of consultation prior to granting the Escobal mining license.

On this news, Tahoe's common share price fell $2.74, or 33.01%, to close at $5.56 on July 6, 2017.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP
YOKOHAMA (dpa-AFX) - Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (NSANF.PK, NSANY.PK) said that it agreed to sell its electric battery operations and production facilities to GSR Capital, a private investment fund. Financial terms have not been disclosed. The agreement covers Nissan's battery subsidiary, Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC), as well as battery manufacturing operations in Smyrna, Tennessee, owned by Nissan North America Inc. (NNA), and in Sunderland, England, owned by Nissan Motor Manufacturing (U.K.) Ltd. (NMUK). Assets sold to GSR will also include part of Nissan's Japanese battery development and production engineering operations located in Oppama, Atsugi and Zama. The workforce at all facilities covered by the deal, including the production plants at Zama, Sunderland and Smyrna, will continue to be employed. The headquarters and development centers of the business will remain in Japan. Nissan said it will implement the transaction by first taking full control of AESC - founded in 2007 to develop advanced lithium-ion batteries - by acquiring the combined 49% minority holding held by NEC Corporation and its wholly owned battery and electrode subsidiary, NEC Energy Devices, Ltd or NECED. NEC announced its approval of the sale of AESC shares to Nissan and the fact that it is in negotiations with GSR for the sale of NECED. Today's announced transaction is subject to normal consultation with staff representative bodies and, pending regulatory approvals, is expected to be completed by the end of December 2017. The transaction is contingent on GSR concluding purchase of all NECED shares from NEC. 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.
In July LHV's business volumes grew In July, the consolidated net profit of LHV Group was EUR 2.3 million: of the major units the Bank earned EUR 1.9 million and Asset Management EUR 0.4 million. Profit belonging to group's shareholders was EUR 2.1 million. Madis Toomsalu, CEO of AS LHV Group commented: "It is delightful that all principal indicators of business volumes have continued to grow, this includes deposits, loans and funds. Strong underlying trends and favorable environment have ensured good results, the expansion of ATM network during summer and our constantly improving mobile bank have boosted momentum. Concurrently with growth we are also improving our business efficiency, our cost to income ratio is decreasing. The credit quality of our portfolio remains good, we are keeping closer track of specific customers. Near term we are focusing on investments in perfecting customer experience and the pension funds have an emphasis on local Estonian investments. We are continually focusing on customers, that care about the development of Estonian economy and Estonian capital. Based on seven months of this year we are able to fulfill the financial plan." Reports of AS LHV Group are available at https://investor.lhv.ee/en/reports/. LHV Group is the largest domestic financial group and capital provider in Estonia. LHV Group's key subsidiaries are AS LHV Pank and AS LHV Varahaldus. LHV employs about 350 people and over 124,000 customers use LHV's banking services. Pension funds managed by LHV have about 178,000 customers. Attachment: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=640655

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.
IPsoft, the leading digital labor company, today announced that Nordnet, a digital Nordic bank serving Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland will integrate Amelia to enhance their current customer relations program. Beginning this fall, IPsoft's Amelia, the most comprehensive and human artificial intelligence platform available on the market today, will enable Nordnet to scale customer interactions as Nordnet's new digital employee.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808006584/en/

"Our goal is to offer a world-class customer experience for investments and savings. That is why it is natural for us to supplement our existing customer service team with artificial intelligence. Amelia is a pioneering result of cognitive research and the world's most developed system for artificial intelligence and I look forward to introducing her to our customers this fall," said Peter Dahlgren, CEO of Nordnet. "With Amelia's support we'll make it easier for customers to begin saving and as a result, see Nordnet's customer base grow."

In her first role Amelia will support new customers through the onboarding process. She will be able to guide customers through the process and ensure they activate their account. In order to be effective, Amelia will be leveraging her capabilities to learn quickly, manage complex dialogues, and respond to analytical triggers in real-time. As Amelia is available 24 hours a day, customers will have full flexibility on setting up their new service whenever it is most convenient for them.

"The Nordics is very progressive in its adoption of emerging technologies for disruptive market gains and Nordnet is positioned to be a digital frontrunner in this industry," said Chetan Dube, CEO, IPsoft. "IPsoft is delighted to support Nordnet's ambitions by providing our cognitive platform in order to deliver differentiated customer experience at scale for their customers at a fraction of alternative costs."

IPsoft's agreement with Nordnet is the latest in the growing portfolio of financial services clients who are incorporating Amelia into their operations in order to drive value. Amelia connects conversations to data and processes in order to provide a personalized service to every customer, at scale. She is now being deployed in more than 50 of the world's leading brands. Her roles span many different functions from customer service and advisor support to IT service desk and procurement.

ABOUT IPSOFT

IPsoft automates IT and business processes for enterprises across a wide range of industries through the use of digital labor. Through its portfolio of world leading autonomic and cognitive solutions it provides services that allow its clients to secure competitive advantage. Headquartered in New York City, IPsoft has offices in 18 countries across the world and serves more than 500 of the world's leading brands directly as well as more than half of the world's largest IT services providers. To learn more about IPsoft's solutions please visit www.ipsoft.com.

ABOUT NORDNET

Nordnet is a bank for investments, savings and loans. The idea behind Nordnet is to give customers control of their money, and our vision is to become the no. 1 choice for savings in the Nordics. Nordnet operates in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. Visit us at www.nordnetab.com, www.nordnet.se, www.nordnet.no, www.nordnet.dk or www.nordnet.fi.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808006584/en/

Contacts:

IPsoft

Daniela Zuin, 212-708-5521

Mobile: 917-822-0484

daniela.zuin@ipsoft.com

or

Finn Partners for IPsoft

Erica McDonald, 646-202-9784

Mobile: 732-713-2354

Erica.mcdonald@finnpartners.com

or

Nordnet

Johan Tidestad, +46 708 875 775

Head of Communications, Nordnet

johan.tidestad@nordnet.se
ALL STAR MINERALS PLC

("All Star" or "the Company")



Update on Convertible Loan Note and Issue of Equity

The Company announces that it has agreed to extend the Convertible Loan Note, which was issued to Valiant Investments Plc ("Valiant"), as announced on 19 February 2014.The terms of the Convertible Loan Note have been amended whereby the maturity date has been extended to May 2018 with fixed interest of 20% per annum at a conversion price of 0.10p paid on an annual basis.

Issue of Equity

Additionally, the Company has issued 2,857,142 new shares in lieu of outstanding liabilities arising due to the coupon on the Convertible Loan Note. The new shares issued have been admitted to trading on NEX Exchange.

Following the issue the Company now has ordinary shares in issue of 1,090,474,743.

The Directors of All Star are responsible for the contents of this announcement.

ENQUIRIES:

All Star Minerals Plc

Tomas Nugent, Chairman

07963-455663

NEX Exchange Corporate Adviser

Cairn Financial Advisers LLP

Liam Murray

0207 213-0880
9 January 2018

PowerHouse Energy Group plc

("PowerHouse" or the "Company")

Full Year Business Update

PowerHouse Energy Group plc (AIM: PHE), the UK technology company pioneering hydrogen production from waste plastic and used tyres, is pleased to provide the following update on the Company's progress during the financial year ended 31 December 2017.

Major progress has been made in the process of seeking the commercialisation of the Company's core technology, the PowerHouse G3-UHt Distributed Modular Gasification (DMG) system. This low-cost system has been developed specifically to convert almost all types of waste plastic into a synthesis gas ("syngas") delivering a high proportion of hydrogen of road fuel quality for use in fuel cell cars, trucks and buses.

PowerHouse's distributed model and use of waste plastic and used tyres as feedstock means that, for the first time, hydrogen can be sold as a road fuel at or near the point of production and at a cost competitive with current hydrocarbon fuels. This underlines the ground-breaking potential of PowerHouse's technology as to date the production and delivery costs of hydrogen have prohibited its widespread use as a road fuel.

The DMG system continues to generate significant interest from both domestic and international partners, in part reflecting the urgency of finding a solution for the worldwide problem of waste plastic pollution. Growing media attention, such as the Sky Ocean Rescue campaign and the BBC's Blue Planet II, has heightened interest in this issue.

The attractions of the DMG system are further reinforced by China's recent decision to ban the import of waste plastic from the UK and other countries. The UK alone will be forced to find new ways to deal with approximately 500,000 tonnes of plastic previously shipped to China each year.

Progress achieved during the year to 31 December 2017 includes:

Board strengthened in October 2017 by the appointment of Dr Cameron Davies as Non-Executive Chairman, founder and former CEO of Alkane Energy plc with a PhD in Applied Geochemistry from Imperial College London and more than 20 years' experience in power generation and the energy industry

The commissioning at the University of Chester's Thornton Science Park of the prototype G3-UHt unit and the successful demonstration of its ultra-high temperature production of syngas from waste tyres

An extended trial of the G3-UHt unit showed that the production of syngas could be controlled to produce more than 50 per cent hydrogen by volume with independent analysis by Linde BOC confirming the syngas could be purified to road-fuel-quality hydrogen

Memorandum of Understanding signed to explore the possibility of establishing a DMG network in Qatar for the conversion of waste to hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles

Completion of pre-Front-end Engineering and Design (pre-FEED) stage in the engineering design of a 25 tonne-per-day commercial DMG system

The signing of heads of terms with Peel Environmental Ltd ("Peel") for the first site for a commercial DMG unit. The Peel site, in Cheshire, benefits from access to the national gas and electricity grids and has excellent transport links

The milestones achieved in 2017 position the Company for further progress during the current year and beyond.

Key priorities and targets for the year ahead include:

Continuing design work of the first commercial DMG system - currently in the Basic Engineering Program and Front-end Design and Engineering (FEED) stage in which component suppliers will be selected and design schema optimised

Building, commissioning and full-scale operation of the first commercial DMG

Working with Peel in advancing the planning and other permissions for the first Cheshire site, as agreed under heads of terms in December 2017 , and in progressing site engineering works

Signing agreements on the feedstock for the commercial G3-UHt system and on the ultimate use of the syngas

Creating a plan for the further development of the Cheshire site, with the ultimate target of having the capacity to produce more than 2MW of electricity and 3 tonnes of high-quality hydrogen per day

Continuing to explore worldwide partnering and licensing opportunities for the DMG system, including the possibility of DMG networks in Qatar , East Asia , continental Europe and the USA .

Seeking and agreeing strategic alliances, and pursuing other initiatives, in transport-related fuel cell applications

Keith Allaun, CEO of Powerhouse Energy, commented:

"The year to 31 December 2017 has been a year during which PowerHouse Energy took major strides towards achieving its objective of commercialising its proprietary and highly efficient technology to convert plastic and other waste into syngas for hydrogen production. We have been a pioneer in the distributed hydrogen-from-waste-plastic market in the UK and we are targeting early adoption of our technology.

"From a financial perspective, we eliminated a significant hurdle to our growth by reaching agreement to retire the convertible note with Hillgrove Investments Pty Ltd through the payment of 2 million in cash and the issuance of 1.4 million in equity; the note was accruing nearly 500,000 in interest per annum.

"We enter the new year focused on delivering the commercialisation of our DMG technology during 2018, and we remain confident that hydrogen from waste plastic will emerge as a preferred fuel for road transport."

For more information, contact:

PowerHouse Energy Group plc

Keith Allaun, Chief Executive Officer Tel: +44 (0) 203 368 6399 WH Ireland Limited (Nominated Adviser)

James Joyce / Alex Bond Tel: +44 (0) 207 220 1666 Turner Pope Investments Ltd (Broker)

Ben Turner / James Pope Tel: +44 (0) 203 621 4120 Buchanan (Media enquiries)

Mark Court / Chris Lane Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000

About PowerHouse Energy

PowerHouse Energy Group plc is the developer of the G3-UHt Ultra High Temperature Gasification unit, and the creator of DMG, the Distributed Modular Gasification System that allows the distributed eradication of waste, the generation of distributed electricity, and the production of distributed hydrogen with the world's first hydrogen from waste (HfW) process.

The Company is focused on technologies to enable projects for energy recovery from municipal and industrial waste streams that would otherwise be directed to landfills and incinerators; or from renewable and alternative fuels such as biomass, tyres, and plastics to create synthesis gas (syngas) for power generation, or high-quality hydrogen as a fuel for transport. DMG allows for easy, economical, deployment and scaling of an environmentally sound solution to the growing challenges of waste eradication, landfill diversion, electrical demand, and distributed hydrogen production.

PowerHouse is quoted on the London Stock Exchange's AIM Market and is incorporated in the United Kingdom.

For more information seewww.powerhouseenenergy.net
HANOVER, Germany, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

18 new web portals have been launched to provide international guests and companies quick access to detailed information about Hanover.

Visitors to the new web pages of Hannover Marketing und Tourismus GmbH (HMTG) are greeted by a large photograph of the picturesque north bank of the Maschsee Lake Festival. A large collection of keywords for quick access to relevant topics of interest appear just below the photograph. Categories include Trade Fairs and Conventions, Accommodations and Services, Economy and Business as well as Places of Interest and Events. These topic groupings provide visitors and international residents with quick access to relevant information -- in their native language.



(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/543262/Hannover_Marketing_and_Tourismus_GmbH___EU.jpg )



"These new Web pages in 18languages are a critical part of our international marketing strategy for Hanover. The pages feature a contemporary design and intuitive navigation and are particularly useful to visitors and exhibitors of international trade fairs and conventions", said Hans Christian Nolte, managing director of HMTG.

The large type used for the headers on the home page deliver an authentic, inspiring sense of Hanover. The headers are updated as needed to provide access to seasonal topics, current affairs, or country-specific events, such as linking to leading international trade fairs of partnering organizations.



All language versions feature responsive web design, enabling easy navigation on a PC, tablet, or smartphone.

To visit the new Hanover portal, go to: http://www.visit-hannover.com/en



Media contact:

Maike Scheunemann

Hannover Marketing und Tourismus GmbH

Vahrenwalder Strae 7, 30165 Hanover

Tel: +49-(0511)-1234-90-26

E-mail: presse@hannover-marketing.de


Ukrzaliznytsia Board Chairman Wojciech Balczun has submitted resignation for personal reasons, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said, opening a government meeting in Kyiv on Wednesday.

"He made this decision himself. This is his decision and I respect his decision," he said.

Groysman said that the government intends to appoint First Deputy Infrastructure Minister of Ukraien Yevhen Kravtsov acting board chairman. He now heads the supervisory board of Ukrzaliznytsia. He was acting board chairman before Balczun was appointed to the post.

"I want to stress  acting board chairman! We should announce a new tender to select the best candidate to manage this important enterprise at once," the prime minister said.

As reported, former head of Poland's PKP Cargo Balczun was appointed Ukrzaliznytsia board chairman in April 2016 at a tender. Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan was trying to dismiss Balczun in the past several months, accusing him of extremely ineffective management. The minister also initiated dismissal of his first deputy.

The press service of Ukrzaliznytsia told Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday that Balczun is on a business trip to China.

"This was the most complicated and important mission in my life Initially it was known that this mission would not last forever. I understood that first a burden of organization of the company management would be on my shoulders. The situation I saw was more complicated that I could imagine. Several months flied," Balczun wrote on his Facebook page.

"We have stabilized the company, improved all economic figures, drew up a five-year strategy, restore reputation of the company on the international level, returned to investment and launched new passenger routes," he said.

He said that he failed to do many things, as problems at Ukrzaliznytsia are enormous.

Balczun thanked the prime minister, First Deputy Prime Minister Stepan Kubiv, Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Kistion and head of the supervisory board of Ukrzaliznytsia Kravtsov for support.
Dentsu Inc. (TOKYO:4324)(ISIN:JP3551520004):

Consolidated Group (million yen) H1 FY2017 H1 FY2016 YoY

Change, % Constant

currency

basis, % Revenue 439,485 393,167 11.8 Gross profit* 414,610 368,619 12.5 13.1 Statutory results operating profit 45,307 58,651 (22.8) net profit (attributable to owners of the parent) 30,712 35,785 (14.2) basic EPS (yen) 108.33 125.50 (13.7) Underlying results** operating profit 64,354 68,612 (6.2) (7.7) operating margin 15.5% 18.6% (3.1) (3.5) net profit (attributable to owners of the parent) 41,010 43,559 (5.9) basis EPS (yen) 144.65 152.77 (5.3) EBITDA 73,575 79,662 (7.6) Average JPY/USD rate 112.4 yen 111.9 yen 0.5 Average JPY/GBP rate 141.4 yen 160.3 yen (11.8)

* Gross profit, defined as revenue less direct costs, is the metric by which the Group's organic growth is measured. Organic growth represents the constant currency year-on-year growth after adjusting for the effect of businesses acquired or disposed of since the beginning of the prior year.

** Throughout this announcement, results are stated on an underlying basis unless otherwise indicated. See below for definition of "underlying."

Highlights of H1 FY2017:

The Dentsu Group delivered total gross profit growth of 13.1% (constant currency basis) in H1 FY2017: (1.2%) gross profit growth at the Group's operations in Japan, and 27.2% gross profit growth (constant currency basis) at Dentsu Aegis Network, its international business.

The Group produced organic gross profit growth of (0.4%) during H1 FY2017, including (4.8%) in Q2 FY2017: The Group's operations in Japan produced organic gross profit decline of (1.1%) in H1 FY2017, including (8.1%) in Q2 FY2017. This was due, in part, to the absence of specific business such as TV advertising for the qualifying games for the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and large-scale events in Marketing and Promotions. Dentsu Aegis Network delivered organic gross profit growth of 0.1% in H1 FY2017, with a 3.1% growth in Q1 FY2017 and (2.7%) decline in Q2 FY2017. This decline was impacted by strong performance in comparative periods with 7.2% in Q2 FY2016 and 10.2% Q2 FY2015, as well as recent new business wins not due to be realized until Q3 and challenging market conditions. H1 FY2017 saw major new business wins at Dentsu Aegis Network with new and existing clients generating net new media billings over this period totalling US$1.9 billion, up US$722 million from the same time last year.

Gross profit contribution from digital businesses reached 42.4% at a Group level, including 21.7% in Japan and 58.3% in Dentsu Aegis Network.

Group underlying operating profit decreased by (7.7%) on a constant currency basis.

Group underlying operating margin was 15.5% (H1 FY2016: 18.6%) mainly due to an unexpected slower growth in gross profit and an increase in the international business ratio.

Group underlying basic EPS decreased by (5.3%).

14 acquisitions and investments signed in H1 FY2017 contributed to the Group's strategic objectives.

Dividend per share for H1 FY2017 was 45 yen, an increase from 40 yen from the prior year.

Reconciliation from underlying to statutory operating profit Consolidated Group (million yen) reported on an IFRS basis H1 FY2017 H1 FY2016 Change, % Underlying operating profit* 64,354 68,612 (6.2) Adjustment items: (19,047) (9,961) Amortization of M&A related intangible assets (16,258) (10,736) Acquisition costs (743) (637) Share-based compensation expenses related to acquired companies (1,473) One-off items (573) 1,412 Gain (loss) on sales and retirement of non-current assets 629 1,446 Gain (loss) on sales of shares of subsidiaries and associates (114) 744 Impairment loss (689) (56) Others (399) (722) Statutory operating profit 45,307 58,651 (22.8)

Underlying net profit (attributable to owners of the parent): KPI to measure recurring net profit attributable to the owners of the parent which is calculated as net profit (attributable to owners of the parent) added with adjustment items related to operating profit, reevaluation of earn-out liabilities/M&A related put-option liabilities, tax-related, NCI profit-related and other one-off items







Toshihiro Yamamoto, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dentsu Inc., said: "The Group has continued to accelerate revenue from digital - both in Japan and in our international business by investing in leading technology and data, both organically and through acquisition. This strategy will ensure that the Group is in the best position to deliver competitive advantage for our clients.

Although the Group has seen slower growth in Q2 FY2017, it has shown continued resilience with strong total gross profit growth across H1 FY2017. Going into the second half of the year, despite uncertain market conditions, the Group is well placed to realize the positive impact of strong new business wins in the first half of 2017. Dentsu in Japan remains focused on a new working environment to foster a progressive working culture, and our international business is well positioned with strong new business momentum and a further strengthened top leadership team to continue its long-term track record of market outperformance on a full year basis."





H1 FY2017 Consolidated Financial Results

Overview

Gross profit for the Dentsu Group in the first half of the 2017 fiscal year was 414,610 million yen, up 13.1% on a constant currency basis, from the same period of the previous fiscal year. Organic growth, based on gross profit, for the Group was (0.4%), including (4.8%) in Q2 FY2017.

On a reported basis, there was a 2 billion yen decline in gross profit from foreign exchange movements as the JPY continued to remain strong against the GBP, compared to H1 FY2016 (as outlined in the first table of this announcement).

Group underlying operating profit was 64,354 million yen, a decrease of (7.7%) on a constant currency basis, from the same period of the previous fiscal year. The Group's underlying operating margin declined by 350 basis points, on a constant currency basis, to 15.5%, mainly due to an unexpected slower growth in gross profit and an increase in the international business ratio.

Underlying basic earnings per share was down (5.3%) to 144.65 yen, from 152.77 yen in the same period of the previous fiscal year.

Regional performance review

The Group's operations in Japan produced organic gross profit decline of (1.1%) in H1 FY2017, including (8.1%) in Q2 FY2017. This was due, in part, to the absence of specific business like TV advertising for the qualifying games for the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and large-scale events in Marketing and Promotions.

Dentsu Aegis Network delivered strong total gross profit growth of 27.2% on a constant currency basis with the annualization of 2016 acquisitions, including Merkle, having a positive impact. Organic gross profit growth was 0.1% in H1 FY2017, with a decline of (2.7%) in the second quarter. The group has had good new business momentum over the period but the positive impact of these will not be realized in gross profit terms until H2 FY2017. The results were also impacted by challenging market conditions as well as the strong performance in comparative periods.

Dentsu Aegis Network reported very strong performance in comparative periods with a market leading 7.2% organic gross profit growth in Q2 FY2016 and 10.2% organic gross profit growth in Q2 FY2015. Over the last three years (H1 FY2015 H1 FY2017), the business has delivered 14.7% organic gross profit growth in Q2 and 17.9% organic gross profit growth in H1, showing strong growth and momentum over this period. The network has had good new business momentum which is expected to drive a positive impact on performance in H2 FY2017, with net new media billings totalling US$1.9 billion, up US$722 million from the same time last year.

In EMEA, Dentsu Aegis Network delivered total gross profit growth of 19.9% and organic gross profit growth of 2.9% in H1 FY2017, including a (0.3%) decline in Q2 FY2017. Markets across Eastern Europe performed particularly well with Russia and Poland reporting strong growth as well as the Nordics, buoyed by some solid new business wins.

In the Americas, Dentsu Aegis Network delivered total gross profit growth of 52.1%, however posted an organic gross profit decline of (2.0%), including a (4.1%) decline in Q2 FY2017. Challenging market conditions continued to impact the business in Brazil and although H1 FY2017 saw good performances across a number of US businesses, some were impacted by a more difficult trading environment. The business in Mexico continued to grow strongly as did recent acquisitions including Accordant Media and Merkle.

In APAC, excluding Japan, Dentsu Aegis Network delivered total gross profit growth of 5.9%, and organic gross profit decline of (0.2%) in H1 FY2017, including (3.8%) decline in Q2 FY2017. There were strong performances in Taiwan and India, the latter having just announced the launch of Merkle in the market through the acquisition of Sokrati. Australia and China experienced a period of weaker growth but are expected to deliver stronger performance in the second half with China supported by new business wins.

Digital remains the dominant force in the industry

The digital economy is the dominant force that will shape future business, and Dentsu Aegis Network is well positioned to take advantage with digital services accounting for 58.3% of gross profit, up 8.2% from the same period last year. Digital continues to disrupt the way brands connect with their consumers; the Dentsu Aegis Network Advertising Spend Report (June 2017) predicts 2017-2018 will be a period of significant milestones where Digital (mobile and paid search in particular) will take the lion's share of investment over traditional forms of advertising spend, like television. Reflecting increased consumer use of digital media, driven by mobile, the Digital share of total media spend is predicted to reach 37.6% in 2018 (up from 34.8% in 2017), versus 35.9% for television. This will take total Digital media spend to a predicted US$215.8 billion.

Acquisitions continue to accelerate our strategy and drive business value

Dentsu Aegis Network continues to accelerate its strategy through acquisitions, motivated by growing scale, geographic and capability in-fill and innovation with a focus on digital capability including data and CRM, brand commerce, customer experience, performance marketing and social mobile. There were 14 deals signed in H1 FY2017, 11 of these in Q2 FY2017. These included Accordant, Australia's leading data-driven customer experience and personalisation agency (May), Leapfrog Online, a US based performance marketing solutions agency (April) and Gleam, the global leader in digital-first talent management based in the UK (June). These acquisitions continue to accelerate Dentsu Aegis Network's progress against strategic business goals, driving the business ambition to be a 100% digital economy business by 2020.

Forecast for FY2017 full year performance

There is a change to both FY2017 Consolidated and non-Consolidated Financial Forecast. Please see the press release titled "Dentsu Announces Changes to the Forecast of Financial Results for the Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2017" issued concurrently.





Further information:

Details of Dentsu Inc.'s H1 FY2017 results, including all related financial statements, can be found in the Investor Relations section of the Dentsu Inc. website: http://www.dentsu.com/ir.

The quarterly organic gross profit growth figures for 2015, 2016 and 2017 to date for the Dentsu Group, Dentsu in Japan and Dentsu Aegis Network, are as follows:

Dentsu Group Total Dentsu in Japan Dentsu Aegis Network

Total 2017 2016 2015 2017 2016 2015 2017 2016 2015 Q1 (Jan Mar) 3.9% 5.1% 6.2% 4.7% 5.6% 0.0% 3.1% 4.5% 13.7% Q2 (Apr June) (4.8%) 9.5% 6.5% (8.1%) 12.2% 1.9% (2.7%) 7.2% 10.2% Q3 (Jul Sept) 2.7% 4.2% 0.3% 1.4% 5.2% 6.6% Q4 (Oct Dec) 3.9% 10.6% 1.0% 12.9% 5.8% 8.2%

The quarterly organic gross profit growth figures for 2015, 2016 and 2017 to date for Dentsu Aegis Network in each geographic region are as follows:

Dentsu Aegis Network

EMEA Dentsu Aegis Network

Americas Dentsu Aegis Network

APAC 2017 2016 2015 2017 2016 2015 2017 2016 2015 Q1 (Jan Mar) 5.8% 10.7% 11.1% 0.6% (2.0%) 10.4% 4.5% 5.2% 22.5% Q2 (Apr June) (0.3%) 5.0% 16.1% (4.1%) 2.4% 7.9% (3.8%) 16.8% 5.4% Q3 (Jul Sept) 5.0% 11.0% 5.4% 0.1% 5.3% 9.3% Q4 (Oct Dec) 7.5% 11.0% 4.4% 2.1% 5.6% 11.0%

About the Dentsu Group

Dentsu is the world's largest advertising agency brand. Led by Dentsu Inc. (Tokyo: 4324; ISIN: JP3551520004), a company with a history of 116 years of innovation, the Dentsu Group provides a comprehensive range of client-centric brand, integrated communications, creative, media and digital services. Dentsu Aegis Network Ltd., its global business headquarters in London, oversees Dentsu's agency operations outside of Japan and has ten global network brands -Carat, Dentsu, dentsu X, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, Merkle, MKTG, Posterscope and Vizeum and supported by its specialist/multi-market brands. The Dentsu Group has a strong presence in over 145 countries across five continents, and employs more than 55,000 dedicated professionals. www.dentsu.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808006599/en/

Contacts:

For additional enquiries:

Media -

Please contact Corporate Communications:

Tokyo

Dentsu Inc.

Shusaku Kannan, +81 3 6216 8042

s.kannan@dentsu.co.jp

London

Dentsu Aegis Network

Dani Jordan, +44 7342 076617

dani.jordan@dentsuaegis.com

or

Investors & analysts -

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Dentsu Inc.

Masa Okuzono, +81 3 6216 8015

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Dentsu Aegis Network

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Regulatory News:

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, JAPAN OR AUSTRALIA

In the context of its friendly takeover of Eurosic launched on June 21, 2017, Gecina (Paris:GFC) announces today the successful completion of its share capital increase with preferential subscription rights for existing shareholders launched on July 18, 2017, in a gross amount of 1.0 billion euros.

This transaction follows the success of the triple-tranche bond issuance for an aggregate principal amount of 1.5 billion euros completed on June 30, 2017 and the net proceeds of this share capital increase will be used to finance a portion of the Eurosic acquisition price. It will enable Gecina to cancel the remaining balance (i.e., 1.0 billion euros) of the 2.5 billion euros bridge facility set up on June 20, 2017, 1.5 billion euros of which had already been cancelled on June 30, 2017 following the bond issuance.

Following the friendly takeover of Eurosic, Gecina will become Europe's fourth largest real estate group with a total portfolio of 19.5 billion euros. The acquisition of a controlling stake in Eurosic should occur by the end of August in accordance with the timetable initially announced.

Gecina's Chief Executive Officer and Director, Meka Brunel, declared: "We thank our shareholders for their support during this transaction. This share capital increase is a further milestone successfully achieved in the context of the friendly takeover of Eurosic."

Results of the share capital increase

The share capital increase will result in the issuance of 9,062,091 new shares at a subscription price of 110.50 euros per share, representing a gross amount raised (including the issue premium) of 1,001,361,055.50 euros. Following the subscription period that ended on August 2, 2017, total subscription orders in the share capital increase amounted to approximately 2.7 billion euros, corresponding to a subscription rate of approximately 267%:

8,962,666 new shares were subscribed on a non-reducible basis ( a titre irreductible ), representing approximately 98.90% of the newly offered shares,

), representing approximately 98.90% of the newly offered shares, Orders submitted on a reducible basis (a titre reductible) represented 15,267,035 shares and will therefore only be partially allocated for a total number of 99,425 new shares.

As per its commitment, Credit Agricole Assurances Predica, exercised all of its preferential subscription rights and subscribed to an additional amount of shares on a reducible basis (a titre reductible) to participate in the share capital increase for an amount of 131,798,764.50 euros. In addition, Ivanhoe Cambridge participated in the share capital increase in line with its announced intention and exercised 1,916,460 preferential subscription rights, representing 3.02% of the total offer, after having placed 12,597,643 preferential subscription rights.

Following settlement and delivery of the share capital increase, Gecina's share capital will be divided in 72,496,731 shares and its shareholding structure to Gecina's knowledge will be as follows:

Shareholders Number of shares % of capital and

theoretical voting rights Ivanhoe Cambridge 14,803,793 20.42% Credit Agricole Assurances Predica 9,541,981 13.16% Treasury stock 2,193,081 3.03% Other investors1 45,957,876 63.39% Total 72,496,731 100.00%

1 French and foreign institutional investors, including in particular Norges Bank, which held 9.68% of capital as of June 30, 2017, as well as retail investors

In order to take into account the detachment of preferential subscription rights in the context of the share capital increase, the exchange ratio of the securities exchange portion of the mandatory public tender offer has been mechanically adjusted, on the basis of an exchange ratio of 23 Gecina shares for 64 Eurosic shares or OSRA bonds.

The share capital increase (other than the new shares that are subject to the subscription commitment of Credit Agricole Assurances Predica) was underwritten by a syndicate of banks including Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank as Joint Global Coordinators, Joint Bookrunners and Lead Managers, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole CIB, Goldman Sachs International, HSBC, Natixis, JP Morgan and Societe Generale as Joint Bookrunners and CM-CIC Market Solutions, ING and RBC Capital Markets as Co-Lead Managers.

Settlement and delivery

Settlement and delivery of the new shares and beginning of trading on Euronext Paris (Segment A) will take place on August 11, 2017. The new shares, which will carry dividend rights and will entitle their holders to any dividend declared by Gecina from their date of issuance, will be, as from their issuance date, fully fungible with Gecina's existing shares and will be traded under the same ISIN code FR0010040865.

Gecina has agreed to a lock-up period ending 90 calendar days following the settlement and delivery date of the share capital increase, subject to certain exceptions.

Ivanhoe Cambridge and Credit Agricole Assurances Predica have each agreed to a lock-up period ending 90 calendar days following the settlement and delivery of the share capital increase, subject to certain customary exceptions, including in particular to allow for the provision of security in the context of financing agreements.

Information available to the public

The French-language prospectus, which received visa number 17-359 dated July 17, 2017 from the French Market Autority (Autorite des marches financiers (AMF)) and includes (i) the registration document (document de reference) of Gecina registered with the AMF on February 24, 2017 under number D.17-0110, (ii) the update of the registration document registered with the AMF on July 17, 2017 under number D.17-0110-A01, and (iii) a securities note (note d'operation) (including the summary of the prospectus) is available free of charge from Gecina (14-16 rue des Capucines, 75002 Paris) as well as from the websites of the AMF (www.amf-france.org) and the company (www.gecina.fr).

Gecina draws the public's attention to the risk factors beginning on page 20 of the international offering memorandum relating to the rights issue, beginning on page 23 of the registration document and beginning on page 73 of Gecina's half-year report for 2017 incorporated by reference in the update to the registration document The realization of all or part of these risks is likely to adversely affect the activities, reputation, financial results, financial situation or outlooks of Gecina group.

Disclaimers

This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or purchase, or the solicitation of an offer to sell or purchase, securities of Gecina.

No communication or information relating to the contemplated rights issue may be distributed to the public in any jurisdiction (other than France) in which registration or approval is required. No action has been (or will be) undertaken in any jurisdiction outside of France where such steps would be required. The subscription for or purchase of securities of Gecina may be subject to legal or statutory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. Gecina assumes no responsibility for any violation of such restrictions by any person. The distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law.

This press release does not constitute a prospectus within the meaning of Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and Council dated 4 November 2003, as amended, in particular by Directive 2010/73/UE in the case where such directive was implemented into law in the member States of the European Economic Area (the "Prospectus Directive

The rights issue is open to the public in France only.

With respect to each member State of the European Economic Area other than France (the "Member State") having implemented the Prospectus Directive into law, no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of securities requiring a publication of a prospectus in any such Member State. As a result, the securities of Gecina may only be offered in the Member States (a) to qualified investors, as defined by the Prospectus Directive; or (b) in any other circumstances, not requiring Gecina to publish a prospectus as provided under Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this paragraph, "securities offered to the public" in a given Member State means any communication, in any form and by any means, of sufficient information about the terms and conditions of the offer and the securities so as to enable an investor to make a decision to buy or subscribe for the securities, as the same may be varied in that Member State.

The above selling restrictions are in addition to any other selling restrictions which may be applicable in the Member States.

The distribution of this press release is directed only at (i) persons outside the United Kingdom, subject to applicable laws, or (ii) persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments who fall within the definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 as amended (the "Order") or (iii) high net worth bodies corporate, unincorporated associations and partnerships and trustees of high value trusts as described in Article 49(2) (a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The rights issue is only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such rights will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on, this press release or any information contained herein.

This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation to sell or purchase, or a solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribe for, any securities of Gecina in the United States of America. Securities may not be offered, subscribed or sold in the United States of America absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements thereof. The securities of Gecina have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act and Gecina does not intend to make a public offer of its securities in the United States of America.

The diffusion of this press release in certain countries may be prohibited under applicable law.

This press release may not be published, transmitted or distributed, directly or indirectly, and does not constitute an offer of securities, in the United-States (including in the territories and dependencies and in any State of the United States), in Canada, in Australia, or in Japan.

Each of Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole CIB, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Natixis, JP Morgan, Societe Generale, CM-CIC Market Solutions, ING and RBC Capital Markets is acting exclusively for Gecina in connection with the offering and no other person in relation to the offering and will not regard any person other than Gecina (whether or not a recipient of this press release) as its client in relation to the offering and will not be responsible to anyone other than Gecina for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for giving advice in relation to the offering or any transaction, arrangement or other matter referred to in this press release.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808006615/en/

Contacts:

Gecina
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Estonia's foreign trade gap narrowed in June from a year ago, as exports grew faster than imports, figures from Statistics Estonia showed Wednesday. The trade deficit dropped to EUR 122.8 million in June from EUR 156.1 million in the corresponding month last year. In May, the shortfall was EUR 145.1 million. Exports surged 11.0 percent year-over-year in June and imports climbed by 6.0 percent. Shipments to EU countries grew 11.0 percent annually in June and those to non-EU countries advanced by 16.0 percent. During the second quarter of this year, total trade deficit of the country was EUR 446.8 million versus a shortfall of EUR 633.8 million in the first quarter. 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 new A-4 auction will be open to thermoelectric, wind, solar and hydro large-scale power projects, which must be operational from 2022.Brazil's Ministry of Energy and Mines (MME) has announced that it will hold a new auction for thermoelectric, wind, solar and hydro large-scale power projects on April 4, 2018. The new A-4 auction, the MME said, will be structured on the model of the upcoming A-4 auction to be held on December 18, and is expected to allocate around 1 GW of PV capacity. The MME said that the scheduling of this auction in the first part of 2018 will give selected developers more time to develop their projects, thus lowering the risk for buyers of the plants' power output. Projects selected in the auction ...

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.
New state-of-the-art submarine cable system, AURORA, will deliver up to 15 Terabit-per-second capacity to support the growing demands for Big Data and Internet of Things in the region.

NEW YORK and PARIS, Oct. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --FP Telecommunications (FPT) and Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN), part of Nokia, have signed a turn-key agreement for the deployment of AURORA Submarine Cable System. Supporting the increasing bandwidth demands for broadband applications in North, Central and South America countries, AURORA will be based on ASN's advanced submarine system technology supporting the regional social and economic development. The overall project investment will be of US 310 million.

Delivering up to 15 Terabit-per-second of capacity AURORA will strengthen the existing network infrastructure in the region which has a limited ability to increase capacity or the capability to manage growing demands associated with a larger user base, bandwidth growth, 4G/5G networks, low latency applications, Video on Demand, Internet of Things and Big Data. The AURORA submarine cable system will provide superior connectivity from Sarasota, in West Florida, to Manta, in Ecuador, via Panama.

"We are honored to partner with Alcatel Submarine Networks to build the AURORA cable, which will put us in a leadership position in Central America and on the Pacific Coast of South America. AURORA represents the first of many projects we are planning in order to position FPT as one of the top 10 subsea cable system companies. We are well aware of how communications infrastructures are important for the regions andcontributing to its development is one of our company's key values, following United Nations' goals", said Mr. Luiz Fuschini, Chairman and President of FPT.

Philippe Piron, President of Alcatel Submarine Networks said: "The AURORA submarine cable system confirms the need for high-capacity infrastructures which are able to cope with business and end-user requirements for data center connections, cloud computing and content sharing applications. We are pleased to cooperate with FP Telecommunications on the AURORA submarine cable system and to contribute to further help foster the opportunities offered by new innovative technologies for a connected world."

The solution to be deployed by Alcatel Submarine Networks will include the 1620 SOFTNODE, which incorporates multiple transmission formats to maximize delivered capacity at the lowest cost per bit. The system is also designed to enable extension to Chile and to connect to the United States without intermediate regeneration also leveraging ROADM branching units, which are part of ASN's product portfolio also including Wavelength Selective Switch technology (WSS). As part of the contract, ASN will also be in charge of project management, system design, marine operations and system commissioning.

ABOUT FP TELECOMMUNICATIONS:

FP Telecommunications (FPT), a leading network construction management company with extensive experience, capable of delivering advanced "tailor-made" subsea cable and networking solutions. FPT has direct presence in more than 15 countries and extensive network partnerships covering any location in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia. Delivering a full suite of network infrastructure services including infrastructure analysis, design, construction management, O&M, and financial advocacy through investor engagement.

ABOUT ALCATEL SUBMARINE NETWORKS:

Alcatel Submarine Networks, leads the industry in terms of capacity and installed base with more than 590,000 km of optical submarine systems deployed worldwide. From traditional telecom to new oil and gas applications, ASN provides every part of a global undersea transmission network, all tailored to the customer's needs. An extensive service portfolio completes its comprehensive offering for the submarine business, including project management, installation and commissioning and marine operations and maintenance performed by its fleet of cable ships.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fp-telecommunications-and-alcatel-submarine-networks-to-strengthen-connectivity-in-north-central-and-south-america-300538479.html
Expanded Cloud Security Partner Programme to meet accelerated demand for cyber security services in DACH, Benelux, Nordics, Poland, Turkey, and Middle East

Neustar, Inc., a trusted, neutral provider of real-time information services, today announced that it has expanded its international partner network across Europe and the Middle East. The appointment of five new value-added distributor (VAD) partners to its Cloud Security Partner Programme will enable Neustar to address the increased and continuously growing demand for security services, particularly DDoS mitigation and DNS solutions, in EMEA.

The new partners SoftShell in DACH, CRYPSYS Data Security BV in Benelux, IT2Trust/ePrinus in Poland and the Nordic region, E-Data in Turkey and Spectrami in the Middle East are all leading VADs in their regions specialising in cyber security. They join Neustar as the company expands its EMEA DDoS mitigation network capacity with the activation of new nodes in Frankfurt, London, and Amsterdam. Further EMEA nodes are rolling out during the second half of the year in Dubai and Stockholm, creating an EMEA-wide ring of in-region scrubbing mitigation centres.

The nodes in Frankfurt and Amsterdam have increased Neustar's EMEA network capacity to more than 1 Tbps helping to quadruple Neustar's global DDoS defence capacity to 4 Tbps and puts it on track to have 10 Tbps online in the first quarter of 2018. This significantly increased capacity, distributed across the regional nodes, enables Neustar and its Cloud Security Partners to offer security services with added customer value as managing traffic at in-region mitigation centres offsets latency and restores network performance in a more efficient way, with minimal service disruption.

As a member of the Neustar Cloud Security Partner Programme, the new partners have access to an industry-leading cloud security solutions stack and service level agreements (SLAs), complemented with extensive training and support. Neustar UltraDNS and Neustar SiteProtect flexibly deliver security, reliability and performance with the expertise that can only be achieved from managing one of the largest and fastest DNS and DDoS mitigation networks in the world. Neustar will work with all its partners to deliver state-of-the-art cyber security on premise solutions that meet their customers' needs.

"DDoS attacks are unrelenting and evolving every day, so it's not surprising that we're seeing accelerated demand for security services across Europe and the Middle East. Activation of the nodes in Frankfurt and Amsterdam was the first step in addressing this demand, welcoming these five VADs as channel partners is the next, and we're very excited about that," said Lee Finck, Vice President, Worldwide Channels, Neustar. "Our roll-out of additional nodes, across the globe, is on track, meaning that by 2018 customers of SoftShell, IT2Trust, E-Data, Spectrami and CRYPSYS will be protected by the world's largest, most distributed and technically advanced DDoS mitigation network."

Learn more about the Neustar Cloud Security Partner Programme

About Neustar

Every day, the world generates roughly 2.5 quadrillion bits of data. Neustar isolates certain elements and analyses, simplifies and edits them to make precise and valuable decisions that drive results. As one of the few companies capable of knowing with certainty who is on the other end of every interaction, we're trusted by the world's great brands to make critical decisions 20 billion times a day. We help marketers send timely and relevant messages to the right people. Because we can authoritatively tell a client exactly who is calling or connecting with them, we make critical real-time responses possible. And the same comprehensive information that enables our clients to direct and manage orders also stops attackers. We know when someone isn't who they claim to be, which helps stop fraud and denial of service before they're a problem. Because we're also an experienced manager of some of the world's most complex databases, we help clients control their online identity, registering and protecting their domain name, and routing traffic to the correct network address. By linking the most essential information with the people who depend on it, we provide more than 11,000 clients worldwide with decisions-not just data. More information is available at https://www.neustar.biz

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170809005050/en/

Contacts:

Neustar

Laura Cahill

NeustarSec@axicom.com
NEW YORK, LONDON, and SINGAPORE, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

AlphaDesk, the cloud-based Order Management and Portfolio Management System provider to hedge funds and other investment managers, posted record new business sales for the first half of 2017.

Kevin Galliers, COO, says, "We signed 36 new hedge funds during the first half of 2017, which is significantly greater than any other six-month period since the firm's inception. Interestingly, 40% of our new business was the result of competitor replacements, with the rest being upgrades from manual processes and new hedge fund launches. The market is now fully embracing the significant cost savings associated with software that is deployed via the public cloud. But it doesn't stop there - Portfolio Managers and COO's can focus on their day job, released from the overhead of managing multiple disparate systems."

Galliers continues, "There are two other drivers for change - in the US, the growing use of outsourced services, and in Europe, MiFID II. Since our technology is ideally suited for partnering, and we are ready for MiFID II, I expect we will post further growth in the second half of the year".

About AlphaDesk

AlphaDesk delivers real-time order, portfolio, and operations management tools to fund managers. The managed cloud service supports multiple portfolios, strategies, asset types, currencies and custodians in a single, integrated solution. Through the use of cutting edge cloud technologies AlphaDesk achieves unparalleled performance, functionality, and value for money.

alphadesk.com

Press Contacts: press@alphadesk.com; Kevin Galliers, Tel: +44-207- 869-5168
DUBAI, UAE, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

An independent EDM producer from Afghanistan with a significant following in the Middle East is hoping to break into the global music scene with the release of his third album.

'Lip Service' is music producer and a newly-trained DJ Shuja Rabbani's latest body of work to be released under his own record label, Rabbani Records. It consists of 21 tracks that are available for purchase and streaming on all major online music platforms. The album release means that Rabbani has now produced a record consecutively for three years.

Much like his previous albums, 'Lip Service' is predominantly EDM focused but also draws on inspiration from other styles and regions to produce a multi-faceted sound. Instruments from around the globe have been incorporated into the tracks, including countries like India and the Caribbean. Turkish and Arabian instruments have also been blended in over the artist's signature electronic beats.

One of the most exotic instruments used in this album is the Gubal and the Hang, similar instruments that are both manufactured in Switzerland. The track titled 'Avicenna' has tunes almost entirely made by using these instruments.

Rabbani will be releasing three singles to promote his new album and style across the globe. This first single will be 'Casanova', followed by 'Turkish Delight' and 'Pharaoh'. All of these tracks incorporate ethnic world sounds and electronic beats, creating an entirely new sound of dance music that DJ's will be able to mix into tracks immediately.

Speaking about his new work, Rabbani said: "The new album represents my love for world music which I have attempted to combine along with modern electronic beats. It's representative of who I am as an artist who also happens to be a global citizen."

Rabbani has a significant social media presence that is continuing to grow immensely. He is hailed as one of the most influential personalities on social media to come from Afghanistan often seen posting news and updates for his fans on his social media platforms.

Rabbani's frequent use of social media to promote his artistic and professional work for the past five years has been developing him into a personal brand as a result of high quality and diversified digital content that appeals to topics of interest for multiple generations of Afghanistan and beyond. He uses the hashtag EDMA which stands for Electronic Dance Music Afghanistan so followers can keep up to date with his progress more easily, helping to cement a unique positioning of his online brand.

Within last year, his online popularity as an Afghan music producer has resulted in his music being used at two different international events, both in the Middle East and in Europe, to represent Afghanistan at cultural events and represent the changing face of Afghanistan's new generations that are working as the country's leading disruptors and cultural change leaders.

Rabbani continues:" As an independent artist, I'm grateful for the institutions that are reaching out to me in representing another side of Afghanistan that the international community does not get to see much. I hope to continue working hard to inspire Afghan artists to look beyond their borders and reach out to the global audience through their talents."

It would seem that Rabbani is interested in more than the music scene though, as he continues to juggle a range of different work-related endeavors. With an interest in international affairs, Rabbani writes articles and commentaries on contemporary issues, which he posts on his personal blog. His commentary has been published in leading international news channels.

Rabbani's professional role in an international organization means he is particularly business savvy by spending time reviewing business and self-development books, and business-related articles on human resources and personal growth.

To find out more about Shuja Rabbani, and how he is revolutionizing the global EDM music industry, go to:http://www.shujarabbani.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ShujaRabbaniPage

Twitter:https://twitter.com/ShujaRabbani

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/shujarabbani/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/user/shujarabbani

About

Shuja Rabbani is an EDM DJ and music producer from Afghanistan who is making waves in the electronic music scene. He has now released 3 albums and is continuing to gain recognition and support internationally through the various social media channels he utilizes to promote his multiple lines of work.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/17 -- Canstar Resources ("Canstar" or "the Company") (TSX VENTURE: ROX) is pleased to announce it is commencing the 2017 summer drilling program on the Company's 100% owned Kenora Gold Project, located 9 kilometers east of Kenora, Ontario. The program will be comprised of a minimum of 1,500 meters and will include all remaining priority targets on the project.

This drilling program is designed to test numerous IP targets where known gold has been encountered at surface through recent trenching, making them highly prospective. Also, the Company will test the Ace Showing directly located on the mineralized trend ("Aviator trend") whose results include surface channel samples of 29.3 meters (true width) averaging 3.1 g/t gold (see Company's press release dated June 20, 2016). The winter drilling program completed earlier this year prohibited access to the showing due to ground conditions, however, a smaller drilling rig and ability to move ground will allow the Ace Showing to be properly tested.

Danniel Oosterman, President and CEO of Canstar, states: "This program represents a key stage in the project as we feel we have identified the strongest targets to test by drilling. We hope the results of this program will confirm some of the geological ideas we have constructed based on the field work to date, some of which came to light from the Company's previous drilling program. It's an exciting stage for the Kenora Gold Project."

Danniel Oosterman, P.Geo is President and Chief Executive Officer and is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and is responsible for the technical information in this release.

About Canstar Resources

Canstar Resources is a well-funded, Canadian mineral exploration and development company led by a professional, highly technical management team and an experienced board of directors. The Company's objective is to discover and develop economic mineral deposits primarily in North America. Currently, the Company's focus is on the Kenora Gold Project located in Kenora, Ontario.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Danniel J. Oosterman, P.Geo, President & CEO

Forward-Looking Statements

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. This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements". These statements are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of exploration, project development, reclamation and capital costs of the Company's mineral properties, and the Company's financial condition and prospects, could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for minerals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological and operational difficulties encountered in connection with the activities of the Company; and other matters discussed in this news release. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Contacts:

Canstar Resources

Danniel J. Oosterman, P. Geo.

President & CEO

doosterman@canstarresources.com



Canstar Resources

Karen Willoughby

Director Corporate Communications

1-866-936-6766

kwilloughby@canstarresources.com

www.canstarresources.com




MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/17 -- Stella-Jones Inc. (TSX: SJ) ("Stella-Jones" or the "Company") today announced financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2017.

"Stella-Jones generated solid operating results in the second quarter. This performance was driven by higher railway tie volume stemming from earlier than expected deliveries for certain orders, partially offsetting the impact of lower year-over-year pricing in this product category. In addition, healthy demand in the utility pole category reflects sales synergies stemming from Stella-Jones' expansion in the southeastern United States over the past two years," said Brian McManus, President and Chief Executive Officer.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Financial highlights Quarters ended June 30, Six-months ended June 30, (in millions of Canadian dollars, except per share data) 2017 2016 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sales 594.2 563.1 991.2 984.0 Operating income 74.5 83.2 115.3 137.8 Net income for the period 48.9 54.7 74.8 89.7 Per share - basic and diluted ($) 0.71 0.79 1.08 1.30 Weighted average shares outstanding (basic, in '000s) 69,322 69,185 69,314 69,162 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

SECOND QUARTER RESULTS

Sales reached $594.2 million, up 5.5% from $563.1 million last year. Acquisitions contributed sales of approximately $16.0 million, while the conversion effect from fluctuations in the value of the Canadian dollar, Stella-Jones' reporting currency, versus the U.S. dollar, had a positive impact of $16.9 million on the value of U.S. dollar denominated sales. Excluding these factors, sales decreased marginally by $1.8 million, or 0.3%.

Railway tie sales amounted to $214.2 million, compared with sales of $216.3 million in last year's second quarter. Excluding the conversion effect, railway tie sales decreased approximately $10.4 million, or 4.8%, as lower pricing was partially offset by increased volume due to the early delivery of certain tie orders.

Utility pole sales reached $167.5 million in the second quarter of 2017, representing an increase of 17.3% over sales of $142.8 million a year ago. Excluding the contribution from acquisitions and the currency conversion effect, sales increased approximately $3.7 million, or 2.6%, reflecting organic sales growth in the southeastern United States.

Sales in the residential lumber category remained relatively stable, reaching $153.2 million in the second quarter of 2017, versus $152.1 million a year earlier. This stability reflects higher selling prices due to increased untreated lumber costs, offset by lower volumes as a result of less favourable weather in Canada during the second quarter of 2017 compared to the same period last year.

Industrial product sales reached $27.1 million, essentially stable in comparison with $27.0 million a year ago. Excluding the contribution from acquisitions and the currency conversion effect, sales decreased 5.0% mainly due to lower sales of marine pilings in Canada and lower sales of rail-related products. Logs and lumber sales amounted to $32.2 million, versus $24.8 million in the second quarter of last year. The variation reflects the timing of lumber purchase and resale activities as well as the timing of timber harvesting.

Operating income stood at $74.5 million, or 12.5% of sales, compared with $83.2 million, or 14.8% of sales in the second quarter of the previous year. The decrease in absolute dollars and as a percentage of sales essentially reflects lower selling prices for railway ties and a less favourable geographical mix in the utility pole category.

Net income for the second quarter of 2017 was $48.9 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, versus $54.7 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2016.

SIX-MONTH RESULTS

For the six-month period ended June 30, 2017, sales amounted to $991.2 million, versus $984.0 million for the corresponding period a year earlier. Acquisitions contributed sales of $38.8 million, while the currency conversion effect had a positive impact of $5.6 million on the value of U.S. dollar denominated sales. Excluding these factors, sales decreased approximately $37.3 million, or 3.8%.

Operating income reached $115.3 million, or 11.6% of sales, compared with $137.8 million, or 14.0% of sales, last year. Net income totalled $74.8 million, or $1.08 per diluted share, versus $89.7 million, or $1.30 per diluted share, in the prior year.

SOLID FINANCIAL POSITION

As at June 30, 2017, the Company's long-term debt, including the current portion, stood at $615.8 million compared with $698.5 million three months earlier. The decrease mainly reflects a solid cash flow generation during the quarter as well as the effect of local currency translation on U.S. dollar denominated long-term debt. As at June 30, 2017, Stella-Jones' total debt to total capitalization ratio was 0.37:1, down from 0.40:1 three months earlier.

QUARTERLY DIVIDEND OF $0.11 PER SHARE

On August 8, 2017, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.11 per common share payable on September 22, 2017 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 1, 2017.

OUTLOOK

"As previously anticipated, we expect higher year-over-year sales in the second half of 2017 when compared to the previous year. While higher railway tie volume will be offset by lower pricing, a return to normal maintenance demand patterns and improving demand for special projects should result in higher year-over-year sales in the utility pole category. However, overall operating margins will remain affected by soft railway tie pricing and a less favourable geographical sales mix for utility poles. Stella-Jones remains committed to maximizing operating efficiencies and minimizing costs throughout the organization, while continuing to study any expansion opportunity that offers strategic value in our main product categories to the benefit of our shareholders," concluded Mr. McManus.

CONFERENCE CALL

Stella-Jones will hold a conference call to discuss these results on August 9, 2017, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time. Interested parties can join the call by dialing 1-647-788-4922 (Toronto or overseas) or 1-877-223-4471 (elsewhere in North America). Parties unable to call in at this time may access a recording by calling 1-800-585-8367 and entering the passcode 36864185. This recording will be available on Wednesday, August 9, 2017 as of 1:00 PM Eastern Time until 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, August 16, 2017.

NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURES

Operating income is a financial measure not prescribed by IFRS and is not likely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management considers this non-IFRS measure to be useful information to assist knowledgeable investors regarding the Company's financial condition and results of operations as it provides an additional measure of its performance.

ABOUT STELLA-JONES

Stella-Jones Inc. (TSX: SJ) is a leading producer and marketer of pressure treated wood products. The Company supplies North America's railroad operators with railway ties and timbers, and the continent's electrical utilities and telecommunication companies with utility poles. Stella-Jones also manufactures and distributes residential lumber and accessories to retailers for outdoor applications, as well as industrial products for construction and marine applications. The Company's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Except for historical information provided herein, this press release may contain information and statements of a forward-looking nature concerning the future performance of the Company. These statements are based on suppositions and uncertainties as well as on management's best possible evaluation of future events. Such factors may include, without excluding other considerations, fluctuations in quarterly results, evolution in customer demand for the Company's products and services, the impact of price pressures exerted by competitors, the ability of the Company to raise the capital required for acquisitions, and general market trends or economic changes. As a result, readers are advised that actual results may differ from expected results.

Note to readers: Condensed interim unaudited consolidated financial statements for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 are available on Stella-Jones' website at www.stella-jones.com.

Contacts:

Source:

Stella-Jones Inc.



Eric Vachon, CPA, CA

Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer

(514) 940-3903

evachon@stella-jones.com



Martin Goulet, CFA

MaisonBrison Communications

(514) 731-0000

martin@maisonbrison.com




Intl arbitration on July 19 decides to publish data on Naftogaz lawsuit against Russia due to seizure of company property in Crimea

The International Court of Arbitration on July 19 adopted the first procedural decision within the framework of the lawsuit filed by Naftogaz Ukrainy against the Russian Federation because of the seizure of the company's property in Crimea, the press service of Naftogaz has told Interfax-Ukraine.

"On July 19, 2017 the arbitral tribunal adopted the first procedural decision on the case, which, inter alia, obliged the Permanent Court of Arbitration to bring to the public general information about the case. Therefore a publication on the trial process appeared on the website of the Permanent Court of Arbitration," the press service said.

As reported, on February 15, 2016 the Russian Federation received an official written notification from Naftogaz Ukrainy, Chornomornaftogaz, Ukrtransgaz, Likvo, Ukrgazvydobuvannia, Ukrtransnafta and Gaz Ukrainy on an investment dispute in the framework of the bilateral agreement on mutual protection of investments between Ukraine and Russia.

The reason for this dispute is the illegal expropriation by Russia of Naftogaz group's investments in the territory of Crimea.
Joseph Hood, PR Manager, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Email: mhi-pr@mhi.co.jp Tel: +81-(0)3-6716-2168, Fax: +81-(0)3-6716-5860

TOKYO, Jan 31, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) has received the first order (Note) for its pressurized hybrid power generation system integrating solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks with micro gas turbines (MGT). Launched for the commercial and industrial market, this system is being installed in the Marunouchi Building in Tokyo, owned and operated by Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. As a highly efficient distributed power system with clean emissions, it will enhance energy savings and eco-friendliness at the Marunouchi Building, located near Tokyo Station. Full-scale operations are scheduled to start in February 2019, when renovation work on the building's generators is completed.This hybrid system uses city gas as fuel, generating electricity with both ceramic SOFC stacks that operate at a high temperature of around 900degC, and MGTs. The fuel is not burned, but rather the SOFCs generate electricity from the chemical reaction between oxygen in the air and hydrogen and carbon monoxide extracted from reformed city gas, while the MGTs generate electricity from the post-process, enhancing overall efficiency by more than 65%. Used in a cogeneration system, the remaining exhaust heat can be recovered as steam or hot water, increasing the combined efficiency to more than 73%. Compared to conventional power generation systems, utilizing this hybrid system reduces CO2 emissions by around 47%, thereby contributing to the realization of a low-carbon society.MHPS conducted demonstration tests of 250 kilowatt (KW) class systems through fiscal 2016 with the support of Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) research agency. Demonstration equipment was installed at four locations in Japan, and stable system operations were verified. MHPS then developed practical models for commercial and industrial applications, and began marketing the system in summer 2017.The Marunouchi Building was built in 2002 as the first project in the Marunouchi area redevelopment plan conducted by Mitsubishi Estate. The building is now 15 years old, and its power generation systems were in need of improvement and repair. Mitsubishi Estate was looking to introduce an energy-saving, highly eco-friendly distributed cogeneration system to further the advancement of a low-carbon society, and selected MHPS's hybrid system.Capitalizing on this initial order, MHPS will enhance its proposal-based sales in order to promote wider adoption of fuel cells for commercial and industrial applications, while also working to further enhance the performance and convenience of this system, and contribute to a form of energy creation appropriate for a highly sustainable, low-carbon society.This project was selected for subsidies from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to support the introduction of Ene Farm and other systems to promote the widespread use of fuel cells (projects to support the introduction of fuel cell systems for commercial and industrial use), as well as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Environment's program to support the development of smart energy areas utilizing hydrogen.About Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) was formed on February 1 2014, integrating the thermal power generation systems businesses of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Hitachi, Ltd. in a quest to further enhance their social response capabilities in all respects. These include the technological strength to create new products of outstanding quality and reliability, the comprehensive strength in engineering to oversee projects in regions across the globe, and finely honed sales and after-sale servicing capabilities. MHPS aims to come out a winner in global competition and achieve a solid position as a world leader in thermal power generation systems and environmental technologies. For more information, please visit www.mhps.com.Source: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.Contact:Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Office Depot Inc. (ODP) reported Wednesday a sharp decline in second-quarter profit on the absence of a prior year benefit as well as weak sales. For fiscal 2017, the company continues to expect lower sales and higher adjusted operating income.



Gerry Smith, chief executive officer of Office Depot, said, '... we remain on track to achieve our full year target. Longer term, we are maintaining our focus on executing initiatives to strengthen our existing business, expanding our last-mile advantage, while evaluating opportunities to transform the company for future growth.'



In the second quarter of 2017, the provider of office supplies, business products and services reported net income of $24 million or $0.05 per share, sharply lower than prior year's $210 million or $0.38 per share.



On a continuing operations basis, net income was $21 million or $0.04 per share, down from $232 million or $0.41 per share a year ago. The company said the prior year results were benefited from $250 million of income related to the Staples termination fee received in the period.



Adjusted net income from continuing operations was $34 million or $0.06 per share, compared to $35 million or $0.06 per share in the prior year.



On average, 10 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected earnings of $0.08 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.



Adjusted operating income declined to $68 million from $78 million last year.



Total reported sales for the second quarter dropped 9 percent to $2.36 billion from $2.58 billion last year. Analysts expected sales of $2.44 billion for the quarter.



Adjusted sales decline, excluding impact from foreign currency translation and U.S. retail store closures, was 6%.



Retail Division sales declined due to the impact of planned store closures and a 6% decline in comparable store sales.



Business Solutions Division sales declined 6% in constant currency, primarily driven by continued competitive pressures.



Looking ahead, for fiscal 2017, Office Depot said it continues to expect total company sales to be lower than 2016, primarily due to the impact of planned store closures, prior year contract customer losses, continued challenging market conditions and returning to a 52-week fiscal year.



However, the company expects the rate of sales decline to improve in the second half of 2017.



The company continues to expect adjusted operating income of approximately $500 million in fiscal 2017, representing a comparable year-over-year increase of about 10%.



Further, Office Depot's additional cost saving initiatives are still expected to deliver over $250 million in annual benefits by the end of 2018.



Separately, Office Depot announced that its Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.025 per share, $0.10 per share on an annualized basis, payable on September 15 to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 25.



Office Depot shares closed Tuesday's trading at $6.11, down 0.97 percent. Shares gained around 7.4 percent in the after hours trading



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
DUBLIN, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Global In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Market: Drivers, Opportunities, Trends and Forecasts: 2014 - 2020" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The global in-vitro diagnostics market is estimated to witness a CAGR of 5.31% during the forecast period 2017-2023. The market is analyzed based on five segments - technology, application, test types, end-users, and regions.

The market is witnessing an emerging trend for noninvasive prenatal testing, next-generation sequencing (NGS), liquid biopsy, and circulating tumor cells test. The markets in India, Brazil, and China are expected to grow at a rapid pace during the forecast period due to the high prevalence of infectious diseases in these countries.

Factors, such as increased sales of POC cardiac markers and increased adoption of DNA probe-based diagnostics are growth opportunities for the market players. The market is witnessing an emerging trend of companion diagnostics, cardiac biomarkers, POC markers, and other novel technologies that are helping in diagnosing the diseases at an early stage with precision. There has been a transition from diagnosis in core laboratories to diagnosis in front of the patient.The global IVD market is segmented by the following technologies- immunoassay, clinical chemistry, clinical microbiology, molecular diagnostics, hematology, and coagulation.

The clinical chemistry market is currently leading the market with a share of 32.2% due to the high prevalence of diabetes. India has the highest rate of diabetes, making Asia Pacific the region for future investments. The molecular diagnostics segment is expected to have the fastest growth rate during the forecast period. Technological advancements in various molecular diagnostics technology, such as PCR and NGS, are driving the market. The market is also witnessing various M&A and collaborations among the top players, which are defining the future of the global IVD market.

The leader in IVD market is F. Hoffmann-La Roche, who is currently occupying 20% of the IVD market. Abbott, Siemens, Danaher, and ThermoFisher are the other major players in the market. These top players occupy around 56% of the market.Large players, such as F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Danaher, and Abbott, are acquiring companies with products that would complement their existing portfolio.

For instance, in November 2016, Danaher acquired Cepheid and in February 2016, Abbott signed an agreement to acquire Alere, a leader in POC technology. Furthermore, most of the companies are aiming to obtain a waiver of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 for their products to increase their sales. Significant investments in R&D in this market is expected to increase, and collaborations and M&A are expected to continue.



Key Topics Covered:





1 Industry Outlook



2 Report Outline



3 Market Snapshot



4 Market Outlook



5 Market Characteristics

5.1 Evolution

5.2 In-Vitro Diagnostics Advantages

5.3 Market Dynamics

5.3.1 Drivers

5.3.1.1 Increasing Lifestyle Diseases

5.3.1.2 Growing adoption of Point-of-Care testing

5.3.1.3 Increasing Demand for Biomarker Based Tests

5.3.1.4 High Growth of Market in Emerging Countries

5.3.2 Opportunities

5.3.2.1 Growing Significance of Companion Diagnostics

5.3.2.2 Increased Number of Mergers and Acquisitions

5.3.2.3 Increased Sales of POC Cardiac Markers

5.3.2.4 Increased Adoption of DNA Probe-based Diagnostics

5.3.3 Restraints

5.3.3.1 Stringent regulatory approvals

5.3.3.2 Increased sales of counterfeit glucose monitoring strips

5.3.4 DRO - Impact Analysis

5.3.5 Key Stakeholders



6 By Technology: Market Size and Analysis

6.1 Overview

6.2 Immunoassay

6.2.1 Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)

6.2.2 Radioimmunoassay (RIA)

6.2.3 Western Blot

6.3 Clinical Chemistry

6.3.1 Metabolic Panel

6.3.2 Electrolyte Panel

6.3.3 Liver Profile

6.3.4 Renal Panel

6.3.5 Lipid Profile

6.3.6 Thyroid Function Panel

6.3.7 Specialty Chemistry Tests

6.4 Molecular Diagnostics

6.4.1 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

6.4.2 Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification Technology (INAAT)

6.4.3 Microarray

6.4.4 Hybridization

6.4.5 DNA Sequencing

6.4.6 Other MDX technology

6.5 Clinical Microbiology

6.6 Hematology

6.7 Coagulation

6.8 Other IVD Technology



7 By Application: Market Size and Analysis

7.1 Overview

7.2 Oncology

7.3 Diabetes

7.4 Infectious Diseases

7.5 Cardiology

7.6 Autoimmune Disease

7.7 Drug Testing

7.8 Nephrology

7.9 Others



8 Test Types: Market Size and Analysis

8.1 Overview

8.2 Core Laboratories Diagnostics

8.3 Point-of-Care Diagnostic



9 End User: Market Size and Analysis

9.1 Overview

9.2 Hospitals

9.3 Laboratories

9.4 Home Care

9.5 Academics

9.6 Others



10 Regions: Market Size and Analysis



11 Competitive Landscape



12 Vendor Profiles

12.1 F.Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd

12.2 Abbott Laboratories

12.3 Siemens Healthineers Inc.

12.4 Danaher Corporation.

12.5 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

12.6 Sysmex Corp.



13 Companies to Watch For

13.1 Becton Dickinson and Company

13.2 Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (Carlyle Group)

13.3 Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

13.4 Qiagen NV

13.5 BioMerieux S.A.



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8dffnq/global_in_vitro

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/17 -- Finning International Inc. (TSX: FTT) ("Finning" or the "Company") reported 2nd quarter 2017 results today. All monetary amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated.

HIGHLIGHTS

-- EPS(1) was $0.34 per share. -- Revenue increased by 21% from Q2 2016, with higher new equipment and product support revenues in all operations. -- Market recovery and improved operating performance drove higher profitability in Canada and UK & Ireland. -- South America delivered solid results, with significant growth in Argentina. -- Equipment backlog(2) rose by almost 30% from Q1 2017 to over $900 million. All operations reported higher backlog in Q2 2017. -- Annualized dividend increased by 4% to $0.76 per share, reflecting the expectation for positive annual free cash flow(2) and sustainable earnings recovery.

"Our second quarter results demonstrate strong operating leverage as we continue to benefit from operating performance improvements and a reduced cost base. Strengthening demand for equipment and product support in all our regions had a positive impact on our results, and we now expect our annual revenues to increase modestly over 5% compared to 2016," said Scott Thomson, president and CEO of Finning International Inc.

"To meet stronger demand, we are purchasing inventories while maintaining capital discipline. Continued progress to optimize our supply chain is driving improvements in our working capital to sales ratio(2). Importantly, our consistent focus on profitability and capital discipline generated higher return on invested capital(2) in each of our regions during the quarter," concluded Mr. Thomson.

Q2 2017 FINANCIAL SUMMARY

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quarterly Overview $ millions, except Q2 2016 % change per share amounts Q2 2017 Q2 2016 % change Adjusted(3) Adjusted ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revenue 1,581 1,310 21 1,310 21 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- EBIT(1) 98 29 232 63 54 EBIT margin 6.2% 2.3% 4.9% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- EBITDA(1)(2) 146 77 87 111 31 EBITDA margin(2) 9.2% 6.0% 8.5% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net income 56 5 n/m 33 72 Basic EPS 0.34 0.03 n/m 0.20 72 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Free cash flow (131) 64 (304) 64 (304) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

n/m - percentage change not meaningful

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q2 2017 EBIT and EBITDA by Operation $ millions, except per South UK & Corporate Finning share amounts Canada America Ireland & Other Total EPS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- EBIT / EPS 57 43 11 (13) 98 0.34 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- EBIT margin 7.2% 8.4% 4.1% - 6.2% ----------------------------------------------------------------------- EBITDA 83 58 18 (13) 146 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- EBITDA margin 10.5% 11.2% 6.6% - 9.2% -----------------------------------------------------------------------

There were no significant items in Q2 2017. Included in Q2 2016 results were the following significant items that management does not consider indicative of operational and financial trends either by nature or amount. These significant items are summarized below and described in more detail on page 3 of the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A").

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q2 2016 EBIT and EBITDA by Operation $ millions, except per South UK & Corporate Finning share amounts Canada America Ireland & Other Total EPS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- EBIT / EPS 28 38 (26) (11) 29 0.03 Severance and restructuring costs 1 1 11 - 13 0.07 Impact from Alberta wildfires - unavoidable costs 11 - - - 11 0.05 Estimated loss on disputes - UK power systems - - 5 - 5 0.02 Write-down - UK non-core business sale - - 5 - 5 0.03 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted EBIT(2)(3) / Adjusted EPS(2)(3) 40 39 (5) (11) 63 0.20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted EBITDA(2)(3) 65 54 3 (11) 111 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- EBIT margin 4.4% 8.8% (10.5)% - 2.3% ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted EBIT margin(2)(3) 6.3% 9.1% (1.9)% - 4.9% ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted EBITDA margin(2)(3) 10.3% 12.5% 1.2% - 8.5% ----------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Revenues increased by 21% from Q2 2016, driven by higher new equipment sales in all regions (up 46% on a consolidated basis). Product support revenues grew by 13%, with all operations reporting improved demand for parts. Canada's product support revenues were particularly strong compared to Q2 2016, which was impacted by Alberta wildfires. -- Gross profit increased in line with revenues. While margins improved across all lines of business, a shift in revenue mix to a higher percentage of new equipment sales resulted in a similar gross profit margin compared to Q2 2016. -- EBIT increased by $35 million or 54% from Adjusted EBIT in Q2 2016, driven by higher revenues and improved profitability in Canada and UK & Ireland. SG&A(1) as a percentage of revenue declined by 140 basis points from Q2 2016, excluding significant items, mainly due to leverage of higher revenues on fixed costs in Canada and UK & Ireland. -- EPS was $0.34 per share, up from Adjusted EPS of $0.20 in Q2 2016. -- Q2 free cash flow was a use of cash ($131) million due to purchasing inventories to meet stronger demand in all regions - mainly parts inventory in Canada and South America, and equipment inventory in South America and UK & Ireland. Reflecting improved revenue outlook and higher backlog, including some purchases of large equipment packages for delivery in early 2018, the Company has lowered its annual free cash flow expectation to a range of $150 to $200 million. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Invested Capital(2) and ROIC(1)(2) Q2 2017 Q4 2016 Q2 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Invested capital ($ millions) Consolidated 3,094 2,797 3,041 Canada 1,764 1,595 1,695 South America (U.S. dollars) 802 741 824 UK & Ireland (U.K. pound sterling) 178 130 153 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Invested capital turnover(2) (times) 1.98 1.90 1.78 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted ROIC(2)(3) (%) Consolidated 11.2 9.3 9.4 Canada 11.2 9.3 9.3 South America 15.9 15.0 14.2 UK & Ireland 14.0 5.9 3.3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- An increase in invested capital from Q4 2016 was mostly attributable to higher parts and internal service work in progress inventories in Canada in line with growing product support, including component rebuild activity, as well as higher equipment inventories in South America and UK & Ireland to meet improved demand. -- Despite an almost $200 million increase in inventory levels, inventory turns remained relatively unchanged compared to Q4 2016, reflecting progress on supply chain efficiencies. Working capital to sales ratio declined to 28.9% in Q2 2016 from 30.4% in Q4 2016. -- Invested capital turnover improved to 1.98 times from 1.90 times in Q4 2016, driven by higher revenues. -- Adjusted ROIC increased across all regions compared to Adjusted ROIC in all quarters of 2016 and Q1 2017.

Q2 2017 HIGHLIGHTS BY OPERATION

Canada

-- Revenues increased by 25%, with higher revenues in all lines of business except used equipment. New equipment sales were up 50%, driven by engine sales to gas compression customers, and higher deliveries of mining equipment. Product support revenues grew by 21%, reflecting stronger demand for parts and component rebuilds in the oil sands, as well as improved product support activity in other mining and general construction sectors. In Q2 2016, Canada's product support revenues were negatively impacted by the Alberta wildfires which caused interruption in oil sands activity. Excluding the estimated impact of the wildfires, product support revenues were 11% higher compared to Q2 2016. -- EBIT of $57 million increased by 42% from Adjusted EBIT in Q2 2016, mainly due to leverage of higher revenues on fixed costs. An increase in variable SG&A costs was associated with revenue growth, particularly in product support. EBIT margin was 7.2%, up from Adjusted EBIT margin of 6.3% in Q2 2016, driven by lower relative SG&A costs.

South America

-- Revenues were up 20% (up 15% in functional currency, US dollars), driven mostly by stronger new equipment sales. New equipment sales grew by 82% in functional currency and were primarily attributable to higher construction equipment sales in Argentina. In functional currency, product support revenues increased slightly from Q2 2016, driven by improved parts volumes in construction and mining industries in Argentina. -- EBIT of $43 million was up 10% from Adjusted EBIT in Q2 2016. EBIT margin of 8.4% was below Adjusted EBIT margin of 9.1% in Q2 2016, mostly due to a significant shift in revenue mix to new equipment sales, which typically generate a lower margin.

United Kingdom & Ireland

-- Revenues grew by 12% (up 21% in functional currency, UK Pound Sterling), with higher revenues in all lines of business. New equipment sales were up 30% in functional currency, driven by stronger power systems performance in the electric power generation market, as well as higher equipment deliveries. Product support revenues increased by 12% in functional currency, reflecting stronger parts sales across both equipment and power systems businesses. -- EBIT of $11 million and EBIT margin of 4.1% were significantly ahead of Adjusted EBIT results in Q2 2016, driven by higher revenues, positive impact on margins from improved execution in power systems, and lower SG&A costs. ROIC of 14.0% was the highest in the last two years, reflecting improved operating performance in a very competitive market environment.

CORPORATE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTS

Dividend

The Board of Directors has approved a 4% increase in the quarterly dividend to $0.19 per share from $0.1825 per share, payable on September 7, 2017 to shareholders of record on August 24, 2017. This dividend will be considered an eligible dividend for Canadian income tax purposes.

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

---------------------------------------------------- $ millions, except per Three months ended June share amounts 30 Six months ended June 30 ---------------------------------------------------- % % 2017 2016 change 2017 2016 change ---------------------------------------------------- New equipment 550 377 46 973 892 9 Used equipment 96 101 (6) 169 199 (15) Equipment rental 54 53 2 105 109 (4) Product support 877 775 13 1,729 1,596 8 Other 4 4 7 8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total revenue 1,581 1,310 21 2,983 2,804 6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gross profit 422 343 23 815 724 13 Gross profit margin 26.7% 26.2% 27.3% 25.8% SG&A (330) (315) (4) (637) (652) 2 SG&A as a percentage of revenue (20.8)% (24.1)% (21.3)% (23.3)% Equity earnings of joint ventures & associate 5 6 4 7 Other income (expenses) 1 (5) 2 (5) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- EBIT 98 29 232 184 74 148 EBIT margin 6.2% 2.3% 6.2% 2.7% Adjusted EBIT 98 63 54 184 130 41 Adjusted EBIT margin 6.2% 4.9% 6.2% 4.7% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net income 56 5 n/m 103 20 429 Basic EPS 0.34 0.03 n/m 0.62 0.12 428 Adjusted EPS 0.34 0.20 72 0.62 0.39 61 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- EBITDA 146 77 87 277 173 59 EBITDA margin 9.2% 6.0% 9.3% 6.2% Adjusted EBITDA 146 111 31 277 229 21 Adjusted EBITDA margin 9.2% 8.5% 9.3% 8.2% Free cash flow (131) 64 (304) (207) 94 (320) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dec Jun 30, 31, 2017 2016 -------------------------- Invested capital 3,094 2,797 Invested capital turnover (times) 1.98 1.90 Net debt to invested capital(2) 37.4% 32.0% ROIC 9.4% 5.6% Adjusted ROIC 11.2% 9.3% --------------------------------------------------

n/m - percentage change not meaningful

To download Finning's complete Q2 2017 results in PDF, please open the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/FinningQ217results.pdf

Q2 2017 INVESTOR CALL

The Company will hold an investor call on August 9 at 10:00 am Eastern Time. Dial-in numbers: 1-800-319-4610 (Canada and US), 1-416-915-3239 (Toronto area), 1-604-638-5340 (international). The call will be webcast live and archived for three months at http://www.finning.com/en_CA/company/investors.html. Finning no longer provides a phone playback recording; please use the webcast to access the archived call.

ABOUT FINNING

Finning International Inc. (TSX: FTT) is the world's largest Caterpillar equipment dealer delivering unrivalled service to customers for over 80 years. Finning sells, rents, and provides parts and services for equipment and engines to help customers maximize productivity. Headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., the Company operates in Western Canada, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

FOOTNOTES

(1) Earnings Before Finance Costs and Income Taxes (EBIT); Basic Earnings per Share (EPS); Earnings Before Finance Costs, Income Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA); Selling, General & Administrative Expenses (SG&A); Return on Invested Capital (ROIC). (2) These financial metrics, referred to as "non-GAAP financial measures" do not have a standardized meaning under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which are also referred to herein as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. For additional information regarding these financial metrics, including definitions and reconciliations from each of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable measure under GAAP, where applicable, see the heading "Description of Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Reconciliations" in the Company's MD&A. Management believes that providing certain non-GAAP financial measures provides users of the Company's consolidated financial statements with important information regarding the operational performance and related trends of the Company's business. By considering these measures in combination with the comparable IFRS measures set out in the Company's MD&A, management believes that users are provided a better overall understanding of the Company's business and its financial performance during the relevant period than if they simply considered the IFRS measures alone. (3) Reported metrics may be impacted by significant items management does not consider indicative of operational and financial trends either by nature or amount; these significant items are summarized on page 2 of this news release and described on pages 28 to 30 of the Company's MD&A. The financial metrics that have been adjusted to take these items into account are referred to as "Adjusted" metrics. There were no significant items adjusted in Q2 2017.

FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER

This report contains statements about the Company's business outlook, objectives, plans, strategic priorities and other statements that are not historical facts. A statement Finning makes is forward-looking when it uses what the Company knows and expects today to make a statement about the future. Forward-looking statements may include words such as aim, anticipate, assumption, believe, could, expect, goal, guidance, intend, may, objective, outlook, plan, project, seek, should, strategy, strive, target, and will. Forward-looking statements in this report include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: expectations with respect to the economy, markets and activities and the associated impact on the Company's financial results; expected revenue levels compared to last year; expected annual free cash flow; and the expectation of sustainable earnings recovery. All such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the 'safe harbour' provisions of applicable Canadian securities laws.

Unless otherwise indicated by us, forward-looking statements in this report reflect Finning's expectations as at the date of this report. Except as may be required by Canadian securities laws, Finning does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Forward-looking statements, by their very nature, are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties and are based on several assumptions which give rise to the possibility that actual results could differ materially from the expectations expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements and that Finning's business outlook, objectives, plans, strategic priorities and other statements that are not historical facts may not be achieved. As a result, Finning cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements include: general economic and market conditions; foreign exchange rates; commodity prices; the level of customer confidence and spending, and the demand for, and prices of, Finning's products and services; Finning's ability to maintain its relationship with Caterpillar Inc.; Finning's dependence on the continued market acceptance of its products, including Caterpillar products, and the timely supply of parts and equipment; Finning's ability to continue to improve productivity and operational efficiencies while continuing to maintain customer service; Finning's ability to manage cost pressures as growth in revenue occurs; Finning's ability to reduce costs in response to slowing activity levels; Finning's ability to attract sufficient skilled labour resources as market conditions, business strategy or technologies change; Finning's ability to negotiate and renew collective bargaining agreements with satisfactory terms for Finning's employees and the Company; the intensity of competitive activity; Finning's ability to raise the capital needed to implement its business plan; regulatory initiatives or proceedings, litigation and changes in laws or regulations; stock market volatility; changes in political and economic environments for operations; the integrity, reliability and availability of, and benefits from information technology and the data processed by that technology; and Finning's ability to protect itself from cybersecurity threats or incidents. Forward-looking statements are provided in this report for the purpose of giving information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of Finning's operating environment. However, readers are cautioned that it may not be appropriate to use such forward-looking statements for any other purpose.

Forward-looking statements made in this report are based on a number of assumptions that Finning believed were reasonable on the day the Company made the forward-looking statements. Refer in particular to the Outlook section of the MD&A for forward-looking statements. Some of the assumptions, risks, and other factors which could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained in this report are discussed in Section 4 of the Company's current AIF and in the annual MD&A for the financial risks.

Finning cautions readers that the risks described in the MD&A and the AIF are not the only ones that could impact the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to the Company or that are currently deemed to be immaterial may also have a material adverse effect on Finning's business, financial condition, or results of operations.

Except as otherwise indicated, forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any non-recurring or other unusual items or of any dispositions, mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations or other transactions that may be announced or that may occur after the date of this report. The financial impact of these transactions and non-recurring and other unusual items can be complex and depends on the facts particular to each of them. Finning therefore cannot describe the expected impact in a meaningful way or in the same way Finning presents known risks affecting its business.

Contacts:

Finning International Inc.

Mauk Breukels

Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs

(604) 331-4934

mauk.breukels@finning.com

www.finning.com




TORONTO, ON -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/17 --Patriot One Technologies Inc. (TSX VENTURE: PAT) (OTCQB: PTOTF) (FRANKFURT: 0PL) ("Patriot One" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that its award-winning PATSCAN CMR (Cognitive Microwave Radar) concealed weapons detection system has met Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Industry Canada (IC) regulatory requirements, as verified through a series of tests by an accredited 3rd party laboratory.

This is significant news for our Company," said Patriot One Technologies CTO Dinesh Kandanchatha. "Many companies have found meeting FCC and IC requirements to be a daunting challenge. Since we began operations last November we have worked relentlessly to identify, execute and address a lengthy checklist of FCC and IC technical requirements. Today, we are one step closer to delivering a certified mass-market version of the PATSCAN CMR in the USA and Canada. I congratulate our entire team for their commitment to this important effort. Now that the hardware development is finalized for certification, we are proceeding with software optimisation in preparation to meet our delivery commitments. In this regard, I am further pleased to confirm that our projected manufacturing run for 2017 is now fully committed, and we are already booking sales into 2018."

Company sales efforts for the PATSCAN CMR currently focus on markets including houses of worship, academic institutions, event centres, casinos, commercial offices, hotel properties, government agencies and other locations at high risk of terrorist attack. Orders have been received from locations spanning four continents, and new territorial opportunities are opening as reseller influence grows.

Patriot One's PATSCAN CMR, Model CMR-005 has been issued provisional identifiers as FCC #2ALZTCMR and IC #22739CMR. These identifiers encompass electrical and mechanical certification for FCC15B/ICES-003, FCC 15.510, RSS-220 & ETI EN 302-065-1, CSA C22.2 No. 61010-1, UL 61010-1 V3 and 3.1. The verified data from the accredited testing laboratory will now be sent to Industry Canada and FCC for final approval.

FCC and IC certification is important not only in a North American context, but is also a key step towards the product's attainment of certification and waiver/permit approvals in markets including the United Kingdom, Eurozone and Asia-Pacific regions, where key reseller partners are assisting in advancing the product's certification and approval processes.

"We have been working diligently towards FCC and IC certification, and are thrilled to see this effort coming closer to fruition. We are grateful to the many individuals, vendors, related stakeholders and early adopters who share our vision of a future when Patriot One systems will provide communities around the world with stronger safeguards against threats of terrorism and other acts of random violence," said Company CEO Martin Cronin. "We also salute those members of the investment community who have made a critical difference by putting their capital to work throughout our venture's early stages. We are determined to continue to build shareholder value and earn capital market support vital to Patriot One's ongoing development efforts and our mission to make the world a safer place."

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Martin Cronin"

CEO & Director

About Patriot One Technologies, Inc. (TSX VENTURE: PAT) (OTCQB: PTOTF) (FRANKFURT: 0PL):

Patriot One has developed PATSCAN CMR the next generation of its award-winning radar device and software solution. PATSCAN CMR is a first-of-its-kind Cognitive Microwave Radar concealed weapons detection system, designed as an effective tool to combat active shooter threats before they occur. Built for cost-effective deployment in weapon-restricted buildings and facilities, the Patriot One software solution and related hardware can be installed in hallways and doorways to covertly identify weapons and to alert security of an active threat entering the premises. Owner/operators of private and certain public facilities can now prominently post anti-weapons policies with compliance assured. The Company's motto Deter, Detect and Defend is based on the belief that widespread use of its technology will act as an effective deterrent, thereby diminishing the epidemic phenomena of active shooters across the globe. For more information, visit: www.patriot1tech.com. Patriot One Technologies are proud winners of the 2017 Anti-Terrorism / Force Protection category of the Security Industry Association's New Product Showcase at ISC West.

CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT:

No Securities Exchange has reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to product development, licensing, commercialization and regulatory compliance issues 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 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 failure to satisfy the conditions of the relevant securities exchange(s) and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulations. 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 as expressly required by applicable law.

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.

For further information, please contact:

Patriot One Inquiries

+1 (888) 728-1832

info@patriot1tech.com

www.patriot1tech.com




NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/17 -- NetworkNewsWire ("NNW"), a multifaceted financial news and publishing company, today announces the publication of an editorial featuring SinglePoint, Inc. (OTC: SING), a client of NNW focused on strengthening its position in the marijuana industry through the acquisition of, or investment in, small to mid-sized cannabis companies.

The publication, titled, "Absent Federal Banking Support, Cannabis Market Shows Growing Interest in Proprietary Bitcoin Payment Solutions," discusses several public companies using bitcoin to bridge the payment solutions gap between consumers and cannabis services.

To view the full publication, visit: https://www.networknewswire.com/absent-federal-banking-support-cannabis-market-shows-growing-interest-proprietary-bitcoin-payment-solutions/

"Because of federal regulations barring traditional financial institutions and credit card companies from offering their services, the booming marijuana industry, with almost $7 billion in reported sales last year, is facing a massive cash flow problem. ...

"This is where specialized holding company SinglePoint, Inc. (SING) comes in. The mobile technology provider is developing (http://nnw.fm/2wJlF) a proprietary bitcoin exchange system aimed at solving payment processing issues in high-risk markets including the cannabis industry. This in-house solution will allow consumers to obtain bitcoin at any point of sale and will be available for use to any legal marijuana business in the 29 states and the District of Columbia where cannabis has been legalized. The proprietary system is built for SinglePoint by TopTal, a San Francisco-based freelance engineering company, and is designed to make instant Bitcoin-based purchases for customers who want to use their credit or debit cards instead of cash."

About SinglePoint, Inc.

SinglePoint, Inc. (SING) has grown from a full-service mobile technology provider to a publicly traded holding company. Through diversification into horizontal markets, SinglePoint is building its portfolio by acquiring an interest in undervalued subsidiaries, thereby providing a rich, diversified holding base. Through its subsidiary company SingleSeed the company is providing products and services to the cannabis industry.

Connect on social media at: https://www.facebook.com/SinglePointMobile, www.twitter.com/_SinglePoint_, www.linkedin.com/company/SinglePoint and www.youtube.com/user/SinglePointMobile

For more information, visit www.SinglePoint.com or www.SingleSeed.com

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) NetworkNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. NNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today's market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

For more information please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company's SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.

NNW Contact:



NetworkNewsWire (NNW)

New York, New York

www.NetworkNewsWire.com

212.418.1217 Office

Email Contact




SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/17 -- Global Payout, Inc. (OTC PINK: GOHE) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that its majority owned subsidiary, MoneyTrac Technology, Inc. ("MTRAC"), has completed an agreement with H Smart Inc. (a division of Marijuana Company of America, "MCOA"), a developer and distributor of innovative wellness and Cannabidiol ("CBD") products, for the use of MTRAC's financial technology platform. The technology available in MTRAC's platform, via software developed and provided by Virtu Network Solutions, will be utilized by H Smart for payment of commissions to H Smart's affiliates. GOHE projects that these load payments and bank account transfers will generate substantial revenue to MTRAC that will be realized this fiscal quarter.

H Smart will provide MTRAC with a pivotal opportunity to enter into the emerging CBD market, which according to information provided by the Hemp Business Journal, is estimated to grow to a $2.1 billion market in consumer sales by 2020, representing a 700% increase from 2016. MoneyTrac COO, Vanessa Luna says, "This agreement with H Smart is another example of MoneyTrac's ongoing commitment of identifying businesses in alternative market sectors that can benefit immensely from the financial technology solutions our platform is equipped with. We are very excited to be given the opportunity to integrate our technologies into this rapidly-growing CBD market, and look forward to becoming a valuable resource to H Smart as they work to expand their market reach within the Wellness Industry."

Robert Hymers, CEO of H Smart says, "H Smart's core mission is to provide educated consumers with access to the highest quality CBD technologies and products. The financial technology solutions that MoneyTrac will deliver will help create the most efficient transaction process for our affiliates who will be at the forefront of marketing our innovative wellness and CBD products to consumers."

The Company expects for MTRAC to continue identifying and extending their technology platform to the many businesses currently operating in alternative market sectors, all while growing revenues and building value for its shareholders.

About Global Payout, Inc. (OTC PINK: GOHE)

Since the Company's inception in 2009, Global Payout, Inc. has been a leading provider of comprehensive and customized prepaid payment solutions for domestic and international organizations distributing money worldwide. In 2014, Global introduced its first online payment platform called the Consolidated Payment Gateway (CPG), which allowed its enterprise clients to transfer money to international bank accounts, mobile accounts, and prepaid card accounts. The development of the CPG became the foundation for the introduction of its new, state of the art FINTECH payment system and "Global Reserve Platform" in 2017, for both online and mobile applications to allow account holders to maximize an expanded suite of financial services and minimize operational costs. Global will continue to offer their payment system to many vertical markets for support of foreign currency exchange and digital currency, including ongoing support of the banking industry and international governments.

About MoneyTrac Technology

MoneyTrac Technology, Inc. is a pioneer in offering a full-service solution for alternative banking and electronic financial solutions and provides all aspects of financial technology including E-Wallet and mobile apps services for businesses and companies in various "high-risk" industries. MoneyTrac's technology platform allows for its clients to access their financial information from anywhere in the world, in addition to providing tracking and compliance to help them manage and control the flow of all revenue through their business.

About Marijuana Company of America (MCOA)

Marijuana Company of America ("MCOA") is a publicly traded company headquartered in Southern California. MCOA will distribute marijuana and products related to marijuana as well as CBD and hemp, using a variety of marketing approaches to distribute on a global basis.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer:

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "ongoing," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time the statements are made and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainty and other factors that may cause our results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release. This press release should be considered in light of all filings of the Company that are contained in the Edgar Archives of the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:



Global Payout, Inc.

www.globalpayout.com



MoneyTrac Technology, Inc.

www.moneytractechnology.com



CONTACT:

Public Relations and Media Contact:

619-795-5810




SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/17 -- Generation NEXT Franchise Brands (OTCBB: VEND) announced today that it has completed and secured its second international licensing agreement within a month, adding the Arabic nation of Oman to its list of growing territories. The company will be licensing its robotic frozen yogurt vending technology and franchise concept, Reis & Irvy's, to international franchise group, World of International Innovators, which is headed up by Fahmy Al Harmaly. Just last month, Generation NEXT announced its first international debut in Israel and this newest deal in Oman speaks to the appeal of robotic vending technology.

Earlier this year, Generation NEXT Franchise Brands launched its international licensing program for the Reis & Irvy's concept which was launched within the United States in April 2016. The high-tech robotic vending machines, which will dispense servings of frozen yogurt, ice creams and sorbets, topped with six delicious toppings in under 60 seconds, have seen tremendous response from the market. Since its debut, Reis & Irvy's has grown to over 175 franchisees across the U.S. and represent 725 pending robot installations. That market buzz has now expanded across the globe and is sparking interest and demand from entrepreneurs looking to become part of the newest innovation in on-demand vending robotics.

World of International Innovators, established in 2013, initially started as a company focused on offering total solutions for the healthy food industry. Throughout the region, the group has become synonymous with quality, reliability and top-tier customer service. A foundational attribute that Al Harmaly plans to continue with the addition of the Reis & Irvy's brand to his group and that will strengthen their full portfolio of on-demand healthy food solutions for on-the-go customers and captive audiences throughout the marketplace.

"The novelty, fun, and unique customer experience that Reis & Irvy's delivers will be a great match for the demand we have here in Oman," said Al Harmaly. "Bringing an automated, self-serve option of healthier frozen yogurt will be a welcomed option within this particular market and it will revolutionize the way our customers perceive and consume this very popular consumable."

World of International Innovators will serve as an exclusive licensee, distributor and operator of Reis & Irvy's Froyo Robots within Oman for five years under the terms of the licensing agreement it entered into with Generation NEXT Franchise Brands. The agreement, if executed fully, is worth $875,000 to Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, states that the group will purchase a minimum number of units within the 5-year term and will represent the frozen yogurt/ice cream robot technology within its respective territory using the Reis & Irvy's brand (www.reisandirvys.com).

World of International Innovators will ambassador and position the brand for consumer awareness and expansion and will be supported by marketing, training, logistics and operations support from Generation NEXT Franchise Brands and the Reis & Irvy's corporate franchising team that will include:

A source for logistics

Sources for wholesale consumables (yogurt, ice cream, gelato, sorbet)

Marketing and advertising templates and systems (e.g., Radio, Print, SEO and Direct Response)

Sales scripts

CRM template for tracking the business from franchisee / licensee sold through to installation

Online discovery portal template

Operating manuals (online)

Training manuals (online to include video tutorials)

Website template for franchisee / licensee sales and location procurement

Comprehensive sales / marketing / technical training in San Diego, California

Comprehensive technical training at companies contract manufacturing plant

On-site training upon launch

"Slowly but surely we are finding the right partners around the globe to represent this special technology. Fahmy and his group are extremely informed on the market trends in Oman, they are motivated, well connected, and we have no doubts they will be successful on all levels for the Reis & Irvy's brand."

For more information on Generation NEXT Franchise Brands or their family of brands, including Reis & Irvy's, please visit www.gennextbrands.com or call toll free 888-902-7558.

This information is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise. It is for informational purposes only. No Reis & Irvy's franchises will be sold to any resident of any state until the offering has been exempted from the requirements of, or duly registered in and declared effective by, such state and the required FDD (if any) has been delivered to the prospective franchisee before the sale in compliance with applicable law. Currently, the following states in the United States regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. If you reside in one of these states, or even if you reside elsewhere, you may have certain rights under applicable franchise laws or regulations.

Generation NEXT Franchise Brands

Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, based in San Diego, California, is a publicly traded company on the OTC Markets trading under the symbol "VEND." Generation NEXT Franchise Brands is the parent company of: Fresh Healthy Vending LLC, the market's leading healthy-choice vending machine franchise; Reis and Irvy's, Inc., the world's first robotic frozen yogurt vending kiosk; and 19 Degrees, a corporate-focused frozen yogurt kiosk brand. The Company hosts over 390 active franchisees throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas, and continually looks to partner with like-minded entrepreneurs who share its vision.

Cautionary note on forward-looking statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results could differ materially from those discussed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as "believe," "anticipate," "propose," "expect," "intend," "plan," "will," "may," "estimates," variations of such words and other similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2016, our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form 8-K. Be advised that developments subsequent to this press release are likely to cause these statements to become outdated and the Company is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Media Contact:

Generation NEXT

info@gennextbrands.com




Investment to fuel continued rapid expansion to meet demand for Robotic Process Automation services

Symphony Ventures, the global services firm focused on Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Automation, announced today a Series A investment of 3.5 million ($4.5 million) from Livingbridge, a mid-market private equity firm with a strong track record of investing in high-growth technology businesses.

The funding will further accelerate Symphony's rapid growth - including a doubling of employee numbers and continue its global expansion, increasing delivery capacity and widening product development. Symphony also welcomes two new members to its Board of Directors: Henry Alty, of Livingbridge, joins as Investor Director, and Bill Thomas, managing partner of Acresis a founder advisory firm that supports Symphony on its growth and liquidity goals joins as Chairman of the Board.

Symphony was founded in 2014 and provides consulting, implementation and managed services to enterprise clients looking to automate operational processes that are manual, repetitive, complex and time consuming through RPA and Intelligent Automation solutions. RPA can yield improvements in speed, accuracy, quality and compliance while delivering significant cost savings. Employees can be freed up to focus on more dynamic, engaging work while customers can experience higher satisfaction levels through improved interactions.

Organizations in all industries are increasingly adopting RPA for front, middle and back office functions ranging from human resources, to finance and accounting, to procurement and logistics. The RPA industry has demonstrated rapid growth in recent years and according to HfS Research, the market is expected to reach 920 million ($1.2 billion) by 20211. Symphony was ranked the #1 RPA Pure Play Specialist by HfS Research in 20162 and recognized by Gartner as a Cool Vendor in 20153. Symphony's client portfolio includes firms in more than 21 countries in financial services, telecommunications, health care, logistics and the public sector.

Symphony's founders have been at the forefront of work innovation for two decades as former Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) industry executives and have a combined 70+ years of market experience. The team recognized early on that automation had the potential to unleash significant value for enterprises. Led by Chief Executive Officer David Poole, Chief Strategy Officer Ian Barkin, Chief Client Officer Pascal Baker and Chief Operations Officer David Brain, Symphony has grown in just three short years into an unrivaled 120-person strong team of talented professionals worldwide, known for delivering some of the most complex and impactful RPA solutions.

Livingbridge is a mid-market private equity business with particular experience in working with high-growth technology companies, having invested in firms such as email signature software company Exclaimer, B2B connectivity and internet infrastructure provider M24Seven and field force automation software provider Kirona. The investment in Symphony Ventures uses funds from the Baronsmead Venture Trusts.

"We are delighted to be working with Livingbridge. We had a choice of partners and selected Livingbridge for its strong track record of helping founders achieve rapid growth, while respecting the company and the culture in place," said Poole. "Across the globe, we're seeing exceptional demand for enterprise-grade RPA, and Livingbridge's vision of the market proved to be one of the most strategic and insightful about how we can meet client needs and, by doing so, further accelerate Symphony's growth and expansion."

Alty of Livingbridge, said: "Symphony Ventures has swiftly developed a strong position in the rapidly growing RPA and Intelligent Automation space, a multi-billion-pound sector we have monitored since its inception. Symphony's impressive founding leadership team has developed a compelling proposition for its clients, and we are excited to be working with them to further accelerate Symphony's growth."

Symphony will use the investment to expand hiring within its core markets in the U.S., U.K. and Poland, and to extend its capabilities into new geographies. The company plans to at least double its current team size over the next 12 months. The company will also continue to invest in product development and broaden its service catalog to bring new, high-demand offerings to market. Symphony plans to introduce an innovation lab that will provide infrastructure to allow feasibility assessments of RPA and other new ecosystem technologies. Additionally, Symphony will use the funding to address the explosive demand for RPA skills in the market by developing training programs for enterprises to scale RPA teams and train RPA developers side-by-side with the company's experts. The funding will also support a new service category that will offer lower risk RPA-centric outsourcing solutions that create higher value for clients than traditional BPO.

Symphony works with a leading roster of RPA and Intelligent Automation software providers including Blue Prism, UiPath, NICE Systems, Kryon Systems and Celaton. The company continues to expand its digital ecosystem of tools and capabilities responding to changing market trends to be able to offer expanded solutions for clients.

"RPA is extremely complex and requires a unique set of process and technical skills," said Phil Fersht, HfS Research. "Businesses understand the great benefits the technology can offer, but lack the know-how to effectively select and manage solutions so that they deliver the greatest return based on their specific goals and applications. As a result, demand for skilled expertise from RPA specialists like Symphony Ventures is unprecedented."

1http://www.horsesforsources.com/RPA-marketsize-HfS_061017

2http://www.horsesforsources.com/RPA_pureplays_121616

3https://www.gartner.com/doc/3028319/cool-vendors-business-process-services

About Symphony Ventures

Symphony Ventures is a global consulting, implementation and managed services firm passionate about helping clients harness the "Future of Work." Symphony specializes in robotic process automation (RPA), cognitive automation and other inspired delivery models to help organizational leadership reduce costs, increase customer experience, repatriate work and unleash resources to fund growth and shareholder value. Symphony has headquarters in London and offices in San Francisco, Boston and Krakow. Founded in 2014, Symphony has been ranked an RPA Service leader by HfS Research, a leading service delivery automation (SDA) provider by Everest Group, a Cool Vendor by Gartner and received the 2017 Blue Prism Partner Award for Best Practice and Implementation. For more information, visit http://www.symphonyhq.com and follow the company on Twitter at @SymphonyVenture or LinkedIn as Symphony Ventures.

About Livingbridge

Livingbridge is an award winning independent specialist asset management firm of more than 75 people in the U.K. and Australia with over 1bn to invest in fast growing companies over the next five years. The Livingbridge team has been backing growing businesses together for twenty years, investing between 2m to 50m in businesses valued at between 5m and 125m. Livingbridge understands the people behind growing companies in consumer markets; healthcare and education; technology, media and telecommunications; financial services and business services, and helps them achieve what's right for them and their business. For more information visit http://www.livingbridge.com.

About Acresis

Acresis is a founder-focused professional services firm that delivers advisory, capital services and transaction management support to drive growth and liquidity for innovative growth-stage companies across numerous industries and business processes, typically where technology plays a key role. Formed for founders by founders, Acresis brings discipline, structure and expertise to accelerate profitable enterprise value, targeting significant and measurable outcomes in a specific time frame. To date Acresis Partners have delivered more than $1B in realized and incremental value for its clients. For more information visit http://www.acresis.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170809005170/en/

Contacts:

Symphony Ventures

Version 2.0 Communications

Kristen Leathers, US: 1-617-426-2222

kleathers@v2comms.com

or

Livingbridge

MHP Communications

James White, UK: 0203 128 8756

livingbridge@mhpc.com

or

Livingbridge

Fiona Evans, UK: 020 7506 5605

fiona.evans@livingbridge.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.
Militants continued to fire at the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Tuesday, August 8, using prohibited weapons, the press center of the ATO headquarters reported.

"Over the past day, militants violated the ceasefire 28 times, three Ukrainian soldiers were killed, eight others were wounded, and one was injured," the press center of the ATO headquarters said on its Facebook page on Wednesday morning.

One soldier was killed near Vodiane, where militants used grenade launchers. One was wounded as a result of mortar shelling in Shyrokyne. Also, during the shelling at Novooleksandrivka, another soldier was wounded.

The ATO headquarters report that the situation remains tense in the Donetsk sector in the vicinity of Avdiyivka and Butovka mine. During the shelling, militants used mortars of various caliber, grenade launchers, machine guns and small arms.
Frost & Sullivan hosts a complimentary webinar on high-end secured payment services currently in demand

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Nov. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

WHEN: 5 December 2017 TIME: 18:00 (16:00 GMT) LOCATION: Online, with complimentary registration PRESENTER: Jean-Noel Georges, Global Program Director:

Digital Transformation, Frost & Sullivan GUEST PRESENTERS: Gijzel Marijne, Marketing Manager for Digital Payments, Gemalto, and

Adam Moulson, Chief Customer Officer, Form3

Digital transformation has already disrupted the traditional payment ecosystem. Now a new subcategory, paytech, is dominating the Fintech revolution. The most innovative services that form part of the paytech ecosystem include instant, cross-border, mobile, invisible, peer-to-peer and cryptocurrency payments. Furthermore, banks and financial institutions have had to digitalise their existing services in order to create a new channel with the digital platform.

"The recent emergence of Neobanks in particular has influenced the historical players by providing innovative approaches that leverage technologies as well as social media," notes Jean-Noel Georges, Global Program Director for Digital Transformation at Frost & Sullivan. "However, the success of payment services is based on the perceived confidence future customers will have in the different payment platforms. Trust in the payment service is therefore directly linked to the associated security."

This briefing will uncover how to secure digital payments, with high end solutions provided by top market players within the financial services ecosystem. The success of many services is directly linked to the seamless experience of digital payments. Even if payment is becoming invisible or transparent, security continues to remain a key pillar for massive commercial roll-out.

Join our experts to:

Understand the recent evolution of the digital payment ecosystem

of the digital payment ecosystem Learn about Neobanks' payment product portfolio and associated security needs

payment product portfolio and associated security needs Identify security features and best practices your organisation should consider when implementing payments

and best practices your organisation should consider when implementing payments See how cryptocurrencies are gaining popularity as countries push to become cashless societies

A live question and answer session will follow the presentation.

This briefing will benefit CEOs, corporate strategy teams, business development executives, product managers, and sales and marketing managers focused on implementing secured digital payment strategy.

Click here (http://frost.ly/1z1) to register if you are interested in attending the briefing.

To receive a copy of the presentation slides and a link to the audio recording, kindly email samantha.james@frost.com your full name, job title, company name, company telephone number, company email address and website, city, state and country.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community.Contact us: Start the discussion

Contact:

Samantha James

Frost & Sullivan

+27 21680 3574

samantha.james@frost.com

Twitter: @FrostSullivanSA
Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust Limited

("the Company")

RESULT OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

8 SEPTEMBER 2017

At the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") of the Company held today all Ordinary Resolutions as set out in the AGM Notice dated 23 May 2017 (the "Notice") and sent to shareholders of the Company, were duly passed.

Details of the proxy voting results which should be read alongside the Notice are noted below:

Ordinary

Resolution For Discretion Against Abstain 1 173,962,216 16,218 65,213 0 2 171,989,349 16,218 2,004,093 33,987 3 172,096,101 16,218 1,931,328 0 4 172,043,613 16,218 1,983,816 0 5 173,855,658 16,218 171,771 0 6 171,983,350 10,318 2,049,979 0 7 173,854,849 16,218 172,580 0 8 172,067,636 16,218 1,959,793 0 9 173,981,526 16,218 11,916 33,987 10 174,027,429 16,218 0 0

Note - A vote withheld is not a vote in law and has not been counted in the votes for and against a resolution.

At the same AGM noted above, the following Special Resolutions were also passed as detailed below:

SPECIAL RESOLUTION 1:

That the Company be authorised, in accordance with section 315 of The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008, as amended (the "Companies Law"), to make market acquisitions (within the meaning of section 316 of the Companies Law) of ordinary shares in the capital of the Company ("ordinary shares"), provided that:

(a) the maximum number of ordinary shares hereby authorised to be purchased shall be 14.99% of the issued ordinary shares on the date on which this resolution is passed;

(b) the minimum price which may be paid for an ordinary share shall be 0.01p;

(c) the maximum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for an ordinary share shall be 105% of the average of the middle market quotations on the relevant market where the repurchase is carried out for the ordinary shares for the five business days immediately preceding the date of a purchase;

(d) such authority shall expire at the Annual General Meeting of the Company in 2018 unless such authority is varied, revoked or renewed prior to such date by ordinary resolution of the Company in general meeting; and

(e) the Company may make a contract to purchase ordinary shares under such authority prior to its expiry which will or may be executed wholly or partly after its expiration and the Company may make a purchase of ordinary shares pursuant to any such contract.

SPECIAL RESOLUTION 2:

That the Directors of the Company be and are hereby empowered to allot ordinary shares of the Company for cash as if the pre-emption provisions contained under Article 13 of the Articles of Incorporation did not apply to any such allotments and to sell ordinary shares which are held by the Company in treasury for cash on a non-pre-emptive basis provided that this power shall be limited to the allotment and sales of ordinary shares:

(a) up to such number of ordinary shares as is equal to 10% of the ordinary shares in issue on the date on which this resolution is passed;

(b) at a price of not less than the net asset value per share as close as practicable to the allotment or sale;

provided that such power shall expire on the earlier of the Annual General Meeting of the Company in 2018 or on the expiry of 15 months from the passing of this Special Resolution, except that the Company may before such expiry make offers or agreements which would or might require ordinary shares to be allotted or sold after such expiry and notwithstanding such expiry the Directors may allot or sell ordinary shares in pursuance of such offers or agreements as if the power conferred hereby had not expired.



Details of the proxy voting results which should be read alongside the Notice are noted below:

Special

Resolution For Discretion Against Abstain 1 173,923,364 16,218 104,065 0 2 170,203,263 16,218 89,166 3,735,000

Note - A vote withheld is not a vote in law and has not been counted in the votes for and against a resolution.

Enquiries:

Company website: www.srei.co.uk



Franczeska Hanford

Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited

Tel: +44 (0) 1481 745 918

Email: fk26@ntrs.com
METAIRIE, LA / ACCESSWIRE / October 6, 2017 / OrthoSynetics, an orthodontics marketing expert is proud to announce the launch of their "next phase of success" service for online marketing. Full details about this are available on the company's website at http://www.orthosynetics.com. The trademarked Elevate program is already proving to be very popular.

A representative from OrthoSynetics says, "Elevate puts you in the driver's seat when it comes to creating a strategy that's uniquely yours. From driving starts, increasing conversions and boosting your bottom line, we won't just help you succeed - we'll elevate your practice to the next level of success."

The Elevate service is available for orthodontic marketing, orthodontic consulting, practice consulting, financial analysis, procurement, and patient insurance and collections. Put together, they ensure orthodontic practices can be fully successful. Those who have utilized these services have been very pleased with the work done for them. Dr. Sheila, for instance, says on the company website, "With OrthoSynetics you can have the practice you have always dreamed of. I truly appreciate the consulting service as it's extremely helpful to have an extra set of eyes to watch the practice. I've been able to improve my practice performance with their guidance. They will make your life easier and your practice more profitable."

The company also releases regular blog posts and articles to further discuss the work that they do and how this benefits orthodontic specialists. They discuss issues such as data-driven growth strategies and other vital marketing elements. The representative adds: "We use tools to help orthodontic practices know exactly where growth opportunities lie. Orthodontists can open a new location, knowing that the same tools used by Fortune 500 companies to select new locations are being utilized for their practice. Our process goes further than a demographic study. Our analysts review consumer spending habits and profiles to find the best potential patient base. This research combined with exclusive data models, helps our clients expand their businesses with confidence."

Those interested in the marketing work that OrthoSynetics can do for them are encouraged to contact the company as soon as possible and further look into the Elevate program that they offer.

Contact OrthoSynetics:

877-OSI-1111

info@orthosynetics.com

OrthoSynetics 3850 N. Causeway Blvd. Suite 800 Metairie, LA 70002

SOURCE: OrthoSynetics
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/17 -- Editors Note: There are four photos and a video associated with this press release.

Corel introduces PaintShop Pro 2018, the complete photo editing and graphic design suite that offers more speed, flexibility, and creativity than ever before. Enhance your editing experience with a redesigned and customizable user interface that's now friendlier with high-resolution displays and pen and touch devices. Start and finish your next project faster thanks to improved performance under the hood -- and express your creativity with more than 125 pieces of exciting new content including brushes, gradients, textures, and patterns.

"Whether you're looking for professional photo editing power or just getting started, you need software that lets you jump in and be productive right away. PaintShop Pro now lets you choose from two unique interfaces, plus it gives you the ability to customize them to build an editing and design environment that's uniquely your own," said Chris Pierce, Product Manager for Corel Photo. "With PaintShop Pro 2018, we're delivering a dramatically faster, easier, and highly creative experience that's even more accessible and of course, still subscription free."

The new PaintShop Pro 2018 and PaintShop Pro 2018 Ultimate boost productivity with user-requested enhancements and spark creativity with all-new content, including:

-- NEW! Dual Workspace Environment: Introducing two new workspaces designed to match the way you work! New to photo editing or looking to focus on a core set of tools? Try the new Essentials workspace for an easy-to-use, streamlined look. Or, if you're a PaintShop Pro expert, switch to the Complete workspace for a more traditional experience that offers access to the software's complete editing and design capabilities. -- NEW! Simplified, Touch & Pen-Friendly Interface: Now get more control over features, functionality, and customization. Node size not right? Change it. Scroll bar too small? Make it bigger. New larger icons now make it easy to work on touchscreens, 2-in-1 devices, and high-DPI monitors. -- ENHANCED! Faster Launch Time & Performance: Time is precious and whether you're launching a program or performing a specific action, no one likes to wait around. PaintShop Pro 2018 launches more than 50% faster than the previous version (X9), while the software's most popular tools now respond with near-instant results. Text Wrapping is faster and Depth of Field adjustments can be achieved 4 times quicker than before. -- NEW! Customizable Toolbars: Be more productive with larger, easier-to- see icons and use the new Quick Customize feature to update your toolbars with the tools you want at your fingertips. -- NEW! Color Palettes, Brushes & More Creative Content: Choose from a selection of complementary hues with 10 new Color Palettes, apply artistic strokes with 30 new Brushes, and get creative with 30 new Gradients, 30 new Textures, and 15 new Patterns.

Choose PaintShop Pro 2018 Ultimate, the comprehensive editing kit for photographers, and also receive a collection of add-ons worth more than $250 including:

-- NEW! Painter Essentials 5: Get photo-painting tools that easily transform your pictures into impressive art right before your eyes. Or start sketching, drawing, and painting from scratch using Natural- Media brushes. -- NEW! Perfectly Clear 3 SE: Restore details, color, and other elements lost by your camera with the proven, patented corrections. Create a custom look with robust, time-saving presets that let you control multiple adjustments with just one click -- all without leaving PaintShop Pro. -- AfterShot 3: With the addition of AfterShot, get a one-two punch to rival Adobe's Creative Cloud photography subscription, only without the monthly fee -- including, digital asset management, RAW conversion, and adjustment. Take advantage of non-destructive editing that preserves your original, whether you edit one version of your photo or 100.

Photo Video Bundle Delivers a Complete Editing Package

Also introduced today, the Photo Video Bundle brings together PaintShop Pro 2018 and VideoStudio Pro X10 for a complete photo, design, and video editing package to help tell your story. For more information on the Corel Photo Video Bundle, visit us at www.paintshoppro.com/photo-video-bundle.

Pricing and Availability

PaintShop Pro 2018 and PaintShop Pro 2018 Ultimate are available now in English, German, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Traditional Chinese, and Japanese. Suggested retail pricing (SRP) for PaintShop Pro 2018 is $79.99 (USD/CAN) / EUR 69.99 / GBP 69.99 / $99 AUD. SRP for PaintShop Pro 2018 Ultimate is $99.99 (USD/CAN) / EUR 89.99 / GBP 89.99/ $129 AUD. SRP for PaintShop Pro 2018 and Video Studio X10 bundle is $159.99 (USD/CAN) / EUR 139.99 / GBP 139.99/ $199 AUD. All European pricing includes VAT. Upgrade pricing is available to registered users of all previous versions of PaintShop Pro. For more information or to download a free 30-day trial, please visit www.paintshoppro.com.

To discover how you can bring the power of PaintShop Pro to your business and learn more about volume licensing for commercial or education-based organizations, please visit www.paintshoppro.com/business.

Stay Up-to-Date & Join the Conversation

Don't miss all the latest PaintShop Pro developments, tutorials, and more on the Corel Discovery Center at http://learn.corel.com. Connect with the PaintShop Pro community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CorelPaintShop or tweet us @CorelSoftware.

About Corel Photo Editing

Whether you're an enthusiast or professional photographer, Corel Photo Editing software is dedicated to helping you achieve your best photos ever. The Corel Photo Editing product lineup includes the renowned PaintShop Pro for powerful image editing and AfterShot Pro, the industry's fastest RAW photo workflow software. Corel is one of the world's top software companies providing some of the industry's best-known brands including MindManager, Pinnacle, Roxio, and WinZip. For more information about Corel Photo Editing software, please visit www.paintshoppro.com.

 2017 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved. Corel, the Corel logo, the Corel Balloon logo, PaintShop, AfterShot, Essentials, MindManager, Natural-Media, Painter, Pinnacle, Roxio, VideoStudio, and WinZip are trademarks or registered trademarks of Corel Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. All other product names and any registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned are used for identification purposes only and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners. Patent: www.corel.com/patent

To view the photos and video associated with this press release, please visit the following links:

http://www.marketwire.com/library/20170808-Box800.jpg

http://www.marketwire.com/library/20170808-Essentials_Workspace800.jpg

http://www.marketwire.com/library/20170808-Depth_of_Field800.jpg

http://www.marketwire.com/library/20170808-Quick_Customize800.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM3WFP3TfwE

Contacts:

Alex Brazeau

Public Relations Manager

Corel Corporation

alex.brazeau@corel.com

www.corel.com




NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / February 22, 2018 / Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE: WR) will be discussing their earnings results in their Q4 Earnings Call to be held on February 22, 2018 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time.

To listen to the event live or access a replay of the call - visit https://www.investornetwork.com/company/328

To receive updates for this company you can register by emailing info@investornetwork.com or by clicking get investment info from the company's profile.

About Investor Network

Investor Network (IN) is a financial content community, serving millions of unique investors market information, earnings, commentary and news on the what's trending. Dedicated to both the professional and the average traders, IN offers timely, trusted and relevant financial information for virtually every investor. IN is an Issuer Direct brand, to learn more or for the latest financial news and market information, visit www.investornetwork.com. Follow us on Twitter @investornetwork.

SOURCE: Investor Network
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 9, 2017) - Crown Mining Corporation (TSXV: CWM) ("Crown" or the "Company") announces a proposed non-brokered private placement for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $250,000 comprised of up to 2,500,000 units at a price of $0.10 per unit (each such unit being comprised of one common share and one warrant) (the "Offering"). Each whole warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one common share for $0.15 at any time within 3 years after closing subject to an acceleration clause. All securities issued pursuant to this private placement will be subject to a four (4) month hold period. The Company proposes to pay to eligible finders a finder's fee equal to 10% of the gross proceeds raised. The Company also reserves the right to increase or decrease the size of the Offering.

Completion of the Offering is subject to receipt of all required regulatory and TSX Venture Exchange approvals. The Company will use the proceeds of the offering for work at its Moonlight-Superior Project and for general working capital purposes.

Crown is focused on advancing its 100% controlled Moonlight-Superior Copper Project in Northeast California which includes 4 known copper deposits. The Moonlight deposit hosts a current National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") indicated resource of approximately 161 million tons (146.5 million tonnes) averaging 0.324% copper, 0.003 ounces of gold and 0.112 ounces of silver per ton for 1.044 billion pounds of copper, and an inferred resource of 88 million tons (80 million tonnes) averaging 0.282% copper per ton for 496 million pounds of copper. Further details of this resource can be found in the Technical Report on the Moonlight Copper Property dated April 12, 2007 at Sedar.com. The Superior and Engels deposits have a current NI 43-101 inferred mineral resource of 57 million metric tonnes at an average copper grade of 0.43% for 547 million pounds of copper. Further details of this resource can be found in the Technical Report on the Superior Project dated November 7, 2014 filed on Sedar which also discloses a historical resource estimate for the fourth deposit.

Mr. George Cole is the Qualified Person pursuant to NI 43-101 responsible for the technical information contained in this news release, and he has reviewed and approved this news release.

For more information please see the Crown website at www.crownminingcorp.com.

For Further Information Contact:

Mr. Stephen Dunn, President, CEO and Director, Crown Mining Corporation (416) 361-2827 or email info@crownminingcorp.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 press release.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws and regulations, including statements regarding the future activities of the Company. Forward-looking statements reflect the current beliefs and expectations of management and are identified by the use of words including "will", "anticipates", "expected to", "plans", "planned" and other similar words. Actual results may differ significantly. The achievement of the results expressed in forward-looking statements is subject to a number of risks, including those described in the Company's management discussion and analysis as filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities which are available at www.sedar.com. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon forward-looking statements.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in any jurisdiction. The flow-through common shares will not be and have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or applicable exemption from the registration requirements.
Digi Communications N.V. ("Digi" or the "Company") announces that on August 16, 2017 (at 17:00 UK time) it will host a conference call to discuss the H1 2017 results.

To participate in the conference please follow the instructions from our websites:

www.digi-communications.ro

http://investors.rcs-rds.ro.

A webcast of the call and the presentation materials will be available on our websites and the webcast will be archived for 30 days:

www.digi-communications.ro

http://investors.rcs-rds.ro.

About Digi Communications NV

Digi is the parent holding company of RCS RDS, a leading provider of pay TV and telecommunications services in Romania and Hungary. In addition, RCS RDS provides mobile services as an MVNO to the large Romanian communities living in Spain and Italy.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170809005729/en/

Contacts:

Digi Communications NV

Serghei Bulgac

Phone no: +4031 400 4444

ipo.relations@digi-communications.ro

investor.relations@rcs-rds.ro
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/17 -- Note to editors: There is a photo associated with this press release.

Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSX VENTURE: MMG)(OTC PINK: MMNGF) ("Metallic Minerals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the commencement of drilling at the Company's flagship Keno Silver Project a highly-prospective, district scale, brownfields exploration property consisting of 112.5 square kilometres in the historic Keno Hill Silver District of Canada's Yukon Territory. Through a comprehensive review of modern and historic data, Metallic Minerals has identified more than a dozen priority target areas for further evaluation during the 2017 field exploration program. The first phase of drilling, which is now underway, will focus on five initial targets. The 2017 exploration program budget at the Keno Silver Project is anticipated to be a minimum of $1.6 million including the phase 1 drilling.

The Keno Silver Project is located in the eastern and southern portions of the Keno Hill Silver District adjoining Alexco Resource Corp's high-grade Keno Hill silver properties. Over 200 million ounces of high-grade silver have been mined in the Keno Hill Silver District over the past 100 years(1) with several major new discoveries over the past decade leading to the district hosting one of the highest-grade silver resources in the industry(2). Keno-type silver deposits consist of high-grade silver-lead-zinc veins typically 1 to 5 metres in width, grading from 200 g/t to over 5,000 g/t silver(1). The largest individual deposits in the district, which range from 10 million to 100 million ounces of contained silver, are associated with northeast trending, southeast dipping fault/vein structures that form major ore shoots in the main quartzite and greenstone host rocks.

There are twelve known mineralized structural corridors in the Keno Hill Silver District, eight of which continue across Metallic Minerals' land package and occur in the same geologic settings that host the largest deposits in the district. The Keno Silver Project covers seven historic producing mines including four with average production grades of over 5,000 g/t silver(1). The eastern portion of the Keno Hill Silver District has seen little modern exploration due to the longstanding, fragmented, private land ownership structure, which has now been largely consolidated by Metallic Minerals as the Keno Silver Project.

Follow up work by Metallic Minerals has been focused at the Homestake, Keno Summit, Caribou, Faith, Vanguard, Duncan and Silver Queen target areas including completion of detailed geophysical and geochemical surveys, geologic mapping, and trenching. With positive results from the follow up program, several of the planned soil grids and trenches are being expanded to cover open anomalies identified in the field using a Niton XRF to provide rapid analysis ahead of final assay lab results.

Metallic Minerals' Chairman & CEO, Greg Johnson, stated: "The soil and trenching work, combined with completed mapping and detailed magnetic and VLF surveys, have contributed to our understanding of the prospectivity of our top target areas and refined the targets for the Phase 1 drill campaign. With the target refinement phase of the 2017 program nearly complete, our team has now initiated diamond drilling on the priority targets that are the down-dip and along-strike extensions of surface mineralization along the known mineralized trends.

Drilling will start at the Caribou, Faith and Keno Summit targets and continue on to the Homestake target later in the program. The objective of the 2017 program is to target high-grade silver mineralization in the lesser explored parts of the Keno Hill Silver District using a systematic, disciplined approach to exploration along the known mineralized corridors. This approach to exploration in the district has led to several recent major high-grade discoveries by the Alexco exploration team including the still growing Bermingham and Flame & Moth deposits. We look forward to drilling these initial targets as a proof of concept on the Keno Silver Project and would expect assay results from drilling starting in September."

In addition to the exploration work being conducted on the Keno Silver Project, Metallic Minerals has undertaken a sampling and mapping program at its 100% owned McKay Hill Project, located 50 km north of Keno Hill, adjacent to the northwest portion of ATAC Resources' Rackla Gold Project. The McKay Hill Project is an historic high-grade silver and gold producer that shows potential to host a district scale vein system similar to Keno Hill, with at least 10 identified vein structures that have seen very limited exploration. Historic surface sampling returned results included grab samples of up to 600 g/t silver with 15 g/t gold, which is similar to the historic production grades from the No. 6 vein at McKay Hill. Initial on-site evaluation of the project has been encouraging and results from recent surface sampling are expected to be received starting in September.

About Metallic Minerals Corp.

Metallic Minerals Corp. is a growth stage exploration company, focused on the acquisition & development of high-grade silver and gold in under-explored districts of mining-friendly jurisdictions proven to produce top-tier assets. Our objective is to create value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to exploration, reducing investment risk and maximizing the probability of long-term success. Our core Keno Silver project is located in the historic Keno Hill silver district of Canada's Yukon Territory, a region which has produced over 200 million ounces of high-grade silver over the past 100 years and has excellent existing infrastructure, including grid power, highway & road access, and two nearby communities with services. Metallic Minerals is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success, including large scale development, permitting and project financing.

References

(1)Boyle, R.W., 1965. "Geology, Geochemistry, and Origin of the Lead-Zinc-Silver Deposits of the Keno Hill -- Galena Hill Area, Yukon Territory". Bulletin 111, Geological Survey of Canada. Cathro, R.J., 2006. "The History and Geology of the Keno Hill Silver Camp Yukon Territory." Geoscience Canada, Volume 33, Number 3.

(2)Alexco News Release: January 3, 2017: Alexco Expands Bermingham Indicated Resource to 17 Million Ounces Silver, Remains Open.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.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.

To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/DiamondDrillingKeno.jpg

Contacts:

Metallic Minerals Corp.

604-629-7800

Toll Free: 1-888-570-4420

chris.ackerman@metallic-minerals.com

www.metallic-minerals.com

Twitter: @metalminerals




First deputy chairman of the OSCE SMM in Ukraine, Oleksandr Hug, during his visit to Donbas said it is necessary to open a fully-functioning checkpoint for people and cars across the contact line in Luhansk region, the press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) headquarters reported.

"To date, there is only one functioning pedestrian crossing point between Luhansk region and separate areas of Luhansk region [not controlled by the government]  on the bridge over the Siversky Donets River. [OSCE SMM Principal Deputy Chief Monitor] Alexander Hug personally crossed it with luggage in 35-degree heat and saw that it needs repairs, while the crossing itself is quite difficult due to adverse climate conditions," the report said.

To solve this problem, they offered to open the Zolote check-point which will improve the humanitarian situation in the region.

The Ukrainian side of the Joint Center for Monitoring and Coordination has repeatedly approached the Russian counterpart with such a proposal, but so far there has been no response.
LONDON, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Leading law firm Charles Russell Speechlys and The University of Law (ULaw) today announce their collaboration to offer a 5,000 scholarship to a student wishing to study the Graduate Diploma in Law, Legal Practice Course or MA Law at ULaw in September 2017.

Hamish Perry, Graduate Recruitment Partner at Charles Russell Speechlys said: "The aim of this initiative is to support students who may not have the means to further their studies as well as recognising their hard work and achievements to date. The legal sector offers a multitude of employment opportunities and this scholarship is designed to be a helping hand to recruiting additional talent."

Professor Andrea Nollent, Vice-Chancellor and CEO at The University of Law, said: "This scholarship will be welcomed by high performing students with ambitions of pursuing a career in law. ULaw is committed to widening access into the legal profession and scholarships are a great way of achieving this. We look forward to welcoming our new Charles Russell Speechlys' scholar in September."

In addition to the scholarship award, the successful student will also be automatically invited to join Charles Russell Speechlys' 2018 Summer Placement Scheme. This opportunity offers a student the chance to participate in fee-earning work for its clients and involves attending meetings, going to court and gaining a deeper understanding of the firm's different practice areas.

For information on the entry criteria please visit ULaw's website.

About The University of Law

The University of Law is the UK's longest-established specialist provider of legal education and training in the UK, with centres in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Chester, Guildford, Manchester and Leeds, as well as at The University of Exeter and The University of Reading.Previously The College of Law, it was granted university status in November 2012.

The University of Law's market-leading Employability Service gives students access to work experience, pro bono opportunities and legal vacancies as soon as they accept their place. The result is excellent employability statistics: 96% of its full-time Legal Practice Course (LPC) students gained employment in 2016 after finishing their course while 91% of undergraduate students achieved the same.

In 2017, The University of Law was awarded a gold ranking in the Government-led Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The panel judged that ULaw delivers consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for its students and was assessed to be of the highest quality found in the UK.

For more information, visit www.law.ac.uk.

About Charles Russell Speechlys

Charles Russell Speechlys works with clients in the UK and throughout the world. Our lawyers are based in 11 locations across the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and through each of these locations clients are able to access the full range of the firm's skills and expertise

We have a broad range of skills and experience across the full spectrum of business and personal needs. This gives us a wider perspective, clear insight and a strongly commercial long-term view.

It has made us a leader in the world of dynamic growth and family businesses, and among the world's leading creators and owners of private wealth and their families. Major corporates and institutions find our more considered and personal approach a refreshing alternative to conventional business law firms.

https://www.charlesrussellspeechlys.com/en/
Plus 1,860ppm Lithium and 6.5% Potassium in Soil - At La Salada Salar, Zacatecas, Mexico

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 9, 2017) - Alset Minerals Corp. (TSXV: ION) ("Alset" or "the Company") is pleased to report that the phase one drilling program at La Salada salar in Zacatecas, Mexico has been completed. This is the first of 13 salars that will be tested. Alset has a 100% interest in 13 salars covering an area of approximately 4,500 hectares, all within 100 kilometres of the city of Zacatecas.

Highlights of Drilling

Grid completed over La Salada salar with 1 deep hole (see Company news release dated 15 May 2017) and 40 auger holes over the majority of known surface salar extent;

38 brine and 428 soil samples recovered;

High of 27,300 mg/L potassium (K) in near surface brine with an average of 12,718 mg/L;

High of 40,000 mg/L sulphate (SO4) in near surface brine with an average of 16,594 mg/L;

High of 1,860 ppm lithium (Li) in soil with an average of 724 ppm;

High of 6.45% of potassium (K) in soil with an average of 3.73%;

Low exploration costs due to infrastructure (roads and power) around the La Salada salar.

Allan Barry Laboucan, President and CEO of Alset said: "This program at La Salada was the first chance for Alset to carry out a significant drill program to get a better understanding of the chemical compositions in the near surface brines as well as soils down to an average of 14 metres. An important attribute of our salars that became very clear was the cost of exploration compared to similar work in remote locations. We are experiencing the benefits of good roads and power that will continue to enhance the project as we move forward to do more testing to better understand the potential of La Salada and our other salars. In the event of a mine being built the infrastructure will continue to enhance the economic potential.

Based on these results, we are now ready to move forward with metallurgical work to understand the leaching characteristics of the soils and to further explore for brine and aquifer potential at depth. In addition to the work completed at La Salada, we completed a first pass auger sampling program over Santa Clara, Saldivar, Caliguey, Colorada, Chapalla salars and some of our recently acquired salars. Those samples results are currently pending; we hope to report them in the next few weeks.

The brine results showing high potassium, high sulphate, low calcium and low magnesium suggest the possibility of producing potassium salts at La Salada using solar evaporation. We have an outstanding salar at La Salada that is showing a lot of potential for significant resources of lithium, potassium and other minerals needed for farming."

Tables showing the soil and brine results mentioned in this news release are given below. The complete data set for this work and our past lab work can be found on Alset's corporate website in the lab results section.

Table 1: Summary of Soils Data by Drill Hole







Max Weighted Averages



Depth K Li B K Li B Hole ID Location (m) (%) (ppm) (ppm) (%) (ppm) (ppm) LS17-AG005 south 15.6 3.76 1,840 790 3.01 1,633 630 LS17-AG013 south 21.0 6.32 1,860 638 3.75 895 428 LS17-AG019 centre 24.0 5.68 1,530 849 3.42 932 568 LS17-AG028 north 11.5 5.21 1,270 823 3.87 629 440 LS17-AG034 north 8.0 6.11 1,020 984 4.29 528 666 ALL AUGER HOLES 14.4 (avg)





3.58 975 535

















LS17-TT01 north 51.4 6.45 790 574 4.05 196 249 ALL SAMPLES

6.45 1,860 984 3.73 724 443

Table 2: Summary of Brine Results

Hole ID Sample ID Potassium

(mg/L) Sulphate

(mg/L) Boron

(mg/L) Lithium

(mg/L) Calcium

(mg/L) Magnesium

(mg/L) LS17-AG002 547 3,540 2,800 46.5 3 65.7 62.9 LS17-AG003 544 575 1,300 23.2 2 49.4 45.9 LS17-AG004 549 7,000 10,000 134 4 15.6 12.6 LS17-AG005 504 7,750 9,200 156 4 21.7 22.1 LS17-AG006 505 3,970 4,600 83.0 2 19.8 19.4 LS17-AG008 543 683 490 19.4 7 395.0 266.0 LS17-AG009 523 2,940 3,100 55.7 2 16.8 8.2 LS17-AG010 517 3,530 3,200 61.5 3 79.0 18.2 LS17-AG011 516 4,970 3,000 64.4 3 3.9 3.6 LS17-AG012 508 4,900 3,800 82.3 3 3.6 4.2 LS17-AG014 522 12,500 18,000 249 4 3.1 2.0 LS17-AG016 518 17,800 18,000 284 8 7.6 10.0 LS17-AG017 519 22,000 23,000 377 11 12.8 10.0 LS17-AG018 521 23,800 31,000 465 13 68.7 97.0 LS17-AG020 520 18,700 16,000 285 12 60.1 89.2 LS17-AG021 542 2,080 3,800 78.3 < 1 39.2 42.8 LS17-AG022 525 8,830 8,100 135 6 4.4 1.6 LS17-AG024 541 711 610 12.2 1 20.9 30.9 LS17-AG025 550 16,900 30,000 431 14 441.0 213.0 LS17-AG026 528 23,100 36,000 497 13 7.7 3.6 LS17-AG027 527 14,200 17,000 296 11 9.7 2.2 LS17-AG028 513 8,860 9,800 145 6 22.3 9.8 LS17-AG029 530 22,500 36,000 544 16 4.7 5.2 LS17-AG030 531 24,000 31,000 431 13 20.9 16.0 LS17-AG031 532 22,800 34,000 515 20 30.8 17.6 LS17-AG032 540 4,820 4,300 28.9 2 10.4 5.3 LS17-AG034 511 27,300 40,000 677 22 3.4 1.1 LS17-AG035 534 21,500 27,000 410 15 18.8 9.3 LS17-AG036 539 7,010 7,900 96.8 3 49.6 21.6 LS17-AG037 535 21,700 34,000 524 16 217.0 44.2 LS17-AG038 537 22,800 33,000 565 21 19.7 8.0 LS17-AG039 536 23,200 31,000 481 16 85.8 52.2

Max 27,300 40,000 677 22 441.0 266.0

Average 12,718 16,594 258 9 57.2 36.1

Discussion of Drill Program

At La Salada 1 deep hole (51.35 m) and 40 auger holes were completed, both near surface brine samples and extensive soil samples were recovered. Auger holes ranged from 4.5 to 26.0 metres and averaged 14.4 metres in depth, they were completed on a 150-200 metre grid covering the entire salar for a total area of some 1,800 metres by 900 metres.

Composite soil samples were taken along 1.0 to 3.0m intervals in the deep hole, and along 1.5 metre intervals in the auger holes. To date assays for samples from 5 of these auger holes and the deep hole, 74 samples in total, have been completed with 33 holes pending. Assays returned significant lithium and potassium values. Lithium results ranged from 79 to 1,860 ppm, with a weighted average of 724 ppm, potassium ranged from 1.52% to 6.45% with a weighted average of 3.73% (Table 1).

Near surface brine samples were collected from 38 of the auger holes. These results returned high potassium and high sulphate values. For the brine samples, potassium peaked at 27,300 mg/L with an average of 12,718 mg/L, sulphate peaked at 40,000 mg/L with an average of 16,594 mg/L. These results are shown in Table 2. These results indicate that further work, to identify potential brines and aquifers at depth, depth to bedrock, brine volumes and recharge rates, is warranted.

From this drilling program, it is becoming clear the La Salada salar is emerging as a unique project with relatively high values of lithium and potassium in the soils and high values of potassium and sulphate in the near surface brines. Soil sampling of the southern portion of La Salada returned the highest lithium values. The northern portion of the salar contained the highest concentration of potassium in both the soils and brines as well as sulphate in the brines. Brine sampling at the very northern edge of the salar returned some of the highest potassium, sulphate and boron results, suggesting that the salar and subsurface brines may continue to the north beyond the scope of the recent drill program.

Analytical Work

The drilling program and associated analytical work was designed to better understand the geochemistry and deportment of lithium and other minerals in subsurface soils and brines in the La Salada salar. However, it must be stated that to date the primary focus of our drilling has been to assess the near surface infill soil layer, approximately 15 metres, including the near surface brines in that layer. The mineralization potential beyond the near surface material is still open.

Based on these results, it is clear Alset's La Salada salar has significant soil and near surface brine potential. Alset will continue to investigate the lithium and potassium potential of the soils, and the potential for potassium and sulphate in the near surface brines as well as brines at depth.

Moving forward, staged leach testing using hot water and single acid leaches will be conducted on composite samples generated from the 74 samples reported. Following leach testing, mineralogy and grain size distribution of these soils will be evaluated and further metallurgical testing will be conducted on the remaining soil samples collected during the auger program.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

Samples were submitted to SGS Durango for processing and then shipped to SGS Lakefield for analysis. Soils were analyzed for geochemistry using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) procedure with a four-acid digestion. Brines were analyzed for geochemistry using an ICP-OES procedure, water soluble Cl and SO4 were analyzed by ion chromatography.

Soil samples were submitted to SGS with 1 duplicate set, the laboratory used its own quality control and quality assurance protocols for sample analysis. For additional QA/QC purposes, duplicate samples from 1 auger hole (14 samples) were submitted to ALS Zacatecas and ALS North Vancouver along with 1 duplicate sample, 1 blank and 2 standards with different lithium ranges (796ppm and 1,712ppm). The blanks and standards were obtained from MEG Inc, Nevada. Duplicate, blank and standard results using 4-acid digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) were within acceptable ranges and returned similar values to the samples analyzed at SGS Lakefield.

Brine samples were submitted to SGS with 3 sample blanks and 3 sample duplicates and the laboratory used its own quality control and quality assurance protocols for sample analysis. Six samples, including 1 duplicate set, returned values outside of acceptable ranges. The results of these samples are not reported here and these samples are currently being re-evaluated by SGS Lakefield. The results of the blanks and other duplicate samples were within acceptable ranges. Five repeat brine samples were collected 1 month after the completion of drilling and submitted to ALS North Vancouver and Burnaby along with 1 duplicate sample, 1 blank and 2 standards. The standards were manufactured at Inorganic Ventures, Virginia and include one low salinity standard with 60 mg/L Li; and one medium salinity standard with 190 mg/L Li. Again, all duplicate, blank and standard results were within acceptable ranges.

Emily Hanson, PGeo, Vice-President of exploration for Alset Minerals, is the qualified person responsible for this release and has prepared, supervised and approved the preparation of the scientific and technical disclosure contained within the release.

About Alset Minerals



Alset Minerals Corp. is a TSX-V listed junior exploration company focused on exploring and development of a group of high-grade lithium and potassium projects in the Central Mexican Plateau. The Company is actively exploring in Mexico.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Alset Minerals Corp.,

"Allan Barry Laboucan"

Allan Barry Laboucan, President and CEO

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements."

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections

For further information contact Allan Barry Laboucan @:

Phone (604) 505-4753 www.alsetminerals.com
WARRENVILLE, IL / ACCESSWIRE / August 9, 2017 / Cloud 9 Infosystems today announced it has been named 2017 US SMB Rising Star Central Region Partner of the Year by Microsoft's US Small and Mid-sized Business (SMB) Group. The award recognizes the top New US SMB Partner in the Central Region decided by overall SMB YoY revenue growth of a partner new to the SMB partner program. Members of the US SMB Partner Program have shown dedication to arming the small business community with the right technology and services they need to be successful.

"Cloud 9 really excels at navigating their customers in digital transformation journey," said Brent Combest, General Manager of Microsoft Central Region SMB&D. "Whether the customers are looking to empower their employees, improve engagement with their customers, optimize their operations or transform their products, Cloud 9 has the expertise & experience in building a state of art, cost effective solution. With Cloud 9, our mutual customers in the manufacturing, health care financial services sectors within the mid-market can really harness the power of the Microsoft Cloud platform."

Cloud 9 Infosystems is a boutique technology consulting firm focused on midmarket enterprises. Cloud 9 Infosystems guides clients to get the most from cloud technologies by envisioning, architecting, developing, implementing and managing their cloud systems. Cloud 9 Infosystems' expertise is in building custom solutions that leverage public and private cloud paradigms to solve complex customer scenarios.

"We are honored and humbled to receive this coveted award. Thanks to our customers whose successes have made us worthy of this award," said Chetan Malavia, CEO & Founder of Cloud 9 Infosystems. "Clearly this is a reflection of confidence and trust our teams have earned with our customers over the years as their trusted advisor. It is result of dedication and commitment of our teams in driving digital transformation for our clients leveraging Microsoft Cloud."

Cloud 9 Infosystems along with winners in six other categories were recognized during the Microsoft US SMB Partner Award Reception in Washington, D.C. on July 10, 2017.

The Microsoft Partner Network is designed to equip organizations that deliver products and services through the Microsoft platform with the training, resources and support they need to provide their customers superior experience and outcomes. Microsoft's US SMB Partner Program designed for partners who have a proven track record of delivering Microsoft solutions to businesses in the U.S. small and medium business (SMB) segment and have committed to advancing their cloud business practice. As a member of the US SMB Partner Program, partners can further their Cloud growth by utilizing the benefits obtained through their program status.

About Cloud 9 Infosystems

Headquartered in Warrenville, IL has operations in US and India. Cloud 9 specializes in cloud infrastructure, data platform, business analytics, application development and ERP; the company has clients in US, South America, Asia Pacific, Middle East and India. Cloud 9 Infosystems is a Microsoft Gold Partner in Cloud Platform, Data Analytics and Application Development.. Cloud Azure SQLServer dataanalytics Powerbi SQl IOT Hybridcloud Bigdata MSEMS DynamicsNAV

About Microsoft

Microsoft is the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Breese at 847-790-7616.

Contact Information:

Cloud 9 Infosystems

Elizabeth Breese

847-790-7616

elizabethb@cloud9infosystems.com

http://www.cloud9infosystems.com

SOURCE: Cloud 9 Infosystems
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 9, 2017 / Property investor and real estate professional, Jacob Frydman shares his thoughts on the unprecedented numbers of Manhattan's office leases hitting a two-year high according to the Savills Studley Report, as well as the driving forces behind them. The regular guest-analyst on television programs such as Bloomberg TV and Fox News specializes in emerging market trends, and has conducted real estate transactions totaling over $2 billion.

During 2016's second quarter, leasing activity reached an eight-quarter high of 8.0 million square feet (msf). Boosted by several large transactions in Grand Central, and a consistently strong Midtown South market, the record quarter marked only the second time in two years that over 5.0 msf were leased. Jacob Frydman remarked that Manhattan's office sector has not only rebounded from its crash of 2008, but that it is actually performing better than it had prior to.

Grand Central experienced five major transactions, including three of the top four in Manhattan, which totaled over 1.0 msf leased. A deal with NYU's Langone Medical Center was the largest of these; the center acquired an office space with almost 400,000 sf on East 41st Street. Midtown South exceeded a long-term quarterly average of over 1.0 msf for the tenth time in twelve quarters, proving to be the city's most consistent market. The district has had nearly 500,000 sf of sublet space added, a sign of its willingness to adapt to small and innovative technology, advertising, media and information (TAMI) tenants.

Vacancy rates fell across the board with an average rate of 8.8%, and Midtown South reporting the lowest rate of 6.3%, remaining one of the tightest Central Business Districts in America. Driving competition was the TAMI sector, as these tenants accounted for 41% of new leases acquired over 10,000 sf. As a result of the persistent demand for 20,000 to 50,000 sf spaces, Cushman & Wakefield's second quarter statistics reported a June average rent price of $72.99 per square foot (psf), the highest since September of 2008.

At 13.6 msf leased during the first six months, 2016's brisk start is well above historical averages, and New York continues to be one of the nation's leading cities in employment growth. Jacob Frydman expects tenants to continue to push demand, and believes the market is fundamentally strong enough to produce activity that surpasses 2012 and 2013 levels, both benchmark years.

Over his 30-year career, Jacob Frydman has become a recognized authority in the real estate investment industry. His impressive experiences with structuring, financing, and executing highly complex real estate transactions have led him to acquire over five million square feet of property amounting over $2 billion. He often discusses business, law, and ethics at Columbia University and in the Master's Lecturer series at New York Law School. An avid philanthropist who cares greatly for his Jewish community, Frydman also supports many charitable committees, including The Chabad of Dutchess County and The Brem Foundation.

Jacob Frydman - Blog - JacobFrydmanNews.com: http://JacobFrydmanNews.com

Jacob Frydman (@jacobfrydman) - Twitter: https://twitter.com/jacobfrydman

Jacob Frydman -- Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/jacob-frydman

Contact Information:

JacobFrydmanNews.com

contact@jacobfrydmannews.com

www.JacobFrydmanNews.com

SOURCE: Jacob Frydman
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - After GOP lawmakers failed in their efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare, the results of a new Gallup poll show that Republican approval of Congress has fallen to the lowest level of the year. The poll found that just 16 percent of Republicans approve of the job Congress is doing, down from 28 percent in July. Gallup noted 50 percent of Republicans approved of Congress in February, shortly after the GOP took control of both chambers. Only twelve percent of Democrats approve of the job Congress is doing, although Democrats have given Congress fairly low ratings throughout 2017. Overall, 16 percent of Americans approve of Congress, the lowest approval rating since hitting 13 percent in July of 2016. 'When members return from recess, they might find their attempts at less contentious measures, such as boosting infrastructure funding, more appealing to Americans -- which could ultimately improve their approval rating,' said Gallup's Justin McCarthy. 'Other controversial issues, such as raising the debt ceiling and adopting spending bills, are unavoidable,' he added. 'Disagreement or inaction on these matters could leave Congress similarly unpopular.' The Gallup survey of 1,017 adults was conducted August 2nd through 6th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. 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.
NEW YORK, 2017-08-09 21:20 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FXCM Group, LLC ("FXCM Group" or "FXCM"), a leading international provider of online foreign exchange trading, CFD trading, spread betting and related services, today provided selected financial information regarding its second quarter 2017 results.



"In the second quarter of this year we were able to generate solid Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations of $10.5 million in a difficult environment of particularly low volatility," said Brendan Callan, CEO of FXCM. "This is in large part due to strong revenue capture in our FX and CFD businesses coupled with a substantial cost reduction earlier this year."



"With the expected proceeds from the pending sale of our stake in FastMatch, we expect our balance sheet to further improve as we continue to pay down our debt to Leucadia," continued Callan. "We remain very optimistic about the future of our business."



FXCM Group, LLC (US Millions) (unaudited) Selected Income Statement Data Three months ended June 30, 2017 Total Net Revenues $ 49.4 Operating Expenses (1) $ 39.3 Loss from Continuing Operations $ (1.9 ) Net Loss $ (2.4 ) Adjusted EBITDA Continuing Operations(2) $ 10.5



(1) Excludes depreciation and amortization of $5.0 million (2) See reconciliation following



Selected Balance Sheet Data As at June 30, 2017 Cash and Cash Equivalents $ 123.9 Cash and cash equivalents, held for customers $ 352.3 Total Assets $ 596.7 Credit Agreement to Leucadia $ 119.7 Total Members' Capital $ 55.2



Selected Customer Trading Metrics for Continuing Operations Three months ended June 30, 2017 Tradeable accounts 109,829 Active accounts 125,285 Daily average trades 340,478 Daily average trades per active account 2.7 Total trading volume (billions) $ 612 Trading revenue per million traded $ 80 Average customer trading volume per day (billions) $ 9.4 Trading days 65



Reconciliation of U.S. GAAP Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA1 - Continuing Operations Three months ended June 30, 2017 (US Millions) (unaudited) Net loss $ (2.4 ) Adjustments: Net Loss attributable to non-controlling interests(2) (0.5 ) Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax(3) 1.1 Income tax provision 0.9 Interest on borrowings 8.3 Gain on derivative liabilities - Leucadia financing(4) (2.1 ) General and administrative(5) 0.4 Depreciation and amortization 5.0 Gain on sale of equity method investment(6) (0.2 ) Total Adjustments 12.9 Adjusted EBITDA(1) - Continuing Operations $ 10.5



(1) Adjusted EBITDA from Continuing Operations is a Non-GAAP measure that is not prepared under any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and does not reflect all of the amounts associated with the Company's results of operations as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP. (2) Represents the elimination of the share of net loss allocated among the non-controlling interests to calculate total consolidated net income (loss) from the Company's operations. (3) Represents the elimination of the loss attributable to discontinued operations, net of tax, in order to calculate income attributable to continuing operations only. (4) Represents the elimination of the loss or gain attributable to the derivative liabilities embedded in the Company's financing agreement with Leucadia, as it is a non-operating, non-cash loss or gain. (5) Represents the elimination of $0.4 million of charges for client adjustments related to various trading platform issues. (6) Represents the elimination of a gain on sale of an equity method investment which was impaired in 2016.



NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES



In addition to financial results reported in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we have provided Adjusted EBITDA, a Non-GAAP financial measure. We believe this Non-GAAP measure, when presented in conjunction with the comparable U.S. GAAP measure, is useful to investors in better understanding our current financial performance as seen through the eyes of management and facilitates comparisons of our historical operating trends across several periods. We believe that investors use Adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental measure to evaluate the overall operating performance of companies in our industry that present similar measures, although the methods used by other companies in calculating Adjusted EBITDA may differ from our method, even if similar terms are used to identify such measure.



Adjusted EBITDA provides us with an understanding of the results from the primary operations of our business by excluding the effects of certain gains, losses or other charges that do not reflect the normal earnings of our core operations or that may not be indicative of our future outlook and prospects. Internally, Adjusted EBITDA is used by management for various purposes, including to evaluate our operating performance and operational strategies, and as a basis for strategic planning, forecasting and for compensation purposes.



Adjusted EBITDA does not represent and should not be considered as a substitute for net income or net income attributable to FXCM Group, LLC, each as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA reflects the following adjustments to net income:



Regulatory and Legal Costs. Adjustments have been made to eliminate certain costs or recoveries (including client reimbursements, regulatory fines and settlements from lawsuits) associated with certain regulatory and legal matters. Given the nature of these expenses, they are not viewed by management as expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business and we believe it is useful to show the effects of eliminating these expenses.



Gain on sale of equity method investment. An adjustment has been made to eliminate the gain on the sale of an equity method investment which had previously been impaired in December 2016. Given the nature of this gain, it is not viewed by management as income in the ordinary course of business and we believe it is useful to show the effects of eliminating this gain.



About FXCM Group, LLC



FXCM is a leading provider of online foreign exchange (FX) trading, CFD trading, spread betting and related services. The company's mission is to provide global traders with access to the world's largest and most liquid market by offering innovative trading tools, hiring excellent trading educators, meeting strict financial standards and striving for the best online trading experience in the market. Clients have the advantage of mobile trading, one-click order execution and trading from real-time charts. In addition, FXCM offers educational courses on FX trading and provides trading tools, proprietary data and premium resources. FXCM Pro provides retail brokers, small hedge funds and emerging market banks access to wholesale execution and liquidity, while providing high and medium frequency funds access to prime brokerage services via FXCM Prime.



Trading foreign exchange and CFDs on margin carries a high level of risk, which may result in losses that could exceed your deposits, therefore may not be suitable for all investors. Read full disclaimer.



FXCM Group is a holding company of Forex Capital Markets Limited, inclusive of all EU branches (FXCM UK), FXCM Australia Pty. Limited (FXCM AU), and all affiliates of aforementioned firms, or other firms under the FXCM group of companies [collectively "FXCM"].



Jaclyn Sales, 646-432-2463 Vice-President, Corporate Communications jsales@fxcm.com

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Republican Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has suggested the decision by Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., to vote against the so-called 'skinny' Obamacare repeal may have been impacted by his GOP colleague's brain tumor. Johnson referenced McCain's brain cancer as well as the late hour of the vote during an interview with AM560 radio program 'Chicago's Morning Answer.' 'I'm not going to speak for John McCain, you know, he has a brain tumor right now, that vote occurred at 1:30 in the morning, some of that might have factored in,' Johnson said. The seemingly shocked host responded 'really?' and questioned whether Johnson really thought McCain's bran cancer factored into his judgment. 'I really thought John was going to vote yes to send that to conference at 10:30 at night,' Johnson replied. 'By about 1, 1:30, he voted no. So you have talk to John in terms what was on his mind.' McCain spokeswoman Julie Tarallo responded by noting the Arizona Senator has clearly said he voted against the 'skinny' repeal due to disagreement over the process leading up to the vote. 'It is bizarre and deeply unfortunate that Senator Johnson would question the judgment of a colleague and friend,' Tarallo said. McCain joined with Republican Senators Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, in voting against the 'skinny' repeal bill, preventing the GOP from reaching the necessary majority. 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.
Weekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft).

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Strong Global Feed Segment and Diamond Green Diesel Performance

Continued Aggressive Debt Reduction

IRVING, Texas, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR), a global developer and producer of sustainable natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients, creating a wide range of ingredients and customized specialty solutions for customers in the pharmaceutical, food, pet food, feed, industrial, fuel, bioenergy, and fertilizer industries, today announced financial results for the 2017 second quarter ended July 1, 2017.

Second Quarter 2017 Overview

Revenue of $896.3 million , up 2.2%

Net income of $9.1 million , or $0.05 per GAAP diluted share

Adjusted EBITDA of $110.1 million

Strong balance sheet with debt reduction of $45 million

Global raw material volumes steady, up 1.4%

Mixed global pricing environment, strength in fats offset by weakness in proteins

Diamond Green Diesel facility delivered expected performance and expansion continues to progress

For the second quarter of 2017, the Company reported net sales of $896.3 million, as compared with net sales of $877.3 million for the 2016 second quarter. Net income attributable to Darling for the three months ended July 1, 2017 was $9.1 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, compared to a net income of $32.0 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, for the 2016 second quarter. The decrease in net income is primarily due to weakness in our Food Ingredients segment, particularly the gelatin business, and the absence of the blenders tax credit, which was included in the second quarter 2016 but has not yet been reinstated for 2017.

Second Quarter 2017 Commentary

"We are pleased with second quarter performance across most of the segments in light of a mixed global pricing environment and headwinds in South America," said Randall C. Stuewe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Darling Ingredients Inc. "Sequentially, the Feed segment delivered a very nice performance while the Food segment results were disappointing due to margin compression from rising raw material prices in our global gelatin business and ongoing macro-economic issues in Argentina. The Fuel segment excelled operationally in the midst of the stalled decision on the blenders tax credit. We remain optimistic that the political environment surrounding the biofuel industry today continues to support the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) and the reinstatement of the blenders tax credit," Mr. Stuewe commented.

"Additionally, our Board has approved the extension for an additional 24 months of our previously announced share repurchase program for up to $100 million, to be executed depending on market conditions," added Mr. Stuewe."The repurchases may be made from time to time on the open market at prevailing market prices or in negotiated transactions off the market. Repurchases may occur over the next 24 months, unless extended or shortened by the Board of Directors,"concluded Mr. Stuewe.

Operational Update by Segment: Second Quarter 2017 Compared to Second Quarter 2016

Feed Ingredients - EBITDA $83.4 million (flat); Revenue $549.1 million (up 1.1 percent); Gross margin $126.9 million (flat); Raw material processed up 2.2 percent.

- EBITDA (flat); Revenue (up 1.1 percent); Gross margin (flat); Raw material processed up 2.2 percent. Food Ingredients - EBITDA $29.2 million (up 2.5 percent); Revenue $279.8 million (up 2.8 percent); Gross margin $56.0 million (down 3.2 percent); Raw material processed up 0.6 percent.

- EBITDA (up 2.5 percent); Revenue (up 2.8 percent); Gross margin (down 3.2 percent); Raw material processed up 0.6 percent. Fuel Ingredients - EBITDA $9.8 million (down 29 percent); Revenue $67.4 million (up 8.2 percent); Gross margin $12.7 million (down 18.4 percent); Raw material processed down 3.5 percent.

- EBITDA (down 29 percent); Revenue (up 8.2 percent); Gross margin (down 18.4 percent); Raw material processed down 3.5 percent. Diamond Green Diesel Joint Venture - Solid performance with $0.61 EBITDA per gallon without the blenders tax credit in 2017 versus 2016. Capacity expansion expected in Q2 2018.

For More Information, contact:

Melissa A. Gaither, VP IR and Global Communications

Email: mgaither@darlingii.com

Phone: 972-717-0300
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/17 -- Canacol Energy Ltd. ("Canacol" or the "Corporation") (TSX: CNE)(OTCQX: CNNEF)(BVC: CNEC) is pleased to provide the following update concerning the Sabanas gas flowline project.

The Corporation announces that it has signed an agreement for the construction, operation and ownership of the 82 kilometer long Sabanas gas flowline from its Jobo gas plant to the connection point with the Promigas S.A. gas pipeline at Bremen. Pursuant to the agreement, the US $41 million Sabanas gas flowline project will be financed through a US $30.5 million investment by a group of private investors and a US $10.5 million contribution from Canacol (the investors and Canacol, collectively the "Owners"), with each holding its interest in the Sabanas gas flowline in separate companies. Canacol's financial contribution to the project will be almost entirely satisfied by costs incurred to date, and as such will not involve the issuance of new equity or affect its current cash position. The tariff for the Sabanas gas flowline is similar to other regulated tariffs in the region and, as customary, the tariff will be borne by the offtakers of the gas. Under the terms of the agreement, Canacol is not required to either sign a ship or pay commitment to the benefit of the Owners, or place a corporate guarantee in favour of the Owners. The Owners engaged Horizon Capital Management Inc. as advisor for this transaction, and will pay a fee of 3.5% on the $30.5 million of private funds raised. Two members of Canacol's board of directors have participated in the private investor financing for an aggregate amount of US $9.0 million. Under the terms of the agreement with Horizon, Canacol has the option, valid until the commissioning of the pipeline, to divest up to an additional US $3 million of its share of the project, thus lowering its investment to approximately US $7.5 million plus the leasing of the compression as previously announced.

Construction of the Sabanas gas flowline connecting Jobo to the Promigas connection point at Bremen is proceeding on schedule, with first gas transportation anticipated on December 1, 2017. Approximately 55% of the tubulars have arrived on location, with the remainder expected on location in September. The compression stations are anticipated to arrive in the third week of August from the Port of Houston. All forestry, archeological, and environmental permits have been obtained and 100% of the right of way has been negotiated and purchased. Civil works at the two compression station locations commenced the first week of August 2017, and digging and laying of the tubulars is anticipated to commence the last week of August 2017. Flowline laying will occur simultaneously at both Jobo and Bremen at either end of the 82 kilometer route, with flowline laying anticipated to be completed the first week of November 2017. Commissioning of the compression stations and pressure testing of the flowline is anticipated to be completed by the third week of November 2017.

The productive capacity of the Corporation's current gas wells is approximately 195 MMscfpd, and that of the Corporation's gas processing facilities located at Jobo approximately 200 MMscfpd, more than adequate to lift production to 130 MMscfpd in December 2017 when construction of the Sabanas gas flowline is complete. As previously announced, Canacol executed a ten year take-or-pay contract for 40 MMscfpd of gas at contractual terms comparable to the Corporation's current US dollar denominated gas sale contracts, which is expected to be transported by the Sabanas gas flowline commencing in December 2017.

Canacol is an exploration and production company with operations focused in Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico. The Corporation's common stock trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the OTCQX in the United States of America, and the Colombia Stock Exchange under ticker symbol CNE, CNNEF, and CNE.C, respectively.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, including without limitation statements relating to estimated production rates from the Corporation's properties and intended work programs and associated timelines. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Corporation cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward looking statements. They are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change and the Corporation assumes no obligation to revise or update them to reflect new circumstances, except as required by law. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. These factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration for and development of crude oil and natural gas properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological and geophysical data, fluctuating energy prices, the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs or delays and other uncertainties associated with the oil and gas industry. Other risk factors could include risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Corporation.

This press release contains non-GAAP measures such as EBITDAX, funds from operations, working capital, operating netback per barrel and realized contractual gas sales that do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Management uses these non-GAAP measures for its own performance measurement and to provide shareholders and investors with additional measurements of the Corporation's performance and financial results.

Boe conversion - The term "boe" is used in this news release. Boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion ratio of cubic feet of natural gas to barrels oil equivalent is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. In this news release, we have expressed boe using the Colombian conversion standard of 5.7 Mcf: 1 bbl required by the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia.

Contacts:

Canacol Energy Ltd.

Investor Relations

214-235-4798

IR@canacolenergy.com

www.canacolenergy.com




Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) agents are searching computers in the editorial offices of the Kyiv-based Strana.ua Internet news portal and the homes of two Strana.ua employees for state secrets," SBU spokeswoman Olena Hitlianska has said.

"SBU agents in Kyiv are conducting court-authorized searches at the e-zine's offices and in the homes of two journalists They are checking computer equipment for materials containing state secrets," Hitlianska said on her Facebook page. She said the actions are taking place as part of the criminal case pursuant to Part 1 of Article 328 of Ukraine's Criminal Code (leaking state secrets).

Hitlianska said Strana.ua is working normally.

Editor-in-chief of Strana.ua Ihor Huzhva, meanwhile, said the searches are connected with state secrets "which they found on some kind of flash card." He added that SBU agents said they were looking for a flash memory card.

Huzhva said: "No state secrets have been found on any flash cards so far." He added that the searches were being conducted in order to intimidate employees.

Huzhva was arrested on June 22 in Kyiv on suspicion of committing crimes pursuant to Part 3 of Article 189 of Ukraine's Criminal Code (extortion). He was freed on UAH 544,000 bail.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/17 -- Galane Gold Ltd. ("Galane" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: GG) announced on May 23, 2017 that it has entered into a letter of intent (the "LOI") for the acquisition of all of the outstanding shares of Vantage Goldfields Limited ("Vantage"), a gold mining company with operations in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa (the "Acquisition"). Galane and Vantage have been unable to conclude on the execution of a binding acquisition agreement (the "Acquisition Agreement") and therefore the LOI has been terminated.

Vantage has been unable to meet the conditions set out in the LOI, and therefore is not in a position to sign the Acquisition Agreement. Galane has provided five extensions to the original LOI, and will not extend further.

CEO Nick Brodie stated, "Galane has decided not to further extend the LOI, which is a disappointing outcome but at the current moment the only option. The situation at Vantage is complex with the company's primary subsidiaries in Business Rescue and its key operating mine having suffered a tragic accident in 2016. Working with the Vantage management team with substantial support from the Business Rescue Practitioner we presented a solution to first restart the Lily mine and subsequently the Barbrook mine, pay off the creditors over a reasonable time period and provided an Acquisition Agreement that was in line with the LOI. Vantage has been unable to meet the conditions in the LOI for a variety of reasons, despite their best efforts and we therefore have no option but to terminate our discussions."

About Galane

Galane is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "GG". Galane's management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates.

Cautionary Notes

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Company's future financial position and results of operations, strategy, proposed acquisitions, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words "believe", "expect", "aim", "intend", "plan", "continue", "will", "may", "would", "anticipate", "estimate", "forecast", "predict", "project", "seek", "should" or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Company's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Galane Gold Ltd.

Nick Brodie

CEO

+ 44 7905 089878

Nick.Brodie@GalaneGold.com

www.GalaneGold.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/09/17 -- Carl Data Solutions Inc. (CSE: CRL)(CSE: CRL.CN)(CNSX: CRL)(FRANKFURT: 7C5)(OTC PINK: CDTAF) ("Carl" or the "Company"), a developer of Big-Data-as-a-Service ("BDaaS")-based solutions for data integration, business intelligence, and Industrial Internet-of-Things ("IIoT") applications, continues to develop easily implemented solutions for water and waste water infrastructure monitoring and management. To upgrade this aging infrastructure the EPA estimates the U.S. will invest $275 billion over the next 25 years, and over the next five years Western Europe is predicted to invest $105.46 billion.

Throughout Europe and North America there are millions of kilometers of aging water and waste water infrastructure that are becoming a hazard. In the U.S. most cities are passing their infrastructure's 75-100-year lifespan, and in Europe there are 4.8 million kilometers of networks that need to be rehabilitated. Aging combined sewer systems are leaking and overflowing causing environmental damage and health risks by dumping human and industrial wastes into oceans and waterways.

With over seven years of experience servicing government with its FlowWorks application, Carl Data is well positioned to capitalize on this massive international market. Large cities such as LA, Boston and Seattle already rely on FlowWorks' easily integrated and accessible solutions to predict and monitor areas in most need of repair and replacement. This frees engineering and technical resources to focus on solving problems, rather than finding them. 61 million people in North America alone are serviced by the infrastructure Carl Data monitors to help keep their waterways safe and cleaner.

After a recent contract signed with the City of Dallas, Emily Steele, P.E. Hach Flow DDS Project Manager commented, "We at Hach are very excited to integrate FlowWorks software into our customers' workflow. It will build on our existing remote sensor technology and provide a new tool to our customers as instant data analysis continues to play a larger and larger role in running efficient flow operations."

Greg Johnston, Carl Data CEO, commented, "Not only are we providing water and waste water infrastructure management in North America, Carl Data is also incorporated in Europe and eager to expand the reach of our solutions to where they are needed most."

About Carl Data Solutions Inc.

Carl Data Solutions Inc. is focused on providing next generation information collection, storage and analytics solutions for data-centric companies. Building on its recent acquisitions, Flow Works Inc. and AB Embedded Systems, Carl helps its clients analyze and understand all forms of environmental data through a powerful platform of data collection, monitoring, analysis and reporting tools.

Carl Data continues to develop applications to work with new cloud-based mass storage services and analytics tools (Big-Data-as-a-Service (BDaaS) to provide scalability for municipalities, utilities and other industrial verticals. These data collection and storage methods allow the company to build smart Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)-based applications that can collect data from many diverse sources and provide deep insight for decision-making purposes. More information can be found at www.CarlSolutions.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors:

Greg Johnston

President, Chief Executive Officer, Director

Carl Data Solutions Inc.

The Canadian Securities Exchange (operated by CNSX Markets Inc.) has neither approved nor disapproved of the contents of this press release.

Contacts:

Carl Data Solutions Inc.

Kimberly Bruce

Corporate Communications

(778) 379-0275

kimberly@carlsolutions.com

www.CarlSolutions.com




CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / August 9, 2017 / Emerald Bay Energy Inc. (TSX-V: EBY) (the "Corporation" or "Emerald Bay") today reported that the Corporation is proposing a private placement offering of up to $300,000 (up to maximum of 30,000,000 common shares ("Common Shares") of the Corporation). The Common Shares are to be issued under a unit offering whereby up to a maximum of 30,000,000 units ("Units") at a subscription price of $0.01 per Unit are to be offered. Each Unit shall consist of one (1) Common Share of the Corporation and one (1) share purchase warrant (the "Warrant") (each full Warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to purchase one (1) additional Common Share of the Corporation for a period of 12 months from the issuance of the Units at a price of $0.05) (the "Offering").

The Warrants are subject to an acceleration clause whereby if after four months and one day following the date the Warrants are issued, the closing price of the Common Shares of the Corporation on the principal market on which such shares trade is equal to or exceeds $0.10 for 30 consecutive trading days (with the 30th such trading date hereafter referred to as the "Eligible Acceleration Date"), the Warrant expiry date shall accelerate to the date which is 30 calendar days following the date a press release is issued by the Corporation announcing the reduced warrant term, provided, no more than five business days following the Eligible Acceleration Date: (i) the press release is issued; and (ii) notices are sent to all warrant holders.

The net proceeds will be used in respect to existing drilling commitments on the Corporation's assets in Texas, specifically in relation to the following:

at the Corporation's Wooden Horse property - the Corporation will add a pumpjack or submersible pump to begin commercial production on the Kuhn 3 well at an approximate cost of $40,000 and the Corporation may also drill a short radius horizontal leg to increase production volume at an approximate cost of $65,000. Additionally, the Corporation is currently evaluating drilling a new well (Kuhn 4) next to Kuhn 3, but in a position closer to the fault at an approximate cost of $88,000; and

at the Corporation's Wooden Horse property - the Corporation plans to drill short radius horizontal legs in the Edwards A zone of the Kuhn 2 vertical well at a cost of approximately $60,000;

at the Corporation's Nash Creek property - the Corporation plans to drill short radius horizontal legs to the fault detected by the 3D seismic in the BeauMar 1 well at a cost of approximately $68,000;

All of the Common Shares and Warrants issued pursuant to the private placement are subject to a 4-month hold period. The terms of the private placement are according to the TSX Venture Exchange Discretionary Waivers of $0.05 Minimum Pricing Requirement Bulletin, dated April 7, 2014, and are subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay Energy Inc. (EBY) is an energy company with oil producing properties in southwest Texas as well as non operated oil, natural gas, and electricity generation interests in Central Alberta, Canada. EBY is the operator of the Wooden Horse and Nash Creek Projects in Guadeloupe, Texas, where the Company currently now owns a 50.00% working interest in those projects. The Company also owns 75% of Production Resources Inc., a South Texas oil company.

To stay informed on Emerald Bay Energy, please join our Investor Group at www.8020connect.com for all upcoming news releases, articles, comments, and questions.

For further information, please contact:

Emerald Bay President, Shelby D. Beattie, by telephone at (403) 262-6000

Email: info@ebyinc.com

www.ebyinc.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements, usually containing the words "believe," "estimate," "project," "expect," "plan," "intend," "anticipates," "projects," "potential" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts.

Information inferred from the interpretation of drilling results may also be deemed to be forward looking statements, as it constitutes a prediction of what might be found to be present when and if a well is actually developed. BOE's may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A BOE conversion ratio of 6 Mcf: 1 Bbl is based on energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of such information, which are considered reasonable by Emerald Bay at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect. Actual results achieved will vary from the information provided and the variations may be material. There is no representation by Emerald Bay that actual results achieved will be the same in whole or part as those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this document include statements regarding the Company's exploration, drilling and development plans, the Company's expectations regarding the timing and success of such programs. In particular, forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: pipeline acquisitions and leasing; pipeline permits, pipeline construction, production estimates, drilling operations, completion operations, funding and development goals. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in the prices of oil and gas, uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of oil and gas reserves and projecting future rates of production and timing of development activities, competition, operating risks, acquisition risks, liquidity and capital requirements, the effects of governmental regulation, adverse changes in the market for the Company's oil and gas production, dependence upon third-party vendors, and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic report filings with the applicable securities regulators.

SOURCE: Emerald Bay Energy Inc.
Finles Capital Ltd., a boutique fund management firm, is anticipating oversubscription for the 100m ICO of FundCoin, which is backed by investments in a private equity fund.

The proceeds of the ICO will be used to invest in the Finles Lowestoft Equities Fund, a private equity fund that invests in the blockchain industry alongside traditional investments, managed by Finles Capital Management, an independent fund management boutique operating since 1977.

The ICO, which will open up a new class of cryptocurrencies backed by a high-performance asset class rather than a single company or currency, will launch on August, 30th, 2017 with each FundCoin initially priced at 1.

The great majority of the 100m that Finles Capital expects to be raised in the ICO will subsequently be contributed to the fund and allocated to traditional and private investments, with up to 30% invested across the blockchain industry. The fund targets to have an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 25%, driven mainly by the high growth of the blockchain industry.

Potential investors can register their interest in FundCoin at https://finles.capital/

Founded in 1977, Finles manages hedge funds, long only funds and also the Finles/IEX Dutch Hedge Fund Index, responsible for management of 500m on average. The firm has a presence in The Netherlands with partners in Austria, Singapore, the Middle East, Far East, Greater China, Europe and the US with clients including pension funds, insurance companies, private banks, wealth managers and family offices.

FinSMEs

09/08/2017
New Delhi: Arvind Panagariya, who abruptly resigned as vice-chairman of NITI Aayog to resume teaching in the US, today said he did not know at the time of joining that his term will be co-terminus with that of the government even as he dismissed suggestions of two power centres forcing his exit.

In an interview with PTI, Panagariya, 64, cited several examples of how western universities are very stringent about not extending leaves, which is what forced him to return to Columbia University at the end of the month even though the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) wanted him to continue till 2019.

Asked if knew of such rules why did he not make it clear to the government about his return to teaching when he was appointed the first vice chief of the policy body in 2015, he said he was not told that his term would run concurrently with the term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I did not know my tenure will be co-terminus with the government, how would I know? Is there a letter?" he said, adding he accepted the appointment after a phone call came from the Prime Minister's Office.

On the phone, he said he was told he will be vice-chairman and "beyond that I knew nothing. I said OK. I want to do this, so I accepted."

Panagariya, who took over the reins of a body that was set up after dismantling the Planning Commission that used to set five-year growth roadmaps, dismissed reports of any differences or dual power centres in NITI Aayog were reasons for his exit.

"No, no, no," he said, when asked if the numerous occasions NITI Aayog had difference of opinions with other wings of the government was the reason for his exit.

He also dismissed existence of dual power centres in NITI Aayog saying, "You go and talk to my staff."

"You have to ask those who are writing those reports ... I can only tell you (that) no institution can run with two or more power centres. There has to be one power centre," he said.

The erstwhile Planning Commission, like the NITI Aayog, was headed by Prime Minister and had a vice-chairman. It, however, did not have a Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Also, unlike the last Planning Commission vice chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Panagariya though enjoying cabinet rank, does not attend Cabinet meetings.

Panagariya is scheduled to leave Niti Aayog on 31 August and will be succeeded by well-known economist Rajiv Kumar.

"You will have to ask those (who talk of differences being the reason). I can only tell you what my interaction with Prime Minister was. The whole matter was initiated by me, not by the PMO, and the Prime Minister's Office very keenly wanted me to stay here longer meaning till 2019. And that upon consultation with the university, I came to conclusion that leave won't be extended," he said.
New Delhi: BHEL, one of the crown jewels in the public sector enterprises (PSE) universe, turned loss making for the first time since inception in 2015-16. Is one of the reasons for this slide into losses BHELs inability to stand up to Chinese competition? This is what Atul Sobti, the CMD of BHEL, said in a letter to shareholders published in the annual report for that year, dated August 10, 2016: Today, your company is in the midst of the toughest times it has faced since its inception. The uncertain global economic order, caused by weak global recovery, slowing global trade and Chinas growth transition, is the new normal.

And this article in The Hindustan Times on Wednesday quotes an unnamed official of the Comptroller & Auditor General saying that BHEL was heading towards a disaster. He goes on to say that Chinese companies are far superior in quality, innovation, pricing and timely completion of the project.

The CAG report tabled in Parliament shows BHELs profit of Rs 7,400 crore in 2011-12 turned into a loss of Rs 913 crore in 2015-16. As per the Public Sector Enterprises Survey, along with BHEL, another Maharatna, the Steel Authority of India (SAIL), held the dubious distinction of displacing BSNL to become the number one loss making public sector unit in India in 2015-16. Just like BHEL, SAIL too saw its net worth turn negative within one year, as its revenue declined by Rs 7,064.61 crore or an average Rs 19 crore every single day of last fiscal. It single-handedly accounted for close to a fifth of the losses brought in by the top 10 loss making central public sector units last fiscal.

That our PSUs are sliding deep into red is evident: In 2015-16, combined losses of 78 Central PSUs widened by almost 55 percent over the previous fiscal. So what has lead to this state of affairs, where blue-chip PSUs are turning loss making with a vengeance?

According to a written reply by the Minister of State for Heavy Industries, Babul Supriyo, in the Lok Sabha, BHEL has been missing turnover targets by a wide margin, year on year. In 2015-16, it missed its turnover target by a fifth. In the previous fiscal, the company was able to achieve only two-thirds of its targeted turnover.

According to the CAG report, BHEL is doing several things wrong:

1) The countrys chief auditor said even when the power sector plunged into a slowdown, BHEL did not diversify into new business areas. Power continued to account for more than three-fourth of BHELs turnover between 2011-12 and 2015-16. BHELs turnover declined by over 46 percent, from Rs 49,510 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 26,587 crore in 2015-16. Profit of Rs 7,040 crore in 2011-12 turned into a loss of Rs 913 crore in 2015-16. That means BHEL went from earning a daily profit of almost Rs 19 crore to bringing in a daily loss of Rs over Rs 2.5 crore within four years.

2) BHEL did not set year wise milestones for implementation of the envisaged strategies; it could not achieve any of the strategic plan targets till 2015-16; shortfall ranged between 23.33 and 113.91 percent against specific goals.

3) The bane of our PSUs has been bulging employee costs and BHEL is no different. It has been hiring manpower despite hurtling towards losses. CAG says despite slowdown in the power

sector since 2010-11 and dampening investment sentiments, BHEL inducted 9,346 employees between the calendar year 2011 and 2012 against retirement of 5,844 employees during this period. This meant that the percentage of employee cost to turnover increased consistently from 11.04 percent in 2011-12 to 20.84 percent in 2015-16. So by 2015-16, employee costs accounted for a fifth of the turnover!

In the splash of red on BHELs balance sheet, the government obviously turns out to be the biggest loser. The CAG report notes that market valuation of BHEL declined from Rs 97,940.71 crore at the beginning of April 2011 to Rs 37,533.95 crore (as on 16 February 2017), representing a drop of 61.68 percent. Or roughly by two-third.

Consequently, the market value of the governments holding in BHEL also decreased by Rs 38,092.50 crore. The report notes that during this period, the BSE Capital Goods Index increased from 13,255.14 to 15,267.22 and BSE PSU index remained almost at the same level, but BHELs share price declined sharply from Rs 412.17 per share to Rs 153.35. Not just China, BHEL is obviously also being trumped by indigenous companies.
The Narendra Modi government has clamped down on 331 companies by directing capital market regulator Securities and exchange board of India (Sebi) to immediately restrict share-trading in these firms. These firms will likely face investigations into alleged tax evasion and other financial irregularities by various government agencies, mainly by income tax authorities.

All of these companies arent unknown entities. The list has names like Parsvnath Developers, SQS India, J Kumar Infra and Prakash Industries that have a fairly decent track record on corporate governance. Hence, the Sebi-directive has come as a shocker to these firms and the investors of these companies.

The credibility of these organisations is now facing a big question mark, so is the fate of investments both institutions and individuals have made in them. Some of these firms may move to the regulator to explain their side and may eventually get cleared off the list. But, the short-term damage is inevitable. There are both positives and negatives for the government-Sebi action.

The positives first: It will send a strong signal to the promoters of fraudulent companies that exist only on the paper and who use these entities for tax evasion and other illegal activities.

One should see this in the context of Prime Minister Narendra Modis battle call against the tax evaders after the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in November last year. Just last month, Modi said the government has traced some 37,000 shell companies indulging in tax evasion had been detected and more than 3 lakh firms were under the scanner for suspicious dealings, post the note ban exercise. The government-Sebi action should be seen in that context.

Indeed, this will help to clean up the system and dig out the dirt out. Although investors will face a temporary setback, the government-regulatory action will prevent major losses for them in the future when the illegal activities get exposed. Thus, in the larger context, this is a much needed follow-up action to the note ban since the battle against black money will not be complete without crackdown on benamis. The government has just done that.

Now the negatives: A blanket clampdown on a large number of companies, including some of the reputed ones, without giving them a chance to explain their side, will backfire badly as it will scare the investor community, particularly retail investors. The knee-jerk reaction was visible when the benchmark Sensex slumped 260 points while the Nifty cracked below the crucial 10,000-mark on Tuesday. On Wednesday too, the Sensex continued its slide, but much of it is also due to global cues.

Also, it is not clear what methodology government and Sebi have chosen to prepare the list of shell companies. A shell company is typically defined as a company that does no business but exist only on paper as vehicles to carry out illegal activities. Do the bigger, reputed names in the list fall in this category?

There is a possibility that their inclusion in the list is due to absence of furnishing some data or simply some errors, as JN Gupta, former executive director of Sebi says in this interview to ETNow. If that is the case, the question is which authority will compensate the companies for the loss of reputation and investors, their losses. As far as the available details are concerned, there were no warning signals to investors or to the companies  the reason why some of the firms have expressed shock.

The bottomline is this: The crackdown on shell companies is good and goes well with the Modi governments agenda to take on the parallel economy in the country. But, as a matter of fairness, companies should have been given a chance to explain their side before trading is halted on their shares and retail investors should have been given warnings to make up their mind. Such actions will adversely impact the investor confidence at a time India badly needs it.
New Delhi: Parsvnath Developers, SQS India, J Kumar Infra and Prakash Industries figure among 331 "suspected shell companies", referred to market regulator Sebi by the government and facing probe for alleged tax evasion and other frauds, even as they denied any wrongdoing on their part.

The regulator has asked the exchanges to restrict trading in shares of 331 such companies, some of which have investments by several well-known domestic and foreign investors and the move spooked overall market sentiments on fears about possible action against more such firms. The benchmark Sensex slumped 260 points while the Nifty cracked below the crucial 10,000-mark.

While trading has already been restricted to just once a month (on first Monday of the month) in shares of 162 companies from the list, others may soon face similar or even stricter curbs, the regulatory and market officials said.

In addition to the curbs imposed by the capital market regulator and the stock exchanges, these companies may face further action depending on the outcome of the probes by the income tax department and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), among other agencies. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said 37,000 shell companies indulging in tax evasion had been detected and more than three lakh firms were under the scanner for suspicious dealings, post-demonetisation announced in November last year.

West Bengal (127) accounts for the largest number of companies on the list of 331 suspected shell firms, referred by the corporate affairs ministry to Sebi. Besides, Gujarat and Delhi also account for a large number of such firms, against which the capital market regulator Sebi has recommended trading restrictions by the stock exchanges.

While at least 124 companies are believed to be under scanner for alleged tax evasion, further 175 firms were being investigated by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).

Reacting to Sebi's action, realty firm Parsvnath Developers and SQS India BFSI Ltd expressed shock on finding their names in the list of suspected shell companies. Some other companies from the list also issued statements to deny any wrongdoing.

"We are shocked to find our companys name amongst the list of suspected shell companies as a result of which, our equity shares...are being shifted to GSM VI on the stock exchanges.

"As a result, our company's securities may be traded only once in a month on a trade to trade basis and Sebi has envisaged a "financial audit" thereby implicitly castigating us and tarnishing our reputation," Parsvnath Developers said in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges.

Parsvnath said that it is not a shell company by any "stretch of imagination". J Kumar Infraprojects said it is not a shell company and suspicion of the regulator is uncalled for. "Our company's compliance track record both with the exchanges and Registrar of Companies have been impeccable". The company said that majority of its clients consist of government authorities and listed out Delhi Metro, Mumbai Metro and JNPT Port connectivity as some of the projects underway.

Prakash Industries said that directions issued by Sebi are "totally devoid of merit and uncalled for. Besides, there has never been a occasion when our company has indulged in any kind of malpractices in stock market".

SQS India BFSI Ltd has expressed shock that it has been placed under the surveillance list even as it has been complying with all the norms under Companies Act and Sebi regulations. "... we would provide all the necessary details and extend all assistance to cooperate with the authorities and get the matter resolved quickly," the company said.

Pincoin Spirit, also identified under suspected list, categorically stated that the company has been following all the rules and regulations stipulated under Companies Act and Sebi norms. "We are ready to provide all the necessary information and extend all cooperation to the regulator to resolve the issue so that the name of the company is excluded from the shell companies list at the earliest on merit basis," it said.

As part of efforts to curb the black money menace, the Corporate Affairs Ministry has already cancelled the registration of more than 1.62 lakh companies that have not been carrying out business activities for long. The ministry is implementing the Companies Act and firms are required to be registered under this law.

While the term shell company is not defined under the Companies Act, Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley, last month, told the Lok Sabha that many such entities have been found to be indulging in large scale tax violations.
Mumbai: It was the third straight session of loss for stocks on Wednesday as the Sensex took a hit of 216 points to close at a three-week low below the 32,000-mark on growing sense of disquiet following Sebi crackdown against suspected shell companies.

The regulator clamped down on 331 such firms on Monday, directing exchanges to take action against them.

Investors also ran for cover after a flare-up in tension between the US and North Korea over the latter's ballistic missile programme. They fear for the worse as both sides show no signs of backing down, according to traders.

Selling pressure built up following muted June quarter earnings by some companies, they added. It was so strong that all the sectoral indices, led by healthcare and auto, ended in the negative zone.

The Sensex recovered partially before settling down 216.35 points, or 0.68 percent, at 31,797.84 -- its lowest closing since 18 July.

The gauge has now lost 527.57 points in three sessions.

The NSE Nifty also remained under pressure and was down 70.50 points, or 0.71 percent, to close at 9,908.05. Intra- day, it cracked below the 9,900-mark to touch 9,893.05.

"Global headwinds owing to geo-political tension between North Korea and the US provided more cues to the domestic market, which is already reeling under Sebi's regulatory pressure... Small- and mid-cap underperformed on Wednesday," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

Overseas, Asian stocks ended lower and European shares dropped in early hours.

In the Sensex pack, Sun Pharma was battered the most, plunging 5.13 percent to an over four-year low, after its US subsidiary Taro Pharmaceutical Industries reported weak quarterly numbers.

Others to lose ground were Adani Ports (4.12 percent), along with Cipla, Tata Motors and Bajaj Auto.

But NTPC looked up, climbing 1.25 percent, followed by ONGC, HDFC and Asian Paints.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) were net buyers of shares worth Rs 1,539.82 crore while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth Rs 798.55 crore on Tuesday, provisional data showed.

The selling activity accelerated in broader markets, with small-cap index sliding 1.88 percent and mid-cap 1.66 percent.

Key indices in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Taiwan moved down by up to 1.29 percent.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on 7 August 2017 forwarded a list of 331 suspected shell companies to the stock exchanges directing them to take corrective actions. Accordingly, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on 8 August placed 162 companies out of total 331 in the list, in the stage VI of the Graded Surveillance Measure (GSM) with immediate effect.

However, some of the companies are contesting the claims made by the Sebi and government. Some of the commentators have even raised doubts about the methodology adopted in preparing the list (read here and here).

Under the stage VI of GSM framework, trading in these identified securities shall be permitted only once a month under trade-to-trade category. Further, any upward price movement in these securities shall not be permitted beyond the last traded price and additional surveillance deposit of 200 percent of trade value shall be collected form the buyers which shall be retained with exchanges for a period for five months.

Out of these 162 firms, the Firstpost did an analysis of 69 companies for which data is available in CapitalinePlus. Out of the 69, three big firms' market capitalisation as on 7 August 2017 stood at over Rs 1,000 crore -- J Kumar Infra with a market capitalisation of Rs 2,146 crore, Prakash Industries (Rs 2,120 crore) and Parsvnath Developers (Rs 1,020 crore). As many as 13 companies had market valuation between Rs 100 crore and Rs 601 crore and 32 companies between Rs 10 crore and Rs 87 crore. There were 21 firms with market capitalisation below Rs 10 crore.

Out of these 69 stocks, 28 gave positive returns ranging between 0.46 percent and 338 percent over the last one year. As many as 40 companies saw their share prices declining between 1.85 percent and 90 percent.

The company that gave the top return of 338 percent was Cybermate Info. Its share price zoomed from a meagre 73 paise on 5 August 2016 to Rs 3.20 on 7 August 2017. Kavit Industries with 291 percent return stood second position and IFL Promoters third with 233 percent gain.

Silicon Valley, with a 90 percent decline in its share price, tops the list of losers. Gallant Ispat was the second major loser with 64 percent fall and ATN International at number three with a 61 percent decline in its share price.

Prakash Industries topped the net sales sweepstakes. In 2016-17, its sales stood at Rs 2,173.50 crore. Kkalpana Industries comes the second (Rs 1,957 crore) and J Kumar Infra the third (Rs 1,437 crore). Of the lot, as many as 16 firms had net sales of Rs 107-928 crore, 21 companies Rs 11-95 crore and 18 below Rs 10 crore. Surprisingly, 10 companies had zero net sales.

In terms of net profit, J Kumar Infra tops the list with Rs 105.51 crore profit, followed by Prakash Industries at Rs 81 crore and Pincon Spirit at Rs 43 crore.

As many as 35 made losses between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 976 crore. REI Agro was the top loss making firm with Rs 976 crore losses (2015-16) and Winsome Diamonds the second with Rs 836 crore (2016-17). It has to be remembered that Winsome is also one of the top wilful defaulters as per the bank unions' list. Rohit Ferro was the third in the list with Rs 336 crore loss for fiscal 2017.

Here is a list of 69 shell companies along with their one year stock performance.
Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Donbas (SMM) Alexander Hug has urged the sides to cease fire recorded by the mission's drone near the pumping station in Vasylivka in Yasynuvata district of Donetsk region.

"While monitoring w/ UAV @ Vasylivka pumping station #OSCE SMM heard 2 bursts & 3 single shots of small-arms fire w/in 500m. Sustainable ceasefire required around critical infrastructure. Stop firing now," Hug said on Twitter.
New Delhi: Worried over multi-fold jump in gold imports from South Korea, the government is contemplating steps to check the surge in inbound shipments from the country, an official said on Wednesday.

Gold imports from South Korea, with which India has a free trade agreement since January 2010, has jumped to $338.6 million during 1 July and 3 August this year. The import in 2016-17 was $70.46 million.

"We have lots of mechanisms in place to control this surge like we can stipulate that the gold which is imported should be used for designated purpose like for export only.

"Safeguard duty can also be imposed but we have to plug the loophole before the onset of the festive season," the finance ministry official said.

Under the free trade pact between India and South Korea, basic customs duty on gold was eliminated.

Further, the 12.5 percent countervailing duty on gold imports has been subsumed in the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Accordingly, the imports now attract only 3 percent integrated GST.

The official added that similar surge in gold imports could be witnessed from other countries with which India has free trade pacts.

Currently, gold imports attract 10 percent customs duty. India is the world's second biggest gold consumer after China. The imports mainly take care of demand by the jewellery industry.

India has implemented free trade agreements with countries including Japan, Asean and Singapore.

The collections from customs duty and IGST from imports post implementation of GST has almost doubled to Rs 30,000 crore in July.

Gold imports contributed significantly to this increased collection.

The revenue collected include those on account of customs duty, Integrated-GST (IGST) from imports, Countervailing Duty (CVD), special addition duty (SAD) and cess collection on imported items.
Dileep, who is an accused in the case of the abduction and alleged assault of a popular Malayalam actress, is currently in remand, which has been extended for two weeks by the Angamaly First Class Magistrate court, reports The NewsMinute.

The police raised concerns about security regarding the decision to keep presenting Dileep before the court, so he appeared before the judge through video conference. Neither his counsel nor the prosecution appeared in person in court.

Dileep has not filed a revised bail application, but it likely to apply for it in the High Court, reports state. He changed his lawyer Ram Kumar and is being represented by Raman Pillai currently.

There were rumours that he was receiving preferential treatment in prison when Sanoop, a prisoner housed near the actor, complained that he was receiving better quality food and that he only remained in his cell at night, while spending most of his time in the officers' chambers.

Dileep has been named a conspirator in this case, and the police say that his motive to hire the main accused Pulsar Suni to abduct and molest the Malayalam actress in a moving car on 17 February was that she was the reason for the breakdown of his marriage to actress Manju Warrier.

One of the latest developments in this case is that Appunni, Dileep's absconding manager, surrendered before the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
A previous glimpse of Telugu star Mahesh Babu's upcoming film SPYder showed a spider crawling up his shoulder, and the actor turning and hushing it. Now, a new teaser of the bilingual film has been released on his 41st birthday, and it reminds us of the storyline of many films from the past, where the hero is seen trying to protect the interests of the commoners.

Mahesh Babu, like in Businessman, is seen fighting the villain and safeguarding the public; he looks young and crisp as always. There are also some interesting sequences where he intimidates the villain with with whistle-worthy punch lines.

SPYder marks Mahesh Babu's debut in Tamil films, and he has reportedly dubbed for his part in the Tamil version of the film himself. It will see him essay the role of an intelligence agent called Shiva, and it is being said that the film will deal with the issue of terrorism.

Directed by AR Murugadoss, this film is a reboot of the director's Tamil film Thuppakki, which starred Vijay. Also starring in this film are Rakul Preet Singh, who plays his love interest, and SJ Surya, who will play the antagonist. SJ Surya and Mahesh Babu come together after 13 years, only this time they are pitted against each other on screen. SPYder shows Rakul in a different avatar, unlike her other entertainers. The actress essays the role of geeky girl, smitten by the protagonist in this film.

The music of the film has been composed by Harris Jayaraj, and the first song 'Boom Boom' was released on saavn.com.

While the satellite rights of the film were sold for Rs 15 crore to Zee, the rights to the film in the US were sold for Rs 15.5 crore. Additionally, the film's out-of-India Tamil rights have been sold for Rs 8 crore, which means that its international rights have sold for over Rs 23.5 crore.

Initially, this film was supposed to release on Eid. Then, due to a delayed shoot, the film was postponed to August first and then to 27 September. It marks the first collaboration between Murugadoss and Babu.

Watch the Telugu teaser here:


Imtiaz Ali's Shah Rukh Khan-Anushka Sharma starrer has brought upon a wave of trolls and memes on social media with people often claiming it to be the "worst movie" coming out of Ali's banner.

Jab Harry Met Sejal (JHMS) released globally on 4 August, last week, and received a lot of flak both from the audience as well as the film critics.

While there are benchmarks being constantly set and broken regarding the worst films so far, JHMS might soon (or probably already has) find a place on the list. Recently, journalist Dhanya Rajendran tweeted to say Jab Harry Met Sejal was worse than Tamil superstar Vijay's Sura, that was released in 2010.

What followed next was a barrage of hate messages, abuses, trolls and threats. The Indian Express, in one of its reports suggests that there were more than 30,000 tweets targeting the journalist with the hashtag, #PublicityBeepDhanya.

On reporting this to Twitter, the hashtag was blacklisted.

Explaining this, Rajendran told The Indian Express, "Twitter India blacklisted the hashtag immediately after I pointed out to them that they cant talk about security for women when there is a hashtag that is an abuse trend. My only problem is I have access to Twitter people, so I could do it. What about so many others who dont?"

Rajendran pointed out that the entire trolling was an organised and planned activity; she shared tweets that were sent to her at 5.40 pm, much before the hashtag started trending.

So yesterday, according to trendsmaps, there were 31,000 tweets on that hashtag on me and 30,000 mentions (with or without hashtags).  Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) August 7, 2017

Is this kind of trolling unorganised? Definitely, not. Tweet was sent before 6 pm asking me to wait. And they started the hashtag at 6 pm pic.twitter.com/lwpYYQmyRM  Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) August 7, 2017

Now all those screenshots that FBI and KGB have collected. In 2011, I was pulling the leg of a friend on Twitter. I manually RTed his tweet pic.twitter.com/gNzQqfvRYX  Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) August 7, 2017

So, bullying and abusing a woman is not a brave thing to do. And it is sad to think these are people living among us.  Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) August 7, 2017

According to a report by NDTV, four people have been charged of threatening and abusing the journalist on Twitter. Investigators are trying to identify who tweeted those vulgar posts using aliases or fake profiles.

Although some of them have already deleted their accounts, the authorities are using conventional means to detect the faulty profiles. A case has also been reportedly booked under the IT Act, the Indecent Representation of Women Act and many others, reports NDTV.
On the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement on Tuesday, both the Congress and BJP paid homage to the watershed moment.

While the Congress Working Committee passed a resolution reiterating the importance of the Quit India Movement, BJP's youth wing planned a 'Bharat Jodo Abhiyan' (Unite India Campaign) to mark its 75th anniversary.

During this politically charged time, it is important to remember Mahatma Gandhi's words on 8 August, 1942 in Bombay (now Mumbai) ahead of the Quit India Movement, in which he asked people to adopt ahimsa (non-violence) during the struggle for India's independence.

Here is the full text of Gandhi's speech:

Before you discuss the resolution, let me place before you one or two things, I want you to understand two things very clearly and to consider them from the same point of view from which I am placing them before you. I ask you to consider it from my point of view, because if you approve of it, you will be enjoined to carry out all I say. It will be a great responsibility. There are people who ask me whether I am the same man that I was in 1920, or whether there has been any change in me. You are right in asking that question.

Let me, however, hasten to assure that I am the same Gandhi as I was in 1920. I have not changed in any fundamental respect. I attach the same importance to non-violence that I did then. If at all, my emphasis on it has grown stronger. There is no real contradiction between the present resolution and my previous writings and utterances.

Occasions like the present do not occur in everybodys and but rarely in anybodys life. I want you to know and feel that there is nothing but purest Ahimsa in all that I am saying and doing today. The draft resolution of the Working Committee is based on Ahimsa, the contemplated struggle similarly has its roots in Ahimsa. If, therefore, there is any among you who has lost faith in Ahimsa or is wearied of it, let him not vote for this resolution.

Let me explain my position clearly. God has vouchsafed to me a priceless gift in the weapon of Ahimsa. I and my Ahimsa are on our trail today. If in the present crisis, when the earth is being scorched by the flames of Himsa and crying for deliverance, I failed to make use of the God given talent, God will not forgive me and I shall be judged unwrongly of the great gift. I must act now. I may not hesitate and merely look on, when Russia and China are threatened.

Ours is not a drive for power, but purely a non-violent fight for Indias independence. In a violent struggle, a successful general has been often known to effect a military coup and to set up a dictatorship. But under the Congress scheme of things, essentially non-violent as it is, there can be no room for dictatorship. A non-violent soldier of freedom will covet nothing for himself, he fights only for the freedom of his country. The Congress is unconcerned as to who will rule, when freedom is attained. The power, when it comes, will belong to the people of India, and it will be for them to decide to whom it placed in the entrusted. May be that the reins will be placed in the hands of the Parsis, for instance-as I would love to see happen-or they may be handed to some others whose names are not heard in the Congress today. It will not be for you then to object saying, This community is microscopic. That party did not play its due part in the freedoms struggle; why should it have all the power? Ever since its inception the Congress has kept itself meticulously free of the communal taint. It has thought always in terms of the whole nation and has acted accordingly...I know how imperfect our Ahimsa is and how far away we are still from the ideal, but in Ahimsa there is no final failure or defeat. I have faith, therefore, that if, in spite of our shortcomings, the big thing does happen, it will be because God wanted to help us by crowning with success our silent, unremitting Sadhana1 for the last twenty-two years.

I believe that in the history of the world, there has not been a more genuinely democratic struggle for freedom than ours. I read Carlyles French Resolution while I was in prison, and Pandit Jawaharlal has told me something about the Russian revolution. But it is my conviction that inasmuch as these struggles were fought with the weapon of violence they failed to realise the democratic ideal. In the democracy which I have envisaged, a democracy established by non-violence, there will be equal freedom for all. Everybody will be his own master. It is to join a struggle for such democracy that I invite you today. Once you realize this you will forget the differences between the Hindus and Muslims, and think of yourselves as Indians only, engaged in the common struggle for independence.

Then, there is the question of your attitude towards the British.

I have noticed that there is hatred towards the British among the people. The people say they are disgusted with their behaviour. The people make no distinction between British imperialism and the British people. To them, the two are one. This hatred would even make them welcome the Japanese. It is most dangerous.

It means that they will exchange one slavery for another. We must get rid of this feeling.

Our quarrel is not with the British people, we fight their imperialism.

The proposal for the withdrawal of British power did not come out of anger. It came to enable India to play its due part at the present critical juncture. It is not a happy position for a big country like India to be merely helping with money and material obtained willy-nilly from her while the United Nations are conducting the war. We cannot evoke the true spirit of sacrifice and velour, so long as we are not free. I know the British Government will not be able to withhold freedom from us, when we have made enough self-sacrifice. We must, therefore, purge ourselves of hatred. Speaking for myself, I can say that I have never felt any hatred. As a matter of fact, I feel myself to be a greater friend of the British now than ever before. One reason is that they are today in distress. My very friendship, therefore, demands that I should try to save them from their mistakes. As I view the situation, they are on the brink of an abyss. It, therefore, becomes my duty to warn them of their danger even though it may, for the time being, anger them to the point of cutting off the friendly hand that is stretched out to help them. People may laugh, nevertheless that is my claim. At a time when I may have to launch the biggest struggle of my life, I may not harbour hatred against anybody.
Srinagar: Amid a fresh clamour for the abrogation of Article 35-A of the Constitution, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said the special status enjoyed by the state needed to be protected and preserved.

Article 35-A of the Constitution empowers the state's legislature to define its "permanent residents" and accord special rights and privileges to them.

"The legislature of the state enjoys huge powers unlike any other state assembly. We need to preserve and protect this status", Mehbooba told a public meeting after inaugurating the Randakdaji-Jawalapora-Gaffarabad road in central Kashmir's Budgam district.

On the GST legislation passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, she said that the state had enacted its own law.

"The guarantees carried in the Presidential Order (on GST) reflect the special status Jammu and Kashmir enjoys within the Constitution of India", she said.

The chief minister said that the opening of historic routes along the Line of Control (LoC) in the state, frequent exchange of students, artists and other groups would bring a lasting peace in the state by promoting more people to people exchanges.

Mehbooba said only a conducive and peaceful atmosphere can lead the state to prosperity and resolution of the issues.

"The government has taken up several development programmes this year which could not be taken up last year due to unrest. The government has taken up developmental activities in areas which so far have remained neglected," she said.

The chief minister was visiting Khag where she laid the foundation of a 10-km Khag-Aripanthan road to be upgraded from the present single lane to double lane at a cost of Rs 13.08 crore. It would be completed by next year.

Later, the she also laid the foundation of a modern health centre at Khag to be set up by the Government Medical College, Srinagar at a cost of Rs 5.28 crore.

The chief minister also visited Magam where she inaugurated a degree college. Built at a cost of Rs 9.83 crore, the college for 1,500 students has academic, administrative and library blocks.
New Delhi: Offering a solution to the Ram temple-Babri Masjid dispute, the Shia central waqf board of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday told the Supreme Court a mosque could be built in a Muslim-dominated area at a "reasonable distance" from the disputed site in Ayodhya.

With this submission, the Shia board becomes the first Muslim organisation to come out in support of the demand of various Hindu bodies on the Ayodhya issue. The Hindu bodies while demanding that Ram temple be allowed to be constructed at the disputed site have suggested that a mosque could be built at a distance away from this area.

The affidavit, filed by Syed Waseem Rizvi, Chairman of Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board, disputed the claim of Sunni waqf board, saying the Babri Masjid site was its property and only it was entitled to hold negotiations for an amicable settlement of the dispute.

Favouring construction of the mosque at a "reasonable distance" from the site, it said, "Closeness of places of worship i.e Masjid and Mandir of the two litigating denominations, should be avoided in as much as both denominations using loud speakers tend to disturb religious performances of each other, often leading to conflicts bringing acrimony in the two factions.

"Answering respondent (Shia Board) is also of the view that, to bring quietus, masjid can be located in a Muslim- dominated area at a reasonable distance from the most revered place of birth of Maryada Purshottam Sri Ram."

The affidavit assumes significance as it has been filed within few days of the apex court agreeing to fast track the hearing on a batch of appeals challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict on the land dispute in the case.

The Shia Board, in its 30-page affidavit, said that the Sunni Central Waqf Board was under the dominant control of Sunni "hardliners, fanatics and non-believers in peaceful co-existence who have absolutely no stake in the present case."

Assailing the stand of the Sunni Central Waqf Board, it said, "...since Babri Masjid was a Shia waqf board property, Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board alone is entitled to negotiate and arrive at a peaceful settlement with other remaining stakeholders." The Shia body has also sought setting up of a committee for exploring an amicable resolution of the vexatious issue.

It sought setting up of the committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, two retired judges of Allahabad High Court, Uttar Pradesh chief minister or his nominee and a nominee from the office of the prime minister.

It said that Shia central waqf board's nominee and a representative each from Nirmohi Akhara and Hindu sect shall make suggestions and proposals for amicable settlement before the committee.

The Shia board, one of the parties in the pending appeals in the apex court, referred to the Allahabad High Court judgement and said that it has been held that "Muslims" should get not less that one-third of the disputed area.

"By saying 'Muslims' the high court obviously meant 'Shias' since the high court rejected the claim of the Sunni Board that Babri Masjid was a Sunni waqf. The high court having held that Babri Masjid is a waqf, rejected the claim of Sunni Board that it was Sunni waqf claimed on the basis of notification dated 16 February, 1944 by the Chief Commissioner of waqfs under the Muslim Waqfs Act, 1936.

"The high court held the notification as 'illegal' since it was issued in violation of the provisions of the Act, 1936 without issuing notice to the interested persons, a statutory requirement. Thus, the claim of Sunni Board stood negated that it was a Sunni Waqf. Needless to say that a waqf has to be either Shia or Sunni waqf and not a waqf alone.

"It is always known by its creator i.e wakif or waqif being Shia or Sunni," the affidavit said.

Referring to 1,620 inscriptions, which were found on the disputed site, the Shia Board said that it proved beyond doubt that Babri Masjid was built by Mir Baqi, a Shia, who created a Shia Waqf.

"The said masjid being a Shia waqf and its last mutawalli (manager of the waqf-property) (1949) was admittedly a Shia," the affidavit said.

Recently, a three-judge bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra, Ashok Bhushan and SA Nazeer has been constituted by Chief Justice JS Khehar to hear a batch of petitions challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case from 11 August.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had in 2010 ruled a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acres area at the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri masjid site in Ayodhya.

The three-judge bench of the high court, by a 2:1 majority, had said the land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

On 21 July, a bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar had said that it would soon take a decision to list the matter for early hearing.

The court's remark had come on a plea of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy who sought urgent listing and hearing of the matter. Swamy had said the main appeals against the Allahabad High Court order are pending for the last seven years in the apex court and these required urgent hearing.

He had also said that a separate petition had earlier been filed by him seeking enforcement of his right to worship without much hassle at the site. The BJP leader had told the court that he has been allowed by the apex court to intervene in the matter and is seeking expeditious disposal of the cases.
New Delhi: Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh said on Tuesday the Chandigarh Police should be given a "free hand" to probe the alleged stalking of a 29-year-old woman by two men, including the son of Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party president.

He said the police should be allowed to investigate the high-profile case "freely and independently".

"No attempt should be made to dilute the charges against the accused, one of whom is the son of the Haryana BJP president," Singh said.

He added that no political interference should be allowed and the police should have complete authority to probe the matter in a neutral manner under the due process of law.

The chief minister, in response to a question, also dismissed as "absurd" the demand for the resignation of Home Minister Rajnath Singh on moral grounds over the case.

"How can Rajnath Singh be held responsible for the incident, or for that matter for any such irresponsible behaviour involving individuals or party leaders or their kin in any part of the country, be it even Punjab," he said.

However, action needs to be taken against the accused to ensure justice for the woman and also to send out a strong signal that misuse of political powers to undermine any institution, including the police, was not acceptable, Singh said, reaffirming his "unequivocal and strong condemnation" of the incident.

The chief minister also urged Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher, whom he met briefly outside Parliament, that the guilty should be dealt with strictly, in accordance with the law.
The Chandigarh Police have issued summons to Vikas Barala, prime accused in the 4 August incident of alleged stalking of IAS officer's daughter Varnika Kundu, asking him to appear before them in connection with the investigation of the case, media reports said.

Barala has been asked to appear before the police at 11 am on Wednesday.

The police had made an attempt to send the notice on Tuesday, CNN-News18 reported. However, there was nobody at the Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala's residence to accept it, which is why the police have said that the accused refused to accept the initial notice. The police then resorted to pasting the summon notice outside the residence of Barala on Wednesday morning in an attempt to send the notice across to the accused.

Barala's personal assistant later confirmed that the family had received the notice, ANI reported. Meanwhile, Times Now reported that Vikas had refused blood and urine tests after the arrest was made on Saturday.

Summon pasted outside Vikas Barala's house by Chandigarh Police. He has been asked to join the investigation today by 11am. @CNNnews18 pic.twitter.com/8iGVkaQeH4  Nitisha (@Nitisha_Kashyap) August 9, 2017

It was on Tuesday that the police said they had retrieved footage of the incident from five CCTV cameras. The Chandigarh Police, which is probing the case, had received flak on Monday after they had stated that the CCTVs along the route were non-functional.

Opposition parties have accused the police of working under pressure. However, MP from Chandigarh and BJP leader Kirron Kher rubbished the Opposition's claim and assured the victim that justice would be served.

We have received the police notice( to Vikas). I don't have any other details: Krishan Kumar,Subhash Barala's PA #ChandigarhStalkingCase pic.twitter.com/3oFDsCQaNo  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

Kundu in her complaint had said that she felt there was an attempt to kidnap her. "To me, it was very clear that that these boys intended to abduct me and even tried to open the door," she had said in her complaint. After Haryana BJP's deputy president Ramveer Bhatti questioned why the 29-year-old woman was driving at odd hours, the victim lashed out at the remark, saying that it was "none of his business".

After the incident came into the limelight, the Chandigarh Police was heavily criticised for failing to invoke serious charges, like kidnapping  which is a non-bailable offence under certain circumstances in the Indian Penal Code  in the FIR, despite Kundu's stating in her complaint that there was allegedly an attempt to kidnap her by Vikas and and his friend.

On Friday night, the 29-year-old victim had called up the police complaining that two youth were chasing her along a stretch of over five km.

Both Vikas and Kumar were released on bail within hours of getting arrested on Saturday, when the case was registered. They were booked for bailable charges: Section 354 D (Stalking) of IPC, 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act (Driving under influence), Section 341 (Wrongful restraint).

On Monday, SSP Eish Singhal confirmed that police were yet to include charges related to attempt to kidnap in the FIR. "We are investigating the case with an open mind. If any section has to be added at a later stage, we will do it," he said.
By Shruti Sunderraman

Ramveer Bhatti, vice-president of Haryana BJP, was prompt in announcing his views on Varnika Kundu, the 29-year-old DJ who was stalked and followed in Chandigarh on Friday: "She should not have gone out at 12 in the night," Bhatti said.

Kundu's ordeal was compounded by the fact that her stalker was Vikas Barala, the son of Haryana BJP chief Santosh Barala, and his accomplice Ashish Kumar.

According to her social media post, Kundu was driving back home on 4 August, when Barala followed her in his car and at one point, tried to pry her car's door open. Kundu got timely help from the Chandigarh Police, who booked Barala for stalking and drunk driving. When Kundu decided to speak up against her stalker, it raised an uproar equal to a Bollywood crime thriller  a politician's son getting bail, alleged attempts by the BJP to hide the CCTV footage, and of course, victim shaming.

After being briefly arrested on 5 August (they were out on bail immediately), Barala and Kumar have been arrested with non-bailable charges slapped on them. This is while Kundu was subjected to Bhatti's comments. The public response was no different.

Some Twitter users accused her of staging a publicity stunt with this case. Prashant P Umrao, a Supreme Court advocate, tweeted asking if Kundu was drunk at the time of the incident. He also suggested that she should be arrested for talking on the phone while driving.

The saving grace, however, was how a lot of young women came together to show solidarity to Kundu, by posting selfies at midnight with the hashtag #AintNoCinderella as a response to Bhatti.

Kundu was brave and lucky. In 1996, Delhi law student Priyadarshini Mattoo was raped and murdered by the son of a police inspector-general after stalking her for years. On 15 May, 2016, a woman and her family were assaulted, threatened and chased by five men in Anand Parbat in Delhi. The men had been arrested the day before for stalking her, but had been released on bail. In the two decades between 1996 and 2016, every month has featured cases of stalking women escalating to terrifying violence.

If you know about cases such as Mattoo's or of the teenagers in Anand Parbat, the stylised stalking of our movies suddenly seem not stylised enough. In the 1994 film Anjaam, Shah Rukh Khan returns to his K-k-k-Kiran avatar, by stalking Madhuri Dixit's character Shivani. The more she spurns his advances, the more he stalks her. He then murders her husband, child and sister-in-law to get to Shivani. When she turns to the police for help, they question her intentions: "What were you doing there?" an inspector asks her.

The movie eventually ends with Shivani's death, but nobody in my house raised an eyebrow while watching it on a dreary afternoon. "She should have just married him," my uncle remarked.

It's true. Shivani could have transitioned to the most common category of violence against women, that at the hands of friends, family and acquaintances.

But in the matrix of Bhatti and regular people, home is supposed to be safe, and the streets unsafe. Reel life Shivani and real life Kundu are supposed to attest to this. Given that everybody is in agreement with the theory that the streets are filled with stalkers, it should have been easy for Shivani and Kundu to lodge a complaint, be lauded for their bravery, and be rid of their stalkers forever.

But Shivani died. And Kundu's intentions are questioned. Doubly so, since she has refused anonymity. In an interview to The Quint, she refutes all the shaming. "It's not like I have anything to hide, I did nothing. I am not a victim, I was saved. Shouldn't the guys who did it be hiding their face? They are the ones who have a reason to actually be ashamed," she said. I can see my uncle's head shaking all the way from here.

On 7 August, a day-and-a-half after the news broke, BJP spokesperson Shaina NC tweeted a picture of Kundu with two friends, one of whom she claimed was Barala. (Umrao had also tweeted the same, just hours before Shaina NC shared them.) Thus suggesting that Kundu's allegations were false. (Let's not tell Shaina NC that being in the same frame of a photo with a man doesn't give him permission to stalk you; it might cause medical harm.)

Brilliant fake news tactic. Pity it didn't work. The moment Twitterati called out her folly, mocked her because the man in the picture wasn't Barala, she deleted the tweet and said her account had been hacked.

But it didn't stop here for Kundu. Kuldeep Barala, a relative of Vikas Barala stalked Kundu's Facebook profile and downloaded a picture of her sitting with a couple of glasses of alcohol. He suggested she is "characterless" for drinking alcohol.

It's hard not to compare what Kundu is facing today to the compassionate response that a man  an influential co-founder of a talent management and music festival company in Mumbai came out with his own account of being stalked  got recently, when he talked about being stalked. On 8 May, in a Huffington Post story, Only Much Louder's co-founder Vijay Nair detailed a terrifying case of cyberstalking. Outrage hit the big league. Twitter lost its shit. Facebook had hangover-esque bouts of vaanthi for over a week. Geeta, the pseudonym given to Nair's stalker, became an overnight meme and cautionary tale.

Twitter exploded with solidarity for Nair. No one did the 'hmm, I just want to be objective' thing. Not once was he asked if he stepped out at 12 am. No one character assassinated Nair by looking up pictures of him drinking alcohol. And most importantly, he was never victim-shamed for speaking up about his ordeal.

Nobody called Nair a liar or spread fake news about him. What they did spread was solidarity. And this is how it ought to be. I found it profoundly strange. Both Nair and Kundu's cases have similarities. For one, both received massive media coverage. Both created waves of shock, but the nature of these shocks differed massively. Kundu's case created a shock because a politician's son was accused, while Nair's case shocked people because Nair is a man.

The public apparently needed the massive defamiliarisation of a man being a victim to steep themselves in the horror of the all-too common crime of stalking. The lack of gender neutrality in Section 354D of the Indian Penal Code (which is cited for cases of stalking) suddenly comes under contention for its "unfairness". It specifically protects women from cases of stalking, not men. (It is also a bailable offence, something that Barala has taken full advantage of.)

To be fair to Nair, he acknowledged how his privilege (referring to both his gender and class privilege) helped him fight against the horrifying incident, writing that, "The laws in our country are not perfect but the fact that I am here now, talking about it and on top of the situation is only thanks to my privilege."

Why do we respond to the same crime differently with men and women? One reason could be that violence against women has been normalised to an extent that it no longer surprises anyone if a woman is stalked. Even with Kundu's case, most of the hooplah seems to because a politician's son was accused and not because Kundu was stalked. With Nair, the outrage was centred around him being a man and being stalked by a woman.

Another unusual detail links the two: The police's response. Both Nair and Kundu received massive cooperation from the police (the latter's father is an ex-IAS officer).

To illustrate how unusual this is, here are excerpts from a 2016 article about stalking:

20 July, Mumbai: A 15-year-old girl is chased and stabbed multiple times at 6.30 am by her stalker. She'd complained to the police about him, but they didn't take her seriously.

16 July, New Delhi: A 19-year-old woman is chased and stabbed to death by her stalkers in broad daylight. She'd complained to the police about them, but they'd been harassing her to withdraw the complaint. Her mother, the only person who tried to intervene, was stabbed too.

2 July, Mumbai: A police constable is arrested for stalking a 21-year-old woman.

22 May, Bhopal: A man, who had been stalking a 25-year-old woman, threw acid on her face. She spotted her stalker on that day and went to a police station to complain about him. They redirected her to another police station. Minutes later, on her way to the second police station, she was attacked.

But Kundu and Nair's investigations differed in the details. In Kundu's case, there is already the suspected erasure of evidence when nine CCTV footages of the car chase, had supposedly "vanished". (However, 24 hours after reporting the footage as missing, police have now stated that footage has been found and is being used to collect evidence.)

The volume of sympathy for a single case of a male victim of stalking is always higher than the amount of shaming female victims of stalking are subjected to. Sure, Kundu did have support and words of encouragement from Union minister Harsimran Kaur Badal, MP and actress Kirron Kher, and friends and family, but she had to constantly assert her tale of events. And she will for years. And even then there will be people like Shaina NC, barking at her heels wanting to classify her as a "so-called victim", wanting her to be a household name for discredited victims, as Shaina thinks Jasleen Kaur and the Rohtak sisters are.

In hindsight, it wasn't the outpouring of justified sympathy for Nair's ordeal that shook me. It was the absolute lack of any scepticism. No female victim is believed with such ease. It is not just that the streets belong to men. It is that right to be trusted belongs to men, too.

The Ladies Finger (TLF) is a leading online women's magazine delivering fresh and witty perspectives on politics, culture, health, sex, work and everything in between.
Czechia's Ambassador to Ukraine Radek Matula has said there is a possibility to provide Ukraine with certain types of military equipment based on export licenses.

"A possibility has opened for cooperating in the provision of several types of military equipment to Ukraine  of course, based on the standard process of export licensing. Until now, there were policy limitations on this from the Czech government. Since the winter of 2014 there was a ban on supplying military equipment and materials to Ukraine. We have now made this practice standard. This means that for each deal a license will be given," Matula said in an interview with the Kyiv-based Ukrayinska Pravda e-zine.

"We indeed believe it is important to keep the unity of the European Union, and therefore support sanctions against Russia until the full implementation of the Minsk peace agreements. Even after the situation in eastern Ukraine is resolved, Czechia will insist keeping sanctions in place regarding Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea," the ambassador said.
Following the arrest of Vikas Barala, key accused in Chandigarh stalking case, and his friend Ashish Kumar, director general of police Tejinder Luthria conducted a press conference on Wednesday, and said the police has pressed two new charges against Barala  under sections 365 and 511 (Attempt to abduct with intent to wrongful confinement) of the Indian Penal Code.

The arrested accused will be produced in a court on Thursday. Luthria said they will request the court to grant the accused police custody.

Detailed interrogation of both (Ashish and Vikas) took place; two charges to be pressed against them: DGP Chandigarh #ChandigarhStalking pic.twitter.com/Qtv2C8dSkE  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

"There are many things from the crime scene that we need to clarify and hence we would request the court to allow us to take Luthria into police custody. We also need to reconstruct the route they took," Luthria said.

However, he refused to divulge any additional information, saying this could hamper the investigation.

Luthria added that they are under no political pressure and whatever they are doing is professional and independent of any influence from any party. "We have new pieces of evidence, CCTV footage and map of the route and we are taking the investigation forward,"Luthria added.

On Wednesday morning, Luthria confirmed that the police have sufficient evidence to investigate the case and that the accused are expected to show up at the police station as asked.

The DGP had told CNN-News18, "I am a positive man. I hope for the best. If they do not come, the next logical step of the investigation shall be taken."

In a report to the Union home ministry, the Chandigarh Police conveyed the charges against the two accused, a home ministry official said.

The report said after the 29-year-old woman lodged a complaint of alleged stalking by Vikash and Ashish, police detained them and called a doctor immediately for a medical test.

However, the two accused refused to undergo blood or urine test. The doctor later gave a report saying he smelled the breath of the accused which indicated alcohol. Denial of Vikas and his friend to undergo blood and urine test is likely to be held against them during the trial, the official said.

As per law no person can be compelled to undergo alcohol tests. The accused allegedly exploited this ground.

On 4 August, 29-year-old Varnika, daughter of an IAS officer, called up the police complaining that two men were chasing her in a car along a stretch in Chandigarh.

Both Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar were arrested on Saturday but were released on bail within the next few hours. The police booked the two on bailable charges: Section 354 D (Stalking) of IPC, 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act (Driving under influence), Section 341 (Wrongful restraint). Chandigarh Police received a lot of flak for going easy on the political leader's son and now they are taking additional measures to prove otherwise.
As stalking accused Vikas Barala arrived for investigation at Sector 26 police station of Chandigarh on Tuesday, his father Haryana BJP chief Subhas Barala and party spokesperson Jawahar Yadav conducted a press conference to distance themselves from the incident. Vikas was soon arrested by the police.

"BJP is not connected to Vikas and I am speaking on behalf of the party. In reality, if anyone is playing with victim Varnika Kundu's emotions, it is the Congress and Opposition parties. Don't politicise the issue," said Yadav.

Meanwhile, according to CNN-News18, Vikas was issued summons by the police at 11 am but he did not turn up and the police have been waiting for him.

Subhas Barala also distanced himself from the issue and said, "I have informed my son Vikas that the police had called him for investigation and he needs to come. None of us is politicising the issue and if my son is accused on the basis of investigation and Varnika's statements, he will receive the punishment he deserves." However, in the middle of the press conference, he received a call from his son Vikas who informed that he would be at the police station in 15 minutes.

On Wednesday morning, in a recent development to the Chandigarh stalking incident, DGP Tajender Singh Luthra confirmed that the police have sufficient evidence to probe the case and that the accused is expected to show up at the police station as asked. The DGP had told CNN-News18, "I am a positive man. I hope for the best. If they do not come, the next logical step of the investigation shall be taken."

There are unconfirmed reports of raids being conducted at the Barala farmhouse in Tohana, India Today reported.

On 4 August, 29-year-old Varnika, daughter of an IAS officer, called up the police complaining that two men were chasing her in a car along a stretch in Chandigarh.

Both Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar were arrested on Saturday but were released on bail within the next few hours. The police booked the two on bailable charges: Section 354 D (Stalking) of IPC, 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act (Driving under influence), Section 341 (Wrongful restraint). Chandigarh Police received a lot of flak for going easy on the political leader's son and now they are taking additional measures to prove otherwise.
New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has alleged that colleges here are charging "high" hostel fee and imposing "discriminatory" rules for girls, and sought Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar's intervention.

The DCW chief, Swati Maliwal, in a letter to the minister claimed "severe apathy" exists in the UGC and the response from its officiating chairman was "extremely discouraging".

She urged Javadekar to expedite the selection process for a regular chief for the education body so that pending issues can be resolved.

The DCW said it has received a representation from a student advocacy group, following which it had sent communications to various universities, colleges and institutes in Delhi to assess reasons for "discriminatory hostel rules and high fee for girls".

The commission said it has received detailed responses.

Many institutions still do not have hostel facilities for girls, forcing them to seek private accommodation outside the college campus, Maliwal claimed.

"Over five institutions have informed the commission that due to various issues pending with University Grants Commission (UGC) pertaining to the release of due grant, they are unable to construct hostels for girls or ensure non-discriminatory fee," she said in her letter.

Maliwal claimed that several communications had been sent to the UGC seeking intervention on the requests of different institutions since February 2017.

"However, no response whatsoever, till date, has been received," she said.

The letter states that to ensure resolution of long-standing issues, which were "adversely impacting the safety and rights of girl students in several institutions in Delhi", the chairperson met the UGC's officiating chairman, VC Chauhan.

"However, to my utter shock and dismay, the officiating chairman of the UGC was not even aware of over a dozen communications sent by the commission to the UGC, including those marked directly to Chauhan," she said.

The chairman did not show any inclination to even discuss the issues raised by the commission citing lack of time, Maliwal alleged in the letter.

"He also appeared to be unaware of the recent issue of Hindu College hiking fee for its girls' hostel due to non-receipt of funds from the UGC.

"This issue has not only been raised by the commission with the UGC but was also widely reported by the media. The inaction of the UGC in the matter of discriminatory fee in girls' hostel is disgraceful," she said.

Maliwal has also sought an appointment from Javadekar to discuss the issues.
Editor's note: This is the second in a series of three ground reports from Doka La that look at the state of the region in light of the fluctuating animosity between India and China. Part one of the series, Amid New Delhi-Beijing mind games, 'patient' Indian Army braces for long haul was published on 08 August, 2017

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is at our gates holding war-games and talking war. But behind even the wet ears of PLA must lurk one thought: What of Baba Harbhajan Singh, has the Chinese president Xi Jinping taken account of Him who rides the snowy nights?

Perhaps, China couldnt have picked a worse place to get into a spat with India on the border than Doklam. The tri-junction happens to be the favourite stamping (or stomping) ground of the Ghost who rides the white steed, guarding the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the eastern Himalayas. And the Indian Army marches as much on its stomach as on a steadfast belief in the power of faith. India's borders, from the west to the east, are strewn with shrines to dead soldiers, spirits who keep an eye on the enemy across the border.

Nothing will and can explain the faith that Indian soldiers have on fallen comrades who, they believe, have acquired saintly powers beyond that of mere bombs and missiles.

At the age of 22, sepoy Harbhajan Singh drowned in a glacier in 1968. However, he continued to serve the army in spirit and was formally retired only in 2006, 38 years after he was buried in snow. In the intervening period, he was promoted up the ranks as would any Indian Army soldier, ending up as Captain Harbhajan Singh.

On Saturday, China threatened that the PLA was fully capable and more than fully armed to annihilate the Indian Army at the LAC. Maybe soldiers of the PLA havent had any recent sighting of the only Indian Army soldier who is on duty 24/7. That, or the Global Times and President XI dont know of the legend of Baba Harbhajan Singh.

If thats so, then it would be quite in contrast to the belief in the Indian Army camp. Every Indian Army personnel, from Sepoy to General, would swear that with Captain (Retd) Baba Harbhajan Singh on duty, the PLA can do zilch to annihilate the Indian Army.

Nathu La has two shrines dedicated to Baba Harbhajan Singh. One of them is the Old Baba Mandir (OBM) on the Old Silk Road. The other is called the New Baba Mandir (NBM) within Nathu La, closer to Doklam. Both OBM and NBM are thronged by devotees throughout the day and year. They are guarded by men in uniform 24/7 who have complete faith in the powers of their fallen comrade.

As the folklore goes

According to Army records, Harbhajan Singh, a resident of Kapurthala in Punjab, was inducted in the Punjab Regiment in 1956. In time he came to be posted in Nathu La. One day in 1968, while leading a mule train, he and his mules fell into a glacier (some say a raging river) and he was not to be found. Somebody in the Army even floated the canard that Singh had absconded.

But, as the legend goes, he appeared in the dream of his soldier friend Pritam Singh and told him where to find his body. The Army followed "dead Harbhajans" instructions given to Pritam in his dream, and lo behold, Sepoy Harbhajan Singhs body was found at that exact spot! In subsequent dreams, late Sepoy Harbhajan Singh guided the Army as to what it should do: Cremate his body at Nathu La; build a temple in his name on the spot; and be on the guard at all time because he would too!

Local legend is Baba saves local villagers and soldiers of the Indian Army from evil spirits and the evil designs of the PLA. And while on patrol, if he comes across a sleeping soldier, that worthy is slapped awake!

Today, with the PLA issuing a threat a day, its a grand battle between the Chinese Dragon and the Indian Sentinel. And, guess what, its the Indian Sentinel who has got the Chinese soldiers spooked! The Baba appears to both Indian and Chinese soldiers. But if he comes to his Indian comrades in their dreams as a benign saint, to the PLA soldiers he appears as an avenging angel riding a ghostly white steed, rearing on its hooves. Or at least that's what the local soldiers will have you believe.

Firm faith

All the Indian Army soldiers posted in the region make it a point to visit the shrine of the Baba to seek his blessings on the way to their duties from Gangtok base. Its said Baba Harbhajan Singh guards the frontier from Jelepa Pass to Nathu La Pass. He is believed to patrol the border when even the snow leopard sleeps and the Yak nod.

The NBM is located 4km from Doklam where all the attention is on nowadays but there is no dearth of soldiers and civilians dropping in at the Babas shrine throughout the day. Visitors come to pray and seek favours. Each one of them is given a prasad of dry fruits and halwa by the barefooted soldiers who are on duty to serve Capt Harbhajan Singh.

People believe the Baba has the powers to heal. They come to his shrine with bottles of water and leave them at the shrine for a week. By the time they pick up the bottle of water, it would have turned into a cure for all ailments, they believe. Soldiers on duty at the shrine told Firstpost that all the units of the Indian Army posted in the region seek the Babas blessings.

The Babas shrine has a brass bust of him in the central room along with large framed portraits of the young soldier who was, apparently, killed in 1968. Devotional songs play throughout the day. The Baba follows all the customary rituals followed by any living soldier. His bed is laid out in the bunker built specially for him inside the shrine. His clothes, shoes and other important items are also kept in the shrine.

Uniformed men are deployed at the shrine. They make up his bed, wash his uniforms and polish his snow boots. Shuttling his portrait from central room (office) to bedroom at given times is part of the drill. Soldiers on duty remain barefoot at all times. They swear that the Baba sleeps on his bed every night after patrolling the LAC. They point to the crumpled bed sheets and soiled snow boots.

Till he hadnt formally retired at the age of 60, Capt Harbhajan Singh would go on annual leave to his home in Kapurthala where his mother lived. His belongings would be packed and taken along with him by soldiers in his command. Leave over, he would return to Nathu La by the same train.

PLA's reverence

Havaldar Jasbir Singh of the Sikh regiment is a regular. He said the PLA knows of Baba Harbhajan Singh. He has been told that by none other than Chinese soldiers. The PLA is curious about the mystery of Baba Harbhajan Singh and the legends associated with him.

"From their questions, its clear they are in complete awe of Babaji. They are aware that the Baba patrols the border round-the-clock to keep a tab on their activities," said Singh.

Such is the respect and reverence that the Chinese have for Capt (Retd) Harbhajan Singh, they leave a chair empty for the Baba at the flag meetings held between the Indian Army and the PLA.

A captain told Firstpost that the shrine of Baba Harbhajan Singh is located on the Old Silk Road on which Doklam is located and which China wants to turn into OBOR. He said men of the PLA never use foul language when talking of the Baba; that they too were aware of the 'Spirit that Rides' and guards the LAC.

The soldiers believe the eternal spirit of Capt (Retd) Harbhajan Singh will warn the Indian Army of an impending PLA attack three days in advance. So far, after the Doklam standoff began in mid-June, no warning has come from the Baba! So, nothing to worry.

Manoj Kumar is a Chandigarh-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.
Amid delays in declaration of board examination results, Maharashtra governor and Mumbai University chancellor C Vidyasagar Rao has granted leave sought by the varsity's vice-chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh.

The governor has accordingly given additional charge of the post of vice-chancellor to Devanand Shinde, who is currently the vice-chancellor of Shivaji University in Kolhapur, a Raj Bhavan spokesperson said.

"Professor Shinde will serve as the acting vice-chancellor of the University of Mumbai during the leave period of Deshmukh," he said.

The governor also appointed Dhiren Patel, director of Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), as the acting pro vice-chancellor of the university.

"Patel will look after the work of the university in addition to his own duties as the director of VJTI," the spokesperson said. Patel will hold the post of acting pro-VC till the completion of work of declaration of results of various exams held by the university in March and April this year or for a maximum period of three months, whichever is earlier, he said.

Meanwhile, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray reacted on Twitter to the development, saying the vice-chancellor was "forced" to go on leave, hinting that he may have been fired and not secured leave.

The MU Vice Chancellor has been sent on a forced leave and ad hoc VC and Pro VC has been appointed today. Big win fr students and Yuva Sena  Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) August 9, 2017

Appointment of the Pro VC has been a long standing demand of the Yuva Sena- voiced to the Cabinet Minister for Edu, then in Morcha also  Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) August 9, 2017

"It would only be wise to appoint an IAS/IPS officer as administrator to the university to streamline systems and reduce the chaos. What the varsity has done with the students this year is criminal  making them waste a year and money over post-graduation courses in India and abroad. The vice-chancellor has been sent on leave, officers have changed. But the chaos remains and the Cabinet minister still holds a portfolio with no regret," he claimed in a series of tweets.

He further alleged that the tender process, conducted three times, for online assessment was a "scam". "Who took the decision? Will it be scrapped? Many results are still undeclared, and marksheets will take 10 more days. The Cabinet minister needs to come clean on this chaos," Thackeray added.

Sources said that Deshmukh might be asked to step down from his position. He has already missed the two first deadlines for declaring board exam results, on 31 July and 5 August. The third revised deadline is for 15 August.

The decision comes after several student groups had been demanding Dekhmukh's ouster, which was also backed by political parties. The failure of the online assessment system and subsequent delays in declaration of more than four lakh students' results have put the varsity's reputation under a cloud, it was alleged.

Sources in the government have said Deshmukh would be on leave "until further notice".

In April 2017, Deshmukh had announced that over 19 lakh answer sheets would be assessed online but the institution was quite ill-prepared for such an exercise. Usually the university announces the results of graduation and post-graduation examinations within 45 days of the last paper.

Even after Governor Rao intervened and fixed deadlines for the results to be announced, the university failed to adhere to them.

Deshmukh had taken charge as vice-chancellor of the institution on 8 July, 2015. His tenure has been far from impressive and he has has even managed to get mired in political controversies.

Mahesh Vijapurkar in his piece on Firstpost said, "The expectation was that Deshmukh would work to raise the stature of the university long eroded. His academic brilliance achieved early in his career was cited as one reason why the Mumbai University could hope for a retrieval of its past academic glory. At this moment, its reputation is in tatters and the academic world had pinned some hopes on him. Now, the same community is rightly upset for he justified his visit to Raj Thackeray, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief, for 'inputs' to improve the university. Thackeray may be anything, but he is not an educationist."

With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: The Election Commission on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it will be able to use EVMs with Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls.

A bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar was told by the poll panel that it will be able to conduct the Gujarat Assembly polls later this year using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with paper trail if it gets 73,500 VVPAT machines by September from the manufacturers.

An affidavit filed by the poll panel said: "If the said consignment of VVPATs is delivered on time (September), the Election Commission expects to be able to conduct the elections to the Gujarat legislative assembly completely with the use of VVPATs."

Currently, it has 53,500 VVPAT units, said the poll panel, adding that the number of VVPAT units required for conducting an election to the Gujarat legislative assembly is 70,000 units.

The VVPAT machine is connected with EVMs and dispenses a paper proof for the voters so that they can verify that their vote is cast correctly.

Taking note of the submissions of the Election Commission, the court disposed of the plea filed by Gujarat Patidar leader Reshma Vithabhai Patel seeking the use of either ballot paper or EVMs with VVPAT for the Assembly elections.

Patel, also a convener of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti which was at the forefront of the Patel quota agitation, alleged that the EVMs were not fully reliable, foolproof, tamper-proof or hack-proof.

The Election Commission maintained that EVMs currently used for conducting Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the country "cannot be tampered with".
The Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat on Tuesday saw a high-stakes battle that went down to the wire. But at the core of the battle was the political rivalry between BJP president Amit Shah and Congress' war horse Ahmed Patel. Electoral gains apart, the contest boiled down to a rather 'personal' battle, with each of the party strategists' prestige at stake.

After the Election Commission declared Patel as elected to the Rajya Sabha early Wednesday  after a contest marked by defections, cross-party voting and procedural violations  he would've breathed a sigh of relief, for a loss in his home state would have severely dented his reputation as a political manager.

According to a NDTV report, Patel, the political secretary to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, betrayed the personal nature of this rivalry when he said: "Shah has a personal grudge against me which is why they are going all out, using the most underhand means that I have ever seen in my 40 years of politics to ensure that I lose. Money power, muscle power, you name it  they have deployed it."

Shah, on his part, pulled all stops to try and derail Patel's bid for a fifth term in the Upper House. In the end, ironically, as this report in The Wire points out, it was Shahs personal involvement in the operation that proved to be the partys undoing with the EC invalidating the votes of two Congress defectors since they had showed their ballots to the BJP president.

BJP stands exposed of personal vendetta and political terror. People of Gujarat will give them a befitting reply in this year's election  Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) August 8, 2017

While Shah made his maiden entry into the house of elders, as did Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, it was apparent that the focus was entirely on ensuring Patel's defeat. The fact that Union ministers Arun Jaitley, Ravi Shankar, Nirmala Sitharaman, MA Naqvi, Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan marched down to the Election Commission not once but twice to try and sway the outcome of this one particular seat tells us that the battle carried much more than just its electoral significance.

What sparked this fierce battle?

This election was a trial by fire for the Congress, which has suffered successive electoral defeats  barring the Punjab Assembly election  since 2014. It has been dogged by infighting and has not really treated the electoral battle in Gujarat with due urgency.

As a report in The Indian Express points out, "It is surprising that cross-voting by Congress MLAs in the recent presidential elections, an indicator of the partys poor intelligence network and the high command having little control over its legislators, did not prepare the party for Vaghelas resignation and its fallout ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections."

Thus, defeat in this election would have been a blow to the Congress, whereas a win would not be much more than a morale booster.

But the import of the seat was easily dwarfed by the man contesting it. As this Open piece elucidates: "Patel is a man who has for years cultivated an ordinariness to inform his public profile, as if he were determined to obscure his importance to the party and its chief. But this mask of a pedestrian persona, most Congress leaders acknowledged in hushed whispers, was a cover for the bloodless political coups he was entrusted withand excelled atto strengthen the party... Patels number was the one-stop button that Sonia Gandhi pushed in all emergencies."

Also, the fact that this contest was for a seat from Gujarat  the home turf of two of the most powerful people in Indian politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah  means that it was bound to fall prey to the aggressive, ruthless approach adopted by the BJP's top strategists.

But at the Centre of this fierce battle was a very personal rivalry. As Rajdeep Sardesai writes for DailyO: "A defeat of Patel would also mean that Shah's personal 'revenge' is complete. Ever since he was jailed in 2010 in the Sohrabuddin encounter case, Shah has been determined to get at his political 'enemies',"

"The BJP president is convinced that Ahmedbhai had a key role to play in his arrest. He wants to settle scores by ensuring that the man who he believes set the CBI on him is now denied a Rajya Sabha seat."

As a report in The Scroll states, the Sohrabuddin case was so damaging for Shah that, "in 2010 he was jailed for it. He was also banned from entering Gujarat till 2012, with the Supreme Court fearing that he would influence the case. As a result of this, Shah was unable to hold any ministerial posts, even though it is widely held that he is now the most powerful person in the Bharatiya Janata Party after Narendra Modi himself."

The elections boiled down to the political tenacity of two master strategists. At test here were Shah's determination to exact revenge against Patel and the Congress for their alleged role in the Sohrabuddin case and Patel's tenacity in holding his ground. The strong sub-text in this contest was that a defeat for Patel would significantly curtail the political clout of the Congress' focal centre, the Gandhis.

Though Patel emerged victorious, the fact that Shah was able to make him desperate for a win that he should have easily managed is a reflection on the Congress' leadership troubles and a testament to the latter's political resolve.
Patna: Senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav on Wednesday congratulated Congress' Ahmed Patel for winning the election to a Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat, "in spite of the toughest hurdles".

"Heartiest congratulations on your victory in Rajya Sabha election in spite of toughest hurdles. Wish you all success in your career (sic)," he wrote on Twitter.

Heartiest congratulations on your victory in Rajya Sabha election in spite of toughest hurdles. Wish you all success in your career. pic.twitter.com/ICNTmq02nY  SHARAD YADAV (@SharadYadavMP) August 9, 2017

Yadav also posted a photograph of his with Patel, the political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, on the microblogging website. Apparently charting a different path vis-a-vis his party, the senior JD(U) leader is scheduled to embark on a three-day tour of Bihar from Thursday to have a "direct dialogue" with the people. His congratulatory message to Patel assumes significance at a time when the JD(U) has joined hands with the BJP to form the government in Bihar. Yadav's message comes in the backdrop of reports of the lone JD(U) MLA in the Gujarat Assembly, Chhotu Vasava, voting for Patel, notwithstanding the fact that his party is in a coalition with the BJP in Bihar. The JD(U) had last night removed Arun Shrivastava, a close confidante of Yadav, from the post of party general secretary for writing "without His congratulatory message to Patel, assumes significance at a time when the JD(U) has joined hands with the BJP to form the government in Bihar. Yadav's message comes in the backdrop of reports of the lone JD(U) MLA in the Gujarat Assembly, Chhotu Vasava, voting for Patel, notwithstanding the fact that his party is in a coalition with the BJP in Bihar. The JD(U) had removed Arun Shrivastava, a close confidante of Yadav, from the post of party general secretary for writing "without Yadav's message comes in the backdrop of reports of the lone JD(U) MLA in the Gujarat Assembly, Chhotu Vasava, voting for Patel, notwithstanding the fact that his party is in a coalition with the BJP in Bihar. The JD(U) had last night removed Arun Shrivastava, a close confidante of Yadav, from the post of party general secretary for writing "without The JD(U) had last night removed Arun Shrivastava, a close confidante of Yadav, from the post of party general secretary for writing "without authorisation" to the returning officer of the Gujarat Assembly, appointing an election agent for the Rajya Sabha poll. Yadav, who is a Rajya Sabha member from Bihar, has posted the details of his three-day tour of the eastern state on his Twitter handle.

After he lost to Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav from the Madhepura Lok Sabha seat in 2014, the JD(U) had sent Yadav to the Upper House of Parliament in 2016.

Yadav's Bihar tour is being viewed as a sign of his annoyance over Nitish Kumar breaking the Grand Alliance of the JD(U), RJD and Congress and joining hands with the BJP to form the government in that state.

Two other JD(U) MPs, Ali Anwar and MP Veerendra Kumar, also reportedly miffed over Kumar's decision, had met Yadav to express their resentment.

Meanwhile, the JD(U) distanced itself from Yadav's Bihar tour.

"We have nothing to do with his yatra...it is a personal programme of Sharad Yadav," JD(U) chief spokesman in Bihar Sanjay Singh told PTI.

Another JD(U) spokesman, Neeraj Kumar, also described Yadav's tour as a "personal" programme.

Singh refused to speak much on Yadav, but said, "He has changed his path."

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad has praised Yadav and appealed to the veteran leader to join the fight against the communal forces in the country.

During his three-day Bihar tour, Yadav is scheduled to interact with the people of Patna-Sonepur and Muzaffarpur on Tuesday.

On 11 August, he is scheduled to visit the Muzaffarpur-Darbhanga-Madhubani stretch and on 12 August, he is scheduled to go to Madhubani-Supual-Madhepura.
Washington: The standoff between India and China at the Doka La area of the Sikkim section has enormous consequences for the world, including America, so the Trump administration should have its diplomacy at the ready, a former CIA analyst said on Wednesday.

Bruce Riedel, who is now working with the Brookings Institute  a Washington-based think-tank  said both India and China have built up their conventional forces facing each other in the Himalayas.

"China and India are now nuclear weapons powers with nuclear armed missiles targeting, respectively, New Delhi and Beijing. Both are huge economic powers with considerable trade between them," Riedel wrote in an op-ed in The Daily Beast.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in Doka La for 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

"This is a face-off with potentially enormous consequences for the world. Neither side has asked for American intervention but American interests are very much at stake," he said.

The Chinese incursion into Bhutan coincided with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the White House, probably a deliberate move by Beijing, he wrote.

"Washington should have its diplomacy at the ready. We need experienced hands in the State Department South Asia bureau. We need the best possible ambassadors on the scene. Our military ties to India need to be on watch. JFK was ready in 1962, we should not be caught off guard today," Riedel said.

In 2015, Riedel wrote a book JFK's Forgotten Crisis: Tibet, the CIA, and the Sino-Indian War Hardcover, whose paperback edition is coming out soon.

The book gives an account of how then US president John F Kennedy came out in support of India during the 1962 war with China.
A video surveillance camera of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in Ukraine, which was earlier installed at the Donetsk Filtration Station, has been disabled as a result of weapons fire, the Mission said.

"OSCE SMM camera @ Donetsk Filtration Station - operational only 1 day - already shot at from S, S-W direction & destroyed," the mission said on Twitter.

"2/2 Hug: Just prior 2 its destruction camera saw small-arms fire. Truth is too uncomfortable for sides 2 be seen by #OSCE SMM," the mission tweeted referring to OSCE SMM Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug.
Medinipur: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the BJP government at the Centre of subverting democracy and said the TMC will work with all opposition parties to oust the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Giving the slogan of 'BJP quit India in 2019', Banerjee charged that the BJP-led government at the Centre has "taken away the rights of the people in the country".

She also alleged that "secularism is under threat".

"The BJP-led government is trying to divide the country. We will not allow it. In 2019 our slogan will be 'BJP quit India'. We will work with all other opposition parties so that we can unitedly fight against the BJP. We want this politics of communalism and hatred to come to an end," she said while kicking off the campaign.

The West Bengal chief minister launched the campaign on a day when the country is commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement.

"We will fight and not stop till the BJP is ousted from power. Democracy will triumph against all odds", she said.

"They can threaten us by using the ED, Income Tax and the CBI but we are not afraid of it. The central government has turned into a government of the agencies, by the agencies, of the agencies and for the agencies," she alleged.

Banerjee said she will attend the rally convened by RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna later this month.

The TMC leader also accused the BJP of shedding "crocodile tears" for Adivasis and backward sections of the society,

"On the one hand they (BJP) are lynching Adivasis and people from backward sections of society, while on the other hand, they are are clicking photographs with Adivasis and having lunch at their houses," she charged.
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While more than five lakh Marathas will be gathering at Azad Maidan for the 58th and the probably the last "mukh morcha" (silent march) to ask for reservation for the community. The silent March will start at 11 am and end at 5 pm

Speaking to IBN Lokmat, the leader of the Maratha morcha, Rajya Sabha MP and scion of the Kolhapur royal family Sambhaji Raje said, " It is important to know what is the end result? What is the output from the protest? This is important to know. In 2014, I brought all leaders of community together for this cause. Next step is that we need reservation. My voice is for "jan jagruti" and like Chhatrapati Shahu helped the lower castes, I feel we must help Marathas too."

There are refreshments available for the activists who are pouring in from various parts of the city. Also there are makeshift washrooms for the activists at Thane Toll Naka. Here are few images which were clicked around 7.30 am.

"We have two rakes in stand-by mode. If required, we will run them as special trains from CSMT (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Mumbai Terminus) to Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Terminus (Kolhapur) via Manmad and Karjat routes", he said.

Extra general coach will be attached to seven long-distance trains and there will be an additional ticket window for issuing tickets, Sunil Udasi, PRO. Central Railway said.

Traffic between King's Circle to CST has been closed as precaution ahead of the Maratha Kranti Morcha. On the other hand, the MSRDC minister Eknath Shinde has also decided that that the there will no toll taken at the five toll nakas across Mumbai today.

Chief Maratha Qaumi Itehad fully supports this protest. In India, the community is facing injustice. I condemn it strictly. Reservation in government jobs and education should be given to the Maratha community, which is its national right. Disfavour with the community will not be tolerated. We are with it in every protest, Wadera Din Muhammad, chief of Maratha Qaumi Ittehad, Pakistan said in a Facebook post .

Not just in India, but the Maratha morcha demanding reservation is also resonating in neighbouring Pakistan. A group of Marathas, who settled in Balochistan after being defeated in the battle of Panipat, have backed the protest.

The lifeline of several office-goers in Mumbai, the dabbawalas have decided to not work on Wednesday and support the Maratha morcha. Around 5,000 dabbawalas are expected to go to Azaad Maidan to voice their support, media reports said.

Speaking to IBN Lokmat, NCP leader Sunil Tatkare says that the Devendra Fadnavis government must be proactive in addressing the demands of the Maratha community. He also acknowledged the help received by the Maratha community from the OBC and Muslim community in Maharashtra.

Traffic is extremely slow on the Western Express Highway and several parts of the Eastern Freeway have been shut down. JJ Flyover has also been closed.

Until 10 am, more than 10,000 people have turned up. Police are out in force. While protesters are pouring in from various parts of Maharashtra, a large number of them who have camped at Azaad Maidan, the last stip for all protesters. The overall turnout may break the record set by gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli, whose rally had attracted about one lakh people.

Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar was allegedly manhandled by protesters at Azaad Maidan in Mumbai. According to reports, this incident ocurred when the BJP leader went to the spot to lend his support to the morcha. However, the protesters stopped him from entering and told him to come only after the community gets reservation.

While the protest has been silent and calm thus far, IBN Lokmat sources say there are some elements in the group proceeded towards the Vidhan Sabha. However, the police have brought situation under control. It is also to be noted that senior officers like Deven Bharti are on the field to stop any untoward incident.

While the silent protest has begun, Maharashtra Assembly is witnessing turbulent scenes. According to IBN Lokmat, Maratha MLAs from the Opposition have stormed the Well of the Assembly. The Vidhan Sabha has also been adjourned. The Congress-NCP MLAs have resorted to sloganeering and are blaming the BJP-Shiv Sena government for inaction.

"Everybody is focused on the morcha. Everyne felt that government will do something in the Khopardi rape and murder case, the Swaminathan committee report will be implemented. Today, we have asked them to stop Question Hour and discuss the Maratha issue. But government is not interested. A section of government wants to provide reservation. We do not want any politics. We had given reservation of 16% to Marathas. but now after one year, we have got justice. We want no one to be affected by our reservation.The government is not interested in running the Assembly. But government MLAs were manhandled. The double game by the government won't be accepted," says NCP leader Ajit Pawar

There are already around two lakh protesters at Azad Maidan. The route between Byculla and JJ Flyover is chock-a-block. And thousands more are expected to join in.

All Opposition MLAs are set to go to Azad Maidan in support of the Maratha protesters. The Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha has been adjourned till 3 pm, reports IBN Lokmat.

Shahu Maharaj, the titular ruler of Kolhapur, has also joined the protesters in demanding reservation for the Maratha community. Talking to IBN Lokmat, he said that this is their last opportunity to get reservation. He added that it will be good if the government can take a decision on Wednesday itself.

MSRDC minister Eknath Shinde has reached Hutatma Chowk and is appealing to the protesters to calm down. Standing on the top of a taxi, the Shiv Sena minister is urging protesters not to move towards Mantralya: IBN Lokmat

While Opposition MLAs are on their way to support the silent march taken out by the Maratha community, those leading the march have warned polticians from both the Opposition as well as the ruling party to stay away.

IBN Lokmat reports that Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to announce the formation of a committee comprising several Maratha leaders to look into reservation. Fadnavis is likely to meet leaders of the Maratha protests and Maratha MLAs and make an announcement in the Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday.

Narayan Rane has reached Azad Maidan. Rane's entry is significant as he was heading a one-man commission which looked into the Maratha reservation policy during the Congress-NCP government.

If there is no action, then the coordination committee will meet and decide about the way we are going to carry out our aggressive agitation, Shantaram Kunjir, a Maratha leader told The Indian Express.

Wednesday's march has secured the support of all political parties with even the NDA constituents Shiv Sena and Republican Party of India-A announcing their support late Tuesday.

"A delegation of Maratha leaders will call on the chief mInister to submit a memorandum listing their various demands. Though there are many issues, stress will be on education and reservations for the Maratha community members," former chief minister Narayan Rane, a prominent Maratha leader, told IANS.

Their other demands include amendments in SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its misuse, loan waiver to curb farmer suicides and remunerative prices for agricultural produce.

The silent protest is a peaceful way to press the demands for reservation in jobs and educational institutions and punishment for accused in the Kopardi case, according to those marching.

"The other demands, such as strict action against those who had allegedly sexually assaulted the girl and murdered her, will be given the required support," he said.

Shinde said, "We completely support the demands of the Maratha community. A large section of the community is deprived of education, good income sources and skills that would get them good jobs. Reservation in education and jobs could be one way of supporting them."

According to The Indian Express, approximately 10,000 doctors from various parts of Maharashtra have joined the rally. The report added that about 30 percent of the doctors, who are members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), have joined the protest in Mumbai.

According to IBN Lokmat, government will set up a subcommittee, which will be accorded the Cabinet rank. In addition, the decisions taken by the subcommittee won't need Cabinet approval. Government will ask state backward commission to submit its report within prescribed time.

The steering committee of the Maratha morcha is meeting Fadnavis, Five political leaders have also accompanied members of the morcha. They are: Vinayak Mete, senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, state minister Subash Deshmukh, NCP leaders Jayant Patil and Ajit Pawar.

After unruly scenes, the Maharashtra Assembly was adjourned till 3 pm. After Maratha leaders meet Fadnavis, it is likely that the chief minister may issue an statement on the issue.

The unique aspect of the protest is that all the speakers at Azad Maidan are young women. The fiery speeches attack the present day government for its inaction in the rape and murder of a Maratha girl in Kopardi. While invoking the past glory of the Maratha empire, the speeches then ponder upon the poverty of Maratha farmers in Marathwada. Most of the speakers, who seem to be college students, talk about the plight of meritorious Maratha students losing out to SC/OBC/ST candidates in terms of getting admitted to top notch colleges.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the Cabinet will appoint a sub committee to look into the reservations and other demands of Maratha Morcha. Fadnavis said that Chandhrakant Patil will head the committee. The chief minister also said that the government will also start various schemes to help the Maratha community. The government will also provide 18 Maratha communities with caste identification cards. Fadnvais added that farmers with loans of over 10 lakh rupees will be helped by the government. On the Kopardi rape and murder case, Fadnavis said that the case is in the final stages now.

I have come here to get whatever we can get

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the Assembly that the cut off for student scholarship for Maratha students would be reduced from 60 to 50 percent. Also every district in Maharashtra will get separate hostel for Maratha students. 605 courses which were once exclusively for only SC/ST students will also be made avialble to Maratha candidates.

While the House was discussing the Maratha reservation, a section of MLAs, which included Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi and AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan sought an answer from the Fadnavis government for ignoring legislations on providing Muslim reservation. Azmi also said that the country would never make any progress unless Muslim interests are taken care by the government.

Rane, who was the head of the one-man commission which recommended Maratha reservation, said that from now on he would focus on whether the government sticks to its promise of 'time-bound' implementation of reservation policy.

While the House was discussing the Maratha reservation, a section of MLAs, which included Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi and AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan sought an answer from the Fadnavis government for ignoring legislations on providing Muslim reservation. Azmi also said that the country would never make any progress unless Muslim interests are taken care by the government.

Rane, who was the head of the one-man commission which recommended Maratha reservation, said that from now on he would focus on whether the government sticks to its promise of 'time-bound' implementation of reservation policy.

The Mumbai Police took help of drones on Wednesday to keep an eye on unruly elements. Videos beamed from drones along with from CCTV cameras were monitored by the police control room.

After a few months of waiting with fear and baited breath, people of Mumbai will finally have to face the biggest silent rally in the form of Maratha Morcha on Wednesday. Lakhs of people from across Maharashtra will likely attend a protest march in Mumbai seeking reservations in jobs, and punishment for accused in the Kopardi case and education for the Maratha community.

This will be the 58th  and the largest  protest march of the Maratha community, exactly a year after the first march was held in Aurangabad. So far, 57 protests, in the form of 'mook morcha' (silent rallies), have been held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old Maratha girl in Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in July 2016. The other demands of the community include Amendment in SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its misuse, loan waiver to curb farmer suicides, and remunerative prices for agricultural produce.

The morcha The morcha has been organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups and will begin at 11 am from the BMC's Jijamata Udyan and culminate at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, the organisers said.

However, with more than five lakh members of Maratha community and an additional 10,000 vehicles likely to enter Mumbai from cities like Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur, Raigad, and Satara, the silent March is expected to cripple the city's traffic mostly during the peak hours. Therefore, to facilitate a smooth flow of vehicles, the Mumbai Traffic Police has decided to close certain roads and install diversions between Byculla and Mumbai Central to CST and Churchgate.

Seeing the size of the Maratha community that is expected to take part in the Maratha Kranti Morcha on Wednesday, the Mumbai Police, Traffic Police, BMC, Fire Brigade and intelligence units from state and Centre and other agencies held a final meeting on Tuesday to prevent any untoward incident.
The 58th Marathi Kranti Morcha went off peacefully in Mumbai on Wednesday, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assuring Marathas of reservations in educational institutes and jobs as well as special sops for farmers and students.

The protest rally, which saw participation from nearly three lakh members of the Maratha community from across the state, was held for the first time in Mumbai.

According to eyewitness accounts, protesters began gathering at Veer Jijamata Udhyan in Byculla since 7 am on Wednesday. These included not just Mumbaikars but also those from places across the state like Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur, Raigad, Satara, etc.

At around 11 am, they began marching from Jijamata Udyan towards Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, with a tight cordon of security being present around them. The protestors carried saffron swallowtail flags and wore saffron caps. They arrived at Azad Maidan at around 3 pm.

Beyond the strength in numbers the protestors boasted of, another unique aspect of the event was that all speakers at Azad Maidan on Wednesday were young women. These women attacked the BJP government for its inaction in the rape and murder of a Maratha girl in Kopardi. While invoking the past glory of the Maratha empire, they also pondered upon the poverty of Maratha farmers in Marathwada.

Most of the speakers seemed to be college students and spoke about the plight of meritorious Maratha students losing out to SC/OBC/ST candidates in terms of getting admitted to top colleges.



Fadnavis assures reservation

As the agitators assembled at Azad Maidan, a few kilometres away, at the state secretariat of Vidhan Bhavan, Fadnavis announced his government would extend to the Maratha community educational concessions currently given to OBCs.

He also said his government would form a Cabinet sub-committee to review the implementation of various welfare schemes meant for the Marathas. The announcements were made after Fadnavis held a meeting with representatives of the Marathas, whose demands have received support from almost the entire political spectrum in the state.

Fadnvais, who held a meeting with representatives of the Maratha community, also announced that farmers with loans of over Rs 10 lakh will be helped by the government.

On the Kopardi rape and murder case, Fadnavis said that the investigation is in its final stages. The chief minister also said that the government will initiate various schemes, including providing 18 Maratha communities with caste identification cards.

He also released a statement in the state legislative council and legislative Assembly on the issue. Protests were called off after this announcement.

However, it wasn't all peaceful. When Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar reached the site, some of the protestors refused to allow him entry and said they don't want politicians to interfere. There were also reports that said Shelar was stopped and manhandled at Azad Maidan, but he denied them.

A delegation of 40 people, including women, met the chief minister at Vidhan Bhavan on Wednesday afternoon. The Monsoon Session of state legislature is currently underway, and is scheduled to end on Friday.

Social media mobilisation

Social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter were used to mobilise community members, the organisers said.

And when thousands descended on Azad Maidan to press home their demands, Mumbai's protest capital turned into a sea of saffron.

The JJ flyover in south Mumbai, which was closed for vehicular traffic, was full of protesters carrying saffron flags and winding their way to the venue.

Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh also displayed his support to the protest march in a late night tweet. "Ek Maratha, Lakh Maratha," the actor tweeted in Marathi.

At Azad Maidan, a morcha participant was dressed like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and was seen extolling the virtues of the "government of the people and for the people" concept practised by the Maratha king.

Another protester came to the venue with a noose dangling from his neck, supposed to signify the plight of indebted farmers who are killing themselves out of poverty in the state. "This is an attempt to draw the government's attention to the plight of farmers," he said.

Sitaram (45), one of the participants who came from Sangali district, said, "I am happy with the arrangements. But we want justice for our Maratha samaj. Therefore, our struggle and arrangement made by the administration will be successful only when our demands are met."

After the protestors called off their stir, at 5 pm, a few participants headed to the Gateway of India. Prasad Chava, 32, who made it all the way from Nanded, said, "Today was the biggest day of my life. I got a chance to become part of this historic rally. Besides, I also got to see the Gateway (of India), which was a long-pending wish."

Mumbai's famed 'Dabbawalas' (lunchbox delivery men), a majority of whom hail from the Maratha community, were also part of the march.

Mumbai Police on high alert

Police and traffic personnel were deployed in large numbers to manage the huge rush of people and movement of vehicles in south Mumbai.

This was the 58th protest held by the community, and was held exactly a year after the first one in Aurangabad, which was on 9 August, 2016. The Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups, held the protest.

These mook morcha (silent rallies) have been held at various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl belonging to the Maratha community at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

Ruckus in the Assembly

The protests also made themselves heard in the state Assembly which had to be adjourned twice over the issue, with lawmkers across party lines raising slogans in support of the demands of the community.

Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said, "We completely support the demands of the community. A large section of the community is deprived of education, income and also lacks skills that would get them good jobs. Reservation in education and government jobs could be one way of supporting them."

"Other demands, such as strict action against culprits responsible for the rape and murder of the teenaged girl, will also get our required support," he said.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar also slammed the government. "Everybody is focused on the morcha. Everyone felt that the government will do something in the Kopardi rape and murder case, that the Swaminathan Committee report will be implemented. We even asked them to stop Question Hour to discuss the issue. But the government is not interested," he said.

A collective effort

Even though the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Mumbai Police have been applauded for making all required arrangements for the rally, volunteers of the Marathi Kranti Morcha also played a crucial role in ensuring things goes smoothly.

Furthermore, around 15,000 volunteers were hard at work cleaning the streets of Mumbai. The rally also witnessed several NGOs and social groups showing their support.

A large number of vehicles came to the city from Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur, Raigad, and Satara districts, due to which traffic movement during peak hours was affected.

Anticipating a large gathering of members, the civic body had made arrangements to provide water and emergency medical help, while mobile toilets were also installed in several locations.

Taxis were advised not to ply in areas where the rally was supposed to pass through. AL Quadros, head of Mumbai Taximen's Union, said, "We had asked our drivers to avoid plying at areas where the rally was to pass through."

In a bid to facilitate smooth flow of vehicles, the Mumbai traffic police blocked certain roads leading to south Mumbai, the site of the protest, and diverted traffic between Byculla and Mumbai Central towards CST/Churchgate.

Central Railway too had made special arrangements to clear the extra rush after the protest was over. Additional suburban services were pressed into service from 2 pm, said a railway official.

Chief spokesperson of the Central Railway, Sunil Udasi, said, "Passengers are being regularly informed about our services at all stations. We ran special local trains in the afternoon and during peak hours. We have also deployed additional RPF jawans at all important stations."

With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: Some key Kashmiri separatists are in touch with militant leaders based in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and are believed to be receiving funds from across the border, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir said inputs indicate the existence of nexus or collusion of disruptive elements sponsored by the neighbouring country and separatists in Kashmir.

"Some of the key separatist leaders have been noted being in touch with militant leaders based in Pakistan/PoK. They have also been believed to be receiving instructions and financial support from Pakistani establishment for adverse activities in Jammu and Kashmir," he said in a written reply to a question.

Ahir said necessary action is taken against such elements in accordance with the provisions of law.

"There is a well established institutional mechanism to effectively deal with illegal activities on the India-Pakistan border or Line of Control," he said.

The minister said a cell to check terror funding and the fake currency has been set up by the National Investigation Agency to investigate such cases.

"Five cases pertaining to funding of separatists and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir have been registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA)," he said.
New Delhi: Fatima Nafees, the mother of missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmad, on Wednesday took part in a sit-in protest in front of the CBI headquarters, demanding that the central investigation agency find her son.

The family members of Najeeb, along with the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU), had organised the protest after the Delhi High Court on Tuesday pulled up the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for not making any headway in the case of the student's disappearance.

"Find my son, I don't want any reasons," Nafees told reporters and wondered why the government was "so scared" to take action in the case.

The court had reprimanded the CBI, saying it had placed on record the same status report submitted earlier, and added that the case had not been transferred to the central probe agency "for fun".

The protesters also threatened to block all the gates of the CBI office and hold such demonstrations every day till the whereabouts of Najeeb were known.

"We were happy when the case was transferred to the CBI. But shockingly, the same report was submitted on Tuesday. The CBI is making a mockery of the system. We will be protesting again and again till Najeeb is found," said Khalid Saifi, a family friend.

Some protesters demanded that they should be allowed to probe the case if the investigating agencies were "scared of something".

"Let us do the investigation if you are not able to do so or are scared of something. We will find Najeeb," a JNU student said in his speech.

Some told PTI that they still could not understand why the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students' wing of the BJP, "targeted" a fresher like Najeeb.

JNUSU president Mohit Kumar Pandey accused the CBI of "not being independent" and "receiving orders from the home minister". "We are only asking the CBI to carry out its institutional responsibilities and nothing else," he said.

Former JNUSU vice president Shehla Rashid asked the probe agency to look into "all the aspects" of the case.

"The CBI should show some spine and probe all the aspects of the case. Besides, those who had alleged that Najeeb had joined a terror outfit should be arrested," she said.

Later, a five-member delegation, including Najeeb's mother, was called inside the CBI office for talks.

Umar Khalid, a member of the Bhagat Singh Ambedkar Students' Organisation of the JNU, alleged that the entire government machinery was being "used for political reasons".

"It is really scary that right from a small office in a university to the NIA and CBI are being used for political reasons. If this goes on, we have no idea where we are headed," he said.

Syed Azharuddin, the national secretary of the Students Islamic Organisation of India, alleged that there were "attempts to suppress the issues related to the minority community".

"Najeeb's case and the talks of withdrawing the minority status of the Jamia Millia Islamia University indicate attempts to suppress the (minority) community. The CBI should act independently," he said.
Srinagar: Political parties in Kashmir have not only warned of agitation over the abrogation of Article 35A that bars people from outside to own properties in Kashmir but maintain that New Delhi will lose the legal validity to call Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India if it is revoked.

While some legal experts in Srinagar have opined that scrapping Article 35A will not only make the Presidential Order of 1954  through which it was made part of the Indian Constitution  irrelevant, it would also affect other previous orders. The National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have also stiffened their stand over the issue.

Former chief minister and NC working president Omar Abdullah has said that the abrogation of Article 35A will raise a debate on the validity of accession with the Indian Union. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has gone a step forward by declaring that there will no one left to hoist the Indian flag in Kashmir if the powers of the state to limit the state subjects' rights are abolished.

The issue has clearly drifted the mainstream political parties towards an extreme position, with former Union Minister and Congress leader Safiduin Soz saying that Hurriyat and mainstream parties were on the same page over the issue. Similarly, Independent MLA Er Rashid supported the call given by the separatists on 12 August against the moves to scrap Article 35A.

Former MLA and senior PDP leader Nizamuddin Bhat also said that the legal validity of the instrument of accession could be challenged in case Article 35A was revoked. "The relationship of Jammu and Kashmir with the Union of India is based on the instrument of accession. By virtue of the instrument of accession, Article 370 was brought as a temporary provision. Article 370 gave the instrument of accession Constitutional validity. The same was ratified by the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir. So there is a sequence. Because of Article 370, Article 35A became a necessity. Once that scheme is disturbed, the state Assembly is overridden... If Article 35A and Article 370 are scrapped, the instrument of accession doesnt enjoy any Constitutional backing," Bhat said.

He added that the instrument of accession will "legally become null and void and remain only a political agreement... The political agreement can be done away with by anybody."

Till the time Maharaja Hari Singh had remained indecisive about the accession of the state with the Indian Union, Jammu and Kashmir was an independent country.

Mufti, who met former chief minister and NC president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday, has vowed a united fight with the Opposition to resist any moves to abrogate Article 35A. Muftis assertion that the Indian flag in Kashmir won't be hoisted is seen to be referring to the agreement that was signed by Farooq's father Sheikh Abdullah and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952, called the Delhi Agreement.

It is believed to have been signed by Sheikh under pressure from the central government. Under the Delhi Agreement, the Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly held that sovereignty in all matters other than those specified in the instrument of accession continues to reside in the state and the state legislature was given the power to make laws for conferring special rights and privileges on the state subjects. Under this

Under this agreement, the Union government agreed that the state should have its own flag in addition to the Union flag, but it was agreed by the state government that the state flag would not be a rival of the Union flag. "It was also recognised that the Union flag should have the same status and position in Jammu and Kashmir as in the rest of India, but for historical reasons connected with the freedom struggle in the state, the need for continuance of the state flag was recognised," read the Delhi Agreement.

Political commentator Noor Mohammad Baba said that the Delhi Agreement was signed under compulsion by Sheikh. "From the very beginning, there was a pressure on the state government to concede on more things like citizenship, fundamental rights as well as extending the jurisdiction of the President of India. Before 1952, only the state flag was hoisted. The compromise was what is known as the Delhi Agreement," he said.

Subsequent to the Delhi Agreement, under the Constitutional application order, 1954, issued by the President, the right of the state legislative assembly to make state subject laws by the vote of not less than two-third majority of the legislative assembly was recognised. However, legal expert Sheikh Showkat said that in case Article 35A was scrapped, the constitutional applicability of other Presidential Orders, which have been extended to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, could also be challenged.

"The argument has been raised challenging the validity of the constitutional order 1954 that it should have been passed by the Parliament. But that error is with all the orders. All the Presidential Orders which have been extended to the state have not been passed by the Parliament, but they were issued by the President with the concurrence of the state government."

"As the constitutional application orders are challenged, the Supreme Court jurisdiction will not be extended to the state and a passport will be required for people to travel to Jammu and Kashmir," Showkat said.

While the 1954 Presidential Order gave the legal sanctity to Article 35A, the 1950 Order specified the subjects and articles of the Indian Constitution that corresponded to the Instrument of Accession as required by Article 370. The 1950 order restricted the role of the Parliament to make laws with respect to the matters that were enshrined in the instrument of accession and were specified in Schedule I and II of the Constitutional Order.

As per the instrument of accession, which was signed by the Maharaja Singh and the Indian Union, the Parliament had the powers to make the laws in respect of defence, communication and external affairs only. "Nothing in this Instrument shall be deemed to commit in any way to acceptance of any future Constitution of India or to fetter my discretion to enter into agreement with the Government of India under any such future constitution. Nothing in this Instrument affects the continuance of my Sovereignty in and over this State, or, save as provided by or under this Instrument, the exercise of any powers, authority and rights now enjoyed by me as Ruler of this State or the validity of any law at present in force in this State, reads the instrument of accession signed by Maharaja Singh.

Former minister and National Conference provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani said, there "is a section of opinion that if Article 35A goes, all previous orders will get nullified. There is a difference of agreement over this. If Article 370 is removed then the questions will be raised on the accession of the state."

Legal experts see Article 370 as the ratification of the instrument of accession as it enumerates that the power of the Parliament to make laws for the state of Jammu and Kashmir shall be restricted to those matters in the union list and the concurrent list which, in consultation with the government of the State, are declared by the President to correspond to matters specified in the Instrument of Accession governing the accession of the state to the Dominion of India.
12:14 (ist)

No matter how strong you are, we will fight for the India we believe in: Sonia tells Lok Sabha



In a statement ripe with innuendoes, Sonia Gandhi took steady digs at the ruling BJP without naming anyone. Conceding that the saffron party has become a force to reckon with Sonia said, "No matter how strong you get, we will always fight for the India we love, the India we believe in... India can't be allowed to be taken over communal and dark forces. India cannot be your prisoner."
New Delhi: The Indian Army is in a 'no war, no peace' mode against the Chinese military in Doka La and status quo continues in the area, official sources said on Wednesday.

They said there has been no specific movement of troops and weapons by the Indian Army in the area, adding whatever "movement" is taking place is for maintenance purpose.

Asked specifically about reports of sending of troops from the Sukna-based 33 Corps to Doka La, the sources said there has been no enhancement of army personnel in the India-Bhutan-China trijunction.

We are in no war no peace mode in Doka La, the sources said.

In military parlance, no war, no peace mode refers to a confrontation or face-off position with enemies.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doka La area of the Sikkim sector for 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doka La plateau. Bhutan says Doka La belongs to it but China claims it to be its territory and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.
Agartala: Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday said there was no activity on the Indian border with China in his state that could create tension between the two countries.

"There are no such activities that can create tension along the India-China border in Arunachal," Khandu told the media after addressing a tribal rally by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"Both India and China are rational and sensible. No country wants war as it will cause huge loss to both countries."

Asserting that Arunachal Pradesh was an integral part of India, the chief minister said the central government had undertaken ambitious projects, including those pertaining to infrastructure development, to develop the northeastern state.

India and China share over 1,300 km border in Arunachal Pradesh (1,080 km) and Sikkim (220.35 km).

Khandu criticised Tripura's Left Front government led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist for what he said was its failure to develop the state at the desired level and accused it of keeping the tribals backward.

Addressing the rally, BJP Tripura president Biplab Kumar Deb said the CPM had unleashed terror in the state, fearing defeat in next year's Assembly elections.
The Ukrainian government has terminated the intergovernmental agreement with Russia signed on July 18, 2003, regulating the procedure for cooperation in export of military products to third countries.

The corresponding draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers on the termination of the agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Russian Federation on the procedure for cooperation in the export of military goods (products) to third countries was approved at a government meeting on Wednesday without a discussion.

An explanatory note to the document available to Interfax-Ukraine says the adoption of the resolution will bring the bilateral legal framework in line with the current realities of Ukraine's relations with Russia.
New Delhi: The raging issue whether to make forced marital intercourse and sexual acts part of offence of rape in penal law has been extensively debated and now it cannot be considered as a criminal act, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday.

Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which defines the offence of rape, has an exception clause that says the intercourse or sexual act by a man with his wife, not below 15 years, is not a rape.

The apex court, however, sought to know as to whether Parliament debated the aspect of protecting married girls, between the age group of 15-18 years, from the forced sexual acts by their spouses.

It also asked whether the court could intervene to protect the rights of such married girls who may be sexually exploited by their spouses.

"Parliament has extensively debated the issue of marital rape and considered that it was not an offence of rape. Therefore, it cannot be considered as a criminal offence," a bench of justices MB Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

The apex court also said that marriage of a girl, who is below the age of 15 years, was "illegal".

"There are cases when college-going teens, below 18 years of age, engage in sexual activities consensually and get booked under the law. Who is going to suffer? The boy is not at fault. The punishment of seven years is too harsh," the bench observed.

It said, similarly, problem arises when a girl, under 18 years of age, elopes and engages in consensual sexual activity, the male gets booked for rape.

"In these cases, we do have problem if look at various aspects," the bench said as it asked the Centre to apprise it about the number of prosecutions under the Child Marriage Act for past three years in three weeks.

It also asked Centre to apprise it about the appointment of the Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (Child Marriage Act) under statutory provisions in the country and posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.

The bench was hearing a plea questioning the constitutionality of a provision permitting a man to have a physical relationship with his wife even if she is aged between 15 and 18.

The apex court said according to prevailing law, if a man has physical intercourse with a girl under 15 years of age, it is termed as rape irrespective of "consent or no consent" and if she is below 18 years of age, but more than 15 and married, then no offence of rape is made out.

Advocate Gaurav Agarwal appearing for NGO Independent Thought said that distinction made in between 18 and 15 is illegal and unconstitutional.

"Parliament cannot impinge upon Article 21 by allowing the girl to marry under 18 years of age and allowing her to get pregnant or have intercourse. The Parliament should have considered various reports of the United Nations," he said.

He said that a girl in the age group of 15-18 is not that physically developed and she is not capable of taking an informed decision or consent.

"The State has failed to protect her as there is no protection for her is she is below 18. Above 18 years of age she is developed and can think of coming out of an abusive relationship," the lawyer said.

Senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam, who was part of the Justice JS Verma Committee constituted in the aftermath of the 16 December gang-rape in Delhi and was present in the courtroom said, they had considered various aspects and after that a suggestion to criminalise marital rape was made.

The committee was headed by former Chief Justice JS Verma and comprised former judge Leila Seth and Subramaniam.

"Without any renumeration we have submitted the report to the government and that too without any extension. It was an exhaustive work," he said.

Advocate Binu Tamta appearing for Centre said that keeping the social and economic conditions of the country in mind, the Parliament has kept the age of 15 as a threshold.

"It has been considered pragmatically and every aspect was considered by the Parliament," she said, adding that keeping the child marriage prevalent in some societies it has been done.

Earlier, the apex court had in 2015, made National Commission for Women (NCW) party to explain how the offence of rape in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) afforded an exception to a man to have a physical relationship with his minor wife and still not qualify it as crime.

The NGO in its petition sought direction to declare exception 2 to Section 375 of the IPC as "violative of Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution to the extent that it permits intrusive sexual intercourse with a girl child aged between 15 and 18 years, only on the ground that she has been married."

It has also referred to the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012, and said these provisions were contrary to the IPC provision.

The POCSO provision provides that physical relationship with a minor constitutes the offence of rape and it does not exclude such relationship between a man and his minor wife.
Even though the number of swine flu cases have increased substantially in Delhi, there is no need to panic, say, experts, for a majority of the patients who do not have any other underlying health problems get cured by medicines received from the outpatient department of hospitals.

As per recent reports, swine flu cases in Delhi rose up to 517 from 351 in the month of July this year, thanks to an increase in heat and humidity in the city.

Hindustan Times reported that the capital city saw 166 fresh cases of Swine Flu after July 30. The report also stated that four persons have lost their lives from in and around Delhi.

But experts say that only those patients with some underlying health issues require admission in a hospital.

Patients who suffer from diabetes, heart problems, bronchitis, lung issues and the pregnant women, children and the elderly are the high-risk groups in this disease," Rommel Tikoo, renowned physician presently working as a consultant with Max Super Speciality Hospital in Saket, told Firstpost.

He also said that though there are patients who are admitted to intensive care units, they form a very small number as compared to the ones who get cured by outdoor patient medication.

"Young men and women who have no other health issues do not even need to be prescribed the 'Tamiflu' medicine," he added. Tikoo added that these patients only need isolation.

"Tamiflu (one of the most commonly used medicines to treat swine flu) is prescribed only to patients with high fever or symptoms of severity," he informed.

While speaking on the rapid spread of the disease, Tikoo said that some youngsters who travel by the Delhi Metro or similar kind of means of public transport are seen to have contracted the virus.

Arun Chouhan, a health official with the South Delhi Municipal Corporation told Firstpost that swine flu spreads mainly through cough and sneeze.

What this means is that the various modes of public transport such as the Delhi Metro often become the place where people contract the disease.

In 2017, India has seen an abrupt rise in the number of swine flu infections and deaths. As per media reports the country recorded 600 deaths due to swine flu against 12,500 cases of infection this year alone.

This number is more than double than what was reported last year in which the disease claimed 265 lives.

While describing the symptoms of the disease, Chouhan says that swine flu causes high fever associated with cough, nausea and a feeling of chilliness.

Dr JC Passey, medical superintendent of Lok Nayak Hospital told Firstpost that the number of swine flu patients in Delhi have increased due to erratic rains as well.

"Hot and humid atmosphere is always considered to be convenient for viruses to mutate. In Delhi, swine flu infection has always been a seasonal affair. But this time around due to erratic rains, the virus has spread faster," he said.

Passey also said that rains do not necessarily make Delhi's weather cold. Rather it increases the moisture content available in the already hot atmosphere.

"This weather helps the virus to spread faster," Passey added.
Srinagar: Three militants were on Wednesday killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said.

The bodies have been recovered from the encounter site where the search operation was still in progress, a police official said.

"When the militants were challenged, they fired at the security forces, triggering an encounter. Three militants have been killed," a police officer said. "The operation against the militants is still on."

The identity and group affiliation of the slain militants is being ascertained, the official said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Gulab Bagh area of Tral in Pulwama after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants.

As the forces were conducting the search operation, the hiding militants fired upon them resulting in an encounter.

With inputs from agencies
Hyderabad: Members of legislatures should function in a constructive manner without giving room for disruptions to ensure law-making bodies take up fruitful debates, vice-president-elect M Venkaiah Naidu said on Tuesday.

"The legislative assemblies and Parliament are for debates. They make laws. Unfortunately, in recent times, one sees another as a foe... We can run the system only with the cooperation of all. You talk (it) out or walk out. (But) No break out... Let the government propose, opposition oppose, let the House dispose," he said.

Naidu was speaking at the release of a book, which is compilation of his speeches, writings and parliamentary writings.

Chairman of Eenadu Group Ramoji Rao released the book in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker K Sivaprasada Rao, his Telangana counterpart S Madhusudanachary and political analyst S Gurumurthy.

The main focus of governments and legislatures should be on elimination of poverty and development, the former Union minister said.

The media should give adequate space for carrying positive stories and meaningful debates in Parliament and not sensational acts by some, the 68-year-old politician said.

Naidu recalled that a 50-minute speech on agriculture made by him in Parliament, which was also appreciated by eminent agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan and some senior leaders, did not find adequate coverage in newspapers the next day.

Naidu, noting that it could be his last speech in a public function before assuming the office of vice-president on 11 August, said he owed his success to his parents and his RSS background for instilling "great personal values".

By virtue of being the vice-president, Naidu will also preside over the Rajya Sabha as its chairman.

Naidu said he treated the BJP, now his former party, as his mother for having made him what he is today and felt sad when he had to give up its membership to contest the vice-presidential election.

His numerous friends, well wishers all over the country also helped him during his long political career, he said. Noting that he never interfered with the career of his children, Naidu said he felt sad when questions were raised on the business involving his son ahead of the vice-presidential elections.
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir's main opposition National Conference has advised the government to seek the help of its ally BJP and the Centre in forging a common stand against attempts to alter the Constitutional provisions that give the state its special status, political sources said on Wednesday.

This was conveyed to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti when she paid a surprise visit to National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah at his residence last evening, amid a debate on Article 35A of the Constitution that grants special privileges to the state.

The provision, which empowers the Jammu and Kashmir legislature to define the state's "permanent residents" and their special rights and privileges, has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

The sources said Mehbooba was asked to rope in the state government's alliance partner BJP as well as the Centre to step in in the Supreme Court and take a stand in favour of the people of the state.

Mehbooba was asked to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all important central ministers besides asking the BJP to convince the Sangh Parivar.

Two Kashmiri women recently approached the Supreme Court challenging the Article  added to the Constitution through a presidential order of 1954  as they contended that it had disenfranchised their children.

Mehbooba had said at a recent event in Delhi that there would be no one in Kashmir to uphold the national flag if Article 35A was tinkered with.
Amit Shah will be smarting. On the day he completed three years as BJP president, taking the party to unprecedented heights, his inability to oust Congress leader Ahmed Patel from Rajya Sabha is likely to sting him in more ways than one. It may even spoil, to a certain extent, his debut in the Upper House of the Parliament.

A lot has been written about the reasons which led to Shah directing such an extraordinary amount of attention towards one Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat. Some analysts have pointed out that it was a reflection of the ego battle between the two rival master strategists, some defined the antagonism as a revenge melodrama, while some saw in it BJP's blueprint to fight anti-incumbency in Gujarat and extend its nearly two-decade reign in the state.

All of this may be true but these theories fail to adequately explain the need for BJP to spend so much ammo to keep one man away from the corridors of power. Ahmed isn't a mass leader but a conjurer, adept at cutting under-the-table deals and triggering silent coups. Power brokers like him are not easily subdued because they can slip through the proverbial eye of the needle.

It would be foolish and an underestimation of Shah's intelligence to suggest that he wasn't aware of these risk factors or repercussions in case Ahmed manages to scrape through. Not only will Ahmed's win infuse much-needed energy into the rank and file of a beleaguered Congress, it will also gnaw away a little bit of the halo that Shah has so assiduously built for himself. So, the question is why did he take the risk when he was aware that BJP candidate Balwantsinh Rajput, the former Congress whip, had a 16-vote handicap, to begin with?

There are two ways of looking at the story which had a rather anti-climactic end for BJP. One, the intense bullfight over Ahmed's seat was essentially an afterthought.

The real worry for BJP is the leadership vacuum that has been created in Gujarat after Narendra Modi's exit. His replacements have either been incompetent or inadequate. Nearly two decades of BJP reign has generated a substantial amount of anti-incumbency which has found popular expression through the Patidar movement.

Shah is aware that Congress is wooing Hardik Patel. The Patel Anamat Andolan Samiti leader represents a generous chunk of the upper caste community that forms an influential 14 per cent of the state's population. The Patels, once staunch saffron backers, are decidedly angry with BJP  part of a larger upper-caste discontent built on the twin platforms of erosion of power and a feeling of betrayal stemming from the denial of social benefits. Bear in mind that the only BJP MLA to cast his vote in Ahmed's favour is Patidar community's Nalin Kotadiya who defied the party whip.

Along with a weak state leadership, this electoral equation can queer BJP's pitch. Shah's attempt to fracture the state Congress may be traced to this counter-strategy. The presidential election where NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind benefitted from cross-voting in his favour indicated that Shah's effort has been successful. Perhaps a little too successful as six Congress MLAs led by the rebellious Shankarsinh Vaghela and Balwantsinh Rajput broke away from Congress.

This may have persuaded Shah of the possibility of an added bonus in the form of Ahmed's ouster. Therefore, the BJP may have renewed its effort of hacking Ahmed's vote bank and ensuring three Upper House seats from Gujarat. As Ahmed flew his remaining 44 legislators from resort to resort, Shah saw an opportunity of owning the narrative about resort-hopping Congress MLAs making merry as the state reels from a flood.

The second possibility is that Shah was as serious about ensuring a humiliating defeat for Ahmed as he was about weakening the Congress organisational structure. The reasons are less likely to be personal. Commentators of Indian politics have shown a certain dogged inability in understanding the politics of Modi and Shah. The duo represents a new brand where personal grudges and equations fade before the larger picture. It's not as if Modi or his trusted general have no instincts of revenge, but they possibly see this as a hindrance, one that serves more to cloud their judgment rather than bringing electoral benefits.

We have repeatedly seen this trait in Modi. His tweets in support of Nitish Kumar after he severed ties with the Bihar Mahagathbandhan being the latest example. Kumar had once broken away from BJP in protest against Modi's elevation as a prime minister candidate and had made no bones about the fact that his decision was driven by personal bitterness.

Instead of searching for personal-grudge theories in Amit Shah-Ahmed Patel battle, therefore, we may be better off putting it in the larger perspective. Ahmed, the biggest and most influential backroom operator, represents the last vestiges of Congress power. As a remnant of the old guard, his long association with the Gandhi clan and proximity to Congress president Sonia Gandhi as her political secretary made him, in Shah's eyes, an invaluable target whose political demise may hasten Congress's annihilation.

The scalp of a man who served at the sanctum sanctorum of Congress during its heydays, who dragged the Congress along during challenging times and worked behind the scenes in stitching a rainbow coalition of allies post 2004 through successful implementation of saam, daam, dand and bhed, would have insured BJP from 2004-type surprises.

Ahmed's ouster from the Upper House would have forced the new guard under Rahul Gandhi deeper into the hot end of power-broking where wheeling-dealings take place, and where kings and queens are made and unmade. The new crop of Congress dynasts have not distinguished themselves so far either as mass leaders or Machiavellian operators.

Instead, Ahmed lives to fight another day. He has shown a remarkable ability in fighting for his seat, even upsetting BJP's calculations by influencing some of Shah's pawns. This win may well transfer some steel into Congress in the upcoming Assembly polls. Shah won't be comfortable.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter on Wednesday to congratulate Amit Shah for completing three years as the Bharatiya Janata Party chief. Modi said that under Shah's leadership, the BJP has expanded its base in several areas and diligently worked towards nation-building.

Under Amit Shah, the party has indeed spread its presence and influence to unexplored areas in the country since 2014.

Congratulations to Shri @AmitShah on completing 3 successful years as @BJP4India President.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

Shah was appointed as BJP president on 9 July, 2014, but it was not until a month later that the party's national council approved the decision of its parliamentary board. Shah completed three years in office on Wednesday, at a time when he is about to begin another chapter in his political career as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat.

Although BJP suffered a couple of political defeats in state elections since Shah took over, it has also recorded unprecedented victories in other states.

The party's first defeat was in February 2015, when a resurgent Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi meted out an embarrassing defeat to the BJP, reducing it to three members in the 70-member assembly. A few months later in November, BJP lost in Bihar to the Mahagathbandhan led by Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and Lalu Prasad's RJD with Congress as the smaller partner. This was followed by BJPs senior leaders  led by the likes of LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi  launching a frontal attack on Shah in the aftermath of the defeat. But even the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar broke down last month, and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar formed government with the BJP in the state.

Perhaps one of Shah's biggest accomplishments lies in expanding the BJP beyond its traditional strongholds. It registered a debut victory in Assam in 2016, and now has governments in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. It is also preparing to put up a strong fight against the ruling Left Front in the Tripura Assembly elections scheduled for February 2018.

Shah has also led the party to unprecedented victories in Maharashtra and Haryana. In both these states, the BJP won the polls after it decided to sever ties with old allies such as the Shiv Sena and Haryana Janhit Congress in the two states respectively. The emphatic Uttar Pradesh victory has also been the latest feather in Shahs cap.

This dramatic change in BJP's electoral fortunes can perhaps be traced back to a membership drive that Shah undertook after taking charge as the party president. As Livemint reports, BJP crossed 100 million in 2015, the highest ever. It was the first attempt to transform the BJP into a mass-based political party, the report says, as before the launch of this campaign, the BJP had only 35 million members in its fold. Even with that number, it had succeeded in winning 171.6 million votes to etch its historic win in the 2014 general elections.

The BJP's political dominance, furthered with Shahs tenure at the helm, made it the first party since the Congress in 1993, to be in power (either alone or in alliance with friendly parties) in 18 states  the BJP had never tasted power in seven of them  besides being at the helm in the Centre.

Shah's success is also a result of his efforts at building an organisational structure for the party through rallies, and public and private meetings. According to The Indian Express, Shah has been part of 800 organisational meetings at various levels for election micro-management in 16 states and 575 rallies or public meetings across the country over the last three years.

The 52-year-old Shah also has held more than 75 meetings for government-BJP coordination on various issues of governance like One Rank One Pension, land acquisition legislation, Jat reservation, NJAC, Yoga Day, MUDRA scheme among others during this period, Financial Express reported. In an attempt to maintain a good coordination between BJP and RSS, Shah also participated in more than 82 BJP-RSS meetings.

Shah is also known to be rough with Opposition parties, both during his rallies and on interviews to media houses. Business Standard reported that he looks at the Congress party, and some in the media, to have launched a witch hunt against him that first led to his imprisonment for three months and later a court decision kept him from entering Gujarat. The CBI case was related to his alleged role in the fake encounter killings of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and others. When you shoot at the king, you need to ensure that you finish him off. For if the King lives, he is sure to come after you, a senior BJP leader says of the Congress-led UPAs efforts to fix Modi and Shah and how the two are now on a mission to sound the death knell of the Congress party, the report added.

Currently, Shahs efforts are focussed on expanding the BJPs presence in a new set of states where it has never had a prominent presence: West Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, and for the bigger picture, on making the party "invincible".
The high-profile electoral battle for Gujarat's Rajya Sabha seats ultimately came down to a tussle between two strategists. And though BJP won two seats and Congress just one, it's the latter's Ahmed Patel who stands to gain more than the all-powerful BJP president Amit Shah.

But while the battle is over, the war goes on. Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani has hinted at taking the legal route to challenge the Election Commission's decision of not considering the votes of two rebel Congress MLAs. Assembly elections are due in Gujarat later this year, and the war bugle has sounded.

On Tuesday afternoon, BJP looked set to increase its tally in the Rajya Sabha, leaving Congress in tatters. Its MLAs were resigning and cross-voting, its allies were deserting  Congress was struggling to hold things together. So when Congress was hopping its 44 MLAs from one resort in Bengaluru to another one in Anand prior to the day of voting, one thing was clear  it didn't want to let go of Ahmed Patel's five-time seat in the Rajya Sabha, while BJP, which was set to clinch two seats from Gujarat, was keen on winning a third seat as well.

BJP's strength of 121 MLAs in the Gujarat Assembly meant Amit Shah and Smriti Irani were assured of Rajya Sabha seats. The third seat would see a battle between Patel and Balwantsinh Rajput, a crossover from Congress who was fielded by BJP.

So, the results mean that Amit Shah continues to remain all-powerful in his party, and also has the designation of Rajya Sabha MP added to his powers; but Patel's victory has ensured his supremacy in state politics and in the Congress' high command remains in place. Ahmed Patel has always had his way in the Gujarat Congress, and this win  which has come after a lot of challenges faced from within the party  may mean Sonia Gandhi's political aide has reinvented his footing in the party which seemed like slipping away from him. In an election year, this has ensured Patel will continue to have his way in the party.

With six resignations and rebellion plaguing the Congress prior to the Rajya Sabha elections, Patel will bring in his trusted allies at the helm of affairs in Gujarat politics and ensure complete control of the party, at least till the Assembly polls.

Patel has been the face of Gujarat politics in New Delhi and ensured that no other leader from the state has the kind of power and access that he retained for himself. This victory, which seemed difficult until the votes were tallied, has put forth his authority in matters of ticket distribution and recommending actions against MLAs.

Based on the final outcome of the results, on who voted for which candidate, Patel will also be in the forefront to rework estranged relations with allies, and ensure Gujarat Congress goes back to a position of reckoning. The party's strength before the polls was 56 but is down to 51 post the resignations. So, it is not only about keeping the flock together but also ensuring the party is at least able to capitalise the anti-BJP sentiment among Patidars, farmers and OBCs. On the other hand, a big task for him would be to counter Shankersinh Vaghela.

None of this will be anything new to a man who has been at the helm of party affairs in the state since decades. It's only that expectations from him as a strategist and leader have increased.
Gandhinagar: BJP chief Amit Shah, a five-time MLA, on Wednesday bid adieu to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly after being elected to the Rajya Sabha, asserting his party is "unassailable" in the poll-bound state.

Shah, 52, tendered his resignation as an MLA to Assembly Speaker Ramanlal Vora after giving an hour-long farewell speech in the House on the second and the last day of the monsoon session of the state assembly.

Shah, who represented Naranpura Assembly seat in Ahmedabad, in his speech said he was "proud to be from a state, which is an unassailable fortress of the BJP".

Congress MLAs were not present during his speech as the 20-odd legislators boycotted the proceedings for the rest of the day after some of them were evicted from the House for creating a ruckus in the beginning of the first half.

In his address, Shah came down heavily on the Congress alleging that its leaders, both here and at the Centre, had taken an "anti-Gujarat" on the Sardar Sarovar Dam project over the river Narmada.

The BJP president also hit out at the Opposition party for stalling the OBC Commission Bill in the Rajya Sabha.

As the Assembly polls are approaching in the state, he called upon the party legislators to highlight both these issues prominently during their public interactions.

"Congress' stand always remained anti-farmer. Though Narmada Control Authority had already completed all the formalities to raise the height (before June 2014), their (UPA) government did not give the nod. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave it within one month of assuming office" said Shah.

"Now, Congress leaders must tell the citizens, who sat on that permission? Even today, their leaders Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia speak against the project in Parliament. Gujarat Congress is silent, because they agree to what is being said by their leaders. It shows their anti-Narmada mentality," said Shah.

Shah said the people of Gujarat would seek an answer from Congress in December when the state goes to polls. He predicted that the Congress' strength will reduce to half from the current tally of 51 after the polls.

"Congress showed their anti-OBC mentality by stalling the OBC Commission Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Mark my words, that next election in Gujarat will be fought on the issues of Narmada and the welfare of OBCs and poor. And, I can easily predict that oppositions' strength will reduce to half after the polls," he added.

Almost all the BJP members, including Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, deputy chief minister Nitin Patel and state president Jitubhai Vaghani were present in the House to listen to Shah's farewell speech.

After his speech, in which he also thanked his colleagues for being with him since his journey started 20 years back as a party worker, Shah tendered his resignation to the Assembly Speaker.

"Today is my last day here, as I will resign after my speech. I never fought to acquire anything, instead, I proudly gave up what I had. I am proud to be from a state which is an unassailable fortress for the BJP," he said.

The two-day monsoon session of the state Assembly, which ended on Wednesday, is likely to be the last session as the state polls are expected to be held by the end of the year.

As the Assembly complex here is undergoing renovation, the session was held at Mahatma Mandir in the state capital.
A Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat, which was meant to be a friendly match, turned into a high velocity slugfest that spilled into slog overs and has the potential to influence state and national politics in the years ahead.

Gujarat goes to polls in 2017 and India two years thereafter. Three principal players of opposing sides  Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Ahmed Patel  slated to play a key role in both polls hail from Gujarat. Two of these were directly involved in the Rajya Sabha election that concluded on Tuesday and the shadow of the third loomed large over the entire proceedings. That BJP president Amit Shah and Union Textiles minister Smriti Irani would sail through with ease was never in doubt. Neither was the election of Ahmed Patel, political adviser to Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Three Rajya Sabha seats, three candidates. Two from the ruling elite and one from the Opposition. The understanding seemed simple enough. Except that the ruling BJP decided to fish in Congress troubled waters and raised the stakes high enough to trigger a run. It poached three Congress legislators and turned one of them, a party chief whip (Balwantsinh Rajput) into their third Rajya Sabha candidate, thereby setting the cat among the pigeons.

What followed was a Mohammed Ali-style pounding of the Congress by the BJP. The Grand Old Party was chased from Gujarat through the countryside to the Congress haven of Karnataka and remorselessly pummelled even there. Seeking safety in numbers, the 44 Congress legislators returned to stay at a resort in Anand, 80 km from the state capital, Gandhinagar, where the voting took place on Tuesday.

Even the end of voting failed to stop the sparring. The Congress raised the issue of cancellation of the votes of two of its rebels, Raghavji Patel and Bholabhai Gohil. With counting stopped after the Congress sought redressal of their grievance, the scene shifted to the Election Commission in Delhi with both sides hurling their top guns in to the attack. A video of the voting perused by the Chief Election Commissioner clinched the issue for the Congress, with the two votes held invalid. Patel joined Shah and Irani into the Rajya Sabha with a personal tally of 44 votes.

The moot question here is the following: Why did the BJP invest so much of its standing, power, pelf and planning in seeking to defeat Patel?

Executed by Shah, the go-ahead came from the highest level. Shah's backroom boys worked hard to fuel speculation that the leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha, Shankersinh Vaghela, would jump back onto a saffron pony. No amount of denials by him worked and the Congress leadership fell into the trap. Vaghelas demand for an Amrinder Singh-like freedom for him not only added to the suspicion but further fuelled intra-party rivalry among the other chief ministerial aspirants.

Until Vaghela walked out in exasperation, a situation was tailor-made for poaching of his pack by the BJP. What followed is now history.

For Shah, the defeat of Patel, who is the second-most powerful party leader after the family, would be a coup d'etat. It would be a blow straight to the 'heart' of the Opposition empire, adding on to the misery of the UP, Uttarakhand and Goa reverses. Conversely, it would be a morale booster in a Gujarat set for a pitched poll battle later this year.

For all its filibustering, the BJP remains very wary of Sonia Gandhi, having witnessed first hand her ability to virtually single-handedly pierce the India shining shroud of the NDA government to sculpt the revival of the Congress-led UPA which had a two-term rule.

The scalping of her trusted adviser would be an immobilising body blow to the party and also affect the standing of its president while conversely raise Shahs stock within his ilk.

The ruling BJP has been on a weak wicket in Gujarat ever since Modi left for Delhi. While chief minister for almost 13 years, he was both the party and the government and the lord and master of all that he surveyed in Gujarat. Both chief ministers who followed, Anandiben Patel and Vijay Rupani, fell way short of popular expectations and ethnic strife as well as disenchantment has risen manifold. Patidars, the strongest supporters of the BJP, are now up in arms and the Dalits in a rebellious mood. It is against this backdrop that a Patel defeat would have restored some balance. However, this was not to be.

Patels victory is a shot in the arm for him personally viz-a-viz those within his own party who would be happy to see him fall. Also for the Congress because he is now seen as the man who survived a full-fledged, no-holds barred onslaught by the Modi-Shah combine  no mean feat  and managed to clamber back. His writ will now run large both in the ensuing polls in the state as well as nationally within his own party.

If Modi realises that a defeat in Gujarat in 2017 will be a setback to his plans to retain Delhi in 2019, Patel will also need to factor in that a prolonged Congress poll drought (it last won power through elections here 33 years ago) needs to end for his party to salvage its credibility. Additionally, while Vaghela may find himself checkmated in Patels victory for the moment, he is not one to sit and lick his sores. The Congress will see much more of him around election time and so will Patel.
The verdict to the deputy chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Akhtem Chiygoz, who was illegally arrested in the occupied Crimea, will be announced on September 11, his lawyer Nikolai Polozov said.

"Today, the oral arguments of the parties have ended in the court on the case of Akhtem Chiygoz, during which Chiygoz's public defenders and he spoke, after which he delivered the last word. The verdict will be announced on September 11," Polozov wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday.

He also published on his page the text of the last word of Chiygoz, in which he, in particular, says that there is no criminal case against him, and the country-invader of Crimea, which does not have the right to do so, is making a trial against him.

"Whatever I do, no matter how hard it is for me now, and not knowing if I ever be alive, I'm afraid even more that my actions, thoughts, statements can disgrace me as a person, as a Crimean Tatar and my people will be ashamed for the trust and election of me to the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people [...] I am destined to take up this sentence as a verdict for the entire Crimean Tatar people - on behalf of the Russian Federation that occupied my motherland," Chiygoz said.

Prosecutor Anastasia Supryaga asked for Chiygoz a punishment in the form of imprisonment for eight years with serving in a colony of general regime, the internet site Krym Realia said on August 7.

As reported, Chiygoz was detained in Crimea on January 29, 2015 on suspicion of organizing and participating in mass riots on February 26, 2014. In fact, he was detained for participation in a rally in support of the territorial integrity of Ukraine in front of the Crimean parliament building, when protesters were opposed by pro-Russian activists, including, from the Russian Unity party.

The term of his arrest was prolonged until October 8.
The struggle that the Congress party went through to get its candidate Ahmed Patel re-elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat shows the disconnect between the partys central and state leadership. Rajya Sabha elections have been an low-key affair since the numbers position is more or less settled we don't see much hullabaloo and the parties can always predict the winner, depending on the numbers each party holds. However, this time around, the entire episode got blown out of proportion in Gujarat after the disgruntled regional leaders revolted against the party and Congress top leadership failed to pacify them. This in turn created a situation that gave its political rival BJP the chance to fish in troubled waters and led to a political slugfest over the Rajya Sabha seat.

The very fact that Patel, the Political Secretary to Sonia Gandhi got votes from only 42 party MLAs out of the 51 left after the recent rebellion, says enough about the crisis within the party. Patel barely managed to scrape through by bagging exactly 44 votes needed, by garnering support from other parties.

The first blow to the Congress came just after Shankersinh Vaghela, a veteran leader deserted the party along with six of his followers. But this was not the first time when discontent among the regional leadership has led the party to a major problem. Earlier, bitter dissidence in Assam Pradesh Congress Committee led by Congress minister Himanta Biswa Sarma caused an electoral disaster for the party in 2016.

In fact, BJP rode the tide of disgruntlement among the Congress leaders to register its first historic victory in the Northeastern state, a Congress bastion.

Sarma narrated his experience with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to the media after BJP won the election, "He is very arrogant. When you go to see him, it is a servant-master relationship which is disgusting.

He also said that he informed Rahul Gandhi two years before the assembly election that the party was imploding. At that meeting, Gandhi seemed preoccupied with playing with his dog instead of paying attention to the people surrounding him" NDTV quoted him as saying.

Defection of Sarma, was only the beginning of the landslide to follow. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, another senior Congress leader joined BJP before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, dealing another blow to the Congress. With her leaving the party, the Congress lost the claim on the legacy of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Hemavati Nandan Bahuguna, who was her father and held deep influence over the states politics.

Though she cited a politically more correct version of her reason to resign, but it was reported that she had already been pushed to the sidelines in the party by her rivals.

Earlier, the Congress party lost the entire state government of Arunachal Pradesh to BJP after much bickering among the party legislators, triggered by dissidence against Chief Minister Nabam Tuki led by Kalikho Pul.

The disconnect between the top and regional leaders of the party has resulted in lack of loyalty for the party among local leaders. Shifting of loyalties by Congress MLAs led the Congress to the embarrassing situation that unfolded in Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat.

On the day of election the Congress had only 44 MLAs out of 51, who it was sure would vote for Patel, out of which two again cross-voted for the BJP candidate. This came despite the fact that the party sequestered away 44 of its remaining MLAs to a resort to avoid further defection. This only goes on to show that the requirement to 'protect' the MLAs emerges from the widening gap among the top and the regional leaders where the former fails to trust party MLAs.

The Rajya Sabha episode coincides with the Sultan and Sultanate jibe taken by senior Congressman Jairam Ramesh on some leaders of his party.

The sultanate has gone, but we behave as if we are Sultans still, Jairam Ramesh said to the media. The gross display of ignorance by the Congress top leadership with respect to the heath of the party's regional units, which the Guajarat Rajya Sabha polls also brought to daylight, only lends more relevance to Ramesh's words.
A day after the Gujarat Rajya Sabha poll results went in the Congress' favour, the party has expelled eight MLAs including former chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela for six years for defying the party whip, spokesman Manish Doshi said on Thursday.

AICC's Gujarat in-charge Ashok Gehlot said he recommended the expulsion of the Congress legislators who had resigned as MLAs. On 21 July, Vaghela had announced his decision to quit Congress at a public gathering of his supporters.

Congress candidate Ahmed Patel clinched his fifth straight Rajya Sabha seat, in a bitterly fought election in Gujarat after late night dramatic developments saw the Election Commission reject votes of two dissident MLAs for violating electoral rules.

Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, beat Balwantsinh Rajput, who used to be the party's chief whip in the state Assembly before defecting to the BJP.

Patel polled 44 votes in the first Rajya Sabhi polls in Gujarat in two decades that actually saw a contest, instead of official candidates of major parties getting elected unopposed. Rajput got 38 votes.

BJP chief Amit Shah made his maiden entry into the Upper House, as did party nominee and Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, clinching 46 votes each, an EC official said.

"This is not just my victory. It is also a defeat of the most blatant use of money power, muscle power and abuse of state machinery," Patel, who secured a fifth Rajya Sabha term after the tough electoral fight, tweeted after his victory.

In July, Vaghela had shared his resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi with the media, saying the former chief minister alleged that he was forced to take this "tough decision" as some Congress leaders were conspiring against him ahead of the Assembly polls, expected to be held in Gujarat in December.

With inputs from PTI
On Tuesday, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti surprised everyone by dropping at the residence of National Conference president and former Union minister Farooq Abdullah at his Srinagar residence to discuss the prevailing crisis over Article 35A of the Indian Constitution that has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

According to reports, Abdullah has suggested to the chief minister that she should consult other parties with an aim to create a wider consensus among like-minded parties in the battle to prevent Article 35A being struck down in the Supreme Court.

Political observers in Kashmir see the development as a warning shot by Mufti, who  by discussing the issue with the NC patron instead of meeting the leadership of her alliance partner BJP

 has sent out a subtle message that the clock can be turned back and she can build a broad coalition of mainstream political parties to save the remnants of Article 370.

The Centre, whenever such an eventuality has arisen in past in the apex court, has always defended the case of the Jammu and Kashmir. But Mufti seems to have been pushed to the wall in this case by the manner in which the country's attorney general, obviously representing the Centre's point of view, called for a "larger debate" on the issue, casting an ominous shadow on the future of the alliance.

Mufti had recently warned the Centre that if there was any tinkering with Article 35A of the Constitution, there will be no one to shoulder the tricolour in the state.

If Mufti is able to pull off a grand coalition of regional parties to work against the abrogation of state subject laws, what will the future of the state look like?

But the question remains: Will the National Conference, PDP, Congress and other regional players come together to save the special status and state subject law of the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir? If the developments in the Valley are any indicator, it is quite likely to happen as the anger against the mainstream political players is spreading like wildfire.

There is no doubt that the abrogation of Article 35A has a potential to put Kashmir on a fire which will be beyond anyone's control.

The anger is already simmering over the killings of teenage boys, who have recently chosen the path of militancy and are being killed every other day. The issue of Article 370 and Article 35A is a political hot potato that has the potential to unite people cutting across political ideologies.

Article 35A is a provision in the Indian Constitution which saved the pre-existing State Subject Law of permanent residents of the state and their special rights and privileges. It was added through the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954, issued under Article 370.

According to the law, there is a complete ban on the acquisition of immovable property by the non-permanent residents of the state, like in Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and other states. The law defines permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir, confers on them the special rights and privileges and also imposes restrictions on non-residents acquiring any property in the state.

In 1846, when the Dogra Maharaja brought the territory from the British empire under the Treaty of Amritsar, he introduced the State Subject Law in order to safeguard the interests of his subjects from the onslaught of outsiders in January 1927. The order was in response to a demand made by Dogras and Kashmiri Pandits, who feared that Punjabis were a threat to their stranglehold over their jobs.

Apart from imposing a complete ban on the acquisition of immovable property by the non-permanent residents of the state, the law also declares that a non-resident of the state is disqualified for registration in the electoral roll as a voter and is disqualified to hold any government job in the state.

The state unit of the BJP has been maintaining that there would be no tampering with or challenge to any of the constitutional provisions of the state, including Article 35-A till its alliance with PDP remains intact.

I have already said it and I am saying it again: We are not interested in tampering with any of the constitutional provisions of J&K, be it Article 35-A or Article 370, BJPs chief spokesman for Jammu and Kashmir Sunil Sethi said.

Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz said on Tuesday that coming together of Opposition parties is the first step. "The parties have adopted the right stance on Article 35-A. The mainstream parties in J&K and the Hurriyat Conference are on the same page on this issue," he said.

The trick that the RSS wants to play by asking the Supreme Court of India to revoke Article-35 A, has the potential of creating commotion in the country, especially in Jammu and Kashmir State, he added.

The state government in its draft objections likely to be submitted to the Supreme Court on Wednesday has stated that accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India is limited in scope and not absolute. Sources said Mehbooba had told her top party leaders that they should be ready for any eventuality if the article is struck down in the Supreme Court. That could well mean the end of the BJP-PDP alliance on the state also.

What will follow in Kashmir Valley is much more dangerous than what anyone can assume. "It will spark an agitation on a much higher scale than 2008 Amarnath land row," Abdullah had said recently. The land row, besides crippling the economy and dividing the state along communal lines, resulted in the killing of nearly 60 civilians, mostly teenaged boys. No one wants a repeat of that in Kashmir.
New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday witnessed heated exchanges between the government and the Opposition over whether to take up legislative business or debating the Chandigarh stalking case and printing of differently-sized new currency notes, leading to its adjournment for the day.

The House, which had earlier seen a discussion on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, witnessed two adjournments as the Opposition and the treasury benches stuck to their respective stands before the Chair called it a day.

While the government wanted to push the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill for consideration and passage, the Congress-led Opposition members wanted to discuss the contentious issue of Chandigarh stalking case and discrepancies in the printing of new currency notes.

Consensus eluded on running of the House even after the leaders of the two sides met in the presence of Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien to break the deadlock.

Those who attended the meeting after the second adjournment included Union Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Ravi Shankar Prasad, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Jairam Ramesh and Kumari Selja.

Naqvi later said in the House that the Congress party had agreed to take up legislative business first and later discuss the issues raised by them and claimed that the Congress party was "now retracting from its commitment".

He said the government understood the Opposition's intention that they would first discuss the issues they are raising and then walk out of the House so that the bill is not passed.

Prasad repeatedly stressed that the Banking Regulation Bill was "very important and pro-poor" and would empower the RBI to ask banks to initiate proceedings against bad loans.

However, the Opposition members did not relent and stuck to their stand on discussing the issues first and then taking up the legislative business.

Pressing for a discussion on their issues including the Chandigarh stalking incident, the Opposition members led by those from the Congress trooped into the well, raising anti-government slogans.

They also raised slogans against the BJP on the matter related to stalking of a girl in Chandigarh by the son of a Haryana BJP leader.

Congress deputy leader Anand Sharma said Chandigarh being a Union Territory was directly administered by the home minister who should come to the House and give a statement on the issue.

Terming the banking bill as important one, Sharma said, "please do not pass it in the din."

D Raja of CPI also said no bill should be passed in the din.

Kurien then said if the House was always witnessing a pandemonium, "what can the Chair do".

Pressing for a discussion on the issues raised by the Opposition, Sharma said on Thursday the new chairman of the House will join and there would be no time for a discussion on the bill.

Selja said the government was protecting the accused in the stalking case and trying to push matter under the carpet. Even after intervention by Kurien, both sides remained defiant on their respective stands, leading to the premature adjournment of the House for the day.

Earlier initiating the discussion, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal gave a notice to suspend legislative business in and take up the matter related to discrepancy in the sizes of the new currency notes being printed.

"We are confronted with a very serious issue...we have discovered differently-sized notes in the public domain. We would like to know what is going on? Who is printing these notes," Sibal said.

His notice was however rejected by the deputy Speaker.
New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday made veiled dig at the BJP-led government wondering whether the "forces of darkness" were trying to destroy the roots of democracy as "clouds of hate and division" were hovering over secular and egalitarian values.

She used her speech in the Lok Sabha during a special discussion on the Quit India movement to underline the contributions of the Congress and Jawaharlal Nehru to the landmark episode in India's struggle for independence and also attacked the ruling BJP, accused by her party of communalism.

"We will not allow the idea of India to be a prisoner to narrow mindedness and communal ideology. Today it looks secularism and free speech are in danger. If we have to preserve freedom, we'll have to defeat forces endangering it. We can't and we won't allow sectarian forces to succeed", she said.

People have to fight for the India they believe in, which is loved by one and all and which was envisioned by the freedom fighters, she said.

It should not be forgotten, she said, that there were people and organisations which had opposed the Quit India movement and made no contribution to the country's freedom. Though she did not name any party or leader in her attack, Hindutva organisation RSS, the ideological mentor of the BJP, appeared to be Gandhi's target, as the Congress has often accused it of playing no role in the freedom movement, a charge denied by it.
Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav strongly refuted graft charges against him and challenged chief minister Nitish Kumar to arrest him while starting his Janadesh Apman yatra from Champaran on Wednesday.

Alleging political conspiracy by BJP and JDU to frame him, his father Lalu Prasad Yadav and other family members, Tejashwi vowed to expose the political opportunism of Nitish Kumar before the public.

The former deputy of Nitish alleged that central agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) were acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

They are trying to put my family behind the bars. But I am in front of you to seek justice. Please support me. We will expose their vicious designs on 27 August in Bhajpa Bhagao Desh Bachao Rally, Tejashwi told his supporters.

He offered an apology for his 'inability' to understand Nitish by keeping two minutes of silence in front of Mahatma Gandhis statue. Nitish Kumar has not only backstabbed me but peoples mandate. People voted against the saffron party but he switched side with them to retain power. RSS and BJP were scared of me and my father but we never compromised with our principles. On the other hand, Nitish bowed down to them, He said.

Tejashwi hinted his plans to reinvigorate Mandal politics by saying his party with the help of like-minded forces will continue to fight for social justice. He accused Nitish and his party JD(U) of joining ranks with RSS which, according to him, was conspiring to eliminate reservation.
hidden

Apple Inc has set up its first data center in China, in partnership with a local internet services company, to comply with tougher cyber-security laws introduced by Beijing last month, it said on 12 July.

The US company said it was setting up the facility in the southern province of Guizhou with data management firm Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry Co Ltd (GCBD).

A spokesman told Reuters this would form part of a planned $1 billion investment by Apple into the province.

"The addition of this data center will allow us to improve the speed and reliability of our products and services while also complying with newly passed regulations," the company said in a statement to Reuters. "These regulations require cloud services be operated by Chinese companies so we're partnering with GCBD to offer iCloud."

Apple also said that it had strong data privacy and security protections in place. "No backdoors will be created into any of our systems," it said.

China, on 1 June, brought in a new cyber security law that codifies much stricter controls over data than in Europe and the United States, including mandating that firms store all data within China and pass security reviews.

Reuters
Reuters

A Silicon Valley culture war pitting liberal-leaning tech firms against a small conservative cohort took on new intensity on Tuesday after Google fired a male engineer for a memo that decried the company's commitment to hiring women.

Memo author James Damore, 28, received jeers, cheers and a couple of job offers, while the debate raged on social media and some tech firms took steps to prevent similar episodes from embroiling their companies.

Damore confirmed his dismissal from Alphabet Inc's Google on Monday, after he wrote a 10-page memo that said the company was hostile to conservative viewpoints and that women on average have more neuroticism.

Many in Silicon Valley found his views, which argued that men in general may be biologically more suited to coding jobs than women, offensive and destructive. The manifesto was embraced by some, particularly on the political right, who branded him a brave truth-teller.

The episode recalled past examples of the wide gulf between US conservative activists and the tech sector.

In 2014, Brendan Eich was forced out as Mozilla's chief executive after his opposition to gay marriage became public. Most technology executives held the opposite view, and tech companies often gave benefits to same-sex couples well before gay marriage was legalised.

"Anyone who deviates from the talking points of the liberal left is shunned, shamed and forced out," Andrew Torba, chief executive of the social network Gab, said in an interview.

Torba, whose company is popular among conservatives, said Damore could work for him.

WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, whose group released hacked emails that helped the campaign of Republican US President Donald Trump, also offered Damore a job, writing on Twitter that "censorship is for losers."

Firing Damore was too extreme and Google should have put him through training instead, said Aaron Ginn, co-founder of the Lincoln Network, a group of libertarian-leaning tech workers and investors.

"You're going to make him a martyr. In this hyper-tribal political day we are in, I think you'd want to try to avoid making him a martyr," Ginn said.

Intense political feelings recently divided two board members of Facebook, the New York Times reported on Tuesday. Last August, Reed Hastings, chief executive of Netflix, warned investor Peter Thiel in an email that Thiel's support for Trump showed "catastrophically bad judgment," the newspaper reported.

The outcome of that dispute is not known. Hastings and Thiel remain on Facebook's board. Facebook declined to comment.

More generally, Silicon Valley tech companies have been under mounting criticism for not doing enough to promote gender equality and stamp out sexual harassment.

Claims of persistent sexual harassment in the ranks of Uber Technologies and of several venture capital firms have led to management shake-ups.

The US Labor Department is investigating Google to see whether the firm has unlawfully paid women less than men. Google denies that it does.

Codes of conduct

Google, which has used the motto "Don't be evil," received accolades from many quarters for treating Damore's memo as a threat to its corporate culture.

"What he wrote is extremely toxic to the tech community we are trying to support. He's categorising us in a way that makes us seem weak or incompetent," said Adriana Gascoigne, founder of the San Francisco nonprofit Girls in Tech.

Josh Reeves, chief executive at Gusto, a software company, said he expected the topic would come up at its all-staff meeting on Wednesday.

Gusto's code of conduct "specifically prohibits a memo like Damore's," Reeves said, if the memo would be offensive to individuals in a protected group.

Damore, who could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, said in an email to Reuters on Monday that he was exploring a possible legal challenge to his dismissal.

His case would likely be weak, employment lawyers said, and some lawyers said Google could have faced lawsuits if it had not acted against him.

Google said it could not talk about individual employee cases.

US companies have broad latitude to restrict the speech of employees in private workplaces, where First Amendment protections against government censorship do not apply.

Damore's title at Google was software engineer and he had worked at the company since December 2013, according to a profile on LinkedIn.

The LinkedIn page also says Damore received a PhD in systems biology from Harvard University in 2013. Harvard said on Tuesday he completed a master's degree in the subject, not a PhD.

Industry experts note that in the early days of tech it was mostly women who held the then-unglamorous jobs of coding. But as the value of top-notch programming became clear, men came to dominate the field.

Other tech companies on Tuesday were closely watching the controversy at Google unfold, and grateful they were not the ones caught in another debate over gender and diversity.

"Every large organisation has a James Damore  but at tech companies, they're more liberated to share their personal views," an executive at one major Silicon Valley firm said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Tech firms have an abundance of "smart, confident people who think they have an obligation to share their wisdom with their coworkers," the executive said.
IANS

While India has evinced interest in introducing high-speed Hyperloop technology to revolutionise its transportation system, US-based Hyperloop One is yet to receive a solid investment proposal from either the government or private players in the country. Hyperloop, an idea from Tesla CEO and SpaceX Founder Elon Musk, boasts of a transportation system which proposes to propel a pod-like vehicle through a near-vacuum tube at nearly 1,100 km per hour and above.

The pod lifts off the track using magnetic levitation and glides at aircraft speeds for long distances, owing to ultra-low aerodynamic drag. In February this year, Rob Lloyd, CEO of Hyperloop One, met Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and promised to revolutionise the advanced surface system in the country. If implemented, it would be possible to travel from Delhi to Mumbai in 55 minutes, Mumbai to Chennai in 50 minutes and Bengaluru to Chennai in 20 minutes.

Prabhu expressed his interest in the Hyperloop technology, saying that India would be keenly watching the project. Since then, the two parties have held several rounds of talks over the proposed project but something substantial is yet to emerge. "We have not received any investment or offers of investment from the government or private investors in India yet," Llyod told IANS in a telephonic interview from the US.

"We have had follow-up meetings with the minister and his staff and also had dialogue with other relevant departments and state governments. We continue to have strong interest in building a robust transportation system in India," Llyod added. The Hyperloop One team was in India in July to follow up on the proposed project with various government agencies. Earlier this month, Hyperloop One announced it has successfully tested its prototype passenger pod, reaching a speed of up to 310 km per hour.

"This is the beginning and the dawn of a new era of transportation," said Shervin Pishevar, Executive Chairman and Co-founder of Hyperloop One. The start-up tested its first-generation 'XP-1' passenger pod that travelled for 300 metres in the Nevada desert as it levitated off the track. "Wouldn't it be nice if we worked together to build our test system perhaps in India, and then build an eco-system of small companies and large companies, innovating around the technology, creating new tech jobs while, at the same time, building a new system that would be more efficient and less costly than the high-speed rail," Llyod noted.

According to the Hyperloop One CEO, India should skip the idea of investing in bullet train technology  a dreamchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi  and, instead, go for Hyperloop's transportation system. "The advantages that the Hyperloop brings over high-speed train is that it takes a much smaller footprint and is much less expensive to construct and, obviously, it is faster than the bullet train," Llyod told IANS.

He added that the development and cost-related expenses are also less because Hyperloop does not need much space. "Instead of having 600-800 people in each train, we can have a small number of vehicles running frequently and it will also lead to less expensive station design," Llyod said. According to him, high-speed trains in India are nearly 40 years old in terms of technology and have been developed primarily in China, Europe and Japan.

"I believe there is an opportunity to create an innovation cluster around the development of this technology in India. That is one of the conversations that we are having with the government," Llyod said, adding that the company is examining more opportunities to uncover potential routes in the country. After the success of its Phase 2 testing, Hyperloop is now looking forward to introducing the idea of airlocks -- which is where they can create an entry and exit point.

"That will also help us in forming some of the decisions about designing stations," Llyod stated.
tech2 News Staff

The Lenovo K8 Note is set to launch on 9 August at 12.25 pm. Lenovo will stream the launch live on YouTube, The device is expected to go on sale as an Amazon exclusive.

While the device hasnt been unveiled yet, a recently leaked benchmark listing gives us a very good idea of the internals of the upcoming smartphone. The information, leaked on GeekBench indicates that the device will be powered by a Mediatek Helio X20 chip (MT6797) clocked at 1.85 GHz and with 3 GB or 4 GB of RAM. This chip uses a Mali-T880 GPU.

The GeekBench 4 score indicates that the device scored 1551 in the single-core benchmark and 4664 in the multicore test. The listing also suggests that the device will offer Android Nougat 7.1.1 without any Lenovo skinning, which is good news overall.

Lenovo later confirmed that it was dropping the Vibe UI skin from its devices.

Also spotted on the site was the K8 Plus, which features a Mediatek MT6757CD Helo P25 chipset clocked at 1.69 GHz. It includes 3 GB of RAM.

If you want to catch the launch of the device live, simply head to Lenovo Indias YouTube channel or watch the stream embedded here.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more up-to-date information on the launch as well as for a review of the device.
PTI

Telecom regulator TRAI today questioned the control of third-party entities such as app stores to limit mobile users right over their own data in the name of data security and privacy.

TRAI Chairman R S Sharma said the question is who owns data like call logs and messages that a user receives on his/her mobile, and whether third-party entities can actually extinguish the users right over such data. He said that TRAI will release a discussion paper on the issue in a day or two.

The comment comes in the backdrop of the regulators ongoing tussle with Apple that is reportedly not allowing convergence of the TRAIs Do-Not-Disturb app on its iOS platform. TRAIs app allows users to flag pesky calls and unsolicited messages directly to the regulator as it pulls out such details from messages and call logs.

While Googles Android operating system supports the TRAI app, the regulators talks with Apple have reportedly not yielded much results.

Refusing to name specific companies or platforms, Sharma said, The larger issue is who owns data generated by a mobile user, what are their rights, and whether any other entity can extinguish his (users) right on the data in the name of securing it.

Sharma, who was speaking on the sidelines of Digital India Foundation event, said questions like these are important in the current context of a digital world where data is a currency, a property and valuable.

What can be the objection of a third party, if the user wants to willing share his data, Sharma quipped adding that a consultation paper will be issued in 1-2 days.

Replying to a specific question on Apple not supporting the TRAIs app, Sharma said that be it any store, my basic question is who has the right over that dataand can a third partya store ownerlimit my right on data that is my property.

Sharma argued that given that SMS and call logs belong to a mobile user, a third party could not take control of such data in the name of data privacy or security.

When contacted, an Apple spokesperson pointed to the companys privacy website which quotes its global CEO Tim Cook as saying that Apple is committed to protecting its customers privacy.

Finally, I want to be absolutely clear that we have never worked with any government agency from any country to create a backdoor in any of our products or services. We have also never allowed access to our servers. And we never will, he said.

Industry sources said Apples objections may be stemming from the companys concerns around privacy and encryption of the information.
Lenovo has been releasing smartphones at fairly regular intervals and it is ably supported by Moto phones as well. But apart from the Moto phones, there is another segment of phones from Lenovo called ZUK. Unlike the Lenovo phones which come with the VibeUI interface, devices powered by ZUK come with a vanilla Android OS which has been a differentiating factor. While the first phone was launched earlier this year in the form of ZUK Z1, Lenovo has decided to go with its own brand name for the second version  thereby calling it Lenovo Z2 Plus, but there is a Powered by ZUK branding on the box which sets this phone apart from the Vibe series of smartphones.

So let's look at this phone which brings the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset in the sub-Rs 20,000 price range.

Build and Design: 7 / 10



First things first, the Lenovo Z2 Plus is not going to win any awards for its thickness. At 8.49mm it is relatively thicker than its peers and after snapping on the stealth cover, it looks even more thicker. It doesnt weigh much at 149 grams thankfully. Theres a glossy black glass back and the frame is made of fibreglass. From a distance it does resemble a black iPhone 5s, if you excuse the rectangular home button.

Thanks to the 5-inch form factor, the phone fits well in the hand and there is a chamfering around the edges which does not leave any sharp edges. The rear side makes the phone a tad bit slippery to grip, thanks to the glossy surface. There is a physical button which also functions as a fingerprint scanner on the front. The button/scanner can do multiple functions which we will elaborate in the Software section.

The volume rocker and power/standby buttons are present above the dual SIM card tray on the right hand side, and look a bit too plasticky. Top and left hand edges are clean. At the bottom edge, you have the 3.5mm audio jack, microphone, USB Type C port for charging and data transfer and the mono speaker.

The design is functional and nothing that will make the Lenovo Z2 Plus stand out among the crowd. Build quality is relatively sturdy as well, but the rear glossy cover is a dust magnet.

Features: 8 / 10



Lenovo Z2 Plus packs in a lot of goodies. For starters, theres the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset. This is for all purposes, the flagship SoC (yes, we know the Snapdragon 821 is also out). The Snapdragon 820 SoC comes with a quad core Kyro CPU clocked at 2.15GHz with Adreno 530 graphics solution. It is paired with 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 64GB of storage out of which around 58.7GB is available to the user.

There is no provision to expand the storage by adding in a microSD card. For storage, Lenovo Z2 Plus uses a SanDisk i7232 smartSLC storage which basically has a small portion of the storage with SLC memory which is faster than traditional flash storage.

It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and is quite close to stock version. There are a few custom apps though on the Lenovo Z2 Plus. But unlike the ZUK Z1, there is no CyanogenMod OS on top of Android. It has a 5-inch FullHD display.

The Lenovo Z2 Plus comes with a dual nano SIM configuration which can take in two 4G SIM cards and also has support for 4G+, VoLTE. It supports Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS, theres a USB Type C port for data transfer, NFC, FM Radio is not supported, which may be a bummer.

Display: 8 / 10

In an age of being surrounded by 5.5-inch devices, it is pleasant when you get a flagship level phone with a 5-inch display. The Lenovo Z2 Plus comes with a 5-inch Full HD glossy display giving it a pixel density of 441ppi.

The display is sharp as one would expect at such high pixel density. Viewing angles are good. Colours are natural although there is a slight blush tinge to the display. It comes with a Corning Gorilla Glass to protect the display.

The display looked good both indoors as well as outdoors. While shooting in bright sunlight there are issues such as dark areas not being properly visible. Watching YouTube videos is a pleasant affair thanks to a decent contrast.

Software: 7.5 / 1 0

For all practical purposes, the Lenovo Z2 Plus comes with a stock Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS. It is not skinned like the Lenovo Vibe series phones. But just like the Moto phones, the OS does have some custom apps and some bloatware in the form of 9Apps, Hasoffer, Hotoday and so on.

It comes with a U Health app which monitors your daily steps and shows you daily, weekly, monthly charts, just like Google Fit. There are slight variations with accessing the quick menu. You will need to swipe from bottom upwards and you see a floating quick options menu. This is a stupid attempt at trying to ape Apple, and I didnt like it much. Half the time you end up the home soft key or have to swipe up multiple times to bring up the quick options. Notifications can be accessed by swiping from top downwards as usual. Lenovo could have just gone and added another tab beside the notifications which is the most sensible thing to do. You get a 2x4 grid of quick options which can be swiped to reveal more options.

But the most interesting addition is the home button / finger print scanner customisations. Called the U touch fingerprint sensor, it supports certain gestures on the button. For instance, pressing on the button once takes you to the home page, pressing the button twice brings up recent apps, swiping left and right on the button opens previous apps and so on. It is a nice implementation

You can switch off the onscreen buttons thereby getting more screen real estate. Long pressing home button or long touch on the home button can also trigger further actions, such as going to sleep, apps history, notification centre or even triggering an app to open. This is one of the most fun implementation of the button I have seen and really does cut down thumb travel.

Performance: 8 / 10

Call quality is quite good and the earpiece speaker is loud enough even in traffic situations. The audio speaker on the base sounds muffled though. There were many instances where I could barely hear audio while playing some videos, despite being on maximum volume level. It is best to get a good pair of earphones.

Benchmark scores are in line with what one gets with the Xiaomi Mi 5, and slightly lower than that of the OnePlus 3, LG G5, HTC 10 among the Snapdragon 820 chipset sporting phones. Barring the multi-core score on the Geekbench 4 score, there werent any discrepancies in other scores.

Gaming performance was quite good with no frame drops observed while playing Asphalt 8: Airborne, Dead Trigger 2, Modern Combat 5. The maximum temperatures as recorded by the Fluke IR thermometer on the back of the Z2 Plus after a heavy gaming session were around 35 degrees Celcius. While shooting for longer periods does heat up the phone, but again the temperatures arent unbearably hot. The heat management is good overall.

Fingerprint scanner is good, though not the fastest around. But the major U touch feature which lets you program your home button to perform tasks such as swiping left and right, long press and long hold, works quite well. Yes, there is a slight learning curve involved. But once you have set it up, you are good to go.

Camera: 6.5 / 10



The Lenovo Z2 Plus comes with a 13MP ISOCELL rear camera with 1.34 micron pixel size and an f/2.2 aperture which is complemented with a 8MP front-facing camera with a 1.4 micron pixel size. The rear camera is capable to shooting 4K videos and the front camera can shoot up to full HD video. The Z2 Plus also supports slow motion shooting at 120fps, 480fps and 960fps  with decreasing resolutions. The camera interface is slightly modified from a stock Google camera. The menu options present themselves in a circular sort of layout. There is no manual shooting mode.

Image quality in the daylight was quite good, with images showing a good amount of detail. Focussing speed is quick. But sharpness is not the best as you will notice fine objects such as fur, dense foliage and so on showing a waxy surface on 100 percent zoom. Lowlight and indoor shots show noise, and the sharpness goes for a toss. Focussing speeds also arent the best. With HDR mode, we noticed that the balancing of highlight and shadow regions isnt satisfactory. We got a lot of blown out photos when we metered for the shadow region and vice versa. Since there is no manual control, you cannot really tweak much. You will need a third party camera app for that.

Video quality is fine as long as the camera is steady. It does allow 4K video recording, but quality is just about average. There is a slow motion mode at 960fps, which isnt really true slow motion. You can notice jagged edges as compared to the same clip shot on say 120fps, despite the resolution being same. There seems to be some software level trickery at play here.

On the whole, the camera is definitely not the strong aspect of the Lenovo Z2 Plus.

Battery: 8 / 10



It houses a 3500mAh battery which is non-removable. It supports Intelligent Charge Cut-off technology which takes power from the AC power source after the battery is 100 percent charged. The battery life turned out to be quite good, with PC Mark for Android giving an impressive 10 hours 10 minutes. Even in our daily use case, which involves messaging, calling, two email accounts on syncs, audio and video streaming, the phone would last from 8AM to around 10PM before going under 10 percent. It supports QuickCharge 2.0 and bundles in a 2A charger in the box.

Verdict and Price in India

So let us answer that one question that is the norm when it comes to Snapdragon 820 chipset sporting smartphones  Is this phone better than the OnePlus 3? Well, No. There are many areas where OnePlus 3 still excels such as camera, build quality, performance and so on.

But under Rs 20,000 price bracket, the Lenovo Z2 Plus has little competition. It is preferable to go for the 4GB RAM / 64GB storage variant of the Z2 Plus  it just makes sense to spend Rs 2000 more than the base model. With the Z2 Plus you are getting a flagship level chipset in the mid-range segment pricing. So it will definitely appeal to the college going crowd or someone who is upgrading from sub-Rs 10,000 phone.

Battery life, compact form factor, good display, fast performance are some of the positives of the Lenovo Z2 Plus. But camera is a disappointment, as it performs at par with any of the sub Rs 15,000 smartphones. It is great for casual photo sharing, but definitely not meant for camera enthusiasts. The Xiaomi Mi 5 which is slightly higher in price, offers a much better camera and build quality.

So it all boils down to what matters to you. If you're fine with a functional camera and want a long lasting phone with great performance, the the Z2 Plus offers a compelling reason to buy it.

Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.
Beijing: China responded to US President Donald Trump's apocalyptic "fire and fury" threat against North Korea by pointedly warning today against any rhetoric that could inflame tensions over Pyongyang's weapons programmes.

Calling the situation on the Korean Peninsula "complicated and sensitive", China's foreign ministry issued a statement warning that parties involved in the impasse should avoid "words and actions that escalate the situation".

The ministry had been asked to respond to Trump's comment on Tuesday that North Korea would "be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it did not refrain from further bellicose threats against the United States.

Trump's warning came as Pyongyang said it was considering a missile strike near the US territory of Guam and after US media reported North Korea may have successfully miniaturized a nuclear warhead, considered a key step in becoming a full nuclear power.

Trump's words marked a sharp intensification of Washington's rhetoric over the North's nuclear and missile programmes, which saw a seventh set of United Nations sanctions imposed on it at the weekend, and appeared to echo Pyongyang's own trademark threats.

Trump's tone was markedly different to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's assurances last week that Washington was not seeking regime change in Pyongyang.

North Korea raised the stakes just hours after Trump's warning, saying it was considering missile strikes near US strategic military installations on the Pacific island of Guam.

Once finalised, the plan could be put into action at "any moment" once leader Kim Jong-Un made a decision, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted a military statement as saying.

China, Pyongyang's traditional ally and biggest trading partner, has long called for the United States and North Korea to exercise restraint in the impasse and seek a negotiated solution that would de-nuclearise its secretive neighbour.
Washington: President Donald Trump said Wednesday the United States' nuclear arsenal was "more powerful than ever" in a fresh warning to North Korea over its repeated missile tests.

Hours after putting Pyongyang on notice that it faced "fire and fury" over its weapons program, Trump took to Twitter to proclaim that the US military's nuclear capability had become stronger since he came to power.

And after North Korea said it was considering a missile strike near the US Pacific territory of Guam, Trump's top diplomat delivered a message of reassurance to its residents and military personnel as he made a stop-over on the island.

Trump's "fire and fury" comments on Tuesday marked a sharp intensification of Washington's rhetoric over the North's nuclear and missile programs, triggering expressions of concern from China as well as from US allies.

But his early morning tweets  written from New Jersey, where he is on vacation for two weeks  dashed hopes of a cooling of tensions.

"My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before," Trump wrote.

My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017

"Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!"

...Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017

'Americans should sleep well'

Trump's language towards North Korea has become increasingly hard-edged since Pyongyang staged a successful Intercontinental Ballistic Missile test (ICBM) in July which put the US mainland in range for the first time.

Guam  a 210-square-mile dot in the Pacific that is home to some 6,000 US troops  would be a far easier target were North Korea to confirm its position as a fully-fledged nuclear power.

Hours after Trump's "fire and fury" comments, Pyongyang's KCNA state news agency reported that plans were being drawn up for missile strikes against Guam that could be put into action at "any moment" after Kim Jong-Un gives the order.

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson, who refuelled in Guam on Wednesday while flying back home from Southeast Asia, said Trump was determined to send an unequivocal message to his North Korean counterpart.

"What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong-Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," he said.

Tillerson said that he did not believe "there is any imminent threat" to Guam or other US targets and hoped that diplomatic pressure would prevail in the crisis.

"I think Americans should sleep well at night, have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days," Tillerson said.

Rapid progress

Experts have long differed over the North's exact capabilities but all agree it has made rapid progress under Kim.

Last month, Pyongyang carried out its first two successful ICBM launches, the first  described by Kim as a gift to "American bastards"  showing it could reach Alaska, and the second extending its range even further, with some experts suggesting New York could be vulnerable.

The Washington Post quoted a US Defense Intelligence Agency analysis on Tuesday as saying officials think North Korea now has "nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery"  including by its ICBMs  making it a potent threat against neighbors and possibly the United States.

The Pentagon did not comment on the story, but the Washington Post said two US officials familiar with the analysis had verified the assessment's broad conclusions, and CNN said it had confirmed the report.

The North's current ability to launch an accurate nuclear strike remains open to question, with analysts suggesting it has yet to overcome some major technical hurdles.

After Kim's second ICBM test, some experts said it appeared the "re-entry vehicle" that would carry a warhead back into Earth's atmosphere from space had failed in the intense heat.

US officials have repeatedly said this year that military action against the North was an "option on the table," though Tillerson said nothing had "dramatically changed" in the military equation in the past 24 hours.

The UN Security Council unanimously approved a series of sanctions over the weekend which could cost North Korea $1 billion a year, with even the regime's main ally China voting for the US-drafted proposal.

While the sanctions vote was seen as a diplomatic triumph for the US, there is widespread unease about the ramping up in tensions.

The North's main ally China warned against "words and actions" that would stoke tensions, while Germany said it was watching the "increasing rhetorical escalation" with concern.

France meanwhile praised Trump's "determination" in standing up to Pyongyang.

Republican US Senator John McCain said Trump should tread carefully when speaking about the North, telling a US radio station, "All it's going to do is bring us closer to some kind of serious confrontation."

In a separate development Wednesday, Pyongyang announced the release on medical grounds of a Canadian pastor jailed nearly two-and-a-half years ago for meddling in state affairs.
Washington: FBI agents have searched one of the homes of Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Manafort's spokesman said Wednesday.

Spokesman Jason Maloni said in a statement that FBI agents had obtained a warrant and searched one of Manafort's homes, but he would not say when the search occurred. The Washington Post, which first reported the raid, said it occurred the morning of 26 July at Manafort's home in Alexandria, Va.

"Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well," Maloni said.

Manafort has been a subject of a longstanding FBI investigation into his dealings in Ukraine and work for the country's former president, Viktor Yanukovych. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is also investigating Manafort as part of his probe into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and any possible collusion with Trump associates.

Manafort has denied any wrongdoing. He has also cooperated with congressional committees investigating the election interference. Manafort recently spoke with staff of the Senate Intelligence committee about a June 2016 meeting he attended with Donald Trump Jr. That meeting was described to Trump Jr in emails as part of a Russian government effort to help the Trump campaign.

Manafort has also turned over documents to the Senate Intelligence and Judiciary committees.

Law enforcement authorities seeking to obtain a search warrant must generally establish to a judge that there is probable cause to believe that a crime may have been committed. Applications for such warrants tend to be detailed about the evidence that agents are looking for and the nature of the criminal activity they are investigating.

Manafort led the Trump campaign for several months.
United Nations: India has ratified the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol that commits countries to contain the emission of greenhouse gases, reaffirming its stand on climate action.

In a brief statement, India's Permanent Mission to the UN said that India deposited its Instrument of Acceptance of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol under the UN Convention on Climate Change Tuesday.

With this, India became the 80th country to accept the amendment relating to the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, the international emissions reduction treaty.

"India's acceptance reaffirms our continued commitment to climate action," the Indian mission said in a statement.

India's permanent representative to the UN, ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, who handed over India's Instrument, tweeted "maintaining momentum on Climate Change. India submits instrument of acceptance of Doha Amendment to Kyoto Protocol".

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which commits its Parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets.

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997 and entered into force in February 2005. The first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol was from 2008-2012.

The Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Qatar in December 2012.

The amendment includes new commitments for parties to the Kyoto Protocol who agreed to take on commitments in a second commitment period from January 2013 to December 2020 and a revised list of greenhouse gases to be reported on by Parties in the second commitment period, according to the UNFCCC website.

The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in January given its approval to ratify the second commitment period of the international treaty.
After former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif was barred from holding public office and contesting elections owing to graft charges, speculations are rife that his wife Begum Kulsoom Nawaz and their daughter Maryam Nawaz may contest the by-elections from the seat vacated by Sharif.

"In the internal party discussions so far, names of Begum Kulsoom and Maryam have emerged as first and second priority respectively as PML-N candidates for the seat (that) fell vacant after disqualification of the prime minister," a party official told the Dawn newspaper.

Though Begum Kulsoom had successfully led the party's movement for the release of her jailed husband after a military coup in 1999, neither she nor her daughter Maryam has ever taken part in any electoral bout at any level.

However, this should not deter PML-N from hoisting Begum Kulsoom on the political dias, as enough number of precedents exist, when the political legacy of men was passed on to the women in their family.

Rabri Devi

The most vivid example of a wife inheriting her husband's legacy, in a premise quite similar to Sharif's, comes to mind from neighbouring Indian state, Bihar. The year was 1997 and like Sharif, Lalu Prasad Yadav too was facing graft charges and was forced to step down as the state's chief minister. Just when most of his political rivals were preparing for celebrations, for bringing down the Lalu raj, the RJD chief stunned the Opposition by forcing the mantle on his wife Rabri Devi, according to a report in India Today. The move, then looked upon as an unprecedented political stunt, was met with severe criticism amid allegations that Rabri was practically unlettered and had little interest in public service or politics, let alone the lack of experience.

Sonia Gandhi

After Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, an orphaned Congress ailed by a bitter power struggle was at a loss for a strong leadership at its top, which till then had been relying on the Nehru-Gandhi family to provide the rightful heir to head the party. With Indira and Sanjay Gandhi already dead, and Rahul and Priyanka too young to shoulder the responsibility, the charge was left on a widowed Sonia, who had never shown any keen interest in Indian politics before Rajiv's death, according to an India Today report from the time.

"Whether Rajiv's widow likes it or not, she has become a focal point in a power struggle in the ruling party," the report from August 1991 states.

In fact an Italian-born Sonia's nationality, her lack of understanding of the Indian populace, and her sparse knowledge of Hindi became a common soft spot for her political rivals. However, history tells us that none of that deterred Sonia from becoming the virtual head of Indian state for 10 years and commanding the Indian democracy's oldest party.

In Pakistan too, several women leaders of prominence come from well known political dynasties.

Benazir Bhutto

Daughter of former Pakistan prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was introduced to politics in tumultuous times. Pakistani Army General had overthrown her father's government and imprisoned him and Benazir ran a campaign against the army general's move. She was forced to spend years in exile. However, her long years in detention and exile got her prominence in the political space in Pakistan. Her tumultuous political career, which ended with her assassination in 2007, saw her become Pakistan's prime minister twice. She became the first female to do so in Pakistan.

Hina Rabbani Khar

A well-known face in India, Hina is known, in India, as a strong advocate of better ties with New Delhi. In Pakistan, she holds the distinction of being the 26th foreign minister and the first woman to hold the post. She hails from an influential Sindhi-Muslim family and is the daughter of prominent politician Ghulam Noor Rabbani Khar. Like Sonia and Rabri, Hina's entry in politics too was a chanced affair, one that was doctored by her father. She came from a family of parliamentarians, "who entered politics by default - they happened to be sons, daughters or wives of politicians who were disqualified under a 2002 law that required election candidates to hold a college degree," a BBC article stated. Before setting on the path of politics, Hina was pursuing a masters degree in hotel management from the University of Massachusetts.
Islamabad: Shehbaz Sharif is set to be appointed as president of the PML-N after Pakistan's Election Commission asked the ruling party to replace his brother Nawaz Sharif, who was disqualified as prime minister by the Supreme Court, a senior leader has said.

Raja Zafarul Haq, senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, told the media that Shehbaz Sharif, 65, would be the new president of PML-N.

The formal decision would be taken later this week in Lahore in meeting of the PML-N. Though Nawaz still holds sole authority to appoint anyone to any post but he consults party before major decisions.

The 68-year-old ousted prime minister was president of the ruling party until he was disqualified by the Supreme Court on 28 July over the Panama Papers scandal. According to the local laws he lost his seat in the national assembly and cannot hold any post in the party.

Opposition parties had lodged petitions against the then premier over the scandal demanding trial of the first family for the assets and properties they owned, alleging that the premier and his children resorted to money laundering and graft.

The top court took up the case in October and formal hearings of the petitions began in November.

After around four months, a verdict was reserved by the top court in February and was delivered on 20 April that ordered for formation of a six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the first family.

After 60 days, the probe committee filed its report in the court and within two weeks, a verdict was delivered that ordered the elections authority to disqualify Nawaz Sharif.

On Tuesday, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) through the notice told the PML-N that Nawaz Sharif cannot lead the party after disqualification under the Political Parties Order 2002.
Johannesburg: South Africa's Jacob Zuma on Tuesday survived a no-confidence vote in the parliament against his embattled presidency, despite widespread divisions within the ruling ANC party and growing anger over alleged corruption.

Of the 384 votes cast in the 400-member parliament this evening, 198 were against the motion and 177 in favour of it.

It was the eighth time in the past seven years that Zuma faced a no-confidence motion, but the debate on Tuesday as different in that some of his own African National Congress (ANC) voted for the motion together with opposition parties.

With a large majority in the parliament, the ANC has repeatedly outvoted the opposition in previous motions, but this time round a number of ANC members had indicated that they would support the opposition because of Zuma's alleged involvement in corrupt activities and state capture.

But the motion failed to secure the support of the 50 ANC members required for it to succeed.

There have been huge tensions within the factions of the ANC for months amid huge public protests calling for Zuma's removal.

Several ANC members of parliament who publicly stated that they would vote with the opposition for Zuma's removal received death threats, while others had said that they would vote with their conscience on the day.

ANC leaders said any member who voted for the motion would be disciplined, prompting the call for a secret ballot to avoid such action and intimidation.

Across the country, there were huge marches and protests as the elected leaders debated the issue of Zuma's removal.

While most marches were organised by a civil society coalition calling for Zuma's removal, there were a few in support of Zuma as well, with violence erupting in a few areas.

Opposition parties and the Future South Africa coalition of social, religious and community organisations have vowed to intensify their battle to get Zuma recalled by the ANC.
Kathmandu (Nepal): Hundreds of members of Nepal's gay community marched through Kathmandu Tuesday, many wearing vibrant costumes and carrying rainbow flags and balloons, in an annual pride parade.

The march is timed to coincide with the Hindu festival of Gai Jatra, which brings hundreds onto the streets to pay respects to those who have died in the past year.

Historically Gai Jatra, which dates back to when Nepal was under royal rule, was also a chance for people to criticise the government  with many people in colourful costumes satirising politicians.

In recent years the gay community has started using the festival to call attention to its demands for equal rights.

Around 1,500 people took part in the parade, paying tribute to members of LGBTI community who had died in 2017, including American artist Gilbert Baker who designed the rainbow flag that has become an emblem of the gay community.

"Every year we celebrate a pride festival to show that we want to be recognised in this society with our different identity, that we are a part of this society," said Pinky Gurung, president of the Blue Diamond Society, a gay rights organisation in Nepal.

Nepal has some of South Asia's most progressive laws on homosexuality and transgender rights, but activists say members of the community continue to face discrimination and live in the shadows of society.

"The government has recognised us but should do more. People of third gender like us should be able to come out in the open, society should accept us," said Kirti Gurung, a 21-year-old transgender woman.

Last month a transgender woman and her husband were issued a marriage certificate by a district office, a first in Nepal.

But the country's laws are silent on same-sex or transgender marriages and the legality of the union is unclear.
Panasonic today launched Eluga A3 and A3 Pro smartphones in the A Series in India. These have a 5.2-inch HD screen, runs Android 7.0 (Nougat), come with a 13-megapixel rear camera, 8-megapixel front camera, fingerprint sensor on the front and pack a 4000mAh battery, but the A3 comes with quad-core MediaTek MT6737 SoC, while the A3 Pro is powered by Mediatek MT6753 SoC. These phones also come with ARBO virtual assistant.



The company has signed Taapsee Pannu, as its brand ambassador in addition to Varun Dhawan, the existing brand ambassador for its smartphone business.

Panasonic Eluga A3 and A3 Pro specifications

5.2-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display with Asahi Dragon Trail Glass protection

1.25 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6737 64-bit processor with Mali-T720 GPU (A3) / 1.3GHz Octa-Core Mediatek MT6753 Processor with Mali T-720 GPU (A3 Pro)

3GB RAM, 16GB (A3) / 32GB (A3 Pro) internal memory, expandable memory up to 128GB with MicroSD

Android 7.0 (Nougat)

Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano /microSD)

13MP rear camera with LED Flash, PDAF

8MP front-facing camera

Fingerprint sensor

Dimensions: 148.7 x 72.49.1 mm; Weight: 161g

3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio

4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS

4000mAh battery

The Panasonic Eluga A3 and A3 Pro come in Mocha Gold, Gold and Grey colors, are priced at Rs. 11,290 and Rs. 12,790 respectively and will be available from tomorrow, August 10th across all Panasonic brand shops and other retail outlets across the country.

Commenting on the launch, Manish Sharma, President & CEO, Panasonic India & South Asia, Vice President, Appliances Company and Executive Officer, Panasonic Corporation said:

We believe our in-house developed artificial intelligence (AI)-based virtual assistantArbo will be a differentiator. Today, softwares comprising of applications and user-interface (UI) have become the deciding factor to upgrade yourself to the next level of technology. The evolution of technology software has opened endless opportunities. Customers will continue to look for technology which will shape the product interface and the way we interact with our smartphones.
Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn is pledging to build a new facility in Wisconsin. Governor Scott Walker joined FOX Business to discuss why the new plant is so important for the states economy.

These LCD displays will be made in America for the very first time right here in the state of Wisconsin and we think its transformational, which is why we are calling this region Wiscon Valley, because we think it will not only help Foxconn but all the other businesses related to it. It will help put Wisconsin on the map all around the world, he said.

However, taxpayers may not see the benefits until 2043, according to a new analysis by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

In Wisconsin years ago we eliminated all but a fraction of the state tax on manufacturing as well as on agriculture, our two biggest industries. So if youre a business thinking about moving to Wisconsin right now you should know whether its 13, 130, 1,300 or 13,000 jobs, youre one of the best places in the world to be at in Wisconsin because we value manufacturing. Thats why it takes a little longer than a typical job out there or a typical project out there, he said.

The deal would provide Foxconn with $3 billion in incentives towards a $10 billion plant. In addition to the 13,000 jobs being created at the new plant, the deal would generate an additional 22,000 indirect and induced jobs in Wisconsin, he said.

All the other entities, all the other suppliers, the supply chain issues  Weve already seen Corning Glass say that they are going to come because to build these LCD displays theyve got to be close to where these facilities are at, said Walker.

He also expects the deal to attract people from other states and countries.

You are seeing other entities, other businesses  we think it will help us attract talent across the country and around the world and keep more of our college and high school graduates here in the state of Wisconsin, he said.

This isnt the first time Foxconn planned to build a plant in the U.S. In 2013, FoxConn said it would build a 500-worker plant in Pennsylvania. Even though it never materialized, Walker said Wisconsin has claw-back provisions in place as protection.

We have what you call pay as you grow. So they dont get a penny if the jobs dont materialize and they dont make the capital investment, he said, and added that Foxconn backed out of the Pennsylvania deal due to a governor change.
At some point during many flights, the captain will calmly announce that there could be some bumps ahead and so passengers must be seated with their seat belts on.

The plane might seem to bobble or bounce a bit, but rarely does it turn into a serious threat to safety. That, however, is just what happened to an American Airlines flight last weekend, when 10 people were injured as the plane plowed through turbulence on its way to landing in Philadelphia.

A rundown of statistics, recent incidents, and what pilots and airlines do to avoid hitting potholes in the sky:

THE NUMBERS

About 40 people a year are seriously injured by turbulence in the U.S., according to Federal Aviation Administration figures from the last 10 years. The FAA counted 44 injuries last year, the most since more than 100 were hurt in 2009.

But the official count is almost certainly too low.

The National Transportation Safety Board requires airlines to report incidents that result in serious injury or death, and FAA uses those reports to tally the number of people hurt by turbulence. But airlines are not required to report injuries unless they require a 48-hour hospital stay or involve certain specific injuries such as major broken bones, burns or organ damage.

Saturday's American Airlines flight to Philadelphia likely won't meet those standards  the injured people were released from the hospital within a few hours and didn't suffer the types of injuries that trigger a report to the federal safety board.

RECENT FLIGHTS

The American Airlines flight from Athens hit severe turbulence over the New York coastline. Seven crew members and three passengers among the 299 people on board were taken to a hospital for treatment. American Airlines spokesman Ross Feinstein said the seat-belt sign was on but none of the injured people were buckled in.

Feinstein said the plane was inspected and suffered no damage. After the interior was cleaned up  coffee and other drinks went flying, even splashing the ceiling  the plane was put back in service Monday, he said.

It was the latest in a string of scary turbulence incidents.

 In June, 10 people on a United Airlines flight from Panama City to Houston were injured when their plane was shaken over the Gulf of Mexico.

 In May, more than two dozen passengers suffered injuries including broken bones when they were tossed around the cabin of an Aeroflot plane headed from Moscow to Bangkok.

 More than 20 people were injured in August 2016 when a JetBlue plane ran into turbulence in a line of thunderstorms over South Dakota and had to make an emergency landing.

RATING TURBULENCE

Turbulence is classified as light, moderate, severe or extreme. The first two might be frightening to some passengers, but it is only the latter two that are dangerous, especially for passengers and crew who aren't buckled in.

Most people associate turbulence with heavy storms. The most dangerous type, however, is so-called clear-air turbulence  a wind-shear phenomenon that can occur in wispy cirrus clouds or even clear air near thunderstorms, as differences in temperature and pressure create powerful currents of fast-moving air.

Planes can sail into clear-air turbulence without warning, as appeared to happen to the American Airlines flight.

TECHNOLOGY, TERRAIN AND THE EYE TEST

Airlines rely on meteorologists to predict the location and intensity of bad weather, and dispatchers on the ground give updates to pilots during a flight.

Pilots are on notice anytime a flight goes over a mountain range or through certain kinds of weather fronts.

Modern airliners are equipped with sophisticated weather-radar technology, yet often "it's as simple as looking out the window," says Patrick Smith, an airline pilot and author of "Ask the Pilot." Indicators such as thunder clouds with an anvil-shaped top usually mean the ride is about to get bumpy. But the most helpful tool, he says, is reports from other pilots in the area.

PILOTS REACT

Pilots have a few techniques for getting through turbulence safely. They can slow down to what is called turbulence-penetration speed  fast enough to avoid a stall, but not so fast that they risk damaging the plane. They can ask air traffic controllers to let them move to a lower or higher altitude or go around troublesome clouds, but those requests can't always be honored.

"If you feel the plane climbing or descending midflight, (there is a) good chance it's because of a report from fellow pilots up ahead," Smith says.

___

Associated Press writer Anthony Izaguirre in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

David Koenig can be reached at http://twitter.com/airlinewriter
Drop-tops now make up just a fraction of the U.S. car market, but shoppers on the coasts still aspire to buy a convertible, according to Cars.com research.

While sales are small, convertibles can be a lucrative segment for automakers because buyers dreaming of the open air tend to pay a premium. Automakers offer a total of 30 convertible models, reflecting 11.2% of all vehicles on the showroom floor. Sales lag behind at just 0.8% of retail volume.

When compared to a segment like minivans, which has just seven models available and double the sales market share of convertibles, it is obvious just how aspirational the convertible segment is, said Cars.com data analyst David Greene.

Mainstream and luxury brands offer convertibles across a wide range of prices. Cars.com noted the difference between the $19,283 Fiat 500 Cabrio and the $190,875 Audi R8 Spyder. Convertible versions of the Ford (NYSE:F) Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro, the most popular drop-top on Cars.com, are available starting around $32,000.

The Mustang ranks as the sixth-most popular convertible in Cars.com searches. Other than the Camaro, Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette, the websites list of the top 10 convertibles is dominated by foreign brands:

Chevrolet Camaro Mazda MX-5 Miata Mercedes-Benz S-Class Jaguar F-TYPE Chevrolet Corvette Ford Mustang Porsche 911 Mercedes-Benz C-Class BMW 4 Series Fiat 124 Spider

Convertibles are a rarity in most snowy states. Most buyers live in sunny locations and high-income markets, such as New Jersey:
Escalating threats from North Korea are impacting the markets with U.S. stocks down across the board. Investors are reacting to this new geopolitical catalyst form North Korea as earning season in the U.S. starts to wind down.

Well watch out Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX). Disney (NYSE:DIS) says it will pull its movies from Netflix when it launches its own streaming service in 2019. And before that, it will start an ESPN streaming service for live sporting events.

Bosses are looking to fill more than 6 million positions! That is an all-time high, and it could indicate that companies are struggling to find qualified workers. As for the industries with the most jobs available? Health care and construction.

And keeping up with the Trumps. The president's childhood home in Queens, New York is now for rent on Airbnb, going for about $700 a night!
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Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), Raytheon (NYSE:RTN) and other military suppliers say they have received more interest in missile defense systems, as countries focus on bolstering their defenses amid escalating threats from North Korea.

Lockheed, the largest defense contractor in the world, has fielded an increase in customer inquiries regarding missile-related capabilities over the past 12 to 18 months, the company confirmed on Wednesday.

Raytheon, known for the Tomahawk missile and other weaponry, also said global threats are driving demand.

Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com

We are seeing significant demand signals for our integrated air and missile defense, cyber and ISR solutions driven by events going on around the world today. Interest in our international portfolio is strong and growing, Raytheon told FOX Business.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ:KTOS) said it has seen significantly more demand for its missile defense offerings. Among other products, the San Diego-based company makes ballistic missile targets that simulate potential threats. Kratos received a $10 million contract earlier this month to manufacture components for an anti-ballistic missile defense system.

Kratos is receiving significantly increased customer interest in our Ballistic Missile Defense related products and solutions, both in the United States and internationally, the company said in a statement.

The uptick in demand coincides with accelerated ballistic missile tests in North Korea. On Tuesday, the Kim regime threatened to attack Guam, where thousands of U.S. military personnel are stationed.

President Donald Trump warned North Korea that its threats will be met with fire and fury. Trump also tweeted on Wednesday that the U.S. nuclear arsenal is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before.

Tim Cahill, vice president of Lockheeds Air and Missile Defense division, told Reuters that some countries have made missile defense their top priority.

The level of dialogue around missile defense is now at the prime minister and minister of defense level, Cahill said.

Lockheed is the company behind the THAAD missile defense system. The U.S. military, which has a THAAD battery in Guam, conducted a successful test of a missile intercept in July. Boeing (NYSE:BA), Raytheon and Honeywell (NYSE:HON) are among the supporting contractors that work on the THAAD system.

Shares of Lockheed rose 1.5% and hit a new all-time high on Wednesday. The stock has rallied 21.8% so far this year. Kratos spiked 4.9%, and Raytheon jumped 2%, also touching a record high.
Shares of Verizon (NYSE: VZ) have rebounded since the company in late July reported a solid second quarter with a strong showing in wireless due to the company's new unlimited plan. Also highlighted was the completion of the Yahoo! acquisition and its combination with AOL under the new Oath media business subsidiary. That business is generating $7 billion a year in revenue, and Verizon expects to reap $1 billion in operating expenses from Oath through 2020.

While Verizon investors rightfully focus their attention each quarter on wireless results, the company is doing exciting work on less noticeable IoT and 5G network business development.

The IoT and telematics

Over the last couple of years, Verizon has made a number of Internet of Things (IoT) acquisitions -- smaller but important purchases that have mostly flown under the radar. You can read about those in more detail here.

The company offers little in the way of specifics on the performance of its spending spree, other than it has an IoT division. However, the company said in its recent quarterly earnings report and on the quarterly conference call with analysts that organic IoT revenue, including telematics, grew about 20% year-over-year. The recently acquired telematics business  which is comprised of connected vehicle and fleet tracking and management services  brought in $220 million in the second quarter.

No one really knows what the total market will eventually be for the IoT, but an estimate from Gartner says that the number of global connected devices will exceed 20 billion by the year 2020. That compares with an estimated 8.4 billion or so in operation this year. That's a big market, and someone will need to provide a network on which all of those devices communicate.

This offers an important avenue of growth for Verizon, which saw revenue drop 2% in the quarter, excluding divestitures and acquisitions. It reported total consolidated operating revenue of $30.5 billion. The IoT business could eventually be a catalyst for big growth.

5G: A network for a more connected world

Closely linked to the IoT business is the development of 5G, a next-generation wireless network that will boast faster speeds and less latency than the current 4G LTE. More importantly, though, 5G will be able to power advanced connected machines like autonomous vehicles and devices used in offering remote healthcare.

Verizon has been working to be the first to roll out the next-gen network, including outbidding AT&T (NYSE: T) for 5G technology and patent holding company Straight Path Communications for $3.1 billion. 2017 is a big year, as initial 5G testing in eight urban markets is underway.

On the conference call, management was short on details here and said to wait for more information later this year when results from the testing is released. Testing involves an initial batch of customers that Verizon is using as guinea pigs to learn how to roll out 5G for general commercial use.

What it means for investors

With Verizon's current 4G-centric wireless business making up about three-fourths of revenue, it will continue to be the driving force behind business and share price performance. However, the current iteration of telecom technology is mostly played out as far as growth goes, leaving telecom businesses fighting over the existing client base in the U.S.

While still small and in early development phase, Verizon's IoT and 5G units do little to impact quarterly results. However, as the world gets increasingly connected, these segments stand to grow and have the potential to pull Verizon out of its current fight for mobile phone subscribers.

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Connecticut, the nations wealthiest state, is so mired by fiscal challenges, including its lack of a budget, that its schools are delaying openings and laying off teachers.

Torrington School District shifted its first day of classes for students from August 28 to September 5 in an effort to mitigate cash flow concerns.

It is related to the budget, Torrington Public Schools Superintendent Denise Clemons said in a statement to FOX Business. This delay will also delay approximately $570,000 in spending.

In a letter to parents, the school district apologized for the inconvenience, calling the decision to postpone the first day of school difficult.

We are trying to make the best out of a situation that we have to manage, Clemons wrote in the letter.

Meanwhile, Tolland School District is cutting staff members and could be forced to eliminate up to 10% of teachers, according to a local newspaper.

Other schools, like Warren Harding High School, are turning to GoFundMe pages in order to finance after school sports, as reported by The Connecticut Post.

Last week, in response to media questions about the daunting problems facing public schools, Gov. Dannel Malloy (D-Conn.) said if no agreement is reached on a budget in the coming weeks, he will be forced to readjust the school funding formula.

If this drags on, we may have to look at some things differently, he said. I will put more emphasis on our actual need to honor the state constitutions requirement with respect to a free public education and that may skew how we make those expenditures in the coming weeks if we dont have an agreement by the time the checks are otherwise supposed to go out.

When asked about when the public should expect districts to make staffing decisions, Malloy said most districts have been making those decisions since May, April.

Connecticut, which boasts a $3.5 billion deficit, has been operating without a state budget since July 1. After the state legislature was unable to reconcile partisan differences in order to pass a spending package before the onset of the new fiscal year in July, Gov. Dannel Malloy (D-Conn.) assumed control over the states finances through an emergency executive order to continue appropriations until lawmakers agree on legislation.

Meanwhile, the state is battling a milieu of other fiscal challenges beyond the budget.

Despite having a per capita personal income that is more than 143% of the national averageaccording to Moodys Investors Service the states economy continues to lag behind others. Revenue shortfalls in the state register around $450 million for the current fiscal year alone, while estimated deficit totals are projected to clock in near $5 billion for the 2018 and 2019 fiscal years combined, according to The Connecticut Business & Industry Association. Debt outstanding levels and unfunded pension liabilities relative to revenues are among the highest of any state in the country, Moodys said in May.

Connecticut isnt the only state facing fiscal challenges that have trickled down to the public school system. Illinois, which broke a record two-year spending impasse this summer, has a state government that has been unable to agree on most fiscal issues  including the best way to allocate cash to its public education institutions. Earlier this month, Gov. Bruce Rauner (R-Ill.) issued a partial veto of a comprehensive spending package put forth by the Democratic-controlled state legislature, forcing the measure back to the House and Senate. As part of the budget deal reached last month, the state government needs to administer a new prescription for public school funding or schools wont receive anything.

In order for the bill to move forward, the state House and Senate will need to either override Rauners veto or approve his changes. For that to happen, both chambers will need three-fifths majorities in either direction, something that could prove challenging in a state that has been plagued by partisan gridlock. Without agreement, the bill will die, which means state public schools will not receive funding before classes begin.
We've not seen anything like this before. North Korea has directly threatened America.

Its a rogue state. Reportedly, it has developed a compact nuclear weapon that fits onto a missile capable of hitting the American mainland. And North Koreas leader has publicly warned he has plans to attack. In the nuclear era, this is unique.

And we have a brand new president. His first response matched the rhetoric of Kim Jong-Un..." fire and fury, the likes of which the world has never seen before.

The stakes could not be higher. Previous presidents tried diplomacy. It failed.

China is in part responsible for this, North Korea is their client state. They had better be part of the fix.

Japan is watching...They could go nuclear very quickly, and add yet another Asian state to the nuclear club: Pakistan, India, China, North Korea...now Japan?

But it is President Trump who is very much in the spotlight. This crisis is not of his making, but it is his crisis to deal with. No president can sit back and do nothing when a rogue nuclear power directly and publicly threatens the United States. Can't walk away from it. Can't kick the can down the road.

This is crunch time. Democrats and Republicans should not let the North Koreans divide us. They would exploit any opening. Unite around the president, no matter what you think of his tone or style.

President Trump needs the support of the country, because it is all of the whole country that is threatened.

One more time: On this day in 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. It was the last time a nuclear weapon was used on the battlefield.
The rhetoric continues to add to the tensions between North Korea and the U.S. President Trump warned threats from North Korea would be met with fire and fury, while North Korea claims it has missiles that could reach Guam.

The U.S. has tried sanctions, but former Navy SEAL Carl Higbie told the FOX Business Networks Maria Baritromo, Obviously sanctions havent worked.

Though Higbie didnt support a preemptive strike by the U.S., he did support a military response to North Koreas missile tests.

We can park three carrier strike groups off the coast, and I wrote about this in an Op-Ed this morning, and the next time he shoots a missile you shoot it down, the next time he shoots another missile you shoot that down and you blow up the installation that it came from and you continue to repeat this over and over again.

Higbie says the military options need to be considered since sanctions and diplomacy have failed to be an effective solution.

Unfortunately, I think its going to come to a show of force. It may be at the hands of our military, you know, blowing up many of their military installations. I hope that we dont have to take it out on the people, because the people suffer so much and I wish we could avoid a conflict.

According to Higbie, the U.S. cant rely on China to help ease the tensions with North Korea.

China is kind of stuck in a rock and a hard place. China doesnt want America to go into North Korea because then theyd have U.S. troops on their border, so thats one of the things they do not want. And also, they are worried about us sanctioning them or working against their banks and their system.

But once the U.S. reacts to North Korea with a military response, Higbie says China will quickly change its tune.

The first thing thats going to happen is Chinas going to come back to the table and say, how can we help, once we take some sort of military action.
North Koreas military is threatening the United States with plans to fire missiles at the U.S.-held Pacific island of Guam after President Trumps fire and fury warning to Kim Jong-un.

The Strategic Force of the North Korean People's Army, or K.P.A., said it is now carefully examining the operational plan for making an enveloping fire at the areas around Guam with medium-to-long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 in order to contain the U.S. major military bases on Guam including the Anderson Air Force Base, according to a statement issued by the North's state-run KCNA news agency.

In an interview with FOX Business Stuart Varney, Fox News military analyst Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney, said this is Trumps Cuban Missile Crisis and the president has six months to a year to prepare for war.

Its a Korean missile crisis and he should handle it accordingly, he said. I would immediately, if I was the president, recall the Congress and get them to pass a 2018 defense bill. We need that right away. We cannot be delayed. We cannot have a continuing resolution.

McInerney recommends the U.S. create a political Pacific area treaty organization similar to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to counter both North Korea and China.

The Chinese are the ones that have created this monster in North Korea so we cannot expect any help from them.

The retired Air Force lieutenant general said Kim Jong-uns nuclear threats give the U.S. military no choice but to build a conventional and nuclear retaliatory offensive.

We use nuclear capabilities if they [North Korea] fire one round on Seoul. We destroy in five minutes because we have an airborne alert with cruise missiles that we can take out that artillery right away. We dont want to do it, but we will retaliate that, McInerney said.
Heartbroken relatives of a 3-year-old boy who died after being left in a hot van outside a day care facility in Florida say his death is simply not right  and was the result of gross negligence.

Barbara Livingston, the boys great-aunt, told the Orlando Sentinel that relatives of 3-year-old Myles Hill started getting worried at about 8 p.m. Monday, about 90 minutes after the bus typically arrived at the familys home. The boys grandmother, who has custody, tried calling workers at the Little Miracles Academy in Orlando, but couldnt reach its owners, so she called police and visited the day care herself, Livingston said.

I was on the phone with her and she started to scream, Hes in the van, dead! Livingston recalled, saying the very happy little boy who wouldve turned 4 later this month died simply due to being abandoned.

If you leave your child with someone, that person has the responsibility of taking care of them, Livingston said. He had to lose his life because of someones neglect. Its not right at all. If you have six kids get in the van, you make sure six kids get out of the van.

Charges are pending against the driver of the van, who has been cooperative with authorities, Orlando Police Chief John Mina told reporters during a news conference Tuesday.

This is your worst nightmare come true, Mina told reporters, adding that the absolute tragedy couldve been prevented.

An autopsy still hadnt been performed, but detectives believe it will show that Myles died of heat-related causes, the fifth child to die in a hot car in Florida this year and the 32nd nationwide, according to NoHeatStroke.org, a website that tracks heatstroke-related deaths of children in vehicles.

Read more from The New York Post
Puerto Rico has made it a crime to smoke in a car with any minor onboard.

Violators now face a $250 fine for lighting up in a car when someone under the 18 is present, raising the age limit from a 2007 law that set it a 13.

All of the fines collected will be used to fund a pediatric health center, according to the Associated Press.

Eight U.S. states (Ark., Calif., La., Maine, Ore., Utah, Vt., and Va.) have enacted similar laws with age limits ranging from 8 to 18, and Ohio is currently considering legislation that would penalize smoking in a car with children under 6 with a fine of $500.
This season's "Deadliest Catch" has had its share of medical mayhem and on Tuesday night's episode of the Discovery Channel show, one of captain Jake Anderson's crew men got badly injured.

Earlier, Anderson had told the cameras that "the Bering sea is a taker of lives," and it almost happened to his deck hand Luce.

Anderson steered his ship the Saga in violent weather and was getting poor crab hauls.

And he was lamenting that he had a four man crew of greenhorns -- after he'd had to send his deck boss Sean Dunlop into alcohol rehab and fired worker Dean Gribble for insubordination.

The weather was horrible and Anderson swore at them when they left pots insecure on the deck and one guy got slammed by one as it slid into him.

He turned out to be okay but Anderson shuddered, "It would have killed him. That was closer than I ever want to see."

But a crew man named Luce wasn't so lucky later when he suffered an apparently serious injury.

After Anderson moaned about the lack of crab, Luce fell on deck.

"Hey, he fell!" another crew man suddenly shouted.

"Luce fell! Man down, Jake!"

While working on a stack of crab pots, Luce had lost his balance and toppled 15 feet to the deck.

Anderson went running down from the wheelhouse, asking his injured worker where it hurt.

"We're going to take care of you," he promised as he carried Luce inside the cabin.

Another crew man, Hannes, looked ashen with fear as he told the cameras Luce had cheated death: "I thought he went over the side. I thought he was gone."

Luce complained that his hip felt numb and Anderson suggested aspirin.

But, worried that the man might have a serious injury, Anderson soon called his mentor, Sig Hansen of the Northwestern, to ask for advice.

When Anderson told Hansen that Luce was puking, Hansen said, "He's probably got a concussion. You gotta take him in."

Meanwhile, Luce worried that he didn't have the money for medical care.

But, in another low moment in a disaster of a season for skipper Anderson, he headed to port so that Luce could get treated.

Also on Tuesday's episode, viewers saw captain Sean Dwyer paying tribute to his late father on his boat the Brenna A.

After finishing cod season and going back in search of crab, Dwyer vowed to maintain the family business for his mom and sister.

Dwyer had made a cork as a good luck charm that honored his dadand his crew proceeded to haul in the biggest pot of crab for their whole season.

Dwyer called his mom to tell her about how the cork had brought them luck and she laughed through the tears, "Way to go, honey."
Jim Carrey was given permission by a Los Angeles court on Tuesday to use his ex-girlfriends medical records during the wrongful death trial regarding her suicide.

Carreys former girlfriend, Cathriona White, 30, died in Sept. 2015 from an overdose of prescription drugs, according to The Telegraph. Whites family accused the Mask actor of utilizing his wealth, influence and celebrity status to supply her with the drugs.

Carreys defense argued that White, an Irish make-up artist, was prescribed pain killers after undergoing breast augmentation.

"One of the issues is her prescription medication, Raymond Boucher, Carreys lawyer said. We know she had breast surgery that month, we know she had oxycodone prescribed to her that month."

TAYLOR SWIFT TRIAL: EX-DJ TESTIFYING IN GROPING CASE

Whites family tried to block the medical records from being used citing privacy but Judge Deirdre Hill ruled they may be utilized.

The medical records may also prove if White had any sexually transmitted diseases. In 2013, Whites family claimed the Bruce Almighty actor gave their daughter herpes type 1 and 2. White reportedly tested positive for the disease but took the test under a false name, Jose Lopez.

Carrey has denied that he gave White a sexually transmitted disease.

"We want to be able to establish that Mr. Carrey absolutely did not transmit any herpes and he did not give her his pain medication and she could access her own," Boucher said.

The couple split in March 2013 after an argument. Carrey sent White a text message stating: You have become too much drama.

LAUREN DAIGLE, WAYNE HAUN TOP DOVE AWARDS NOMINATIONS

White wrote a letter that was used in the hearing that said Carrey disrespected and degraded her and called her a whore and opportunist.

The letter was not dated and it is not known when it was written.

After the trial, both sides announced a victory.

"We are pleased because now the same standard will apply to Mr. Carrey. He should be very nervous," Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for the White family, said.

Carrey will undergo a 20-day jury trial in April 2018. Carrey served as a pallbearer at Whites funeral in Tipperary, Ireland.
Actress Raven-Symone opened up about the struggles she underwent after she was body shamed while growing up in show business.

Raven-Symone, 31, said the comments about her weight affected her mentally, according to People.

I wish I was living now as a younger person, she told People. I probably wouldnt have so many mental issues.

[They said] I was too big to be doing an hour and a half concert. I dont know how she can dance being that big. And I was like, I still did it! Raven-Symone said. I was on tour forever because its not about your size, its about what you have to say, if you can sing or dance, and performing. Its not about your size.

The Thats So Raven actress has spoken in the past about comments she received regarding her weight, including when she was a child actress on The Cosby Show.

CHRIS PRATT PENNED FOREWORD FOR ANNA FARIS UPCOMING BOOK BEFORE COUPLE ANNOUNCED SPLIT

It was definitely hard, Raven-Symone said on "The View." I remember not being able to have the bagel or anything at  we would call it crafty, where its just a table of food, ready for you to eat whatever you want. And I remember people would be like, You cant eat that. Youre getting fat! Im like, Im 7! Im hungry!

Raven-Symone, who most recently stars in a new show, Ravens Home, a spinoff of Thats So Raven, told People she is pleased with how accepting people are modern day towards different body types.

I love embracing your body, she said. In this day and age you have all kinds, and its funny, its serious, its every color, its every head shape, its every hair. And theres androgyny, and theres LGBT coming in, and it feels good. We didnt have it enough last time and I guess thats what the past is for  to make sure the present is what it needs to be.

Raven-Symone revealed in October 2014 that she was in a relationship with a woman during an interview with talk show legend Oprah Winfrey. Last week, she told a Hollywood Life podcast that she was shocked that Disney invited her to be on Ravens Home due to her sexual orientation.

JENNIFER LAWRENCE OPENS UP ABOUT HER RELATIONSHIP WITH BRILLIANT DARREN ARONOFSKY

"I was surprised they chose me! I was like, I came out, I said all kinds of stuff look at yall! Thank you Disney for understanding Im a human, Raven-Symone told Hollywood Life. So, yeah, I was pleasantly surprised, but again, as we grow and as the network grows and as humanity grows, the kids are getting smarter and smarter! You cant lie to them, you cant just pull the wool over their eyes anymore. Theyre going to find out. So, I give props to Disney for embracing who I am and who the kids are of today.
A jury reached a verdict in Taylor Swifts groping trial on Monday and after about three hours of deliberation, they ruled in favor of the pop singer, granting her a symbolic $1.

The decision by the six-woman, two-man jury was read Monday in U.S. court in Denver.

Per the ruling, the jury unanimously agreed that former radio DJ David Mueller was not entitled to compensation that he sought in his own lawsuit.

The trial was focused on a 2013 meet-and-greet in which Swift alleged that Mueller groped her during a photo opportunity by putting his hand up her skirt and on her bare backside.

After being fired from his radio station, Mueller sued Swift alleging that the pop star, her mother and her radio liaison purposely destroyed his career.

Swift then countersued for the $1.

"I acknowledge the privilege that I benefit from in life, in society and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this," Swift said in a statement following the verdict. "My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard. Therefore, I will be making donations in the near future to multiple organizations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves."

The judge had tossed out Mueller's case against Taylor Swift on Friday.

U.S. District Judge William Martinez determined that the pop star could not be held liable because Mueller failed to prove that she personally set out to have him fired.

TAYLOR SWIFT TRIAL: FINAL JURY INSTRUCTIONS

Swift testified in court last week that Mueller groped her backstage after a concert.

The singer took the witness stand in a Denver federal court and said, "it was a definite grab. A very long grab."

The incident allegedly happened after a June 2013 concert when Swift was 23. Mueller, who was a radio personality with 98.5 KYGO in Denver at the time, met Swift after the concert.

TAYLOR SWIFT TRIAL: VERDICT FORM

After posing with Swift for a photo, Swifts security team later accused him of inappropriately grabbing Swifts rear end and he was subsequently fired, Mueller said in a lawsuit he filed against the star.

Swift stated in her deposition, Right as the moment came for us to pose for the photo, he took his hand and put it up my dress and grabbed onto my ass cheek, and no matter how much I scooted over, it was still there. It was completely intentional. Ive never been so sure of anything in my life.

There is a photograph that allegedly shows the DJ groping her.

Mueller testified in court this week that he and Swift were trying to reach around one another for the photo and our hands touched and our arms touched. He added that he could have touched her rib cage, or rib or ribs.

Heres what you should know about the case:

Mueller sued Swift first

Mueller sued Swift in September 2015 after he said he was fired from his job and lost other business opportunities because of the allegations.

TAYLOR SWIFT WINS PRE-TRIAL VICTORY IN RADIO DJ ALLEGED GROPING CASE

He has said that his former boss, Eddie Haskell, was the one who allegedly groped Swift after the Pepsi Center concert, claiming that he heard Haskell bragging about it, according to Billboard.

The Denver Post reported that Mueller was making a base salary of $150,000 when he was fired  not including bonuses, product endorsement fees and other public appearance fees.

Swift countersued

Swift countersued Mueller in October 2015  and demanded a jury trial, People reported at the time.

Resolution of this counterclaim will demonstrate that Mueller alone was the perpetrator of the humiliating and wrongful conduct targeted against Ms. Swift, and will serve as an example to other women who may resist publicly reliving similar outrageous and humiliating acts, the countersuit stated.

TAYLOR SWIFT TRIAL: TESTIMONY DELAYED

Her countersuit claimed that Mueller was fired twice from other on-air radio jobs and hadnt worked as an on-air personality since May 2006.

Swift said that she would donate any money won in the trial to charitable organizations dedicated to protecting women from similar acts of sexual assault and personal disregard.

Swift already won a pre-trial victory

A federal judge sanctioned Mueller last month as he admitted to losing or destroying electronic devices that could have contained key evidence  including a recorded conversation between him and his boss the day before he was fired.

Martinez said the lost data was critical evidence in the case.

More trial details

The trial started last Monday. Swifts mother, Andrea Swift, testified and said she didnt call the police as she wanted to keep the matter private and not have it define her daughters life.

Mueller's lawyer, Gabriel McFarland, showed jurors the controversial photograph during his opening remarks. Two jurors stared at the photo on their computer monitors while a few others kept glancing at it as McFarland spoke.

"If you look at that photograph, his hand is not underneath Miss Swift's skirt, and her skirt is not rumpled in any fashion," McFarland said, noting that no one on Swift's concert team saw anything amiss.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Krispy Kreme is trying to make the eclipse a more immersive experience by adding an edible component.

On the same day of the total solar eclipse, August 21, the doughnut shop will be releasing a very special, never-before-seen doughnut  a chocolate rendition of its beloved Original Glazed.

Krispy Kreme Doughnut stores currently offer chocolate-iced variations of their doughnut, but this special edition doughnut will be totally eclipsed by a mouth-watering chocolate glaze, per a press release the company issued on Wednesday.

VEGETARIAN "IMPOSSIBLE BURGER" DOESN'T GET APPROVAL FROM FDA

In the announcement, Krispy Kreme explains that they want to bring the once-in-a-lifetime excitement of the eclipse to everyone, stating, The Chocolate Glazed Doughnut is a delicious way to experience the solar eclipse  no matter where you are.

But before doughnut fans think they have found their new chocolatey go-to, there's a catch  the chocolate creation will only be available for that one single day in stores.

However, Krispy Kremes will be hosting a preview of their anticipated doughnut two days before the eclipse is set to take place. On August 19 and 20, customers can visit a Krispy Kreme store during its hot light hours to sneak a peek  and a taste  of the sweet treat.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Those who can manage to get to a store during the weekend will be able to witness the chocolate glaze waterfall that the company promises. Just dont get too used to it  the original glaze will be back on Tuesday.

The Original Glaze Doughnut will still be offered during the special weekend.
The iconic Plaza Hotel is a hotbed of sexual harassment, according to six former and current staffers whove filed suit against the historic institution.

The women claim theyve been forced to endure a fusillade of unwarranted kissing, groping, and repugnant remarks from their superiors and coworkers  as the hotels management turned a blind eye and even shamed the women when they reported the sickening incidents.

The women, four of whom continue to work as bartenders, servers and in hospitality, claim the dirty dealings included illicit touching and creepy comments  and that the encounters often ended with the men crying.

NEIGHBORS 'MORTIFIED' BY RAUNCHY SEX AT PUBLIC HOTEL IN NYC

Current employee Dana Lewis alleges the hotels general manager, Christian Floren, repeatedly followed her into a coat closet, grabbed her and started kissing her three separate times in a single day. After she rebuffed each advance, the married Floren purportedly started crying and said I dont understand why you dont want me, according to court papers.

Its hell, Lewis, 32, told The Post. Its a never-ending nightmare. You wake up in the morning, but youre never actually awake. Its a horror story.

While patrons enjoy the iconic culture of The Plaza, many of its female employees are forced to endure a culture of a different type  rape culture, says the suit, which is asking for unspecified damages.

The 50-page complaint details a series of nauseating encounters, including various male staffers phallicizing anything that could resemble male genitals  such as cucumbers, bananas and pens  and cornering the women with lewd, unwanted comments.

Food runner Ivo Stipanovic once brought in a large cucumber and white sauce to work, the papers claim, repeatedly telling plaintiff Kristina Antonova she should dip the cucumber in the unspecified substance, claiming it has lots of protein.

PLAZA HOTEL TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO LIVE THERE  FOR $39.5 MILLION

In another upsetting incident, server and union delegate Syed Islam allegedly told current staffer Crystal Washington I can tell you had sex last night.

Islam also allegedly said he wanted to taste another one of the women, Veronica Owusu. Reached by phone, Islam denied the allegations.

Owusu was subjected to harassment from other employees as well, including a drunken server, Carlos Pena, who abruptly told her he wanted to eat your p---- before hugging her in an elevator, the filing says.

Yet another manager, Raul Abrantes, is accused of telling former staffer Paige Rodriguez, I want to take you to the back and f--- the s--- out of you.

Abrantes also allegedly stood around bragging about other sexual conquests, telling uninterested colleagues My d--- hurts, I had sex with three girls I met at the bar last night.

Despite the endless barrage of comments and unwanted advances, hotel management did nothing to stop it, the papers claim.

After she complained, Washington was placed on leave, and others were told to dress more conservatively to avoid the male attention.

Lewis says she was told by a female manager, Anna Fernandez, that with everything going on with Syed,' she should button her shirt all the way up, the suit says.

Its been stressful and overwhelming, Washington said Tuesday of her three years as Plaza employee. After reporting it to HR and management, nothing has happened. At this point I feel powerless. Sometimes I feel like giving up. I feel like theres nothing I can do.

The suit also cites another unnamed male employee, who allegedly said if you know youre dressing like that with guys around, you cant expect a man not to react. Im a human being, what am I supposed to do?

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX TRAVEL AND HOTEL NEWS

They were dismissive of some very serious facts and allegations, said defense attorney Andrew S. Goodstadt. They were blaming our clients in a lot of ways, asking them to button their shirts.

This is 2017, the lawyer added. If this can happen at The Plaza it could happen anywhere.

At Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, the safety and welfare of our guests and staff is always our highest priority. Any attempt at harassment or discrimination toward our colleagues and guests has not and never will be tolerated, said a spokeswoman for the company that owns the Plaza. We take all claims of harassment or discrimination seriously, take appropriate remedial action where warranted, and do not retaliate against any staff member who raises a claim of harassment or discrimination in good faith.

Floren, Stipanovic, Pena and Abrantes could not be reached.
The first large-scale opioid research effort focused on emergency rooms has begun in Colorado.

"The opioid epidemic has hit Colorado just like it's hit everybody else," said the Colorado Hospital Association's Diane Rossi MacKay. "So hospitals and emergency room [doctors], in particular, are looking for something different. The Hospital Association has been able...to bring these hospitals together."

Eight Colorado hospitals and three free-standing ERs are taking part in the six-month Opioid Safety Pilot Program, which started in June.

OPIOID EPIDEMIC: HIGH-TECH SOLUTIONS COMPETE FOR OHIO GRANTS

MacKay says the program focuses on emergency rooms because they are often the first contact patients have with opioid pain killers.

One of the emergency room physicians instrumental in getting the program off the ground is Swedish Medical Center's Dr. Donald Stader, who says he had something of a personal awakening after saving the life of an overdose victim.

"I actually asked her, 'How did you get started on heroin, the street drug?' And what she said is, 'I got my first prescription for an opioid from an emergency physician for an ankle sprain,' Stader said. And why that impacted me so greatly is that earlier that day I had seen someone with a bad ankle sprain and I had sent him home with a narcotic, Vicadin."

TRUMP DRAWS ATTENTION TO OPIOID CRISIS, SAYS 'NOBODY IS SAFE FROM THIS EPIDEMIC'

A large part of this program focuses on reducing the number of opioid prescriptions coming out of ER's, as well as the number of pills in each prescription. Meeting that goal requires providing medical care personnel with training that Stader says they have never received before.

"Because for the last 30 years physicians have been hearing that to control pain you have to use opioids," Stader said. "And that's been backed up by a medical system that rewards doctors for using (them)."

Pharmacist Rachel Duncan said its great that the industry is acknowledging its mistakes.

"I think it's health care really stepping up, Duncan said, and acknowledging that we created the issue."

Another major player in developing the pilot program, Duncan said that unlike most opioid reduction guidelines, which simply encourage writing fewer prescriptions, this program offers providers alternative medications that for most types of pain reduction work just as well.

Duncan says the program's multipronged approach goes much further than others.

"It looks at risk assessment, it looks at harm reduction. How can we help those that are already addicted? she said. Because it's not a moral failing, right? It's a medical condition that they have."

No government funding is being used for the research.

"This is being done by us, for us and for our patients," Stader said, explaining another reason the program differs from the Food and Drug Administration and other opioid reduction guidelines.

"So I think it has greater staying power than something that's possibly legislated from above, that might not have the total buying-in of the physicians and the patients for whom their caring."

Results of the research effort will be compiled early next year for publishing in medical journals. But Stader and others involved are already having conversations about what they are learning with medical professionals around the country.
A woman in Australia discovered more than she anticipated when she went to the doctor due to stomach pains -- only to find a dental brace wire that had been lodged in her intestine for a decade.

The 30-year-old woman went to the doctor complaining about intense stomach pains, BMJ Case Reports wrote in a medical article published on Monday. Her heart was beating faster than normal and her abdominal wall was inflamed.

However, doctors remained stumped when laboratory tests, ultrasound and scans of her liver, gallbladder and bile ducts turned up normal. She also did not have any recent surgery done.

"Then we looked at kidney function and liver function as well to tell if there was some kind of larger problem affecting other organs," Dr. Talia Shepherd, who worked on the woman's case, told Popular Science.

Doctors then conducted a CT scan where they discovered a nearly 3-inch dental brace wire lodged into her intestine.

"We were all a bit dumbfounded," Shepherd recalled. "It wasn't what I was expecting to find at all."

The woman developed a condition called volvulus, when the intestine twists around itself.

"The wire penetrated through the small bowel and the small bowel mesentery and to another loop of the midsmall bowel," the BMJ article read.

The woman told doctors she had braces at least 10 years ago and didn't recall swallowing the brace or even having one missing. She later underwent surgery to remove the dental brace wire.

Shepherd told Popular Science it's common for people to swallow objects, but it usually doesn't take more than a decade to be noticed.

"The case is so unique because normally if you swallow something like that it presents (itself) earlier," Shepherd said.
Texas attorney Shawn Thierry knew that hers was a high-risk pregnancy, as she was giving birth to her first child at age 42. But she also knew that her health insurance paid for more than adequate prenatal care, as well as a modern, well-equipped delivery room in a hospital with a good reputation.

But then, she said, she almost died.

When I got the epidural, I started to feel the lower half of my body in excruciating pain, Thierry recalled. The nurses said, You shouldnt feel anything. But then the pain traveled up my body and I began having chest pains. I started crying and screaming. I said, I think Im not going to make it.

After some medical intervention, including general anesthesia, her daughter, Klaire, was born. I was completely under, she said. Then just woke up and there was a baby there.

Doctors later told Thierry she may have received too much of the epidural medication, which can cause heart attacks in some women, though that wasnt what happened in Thierrys case.

Still Thierry knows she could have ended up one of the 189 pregnancy-related deaths in the state in 2012  when deaths in childbirth in Texas skyrocketed, for reasons health officials are still trying to discern.

Recent reports show that African-American women in Texas have disproportionately high rates of maternal death, which has, in turn, given Texas the highest maternal mortality rate not only in the U.S. but in the developed world. By 2014, the states maternal death rate reached 35.8 per 100,000 live births, according to a study in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Thats significantly higher than any other country in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development group of wealthy nations with the exception of Mexico, the study reports.

Read more: What to look for when picking where to give birth? Not what you may think

Now, in her role as a state legislator, Rep. Thierry wants to get to the bottom of why this is.

In July, she sponsored HB 11, colloquially called the Texas Moms Matter Act, which gives a state task force more time to collect data and study the causes of childbirth-related deaths.

I survived, but we need to find out why so many mothers here dont survive, she said.

The states Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force was formed in 2013. So far it has produced two reports digging into data of how and why women are dying in childbirth in the state.

Thierrys bill would specifically direct the task force to gather more information on the deaths of black women. According to a 2016 report from the task force, though only 11 percent of all births in the state were to black women, they accounted for 29 percent of all maternal deaths.

Thierrys bill is just one of 20 pieces of legislation Texas lawmakers are rushing to review in a special session that lasts through Aug. 18. The state House unanimously passed the bill this week, and it has been sent to the Senate.

Looking for causes

Maternal deaths have been on the rise across the U.S. A study published last year in Obstetrics and Gynecology showed that the U.S. maternal mortality rate more than doubled since the turn of the century  from 9.8 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000, to 21.5 in 2014. Texas had been a modest part of the trend until a sudden increase in 20112012.

There are some suspected contributors to this worrying trend, said Dr. Lisa Hollier, president-elect of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and chair of the Texas task force. Women are having babies at later ages. Along with that, were seeing an increase in high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease among women.

The study also points out a reduction in health care access for women in Texas immediately prior to the states spike in maternal deaths.

Read more: Laughing gas for labor pain? Its poised for a comeback

There were some changes in the provision of womens health services in Texas from 2011 to 2015, including the closing of several womens health clinics, the researchers wrote. But they go on to indicate that there was no explanation for the high number of maternal deaths, and that a closer look at racial differences might offer insight. A future study will examine Texas data by race-ethnicity and detailed causes of death to better understand this unusual finding, they wrote.

ACOG has issued a set of recommended interventions for high-risk pregnancies. Among them: Women with conditions such as preeclampsia, adult respiratory syndrome, and placenta previa should have specialists in high-risk birth available to at the time of delivery, and not just on call in case of complications.

Hollier said that the most important part of the Thierry bill is that it extends the length of time for the Texas task force to continue its review of maternal death data. Originally set to end in 2019, the task force will remain in place until 2026 if the bill passes.

That will give us a chance to see if our interventions work, Hollier said.

Hollier added that while ACOG is recommending these solutions nationally, the group is especially focused on Texas.

Im really hoping that Texas will do some of what states like California have done, to bring down the numbers of maternal deaths.
There's a fitness center in the metro taking the "No Spin Zone" to a whole new level. Twenty-four-hour cable news stations, like CNN and Fox News, are no longer allowed on the TV monitors at the gym.

Members of the gym say they were told it's to cut down on friction and political arguments, but at least two members told FOX 4 that they didn't sign up for this change.

Judith Zillner is longtime member at Element Fitness in Lenexa. She raves about it.

"Oh, I love the gym! I love the manager, all of the programs," she said.

But the new policy has her fired up.

"That's not what my dad fought for at all," she said.

The gym's manager was unavailable for an interview, but an employee here told FOX 4 the new policy is intended to cut down on arguments and drama.

Here`s what someone told Zillner:

"Some people got up and pulled the plugs. And then they said 'worse than that has happened.' And I said, 'What?' 'We can't say,'" she said. "We must not get like it is in Iraq and Iran where the Shia and Sunni fight each other to the death over differences of belief."

"I don't like to be obstructed in my own great environment, that I'm paying for," new gym member Leslie Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez and Zillner agree that even while working out, people should be able to tolerate news and opinion that doesn't match their own world views.

"If there`s four televisions sets, surely one of them will have something you like. And you shouldn't get to say the other three can't have what the other people like," Zillner said. "Jerking the plug out of the wall!? That's just silly."

FOX 4 also reached out to some of the major chains, like Planet Fitness and Lifetime Fitness, to see if either had a "no cable news" policy. So far we have not heard back.

But the YMCA of Greater Kansas City told us it has no bans on any TV stations at the 14 different branches in the metro.

More from Fox 4 KC.
Chicago is plagued with violent crime. It suffered nearly 800 homicides last year, and thats only part of the picture. So why is Mayor Rahm Emanuel fighting so hard to make sure that immigration authorities dont pick up and deport criminal illegal aliens from his not-so-fair city?

Emanuel announced last weekend that Chicago would sue the Department of Justice over its guidelines concerning sanctuary cities and federal grant money. On Monday, the city did just that.

Whats Emanuel upset about? On July 24, Attorney General Jeff Sessions made it clear that if cities want to receive discretionary Justice Department grants intended to fight crime and improve local law enforcement, they must demonstrate that they are interested in fighting crime, not in obstructing enforcement of federal law--including immigration laws.

Specifically, Sessions memo states that only cities that comply with federal law, allow federal immigration access to detention facilities, and provide 48 hours notice before they release an illegal alien wanted by federal authorities will be eligible for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. Last year, Chicago received a $2.3 million grant through this program.

As Sessions noted, the so-called sanctuary policies of cities like Chicago make all of us less safe because they intentionally undermine our laws and protect illegal aliens who have committed crimes. In fact, such policies encourage illegal immigration and even human trafficking by perpetuating the lie that in certain cities, illegal aliens can live outside the law, according to Sessions.

Why would Emanuel even want to keep criminal aliens on the already mean streets of Chicago? One 2005 Government Accountability Office (GAO) study of 55,322 criminal aliens found that they had been arrested 459,614 times and committed almost 700,000 criminal offensesan average of 13 offenses per illegal alien. The crimes included everything from murder to robbery to sex-related assaults.

A 2011 GAO report told a similar sad story. Reviewing the records of 251,000 criminal aliens in federal, state, and local prisons and jails, it found they had been arrested nearly 1.7 million times for close to three million criminal offenses.

Had these offenders not been in the country, their victims would have been spared much suffering. Or if cities and states had notified Washington that they were about to release these repeat offenders, the feds could have picked them up and removed them from the country.

The sanctuary policies championed by Rahm Emanuel make that impossible. Yet he arrogantly boasts that Chicago will not be blackmailed into changing our values.

The value he seeks to uphold is the self-proclaimed right to flout federal law to protect known predators. Only the most twisted logic could equate withholding federal agency grants from a city that refuses to allow the federal agency to do its job to some form of blackmail.

Emanuels lawsuit makes the false argument that the federal government would force the City to detain individuals longer than justified by probable cause, solely to permit federal officials to investigate their immigration status. In fact, the Justice Department is simply asking the city to give the federal government 48 hours notice of its intent to release a criminal alien. That will give the feds time to pick up the offender.

The lawsuit also claims without foundation that this new DOJ memo effectively federalizes local detention facilities because it requires the city to give federal immigration officials access to local police stations and law enforcement facilities in order to interrogate any suspected noncitizens held there.

Giving federal authorities access to criminals in custody in no way federalizes local detention facilities. Under that absurd claim, local police and sheriffs would have to bar FBI agents and all federal law enforcement officers from interviewing prisoners in their facilities who are suspected of committing federal crimes.

The citys lawsuit demands that the federal court stop the Justice Department from imposing these unlawful and counterproductive conditions on applying for a DOJ grant. But if Chicago doesnt like these conditions, it should not apply for the money. To say there is any substance to this lawsuit is to give it too much credit.

In talking about the lawsuit, Rahm Emanuel misleadingly conflated legal immigrants with illegal immigrants, a common tactic of the left. Emanuel said, Half the patents at the University of Illinois come from immigrants, and so we want to continue to welcome people, welcome their ideas, welcome their families to the city of Chicago, who want to build the American dream for their children and their grandchildren.

There is no question that immigrants over many generations have made great contributions to, and have had lasting impacts on, American society. But contrary to the mayors narrative, that is wholly irrelevant to the discussion at hand. ICE is not going after legal immigrants. And the grant requirements that he is fighting concern only illegal aliens already in jail for committing crimes on top of entering the country illegally.

Mayor Emanuel says, Ive always seen Chicago as a welcoming city. But shielding hard-core criminals from federal law enforcement isnt welcomingits just inviting trouble.
Like many Christians in America I was befuddled by the incredibly caustic language used by the authors of a Vatican-vetted article last month which characterized the relationship between Evangelicals and Catholics in the United States as an ecumenism of hate.

I remembered a different version of this phrase (ecumenism of hate) used by Pope Francis himself when he called the historic unity enjoyed by Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and Evangelical Christians an "ecumenism of blood. He did so in light of persecution around the world which he has characterized as producing more martyrs today than at anytime in history.

I found it shocking and intolerant for the articles authors to misappropriate language first used to unite the church to cause division within it. It reminded me of Romans 14:10, Why do you pass judgement on your brother?

The authors of the piece in the La Cattolica Civiltas also used words like radicalization" and even drew comparisons to ISIS. They also said that Evangelicals and conservative Catholics were in pursuit of a theocratic state. We are not, of course. We simply want to protect our religious liberties so we can continue to minister. Though, I couldn't miss the irony that the article was published from within the Vatican, a theocratic state.

I cannot imagine that the articles authors understand the beautiful relationship that Catholics and Evangelicals have had in the last thirty years in the United States. Together, we have worked in pursuit of the fall of communism, led a vast resurgence of pro-life sentiment in the United States, and we have fought for religious liberty here and abroad. Our humanitarian collaboration has also saved millions of lives among the poor and persecuted.

Rather than being offended, I decided to try and make peace by writing Pope Francis. The Bible says in Romans 12:18, If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

LETTER TO POPE FRANCIS:

August 3, 2017

Your Holiness,

I am writing to request a meeting between Catholic and Evangelical leaders from the United States at a place and time of your choosing. Though, Im hoping we can meet quickly.

I speak for many Evangelicals when I say that we have looked upon your appointment with great gratitude to God and with great optimism for the new spirit that you have brought to the Catholic Church. Your commitment to the poor and to pastoral ministry and your efforts to build bridges and to spread the doctrine of mercy around the world have been a light and hope to us all.

As you know more than most, all of this has also come at a time of historic Christian persecution in more places than perhaps at any time in Christian history. Together, Catholics, Orthodox, Protestant, and Evangelical Christians throughout the entire world have shared - as youve said - an ecumenism of blood.

Its in this moment of ongoing persecution, political division and global conflict that we have also witnessed efforts to divide Catholics and Evangelicals. We think it would be of great benefit to sit together and to discuss these things. Then, when we disagree we can do it within the context of friendship. Though, Im sure we will find once again that we agree far more than we disagree, and we can work together with diligence on those areas of agreement.

I have to confess what prompted this request were articles published in the La Cattolica Civilitas recently and in the New York Times.

We feel like this conversation is an urgent one, and I will bring a half dozen or so of our denominational heads and significantly influential Evangelicals for our time together.

We would also like to use the time to meet with various other high level officials throughout the Vatican to find ways in which we can cooperate on matters of great concern to us all, especially as it relates to refugees, the poor and the persecuted.

I might add that when God put it on my heart to write you directly, I immediately reached out to a mutual friend of ours. He has recounted to me the warm experiences that hes had with you, and they are what prompted me to write you, knowing that you would receive this letter in kindred spirits.

With all the respect in the world and with love for Christs Church and every corner of it, Ill earnestly await your reply.

Sincerely,

Rev. Johnnie Moore
Before departing for an overseas assignment as Chief of Station years ago, I attended a training seminar where an experienced CIA operations officer told my colleagues and me that the secret of our success was the secret of our success. We should practice the highest standards of operational tradecraft, he emphasized, to protect our sources and methods.

Last Friday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the Justice Department is pursuing three times as many leak investigations as his predecessor did when President Obama's term ended.

Leaks negatively impact CIA human intelligence (HUMINT) operations in two ways.

First, leaks risk exposure of sensitive intelligence as well as both the sources from whom we obtain intelligence and our collection methods. Foreign counterintelligence services hunt for illegal disclosures of intelligence reporting, which also might reveal sources and methods, by diligently tracking media reporting.

Second, leaks degrade the trust of the human sources who risk their lives on behalf of our national security. CIA HUMINT suffers when a source calculates the personal risk of stealing secrets grows too great out of a heightened fear of exposure.

CIA officers take seriously their moral and ethical responsibility for ensuring the safety of their human sources. Cognizant of the value of HUMINT to U.S. national security, a myriad of nation states and non-state actors ruthlessly focus on exposing US Intelligence operations and human sources. They devote tremendous resources both to deterring those who might consider a clandestine relationship with the CIA as well as uncloaking those who are already working on behalf of the U.S. government.

The sensitive sources with whom I met never failed to deliver one critical admonition. Clandestinely delivering intelligence to the CIA - stealing secrets on our behalf - put their lives at risk. It was therefore imperative for their safety that we protected them by concealing their identity. They trusted both CIA tradecraft and U.S. government officials to use their sensitive reporting with discretion.

The U.S. has a long history of protecting sensitive sources and methods as far back as President George Washington, whose Culper Spy Ring was so important to our victory in the Revolutionary War. Combatting the growing and dangerous proliferation of leaks will be critical for the future of HUMINT collection on which our national security continues so deeply to rely.
Google became famous as an information company with its motto: Dont Be Evil. Well, in the wake of its firing of a 28-year-old employee for expressing dissatisfaction with Googles stifling ideological conformity, some critics are saying the company is now for soft authoritarianism.

Make no mistake. James Damore didnt have his First Amendment free speech rights violated by Google. Working for a private employer, his right to speak out is limited - even under Californias broad protections for political speech. Recall that in 2014, Brendan Eich was forced out as CEO of Mozilla after it became known that six years earlier he had made a $1,000 donation to a traditional marriage ballot measure in California. Recall that both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton opposed same-sex marriage until after the 2012 election.

But that fact didnt slow down what gay columnist Andrew Sullivan called a lynch mob. Eich was forced to resign, even though California labor code makes it illegal to fire an employee for donating money to a campaign.

Lazy journalists have falsely characterized Damores 10-page memo - posted on an internal Google bulletin board but leaked to the media by critics - as an anti-diversity screed. But it was hardly that, given that it ended with the author saying I strongly believe in gender and racial diversity, and I think we should strive for more.

The lazy coverage of Damores points angered Conor Friedersdorf, a writer at the liberal Atlantic magazine: I cannot remember the last time so many outlets and observers mischaracterized so many aspects of a text everyone possessed, he wrote.

Damore used what many considered insensitive language to point out there are differences between men and women that may explain the relative scarcity of women in computer coding jobs - a conclusion that the scientific literature backs up. He said he was not arguing that we should restrict people to certain gender roles; I'm advocating for quite the opposite: treat people as individuals, not as just another member of their group (tribalism)."

But when it comes to fighting the Gods of Diversity, Damores lack of nuance was fatal. Some female Google employees were so offended they didnt show up for work. The company was besieged by both Social Justice Warriors and employees (though an unscientific poll of several hundred Google employees showed only about half were upset by his comments).

The lazy coverage of Damores points angered Conor Friedersdorf, a writer at the liberal Atlantic magazine: I cannot remember the last time so many outlets and observers mischaracterized so many aspects of a text everyone possessed, he wrote. (Damores memo) is not against pursuing greater gender diversity at Google; he says it is against the current means Google is using to pursue that end and the way the company conceives of tradeoffs between the good of diversity and other goods.

However his memo was received, Damores sudden firing generated criticism from many quarters. Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, wrote on Twitter: "Censorship is for losers. Women & men deserve respect. That includes not firing them for politely expressing ideas but rather arguing back."

Eric Weinstein, the managing director of the investment firm Thiel Capital, had his own Twitter response: "Dear @Google, Stop teaching my girl that her path to financial freedom lies not in coding but in complaining to HR. Thx in advance, A dad,"

Gail Heriot, a law professor at the University of San Diego and an independent member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, is also disappointed in Googles action. "It's particularly troubling to see this coming from the company that we rely on to bring us information. Can a company this intolerant of differing opinions be trusted to do that job?"

Indeed, it appears that Googles desire to appease the God of Diversity - the pseudo religion whose tenets increasingly govern American life and are not to be challenged - has taken priority over the spirit of free inquiry it was founded on.

A few years ago the comedy show The Simpsons tackled the diversity dogma and gender differences in a particularly hilarious way. So hilarious, that I fear if someone at Google shared it over the companys internal bulletin board, they might wonder if their job would be in jeopardy. Judge for yourself by watching.

Lets just hope the Social Justice Warriors dont launch a crusade to remove the clip from YouTube - which is owned by Google.
Have a gun license? Plan to bring your gun to my hometown? Don't.

Mean New York authorities will make your life miserable.

Patricia Jordan and her daughter flew here from her home state of Georgia. She wanted her gun nearby for protection.

Jordan obeyed all the Transportation Security Administration's rules: She put her gun in a locked TSA-approved case with its bullets separate. She informed the airline that she had a gun. The airline had no problem with that.

In New York City, she kept the gun locked in her hotel room. She never needed it, but her daughter told me, "I was glad she brought it just in case something did happen."

When leaving the city, Jordan followed the TSA's rules again. At the airline counter, she again told the agent she wanted to check her gun. But this time, she was told: "Wait."

"Next thing I know, they're getting ready to arrest me," she said.

Her daughter was crying, "Please don't arrest my mom!" But New York City cops arrested her, jailed her and told her she was guilty of a felony that mandates a minimum 3 1/2 years in jail.

Jordan's ordeal is not unique. Roughly once a week, New York City locks up people for carrying guns legally licensed by other states.

Another Georgia visitor, Avi Wolf, was jailed although he didn't even have a gun. He just had part of a gun -- an empty magazine -- a little plastic box with a small metal spring. He brought it to the city because it wasn't working well and he thought a New York friend might repair it. He couldn't believe he was being arrested.

"Somebody could've done more damage to an individual with a fork from McDonald's," Wolf told me.

Wolf, too, checked with the TSA beforehand. They said, just declare it to TSA agents. So he did.

"I'm telling them ... I have a magazine here. It's empty, no bullets ... Next thing I know they're pulling me over to the side, they're like, 'Do you know what you have in your bag?!' 'I know what I have in my bag, I told you what I have in my bag.'"

Following TSA instructions didn't do Wolf any good. "Fast forward about an hour and it was four Port Authority police there. The chief of LaGuardia airport is there, [as if] they thought they found somebody trying to do 9/11 repeat," he says.

"They asked me if I had a gun license. Of course I had a license. I'm from Georgia, and everybody there's got a gun license. And they're like, well, sir, you're going to be getting arrested now."

Avi and Jordan spent less than a day in jail, but each had to pay lawyers $15,000 to bargain the felony charge down to "public disorder."

"We are not going to apologize for enforcing our gun laws," said Assistant District Attorney Jack Ryan when I confronted him about these pointless and cruel arrests. He said New York City enforces laws as "humanely and as compassionately as we can."

But the system is neither fair nor humane.

Patricia Jordan kept her bullets separate from her gun, as TSA regulations require.

"The officer could not even find my bullets in my suitcase. I had to show him where they were," she told me.

That didn't matter, said the DA, because the gun and bullets were in the same suitcase.

"Under New York law, if they're together, they're loaded," says Ryan.

"They're loaded even if they're not loaded?!" I asked. Yes, he said.

I called him a sadistic bully (the full video is at JohnStossel.com). He replied that New York City must make sure people are "not threats."

New York claims this keeps us safe. But people like Jordan and Wolf actually make us safer. Texas data shows licensed gun owners are seven times less likely to murder someone than a nonlicensed person. They also prevent some crimes. Nationwide, crime has dropped as the percentage of people with concealed handgun permits has risen.

Licensed gun owners aren't the problem. Crazy laws and callous prosecution are.
First they said he would never run for president. Then they said he would never be the Republican nominee for president. Then they said he could never be elected president. The latest false narrative being pushed by the liberal media is that some Republicans are making moves to run against President Trump in 2020.

These fake news stories are in the interests of the liberal agenda because they raise manufactured questions about the presidents standing with Republican primary voters and are meant to cause division among conservatives. Try as they might, the American people are too smart for the elitist gamesmanship going on in the boardrooms at the New York Times and Washington Post.

Heres the unfortunate reality for liberal Democrats and other so-called Never Trumpers: President Trump is in great shape with grassroots conservatives (regardless of party affiliation) across the country and with good reason. Hes making good on his promises.

On pro-life issues, the National Right to Life Committee gave President Trump an "A" grade for his performance through his first 100 days in office. On 2nd Amendment rights, President Trump is the first president to address the National Rifle Association leadership forum in 34 years and their Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said that he sees a tremendous pride wave out there in the heartland of the country with this president. Social conservative leaders praised President Trumps recent decision to not allow transgender people to serve in the military. And if all this isnt enough to satisfy conservatives, Justice Neil Gorsuchs stellar service on the Supreme Court is icing on the cake.

One thing is clear: President Trump is an outsider and a change agent and conservatives are elated that he wakes up in the morning to fight the failed status quo in Washington and the biased mainstream news media that only does the bidding of out-of-touch liberals in New York and San Francisco.

Theres much more that conservatives like about the job President Trump is doing. When it comes to sanctuary city reform and border security, President Trumps leadership has exceeded all expectations. In fact, President Trump has been so effective in dealing with sanctuary city lawlessness that elitist liberal Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is suing the Trump Administration to try and keep Chicago a dangerous sanctuary city.

I could go on and on, but one thing is clear: President Trump is an outsider and a change agent and conservatives are elated that President Trump wakes up in the morning to fight the failed status quo in Washington and the biased mainstream news media that only does the bidding of out-of-touch liberals in New York and San Francisco.

No one knows this better than Vice President Mike Pence. Since becoming President Trumps running mate a little over a year ago, Vice President Pence has been a full partner with the president in their mission to enact their conservative reform agenda and Make America Great Again. The vice president is focused like a laser beam on fixing health care, tax reform, and various other initiatives and is doing a great job. When Vice President Pence travels to Iowa or Ohio to advocate for the presidents agenda it means exactly that and nothing more. President Trump and Vice President Pence are looking forward to defeating Congresswoman Maxine Waters or whatever leftist the out-of-control Democrat Party nominates in 2020.

Also mentioned in some of these disingenuous news stories has been career politician John Kasich. Ohio Governor Kasich ran for president in 2000 and 2016. In 2000, he didnt make it to the primaries and in 2016 he won only his home state of Ohio. President Trump carried Ohio and other Rust Belt states during the general election because his outsider message connected with millions of voters in a way Kasich could not, largely because he was a longtime Washington politician.

President Trump has been in office for only 200 days and yet the mainstream media is already trying to start the 2020 campaign for president. Are there really Americans out there itching to start watching coverage of the 2020 race even before the 2018 midterms take place? Or is it just because contentious presidential elections are the only thing that sells failing newspapers anymore?

I submit that most reasonable hardworking American taxpayers want to give their president a chance to succeed because if his agenda is enacted, peoples lives will improve.
Tuesday's bombshell Washington Post story that the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has determined North Korea is capable of constructing miniaturized nuclear weapons that could be used as warheads for missiles  possibly ICBMs  left out a crucial fact: DIA actually concluded this in 2013. The Post also failed to mention that the Obama administration tried to downplay and discredit this report at the time.

During an April 11, 2013, House Armed Services Committee hearing, Congressman Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., inadvertently revealed several unclassified sentences from a DIA report that said DIA had determined with moderate confidence that North Korea has the capability to make a nuclear weapon small enough to be launched with a ballistic missile.

The Director of National Intelligence and Obama officials subsequently tried to dismiss Lamborns disclosure by claiming the DIA assessment was an outlier that did not reflect the views of the rest of the U.S. Intelligence Community.

Obama officials tried to downplay the DIA assessment to prevent it from being used to force the president to employ a more assertive North Korea policy.

It was clear what Obama officials were doing in 2013. The DIA report represented inconvenient facts that threatened President Obamas North Korea strategic patience policy -- a policy to do nothing about North Korea and kick this problem down the road to the next president. Obama officials tried to downplay the DIA assessment to prevent it from being used to force the president to employ a more assertive North Korea policy.

Its worth noting that the Trump White House has not condemned the Washington Post story as a leak. Thats probably because it was an authorized disclosure of classified information to advance President Trumps North Korea strategy. That is, instead of concealing intelligence to avoid taking action against the tough North Korea problem like the Obama administration did, the Trump administration publicized this same intelligence to demonstrate the seriousness of this threat and why decisive action by the United States is required.

I believe Trump officials timed the release of the North Korea missile warhead information to bolster their efforts to pressure China to abide by new sanctions imposed on North Korea last weekend by the UN Security Council. If so, this is a good strategy to highlight to Beijing the urgency that it abide by these sanctions and also implement other kinds of diplomatic and economic pressure against North Korea that it has so far refused to employ. As I wrote in an August 7 Fox News Opinion article, this may be Chinas last chance to prevent a military conflict with North Korea.

Americans need to recognize as they ponder the increasingly dangerous North Korea situation that the Obama administration not only refused to do anything about this crisis but tried to downplay and conceal intelligence from the American people and Congress on how serious it was.
Think President Trumps popularity is falling fast? Frances new president, Emmanuel Macron, cant even give an apple to his favorite teacher  who just happens to be his wife.

The same newspapers and magazines who lionized Macron for saving France from the specter of Marine Le Pen, the populist who Macron defeated in May, now mock the 39-year-old as Jupiter because of the air of superiority he gives off in public. A poll last week showed his approval rating at 36 percent, lower even than Trumps recent shocking 38 percent of support.

This week, Macron got the latest slap of disapproval from his own government, which rejected his campaign pledge to give the official title of First Lady to his wife, Brigitte, who at age 64, is 24 years his senior. The two met when Macron was a high school student and she was his teacher. Hmmm.

As in the United States, Frances constitution makes no mention of the role of a presidents spouse. Trying to change that as one of Macrons first presidential actions was bound to rile public opinion. Even the governments spokesman tweeted out, in plain French, so to speak, No modification of the constitution, no new funding, no salary for Brigitte Macron. Stop the hypocrisy!

In other words, no apple for the teacher.

Macrons first three months in office have not gone smoothly. His defense minister, Sylvie Goulard, stepped down in June after being accused of misusing funds to help her party. Twenty-four hours earlier, another minister abruptly quit, under investigation for nepotism.

Macron did himself no favors when he decided not to continue the decades-old tradition of giving a news conference on July 14, Bastille Day, because his thoughts were too complex for journalists to comprehend. That generated the kind of vicious headlines you  but apparently, not Jupiter -- might expect.

Perhaps Macrons most unpopular move has been an effort to reform Frances byzantine labor code, which makes it nearly impossible to fire or discipline workers, bypass unions, or modify pensions. Those unions, which supported Macron against Le Pen, reacted with fury when he talked about tinkering with the code that gives them almost unlimited power.

Proof of how seriously the unions take their privileged position: they even got workers to turn out for demonstrations in August, when all of France is on vacation and official Paris comes to a near standstill.

If Macron is forced to back down on his union-busting plan, Jupiter will once again be shown to have feet of clay. Even a high school kid knows better than to mess with organized labor in France. Maybe teenaged Macron was thinking about something else the day that lesson was taught.
Despite record job growth, the Dow over 22,000, illegal immigration down 70 percent and massive deregulation, the mainstream media still reports that Donald Trumps presidency is a failure. To put the final nail in the coffin of the opposition (Republicans, Democrats and the failing mainstream media) President Trump needs victories in three areas: legislative, the court of public opinion, and national defense and diplomacy.

First, legislative  more specifically, health care. A handful of Republicans  after campaigning, raising money on and promising the repeal of ObamaCare  failed to deliver. This is why we the people like the president more than Congress. But it is not too late for Trump to post a victory here. He can propose a bill to repeal only the individual mandate and he needs to do it louder than anything else he has done to date. That is the single most unpopular element of the health care law and might even garner support from across the aisle  even Democrats have admitted it needs changes. This would be very hard to vote against and the president would post his first legislative victory.

And for those Republicans who vote against this? Find and support primary opponents against them in their districts, and campaign hard for them. Send the message. Get on board the Trump Train or get run over.

Also in the legislative column: tax reform. What legislator would not want to go home to constituents and be able to say we put more money in your paycheck? Here is how you roll it out: send Sarah Huckabee Sanders to the podium with an average middle class American making $50-60,000 a year, hold up his current paycheck, what he makes and what he takes home. Then you hold up a second paycheck with the same salary under Trumps tax plan highlighting the difference in the take home pay. This is what President Trump stands for. Congress, the bill is on your desk, make it happen. She walks out without taking any questions and does not hold a press conference until Congress votes on it.

This will allow the White House to go on the offense. It is now Congress fault that the White House is not taking questions and the media will naturally turn its sights to the Republicans in Congress for not helping the middle class American, forcing their hand. During this time, Trump, like he did against Hillary and her days since her last press conference, counts the days on Twitter. Boom, second legislative victory in his first year.

In the court of public opinion, Trump has been convicted by the mainstream media of Russian collusion. The problem, though, is they have yet to produce any evidence for any of their criminal allegations. Heres the play: Trump challenges his largest critics on this. Calling out Schumer, Pelosi, Waters and a few more saying that he will participate in the investigation to the fullest for 90 more days on the condition that if nothing is found, they resign their seats. Look, there is no precedent or legal grounds for this. If they dont respond in 10 days, he fires Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Its simply a PR play, they will NOT agree to this which gives Trump the opportunity to go on the offense and say, The Democrats dont even believe in this investigation.

Finally, national defense. Even with the 15-0 global decision against it at the UN Security Council, North Korea is going to continue to push the envelope until we do something. Sanctions will not work and will only further enrage the regime. North Korea is so poor that people are eating the frogs and bugs in the streets  any sanctions placed on them simply re-directs any limited funds away from his people and back to his military complex.

We have a military machine unlike anyone else. Time to use it! Park three carrier groups off the coast. When North Korea launches another missile, we will assume  due to recent threats  that it is not a test and will shoot it down. When they fire another one we shoot that down and destroy the installation that it came from. Then shoot the next one down and destroy three more military establishments. During this time, the president needs to use his PR machine at the White House to continue to encourage Kim Jung Un to come to the table. Put the ball in his court, get him to the table.

President Trump is a different type of politician. He made his mark by doing things aggressively and thinking outside the box. I encourage him to stay the course. Mr. President, do what you do best, run over your opponents and dont look back. As Eric Trump said recently, The Left would rather see our country fail than Trump succeed. That is the nature of the opposition. With newly assigned General Kelly at the helm, I have no doubt that this administration is being steered back to the right course.
Arab allies of the U.S. are expressing support if the Trump administration declares the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, according to statements from foreign officials and a senior administration official who spoke to Fox News.

Speaking last week at the United Nations in response to a question from Fox News, the Egyptian Ambassador to the U.N., Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, expressed support for such a move.

It would be a positive step forward indeed, he said.

Salman Al-Ansari, president of the Saudi American Public Affairs Committee, told Fox News that the West is suffering from laziness and must do its homework.

The U.S. needs to confront the evils of the Brotherhood as soon as possible, he said. If you have Saudi Arabia saying the Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist group, if you have Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) saying its a terrorist group, then what should stop the U.S. from designating the MB as a terrorist group as long there are hundreds of pieces of evidence that prove this fact?

The Brotherhood is banned as a terrorist organization in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt.

Fox News previously reported on the internal debates and deliberations in the Trump White House on the move to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO.)

The fight is far from over, a senior administration official told Fox News.

The commitment inside the West Wing to the question of designating the Brotherhood has not waned, the official told Fox News.

The White House completely understands how the modern global jihadi threat, which the president has rightly described as radical Islamic terrorism, can be driven back at its roots to the Brotherhood.

This president is unprepared to follow the disastrous policies of prior administrations, especially the Obama White Houses empowering of the Brotherhood that led to the catastrophic consequences of the so-called Arab Spring and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people from the Sinai to Sinjar, the official concluded.

Christopher Holton of the Center for Security Policy, a group that has been at the forefront of efforts to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, told Fox News, It is an absolutely essential step. As the Egyptian ambassador well knows, the goals of the Muslim Brotherhood are identical to those of all the jihadist organizations, such as ISIS, Al Qaeda and Hamas: the establishment of an Islamic state ruled by Sharia.

Holton blamed what he called The Swamp in the State Department for stopping the designation so far. He blamed some members of the Trump administration, including National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster.

Combined with all the other distractions that have largely paralyzed so many initiatives on Capitol Hill, the effort to block the designation has thus far succeeded, he said.

Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News that during the early weeks of the Trump presidency a large number of analysts warned that the move was, ill-advised, arguing that the move would alienate the Muslim world and encumber diplomacy.

Schanzer, a former terrorism finance official at the Treasury Department, said he does not believe the administration has given up on designation of the Brotherhood but he suggested it would be easier to target certain Brotherhood groups through the U.S. Treasurys targeted sanctions program.

The way forward is not to pursue the FTO approach at the State Department, primarily because the initiative is likely to fail, Schanzer said. The State Department will remain opposedthe Muslim Brotherhood is not a homogeneous organization, rather, it is made up of disparate affiliates, some of which could likely be classified as terror groups, and some not.

The right move is to pursue these designations in the less-politicized Treasury process in a way that is incremental and pragmatic. From there, additional affiliates can be added, Schanzer said.

David Reaboi, the senior vice-president for strategic operations at the Security Studies Group, added, Designating the Muslim Brotherhood would be a tremendous step in the right direction. The Muslim Brotherhood has been identified, rightly, as a threat by the countries that know it best -- like Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia -- among others.

These countries understand that the MB isn't just another political or religious movement, Reaboi added. Its the main engine driving the terror radicalization process. Any effort to combat Islamist terrorism needs to take the MB's global network into account.

Ben Evansky reports for Fox News on the United Nations and international affairs. He can be followed @BenEvansky
Fresh off a heated confrontation with a CNN reporter at a press briefing last week, White House Senior Policy Adviser Stephen Miller told Fox News he's focused on implementing President Donald Trumps agenda, not any media backlash against him.

Last week, President Trump endorsed the Reforming American Immigration for a Strong Economy (RAISE) Act, legislation which aims to cut the number of green cards issued in half from 1 million to 500,000 a year.

Right now Im focused on trying to get more support, as much as we can, for the RAISE Act and the presidents other policy initiatives, Miller said Tuesday night in an exclusive interview with Laura Ingraham on Tucker Carlson Tonight.

We admitted about 300,000 people a year in the '70s, Miller said. About half a million a year in the '80s. Now its over a million a year. So, whats happening right now is actually not the norm. Its actually unusual how many people were letting in right now.

Theres segments of the extreme media - I wouldnt call it mainstream - because its extreme to want no borders. Its extreme to want to have unlimited, cheap migration driving down working-class wages. These are extreme positions, Miller continued. And so, the extreme media is going to do whatever they can to tear down this president, but as long as the people stand for what they want and what they believe in, were going to keep winning.

TRUMP AIDE STEPHEN MILLER SLAMS CNN STAR ACOSTA ON IMMIGRATION

In the confrontation with CNNs Jim Acosta during a White House press briefing on Aug. 2, Miller accused the reporter of suffering from a cosmopolitan bias. That comment came after Acosta asked if the bills preference for English speakers was geared so that the U.S. would limit its immigrants to those from Great Britain and Australia.

"I can honestly say I am shocked at your statement that you think only people from Great Britain and Australia would know English, Miller stated. It reveals your cosmopolitan bias to a shocking degree  this is an amazing moment.

The two men also sparred over the meaning of "The New Colossus," the Emma Lazarus poem attached to the base of the Statue of Liberty -- before the tensions dissipated.

The medias gotten the president wrong, of course, since the day he announced and every day since, and hes been right and theyve been wrong, Miller said on Tuesday while discussing the act.

Well, its an American issue, he said. Bottom line is that Democrats support it, Independents support it and Republican voters support it. And, eventually, if an idea has support from a broad swath of the public, its only a question of time when it happens.
Two Cuban diplomats were kicked out of the Washington embassy by the State Department after a series of incidents forced U.S. officials in Cuba to return home with a variety of physical symptoms, State Department officials said Wednesday.

Starting in the fall of 2016, American diplomats in Havana suffered from severe hearing loss attributed to a covert sonic device, the Associated Press reported.

Following months of investigation, U.S. officials concluded that the diplomats had been exposed to an advanced device that operated outside the range of audible sound and had been deployed either inside or outside their residences. It was not immediately clear if the device was a weapon used in a deliberate attack, or had some other purpose.

The Cuban diplomats, meantime, were ordered to leave the U.S. on May 23, the officials said.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said more incidents followed the initial ones in 2016, prompting the Americans to leave the island and the department to act against the Cuban diplomats in the U.S.

CUBA DEAL ROLLBACK: TRUMP SAYS HES NIXING OBAMAS ONE-SIDED PACT

Nauert confirmed the report Wednesday during a briefing. She did not go into details but did say Cuba has been reminded of its obligation under the Geneva Convention to protect foreign diplomats. She said the department is looking into the matter.

One of the things we talk about here often is that the safety and security of American citizens, at home and abroad, is our top priority," she said. "Were taking that situation seriously, and its under investigation right now.

Fox News can confirm that the FBI is now investigating.

The Cuban government has assured the U.S. that it is looking into the reports and will take appropriate measures, officials said.

Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on Wednesday night, detailing the series of events that they claimed led to their diplomats being removed.

The May decision to have the diplomats removed, Cuba claimed, was "unjustified and unsubstantiated."

"Cuba has never, nor would it ever, allow that the Cuban territory be used for any action against accredited diplomatic agents or their families, without exception," the Ministry said. "Moreover, it reiterates its willingness to cooperate in the clarification of this situation."

Fox News' Nicholas Kalman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Deportation orders have jumped 31 percent this year compared to last year, according to numbers released by the Justice Department.

The numbers, released Tuesday, are an indication President Trump is carrying out his pledge to get tough on illegal immigrants.

From February 1 to the end of July, there were 57,069 illegal immigrants who were either deported or left voluntarily. Thats a 31 percent increase from the same time period last year, when there were 43,595 deportations or self-deportations.

TRUMP SCRAPS OBAMA POLICY THAT PROTECTED IMMIGRANT PARENTS FROM DEPORTATION

At the same time, those allowed to stay in the U.S. declined by 21 percent, the figures showed.

The Justice Department also touted that under Trump, the notoriously backlogged immigration court system - which sometimes had people wait years for a hearing  was returning to the rule of law.

The president has vowed to speed deportations and cut down on the growing backlog of cases. He issued an executive order in January calling for a national crackdown. After Trump issued the order, the Justice Department dispatched dozens of immigration judges to detention centers across the country and hired an additional 54 judges. The agency said it has continued to hire more immigration judges each month.

UNDER TRUMP, OLD DEPORTATION ORDERS GET NEW LIFE

I think they're going to again proclaim Donald Trump to be the deporter in chief of the United States, said Andrew Art Arthur, a former immigration judge, when in reality this is simply a return to the way immigration law was enforced for decades.

In the previous administration, President Barack Obama granted sanctuary to some 2,400 men, women and children a month if they had not committed a violent crime.

But thats not the case under Trump. Last week, he deported two high school students back to El Salvador. Business owners, community leaders and even students in the country illegally are now being told to leave the country.

This administration has shut the door on that, said Nick Katz, a lawyer for the immigration advocacy CASA de Maryland, [its] decided to detain them and deport them.

Thomas Homan, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said all the administration is doing is fixing a system that has long been broken.

We're fixing the policy. People will still get due process, Homan said recently. They will still get to see a judge if they want to see a judge.

Trumps deportation rhetoric seems to have deterred Central American immigrants from seeking asylum, a status many previously enjoyed. But thats changing, according to law enforcement sources, as the arrests in the Rio Grande Valley have increased from 100 a day to 400.

Homeland Security says that all across the border, arrests in July jumped to 18,198, a slight increase from June, when there were 16,087 arrests.

Experts say the numbers show Trump was serious when he vowed to crack down on illegal immigration.

This is exactly the sort of enforcement President Trump has promised and these numbers bare out the effectiveness of the policies that he has put into place thus far, Arthur said, to round up, to identify and remove individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States.
The Freedom Foundation sued Seattle Wednesday over its controversial new income tax on the rich, which critics call an assault on the law that sets a dangerous precedent.

The tax, passed by the Seattle City Council last month, targets high-income earners as part of what local lawmakers describe as a new formula for fairness.

The tax measure requires residents to pay a 2.25 percent tax if they are a single filer and make more than $250,000 annually or file jointly and make more than $500,000.

Its passage prompted a court challenge from the Freedom Foundation, a conservative think tank that considers the tax a slippery slope that could open the door to more taxes in the future.

The outrage over the tax even prompted the Washington Republican Party to call for civil disobedience and urged its members to refuse to comply, file or pay.

STATE GOP URGES 'CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE' OVER NEW SEATTLE TAX, SAYS RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT PAY

Wednesdays suit, filed in King County Superior Court on behalf of several of the citys residents, lays out the case against the tax.

This is clearly bad policy and illegal, but its also an assault on the rule of law, David Dewhirst, a lawyer for the Freedom Foundation, told Fox News in a statement. If they can get away with it this time, where does it stop?

'If they can get away with it this time, where does it stop?'  David Dewhirst, lawyer for Freedom Foundation

The suit argues that Seattles plan to tax the rich is unconstitutional, because the state of Washington imposes strict limits on taxes; prohibits taxes on net income; and requires cities to get permission to tax residents.

This tax ordinances legal and constitutional infirmities are patently obvious, Dewhirst said. Thats what makes this whole thing so chilling.

Dewhirst accused city council members of knowingly adopting a law that can only survive if the courts abandon decades of precedent  precedent grounded in Washingtons fundamental commitment to legal equality.

Outgoing Democratic Mayor Ed Murray says the goal of the tax is to replace our regressive tax system with a new formula for fairness while ensuring Seattle stands up President Trumps austere budget that cuts transportation, affordable housing, healthcare and social services.

The city estimates the new tax would raise $140 million a year and cost between $10 million and $13 million to set up, plus an additional $6 million a year to enforce. The money would go toward affordable housing projects as well as other services for lower-paid workers.

Councilmember Kshama Sawant told Fox News in July that the need for the tax is crystal clear.

She said the city isnt backing down  and says Seattle is ready to duke it out in court in whats likely to be a very costly legal battle.

We will no longer tolerate a system that buries poor and working class people in taxes, while giving big business and the super-rich yet another free ride; a system that underfunds affordable housing to the point where thousands are homeless, a system that criminally underfunds education, Sawant said.

Washington is one of seven states in the country that does not have a personal income tax.

Analysts at the Washington Policy Center also note the Washington Supreme Court ruled in 1951 to invalidate the state income tax. Further, a law passed in 1984 prohibits any city or county from levying a tax on net income.

The states voters have rejected the idea of an income tax nine separate times. Washington voters did approve an income tax in 1932, but the state Supreme Court ruled the measure was unconstitutional.
FBI agents raided the Virginia home of Paul Manafort, President Trumps former campaign chairman in late July, taking documents and other materials related to the investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election, Fox News has confirmed.

FBI agents executed a search warrant at one of Mr. Manaforts residences, Manaforts spokesperson Jason Maloni, confirmed to Fox News. Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well.

The Washington Post first reported the early morning raid.

Armed with a search warrant, federal agents went to Manaforts Alexandria home during the predawn hours of July 26  one day after he met voluntarily with members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The search warrant seems to indicate that investigators may have had reason to believe Manafort could not be trusted to turn over all of the records requested in response to a grand jury subpoena, the Post reported, citing people familiar with the special counsel investigation.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has cranked up the intensity and legal pressure on Manafort on a series of unrelated investigations into various aspects of his personal and professional life, the Post reported.

As a lobbyist and political consultant in the 1980s, Manafort worked with international clients including two dictators.

President Trump has tried to distance himself from Manafort, though the relationship between the two goes back years.

On March 29, 2016, the Trump campaign announced it brought the veteran political strategist on board to help then-candidate Trump secure enough delegates at the Republican National Convention in July.

Manafort resigned as Trumps campaign manager in August 2016 amid questions regarding his business dealings in Ukraine.

The special counsel has taken over a criminal investigation into Manaforts financial dealings, which began even before the 2016 election.

Manafort has been the subject of multiple investigations into his financial dealings and lobbying work. He has denied any colluding with Russia.

In June, Manafort officially registered as a foreign agent for the work he did with a Ukranian political party from 2012 to 2014.

So far, Trumps presidential campaign, his son Donald Trump Jr. and Manafort have turned over 20,000 pages of documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of the panels in-depth probe into election meddling by Moscow.

Committee spokesman George Hartmann said Manafort provided 400 pages on Aug. 2. Two days later, the presidents son handed over 250 pages. The committee had set an Aug. 2 deadline.

The committee asked for all records related to obtaining information on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton from the Russian government or people related to is, including the June 2016 meeting between Manafort, Trump Jr., Trump advisor/son-in-law Jared Kushner and Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Fox News Kaitlyn Schallhorn and John Roberts contributed to this report.
Five transgender soldiers with almost 60 years of combined service are suing President Trump over his plan to ban transgender people from the U.S. military.

The suit, filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Advocates & Defenders, charges the president's tweets announcing the ban violates the Equal Protection component of the Due Process clauses of the Fifth Amendment.

"The categorical exclusion of transgender people from military service lacks a rational basis, is arbitrary, and cannot be justified by sufficient federal interests," the complaint argues.

The plaintiffs are listed only as Jane Doe 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

DEFENSE DEPT. TO TRUMP ON TRANSGENDER BAN: NOT SO FAST

In making his announcement on Twitter, President Trump declared that he had consulted with "generals and military experts."

However, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford issued a statement the following day saying the policy won't be changed until the White House issues official new "guidance."

Last year, the Department of Defense announced that transgender people could serve openly, said one plaintiff in a statement released by the NCLR. I was very relieved and came out as transgender to my commanding officers, who were supportive. My experience has been positive and I am prouder than ever to continue to serve."

Response from the military's rank and file has been mixed.

In a July letter to President Trump, 16 retired flag-rank officers commended him for his "extremely courageous" decision to reverse President Obama's "transgender social experiment" in the military.

MORE THAN 50 HOUSE DEMS URGE MATTIS TO REJECT TRANSGENDER MILITARY BAN

Their letter concluded by stating that the transgender ban would help preserve "military effectiveness, morale and social cohesion."

However, the commandant of the Coast Guard, Adm. Paul F. Zukunft, said that transender people would still be welcome to serve under him despite Trump's tweets -- adding that he reached out to 13 Coast Guard members who currently serve under him.

That is the commitment to our people right now, Zukunft told the Times. Very small numbers, but all of them are doing meaningful Coast Guard work today.

Shannon Minter, a transgender legal expert and NCLR legal director, said that the ban was already having a detrimental impact on transgender soldiers.

Trumps directive to exclude transgender people from military service has created a tidal wave of harms that have already been felt throughout our armed services. Transgender service members have been blindsided by this shift and are scrambling to deal with what it means for their futures and their families, said Minter in a statement.
Alabamans head to the voting booth today and will come one step closer to electing a new U.S. senator.

Republican Jeff Sessions vacated his seat in February after he was confirmed as the U.S. attorney general. Former state Attorney General Luther Strange was picked by the governor to finish Sessions' term.

The special election primary was scheduled for Aug. 15. However, if no candidate gets 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election will occur at the end of September.

The general election is set for Dec. 12.

Heres a look at the nine Republicans and seven Democrats who are running to become the next U.S. senator from Alabama.

James Beretta, Republican

Dr. James Beretta, a pain management specialist just south of Birmingham, moved to Alabama 25 years ago to raise his family in a community-oriented area, according to AL.com.

Beretta said he is disillusioned with Washington  which is why he is running for office.

"I'm tired of the corruption," he told AL.com. "I'm tired of the purpose of me being in office is to promote my own ideology and not what's being voted on and passed."

Beretta said he would like to see immigration reform done correctly and thinks there should be a law against texting and driving, AL.com reported. He also thinks the state of health care today is another disaster and said former Gov. Robert Bentley should have expanded Medicaid in Alabama.

Beretta supports President Donald Trump and thinks Trump presents himself to the world in a much better light than the previous administration.

Will Boyd, Democrat

The Rev. Will Boyd is a Democrat, but he doesnt support gun control or abortion.

Im not somebody who wants to take guns away. Im not somebody who wants to kill babies, Boyd told AL.com.

He said he grew up in South Carolina around guns and would just want to enforce existing laws regarding who can purchase a firearm. As for abortion, Boyd described himself as a man of the cloth and emphasized the importance of adoption.

As a U.S. senator, Boyd would support a realistic path to citizenship plan for undocumented immigrants who are living and working peaceably in the U.S., according to his campaign website.

He also opposes the privatization of Social Security, supports legislation that helps fill the health care/Medicaid coverage gap that exists for women in Alabama, opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership and wishes to increase the minimum wage to $14 by 2018.

Joseph Breault, Republican

Despite running for office, Joseph Breault is keeping a low profile. So low, in fact, that the Alabama GOP wasnt even aware of who he is, according to AL.com.

And as the newspaper discovered, Breault doesnt like to speak to reporters, either.

Breault, a chaplain based at the Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, was also the Republican nominee in a Utah House race last year, his LinkedIn page says.

He previously served as chaplain at a VA hospital in Salt Lake City and at the Buckley Air Force base in Aurora, Colo.

Randy Brinson, Republican

A lay minister and former university trustee, Randy Brinson also received a medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia and served as the chief of gastroenterology at Maxwell Air Force Base.

Aside from his professional accomplishments, Brinson also notes his Christian activism on his campaign website. He said he brought WAY-FM, a Christian music station, to Montgomery and headed the nonprofit Christian Coalition of Alabama.

He also founded the conservative organization Redeem the Vote, which seeks to increase voter registration and participation of Christians. Brinson stepped down from the organization to run for Senate, AL.com reported.

Now, Randy continues to advocate strongly for America and Israels interests across the globe, and he values to protect us from the threat of radical jihadists and historical adversaries such as China and Russia, as they seek world domination and threaten our way of life, his website states.

As a senator, Brinson would push to end Common Core, repeal and replace ObamaCare and protect gun rights and the freedom of religion.

Mo Brooks, Republican

Like some of his opponents, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., was born in South Carolina but moved to Alabama as a child.

But in Alabama, Brooks has been influential in politics and law. He graduated from the University of Alabama Law School, worked as a prosecutor in the Tuscaloosa District Attorneys office and clerked for Circuit Court Judge John David Snodgrass, according to his campaign website.

He was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1982, appointed Madison County district attorney in 1991 and served as the special assistant attorney general for Sessions in 1995 when Sessions was the states attorney general.

Brooks became a U.S. congressman in 2011 and is a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

As a senator, Brooks said he would defend gun rights, support Trumps promise to build a border wall and push for sanctions against hostile nations.

With growing tension between Sessions and Trump  and rumors that Sessions could be next to leave the administration  Brooks offered to band together with the other GOP Senate candidates and drop out of the race to allow Sessions to have his seat back.

Brooks said last month that while he supports Trumps policies, he does not support the public waterboarding of Sessions.

I recognize that President Trump is popular in Alabama. My closest friends and political advisers have told me to not side with Jeff Sessions, that it will cost me politically to do so, Brooks said. My response is simple: I dont care. If this costs me politically, thats fine but I am going to do the right thing for Alabama and America. I stand with Jeff Sessions.

Strange, one of Brooks Republican opponents, said Brooks plan proved he is desperate to get attention.

The pair has also reportedly clashed over whether to keep the filibuster in the Senate.

Vann Caldwell, Democrat

Vann Caldwell is the constable in Talladega County  near the center of the state.

He has worked on a farm and for the public safety division of the University of Alabama, according to his website. After that, he developed his own security business.

"I have experience with working with a diversity of people. Caldwell, 33, told AL.com. I have developed [an] understanding as well as a plan for all of the people. I will give my [very] best in the betterment and growth of this state and nation. It's not magic; it will take hard work and passion, which I have.

He said that as a senator, he would focus on the economy, which in turn would help other issues  education, the military and homeland security.

As for health care policy, Caldwell told AL.com that by virtue of the Democratic beliefs and by virtue of the Republicans beliefs, only Democrats can make a health care law.

Republicans can only outlaw a health care law, he said.

Jason Fisher, Democrat

Jason Fisher is a longtime resident of Alabamas Gulf Coast, but the 45-year-old Democrat grew up working on farms in Eastern Iowa, according to his campaign website.

For Fisher, health care is a top issue  and it hits close to home for him.

Fishers wife unexpectedly died from a blood clot just before her 31st birthday, AL.com reported. He is now the single father of a 2-year-old girl who has special needs, the report said.

"I have had no shortage of bad luck over the last six or seven years when it comes to my personal life," Fisher said. "But there is a gift that comes from that and it is the perspective of understanding what is truly important and how to work with people in a different way to get a better result.

He said he hopes Congress would work to improve the current health care law to make it better for Americans.

Fisher is a vice president and senior consultant at a marketing firm, but he has worked as a business manager, consultant and nonprofit executive, his website states.

Michael Hansen, Democrat

Michael Hansen, 35, said his Senate bid is a long shot  but its a shot hes willing to take anyway.

Hansen, executive director of the health advocacy group Gasp, is openly gay and a Democrat.

In a Medium blog post announcing his run, Hansen noted that folks are sick and tired. He specifically noted the stereotypes that liberals, conservatives, Christians, people of color, men and white people face.

Our list of grievances with one another goes on and on, and its unsustainable, he said.

In the Senate, Hansen said he would fight for a federal law to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination, fight against policies that would systematically oppress people of color and advocate for funding family planning services, including Planned Parenthood.

Doug Jones, Democrat

A former federal prosecutor, Doug Jones said he hope[s] to return to public office.

On his campaign website, Jones criticized Trump for withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate change agreement. He also said he supports a womans right to choose and supports Planned Parenthood.

The shenanigans around the 2016 campaign must be pushed aside and full equality for women made the law and the norm in America, he said.

Former Vice President Joe Biden endorsed the candidate this week and joined in on a robocall to voters.

Doug Jones will make a great U.S. Senator so please make sure you get out and vote on Tuesday - and Im hoping youll vote for my friend, Doug Jones, Biden said.

Thus far, Jones has raised more than $158,000 for his campaign, AL.com reported. Thats only about half as much as some of the top GOP candidates, but its most likely more than any of his fellow Democrats, according to the newspaper.

Robert Kennedy Jr., Democrat

No, hes not related to the famous political family. But Robert Kennedy Jr., does hope to become a lawmaker.

Kennedy attended Duke Universitys Fuqua School of Business and was stationed in Japan with the Navy. He spent nine years on active duty.

AL.com reported that Kennedy, 47, remained fairly private during an interview and declined to reveal certain personal details about his life, including his job.

His campaign website simply said Kennedy launched his civilian career in the casino industry, and subsequently transitioned into retail.

Im a fiscally responsible Democrat who leads with faith, Kennedy said on his website. He told AL.com that he considers himself to be a conservative Democrat who supports gun rights.

But he also supports keeping and fixing ObamaCare and abortion rights, according to his website.

Despite staying fairly private about certain details, Kennedy led the field of Democrats in a recent WBRC-TV poll with 49 percent. Jones trailed with 28 percent.

Mary Maxwell, Republican

Mary Maxwell specifically moved to Alabama to run for the open Senate seat  all the way from Australia.

She told AL.com that she learned about the election from a Yahoo News article and decided that, after spending several decades in Australia, it was time for a move. In June, Maxwell became an Alabama resident.

Maxwell, 70, is a unique candidate  she travels the state by Greyhound bus because she doesnt want to drive on the right-hand side of the road, shes written about mind control and teen etiquette and she sued former President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney over the administration attacking Iran and Syria without a declaration of war.

Maxwell was born in Massachusetts where she lived until she moved to Australia with her late-husband in 1980.

"I don't mind admitting that as a Northerner, the South wasn't there for me," she told AL.com. "We don't see it, we don't think about it. I was never thinking about Alabama, I'll admit."

Maxwell said she hang[s] out in front of Walmarts when [she] can, distributing copies of the Bill of Rights, usually warmly received, according to her campaign website.

She said she is against war, mandatory vaccinations and privatizing prisons. She also would like to audit the Federal Reserve System and would look into government bullying as a senator.

Roy Moore, Republican

If Chuck Norris had his way, Judge Roy Moore would be the next senator.

The "Walker, Texas Ranger" star endorsed Moore as he is "the real deal," Norris said.

Alabama needs Judge Moore there doing what hes always done: fighting to protect our constitutional rights to life, religious liberty and the freedom to protect ourselves and our families. And he will always put principle over politics, Norris said.

Moore recently served as the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court but was suspended in September 2016 from chief justice for violating the canons of judicial ethics.

Prosecutors said Moore told probate judges to defy the Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage nationwide. Moore said on his Senate campaign website that he retired to seek the office in 2017 and addressed the controversy by saying that he was suspended for upholding the sanctity of marriage as between one man and one woman.

Moore advocated for using the military to protect the countrys southern border, immediately repealing ObamaCare and making homosexuality against military policy on his campaign website.

He is also opposed to abortion, federal funding to Planned Parenthood, same-sex marriage, civil unions and all other threats to the traditional family order.

Bryan Peeples, Republican

Bryan Peeples is young, has never held an elected office and doesnt have a campaign chairman, according to AL.com.

Im doing this by myself, the 37-year-old said.

As a consultant for small- and medium-sized hotels and restaurants, Peeples is focused on middle-income families and mid-sized businesses, he told AL.com.

He is also focused on tax reform and term limits. He would like to donate a portion of his Senate salary to charity, according to a contract on his campaign website states.

Trip Pittman, Republican

State Sen. Trip Pittman is the natural successor to Jeff Sessions in the U.S. Senate, his campaign website states. He would also be the first non-lawyer in more than 100 years to represent Alabama in the Senate, it said.

Pittman ran for state Senate after he survived a plane crash in 2007, according to his campaign website.

Pittman is anti-abortion and supports Trumps call for a border wall. He also supports Trumps call to drain the swamp in Washington, D.C.

Luther Strange, Republican

Strange currently holds Sessions old seat, as he was appointed by the governor to finish out Sessions' term. But Strange hopes to keep the office he was given.

Before his Senate appointment, Strange was Alabamas attorney general and joined a lawsuit against the Obama administration that challenged Obama's executive order on amnesty for undocumented immigrants.

Strange said he stands with President Trump and looks forward to working with the new administration to achieve landmark conservative success, on his campaign website. He also supports repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act and calls for immediate deportation of criminal undocumented immigrants and the construction of a border wall.

And his loyalty to Trump appears to have paid off. The president endorsed Strange in a tweet on August 8.

Senator Luther Strange has done a great job representing the people of the Great State of Alabama. He has my complete and total endorsement! Trump said.

Strange said he was honored to receive the endorsement.

Strange raised $1.8 million in just three months, AL.com reported in July. Hes endorsed by the National Rifle Association and Perry Hooper Jr., the Alabama Trump Victory chairman.

Charles Nana, Democrat

Businessman Charles Nana immigrated to the U.S. from Cameroon in West Africa, and he splits his time between his job in Nashville and his home in Birmingham, AL.com reported.

He unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for Senate last year.

[Nana] is deeply troubled by the way faith is being used by some to serve hate, racism and greed, his campaign website states.

Nana advocates for a new fresh wind, which includes free education through college.

If we can contemplate building a wall with Mexico, we can surely afford giving our children free education from Pre-K to college, he said on his website.

Nana considers himself a Berniecrat and a conservative Democrat, according to AL.com.

Withdrew

- Dominic Gentile, Republican

- Ed Henry, Republican

- Karen Jackson, Republican

- Brian McGee, Democrat
Tough new United Nations sanctions on North Korea were touted as a diplomatic triumph by the Trump administration, but experts warn that the isolated regime will shrug off the penalties and could even respond with renewed hostility.

Over the weekend, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to introduce a set of punishing sanctions that could cost North Korea almost $1 billion off of its $3 billion annual export revenue. The resolution, which is considered the harshest levied against Pyongyang in a decade, was payback for its testing of two intercontinental ballistic missiles last month. Those tests, plus word that the rogue regime may have miniaturized nuclear weapons, has brought the world to the brink of war.

HALEY: NORTH KOREA NEEDS TO BRACE FOR COMBINED PRESSURE FROM US AND THE WORLD

Any hope the sanctions would cool down boiling tensions was quickly dashed. North Korea immediately threatened to send packs of wolves to attack and strangle a nation.

They should be mindful that [North Koreas] strategic steps accompanied by physical action will be taken mercilessly with the mobilization of all its national strength, the countrys KCNA news agency said in a statement.

On Tuesday, President Trump warned that Kim Jong Un will be met with fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which the world has never seen before.

Trump also said that Kim Jong Un has been very threatening beyond a normal state and said the regime best not make any more threats to the United States.

Experts told Fox News the latest sanctions are not likely to put the necessary pressure on North Korea.

For North Korea, this is a matter of national survivalKim Jong Un has staked his legitimacy on having a nuclear capability, Scott Snyder, author and senior fellow for Korea studies at Center on Foreign Relations, told Fox News. North Korea has said clearly that the only thing they would consider as a starting offer for talking about nuclear, would be the U.S. removing its hostile policy.

Snyder added: I just dont think, at this point, sanctions are going to lead to a negotiation process, and in the immediate near term, I think its likely theyll respond with further provocations.

Gordon Chang, who authored "Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Takes on the World and The Coming Collapse of China," told Fox News that the United States also should not be confident in the level of Chinas commitment to the sanctions package.

China would not have voted for these sanctions if they thought they were going to be effective, Chang told Fox News. The best thing the Trump administration can do is call out the Chinese for transferring ballistic missile equipment to North Korea, and sanction Chinese banksthe big ones that are involved in money laundering.

Chang pointed to Chinas behavior with coal sanctions in November 2016, when the Chinese agreed to stop buying coal from North Korea. China banned all imports of North Korean coal on February 26, cutting off the countrys most important export product, after repeated North Korean missile tests. In April China reportedly turned away North Korean coal ships and returned them to their home port of Nampo a move President Trump celebrated as a big step.

TRUMP SAYS CHINA TOOK A 'BIG STEP' IN SENDING COAL SHIPS BACK TO NORTH KOREA

But Chang said that the Chinese did, in fact, buy coal from North Korea, and have continued to do so through third parties.

They do this because administrations in the past have let themthis is not a story about North Korea or Chinathis is a story about the failure of American policy makers to protect the American people, Chang said. We are the most powerful nation in history and are constantly outwitted by one that is the most destitute on the earth.

Snyder echoed a similar sentiment to Chinas cooperation.

These sanctions, on paper, would quarantine the North Korean economy from the international community, but its possible that what may happen, is North Korean trade with China is simply moved off the books, Snyder told Fox News. Its really implementation and enforcement that remains the critical sticking point.

TRUMP: BID TO GET CHINA'S HELP ON NORTH KOREA 'HAS NOT WORKED OUT'

Chang suggested the presidents harsh rhetoric on Tuesday and his early morning tweets about the U.S.s nuclear arsenal, were directed to China, rather than North Korea.

I think he is trying to intimidate the Chinese into cooperating with the international community, Chang told Fox News. My sense is this is signaling to Beijing more than anything.

TRUMP SAYS US NUCLEAR ARSENAL IS 'STRONGER, MORE POWERFUL THAN EVER BEFORE' AMID NORTH KOREA THREAT

Both Snyder and Chang told Fox News that while its too early to tout sanctions, the Trump administration is facing a greater sense of urgency in regard to North Korea, and blamed past administrations for the status of the threat posed by Kim Jong Un.

The Trump administration inherited a very difficult challenge that I think developed new dimensions under the Obama administration that most people were not expecting, Snyder said. This metastasized into a much more dangerous situation and threat under the Obama administration.

Chang also shifted blame to the Obama administration, and presidents dating back to Bill Clinton and said there has been bipartisan failure with regard to North Korea.

Obama let the North Koreans slide for eight years, but told the Trump transition team that North Korea would be their number one national security priority," Chang said. "That was making an admission.
President Trump's Twitter assault on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell continued Thursday, as the frustrated commander-in-chief resumed his criticism of the Republican leadership for not advancing the GOP agenda.

Trump's Day II morning tweet criticized McConnell, R-Ky., for failing to pass a plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare, and came hours after a tense 10-minute phone call between the two.

TRUMP BLASTS MCCONNELL OVER 'EXCESSIVE EXPECTATIONS' REMARK, SOURCE SAYS

"Can you believe that Mitch McConnell, who has screamed Repeal & Replace for 7 years, couldn't get it done. Must Repeal & Replace ObamaCare!" Trump tweeted Thursday.

Later in the day, Trump tweeted: "Mitch, get back to work and put Repeal & Replace, Tax Reform & Cuts and a great Infrastructure Bill on my desk for signing. You can do it!"

The day before, while much of the media focused on the threat North Korea poses to the United States, Trump lashed out at McConnell on Twitter.

Senator Mitch McConnell said I had excessive expectations, but I dont think so. After 7 years of hearing Repeal & Replace, why not done? Trump tweeted Wednesday afternoon.

The presidents tweet was seemingly in response to comments McConnell made in a Rotary Club meeting in his home district earlier this week.

McConnell explained to constituents the complexity of legislating in response to questions regarding the lack of a repeal and replace of ObamaCare.

TRUMP TARGETS MEMBERS' OWN HEALTH PLANS AFTER OBAMACARE REPEAL FALLS FLAT

A Congress goes on for two years. Part of the reason I think that the storyline is that we havent done much is because, in part, the president and others have set these early timelines about things [that] need to be done by a certain point, McConnell said Monday. Our new president, of course, has not been in this line of work before, and I think had excessive expectations about how quickly things happen in the democratic process.

The president has repeatedly expressed his discontent with Republicans in both the House and the Senate for their failure to pass a plan to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with a new health care plan. The administration was left without a major legislative win before the August recess, with lawmakers, seemingly, willing to shift their focus from health care to tax reform when they return to Capitol Hill.

And after fighting Republicans tooth-and-nail for years on their repeal and replace message, Democrats have started touting a slew of proposals aimed to improve the ailing health care system.

DEMS SUDDENLY SCRAMBLING TO COME UP WITH OBAMACARE FIX

Some Senate Republicans have welcomed Democrats to the process. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said they needed to stick with health care and bring it to a resolution.

The end is going to be sitting down with our colleagues from the other side of the aisle and getting something passed, Flake said on Fox News Americas Newsroom.

Senate hearings to discuss health care, in a bipartisan fashion, are set to begin September 4.
Top Democrats called President's Trump's harsh warning Tuesday to North Korea "reckless," but intelligence and military experts said the commander-in-chief's promise of "fire and fury" was justified given Kim Jong Un's continued threats and disdain for diplomacy.

Confirmed reports that Pyongyang could put nuclear weapons on the tips of missiles - and thus possibly make good on repeated threats to attack U.S. cities - prompted Trump's unusually dire threat. But the message had to be delivered, said former CIA station Chief Daniel Hoffman.

Deterrence is really important, Hoffman said on Fox News Fox & Friends. Its important for the United States to lay out very clearly how it would act in response to a North Korean attack.

Kim's belligerence and continued testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles prompted the United Nations this past weekend to vote unanimously to impose sanctions on the rogue nation. But Kim responded to the global condemnation with more threats to the U.S.

"Its important for the United States to lay out very clearly how it would act in response to a North Korean attack.  Former CIA station Chief Daniel Hoffman

Even after Trump said Tuesday that North Korea faces fire and fury like the world has never seen, Kim responded by threatening to create an enveloping of fire around the U.S. island of Guam, which has a large American military base.

Key Democrats were quick to find fault with Trump's warning.

We need to be firm and deliberate with North Korea, but reckless rhetoric is not a strategy to keep America safe, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said after Trumps message late-Tuesday afternoon.

California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a member of the Senate Intelligence committee, also criticized Trumps words but acknowledged that isolating North Korea, through sanctions and other measures, has failed to stop the countrys nuclear pursuits.

Isolating the North Koreans has not halted their pursuit of nuclear weapons, Feinstein said in a statement. And President Trump is not helping the situation with his bombastic comments.

Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, the House's No. 2 Democrat, said: "President Trump's threat against North Korea is reckless and shows a serious lack of judgment."

Sebastian Gorka, Trump's deputy adviser on national security affairs, said politicians should not publicly second guess the president on such a grave matter.

"Anybody, whether a member of Congress or a journalist, who thinks [their] politics trumps the national security of America, that's an indictment of you," Gorka said Wednesday on "Fox & Friends." "You need to ask yourself: what's more important? My political party or America. There's only one correct answer to that."

Conservative Review's Chris Pandolfo said the criticism of Trump was misdirected.

"Its a funny thing when the American news media and other blue checkmarks on Twitter are more concerned with President Trumps words than they are with North Korea obtaining nuclear ICBMs," he wrote. "But here we are."

Former CIA operative Mike Baker told Fox & Friends said diplomacy and sanctions are not enough, and a much stronger message must be sent.

Weve allowed this to get to here for years. Now we have no options," Baker said. "Past (imposing) sanctions, we have to think about what are our military options short of war.

Heritage Foundation fellow Bruce Klingner said Wednesday that the presidents statement was good but "the verbiage is concerning."

"The reaction of many was critical of the words, though not necessarily of the intent," he told Fox News. "Of course theres always the political game of supporting or criticizing statements based on the political party that they came from."

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee-Sanders told reporters Wednesday that the tone of the president's remarks were "discussed beforehand."

"General Kelly and others on the NSC team were well aware of the tone of the statement of the president prior to delivery," Sanders said. "The words were his own. The tone and strength of the message were discussed beforehand."

Sanders added: "They [Gen. Kelly and the NSC team] were clear the president was going to respond to North Korea's threats following the sanctions with a strong message in no uncertain terms."

Fox News' Whitney Ksiazek contributed to this report.


The Walt Disney Company has been slapped with a lawsuit claiming that more than 40 of its smartphone apps are illegally spying on children.



The class-action lawsuit alleges that Disney is violating the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The law, passed in 1998, was designed to protect the privacy of children online.

"COPPA imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age," reads a summary of the law on the Federal Trade Commission's website.

FBI WARNS PARENTS ABOUT USING INTERNET CONNECTED TOYS

The lawsuit claims that the apps have "trackers" installed into them, which can collect information such as geographical location, internet browsing history and other personal information. These items are then sold to third-parties for advertising purposes.

California resident Amanda Rushing filed the suit on Aug. 3 in a United States District Court in San Francisco.

Children are especially vulnerable to online tracking and the resulting behavioral advertising, the lawsuit reads, according to Fox 13 Memphis. Disney never obtained verifiable parental consent to collect, use, or disclose her childs personal information.

Disney has not yet responded to a request for comment from Fox News. However, the company did respond to The Washington Post earlier this week, saying: Disney has a robust COPPA compliance program, and we maintain strict data collection and use policies for Disney apps created for children and families. The complaint is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of COPPA principles, and we look forward to defending this action in Court.

SNAPCHAT MOVES TO ALLAY PRIVACY CONCERNS OVER NEW MAPS FEATURE

Disney's smartphone apps are particularly popular, most notably with children. According to the Google Play Store, "Where's My Water? 2," - one of the apps on the list - has been downloaded between 100 million and 500 million times. The app is also listed as an "Editor's Choice" on the Apple App Store.

Other games alleged to be collecting the illegal data, such as "Moana Island Life" and "Disney Color and Play" have between 1 million and 5 million installations on Android devices.

Here is the full list of the apps in the lawsuit:

"AvengersNet"

"Beauty and the Beast"

"Perfect Match"

"Cars Lightening League"

"Club Penguin Island"

"Color by Disney"

"Disney Color and Play"

"Disney Crossy Road"

"Disney Dream Treats"

"Disney Emoji Blitz"

"Disney Gif"

"Disney Jigsaw Puzzle!"

"Disney LOL"

"Disney Princess: Story Theater"

"Disney Store Become"

"Disney Story Central"

"Disney's Magic Timer by Oral-B"

"Disney Princess: Charmed Adventures"

"Dodo Pop"

"Disney Build It Frozen"

"DuckTales: Remastered"

"Frozen Free Fall"

"Frozen Free Fall: Icy Shot"

"Good Dinosaur Storybook Deluxe"

"Inside Out Thought Bubbles"

"Maleficent Free Fall"

"Miles from Tomorrowland: Missions"

"Moana Island Life"

"Olaf's Adventures"

"Palace Pets in Whisker Haven"

"Sofia the First Color and Play"

"Sofia the First Secret Library"

"Star Wars: Puzzle DroidsTM"

"Star WarsTM: Commander"

"Temple Run: Oz"

"Temple Run: Brave"

"The Lion Guard"

"Toy Story: Story Theater"

"Wheres My Water?"

"Where's My Mickey?"

"Where's My Water? 2"

"Wheres My Water? Lite/Wheres My Water? Free"

"Zootopia Crime Files: Hidden Object"

This is not the first time Disney has been hit with COPPA violations. In 2011, the FTC hit a Disney subsidiary, Playcom, with a $3 million fine after a lawsuit by the government agency found it registered 1.2 million users for online games. The lawsuit said Disney collected personal information from children such as email addresses and ages, while allowing them to give other information such as full names, instant messenger usernames and physical locations.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SUED FOR BLOCKING TWITTER USERS

Disney also recently settled a lawsuit for its ABC subsidiary, related to the "pink slime" lawsuit. In a quarterly filing, the settlement likely cost the company $177 million, according to Fox Business.

Disney said on Aug. 8 it was undergoing a massive shift to its business due to the changing environment in the media business.

For ESPN, one of its largest segments, it said it would go direct-to-consumer, starting in 2018, as the unit has been hit by subscriber losses. It also said it would no longer put its Disney and Pixar movies on Netflix, starting with its 2019 calendar film slate.

Follow Chris Ciaccia on Twitter at @chris_ciaccia
Journeying to space is an honor bestowed upon a fortunate few, but it comes with some seldom-discussed side effects. For example, in the absence of gravity, the human body tends to expandpainfully. Astronauts' faces swell up due to excess bodily fluids that no longer have to contend with gravitya condition known as "the Charlie Brown effect"while forcing all sorts of liquids out their various face holes. Grody.

These occasionally gross and painful conditions are inescapable consequences of transplanting the human body into an alien environment. And they're perfect examples of how humans are NOT designed to live and work outside Earth's atmosphere. But they generally only last "a day or two" and are small prices to pay for a trip to the cosmos, right?

There's still much we don't understand. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly lived aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for 340 days (the record belongs to Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, who racked up 438 days) and the effects of his stay included bone density loss of 1.5 percent per month, heart shrinkage (the heart shrinks since it doesn't have to work as hard), radiation exposure (no protective ozone layer), vision problems (eyes adapt to operating in gravity), and even skin irritability (resulting from not constantly coming into contact with things).

While Captain Kelly's prolonged stay resulted in a lot of science, one year for one individual is still a very limited data setespecially if you consider the time necessary for a human to travel throughout the solar system with current technology.

As space exportation and colonization become increasingly viable prospects, we are forced to confront a great unknown: what will happen to our bodies after decades in space? We're kind of rolling the dice on this one, and what happens on the other side is anyone's guess. Things might even get super weird.

"Would we, in the future, even have skeletons anymore if we were up in space for a long time," pondered NASA astronaut Scott Parazynski, who stopped by PCMag's offices for our Q&A series The Convo to talk about his new memoir The Sky Below.

Aside from his five journeys to space, Parazynski is a medical doctor who specializes in space physiology and is the co-founder of Blue Marble Space, which aims to use technology to help humans explore space. "That's such a crazy thing to think about it. But we have skeletons here on Earth to resist gravity. But without it, over many generations, we'd probably evolve in some crazy ways."

This is not to say that astronauts or first-generation colonists are in immediate danger of turning into boneless goo. But it's not insane to question if their descendants will be. When placed in an alien environment, evolution can take some weird turns. Consider the Mexican tetra (AKA the "blind cave fish"), which long ago found its way into a lightless subterranean environment andover many generationseventually lost its eyeballs as they became unnecessary drains on resources. Might a similar dropping of dead biologic weight occur in humans on a future space colony? Short answer: We have no friggin' clue.

Now, there are things like centripetal motion, which can recreate gravity in a weightless environment (think A Space Odyssey or Interstellar), and could be implemented for any long-term human space habitat. However, the more immediate concern regarding gravity's effect on our bodies will be in an environment like Mars, where gravity is only about a third as robust.

Over the generations, human bodies living in low-gravity locations like the Red Planet will change character. This may sound like some inconsequential sci-fi pondering, but a human civilization in space is closer than many realize. The good news is we should be able to engineer our way around any problems we face.

"Anything that we humans set our mind to we can usually solve. And that seems like a very solvable problem," explains Parazynski. "You've seen all the artists' renditions of future Mars colonies with these modules on the surface of Mars, but they'd probably be buried for radiation protection. And we could do hydroponic plant growthwe can extract water from the soil. There's actually a lot of water on Mars. We can then generate oxygen to breathe. We can do a lot there. But it will take infrastructure and time. And by the way, send money."

I don't think that future colonists will become formless jelly-people, but the fact that we don't know for sure shows just how many unknowns there are about humanity's ability to survive outside Earth's protective bubble. It's about time we at least start to consider what our weird space future will look like.

The Convo is PCMag's interview series hosted by features editor Evan Dashevsky (@haldash). Each episode is broadcast live on PCMag's Facebook page, where viewers are invited to ask guests questions in the comments. Episodes are then posted on our YouTube page and available as an audio podcast, which you can subscribe to on iTunes or the podcast platform of your choice.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.
A well-connected analyst says that this year's iPhone models won't be delayed, despite earlier reports that said the iPhone 8 may not hit shelves until October or even November.

In addition, all three devices will reportedly be available in just three colors  and the once-popular rose gold isn't making the cut.

The report comes from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a reputation for scoops on Apple's upcoming iPhone moves. Kuo's latest research note, spotted by MacRumors, contends that Apple will unveil the iPhone 8 and its iPhone 7 updates all at once in September, with the three models shipping at the same time, too. The OLED-equipped iPhone 8 is expected to be in short supply for the rest of 2017, though.

Still, that's a lot more optimistic than other reports about the iPhone 8's release, as some analysts had been talking about the new phones not arriving until late in the year. Besides shortages of the OLED panels which will feature prominently in the new iPhone, some reports say that Apple engineers are struggling to perfect new features like wireless charging and face recognition.

The research note also says that Apple plans to release black, silver and gold versions of its iPhones this fall. What's more, those color schemes apply to all of Apple's iPhones  the rumored iPhone 8 as well as the more modest iPhone 7s and 7s Plus that are expected to debut alongside the new-look iPhone.

A trio of colors would be a bit of departure from Apple's current array of iPhones. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus debuted last year in black, jet black, silver, gold and rose gold versions. A [Product] Red model of each phone arrived in March.

Colors are notoriously hard for the rumor mill to nail down before a phone launch. Last year, rumors circulated about a blue iPhone 7 that never materialized.

Still, Kuo's strong track record for iPhone forecasts  he was among the first to peg wireless charging as a feature for this year's iPhones, and now that's widely expected to be added to Apple's phones  coupled with other leaks suggest Apple may limit the color scheme for the iPhone 8.

Kuo's report squares with a leak that MacRumors had found earlier on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo that showed the iPhone in black, silvery white and a gold color described as "champagne gold" even if it looks more copper in the leaked image.

While Apple doesn't comment on rumors about upcoming products, CEO Tim Cook didn't sound particularly fretful during a phone briefing last week with Wall Street analysts in which he talked enthusiastically (if non-specifically) about already-announced products such as iOS 10, macOS High Sierra and the HomePod speaker. "We can't wait to deliver all these innovations in the months to come," Cook said. "And we might even have more to share with you this fall."
After years of planning, Apple recently started moving into its gargantuan $5 billion spaceship campus. An imposing and impressive structure to say the least, the outside of the building is comprised of more than 3,000 curved panels of glass which had to be custom-made and specifically engineered for the building. Designed to run on 100% renewable energy, Apple's massive new headquarters features a number of interesting architectural quirks that will ostensibly make the 12,000 employees that work there more productive and more likely to collaborate with colleagues.

With an abundance of open areas on the outside and free-flowing workspaces on the inside, Jony Ive told Wired earlier this year that the building's crowning achievement is that it's a place where "many people can connect and collaborate and walk and talk."

Now that all sounds well and good, but there are rumblings that not everyone within Apple is thrilled with the new work environment. Specifically, open workspaces as opposed to smaller work areas and individual offices appear to be the cause of most of the discontent. To this point John Gruber during a recent episode of the The Talk Show podcast relayed an interesting bit of information about how some Apple employees took to the new digs.

Notably, this isn't the first time we've seen reports regarding Apple engineers voicing concern regarding Apple's shift to a more free-flowing work environment. A WSJ article from a few days ago added that "coders and programmers are concerned that their work surroundings will be too noisy and distracting."

All in all, this shouldn't come as much of a surprise. There have long been competing schools of thought as to what type of work environment allows employees to be more productive, and anytime engineers are forced into a new working environment, controversy is to be expected.
The military has permission to shoot down consumer drones that fly over and around its U.S. bases.



The Department of Defense sent guidance to the military on Aug. 4 about the use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, over and around U.S. military sites. In a statement released Aug. 7, DoD spokesman and Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, explained that the new guidance follows classified guidance that was sent out in July.

HOW ISIS IS TURNING COMMERCIAL DRONES INTO WEAPONS IN THE BATTLE FOR MOSUL

Protecting our force remains a top priority, and that's why DoD issued the specific, but classified policy developed with the Federal Aviation Administration and our interagency partners that details how DoD personnel may counter the unmanned aircraft threat, he said.

Davis noted that all drone activities in the US must follow FAA regulations and guidelines.

TERRORIST DRONE THREAT: US UNPREPARED FOR GROWING DANGER, EXPERTS SAY

We support civilian law enforcement investigations in the prosecution of unauthorized UAS operations over military installations, he said. And though we do not discuss specific force-protection measures, we of course retain the right of self-defense. And when it comes to UAS or drones operating over military installations, this new guidance does afford us the ability to take action to stop those threats.

These actions include tracking, disabling and destroying drones, depending on the circumstances and the type of installation where drone activity is detected, he added.

SECRET SERVICE WILL TEST SURVEILLANCE DRONE DURING TRUMPS GOLF CLUB VISIT

Drones have become a source of security concern in recent years. In 2015, for example, a quadcopter drone sparked a security alert after it crashed onto the White House grounds.

Commercial drones can also be weaponized, as evidenced in Iraq where Islamic State militants modified commercial drones to drop 40 mm rifle grenades. Experts have warned that America is unprepared for the threat of terrorist drone attacks on targets within the U.S.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines clearly meant well when they thought to tweet out a pro-gay message in honor of Amsterdams Gay Pride festivities, but their efforts have left quite a few people scratching their heads.

On Aug. 5, the airline shared a photo on Twitter and Facebook featuring three sets of rainbow-print seatbelts: one with two female ends, another with two male ends, and the last with one male and one female end.

It doesnt matter who you click with, the airline wrote in the caption. Happy #PrideAmerstdam.

BEN & JERRY'S BANNED SAME-FLAVOR SCOOPS TO PROMOTE MARRIAGE EQUALITY, BUT TWITTER WAS CONFUSED

However, as several Twitter users soon pointed out, the photo in the tweet didnt make sense, seeing as the only seatbelt pairing that would actually work is  in terms of safety  the one with both the male and female end.

While most users were content to ridicule KLM for its mistake, some critics of gay marriage pointed to KLMs marketing failure as an example of misguided morals.

Doug Mainwaring, a writer at the conservative blog Life Site News, further pointed to KLMs gaffe as his proof that marriage is only between man and woman.

In this way, the KLM ad offers a perfect explanation of why same-sex marriage is an impossible notion, he wrote in a blog post.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Meanwhile, KLM is sticking by its post, and urging that the seatbelts are merely a metaphor that in no way reflects the airlines stance on flight safety.

The statement we made with the image showing rainbow-colored safety belts is simply a metaphor that celebrates diversity, wrote KLM spokesperson Koen van Zijl a statement to Fox News. Safety for all passengers remains our primary priority. All passengers are required to use standard safety belts on KLM flights.

The airline has even responded to supporters who applauded the post for its sentiment, rather than its unintended message.

As of Wednesday morning, KLMs original #PrideAmsterdam post remains unchanged on its official Twitter page.
Millions of gallons of toxic chemicals and raw sewage are being dumped by Mexico into the Tijuana River, surrounding valleys and U.S. beaches at the U.S.-Mexico border, sickening border patrol agents, but those on the front lines say the U.S. has done little to force Mexico to literally clean up its act.

Some 59 Border Patrol agents have reported getting sick in the last three months after exposure to pollutants while at work along the border. One agent suffered severe chemical burns on his feet after toxic chemicals burned through his boots, according to documentation provided by the U.S. Border Patrol Local 1613 Union.

That union is threatening legal action that could result in all 300 people stationed at the Imperial Beach Border Patrol station to abandon their posts along the vast border between San Diego and Mexico. Border Patrol union leaders blame U.S. government agencies, Congress and the International Boundary and Water Commission for not aggressively addressing the continuing environmental pollution and health hazards. The organization is an independent U.S. commission directed by the State Department that oversees management of the river.

Because it oversees sanitation, water quality and flood control in the border region, the IBWC has become the focus of outrage by local government officials as well as the Border Patrol.

It is going to get the point where they cannot patrol down there. That is a national security issue, said Christopher Harris, secretary for the U.S. Border Patrol Local 1613 Union, which represents represent almost 2,000 US Border Patrol Bargaining Unit Employees in the San Diego Sector.

If a judge rules that our agents cannot work in that area, we are going to cede this back to no mans land, Harris warned, noting that this would leave a vast area of the border open to Mexican cartel smuggling fugitives putting local residents at risk.

During a tour of the U.S.-Mexican border arranged by the union, Joel Sevilla, a U.S. Army veteran who has been a Border Patrol Agent for nine years, told Fox News that last week he had to halt his ATV patrols.

I like doing what I do, but now it has come to a point that every night I have headaches and every day I have headaches and nasal pain and I had to stop, Sevilla said.

Numerous agents have suffered from gas inhalation, chemical burns, lung damage and infections, said Terrance Shiggs, president of the National Board Patrol Council Local 1613.

Serge Dedina, mayor of the City of Imperial Beach, one of the beachfront communities most impacted by the pollution, said that between 30 and 40 million gallons of sewage are discharged daily onto the beach from Mexicos Punta Banderas sewage treatment plant six miles south of the border, and during south swells and south winds, the sewage washes up on U.S. beaches. Mexican sewage also flows into the U.S. from the Tijuana River. When there is a power outage affecting the sewage plant in Mexico, it is not uncommon for raw sewage to be discharged on to the U.S. side of the border, Dedina said.

The City of Imperial Beach is planning its own legal action over Clean Water Act violations, Dedina added.

We can no longer tolerate our own government allowing this to happen, he said.

Dedina said residents, small business owners, and Border Agents are frustrated that the International Boundary and Water Commission doesnt take aggressive and immediate action to keep Mexican sewage and toxic chemicals from flowing into ocean, area canyons, the Tijuana River and a protected estuary.

We want to make sure our residents and the Border Patrol agents  and United States Navy SEALs who live and train in our city and just North of Coronado are not harmed by this mess, Dedina said.

Dedina said the Department of Homeland Security should include new protections in the $200 million Congress just allocated for San Diego border wall upgrades.

The trouble with Mexicos broken sewage system came to the forefront in February, when 250 million gallons of raw sewage poured from Mexico into the Tijuana River and then into the ocean for 17 days after the City of Tijuanas sanitation system broke down.

No Mexican official disclosed the hazard, but the 200,000 people living in South San Diego, Imperial Beach and Chula Vista could smell the eye-watering, throat-burning smell of raw sewage from a mile away. The spill was the worst in the region in a decade, and resulted in several miles of beaches being closed for six weeks. Initially, the Mexican government pledged to fix the problem, but that changed.

We were told on Aug. 4 by highest level American officials that the Mexican federal government has abandoned its effort to support this issue, Dedina said. The U.S. government has to step up and help us stop this toxic waste and toxic sewage from coming across the border.

I dont think Mexico is doing this on purpose, but do I think they care - not a bit. The U-S government has to start doing some things to make Mexico care about its actions, said Harris. The U-S cannot solve this all alone, but we can mitigate the environmental hazards, and that is going to take the EPA and the International Boundary and Water Commission to get off the dime and start doing what they are supposed to.

However, a spokesperson for the IBWC said the commission is taking a number of actions.

The commission is now investing $17 million into upgrading its $239.4 million sewage treatment plant built in the 1990s. Working groups have made recommendations to improve the area and some key studies are planned or ongoing. The commission established a bi-national spill notification protocol and plans new joint inspections every other month at key sites to monitor trans-boundary flows, said IBWC spokesperson Sally Spener.

"It is clear that when you look at the activities of the commission, not just since the February spill, but prior to that, there has been a long term interest and significant financial investment in improving the TJ river valley, Spener said.

Dedina and others say the commission and federal government must take quicker and stronger action to stop the almost daily flows of raw sewage and toxic chemicals into the Imperial Beach and San Diego communities. More than 670,000 gallons of raw sewage are currently festering on Imperial Beach, attracting flies and mosquitoes, Dedina said.

Somewhere along the way, the U.S. government has apparently decided that nothing needs to be done. That is unacceptable, Dedina said. This is not rocket science.  It requires funding, engineering and political will.
A top official at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has been released and excommunicated by church leaders, marking the first time such an official has been kicked out of the church in almost 28 years.

James J. Hamula, 59, was the executive director of the Correlation Department, which oversees priests. He was a general authority for LDS for nine years and is a married father of six, the Deseret News reported.

He was formerly a mission president in Washington, D.C. and served several other prominent posts including assistant executive director of the Church History Department.

POPE FRANCIS ATTACKS CONSERVATIVE CATHOLICS -- AND TRUMP?

The church, based in Salt Lake City, did not reveal specifically why he was dismissed but stated that it was not due to disillusionment or apostasy. LDS has roughly 100 general authorities.



ISIS USED MOSUL CHURCH TO ABUSE YAZIDI GIRLS, WOMEN, IRAQI ARMY OFFICER SAYS

The expulsion and excommunication of a general authority within LDS is rare. The last time it took place: September 1, 1989, when George Lee was faulted for apostasy and other conduct unbecoming of a member of the church.

Lee's excommunication reportedly was the first in almost half a century.

It's just a very sad and terrible experience, John Dehlin, the host of the well-known podcast Mormon Stories, told FOX 13 Salt Lake City.

Dehlin also went through a high profile excommunication in 2015..

My heart is with Elder Hamula and his family because it's just so humiliating to not only have all the allegations but speculations spread across the world about what may or may not be the cause of the excommunication, he told FOX 13.

Dehlin said his name was pulled from church records for apostasy.

I was excommunicated because I was speaking openly on difficult issues like same-sex marriage and Joseph Smith's polygamy and women ordination in the church, he told FOX 13.

Click for more from Fox 13.
A New Hampshire woman accused in a murder-for-hire plot was heard on recordings played out in court, saying she wanted her former daughter-in-law dead.

Prosecutors on Monday played the phone calls between 83-year-old Pauline Chase and a hit man.

In one call, the hit man asked Chase if she was sure she wanted the ex-wife of her son, 63-year-old Maurice Temple, dead. Chase laughed and said, "Yes, that's right."

When talking about disposing the body, she apparently asked: "Got a meat grinder?" according to newhampshire.com's reporting.

Prosecutors said the hit man went to police.

UCF FRATERNITY MEMBER ACCUSED OF RAPING STUDENT AT CAMPUS PARTY

Temple's lawyer said he wasn't part of the plan until the hit man persuaded him to be.

Chase and her son, both of Plainfield, have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit murder and attempt to commit murder.

No arguments have been heard yet for Chase. The hearing is set to continue Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The man wanted in connection with the deadly shooting of a Missouri police officer on Sunday was arrested Tuesday in Urich, following an all-out police dragnet, Fox 4 KC reported.

Police surrounded a home in Chilhowee earlier Tuesday after officers descended on the small town in search of Ian McCarthy, wanted for the murder of Police Officer Gary Michael.

Michael, 37, died after McCarthy allegedly burst out of a Dodge Nitro at a traffic stop and started shooting around 10:45 p.m. Sunday, KHSB reported.

McCarthy was charged with first-degree murder.

About 100 local, county and state law enforcement officers had been looking for McCarthy since the shooting. Investigators believe McCarthy jumped from his vehicle and shot the 37-year-old Michael, before driving a short distance, crashing his vehicle and fleeing on foot.

Authorities earlier Tuesday converged on another home in Chilhowee, about 25 miles northwest of Clinton after fielding a tip that McCarthy might be hiding there. But Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said that search also proved fruitless.

McCarthy is also wanted in New Hampshire, where a warrant was issued in 2013 when he failed to show up for sentencing on a disorderly conduct charge, according to court records in that state. He served about four years in prison there for first-degree assault and a parole violation. He also is wanted on a warrant out of Johnson County in 2015 for unlawful possession of a firearm.

It's possible that those warrants prompted McCarthy to shoot Michael to avoid arrest, Lowe said. He also could have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or not in his right mind for some reason, but "it's hard to say unless we have him here to ask," Lowe said Tuesday afternoon.

Moments before Michael was shot, a man identified as McCarthy was seen on surveillance video entering a Clinton convenience store and buying cigar wrappers, according to a probable cause affidavit by Sgt. Greg Martin, an investigator with the highway patrol. The footage later showed McCarthy driving away in a Dodge Nitro before a Clinton officer in an SUV activates his lights to pull over McCarthy, Martin wrote. Michael managed to give a dispatcher a description of the Nitro  registered to McCarthy  before the officer was shot, Martin wrote.

Michael, who had been on the force less than a year, was the first police officer killed in the line of duty in Clinton, a town of about 9,000 people about 75 miles southeast of Kansas City. He was a military police officer overseas for about five years before returning to the Kansas City area. He decided in his 30s to become a police officer and served in Appleton City for a short time before joining the force in Clinton.

Survivors include his wife, three children and a grandchild. His brother, Chris Michael, told area media that Gary had always wanted to serve.

"My brother was a light to the world," Chris Michael said. "One man's bad decision took that light from the world. He was a husband, he was a father, he was a brother and he did all of them pretty darn good."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Residents of a Utah neighborhood are trying to figure out who is behind the thefts of at least eight American flags during the past three months.

The Syracuse Police Department issued an appeal on Facebook for any other possible victims to come forward, saying there have been "several reports of American flags being stolen off of flag poles."

"We actually had one case where, it was down in Still Water Estates, the flag was stolen, the person put up a new flag the next morning and it got stolen the night after that," Detective Erin Behm with the Syracuse City Police Department told FOX13 Salt Lake City.

Behm hopes getting the word out about the thefts will encourage someone to come forward with information or surveillance video.

Ryk Rawley told FOX13 he put up a flag up in front of his home four months ago when his neighbor, Master Sergeant Jared Adcock with the 729 Air Control Squadron, was deployed to the Al Dahfra Airbase in the United Arab Emirates.

"The whole time he was gone, we figured it would be a nice gesture to fly a flag for him while he was gone," he said.

Rawley's neighbor offered to have a flag flown on a military jet over the Al Dahfra Airbase as a memorial. The flag was properly folded, and shipped to Rawley with a certificate to commemorate his father in-law's service.

"I don't think they realize what they're doing or what it means," Adcock told FOX 13. "You know it means a lot to a lot of us. Men and women sacrificed their lives so we could have that flag flown for them."

Authorities are increasing patrols in the neighborhood as a result of the thefts.
Sichuan Airlines on Wednesday sent a flight to Jiuzhaigou County in Sichuan province to help evacuate stranded tourists from the remote earthquake-hit area.

According to an announcement released by airlines on Wednesday, the flight, which is the first rescue flight arranged by Chinas civil aviation, has sent professional disaster relief personnel and supplies to the region and will ferry as many tourists as possible on its return. As of press time, all of the companys flights to and from Jiuzhaigou County are not affected by the earthquake, while the company has already evacuated 387 tourists.

Other national airlines, including Air China, have also promised to keep running their existing flights to Jiuzhaigou, in an effort to help the people in need. Air China has issued an announcement, noting that it has prepared to send rescue flights for disaster relief.

The 7.0-magnitude earthquake, which took place in Jiuzhaigou County on Tuesday, has led to 19 deaths as of press time. Among the victims, at least five were visitors to the popular tourist destination of Jiuzhaigou, the epicenter. Though there are quite a few residents living around the area, it is a popular national park that attracts a large number of visitors. More than 34,000 people visited the tourist attraction on Tuesday, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Telling Baltimores criminals not to kill anyone for three days turned out to be too much to ask.

Two deadly shootings Saturday marred the citys Nobody kill anybody weekend but activists behind the grassroots ceasefire campaign arent conceding defeat.

Another shooting Monday occurred an hour after the ceasefire period ended.

I would point to Friday, Corneilius Scott of Mothers of Murdered Sons and Daughters told Fox News. There were no killings on Friday and how often does that happen?

Sadly, not often enough. Baltimore has a murder rate more than double that of Chicago, a city where violence has become international news. In June, President Trump tweeted that Chicago crime and killings had reached "such epidemic proportions he was calling in the feds to help.

Baltimore has recorded 211 homicides this year, making it one of the countrys deadliest cities to live on a per capita basis.

In 1993, Baltimore recorded 353 homicides, the most ever in the citys history. The city will surpass that figure at the rate it is going, even though there are roughly 100,000 fewer residents now than in 1993.

Murder is out of control, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh said in April.

She has asked the FBI to help her beseiged police department investigate shooting deaths.

Four years ago, in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, Democrats in the Maryland legislature pushed through one of the nations strictest gun laws, the Firearms Safety Act, that limited gun magazines to 10 bullets.

But that hasnt stopped Baltimores criminals from obtaining and using guns with high-capacity magazines.

The Trace, a gun control news website, found that Baltimore police had confiscated 448 guns in 2016 with room in the chamber to carry at least 11 bullets.

Were dealing with absolute criminals who want as much weaponry as possible when theyre going after their targets, the website was told by Baltimore Police spokesman T.J. Smith, whose brother was Baltimores 173rd homicide victim this year. Theyre not carrying .22s. Theyre carrying the big guns that have these high capacities.

The act also banned 45 types of assault weapons and required people who buy a handgun to submit fingerprints to state police.

Legislative proponents of the bill argued that it would save lives but opponents argued that it would not improve the safety of Maryland citizens at all.

Two years after the bill became law, Baltimore was awash in bloodshed. The city recorded 344 homicides in 2015. In 2016 the city recorded 318 killings.

The whole gun control debate Ill leave to the politicians, public safety expert Rod Weinhold, a former Baltimore police spokesman, told Fox News. But the fact of the matter is that highly motivated criminals who want to hurt others and steal have guns because they dont care about local, state and federal statutes. They simply dont.

It was in 2015 that Freddie Gray died after suffering a fatal injury while in police custody. His death set off riots that destroyed businesses and residential homes.

That was a flashpoint, Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott told Fox News. He said that crime rates rose in the city following the unrest.

Recently, Scott called for a comprehensive strategy to deal with the murder surge.

He said that 80 percent of the 2017 homicides were committed with a handgun. Nearly half the victims had been arrested on a gun charge.

Unfortunately, these unacceptable facts are not surprising to anyone in Baltimore as the disease of gun violence has been an issue for decades, he said. However, in Baltimore dealing with that gun violence has only been addressed through the lens of policing with a few exceptions.

After Grays death, six cops were charged in connection with the homicide. Three were tried and acquitted and prosecutors dismissed the charges against the other three.

The Justice Department also brought a lawsuit that accused the Baltimore Police Department of discriminating against black residents. The department pledged to revamp procedures as part of a consent decree.

More recent revelations of officer misconduct have hampered Baltimore PDs efforts to improve relations with residents, one-quarter of whom live in poverty in neighborhoods plauged by failing schools and rundown abandoned homes.

In April, seven officers were accused of robbing innocent citizens and filing false reports to cover-up their wrongdoing. More recently bodycam videos emerged that appear to show officers planting drugs during arrests.

To make matters worse, Baltimores police department is getting by with 200 fewer officers than a few years ago due to City Hall budget cuts.

The hardworking men and women of the Baltimore Police Department are only as good as the entire criminal justice system allows them to be, Weinhold said. It is incredibly frustrating to a police officer who works hard to make a legal arrest of someone who is wreaking havoc in the Baltimore community, only to see them walking around the next day.

Police blame gangs and drugs for the murder surge.

I dont buy into that, that every homicide is related to drugs, Scott said.

During the ceasefire, he joined a group of about 250 people Saturday that offered prayers at nine spots in Freddy Grays neighborhood where people have been murdered this year.

He said the people with guns have to be convinced that shooting someone is not the answer to anything.

What are we doing with these people who believe that guns are a solution to problems? he asked.
A man accused of breaking into a California home was arrested after he took a mid-burglary visit to the bathroom but forgot to flush, giving police DNA evidence to track him down nine months later, investigators said Tuesday.

Andrew David Jenson, 42, burglarized the home in Thousand Oaks in October 2016 and took a bathroom break during the break-in, Detective Tim Lohman of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office told The Associated Press.

Jenson allegedly "did his business and didn't flush it," Lohman said.

Investigators collected the evidence from the unflushed toilet and conducted a DNA test, leading to a profile match on the national database.

"When people think of DNA evidence, they usually think of hair samples or saliva," Lohman said.

Lohman added he believed this was the first DNA burglary match case he knows of with fecal evidence collected from a toilet.

Investigators tracked down Jenson at his Ventura home and arrested him on July 28 on suspicion of first-degree residential burglary. He was placed on $180,000 bail.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A couple at the Wisconsin State Fair recently gave other fairgoers an unexpected show after they were having sex in the stands -- an X-rated tryst that was captured on video.

The man and woman were caught in the throes of passion near a concession stand at the open air Coliseum inside State Fair Park, and a video was soon uploaded to Facebook.

The appalling viral video has since been removed and a Wisconsin State Fair spokeswoman told FOX6 that it was being investigated. The spokeswoman called the incident inexcusable.

Were here for a horse show or a dog show  not to make babies, Morgan Hakenson told the TV station.

The suspected couple, later identified as Desiree Anderson, 28, and Robert Beasley, 28, were taken into custody Monday and the case has been referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorneys Office for potential criminal charges. The couple is married, The Smoking Gun reported.

The couple appeared to know they were being filmed during their public intercourse. At one point in the video, the mans bare buttocks is exposed and he is seen waving at the camera.

I wouldnt think youd see something like that here. This is for families  not that! Dawn Major, a visitor to the fair, told FOX6. Theres a place for that. Go home.

The state fair, which opened last Thursday, runs until August 13.
A former Boy Scout says a scoutmaster sexually abused him "hundreds of times" during the 1990s.

Christopher Malcolm, who's in his 30s, discussed the allegations on Wednesday outside his attorney's office in Roseland.

Malcolm and two other former scouts have filed a civil lawsuit against the Boy Scouts, claiming scoutmaster Stephen Corcoran sexually abused them in the 1990s.

Corcoran, who is 49 and is from Morris Plains, recently was convicted of possessing child pornography and received a seven-year prison sentence. He's awaiting a separate trial on sexual-assault charges involving the former scouts. His attorney has said he denies all the allegations against him.

The Boy Scouts of America organization, which is based in Irving, Texas, said in a statement it is "outraged scouts were abused" and "sincerely" apologizes. It said it seeks to prevent child abuse through comprehensive policies and procedures.

Malcolm's attorney, Bruce Nagel, said the Boy Scouts tried to have the civil case thrown out due to the statute of limitations. A Bergen County judge ruled in favor of Malcolm and the other two former Scouts last month, finding they filed their cases within two years of their discovery that their emotional injuries were linked to allegations of abuse by Corcoran.

The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they are victims of sex crimes unless they come forward publicly, as Malcolm has done.
A former caretaker was found guilty Friday of nearly killing a 92-year-old World War II veteran in Florida by beating him with his oxygen tank.

Elena Erickson, 47, was found guilty of attempted second degree murder and aggravated abuse of the elderly. She's set to be sentenced in October.

Its ironic that the instrument that was supposed to sustain his life was then used as a weapon to almost take his life," Assistant State Attorney Kennedy Legler said in a statement. "The victim and State Attorneys Office are very pleased with the jurys verdict.

North Port police said Erickson hit Michael Tristano in the head multiple times with the tank in the May 2016 attack, before leaving him on the floor. They say she returned to the home the next day, found him still alive and called paramedics.

Tristano subsequently told officers Erickson showed up one night, at her usual time, to check on him. He said she began to argue with him about her payment, and demanded a blank check, FOX13 News reported at the time.

Tristano said when he refused, she began repeatedly hitting him in the head with his oxygen tank.

Tristano said he was bleeding and begged for help, but was only given a paper towel, telling authorities she pinned him to the floor with a chair and left.

"This was a very complex case which required a thorough investigation, both in the financial and physical crime aspect," North Port Police said in a Facebook post. "Our investigators and crime scene techs did an amazing job of making sure justice was served."

Tristano was a gunner on a bomber during the war and testified at the trial, the Bradenton Herald reported.

"We also thank the victim in this case for his fighting spirit throughout and his service to our country," police said. "He fought for us and we are proud to have fought for him."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The second man accused of raping a University of Central Florida student during a "New Years in July" frat party is expected to be arrested within the week, officials said.

UCF Police said Tuesday the second suspect is a UCF graduate and not from the area, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

The man was not otherwise identified and it was not immediately clear why police were waiting to arrest him.

The first suspect arrested, 22-year-old Alpha Tau Omega member Alexander Garces, appeared before a judge Tuesday on charges of sexual battery and false imprisonment. The victim reported the rape on Friday, though the incident allegedly occurred on July 22.

According to an arrest report, the victim was attending the "New Years in July Party" with friends and met Garces and a second man. She told police she felt comfortable because of her past friendship with Garces, and went into a bedroom on the second floor, according to the arrest report.

UCF FRATERNITY MEMBER ACCUSED OF RAPING STUDENT AT CAMPUS PARTY

Police said Garces invited the victim upstairs with the other man, and once in the bedroom, the victim told police Garces became "very aggressive."

When they entered the room, one of the men allegedly locked the door and began blasting music from a cellphone. Garces sat on the couch, forcefully pulled the victim's legs toward him and started touching her sexually, according to the report.

The victim performed oral sex on Garces, hoping it would stop the attack, police said. But Garces continued to be aggressive

I've never seen you like this before, what's going on?" The victim allegedly asked Garces. I've been raped before, I'm not about to be in a situation like this...don't do this to me."

Garces eventually left the room, but police said the second man then allegedly forced the woman onto the bed, pinning her down and raping her.

The victim fled the party when the man abruptly left. Police said surveillance footage corroborated what the woman described after she said she was raped, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

The fraternity said on Tuesday it had suspended Garces and was looking into the matter.

"Officials with the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity learned of the police investigation on Saturday, and the chapter immediately suspended the man, the organization said in a statement. ATO is conducting an internal investigation and will assist local authorities and university officials as requestedThe party was approved by UCF and held in accordance to strict university guidelines."

Four years ago, UCF suspended ATO over alcohol-related misconduct. It was also accused of holding an unapproved house party and serving alcohol to minors.

School officials have not yet said if the fraternity chapter would face any disciplinary action over the most recent allegations, FOX35 Orlando reported.

Fox News' Katherine Lam contributed to this report.
A Florida woman drove for two days with her dead 11-year-old daughter in her truck before hitting a guard rail in West Virginia, where witnesses then saw her dragging the body into the woods, officials said.

Authorities say Erica Newsome, has been jailed on charges of concealing the body of her daughter, Kaye-lea Plummer.

A criminal complaint filed in Pocahontas County obtained by FOX 11 said Newsome spoke with an officer at the scene and said she was abusive to her daughter and killed her.

Newsome told authorities after Sunday's crash they left Jacksonville on Friday to drive to the home of the girl's father in Buffalo, New York, The Pocahontas Times reported.

State Police Sgt. Herby Barlow told the newspaper it was obvious the girl did not die from injuries in the accident.

Barlow said a couple traveling on the same highway reported seeing Newsome remove a body from her vehicle and drag it over a hill. They were found on an old logging road about 150 feet beyond an embankment, he said.

The mother was jailed on $50,000 bail while investigators search for evidence in Florida.

"At this time, foul play is suspected in the child's death and we believe the death occurred in Jacksonville, Florida," the sheriff's office there said.

The girl's father, Donath Plummer, told WJXT4 television in Jacksonville that Newsome texted him Saturday morning, saying she was bringing their daughter to Buffalo.

He said they married in 2007 and separated two years later. He said he hadn't seen them since Newsome moved with Kaye-lea to Jacksonville in 2014, but he would check on his daughter regularly by phone.

"We didn't always agree on everything, but she was a great mother. I don't know how this could have happened," Plummer said. "Something is very, very wrong. She needs help. She really needs help."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A foul odor coming out of a New York City apartment led to a gruesome discovery.

Police said building workers investigating the smell at the Washington Irving House in Gramercy Park on Tuesday found a 94-year-old woman and her 70-year-old daughter dead in their 10th-floor apartment.

The two women were found on the floor of a bedroom, the New York Daily News reported.

Sources told News 4 New York that the pair were found lying face down  the mother was naked while the daughter was discovered in just her underwear. They are believed to have been dead for at least two weeks.

Officials said both women suffered from health problems, but it was not immediately clear how they died. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.

Investigators found no signs of trauma or foul play, the Daily News reported.

The news agency said neighbors had complained about the living conditions at the 19-story building, which is currently under renovation.

City Housing and Preservation Development records show a dozen complaints made since May.
A hidden camera was discovered Friday inside a womens bathroom at an Illinois Walgreen's, police said.

The camera, discovered by the stores manager, had been placed inside an electrical outlet and then stuck to the wall with Velcro. It was placed about one-and-a-half feet off the ground directly in front of a toilet inside the womens stall, Fox 32 Chicago reported.

Authorities said the manager at the store in 1858 E Oakton St. in Des Plaines, realized it was a fake outlet when it fell to the floor. Des Plaines is a suburb of Chicago.

The device had been recording for up to two days and seemed to be motion activated. It was also equipped with sound capabilities and contained a small memory card, police said.

Im definitely not going back in there and I hope they catch the person that did it, its not fair to other people, customer Nicole Klaisner told the TV station.

A spokesperson for Walgreens referred inquiries to law enforcement and said they had no comment.

John Frycek, owner of Total Security Group, said spy cameras are legal -- however the intent of the operator could make the placement a felony.

This is meant to catch thieves in the act, its a nanny camera and it can be used for law enforcement purposes as well, he told FOX36. Its a legal device as long as its used in the proper, ethical and legal manner.

Frycek added: Whoever deliberately put this in a place of privacy  thats a felony and if you incorporate audio with it, thats a double felony.

Police are investigating and have no one in custody.
A Kentucky woman was arrested and charged with first-degree assault after reportedly setting her husband on fire Monday after she caught him speaking with another woman.

Vera Wooten, 40, poured gasoline on her husband, John Wooten, and lit him ablaze after she reportedly found him talking to another woman outside their home in Corbin, according to WKYT-TV.

MAN ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTS TO STRANGLE WOMAN AT KENTUCKY CEMETERY, BLAMES PERSONALITY CHANGE

Wootens neighbors told The News Journal the woman became jealous and angry after she saw her husband in a car talking to a female neighbor.

Wooten reportedly attacked her husband and beat him before setting him on fire, according to the Daily News.

The Laurel County Sheriffs Office said Wooten drove her husband to the hospital for treatment.

John Wooten was flown to a Cincinnati hospital in critical condition, with burns on more than 50 percent of his body.

MCDONALDS CUSTOMER JUMPS OVER COUNTER, PUNCHES EMPLOYEE IN FACE OVER FRY ORDER

The gist of the information that she gave to deputies was that it was an accident, Deputy Gilbert Acciardo told The News Journal.

Wooten is being held in the Laurel County Detention Center. It's unclear if she has a lawyer.

The sheriff's office is investigating.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Latest on the increasing flow of migrants over the U.S.-Canadian border at a remote spot in northern New York and southern Quebec (all times local):

1:40 p.m.

Canada has sent about 100 soldiers to a remote spot on the Quebec-New York border where asylum seekers are crossing illegally.

The Canadian military said in a statement Wednesday that the soldiers will help the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency at the site.

They are preparing a place for tents that can hold almost 500 people. They will also install lighting and heating equipment.

The military says the soldiers won't play a role in security and won't be helping with law enforcement.

The military says that once the site is completed, only a few will soldiers will stay behind. The rest will go back to their home base.

The migrants fear the U.S. is becoming less welcoming and have decided to try their luck seeking asylum in Canada. Officials estimate that 400 people crossed the border at the site on Sunday alone.

___

1 a.m.

Thousands of migrants are fleeing the United States for Canada via a remote back road in upstate New York.

The Canadians arrest the migrants as soon as they step across the border. But the migrants prefer to take a chance by seeking asylum in Canada rather than risk being deported from the United States.

Canadian police have set up a reception center on their side of the border. It includes tents where migrants are processed before they are turned over to the government agency that handles their applications for refuge.

Officials estimate that 400 people crossed the border at the site on Sunday alone.

Canada said last week it planned to house some migrants in Montreal's Olympic Stadium. It could hold thousands, but current plans only call for only 450.
A man thought he was doing nothing wrong when he casually lit up a joint in an Oregon courthouse last month -- until cops intervened.

The man had come into the Multnomah County courthouse on July 21 to watch a hearing regarding the shooting death of a 17-year-old boy at Portland park, the Oregonian reported.

Surveillance video released Monday by the sheriff's office shows the man lighting up before being confronted.

Deputies told FOX12 the man lit his joint and sat down in the back row of the courtroom.

Officials told the man he couldn't smoke in courthouse, and when deputies got closer they smelled the scent of marijuana.

When the man was told to leave he asked "why?" and was then informed by deputies he was not allowed to smoke marijuana in public.

The man eventually cooperated with deputies and tamped-out the joint in a nearby trash can, but the courtroom smelled like marijuana even after he left, FOX12 reported.

Oregon has legalized recreational marijuana since July 1, 2015, but the law only allows people to smoke in their private homes.
The mother of a 5-year-old boy whose body was found in a suitcase lying on the side of a Massachusetts highway in 2014 pleaded guilty Tuesday to abusing her two other children.

Elsa Oliver, 32, formerly of Fitchburg, Mass., was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison after pleading guilty to assault and battery and reckless endangerment. Her defense team had reached an agreement with prosecutors for the plea.

Oliver had been facing charges in connection with the disappearance of her son Jeremiah Oliver, but those were dismissed.

Jeremiah was last seen alive by relatives in Sept. 2013, but he was not reported missing to police until Dec. 2013. His body was found off Interstate 190 in a suitcase in Sterling, Mass. in April 2014.

No one has ever been charged with his death, which was ruled a homicide.

OBAMACARE CO-OP NOW IN STATE RECEIVERSHIP AFTER EXITING OBAMACARE EXCHANGES

The death remains under investigation, and prosecutors retained the right to charge Oliver in the future.

"The current charges involving the defendant and Jeremiah Oliver were ended at this time to allow the death investigation to continue and to eliminate any possible double jeopardy claim in connection with his death," Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said in a statement.

Oliver, who suffers from bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, wanted to plead guilty to spare her surviving children the trauma of going through a trial, her lawyer, Mark Wester, said in court. She did not speak in court other than to enter her plea.

Oliver has been in prison since 2014 and was given credit for time already served while awaiting trial.

Oliver reportedly forced her children to kneel for long periods of time while taking cold showers, according to CBS Boston.

School officials also reported in Dec. 2012 that the children came to class dressed in filthy and ripped clothing, according to Mass Live.

SUSPECT ACCUSED OF SHOOTING, KILLING MISSOURI POLICE OFFICER ARRESTED

The family was under state Department of Children and Families monitoring at the time of Jeremiahs disappearance. The case led to increased staffing and overhaul of procedures at the state child welfare agency. Three employees were fired, a fourth was disciplined and the commissioner resigned under pressure from state lawmakers as a result of Jeremiahs death.

Olivers two other children are in the custody of the state.

Olivers former boyfriend, Alberto Sierra, 26, was sentenced last week to six to seven years in prison. He pleaded guilty to assault and child endangerment for abusing Oliver and her other two children. Prosecutors also dismissed all charges Sierra had faced relating to Jeremiah. Sierra has been in prison since 2014 and was also given credit for the time he has already served.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dont tell this concert-going family that it was raining.

A 10-year-old girl and her parents were attending a Metallica concert at the University of Phoenix stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday night when a 44-year-old man sitting behind them allegedly urinated on them, SFGate.com reported.

The family is unnamed in court documents, which quote the father describing the moment that suspect Daniel Francis Daddio allegedly started to relieve himself. The father recalled how, all three of his family members felt warm liquid washing over their backs and legs, according to the court filing.

When the father turned around to locate the source of the deluge, he saw Daddio standing in the row behind their seats, with his penis out of his pants and in his hands.

Daddio was urinating on all three of his family members, the document stated, according to BuzzFeed.

The mortified father also told authorities he confronted Daddio, but the man just shrugged in response.

The parents then tracked down stadium employees and told them of the incident. Two Arizona state troopers arrived to investigate shortly after.

They nabbed Daddio after he was walking back from a concession stand and was identified by two other witnesses.

"Two troopers responded and they contacted the wife and daughter. Minutes later, the two witnesses pointed out a man walking out of stands into concessions area and informed troopers he was the man who urinated on them," Bart Graves, a public information officer for the state troopers, told BuzzFeed News.

Daddio was arrested at 9:30 p.m. He was "heavily intoxicated at the time of his arrest" and denied the incident occurred, according to court documents.

The troopers found his concert ticket on his person and were able to determine that his seat was located directly behind the family.
A North Carolina middle school teacher was charged with rape Monday after a former student came forward and confessed the alleged sexual relationship that happened eight years ago.

Lee Annette Williams, 50, a teacher at Ledford Middle School, was arrested after a former student, who is also a close family friend, came forward about the alleged sex assault, FOX8 reported. Officials opened an investigation in July and obtained enough evidence to arrest Williams.

The student was 14 years old and attended Ledford Middle School when the alleged abuse occurred sometime between August and October 2009. All the incidents happened off of school grounds.

Williams was charged with statutory rape, statutory sex offenses and taking indecent liberties with a child. She posted $50,000 bond and is banned from contacting anyone under 18 years old, the victim or his family.

Davidson County School officials said in a statement to FOX8 they are "aware of the charges" against Williams and will be launching an investigation, but did not say she was suspended.

"As more information becomes available to us, we will take the appropriate measures. As this involves a confidential personnel matter, we have no further information to share at this time," the school district said in a statement.

The age of consent in North Carolina is 16 years old.

Click here for more from FOX8.
Japan is marking the 72nd anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki that helped end World War II, amid threats of a new bombing in the Asia-Pacific region resulting from growing tension between the U.S. and North Korea. Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue said the fear of another attack is not in the distant future and urged nuclear states to abandon their weapons.

TRUMP SAYS US READY TO RESPOND WITH FIRE, FURY

President Donald Trump responded to reports of North Korea's nuclear threats on Tuesday, saying the regime "will be met with fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which the world has never seen before." Speaking from New Jersey, Trump also said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "has been very threatening beyond a normal state," adding that the regime "best not make any more threats to the United States." The president's comments follow a report that North Korea has produced a compact nuclear warhead that can be placed inside one of its advanced missiles.

VEHICLE ATTACK INJURES FRENCH SOLDIERS

Six French soldiers were injured Wednesday after a vehicle hit a group of service members leaving their barracks outside Paris. Two soldiers were reportedly seriously injured, according to a local French media reports. The driver fled the scene and a search was underway.

GOOGLE MAY FACE GENDER DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT

More than 60 women who are current or former employees of Google say they may take legal action against the tech giant over alleged sexism and pay disparities with their male colleagues. Some of the women accuse Google of paying them less than men despite having equal qualifications and similar positions, while others claim a hostile work environment toward women impeded their career advancement.

COMING UP ON FNC

2:00 pm ET: State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert holds briefing. Watch on FoxNews.com

4:00 pm ET: NASA tests RS-25 rocket engine. Watch live on FoxNews.com

FOX BUSINESS COVERAGE

Disney to drop Netflix, start own streaming service (Click here for more)

Convertibles lose luster, but there's one for all budgets (Click here for more)

5 reasons American businesses hate the U.S. tax code (Click here for more)

COMING UP ON FBN

7:20 am ET Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will be a guest on Mornings with Maria

8:00 am ET - Lara Trump will be on Mornings with Maria

8:30 am ET - Ed Rensi, Former McDonald's USA CEO, will appear on Mornings with Maria
A U.S. Navy veteran in California has been accused of soaking two dogs with acid and gouging their eyes out.

David Herbert, 36, was arrested Wednesday in Oceanside after authorities executed a search warrant of his home, Fox 5 San Diego reported.

RETIRED VETERINARIAN FACING ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES

Herbert is a disabled veteran who was honorably discharged from the Navy after six years of service, police said. He doesnt own any animals, nor does he have any at his home, Fox 5 reported.

Investigators said for months they'd been searching for a monster who was breaking into a familys home and abusing their dogs, Siberian huskies named Cocayo and Estrella.

The abuser reportedly would burn the dogs skin with acid or a similar liquid, gouged out one of their eyes and apparently tried to poison the dogs, Fox 5 reported. The dogs eyes had been so severely damaged that veterinarians had to surgically remove them.

100-YEAR-OLD TORTOISE STOLEN FROM NYC ANIMAL SHELTER

The victims eventually moved away. The next family to move in to the home reported that both of their dogs vanished -- one of which was returned by neighbors. The second dog had not been returned home.

Herbert faces a number of felony charges, including animal abuse, using a deadly weapon, residential burglary, vandalism and petty theft and could be sentenced to 16 years behind bars if found guilty.
Scott Peterson, who was sentenced to death more than 12 years ago for the brutal murder of his wife and unborn son, said in his first public statement about the case in more than a decade that he "had no idea" he would be convicted in Laci and Conner Peterson's death.

Peterson, whose murder trial gained nationwide attention, spoke from death row in California for the first time, part of the new A&E docuseries "The Murder of Laci Peterson," which is expected to premiere Aug. 15.

"It was just like this amazing, horrible, physical reaction that I had," Peterson is heard saying in the promo for the six-episode special. "I couldnt feel my feet on the floor. I couldnt feel the chair I was sitting in. My vision was even a little blurry."

Peterson recalled having a "weird sensation" as the guilty verdict was being read on Nov. 12, 2004. Footage from the courtroom showed his head cocked to the side and his smile slowly disappearing from his face. He described his feeling of "falling forward -- and forward and down" to a nonexistent floor to land on.

"I, I was staggered by it. I had no idea it was coming," Peterson said about the verdict.



Peterson, who has maintained his innocence over the years, was sentenced to death by legal injection in March 2005. Laci Peterson, who was 27 years old and eight months pregnant with the couple's son, Conner, was reported missing near her home in Modesto, Calif. in December 2002. The case quickly turned into a "media storm" and Peterson was eventually named a suspect.

"It had all the makings of a soap opera," a voice says in the A&E series promo.

TIMELINE: THE LACI PETERSON CASE

Peterson's affair with Amber Frey was soon revealed, turning the public's opinion against him. The bodies of Laci and Conner washed ashore nearly four months after their disappearance.

The network said producers had "unprecedented access" to Peterson and his family for the new series. Peterson's automatic appeal was filed in California Supreme Court in 2012. But state prosecutors are fighting it, reportedly calling him "truly among the worst of the worst" in 2015, according to Modesto Bee.

Peterson "weighted down his wifes lifeless body and dumped her in the [San Francisco] Bay in the hope that the forces of nature would carry the evidence out to sea," the 519-page document from prosecutors said. "[Peterson] did not care one whit for the wife who vowed to love him for a lifetime or his child waiting to be born."

A&E executives maintain the series isn't building a case for Peterson's innocence, but will give a "360 degree look" of the events that unfolded since Peterson's pregnant wife vanished, according to People.

"It really does give this kind of fascinating full picture, not just of the case itself but set against the backdrop of what was happening in our culture at the time," Senior Vice President of Development and Programming Amy Savitsky told the magazine.

"We really did want to approach it with the true kind of behind the scenes: from the media perspective, the law enforcement perspective [and] from legal and the family perspective," Savitsky added, though she said Laci Peterson's family declined to participate in the series.

GERALDO REVEALS SCOTT PETERSON'S 'EXCLUSIVE,' 'CUSHY' LIFE ON DEATH ROW

Mark Geragos, who was Peterson's attorney during the trial in 2004, maintained in recent interviews "there wasn't any evidence in this case" to prove his former client was guilty.

"It was a 'complete media lynching,'" Geragos said in the documentary "Trial by Fury: The People v. Scott Peterson."

But Laci Peterson's family has maintained they believe Scott murdered her.

"There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that justice was served," Sharon Rocha, Laci's mother, told Modesto Bee in 2016.
Foreign investors are becoming more optimistic about the increasingly open Chinese market after acknowledging the stability and resilience of the countrys economy.

It is expected that in one or two years, China will attract more global investments.

The Bank of England said in a latest report that driven by domestic and global demand, Chinas economy secured 6.9 percent growth in the first half of this year, which was higher than expected.

Based on the fourth-quarter growth of last year, the bank believes that Chinas economy has shrugged off risks in the past two years and begun to stabilize.

Denmarks Danske Bank noted that Chinas domestic demand for real estate has managed to maintain strong growth under tightened policies, according to a latest report that included in-depth analyses on the tenacity of Chinese economy.

In addition to industrial data, price reversion of staple commodities in June and July, especially metal price, also showed that Chinas economic growth is driven by tenacity and strong impetus. The rise in price is seen as the result of Chinas infrastructure construction and steady growth of large-scale enterprises, analysts pointed out.

United Bank of Switzerland said the key to understand the impetus for Chinas economic growth lies in the fact that the countrys domestic credit and loan efficiency have been substantially elevated. The bank thinks Chinas economic demand has been boosted jointly by the recovery of real estate sector and the rise of exports.

Meanwhile, after iron and steel overcapacity was cut under the supply-side structural reform, more financial resources have been saved to support emerging industries, the bank said. As a result, companies burdened by heavy debts, especially mining companies and raw material providers, started to eye obvious income and profit increase and become less dependent on debts and bank loans.

The bank thinks Chinese local governments are likewise to rely less on debts and bank loans as their finance and means of fund raising have been further disciplined.

Moody's Investors Service recently changed its outlook on China's banking system from negative to stable, saying the improved situation reflects the stabilization of soured debt after Chinas crackdown on shadow banking.

Andy Seaman, chief investment officer at Stratton Street Capital who has long studied the Chinese market, noted that Chinas economy is undergoing a positive transformation from investment-led growth to a model increasingly driven by consumption.

During the transformation, though the Chinese government tightened policies, the countrys real estate sector and related departments still demonstrated strong tenacity, he continued.
The Texas House of Representatives approved a bill Tuesday -- coined as rape insurance by its detractors -- that would force women to pay a separate health insurance premium to get covered for a non-emergency abortion.

The bill, which the House passed 95 to 51, now awaits a vote in the Senate. It does not make exceptions for abortions that follow rape, incest or fetal abnormalities.

The lead author, Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, defended the legislation, saying people who oppose abortion shouldnt subsidize it through their health insurance plans, the Texas Tribune reported.

This isnt about who can get an abortion. It is about who is forced to pay for an abortion, he said.

This isnt about who can get an abortion. It is about who is forced to pay for an abortion.  Texas state Rep. John Smithee

House Democrats sought to include exceptions for rape, incest and fetal abnormalities. They also tried to discard a provision preventing insurance companies from offering savings on supplemental health plans covering abortion.

But Republicans defeated all the suggested amendments.

Rep. Chris Turner, D-Fort Worth, claimed that asking women to get a supplemental abortion coverage plan amounts to deciding whether they wanted rape insurance.

Women dont plan to be raped. Parents dont plan for their children to be victims of incest, he said in the House chamber, the Tribune reported. Asking a woman or a parent to foresee something like that and buy supplemental insurance to cover that horrific possibility is not only ridiculous, it is cruel.

Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, also slammed the bill, saying the measure was a political stunt because few insurance plans cover abortions in the first place.

What you are trying to prevent doesnt exist, she told Smithee.

Smithee fired back that the measure was needed to protect people with moral, religious and other objections from subsidizing abortions, the Tribune reported.
A toddler died shortly after she was discovered inside an Ohio home filled with more than a dozen dead animals, including 15 dead snakes, during the weekend, police said.

The 1-year-old girl, identified on Tuesday as Arez Marie Isabella Schrodi, was found unresponsive and not breathing at her grandparents' home in Dayton just before 1 a.m. Sunday, FOX45 reported. She was rushed to the hospital where she later died.

An autopsy is being conducted to determine the child's cause of death and no arrests have been made.

"We dont have anything as far as the cause of injuries and stuff, exactly," Dayton police Lt. Gregg Gaby told Dayton Daily News. "Were still under investigation at this point."

Police said the home had "cleanliness issues" and wasn't fit for humans or animals. At least four adults and three children lived at the home.

The carcasses of 15 snakes and a cat was laying among several live animals. At least 12 of the 15 dead snakes found were pythons and were contained in plastic trays, Animal Rescue Center investigators told WHIO.

A four-foot snake, believed to be a boa constrictor, a rabbit and a dog were removed from the home and placed in animal rescue care.

"Its kind of shocking," a neighbor who lives across the white two-story home told WHIO.

The home, with a rusty chain link fence surrounding it, also contained garbage and miscellaneous debris covering the front lawn and port.

Click here for more from FOX45.
Thousands of migrants are fleeing the United States for Canada via a remote back road in upstate New York.

The Canadians arrest the migrants as soon as they step across the border. But the migrants prefer to take a chance by seeking asylum in Canada rather than risk being deported from the United States.

Canadian police have set up a reception center on their side of the border. It includes tents where migrants are processed before they are turned over to the government agency that handles their applications for refuge.

Officials estimate that 400 people crossed the border at the site on Sunday alone.

Canada said last week it planned to house some migrants in Montreal's Olympic Stadium. It could hold thousands, but current plans only call for only 450.
A Virginia man who was robbed, beaten, tied up and left to die in his burning apartment was rescued by his neighbor early Tuesday.

Clarence Skip Kakert, 70, said a person attacked him, tied his hands and feet and then pillaged through his apartment in Roanoke before setting it on fire, according to WSLS 10.

Omar Romance-Lomax Martin, 20, has been named as the suspect, police said. Martin is being sought for arson and malicious wounding charges.

MOTORCYCLIST DIES AFTER 130 MPH CHASE IN VIRGINIA

Kakert reportedly knew Martin, and Martin was asking Kakert for money before the incident occurred, police said. Chad Corby, a neighbor, said he called authorities when he saw Kakert yelling for help.

He was on his front porch, screaming for help, Corby told WSLS10. He was tied and bound, covered in blood. He told me somebody came in, asked to borrow some money. He told them he couldnt do it. They didnt like that answer, proceeded to beat the crap out of him, bound him, threw him in his tub, and caught his house on fire.

Corby ran to Kakert and cut him loose.

SCHOOL: AP AND HONORS CLASSES WILL BE DECIDED BY SKIN COLOR, NOT INTELLIGENCE

Standing, bound, had a belt tied around his ankles, Corby said. "He had an oxygen cord and a phone cord tied around his wrists.

Corby said he is not sure if Kakert would have survived if somebody did not help.

The fire was scary enough, but to see him covered in blood and the thought that someone would try to rob and kill him was unreal, he said.

Police said Kakert suffered from non-life-threatening injuries.
The talent agent who sent British model Chloe Ayling to Italy, where she says she was kidnapped, has hit out at people questioning her story.

Phil Green of Supermodel Agency says, "I can assure everybody that it was real and very frightening for all concerned."

Green said Tuesday that Ayling went to Milan in July for a photo shoot that seemed legitimate. He said the person who made the booking had "a website, previous pictures, details of his studio, details of what the shoot was going to be, times, locations, fee  everything."

But the day after his 20-year-old client was due to return, Green says he received a ransom demand for $300,000.

Ayling was released at Britain's consulate in Milan on July 17. Police have arrested a suspect, Lukasz Pawel Herba.
North Korea is seriously considering a plan to fire missiles at Guam, state media said Wednesday, hours after President Trump responded to reports of nuclear threats by saying the regime "will be met with fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which the world has never seen before."

North Korea's army said later that its missiles would create an "enveloping fire" around Guam.

A ballistic missile operation unit for the regime will review a plan to fire a mid-range ballistic missile at the U.S. island territory on September 9, according to South Koreas Yonhap News Agency.

In a statement released by state-run media, the Korean People's Army claimed it was looking into striking Guam to subdue the U.S. military bases there, particularly the Anderson Air Force base where nuclear-capable bombers are stationed.

GUAM RESIDENTS CAST WARY EYE AT NORTH KOREA AFTER LAUNCH

A different statement released said that North Korea "could carry out a pre-emptive operation if the United States showed signs of provocation," Reuters reported.

Trump responded to reports of nuclear threats on Tuesday afternoon, saying the dictator Kim Jong Un "has been very threatening beyond a normal state," adding that the regime "best not make any more threats to the United States."

The president's remarks come after a report -- confirmed by Fox News -- which showed that North Korea has produced a compact nuclear warhead that can be placed inside one of its advanced missiles, which are already believed to be capable of reaching half of the U.S.

The Washington Post published partial contents of a Defense Intelligence Agency analysis that reportedly was verified by other U.S. officials.

The [intelligence community] assesses North Korea has produced nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery, to include delivery by ICBM-class missiles, an excerpt of the DIA analysis stated.

TRUMP: NORTH KOREA 'WILL BE MET WITH FIRE AND FURY LIKE THE WORLD HAS NEVER SEEN' IF MORE THREATS EMERGE

Defense officials have said they believe North Korea has achieved the miniaturization of nuclear warheads -- one of three things U.S. officials previously said the regime needed to do in regards to their long-range missile tests.

Officials said North Korea also needed to be able to hit a target and demonstrate the ability to "re-enter" the earth's atmosphere.

In early July, North Korean state media criticized a practice bombing run conducted by two U.S. B-1B bombers on the Korean peninsula, accusing the U.S. of "reckless military provocations."
Shortly before North Korea revealed that it was considering a plan to fire missiles at Guam, two U.S Air Force B-1B bombers, under the command of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces, joined counterparts from South Korea and Japan in strategic bilateral missions.

The roughly ten-hour mission from Guams Andersen Air Force Base on Monday marked the first for the crews and aircraft recently deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., in support of U.S. Pacific Commands Continuous Bomber Presence missions, Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs stated.

How we train is how we fight and the more we interface with our allies, the better prepared we are to fight tonight, one 37th EBS B-1 pilot said.

Aircrews practiced intercept and formation training, giving them an opportunity to improve their combined capabilities and tactical skills while augmenting relations between the long-standing allies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

The timing could not be more pertinent.

NORTH KOREA TRAVEL RULE BOOK: HOW TO BE AN OBEDIENT TOURIST IN THE HOSTILE NATION

North Korean state media declared Wednesday that its potential missile strike would create an enveloping fire around Guam and that a ballistic missile operation unit for the dictatorship is slated to review launch plans in early September. According to the Korean Peoples Army statement, its particular focus would be on the Andersen Air Force Base where nuclear-capable bombers are stationed.

On Tuesday, President Trump warned that the regime will be met with fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which the world has never seen before, if threats escalate. He was referring to a report -- confirmed by Fox News -- that North Korea has produced a compact nuclear warhead that can be placed inside one of its advanced missiles  which are already believed to be capable of reaching half of the United States.

NORTH KOREA CONSIDERING FIRING MISSILES AT GUAM, PER STATE MEDIA

Fox News visited Ellsworth last year to see the bombers up close. Only about 50 percent of the Air Force's B1s can fly right now, according to Air Force statistics. Budget cuts are to blame, according to pilots and airmen. The Air Force is said to be short around 400 pilots right now and 4,000 mechanics.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.
Police say a teenage boy has been killed during anti-India protests in disputed Kashmir following a gunbattle that killed three rebels.

Top police officer S.P. Vaid says Indian troops cordoned off a village near southern Tral town on a tip that militants were hiding in a civilian home.

Vaid says the militants tried to escape from the security cordon but soldiers gunned down them.

As the fighting raged, anti-India protests erupted in Tral, leading to clashes between rock-throwing residents and government forces who fired shotgun pellets and tear gas.

Many have been reported injured in the clashes while a teenage boy who was hit by pellets died in a hospital.

Rebels have been fighting against Indian rule since 1989.
Australia is set to hold a nonbinding postal vote on same-sex marriage next month after the countrys Senate voted Wednesday against the governments plans to conduct a compulsory public opinion vote.

The so-called postal plebiscite will be the first in Australian history. But it faces opposition from gay-rights activists and opposition politicians who are threatening to block the publics vote and urge Parliament to vote on legalization of same-sex marriage without polling the people.

The conservative government led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tried to organize a compulsory plebiscite which would have gathered the votes of all Australians on Nov. 25 and cost around $135 million. The proposal was defeated in the Senate last November.

Following the defeat, the government came up with a suggestion to hold a voluntary plebiscite where the public would send their ballots by post between Sept. 12 and Nov. 7, costing the country $96 million.

Opponents of the proposal slammed the conservatives, claiming the postal result wont represent whole society and will likely oppose the legalization of the same-sex marriage because younger adults arent familiar with the postal services.

The government hoped the prospect of a voluntary plebiscite, which doesnt require the Parliaments approval, would force politicians to reconsider their vote last year blocking the compulsory plebiscite.

On Wednesday, however, the Senate again voted against the compulsory plebiscite, giving a green light to non-binding voluntary vote next month.

If the results of the vote show the majority of people voting yes nationally, the government will let the politicians have a free vote on the issue by the end of the year. If the country votes no, the government will take no further action.

Left-wing opposition Senate Leader Penny Wong criticized some conservative politicians in the government, saying they would never commit to legalizing same-sex marriage regardless of how the plebiscite vote goes.

This is a vote because some in the coalition can never countenance equality and theyre never going to change their minds. They simply cannot countenance people like me and others being equal," said Wong, who is openly gay.

" ... (S)ome in the coalition can never countenance equality and theyre never going to change their minds. They simply cannot countenance people like me and others being equal."  Penny Wong, Australian Senate Leader

Another opposition senator, Janet Rice, told the Senate that she was able to marry her transgender wife of 31 years only because her wifes birth certificate claimed shes a man.

There are very good reasons why you dont put issues of human rights to a public vote, she said. The hurt, the hatred, the attacks on [LGBT] people are going to be amplified in our community.

Australian LGBTQ rights activist Rodney Croome challenged the government decision to hold a voluntary plebiscite, announcing plans to legally challenge the vote in the High Court on the basis of executive overreach, HuffPost Australia reported.

He said: We are announcing that we will be filing in the high court to have the high court strike down the postal plebiscite in the hope that we can then proceed to the resolution of this issue in a way that should always have been dealt with, and that is a free vote in Parliament.

The problem of the government exceeding its executive authority continues to be an issue with this new proposal.

An online fundraiser aimed at supporting the legal costs of the challenge has been set up and has raised more than $2,000.

Opinion polls in Australia show people supporting same-sex marriage, but gay rights advocates fear that because the issue doesnt concern everyone, it will be easier for opponents of same-sex marriage to persuade the majority to vote against the change.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has come out against the legalization of gay marriage, offering several reasons why people should vote no in the upcoming plebiscite.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Abbott said: I say to you: If you dont like same-sex marriage, vote no. If you worry about freedom of speech and freedom of religion, vote no; and if you dont like political correctness, vote no because this is the best way to stop it in its tracks.

Turnbull, who succeeded Abbott in 2015, has expressed his intent to campaign for legalization of same-sex marriage.

I have other calls on my time as prime minister, but I will certainly support a yes vote, he told reporters earlier this week.

This story includes reporting from the Associated Press.
A convicted child rapist was reportedly paid nearly $13,000 by British police to spy on a network of nearly 20 people drugging and abusing young women and girls.

Newcastle prosecutors said the Northumbria police paid the man  referred as "XY" and only identified as a British Asian man  more than $12,500 over 21 months to find out the times and whereabouts of parties where girls were being given drugs and alcohol before they were abused.

The news comes after the 17 men were convicted of rape, sexual assault and drug offenses during a series of trials at Newcastle Crown Court.

One woman, identified as Carolann Gallon, 23, was convicted on three counts of trafficking for sexual exploitation.

The victims ranged in age from 15 to their early 20s. Reporting restrictions prevented details of the case from emerging until now.

The polices actions to pay the convicted rapist for information and plant him in the midst of vulnerable young girls raised serious questions about the how the police handle child sexual exploitation operations, according to the UKs National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

You just couldnt make it up, Jon Brown, head of development at NSPCC, told the Guardian. It beggars belief that it would ever have been considered, let alone approved, and serious questions must be asked about the forces approach to child sexual exploitation operations.

He added that while the force had good intentions, the misguided actions ran entirely counter to all current child protection procedures and what we know about sex offenders.

What we mustnt forget in all this is the victims who were preyed on by a serious of despicable men for their own sexual gratification, Brown added.

Lawyers acting on behalf of the defendants attempted to get the cases thrown out because of XYs involvement, arguing that he was unsuitable to be an informant, the Guardian reported.

Robin Patton, representing one of the defendants, said XY was convicted in 2002 of raping a child after he drugged her and invited someone else to rape her as well.

After he was recruited by police, XY was arrested in 2015 on suspicion of a sexual offence against an underage girl who claimed a man approached her and made an indecent proposition. The case was later dropped, the Guardian reported.

During the hearing, XY  speaking behind a screen  said he felt he was doing good when he worked for police.

He said he was recruited to act as a taxi driver for some of the defendants.

I would get to know where they pick up their drugs, where the parties were, he reportedly said during the hearing. I was chilling with the boys. I had to make it look like I was their friend.

According to the Guardian, XY also made a series of allegations against the police, but judge Penny Moreland, dismissed them as inherently unreliable, lacking in credibility and clearly dishonest.

Moreland also dismissed calls to get the case thrown out, saying that there was not evidence that any of the proper procedures for the handling of informants were breached, or of any improper conduct.

She also said there was no evidence that XY was guilty of any sexual misconduct toward the complainants.

Northumbria polices chief constable, Steve Ashman, defended his forces decision to engage with XY despite understanding it may appear repugnant.

However he proved he was in a position whereby he could, and did, alert police of situations which allowed them to prevent offending and provide safeguarding measures towards potential victims, he said, according to the Guardian.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Up to 50 migrants from Somalia and Ethiopia were "deliberately drowned" when a smuggler forced them into the sea off Yemen's coast, the U.N. migration agency said Wednesday, calling the incident "shocking and inhumane."



International Organization for Migration staffers found the shallow graves of 29 of the migrants on a beach in Shabwa during a routine patrol, the agency's statement said. The dead were buried by those who survived.



At least 22 migrants remained missing, the IOM said. The passengers' average age was around 16, the agency said.



The narrow waters between the Horn of Africa and Yemen have been a popular migration route despite Yemen's ongoing conflict. Migrants try to make their way to Gulf countries.



The smuggler forced more than 120 migrants into the sea Wednesday morning as they approached Yemen's coast, the IOM statement said.



"The survivors told our colleagues on the beach that the smuggler pushed them to the sea when he saw some `authority types' near the coast," said Laurent de Boeck, the IOM's chief of mission in Yemen. "They also told us that the smuggler has already returned to Somalia to continue his business and pick up more migrants to bring to Yemen on the same route."



IOM staffers provided aid for 27 surviving migrants who remained on the beach, while other migrants left.



De Boeck called the suffering of migrants on the route enormous, especially during the current windy season on the Indian Ocean. "Too many young people pay smugglers with the false hope of a better future," he said.



The IOM says about 55,000 migrants have left Horn of Africa nations for Yemen since January, with most from Somalia and Ethiopia. A third of them are estimated to be women.
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The man accused of kidnapping a British model in Italy painted a picture of big money, international intrigue and spine-chilling dealings as a member of Black Death, an organization selling drugs, guns and murder on the dark web.

The reality of Lukasz Pawel Herba's life appears to be more prosaic, riddled with exaggerations and contradictions. Investigators are picking through his story to sift truth from myth  and uncover whether the shadowy Black Death group really exists.

___

WHAT HAPPENED?

Italian police have arrested 30-year-old Herba over the abduction of Chloe Ayling, who says she was lured to Milan on the pretext of a photo shoot. When she arrived, she says she was drugged, stuffed into a suitcase and held at a rural house by criminals who threatened to auction her into sexual servitude, while also demanding a $300,000 ransom from her agent.

Six days after the alleged July 11 abduction, Herba took Ayling to the British Consulate in Milan. He was detained on suspicion of kidnapping to extort money and falsifying documents.

___

WHO IS LUKASZ HERBA?

Herba was born in Poland and lives in Oldbury, a town in the West Midlands area of central England. He shared an apartment in a low-rise building with his elder brother Michal, who is registered as running a road haulage firm. British police searched the apartment after Lukasz's arrest, and say they took away computers for forensic examination.

Local resident Sinead Boyce told Britain's Sun newspaper that Herba rarely spoke to his neighbors, and was sometimes seen wandering around with a rat on his shoulder.

On Facebook, Herba claimed to be chairman of the board of Karmerg, a company whose website describes it as "a well-recognized technology trade expert" in the fields of chemistry, electronics, biology and physics. There is no public listing in Britain for such a company. The website lists the names and email addresses of several alleged employees, none of whom responded to requests for comment.

___

WHAT IS BLACK DEATH?

On a website lurking in the murkier depths of the internet, Black Death claims to be "an organized crime group based in eastern Europe." Its home page, captured by EU police agency Europol, contains a picture of figures wearing pointed masks associated with the 14th-century bubonic plague.

The site lists services including blackmail, murder, the supply of guns, bombs and drugs and the sale of trafficked women. Three alleged women for sale are listed, with ages, nationalities and measurements and asking prices ranging from $120,000 to $750,000.

The site even has a recruitment section, with job openings including "superhacker" and a "radioactives expert."

It's far from clear, however, whether the group actually delivers on any of its supposed services.

The "sale" information has more in common with fantasy abduction scenarios presented in Hollywood movies like "Taken" than with typical human trafficking cases. And when a journalist, Joseph Cox, examined the site in 2015, he found that one of the photographs of a young woman supposedly up for sale had been lifted from a pornography video.

Thomas Rid, a professor of security studies at King's College London who has studied the dark web, said there is little evidence of "an assassination or kidnapping service 'hit job'" advertised on the dark web actually being executed.

"We have precedents of people claiming they would provide that type of service, but as far as I know ... I don't think this has ever happened," he said.

Europol's dossier doesn't express a view on whether Black Death actually provides the services it advertises. Europol said it couldn't comment because there is "a live investigation ongoing" in an EU member state.

___

WHAT DOES HERBA SAY?

Ayling told investigators that Herba bragged about having earned $15 million over the last five years selling women on the internet. According to court documents obtained by The Associated Press, she said he told her that "at least three girls a week are sold, and when the buyer is tired of the girl he purchased in the auction, he can give to another person, and that when she is no longer of interest she is 'fed to the tigers.'"

Italian prosecutor Paolo Storati said Herba was dangerous and also appeared to have "traces of mythomania"  a tendency to exaggerate or tell lies.

Lukasz also downplayed his involvement in the kidnapping, telling investigators it was orchestrated by a group of Romanians who paid him 500,000 pounds ($649,000) to rent properties around Europe. He said he became involved with the Romanians because he has leukemia and needs money to pay for medical treatment.

Italian police say he didn't provide the names of doctors or other evidence he is ill.

He also told police he wasn't present when Ayling was kidnapped, but came to her aid when he saw her photos posted in an online auction.

The two had met three months before in Paris, when Ayling went to a modelling job that was cancelled. Lukasz told investigators he called the job off when he realized the Romanians intended to kidnap her.

Herba's lawyer, Cosmo de Rose, declined to comment.

"Trials happen in the courtroom," he said.

___

Colleen Barry reported from Milan. Associated Press writer Raphael Satter in Paris contributed to this report.
Taliban militants collaborated with Islamic State commanders in a brazen attack on Saturday that killed more than 50 civilians and Afghan police officers in northern Afghanistan, local officials reported.

This new cooperation between the two brutal terrorist groups  which are usually adversaries and have fought turf battles in the past  could create serious trouble for the already struggling U.S-backed Kabul government.

Several local residents confirmed that some 600 insurgents, both Taliban and ISIS fighters, had overrun Mirza Olang village in the northern province of Sar-i-Pul.

ACCUSED TALIBAN AND ISIS FIGHTERS REVEAL INSIDE TACTICS, PERSONAL HISTORIES

Sharif Aminyar, the district governor of Sayad, said 50 people were killed, including women, children and 18 local Afghan police officers. Most of those killed were members of the ethnic Shia Hazara community.

It was joint operation from ISIS and Taliban, Aminyar said. The Taliban were led by Mullah Nader and [ISIS] was headed by Sher Mohammed Ghazanfar.

Many militants were foreigners speaking Uzbek, Turkmen and Punjabi, a language widely spoken in Pakistan, one of the villagers told Fox News.

The Taliban has denied cooperating with ISIS and said it was an effort to discredit the group.

ISIS THREAT IN AFGHANISTAN SHOWS NO END IN SIGHT

"The Afghan government and its foreign masters are making false claims that we are working with [ISIS] just to discredit us in the local community," a Taliban commander said.

Government officials, however, quoted villagers as saying that locals were brutally killed in the Mirza Olang attack, including some who were beheaded. Dead bodies were thrown off a cliff, the villagers said.

About 150 families that were being held hostage by the Taliban were released Tuesday night, Zabiullah Amani, a spokesman for the Sar-i-Pul provinical governor said. Possibly dozens of others are still being held captive, the spokesman said, though its unclear how many.

[About] 235 civilians were rescued this evening from Mirza Aolang village with the intermediation of tribal elders and [the aid] of the governors office, the spokesman said.

On Tuesday, the U.S. embassy in Kabul strongly condemned the attack.

We extend our deepest heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims of these inhumane and cowardly acts, the statement said. We believe Afghanistan deserves peace and security not deliberate and murderous attacks that victimize innocent Afghans.

President Ashraf Ghani vowed revenge for the attack. But it underscores the fragile security in a war-torn nation.

As ISIS has slowly lost its stronghold on Afghanistan, with U.S.-backed Afghan forces able to regain most of the territory once occupied by the terrorist group, experts say a possible ISIS-Taliban collaboration is alarming.

This ISIS-Taliban joint attack represents a nightmare scenario come true. The Taliban and ISIS are widely understood to be foes, not friends, because of the Talibans close alliance with Al Qaeda  a bitter rival of ISIS. And yet Islamist terror groups in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region are all cut from the same basic ideological cloth, said Michael Kugelman, a south Asia specialist at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington D.C.

The U.S military estimates that only 60 percent of Afghanistan is in government hands while the rest is either contested or controlled by the Taliban or other insurgent groups like ISIS.

We have to worry about the precedent it could set and the very troubling implications for Afghanistans rapidly deteriorating stability, Kugelman told Fox News. We shouldnt overstate the idea of Taliban-ISIS partnership. If the Sar-i -Pul assault was indeed staged by both groups, it could well have been a tactical decision to work together as opposed to a new long-term strategic plan.
The U.S. Marine Corps announced Wednesday it was lifting an "operational pause" for the roughly 20 aircraft assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, which suffered the loss of an MV-22 Osprey over the weekend off the coast of Australia -- resulting in the deaths of three Marines.

The Osprey slammed into the back of USS Green Bay, a U.S. Navy amphibious transport ship, while attempting to land.

In addition to grounding the MV-22 Ospreys in the deployed unit threat, Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier jets, CH-53 Super Stallion helicopters, AH-1Z Cobra helicopter gunships were also grounded for two days.

A Defense Department official told Fox News the Marine Corps is weighing a decision to ground its entire fleet of aircraft for a day across the service following the second deadly crash of a Marine Corps aircraft. Last month, a Marine Corps cargo plane crashed in the Mississippi Delta, killing all 16 aboard.

MARINES WHO DIED IN OSPREY CRASH IDENTIFIED

As a result of the crash in Mississippi, the Marine Corps grounded all of its KC-130T aircraft. The Navy soon followed suit and grounded its version of the airplane.

In a previously unreported episode, for the first time in the three-year-old war against ISIS, a U.S. Navy fighter squadron was grounded for a week aboard USS George H.W. Bush. from July 12-19. As US-backed Syrian forces were battling ISIS in Syria, the U.S. Navy was forced to ground all 10 F/A-18 fighter jets in VFA-37, after two pilots flying older model F-18C Hornets fell ill with decompression sickness, a long-standing problem with the jets cabin pressure.

The two pilots required treatment in a decompression-chamber-like machine.

The USS George H.W. Bush is the first aircraft carrier to deploy with a chamber aboard after a spike in what the Navy calls "physiological episodes," which many officials blame on flying old planes.

Every deployed aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy now carries decompression chambers aboard.

A U.S. Navy spokesman confirmed the grounding to Fox News.

"Naval Aviation Leadership directed an operational pause for Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA-37) at the conclusion of the flight schedule July 12the pause was lifted on 19 July, said Cmdr. Jeanette Groeneveld.

Groeneveld said there was no operational impact on the aircraft carriers ability to support the ISIS fight in Syria, where the majority of strikes are now conducted. She noted that there are 34 other more advanced F-18 Super Hornets that remained operational among the three other strike fighter squadrons in the carriers airwing.

US MARINE OSPREY CRASHES OFF JAPAN, 5 RESCUED

VFA-37 is one of four operational Navy squadrons continuing to fly older F-18 C model Hornets. The Navy has made it a priority to remove these older jets from deployed aircraft carriers to build a more ready and capable forward-deployed force and allow cost savings, according to Groeneveld, that go along with fixing these legacy jets. Because the F-18C is no longer produced anymore, there's a shortage of spare parts in the supply system which exacerbates the challenge of keeping the jets airborne.

The Navy's Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. John M. Richardson, recently decided to accelerate the phase-out of the early model F-18s beginning this month with one squadron and ending in 2019, according to Navy officials.

The Marine Corps exclusively flies the older model F-18A-D Hornets, which have long suffered from a lack of spare parts grounding jets and robbing young pilots of valuable training. Currently, about 70 percent of Marine Corps F-18s cant fly. About half the Navys Hornets are fully mission capable right now.

We're working these airplanes beyond their design life so that when they do have to go in for maintenance they stay there longer because they're more problems to fix, said Republican House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry from Texas in a recent interview with Fox News.

You know it's just like us if we don't keep up with the routine maintenance on our house or our car when you do need to get it fixed it takes longer and it costs more.

The F-18 was originally designed for 6,000 flight hours. Budget cuts and the delay of the Joint Strike Fighter forced the Marine Corps and Navy to continue flying them. A majority of the jets were extended to 10,000 flight hours.

In April, the U.S. Navy grounded its fleet of T-45 training jets (over 150 jets in all), following a Fox News report that roughly 100 flight instructors refused to fly the jet complaining about poison in the jets oxygen system. Four months later, flights have begun to resume using modified equipment to detect contamination in the oxygen system, but the cause remains elusive.

Vice President Mike Pences son is one of the Marine Corps student pilots affected by the delay in flight training.

Some officials are concerned the log-jam caused by grounding the fleet of Navy and Marine Corps training jets will create problems for deployed Navy and Marine Corps forces. Already the Navy is working on extending some pilots aboard deployed aircraft carriers to make up for the gap in training, according to officials.

In recent days, USS Nimitz, another aircraft carrier, began airstrikes against ISIS flying missions from the Persian Gulf.

USS George H.W. Bush is currently conducting a joint training exercise alongside British counterparts in the Royal Navy near the United Kingdom. Bush will return to her homeport of Norfolk, Va. a short time later.
North Korea on Wednesday reportedly set free a Canadian pastor after the man became ill while serving a life sentence in the authoritarian regime.

Rim Hyon Su, also known as Hyeon Soo Lim, was arrested in 2015 and sentenced to hard labor after he allegedly attempted to overthrow the regime by using religion, according to CBC News.

Lim was convicted and sentenced in 2015 on charges of trying to use religion to destroy the North Korean system and helping U.S. and South Korean authorities lure and abduct North Korean citizens.

NAGASAKI MARKS ANNIVERSARY OF BOMBING AMID US-NORTH KOREA NUCLEAR TENSIONS

Rim Hyon Su, a Canadian civilian was released on sick bail according to the decision of the Central Court of the DPRK on August 9, 2017, from the humanitarian viewpoint, the North Korean news agency KCNA told CBC News.

Lim, 62, had reportedly been in poor health and wrote letters to his friends stating he had stomach pain and high blood pressure. The pastors family asked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for help in securing Lims release from the country.

A Canadian security official arrived in North Korea Tuesday to secure the pastors release.

Obviously, Pastor Lims health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada and we are continuing to engage on his case, Cameron Ahmad, Trudeaus spokesperson, said in a statement on Tuesday.

NORTH KOREA, TRUMP RATCHET UP TENSION WITH THREATS OF FIRE HOURS APART

The Toronto Presbyterian minister, who previously served at one of Canadas largest places of worship, held an interview with CNN in 2016 under the direction of North Korean officials. Lim said he had not witnessed any other prisoners where he was and he dug holes six days a week for eight hours a day as part of his punishment.

The release follows the June 13 release of Otto Warmbier, a University of Virginia student, who was held by North Korea for more than 17 months for allegedly stealing a propaganda poster. The student died less than a week later. There are three Americans still being held in North Korea.

Lim's release also comes as North Korea was threatening to bomb U.S. military bases on Guam. President Trump promised that the United States will unleash fire and fury. Earlier Tuesday, Fox News confirmed a report that said the DPRK produced a compact nuclear warhead that could fit on a missile capable of reaching the United States.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
North Korea on Wednesday responded to a new round of threats from President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis -- with a claim that it could launch four missiles in Guam's direction within just a week.

In a statement released by its state-run media, KCNA, the North Korean general who oversees the regime's rocket command said it would complete its plan to attack waters near Guam by mid-August, then wait for orders from the commander in chief of its nuclear force.

The statement comes after Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday, noting that the U.S. nuclear arsenal is "now far stronger and more powerful than ever before," adding, "Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!"

TRUMP AND HIS ADMINISTRATION ARE 'SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE' ON NORTH KOREA, STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS

The statement from the North said its plan to strike Guam would feature a "historic enveloping fire" at the U.S. Pacific territory.

North Korea called Trump's threat of responding with "fire and fury" a "load of nonsense," adding that "only absolute force" can work on the president.

Comments from the general said the action against Guam would be "an effective remedy for restraining the frantic moves of the U.S. in the southern part of the Korean peninsula and its vicinity."

Earlier Wednesday, Mattis put out his own warning, telling the rogue nation to stop its actions that would "lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people."

The plan to strike near Guam would include the "simultaneous" firing of four Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic rockets (IRBM), according to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency.

North Korea's KCNA reported the rockets would cross over Shimane, Hiroshima and Koichi before landing in the surrounding waters, 18 to 24 miles away from Guam.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Italian news agency ANSA says gunmen have killed 4 people in apparent Mafia hit in the southern region of Puglia. Police said the first two victims were killed Wednesday when another car carrying four or five people drove up alongside it and opened fire.

ANSA quoted investigators as saying the other two victims were brothers who apparently witnessed the murders and were chased down by the killers and shot to death.

Video of the scene shot by ANSA shows a black VW Beetle on the side of the road with its rear window shot out and a body strewn on the ground nearby. The shooting happened near an abandoned train station in the town of San Marco in Lamis in the Foggia Province.
The suspected driver who rammed a vehicle into a crowd of soldiers, injuring six of them, in a Paris suburb was arrested Wednesday after he was wounded during a brief standoff with police, French officials said.

The driver of a BMW was wounded in a gunfight on a highway north of Paris, a judicial official said. Shots were fired when the arrest turned violent. The man was stopped as police were hunting for the vehicle that was involved in an attack French police believe may have had a terror motive.

The condition of the man, who was not immediately identified, is unknown at this time. He was arrested hours after a driver rammed a car into a crowd of soldiers, leaving at least three of the six hit with serious injuries -- though they were believed to be non-life threatening. Two French officials told The Associated Press it was too early to say for certain the man was the driver.

The soldiers were part of the 35th infantry regiment in the suburb of Saint-Mande and were leaving their barracks just after 8 a.m. when the attack occurred. France's Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told reporters the driver targeted the soldiers in a calculated car attack.

"We know it was a deliberate act," Collomb said. Defense Minister Florence Parly called it a reminder that extra security measures imposed in recent years are "more necessary than ever."

Nadia LeProhon, a witness, told The Associated Press she heard a loud crash outside her building and rushed outside to see two soldiers on the ground. Other soldiers ran after the speeding car, shouting "After him! Follow that car!"

"I'll never forget that scream  a scream of pain and distress," LeProhon said.

The motive of the attack is still unknown, with the driver hospitalized with bullet wounds. Local mayor Patrick Balkany said the incident had "without any doubt" been deliberate.

"It's an odious act of aggression," he told BFM-TV.

Authorities have opened an investigation into the incident, which they believe had a terrorist motive. Paris' prosecutor's office said it aimed at pursuing the perpetrators on charges of attempted murder of security forces in connection with a terrorist enterprise.

The service members were part of Operation Sentinelle, an anti-terrorism operation that was created after the 2015 Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris. The mission's aim is to protect civilians.

Collomb said Wednesday's car attack marks the sixth time soldiers with the Sentinelle operation have been targeted.

France has been under a state of emergency since November 2015, when several Islamist gunmen opened fire in Paris, leaving 130 people dead in a series of coordinated attacks.

The latest incident is one of several recent attacks targeting French security forces guarding public sites. Last weekend, a teenager with a knife shouting "Allahu Akbar" attempted to force his way into the Eiffel Tower. He later told police he wanted to attack a soldier.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said that despite a sustained "high threat" against France, the government is sticking to plans to lift a 21-month state of emergency.

Fox News' Lukas Mikelionis and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Japan's Nagasaki commemorated the 72nd anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing on Wednesday, with its mayor calling for sticking to pacifist Constitution and reconsidering the policy of relying on the U.S. nuclear umbrella.

During the ceremony at the Peace Memorial Park, Mayor of Nagasaki Tomihisa Taue criticized the central government for not joining negotiations for the Nuclear Prohibition Treaty, saying that it was "incomprehensible" to people living in the cities that have suffered atomic bombings.

He also urged the central government to reconsider the policy of relying on the U.S. nuclear umbrella and "reaffirm to the world its commitment to the pacifist ethos of the Constitution of Japan, which firmly renounces war."

Taue's remarks came at a time when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have been eyeing making Japan's first-ever postwar amendment to the pacifist charter.

Yoshitoshi Fukahori, representative of the victims and their families of the atomic bombing in Nagasaki, said the pacifist Constitution has been "a basic state policy" for Japan since the end of World War II, and "without the policy, Japan would lose trust of the world."

Prime Minister Abe delivered a speech at the ceremony, in which he still made no mention of the historical background for the atomic bombings or Japan's aggressive war against its neighbors.

While Abe was speaking, shouts of protests burst out from around the park, demanding the prime minister to step down.

Despite the rainy weather in Nagasaki, a number of civil groups gathered around the park, holding banners and shouting slogans demanding for peace and no war again.

"To prevent recurrence of such war tragedies, people shall learn from the history and pass on the truth to the future generations," said Kato, one of the protesters.

To accelerate Japan's surrender in WWII, the U.S. forces dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively on Aug. 6 and Aug. 9, 1945. Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces on Aug. 15, 1945, bringing an end to the war.
Fox 5 DC is bringing its morning show to downtown Culpeper this Friday morning from 6 to 11 a.m. as part of its 2017 Zip Trip series highlighting some of the best spots to visit in the Washington, D.C. area.

We chose Culpeper because it was named one of Americas Top 10 Small Towns, said Fox Television Studios junior publicist Victoria Gurrieri, referencing Norman Cramptons 1993 book, The 100 Best Small Towns in America, that ranked Culpeper at No. 10.

Crowd participation is being requested for the live broadcast Friday morning when the Fox 5 main stage will be set up on the street in the 200 block of East Davis Street with the cameras facing Main Street.

Think a mini version of Time Square here in Culpeper, said Paige Read, Culpeper Tourism Director.

Washington, D.C. is one of Culpepers top tier tourism markets, she said, drawing visitors for day trips and on weekends for the approximate 70-mile one-way trip. Read said the morning show would generate excellent exposure for the downtown and what the area has to offer.

Among the segments planned is the 5 Must Stops in Culpeper featuring Lake Pelham Adventures, Belmont Farm Distillery, the Brandy Station-Cedar Mountain Battlefields, Old House Vineyards and Davis Street.

Various downtown businesses and their products and/or fare will be highlighted, including Beer Hound Brewery, Baby Jims Snack Bar, Tanom Motors, Green Roost, Moving Meadows Farm & Bakery, Fotis, Piedmont Steakhouse, Flavor on Main, The Frenchmans Corner, Nest Realty, Culpeper Cheese Company, Its About Thyme, Grill 309 and La Bee Da Loca.

Culpeper Mayor Mike Olinger and Town Councilman Jamie Clancey will get some camera time in addition to Culpeper County Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Junior Perryman as part of the First Responders Friday segment. Culpeper Police Dept. Community Officer Jason Smith will be also highlighted as a Hometown Hero.

The charm of Culpeper and its proximity to the nations capital combined to make downtown a perfect stop for the Fox 5 news crew, Read said. The station has been in Culpeper three times since deciding in February to bring its Zip Trip here, she said, adding that she pushed really hard to keep the main stage on East Davis Street.

Because nothing sells Culpeper like having a camera on Davis Street for five hours, said Read.

The 200 block of East Davis Street from East Street to Commerce Street will be closed to parking and vehicular traffic from 4:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Friday.

Those coming down for the TV shoot are encouraged wear funky outfits and bring signs to get noticed. Crowd shots will begin at 7 a.m.
The Table, the produce-centered food pantry of St. George's Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg, will be reaching out to the community on Aug. 18.

From 6-7:30 p.m. volunteers will set up on the green at Heritage Park Apartments.

There will be music, veggie painting and books for kids. Dr. Yum and other community partners will be on hand with tastings and demonstrations.

"We are excited to bring The Table to our neighbors, building a stronger community through commitment to each other," the organization said in a news release.
Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, speaks at the grand gathering to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in Hohhot, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Aug. 8, 2017. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

China's top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng on Tuesday lauded the achievements of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in north China and expressed his hope that improving ethnic autonomy would bring better life for people in the region.

Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the remarks at a gathering to celebrate the region's 70th anniversary, while leading a 63-person delegation of the central authorities.

Yu reiterated the importance of adherence to the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) -- the solid core to unite and lead people from all ethnic groups -- and firmly sticking to socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Over the past 70 years, especially since the reform and opening up in the late 1970s, the region expanded its GDP to 1.86 trillion yuan (277.6 billion U.S. dollars) in 2016, 642 times of that in 1947, and per capita GDP reached 74,000 yuan, 145 times of that in 1947, Yu said.

A basic transport network has been set up and incomes have improved, with more than 60 percent permanent residents living in cities, Yu said.

Yu called for releasing and developing social productivity; combining support from central authorities and economically developed provinces with the region's self-struggle; integrating improvement of living standards with ecological protection; holding the interests of the country and the Chinese nation above all; and resolutely safeguarding ethnic unity, the border and national reunification.

Yu asked local officials to make efforts to ensure that the region build a moderately prosperous society in 2020, striving to solve problems which people care the most and making people from all ethnic groups feel a sense of gain and happiness.

At the gathering, Vice Premier Liu Yandong read a congratulatory message by the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the CPPCC National Committee and the Central Military Commission.0 The letter said that Inner Mongolia has been led by the CPC in combining the basic principles of Marxism with the realities of the Chinese nation, and has kept the glory of "exemplary autonomous region."

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has paid more attention to and made strategic plans for the development of Inner Mongolia.

In 2014, Xi, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, put forward a set of ideas on the long-term development of the region during his inspection tour in Inner Mongolia.

On Monday, Yu presented a plaque with an inscription by Xi, which reads "building a beautiful Inner Mongolia, achieving the great Chinese dream" in both Chinese and Mongolian.

Tsetsenbat, a herder from Ar Horqin Banner of Chifeng City, said that he felt great changes in his hometown: his kids were in school, the seniors were covered by social insurance, roads had improved, and they had good drinking water and Internet connection.

"We will keep in mind Xi's instructions to build a beautiful northern border, cherish the good situation of ethnic unity, and strive to build a better Inner Mongolia," he said.

Ren Yunguo, a local ethnic affairs official, said that before the founding of Inner Mongolia, people lived under impoverished conditions and many herders were bankrupt.

With efforts of poverty relief, the region will succeed in building a moderately prosperous society in 2020 at the same pace with the country, Ren said.

According to the region's statistics authority, in 2016, Inner Mongolia's per capita GDP reached 74,069 yuan, up 6.9 percent year on year. The annual per capita disposable income in the region reached 24,127 yuan, up 6.8 percent year on year.

Last year, Inner Mongolia ranked ninth in the country in terms of urban residents' per capita disposable income, which rose by 6.5 percent to reach 32,975 yuan, and 19th place in terms of rural disposable income, which rose at the same rate to reach 11,609 yuan.

Yan Qing, professor with Minzu University of China, said that until today, regional autonomy is the only correct way for the stability and prosperity in ethnic minority regions.

Wang Xien, researcher with the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Inner Mongolia has adhered to the principle of equity, unity and mutual help during 70 years of implementing regional autonomy for ethnic groups.

"It has paid high attention to guaranteeing people of all ethnic groups to share equal rights and special legitimate rights of ethnic minority groups by eliminating narrow nationalism," Wang added.
Juanita Faye Montaque, 60, of Fredericksburg, Va., went home to Glory on Tuesday, August 1, 2017. She is survived by her husband, Joseph C. Montaque Jr.; four children, Cassandra Hill, Veronica Newman, Natasha Jackson, and Nathan White; grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. at Second New Hope Baptist Church, 3836 Summit Crossing Rd., Fredericksburg, Va. on Friday, August 11, 2017, with viewing beginning at 10:00 a.m.
MANY CONGRESSIONAL observers again recently raised the concern that lawmakers do not spend a whole lot of time on Capitol Hill doing the peoples business. For example, the House was in session for 131 days last year, while the Senate met for 165 days.

In recent years, House members from both sides of the aisle have proposed mandating members of Congress to spend MondayFriday in Washington. In 2014, Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., lobbied for a change in the House rules to require lawmakers to commit to 40-hour workweeks in D.C. The following year, Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif, introduced a bill that called for a similar change.

Proponents of the five-day congressional workweek insist that such a mandate would result in both increased productivity and increased bipartisanship since members can get to know each other better within each chamber. The most common proposal calls for members to spend three consecutive weeks in Washington, followed by one week in their districts or states for constituent matters.

Arguments in favor of the five-day workweek imply there is a problem that did not exist before: namely, that members used to spend more time in Washington and less time in their states and districts. However, data suggest that the amount of actual time members spend in Washington has been fairly consistent for more than four decades. The number of hours the House and Senate have spent in session has held steadya little below and a little above 2,000 hours, respectivelysince the early 1970s.

While the number of actual work hours in Washington has stayed consistent over the last 40 years, the number of important bills passed by both chambersour measure of Congress legislative productivityis only about a third of what it was in the early 1970s. While congressional productivity is clearly trending downward, its not at all clear that adding days in Washington would solve the problem. One must instead question why Congress productivity is declining, even as members spend roughly the same amount of time in D.C. as their predecessors.

In her landmark works, University of Maryland Professor Frances Lee explains why members might be less focused on policy than politics. Before the 1980s, Republicans in Congress perpetually occupied the minority (in the House, the GOP was in the minority uninterrupted from 1955-1995). Because achieving majority status in either chamber was unlikely, Republicans were forced to cooperate and compromise with Democrats to ensure Republican policy views were represented.

Since the 1980s, however, majority status in Congress has become much more uncertain and competitive, with continuous flips in control back and forth between the two parties. This has necessitated a strategic shift in Washington activity away from cooperating on policy goals and toward actions of obstruction designed to portray the majority party as incompetent. The consequence is that a much lower proportion of legislators activity in Washington is actually related to the business of legislating.

A second reason for decreased productivity may be that members are not as well-resourced as in the past. Lawmakers bevy of legislative assistants and directors are responsible for monitoring policy activity, drafting legislative proposals and amendments, and coordinating coalitions across member-offices to advance legislation. Put simply, policy staffers are the behind-the-scenes workers who execute the vital responsibilities of legislative research, creation and passage in Congress.

Since the mid-1980s, however, the number of congressional staffers has decreased significantly. As a point of comparison, in 1987, Congress employed more than 8,000 aides in Washington. By 2015, the number had shrunk to just over 5,000, a decline of 33 percent. This has forced lawmakers to stretch their capacity more than in previous decades.

The data reveal that the clear downward trend in the number of important bills passed since 1979 is mirrored by the falling number of staffers based in Washington; both have fallen by more than 30 percent. Quite simply, if there are fewer aides available to draft and advance policies, fewer bills will be signed into law, particularly on important issues where coalitions are harder to formulate. This decline in staffing resources is compounded by factors like dramatic growths in population, the size and scope of the federal government and the number of issues Congress is expected to address.

It is possible, though not proven, that extended work periods in Washington might assist in raising the level of personal familiarity, and perhaps even a modicum of trust among ideologically opposed members. However, the political incentives toward more confrontational politics, in combination with severely limited congressional capacity, may well continue to far outweigh such potential gains. Solutions to the competitiveness and staffing issues are in short supply in such a highly partisan environment, but simply keeping members in Washington for longer periods of time is not an effective silver bullet.
Rescuers work in quake-hit Jiuzhaigou County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 8, 2017. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck a remote area in southwest China's Sichuan Province Tuesday night, leaving at least five people dead and more than 60 injured. (Xinhua)

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck a remote area in southwest China's Sichuan Province Tuesday night, leaving seven people dead and 88 injured, including 21 seriously, by 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.

At least five of the dead were visitors to the popular tourist destination of Jiuzhaigou in the epicenter of Zhangzha town, Jiuzhaigou County. The information office of the provincial government did not elaborate on the identities of the additional two deaths when releasing the latest death toll update.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for all-out efforts to rapidly organize relief work and rescue the injured people after the quake.

Premier Li Keqiang also urged local authorities to go all out in relief and monitoring work.

The earthquake jolted Jiuzhaigou County at 9:19 p.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), and the epicenter was monitored at 33.2 degrees north latitude and 103.82 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 20 km, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

Jiuzhaigou, or Jiuzhai Valley, is a national park known for spectacular waterfalls and karst formations. More than 34,000 people visited the tourist attraction on Tuesday.

"Now it is the peak travel season and there is a large number of tourists in the scenic area," said Ye Zhi, a villager in Zhangzha. "The tourists were in panic when the quake struck and there were also stones falling down the mountain."

Fearing risks from the complicated terrain, tourists and residents have been led to large open spaces for safety, said Ye.

To avoid potential further deaths and injuries, the scenic area stopped accepting tourists.

A landslide in the tourist site left more than 100 visitors trapped, but no deaths or injuries were reported among them.

Chengdu Overseas Tourism Co., Ltd. had 30 Japanese visitors in four tour groups in Jiuzhaigou. All of them had been reached and there were no injuries, the information office said.

Sangey, a worker at the popular Jiuzhaigou tourist site, told Xinhua on telephone that some houses in the scenic area collapsed or cracked in wake of the powerful quake and authorities were organizing young people to help evacuate residents.

There were reported house collapses in towns like Heihe, Shuanghe and Anle.

Li Changyong, head of the Jiuzhaigou county health and family planning bureau, said the quake was strongly felt in the county seat, 35 km from the epicenter, and many residents rushed out of buildings.

Li told Xinhua that he saw no buildings in the county seat collapsed.

Yu Qian, a local taxation bureau official, said she felt strong tremor in her home on the fifth floor. She and her two children rushed away from their home.

Yu said the quake cut off power in her neighborhood and disrupted telephone service linking the scenic area where some of her colleagues worked and lived.

"I was getting into a car at the time of the quake and it felt like a heavy-duty truck rumbling past," said Liu Yanrong, a local township official.

"Realizing it was an earthquake, there was no panic on the street as we had experienced the devastating Wenchuan quake," said Liu.

"There are currently few people on the street as most have gone back home for sleep after power was restored," Liu told Xinhua after midnight.

The China Earthquake Administration and the Sichuan provincial government have activated the highest level-I emergency response procedures.

Authorities have sent medical teams, rescuers as well as relief materials to the quake-stricken area where the population density is six people per square kilometer.

The quake also disrupted railway services. The Sichuan railway bureau suspended 14 trains.

Power, communication and water supply in the county seat have basically recovered.

The quake was felt in the provincial capital Chengdu about 300 km south of the epicenter, and other regions in the neighboring provinces of Gansu and Shaanxi.

The China Earthquake Administration said 107 aftershocks had been detected as of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday and there are possibilities of quakes around 6-magnitude in the coming days.

Sichuan is a quake-prone region. In May 2008, an 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck Wenchuan and killed more than 80,000 people. In 2013, a 7.0-magnitude quake hit Lushan, killing 196.
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Rescue work is under way in Jinghe county, Bortala Mongol autonomous prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on Aug 9. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Many people in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region were woken up by a 6.6-magnitude earthquake at 7:27 am on Wednesday.

The epicenter of the quake was near Jinghe county, Bortala Mongol autonomous prefecture, about 37 kilometers from the county seat of Jinghe. Three villages are located within 10 kilometers of the center.

According to Xinjiang Seismological Bureau, some houses collapsed due to the force of the quake, but no casualties were reported at 9:35 am.

Although the epicenter was about 383 kilometers from the regional capital of Urumqi, many people in the city felt its power.

"I was asleep and I suddenly felt my bed move from side to side. I also felt the building swinging. I soon realized it was an earthquake," said Qiu Jin, 28.

When he checked his phone he found many of his friends had shared the same experience on social media. "Many wanted to know if the earthquake in Xinjiang was related to the one that rocked Jiuzhai on Tuesday evening," he said.

People in Ily Kazak autonomous prefecture, which borders with Bortala, felt the earthquake even stronger. "The house was shaking for at least 30 seconds. I can heard the roaring sound coming out of the earth," said Zhao Xiao in Ily city.

Others in Karamay, Shihezi and Changji in Xinjiang also said they felt the earthquake.
Grain is now coming into stores wet as growers are no longer waiting for dry spells because of concerns that quality is starting to be affected.

Winter barley harvesting is almost complete in Scotland, with specific weights, as expected, at about 63kg/hl, according to Scotgrains Trevor Harriman. The spring barley harvest is not yet started, but oilseed rape crops are ready to go.

Farmers are reasonably happy with yields, but there is not a huge amount done so far. If the weather would dry out over the next three days, a good amount would get done, added Mr Harriman.

Despite sharp, heavy showers over the past few days hampering progress, harvest was still about a week ahead of normal.

See also: Harvest 2017: Hybrid barley yielding strongly in Suffolk

Busy in Lincolnshire

In Lincolnshire, the Woldgrain store had suddenly gotten busy, according to laboratory and haulage manager Dan Murphy.

We had a wet couple of weeks and now everything is ready at the same time, he said.

The store was receiving the last of the oilseed rape, with the start of the spring barley and Group 1 milling winter wheats coming in together.

Quality had been variable in the spring barley, with higher-than-average grain nitrogen levels.

We have had to segregate each variety  Planet and Propino  three ways; into low, medium and high nitrogen content. A unique situation that is logistically challenging and may mean maltsters have to move their goalposts, explained Mr Murphy.

So far only Skyfall and Crusoe of the Group 1 milling wheats have arrived at the store, with protein levels average to good, but hagbergs were falling away after the third consecutive week of rain.

Skyfall that arrived on Monday had good bushel weights, with protein levels at more than 13%, but hagbergs were struggling to get over 180, he said.

Mixed bag in Gloucestershire

In Gloucestershire, harvest was proving to be a mixed bag, said Jeff Russell at Western Arable Services. Wet weather was dominating the situation, with growers trying to grab crops off the field whenever they could.

Winter barley is virtually finished, with farmers now starting to harvest spring barley. Germination is alright, but nitrogen levels are high, said Mr Russell.

Wheat quality was looking good, with proteins very high, at more than 13% and hagbergs holding up well. Moisture levels were about 16-17%.

Wiltshire rapeseed

Colin Keevil at Chapel Farm, West Knoyle, Wiltshire, has done well with his oilseed rape crop, achieving 3.7t/ha across his 87ha of the variety Incentive.

It is pretty good and came off virtually dry, ranging from 6-11%, he said.

Mr Keevils 202ha wheat crop was all ready to come off the field. It is looking pretty good and is all stood up as it has just ripened, but we do need a dry spell, he added.

Harvest had stopped according to David Sheppard at Gleadell. Wheat crops that have arrived at Gleadell stores had good quality and yields before the rain.

It is a catchy harvest with some sprouting issues further south and quality is likely to deteriorate, he said.

Spring barley was coming in below expectations, with reports of variable nitrogen levels, but there was still a lot due to come into stores.

Most of the spring barley is currently in the fields, getting soaked, added Mr Sheppard.
On Tuesday, the residents and tourists in a remote area in southwest China's Sichuan Province were shaken by a powerful earthquake.

Many ran into the streets as buildings around them shook violently.

The town of Zhangzha in Jiuzhaigou County found itself above the epicenter of the 7.0-magnitude quake, which struck at 9:19 p.m. local time, when most people were having dinner or preparing for bed.

"We were having dinner," said tourist Wu Tao, 27. "As I picked up my chopsticks, the ground shook and the power went off."

Wu and his friends from Dazhou City, Sichuan were visiting Jiuzhai Valley, a UNESCO natural heritage site and a national park known for spectacular waterfalls and karst formations.

"We are lucky. The road towards Dazhou is not blocked. We plan to go home today," he said.

In the InterContinental Resort near the tourist spot, buildings cracked and walls collapsed. Tourists gathered in the parking lot, wrapped in bath towels or quilts. Some have been taken to hospital in nearby Songpan County.

"I was hit by a falling slab but rescue workers arrived and treated my wounds," said 52-year-old Li Jianjun of the hotel staff.

"We are trying to clear blocked roads and send the remaining tourists to safe areas as soon as possible," said Yang Kening, governor of the Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Aba.

Bo Rui, 38, a tourist from northeast China's Liaoning Province, is in the corridor of a hospital waiting for news from her tour guide. She and her daughter were part of a tour group. Her daughter's head was lightly injured when they ran out of the hotel.

"When the earthquake hit, the hotel staff led all the people to a nearby square," she said.

Doctors and nurses arrived soon after the quake. Despite aftershocks, Bo said "there was no panic and everything went smoothly. The most seriously injured and children were taken to hospital first."

The confirmed death toll stands at 13 with 175 injured, according to the information office of the provincial government.

Earthquakes are common in Sichuan. In May 2008, an 8.0-magnitude earthquake killed more than 80,000 people. In 2013, a 7.0-magnitude quake killed 196.

"Realizing it was an earthquake, there was little panic in the streets as we had learned many lessons from the devastating Wenchuan quake," said Liu Yanrong, a township official.
Just two years ago, an Indiana farmer hand-picked a team of engineers from far and wide to set about his off-the-wall ambitions to build a colossal-capacity, bend-in-the-middle combine. We meet the new king of the US Great Plains

Theres a new beast at the top of the American farming food chain.

Its a one-of-a-kind, 23t orange monolith strong enough to carry its own body weight in grain and with the stamina to run for 24-hours straight.

Of course, were talking here about the Tribine  the brainchild of 76-year-old Indiana farmer and businessman Ben Dillon, who decided it was time to rip up the combine-building blueprint that has stood largely unchanged since the Second World War.

And hes not stopping there. He and his merry band of designers, marketers, welders and farmers now intend to go toe-to-toe with some of the biggest machinery companies on the planet.

Itll serve as a stark wake-up call to John Deere, Case, Agco and alike, who have watched on helplessly as the new golden boy of the combine world has stolen the headlines and racked up awards at every farm show it has attended.

The speed of evolution has been remarkable; with Mr Dillons millions, the team has transformed a blank sheet of paper into a full production machine in just 18 months.

Such rapid progression is unimaginable in the corporate world of Deere and alike where designers are held back by bureaucracy.

His goals were clear. The harvester had to have a tank big enough to carry an artic-load of grain and hit a top speed of 30mph, all while reducing soil damage underfoot.

A handful of pre-production machines later and his dream has been realised.

Such is the novelty value of the Tribine, it is protected by a fortress of 52 patents and the company has absolutely no intention of sharing them with the competition.

See also: Video  Orkney contractor converts his combine to tracks

Mr Dillon first toyed with the combine-cart combination 20 years ago when he towed a chaser bin behind a standard harvester after becoming sick of double-handling grain.

Two years on, in 1999, he took things further by fully removing the combines rear wheels to form an articulated machine.

However, it wasnt until 2013 that developments got more serious. He signed a deal with Agco firm Gleaner that allowed him to use the front of an S77 combine married to a grain cart.

It marked the birth of the Tribine, though the comparatively small feeder housing, limited fuel capacity, run-of-the-mill tyres and rear discharge auger were worlds away from the modern-day monster.

Eventually, his relationship with Agco turned into a tug of war over the design, so Mr Dillon assembled his own 22-man squad of farmers, designers and workshop men to get the machine to market.

Just a year later, in 2016, the company moved into a new office and factory in Newton, Kansas, before unveiling the first production model at the Farm Progress Show in Boon, Iowa.

Why build it?

The idea of cutting, threshing and carrying crops is orthodox in its nature, but the way the Tribine goes about its business is a real departure from the norm.

One of the biggest challenges for the designers was to reduce the yield-ravaging effect of soil compaction, which has become a huge problem across the US corn belt.

Part of the blame lies at the feet of harvesting teams that tread carelessly over fields with little concern about whats happening underground.

However, that doesnt mean sending out hundreds of tiny, space-age robot harvesters, say the brainy Tribine designers. Instead, its about using that weight more efficiently.

A closer look at the stats suggests it might not be the soil compaction sinner it appears at first glance. Empty weight is 22,600kg  only a ton heavier than its biggest rivals  but it wears huge, equal-sized shoes that run at low pressure to spread the weight over a massive footprint.

The high-capacity system also gets rid of grain carts  another compaction menace  that dart all over the fields to ferry the crop from combine to artic almost non-stop.

That capacity will be even more important as crops yields rise, headers get wider, field sizes grow and threshing systems become more efficient.

Double vision

One engine was not deemed to be enough by the machines designers, who have knitted together two AdBlue-free nine-litre Cummins blocks each set to produce 325hp.

They sit in the front half of the machine and are kept cool by a single radiator. Tribine decided it was more fuel efficient to split the power supplies rather than have one 16-litre engine running full bore all of the time.

The two motors are fed by a 1,900-litre fuel tank that should last for 24 hours of continuous work.

One power supply runs the threshing and cleaning systems and the other spins a shaft on a hydraulic pump that, in turn, propels the four hydrostatic wheel motors.

The split design should also make it easier to tweak the power outputs for different models in the future.

Take the UK, for instance, where high straw yields will demand greater threshing power, but propulsion needs might remain quite modest.

Custom harvesting teams making the long journeys up and down the corn belt will be salivating at the prospect of a 30mph top speed, but strict EU weight, speed and width limits mean the hydrostatic transmission will have to be heavily restricted in Europe.

That oil-powered driveline also means the Tribine does without the inconvenience of standard mechanical axles that get in the way of the feeder housing and grain bin, which gave the designers far more flexibility when it came to piecing the other parts of the jigsaw together.

Big shoes

The Tribines biggest quirk (and therere a lot of them) is probably its steering arrangement.

It uses a super strong central articulation point that runs on a semi-circular, oscillating frame to pivot in the middle.

The combination of central pivot and rear-wheel steer means that when the elephantine Tribine decides to slip on its dancing shoes its capable of turning inside the width of its header and it can crab steer, too.

That tight-turning design also ruled out tracks. Instead, it wears four 1100mm-wide low sidewall tyres that squash by up to 152mm under load to spread the weight as evenly as possible.

In search of a header

Big combines take some feeding and, so far, Tribine has yet to find a header that can cope with its insatiable appetite for ripe crops, limiting its top working speed to 6mph.

The company doesnt make its own cutterbar, so theres no restriction on whose you can use. As standard, it comes with John Deere fixings but there are plenty of adaptor plate options on the market to carry different branded front-ends.

Theres unlikely to be any limit on size in the future, either. The Tribine packs double the lift capacity of its rivals, which the company says is the result of ram geometry  its plungers push vertically upwards when lifting, while its rivals plungers are angled to push outwards.

Threshing system

No surprise that Tribine has decided to go big here, too. The Kevlar-belted feeder is 168cm wide and the biggest on the market by some distance, forcing vast quantities of material down the harvesters gullet.

Further back, a rotor almost a metre in diameter is hugged by a 270deg concave providing a 2.3sq m threshing surface.

All three banks of concaves can be moved from the cab and, as theyre are closed, the triple-pinch-point threshing becomes more pronounced and aggressive.

The sieve area is another 8.58sq m, before trash is thrown down two chutes with adjustable doors to vary the spread pattern.

Rear end

The auger that transfers the grain to the tail end forms part of the hitch connecting the two halves of the combine.

The cart sits low  an advantage of the axle-less design  to improve its balance on slopes.

A 16in bubble auger churns the material from the cleaning system, filling the bin from rear to front. Chock-a-block capacity is 1,000bu  a tad over 35,000-litres  and almost triple that of a high capacity Claas Lexion.

The idea is that it can fill an articulated truck in one go and make a return bout in a mile-long field without having to unload during the journey. That means that, typically, the Tribine unloads every 12 minutes, versus every four minutes for a conventional machine.

When it does come to unloading, a 12in auger runs along the base of the tank to keep the main 20in discharge auger stuffed.

Offload speeds make for some startling reading, too  300-litres/sec is more than double the rate of its rivals and the whole load can be shifted in just shy of two minutes.

The company is also working on an extendable auger system that telescopes by 6ft to fit more comfortably into CTF systems.

Interior

Custom harvesting teams spend months in the saddle, so cab design was a big part of the development process.

The forager-style shell is built in Minnesota and is also used on Agcos Rogator sprayers. It has glass wrapped around 270deg to help provide a better look at the discharge auger, which sits a long way further back than a standard harvester.

Everything inside is custom made. Most shockingly, theres no steering wheel  just a big window looking down towards the feeder housing.

Wheels are stone-age technology, were told, and have been replaced by two fighter-pilot-style joysticks. The left-hand one deals with steering (left-to-right movement for the articulation; twists for the rear wheels), while the right carries header controls and forward/reverse speeds.

The natty, started-from-scratch design frees up space for a full-sized passenger seat and a bar loops all the way around the front windscreen to carry in-cab screens in any position you fancy.

The main screen is sourced from Ag Leader and controls the feeder, threshing, yield monitor and GPS, while another relays Big Brother-style footage from the eight-piece camera package dotted everywhere from the end of the discharge auger to the back of the grain cart.

Who will be selling it?

Designing and building a prototype machine is one thing, but offering a full sales, service and support package is a whole new challenge.

Tribine reckons offering top-drawer warranty and support will help get one up on its billion-dollar rivals so, for the next couple of years, that means only selling its combines into five key states that make up 60% of the US corn belt  Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas.

Those five states can be relatively easily serviced from Tribines two main depots in Newton, Kansas (where it has capacity to build up to four machines a month) and Logansport, Indiana.

Along with a reliable back-up team, first-time buyers will get a two-day course on the inner workings of the machine, along with a two-season warranty and a complete set of spare belts and bearings.

Given that the product is completely new and in the early stages of production, Tribine has also agreed to replicate any changes it makes to production models on customer machines for two years post-purchase.

Will it ever come to Europe?

For now, the company intends to stay in the US where it is targeting 1,000ha-plus farms as it works to make a dent in John Deeres 35% market share.

Its then likely to head to Brazil, Australia, and parts of eastern Europe where it can slot in seamlessly without a redesign.

European countries will undoubtedly prove more of a headache  the Tribines heavyweight proportions are way too much for European roads and the machine will have to go under a drastic redesign before it can realistically consider the UK a target market.

And after all that, the asking price? $550,000 (421,000). Definitely worth robbing the bank for.
A farming family say they will not rest until they see someone caught for brazenly shooting a four-month-old heifer calf dead on their farm in South Yorkshire.

Alan Collins, who farms with his brother Billy at Parks Farm, Conisbrough, found one of his Belgian Blue calves lying in a pool of blood in the cattle shed on Sunday evening (6 August).

The incident has shocked the farming community, with other farmers branding the perpetrator of the crime disgusting and subhuman.

See also: Farmer horrified after thugs blast young heifer to death

Mr Collins told Farmers Weekly he had found the calf just after 5pm lying prone in the cattle shed and covered with flies.

Shot twice

It had been shot twice  once in the head and shoulder and once in the back end  by what police believe was either a 12-bore or .410-gauge shotgun.

It was laid out, absolutely peppered and covered in blood, he said.

The best way I can describe it is that the blood was coming out as though it was coming out of a colander.

It wasnt just one stream  from its nose to its tail, there were trickles of blood running down it.

Although the animal was alive when it was first discovered, despite the best efforts of the farms vet, it died in the early hours of Monday morning.

Angry

Mr Collins said the situation had felt very surreal at the start of the week, but as the days went by, the family were feeling increasingly upset and angry.

It is not getting easier  it is getting harder, he said.

Im very proud of the way we look after our stock, so it makes you feel sick to the bottom of your stomach to see a beast suffering like that.

I am just so determined that one way or another we will not give up.

I dont care how long this takes  whether it is weeks, months or even years  we will not let this drop.

Broad daylight

Mr Collins said one of the most unbelievable things about the whole incident was that it had taken place in broad daylight.

It is thought the attacker or attackers may have struck when the two brothers went for lunch at about 12.15pm, returning to the yard at 1.30pm after checking whether one of their fields was ready to harvest.

We were in the farmyard all morning and the police have said to us there is a possibility that whoever did this watched us come away for dinner.

We live in some farm cottages that are about one-quarter-of-a mile away, but there is only one way in and out of the farm with a vehicle and that is past the cottages.

Weve also been around the whole boundary of the farm and there is no sign that anyone has crossed any of the boundaries with a quad bike or vehicle.

They must have walked in and walked out.

Mr Collins said tractors were in and out of the yard all afternoon carting corn from the combine and they saw or heard nothing suspicious.

Reward

The two brothers have offered a 500 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and successful prosecution of the offender.

South Yorkshire Police has urged anyone with information to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Story Highlights 37% say Trump acted unethically; 35% say he did nothing wrong

Similar to assessments of Clinton for Whitewater, Lewinsky investigations

Nearly three-quarters following news about the matter closely

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Twenty-five percent of U.S. adults believe Donald Trump acted illegally in his campaign's alleged involvement with Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election, while 37% say he acted unethically but not illegally and 35% say he did nothing wrong. From a historical perspective, Americans' belief that Trump is culpable is on the high end of reactions to several past presidential controversies. However, it is on par with two matters involving former President Bill Clinton.

Perceptions of Presidential Actions in Prior Controversies -- Last Time Gallup Asked About Each Illegal Unethical Nothing wrong % % % Clinton (1998): Whitewater real estate deal 29 42 24 Trump (2017): Russian involvement in election 25 37 35 Clinton (1998): Kenneth Starr investigation 24 47 24 Bush (2006): Administration leaking intelligence info 21 42 28 Clinton (2001): Presidential pardons 18 57 22 Clinton (1997): 1996 fundraising 17 46 31 Bush (2002): Involvement with Enron officials 15 43 28 Clinton (1998): Allow China to get sensitive missile technology 15 41 32 Bush (2002): Activities at Harken Energy Corp 7 32 23 Bush (2004): National Guard service 4 31 49 Gallup

The Trump data are based on an Aug. 2-6 Gallup poll, which employed the same "illegal/unethical/nothing seriously wrong" format used to ask about prior presidential controversies dating back to the 1990s.

Some of these matters were protracted political storms, while others were only in the news for a brief time. For the most part, Americans have tended to say the president did not act illegally, although in almost every case a majority perceived the president's actions to be either illegal or unethical.

At most, between 24% and 29% of Americans believed presidents broke the law. In addition to the 25% who currently say Trump acted illegally in the Russia matter, 29% said in 1998 that Bill Clinton acted illegally in the Whitewater real estate deal that took place during his years of public service in Arkansas. Also in 1998, 24% said Clinton broke the law concerning matters covered in the Kenneth Starr investigation, which included the Whitewater deal but later was expanded to Clinton's having an affair with a White House intern and lying about it under oath.

Although similar percentages of Americans thought Clinton did something illegal in the Whitewater and Lewinsky matters as think Trump did with regard to Russia, more thought Clinton acted unethically. One in three Americans say Trump did nothing wrong, which also ranks among the higher readings in Gallup's trend.

Fewer than one in five Americans thought Clinton acted illegally in three other matters that prompted calls of wrongdoing. This includes his end-of-administration pardons in 2001, 1996 fundraising activities, and allowing China to acquire sensitive missile technology, allegedly in exchange for campaign contributions.

President George W. Bush also had his share of controversies, but only one -- involving national security leaks -- resulted in more than 20% of Americans believing the president's actions were criminal. Specifically, 21% in 2006 thought Bush had acted illegally when intelligence information was leaked to reporters. Former staffer Lewis "Scooter" Libby was jailed for lying about revealing the information.

Notably, 31% of Americans believed in 1998 that Hillary Clinton -- Trump's rival in the 2016 presidential election -- acted illegally in the Whitewater matter.

Public Paying Close Attention to Trump-Russia Issue

Questions about possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government have dogged his administration, and special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the matter. Seventy-three percent of Americans are following the news about possible Trump campaign-Russia ties very (33%) or somewhat (40%) closely. That is above the average of 60% attention paid to more than 200 different news stories Gallup has asked about since 1991. It is similar to the 74% who say they are following news about Trump's ongoing disputes with the news media closely.

To date, several Trump campaign officials -- including current Attorney General Jeff Sessions, former campaign manager Paul Manafort, and family members Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner -- have revealed they met with Russian officials or lobbyists during the campaign. It is unclear to what extent the president was involved in such meetings or was aware of their taking place.

In the most recent poll, Gallup asked half of respondents about Trump himself and the other half about "Trump campaign officials." Americans responded similarly even though there is evidence that Trump's associates met with Russian officials, or with operatives who purportedly had ties to the Russian government.

Views of Donald Trump's and Trump Campaign Officials' Involvement With Russian Officials in 2016 Election Which of the following statements best describes your view of [Donald Trump / Trump campaign officials] in these matters -- [he / they] did something illegal; [he / they] did not do anything illegal, but did something unethical; or [he / they] did not do anything seriously wrong? Illegal Unethical Nothing wrong % % % Donald Trump 25 37 35 Trump campaign officials 29 34 29 A random half of the sample's respondents were asked about Donald Trump, and the other half were asked about Trump campaign officials. Gallup, Aug. 2-6, 2017

Most Republicans Say Trump Did Nothing Wrong

A majority of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 69%, believe Trump did nothing wrong with regard to Russia. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, meanwhile, divide about equally between saying he did something illegal (43%) or something unethical but not illegal (49%).

Opinions about Trump campaign officials' actions are largely similar, though slightly fewer Republicans absolve them (60%) than the president. Here again, Democrats are divided in their views of whether Trump officials did something illegal (46%) or unethical (43%).

Views of Donald Trump's and Trump Campaign Officials' Involvement With Russian Officials in 2016 Election, by Political Party Illegal Unethical Nothing wrong % % % Donald Trump Democrats/Democratic leaners 43 49 4 Republicans/Republican leaners 6 24 69 Trump campaign officials Democrats/Democratic leaners 46 43 7 Republicans/Republican leaners 9 25 60 A random half of the sample's respondents were asked about Donald Trump, and the other half were asked about Trump campaign officials. Gallup, Aug. 2-6, 2017

Americans who are following the story "very closely" are most inclined to think Trump did something illegal -- 39% of those in this group believe he broke the law, while 23% say he did something unethical and 37% nothing wrong. Nineteen percent of those following the story "somewhat closely" and 8% of those not following it closely believe Trump did something illegal. The results show a similar pattern by attention level for the question about Trump campaign officials' actions.

Views of Donald Trump's and Trump Campaign Officials' Involvement With Russian Officials in 2016 Election, by Attention Paid to the Story Illegal Unethical Nothing wrong % % % Donald Trump Following very closely 39 23 37 Following somewhat closely 19 40 37 Not following closely 8 42 37 Trump campaign officials Following very closely 40 25 32 Following somewhat closely 24 39 34 Not following closely 11 35 35 A random half of the sample's respondents were asked about Donald Trump, and the other half were asked about Trump campaign officials. Gallup, Aug. 2-6, 2017

Democrats (38%) are somewhat more likely than Republicans (30%) to be paying very close attention to the story. This partially explains the difference in the higher percentage thinking Trump or his associates did something illegal among those following the story very closely.

Bottom Line

Most Americans, consistent with their usual reactions to presidential controversies, do not believe Trump broke the law in his campaign's alleged involvement with Russian officials. But the one in four U.S. adults who do believe Trump acted illegally is among the highest Gallup has measured for similar past situations.

At the same time, the one-third who believe he did nothing wrong is also one of the highest to hold that view, underscoring today's highly polarized political environment. Still, a majority believe Trump did something either illegal or unethical -- suggesting that as long as Mueller's investigation into the Russia matter continues, Trump will govern with a cloud of suspicion hovering over his administration.

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Discussing diversity is hard. I've written about it several times here on Gamasutra, always with an eye toward applying reason and objectivity, along with respect for individuality along with the business drivers that make diversity efforts both important and practical. As with everyone who enters into these conversations, I expected and encountered heated differences of opinion, but my goal was always to keep conversation possible.

The recent Google Manifesto turned up the heat on the always-simmering diversity debate. I watched as that short screed successfully made dialogue difficult again, exactly the opposite result anyone would seek who was sincerely trying to inspire meaningful change (as the writer claimed). I refrained from leaping into the Manifesto debate because I was asked to avoid stress for health reasons... but I need to speak out about one aspect of it--the aspect I consider most harmful in terms of hindering meaningful discussion.

Some of the most heated arguments around the Manifesto are over assertions that women are statistically less likely to enjoy engineering/tech and whether they're also statistically less likely to be biologically suited to succeed in engineering/tech. That aspect of the debate is a distraction from more meaningful, relevant conversations--a derailment of progress toward any kind of understanding.

More important, it's meaningless in this context. It makes us so mired in arguing about whether data is valid that we don't stop to think about whether it's relevant and applicable. Statistics are irrelevant when youre dealing with individuals, especially once the individuals position in the statistical pool has already been established. I'm a living example.

When I had a second cancer that recurred after treatment, statistics showed the main drug in the clinical trial I entered was effective in less than 15% of patients. I've been in the trial for almost a year. In the data just published, there were fewer than 3% complete responses to the trial drug combination, representing a single patient. Im cancer-free for the moment. That single patient with a complete response is me.

Imagine debating with me now whether I should continue trial treatments. Only 15% respond at all, and less than 3% have a complete response, you tell me, so I dont know if we should put any effort into keeping you in the trial. That would be absurd, right? We already know Im in the 3% complete response pool, so its meaningless to debate now whether Im suited for the trial. Yet thats exactly whats happening when we discuss statistics about whether women are suited for engineering as a part of a conversation about diversity hiring and support.

Even if it were true that the majority percentage of women are inherently less suited for engineering/tech*, becoming an engineer--or professionally engaged in any tech occupation--isn't accidental or trivial. It takes years of training, hard work, keen problem-solving skills, and a particular way of thinking. It takes dedication and effort to go through a tech job hunt, nail an interview, and then do the kind of good work that leads to further opportunities.

In conversations about diversity hiring and support for women in our tech workplaces, were discussing an already-narrowed field: the percentage of women who ARE suited for engineering. We're not walking down the street, randomly pulling women into tech interviews. We're not cold calling random households to invite women to sit next to you and write full-stack code. In the context of diversity hiring and supporting diverse candidates after hiring, the process of segmentation has already occurred. It happened in her first algebra class, in Intro to Computer Science, in the three game jam projects she coded, in her decision to apply to your company, and in the companys offer for her to work alongside you. Shes already passed all the tests and burdens and barriers to prove shes in the percentage thats suited for tech work.

Whipping out statistics about what percentage of women are suited for tech is meaningless when you're talking about efforts to hire women into technical roles or how to better support them after hiring. It's irrelevant because we already know they're in the segment that qualifies, just like Im already known to be in the 3% segment with a complete response to the cancer clinical trial. And even if the statistics were accurate and valid* and only a subset of all women were "suitable" for engineering roles, that suitable percentage of women represents a huge pool of qualified, talented potential employees.

Assumptions based on statistics--even valid ones*--are no better than stereotypes, and using them as an excuse to treat others with less sincerity or respect isnt scientific. Its also not good business. The truth is that any individual who has the talent, discipline, and skill to enter a tech career deserves equal treatment, equal consideration, equal support, and equal respect. If youre a tech manager, you know how hard it is to hire and retain talent. Why would we not make every effort to refine our hiring and retention policies to be effective for every pool of qualified individuals available?

In my opinion, its no coincidence that a manifesto trying to rely so heavily on statistics also includes a call to de-emphasize empathy. Reducing human beings to statistics makes it easier to exclude them. Reducing empathy makes it easier to follow through on that exclusion in the name of objectivity.

Like cancer surgery, statistics operates in a world of clean boundaries, and that binary look at the world is often appealing to tech-minded folks like us. Resist the urge to segment people into binary pools of valid and invalid or suited and not suited. Weve all put in the work to sit at the table and we all belong here. We are all in the relevant segment.
As Virtual Reality Developers Conference organizers put the finishing touches on a great VRDC Fall 2017 event (happening September 21-22 at a bigger, better venue in San Francisco), they want to make sure you don't miss out on some of the great social VR talks happening at the show!

One of VRDC's many goals is to give attendees opportunities to learn from experts breaking ground on the frontier of VR/AR/MR social experiences. These new technologies can open up whole new realms of human interaction, and at VRDC Fall 2017 you'll hear from some of the foremost pioneers in the field.

That's why behavioral scientist and researcher Jessica Outlaw will be giving an important talk about social VR titled "Road to Art3mis: Women's First-Time Experiences in Social VR." Outlaw's talks is based on her recruitment of 20 women (all first-timers to VR) to use different social VR platforms. Using observation, and pre- and post-interview questions, she will report the findings of this testing and offer attendees insight into how the data might be applied to create more inclusive VR experiences.

Outlaw aims to discuss how the participant's expectations about VR influenced their experience, how they approached social interactions, and their perceptions about the potential of the technology. Attend her talk to learn all the specific findings from this study -- and get tips on running your own research in the future!

Organizers are also excited to welcome Mike Booth, who currently works on social VR at Facebook and has a long career in games (founding Turtle Rock Studios and working at companies like Valve, Electronic Arts and Blizzard), to deliver a cutting-edge talk on what it takes to build an immersive social experience in VR.

Booth's talk, "Creating Social Experiences in VR", will be part of VRDC Fall 2017's Innovation track of talks, which are all about how pioneers are breaking new ground in VR, AR, and mixed-reality experience design. Booth now leads a team of people who are exploring and building the future of social interation in VR, and his talk will be packed with their lessons learned.

And in "Building VR Communities: Asymmetry, Asynchrony, and Abuse" a panel of experts (Google's Rob Jagnow and Daniel Citron, along with Owlchemy Labs' Cy Wise) will discuss findings from dozens of VR social interaction tests and highlight their own hard-learned best practices in an effort to foster an open dialogue about the nuances of this new space.

The idea is that by considering asymmetric experiences that take place across heterogeneous devices like a headset and a mobile phone, developers can open up new opportunities for participation. Mechanics built around asynchronous interactions can make small communities feel bigger.

And of course, VRDC Fall 2017 organizers look forward to announcing many more talks for the event in the weeks to come. Don't forget to register early at a discounted rate!

Since tickets sold out for the first three VRDC events, VRDC Fall 2017 will offer more sessions and move to a bigger location at the Hilton Union Square in San Francisco, CA September 21-22.

For more information on VRDC Fall 2017, visit the show's official website and subscribe to regular updates via Twitter and Facebook.

Gamasutra, VRDC, and GDC are sibling organizations under parent UBM Americas
Sept. 14, 1939  July 26, 2017

Cowboy Don Eugene Roberts was born September 14, 1939 to Reese and Carolyn Roberts.

At his home in Alsea, he peacefully rode off into final sunset on July 26, 2017 to be with his Lord and Savior. Don was a member of the Alsea Christian Fellowship Church. His wife of 45 years, Carla, his daughters Renee, Tanja and Renita in spirit were by his side.

Don and his older brother, Wayne grew up in Confidence, Iowa learning how to work hard on the family farm. Don graduated from Corydon High School in 1958. Don and Wayne also worked at the Maytag Company in Newton, Iowa.

Reese, Carolyn and Waynes family moved to Oregon. Don and his family followed in 1966.

Dons family and many friends loved him dearly and he is so greatly missed.

Don was a true cowboy and he loved everything there was to do with horses. Don and Wayne were Reserve Deputies in the Search and Rescue for the Benton County Sheriffs office.

In September 1977, Don accepted the position of Alsea Resident Deputy. He spent nine and a half years serving his community as their deputy and also as a friend. Over the years, even in the last few months Don had several of the younger people, that were teenagers back then, come up to him and gave him a hug and thanked him again for his support, mentoring and just for caring.

Don was like his dad, neither one ever met a stranger. Don owned his own semi and flatbed trailer and worked for M&J Nyman Transport for approximately four years. Before retiring in May 2008, Don worked for Triple T in Philomath, driving log truck.

Over the years, Don enjoyed cattle roping and many awesome horseback rides to the coast, eastern Oregon and all over the hills around Alsea with family and wonderful friends.

Don and his brother also enjoyed many elk and deer hunting trips on horseback with their cousins and friends. Don was a real horse whisperer.

The family also enjoyed going to rodeos including the Cheyenne Frontier Days, Pendleton Roundup, and Calgary Stampede, which included several family members with RVs. We had quite the caravan heading to Calgary. We also went to the Ellensburg Rodeo and Sidney, Iowa Rodeo, where Don rode bareback horses 45 years earlier.

Roller Skating was also a huge family outing in the early years raising the family. Friday nights were spent at Lake Park Roller Rink. Don doubled as a bouncer when some of the youngsters got out of line. Don could make his skates dance, two stepping around the dance floor. He was so much fun to watch.

Don loved spending time with family and friends. He enjoyed serving our church and helping others. He made sure the lawn at the church was mowed every week prior to getting ill.

Don loved people and he loved horses.

Dons surviving family includes his wife, Carla; daughters, Renee Morrison-Rice (Steve), Renita Perrone (Joe), and Tanja Holliday; grandchildren Amber Krohn (Don), Tyler Bowen (Karrie), Amanda and Jon Morrison, Cody and Ashley Rice, Bethany and Hannah Perrone, and Noah Holiday Price; great-grandchildren are Ysabell, Kayla, Emma and Pennelope Orantes-Bowen, Kenneth, Kolton and Kylie Krohn, Phoebe, Woodrow and Casey Bowen .Casey passed away July 9, 2016.

Don is now in heaven with his parents and Casey, always in our hearts until we meet again.

Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of life at 1 p.m. on September 9, 2017 at the Alsea Christian Fellowship Church at 18080 Alsea Hwy, Alsea. A potluck luncheon will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, if you desire, Dons family would like to request donations to be made to Benton Hospice for the generous amount of care, loving kindness, supplies and support given to Don and our family over the last two and a half months. They have all been so wonderful. Thank you for everything. Thank you to everyone that has sent a card, brought food, visits, your prayers and for contributions of your choice.
Tourists wait for rescue at the parking lot of the InterContinental Resort Jiuzhai Paradise in quake-hit Jiuzhaigou County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 9, 2017. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Jiuzhaigou Tuesday night. (Xinhua/Fan Peishen)

A magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck Jiuzhaigou County in Sichuan province at 9:19 pm on Tuesday. The China Earthquake Administration (CEA) and the Sichuan provincial government activated the highest level emergency response procedures following the quake.

However, China's State Council Earthquake Relief Headquarters lowered the emergency response from the highest level to Level II at 12:24 am Wednesday morning, based on a comprehensive evaluation of the quake.

Jiang Haikun, director of the Monitoring and Predication Department at CEA, explained that the initial response was based on the magnitude of the quake. The death toll for a Level I response must be 300 or more, which is far more than the number of people who have been killed by the Jiuzhaigou quake.

Earthquakes measuring around 6-magnitude are possible in the coming days. Experts called for people to take precautions from possible strong aftershocks.

As of 9:30 am this morning, 13 have been killed and 175 others have been injured, 28 severely, according to the provincial government's information office.

Shen Ji, director of the Sichuan Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission, told People's Daily Online at 8:00 am this morning that the medical department in Sichuan has dispatched more than 400 medical workers to treat the injured.

Jiuzhaigou, or Jiuzhai Valley, is a national park known for spectacular waterfalls and karst formations. More than 34,000 people visited the tourist attraction on Tuesday.
June 21, 1924  Aug. 4, 2017

Kenneth Ken Dayton Bielman of Corvallis, died August 4 in Albany. He was 93.

Ken was born in Bucoda, Washington, the son of Cue J and Olga M Bielman.

He started school in Beaverton, subsequently attending Welches School at Mt. Hood, Washington School in Corvallis, Woodstock School in Portland and Taft and Rose Lodge Grade Schools matriculating in 1938. His secondary school years were spent at Taft Union High at Lincoln City, graduating with the class of 1942.

From birth until he entered the military he went by his middle name, Dayton.

Early in WWII, Ken spent a year in the US Merchant Marines prior to spending two and a half years in the US Coast Guard where he attained the rank of Electronics Technician First Class.

During the 1946-47 school year, he studied music at Lewis & Clark College before transferring to the School of Engineering at Oregon State College, (OSC), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in1950.

Ken married Alta June AJ Myles of Portland June 15, 1948. They had four children, Steve, Lyn, Mark and Clayton, all of whom attended grade and high schools in the Corvallis school system. Ken and AJ were divorced in 1971.

On September 15, 1972 Ken married Iva Jewell Julie Crownover of Denver, Colorado, the mother of three children, Michael, Scott and Cheryl.

While still attending OSC in 1948, Ken joined CH2M HILL Consulting Engineers as a surveying assistant, later becoming a fulltime employee (employee number 12), after receiving his engineering degree. Assigned to the Water/ Wastewater Discipline, Ken served as a project engineer until 1971 when he was transferred to Denver to open a new regional office for the firm.

In 1978, he transferred to Atlanta to manage that office until 1981 when he and his wife Julie moved to Alexandria, Egypt, to fill the role of Manager of Design for the huge wastewater project that the firm had undertaken.

In 1983, at the conclusion of the design phase of the Alexandria project, Ken transferred to Amman, Jordan, to serve as Program Manager for two wastewater projects outside of Amman.

In 1984, he returned to Corvallis to head up the Water and Wastewater Departments in the Corvallis office, but continued his involvement with the International Division of the firm in the Mid-East and in Southeast Asia until his retirement in 1990.

After retirement, he continued to work as an on-call water engineer on projects in Cyprus, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Turkey for another 10 years, retiring fully in 2000.

Ken had a deep fondness for music beginning with violin, guitar and saxophone in his early years, and finally settling on piano for the rest of his life as a part-time jazz pianist. Starting in 1941, he played with big bands and small jazz ensembles and as pianist in Dixieland Jazz Bands.

Ken is survived by Julie, his wife of 45 years; his three sons, Steve, Mark, and Clay; three step children Mike, Scott and Cheryl; grandchildren, Steve Bielman II, James Bielman, Matt Bielman, Simon Bielman, Cameron Bielman, Abbey Bielman and Justin Labhart all on the Bielman side; Jennifer Wenning and Brian Crownover on the Crownover side; and 13 great grandchildren with one on the way.

Lyn preceded her father in death.
The success last year of the Zuzu African Acrobats at the Benton County Fair led fair officials to book more acts for the world stage, and Thursday the Gazette-Times caught the magic show of Twisty and Friends on another sweltering 100-plus day.

Jeff Bichler, aka Twisty, is a Corvallis resident who is branching out from balloon tricks into a magic/comedy show. His claim to fame is creating 14 balloon animals in one minute, and there is a video online of him swallowing a balloon. A balloon swallowing something played a key role in Thursdays show ... but thats getting a bit ahead of ourselves.

Twisty warmed up the crowd with some card and disappearing handkerchief and ketchup bottle tricks and engaged in a clever twist on the pulling the rabbit out of the hat trick while working with audience volunteer Julia Wasechek. Twisty pulled a roll of toilet paper  with a face Sharpied onto it  out of the hat, draped pieces of TP over Wasechek, then unspooled about 30 feet of the paper out of his mouth in a rope-like segment.

Twisty made water disappear from a cup while working with another audience volunteer and made a silver globe move mysteriously above, around and through a shiny bit of cloth.

His finale, encapsulating himself inside a 6-foot balloon, got off to a good start, but the heat played havoc with the resilience of the ballroom and he only was able to get three-fourths of his body inside before it popped. Undaunted, Twisty signed the balloon remnants for audience members and the media.

You have to keep the balloon cold, Twisty said. When it gets too hot, it wont stretch around me.

The heat also prevented Twisty from incorporating a couple of torch tricks into his repertoire, and although most members of the crowd couldnt possibly know it, Corvallis fire prevention officer Jim Patton was in the audience. Sometimes those extra layers of safety make all the difference.

Twisty, 38, grew up in Princeton, Indiana, and says how he got to Corvallis is a long story  I wound up in California and then moved north to Oregon.

He will do noon, 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. shows today and noon and 5 p.m. performances Saturday, while also doing balloon tricks in the central plaza. Twisty, who appears regularly at farmers markets in Salem and Hillsboro, also will be performing at the Aug. 18-20 Lincoln County Fair in Newport.

So how did the 100-plus temperatures at the fair affect hot coffee sales? The Gazette-Times team headed to the Coffee Bar, where Linda Jodoin advised us that iced coffee was outselling the hot model by more than two-to-one. In fact, the heat led to a mechanical breakdown in her coffee maker. Only a couple of people asked for hot coffee during the five to six hours it took her husband Mike to ferry a replacement pump to the fair.

The family operates Miss Hannahs Gourmet Popcorn, and Jodoin was definitely up for cooler temperatures through the rest of the fair to get folks more interested in trying some of her myriad varieties of popcorn.
Three people were killed on Highway 20 west of Philomath near milepost 31 on Wednesday afternoon in a head-on collision involving three cars, according to a report from Oregon State Police.

A 2015 Chevy Equinox SUV was traveling westbound, followed by a 2005 Honda Odyssey, when the Chevy was struck head-on by a 2003 Dodge Dakota that had crossed the center line. The Honda was unable to stop and crashed into the other two vehicles.

The Dodge caught fire and was quickly engulfed. Its two occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities were not released pending identification.

The occupants of the Chevy have been identified as Michael Steenkolk, 52, and his passenger, Kathleen Olive, 48, both from Toledo. Steenkolk was pronounced dead at the scene, and Oliver was airlifted to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland with life-threatening injuries.

Lucy Jaeger, 17, the driver of the Honda, and her passenger, Joseph Schmidt, 20, both of Corvallis, received minor injuries and were transported by ambulance to Samaritan Hospital in Newport for evaluation.

Highway 20 was closed for about three hours.

OSP was assisted by Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Toledo Police Department, Toledo Fire Department, Newport Fire Department, Oregon Department of Forestry Fire, Pac West Ambulance, LifeFlight, the Lincoln County District Attorney's Office, the Lincoln County Medical Examiner's Office, AA Rowley's Towing, Bateman's Mortuary and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Health department warning : Increased cases of whooping cough in Bonn

Bonn The Bonn Department of Health is registering an increasing number of whooping cough cases in the city. Its especially dangerous for infants. But why is it on the rise?

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In the past months, the number of cases of whooping cough have gone up sharply in Bonn. No one knows exactly why, including the health authorities. It could be a wave of infections but it could also be that the disease has become easier to detect in recent years. Only in 2013 did it become obligatory to report all cases of whooping cough, which can be a life-threatening disease for infants. The University Hospital recommends immunizations.

Since the start of 2017, 61 cases have been reported in Bonn. "However, the number of actual infections is lower, these were cases where it was suspected", explains Stefanie Zienitz from the press office. By the end of 2016, a total of 88 cases were suspected, and 46 were diagnosed as whooping cough. The rising trend corresponds with figures published by the Robert Koch Institute. Around 22,000 cases were reported in 2016, while in 2015 it was only 14,000 cases.

Spread through droplets

Dr. Rainer Ganschow, Director of Pediatrics at the University Hospital, says the dangers of whooping cough are often underestimated. More than one-third of all cases occur in adults; the pathogen is transmitted by droplet infection, for example by sneezing or coughing. It can hang on for several weeks to months for both adolescents and adults. At first, there is a cold, sometimes in combination with a hoarse voice and cough. After one to two weeks, coughing attacks occur, as well as possible vomiting and can last four to six weeks. In infants, the disease can lead to fatal respiratory arrest.

Ganschow advises to vaccinate infants from three-months-old, with a booster shot at age five or six. But staff who work in child care or kindergarten facilities, and women in their child-bearing years should also be vaccinated. Siblings, grandparents or others who will have close contact with the infant are recommended to get vaccinated at least four weeks before the child is born.

Vaccination fatigue

"A general vaccination fatigue is still a problem, adults are often careless about their booster vaccinations," says Ganschow. If someone has not received a vaccination for ten years, they should refresh it with Tetanus and diphtheria.

There have been no special initiatives to curb whooping cough in Bonn. Children who become infected with the disease are forbidden from visiting community facilities until they are healthy again.
Four people were killed and 13 others injured when a four-storey building collapsed in a village in the southern governorate of Sohag, Egypt's health ministry said on Tuesday.

Those wounded suffered injuries ranging from deep cuts, bruises and abrasions, to suspected skull fractures, fainting, and coma, health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said.

Fourteen ambulances were sent to the site of the building following the collapse, the head of the ambulance authority, Ahmed El-Ansary, was quoted as saying by state news agency MENA.

Building collapses in Egypt are usually attributed to violations of building regulations, illegal extensions, and lax government oversight.

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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.
Egypts army killed five militants during a military campaign in Central Sinai on Tuesday, according to the military spokesman.

In an official statement, armed forces spokesman Tamer El-Refai said ground and air forces were able to demolish an underground hideout, killing the militants.

Three other militants were arrested, while a van carrying narcotics was confiscated.

Security forces have been battling an Islamist insurgency for several years in North Sinai; militants have killed hundreds of security personnel. Egyptian troops have also killed hundreds of militants during operations in the border region.



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An army officer and three policemen were killed by unknown assailants on Wednesday near Al-Arish in North Sinai, Ahram Arabic news website reported.

The victims were travelling in a private vehicle on Al-Arish-Qantara International Road near Al-Arish when their attackers gunned them down, Ahram said.

Islamist militants have killed hundreds of security personnel in similar attacks in North Sinai in the past four years.

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Colombia: UN-backed team ambushed; one wounded in attack

7 August 2017  A team from the United Nations Mission in Colombia was ambushed on Sunday while working to uncover explosives left by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) in the Caloto municipality in the south-west of the country.

While one member of the Peacebuilding Unit (UNIPEP) of the Colombian National Police was injured during the attack, the rest of the team, made up of observers, other police officers and ex-combatants of the FARC-EP, were unharmed and remain safe in the Veredal Zone of Cauca.

In a communique, the UN Mission highlighted the work of the Colombian public forces in the operations of extracting hidden explosives and looked forward to the prompt recovery of the national police officer.

So far it has not been determined who was responsible for the attack.

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Strikes Continue in Effort to Defeat ISIS in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Aug. 8, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 35 strikes consisting of 42 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

U.S. Central Command continues to work with partner nations to conduct targeted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria as part of the comprehensive strategy to degrade and defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS.

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 29 strikes consisting of 36 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed an improvised-bomb factory.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed seven ISIS wellheads and a weapons cache.

-- Near Raqqa, 25 strikes engaged 17 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 37 fighting positions, two command-and-control nodes, two weapons caches, two vehicles and a weapons depot.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted six strikes consisting of six engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Qaim, a strike destroyed a vehicle-borne-bomb supply site.

-- Near Bashir, a strike destroyed three ISIS oil stills.

-- Near Kisik, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed two vehicles, a tractor and a silo.

-- Near Rawah, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle and an ISIS-held building.

Aug. 6 Strikes

Officials also reported results today of 16 Aug, 6 strikes consisting of 28 engagements for which details were unavailable at the time of yesterday's report:

-- Near Raqqah, 12 strikes engaged eight ISIS tactical units and destroyed six fighting positions, a mortar system, an anti-air artillery system and a vehicle-borne bomb.

-- Near Huwayjah, Iraq, a strike destroyed two ISIS oil stills and a refinery.

-- Near Qaim, two strikes destroyed 12 ISIS oil stills and a vehicle-borne-bomb factory.

-- Near Kisik, a strike suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.

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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Exercise Khaan Quest 2017 Caps off with Conclusive Closing Ceremony

US Marine Corps News

By | | August 8, 2017

Exercise Khaan Quest 2017 concluded with a closing ceremony at Five Hills Training Area near Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Aug. 5, 2017.

"I'm pleased that Khaan Quest 2017 multinational peace support operations exercise, organized in our country, has fulfilled its collaborative commitment and goals with success," said J. Badambazar, deputy chief of the general staff of the Mongolian Armed Forces.

For the past two weeks, Mongolian Armed Forces hosted more than 26 nations, and more than 1,200 participants for the peacekeeping exercise, now in its 15th iteration. Khaan Quest is a regularly scheduled, multinational exercise co-sponsored by U.S. Pacific Command and hosted annually by the Mongolian Armed Forces.

"At its inception, Khaan Quest began as a bilateral training event between Mongolia and the United States," said Lt. Gen. Bryan P. Fenton, deputy commander of U.S. Pacific Command. "Now, 15 years later, Khaan Quest has grown into a premier peacekeeping exercise involving dozens of nations from around the world."

The purpose of Khaan Quest is for participants to gain United Nations training and certification through the conduct of realistic peace support operations, to include increasing and improving U.N. peacekeeping operations, multinational interoperability and military relationships among the participating nations.

Khaan Quest 2017 consisted of a U.N. peacekeeping operations command post exercise, field training exercise and field training event, each of which focused on U.N. and international peacekeeping and stability operations.

"The exercise was a tremendous benefit for all the nations that participated," said U.S. Marine Col. Keith Fuller, a Khaan Quest 2017 co-director, attached with Marine Forces Pacific. "The nations were able to experience 11 different training lanes, which allowed them to experience all the potential challenges that they would confront in a peacekeeping mission."

MARFORPAC was the executive agent for the exercise and provided command and control for all Khaan Quest 2017 activities.

Fenton emphasized the importance of Khaan Quest training.

"It's important to recognize that security and stability in this region doesn't just happen on its own," said Fenton. "It happens in places like this, with like minded nations who are committed to working together to maintain security and stability in order to advance peace and prosperity. This type of event is what makes it possible."

To conclude the ceremony, Badambazar gave good wishes to all of the service members in attendance.

"May your friendships, which you built as fellow peacekeepers with blue helmets in our beautiful country, last forever," said Badambazar.

Approximately 250 U.S. personnel and 600 MAF personnel participated in Khaan Quest 2017, along with approximately 300 personnel from various other nations.

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Erik Prince offers Western mercenaries in Afghanistan

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 5:9PM

US military contractor Erik Prince has advised the administration of President Donald Trump to deploy Western mercenaries to Afghanistan to save both manpower and money.

Prince, who founded the notorious private military company Blackwater USA, now called Academi, has proposed a two-year plan for about 5,000 professional killers and under 100 aircraft, bringing the total cost of the failing US war to less than $10 billion a year, according to documents seen by the Financial Times.

Prince, a former Navy Seal, said on current spending, the Afghan military campaign would cost the US $45 billion this year and $50 billion the next.

"We're spending too much in Afghanistan and it's making the insurgency worse, through corruption and leakage to the Taliban," he told the newspaper.

"I then heard about a big troop surge [proposal] and I thought that was a dumb idea . . . I'm going to contract everything; I'm going to get down to some spending sanity," he said.

Blackwater received widespread notoriety in 2007 when a group of its mercenaries killed 14 Iraqi civilians and wounded 18 others using gunfire and grenades at a busy Baghdad intersection.

Prince, who expects to present his revised and updated plan to the White House, is critical of Washington's approach to Afghanistan, whose US-led NATO mission has rotated through 17 military commanders in 16 years.

Prince proposes that the mercenaries be paid $500-$600 a day and would be drawn not only from the US, but also from the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Australia and South Africa.

The proposal was reportedly offered at the request of Steve Bannon, Trump's chief strategist, and Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and senior adviser.

The US currently has about 8,400 troops in Afghanistan, with about another 5,000 troops from NATO allies. US Defense Secretary James Mattis has proposed adding around 4,000 more.

But Trump has been skeptical about a troop surge in Afghanistan. He wants to save both manpower and money and avoid getting sucked into the sort of wars he promised the electorate he would avoid.

US officials said last week that Trump's doubts about the war in Afghanistan has led to a delay in completing a new strategy in the war-torn country.

During a July 19 meeting in the White House, Trump suggested that US Army General John Nicholson, commander of American forces in Afghanistan, should be fired for not winning the war, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The war in Afghanistan is the longest in US history with a cost of about $1 trillion. More than 2,400 Americans have died and another 20,000 have been wounded in the country since the invasion in 2001.

Afghanistan is still suffering from insecurity and violence years after the United States and its allies invaded the country as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. The military invasion removed the Taliban from power, but their militancy continues to this day.

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Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists kill 8 Saudi-backed militants in southern Yemen

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 4:45PM

At least eight Saudi-backed militants, loyal to Yemen's former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, have been killed and nearly 30 others sustained injuries after a group of terrorists attempted to storm their military camp in southern Yemen.

The incident occurred in Juhayn district of the town of Loder in Abyan province on Tuesday, when assailants, suspected to be members of the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Takfiri terrorist outfit, attempted to drive an explosives-laden vehicle, supported by gunfire of a group of terrorists, into a newly established position by Hadi's militiamen in the town.

Hadi's forces managed to bar the vehicle and the gunmen who accompanied it from entering the base but the huge explosion and the exchange of fire between the two sides not only killed eight militiamen but also slew at least six Takfiri terrorists, including the driver of the vehicle.

AQAP as well as the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group have exploited more than two years of Saudi Arabia's war against the Yemeni nation, trying to deepen their influence in the impoverished country by launching bombings and shooting attacks.

Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia has been heavily bombarding Yemen as part of a brutal campaign against its impoverished southern neighbor in an attempt to reinstall Hadi, a staunch ally of Riyadh, and crush the popular Houthi Ansarullah movement, which is in control of large parts of Yemen including the capital Sana'a. The Saudi campaign, however, has failed to achieve its goals.

The United States has also been providing arms and military training as well as bombing coordinates to the Saudi-led invasion of Yemen since the beginning of the protracted war.

Hadi, who initially fled the country to Riyadh, managed to capture Aden in July 2015 with the military help of the regime in Riyadh after it fell in the hands of Houthis in September 2014.

Since then, Hadi, along with his supporters and militiamen, have turned the port city into their base, calling it the country's temporary capital, and have gone hand-in-hand with the Saudi war machine against the nation, trying to take control of more regions in the country.

Over the past two years, Houthis have been running state affairs and defending Yemeni people against the Saudi campaign.

Latest figures show that the imposed war has so far killed over 12,000 Yemenis and wounded thousands more. The Saudi aggression has also taken a heavy toll on the country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories.

Certain Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, are key partners to the campaign, which lacks any international mandate and has faced increasing criticism.

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Venezuelan govt. responsible for death of 73 protesters: UN probe

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 12:20PM

The United Nations rights office has blamed Venezuelan government forces for at least 73 deaths among protesters since a wave of unrest began in the South American country over four months ago.

Preliminary findings of a probe released by the office on Tuesday said Venezuelan security forces were allegedly responsible for at least 46 deaths while pro-government armed groups were responsible for 27 others since anti-government protests began in April.

The protests began over the government's inability to recoup financial losses left behind by a global slump in oil prices while the opposition has also accused President Nicolas Maduro of trying to consolidate his power at the expense of the country's democratic institutions.

Maduro has slammed the violence on the streets, saying the opposition and its backers in the region, mainly the United States, have capitalized on the public discontent to remove him from office.

A total of 125 people have been killed in anti-Maduro protests in Venezuela. The UN probe would not elaborate on who was behind the rest of the deaths.

The investigation, launched remotely in June by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein after Venezuela declined to allow access to the country, included 135 interviews between June 6 and July 31 with victims and their families, witnesses, civil society organizations, journalists, lawyers and doctors, among others.

Zeid said in the statement that Venezuela had used "systematic and excessive force" against protesters over the past four months.

"Several thousand people have been arbitrarily detained, many reportedly subjected to ill-treatment and even torture, while several hundred have been brought before military rather than civilian courts," Zeid said in the statement, adding that the clear patterns of using disproportionate force against the demonstrators "show no signs of abating."

He said the government was solely responsible for the growing number of rights violation cases.

"The responsibility for the human rights violations we are recording lies at the highest levels of government," he said, adding that the violations had occurred amid constant attacks by the Government against the National Assembly and the Attorney-General's Office, resulting in the "breakdown of the rule of law in Venezuela."

The situation escalated in Venezuela last month after the government decided to establish a new constitutional assembly. The body convened its first meeting on Friday after a nationwide vote in late July. The assembly has moved to sack senior dissident figures, including those overseeing the country's judicial system.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court, also controlled by Maduro loyalists, ordered the arrest of a top opposition mayor. Ramon Muchacho, who administers the Caracas district of Chacao, a key site of anti-government protests, did not appear for the court hearing and called the 15-month jail sentence given to him as an effort to stamp out dissent.

Maduro has defended the dismissals of opposition officials as a necessary measure to restore calm to Venezuela. His opponents say the embattled president and allies are removing top opponents to consolidate power in the hands of the ruling socialist party.

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Lebanese army gearing up for operation against Daesh: Reports

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 8:13AM

The Lebanese military is reportedly making preparations to launch a long-awaited operation against hundreds of Daesh terrorists operating along the Syrian border with the help of the country's Hezbollah resistance movement.

The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that the offensive will also involve Hezbollah resistance fighters and the Syrian military.

More than 3,000 Lebanese troops, including elite special forces, are expected to take part in the upcoming campaign to rid the border regions of Takfiri elements.

Meanwhile, a source at Lebanon's presidential palace told The Daily Star that the counterterrorism mission will be discussed at a meeting of the Higher Council of Defense headed by President Michel Aoun later on Tuesday.

The meeting will focus on military plans on the outskirts of the town of al-Qaa and the village of Ras Baalbeck as well as the current security situation in Lebanon.

The operation follows Hezbollah's six-day joint offensive with the Syrian army at the highlands of Arsal bordering Syria. Lebanon's army did not formally declare its role in the offensive, but shelled terrorist positions in the operation area.

The resistance movement later said it had accomplished the main objective of the Arsal campaign.

Lebanon's border areas have been hardly hit by the spillover from the Syria crisis over the past few years.

Some 400 Daesh terrorists are holed up in areas on the Lebanese side of the frontier, while hundreds more are on the Syrian side, according to Lebanon's Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk.

On Monday, the Lebanese army pounded Daesh positions in the vicinity of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbeck.

The attack came in retaliation for the Daesh firing of seven Grad rockets into Lebanese territories.

Separately on Monday, Lebanon's Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil paid a visit to al-Qaa, where he stressed that the army needs no consent from anyone for the upcoming liberation operation on the Syrian border.

"We do not need the permission of anyone to liberate our land and to confront Takfiri terrorism. The upcoming stage will be a roller coaster of pain, joy, freedom and independence in the face of this terrorism," he said.

Moreover, Hisham Jaber, a retired Lebanese army general, predicted that battle against Daesh may last several weeks, saying, "It is a rugged area and the organization (Daesh) is well armed and experienced."

Hezbollah has played a critical role in campaigns against militants along Lebanon's border and fought for years alongside Syrian army troops against terrorists wreaking havoc in the Arab country.

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Pentagon mulling airstrikes against Daesh in Philippines: Report

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 7:52AM

The US Department of Defense is weighing a new strategy that would authorize the military to expand its global drone strike program to the Philippines, according to a new report.

The drone strikes would be part of an official operation against Daesh (ISIL) targets in the Southeast Asian country, NBC News reported Monday, citing two US military officials.

According to the unnamed sources, the operation might be named as early as Tuesday, helping it to get more funding.

A bloody standoff between government forces and extremist militants who have pledged allegiance to Daesh has killed around 700 people in the southern Philippine city of Marawi over the past two months.

The militants, waving the black Daesh flag, have occupied parts of the city since May 23, prompting President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in the entire southern region of Mindanao.

In June, a small group of US special forces joined the battle. The Philippines military said in a statement back then that the group, dubbed the Joint Special Operations Task Force Trident, would only provide technical assistance.

If approved, the drone strikes put the Philippines in the same group with Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan and Libya, where the US has carried out thousands of such raids since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.

The US had deployed some 1,200 of its special forces to Mindanao on an advisory role in 2002 before scrapping the program and calling most of them back in 2015.

Last year, Duterte urged Washington to withdraw the remaining troops in reaction to then-President Barack Obama's rebuke of Manila's war on drugs over human rights concerns.

The ties between the two sides started to warm up under Obama's successor Donald Trump, who has invited Duterte to the White House.

Tillerson meets Duterte

The news of the possible air campaign coincided with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's tour of the region, which included a stop in Manila to attend his first ministerial meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN.

The top US diplomat met with Duterte on Monday, where the firebrand Philippine president took a U-turn from his previous anti-Washington stances and called himself a "humble friend" of the Trump White House.

Tillerson reassured Duterte that his country would support him in the terror fight by training Philippine troops and providing them with "intelligence capabilities."

The state secretary said there was "no conflict" between helping Manila with the fight and the "human rights concerns we have with respect to how they carry out their counter-narcotics activities."

Tillerson left the Philippines later in the day to make a five-hour stop in Thailand on Tuesday, where he was expected to discuss soured ties following a military coup in 2014. The trip marks the highest level visit by a US official ever since.

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UN sees 'early signs of genocide' in CAR amid renewed fighting

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 6:27AM

The UN aid chief has voiced alarm over possible genocide in the Central African Republic (CAR), which has been hit by a fresh wave of clashes between armed groups in recent months.

At a UN briefing on Monday, the world body's Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien said renewed fighting in the CAR are "the early warning signs of genocide" there.

He was speaking following his recent trip to the CAR and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"We must act now, not pare down the UN's effort, and pray we don't live to regret it," he said.

Some 180,000 people have been driven from their homes this year, bringing the total number of the displaced in the Central African Republic to well over half a million, he said.

O'Brien said it was time to authorize an increase in troops and police serving in the UN peacekeeping force in the CAR, known as MINUSCA, to enable the mission to "deliver on its critical protection mandate."

UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix last week said he was considering sending a request to the UN Security Council for more troops for MINUSCA.

In 2013, the country fell into chaos when then President Francois Bozize was ousted by the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel alliance.

The ouster caused a series of deadly reprisal attacks between the Seleka rebels and the Christian militia known as anti-Balaka.

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, whose election last year helped significantly contain the inter-communal violence.

In recent months, the country has, however, witnessed a fresh wave of fighting between the armed groups.

In May, some 300 people were killed and 100,000 displaced in the CAR in the worst flare-up since Touadera's election.

Locals say MINUSCA forces have failed to help stop the violence and provide security in the conflict-torn country.

Nine MINUSCA peacekeepers have been killed in the CAR since the beginning of this year, raising alarm that the country is sliding back into chaos.

"The risk of a relapse into another large-scale humanitarian crisis is imminent," said O'Brien.

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US prepares more sanctions against Venezuelan officials

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 5:46AM

The United States is planning additional sanctions for Venezuela following the oil-rich nation's election of a new assembly tasked with rewriting the constitution.

The administration of President Donald trump is preparing to freeze the assets of up to 20 people with connections to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Bloomberg News reported on Monday.

The Treasury Department has already slapped sanctions on the Venezuelan leader by freezing his assets in the United States, banning traveling to the country, and prohibiting Americans from doing business with him. The Treasury also sanctioned 13 former and current Venezuelan government officials.

Maduro insists that a new constitution is needed "to restore peace," stop the opposition from carrying out a "coup d'etat," and address social and economic problems.

The Venezuelan president has repeatedly condemned what he calls "imperialist meddling" by the United States.

The new sanctions, targeting the individuals' assets in the US, banning them from travel to the United States and prohibiting American business transactions may be issued this week, one administration official told the Reuters news agency.

A significant number of Venezuelan officials could be targeted in new sanction, according to two Venezuelan officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The United States is also reportedly considering financial sanctions against Venezuela to restrict the OPEC nation's oil exports but those penalties are not expected soon.

"We want to leave room to do more if Maduro's actions continue, not do everything and everyone who remains all with one stroke," said one of the officials involved in the White House deliberations.

Meanwhile, Venezuela's opposition-controlled parliament announced that it will not recognize any decrees issued by the newly formed constitutional assembly.

The Venezuelan parliament unanimously voted on Monday in favor of ignoring the assembly's decision to substitute the country's chief prosecutor with a pro-government figure.

The powerful 545-seat Constituent Assembly, with the principal task of rewriting the 1999 constitution, started its work on Friday, following an election which was held amid a wave of deadly clashes and violence, with protesters attacking polling stations and barricading streets.

At least 125 people have died over the past four months in Venezuela during riots and violent demonstrations against the government.

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Senior leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, Ali Sadr Al-Din Al-Bayanuni, slammed the Egyptian branch of the organisation after a number of its members took part in a forum sponsored by Iran, which the Syrian branch regards as a major foe.

The exiled London-based leader, who is now head of the group's Shura Council, said the participation by senior members of the Egyptian group in the Islamic unity forum held in London last month runs counter to the organisation's policy on Iran.

"In light of Iran's declared hostile positions towards the nation [Syria], participation in the conference amounts to treason against the blood of martyrs that the Iranian militias have shed everywhere," Al-Baynouni said, as reported by local media.

Al-Baynouni was quoted as saying that Iran has "in recent years reared its bloody face and blatant hostility to Arabs, Muslims and the Muslim Brotherhood."

Tehran is a key ally of the Syrian regime of President Bashar Al-Assad, and has provided military and economic support in his fight against Sunni Islamist militant rebel groups. Cairo advocates a political solution to the country's six-year civil war.

Egypt designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization in 2013.

Al-Baynouni told Al-Ahram Arabic news website on Wednesday that his comments were leaked from a private message addressing deputy chief of the Muslim Brotherhood group Ibrahim Mounir, who led a delegation that took part in the Iran-sponsored forum.

The Egyptian-born Mounir, who is also based in London, is also the secretary-general of the Muslim Brotherhood's International Organisation.

"Since Ibrahim Mounir does not represent himself in such conferences, but represents the group in which he holds a leading position, I denounce and disavow this participation, which does not represent me," Al-Baynouni said, adding that this is the position of the group in Syria.

The Muslim Brotherhood group has been also banned in Saudi Arabia and the UAE as a terrorist organisation.

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Venezuela parliament to ignore constitutional assembly

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 1:52AM

Venezuela's opposition-controlled parliament has announced that it will not recognize any decrees issued by the country's newly formed constitutional assembly.

The Venezuelan parliament made the announcement on Monday, after unanimously voting in favor of ignoring the assembly's decision to substitute the country's chief prosecutor with a pro-government figure.

The establishment of a "truth commission" with the capability of prosecuting and levying punishments was also voted against.

According to opposition lawmaker Delsa Solorzano, the goal of the so-called truth commission is to "persecute those who think differently."

The powerful 545-seat Constituent Assembly, with the principal task of rewriting the 1999 constitution, started its work on Friday, following an election which was held amid a wave of deadly clashes and violence, with protesters attacking polling stations and barricading streets.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called on the commission to hold opposition leaders responsible for the current wave of political unrest which is plaguing the country.

The new constitution, Madura says, will lift the country out of its economic misery, brought on chiefly by the fall in oil revenues, which Venezuela most heavily relies on.

At least 125 people have died over the past four months in Venezuela during riots and violent demonstrations against the government.

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Putin Visits Abkhazia On Anniversary Of Russia-Georgia War

RFE/RL August 08, 2017

Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia and reiterated Russia's support for the separatists.

The Georgian government condemned the August 8 visit, which coincided with the ninth anniversary of the five-day Russia-Georgia war, as a "cynical action."

Following the 2008 war, Georgia and Russia broke off diplomatic relations and Moscow recognized Abkhazia and another Georgian breakaway region, South Ossetia, as independent countries. Only a few countries followed Russia's lead.

"The most important thing is that we have entirely special relations with Abkhazia," Putin said as he met with the region's separatist leader Raul Khadzhimba in the Black Sea resort of Pitsunda.

"We reliably guarantee the security, self-sufficiency, and independence of Abkhazia," he added. "I am sure that will continue to be the case."

Putin also said that the two sides need to find ways to develop Abkhazia's economy to create jobs, adding, "This is what we will be talking about today."

After the talks, the Russian president said that he considers it possible to soon ease controls and customs procedures on the border with Abkhazia to encourage travel and facilitate trade.

The anniversary of the 2008 war was marked in Georgia with the political leaders paying tribute to the Georgian soldiers who died in the conflict.

Following a wreath laying ceremony at a military cemetery in the outskirts of Tbilisi, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili told journalists that the Georgian government is "building a united, strong, prosperous, democratic, truly European Georgia in order to make it a common home for Georgians, Abkhaz, and [South] Ossetians."

President Giorgi Margvelashvili, who also visited the cemetery at Mukhatgverdi, said, "No Georgian will ever tolerate the [Russian] occupation."

Meanwhile, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said Putin's visit to Abkhazia "serves for legitimization of forceful change of borders of the sovereign state through military aggression, ethnic cleansing, and occupation."

The ministry also urged the international community to respond to Russia's "aggressive steps."

Russia maintains thousands of troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia in what Georgia considers an occupation, and Georgian authorities have accused Moscow and the separatists of taking control of additional territory in recent months.

A NATO spokesman said that Putin's trip was "detrimental to international efforts to find a peaceful and negotiated settlement."

"NATO is united in full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders," Dylan White said in a statement. "We will not recognize any attempts to change the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as regions of Georgia."

During a visit to Tbilisi last week, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence reaffirmed Washington's support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and denounced Russia's "aggression" and "occupation" of Georgian territory.

With reporting by TASS, Interfax, civil.ge, AFP, AP, and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-georgia-abkhazia/ 28665867.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 Says Five Militants Killed In Disputed Kashmir

August 08, 2017

Indian officials say at least five suspected militants were shot dead by security forces while allegedly attempting to cross a de facto border and enter Indian-administered Kashmir.

Authorities said Indian soldiers spotted the suspected militants on May 7 near the Line of Control that divides disputed Kashmir into two parts, one administered by India and the other by Pakistan.

"A total of five militants were killed in the operation," a defense official said in the state capital, Srinagar. "Their weapons were also recovered from the scene. Our side did not suffer any injuries."

Media reports quoting military officials say Indian forces have foiled 22 infiltration attempts, killing as many as 38 militants on the tense borders since the beginning of the year.

India accuses Pakistan of sheltering militants and helping them cross over to carry out attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Islamabad denies the charges and describes the militants as freedom fighters. Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan claim the divided Kashmir region in its entirety and have fought two wars over it.

Indian-administered Kashmir has faced a violent secessionist movement since the late 1980s that has resulted in the deaths of more than 44,000 people, according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal -- a website on terrorism and low-intensity warfare in South Asia.

Based on reporting by dpa, Firstpost.com, and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/india-pakistan-kashmir- militants-killed/28665021.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Iranian Drone Approaches US Jet in Persian Gulf, Makes It Take Evasive Action

Sputnik News

18:45 08.08.2017(updated 20:45 08.08.2017)

An Iranian drone came close to a US fighter jet that was landing on a supercarrier in the Persian Gulf.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The drone came within 100 feet of a US F/A-18 jet while it was attempting to land on the aircraft carrier Nimitz, CNN reported on Tuesday.

The broadcaster said the US aircraft, which had been some several thousand feet off the deck, had to take an evasive maneuver. Officials, cited by CNN, described the UAV's movements as unsafe. The US side used an emergency radio frequency to warn the operators of the drone, which was not armed, to withdraw the vehicle. The US Navy's Fifth Fleet confirmed the incident in a Tuesday afternoon announcement.

"Despite repeated calls to stay clear of active fixed-wing flight operations in vicinity of USS Nimitz, the QOM-1" UAV "executed unsafe and unprofessional altitude changes in the close vicinity" of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Fifth Fleet said.

The incident comes after a series of confrontations between US and Iranian vessels in the Persian Gulf.

In July, the USS Thunderbolt patrol ship fired several warning shots at an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps ship in the Gulf.

In April, the USS Mahan had to switch on the danger signal and change its course after having a close encounter with an Iranian military ship.

Earlier, the USNS Invincible, escorted by the British Royal Navy, experienced a close encounter with high-speed attack ships deployed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, ultimately compelling the US spy ship and her formation to alter her course.

 Sputnik

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Putin: Russia to Continue Guaranteeing Abkhazia's Security, Independence

Sputnik News

17:26 08.08.2017(updated 18:26 08.08.2017)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow securely guarantees the security and self-sufficiency of Abkhazia, its independence.

PITSUNDA (Abkhazia) (Sputnik)  Russia intends to continue guaranteeing the security and independence of Abkhazia, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.

"We have much to discuss, but the most important thing is that we have a special, an entirely special relationship with Abkhazia. We securely guarantee the security and self-sufficiency of Abkhazia, its independence. I am sure that this will continue," Putin said at a meeting with his Abkhazian counterpart Raul Khajimba.

The Russian president stressed that it was necessary to find optimal ways to develop Abkhazia's economy to create new jobs and its own tax base. Putin noted that he was going to discuss the issue with Khajimba.

During the meeting, Putin also stressed the importance of cooperation between the Russian and Abkhazian security forces.

"I very much hope that this joint work will be increasing security of tourists staying here [in Abkhazia]," the Russian leader said.

On August 26, 2008, Russia's then-President and incumbent Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed decrees on the recognition of Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's independence and establishing of diplomatic relations with both republics. Meanwhile, Georgia still considers the regions as part of its territory.

 Sputnik

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Lebanese Army Preparing for Operation Against Daesh on Border With Syria

Sputnik News

17:23 08.08.2017

The Lebanese army launched firearms proficiency drills as it prepares for the upcoming military operation against the Daesh terrorist group on the border with Syria, according to a source, familiar with the situation.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The army of Lebanon currently conducts firearms proficiency drills as it prepares for the upcoming military operation against the Daesh terrorist group (outlawed in Russia), which is set to take place on the border with Syria, a source, familiar with the situation, told Sputnik Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Lebanon's Higher Defense Council said that the country' leadership approved recommendations on military operation to liberate areas bordering Syria in Ras Baalbek and Al Qaa from the Daesh terrorists.

"What the Lebanese army does in this direction is connected with the weapons practice prior to the battle, a date of which is not being revealed yet due to a number of reasons, some of which are classified, while the others are related to logistics," the source said.

The source added that necessary measures were underway to ensure the security of civilians, who live on the area of the planned military operation.

According to the source, the statement of the Higher Defense Council was a sign that the operation against Daesh would be launched soon.

Currently the Daesh has control over 54 square miles of the Lebanese borderline territory in the mountain regions of Ras Baalbek and Al Qaafrom and 21 square miles of Syrian borderline territory.

 Sputnik

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Lebanese Army Prepares to Launch Major Push to Squeeze Daesh From Country

Sputnik News

14:49 08.08.2017(updated 16:47 08.08.2017)

The Lebanese army is preparing to take decisive steps to clear the area near the border with Syria from Daesh terrorists who pose threat to nearby towns and cities.

BEIRUT (Sputnik)  Lebanon's leadership approved recommendations on the upcoming military operation to liberate areas bordering Syria from militants of the Daesh terrorist group (banned in Russia), the country's Higher Defense Council said in a statement Tuesday.

"Recommendations were approved for the upcoming military operations by the Lebanese army in Ras Baalbek and Al Qaa against the IS [Daesh] group," the statement said.

According to the statement, the Lebanese government assumes the responsibility for liberating Lebanon from the threat of terrorism.

The statement of the Lebanese Higher Defense Council was released after an urgent meeting called by Lebanese President Michel Aoun with the participation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

The Lebanese-Syrian border is a tense region as it has been used for arms smuggling and the transit of new terrorist recruits to Syria.

Since the beginning of Syrian civil war in 2011, Lebanese authorities have faced a number of security challenges. Lebanese army and Shia militia Hezbollah have been on high alert amid the conflict and have been preventing attempts of terrorists to penetrate Lebanon's territory.

On July 18, the Lebanese prime minister announced that the Lebanese armed forces would be dispatched to the Lebanese-Syrian border in order to fight against Daesh. Hariri explained this decision by increased cases of Daesh attacks on Lebanese security forces.

 Sputnik

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US Reportedly Mulls Airstrikes Against Daesh Militants in Philippines

Sputnik News

10:26 08.08.2017(updated 14:07 08.08.2017)

Washington may launch a military operation that would allow the US military to conduct airstrikes against Daesh (banned in Russia) positions in the Philippines, US media reported citing two defense officials.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  According to the NBC broadcaster's Monday report, the plan to start the operation, which is currently being considered by the US Department of Defense, may be announced later in the day.

The broadcaster also noted that the airstrikes are likely to be carried out by drones.

In the event the plan is approved, US servicemen will be authorized to attack militants who threaten US allies in the region that fight Daesh threat on the ground. One such ally is the Philippine Armed Forces.

The broadcaster cited Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis as saying that Washington and Manila have been sharing intelligence for quite some time and that the Philippines has for 15 years been hosting US servicemen who support the state in its counterterrorism efforts.

In late July, the United States supplied the Philippines with two new Cessna 208B Grand Caravan intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, 1,040 rocket motors and 992 rockets to fight against terror. In addition, Manila is expected to receive 250 rocket-propelled grenade launchers from Washington.

On May 25, Duterte declared martial law on the southern island of Mindanao, which is often subjected to attacks by Daesh-linked terror groups. Marawi has remained the primary hotspot ever since the Maute group attempted to storm the city.

In June, the US embassy in the Philippines announced that American forces started providing assistance to the embattled Filipino troops in the southern regions of the archipelago.

Following the announcement, President Duterte said that he "never approached America" for military assistance and was "not aware of that until they arrived." Addressing the apparent insubordination of his own military, he remarked that "our soldiers are pro-American, that I cannot deny."

Philippines  United States Relations Under Duterte

Rodrigo Duterte was inaugurated as Filipino President in June 2016.

The PhilippinesUS relations under Duterte have been turbulent since his inauguration. On one occasion, Duterte called former US president Barack Obama a "son of a whore," vowed to close US bases in the island archipelago and claimed that Russia and China will provide the only military and financial assistance his country needs.

When current US President Donald Trump invited Duterte to the White House during a phone call in April, this move sparked heavy criticism in Washington. Massachusetts Congressman James McGovern who told a hearing of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission that he would protest against such a visit.

Duterte rebuffed McGovern's statement by saying he wouldn't want to go to Washington anyway.

"So what makes that guy think I'll go to America?" Duterte told reporters. "I've seen America and it's lousy."

 Sputnik

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Update: air strikes against Daesh

8 August 2017

The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

Summary

Monday 31 July  Typhoons attacked a Daesh defensive position and two sniper teams in Raqqa.

Wednesday 2 August  Typhoons destroyed a Daesh strongpoint in Raqqa.

Friday 4 August  Typhoons struck an ammunition factory and three sniper positions in Raqqa.

Detail

Royal Air Force Tornado, Typhoon and Reaper aircraft have continued to fly daily armed reconnaissance missions against Daesh over Syria and Iraq, and have delivered a number of air strikes against terrorist targets in Raqqa. On Monday 31 July, two flights of Typhoons, based at RAF Akrotiri, delivered successful attacks with Paveway IV guided bombs against a defensive position from which Daesh were firing on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and against two sniper teams.

Typhoons provided further close air support to the SDF on Wednesday 2 August; they found themselves coming under sustained heavy machine-gun and sniper fire from a building in Raqqa, but were able to pinpoint the Daesh position, allowing our aircraft to attack with a Paveway IV.

An improvised ammunition factory had been identified in a large single-storey building in Raqqa, and this was struck with two Paveway IVs from Typhoons on Friday 4 August. The Typhoons then conducted two further strikes with Paveways against sniper positions, while a second Typhoon flight dealt with a third sniper team.

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

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.

Wednesday 26 July: A Royal Air Force Reaper flew an armed reconnaissance mission over eastern Syria. 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.

Thursday 27 July: 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.

Friday 28 July: Another mixed Tornado and Typhoon pair assisted the SDF in Raqqa, and a Paveway IV was used to destroy a terrorist position.

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.

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Quick response critical to stem year-long cholera outbreak in South Sudan - UN agency

8 August 2017  Rapid responses are critical to stemming a cholera outbreak that has afflicted South Sudan for more than a year, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation that has left approximately four million people displaced by conflict, according to the UN migration agency.

"In a country with mass displacement and severe levels of food insecurity, the effect of the continued cholera outbreak on the health of vulnerable populations is acute," explained Dr. Beldina Gikundi, Migration Health Emergency Officer of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in South Sudan.

Since 18 June 2016, over 18,000 cholera cases  including 328 deaths  have been reported in South Sudan. IOM health and water, sanitation and hygiene teams continue to respond to the outbreak through case management and preventive measures across the country.

Disease outbreaks are particularly dangerous for displaced and vulnerable populations, such as children under five years of age, who account for more than one-in-five cholera cases reported in 2017.

IOM pointed out that many locations experiencing outbreaks are in proximity to the Nile River, increasing the rainy season's impact on the cholera outbreak and threat of spreading further.

"As we saw the outbreak continue, even during the dry season in 2017, we expect to see the trend persist throughout the rainy season, which leaves as much as 60 per cent of the country inaccessible by road," continued Dr. Gikundi, underscoring that "sustained and flexible responses are crucial to stemming the continued transmission of the disease in this extremely challenging context."

Saving lives on the ground

Since the outbreak began, IOM teams have been deployed to cholera-affected areas across the country. Teams continue to conduct hygiene promotion, core relief item distribution and borehole repairs in Bentiu and Rubkona towns, and Wau town and surrounding areas, as well as in UN protection of civilian sites across the country.

In collaboration with the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health, IOM health teams are conducting oral cholera vaccination (OCV) campaigns across the country.

In an effort to reduce cholera cases in outbreak areas, IOM has recently reached more than 39,900 people in parts of Jonglei and Unity and is currently on the ground in Warrap, preparing to lead an upcoming OCV campaign targeting more than 189,000 people in Tonj East County.

Since the beginning of the 2016 outbreak, IOM has managed the USAID Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance Rapid Response Fund (RFF) in deploying 14 missions to respond to and promote the prevention of cholera cases. Seven RRF partners are currently on the ground in three states, providing health and water and sanitation assistance to cholera-affected communities.

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Egypt's Political Parties Committee says it has filed lawsuits to dissolve 10 Islamist parties accused of inciting violence and funding terrorism. Gamal Essam El-Din reports

Adel El-Shorbagy, the head of the Party Affairs Committee, which regulates political parties in Egypt, told reporters this week that the committee is currently investigating 10 Islamist parties.

"The investigation encompasses participation in terrorist attacks, forming underground armed militias, inciting violence, and funding terrorism," said El-Shorbagy.

El-Shorbagy's comments came after Egypt's Higher Administrative Court postponed on Sunday its ruling on the legal status of the Reconstruction and Development Party  which acts as the political arm of the Islamist group Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya  to 19 August.

The lawsuit, filed by the Party Affairs Committee, said the existence of the Reconstruction and Development Party violates Article 74 of the constitution, which bans religious political parties.

The State Cases Authority (SCA), acting on behalf of the Party Affairs Committee, said a "detailed dossier on the Reconstruction and Development Party's involvement in terrorist operations since 2011 will be submitted to the court."

"The dossier is supported by the National Security Agency and Prosecutor-General Nabil Sadek. Both agree that the Reconstruction and Development Party now functions as a religious party and as such should be dissolved in line with Article 74 of the constitution and Article 4 of the political parties law," the SCA said.

The SCA also revealed that it has asked the Reconstruction and Development Party to provide it with a complete list of party members and official websites.

"We also asked if any members were dismissed from the party's ranks after they were convicted of participating in terrorist attacks and inciting violence," said the SCA.

Lawyers representing the party say they have forwarded 10 dossiers containing the party's official statements on terrorism to the Higher Administrative Court. The statements, they said, show the party fully supports the government in its war against terrorism.

Political analysts agree that the Party Affairs Committee's decision to challenge the legal status of the Reconstruction and Development Party came following the 5 June decision by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to cut diplomatic relations with Qatar.

On 8 June, the four countries issued a list of 59 terror suspects, including the leader of the Reconstruction and Development Party Tarek El-Zommor, who they accuse Qatar of sheltering.

Egypt is demanding that Qatar hand over El-Zommor along with other Egyptian fugitives affiliated with Islamist parties such as Youssef El-Qaradawi, the spiritual leader of Muslim Brotherhood.

El-Zommor, 56, was imprisoned for his role in the 1981 assassination of Egyptian president Anwar El-Sadat during a military parade in Cairo.

El-Zommor's brother Abboud, a former intelligence officer, was the mastermind behind the assassination.

After spending three decades in Egyptian prison, Al-Zommor was released after the removal of the Mubarak regime in February 2011.

Al-Zommor and other Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya leaders fled to Qatar in July 2013 after a popular uprising led to the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

El-Zommor's position as the leader of the Reconstruction and Development Party has caused divisions within the party, pitting younger members against the old guard, which continues its support for the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

El-Zommor was tried in absentia and convicted of inciting violence and masterminding a number of terrorist operations in Egypt.

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US Soldiers Deployed to Somalia Teaching Partners How to Drive Trucks

By Carla Babb August 08, 2017

When dozens of American soldiers deployed to Mogadishu back in April, their presence marked the first American military forces in Somalia, except for a small unit of counterterrorism advisers, since March 1994.

VOA broke the story of their arrival, and now, VOA has learned more about their train-and-equip mission in Mogadishu.

Soldiers sent to Somalia with the 101st Airborne are primarily training truck drivers for the Somali military, Maj. Gen. Joseph Harrington, the commander of U.S. Army Africa, told VOA in an exclusive interview.

"They are training Somalis how to drive to keep their logistics going," Harrington said.

The general was able to see the training-and-equipping course first-hand when he visited Somalia in June. He said the Army was pleased with the results so far, adding that he would "absolutely" continue the training throughout his tenure as commander.

When asked whether the training would be expanded to include other goals in the future, Harrington said he was sending people to Somalia to assess the needs there, in order to better understand how to help the Somali national army effectively secures its population.

U.S. Army Africa works closely with the U.S. State Department to improve African partners' military professionalism as part of an overall strategy to strengthen African governments so they can better serve their citizens.

"There is some bad history going back years in Africa [in] that they were afraid of their own soldiers," Harrington explained. Working with them on a regular basis and watching the evolution since a lot of those things happened years ago, it's very encouraging to see where those armies have come."

Harrington said his soldiers conduct about 300 activities and exercises with African partners in anywhere from 40 to 45 countries each year.

Troops from the 101st Airborne Division in Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, arrived in Mogadishu on April 2 at the request of the Somali government.

The team is the first significant U.S. military presence in the country, aside from a small counterterrorism cell, since March 1994, when the U.S. pulled out of the U.N. intervention operation in the war-torn state. Five months earlier, in October 1993, 18 U.S. special forces personnel were killed in a battle with Somali militiamen that inspired the movie Black Hawk Down.

The goal of the current operation in Somalia is to build partner capacity while helping to improve the logistics of local forces battling the extremist military group al-Shabab, official have told VOA.

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US Military: Iranian Drone Comes Within 30 Meters of US Fighter Jet

By Carla Babb August 08, 2017

An Iranian drone came within 30 meters of a U.S. Navy fighter jet that was waiting to land on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz as it traveled in the central Persian Gulf, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Central Command said Tuesday.

U.S. military statements said an F/A-18E Super Hornet jet was in a holding pattern above the USS Nimitz when a QOM-1 Iranian drone "executed unsafe and unprofessional altitude changes" nearby.

"The F/A-18E maneuvered to avoid collision with the QOM-1 resulting in a lateral separation of approximately 200 feet [61 meters] and a vertical separation of approximately 100 feet [30 meters]."

The Navy said sailors had made repeated radio calls for the drone to stay clear of the flight operations around the USS Nimitz.

A U.S. Navy official told VOA Tuesday the incident was a "single run-in," but the drone had been flying in an area around the carrier for about three hours. The drone was not armed at the time of the incident, the official added.

The near-collision marked the "13th unsafe and/or professional interaction between U.S. and Iranian maritime forces" this year, according to the Navy and Central Command statements.

Last month, the USS Thunderbolt fired multiple warning shots at an Iranian vessel in the Persian Gulf that came within 140 meters of the ship at a high rate of speed.

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South Africa's Zuma Narrowly Survives No-confidence Vote

By Anita Powell August 08, 2017

South Africa's embattled president, Jacob Zuma, has narrowly survived an eighth attempt by parliament to unseat him in a vote of no confidence.

After nearly five hours of debate, voting and counting, 198 of the 384 members present voted against the opposition's motion to oust the president, while 177 voted for him to step down. The motion needed 201 votes to pass. Nine members abstained from voting during the secret ballot.

Although this means Zuma will not have to step down, this sizeable opposition portends a difficult few months for him as his ruling African National Congress prepares to choose a new party leader in December. The ANC lost three major metropolitan areas in the last round of local elections in 2016, largely because of Zuma's growing unpopularity amid long-simmering corruption scandals.

ANC members celebrated the victory by dancing in parliament, and by celebrating outside. But even they seemed aware that the ANC's travails may not be over.

"This is not the first test -- or the last," proclaimed Police Minister Fikile Mbalula to a jubilant crowd outside of parliament in Cape Town.

That test may come from within the party, too -- the opposition holds only 151 seats in parliament. For the vote to reach 177, that means that at least two dozen ANC members voted against their leader.

The arguments

As it has seven times before, South Africa's ruling party largely came out fiercely against the opposition's motion to remove Zuma, who has become increasingly unpopular because of corruption scandals.

The way the ANC tells it, the vote was a direct threat to the party that swept to power in the nation's first democratic government in 1994.

"As you yourselves in the opposition benches have said, the ANC is the target," Defense Minister and party stalwart Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told the assembly. "Removing the ANC from power is the main aim. You've said it. Let's go to a general election. Let's go to a general election. We should not use other tactics to get rid of a governing party. That would be akin to a coup."

The opposition Democratic Alliance, which brought the motion to parliament, says Zuma's corruption allegations make him unfit to hold the highest office in South Africa. Most recently, a leaked trove of emails and documents alleged that Zuma had improper business and political dealings with a wealthy Indian family, the Guptas.

"I never imagined that one day I would be here, in this parliament, fighting a new form of oppression  a corrupt system that keeps our people imprisoned in poverty," said Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane. "If you had told me that one day our democratically elected president would end up corrupted and captured by a criminal syndicate, I would've never believed you. But here we are. We may have travelled along different roads, but we have arrived at the same destination. We all have a chance today to do what is right, what is just and what is honorable."

The leader of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius Malema, also appealed to the chamber to oppose Zuma. His party has repeatedly been kicked out of parliamentary sessions for their rowdy antics and for their unconventional red jumpsuits -- a nod to the uniforms worn by domestic workers and manual laborers.

On Tuesday, Malema, who is known for his fiery invective, appeared to temper his words -- even apologizing for insulting another parliamentarian.

"I withdraw," he said of the comment, "because I don't want you to chase me out -- I want to vote a criminal out."

Opposition parties had asked for the ballot to be held in secret in a bid to embolden critics within the famously disciplined ANC to turn on their leader.

But the economy

The triumphant Zuma lives another day to run a nation in deep recession and with high unemployment. Its credit ratings have been downgraded since Zuma fired Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in March.

Nearly 28 percent of South Africans are unemployed, the highest figure in more than a decade. Zuma's opposition says the economic situation is so dire that it can be compared to the dark days of apartheid.

"President Zuma is a weapon of our economic destruction," said Andries Molapi Tlouamma of the opposition Agang party. "Those who will vote for Zuma are worse than those who killed [apartheid-era icons] Ruth First and Chris Hani."

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Kenyan Voters Undeterred by Long Lines, Rain or Heat

By Jill Craig August 08, 2017

The critical vote-counting state has begun in Kenya's presidential election, a contest between two long-standing political dynasties in a country with a history of post-election violence.

President Uhuru Kenyatta was leading with 55 percent of the vote to challenger Raila Odinga's 44 percent when the election commission released early preminary results Tuesday, but that estimate was made with less than a quarter of the country's nearly 41,000 polling stations counted.

Elections officials have up to a week to announce full results, but they may opt to announce the outcome as soon as possible to alleviate the possibility of violence.

Kenyans stood in line for hours Tuesday to cast ballots, facing rain and both cold and hot weather conditions throughout the day.

In addition to choosing between indumbent Kenyatta and challenger Odinga, voters also decided on senators, governors, women's representatives of the national assembly, members of the national assembly, and members of the county assembly.

Hellen Mazitoh is a 32-year-old voter from the Githogoro slum in Nairobi. She waited in line for well over seven hours, but says she isn't complaining.

"Let me say, the election mood is good. People are voting. Once they vote, they are going home. Nothing bad has occurred. Nobody left, people are responding well," said Mazitoh.

'I want my voice to be heard'

Thirty-three-year-old voter Emmanuel Musundi Wamukundi waited for more than four hours at his polling station in Nairobi. He says the lines were a bit disorganized in the beginning, but otherwise, things seemed to be running smoothly.

"I mean, it's patriotism, this is for my country, and I want to be involved in it," said Wamukundi. "I want my voice to be heard and it's the only thing I can do to change things."

The electoral commission said heavy rain hampered voting in three parts of the country  Turkana North, Baringo and Samburu  and helicopters were required to airlift materials and polling officials.

The commission said voting would be extended in any polling stations that got a late start.

Both candidates in the presidential race expressed confidence Tuesday as they cast their ballots in Nairobi.

Opposition leader Odinga told supporters gathered outside his polling station to "continue mobilizing to come out and vote. This victory is ours."

President Kenyatta said the ruling Jubilee coalition had run a "very positive campaign" and that he believes Kenyans "want us to continue moving forward."

Poll taken 'very seriously'

Former U.S. secretary of state John Kerry and former Senegalese prime minister Aminata Toure visited Jamhuri High School in Nairobi as co-leaders of the U.S.-based Carter Center election observation mission. Kerry referenced the long lines he'd seen at polling stations as a sign of the commitment of Kenyan voters.

"It's too early for us to draw any kinds of conclusions so we're not, but obviously given what's happened in the past and given the stakes for the future, this is a very, very important election, and clearly the citizens of Kenya are taking it very, very seriously," said Kerry.

Kenya's electoral commission is using biometric voter identification and electronic vote transmission systems to conduct the elections. The vote is seen as a key test for the commission after voting technology failed during the last polls in 2013, sparking allegations of vote rigging. .

Like so many Kenyans, voter Francis Mutiso Matheka is urging peace above all else in these elections.

"I would love to tell fellow Kenyans to vote peacefully," said Matheka. "We need this country, after today, after tomorrow, and this country, it's greater than any one of us."

Also calling for a peaceful outcome Monday was former U.S. president Barack Obama, the son of a native-born Kenyan. Obama issued a statement urging voters in his ancestral homeland to "reject violence and incitement; respect the will of the people; urge security forces to act professionally and neutrally; and work together no matter the outcome."

The winner of the presidential election must receive 50 percent of all votes, and 25 percent or more of votes in at least 25 of Kenya's 47 counties. If neither candidate hits that threshold, a run-off will take place.

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America Departs Singapore

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS170809-04

Release Date: 8/9/2017 11:08:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kristina Young, USS America (LHA 6) Public Affairs

SINGAPORE (NNS) -- The amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) with embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) departed Singapore after a scheduled port visit, Aug. 9.

While in Singapore, America Sailors and 15th MEU Marines lent a hand to the local area by participating in several community service projects planned during the visit and toured local sites. Each of these opportunities allowed them to experience the diverse country.

The crew of the America, serving on its maiden deployment, is returning to sea to resume unit-level training in a number of warfare areas in Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

"I personally enjoyed every part of our visit to Singapore," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Jami Zuber, a native of Oak Harbor, Washington, assigned to the ship's Medical department. "The opportunity to enjoy liberty after being out to sea was a welcome change of pace for me."

America Sailors and 15th MEU Marines worked together to strengthen the relationship with Singapore by participating in four community service events.

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Christopher Quijano, a native of Elizabeth, New Jersey, assigned to the ship's medical department, joined his fellow military brothers and sisters at a local school for special needs children, spreading smiles and joy among the children and the teachers.

"The best part of volunteering was seeing the smiles on the children's faces," said Quijano. "While the teachers were grateful we were there, the children seemed to be excited to learn more about us, and where we had come from and that made me feel like I left behind some kind of impact."

During the visit, the ship hosted visits and tours with members of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), Republic of Singapore Army and Rear Adm. Don Gabrielson Commander, Logistics Western Pacific/Task Force 73. Each of these visits served with the purpose to strengthen and foster a deeper relationship with the country and their military as well as gain an understanding of one another's maritime and amphibious capabilities.

After visiting Singapore, America will continue training with allies and partners in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.

The America ARG/15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) provides senior U.S. military leadership and partners with a flexible force which can rapidly respond to contingencies and crises within the region. With ships, aircraft, troops, and logistical equipment, the ARG/MEU is a self-contained and self-sustained task force capable of conducting everything from combat operations to providing humanitarian assistance.

The America ARG, commanded by CPR-3, consists of the, amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), the amphibious transport dock USS San Diego (LPD 22), and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52). They will operate with embarked forces of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the "Wildcards" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, and detachments from Assault Craft Unit 5, Naval Beach Group 1, Beachmaster Unit 1, Fleet Surgical Team 1 and Tactical Air Control Squadron 11.

The 15th MEU is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force comprised of a ground combat element, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 5th Marines; an aviation combat element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 (Reinforced); a combat logistics element, Combat Logistics Battalion 15.

The 7th Fleet's area of operation spans more than 124 million square kilometers, stretching from the International Date Line to the India/Pakistan border; and from the Kuril Islands in the North to the Antarctic in the South.



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China Refutes Media Speculations of Small Scale War With India

Sputnik News

11:03 09.08.2017

In what is being seen as an attempt to break the ice, the Chinese defense ministry invited a delegation of Indian journalists to Beijing and briefed them about their official position on the Doklam standoff.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  Spokesperson of China's Defense Ministry, Col. Ren Guoqiang has made it clear that the Peoples' Liberation Army is not planning a 'small scale military action' to weed out Indian troops from the disputed Doklam area near Sikkim in India, as suggested by a section of the Chinese media.

He was responding to queries by Indian journalists about recent articles published by the state-run Global Times quoting an expert Hu Zhiyong  research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

"This kind of reports represents the view of the media and think-tanks. For official information please refer to the statements of foreign ministry and defense ministry spokespersons," Col. Ren Guoqiang, spokesman, China's Defense Ministry said.

The Chinese defense ministry spokesman, however, echoed what other Chinese leaders and officials have been saying that Indian troops must withdraw from the disputed spot in Doklam. He reiterated that India should not underestimate Beijing's resolve to defend its territory.

"We have all the legitimate rights to construct the road in Chinese territory," he said.

Ren claimed that China had informed India in advance about the road building activity in mid-May, although no evidence in this regard was presented to visiting Indian journalists. He was countered "Why did China feel the need to inform India if it regarded the area as Chinese territory?" to which he responded that it was done out of goodwill.

Meanwhile, Indian experts say that the Doklam standoff is a signal that both India and China should revive official channels to negotiate their long-standing border dispute and a good starting point would be to adhere to the spirit of 2012 agreement.

"We have a mechanism under the 2012 agreement for handling such disputes and both sides should work under its spirit. What we see in Global Times and other English media publications from China should not be construed as the opinion of the Chinese government. China also knows that India is having an advantage in the Doklam region. They may have an advantage in the other sectors, but not in the Doklam region," Dr Swaran Singh, Professor at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, told Sputnik.

China and India have been locked in a standoff in the Doklam area  a tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan, since mid-June this year after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

 Sputnik

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Kenya Opposition Leader: Don't Accept Election Results

By Jill Craig August 09, 2017

The usually busy streets of Nairobi were quiet Wednesday as results of Tuesday's presidential poll continued to flow into Kenya's national electoral counting center, and then to the public as they were tabulated.

The National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition's opposition candidate, Raila Odinga, said Wednesday morning that the electoral commission should not be releasing provisional results without verification through the official forms that were supposed to accompany them from the polling stations and constituencies.

"We are basically telling our people not to accept these results," said Odinga. "These are foreign results, not only the presidential but right through from the governors up to the MCAs (members of county assemblies). This is what we're telling Kenyans and we're asking them to stay calm, remain calm."

Earlier, Odinga tweeted, "The fraud Jubilee (party) has perpetuated on Kenyans surpasses any level of voter theft in our country's history. This time we caught them."

Odinga was referring to what he says was a hack of the electoral commission's computer network.

Raphael Tuju is the secretary general of Jubilee, the party of incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta.

"We know that it's been a very hard-fought campaign and whoever emerges as the winner, there will be a loser and when somebody loses it's fairly an emotive issue, especially when you invested emotions, money, time and energy in the campaign. But our appeal is that we should accept the results," said Tuju. "That is what our president committed himself to and we do hope that NASA themselves commit themselves to the same."

Electoral Commission Chairman Wafula Chebukati said Wednesday that NASA was "casting dispersions" on one item of the electoral process, the transmission of results.

"But what we are saying is from what I understood, the only issue is on the transmission, not on the whole electoral process," said Chebukati. "And that's why the commission is going a little, a mile longer. Instead of us just relying on the transmitted results, we're also calling for the original documents for purposes of knowing and verifying before we do the final announcement."

Chebukati said his team was in possession of scanned copies of forms from all 40,883 polling stations and is awaiting scanned copies from the 290 constituencies. He also said that they will be using the original forms to verify the provisional results. The forms from the polling stations are being uploaded in order to be accessible to the public.

The commission also has announced that if there is a discrepancy between electronic and hard copy results, the signed hard copies will be final. Chebukati assured Kenyans that the official results will be released only after the signed forms from the polling stations have been verified.

As a whole, the country has remained peaceful, although police did use tear gas against demonstrators in the western city of Kisumu, and protests erupted in the Nairobi slum of Mathare.

But for the majority of Kenyans now, it's just a waiting game.

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Kenyatta Ahead in Kenya Vote as Opposition Disputes Count

By Jill Craig August 09, 2017

Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga said Wednesday hackers carried out "massive and extensive" fraud against the election commission's computer system, resulting in what he asserts are fraudulent vote totals showing him trailing well behind President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) website showed at midday Wednesday about 94 percent of ballots had been counted with Kenyatta leading 54 percent to 45 percent in his bid for another term.

IEBC Chariman Wafula Chebukati said he could not yet say whether the commission's systems had been hacked, but that it would investigate.

Odinga read to reporters from a document spelling out his accusations that hackers accessed the IEBC's database during Tuesday's voting and altered the results for not just the presidential race, but also elections for other positions.

"What the IEBC has posted as results on the presidential elections is a complete fraud based on a multiplier that fraudulently gave Uhuru Kenyatta votes that were not cast," Odinga said. "The fraud Jubilee has perpetuated on Kenyans surpasses any level of voter theft in our country's history. This time we caught them."He further called his longtime rival Kenyatta a "fraud."

Rafael Tuju, secretary general of Kenyatta's Jubilee Party, dismissed Odinga's accusations as "disingenuous" and appealed for calm.

"These results are not coming from out of the blue, they are marked by facts, and you cannot claim that results are fake with respect to presidential and you welcome the areas where your governors and your members of parliament have won convincingly."

Kenyatta and Odinga have an extensive history, including facing each other in presidential elections in 2007 and 2013.Odinga alleged vote-tampering after losing in 2013 and challenged the result in court.The 2007 election was followed by violence fueled by ethnic divisions that killed more than 1,000 people.

Shortly after Odinga spoke Wednesday, several hundred protesters in his western stronghold of Kisumu burned tires and clashed with police who fired tear gas.

Election officials have up to a week to announce full results, but they may opt to announce the outcome as soon as possible to alleviate the possibility of violence.

Long lines

Kenyans stood in line for hours Tuesday to cast ballots, facing rain and both cold and hot weather conditions throughout the day.

In addition to choosing between incumbent Kenyatta and challenger Odinga, voters also decided on senators, governors, women's representatives of the national assembly, members of the national assembly, and members of the county assemblies.

Hellen Mazitoh, a 32-year-old voter from the Githogoro slum in Nairobi, waited in line for well over seven hours, but said she isn't complaining.

"Let me say, the election mood is good. People are voting. Once they vote, they are going home. Nothing bad has occurred. Nobody left, people are responding well," said Mazitoh.

Thirty-three-year-old voter Emmanuel Musundi Wamukundi waited for more than four hours at his polling station in Nairobi. He said the lines were a bit disorganized in the beginning, but otherwise, things seemed to be running smoothly.

"I mean, it's patriotism, this is for my country, and I want to be involved in it," said Wamukundi. "I want my voice to be heard and it's the only thing I can do to change things."

The electoral commission said heavy rain hampered voting in three parts of the country  Turkana North, Baringo and Samburu  and helicopters were required to airlift materials and polling officials.

Former U.S. secretary of state John Kerry and former Senegalese prime minister Aminata Toure visited Jamhuri High School in Nairobi as co-leaders of the U.S.-based Carter Center election observation mission. Kerry referenced the long lines he'd seen at polling stations as a sign of the commitment of Kenyan voters.

"It's too early for us to draw any kinds of conclusions so we're not, but obviously given what's happened in the past and given the stakes for the future, this is a very, very important election, and clearly the citizens of Kenya are taking it very, very seriously," said Kerry.

Kenya's electoral commission is using biometric voter identification and electronic vote transmission systems to conduct the elections. The vote is seen as a key test for the commission after voting technology failed during the last polls in 2013, sparking allegations of vote rigging.

Like so many Kenyans, voter Francis Mutiso Matheka is urging peace above all else in these elections.

"I would love to tell fellow Kenyans to vote peacefully," said Matheka. "We need this country, after today, after tomorrow, and this country, it's greater than any one of us."

Also calling for a peaceful outcome Monday was former U.S. president Barack Obama, the son of a native-born Kenyan. Obama issued a statement urging voters in his ancestral homeland to "reject violence and incitement; respect the will of the people; urge security forces to act professionally and neutrally; and work together no matter the outcome."

The winner of the presidential election must receive 50 percent of all votes, and 25 percent or more of votes in at least 25 of Kenya's 47 counties. If neither candidate hits that threshold, a run-off will take place.

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China's New Security Concern  The Kazakhs

Bruce Pannier August 08, 2017

Relations between Kazakhstan and China have been good for more than two decades now.

The two neighboring countries have what could easily be described as excellent economic ties, with trade between them totaling billions of dollars annually.

Recently, however, security concerns have crept into the Kazakh-Chinese relationship.

Chinese authorities have been waging a campaign against "separatists" in the western Xinjiang Autonomous Uyghur Region for decades, and there have been a series of violent attacks recently in Xinjiang that authorities blame on the Uyghurs.

As the full title of the region's name suggests, the region now known as Xinjiang is the traditional homeland of the Uyghurs, a Turkic people that converted to Islam several centuries ago.

Some Uyghurs have been fighting an essentially nationalist campaign to avoid being swallowed up entirely by Han Chinese culture.

Sometime early this year, the Islamic State militant group posted a video of Uyghur fighters in Syria who made an assortment of threats against China.

It was not the first time Uyghur militants in the Middle East released a video threatening China, but on this occasion it certainly caught the attention of President Xi Jinping, who vowed on March 10 to build a "great wall of iron" to protect Xinjiang.

Chinese authorities had already imposed new regulations on the Uyghurs designed to break the Uyghurs' connection to Islam.

Except for the elderly, Uyghur men could not have beards; Uyghur women were banned from dressing in burqas; children under 18 were forbidden from attending mosque; and Chinese authorities made no provision for Ramadan, insisting that Uyghurs not fast during working hours and ordering Uyghur merchants to keep their shops open.

But those rash words of a handful of Uyghurs in Syria, caught on film and disseminated via the Internet, unleashed a fierce new crackdown on the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

Kazakh Diaspora

The Kazakhs are a Turkic Muslim people, and many Kazakhs live in China.

In fact, China is home to the largest Kazakh diaspora -- between 1.25 million and 1.5 million, most of whom live in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture and the Tarbaghatay (Tacheng) and Altay prefectures in the northern part of Xinjiang, bordering Kazakhstan.

The same restrictions Chinese authorities have imposed on the Uyghurs apply to the Kazakhs.

Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that, in early June, a popular Kazakh imam known simply as Akmet was detained in Xinjiang.

That came after a Kazakh imam named Okan was detained earlier this year, apparently for performing traditional Islamic prayers at a funeral.

Okan was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Akmet died while in police custody on the night of June 4.

Authorities said he hanged himself.

Local authorities started detaining Akmet's friends and by July RFA had reported that more than 100 of the imam's friends and classmates were in custody.

State Media Turns A Blind Eye

China has become such an important economic partner of Kazakhstan that authorities in Astana could be expected to be wary of information about Xinjiang reaching Kazakhstan's citizens.

Rumors in early 2016 that impending land reforms in Kazakhstan would give Chinese the right to purchase Kazakh land sparked the biggest protests Kazakhstan had seen in two decades.

So, China's moves against ethnic Kazakhs in Xinjiang have not been reported on in Kazakhstan's state media, although several small independent media outlets have carried information on it.

The Qazaq Times website, for example, posted an article on June 6 with the headline: "Why is Akorda [Kazakhstan's presidential palace] not interested in protecting the rights of the Chinese Kazakhs?"

The 7kun.kz website reported on a press conference some well-known Kazakh writers organized in June to call on Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev to help ethnic Kazakhs in China.

The Kazakh government has been able to publicly avoid the issue of the treatment of China's Kazakhs, but Astana faces a more difficult task as the problem spreads to Kazakhstan.

Shortly after independence in 1991, Kazakhstan opened its doors to ethnic Kazakhs around the world, inviting them to return to their historic homeland and take up residence.

Kazakhstan is a large country with a small population and a demographic that, right after independence, showed the majority of people living in Kazakhstan were non-Kazakhs

In an effort to correct this, Kazakh authorities have repatriated some 1 million Kazakhs from other Central Asian states, Turkey, Russia, Mongolia, and from China.

They are called "oralman."

Unexplained Detentions

Some of the oralmans from China have been telling RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, known locally as Azattyk, that they and their relatives have been encountering difficulties with Chinese authorities recently.

Raushan, who only gave her first name, is an oralman who moved from China to Kazakhstan in 2005 and received citizenship in Kazakhstan in 2008.

Her husband, Omir Bekaly, 46, is also an oralman and he went to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, on March 23 on a business trip.

Bekaly attended the meetings in Urumqi then decided to go see his mother in Turfan and bring her back to Kazakhstan.

Bekaly disappeared and Raushan has not heard from him since.

Raushan was successful in contacting Bekaly's mother, who said he had been detained.

Azattyq contacted Bekaly's employers; the Akku tourist agency located in Almaty.

A representative named Fariza confirmed Bekaly was an employee, and that he had gone to China and was detained there, but there was no more information.

Raushan said she has appealed to Kazakh authorities to help find her husband in China, but so far without any success.

Another oralman, Berik, who asked not to use his last name for fear of reprisals against his relatives in China, said Chinese authorities started detaining oralmans in January.

That would be about the time IS posted the video with the Uyghur militants.

Berik recently made a trip to Xinjiang and said oralmans were often taken to "political education" centers and kept there for periods ranging from three days to several months.

Berik's and Raushan's accounts are supported by a leaked copy of a June 5 speech from Zhu Hailun, the deputy party secretary of Xinjiang.

'Propaganda Work'

Zhu said a new priority for regional officials is "dealing with the issue of Chinese nationals [...] in Kazakhstan."

Zhu also said, "We must also properly carry out propaganda work with the Chinese Kazakh population in Kazakhstan."

Azattyq has been reporting for months that now there are often problems for citizens of Kazakhstan to obtain visas to go to China, even for students who have been attending Chinese universities.

Kazakhstan's citizens, ethnic Kazakhs included, are not radicals.

However, a small number of Kazakhstan's citizens have gone to the Middle East and joined extremist groups and, generally, citizens of Kazakhstan are able to more freely practice Islam.

That seems to be enough to have convinced Chinese authorities that greater caution is warranted with the Kazakhs of Kazakhstan, especially with the Uyghurs and, now, the oralmans.

This new policy of Beijing will not help China's image in Kazakhstan.

But the Kazakh government, which does not exercise the same degree of control over the media that China's government does, will struggle to keep a lid on it. It's only a matter of time before what is happening to the ethnic Kazakhs in Xinjiang, and what is happening to Kazakhstan's oralmans, becomes common knowledge in Kazakhstan.

Galym Bokash, Ruslan Medelbek, and Nurtai Lakhanuly of RFE/RL's Kazakh Service contributed to this report.

The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/qishloq-ovozi-kazakhstan-china- deteriorating-relations-uyghurs/28665937.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Trump urges nations to be 'tough & decisive' against North Korea

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 12:38PM

US President Donald Trump has praised the United Nations for addressing North Korea's missile and nuclear program, urging countries to increase their efforts in dealing with the threat posed by the North amid rising tensions between Washington and Pyongyang.

"After many years of failure, countries are coming together to finally address the dangers posed by North Korea," Trump tweeted on Tuesday.

"We must be tough & decisive!" he said on Twitter.

Trump's warning came following two tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles by Pyongyang last month. North Korea claimed that its latest missile, test-fired on July 4, can deliver a "large, heavy nuclear warhead" to the US continent.

US National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said on Saturday the United States is preparing for all options, including a "preemptive war," to stop North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

The UN Security Council on the same day passed a resolution slapping sweeping sanctions on the North over its first test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Thailand to strengthen ties between Washington and Bangkok and press its leaders to take more actions against North Korea.

Tillerson's trip is the highest level visit to Bangkok by an American official since 2014 when a military coup soured relations with Washington.

Tillerson's top priority has been urging Southeast Asian countries to do more to cut funding streams for North Korea.

Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton told reporters aboard Tillerson's plane that the US believes North Korean front companies are using Thailand as a regional hub and Washington is encouraging Thai leaders to shut them down.

The US is strengthening its relations with Thailand after they were downgraded since the army seized power in 2014 in a coup.

The head of the military junta, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha, formerly an army chief, said the coup was necessary to end political chaos and street protests.

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Tunisian security forces have killed two suspected Islamist militants during an operation in a mountainous area near the Algerian border, the national guard said on Wednesday.

A third suspect was critically wounded in the operation launched on Tuesday evening on Mount Birinou in the Kasserine region, national guard spokesman Khalifa Chibani told Shems FM radio.

Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has experienced an increase in Islamist militant attacks that have cost the lives of dozens of members of the security forces and 59 foreign tourists.

Islamist militants claiming allegiance to the Islamic State militants group (IS) or Al-Qaeda's North African affiliate Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) are active near the Algerian and Libyan borders.

Tunisia has been under a state of emergency since November 2015, when a suicide bombing in the capital claimed by IS killed 12 presidential guards.

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China Says It Will Pay Price To Enforce North Korean Sanctions

RFE/RL August 08, 2017

China stands to lose the most from new United Nations sanctions against North Korea because of its close economic ties with the country, but is prepared to pay the price, Beijing's foreign minister has said.

Speaking at a security forum in Manila, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the new UN Security Council resolution approved over the weekend that aims to slash North Korea's exports by about a third showed China's commitment to stopping Pyongyang's missile tests, the Foreign Ministry said on August 8.

"Owing to China's traditional economic ties with North Korea, it will mainly be China paying the price for implementing the resolution," Wang was quoted as saying.

"But in order to protect the international nonproliferation system and regional peace and stability, China will as before fully and strictly properly implement the entire contents of the relevant resolution."

China has supported increasingly tough UN sanctions on North Korea's government pushed by the United States, though it has also said that "normal" trade with ordinary North Koreans should not be affected.

The latest UN resolution bans the purchase of North Korean exports of coal, iron, lead, and seafood. And in a provision aimed primarily at China and Russia, it prohibits countries from taking in any more North Korean migrant workers.

Wang pointed out that the sanctions resolution also calls for restarting six-party talks, a stalled dialogue process with North Korea that includes the United States, South Korea, China, Russia, and Japan.

To that end, Wang noted that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently stated U.S. willingness to resume dialogue with North Korea if it stops missile tests.

Tillerson also recently sought to allay some North Korean concerns about U.S. intentions by saying the United States does not seek regime change, the collapse of the government, an accelerated reunification of the peninsula, or an excuse to send the U.S. military into North Korea, Wang said, describing those stipulations as the "four nos."

Wang said he was looking for Pyongyang to make a similar gesture. China "hopes North Korea can echo this signal from the United States," he said.

North Korea's top diplomat gave no sign at the Manila forum that the country would be willing to abandon its missile tests and resume dialogue, however.

Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said on August 7 that "under no circumstances" would Pyongyang put its nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles on the negotiating table.

Ri said his country had no intention of using nuclear weapons against any country "except the U.S." He said the only way that would change was if another country joined in a U.S. military action against North Korea.

Ri blamed the Korean Peninsula crisis entirely on Washington. He said the North was "ready to teach the U.S. a severe lesson with its nuclear strategic force."

The sanctions were passed by the UN Security Council in response to Pyongyang's test-launch last month of two intercontinental ballistic missiles, taking a significant step toward its goal of developing a long-range missile capable of striking anywhere in the mainland United States.

With reporting by AP and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/north-korea-china- will-pay-price-sanctions/28664634.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Trump: North Korean Threats 'Will Be Met With Fire & Fury'

Sputnik News

22:26 08.08.2017(updated 23:07 08.08.2017)

Pyongyang "best not make any more threats to the US," US President Donald Trump told the press pool in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Tuesday, as any attempts at intimidation "will be met with fire & fury -- and frankly power -- the likes of which the world has never seen before."

North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un "has been very threatening beyond a normal state," Trump said, adding "they will be met with the fire and fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before," before concluding his remarks by saying "thank you."

The latest round of saber-rattling comes as reports surface from Japanese and US intelligence indicating that North Korea has finally obtained nuclear capable ICBMs.

US intelligence analysts have informed the Washington Post that the Defense Intelligence Agency completed an assessment in July indicating North Korea has achieved its goal of building ballistic missile-equipped nukes. A white paper from Tokyo leaked Tuesday indicates Japanese intelligence has come to a similar conclusion.

The "IC [intelligence community] assesses North Korea has produced nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery," according to the report shared with the US media outlet. This capability includes "delivery by ICBM-class missiles," the DIA report says.

In a separate 500-page report, the Japanese Defense Ministry said Pyongyang's "development of ballistic missiles and its nuclear programme are becoming increasingly real and imminent problems for the Asia-Pacific region including Japan, as well as the rest of the world."

It is "conceivable," Japanese analysts said, that "North Korea's nuclear weapons program has already considerably advanced and it is possible that North Korea has already achieved the miniaturization of nuclear weapons into warheads."

US Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva recently advocated for the US to expand its own arsenal of mini, or low-yield, nukes.

DIA has made statements in the past that have contradicted stated US goals or positions. In May, for instance, DIA Director Gen. Vincent Stewart told the Senate "Kurdish independence is on a trajectory" that would make a formal assertion of Kurdish independence in Iraq a matter of when, not if. A referendum is slated to take place at the end of September where Kurds in northern Iraq will vote on whether to form a fully-independent statea move that would shake Baghdad, Tehran and Ankara, and apparently some of Stewart's colleagues in Washington.

On July 13, US Special Envoy Brett McGurk told reporters at the State Department that "having a referendum on such a fast timeline, particularly in disputed areas, would be, we think, significantly destabilizing."

Since 2004, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has been responsible for relaying critical intelligence assessments to the US president. After the September 2001 attacks, CIA took some blame for the failure to predict and stop the attack, and lost its role as Director of Central Intelligence, at the time the primary liaison between the president and the intelligence community.

Thus, reports prepared by ODNI are technically where one would find statements like "The IC assesses." The IC includes everyone from the US Coast Guard Intelligence, CIA, NSA, and more obscure departments like National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The presence of the phrase "the IC assesses" may indicate that this is not actually a DIA report, but a brief compiled across the US intelligence community; that is, an ODNI report.

The Post was only given access to sections of the report, so it is unclear whether alternative or dissenting viewpoints were included and what they might be.

Furthermore, the Post states the information is from a "confidential assessment." The Post says "the assessment's broad conclusions were verified by two US officials familiar with the document," but admits "the DIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment."

Stanford's Siegfried Heckers has suggested North Korea's nuclear stockpile stands around 25 weapons and that Pyongyang can build six to seven more per year. The Post cited the Bulletin of the Atomic Sciences Nuclear Notebook, the Federation of American Scientists and the DIA to support their statement that "experts estimate [North Korea has] 30 to 60 nuclear warheads."

The Trump administration has vowed to go after leakers of documents such as these. In comments that sparked concerns for future whistleblowers and the freedom of the US press, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions declared last week, "For our friends in the intelligence community: the Justice Department is open for business. And I have a warning for would-be leakers: don't do it."

 Sputnik

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China Ready to Pay Price for Sanctions Against N Korea for Stability in Region

Sputnik News

05:59 08.08.2017(updated 14:40 08.08.2017)

China as the main trade partner of North Korea is ready to pay high price for the new UN Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang for the sake of denuclearization and stabilization on the Korean peninsula, according to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

BEIJING (Sputnik)  China as the main trade partner of North Korea is ready to pay high price for the new UN Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang for the sake of denuclearization and stabilization on the Korean peninsula, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday.

"If we consider traditional economic relations between China and North Korea, it is China that will have to pay most of the price for implementation of the latest resolution. However, for the sake of supporting international system of nuclear non-proliferation and to maintain peace and stability in the region, China, as always, will strictly and fully comply with respective resolutions," Wang said during the ASEAN forum in Manila, as quoted in the statement released by the ministry.

On Saturday, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2371, tightening sanctions against North Korea after the latter's recent missile tests. The restrictions, targeting coal, iron, iron ore, lead and seafood imports from North Korea to UN member states, are expected to reduce Pyongyang's foreign currency earnings by $1 billion from the current level of some $3 billion.

 Sputnik

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Russia Convinced No Alternative to Resuming Political Process on North Korea

Sputnik News

07:08 08.08.2017(updated 07:12 08.08.2017)

Russia is convinced there is no alternative to resumption of political process on issue of North Korea, Moscow is ready to continue dialogue with Pyongyang, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

MANILA (Sputnik)  Russia is convinced there is no alternative to resumption of political process on issue of North Korea, Moscow is ready to continue dialogue with Pyongyang, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.

"We are convinced there is no alternative to resuming political process, in particular the six-party talks. Russia and China have made respective proposals. We will promote them in New York [in the United Nations] and on other platforms. Of course, we will continue the dialogue with our North Korean neighbors," Lavrov told reporters in Manila.

On Saturday, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2371, tightening sanctions against North Korea in response to Pyongyang's ballistic missiles launch in July. The restrictions target imports of coal, iron ore, lead and seafood imports from the Asian nation to UN member states.

On Monday, North Korea said it was ready to respond to the sanctions "with far bigger actions."

 Sputnik

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Indian Navy to Purchase Hundreds of Anti-Ship Missiles

Sputnik News

16:12 08.08.2017

The global tender is to be issued during first half of 2018. Several global firms are already in talks with Indian defense companies for manufacturing anti-ship missiles.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  The Indian Navy has formally started the process of acquiring anti-ship missiles which can hit a target at medium range. On Tuesday, the Indian Navy issued requests to the global vendors inviting their interests in supplying approximately 270 combat, 40 practice, 10 training, six dummy and four cut section medium range anti-ship missiles and 24 systems for fitment onboard ships. India intends to soon finalize the deal with a global missile manufacturer willing to offer transfer of technology so that such missiles can be manufactured under the 'Make in India' program.

"Indian government is desirous of license production of equipment after acquiring ToT in the case. Vendor is to indicate willingness to provide ToT (knowhow and know why) along with exact scope that can be provided in each area (Missile/Missile Subsystems/ Launchers/Loading Gear/Fire Control System etc)," reads a document of the Indian Navy.

The Indian navy has indicated that it will conduct field evaluation trials to facilitate early finalization of the deal.

The global tender is to be issued during first half of 2018 and India expects quick delivery. As per India's new defense procurement policy, the vendor will be required to invest 30% of the total deal value in an Indian project.

India has indicated that the quantity of requirement may go up further in accordance to extant requirements of the Navy and that the firms must provide option clause wherein thebuyer can exercise an option to procure an additional 50% of the original contracted quantity in accordance with the same terms & conditions of the present contract.

Meanwhile, Indian navy has indicated that it will conduct field evaluation trials to facilitate early finalization of the deal.

According to sources, several global firms are already in talks with Indian defense companies for manufacturing anti-ship missiles. Last month, Pune-based Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd signed a joint venture agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries for manufacturing anti-ship missiles and command & control systems. Earlier, in April Reliance Defence entered into a strategic partnership agreement with South Korean defense major LIG Nex1 to explore the opportunities to manufacture anti-ship missiles. LIG Nex1 is an emerging leader in smart heavy weapons in the category of anti-ship missiles, and anti-tank guided missiles.

In March this year, the Indian Navy used Exocet SM 39  a French-built anti-ship missile, for the maiden missile firing test by the locally built Kalvari class submarine. After the successful firing, Indian Navy confirmed that all the six scorpene (Kalvari) class submarines would be equipped with Exocet SM 39. Weighing 650 Kilogram 6.5 meter long high subsonic Exocet SM 39 is long range, all-weather missile capable of operation against all classes of warship. MBDA, its manufacturer, claims the missile has high hit probability against moving targets and that it can hit any target in extremely short time with full freedom of maneuver.

 Sputnik

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Iran allows no West's inspection of military sites: IRGC commander

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Tue / 8 August 2017 / 13:22

Tehran (ISNA) - A senior commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Division says Iran will never allow any Western country to inspect the Islamic Republic's military sites.

Asked by reporters about the recent media reports that the US administration is pushing for inspection of Iranian military sites, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said, "The answer is clear. We will not give them such permission".

The comments came after US officials said late in July that the administration of President Donald Trump was pushing for inspections of the Iranian military sites in a bid to test the strength of the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015.

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council  the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China  plus Germany signed the JCPOA on July 14, 2015 and began implementing it in January 2016.

Hajizadeh further said the IRGC, as the top military power in the region, supported the Iranian government in standing up against the excessive demands of the enemies, particularly the US.

Enemies would suffer a defeat against the Iranian nation and the whole Iranian nation standing up to them, he added.

The top IRGC commander emphasized that the enemies sought to disarm Iran by imposing sanctions, exerting pressure and waging a psychological warfare, just as they did in Libya, adding, "We will not give them such permission".

Iran has recently made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and hardware. The Islamic Republic says its military power poses no threat to other countries and is merely based on the doctrine of deterrence.

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Iran's president presents cabinet to parliament for vote of confidence

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 9:39AM

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has submitted the list of his nominees for ministerial posts to the Parliament (Majlis).

The list, which was presented to the legislature on Tuesday, includes the proposed picks to head 17 out of 18 ministries.

The nominee for the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology is yet to be presented to the Iranian parliament.

President Rouhani has changed eight of his ministers from the former cabinet.

Some of the ministers who have retained their portfolios in the list are Mohammad Javad Zarif as foreign minister, Bijan Namdar-Zangeneh as minister of petroleum, Mahmoud Alavi as intelligence minister, Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi as minister of health, and Abdul-Reza Rahmani Fazli as interior minister.

Some of the new picks include Brigadier General Amir Hatami to head the Defense Ministry and Seyyed Alireza Avaie to head the Ministry of Justice.

It was not clear when the nominee for the Ministry of Science would be named.

Separately on Tuesday, the Iranian chief executive appointed Es'haq Jahangiri as the first vice president of his new administration. Jahangiri held that same position under Rouhani's first term.

In May, Rouhani won re-election in a landslide after securing 57 percent of the votes.

On August 3, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei formally endorsed Rouhani as president for the second term. Two days later, Rouhani took the oath of office at the parliament.

Since the swearing-in ceremony, he had two weeks' time to present his cabinet to the legislative body for a vote of confidence.

The parliament will begin holding debates on the nominees next Tuesday, with the Iranian president being allowed to defend his cabinet picks.

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Iranian President Presents Cabinet For Second Term

RFE/RL August 08, 2017

Iranian President Hassan Rohani has presented the list of cabinet members for his second term in office with almost no changes in high-profile positions -- and no women.

According to the list Rohani submitted to parliament on August 8, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh, and Intelligence Minister Mahmud Alavi are to retain their posts.

Acting Defense Minister Amir Hatami is expected to officially take over that portfolio. Hatami, who is a general, would become the first defense chief selected from the national army in nearly three decades.

Since 1989, Iranian defense ministers were either civilians or more recently, members of the influential Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The rest of the names on Rohani's list are either incumbents or their deputies and officials.

All 18 cabinet members must be approved by parliament over the coming week. A nominee for science minister has not been announced.

Lawmakers are not expected to challenge Rohani's choices for the ministries of foreign affairs, defense, and intelligence, as presidents select them with Khamenei's approval.

Under the Iranian political system, the supreme leader is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, appoints the head of the judiciary, and dictates major policies of the country.

Rohani's reformist allies have criticized him for again failing to appoint any women to the cabinet, an omission seen as a capitulation to religious leaders.

During his first term, there were three women among his large contingent of vice presidents, who do not require parliamentary approval.

The 68-year-old Rohani was sworn into office on August 5, after being reelected with 57 percent of the vote in May after promising to pursue a "path of coexistence and interaction with the world."

His administration signed the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that led to the lifting of most sanctions against Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear program.

Rohani won reelection with the support of reformists and women, who have felt ignored in the selection process for the new government.

The sole female minister since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution came under Mahmud Ahmadinejad, Rohani's hard-line conservative predecessor whose health minister, Marzieh Dastjerdi, served between 2009 and 2013.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-rohani-submits- cabinet-list-second-term/28665557.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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US officials warn Trump on Iran deal withdrawal

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Aug 9, IRNA -- Forty-eight US former and incumbent officials in a statement warned US President Donald Trump over political and security consequences of withdrawing from Iran nuclear deal also known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the National Interest Website reported.

'Reports indicate that President Donald Trump may refuse to certify Iran's compliance with the JCPOA in October, which could lead to restoring sanctions against Iran that were suspended in 2015 in accordance with the agreement. Doing so would bring the United Statesrather than Iraninto noncompliance with the agreement,' the statement reads.

'Continue to certify Iran's compliance with the JCPOA as long as the IAEA, the United States and other nations determine that Iran is meeting its commitments,' The American signatories offered.

The signatories also proposed a new consultative body comprising Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia, Turkey, the United States, China and the European Union to begin regular exchanges on the major disputes in the area.

'Begin discussions with other JCPOA Joint Commission members on options for a follow-on agreement that would, after the expiration of JCPOA, add further guarantees to assure that Iran will not have the capacity to build a nuclear weapon far into the future,' US officials suggested.

The statement was inked by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and Ambassador to Greece Nicholas Burns (ret.), Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan James Dobbins,(ret.) Assistant Secretary of State for Politico-Military Affairs and Director of Policy Planning and Arms Control at the Department of Defense Leslie Gelb, U.S. House of Representatives and Chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee Lee H. Hamilton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iran John Limbert (ret.) and some other officials.

US Senators on July 27 voted 98-2 on a bill, which would give Congress the ability to block American President Donald Trump from lifting the Russia sanctions. It also includes new penalties against Iran and North Korea.

Sens. Rand Paul and Bernie Sanders voted against the bill, with Sanders saying on Twitter that 'following Trump's comments that he won't recertify Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement I worry new sanctions could endanger it.'

Meanwhile on July 26, Iran Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said the US Congress, by imposing the non-nuclear sanctions, has turned a blind eye on the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and put at risk the successful implementation of the multilateral, international agreement.

He referred to the 'longstanding hostility' of the US Congress toward Iran, and said, 'Iran has acted in compliance with the deal, as acknowledged by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and G5+1.

'So we expect other parties of the deal to fulfill their commitments,' the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

Iran has reviewed the bill and found its content against the spirit and letter of the JCPOA, Qasemi said.

Earlier, Former White House staff member Ben Rhodes in a message said that President Donald Trump administration has no way to escape acknowledging Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal.

"They can't escape the fact that Iran is complying with the deal; they did the same thing last time," Rhodes said in his twitter message on July 17 referring to the Iran deal, also known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

9376**1771

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Recovery in Iraq's war-battered Mosul is a 'tale of two cities,' UN country coordinator says

8 August 2017  Even as schools and markets begin to re-open in war-torn eastern Mosul, whole neighbourhoods of the western part of the Iraqi city have been destroyed and nearly a quarter of a million people have nowhere to return "anytime soon," a senior United Nations relief official said today.

Speaking to the press in Geneva, Lise Grande, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, said the contrast between the east and the west of the city could not be clearer. Indeed: "Everyone's gone home to eastern Mosul except for 20,000 people."

"Mosul's really a tale of two cities. Eastern Mosul is a city that's recovering, people are home, schools are open, businesses are open, markets are open. Conditions aren't great but it's a city on the mend," she said.

Yet, the situation is very different in western Mosul, explained Ms. Grande, who is also the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). "In the 15 completely destroyed neighbourhoods, there are 230,000 civilians who come from those districts who are not coming home anytime soon."

Overall, she said that Mosul, which had been the site of the single largest urban battle since World War II, had also witnessed the largest managed evacuation in modern history, with nearly one million civilians assisted out of the city. "Very exceptionally, humanitarian agencies were not near the front line, they were on the front line," she stated.

In all, some 3.3 million people across Iraq remain outside their homes, including those recently displaced from Mosul. In the wake of the Iraqi campaign to oust the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) from Mosul, she said that there are three more military operations that are expected: in Tal Afar; in Hawija; and in the Euphrates Valley, western Anbar Province.

We think that by the end of those military operations several hundred thousand more civilians are likely to be displaced. [As such[ when the military campaign in Iraq is over, we are possibly looking at 3.5 million civilians who will need to go home."

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Related Palestinian President Abbas pledges to ramp up sanctions against Gaza

Palestinian security forces have arrested five journalists from local media outlets, including one affiliated with Hamas, a journalists' union and official media said on Wednesday.

Security forces arrested the five journalists from different Palestinian media in the West Bank in recent days, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said.

Official Palestinian news agency Wafa cited an unnamed security source confirming four journalists had been arrested, saying they were accused of "leaking sensitive information to enemy groups."

It said the issue was "under investigation."

The Palestinian Authority run by president Mahmoud Abbas is based in the West Bank, while Islamist movement Hamas controls Gaza.

The two factions have been unable to reconcile in a decade and are often at loggerheads.

Abbas has been seeking to increase pressure on Hamas in recent weeks, including by cutting public sector salaries and payments for electricity in the Gaza Strip.

The syndicate condemned the arrests, calling for media to be spared the fallout from the split between the Palestinian factions.

In 2016, Freedom House classified the media environment in the West Bank and Gaza as "not free," ranking it below Iraq and Zimbabwe and level with Russia.

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Iraq, Saudi Arabia Reopen Land Border and Prepare to Resume Air Links

By Edward Yeranian August 08, 2017

Saudi Arabia and Iraq say they are in the process of improving relations after the first busloads of Iraqi pilgrims entered the Saudi kingdom through a border crossing at Arar, which had been closed for 27 years. The nations also say that they are resuming air transportation, but have not set a date for the first flights.

Saudi and Iraqi officials embraced each other to celebrate the reopening of their Arar border crossing. A convoy of tour buses carrying more than 1,000 Iraqi pilgrims bound for Mecca entered Saudi territory, amid festivities to welcome them.

Saudi Prince Faisal bin Khalid, governor of the northern region where the border crossing is located, welcomed the pilgrims with copies of the Koran, according to Arab media.

Hilal Khashan, who teaches political science at the American University of Beirut, says he thinks a recent visit to Saudi Arabia by Iraq's Muqtada al-Sadr was part of an indirect attempt to mend relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. In Jeddah, the Shi'ite cleric met with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

Khasan also noted an overture by Iraqi Shi'ite leader Ammar Hakim to open his party to Sunnis. But, he says, if Saudi Arabia hopes to marginalize Iran with the move, it may be disappointed.

"I believe that the Iranians would stand to benefit from this (move), even though some people would argue that this would likely weaken Iran's role in Iraq. I don't really see it," said Khasan. "I think that Saudi Arabia is reluctant to engage Iran directly, so therefore it engages it through Iraqi Shi'ites."

The governor of Iraq's predominantly Sunni Anbar Province, Souheib al-Rawi, tells Arab media the two countries are "cooperating at the highest levels." He says the busloads of Iraqi pilgrims heading to the annual hajj in Mecca are the first to enter Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir discussed improving ties during an historic visit to Baghdad earlier this year. The countries had been at odds since President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990 and relations were further frayed last year when Iraqi officials demanded the recall of newly appointed Saudi ambassador to Baghdad Thamer al-Sabhan over comments about the activities of pro-Iranian militias in Iraq.

Saudi military chief of staff General Abdel Rahman al-Bunyan said during a visit to the Iraqi defense ministry several weeks ago that Baghdad and Riyadh will set up a joint technical cooperation center to exchange information.

The governor of Iraq's Muthana Province, which borders Saudi Arabia, welcomed the reopening of border crossings in the hope it will lead to closer economic ties.

The Saudi-owned al-Hayat newspaper reported Tuesday that Riyadh and Baghdad have also agreed to resume air links between the two countries, but that no official date has been set for the start of flights.

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Iraqi Army Refutes Claims About Coalition's Strike on Militia on Syria's Border

Sputnik News

15:04 09.08.2017(updated 16:40 09.08.2017)

The Iraqi Joint Operations Command denies claims of an US-led coalition attack on the Sayed Al-Shuhada Brigade, a branch of the Iraqi People's Mobilization Forcesp, in Anbar province on the Syrian-Iraqi border, according to official statement.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The US-led coalition has not conducted any attack against the Sayed Al-Shuhada Brigade, a government-backed Iraqi Shia militia group, in Anbar province on the Syrian-Iraqi border, the Iraqi Army said in a statement on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the Sayed Al-Shuhada Brigade, a branch of the Iraqi People's Mobilization Forces (PMF, also referred as Hashd al-Shaabi), blamed the US-led coalition for an airstrike that killed and injured large numbers of its fighters on the Iraqi-Syrian border on Monday.

"The Iraqi Joint Operations Command denies claims of an attack on Hashd al-Shaabi fighters in the western part of Anbar province. The events reported by the media occurred beyond the territory of Iraq and had no impact on Hashd al-Shaabi fighters or representatives of any other group that belongs to the Iraqi Armed Forces," the press service of the Iraqi Army wrote on its Facebook page.

On Tuesday, spokesman for the US-led coalition US Army Col. Ryan Dillon said that there had been no coalition strikes in that region at that time.

The PMF is composed of predominantly Shiite militias and reportedly has up to 100,000 members. The PMF was formed by Iraqi Shia cleric Ayatollah Ali Sistani, who called for national mobilization against the Daesh terrorist group (banned in Russia) in 2014.

The US-led coalition of 68 nations has been conducting anti-Daesh airstrikes, and ground-based and rocket-propelled artillery fire in Syria and Iraq since 2014.

 Sputnik

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Israeli military helicopter crashes, pilot killed

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 7:0AM

The Israeli military says an Apache attack helicopter has crashed while attempting to land at a base in southern Israel, killing the pilot and critically wounding the co-pilot.

"A military helicopter crashed at an Israeli Air Force (IAF) base in southern Israel" late Monday, a military spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

An investigation has been launched into the incident, the spokeswoman said.

She further said that all combat helicopters were ordered grounded pending the result of the probe.

Israeli media reported that the helicopter suffered a technical malfunction, adding that it crashed in a training session.

According to Israeli media reports, Israel previously grounded Apache helicopters after a large crack was found in the rotor blade of one. The helicopters began flying again in July.



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Japan's DM on High Alert Amid Reports of N Korea's Miniaturized Nuclear Warhead

Sputnik News

10:04 09.08.2017(updated 11:22 09.08.2017)

Japan needs to be on high alert after taking into account media reports alleging North Korea can now fit miniaturized nuclear warheads in its ballistic missiles, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Wednesday.

TOKYO (Sputnik)  On Tuesday, the Washington Post newspaper reported, citing US intelligence officials' confidential assessment, that Pyongyang had succeeded in developing a miniaturized nuclear warhead that could be placed inside its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

"[North Korea] either already has [miniaturized nuke warheads] or will wield them soon. We are at the [threat] level when it is necessary to show the precision of [our] surveillance and vigilance," Onodera told reporters.

Onodera stressed that the issue requires close cooperation with the United States.

"There is analytical data, [showing] that [North Korea's] intercontinental ballistic missile can reach US territory and that North Korea's technologies for the miniaturization of nukes to equip ballistic missile warheads are developing. There is no doubt that this is a new type of threat [posed by Pyongyang]. By maintaining close contact with the United States, we will put in all efforts to ensure Japan's security," Onodera said, as quoted by the NHK broadcaster.

The so-called North Korean threat is becoming more pressing with each day as the country increases its number of missile tests. In July alone, North Korea conducted two ICBM tests. In addition, Pyongyang has already carried out five nuclear weapons tests, with the latest happening on September 9, 2016.

The looming threat has prompted the international community to enact punitive measures against Pyongyang. Most recently, on Saturday, the UN Security Council (UNSC) unanimously adopted a resolution tightening the sanctions on North Korea.

The sanctions target imports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead and seafood imports from the Asian nation to UN member states, and also prohibit UN members from setting up joint ventures with Pyongyang entities or individuals, or increasing the number of North Korean workers engaged in projects within any member state.

 Sputnik

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With Pyongyang Defiant, Pentagon Weighs Allowing Seoul More Powerful Weapons

Sputnik News

22:02 08.08.2017(updated 23:07 08.08.2017)

As the US searches for the right pressure points to persuade North Korea to end its weapons development programs, the Pentagon is reviewing the ballistic missile regulation regime in place for South Korea, possibly paving the way for Seoul to possess more powerful projectiles.

South Korea is allowed to develop missiles with a 1,102-pound payload and a 497-mile range under current guidelines, which have not been modified since 2012.

US President Donald Trump, who was cool on North Korea while on the campaign trail, has taken an increasingly aggressive stance toward the communist nation since entering office, attempting to pressure Pyongyang into ceasing its missile and nuclear weapons development, to no avail.

The US and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) have exchanged threats and engaged in saber rattling all year, culminating in Pyongyang test-launching what it claimed were two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) last month.

Last week, Trump signed unilateral sanctions against Pyongyang following what many believe was the North's second ICBM launch in late July, a move scoffed at by the DPRK, which said that Washington was "wasting its energy" with such tactics.

Pyongyang also warned South Korea that they were only inviting nuclear conflict on the peninsula by "dancing to the tune of psychopath-like Trump."

Pentagon spokesman US Navy Captain Jeff Davis said on Monday, "There is currently a limit on the warhead size and missiles that South Korea can have and yes, it is a topic under active consideration here."

"I would tell you that we would be favourably inclined to do anything which furthers the defence capabilities of South Korea and we certainly have seen our alliance change and adapt over time before," he added.

South Korea requested a review of the guidelines, according to the Pentagon. Any steps to be taken following the review will be determined by the US State Department and the military.

The UN Security Council leveled sanctions against Pyongyang in a unanimous vote on Saturday, trying to halt DPRK's nuclear activities by cutting its $3 billion annual export revenue by a third.

After the sanctions passed, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the body, "We should not fool ourselves into thinking we have solved the problem. Not even close. The North Korean threat has not left us, it is rapidly growing more dangerous."

She added, "Further action is required. The United States is taking and will continue to take prudent defensive measures to protect ourselves and our allies."

 Sputnik

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Syrian army, allies make new advances against Daesh terrorists

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 11:59AM

Syrian government forces, backed by allied fighters from popular defense groups, have made fresh territorial gains against the Takfiri Daesh militants in the country's southernmost province of Suwayda.

Military sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Syria's official news agency SANA on Tuesday that Syrian troops and their allies had established full control over Tal Asadi, Tal Jarin, Tal al-Rayahin and al-Sabouni districts as well as an area expanding 100 square kilometers.

The sources added that Syrian army units and their allied forces, who launched a major clean-up operation in Suwayda last Friday, are now combing liberated areas for mines and hidden improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in addition to last remnants of Daesh Takfiris.

The developments came only a day after elite units of the army, positioned on the strategic Mount Qasioun that overlooks the capital Damascus, struck Jobar district, located some 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) east of the Old City walls, as well as Ain Terma suburb, located 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) east of Old Damascus.

Syrian army troops also struck militant outposts in Zamalka, located 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) northeast of Old Damascus, Harasta city and Kafr Batna town.

Meanwhile, Syrian Air Force jets bombarded Daesh positions in al-Bawlieh Mountain, Ma'adan subdistrict, al-Khamaiseh, al-Jaber and al-Numaisa districts south of the northern city of Raqqah.

Elsewhere in Salamiyah district of the central province of Hama, Syrian military aircraft pounded Daesh position, inflicting heavy losses on their ranks.

Syria has been fighting different foreign-sponsored militant and terrorist groups since March 2011. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimated last August that more than 400,000 people had been killed until then.

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Syrian Army Liberates About 39 Square Miles From Daesh in Suwayda Province

Sputnik News

19:05 08.08.2017(updated 19:07 08.08.2017)

The Syrian Armed Forces liberated about 38.6 square miles of territory in the southeastern Syrian province of Suwayda from the Daesh terror group (banned in Russia), local media reported Tuesday.

BEIRUT (Sputnik)  The government forces established control over several strategic hills spread across the area in the course of the continued offensive against the Daesh, launched on Friday, the SANA news agency reported.

According to the outlet, the armed forces searched the area and deactivated mines and improvised explosive devices, before continuing to chase the terrorists.

At the beginning of July, Syrian government troops and their allies began the second stage of a large-scale operation, Grand Dawn. During the first phase launched in May, the Syrian armed forces managed to oust terrorists from several oil and gas fields in Homs province and to retake control of a stretch of the Syrian-Iraqi border.

The Syrian civil war has been raging for six years, with government forces fighting against both Syrian opposition groups who strive to overthrow President Bashar Assad, and numerous extremist and terrorist groups such as the Daesh and Jabhat Fatah al Sham (outlawed in Russia).

 Sputnik

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Syria's HNC: Talks to Determine if Assad Retains Power During Transitional Phase

Sputnik News

17:58 08.08.2017

A member of the Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) said Tuesday that President Assad's fate should be decided on in the course of the talks between the parties to the Syrian conflict.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Discussions of whether Syrian President Bashar Assad can remain in power during the transitional period in the country are premature, this will be determined via negotiations, Ahmad Asrawi, a member of the Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), told Sputnik.

"Discussing this condition before negotiations is premature. The resolution of the crisis lies in negotiations, it was not touched upon from the political point of view, this is not an issue of whether we accept this or not, negotiations will determine this," Asrawi said.

Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, numerous opposition groups, including the HNC, have repeatedly called for resignation of Assad in order to reach political settlement of the crisis.

At the same time, in March Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said that the HNC representatives had also pointed out that the potential resignation of the Syrian president was a political directive for the future rather than a precondition for the settlement talks.

The next round of the Geneva talks on Syrian settlement is scheduled for September, following a new high-level meeting on Syria in Astana which is set to take place late August.

 Sputnik

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Taiwan needs to play 'more proactive' role in Asia-Pacific: Tsai

ROC Central News Agency

2017/08/08 16:13:34

Taipei, Aug. 8 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen () said Tuesday Taiwan is committed to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and must play a "more proactive" role there.

In an interconnected world, "Taiwan must play an even more proactive role in the region to help shape its growth," Tsai said in a speech at the opening of the Asia-Pacific Security Dialogue in Taipei.

Part of the commitment, the president said, is in the area of security because maintaining regional order benefits all countries in the region.

Tsai said one security threat in the Asia-Pacific region is North Korea, and Taiwan has helped implement economic sanctions against Pyongyang, and "has stepped up investigations into money laundering and shipments going to North Korea." She did not elaborate.

She promised that Taiwan will continue to work with international partners on the North Korea issue.

In addition to security, countries across Asia have also built strong trade and people-to-people relations, and Taiwan cannot be excluded from the process, which is why her administration launched the New Southbound Policy.

As part of that attempt to be more proactive, she said, Taiwan has been helping train human capital from emerging countries, with 31,000 students from countries covered by the New Southbound Policy currently studying in Taiwan.

Taiwan has also focused on building relations with the United States, Japan and other like-minded countries to promote exchanges in trade, security, global health, and green energy, she said.

But while Tsai seeks a more active role in the region, concerns remain that Taiwan will be shut out from the process, as China's influence grows and Beijing does everything it can to shut down Taiwan's maneuvering room in the international community.

Southeast Asian countries and China, for example, adopted a negotiating framework for a code of conduct in the disputed South China Sea at an ASEAN ministerial in Manila on Monday, a meeting to which Taiwan was not invited.

Taiwan controls Taiping Island, the largest of the Spratly Islands, and claims the other islands in the South China Sea.

Tsai described the South China Sea as another potential flash point in the region, but said Taiwan will continue to use its presence there for humanitarian and research purposes, instead of aggression.

Taiwan will continue to safeguard freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, despite its exclusion from regional dialogue, the president pledged.

On trade, joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade bloc is still one of Taiwan's top priorities, even without the U.S., and Taiwan will also promote trade and investment through bilateral or multilateral arrangements, she said.

On the issue of relations across the Taiwan Strait, the president reiterated Taiwan's commitment to maintaining the cross-strait status quo.

"However, this cannot be achieved by one side alone," she said, adding that it takes efforts from both sides of the strait.

She expressed hope that the two sides can work on a new model for cross-strait interaction, which would benefit both sides and the region.

Noting Taiwan's geographic location, the president said Taiwan plays an important role in peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and is committed to that role based on its belief in democracy, freedom and rule of law.

Growth and prosperity cannot take place in a unstable or insecure region, she said.

The Asia-Pacific Security Dialogue, organized by the Prospect Foundation, brought together scholars and experts from home and abroad to discuss geostrategic shifts, maritime issues, and Taiwan's New Southbound Policy.

The foundation was commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to organize the event.

(By Elaine Hou)

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China urged to adopt more flexible approach to Taiwan relations

ROC Central News Agency

2017/08/08 16:22:35

Taipei, Aug. 8 (CNA) Beijing should listen more carefully to what President Tsai Ing-wen () has said in her policy toward China and be more creative and flexible in its relations with Taiwan, a visiting American scholar said Tuesday in Taipei.

Evans Revere, who served as United States principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs in 2005, noted that Taiwan is facing a lot of pressure from Beijing, including a recent cut back in the number of tourists and students from China.

"That's not helpful" to relations across the Taiwan Strait, he told reporters on the sidelines of a security forum in Taipei called the Asia-Pacific Security Dialogue.

Revere said it would be useful for the U.S. to encourage Beijing to adopt a more pragmatic, realistic and low-key approach to dealing with Taiwan.

"Beijing needs to listen carefully to what President Tsai is saying," Revere said. "She really doesn't want to upset the status quo."

President Tsai has sought to reassure Beijing that her administration intends to maintain the status quo, he said, adding that he hoped that Beijing would accept and understand that.

However, Revere said, on a recent trip to Beijing he got the impression that China was still "skeptical" about Tsai and her approach, although he did not detect much hostility toward her administration.

Noting that Beijing is using its economic leverage to put pressure on Taiwan, Revere said he hoped the Chinese government would realize that President Tsai is committed to a stable, transparent and predictable cross-strait relationship, which the U.S. also wants to see.

Revere said he hoped that after 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China later this year, the Chinese leadership would become more self-confident and willing to build stable relations with Taiwan.

Asked about his ideas for advancing cross-strait ties, he said that "getting beyond the ongoing argument about the 1992 consensus would be one way."

President Tsai has come up with creative ideas for the continuation of good, transparent, cooperative relations, Revere said.

"I am hoping that Beijing will think creatively," he said, adding that it would require some flexibility on Beijing's part.

Cross-strait ties have cooled since Tsai took office in May 2016, mainly due to her refusal to heed Beijing's calls to accept the "1992 consensus" as the sole political foundation of cross-strait exchanges.

The "1992 consensus" refers to a tacit understanding reached in 1992 between China and Taiwan, which was then under a Kuomintang government, that there is only one China, with both sides free to interpret what that means.

The Tsai administration has said that it remains committed to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

(By Elaine Hou)

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Most African migrants suffer abuse, torture and rape as they cross lawless Libya in pursuit of a new life in Europe, Oxfam said on Wednesday as it urged Europe to offer safer routes.

The voyage from Libya across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy - often on flimsy boats run by people smugglers - is the main route to Europe for migrants from Africa, with more than 95,000 people having set sail this year, and 180,000 in 2016.

Before they even embark on the perilous sea leg of their voyage, many migrants end up detained in Libya, and face abuse, extortion, and forced labour at the hands of armed groups, criminal gangs and smugglers, aid agencies say.

Migrants who made it to Italy told Oxfam how they were kept in cells full of dead bodies, forced to call their families to demand ransom money, and beaten and starved for months on end.

Three-quarters of the 160-odd arrivals interviewed by the charity saw a fellow migrant tortured or killed, while at least eight in 10 said they suffered 'inhuman or degrading treatment'.

"These are people who are escaping war, persecution and poverty  and yet in Libya they encounter another hell," Roberto Barbieri, head of Oxfam Italy, said in a statement.

Several African migrants who were once detained in Libya have told the Thomson Reuters Foundation of the 'hell' they endured - beaten, raped and watching others die.

All but one of the 31 women migrants who spoke to Oxfam said they had faced sexual violence in Libya. Esther, a 28-year-old from Nigeria, told the charity she had suffered a miscarriage after regular beatings during her five months in detention.

"I lost my poor little child who was in my womb due to the beatings ... and my sister died from the beatings and abuse. I lost a lot of blood without receiving any help," she told Oxfam.

Many women migrants take birth control such as contraceptive injections before leaving home as they fear rape and falling pregnant along the journey, activists say.

Oxfam urged European nations to stop pursuing migration policies that prevent people leaving Libya by sea, which the charity said puts migrants at risk of abuse and exploitation.

"People must come first," said Barbieri of Oxfam. "The EU should provide safe routes for people to come to Europe and have access to a fair and transparent processes for claiming asylum."

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Turkey continuing with construction of wall along Iranian border

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Ankara, Aug 8, IRNA -- Turkish government has reportedly accelerated building a wall along the joint border with Iran.

General Director of the Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKI) Ergun Turan told Anadolu news agency some three months ago that the first phase of construction project of Iran-Turkey border wall will be completed by the end of September.

The Turkish government has claimed that the wall is aimed to help the fight against new terrorist threats against the country.

Ankara has released no data about the probable costs of the project, but the experts predict that the wall construction will cost Turkey between 1.5 and 2 million dollars per kilometer which will account for something between 220 and 300 million dollars overall.

The project will be completed in five phases, Turan said.

He said that 15 bullet-proof glass doors will be installed in the wall which will be built of the most highly-advanced security materials.

Shortly after Turkey's Hurriyet daily announced early in May that Turkish government had plans to build a wall along the border with Iran, an informed source in Iran's Foreign Ministry said that Tehran welcomed the decision.

Noting that Iran has no opposition to the plan, he said that $2 million of textile is smuggled into Iran via the Turkish border which will be prevented in case of building a border wall.

"We even encourage this (building border wall) should happen sooner (rather than later) and flow of contraband to Iran should be curbed."

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Turkey starts constructing wall along Iran border: Report

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 3:36PM

Turkey has started building a wall along its border with Iran in parallel with the Turkish barrier along the Syrian frontier, a Turkish media report says.

Turkey's private Dogan news agency said on Tuesday that the governor of Agri province, Suleyman Elban, had visited the construction process of the security wall.

It added that Ankara is constructing the 2-meter wide, 3-meter high wall with portable blocks.

Turkey claims that the construction work is aimed at improving security by halting the infiltration of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants and illegal smugglers.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in June that his country plans to build walls along its borders with Iraq and Iran, similar to the one being erected along the 911-kilometer frontier with Syria.

His remarks came after a high-level Turkish official told Hurriyet daily on May 8 that Ankara plans to build a wall on its border with Iran to prevent the PKK militants from entering the country from a camp in Iran.

An informed source at the Iranian Foreign Ministry said a day later that Turkey must keep Iran updated on any construction of a wall along the two countries' border.

The source added that Iran welcomes Turkey's plan and does not oppose it; however, Ankara must notify Tehran before any move.

Iran is also fighting a PKK offshoot in its northwestern border region with Turkey. Iranian forces killed five PJAK terrorists in an ambush there last June.

PJAK randomly carries out hit-and-run attacks on Iranian targets, after which they retreat to their lairs in Iraq and Turkey.

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Turkey agrees to German MPs visit of air base: Berlin

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 8, 2017 1:11PM

Turkey has agreed to let German lawmakers visit soldiers serving at an air base in southern Turkey next month after Ankara refused a visit there in July.

A letter from German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel to the head of Germany's parliamentary defense committee showed that administration of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had agreed to a NATO proposal for a visit to the Incirlik base near Konya on September 8.

"The Turkish foreign minister has agreed to this proposal," Gabriel wrote.

Under the plan, NATO's Deputy General-Secretary Rose Gottemoeller would lead the delegation and take up to seven members of the parliamentary committee with her.

Details were still being hammered out about which lawmakers would be included in the visit.

Turkish government had earlier objected particularly strenuously to participation by members of Germany's far-left Left party, whom Ankara accuses of supporting terrorists.

Ankara also refused a visit to Konya planned for mid-July.

Repeated refusals by Ankara to let lawmakers visit German soldiers at the base in Turkey made Berlin relocate those troops to Jordan.

German defense authorities finally ordered the start of withdrawal of soldiers from the base after the two countries failed to settle disputes on how Berlin could access the base.

Germany's armed forces are under parliamentary control and Berlin insists lawmakers must have access to them.

Turkey's refusal to grant access to German lawmakers came after Berlin blocked visits and speeches by senior Turkish officials to members of Turkish diaspora in Germany ahead of an April referendum in Turkey. Turkey is also critical of Germany over the country's alleged support for suspected coup plotters and outlawed Kurdish militants.

The ongoing tension between the two countries heightened after Turkey arrested 10 human rights activists last month, including a German, in a security crackdown.

On Monday, President Erdogan again accused Germany of assisting terrorists by not handing over suspects wanted by Turkish authorities.

Turkey and Germany have been locked in a number of diplomatic disputes, including Turkey's way of handling the aftermaths of a failed coup in July last year, which has sparked massive criticism in Germany.

Turkey-Germany relations laso worsened soon after a chain of diplomatic rows. Berlin has severely criticized Ankara for a widespread crackdown that began in the wake of the coup attempt and has so far affected hundreds of thousands of people.

Turkey, for its part, severely criticized German authorities' decision to prevent a number of Turkish ministers from holding rallies to secure a 'Yes' vote in the April 16 referendum on expanding the powers of Turkish President Erdogan, citing public safety concerns.

Berlin seems to be more willing to repair ties with Ankara in the face of the current row. Turkey is perceived by Germany as an important country, in part because of some three million ethnic Turks in the European country, by far the largest Turkish diaspora community in the world, after a "gust worker" program initiated in the 1960s and 1970s.

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Turkey Starts Building Wall on Iranian Border as Measure of Protection From PKK

Sputnik News

22:21 08.08.2017

The Turkish authorities launched construction of a wall along the country's border with Iran as part of the efforts to protect the territory from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), listed by Ankara as a terrorist organization, local media reported Tuesday.

ANKARA (Sputnik)  The construction began in eastern Agri province, the Hurriyet newspaper reported. The wall is expected to be 10-feet high and 6.5-feet wide.

Earlier in the day, Agri province governor Suleyman Elban visited the construction site.

In May, media reported that Ankara planned to build a 43.5-mile wall on the border with Iran as part of security measures. Currently, Turkey is at the final stage of reinforcing the Syrian border with a 559-mile long wall.

Tensions between Ankara and the Kurdish pro-independence PKK escalated in 2015, after a three-year ceasefire between the two sides collapsed over a series of terror attacks allegedly committed by PKK members, prompting Ankara to launch a military operation in the Kurdish-dominated southeastern regions.

 Sputnik

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Berlin Thanks NATO for Organizing Visit to NATO Base in Turkey's Konya

Sputnik News

20:50 08.08.2017(updated 20:51 08.08.2017)

The German Foreign Ministry expressed gratitude to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for organizing a visit of German lawmakers to a NATO base located in Turkey's Konya province, the ministry's spokesperson told Sputnik on Tuesday.

BERLIN (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, Turkey approved the visit, tentatively scheduled for September 8, after postponing it for a month.

"We have made it clear to both NATO and Turkey that the right to visit [the base] by the Bundestag [lawmakers] is very important for us. We are grateful to NATO for organizing this visit to Konya," the spokesperson said.

In mid-July, Turkey banned the Bundestag Defense Committee from visiting the NATO military base in Konya, where German military personnel are stationed, with German government spokesman Steffen Seibert later explaining that the visit was not canceled, but rather postponed to a later date. Also in July, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg proposed to arrange a German delegation's visit within the framework of the Alliance.

Similarly, in May, Ankara canceled a German delegation's visit to the Incirlik airbase, where German military personnel and jets were stationed, the day before the visit was scheduled to begin. Berlin responded to the move in early July by announcing the withdrawal of its troops from the base.

The relations between Berlin and Ankara soured after German-Turkish reporter from Die Welt newspaper Deniz Yucel was arrested in Istanbul in February over alleged links to terrorist organizations and propaganda. The situation between both nations deteriorated even further after Germany banned Turkish ministers from holding rallies before Turkey's April 16 referendum on German soil.

 Sputnik

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Turkey Approves German Delegation's Visit to NATO Base in Konya

Sputnik News

13:14 08.08.2017(updated 13:59 08.08.2017)

Ankara has approved the visit of German lawmakers to a NATO base located in Turkey's Konya province, media reported Tuesday; the approval was issued a month after the trip had been postponed.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The visit to the Konya base has been tentatively scheduled for September 8, the German ARD broadcaster reported.

In mid-July, Turkey banned the Bundestag Defense Committee from conducting a visit to the NATO military base in Konya, where German military personnel are stationed. German government spokesman Steffen Seibert later explained that the visit was not canceled, but rather postponed to a later date. Also in July, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg unveiled a proposal to arrange a German delegation's visit within the alliance's framework.

The German broadcaster noted that the visit would not be headed by the Bundestag, but rather by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller will accompany the delegation to the base, where a meeting with German soldiers will be conducted.

In May, Ankara canceled a German delegation's visit to the Incirlik airbase, where German military personnel and jets were stationed, the day before the visit was scheduled to begin. In early June, Berlin responded to Ankara's move by announcing the withdrawal its troops from the base, which started in July.

The relations between Berlin and Ankara became tense after German-Turkish reporter of Die Welt newspaper Deniz Yucel was arrested in Istanbul in February over alleged links to terrorist organizations and propaganda. The situation between both nations worsened after Germany banned Ankara's from holding pre-referendum rallies on German soil.

 Sputnik

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Trump: US Nuclear Arsenal 'More Powerful than Ever Before'

By Steve Herman August 09, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump, in the midst of an exchange of bellicose threats with North Korea, declared Wednesday that the United States' nuclear arsenal "is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before."

In an early morning Twitter comment, Trump said that his first order as president when he took office in January "was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal."He said that "hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!"

Trump's latest assessment of the country's potent military strength came a half day after he issued a stark warning to North Korea, saying if Pyongyang continues its threats against the United States, "they will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, in a statement Wednesday, said that North Korea "must choose to stop isolating itself and stand down its pursuit of nuclear weapons." He said the Pyongyang government "should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people."

Trump's top diplomat, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, however, sought to downplay the threats Pyongyang and Trump have leveled at each other in the aftermath of new U.N.sanctions imposed on North Korea last weekend. Those sanctions are aimed at cutting $1 billion of its export income and attempting to force North Korea to halt its nuclear weapons development.

On a refueling layover in Guam en route back to Washington from a Southeast Asian trip, Tillerson said, "I think Americans should sleep well at night and have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days.

"I think the president, again, as commander in chief, I think, he felt it necessary to issue a very strong statement directly to North Korea, but I think what the president was just reaffirming is, that the United States has capability to fully defend itself in any attack and defend our allies. And we will do so. And so, the American people should sleep well at night."

Tillerson said Trump's rhetoric was intended for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in words he "would understand because he does not seem to understand diplomatic language."

North Korea, in a statement early Wednesday, said its armed forces were "carefully examining" a plan for missile strikes on Guam. American military bases on the U.S. Pacific island territory are believed to hold the largest U.S. arsenal of nuclear weapons outside the continental United States.

But Tillerson said he never considered rerouting his jet's refueling stop."I do not believe that there is any imminent threat, in my own view," Tillerson said.

Guam Governor Eddie Calvo said there was no threat to the island, but also said in a televised speech it was "prepared for any eventuality." Calvo said "Guam is American soil...not just a military installation," and was assured by the White House that an attack on Guam would be considered an attack on the United States.

Tillerson said he hopes the U.N. sanctions and the world community, including China and Russia, "can begin to persuade (North Korea) that they need to reconsider the current pathway they're on and think about engaging in a dialogue about a different future."

U.S. media outlets reported Tuesday that the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency has concluded that North Korea recently succeeded in building a miniaturized nuclear warhead, small enough to fit in the intercontinental ballistic missiles Pyongyang recently has test-fired.

The North has threatened nuclear war with the United States in the past in response to United Nations sanctions over its nuclear tests.On Saturday, the U.N. Security Council voted 15-0 on new sanctions seen as an effort to cut $1 billion from Pyongyang's annual $3 billion in export income.

Pyongyang has described the U.N. sanctions resolution as a "flagrant infringement" of its sovereignty.

Media reports on Tuesday that referenced the DIA report said U.S. analysts have concluded that Pyongyang has now amassed 60 nuclear weapons, although some experts think the number is smaller, perhaps only half as many.

VOA's Steve Herman, Margaret Besheer contributed to this report

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Smugglers forced more than 120 Somali and Ethiopian migrants into rough seas off Yemen on Wednesday, leaving 29 dead and 22 missing, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

The IOM said it had found the shallow graves of 29 migrants on a beach in the southern province of Shabwa.

"The smugglers deliberately pushed the migrants into the waters since they feared that they would be arrested by the authorities once they reach the shore," an IOM emergency officer in Aden told AFP.

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Woodberry Elementary School students Jeremiah and Jordan Irvin didnt seem to mind the fact that Wednesday marked the official end of summer and the beginning of a new school year.
Republicans have knocked off one of three Democratic congresswomen in Virginia who faced tough reelection bids in a midterm election season where the GOP sought to regain control of the House of Representatives. Republican challenger Jen Kiggans, a state senator, defeated Democratic incumbent Elaine Luria Tuesday in a district centered in Virginia Beach that was tweaked in redistricting to make it more favorable to the GOP. But Abigail Spanberger won reelection over Republican Yesli Vega in a 7th District seat that the GOP had made one of its top national targets. And another Democratic incumbent, Jennifer Wexton, fended off Republican Hung Cao in Virginias 10th District, which is centered in the outer suburbs of the nations capital.
CALLANDS  First-generation farmer Robert Mills began his life as a man of the land in eighth grade agricultural class  two weeks in, he knew just what he wanted to do with his life.

He was recently awarded the 2017 Virginia Farmer of the Year for his work on his Callands farm, Briar View Farm.

To be farmer of the year is just such a humbling experience for us, Mills said with tears in his eyes.

Were being honored for something were passionate about, something we love, and something weve been able to do, he added. It doesnt seem real.

Mills runs Briar View Farm alongside his two sons, Logan Mills, 16, and Holden Mills, 11. He grows four different types of tobacco, both organic and traditionally farmed, raises an Angus-cross beef herd and breeding cattle, as well as pullet chickens for Perdue Farms on the 2,244 acre farm that he now owns.

As the Virginia winner, Mills will receive a $2,500 cash award, a $500 certificate from Southern States Cooperative, a Columbia vest from Iveys Outdoor and Farm Supply, and an all-expense paid trip to the Sunbelt Expo, courtesy of the Swisher International.

Mills was nominated by Virginia Cooperative Extension Office Agent Stephen Barts.

Judges came from the Swisher Sweets Sunbelt Expo to see Briar View Farm and interview Mills on Wednesday morning. He is in the running for Southeastern Farmer of the Year alongside nine other farmers. The prizes include a $15,000 cash prize and the use of a Massey Ferguson tractor for a year.

Despite living on a one-acre lot in a Mount Hermon subdivision as a teen, Mills did everything he could to make his dream of working the land come true.

There was a whole host of reasons why we shouldnt do it, Mills said, remembering his childhood. But I had a passion and a light inside of me that thats what I was gonna do. I was not gonna take no for an answer.

He started his work with vegetable farming and went on to raise show hogs in the backyard of his parents home.

It started there, on a small utility tractor, Mills remembered.

After earning an associate degree in agricultural technology from Virginia Tech University, he bought his first farm in 1998, and moved to farming full time in 2001.

Its grown into more than a 2,000-acre operation now, 30 years later, he said. Its a great feeling to see the dream of a 13-year-old kid come to fruition.

Mills formerly worked as a conservation specialist for the Pittsylvania Soil & Water Conservation District, which led him to implement water conservation practices on his own farm.

Nearly 96-percent of the farm is fenced, with grasses and trees planted along streams on the land, in order to keep cattle away from the waterways.

His oldest son, Logan Mills, is already preparing to become a large part of the farm, and has followed in his fathers steps in Future Farmers of America and on the farm.

Ive been very fortunate that both of my sons love being on the farm, Mills said. Unlike a lot of farmers, Ive encouraged my kids to be part of the farm. A lot of farmers dont, just because of the adversity we face. Its not a glorious job. Theres not a lot of income here, but its a great lifestyle.

Logan Mills, a junior at Chatham High School, has been in FFA since sixth grade. He ranked as the national champion tractor runner at the regional FFA competition in September 2016. He also took out a loan to buy 30 cows of his own, that will be folded into Briar View Farm once it becomes an LLC.

Logan plans to attend Virginia Tech, and then to return to work on the farm, where he will become an owner alongside his father.

The youngest son, Holden Mills, wants to be an on-the-road John Deere mechanic, something his father supports.

Logan will take charge of the farm in October while his parents attend the Sunbelt Expo farm show in Moultrie, Georgia.

Virginia has had two overall winners, Nelson Gardner of Bridgewater in 1990 and Charles Parkerson of Suffolk in 2003.

Senior Judge Thomas Porter Jr., a full-time farmer in Concord, North Carolina, was the overall Swisher Sweets winner in 2011.

Were looking at what contributions [farm owners] have made, community involvement, just an all-around family farm and the success theyve had, Porter said. Swisher Sweets is all about recognizing the American farmer for the contributions they make to the country and to the world.

Mills is active in Pittsylvania County Farm Bureau, Callands Young Farmers, Pittsylvania County Cattlemens Association, Pittsylvania County Soil & Water Conservation District, USDA-Farm Service Agency county committee and Olde Dominion Agricultural Foundation. He also is a board member for the Tobacco Commission, an advisory board member for the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, a member of the Farm Credit nominating committee, and a member of the Virginia Tobacco Growers Association.

I want my grandkids to look back and say that their grandfather wasnt a quitter, that he didnt take no for an answer, Mills said when asked what he wanted his legacy to be. I want them to say he was a good man, he was a godly man, and he loved his kids.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Balmoral Resources Ltd. (TSX:BAR) ("Balmoral" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with PI Financial Corp. as lead agent on behalf of a syndicate of agents (collectively the Agents), pursuant to which the Agents have agreed to offer 4,225,000 national flow-through common shares of the Company (the National FT Shares) at a price of C$0.71 per National FT Share for aggregate gross proceeds of C$2,999,750 (the Offering). In addition, the Company will grant the Agents an option (the Over-allotment Option) to place up to an additional 633,750 National Flow-Through Shares (the Over-Allotment Shares and together with the Flow-Through Shares, the Offered Securities), exercisable in whole or in part, at any time prior to the Closing Date (as defined below).



The gross proceeds from the Offering will be used by the Company to continue exploration of its Detour Gold Trend Project and for the exploration of other gold properties held by the Company in Canada, such exploration work to constitute Canadian exploration expenses (as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada)) with the expenses to be renounced for the 2017 taxation year.

Closing of the Offering is anticipated to occur on or before August 29, 2017 (the Closing Date). Closing of the Offering is subject to certain conditions including the receipt of regulatory approvals, such as the acceptance of the Offering by the Toronto Stock Exchange. The Offered Securities will be subject to a four month hold period under applicable securities laws in Canada.

In consideration of the Agents services, the Company has agreed to pay the Agents a cash commission of 5.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering. The Offering is being made on a best efforts private placement basis to be offered for sale in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario and such other Canadian jurisdictions as the Company and the Agent may agree.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to the account or benefit of a U.S. person absent an exemption from the registration requirements of such Act.

About Balmoral Resources Ltd.  www.balmoralresources.com

Balmoral is a well-funded, Canadian-based company actively delineating and expanding a series of gold deposits on its Martiniere Property located within the prolific Abitibi greenstone belts in Quebec, Canada. The Martiniere Property is just one of several large, highly prospective properties comprising the Companys wholly owned, 1,000 km2 Detour Gold Trend Project. Employing a drill focused exploration strategy in one of the worlds preeminent mining jurisdictions, Balmoral is following an established formula with a goal of maximizing shareholder value through discovery and definition of high-grade, Canadian gold and base metal assets.

On behalf of the board of directors of

BALMORAL RESOURCES LTD.

Darin Wagner

President and CEO

For further information contact: John Foulkes, Vice-President, Corporate Development

Tel: (604) 638-5815 / Toll Free: (877) 838-3664

E-mail: jfoulkes@balmoralresources.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, forward looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including statements regarding the anticipated closing date and approval of the Offering by the Toronto Stock Exchange, the existing funding of the Company being sufficient to fund, the anticipated content, commencement, duration and cost of exploration programs, anticipated exploration program results, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves, the timing of the receipt of assay results, and business and financing plans and trends, the potentially open nature of the mineralized zones on the property and the potential for future discoveries of additional mineralization on the property are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions or are those which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, 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. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from the Companys expectations include those related to weather, equipment and staff availability; related to the existing funding of the Company being sufficient, performance of third parties; risks related to the exploration stage of the Companys projects; market fluctuations in prices for securities of exploration stage companies and in commodity prices; and uncertainties about the availability of additional financing; risks related to the Companys ability to identify one or more economic deposits on the properties, and variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located on the properties; risks related to the Companys ability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities on the properties; and risks related to the Companys ability to produce minerals from the properties successfully or profitably. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. All of the Companys public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the latest technical reports filed with respect to the Companys mineral properties.

This press release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States.

Neither the TSX Exchange nor its Regulatory Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
A U.S. aircraft carrier will visit Vietnam next year, the Pentagon said in a statement on Tuesday, in a sign of improving relations between the two countries.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Vietnamese Minister of National Defense Ngo Xuan Lich agreed to the carrier's visit in a meeting at the Pentagon on Tuesday, the statement said.

It is believed to be the first visit by a U.S. aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War ended in 1975.

President Donald Trump discussed the possibility of a U.S. carrier visit with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc when the two leaders met in May at the White House, Vietnam's government said at the time.

Relations between the United States and Vietnam have improved amid shared concerns about China's expansive claims in the South China Sea.

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 8, 2017 /CNW/ -- Tahoe Resources Inc. ("Tahoe" or the "Company") (TSX: THO, NYSE: TAHO) today announced solid financial and operating results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2017. Due to the temporary suspension of the Escobal mining license, the Company has ceased dividend payments, and has suspended company-wide multi-year guidance. The Company's balance sheet remains strong, with cash and cash equivalents of $190.6 million at June 30, 2017.

Key Financial and Operating Results

$ millions unless otherwise indicated

Q2 2017

Q2 2016

Q2 YTD 2017

Q2 YTD 2016 Revenue

$ 209.6

$ 228.3

$ 460.6

$ 360.4 Earnings and total comprehensive income

$ 33.5

$ 16.7

$ 108.2

$ 54.6 Earnings per share

$ 0.11

$ 0.05

$ 0.35

$ 0.20 Adjusted earnings (1)

$ 33.8

$ 57.9

$ 108.9

$ 93.4 Cash provided by operating activities

$ 115.5

$ 53.9

$ 212.7

$ 96.3 Cash provided by operating activities before changes in working capital

$ 99.4

$ 116.0

$ 232.3

$ 185.3











Silver production (moz)

4.1

5.7

9.8

11.4 Gold production (koz)

112

110

231

167 Total cash cost per silver oz produced ($/oz)(1)(2)

$ 6.73

$ 6.07

$ 6.15

$ 5.29 AISC per silver oz produced ($/oz)(1)(2)

$ 10.01

$ 8.16

$ 8.91

$ 7.06 Total cash cost per gold oz produced ($/oz)(1)(2)

$ 601

$ 647

$ 587

$ 645 AISC per gold oz produced ($/oz)(1)(2)

$ 925

$ 973

$ 892

$ 930 Sustaining capital (incl. capitalized drilling)

$ 32.3

$ 31.5

$ 65.3

$ 40.8 Project capital

$ 31.3

$ 33.5

$ 46.8

$ 34.6 Exploration expense

$ 5.9

$ 2.3

$ 10.1

$ 2.7 Corporate G&A(3)

$ 11.4

$ 22.6

$ 23.1

$ 30.5 Weighted average shares outstanding (basic, in millions)

312.79

305.98

312.43

267.33





(1) See "Cautionary Note on Non-GAAP Financial Measures" at the end of this press release. (2) Total cash costs and AISC are presented net of by-product credits. (3) Corporate G&A includes non-cash, stock-based compensation.

Ron Clayton, President and CEO of Tahoe, commented: "While the turn of events in Guatemala over the last several weeks is disappointing, our team is working very hard to resolve both the Escobal license suspension and on-going road block in Casillas. I am very pleased with our overall Q2 performance, with all of our operations turning in good results. Silver production was 4.1 million ounces for the quarter and when combined with Q1 results, puts us at almost 10 million ounces year-to-date. Per ounce metrics remained strong at Escobal, even with the mill curtailing production during a portion of June due to the road blockages. We also continue to be pleased with the results from all of our gold mines, with each operation's production and costs coming in at, or better than, expected levels."

Summary of Q2 2017:

Another solid quarter at Escobal  Tahoe reported total silver production in Q2 2017 of 4.1 million ounces driven by robust results at Escobal despite a curtailment of production in June due to the Casillas road blockages. Total cash costs and all-in sustaining costs ("AISC") were $6.73 and $10.01 per ounce of silver produced, net of byproduct credits, respectively.

Robust results from all three gold operations  Q2 2017 gold production totaled 112.4 thousand ounces, including 21 thousand ounces from Shahuindo. Production and costs in Q2 2017 reflected strong results at all of the Company's mines, with total cash costs and AISC averaging $601 and $925 per ounce in Q2 2017.

Earnings per share and cash flow driven by strong revenue and low costs  Earnings and adjusted earnings in Q2 2017 were $33.5 million and $33.8 million, respectively, and were both $0.11 on a per share basis. Q2 2017 cash flow provided by operating activities was $115.5 million, up from the previous quarter.

Bell Creek Shaft and Shahuindo Expansion plans remain on track  Capital expenditures in Q2 2017 totaled $63.4 million, of which $26.2 million was related to on-going growth projects. The Company continues to focus on the expansion at Shahuindo and the Bell Creek shaft project. Exploration expenditures in Q2 2017 totaled $5.9 million and remain focused on those targets which can have near term impact on Mineral Reserves or Resources.

Update on Escobal Mining License  On July 5, 2017, the Company learned that the Supreme Court of Guatemala issued a provisional decision in respect of an action brought by the anti-mining organization, CALAS, against Guatemala's Ministry of Energy and Mines ("MEM"). The action alleges that MEM violated the Xinca Indigenous people's right of consultation in advance of granting the Escobal mining license to Tahoe's Guatemalan subsidiary, Minera San Rafael. The provisional decision follows a request by CALAS to temporarily suspend the license to operate the Escobal mine until the action is fully heard. The provisional decision suspends the Escobal mining license of Minera San Rafael while the action is being reviewed by the court. The Company was not a party to the action commenced by CALAS but this decision confers legal standing on the Company which continues take all legal steps possible to have the ruling reversed and the license reinstated.

The Company immediately appealed the decision to the Constitutional Court. Based on its prior experience with Guatemalan court proceedings and evaluation of similar cases before the courts, the Company estimates the Constitutional Court could rule on the appeal within the next three months. We are seeking to have the license reinstated during this period. The Company also filed a motion for reconsideration with the Supreme Court, which the Court denied on July 28, 2017. Final resolution of the definitive constitutional claim and appeal process could take between 12 and 18 months.

Update on Guatemala Road Block  Beginning on June 7, a group of protesters near the town of Casillas blocked the primary road that connects Guatemala City to the Escobal Mine near San Rafael Las Flores. Protests, which have not dissipated, appear to have initially been related to a variety of issues, including some unfounded claims that mining at Escobal is causing seismic activity approximately 20 kilometers away. Operations were reduced between June 8 and June 19 and were further curtailed on June 19 to conserve fuel. The Company is working with the government, community leaders and others to resolve the situation peacefully and expeditiously. However, the road blockage shows no signs of immediate resolution and we cannot predict at this time when the road will be clear to enable the transport of materials in and out of the mine. Once the roadblock is resolved and the license is reinstated, the Company expects to resume production within a week.

Cessation of dividend  The Company announced the cessation of the dividend, beginning August 8, 2017, due to the ruling of the Guatemalan court to provisionally suspend the Escobal mining license. The dividend cessation is intended to protect the health of the Company's balance sheet and ensure the Company has the financial flexibility during the temporary suspension of Escobal operations. The cessation of the dividend will conserve approximately $65 million cash annually at current dividend reinvestment program ("DRIP") enrollment rates. The Board of Directors will continue to reassess the Company's dividend policy from time to time. The Company has also suspended the active operation of its DRIP effective immediately. The Company may wish to reactivate the DRIP, subject to regulatory approval, at a future date. During the period of suspension of the DRIP, participants may continue to have their existing reinvested common shares held in the DRIP, or they may request a withdrawal by contacting Computershare. Total dividends of $18.7 million were paid to shareholders during the quarter, including $3.2 million in non-cash share-based dividends. A dividend of $6.2 million was declared and paid ($5.4 million cash, $0.8 million shares) in July.

Suspension of 2017 and multi-year guidance  The Company has suspended previously issued 2017 and multi-year company-wide guidance given the uncertainty of timing of various court decisions related to the Escobal license. Gold production and total cash costs are expected to meet targets of 375,000 to 425,000 ounces of gold and total cash costs of $700 to $750(1) at operations in Canada and Peru in 2017. We will issue updated guidance when we have clarity on the status of the Escobal license in Guatemala.

Amended and restated credit facility  On July 18, 2017 the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the "Agreement") with a syndicate of lenders to increase its revolving credit facility from $150 million to $300 million with a $50 million accordion feature, and to extend the term to July 19, 2021. The Agreement includes terms that limit borrowing to a maximum of $75 million during the period of suspension of the mining license at Escobal as a result of the CALAS claim in Guatemala, as further described in the Company's July 5, 2017 press release. In the event the Company's mining license at Escobal remains suspended as of April 1, 2018, an Event of Default shall occur and the Company will consider alternative financing arrangements to meet strategic needs. Other terms and conditions are substantially similar to those in the previous $150 million credit facility, including the discretion to pay dividends under the Company's existing dividend policy. The credit facility is secured by the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries: Escobal Resources Holding Limited, Minera San Rafael, S.A., Tahoe Resources ULC, Lake Shore Gold Corp., Mexican Silver Mines Ltd., La Arena S.A., Shahuindo SAC and Shahuindo Exploraciones. Additionally, the credit facility contains covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to incur additional debt, merge, consolidate, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to any other person.

Class Action Lawsuits - On July 7, 2017, the Company learned that three purported class action lawsuits were filed against Tahoe, and certain of its current and former officers and directors under Section 10(b) and Section 20(a) of the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "US Exchange Act"), and Rule 10b-5, thereunder. The lawsuits allege that the Company made untrue statements of material facts or omitted to state material facts or engaged in acts that operated as a fraud upon the purchases of the Company's stock. The lawsuits were filed following the issuance of a provisional decision by the Guatemalan Supreme Court described above. The lawsuits allege compensatory damages, interest, fees and costs. The Company disputes the allegations raised and will vigorously defend the lawsuits.

La Arena II and Investor Day

Due to the suspension of company-wide multi-year guidance and ongoing review of capital and exploration programs, the La Arena II PEA has been deferred and the investor day originally planned for September 14, 2017 has been canceled.

Mr. Clayton continued, "We are not able to reconfirm previously issued Company-wide 2017 and multi-year guidance at this time; however, we remain confident that our gold operations will meet production and cost targets this year. We expect the gold mines in Canada and Peru will continue to produce strong results through the remainder of the year. Following the court decision in Guatemala regarding the Escobal license, the Board made the prudent decision to cease the dividend. Additionally, we are reviewing the pace of both capital and exploration expenditures, along with corporate G&A, to identify opportunities to conserve cash. We are continuing with the expansion plans at Shahuindo and Bell Creek. We are close to completing the initial circuit of our crushing and agglomeration plant at Shahuindo, scheduled for the second half of this year. We also continue to advance work to expand Shahuindo to 36,000 tonnes per day and Bell Creek mine to 80,000 ounces per year by late 2018."

Addition to Management Team

Alexandra Barrows will join the Company as Vice President, Investor Relations, effective September 5, 2017. She will be responsible for the engagement of the investor community and key stakeholders as well as the development of external communications for the Company. Prior to joining Tahoe, Ms. Barrows was a Senior Vice President at HSBC Securities in New York, focused on Metals & Mining clients across the Americas. She spent 10 years at HSBC in progressively senior roles covering clients within the mining and resources sectors. Mr. Clayton commented, "We are very excited to have Alexandra join our team in the fall. She brings extensive experience in corporate and project finance and capital markets within the mining sector."

(1) The reconciliation which formed the basis for the range in the 2017 gold cash cost target is as follows:

Total cash costs Gold Total cash costs before by-product credits $ 290,000 By-product credits $  Total cash costs net of by-product credits $ 290,000 Gold ounces produced in dore (000's) $ 400 Total cash costs per ounce before by-product credits $ 725 Total cash costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 725





OPERATIONS REVIEW

Escobal



Q2 2017



Q2 2016



Q2 YTD 2017



Q2 YTD 2016 Recovered Metal(1)













Silver Ounces (000's) 4,078



5,717



9,692



11,412 Gold Ounces(000's) 1.9



2.7



4.3



6.0 Lead Tonnes (000's) 2.0



2.7



4.2



5.4 Zinc Tonnes (000's) 2.9



4.0



6.1



8.3 Costs Per Ounce Silver Produced(2)













Total cash costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 6.73



$ 6.07



$ 6.15



$ 5.29 All-in sustaining costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 10.01



$ 8.16



$ 8.91



$ 7.06 Capital Expenditures $ 9,147



$ 7,295



$ 19,062



$ 12,588 Sustaining Capital $ 9,147



$ 6,680



$ 19,062



$ 10,827 Non-Sustaining Capital $ 



$ 615



$ 



$ 1,761





(1) Silver and gold contained in lead and zinc concentrates; lead contained in lead concentrate; zinc contained in zinc concentrate. (2) Non-GAAP financial measures are described in the "Non-GAAP financial measures" section of this press release.

During Q2 2017, the majority of the production was mined from primary and secondary transverse longhole stopes on multiple production sublevels in the Escobal Central Zone. Production continued in the East Zone with approximately 47 thousand tonnes of ore delivered to surface during Q2 2017.

Underground ramp, sublevel and stope development continued to advance in support of the life of mine production schedule, with approximately 2,000 metres of development and 37,000 metres of longhole production drilling completed in Q2 2017. Mine operations were reduced between June 8 and June 19 to conserve fuel and operations were further curtailed on June 19 due to road blockages.

In Q2 2017 concentrate production totaled 4.3 thousand dry metric tonnes ("dmt") of lead concentrate and 5.3 thousand dmt of zinc concentrate containing 3.9 million payable ounces of silver that were shipped to third party smelters. Concentrate production for Q2 YTD 2017 totaled 9.4 thousand dmt of lead concentrate and 11.3 thousand dmt zinc concentrate containing approximately 9.1 million payable ounces of silver. There is approximately 9 thousand tonnes of crushed ore held in the fine ore bin and approximately 60 thousand tonnes in the surface ore stockpile available to expedite the restart of the mill.



Gold Operations

La Arena



Q2 2017



Q2 2016



Q2 YTD 2017



Q2 YTD 2016 Gold Ounces Recovered (000's) 48



51



101



98 Costs Per Ounce Gold Produced(1)













Total cash costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 579



$ 649



$ 544



$ 645 All-in sustaining costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 789



$ 880



$ 733



$ 859 Capital Expenditures $ 6,414



$ 7,899



$ 12,319



$ 13,091 Sustaining Capital $ 6,414



$ 7,899



$ 12,319



$ 13,091 Non-Sustaining Capital $ 



$ 



$ 



$ 





(1) Non-GAAP financial measures are described in the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this press release.

Mining operations continue to be focused in the Phase 4, Phase 5 and Phase 6 areas of the Calaorco pit. Ore is currently being produced from Phase 4 and Phase 5, with Phase 6 under development. Phase 3 of the Calaorco pit was depleted in Q1 2017.

The absorption, desorption and refining process plant performed well with an average of 11.7 hectares under irrigation throughout Q2 2017. The La Arena plant recovered 47.9 thousand and 100.8 thousand ounces of gold during Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively. Gold recovery continues to be approximately 86%.



Shahuindo



Q2 2017



Q2 2016



Q2 YTD 2017



Q2 YTD 2016 Gold Ounces Recovered (000's) 21



17



41



25 Costs Per Ounce Gold Produced(1)













Total cash costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 590



$ 684



$ 587



$ 684 All-in sustaining costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 1,020



$ 997



$ 949



$ 997 Capital Expenditures(2) $ 16,712



$ 14,087



$ 25,031



$ 29,778 Sustaining Capital $ 4,870



$ 1,476



$ 7,523



$ 1,476 Non-Sustaining Capital $ 11,842



$ 12,611



$ 17,508



$ 12,611





(1) Non-GAAP financial measures are described in the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this press release. (2) Commercial production at Shahuindo was declared on May 1, 2016. The figures presented for Q2 YTD 2016 include pre-commercial production. The Company has not calculated costs per ounce for pre-commercial production operations.

Pit development and production

Production from the Shahuindo pit placed 27.6 thousand and 47.9 thousand gold ounces on the leach pads during Q2 2017and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively. Fine-grained siltstone ore continues being blended with coarser-grained sandstone ores in order to optimize leaching permeability. This is expected to continue until the initial crushing and agglomeration circuit is commissioned in Q3 2017.

Absorption, desorption and refining process plant

The Shahuindo plant recovered 21.3 thousand and 40.7 thousand ounces of gold during Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively. Secondary leaching at Pad 1 continues to contribute ounces to gold production. Primary leaching is now focused on Pad 2A which is resulting in fast leach cycles attributable to the optimization of coarse/fine ore blending. The average area under leach was 9.0 hectares during Q2 2017. Overall gold recovery increased to 63% at the end of Q2 2017, in line with the ramp up to an ultimate recovery of 67% for run-of-mine material.

Capital projects

Detailed engineering of the foundation platform for Pad 2B was completed in June 2017 and construction will begin in the third quarter. Pad 2B is scheduled to be placed into production in Q3 2018.

Phase 1 of the south waste rock dump is pending final approval by the local mining authority. The south waste rock dump has sufficient capacity to accommodate waste rock material mined from the Shahuindo pit through the end of 2018.

Construction of the initial 12,000 tpd crushing and agglomeration circuit continued in Q2. The project remains on schedule for commissioning in Q3 2017. The Company anticipates finalizing the purchase order for the additional 24,000 tpd crushing and agglomeration equipment in early Q3 2017 with installation complete and commissioning underway by mid-year 2018. The project is planned to reach the full 36,000 tpd production rate by the end of 2018, providing an expected 80% ultimate gold recovery, in line with the pre-feasibility study. The project remains on schedule and budget.



Timmins Mines



Q2 2017



Q2 2016



Q2 YTD 2017



Q2 YTD 2016(2) Gold Ounces Recovered (000's) 41



39



85



39 Costs Per Ounce Gold Produced(1)













Total cash costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 633



$ 634



$ 639



$ 634 All-in sustaining costs per ounce net of by-product credits $ 1,032



$ 1,087



$ 1,052



$ 1,087 Capital Expenditures $ 31,357



$ 35,754



$ 55,772



$ 35,754 Sustaining Capital $ 11,850



$ 15,493



$ 26,436



15,493 Non-Sustaining Capital $ 19,507



$ 20,261



$ 29,336



20,261





(1) Non-GAAP financial measures are described in the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this press release. (2) Results prior to the acquisition date of April 1, 2016 are excluded.

Bell Creek

Underground ramp and sublevel development at Bell Creek continues to advance in support of the life-of-mine production schedule, with 2,800 metres and 5,300 metres of development completed in Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively. Infill and definition drilling at the Bell Creek mine totaled 14,000 metres and 28,000 metres in Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively.

The Bell Creek mine delivered 82 thousand and 153 thousand tonnes of ore to surface, mined from longitudinal longhole stopes on multiple production sublevels during Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017.

Timmins West

Underground ramp and sublevel development continues to advance in support of the life-of-mine production schedule, with 2,800 metres and 5,600 metres of development completed in Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017. Progress continued to be made on the infrastructure development at 144 Gap which included ramp, raise and lateral development to access the resource. Underground infill and definition drilling completed at the Timmins West mine in Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017 to improve resource/reserve definition totaled 31,000 metres and 68,000 metres, respectively.

The Timmins West mine delivered approximately 0.3 million and 0.5 million tonnes of ore to surface, mined from longitudinal and transverse longhole stopes on multiple production sublevels from the Timmins West, Thunder Creek and 144 Gap deposits during Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively.

Mill processing

Mill operations recovered 41.4 thousand and 85.3 thousand gold ounces in Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017, respectively. Process recovery for Q2 2017 and Q2 YTD 2017 averaged 97%.

Construction of the Phase 5 tailings facility expansion at the Bell Creek Mill continued in Q2 2017 and is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Capital projects

The Bell Creek Shaft Project continued on schedule during Q2 2017. Excavation of the second of three pilot raises was completed and approximately 50% has been enlarged to the final shaft dimension. The third of the three pilot raises is set to commence in Q3 2017. Shaft rehabilitation also progressed well during the quarter and is complete down to the 300m level with new sets, guides and services installed. Surface construction continued in Q2 with the new administration complex approximately 80% completed and the new security complex construction started. Demolition of the historical hoisting plant was completed in Q2 and excavation for the new foundations has commenced. The project remains on schedule and budget.

Conference Call

Tahoe's senior management will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the Q2 2017 results on Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 2017 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT). To join the call please dial 1-800-319-4610 (toll free from Canada and the U.S.) or +1-604-638-5340 (from outside Canada and the U.S.). The webcast will be available on the Company's website at http://www.tahoeresources.com/investor-relations/, as will a recording of the call later in the day.

Complete financial results for Q2 2017 including the Company's management discussion and analysis and other filings will be filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on the Company's website. Hard copies may be requested, free of charge, by calling 775-448-5800 or by emailing investors@tahoeresources.com.

About Tahoe Resources Inc.

Tahoe's strategy is to responsibly operate mines to world standards and to develop high quality precious metals assets in the Americas. Tahoe is a member of the S&P/TSX Composite and TSX Global Mining indices and the Russell 3000 on the NYSE. The Company is listed on the TSX as THO and on the NYSE as TAHO.

Qualified Person Statement

Technical information in this press release has been approved by Charlie Muerhoff, Vice President Technical Services, Tahoe Resources Inc., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

For further information, please contact:

Tahoe Resources Inc.

investors@tahoeresources.com

Tel: 775-448-5800



CAUTIONARY NOTE ON NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

The Company has included certain non-GAAP financial measures throughout this document which include total cash costs, all-in sustaining costs per silver and per gold ounce ("all-in sustaining costs"), adjusted earnings, adjusted earnings per share, and cash provided by operating activities before changes in working capital. These measures are not defined under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and should not be considered in isolation. The Company's Escobal mine primarily produces silver in concentrates with other metals (gold, lead and zinc), produced simultaneously in the mining process, the value of which represents a small percentage of the Company's revenue from Escobal and is therefore considered "by-product". The Company's La Arena, Shahuindo and Timmins mines primarily produce gold with other metals (primarily silver), produced simultaneously in the mining process, the value of which represents a small percentage of the Company's revenue from these mines and is therefore considered "by-product". The Company believes these measures may provide investors and analysts with useful information about the Company's underlying earnings, cash costs of operations, the impact of by-product credits on the Company's cost structure and its ability to generate cash flow, as well as providing a meaningful comparison to other mining companies. Accordingly, these measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be substituted for GAAP measures. These non-GAAP financial measures may be calculated differently by other companies depending on the underlying accounting principles and policies applied.

The Company also reports total operating costs (cost of sales) per ounce. The Company believes that this metric is important in assessing the performance of each of the Company's sold metals and as a meaningful GAAP-based comparison to other mining companies. Total operating costs (cost of sales) per ounce sold is calculated by dividing total the operating costs by gold ounces sold. Total operating costs (cost of sales) includes production costs, depreciation and depletion and royalties. The reconciliation of total operating costs (cost of sales) to total cash costs is included in the total cash cost and total production cost tables below. Comparative periods have been updated to reflect current period presentation. There is no impact to current or prior period disclosed numbers due to the inclusion of this metric.

Consolidated adjusted earnings and consolidated adjusted earnings per share

The Company has adopted the reporting of consolidated adjusted earnings ("adjusted earnings)" and consolidated adjusted earnings per share ("adjusted earnings per share") as a non-GAAP measure of a precious metals mining company's operating performance. This measure has no standardized meaning and the Company's presentation of adjusted measures are not meant to be substituted for GAAP measures of consolidated earnings or consolidated earnings per share and should be read in conjunction with such GAAP measures. Adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per share are calculated as earnings excluding i) non-cash impairment losses and reversals on mineral interests and other assets, ii) unrealized foreign exchange gains or losses related to the revaluation of deferred income tax assets and liabilities on non-monetary items, iii) unrealized foreign exchange gains or losses related to other items, iv) unrealized gains or losses on derivatives, v) loss on extinguishment of the Lake Shore Debentures, vi) gains or losses on sale of assets and vii) costs related to the acquisition of Lake Shore Gold and the related tax impact of these adjustments calculated at the statutory effective rate for the same jurisdiction as the adjustment. Non-recurring adjustments from unusual events or circumstances are reviewed periodically based on materiality and the nature of the event or circumstance.

The Company calculates adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per share on a consolidated basis.



Q2 2017



Q2 2016



Q2 YTD 2017



Q2 YTD

2016(1) Earnings $ 33,487



$ 16,742



$ 108,183



$ 54,550 Unrealized foreign exchange loss (gain) 359



(1,259)



731



(3,446) Acquisition costs(2) 



10,339







11,021 Loss on Debenture 



32,304







32,304 Gain on derivative instruments (currency swap) 



(253)







(1,067) Adjusted earnings $ 33,846



$ 57,873



$ 108,914



$ 93,362















Weighted average common shares outstanding













Basic (000's) 312,787



305,985



312,430



267,333 Diluted (000's) 312,869



306,174



312,510



267,569 Adjusted earnings per share













Basic $ 0.11



$ 0.19



$ 0.35



$ 0.35 Diluted $ 0.11



$ 0.19



$ 0.35



$ 0.35





(1) Results of the Timmins mines prior to the date of acquisition of Lake Shore Gold on April 1, 2016 are excluded. (2) Costs related to the acquisition of Lake Shore Gold on April 1, 2016.

Total cash costs before and net of by-product credits

The Company reports total cash costs on a silver ounce and a gold ounce produced basis for the Escobal mine and the La Arena, Shahuindo and Timmins mines, respectively. The Company follows the recommendation of the cost standard as endorsed by the Silver Institute ("the Institute") for the reporting of total cash costs (silver) and the generally accepted standard of reporting total cash costs (gold) by precious metal mining companies. The Institute is a nonprofit international association with membership from across the silver industry and serves as the industry's voice in increasing public understanding of the many uses and values of silver. This remains the generally accepted standard for reporting cash costs of silver production by silver mining companies. The Company believes that these generally accepted industry measures are realistic indicators of operating performance and are useful in performing year over year comparisons. However, these non-GAAP measures should be considered together with other data prepared in accordance with IFRS, and these measures, taken by themselves, are not necessarily indicative of operating costs or cash flow measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. Total cash costs are divided by the number of silver ounces contained in concentrate or gold ounces recovered from the leach pads to calculate per ounce figures. When deriving the total cash costs associated with an ounce of silver or gold, the Company deducts by-product credits from sales which are incidental to producing silver and gold.

Total cash costs per ounce of produced silver net of by-product credits incorporate all production costs, including adjustments to inventory carrying values, adjusted for changes in estimates in reclamation which are non-cash in nature, and include by-product gold, lead and zinc credits, and treatment and refining charges included within revenue.

In addition to conventional measures, the Company assesses this per ounce measure in a manner that isolates the impacts of silver production volumes, the by-product credits, and operating costs fluctuations such that the non-controllable and controllable variability is independently addressed. The Company uses total cash costs per ounce of produced silver net of by-product credits to monitor its operating performance internally, including operating cash costs, as well as in its assessment of potential development projects and acquisition targets. The Company believes this measure provides investors and analysts with useful information about the Company's underlying cash costs of operations and the impact of by-product credits on the Company's cost structure and is a relevant metric used to understand the Company's operating profitability and ability to generate cash flow. When deriving the production costs associated with an ounce of silver, the Company includes by-product credits as the Company considers that the cost to produce the silver is reduced as a result of the by-product sales incidental to the silver production process, thereby allowing the Company's management and other stakeholders to assess the net costs of silver production.



Total cash costs (silver)

Total cash costs per ounce of produced silver, net of by-product credits



Q2 2017(4)



Q2 2016



Q2 YTD 2017



Q2 YTD

2016(2)(4) Total operating costs (cost of sales)(1) $ 42,369



$ 53,759



$ 95,854



$ 100,264 Depreciation and depletion (14,451)



(15,085)



(29,052)



(28,057) Change in product inventory 6,189



1,755



6,329



(511) Treatment and refining charges 6,934



8,780



16,205



16,165 Total cash costs before by-product credits $ 41,041



$ 49,209



$ 89,336



$ 87,861 By-product credits(3) (13,590)



(14,522)



(29,740)



(27,468) Total cash costs net of by-product credits $ 27,451



$ 34,687



$ 59,596



$ 60,393 Silver ounces sold in concentrate (000's) 4,247



5,184



9,773



9,745 Silver ounces produced in concentrate (000's) 4,078



5,717



9,692



11,412 Total operating costs (cost of sales) per ounce sold $ 9.98



$ 10.37



$ 9.81



$ 10.29 Total cash costs per ounce produced before by-product credits $ 10.06



$ 8.61



$ 9.22



$ 7.70 Total cash costs per ounce produced net of by-product credits $ 6.73



$ 6.07



$ 6.15



$ 5.29





(1) Total operating costs (cost of sales) includes production costs, depreciation and depletion and royalties. (2) Table has been updated to reflect current period presentation with no impact to the cash costs previously presented. (3) Gold, lead and zinc by-product credits are calculated as follows:









Q2 2017

Q2 2016



Quantity

Unit Price

Total Credit

Credit per ounce

Quantity

Unit Price

Total

Credit

Credit per ounce

Gold Ounces 1,619

$1,248

$2,021

$0.50

2,711

$996

$2,699

$0.47

Lead Tonnes 2,026

$2,147

$4,350

$0.95

2,699

$1,584

$4,275

$0.75

Zinc Tonnes 2,767

$2,609

$7,219

$1.48

4,037

$1,870

$7,548

$1.32



Q2 YTD 2017

Q2 YTD 2016



Quantity

Unit Price

Total Credit

Credit per ounce

Quantity

Unit Price

Total

Credit

Credit per ounce

Gold Ounces 3,554

$1,281

$4,555

$0.47

6,009

$931

$5,597

$0.49

Lead Tonnes 4,085

$2,369

$9,679

$1.00

5,436

$1,484

$8,069

$0.71

Zinc Tonnes 5,568

$2,785

$15,508

$1.60

8,261

$1,671

$13,802

$1.21





(4) Numbers in tables may not calculate due to rounding.







Total cash costs (gold)

Total cash costs per ounce of produced gold, net of by-product credits



Q2 2017(5)

La Arena



Shahuindo



Timmins mines



Total Total operating costs (cost of sales)(3) $ 33,772



$ 17,702



$ 41,448



$ 92,922 Depreciation and depletion (4,979)



(3,871)



(14,333)



(23,183) Change in product inventory(1) (1,247)



(805)



(890)



(2,942) Smelting and refining charges 250



97



35



382 Total cash costs before by-product credits 27,796



13,123



26,260



67,179 Silver credit(4) (92)



(539)



(88)



(719) Total cash costs net of by-product credits 27,704



12,584



26,172



66,460 Gold ounces sold (000's) 45.7



20.2



42.7



108.6 Gold ounces produced(2) (000's) 47.9



21.3



41.4



110.6 Total operating costs (cost of sales) per ounce sold $ 739



$ 876



$ 970



$ 856 Total cash costs per ounce produced before by-product credits $ 581



$ 615



$ 635



$ 607 Total cash costs per ounce produced net of by- product credits $ 579



$ 590



$ 633



$ 601





Q2 YTD 2017(5)

La Arena



Shahuindo



Timmins mines



Total Total operating costs (cost of sales)(3) $ 65,347



$ 35,097



$ 85,870



$ 186,314 Depreciation and depletion (10,947)



(9,975)



(29,501)



(50,423) Change in product inventory(1) 127



(252)



(1,794)



(1,919) Smelting and refining charges 567



185



92



844 Total cash costs before by-product credits 55,094



25,055



54,667



134,816 Silver credit(4) (223)



(1,008)



(191)



(1,422) Total cash costs net of by-product credits 54,871



24,047



54,476



133,394 Gold ounces sold (000's) 94.6



35.9



92.1



222.6 Gold ounces produced(2) (000's) 100.8



41.0



85.3



227.1 Total operating costs (cost of sales) per ounce sold $ 691



$ 978



$ 933



$ 837 Total cash costs per ounce produced before by-product credits $ 546



$ 611



$ 641



$ 594 Total cash costs per ounce produced net of by- product credits $ 544



$ 587



$ 639



$ 587





(1) Change in product inventory at Shahuindo for Q1 2017 includes costs related to gold produced in dore, but not sold as at March 31, 2017. Costs associated with the build-up of stockpile during the commissioning phase which remain work in process inventory at March 31, 2017 have been excluded from the inventory movements in the period. (2) Gold ounces produced at La Arena and Shahuindo are gold ounces produced in dore. (3) Total operating costs (cost of sales) includes production costs, depreciation and depletion and royalties. (4) Consolidated silver by-product credits are calculated as follows:









Q2 2017

Q2 YTD 2017



Quantity

Unit Price

Total Credit

Credit per

ounce

Quantity

Unit Price

Total Credit

Credit per

ounce

Silver Ounces (000's) 43

$16.72

$719

$6.50

90

$15.80

$1,422

$6.26





(5) Numbers in table may not calculate due to rounding.







Q2 2016(1)(2)(6)(7)

La Arena



Shahuindo



Timmins

mines



Total Total operating costs (cost of sales)(3) $ 43,166



$ 8,126



$ 33,169



$ 84,461 Depreciation and depletion (7,955)



(1,983)



(11,717)



(21,655) Change in product inventory (2,573)



1,559



3,436



2,422 Smelting and refining charges 285



73



45



403 Total cash costs before by-product credits 32,923



7,775



24,933



65,631 Silver credit(4) 83



(167)



(86)



(170) Total cash costs net of by-product credits 33,006



7,608



24,847



65,461 Gold ounces sold (000's) 45.7



20.2



42.7



108.6 Gold ounces produced(4) (000's) 50.9



11.1



39.2



101.2 Total operating costs (cost of sales) per ounce sold $ 944



$ 402



$ 776



$ 778 Total cash costs per ounce produced before by-product credits $ 647



$ 699



$ 637



$ 649 Total cash costs per ounce produced net of by- product credits $ 649



$ 684



$ 634



$ 647





Q2 YTD 2016(1)(2)(6)(7)

La Arena



Shahuindo



Timmins

mines



Total Total operating costs (cost of sales)(3) $ 74,183



$ 8,126



$ 33,169



$ 115,478 Depreciation and depletion (12,575)



(1,983)



(11,717)



(26,275) Change in product inventory 415



1,559



3,436



5,410 Smelting and refining charges 723



73



45



841 Total cash costs before by-product credits 62,746



7,775



24,933



95,454 Silver credit(4) 102



(167)



(86)



(151) Total cash costs net of by-product credits 62,848



7,608



24,847



95,303 Gold ounces sold (000's) 94.6



35.9



92.1



222.6 Gold ounces produced(4) (000's) 97.5



11.1



39.2



147.8 Total operating costs (cost of sales) per ounce sold $ 784



$ 226



$ 360



$ 519 Total cash costs per ounce produced before by-product credits $ 644



$ 699



$ 637



$ 646 Total cash costs per ounce produced net of by- product credits $ 645



$ 684



$ 634



$ 645





(1) Q2 YTD 2016 comparative figures exclude Q1 2016 data from the Timmins mines. (2) Q2 YTD 2016 comparative figures exclude data from the Shahuindo mine through April 2016 as commercial production was declared May 1, 2016. (3) Total operating costs (cost of sales) includes production costs, depreciation and depletion, royalties and smelting and refining charges. (4) Gold ounces produced at La Arena are gold ounces produced in dore. (5) Silver by-product credits are calculated as follows:









Q2 2016

Q2 YTD 2016



Quantity

Unit Price

Total Credit

Credit per

ounce

Quantity

Unit Price

Total Credit

Credit per

ounce

Silver Ounces $23,026

$7.38

$170

$1.68

$34,040

$4.44

$151

$1.02





(6) Table has been updated to reflect current period presentation with no impact to the cash costs previously presented. (7) Numbers in table may not calculate due to rounding.

All-in sustaining costs

The Company has also adopted the reporting of all-in sustaining costs as a non-GAAP measure of a precious metals mining company's ability to generate cash flow from operations. This measure has no standardized meaning and the Company has utilized an adapted version of the guidance released by the World Gold Council ("WGC"), the market development organization for the gold industry. The WGC is not a regulatory industry organization and does not have the authority to develop accounting standards or disclosure requirements.

All-in sustaining costs include total cash costs incurred at the Company's mining operations, sustaining capital expenditures, corporate administrative expense, exploration and evaluations costs, and reclamation and closure accretion. The Company believes that this measure represents the total costs of producing silver and gold from current operations, and provides the Company and other stakeholders of the Company with additional information of the Company's operational performance and ability to generate cash flows. AISC, as a key performance measure, allows the Company to assess its ability to support capital expenditures and to sustain future production from the generation of operating cash flows. This information provides management with the ability to more actively manage capital programs and to make more prudent capital investment decisions.





All-in sustaining costs (silver)

Total all-in sustaining costs per ounce of produced silver, net of by-product credits



Q2 2017(2)



Q2 2016



Q2 YTD 2017



Q2 YTD

2016(2) Total cash costs net of by-product credits $ 27,451



$ 34,687



$ 59,596



$ 60,393 Sustaining capital(1) 9,147



6,679



19,062



10,827 Exploration 243



193



498



321 Reclamation cost accretion 62



46



123



89 General and administrative expenses 3,894



5,046



7,032



8,932 All-in sustaining costs $ 40,797



$ 46,651



$ 86,311



$ 80,562 Silver ounces produced in concentrate (000's) 4,078



5,717



9,692



11,412 All-in sustaining costs per ounce produced net of by-product credits $ 10.01



$ 8.16



$ 8.91



$ 7.06





(1) Sustaining capital includes underground development and surface sustaining capital expenditures. (2) Numbers in table may not calculate due to rounding.





All-in sustaining costs (gold)

Total all-in sustaining costs per ounce of produced gold, net of by-product credits



Q2 2017(1)

La Arena



Shahuindo



Timmins

mines



Total Total cash costs net of by-product credits $ 27,704



$ 12,584



$ 26,172



$ 66,460 Sustaining capital 6,414



4,870



11,849



23,133 Exploration 481



1,795



2,290



4,566 Reclamation cost accretion 336



220



34



590 General and administrative expenses 2,841



2,302



2,372



7,515 All-in sustaining costs $ 37,776



$ 21,771



$ 42,717



$ 102,264 Gold ounces produced (000's) 47.9



21.3



41.4



110.6 All-in sustaining costs per ounce produced net of by-product credits $ 789



$ 1,020



$ 1,032



$ 925



Q2 YTD 2017(1)

La Arena



Shahuindo



Timmins

mines



Total Total cash costs net of by-product credits $ 54,871



$ 24,047



$ 54,476



$ 133,394 Sustaining capital 12,319



7,523



26,436



46,278 Exploration 555



2,796



4,317



7,668 Reclamation cost accretion 687



430



58



1,175 General and administrative expenses 5,490



4,121



4,403



14,014 All-in sustaining costs $ 73,922



$ 38,917



$ 89,690



$ 202,529 Gold ounces produced (000's) 100.8



41.0



85.3



227.1 All-in sustaining costs per ounce produced net of by-product credits $ 733



$ 949



$ 1,052



$ 892



(1) Numbers in table may not calculate due to rounding.

Q2 2016(1)(2)(3)

La Arena



Shahuindo



Timmins

mines



Total Total cash costs net of by-product credits $ 33,006



$ 7,608



$ 24,847



$ 65,461 Sustaining capital 7,822



1,476



15,493



24,791 Exploration 433



742



681



1,856 Reclamation cost accretion 327



141



4



472 General and administrative expenses 3,185



1,130



1,558



5,873 All-in sustaining costs $ 44,773



$ 11,097



$ 42,583



$ 98,453 Gold ounces produced in dore (000's) 50.9



11.1



39.2



101.2 All-in sustaining costs per ounce produced net of by-product credits $ 880



$ 997



$ 1,087



$ 973





Q2 YTD 2016(1)(2)(3)

La Arena



Shahuindo



Timmins

mines



Total Total cash costs net of by-product credits $ 62,848



$ 7,608



$ 24,847



$ 95,303 Sustaining capital 12,990



1,476



15,493



29,959 Exploration 586



742



681



2,009 Reclamation cost accretion 660



141



4



805 General and administrative expenses 6,664



1,130



1,558



9,352 All-in sustaining costs $ 83,748



$ 11,097



$ 42,583



$ 137,428 Gold ounces produced in dore (000's) 97.5



11.1



39.2



147.8 All-in sustaining costs per ounce produced net of by-product credits $ 859



$ 997



$ 1,087



$ 930





(1) Q2 YTD 2016 comparative figures exclude Q1 2016 data from the Timmins mines. (2) Q2 YTD 2016 comparative figures exclude data from the Shahuindo mine through April 2016 as commercial production was declared May 1, 2016. (3) Numbers in table may not calculate due to rounding.

Cash provided by operating activities before changes in working capital

Cash provided by operating activities before changes in working capital represents the cash flows generated by operating activities after adjusting for interest expense, income tax expense and financing fees as well as items not involving cash but before changes in working capital. Net cash provided by operating activities represents the cash flows generating by operating activities after changes in working capital and income taxes paid. Management believes that these measures provides useful information to investors to evaluate the Company's ability to generate cash flows from its mining operations.

The non-GAAP measures described above do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS. As such, there are likely to be differences in the method of computation when compared to similar measures presented by other reporting issuers.



Q2 2017



Q2 2016



Q2 YTD 2017



Q2 YTD 2016 Cash provided by operating activities before changes in working capital(1) $ 99,446



$ 115,951



$ 232,296



$ 185,270 Net cash provided by operating activities(1) $ 96,068



$ 37,678



$ 174,646



$ 62,971 Basic weighted average common shares outstanding 312,787



305,985



312,430



267,333





(1) Refer to the condensed interim consolidated statements of cash flows in the Company's interim financial statements for a detailed reconciliation from earnings and total comprehensive income to cash provided by operating activities before changes in working capital and net cash provided by operating activities.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the United States Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, or in releases made by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, all as may be amended from time to time, and "forward-looking information" under the provisions of applicable Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", or variations or comparable language of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof.

Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to the following: the provisional decision from the Supreme Court of Guatemala which has the effect of suspending the Company's mining license in respect of the Escobal mine; the time for appeals to be heard and decided and the likelihood of such provisional decision being overturned by the Constitutional Court in Guatemala; the timing and results of court proceedings; the timing and likelihood of peacefully resolving the road blockage of the Escobal mine; the continuation of the expansion plans at Shahuindo and Bell Creek and the ongoing review of all other capital and exploration expenditures; the potential for reactivation of the DRIP in the future; the potential for an event of default under the credit facility if the suspension of the Escobal license is not lifted by April 1, 2018, and the Company's expected course of action if an event of default occurs; production and cost targets for the Company's gold operations of 375 thousand to 425 thousand ounces of gold and total cash costs of $700 to $750; the future price of silver, gold, lead and zinc; the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures and requirements for additional capital; currency exchange rate fluctuations; government regulation of mining operations; environmental risks; unanticipated reclamation expenses; title disputes or claims and limitations on insurance coverage; capital expenditures, corporate general and administration expenses, and exploration expenses; sustaining and project capital expenditures; the expected working capital requirements; the sufficiency of capital resources and the consideration of alternative financing arrangements to meet strategic needs; the expected depreciation and depletion rates; exploration and review of prospective mineral acquisitions; changes in Guatemalan, Peruvian and Canadian mining laws and regulations; changes to the tax and royalty rates in Guatemala, Peru and Canada; the anticipated timing of updated Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates; the timing for completion of the underground dewatering project at Escobal; the timing of completion of the Bell Creek shaft project and the expansion of the Bell Creek mine to 80,000 ounces per year by late 2018; the completion of construction of the Phase 5 tailings facility expansion at the Bell Creek Mill by the end of 2017; the cost and timing of sustaining capital projects; the expectation of meeting production targets; the timing of the receipt of permits at Shahuindo; the steps being taken to optimize leaching permeability at Shahuindo; the timing for construction of Pad 2B at Shahuindo and the commencement of production at Pad 2B in Q3 2018; the timing and cost of the design, procurement, and construction of the crushing and agglomeration circuit at Shahuindo, including 36,000 tpd by the end of 2018 and the expected 80% recovery rate for agglomerated ore, in line with the pre-feasibility study; and the timing, costs, results and impacts of purported class action lawsuits filed against the Company and certain of its officers and directors.

Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analyses and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Management believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: the Company's performance and ability to implement operational improvements at the Escobal, La Arena, Shahuindo and Timmins mines; the Company's ability to carry on exploration and development activities, including land acquisition and construction; the timely receipt of permits and other approvals; the availability and sufficiency of power and water for operations; the successful outcomes of consultations with First Nations; the price of silver, gold and other metals; prices for key mining supplies, including labor costs and consumables, remaining consistent with the Company's current expectations; production meeting expectations and being consistent with estimates; plant, equipment and processes operating as anticipated; there being no material variations in the current tax and regulatory environment; the Company's ability to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner; the exchange rates among the Canadian dollar, Guatemalan quetzal, Peruvian sol and the USD remaining consistent with current levels; the Company's ability to peacefully resolve the protests and road blockages of the Escobal mine; the timing and ability of the Company to have the provisional suspension of the mining license to Minera San Rafael for the Escobal mine overturned, rescinded or modified to enable the Company to resume mining operations at the Escobal mine; the Company's ability to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms; and the Company's ability to continue to comply with the terms of the credit agreements with its lenders. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used.

Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include but are not limited to; the fluctuation of the price of silver and gold; opposition to development and mining operations by one or more groups of indigenous people; actions that impede or prevent the operations of the Company's mines; the inability to develop and operate the Company's mines; social unrest and political or economic instability and uncertainties in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates; the timing and ability to maintain and, where necessary, obtain necessary permits and licenses; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation and controls or regulations; environmental and other governmental regulation compliance; the uncertainty in the estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; infrastructure risks, including access to roads, water and power; and the timing and possible outcome of pending or threatened litigation and the risk of unexpected litigation.

For a more detailed discussion of these and other risks relevant to the Company, see the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the second quarter of 2017 filed on SEDAR and with the SEC on August 8, 2017 and our other public filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, on EDGAR at www.sec.gov or on the Company's website at www.tahoeresources.com.

Although management has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Except as otherwise indicated by the Company, these statements do not reflect the potential impact of any non-recurring or other special items or of any disposition, monetization, merger, acquisition, other business combination or other transaction that may be announced or that may occur after the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of the Company's operating environment. The Company does not intend or undertake to publicly update any forward-looking statements that are included in this document, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as, and to the extent required by, applicable securities laws.



SELECTED QUARTERLY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL RESULTS

Selected quarterly and YTD consolidated financial information from continuing operations is as follows:





Q2 2017



Q2 2016(1)



Q2 YTD 2017



Q2 YTD

2016(1) Metal Sold















Silver (000's ozs)

4,289



5,212



9,855



9,780 Gold (000's ozs)(5)

110.3



106.5



231.4



157.1 Lead (000's t)

2.0



2.4



4.2



4.8 Zinc (000's t)

2.8



3.5



6.1



6.8 Realized Price















Silver in concentrate (per oz) $ 15.72

$ 18.95

$ 17.7

$ 17.53 Gold in dore (per oz) $ 1,248

$ 1,255

$ 1,281

$ 1,228 Lead (per t) $ 2,138

$ 1,779

$ 2,359

$ 1,685 Zinc (per t) $ 2,601

$ 2,237

$ 2,778

$ 2,057 LBMA/LME Price(2)















Silver (per oz) $ 17.21

$ 16.78

$ 17.32

$ 15.82 Gold (per oz) $ 12.57

$ 1,259

$ 1,238

$ 1,221 Lead (per t) $ 2,161

$ 1,719

$ 2,221

$ 1,731 Zinc (per t) $ 2,596

$ 1,918

$ 2,690

$ 1,799 Revenues $ 209,576

$ 228,251

$ 460,622

$ 360,384 Total operating costs $ 135,291

$ 138,220

$ 282,168

$ 215,742 Earnings from operations $ 74,285

$ 65,022

$ 178,454

$ 111,377 Earnings $ 33,487

$ 16,742

$ 108,183

$ 54,550 Earnings per common share















Basic $ 0.11

$ 0.05

$ 0.35

$ 0.20 Diluted $ 0.11

$ 0.05

$ 0.35

$ 0.20 Adjusted earnings $ 33,846

$ 57,873

$ 108,915

$ 93,362 Adjusted earnings per common share















Basic $ 0.11

$ 0.19

$ 0.35

$ 0.35 Diluted $ 0.11

$ 0.19

$ 0.35

$ 0.35 Weighted average shares outstanding - Basic

312,787



305,985



312,430



267,333 Weighted average shares outstanding - Diluted

312,869



306,174



312,510



267,569 Dividends paid $ 18.74

$ 18,419

$ 37.435

$ 32,076 Cash flow provided by operating activities $ 96,068

$ 37,678

$ 174,646

$ 62,971 Cash flow provided by operating activities before changes in working capital $ 99,446

$ 115,951

$ 232,296

$ 185,270 Cash and cash equivalents $ 190,636

$ 151,707

$ 190,636

$ 151,707 Total assets $ 3,129,228

$ 2,981,740

$ 3,129,228

$ 2,981,740 Total long-term liabilities $ 316,510

$ 269,984

$ 316,510

$ 269,984 Costs per silver ounce produced















Total cash costs net of by-product credits(3) $ 6.73

$ 6.07

$ 6.15

$ 5.29 All-in sustaining costs per silver ounce net of by-product credits(3) $ 10.01

$ 8.16

$ 8.91

$ 7.06 Costs per gold ounce produced















Total cash costs net of by-product credits(3) $ 601

$ 647

$ 587

$ 645 All-in sustaining costs per gold ounce net of by-product credits(3)(4) $ 925

$ 973

$ 892

$ 930





(1) Q2 YTD 2016 numbers include operational and financial information from the Timmins mines beginning April 1, 2016, the date of acquisition and operational and financial information from Shahuindo beginning May 1, 2016, the commencement of commercial production. (2) London Bullion Market Association (LBMA)/London Metal Exchange (LME) average closing prices for each quarter presented. (3) Refer to the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section of this press release. (4) All-in sustaining costs net of by-product credits per gold ounce produced exclude the impact of $10.3 million and $11.0 million in non-recurring transaction costs related to the acquisition of Lake Shore Gold during Q2 2016 and Q2 YTD 2016, respectively. (5) Commercial production at Shahuindo was declared on May 1, 2016. Revenues presented are generated from the sale of gold ounces in dore beginning May 1, 2016. Pre-commercial production revenues at Shahuindo are considered pre-operating revenues and are credited against construction capital through April 30, 2016. Included in the 106.5 thousand and 157.1 thousand gold ounces sold for Q2 2016 and Q2 YTD 2016 are 22.1 thousand and 24.4 thousand gold ounces sold at Shahuindo which include one and four months of pre-commercial production ounces sold (5.3 thousand and 7.6 thousand ounces of gold in dore sold in the month of April 2016 and the period January through April 2016, respectively).

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SOURCE Tahoe Resources Inc.
Drill Permits Received for Project 1068 & Road Cut Samples Results Pending

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Aug 9, 2017) - San Marco Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:SMN) ("San Marco" or "the Company") is renewing surface exploration of its 100% owned Chunibas property, with a focus on mapping the newly discovered intrusive related gold breccia body. Most of the recently completed drill holes bottomed in breccia, with some holes terminating in reasonable gold grades. Early indications suggest the breccia footprint is widespread with large scale potential. The current detailed mapping campaign should give a more accurate indication of the breccia's lateral extent and its relationship to known mineralization. San Marco has noted that mineralized structures as much as 800 metres west of current drilling have and are being mined by local gambosinos.

It is now apparent that the drill hole collar locations, azimuths and depth of the recently completed six hole program were, essentially, "random" in relation to the newly discovered breccia system's geometry and zoning since the Phase I drill holes being spotted based on a totally different geological model (see news release dated May 31,2017). Now that the Company recognizes an intrusive hosted gold breccia system with much larger scale potential exists, exploration will concentrate on defining and targeting this new system. Mapping, detailed sampling, review and integration of previous surface soil and rock chip sample data will be used by San Marco's new team to generate a new geological model and vectoring process to target areas with higher grade potential for future drill campaigns.

To that end, the Company is pleased to have engaged Luciano Bocanegra to lead the team to re-map, sample, generate geological models and complete a vector analysis for the Chunibas property, as well as review similar analysis for the 1068 project. Mr. Bocanegra is currently Manager at Petra GAIA (a spectroscopy and exploration mining consulting company), located in Chile. As well, he is co-founder of a consulting company, Mineral Vector Services. Previous work engagements include services to Hochschild Mining plc and Rio Tinto Plc in Argentina and Chile.

Bob Willis, San Marcos CEO stated, "Our core drilling, the first on the property, has allowed us to recognize a new Intrusive related gold breccia system, the magnitude of which is unknown at this time. The area will be remapped to determine the surface extent of the breccia. Our widely spaced Phase I drill holes indicate the breccia is open to depth and laterally in all directions. While we need to understand zoning and other possible controls on gold emplacement in order to target the best areas in future drilling, we are highly encouraged that most core containing breccia assayed to date exhibits at least anomalous (greater than 50 ppb) gold values. It will be exciting times as we work to define the magnitude of the system, refine and better understand the geological model and locate zones of mineralization with economic interest. San Marco is taking this discovery very seriously and has engaged a team of experts who will immediately create and execute an aggressive exploration program. We are targeting mid-September for the completion of a definitive go forward plan."

Results and descriptions for holes 4 though 6 of the Phase I program are provided below. A map showing the location of the holes can be found at the following link: Chunibas Geology and Drill hole location July 20-17

Hole CHD-04: Intersected breccia through the entire 202 metres of the hole. It appears that this hole is higher in the mineralized system, based on the elevated levels of pathfinder elements like arsenic and antimony, combined with lower gold values. This combination is typical of the higher levels of an intrusive related gold system.

Hole CHD 05: Drilled into what appears to be a residual block of non-eroded andesite (roof pendant). The hole did intercept breccia over 18 metres; including 2.0 metres of 0.28g/t gold ; 2 metres of 0.81 g/t gold, including 0.85 metres of 1.38 g/t gold.

Hole CHD-06: Primarily breccia; 25.2 metres of 0.18 g/t gold (including 9 metres of 0.25 g/t gold); 6 metres of 0.22 g/t gold; and 1 metre of 0.40 g/t gold and 11.5 g/t silver.

Drill Hole From

[m] To

[m] Interval

[m] Gold

[g/t] CHD-01 88.00 127.00 39.00 0.07 Including 93.00 113.00 20.00 1.05 And 93.85 96.00 2.15 1.97 And 111.00 112.00 1.00 4.55 CHD-02 45.00 66.00 21.00 0.06 Including 51.00 52.00 1.00 1.01 And 60.00 61.00 1.00 6.78 And 109.00 110.20 1.20 2.42 (last sample at the end of the hole) CHD-03 30.00 43.30 3.30 5.08 Including 40.00 42.00 2.00 6.74 And 118.00 120.20 2.20 6.74 (last sample at the end of the hole) CHD-04 0.00 201.00 All breccia High Arsenic/Antimony.

Low gold values. CHD-05 6.00 8.00 2.00 0.28 drilled into andesite roof pendant Including 12.00 14.00 2.00 0.81 And 13.15 14.00 0.85 1.38 CHD-06 30.80 56.00 25.20 0.18 Including 40.00 49.00 9.00 0.25 And 101.00 102.00 1.00 0.40 And 122.00 128.00 6.00 0.22

All holes were drilled at - 60 degrees inclination and at an azimuth ("az") as follows: CHD-01 az 90 degrees; CHD-02 az 305 degrees; CHD-03 az 90 degrees; CHD-04 az 90 degrees; CHD-05 az. 90 degrees; and CHD-06 az 315 degrees. True widths are presently unknown, as the discovery holes do not have enough information yet to identify where the holes are located in the mineralized system.

Assaying for this drill program is being done by ALS Chemex located in Vancouver, B.C. Sample preparation is done at the Chemex lab in Hermosillo, Mexico, then pulps are shipped to Vancouver for analysis. Prepared samples are analyzed for gold by the Au - ICP21 method and multi-elements by ME - MS61, preparation 31B.

Drill core was sawn in half by a gas-powered diamond saw, then photographed and logged. One half of the core is sent for assay analysis and the other retained at the Company's secure exploration facility in Sahuripa, Mexico.

Project 1068 - Drill permits received

The Company also reports receipt of SEMARNAT's (Mexico's environment ministry, Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources) approval for drilling at the Company's 100% owned 1068 copper/gold/moly porphyry project. Recent exploration activities included initial construction of access roads to drill pad locations. As the roads were side cut into relatively steep gully terrain, the porphyry intrusive body was exposed at various intervals along the road. Where the bulldozer managed to gouge deep enough into the side hill, visible copper oxides were noted over significant lengths. Continuous channel samples (each sample being 3 - 4 metres in length) were collected intermittently along approximately 200 metres where the road cut into the potassic core alteration. Assay results are expected shortly. Preparations for a maiden drill program at Project 1068 will begin in a few weeks, once roads have dried out after seasonal rains currently affecting the area.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

The Company's QA/QC program consisted of submission of duplicate samples and insertion of certified reference material and blanks inserted at regular intervals. These were inserted every 10 samples, or 10% of the total. Samples were bagged and tagged at the Company's core facility in Sahuripa, Mexico and held in a secure environment, until being picked up by ground transport of ALS Chemex.

About San Marco

San Marco Resources Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company with a portfolio of promising projects in mining-friendly Mexico, including the Chunibas, Mariana and 1068 Projects in Sonora State.

San Marco actively pursues strategic project generation program focused on high-caliber, low acquisition cost opportunities in the North-western Mexico. The Company has a committed management team with extensive experience in Mexico and a proven track record of building shareholder value.

San Marco currently has 56,201,832 issued and outstanding shares.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Robert Willis, P. Eng.

President & CEO

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

This news release has been approved by San Marco's CEO, Robert D. Willis, P. Eng. a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has verified the data disclosed, including sampling, analytical and test data, underlying such technical information by reviewing the assay reports provided to San Marco by its independent testing laboratory.

San Marco has implemented quality assurance ("QA") and quality control ("QC") programs to ensure sampling and analysis of all exploration work is conducted in accordance with the best possible practices. All sampling programs are carried out in a careful and diligent manner using scientifically established sampling practices designed and tested to ensure that the results are representative and reliable. Quality control programs appropriate to the type of sample and the mineralization are implemented, including such measures as external blanks, standards and duplicate samples. The security of samples from sample acquisition to analysis is a vital component of the sampling process. Procedures include the use of secure core logging, sampling, storage and preparation facilities as appropriate and the prompt, secure and direct shipping of samples to the laboratories. Appropriate sample security procedures are employed given the geographic and topographic conditions and the logistics created by the site location.

Forward-Looking Information

Information set forth in this document may include forward-looking statements. While these statements reflect management's current plans, projections and intents, by their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond the control of San Marco. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements. San Marco's actual results, programs, activities and financial position could differ materially from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Vancouver, August 9, 2017 - Napier Ventures Inc. (TSX.V: NAP) ("Napier" or the "Company") is pleased to announce an exploration program on their Emerald Isle Copper oxide and porphyry property.

Located 15 km north of Kingman, Arizona, Emerald lsle lies adjacent to the past producing Mineral park copper/molybdenum porphyry property located north of Kingman, and south of the prolific silver gold mining camp of Chloride, Arizona.

The work program will focus on mapping and sampling the area adjacent to Alum Wash, where new claims have been staked northeast of the Emerald Isle Pit and north of the Mineral Park mine. Geological mapping and geochemical and geophysical surveys, including soil sampling, magnetics and Induced Polarization (lP) will be conducted. This work program is the beginning of a strategic exploration program to methodically explore and conduct a complete property evaluation on this historic, mineral rich property.

"This is an exciting time for Napier and its shareholders as we embark on an evaluation of a mineral rich property with the potential to expand the resource defined in 2006." stated Donald Scoretz, President & CEO.

About Emerald Isle

Considerable exploration has been done at the Emerald Isle property in the past by several companies, including El Paso Mining and Milling Company, Arimetco, St. Genevieve Resources Ltd. and Sierra Resources Group Inc. Historical mining at the Emerald Isle property was of high-grade oxide copper by underground methods, followed by a small open-pit copper recovery by leaching and electrowinning. Past production is estimated by the U.S. Bureau of Mines at 1.4 million tonnes averaging 1 per cent copper.

In March, 2006, Roscoe Postle Associates Inc. prepared a mineral resource estimate for St. Genevieve in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, which provided indicated mineral resources of the Emerald Isle copper deposit as 2.22 million tonnes with an average grade of 0.62 per cent total copper (based on compilation of 135 drill holes totalling in excess of 30,000 feet, a total copper cut-off grade of 0.3 per cent total copper and 10-foot minimum vertical thickness).

Napier is not aware of any more recent mineral resource estimates. No qualified person has done sufficient work to classify the mineral resource estimate in the Roscoe technical report as current mineral resources, and Napier is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource.

About Napier Ventures

Listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX.V: NAP), Napier Ventures Inc. is a Vancouver based, junior mineral exploration Company managed by a team of professionals with extensive experience in mining exploration, finance and law. Management is dedicated to advancing the Company and increasing shareholder value by engaging in the search for value-adding mineral deposits through exploration and/or acquisition, as well as other resource opportunities as they may arise.

On behalf of the board of

Napier Ventures Inc.

Per: "Donald Scoretz"

Donald Scoretz

Chief Executive Officer

Safe Harbour for Forward-Looking Information: This press release may contain forward-looking information based on management's expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the completion of the Private Placement, the use of proceeds of the Private Placement and contemplated approvals of the TSXV. These statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To reach Napier Ventures Inc. please contact:

Earl Hope

(604) 639-0009

earl@napierventuresinc.com

Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.


One Million Children

When Dolores Loaeza was a baby and she needed medical care, her mother could call her pediatrician in Mexico for free advice, and, if needed, to send medication across the border to Los Angeles.As an immigrant without legal permission to be in the country, Dolores was not eligible for full Medicaid coverage. When she got older, her mother, Wendy Pech, would have to scrape together the money to pay for Dolores medical expenses out of pocket. I took extra precautions to make sure Dolores didnt get sick or injured because we couldnt afford those bills, she said through a translator last week.Those precautions are no longer necessary. Last year, California extended full Medicaid benefits to child immigrants, no matter their immigration status, if their families otherwise meet the income thresholds for the joint federal-state health insurance program for the poor and disabled. Dolores, now 17, is enrolled.Oregon just followed suit, joining the five other states plus Washington, D.C. that extend Medicaid health benefits to children living in the country illegally. Immigration advocates welcomed the news, but with the Trump administration cracking down on illegal immigration, they dont expect to see similar laws enacted in other states in the near future.When it comes to covering kids here illegally, there arent that many more states that are going to join that camp and a fair number of states that are definitely in the other camp, said Randy Capps, research director of the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington think tank that studies migration in the United States and abroad.Still, advocates regard the victory in Oregon and elsewhere as significant, certainly for the estimated 15,000 immigrant children in Oregon who are expected to become eligible for health care under the new law.The financial commitment for the state in enacting the law is considerable because it will not come with the federal Medicaid matching funds available to legal residents. Oregon must pick up the entire tab, which is estimated to be more than $36 million for the first two years and $55 million for every two years after that. Oregon officials say that because there is no federal match, the children will not technically be Medicaid beneficiaries. But the program will be administered by the state Medicaid agency and the benefits will be the same.It was an incredible testament to the commitment to human rights and childrens rights that we made that financial commitment in a year when we had tough budget decisions to make, said Tonia Hunt, executive director of Children First for Oregon, one of the advocacy groups that pushed for the legislation.The bill, one of Democratic Gov. Kate Browns legislative priorities this year, passed handily with Democratic and some Republican support. Brown said the measure was in line with her goal of achieving health coverage for all in Oregon. In particular, said Jeremy Vandehey, Browns health policy adviser, The governor believes these children deserve full access to health care so they can be healthy and in the best position to succeed in life.The measure did draw some opponents, however.We have a state government that basically puts the rights of people illegally here above the rights of American citizens, said Jim Ludwick, communications director for Oregonians for Immigration Reform, which backs more restrictive immigration policies. Ludwick said that it was unfair to ask Oregon taxpayers to pay for health care for children living in the country illegally. If they need medical services, he said, they could continue to get it at free clinics and in hospital emergency rooms.In enacting the new law, Oregon joined California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Washington state and Washington, D.C., which have all enacted similar laws.Twenty-five other states, including Florida and Texas, both with large immigrant communities, allow immigrant children with legal residency to access Medicaid, and those states are entitled to matching federal Medicaid dollars.But the bigger need, advocates for immigrants say, is for children without legal residency, whose family incomes are often low enough to otherwise qualify them for Medicaid. The Migration Policy Institute estimates about a million foreign-born children are living in the country illegally.A large chunk of them live in California, which implemented a law similar to Oregons in 2016. As of early June, nearly 200,000 children under 19 were enrolled in Medicaid under the law.Not all of those enrollees were completely new to Medicaid. Even before the law, immigrants without legal permission were entitled to limited scope Medicaid coverage, essentially for emergency medical services only. About 120,000 children were already enrolled in that program. They have now been rolled over to full scope Medicaid coverage along with about 80,000 new enrollees. Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, budgeted $440 million for the program this year.These benefits give parents great peace of mind and a measure of financial security, said Mike Odeh, director of health policy for Children Now, a child advocacy organization in the state that lobbied for the legislation. Many of the parents of those children are themselves without health insurance, Odeh said.Odeh acknowledged that parents in the country illegally might be reluctant to enroll their children in Medicaid out of fear that it could identify their families to immigration officials and subject them to deportation.Families felt apprehensive about jeopardizing their immigration status if they signed their children up for the health coverage, a Children Now survey of medical providers who serve immigrant communities confirmed this year.I think its a real sentiment given the rhetoric of [the Trump] administration, Odeh said. But he said immigration rights advocates are trying to reassure immigrant communities that information wont be made available to federal immigration officials and he hasnt seen evidence that parents are staying away from the program.Wendy Pech, Dolores Loaezas mother, does outreach work for Clinica Romero in Los Angeles, going door to door to sign people up for health benefits, including Californias Medicaid program for kids in the country illegally. Many people are afraid to enroll their children because of their immigration status, she said. But she tries to reassure them.I trust my community clinic, that they wont turn any information over to ICE, she said. Thats what I tell the people.The Brown administration has given the same assurances, but Odeh said those promises may not be ironclad, given the climate in Washington. I think with so much uncertainty about how the feds are handling immigration, its hard to say with 100 percent certainty that there wont be any consequences in any case.
A Delaware Superior Court judge has ruled that the state's highest executive has broad authority to shield his emails from public view.Judge Ferris Wharton's decision, announced Tuesday, deals a blow to former state treasurer Chip Flowers, who had sued former Gov. Jack Markell for violating the Delaware Freedom of Information Act."That just sets the FOIA statute back by decades," Flowers said Tuesday, adding that he is considering an appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court.Kathleen MacRae, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware, said Tuesday that Wharton's ruling "exposes a huge hole in the FOIA process that legitimizes an unacceptable workaround of the original intent of the law."That "workaround" would allow a governor to avoid public scrutiny of email simply by copying a state lawmaker or legislative aide on the note.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson played down President DonaldTrump's incendiary warning to North Korea on Wednesday, saying he was just trying to send a strong message in language its leader would understand.

Tillerson, speaking to reporters before landing in Guam, a U.S.-held Pacific island that Pyongyang threatened to strike, said he does not believe there is an imminent threat from North Korea.

"I think Americans should sleep well at night, have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days," he said.

Trump on Tuesday warned North Korea it would face "fire and fury" if it threatens the United States, prompting the nuclear-armed nation to say it was considering firing missiles at Guam.

"I think what the president was just reaffirming is that the United States has the capability to fully defend itself from any attack, and our allies, and we will do so," Tillerson said.

The international community had a "pretty good week" with respect to North Korea, he said, citing new U.N. sanctions and strong statements coming out of a meeting of world leaders in Asia.

"In response to that, North Korea's rhetoric is just ratcheted up, louder and louder and more threatening," Tillerson told reporters. "So I think the president, what the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language."

The United States wanted to make clear it has the ability to defend itself and its allies, he said, and "avoid any miscalculation" by Pyongyang.

Just moments after Tillerson's remarks were reported, Trump hammered home his tough talk in a Twitter post about U.S. nuclear weapons in what looked like another warning to North Korea. "My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before," he said.

North Korea has made no secret of plans to develop a nuclear-tipped missile able to strike the United States and has ignored international calls to halt its nuclear and missile programs.

Tillerson said he hoped international pressure, including engagement of China and Russia, can persuade North Korea to reconsider its nuclear ambitions and begin diplomatic dialogue.

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A federal appeals court has ruled that Maine can enforce a law that bars protests that are intentionally loud enough to be heard inside a building.Last year, a U.S. District Court judge in Portland sided with an ally of an anti-abortion protester who had been shouting outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Portland, saying that Portland police and state officials could not enforce a provision in state law that protects people who are getting health care services from noisy disturbances.On Tuesday, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed, saying the law was "content-neutral," meaning it targeted the noisiness of a protest and did not distinguish between protesters based on their positions on an issue."I'm a big defender of free speech, but this law protects people's rights to free speech while also protecting the rights of everyone to access health care without disruption," said Maine Attorney General Janet Mills."The First Amendment protects the power of speech. It doesn't protect the power of screech," said Leanne Robbin, one of the Maine assistant attorneys general who argued the appeal before the Boston-based court.The case dates back to loud anti-abortion protests outside the clinic near Monument Square in 2015.The state sought to enforce the loud-protest provision against Brian Ingalls, a member of a church known as Cell 53, which is based in Lewiston.Robbin said Ingalls was particularly vehement in his protests and would yell at patients inside the clinic if he saw them in a window. He shouted about murdering babies, aborted babies' blood and Jesus so loudly that he could be heard inside the building, disrupting examinations and patients' meetings with doctors, the state said in seeking an injunction against Ingalls under the Maine Civil Rights Act."He not only got up on his soapbox, he was literally screaming" Robbin said.After the state filed the lawsuit seeking an injunction against Ingalls' loud protests, another member of Cell 53, Andrew March, filed a counterclaim, arguing that the loud-protest provision was an unconstitutional infringement on protesters' free speech rights. The attempt to get an injunction against Ingalls has been on hold in state court since March went to federal court and got a preliminary injunction against enforcement of the law.In granting the federal injunction, U.S. District Chief Judge Nancy Torresen determined that March was likely to be successful in his challenge to the constitutionality of the state law.The state then appealed that ruling to the higher federal court, which disagreed with Torresen in its ruling issued Tuesday."The Noise Provision was the product of a careful legislative process," the unanimous decision by three appeals court judges said. "That process sought to forge a consensus among many competing interests in order to address what all parties to this dispute agree is a serious concern regarding the health and safety of those seeking health services."The judges said the law could be used equally against protesters on all sides of an issue and therefore wasn't an unconstitutional restriction of free speech aimed only at one side. As a result, the court said, March is unlikely to prevail in his challenge of the Maine law, so the preliminary injunction against enforcement was ordered lifted.Robbin said state officials will now head back to state court to get the injunction against Ingalls' yelling at the clinic reinstated. She said once that injunction is in place, Ingalls will be warned and then arrested if he continues to yell loudly enough to disrupt patients' care at the clinic.Robbin said the ruling does not affect whether anti-abortion groups can try to persuade those going to the clinic against getting abortions or other health care services from Planned Parenthood. The city adopted a 39-foot buffer zone around the clinic in 2013, but repealed it the next year after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a similar buffer zone around a clinic in Massachusetts. Protesters are allowed to demonstrate at the entrance to the clinic, but cannot physically bar access or repeatedly harass an individual, Robbin said."They get their chance to get out their message there," she said.However, once a person is inside the clinic, it should be seen as "a sanctuary," Robbin said. "There should not be anybody else in the room" other than patients and health care providers even when that presence is in the form of a loud voice.Attempts to reach Ingalls and March were unsuccessful Tuesday evening. Another pastor at their church responded to an email request for comment by directing inquiries to Kate Oliveri, a lawyer with the Thomas More Law Center in Michigan, which says its mission is to "restore and defend America's Judeo-Christian heritage and moral values." Oliveri did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is backing Wisconsin in a high-profile case asking the U.S. Supreme Court whether lawmakers can go too far when drawing political maps to advantage one party.Paxton, a Republican, filed an amicus brief seeking to protect the status quo in political gerrymandering  redistricting maneuvers that allow controlling parties to bolster their majorities in state Legislatures and Congress even when statewide demographics shift against them. Fifteen other states signed onto the brief.Never has the U.S. Supreme Court disallowed a legislative map because of partisan gerrymandering, and it surely cant find fault with Wisconsins, which is lawful, constitutional and follows traditional redistricting principles, Paxton said in a statement Tuesday.The filing comes as Paxton is defending Texas against a separate redistricting challenge. That one asks whether Republican lawmakers intentionally discriminated against Latino and black voters in enacting the states current House and congressional maps. A panel of three federal judges in San Antonio is expected to rule in the coming weeks.The outcome of the Wisconsin case, which the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Oct. 3, could shake up politics across the country.Last year, a federal appeals court ruled that the way Wisconsin Republicans drew district lines was so nakedly partisan that it violated the U.S. Constitution. Paxtons brief argues that letting that decision stand invites openly partisan policy battles in the courtroom.This will expose every state to litigation under a legal standard so indeterminate that any party that loses in the legislature has a plausible chance of overriding that policy decision in the courts, the brief says.Its unclear how the Wisconsin case could directly affect the pending case in Texas because of the different timelines and arguments being made. And the Supreme Court must also decide whether it has the jurisdiction to rule in the Wisconsin case, a question it left open in accepting the challenge.But if the high court ultimately establishes a new limit on the role politics can play in redistricting, it would almost certainly affect map-drawing in Texas going forward and give opponents of Texas current maps a new avenue to challenge them.Aside from Wisconsin, Texas is among seven states with particularly high partisan bias in their congressional maps, according to Michael Li, redistricting and voting counsel at New York Universitys Brennan Center for Justice.
Description

GIS - 09 August, 2017: International Youth Day, celebrated on 12 August 2017, will be marked by a Youth Concert in Mauritius under the theme Zenes to destin dan to la main (Youth, your destiny is in your hands). International Youth Day, celebrated on 12 August 2017, will be marked by a Youth Concert in Mauritius under the theme This announcement was made during a press conference yesterday in Port Louis, by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Stephan Toussaint. He elaborated on the event which will be held at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute, in Moka, on Saturday 12 August 2017.

The Minister highlighted that, as Mauritius is a multicultural nation, emphasis will be on encouraging young people to learn how to live together and promote peace in our society. A variety of young artists, including Les Freres Joseph, who recently won the gold medal at the 8th edition of the Francophone Games, will also be performing during the concert, he added.

The Youth Minister announced that buses will be made available in all youth centres across the island so as to allow a maximum of youth to attend the event. The four local radio stations will collaborate with the Ministry to ensure that the Youth Concert is a success, Minister Toussaint pointed out.

International Youth Day 2017 is dedicated to celebrating young peoples contributions to conflict prevention and transformation as well as inclusion, social justice, and sustainable peace.

The theme chosen by the United Nations this year is Youth Building Peace. This celebration provides the opportunity of bringing youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrating the potential of youth as partners in todays global society.
More than 15 million American adults -- 8.4 percent of men and 4.2 percent of women -- suffer from some form of alcohol-use disorder, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (NIAAA). The federal health agency estimates that the annual economic cost of alcohol misuse hovers around $249 billion once one weighs the tolls on our health-care system, public safety and productivity, to say nothing of the inestimable emotional cost.Yet less than 10 percent of adults with alcohol-use disorders receive specialized treatment such as detoxification, counseling and medication. When individuals do reach out for help, wait periods can stretch into weeks, leading to high no-show rates. Those who do receive treatment too often relapse or miss appointments.People battling addiction need all the support they can get. One promising source of that help is a smartphone app. ACHESS is a tool to alleviate the dueling problems of high costs and self-defeating delays in treatment and recovery for alcohol and other addictions. The technology was developed by the Center for Health Enhancement System Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the federal government. The center's director, David Gustafson, and its deputy director, Fiona McTavish, came to the Harvard Kennedy School to present ACHESS for this year's Innovations in American Government Award , a competition for which the app was named a finalist.When the app launched in 2014, it came pre-loaded in data-enabled smartphones for a cost of $60 a month, including phone service, for study-trial members. Now, the application is available to any entity or individual managing addiction issues, and pricing is determined by the nature and scope of use of the system.ACHESS has several features to support those seeking or undergoing addiction treatment, including a mapping function to help them avoid running into trouble. Patients and counselors work together to map high-risk areas such as favorite bars, liquor stores or dealer locations. When an app user gets near one of these destinations, ACHESS automatically generates a little nudge, asking, "Do you really want to be here right now?" It also sends a notice to the user's counselor or caregiver.For those facing acute cravings, the app has a panic button to alert peer-support networks and counselors. A feature called "Motivations" enables users to preload their phones with pictures and videos of family members, as well as recordings of self-pledges to stay sober. The app provides medication and appointment reminders, volunteer-monitored forums, and functions to build a recovery plan and to maintain a journal of the recovery journey.ACHESS also comprises a number of data-collecting features to help app users, counselors and researchers better understand treatment efficacy. It measures recovery strength through a weekly survey and conducts a daily assessment ("Do you think you can make it through the day?"). The system allows caregivers to administer surveys to individuals or groups, and has a reporting function to organize the data. Likewise, caregivers can target any teaching content to individuals or groups using the system.In the background, data scientists and addiction-treatment workers are able to analyze data produced by ACHESS to keep track of its performance and even help prevent relapses. "Right now, we have over four million data points that we're able to use to better understand the relationship between things like relapse and the number of swear words that a person uses in a text," said Gustafson. "We find that the correlation between swear words and relapse is statistically significant, so we now use them as part of an early warning sign."The application is currently distributed to about 5,300 individuals. SSTAR, an addiction-treatment nonprofit, uses it to work with methadone patients in Fall River, Mass. The Optum health-services company is pilot-testing the app in the Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan. A program employing the app in West Virginia increased abstinence by 33 percent. "I feel like I've got a 24/7 clinic in my pocket," said one ACHESS user. "It feels great."
Ben Miller is the associate editor of data and business for Government Technology. His reporting experience includes breaking news, business, community features and technical subjects. He holds a Bachelors degree in journalism from the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, and lives in Sacramento, Calif.
As the focus on connecting communities through high-speed broadband service continues to grow, a number of different approaches have taken shape. Some places have enacted new laws offering tax incentives to service providers, and other places have launched new ways to size up the problem.In North Carolina, engaging the public is an increasingly useful tool in the larger broadband toolbox. What originally took the form of a registry is now an interactive map that is drawing in more input by the day.Since officials with the North Carolina Broadband Infrastructure Office, within the larger Department of Technology (DIT), launched the public input tool in late May, it has garnered input from around 1,000 citizens and counting. Wesley King, a spokesperson for the office, said the new approach is already wildly more successful than the tools former iteration they called the lack-of-service registry.It more or less did the same thing. It asked a lot more specific questions, but for what we are trying to do with this map, just identifying these people, we really wanted to keep it as simple as possible, he explained.By adding citizen information to the broadband mapping tool, the state broadband office is better equipped to reach out to local leaders and provide them with the resources to fill the gaps. Despite the positive engagements so far, King said there is always room for growth and room to spread the word about the program.What King said is different about the ground-up approach is that the state is empowering local and regional partners rather than using blanket prescriptions to try to influence change. With the help of the technical assistance team, local leaders have access to not only technical advice, but policy and data expertise and a mainline to service providers.Too often we see state agencies get in the way of and not be able to fully serve a community the way the community needs to be served, with a 50,000-foot prescriptive approach. What our office does is really tries to focus on and empower the county and community leader to be able to make the changes that need to happen locally, he said.While the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) already supplies a broadband speed map, King said officials wanted data that was aggregated from the bottom up to show in greater detail where the states unserved and underserved communities are.When asked where the state puts the most emphasis on the need for connectivity, King cited the greatest need in rural communities where students might have to go out of their way to complete basic online homework assignments. The schools in the state may be what King described as fast and connected, but the surrounding communities can leave something to be desired.Our schools specifically are fast and they are connected; however, what we hear and where some of that pressure comes from are stories about students in rural areas around communities that have to come into town and sit at public hotspots or libraries to do their homework, he said. Identifying some of those gaps in rural communities is key to turning North Carolina into a gig state, and that is really what we are focusing on.
The good news is that the city of Seattle has made progress by moving forward  again  with recommendations to address the Unreinforced Masonry (URM) buildings that exist in the city. See SDCI Releases URM Policy Committee Recommendations A bit of history from the document itself is this quote:Unreinforced masonry buildings are not a new issue for Seattle. In the 1970s, the Seattle City Council passed several ordinances requiring all URM buildings to achieve a given structural standard. The ordinances were eventually repealed when talks between the city and building owners met an impasse due to the cost of implementing the upgrades. SDCI resumed efforts at creating a citywide policy by forming URM policy and technical committees in 2008. The technical committee ultimately recommended adopting a modification of the Bolts Plus retrofit standard commonly used in California. The technical committee recommended the modification (described below) to better address life safety concerns. Policy Committee discussions ultimately were unable to move forward to generate a recommendation primarily due to the cost of retrofits. At the time, the estimate for a retrofit ranged from $5-40 per square foot."The last time this URM issue was addressed was 2012. That effort died out like earlier tries. Someone who has reviewed the current linked document above, sees it as identical, with minor variations, to the 2012 version.The question is, will there be enough interest in public safety for this current effort to be successful this time around? I'm thinking about the only thing to ensure its success would be a "small shaker" while this effort is on the table. We seem to be collectively unable, here in Washington state, to move beyond studies and recommendations to action and implementation.Eventually the seismic piper will be paid. We've already lost a generation or two of effort. As we continue to gamble with people's lives, eventually "snake eyes" will be rolled and we will be playing the "if only, shoulda, woulda" game.
(TNS) -- Want to catch a ride in a self-driving car? All you have to do is land a job at Cruise, the San Francisco startup now owned by General Motors.Cruise tests its fleet of autonomous Chevrolet Bolts with its employees, who can request trips via a ride-hailing app called Cruise Anywhere. The pilot program, which began in February, is now being expanded so employees can make more stops, rather than just going straight to and from work. However, it is starting small. Only about 10 percent of Cruises 200-plus employees are participating so far, and theres a waiting list for more to join, the company said.As is legally required with all autonomous car tests on public roads in California, a backup driver is at the wheel, ready to take control. Cruise has permission from the state Department of Motor Vehicles to test 47 cars, which sport names like Albatross, Platypus, Mongoose and Pronghorn. The DMV has approved 121 Cruise employees as backup drivers.Cruise passengers drive around with a tablet in hand so they can give comprehensive feedback to its engineers at every turn. Adding more options for stops and routes allows for more information on how people react to self-driving cars, it said.That makes Cruise employees the only San Franciscans who can currently get rides in robot taxis. Uber tried launching its service late last year without regulators approval, and was promptly shut down. Uber and Waymo, Alphabets self-driving car business, are running tests of app-hailed self-driving cars in Arizona.General Motors bought Cruise last year for north of $500 million and promptly made Cruise the center of its self-driving research. In April, GM said it would add more than 1,100 jobs to that division over the next five years and spend $14 million on a new research and development facility in San Francisco.GM has also invested some $500 million for a minority stake in San Francisco ride-hailing service Lyft, and has discussed launching a fleet of robot taxis through Lyft in the next year.Its not clear how Cruise and Lyft might interact. Cruises announcement implied that it might even run its own robot-taxi ride-hailing service.Cruise Anywhere is currently in beta with Cruise employees as we work to ensure the best user experience possible for the eventual consumer, the company said.
How Not to Do Cyberdefense

Making the Case for POC Funding

Barriers to Cyberdefense POC Funding in the U.S.

Big Competition from Big Players

I've been following cybersecurity startups and hackers for years, and I suddenly discovered how hackers are always ahead of the rest of us  they have a better business model funding them in their proof of concept (POC) stage of development.To even begin protecting ourselves from their well-funded advances and attacks, cyberdefense and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies must be funded at the same level in the POC stage.Today, however, traditional investors not only want your technology running, they also need assurances that you already have a revenue stream  which stifles potential new technology discovery at the POC level. And in some industries, this is dangerous.Consider the fast-paced world of cybersecurity, in which companies are offered traditional funding avenues as they promote their product's tech capabilities so people will invest. This promotion and disclosure of their technology, however, gives hackers a road map to the new cyberdefense technologies and a window of time to gain knowledge on how to exploit them.This same road map exists for technologies covered in detail when standard groups, universities, governments and private labs publish white papers  documents that essentially assist hackers by giving them advanced notice of cyberdefense techniques.In addition to this, some hackers receive immediate funding through nation states that are coordinating cyberwarfare like the traditional military and others are involved in organized secret groups that fund the use of ransomware and DDoS attacks. These hackers get immediate funding and then throw their technology on the Internet for POC discovery.One project that strongly makes a case for rapidly funding cyberdefense technologies in an effort to keep up with hackers is the $5.7 billion U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) EINSTEIN cyberdefense system, which was deemed obsolete upon its deployment for failing to detect 94 percent of security vulnerabilities . As this situation illustrates, the traditional methods of funding cyberdefense  taking years of bureaucratic analysis and vendor contracts  does not work in the fast technology discovery world of cyberdefense. After the EINSTEIN project failure, DHS decided to conduct an assessment  it's currently working to understand if it's making the right investments in dealing with the ever-changing cyberenvironment.But it also has other roadblocks, as even large technology companies and contractors with which DHS does business have their own bureaucracies and investments that ultimately deter the department from getting the best in cyberdefense technologies. And once universities, standards groups, regulation and funding approvals are added to these processes, you're pretty much assured to be headed for another disaster.But DHS doesnt need to develop these technologies itself. The department needs to support public- and private-sector POCs to rapidly mature and deploy new cyberdefense technologies. This suggestion is supported by what other countries are successfully doing  including our adversaries.The same two things that have motivated mankind all through history  immediate power and money  are now motivating hackers, and cyberdefense technologies are taking years to be deployed. So I'll say it again: The motivational and funding model of cyberdefense technologies must change. The key to successful cyberdefense technology development is making it as aggressive as the hackers that attack it. And this needs to be done at the conceptual POC level.The concern in cyberdefense (and really all AI) is the race to the quantum computer.Quantum computer technologies cant be hacked, and in theory, its processing power can break all encryption. The computational physics behind the quantum also offer remarkable capabilities that will drastically change all current AI and cyberdefense technologies. This is a winner-takes-all technology that offers capability with absolute security capabilities  capabilities that we can now only imagine.The most recent funding source for hackers is Bitcoin, which uses the decentralized and secure blockchain technology. It has even been used to support POC funding in what is called an Initial Coin Offering (ICO), the intent of which is to crowdfund early startup companies at the development or POC level by bypassing traditional and lengthy funding avenues. Because this type of startup seed offering has been clouded with scams, it is now in regulatory limbo.Some states have passed laws that make it difficult to legally present and offer an ICO. While the U.S. seems to be pushing ICO regulation , other countries are still deciding what to do. But like ICOs or not, they offer first-time startups an avenue of fast-track funding at the concept level  where engineers and scientists can jump on newer technologies by focusing seed money on testing their concepts. Bogging ICOs down with regulatory laws will both slow down legitimate POC innovation in the U.S. and give other countries a competitive edge.Another barrier to cyberdefense POC funding is the size and technological control of a handful of tech companies. Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft and Apple have become enormous concentrations of wealth and data, drawing the attention of economists and academics who warn they're growing too powerful . Now as big as major American cities, these companies are mega centers of both money and technology. They are so large and control so much of the market that many are beginning to view them as in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act . So how can small startups compete with these tech giants and potentially fund POCs in areas such as cyberdefense and AI? By aligning with giant companies in industries that have the most need for cyberdefense and AI technologies: critical infrastructure.The industries that are most vulnerable and could cause the most devastation if hacked are those involved in critical infrastructure . These large industries have the resources to fund cyberdefense technologies at the concept level  and they would obtain superior cyberdefense technologies in doing so.Cyberattacks to critical infrastructure could devastate entire country economies and must be protected by the most advanced cyberdefense. Quantum computing and artificial intelligence will initiate game-changing technology in both cyberdefense and the new intellectual property deriving from quantum sciences. Entering these new technologies at the POC level is like being a Microsoft or Google years ago. Funding the development of these new technologies in cyberdefense and AI are needed soon  but what about today?Future quantum computer capabilities will also demand immediate short-term fixes in current cyberdefense and AI. New quantum-ready compressed encryption and cyberdefense deep learning AI must be funded and tested now at the concept level. The power grid, oil and gas, and even existing telecoms are perfect targets for this funding and development. Investing today would offer current cyberdefense and business intelligence protection while creating new profit centers in the licensing and sale of these leading-edge technologies. This is true for many other industries, all differing in their approach and requiring specialized cyberdefense capabilities and new intelligence gathering that will shape their future.So we must find creative ways of rapidly funding cyberdefense technologies at the conceptual level. If this is what hackers do and it's why they're always one step ahead, shouldn't we work to surpass them?
(TNS) -- CEDAR RAPIDS  The Linn County Auditors Office is working as fast as we can to reduce the risk from an accidental release of voter data last week, according to Auditor Joel Miller.Im hopeful the risk has been minimized, Miller said Monday.The last four digits of about 216,000 Linn County voters Social Security numbers accidentally were released late last week by staff in the Auditors Office. They were filling a standing request for weekly updates of voter registration information, which is public information.Millers staff briefed the Board of Supervisors, which went into closed session because of the potential for litigation arising from the data release, he said.Miller said he is limited in what he can say because hes waiting on more information from government attorneys, as well as the internet service provider.Theyve been responsive, he said. Even over the weekend they were responsive to our inquiries, but I dont know how long it will be before we get answers.The release happened as an employee in the Auditors Office was filling a request for voter registration information for the Linn County Republican Party. The update went to four people. Three agreed to delete that data. However, the person whose name is on the fourth email account told Miller it was not and never has been hers.Linn County GOP Chairman Justin Wasson of Cedar Rapids told Miller that he had provided the wrong email address.I had an incorrect email listed in my address book for one of the individuals which is why the Auditors Office also had an incorrect email that was receiving the documents, Wasson texted to Miller. The Auditors Office was very prompt to try and resolve the issue. I accept responsibility for my error.Theres no reason to believe that there is any malicious intent, Wasson added.While he has some level of confidence the data is not at risk, Miller said he has more steps to take. For example, he wants to either recover the data or make sure the data has been destroyed.Miller and Wasson said the three known recipients agreed to delete the email containing the Social Security information.The voter information  names, addresses and party registration, but not Social Security information  is public information the Auditors Office makes available upon request for a fee that depends on the amount of data requested, Miller said.So far this year, 28 people have requested updated voter rolls on a regular basis. Most are elected officials, candidates for office or representatives of political parties, according to the auditors website.
Pope Francis on Wednesday denounced "shameful" attacks on Christians in Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR), calling for an end to "all hate and violence".

"I have been profoundly saddened by the massacre last Sunday in Nigeria, inside a church, where innocent people were killed," the pontiff said at the end of his weekly public audience at the Vatican.

"And sadly this morning we have news of violence in the Central African Republic against Christian communities.

"I hope all forms of hate and violence will cease and such shameful crimes in places of worship, where the faithful are gathered to pray, will not be repeated," he added.

At least 11 worshippers were gunned down at a church in southeast Nigeria on Sunday, with authorities suggesting the bloodshed was due to a local feud.

Attacks on churches are rare in southern Nigeria, where there is a predominantly Christian population.

The country's mainly-Muslim north has been gripped by a violent campaign by Boko Haram jihadists, who specialise in targeting religious centres.

The violent campaign to impose strict Islamic law has killed at least 20,000 people and forced some 2.6 million others to flee their homes, sparking a dire humanitarian crisis in the northeast.

In the Central African Republic, reports of killings, some targeting aid workers have prompted the UN to warn of "early signs of a genocide" in the conflict-wracked nation.

At least 60 people have been killed in recent weeks in fighting between armed groups in Ngaoundaye and Batangafo in the north, Kaga-Bandoro in the centre and Alindao and Gambo to the south, witnesses have told AFP.

The fighting is largely between groups on opposing sides of the brutal conflict between Muslim and Christian militias that broke out in CAR in 2013 after President Francois Bozize was overthrown by a coalition of Muslim-majority rebel groups called the Seleka.

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(TNS) -- The ACLU of Maine filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against Gov. Paul LePage over a Facebook page that promotes LePage's policies but has blocked access by some citizens and removed comments by others.The lawsuit follows a letter to LePage from the ACLU asking LePage to stop censoring comments on the "Paul LePage, Maine's Governor" Facebook page. LePage has said he doesn't control the content on the page, which is run by his top political adviser, Brent Littlefield.The ACLU sued in U.S. District Court in Portland on behalf of two Maine women who have had their comments deleted and been blocked from further commenting on the page, the ACLU said in a statement.According to the ACLU, LePage uses the page in his official capacity to perform government business, and blocking people from the page who disagree with the governor constitutes viewpoint discrimination and government censorship in violation of the U.S. and Maine constitutions."Social media has quickly become a crucial tool for constituents to express their opinions to public officials," said Meagan Sway, attorney for the ACLU, in a prepared statement. "Free speech must be protected from government censorship on Facebook just as it is in any other public forum."The complaint argues that the "Paul LePage, Maine's Governor" Facebook page is an official page because, among other things, the governor and his staff use the page to share information such as official announcements and press releases; the page is described as "Paul LePage's official page" in the "About" section; the page has been "verified" by Facebook as the governor's page (which requires his approval); on July 24 the page was linked to the governor's official Maine.gov website (the link has since been removed); and the governor has posted to the Facebook page several times in his official capacity.The complaint also notes that, as an official Maine government page, "Paul LePage, Maine's Governor" is bound by a state policy on the use of social media for state business, which does not discuss deleting comments or blocking users simply because they are critical of a government official.LePage's office did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.Littlefield, the Washington, D.C.-based political consultant who operates the page, maintains that it is not an official page of the governor's office, although at one point it was linked to LePage's state government page for his office.But there are close ties between the purportedly unofficial page and LePage's official communications.For example, LePage himself has boasted about his use of the page, especially its live video-streaming features, as a way to bypass the news media in Maine. He told radio talk show hosts that he used the feature during recent state budget negotiations to bring his message directly to Maine residents.LePage appeared in Facebook Live videos from the governor's mansion twice during those negotiations in July. The videos were shared to the page and are still posted there. Facebook itself has verified the page, meaning the company has confirmed that the page does represent LePage. LePage's former press secretary, Adrienne Bennett, said the videos were shared from what was her official state page, but the governor's staff was not involved in the other page, which has about 41,000 followers.In a phone interview Tuesday, Littlefield said a number of different people, whom he would not identify, were responsible for the Facebook page in question."Government employees are not the administrators of that page," Littlefield said.A review of recent posts and comments on "Paul LePage, Maine's Governor" Facebook page also shows that not all negative comments towards LePage are being deleted or blocked although the vast majority of comments are favorable towards LePage. In one comment on a post about LePage's criticism of U.S. Sens. Angus King, Susan Collins and former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, LePage says, "Instead of focusing on the needs of hard-working Mainers, Senators Collins and King recruited another out-of-touch former Senator, who had no experience with the disastrous effects (welfare) Medicaid expansion had on our state, to criticize me." The statement prompted one Facebook user to post: "Medicaid isn't welfare moron."The ACLU of Maine has also pointed out that if LePage is not making the posts, then somebody else appears to have been authorized to speak as the governor himself, because a number of the posts are written in the first person, as though LePage is speaking directly to those who follow him on Facebook.But LePage or those who are running the page may have some right to limit or delete comments that are obscene or beyond the rules presented by Facebook for use, according to Clay Calvert, a University of Florida professor, attorney and First Amendment expert. "Facebook's terms of use would likely govern that, thereby giving a government official a legitimate reason to remove content," Calvert wrote in an email message to the Press Herald.Calvert said public officials like LePage may have a responsibility to allow the posting of views that are contrary to their own if they are using social media to conduct official business or issue official statements.Calvert said he welcomed the ACLU lawsuit."This represents an extremely significant and positive trend for citizens everywhere in the digital age," he wrote. "It takes more than just a single lawsuit to spark a movement for access -- we're seeing that spark now. Whether it ultimately lights a fire with the courts will be the real test. Let's hope it does."The LePage Facebook issue echoes the legal dispute over President Trump's use of Twitter and his practice of blocking people from accessing his tweets or being able to respond to him. The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University in New York, joined by seven individual Twitter users, sued Trump for blocking a number of accounts whose owners replied to his tweets with comments that criticized, mocked or disagreed with him.A federal court in Virginia ruled in July on a case with parallels to both the LePage and Trump cases. The Virginia court concluded that the First Amendment's free speech clause prohibits officeholders from blocking social media users on the basis of their views.That case involved a chairwoman of a county board of supervisors who ran a Facebook page to keep in contact with her constituents, according to a report in Slate Magazine.In its declaratory judgment, the court found that Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall inappropriately banned a citizen from commenting on her "Chair Phyllis J. Randall" Facebook page for 12 hours, in violation of the First Amendment.Maryland's Republican Gov. Larry Hogan was also sued last week by the ACLU of Maryland for blocking Facebook users from posting on his official page, according to the Washington Post.The Maine ACLU lawsuit was filed on behalf of Karin Leuthy of Camden and Kelli Whitlock Burton of Waldoboro, both of whom have had their comments deleted and their accounts blocked from further posting on the official "Paul LePage, Maine's Governor" Facebook page, despite none of their comments violating the state's official social media commenting policy."The governor should stop censoring people in public forums just because he disagrees with them," said Leuthy. "Maine will be a stronger state if those in power listen to people from across the political spectrum."LePage's office did not respond to the ACLU's initial letter, but instead referred the public and the media to a response posted on the Facebook page in question.
The workers say they will continue their strike inside the factory until all their demands are met

Thousands of workers at the Mahalla Textile and Weaving Company in Mahalla city continued an open strike at their factory on Wednesday for the third day in a row, making several demands, including a 10 percent raise in basic salary.

Faisal Loksha, the leading activist worker at the famous state-owned company in Gharbiya governorate, told Ahram Online that the workers were shocked that they were not given the 10 percent raise in basic salary which was announced by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in May for public sector workers not covered by the civil service law.

The president announced the raise "to lift burdens off the average Egyptian citizen" following the economic reforms adopted by the Egyptian government.

In addition to the 10 percent public sector pay rise, the Egyptian government also reached to an agreement in July with private sector business and labour sector representatives to grant 18 million workers in the private sector a 10 percent raise starting from July.

"The Mahalla Textile and Weaving Company as a state-owned company follows the business sector ministry and for some reason, the minister of the public business sector refuses to issue those raises to the factories following his ministry," Loksha told Ahram Online.

In addition to the 10 percent basic salary raise, the workers are also demanding a 10 percent social benefit raise and an increase in their food allowance, as well as the appointment of a new board of directors to the company to replace the companys general coordinator.

On Tuesday evening, the general coordinator held a meeting with representatives of the workers, offering them only a 10 percent basic salary raise, in return for ending the strike and returning to work on Thursday. The workers refused the offer and said they would continue the strike until all their demands were met.

Loksha said that the workers had started their open strike on Monday as a final escalation.

"For the past couple of weeks, we have organised short rallies inside the factory after working hours, demanding the raise," he said, adding that they had first tried a partial strike.

"As our demands had not been met, we decided to go on a full strike in the factory," he said describing how the workers come in for their regular shifts in the factory and sit beside their machines, without operating them.

Minister of the Public Business Sector Ashraf El-Sharkawy stated in June that the factory workers and other factory employees, including the Mahalla factory, would not receive the exceptional raise because they received an end-of-year profit share.

Ahram Online spoke with MP Nemat Amar of Mahalla who stated that "the whole problem has been solved."

"Next week the workers will receive a special bonus after an agreement between the general textile and weaving union and Minister El-Sharkawy on Tuesday," she said, urging the workers to get back to work.

She also added that workers did not have the right to ask for the special raise issued by the president as "the civil service law does not apply to public sector companies, or their employees and workers."

"It applies to the workers and employees of the ministries and general authorities only," she told Ahram Online.

Loksha however denied that a deal had been reached between the workers and the government over the raise.

"Nothing was reached, we are still demanding the 10 percent raise as we are citizens in this country working in a public sector company," he said, insisting that the strike will continue until their demands are met.

"The Mahalla MPs can say whatever they want to the reporters or on Facebook but they did not even visit the factory or meet with us," Loksha told Ahram Online.

Mahalla Textile and Weaving Company is one of the biggest textile and cotton companies in the country; the sector as a whole comprises 32 companies and employs 60,000 workers around the country.

In October 2015, the workers of Mahalla Company went on strike for 12 days, to demand they receive a benefit known as the social raise.

The action was successful and they were awarded nine-months worth of the raise.

The companys workers have placed a major part in political developments in Egypt in the last decade, including in major protests against the Mubarak regime in 2008.

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Dubai Ports has been a key partner in a number of development projects in Egypt, and seeks to extend its position further

President El-Sisi met Wednesday with the head of the Suez Canal Authority, Mohab Mamish, and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, the CEO of Dubai Ports.

El-Sisi praised the cooperation between the Egyptian government and Dubai Ports, expressing appreciation for the relations between Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

The CEO of Dubai Ports, which operates the Ain Sokhna sea port in Egypt, demonstrated its currently executed projects, pointing out the group's keenness to expand its investment plan in the country during the upcoming period.

Dubai Ports operates multiple related businesses from marine and inland terminals, maritime services, logistics and ancillary services to technology-driven trade solutions worldwide.

Last week, Egypts Prime Minister Sherif Ismail oversaw the signing of six contracts with investment companies to execute industrial projects covering 16.2 million square metres in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

The Suez Canal Economic Zone extends over 461 square kilometres across the three Suez Canal governorates of Suez, Port Said and Ismailiya, and will include six maritime ports, to be completed by 2045.

The mega project is part of a government plan to upgrade energy infrastructure, boost the economy and create jobs.

Over the past two years, Egypt has been seeking foreign investment for the Suez Canal Economic Zone, which is expected to include an international logistics hub and areas for light, medium and heavy industry, as well as commercial and residential developments.

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For those curious about the historical gems to be found in downtown Cairo, who better than the antiquities ministry to show you around?

Ahram Online joined a walking tour led by ministry representative Nasser Mansour, and run by the ministry and by Arabesque Designs and Art NGO, which took us around included the Postal Museum, the National Theatre, El-Kekhia Mosque, and a few other historical sites found in the vicinity of Attaba Square.

In the first in a series on Khedival Cairo, we start with:

Bosta!

The minute you climb up the gorgeous stairs of the Postal Museum, you see a statue of the postman in his traditional uniform and then you hear "bosta!" (post!) the traditional cry of the Egyptian postman in the street, which in past times would see windows open and residents crane their heads to find out if they had mail.

Cairos point zero

On entering the huge museum building in Attaba Square, you have to step upon a marble star motif in the centre of the floor. This is point zero or kilometre zero, the location chosen in a city as the starting point of all measurements. Like, Paris, Cairo had its marble star in the heart of the postal museum building, in 1 Abdel-Khaleq Tharwat Street.

The grand staircase leads you up to the history of mail, step-by-step.

Posta Europea

The Egyptian Post Museum takes its visitor through the history of letters themselves, and the tour takes you from the very beginning, in the main hall. The ancient Egyptians were among the first to use letters, and an ancient letter is on display. Unfortunately time has washed away the words, but the papyrus still bears witness to the era.

The post in its modern, professional form was implemented in Egypt by two Italian partners, Tito Chini and Giacomo Muzzi, who founded the Posta Europea" mail office, and by 1855 it had branches in Cairo, Rashid, Damanhour and Kafr El-Zayyat.

The word bosta in Egyptian Arabic therefore comes from the company's name, and was always associated with the postman.

In October 1864, Khedive Ismail bought Posta Europea from its owners and made it Egypt's official post office. He made one of the heirs of Muzzi (who was running the business) the general manager.

Development of the post

The next window displays how the post was transported, from the time of pigeons, to carriages and cards, to the time of aeroplanes. Even the traditional red metal mail boxes are depicted, reminiscent of a different age and all the human history that was carried within them.

The statue of the postman in his traditional uniform waved us goodbye as we stepped into the adjacent room, or the vault of stamps, as I chose to name it.

The walls of the historic room are panelled in dark wood, and decorated with life-size portraits of the Egyptian royal family from that age.

Also on display are a range of stamps and the metal plaques that are used to make them, as well as a rare copy of the worlds first stamp.

There is also a group picture of the participants of the world's first global post conference, and it is worth mentioning that Egypt was the only Arab or African country that attended this conference in 1924.

All photos: Amira Noshokaty

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Sustainable Development Technology Canada announced an award of C$3.8 million to Electrovaya to fund the development of safe and long-lasting lithium-ion ceramic batteries for commercial vehicles.

Electrovaya designs, develops and manufactures proprietary Lithium Ion Super Polymer batteries, battery systems, and battery-related products for energy storage, clean electric transportation and other specialized applications. Electrovaya, through its fully owned subsidiary, Litarion GmbH, also produces cells, electrodes and SEPARION ceramic separators and has manufacturing capacity of about 500MWh/annum.
The film honours the prominent critic and academic who died in January

A documentary on the late prominent Egyptian theatre critic and academic Nehad Selaiha titled Khafeef El-Rooh (Light Spirited) will be screened at the Creativity Centre tomorrow.

The film is directed by Amr Qabil and is produced by the Egyptian Artists Organisation for Culture and Arts, a cultural NGO founded in 2015.

Selaiha died earlier this year in January, leaving a gap in the theatre community as she was recognised and valued by theatre makers across generations.

An academic, she held the post of professor of criticism and drama at the High Institute for Art Criticism since 1984, and in 2001 to 2003 she was dean of the same institution.

Selaiha authored numerous books and hundreds of articles in both Arabic and English, varying from theory and criticism to translations of plays and critiques.

She was the first theatre critic to write for the English-language Al-Ahram Weekly newspaper, where she also held the position of supervisor and editor of the theatre criticism section.

Selaiha received awards including special recognition by the Cairo International Experimental Theatre Festival (1996), the State Award for Superior Achievement in Literary Studies (2003), the State Appreciation Award for Arts (2013), alongside numerous international recognitions handed to her at many theatre festivals.

She was also recognised by various Arab theatre festivals, including the Sharjah Festival, the Gulf Cooperation Council Festival, the Carthage Festival, the Amman International Theatre Festival, and the Doha Arab Theatre Festival in 2012.

Until the end, Selaiha was an avid supporter of the independent theatre scene, often guiding and supporting young artists about whom she also wrote extensively while documenting the history of Egyptian theatre.

Programme:

Thursday, 10 August, at 8pm

Creativity Centre, Cairo Opera Grounds, Zamalek, Cairo

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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Halfway around the world, Jeb Brooks changed the name of his blog from Greener Grass to Out Of Place (outofplace.com).

This has grown into something more than a hobby for me, he wrote from Kathmandu. Its a real passion. Getting out, seeing the world, trying to understand other perspectives, these are what keep me traveling. And, as I thought about those things  and spoke to some very close friends  it became clear to me that this is what is most important to me in life:

Being Out Of Place.

By that I mean intentionally putting myself in settings and situations that challenge me. I enjoy finding ways to stretch my comfort zone.

Brooks, at 34, is already one of Greensboros top travelers. He logged more than 47,000 miles just in the past six weeks. For him, the Gate City means coming and going, which he does for business and, well, a challenge.

Brooks is president and CEO of The Brooks Group, a sales-training company founded by his father, Bill, in 1977. The job affords him the opportunity to travel and work remotely.

He takes notes and writes, so he wont forget the moments.

I also love traveling and have stretched my comfort zone a time or two. A 15-hour bus ride from Nairobi to Mwanza and backpacking alone across the Orkney Islands in icy rain stand out as memorable experiences.

But I can only keep up with this adventurous young man through his writing. His latest journey took him to Madagascar, Nepal and Mongolia, among other exotic destinations.

It was his second round-the-world trip in five years. The initial circumnavigation in 2012 was the first time I really immersed myself in culture shock, he said Tuesday.

He has visited every continent and has some unusual favorite countries  Bolivia, for example. This mountainous, land-locked nation, one of the poorest in South America, claims a little-known pre-Incan civilization centered on the ancient city of Tiwanaku. Brooks draws lessons, and warnings against cultural hubris, from the rising and falling of great societies.

I view the world from the eyes of an educated Westerner, from the U.S., said Brooks, who holds a law degree from Elon. The United States is the worlds leading country, but thats true right now. It might not be in 500 years. Thats the march of history.

In Mongolia, where he camped in a ger, or tent-like hut, on the steppe, Brooks said he learned to appreciate the legacy of Ghengis Khan. Coming from a remote and desolate corner of northeast Asia, without wealth or education, Ghengis Khan 800 years ago conquered lands stretching from the Pacific to the Mediterranean. That memory still is celebrated by Mongolians today.

Brooks also was impressed with the expanse and beauty of those plains and sky, calling Mongolia one place he would like to see again, even as he sets his sights on new frontiers. He counts 44 U.N. member states so far and said he hopes to enter all 193.

Theres so much more to see out there, he said.

Brooks usually travels by himself, which he says is easier given his sometimes-haphazard itinerary. If a flight is canceled, its easier to grab one seat on another rather than two or three. Occasionally, he finds a group to join for side trips, as he did in venturing to Mongolias Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area.

I have to go out of my way to connect with others, he wrote. And the ger camp was wonderful in that regard. I was surrounded by people from all over the world. A U.S. consultant living in Nigeria. An Austrian diplomat living in Milan. A French Canadian couple. A journalist from the Netherlands.

Our conversations about the places weve seen, experiences weve had, and people weve met have been  hands down  the greatest part of this journey so far.

Still, there arent that many people who are game for traveling to out-of-place destinations. Although, Brooks reflected, maybe theres some of that in all of us.

Ive always felt out of place, he said. I would bet everybody on the planet has a sense of that. I dont want to run away from it, I want to cultivate it.

The irony is that Brooks was born, and has spent most of his life, in Greensboro. Ill always come home, he said.

Its just that living the rest of his life in a comfort zone isnt for him.

Greensboro isnt called The Gate City because everyone stays put. Brooks is already planning his next trip.
WENTWORTH  A Charlotte woman was sentenced today to 128-166 months in prison after pleading guilty to fleeing to elude arrest being a habitual felon.

On Feb. 10, Valerie Davis attempted to use a fraudulent gift certificate at Walmart, located on N.C. 135 in Mayodan. The stores loss-prevention officers recognized her from a law enforcement bulletin, and attempted to detain her as they contacted Mayodan police, according to a news release from Rockingham County District Attorney Thomas J. Keith.

Davis, however, ran out of the store and drove off in a Dodge Charger that displayed a 30-day tag. Mayodan Police Capt. Todd Brim approached Walmart, he spotted Davis trying to escape, according to Keith. Brim turned on his blue lights and siren in an attempt to pull her over.

Davis instead drove on the wrong side of the road on N.C. 135, running a red light as she turned left without using a turn signal, onto Dan Valley Road  where she reached speeds of 80 mph in the 45 mph zone, according to authorities.

As she approached the River Road intersection, Dan Valley Road was full of traffic  so Davis crossed the double yellow line to the left and passed two cars in the intersection. The other drivers swerved off the roadway to avoid collisions with Davis.

Capt. Brim slowed down to minimize the risk to other drivers, but Davis continued on Dan Valley Road, crashing into a car that was on Lauten Loop Road at a stop sign.

Three young children were inside the car with their father, and their mother was just outside the car. Rockingham County Sheriffs Detective Mary Jane Webb, who was off duty at the time, rushed to the scene of the crash to assist the family. Each family member sustained minor injuries and were treated at a local hospital.

On Wednesday, Rockingham County Resident Superior Court Judge Edwin Wilson sentenced Davis.

This successful prosecution is a result of hard work by the Mayodan Police Department, North Carolina Highway Patrol, the Rockingham County Sheriffs Office, Walmart loss prevention officers, the U.S. Marshals Office and the U.S. Attorneys office in Charlotte and the district attorneys office, said District Attorney Keith. Davis has a long history of committing crimes, but was quickly brought to justice through the efforts of these community partners.

Davis remains in the Rockingham County Jail, awaiting trial in another jurisdiction. The U.S. Attorneys Office in Charlotte assisted the State in getting Davis to trial this week.
Hilton vice president operations for Egypt and MENA Mohab Ghaly said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday that the group is planning to increase the number of its operated hotels in the country within the upcoming 7 to 10 years from 17 to 30 hotels.

He also affirmed that occupation rates in the group's hotels is witnessing improvement in 2017 in comparison to the last year especially in Cairo, Alexandria, Hurghada and Marsa Alam.

Ghaly dismissed that tourism activity has been harmed by the stabbing attack in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada last July, saying that reservations has been already made to the city until September.

Egypt is undergoing efforts to revive the tourism sector, which is the cornerstone of the for millions of Egyptians and a major source of foreign currency.

The country has struggled to attract tourists pushed away by the political turmoil that followed the 2011 uprising.

Tourism sector revenues dropped to $3.4 billion in 2016, a 44.3 percent decline from the previous year, the Central Bank of Egypt said in January. The figure is a far cry from the $11 billion in revenues generated by the sector in 2010, when 14.7 million tourists visited the country.

The numbers of tourists visiting dropped dramatically after a Russian passenger jet crashed in Sinai in October 2015, killing all 224 people on board, mostly holidaymakers.

The country saw a 51 percent rise in the number of tourists during the first quarter of 2017 compared to the same period last year, suggesting a revival in the industry's fortunes.
North Carolina Republicans appeared to fall just short in Tuesdays General Assembly elections of gaining large enough majorities to override Gov. Roy Coopers vetoes on their own. But their seat gains eroded further the Democrats ability to block bills on abortion and other highly contested legislation. The Senate GOP increased their seats to the number needed to have a veto-proof majority. But Speaker Tim Moore said that House Republicans were one seat shy of a similar threshold. Moore said Wednesday he's confident House Republicans can get help from Democrats in an override. But that could be more difficult on abortion restrictions, which Cooper and other Democrats campaigned against.
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GREENWICH  Peter Chiecos daughter is about to get married, a milestone that seemed nearly impossible when she was diagnosed with Cooleys Anemia as a toddler.

Chieco, of Bedford Corners, N.Y., is an executive director of Morgan Stanley in Greenwich who is the Westchester, Rockland and Fairfield County Chapter president for the Cooleys Anemia Foundation.

Since 1988, when his daughter Michelle was diagnosed with the genetic blood disorder, he has focused on raising awareness and funds wherever he finds himself  at home and at work.

Patients with Cooleys Anemia or thalassemia cannot make a normal red blood cell, Chieco said. They need someone elses. So every two weeks they get someone elses red blood cells and it fills their tank back up. ...You can keep someone alive perhaps until the age of 10 or 12 just from blood transfusions, but then theyre going to die of iron overload.

For Michelle and other people diagnosed with Cooleys Anemia, the transfusions and medication to reduce the built-up iron are the price they pay for survival.

Chieco said that research will provide the answers for a cure, but its a slow process. A past-president of the Cooleys Anemia Foundation, he remains active on the board of directors and has been pushing the foundations mission of making sure people know who is at risk for the genetic disease.

Cooleys Anemia was once found nearly exclusively in the Italian-Greek communities, but it has been found in recent years throughout the malaria belt of upper Africa, the lower Mediterranean and across to Asia.

Its not something thats often tested for, Chieco said. If the doctor knows your ethnic background they might push for it, but if people know to ask to be tested, it at least gives them the information to know. And with the more information we have, the more chance there is for a breakthrough.

Chieco is among about two million Americans who carry the gene that causes Cooleys Anemia. It was his daughters diagnosis that inspired him to work to eradicate the condition.

Its the same thing that every parent who has a child who is sick feels, Chieco said. You would switch places in a heartbeat and one of the cruelties of life is you cannot switch places. Its hard, but you try to create a positive atmosphere that we can work through this. Thats what keeps me involved and going. You can easily get depressed about things because there are patients that havent done well but you have to keep going.

Now 28 years old, Chiecos daughter is a pediatric nurse.

She has all the typical challenges that patients do, Chieco said. Every two weeks she has to get her blood transfusion and ...every night she has to do her chelation medicine to get rid of the iron that comes from the transfusion. But overall shes doing wellThis is part of her life. ...There have been a ton of challenges along the way but shes always had a positive attitude.

In the United States, Chieco said, good medical care and financial supporters like the Foundation have helped with therapies and finding a cure.

Were lucky in this country because we have good health care and we at least have options, Chieco said. In many countries they dont have optionsWere focused on curing Cooleys Anemia throughout the world. Were focused on creating a better quality of life for all patients. ...Funding research here in the United States is a really good way of fighting a disease but we also keep a global perspective. For us, a cure is a cure for everyone.

More information is online at http://www.thalassemia.org.

The foundation is always looking for volunteers and financial support, he said. Clinical trials are under way for gene therapy treatment for both Cooleys Anemia and Sickle Cell Anemia.

Funds from the Foundation are helping with the clinical trials; money from the Foundation is also used for fellowship programs to help doctors working on Cooleys Anemia projects develop better transplant techniques, improved therapy and pay for more gene therapy work, he said.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
Entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes, and the younger generation is more eager than ever to join the ranks of successful entrepreneurs. In fact, 72 percent of high school students and 64 percent of college undergraduates surveyed by Millennial Branding said they had dreams of someday starting their own businesses.

Related: How You Can Identify and Optimize Nonprofit Partnerships

Still, when it comes to starting a business, the classroom isnt a perfect substitute for real-world experience. Thats why its more important than ever for established companies to insert themselves into the startup ecosystem in ways that can help them achieve their own objectives while developing the next generation of business leaders.

Generation Z (those born after 1995) wants more than just the opportunity to run a company; these aspiring entrepreneurs want to change the world. Sixty percent of those polled in a survey reported by Marketo said they wanted a job that would impact the world, and 76 percent were worried about humanitys impact on our planet. So, if brands want to help young entrepreneurs succeed, they should start by helping them help others.

Growth with a purpose

Many companies today are helping to foster entrepreneurial growth by creating partnerships with a variety of nonprofit organizations, including ones related to their core business.

For example, Meltwater, a global media-intelligence company headquartered in San Francisco, established the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) in Ghana in 2008 as a Pan-African training program, seed fund and incubator for aspiring tech entrepreneurs.

Every year, the nonprofit arm of the company selects high-performing graduates from across the African continent to participate in a fully sponsored entrepreneurial education program that lasts two years. The company has developed its nonprofit organization with the goal of creating opportunity, rather than simply providing charity.

Like a growing number of companies, Meltwater is investing in its own long-term success by fostering the growth of tomorrows leaders. Prudent business leaders will recognize the explosion of interest in entrepreneurship as an opportunity to do the same. For CEOs and founders looking to tap into the possibilities of the booming startup ecosystem, here are five strategies to consider:

Related: How Your Business Can Build Lasting Partnerships With Nonprofits

1. Start a mentorship program.

Research shows that mentorship can go a long way toward improving the odds of an entrepreneurs success. While half of entrepreneurs fail without a mentor, 88 percent of founders in a survey (reported by the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance Summit) who said they had access to one or more mentors went on to start a company that survived.

Many Fortune 500 companies, including major financial institutions such as American Express and the Bank of America, are turning to mentorship programs like Year Up when searching for new talent. The nonprofit organization helps young adults from low-income families learn the skills they need to launch successful careers at top companies.

By starting a mentorship program, youre creating more than just an outlet for corporate social responsibility. Youre equipping future leaders to take advantage of a lifetime of opportunities.

2. Create a scholarship.

One of the most effective corporate scholarship programs today was created by Coca-Cola more than 25 years ago. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation awards an achievement-based scholarship to high school seniors who show a special capacity for learning and service to their communities.

Since its inception, the Foundation program has awarded more than $63 million in educational assistance, selecting 150 scholars each year. Not only does this type of program demonstrate the companys commitment to giving back, but it provides ongoing opportunities for people who otherwise wouldnt have them.

3. Promote innovation through education.

The University of Missouri has taken entrepreneurial education to a new level with its Entrepreneurship Alliance. The program places an emphasis on teaching not only the technical skills offered in traditional college entrepreneurship courses, but also the less tangible essentials, like risk tolerance, passion, self-confidence and vision.

Business leaders may therefore contribute by funding student-led business initiatives, like MEST, or providing direct education and guidance to students dreaming of becoming entrepreneurs. Either way, they can cultivate innovative thinking within their own organizations while equipping future founders with the tools they need to succeed in the real world.

4. Provide networking opportunities.

The University of Missouris Entrepreneurship Alliance offers students plenty of chances to connect with forward-thinking companies, and other schools are following suit. The University of Florida Career Resource Center, for instance, has been ranked among the best in America by BestColleges.com. Recruiters surveyed by the Wall Street Journal have said they love the fact that the school offers several annual career fairs, in addition to an online resource that helps students figure out how to turn their interests into careers.

Networking is a critical part of achieving success as a startup founder, and, like schools, companies can play a big role in opening doors for young entrepreneurs. Companies can leverage existing business relationships to introduce young people to different types of work and different industries. Even if your company isnt hiring, helping qualified candidates make meaningful connections within your network can pay off down the road.

5. Equip schools with teaching materials.

Samsung, the worlds largest electronics company, works to advance education with its global citizenship program, Hope for Children. Through Hope for Children, the company partners with a variety of nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life for kids around the world.

While a global impact is impressive, if youre just starting to develop your own opportunity-building program, consider supporting the educational institutions close to you. Donating materials is a great way to build a relationship with a school or teaching program. Eventually, you can expand your involvement to provide more hands-on services and direct engagement with entrepreneurial students.

Related: Why 'Gen Z' May Be More Entrepreneurial Than 'Gen Y'

The time to act is now: The sooner you become involved in cultivating entrepreneurial talent, the sooner that involvement will have a positive impact on your own company and the lives of others. Many companies make it a point to tell the world about their charity efforts and corporate philanthropy. But when you provide future leaders with opportunity rather than just charity, chances are you won't have to tell the world. They'll do it for you.

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Chickens may be coming home to roost. Photo: Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for NYCWFF

A new lawsuit argues that the chefs at one of New Yorks most high-profile fried-chicken joints found some very creative ways to spend nearly a quarter of a million of the restaurants dollars. Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth  Top Chef veterans who have four James Beard Award nominations between them  opened Root & Bone in 2014 with business partner Richard Freedman, who also doubles as Root & Bones landlord. Freedman claims the pair (who are also a real-life couple) has so far failed to account for over $286,000 in cash distributions. Freedman also claims hes been frozen out of the business and was led to believe the restaurant was not making much, if any, profit.

The suit alleges that $136,000 of the money funded a remodel of McInnis and Booths East Village apartment thats located above the restaurant, and that another $85,000 went toward rent. Theyre also accused of paying a PR firm to market a Puerto Rican pop-up restaurant that Freedman had no part of  and that supposedly featured proprietary recipes from Root & Bones menu. McInnis also gave himself a $10,000 raise, the suit says, despite essentially never being at the restaurant.

For his part, McInnis says, I wish the guy the best, but the matter is nothing more than bookkeeping confusion. That could definitely be the case, but drama does seem to follow the two chefs: When McInnis decamped from Miami in 2013, his wife called him a backstabbing buttface, and claimed he emptied our bank account so he could flee to New York with that girl Janine on Top Chef, who she said was his new girlfriend. In any event, Freedman wants the money repaid plus damages, and for the court to rule that the chefs have violated their lease.
The saga of the Essential Phone's release continues. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal today, company representatives promised to finally reveal the actual release date of the handset within the next week. That does not mean the product will be available in seven days or less, mind you - that's just a time frame for telling us exactly when to expect it to hit the streets.

That's certainly good news, but you may remember that Essential's promise in May at the unveiling event for the phone was to ship it within 30 days of that moment. That obviously hasn't happened, and now we're more than two months removed from that point. Understandably, the hype surrounding the Essential Phone is starting to die down, especially with big releases coming up in the next month or so - the Galaxy Note8, the iPhone 8, the LG V30, even the Nokia 8.

The Essential Phone is already up for pre-order at Best Buy, and the company today confirmed that the retailer would be selling the unlocked version alongside Amazon - which is also an investor in Essential, as it turns out. Sprint will be the only carrier offering the Essential Phone, but the unlocked model should work on all the big ones.

Source | Via
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Haiti - Petit-Goave : An American missionary assaulted





On the night of Saturday, August 5, 2017 around 10:00 am Ernie Rice, 63, an American missionary, a member of the Texas Baptist Church and the Good for Haiti Organization was violently assaulted and injured at his home in Cap-Destre, a habitation of the 12th communal section of Petit-Goave.



He was rushed to the hospital where he was treated. Since then, he has returned to his residence.



The alleged perpetrator Luckner Labonte, aka "Pa fe mal", was arrested by police on Tuesday, August 8th at 11 am in Beatrice and taken to Petit-Goave police station.



The missionary Rice, told of his aggression on the microphone of Radio Preference "[...] Luckner Labonte who lived in the area, entered my house after knocking violently on my door with a big stone, the he approached me. He spoke Creole, he said a lot of words and I did not understand everything. Certainly he wanted money, he grabbed a piece of wood and hit me on the head a terrible blow, I fell to the ground in blood and fainted... My security guard and neighbors rescued me. I appreciated the support of the people [...]"



Recall that Rice has been living in Haiti since 2011, he works in the field of education and vocational training of young people to whom he learns to make furniture.



HL/ HaitiLibre / Guyto Mathieu (Correspondant Petit-Goave)






















Haiti - Politics : Unanimous condemnation of death threats by Mayor Fortune





The reactions are multiplying to denounce and condemn the death threats that the Mayor of Les Cayes, Jean Gabriel Fortune has uttered several times in several media against journalist Jean Nazaire Jeanty, of the station "Lebon FM", for having realized a report in which he denounces the insalubrity of the beach Gelee to less than 15 days of the patronal festival.



In a note of protest the Association of Haitian Journalists (AJH), said to see through these threats, "a certain nostalgia of Mayor of the Cayes of a bygone era and rather sad in the history of the country." The AJH recalls that this era was marked by the use of secret services, as proposed by Mr. Fortune, to enable the authorities to decide the life or death of citizens.



Frantz Duval, President of the National Association of Haitian Media (ANMH) said he was "appalled by the virulence of the words of the Mayor of Les Cayes" and denounced "a serious slippage" and "unspeakable behavior". He deplores the silence of the judicial authorities of Les Cayes on this issue and calls on them to assume their responsibilities.



The Association of Independent Independent Media of Haiti (AMIH) also condemned the death threats against journalist Jean Nazaire Jeanty.



"The Association of Independent Independent Media of Haiti condemns with the utmost rigor the death threats uttered by the mayor of Les Cayes Jean Gabriel Fortune against the journalist Jean Nazaire Jeanty [...] it condemns the impertinence of the mayor who reiterated his threats on several radio stations in the capital, giving the impression of having the right of life or death on the journalist "why should not he die if he dared to criticize the unhealthiness of the Beach of Gelee ?" a statement by the mayor that is worth a call to the assassination and shows that Gabriel Fortune has no respect for life.



The Association calls on its members, journalists from Les Cayes and the rest of the country, and the press and media associations to remain united to force Mayor Fortune to apologize to journalist Jean Nazaire Jeanty.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















De Bortoli introduces alternative grape varieties wine trio

By Lisa Riley

De Bortoli Wines has introduced a wine trio blended with alternative grape varieties

The Down the Lane range from the Australian producer, available now, comprises a white Pinot Grigio Arneis 2016 with a touch of Vermentino, a rose, Gris de Gris 2016 composed of Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir alongside a Shiraz Tempranillo 2015 (rrp: 8.99).

Created by senior winemaker, John Coughlan, the launch followed a few years of experimenting with alternative grape varieties from De Bortolis King Valley, Yarra Valley and Riverina vineyards, said the family winery.

Down the Lane is a terrific opportunity to explore varieties that may be better suited to our particular climates and blending for interest and flavour rather the traditional single variety approach, said Coughlan, who specialises in working with lesser-known grape varieties.

Featuring a bolder, edgier look inspired by the street art and hidden bars of Melbourne, Down the Lane won a bronze medal in the Harpers Design Awards this year.

Distributed in the UK by North South Wines, the trio is targeted at the off-trade
Looking ahead to the Christmas run-up: Craig Durham, MD, Buckingham Schenk

By Jo Gilbert

The autumn tasting season will be upon us before we know it, as merchants and wholesalers prepare for the all important Christmas trading period.

Throughout August, Harpers will be running a web series which will include interviews with some of leading voices in the trade, and find out what trends and challenges theyre expecting to face in the latter half of 2017.

We begin our series with Buckingham Schenk MD Craig Durham, who talks climate woes and playing to the companys strengths.







How has the first half of 2017 compared to 2016?

Like much of the UK wine trade, there are obviously challenges during this period of Brexit uncertainty but these are being overcome with the support of the Schenk Group behind us and by us keeping to our clear strategy for future growth.







Taking current trading conditions into account, whats your strategy for the second half of the year, through autumn and leading up to Christmas?

Despite the current climate we have gained three new retail listings for Vinalba in recent months and we will be focusing on Argentina for the autumn as Vinalba celebrates its 10th birthday.

Our pop-up in Shoreditch is being opened to celebrate the anniversary and will be used to introduce both Vinalba and our on-trade brand Phebus to potential new customers. We are also holding a series of themed tastings to give greater understanding to both consumers and the trade.

For Christmas we will also be launching new wines on the back of our Italian and Spanish strengths.







What will be your main focus during for the rest of the year?

Our number one focus during this time will of course be our customers and ensuring they we deliver what they need for the Christmas period. A significant part of this will obviously be Prosecco and our Vinalba brand. We are also looking to develop gifting opportunities across a range of products.







Are there any specific challenges that youre planning for?

With the reports of difficult vintages ahead from many of our key countries of supply and the obvious economic challenges we are all facing it is very difficult to plan for every eventuality. However, we are ready, willing and able, so bring it on!



What about trends?

We think Italy will continue to grow in popularity, particularly indigenous varieties, and there will be an increased demand for other sparkling wines as consumers broaden their knowledge of this category.







Based on any early indications, what can the trade can expect from this year's Christmas trading period?

It is difficult to tell at this stage. But we know we have the wines and the offering to get consumers engaged, combined with the range and service needed to ensure our customers get what they want when they want it.








Naked Wines reveals 1m investment into English wine as sales surge

By Lisa Riley

Naked Wines has reported a 16% volume increase in annual sales of its English wines (to July 2017), driven by the seemingly unquenchably thirst for home-grown bubbles.

On the back of Brits continuing love affair with English wine, Naked Wines said it had earmarked 1m of investment into the booming industry.

As a crowd-funded wine business, we invest where our customers tell us to, so its fantastic to see English fizz now bubbling over as one of their favourites - people are voting with their taste buds, backing British businesses and winemakers pursuing their dreams, said managing director, Eamon FitzGerald.

Analysis of regional demand however suggested the palate for British bubbles werent consistent, with the thirst for home-grown sparkling wine either bubbling over or fizzling out depending on where in the UK you live, said the company.

According to the new research, English wine sales are booming in the South East, with English fizz increasingly appearing on dinner party tables from local vineyard visits, with online demand now following, said FitzGerald.

If you live in London or the Home Counties - home to some of the UKs best-known vineyards - you are 10 times more likely to choose English as your fizz of choice than the rest of the UK, he said, adding these regions accounted for 51% of Naked Wines' English sparkling wine sales in the UK.

Nottingham had also emerged as a surprise English fizz hotspot, according to the research, with the city famous for its lace industry now having the highest volume of English wine sales outside of London, he said.

Naked Wines best-selling English fizz is Old Winchester Hill Blanc de Blancs NV from the Hampshire vineyard of ex-banker Ian Kellett. In 2016, the investors in the company raised 112,000 to fund Charles and Ruth Simpson's first English fizz from their Kent vineyard.
rochipping employees for greater work performance would be the ultimate micromanagement, according to Dr Lindsay McMillan, lead researcher and campaign director of a future that works at HR think-tank Reventure.Indeed, microchips are a part of a global trend; earlier this year Swedish company Epicenter announced plans to implant 150 workers with microchips to monitor work hours.Microchip implants are used to replace swipe cards or keys, but having one for work means your employer could have a digital record of all your movements, said Dr McMillan.It is vitally important that workers dont feel pressured to adopt drastic and invasive measures such as microchipping.Moreover, an international PwC survey of 10,000 respondents has found 70% of people would consider treatments to enhance their brains or bodies, all in the pursuit of greater work performance.Dr McMillan added that their research indicates that workers are already feeling technology-related stress and strategies should be developed in the workplace to combat this, not exacerbate it.54 per cent of millennials say they are experiencing technology-related stress; workers are unable to switch off because they think being on call is what makes them valuable, he said.Moreover, a 2016 study of over 1,000 Australian workers found 46% already feel technology makes them feel always on and unable to completely shut-off from work.Despite this, one expert from PwC said microchips and implants that improve work efficiency could be much more acceptable practice in ten or fifteen years.Dr McMillan said implanted technology would be much more intrusive to the private lives of employees and warned against unhealthy workplace practices.Work-life balance is vitally important and all Australians should get a chance to be completely away from work, he said.We need to address this with a concerted response from employers and industry to change the culture - or it will only get worse.
In the 70s and 80s, the intake of migrants to Australia was largely focused on the non-workforce attributes of the people that were coming here, according to Chris F. Wright, a senior lecturer in Work and Organisational Studies at the University of Sydney Business School.



In the 1990s that changed in a big way. Much greater focus on attracting higher skilled immigrants to address defined skills needs and bringing people here on a temporary as well as a permanent basis, he said.



Dr Wright added that this focus on skills has been strongly supported by employers as it has allowed them to more precisely meet their needs. Moreover, it has allowed employers to bring in people with new and innovative ideas.



Visa regulations have become targeted at people who are high income earners. So migrants, to a much greater extent than in the past and to a greater extent than in other countries, contribute more to the economy by way of taxation than they take in government services.



Indeed, Australian immigration policy has undergone unique revolutionary change over the past 20 years with net economic and social benefits, added Dr Wright.



Australias immigration program, which has shifted away from permanent settlement and family reunions, towards temporary and skills based entry, has seen a fivefold increase in arrivals over the past two decades.



However, Dr Wright also said that temporary backpacker type work visas have led to exploitation and require greater regulation.



For example, if there is to be a visa designed to meet the needs of farmers thats absolutely fine, but its got to be done on a more regulated basis, he said.



People coming here need to have their rights protected and they cant be vulnerable to the extent that they currently are to mistreatment and underpayment.



Dr Wright also expressed concern about the interaction between skills based immigration policies and policies affecting training programs.



Weve seen a large expansion of visas and at the same time, essentially independent of that development, weve had a complete change to education and training policies in ways that have made employers a lot less inclined to invest in their workforce, said Dr Wright.



Instead of being treated as two separate policy areas, governments have got to look at immigration and education and training as complementary arrangements for meeting workforce needs, he added.




(Reuters) Puerto Ricos bankruptcy, aimed at restructuring $72 billion of debt, violates the U.S. Constitution and should be dismissed, the Aurelius Capital Management hedge fund said in a court filing on Monday. The U.S. commonwealths federally appointed oversight board initiated its debt-cutting proceeding in May under a law known as PROMESA. Puerto Rico is barred from traditional municipal bankruptcy protection under Chapter 9 of the U.S. code.

To read this article:
(HedgeCo.Net) An overseas stock manipulator has agreed to pay nearly $800,000 and be permanently barred from involvement in penny stocks after hiding his significant stake in a small oil & gas company while secretly funding a fraudulent promotional campaign that artificially boosted the companys stock price before he dumped his shares.

SEC enforcement investigators uncovered the fraud by peeling back layer upon layer of shell companies and nominee owners to reveal that Joe Yiu Cheung controlled United American Petroleum Corp. (UAPC). According to the SECs order, Cheung utilized an elaborate network of overseas bank and brokerage accounts mostly in bank secrecy jurisdictions to conceal his UAPC ownership. In addition, he did not file required reports that would have publicly disclosed his burgeoning ownership of UAPC stock. Cheung paid for the issuance of promotional materials to 2.2 million U.S. residents, inducing investors with rosy falsehoods about UAPCs operations and prospects. The SECs order finds that while UAPCs stock price was rising as more investors bought in, Cheung secretly ordered his foreign brokers to dump his shares. He did not file required reports that would have revealed his sizeable sales to investors, including those purchasing the stock.

Investors are often attracted to microcap companies and we are committed to protecting them from overseas manipulators and cross-border schemes. In this case, we worked with numerous foreign authorities to get the evidence we needed to expose Cheung as the man behind false promotional materials and hidden stock transactions, said Andrew M. Calamari, Director of the SECs New York Regional Office.

The SECs order finds that Cheung, who lives in Canada and Hong Kong and also goes by Dylon de lu Zhang, violated Sections 17(a)(1) and (3) of the Securities Act of 1933, Sections 10(b), 13(d), and 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rules 10b-5(a) and (c), 13d-1, 13d-2, 16a-2, and 16a-3. Without admitting or denying the findings in the SECs order, Cheung has agreed to cease and desist from further violations and must pay $542,498.33 in disgorgement plus $94,131.66 in interest and a $150,000 penalty. He agreed to a penny stock bar and a 10-year officer-and-director bar.

The SECs investigation was conducted by Tracy Sivitz of the Microcap Fraud Task Force and Douglas Smith, David Stoelting, and Sandeep Satwalekar. The case was supervised by Lara Shalov Mehraban. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, Liechtenstein Financial Market Authority, Guernsey Financial Services Commission, British Columbia Securities Commission, Quebec Autorite des Marches Financier, Ontario Securities Commission, Turks and Caicos Islands Financial Services Commission, and Cayman Islands Monetary Authority.

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SEC Order
Pat and Ann Kerley who were attacked by a swarm of bees in Co Louth

A couple stung up to 60 times by an angry swarm of bees were lucky not to be seriously injured after running blindly into traffic trying to get away from their insect tormentors.

Pat and Ann Kerley, who are in their 50s, suffered multiple stings when the bees descended on them in Dundalk, Co Louth, last Friday.

Owenie Grimes, a local man who was driving past, came to the rescue after he saw the pair running through traffic.

He drove them to Louth County Hospital in Dundalk, from where they were transferred to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

"We were just out walking along the inner relief road at the back of the Louth County Council offices at about 8pm when we were swarmed by bees," said Pat.

"We were covered by hundreds of them and we ran blindly into the busy road to try and get away from them but they were attached to us.

Running

"Ann fell and busted her lip and knee but I just dragged her up to keep her running. Cars and vans were swerving to avoid us as we tried to get away.

"My wife and I were stung about 30 times each, to our heads, necks and faces, but it could have been a lot worse if not for Owenie. He got us into his car and drove us to the Louth hospital.

"He put all the windows down in the car and we were swatting them out on the way to the hospital.

"I actually had one buzzing in my ear until we got there. An ambulance then brought us to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital for treatment for all the stings.Thankfully neither of us had an allergic reaction and, apart from the shock, we were okay.

"We were a bit puffy from the stings, especially around the eyes. The staff of both hospitals were fantastic and, as for Owenie, if not for him, God knows how we would be now."

Warning

Pat added on Facebook: "Please be careful if walking in that area, especially with young children. We were pulling out little barbs from our skin that they had left behind for ages. It was as horrific as it sounds."

Pat has reported the incident to the local authorities.
Frazer got away in his car after being shot in Clondalkin in 2014

March 26, 2014: Michael Frazer is shot twice - in the arm and chest - in a church car park in Clondalkin. He flees the scene in his car while gangland criminal James 'Nellie' Walsh is arrested after he shoots himself in the leg in the botched hit. 'Nellie' is now serving 10 years in jail.

July 2014: Gardai intercept an assassination team in the South Circular Road area who they believe were on their way to murder Frazer. These same mobsters - who are senior members of the Kinahan cartel - are also arrested by gardai in January 2015, dressed in disguises and ready to pounce on separate targets. On both occasions, the duo are released without charge.

August 1, 2014: Frazer is lucky to survive after being targeted by gangsters outside a pub in Firhouse at 9pm. Frazer is lured to a meeting in the car park of a pub in the south Dublin suburb when a masked gunman walks up to his car and tries to open fire.But the weapon jams and Frazer rushes to nearby Tallaght Garda Station to report the incident.

August 17, 2014: Armed gardai rush to Brickfield Park in Drimnagh after Frazer makes a panicked call to gardai saying that he has seen a man outside the house he was staying in wearing a balaclava.

January 3, 2015: Two heroin addicts from the Ballyfermot area are arrested and questioned about another failed murder attempt on Frazer at Islandbridge. Gardai believe that his life was saved when the airbags went off in his BMW car after it was rammed while he was sitting in a car adjacent to Islandbridge Court Apartments and Bellevue Apartments in Islandbridge. Senior Kinahan cartel figures are again suspected of direct involvement.

August 7, 2017: Two known associates of the Kinahan cartel stop in a van on the Kylemore Road in Ballyfermot at around 8pm as they are allegedly on their way to shoot Frazer. A loaded handgun and a can of petrol are recovered in the intelligence-led operation.
There were ice-creams all round as Fine Gael TDs took to Dublin's Merrion Square with their children to promote the government's Affordable Childcare scheme.

Among the measures kicking in this September is a universal subsidy of up to 80 a month to help the parents of about 33,000 children aged between six months and three years with childcare costs.

Alan Farrell, Dublin Fingal TD and Oireachtas children's committee chairman, said the purpose of the picnic in the park was to highlight how parents can learn about their entitlements at the AffordableHealthcare.ie website.

He said it laid out the various schemes, particularly for disadvantaged or low-income families, and praised Minister for Children Katherine Zappone for her work in the childcare area.

There was confusion when Mr Farrell appeared to confirm that the upcoming Budget would include extra funds of 150m for the Department of Children in 2018.

Both the Departments of Children and Finance said no decisions have yet been made in relation to Budget 2018.

Affordable

Mr Farrell later clarified that the 150m sum he mentioned related to the full-year cost of the affordable childcare measures that begin this September.

Aside from the universal payment, there are means-tested supports for lower income families.

This includes supports worth up to 7,500 per year for children aged six months to 15 years old.

The aim of this is to ensure that parents previously prevented from taking up jobs, training or education due to the cost of childcare will be able to do so.

Other Dublin TDs attending the event included Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe - a father-of-two - and Josepha Madigan, who brought her two sons, Daniel (13) and Luke, who was celebrating his 12th birthday.
A British model who was allegedly kidnapped in Milan was too terrified to try and escape her captor when he took her shoe shopping and to buy groceries, her lawyer has said.

Italian police said Chloe Ayling was snatched last month by a group calling itself Black Death.

She is believed to have been drugged and transported in a bag to an isolated village near Turin, where she was held for six days while her captors tried to auction her online.

Flee

The 20-year-old was told people were watching her and she would be killed if she tried to flee, meaning she complied with what her captor asked her to do, according to her lawyer Francesco Pesce.

"She was told that she was going to be sold to somebody in the Middle East for sex," he said.

"She was told that people were there watching her and ready to kill her if she tried anything.

"So she thought that the best idea was to go along with it and to be nice in a way to her captor, because he told her that he wanted to release her, somehow and sometime.

"She thought that the best thing to do was not to go into conflict with him.

"So she abided to his request, 'let's go and buy groceries' and 'you need shoes, let's go buy shoes' and she didn't try to flee.

"But I believe she was terrified at the moment and, even if she could've asked for help, she didn't because she was subjugated to this person, or people, as she was given to understand."

Mr Pesce dismissed suggestions Ms Ayling may have somehow been in on the kidnap, describing it as "evil".

It has been reported she told police she had developed a trusting relationship and even shared a bed with her kidnapper, who gave her chocolate and underwear, but she said he had not sexually assaulted her.

Horrific

On Monday, her agent Phil Green said Ms Ayling could not return home to London for almost three weeks.

"Chloe had her passport detained by Italian police, who would not let her return to the UK until she gave evidence at a pre-trial hearing on August 4," he said in a statement.

He added she was able to fly back to the UK on Sunday after attending the crime scene with police and her lawyer.

Ms Ayling has said: "I've been through a terrifying experience. I feared for my life, second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour.

"I am incredibly grateful to the Italian and UK authorities for all they have done to secure my safe release."
This is the dramatic moment armed Gardai swooped on two Kinahan Cartel gunmen who were on the way to shoot long term target Michael Frazer

A 34-year-old career criminal who was arrested allegedly on his way to shoot one of the capital's main gang targets was previously cleared of murder charges following a dramatic trial.

The revelation comes as sources last night said that gardai were probing whether the latest hit on Michael Frazer (38) was ordered from inside Mountjoy Prison by one of his most bitter enemies.

Monday night's dramatic arrest operation in Ballyfermot was the sixth time that Drimnagh man Frazer has escaped a gang murder attempt.

Another prominent theory being investigated by gardai is that Frazer was targeted because people known to him are muscling in dealing drugs on Kinahan cartel 'turf' in the Crumlin and south inner city areas of the capital.

Our dramatic photos show armed gardai swooping on the suspects in the planned raid.

Handgun

The arrested 34-year-old Ballyfermot criminal and a 38-year-old pal of his from Neilstown in west Dublin were being questioned by detectives at Crumlin Garda Station last night.

They were arrested by heavily armed members of the Emergency Response Unit in a white van at around 8pm on Monday on the Kylemore Road.

A loaded 9mm handgun and a canister of petrol was discovered in the van, which was registered under a bogus company name and made to look like a works vehicle. The suspects were wearing gloves and camouflage clothing and are understood to have had a change of clothes in the van.

Sources say that the arrests were part of a major surveillance operation by the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, which had been ongoing for a number of days.

It is understood that elite detectives had been tracking the van in the capital for a number of days before they pounced.

Gardai also seized a second vehicle, which had been equipped with false number plates that is suspected of being used as a getaway car.

Senior sources have confirmed that gardai are in "no doubt" that the intended target was Frazer and that the two arrested men were to be paid for the murder by senior figures within the Kinahan cartel.

It is understood the suspected getaway car was found near where Frazer has been residing in the Crumlin area in recent weeks.

Apart from being cleared by a jury of stabbing a man to death in west Dublin over 12 years ago, the arrested 34-year-old survived a gun attack in January 2011 as part of a major disagreement among criminals in the Ballyfermot area.

Offences

He was not injured in that incident after a number of shots were fired into the house that he was in.

The 38-year-old Neilstown criminal who was arrested in the van with him on Monday is known to gardai for a variety of offences including serious drug crime and thefts.

The west Dublin duo are being held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder.

Monday night's incident is the sixth time that Frazer has cheated death since March 2014, when he was shot twice by notorious Clondalkin gangster James 'Nellie' Walsh.

It is understood that, more than three years ago, Frazer became a prime target of a man known to him, who is now in Mountjoy Prison on remand for murder charges.

It was claimed that Frazer had been accused of having an affair with a woman linked to this notorious criminal, who is heavily involved with the Kinahan cartel and who then decided to order Frazer's murder.

Close associates of the jailed crimelord have been arrested in relation to a number of the other attempted murders on Frazer between July 2014 and January 2015, but were never charged in relation to the botched incidents.
Gardai and the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) have issued a warning about scams targeting students who are "getting desperate" in the search for accommodation.

Gardai have urged people to be wary of rental scams, particularly at this time of year when students are returning to college.

There are three categories of scams people need to look out for, according to gardai.

The first is when the scammer claims to be out of the country and unable to show you the property, but requests a deposit.

Secondly, the scammer is living at the property and shows a number of people around, gets a deposit from several people and disappears with the money.

Finally, the transaction appears normal until the renter finds that the keys do not work and the landlord has disappeared.

"People need to establish that the house exists and that it is available for rent," a Garda spokesperson said.

USI president Michael Kerrigan said that despite these scams happening all year round, there is a "huge increase" as the new semester approaches.

"With international students in particular, I've seen cases where they have transferred money and gone to the house only to find a family unaware of what's going on," he said.

The USI is advising students to meet the landlord and ask for proof of identity.

"If you're worried that you're being led into a scam, alert the gardai or your students' union right away," Mr Kerrigan said.

"Don't rush into any arrangement that looks too good to be true. Students are getting desperate, but they really can not take any risks in the market."

Gardai told students to try to only do business with "established bona fide rental agencies".

Damages

A spokesperson for the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), said it is "completely unacceptable that a small cohort of landlords would seek to scam tenants".

Tenants may take a case to the RTB and can be awarded damages if it is found that a landlord has breached their obligations.

The RTB said it is essential not to hand over deposits until the property has been viewed and keys have been received.
ABINGDON, Va.  The Gallery @ Barr Photographics presents Inspired By Nature, the fourth installment of the Corner Gallerys exhibition series with an offering of oil paintings by Knoxville, Tennessee, artist Gary Dagnan.

The exhibit will be celebrated with a gala public reception and art demonstration by Dagnan, on Friday, Aug. 11, from 7-9 p.m. in the gallery, 152 E. Main St., Abingdon, Virginia. Inspired By Nature will hang and be offered for sale through Sept. 30.

From an early age, he was fascinated by how artists were able to create art by observing the world around them. Dagnan was impressed with the well-known illustrators of that time, such as Norman Rockwell, Jon Whitcomb and Stevan Dohanos who created paintings and illustrations for magazines. He dreamed that he would someday be an artist like them.

Born in the small town of Jasper, Tennessee, he grew up in the East Tennessee area. At the age of 11 his family moved to Knoxville, where he was introduced to art by Bearden High School art Marilyn Heilman,

After high school, he attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he majored in graphic design with an emphasis on painting and drawing. After graduating, he accepted a permanent position as graphic design specialist with the Agricultural Extension Service. He retired from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture where he was employed as a graphic designer, associate professor and illustrator for 37 years. He now devotes full time to fine-art painting.

His inspiration comes from the rural landscapes of the East Tennessee area, the changing light and colors that come from the distinctly different seasons of the South. Many of his paintings are also of places and scenes where he and his wife, Diane, have traveled.

In his artist statement Dagnan reveals, I want my paintings to express that emotional and spiritual connection that I have with nature. I am more interested in the aesthetics of a scene than I am with documenting a specific place. When someone views my art, I would hope that they would have an emotional as well as a visual connection to the work.

For more information, call 276- 628-1486 or visit http://barrphotographics.com.
Maryland cross country: Hubs' Stine, Leopards girls each finish second

North Hagerstown sophomore Lauren Stine had the top performance by a Washington County athlete, placing second in the Class 3A girls race.
Makers of scanners used in airports are testing new technology that could soon make taking liquids and laptops out of carry-on bags a thing of the past, speeding up security lines for passengers.

Manufacturers such as Smiths Detection and L-3 Communications are developing and testing new scanners using computed tomography (CT) imaging, which produce more detailed images than a regular x-ray.

Because liquids and electronic devices do not need to be removed with the new scanners, fewer trays of belongings and images of their contents are required, representatives of Smiths and L-3 told Reuters at a security conference in Brussels.

Europe's airports spend 5 billion euros ($5.3 billion) a year on security, according to airports association ACI Europe, which organized the conference.

L-3, which already makes CT scanners for hold baggage, is currently trial ling its ClearScan scanner for hand baggage at airports in Amsterdam and Johannesburg, a marketing representative at the conference said.


North Korea conducted an ejection test of a missile's "cold-launch system" at a naval shipyard in Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province on Sunday, CNN quoted a U.S. defense official as saying Monday.

It was fourth such test this year and the third in July alone.

"The U.S. military has detected 'highly unusual and unprecedented levels' of North Korean submarine activity and evidence of an 'ejection test,'" CNN added.

The "cold-launch system" uses high-pressure steam to propel a missile out of the launch canister into the air and let the engine ignite. It aims to prevent the heat from the engine from damaging the submarine or submersible barge that launches the missile.

If the North succeeds in developing both land-based and submarine-based ballistic missiles, it would have two-thirds of what has been described as a "strategic triad" of land, air and sea-based nuclear attack capabilities.

The regime recently sent a diesel-powered Romeo-class sub about 100 km out to sea in international waters from the East Sea and outfitted a Sinpo-class sub with a possible missile launch tube, U.S. defense officials told CNN.
HICKORY  The American Red Cross urges blood donors to give in the final weeks of summer to help overcome a chronic summer blood shortage.

In August, regular donors may delay giving as final summer vacations are planned and back-to-school activities ramp up. To fully meet the needs of hospital patients in the coming days and weeks, donations are urgently needed from new and current donors. Those who donated blood earlier this summer may be eligible to donate again. Blood can be safely donated every 56 days, and power red cells can be donated every 112 days.

As a special thank you, those who come out to give blood or platelets with the Red Cross now through Aug. 31 will be emailed a $5 Target eGiftCard.

Appointments can be scheduled by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). To help reduce wait times, donors are encouraged to make appointments and complete the RapidPass online health history questionnaire at redcrossblood.org/RapidPass.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities in Hickory include:

Aug. 15, 2-6:30 p.m., Chick-Fil-A 1247, 1815 U.S. 70, SE

Aug. 21, 3-7:30 p.m., Penelope Baptist Church, 3310 Main Ave., NW

Aug. 25, 1-5:30 p.m., Lowes, 1450 Second St., NE

Aug. 25, 2:30-7 p.m., Hickory Masonic Lodge, 30 Catawba Valley Blvd.

The Red Cross relies on community partners to help ensure a sufficient blood supply for patients. About 80 percent of blood donations made to the Red Cross are through blood drives set up by community organizations, groups and businesses. To become a community partner by hosting a Red Cross blood drive, visit redcrossblood.org for more information.
The government is toning down celebrations of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations with China at the end of this month as the spat over the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery here has soured ties.

A government official here said, "China continues to repeat its demand for us to withdraw the THAAD even after North Korea conducted a second test launch of its Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile. There's been a cold response no matter what Seoul says, so this year's event can't be the same as in previous years."

The Chinese Embassy in Seoul has invited officials from Beijing to a reception marking the anniversary, but it has not so far told Seoul who will attend. China continues an unofficial boycott of South Korean goods and services that has seen tourist numbers from the world's most populous country dwindle and drastically reduced South Korean exports.

Since formal diplomatic ties were established on Aug. 24, 1992, South Korea and China have held celebrations marking the fifth, 10th, 15th, and 20th anniversaries.

An event in August 2012 hosted by the South Korean Embassy in Beijing was attended by then-Chinese vice president Xi Jinping, who was tapped to become the country's next leader, and the venue was changed from a hotel to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Other high-ranking officials, including then foreign minister Yang Jiechi and Wang Jiarui, head of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party, also attended.

But relations have chilled even more since South Korea last week announced that it is ready to set up four more THAAD launchers after the North's latest missile test. China is expected to send only low-ranking officials to the reception in Beijing this year.

Seoul too has no plans to send anyone very senior to the Chinese Embassy reception. A government source said, "At one point, we thought about holding a bilateral summit to mark the 25th anniversary, but under present circumstances, a visit to China by President Moon Jae-in won't be possible until China's Party Congress" in late October.


NEWTON  The Catawba County Branch NAACP is teaming with Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry (ECCCM) to host NAACP + ECCCM Days over the weekend of Aug. 11-13 to collect donations for ECCCM.

Were excited to support the important services ECCCM provides to eastern Catawba County residents by holding this donation drive in concert with our August meeting, said NAACP Catawba County Branch President Jerry L. McCombs.

The drive, which will collect donations of non-perishable food, clothing, shoes, and household items (except mattresses and large appliances), will be at Mt. Olin AME Zion Church, 2583 Smyre Farm Road, Newton.

The ECCCM collection van will be in the church parking lot and open for donations on Friday, Aug. 11, from 68 p.m.; on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and on Sunday, Aug. 13, from 2-4 p.m. The Catawba County Branch NAACP meeting is on Sunday, Aug. 13, at 4 p.m. at the Mt. Olin church.

ECCCM serves all of eastern Catawba County and provides emergency financial assistance for mortgage and rent payments, assistance with utility bills, fuel oil and kerosene purchases, and life-necessary pharmaceuticals. In addition, ECCCM provides emergency food and clothing to those in need. It is funded by area churches, individuals, foundations, and from the proceeds of its thrift store.

The NAACP is the nations oldest and largest civil rights organization. The North Carolina Conference of NAACP Branches is 70 years old and includes more than 100 units across the state. The Catawba County Branch meets the second Sunday of each month.
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Its not often that the Election Commission burns the midnight oil to resolve a dramatic electoral battle.

On Tuesday, however, it did and in doing so, political experts believe, it lay down a milestone for its journey.

The commission dismissed the votes of two Congress defectors, who had reportedly shown their ballot papers to rival BJP leaders during the Gujarat Rajya Sabha by-elections on Tuesday. The decision resulted in a close victory for one of Congresss chief strategists, Ahmed Patel.

N Gopalaswami, former Election Commission chief, compared the role played by the EC on Tuesday to interventions such as when the Congress was divided in 1969 and the symbol distribution of erstwhile Janata Party factions.

Former parliamentary affairs secretary Afzal Amanullah maintained that the panel was a shining star in the night and, that its order scrapping the two votes of Congress rebels show the power of Indias constitutional bodies.

Amanullah pointed out that it was rare for senior leaders like finance minister Arun Jaitley, P Chidambaram, and law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to rush to the EC to argue a case related to one seat in one state election.

The facts speak for themselves. The EC gave a patient hearing. It could have easily asked the parties to only give written memorandum, Gopalaswami told Hindustan Times.

An official working closely with the Aam Aadmi Party government too acknowledged the pivotal role of the EC. The poll body had been at the receiving end of criticism over many issues like the tampering of EVMs. The order will certainly silence many of its critics, the official said.

The AAP was one of the partys that had questioned the quality of voting machines after state elections earlier this year.

Gopalaswami pointed out that ECs quoting of the Supreme Court judgment in the Kuldip Nayyar case was important as it is the only order that clearly says that the voter can show his paper to only his party agent.

A combined reading of the Rules 39A and 39AA will show that the rule is very clear that the elector has to show his ballot paper only to the authorised representative of his party and to no one else, the EC said on Tuesday quoting from the SC order.

Thus, the two electors violated the voting procedure of secrecy of the ballot papers when they exercised their right to vote.

Members in the Rajya Sabha, parliaments Upper House, are mostly elected by MLAs in states. Some others are nominated.

The SC order cited by the elections watchdog was part of Congresss memorandum that it took to the commission shortly after the election on Tuesday.

The Congress said that according to the ruling in the Nayar case, it was clear that in Rajya Sabha elections, open ballot only means that the MLA can show the vote to the authorised representative of his party and none other.

The BJP leaders had argued that the Returning Officer is the statutory officer to conduct polling and decide the validity of ballot paper, and the Commission has no power as the field is already covered by the enacted laws.

But the commission questioned the Returning Officers conduct. He has not taken the two ballot papers in question back from the voters concerned.

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Congress partys chief strategist Ahmed Patel outwitted and outmanoeuvered BJP president Amit Shah to get re-elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat in the wee hours of Wednesday. Congressmen are jubilant, predictably. Minutes after the results were declared, party MP Rajiv Satav tweeted: This is the beginning of the fall of Modi sarkar. From here, the Congress will grow from strength to strength and unseat the BJP. Such optimism after winning one Rajya Sabha seat! Call it a case of wishful thinking.

The election exposed big chinks in the Congresss armour, with one-fourth of its MLAs14 of 57-- abandoning it barely four months before the assembly elections in Gujarat. Some of the defectors came from the Patidar belt, an influential community whose traditional loyalty to the BJP was said to be suspect after they hit the streets to demand reservation. And they might undermine the opposition partys attempt to wean the Patidars away from the BJP.

It is certainly a big victory for Patel, Congress president Sonia Gandhis political secretary, who would have faced many party snipers had he lost. A win in arguably the most publicised Rajya Sabha election  a grudge contest in which BJP president Amit Shah deployed all resources at his command to ensure his defeat  will re-establish his credentials as the Congresss Chanakya at a time when the party is preparing for a change of guard. Patels fightback, after being pushed to the wall by the saam-daam-dand-bhed strategy of his political rivals, will boost the morale of Congress workers in Gujarat ahead of elections. It might inspire many of his party colleagues to show that they have some fire in their bellies after all. Amid the high drama in Gujarat on Tuesday evening, the Congress Working Committee, the apex decision-making body of the party, was meeting in New Delhi to discuss the attack on Rahul Gandhis car in Gujarat. The Congress needs to do much more to dethrone the BJP in either Narendra Modis Gujarat or elsewhere.

In hindsight, Ahmed Patel should be thankful to the BJP for creating the hype that it did about the Rajya Sabha election. The ruling party projected it as a title-clash between Shah and Patel-- as if to settle the debate on who is a better strategist. Winning or losing a seat wont make much difference to the strength of the treasury benches in the Rajya Sabha. Nor would it have a bearing on Shahs credentials as a master strategist who Modi declared Man of the Match in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He is already the most successful BJP president who has expanded the partys footprint to hitherto uncharted territories for the party.

Had the BJP not turned an otherwise staid Rajya Sabha poll into a test of its prowess and invincibility, not many would have been interested in knowing whether the Congress Presidents political secretary got a fifth term in the Upper House of Parliament or not.

But for the inexplicable decision of two rebel Congress MLAs to show their ballot papers to the BJP, which resulted in their disqualification, the BJP president would have come up trumps. For Shah, it was not just a grudge match, claim his party colleagues. The main objective was to demoralise the Congress camp ahead of assembly elections in his home state. As defections from the opposition camp show, he might have attained his objective, though only partially.
Until popular unrest and voter fatigue broke the Congress partys overwhelming grip on political power for the first time in 1967, Indias political cartography was very similar to what it is today except that the BJP has replaced the Grand Old Party of India to gain virtual monopoly of power. The components of this monopoly hardly bear recounting. Even in 1977 when Indira Gandhi was unseated in the aftermath of the Emergency, the Congress partys plight was not as pathetic. Perhaps more importantly the prospects of a non-BJP alternative emerging in the near future look palpably bleak. In other words, a TINA (there is no alternative) syndrome has gripped Indian politics.

The turning point for this denouement, significantly,was not the 2014 general election which brought the BJP to power with a clear majority in the Lok Sabha. Even after that, the party crashed to stunning defeat in the Bihar assembly elections in 2015, giving leaders like Nitish Kumar hopes of stitching together a grand alliance or mahagathbandhan to challenge the BJP nationally. But the partys spectacular performance in the 2017 UP assembly polls put paid to such dreams. Since then, Opposition aspirations have crumbled. The switch-over by Nitish Kumar, a prospective leader of a non-BJP front, appears to have interred those dreams for the foreseeable future.

It is accepted electoral logic that without gaining control of the Hindi heartland states, particularly UP with 80 Lok Sabha seats and Bihar with 40, it is virtually impossible to mount a credible bid for power at the Centre. In recent times, the BJP has made serious inroads into states where it barely existed before  Assam and its neighbours for example. Although the party is yet to pose a significant challenge in the South, it has ruled Karnataka before and appears poised to do so again after next years assembly polls. The BJP is already in alliance with the TDP in Andhra Pradesh and is eyeing a tie-up with the TRS in Telangana. Tamil Nadu and Kerala may be out of its reach at present, but the case was similar with these states in the high noon of Indira Gandhis supremacy.

But the TINA factor is not just on account of the BJPs geographical spread. Indira Gandhi managed to successfully joust her way back in the 1980 election. On that occasion, she was the undoubted alternative to the Janata Party, Lok Dal and the rest of the motley Opposition. In fact, during its brief stints out of power, the Congress party always lurked in the shadows as a government in waiting.

The vacuum in Opposition ranks today is primarily on account of the Congress partys seemingly terminal decline, both at the national and regional levels. Without the Congress in command, the Opposition lacks a cementing factor. Previous experiments with a non-Congress, non-BJP alliance have come a cropper. Besides regional parties in the crucial Hindi heartland states are currently in disarray. After its rout earlier this year, the Samajwadi Party is tottering, Lalu Prasad and his family members are battling a series of corruption-related legal tangles. In the absence of a feisty challenge from the Congress, which seems to have more leaders than foot soldiers today, a fragmented Opposition can be easily gobbled up by the preponderant BJP.

Anybody with knowledge of building a stable and expansive political organisation knows that party workers must be kept busy by engaging them constantly in agitational and mass contact programmes. While the BJP does that on a regular basis, the Congress partys efforts at mobilisation are clearly lackadaisical and mostly unfocused. Its cadre is galvanised only when any member of its First Family comes under attack. Protests by Congress workers in many parts of the country following the deplorable attack on Rahul Gandhis motorcade in Gujarat last week, is a case in point. While such protest is justified, how does it really concern the common man? Nitish Kumar (shortly before quitting his alliance with Lalu Prasad) rightly asked as to whether the Opposition has an alternate narrative? Clearly it does not.

Congress and most non-BJP parties have failed to grasp that the country has moved beyond the secular-communal debate. So, apart from leadership and organisational deficiencies, the Opposition lacks an ideological and programmatic alternative as well.

Till such time as the Congress reinvents itself and promotes a new, younger leadership, the party does not seem to have a future ahead. The irony is that there is no dearth of younger leaders in the party.

A vibrant and vigilant Opposition is the sine-qua-non of parliamentary democracy. The BJP may have worked hard to gain its dominant position in Indian politics and even acquired TINA status, but unipolarity is unreal for a democracy in the long run. However, an Opposition lacking an agenda, strategy, drive and leadership will remain confined to the peripheries while Narendra Modi reigns supreme.

Chandan Mitra is editor of The Pioneer and has been two-time Rajya Sabha MP from the BJP

The views expressed are personal
Additional district judge RK Shrivas who staged a dharna at high court, Jabalpur premises to protest what he said his frequent transfers in violation of transfer policy was placed under suspension barely four hours of assuming office at Neemuch.

Shrivas who was transferred to Neemuch from high court, Jabalpur where he served as an officer on special duty (OSD) in July last week joined his new office of posting at Neemuch at 1 on Tuesday was handed over suspension order about 5 pm.

As per the order his headquarters will be Neemuch during his suspension.

High court principal registrar SK Singh said the high courts administrative committee had recommended his suspension. However, the reason behind his suspension couldnt be divulged in view of its confidentiality, he added.

However, calling it injustice Shrivas said he would undertake a bicycle yatra from Neemuch to Jabalpur, a distance of more than 700 kilometers, to highlight the injustice meted out to him.

I will decide about the dates of cycle yatra soon after seeking a permission from my headquarters regarding the cycle yatra. I will fight till I get justice, he said talking to the Hindustan Times over phone.

Shrivas staged the dharna at HC, Jabalpur premises for 3 days beginning August 1 in protest against what he said his fourth transfer within 15 months.

When Shrivas was on dharna the high court registrar general Mohammad F Anwar had dismissed the allegations levelled by Shrivas and said, A disciplinary action would be taken against him as he had broken the strict judicial code of conduct.

Explaining the reason behind series of transfers of Shrivas in the last 15 months, registrar general Anwar had said ADJ Shrivas had been transferred from Dhar to Shahdol because he had completed three years. During his stay in Shahdol and then Sehore he indulged in raking up unnecessary issues by writing letters for which a departmental inquiry was instituted against him. At present he wanted a transfer in the Malwa area, so he was transferred to Neemuch.
Teachers at this Bundelkhand village have to battle with gamblers to protect impressionable minds of students from them.

The panchayat building adjacent to the government primary and middle school has turned into a gambling den in Semra Ganpat village of Sagar district. The teachers and locals are trying their best to stop the miscreants, but their efforts have proven futile so far.

School management says such an activity next to the school is a bad influence on the young impressionable students. The area where the school is located is represented by state home minister Bhupendra Singh.

The Semra Ganpat village of Khurai tehsil has a government primary school and a middle school side by side and adjacent to these is the building of the village panchayat, which is in a dilapidated condition.

However, the dilapidated building has become a gambling den where some people from the village and surrounding areas assemble right from morning hours. Apart from gambling, some villagers also use the place for liquor parties. Drunk villagers creating nuisance has become a norm around the school area.

There are 64 children who are studying in the primary school while in the middle school, the strength of students is around 45. The schoolteachers and some villagers have tried to stop these miscreants from gambling near the school but they didnt succeed.

PD Kushwaha, in charge principal of the middle school, told HT that in this rainy season they were running classes in an additional classroom as the main building roof leaks.

I have told these villagers not to play cards or gamble near the school but they do not listen to us . I have already informed my seniors about these issues but no steps have been taken so far, he said.

Dasharath Ahirwar, president, primary school management committee said the school management was struggling with lot of issues, from leaking building to nuisance creating gamblers.

I personally requested these people (gamblers) to stop their activities. My wife Geeta Ahirwar who is a janpad panchayat member from this area wrote about it to the authorities. But all we have been getting are mere assurances. There is no change on the ground level, he said.

Superintendent of police Sagar Satyendra Kumar Shukla said such illegal activities couldnt be allowed. He would ensure strict action against anti-social elements.
Kangana Ranaut said maybe it is her destiny that she has to fight hard to get everything in life but she has made peace with it.

The actor, who launched the trailer of her next, Simran last evening, said she often wondered about her journey in Bollywood.

My journey has been quite different. While flying to Mumbai for the conference, I was thinking about all sorts of questions that would be asked to me here. So I thought,Has my journey really been unusual or is it only me who thinks that way?

Kangana Ranaut speaks with media during the trailer launch of her film Simran in Mumbai. (AP)

But the one aspect that is striking about my journey is that I have to fight for everything in life, even the smallest of the things. I dont know why it happens. Maybe it is my destiny but I have made peace with it.

She said people might give her several tags but she will eventually take what is hers.

A lot of you might think, to be or not to be but it is okay or like you guys use the word rebel, ladaku... I dont take offence to that... I will take what is mine, be it by fighting or any other means.

At the event, she was accompanied by director Hansal Mehta, who revealed that much before they collaborated for Simran, he had approached her with a film post her debut in Gangster.

I was pursuing her for a film since years. In fact, I had called her to my office for a script narration, just after Gangster. I was confident she will say yes. But she refused, Mehta said.

To which, Kangana quipped, I dont remember this incident at all. He said his ego was hurt a lot. But this is the story of my life, whether I remember or not, I definitely hurt ego.

Simran is scheduled to release on September 15.

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Seoul on Tuesday denounced Tokyo's renewed sovereignty claim to Korea's easternmost Dokdo islets.

Japan restates the flimsy colonial-era claim in its annual defense white paper for the 13th consecutive year.

The Foreign Ministry here summoned Koichi Mizushima, a minister at the Japanese Embassy, to lodge a formal complaint. In a statement, Korea strongly called for Tokyo to withdraw the claim from the white paper immediately.

Earlier in the same day, the Defense Ministry also summoned Kyosuke Tsushima, Japan's defense attache, to lodge a complaint.
After Ranbir Kapoors trainer posted a picture of the actors ripped, transformed body, it is Ranveer Singhs turn to hog the limelight. A throwback picture from the time when Ranveer was training for Ram Leela, was shared by Llyod Stevens, the actors Zimbabwean personal trainer. It shows the before-after picture of how much Ranveers body changed in just six weeks and it is unbelievable.

Llyod posted the picture of the actor on Instagram. He revealed how hard the two of them worked to attain their goals. 6 WEEK #transformation with my boy @ranveersingh ... Havent posted this in a long while but every time I look at it makes me very proud and remember that @ranveersingh and I worked extremely hard to achieve this result despite his extremely busy schedule that sometimes involved us working out at very late hours of the night or very early hours of the morning ... never the less we got it done, he wrote as the caption.

In the picture on the left, Ranveer does look lean but the one on the right shows his eight back abs, rippling muscles and an overall very toned body.

Ranveer is currently busy with Padmavati, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and co-starring Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor. He plays the 14th century ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, Alauddin Khilji.

Ranbirs fitness trainer Kunal Gir shared a picture on Instagram from New York on August 4. Gir wrote, Forgot about this pic. One from the NY trip. This was taken hours after we landed in Ny from the 16hr flight. We got a mini breakfast and headed straight to gym. When it comes to commitment RK is second to none. Double tap and share if you want me to send you RKs shoulder workout. #ranbirkapoor #bodybuilding #steel#kunalgir Ranbir flaunts muscular limbs and reminds us of the huge persona of Sanjay Dutt.

Ranbir has jacked up for his role as a superhero in upcoming film Dragon with Alia Bhatt.

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Haryana BJP chiefs son Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar were arrested on Wednesday after attempt to kidnapping charge was slapped against the two accused of stalking a disc jockey.

The Chandigarh Police, criticised for going soft on them, slapped non-bailable charges against the men five days after they allegedly followed 29-year-old Varnika Kundus car in a midnight chase.

Following interrogation, new facts emerged and we decided to press two new charges The accused will be produced in court tomorrow. We will seek police remand from the court, Chandigarh director general of police Tajender Singh Luthra said.

The 23-year-old Barala and 27-year-old Kumar surrendered at a fortified Sector 26 police station on a rainy afternoon amid high drama and huge media presence.

Vikas and Ashish (Facebook)

They were summoned at 11am but they showed up in a white Ford Endeavou almost hours later amid tight security, as policemen weathered pouring rain and a scrum of media and public, including Congress and Aam Aadmi Party protesters.

The men, who are lawyers by training, were questioned for two hours before police booked them under Sections 365 (kidnapping or abduction with intent to confine a person) and Section 511 (attempt to commit offence punishable with life imprisonment) of the Indian Penal Code.

They were briefly arrested on August 5 after Kundu approached police but were released as the charges were bailable. The Opposition accuse the Centre and the Haryana government of interfering in the case and trying to defend the party leaders son.

Chandigarh Police reports to the Centre as the city is a union territory.

The arrests and new charges are based on legal opinion, new pieces of evidence in the form of CCTV footage, statement of witnesses and the map of the route, Luthra said.

Cops outside the Sector-26 police station where Vikas and Ashish surrendered. (Keshav Singh/HT)

Police had also come under fire after they said the CCTV cameras along the route were not functional. Later, they said they retrieved footage, which is vital to proving the stalking charge, from five cameras.

Well versed with law, the men refused to give blood and urine samples after their arrest on August 5 and it could go against them during the trial, Luthra said.

Minutes before the surrender, the BJP tried to wash its hands of the accused. Vikas (Barala) and the BJP are separate. The opposition parties are trying to mislead people by saying that the BJP is influencing the probe, party spokesman Jawahar Yadav said.

As he was speaking to media, Vikas Baralas father Subhash walked in and said his son would join investigation. He left as abruptly as he came.

On August 5, Barala and Kumar allegedly started following Kundu in their SUV at around 12.20am. During the 20-minute chase, the SUV pulled up close to her car several times and even tried to block her way, Kundu said in her complaint.

Im lucky, it seems, to not be the daughter of a common man, because what chance would they have against such VIPs? Im also lucky, because Im not lying raped and murdered in a ditch somewhere. If this can happen in Chd, it can happen anywhere, she wrote in a Facebook post. Kundus father is a senior officer with the Haryana government.

Vikas Baralaa (hiding his face) being taken for medical examination after arrest. (Karun Sharma/HT)

CASE FINDS ECHO IN PARLIAMENT

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday witnessed heated exchanges between the government and the Congress-led opposition over debating the stalking in Chandigarh by the son of the Haryana BJP president, leading to its adjournment for the day.

The Congress members trooped into the well of the House, raising anti-government slogans. Congress deputy leader Anand Sharma said Chandigarh being a Union Territory was directly administered by the home minister, who should come to the House and give a statement. Congress member Kumari Selja said the government was protecting the accused in the case and trying to push matter under the carpet.

The incident of stalking happened on the night of August 4-5. The Chandigarh Police came under widespread criticism for allegedly favouring the accused, who stalked and intimidated Varnika, 29, the daughter of Haryana additional chief secretary VS Kundu.

In her complaint to the police and later her Facebook post, Varnika said that an attempt to kidnap was made though she did not make the allegation in her statement before the magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC. The police registered a case under Section 354 D (stalking a woman) of the IPC and Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act (driving by a drunk person) on Saturday. They added Section 341 (wrongful restraint), IPC, based on Varnikas statement hours later.

Video below | Varnikas interview with HT two days after the incident: It has happened to every woman in Chandigarh

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Haryana BJP chief Subhash Baralas son Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar appeared before the Chandigarh Police on Wednesday afternoon and were taken for questioning over the stalking of an IAS officers daughter. Both the accused arrived amid high drama at the police station in Sector 26.

Vikas and his friend arrived in a Ford Endeavour SUV amid pouring rain, with the Chandigarh Police, accused of favouring the VIPs son, throwing an elaborate security ring inside the police station complex to keep away Congress protesters and the media.

At his official residence, Subhash Barala left his press conference in a huff, allegedly taking a phone call from his son.

Vikas and Ashish had skipped police summons to join probe into the stalking incident on Wednesday morning. They were asked to appear before the police at 11 am. Both finally arrived around 2:30 pm.

blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">

#WATCH: CCTV footage of #ChandigarhStalking incident released by police. (August 5). pic.twitter.com/R17IL5hZqL

 ANI (@ANI_news)

Chandigarhs director general of police Tejinder S Luthra told the media on Wednesday morning that the police, who have drawn criticism for mishandling the matter and favouring the accused, will take necessary steps.

Luthra said the accused had refused to give their blood and urine samples to the doctor conducting their medical examination on Saturday.

The doctor on duty wanted to take the blood and urine samples, but the accused being law graduates knew the law too well. Therefore, they refused to give their samples. However, such refusal can be held against them in the investigation and during the trial, Luthra said.

I must assure you that everything under the sun will be done to ensure justice, said Luthra, who came before the media for the first time in five days after the incident.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Haryana also washed its hands of from the high-profile accused.

Whether Vikas Barala will join the investigation or not, he will decide. The BJP does not have anything to do with it, Haryana BJP spokesman Jawahar Yadav said.
Contract killers, hired by a gangster sitting inside a jail, were behind the sensational murder of journalist Kamlesh Jain, who was shot dead in his office at Pipliyamandi on the night of April 31, the police said here on Wednesday evening. Three persons have been arrested so far.

Mandsaur SP Manoj Singh said the contract for killing Jain had been taken for Rs 50 lakh by gangster Ajam Lala, who was in jail in Pratapgarh, Rajasthan at that time, and the contract was given by in-laws of a widow whom Jain was going to marry. The in-laws did not want the marriage to take place as the widow had property worth crores in her name.

The murder had shaken the entire Malwa region and the journalistic community and had drawn widespread condemnation.

Kamlesh Jain was alone in his office at Lovely Chouraha, in Pipliyamandi, situated 15 km from Mandsaur city, filing stories for the Indore-based Hindi daily that he worked for when two suspects had come on a motorcycle, shot him twice at close range and had sped away.

SP Manoj Jain said initially, the police, on the basis of information provided by family members, had suspected that some local bootleggers against whom Kamlesh Jain had complained to the police, might be behind the murder, but that turned out to be a false lead.

When the police started investigating other angles they zeroed upon a well-established Jain family of Pipliyamandi. They found that after the death of Naveen Jain, his elder brother Sudhir Jain and younger brother Manoj Jain wanted Naveens widow to marry a rich person known to them so that they wouldnt have to give part of the property to her and her two children. But Naveens wife refused to marry and she started demanding her share of the property. The Jain family gave her some money and she started living in Mandsaur. In the entire process of fighting for her rights, Kamlesh Jain had helped Naveens wife and they drew close, and more so when she started living in Mandsaur.

But when the Jain family came to know that Kamlesh would be marrying Naveens widow on June 17, they decided to eliminate him. They realised that with Kamlesh by her side, Naveens wife would manage to get her rightful share of the property.

Sudhir Jain had close contacts with notorious criminal Ajam Lala son of Kayyum Lala, who heads the Lala gang, and also with Gopal Rathore alias Sanyasi. Sudhir Jain who was friends with Dheeraj Agrawal owner of Meenakshi Dhaba in Pipliyamandi acted as the go between and contacted the Ajam Lala in the Pratapgarh jail. Ajam agreed to take the contract for Rs 50 lakh and he took advance of Rs 5 lakh. Gopal Rathore who was in Mandsaur jail acted as the guarantor the remaining amount would be paid after the killing.

SP Singh they have evidence that Dheeraj was in constant touch with Ajam Lala and also with the two shooters before and after the shooting. The SP said they have arrested one of the shooters Zaid Lala alias Rohan resident of Akhepur, Rajasthan, Sudhir Jain and Dheeraj Agrawal, and booked them under Section 302 and 34 of IPC. The other accused including the second shooter, Salman alias Sallu Lala are absconding.
Beginning with her New Delhi trip on Thursday, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will go for a tour of different states to garner national support for Trinamool Congresss BJP Quit India movement. On Wednesday, the 75th anniversary of Quit India movement, she raised the slogan BJP otao, desh bacho at a public meeting in Midnapore.

After her trip to New Delhi, where she is expected to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee will visit Bihar and Jhakrkhand. At Patna, she will attend a rally of all non-NDA forces convened by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Incidentally, at a party function on July 21 in Kolkata she said she will launch a campaign to free India of the BJP.

Read: Mamata Banerjee gives Oust BJP call at mega Kolkata rally

I will go to New Delhi tomorrow. On August 27, I shall attend an anti-BJP rally at Patna. On August 30, I shall visit Jharkhand that is witnessing frequent incidences of attacks over dalits, the Bengal chief minister said at the party rally on Wednesday.

BJP president Amit Shah (on the right) having lunch at a dalit home in Naxalbari of Bengal. Mamata Banerjee took a dig at Shah without naming him for having meals at dalit homes while she accused his party of being anti-dalit. (HT Photo)

She said her anti-BJP movement will continue till the current Union government is unseated in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Yesterday throughout the night we saw the battle between democracy and autocracy. I am glad that finally democracy won, she said referring to the victory of Ahmed Patel for election to Rajya Sabha from Gujarat.

Over the past several months, the Bengal chief minister has emerged as one of the bitter critics of BJP taking the party on a range of issues from cow politics to demonetisation.

Read: Mamatas pro-poor policies alone may not be enough to stop BJP in Bengal

She also said that in Bengal, Trinamool Congress will organise block-level programmes in support of BJP Quit India movement till September 5. We will give a break during the festive season and after that again the party will go ahead in full swing with different political programmes that will continue till 2019 Lok Sabha elections, she said.

Mamata Banerjee also took at a dig at BJP general secretary, Amit Shah, without naming him for having lunch at the residence of a dalit in north Bengal. On the one hand, BJP will encourage atrocities on dalits and one the other their leaders will have lunch at the residence of a dalit. These two things cannot go on together, she remarked.

Incidentally, Shah had meals at the homes of dalits on April 25 in Naxalbari in Bengal and on July 23 in Sushilpura of Rajasthan.

The Trinamool Congress chief also described CPI(M) as a hypocrite and alleged it is a clandestine partner of BJP. CPI(M) is a party of hypocrites that follow double-standards. When they go to the hills they speak of division of the state and in the plains they speak differently. They have clandestine understanding with BJP, she said.
The Government Co-education Secondary School in Naya Bazaar, is 'co-ed' only in name. In the seven years since the school moved into its new building, a girl is yet to seek admission.

Co-education schools are a rarity in Delhi's government school system, accounting for a mere 17 per cent of the city's 1,009 schools in 2015. Most of the remaining schools are run in two shifts, where girls study in the morning and boys in the afternoon.

Educationists are increasingly convinced of the importance of boys and girls studying together from a young age; particularly in a city like Delhi where violence against women is common, and most young men and women live in gender-segregated spaces.

"Any project where homogeneity is brought about artificially can never prepare students for challenges they will face in society," said Minati Panda, chairperson of Zakir Husain Center for Educational Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

So why don't girls study at the Naya Bazaar school?

The history of this school building offers an insight into not just the constraints of Delhi's school system, but a perspective on how girls and young women are pushed out of public spaces almost by default.

The building at Naya Bazaar began as a government girls school. But in 2004, the building was closed for repairs and the students and staff were shifted to the Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in Pul Bangash.

In 2009, a co-ed school in the Bara Hindu Rao neighbourhood had to be moved to make way for flyover.

"I am not sure what happened to the girl students in Bara Hindu Rao, but when I came here in 2012, the school already had only boys as students," said Gauri Shankar, the principal at Naya Bazaar.

The gender balance, Shankar said is further skewed by the fact that three of Naya Bazaar's feeder schools are boys school at the primary level. "We are ready to give admission to girls but most of them go to Pul Bangash school as this school is in the middle of market area."

Now, no parent wants their girls to go to a school full of boys.

"I didn't know if Rahul's school was co-ed," said Pawan Gautam, whose son studies at the school, "There are no girls in his school, so I didn't want to send my daughters there."

Only 17% of Delhi's 1009 are co-educational by default, rather than design.

Why so many single-sex schools?

Most of Delhi's schools are single sex by default rather than design. The primary reason, officials from the department of education said, is this allows the department to run two schools from the same building.

"The population of Delhi has increased many-fold, and we have to create opportunities for these students," said Saumya Gupta, director education. "Girls go the morning shift as you can't ask parents to send girls in the evening, and boys come in the evening."

Officials said many parents prefer to send their daughters to a girls' school.

"Most of our schools are decades old and maybe at that time locals demanded their daughters to be sent to a girls school," said an official, who did not wish to be named. "Such local conditions still exist in certain areas although we need to break these stereotypes."

Yet, graduates from these schools wish for a more liberal education.

Amit Kumar, who studied at Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Sangam Vihar, said he struggled to adjust at a co-ed college.

"I had almost negligible interaction with girls," he said. "When I moved to college, it was a different world where boys and girls studied in the same classroom."

"It was difficult to adjust and interact with the girls. Maybe if I was from a co-ed school it would have been easier to adjust."

Experts agree.

"It is desirable to have co-education so that students can learn to engage with the opposite sex in a natural way while they are growing up," said Poonam Batra, a professor at the Delhi University's education department.

A 2014 study published in the journal 'Sex Roles', found that teachers in single-sex school tended to rationalise segregated schools on the basis that girls and boys learn differently, thereby perpetuating gender stereotypes.

The Department of Education insists that change is around the corner.

"We are opening 16 new schools in this academic session and all are co-ed," said Gupta, the education director.

But for now, Naya Bazar, the co-ed school that never had any girls, is being turned into a boys school, perpetuating a cycle that everyone in the department says they want to break out of.
The Uttarakhand high court on Wednesday sought a reply from the state government within two weeks on the recent cases of dog bites.

After hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) urging the court to order the government either to kill or catch stray dogs and monkeys, the division bench of Chief Justice KM Joseph and Justice Alok Singh directed the government to submit its response.

The petitioner, Girish Chand Kholiya, said he mentioned in the PIL that several dog bite cases were reported from across the state. Recently, a 10-year-old girl of Rajasthan fell into a ditch after a pack of stray dogs chased her in Nainital. The girl later succumbed to her head injuries, in a Delhi hospital.

Gopal K Verma, council for the petitioner said they have demanded there should be an adequate number of

anti-rabies vaccines in the hospitals. The litigant also sought that the uncontrolled population of stray canines should be checked to curb dog bite cases.

Like other cities in the state, there seems to be no end to the stray dog menace in and around Haldwani as seven to ten cases of dog bites are reported daily at hospitals. Rough estimates suggest there are around 2,500 stray dogs on the streets of Haldwani in Nainital district. With a population of 156,078 as per the 2011 Census, Haldwani is the largest city of Kumaon region.

People in Nainital had held a dharna on August 3 to highlight the dog menace and demanded the administration to take steps for controlling the dog population. In April, urban development minister Madan Kaushik inaugurated an animal birth control centre for stray dogs in Nainital.

But the Haldwani administration has its hands tied as the civic officials claimed they can only sterilise the stray dogs and not cull them.No headway has been made in constructing a sterilization centre for stray dogs in Haldwani. City mayor JPS Rautela said Rs 25 lakh was received for the purpose so far.

The project would take around Rs 70 lakh to be completed. Locals said the sterilization centre would not provide immediate relief as it would take a long time for the stray dog population to come down at the third most populous city in Uttarakhand.
DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government thinks car parks will ease traffic congestion in urban areas but Dehradun presents a sorry picture despite having several such facilities.

Recently, urban development minister Madan Kaushik sought proposals from urban local bodies for identifying areas where car parks can come up in their areas. There are six municipal corporations, and 43 municipal council and an equal number of nagar panchayats in the state.

One of the reasons for the traffic mess is the ever growing population of vehicles. Uttarakhand with a population of just over 1 crore has 22.93 lakh registered vehicles. Dehradun (7.77 lakh), Haridwar (4.38 lakh), Udham Singh Nagar (3.79 lakh) and Haldwani (2.73 lakh) are where the vehicle population is mostly concentrated.

Like Dehradun, theres no guarantee whether car parks will ease out traffic congestion. The Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority had built the Rajiv Gandhi Multipurpose Complex at Dispensary Road and the MDDA commercial complex near the Clock Tower. Each of these facilities can accommodate 50 to 80 two- and four-wheelers.

Though the twin-level Dispensary Road car parking was built for the commuters visiting Paltan Market and adjoining markets, the people nevertheless park their vehicles on the busy Market Road. The problem is that there are many offices in the complex because of which the parking gets full in the morning. Even local shopkeepers park vehicles there. This leaves no space in the afternoon for the people who park outside, Surinder Chandel, a cloth merchant on Dispensary Road, said.

The three-storey MDDA commercial complex is confronted with a unique problem. Many vehicles are parked there for months together. The complex also has offices of Urban Housing Development Authority (UHDA), metro rail and tehsil. Even as the police and the MDDA officials initiated a drive few months ago, it has not changed the scenario.

In the meanwhile, traffic situation has only worsened in most of the roads in Dehradun. Arterial roads such as Rajpur Road, Subhash Road, EC Road, Saharanpur Road, Clock Tower, Chakrata Road, Nemi Road and Court Road and others are wilting under the pressure of vehicles during the peak day and evening hours.

We dont have parking facilities at all. Places where there is a major traffic rush, the people are left with no choice other than to park vehicles on main road. We seriously lack infrastructure. Roads are narrow and there arent any option, Dehradun senior superintendent of police Nivedita Kukreti told Hindustan Times.

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An Ethiopian Airlines plane, carrying 196 passengers, hit a parked Air India aircraft at 2.25am on Wednesday at Delhi airport. The Ethiopian Airlines plane was parked at bay No. 87 and was being pushed back by a tractor when the incident took place.

The engines of both the aircraft were shut when the wing of the Ethiopian planes wing crashed into the wing of Air India plane. The Air India flight was parked at Bay No 86 while the Ethiopian plane, ET 687, was scheduled to fly to Addis Ababa at 2.20 am.

Due to collision of wings, Flight ET- 687 was cancelled and 196 passengers were de-boarded. All passengers escaped unhurt.

Our B-767 aircraft, bearing registration number ET-AMG, while preparing for a regular Delhi Addis Ababa flight, had a minor ground incident of wing tip collision with Air India A320 aircraft during push back at Delhis IGI Airport. The necessary repair work is being conducted on the aircraft as per our safety and maintenance procedures, said the spokesperson of the Ethiopian Airlines.

Close shave at Delhi's IGI Airport as wings of two aircraft, Ethiopian Airlines and Air India, collided yesterday. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/tEF5Qh4sdV  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

As always, safety and comfort of our customers is our first priority and we flew a substitute aircraft to continue with the flight service for our valued customers. We would like to apologize to our passengers on the flight for the inconvenience caused, the spokesperson said.

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered an inquiry in the matter. The Air India plane has also been grounded.

On May 7, the tail of a Patna-bound Jet Airways plane clipped the starboard wing of another plane belonging to the airline when both aircraft were taxiing for take-off at the New Delhi airport on Sunday afternoon.

Flight traffic at Delhi airport is growing at around 20% each year. The number of incidents such as planes straying into each others paths  on the runway or mid-air have increased too. Last year, there were 32 cases of near-misses.
A Delhi court on Tuesday fixed August 23 for framing charges against chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in a criminal defamation complaint filed by advocate Surender Kumar Sharma.

Metropolitan magistrate Pranjal Aneja, who was scheduled to frame charges on Tuesday, was on leave.

The court had on August 2 passed order on framing of notice (charge) on the criminal defamation complaint filed against the two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and former party member Yogendra Yadav.

Yadav was a member of the National Executive of the AAP until 2015, when he was expelled for alleged anti-party activities. Later, he floated his own party  Swaraj India.

Sharma, in his complaint, alleged that in 2013 he was approached by volunteers of AAP who asked him to contest the Delhi Assembly elections on a party ticket, saying Kejriwal was impressed with his social services. He filled the application form to contest the polls after being told by Sisodia and Yadav that AAPs Political Affairs Committee had decided to give him the ticket. However, it was later denied to him.

Scams, feuds, controversies: The many troubles of Arvind Kejriwals AAP govt

On October 14, 2013, the complainant claimed that articles in leading newspapers carried defamatory, unlawful and derogatory words used by the accused persons which have lowered his reputation in the society.

Opposing the complaint, the AAP leaders had submitted that cancellation or allotment of an election ticket is the prerogative of the party and the complainant had not divulged correct information about the cases pending against him.

The trial court had earlier granted bail to Kejriwal, Sisodia and Yadav, after they had appeared before it in pursuance to the summons issued against them.

The summons were issued on the complaint under sections 499, 500 (defamation) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC, with the trial court saying that there was prima facie material to summon the accused.

Court reserves order

A city court on Tuesday reserved its order on whether to summon Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Sanjay Singh on a civil defamation plea of a BJP youth wing leader seeking Re 1 as compensation from them.

The court heard the submissions of the counsel for the plaintiff and listed the matter for August 23 for clarifications and pronouncing its order.

Ankit Bhardwaj, the state executive member of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), a youth wing of BJP, has filed the civil defamation suit before the court seeking only Re 1 in damages from Kejriwal and Singh for allegedly sharing his pictures in media and falsely declaring him as the one who slapped former water minister Kapil Mishra when the latter was on hunger strike on May 10.

The plaintiff (Ankit Bhardwaj) assess the damages at Rs 1 crore but the plaintiff has no knowledge of any valuable assets of the defendants (Singh and Kejriwal) so the plaintiff limits his claim to Re 1, reads the civil suit.

Bhardwaj claimed that the AAP leaders had wrongly accused him in media of assaulting Mishra while the person apprehended from the spot for the alleged offence belonged to their own party.

In the complaint, Bhardwaj has claimed that Singh showed his Facebook profile picture on different news channels and declared him as the accused. He has further claimed that Kejriwal re-tweeted a tweet quoting him as the accused.

It was revealed to the plaintiff (Bhardwaj) that the name of the person who attacked Kapil Mishra was also Ankit Bhardwaj. It is pertinent that the person who attacked was apprehended at the spot and the incident as well as his arrest has been captured and broadcasted. The person apprehended at the spot was clearly saying that he was an Aam Aadmi Party volunteer. He came on his own and slapped Kapil Mishra for betraying the party, reads the civil suit.

Besides the civil defamation suit, Bhardwaj has also filed a criminal defamation complaint against Kejriwal and Singh.
North Korea on Tuesday threatened to turn South Korea into a "sea of fire" in protest against live-fire drills near Yeonpyeong Island.

The official [North] Korean Central News Agency said South Korean "warmongers" carried out military provocations against Pyongyang, which is ready to respond "with its strong firepower at any time."
When a man and a 12-year-old girl jumped before a moving train in an alleged suicide pact in Narela on Monday evening, the man was sure he would be dead within seconds. But when he regained consciousness a few hours later at a hospital, he was left regretting his decision.

Now, the 22-year-old man has not only lost both his legs, he is also staring at the possibility of being booked for abduction and rape. In his own words, he was in love with the 12-year-old minor girl for the last two years. The girl, who sustained multiple fractures, told a news channel that it was he who urged her to end their lives.

If it was indeed the man who convinced the minor girl to accompany him to end their lives, we will probe the possibility of booking him for kidnapping, said an investigator, adding it will also be probed if the man had sexually abused the girl. If established, he could end up getting booked for rape and under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the officer said.

Recounting the events just before he and the girl made the jump, the man claimed that the girl had compelled him to end their lives together. She threatened to jump from the terrace if I did not accompany her to die, he alleged.

There was no one to physically stop them. The girls sister was in the local market. Her mother was on the terrace and urged her to stop, but she did not listen, the man said. They walked for a few minutes to reach the railway tracks and jumped before a train.

I was not afraid before jumping. I thought we would die immediately. I wish I had died. There is no point living without my legs, said the Bihar native who worked at a utensil-manufacturing unit in Narela.

He said that he and the girl were lying in the middle of the tracks seconds before the train arrived. My long legs were on the track, so they got chopped from the knee, said the man. By the time the train passed over them, the man also injured his head while the girl sustained multiple fractures.

When the police were informed by some locals, they arrived at the spot to find the two lying unconscious on the tracks. When they regained consciousness, they first said they were siblings. But when we asked again, they said they were in love and were attempting suicide, said a policeman.

The two were taken to Raja Harishchandra Hospital in Narela before being referred to Lok Nayak Hospital. The duo is expected to survive. Initially believing it to be an accident, the police are now questioning the man.
After hitting a motorcycle in south Delhis Chhatarpur Extension on Sunday night, a truck driver got off his vehicle and took a closer look at the accident victims - the body of one of whom was cut in three pieces and the other victim was writhing in pain - before walking away from the spot.

While one of the bikers died on the spot, the other succumbed to his injuries during treatment. The men, Umesh Sharma and Sanjay Singh, worked in the hospitality sector in the city and lived together in south Delhis Sultanpur, said police. While Umesh, 25, was a chef at a hotel in Nehru Place, 26-year-old Sanjay was a food supervisor at a banquet hall in Kapashera.

They were riding a motorcycle while returning from work around 11.15 pm on Sunday when the accident happened in front of Nanda Medical Centre in Chhatarpur. The truck first hit an Uber cab that was ferrying passengers from Saket to Chhatarpur.

I was driving through a traffic junction when the truck suddenly appeared out of nowhere and rammed my cab, said Shameem, the cab driver. Even as Shameem was thrown off his seat, injuring his waist, the truck went on to hit a motorcycle which the two victims were riding. The two men were dragged for over 40 metres before the truck came to a stop.

As Shameem came out of his car to assess the damage to the car, the truck driver also got off his vehicle and walked towards the victims. He took a close look at the two bikers and me before fleeing from the spot, leaving his truck behind. One of the victims was hit so hard that his body had been cut into three pieces while the other was crying with pain, said Shameem.

A police team soon arrived at the scene and rushed the victims to a nearby hospital. But the effort was not enough to save the lives of the two motorcyclists. The police also found all the three vehicles involved in the accident at the spot itself.

The accused driver has been identified as Ram Nandan Yadav, a resident of Supaul in Bihar. The abandoned trucks registration number helped the police track and arrest him. He has been booked for causing death by negligence, causing hurt by a dangerous act and rash driving.
Delhi could soon add a new spot on its tourism circuit with the state forest department planning to introduce ecotourism in the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary.

Activities such as night camping, nature walks, bird watching, butterfly watching, tree identification and rock climbing will be a part of the package, sources in the department said.

Plans are afoot. We have held preliminary talks with the Wildlife Institute of India to check out the feasibility. They have agreed in principle. It would take some time before we could launch ecotourism as this is still in a nascent stage, a senior official of the forest department said.

The 4,700-acre sanctuary on the borders of Delhi and Haryana is home to a wide range of animals such as nilgai, spotted deer, black buck, porcupine, monkeys, jackals, several species of birds and butterflies among others.

According to a rough estimate, there could be around 250 species of trees, 200 species of birds, 10 species of mammals, 10 species of reptiles, eight species of amphibians and 90 species of butterflies, said an official.

Forest guards claim leopard pug marks have also been spotted here on more than one occasion.

Once we introduce ecotourism we would like to link it to the tourism circuit of Delhi to attract tourists coming to Delhi. It would also serve as a weekend getaway for Delhiites, the official said.

Forest officials are, however, against introducing boating facilities in the Neeli Jheel, a large and deep water body inside the sanctuary. They say that the water body is too deep and accidents have happened in the past.

At present, the Bombay Natural History Museum operates a conservation and education centre in one end of the sanctuary. The centre organises some activities such as nature walks, bird watching and butterfly watching. However, there is no provision for camping.

The centre received around 16,000 visitors in 2016 comprising mostly students from schools and colleges. A large part of the sanctuary, however, remains out of bound for tourists as one needs to take permission from the state forest department to enter it.

We would like to introduce facilities that could be a part of ecotourism, including camping facilities at night. Locals could be involved too, said the forest official.

Hindustan Times had reported about the growing monkey population and how simians are posing a problem in the adjacent localities when they come out in search of food. More than 19,000 monkeys have been released in the sanctuary since 2007.

When asked how the forest department is planning to contain this problem when ecotourism takes off, a senior official said: Visitors come to the sanctuary regularly. They have never complained. The plan is in its early stage. We would find some solution if we get complaints from visitors

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The National Green Tribunal on Tuesday sought a status report from six riparian states on the pollution levels in the Yamuna and its tributaries. It directed the state and central pollution control boards to come up with a common action plan to find a solution to the problem.

Earlier the green body was monitoring the pollution levels in the Yamuna only in Delhi. But after the Supreme Court transferred the case related to And Quiet Flows Maili Yamuna report to the NGT in April this year, the tribunal started monitoring the health of the river and all its tributaries and had been issuing directions from time to time.

The Yamuna travels over 1,376 km and passes through many states. Though only 2 per cent of the river falls in Delhi, it receives nearly 70 per cent of polluting effluents while passing through the Capital.

The green body on Tuesday held a chamber meeting headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar to review the status of the rivers pollution and actions taken by the Delhi government to date. Officials from all riparian states were present.

The NGT directed the Delhi Jal Board not to stop work on the Maili se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalisation Project 2017 under any circumstance without its permission. The project aims to bring down pollution levels in the river in Delhi.

The first phase of the project aims to bring down pollution in the Najafgarh and Delhi Gate drains, which contribute the maximum pollution. The second phase would tackle the Shahdara, Barapullah and other smaller drains.

The NGT was informed that at least 14 sewage treatment plants would be commissioned by May 2019 in phase-I. These would treat around 67 per cent of the river pollution coming from the two major drains. Work on phase-I of the project is running ahead of its schedule, the NGT was informed.

There are 21 major wastewater drains in NCT-Delhi out of which 18 drains join the Yamuna and three join the Agra/Gurgaon canal.
Lucknow: The registration for Common Admission Test 2017  Indias biggest MBA entrance test for admissions to the Indian Institutes of Management and other top B-schools  opened on Wednesday (August 9), a little while ago. It will close on September 20.

There is no need to rush on day one itself. The registration is spread over a good 40 days. Candidates have enough time to apply for registration, said Prof Neeraj Dwivedi, convener, CAT 2017 of IIM Lucknow. The institute will conduct the test this year.

Interested candidates should carefully get their documents ready on desktop, they must read all instructions carefully when they apply. Theres lot of time to apply and theres nothing to panic about, he said.

After submission of application, candidates will be permitted to download their admit card from October 18, 2017 onwards, till the test date.

The CAT website, iimcat.ac.in, contains a section on frequently asked questions (FAQ), which addresses candidates queries on CAT 2017. Candidates can also contact the CAT helpdesk over email or phone, he said.

CAT 2017 will be held on November 26 (Sunday) this year in two sessions.

IIM-L released the test notification last month. CAT scores are accepted by the 20 IIMs and more than a 100 B-schools across the country.

CAT 2017 will be conducted in test centres spread across approximately 140 test cities. Candidates will be given the option to select four test cities in order of preference.

Test cities and centres will be assigned to the candidates only after the last date for CAT 2017 registration and hence candidates do not have to rush to block slots and cities in the initial days of registration.

We will try our best to assign candidates to their first preferred city. In case it is not possible, they will be assigned a city following their given order of preference. In the rare case that a candidate is not allotted any of the preferred cities, he/she will be allotted to an alternate city, Prof Dwivedi added.

However, candidates will not be able to select the session because it will be assigned randomly. They will also have to pay the registration fee through online payment modes only with credit cards, debit cards and through net banking.

More than two lakh candidates are expected to appear in the examination. Registrations for CAT shot up to a seven-year high in 2016, with 2,32,434 candidates applying for the entrance test to IIMs and other prominent B-schools.

From CAT 2010 to CAT 2016, this was the highest number of applicants. Men comprised a majority of the candidates (67%), the percentage of female candidates marginally increased by 1% compared to 2015.

IIM-L is conducting the test after a gap of nearly seven years. This year Professor Neeraj Dwivedi of IIM-L is the convener for CAT.

About the test

The duration of the test will be 180 minutes, he said. The test has three sections. Section I will have verbal ability and reading comprehension; section II will have data interpretation and logical reasoning and section III will deal with quantitative ability, he said.

Some questions in each section may not be of multiple choice type. Instead, direct answers will have to be typed online. The tutorials will clearly explain this.

Also, we will allow use of basic onscreen calculator for computation. Candidates will be allotted exactly 60 minutes for answering questions in each section and they cannot switch from one section to another while answering questions in a section, Prof Dwivedi added.

A tutorial to understand the format of the test will be available on the CAT website from October 18, 2017. Candidates are advised to work on the tutorials, available on the website, well in advance.

Important dates to remember

August 9: Registrations for CAT 2017 open

September 20: Registrations close .

October 18: Candidates will be permitted to download their admit card till the date of test.

November 26: Common Admission Test 2017 (CAT 2017) will be held in two sessions.
Chennai Deputy speaker in Lok Sabha M Thambidurai and Tamil Nadu health minister C Vijayabaskar on Tuesday called on Union commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking exemption for the state from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Candidates successful in NEET get admission to medical (MBBS) and dental (BDS) colleges in India.

Health department secretary J Radhakrishnan was also present during their meeting with Sitharaman in New Delhi, official sources said.

During the brief interaction, the leaders sought exemption for the state from NEET.

Tamil Nadu has been pressing for the presidential assent to two bills adopted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in February.

The bills seek continuation of the undergraduate medical admissions on the basis of class 12 marks, exempting Tamil Nadu from the ambit of NEET for admission to MBBS/BDS courses.

Chief minister K Palaniswami had raised the NEET issue with prime minister Narendra Modi recently. A ministerial delegation had also met Modi.

AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma faction led by former chief minister O Panneerselvam has also taken up the issue with Modi.

Opposition parties, including the DMK, have protested against the AIADMK government on the issue, with the DMK holding a human chain protest here last month to press for presidential assent to the two bills.
Delhi University recently witnessed a two-day workshop that focussed on the wholesome growth of students  delving into skills beyond bookish knowledge. Organised by the society of Centre for Socio-Economic Transformation (CSET) at Dyal Singh Evening College, it was conceptualised by Dr Bhawna Pandey, director, CSET.

The workshop, titled Because We Belong, comprised talks by eminent personalities from the fields of literature, education and academics. And, students turned up in large numbers for the sessions.

Discussions on Day One ranged from how to promote and stimulate policy researches at the grass root level (in the Indian context) to ways of stress management by Dr Inderdeep Kaur, associate professor at SGTB Khalsa College. Keshav Gupta from The Dais Foundation encouraged the young minds to apply listening and reading skills to broaden their knowledge and horizons.

Such programs empower the students. What the youngsters can learn in a group, together with their friends and peers, they can never learn in isolation. The motive behind organising this event was to give a real-life experience to the students, says Pandey.

On the second day, Ratna Vira, author of Daughter By Court Order, guided the students on how to tackle bullying in college and maintain work life, whereas Dr Vandana Saxena, associate professor, The Central Institute of Education, highlighted the importance of setting goals, and working towards achieving them rather than giving in to the rat race.

(L-R) Bhawna Pandey, Ratna Vira and Dr PK Sharma. (Manoj Verma/ HT Photo )

Programmes like these are important because reading books isnt sufficient. Students need to be groomed for the world outside. Hence, the workshop! said Dr PK Sharma, principal, Dyal Singh Evening College.

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An ex-serviceman was shot dead allegedly by his cousin in the Dumduma area of Sohna on Wednesday. The incident, which is alleged to be the fallout of a property dispute, took place while the victim was on his way back home after taking a morning walk.

Police said the victim, Vedpal Singh (47), son of Karan Singh, was shot dead near his home around 7am.

Eyewitnesses claimed to have seen his cousins Vikram, Sunder and Munder lurking at the scene and said Munder was the one who opened fire at Singh. His cousins reside in the same locality.

Though on the run in the wake of the crime, the accused, Munder, was later arrested by the police.

Eyewitnesses said Munder, son of Hakim Singh, fled the spot along with his two brothers after the crime. Preliminary investigation suggests that the accused and Singh were locked in an old land dispute and shot him dead.

Police sources said the accused were aware that Singh was in the habit of taking a morning stroll and were waiting for him near his house.

Eyewitnesses said Munder fired point blank from his countrymade pistol and Singh slumped to the ground as the bullet pierced his head.

After getting word of the incident from some locals, a police team rushed to the spot and took him to a nearby hospital. However, he was declared brought dead by doctors.

The police then sent the body for post-mortem examination and a case was registered at Sohna police station under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police said the accused has a criminal history and has been involved in many cases. The main accused has been arrested and is being questioned. However, the other two are still on the run, inspector Arun Kumar, station house officer, SHO, Sohna Police station, said.

There have been similar recent killings in Gurgaon attributed to property disputes.

On January 7, a 50-year-old ex-serviceman was shot dead by an unidentified person near his residence in Badshahpur village at around 9 am . The victim, Subhash, was visiting his plot near his residence when he was shot dead.

On July 28, 45-year-old Surender Rana was allegedly shot dead at Jharsa road. The deceased worked with a news channel and he was shot with his own gun.

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About 200 shop owners of Sector 14 market observed a shutdown for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, as a mark of their continued protest against the new street vends set up in and around the market by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG).

The shop owners, who have the support of sector residents, said the district administration did not send any official to them to initiate a dialogue and end the protest.

We had informed the district administration of the shutdown on Monday. We observed the shutdown on Tuesday in sectors 4, 7, 31 and 56. These markets are all facing a similar problem. We decided to continue the shutdown for a second day on Wednesday so that the administration takes note of our resentment. We are sorry that the administration has ignored our shutdown, said Umesh Mudgil, a shop owner, adding that this is not end of the protest.

The MCG, in accordance with the Supreme Court guidelines of 2009, is resettling street vendorsin designated spots within Huda markets. To that end, the MCG designed carts and kiosks that a vendor can buy on instalments and came up with a street vending policy. The policy has met with resistance from various sectors in the past four to five months.

The shop owners on Wednesday evening held a meeting and decided to give a fresh memorandum to deputy commissioner (DC) Vinay Pratap Singh.

Surender Khatana, a shop owner, said, Setting up new street vends bang in front of our shops is illegal. We have requested the administration to remove the encroachments from the market as there no space available for shoppers and pedestrians. But the MCG instead of doing that has added to our woes. We will not sit quiet. We will protest when the chief minister (CM) Manohar Lal Khattar visits Gurgaon next week.

Read I Gurgaon: Want physical survey of space for street vendors, say shop owners

The residents and shop owners of the market are also consulting other sectors to join them in the protest and take the fight to the next level.

Dinesh Aggarwal, president of RWA Sector 14, said, We have already filed a petition against the MCG in Punjab and Haryana high court. We are going to Chandigarh to attend the hearing tomorrow. There are five to six Huda markets which are at present affected by the new vendor policy. We have spent lifes savings to buy shops through the auction from the Huda and there cannot be another vending zone in the same vicinity.

MCG Commissioner V Umashankar said, We will file our replies in the high court.
The Jammu and Kashmir police registered 56 criminal cases against separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in the last 31 years but probe is yet to be completed in 49 of them.

The state police managed to file a formal charge sheet in court only in two cases but they also remain under trial.

As the National Investigation Agency (NIA) terror funding probe against Geelani, his two sons and a son-in-law and other separatists gathers steam, HT analysed the earlier cases registered against the Hurriyat leader.

The NIA will ensure that formal charges in connection with its terror funding probe are presented to the court as soon as possible and the trial completes at the earliest, said an NIA official.

The federal anti-terror probe agency is looking into charges that separatist leaders, including Geelani, got funding from Hafiz Saeed, patron of terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, to fuel violence in the Valley.

Except Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the rest of the separatists have faced arrest or detention. Once earlier also, New Delhi was very angry with Geelani. I was told to speak to Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who was then chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

But Mufti Saheb refused to put Geelani behind bars, saying he would not like to make a martyr out of him. Mufti wanted to deal with him politically, therefore I informed Brajesh Mishra (then National Security Adviser) that Mufti wont do it, AS Dulat, former chief of Research and Analysis Wing and also an adviser on Kashmir to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said.

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Kakao Bank said Tuesday that it also received 1.41 million applications for debit cards and deposits of W996 billion, while lending W770 billion (US$1=W1,127).

More than 2 million customers have opened accounts with Korea's second online-only bank in the 13 days since its launch.

The bank opened its doors at 7 a.m. on July 27, and in just five days it drew more than 1 million customers.

K-Bank, the country's first online bank opened about three months earlier and has seen around 440,000 new accounts opened so far.

Kakao Bank experienced temporary connection problems at one time due to intense user traffic. The bank said it plans to add 140 more staff to its 200-strong customer service center to handle the overwhelming number of new customers. The number will eventually swell to 500.

Alarmed by the success, offline banks are scrambling to bolster their online banking services. One staffer with a commercial bank in Seoul said, "Traditional banks are feeling threatened by the success of online banks."
At least nine people were killed and six others injured on Wednesday when the vehicle they were travelling in slid off the road and fell into a ravine in Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district, police said.

Reports said that the Tempo Traveller fell off the road near Chachi nullah in Jamsalam village resulting in the death of seven people on the spot. Two of the critically injured later died at a hospital.

They added one person was feared to have drowned in the nullah.

Around 8.45am, a Tempo Traveller on its way from Budhan to Mahore carrying around 14 passengers skidded off the road and fell down near Chachi nullah after the driver lost control of the vehicle, Reasi senior superintendent of police Tahir Sajjad Bhat told the Hindustan Times.

Soon after accident locals along with police carried out a rescue operation to retrieve the dead bodies and help the injured. All the passengers were residents of Mahore sub-division. The vehicle had left Budhan around 8am.

Initially, locals aided the police in evacuating the passengers from the vehicle. Now, we have sought the armys help and also requested for a chopper at Mahore for shifting the injured to a hospital in Jammu, Bhat added.

The roads in the area are very narrow and laxity even for few seconds can prove fatal. The cause will be known during the course of the investigation, he added.

Government data says a person dies every 3.7 minutes in road accidents across the country, which is known for rash driving, inadequate traffic enforcement, badly maintained roads and poor quality cars.

According to IndiaSpend, Jammu and Kashmir topped the list of high accidental death-prone areas in a 2013 survey conducted by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which found that an accident in the state has a 64% chance of causing death as opposed to 36.4% for all of India.

J-Ks traffic police blame the accidents on negligent driving on tricky and winding mountainous roads, while residents point out that paucity of public transport options has led to a surge in vehicle ownership, increasing the odds of mishaps.
The two AIADMK factions in Tamil Nadu could merge as chief minister Edapaddi Palanisami is said to favour a unification to stonewall the ruling groups jailed general secretary VK Sasikala and her family.

The AIADMK split in a bitter power struggle after the death of party supremo J Jayalalithaa last December and her long-time aide, Sasikala, took over the reins. She became the party general secretary and was a step away from becoming the chief minister before she was sent to jail for corruption.

Sasikala appointed her nephew, TTV Dinakaran, as the deputy general secretary and he allegedly is pushing chief minister Palanisami to the edge.

Sources said Dinakarans action has accelerated the merger moves between Palanisami group and the faction led by former chief minister O Panneerselvam, who is popular as OPS.

Palanisami has called a meeting of his faction on Thursday morning to discuss a unification formula.

According to the plan, OPS will be the interim general secretary of the AIADMK till the Election Commission decides the validity of Sasikalas appointment as the party chief.

Palanisami, who replaced OPS after his revolt, will continue to be the chief minister.

If senior ministers and party colleagues approve the proposal, Palanisami is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will be visiting New Delhi anyway for the swearing-in of Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday evening.

Sources said OPS has approved the formula that gives at least three ministerial berths to lawmakers loyal to him. Among them is former education minister M Foi Pandiarajan.

The former chief minister, however, remained firm in his stand that Sasikala and her family must be kept out of the party and government. The merger will happen only if this condition is met.

The move gained momentum after Dinakarans attempts to capture the ruling faction by planting office-bearers loyal to him.

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BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday completes three years in office, a period that saw the party expanding in size and winning uncharted territories. Shah is credited with making the BJP worlds largest political outfit, bringing in synergy between the government and the party and taking up some ambitious programmes such as having party offices in every district of the country.

Party leaders are quick to point out that under him the BJP has not only won most elections it contested, it also saw its vote percentage rise even in the polls it lost, like in Bihar. Barring Bihar and Delhi assembly elections, which the party lost, the BJP has won every election since 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

As Shah completes three years, the BJP is in power in 13 states on its own, and 5 more with allies. It had never been in power in states such as Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Jammu & Kashmir. Haryana and Maharashtra, too, have seen a BJP chief minister for the first time. A three fourths majority in Uttar Pradesh, countrys most populous state, was Shahs biggest electoral success.

Shah brought with him to BJP a work culture that placed premium on delivery. New and young faces were key organisational assignment. An extensive training programme was launched for BJP workers and more than 8 lakh of them were trained on ideological and political matters. A front exclusively for the OBC was set up for the first time in the party.

Unlike the previous NDA regime, the synergy between the government and the party was seamless this time. It was Shahs responsibility to effectively take Modis achievement to people and ensure no discordant voices emerge from within the BJP. He did that job well.

In return, Shah had a free run in running the BJP and even picking chief ministers. Shah cemented his position as partys decision maker, which got reflected in the removal of then Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel.

Shah was re-elected as the BJP chief in 2016, and his full three-year term ends in December 2018. The next two years will see general election for the Lok Sabha, and Shah is most likely to preside over the party during that phase.
Hours after winning his maiden in Rajya Sabha election, BJP Chief Amit Shah resigned as MLA at the end of two-day monsoon session of the assembly on Wednesday.

The BJP chief, who had micro-planned the RS poll strategy, giving Congress veteran Ahmed Patel a run for his money before a win, tendered his resignation to speaker Ramanlal Vora. His last day as MLA was also the last day of the assembly session of the state governments term. Assembly elections will be held at the end of the year.

Shah, who represented Naranpura constituency in Ahmedabad city, refrained from attacking the Congress when its MLAs walked out from the house earlier. It is not right to criticise the Opposition when it is not present here, Shah said in his last address to the Gujarat assembly.

Meanwhile, claiming that Sonia Gandhis political secretary Patel had won the Rajya Sabha election by only half a vote, chief minister Vijay Rupani on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will explore legal options to challenge the Election Commissions (EC) decision of invalidating two votes in response to the Congress plea.

Patel won the bitterly-contested election in which Congress support had actually come down from 57 MLAs to just 44.

The Congress earlier had 57 MLAs and, along with their allies,they had the support of 61 MLAs. But they were reduced to 44 MLAs. Our candidate lost by just half a vote, Rupani said, adding, Of 122, not a single BJP MLA cross-voted and it is our victory.

We dont agree with the ECs decision, we will take all possible legal action. Had the two disputed votes which were invalidated been counted, we would have won, he added.

He also said that the Congress in Gujarat is split vertically and has no future in the state.

Along with Shah, Union minister Smriti Irani also emerged victorious in the election even as turncoat Balwantsinh Rajput lost the contest to Patel. This is Iranis second term from Gujarat.
BJP chief Amit Shah today asked the party workers to work towards achieving the target of winning 150 of the total 182 seats in Gujarat in the upcoming Assembly polls.

He said Mission 150 would ensure that the BJP wins three Rajya Sabha seats in the state next time.

Election to the three Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat were held on Tuesday. While Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani were elected to the Upper House of Parliament, party candidate Balwantsinh Rajpur was defeated by Congress veteran Ahmed Patel.

Shah, who resigned as the state MLA on Wednesday, told the cadres that the magic number of 150 achieved in the upcoming elections would make it possible for the BJP to win the Rajya Sabha seats, irrespective of the number of votes a candidate gets.

He was speaking at the felicitation function organised at the partys state headquarters at Kamalam here.

Irani and Rajput were also felicitated on the occasion. Shah and Irani have made their maiden entry into the upper house.

Today, the assembly secretary was explaining to me that Balwantsinh was defeated by around 0.40 votes, and could have won, had he got that many votes. But if we get 150 seats (in the upcoming state election), all our three candidates will win, Shah said.

He exhorted the party workers to achieve the partys Mission 150 and begin preparation for the same.

Mission 150 will be achieved in December (when the polls are likely to be held)...The kind of development works that the BJP has done in Gujarat, people will support us in December. The way BJP has been supported by the people in the state, our organisation is invincible, he said.

Earlier in the day, Shah resigned as the MLA of Naranpura assembly seat in Ahmedabad, after being elected as the partys Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.

Shah tendered his resignation to Gujarat Assembly Speaker Ramanlal Vora, where he made an hour-long farewell speech.

In his speech, Shah continued his attack on the opposition Congress stating that the partys leadership was responsible for the crisis it faced.

Shah also expressed confidence that the BJP would achieve its mission 150 target on the basis of the development works done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who served as state chief minister for 13 years.

The 20 years that I served as MLA, were the golden years for the BJP and the state, he said.

In no other states we have found the ideals of development established in Gujarat. Narendrabhai (Modi) took development everywhere (during his tenure as CM), which is why the country gave him such a huge majority, he said
Bihar minister Vinod Kumar Singh on Tuesday sparked a controversy when he asked if people who hadnt raised their arms while shouting Bharat Mata ki Jai were Pakistan supporters, indicating mediapersons at the front.

The minister for mines and geology was speaking during a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) function when raised the popular chant, urging his audience to raise their hands too.

When he spotted that some hadnt joined in, he said, You are first sons of Bharat Mata, then mediapersons. If you did not join me to loudly shout Bharat Mata Ki Jai, are you supporters of Pakistan Mata? Singh said.

#WATCH Bihar Min Vinod Singh questions those who didn't raise hands on Bharat Mata Ki Jai, asks, "vo log Pakistan Mata ke to nahi hain?" pic.twitter.com/4IO8u9F1AW  ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2017

Except for a few, most from the media present at the function didnt objected or protest against the ministers statement.

Earlier during the function, Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai said the sound of Bharat Mata Ki Jai should replace azhan from mosques and sounds of bells from churches. However, he later denied saying so, clarifying he did not mean in place of azhan and bell.

RJD spokespersons Bhai Virender and Shakti Yadav strongly reacted against both minister Vinod Singh and BJP leader Nitayanand Rai. They have exposed their real agenda.

However, BJPs new ally JD-U said it was a matter of personal freedom of expression.
The possibility of a split in Bihars ruling Janata Dal (United) swirled on Wednesday, after the party broke ranks with the RJD and Congress to form a new government with the BJP on July 27.

Several JD(U) leaders, including former party chief Sharad Yadav, are said to be unhappy with chief minister Nitish Kumars alleged unilateral decision to withdraw from the three-party grand alliance and realign with the BJP.

Talk of a division increased after Yadav declared a four-day tour of Bihar from Thursday to assess the mood of party workers.

Besides, RJD chief Lalu Prasad also fanned the flames on Wednesday, saying the grand alliance still exists as his party, the Sharad Yadav-led JD(U) and Congress are partners.

In New Delhi, Yadav said he will go to Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, Supaul, Saharsa and Madhepura.

His visit to Muzaffarpur coincides with RJD leader and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadavs public meeting there.

According to a close associate of Yadav, who didnt wish to be named, the developments indicate that the JD(U) may be headed for a split.

Yadav has called the Kumar-BJP alliance a betrayal of the peoples mandate in the 2015 assembly elections, which the JD(U)-RJD-Congress grand alliance won.

The Bihar unit of the JD(U) detached itself from Yadavs tour.

The party has nothing to do with his visit. It is his personal trip, said JD(U) state president and Rajya Sabha member Bashistha Narayan Singh.

But a sense of uneasiness has surrounded the party over Yadavs programme.

The rules and principles were laid by Sharadji and if he himself is shying away from following them, then it is a serious issue, said JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar.

The developments happened in the backdrop of the JD(U) sacking its Gujarat unit general secretary Arun Kumar Srivastava, who is said to be close to Yadav, after the contentious Rajya Sabha election in the state on Tuesday.

Party general secretary KC Tyagi sent the sack letter to Srivastava for writing to the returning officer without authorisation.

The party president (Nitish Kumar) has taken a serious note of the issue and has relieved you of your responsibility from the post of general secretary, Tyagi said in his letter.

The JD(U)s lone Gujarat legislator, Chhotubhai Vasava, voted for Congress candidate Ahmed Patel, who won the election by a single vote. He defied his party high commands whip to vote for the BJP.

Vasava said he cross-voted in protest against party chief Kumars decision to dump the RJD and Congress.

Former party chief Yadav was also against the JD(U)s official line of supporting the BJP candidates in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha election and NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind for President.

Sources said he was trying to provoke Kumar to throw him out of the party.

If he is removed, he will not lose his Rajya Sabha membership. But if he splits, he will lose his seat in Parliament, explained a JD(U) leader.

Signs of a rift between Yadav and Kumar surfaced months ago after the chief minister began supporting NDA policies, including the demonetisation drive and implementation of the goods and services tax (GST).

For his part, Yadav had supported RJDs Prasad after the July 7 CBI raids on his home and other properties. He also announced his intention to join the RJDs anti-BJP rally in Patna on August 27.

Sharadji is a founder-member of JD(U) and has worked tirelessly to set its principles, said Prasad.

Incidentally, the original Janata Dal split in 1997 after Prasad was charged in a multi-crore fodder scam during his tenure as chief minister, a legal case the RJD chief is fighting all these years.

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Vikas Barala, the son of the Haryana BJP chief, and his friend refused to give their blood and urine samples after their detention for allegedly stalking a woman in Chandigarh, medical reports accessed by HT show. After their arrest too police did not go for the medical test.

The new exposure could potentially put more pressure on Chandigarh police, battling allegations of diluting the case against the son of an influential leader of the ruling party.

While Chandigarh director general of police TS Luthra did not respond to call and text messages, Chandigarh senior superintendent of police, Eish Singhal, said a medical examination was conducted on the accused. But he did not specify whether blood or urine samples were taken.

Vikas, son of Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala, and his friend, were released on bail within a couple of hours of their arrest on August 5 following a complaint of stalking and harassment by Varnika Kundu, the daughter of an IAS officer.

Why police shouldve insisted on samples *The findings of these two tests would have helped police strengthen their case, say legal experts *The proof of drunkenness would have further aggravated their culpability of accused. *Also, the police also could have added sections of non-bailable offence category on the basis of blood, urine sample reports. *It would have helped the police in quantifying the degree of offence, say experts

They were allegedly drunk at the time of the incident.

Their breath smelled of alcohol and their eyes were red (congestion of the conjunctiva) and both denied to give blood and urine samples to testify the blood alcohol content, reads the report prepared by doctors of the civil hospital at Manimanjra in Chandigarh.

The report was based on observation.

It said Vikas Barala was conscious, oriented and vitals (pulse rate, blood pressure, temperature, respiratory rate) are stable...gait and speech are normal and there are no external marks of injuries. The report of his friend, Ashish Kumar, was similar.

Varnika and her father reacted with indignation.

If someone who constantly chose to keep faith in the system, is also dealt with like this then what good is such a system, she said.

Im very disappointed, this is definitely going to change things, she said, adding her trust had been broken and that she might want to review her process now.

Her father, VS Kunda, said he was angry.

Can they even do this? Can they refuse, he said. I was told by the police that they were taken to GMCH-16 for the medical from the police station in Sector 26 so I dont know what exactly to say, the father added.

Legal experts HT spoke to said police had the power to force the accused to give samples of body fluids and that findings of these two tests would have helped strengthen their case.

The proof of drunkenness, according to legal experts, would have further aggravated their culpability.

Also, the police could have added sections of non-bailable offence category on the basis of blood or urine sample reports.

It would have helped the police in quantifying the degree of offence, said Punjab and Haryana high court senior advocate Atul Lakhan Pal, adding that even now it would be presumed they were under the influence of liquor.

Anupam Gupta, another senior advocate, too said proof of drunkenness would have further aggravated their culpability though he felt police had a cast-iron case of stalking against the two accused.

He said medical examination by force is permissible by law. It is apparent that one of the main reasons for not registering a non-bailable offence was to avoid medical examination.

Medical examination was absolutely imperative because doctors found them to be drunk and the motive of police in not arresting the accused stand exposed now with this revelation, he said.

It is the job of an investigating officer to ask the doctors to take blood and urine samples. Doctors cannot force the patient, until and unless the IO orders it. In this case, police did not take the initiative and they never asked doctors to take blood or urine sample, said a senior doctor from the health department.

Had the police asked us, we would have forcefully taken the samples, he said.

A senior government doctor said a medical report could be produced in court if the accused contests the medical report.

Analysis of blood and urine samples for blood alcohol content is more accurate and can also tell us the amount of alcohol intake, he added.

Opposition parties including the Congress have accused police of deliberately weakening the case to protect the son of the leading party leader.
Haryana bureaucrat VS Kundu lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday for not putting in a word of regret after its Haryana unit chiefs son allegedly stalked his daughter last week.

Kundus daughter was chased by two suspects, including Haryana BJP leader Subhash Baralas son Vikas, as she drove home shortly after midnight on Friday. The case has become a rallying point for womens rights activists and the BJPs rivals, who allege that Chandigarh police may be going soft on the suspects because they belong to a powerful family.

People from the IAS fraternity across the country have sent me messages of support and solidarity. People cutting across party affiliations have expressed their support for us. I am grateful to them for understanding our concern and agony. But not a single person from the BJP approached us or cared to even send a message... That hurts me. I have worked in Haryana for 30 years and people from all walks of life, including political parties, know me well. If those affiliated to the ruling BJP are hesitant to even put in a word of regret, one can very well understand why they are diffident. Its simply about politics for them, said Kundu.

However, we are determined. Come what may, we will not back off. And that means even an intervention by the almighty.

Subhash Barala broke his silence on the issue on Tuesday, saying Varnika was like a daughter to him and whatever lawful action is required should be taken against Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar.

The statement was too little, too late for the Kundus.

The IAS officer said that on the contrary, Krishan Dhull, a BJP worker he has known, approached him and sought to broker a deal on the night of the incident.

Dhull, who later provided surety for Vikas Barala and bailed him out of custody, even insisted that I speak to Subhash Barala. I told Dhull that he should be ashamed for pleading their case. I asked whether he knew that my daughter was stalked by these well-educated miscreants. I refused to speak to Barala at Dhulls insistence and told him it did not matter whose son Vikas is. I told him point blank that he (Barala) needed to come to my place with this plea, said the senior bureaucrat.

The IAS officer said that junior, senior and retired officers from the IAS fraternity have lent him their support and were standing by him. If a person like me who has all kinds of resources does not take this fight to its logical conclusion, who will? the officer said.
The women wings of opposition parties Congress and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Tuesday held demonstrations demanding resignation of the Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala and strict action against his son, who is accused of stalking the daughter of an IAS officer.

Led by the All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) president Shobha Oza, a delegation of the state unit submitted a memorandum to Haryana governor Kaptan Singh Solanki and UT administrator and Punjab governor VP Badnore, demanding action against those delaying justice to Varnika Kundu.

Later, Oza told mediapersons that they were was pained to see that the Chandigarh police, working directly under the Union home ministry, were trying to protect Barala and his son. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take an exemplary action against his party leaders and bureaucrats who have tried to protect the culprits. We appreciate Vernikas exemplary courage and urge the central government to honour her with a bravery award, she said.

She termed as ironical Baralas statement that Vernika was like his daughter. If he had any such feeling, he would have himself got all the serious sections included in the FIR (first information report) against his son, she said.

If these people are not punished for their misdeeds, then such people will get encouraged and our daughters would be really unsafe in this country. Unfortunately, police are trying to hush up the matter under pressure, this is condemnable. If this daughter of ours does not get justice in this case, then women and girls in this country will lose their faith in the system, she said. Oza also said that Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao has been reduced to a mere slogan in Haryana.

On the alleged attack on the woman on social media, she said, Attempts were being made to spread lies about her. We demand that all those involved should be booked for cyber crime. The woman wing of the INLD also submitted a memorandum to Solanki decrying shoddy functioning of the UT police in the case. Demanding resignation of Barala, the INLD workers, e led by INLD state president Ashok Arora and woman wing president Sheela Bhyan, demanded appropriate sections be added to the FIR.

When the INLD women workers tried take out a protest rally up to Raj Bhawan, they were stopped by the police and taken in a bus to the governor house where they submitted the memorandum. However, about two dozen workers who did not go to the Raj Bhawan continued a demonstrate near the MLA hostel complex and burnt an effigy of Barala.

(With agency inputs)
The U.S. State Department on Monday made it clear that Washington is against the reopening of the joint-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex.

The department's East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau spokesperson Grace Choi said that Seoul's 2016 decision to shut the industrial park down reflected mounting worries in the region over the North's outright violation of UN Security Council resolutions, according to Voice of America.

She also rebutted calls from some inside the camp of President Moon Jae-in to exempt the industrial park from sanctions. She urged all nations to take action to further isolate the North economically.

She added Washington has closely cooperated with Seoul over the North Korean issue and will continue to maintain to do so.

Senators Pat Toomey and Chris Van Hollen last month proposed a bill titled "Banking Restrictions Involving North Korea (BRINK) Act" that explicitly opposes the reopening of the industrial park until after the North scraps its nuclear and missile programs.

The Wall Street Journal in an editorial in May called for sanctions against South Korean businesses if they reopen the complex.
Several hours after failing to answer summons, Vikas Barala appeared before police in Chandigarh in the stalking case after his father, Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala, assured of cooperating in the investigation.

Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar were booked based on a complaint by a 29-year-old woman who accused them of stalking her while drink driving.

The two suspects were untraceable, local police sources said on Wednesday morning, hours before a deadline for the accused to show up at a police station.

Summon notices were pasted at the homes of the suspects, asking them to appear before police by 11am.

After the suspects failed to show up, the BJP leader held a press conference stating that his son was out of town but was notified of the summons, and would be joining the investigation.

He further assured that they were not and would not attempt to influence the investigation.

Police have faced criticism for not including charges of attempted abduction in the case against Vikas and Kumar, who had allegedly followed and tried to stop Varnika Kundu, a 29-year-old DJ, around midnight on Friday.

It also emerged that the police may have not pressed the suspects to undergo blood and urine tests, which would have indicated their intoxication at the time of the alleged crime.

The duo is accused under sections relating to drink-driving and stalking, both giving police the discretion to give bail to suspects. Barala and Kumar were released within hours on Friday night.

The police had said on Monday that they had found closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from five spots along the route on which Kundu was reportedly harassed as she drove home.

But sources say the footage is of poor quality and may not help corroborate the charge of attempted kidnapping, as alleged by Kundu.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Chhattisgarh Police identified two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel accused of molesting schoolgirls during a cultural programme last month and arrested one of them on Wednesday.

Police said they arrested 31-year-old Shamim Ahmed and sent a team to Uttarakhand to arrest 34-year-old Neeraj Kandwal, who hails from the hill state and is on leave.

The alleged molestation took place in a girls hostel on July 31 in the Maoist stronghold of Dantewada during a programme where the students were supposed to tie rakhis to personnel. After the programme  sponsored by a private news channel  was done, security personnel allegedly followed the girls to the toilet and molested them.

The two accused have been identified on the basis of photo identification of around 254 CRPF personnel by 16 victims on Tuesday, said Abhishek Pallav, additional superintendent of police (Dantewada). Both have been suspended.

HT reported on Monday that the Chhattisgarh police launched an investigation against unknown CRPF personnel, a development that triggered widespread outrage in a region where security forces are often accused of egregious human rights violations.

The probe was launched after the warden complained to the police. Palnar, where the alleged incident took place, is 25 km away from the district headquarters of Dantewada.

The incident came to light after activist Himanshu Kumar wrote about the incident on Facebook on Sunday. Nearly 500 girls took part in the July 31 event, to be telecast on the local news channels, and tied rakhis on the personnel.

Following the complaint, an FIR was lodged against unidentified security personnel under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

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Experts said on Wednesday India should take the Chinese threat of entering Kalapani in Uttarakhand, which has come amid a seven-week military standoff with China at Doklam in Sikkim, seriously to keep an eye on activities across the border.

A senior Chinese foreign affairs ministry official on Tuesday rejected Indias suggestion for a simultaneous withdrawal of troops to end the Doklam standoff and asked what New Delhi would do if it enters Kalapani region in Uttarakhand or Kashmir, news agency PTI reported.

Wang Wenli, deputy director general of the Boundary and Ocean Affairs, was speaking in response to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who recently said both the sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place, favouring a peaceful resolution of the border standoff.

Kalapani is a region close to Nepal and the Himalayan country has been staking claim over the disputed territory for years now. Kalapani is a 35 square kilometre area in the hill states Pithoragarh district under control of Indo Tibetan Border Police. Uttarakhand shares an 80.5-km long porous border with Nepal and a 344-km border with China.

SS Pangti, retired bureaucrat and an expert on India-Nepal border affairs, said the 1816 Segauli treaty signed between the British and Nepal locates the Kali River as the western border between the nations.

Kalapani is considered as the origin of Kali River that flows from Nepal and enters Uttarakhand. In fact, both the nations are also working on a joint hydropower project Pancheshwar on the river on the Indian side.

Above Kalapani there is no demarcation (of the boundary) between Indo-Nepal till China border. This could lead to problems in the coming time. The dragons threat should not be taken lightly, Pangti told the Hindustan Times on Wednesday.

It is crucial for India to maintain control at Kalapani in a bid to keep an eye on the activities across the border, he added.

Nepal has been claiming its right over Kalapani and calling it a part of its Darchula district. In August 2015, hundreds of Nepali students associated with Akhil Nepal Krantikari Sangthan (ANKS)  a frontal organisation of Nepali Maoist Party (NMP)  held a demonstration at Darchula, which is close to Dharchula district in Uttarakhand.

Ratan Dattal, president of the wing, was then quoted as saying that India should return Kalapani to Nepal without any further delay. The Maoists are understood to have cordial relationships with the Nepali government.

Former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) official Pangti said as a step forward India should demarcate the tri- junction between India, Nepal and China.

Brigadier (retd) KG Behl said after 1962 war with China Indian troops are well prepared and strategically positioned, however, we must check the gaps.

China has reportedly intruded into the Barahoti area in Chamoli district of the hill state in the past.

In July this year, Chinese troops were sighted on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Barahoti  an 80 square km pasture land next to Tibetan plateau. The Chinese troops intruded almost a kilometre into Indian territory and threatened some shepherds, PTI reported.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area for 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the area.

China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau. Bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims the area belongs to it and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.

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India has taken a very responsible role in respecting the international boundaries in the wake of the standoff with China in the Doklam area of the Sikkim section, a former top US diplomat has said.

Look, India is a critical Himalayan power and who has played by the rule of law, respects the rule of law...I think they (Indians) are setting an important example for other countries. I hope other countries, including China, can resolve any disputes they might have with India through dialogue, Richard Verma, the former US ambassador to India, told PTI.

The 48-year-old Indian-origin diplomat said all of us will welcome a de-escalation and a commitment to resolving the issue through dialogue.

I have watched this dispute over the last few weeks play out and I think India has really taken a very responsible and important role in respecting the international boundaries, playing an important role in peace and stability and also calling for dialogue, Verma said.

In an apparent dig at China, the former diplomat said, I think to try to change the status quo militarily or through coercion is not the way to go about it, and to the extent that differences between India and China, Ive always been encouraged that the two sides do talk a lot and do talk regularly, Verma said.

Verma left the position of US ambassador to India on January 20 this year. The Trump administration is yet to nominate a replacement for him.

Referring to the Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia- Pacific signed between the two countries when the then US President Barack Obama visited India in January 2015, Verma said India and the US were in clear and strong agreement that they are a society in a region and an international system that has to be governed by the rule of law.

That means resolving disputes peacefully, that means respecting international borders, that means abiding by international norms, and traditions, and rules, he said.
The Election Commission on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it will be able to use EVMs with Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls.

A bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar was told by the poll panel that it will be able to conduct the Gujarat Assembly polls later this year using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with paper trail if it gets 73,500 VVPAT machines by September from the manufacturers.

An affidavit filed by the poll panel said: If the said consignment of VVPATs is delivered on time (September), the Election Commission expects to be able to conduct the elections to the Gujarat legislative assembly completely with the use of VVPATs.

Currently it has 53,500 VVPAT units, said the poll panel, adding that the number of VVPAT units required for conducting election to the Gujarat legislative assembly is 70,000 units.

The VVPAT machine is connected with EVMs and dispenses a paper proof for the voters so that they can verify that their vote is cast correctly.

Taking note of the submissions of the Election Commission, the court disposed of the plea filed by Gujarat Patidar leader Reshma Vithabhai Patel seeking the use of either ballot paper or EVMs with VVPAT for the assembly elections.

Patel, also convener of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti which was at the forefront of the Patel quota agitation, alleged that the EVMs were not fully reliable, foolproof, tamper-proof or hack-proof.

The Election Commission maintained that EVMs currently used for conducting Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the country cannot be tampered with.
Bilal*, a youth from strife-torn south Kashmir, was hit by pellets during the summer unrest in the Valley last year. A bleeding Bilal was rushed to the nearest government hospital from where he was referred to Srinagar. With pro-azadi sentiments running high among the youth at that time, Bilal got himself registered as Burhan in the hospital.

But today, a partially-blind Bilal is at his wits end to prove his real identity in order to avail the compensation announced by the state government. He has to convince officials that it was indeed he (Bilal) who was hit by pellets that day, and not some fictitious Burhan.

The large-scale protests that broke out last summer following the gunning down of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, saw scores of stone-pelting youth receiving pellet injuries in retaliatory action by security forces. Most of these victims or their attendants did not enter their real identities in the hospital records to avoid harassment by police.

Now as the government attempts to compile a list of victims eligible for compensation, the wrong names and addresses are proving a hurdle for beneficiaries.

A senior official on condition of anonymity said since the government was keen on compensating the victims, thorough verification of their identities and hospital records would be done before a name is listed.

The committee that is looking into the issue has had several meetings and they have noticed a few cases of mistaken identity, a source said. However, a report in a local English daily put the number of such cases received till now at 27.

Hospital authorities said there were two reasons for some victims faking their identities  one, the fear of possible arrest, and two, often bleeding and unconscious pellet victims were brought to hospitals by members of the public who did not know them and may have entered dummy names to speed up the process.

Most of us feared arrest because according to the state all such victims are protesters and stone-pelters, said a 17-year-old pellet victim from Pulwama district who was blinded in one eye.

In January this year, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had said job opportunities would be made available to persons who lost their eyesight during the crisis and arrangements for education at Delhi and other places would be made for students whose eyesight got affected during the turmoil.

As of now, it is not clear what kind of jobs the government is planning to offer the pellet victims.

Data from Kashmirs hospitals show that in the 2016 unrest, over 6,000 people had suffered pellet injuries, with over 1,100 specifically hit in the eyes.

Hospitals across the Valley are receiving requests from pellet victims to set right their injury records.

Yes, many of them are coming to us with affidavits to get their names corrected and we are doing that after proper verification, said Dr Nazir Chowdary, medical superintendent of Srinagars SMHS hospital that treated the largest number pellet victims during the unrest.

Dr Majeed Mehrab, medical superintendent, district hospital Anantnag, said at least eight such cases have come to light in their hospital. The south Kashmir district was one of the worst hit during the unrest.

Some doctors also point out that given the tedious process to establish true identities of such victims, many are opting to forego the compensation offer.

(*Name changed)

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Congress president Sonia Gandhi urged people on Wednesday to protect the roots of Indias democracy against forces of darkness in a speech in Parliament punctuated with allusions to her arch-rival BJP, which she did not name directly. (PARLIAMENT LIVE UPDATES)

She used her speech in the Lok Sabha during a special discussion to mark the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement to underline contributions the Congress and Jawaharlal Nehru made to an episode that is seen as pivotal to campaign that would eventually win India freedom from British rule.

We will not allow the idea of India to be a prisoner to narrow mindedness and communal ideology. Today it looks secularism and free speech are in danger. If we have to preserve freedom, well have to defeat forces endangering it. We cant and we wont allow sectarian forces to succeed, she said.

Her Congress party has often accused Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party of communalism.

If we want to keep our freedom safe, we will have to fight the repressive forces, does not matter how strong and powerful they are. We have to fight for Bharat, where everyone is free, she said, reading from a prepared statement.

It should not be forgotten, she said, that there were people and organisations which had opposed the Quit India movement and made no contribution to the countrys freedom.

Though she did not name any party or leader in her attack, Hindutva organisation RSS, the ideological mentor of the BJP, appeared to be Gandhis target since the Congress has often accused it of playing no role in the freedom movement. The RSS has always denied it.
The defence ministry has approved projects worth thousands of crores to sharpen the fighting capability of its tanks and infantry combat vehicles, amid the national auditor revealing gaping holes in the militarys battle readiness.

The projects approved include ammunition for more than 1,500 Russian-origin BMP-2/2K infantry combat vehicles, top-end missiles for 3,000 T-90/T-72 tanks and lakhs of rounds for L-70 air defence guns, officials said. The ministrys department of defence production (DDP) gave the green light to the programmes on July 10.

Documents with HT show that the army requires nine lakh rounds of advanced 30 mm ammunition for the BMPs that can be fired from the existing gun without any design modifications. Each round could cost up to Rs 15,000, according to the armys estimates.

The DDP approved the purchase of 3,000 third-generation missiles for the armys tank fleet, with a maximum effective range of 8 km and shelf life of five years under field conditions.

The armys operational and technical parameters state the new missile should have a hit probability greater than 90% on a standard NATO tank. The armys proposal says, As the design of the existing INVAR missile has been optimized both in terms of range and depth of penetration, it is imperative to upgrade to next generation missiles with enhanced capability.

The armys T-90 fleet will be equipped with armoured fighting vehicle protection and counter measure system at a cost of around Rs 2,500 crore. These enhanced protection measures deflect or destroy threats from guided missiles, rocket propelled grenades and rockets. Army officials said the systems would significantly enhance the survivability of tank crews in combat.

The approvals have been granted under the Make category of acquisition in the Defence Procurement Procedure 2016 that lays down that only Indian vendors are eligible for the projects.

The T-90 fleet will be equipped with 1,200-1,500 HP modular engines to cater for high battle field agility. The army has a requirement for 2,011 such engines with each likely to cost Rs 5 crore.

Another significant project cleared relates to buying 3.3 lakh rounds of ammunition for the L-70 air defence gun systems over the next 12 years. The armys proposal said, With increase in air threat envelope and multiplicity of threat platforms, theres a requirement to enhance the lethality and accuracy of the present ammunition of L-70 gun.

The defence ministry has sought Rs 20,000 crore from the government to accelerate the militarys modernisation. Also, in July, the Centre bestowed sweeping financial powers on the army to meet critical deficiencies in ammunition, spares and different types of armament following a security review conducted after last years Uri terror strike.
Amit Shah won, and lost. He won for himself a Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat, making his debut as a parliamentarian. On the day he completed three years as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief, Shah lost on his home turf the reputation of a leader who knows the art of winning even the hardest of political battles.

For next six years, Shah will live with the grudge of having failed to defeat Congresss Ahmed Patel, whom the 52-year-old BJP president is said to hold guilty for his legal troubles during the UPA regime.

Patels victory in Gujarat Rajya Sabha polls comes despite Shah and his team putting their entire might behind rebel Congress leader Balwant Singh Rajput, who was the BJPs third candidate for the August 8 Rajya Sabha election.

The last couple of weeks saw six Congress MLAs resigning from the party, some defecting to the BJP, and central agencies raiding the premises of a Karnataka Congress leader who hosted his party colleagues from Gujarat to avoid a break in their ranks.

Patel could poll just 44 votes  the exact number he needed to return to the Rajya Sabha. It was much below the Congresss reduced strength of 51 members in the house.

Patel managed to keep his flock together, successfully averting Shahs bid to poach more Congress legislators.

That he managed to convert an otherwise easy win for Patel into a nail biting contest was the only solace for the BJP president.

Shah will continue to enjoy the confidence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But the poll result, declared in the wee hours of Wednesday, add to the short list of Shahs electoral failures.

BJPs routs in Bihar and Delhi assembly election are the only big entries in that list.

He managed to brush aside these two electoral reverses, pinning the blame on the local leadership. He cant do it in this case in Gujarat.

The state will vote to elect a new government later this year in December. Patels victory will inject a new lease of life into the beleaguered Congress, which is smarting under a series of electoral losses at the hands of the Naendra Modi-Amit Shah combination.

The BJP will continue to rest its hope on Modi to continue its stint in power, which started in March 1998. It would like to forget the Wednesday result as a nightmare, which was over with the sunrise on Wednesday.

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Former West Bengal minister, freedom fighter and 10-time legislator Gyan Singh Sohanpal, one of the most respected politicians in the state, died at the state-run SSKM hospital on Tuesday following old-age problems. He was 92.

Fondly called Chacha (uncle) by all, Sohanpal began his long march in public life by joining the Congress during the 1942 Quit India movement, and was the oldest candidate in fray during last years assembly polls.

Making his maiden entry into the state assembly in 1969 from the Kharagpur constituency in then Midnapore district, Sohanpal kept the Congress flag high in the cosmopolitan seat on nine more occasions.

Between 1972 and 1977, he served as transport minister during the chief ministerial stint of Siddhartha Shankar Ray. However, he lost in 1977, when the Left Front swept to power in the state.

But Sohanpal returned to his winning ways in 1982, and went on repeating the feat till he lost out to BJPs Dilip Ghosh last year.

He remained a bachelor. He was known for his honesty, frugal living and amicable behaviour. Such was Sohanpals acceptability that even his rivals refrained from attacking him personally during election campaigns.

Expressing grief at Sohanpals demise, chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the state government would give him a gun salute during his last rites on Wednesday. Saddened at the passing of Gyan Singh Sohan Pal ji. We have lost a veteran legislator. My condolences to his family & friends, Banerjee wrote on Twitter.

He was a very senior member of the West Bengal Assembly. Tomorrow, the Govt will give his mortal remains a gun salute, she added.

Former state Congress chief and Sohanpals ministerial colleague Pradip Bhattacharya expressed shock over his death. He was a thorough gentleman. He performed very well as the Transport Minister. He had deep connect with the masses, and his doors were open for them all the time even during his days as a minister.
Dull sentiment dents Shanghais new home sales

From:Shanghai Daily | 2017-08-08 09:47

SALES of new houses in Shanghai fell notably in the first week of August, which also saw no single project launched.



The area of new homes sold, excluding government-subsidized affordable housing, dropped 30.4 percent to 108,000 square meters during the seven-day period ended Sunday, after hovering around 150,000 square meters for three consecutive weeks, Shanghai Centaline Property Consultants Co said in a report released yesterday.

The citys outlying Qingpu District led with weekly transactions of 17,000 square meters, followed by Songjiang and Jiading districts which both sold around 12,000 square meters.

These new houses sold for an average 52,154 yuan (US$7,736) per square meter, a week-over-week gain of 8.3 percent, Centaline data showed.

It was rare that three of the 10 most popular projects cost more than 70,000 yuan per square meter, with two of them even above the 100,000-yuan-per-square-meter threshold, said Lu Wenxi, senior analyst at Centaline.

But still no single development managed to record weekly sales of over 100 units, evidence of a really lackluster sentiment among home buyers, Lu said.

One project in remote Fengxian District became the most sought-after development after selling 70 flats totaling 5,903 square meters for an average price of below 33,000 yuan per square meter. A Yanlord Land development in Pudong New Area sold 17 units for an average of 107,315 yuan per square meter, and a Shui On Land project in Hongkou District sold 11 apartments for an average of 110,799 yuan per square meter, both making into the Top 10 list, Centaline data showed.

No new project was launched locally last week unlike the previous seven-day period when 49,000 square meters of new supply were released.

Lu predicted that weakness will linger across the city over the next few weeks.
Three unidentified youths gunned down a gym owner in an apparent road rage Incident at Solan on Tuesday.

The deceased, identified as Lucky, was returning home from his gym at Shaamti, nearly five km from Solan town, when his bike collided with an SUV bearing a Haryana registration number, said police. The occupants of the vehicle entered into a heated argument with Lucky following which they pumped bullets into his chest and fled from the spot.

A passerby saw Lucky in a pool of blood and rushed him to the civil hospital where he was declared brought dead. We have started probe after registering a murder case, said Solan additional superintendent of police Manmohan Singh.

He said six youths have been rounded up and are being questioned. The body was handed over to the family after the autopsy. Police said they have prepared sketches of two of the accused based on an eyewitness account. These will be circulated in all police stations in the vicinity and neighbouring states such as Haryana, Punjab and Uttarakhand, said a police official.

An eyewitness has given us the registeration number of the vehicle and we have sent a team to Sonepat to inquire about it, said the ASP. Teams have also been sent to Nalagarh and Baddi.

Police have also obtained the CCTV footage in which three accused are seen. After fleeing the spot, they stopped their car at some distance and tried to change the numberplate, failing which they abandoned it and disappeared. The SUV was found 1.5 km away from the crime scene, said an official.
While Tuesdays Rajya Sabha election was widely viewed as a clash between two master strategists, Sonia Gandhis political secretary Ahmed Patel and BJP president Amit Shah, it was senior state leader Shaktisinh Gohil who scored the winning shot for the Congress camp.

Gohil, who was acting as the Congress agent in the polling station, first sought the invalidation of two votes cast by Congress rebel MLAs around 3 pm. The party leadership informed him that the returning officer has promised to look into the matter.

I saw both Raghvji Patel and Bhola Gohil flashing their ballot papers to the BJPs polling agent. This happened in the presence of BJP chief Amit Shah, who was one of the three candidates fielded by the party, the 57-year-old MLA said.

The two rebels, known for their proximity to political heavyweight Shankersinh Vaghela (who quit the Congress in July), had voted in favour of the BJP.

After the polling ended at 4 pm, the Congress leadership insisted that the state election commission watch the video and invalidate the votes cast by the two rebels because they had violated norms by showing their ballot papers to BJP members. Three hours later, deputy chief minister Nitin Patel claimed that the election authorities had rejected the Congress plea. A report has been sent to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for its nod to begin the counting process, he added.

And thus began a seven-hour-long drama that saw both BJP and Congress delegations making the rounds of the ECIs office in Delhi to press for the demands of their respective parties. It was only past midnight that the election authorities disqualified the two votes and issued counting orders.

Being a lawyer, Gohil had fought many legal battles for the party in Gujarat. It was the experience gained through his days spent in court that helped the Congress emerge victorious in a battle that Patel was a hairs breadth away from losing.

If the ballots cast by the two rebel MLAs were not disqualified, Patel would have required 45 votes  one more than what he eventually got  to win.

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Leader of the opposition in the Bihar assembly and crown prince of the RJD Tejashwi Prasad Yadav made visual and verbal allusions to Gandhis 2017 Champaran satyagrah, to target chief minister Nitish Kumar over what he called the betrayal of the 2015 Bihar assembly poll mandate for the grand alliance (GA).

Playing the victim, Tejashwi, 28, was joined by his elder brother Tej Pratap and other RJD leaders in staging a sit in at the Gandhi memorial at Motihari (East Champaran), about 145 km north west of state capital, Patna. He subsequently went to West Champaran, as well.

Tejashwi had lost his deputy CMs job when the 20 month old GA government fell on July 26 with Nitish Kumars resignation as CM, in the wake of the RJD leaders failure to clear the air on corruption charges levelled against him in a CBI FIR last month.

On the following day, Kumar formed a new government with the BJP.

At Motihari, Tejashwi said he had come to apologise to Gandhi for reposing faith in Kumar, who had turned a betrayer. He became chief minister with RJD help (in November 2015) and has now joined hands with those who killed Gandhi (seemingly, the saffron brotherhood).

The RJD had organised road shows with cadres joining in with elephant, camel and horse processions on the highways and at hamlets, to mark what was the first foray of Tejashwi into Bihar politics, independent of his father and RJD chief, Lalu Prasads larger shadow.

His father, however, watched the proceedings from Patna via a video call arranged by his elder son Tej Pratap.

Tejashwi lashed out at the CM for negating the popular mandate against the BJP in 2015 and teaming up with the party to form a new government in Bihar. This is the start of our BJP Bhagao, Desh Bachao drive that will culminate into a mega rally at Patnas Gandhi Maidan on August 27. Leaders of more than 18 parties have consented to participate in it, he said.

Later, at a public rally held at Madhopur girls school in Majhaulia block of West Champaran, he asked Kumar to resign on moral grounds for his censure by a Delhi court in a copyright case. Step down and go to jail, if you talk and believe in principles of politics, said Tejashwi.

Though he had promised to, Tejashwi still did not come clean on the CBI charge he was the beneficiary-owner of valuable land in Patna that was an alleged pay off for two railways hotels, at Ranchi and Puri, leased out to a private party during his father, Lalu Prasads tenure as railways minister (2004-09).

Tejashwi, also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for leaving the people to fend for themselves by making false promises of ushering in achhe din, saying that they were eager to teach the BJP a suitable lesson in the next election.

What happened to promises made by Modi to curb price rise, offer jobs to youths, doling out Rs 15 lakh in peoples account, special package for Bihar, cleaning of Ganga, etc? he asked.

Accusing Nitish Kumar of creating political instability to stay in power, the RJD leader claimed it was his hunger for chair that saw four CMs in Bihar in last four years. Tejashwi alleged that his family was implicated in false cases to offer Nitish a reason to quit the GA.

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The booming spa and massage parlour business in India has led to increasing demand for women from Thailand, many of whom are being duped and trafficked into slavery in the countrys sex industry, police, diplomats and activists said on Wednesday.

At least 40 Thai women have been rescued this year during police raids on massage parlours acting as fronts for prostitution in western cities such as Mumbai and Pune.

The demand for Thai masseurs is high in India as girls from Thailand are considered high profile for their fair skin, Jyoti Nale, programme director for Save the Children India, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Girls rescued in raids are usually from different Indian states and neighbouring countries. But if all the girls in one rescue are from Thailand, it means there are many more (working in India).

In July, for example, 10 Thai women were rescued from a parlour in an affluent residential area in Pune, a car manufacturing and tech hub 150 km south of Indias financial capital Mumbai.

There are an estimated 40 million sex workers globally, according to French charity Fondation Scelles.

Activists say most have been lured, duped or forced into sexual slavery by pimps and traffickers, largely due to poverty and lack of opportunities.

Girls from countries like Nepal and Bangladesh have long been trafficked into sex work in India.

But police and campaigners say there is a rising demand among Indian men and foreign tourists for more exotic women from other countries such as Thailand.

This is the first time we have seen this trend, said Police Inspector Sanjay Patil, head of the anti-human trafficking unit in Pune, who conducted the July raid.

They are not so literate, are from poor families and their families back home depend on their incomes.

He said following a tip-off about the parlour, an officer posed as a customer and found the Thai women, aged between 25 and 40 years, were being sold for sex. The parlours manager and another employee were arrested.

The Thai women, some of them sex workers from Bangkok and other cities, are lured by the prospect of earning more money in India, said police. On average they earn 305 baht ($9) a day in Thailand, while in India they can earn twice that.

The girls we rescued had been working here for three to four months and had up to 100,000 rupees ($1,570) with them, said Patil, adding the victims were now at a shelter home awaiting repatriation.

Thai embassy officials confirmed more Thai women were being rescued from parlours across the country - including in the capital New Delhi, the tourist fort city of Jaipur, and tech hub Bengaluru.

Rehabilitation schemes and skills training is being put in place for victims once they are repatriated, they added.
India summoned a Pakistan High Commission official on Wednesday and issued a demarche over the death of an Indian soldier in unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan, terming it as deplorable.

Counsellor Tariq Karim was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs during which the incident was condemned in strongest terms and it was conveyed that such loss of life was highly deplorable.

A demarche was made lodging strong protest at the fatal casualty of an Indian soldier in unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistans forces in the Krishna Ghati Sector on August 8, a ministry release said.

The ministry also shared its grave concern at the continuing incidents of unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Pakistan forces along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB).

Despite repeated calls for restraint and call to adhere to the ceasefire understanding of 2003 for maintaining peace and tranquillity, Pakistan forces have carried out 301 incidents of unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC this year, the ministry added.
Amid the border standoff with China, defence minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said the Indian armed forces were strong enough to meet any challenge to the countrys security as he underlined that lessons have been learnt from the 1962 war.

He also said in the Rajya Sabha that the people of the country have a predominant wish of retrieving the parts of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan since 1948.

Jaitley, while initiating a special debate to mark the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942, said India had faced many challenges over these decades but we can proudly say the country became stronger with each challenge.

He said the armed forces will have be made fully capable on our own because even today the nation faces challenges from our neighbouring countries.

Compared to 1962, the armed forces were made stronger in 1965 and 1971 wars, Jaitley said.

In 1962, India had to face a war imposed by China and suffer severe reverses. However, in the wars of 1965 and 1971 thrust by Pakistan, India had emerged victorious.

I agree that some challenges are still there. Some people are targeting our countrys sovereignty and integrity. But I am fully confident that our brave soldiers have capabilty to keep our country secure, may it be challenges on the eastern border or the western border, he said. The armed forces can give any kind of sacrifice for the security of the nation.

Jaitleys message assumes significance as it comes amid a two-month-long border standoff with China in Doklam even though he did not specifically mention it.

He also referred to the occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan soon after the Independence.

Initially (after Independence), we faced a crisis. Our neighbour had an eye on Kashmir. Even today, we cannot forget that a part of the country has got separated. It is a wish of every Indian today as to how to retrieve that part, the minister said.

Jaitley, who is leader of the Rajya Sabha, said today was the day to commit to make India a strong, just and economically-progressive country.

He underlined the need for freeing the country from all kinds of violence, be it in the name terrorism, politics or religion. Jaitley said the country was facing a bigger challenge from terrorism and Left-wing extremism.

In a clear reference to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, he said a prime minister and a former prime minister had to lose their lives to terrorism.

Jaitley said people from across the border and also some people within the country who have taken to arms, are trying to spread terrorism especially in northern region of the country.

He said the security forces, including army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir police have contributed a lot in fight against terrorist in Jammu and Kashmir, though some incidents still take place.

Jaitley stressed that the House and the whole nation needed to commit in one voice to fight the menace of terrorism.

He also emphasised on probity in public life and reduction of money use in politics.

Emphasising that different religions and castes are an integral part of the country, Jaitley said it is important to manitain harmony in the country.

The minister said there should be no place in the country for violence in the name of politics, religion and terrorism.

The country should be freed from such violence, he said and added that on this historic day there is a need to take pledge to make India strong, just and economically progressive.

While recalling the events related to Quit India movement launched on this day in 1942, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad took a jibe on the ruling BJP, saying last night too several incidents happened, an apparent reference to Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat and subsequent events.

As Azad said parties of those who participated in the freedom struggle and those who did not could be easily searched online, CPM member Sitaram Yechury quipped that internet was not working.

To this, Azad said the country has defeated the mightiest powers and one should not get afraid of such small issues like absence of internet.

Samajwadi Party member Ram Gopal Yadav talked about contribution of socialist leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and Jai Prakasah Narayan. He asked the government to keep an eye on Himalayan region as the threat is from that side.

Senior JDU leader Sharad Yadav stressed that one should learn from history. History should not distorted, he added.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti called on National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday to discuss the political repercussions arising from an alleged attempt to abrogate a constitutional provision that confers special rights and privileges on permanent residents of the state.

The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition filed by Delhi-based NGO We the Citizens, which demands that Article 35(A) of the Constitution be repealed. While separatists have called for a shutdown on July 12, Farooq Abdullah on Monday warned of an uprising far stronger than the 2008 Amarnath land row if any such action was taken.

Confirming the impromptu meeting at Abdullahs residence, government spokesperson and senior minister Nayeem Akhtar said: Farooq Sahib is a very senior leader. The chief minister called on him to discuss the prevailing political situation.

Omar Abdullah, former chief minister and the National Conference presidents son, confirmed that a major part of the meeting dealt with Article 35(A). A significant part of the meeting was taken up discussing ways to protect Art 35A. Dr Sahib suggested that Ms Mufti consult other parties, he tweeted after the meeting.

According to National Conference spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, Abdullah advised Mehbooba Mufti to create a consensus not only in Kashmir but Ladakh and Jammu too.

The party president had chaired a meeting of opposition parties in Srinagar on Monday to discuss reports of attempts to abrogate the article, and the need to unite in this regard. I dont know if (attempts are being made to abrogate) Article 35(A), but one thing is certain  we are ready to fight this, he told reporters after the event.

Abdullah said the peoples fury should not be taken for granted. People are never tired. Never say people are tired. If such a decision is made, you will see a mass uprising. Dont forget that people rose overnight when the Amaranth Yatra (land agitation) thing happened. So, (any attempt to abrogate) Article 35(A) will result in a far greater revolt, and I wonder if they will be able to hold that, he added.

The Delhi-based NGO had filed the writ petition seeking the annulment of Article 35(A) in 2014. Last month, Mufti had warned that there would be nobody in the state to hold the Tricolour if the rights and privileges of its residents were tinkered with. The statement drew a sharp reaction from the state BJP, which held that the article had done more harm to the state than any other provision of the law.

These utterances have already created unease in the Valley, where people are wary of attempts to deprive the state of its special status. Under Article 35(A), citizens from other parts of the country are not allowed to acquire immovable property in Jammu and Kashmir, take up employment under the state government, avail of state-sponsored scholarship schemes, or settle permanently within its borders.

Terming the attempts to abrogate the article as a ploy of Indian rulers and their Kashmiri stooges, separatist leaders claimed that the Centre was trying to create a Palestine-like situation in the state. This kind of law is implemented in places that comprise forests, glaciers and waterbodies. Jammu and Kashmir, being such a land, needs this protection to safeguard the ecological balance. By eradicating this law, RSS-backed Indian rulers want to fulfil their old dream of turning Kashmir into a Muslim-minority land and change its demography  like Israel did in Palestine, a joint statement issued by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik stated.

They threatened to call the people of Kashmir onto its streets if attempts at degrading the states constitutional status were not halted.

In July, attorney general KK Venugopal told the bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar that the NDA government was not keen on filing an affidavit in the case, and wanted a larger debate on the very sensitive matter. The court then referred the case to a three-judge bench, which will now hear the case.
Some key Kashmiri separatists are in touch with militant leaders based in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and are believed to be receiving funds from across the border, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir said inputs indicate existence of nexus or collusion of disruptive elements sponsored by the neighbouring country and separatists in Kashmir.

Some of the key separatist leaders have been noted being in touch with militant leaders based in Pakistan/PoK. They have also been believed to be receiving instructions and financial support from Pakistani establishment for adverse activities in Jammu and Kashmir, he said in a written reply to a question.

Ahir said necessary action is taken against such elements in accordance with the provisions of law.

There is a well established institutional mechanism to effectively deal with illegal activities on the India-Pakistan border or Line of Control, he said.

The minister said a cell to check terror funding and fake currency has been set up in the National Investigation Agency to investigate such cases.

Five cases pertaining to funding of separatists and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir have been registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), he said.
It was former ally Janata Dal (United) that won the bitterly fought Rajya Sabha election for senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, sources said on Thursday.

Patel was declared elected to the Council of States in early hours after a night of drama and a day of claims and counter-claims of support for the Congress leader.

It was the vote of the lone Janata Dal (United) member in Gujarat assembly, Chhotu Vasava, that saw Patel home after the election commission declared invalid the votes of two rebel Congress legislators.

The BJP plans to challenge the decision that reduced to 44 the votes Patel needed to get into the Rajya Sabha for the fifth term.

We dont agree with the ECs decision, we will take all possible legal action, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani said on Wednesday.

In a contest that was a battle of prestige for BJP chief Amit Shah, the party seems to have been hit by the infighting in JD(U), its newest ally.

Heartiest congratulations on your victory in Rajya Sabha election in spite of toughest hurdles. Wish you all success in your career, JD (U) co-founder Sharad Yadav tweeted.

Thank you for your support Sharad ji, responded Patel in a telling message.

Yadav is unhappy with party president and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumars decision to go back to the BJP after snapping ties with the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal.

A Yadav loyalist, Vasava told news channels he was angry with Kumars decision.

But, there were more claimants to Patels victory.

Nationalist Congress Party Gujarat chief Jayant Patel said he stuck to the party whip and foiled Shah and former chief minister Shankersinh Vaghelas plan to scuttle the Congress leaders bid to the Rajya Sabha through cross-voting.

Of the 51 Congress MLAs, eight, including Vaghela, who quit in party in late July, and six of his loyalists, didnt vote for Patel.

Karmshi Patel, too, joined them though he was one of the 44 MLAs the Congress had herded to Bengaluru to keep them away from the BJP. The eight were expelled by the Congress a day later.

The cross-voting brought down the number of Congress votes to 43, one short of the magic 44-mark.

As per the party whip, I and our second MLA Kandhal Jadeja were supposed to vote for the Congress. The whip arrived on Tuesday morning but Jadeja cross-voted, Jayant Patel told Hindustan Times.

But Jadeja, an MLA from Kutiyana, said a day before polling, he got a call from senior party leader Praful Patel, who asked him to vote for the BJP. He was seen greeting Shah after casting his vote.

But Jayant said a whip couldnt be issued over the phone and Jadeja would be served a show-cause notice.

Both the NCP lawmakers defied the party whip, Congress sources in New Delhi said.

BJP rebel Nalin Kotadiya, too, made conflicting claims through Wednesday.

Immediately after the polling, he told media he had voted for BJP but in the night he changed his stand and posted a Facebook video in support to the Paitdar community, which is seeking quota in jobs and education and is up in arms against the ruling BJP.
Supreme Court judge Dipak Misra will take over as the countrys chief justice from JS Khehar this month, the government announced recently.

Among his most known rulings are the ones on December 16 gang-rape case and the trial of Yakub Memon, instances where he rejected the defendants appeal against the death penalty.

Misra, who often quotes extempore from Shakespeare and ancient texts, has a unique style of self expression in writing judgments: A style that relies heavily on literary sources and complex word play.

His writing often harks back to the verbose style of justice VK Krishna Iyer, who wrote many path-breaking judgments.

But invoking Shakespeare in law can at times be disastrous, as judgments can become difficult to understand.

Following is a list of five judgments/orders authored by Justice Misra where comprehension is a casualty:

Case: Priyanka Srivastava and Anr vs State of UP (2015)

Almost 200 words long, this sentence could rank as the longest sentence ever written by a judge in India:

The present appeal projects and frescoes a scenario which is not only disturbing but also has the potentiality to create a stir compelling one to ponder in a perturbed state how some unscrupulous, unprincipled and deviant litigants can ingeniously and innovatively design in a nonchalant manner to knock at the doors of the Court, as if, it is a laboratory where multifarious experiments can take place and such skillful persons can adroitly abuse the process of the Court at their own will and desire by painting a canvas of agony by assiduous assertions made in the application though the real intention is to harass the statutory authorities, without any remote remorse, with the inventive design primarily to create a mental pressure on the said officials as individuals, for they would not like to be dragged to a court of law to face in criminal cases, and further pressurize in such a fashion so that financial institution which they represent would ultimately be constrained to accept the request for one- time settlement with the fond hope that the obstinate defaulters who had borrowed money from it would withdraw the cases instituted against them.

Case: Subramanian Swamy vs Union of India (defamation case)

The following passage is a formidable challenge for the best of comprehension and intellectual abilities:

Reputation being an inherent component of Article 21, we do not think it should be allowed to be sullied solely because another individual can have its freedom. It is not a restriction that has an inevitable consequence which impairs circulation of thought and ideas. In fact, it is control regard being had to another persons right to go to Court and state that he has been wronged and abused. He can take recourse to a procedure recognized and accepted in law to retrieve and redeem his reputation.Therefore, the balance between the two rights needs to be struck. Reputation of one cannot be allowed to be crucified at the altar of the others right of free speech. The legislature in its wisdom has not thought it appropriate to abolish criminality of defamation in the obtaining social climate.

Case: NEET order

Another instance of complex wordplay:

The present litigation exposits a sad, sad scenario. It is sad because a chaos has crept in the lives of some students and it is further sad as the State of Goa and its functionaries have allowed ingress of systemic anarchy throwing propriety to the winds possibly harbouring the attitude of utter indifference and nurturing an incurable propensity to pave the path of deviancy.

Case: Order on the national anthem, 2003

Here, Justice Misra explains the importance of respect for the national anthem:

National Anthem is to be sung with magna cum laude and nobody can ostracize the concept of summa cum laude. [] The national anthem is pivotal and centri-podal to the basic conception of sovereignty and integrity of India. It is the marrow of nationalism, hypostasis of patriotism, nucleus of national heritage, substratum of culture and epitome of national honour.

Case: Voluntary health association of Punjab vs State of Punjb

Justice Misra stresses on the importance for creating awareness on female foeticide:

They must understand and accept that it is an art as well as a science and not simple arithmetic. It cannot take the colour of a routine speech. The awareness camps should not be founded on the theory of Euclidian geometry. It must engulf the concept of social vigilance with an analytical mind and radiate into the marrows of the society. If awareness campaigns are not appositely conducted, the needed guidance for the people would be without meaning and things shall fall apart and everyone would try to take shelter in cynical escapism.
City aiming to be more bike-friendly

From:Shanghai Daily | 2017-08-08 09:43

SHANGHAI is studying plans to set up more bike lanes and create a more accessible network for cyclists.



The citys transportation commission said in a reply to a proposal from Shanghai Committee of China National Democratic Construction Association, one of the eight legal political parties in China, that it is studying plans to set up bicycle lanes in some areas in downtown that do not have bike lanes.

The party added the authority aims to create 10 kilometers of bicycle friendly roads, and at the same time add facilities along 18km of lanes to separate motor vehicles or pedestrians from non-motor vehicles. These efforts are part of its 2016-2017 working list to improve the citys non-motor vehicle network.

The proposal aims to create a better environment for bike riding, by giving cyclists more rights of way and making non-motor vehicle lanes more accessible.

The proposal includes bringing bicycle lanes into the citys transportation planning, particularly in the design of cross-river tunnels or bridges, and setting up bike lanes on overpasses in busy intersections in downtown.

The transportation commission, meanwhile, said it had co-launched research with local transportation institutes on the citys non-motor vehicle transportation system in 2016, and found the system still had teething problems, including lack of accessibility and facilities that needed to be more functional.

The authority has launched its 2016-2017 working list with 31 items aimed at improving the situation.

The commission estimated Shanghai currently has well over half a million shared bikes. It said it is working with other authorities including the police, commission of housing and urban-rural commission to set up guidelines to better manage the booming industry.

The police have stated they will crack down on vandalism to shared bikes and other related violations, while the bike sharing companies are urged to carry out a credit system to monitor users behavior and share more credit information with other bike sharing companies. Those found with multiple violations face being blacklisted and banned from using shared bikes.

The commission added civil servants should play a leading role in green transportation, with bike parking spots sited near office buildings of city-level authorities to encourage officials to use the bike sharing service.
The ministry of health and family welfare (MoH&FW) has commented that the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna (AIIMS-P), will do well if it is converted into a shopping mall.

Additional secretary, health, Sanjeeva Kumar, who was on an inspection to the institute on Tuesday, reportedly made the tongue-in-cheek comment when he discovered separate juice and samosa vends near the out-patient department (OPD) on the institute campus.

After having enquired from AIIMS-Patna officials, who told him that the two vends had come up illegally, the officer reportedly remarked, Make this a mall khub chalega (it will do brisk business).

The officer was flabbergasted that encroachment of the institute campus had begun even before it was fully ready. Kumars remark left the medical superintendent Dr Umesh Bhadani and financial advisor Anant Prakash, who were accompanying the officer, with egg on their faces.

Interestingly, a private druggist shop is also functional on the first floor of the institute building, despite expiry of its service contract.

The drug store was in news recently for supplying wrong medicine to a patient, leading to severe complications. Prescribed a drug called Lumerax-80 to cure a patients malarial symptoms on June 28, the store provided the patient with Luramax-80  a drug meant to address psychiatric concerns. The patient subsequently suffered a paralytic attack, and had to be admitted to a private hospital.

Union health secretary CK Mishra had sent additional secretary Kumar to AIIMS-Patna following complaints of infrastructure deficiencies and slow progress of construction work.

HTs efforts to contact Kumar proved futile. His private secretary in Delhi said the officer did not respond to the phone buzzer.

Cellphones of Dr Bhadani and Prakash were switched off.

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On Wednesday, at least 1,000 people, including school and college students, teachers, researchers and senior scientists, took part in the nationwide March for Science in Bengaluru, demanding an increase in funding for education and research and a greater effort to instil scientific knowledge.

The march is a continuation of the worldwide movement held on April 22, where more than a million people across 600 cities all over the world held the March for Science.

The marchers called on the government to allocate at least 3% of GDP to scientific and technological research and 10% to education to propagate scientific ideas and end religious intolerance, and develop scientific temper and a spirit of inquiry following Article 51A of the Constitution; ensure that the education system imparts only ideas that are supported by scientific evidence; and, enact policies based on evidence-based science.

GSD Babu, director of the MP Birla Institute of Fundamental Research, said insufficient funding was affecting even the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the University Grants Commission. Scientific learning is the need of the hour and there is no better time to reiterate what I tell my students: believe in astronomy, not astrology, Babu said.

Richard Rego, faculty at the St Josephs College said science had long been neglected. We have failed to give science importance, without realising that we cannot progress without new ideas.

Rego said in most developed countries the outlay for science and education in general was about 6% to 9%. We must realise that the policies for this will come from the state, Rego added. In the west, the private sector does help fund research, but event there the government plays a big role.

Nagaragere Ramesh, former principal of the National College, Jayanagar, said the march was a political move. It is political because society has been a victim of the propagation of all manner of superstitions in the name of tradition, which have been promoted by some vested interests, he said.

Ramesh said there was an attempt to put a stop on the development of science. Nowadays, people in the country like to highlight the scientific achievements of Indians in the ancient era. Even we agree that there was a lot of scientific research here, Ramesh said.

Ramesh said the attempt of the central government was to take the country back in time. It is true that when we talk of science now we refer mostly to western science. But that is no reason to shun it and move in the opposite direction, Ramesh said, adding that this was not just a local phenomenon. Across the world there has been a rise in right-wing forces and scientific temper is the first to get affected.

Ramesh was also unsparing in his criticism of scientists themselves. Ramesh highlighted the former Indian Space Research Organisation chief K Radhakrishnans move to offer prayers with a replica of the Mars Orbiter Mission at the temple in Tirupati, saying this had sent out a wrong message.

There are many scientists now who lack a scientific temper, Ramesh said. This is what I call the great Indian tragedy, he added.

Meanwhile, Beatrice Sequeira, a faculty at the St Josephs College said science funding was critical. We should fund science because otherwise we will stagnate, she said. Science is progress and it is sad to not just see a reduction in funding, but also research proposals.

Sequeira said the number of students pursuing scientific research was low, and it was at this time that institutional support was vital.

Joseph Samuel of the Raman Research Institute said there was a definite regression in scientific temper in Indian society. There has been a sudden withdrawal of support from the government, he said. Education is the only way for real progress to come to this country. This is something the state should be responsible for, rather than outsource it to the private sector, Joseph added.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the grass root-level bureaucracy to move beyond files and understand ground realities, as he gets down to make the roadmap for his New India initiative.

The PM also asked all collectors (or district magistrates) on Wednesday to prepare a vision document on achievable targets for their respective districts for 2022, the 75th year of Independence. The document should include 10 or 15 objectives.

The more a collector visits the field, the more active he will be on file, the PM said in a bid to spread governance out from the secretariat to the doorsteps, in his first such video conferencing with collectors marking the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement.

Even as the collectors are working under different state governments, Modi chose to interact with them directly as they play a key role in implementing the schemes and projects of the Centre.

Under the theme New India  Manthan, Modi wondered during the video conference why some districts have always lagged in basic services. Asking the collectors to work in a mission mode, the PM asked them to replicate best practices from districts with good results.

The interaction reminded many officials of Modis initial meetings with the union secretaries soon after assuming power. In Delhi too, Modi had asked departmental secretaries to prepare lists of achievable targets in a bid to make the bureaucracy more accountable.

Pointing out that often schemes fail to have the desired impact due to lack of awareness, Modi asked the collectors to explain to traders how the GST it is a Good and Simple Tax.

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Chief minister Nitish Kumar announced here on Wednesday that a scam of more than Rs 295 crore, by way of an illegal transfer of government funds by a non-governmental organization (NGO), had been unearthed in Bhagalpur.

The sensational revelation came on a day, when RJD leader and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav launched his Janadesh Apman Yatra to expose Kumar for the betrayal of the 2015 Bihar assembly poll mandate for the grand alliance and joining forces with the BJP to form a new government,

Soon after Kumar made this announcement, a team of officials, led by GS Gangwar, IG, economic offence unit (EOU), emplaned for Bhagalpur to start inquiries into what is suspected to be a major financial scam in Bihar.

Though Kumar refused to divulge the details or to name anybody, the timing of the revelation and the quickness with which the team from state headquarters was dispatched, indicated the possibility of some political links in the siphoning of government fund.

No scam will be tolerated. This is just one district. The government was getting reports of such scams from other districts as well. Kahan Kahan farziwada chal raha hai (There is scam everywhere) he said, cryptically.

Sources in the Bhagalpur administration said the probe related to the siphoning of government funds, close to Rs 295.36 crore, earmarked for the Mukhiyamantri Shahari Vikas Yojana, besides funds meant for land acquisition.

According to sources, the fraudulent withdrawal of government funds that remained unnoticed at administrative level during recent years was detected only after a cheque purported to have been issued by the Bhagalpur administration was dishonoured.

As such, an FIR was lodged on Tuesday evening at Tilkamanjhi PS in connection with fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 10.26 crore fund of the Mukhyamantri Shahari Vikas Yojana, against board members of Srijan Sahayog Mahila Vikas Samiti, a Sabour based NGO and concerned officials of Indian Bank.

Thereafter, two more FIRs were lodged on Wednesday in connection with fraudulent withdrawal of funds of land acquisition department.

The FIRs were lodged on directive of DM Adesh T. The probe into the scam has so far revealed that act of fraudulently siphoning government fund was continuing since late 2014.

Cheque books of an account in which government fund had been kept in Indian Bank branch at Patel Babu road, Bhagalpur, were procured by using fake signature of the DM for siphoning off the funds.

Denying that any cheque issued by the administration had been dishonoured, the DM said it was a tip off that led to detection of the scam. Prima facie it seems bank officials were involved in helping the NGO in siphoning of government funds, he said.

Adesh said he had no inkling of siphoning of funds as the accounts statements received from bank only reflected withdrawal of funds by the administration. Everything was clearly entered in book of accounts maintained by the administration and there was no scope for any doubt of withdrawal of government funds from the bank, he added.

As per information, the cheques in the cheque books procured fraudulently through false signature of DM were used by the NGO for siphoning of the funds. To avoid cheque dishonour, that could alarm the administration, the NGO ensured the amount mentioned therein was always available in the account.

Bhagalpur SSP Manoj Kumar said, The probe so far has revealed fraudulent withdrawal of approximately Rs 270 crore from government account meant for Mukhyamantri Shahari Vikas Yojana and land acquisition, he said.

The SSP said authorities of the bank branch who had remained posted in the branch since the fraudulent withdrawals started in 2014 have been named in the FIR lodged in connection with the scam.

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There is no tension at the Indo-China border along Arunachal Pradesh, chief minister Pema Khandu said in Agartala on Wednesday.

There is now no tension at the Indo-China border in Arunachal Pradesh. If there is a war between India and China, both countries would be looser. So, no country is interested in war, Khandu said.

He said, China always claims Arunachal Pradesh as it territory, but it is a claim only. Talks at diplomatic level have started and I hope all problems would be resolved through negotiation.

When his attention was drawn towards development on the other side of the border, Khandu said during the Congress regime at the Centre there was no development in Arunachal Pradesh.

But the NDA government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is serious about development in the state, he added.

Khandu was here to address a rally of the tribals, organised by BJPs tribal wing, Janajati Morcha on the occasion of International day of worlds Indigenous people.

The chief minister said, Modi is the best Prime Minister of the country who paid attention to eradicate poverty and unemployment and tried to address the problems of indigenous people.

His (Modi) way of viewing the problems of north-eastern region is different from any other person and his able leadership can change the backwardness of the region, Khandu said.

He said that the CPI-M led Left Front government in Tripura should be ousted in the next assembly elections scheduled to be held in February next.

I hope BJP would form government in the next elections in Tripura like that of Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. If lotus can bloom in our state it can bloom here also, he said.

Khandu said on August 9, 1942 Mahatma Gandhi had given a call of Quit India for the Britishers and you have to give a call for the CPI-M to quit Tripura.
The high-powered committee headed by justice BN Srikrishna that submitted its report to the law ministry last week has recommended sweeping changes to the arbitration regime in India, including amending laws to allow foreign lawyers to represent clients in international arbitration proceedings held in the country.

The move could once again trigger a backlash from the bar, which remains strongly opposed to the idea of allowing foreign law firms or lawyers to practise in the country.

Bar associations and councils in different states, led by the Bar Council of India, went on strike in April this year and burnt copies of a law commission report that suggested diluting the powers of the BCI over disciplinary matters concerning advocates.

Last year, the BCI walked out of deliberations started by the government to allow entry to foreign law firms.

The report was submitted to Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad last Thursday.

While the government has refrained from taking immediate action on it since Parliament is in session, Prasad described it as a very good report. While he refused to comment on the recommendations, the minister said the government will take a considered and structured view.

The move to revamp the arbitration framework in India is a focus area for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who wants India to become an international arbitration hub in place of Singapore. The government wants arbitration to become the first resort of dispute resolution to clear the backlog of cases in Indian courts  which currently stands at 3.15 crore.

The committee included two former Supreme Court judges, attorney general KK Venugopal and law secretary Suresh Chandra, apart from legal luminaries from the field.

The committee has suggested a number of changes in the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, including inserting a confidentiality clause that will keep proceedings secret.

Confidentiality is the norm and specifically mentioned in the statutes world over. In India, the ACA does not specify confidentiality and we have recommended an amendment to do so  It will inspire confidence in international clients choosing India for arbitral proceedings, a member of the committee told the Hindustan Times while explaining the rationale behind the suggestion.

A suggestion includes introducing a qualifying exam on the lines of the bar exam to permit lawyers to represent clients in arbitral proceedings. The committee has suggested India should have specialised bar and benches for arbitration.

The BCI conducts an all India bar examination, which is mandatory for lawyers to clear before they can start practice. But, the exam is caught in a legal tangle with the Supreme Court hearing a case on its legal validity.

The committee has also recommended that the government should take over the International Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution under the top court by bringing in a law and rebrand it as India Arbitration Centre after revamping it.

The government and the judiciary have been involved in a turf battle since the court struck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission Law in October 2015.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a clarion call on Wednesday to rid the country of corruption, poverty and illiteracy and create a new India by 2022, even as Congress chief Sonia Gandhi expressed concern over attempts by forces of darkness to destroy the roots of democracy.

They were speaking at a special discussion in the Lok Sabha on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, a defining event of Indias freedom struggle.

In 1942, (Mahatma) Gandhi gave a clarion call Karenge Ya Marenge (Do or Die). Today it is Karenge Aur Kar Ke Rahenge (we will do and surely do). The next five years should also be about Sankalp Se Siddhi (pledge to achieve), a resolve which will lead us to accomplishment, Modi said.

He did not mention first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in his speech of about 30 minutes, but remembered leaders such as the Mahatma, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhas Chandra Bose, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Jai Prakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Chandra Shekhar Azad and Raj Guru.

For her part, Congress chief Gandhi made a veiled attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJPs ideological mentor, without naming the organisation.

We should not forget that there were people and organisations that had opposed the Quit India Movement and they played no role in the freedom struggle, she said.

She recalled the contributions of Nehru and the Congress in the historic event of August 9, 1942.

At this point, BJP member Kirron Kher shouted travesty, travesty but was signalled to remain quiet by the treasury benches as the Prime Minister keenly listened to Gandhis speech.

The BJP steers clear of mentioning Nehrus contributions to the country, while the Congress often accuses the RSS of doing little for Indias independence, a charge denied by the organisation.

The Prime Minister said from 2017 to 2022, when India turns 75, there is a need to create the same spirit that existed between 1942 and 1947.

He lamented that corruption has adversely affected the countrys growth and eaten the polity from inside.

Modi implored parliamentarians to rise above differences and join a common effort in the next five years to create an India that the freedom fighters had dreamt of.

He said the way political parties and state governments had extended support to the goods and services tax (GST) bill, a similar approach was needed to resolve the countrys problems.

Later, in a series of tweets, he reaffirmed his pledge to free India from poverty, dirt, corruption, terrorism, casteism and communalism, and create a New India of our dreams by 2022.

Congress president Gandhi, speaking after Modi in the special discussion initiated by Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan, said there is a feeling that clouds of politics of division and hate are hovering over the plural and egalitarian values enshrined in the Constitution.

It seems secular, democratic and liberal values are being endangered. The public space for debate and difference of opinion is shrinking, she said.

Have the forces of darkness emerged? Is there a fear about the existence of a sense of freedom? Are attempts being made to destroy roots of democracy, which is based on equality, social justice, law-based system and freedom of expression?

She said the resolution for Quit India was brought by Nehru and supported by Sardar Patel.

Gandhi asked people to defeat repressive and sectarian forces, saying: We can and will not allow the idea of India to be a prisoner to a narrow-minded, divisive and communal ideology. If we have to preserve freedom, we will have to defeat the forces endangering it. We cant and we wont allow sectarian forces to succeed.

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A 24-year-old pregnant woman was poisoned to death allegedly by her husband and in-laws in West Bengals East Midnapore district after she refused to terminate the girl child in her womb.

Rubina Bibi of Kotbar village, married barely for a year, was seven months pregnant.

She died at a government hospital in nearby Tamluk town on Tuesday night, two days after poison was allegedly shoved down her throat.

Police said on Wednesday that a case was registered based on her parents complaint. Rubinas husband, Sheikh Rejabul, and his family members are on the run.

Killing and abandoning baby girls are common practice in large parts of India, where a preference for sons runs deep. Many women, especially in poor rural families, face abuse for giving birth to girls. But the mothers murder is rare.

Rubinas death also underscored that sex determination tests were being carried out on the sly.

India has banned doctors, hospitals and their staff from revealing a childs gender during prenatal examinations. It is aimed at preventing the practice of female foeticide, rampant in a patriarchal society obsessed with a male heir.

Rajabul allegedly took his wife for an ultrasonography test to know the gender of the foetus.

After the examination, the husband allegedly told Rubina to either get a dowry of Rs 1 lakh from her parents or abort her pregnancy.

After they started torturing my daughter we gave them Rs 30,000 but they demanded more and asked my daughter to get rid of the child. She refused and they killed her, said Sakina Bibi, the womans mother.

The woman was harassed and assaulted for dowry ever since she got married, her parents alleged.

They said Rajabul, who buys and sells human hair for wigmakers, was given Rs 1 lakh and jewellery during the marriage.

India has strict anti-dowry laws. But former chairperson of the West Bengal Commission for Women, Sunanda Mukhopadhyay, said these need to be amended because dowry is the root cause of most cases of domestic violence.

A daughter is considered a liability because parents fear they would have to pay dowry to get her married, she said.

Rubinas parents also alleged that she was forced to drink acid.

But Alok Rajoria, the district police superintendent, said: The primary autopsy report says poison was poured into Rubinas mouth.
The hard-fought victory of Congress heavyweight Ahmed Patel in the most dramatic Rajya Sabha election in recent memory has breathed fresh life into the otherwise crumbling Gujarat Congress months before the state goes to polls.

The win is set to raise the stakes dramatically in the December assembly elections given that BJP president Amit Shah has already set an ambitious target of 150-plus seats in the 182-member House. And to achieve it, the BJP may now have to bank on Congress turncoats.

I am happy. I would like to thank the Congress MLAs. We will fight assembly elections with the same enthusiasm and resolve, Patel said after pulling off an unlikely midnight victory.

The Congress had 57 MLAs till a fortnight ago but could manage the votes of just 43 of them in Tuesdays polling, thanks to a spate of resignations and cross-voting. However, the fact that the grand old party managed to keep its flock of loyal MLAs together amid attempts of horse-trading reflects that the party has emerged as a united house just in time.

Rebel MLA and former chief minister Shankersing Vaghela, six of his loyalists and Sanand legislator Karmshi Patel  among the 42 MLAs taken to Bengaluru -- cross-voted. But this did not prove enough for the BJP to topple Patel.

And with the exit of the Vaghela faction, which chose to part ways by cross-voting in the presidential elections in July, the Congress is now calling itself a united house.

We are united. The BJPs tactics could not break us, said Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil.

But unity has come at a price. The party has lost the support of 13 MLAs since the exit of Vaghela on July 21. And the Congress loss is BJPs gain.

The BJP will still go to the assembly elections with an edge over the Congress. This is despite the fact the election will be the first since Narendra Modi moved to Delhi as Prime Minister in 2014.

The Congress will also miss its master strategist and former RSS man Vaghela, who is known to play his cards close to the chest and is yet to announce his next move.

On the other hand, six other Congress MLAs who resigned days ahead of the RS polls are expected to help the saffron party win back various sections of society like Patidars, tribal and farmers with whom the BJP has off late been trying to revive its equations.

Three of them have already joined the ruling party and many others are likely to follow suit soon.

Despite the win, Patel and the Congress had to scout for every single vote.

I asked the Congress so many times not to put the reputation of Ahmed Patel at stake because this RS election will have an impact on other state as well as national elections. But the party is not paying heed even to its MLAs, said Vaghela.

Tejshree Patel and Prahlad Patel, who joined the BJP along with Balwatsinh Rajput, represent North Gujarat  a Congress stronghold and the epicentre of the Patidar agitation for OBC reservation. The stir by Patidars or Patels, otherwise known for their loyalty to the BJP, is seen as a bigger roadblock than the Congress for the party in its bid to win for the fifth consecutive time.

The BJP tried to kill two birds with one stone. The strategy was clear that the broken Congress will not only make RS win difficult for Ahmed Patel but also help win weaker constituencies and disillusioned voters, said senior journalist Ajay Umat.

Both Tejshree and Prahlad are seen as the biggest sympathisers of the agitating Patidars. Prahlad had become the poster boy of the Congress as he was regularly seen at hospitals by the side of Patidars injured in violent clashes with police.

Besides, the Congress move to take 44 MLAs to Bengaluru to prevent alleged horse-trading might also end up damaging its prospects in the assembly elections.

Six of the 44 MLAs are form flood-hit Banaskantha and the BJP made it a rallying point against the opposition party. Chief minister Vijay Rupani camped for five days in the region to oversee relief work.

Ramsinh Parmar, who resigned as MLA but has not joined the BJP, also enjoys tremendous clout of farmers as Amul chairman.

Parmar, along with other Vaghela loyalists  including Raghavji Patel, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja and Bhola Gohil  arelikely to be roped in by the BJP to further increase its tally in the Saurashtra region.

Mannsinh Chauhan and Channa Chaudhry, who also bid adieu to Congress, hail from the the tribal region, which has been the focus area of both BJP and Congress for the coming elections.

The key leaders of Congress including their legislative party leader Vaghela, chief whip Balwantsinh Rajput and spokesperson Tejshree Patel have left the party. The Congress seems to have lost the assembly elections even without a contest, said BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya.

And the Congress would do well to heed NCP leader Majid Memons reminder.

Congress should remember that Ahmed Patel won because of one vote of NCP, otherwise it would have been very embarrassing for them, he said.

And that is how it stands for the party seeking to reclaim Gujarat, a state it lost way back in 1995.

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Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Wednesday said his re-election to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat exposed the ruling BJPs personal vendetta and political terror.

In a series of tweets after the results of the acrimonious polls were announced well past midnight, Patel said legislators who backed him voted for an inclusive India.

The results were announced after the Election Commission cancelled the votes of two Congress MLAs, in the last twist to the fortnight-long poll drama.

Patels re-election is being seen as a major victory for the Congress, which was besieged by back-to-back resignations from six of its lawmakers and forced to herd its flock to a resort near Bengaluru. The party had accused the ruling BJP of bribing and intimidating its MLAs to defect.

This is not just my victory. It is a defeat of the most blatant use of money power, muscle power and abuse of state machinery, Patel tweeted.

BJP stands exposed of personal vendetta and political terror. People of Gujarat will give them a befitting reply in this years election, he said in another tweet.

This is not just my victory. It is a defeat of the most blatant use of money power,muscle power and abuse of state machinery  Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) August 8, 2017

BJP stands exposed of personal vendetta and political terror. People of Gujarat will give them a befitting reply in this year's election  Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) August 8, 2017

Patel, the political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, also thanked each and every MLA who voted for me despite unprecedented intimidation and pressure from BJP.

Besides Patel, BJP president Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani were also elected to the Upper House of Parliament.

While Shah will enter Parliament as a member for the first time, Irani will return for a second term.

The Congress also launched a scathing attack on the BJP.

It is not a victory of Congress party alone or of our senior leader Ahmed Patel. It is a victory of truth.It is a defeat of forces which wanted to misuse muscle and money power. It is an eye opener for BJP, party leader Randeep Surjewala said.

Party MP Renuka Chowdhury said the BJP did their best to ruin the democracy but failed.

They (BJP) did their best to ruin the democratic practices, finally democracy won. Ahmed Patel won with the blessing of the people.
The left-ruled Kerala is in the news for wrong reasons. Ties between the state and Centre vitiated after the murder of a RSS leader in the state capital. The RSS upped the ante seeking Presidents rule and the Centre rushed finance minister Arun Jaitley to the state. After visiting the house of the latest victim the union minister said the cold-blooded political murders in the state even shame terrorists. Amid the war of words between red and saffron forces Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke to the Hindustan Times. Excerpts:

Q: Why Kerala is in headlines now?

It is part of an orchestrated and malicious campaign. RSS and BJP are not only tarnishing the government but also insulting people of Kerala. Any sensible person can see through their game. Statistics show Kerala is just contrary to what they are trying to depict. As per the NCRB statistics, Kerala is the State where murder rates are lowest. Here nobody will be attacked while travelling on a train or a bus just because one belongs to a particular religion or caste. Here people are free here to eat and cook in accordance with their choice. It does not mean that such elements of intolerance are totally absent in the State. Of course, presence of communal elements and representatives of hate politics are operating in Kerala also. However, they cant unleash violence here just because secular conviction of our people is so strong. One of the central ministers visited Thiruvananthapuram with a team of senior journalists after the violent incidents last week. I believe, journalists who accompanied the minister, must have convinced that the campaigning against Kerala is totally baseless.

Q: RSS-BJP say Kannur-model is spreading to other parts. They even sought Presidents rule in the state?

The violent incidents occurred in Thiruvananthapurm city in the last week of July was an isolated one. The police have taken stringent measures and arrested all assailants irrespective of their affiliation. I believe people would appreciate the impartial probe. We had an all-party meeting on Sunday to prevent further violence. With regard to Article 356, it shows sheer intolerance of these forces. They want to impose Presidents rule in a State which has been best in law and order and completely free from communal riots. They want to dismiss a government where registered murder cases a year come to just 305, while UP has over 4700 murders in a year.

Q: CPI(M) says its workers killed more than BJP and RSS?

True, people know that who are the real perpetrators of violence and killings. These same forces are trying to paint Kerala as a killing filed in the name of some isolated incidents. You know that BJP-RSS leadership in Kerala is embroiled in corruption scandals including one related to sanctioning of medical colleges. What is more important is that the corrupt dealings were exposed by an inner party inquiry of the BJP itself. Unfortunately, few incidents occurred despite the vigil of police. We know that police alone cant prevent violence. Support of political parties is imperative to maintain peace. We will do it.

Q: Why killings cant be stopped? How to put an end to it?

Since the present government assumed office a year ago, we have succeeded in containing political violence and all other crimes. Police are free to take impartial actions and they are doing it. There is no political interference. Apart from measures by the Police, we are engaging political parties to maintain peace. All-party meetings have been held after the Trivandrum incidents in three districts. Practically it is a two-pronged approach. We have asked all parties to make aware their followers about the importance of maintaining peace and the necessity of keeping away from violence. Message has to go down effectively. We hope our efforts would yield results.

Q: Why RSS-BJP want to target such a small state and your party which is in power only in two states?

The question is very pertinent. I must say the geographically small State of Kerala has been traditionally influencing the discourse of the country with progressive ideas and innovative programmes. Its voice really transcends the physical boundaries of the State. It means Left forces have been influencing public opinion beyond its strength and presence. This is the reason why RSS wants to throttle and choke the Left movement and Left government in Kerala.

Q: You were in power for 15 months. What are your governments main achievements?

Even though 15 months is a short period to evaluate a government, we have laid a solid foundation for the next four years and set specific development goals. You know that Keralas development indices are comparable to that of global standards. We have achieved remarkable successes in social, economic and health sectors. Kerala ranks first in India with a high Human Development Index. It is only state in the country to bring down infant mortality rate to UN standards.

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will visit Dhaka next month to take part in the fourth Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting, a Bangladeshi official said on Wednesday.

She is expected to join the meeting in the later part of September but the exact date for the visit is yet to be fixed, a foreign office spokesman said.

The official said that Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla conveyed to Bangladeshs Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque that Swaraj would visit Bangladesh in September. Shringla called on Haque on Wednesday.

This would be Swarajs second tour to Bangladesh as External Affairs Minister since 2014.

She visited Bangladesh from June 25 to June 27, 2014, after Prime Minister Narendra Modis government was sworn-in.

Officials here had earlier said that the JCC meeting was set to review the implementation and progress of decisions that were taken during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas visit to India in April.
Three militants, who were part of a group led by Zakir Musa, were killed in an encounter in south Kashmirs Pulwama on Wednesday.

A teen boy also died after suffering pellet injuries following protests that erupted near the site of the gun battle.

Three militants of Zakir Musas group were killed in a gunfight that broke out between security forces and militants in Gulab Bagh village of south Kashmirs Pulwama district today, a police spokesperson said.

Musa is now said to be the chief of a new al Qaeda faction in the Valley.

Forces had launched a search operation in the area after receiving inputs about the presence of militants.

The slain militants were identified as Zahid Ahmad Bhat, Mohammad Ishaq Bhat and Mohammad Ashraf Dar.

Two AK 47 rifles and one pistol were seized from the encounter site, the spokesperson said.

Ishaq and Zahid were involved in multiple cases of firing and hurling grenades at security forces. Ishaq was involved in a case of firing at a policeman and recording video of torture on Special Police Officers and circulating it over social media.

Meanwhile, the Hizbul Mujahedeen issued a statement to a lcoal news agency KNS, paying tributes to the militants and calling companions, who have gone astray to return to the militant group.

A 17-year-old Mohammad Yunus was hit by a pellet shell during protests near the encounter site and was declared brought dead to Srinagars SMHS hospital, a senior doctor at the hospital told HT.

Post encounter a huge mob pelted stones upon a camp. During law and order situation, one person sustained pellet injuries and later on succumbed to his injuries, the police statement said.

The encounter comes amid spike in the offensive against militants by security forces.

Since July 30, 14 militants have been killed in encounters in Kashmir. Five other infiltrators were gunned down along the LoC by the army in Machhil sector on August 5.

An army major and a soldier were killed on August 3, as militants fired on forces and escaped from the site of a gun-battle in Shopian district.

Abu Dujana -- a Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba militant -- was killed along with his accomplice in an encounter at Hakripora village in South Kashmirs Pulwama district on August 1.

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A panchayat member and her two sons have been accused of kidnapping and killing an 18-month-old child by pouring hot water on him to propitiate gods in northeast Bihars Araria district.

The childs body was found in a pond on the outskirts of Fulwari village in Tarabari police station area of Araria district, 322 km northeast of state capital Patna, on Tuesday.

Tarabari station house officer (SHO) Prabhakar Bharti said accused Fulwari panchayat member Pramila Devi, 55, as well as her sons Mithilesh Ram, 32, and Shrawan Ram, 30, had been arrested and sent to jail.

Prima facie, it appears that the child has been killed in witchcraft rituals, allegedly performed by Devi. Police are investigating the matter from other angles too. The post mortem examination report will reveal how the child was killed, the SHO said.

Devi, while confessing to have committed the crime, told the police that she had kept the body of the child in a trunk before disposing it, the SHO added.

Earlier, Sanjay Ram, father of victim child Biraj Kumar Ram, had lodged a case with Tarabari police station, charging Devi, a widow, and her two sons with abducting his child on Sunday.

She killed my son by pouring hot water on him to propitiate gods, Sanjay Ram said in his complaint.

Sanjay Ram said Devi would often claim before villagers that she had powers to perform black magic.

It was due to fear of her black magic powers that many in the village had voted for her in panchayat election, Sanjay Ram said.
Two days after luring six Trinamool MLAs into the saffron fold, the BJP is all set to organise a protest rally against the killing of three tribal party activists allegedly by supporters of the states Left Front regime on Wednesday.

The event, likely to be addressed by Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu, will also address the alleged deprivation of tribal communities in the state over the years. The fact that this is the first time a mainstream party is holding such a huge rally for the states indigenous people serves as an indication of the BJPs plans for the 2018 assembly polls.

The CPI(M) has unleashed terror in the state, fearing losses in the next election. They are tense about BJPs growing popularity, and because of this, they have masterminded attacks on BJP leaders. This is why three of our activists were killed, said state BJP president Biplab Deb.

One of the three victims, a teenage girl, was raped and murdered at Dhanpur  chief minister Manik Sarkars constituency  two months ago. She was the sister of a local BJP member. The other two are Chanmohan Tripura, a tribal BJP leader who was beaten to death allegedly by CPI(M) members at Gandacherra in Dhalai district last December, and Nishikanta Chakma, who died in a clash between BJP and Left workers at Chailengta on July 25.

The BJP is banking on Tripuras tribal communities, which account for a little over 30% of its population, to dethrone the states two-decade-old communist government. Of the 60 assembly seats, 20 are reserved for scheduled tribes  comprising 19 indigenous communities  and 10 for non-tribal scheduled castes.

State BJP in-charge Sunil Deodhar has sought the support of the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) to defeat the states communist government. Though Deodhar expressed reservations over the groups demand for a separate Tipraland state, he promised greater powers to the IPFT if the BJP is voted in.

In previous attempts to express solidarity with the states indigenous communities, BJP president Amit Shah had dropped by the house of a tribal family for lunch and laid out a vision document that promised exclusive welfare measures for them. The party also observed the birth anniversary of Tripuras last ruler, Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya, and proposed to carry out several initiatives  including renaming the Agartala Airport after him, building a 184-foot statue, and awarding a posthumous Padmashree  in his honour.

Six Trinamool Congress MLAs had joined the BJP on Monday, making it the main Opposition party in the assembly. This came as a lucky break for the saffron party, which has never won an assembly seat in Tripura.

The six MLAs had left the Congress to join Trinamool a little over a year ago. They were miffed over the partys decision to ally with the Left Front in West Bengal.

The Left Front has 51 members in the Tripura assembly while the Congress has three.
Two vehicles were set ablaze by the Gorkhaland agitators in the Darjeeling hills on Wednesday amid special security arrangements as the indefinite shutdown called by the GJM entered its 56th day.

A woman Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) activist was arrested from Darjeeling for her alleged involvement in the violence and arson that took place in the hills in June, a senior police officer said.

According to the police, in the morning, a truck carrying newspapers was set on fire by the agitators in Kurseong and another truck carrying food supplies was set ablaze in Kalimpong in the early hours.

With the GJM threatening to step up the agitation in view of the expiry of its deadline to the Centre for intervention to resolve the crisis, the police and security personnel have made special security arrangements in the hills and are keeping a tight vigil to avoid any untoward incident.

Like on Tuesday, a police contingent was seen marching towards Singhmari in Darjeeling town, where the GJM head office is located.

The police contingent went up to Patlebas, a stronghold of GJM supremo Bimal Gurung.

Both Singhmari and Patlebas have witnessed several incidents of violence involving the GJM activists and police in the last couple of months.

The GJM took out rallies in various parts of the hills, demanding restoration of the Internet services, which have remained banned in the hills since June 18, and an immediate withdrawal of police from Darjeeling.

Besides the GJM, various other hill parties and intellectuals marched on the streets of Darjeeling with black flags and placards demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland.

In the morning, some political party activists, dressed in the traditional Nepali attire, also took out rallies and raised slogans in support of Gorkhaland.

With the food supply severely hit due to the shutdown, GJM activists and NGOs were seen distributing food among the locals.

Barring the medicine shops, all other shops, business establishments, schools and colleges remained closed.
Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel may have snatched a dramatic late-night victory in the Rajya Sabha polls from Gujarat but the dust is yet to settle in the unusually tense election that became a battle of prestige.

Besieged by a spate of resignations and infighting, the Congress managed the 44 votes needed to elect party chief Sonia Gandhis political secretary to the Upper House. His prospects were boosted after the Election Commission disqualified two rebel Congress votes late in the evening.

The election was preceded by weeks of drama where the Congress corralled 44 of its 57 MLAs in a Bengaluru resort, but in the end, could only manage 43 of these votes.

The question on everyones mind is: Whose vote put Patel, once among the most powerful men in India, over the top? As speculation swirls, here are the three possible answers:

1.Jayant Patel: The Nationalist Congress Party MLA and party state president is said to have backed Ahmed Patel and told reporters that Whip is clear. We are the partner of the UPA. The other NCP legislator from the state, Kandhal Jadeja, openly said that he wouldnt vote for the Congress candidate.

2.Chhotu Vasava: The Janata Dal (United) MLA was earlier supposed to vote for the Congress candidate but appeared to dither as the election drew closer. I have voted for the country and as per the partys ideology, he told reporters after the polls. JD (U) national spokesperson K C Tyagi said that the partys lone legislator in Gujarat had voted for the partys latest ally BJP. But hours later, Ahmed Patel visited Vasavas residence in Gandhinagar, sparking speculation that his vote has gone to the Congress.

3.Nalin Kotadiya: The rebel MLA was part of former chief minister Keshubhai Patels Gujarat Parivartan Party, which has now merged with the BJP. In a Facebook post, he announced that he backed Ahmed Patel. Seeing the pain of 14 youths who died during Patidar agitation I voted against BJP, he wrote.
On the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked the people to take a pledge to free the country of problems like communalism, casteism and corruption and create a new India by 2022.

He saluted all those who participated in the historic movement in 1942 under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and asked people to take inspiration from that.

In a series of tweets, Modi noted that the entire nation had come together under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi with the aim of attaining freedom.

On the 75th anniversary of the historic Quit India movement, we salute all the great women & men who took part in the movement, he wrote.

In 1942, the need of the hour was to free India from colonialism. Today, 75 years later the issues are different, the prime minister added.

Let us pledge to free India from poverty, dirt, corruption, terrorism, casteism, communalism & create a New India of our dreams by 2022, he said.

Giving the slogan of sankalp se siddhi (pledge to achieve), he urged the people to work shoulder to shoulder to create the India that our freedom fighters would be proud of.
A 35-year-old woman, who is seven-month pregnant, was tonsured and paraded with a garland of shoes around her neck in a Bengal village after a kangaroo court punished her for illicit relation with a youth.

The woman was tortured in front of her husband, father and brother. The incident took place at Vita village under Gazole police station area in Malda district of West Bengal, more than 350 km from Kolkata.

Read: Crimes against women are rising. Here are 5 things you can do besides reacting online.

According to the police complaint lodged by the victim on August 8, the incident took place two to three days ago. After the torture the woman fell ill and was taken to the hospital by some villagers on August 7.

The youths tore my sari, blouse and molested me alleging that they have found an objectionable picture of mine with a youth. However they didnt show me the picture, alleged the woman.

The youths descended on the woman after she pleaded inability to pay following the kangaroo court imposing a penalty of Rs 1.5 lakh on her for the moral corruption.

The woman named several persons in the complaint but the accused are absconding. Some of the accused are Jatin, Anjan, Sanjay,Lalon, Bukka.

Read: Sexual violence against women in riots and other mass crimes is being normalised

Police have slapped sections 354 (outraging of modesty), 325 (causing grievous hurt), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) against the accused.

We have received the complaint of the woman but the accused are on the run. We are conducting raids to nab them, said a senior police officer of the district who requested anonymity.

The woman has three children and her husband works as a migrant labourer.

The woman claimed, When I refused to pay any fine, they shaved my head with a blade. I have been also threatened to be raped after I failed to pay the fine.

Read: Mamata Banerjee govt to introduce self defence workshop for women in undergrad colleges

We have received the complaint of the woman but all the accused persons are on the run. We are conducting raids to nab them, said a senior police officer of the district.

According to locals, sometime ago village headmen received complaints that the woman is talking with an unknown youth on a regular basis in the absence of her husband. The youth didnt belong to the tribal community.

The woman was asked a few times not to keep any relation with the youth as it was polluting the environment of the village but she turned a deaf ear to the request. A kangaroo court was also held in the village on this issue. Recently, the court ruled that the stubborn womans head should be shaved and she should be paraded around the village with a garland of shoes. She was also asked to pay Rs 1.5 lakh as fine, said locals.

A few days ago her husband returned to the village, and the headmen informed him of the character of his wife and ordered him to bring his wife to the kangaroo court for her punishment. But he didnt carry out the order of the headmen.

Recently, when I was returning from Gazole market in a bus, I met a youth of my area. He took the seat beside mine and talked with me for a while. Some residents of my village noticed it and started spreading rumours against me, said the woman.
The arrest of a suspected Bangladeshi terrorist Abdullah Al Mammun, who was associated with the banned Ansarullah Bangla Team, would help expose a wider terror network being spread in UP and other parts of the country by Faizan, an alleged key operative of the terror group, a senior police official said.

Faizan is the key person and his arrest may help the security agencies explore a wider terror network in the country, said Asim Arun, inspector general (IG), UP Anti Terror Squad (ATS).

He said Faizan was in regular touch with Abdullah and prepared fake identity proofs of multiple illegal Bangladesh immigrants who approached him since 2011. Many of them are suspected to be associated with the terror group.

Arun said Faizan disappeared from his Saharanpur (Deoband) house before the arrest of Abdullah on Sunday but the ATS team found literature of the terror group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) there. He said since the literature was in Bengali, the ATS team was now getting it translated to understand the details. Moreover, many diaries and other documents were recovered from Faizans house, he said.

The IG said the ATS team questioned Abdullah who revealed some information but he needed to be quizzed further to track down Faizan.

He said Abdullah will be quizzed about Faizans whereabouts. Special chief judicial magistrate (Custom) Chavvi Asthana remanded Abdullah in five-day police custody on Tuesday.

Arun said Abdullah so far had revealed that Faizan used to spend several hours on his two laptops that he took with him before leaving his house. Abdullah and Faizan were being tracked down by ATS teams separately. It was only after Faizans disappearance that we came to know that they were linked with each other, he said.

Earlier, Abdullah was arrested from the Kuteshara area of Muzaffarnagar district in western Uttar Pradesh on August 5 night.

He was alleged to be associated with the banned Ansarullah Bangla Team, an Al Qaeda-inspired Islamic extremist group in Bangladesh.

The ATS team arrested Abdullah from a place of worship in Charthwal, where he is said to have been working as a preacher. The sleuths recovered 13 fake identity cards, a passport prepared on a fake identity proof, and seals of village pradhan, tehsildar, election officer and village development officer from his possession.

Abdullah was a resident of Momin Shahi district in Bangladesh. He had, however, told the locals that he belonged to Assam and had got a local agent to make a fake Aadhaar card and passport for him. Before moving to Muzaffarnagar, Abdullah had been living in the Ambehat Sheikh area of Deoband in Saharanpur since 2011.
The BSP rebels have decided to float a political party to challenge Mayawati and bring disgruntled elements on a single platform.

Former national general secretary of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Naseemuddin Siddiqui has started a campaign to unite the rebels.

After breaking ties with the BSP, Siddiqui had floated a non-political organisation Rashtriya Bahujan Morcha which was joined by leaders close to him.

With an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Siddiqui has started working on the plan to launch a political party. He has organised meetings in west UP districts and in Delhi to motivate the supporters to make inroads into the BSPs vote bank.

About a dozen Dalit, Backward and Muslim organisations active in the region have extended support to the outfit.

We are in touch with the BSP rebels in neighbouring states and some of them have given their consent to join our political party, said an aide of Siddiqui.

Former BSP MP Pramod Kureel has been entrusted with the task of wooing rebel leaders in UP and neighbouring states.

The revolt by Indrajit Saroj, a close associate of Mayawati, has proved to be a shot in the arm for the rebels. Saroj has decided to hold a meeting near Bijli Pasi Qila on August 13 to announce his future course of action.

Sources said Saroj might join hands with Siddiqui to give momentum to the anti-BSP front.

Dalbara Singh, younger brother of BSP founder Kanshi Ram, has already given his consent to join the political party to be launched by Siddiqui.

Singh had attended a meeting called by Siddiqui on July 15. Rebel BSP leaders including Pramod Kureel, Raghunath Prasad Sankhwar, Raghuvir Singh, OP Singh, Arthar Khan, Dharampal Singh and several senior leaders were present in the meeting.

Read more: Mayawati keeps Lalu guessing, undecided on attending RJDs Patna rally

Former minister KK Gautam and former OSD of Mayawati Ganga Ram Ambedkar, who have launched a non-political outfit, are also likely to join hands with Siddiqui.

The rebels have decided to organise meetings across the state to counter BSP workers conference starting from September 18. Mayawati will attend the conference to boost the morale of party workers.

If Mayawati decides to contest Lok Sabha by-poll from Phulpur seat, the rebels will oppose her by organising rallies and meetings in the constituency, a rebel BSP leader said.
A cow-counting drive is underway in Kashi villages with an aim to augment the locals income through appropriate technologies provided by institutions of higher education, including IITs and NITs.

Introduced under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) by the union ministry of human resource development (HRD), the first phase of the drive has been completed with the counting of cows and other milch cattle in five villages of Prime Minister Narendra Modis parliamentary constituency.

Five more villages have been selected for the purpose, said BN Rai, professor in the department of chemical engineering, IIT-BHU.

Rai, along with two volunteers, is counting the cows in the villages. The team has completed its survey in Balipur, Khurahua, Chhitaini, Betabar and one other village.

Rai, the coordinator of UBA, told HT, The cluster of five villages was selected for survey of milch cattle, living standard of locals, number of persons in each family, their source of livelihood etc. The survey found these villagers rearing over 1,000 cows, Rai said.

Locals prefer rearing cows for their milk and dung manure, which regenerates soils fertility and also increases its moisture retaining capacity. It cures various problems in the soil, the professor said, adding that there is no substitute for cow dung manure as it has no side effects.

If cow rearing is promoted in rural pockets it can help increase income of locals and also check indiscriminate migration towards cities from villages. In fact, there is serious need to create employment opportunities in rural pockets, he added.

Even as Rai plans to promote cow rearing in rural pockets for income generation, the two volunteers are motivating locals to use cow dung manure in their fields.

The survey has given an in-depth idea about the problems in villages. Now we will make efforts to get their problems addressed. Our team at IIT-BHU, with the help of other IITs and NITs, will try to develop technologies that can help farmers in augmenting their income, Rai said

Interestingly, the survey team found the locals oblivious of politics over cows that made headlines in the recent past. They are least interested in discussing politics over the issue, Rai said.

They want the government to provide a medical van, equipped with veterinary experts, so that their cows get treatment in case of ailment, he added.

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The UP Anti Terror Squad (ATS) plans to launch a sensitisation drive for government officials and employees for maintaining the secrecy of army and other important documents related to national security.

The move comes soon after the leak of top secret information about the army from the SDM Sadar office in Jhansi came to light.

The ATS is recommending an advisory to UP director general of police (DGP) Sulkhan Singh on the issue. The advisory will also contain a suggestion related to the sensitisation programme in order to make government officials and employees aware of the Official Secrets Act.

Inspector general (IG), ATS, Asim Arun said: The advisory will contain multiple points, including cross-checking the genuineness of a person before sharing sensitive information.

He said the advisory was being recommended after the recent Jhansi episode, adding that the SDM Sadar office stenographer in Jhansi unknowingly shared secret information with Pakistani agents, who posed as senior army officers and interacted with him through internet telephony or call-spoofing applications.

Arun said although Raghavendra Ahirwar, the stenographer, was not arrested, an FIR was registered under sections 3/4/5/9 of the Official Secrets Act (1923). Further legal proceedings will be initiated against him. He said earlier too ISI agents collected secret information from their moles in government offices.

Officers should remain alert and ensure that responsible employees are posted to sensitive positions, he said.

Earlier, in February this year, a racket in which Pak agents were ferreting out sensitive information from government officials was unearthed after a Military Intelligence (MI) team alerted the UP ATS that some army jawans posted in the western sector received suspicious calls on their mobiles from different local numbers.

The MI probe had revealed that majority of calls were made from Lucknow, Sitapur and Hardoi. It was discovered later that though calls were made from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Dubai, and local numbers were displayed on the mobile phone screens of the receivers.

Those involved in the racket used a unique technique for the purpose, using the internet and SIM box to run illegal call centres for tele-conferencing.

Read more: Army secret info leaked? UP ATS begins probe

He said they purchased SIM cards on the basis of fake identity proofs and installed them in the SIM boxes. Then mobile apps and servers available in foreign countries were used to transfer the call from the internet to SIM boxes that helped in displaying local numbers on the mobile phone of the receiver although the call was made from abroad.

SDM SUMMONED

An SDM posted in east UP has been summoned by the ATS for interrogation in the Jhansi case.

IG, ATS, Asim Arun said the same SDM was posted in Jhansi when the stenographer Raghvendra Ahirwar started sharing details with Pakistani agents in 2009. He said Ahirwar began sharing the details when the then SDM asked him to do so after getting a call.

The SDM had been summoned to answer why he had told Ahirwar to share information.

Arun said notices will be sent to other SDMs too, as Ahirwar claimed that he had informed them about the information sharing but none of them had objected. Rather, Ahirwar has claimed, they asked him to continue the practice as it was done earlier.

Ahirwar had shared information about armys firing and shelling practice at the Babina field firing range near Jhansi. The army used to inform the district magistrate about it and a copy of the relevant letter was sent to the SDM, Sadar. The copy was maintained by Ahirwar.
Two more Samajwadi Party lawmakers, Ashok Bajpai and Ambika Chowdhary, tendered their resignations from the legislative council on Wednesday taking the total number of MLCs who have quit SP so far to five.

Ambika Chowdhary is an SP turncoat who joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) after he was sacked by Akhilesh Yadav after taking over the partys rein in January this year.

However, Chowdhary technically continued to be an SP MLC as the party did not move an application for his disqualification lest it created a vacancy for the BJP.

I have no intention of joining the BJP. Morally, I should have resigned earlier but I waited lest I was accused of paving way for the BJP, Chowdhary told HT.

Now that five vacancies are already there in the legislative council, which the BJP needs to accommodate its ministers, I decided to put in my papers, he said.

SP MLC Ashok Bajpai attributed his resignation to the disregard shown to Mulayam Singh Yadav in the party.

I could no longer bear the manner in which Mulayam Singh Yadav has been sidelined in a party which he had himself set up, Bajpai said after handing over his resignation to the vice chairman of the legislative council.

Bajpai, whose term as an MLC was to expire on January 30, 2021, is expected to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) soon.

Sources said at least two more SP MLCs are planning to quit.

With Bajpais resignation, SPs strength in the legislative council has come down to 59 from 64.

Reacting to the exodus of SP lawmakers, party national president Akhilesh Yadav had on Monday said those who wanted to leave the party were free to do so but they should not concoct excuses.

Those who have quit the SP are known to be close Mulayam aides and were unhappy over the state of affairs.

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The UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) on Tuesday filed a proposal seeking an unprecedented increase in power tariff of rural domestic consumers and farmers.

However, the average electricity tariff hike sought is 22.66% for all sectors.

As per rules, the power regulator is supposed to announce the new tariff within 120 days of admission of the proposal.

In its proposal submitted to the UP Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC), the UPPCL has sought 260% to 350% increase in the current electricity tariff in respect of unmetered rural domestic consumers and 150% hike for metered rural domestic consumers for the year 2017-18.

It has also sought 60% increase for farmers unmetered tubewells.

As for urban domestic consumers, the UPPCL has proposed an average 12% increase electricity tariff depending on their monthly power consumption. No tariff hike has been proposed in respect of small and heavy industries. The proposed hike for commercial consumers is around 15%.

The proposal has drawn flak from president of UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad Awadhesh Verma, who said the proposal, if accepted, would take the villages back to the lantern age.

He met UPERC chairman Desh Deepak Verma and requested him to reject the proposal. The proposed hike for rural domestic consumers is unprecedented in the states history, he said.

Category-wise, the power corporation has proposed that the existing tariff of Rs 180 per KW per month be raised to Rs 650 per KW per month for unmetered rural domestic consumers using a load of up to 2 KW. For consumers using a power connection of more than 2 KW load, the current tariff of Rs 200 per KW per month has been sought to be increased to Rs 800 per KW per month.

A hefty hike has also been proposed for metered rural domestic consumers as well. Presently, such consumers are charged at the rate of Rs 50 per KW per month and Rs 2.20 per unit electricity consumption charges.

The new proposal seeks to charge them Rs 85 per KW as fixed monthly charges and Rs 4.40 per unit on power consumption up to 150 units a month and Rs 4.95 per unit on monthly consumption between 151 units and 300 units. The rate will be even higher at Rs 6.20 per unit on power consumption exceeding 500 units a month.

The current tariff of Rs 100 per Bhp per month has been sought to be increased to Rs 150 per Bhp in case of unmetered private rural tubewells.

In case of urban domestic consumers, the UPPCL has proposed an increase in the monthly fixed charged from Rs 90 to Rs 100 per KW per month and unit charges from Rs 4.40 per unit to Rs 4.90 per unit on consumption of first 150 units a month; from Rs 4.95 per unit to Rs 5.40 per unit on consuming 151-300 units, and from Rs 6.20 per unit to Rs 6.70 per unit on power consumed beyond 500 units.

The metered urban commercial consumers (shops etc) which are charged at the rate of Rs 7.75 per unit are now proposed to be charged Rs 8 per unit on units consumed between 301-1000.
Concerned over increasing crime against senior citizens, Uttar Pradesh police have directed the station house officers (SHOs) to prepare a list of senior citizens residing in the respective police station areas.

A register of senior citizens will be maintained in the police stations with the name, residential address, mobile number, name of domestic help and visitors. Policemen will visit senior citizens or contact them on mobile phones to know their grievances which will be redressed on priority.

Inspector general (law and order) Hari Ram Sharma said 21 cases of crime against senior citizens were registered in various districts from May 1 to July 31. The police have lodged FIRs against 53 accused and 28 of them have been arrested. With one accused having surrendered in court, the police have launched a drive to nab 24 others who are untraceable.

He said police personnel will download the UP-100 app on the smartphones of senior citizens so that they can contact the police in an emergency.

Senior police officers will review measures taken for the safety of senior citizens at each police station in the districts, he said.

Crime against senior citizens will be reviewed regularly at the districts, police range, police zone and police headquarters level.
A unusual social study has revealed that atheists are more easily suspected of vile deeds than Christians, Muslims, Hindus or Buddhists  strikingly, even by fellow atheists, researchers said on Monday.

This suggests that in an increasingly secular world, many  including some atheists  still hold the view that people will do bad things unless they fear punishment from all-seeing gods.

The results of the study show that across the world, religious belief is intuitively viewed as a necessary safeguard against the temptations of grossly immoral conduct, an international team wrote in the journal Nature Human Behaviour. And it revealed that atheists are broadly perceived as potentially morally depraved and dangerous.

The study measured the attitudes of more than 3,000 people in 13 countries on five continents. They ranged from very secular countries such as China and the Netherlands, to countries with high numbers of believers such as the United Arab Emirates, United States and India.

Researchers say even in places that are currently quite overtly secular, people still seem to intuitively hold on to the belief that religion is a moral safeguard. (Shutterstock)

The countries had populations that were either predominantly Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim or non-religious.

Participants were given a description of a fictional evildoer who tortured animals as a child, then grows up to become a teacher who murders and mutilates five homeless people.

Half of the group were asked how likely it was that the perpetrator was a religious believer, and the other half how likely that he was an atheist.

Dangerous bias

The team found that people were about twice as likely to assume that the serial killer was an atheist. It is striking that even atheists appear to hold the same intuitive anti-atheist bias, study co-author Will Gervais, a psychology professor at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, told AFP.

I suspect that this stems from the prevalence of deeply entrenched pro-religious norms. Even in places that are currently quite overtly secular, people still seem to intuitively hold on to the belief that religion is a moral safeguard.

Only in Finland and New Zealand, two secular countries, did the experiment not yield conclusive evidence of anti-atheist prejudice, said the team. Distrust of atheists was very strong in the most highly religious states like the United States, United Arab Emirates and India, said Gervais, and lower in more secular countries.

Such research was about more than stigma alone, he added. In many places, atheism can be dangerous, if not fatal.

In a comment carried by the journal, Adam Cohen and Jordan Moon of the Arizona State Universitys psychology department, said the study marked an important advance in explaining the prevalence of anti-atheist attitudes.

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So, airline food is back in the news. Air India has been under fire over the last month. The furore was caused by the airlines decision to refuse to serve non-vegetarian meals to economy class passengers. (I can already see the advertising. In first class you are a Maharajah. In economy you are a sadhu. Fly Air-India and respect Hindu traditions.)

Then, some papers reported that Jet was heading in the same direction. The special meals it had always offered were now being slowly withdrawn. And some economy class passengers complained that they had been told that there would be no non-vegetarian meal for them. (While all this was being reported, the Indian railways turned the experience on its head, serving non-vegetarian food to unsuspecting vegetarians -- a lizard was found in a bowl of rice. But there is another story!)

I think the all-vegetarian decisions are just silly. Jet, which is now vastly profitable, has no excuse. And Air-India, which owes thousands of crores to public sector banks (not because of sloppy operations but because of extravagant and ill-advised aircraft purchases) has no business denying a choice to its passengers on the flimsy grounds that it will save Rs 10 crore by serving sadhu-meals.

But, even when airlines do offer choices, the food is rarely any good. Forget, for a moment, the glamour of airline advertising where beautiful women saunter down an aisle serving lobster to gleeful first-class passengers and focus on the reality.

Think, first of all, about what an aeroplane is really like. Basically, it is not a restaurant, as the ads would have you believe, but is a bus that happens to fly. So all space is limited. And because airlines make their money by loading their planes with as many passengers as possible, they are reluctant to allot much space to toilets (this is why airplane loos are so tiny) or kitchens.

The average aircraft galley, which serves at least 60 to 70 passengers, is much smaller than your kitchen at home. Even in business class, the galley is as tiny though admittedly, it services a smaller number of passengers than the economy class galleys.

When you travel by bus, do you expect to get gourmet meals on board? Of course you dont. If it is a long journey, you pack your own sandwiches, parathas or whatever.

So it is with airlines. Is it realistic to expect these tiny kitchens, staffed usually by crew with no catering experience, to conjure up food that is of any great quality?

Why then, do we even waste time talking about airline food? Well, because, over the years, airlines have encouraged us to focus on in-flight meals. Food features prominently in most airline advertising. And many brag about the great chefs who have devised their menus. Both British Airways and Singapore Airlines have special panels of celebrity chefs who are allegedly in charge of in-flight cuisine and many other airlines push the gourmet food promise.

So, does Gordon Ramsay (for British Airways) or Rick Perry (for Qantas) come on board on each flight and cook for you? No, of course he doesnt. (Celebrity chefs dont even cook at their own restaurants these days.) Does he send his chefs on your flight? (Nopes.) Does he at least get the food cooked in his restaurant before it is loaded on to your plane? (Once again: dont be silly. Of course he doesnt.)

In fact, no matter how many big-name chefs an airline brags about, the food is nearly always cooked in the same way to the same dismal standards.

The great secret of on-board cuisine is that every airline, no matter what the advertising says, gets its food from the same kitchens. Each city has only a handful of flight kitchens, often run by hotel/catering chains and they make the same sort of food for every flight.

In Delhi, for instance, there are only four or five flight kitchens of consequence (Taj, Oberoi, Ambassador, Sky Gourmet, etc.) and they cook the food for nearly every airline that flies out of Indira Gandhi airport. It is the same in Bombay and in every major city in the world.

So, when you are told that Gordon Ramsay designed the menu, what it means is this: Ramsay sent a recipe to flight kitchens all over the world, which was executed by scores of anonymous chefs, many of whom have never heard of Ramsay. Once they cooked this so-called Ramsay dish (hundreds of portions, all done at the same time), it was packed and transported to an airline which loaded it on a plane. Many hours later  sometimes 12 to 14 hours later  some steward, with no interest in catering, put it in an oven, reheated it and placed it in front of a passenger.

Gourmet food it aint.

I dont know if you have ever been to a flight kitchen. But my advice is: dont go. It is a vast soulless, industrial space where many, largely untalented chefs, work in factory-like conditions to churn out vast quantities of food at low cost. Though sometimes good chefs are posted there (the Taj sent the great Satish Arora and Arvind Saraswat to its flight kitchen when they were past retirement), the overwhelming majority of flight kitchen chefs are people who are not good enough to be posted in top restaurant kitchens.

So your food is made in a factory by second to third-rate chefs, few of whom care about the refinement of flavours, and then served to you, usually after being inexpertly reheated, a long time later.

Are you surprised that the chicken tastes like Styrofoam? That the mutton consists of dry chewy chunks of indeterminate origin? That the biryani has been burned in the reheating? That the custard in the pudding has the taste and consistency of congealed vomit?

What makes it worse is that airlines pay as little as they possibly can for each meal. Why is the food on Vistara is better (in relative terms) than the food on, say, Jet Airways, even if both have used the same flight kitchen? (In this case: the Taj flight kitchen.) Well, because Vistara pays more for meals than Jet or Air India. It is as simple as that.

There was a time when, as disgusting as the economy-class food was, you did get better quality meals in first class or even business class.

No longer.

Airlines dont tell you this but usually, they serve the same food in Economy and Business. The difference is that you will get a small portion, served as part of a meal-on-a-tray in Economy while, in Business, they will fancy up the presentation. The portions will be larger. The meal will be served in courses. (Though not on Air-India which mysteriously refuses to upgrade its business class meal service and serves everything on one tray.)

You may get a choice of an extra main course option. If you are in Singapore Airlines they will give you a satay stick as an amuse-bouche or a pre-dinner snack.

But that is about it.

Most airlines have severely curtailed the number of first-class seats on offer and the difference between business class and first is no longer that great. But, in terms of food, the same make-it-cheap principle applies.

There was a time when, if you travelled Air India first class, they let you have as much caviar as you wanted. There was pate de Foie Gras on the lunch trolley. The smoked salmon was of good quality. As long as you ate the cold starters and then the curry afterwards and washed it down with good wine (hard as this is to believe now, there was a time when Air Indias first class champagne was Dom Perignon), you felt you had had a first-class experience. Now, the caviar etc. have all gone, first class is down to a row or two per flight and the food is not much better than the swill served to economy-class passengers.

Much the same is true of other airlines. The late Michael Winner, the film director who wrote about food, once got into a slanging match with Willie Walsh, the Chief Executive of British Airways about how the airline had surreptitiously reduced the quantities of caviar on some flights while removing it entirely from first class on most sectors. It sounds like a small thing but remember that the British Airways first-class fare from London to Los Angeles is around Rs 8 lakh. For that price, they should pull out all the stops.

So, if even first-class meals are the subject of penny-pinching, then what should the average passenger do?

Well, I dont eat on planes if I can help it. Sometimes I have no choice so I force myself to eat the garbage they serve up. But if I remember well in time, then I pack my own food.

It is a strategy we should all consider.

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Two years after the Maharashtra education department brought in a policy to make schoolbags lighter, city schools are finally waking up to the hazards of poor posture among children.

School officials said incorrect posture and constant bending over laptops is hurting childrens backs, just like the heavy school bags. Child development specialists and educationists said the schools need to improve seating arrangements in classrooms and reduce the weight of the bags simultaneously.

Last month, Childrens Academy Group of Schools (CAGS), Kandivli and Malad, conducted a short in-house survey to identify the causes of back and shoulder pain among students. The teachers interviewed parents and students to understand their lifestyle and daily habits.

The survey revealed that heavy school bags alongside poor seating and sleeping habits, and lack of physical fitness were responsible for growing number of children with a poor posture.

How children sit in the classroom, where they spend nearly six to seven hours daily, is of utmost importance. However, no one seems to be paying attention to it, said Rohan Bhat, chairperson, CAGS.

Based on the findings of its survey, the school issued an advisory to parents and teachers, asking them to encourage children to sit straight and take up some form of sporting activity.

Students spend a lot of their time learning in classrooms, doing assignment in front of the laptop or studying for their examination while sitting. This leads to a poor posture. A poor posture not only affects the students physically, but also their psychology, read the advisory.

Similarly, Nahar International School in Chandivli introduced specially-designed chairs and desks for its students. Our benches are age-appropriate so that they are not too big or too small for the students. They vary from class to class, said principal Vandana Arora.

In addition, the timetable has ben developed in such a way that students do not spent more than 20 minutes in their chairs. In a 40 minute lecture, we have included activities to ensure that students remain active. During a maths class students solve problems at their desk and then the teacher might take them outdoors for observation or do some activities in the classroom, said Arora.

Expertspeak

Playing outdoors or taking up sport is one of the best ways for students to strengthen their back muscles, said orthopaedics.

Various factors are responsible for back pain or incorrect posture in students. Heavy school bags is only one of them, said Dr Ameet Pispati, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Jaslok Hospital, Pedder Road.

He added that todays children were prone to back aches because their back muscles were under developed or weak. This he said was owing to leaning or slouching over screens and spending more time indoors. Pispati also said that seating arrangements schools must improve.

Classroom benches usually do not have back support, this causes children to lean forward and stoop. This can weaken their back muscles. Also, stooping and slouching will have negative effect on their confidence, he said.

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In a major reprieve for former collector of Mumbai suburban Vishwas Patil and his wife Chandrasena, the Bombay high court on Wednesday restrained the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) from registering a First Information Report (FIR) against the couple in connection with a slum redevelopment case.

According to 46-year-old activist Hitendra Yadav, who filed a complaint in the special court for ACB on June 24, Patil allegedly bent rules to favour a developer for a slum redevelopment project in at Malad (East) in 2007-08. Patils wife was later appointed as a director in the real estate company, said Yadav. Patil retired as collector on June 31.

A bench of justices RM Savant and Sandip Shinde found substance in the defence argument that magistrates cant order police to register an FIR against a public servant without a sanction from the government.

The couples counsel, senior advocate Amit Desai, pointed out that last August the Maharashtra government had amended the Criminal Procedure Code, paving the way for prior sanction from the government before filing an FIR against public servants.

He argued that the special court should not have asked the ACB to register an FIR against the couple.

Additional public prosecutor Aruna Pai-Kamat responded to the argument, saying the ACB was empowered to probe the allegation even without the special court order. He said the agency would not invoke sections 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 120-B (conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, for which sanction of the government was required before registering an FIR against the couple.

Advocate Aditya Pratap, who appeared for Yadav, said the proviso to section 156(3) protects public servants who are discharge of their duties. Criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy cant be duties of a public servant, the lawyer said. To reinforce his arguments, he gave examples of various Supreme Court decisions.

However, the argument failed to impress upon the bench, which would hear the matter on September 8.

READ

Former SRA chief in Mumbai cleared 12 projects in last three months of his service

Allegations rock slum redevelopment projects in Mumbai as Devendra Fadnavis takes corrective measures
The last strains of the Tryst with Destiny speech from the Parliament House in New Delhi had faded out from radios. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, after making that memorable speech, must have begun to grapple with the enormity of governing a fractured India with friends, allies and foes.

In Bombay, which in a sense had been the nerve centre of nationalism, celebrations of Indian independence had begun even before Nehru finished his speech. BG Kher, the chief minister of the erstwhile Bombay State would unfurl the Indian flag atop the Bombay Civil Secretariat in the morning of August 15; his assertion   Citizens of Free India, you are now free  was lost in the hullabaloo of the festivities underway.

People had poured out into streets at midnight, shouted slogans that had become popular during the freedom movement, greeted one another, sang and danced in groups, hooted and honked on streets, lit firecrackers and distributed sweets, and packed themselves into trucks decorated with festoons and flowers to drive across the city in victory rallies, according to newspaper reports.

Schools and colleges had declared a holiday or had empty classrooms. Those that had students saw impromptu plays and songs enacted, and sweets distributed. The markets and mills of Bombay which had supported the freedom movement in different ways too marked the momentous occasion. Important government buildings had been lit up and the lights stayed on the following three nights. The government had declared public transport  buses, trams and trains  free on August 15. Bombay was jubilant, as historians have recorded.

Bombays first Indian police commissioner, the legendary JS Bharucha, had taken charge from his predecessor Commissioner AE Caffin that historic day. Bharucha would continue to steer the city through rough weather till May 1949. The bifurcation of the Royal Indian Navy, headquartered in Bombay from its early days of occupying India, into navies of India and newly-formed Pakistan had begun. The Indian contingent would continue to be called the Royal Indian Navy till 1950 when India became a republic and ceased to be a British dominion.

Among the earliest first-person stories I heard of the Independence Day was from my father, then a boy of not yet 10, living barely a kilometre away from the historic Gowalia Tank Maidan, his grandmother deeply involved with the freedom movement. There was so much pomp and pageantry on the streets around Tardeo, Gowalia Tank Maidan, and Chowpatty that the significance of the day could not be missed, he reminisced. The day has remained imprinted in his memory.

Another story is from the late Dr Usha Mehta, the petite and feisty freedom fighter who had been influenced by Mahatma Gandhi enough to give up her studies and join the movement. She had co-founded and run the secret Congress Radio during the Quit India agitation in 1942 and had been jailed for four years. On August 15, 1947, however, she was unable to join the celebration as she was laid up in bed with fever, she told me during an interview when she was president of the Mani Bhavan Gandhi Sangrahalaya.

But I felt the joy in my bones, I had tears in my eyes, recalled the Padma Vibhushan awardee. Dr Mehta shared how a few Bombayites had begun collecting funds to erect Gandhis statue at a public site those days. The budget was Rs10 lakh. Gandhi, she said, was annoyed and had remarked that the money would be better spent on some public utility.

Two days later, the first refugees had arrived at Azad Maidan while at the Bombay harbour, the anchor of SS Georgic was lifted. The ship, packed to capacity with the first batch of British troops to leave India, had bid goodbye. Fittingly, it had the Indian tri-colour flying alongside the Union Jack.

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Sixty-seven percent of interns in one of Maharashtras best medical colleges did not know if the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), hepatitis A, C, B and other infectious diseases could be transmitted by blood.

The study was done at BYL Nair Medical College in Mumbai Central by three specialists from the departments of community medicine. They wanted to assess how aware future doctors were about donating blood.

Dr Chaitanya Patil and Dr Durgesh Prasad Sahu from the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College & Hospital , Nagpur, and Dr Armaity Dehmubed from BYL Nair Medical College studied 111 interns who were given a self-administered structured questionnaire.

Through this study, we wanted to find out about awareness among medical interns about voluntary blood donation. It was undertaken because, by the end of their MBBS course, they are supposed to have understood the importance of blood donation and become capable motivators for blood donation among the public, the researchers said.

But the study found future doctors knew little about even the basic aspects of best practices in blood donation, let alone be flag-bearers to raise public awareness. While 14 (12.6%) interns gave correct answers when asked about the maximum age for donation, only 49% knew if a female can donate blood during her menstrual cycle.

READ: Patients kin say private hospitals in Mumbai make them replace blood against norms

But 67% of the interns failed to answer if an infectious disease could be transmitted during blood donation.

Researchers pointed out only 42.4% know about the minimum haemoglobin level for blood donation and 30% of them did not know if a person with a chronic disease could donate blood.

The researchers said the study concluded the interns knowledge about blood donation was below the desirable level.So, information, education & communication activities through regular awareness programmes and involvement of interns in blood donation camps should be considered, the researchers recommended.

The study was published in the International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health.

Dr Ramesh Bharmal, the dean at the BYL Nair Hospital and Topiwala medical college said the participants of the survet were most likely from the first year and that it is only in second year that students are introduced concepts of blood donation and related infections.

We will conduct seminars so students get better acquainted about best practices in blood donation. We will also send students to blood donation camps as observers to learn, said Dr Bharmal.
Interfering in a couples private life is a type of domestic violence, just like mental and physical torture, a sessions court held on Wednesday and asked a Chennai-based film producer and the son of a former high court judge to pay a maintenance sum to his wife in Mumbai.

NR Shranyan and his parents  Malathi Raghavan and ND Raghavan, the retired HC judge, had approached the Mumbai sessions court challenging an order of the Magistrate court, Kurla, that asked them to pay interim maintenance to Shranyans wife Aishwariya, who had filed a case of domestic violence against the family last year.

Aishwariya said she got married to Shranyan in June 2010 and the couple has a daughter. But in 2014, Aishwariya left their house in Chennai and came to Mumbai, alleging domestic violence.

In her complaint, Aishwariya alleged she was misled about the familys wealth  she was told the family was well-settled with three theatres in Chennai and Shranyan had his own IT firm but she found out the theatres were owned by other family members and the IT business was not doing well.

READ: Ten years of domestic violence act: Dearth of data, delayed justice

Aishwariya claimed the husband led a lavish lifestyle. He had multiple cars and spent a lot of money, but allegedly refused to give her money, she said. She also claimed her mother-in-law would ask her details about her bedroom life with her husband.

The Magistrate court had asked the husband to pay Rs12,000 for Aishwariya and Rs8,000 for the daughter every month. But the husbands family challenged the order before the sessions court alleging and called all of Aishwariyas allegations imaginary. The family also claimed she was not entitled to any maintenance as she worked at a multinational company and got a salary of Rs25,000.

After hearing both sides the court said the evidence on allegations of domestic violence could be dealt with later but added that considering the lifestyle of the family, the order passed by the magistrate court was not wrong.

The husband is running an IT consultancy company. He was a producer of a movie. It is not believable that he has no money. Wife said their lifestyle was lavish. They have multiple cars, their expenses are much. At interim stage, there is no reason to disbelieve her, the court said.

Considering the high status of respondents, a harassment of a smaller degree as compared to other families could seem more serious, observed additional sessions judge MB Datye, while rejecting the appeal filed by the husband.

.

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Unwilling to take chances of another leopard attack inside Film City at Goregaon, the forest department extended its blanket ban on filming in the 5km radius between Bapu Dham gate and Aarey Helipad indefinitely.

Since March, four children have been mauled and one was killed in various leopard attack. Based on the images recovered from the camera traps, the forest officers said that a single leopard was responsible for all the attacks.

While the problem leopard yet to be trapped, the department issued guidelines to Aarey Milk Colony and Film City authorities to take precautions to avoid man-animal conflicts. It also requested them to install streetlights, clear garbage and ensure that stray dogs do not move in the area where the previous attacks had occurred.

The safety of citizens is our primary concern and this is why the area remains cordoned off for filming and other activities until the leopard is trapped. We are facing problems while patrolling after 6pm, as there are no streetlights, said Jitendra Ramgaokar, deputy conservator of forest, Thane. Even after the leopard is caught, we will allow shooting because there are other leopards in the vicinity and we need to ensure that people abide by the guidelines issued by us in Aarey and Film City.

Since Saturday, 15 forest officers have been working in three shifts [5.30am to 12.30pm, 3.30pm to 6.30pm, and 8.30pm to 2am] to man the traps set to capture the leopard. The cages will be shifted to other locations if the leopard is not trapped in the next 48 hours.

The Aarey officials told HT they will install streetlights in the area and provide every facility to safeguard the lives of citizens and tribals living in the area. There are eight padas (tribal settlements) in the area with an average population of 250 people each, said forest officers.

The danger is looming and we will help the forest officials by offering every possible facility to control these attacks, said Nathu Rathod, chief executive officer, Aarey.

The attacks

On July 30, 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.

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More than 10,000 police personnel, several drones and CCTV cameras kept watch over Mumbai today, as six lakh people took to the streets to participate in the Maratha Kranti Morcha.

The silent protest march began at 11am from Byculla and ended around 5pm at Azad Maidan.

Even though some roads were shut for traffic, commuters did not face too many hassles .

This is likely to be the last rally for the Maratha community, which has been demanding reservation in government jobs and education. It is their third attempt to hold a march in Mumbai after the first two failed following internal differences. At the end of the rally, CM Devendra Fadnavis promised Marathas concession in fees to 605 educational courses, interest-free loans up to Rs10 lakh for self-employment, Rs5 crore to each district for the construction of hostels and setting up of a district-wise committee to decide on cases filed under the Atrocities Act.

Heres a look at all that happened at this massive demonstration, one of the biggest Mumbai has seen in decades:

6.35pm: Protesters travelling to Thane will follow the same route up to Bhakti Park, then to Shivaji Nagar and continue further on the Ghatkopar Mankhurd Link Road.

6.33pm: Traffic on Eastern Freeway wont be hit as protesters will not take the entire route, said traffic police. Protesters will take the route below the freeway via Wadala  towards Bhakti Park and onto the Freeway towards Trombay. This is the route for morcha vehicles leaving for Navi Mumbai and Pune

6.20pm: CR services slowly getting back on track after disruption earlier. Railway officials monitoring train movement

6.15pm: Around 2,500 traffic police personnel have been deployed on roads leading into the city to ensure smooth flow of traffic during the evening peak hour.

5.57pm: Train services run slow; few trains at CST currently

5.51pm: Train services resume at Kurla

5.48pm: Brace for traffic jams around the Port Trust area. The Mumbai police said around 5,000 vehicles from Thane and Navi Mumbai parked inside BPT will start making their way out

5.46pm: CR services affected after a point failure near Kurla

5.37pm: Traffic flow on western and eastern express highway smooth

5.11pm: Protesters gather at CST to head back home

4.57 pm: BJP MP Sambhaji Raje and Nitesh Rane speak to crowds gathered at Azad Maidan, assuring them that the governments promises will be fulfilled.

4.54 pm: The Maharashtra government promises Marathas concession in fees to 605 educational courses, interest-free loans up to Rs10 lakh for self-employment, Rs5 crore to each district for the construction of hostels and the setting up of a district-wise committee to decide on cases filed under the Atrocities Act.

4.49 pm: The congestion outside CST eases, but the platforms are still packed with protesters.

CM @Dev_Fadnavis meets representatives from #MarathaMorcha and leaders from all political parties. pic.twitter.com/5VFIs0jSJI  CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) August 9, 2017

4.26 pm: While announcing sops for Maratha students, CM Fadnavis says he is positive about reservation.

4.23 pm: The central railways will run a special train heading towards Solapur via Manmad and Daund for the convenience of protesters. It will depart from CST at 8.40pm. Another train heading to Kolhapur via Pune will depart at 12.30am.

4.08 pm: Heres a 360 view of the protests at Azad Maidan.

4.07 pm: Two extra trains will run on the central line during non-peak hours.

4.05 pm: Expect one train every four minutes on the harbour line.

4.01 pm: Eight extra services will run on the harbour line and 16 on the main line, say railway officials.

3.59 pm: Rumours of CM Fadnavis visiting Azad Maidan are debunked.

3.57 pm: As many as 23 extra workers have been deployed to clean CST of trash following the protest.

3.24 pm: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will arrive at Azad Maidan, say organisers.

2.59 pm: As railway stations are packed, four extra local train services are being operated between CST and Panvel, and between Thane and Kalyan.

2.45 pm: The Maharashtra government likely to announce a package for Maratha students, which will include a reduction in the percentage needed to secure admission to professional courses and freeships. The government has also decided to constitute a cabinet sub-committee to expedite the reservation procedure. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to make an announcement soon.

2.43 pm: Huge crowds at CST, trains get packed quickly.

2.35 pm: A second delegation led by BJP MP Sambhaji Take reaches Vidhan Bhavan.

2.32 pm: A Maratha delegation led by women reaches Vidhan Bhavan accompanied by cooperation minister Subhash Deshmukh, Narayan Range and Vinayak Mete. Two more to arrive, meet government officials.

The delegation at Vidhan Bhavan. (HT)

2.11 pm: As many as 20 railway police officers are keeping an eye on protests at CST. About 20 are deployed at Byculla.

1.46 pm: Azad Maidan is filling up fast.

1.18 pm: Ambedkar Road is opened for north-bound traffic from Byculla.

1.02 pm: A team of 3,500 volunteers start cleaning up the trash left behind.

12.55 pm: Former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan joins the rally.

12.50 pm: Groups distribute biscuits and water to tired protesters.

12.37 pm: CST is engulfed in a sea of saffron as protesters make their way to the iconic terminus.

Protestors at Crawford Market. (Santosh Harhare/HT)

12.28 pm: Crowds keep moving towards Azad Maidan.

12.24 pm: Reports that a few protesters tore Shiv Sena flags in Byculla around 10 am begin to surface.

12.19 pm: Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil says the government does not want to give Marathas reservation. It does not even want us to raise the issue inside the house, he said.

12.00 pm: No major injuries reported so far, say civic doctors. However, 32 people have been treated for dizziness so far.

11.55 am: In one serpentine queue, the march reaches halfway across JJ Flyover.

11.52 am: Police estimate that there were at least 1.5 lakh participants at the starting point.

11.43 am: The crowd marches on JJ Flyover, heading towards Azad Maidan.

11.30 am: Shiv Sena joins Opposition, demands reservation for Marathas.

11.29 am: Crowds along Reay Road ease, while Ambedkar Road is still congested.

11.26 am: Legislators shout slogans in the Maharashtra Assembly, demand reservation for Marathas.

11.25 am: Organisers request participants not to indulge in sloganeering.

Vignesh Giram, 11, dressed as Shivaji, and his sister Adisha, 7, dressed as Jijabai. (HT)

11.24 am: Ambedkar Road is shut for traffic as protesters march along its north-bound corridor.

11.20 am: The APMC market in Navi Mumbai is shut on account of the morcha.

11.19 am: Protesters at Reay Road begin marching while those at Ambedkar Road stay put. After a few minutes, police allow Ambedkar Road participants to move, while those at Reay Road come to a halt.

11.18 am: NCP leader Ajit Pawar demands justice for the Kopardi rape and murder victim, says it has been a year since the crime took place. He adds that he supports the Marathas demand for reservation.

11.14 am: Children and women take their place at the head of the march.

11.12 am: Traffic police cordon off all roads leading to Azad Maidan.

11.04 am: Organisers said they havent barred any political leader from entering Azad Maidan, attribute the Ashish Shelar incident to confusion.

                Hardik Patel (@HardikPatel_) August 9, 2017

11.00 am: Marathas assemble at Byculla, the starting point of the march.

10.53 am: BJP chief Ashish Shelar is prevented from entering Azad Maidan, where the rally will end, according to TV reports

10.47 am: There is congestion on Eastern Freeway, however, traffic on the Western Express Way and Western Express Way is flowing smoothly, said Amitesh Kumar, joint commissioner of police, traffic.

10.39 am: Leaders from almost all political parties are expected to join the march. Former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan will join the protest at Haj House at 12 pm.

10.26 am: Expect the supply of goods to be delayed in Mumbai as the movement of trucks will be hit owing to traffic snarls on the morcha route.

I urge the #GovernmentofMaharashtra and the authorities to ensure the well being and safety of every Morchekar in Mumbai today.  Amit V. Deshmukh (@AmitV_Deshmukh) August 9, 2017

10.20 am: Taxi union leader A L Quadros requests kaali-peeli taxi drivers to ferry people in the island city and its suburbs

10.12 am: Organisers say children will lead morcha, followed by women and then men

10.09 am: As many as 50 children of farmers who committed suicide arrive in Mumbai from Trimbakeshwar in Nashik

10.08 am: Several protesters opt to travel by local trains to beat traffic jams and reach Byculla quickly

10.07 am: About 108 ambulances have been deployed at the morchas starting point

10.04 am: As many as 21 civic doctors arrive at Rani Baug to provide aid to protesters in case of emergencies

10.03 am: Massive crowds throng Rani Baug Road, commuters face a tough time

10.02 am: Cops halt the entry of south-bound traffic in Lalbaug

9.52 am: Hundreds from the Maratha community assemble at the APMC market in Navi Mumbai and at the Sanpada railway station.

Traffic arrangements to minimise inconvenience to citizens, during the silent morcha today from Byculla to Azad Maidan b/w 9 am-5 pm pic.twitter.com/oTvBFJUFe0  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 9, 2017

9.50 am: Vehicles heading towards Kings Circle are being diverted to RA Kidwai Marg after police block the arterial Ambedkar Road .
For almost a decade, the Maratha community in Maharashtra has been demanding reservation in government jobs and education. The demand was raised periodically and political parties used it conveniently ahead of the elections since 2008. It was in past the one year that the community groups started raising it aggressively as the protests, sparked by a brutal rape and murder in Ahmednagar, led to mobilisation of Marathas.

In the past one year, the community groups took out 57 silent protest marches across Maharashtra. On Wednesday, Mumbai saw a massive rally which the organisers said was the final protest march.

Maratha, a pre-dominantly farmer caste, contributes to more than one-third of Maharashtras population and is politically as well as socially influential. However, over the past few years, there is a visible discontent in the community.

Agriculture is becoming less and less profitable occupation for the farmers, which is directly affecting the Marathas. On the other hand, as the reach of education increased, the number of graduates, under-graduates is on the rise, but jobs available from traditional sources such as government and semi-government establishments as well as factories are limited. The competition for each job is tough and Maratha youths think their chances are further reduced by 52% reservation for various reserved categories. As such, many in the Maratha community feel they are lagging behind.

Although a large number of Maratha farmers are financially strong, the number of poor Maratha families is also high. While income from agriculture is inadequate, the educated lot is finding it difficult to get jobs. This has led to discontent in the community.

Although Maharashtra politics was dominated by Maratha leaders since the state was formed in 1960, the younger generation of Marathas laments the leaders who occupied positions in power did not do enough for the community in terms of opportunities in the changing economic scenario.

Socially, the other backward class (OBC) and other communities are becoming stronger in several areas.

The unfortunate brutal rape and murder of a minor girl from the community at Kopardi in Ahmednagar last year led to localized protests. Soon, it turned into statewide protests and Marathas started venting out their anger. This led to more organised silent rallies over the months.

Organisers of the rallies have put forth 22 demands including reservation and dilution of the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Caste and Tribes Act, which has been the cause of friction between the Maratha community and SC/ST communities at several places.

On Wednesday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a few steps in response to the demands of the community groups. He did not give any firm assurance on the main demand of reservation in education and government jobs. However, he announced certain sops that will benefit the community. He also set up a cabinet sub-committee to work with the community groups to ensure reservation, as the issue is now pending in the high court. The previous Congress-NCP government had granted 16% reservation to Marathas, which was put on hold by the HC, in response to a petition filed before it. The Fadnavis government will have to wait till the HC gives its verdict on it.

Following Wednesdays announcements by Fadnavis, the organisers seemed to be confused on what to do next. The major issues raised by them are unlikely to be resolved immediately. In the next few days, they are likely to announce their course of action. Some of them want to become more aggressive while others would prefer to give some more time to the government.

It remains to be seen if Fadnavis manages to convince them or they create trouble for his government.

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The issue of the Maratha Kranti Morcha led to adjournment of proceedings in both Houses of Maharashtra legislature on Wednesday. After members from the treasury and opposition benches joined in sloganeering to support reservation for the Maratha community, leading to pandemonium, proceedings in both the Houses have been adjourned till 3pm.

Legislators from all parties have now joined the Maratha Kranti Morcha at Azad Maidan.

Soon after the House proceedings began in the Assembly, members from all parties entered the well and climbed up the dais in front of the Speaker. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) group leader Jayant Patil demanded an adjournment motion be admitted by keeping aside other House proceedings. He also demanded a one-line resolution granting reservation to Maratha community in government jobs and education to be passed in the Assembly.

The pandemonium amid the demand continued and led to two adjournments of 10 and 30 minutes, respectively, and proceedings were then adjourned till 3pm.

Legislative Council, too, was adjourned twice over the Maratha reservation issue. The leader of Opposition in the Upper House, Dhananjay Munde, demanded reservation for the community. Amid sloganeering, Munde said the government has been discussing the issue. Now enough of discussion, we demand reservation for Marathas, Munde said.

After both the Houses were adjourned, NCP and Congress leaders shouted slogans outside the Legislative Assembly and proceeded to join the morcha, which ends at Azad Maidan. Before heading towards Azad Maidan, Congress and NCP legilslators and leaders paid tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji at his statue in Vidhan Bhavan premises.

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For almost a year, Maharashtras politically and socially influential Maratha community has been taking to the streets across the state. On Wednesday, as Mumbai braces for what is being termed as the final massive march, a look at what the Marathas are protesting against.

Maratha, a pre-dominantly farmer caste, is more than one third of Maharashtras population. Beyond Mumbai and other cities, more from the community are engaged in agriculture. For the past two decades, agriculture has been become less profitable for the farmers and that has had a direct impact on the Marathas.

On the other hand, as the reach of school education has widened, the number of graduates, under-graduates is on the rise, but jobs available from traditional sources, such as the government and semi-government establishments as well as factories, are limited.

The competition for each job is tough and Maratha youths think their chances are further reduced owing to the 52% reservation for those from other castes and communities.

Many in the Maratha community feel that they are lagging behind. Although there have been a large number of Maratha farmers who are financially strong, the number of poor Maratha families has been higher. While income from agriculture is not enough to provide for their livelihood, educated youths, too, are not getting jobs. This has led to discontent in the community.

Significantly, politics in Maharashtra was dominated by Maratha leaders since the state was formed in 1960. The younger generation of Marathas, however, lament the leaders who occupied positions in power but did not do enough for the community in terms of opportunities in the changing economic scenario.

Socially, the Other Backward Class (OBC) and other communities are becoming stronger in several areas.

An unfortunate brutal rape and murder of a minor girl from the Maratha community at Kopardi in Ahmednagar last year led to localised protests, which soon turned into statewide protests and Marathas started venting out their anger. This led to more organised protests in the next few months and Maratha Kranti Morcha protests.

The organisers of the protests have put forth 22 demands, including reservation for the community in government jobs and education, death sentence for the accused in the Kopardi case and dilution of the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Caste and Tribes Act.

The last demand has led to friction between the Maratha community and SC/ST communities at several places.

The protest march organisers, Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella outfit of Maratha community groups, have been insisting that they are not allowing any political parties or leaders to hijack the protests and all politicians are free to join the morchas as common participants. They have planned to put up a massive show of strength as the Mumbai rally could be the grand finale of their protest. Will they be able to achieve what they have been demanding? It still remains to be seen.

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On July 13, 2016, a 14-year-old from Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra was allegedly raped and murdered by three men.

According to the 350-page charge sheet filed by police in the court, the victim, who belonged to the Maratha community, was raped and murdered by Jitendra Shinde, Santosh G Bhaval and Nitin G Bhailume when she was returning home on a bicycle from her grandparents house in the evening.

As news spread the next day, Maratha community came on street in large numbers demanding stringent action against the accused. While the agitation was largely peaceful, incidents of violence were reported from Nashik.

The protests forced the state government to appoint Ujjwal Nikam as special public prosecutor and fast-track the case. According to prosecution, the case is currently in its last stage with cross examination being done by defence in district and sessions court in Ahmednagar. The prosecution has closed the case from its side by presenting 31 witnesses.

The case also led to demand for dilution of the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Tribes Act as the accused were from the Dalit community.
More than six lakh people took the streets on Wednesday to participate in the Maratha Kranti Morcha, a silent protest march from Byculla to Azad Maidan.

Hindustan Times took a 360-degree camera to the venue to capture the sights and sounds of this massive demonstration and take you right to its heart.

The Maratha community has been demanding reservation in government jobs and education. This was their third attempt to hold a march in Mumbai, after the first two failed following internal differences.
From the next academic year, medical graduates serving in remote parts of Maharashtra will get bonus marks in their entrance tests for post-graduation courses depending on the type of the area they served in  rural, hilly, tribal or Maoist-affected.

The Directorate of Health Services (DHS) proposed setting up a committee to categorise such areas and decide the quantum of additional marks  more challenging the working conditions, more the marks.

Students will be awarded up to 30% or 400 marks of the total 1,500 marks of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for post-graduation courses (NEET-PG).

The committee, which will be headed by Dr Prakash Doke, a former director of DHS, will consider factors such as geographical location and accessibility to categorise the remote areas. "Until now, there wasn't a proper classification of remote areas. As a result, the doctors serving in a high-risk area such as Gadchiroli would get the same bonus marks as those serving in calmer parts of the state. We have now decided to streamline the process," said Satish Pawar, director, DHS.

In a bid to incentivise doctors to serve in remote places, the Medical Council of India (MCI), as part of its Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2000, had introduced the bonus marks for eligible in-service doctors in admission tests for PG medical courses. In a 2012 regulation, MCI gave discretionary power to the state governments to award incentive marks to the in-service candidates working in the notified remote areas.

While Maharashtra has been awarding additional marks to in-service candidates, it would maintain a separate merit list and had a separate 30% quota for these candidates. But following a recent Supreme Court verdict, the state this year decided to quash the quota and came up with a common merit list with additional incentive marks for the in-service candidates.

The scheme has received a mixed response from the doctors and parents of medical students. The state should focus on improving conditions in rural health care facilities so that doctors dont have to be incentivised or forced to serve in remote parts, said Sudha Shenoy, a parent.

Sagar Mundada, state president, Indian Medical Association Youth Wing, welcomed the decision. "The move will help rural hospitals. However, additional marks shouldn't be more than five to 10% of the total marks," he said.

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Amid the chaos surrounding online assessment of answer papers at the University of Mumbai (MU), the vice-chancellor (V-C) Sanjay Deshmukh has been forced to go on an indefinite leave. The varsity has missed several deadlines and has still not completed the assessment process.

Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, who also serves as the chancellor of all public universities in the state, on Wednesday appointed the V-C of Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Devanand Shinde, in Deshmukhs place until he returns. With the registrar MA Khan also set to leave the varsity, the governor appointed Dhiren Patel, director of VJTI, Matunga, as an acting pro V-C until all results of the examination held in the first half of the year are declared.

While Raj Bhavan maintained Deshmukh had applied for leave on his own accord, a senior official from the state's department of higher and technical education said the governor asked the V-C to do so. "Deshmukh wasn't willing to leave office, but the governor made him do so," said the official.

Deshmukh has been under fire for his decision to overhaul the assessment process by adopting an on-screen marking (OSM) system. The decision caused a huge delay in the results because MU couldn't appoint an agency for a long time and technical glitches continue to plague the system. The governor had set July 31 as the deadline to declare all the results. But the varsity failed to do so. Several student organisations had demanded Deshmukh be sacked.

In a bid to speed up assessment, the governor has also filled the position of pro-VC on a temporary basis. For the past two years, MU has been working without a pro V-C and a full-time controller of examination. With the university registrar MA Khan's deputation as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Hajj Committee of India, another top post is likely to fall vacant soon.

The governor's action is being interpreted in different ways. "It's a political gimmick by the government, as the state legislature is in session. If technically Deshmukh has taken the leave voluntarily, there's a chance that he will be brought back. It's not easy to remove the V-C of a university. Deshmukh's predecessor Rajan Welukar served his entire tenure despite questions over his qualification," said a senior professor from the university. However, a senior varsity official suggested the leave could be the first step in replacing Deshmukh. "Removing a V-C is a complex and long-drawn process. There's a chance that the temporary leave could be transformed into a permanent one," he said. Deshmukh was unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts.

The professor also suggested the appointment of Shinde as acting V-C is a mistake.

"The governor should have appointed someone who has experience working with MU. The new V-C may need some time to get accustomed to the university's system." The university official, on the other hand, expressed confidence in Shindes abilities.

Read more:

Assessment mess: Mumbai university halves re-evaluation fees

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lay the foundation stone for the ambitious bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe next month in Sabarmati, Gujarat. However, the project has still not received land clearance from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) terminus.

Railway authorities are facing a tough time convincing villagers near Virar to give away their land for the project.

The land required for construction of an underground station at BKC is still under talks with the MMRDA. The state agency has asked the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) to change certain specifications in the alignment of the station.

Speaking on the issue an NHSRCL official said, The MMRDA has asked for certain changes in the alignment and the design of the underground station. We are currently studying the changes and will see how it affects the station.

The issue of land availability continues in Virar, where railway officials were abused when they went to discuss it with villagers.

The railways have now allocated a firm to study the social impact of the project and then assess what could be done. The authorities are also thinking of offering jobs to villagers on station premises once it is built and made operational.

There have been problems in Virar and Palghar districts as villagers are reluctant to give their land. We have hired a consultant to look into the social impact of the project in the area. We will then decide on giving the villagers jobs after the station is functional, said a senior NHSRCL official who did not wish to be named.

The bullet train network will be built with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The project is expected to cost Rs1,00,000 crore, of which Rs81,000 crore will be loaned from the Japanese firm.

The project is expected to begin by the end of 2018 and completed by 2023.

Meanwhile, the railways has planned 12 stations for the Mumbai - Ahmedabad bullet train service. They are BKC, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati.

The two maintenance depots will be built in Thane and Sabarmati. The authorities are also planning to link the bullet train with upcoming metros, Central and Western Railway services.

Two types of high-speed train services will operate on the route; one will be a rapid high -speed train and the second, a high speed train.

The rapid high-speed trains will halt at specific stations whereas the high-speed train will have a single halt.

The permitted speed is 350 km/hr but the railways plans on operating the trains at 320 km/hr.

The fare structure of the bullet train will be 1.5 times

the first class AC fare of mail express trains.

According to senior railway officials, the fare of the high speed train will be higher than the Rajdhani and Duronto Express.

It is too early to decide on the fare structure but they will definitely be higher than the first AC fares of mail express. Fare structures of Rajdhani and Duronto are also being considered, said a railway board

official on condition of anonymity.
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced various schemes and benefits for Marathas, after the community took out a massive rally in Mumbai.

The benefits of concessions in fees to 605 vocational courses, earlier applicable only to the other backward classes, will now be extended to students from the Maratha community .

The government will also provide skill development training to 3 lakh students from Maratha farmers families, interest-free loans to students for industrial units, among others.

While the issue of reservation is pending with the Bombay High Court, the government has announced a cabinet sub-committee, headed by revenue minister Chandrakant Patil, that will discuss issues related to reservation with community leaders every three months.

A delegation of various organizations participated met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at Vidhan Bhavan.

The CM told them about the measures taken by the government to expedite the process of reservation and ensure speedy trial in the Kopardi rape case.

Fadnavis, later informed the legislative Assembly the ruling in the Kopardi rape case has been delayed due to the delaying tactics of the counsels representing the accused.

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Better future for the next generation  this was the reason why most Marathas from across the state took part in the Maratha Kranti Morcha in Mumbai on Wednesday.

A case in point could be Neelam Patil, 25, who could not get her brother enrolled in an engineering college because the fee was Rs80,000.  Aspiring students from other castes pay Rs8,000. It has become impossible to study, aspire to do well, and compete with students who have the backing of reservation, said Patil, who walked all the way to Azad Maidan.

The Maratha community staged a massive silent protest with about 1.5lakh members gathering outside Byculla zoo to march to Azad Maidan.

The protesters want reservation for the Maratha Community in government jobs and higher education institutes.The communitys other main demand is justice for the victim of Kopardi rape.

Nagesh Thorat, who travelled to Mumbai from Solapur, said, I am participating in the rally to secure the future of my son, and the next generation.

Meanwhile, Sanjay Amale rallied with a mannequin propped up on a rod, and a rope tied to its neck, demanding justice for the victim of Kopardi rape case.

Jyoti Mahabal, 60 old said,My son is hard working, but we dont have the means to pay the fees. He wanted to study engineering, but did not get into a college of his choice.

Ravisha Jadhav, a 25-year-old science teacher from Chembur, said, I wanted to study medicine. I had to change my profession because I could not compete with students who got admission though the reserved quota.
A 30-year-old woman from Uttar Pradeshs Ghaziabad has accused the driver of app-based cab service provider Ola of flashing in Mumbai on Monday, police said on Wednesday.

Officials said the woman, who was in the city for an interview, booked a shared Ola cab from Andheri to Parel and there were other passengers in the vehicle when she got in. But when the cab reached SK Bole Marg at Shivaji Park, she was alone in the vehicle, the woman said in her complaint.

The woman said she was busy on her phone when she suddenly noticed the cab had stopped and then allegedly saw the driver opening the zip of his pant and flashing.

Shocked, the woman immediately got off the taxi and ran as far as she could. The woman then asked a passerby the address of the nearest police station and went to the Shivaji Park police station, said Rajiv Jain, deputy commissioner of police (zone V).

Jain said the police have registered an offence under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code against the driver for purportedly outraging the modesty of the woman. He said efforts are on to trace the culprit.

READ: Ola cab driver who flashed at woman passenger in Mumbai arrested

We have identified the driver with the help of the registration number and his mobile number that the woman had when she booked the taxi. We will arrest him soon, Jain said.

When contacted, an Ola spokesperson refused to comment on the issue.

In May, a woman in Bengaluru accused an Ola driver of molesting her when she was heading home from work around 2.30am. The woman, who is a professional singer, alleged the cabbie veered off the route shown on his Ola-approved mobile phone map after driving for a while and stopped at a deserted spot. The driver then turned around and groped her, the woman said in her complaint filed.

In the same month, Mumbai Police arrested an Ola driver for allegedly kidnapping and molesting a 32-year-old woman in his car in Mumbais Sewri area. The driver reportedly wanted her to be his friend.
For IIITs (Indian Institute of Information Technology) an upgrade is on the cards. They will soon be given the tag of Institute of National Importance. This puts them in the league of elite entities like the IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) and NITs (National Institute of Technology). It also means more funds for research from government organisations and PSUs, a more updated syllabus and an autonomous board that will have more freedom to appoint teachers.

The change will come to effect in a month or two, as soon as the Indian Institute of Information Technology Public Private Partnership (IIIT-PPP) Bill 2017 gets the Presidents assent and the bill gets notified in the official gazette of the government. It will affect the 15 of the 20 institutes started after 2013. The prominent amongst them are IIIT Sri City (Chittoor), IIIT Guwahati and IIIT Vadodara.

This status which was long due, says Ajay Sharma, director, IIIT Una, Himachal Pradesh. We can now expect industry oriented courses like business analytics and data analytics in the IIIT syllabus. Similar to IITs, IIITs could also start dual-degree courses, under which a student enters the institute after college and comes out with an M-tech degree.

More autonomy

With the new tag the institutes can now hope to improvise and update courses independently. We can customise suitable lesson plans and curricula, and appoint professors on our own, explains AK Das, director IIIT Senapati (Manipur). This will help in accomplishing the primary motive of the IIITs, which his to generate highly competent manpower of global standards for the information technology industry.

The new status will also enhance job prospects of graduating students, believes Gautam Barua, director, IIIT Guwahati. If the Bill had not cleared, we could have only provided provisional certificates and not degrees to the students who graduated this year, he says. While students joining private companies may not have had problems, those who got jobs in government organisations or those going for higher studies in India or abroad would have lost job opportunities.

Barua adds that giving IIITs the tag of an Institute of National Importance will give legitimacy to their brand value and make them eligible for research grants from PSUs and PhD scholarships from the government.

The IIITs will now also have greater autonomy in appointing faculty. The chairman of the board of each IIIT will be appointed by the President of India on the recommendation of the HRD ministry, says Srini Raju, member secretary, IIIT Sri City (Chittoor). Once these two board members are appointed, they will run the Institute.

The enforcement of this bill will further develop Indias IT sector. The foundation of IIITs was laid when the IT was booming in Hyderabad, Bangalore and Mumbai, says Barua. The government seemed keen to spread its reach and set up the institutes to develop new knowledge in Information Technology.

Das also points out that boosting the importance of educational institutes away from the metros will benefit the location and the student. The college gets a larger area for its premises and the cost of operation is also less, he says. Students get good environment to study at these smaller towns, outside of the urban hubbub.

New takers

Students hope that the elevated status will mean better job opportunities. We are now qualified for more research funds, believes Kaushik Gampala, a final year CSE student from IIIT, Sricity, Chittoor. Our labs will be upgraded with better machines, making scope for better research. We hope bigger companies like Amazon hire from here.

Himanshu Goyal, alumni of IIIT Kota, CSE batch of 2017, currently working in a start-up in Jaipur, says that the IIITs were previously the option for those who didnt do well enough to get into better institutions, like the IITs. Students were not attracted to the degree or its prospects. This bill will improve national rankings of the institutes and lure quality students, he believes.

Arsh Sharma, an engineering aspirant from Bhopal, believes that more computer engineering aspirants will aim for IIITs along with IITs and NITs.

An upgraded tag or elite status is hardly the shortcut to success. IITs, which have been Institutes of National Importance for about half a century, are not short on challenges. They are struggling with their post-graduation programmes, points out Sanjay Dhande. He was the former director of IIT Kanpur and now serves as the chairman of the board of governors at NIT Delhi. They need to shift their focus from under-graduate courses to post-graduate ones. It is the PG that defines the quality of an institute.

Prasad Deshmukh, vice-president of recruitment at Assort staffing says that IIITs become more industry ready. This would mean collaborating with the corporate world to stay relevant. The institutes will take time to match up to the brand value of IITs in the job market. The new bill makes good scope for employment of the students from these institutes.
Students, teachers and researchers marched from August Kranti Maidan to Girgaum Chowpatty on Wednesday to demand proper funding and focus for scientific research.

Their demands included raising the percentage of GDP allotted to research from 0.8% to 3%, and an increase in funding for education as a whole to reach 10% of GDP.

Armed with posters that bore slogans like Science not Silence, People its time to react, and Defend Science, Dont De-fund Science, the protesters gathered at Kranti Maidan at 4pm on Wednesday amidst fleeting showers. The march started at 4.15pm. The march was part of a larger global movement which caused more than a million people to take to the streets across 600 cities in April. This was the first march in Mumbai.

Vikrant Shetty, a student at DY Patil University, said, There are many brilliant minds in this country, but research is not incentivised as much as it should be.

Researchers extract knowledge from little-known areas. This is commendable in an era in which people are purposely muddling information, said another physics student Neel Kohle from Ruparel College.

The march aims for government policies towards research and education to be evidence-driven. Dr Deepak Modi, a cellular and molecular biologist who was also at the march, spoke passionately about how irksome it is for scientists to face pseudo-scientific ideas that are gaining popularity.

Shubojit Sen, a fellow at the Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (CBS) added that social media was partly responsible for this. People use WhatsApp as means for evidence. This highlights a flaw in our education system which needs to teach citizens how to consume and process information.

Modi also spoke about how outsourcing funding for research to the private sector is not a viable option: We need support from the government for unbiased research. Companies often only wish to fund research that beneficial to them. It is no use having the government tell scientists that they must be self-sustaining if they are entrepreneurs. Not all scientists are entrepreneurs  they are simply passionate about innovation, and the system is killing it.

The general consensus seemed to be that although the countrys GDP has increased rapidly over the past few decades, allocation to research had not kept up.

Dr Aniket Sule, a researcher at the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, who helped coordinate the logistics for the march, pointed out how religious dogma had facilitated the propagation of pseudo science in the recent years, and Hridey Mangwani from Cactus Commincations noted the absence of research papers by Indian authors in international settings as many had chosen to migrate because of the lack of funding. We need to foster a better environment to retain talent in the country, he said.
Two sailors of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) saved a 35-year-old woman who fell into sea near Gateway of India on Tuesday. The incident occurred around 9pm when ICGs Rahul Kumar Singh and Vinod were on an evening walk and saw a crowd gather near the shore.

People were screaming for help for a woman who was drowning. Both sailors were not on duty but they decided to help the woman despite rough seas and dark hours, said an ICG official. Vinod jumped into the sea with a rope tied to his waist and Rahul held on to the rope with the help of a policeman. Vinod valiantly braved high waves to bring the woman to a nearby ramp, added the ICG official.

The woman was not breathing when they got her out so the sailors administrated CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) on her and revived her. After the cop on the spot alerted the police control room, a police vehicle was sent there to take the woman to St George Hospital for further treatment, added the official.

The sailors accompanied her to the hospital to ensure she receives immediate medical help. Her family was then informed about the incident. We have been trying to find out how the woman fell into the sea. Since she is in shock we will ask her later. At the time of the incident she was alone, said a police officer from Colaba. The sailors  Rahul from Bihar and Vinod from Haryana  joined the ICG in February 2015 and are currently attached to the Worli ICG headquarters.
The Ghaziabad district magistrate has ordered an inquiry into complainants that RWAs are threatening to snap power and water connections of tenants, especially single working women and bachelors, if they did not vacate the premises.

The district magistrate said that such activities will be dealt with strongly.

District magistrate (DM) Ministhy S took cognizance of several complaints submitted by flat owners and ordered an inquiry into the complaints. The officials said that the complaints primarily came from Indirapuram, which has a presence of several high-rises.

The RWAs should not intervene in such matters when the flat owner is ready to rent out the flat to students and working women. I will get an inquiry conducted into the matter. We have also received complaints that boards displaying bachelors not allowed or working women not allowed have been put up. RWAs cannot carry out such an action, as it is against the law, the DM said.

The DM said that she has also spoken to the deputy registrar of societies (Meerut) for further action into the matter.

In one of the complaints, a flat owner from Indirapuram stated that she rented out the flat to young women and they were abiding by the rules and regulations of the high-rise. She alleged that the RWA has been threatening to cut connections of their utilities if they do not vacate the flat.

RWAs/AOAs have put up boards restricting bachelors outside high-rises. It is not justified to disallow a person from renting premises on the basis of marital status. The residents should inform the flat owner if they face any problem. The model by-laws dont allow associations to disallow bachelors or working women. They have no right to stop essential services, Alok Kumar, founding member, the federation of apartment owners association, said.

However, in some cases, it has been found that owners have rented out the flat to multiple persons, in the style of a PG. This should not be allowed as it falls under commercial activity, he said.

There are nearly 300 high-rises in Ghaziabad and the housing sector has seen rapid development in the last decade. However, there is no hostel for working women or students who come to work and study here.

The DM should conduct an inquiry into the matter. Residents are apprehensive that bachelors may create a nuisance or party late night, causing problems for other residents. However, there is no provision to deprive anyone of essential services. No RWA or AOA can enforce such a law, said Colonel (retired) TP Tyagi, president of flat owners federation.

AOAs are governed by model by-laws. Under no section do the by-laws mention that bachelors can be disallowed. The policy of putting up boards banning bachelors and working women is wrong and cannot be enforced, as per law, he said.

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The police on Wednesday arrested two persons, a private developer and his accomplice, for gunning down a 32-year-old man over his alleged relationship with a woman staffer that the builder didnt approve of. While the woman is Hindu, the victim was from the Muslim community.

Asif, who was married with two minor children, was gunned down outside Gaur Mall in the posh Raj Nagar District Centre on the evening of August 4. Sources said he went shopping with Shivani, the woman staffer he allegedly had a relationship with.

According to the police, Shivanis employer, Dinesh Sharma, arrived at the mall along with two accomplices and fired four bullets at the victim. He died at the scene, the police said.

Dinesh and Lucky, one of his accomplices from Hoshiyarpur in Punjab, were arrested. Police said Dinesh did not approve of Shivans relationship with Asif, who owned an electrical panel unit at Hindon Vihar. Sharma said he was close to Shivans family and tried to persuade her to snap ties with Asif.

Shivani had been working with Dinesh as an accountant for the past three years.

She is Brahmin and so am I. Her father, who died two years ago, was also a priest. I told her several times to snap ties with Asif, but she did not pay heed. Asif would often visit my office to pick her up and their relationship grew. Since I couldnt talk her out of the relationship, I decided to get rid of him. I planned the murder nearly 15-20 days ago with two of my friends, Sharma said.

We had been looking for them for the last 15 days and finally managed to gun him down, Sharma told police.

The police said that they have recovered the .30 calibre pistol which was used to kill Asif and the two-wheeler used by Dinesh and Lucky. They said they are also trying to trace Rajiv Kumar, the third accused in the case who is on the run.

On the day of the incident, Shivani left her office near NH-24 in the evening and was to meet Asif at the mall. Asif arrived in his (Mahindra) XUV, while Shivani reached the mall on her scooty. The trio, who had been waiting outside the mall for more than an hour, saw the couple stepping out after shopping. As Shivani was seeing off Asif, the trio arrived near his XUV and fired several rounds on him, Neeraj Kumar Singh, station house officer, Kavi Nagar police station, said.

Read I Six held for murder of Ghaziabad temple priest

Following the incident, Dinesh and Lucky fled on their two-wheeler, while Rajiv fled on his bike. The entire incident was captured on a CCTV camera installed outside the mall.

Shivani dragged the profusely bleeding Asif to an auto and took him to a hospital. However, he succumbed to his wounds. Her clothes were soaked with blood, Singh said.

Shivani told the police that she had been in a relationship with Asif for the past 14 years and also purchased a property together. Despite her relationship, she did not object to Asifs marriage with another woman.

The police have booked Dinesh, Lucky and Rajiv for murder with common intention under the Indian Penal Code at Kavi Nagar police station.

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The police have absolved Shivani, who was in a relationship with murdered Muslim youth Asif, of any involvement in the crime. She worked for a private developer, who resented his relationship with the youth and allegedly shot him dead with his accomplices.

Asif was allegedly gunned down by Dinesh Sharma, Shivanis employer, and two of his accomplices, Lucky and Rajiv, as she stepped out after shopping with Asif at the Gaur Mall in Raj Nagar District Centre on August 4. Asifs family later named Shivani as a prime accused in the case.

We have given a clean chit to Shivani as she has not been found to have had any role in the murder or conspiracy behind it. She and the victim had gone shopping and both had no clue that Sharma and his accomplices were following her. We also scanned the electronic surveillance records and found no connection between Shivani and Sharma or his accomplices, Neeraj Kumar Singh, station house officer, Kavi Nagar police station, said.

Shivani, 30 , had told police that she had been in a relationship for more than 14 years with Asif and was not ready to break it off at the behest of her employer.

When her father died in December 2015, I went to her house and saw Asif taking the responsibility of her fathers cremation and making other arrangements. I did not approve of this relationship, as he was from a different community. I told Shivani that she is Brahmin should stay away from him, Dinesh Sharma, the accused builder, said.

A fortnight back, Dinesh procured two mobile phones in the name of two persons. The phones were used by his associates Dinesh and Lucky to plan the murder and also evade police surveillance.

When Dinesh and his accomplices arrived at the mall to kill Asif, Shivani spotted him along with Lucky. Lucky offen visited Dineshs officer to meet him. Although she was named as an accused by Asifs family, they later gave statements to the police that they dont suspect her of having a role in the crime. She often visited his family and was in good terms with them, Singh added.

After the arrest of Dinesh and Lucky, Shivani is now a prime witness in the case and will record her statement against her employer.

We will get her statement recorded before a magistrate, as she is the only prime witness in the case and saw the entire incident first hand. Asif sustained three gunshots and lay bleeding next to his car. Though Shivani took him to the nearest hospital, he succumbed to his injuries, Singh added.

Read I Father of IPS officer Sanjeev Tyagi found dead in Ghaziabad home

On the day of the arrest, the police brought Shivani to identify Dinesh and his accomplice. However, the woman lost her cool and attacked Dinesh. He was rescued by the police.

To ascertain the entire sequence of events, the police also undertook a scene of crime reconstruction where Dinesh told them about the exact happenings and the route they took to arrive at the mall. After shooting Asif, Dinesh said he fled to Jaipur. He was arrested on his return to Ghaziabad.

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A team led by Uttar Pradesh industries minister Satish Mahana is in Ahmedabad to showcase industrial schemes and invite investors into the state. Noida authority chairman and principal secretary for UP industrial development department, Alok Sinha, and Greater Noida authoritys chief executive officer, Debasish Panda, are also part of the delegation.

Officials said that they aim to bring investment, set up industries and create jobs in UP cities including areas under the Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway authorities.

We want to invite textile, pharmaceutical, gems and jewellery industries to set up shop in UP. They can choose any city and we will provide timely clearances for them. We want to replicate the Gujarat model of industrial development to boost growth in the state, said Sinha.

The model is centred on trade and being business friendly to attract investors.

The Greater Noida authority has to sell around 1,000 industrial plots in older sectors of the city. The Greater Noida authority also has a dedicated industrial township on 335 hectares, which is a part of Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor project.

After the Jewar airport project was approved, officials of the three authorities are hopeful that the demand for industrial schemes will increase.

UP, as a state, offers a lot of good opportunities to investors, corporate houses and entrepreneurs. The Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway areas will attract corporate houses due to their proximity to Delhi and now, the airport project in Jewar, said Sinha.

We will showcase our industrial schemes to potential investors and try to convince them to invest in Greater Noida. We have a lot to offer to mobile phone manufacturing units, IT firms and other investors. We hope to lure investors with lucrative schemes that we have on offer. We will stay there on Wednesday and Thursday, said Panda.

The Noida authority is about to launch three dedicated industrial sectors  155, 156 and 157  along the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and sell plots of either 20,000 square metres or 600-800 sqm. The authority is planning to start selling plots in Sector 155 in the next week to corporate houses that want to set up start-ups with small investments.

The Greater Noida authority has around 1,000 acres of industrial land, Noida has around 500 hectares and the Yamuna Expressway industrial development authority (YEIDA) is in possession of 600 acres of agricultural land for industrial purpose.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath in July 2017 had approved a new industrial policy to boost industrialisation and create employment for the youth.

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The district administration has decided to crack down on illegal parking lots and a case will be registered against those found running them.

Cases against those causing public nuisance will be registered in the office of City Magistrate, Noida.

The decision was taken at the first weekly public grievance meeting held under the chairmanship of district magistrate BN Singh on Wednesday evening.

To streamline traffic system in the city, the district transport department and traffic police will prepare a plan to act against the plying of illegal e-rickshaws in the city and submit the same in a week.

After having a detailed discussion on the parking facilities across the city, it was decided that the 41 authorised parking lots run by the Noida authority will be managed as per the laid down norms. All parking lots will have the name of the contractor, their mobile numbers and the capacity to accommodate vehicles displayed properly on site. If any vehicles is found exceeding the capacity of the parking lot mentioned on the display board, action will be taken against the contractor by the district administration, the DM said.

It was also decided that the Noida authority will give the details of the unauthorised parking lots in the city before the next weekly meeting to the district administration. On the basis of the report by the Noida authority, the district administration will act against offenders running illegal parking lots under section 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code, said Singh.

The district magistrate also said that the city magistrate and police will hold a meeting with the industrialists to streamline parking in industrial areas over the next 15 days.

Singh said it was also decided at the meeting that the Noida authority will submit a report on encroachments that not only cause congestion, but also inconvenience residents to the district administration.

Read I Noida authority may build multilevel parking lots in all sectors

Besides removing encroachments, the district administration will also register a case under Section 133 of the CrPC against the offenders.

Love Kumar, senior superintendent of police, AK Singh, superintendent of police (city), Mahender Singh, city magistrate, Dr Anurag Bhargav, chief medical officer and Rajesh Kumar Singh, deputy chief executive officer of the Noida authority were also present at the meeting.

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Three men were held for allegedly breaking the windows of cars and stealing laptops and mobile phones in Bisrakh area of Greater Noida on Tuesday. The police said that the trio belongs to the tappebaaz gang, which is active in Delhi-NCR and many members of which were previously arrested.

The police identified the accused as Rashid, 33, Sameer, 33 and Mustafa, 32, of Chuchola in Amroha district. The arrests were made around 2.30pm on Tuesday when the Honda City car in which the trio was travelling was intercepted at Richpal Ghari bridge in Bisrakh.

Anit Kumar, circle officer, Greater Noida -3, said, The car was intercepted following some inputs. During checking, the accused could not produce the vehicles documents. On questioning, they confessed to their involvement in stealing the car.

Kumar said that Rashid was the head of the gang, which had around 10 members. He said, There are more than 10 cases registered against each of them across the police stations of Noida and Greater Noida. They puncture tyres and sometimes, they throw oil on the car to distract the driver and then rob commuters of valuables.

The gang members would break windows of cars that were parked in uncrowded locations. They break the windows and puncture the tyre, Kumar said.

The police suspect that there are around 40 groups, which follow the same modus operandi, are active in the area. The trio was found to have conducted heists and robberies in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu a year ago, the police said.

The police said that Mustafa holds a BA degree, while the two others had cleared class 10 or 12. The police also recovered seven mobile phones, 10 laptops, Rs2,800 and a Honda City car from the accused.

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Many people ask me how it feels like being a Muslim these days. Do I relate more to victims or to transgressors now that the fault-lines have become so hazy? Am I comfortable with my Muslim identity or am I, deep down inside, alienated from my imagined community? Do I at times feel like a person of colour from the Jim Crow era who would want to put up a sartorial disguise, wear a turban, primp his face up so that he could pass off as anything other than a person of colour. Do I feel uncertain and vulnerable like a George Eliot of our times who would want to take up a male-sounding name to confound the masculinities that have a problem with everything coming from a woman other than children? Do I at times also think about parting away with my identity to survive like a man, Jew by heart but Christian by looks? What is dearer to me  my passport or my faith? Or for that matter what is more challenging  being a Muslim in India or being a Shia in Pakistan?

I admit these are very difficult questions and with all that has been happening in our name across the world, and with all that is being done to us in return, the answers are far from being easy.

Sometime back when I read Naseerudin Shahs widely-acclaimed piece on why Muslims are suspected en masse of being unpatriotic, I had thought of finding some answers there. But instead, I found a disclaimer, at the outset: that I am not a practising Muslim, I have no memory of my Muslim upbringing and I am not even overly aware of my Muslim identity.

Then I wondered, why it is that every time a Muslim talks about being a Muslim in the contemporary world, it becomes important to first disassociate yourself from the overly faith-conscious, backward-looking, violence-prone majority? Who are we speaking for then? Are these disclaimers a part of the larger moral crisis that we are victims of, at a subconscious level, while we try to sound strong and morally correct?

I looked within and realised that while the ground is really shrinking from beneath our feet and there is little we can do about it, are we really ready to avoid these disclaimers, can we be less apologetic about our identities; are we ready to be what we are?

So I remember one day when I asked my father why he had agreed to name me after a Saudi king who was later on assassinated by his own nephew, also named Faisal, he referred me to an old, dog-eared notebook and told me a story.

The events after the Yom Kippur War of 1973 and the subsequent OPEC-led oil shock to Western economies had catapulted Faisal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud to a cult status across the Muslim world, he had noted on the margins, while the main pages had numerological calculations all over. Faisal was seen as someone in the vanguard of this Arab-led assault, a rare man who had shown a fist to anti-Muslim powers of the time. And because the legend had further rarefied while travelling to us all the way through Khyber Pass, we are talking about pre-WWW days here, in Pakistan they built a grand mosque in his name and in Kashmir we celebrated him in an even more lasting manner  by naming lot of new-borns - Faisal.

Those were ironically the times when Mohammad Yusuf Khan had already shot to pinnacle of fame under the screen name Dilip Kumar but my father had refused to take inspiration from that!

In a neatly-written birthday poem, at another place in this notebook, my father, a pious, practising Muslim, had surmised that this Tuesday-born, starry-eyed Muslim boy would one day conquer distant, blue horizons in India like the man after whom he has been named did in the deserts of Arabia. This name in Abjad (corresponding to ABGD alphabet in Hebrew), a system of Arab numerology very popular in Kashmir, promised a very reassuring horoscope.

But two years back when I had to name my child, a Friday-born, starry-eyed, Muslim-boy, I was compelled to look for something more than history and horoscope. How about Jami (The one who unites), one of the 99 beautiful names of Allah, suggested my uncle. Or does it sound Arab and will that be a problem? India is changing, so is rest of the world, and would you like a less Muslim-sounding name for him? he added with a grim face.

I was aware of the trend of taking anglicised or faith-neutral names for children, like Noor (light), Aman (peace), Aryan, Sahil (shore) or less Persian or Arabic sounding names like Sameer, Ayan or neologisms like AbRam or Semitic mononyms that point to an Abrahamic-connection rather than a clear Mohammedan pedigree  Adam, Harun, Abrahim, Isa, Ishaq. People said that in todays world such names were more welcome at visa counters and placement kiosks. Names like Taimur, Osama, Saddam were pariah.

So we decided to name him Jami. It sounded Arab but since Jami (1414-1492AD) had also been a great Sufi saint and Persian Universalist, instead of being a Wahabi( irony is that these are the two major categories in which Muslims are these days boxed into!) I thought my child might also get a benefit of doubt one day and he would be seen as a moderate Muslim, if people continued to be judged by their names in future also.

But then I am still not sure if we made the choice to be what we are, or if he will get that benefit of doubt as he grows up in a world where lynch-mobs are sniffing at your tiffin-boxes; where your nationalism is a substandard nationalism because you are only two hundred million people; where you will always be given a choice to settle on the other side of the border if your opinion is on the other side of the dominant discourse and where a good Muslim is someone who shuns his identity, his culture, his faith and his name and gets assimilated inside the stinking large gut of a failing democracy. I dont know how this name will play out in future.

The world is changing but honestly it doesnt matter to us as long as India remains anchored to its secular moorings. In this storm of universal hate, this country had to be the last patch of sunshine. But Indias possible drift towards a mono-cultural formulation from a multi-ethnic civilisation means that I might have to soon add disclaimers to my statements about myself or that I might have to do a Dilip Kumar on my child, and at this moment I am not even sure how to do that. There is this feeling of a broken covenant; there is a lump in the throat every time a man is lynched in the name of India and we are expected to be quiet and every time there is a terror attack and we are expected to speak up and condemn it. It does hurt. Let me say it at the cost of sounding heartbroken that it is hard to relate to an India that turns back on the fundamental promise made in the preamble to its Constitution.

Shah Faesal is an IAS officer serving in Jammu and Kashmir

The views expressed are personal
Local court sent two people to 14 days of judicial custody after they were found carrying foreign currency stuffed in packages of upma  a breakfast food. The custody was granted by chief judicial magistrate of Pune, according to the customs officials.

The two were arrested on Sunday and were identified as Nishant Vijay Yetam of Raigad and Harsha Ranglani Raju of Mumbai. They were travelling to Dubai on an Air India flight, said customs officials.

The foreign currency included $1,72,800 and 30,000 collectively worth Rs1,30,78,695, according to a statement issued by office of the commissioner of customs.

The money was packed under the steel casing, meant for heat insulation, in four casseroles carrying upma. The casseroles were sent through check-in baggage, according to the customs officials.

All the currency was seized under the reasonable belief that the same were attempted to be smuggled out of Indian and hence liable for confiscation under provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 read with Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Currency) Regulations 2015, as amended, framed under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999, the statement read.
Lying in a private ward of a citys government hospital, the 10-year-old rape survivor is now in the final weeks of pregnancy.

Now 34 weeks pregnant, she still does not know that she is going to become a mother. The girl was admitted to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH-32), Sector 32, on Tuesday.

She is healthy, happy and is enjoying cartoons on TV. The child has no clue about what happened to her and neither anyone is going to tell her, said a senior doctor from GMCH-32.

On Wednesday, a detailed medical report will be prepared on the health condition of the child and it will be submitted to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

The CWC have informed that the state that UT administration will fund t he hospitalisation cost of the child and the family will not have to pay anything.

The case came to light in July after the girl was taken to a hospital when she complained of stomach ache.

The girl was raped allegedly by her maternal uncle, a hotel worker, repeatedly over seven months.The girls family hails from Nepal and has been residing in servants quarters in one of the sectors in Chandigarh. Her father is a watchman and the mother works as a domestic help.

Two weeks ago, the child was examined by a panel of experts from the PGIMER, which was formed on the directions of the Supreme Court.

We were asked to check whether it was safe for the child to continue pregnancy and we had said yes, as the child was already 32 weeks pregnant. There was no scope of abortion.

But, we had written that she was at a higher risk in comparison to the adult women, said the doctor.

The panel members had suggested that the child needs to be under constant medical supervision.

Two weeks after the panels suggestion and a week after recommendation by the CWC, the child has been admitted to the GMCH-32.

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The Friday night stalking incident has made UT administration sit up and take notice of non-functional CCTV cameras. It has promised to make all 93 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed at various traffic junctions functional by August 11.

The administration is blaming the Mumbai-based company Schneider Electric India Private Limited, which was allotted the contract to maintain the cameras in 2009 for 10 years at a cost of Rs 4.44 crore. Every year, the administration pays Rs 19 lakh to the company for its maintenance, but as per the record only 50% of its cameras are functional.

On Friday night, when Vikas Barala, son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala, allegedly stalked the daughter of a senior IAS officer, only 50 CCTV cameras were functioning out of a total 93 in the city.

Speaking to HT on Wednesday, Ranjit Singh, superintendent engineer, electrical wing, said, We have issued company several notices and even imposed a fine of Rs 44 lakh in 2012, but now they have promised to make all CCTV cameras functional. On Tuesday, they repaired some cameras and now we have around 74 cameras functional.

Another senior officer of electrical wing said, Owing to a problem in the software, the recording facility in the CCTV cameras is not functioning. The process of upgrading technology to fix the issue of non-availability of recording facility is underway, which will take at least three months.

2 years on, intelligent traffic solution yet to see light

The UT administration in 2015 conceptualised the project of intelligent traffic solutions for the city. Under this, the city was to be covered with more than 600 CCTV cameras. But even after two years nothing has been done on the project. A senior officer of UT administration said that they plan to come up with smart CCTV cameras which would not only help in keeping vigil, but also help in nabbing criminals and traffic violators. We are hopeful of doing it soon, he said.

Under the project, hi-tech CCTV cameras with night vision capacity and ability to capture vehicle number plates were to be installed in the city. The cameras will also be equipped with technology such as face recognition and face matching.

Chinks in Nighebaan project

Under the Nighebaan project, Chandigarh police have installed 14,000 CCTV cameras covering the city markets and residential areas of city. However, there is no provision of monitoring these cameras that are installed with public participation.

At present the police retrieves the footage of these cameras only after a crime is reported. These cameras are not used for prevention of crime as there is no mechanism to monitor these. Apart from lack of monitoring the other issue faced is the cameras installed are of not of very high resolution, lack in night vision and have a limited memory.

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Punjabs biggest cable television company Fastway Transmissions Private Limited (FTPL), which has been constantly under fire from local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, is also under the scanner of the income tax (I-T) department for alleged tax evasion.

The department, which looked into its supply of set top boxes, has found that Fastway showed purchase of approximately eight lakh boxes worth Rs 144 crore from a US-based company as lease for three financial years from 2012-13 to 2014-15. The transaction was shown as finance lease.

During the three-year period, FTPL has paid Rs 144 crore, apart from Rs 21-crore interest, to a non-banking finance company linked to the US firm. The payments were claimed as revenue expenditure by stating that these were for lease rentals instead of purchase. The transaction is that of loan repayment but has been given the colour of lease, IT sources told Hindustan Times.

FTPL, which is in the business of multi-system operators and digital cable services, provides cable services to its customers in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh through set top boxes.

ASSESSMENT ORDER

The economic life span of set top boxes is 3 to 4 years. The agreement stipulates that at the end of the lease period, the ownership of set top boxes on option will be transferred to FTPL after making a nominal payment of Re 1 per set top box as against the actual cost of Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500. The transaction is arranged in such a manner that the cable company is the owner of set top boxes at the end of lease term, reads the assessment order for fiscal year 2013-14.

The department raised a tax demand of Rs 15 crore and the matter is in the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) at Chandigarh. The appeal being heard by a two-member bench saw heated arguments during a hearing last month. The assessment of related transactions during the remaining two years is at different stages.

When contacted, FTPL managing director Gurdeep Singh said the company has filed an appeal in ITAT against the departments order. It is pending before it, he said.

NO TAX EVASION, SAYS FIRM

FTPL chartered accountant (CA) Rajesh Mehru said there has been no tax evasion or concealment of facts.

It is a legal and technical issue regarding allowability of lease rental claimed by the company. We have procured the boxes on the basis of operating lease. The (IT) department is considering it as if we have purchased the boxes and is ready to allow depreciation on them, declining the lease rental. Our claim of lease rent expense is supported by a circular of the Central Board of Direct Taxes and judgments by apex court, he said.

Mehru said the department raised the tax demand and the company is paying it. We have paid Rs 5 crore and our accounts have been defreezed. The rest is being paid in instalments, he said. Fastway, which has a virtual monopoly over cable business in Punjab, has been at the receiving end of an onslaught launched by Sidhu against its alleged evasion of state taxes and charges.

The minister has accused the company of non-payment of charges and taxes running into hundreds of crores. He has repeatedly goaded the state government to conduct audit into the cable networks accounts and take action against it. However, chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh has ruled out any vendetta in this regard.

The cable network firm owned by a Ludhiana-based transporter had a smooth run during the 10-year-rule of Akalis, expanding its business at a scorching pace.

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Around 8,000 ducks and domesticated birds within one-km radius of the hotspot will be culled in the coming days to check the disease spread.
The Union home ministry has expressed its inability to immediately spare two companies of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to assist Punjab Police in guarding jails. The ministrys communication to the state home department cites dearth of trained personnel with the force for its decision.

Under the agreement between the state government and the Union home ministry, reached in April this year, the Centre was to provide two CISF companies to ensure security at the high-security and sensitive jails where hardcore terrorists and gangsters are lodged. In exchange, Punjab was to provide two companies of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) to the ministry.

In the latest communication, the Union home ministry has also suggested that since the CISF was a specially-trained Central force, exchanging it with Batallions of Police force may not be a workable idea, said a senior functionary in state home department.

What was the proposal

Punjab home department had mooted he idea to hand over few sensitive jails or few sensitive zones inside jails  dreaded gangsters and criminals are lodged here  to the CISF to break the nexus betweeen jail department officials and these hard-core criminals.

It has been observed that dreaded smugglers and crimianls develop cordial relation with the security staff by alluring them with money or by threatening them to harm their family members. When the security would be from outside and more professional, it would be difficult for the inmates to enjoy lavish life inside, a senior officer said.

Another reason behind asking for central security was to prevent embarrassing situations like the November 2016 Nabha Jail break, where five gangsters and a terrorist fled after conniving with the jail staff and police officials.

Additional director general of police (ADGP) jails, Gaurav Yadav said the proposal was still on and Punjab home secretary NS Kalsi and state DGP Suresh Arora had repeatedly discussed the issue with the Union home ministry. As far as I know, the CISF has said that the force needs special training to guard Punjab jails. They have said the two batallions will be sent once their new recruits are free from training. There might be a delay, but we are sure to get the CISF, he added.

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Rana Daggubatis first release after Baahubali 2, Nene Raju Nene Manthri, has created quite a buzz and is eagerly awaited. The teaser, the trailer and the songs have all been received well by the audience. The actor is on a promotion spree and was in Bangalore where he spoke at length about the difference between Jogendra, the character he plays in Nene Raju Nene Manthri, and Baahubalis Bhallaladeva.

Asked about Jogendra, Rana said this characters graph is very vast and expansive. He is a man whose life is marked by love, lust and power.

Nene Raju Nene Manthri is a love story set in the backdrop of politics, he explained.

To those who are not very familiar with Ranas work, the Baahubali actor played a politician early in his career in a film called Leader. However, his most memorable role remains Bhallaladeva of Baahubali series.

Rana Daggubati says unlike Jogendra, Bhallaladevas single agenda in life was to be the king.

Jogendra from Nene Raju Nene Manthri is not an honest guy like the one in Leader who works for the betterment of society. Rather, Jogendras journey into politics begins after he has been wronged by some people. He plays the power game for his personal reasons. In fact, Jogendra is quite a contradiction -- he breaks law with impunity and takes on his opponents in power with gumption. However, he loves, cares and respects his people.

Bhallaladeva was plain badass -- he had a clear vision of what he wanted and went about getting it. But in comparison, Jogendra has a lot of greys to his character.

Speaking to Indian Express, heres how Rana explained the difference: Well, Nene Raju Nene Manthri is completely a different tale. This is a tale of a man, who has a very big graph in life and very big graph in society. His growth is all over the place. In Baahubali, Bhallaladeva had a clear-cut view that he wanted to be the king of that place and thats it. But, this is a completely different tale.

Jogendra is a self-assured king. And I cant deny the fact that there is some coolness in playing a bad guy, he added.

And yet Jogendra didnt start out as this guy running after power. Jogendra is not someone from the political world. He is just one of us. He is pissed off at something that someone did to him and he goes back fighting. He is in the world that he doesnt know. He is waging a war that he doesnt know whether he will win or lose. It is almost like an eye-opener for a lot of us in terms of how a layman would understand these things, Rana was quoted as saying.

Nene Raju Nene Manthri (Telugu) has been directed by Teja and will hit the screens on August 11. The film is a trilingual -- it is called Naan Aanaiyittaal in Tamil and Raaja Kireedam in Malayalam.

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Ending his silence on journalist Dhanya Rajendran being viciously trolled for criticising his film Sura, Tamil superstar Vijay has asked his fans to not abuse women. In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, he has asked his fans and supporters to not post anything on social media that can be taken as an insult to women.

I respect women in society. Anybody has the freedom of expression to criticise anybodys film. In my opinion, whatever the circumstances, no one should reveal contemptuous or disgraceful comments on woman. I urge everyone not to post anything on internet with the instinct that harms women.

Chennai-based journalist Dhanya Rajendran posted a tweet in which she said she walked out of Shah Rukh Khans film Jab Harry Met Sejal and compared it with walking out of Vijays film Sura some years ago. The fans of Vijay didnt take it well and trolling started almost instantaneously. From rape threats to attacking the journalists family, the trolling got worse in the next few days. Vijay fans made even a hashtag trend tragetting the journalist.

Rajendran had to finally complain to the police and her statement has been recorded. According to reports, the police are looking for four people who tweeted using aliases. The Twitter accounts have now been deleted.

Cases have been filed under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), Information Technology Act 2000 and TN Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 2002.

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Editor Ruben says action in upcoming Tamil spy thriller Vivegam, which he describes as truly international film, will be jaw-dropping and unbelievable.

Directed by Siva, the film is slated for August 24 release.

Vivegam is truly an international spy film with all the goosebumps moments. Ajith sirs screen presence is like a massive thunder. He has done a mind-blowing job. The stunt sequences he has done are just jaw dropping and unbelievable, Ruben said in a statement.

In the film, shot predominantly across picturesque locations in Europe, Ajith plays a secret agent.

On teaming up with Siva for the second time, Ruben said, My chemistry with Siva sir is so good that I enjoy working with him. The belief he has in me makes me go the extra mile.

The film features Ajith and Kajal Aggarwal as husband and wife.

Akshara Haasan and Vivek Oberoi will be seen in pivotal roles.

Produced by Sathya Jyothi Films, Vivegam has music by Anirudh Ravichander.

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This weekend, a flight travelling from Greece to Philadelphia was hit by severe turbulence just before landing, sending three passengers and seven crew members to hospital. Its the latest incident of extreme turbulence to make headlines for terrifying passengers. In June, a United Airlines flight traveling from Panama to Houston was also hit by extreme turbulence, slamming one passenger into the ceiling and leaving a dozen other fliers with bumps, bruises, and chest and neck pain. Similar cases have been reported around the world.

According to scientist Paul Williams of the University of Reading, this is just the beginning. In his study published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences this spring, Williams predicts that incidents of moderate-to-severe turbulence could increase by 127%, while severe turbulence could spike by 149% on transatlantic flights in the near future. Severe turbulence is defined as a force strong enough to catapult unbuckled passengers and crew around the aircraft cabin.

While there are studies aplenty detailing the effects of climate change for life on terra firma, Williams study shows that global warming will also have a major impact on air travel, generating stronger wind shears within the jet stream. Wind shears are a major cause of turbulence when they become unstable.

Whats particularly worrying about clear-air turbulence (CAT)  the type of turbulence attributed to climate change  is that its undetectable by satellites, on-board radar, or pilots, and therefore difficult to avoid, he adds. For most passengers, light turbulence is nothing more than an annoying inconvenience that reduces their comfort levels, but for nervous fliers even light turbulence can be distressing, Williams said in a statement.

However, even the most seasoned frequent fliers may be alarmed at the prospect of a 149% increase in severe turbulence, which frequently hospitalises air travellers and flight attendants around the world. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, 44 people received serious injuries from turbulent flights in the US in 2016, compared to 21 in 2015 and 31 in 2014.

A serious injury is defined as requiring more than 48 hours of hospitalisation. To stay safe on board, the FAA reminds passengers to wear a seat belt at all times while seated, and use an approved child safety seat or device for children under the age of two.

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Three people were injured, including one critically, as Israel bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian security and medical sources have said, hours after a rocket hit the Jewish state.

A security source told AFP that Israeli warplanes had struck two bases belonging to Hamas military wing in northern Gaza last night, causing significant damage.

A medical official at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City said three people were being treated for injuries, including a 26-year-old man who was in critical condition after being struck in the head with shrapnel.

The Israeli army confirmed the strikes, saying they were in retaliation for a rocket fired a few hours earlier from Gaza, which landed in southern Israel.

That incident caused no casualties or damage, a military spokesperson added.

Israel and Islamists Hamas, who run Gaza, have fought three wars since 2008.

Since the most recent conflict in 2014, a fragile ceasefire has been observed along the largely closed border.

Missiles and rockets are periodically fired into Israel, generally by hardline Islamist groups opposed to Hamas.

But Israel holds Hamas responsible for all rocket fire from Gaza, regardless of who carried it out, and usually retaliates within hours.
Pakistans military says an army major and three other officers have been killed in a shootout with militants in the countrys tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

In a statement, the military said one militant blew himself up and another was shot and killed in the early Wednesday raid on a home in the Dir tribal region. It said the slain officers included an intelligence officer.

The military said one militant was also captured in the raid.

The statement provided no additional details and only said the raid foiled a possible major militant attack.

The latest troop casualties came weeks after the army launched an operation against militants in another Khyber tribal region in the northwest to prevent insurgents from carrying out cross-border attacks in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan.
Pakistans ousted premier Nawaz Sharif made it clear on Wednesday that he expected newly elected Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to continue till the general election due next year, scuttling a move to elevate his brother Shehbaz Sharif to the top post.

Sharif has asked his younger brother, who is the chief minister of the politically crucial Punjab province, to continue in that position.

Soon after the Supreme Court disqualified Sharif, 67, in connection with the Panama Papers case last month, he had announced that Abbasi, 58, would be made the interim prime minister till Shehbaz could be elected as a member of the National Assembly.

It is my wish that Shahid Khaqan Abbasi remains prime minister till the end of the (PML-Ns) tenure, Sharif told senior leaders of the ruling party during a meeting at Punjab House here before setting off on a rally to Lahore.

Sharif said the work Shehbaz had done in Punjab was invaluable and it was important he continued doing the same work in the province.

File photo of Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at the Parliament House in Islamabad on August 1, 2017. (AFP)

Wednesday was an eventful day for Sharif and his party as thousands of PML-N supporters came out on the streets to greet him as he slowly made his way from Islamabad to his hometown of Lahore. Parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi came to a halt as thousands gathered in a show of strength to greet Sharif and attend rallies organised by the PML-N at different points along his route.

Despite security fears, sparked by an explosion in a truck on the route of the rally earlier this week, Sharif has vowed to push ahead with his drive. He is expected to take two days or more to reach Lahore while travelling along the historic Grand Trunk Road.

I am going to my home. Ive been sent home (by the judiciary), so am I now not supposed to go home? he asked, in response to a question about these security concerns.

Sharif also told the media, Many days have passed now. A new government has been formed, a new prime minister has come, a new cabinet has been made. So now I think I should go home.

Supporters present at the start of Sharifs journey from Islamabad waved flags and danced to songs proclaiming him to be the beat of our hearts. Sharif is travelling in a specially constructed bomb-proof container van.

Speaking on the eve of his departure, Sharif said Pakistan had only seen a crippled democracy. He asked: Will the nations mandate ever be respected?

Or will it continue to be dishonoured and ignored? Will we ever have the rule of law in this country? Will we have the rule of the peoples mandate?

Sharifs motorcade will make its way through the PML-Ns political heartland in Punjab province, stopping often for public gatherings and rallies over the planned two-day journey.
Rescue operations were on in full swing in a remote area of Chinas southwestern Sichuan on Wednesday after a 6.5-magnitude earthquake killed at least 19 people and injured more than 200.

A French man and a Canadian woman were among those injured by the temblor late on Tuesday, state media reported.

The quake was felt in the provincial capital of Chengdu, 300 km away, and authorities fear casualties could rise.

The epicentre of the quake was in Jiuzhaigou county, a remote area of the large province. The tremors triggered panic in the area, with residents rushing out of their homes because of fears that they could collapse.

The earthquake jolted Jiuzhaigou county soon after 9 pm on Tuesday and the epicentre was monitored at 33.2 degrees north latitude and 103.82 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 20 km, the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said.

Jiuzhaigou, or Jiuzhai Valley, is a national park known for spectacular waterfalls and karst formations. More than 34,000 people visited the tourist attraction on Tuesday, official Xinhua news agency reported.

Tourists wait to be evacuated after an earthquake in Jiuzhaigou in China's southwestern Sichuan province on August 9, 2017. (AFP)

Jiuzhaigou county has dispatched more than 90 emergency vehicles and 1,200 personnel to participate in rescue operations. Authorities also sent consultants to hotels and rural inns to offer counselling to tourists, the report said.

Official media also reported that the Western Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) had activated an emergency response and was ready for rescue operations.

President Xi Jinping said in a statement: Authorities should check the impact of the earthquake, evacuate and settle visitors and local people, and reduce death and injuries as much as possible.

He added, As the earthquake took place during the flood period and tourism season, authorities should enhance meteorological early warning and geological monitoring to guard against other disasters and try their best to protect people's lives and property.

Rescuers transfer a survivor injured during an earthquake by a helicopter to Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital in Jiuzhaigou in China's southwestern Sichuan province on August 9, 2017. (AFP)

Sichuan has a history of deadly earthquakes. In May 2008, an 8.0-magnitude quake struck Wenchuan and killed more than 80,000 people. In 2013, a 7.0-magnitude quake hit Lushan, killing 196.

Meanwhile, another 6.6-magnitude quake jolted Jinghe county in Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang province on Wednesday morning. The CENC said the quake occurred at 7 am and three people were taken to a hospital for treatment.
French police shot and arrested a suspect in a dramatic motorway chase Wednesday after a car smashed into soldiers outside a barracks in a Paris suburb, injuring six.

The suspected terror attack is the latest in a string of assaults that have hit France since January 2015, claiming more than 230 lives.

The servicemen were hit by a BMW which drove down a quiet street in the upmarket western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret at around 8:00 am (0600 GMT).

It accelerated as it neared the troops, rammed into them and then sped away.

I heard a huge crash which I thought was the sound of scaffolding being put up, Thierry Chappe, a resident in a building opposite the crime scene, told AFP.

Police later gave chase to the vehicle on a motorway north of Paris, and shot and wounded the suspect, a man aged in his late 30s who was also arrested, sources involved in the manhunt said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Interior minister Gerard Collomb described the act as deliberate and carried out by a man on his own.

He spoke after visiting three of the injured soldiers along with defence minister Florence Parly. All six were taken to hospital, but none has life-threatening injuries, they said.

They were part of the 7,000-strong anti-terrorism Sentinelle force set up in January 2015 which sees armed, uniformed soldiers patrol the streets and guard high-risk areas such as tourist sites and religious buildings.

Collomb said the forces had been attacked on six different occasions since 2015. The country has been under a state of emergency since major attacks in Paris in November 2015.

The Paris prosecutors office said its anti-terrorism unit has launched a probe into attempted killings... in relation to a terrorist undertaking.

The Islamic State group (IS) has repeatedly targeted France because of its participation in the US-led international coalition fighting the jihadist group, with French jets carrying out air strikes in Syria.

Security forces are actively seeking the perpetrator who is on the run. The ongoing probe will determine his motives and the circumstances in which he acted, Parly said in a statement earlier.

Latest attack

The incident came just four days after Sentinelle soldiers intervened to control an 18-year-old with a history of psychological problems at the Eiffel Tower where he brandished a knife and shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest).

He told investigators he wanted to kill a soldier, sources close to the case told AFP.

In February, a man armed with a machete attacked four soldiers on patrol at Pariss Louvre Museum, while in April another extremist shot and killed a policeman on the Champs-Elysees, the French capitals most famous boulevard.

In June, a 40-year-old Algerian doctorate student who had pledged allegiance to IS attacked a policeman with a hammer outside Notre Dame cathedral.

The wave of attacks in France has had a serious impact on tourism in the worlds top tourist destination, but the industry has begun to recover as incidents have become more widespread and generally less deadly.

The attack took place as the new centrist government was holding its last cabinet meeting before the summer holidays.

President Emmanuel Macron publicly clashed with the head of the French armed forces last month over a proposed cut to the military budget this year.

Macron slapped down General Pierre de Villiers, telling him Im your boss, after he complained about the impact of the cuts at a time when the army was in action in the Middle East and West Africa as well as at home. De Villiers resigned a few days later.
The US President has been granted the moral authority by the God to take out North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a leading pastor has said.

When it comes to how we should deal with evil doers, the Bible, in the book of Romans, is very clear: God has endowed rulers full power to use whatever means necessary, including war, to stop evil, said Robert Jeffress, Texas mega church pastor and one of Trumps evangelical advisers who preached a sermon on the morning of his inauguration.

In the case of North Korea, God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong Un, Jeffress was quoted as saying by the Washington Post as saying.

Jeffress said that he was prompted to make the statement after Trump said that if North Koreas threats to the US continue, Pyongyang will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

The biblical passage Romans 13 gives the government authority to deal with evildoers, Jeffress said. That gives the government the authority to do whatever, whether its assassination, capital punishment or evil punishment to quell the actions of evildoers like Kim Jong-un, he said.

Jeffress, who is also an author and a TV host, was critical of former President Barack Obama and claimed Trump will follow through with his threats if it was necessary.

People instinctively know that this President is not going to draw an imaginary red line and walk around it like President Obama did. I believe were all going to be forced to soon if North Korea isnt dealt with decisively, he said.

A vocal Republican supporter and advocate of Trump, the senior pastor previously defended controversial plans to build a wall along the border with Mexico.

He compared Trump to the biblical leader Nehemiah who helped rebuild the city of Jerusalem and erected a wall to protect the citizens. In a sermon, he said: You see, God is not against building walls.

Following Trumpss warning to North Korea, Obamas aide Dan Pfeiffer tweeted: Dont gloss over the fact that Trump threatened what can only be interpreted as a nuclear attack on North Korea if Kim Jong-un taunts him.

In response to Trumps furious tirade, North Korea said it was carefully examining plans to strike Guam island, a US territory in the Pacific southeast of North Korea.
Residents of the U.S. territory Guam say theyre afraid after being caught in the middle of rising tensions between President Donald Trump and North Korea, but Gov. Eddie Calvo reassured his constituents that there is no threat to the island.

The North Korean army said Wednesday its examining operational plans for attacking the island, a military hub about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) south of Tokyo in the Pacific Ocean.

An attack or threat to Guam is a threat or attack on the United States, said Calvo, who said he spoke with White House officials Monday morning. They have said that America will be defended.

North Korea said it mastered a crucial technology needed to strike the U.S. with a nuclear missile. In response, Trump threatened the communist country with fire and fury.

Im a little worried, a little panicked. Is this really going to happen? said Cecil Chugrad, a 37-year-old bus driver for a tour bus company in Guam. If its just me, I dont mind, but I have to worry about my son. I feel like moving (out of Guam) now.

Guams Homeland Security Adviser George Charfauros urged calm and said defenses are in place for such threats.

Guam is armed with the U.S. Armys missile defense system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, the same system recently installed in South Korea.

Todd and Mitch Thompson, two brothers who are both lawyers on Guam, said they havent seen anyone panicking or stocking up on supplies.

I think people are just stunned and really dont know what to think, Todd Thompson said.

North Korea made a similar threat a few years ago.

I sort of laughed it off because I figured cooler heads in Washington would prevail, and it was just an idle threat, he said. But I have to say, Im not laughing now. My concern is that things have changed in Washington, and who knows whats going to happen?

Mitch Thompson added he believes a lot of people have no confidence that the White House will do the right thing under the circumstances.

Both brothers plan to be off-island in the coming weeks.

A travel agent on Guam said they havent had a surge of customers seeking to book flights off the island.

Its not bad at all, no chaos, said Mariah Sablan, who works for Golden Dragon Travel Inc. Its just like a regular business day.
A burglar in the US was arrested after he left behind key evidence at the crime scene -- an unflushed toilet.

Andrew David Jensens faecal matter in the toilet bowl at a home in Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks matched the DNA on an FBI database.

The 42-year-old was arrested on July 28, nearly a year after the residential burglary in October 2016, the Ventura County Star reported.

While searching the crime scene, police found faecal matter in an unflushed toilet that possibly had the suspects DNA, Detective Tim Lohman of the Thousand Oaks Police Department was quoted as saying.

Authorities took a sample and submitted the evidence to the Ventura County Sheriffs Office Forensic Services Bureau for processing.

Once the DNA profile was processed, scientists submitted the results to the Combined DNA Information System to see if the profile matched a known suspect, police said.

On July 25, the California Department of Justice informed Thousand Oaks police that the profile matched Jensen.

Authorities arrested Jensen on suspicion of first-degree residential burglary, a felony. His bail was set at USD 70,000.

This was not the first time fecal DNA has helped lead authorities to a crime suspect in Ventura County.

The case of 1997 murder of Ventura teenager Jake Bush during a burglary remained cold for years.

However, DNA extracted from faeces left inside the burglarised home helped identify Marco Casillas, of Port Hueneme, as a suspect in 2014.

Casillas was convicted and sentenced in March to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani put forward a new cabinet line-up on Tuesday that was immediately criticised by reformists for its lack of women or young people.

The ministerial line-up, which must still be approved by parliament, also lacked minorities and actually increased the average age compared to Rouhanis first term.

The lack of women ministers shows we are treading water, Shahindokht Mowlaverdi, Rouhanis outgoing vice president for womens affairs, told the Etamad daily after news of the line-up was leaked.

Many on social media said Rouhani, a 68-year-old moderate cleric who whipped up reformist support to secure re-election in May, was failing to keep his campaign promises of greater diversity.

The peoples message in the last two elections has had little reflection in the proposed cabinet, tweeted Mohammad Karroubi, son of jailed opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi.

How can you speak of equality of the entire nation and ignore women and religious minorities? he asked.

The head of the reformist camp in parliament, Mohammed Reza Aref, also voiced his disappointment: We expected at least one woman to be nominated, he said.

Aref noted, according to Iranian media, most of the members of the delegation that accompanied EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini to Iran Saturday for Rouhanis inauguration in parliament were women -- saying this was very meaningful.

First vice-president Eshagh Jahanguiri echoed him in a tweet saying: We should increase the number of women, minorities and youths in positions of responsibility.

There were few major changes in the cabinet, with the key figures in Irans efforts to rebuild ties with the West -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh -- retaining their positions.

- Average age of 58 -

The one surprise was the appointment of Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, a 35-year-old engineer and by far the youngest addition, who is set to become telecommunications minister.

But even with his appointment, which puts an opponent of censorship at the heart of government, the average age of the cabinet remains at 58.

Sunnis, who make up around 10 percent of the Shiite-majority nation, were also left out of the new government.

Rouhani did replace the defence minister, Major General Hossein Dehghan, with his deputy, General Amir Hatami -- the first time in more than two decades that the post has been filled by someone from the regular army rather than the elite Revolutionary Guards.

And the deputy economy minister, Masoud Karbasian, also replaced his boss, Ali Tayebnia.

Analysts say Rouhani will stick with his general push to increase foreign investment and improve the management of the stagnant economy.

Over the past week, the expected lack of women has been a focus of criticism by reformists, who say Rouhani is probably bowing to pressure from the religious establishment.

In his first term, Rouhani did have three women among his large cohort of vice presidents, who do not require parliamentary approval.

Ironically, the sole female minister since Irans 1979 Islamic revolution came under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Rouhanis hardline predecessor, whose health minister Marzieh Dastjerdi served between 2009 and 2013.

Rouhani sailed to victory in May over hardliner Ebrahim Raisi with the backing of reformists after vowing to improve civil liberties and rebuild ties with the West.

With no official parties in parliament, he must negotiate among a shifting pattern of political factions, none of which holds a definitive majority of the 290 seats.

He is known to have coordinated closely with other power-brokers, including supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Revolutionary Guards and the judiciary.
An Indian-origin petrol station owner who was jailed last year for selling illegal diesel has been ordered to pay stolen taxes amounting to nearly 133,660 pounds to the UKs tax department.

Nawaz Jan-Virmani, who was sentenced to 16 months in jail in February last year, was told by Preston Crown Court in Lancashire, north-west England, yesterday that he could spend an additional 15 months in jail unless he pays the money to Her Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC) within three months.

The 54-year-old was caught by HMRC officers in June 2013 with 2,843 litres of illegally laundered diesel stored at his Shadsworth Road Service Station in the town of Blackburn.

Virmani was jailed for a serious tax fraud and now he has been stripped of everything he has. He is paying the price for trading illegally, said Debbie Porter, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC.

We are committed to creating a level playing field for all businesses and stop criminals from undermining the UK economy. HMRC is determined to recover money stolen from UK taxpayers, she said.

Preston Crown Court ruled that Virmani benefited by around 247,590 pounds from the fraud and ordered the confiscation of his current assets worth 133,660 pounds.

These include property he part owns, the petrol station, a stake in another business and shares in Rolls Royce.

An HMRC investigation into his business records revealed fake invoices for 212,450 litres of fuel and no legitimate paperwork for a further 126,791 litres.

Virmani had admitted he had falsified invoices for the fuel to evade UK Excise Duty and conceal the existence of the laundered fuel.

He pleaded guilty to 198,237-pounds tax evasion in relation to the fuel offence.

A separate charge of evading 46,901 pounds in VAT will remain on his file, HMRC said this week.

Under UK law, there is no appeal against default jail sentences issued in confiscation orders and an order for repayment remains in place even after the default sentence is served by the fraudster.

If the assets held by the convicted criminal at the time of the order are less than the benefit derived from the fraud, then any future assets can be confiscated up to the value of the benefit of the fraud.
The North Korean armys announcement that it is examining operational plans for attacking Guam after rising tensions with President Donald Trump has brought more global attention to the tiny U.S. territory in the Pacific than it has had in decades. Here is a rundown on the island and it strategic importance.

GEOGRAPHIC BASICS

The strip of land in the western Pacific Ocean is roughly the size of Chicago, and just 4 miles (6 km) wide at its narrowest point. It is about 2,200 miles (3,500 km) southeast of North Korea, much closer than it is to any of the United States. Hawaii is about 4,000 miles (6,500 km) to the west. Its proximity to China, Japan, the Philippines and the Korean Peninsula has long made the island an essential possession of the U.S. military.

U.S. RELATIONSHIP

Guam was claimed by Spain in 1565 and became a U.S. territory in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. Japan seized it for about 2 years during World War II. In 1950, an act of Congress made it an unincorporated organized territory of the United States. It has limited self-government, with a popularly elected governor, small legislature, and non-voting delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives. Residents do not pay U.S. income taxes or vote in the general election for U.S. president. Its natives are U.S. citizens by birth.

MILITARY HISTORY

The U.S. keeps a Naval base and Coast Guard station in the south, and an Air Force base in the north that saw heavy use during the Vietnam War. While already taking up 30 percent of the island, the American military has been seeking to increase its presence by relocating to Guam thousands of Marines who are currently based in Okinawa, Japan. Protecting the island is the U.S. Armys Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, which is used to shoot down ballistic missiles. Last month, the U.S. twice flew a pair of supersonic bombers that took off from Guam over the Korean Peninsula in a show of force after two North Korean tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles. While there has been some resistance and displeasure from the people of Guam over the U.S. militarys presence, it is also essential to the islands economy, second only to tourism in importance.

PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT

The island was first populated about 4,000 years ago by the ancestors of the Chamorros, still the islands largest ethnic group. Now, about 160,000 people live on Guam. Its capital city is Hagatna and its largest city is Dededo. Its chief languages are English and Chamorro. It has seen various popular movements pushing for greater self-government or even U.S. statehood, most notably a significant but failed effort in the 1980s to make it a commonwealth on par with Puerto Rico.
Nepals Parliament Wednesday criminalised an ancient Hindu practice that banishes women from the home during menstruation.

Many communities in Nepal view menstruating women as impure and in some remote areas they are forced to sleep in a hut away from home during their periods, a custom known as chhaupadi.

The new law stipulates a three-month jail sentence or a Rs 3,000 fine, or both, for anyone forcing a woman to follow the custom.

A woman during her menstruation or post-natal state should not kept in chhaupadi or treated with any kind of similar discrimination or untouchable and inhuman behaviour, reads the law, passed in an unanimous vote.

It will only come into effect in a years time.

Chhaupadi is linked to Hinduism and considers women untouchable when they menstruate, as well as after childbirth.

They are banished from the home -- barred from touching food, religious icons, cattle and men -- and forced to sleep in basic huts known as chhau goth.

Last month a teenage girl died after being bitten by a snake while sleeping in a chhau goth.

Two other women died in late 2016 in separate incidents while also following the ritual -- one of smoke inhalation after she lit a fire for warmth, while the other death was unexplained.

Rights activists say many other deaths likely go unreported.

The Supreme Court banned chhaupadi more than a decade ago but it is still followed in parts of Nepal, particularly in remote western districts.

Lawmaker Krishna Bhakta Pokhrel, who was part of the committee that pushed through the bill, said he hoped the new law would finally see an end to the custom.

Chhaupadi didnt end, because there was no law to punish people even after the Supreme Court outlawed the practice, Pokhrel said.

Womens rights activist Pema Lhaki described the law as unenforceable because it is related to a deeply entrenched belief system that is harder to change.

Its a fallacy that its men who make the woman do this. Yes, Nepals patriarchal society plays a part but its the women who make themselves follow chhaupadi, she told AFP.

They need to understand the root cause, have strategic interventions and then wait a generation, she added.
Just hours after President Donald Trump said the US will respond to further North Korean threats with fire and fury, Pyongyang shot back saying it was examining plans for a missile strike on US territory in Guam.

The KPA (Korean Peoples Army) Strategic Force is now carefully examining the operational plan for making an enveloping fire at the areas around Guam with medium-to-long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 in order to contain the US major military bases on Guam including the Anderson Air Force Base, a spokesman for the North Korean army said in a statement carried by the countrys state news agency.

The spokesman added the plan will be put into effect when the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un decided.

There was no mention in the statement to President Trumps threat earlier in the day, which some critics said was too sharp and that he had gone too far too soon. North Korea best not make any more threats to the United states, Trump said in remarks at his golf resort in New Jersey. They will be met with the fire and the fury like the world has never seen.

He was responding to questions on the North Koreas nuclear capabilities.

He has been very threatening beyond a normal state, and as I said they will be met with the fire and fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before, he added presumably referring to Kim Jong-Un, the North Korean leader, who oversaw a series of missile tests since Trump took office.

The presidents remarks raised concerns at home if he was indeed ready to carry out his threat and punish Pyongyang if pushed. Republican senator John McCain, who heads the senate armed services committee, told a TV station he takes exception to Trumps comments because you got to be sure you can do what you say youre going to do.

Senior Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein said the situation on the Korean peninsula was already volatile and Trump was not helping with his bombastic comments.

Shortly after the presidents remark, US military announced two B-1 bombers flew from Guam over the Korean Peninsula as a part of continuous bomber presence, a US official said, in a sign of the strategic importance of Guam.

Trumps remarks followed news reports North Korea may have developed miniaturised nuclear warhead that could be carried inside missiles, and Pyongyangs threats to teach the US a severe lesson with its strategic nuclear force.

And that was in response, in a back-and-forth on for weeks now, to the UN security council slapping new sanctions on North Korea based on a US-led resolution  after two ICBM tests carried out by Pyongyang in one month.

North Korean said it was ready to use nuclear weapon against the US if it was attacked. Should the US pounce upon the DPRK with military force at last, the DPRK is ready to teach the US a severe lesson with its strategic nuclear force, it said in a statement on Monday.

(With agency inputs)
Drug kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman wants to dump his US public defenders for a quartet of top-flight criminal defence lawyers, including attorneys who got an infamous New York mafia boss out of prison.

Guzman, one of the worlds most notorious criminals who twice escaped prison in his native Mexico, has moved to hire Jeffrey Lichtman, Marc Fernich, Eduardo Balarezo and William Purpura, three of the lawyers confirmed to AFP.

But there is a sticking point: the quartet want a guarantee that US prosecutors will not seize their legal fees as part of the $14 billion forfeiture they are seeking of Guzmans alleged drug profits.

That issue will be discussed at the next court hearing scheduled August 14, which Fernich said the private lawyers would attend only as observers.

Ill represent him along with the other three provided this fee issue is resolved. I expect that to happen, Fernich told AFP.

We are confident we see him vindicated provided all these preliminary wrangling works out, well fight the case very hard, he said.

Fernich worked with Lichtman to successfully defend John Junior Gotti, son of the so-called Dapper Don John Gotti Senior at trial in 2005. Gotti escaped conviction in no less than four racketeering trials.

The offices of Purpura, who represented Baltimore drug kingpin Richard Anthony Wilford, and Lichtman also confirmed Guzmans intention to hire the four.

Balarezo represented one of Guzmans rival Mexican traffickers, The New York Times reported.

Guzman, 60, is scheduled to go on trial next April, accused of running the Sinaloa cartel, one of the worlds biggest drug empires. He was extradited to New York on January 19, and is being held in solitary confinement.

His publicly funded defenders have worked vigorously on his case for months, challenging the legality of his extradition, demanding the judge drop the case and repeatedly challenging the harsh conditions of his custody.

We still represent Mr Guzman and well still represent him until private lawyers file a notice of appearance, assistant federal defender Michael Schneider said.

Guzman faces a litany of firearms, drug trafficking and conspiracy charges. If convicted, he will likely spend the rest of his life behind US bars.
Amid fears for his safety, Pakistans deposed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday left Punjab House in Islamabad for his residence in Lahore via the Grand Trunk Road in a rally aimed at showcasing his popularity.

Addressing his supporters, Sharif said it was his right to go home and that no power could stop him from doing that.

A large number of supporters and party workers earlier arrived at D-Chowk in Islamabad to see off Nawaz.

Before embarking on the journey, the former prime minister held a meeting with key party leaders, including Prime Minister Khaqan Abbasi and finance minister Ishaq Dar, local media reported.

While local police and administration have warned against such a public journey, Sharif said that he was not afraid of those who wanted to derail democracy in Pakistan.

At the same time, insiders said he disallowed his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, from accompanying him.

Local media reported that deliberations in the party over the rallys route continued on Tuesday, with some party circles having opposed the idea of Sharifs travel via GT Road instead of the motorway due to security threats. They worried that while Nawaz himself would be travelling in an air-conditioned and bomb-proof container, accompanied by his family and senior PML-N leaders, the partys rank-and-file would be exposed to serious security threats.

The rally would be passing through Jinnah Avenue, D-Chowk, Expressway Chowk and Margalla Road in the federal capital before leaving for Rawalpindi via Faizabad. Traffic on these routes would be diverted to alternate routes.

Nawaz is expected to address public gatherings at D-Chowk, Faizabad, and some other points. The PML-N leadership has instructed party officials to ensure participation in such huge numbers that it takes at least three days to reach Lahore.

Nawaz would have overnight stops in Jhelum and Gujranwala before reaching Lahore. For this purpose, PML-N MNAs in both cities have been instructed to make arrangements to accommodate a large number of people. Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir is handling affairs in Gujranwala and MNA Chaudhry Khadim Hussain in Jhelum.

Citing security concerns, the Punjab government has instructed the owners of businesses located along the rallys route to close their respective offices, shops, restaurants and other establishments ahead of the rally till further orders.

Security has been heightened in Lahore ahead of the arrival of Sharif as PML-N members believe that the Sunday explosion of a fruit-laden parked truck there was intended to target his convoy.
Family links to Pakistans powerful military and a cabinet stint championing the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) will probably help new Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi navigate thorny relations with the army and curb rolling blackouts.

How Abbasi, the co-founder of a budget airline and a skydiving fan, tackles those two issues may define his tenure as he seeks to tilt the next general election, due in mid-2018, towards the ruling PML-N party.

Ousted leader Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court last month and within days had installed Abbasi as a temporary prime minister. Sharif then had a change of heart about plans to elevate his brother as long-term leader.

With Abbasi, 58, now likely to stay on until the election, the opposition is training its crosshairs on him while voters seek clues as to what he can accomplish in less than a year as the leader of a nuclear-armed nation of 190 million.

US-educated Abbasi has been frank about Sharifs role as the power behind the throne but those close to him expect a slightly different approach to the army.

He is going to repair the relationship and have a better communication channel to the army than Nawaz, said a senior PML-N official. Shahid is very pragmatic and aware that the army is there, and you cant just wish them away.

Sharif has endured fraught relations with the military during his three stints in power and some of his allies have hinted elements of the army were involved in his Supreme Court disqualification. The military denies involvement.

PML-N politicians say Abbasis family ties to the military  his father was an Air Force commodore while his father-in-law headed the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) military spy agency  will make him more palatable to the army.

After his first meeting with the army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday, Abbasi said: The entire nation is proud of the sacrifices rendered by security personnel in ridding the motherland from the menace of terrorism.

Pakistans military has a history of meddling in politics, and staging coups, including one in 1999 that toppled a previous Sharif government and saw Abbasi jailed for two years with the veteran leader.

The army pushed Abbasi to switch allegiance from Sharif but he refused, cementing his reputation as a loyalist.

The opposition has accused Abbasi of acting as a pawn to keep Sharif as a de facto leader. Hes a decent, educated guy but hes basically a show-boy, just there to fulfil the legal requirements, said Shah Mehmood Qureshi, vice-chairman of the opposition PTI party.

One of Abbasis first moves was to merge the petroleum and power ministries, a step Western donors had advocated for nearly a decade. He will head the new energy ministry.

He championed Pakistans embrace of LNG after the PML-N won 2013 elections with a promise to end frequent power outages. In an interview with Reuters as petroleum minister in July, Abbasi said he wanted to ramp up use of LNG for power plants and was scathing about a power ministry that was averse to change.

On Tuesday, he announced that future energy plants would focus on gas and domestic coal over oil.

Pakistans LNG bet has largely paid off, with Western companies flocking to build terminals and other infrastructure, despite initial scepticism.

Abbasi has promised blackouts will end by November, which would give the PML-N a huge fillip ahead of the 2018 polls.

The former engineer likes to get his hands dirty and will be more than a placeholder, said one senior energy official who has worked closely with Abbasi.

Hes into results, the official added. He often says to us: Talk is really cheap, you need to deliver.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday announced dead-or-alive bounties worth $40,000 each for policemen he accused of helping an accused narco-politician, and said he preferred they be killed.

The call for police officers to kill their colleagues is the latest inflammatory comment by Duterte in his controversial drug war, which has claimed thousands of lives, and comes shortly after a meeting with US secretary of state Rex Tillerson.

Duterte made the offer during a speech at national police headquarters, offering two million pesos ($40,000) for an unspecified number of officers who allegedly helped a mayor killed in an anti-drug operation on July 30.

Each of those policemen carry on their heads now, I am announcing, two million per head and you are free to go on leave (to pursue them), Duterte told the officers in the audience.

Ill cut short my speech so that you will have a chance for a crack at the two million for those idiots.

Duterte added the bounty would be paid if the policemen were found dead or alive -- better dead.

He said the unidentified policemen had worked with Reynaldo Parojinog, the mayor of the southern city of Ozamiz, who was killed in the pre-dawn raid along with his wife, his brother and 13 other people.

Police said they were forced to kill the 16 people in self-defence, but Parojinogs lawyer has insisted the mayor and others had not resisted arrest.

Duterte had accused Parojinog of being a major drug trafficker.

As he has done in similar cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, Duterte on Wednesday also vowed to give legal protection to the policemen who killed Parojinog and the other 15.

If they were found guilty of murder, he would pardon them, he vowed.

Duterte easily won presidential elections last year after promising an unprecedented war on drugs in which tens of thousands of people would be killed.

Since he took office in the middle of last year, police have confirmed killing more than 3,400 people in anti-drug operations.

More than 2,000 other people have been killed in drug-related crimes and thousands more murdered in unexplained circumstances, according to police data.

Rights groups say many of those victims have been killed by government-backed vigilantes, and Duterte has boasted that he would be happy to slaughter three million drug addicts.

Former US president Barack Obama was among the many international critics of Dutertes tactics.

But criticism from the United States, the Philippines former colonial ruler and mutual defence partner, has been toned down under the administration of Donald Trump.

Tillerson met Duterte in Manila on Monday on the sidelines of a regional security forum. Duterte said American officials did not raise any concerns with him.
For Qataris affected by the diplomatic crisis rocking the Gulf, the reality of politics is stark: families divided, assets frozen and dreams put on hold.

Sara, a 29-year-old Qatari, had been poised to start her senior year in business school in Dubai when on June 5, a bloc of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia abruptly cut ties with her country.

We were suddenly told that we were no longer permitted to attend classes and had to go back to Doha, she said.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain accused the Gulf emirate of supporting Islamist extremism and being too close to Riyadhs regional arch-rival Iran.

They ordered all Qataris to leave their territories within two weeks, recalled their ambassadors and citizens from the emirate and banned Qatari carriers from their ports and airspace.

Qatar denied the allegations and denounced what it called a blockade aimed at bringing the wealthy emirate to its knees.

Qatari authorities have committed schools and universities to enrolling repatriated students.

But for Sara and many like her, the crisis was personal.

When someone prevents you from studying, it destroys your dreams, she said.

One day, overnight, with no warning -- suddenly youre told you have to stay home, no school for you.

- Families divided -

As the standoff drags into its third month, the uncertainty is causing agony, particularly for families of mixed nationality.

Sara, who did not want her surname revealed because she feared the consequences for her relatives elsewhere in the region, has an Emirati mother and a Qatari father.

That is nothing unusual in a region where cross-border marriages are commonplace.

The diplomatic spat has thrown such families into their own crises.

Half my family is in Dubai, in the UAE. I also have family in Bahrain, Sara said, choking back tears.

When her grandmother fell ill in Dubai, her mother was reluctant to travel to the UAE for fear she would not be allowed to return to her children in Qatar.

States in the Saudi-led bloc have demanded that their citizens leave Qatar, but many have hesitated to do so -- especially those with families in the tiny gas-rich emirate.

Some say they fear punishment by their own governments.

One Saudi mother, who has been based in Qatar for years and asked to remain anonymous, said she was terrified.

She and her two adult daughters are caught between fear of their own government and uncertainty about their future in Qatar.

We feel trapped, she told AFP by phone. We will have to renew our visas in a year. Its frightening -- we dont know what will happen.

She said she does not want to go back to Saudi Arabia, but fears that if she does not she will be blocked from accessing her late husbands Saudi pension, her only source of income.

Her daughters, who work in Qatar, also want to stay. One has started losing her hair because of stress over the issue.

All three declined to meet AFP journalists in person for fear of the consequences.

Other Qataris, interviewed at a centre in Doha set up to support those affected by the crisis, fear for their assets in other countries.

Nour, who declined to be named in full, owns apartments in Dubai but can no longer access them.

Ahmad and Abdullah own camels worth a fortune, but they are in Saudi Arabia where they are traditionally sent to graze.

Many Qataris are in a state of shock.

Qatari civil servant Ahmad said political issues should stay between leaders, people should not be involved.

Abdullah al-Marri, another government worker, said he was surprised at the turn of events.

I didnt think such things could happen between brothers, he said.
Yemens national blood bank may be forced to close due to a lack of money after an international medical charity decided to end two years of support, the director of the blood bank said.

But the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) said it was trying to help by sending further supplies.

Patients suffering diseases including thalassaemia, cancer and kidney failures, as well as victims of a two-year civil war in which more than 10,000 people have been killed, would be affected if the bank closed, officials said.

More than three million people have been displaced in Yemens conflict and much of the countrys infrastructure including its health system has been destroyed.

If the centre stops, a catastrophe will hit the whole country, said Munir al-Zubaidi, a spokesman for the bank said.

The country of 27 million is also facing a cholera epidemic that has affected 473,000 people and killed nearly 2,000.

The National Blood Transfusion Centre director, Dr. Adnan al-Hakimi, said the crisis emerged after French medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) informed the bank it was suspending its aid after more than two years of work.

The centre suffers from a complete shortage of supplies, including medical solutions, blood bags and medical needs, Hakimi said.

We have issued an appeal to all civil society groups, businessmen and anyone interested in charity work to save the lives of those who are ill, injured or wounded so the centre would not stop, he added.

An MSF spokeswoman said the charity had handed over its support for the blood bank to the WHO.

MSF has been doing extensive work in Yemen since the war began in March 2015, operating hospitals and clinics and providing medical supplies to various state-run facilities.

In a report in January, MSF said it had provided regular blood testing kits to the blood bank since September 2015.

The WHO confirmed the bank was at risk of closing.

WHO is looking into ways to support the National Blood Transfusion Centre, said Tarik Jasarevic, a WHO spokesman. Supplies were ordered but have not reached Yemen as of now, he added without elaborating.
A 15-year-old boy stabbed to death in London has been named.

Jermaine Goupall was the second teenager to be killed in a knife attack in the capital in less than 24 hours  and the 15th so far this year. A murder investigation has been launched after the latest incident, which took place in Thornton Heath, south London, on Tuesday night.

His family, gathered in their family home a short distance from the scene in Georgia Road, said they were too upset to talk. A crime scene tent remained in place on Wednesday afternoon while uniformed officers kept guard at the edge of the cordon in heavy rain.

A neighbour who knew Jermaine said: He was a nice lad. I would see him to speak to in the street and he would come over and stroke my dog, say hello. I know his dad, Stan, better. It seems desperately sad that this can happen to such an innocent boy.

Other shocked locals, including youngsters gathered near the scene, said they believed the death to be gang-related.

Another, Nadir Sheikh, who lives opposite the road where the stabbing took place, said: There are always a lot of kids hanging around in groups here. There was another incident here a few weeks ago so the police came around then too. I think there needs to be more police presence, surveillance, a way to stop this happening.

The victim  who has not yet been formally identified by police  was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before midnight.

The death follows the fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old man in Peckham, south-east London, in the early hours of Tuesday.

Police were called to a disturbance in Old Kent Road at about 2am and detectives believe the victim was involved in an altercation involving a large group of people outside a nearby venue.

Six people were arrested on suspicion of murder, although three have been released with no further action taken against them, while two were released pending a police investigation. The sixth person remains in custody.

Witnesses have spoken of seeing the teenager being mobbed by a crowd. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2.50am.

Postmortem examinations are due to be held for both teenagers. Detectives from the Metropolitan polices homicide and major crime command are investigating both murders.

The stabbings follow a spate of knife attacks in the capital this year, which has seen more than a dozen victims suffer fatal or serious stab wounds.

The number of children and teenagers killed in England and Wales between January and July this year by violence involving knives was 21 . Knife crime jumped by 20% to 34,703 incidents  the highest level for seven years  in the 12 months to March, according to the latest official crime figures. The largest increase in knife crime came in London, which accounted for 40% of the rise.
Five transgender women in the US military are suing President Donald Trump and the Pentagon over Trumps recent announcement he would reinstate a ban on transgender people serving in uniform.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court Wednesday, the five plaintiffs from the Air Force, Coast Guard and the Army said they faced uncertainty about their futures, including whether they would be fired or lose post-military and retirement benefits.

In a series of three tweets last month, Trump upended an Obama-era policy of more than a year that allowed transgender troops to serve openly.

After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow......  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

....Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

His announcement came with little or no coordination with the Pentagon and landed while Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was on vacation, leaving the astonished department scrambling to come up with a coherent response.

The lawsuit was filed against Trump, Mattis and various other senior military officials by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLAAD, a legal advocacy group.

All the unidentified Jane Doe plaintiffs were previously men who have transitioned to being female.

Trumps directive to exclude transgender people from military service has created a tidal wave of harms that have already been felt throughout our armed services, NCLR legal director Shannon Minter said.

Transgender service members have been blindsided by this shift and are scrambling to deal with what it means for their futures and their families.

The lawsuit asserts that reinstating the transgender ban is unconstitutional.

The number of transgender troops among Americas 1.3 million active duty service members is small, with estimates ranging from between 1,320 and 15,000.

On June 30, 2016, then defence secretary Ash Carter said the military could no longer discharge or deny re-enlistment to troops based solely on their gender identity.

That means transgender troops who were encouraged to come out under one administration now face getting booted under another -- a potential legal quagmire for the Pentagon.

In the two weeks since Trumps tweets, the White House has still not provided the Pentagon with clear directives on how it should implement a transgender ban, so the current policy remains in place for now.

A Pentagon spokesman said he could not comment on pending litigation.
FBI agents on July 26 raided a home owned by Paul Manafort  once the head of Donald Trumps presidential campaign  in connection with the ongoing probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and alleged collusion by the US presidents aides, reports have revealed.

Agents working for special counsel Robert Mueller arrived unannounced early morning at Manaforts home in Alexandria, Virginia, one day after he appeared at a closed-door hearing on Capitol Hill. It was not know if his other residences in Florida and New York city and the Hamptons in New York state were also searched.

Investigators are reported to have carried away various records  tax documents and foreign banking accounts  including documents already turned over by him to investigators. The exact nature of the records seized remained unclear.

The Washington Post, which first reported the raid, said the intention could have been to send Manafort a message  that he should not expect gentle treatment or legal courtesies from Mueller.

FBIs probe of the Russian meddling is now headed by Mueller, a former FBI director who has put together a formidable team of lawyers and prosecutors.

Trump and his aides are worried the counsel could end up looking into Trumps past financial dealings and his sprawling business empire, and there are fears that the president could fire Mueller should he venture that far.

Muellers investigation has indeed gone beyond the Russia probe, in line with his mandate to look any matters that arose.

His office sought records and documents last week from the White House pertaining to former national security adviser Michael Flynns dealings with Turkey, and payment his consultancy firm received for discrediting an opponent of the Turkish government in 2016.

Manaforts past dealings with Russia and Russia-aligned leaders of Ukraine had long been under scrutiny. He was fired in August over differences with Trump on campaign style and substance and reports about his financial dealings, just three months before the general election in November

His presence at a meeting Trumps eldest son Donald Trump Jr took last June with a Russian lawyer last year who had offered campaign dirt on Hillary Clinton brought him fresh public scrutiny.

Manafort has also deposed in a closed-door hearing at US senates intelligence committee and is cooperating with the judiciary committee, which had threatened to issue him a subpoena to force him to testify before it.
The Al-Jazeera global news network has once again become the subject of the news.

The Israeli government called this week for the Qatar-based companys Jerusalem bureau to be closed, its journalists press credentials revoked and its transmission blocked.

The move follows a decision by Saudi Arabia and Jordan to shutter the networks local offices. Its websites and channels were also blocked in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Egypt has banned Al-Jazeera since 2013, when the military there took power.

These countries accuse Al-Jazeera of inciting violence. Al-Jazeera says the moves are an attempt by governments to suppress freedom of expression.

Heres a look at whats at play.

___

WHAT IS AL-JAZEERAS STORY?

Al-Jazeera is based in Qatar and has grown to become one of the most widely seen Arabic news channels in the world. The network says its channels reach 100 countries and 310 million homes worldwide.

Since its inception in 1996, the station has been one of the few to present views that contrast with traditional, state-censored Arabic press. It was the first Arab-owned news outlet to host Israeli officials and commentators, which some analysts note coincided with Qatars ties with Israel at the time.

While Al-Jazeera maintains that it operates independently of the Qatari government, critics say its coverage reflects Qatars foreign policy.

Al-Jazeera has said the measures to close it in Saudi Arabia are unjustified, and that Israels accusations of unfair coverage are odd and unsubstantiated.

___

WHY IS AL-JAZEERA BEING TARGETED?

In early June, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain launched a diplomatic assault on Qatar, cutting diplomatic and transport links with the small, energy-rich Gulf country due to its foreign policy. They also took aim at Al-Jazeera and other Qatari-funded media outlets for allegedly seditious and provocative coverage.

The four countries accuse Qatar of backing terror groups and want it to curb its ties with Iran. They also accuse Qatar of backing the Muslim Brotherhood group and its offshoots, which Egypt and UAE see as a top threat.

Qatar says the measures against it are politically motivated and an attempt to strong-arm Qatar into falling in lockstep with Saudi Arabia.

Israeli officials  seeing an opportunity in the Arab quartets blockade of Al-Jazeera  criticized the stations coverage of renewed tensions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and accused it of presenting unprofessional journalism before proposing to block it altogether.

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WHAT IS QATARS ROLE?

Al-Jazeera and Qatar have been intertwined since the network was launched, with financial backing from the ruling emir at the time, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Throughout its existence, the station has received funding from Qatars leadership. Its chairman is a member of Qatars ruling Al Thani family.

The network generates some revenue from advertisers, though details of its finances and ownership are not made publicly available as it is not a listed company.

Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has outright rejected demands the country shut down Al-Jazeera. He told The Associated Press in June that Qatars foreign policy does not dictate Al-Jazeeras coverage.

___

HOW WILL AL-JAZEERA BE AFFECTED?

Even before this diplomatic spat, the network was shrinking some of its global operations after years of ambitious expansion. It has laid off hundreds of employees in recent years and now has about 4,000 staff. The network in 2016 pulled the plug on its Al-Jazeera America channel less than three years after its launch to compete with U.S. cable news broadcasters.

Its unclear how effective the bans will be in keeping Al-Jazeera from reaching its viewers. Across the region and in Israel, many Arab citizens watch Al-Jazeera through private satellite dishes rather than traditional cable transmission. The channels also livestream on YouTube.

___

WHAT IS AL-JAZEERAS COVERAGE LIKE?

American viewers became familiar with Al-Jazeera after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when its golden-hued Arabic logo became synonymous with video messages by Americas then-most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden. The channel aired the messages it received, sparking frequent complaints by then-President George W. Bushs White House. The station defended its policy, saying the messages were newsworthy.

Critics say in past years, Al-Jazeera  particularly its flagship Arabic channel  has reflected Qatari policy by promoting Islamist movements. Many of the regions Arab rulers, particularly in Egypt and the UAE, see the Muslim Brotherhood group and its offshoots as a top threat.

Israel has long been irked by Al-Jazeeras coverage of the conflict there. During past wars in the Gaza Strip, Al-Jazeera has carried unflinchingly raw images of Palestinian women and children killed by Israeli airstrikes. Its reporters refer to Israel as an occupying force and to east Jerusalem as Occupied Jerusalem.

However, Al-Jazeeras English and Arabic channels, as well as its news websites and its popular online AJ+ videos, do not mirror one another in style and target different audiences.

___

WHAT ARE OTHERS SAYING?

Reporters Without Borders says Al-Jazeera has become a collateral victim in the diplomatic offensive against Qatar. The group says closing the stations bureaus is a political decision that amounts to censorship of a TV broadcaster.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has criticized Israels moves against Al-Jazeera. The CPJ said closing Al-Jazeeras offices would put Israel firmly in the camp of some of the regions worst enemies of press freedom. It called on Israel to allow all journalists to report freely from the country and areas it occupies.

Rights group Amnesty International says moves to censor Al-Jazeera are a brazen attack on media freedom and sends a chilling message that the Israeli authorities will not tolerate critical coverage.
For 100 years, District of Columbia residents have reveled in a glorious rite of spring: the blossoming of thousands of cherry trees, a gift of friendship from the people of Japan. Tokyo mayor Yukio Ozaki donated 3,020 trees to first lady Helen Taft. She and Viscountess Iwa Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador to the United States, planted the first two trees in Potomac Park on March 27, 1912. (A 1910 shipment of 2,000 trees was destroyed before planting because of insect infestation and disease.) Ozakis gift was a deft move in a diplomatic dance between the United States and Japan, both rapidly growing international powers with competing interests in the Pacific. In return, the U.S. sent flowering dogwoods to Japan in 1915. Today, some 3,700 trees grace the capital, and each year a million visitors flock to the city for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, one of Washingtons biggest events. The two original trees flank a stone marker on the National Mall near 17th Street SW.

Originally published in the April 2012 issue of American History. To subscribe, click here.
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T he much-vaunted 1 billion regeneration of Queensway is shaping up to include almost no affordable homes for young Londoners or key workers.

In the latest example of a developer wanting to go against rules requiring affordable homes to be included in multimillion-pound developments, GMS Estates plan for an entire block next to Bayswater Tube is awating approval from Westminster council.

The developer is promising to transform a shabby street with new shops, offices, and 58 flats.

The councils policy is that about a third of all new homes in the borough should be affordable and aimed at beleaguered first-time buyers and squeezed renters at below-market levels. But GMS Estates says that including any affordable homes at all would make its project financially unviable.

TODO: define component type brightcove

Westminster disagrees  but is asking that the developer builds four affordable homes  only about seven per cent of the total. Instead, it wants the company, which is spending 30 million on the project, to pay 282,000 into the councils affordable housing fund.

GMS Estates says it has agreed to four affordable homes in the development and added that, since the homes will all be rented rather than sold, they will not go to absentee owners.

With a private rented model we can be certain we will not be faced with the dark flats that far too many new developments suffer from, and make a positive contribution to the redevelopment of Queensway.

However, the level of affordable housing being discussed for this project flies in the face of a recent pledge by Nickie Aiken, leader of the council, to strictly enforce affordable housing quotas in order to stop Westminster becoming a ghetto of the rich.

Westminster council leader, Nickie Aiken, has pledged to stop Westminster becoming a "ghetto of the rich" / JEREMY SELWYN

Fergus Coleman, head of affordable and private sector housing at Westminster council, pointed out that to comply with council policy 16 or 17 of the flats should be affordable.

John Zamit, chairman of the South East Bayswater Residents Association, believes GMS Estates should be forced to include more affordable homes in its project. They should not be allowed to get away with it, he said.

Daniel Astaire, Westminsters cabinet member for planning, said the council could not comment on the project before the meeting, but added: The council is committed to delivering 1,850 new affordable homes in Westminster by 2023  we will be taking a firm approach to ensure developers provide more affordable housing. Our approach will begin to make an impact in the coming months.

Westminster recently gave Berkeley Homes permission to build 200 new flats at Paddington Green in W2 with only 32 designated affordable, or just 16 per cent of the total. The developer initially offered none at all, saying the scheme, an extension of its West End Gate development, would not be financially viable with cheaper homes.

The GMS Estates project is proposed at a time when massive regeneration is planned for Bayswater, currently a relatively affordable tranche of central London.

Some 50 million of public money is being spent on improving scruffy Queensway, and developer Warrior Group is spearheading a 1 billion revamp of the Whiteleys Shopping Centre.

Lord Foster has redesigned the landmark building as part of plans to turn the whole area into a high-end shopping destination. Whiteleys will have shops and just over 100 new homes, none of which will be affordable.
State law enforcement regulators shut down the Lone Star College System's police training academy, the second time in four years the state has forced closure of the beleaguered police academy over failures to meet state standards.

Investigators from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement notified the system Tuesday that the contract allowing it to operate a law enforcement academy had been suspended and would be cancelled in 10 days, spokeswoman Gretchen Grigsby said.

The college system failed to properly vet instructors and restored subpar cadets to the program even after academy staff dismissed them, Grigsby said.

The 36 cadets currently enrolled in Law Enforcement Academy will complete the basic peace officer course under TCOLE's supervision, she said. Academy graduates from previous classes will not have to undergo any additional training.

Lone Star College did not respond to repeated requests for comment. As of Wednesday afternoon, however, it was still promoting several law enforcement programs on its website, including a certificate program and an associate's degree.

Lone Star advertises the $2,900 academy as a program that "includes rigorous training and testing to ensure each graduating cadet can successfully pass the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement's state exam and demonstrate the knowledge and physical skills that allow the cadet/graduate to serve the public in an effective, courteous, and professional manner."

The Lone Star investigation comes two years after the academy reopened following an 18-month shut-down by the state in 2013 over allegations it cut corners in providing training.

LaChelle Rhoads, a former Houston police officer who has served as academy director since 2015, told the Chronicle Wednesday she had not committed any wrongdoing and that the shutdown would not affect her ability to lead future law enforcement academy programs. She declined to comment further.

READ MORE: TCOLE investigates local psychologist for rubberstamping evaluations for thousands of new peace officers; case ends with psychologist and her husband pleading guilty to criminal charge

TCOLE investigators began the latest probe after an academy cadet filed a complaint with the agency earlier this year.

Investigators discovered several violations of the agency's administrative rules and Lone Star College's training contract, and found the college system did not properly vet instructors.

"It is the responsibility of any hiring agency to make sure they do a thorough background check which should include any potential ethical concerns that would conflict with responsibilities for which they are being hired," Grigsby said.

Investigators also learned that college administration told academy staff not to contact or report any information to TCOLE, a direct violation of its training contract with the agency, Grigsby said.

Charles Canfield, lead instructor for the academy since April 2015, said Wednesday that academy staff had eliminated the problems that had dogged it when TCOLE last investigated four years ago.

The latest problems stemmed from actions by Lone Star College administrators to reinstate cadets who had been thrown out by the academy director for bad conduct, he said.

"They had instructed us we would not be dismissing cadets until they went through a review process the Lone Star College system had in place," he said. "That's not the way it works. The director of the academy is the one who has responsibility alone to decide if a cadet should be dismissed."

Academy leadership found themselves unable to remove substandard or disruptive cadets, he said.

"We knew we were likely going to be overridden," he said "and the college would put problematic cadets back in class."

Canfield said a Lone Star College administrator  in overriding academy staff  had told them he had notified TCOLE when he had not.

"He misrepresented the facts to parties on both sides," Canfield said.

Grigsby confirmed Canfield's allegation.

READ MORE: Investigators find a raft of other problems at Lone Star training academy

Four years ago, the college ran afoul of TCOLE rules when investigators found the academy had allowed a cadet to obtain a peace officer license without undergoing instruction in several components of the basic peace officer course, Grigsby said.

The cadet managed to complete 660 course hours in only four months, weeks ahead of his classmates, the Chronicle reported at the time.

Investigators also found a raft of other problems. The academy did not have a contract on file for the firing range where cadets trained, and advisory board members had not completed required training within one year of appointment. The academy also failed to maintain schedules, files and lesson plans; to enforce admission, attendance and retention; and to distribute and review commission rules to students for licensing courses.

The college system's previous suspension lasted from July 2013 until January 2015, when it was allowed to reopen.

Since then, the academy has touted its cadets' high first-time passage rate on the TCOLE licensing exam.

It's unclear if the college system will be allowed to hold future academy classes, Grigsby said.

"Whether there is a time-out period or a permanent ban is a decision for the executive director and commissioners," she said. "Their priority is making sure that academies are holding their cadets to the same standard that we do for the sake of the communities they will be serving."

St. John Barned-Smith covers public safety and major breaking news for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Send tips to st.john.smith@chron.com.
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Billionaire corporate raider Carl Icahn may serve as President Donald Trump's special regulatory adviser, but the Sugar Land refiner he controls has lost an expensive bet that the administration would change rules on biofuel credits.

Under a 2007 law, refiners must blend renewable fuels like ethanol into U.S. gasoline. Refiners that don't do the blending themselves must buy credits, on open markets or from other refiners. The prices can fluctuate wildly.

CVR Energy, of which Icahn owns about 80 percent, is one of the many small refiners that don't blend ethanol with gasoline and must buy the biofuel credits. The company was banking that under Trump, the Environmental Protection Agency would make changes that would eliminate the requirement on refiners. Wall Street and other investors did, too, causing the cost of the credits to fall sharply in the beginning of the year.

Icahn, who took control of CVR in 2012 through a corporate takeover, said in March the company was delaying much of its credit purchases for the year, until deadlines in early 2018, according to published reports.

"I'm not selling 'em, I'm not buying 'em," Icahn told Bloomberg News. "Hey, this is what I do in the market. I'm taking a chance."

But the EPA has shown no signs that it will change the blending requirements, deferring to a gridlocked Congress for now. The cost of credits has nearly tripled from the beginning of the year.

As a result, CVR is losing money because of the expensive credits, while much of the rest of the refining sector is bouncing back from a weak 2016. CVR, which operates two refineries, as well as a fertilizer business, reported a $10.5 million loss in the second quarter, after making a profit of $28.5 million during the same period a year ago.

The lack of progress in changing the rules has left CVR chief executive Jack Lipinski livid. Lipinski, in a recent conference call with analysts, said the credits are an "egregious tax," spiking in price based on the whims of market traders. He criticized the EPA for "kicking the can down the road."

CVR, which owns refineries in Kansas and Oklahoma, is among the many U.S. refiners that have taken aim at the biofuels credits. Unlike other commodities and securities, the credits are not sold on public exchanges, such as the New York Mercantile Exchange or New York Stock Exchange, but rather in private transactions that are vulnerable to manipulation by Wall Street banks and other speculators, refiners say.

The blending law was passed during the administration of George W. Bush as a way to decrease the country's dependence on foreign oil in favor of home-grown ethanol and other biofuels. At the time, the prices of crude oil and gasoline were rising quickly, ultimately peaking above 140 a barrel and $4 a gallon. Changing the rule has been opposed by the powerful ethanol lobby, as well as fuel distributors that could be saddled with the blending requirement.

The losing bet on the biofuel blending credits was first reported on the website of CNBC, a cable network that focuses on business news.

Trump appointed Icahn as a "special adviser" in December to help him dismantle a host of "strangling regulations." Democrats and other administration critics have raised concerns about Icahn's role because of his extensive business holdings that are affected by regulations. The White House has dismissed the criticisms, noting that Icahn is not a federal employee and thus not subject to the financial and ethics disclosures that apply to high-level government posts.
We need to start thinking about how Houston can remain the energy capital of the world when oil demand begins to fade.

The collapse of oil prices from above $100 a barrel to less than $50 has slowed the city's economy to a standstill. And according to every forecast, people in wealthy countries are using less oil year after year. Poor people in Asia, Africa and the Middle East are the only source of new demand.

Eventually, though, demand for oil will grow slower than the world's gross domestic product, or even population growth, and take away the industry's ability to generate high profits or add jobs. But a zombie oil industry does not have to bring stagnation to the Bayou City.

Houston could remain the global energy capital if businesses here capitalize on the city's competitive advantages to become the world's center for oil's replacement: the electric vehicle battery.

RELATED: It's bad news for oil when Volvo goes electric

Every automaker in the world is rolling out new vehicles that rely more on electricity than liquid fossil fuels. Volvo, Volkswagen and BMW have promised that most of their vehicles will be hybrids or 100 percent electric by 2025. Porsche is developing technology that can provide 300 miles of charge in 15 minutes. Toyota has announced a new battery technology that will boost range and cut charging times.

All of these automakers will need batteries. Tesla's Gigafactory in Nevada will be the second-largest manufacturing facility in the world when completed, but last month, Volkswagen's head of research and development, Ulrich Eichhorn, said the industry will need 40 more Gigafactories to meet the anticipated demand for vehicle batteries in 2025.

And that doesn't include the expected demand for home battery packs or grid-scale storage projects like Tesla has launched in Australia.

Competition to supply these batteries is already heating up, and the U.S. is already losing.

Japanese and South Korean companies dominate battery manufacturing, with Panasonic and LG Chem the current world leaders. Chinese companies, though, make 55 percent of the world supply and are ramping up quickly after Communist Party leaders earlier this year told manufacturers to double production by 2020, according to research firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Based on current trends, analysts at Goldman Sachs expect China to dominate the electric vehicle battery market in 2025, when it will be worth $40 billion.

RELATED: Big oil just woke up to threat of rising electric car demand

So even though Elon Musk started the electric car revolution in the U.S. with Tesla and much of the critical research that created the lithium ion battery was done at the University of Texas at Austin, China is set to dominate battery manufacturing. The U.S. has already lost the competition to build wind turbines and solar panels, and now we are going to cede another transformational industry to our largest, most powerful global competitor.

Admittedly, China's communist rulers have an easier time dictating industrial policy than U.S. politicians, and they do it with devastating effectiveness. They've ordered state-run factories to ignore economics and build batteries to create supply. Then they gave enormous incentives to consumers to purchase electric vehicles to create demand.

The Chinese now plan to manufacture 120 gigawatt-hours of battery capacity a year in 2020, according to Bloomberg Intelligence, a data analysis firm. By comparison, Tesla's Gigafactory will be America's largest producer, making 35 gigawatt-hours of capacity a year.

The Communist Party's ultimate goal is not only to electrify transportation in China but to ensure local companies dominate the global market for batteries when it inevitably picks up.

"We think over the next 10 years, there may only be 10 lithium battery producers left, with the top three taking 60 percent of the market," Neill Yang, marketing director at China's largest battery maker, Contemporary Amperex Technology, told the Financial Times.

In the meantime, President Donald Trump is focused on boosting U.S. oil production in the mistaken belief that so-called "global energy dominance" will come from pumping more crude. He seems to have forgotten that while he has withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, the rest of the world still plans to cut oil consumption.

RELATED: Texas is a lot more diversified than most petro-states

Musk, though, is not giving up without a fight, planning to build at least four more Gigafactories, with the next one planned for Buffalo, N.Y. The next three are expected to be outside the U.S., but that shouldn't stop Houston from lobbying to bring a major battery production center here.

Electricity and land are cheap, many of the battery's chemicals are made here, and the Port of Houston provides for easy importation of raw materials and export of finished products. Houston is also full of engineering and manufacturing talent.

The future of energy is electricity, not oil. Houston needs to get on the cutting edge if we want to retain our global energy crown, and batteries are one way to do that.
SAN FRANCISCO - Google on Monday fired a software engineer who wrote an internal memo that questioned the company's diversity efforts and argued that the low number of women in technical positions was a result of biological differences instead of discrimination.

Sundar Pichai, Google's chief executive, said portions of the memo had violated the company's code of conduct and crossed the line "by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace."

The memo has also served as a rallying cry for conservatives and the alt-right who view Google - and Silicon Valley - as a bastion of groupthink where people with different opinions are shamed into silence.

James Damore's 10-page memo, titled "Google's Ideological Echo Chamber," argued that "personality differences" between men and women - like a woman's having "a lower tolerance for stress" - help explain why there were fewer women in engineering and leadership roles at the company. Damore said efforts by the company to reach equal representation of women in technology and leadership were "unfair, divisive, and bad for business."

The memo was originally posted on an internal mailing list and was shared widely inside the company and across Silicon Valley.

More for you Google executive denounces employee's views on female workers

In a short email exchange after his firing, Damore, 28, who was a senior software engineer in Google's search division, said he had not expected this type of reaction when he shared his missive last week. He joined Google in 2013.

"As far as I know, I have a legal right to express my concerns about the terms and conditions of my working environment and to bring up potentially illegal behavior, which is what my document does," he said. Damore said he would probably take legal action against Google.

Damore studied molecular and cellular biology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, according to an online resume. He conducted research in computational biology at Harvard, Princeton and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before joining a Ph.D. program at Harvard. He completed a master's degree but dropped out before receiving his doctorate.

In a footnote for his memo, Damore said he considered himself a "classic liberal," an ideology associated with advocacy of free market economics and libertarianism.

"There's no free speech in the private sector workplace," said Katherine Stone, a labor and employment law professor at University of California, Los Angeles. "Clearly, the company was concerned that he was making the environment difficult for people to do their jobs."
This week, a popular Chinese restaurant featuring a 2017 James Beard Award finalist chef landed in hot water with city health inspectors, while another restaurant was closed after cockroaches were found everywhere.

Mala Sichuan Bistro at 9348 Bellaire Blvd. received 20 demerits because the ice was deemed not safe for human consumption. Inspectors observed, "black and pink slime residue at the interior upper panel."

CHECK THIS: Mala Sichuan to expand to Katy, Sugar Land

Eli's Bakery and Paleteria at 3732 Roma St. had cockroaches, dead and alive, in food containers and around food containers.

Other Houston restaurants ran into similar problems.

Five restaurants from this week's report had ice either condemned or denatured, including Caribbean restaurant, Punta Cana (17776 Tomball Pkwy. Ste. 21), where 200 pounds of ice had to be thrown out.

Story continues below...

ICYMI: Houston Restaurant Violations July 27 - Aug. 2

Mila's Taqueria Mexico located at 3240 Fondren, landed on the violations list for the second week in a row. Inspectors found beef stored in the freezer without protective covering.

It is required that all food be covered during storage to avoid contamination.

Before you head out for your next meal, be sure to click through our slideshow above for the list of restaurants with violations (Aug. 2 - Aug. 9).

During health inspections, inspectors distribute violations that carry a weight between 1 and 25, increasing in severity. The term "demerit" is used by city health inspectors to describe the weighted value assigned to each violation. The Houston Chronicle obtained the results of routine health inspections throughout the city and tallied each restaurant's demerits for a comprehensive list of violations. To view inspection reports online or learn more about food inspections, visit the health department website.
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The honoree and the speaker for the 10th anniversary of the "In the Pink of Health" luncheon have been chosen.

The Northeast Hospital Foundation selected Lake Houston neonatologist Dr. Angel Munoz as its honoree. Cancer survivor Dr. Stephanie Parke, a dentist who resides with her family in The Woodlands, will be the speaker.

Foundation President Tim Baker, of Independence Bank of Kingwood, surprised Munoz with the announcement during the Lake Houston Area Chamber's July Salute to Health Care.

"For 25 years, Dr. Munoz has performed everyday miracles on the tiniest and most delicate newborns at Memorial Hermann Northeast," Baker told chamber members. "This is an honor you truly deserve."

Munoz, with wife, Missy, moved to the Lake Houston area in 1994 to become the area's first neonatologist.

"I'll bet there are quite a few parents and grandparents here today whose newborns were touched by the skill and care of Dr. Munoz," Baker said. "I don't know if there is a category in the Guinness Book of World Records for most hours worked in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit by a physician but, if there is, I'll bet Dr. Munoz would be at the top of the list."

Munoz is a medical doctor trained to handle complex and high-risk situations for newborns. He established Lake Houston's first neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital in Humble in 1994 until this year when he transitioned to working full time at WeeKare, the two pediatric clinics he founded in Humble and in East Houston.

Luncheon speaker for "In The Pink of Health" is Stephanie Parke, with Parke & Rogers Dentistry in The Woodlands.

"Dr. Parke got the shock of a lifetime when she was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer in 2013," Baker said. "She will inspire us with the encouraging journey she took alongside her husband, Frank, and their three children."

"Her message reminds us all to put ourselves on our own 'to do list.'" Baker added. "Previous luncheon speakers have talked about surviving cancer, but Dr. Parke talks about 'surviving survival.'"

Parke is a "cum laude" graduate of Texas A&M University. She received her DDS degree from the University of Texas Dental Branch, Houston. Her husband, Frank, is a rheumatologist. They have three children. She is a volunteer for many community organizations, providing dental care for the underserved through the Interfaith Community Clinic, participating in the Junior League and a member of The Woodlands "In the Pink of Health" luncheon committee.

The foundation will celebrate the luncheon's 10th anniversary on Friday, Oct. 20, at 11:30 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Houston Airport Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Co-chairs for the 10th anniversary luncheon, once again, are Lynette Calfee and Nancy Shortsleeve.

The 2017 committee members are Dawn Allen, Suzanne Brown, LynAnn Centofanti, Angi Lewis, Kimberly Stokes, Robin Ardoin, Suzanne Croft, Chelsea Degueyter, Marco Ollervides, Elizabeth Tise, Sara Baker, Cynthia Calvert, Rhonda Dishongh, Joanne Pike, Erica White, Brooke Baugh, Brittany Cannon, Tracy Erwin, Carol Prince, Missy Williams, Tom Broad, Cristi Cardenas, Heather Ingalls, Tricia Racine, Audrey Winders and Leigh Rozelle.

Proceeds from the "In the Pink of Health" luncheon, held on the third Friday in October, will fund Project Mammogram and other initiatives of the Northeast Hospital Foundation.

Project Mammogram is a Northeast Hospital Foundation program housed at the Memorial Hermann Cancer Center-Northeast providing free mammograms and, if needed, follow-up diagnostics and treatment to Lake Houston residents who qualify.

For more information about qualifying for a free mammogram, call 281-540-6443.

For sponsorship and table sales information about the "In the Pink of Health" luncheon, call 281-359-1959, or visit www.northeasthospitalfoundation.org.
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Pasadena will soon restore public bus service, which the city dropped in 2012, Mayor Jeff Wagner announced Wednesday.

The city of 150,000 has had no mass transit since former Mayor Johnny Isbell ended its agreement with Harris County Transit. Isbell said not enough people rode the buses to justify the cost to the city, which totaled about $226,000 in 2012.

Wagner's announcement said the city was finalizing a plan to renew the agreement for four bus routes totaling about 70 miles in low-income neighborhoods and other areas with high need.

"Many of our citizens have requested that we create some type of transit system throughout our city," Wagner said in a news release. "The Harris County Transit system we had at one time seemed like a good option, but we've been working together to find ways to enhance that service even more."

Wagner took office a month ago after winning a campaign to succeed Isbell, who could not seek re-election due to term limits.

The proposed routes include stops at San Jacinto College, Strawberry Clinic and Bayshore Medical Center, as well as at retail, grocery and pharmacy chains. The six-day-per-week service will also give Pasadena residents access to existing Harris County Transit routes and connect to the Houston Metro system near Richey Road.

The city will hold public meetings in September to introduce the new service to residents and to seek their feedback on the proposed routes, the statement said.
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FBI agents raided the home in Alexandria, Virginia, of President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, arriving in the pre-dawn hours late last month and seizing documents and other materials related to the special counsel investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

The raid, which occurred without warning on July 26, signaled an aggressive new approach by special counsel Robert Mueller and his team in dealing with a key figure in the Russia inquiry. Manafort has been under increasing pressure as the Mueller team looked into his personal finances and his professional career as a highly paid foreign political consultant.

Using a search warrant, agents appeared the day Manafort was scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee and a day after he met voluntarily with Senate Intelligence Committee staff members.

The search warrant requested documents related to tax, banking and other matters. People familiar with the search said agents departed the Manafort residence with a trove of material, including binders prepared ahead of Manafort's congressional testimony.

Investigators in the Russia inquiry have previously sought documents with subpoenas, which are less intrusive and confrontational than a search warrant. With a warrant, agents can inspect a physical location and seize any useful information.

"I think it adds a shock and awe enforcement component to what until now has followed a natural path for a white-collar investigation," said Jacob Frenkel, a former federal prosecutor. "More so than anything else we've seen so far, it really does send a powerful law enforcement message when the search warrant is used. . . . That message is that the special counsel team will use all criminal investigative tools available to advance the investigation as quickly and as comprehensively as possible."

Jason Maloni, a spokesman for Manafort, confirmed that agents executed a warrant at one of the political consultant's homes and that Manafort cooperated with the search.

Manafort has been voluntarily providing documents to congressional committees investigating Russia's election interference. The search warrant indicates that investigators may have argued to a federal judge that they had reason to think Manafort could not be trusted to turn over all records in response to a grand jury subpoena.

The raid also could have been intended to send a message to Trump's former campaign chairman that he should not expect gentle treatment or legal courtesies from Mueller's team members, who already have begun combing through Manafort's complicated financial past.

The documents seized in the raid include materials Manafort already had provided to Congress, said people familiar with the search, and the significance of what was obtained remained unclear Wednesday evening.

"If the FBI wanted the documents, they could just ask [Manafort] and he would have turned them over," said one adviser close to the White House.

Josh Stueve, spokesman for Mueller, declined to comment, as did Reginald Brown, an attorney for Manafort.

"Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well," said Maloni, the Manafort spokesman.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a member of the Judiciary Committee and a former U.S. attorney, called the search "a significant and even stunning development," noting that such raids are generally reserved for "the most serious criminal investigations dealing with uncooperative or untrusted potential targets."

"A federal judge signing this warrant would demand persuasive evidence of probable cause that a serious crime has been committed and that less intrusive and dramatic investigative means would be ineffective," he said in a statement.

Mueller has increased legal pressure on Manafort, consolidating under his authority unrelated investigations of various aspects of Manafort's professional and personal life.

Manafort's allies fear that Mueller hopes to build a case against Manafort unrelated to the 2016 campaign, in hopes that he would provide information against others in Trump's inner circle in exchange for lessening his legal exposure.

Manafort has provided more than 300 pages of documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the Senate and House intelligence committees. The information includes notes Manafort took while attending a meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016.

Emails show that Trump Jr. accepted the meeting and invited Manafort after he was told that the Russian lawyer would provide damaging information about Democrat Hillary Clinton as part of a Russian government effort to assist his father's campaign.

The special counsel's office has subpoenaed records and testimony related to the Trump Tower meeting, people familiar with the investigation said.

Last week, the Trump campaign turned over more than 20,000 pages of documents to congressional investigators examining Russian efforts to influence the election. Manafort and Trump Jr. separately turned over hundreds of documents requested by congressional committees.

Manafort had been subpoenaed to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 26, the day of the raid. Ultimately, however, the subpoena was withdrawn, and he did not testify. Committee Chairman Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Calif., the panel's ranking Democrat, said in a joint statement that they had dropped the demand after Manafort began producing documents.

Manafort, an experienced political operative who was once a business partner of Trump confidante Roger Stone, was hired to professionalize the Trump campaign at the recommendation of another Trump friend, Tom Barrack, an international real estate investor.

As a political consultant, Manafort traveled the world, at times offering advice to despots and dictators.

His decade of work in Ukraine on behalf of a Russia-friendly political party has drawn attention from the FBI. In Kiev, he advised the Party of Regions, helping to elect former president Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted from power amid public protests in 2014 and fled to Russia.

A few days after attending the Trump Tower meeting in June 2016 at the urging of Trump Jr., Manafort was named chairman of Trump's campaign, following the ouster of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. Manafort remained in that role through the Republican National Convention and into August, when he resigned amid growing scrutiny of his work in Ukraine. The New York Times reported at the time that his name was found in a ledger of off-the-books cash payments made by the Party of Regions. Manafort has denied receiving any improper payments from the party.

Still, the work was lucrative. In June, Manafort filed Foreign Agents Registration Act paperwork with the Justice Department providing new details about his work in Ukraine. The documents showed that his firm was paid $17.1 million for its work in Ukraine over two years before expenses.

Manafort's retroactive filing about his Ukraine work came as investigators scrutinized his foreign lobbying and began to aggressively probe his financial past.

During the spring, prosecutors issued subpoenas seeking information about his income sources and financial transactions. One subpoena reviewed by The Washington Post sought information "concerning contracts for work . . . communication or other records of correspondence" related to about two dozen people and businesses that appeared to be connected to Manafort or his wife, including some who worked for Manafort while he was a political consultant in Ukraine.

The subpoena was issued by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia, where Manafort's consulting business has been located. Also named in the subpoena were various corporations formed in Cyprus. Manafort appeared to have routed money he earned in Ukraine and in business dealings with a Russian business magnate through Cyprus-based bank accounts.

After Mueller was appointed, his team took over the Manafort investigation that was underway in Virginia.

State authorities in New York also have issued subpoenas seeking information about Manafort's real estate loans.

And Mueller's office has taken over an investigation of financial dealings that involved Manafort and his son-in-law, a real estate investor, including real estate transactions in California.

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The Washington Post's Philip Rucker, Matt Zapotosky and Julie Tate contributed to this report.

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Four controversial figures Paul Manafort did business with

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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson this morning defended President Donald Trump's reckless threat to rain "fire and fury" on North Korea, but make no mistake: In the course of doing so, Tillerson quietly erased the red line that Trump laid down, and redrew it in a relatively more reasonable place.

Tillerson's comments will in this sense have a calming effect. But they are also cause for a different sort of alarm: They raise additional questions as to why Trump made the comments in the first place; what process went into the creation and delivery of them, if any; and what will - or won't - be done to ensure that there is a sane process in place to shape further comments from Trump as this crisis unfolds.

Tillerson, returning from Asia, defended Trump's comments this way:

"What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language. . . . I think it was important that he deliver that message to avoid any miscalculation on their part."

In this sense, Tillerson stood by Trump's threat. But Tillerson also sought to reassure Americans by saying this:

"I think what the president was just reaffirming is that the United States has the capability to fully defend itself from any attack, and our allies, and we will do so. So the American people should sleep well at night."

Tillerson also said "the president just wanted to be clear to the North Korean regime that the U.S. has the unquestionable ability to defend itself. . .and its allies." But that subtly - and meaningfully - shifts the red line Trump drew.

Trump, recall, said this yesterday: "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen." Trump then once again alluded to Kim Jong Un's threats, and reiterated that they "will be met with fire, fury, and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before."

In other words, Trump clearly stated - twice - that any further threats from North Korea would be met with a response that dwarfs any show of military power ever seen in human history, including, presumably, America's dropping of nuclear bombs on Japan. Anything Trump does, or threatens to do, will be bigger and stronger than what came before it, including the nuclear annihilation of millions.

But Tillerson backed off of that. He recast Trump's comments to mean that we will respond to defend ourselves from any attack, not respond with force to any further threats. (Indeed, North Korea crossed the red line Trump drew only hours later.)

"Tillerson has drawn the line in a more traditional and reasonable place," Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear nonproliferation expert who tweets as ArmsControlWonk, told me today. "The question is: What did Trump think he was saying? My guess is he didn't think about it at all. That's the problem. . . .He doesn't pay any attention to word choice."

As many have already observed, by vaguely vowing an overwhelming nuclear response to continued threats from North Korea, Trump sounded a lot like North Korea itself, employing a formulation that is both vague and menacing, which in combination increases the risk of miscalculation and, with it, unspeakable horror. Tillerson plainly tried to undo that today by redrawing the line more sharply, while defending the impulse behind Trump's comments.

But that still leaves us guessing in a way that raises worrisome unknowns about what's to come. We don't know what Trump really meant. What has now been confirmed, however, is that Trump will use vague and reckless language in the most dangerous conceivable contexts. "If one had any doubt that Trump was going to be incredibly reckless with language at the worst possible times, he just did it," Lewis said. "Tillerson's efforts suggest that everyone around Trump knows that was crazy."

But that raises an additional question: What process went into the creation and delivery of this statement in the first place? Michael Warren of The Weekly Standard suggests this morning that the White House, including Trump's national security team, was not aware that Trump was going to deliver this statement. And The New York Times adds, alarmingly, that "White House officials did not respond to questions about how much planning went into his brief statement."

This urgently needs to be teased out. We need to know more about the process, if any, that went into the creation of this statement, and we'll need to know more about this process going forward, as Trump delivers more similar statements in what looks like an escalating situation.

"No administration is of one mind on anything, so process determines how different preferences are aggregated together in presidential statements," Lewis says. "Trump doesn't choose words with any care whatsoever. If you don't understand the process, you're not going to understand what's been agreed to. . .by broad inter-agency agreement." Or if there was any such process at all.
The two countries most at risk from a U.S. attack on North Korea largely brushed off President Donald Trump's threat to unleash "fire and fury" as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson downplayed the threat of an immediate strike.

South Korea said on Wednesday it was watching for any new provocations by North Korea, and would continue to push for peace. Yonhap News Agency cited an unidentified official at the presidential office in Seoul saying there's no "imminent crisis."

In Japan, government spokesman Yoshihide Suga spent more time answering questions on Wednesday about a dispute with the U.S. over the safety of its Osprey military aircraft than about North Korea. A senior Japanese official, who asked not to be identified to discuss internal deliberations, said there's no mobilization for a military strike and very few people in the government are taking Trump's comments seriously.

Trump's comments reverberated around the world, sparking a selloff in global markets and prompting a wave of criticism in Washington. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said he wasn't sure Trump was ready to act, while Rep. Eliot Engel of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs committee, said the comments "undermined American credibility by drawing an absurd red line."

The subdued reaction in part reflects their long history of dealing with threats from North Korea: Both U.S. allies have long been in the firing line of Kim Jong Un and regularly hear the regime's threats of death and destruction. South Korea and Japan each host U.S. troops and depend on the American "nuclear umbrella" to deter an attack.

Still, Trump's comments on Wednesday -- made seemingly off-the-cuff in response to a question -- highlight a growing concern over the reliability of the U.S. as a strategic partner. Trump has said South Korea and Japan should pay more to host U.S. troops and sought to renegotiate trade terms.

Last month, Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, sparked concern when he said it was "unimaginable" to allow North Korea to have the capability to strike a U.S. city with a nuclear weapon. Sen. Lindsey Graham told NBC News last week Trump told him that "if thousands die, they're going to die over there."

"The prioritization of the American homeland and the security of the American homeland is upsetting a lot of understood truths: The idea that the U.S. would defend Seoul as if it were Los Angeles," said John Park, director of the Korea Working Group at Harvard Kennedy School. "Now the view is, in order to protect the American homeland, collateral damage over there is acceptable."

The prospect of conflict in the region rattled investors on Wednesday. South Korea's benchmark Kospi fell 1.1 percent to the lowest since June 21, while the won fell the most in three weeks. Japan's Topix index had the biggest slide in almost three months.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday said that Trump delivered Kim a "strong message" though said there was no "imminent threat," according to the Associated Press.

In a statement, China urged all sides to avoid escalating tensions and to return to dialogue. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declined to answer a question about Trump's remark during a press briefing in Indonesia, where he is visiting.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has shifted away from initial attempts to start a dialogue with Kim, particularly after North Korea tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles within a matter of weeks. He has called for talks with the U.S. to consider the deployment of more Thaad missile-defense launchers to South Korea, a move he had previously put on ice.

Repeated provocations by North Korea have fueled calls for South Korea to arm itself with nuclear weapons. Critics argue it would trigger an arms race, including prompting Japan to seek a nuclear deterrent, elevating tensions further in a region still reeling from atrocities committed during World War II.

Lee Jong-myeong, a lawmaker with the main opposition Liberty Korea Party and a former army officer, said the number of voices calling for South Korea to obtain nuclear weapons has grown in recent years. Still, it remains too unpopular for the party to make an official proposal.

"North Korea may be threatening the U.S. with its long-range missiles, but it's essentially blackmailing us by putting pressure on the U.S.," Lee said by phone. "We have to be ready."

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has used the nuclear threat to push for changes to his country's pacifist constitution. His new defense minister, Itsunori Onodera, is an advocate of Japan obtaining its own long-range strike capability, something the country has so far avoided.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Wednesday blamed North Korea for raising tensions when asked about Trump's remark. He called on the regime to back down while acknowledging the high costs of war.

"A conflict would be shattering," Turnbull said. "It would have catastrophic consequences."
Are you one of the 2.3 million people who call Houston home? Are you among the more than 75 percent of Texans who live in a city?

Then I'm sorry to tell you: You're responsible for all of America's problems.

At least, that's what Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick insinuated to an interviewer on Fox Business Network.

"And where do we have all our problems in America?" Patrick asked. "Not at the state level run by Republicans, but in our cities that are mostly controlled by Democrat mayors and Democrat city councilmen and women. That's where you see liberal policies. That's where you see high taxes. That's where you see street crime."

Now, Patrick calls Houston home as well, but I'm guessing as a Republican of the far-right variety, he excludes himself from the shame of urban blame. I'm assuming he's mostly just ridiculing the majorities of urban-dwellers who exercised their constitutional rights to vote for local leaders of their choice.

But if Patrick wants to distance himself from the challenges of city living, he should abstain from the advantages as well. If I spot him at the Houston Grand Opera or at an Astros game or at James Beard Award-winning Hugo's, I will call him out. He better not think about holding a news conference on the Ship Channel or anywhere else to crow about Houston's economic engine: The region represents more than 30 percent of Texas' GDP and around 25 percent of the state's employment.

Cities have problems. Sure. Funny thing: The more humans you have, the more cars you have, the more toothbrushes, weed whackers and fidget spinners you have, the more crimes you have. But there's a trade-off. We don't have nearly as many feral hogs. And the number decreases further during legislative sessions.

Patrick's biggest sin isn't ranking cities just south of the pit of hell; it's bestowing sainthood on state leaders and depicting their governance as infallible. The blame game is a fine strategy in news releases and presidential Twitter tantrums but in the real world, people have sense.

They've upgraded their analytical skills beyond good and evil. For instance, most of us understand that fixing Texas' broken school finance system is more important than telling Texans where to pee.

But some areas aren't so clear. Take the particularly angsty topic of property taxes.

Patrick and other state leaders think they can get away with shifting responsibility for Texans' discontentment with property tax bills to local governments because the average Texan doesn't know where the heck the bill comes from; they just want to pay less.

Rollback dilemma

So Patrick's allies, such as state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, come along and say they're trying to help Texans crying out for "relief" and "reform." You might be fooled into thinking that means a tax cut. It doesn't. The author of a similar House bill has been clear about that.

What Bettencourt's bill does is require larger cities, counties and taxing districts to seek voter approval if the amount of property tax revenues collected is higher than 4 percent of the amount collected the previous year. Current law triggers a "rollback" election at 8 percent.

That might sound great to some of you. The problem is that the rise in tax bills is coming generally from increased home values, not local entities hiking rates. Bettencourt's bill would hamstring a city's ability to provide services, including police and fire. Houston, for instance, spends around 60 percent of property tax dollars on public safety.

"It just slows the growth of government revenue and slows the growth of tax bills," Bettencourt, R-Houston, told me this week.

I asked him about the consequence in Houston, where Police Chief Art Acevedo often notes that he's already short 2,000 officers. Bettencourt questioned the accuracy of that number. I said I'd trust the police chief over a senator on that one.

"He's new to the job," Bettencourt said with a laugh. He's a happy warrior - one undeterred by the fact that the previous Houston police chief has raised similar concerns.

The senator also sidestepped questions about the Legislature's pattern of shifting costs once borne by the state onto local governments. One reason property taxes are higher - other than the fact that we don't have a state income tax - is that Texas fails to adequately fund schools, gradually decreasing its contribution over the past decade, forcing local districts to pick up the slack.

'Underhanded'

As Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner wrote recently in an op-ed: "It's unfair and underhanded for state leaders to underfund public education and then criticize school district leaders for trying to make up the difference with local tax levies - or leaving students without proper staffing and resources."

Counties, meanwhile, are saddled with unfunded mandates ranging from housing state jail inmates to hospitals tasked with caring for people left uninsured after Texas refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

The gas tax hasn't been raised in a quarter century. And the franchise tax debacle eventually led to cuts that siphoned off another source of revenue.

The Legislature has the power to offer Texas homeowners real property tax relief. To do so would require political courage.

Lacking that, we get state leaders who scapegoat local governments and at least one who demonizes millions of voters and their elected leaders in an increasingly urban state.

"I think they realize they can't cut state taxes anymore and they realize that cutting the franchise tax was a mistake," said Dick Lavine, a tax expert at the Center for Public Policy Priorities, which advocates for low income Texans. "This way they can force someone else to cut taxes and not take responsibility for the consequences."

Nope. No problem there.
Students who earn a four-year college degree are more likely to have higher salaries, find employment and avoid living in poverty, several studies show.

In the Houston Independent School District, some high schools are sending nearly all graduates on their way to four-year degrees, while others funnel fewer than one-in-five students toward college.
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Two male students accused of sexual misconduct say the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University botched their cases, the latest in a growing backlash against federal requirements that critics say improperly favor campus assault and harassment complainants over the alleged perpetrators.

Both men say they were improperly punished after faulty investigative and review processes at their respective universities. The UT-Austin student has sued the university, saying he was suspended after the university's president improperly reversed the findings of a sexual misconduct investigation.

"Universities, I think, now are going overboard the other direction and trying to make it clear that they're on the forefront of these movements," said Brian Roark, an attorney representing the UT-Austin student.

Their complaints come as President Donald Trump's administration appears to offer a more sympathetic ear to students accused of sexual misconduct.

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos last month invited students who said they had been falsely accused to the Department of Education, along with victims and subject matter experts. Candice Jackson, who holds a top White House civil rights post, told the New York Times that same week that 90 percent of student sexual assault accusations come with alcohol use or if a female student regretted sexual intercourse. She cited no evidence and later walked back the statement.

The turn away from the Obama administration's messaging on campus sexual assault and the slew of complaints about university adjudication could spark calls for additional recourse by accused students, like those at Texas A&M and UT-Austin.

Backlash, said Roark is coming from "people finally starting to realize that this has gotten out of control."

Roark's case involves two UT-Austin students - one male, one female - who went to the woman's sorority party together. Both acknowledge they gave verbal, affirmative consent before sleeping together that night, but the female student later said she was too intoxicated to make a sound decision.

Initially, a university investigation found the sex was consensual, but UT-Austin President Gregory Fenves overturned that ruling on appeal, writing that "under university rules, someone who is intoxicated cannot give consent to sexual activity because they are incapacitated."

The male student was suspended for five semesters.

"When you lower (the incapacitation) standard to simply intoxication ... that would wipe out most of my sexual experiences in college, and most other folks' I know, as well," Roark said.

The lawsuit, filed Monday, accuses Fenves of reversing the decision in an effort to take a hard-line stance on campus sexual assault, fearing that UT-Austin would "suffer the same public relations disaster that occurred at nearby Baylor University" if administrators did not appear to take the crime seriously.

The lawsuit also alleges that Fenves stepped in because the female student is the daughter of a donor.

UT-Austin spokesman J.B. Bird said in a statement Monday that the university does not comment on pending litigation or student discipline.

"Our policies and procedures in such cases are followed and applied with care and diligence at all levels, including appeals to the president during which he makes decisions only based upon the record in the case," he said.

UT-Austin administrators were unavailable for comment on Tuesday, he said.

The federal Office for Civil Rights in the Department of Education opened an investigation into Texas A&M last month, probing whether the university discriminated against an accused male student because of his sex. The complaint invokes Title IX, the federal nondiscrimination law that forbids educational institutions from sex-based discrimination.

Texas A&M suspended the male student after a judicial conduct hearing, according to the Department of Education.

The student said he did not have equal opportunity to provide witness testimony and submit character evidence to a university conduct panel.

Texas A&M has seen at least two similar complaints in recent years, one at the center of a separate ongoing Title IX probe and the other in a 2015 lawsuit.

A&M administrators did not respond to requests for comment. The university's website lists possible sanctions, frequently asked questions and resources, rights and options for both victims and accused. Both parties, the website says, will have opportunities to present witnesses and other evidence.

Sexual assault is a historically underreported crime, and several studies have shown that the percentage of false reports is low.

Christopher Kaiser, the director of public policy and general counsel for the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, said he fears U.S. Department of Education could come to view campus sexual assault judicial proceedings as unfair to the accused, which he says is false.

In recent years, he said, there has been cultural and some institutional movement toward believing victims and giving them fair treatment.

An outside investigation in 2016 concluded that Baylor "directly discouraged complainants from reporting," and a Stanford University student convicted of sexual assault saw mere months behind bars.

"People aren't making these allegations for fun," Kaiser said.

Will Creeley, senior vice president of legal and public advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, said federal recognition that the current system is flawed allows for "the possibility of change." The foundation has criticized existing student conduct hearings as "kangaroo courts."

Some critics point to a lower standard of evidence for campus conduct proceedings as unfair to accused students and question whether cases are investigated fairly. Creeley said litigation from accused students has sped up in recent years as the issue has gained visibility.

Still, he said, the Trump administration's future direction is not yet clear.

Campus rape, sexual assault and harassment received a fresh spotlight in former President Barack Obama's administration, as officials offered guidance on how to implement Title IX.

Vice President Joe Biden promoted a national "It's On Us" campaign, through which chapters from UT-Austin to Baylor to Texas Tech University condemned campus sexual assault.

"We can never say enough to survivors: I believe you," he said in an open letter to the Stanford victim. "It is not your fault."

The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights opened hundreds of investigations into colleges and universities nationwide. Thirteen investigations remain open in Texas.

Some universities have taken steps to prevent and better track the crime.

A new course piloted at Rice University last spring outlines sexual consent and healthy relationships. The University of Texas System surveyed students across the state to track the prevalence of sexual assault and other crimes.

"Folks are really quick to jump to the conclusion that survivors want to throw the book at the person who assaulted them," Kaiser said, adding that some assaulted students merely want basic accommodations to avoid seeing the other party. "Title IX is a civil rights law. It's about equitable access to education."

DeVos' meeting with accused students was a cause for concern for clients of Wendy Murphy, an adjunct professor of sexual violence law at the New England School of Law, she said. She said she now points victims to state court to pursue justice, calling it "completely insulated from federal shenanigans."

"When your job is to protect student civil rights, which includes victims of sex based harm, and you start talking about protecting offenders' rights, there's no place else for victims but (state) courts."
Harris County officials Tuesday pushed back sharply against complaints from county peace officers that they are underpaid, saying the pay raises requested would cost more than $62 million a year.

The Harris County Deputies Organization - which represents 1,700 jailers and deputies - first raised the issue in late July, when the organization's leadership sent a pay study to commissioners showing deputies and jailers make significantly less than peace officers working in comparable departments, making it hard to attract top talent and damaging public safety.

But in a letter to Commissioner Jack Cagle on Tuesday, responding to his questions about the peace officers' concerns, county budget officials said the deputies were telling a one-sided story.

"A key takeaway is that the salary comparison shown by the HCDO provides an incomplete and misleading picture of the county's law enforcement compensation," according to the memo.

Some county commissioners, however, said they would consider bumping the pay for starting deputies for an estimated $2 million per year.

The HCDO analysis showed that deputies and jailers make on average 18 to 24 percent less than their peers in large, urban departments, and leaders called for increases across the pay scales to bring local salaries in line.

The deputies argued that because of the county's vast size, population, complexity and high call volume, they should be compared to other large Texas cities.

More Information By the numbers Harris County jailers and deputies are asking for a raise. $44,866 deputies' first-year salary 1,700 jailers and deputies represented by HCDO $62 million cost to provide raises across all pay grades See More Collapse

County officials, however, said Tuesday that a truer comparison would be to other nearby sheriff's offices. The budget office is reviewing records to produce a comprehensive report.

HCDO President David Cuevas said Tuesday he had not yet seen the letter but would be reviewing it.

The memo acknowledges that a deputy's first year pay of $44,866 lags other nearby jurisdictions - though it rises to $49,338 in deputies' second year of work. Raising the pay of first-year deputies would cost the county approximately $2 million annually. Fixing wages across all pay grades would exceed $62 million annually.

Apples to apples

County officials challenged other data in the study.

Although HCDO officials argued that low pay is driving away peace officers and making it hard to attract top talent, the memo points out that the sheriff's office and constables' offices have increased their ranks by more than 1,000 employees in the past five years.

During the same period, peace officer pay has risen between 19 percent and 30 percent, and employees have seen a 10 percent across-the-board pay increase along with step increases, raises due to promotions and increased longevity pay.

In the past year, the sheriff's office has lost only 1 percent of its employees to resignations, the memo said. The average length of service to the county from its deputies runs approximately 16 years.

"I wanted something that was more of an apples-to-apples comparison," said William Jackson, the county's chief budget officer.

He said the deputies' pay study did not include incentives specific to Harris County, such as step increases and other pay raises or note other steps the county has taken to respond to employee concerns, including new parking, absorbing rising health costs, and stepping up court security.

'A very bold move'

County officials said a massive, systemwide pay increase would not be feasible.

"I believe it's a very bold move by the HCDO to propose at this time a plan to ask commissioners court to approve a $62 million pay raise," Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack said. "And I can say with some certainty, we can't afford (that) with all the other demands we have."

Jackson said he would propose increasing starting deputy pay.

"If we can bump up on the front end, if that's a major concern - $2 million out of a budget of half a billion dollars, I think that's a good way to invest some money and help out those starting people," he said.

Radack agreed.

"That looks like something we certainly need to address and as we get more information on it, I would personally vote to approve those funds for that," he said.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said deputies need at a minimum a sustainable salary that allows them to live in Harris County.

"The hardworking folks who dedicate their careers to maintaining our county should receive a competitive living wage for their work," he said.
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On paper, it looked like second-grader Rocco Phillips only had about 30 minutes of homework each night, but add in all the time lost to stalling, squirming and distractions, and it really took the Katy ISD student two or three hours.

It also gave his dad, Justin Phillips, the unfortunate role of "nagger in chief" on weeknights.

"It's not just that he's tired - it's frayed nerves for all of us," Phillips said. "It's time to get to bed, but he hasn't finished homework and needs to get it done. It happens four days a week."

This coming school year, Rocco and his father may have a few more enjoyable evenings as the Katy ISD embedded six no homework "family nights" in its 2017-2018 calendar - a rare move pleasing parents and students by a school district trying to balance academic progress with students' emotional and social well-being.

Schools and districts across the country are taking a second look at the amount of homework they assign as parents complain that students are over-worked and stressed out by increasingly demanding course loads.

A second-grade teacher in Godley, near Fort Worth, made national headlines last year after she told parents she would not assign homework, asking instead that parents eat, read, play and bond with their children during after-school time.

In Florida's Marion County, elementary school students will not be assigned traditional homework during the coming school year. Instead, teachers will ask students to read a book of their choosing for 20 minutes each night.

Family engagement

Experts almost universally agree that high-quality homework helps boost academic performance, but the research becomes mixed when discussing how much homework is right and whether it benefits younger students as much.

Katy Superintendent Lance Hindt said a handful of schools had been toying with family nights and that students lobbied hard to make them district-wide events.

"Family engagement is really important for us in Katy ISD," Hindt said. "We do a lot in our buildings, but we thought why not extend out of the buildings into the community?"

While it's a start, Phillips said six days a year is not enough to make a meaningful difference in his time with his now third-grade son, rising first-grade daughter and two younger children.

"It's a joke," Phillips said. "When I saw it I thought, 'Really? Oh that's great, maybe it will be once a week.' In a perfect world, we wouldn't have the type of homework we have now."

Harris Cooper, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University who has studied homework for more than a decade, said a good rule-of-thumb is the 10-minute rule: Multiply the student's grade level by 10, and that's how many minutes they should spend doing homework. That would mean third-graders should get about 30 minutes, and sophomores in high school should have about 100 minutes' worth.

"Homework is like medicine - if you take the right amount it will help you get better," Cooper said. "If you don't take it, it won't help at all, and if you take too much, you can get sick."

'Conditioning' for college

Cooper said nightly homework should take most students no more than two hours to complete. And while homework is good practice for elementary schoolers, he said it often doesn't make much difference in their day-to-day academic performances. Instead, simple homework assignments serve a larger purpose for younger children: help students learn to self-study and manage their time and tasks after school. Those softer skills will serve those students well in years to come, Cooper said.

Such skills also serve college-bound high school students, like those at Houston ISD's Young Women's College Preparatory Academy. Principal DeLesa O'Dell Thomas said her students need homework each night so they can practice time management and studying before they head to college. No homework nights simply would not work, she said.

"When you think about what we're doing, we're conditioning girls for college, getting them into that mindset," Thomas said. "You and I both know if we don't read or study before class, we won't be prepared for what the professor discusses."

She said that's especially true of subjects such as mathematics and foreign languages, but her teachers are careful not to overload students with mountains of busy work.

But in Phillips' ideal world, homework - at least for elementary school students - would become a thing of the past.

"I would like to go home and enjoy time with my kids, eat dinner, go outside and play," Phillips said. "Now I'm just the father's who's gone at work, and when he shows up, he nags his kids to death over homework."

Open to adding

Hindt acknowledged that six nights out of a 176-day student academic year is not a large reprieve but does not anticipate more than six no-homework "family nights" in future calendars.

"We're probably going to stick with the one designation per six weeks because these kids are in school and homework is important, practice is important," Hindt said, adding he'd be open to conversations about adding more family nights. "I've had a couple of superintendent buddies call me and say 'Oh come on,' because now they've got more pressure to do it, too."
AUSTIN - Women would have a much harder time finding health insurance to cover an abortion under legislation that passed the Texas House on Tuesday and has already cleared the Senate.

The Texas House - over strong objections from Democrats - gave preliminary approval to House Bill 214, which prohibits standard health plans in the private market and under plans offered under the Affordable Care Act from providing coverage for abortion except in the cases where the life of the mother is in danger. To get abortion coverage, women would need to purchase supplemental health insurance.

The House voted 95-51 to send the bill to a final vote which could happen as soon as Wednesday.

With time fast running out on the 30-day special session, abortion issues have become one of the few areas of solid agreement between the House and Senate that remain distant on other issues like the so-called bathroom bill and school finance reform. However, on Tuesday House and Senate leaders offered some hope they might still find agreement on school funding issues, though what that looks like remains unclear.

More certain is the Legislature's willingness to pass bills championed by groups opposed to abortion rights. Already the House and Senate had passed similar bills to increase reporting requirements on abortion providers. And Tuesday's passage of HB 214 puts the Legislature close to clearing a bill Texas Right to Life has declare critical to protecting "Pro-Life Texans from subsidizing abortions."

"This isn't about who can get an abortion," State Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, said of the bill during more than four hours of often-heated debate on the House floor Tuesday. "It is about who is forced to pay for an abortion."

But Democrats vehemently objected, saying Smithee's plan essentially targets women by forcing them to pay for extra insurance that men would be able to avoid buying.

"This bill takes us backwards," said Rep. Ina Minjarez, D-San Antonio. "This bill is about denying Texas women their right to a safe abortion."

Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, was even more blunt, saying HB 214 was essentially forcing women to buy "rape insurance" because Smithee's bill did not provide even an exception for rape or incest victims.

Turner tried unsuccessfully to amend the bill to allow insurance to still cover abortions for women and girls who are raped or victims of incest.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 25 states ban abortion coverage under health plans purchased through the Affordable Care Act exchanges, but at least 13 of those have exceptions for rape and incest victims. Of the 10 states that ban private insurance coverage of abortions, two have exceptions for rape and incest.

But the Texas legislation is unique in that it follows only Oklahoma in putting new obstacles in front of employers who seek to try to give employees an option of health care packages that cover abortions, according to Elizabeth Nash, who watches state trends for the Guttmacher Institute. How premiums are calculated for abortion coverage plans and the procedures employers would have to go through will be among the most difficult to navigate, Nash said.

Abortion rights advocacy groups say the Legislative intent is clear to them.

"This legislation is part of an agenda to shame, bully, and punish people seeking abortion, and we've seen firsthand how Texans are harmed when abortion coverage is banned," said Amanda Williams, Executive Director of Texas's Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity. "Every person should be able to make their own reproductive decisions, no matter what insurance they have or how much money is in their bank account."

But Texas Right to Life officials were celebrating Tuesday on their Facebook page, declaring the passage of HB 214 one of the their priority bills.

Smithee said beyond a moral objection to funding abortion, he has an "economic objection" to being forced to pay for something that he -- as a man -- would never need. But that brought a series of sharp questions from Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, who asked Smithee if he had objections to paying for hysterectomies or breast exams -- other procedures that only woman have that are allowed to be covered.

School finance bill

While Democrats and Republicans battled on the floor, key education leaders were working behind the scenes and offered a tiny sliver of hope that they could work together to pass a school finance bill and create a commission to study school funding, but only after trading barbs all morning.

Two powerful education committee chairmen have been at odds all year over how to address the state's beleaguered school funding system.

Chairman Dan Huberty, a House Republican from Humble, renewed his promise to kill the Senate's plan to create a commission to study school finance if it refuses to pass his bill to add $1.8 billion into public education and change how school funding is calculated, such as spending more money on bilingual students..

Senate Education Chairman Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, told reporters the House's bill amounts to "Band-Aids" when the state needs a "total transformation" in how the state funds its broken public school system. Instead, he said the Senate wants to study how to change the state's school finance system in the lead up to the 2019 legislative session. He went on to compare the state's system to an old car needing costly repairs until the "eventually driving it into the ground  It's time to move on and start shopping for that new car."

Huberty has sat on five such committees in past years and said the studies have rarely led to results the next session. It's time to take action, he said, telling members of his education committee that the Senate lacks the political will to fix public school funding. If the Senate thinks a study commission is going to "do something for the kids, they're out of their mind."

By the end of the day, Taylor said there were parts of Huberty's House Bill 21 that the Senate could work with. Huberty and Taylor were later spotted talking twice on the House floor.

"You're getting closer," Huberty ribbed Taylor as the senator walked away.
AUSTIN -- The House Public Education Committee stripped out the Senate's prized school voucher program Friday and replaced it with a plan to allow children with disabilities to get help from private and non-profit providers after school.

The committee voted 7-0 to swap the Senate's school voucher bill language in Senate Bill 2 with House Bill 320, agreeing to spend $30 million on after school programs for children who are enrolled in special education or qualify for an individualized education plan. The Texas Education Agency would authorize a list of providers parents can seek after school services from using taxpayer dollars, according to the plan.

"I believe if we're really talking about serving students, and especially those who are most vulnerable, then I believe this bill does it, and it does it without the complications of a voucher," said Rep. Gary VanDeaver, a New Boston Republican who is sponsoring the bill.

The move in the House deals a swift blow to the Senate which has long sought to allow parents of children with disabilities to leave public schools by using state money to send their child with special needs to private or parochial school.

The House and Senate have a long-running feud over the idea of school vouchers. The Senate wants parents to have more choice in where to send their kids to school, contesting children should not be limited to struggling schools in their zip code. In order to pass a school voucher bill, the upper chamber narrowed it's approach to students with disabilities in hopes of getting the House on board.

The House has rejected the idea of vouchers this year. More than 100 members of the chamber voted to block any voucher funding in the budget during the regular session. Many have said the money would siphon resources from public schools, it not enough money to help the state's low income children with disabilities or are unneeded in rural districts.

Andrea Zelinski covers politics and education for the Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com.
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AUSTIN -- With meteorologists predicting an active hurricane season, state and federal officials huddled by phone on Friday to make sure they are ready to take on all comers.

And clean up after Franklin, Gert, Harvey, Irma or Jose if they hit the Texas coast.

In the morning phone meeting with President Donald Trump and federal agency heads and top state officials, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, hurricane readiness and recovery plans were discussed.

In their annual hurricane forecast, tropical meteorologists at Colorado State University in June predicted that 11 tropical storms will form in the Atlantic basin, which includes the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

Of those, about four could strengthen into hurricanes, and two of those could become major hurricanes with winds over 110 mph. That's slightly less than the long term averages, according to the forecasters.

During the call, Abbott proclaimed that Texas is ready.

"Texas is in a constant state of hurricane preparedness, and the safety of Texans is our top priority," he said in a statement after the call. "I would encourage all Texans to be mindful of the dangers and always comply with evacuation orders issued by local officials."

Current weather status: A strong tropical wave has departed Africa and now has a 80 percent chance of forming into a tropical depression or storm over the next 5 days.

In the Caribbean, forecasters are watching a tropical tropical wave that has a 60 percent chance of tropical development during the next five days.

Computer models suggest the wave could build as it nears the Yucatan in coming days, and moves into the Gulf of Mexico closer to the Texas coast next week.

Texas Department of Emergency Management officials said Friday they are closely monitoring thatweather system.

And if a storm develops, what will be its name? Franklin is next on the list, officials said.
Tom Reel

AUSTIN -- Texas State Sen. Larry Taylor pushed the House to take up his plan to study the state's beleaguered school finance formula over the interim, arguing the lower chamber's plan is too costly and doesn't go far enough.

In a press conference Tuesday, the Friendswood Republican said it's time for the Legislature to begin making movement to reform the school funding system.
A new poll from CBS News shows that 61 percent of Americans are "uneasy" about President Donald Trump's ability to handle the North Korea crisis. Even among Republicans, more than 1 in 5 say they are uneasy. "Nearly three-quarters of Americans [72 percent] are uneasy about the possibility of conflict with North Korea. . . . A majority think North Korea is using its missile program to try to gain power and influence, rather than outright planning a nuclear strike on the U.S. Nevertheless, that unease remains."

That poll was taken before the latest disturbing news about North Korea's technological prowess. The Post reports:

"North Korea has successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles, crossing a key threshold on the path to becoming a full-fledged nuclear power, U.S. intelligence officials have concluded in a confidential assessment.

"The new analysis completed last month by the Defense Intelligence Agency comes on the heels of another intelligence assessment that sharply raises the official estimate for the total number of bombs in the communist country's atomic arsenal. The U.S. calculated last month that up to 60 nuclear weapons are now controlled by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Some independent experts believe the number of bombs is much smaller."

On one hand, the administration racked up an unusual win in the United Nations, getting Russia and China to go along with a tough sanctions package. However, what the public sees from North Korea is uninterrupted progress on nukes (with no assurance that sanctions will influence its behavior), and from the administration, not deft international diplomacy, but over-the-top and potentially dangerous rhetoric.

Consider what occurred Tuesday. The Hill recapped:

"U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley lashed out at leaks of classified information in a Fox News story Tuesday morning on North Korean missiles, saying it is "incredibly dangerous" that it was reported, even after President Trump tweeted out the story.

"The story used anonymous sources to report that North Korea loaded anti-ship missiles onto a patrol boat near the coast, something that Haley refused to confirm or comment on because it is 'classified information.'

"Her comments on 'Fox & Friends' bashing the spread of classified information come after Trump retweeted the article that uses anonymous sources, though it is not clear whether she knew he shared the story."

Americans might feel a whole lot more comfortable if Haley were president. Wasn't White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly supposed to curb this kind of erratic, hypocritical (remember the war on leaks) and undisciplined conduct? Trump seems compelled to underscore his lack of calm, deliberate judgment. Even worse, he still employs and sends out unqualified aides who behave in ways designed to raise tensions and provoke North Korea. On Fox Business Network, White House adviser Sebastian Gorka declared, "[North Korea] is a Lilliputian nation, if you compare it to our capabilities. So this is bluster. This is nothing else except blackmail, and we do not give in to blackmail, and North Korea and the head of the North Korea Stalinist regime should not test this president."

Kelly should put an end to this. Gorka has no business discussing North Korea on air. (Remember he apparently lacks a security clearance and was reportedly supposed to be leaving the White House, where he has acted as a gadfly and idol for the alt-right.) On matters as sensitive as North Korea, only the actual national security team (the secretaries of state and defense as well as the national security adviser) should be speaking out. Otherwise, this conveys a recklessness and lack of sobriety that, in the context of North Korea, are frightening.

The North Korea problem has vexed multiple presidents. Trump's team perhaps isn't getting the credit it deserves (about which the president whimpers) because it is overshadowed by over-the-top rhetoric that may provoke Pyongyang and unsettle the American people. In the past, Americans at least had the comfort of knowing that their own side in the conflict was measured, serious and in control. They should be excused for concluding that this is no longer the case.
Imposing United Nations sanctions on North Korea is the first major foreign policy success of the Donald Trump administration. The effort has a chance of working -- provided Trump keeps following a model borrowed from President Barack Obama's dealings with Iran. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And the only way to pressure a nuclear or near-nuclear power to the table is with economic sanctions that weaken the regime without threatening its existence.

To get the UN Security Council to act against North Korea, Trump needed both China and Russia to agree, or at least to not veto the sanctions. Equally important, he now needs North Korea's two major trading partners to implement the restrictions. Those partners happen to be -- you guessed it -- China and Russia.

It was a deft diplomatic achievement to get the Chinese and the Russians to the first step. Trump's team was helped by the fact that China doesn't want the regional or even global destabilization that North Korea is threatening with its nuclear missile expansion. And Russia was not going to stand alone with North Korea once China was on board.

Nevertheless, Trump deserves credit for threatening the possibility of sanctions against Chinese financial institutions that do business with North Korea. That form of disruption would potentially cause trouble for some state-owned Chinese banks, and it was enough leverage to get China to agree to more limited sanctions.

WATCH: Trump promises "fire and fury" if North Korea continues threats

The obvious precedent that Trump's team followed is Obama's efforts to isolate Iran through U.S. pressure on European states that did financial business with Iran. Much like China and Russia with regard to North Korea, European countries had relatively little independent reason to sanction Iran, which they did not view a major direct threat to their own interests.

What worked -- and what made the sanctions meaningful -- was diplomatic pressure convincing the European Union to adopt sanctions. And behind that pressure lay the threat of U.S. sanctions on financial institutions that did business with Iran.

There's no shame in the Trump administration's borrowing from the Obama playbook. The question now is whether Trump can follow through to the next stage and craft a deal with North Korea that would serve U.S. interests while allowing other countries to lift their sanctions.

In the case of Iran, the structure of a deal was relatively straightforward even before it was negotiated: Iran would agree to hit the pause button on its efforts become a full-fledged nuclear power, and the U.S. would lift economic sanctions. Critics rightly charged that this didn't promise a permanent solution and that Iran could potentially restart its program on the clandestine basis without incurring renewed European sanctions. But the Obama administration judged that the halt was better than the alternative -- and the Iranians agreed.

North Korea is a little different because it already has nuclear capacity. The realistic scenario here would have to be that, in exchange for sanctions being lifted, North Korea would credibly agree to stop developing long-range missile capacity to deliver its missiles to the West Coast of the U.S. -- and perhaps stop adding more warheads.

That deal is conceivable, provided the economic pressure on North Korea is meaningful. The sweet spot for negotiating with a rogue nuclear regime is to impose sanctions that harm the government but don't threaten its very existence. North Korea's warheads -- which, according to the Washington Post on Tuesday, may have already crossed a major miniaturization threshold -- and its missile capacity are sufficient to ensure its survival, much as Iran had reached a critical point in the development of its nuclear capacity.

A nuclear regime won't ever rationally agree to give up the capacities it has developed to assure that no one can overthrow it.

But a regime intent on nuclear self-preservation can agree to moderate its proliferation program in exchange for the removal of economic sanctions, as the example of Iran shows. So long as North Korea knows it's safe from regime change, it can seek to stanch the negative effects of sanctions, again presuming they are meaningful.

North Korean willingness to halt the expansion of its nuclear program would put the Trump administration in an awkward position. On the one hand, it would mark the success of its policy. On the other, it would probably require direct negotiations with North Korea and some sort of formal deal to mark the agreement.

Such a deal would put Trump in the difficult position of rather obviously doing for North Korea just what the Obama administration did for Iran. That would be good for the world. Here's hoping Trump would find a way to resolve the contradiction. I'm sure he can think of something.

- Feldman is a Bloomberg View columnist. He is a professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard University and was a clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter. His seven books include "The Three Lives of James Madison: Genius, Partisan, President" and "Cool War: The Future of Global Competition."

For more columns from Bloomberg View, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/view.
'Rock star'

Regarding "Ex-governor championed public education reform" (Page A1, Sunday), Texas has lost a great leader with the passing of former Gov. Mark White. While he was a staunch Democrat, he had admirers across the aisle as well as fellow travelers over many decades. My husband's Republican father Al Cross, and brother to Lyndon Johnson's pilot Underwood "Jim" Cross, was an early fan. He served as one of White's very first law clients and supported his appointment as secretary of state.

White won an important case for Cross' business and was forever admired and respected by the entire family. My Republican aunt spoke highly of her family's interactions regarding their concrete business with the state while White was in office. My sister, an HISD administrator, applauded his leadership of the "no pass, no play" legislation as well as mandatory teacher testing.

My very first political campaign endeavor was placing "Mark White for Governor" signs throughout Houston's East End and south side. Decades later, I was fortunate to get to know White while he served as an advisory board member of the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs. His attention and dedication to our students was awe-inspiring. White spoke to our students whenever he was invited - a talk with former Lt. Governor Bill Hobby with my Texas Politics students; a discussion with a colleague's Education Policy class; panel discussions at UH and the University of Houston-Downtown; and many more. White also spoke to the Hobby School's Austin and Washington interns, and he was definitely a rock star among the congressional interns when he visited them on Capitol Hill.

With his death, Texas truly lost one of its favorite sons. Thank you, Governor White. In my book, you are in the elite group of Texas heroes including Sam Houston, Sam Rayburn and Lyndon Johnson.

God bless Texas and Mark White.

Renee D. Cross, associate director, University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs

Education leader

The passing of Mark White was a great blow to our state and his many friends. He was probably the best education governor in Texas history. The education reforms that he pushed through were contested by many in the public and the Legislature, but he succeeded with great skill and determination.

His leadership then is in stark contrast to the pitiful leadership of Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov Dan Patrick, who would rather use their political capital on a bathroom bill than public school financing reform, which is desperately needed. We need more Mark Whites and fewer Abbotts and Patricks.

David C. Redford, Houston

Two governors

A tale of two Texas governors, one I voted for and one for whom who I did not.

Gov. White was a true Texas gentleman with an infectious spirit, a commitment to speak out on principle, and he did the right thing no matter the price. His advocacy of education and his passage of "no-pass, no-play," is well-known.

Texans should also be saddened by the spectacle today in Austin, where our current governor all too often puts politics above principle. As Chris Tomlinson ably points out in his Monday column "Businesses becoming governor's 'enemies'" (Page B1), not only is the "bathroom bill" bad policy, it is mean-spirited and targets an already discriminated-against minority.

Gov. Greg Abbott would be wise to reflect on White's life. The former governor's statesmanship and legacy are an example for all. I voted for Abbott, and promise to do better in 2018.

White and I were scheduled to have lunch together at a little local establishment on Aug. 17. I plan on being there, and I am sure that his indominatable spirit will be with me as I hope it is with all Texans in the months and years to come.

God bless Mark White.

Walter Ulrich, Pearland
August 2017 isnt even two weeks old, but Ive already found it to be a very interesting month.

So how about that weather?

Im sure many of you, like me, have been outside a lot lately enjoying the oddly wonderful fall-like conditions.

A friend from out of state was visiting me and my wife, Wendy, last weekend. He and his wife own a house and property in Texas County and are quite familiar with south-central Missouris normal hot-and-humid climate in early August.

We were sitting outside for hours Sunday evening, and he mentioned several times how nice it was compared to what would be expected. Then, as the Sun was going down, he said something I wont soon forget.

I think its about time to head back to my place. You know I have a plane to catch in the morning, and its getting kind of chilly.

Chilly in early August  in Texas County, Mo.

I could get used to that.

Theres an article in this weeks Herald about the new executive director at the Texas County Food Pantry: Katie Mutzebaugh (pronounced muts-a-bah).

At only 26 years of age, Ms. Katie has been plopped into what is arguably one of the most important jobs in the county. Lets face it: There are lots of people here who (for various reasons) take advantage of what the facility has to offer.

My first impression of Ms. Katie is shes a well-spoken, go-getter of a woman who seems to have her head in the right place regarding what the pantrys role is  and perhaps should be.

Only a short time into her stint as the facilitys fifth director, Ms. Katie has already expressed desires to make some changes that she believes will lead to improvement.

Heres hoping that those ideas pan out in the best ways possible, and that she and the organization experience good things in the near and distant future (however long that might be).

Speaking of women in leadership roles, its been well documented that the City of Houston has one as its administrator: Tona Bowen.

Ive only me her briefly at this point, but she seemed sincerely interested in building a relationship with the local media and generally being a personable, visible connection between the town and its residents.

Look for a feature story in the Herald about Ms. Bowen in the near future (hopefully next week). Like a lot of people I have spoken to about the subject, I am very much looking forward to observing what happens under Ms. Tonas watch. Heres hoping its good.

A health food store opens this week on Grand Avenue in downtown Houston.

Us old folks shouldnt have trouble remembering its name because its called The Health Food Store.

Heres hoping this project undertaken by Kathy Richardson works out well. Obviously, time will tell, but Im really rooting for this retail store to fly because I feel like it actually addresses a need (unlike many of the new businesses that come and go so often here).

Yeah, we could sure use something like this in Houston, and it will be great not having to go to Springfield to find a loaf of Ezekiel Bread or some organic butter.

Look for some information and photos in next weeks Herald.

Maybe you recall wasting a little time reading an installment of this column not long ago that explored the mystery of the street in Houston that has two names: Hawthorne and Hawthorn.

Well, add one more to that.

Yep, there are now three different names to the street on signs along its east-west path through Houstons residential district. The one where the multi-named roadway meets First Street on its eastern end now says HawthRONE.

I dont know exactly when it appeared (or why its seemingly entirely adequate predecessor was replaced), but boy, did I do a double-take when I first noticed it last week.

And apparently, the streets three current names arent its first three. A friend told me it actually used to be called Silk Stocking Street.

He spelled it Stalking in an email. I replied that that sounded creepy.

Another friend, who actually lives on the topsy-turvy street, said he was pondering moving because he could no longer keep track of where he lived due to the name trifecta. Another friend said only in Houston.

I replied that thats part of why I love this place so much. I wouldnt have it any other way.

Doug Davison is a writer, photographer and newsroom assistant for the Houston Herald.

Email: ddavison@houstonherald.com.
The Texas County Food Pantry has a new executive director: Licking resident Katie Mutzebaugh.

Mutzebaugh, 26, began her tenure in the position July 16. She is the organizations fifth director since it was formed in 1989.

I want everyone to know Im here for the whole county, Mutzebaugh said.

Mutzebaugh replaces Tanya Pacheco, who became pantry director in February 2016 and recently resigned to take a position with Rocket Digital, a new branch of the Houston Herald.

I would like people to know Im happy to be able to help the community in any way possible, Mutzebaugh said. I want them to bear with me as I implement changes and hopefully execute them in a positive way. Im so glad to be here, and I cant think of a better community to help than one as closely knit as this one.

After growing up in Doniphan and graduating from high school there, Mutzebaugh attended Missouri State University in Springfield, but ended up graduating from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. She majored in music but had an anthropology minor, which she said gives her good insight to her new position.

Anthropolgy often gets confused with archaeology, but its the study of people and culture, Mutzebaugh said. That will help me here a lot, because I can look at people and determine things that help me in my position. It also helps keep me sort of detached from what Im hearing, and not judging harshly.

Prior to taking the position at the pantry, Mutzebaugh (pronounced muts-a-bah) was a juvenile officer in Johnson County. She taught classes for the kids (regarding issues like anger management and drug, alcohol and tobacco intervention), coordinated community service, accumulated hundreds of hours in volunteer work alongside kids and was even involved in food distribution similar to what the food pantry does.

That will all help me here, too, Mutzebaugh said.

As food pantry executive director, Mutzebaugh believes shes in an ideal environment.

When I was at the juvenile office, I fell in love with doing community service work, volunteer work and feeling fulfilled through my community by helping people, she said. One of my biggest goals when I had juveniles under me was to try to convince them to come back, even after their community service was over. I wanted to make it such a good experience that they would want to keep doing it.

{{tncms-inline alignment=right content=<p class="p1"><span class="s1">"I&rsquo;m so glad to be here and I can&rsquo;t think of a better community to help than one as closely knit as this one."</span></p> <p class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">TEXAS COUNTY FOOD PANTRY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KATIE MUTZEBAUGH</span></strong></p> id=c64b6c52-311d-4247-a677-4301205e1610 style-type=quote title=KATIE QUOTE type=relcontent width=half}}

Ultimately, that made me want to come back, too, and make it my lifes work.

While she hasnt been around the food pantry for long, Mutzebaugh has already taken notice of the facilitys unique character and how that positively affects the Texas County.

It helps people with their utilities, rent and also has the thrift store, she said. Usually, those things arent combined. You can go to a town and find a Salvation Army office where they assist you, a thrift store on the other side of town and the food pantry wont even be related to either one of them.

Here its everything in one package. To me, thats amazing. I dont know of another place like that.

Areas Mutzebaugh sees needing attention at the pantry include the thrift store and the overwhelming intake of items on the loading dock.

We need to move things through the store faster, she said. Im sure most people in the county have seen that our back dock fills up really fast, and I want to look into utilizing techniques to funnel items through the store faster.

Mutzebaugh also intends to introduce a new look to the pantrys food distribution area.

I want it to be more like a grocery store, she said. A lot of the people we help lack normalcy, and making it more like a grocery store will make it more normal. I really think that could help with morale.

On her first day with the pantry, Mutzebaugh more or less hit the ground running. She figures shes well suited for the job.

I have lots of ideas, lots of organization and Im young, so I can be happy and excited to implement new ideas, she said. Im the kind of person who can come up with something, work out its rough edges and then apply it. I try to make sure theres no possibility of anything going wrong, but it something does, Im willing to take it back and do something else.

I think it helps that Im flexible in that way. You cant always determine what might go wrong, but you can try.

Mutzebaughs husband, Nathan, is a commercial pilot for Envoy Air, a regional carrier for American Airlines.

The Texas County Food Pantrys phone number is 417-967-4484. Mutzebaugh can be reached by email at tcfpdirector@centurytel.net.

Im so glad to be here and I cant think of a better community to help than one as closely knit as this one.

TEXAS COUNTY FOOD PANTRY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KATIE MUTZEBAUGH
The Texas County Genealogical and Historical Society has a library open on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its Grand Avenue building. Its meetings are on the first []
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Differences in distributions of traits between men and women may in part explain why we dont have 50% representation of women in tech and leadership, Damore wrote in the memo.

Discrimination to reach equal representation is unfair, divisive, and bad for business, he added.

Damore, who first joined Google in 2013, also argues that the company is deliberately silencing those who speak out against liberal views or diversity initiatives.

Googles political bias has equated the freedom from offense with psychological safety, but shaming into silence is the antithesis of psychological safety, he wrote.

This silencing has created an ideological echo chamber where some ideas are too sacred to be honestly discussed. The lack of discussion fosters the most extreme and authoritarian elements of this ideology.
Despite the apparent popularity, the same study showcased just how ineffective counteroffers really are with 64 per cent of CFOs admitted the employee left the organisation anyway.

Twenty-three per cent of those said the staff member left within six months, 27 per cent said the employee stayed for less 12 months and a paltry 14 per cent said they stayed for over a year.

The reasons why people resign from companies often go far beyond salary, said Megan Alexander, general manager of Robert Half Australia.

For an employer to offer a higher salary as an incentive to stay with the company often just delays the inevitable, she continued. Counteroffers rarely prove to be a long-term solution for staff retention.

Lee Caraher  who recently penned The Boomerang Principle: Inspire Lifetime Loyalty from Your Employees  agreed. She said she quit giving counteroffers years ago, even though the market at the time favoured job-seekers.
The Washington Post via Getty Images

Silence speaks volumes. After a recent bomb attack on a mosque in Minnesota was met with a deafening silence not only from sections of the US and global press, but also from the current occupant of the White House. Here is a commander in chief who is so keen to keep Americans safe that he's willing to send B-1 bombers to fly near North Korea but isn't even willing to offer a mere tweet condemning a bomb attack on his fellow citizens' place of worship or reassuring a community that faces daily harassment.

Yet the harsh reality is that I don't expect President Trump to offer condemnation or seek to reassure religious or racial minorities. He has never sought to portray himself as a President for all Americans, he knows that and so do those who voted him in, just take for example his decision that transgender people cannot serve in the U.S. military. For businessman Trump who cannot separate his corporate identity from his political identity, the world is divided into two simple camps, winners and losers, and as far as Muslims are concerned, in his worldview, they're on the losing side.

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All the more worrying is that behaviour of the press. Sections of the media, as expected, took their cue from Trump when it comes to determining the news agenda and followed suit in their deafening silence. Whatever issue Trump tweets about is the news, everything else is a sideshow. From the headlines that did follow there was barely any mention of the word 'terror' that is so often deployed in reference to other bomb attacks. There were none of the sensationalist headlines slamming the ideology that could have given rise to such a hateful attack on people exercising their right of religious freedom. There was no speculation on the motives or the background of the attackers. If you read the headlines one would be led to think that the bomb made itself and then launched itself through the mosque window.

That such double standards are now glaringly obvious is an understatement, yet maybe these double standards are only visible to those who are on the receiving end of them. The decision of the media not to give the mosque attack the same level of coverage as other terrorist attacks, compounded by its failure not to ask the same soul searching questions that often occur in the aftermath of such an incident, putting aside the sensationalist and inflammatory headlines that usually occur when an attack is committed by a religious fanatic, shows just how far the double standard has come.
The Create Syria project strengthened the capacity and expertise of Syrian artists and cultural figures based in Lebanon

This August, as every year, Edinburgh's streets are packed with people jostling to get the hottest tickets at the Edinburgh International Festival or the world-famous Fringe. Few may realise that in 1947 the festival was founded by the British Council among others in the belief that culture could act as a beacon of hope in a continent torn apart by war. That reconciliation through art is surely needed now as much it was as 70 years ago.

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After decades in which peace expanded globally, there has been a tragic rise in conflict more recently. In 2016, almost a quarter of the world's population were living in fragile situations, with more people forced to flee now than since the end of World War Two.

The thinking in 1947 was that the arts could be a neutral space to bring people together post-conflict and to celebrate humanity. In recent years, a field of practice has arisen in which artists and peacebuilders have gone beyond that, purposely coming together to use the very creation of art as a process for building peace.

"We cannot end conflict with peace agreements alone, we have to learn our way out of conflict," John Johnston, a leading practitioner who teaches about arts and peace at ArtEZ University of the Arts told me recently. "When conflict has become the norm, you need a gentle rupture, a controlled explosion if you like, to disrupt your sense of self. None of us are one self, we are all multiple selves and art can help explore that."

In many ways, arts and peacebuilding naturally walk hand in hand. Art has a power of dialogue, it can challenge the status quo and give voice to alternative narratives. Hence the connections to peacebuilding, much of which is also rooted in dialogue, and in helping people find their own voice, to listen and to communicate better. Similarly, questions of identity are central to both. The ability to get out of the boundaries of your own identity, to question yourself and appreciate the perspectives and views of others takes a truly creative leap.

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But let's not assume that it is all one big happy-clappy love in. In Berdyansk, south-east Ukraine, a few residents were initially not impressed with our idea of creating a mural of peace on International Peace Day (21 September). "This is not the right time to paint, we are in a war," they said. Once the "Harbour of Peace" was created, the same people got together with locals and internally displaced people to create other murals in the town, saying that beauty helps people live in unity.

Mural of peace in Berdyansk

Sometimes peacebuilding and arts can pursue different goals, and artists can feel overloaded with expectations for dual impact. "We don't use art, we create art", Syrian artists emphasised recently in Lebanon, where International Alert and the British Council work with Syrian youth and children to promote self-expression, collaboration and peace through arts. To these artists, the aesthetic and artistic quality mattered every bit as much as the peacebuilding processes they nurture.

The Create Syria project sought innovative ways of supporting the engagement of Syrians in exile with their Lebanese hosts. It has increased access to culture for communities, and created stronger connections between artists displaced from their own communities by the war. A recent evaluation of the project highlighted the therapeutic and transformative role of arts for participants. In Beqaa Valley, for example, an introverted, angry and sometimes violent 12-year old became more communicative, expressive and calmer after attending the music and community theatre workshops.

But it was not always a smooth ride. Reconciliation takes time, and too often, arts, like peacebuilding only receive short-term funding. In one example, once Lebanese participants realised that the project was run by Syrians, they stopped coming. These challenges need time to work through and dedicated skills which some artists may not have, and longer term funding is needed to help build bridges across divides.

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It is also challenging for donors as the results are hard to measure. Peacebuilding is always an art not a science, challenging those who want fast results with concrete, hard data. Arts are even harder to evaluate, and putting the two together is probably an evaluator's nightmare.

When the guns have finally fallen silent, artists can step into the ruins of people's lives and help them rebuild. At the point you can feel again, you can feel the art. Which is why despite any challenges, we must continue to build on the extraordinary power of arts to create dialogue, and nurture peace.
Bastiaan Slabbers via Getty Images

The tense stand off between the US and North Korea continues to escalate, after Donald Trump gave a dire warning to Kim Jong-il in response to his threats to attack Guam. "They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen", Trump thundered angrily. It was a strangely poetic turn of phrase for the ineloquent POTUS with the vocabulary of an 11 year-old, whose most frequently-used words include 'stupid', 'bad' and 'moron'.

How then, I wondered, did Trump come up with the evocative and memorable "Fire and Fury"? A quick google reveals it to be the title of a book of American Civil War games, played by enthusiasts with miniature soldiers. Written by Rich Hasenauer, the Regimental Fire and Fury rulebook is perfect for a novice like 'draft-dodger' Trump, who had no military experience before he became US Commander in Chief.

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Luckily for Donald, Fire and Fury is "an easy game to learn and enjoy" and using military miniatures allows players to "recreate the small engagements and portions of larger battles". Is this how Trump's military tactics are planned out? Picture the scene: it's 3am, and Trump is in the Oval Office in his dressing gown, with a miniature battle scene laid out on his desk. "Now hold on General Mattis. If you just pick up that little guy there and move him closer to the nuclear button, we'll fix that darned Korean varmint for good!".

If Trump is purloining his battle tactics from Regimental Fire and Fury, it should be pretty easy for Kim Jong-il to figure out his next move. How this conflict ends though, could depend on the other titles in the Oval Office library. Although it's rumoured that Trump can't read, he often namechecks All Quiet on the Western Front. Will his war of words with Kim result in War and Peace? Or even A Farewell To Arms?

It's my guess the President will turn to his own books instead. In other words, it's Time To Get Tough, Think Big and Kick Ass to get The America We Deserve.

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From the defined edges of The Shard, to the curvature of the ever-rising One Blackfriars, London's skyline is an array of both confident and subtle shapes. Combine that with the structures that have been here in London for centuries, and you have a juxtaposition between old and new that somehow just seems to work. As someone who likes to discover shapes and then embellish them with paper cut-outs, London is the perfect playground for what I do.

The variety of architecture in cities all over the world should be celebrated, but a quick scroll through Instagram and you'll see the same buildings and landmarks popping up. Thousands of photos of iconic landmarks are taken and shared every day, and whilst I love seeing them, it does beg the question 'How do you take a unique photo of something that's been photographed a thousand times?' I asked myself that question on Westminster Bridge whilst looking up at Big Ben. Then I had an idea.

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I decided to create a paper cut-out of a wristwatch, placed it in front of my lens, then captured the angle perfectly in my viewfinder for a new take on Big Ben's famous clock face. A man and his daughter walked by and took an interest in what I was doing. I showed them the photo I'd just taken and they both smiled. "Is this something you've done in other places?" he asked. "No" I replied, "This is the first time I've tried it". "You should do more" he said, so I decided to create more cut-outs, and take more of these playful shots.

My work tends to be fun, whimsical and sometimes surprising. I've even surprised myself with some of my ideas- it's like seeing another layer in the cities that I've visited and that's an incredibly exciting way to travel and see the world. I encourage everyone to walk around the streets with their eyes open and I especially encourage looking up. We're all rushing around so often that we miss many of the beautiful views we pass each day, there are hundreds of creative opportunities that jump out at me every day and inspire new shoots for the future.

To inspire others to think creatively I held a workshop at Old Spitalfields Market where I collaborated with LG on its Paper-thin Home to launch a first of its kind TV - one that is so slim it's like paper. The pop-up showcased how elegantly thin LG's SIGNATURE OLED Wallpaper TV is, as it seamlessly fitted into a living room made entirely of paper. Whereas usually the paper in my work brings objects to life, this time the wallpaper-thin OLED TV and 3D paper structure worked in harmony to create a fun, playful world. The paper workshop allowed me to share the secrets of how working with such a thin delicate object can transform your subject focus.

Participants at the workshop created their own shapes to be used in photographs around the city. I advised what to look out for on the streets, and fun way to incorporate everyday items against skyscrapers and the colourful graffitied walls around Shoreditch. Capturing an accurate illusion takes some practice and lots of experimenting with new angles, prop placement and depth of field.

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I even added some of my own fun additions to the LG Paper-thin Home including a sausage dog (which was very popular). Often a lot of my cut-outs are very small and intricate, once I have the concept for my shoot I'll draw and design my stencil which I then go on to cut with a scalpel on black paper. It was refreshing to work on a bigger scale, it brought the objects to life and it was great to see real life reactions rather than just digital likes on my Instagram

I first started working with paper a long time ago. My friends were in a band and were looking to create a music video without any costs involved! I was inspired to help them with something simple yet effective, so I produced a stop motion animation making all the characters out of paper. It was all home-made and a bit rubbish looking back, but a great lesson in taking the time to craft something so elaborate.

For those keen to experiment with paper, all you need is card or paper and craft scissors. I tend to opt for card as the thickness helps when working in various weather conditions outside. You can draw freehand or design your objects on the computer before printing and tracing them. If you find you want more detail in your designs you can use a scalpel and cutting board, going on to experiment with different papers. On a recent trip to China I couldn't believe the thinness of the paper used by master paper cutters in art, the intricacies and quality of work was astounding, it inspired me to bring new materials to my work at home, as well as taking on projects that pushed me outside of my safe zone.

I do lots of research before I head off on trips, looking for the top landmarks and attractions in each city or area, it's fun to play with iconic places that lots of people know about. Sometimes I'll even look at Google Maps to check out the vantage points from different streets or buildings. It's good to go to a destination with a number of locations in mind. I went to Korea earlier in the year and was amazed by the diversity of architecture between Seoul and Jeonju, from towers reaching into the sky to the sweeping roofs of the Hanok Village. The varying skylines of the world will always inspire my work, and challenge me creatively forever more.

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To see my latest ventures around the world, take a look at my Instagram page - www.instagram.com/paperboyo

LG Electronics collaborated with Instagram Artist, Paperboyo to launch the new LG SIGNATURE OLED W TV. At 2.57mm the TV is a technology first offering a unique and unbeatable picture quality.

Find out more information by visiting: www.lg.com/uk
Most of us look forward to getting away from it all for a few days over the summer. For parents whose children are disabled or have a serious health condition, this might be the first break they've had from being a full-time carer in a long time. One recent survey of carers in Scotland found that 22% hadn't had even one day away from caring in five years.

As well as parent carers - the siblings of disabled children are more likely to help take care of their brothers or sisters, whilst also being less likely to receive the same amount of attention as siblings of non-disabled children, so a break signifies something especially important for them.

Family Fund provides grants to families on low incomes raising seriously ill or disabled children, and around a quarter of the grants we provide are for support towards a family holiday.

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Beyond the costs, the amount of time and energy that families take to plan these special breaks with their children cannot be underestimated. Ensuring that the break meets the needs of a disabled child, as well as those of other family members can be tricky to say the least. Planning for the unexpected takes on greater significance when the opportunity for a break is scarce or when a child's health is vulnerable.

For children with complex health needs, this could range from making sure that accommodation has the necessary facilities, such as a refrigerator to store medication or a wet room for accessible showering, to hiring equipment such as a specialist bed, hoist or a portable oxygen tank. Are there Changing Places toilets for those for who standard accessible facilities are inadequate? Is the destination near enough to a hospital, just in case?

If the child has a condition like autism, Tourette's or a mental health condition, families might prefer somewhere where hotel staff have relevant training or tailored activities on offer. Can they be flexible on things like meal times in case a busy restaurant area causes sensory overload?

Of course, it's all worth it in the end. Imagine the sense of freedom and relief that a child with a condition like autism experiences in a quiet and tranquil place, where they can play uninterrupted in the sand for hours. Children often have new experiences and learn new skills on holiday. For families with children with life-limiting conditions, memories made together on holiday take on an especially poignant significance.

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The world is changing for families with disabled and seriously ill children. The first wheelchair accessible Water Park recently opened in Texas. Websites like Euan's Guide are popping up -acting as hubs for people seeking access to information on anything from hotels to festivals.

The last word, of course, should come from families, so I wanted to share these messages from parents which beautifully sum up what the holiday they took following receiving one of our grants meant to them.

Jenna, "Last week we went on a two day break to Legoland. This was the first time we have ever gone anywhere as a family of four and it was the best experience of our lives so far. My two little boys had genuine (rare) smiles on their faces and I couldn't wish for more. I want to thank Family Fund from the bottom of our hearts."

Hayley, "Thank you Family fund for your help towards a family holiday this year. Ashton is nine and has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, Spina Bifida Occulta and bowel and bladder issues. We booked our holiday at Haven Riviera sands in Cornwall. Ashton and his brothers had an amazing time there and Ashton was VERY happy and comfortable there. It isn't a massive park which suits us due to Ashton's needs and staff were really good with him taking their time to listen to him chatting away about his computers that he has an obsession about."

Rebecca, "This last year or so has been exceptionally hard, not only because of our unique set of circumstances but due to the death of my mother, who was very close to me, my husband and our children. Being a young special needs mum of two, it took much adjustment.

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I knew we all needed to get away, but we couldn't really afford it. I applied to Family Fund and I was moved to tears when we were awarded the much needed break.

We were given vouchers to stay full board, so had absolutely no cooking to do. What a treat! The food court was amazing for my tube fed son, he had a taste or a lick of so many items and tried a few bits, which was a big moment. All the staff were really helpful and made us feel so welcome.

I can't even put into words what this has meant to us, to have a breather and a rest. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me and my family time away from everything we face at home, to have fun, to see the boys smiling and laughing, and at times even forget that we are different to anyone else."
Recently, a political operative came to my office, opened his laptop and showed me how he fought an election campaign on Facebook in a European country that he wont let me name.

Lets say that, in the UK election, you wanted to sway fortysomething women in a particular Kensington street who own homes abroad. You make a video of Theresa May saying Brexit means Brexit and you experiment with formats. One might be a question: Is hard Brexit risky? Another is a statement: Hard Brexit: Insane. You vary colours. You pay Facebook to send out the videos, and see which gets the most clicks. Then you retarget those who clicked it. Only they, and friends with whom they share it, will see your ad. So you can send an entirely different ad, maybe even a pro-Brexit one, to voters elsewhere. Its practically a secret campaign. And its cheap. My friend spent about 50,000 to reach four million voters. His countrys election regulator will probably never find him, especially as he wasnt working for a party.

These methods are going global. Matthew Oczkowski, head of product at Cambridge Analytica, the big data company that worked on Donald Trumps campaign and reportedly advised the Leave campaign in the UKs Brexit referendum, says: We have elections going in Africa and South America, and eastern and western Europe. Facebook has changed democracy. That may help explain recent surprising election results.

Targeting keeps getting more precise. Until about 2012, Facebook kept ads separate from user content and shared little user data with marketers. But then it floated on the stock market and investors demanded more ad revenue, especially from smartphones. Now ads appear in the users feed, amid media news items and updates from friends. Many users dont even realise an ad is an ad. By now, too, Facebook knows everything about its users (which means most inhabitants of western countries). You may be living as heterosexual but it can deduce from your tastes that youre gay.

Facebook also lets marketers use more personal data. That helped Trumps campaign to target, say, gun-loving high-school dropouts in Pittsburgh suburbs. Other Trump ads, showing Hillary Clinton in 1996 talking about criminal super-predators, were sent to African-Americans in swing states in an apparently successful effort to deter them from voting for her.

Targeting specific voters is more effective and cheaper than speaking on TV to the general public, which doesnt exist anyway, says Charlelie Jourdan, marketer at Old Continent Agency in Brussels. Facebook targeting works especially well in districted political systems, such as the US and UK, where a few local votes can swing an election.

Fake news is merely a subset of the Facebook problem. On social networks, lying is rarely punished. You dont have to source claims. Indeed, many voters probably trust home-made unbranded content more than mainstream media. And you can hire fake commenters to chatter about your post, thereby extending its life.

Sending out ads can also help a party shape its platform. If Facebook users like a Muslim ban, your candidate can run with it. Then you can ask the people who clicked your ads to give you money or attend your rallies.

Trumps campaign focused on Facebook much more than Clintons did. Similarly, the British Vote Leave campaign put 98 per cent of its 6.8m budget into digital advertising and sent out nearly one billion targeted digital ads, mostly on Facebook, according to its director Dominic Cummings.

Many liberals now regard Cambridge Analytica (majority owned by Trumps donor Robert Mercer) as an evil genius. They fear the company is targeting people based on their psychological make-up. Its true that its possible to a certain extent to work out which users are introverts (they frequently use words such as book, Pokemon and didnt) and which are disagreeable (they favour swear words), explains Sandra Matz, a psychologist at Cambridge University. You could tailor ads to each group. And Cambridge Analytica claims expertise in psychometrics. However, it didnt use it in the US elections, Oczkowski said in a podcast interview with Michael Bossetta, a political scientist at Copenhagen University. Needing to reach 15 million persuadable voters, Trumps campaign divided them into broad demographic segments rather than targeting individuals.

Oczkowski admits data targeting troubles him as a libertarian, who believes strongly in privacy. However, he adds, online users habitually sacrifice their privacy for convenience. That allows Cambridge Analytica to access, for instance, Americans credit-card data.

European rules on data privacy are much stricter. But electoral laws are outdated, and regulators arent big or savvy enough to catch transgressors. The UKs Information Commissioners Office is now investigating political campaigns including the Brexit referendum, saying: We have concerns about Cambridge Analyticas reported use of personal data. But the referendum is already won. And anyone targeting an election from abroad is probably safe. My operative friend told me he only ever worried about one de facto regulator: Facebook itself. He warns: This is where politics is now. If politics becomes as good at manipulating as consumer brands are, were all screwed.

simon.kuper@ft.com @KuperSimon
10 Arrested for Blocking Roads Near Sandisfield Gas Pipeline Project

SANDISFIELD, Mass.  Ten protestors were arrested Wednesday morning for blocking roads to the natural gas pipeline extension project.

State police said two groups  one at Cold Spring Road and South Beech Plain Road, the other at an access road were peacefully blocking workers' access to the work area. Private security officers notified state police of the blockade at about 6:47 a.m. on Wednesday.

Protestors were asked to disperse but informed "security they were refusing to leave and understood that would face arrest," according to state police. Troopers also asked them to disperse repeatedly and when they refused, they were arrested for trespassing.

The controversial Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. expansion of an existing line cuts through Otis State Forest and has been opposed by area residents as well as advocates against fracked gas and new pipeline infrastructure. A protest group has been in place in Sandisfield since clearing began for the nearly 4-mile loop.

Arrested were:

Irvine Sobleman, 67, of Northampton;

Ellen M. Graves, 76, of West Springfield;

Patricia P. Wieland, 73, of Northampton;

Harriet A. Nestel, 78, of Athol;

Amanda L. Nash, 58, of Gloucester;

Erik W. Burcroff, 57, of Plainfield;

Priscilla Lynch, 65, of Conway;

Mary E. Kehler, 70, of Colrain;

Bonner J. McAllister, 68, of Monterey; and

Sherrill Hogen, 78, of Charlemont.

The arrestees were transported to the Berkshire County sheriff's department to be booked. They were expected to be released, most likely on personal recognizance, and ordered to appear in court for arraignment in the near future.

The roadways were reopened by 9:10 a.m.
The council unanimously approved the borrowing to address the water system and a new street sweeper.

North Adams Councils Approves $800K in Capital Borrowing

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The City Council on Tuesday unanimously authorized a borrowing of $783,910 for a number of infrastructure upgrades, including an engineering study of the city's two reservoir dams.

Mayor Richard Alcombright said the borrowing will be rolled into a long-term bond in the next couple years. The ability to borrow at this point comes from the stabilization of the city's finances because reserves are up and a significant amount of debt is falling off.

"We've been lining this thing up for five or six years now, waiting for our opportunity," he told the council. "We have debt falling off [by $1.2 million] by 2021."

The city would use a short-term note with interest only, about $16,000-$17,000 a year. This will allow engineering estimates to be done, at an estimated cost of $176,600, for the Mount Williams and Notch Reservoir dams. When the engineering is done and those projects are ready to be bonded, what's left on the short-term borrowing will be rolled in.

"We're going to finance this through debt that's falling off," the mayor said, and it should not have a tax impact. "We've been working our reserves really hard to be at this point."

The borrowing also includes an upgrade of the obsolete computer system used to operate the water treatment facility at a cost of $255,100 and new media filters for the treatment facility at $83,200. The SCADA System that the plant uses is no longer used or supported by the company. The funds would purchase an updated system from the same company and train the operators in its use.

"We've had several failures over the last year and half," the mayor said, adding it uses 16-18 motherboards. "The last board [Commissioner of Pubic Services Timothy Lescarbeau] was able to find was from out west  Nevada or Oregon  and it cost $8,000."

Alcombright said Lescarbeau described the system as similar to an autopilot in that it runs the plant and alerts operators when something's wrong.

"If we didn't have a system like this we would have to have operators up there 24/7," he said. "This system really does everything."

The system is a "Cadillac," the mayor said, using Lescarbeau's term. "We talk so much about water quality in our community and all over the place, I probably wouldn't accept anything less in the environment we are in right now."

The sand filters are required to be changed out on a regular basis of eight to 10 years. They have already been replaced and the funds will cover their purchase.

The problems with the reservoirs' infrastructure was identified as a priority in 2011 in a study of capital needs done by Tighe & Bond and more recently in a presentation to the Finance Committee. Alcombright said the state Department of Environmental Protection has been pushing the city to address the deteriorating structures.

City Councilor Keith Bona said he's seen pictures of the dams and that "there's stuff from the Romans that look better than ours."

The final item is a brand-new Elgin Broom Bear street sweeper at a cost of $269,010. The mayor said the current one is close to 20 years old and has been breaking down on a regular basis. The condition of the streets has irked residents who have been complaining for some months.

He was pushing for that to be approved because a state-certified bidder was holding one for sale that city could get within a few weeks. If it had to bid out for one, it would likely be into the fall and would not be in regular service until next spring.

Councilor Robert R. Moulton Jr., who is running for mayor, questioned if all the items had to be voted on Tuesday and whether any could be put off for another year.

"On the street sweeper ... sharing with another town or leasing? It's a huge sum of money, $270,000, that's going to be paid for down the road," he said.

The mayor said Administrative Officer Michael Canales had looked into leasing but find any significant savings by doing it. And sharing was problematic because the sweeper is out regularly during the summer, and there is a question of who maintains it if it breaks.

"If it wasn't something we didn't use a lot, but when it's in good shape its out almost everyday," he said. "We think it's critical piece of equipment."

Councilor Lisa Blackmer noted that there had been some discussion in the community about using Chapter 90 road funds for the purchase.

"That purchase would take up 61 percent of our Chapter 90 money," she said. "I would rather see roads done."

The mayor said there was also question if that state aid could even used for a street sweeper.

Moulton also asked about delaying the SCADA System but the other councilors pushed back, saying it was critical to the operation of the water treatment plant.

"How many of us have computers at home that are that old?" Bona asked. "Maybe we can get another year out of it but do you all of a sudden get a call that we can't get the part and we're living off the well now and we are in a real emergency."

Councilor Joshua Moran said they were discussing products that make the city's systems work: "I'm very OK with the spending of money on what's coming out of our taps."

"A good water system is the back bone of any community," Councilor Wayne Wilkinson said. "It looks like a lot of dollars on paper but it really isn't."

He felt the same about the street sweeper, recalling how he and his neighbors were frustrated until it finally showed up. "It's really important the street got swept." Wilkinson said. "People pay taxes and they expect it to get done."

Two council candidates, Roger Eurbin and Bryan Sapienza, spoke in favor of the borrowing. Eurbin said sharing was a good idea but it wouldn't work with the sweeper; Sapienza said he'd worked with obsolete equipment and strongly supported upgrading the water plant system.

Moulton, however, noted that a new mayor and new council would be coming in next year. Was it worth waiting to allow the new government to make these decisions, he asked.

Blackmer objected to that notion, saying that's what they were elected for.

"We have a two-year term, we can't sit on our hands for six months out of a two-year term," she said. "We have to move forward, we have to make hard decisions. ... Then the next council comes in in January and they can make their decisions."

The mayor said he also would be coming forward with borrowing for two more items  repairing retaining walls along Hill Side Cemetery and on West Main Street across from K-M Motors.

In other business, the council approved a transfer of $42,891.36 from the Parking Meter Reserve Account to the public safety department to buy a Ford Utility Police Interceptor. The mayor said there was a couple hundred thousand in the account at this point.

The entire frontline fleet will now be all small sport-utility vehicles that the officers like because they are roomier and all-wheel drive, he said, with the oldest at four years. The fleet's older models are used by the detectives and auxiliary staff and for officers who need them to attend the academy for further training or recertification.

That passed with three abstentions because Bona, Boucher and Wilkinson all have relatives working in the Public Safety Department.
This Keto Raspberry Cheesecake with Coconut Macaroon Crust is brought to you by Angela from Divalicious Recipes for our IBIH guest post this week! I love everything about this gorgeous keto cheesecake  that golden coconut crust and creamy luscious filling are calling my name! As soon as I can score some fresh raspberries here in Belize Im all over this one!!! Thanks Angela!!!

What a delight it was to receive an invite from Mellissa to share a recipe with you all! As well as constantly drooling over her low carb recipes and tempting photos, I was delighted to see that she had joined us island girls when she moved to Belize as I too, live on an island.

I am currently living in Aruba but will be moving to the British Virgin Islands soon. We may have beautiful beaches and sunsets, but sourcing low carb ingredients can be a challenge and involve a long drive around the island. With a few choice words at the prices too!

I created DivaliciousRecipes.com back in 2011 when I lived in Dubai and had started to follow a healthier low carb lifestyle, to combat the life of excess we had been partaking in. My obsession with cauliflower and coconut flour might need professional help and therapy, but I thoroughly enjoy trying to recreate a healthier low carb recipe as an alternative to high carb and sugar laden junk food.

This Keto Raspberry Cheesecake with a Coconut Macaroon Crust is a great centre piece and is very easy to make too. There is nothing better than a keto cheesecake recipe that looks like you made an effort, but in reality, did not break you out in a sweat!

Desiccated coconut makes a perfect low carb crust for this keto cheesecake, as well as a great flavour combination along with the lemon and raspberries.

Ive made this keto raspberry cheesecake with blueberries too, but strawberries would be just as delicious if you dont have raspberries to hand.

Gently apply the coconut oil to the inside of a springform cake tin. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F degrees. In a bowl, mix the desiccated coconut, butter, egg whites and sweetener together.

Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and with clean wet hands, press the coconut mixture around the sides and bottom until the whole tin is covered. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until slightly golden and firm. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

For the filling, beat the cream cheese until soft and then stir in the sweetener (I prefer erythritol but will use xylitol if its in the shops), lemon zest and juice. In another bowl whip the cream into stiff peaks, then fold into the cream cheese mixture.

Add the raspberries and gently stir, being careful not to break them up too much. Spoon the filling into the coconut case and place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove from the springform tin carefully and decorate your keto cheesecake with raspberries  slice, eat and enjoy!

clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon heart heart icon heart solid heart solid icon Keto Raspberry Cheesecake with Coconut Crust  4.8 from 12 reviews Author: Divalicious for Mellissa Sevigny

Yield: 12 servings 1 x Print Recipe Pin Recipe Description This keto raspberry cheesecake is not only luscious and creamy, its super easy to make! The filling is no bake and loaded with raspberries and bright lemon flavor! Low carb, Atkins, Gluten Free. Ingredients Scale 1x 2x 3x Crust 3 cups ( 180g ) desiccated coconut unsweetened

( ) desiccated coconut unsweetened  cup ( 54g ) erythritol (or other granular sweetener)

( ) erythritol (or other granular sweetener) 2 egg whites

egg whites  cup ( 57g ) melted butter, unsalted

( ) melted butter, unsalted 1 teaspoon ( 5g ) coconut oil Filling 3 x 8oz ( 670g ) cream cheese

x 8oz ( ) cream cheese 1/2 cup ( 108g ) erythritol (or other granular sweetener)

( ) erythritol (or other granular sweetener) 1 cup ( 120g ) whipping/heavy cream

( ) whipping/heavy cream 6oz ( 165g ) raspberries

( ) raspberries zest of 1 lemon

lemon 3 tablespoons lemon juice Topping (optional) 6oz Raspberries Instructions Coconut Crust Gently apply the coconut oil to the inside of a springform cake tin. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F degrees. In a bowl, mix the desiccated coconut, butter, egg whites and sweetener together. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and with clean wet hands, press the coconut mixture around the sides and bottom until the whole tin is covered. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until slightly golden and firm. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Filling In a bowl beat the cream cheese until soft. Add the sweetener, lemon zest and juice In another bowl whip the cream into stiff peaks, then fold into the cream cheese mixture. Add the raspberries and gently stir, being careful not to break them up too much. Spoon the filling into the coconut case and place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Decorate with raspberries, slice, eat and enjoy! Category: Low Carb Dessert Nutrition Serving Size: 1/12 cake

Calories: 318

Fat: 31g

Carbohydrates: 4g net

Fiber: 4g

Protein: 5g

Thanks again Angela! From one island girl to another, you really outdid yourself with this one! This no bake keto cheesecake is definitely getting made at our house ASAP!

More about Angela

Angela is a low carb & gluten free food blogger, lover of animals, wine and the beach. She is a seasoned expat and is currently living in Aruba with the husband, 3 cats and 3 dogs. She is obsessed with cauliflower and coconut flour, and probably needs a support group for this. Divalicious Recipes is because she can be a little bit of a diva and her cooking is delicious!

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iciHaiti - Politics : Haitian delegation visited DR





On Tuesday, a delegation of senators, deputies and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Haiti visited the Dominican Republic to inquire about the situation of our compatriots.



This delegation met with the Dominican authorities to achieve a more harmonious relationship on the island and to obtain better conditions for the Haitian citizens, said Senator Evalliere Beauplan, President of the Commission for Foreign Affairs which has contributed to the spread of false rumors spread on social networks, concerning alleged violence against Haitians, since then denied on all sides, including by Haitians living in the neighboring Republic https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-21690-icihaiti-dr-the-migration-office-rejected-the-allegations-of-senator-evaliere-beauplan.html



In addition, Senator Beauplan took the opportunity to urge the Haitian authorities to really work to allow their citizens to stay in Haiti as in the past, instead of traveling around the world in search of a better life. A message very appreciated by the Dominicans.



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-21690-icihaiti-dr-the-migration-office-rejected-the-allegations-of-senator-evaliere-beauplan.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21685-haiti-social-violence-against-haitians-in-dr-the-gaar-denies.html



IH/ TB/ iciHaiti






















iciHaiti - Social : Distribution of more than 3,000 hot meals in the South





Social assistance interventions continue to benefit vulnerable segments of the population. Thus, on Friday, August 4, the Economic and Social Assistance Fund, through the "Kantin Mobil" program initiated under the Martelly Presidency, was in Camp-Perrin and Port-Salut in the South, distributing 3,000 hot dishes in each of these communes.



In addition, the beneficiaries of this social assistance welcomed the initiative of the launch of "KORE PEP" program.



Also note that last July, the World Food Program (WFP) distributed fortified food to more than 24,000 children in Haiti to prevent malnutrition.



IH/ S/ iciHaiti


















Once ISIS Is Gone, Hezbollah Will Work to Take Its Place

The Fellowship | August 9, 2017 Iraqi forces gather near the village of Sin al-Dhuban, south of Mosul, on October 27, 2016, during an operation to retake the main hub city from the Islamic State (IS) group jihadists. / AFP / AHMAD AL-RUBAYE (Photo credit should read AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images)

This week, weve told you of American efforts to slow the spread of Hezbollah, the Lebanese terrorist group and one of Israels nearest and most threatening foes. Now, writing at Ynet News, Dr. Yaron Friedman provides a detailed analysis, explaining that once ISIS has been cleared of the Middle East, Hezbollah will only grow stronger, becoming the regions leading terror group and an even greater problem for Israel:

Several weeks ago, it seemed as if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Al-Aqsa Mosque were back in the headlines. But as soon as the metal detectors and cameras were removed, the Palestinian issue was pushed back to the margins of the news in the Arab worlds leading channels.

The Arab states have no time to deal with the Palestinian issue, as they are up to their necks in the wars taking place on their territories or near their borders. Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Yemen have all been in a state of war for several years now. Whats happening in these countries right now? Who will be the leading terror organization in the region after the Islamic State (ISIS) is eliminated? And are these wars related to Israel

As far as Israel is concerned, the developments in the wars on terror are positive, apart from the development that has to do with Hezbollah. The organization is receiving regional legitimization from Syria, Iran and Russia, as well as local intra-Lebanese legitimization from different ethnic groups, due to the fact that Hezbollah is successfully fighting Sunni terror organizations that are threatening to invade Lebanon.

The price of Hezbollahs assistance against the jihadists is high. The organization has permanent bases in Lebanon and Syria. The Houthis in Yemen, whose slogan is Death to America, death to Israel, a curse on the Jews, are highly inspired by Hezbollah and have even promised to help the organization in the future in its war on Israel.

After the war on jihadist terror is over and the Islamic State is destroyed, Hezbollahwhich has tens of thousands of fighters, modern weapons, thousands of missiles and an improved brainwashing and propaganda systemwill become a region-wide problem as big as ISIS. Unlike the Islamic State, this will mainly be a close and imminent problem for Israel.
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Whatever happened to Adrien Brody? When in 2003, aged 29, he became the youngest man in history to win the Best Actor Oscar for his mesmeric turn in The Pianist, it seemed like the world was at his feet. It seemed inevitable he would win a clutch of Oscars and go on to be feted as one of the greatest actors of all time.

And yet, 15 years later, none of this has happened, and the actor has been so absent from the movies that hes spent the last couple of years on hiatus, painting.

Nonetheless, and largely on the strength of his early film work, Brody still carries A-list status. At the 70th anniversary edition of the Locarno Film Festival he is being feted with the Leopard Club Award, given to someone in film whose work has left a mark on the collective imagination.

So at the age of 44, hes again been cast as the youngest recipient of an award. The four previous winners of the Leopard Club Award have been Faye Dunaway, Mia Farrow, Andy Garcia and the Italian actress Stefania Sandrelli.

Where he is similar to those previous awardees is that Brody seems to be winning the prize because of work done some time ago. After getting his big break in Steven Soderberghs King of the Hill in 1993 playing a cunning teenager, Brody made a mark playing a punk wannabe in Spike Lees Summer of Sam, a corporal in Terrence Malicks The Thin Red Line, and a union sympathiser in Ken Loachs Bread and Roses.

Then after the success of playing Polish classical composer Wadysaw Szpilman, Brody would be feted by the Hollywood machine, where he looked uncomfortable in Peter Jacksons King Kong and stepping into Arnold Schwarzeneggers bus-sized boots in a Predator reboot.

Contrast that with the relative quiet of the past decade. Since playing one of Bill Murrays sons in the India-set Wes Anderson movie The Darjeeling Limited in 2007, its arguable that hes only taken on two roles that will sit in the memory and one of those was a cameo, playing Salvador Dali in Woody Allens time travel comedy Midnight in Paris.

The only time recently Brody has shown echoes of his Oscar form was playing the dastardly Dmitri Desgoffe-und-Taxis, who hires henchmen to kill the affable protagonists in The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Adrien Brody stars as Dmitri in The Grand Budapest Hotel (Martin Scali)

But why is it that only Anderson  a cineaste known for his quirky sets and bizarre stories (on Instagram and Pinterest numerous sites are dedicated to the look of his movies)  has been able to get the best out of him? Its one of the mysteries of cinema.

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Brody suggests that Anderson brings out the best in him because the director refuses to typecast the New Yorker as a serious dramatist. Speaking at the Locarno Film Festival, Brody says, Wes is such a genius, a unique storyteller, you see any of his images and you say, Oh that is a Wes Anderson film, and its such a privilege to be welcomed into that fold. Ultimately he is one of the earliest directors that have allowed me to be funny.

The Pianist may have made him an Oscar winner and an international superstar, but he argues that because of the interviews and discussion that followed being in such a heavy movie set during the Holocaust, it led to him being typecast.

So it seems that Brody was a victim of his own success. I was perceived as this very serious dramatic actor. And this felt limiting to an actor who yearned to express himself in many different ways and who argues the purpose of being an actor is to be as much of a chameleon as possible.

But as many in the profession have lamented, the time for great character actors in cinema has seemingly died out, as those type of roles have migrated to television. Yet Brody wants to confound expectations.

This may explain how he came to be involved in one of the most bizarre pieces of casting in Hollywood history, when in 2010 he played the action hero in a Predator film, despite his lank frame. But Brody views the reboot as a success, To jump into the shoes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and for it to work and be profitable, there is a playfulness in that film.

Hunted: Adrien Brody stars in Predators (20th Century Fox) (TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX)

Brody talks up the comedy and playfulness of the Anderson movies. It was so liberating because it is within me. I crack myself up all the time, whether Im doing something stupid or saying something ridiculous and being able to harness that and bring laughter and lightness, that is something that Ive always yearned to do with my work.

He certainly showed his facility for doing something ridiculous when, in what should have been the highlight of his career, and talk should have centred on his historic place in Oscars history, it instead became all about the kiss he seemingly forced upon Halle Berry as he accepted the award.

In any other workplace, or in a different situation, it was a moment that may have been viewed more seriously as sexual harassment. Instead in the absurdity of the movie world some consider it one of the iconic Oscar moments.

It was the first example of The Pianist perhaps being something of a poisoned chalice for the actor. Even Brody, with the benefit of hindsight, describes it as a unique opportunity in ones lifetime I was also 27 when I made this film, young.

He mentions how the film gave him a perspective on the understanding of the potential of suffering, but intriguingly he then goes on to say that there is a need to acknowledge our blessings, that we all take for granted from time to time.

Hes also had bad luck; in 2005, he appeared in the $550m box-office failure, King Kong. Director Peter Jackson had just made the groundbreaking Lord of the Rings trilogy, and King Kong  at the time the most expensive film ever made  was expected to make $1bn. He worked with M Night Shyamalan on The Village just as audiences got tired of The Sixth Sense directors penchant for twists.

Brody admits that working on Kong was much harder than he anticipated: I have never swam in air on a rope before and it is challenging, especially if you are used to a certain type of filmmaking. I remember it was very much harder than I thought. It was so hard to be great. Even though you are an essential element of the film, you are much more of a cog in a bigger wheel.

And its being a cog in a machine that I suspect Brody doesnt like. Someone so used to being the centre of attention is going to find it tough being part of the ensemble. Which is perhaps why its not so surprising that hes taken to painting. Its always been a passion; he applied to art school at the same time as drama school. Luckily I was rejected by art school, he says.

His mother is photographer Sylvia Plachy and his father took up painting after retiring from his job as a teacher. Since I took up painting, I dont have much time for anything else. To put it into perspective, three years ago I took a two-year hiatus to not work, and put aside all my other distractions.

But he hasnt given up on film. Ive been producing projects and I hope that its inevitable one day that I direct a film. I have a lot of things I want to do.

He doesnt have a directing project that is ready to go, so in the meantime we are going to see him return to our screens. He is going to play a villain in the new series of Peaky Blinders, although he doesnt want to reveal anything about the part, and hes returning to film with a role in De Niro, alongside John Malkovich and Rory Culkin.

It seems that Brody can now reboot another of Schwarzeneggers classic lines: I am back.

The Locarno Film Festival runs until 12 August. Peaky Blinders will be on later in the year
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Nobodys ever going to go to a festival in the centre of London and hear a sound system like Berghain, said Andy Peyton, head of the Columbo Group in an interview with Resident Advisor last year. Peyton co-runs Sunfall Festival in Brockwell Park, this coming Saturday 12 August, and while this is undoubtedly true, Sunfall is quickly staking a claim to be one of the next best outdoor experiences for electronic music in the capital.

While Junction 2 or Percolate might have something to say about that, Sunfall has a rare day and night set up designed to give attendees a multi-layered experience over 18 hours. Set up last year by Columbo, who run XOYO and Phonox amongst other venues, as well as the team behind Dimensions and Outlook festivals, the festival has 10 hours of day programming across four stages in the park sandwiched between Herne Hill and Brixton Hill, and a night program in any one of nine clubs across the city. This affords ravers ample ability to enjoy the diversity of music on offer, both in the outdoors and in the cavernous basements of the city.

London is not a place where it's easy to host electronic events with high-quality, beefy sound outside. But, for all the criticisms to make of XOYO and Phonox, a fairly unrivalled house and techno booking record and meticulous care over sound are two undoubted achievements. And while there are reports of Sunfalls main stage last year not being the most overwhelming sound experience, there seemed to be no problems with the three other tents sounds.

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With a capacity of 10,000 last year and broadly similar this year, the organisers have said they have taken on board the bottleneck queues experienced at various stations, one of the few problems reported with the event in its first year, now increasing the numbers of toilets and bars this time round according to organiser Peyton.

With such a dense line-up, youre unlikely to go wrong wherever you go. Motor City Drum Ensemble or Ben UFO? Peggy Gou or Theo Parrish? You hardly need advice to attend the likes of soul guru Roy Ayers or house legend Larry Heards first performance in London for twenty years, so here are some other artists you should make sure to see:

Palms Trax b2b Antal

Palms Trax and Antal have had extremely strong recent years. Its hard to believe that the former, Jay Donaldson, didnt play any festivals abroad before 2015, as since then, he has delivered some unforgettable sets that have stuck in many fans memories. Two Boiler Room x Dekmantel performances last year, one in Sao Paulo and one in Amsterdam, were packed full of shazam-clutching goodness, including plenty of old Brazilian classics in amongst them.

Antal Heitlager co-founded the much-loved Rush Hour label in Amsterdam and can often be found playing with fellow Dutchman Hunee, spanning soul and disco of the past fifty years, as well as Brazilian and international house and techno. I witnessed the two of them both bring people to tears by the end of respective sets last weekend, Antal (with Hunee) closing the main stage at Dekmantel with Marlena Shaws heartbreaking Touch Me In The Morning, and Palms Trax (with Midland) closing a five-hour set at Radion with Arthur Russells Thats Us / Wild Combination. The 3.30pm slot may be too early for tears on Saturday, though you wouldnt put much past them.

Black Madonna b2b HAAi

Closing the South Stage are two women who have both been residents at Columbo Group clubs this summer (XOYO and Phonox respectively), and who have had extraordinarily successful previous 18 month periods.

Marea Vierge-Noire (Black Madonna) has been selecting her multi-genre blend for over a decade, before on certain measures blowing up in the past few years, as explored in the excellent Resident Advisor Between the Beats documentary profile. The piece explores her battles within an industry that can be notoriously hostile to women, with impressive subtlety for an under-30 minute piece, and is one of the magazines best films.

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Teneil Throssell (HAAi) is also an eclectic selector, and has brought Auntie Flo, Chaos in the CBD and Daniel Avery amongst others to play with her on Saturday nights in Brixton through this summer. Putting the two of them together is well worth your time if you want an unpredictable, heart-stomping journey.

Princess Nokia

There is plenty of house and techno at Sunfall, where youll also get plenty of disco, Italo and electro. You wont get anyone quite like Princess Nokia however, the Puerto Rican rapper from New York, who has been one of the most impactful young icons in hip-hop of the past few years.

Government name Destiny Frasqueri, she has an intense, religiously-committed core following, though how many of those will be at electronic-dominated Sunfall remains to be seen. Her mesmeric hits such as Tomboy (with incessant refrain With my little titties and my fat belly) and G.O.A.T, Frasqueri is on for an hour in the penultimate slot, allowing plenty of time to return to HAAi and Black Madonna after if you so wish.

She reportedly jumped into the crowd thirty seconds into a performance at the Cambridge University Charity Fashion Show earlier this year, to throw a drink over and punch a white dude who was harassing her, according to the newspaper the Cambridge Student.

Thats what you do when a white boy disrespects you she then reportedly said. Any legends from nearby Clapham better be on their best behaviour.

Shanti Celeste

Shanti Celeste is a product of parochial Britain  starting going to raves in the Lake District and DJ-ing in Falmouth from the age of 17 - and has been producing melodic house and techno from Bristol for a while now. She has steadily risen over the past few years, with plenty of slots on Radio 1 and NTS, as well as mixes on RA, FACT mag, Boiler Room and Dekmantel bringing her more and more attention.

She took the 3pm slot in the sunshine last Sunday on the main stage at Dekmantel and by all accounts played one of the sets of the afternoon, from metallic Hessle sounds to 80s ballads. Seeing her at 2.30pm on Saturday will be a good choice.

Tickets are still available for Sunfall Festival, on Saturday 12 August, at residentadvisor.com.
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US diplomats should sidestep questions from foreign governments on what it would take for the Trump administration to re-engage in the global Paris climate agreement, according to a diplomatic cable seen by Reuters.

The cable, sent by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to embassies, also said diplomats should make clear the United States wants to help other countries use fossil fuels.

In the wake of President Donald Trump's announcement in June that the United States would withdraw from the accord, the cable tells diplomats to expect foreign government representatives to ask questions like "Does the United States have a climate change policy?" and "Is the administration advocating the use of fossil fuels over renewable energy?"

If asked, for example, "What is the process for consideration of re-engagement in the Paris Agreement?", the answer should be vague. "We are considering a number of factors. I do not have any information to share on the nature or timing of the process," the cable advises.

A US State Department official declined to comment on the cable.

Mr Trump, a Republican, had campaigned on a promise to "cancel" the Paris deal, saying he believed it would cost the US economy trillions of dollars while leaving developing nations such as China unfettered. In sharp contrast to the previous administration of President Barack Obama, a Democrat, Mr Trump has several times called climate change a hoax.

In June, Mr Trump left the door open to re-engagement with the Paris Agreement if the terms improved. The United States will "start to negotiate, and we will see if we can make a deal that's fair," he said.

The State Department guidance clarifies that right now, "there are no plans to seek to re-negotiate or amend the text of the Paris Agreement".

But it adds: "The President is sincere in his commitment to look for a path to re-engage that takes into account his concerns for US economic growth and energy security."

The Paris accord, agreed by nearly 200 countries in 2015, seeks to limit planetary warming by curbing global emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases that scientists believe drive global warming. The United States, under the Obama administration, had promised to cut emissions as much as 28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2025.

Separate from the diplomatic cable, the Trump administration is reviewing a draft report written by scientists across 13 federal government agencies that shows the effects of climate change pose dire, near-term threats to the United States.

The Environmental Protection Agency declined to comment on the draft, which The New York Times published on Monday.

The report puts the White House in the awkward position of either clearing the report's findings or editing them.

The diplomatic guidance makes clear that the United States intends to attend global climate summits during the prolonged process of withdrawing from the Paris deal to protect US interests. The next summit is in November.

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

A US official said a major priority in these talks would be to beat back attempts to have separate standards in the guidance on emissions cuts for rich and poor nations - long a sticking point in negotiations.

"There's certainly nothing in the policies of this administration that would make us think that we should be acting differently," the official said on condition of anonymity to discuss the internal memo.

The cable also anticipates questions over why the United States has changed its policy to make it easier for global development banks such as the World Bank to finance coal-fired power projects. In 2013 the Obama administration said the United States would oppose most coal projects, guidance since altered by the Trump administration.

"The new principles will allow the (United States) the flexibility to approve, as appropriate, a broad range of power projects, including the generation of power using clean and efficient fossil fuels and renewable energy," the cable said.

Reuters
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Winos rejoice as somebody very clever has finally legitimatised our penchant for the humble grape.

A small glass of wine or a pint of beer helps unleash creativity, Austrian scientists have found.

Alcohol is so linked with creativity, lead author Dr Mathias Benedek said. Previous research has found almost half of the great writers had a history of drinking. We found that a small drink can indeed help with certain aspects of creativity.

Dont reach for the morning Merlot just yet; as Benedek explained that moderate drinking could simultaneously make focused work a little more difficult. No kidding.

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It might well work for someone who is sitting down to do creative writing or brainstorming ideas in a boardroom, Benedek suggested.

Some participants were given a bottle of normal beer whilst others were given a non-alcoholic beer, which they werent able to distinguish between.

They were subsequently given a series of word association tasks, for example, they were asked to link the swiss, blue and cake.

Those who had drunk alcohol were more likely to correctly guess that cheese was the linking word.

The alcohol-drinkers also exceeded in a creative thinking task, in which they had to suggest alternative uses for tyres with a swing deemed one of the most creative answers.

"Call me Hemingway" (iStock)

Published in the journal Consciousness & Cognition, the research also revealed that those who had consumed the alcohol had less focus and cognitive control. Thats science for they were drunk.

There are two theories for how this works, explained Dr Benedek. The first being that when you are really focusing on solving a problem, you can become fixated so that your mind gets stuck on one way of addressing it. Alcohol makes it more difficult to keep all the parameters of the task in mind, but that can also help you come at it from another direction.

"The second theory is that alcohol, which is distracting from the central task, allows you to tap into your unconscious mind and find alternative solutions, he explained.

Pass the Pinot.
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In the last fortnight, the New York Times published two opinion pieces on Brexit.

The first, by Jenni Russell, described it as an unmitigated disaster; the second, by Daniel Hannan, claimed that, by contrast, most Britons were celebrating the good news.

Fair enough, you might say; the newspaper offered two, radically different, points of view; readers could consider both and make up their own minds.

No. The New York Times did its readers a profound disservice.

Both articles were, to put it mildly, polemical and tendentious.

Russells contained a number of obvious factual errors  for example, the claim that UK per capita GDP has not risen at all over a decade.

In fact, its at its highest ever level, about 2 percent higher than the pre-crisis peak.

Similarly, Hannan argued that Brexit optimists had been vindicated by relatively strong growth in the second half of 2016  ignoring, bizarrely, the fact that in the first half of 2017 growth was at its weakest in five years.

The authors clearly werent chosen for their expertise.

Hannan, despite having been a Member of the European Parliament since 1999  and having written books on the EU and trade  recently made headlines by claiming, absurdly, that the EU imposed 32 percent tariffs on Chilean and other New World wine.

Russells sources appear to be mostly reports in other newspapers, rather than actual analysis or data.

And although both articles concentrated on the economics of Brexit, neither has any economics training.

Underneath the false, selective or misleading statistics  and both articles are littered with other examples  theres usually a substantive point.

Russell is correct that UK growth, per capita, has been miserable since the financial crisis  and that the misguided policies of the UK government, not the EU, are largely to blame.

Hannan is right that prophecies of immediate doom by some pro-Remain politicians  notably the former Chancellor, George Osborne  were scaremongering.

But when presented by people who are propagandising, not analysing, these arguments lose their force.

Indeed, both articles correspond almost precisely to Harry Frankfurts seminal definition of bull****  not necessarily true or false, but unconnected to a concern with the truth.

That is, words and arguments constructed purely for an instrumental purpose  to convince, by fair means or foul, that the authors position is correct.

This applies to Hannans claim that the UK is starting discussions on a trade deal with India  not strictly false, but Hannan knows perfectly well that Theresa Mays resistance to liberalising UK immigration policy means any discussions are going nowhere just yet.

So its meaningless verbiage to those who know this, but deliberately misleads those  the vast majority  those who are less well informed on this obscure topic.

Equally, Russell quotes, accurately, the CBI estimate that Brexit could knock 3 to 5.5 per cent off UK GDP by 2020  but omits the rather important caveat that they also think that about half of this impact would be recovered subsequently, so that GDP per capita in 2030 would only be 1 to 3 per cent lower, so an impact on growth of less than 0.2 per cent per year.

Not great, but not the end of the world either. Again, anybody who didnt read the underlying research wouldnt understand this.

So its simply not the case that readers could analyse the arguments and make up their own minds.

No doubt those with strong views already had those confirmed by the article they agreed with, and easily spotted the flaws in the one they didnt - I certainly observed this phenomenon on Twitter.

Those who hadnt made up their mind, but knew something about the topic, probably realised neither should be taken seriously; while the less well-informed would have been merely confused.

Was anyone genuinely educated or informed? I doubt it.

So what should the New York Times  and other media outlets that want to inform their readers or viewers  actually do?

Well, a start would be asking for people to explain a position, not to argue it.

What will Brexit mean for the UK economy? Theres a range of views  from those who think it will be utterly disastrous, to those who argue that any short-term damage will be minimal and that in the long-term the impacts will be positive (for what its worth, the consensus, which I agree with, is somewhere in between. That doesnt mean were right).

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But any serious analyst, wherever they stand, will recognise the uncertainties and will confront the weaknesses in their own position.

To take a specific example: EU membership has been good for the UK economy.

There is a wealth of evidence to this effect, and economists who dispute it are largely on the fringes.

However, as a matter of logic, it simply does not follow that leaving the EU will necessarily be bad for the UK economy; the impacts are very unlikely to simply be the reverse of joining.

Anyone who tries to ignore either of these two points is probably trying to pull the wool over your eyes.

Similarly, we should not take seriously those who deny the obvious.

Again, both sides are guilty. Those on the Leave side who claimed Brexit would be smooth and painless, and that the EU would quickly agree a seamless transition to a new trade deal, now  rightly  appear ridiculous (and lets not even talk about that famous 350 million a week for the NHS).

Equally, those on the Remain side who prophesied immediate economic disaster were wrong.

The same goes for other Brexit-related issues, from immigration to sovereignty.

A year on from the Brexit referendum, the UK is, collectively, still struggling to make sense of it all.

A little humility  and this applies to my own profession, academia, as much as journalism and politics  would not go amiss.

We dont need more columnists telling us the answer.

Getting the questions right would be a good start. Its a shame the New York Times doesnt even get that far.

Jonathan Portes is Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Kings College, London and Senior Fellow at UK in a Changing Europe
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Bank of England deputy governor Sam Woods has issued a stark warning over the dangers caused by a cliff-edge Brexit.

In his most strident comments so far on Brexit, Mr Woods, head of the UKs top banking regulator, the Prudential Regulation Authority, warned that leaving the EU without a transitional deal in 2019 would cause significant issues for the countrys banks and could threaten financial stability.

He pointed to a variety of risks to the wider economy and individual financial firms resulting from a sharp break with the EU.

Recommended UK pay growth set to remain weak while investment still hit by Brexit

Such a scenario could lead to, "higher loan impairments, increased risk of default and lower asset prices and collateral values", Mr Woods said.

Some form of implementation period is desirable, in order to give UK and EU firms more time to make the necessary changes to adjust to the UKs new relationship with the EU in an orderly way, the PRA boss said in a letter published by the Treasury Select Committee on Wednesday.

He called far for a transitional arrangement to give UK and EU firms more time to make the necessary changes to adjust to the UK's new relationship with the EU in an orderly way.

The PRA chief also warned that the regulator would have to take its eye off other areas as it faces the material extra burden of authorising and supervising more firms set up by financial firms as they plan for Brexit.

Mr Woods said firms were looking to re-structure their operations to mitigate risks, which will increase complexity for the PRA.

The regulator has received more than 400 responses to a call for contingency plans from the firms it supervises. These include preparations for a range of scenarios, including no deal.

The PRA said it was analysing the responses on an individual basis, as well as collectively to assess any possible risks to the country's financial stability.

This work is necessarily the regulators top priority, but would place a significant strain on its resources, Mr Woods said.

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.

It is incumbent on us to manage this burden but we may have to make some difficult prioritisation decisions in order to accommodate it.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said the Government should take the PRAs Brexit warning seriously.

He said: The 10th anniversary of the beginnings of the banking crisis is a reminder of what happens when warnings of financial instability are not taken seriously enough.

He added: Not merely is the City exposed to the risk of losing business with the loss of passporting rights as we leave the single market, it is also exposed to financial instability if a major economic crash forces individuals and companies to default on their loans.

The Government should listen to the Bank of England's wise advice and back off from its dangerous 'hard Brexit' strategy.
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Hackers could wipe out electricity grids through taking advantage of flimsy security loopholes in solar panel equipment, a Dutch researcher has claimed.

Seventeen vulnerabilities in inverters, used to convert electricity from solar panels, were discovered by Willem Westerhof.

Through the loopholes, he suggests it is possible to hack devices and control the flow of electricity  putting power supplies in the hands of malicious attackers.

Recommended FBI called in after hackers steal HBO data

Tests were carried out on what Mr Westerhorf, a cyber security engineer in Amsterdam, says is the most secure brand of electric inverters, SMA.

SMA responded in a statement saying the inverters not connected to the internet are secure and that only four of its models are insecure from vulnerabilities.

We already assessed the mentioned issues on a technical basis and [are working] intensively on the correction."

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Westerhof said: "If an attacker does that on a large scale that has serious consequences for the power grid stability."

Electricity grids in Europe are intertwined as power is exchanged between countries across the continent. An attack on one part would result in a power cut in another.

Mr Westerhof reportedly discovered the flaws doing his undergraduate thesis and publicised his research in a talk at a security conference in the Netherlands on Monday.

As electricity grids rely on equipment shoring up a balance between supply and demand, hackers could overload the grid causing power outages across a whole network.

In July, hackers targeted Irish energy networks through malicious emails.

Software inside personalised emails to staff at the Electricity Supply Board intended to give hackers the ability to take out part of the electricity grid.
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Children as young as five are being excluded from school for sexual misconduct, an investigation has found.

Hundreds of school pupils have been either permanently or temporarily removed from classrooms in the last four years after being involved in sexual acts, including watching pornography and sharing indecent images, latest figures suggest.

The data, obtained via Freedom of Information request by the Press Association, is also suggestive of a severe gender divide, with boys much more likely to be excluded for such behaviour at an early age.

Recommended British teacher arrested for alleged sharing of sexual child images

Data released by local authorities in England shows there were 18 incidents involving boys for every one incident involving a girl.

The vast majority of exclusions were on a fixed-term basis, with 14-year-olds the most likely to be involved in sexual misconduct.

Some 754 incidents were reported between July 2013 and April 2017, however the true figure is believed to be much higher, as the vast majority of councils contacted said they did not hold the information or refused to disclose it.

The figures have prompted calls for a reassessment of sex education in the classroom.

Under new laws, all children from the age of four are to be taught about safe and healthy relationships in the classroom, and children in secondary schools will be given age-appropriate lessons about sex.

The move follows years of campaigning from MPs and charity groups, who successfully argued that the current curriculum is years out of date.

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 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Some have expressed concern over a potential loop hole, however, that allows schools flexibility over how they deliver subjects, for instance in keeping with religion.

At present, parents are also within their rights to withdraw their children from sex and relationships classes should they so choose.

An NSPCC spokesman said: Every child has the right to feel safe at school.

Preventing harmful sexual behaviour through proper, up to date sex and relationships education is immeasurably better than excluding children after the harm has been done.

By giving children the right information about sexuality, consent, risks and protection we teach them how to make healthy relationship decisions, how to treat others and how to know when something is not right.

Social media, sexting, online porn and dating apps did not exist when sex education was introduced on the curriculum a generation ago.

It must be dragged into the 21st century, it must be consistent, and it must be offered in every school as part of a broader [personal, social and health education] curriculum.

Figures show seven children in the first year of school were involved in sexual misconduct during the time period, although an age-range breakdown was not available from every authority.

 Sex education to be made compulsory in all schools in England

There were at least 40 incidents of children below 10 years old, the age of criminal responsibility, disciplined for misdemeanours.

Schools said children could be censured under the term sexual misconduct for a range of issues, including sexual abuse, assault, bullying, graffiti and harassment, as well as lewd behaviour.

Other examples included holding, distributing or requesting indecent images, accessing internet pornography, and sexual misconduct involving social media.

The figures do not include those where children were victims at the hands of staff or adult volunteers.

There was a surge in incidents as children reached Secondary School, with 66 incidents involving 12-year-olds, peaking at 120 for those aged 14.

The figures show the numbers trail off for those aged 15 (86 cases), 16 (41) and 17 (eight).

Responding to the figures, Barnardos childrens charity chief executive Javed Khan expressed concern for underlying child protection issues.

We know from our prevention work that many children who sexually harm themselves or others, have experienced some form of sexual abuse and trauma, he said.

They need specialist support to help them recover and understand why their behaviour is harmful. This is particularly important as children and young people are more likely than adults to achieve successful rehabilitation and far less likely to commit further sexual abuse.

Its vital all pupils are taught what a healthy relationship looks like so they understand what consent and respect mean.

Sarah Green, co-director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said children have access to extreme images online without being given the guidance, protection or discussions about respect, equality and acceptable behaviour.

She added: These figures, which reveal really alarming behaviour in schools, show that girls and boys are being failed by those who should protect them and prevent this.

The Department for Education (DfE), and school leaders and parents, need to take responsibility now for ensuring better child protection, better policies on bullying which recognise sexual bullying, and good relationships and sex education. We can change this.

The data was based on results of 15 local authorities with data.

A DFE spokesman said: Sexual assault of any kind is an offence and must always be reported to the police. Schools should be safe places and we issue safeguarding guidance to protect pupils' welfare.

As announced in March 2017, all primary schools will be required to teach Relationships Education and all secondary schools will have to teach Relationships and Sex Education in the future.

We want to help all schools deliver these lessons so that young people are equipped to have healthy relationships and treat each other with respect.

Figures released last month by the Government show there were 2,070 fixed-period exclusions for sexual misconduct in English schools for the academic year 2015/16, as well as 70 permanent exclusions for the same reason.

The data was collated from all state-funded primary and secondary schools, as well as special schools, but did not specify the age of children involved.
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The chief suspect in the alleged kidnap of a British model in Milan has said he did not knowingly take part in any crime.

Lukasz Pawel Herba says his involvement stems from wanting to raise money to treat his leukaemia and that he was hired by a group of Romanians to rent properties around Europe to store garments they were selling, according to reports.

He is also said to have told investigators he posed as a photographer and met Chloe Ayling. He said he was paid 500,000, found out the Romanians intended to kidnap her, and backed out of the plan.

His side of the story has emerged as Ms Ayling's representatives dismissed doubts about the ordeal, saying it was real and terrifying.

Italian police said she was snatched last month by a group calling itself Black Death.

She is believed to have been drugged and transported in a bag to an isolated village near Turin, where she was held for six days as her captors tried to auction her online.

As more details emerged about the episode, including that she went shopping for shoes and groceries with her captor, her lawyer and an agent have spoken out to defend her.

Lawyer Francesco Pesce said it is evil to suggest she was involved while Phil Green, of Supermodel Agency, said what took place was real and very frightening for all concerned.

Ms Ayling left her house in Coulsdon, south London, on Tuesday morning wearing black leggings and a gold-coloured jacket.

Pulling on a white helmet and black coat, she climbed on to the pillion seat of a motorbike before it set off in the direction of Purley.

Speaking previously, Ms Ayling said she had feared for her life second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour during the incident and thanked the Italian and UK authorities for all they have done to secure my safe release.

A friend of Ms Ayling's said the young model said she was doing a Page Three photo shoot on Tuesday.

Carla Bellucci, who runs a modelling agency, told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme: I wouldn't say she's the wisest of girls.

She can be a little bit naive, she's young. To us it's new but for her she's had a few weeks to get used to it.

Ms Bellucci said the decision to pose so soon after the incident was maybe... her way of dealing with what's happened to her, to get back out there.

Ms Ayling was informed she was going to be sold to somebody in the Middle East for sex and complied with her captor during the alleged kidnap because she was told she would be killed if she tried to flee, Mr Pesce said.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: So she thought that the best idea was to go along with it and to be nice in a way to her captor because he told her that he wanted to release her somehow and sometime and she thought that the best thing to do was not to go in conflict with him.

So she abided to his request, 'let's go and buy groceries' and 'you need shoes, let's go buy shoes', and she didn't try to flee.

But I believe she was terrified at the moment and even if she could've asked for help she didn't because she was subjugated to this person, or people as she was given to understand.

The Sun reported she told police she had developed a trusting relationship and even shared a bed with her kidnapper, who gave her chocolate and underwear, but she said he had not sexually assaulted her.

Mr Green, of Supermodel Agency, said: I can assure everybody that it was real and very frightening for all concerned.

He also said, as reported by the Associated Press, that the person who made the booking for the photo shoot had a website, previous pictures, details of his studio, details of what the shoot was going to be, times, locations, fee - everything.

Mr Green said Ms Ayling was taken to the British Consulate in Milan after the alleged kidnap but was not allowed to return home for almost three weeks, arriving back in the UK on Sunday.

A Polish man who lives in Britain was arrested on 18 July on suspicion of kidnap and extortion, Italian state police said.

The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) said it has been assisting with the investigation and that a house in the Oldbury area linked to Herba had been searched and computer equipment seized.

It is alleged the men tried to sell Ms Ayling online for more than 300,000 dollars (230,000) and demanded Mr Green pay to secure her release.

She was kept handcuffed to furniture in the village of Borgial but was freed after six days and taken to the British Consulate in Milan, despite the ransom not being paid, police said.

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

It has been reported the captor demanded 50,000 on her release and threatened to kill her if she told police about the incident.

Milan police spokesman Lorenzo Bucossi told reporters the group the suspect was allegedly working for offered mercenary services on the dark web.

Press Association
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The sexual abuse perpetrated by grooming gangs in Newcastle is not unique to the city, the head of its council has warned.

An investigation codenamed Operation Sanctuary identified more than 700 victims of abuse that spanned four years in the region, in a similar pattern seen in Rotherham and Rochdale.

The abuse was revealed following the conviction of the remaining defendants in a group of 17 men and one woman convicted of offences including rape, sexual assault, drug crime and trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Pat Ritchie, the chief executive of Newcastle City Council, told a press conference that the victims who came forward made our communities safer.

We do not believe that what we have uncovered in Newcastle is unique, she added.

Indeed, there has been evidence of similar offending in many other towns and cities.

We believe that any area that says it does not have a problem is simply not looking for it and I would encourage all areas to be proactive in their attempts to uncover sexual exploitation.

 Newcastle convictions: 'The idea of the police paying a child rapist may appear morally repugnant'

Ms Ritchie said no stone would be left unturned" in Newcastle as the council, police and other agencies continue to disrupt attempted exploitation and support victims.

Tackling this problem is everyones responsibility, she added.

Operation Sanctuary, which was launched in 2014 after a woman and girl who did not know each other came forward with similar reports of abuse in the West End of Newcastle.

The investigation into modern day slavery, trafficking and sexual exploitation in the region covered by Northumbria Police spawned the smaller Operation Shelter, which resulted in the conviction of 18 members of a grooming gang.

The abuse was revealed after the last defendants were convicted at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday, being found guilty of abusing girls as young as 14.

It was the last of four trials that have been underway since 2015 and can now be reported for the first time after reporting restrictions were lifted.

Comparisons were quickly drawn to the grooming scandals in Rochdale and Rotherham, where Theresa May as Home Secretary accused local authorities of allowing institutionalised political correctness to hamper their investigation into predominantly British Pakistani offenders.

Investigators have not confirmed whether the majority of victims in Newcastle were also white British women and girls, but the head of Northumbria Police said there was no political correctness involved in the investigation of suspects from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Turkey, Albania and Eastern European.

(Northumbria Police/PA) (PA)

Chief Constable Steve Ashman told a press conference: I dont think its for me to point the finger at a particular community.

Weve arrested over 400 people as part of Operation Sanctuary over the past three-and-a-half years and they come from just about every single community you can mention.

Its an inescapable fact that when you look at the photos coming out of the Operation Shelter trials, most of the offenders are not white, but some of them are.

Chief Constable Ashman said it was for every community to ask themselves whether they are doing all everything they possibly can to ensure the attitude to women and girls that we have encountered has no place within in that community.

We all have a role to play in that, he added, urging communities in Newcastle to start soul searching to examine how the offenders felt their abuse was acceptable.

Investigators said many of the offenders were working as part of a conspiracy and had friends, associates and relatives outside the grooming gang who knew of their activities.

Northumbria Police defended the decision to pay a former child rapist almost 10,000 to spy on sex parties where vulnerable girls and young women were given drugs and alcohol and abused.

Chief Constable Ashman said that although the decision to recruit XY would seem morally repugnant to some, he would do the same again to gather vital evidence on defendants who were later convicted.

Juries heard how the men would often threaten their victims with violence if they did not take part in sexual activity with them, while others were assaulted when they were incapacitated and unable to resist.

Northumbria Police Chief Constable Steve Ashman during a press conference in Newcastle on 9 August (PA)

The victims met the men through other friends and social media, police said, with one girl describing a friend as having so many people in her phone that it was unreal, mostly known by nicknames.

The men would contact the girls at all hours of the day and night, persistently pleading with them to go to an address to chill or inviting them to sessions.

Abusers would message the girls to say they had alcohol and drugs for them and would pay for taxis to collect them, buying vodka and drugs including mephedrone and cocaine.

Victims would wake up with men raping or sexually assaulting them, leaving many too traumatised to have relationships.

More than 700 victims were identified in Operation Sanctuary and 108 in the smaller Operation Shelter, investigators said, with 461 suspects interviewed and 93 convictions resulting in combined sentences of over 300 years.

The scale of abuse uncovered, and the fact one of the victims was in local authority care, has prompted a serious case review that will report in December on what lessons can be learned and how to improve safeguarding.

Chief Constable Ashman said his force was previously aware of a small scale of grooming but did not know its true extent until Operation Sanctuary was launched to proactively find other potential victims with the cooperation of authorities, voluntary groups, bars, taxi drivers, hotels and the public.

We have thrown the kitchen sink at this, a team of 50 officers have worked on this enquiry for almost three and a half years and continue to do so, he added. We have not and will not stop. We have employed every technique available to us covert and overt, in tackling the problem.

The sexual exploitation of vulnerable people is in my opinion the challenge of our generation. It is a huge task that we are faced with. To date Operation Sanctuary has been the most complex investigation in this forces history and has not stopped.

There is a wider debate to be had as to how this is to be tackled moving forward.
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An autistic boy was left with a one inch nail embedded in the back of his head after he was attacked by a group of bullies on his way home from school.

Nine-year-old Romeo Smith required hospital treatment after a block of wood was left hanging from his head.

His mother Natasha, 30, said she had been walking with Romeo towards their home in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, when the attack happened.

Romeo had lagged slightly behind, she said.

It's usual for him to trail behind me a bit, he does it a lot because of his autism and it's something I'm used to him doing.

He likes to stop and look at things. So I was ahead of him slightly.

After returning home she realised Romeo was not close behind her and sent out his father, Craig, to look for him.

Romeo was prescribed a course of antibiotics to prevent infection (SWNS)

A hospital bag showing the block of wood and protruding nail (SWNS)

Romeo was found up a tree while three boys holding sticks taunted him, his mother said.

Romeo and Mr Smith then began to walk home when the one of the boys threw a plank of wood.

Pictures of Romeo after the attack showed the block hanging from the back of his head by a nail.

Romeo with his mother, Natasha (SWNS)

He was treated with antibiotics and sent home by doctors.

He is a very lucky little boy because it could have been more serious, his mother said.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty

I don't know whether it had anything to do with his autism, but I think they did see him as vulnerable.

If I could speak to the boys responsible I would tell them to stop bullying others. I would tell them to stop the name calling and the violence. I don't want this to happen to another child.
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Brexit Secretary David Davis former chief of staff has described Brexit as a catastrophe and called for the formation of a new political party in Britain.

James Chapman, who announced he was leaving his Government role before the general election, added that Britains exit from the European Union could also be reversed through a second referendum.

Past time for sensible MPs in all parties to admit Brexit is a catastrophe, come together in new party if need be, and reverse, the former Daily Mail political editor posted on his Twitter account.

Mr Chapman, who also worked as George Osbornes former director of communications in the Treasury before joining Mr Davis after the EU referendum, added it was also past time for sensible journalists on newspapers that advocated Brexit to admit it is going to destroy the lives of many of their readers.

Responding to the posts, Vince Cable, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: I agree with David Davis ex chief of staff. The public should have a chance to exit from Brexit.

Labour MP Wes Streeting said it was a striking warning from a notable source, but added: Doesnt need a new party though. Just enough MPs with the courage to put the country first if all fails.

Emily Poole, a former special adviser to the former Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb, said she couldnt agree more with Mr Chapman, adding: Great to see another former special adviser standing up for their convictions.

Shortly after leaving his role at the Department for Exiting the European Union, Mr Chapman also said his former boss Mr Davis had been hamstrung by Theresa Mays red-line on ending the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.

Speaking in June to the BBCs Week in Westminster, he added: Shes [Ms May] set a red line effectively for a conference speech that hamstrung these negotiations in my view.

There have been red lines that have been set for him that make the job he has to do very difficult.

He added: If she doesnt, in my point of view, show more flexibility, show more pragmatism than she did demonstrate in the Home Office, she wont get this stuff through Parliament.
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Prison inmates, school children and homeless people could be among groups taught how to better protect their own rights under plans for an expansion in public legal education called for by a government minister.

Solicitor General Robert Buckland will set out how he believes that people having a better understanding of their rights could also be a key tool in fighting hate crime, domestic violence and people trafficking.

He was to make the comments in a speech following the opening meeting of a new Public Legal Education Panel, which ministers believe may help democratise the legal system  tipping the balance of power away from lawyers and towards the public.

The panel, chaired by Mr Buckland, is considering how best to increase peoples familiarity of the law, giving people knowledge to help them appreciate when their rights have been infringed.

Mr Buckland was to say: Public Legal Education provides people with awareness, knowledge and understanding of their rights and the rights of other citizens.

This builds the confidence and skills they need to deal with disputes and ensuring everyone has access to justice.

The panel will provide a forum for the Government to consult with key bodies to explore new ways to teach people about how the law affects them, in a bid to democratise the legal system.

Ideas could include presentations, mock trials and role play exercises, awareness raising campaigns or information in leaflets  which can be tailored to different groups, from school pupils to prison inmates or homeless people.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty

Mr Buckland will also say that teaching people more about their legal rights and responsibilities could be a key tool in making people more aware when they have suffered a crime.

He will add: Victims should not feel that they have to suffer in silence, but should have the courage to come forward and report.

In order to do that, in order to stamp out hate crime, they need to understand their rights. This includes recognising that an offence has occurred and knowing who to report it to. This includes knowing how to access help and support.

Domestic Violence is another instance where  for an effective response from society  victims and their loved ones need to know what their legal options are and who to reach out to.

The Government has been severely criticised for cuts to legal aid, with opponents warning the new drive for Public Legal Education cannot replace proper legal advice.
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The UKs most senior police officer an Home Secretary today heralded a potential rise in stop in search as they both threw their weight behind the power as a critical tool in the fight against street crime.

Met Police Chief Commissioner Cressida Dick said that she was ready to support her officers if the number of stop and searches rise.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said using the controversial power in an indiscriminate way would be a backwards step, but said she would support officers who used them on reasonable grounds in the face of rising knife and gun crime and the increasing prevalence of acid attacks.

Theresa May led a drive to lower stop and searches when at the Home Office, amid data showing they were disproportionately affecting black people.

But writing separate columns in The Times today both Ms Dick and Ms Rudd hailed stop and search as a useful policing tool in the face of what the Home Secretary said were signs of a genuine rise in gun and knife crime.

Ms Dick said: We do stop people and search people when we have reasonable grounds to suspect they may be carrying knives, other weapons (eg acid) or drugs.

About 20 per cent of searches result in an arrest, with weapons recovered in many cases. One third of searches in total have some kind of positive policing outcome, like a warning for carrying a small amount of drugs.

This is an extremely important power when properly used.

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 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Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. 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She added: I will support my officers if the number of stop and searches rises in the fight against knife crime and street violence. I believe the vast majority of the public will too.

Any change in the Home offices current stand on stop and search is difficult for Ms Rudd, given it was set by Ms May who is now the Prime Minister.

The Home Secretary said that reforms made under Ms May had meant stop and search powers are more effective, with more arrests per stop. But acknowledging signs of rising gun and knife crime, she said she would not "shy away" from tackling it.

She wrote: In London, the proportion of stops that result in an arrest has doubled since 2009-10. Police are targeting the right suspects better than ever before.

I want to be crystal clear  we have given the police the powers they need and officers who use stop and search appropriately, with reasonable grounds and in a targeted and intelligence-led way, will always have my full support.
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The Kenyan election was "hacked" and the results at all levels represent a "massive and extensive fraud", the opposition leader Raila Odinga has said.

Mr Odinga called on his supporters to remain "calm", but at the same press conference deputy opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka said the party may call for "action" at a later date.

The allegations of fraud on Wednesday followed the release of election results showing President Uhuru Kenyatta with a wide lead over Mr Odinga after votes from the vast majority of polling stations had been counted.

Mr Odinga claimed the alleged hackers "created errors" in the election commission's database and described Tuesday's election as a "fraud".

Mr Odinga also ran against Mr Kenyatta in the 2013 vote and unsuccessfully challenged the results in court with allegations of vote-tampering.

The long-time opposition figure also ran in the 2007 election, which was followed by violence fuelled by ethnic divisions that killed more than 1,000 people.

Recommended Hotly contested race for Kenyan presidency sparks fears of violence

Election officials acknowledged early opposition concerns, but defended their actions in live-streaming results online as they came in from polling stations.

"We believe that by displaying results, we have been doing well to enhance transparency and accountability in the electoral process, consistent with the commitment the commission has made to the Kenya people," said commissioner Consalata Bucha Nkatha Maina, vice chairwoman of the election commission.

The commission's CEO, Ezra Chiloba, also said a results screen at the commission's counting centre had frozen because too much data was being received, and that tallies would be updated later Wednesday morning.

A similar situation with a systems failure in the 2013 election led to Odinga's legal challenge at the time, though Kenya's Supreme Court ruled in favour of Kenyatta by validating the results.

Kenyatta, the 55-year-old son of Kenya's first president after independence from British colonial rule, campaigned this year on a record of major infrastructure projects, many backed by China, and claimed strong economic growth. Odinga, 72, also the son of a leader of the independence struggle, cast himself as a champion of the poor and a harsh critic of endemic corruption.

However, many voters were expected to vote along ethnic lines. Kenyatta is widely seen as the candidate of the Kikuyu people, the country's largest ethnic group. Odinga is associated with the Luo voting bloc, which has never produced a head of state. There were six other presidential candidates, though they lack the wide support of the top two.

The winner of the presidential race must get more than 50 per cent of the votes as well as one-quarter or more votes in at least 24 of Kenya's 47 counties, according to officials. If the front-runner falls short of those benchmarks, the two top contenders will contest a runoff vote.

Former US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is the chief election observer for The Carter Center, described Tuesday's vote as "an inspiring day in Kenya watching democracy in action."

"Enthusiastic voters not fazed by long lines," he tweeted.

AP
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Raila Odinga, Kenyas opposition leader, has accused his rival, President Uhuru Kenyatta, of pulling off a massive fraud to steal elections, triggering protests in western Kenya and Nairobi.

With just four polling stations still to declare, Mr Kenyatta retained a commanding lead of 54 per cent to Mr Odingas 44 per cent in the presidential vote, giving him a margin of 1.4 million votes.

Appearing tired and harried at a press conference, Mr Odinga, 72, alleged that hackers penetrated the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) servers, manipulating results as they appeared in a live stream. He claimed that an internal tally by his party, Nasa, put him ahead of the incumbent by nearly a million votes.

He also linked the death of a senior election official, found strangled and tortured a week before the polls, to the alleged penetration of electoral servers.

Recommended Tear gas fired at Nairobi polling station amid Kenya election tensions

Elections are being closely watched in East Africas most stable democracy, where the memory of the bloodshed that ensued after the 2007 elections, when Mr Odinga claimed victory was stolen from him, is still raw. Deadly violence along ethnic lines left more than 1,200 dead and 600,000 displaced.

Within hours of Mr Odingas statement, protests erupted in opposition strongholds in Kisumu, Mombasa and Nairobi, with reports of three people killed across the country. In the Nairobi slum of Mathare, angry voters poured onto the streets, and three were shot dead by police. Officers said the men were looting. Tensions also started to pick up in Kibera, a sprawling slum that is strongly supportive of Mr Odinga, with protesters gathering in large crowds, and burning tyres.

The electoral commission last night robustly defended the electoral process, saying that its systems were secure, with no interferences before, during and after Tuesdays election.

Earlier Mr Odinga, making his fourth and probably last stab at the presidency, said that unknown persons had conspired and executed a scheme to deny Kenyans their democratic right to elect their leaders.

From the information in our possession, some persons gained entry into the IEBC [electoral board] election management database and assumed the role of our collective sovereign, he added.

He went on to say that hackers had installed an algorithm that maintained a roughly 11 percent gap between the candidates as results came in. He said that the hackers had used the login of Chris Msando, the murdered official, but did not reveal where he obtained the information.

In Kibera, a sprawling slum that backs up against affluent Nairobi neighbourhoods, anxious supporters huddled around television sets to listen to Mr Odinga speak. He called for calm, but added, I do not control the people. Kalonzo Musyoka, his running mate, also urged calm as they looked into the matter of alleged fraud, but added, there may come a time we may have to call you into action.

Many fear protests could spread, with opposition voters led to believe before the election that they couldnt lose. In Kibera, the mood started to turn increasingly ugly within hours of Mr Odingas comments, but supporters said they were waiting for the word from the oppositions leadership before taking to the streets.

Weve always being played, said Jane Auko, a 40-year-old teacher, in Kibera. We never know if the election has been stolen [or not]  but today we know the truth. We are running out of patience.

Others appeared ready to fight. Its better to die for our rights, said Lawrence Namai, 18. If theres no justice, theres no peace.

 Riots break out after Kenya election's contested result

The mood was in sharp contrast to the previous day, when voters on both sides of the divide said they hoped the country would not erupt in the same kind of tribal violence seen in previous elections. Mr Kenyatta represents the Kikuyu elite, which for the last three presidencies out of four, has held power, while Mr Odinga is allied to the Luo community of western Kenya.

Human rights bodies appeared to support Mr Odingas claims that the vote might be flawed. Key to the final result, and its acceptance by both sides, will be the publication of the 34A and B forms from voting stations, handwritten results that are by law required to be scanned and submitted to the IEBC at the time the votes come in by text message.

The Kenyan Human Rights Commission (KHRC), a non-governmental body, said that it had collected thousands of forms from its own observers that did not agree with results on the IEBCs website.

KHRCs Maina Kiai said that the differences by polling station were not much - between eight and 10 votes in the sheets they'd seen - but multiplied by thousands of polling stations they could start to add up, although unlikely by enough to make a significant dent on Mr Kenyatta's lead. The victor must garner one vote more than 50 percent to win, and at least a quarter of the vote in 24 of Kenyas 47 counties.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. 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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

There are also a high number of rejected votes, which, again, do not always tally with the original forms, Mr Kiai said. In one constituency in Nandi Hills in the Rift Valley, the IEBC recorded rejected votes as 439, but the polling stations form seen by the human rights body showed nine votes had been rejected. Nearly 400,000 votes in all have been spoiled, according to the IEBC.

By early evening, only a handful of forms had been uploaded onto the IEBC website, and they tallied with reported results.

Kenya's election commission said it would look into Mr Odinga's allegations. "For now, I cannot say whether or not the system has been hacked," said Wafula Chebukati, the commission chairman, but it denied that any passwords had been compromised.

Rafael Tuju, a top official in Mr Kenyatta's party, said the opposition's claims were unfounded, and urged them to concede defeat.

In a statement, international observers, including a mission led by former US Secretary of State John Kerry, urged people to stay calm and let the IEBC work freely to count the votes. Mr Kerry said that the electoral process seemed very, very strong.

But Mr Kiai said that if the electoral commission did find discrepancies, it would face a conundrum.

The question will be now that if they do use the [forms], and find results are different, what will they do about it? he said. Will they say Mr Kenyatta has lost? Will they be willing to go that far? Institutions do not go into reverse gear.
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Kenya's election took an ominous turn on Wednesday as violent protests erupted in the capital and elsewhere after opposition leader Raila Odinga alleged fraud, saying hackers used the identity of a murdered official to infiltrate the database of the country's election commission and manipulate results.

Soon after Odinga spoke on television, angry protesters in slums of Nairobi and the opposition stronghold of Kisumu in the southwest burned tires, set up roadblocks and clashed with police, witnesses said. Kenyan police opened fire on people protesting election results earlier Wednesday in another opposition stronghold, killing one person. The shooting happened in South Mugirango constituency in Kisii county, said Leonard Katana, a regional police commander.

With results from almost all of the polling stations counted, President Uhuru Kenyatta was shown with a wide lead over Odinga in his bid for a second term.

Many parts of Kenya, East Africa's commercial hub, were calm a day after the elections for president and more than 1,800 other posts down to the county level. But the violence stirred memories of the unrest following the 2007 vote in which more than 1,000 people were killed. Odinga lost that election; he also lost the 2013 vote to Kenyatta and took allegations of vote-tampering to the Supreme Court, which rejected his case.

Recommended Hotly contested race for Kenyan presidency sparks fears of violence

Odinga, a former prime minister, blamed Kenyatta's Jubilee Party for the alleged hacking of the election database.

"The fraud Jubilee has perpetuated on Kenyans surpasses any level of voter theft in our country's history. This time we caught them," he tweeted.

Odinga claimed that hackers used the identity of Christopher Msando, an election official in charge of managing information technology systems. On July 31, officials announced that Msando had been tortured and killed, alarming Kenyans who feared a recurrence of political violence that has been fueled by ethnic divisions.

Msando had sought to reassure voters that election results would not be tampered with.

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

Rafael Tuju, a top official in Kenyatta's party, said the opposition's claims were unfounded.

Kenya's election commission said it will investigate Odinga's allegations. "For now, I cannot say whether or not the system has been hacked," said Wafula Chebukati, the commission chairman.

Kenyatta was leading with 54.34 percent and Odinga had 44.78 percent afte votes at nearly 39,000 of the 40,883 polling stations were counted, according to the election commission.

In the city of Kisumu, police used tear gas and shot at protesters who were upset after Odinga's fraud allegations, said demonstrator Sebastian Omolo.

"He is not accepting the results and that is why we are on the streets, but police have started shooting," Omolo said.

Kisumu shopkeeper Festus Odhiambo said he was praying for peace even as protesters blocked roads into city slums with bonfires and boulders.

The western port city on Lake Victoria has been a flashpoint in past elections.

Kenya's interior minister, Fred Matiangi, warned against the use of social media to stoke tensions. Officials have said it was unlikely they would shut down the internet but said they might shut down some social media if necessary to calm hate speech and incitement.

"We assure Kenyans and all residents, the country is safe and I urge everyone to go on freely with their daily chores," Matiangi said.

Odinga's running mate, Kalonzo Musyoka, also called for restraint as the fraud allegations are investigated.

"There may come a time we may have to call you to action," Musyoka said. "But for now it is important we be strategic as we delve deep into this matter."

AP
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Donald Trump has more power to go to war than any American president in the last 40 years, a new report has found.

A study published by the University of Waterloo in Canada found the military actions of former presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama have ultimately handed President Trump greater power to carry out military intervention.

In examining US military interventions between 2001 and 2016, the paper found significant parallels in the way Bush and Obama tackled and traversed consultation and authorisation procedures with Congress and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Both of President Trumps predecessors went to war unilaterally rather than getting permission from Congress.

Although its worth noting this is by no means a precedent started by Bush and Obama. Republican and Democrat presidents have a long history of carrying out military operations without approval of congress  especially since the end of the Second World War.

"Right now, Donald Trump has an enormous amount of power to launch military action, perhaps more than any president since the Vietnam War," the reports author, Aaron Ettinger, said.

"Trump's predecessors left a legacy of military adventurism that suits his aggressive style."

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

According to the study, since 9/11 both Bush and Obama made efforts to get around domestic and international law in the attempt to balance American independence with respect for international order.

The majority of legal scholars agree Americas founding fathers wanted Congress to make the decision on whether to go to war unless the country is under an attack. Nevertheless, this has dramatically changed in the modern era, with executive branch lawyers arguing the president, as commander-in-chief, may employ military force unilaterally if they think the strike would be in the national interest.

The report said the world would have to wait to see how recent patterns of American interventionism would manifest themselves in the Trump era and how President Trump would react to mounting global tension.

"Trump's first six months as president have seen tensions rise on the Korean peninsula, ongoing depravity in Syria and Iraq, the devolution of relations with Russia, strains with China, and the alienation of NATO allies," Ettinger, an assistant professor of political science, said.

"We will soon see how a president with no foreign affairs experience, an aggressive personality and few restraints will respond to the current global climate."

President Trump raised alarm bells about the prospect of a nuclear conflict on Tuesday after he launched his sternest warning to North Korea yet.

He said: "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

Since then Pyongyang has said it is "carefully examining" a plan to strike the US Pacific territory of Guam with missiles.

In April, Mr Trump carried out a missile attack on Syrian forces for using chemical weapons against civilians without authorisation from Congress or the UNSC.


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Robert Mueller left a $3.4 million partner job in the white-shoe law firm WilmerHale, where he worked for clients such as Facebook, Apple, Sony and the NFL, to serve as the special counsel overseeing the law enforcement investigation into whether the Kremlin and the Trump campaign coordinated to impact the 2016 election, according to documents released on Monday.

Mueller's public financial disclosure - along with those of seven members of his team - was released after a request from The Washington Post. The document offers a glimpse into who the special counsel and the lawyers he has hired have worked for, and where they have made and invested their money.

They are likely to be closely scrutinised by allies of President Donald Trump, who has criticised Mueller and his team as having conflicts of interest.

The documents show that several lawyers on the team, particularly those who came from the private sector, left behind substantial salaries to work on the Russia case. James Quarles, who left WilmerHale with Mueller, drew more than $5.8 million from his partnership there. Jeannie Rhee, another partner, drew more than $2 million, and Aaron Zebley, who was Mueller's chief of staff at the FBI and also worked with him at WilmerHale, drew more than $1.4 million.

It is unclear precisely how much each is getting paid to work on the Russia investigation - the special counsel's office has declined to make its budget proposal public - though it is likely a far cry from their private sector work.

In addition to his firm income, Mueller drew tens of thousands of dollars from paid speaking engagements in recent years, talking to groups such as Goldman Sachs, Citi and Ford. For one speech, to the Mexican bank Banamex, he made $52,000.

Those on the team who had come from private practice represented a wide range of clients. Notably, Zebley represented Justin Cooper, a former Clinton aide, and Rhee represented the Clinton Foundation.

Recommended Trump prepares supporters for worst as Russia probe closes in

Trump has been highly critical of Mueller and his team, writing on Twitter that their investigation is the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history and that the probe was being led by some very bad and conflicted people! He has noted particularly several team members' donations to Hillary Clinton and other Democrats: federal records show eight lawyers in the group have given to Democrats - five to Clinton's campaigns.

The president has asserted Mueller, a registered Republican, is also conflicted because he interviewed to be the FBI director, and he has a relationship with James Comey, who Trump fired from the post.

Comey's attorney has disputed Trump's characterisation of Comey and Mueller's relationship, and many lawyers and ethics experts say they can see no significant legal or ethical concerns with his team's giving.

Mueller, too, might feel he cannot consider the donations because Justice Department policies and federal law prohibit discriminating based on political affiliation when it comes to hiring for nonpolitical positions.

The investments listed for many of the team members are lengthy, but among those Mueller lists as belonging to a family trust is money in Amazon.com. Amazon founder and chief executive Jeffrey Bezos owns The Washington Post in his personal capacity. The President has derisively labelled the news organisation the Amazon Washington Post.

Mueller's form indicates it was revised several times after Mueller made clarifications. Those who reviewed it noted on the form that Mueller was counselled on criminal conflicts of interest and standards of conduct, and they found no apparent conflicts of interest.

The forms are interesting in their own right, but they also reveal who on the team might be in leadership positions.

The forms are only required of those earning higher incomes. The Justice Department ethics office released just eight, for Mueller, Quarles, Rhee and Zebley, along with Andrew Weissmann, who had led the Justice Department's fraud section; Andrew Goldstein, who ran the public corruption unit in the Southern District of New York; Zainab Ahmad, an assistant US attorney in the Eastern District of New York specialising in terrorism cases; and Michael Dreeben, a Justice Department deputy solicitor general who has argued more than 100 cases before the Supreme Court.

Seeking to discredit those conducting an investigation is a familiar tactic: Democrats famously put Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr in the crosshairs during his examination of President Bill Clinton. And just as he has sought to raise questions about Mueller and his team personally, Trump has tried to limit what areas the investigators might explore.

Trump told the New York Times in a recent interview that he did not believe the special counsel should be permitted to inspect his and his family's finances - saying that would be a violation, though not indicating what action he might take in response.

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

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein - who appointed Mueller and is supervising him because Attorney General Jeff Sessions is recused from the case - said on Fox News recently that Mueller's investigation was not a fishing expedition, and Mueller would need Rosenstein's approval to expand it.

If he finds evidence of a crime that's within the scope of what Director Mueller and I have agreed is the appropriate scope of this investigation, then he can [investigate]. If it's something outside that scope, he needs to come to the acting attorney general, at this time me, for permission to expand his investigation, Rosenstein said.

The Washington Post
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A 38-year-old mother-of-two has been jailed for 15 years for having sex with two teenage boys last summer, who she enticed with naked pictures of herself sent via Snapchat.

Brooke Lajines, of Lima Township, Michigan, has been sentenced to four years, nine months to 15 years in prison for crimes committed against the teenagers, who were aged 14 and 15 at the time.

Lajines pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct for oral sex against the 15-year-old boy and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct for intercourse with the 14-year-old during her trial in June, according to the local Ann Arbor News. She also pleaded guilty to one count of accosting a child for immoral purposes and another for furnishing obscenity to children, relating to the naked images Lajines sent of herself to the boys.

The mother of the 14-year-old victim described the lengths Lajines went to in order to meet with her son in an impact statement, and said the teenage boy has suffered lasting damage from the abuse.

Her impact statement, which was read by a victim advocate in court, said: You made a conscious effort on several occasions to make arrangements to meet my son, sneak out of your house, start your car, leave your husband and children at home and drive to my sons fathers house, back into the driveway between midnight and 4am, wait for my son to run in the driveway, commit a crime and leave.

Did you ever worry about the harm you were doing my son? she asked, the New York Post reported.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. 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The mother added that her son is in counselling and gets picked on at school by his classmates who think its cool that he had sex with an adult woman.

"This has been the biggest regret of my life, Lajiness told the court at her sentencing. My family means everything to me and I have caused them great pain through these regretful choices I have made. My number one priority has always been my two children and I've provided for them in a way nobody else can. I feel hopeless in knowing the possibility I will no longer be able to do so.

"I fear the toll this will take on my family in my absence. These last few months have been excruciating to watch the emotional affects this had on everyone around me," she added.

Assistant Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney John Vella raised the issue in court of letters sent to the judge on behalf of Lajiness, which he believed attempted to shift the blame away from the perpetrator.

Mr Vella claimed the letters blamed a teenage boy, Lajiness own experience of domestic abuse, while Lajiness husbands letter claimed her insomnia contributed to her actions, Fox 2 Detroit reported.

Nobody is putting the blame on where it deserves, which it was this defendants actions that brought her here. Its this defendant that chose to have sex with minors, he said.

Judge David Swartz followed the lower end of the sentencing guidelines, citing Lajiness psychological issues and her lack of criminal record.
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Donald Trump issued his dire threat of "fire and fury" to North Korea to send a strong message "in language that Kim Jong-un can understand", US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said.

Mr Tillerson sought to downplay the escalating diplomatic crisis, saying Americans should sleep well at night.

"I do not believe that there is any imminent threat" from North Korea, he added.

His intervention came after Mr Trump told North Koreas leadership it would be "met with fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it made more threats to the US.

Pyongyang in turn said it was "carefully examining the operational plan for making an enveloping fire at the areas around Guam", an island in the Pacific home to around 6,000 US military personnel.

Mr Tillerson, speaking as he returned from a tour of Southeast Asia, said the Presidents comments were an attempt to prevent any miscalculation by the North.

Rex Tillerson downplayed any speculation that the alarming developments suggested the US was moving closer to a military option (AP)

"What the President is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong-un can understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," the Secretary of State said.

"I think the President just wanted to be clear to the North Korean regime on the US unquestionable ability to defend itself, will defend itself and its allies."

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

But he also risked upping the ante as he warned that Guam was not the only place that was at risk from a missile strike.

The plane carrying Mr Tillerson from Malaysia to Washington included a scheduled stop in Guam to refuel.

He said re-routing his trip to avoid stopping in Guam had not been considered as "the North Korean missile capability can point in many directions, so Guam is not the only place that would be under threat.

Mr Tillerson, who had been in Asia to work on a solution to the crisis, also insisted the Trump administrations current strategy to deal with Mr Kim was working.

"The pressure is starting to show," he said. "I think that's why the rhetoric coming out of Pyongyang is beginning to become louder and more threatening.

Whether we've got them backed into a corner or not is difficult to say, but diplomatically, you never like to have someone in a corner without a way for them to get out."

Pressed on whether Pyongyang had a way out, with rhetoric from both sides suggesting they were on course for conflict, Mr Tillerson replied that the option of dialogue remained on the table.

"Talks, with the right expectation of what those talks will be about, he said.

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

Mr Tillerson has held the door open for dialogue with North Korea on numerous occasions, including at a security forum in Manila on Monday, when he said: "The best signal that North Korea can give us that they are prepared to talk would be to stop these missile launches.

Earlier in August, he said he was willing to sit down for talks as long as Mr Kim abandoned his quest to develop nuclear weapons.

Speaking to the regime directly, he said: "We do not seek regime change. 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.

"We are not your enemy, we are not your threat, but you are presenting an unacceptable threat to us and we have to respond.

"We would like to sit and have a dialogue about the future."
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A top aide to Donald Trump has warned North Korea not to test the United States, because the country is now a hyperpower.

Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to Mr Trump, spoke to Fox News amid reports that North Korea would soon be able to carry out a nuclear strike on the US homeland.

Mr Trump had responded to the news by declaring that North Korea would be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen if they continued to escalate their threats.

Mr Gorka explained that Mr Trumps words were meant as a warning to North Korea: Dont test American, and dont test Donald J Trump.

We are not just a superpower, Mr Gorka said. We were a superpower, we are now a hyperpower  The message is very clear: Dont test this White House.

The word hyperpower refers to a nation that dominates in all areas, from economics and military might to cultural attitudes and language. The term was first popularised by French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine in 1999, when he suggested that the US had become a unilateral power that needed to be controlled.

Mr Gorka, however, appeared to see the term as a positive, saying: Nobody in the world  especially not North Korea  comes close to challenging our military capabilities, whether theyre conventional, whether theyre nuclear, whether theyre special forces.

The words reflected Mr Trumps own bombastic rhetoric from earlier that morning, when he tweeted that the USs nuclear arsenal is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before.

Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world! he said.

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

Experts, however, say such statements are misleading  and potentially harmful.

Shortly after taking office, Mr Trump ordered the Defence Department to undertake a Nuclear Posture Review to guide them in modernising Americas nuclear arsenal. That review is slated to be finished at the end of this year.

According to Jon Wolfsthal, a member of Barack Obamas National Security Council, the actions Mr Trump took at the beginning of his term could take years to implement.

"I'm very sceptical of the idea that Trump believes that he has modernised or adjusted our arsenal because there have been no visible changes to it, Mr Wolfsthal told the Washington Post.

Others are worried that Mr Trumps posturing could escalate a volatile situation. The entire Congressional delegation of New Hampshire spoke out against Mr Trumps comments on Tuesday, calling them  chilling, "dangerous and "overly aggressive".

The President's bellicose reaction does not make our country safer, Senator Jeanne Shaheen said. "The United States must be measured and strategic in dealing with the threat from North Korea.

She added: On all matters of national security, it's vitally important that the President choose his words carefully.
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A toddler died after being left in a nursery school van for 11 hours on a hot summer day, it has been reported.

Myles Hill, three, was picked up by a member of staff on Monday morning and was meant to have been dropped off at one of the nursery company's two academies with other children.

But the worker who collected him returned to the other centre without realising he was still in the van, Sky News reported.

The tragedy took place in Orlando, Florida, where temperatures reached 34C on Monday.

Police chief John Mina said: "We believe Myles was in the hot van all day long, since 9am. This is your worst nightmare come true."

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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A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. 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Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. 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The driver failed to perform a head count of the children, she reportedly told police.

The Florida Department of Children and Families is investigating and the worker, from the Little Miracles academy, may face charges.

Myles' great aunt, Barbara Livingston, told the Orlando Sentinel: "If you leave your child with someone, that person has the responsibility of taking care of them.

"He had to lose his life because of someones neglect. Its not right. Its not right at all. If you have six kids get in the van, you make sure six kids get out of the van."
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The State Department has expelled two diplomats from the Cuban Embassy in Washington following a series of unexplained incidents in Cuba that left US officials there with physical symptoms.

Two State Department officials said onWednesday that the Cubans were asked to leave the US on May 23 after Americans in Cuba reported incidents which have caused a variety of physical symptoms, causing them to leave the island. The officials would not say what the symptoms were or provide details about the incidents. One official said the first incident occurred late last year and continued, prompting the Americans to depart the island and the department to act against the Cuban diplomats in the US.

The officials said the Cubans left the US but would not say when. Neither official was authorised to speak publicly to the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The officials said the department did not have definitive explanations for the incidents, which were first reported by CBS Radio News, but stressed it takes them very seriously and is working to determine their cause and impact.

But they said the department has reminded Cuba of its international obligation to protect foreign diplomats.

The officials said the Cuban government had assured the US that it is investigating and will take appropriate measures.

Harassment of US diplomats in Cuba is not uncommon and dates to the restoration of limited ties with the communist government in the 1970s.

-AP
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Donald Trumps administration is said to be considering radically changing the way it conducts war in Afghanistan, and may move away from the US military running the show in favour of laying that responsibility on private contractors.

The unprecedented proposal would put 5,500 private contractors in charge of advising the Afghan military in the 16-year-old war that Mr Trump has inherited from his two predecessors. Most of those contractors would be former Special Operations troops, though their private contractor status would likely mean they are not bound by the same rules of engagement as the US military. There are an estimated 8,400 US soldiers currently in Afghanistan.

Erik Prince, the founder and former CEO of private contracting company Blackwater USA, has put forward the plan. Speaking to USA Today, he said he had met frequently with administration officials to discuss his plan. However, with misgivings by Mr Trumps National Security Adviser, H R McMaster, and Defence Secretary James Mattis, it is unclear whether there would be a way forward for such a plan, despite Mr Trumps frustration at the lack of progress in the country. At least one senior official, chief strategist Steve Bannon, is said to be open to the use of private contractors.

Contractors working for Blackwater were involved in a deadly incident during the Iraq War, when they open-fired in Baghdads Nisour Square while escorting a US convoy in 2007, killing or injuring at least 31 Iraqi civilians. Those events led the State Department to revoke the companys license to operate in the country. One of the contractors recently had a murder charge overturned and a new trial ordered over the incident, while three others who had been handed 30-year prison terms after being convicted of voluntary manslaughter will be re-sentenced after their prison terms were voided. Defence lawyers argued the convoy was under fire from insurgents, a claim prosecutors denied.

But  in addition to accountability concerns posed by giving broad agency to non-military, private contractors to conduct war  such a revised strategy in Afghanistan could send the wrong message in Afghanistan, Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, told The Independent.

International troops have been involved in Afghanistan for 16 years, following an invasion in October 2001. However, over the past year the Taliban have made gains and violent attacks have increased in a number of areas  leaving few signs of the stability the US craves.

It would be a political signal to Afghanistan including the Taliban, that the United States is really not willing to stick it out, Ms Felbab-Brown said of the plan over privisation. So, I think the will of the Taliban will be strengthened and the will of those who resist the Taliban will be weakened.

Mr Prince  whose sister is Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos  has argued that the US should cede control of the fight in Afghanistan to private contractors because, as the efforts there lack leadership. The efforts arent working, he says, and the Pentagon is spending a lot of money to do it.

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

Who has really been in charge of Afghanistan? Nobody. Its been extremely fragmented. Weve had up to 140,000 troops in the country and were now spending, the Pentagon consumes more than the entire defence budget of the UK just in Afghanistan and were losing, Mr Prince, a retired Navy SEAL, said on CNN.

His plan is to establish a viceroy in Afghanistan that would correspond with American troops there, and has said that the basic set up should be modelled after the British East India Company. He says that the plan costs a fraction of American military involvement, and could work around what the Department of Defence. Private contractors could also stay long-term without the political risks associated with having troops on the ground.

Ms Felbab-Brown said that ducking that political risk would still be degrading for efforts there. Already in Afghanistan, citizens are concerned that the US military is simply taking Afghan resources  Mr Trump has said that the US should simply seize natural resources in the region  and would be wary of a set up modelled after Britains colonial empire, she said.

Still, she concedes that there doesnt appear to be a surefire path forward for the US in Afghanistan. Completely withdrawing would forfeit huge American investments in the country while giving up control to the Taliban. Staying could simply be an exercise in hoping that the Taliban slowly falls apart through repeated mistakes.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson acknowledged this week that the White House is looking for a new strategy to bring Americas longest war to an end.

To just say were going to keep doing what weve been doing, the president is not willing to accept that, and so he is asking some tough questions, Mr Tillerson said earlier this week in Manila during an Asia trip.

The top US commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, has recommended that several thousand more troops be deployed to Afghanistan, primarily to bolster the advisory mission and stop the Taliban gaining more territory.
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Donald Trump has retweeted another Fox News report citing an anonymous source even though he has repeatedly railed against news outlets for using unnamed sources.

Mr Trump on Tuesday morning shared an article from Fox & Friends reporting that US spy satellites have detected North Korea loading two anti-ship cruise missiles on a patrol boat.

The story cites anonymous sources in the intelligence community, a practice that Mr Trump and his aides have frequently criticised.

Recommended This is why the North Korea nuclear crisis has the world on edge

It's the first time these missiles have been deployed on this type of platform since 2014, US officials with knowledge of the latest intelligence in the region told Fox News, the author, Lucas Tomlinson, wrote. Tensions between the US and North Korea have intensified over the past few months as the latter continues to ramp up its nuclear weapons programme.

In an interview with Fox & Friends a few hours after Mr Trump retweeted the news story, Nikki Haley, the US's ambassador to the United Nations, indicated that the information in the report is classified and was leaked.

I can't talk about anything that's classified and if that's in the newspaper that's a shame, Ms Haley said when asked about the article.

Pushed on whether the information was leaked, Ms Haley said it's one of those things I don't know what's going on. I will tell you it's incredibly dangerous when things get out into the press like that.

Mr Trump has often publicly complained about leaks, particularly when news outlets publish information related to investigations into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government  probes the President has referred to as a witch hunt.

Leaks are are generally defined as an intentional disclosure of secret information, often by an anonymous source whose goal is to make the information public.

The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images

The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?, the President tweeted in February.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced last week that the Justice Department is considering stricter measures to prevent leaks.

Mr Trump has also suggested that when reporters dont include the names of their sources in their articles, they are disseminating fake news.

Whenever you see the words 'sources say' in the fake news media, and they don't mention names...it is very possible that those sources don't exist but are made up by fake news writers. #FakeNews is the enemy! the President tweeted in May.
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US Secretary of Defence James Mattis has warned North Korea to "cease any consideration of actions that will lead to the end of the regime and destruction of its people".

Mr Mattis issued the stern warning one day after the Washington Post reported that North Korea had developed miniaturised nuclear warheads that could be capable of striking the United States.

Echoing President Donald Trump's bombastic rhetoric from that morning, the Defence Secretary said that North Korea's actions "will continue to be grossly overmatched by ours," and that the country would "lose any arms race or conflict it initiates".

Mr Mattis had previously said war with North Korea would be "catastrophic," but that the US would prevail.

The US and North Korea have engaged in an increasingly volatile war of words since the news of North Korea's rapidly advancing nuclear programme broke. Mr Trump on Tuesday threatened to bring "fire and fury" to North Korea if the regime continued to escalate its threats. North Korea responded by threatening to attack Guam.

Mr Trump then took to Twitter to boast about the US's nuclear capabilities  sentiments Mr Mattis repeated on Wednesday.

The US and its allies "possess the most precise, rehearsed, and robust defensive and offensive capabilities on Earth," Mr Mattis said during a trip to America's west coast.

Mr Trump initiated a review of the US's nuclear capabilities in January. That review is slated to be finished by the end of the year.

North Korea's Kim Jon-un, meanwhile, has been testing nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICMBs) at an accelerating rate. The country tested two ICBMs capable of hitting the US last month.

Now, the Post reports, the country has developed miniaturised nuclear warheads to fit those ICBMs. Citing a US Defence Intelligence Agency report, the Post claimed North Korea could have up to 60 nuclear weapons in its arsenal.

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 international community has attempted to contain North Korea's nuclear programme through sanctions, with little success. The United Nations voted last week to impose an estimated $1bn in sanctions on the country, in what US Ambassador Nikki Haley called "the strongest sanctions ever imposed in response to a ballistic missile test.

North Korea, however, responded by threatening to take physical action against the US.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said said on Monday that his country is ready to teach the US a severe lesson with its nuclear strategic force if militarily provoked.

"We will, under no circumstances, put the nukes and ballistic rockets on the negotiating table, he added.
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The escalating nuclear standoff between North Korea and Donald Trump is very, very, very serious, John McCain has said, as he cautioned the US President against making empty threats that would be difficult to follow through with.

"You got to be sure you can do what you say you're going to do," the senior Republican Senator said.

Mr McCains warning to tread carefully with the unpredictable regime came after the President told North Korea that any threat to American territory would be met with "fire and fury".

As tensions ratcheted up on Tuesday evening, Pyongyang responded that it was "carefully examining" a plan to strike the US Pacific island territory Guam.

Mr McCain, a vocal critic of the President, said: "That kind of rhetoric, I'm not sure it helps.

The great leaders I've seen don't threaten unless they're ready to act and I'm not sure that President Trump is ready to act."

Mr McCain, who heads the Armed Services Committee, made the comments in an interview with local radio in Phoenix, Arizona.

North Korea has made no secret of its plans to develop a nuclear-tipped missile able to strike the United States and has ignored all calls to halt its weapons programmes.

 North Korea threatens Guam attack plan after Trump's 'fire and fury' warning

On Tuesday, Mr Trump issued his strongest warning yet to the North.

"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States," he said. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

But Mr McCain, who is undergoing treatment for brain cancer, said that language would likely push the historic foes to war, and urged Mr Trump to follow the foreign policy mantra adopted by former US President Theodore Roosevelt.

"In other words, the old walk softly but carry a big stick, Teddy Roosevelt's saying, which I think is something that should've applied because all it's going to do is bring us closer to a serious confrontation. I think this is very, very, very serious."

In March, Mr McCain provoked the ire of Pyongyang when he described Kim Jong-un as a crazy fat kid.

Were not dealing even with someone like Joseph Stalin, who had a certain rationality to his barbarity, he said.

State news agency KCNA released a statement from the North's Foreign Ministry, which said the remarks had hurt the dignity of the supreme leadership" and called it a "grave provocation little short of declaration of war against it".

North Korea last threatened to strike Guam in 2013  but the countrys missile technology has advanced considerably since then.

The North is now said to be able to produce a miniaturised warhead that can fit inside the kind of missiles it has recently been testing, and which analysts believe could reach the US mainland.

Analysis completed by the US Defence Intelligence Agency said the intelligence community had recently concluded the East Asian nation had up to 60 nuclear weapons, The Washington Post reported.
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The FBI reportedly conducted a raid and search of Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort's home in connection with the investigation into alleged ties between the campaign team and Russian officials.

It is unclear at this time how significant the records taken from Mr Manafort's home in the pre-dawn 26 July raid are to the investigation, according to the Washington Post.

The FBI came to his home after Mr Manafort had voluntarily met with the Senate Intelligence Committee behind closed doors the day prior.

Recommended Former Trump campaign Paul Manafort subpoenaed by Senate committee

He was there to discuss a meeting he attended in June 2016 with Donald Trump Jr, White House aide and Ivanka Trump's husband Jared Kushner, and a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin, Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Special prosecutor Robert Mueller worked with the FBI on the wide-ranging search warrant obtained prior to the search.

As former FBI special agent Asha Rangappa pointed out on Twitter, to get the search warrant the FBI had to present evidence to a federal judge showing they had probable cause that Mr Manafort committed a crime and that evidence of it could be in his home.

The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images

It is the first instance in the parallel FBI, Congressional, and special prosecutor investigations where a federal judge has been involved.

It also appears to signal that Mr Mueller and the FBI did not trust the former campaign chairman to turn over all relevant records, even after a grand jury subpoena had been issued for him to do so.

Mr Manafort has been turning over records, some of which are reportedly notes from the June 2016 meeting with Ms Veselnitskaya at Trump Tower in New York.

The President's namesake son appears to have taken the meeting in order to gain information about opponent Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia according to a string of emails he released himself.

Mr Trump and surrogates have defended the meeting, noting that it was simply "opposition research" any political campaign personnel would have done. No information seems to have been gleaned from the meeting and Ms Veselnitskaya said she only discussed how Russia stopped adoptions of children by US citizens.
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Scientists say that a government report detailing the devastating effects of climate change will likely not be approved, but the fact that it was leaked is important to climate action.

The National Climate Assessments latest draft report was leaked due to fear that the Trump administration would bury it, according to the New York Times.

Dr Peter Meyer, President and Chief Economist of The EP Systems Group, told The Independent that given that the agencies have been stripping all information about climate change off their web pages, of course it will not be approved.

Dr Peter Frumhoff, Director of Science and Policy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said in a statement that the fears of federal scientists are well-founded.

The Trump administration has consistently demonstrated its lack of regard for science and evidence, including on climate change.

The report was leaked right after internal emails from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) were leaked to The Guardian.

Staff of the USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service - tasked with farmland conservation - received an email in February 2017 from Director of Soil Health Bianca Moebius-Clune with a list of terms to avoid like climate change and carbon sequestration.

The leaks are further signs of the scientific communitys distrust of the Trump administration, Mr Meyer pointed out.

He had resigned in May 2017 from his advisory position on a committee of the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) Board of Scientific Counsellors, citing the administrations ousting of veteran, reputable scientific advisors over differing views on climate change and unbiased research.

Several more members of advisory committees have not had their contracts renewed by the administration and EPA head Scott Pruitt, who has repeatedly questioned the link between carbon dioxide, human action, and climate change.

The latest leaked report is another sign of muddling politics with science, said Mr Meyer.

Myron Ebell, a noted supporter of Donald Trump and a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, told the New York Times that the National Climate Assessment seems to be on autopilot given that the findings were not in line with the current administrations politics.

Mr Trump once said climate change was a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese and said his decision to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement on climate change - signed by nearly 200 countries - was done because the accord puts American workers at economic disadvantage.

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

Mr Meyer said the purpose of the National Climate Assessment is to be apolitical and that Mr Ebells characterisation is a very bad phrase.

Even President George W. Bush - who hailed from oil-rich Texas - used to ignore the annual assessments but never attack it the way the current administration does, said Mr Meyer.

The Assessment has changed their tune, this is not autopilot by any means, said Mr Meyer.

Every single chapter cites new evidence and new research...this is not just raising the stakes on old evidence in the draft report, Mr Meyer noted.

They cannot be on autopilot just because the new evidence the authors present proved climate change is more dangerous than what people originally thought.

Thirteen government agencies, including the EPA and Department of Energy, have until 18 August to formally approve the draft report.

But, Mr Meyer argued that even though none of these agencies with Trump-appointed chiefs would approve the report, the damage has been done.

Its global at this point.

He said that sub-national governments will likely pay more attention to the National Climate Assessment in light of the attention the leak is getting versus the report being approved or denied and then put on a shelf to gather dust with the other federal government reports.

Environmental advocacy groups would have taken notice of the report, but Mr Meyer said mayors and governors would not have paid attention to groups appearing to have a political bias.

Ironically [cities and states] might discover how vulnerable they are and start their own efforts to mitigate climate change.

Over a thousand mayors and CEOs have joined together in pacts to reduce carbon emissions and make their cities and companies more green in light of Mr Trumps rhetoric.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that drafts of this report have been published and made widely available online months ago during the public comment period.

However, there is no clear evidence if or where these drafts were made public at this time.

Ms Sanders also railed against the newspaper for publishing the draft of the leaked report without first verifying its contents, a contradiction to her comment that the drafts were already released to the public.

The White House has declined to comment on the report before its scheduled release date.
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Donald Trump has claimed that 'rarely has an administration achieved what we have achieved' despite not having a major legislative victory.

In the first 200 days of his administration, Mr Trump failed to repeal and replace Obamacare and continued to be bogged down by controversies connected to probes into his campaign advisers possible ties to Russia, investigations that he has referred to as a witch hunt.

The President has also still been unable to secure funding for the construction of a border wall. Mr Trump repeatedly promised during his presidential campaign that he would build a continuous barrier along the US's 2,000-mile border with Mexico and said Mexico would pay for it.

After 200 days, rarely has any Administration achieved what we have achieved..not even close! Mr Trump tweeted from New Jersey. Don't believe the Fake News Suppression Polls!

Mr Trump did not list any examples of what his administration has accomplished. However, the President then retweeted a Fox News post saying that 1.074m jobs had been added during his presidency so far, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Last month, after it appeared there was not enough support in the Senate to pass a healthcare bill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell defended the upper chamber's work at a news conference. When asked how he'll explain to voters why Republicans have not accomplished anything major yet in 2017, Mr McConnell pointed out that the Senate had confirmed Mr Trumps Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch.

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

Well, we have a new Supreme Court justice, Mr McConnell said. We have 14 repeals of regulation and were only six months into it  the last time I looked, Congress goes on for two years. Well be moving on to comprehensive tax reform and infrastructure, he said. There is much work left to be done for the American people and were ready to tackle it.

The Senate and House of Representatives are currently in recess until September.
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A school in Virginia told parents skin colour would play a role in how they select students for certain classes, it has been reported.

Parents were informed by letter that John Handley High School would ensure there was proportional representation in their advanced placement and honours groups.

This works out to 40 per cent white, 35 per cent Hispanic, 12 per cent African American and 10 per cent mixed race.

American demographic trends indicate that America will be a majority minority nation in the next 25 years, the letter said, according to Fox News.

Therefore, the new work of American public schools is to develop systems to address disparate outcomes.

Eric Sitton, who is the father of a student at the school, received the letter and said he felt distressed knowing his son had read the new rules.

I was taken aback. I couldnt believe someone would put words like that in print to send around to the homes of students, Mr Sitton said.

I felt powerless to help my child. Seeing the look on his face when he realised that he was being judged by the colour of his skin was agonising.

A spokesperson from the school district has denied there are any racial quotas for advanced classes.

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

Our school division does not have, nor has it ever had, any policy that utilises race for enrolment into honours or AP courses. All students, regardless of race, must meet academic criteria to enrol in advanced level coursework, the spokesperson told Fox.

Over the past years, the School Board has continued its focus on providing advanced level coursework as well as increasing advanced course offerings across a variety of disciplines.

The School Board has not contemplated, nor adopted, any policy or practice that utilises race in determining which students can or cannot take such courses, or any other courses for that matter, the spokesperson added.
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Residents of the tiny Pacific island of Guam say they're afraid of being caught in the middle of escalating tensions between the US and North Korea after Pyongyang announced it was examining plans for attacking the strategically important US territory.

Though local officials downplayed any threat, people who live and work on the island, which serves as a launching pad for the US military, said Wednesday they could no longer shrug off the idea of being a potential target.

"I'm a little worried, a little panicked. Is this really going to happen?" said Cecil Chugrad, a 37-year-old bus driver for a tour bus company in Guam. "If it's just me, I don't mind, but I have to worry about my son. I feel like moving [out of Guam] now."

Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Show all 30 1 /30 Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Farmer works in a field Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Women soldier walk on the street Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A female soldier guards railway Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of platform of Pyongyang Railway Station Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Students stage a protest against South Korea and the US in Pyongyang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Students rehearsal for celebrating the 70th birthday of Workers' Party of Korea Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone People enjoy the cool at the carriage door Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of countryside Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Korean People's Army soldier rest on the rail 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A little boy begs food on the platform in Hamhung Railway Station in Hamhung 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Children swim in a river in noon Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone People cross a railway crossing 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A boy collects corn cob beside a railway Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A customs officer is seen on the train No.100 from Moscow to Pyongyang at Tumangang railway station in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A customs officer checks a passenger's mobile device on the train to Pyongyang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A railway station in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of the railway station in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Kids pass by Tumanggang railway station in Tumanggang 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of Tumangang - a small town located at North Korea and Russia border Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A train carriage on it's way to Pyongyang is delayed for a day and half due to military transportation in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A customs officers talks to a passenger at Tumanggang railway station in Tumanggang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A little girl walks on the street in Tumanggang 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone An elderly man is seen in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Kids go to school in morning in Tumangang 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone

Guam is used to threats from North Korea but advances in the country's nuclear programme, paired with fiery rhetoric from President Donald Trump, has raised the already high animosity and heightened worries that a miscalculation might spark conflict between the nuclear-armed nations.

Reports suggested North Korea mastered a technological hurdle needed to strike the US with a nuclear missile. The advances were detailed in an official Japanese assessment and later a Washington Post story that cited US intelligence officials and a confidential Defence Intelligence Agency report.

In response, Trump on Tuesday threatened the communist country "with fire and fury". On Wednesday, the North Korean army said in a statement that it was studying a plan to create an "enveloping fire" in areas around Guam with medium- to long-range ballistic missiles.

While it is extremely unlikely that Pyongyang would risk the assured annihilation of its revered leadership with a pre-emptive attack on US citizens, some residents are concerned.

"If anything happens, we've all got to be ready, be prepared, and pray to God that it doesn't happen," Daisy Mendiola, 56, said after finishing lunch with her family at a restaurant near Hagatna. "Everyone's afraid, because we're dealing with power that's beyond us."

Other residents are worried about the political atmosphere and the government's ability to find a peaceful solution.

Todd Thompson, a lawyer who lives on Guam, said he laughed off past threats because he "figured cooler heads in Washington would prevail, and it was just an idle threat".

"But I have to say, I'm not laughing now," Thompson said. "My concern is that things have changed in Washington, and who knows what's going to happen?"

His brother, Mitch Thompson, who also lives on Guam, added he believes "a lot of people have no confidence that the White House will do the right thing under the circumstances".

However, the brothers say they haven't seen anyone panicking or stocking up on supplies.

"I think people are just stunned and really don't know what to think," Todd Thompson said.

Guam is about 2,100 miles (3,380 kilometers) southeast of Pyongyang and 3,800 miles (6,115 kilometers) west of Honolulu in the Pacific Ocean. For years, North Korea has claimed Guam is within its missiles' striking distance, making furious statements each time when the US flew powerful bombers from the island's air base to the Korean Peninsula.

In August last year, the North's Foreign Ministry warned that all US military bases in the Pacific including Guam would "face ruin in the face of all-out and substantial attack" by the North's military. In the spring of 2013, state media cited leader Kim Jong Un as having ordered his military to prepare plans on launching strikes on US military bases in Guam, Hawaii and South Korea as well as the American mainland.

Guam is armed with the US Army's defence system known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, or THAAD, which can intercept missiles.

Similar threats in 2013 led Guam's US Congresswoman Madeleine Z Bordallo to advocate for the THAAD system, she said in a statement Wednesday.

"North Korea's most recent threat to target Guam is dangerous and it further heightens tensions in our region," Bordallo said. "While we have heard threats like this in the past, I take them very seriously."

Guam's Homeland Security Advisor George Charfauros urged calm and said defences are in place for such threats.

"An attack or threat to Guam is a threat or attack on the United States," said Guam Governor Eddie Calvo, who said he spoke with White House officials Monday morning. "They have said that America will be defended."

A travel agent on Guam said they haven't had a surge of customers seeking to book flights off the island.

"It's not bad at all, no chaos," said Mariah Sablan, who works for Golden Dragon Travel Inc. "It's just like a regular business day."

Associated Press
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Atheists in Malaysia should be hunted down as they violate the constitution, a government minister in the increasingly fundamentalist Muslim-majority nation has said.

Shahidan Kassim, who serves in the Prime Ministers inner circle, called on Islamic scholars to re-educate non-believers.

Apostasy is not a federal crime in Malaysia, but critics say the countrys increasingly conservative trajectory is threatening religious freedoms.

Recommended Malaysian atheist group under investigation by government

The [Federal Constitution] does not mention atheists. It goes against the Constitution and human rights, Mr Kassim said during a press conference.

I suggest that we hunt them down vehemently and we ask for help to identify these groups.

The MP for Arau, a town in the far north of Malaysia close to the border with Thailand, said atheists were misled and claimed they dont want to be atheists but it happens because of the lack of religious education.

Mr Kassim called on all muftis [Muslim religious scholars] to return them to the faith.

It comes as the Malaysian government ordered an investigation into an international atheist organisation that is operating in the country.

A photo of a meeting of the Kuala Lumpur chapter of Atheist Republic sparked uproar among some Muslims and lead to death threats against the group on social media.

Malaysia's deputy minister in charge of religious affairs, Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, said on Monday he had instructed the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department to investigate the Atheist Republic chapter to see if any Muslims were involved.

"We need to determine whether any Muslims attended the gathering, and whether they are involved in spreading such views, which can jeopardise the aqidah [faith] of Muslims," he told Reuters.

Ex-Muslims in the group would be sent for counselling, while attempts to spread atheist ideas could be prosecuted under existing laws, Asyraf said.

"We need to use the soft approach with (apostates). Perhaps they are ignorant of the true Islam, so we need to engage them and educate them on the right teachings," he said.

Atheist Republic's founder, Armin Navabi, said the group's gatherings caused no harm to the public and were not considered a threat in other countries.

"They [atheists] are treated like criminals. They are just hanging out and meeting other atheists. Who are they harming?!" he said in a post on his Facebook account.

Malaysian states, which have their own laws governing Islamic affairs, do not allow Muslims to formally renounce Islam, preferring instead to send them for counselling, or fining or jailing them.

The country's apostasy laws have left many former Muslims in legal limbo, as they are not allowed to register their new religious affiliations or legally marry non-Muslims.

In 2007, Lina Joy, a Malaysian convert to Christianity, lost a high-profile legal battle to have the word "Islam" removed from her identity card. In delivering judgment in that case, the Federal Court's chief justice said the issue was related to Islamic law, and civil courts could not intervene.

Additional reporting Reuters
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Every week now seems to see new provocations between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un. But what do they actually mean?

The tensions have led to increasingly fraught exchanges, military drills and missile tests  each of which has led to more threats from both countries.

In recent weeks, Mr Trump has called for "fire and fury like the world has never seen" to be unleashed on North Korea, and has presided over military drills that have enraged the North Koreans. For their part, they have claimed Mr Trump has declared war on the country and that it could now shoot down US military planes.

But is the world really on the brink of a Third World War? Experts say probably not, while pointing out that it is easy to see how we might get there.

A general consensus is that the US President's statements are just bluster, although many emphasise the fact that bluster has an unfortunate history of leading to war.

The new escalation is the latest in an ongoing ratcheting up of tensions between Pyongyang and Washington, and came after a report that claimed North Korea had developed nuclear weapons small enough that they could be flown all the way to the US mainland and detonated there.

Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Show all 30 1 /30 Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Farmer works in a field Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Women soldier walk on the street Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A female soldier guards railway Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of platform of Pyongyang Railway Station Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Students stage a protest against South Korea and the US in Pyongyang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Students rehearsal for celebrating the 70th birthday of Workers' Party of Korea Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone People enjoy the cool at the carriage door Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of countryside Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Korean People's Army soldier rest on the rail 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A little boy begs food on the platform in Hamhung Railway Station in Hamhung 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Children swim in a river in noon Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone People cross a railway crossing 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A boy collects corn cob beside a railway Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A customs officer is seen on the train No.100 from Moscow to Pyongyang at Tumangang railway station in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A customs officer checks a passenger's mobile device on the train to Pyongyang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A railway station in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of the railway station in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Kids pass by Tumanggang railway station in Tumanggang 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A general view of Tumangang - a small town located at North Korea and Russia border Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A train carriage on it's way to Pyongyang is delayed for a day and half due to military transportation in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A customs officers talks to a passenger at Tumanggang railway station in Tumanggang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone A little girl walks on the street in Tumanggang 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone An elderly man is seen in Tumangang Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Kids go to school in morning in Tumangang 2015 Getty Images Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone Life in North Korea captured with a mobile phone

After that came what prominent arms control expert Jeffrey Lewis has described a carnival of bellicosity.

Mr Trumps fire and fury statement is unprecedented in US relations with North Korea and markedly similar to the kind of rhetoric that emerges from Pyongyang.

North Korea appeared to call the US leader's bluff within hours of his statement, announcing it was exploring the possibility of attacking Guam, a US pacific territory that among other things houses strategic bombers.

Crucially, this statement appears to have been formulated in response to the US flying two B1-B bombers over the Korean Peninsula on Monday, a repeat of a similar operation carried out in July  and therefore not in response to Mr Trump's warning.

Rex Tillerson, the President's foreign policy chief, moved to calm the situation and advised the US public not to worry.

The message of de-escalation appears not to have influenced Mr Trump, however, who woke up and tweeted that the US nuclear arsenal was more powerful than ever before  though adding that he hoped never to use it.

Nevertheless, the US leader's shift to outright belligerence towards North Korea has given rise to widespread fears around the prospect of a major global nuclear conflict, the fallout from which would inevitably see the destruction of large parts of the world.

So is the world about to get destroyed by a nuclear war?

No, probably not, according to experts contacted by The Independent. Mr Trumps comments offer a significant and meaningful change in the rhetoric being exchanged between North Korea and the US  but they appear to be just rhetoric, for now.

The first thing I would say is that Im not sure that Mr Trumps comments change the fundamental calculus on the Korean peninsula, in the North or in the South, said James Hannah, assistant head of the Asia programme at Chatham House.

Whats obviously changed is the Trump factor and he has in a way emulated the North Korea bellicosity approach.

 White House denies Trump 'declaration of war' on North Korea

Even the Presidents voice is just one among many  albeit that of the Commander in Chief  in the White House, and is by far the most aggressive.

Rex Tillerson said there was no imminent threat and that Americans should sleep well at night, while explaining that the President had adopted such a confrontational tone because this was language that Kim Jong-Un could understand.

That does not mean there was not reason to be concerned.

Having followed North Korea for a long time, I am getting more worried, said Aidan Foster-Carter, honorary senior research fellow in sociology and modern Korea at Leeds University.

I worry about rhetoric getting out of control on either side and this leading to a miscalculation of some sort.

Professor Foster-Carter stressed that he was not suggesting Mr Trumps comments or the US approach was anything like that of North Korea, only that there was an increasing degree of public enmity between the two sides.

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

North Korea demonstrates better than any nation that bluster is important.

I worry about loose rhetoric, said Jeffrey Lewis, an adjunct professor at the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies.

Because I worry that allies or the North Koreans wont understand that its just bluster.

But having said that, I dont believe that its evidence that the US is going to attack the North Koreans.

"In a strange way its reassuring because its clear he doesnt know what to do; if he had some plan to attack them, he wouldnt be talking about his plan to attack them.

Could conflict break out at some point in the near future?

Perhaps the most terrifying thing about the situation is how impossible that question to answer; there are simply too many disparate elements, each of them unpredictable on their own and amounting to a situation in which almost anything could happen.

If the calculus hasnt changed, what is being introduced is a greater level of unpredictability and rhetorical tension, says Mr Hannah. Which has a number of knock-on effects.

If the US is unpredictable, Trump supporters might see that as a pro  taking a harder line and putting pressure on the North and conceivably on China, by eventuating the threat.

 North Korean foreign minister: Trump is on a suicide mission

But equally, that unpredictability doesnt wash well with US allies in the region, like Japan or South Korea. It creates a sort of echo chamber of inflated rhetoric.

And with Mr Trump in power, rhetoric tends to dominate the debate  and often become the debate.

If you do raise the rhetoric then I suppose theres a greater worry that the chance of action in some quarters is increased, adds Mr Hannah.

It all really comes down to whether North Korea thinks that Mr Trumps statements actually mean anything. If he is just blustering  an activity they know well  then very little has changed; if they think that the rhetorical stance is something that puts them in danger, then conflict could arise.

How might war break out?

If any conflict were to happen, it is likely that war would break out by accident, not by design. Mr Trumps comments might be mostly powerful as rhetoric  but wars have been fought over similar rhetoric before.

Its worth noting that, of course, most people are still against the idea of nuclear wars. That is a fairly safe assumption and means that, whatever is said, nobody is going to choose to drop an atomic bomb on another country happily.

More simplistic military intervention, of the kind that western governments had hoped for when they went into Iraq in 2003, is also probably out of the question.

As soon as North Korea felt it was being invaded, it would likely launch attacks on South Korea; if that happened, the big questions of North Koreas nuclear range would be less important, since Seoul could be hit by simple artillery. The idea of risking those people for an intervention is all but impossible.

Worried though I am about Trump I think he would be dissuaded from such a course, says Professor Foster-Carter. It would destroy South Korea, it would destroy the alliance; it would be more damaging even than all the conflicts that weve sadly grown used to in places like Iraq.

 North Korea releases animation which appears to show an attack on a US bomber

But its not that simple.

It has become more complicated to the point that concerns of miscalculations are higher, so thats probably where the danger is, says Mr Hannah. In a very complicated situation, I think the fear is of an unpredictable misstep or message that triggers some kind of chain reaction by one party or the other.

Thats the chief concern about Mr Trumps comments  that they could be read as a suggestion that something damaging is about to happen, and that they could pre-emptively respond.

And with such a swell of aggressive rhetoric swirling around the situation, any individual incidents importance is going to be far higher.

The breakdown of negotiations and diplomacy between the US and North Korea also means that any minor event could be significant, since theres no easy way for either country to address or calm any problem.

Between 1994 and 2003, diplomatic agreements froze North Koreas nuclear development and made it easier for diplomacy to go on between the country and its adversaries on other issues.

What that means is when you have a conflict  when theres a shoot-out on the maritime demarcation line, for instance  youve got a way to defuse tension, said Professor Hazel Smith, author of North Korean Markets and Military Rule. Today that doesnt exist.

So if you have a relatively minor incident on the border, which is still disputed, which is still possible, there is a possibility for it to escalate. Thats how wars start.

It is dangerous, the situation we have right now, especially when you have so many states with different interests involved.

If that war happened, the US would ostensibly win it  that much is obvious, and is a key factor in the US militarys thinking. But that part of the world is surrounded by many of the biggest armed forces in the world, and any conflict would be very, very bloody indeed, said Professor Smith.

So what is Donald Trump up to?

Its possible that Mr Trumps comments are part of some master plan, unlikely though it might be.

And the very fact that he is talking about the country is an important break from the Obama administrations commitment to what it called strategic patience  but which really was hard to distinguish from neglect, says Professor Foster-Carter.

Trump to his credit takes North Korea seriously but does it in such an extraordinary manner," he said.

Anyone minded to think of Mr Trump as a strategic genius, may see his latest comments as evidence of a clearly though-through plan.

Those looking to be sympathetic, may suggest he is trying to match North Koreas often aggressive commentary with similar attack of his own, or that his lack of care is a result of the madman theory, whereby a person behaves so bizarrely that they unsettle opponents and gain power from the perception they might do something crazy.

In some ways, it has the advantage of helping both sides. Both Pyongyang and Washington are led by men who are interested in making the other out to be evil and unhinged, both want to look strong and both can benefit from giving the appearance that, if prodded, they could trigger a nuclear armageddon.

Those are perhaps less likely than the theory Mr Trump is simply wading into a discussion that he feels strongly about. Thankfully, the US leader is surrounded by people who are slightly more sensible  even if theyre not always able to stop him speaking.

The idea of the fantastic, grim scenario in which the world is pushed to nuclear was is unbelievably frightening, says Professor Foster-Carter. But I dont think it will happen because I think, hope and pray theres enough adult supervision  in the military people, like Mattis and McMaster  and theres no sensible strike option.

Its clear that those generals who now surround Mr Trump  secretary of defence James Mattis, and national security advisor HR McMaster  do not want war, precisely because they are the most acutely aware of the damage it might do.

One of the ironies is that its the generals that are trying to prevent the outbreak of military conflict  to look at alternative ways of whats going on, said Professor Smith.

 Trump: US will 'totally destroy' North Korea 'if forced to'

Mr Trumps comments were in part notable because he did not appear to have taken direction on them  and may not have even planned to say it at all. Mr Trumps unpredictability reflects on the entire situation.

The intervention of Rex Tillerson, who is among Trumps more considered advisors, shows that the White House is still attempting to avoid all out escalation.

The danger depends in large part on whether those more sober heads can keep Mr Trump calm, and quiet. The former reality TV stars statement isnt as significant in what he said as that he was able and willing to say it at all. It introduces a new instability to an already fairly shaky situation, in the form of the most powerful man in the world.

Who are North Koreas allies?

Traditionally, North Korea has received help from countries like Russia and China. It might indeed be China that is at least partly motivating Mr Trumps recent outburst  playing as it does to his campaign comments about re-negotiating the two countries relationship.

I dont think were seeing a US mobilisation for nuclear war, said Mr Hannah.

"But Trump has invested himself heavily in the North Korea issue as an issue to prove himself.

Its also quite central to his approach to China. And China is a big part of his foreign policy, rhetorically at least.

What does it mean for the UK and Europe?

Very little, both in terms of the immediate danger and the knock-on diplomatic effects. European countries will obviously take a close interest in the latest developments, but they are relatively small players where such matters are concerned.

The US is involved because it has become a useful enemy for North Korea, for all sorts of reasons related to the Korean war and events before and since.

But the most important countries are generally those around North Korea, including Japan and South Korea  both of which are in easy reach of any weapons and are allies of the US  as well as Russia and China.

How can we stop it?

This could have all been prevented in the 1990s. Then, there was an appetite in North Korea for a negotiated solution, and a desire in the US to acquiesce.

Such a relatively straightforward solution may no longer be possible to fix a problem like Korea. The country believes, probably rightly, that its nuclear programme keeps other countries from launching regime change, meaning its leadership is unlikely to relinquish its huge, atomic bargaining chip.

So any security deal  bringing together all of the interested parties, including China, Russia and Japan as well as the US  would have to guarantee that there would be no regime change. That would be unpalatable to the US, since it would mean not only recognising but committing to perpetuate an oppressive and deadly regime.
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The European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and his team racked up a bill of 24,450 by chartering a private plane for a one-night visit to Rome, campaigners have revealed.

The fee for the "air taxis" which commissioners are supposed to charter only when there are no commercial options available was part of almost half a million euro bill accumulated by the 28 commissioners in January and February 2016.

Spanish-based human rights group Access Info spent several years trying to obtain detailed information about EU officials' expenses and following an official request, the Commission released the travel expenses documents.

The private jet from Brussels to Rome was used by Mr Juncker and an eight-people delegation in February 2016.

Commission deputy chief spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said the private plane was chartered because there was "no viable commercial plane available that would fit the president's agenda".

She also stressed the 2,650 cost per person for the flight and said the spending was within EU rules.

Ms Andreeva also described flights on "air taxis" as "hard work", which includes "reading documents with your files and marking them", adding: "So I think you will be disappointed as to the travelling experience."

She said all travel expenses were scrutinised by the Commission.

The documents also showed the Commission chartered "air taxis" 28 times in 2016 and added that the flights were often shared with the president of the European Council and Parliament, the Telegraph reports.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. 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Among the other travel expenditure detailed, the foreign affairs Federica Mogherini spent 67,700 on a trip to Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Reacting to the revelations, former Ukip leader Nigel Farage said the expenses were "outrageous" and "over the top".

He said: "Outrageous! Juncker spending 27,000 euros on a private jet at taxpayers' expense is clearly over the top especially when many normal flights are available."

Last month, Theresa May spent 20,000 on an RAF plane to fly Arlene Foster home after the DUP leader signed the 1bn deal to prop up the Conservative Government following her humiliating election result.

Ms Foster was given a ride in the military aircraft from No 10 in London to her home in Belfast.
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Six French soldiers have been injured after a car slammed into them before speeding off in a suspected terror attack in Paris.

The BMW was parked in an alley before it accelerated into the soldiers as they left their barracks to go on patrol, Patrick Balkany, the mayor of Levallois-Perret, said.

"The vehicle did not stop. It hurtled at them... it accelerated rapidly," he told broadcaster BFM TV.

Recommended Man arrested on French motorway is chief suspect in Paris attack

"Without any doubt, it was a deliberate act," Mr Balkany told broadcaster BFM TV. He went on to denounce the "intolerable attack" on the military.

A man has been shot and arrested by elite police officers on a motorway in northern France in the search for the driver.

Three of the soldiers suffered slight injuries while three were more seriously injured, but their lives are not in danger, according to the Defence Ministry.

Police and soldiers secure the scene where French soliders were hit and injured by a vehicle in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret (REUTERS/Benoit Tessier)

Authorities are checking video surveillance of the area, near the city hall of Levallois, north west of Paris, to identify the vehicle and hunt down the driver.

Florence Parly, the country's armed forces minister, said the driver was on the run and being sought, and an investigation was under way to determine "the motives and circumstances" for what she called a "cowardly act".

Officials and rescuers gather near vehicles after a car slammed into soldiers on patrol in Levallois-Perret (THIERRY CHAPPE/AFP/Getty Images)

One official said the attacker struck in the Place de Verdun just as a group of soldiers emerged from the building to board vehicles for a new shift.

A security perimeter has been installed around the scene, and the defence minister and interior minister were expected to visit wounded soldiers later in the day.

A police investigator and an armed soldier work near the scene (REUTERS/Benoit Tessier)

French counter-terrorism prosecutors have opened an investigation into the attack.

No one has been specifically named in the investigation yet, but it is aimed at pursuing perpetrators on charges of attempted murder of security forces in connection with a terrorist enterprise, the prosecutor's office said.

The move means authorities believe the attack was deliberate and planned with a terrorist motive.

France's interior minister said the driver intentionally targeted soldiers in a calculated car attack.

Gerard Collomb told reporters the attack marks the sixth time soldiers with the Sentinelle operation have been targeted.

He said it showed the importance of a new terrorism law permanently enshrining some aspects of the state of emergency in place in France since 2015.

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

France remains in a state of emergency following a string of terror attacks in which Islamist militants or Islamist-inspired attackers have killed more than 230 people over the past two years.

Operation Sentinel has seen soldiers regularly patrol the streets since the Charlie Hebdo massacre.

The attack comes four days after a teenager with psychiatric problems tried to attack security forces guarding the Eiffel Tower.
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Carrying a grudge to the literal grave might not sound like a sensible idea to most people but Prince Henrik of Denmark has made it clear that is what he intends to do.

The Danish royal made headlines last week when he announced he did not want to be buried next to his wife Queen Margrethe of Denmark.

The 83-year-old, who married the Queen in 1967 and was later named the Queens Prince Consort, said he was deeply unhappy about the fact he had never been recognised as her equal. Prince Henrik has repeatedly said he would like to be named King Consort.

The royal has now said the Queen does not respect him in an interview with celebrity gossip magazine Se og Hr.

My wife does not give me the respect a normal wife must give her spouse, the Prince said in the clip.

While he emphasised the fact he still loved his wife, he said he was not happy about the expectation he would be laid to rest in Roskilde Cathedral where Danish royals have been buried since 1559.

He said: It is her that is making a fool of me. I didnt marry the Queen to be buried at Roskilde.

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

My wife has decided that she wants to be Queen, and Im very happy about that. But as a human being she needs to know that if a man and wife are married, they are equal.

The Queen is said to be due to join the Prince at the Danish royal familys Chateau de Cayx residence in southern France on Tuesday where the pair are going to spend the next 14 days.

The Princes decision to be buried separately from his wife is preceded by decades of bitter anger and frustration over what he perceives to be unequal treatment and discrimination.

Recommended Danish Muslim politician meets person behind hate mail for coffee

Queen Margrethe II, 77, is Denmarks head of state and is responsible for signing all laws passed by Parliament despite the fact legislative powers in the country have been in the hands of elected governments since 1849. Denmark has long seen itself as a country which has strived for gender equality for centuries.

In Denmark, a princess traditionally becomes queen when her husband takes the throne.

Prince Henrik, who is known by the media as the worlds grumpiest royal, retired from most official duties last year and renounced his title of Prince Consort. Despite still being married to the queen and still officially living together, he has rarely been seen in public since then and has instead spent the majority of his time at his private vineyard in France.

Last week, the Royal Danish House's director of communications told tabloid BT: It is no secret that the prince for many years has been unhappy with his role and the title he has been awarded in the Danish monarchy. This discontent has grown more and more in recent years.

She added: For the prince, the decision not to be buried beside the queen is the natural consequence of not having been treated equally to his spouse - by not having the title and role he has desired.

According to a royal house spokeswoman, Queen Margrethe, who had a specially designed sarcophagus made for the couple by Danish artist Bjorn Norgaard, has accepted Prince Henrik's decision.
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Refugees and migrants face kidnap, rape, torture, slave labour and sexual violence in Libya before attempting to cross the Mediterranean to reach Italy, an Oxfam report has found.

The report carried out in partnership with Italian charities Doctors for Human Rights (MEDU) and Borderline Sicilia analysed 285 testimonies including 158 interviews with 31 women and 127 men who arrived in Sicily having made the dangerous crossing from Libya.

The testimonies revealed harrowing abuses of migrants in Libya. All but one of the women interviewed said they had suffered from sexual violence, with men also speaking of rape.

Three quarters of the refugees and migrants interviewed also said they had witnessed the murder and/or torture of a travelling companion, the report said.

Some refugees reported falling into the hands of gangs which imprisoned people in underground cells, before calling their families to demand a ransom for their release.

Chidi, 18, from Gambia, said he was kidnapped by a gang and remained in a prison in Sabratha for three months.

"Our captors.... regularly committed acts of torture and violence against everyone held there. I was subjected to repeated acts of suspension torture.... and I was continually beaten over the head."

A teenager from Senegal said he was kept in a cell which was full of dead bodies before managing to escape.

Lamine, 18, said: "The cell was full of dead bodies. I saw soldiers breaking the nose of one guy and beating him so seriously on his head that he lost his eyes. They broke my finger and cut my left leg with a knife."

In the report, Oxfam and its partners found that in 84 per cent of the testimonies, people said they had suffered inhuman or degrading treatment, extreme violence or torture, 80 per cent said they had regularly been denied food and water during their stay and 70 per cent said they had been tied up.

The report describes the conditions in which thousands lived trapped until they managed to make their way to Italy as a "living hell".

Oxfam and its partners are calling on Italy and other European member states to stop pursuing migration policies that prevent people leaving Libya and escape the abuse they are suffering.

The charities are urging European countries to take their fair share of asylum seekers and create safe routes for migrants to leave Libya.

The report states: "The EU is meant to be a bastion of human rights: EU member states should ensure that migrants arrive safely in Europe where they can have access to a fair and transparent process for claiming asylum."

The central Mediterranean route from Libya to Italy has become the major port of entry for those trying to reach Europe. According to Oxfam, more than 180,000 people arrived in Italy via this route in 2016 and more than 95,000 have already arrived so far this year.

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

Penny Lawrence, deputy chief executive of Oxfam GB, described the testimonies of atrocities in Libya as "unimaginable cruelty".

She said: These testimonies paint a horrifying picture of desperate people who have risked their lives to escape war, persecution and poverty only to be confronted with unimaginable cruelty in Libya.

The UK, along with other EU member states, has actively supported efforts to limit arrivals in Europe, trapping refugees and other migrants in a living hell.

Outsourcing the policing of our borders to Libya isnt the solution; EU member states, including the UK, should provide safe routes for people to come to Europe, including expanding opportunities for refugee families to reunite, and provide access to fair and transparent processes for claiming asylum.

The report adds that a proposal by French President Emmanuel Macron to open processing centres on Libyan soil risks "entrapping more people in a lawless and dangerous state".

In February, Italy signed a deal with the fragile Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli to curb migration. It promised training, equipment and money to fight human traffickers but also included "humanitarian repatriation" of migrants who are being held in camps before being sent back to their countries of origin.

In its report, Oxfam has accused the EU of "trying to keep migration at arm's length" by using development money to reduce mobility at African borders, "effectively moving its borders so they are out of sight and out of mind".
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The Israeli military has carried out air strikes in Gaza, in response to what it claims was a rocket fired towards the country.

At least three Palestinians were wounded in the attack, including one seriously, Ayman Sahbani, an emergency director at Gaza's Shifa hospital.

Palestinian media reports that a 26-year-old man is in serious condition with head wounds from shrapnel.

Israel said the air strikes were targeting two positions of the Palestinian group in response to a rocket fired towards Israel.

On its Twitter account, the Israel Defence Forces said: "A short while ago, a projectile hit an open region in the Ashkelon region. No injuries have been reported.

"In response, IAF aircraft targeted two Hamas posts in the northern Gaza Strip."

But Hamas spokesman Hazem Qasem rejected Israel's claims and told Aljazeera: "The occupation claims that a group from Gaza launched rockets at them, but there is no side in Gaza that claimed responsibility.

"We are maintaining the period of calm and did not launch any rockets. It is not beneficial for the occupation to violate this period of calm."

Since the last conflict between Israel and Hamas-run Gaza in 2014, a ceasefire has largely been held.

Israel has seen occasional rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, with most claimed by Salafist groups in the Palestinian territory.

But Israel holds Hamas responsible for all fire out of the strip including rockets launched by any of the various militant groups challenging it.

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

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since the Islamic militant group took control of Gaza, a decade ago.

Last month, Hamas was declared a terrorist organisation by the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

Earlier this year, Hamas published a new manifesto in which it does not explicitly recognise the state of Israel but it accepts the borders of a Palestinian state within the pre-1967 boundaries for the first time.
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A court in Iraq has sentenced 27 Isis soldiers to death by hanging over their role in a massacre of up to 1,700 army recruits in 2014.

One of Isis earliest gruesome propaganda videos was of the execution-style killings at Camp Speicher in northern Iraq when the organisation launched its surprise offensive over the border from Syria in June that year.

There were between 4,000 and 11,000 cadets stationed at the base near Tikrit when Isis overran it. Isis divided up their captives depending on whether they were Shia, Sunni or non-Muslim, and murdered an estimated 1,095 non-Sunni soldiers, a later inquiry by Iraqs Human Rights Ministry estimated. The true number of men still missing is not known, but estimates suggest it could be up to 1,700 people.

 Mosul after the war: 'Utter and total devastation'

The victims were trucked to various locations, including a former palace of Saddam Hussein, lined up and shot at point black range, beheaded, or choked to death.

Some bodies were disposed of in the Tigris River, and at least 12 mass graves were discovered when Iraqi coalition forces managed to retake the city and surrounding area in 2015.

As well as this weeks sentencing, 36 Isis members were hanged in August 2016 after being found guilty of the same crime in a mass trial. Another 25 suspects have been released due to a lack of evidence.

In pictures: Mosul offensive Show all 40 1 /40 In pictures: Mosul offensive In pictures: Mosul offensive A doctor carries an Iraqi newborn baby at a hospital in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi girls play at a yard of a school in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017alal Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A woman on crutches who is a relative of men accused of being Islamic State militants is seen at a camp in Bartella, east of Mosul, Iraq July 15, 2017. Picture taken July 15, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A displaced girl, who fled from home carries a doll at Hamam al-Alil camp south of Mosul, Iraq July 13, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi federal police members and civilians celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on 9 July 2017 after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said he was in "liberated" Mosul to congratulate "the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the achievement of the major victory" AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken on 9 July 2017, shows a general view of the destruction in Mosul's Old City. Iraq will announce imminently a final victory in the nearly nine-month offensive to retake Mosul from jihadists, a US general said Saturday, as celebrations broke out among police forces in the city. AFP In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of the Iraqi federal police raise the victory gesture as they ride on a humvee while advancing through the Old City of Mosul on 28 June 2017, as the offensive continues to retake the last district held by Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Smoke billows as Iraqi forces advance through the Old City of Mosul on 26 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district held by the Islamic State (IS) group. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi man wearing the green scarf of the Shi'ite faith kisses an Iraqi Army soldier on safely reaching the Iraqi forces position as Iraqi civilians flee the Old City of west Mosul where heavy fighting continues on 23 June 2017. Iraqi forces continue to encounter stiff resistance with improvised explosive devices, car bombs, heavy mortar fire and snipers hampering their advance. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken from the inside of an Iraqi forces armoured vehicle shows residents walking through a damaged street as troops advance towards Mosul's Old City on 18 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district still held by the Islamic State (IS) group. Military commanders told AFP the assault had begun at dawn after overnight air strikes by the US-led coalition backing Iraqi forces. They said the jihadists were putting up fierce resistance. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi Army soldiers advance in a destroyed street after an Iraqi forces airstrike targeted an Islamic State sniper position 17 June 2017 in al-Shifa, the last district of west Mosul under Islamic State control. IS snipers, as well as car and suicide bomb attacks continue to hinder the Iraqi forces efforts to retake the final district. A series of airstrikes by Iraqi helicopter gunships attempted to hit multiple Islamic State sniper positions in al-Shifa. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier frisks a displaced Iraqi man at a temporary camp in the compound of the closed Nineveh International Hotel in Mosul on 16 June 2017 which was recovered by Iraqi troops from Islamic State group fighters earlier in the year. A screening centre set up in the compound's fairgrounds sees a constant stream of Iraqis fleeing the battle for Mosul, awaiting their turn to be checked by the Iraqi forces who are searching for suspected Islamic State (IS) group members. The small fairground lies at the end of a pontoon bridge across the Tigris recently opened to civilians that is the only physical link between the two banks of the river. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis staying at the al-Khazir camp swim in a river near the camp for internally displaced people, located between Arbil and Mosul on 11 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi government forces drive on a road leading to Tal Afar on 9 June 2017, during ongoing battles to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi policeman carries a poster bearing an image of Mosul's iconic leaning minaret, known as the "Hadba" (Hunchback), on 22 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis stand in line to receive food aid in western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood on 7 June 2017, during ongoing battles as Iraqi forces try to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. Living conditions in Mosul have again deteriorated since the start of the Iraqi government's offensive on the city in October in which they retook a large part of the west of the city. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced Iraqis carry lightbulbs and sacks as they evacuate from western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood as government forces advance in the area during their ongoing battle against Islamic State (IS) group fighters on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) flashes the victory gesture as he patrols in western Mosul's al-Islah al-Zaraye neighbourhood on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi army soldiers from the 9th armoured division on a truck flash the sign of victory as they drive back from Mosul to the town of Qaraqosh (also known as Hamdaniya) Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of Iraqi forces flash the sign of victory on their vehicle as they advance towards Hammam al-Alil area south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi security forces gestures in Hammam al-Alil, south of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi children, one flashing the sign of victory, greet Iraqi army's soldiers from the 9th armoured division in the area of Ali Rash, adjacent to the eastern Al-Intissar neighbourhood of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Peshmerga forces look at a tunnel used by Islamic State militants near the town of Bashiqa, east of Mosul, during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier takes a photograph with his phone as his comrade stands next to a detained man, whom the Iraqi army soldiers accused of being an Islamic State fighter, who was fleeing with his family in the Intisar disrict of eastern Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iranian Kurdish female members of the Freedom Party of Kurdistan (PAK) hold a position in an area near the town of Bashiqa, some 25 kilometres north east of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families, who fled their homes in Hamam al-Alil, gather on the outskirts of their town Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced people walk past a checkpoint near Qayara, south of Mosul, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families who were displaced by the ongoing operation by Iraqi forces against jihadists of the Islamic State group to retake the city of Mosul, are seen gathering in an area near Qayyarah In pictures: Mosul offensive A boy who just fled Abu Jarbuah village is seen with his family at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi child eats a pomegranate upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive People who just fled Abu Jarbuah village sit as they eat at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A couple who just fled Abu Jarbuah village are escorted by Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Women carry a boy over a wall as civilians flee their houses in the village of Tob Zawa, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier and a civilian ride a motorbike as smoke rises behind them, on the road between Qayyarah and Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces, wearing a skull mask, waits at a checkpoint for people fleeing the main hub city of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier sits at a checkpoint in an area near Qayyarah Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi men prepare food portions for Iraqi forces deployed in areas south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi forces celebrate upon the arrival of vehicles bringing food to them Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi childen smoke cigarettes upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces distributes drinks to children in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty

The sentenced men have the right to appeal the courts decision.

The death sentences come as rights groups have expressed concern over possible abuses of men accused of being in Isis following the recapture of the city of Mosul, which effectively means the end of Isis rule in the country.

More than 5,000 men suspected of fighting on behalf of the militants are thought to be currently held in overcrowded and stiflingly hot conditions in local prisons.

Prisoners are infected with diseases, lots of health and skin problems, because theyre not exposed to the sun, one prison warden told the AP last month, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The majority cant walk. Their legs are swollen because they cant move.

For many Iraqi soldiers and civilians, there is very little sympathy for those accused of fighting with Isis.

But detainees protest their innocence  and organisations such as Human Rights Watch have repeatedly accused Iraqi forces of unlawful interrogations, beatings and even executions of men and boys believed to be part of Isis that could amount to war crimes.
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Satellite imagery has emerged from a Shia-majority town in Saudi Arabia showing the extent of the damage caused by a violent stand-off between Saudi security forces and armed protesters.

In images widely shared by activists from the city of Awamiyah, one image from July - contrasted with an earlier shot from February this year - reveals that entire blocks of the al-Musawara neighbourhood have been flattened by what residents say is heavy weaponry such as shelling from mortars.

The Saudi government says that the 400-year-old area is scheduled for demolition because terrorists and drug dealers use its abandoned buildings and winding narrow streets as hideouts.

Qatif, a traditionally Shia province, has been hit by periodic bouts of unrest - including car bombs and attacks on the security services - since Arab Spring calls for an end to discrimination against minority Shia citizens began in 2011.

Since 10 May, however, locals report between 12 - 25 people have died in shelling and sniper fire, and pictures purportedly of the area show it covered in rubble and sewage.

But details of the current conflict - which Human Rights Watch told The Independent is an unprecedented stand-off between the state and its citizens - are difficult to verify.

 What happened when US officials were asked why they criticised Iran but not Saudi Arabia

Foreign media are not allowed near the area, which means the world is reliant on heavily-controlled Saudi state media, unreliable Shia-focussed news sites and social media from inside the city to begin piecing together what is going on.

Residents and activists The Independent has spoken to, however, paint a very grim picture of the current humanitarian situation for the areas estimated 30,000 residents - many of whom have fled.

The number of people inside who have taken up arms against the government - and their purpose in doing so - is unclear. One armed man The Independent spoke to said he was forced into violent action after government forces raided his home and abused his family.

"Due to its narrow streets, the al-Musawara neighbourhood became a haven for terrorists and suspicious activities ranging from terrorism and kidnapping to selling drugs and weapons," a statement from the Saudi government provided on 8 August said.

Saudi Arabia opens its first women-only hotel Show all 4 1 /4 Saudi Arabia opens its first women-only hotel Saudi Arabia opens its first women-only hotel 20597.bin HASSAN AMMAR/AFP/Getty Images Saudi Arabia opens its first women-only hotel 20596.bin HASSAN AMMAR/AFP/Getty Images Saudi Arabia opens its first women-only hotel 20598.bin HASSAN AMMAR/AFP/Getty Images Saudi Arabia opens its first women-only hotel 20601.bin HASSAN AMMAR/AFP/Getty Images

The houses in the al-Musawara neighbourhood were "deserted and have been unsuitable for human habitation for a long time", with residents given a voluntary choice and compensation to move.

"Security forces faced, and still face, resistance from these elements, while many security personnel, citizens and even residents have been killed by the terrorists," a government spokesperson said.

On Monday Saudi media reported that two armed men from a wanted list of 23 had turned themselves in to the authorities.

The situation is completely under control of the security forces, the spokesperson added.
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Students across the country have voiced their objections to rising tuition fees by refusing to take part in this years highly anticipated National Student Survey (NSS).

Brand new figures published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) reveal a decline in student satisfaction levels for the first time in years, with some 84 per cent of final-year students saying they feel happy with the quality of their education, down from the record 86 per cent of the previous three years.

While the vast majority of the university and college students who did respond did so positively, this years publication shows a dramatic fall in participation  down by 12,000 people on 2016.

This is despite a total of 530 higher education providers taking part  an increase of around 50 per cent.

The decline in responses could largely be a result of some of the biggest and most prestigious institutions staging a student-wide boycott of the survey.

But the survey was also targeted at a higher number of students this year  446,000 up from 431,000 in 2016.

By The Independents calculations, around one third of students targeted with the survey this year declined to respond.

The NSS is sent out annually to final-year undergraduate students across the country, and is designed to provide feedback on universities and the quality of courses offered, but this year a number of top institutions declined to take part in the voluntary data collection for the first time.

As part of the Governments White Paper reforms to higher education, this years student satisfaction scores are to be used alongside graduate employment figures to determine teaching quality in universities  known as the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

Those that score highly will be granted permission to increase tuition fees for undergraduates above the current cap of 9,000 per year.

NUS leaders argue by giving feedback, students are forced to be compliant in the proposals. As a result, the union called on individual university unions to encourage members not to respond.

Along with Manchester  the biggest university by student population, with around 30,000 undergraduates  a number of Russell Group institutions including Sheffield, Oxford, Cambridge, University College London and Bristol declined to take part this year.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA

An NUS spokesperson said the fall in responses was indicative that students were not willing to be used as tools in the Governments fee-hike plans.

NUS vice president for higher education, Amatey Doku said: The Government wanted to use todays NSS results to allow universities which scored highly to raise fees from 9,000 to over 10,000 by 2020 as part of their draconian reforms to higher education.

Our membership made it clear to us that they found this unacceptable and demanded we campaign to sever any link between their crude Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and a rise in tuition fees which would hit students hard.

Figures released today demonstrate just how easily this data can be skewed and how unreliable they are as a measure of teaching quality within this framework. This serves as a reminder that students are opposed to soaring tuition fees and are ready to use their power to challenge any ill-thought changes to the sector which will ultimately see them losing out.

We will continue to call for the link between fees and surveys like the NSS [to be broken] and engaging students unions across the country to do the same.

Of the 530 higher education providers which did take part in the 2017 survey, 304,000 students submitted their responses  68 per cent of those targeted.

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In 2016, as many as 312,000 students took part from just 358 providers.

Of the 68 per cent eligible this year, 84 per cent said they were satisfied with the overall quality of their courses  a slight fall on last year (86 per cent).

Student satisfaction with teaching is high, with 85 per cent agreeing that teaching staff are good at explaining topics and that they feel intellectually stimulated and challenged.

Last year, only 2 per cent of respondents said they were strongly dissatisfied with their course overall.

Publishing the results of this years survey  undertaken for Hefce by Ipsos MORI  analysts declined to give details of the level of student dissatisfaction, however.

The higher education body emphasised that, as a result of changes to the study, this years figures could not be directly compared to previous years.

In terms of university breakdown, the University of Buckingham, came in joint first place with St Andrews and the Royal Vetinary College for overall student satisfaction.

Sir Anthony Seldon, vice chancellor of the University of Buckingham, said: The NSS remains the voice of the UKs students and Buckingham is thrilled to be top once again; we are very fortunate to have such great students and academics who clearly make learning at Buckingham such a success for all.

It is a shame for students when considering their choices that some universities have not been included in this years results.

Other elite universities expressed disappointment with the results.

Of the 460 institutions included in the satisfaction part of the questionnaire, 44 of them are listed as being significantly better than their benchmark  a score deemed to reflect the sector average satisfaction levels but adjusted to reflect the mix of students and subjects at the institution.

The figures showed 60 of the 460 were significantly worse than their benchmark.

Of those in the Russell Group of universities  considered the UKs best institutions  two of the 16 included in the survey scored significantly worse than their benchmarks.

They are the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Edinburgh University.

LSE interim director, Professor Julia Black said of LSEs results: Rigorous academic standards and independent critical analysis will continue to be an essential part of undergraduate education at LSE. However, it is clear that work is needed in order to improve our students overall experience.

The School has already made a number of significant changes in the past year, including the opening of the new academic and personal development centre, LSE Life.

Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Show all 20 1 /20 Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Harvard University Flickr/Michael Hicks Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Cambridge University Flickr/John Menard Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Oxford University, All Souls College Tejvan Pettinger/CC BY 2.0 Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Massachusetts Institute of Technology Flickr/Justin Jensen Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Stanford University Flickr/Franco Folini Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine John Hopkins University Flickr/David Wilson Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Karolinska Institutet, Main entrance from Solnavagen with the 'Aula Medica' in the background Creative Commons Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine University of California, Los Angeles campus Flickr/Tzuhsun Hsu Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine University of California, Hastings College of Law Flickr/Ken Lund Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Yale University's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Flickr/Lauren Manning Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine UCL University, London Flickr/Neil Turner Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Imperial College, London Flickr/Andrew Crump Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine University of Melbourne Flickr/Geoff Penaluna Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Berkeley University Flickr/Charlie Nguyen Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine University of Toronto Flickr/Umair Khan Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine The Geisel Library on the San Diego campus of the University of California Flickr/O Palsson Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine University of Sydney Flickr/Jason Tong Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Kings College London iStock Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine Duke University Flickr/Carine06 Best Universities for Life Sciences and Medicine University of Singapore Flickr/smuconlaw

We have also agreed to implement further changes to our assessment system and will be introducing in-year exam resits. All new developments have been made through working closely with students and in direct response to concerns they have raised.

LSE was one of three Russell Group institutions (along with Liverpool and Southampton) to suffer under the Governments new TEF rankings this year, achieving a bronze award  the lowest possible score.

The university achieved a 74 per cent student satisfaction rate this year, down from 81 per cent in 2016.

Many traditionally high-ranking universities are said to have fallen short in the TEF scores due to a lack of emphasis on student welfare and lack of diversity.

Responding to the results, Alistair Jarvis, chief executive of universities UK, said: The new questions in this years survey and the boycott of the NSS in some universities makes year-on-year comparisons difficult.

For this reason we would urge students and those who advise them on application decisions to take into account a range of information about institutions and courses. Ultimately there is no substitute for speaking to admissions officers, lecturers and current students to get a feel for the university and course.

Universities minister Jo Johnson said: While overall student satisfaction remains high, we know there is significant variation in teaching quality and outcomes both within and between providers.

There is more to do to ensure that students and taxpayers investing heavily in our higher education system secure value for money from it.

In the next phase of performance assessment, the TEF will focus on teaching and outcomes at subject level and we are also developing a powerful new teaching intensity metric informed by contact hours and class sizes.

Professor Madeleine Atkins, HEFCE chief executive, added: The NSS continues to be the largest and most authoritative survey of its kind in the UK.

Its role in gathering crucial evidence about the student experience in higher education has been enhanced this year by new questions on student engagement and updated questions to reflect the latest approaches to learning and teaching.

The 2017 results show that students provide particularly positive feedback on the quality of teaching and on learning opportunities. Institutions will also, however, be considering carefully how they can continue to improve assessment and feedback, and their broader engagement with students.

A Russell Group spokesman said: Collectively, Russell Group universities included in the NSS figures this year have continued to outperform the sector as a whole.

Our universities continue to invest millions of pounds in improving the teaching, facilities and services available to our students.

This is the first year that some of these questions have been asked as part of the NSS and the overall picture is complicated by the impact of the boycott pursued by the NUS.
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Imagine youre walking down the street in the city youve been dying to visit for months, or even years. Youre in a good mood because youre on holiday; the sun seems to shine brighter than usual and life feels good. But then you turn a corner and stumble upon a piece of graffiti that reads: Tourist you are the terrorist".

You ignore it, attributing it to some angry guy with a sad life who probably doesnt get out all that much. But a few metres ahead you see another troubling line: All tourists are bastards.

A few steps further on: Stop destroying our lives! And after that: Why call it tourist season if we cant shoot them?

Now it seems more than just an isolated incident. You keep walking, but the spring is gone from your step. Perhaps the sun isnt that bright today, after all.

As a Spanish citizen who has lived in Barcelona for six years, Ive seen the huge increase in tourism and witnessed the growing counter-movement driven by locals, which is starting to get referred to as tourism-phobia. I first saw this kind of graffiti about three years ago, as I waited for a traffic light to turn green on my way to work. Right in front of me, sprayed on a pedestrian crossing next to Sagrada Familia, I read the words Tourist go home. This was just the tip of the iceberg  angry graffiti and passive-aggressive messages started appearing all over the city. Recently, anti-tourist protests have hit headlines. But why all the hate? Isnt this backlash way over the top?

On one hand, the answer is yes, it is. But on the other hand, its a reaction that has been triggered by the swelling numbers of tourists, creating massive overcrowding  the city has been stretched to breaking point. Barcelona is the twentieth most visited city in the world, and it keeps breaking its record number of visitors each year, going from 27 million tourists in 2012 to more than 34 million in 2016. Thats an increase of over 25 per cent in four years.

Low-cost flights, as well as the popularisation of home-sharing platforms such as AirBnB and Homeaway, which tend to be cheaper and more convenient than hotels, have contributed to the growing number of sightseers. In turn, investors are speculating and buying entire buildings  some where families have lived for decades  to cater for this growing industry. Landlords are seeing an opportunity to gain up to four times as much as they would for renting to long-term local tenants, and 40 per cent of Barcelonas tourist apartments are illegal. This is leading to a shortage of housing for those who live and work here and driving up rents, which increased by 16.5 per cent in 2016.

Tourist numbers have swelled by over 25 per cent since 2012 (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images)

Now imagine you live in Barcelona  and life is becoming more expensive all the time. On Friday morning, like every week for years, you go to buy some groceries at the typical market in your neighbourhood, La Boqueria. But lately it is so crowded with tourists that its hard to navigate the aisles; a trip that used to take you 20 minutes now takes over an hour. At the meat stand you run into your neighbour from the building opposite, an old lady whos lived there for decades. She looks upset: it turns out the owners are selling the whole building to an investor who is planning to turn the historic building into luxury apartments for wealthy foreigners, and the tenants have six months to leave. Where will this lady go? She was paying old rental prices and she cant afford the new exorbitant market rates.

The next day, Saturday, you decide to have lunch at the old place around the corner, which is one of the few left where a typical tapa is served. But theres a long queue of people waiting outside, most of them tourists. Since you arent willing to wait half an hour to eat uncomfortably in a crowded restaurant, you head home and eat whatevers in the fridge. In the evening you head to a pub you love with some friends, only to find its gone: its been replaced by a touristy restaurant. On your way home, you hear drunken youngsters speaking a foreign language as you approach your street. As you turn the corner, you realise its the same group of people that rented the flat above yours, which you know doesnt have a licence for holiday rentals, and theyve been partying for days, disrupting your sleep. Now one of them, a guy, is facing the wall beside the doorstep across the street. Hes peeing. And its useless to tell them off  youve tried before and they just laugh at you. Your neighbours will have to endure the smell of dry pee for days.

In the end you decide you cant take it anymore and start looking for a studio to rent in another area which isnt as crowded. But after months of searching, you give up: the few ones on offer are either too expensive, too far from your office, too small for the price or too dodgy. You feel so much a stranger in your own city that it makes you angry. And one day you feel the need to express it somehow: writing angry graffiti fuelled by your sense of desperate isolation.

These events are a typical part of life as a Barcelona citizen, so its no wonder locals perceive tourism as their biggest problem according to a recent survey by the government  even above unemployment and working conditions. Over half of the population thinks the city is at full capacity and that no efforts should be made to attract more tourists.

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However, attacking visitors isnt the solution in a city where tourism represents the main source of income. Actually, 86.7 per cent of locals see tourism as a positive thing, but many think it needs to be further regulated. As does the local government, which has acknowledged the situation and taken measures to try and contain it. Besides the tourist tax applied to accommodation for spending the night in the city, the licensing and building of new accommodation (hotels, hostels and apartments) has been paralysed since 2015, and earlier this year a special urbanism plan for tourism (PEUAT) was passed, whereby the licensing of tourist accommodation is restricted depending on the area. The aim is to distribute tourists more evenly throughout the city and decongest the most central and affected districts.

Hopefully these measures will achieve their goal and help ease tensions, but only time will tell whether tourism and local life can reach a balance. Meanwhile, you shouldnt be afraid to visit: most locals are aware that this is an administration problem and will treat you in a friendly way. If youre visiting the city, being respectful, trying to interfere as little as possible with locals lives and choosing an accommodation option that doesnt have a direct negative impact  or at least that isnt illegal  can go a long way.

Because Barcelona does not hate you  just your pee.
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Every week, Jack Sheldon from Jacks Flight Club selects a flight deal from the UK for Independent readers that you cant afford to miss. This week: Johannesburg from 349.

There are some fantastic options to visit South Africa at a fraction of the standard fare, with tonnes of dates available throughout their summer (our winter). These flights are convenient single-stop routes to Johannesburg with KLM and Air France with a variety of departure airport options from all over the UK.

How to book

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Availability is scattered throughout November 2017 to April 2018, so the best way to find the ideal travel dates is to put your desired route into Google Flights and use their handy calendar tool to identify the best travel dates  these should have the lowest fares and be highlighted in green. Once you've selected your travel dates, you have two options:

1) Book directly with KLM or Air France for slightly higher fares (but more flexibility should your plans change before your trip).

or

2) To save an additional 30 or so, head over to Momondo, re-enter your itinerary, and book with the OTA (online travel agent) offering the lowest fares.

Flight options from the UK:

Return flights from Dublin: 349

Return flights from London: 369

Return flights from Birmingham: 358

Return flights from Manchester: 358

Return flights from Newcastle: 389

Return flights from Edinburgh: 388

Return flights from Glasgow: 392

Return flights from Southampton: 360

Return flights from Inverness: 368

Return flights from Aberdeen: 434

Return flights from Bristol: 430

Return flights from Cardiff: 438

When to fly

November 2017 to April 2018

When to book

Most of these fares should last a few more days.

Pro tips

Many international airlines such as Hawaiian Airlines and Singapore Airlines try to drive tourism to their base by offering free extended stopovers for anyone flying through their home state/country. KLM takes it one step further by often pricing fares even lower for any Brits wanting to get a day or two in Amsterdam on the way to a long-haul destination.

If flying with KLM through Amsterdam, try changing your itinerary to a 'multi-city' trip and you will often see fares drop even lower. In this particular case, one can fly from Manchester on 4 December, spend a day in Amsterdam and catch a direct flight to Johannesburg the next day, with a simple single-stop return on the 19 December, all for 358. Its a great-value price for a safari trip.
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A luxury cruise ship on a world tour imposed a 10 day blackout on guests while it faced the threat of a pirate attack.

The Sea Princess was on a 104 day journey when the Captain reportedly told his 1,900 passengers that a dusk-til-dawn shutdown would be imposed. Deck parties, outdoor bars and movies were all cancelled and curtains and shutters were drawn at night. The ships lights were also dimmed to avoid attracting attention.

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All passengers were required to take part in a compulsory pirate drill, where they were told to return to their rooms so they could be counted by crew when an alarm sounded.

The measures were taken while the ship was sailing through the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Suez Canal. The cruise was on the first leg of its journey from Sydney to Dubai.

Passenger Carolyne Jasinski, writing in news.com.au, described Captain Gennaro Armas address to the ship. She said: He apologised for alarming passengers. However, the threat, he said, was real and the ship must be prepared for a pirate attack.

Jasinski also explained what guests were told to prepare for if an attack occurred. She said: In the case of a real threat, those passengers in outside cabins were told to close and lock their balcony doors, then lock the entrance door to their cabin and take shelter in the corridors. That put two metal doors between passengers and pirates.

The captain said we could outrun any pirate ships but just in case, officers were on watch 24/7 and fire hoses were at the ready on Deck Seven.

Princess Cruises, the operator of the cruise, said that the blackout and drills were taken as a precautionary measure. Speaking to the Telegraph a spokesperson said: Any measures aboard Sea Princess were simply taken out of an abundance of caution and not in response to a specific threat and are common to international ships sailing in the region.
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Thomas Cook Airlines has become the first UK carrier to lift the ban on larger electronic devices from passengers hand baggage on flights from Turkey.

In March the Government banned laptops, tablets and e-readers from the cabins of aircraft flying from Turkey and five other countries to the UK. It followed hours after a similar prohibition imposed by the US. The American authorities were concerned about bombs being smuggled aboard aircraft hidden in consumer electronics.

Devices had to be placed in the hold, which raised concerns about the risk of an uncontained fire started by a lithium battery in the cargo compartment.

While Washington has now lifted its ban, the Department for Transport continues to impose restrictions on most flights from the affected countries: Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia, as well as Turkey.

Last month Turkish Airlines and Pegasus, based in Istanbul, were given the go-ahead to end the ban on their flights from Istanbul and Izmir to the UK. But it has continued to apply to British carriers.

Now Thomas Cook has met the additional security measures  including intensive screening at the departure gate  required by the Government. In a statement, the holiday firm said: Following a review by the UK Government and the introduction of new security measures, customers flying from Turkey on Thomas Cook Airlines will now be able to carry laptops, tablets and e-readers in hand luggage. The new security measures include additional screening at the gate, so please arrive promptly when your flight is called to allow sufficient time to board.

The restrictions remain in place for flights with Thomas Cook  and all other airlines  from Egypt and the other countries on the list.
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Lazy and utterly indifferent to the passage of time.

That was a description of the Japanese from an American missionary in 1903. And, as the economist Ha-Joon Chang has documented, these character traits were frequently offered at the time as the reason the Japanese were not as rich as Westerners.

China had a cultural problem too in Western eyes. Max Weber, the German scholar, argued in 1915 that Confucianism made the Chinese unable to embrace rational entrepreneurial capitalism. And that was why China had failed to industrialise.

Go back to the late 18th century and one can find Thomas Malthus asserting that population growth reflected a lack of moral restraint among the lower classes. While the higher ranks limited their family size in order not to dissipate their wealth among larger numbers of heirs, the dissolute poor, apparently, couldnt manage this. And that was why national populations would inevitably explode until famine and disease brought them under control again.

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.

History makes fools of such generalisers, stereotype-peddlers and cultural determinists. But history keeps manufacturing fools.

A Google engineer has blown up a storm in Silicon Valley by claiming in an internal memo that sexism is overblown as an explanation for the male dominance in the technology giants workplace.

The distribution of preferences and abilities of men and women differ in part due to biological causes and these differences may explain why we dont see equal representation of women in tech and leadership, he told colleagues.

Which is reminiscent of what Kevin Myers wrote in his infamous The Sunday Times column last month explaining the gender pay gap among BBC stars: Men usually work harder, get sick less frequently [and] tend to be more ambitious.

If you want a fancier-sounding variant of the same prejudice try Lawrence Summers. The former president of Harvard suggested in 2005 that issues of intrinsic aptitude, rather than sexual bias, were the real reason for the underrepresentation of women in academic science.

As support for this hypothesis, Summers offered the rigorously scientific anecdote of once giving his toddler daughter two trucks to play and witnessing her name them daddy truck and baby truck.

These are all, of course, displays of unscientific sexism, if not misogyny. Yet one can also find in them a flawed, but common, approach to analysing economic and social phenomenon: a focus on supposedly fixed cultural or biological group traits as an explanation of outcomes and a neglect of social institutions, or the systems of behaviour and relationship patterns found in a society.

 Head of Google HR explains what helps them retain their best employees

Social institutions and psychological biases can provide an adequate explanation for economic inequalities of gender and ethnicity and a lack of social mobility without requiring any spurious hypothesising about permanent gender or cultural traits.

So, for instance, social expectations create herding effects. If a majority of girls tend to go into humanities rather than sciences, other girls will often make choices in line with their peer group. Similarly, experience of discrimination can enhance risk aversion among ethnic minorities. Why apply for that particular job if you suspect, based on experience, your foreign-sounding name will inevitably lead to rejection?

In a similar vein, why apply for an elite university if no one else from your state school has ever gone there and it seems to be full of clever posh children from private schools? And what if an organisation is dominated by people from a certain social background? Is it not likely that its managers, faced with a marginal hiring decision, would be more inclined to choose someone similar to them?

None of these dynamics require any conscious discrimination (although such bigoted behaviour has hardly been eradicated either).

Recommended An engineer said men were better at tech jobs than women

And, of course, these patterns of behaviour and assumptions tend to reinforce each other, creating stubborn equilibriums. Stubborn, but not unmovable.

The irony of that 1903 missionarys observation about Japan is that the country was already well on the way to industrialisation. No one thinks of the Japanese as lazy today. Quite the opposite.

China is, by some measures, now the worlds largest economy. A Confucian heritage wasnt quite the economic obstacle it seemed. No sensible person today thinks, as Malthus did, that feckless poor people require famine to keep their numbers in check.

Traits are often the consequence of a situation, rather than a cause of it. And what might appear like a permanent state of affairs, so permanent that it lulls people into believing it must reflect something biological, can shift quicker than people expect.

We may one day look back on todays bloviating about female traits with the same mix of bafflement and derision as we now look back on those historical complaints about the lazy Japanese.
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As a Venezuelan who admires Zizek's work, I think I need to clarify to Zizek that he got something wrong in his new analysis of the Venezuelan crisis: there are other options. The thing is that is that they suffered from the same fate of the rest of political parties that dared to criticise any of Chavez's policies: there were branded as counter-revolutionaries, revisionists, and even fascist.

This caused many parties to keep quiet and try to work with the government, not because they supported him completely, but because they considered the best option. You have the Communist party which have been vocal about its differences with the current party in the government, the Chave'z founded Partido Socialista the Venezuela (PSUV). You also have other parties like Marea Socialista and Bandera Roja (Red Flag), originally a guerrilla movement that pacified in the 90s, the all belonged to the opposition coalition but, for one reason and other, left the coalition. Not that it matters much. The government effectively implemented a new policy in which political parties required the signatures of 0.5 per cent of the population in every state in order to receive a validation by the electoral council. None of these parties could achieve it, so they are currently illegal parties.

And no, the opposition-led coalition Mesa de la Unidad (MUD) is not let by far-right parties. The two parties that could be called far-right, Venete Venezuela (come Venezuela) and COPEI, didn't achieved legitimisation either so they don't have any homogeneous control of it, they are actually marginalised. But even with that, the majority of political parties are not far-right, they are actually social democrats. Just take a look at them. The majority are members of the International Socialist like Voluntad Popular (Popular Will), Movimiento al Socialismo (Movement for Socialism), Un Nuevo Tiempo (A New Era), and Accion Democratica (Democratic Action), whose secretary general is in fact the vice president of the International Socialist. And there are other social democrats parties like Avanzada Progresista, which is actually a scion from the PSUV, which is actually quite popular.

So there are a handful of different options, but the thing is that they have sadly been successfully repressed.

But why Venezuelans dont go with the most radical options? Because the vast majority believes that the PSUV is already the most radical option. And no only that, but that they are the ones in charge. If they stopped supported them, they would fracture and certainly the opposition coalition would rise to power. So they continue to support a party which they believe is corrupt, incompetent, and not radical, because they consider that it is the best option from a bad lot.

Gabriel Moncada Belisario

Venezuela

Only China can stop the escalation of words between Trump and North Korea

We shouldn't be surprised at the ramping up of tension over North Korea, with President Trump speaking of military action if it continues its aggressive rhetoric. The world has only pretended to address the issue, in the same disconnected way that European states glided to disaster in 1914.

North America has been preoccupied with the Trump saga, the EU with various crises affected the future of the Union, not least Brexit. Russia is busy with its own geopolitical odyssey, China with its economy, and keeping the lid on dissent.

Trump, of course, does not intend to attack North Korea, nor does North Korea intend to attack the US. But war often comes by mistake. If the British Government has any significant political influence left, it should try to ensure that Trump keeps talking to China. China must do more as an intermediary, to help avert disaster. Such a disaster would be followed by a united Korea that could eventually grow to become another Japan. It's unlikely that the ruling Chinese elite want two great pro-American powers in its neighbourhood. So it is in their interest to act now to end this crisis.

John Gemmell

Birmingham

Theresa May must condemn Trumps verbal threats towards North Korea

The Tories and their media allies were demanding Jeremy Corbyn denounce the violence in Venezuela recently.

Donald Trump, the commander-in-chief of an army with an arsenal of 6,800 nuclear warheads, has just threatened North Korea "with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

Never mind Venezuela, this threatens violence on altogether more alarming level. Will Theresa May  who is on hand-holding terms with the President of the US  denounce Donald Trumps threat of nuclear armageddon?

If not  why not?

Sasha Simic

London

Those who voted for Brexit should pay for it

A recent poll told us that the over-65s predominantly voted for Brexit and that they are willing for there to be a "significant economic cost". Let that economic cost be a reduction in bloated public service pensions, a tax on company and private pensions and the removal of the triple lock on the state pension. The money raised by these measures can then pay for the Brexit divorce bill.

Let those who voted for Brexit be the ones that pay for it!

Peter Herridge

Address supplied

Hardline Tories oppose the ECJ because of workers rights

Right-wing Conservative animosity to the European Court of Justice can be explained by our realising that, as the court protects workers' rights, the right-wing Conservatives are the ones most likely to be up before it. Most would happily abolish the courts.

Francis Beswick

Stretford

Lets not get too upset about stalling house prices

You say that house prices have had their record worst rise in four years. If I were buying a house I would think there was nothing wrong with that!

Ian Turnbull

Carlisle
Jim Carrey joined mourners at his ex-girlfriend Cathriona White's funeral in her home village of Cappawhite, Co Tipperary

Jim Carrey's legal team has won a bid to get his ex-girlfriend's medical records so they can be used in the wrongful death lawsuit against him.

The Hollywood star is being sued after Irish make-up artist Cathriona White, 30, took a fatal overdose of prescription drugs.

Lawyers for her husband Mark Burton and mother Brigid Sweetmen claim the actor, 55, used his "wealth, influence and celebrity status" to provide the medication.

But Raymond Boucher, for Carrey, argued Ms White had recently had breast augmentation and had been prescribed medication that could have been responsible for her death.

The family's lawyers tried to prevent the disclosure of her medical history on privacy grounds but Judge Deirdre Hill ruled at Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday that it should be disclosed.

Mr Boucher told the court: "One of the issues is her prescription medication. We know she had breast surgery that month, we know she had oxycodone prescribed to her that month."

Other medical information that must be disclosed is whether she had sexually transmitted infections before meeting the actor.

It has been claimed that Carrey was responsible for giving her herpes type 1 and 2 in 2013 after testing positive under the false name of Jose Lopez.

After the hearing, Mr Boucher said the ruling is an "extremely important" victory for Carrey.

He added: "The most important thing is we want the medication evidence.

"We want to be able to establish that Mr Carrey absolutely did not transmit any herpes and he did not give her his pain medication and she could access her own."

But the family's lawyer Michael Avenatti also claimed victory, warning the actor his medical details could also be made public.

"We are pleased because now the same standard will apply to Mr Carrey. He should be very nervous," he said.

Ms White, from Cappawhite, Co Tipperary, was found dead in her Los Angeles home in September 2015.

She had taken an overdose of Ambien, Propranolol and Percocet, which contains oxycodone.

Mr Carrey, who denies all the allegations, will face a 20-day jury trial over the claims under the Drug Dealer Liability Act from April 26.
Paddy Power is best known for its cheeky ads, but behind the scenes, it's a very serious operation indeed. The stock market values the bookmaker at 6.75bn, and that's after some pretty hefty share price falls in recent times.

Last year, the company joined forces with Betfair - a website where users bet against each other, rather than a bookmaker - to create a true global giant of betting with operations in the US and Australia, as well as Europe. It has become one of Ireland's great business success stories - alongside the likes of Ryanair, CRH and Kerry Group.

At the centre of the combination was well-regarded Mullingar man Breon Corcoran. He joined Paddy Power in 2001 and rose to become the company's chief operations officer, before leaving to take the top job at Betfair in 2011. Last year's mega-merger brought him back to Paddy Power as he became chief executive of the combined entity. With his knowledge of both businesses, who better to oversee the integration process?

So to yesterday's shock news that Mr Corcoran is leaving the business, having been in the role just 18 months. The firm's share price took a bit of a battering on the news and is down to levels last seen in 2015.

Mr Corcoran (46) told the Irish Independent that having spent almost 17 years in the industry, he had developed an "itch" - a desire to go work somewhere else. He said he would like to see a bit more of his children, too.

"While it's not easy to leave a business that really most of my working life has been involved in, I don't want to wake up and not have tried something else," he said.

Bringing the business forward will now be the job of Peter Jackson, a highly sought-after young executive who knows the business well, having been a director of Paddy Power since 2013 and of the combined entity since last year's merger. One of Mr Corcoran's big jobs has been to oversee the integration of the Paddy Power and Betfair technology platforms. This has sapped resources from rolling out new digital products, but the job is nearly done, according to the outgoing boss.

You can expect all sorts of high-tech new ways of betting to hit the market by the time Mr Jackson has his feet under the table at Power Tower in Clonskeagh.

But his new job is no small challenge. Gambling is firmly ensconced as a mainstream pastime, and with that comes a lot of scrutiny of the unpleasant side of the bookmaking business. Regulatory pressures that might not otherwise exist have followed.

The government in Australia, where Paddy Power has a large online subsidiary called Sportsbet, has embarked on a major crackdown on gambling laws, and in the UK there has been much controversy about gaming machines called fixed odds betting terminals. There has been noise about tightening gambling advertising, as well.

The Irish company's advantage in all this is that it has the scale and financial firepower to cope with this trend better than perhaps any other bookmaker. Opportunities to acquire smaller rivals are bound to emerge and the company can use the economies of scale that follow to insulate itself against financial shocks.

Now it's up to Mr Jackson to prove the company's board has backed a winner.
The donor bank in Fermanagh enables mothers who are not breastfeeding to donate milk to feed sick and premature babies.

Babies that are reliant on Irelands only human breast milk bank in Co Fermanagh may be affected when the Great Britain leaves the European Union in two years time.

The donor bank in Fermanagh enables mothers who are not breastfeeding to donate milk to feed sick and premature babies.

However the Times Ireland edition says the Department of Health does not yet know if the milk bank will continue to serve the Republic of Ireland once the UK leaves the EU.

Read more: Mark Daly: Challenges ahead for those who seek a united Ireland free from any borders

The news comes after the Labour Party recently called on the Irish Government to establish a human donor milk bank in the Irish Republic.

In a report launched by the Labour party last week, the party also said that in the workplace mothers should have the right to take breaks to breastfeed or express for up to one year after the birth of their child, up from the current six months.

Employers should also ensure they provide appropriate areas for mothers, the party said.

"It is significant that the Labour Party is putting forward a plan to increase breastfeeding in Ireland. Unless the issue is put on the political agenda and raised in public discourse existing obstacles will remain," Labour Party member Loraine Mulligan said.
Between now and September 15 farmers will sow 20,000ha of catch crops and 10,000ha of oilseed rape.

The increase in the area of catch crops has largely been driven by GLAS and to a small extent by farmers who are sowing catch crops in order to comply with 'greening' for the basic payment scheme. Catch crops for both GLAS and 'greening' must be sown by September 15.

However, to achieve the real benefits all catch crops should be sown as soon as possible. A day in July is worth one week in August and the month of September.

Sowing by the last day specified by a scheme will enable scheme payment, but both the benefits to land and the potential for grazing are lost if you delay too long.

If you fail to get benefit from the land or to graze the crop, the entire financial benefit of the schemes will be lost to you as the cost of establishing catch crops is equal to, if not greater than the GLAS payments.

There is no point in turning money - you need to keep some.

The major benefits to land from sowing catch crops are: improvements to soil structure promoted by the addition of organic matter to soil;

Reduction in leaching and soil erosion, which has become an increased concern in recent years with more intense rainfall events;

Improved soil aeration from plants with tap roots, fixation of nitrogen with legumes.

While the benefits, if the crops are well established, can be substantial, there are also a number of serious concerns.

The biggest issue in my opinion is that we are sowing too many brassicas - forage rape, leafy turnip and mustard.

These host diseases which affect oilseed rape, our major alternative crop.

Currently we grow approximately 280,000ha of cereals and 40,000ha of break crops comprising of beans, peas, oilseed rape and potatoes.

That gives us only 12.5pc of our tillage land under a break crop - our target for a viable tillage business is 25pc (similar to what is being achieved in the tillage areas of most European countries).

All of our break crops have management issues.

Beans need moisture retentive soils and harvest is late to very late.

Peas are for specialist growers on suitable land and subject to high losses given wet weather at harvest.

Potatoes need huge capital investment and price is subject to collapse with oversupply of either home grown or imported potatoes.

Oilseed rape, which needs good moisture, retentive soils and good rotation, has the best potential for expansion and for achieving our 25pc target despite the risk of shedding at harvest. However, it can normally be well managed with the use of pod sealants and the introduction of new varieties with resistance to pod shatter.

Is there a danger that the increase in brassica catch crops will restrict the expansion of oilseed rape?

My next major concern is that late sowing of catch crops will result in poor germination in the autumn and leave viable seed for germination the following spring when they will become a 'weed' in the newly sown crop.

The biggest problem in getting catch crops established on time is workload.

They must be sown in July or August with the best opportunity presented by an early harvest of winter barley and an interval before spring barley harvest is commenced.

That opportunity is there this year. A short interval between harvesting winter barley and clearing straw is largely what has limited oilseed rape area in the past as farmers are well aware that late sowing gives poor yield.

Whatever hope you have of establishing a good catch crop with sowing up to mid September, this is virtually eliminated with the GLAS requirement of establishment without ploughing. Therefore, in the interests of your own land, make every effort to sow your catch crops as soon as possible.

The Department of Agriculture expect to have the recommended list for oilseed rape early this week.

It is likely to list Anastasia, a conventional variety from Seedtech which is the highest yielding variety on the AHDB recommended list for the North Region but is not listed on the East/West Region.

It is suitable for later drilling and has good standing ability. PX 113 is a semi dwarf variety which is lower yielding, but is easier to manage at harvest and perhaps the ideal variety for new growers. It has good resistance to light leaf spot and resistance to stem canker.

Extrovert is a hybrid variety from Goldcrop which is likely to be the highest yielding on the list.

It has good resistance to light leaf spot, is vigorous and will require management for growth regulation.

SY Harness (Goldcrop) is a hybrid variety rated 108 in the AHDB North Region and 104 in the East West Region, with good vigour that will require management. If sowing late (early September) good plant vigour is critical.

PJ Phelan is a tillage advisor based in Tipperary and is a member of the ACA and ITCA
Conroy Gold and Natural Resources has announced that it received a communication on 8 August regarding a requisition for a General Meeting to remove its chairman Professor Richard Conroy and Maureen Jones (MD) as directors of the company.

The communication also requested that Patrick OSullivan, Paul Johnson and Gervaise Heddle be appointed as new directors.

In a statement released to the stock exchange today, the gold exploration and development company said that it has also received a request from Mr. OSullivans solicitors for a number of undertakings including undertakings that it will not, in the period pending the requisition of the general meeting, appoint any new directors or issue new shares.

Read more: Conroy Gold's board pays itself too much, says top shareholder

The company said that it is considering the request in conjunction with its legal advisers and that a further announcement will be issued in due course.

The news comes in light of a turbulent few months for the company culminating in the removal of six out of nine directors at an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) last Friday.

The EGM was held at the behest of minority shareholder Patrick O'Sullivan, who earlier last week took High Court action, during which Mr O'Sullivan informed the court he had concerns about corporate governance and remuneration of board members.

The company is currently looking to develop a commercial gold mine at Clontibret in Co Monaghan.

Last year Conroy Gold said it had found five new gold zones at Clontibret following a drilling programme.

However, some shareholders have grown impatient at what they believe is a very slow and cautious approach to development of the mine and bringing gold to market.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) overall satisfaction with the Government has risen in the three months to 30 June, the second overall improvement this year.

However, it continues to be in negative territory, declining to -7pc from -9pc in the first quarter of 2017, according to the latest survey from ISME, the independent representative association for SMEs.

Micro and small sized enterprises are least satisfied with the government at -13pc and -10pc respectively.

Factors behind the negative sentiment include business costs for SMEs, along with Government's handling of the banking situation.

Read more: Former GAA stars on a roll with their innovative resistance-training tool

Commenting on the results, ISME CEO, Neil McDonnell said that while the improvement in the Government rating was marginal, it was "a step in the right direction."

"Budget 2018 is an opportunity for Government to address this dissatisfaction among SMEs. If the SME sector is to act as a catalyst for job growth and prosperity, it must be backed by positive Government policies," Mr McDonnell said.

The survey, which had 536 SME respondents from around the country, found that medium sized enterprise are most satisfied with government at +19pc, a decrease from +21pc in the first three months of 2017.

Business cost continues to be the biggest issue for SMEs.

Excessive business costs continue to have a major impact on businesses, something that was reflected in ISMEs pre-budget submission to the Minister for Finance, the organisation said.

The Association went on to say that it is concerned that in light of the Brexit result and continued labour pressures, Irelands competitiveness will erode.

"We reiterate our call for the Government to conduct an international benchmarking of business costs, and to bring them into line with our main export competitors," ISME said.
A Google employee's 10-page letter about gender at the company ripped through Silicon Valley this week, putting into writing what many feared about the sexism inherent in the technology world.

Computer engineer James Damore drew on now-defunct gender stereotypes and pseudo-biology in a 3,000-word appeal to Google to end programmes designed to increase diversity. He argued that women are biologically less technically-minded than men, and that they are more interested in people than things. On Tuesday, he was fired as a result.

The letter cannot be read in isolation or be written off as the opinion of one employee. It is yet another piece of evidence in the case against technology's Californian idealism, which is in fact built on foundations of sexism.

Silicon Valley is idealised as a liberal and progressive centre of innovation that is dedicated to educating and connecting the world through technology. Its representatives claim their mission is to democratise access to human rights. Google provides access to information to everyone, everywhere at no cost. Facebook's platforms bring people together, no matter their creed or colour. Uber puts consumers directly in contact with producers.

But the industry is underpinned by gender inequality. In the 1960s, women led the charge in the software revolution. Male society was preoccupied with hardware development so programming was taken up by women. Grace Hopper, a famous developer, was hailed for laying the foundations for the Cobol computer language, which is used in many financial and administrative systems today.

Then, in the 1970s, the tide turned when programming became a more fundamental part of the technology. Women were squeezed out of prestigious roles as male employees flooded in. Last year, research from coding platform GitHub revealed highly competent female coders are forced to hide their gender to have their work accepted.

Gender inequality cracks are now starting to show at the world's largest technology firms, threatening to undermine its foundations and force a dramatic change in culture. In April the US Government launched an investigation into Google over its alleged gender discrimination. It has been ordered to hand salary records and employee contract details to the Department as part of the ongoing inquiry.

Google's diversity statistics for 2014, released last year, paint a damning picture. Women make up just 31pc of the search giant's workforce and 59pc of its employees are white. Only 25pc of its leadership positions are filled by women, and 20pc of its technical jobs. It is too early to predict the outcome of the inquiry or speculate how the findings could affect the company. Google has strongly denied the accusations and said it doesn't have a gender pay gap.

Damore's memo about gender diversity at Google is an indictment of the problems. The post, titled "Google's ideological echo chamber", outlined how the company should stop gender equality programmes and hire men for technical roles.

The offensive note stayed on Google's internal site for days before it was taken down. News of the post spread across the company, accompanied by outcries from many, as its executives decided how to respond.

Google chief executive Sundar Pichai eventually condemned the memo, saying it "crossed the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes". "To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK," said Pichai.

Google isn't the only technology company embroiled in a gender row, and the incident adds to the case against the industry, offering a window into how sexism prevails. Of the major firms, Twitter has the greatest share of women in leadership positions at 30pc, according to analysis by Recode. But just 15pc of its employees in technical roles are women. Facebook follows closely behind with 28pc of its leadership roles filled by women, while Intel and Microsoft's share of female leaders is just 18pc.

The Department of Labor has had to take similar legal action against a number of firms. It has filed cases against companies including software giant Oracle and Peter Thiel's data analytics company Palantir.

The most high profile example of discrimination played out earlier this year at Uber, eventually unseating its chief executive. Former Uber employee Susan Fowler wrote an open letter to the company outlining the sexual harassment and culture of silence she had suffered while working at the ride-hailing service's headquarters. Fowler reported an employee had made sexual advances toward her, but was later told he wouldn't be punished because he was a "high achiever".

Uber launched an urgent investigation into claims of widespread sexual harassment at the company. Former US attorney general Eric Holder, who was hired to assess the company's culture, said sexual misconduct was endemic. As a result of the report, Uber's chief executive Travis Kalanick was forced to step down. A further 20 employees were fired and 40 reprimanded.

It only took one case of discrimination to bring down Uber. Google will attempt to brush off its own example as the opinion of one individual. But it will be hard for it to recover from the blow to its reputation and its female employees' esteem.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Google has fired an employee who wrote an internal memo blasting the web company's diversity policies, creating a firestorm across Silicon Valley.

James Damore, the Google engineer who wrote the note, confirmed his dismissal in an email, saying that he had been fired for "perpetuating gender stereotypes". He said he's "exploring all possible legal remedies".

The imbroglio at Google is the latest in a long string of incidents concerning gender bias and diversity in the tech enclave. Uber Technologies CEO Travis Kalanick lost his job in June amid scandals over sexual harassment, discrimination and an aggressive culture. Ellen Pao's gender-discrimination lawsuit against venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in 2015 also brought the issue to light, and more women are speaking up to say they've been sidelined in the male-dominated industry, especially in engineering roles.

Earlier on Monday, Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent a note to employees that said portions of the memo "violate our Code of Conduct and cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace". But he didn't say if the company was taking action against the employee. A Google representative, asked about the dismissal, referred to Mr Pichai's memo.

Mr Damore's 10-page memorandum accused Google of silencing conservative political opinions and argued that biological differences play a role in the shortage of women in tech and leadership positions. It circulated widely inside the company and became public over the weekend, causing a furore that amplified the pressure on Google executives to take a more definitive stand.

After the controversy swelled, Danielle Brown, Google's new vice-president for diversity, integrity and governance, sent a statement to staff condemning Mr Damore's views and reaffirmed the company's stance on diversity. In internal discussion boards, multiple employees said they supported firing the author, and some said they would not choose to work with him.

"We are unequivocal in our belief that diversity and inclusion are critical to our success as a company," Brown said in the statement. (Bloomberg)
The Bank of England is to appoint an officer to pinpoint potential conflicts of interest, as it moved to shore up its governance procedures following the resignation of deputy governor Charlotte Hogg.

The central bank said it would introduce a conflicts officer and develop a central system for capturing and reviewing data on relationships and conflicts in the wake of a review by the Bank's non-executive directors.

It comes after officials were left red-faced in March when Ms Hogg resigned just two weeks after she took up the post for failing to declare that her brother works for Barclays.

Bank governor Mark Carney welcomed the review and said the findings would be implemented in full.

He said: "The Bank holds itself to the highest standards, which is why it is important to address any actual or perceived deficiencies in our approach to managing conflicts of interest.

"In addition to ensuring that we meet best practice, addressing the review's recommendations will give everyone who works at the Bank greater clarity on what is expected, and will help reassure all of those to whom we are accountable that we have an effective and robust approach to conflicts management."

A scathing verdict in a report by MPs on the Treasury Select Committee found Ms Hogg's "professional competence falls short" of the standards required for the role after the conflict of interest breach.

The omission saw her fall foul of the code of conduct rules she helped to draw up at the Bank.

Treasury veteran Sir Dave Ramsden was named as Ms Hogg's replacement at the end of last month, taking the role of deputy governor for markets and banking.

Sir Dave, who led the Treasury's work on whether the UK should join the euro at the turn of the century, will also join the Bank's rate-setting Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

Bradley Fried, deputy chairman of the Bank's Court who led the review, said: "This has been a thorough process, involving Bank of England staff and input from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP and the National Audit Office.

"The priority has been to publish at the earliest possible opportunity a comprehensive review, aligned to independent best practice benchmarks."

The Bank, which is due to publish an updated code of conduct in the autumn, said it was working with the Treasury to improve conflict of interest checks around recruiting senior staff to the Court and policy committees.

It is understood a Bank official will take on the conflicts officer position as an additional responsibility.

The expectation is they will not be paid extra money for the role.
Ruth Negga's career is going stellar in the wake of her Oscar nomination as she has landed a role in a new space movie alongside Brad Pitt.

The former Love/Hate star (35) has signed up to James Gray's upcoming sci-fi epic Ad Astra, which co-stars Tommy Lee Jones.

The movie sees Pitt (53) taking on the role of a space engineer named Roy McBride, who heads out into the solar system 20 years after his father (Jones) disappeared on a one-way mission to Neptune in a bid to find signs of life.

The new big-budget production will see Pitt trying to piece together what happened to him and filming is set to start shortly.

family

The exact details of Negga's role in the movie are yet to be revealed but this is not the first time she has worked with the Hollywood heart-throb.

She previously worked with him while playing a scientist in another sci-fi flick, the zombie movie World War Z.

The Irish-Ethiopian actress, who received an Oscar nod for her acclaimed role in Loving, has been tipped as one to watch in Hollywood over the past year and was featured on the cover of Vogue magazine.

She is currently working on ABC's Preacher, in which she plays Tulip O'Hare and co-stars with her real-life boyfriend Dominic Cooper.

The pair, who first met in 2009 when they starred in Ted Hughes's Phedre together, have been dating for the past seven years but generally prefer to conduct their relationship out of the public gaze. However, she recently spoke about the ticking of her biological clock when it comes to the issue of whether or not to start a family.

"By the time you're in a great relationship, it's like, 'Oh, I'm 35. S**t'. So there is part of your thinking that is: 'Do I want kids? When? If? How?'.

"It's there, all the time, preoccupying me. And that's not being an actor, it's being a woman.

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"I don't know what [job] really creates a safe space for a woman to have time out, prolong the human race, and return to work in a very supportive way."

The Trinity College graduate, whose mum is Irish and late dad was Ethiopian, has been very selective when it comes to the movie roles she chooses.

Over the past 10 years, she has steadily built up an impressive body of work, going for the edgier roles rather than the predictable parts.

Speaking of her role in Preacher, which airs on Amazon Prime and is based on a comic book series, she said she relished the role.

"She is a fiery, feisty creature who is quite a fighter and I really love her," she said.

"These parts for women are usually very cliched - like a sexy assassin - and she corrupts that image and turns the idea of the Femme Nikita on its head. It's very interesting to play."

She has been quite slow in looking at new movie roles since winning the Oscar nomination, she recently said. It was important for her to figure out first what she wanted to do next in her career and consider it carefully before taking on the next project, she said.
Thirteen years after the final season of Friends wrapped people are still debating the love triangle between Ross, Rachel and Joey.

A Twitter user has posted a 100 tweet thread about why Ross sucks and Rachel and Joey were perfect for each other - and everyone agrees with her argument.

Using the handle @kaneandgriffen, freelance writer Erin posted 'In Defence of Rachel and Joey: A Thread' tackling the thorny subject of Friends' conclusion which saw Rachel and Ross finally end up together after her brief romantic interlude with Joey.

And it's garnering a lot of attention, mainly because most Friends fans feel the same way as Erin, who writes, "It was 13 f***ing years ago and I am still furious AT LEAST WEEKLY that Rachel got off that goddamn plane."

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The character of Ross Gellar (played by David Schwimmer) is universally reviled it seems and Erin kicks off her thread stating, "I am on record as being absolutely ride-or-die anti-Ross Geller, who is for my money one of television's all-time worst human men."

She posits the argument that Joey (Matt LeBlanc) saw Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) as a friend, which Ross never did as she was always a romantic prospect in his eyes from the time he had a crush on her as a teenager.

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"We're always told that Ross/Rachel was a "friends to lovers" ship but WHAT IS THAT BASED ON??? WHAT FUCKING FRIENDSHIP??" she writes.

"He had a crush on her in high school, so he "claimed" her first, and long after they've broken up he resents every man in her life.

"He hides messages from men who call her when they're living together. He's endlessly threatened by the men she dates.

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"He outright sabotages her career WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO THIS POINT because he can't get over his Mark thing.

"Ross literally cannot accept that Mark (or any man) could be just friends with Rachel because HE couldn't be "just friends" with Rachel.

"And you'll note that throughout the series it's often Joey telling Ross he doesn't OWN Rachel, while Chandler and Monica enable him."

In contrast, she points out that Joey's feelings for Rachel came from a genuine friendship and he fell in love with her when she was pregnant.

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"We honestly don't talk enough about how big a deal it is that Joey, the "shallow" one, falls in love with Rachel while she's pregnant.

"He has to LEARN to see Rachel as a romantic prospect because she's always been a friend first. Which was NEVER true for Ross."

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The infamous 'we were on a break' issue causes much consternation for fans and the ending of the series which saw Rachel abandon her plans to travel to Paris to return to be with Ross is the biggest bugbear among readers of the thread.

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Erin bemoans what could have been, "But a S10 surprise twist where Rachel and Joey end up realizing THEY were each other's lobster all along WOULD HAVE CHANGED SITCOM TV".

And by tweet 100 you'll be sobbing over what could have been and analysing your relationships too.
Locals have raised fire safety concerns due to the height of a 16-storey tower which builder Gerry Gannon is seeking to build at the new town of Clongriffin.

Last month, Dublin City Council gave the developer the green light to construct the 45m development at Station Square, Clongriffin.

However, the Grange Abbey Residents Association is one of two parties to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanala.

"We believe that any new building should be in keeping with the height of the existing development and not towering over it," the association stated.

"For safety concerns, if the building had to be evacuated, for example, for a fire - the higher the building the more difficult it would be for residents to exit it."

The management company for the nearby Myrtle complex, which has 361 residential units, has also appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala.

The planning application by Gannon Properties comprises of 139 apartments made up of 14 three-bedroom, 97 two-bedroom and 28 one-bedroom apartments. The proposal also includes five retail units. All apartments and retail units are contained in a building ranging from six to 16 storeys.

Gannon Properties told the council the tower will be a landmark building and will enhance Dublin's built environment.

It said the proposal will be uncommon for apartment living in Ireland in terms of the comfort and amenities that will be available to the residents.

A decision is due on the appeal in November.
Inpatient charges and the costs of medicine are driving cancer sufferers "to the wall", according to a leading charity.

In its pre-Budget submission, the Irish Cancer Society said cancer patients were being financially hammered by the 80 charge for hospital inpatients.

The charity is calling for both the prescription charge and inpatient charge to be abolished.

It also wants the amount patients have to pay for medicine under the Drugs Payment Scheme to be lowered from 144 a month to 85.

"We hear stories of immense financial hardship from cancer patients nearly every day, and it's clear that many are struggling to cope," said Donal Buggy, the ICS head of services and advocacy.

"The January increase in the inpatient charge from 75 to 80 per visit, which affects cancer patients undergoing treatment, merely adds insult to injury, at a time when the State should be looking to reduce costs for patients."

The society's pre-Budget submission comes amid a torrid week for the health service, as figures revealed that 687,000 are waiting for treatment in public hospitals. The July statistics from the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) represent an increase of nearly 9,500 compared with May.

Social Democrat TD Roisin Shortall said the waiting list figures represented a "huge failing" on the part of the Government.

"Providing a decent health service where people can get timely treatment, on the basis of need, is a basic requirement of any civilised country," she said.

"Yet for people who depend on the public health system, things are getting progressively worse by the month."

A spokesperson for Health Minister Simon Harris told the Irish Independent that while it was "very disappointing" that July's figures had not shown an overall improvement, there continued to be an intensive focus on waiting lists.

"With regard to the waiting list action plans for 2017, the latest data from the NTPF and HSE show that this plan is currently ahead of target, with 18,816 inpatient/day case patients having come off the waiting list, which includes almost 600 treated under the NTPF initiative," he said.

"Over 66,000 patients have come off the outpatient waiting list under these plans."

Meanwhile, more than 1,200 people aged under 65, most with disabilities, are living in nursing homes for the elderly, according to the HSE.

At the end of June, there were 1,222 people under 65 accessing nursing home care via the Fair Deal scheme. The Disability Federation of Ireland said this type of accommodation was totally unacceptable.

The HSE said people with disabilities in nursing home care should be supported to move back to their home of choice, if they wanted.
The raids by Garda anti-terrorist officers were part of an overseas investigation into support cells for jihadi activists. It underlines once again that while Ireland may be an extremely unlikely target for an attack by international terrorist groups, it can be used by sympathisers to provide logistical aid to potential killers elsewhere.

In the past, this country has been used by al-Qa'ida sympathisers, who provided logistical support for active cells overseas by assisting with fundraising and producing false identity documentation, including highly valuable Irish passports, that could be used in other countries to help prepare for an attack.

The man arrested yesterday is suspected of committing an offence under anti-terrorist legislation, which was introduced here in 2015. It created three new crimes of publicly provoking an act of terrorism, helping recruit terrorists and training them.

Police sought assistance of gardai after inquiries in other European countries disclosed possible involvement of a Dublin link to support cells.

Raids were also carried out in Limerick and Wexford last June when officers seized social welfare documentation, which had previously been connected to Rachid Redouane, who was shot dead by police shortly after the terrorist attack on London Bridge.

Officers discovered a British identity document on his body.

He had obtained the document with the help of an EU residency card, which Redouane had acquired while living in Dublin previously.

He left this country in September 2015 and returned to the UK. He later visited a number of other countries, including his native Morocco, when he developed close links with other terrorists.

Redouane's development from an innocent chef into an active terrorist illustrates why gardai have to be fully alert here to the dangers posed by jihadis, even if we are not the victims of their atrocities.

The Government has to continue providing the resources to allow gardai to develop the response to international terrorism.

They must also keep focus on the enemy within - dissident republican groups and, in particular, the New IRA, which is now seen as posing the biggest threat to security on the island since the dark days of the Provisionals.
Irish vet Louise Kennedy who applied for permanent residency but was deemed to have failed by an automated computer test

An Irish vet applying for an Australian visa was failed in her English fluency test by an automated computer programme, putting her residency at risk.

Louise (Lucy) Kennedy (34), from Roundwood, Co Wicklow, has been working as an equine vet on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

Ms Kennedy and husband Adam, an Australian, are expecting their first baby in 12 weeks and the Irish woman decided to apply for permanent residency after two years in the country.

Her English was deemed insufficient by the online scoring system. For a skilled immigrant visa, applicants need to take an English proficiency test.

"I went with a company called Pearson because they give you the most points," she said.

She explained that the test was "very easy", with the oral competency section involving reading a paragraph that appeared on-screen.

But when she received her results Ms Kennedy discovered she had scored 74 points, when the government requires 79.

It was only the oral competency section which was scored low. "I just thought [it was a mistake] and I'll just ring them up and they'll just listen to it again," she said.

However, after much back and forth with the company, she was given the opportunity to take the $300 (200) test again, free of charge.

"That's based on the fact that there was construction work outside of the test centre at the time which could be a possible interference," she said.

Other companies use human assessors and Ms Kennedy is convinced it was a technical flaw.

"It was very, very easy - a really basic paragraph," she said.

"Because I'm married to an Aussie I luckily have a back-up visa to go to but there is a $3,000 (2,000) cost more than the skilled immigrant visa which we weren't banking on 12 weeks before having our first baby," she said.

Fluency

Time was also a factor in trying to rectify her fluency test results she said as her current visa would have expired in the time-frame it would take for all of the paperwork to be completed, even if she was recognised as a fluent English speaker by the testing company.

She said the experience was very stressful. "It was even such a pain to have to take the whole day off work to do the test and then be told I can't speak English," she said.

Pearson, the company running the test, told Australian Associated Press there was nothing wrong with its systems or the scoring of test scores.

Sasha Hampson, the head of English for Pearson Asia Pacific, told the news organisation the immigration department set the bar very high for people seeking permanent residency.
GardaI are investigating whether two young teenage boys are involved in the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl at a teenage disco.

The two teenagers, who are understood to be roughly the same age as the alleged victim, have not yet been arrested.

The girl said she was raped by the two boys in Co Leitrim on Friday, July 28.

Gardai have confirmed that a full investigation team has been assembled in Carrick-on-Shannon to investigate the incident, which is reported to have occurred in the grounds of Cartown nightclub.

The alleged incident is understood to have happened outside.

Gardai are appealing for anyone who was at the event on the night in question between 8pm and midnight to contact them.

The traumatised teenager has claimed she was attacked by the two teenagers after leaving the Cartown venue.

The victim is said to have confided in her friend in the aftermath of the attack, who told her own parents and whose mother immediately contacted gardai.

Sources said that gardai are treating the allegations as "credible".

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Fianna Fail councillor Sean McGowan, for Carrick-on-Shannon, said he was "truly horrified" by the incident.

"She's only a child and my thoughts are with the girl and her family," he said. "As a parent, it's one of the worst calls you could get so you would have to think about them in this case."

Fine Gael Councillor Finola Armstrong-McGuire said it was a "terrible incident".

"I think it's important as it's such a sensitive issue that we should try and respect the family in this time," she told the Irish Independent.

Yesterday's revelation regarding the teen disco attack in Co Leitrim comes as officers in Swords, north Co Dublin, continue their probe into an alleged rape of a 19-year-old woman at the Wright Venue nightclub in the early hours of Saturday, July 29.

It is understood that the alleged victim was attacked at 2am by two men at the same time when she was "passed out" in a VIP section of the nightclub.

Coolock gardai on the city's northside were called after staff in the club observed the incident on CCTV and identified the suspects, before officers were contacted.

The suspects, who are aged 20 and 21 and from Navan, Co Meath, were arrested in the nightclub and detained at Coolock garda station before being released without charge early on Sunday, July 30.

In a completely separate incident, a Spanish student aged 18 was allegedly attacked in the Ringsend area after meeting a man on the city's quays.

On July 21 a man appeared in court charged with raping, imprisoning and threatening to kill the Spanish teenager.

Last week in Dublin District Court, it emerged that gardai were looking to bring further charges against a 24-year-old man accused of rape and false imprisonment.
When it comes to holidays, most people spend all year longing for quality time with their loved ones. A few languorous weeks in the sun will be the perfect chance to 'get away from it all'; to leave the stresses of work and routine behind; to focus on your relationships - whether on an intimate couples' getaway, complete with toe-curling PDAs a la Sting and Trudie Styler, or a wholesome, screen-free adventure for all the family.

Yet, all too often, that long-awaited summer holiday can turn into torturous weeks of sun, sea and strife. We've all heard about the post-Christmas divorce rush but, actually, it is the end of the summer holidays where divorces really peak.

In Ireland, we don't get a monthly breakdown of when couples split, but studies in the US show that August is the highest point for divorce petitions. British relationship charity Relate reported a 20pc spike in calls last September, compared to an average month, and my own experience as a divorce lawyer echoes this, with more enquiries coming into our law firm in October alone than the entire first quarter of the year.

People in struggling relationships often put a lot of pressure on their holidays - a golden opportunity to enjoy each other's company away from the stresses and strains of ordinary life. Sadly, for many couples, it ends up as the moment they realise it is those strains that have been masking deeper flaws in their marriage.

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Two weeks in each other's company can often become the exact opposite of the tonic people expect. Rather than bringing families together, it can highlight how far apart they have grown. Whether it is because one person cannot be separated from their work phone, disagreements over how to look after the children, or over-indulgence in alcohol, holidays often reveal whether couples really are working together or not.

As a lawyer, my autumn is often filled with people whose holidays didn't just fail to live up to their expectations, but exposed much deeper fault lines in their marriage.

Sometimes the blow-up can be dramatic. One wife arrived at our London office fresh from the Eurostar. She and her husband had gone for a romantic break in Paris, but when a small row about how much she was spending down the Champs-Elysees escalated, she realised she could no longer cope with his controlling behaviour. She walked away from their lunch and jumped on a train straight back home. She had filed her divorce petition before the day had ended.

On other occasions, the holiday marks the end of a far slower slide to separation. One husband who came to see us was constantly frustrated by his wife being distracted by work. He'd planned an exotic holiday for the whole family - two weeks on an exquisite Caribbean island with minimal phone reception and only the patchiest of Wi-Fi. When his wife chartered a boat to get her to somewhere with better signal to check her emails, he realised he'd had enough of her workaholic obsession and left her to continue her relationship with her smartphone in peace.

Of course, it is not just family holidays that create problems for relationships. Where spouses have strayed, the other woman or man often wants their share of time in the sun. Once upon a time it was easy - a convenient "business trip" could crop up and provide the perfect cover. But such subterfuge is harder in our technologically advanced times.

One philanderer came to see us after being caught out by his holiday snaps. When his smartphone synced to the family account, his latest photos showed that rather than being at a dull business conference, he was lying on a beach with a lady who was definitely not his wife. Another was rumbled when his wife checked the family bank account and saw the bills that her husband's mistress had run up on designer bikinis.

These stories may sound amusing to many, but each one represents the sad end to a relationship. Often couples have worked very hard to keep things going and have pinned their hopes on a big summer getaway to finally take them back to a better place.

Instead, they find that the pressure of keeping children entertained whilst trying to find time to relax only creates even more tension. Combined with being cooped up in the close quarters of a hotel or holiday let, those tensions can easily explode into the end of a marriage.

When you can't even enjoy a holiday with your spouse, it can highlight that your busy and separate lives back in the real world are not just the consequences of hectic calendars, but distractions you have both built up to avoid dealing with the reality of a failing relationship.

It's a trend that is mirrored in the celebrity world. While their summer breaks might be more glamorous than a week in Dingle, many do still try to take time off from their busy, jet-setting schedules for a couples' holiday. The results are similar to those of us mere mortals. Last July, Drew Barrymore's marriage to Will Kopelman fell apart, as did Mary J Blige's 12-year marriage. Even super-couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie fell prey to the summer curse, separating after a fight on a flight in September last year.

It might sound like 2016 was just a bad year all round, but it's no anomaly. The previous summer saw the end of just as many high-profile couples. Gwen Stefani ended her marriage to Gavin Rossdale in August 2015, just weeks after being pictured celebrating July 4th as a family, while Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner split that June. 2017 seems to be following a similar pattern - earlier this week, Chris Pratt and Anna Faris announced their separation after eight years.

There is a lesson from all of this we can take - namely, about the gap between expectations and reality. Summer escapes can never be the cure for floundering marriages. Our relationships need to work on a day by day basis, rather than limping along in the hope of a summertime shot in the arm. The family break is rarely the idyll we hope for - what with delayed flights, unruly children and nowhere to escape. If you are going to make a marriage that works, it is vital to cherish the ordinary days together instead of praying that two weeks away will cure all ills.

And if you do go on a summer holiday and find it a real challenge, perhaps it is time to accept that your relationship needs a more drastic form of rehab before you spend another summer arguing with your partner over paella.

Summer of love - how to make it work

Disconnect to reconnect: With Wi-Fi, holidays can easily become a case of different scenes, same old screens. Compulsively checking work email will wind yourself up, as well as your partner; Instagram and Facebook updates can wait until you get home.

Plan proper time with the children: Quality family time will only be quality if you put some thought into it. Find something that all your tribe will enjoy, or take turns to choose activities.

...and without them: Make sure you spend some time, be it an afternoon, evening or week, kid-free. That reminder of why you fell in love with your spouse - be it via wakeboarding or Wagner - can do wonders for a relationship.

Indulge yourself: Family holidays can often feel like a working holiday, not least on a villa break, when you bring arguments over cooking/cleaning/washing up with you from home. Plotting in some mandatory beach/reading/relaxing time will ensure you still leave recharged.

...but don't over indulge: Nothing sours a family holiday like one member regularly getting well and truly sloshed. The worst relationship bust-ups always involve alcohol, so think twice before accepting the waiter's offer of another bottle.
I was a bit taken aback on the Pat Kenny Show recently when a listener asked when the new Peugeot 5008 SUV was due.

Pat saved my blushes. "Imminent," he said. He was spot-on because it is now, technically, here.

Demonstrator vehicles are starting to arrive in dealer showrooms this month.

Prices start from 28,745 ex-works for the entry-level Access 1.2 130bhp PureTech petrol version.

In reality, this is a car for the January buying period.

The seven-seater SUV has three rows of seats and, of course, there is the innovative digital iCockpit.

It is 1.64m tall and 4.64m long (+11cm on the old one) with second row passengers getting 6cm more knee room.

The second row has three separate, folding and tilting seats (Isofix child seat anchor points for each) while the two in the third can be removed.

The second-row side seats slide forward for easy access to the third row. With the latter removed, boot space goes to 1,060 litres.

There are five trim levels and a big spread of petrol and diesel engines, as well as 6spd manual and automatic transmissions.

There are plenty of diesels (1.6 BlueHDi and 2.0 BlueHDi) with power ranging from 100bhp, 120bhp, 150bhp and 180bhp.

The range-topping GT version has a 180bhp diesel (6spd auto).

Standard spec includes (as well as the iCockpit interior, compact steering wheel, 12.3in head-up digital instrument panel, 8in touchscreen, multifunction steering wheel), Bluetooth, USB connectivity and three 12v sockets.

Related: Use our calculator to estimate your car loan repayments

Also on board are cruise control with speed limiter, speed limit information with Intelligent Speed Adaptation, driver attention alert, 17in steel wheels, spare wheel, electric windows, electric/heated door mirrors, semi-auto air-con.
Forget the Wild Atlantic Way or Ireland's Ancient East. Limerick.ie has just been tagged among the Top 25 tourism board websites on earth.

The Limerick City & County Council website is one of just four European sites featured on a 2017 list published by US-based travel media site, Skift.

The influential Top 25 sees Limerick.ie rank alongside global tourism websites like Destination Canada, NewZealand.com and Cape Town Tourism (capetown.travel), as well as well-known US hubs like Visit Florida and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (visitlasvegas.com).

Vienna (wien.info), Geneva Tourism (geneve.com) and Visit the Faroe Islands (visitfaroeislands.com) are the three other European tourism sites listed for 2017.

Expand Close Limerick.ie web co-ordinator, Orla O'Connor speaking at the website's launch in 2017. Picture: Sean Curtin True Media. / Facebook

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We like how Limerick, Ireland draws attention to the different reasons why people travel to Limerick whether its for school, leisure or business," Skift says.

"It also gives you a sense of what its like to live in the city and has helpful resources for locals to understand why they should be involved in the citys tourism industry.

Skift (skift.com) bills itself as a "travel industry intelligence platform" providing media, insights and marketing to travel pros and professional travellers.

As well as daily news and insider takes, it publishes influential research reports for an audience of over a million monthly visitors.

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We are delighted that Limerick.ie is in such great company with some of the worlds top tourism websites, some of which we benchmarked ourselves against when designing the new site, says Laura Ryan, Limerick City and County Councils Head of Marketing and Communications.

Limerick.ie underwent a major re-launch last April, and now hosts thousands of pages "in what is the biggest single online portal for any council in Ireland," the council says.

The newly revamped site allows users to create a 'My Limerick' profile, is fully mobile-ready and integrates user generated content, allowing locals to promote their own areas "and provide a real and authentic experience for the visitor," Ryan adds.

The best tourism board sites in the business are increasingly using Instagram, video and user-generated content, Skift points out.

They also feature events (such as Limerick.ie's What's On guide) and are working to mine site data and analytics to target travellers with relevant content.

The company's Top 25 is an annual list that deliberately excludes sites highlighted the previous year (with the exception of Destination Canada).

Tourism Ireland's Ireland.com was included in both 2013 and 2016.

Although tourism board websites are relevant for certain types of traveller, Skift also notes that they are far from the only information sources online.

"Probably more" travellers rely on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TripAdvisor, Google and personal recommendations from family and friends as their top sources of travel inspiration, it points out.

Our key aim this year is to internationalise Limerick and build on the momentum around the real change and innovation thats happening here at the moment," says Limerick City and County Council Director of Economic Development, Dr Pat Daly.

"The digital experience that is Limerick.ie reflects our competitive, modern, vibrant and exciting location for living, doing business and visiting.

See the full list of Skift's Top 25 tourism board websites here.

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Aoibhin Garrihy at the World Premiere of Angela's Ashes the Musical at the Bord Gais Theatre, Dublin. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Aoibhin Garrihy was one of the judges of the Best Dressed Lady competition at the Galway Races. Picture: Tony Gavin

Doireann Garrihy and Aoibhin Garrihy at the launch of the 2017 Peter Mark VIP Style Awards at The Marker Hotel. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Aoibhin Garrihy and John Burke at the 39th Rehab Person of The Year Awards 2013

Aoibhin Garrihy has revealed she would "never say never" to getting cosmetic enhancements.

The RTE star (30) has noticed an explosion in popularity among Irish people who are going under the knife or getting other treatments like lip fillers to stay looking their best.

Although she's happy with her appearance now, the former Fair City star admitted she doesn't know how she'll feel in the future.

"People are getting so many body enhancements now. I think it's like getting your roots done now, isn't it? It's just one more thing," she said.

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Whatsapp Aoibhin Garrihy was one of the judges of the Best Dressed Lady competition at the Galway Races. Picture: Tony Gavin

"But look, I would never say never to anything like that. At the moment, I've just turned 30 and I feel quite happy in myself and confident and I don't feel the need yet."

The soap actress feels grateful she didn't grow up during the age of Instagram, on which young people are inundated with filtered images that can give them an unrealistic idea of beauty.

"You have the Kardashian age now and luckily, that wasn't there when I was growing up. Bebo was barely starting to kick off when I was in school," she told the Diary.

"We didn't have that pressure that young people face now, I think on a daily basis.

Expand Close Aoibhin Garrihy and John Burke at the 39th Rehab Person of The Year Awards 2013 / Facebook

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"There's such a lack of confidence when you see how filtered things are these days."

After years of experience in front of the camera, Aoibhin no longer lets the pressure of looking glammed up get to her.

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"Once you are yourself, hopefully your inner beauty shines through.

"I never felt that mad pressure to perform in terms of make-up. I love it, I'm a typical woman who likes to look good," she said.

Expand Close Doireann Garrihy and Aoibhin Garrihy at the launch of the 2017 Peter Mark VIP Style Awards at The Marker Hotel. Picture: Brian McEvoy / Facebook

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Whatsapp Doireann Garrihy and Aoibhin Garrihy at the launch of the 2017 Peter Mark VIP Style Awards at The Marker Hotel. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Aoibhin, who is married to hotelier John Burke who owns the Armada Hotel in Co Clare, looks set to have a busy few months ahead of her.

The Castleknock woman recently revealed she is in talks with both RTE and TV3 about a number of television projects in the future.

"I started acting before I left school, it was something I always loved.

"I trained in Trinity in a three-year programme and then I've been working since I graduated, so eight years. It's flown by, it's mad how fast the time goes," she said.

Aoibhin has been doing less acting lately and hopes to carve out a career in presenting in the future, much like her younger sister Doireann, who presents a weekly slot on The Six O'Clock Show.

The Dancing With The Stars contestant has also been a judge at several racing festivals lately and most recently judged Ladies Day at the Galway Races alongside former 50 Ways To Kill Your Mammy host Baz Ashmawy.
This police officer was showing off his moves as he worked at a community event in Texas.

The cop threw some shapes as music played out at a back to school event organised by ABC Dental and Houston Police Department (HPD).

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He was captured on video by Julia Jauregui, who shared the footage on Twitter after being impressed with his dancing.

The event gives out backpacks to children filled with school supplies that have been collected by officers in the previous months.

Julia, part of the education outreach department at ABC Dental, said: During this event almost 1,000 students walked away with school supplies. And with the help of HPD, over 4,000 students around Houston and Pasadena area were helped.

This was the last of five such events.
Belgium's agriculture minister says Dutch authorities knew in November that eggs were contaminated.

Dutch authorities knew as far back as November that some eggs in the country were contaminated with an insecticide and they failed to notify their European partners at the time, Belgium's agriculture minister has said.

Dozens of producers in Belgium and the Netherlands are being investigated for eggs containing Fipronil, which is dangerous to human health.

Britain, France, Sweden and Switzerland have also been warned to keep an eye out for tainted eggs.

Belgium signalled on July 20 that it had found contamination.

Agriculture Minister Denis Ducarme said that Belgium's food safety agency has official documents "that indicated the presence of Fipronil in Dutch eggs as early as the end of November 2016".

Mr Ducarme told Belgian politicians that "there was concern over that lack of official communication from the Netherlands".

He said he wrote to his Dutch counterpart for an explanation, and also spoke to the European Commission's agriculture commissioner, "who seemed to already have this information".

Mr Ducarme also said that food safety controls have been boosted after contaminated eggs were discovered in Belgium last month.

Almost all eggs tested in Belgium have been found to contain very low levels of the insecticide.

One company tested on July 18 was found to have Fipronil levels well below the European limit. But the company demanded a second opinion, and the second test was above the maximum permitted.

The company has been quarantined since July 18, Mr Ducarme said.

It is believed that Fipronil got into the food chain when it was illegally added to a product used to treat poultry for lice and ticks.

An investigation is under way in Belgium and the Netherlands.

AP
Alison Smale is the UN's new undersecretary-general for global communications

British journalist Alison Smale has been appointed as the United Nations' new communications chief.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced Ms Smale's appointment as undersecretary-general for global communications, succeeding Cristina Gallach of Spain.

Ms Smale started her journalistic career with United Press International and then joined The Associated Press in 1981. She covered the fall of the Berlin Wall, the breakup of the Soviet Union, and the 1990s Balkan Wars.

She joined the New York Times in 1998, became a deputy foreign editor in 2002, and was named the first female executive editor of the International Herald Tribune in 2008.

Since 2013, she has covered Germany and Central and Eastern Europe for the New York Times.

AP
FBI agents searched one of the homes of US President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.

Mr Manafort's past foreign political work has been swept into the investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 US election.

A spokesman for Mr Manafort, Jason Maloni, said in a statement that FBI agents had obtained a warrant and searched one of Mr Manafort's homes.

The Washington Post, which first reported the raid, said agents working with Special Counsel Robert Mueller conducted the search the morning of July 26 at Mr Manafort's home in Alexandria, Virginia.

Mr Maloni said: "Mr Manafort has consistently co-operated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well."

Mr Manafort has been a subject of a long-standing FBI investigation into his dealings in Ukraine and work for the country's former president, Viktor Yanukovych.

That investigation has been incorporated into the probe led by Mr Mueller, who is also scrutinising Mr Manafort's role in the Trump campaign as he looks into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and any possible collusion with Trump associates.

Mr Manafort, who led the Trump campaign for several months, has denied any wrongdoing. He also spoke behind closed doors to Senate investigators for an interview just one day before the search of his home.

The use of a search warrant shows law enforcement officials have convinced a judge there is probable cause to believe a crime may have been committed.

Word of the raid is the latest revelation about Mr Mueller's investigation, which had been operating in relative secrecy compared with numerous congressional probes looking at the election.

In recent days, it has become clear the former FBI director is using a grand jury in Washington in addition to one in the Eastern District of Virginia, where investigators have also been looking into Mr Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Also, FBI agents have been asking witnesses since the spring about 530,000 US dollars worth of lobbying and investigative work carried out by Mr Flynn's firm, Flynn Intel Group, according to a person familiar with the investigation.

That work sought the extradition of an exiled Turkish cleric living in the US. Through his lawyer, Mr Flynn has declined to comment on the investigation.

The person said FBI agents have also been asking about Mr Flynn's business partner, Bijan Kian, who served on the Trump presidential transition.

In recent months, Mr Flynn and Mr Manafort have turned over documents to congressional committees investigating the election interference.

One focus of the multiple probes is a June 2016 meeting Mr Manafort attended with Mr Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump Jr.

That meeting, held at Trump Tower in New York, was described to Mr Trump Jr in emails as part of a Russian government effort to help the Trump campaign by passing along information that could be used against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

During his Senate intelligence committee interview, Mr Manafort provided his recollection of the Trump Tower meeting and turned over contemporaneous notes he took during the gathering. The interview was confined to that meeting.

Mr Manafort has also turned over other documents to the Senate intelligence committee as well as about 400 pages of records to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Meanwhile, the Judiciary Committee said it has also received about 250 pages of documents from Mr Trump Jr and about 20,000 pages from the Trump campaign.

The content of the documents was not immediately clear. The committee said it received the Manafort and Trump campaign documents on August 2 and the records from Mr Trump Jr on August 4.

Judiciary committee leaders have also been in talks with Mr Trump Jr and Mr Manafort about private interviews. The committee initially called for them to give evidence publicly, but lawmakers have since said they were negotiating the terms of their appearances.

AP
Previously unissued photo dated of Abdul Sabe arriving at Newcastle Crown Court who has been found guilty following the force's Operation Shelter into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle. Photo: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

POLICE IN ENGLAND paid a convicted child rapist almost 10,000 to spy on parties where they suspected under-age girls would be intoxicated and sexually abused, a court heard.

He was recruited despite being a sex offender who had drugged an under-age girl and invited another man to rape her after he had done so, a court heard.

Expand Close Undated handout photo issued by Northumbia Police of Monjur Choudhury who has been found guilty following the force's Operation Shelter into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle: Northumbia Police/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp Undated handout photo issued by Northumbia Police of Monjur Choudhury who has been found guilty following the force's Operation Shelter into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle: Northumbia Police/PA Wire

Years later, the man, who can only be identified by the media as XY, was tasked by Northumbria Police to assist their investigation into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle.

Subsequent trials which followed Operation Shelter, until now unreportable, have heard girls were groomed by men who gave them cannabis, alcohol and the designer drug Mkat at parties, then encouraged into having sex.

The startling information about XY came out during pre-trial hearings at Newcastle Crown Court which attempted but failed to halt prosecutions against a number of men accused of a range of serious offences including drug dealing and sexually abusing girls.

Expand Close Undated handout photo issued by Northumbia Police of Mohammed Azram who has been found guilty following the force's Operation Shelter into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle: Northumbia Police/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp Undated handout photo issued by Northumbia Police of Mohammed Azram who has been found guilty following the force's Operation Shelter into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle: Northumbia Police/PA Wire

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During proceedings which can only now be reported, more than 20 prosecution and defence barristers in wigs were in court arguing whether the cases of more than 10 men should be thrown out.

Defending barristers argued that the public's confidence in the justice system would be undermined if the trials went ahead, given that the rapist XY had acted as an informant, formally known as a Covert Human Intelligence Source, or "CHIS".

Robin Patton, representing one of the defendants, said XY was paid 9,680 over 21 months by Northumbria Police for informing.

Mr Patton said XY was a "convicted child rapist who drugged a child and invited someone else to rape her after he had" and was subject to a suspended sentence when he was deployed by police in 2014.

Expand Close Undated handout photo issued by Northumbia Police of Nashir Uddin who has been found guilty following the force's Operation Shelter into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle: Northumbia Police/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp Undated handout photo issued by Northumbia Police of Nashir Uddin who has been found guilty following the force's Operation Shelter into child sexual exploitation in Newcastle: Northumbia Police/PA Wire

Mr Patton said the confidence of the public in the administration of justice would be "substantially diminished" if they knew police had chosen "such an individual" to help their investigation into the exploitation and possible use of drugs by young people.

Mr Patton said police claimed they carried out a risk assessment, but that the "very next day" after he was recruited, XY was in court for a dishonesty offence.

After he was recruited, XY was arrested in September 2015 on suspicion of inciting sexual activity with a child after a teenage girl claimed a man approached her and made an indecent proposition.

The informant was later told he would face no action after he took part in an identity parade.

XY, who was on the Sex Offenders' Register, also failed to notify police he had moved house, Mr Patton said.

Mr Patton said: "I have tried to think of convictions that make him less suitable to act as a CHIS in an operation of this sort... I have not been able to."

David Hislop QC, representing another defendant, said XY had 13 previous convictions, including 26 offences of dishonesty.

During the legal submissions, XY gave evidence to the court and made a series of lurid allegations against the police, including claims of racism and that he was asked to plant drugs.

But Judge Penny Moreland rejected his evidence in its entirity, describing it as "inherently unreliable" and "clearly dishonest".

XY claimed he was recruited because he acted as an informal taxi driver for some of the defendants.

"I would get to know where they pick up their drugs, where the parties were," he said.

At another point, he claimed: "I was chilling with the boys. I had to make it look like I was their friend."

Giving evidence from behind a screen, and with the public gallery cleared, XY said he had been a paid informant for six or seven years.

He told the abuse of process hearing that police tasked him "to find out what was going on in the area, when parties were taking place, where there was criminal activity".

"There were certain individuals they were very interested in, which I was close to," he said.

Operation Shelter was part of a force-wide, bigger investigation known as Operation Sanctuary.

XY said: "When I worked for Sanctuary I actually believed I was doing good. I never, ever thought it was bad. I enjoyed it."

Police gave him a list of names, he said, "all Asian" and claimed a handler referred to "darkies".

During one trial at Newcastle Crown Court in 2015, he claimed he was encouraged by a police handler to listen in on private meetings between defendants and their legal representatives.

He claimed at one point to have discovered a barrister had a crucial DVD containing evidence, and when he mentioed it to his handlers he was given a "standing ovation".

As well as receiving money, police informants were given "texts" - secret letters that could be put before a judge if they were convicted of an offence to gain a more lenient sentence.

XY claimed he was told the text he would receive for the DVD information was "gold, silver, bronze... diamond" and that the text "comes from high up".

Judge Moreland turned down the abuse of process application, ordering that the trials of the defendants should not be thrown out.

She added: "I do not regard myself as bound to act on evidence which is so inherently unreliable, so lacking in credibility and in my view so clearly dishonest."

She also found that there was no evidence that XY was guilty of any sexual misconduct towards any complainants in the cases.

XY had told the court he went to one or two parties but left "because I knew what was coming, before it was coming".

It was understood XY did not give evidence in any of the Operation Sanctuary trials.

Jon Brown, of the NSPCC, said: "We are appalled to learn that police paid a child rapist and planted him in the midst of vulnerable young girls. You just couldn't make it up.

"It beggars belief that it would ever have been considered, let alone approved, and serious questions must be asked about the force's approach to child sexual exploitation operations.

"However good the force's intentions, their misguided actions run entirely counter to all current child protection procedures and what we know about sex offenders and could have compromised this investigation.

"What we mustn't forget in all this is the victims who were preyed on by a series of despicable men for their own sexual gratification. It is right that these men are now behind bars."

"Groomers trick young people into believing that they have chosen to be in this situation and will use them however they like for their own twisted pleasure. We want every child and young person to understand what sexual exploitation is, and know that it is categorically not their fault."

Northumbria Police Chief Constable Steve Ashman said in a statement: "We know concerns have been raised about our use of a police Informant known as XY.

"XY was an authorised covert human intelligence source (CHIS), an informant, who was able to report on criminality including CSE.

"He was a convicted rapist and to some of us the thought of the police engaging with such a person and paying them for information may appear repugnant, however he proved he was in a position whereby he could, and did, alert police to situations which allowed them to prevent offending and provide safeguarding measures towards potential victims.

"The lawful and regulated use of such tactics is always overseen by a senior police officer and is also subject to review by an independent body. Furthermore in this case the handling of XY by Northumbria Police was the subject of an independent investigation by the IPCC in which no misconduct was found nor any recommendations made whatsoever.

"In the case of XY it is clear that his relationships with others have allowed the police to prevent and detect some of the most serious crimes occurring in our communities, this would not have been possible through conventional methods."
Chloe Ayling speaks with the media outside of her house in Surrey, England Photo: RAI via AP

A British model who was allegedly kidnapped in Milan was too terrified to try to get away from her captor when he took her shoe shopping and to buy groceries, her lawyer said.

Italian police said Chloe Ayling (20) was snatched last month by a group calling itself 'Black Death' and is believed to have been drugged and transported in a bag to a village near Turin, where she was held for six days as her captors tried to auction her online.

She was told people were watching her and she would be killed if she tried to flee, meaning she complied with what her captor asked her to do, her lawyer Francesco Pesce said.

He said: "She thought that the best idea was to go along with it and to be nice in a way to her captor, because he told her that he wanted to release her somehow and sometime and she thought that the best thing to do was not to go in conflict with him."

Mr Pesce dismissed claims Ms Ayling may have somehow been in on the kidnap.

She reportedly told police she had developed a trusting relationship and even shared a bed with her kidnapper, but she said he had not sexually assaulted her.

"I've been through a terrifying experience," she said. "I feared for my life."

A Polish man who lives in Britain was arrested last month on suspicion of kidnap and extortion.

Officials released a mugshot of the suspect, Lukasz Pawel Herba (30).

It is alleged the men tried to sell Ms Ayling online for more than 255,000 and demanded her agent pay for her release.

She was kept handcuffed in the village of Borgial, but was freed after six days and taken to the British Consulate in Milan, despite the ransom not being paid, police said.
280,000 people have signed a petition against Brigitte Macron being given a formal position as the country's First Lady Photo: Getty

Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, will not officially be France's First Lady, according to government officials and reports.

The decision flies in the face of Mr Macron's pre-election promise to make an official position for his wife, a move that turned heads particularly as the government is soon to pass a law preventing MPs from hiring family members as assistants, as part of his own anti-corruption drive.

But after 280,000 people signed a petition over the last two weeks in an attempt to block Mrs Macron from having a salary, it appears the government is back-pedalling.

French government spokesman Christophe Castaner took to Twitter to stress Mrs Macron would not have an official role.

"Brigitte Macron has a role and responsibilities. We are looking to be transparent and to outline the means she has at her disposal," he wrote.

"No modification of the constitution, no new funding, no salary for Brigitte Macron. Stop the hypocrisy!"

Mr Macron (39) had promised on the campaign trail in March that his wife would have a "real status".

"Paid by the Republic, no. Having a role, a real status, a real capacity to act, yes," Mr Macron said at the time.

The presidency has said it will clarify Mrs Macron's role in the coming days, sources told AFP and BFM TV.

The French government plans to make clear exactly how much Mrs Macron will be costing taxpayers.

"The idea is for the French people to know how much this role costs," Aurore Berge, a senior lawmaker from Mr Macron's party, told Europe 1 radio. Mrs Macron currently has a team of two or three aides, two secretaries, and two security guards.

Mr Macron will host other major European leaders this month for talks on migration, the economy and defence - part of a broader diplomatic offensive.

His popularity waning at home, Mr Macron will hold talks with Germany's Angela Merkel, Spain's Mariano Rajoy and Italy's Paolo Gentiloni on August 28.

Mr Macron is also due to meet Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on August 31. He will also visit Austria, Romania and Bulgaria from August 23-25.
A police investigator and an armed soldier work near the scene where French soliders were hit and injured by a vehicle in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret, France, August 9, 201 (Reuters)

A police investigator and an armed soldier work near the scene where French soliders were hit and injured by a vehicle in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret, France, August 9, 2017 (Reuters)

Police secure the scene where French soliders were hit and injured by a vehicle in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret, France, August 9, 2017 (Reuters)

POLICE investigating an incident in which a BMW was rammed into a group of soldiers in a Paris suburb have arrested a man north of Paris.

Six soldiers were injured an apparent ambush before the vehicle sped away, officials said

The driver's motive is unclear, but officials said he deliberately aimed at the soldiers.

Shortly after 1am police said a man had been arrested north of the French capital and police were investigating a link between him and the attack.

A vehicle was stopped on the A16 and a man was arrested.

He was also wounded in an apparent shoot-out according to reports.

Today's is the latest of several attacks targeting security forces guarding France over the past year.

Four of the soldiers suffered slight injuries while two were taken to the Percy military hospital south of Paris, police officials said.

They were from the 35th infantry regiment and served in Operation Sentinelle, created to guard prominent French sites after a string of deadly Islamic extremist attacks in 2015, according to the Interior Ministry.

Witnesses described seeing a BMW with one person inside waiting in a cul-de-sac near a building used for Sentinelle soldiers, according to two police officials.

One official said the attacker hit just as a group of soldiers emerged from the building to board vehicles for a new shift.

Authorities are checking video surveillance of the area, near the city hall of Levallois, north west of Paris,.

Levallois Mayor Patrick Balkany called it an "odious attack" and said it was "without a doubt deliberate".

"A BMW pre-positioned itself in the alley (where the barracks is located) and barrelled into them," he said on BFM television.

He said the car "accelerated very quickly when they left" the building.

A security perimeter was installed around the scene, and the Paris police chief and regional prosecutor are expected at the site.

French President Emmanuel Macron is holding a previously scheduled top-level security meeting.
A review of the security situation in Afghanistan supports the current practice of deporting certain asylum seekers back to the country, German officials say.

A review of the security situation in Afghanistan supports the current practice of deporting certain asylum seekers back to the country, German officials say.

A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said a recent official report concluded that the conflict in Afghanistan does not put all civilians at risk.

Martin Schaefer said that "the individual threat level for people who live in Afghanistan or return to Afghanistan depends on a multitude of factors" - including their ethnicity, gender and place of residence.

Interior Ministry spokesman Johannes Dimroth said Germany would continue to deport Afghans who are considered a threat, have committed crimes or persistently refuse to reveal their identity.

Germany suspended large-scale deportations after more than 100 people were killed in an attack near the German embassy in Kabul in May.
French soldiers stand near the scene of the attack. (AP)

French security forces and emergency vehicles surround a car thought to be involved in the attack. (AP)

A man has been arrested after a car was rammed into a group of soldiers near Paris, injuring six of them.

It is unclear what motivated the driver, who was taken to hospital with bullet wounds after a calculated morning ambush and hours-long police chase.

But authorities said he deliberately accelerated his BMW into a cluster of soldiers in what prosecutors are investigating as a potential terrorist attack.

President Emmanuel Macron's government painted the incident in the suburb of Levallois-Perret as proof of the need to approve a new security law that critics fear infringes on liberties and puts the country in a permanent state of emergency.

Wednesday's attack caused no deaths and hurt no civilians, but still set nerves on edge - the seventh attempted attack on security forces guarding France this year alone.

While others have targeted prominent sites like the Eiffel Tower, Wednesday morning's attack hit the leafy, relatively affluent suburb of Levallois-Perret that is home to France's main intelligence service, the DGSI, and its counter-terrorism service.

"We know it was a deliberate act," Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said.

Defence Minister Florence Parly called it a reminder that extra security measures imposed in recent years are "more necessary than ever".

On a quiet morning, the suspect was seen waiting in a black car in a cul-de-sac near the Levallois city hall and a building used as a staging point for soldiers in France's Sentinelle operation to protect prominent sites, according to two police officials.

A group of soldiers emerged from the building to board vehicles for a new shift when the car sped up and rammed into them, its force hurling the soldiers against their van, according to one official.

The interior minister said the car first approached slowly then sped up about five metres from its target.

A nearby resident described an ear-piercing scream of pain, then soldiers chasing after the fleeing car.

Authorities checked video surveillance of the area and police fanned out and stopped numerous cars as they searched for the attacker. Most were released.

Then, on the A16 highway near the English Channel port of Calais, police stopped what the prime minister called the "principal suspect".

Images of the arrest scene showed emergency vehicles surrounding a black BMW with a damaged windscreen, on a cordoned-off highway in the countryside.

Police officers opened fire during the arrest to subdue the man, and the suspect was injured along with an officer hit by a stray police bullet, according to a judicial official.

Heavily armed, masked police searched a building believed linked to the attacker in the Paris suburb of Bezons on Wednesday night. His identity was not released.

The defence minister said she received "reassuring" news about the condition of the injured soldiers, and that their lives are not in danger.

The soldiers were from the 35th infantry regiment and served in Operation Sentinelle, created to guard prominent French sites after a string of deadly Islamic extremist attacks in 2015.

A witness to the car attack, Nadia LeProhon, was startled by a loud crash outside her building and rushed outside her seventh-floor window to see two soldiers on the ground.

Other soldiers ran after a speeding car, shouting "After him Follow that car".

"I'll never forget that scream - a scream of pain and distress," she said.

Resident Jean-Claude Veillant said he saw two uniformed soldiers prone on the ground when he came down to the entrance of his 13-story building.

"It was horrible," he said, adding that both soldiers appeared to be in bad shape and one of them was unconscious.

The street is normally guarded by posts that are removed when vehicles move in and out, so the driver must have known exactly when to strike, Mr Veillant said.

"They must've really planned this," he added.

Counter-terrorism prosecutors opened an investigation on potential charges of attempted murder of security forces in connection with a terrorist enterprise, the Paris prosecutor's office said.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said that despite a sustained "high threat" against France, the government is sticking to plans to lift a 21-month state of emergency.

Speaking to politicians, he insisted that a new bill enshrining permanent counter-terrorism measures would be enough to replace the state of emergency, imposed after deadly Islamic extremist attacks in November 2015.

The bill is currently under parliamentary debate, ahead of an expected end to the state of emergency on November 1.

President Macron discussed the attack at a security meeting on Wednesday and at a weekly Cabinet meeting, but has not commented publicly on what happened.

AP
Launch of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

US intelligence understands North Korea has successfully produced a miniaturised nuclear warhead, according to the Washington Post (AP)

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on North Korea during an opioid-related briefing at Trump's golf estate in Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S., August 8, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is pictured during the long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 (Mars-12) test launch in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Photo: Reuters

North Korea said on Wednesday it is considering plans for a missile strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after President Donald Trump told the North that any threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury".

The ratcheting up in tensions rattled global financial markets and prompted warnings from US officials and analysts not to engage in rhetorical slanging matches with North Korea.

Pyongyang said it was "carefully examining" a plan to strike Guam, an island of around 162,000 in the western Pacific and the site of a US military base that hosts a submarine squadron, an airbase and a Coast Guard group.

A Korean People's Army (KPA) spokesman, in a statement carried by state-run KCNA news agency, said the plan would be put into practice at any moment once leader Kim Jong Un makes a decision.

In another statement citing a different military spokesman, North Korea also accused the United States of devising a "preventive war" and said any plans to execute this would be met with an "all-out war wiping out all the strongholds of enemies, including the US mainland".

Washington has warned it is ready to use force if need be to stop North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programmes but that it prefers global diplomatic action, including sanctions.

Expand Close Launch of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Launch of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

Speaking to reporters in New Jersey on Tuesday, Trump issued his strongest warning yet for North Korea.

"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen," Trump said.

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The UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Saturday over its continued missile tests, that could slash the reclusive country's $3 billion annual export revenue by a third.

North Korea has made no secret of plans to develop a nuclear-tipped missile able to strike the United States and has ignored international calls to halt its nuclear and missile programmes.

It says its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are a legitimate means of defence against perceived US hostility. It has long accused the United States and South Korea of escalating tensions by conducting military drills.

US stocks closed slightly lower after Trumps comment and S&P stock futures (ESc1) slipped further in Asian trade, while a widely followed measure of stock market anxiety ended at its highest in nearly a month.

The US dollar index edged down and the safe-haven yen strengthened against the US currency after North Korea's response. Asia stocks dipped, with South Korea's benchmark index and Japan's Nikkei both falling 0.5 percent.

Tensions rise

Expand Close North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is pictured during the long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 (Mars-12) test launch in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Photo: Reuters / Facebook

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Whatsapp North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is pictured during the long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 (Mars-12) test launch in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Photo: Reuters

The United States has remained technically at war with North Korea since the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

Tensions have risen since North Korea carried out two nuclear bomb tests last year and two ICBM tests last month.

On Monday, two US B-1 bombers flew from Guam over the Korean Peninsula as a part of its "continuous bomber presence," a US official said, in a sign of the strategic importance Guam holds.

The alert status at Andersen Airforce Base on Guam had not been changed as of Wednesday morning, according to the duty officer at the base's public affairs office.

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Republican US Senator John McCain said Trump should tread cautiously when issuing threats to North Korea unless he is prepared to act.

"I take exception to the presidents comments because you got to be sure you can do what you say youre going to do, he said in a radio interview.

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that North Korea has successfully produced a miniaturised nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles, according to a confidential US intelligence assessment.

But US intelligence officials told Reuters that while North Korea has accelerated its efforts to design an ICBM, a miniaturized nuclear warhead, and a nosecone robust enough to survive reentry through the Earths atmosphere, there is no reliable evidence it has mastered all three, much less tested and combined them into a weapon capable of hitting targets in the United States.

North Korea's ICBM tests last month suggested it was making technical progress, Japan's annual Defence White Paper warned.

War of words

Former US diplomat Douglas Paal, now with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank in Washington, said Trump should not get into a war of words with Pyongyang.

It strikes me as an amateurish reflection of a belief that we should give as we get rhetorically. That might be satisfying at one level, but it takes us down into the mud that we should let Pyongyang enjoy alone, said Paal, who served as a White House official under previous Republican administrations.

Lockheed Martin Corp, the Pentagon's No. 1 weapons supplier, said on Tuesday its customers are increasingly asking about missile defence systems.
Debra Wisler was arrested and charged with child endangerment (NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE)

A New Jersey mother is accused of abandoning her special needs son in a woods near a military base last weekend.

Debra Wisler (39) was arrested and charged with child endangerment after she abandoned her 10-year-old special needs son outside a military base.

Local media report that the mother walked into the woods with her son and left him there with his luggage after she found out he wasn't eligible for a children's programme at the military base.

It's reported that the little boy was spotted in the woods by a passing driver the following morning.

He later told police that he woke up cold and hungry.

The driver notified staff at the military base who gave the boy food and water.

He was treated for minor injuries and child protection services placed him in a temporary foster home.

His mother was arrested on Friday.

Her Facebook page is filled with photos of her son and her bio description reads: "I can be ur best friend intill u do me dirty. N i have a heart of gold. n my son is my world."
An Arizona woman was sentenced to death on Monday for killing her 10-year-old cousin, who was locked inside a small storage bin as punishment for taking a Popsicle without permission.

A Maricopa County jury deliberated for more than a week before returning the verdict against Sammantha Allen in the July 2011 suffocation death of Ame Deal at the child's Phoenix home, court officials said.

Allen, 29, was convicted in June of first-degree murder and child abuse for leaving the child locked inside a plastic storage bin overnight in triple-digit temperatures. The girl was found dead the next morning.

Allen's attorney could not immediately be reached for comment following the sentencing in county Superior Court in Phoenix.

I want to thank the members of the jury for their time and effort on this case and reaching a difficult but just conclusion for the senseless murder of Ame, said County Attorney Bill Montgomery.

Prosecutors are also seeking the death penalty against her husband, John Allen, who has pleaded not guilty to murder and child abuse charges in the girl's death. His trial is scheduled to start on 9 October.

Allen will be the third woman on Arizona's death row.

The state has executed one woman in its history, Eva Dugan who was hanged in 1930, prison officials said.

Arizona has not executed an inmate in three years since an execution took nearly two hours. It resulted in a lawsuit by several inmates who claimed the process caused prolonged suffering. The state has said it does not have the drugs to perform an execution.

Police said the child, left in the Allens' care, was forced to perform intense physical exercise for several hours during scorching summertime temperatures for stealing the frozen treat from the refrigerator.

The married couple then ordered her to get the hinged, plastic container and climb into it, police said. Sammantha Allen watched as her husband padlocked the girl in the box and the couple then fell asleep, police said.

The dead girl's body was found inside the small container that prosecutors at the trial said only had tiny air holes at its handles.

Family members initially told police that Deal's death was the result of a hide-and-seek game that turned tragic. That story unravelled during a police investigation.

The girl's aunt and legal guardian, Cynthia Stoltzmann, who is Sammantha Allen's mother, was convicted in the case and is serving 24 years in prison for child abuse. Police said she was not present when the girl was locked in the storage bin.
North Korea says it has released a Canadian pastor who was serving a life sentence since 2015 for anti-state activities over health reasons.

Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said that Hyeon Soo Lim was released on "sick bail" following a decision by the country's Central Court.

The agency did not provide further details.

Mr Lim was convicted and sentenced in 2015 on charges of trying to use religion to destroy the North Korean system and helping US and South Korean authorities lure and abduct North Korean citizens.

Mr Lim's release comes two months after the death of a US college student shortly after he was released from North Korea in a coma.

South Korea, the US and others often accuse North Korea of using foreign detainees to gain diplomatic concessions, and foreigners have said after their release that their declarations of guilt had been coerced while in North Korean custody.

The office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier said that a delegation led by his national security adviser, Daniel Jean, arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday to discuss Mr Lim's imprisonment.

Mr Trudeau's spokesman Cameron Ahmad said the government considered Mr Lim's health of "utmost importance" but did not give more details about the delegation.

Mr Lim pastored the Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Toronto.

His supporters have said he was on a humanitarian mission to North Korea when he was detained.

Canada does not have diplomatic offices in Pyongyang and relies on Sweden to handle consular issues.

Mr Lim met with the Swedish ambassador at least twice this year and met Canadian officials in December.

At least three Americans and six South Koreans remain in custody in the North.

AP
A man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a military court in Thailand's latest conviction on charges of insulting the monarchy.

A man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a military court in Thailand's latest conviction on charges of insulting the monarchy.

The legal monitoring group iLaw says Tara, whose last name it withheld to protect his privacy, was convicted and sentenced on Wednesday on six counts for uploading to the internet six audio files made by a critic of the monarchy.

It says Tara has been held without bail since January 2015 and pleaded guilty to receive a more lenient sentence.

The court accordingly reduced the penalty for each count from five years to three-and-a-half years in prison. The maximum penalty is 15 years.

At least 93 cases of lese majeste involving 138 people have been prosecuted since the military seized power in 2014.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said in a report this week that use of the lese majeste statute, once relatively rare, increased markedly after a military coup in 2006, and escalated further after the 2014 military takeover.

Since 2014, the group said, the law was extended in practice to cover people who clicked "like" or "share" on Facebook, even when they did not write the post in question, and those who made satirical posts about the pets of the monarch.

Tara was convicted for spreading audio files produced by "DJ Banpodj," an underground internet talk show host known for his strong criticism of the monarchy.

"DJ Banpodj" was arrested in 2015, and according to iLaw, at least five other people have been charged with lese majeste for sharing audio clips produced by his network.

AP
A Mormon church leader has been removed from his post and booted out of the religion for the first time in nearly 30 years.

James Hamula was released from a mid-level leadership council based on disciplinary action by the religion's highest leaders, said Eric Hawkins, a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mr Hawkins did not say why Mr Hamula was ousted, but the Utah-based church said it was not for apostasy, which refers to teaching inaccurate doctrine or publicly defying guidance from church leaders.

The last leader to be excommunicated was the late George Lee, an American Indian, in 1989 after he called Mormon leaders racist.

The church said then that he was removed for "apostasy and other conduct unbecoming a member of the church".

The last church leader removed before Mr Lee was Richard Lyman, who was excommunicated in 1943 for adultery, but baptised again 11 years later.

Mr Hamula became a member of a group called the General Authority Seventy in 2008. It is a group of nearly 90 leaders that sit below the church president, his two counsellors and two other levels of leaders.

They help run church operations by serving as a bridge between local lay leaders in Mormon congregations around the world and the top leaders working at church headquarters in Salt Lake City.

Mr Hamula's removal is surprising because he was well-regarded and was even considered by some outside Mormon scholars as a possible candidate to join the high-level Quorum of the Twelve Apostles when the church was filling three vacancies in 2015, said Matthew Bowman, a Mormon scholar and history professor at Henderson State University.

Mr Hamula was not chosen, but was still considered an up-and-comer destined for more important assignments, Prof Bowman said.

In recent years, Mr Hamula served in important roles as assistant executive director of church history and executive director of a department that reviews all documents published by the church.

"He had a promising future," Prof Bowman said.

His removal is likely to be talked about among some of the nearly 16 million worldwide members of the Mormon religion, but it may not cause a huge stir because it may be the first time many have heard of Mr Hamula, Prof Bowman said.

Mr Hamula was born in Long Beach, California, and is married with six children, according to his church biography. He was a lawyer until joining the leadership council in 2008.

That year, he gave a speech at a Mormon conference watched by millions about choosing good over evil.

"Satan is marshalling every resource at his disposal to entice you into transgression," he said.

"He knows that if he can draw you into transgression, he may prevent you from serving a full-time mission, marrying in the temple, and securing your future children in the faith, all of which weakens not only you but the church."
Evacuated tourists outside a hotel following the earthquake in Ruo'ergai in south-western China's Sichuan province (Chinatopix/AP)

Rescuers are searching for survivors of a powerful earthquake which killed at least 19 people and injured 247 in a mountainous region popular with tourists in south-western China.

Tuesday night's magnitude 6.5 quake also knocked out power and phone networks, complicating efforts to locate and evacuate survivors.

State broadcaster China Central Television showed footage of orange-suited rescuers finding one body and using detectors to search for survivors in the dark of night, carrying a girl to safety and leading other people along a rubble-strewn road.

President Xi Jinping called for rapid efforts to respond to the disaster, which struck a quake-prone region bordered by Sichuan and Gansu provinces.

The area is on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau and home to many Tibetan and other ethnic minority villages. It is also near Jiuzhaigou, or Jiuzhai Valley, a national park known for spectacular waterfalls and rock formations that attracts visitors from China and overseas.

At least five of the dead were tourists, China's official Xinhua News Agency said. Hong Kong's immigration department said one of the city's residents was missing in the quake.

Among the injured, 40 were listed in serious condition, according to the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture government in Sichuan.

A Canadian woman suffered a slight head injury and a Frenchman was wounded in both legs and needed surgery to remove stone fragments, according to Xinhua.

It said Frenchman Maxence Vallon, 18, was staying with his mother and brother at a hotel in Jiuzhaigou. They were seeking shelter outside "when a big stone fell and hit my brother right in the leg", said Romain Vallon, who studies in Beijing.

The dead included a performer in an arts group who had been performing in Jiuzhaigou when the quake struck.

According to the Legal Evening News, they were acting out a scene about a deadly 2008 earthquake that struck nearby and killed nearly 90,000 people. When the quake hit, the performers ran off the stage in terror and the audience thought the tremor was part of the show.

The US Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude 6.5, striking at a shallow depth of 5.5 miles. The China Earthquake Networks Centre said the quake had at magnitude of 7.0 and a depth of 12 miles.

The epicentre was about 24 miles from the county seat of Jiuzhaigou, which has a population of around 80,000, and 177 miles from Chengdu, Sichuan's densely populated provincial capital, according to the Chinese quake centre.

Xinhua said more than 30,000 tourists visiting Jiuzhaigou were relocated to safer accommodations by buses and private vehicles.

On Wednesday morning, another strong earthquake struck in far north-western China, 1,360 miles from Jiuzhaigou, injuring three villagers whose home collapsed, Xinhua reported. That quake was measured at magnitude 6.3 by the USGS and 6.6 by China's agency and struck in a sparsely populated area of the Xinjiang region near the Kazakhstan border.

AP
A photo distributed by the North Korean government shows what was said to be the launch of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service/AP)

US Defence Secretary James Mattis has said North Korea should cease any consideration of actions that would "lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people".

Mr Mattis said any action by North Korea would be grossly overmatched by the US, and that Pyongyang would lose any arms race or conflict it started. He said that while the US is pursuing diplomatic solutions, the combined military power of America and its allies is the most robust on Earth.

Mr Mattis issued a statement as he travelled to the West Coast. His comments punctuate President Donald Trump's warning that North Korea will be met with "fire and fury" if it threatens the US.

A new report says Pyongyang's nuclear programme is progressing.

Meanwhile, France is urging all sides "to act responsibly and to de-escalate" tensions over North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

French government spokesman Christophe Castaner said Paris is "watching what's going on with concern" and "is ready to put all its means at disposal so we can find a peaceful solution".

Britain's UN ambassador said the United Kingdom "stands shoulder to shoulder with the United States" in tackling the nuclear threat from North Korea and making sure it cannot pursue its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Matthew Rycroft told reporters at UN headquarters in New York that the US and UK have been very clear in demanding a halt to North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. He said Kim Jong Un's regime should listen to and "act on that clarity".

Mr Rycroft stressed that North Korea "holds the key to sanctions being removed".

Asked whether Mr Trump's escalating rhetoric was hurting prospects for reviving negotiations, Mr Rycroft said: "What's hurting the six-party talks is the inability so far of the North Korean regime to do what it has to do which is to halt its nuclear programme and to halt its intercontinental ballistic missile programme."
The United States has imposed sanctions on eight more individuals in Venezuela, including the brother of the country's late president Hugo Chavez.

The penalties focus on current or former Venezuelan government officials accused by the US of supporting President Nicolas Maduro's creation of a constituent assembly.

That body has been given the job of rewriting Venezuela's constitution, in what the US has said was an attempt by Mr Maduro to solidify his hold on power.

The assembly, formed by a July 30 election, has declared itself superior to all other government institutions and has ousted Venezuela's outspoken chief prosecutor.

"President Maduro swore in this illegitimate constituent assembly to further entrench his dictatorship, and continues to tighten his grip on the country," US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

Many of those targeted by the US are regional representatives on the new assembly, including Adan Chavez, the brother of Venezuela's former leader, who died in 2013. Adan Chavez has been appointed secretary of the new assembly and is also a former governor and minister in Venezuela's government.

The sanctions freeze any assets the individuals may have in the US and prevent Americans from doing business with the Venezuelans.

The US has said the vote to create the assembly was illegitimate and a sign that Mr Maduro is trying to strengthen what the US calls his dictatorship.

Last week, the US targeted Mr Maduro with sanctions, in a rare action against a foreign head of state. Those sanctions followed a previous round, days before the planned vote, that hit 13 current or former top officials in Mr Maduro's government.

AP
GREENSBORO  Crews are investigating possible attempted arson at an elementary school in Greensboro, according to WGHP.

Greensboro Fire Chief Dewayne Church says a maintenance person arrived at Bessemer Elementary School Wednesday morning and noticed things didnt look right.

The maintenance worker said it looked as if someone tried to start a fire inside the school.

Church doesnt know the extent of the damage.

Additional information is unknown.
By Bradley Dunseith

Canadian foreign direct investment (FDI) into India reached an estimated US$14 billion in 2016. Much of this inflow came from large asset management companies and pension funds, which see India as an ideal destination for stable, long term investments.

Summarizing this optimistic view of Indias economic growth, Michael Sabia, President and CEO of Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ), has called Indias potential bright in a world of gray.

Why are Canadian investors suddenly so charmed with India?

Canada investing in Indian infrastructure

Indias economy is growing at 6.1 percent per year. By 2022, India will have the worlds largest and youngest labor force. The middle class is expanding, fueling a dynamic consumer market. The country is now one of the most popular destinations for FDI in the world, reaching a record US$60.1 billion in FDI inflow in the 2016 financial year (FY).

RELATED: Pre-Investment, Market Entry Strategy Advisory

India needs stronger and more expansive infrastructure to make this economic growth sustainable. Canadian pension funds, which look for long term investments, like CDPQ, Ontarios Teachers Pension Plan (OTPP), and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) have begun investing in Indias power, construction, and logistics sectors.

In the first half of 2017, CPPIB became Indias top investor in real estate, entering two deals worth US$750 million, collectively.

The OTPPs US$200 million investment in the digital startup Snapdeal attests to both the importance of Indias startup sector as well as Indias growing digital economy. With the Indian governments push towards Digital India, private players are increasingly investing in digital infrastructure.

Large Canadian investment groups like Brookfield and Fairfax have also begun investing in commercial and retail real estate and infrastructure. In 2016, Fairfax invested US$321 million into the Bengaluru international airport.

Canadian investors are betting on Indias growth.

RELATED: Chinese Investment into Digital India Confirms Key Market Dynamics

Good infrastructure means sustainable growth

By investing in Indias growing infrastructure, Canadian investors are writing themselves into Indias growth story.

While the pace of urban migration in India is increasing productivity, it is burdening the operational capacity of cities. Under initiatives such as Smart Cities or Skill India, the Indian government is working to make urban growth sustainable. But, the government still requires huge investments to improve and expand its strained infrastructure.

Canadian investors are not only helping to make this growth sustainable; they are incorporating themselves into the fabric of Indias economic development.

Nonetheless, Canadas rising investments into India are still minuscule in comparison to other countries contributions. According to the Department of Industry and Policy Promotion (DIPP) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Canada is only Indias 23rd biggest investor.

The rise of protectionism throughout Western nations and widespread cynicism towards globalization are calling into question once dependable trading relationships. As the Canadian government prepares to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Canadian businesses should look to new partners to stimulate growth.

Indias expanding economy, its ballooning consumer market, and new economic reforms like the Goods and Services Tax (GST)  set to make doing business in India easier  making the country a perfect partner.

RELATED: Foreign Investment in Indian Retail: Challenges and Opportunities

Re-branding Canada

India is Canadas largest trading partner in South Asia. Yet, Canadas growing investment footprint in India has not yet translated into the same kind of brand recognition other countries possess.

But, in important ways, this is changing.

An approximate 1,000 Canadian companies are active in India; 400 of them have a physical presence. In the last nine months, eight Canadian cabinet ministers have visited India, along with numerous trade envoys  fostering important relationships between the business communities of both countries.

On July 2, 2017, Air Canada began four weekly nonstop flights between Toronto and Mumbai  adding to their existing direct connections between Toronto and Delhi as well as Delhi and Vancouver. Improved connectivity will increase new business opportunities as traveling between India and Canada becomes easier and faster.

As Canada becomes an increasingly important part of Indias growing economy, Canadian businesses will have the opportunity to re-brand Canada. In Indias growth story, Canada will have its own part to tell.
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
Bollywoods most loved beauty and now a favourite in the Hollywood circuit, Deepika Padukone is without any doubt a force to reckon with. Not only is she an inspiration for every girl, but shes also one of the most followed fashion icons across the globe. Her effortless style and chic fashion sense is relatable and thats the reason for her immense fan following.

Time and again, she has proved that being bold runs in her blood as she doesnt shy away from experimenting with her looks and attires. Be it her infamous green Cannes dress and flawless makeup or a casual white shirt with her favourite boyfriend jeans, Deepika is an inspiration. So, here we are, sharing some really amazing style tips from the leading ladys fashion avatars. Here are some sassy fashion statements you can borrow from her and be the diva you always wanted to be.

1. Her casual denim on denim avatar.

Crop Top Love... get the one I'm wearing only at @allaboutyoufromdeepikapadukone for Rs.1019/- link in bio! A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on Jun 8, 2017 at 11:52am PDT

This girl surely knows how to pair denim with denims. Pulling a comfortable and stylish look is not a big deal for Deepika.

2. Her dreamy emerald green gown which took our hearts away at Cannes.

#Repost @brandonmaxwell (@get_repost)  Gorgeous @deepikapadukone wears custom #brandonmaxwell on the @festivaldecannes red carpet tonight, styled by @elizabethsaltzman  A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on May 19, 2017 at 9:56am PDT

This flowy gown was the talk of the town as soon as it made her red-carpet appearance. Everything about this look from the dress to the dazzling eyes told a story.

3. Her second stunning Cannes appearance which left us mesmerised.

Day-1 Cannes 2017 @marchesafashion @georginachapmanmarchesa @kerencraigmarchesa @elizabethsaltzman @lorealmakeup @lorealhair A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on May 19, 2017 at 1:07pm PDT

This look gave a lot of girls, major fashion goals. Pulling some really dark shades with so much ease and chicness is something only Deepika Padukone can do.

4. Her cute and bring-comfort-to-travel airport looks are always on point.

all yellow!!! get this look from @allaboutyoufromdeepikapadukone for Rs.649/- limited stock only!link in bio! A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on Jun 30, 2017 at 6:34am PDT

Look at all that amazing layering she has done in this look. Pulling off a jacket with yellow palazzos was definitely a good idea.

5. Her I am the boss look which makes her look so empowered and fashionable.

Who runs the world? Girls. Yes, this is how Deepika declares that she is here to rule the industry with her talent and an impeccable fashion sense.

6. Her bold and experimental award night look.

This woman can make heads turn with her bold avatar. This one, by far, has to be one of her sexiest looks in an award function.

7. Her unique sense of fashion which exudes sexiness even in simplicity.

OPPO

OPPO

We all agree that Deepika Padukone has a unique sense of fashion and we can see a reflection of her personality in all her styles. Good news! She has not limited herself just to her fashion but has diversified her talent. We have come to know that she has lately been busy launching her own edition phone with OPPO. She has integrated her own favourite patterns in the phone which comes in our favourite colour, rose gold. Thats not it. We even found some leaked images of the phone along with a cool contest. All you have to guess are the cool elements Deepika is talking about #F3DeepikaEdition, in this video, and you can win a chance to meet her.
In a career spanning more than two decades, Akshay Kumar is an actor can prove any goddamn nepotism debate null and void. Why? Because he entered the film industry without any godfather or connections.

With expertise in martial arts and heart, which has always been at the right place, Akshay Kumar today stands as one of the most bankable superstars. With every film, he has proved that his versatility as an actor is his biggest USP. Give him any genre and he knows how to get into the skin of the character.

Pinterest

Be it his impeccable comic timing or his benevolent nature as a human being, Akshay remains one of the most loved actors. He believes in charity and his contribution to the society since last few years will never be forgotten.

Screenshot

Coming back to films, Akshay is all set for his big release Toilet Ek Prem Katha. The promotions are in full swing. In an interview with the Times Of India, Akshay unveiled his vulnerable side as an actor and spoke about taking criticism in his stride, his love for acting and why validation from the film industry means more than awards.

During initial days of his career, Akshay was pitted against his contemporaries and a lot of negative things were said about him. Making a point on holding all of them gracefully, Akshay said,

At #SwachhBharat's #GoingODF conference with the people who are actually making a difference rightly called the Swachhta Champions!  A post shared by Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) on Aug 4, 2017 at 11:42pm PDT

"It's all a part of life. Kuchh asar nahi karta. Kitni cheezein boli logon ne, 'he's a piece of furniture, sirf action aata hai, and jumping from buildings is not action...' No matter what, you have to focus on your work. People say these things to make you react. You must understand that a lot of energy is wasted in reacting. So, the smart thing is to not react. You should save that energy for good and positive things."

If we talk about awards, Akshay has not been a lucky one. However, he has a national award and a Padma Shri to his credit. But talking about awards, Akshay said that validation from the industry matters to him more. He added,

Had a lot of fun shooting this. I hope you have fun watching it!#JollyGoodFellow releasing sirf 1 ghante mein! A post shared by Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) on Jan 18, 2017 at 8:30pm PST

"I still haven't got my due as an actor from the industry, I just got the National Award. That is recognition from the government, not the industry."

Today, Akshay Kumar remains one of the most bankable actors. From pulling off a thriller to a romantic film to an action film, he has always been the first choice of filmmakers. However, he has seen all phases as an actor. Talking about the same, he added,

Received another pleasant surprise today, this painting from Team Khiladi, Nagpur in time for #SinghIsBliing promotions :) Loved it! Thank you. A post shared by Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) on Sep 22, 2015 at 7:49am PDT

"I have seen lots of ups and downs in my career. Once I had 12 flops in a row and another time, 14 flops. While the lows have been tough, the ups have also been quite high. So, I've tasted both. There was a time when I was busy with action films, and I didn't know that I could do comedy. Rajkumar Santoshi and Priyadarshan (filmmakers) were the ones who said, 'Tu kar sakta hai.' They taught me a lot about comedy."

Starring Bhumi Pednekar and Akshay, Toilet-Ek Prem Katha is all set for its release on 11th August.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned cow vigilantes against killing people, President Pranab Mukherkee has also asked the country to stand up against the rising trend of mob lynchings, stressing that the frenzy needed to be curbed.

"We will have to pause and ponder over, and reflect, when we read in newspapers that an individual is being lynched because of some alleged violation of law or not. When mob frenzy becomes so hard and irrational, uncontrollable, we are to pause and reflect 'are you vigilant enough'?" Mukherjee said.

indian express

Taking a jibe at such killings, he underlined, "I am not talking of vigilantism, I am talking of 'are you vigilant enough', pro-actively, to save the basic tenets of our time."

Emphasising that countrymen could not abdicate their duty to counter the trend, Mukherjee said, "Posterity will demand an explanation from us about what we have done."

He was speaking at the release of a commemorative edition of "National Herald" on 70 years of Independence, which was attended by senior Congress leaders and eminent citizens. Former PM Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, who returned from a vacation abroad earlier in the day, was also present.

AFP

Accusing the Modi government of backing perpetrators of mob violence, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi tore into the ruling camp by saying India had reached a crossroads with looming threats of authoritarianism and bigotry.

Sonia said forces which played no role in freedom struggle were moving to alter the idea of India. "Though their language is modern, they seek to take India backward to further their narrow sectarian vision... Their modern jargons conceal primordial beliefs and concepts... ."

Talking about diktats coming from groups on what people should eat or say, Sonia said, "All that is being encouraged by a culture of vigilante violence, actively supported by those who are supposed to enforce the law. Such examples assault our consciousness almost daily."

AP

President Mukherjee spoke about the foundation of "secular democracy" laid down by late first PM Jawaharlal Nehru, saying it was a "gigantic achievement" that India had established a harmonious society despite the diversity of 200 languages and dialects, and all seven major religions of the world.

"Nehru said his biggest challenge had been to convert a highly religious country into a modern secular country," he said.

Quoting Nehru, the President emphasised it was not easy to adopt a secular democratic constitution in the aftermath of religious frenzy wrought by partition.
Bikers are often associated with chain snatching, eve teasing, burglary and what not. The incidents involving bikers generally keep them in a bad light. But Mondays incident in Delhi where a group of biker chased down car in which three men had abducted a woman brought it to peoples notice to sweeping statements and opinions about anything doesnt help anybody.

Apart from the bikers who travel to their work, India has thousands of bikers who travel long distances for fun and adventure and there are hundreds of examples where the bikers to broken the notions attached to them and help of people by going out of the way.

Here are five examples of bikers who helped people on road without giving a second thought to what can happen to them.



1. Ambulance Dada

Karimul Haque isnt an unknown name anymore. He is known as Bike Ambulance Dadain West Bengal because the 52-year-old Karimul uses his bike as ambulance and transport the needy to the hospital. Karimul Haques act of bonhomie has a story behind it and the story is quite emotional.

Karimuls mother had died because she couldnt reach the hospital in time due to the non-availability of the ambulance when his mother suffered a heart attack. Karimul has been running this bike ambulance for the last eight years and serves nearly 20 villages with his bike. For his generosity and service to humanity, he has been awarded highest civilian award Padma Shri.

2. Aman Yadav, a young biker who helped accident victims

PTI

A young student In Varanasi who studies in college runs also runs a bike ambulance to help the accident victims. According to a story done by HT earlier this year, Aman also carries medicines, water and biscuits with him to calm down the frightened victims. Amans service isnt linked with any phone number and he gets information about the accidents through friends and rushes to the spot.

Some prominent locals also fund Amans initiative.

3. 50 Bikers helped Mumbai police nab criminals

According to a story done by HT in May 2017, 50 bikers from different bikers groups are helping police nab criminals who commit crimes like snatching and then flee the spot on bike. The youngsters dont get anything for their work as they just do it for free.

4. 66-year-old good samaritan

The 66-year-old former Taxi driver from Delhi, Surya Prakash Vaid, is indeed an inspiration as he helps the accident victims and takes them to the hospital on his scooter. Vaid has been rescuing people for the last 24 years on his scooter.

5. Biker helped police nab snatcher

Indian Express

In 2012, a biker helped traffic cops nab a 17-year-old snatcher in east Delhi after he chased him on his bike. The good samaritan, however, did not want to be identified, and quietly left the scene. There have been several other incidents where bikers have come forward to help the people, sometimes even by putting their lives at stake.
21-year-old Sobhan Mukherjee is not an activist, neither is he someone who indulges in activism on daily basis, which is why when he proposed separate toilets for transgenders, everyone was impressed.

"I wondered how serious he was. But I was amazed by his initiative, and the fact that he even coined a perfect word for the community," said transgender activist Ranjita Sinha, who is a member of the West Bengal Transgender Board.

sobhan

Over 4 public toilets in the Bansdroni region for Kolkata have opened gates to transgender people by making out a separate washroom for them. The initiative marks a victory over inhibitions and lack of basic rights for the members of LGBTQ community.

thestar

These washrooms now come with three sign - Men, Women and Tridhara.

During his college days, Mukherjee felt quite charged up about the existential challenges of transgenders and really wanted to help them. He then approached Anita Kar Majumdar with the proposal of having washrooms for transgenes in open spaces.

thestar

"I wanted to contribute in my small way towards making life easier for the community. I am thankful to the councillor, who understood the issue," an overjoyed Mukherjee told TOI.

After hearing his proposal, Kar Majumdar, too, had nothing but praise, "Hats off to him for coming up with such socially responsible ideas, which none of us even think of. So far, no one has created a problem for earmarking toilets for the third gender. If someone does so in the future, I will personally intervene and see to it that there is no hindrance to this project," she said.

The Union sanitation ministry, in April, had issued a guideline to allow transgendered people to use washrooms of their own gender choice. But the truth is that they face hostile behaviour and harassment everywhere they go.
Rejecting India's suggestion for a simultaneous withdrawal of troops to end the standoff at Doklam, China today upped the ante, wondering what New Delhi would do if it "enters" Kalapani region in Uttarakhand or Kashmir.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

Reuters

China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau. Bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims the area belongs to it and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.

"Even if there is only one Indian soldier, even for a day it is still a violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity," Wang Wenli, Deputy Director General of the Boundary and Ocean Affairs of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said.

Wang was briefing an Indian media delegation, whose visit was sponsored by the state-run All China Journalists Association (ACJA), on China's stand on the Doklam standoff.

"It is impossible to have a dialogue with India at this time. Our people will think our government is incompetent."

"Until the Indian side withdraws from the Chinese territory, there will be no substantive talks between us," she said, while reiterating Beijing's stand that the only way to end the present crisis on the border was the withdrawal of Indian troops from Doklam.

Needling India, she raised the Kashmir issue and also referred to the Kalapani dispute between India and Nepal.

Reuters

"We think it is not doable for the Indian side to use tri-junction as an excuse," she said, referring to Indian External Affairs Ministry's assertion that the road building at the China, India and Bhutan tri-junction in the strategic narrow Chicken's Neck area changes the status quo.

"The Indian side has also many tri-junctions. What if we use the same excuse and enter the Kalapani region between China, India and Nepal or even into the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan," she said.

"Therefore, using the tri-junction as an excuse does not hold water at all. It will only cause more trouble," Wang said.

This is the first time that a Chinese official sought to bring in the Kashmir issue even though such a remark has been made earlier by a scholar in the state-run Global Times.

Asked whether China was getting ready for a war with India, Wang said, "I can only say that for the PLA (People's Liberation Army) and for the Chinese government, we have the determination. So, if the Indian side decides to go down the wrong path or still have illusions about this incident, then we have the right to use any act that is in line with the international law to protect our rights."

Reuters

Wang said India and China had many standoffs before but "we haven't issued any position paper till now".

"But this time we have the position paper and in the position paper, you can find clear information about our position and possible moves by us," she said, referring to a 15-page fact sheet issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry few days ago.

"The Indian border troops are sending a signal of aggression while the signals sent by the foreign ministry is for peaceful negotiations. So, we think these two signals do not match with each other," she said.

Wang also rejected a negotiated solution by restoring status quo with the simultaneous withdrawal of Indian and Chinese troops to their earlier positions.

India's position on the issue was made clear by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj recently, saying both sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place, favouring a peaceful resolution of the border standoff.

AFP

Referring to reports in the Indian media that both the countries' border troops can withdraw at the same time to restore the status quo, Wang said "this is also unacceptable for China".

"Because the facts are clear. It is the Indian troops that crossed the mutually recognised boundary into the Chinese territory. So, it is the Indian border troops that have the responsibility to withdraw," she said.

Skirting any references to the shrill campaign being conducted by the official media here, Wang said China is exercising restraint and goodwill.

"In fact, we have expressed many times the diplomatic channel is always open and it is so in the past 50 days but it does not mean that we will not use our power to use the acts of defence in line with the UN charter or relevant international law."
The Indian government has no qualms about blocking websites, and even cutting off the internet, when it deems it necessary. And it looks like that may be the case once more.

As of the evening of August 8, the Internet Archive has been inaccessible in India, albeit under certain conditions. Of course, owing to the message people are receiving, the immediate assumption is that the government has gone ahead and blocked the website from being accessed in the country, just like it attempted to do with porn websites and Github in the past.

The strange thing, however, is that though http://archive.org is unavailable, the https:// link works just fine. In addition, the Department of Telecom has failed to respond to any requests for comments by the media, of which there were plenty.

The reason any suspicion of blocking the Internet Archive is such a serious issue is because of what it contains. Aside from being a repository of old media content, it also houses the Wayback Machine, a resource that lets you peruse older versions of webpages that may not be online anymore. In particular, some seem to believe this incident is an attempt to cut off access to a page that was hosted and subsequently deleted. A UIDAI web page, one that showed a list of companies allowed to access citizens Aadhaar details without requiring permission.

Other than that, the Wayback machine is an invaluable resource when looking for confirmation of claims about content that may or may not have been hosted online in the past.

The Internet Archive meanwhile has said it wasnt contacted by the Indian government, nor did it receive any response to its own queries about the block.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has accused Apple of engaging in what it calls data colonisation in the country, as well as being anti-consumer for not allowing iPhone users to report spam calls and messages to authorities.

Its been a long-standing gripe that TRAI has had with the tech giant, which came to a head yesterday, when chairman R S Sharma expressed his displeasure.

While Google's Android supports our Do-Not-Disturb (DND) app, Apple has just been discussing, discussing, and discussing. They have not done anything, Sharma told the Times of India.

For those of you that dont remember, TRAI had launched the DND app In June of last year. The idea was that people would be able to use it to report spam messages and unsolicited sales calls to local authorities and their telecom operators. The app works by grabbing details from the users SMS and call logs on their smartphone, so they can send them to the telecom authority.

However, Apple hasnt allowed the app on iOS, leading to what has been a year of exasperated bickering with the governing body. So basically you [Apple] are violating the right of the user to willingly share his/her own data with the regulator or with any third party of his/her choice. If a customer wants to share financial transaction data with his/her bank, for getting a loan, why should it not be allowed?" Sharma said, adding, "This is what we call data colonisation."

While TOI says a detailed questionnaire sent to Apple remained unanswered, its reported that the company is still in discussions with TRAI over the matter. However, Sharma has other problems with Apples refusal to comply.

While data privacy and data security are very important issues, there is also a fundamental issue about data ownership over here, he says. It is my data. How can you take away my right over my own data?
The Strange Case of Imran Awan





Only fraud or something more?



By Philip Giraldi

August 08, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - On July 25, Pakistani-American IT specialist Imran Awan was arrested at Dulles Airport for bank fraud while he was allegedly fleeing to Pakistan. The reports predictably produced some press coverage before the story died. Yet the speed at which the news vanished has prompted some observers to suggest that there might actually be something more to the disappearance than the operation of the normal media-reporting cycle. A number of conservative websites, including Breitbart, have been sounding the alarm over a possible cover-up that just might even be linked to what we are now calling Russiagate.

To be sure, the tale is a strange one with plenty of unsavory links. Thirty-seven-year-old Awan, as well as his wife and two brothers Abid and Jamal, worked as IT administrators for nearly 30 congressmen, all Democrats, including former Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. They did not have security clearances and it is not even certain that they were in any way checked out before being hired. At one point, they brought into the House as a colleague one Rao Abbas, someone to whom they owed money and who might have had no qualifications at all to work IT. Abbas wound up working in the office of Rep. Patrick Murphy, who was at the time a member of the House Intelligence Committee, as well as for Rep. Theo Deutch. He was paid $250,000.

The process of granting security clearances to Congressional staff is not exactly transparent, but it is not unlike clearances for other government agencies. The office seeking the clearance for a staff member must put in a request, some kind of investigation follows, and the applicant must sign a non-disclosure agreement before the authorization is granted. Sometimes Congress pushes the process by demanding that its staff have access above and beyond the normal need to know. In March 2016, for example, eight Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee requested that their staffs be given access to top-secret sensitive compartmented information (SCI). It is not known if the Awans, who were working for several committee members, would have been involved, but Buzzfeed, in its initial reporting on the investigation of the Awans family, repeated the concerns of a congressman that the suspects might have had access to the House of Representatives entire computer network.

The Awans billed Congress for more than $4 million between 2004 and 2016, a sum that has been reported to be three or four times higher than the norm for government contractor IT specialists performing similar work. The considerable level of overbilling has not been explained by the congressmen involved. In spite of all that income, Imran Awan declared bankruptcy in 2010, claiming losses of $1 million on a car business that he owned in Falls Church, Va. The business was named Cars International A, abbreviated on its business cards as CIA.

As of February 2016, the Awans came under suspicion for having set up an operation to steal and resell government-owned computer equipment. It was also believed that they had somehow obtained access to House of Representatives computer databases as well as to other information in the internal computer system that they were not normally authorized to work on as part of their duties. The Capitol Hill Police began an investigation and quietly alerted the congressmen involved that there might be a problem. Most stopped employing the Awan family, but Wasserman-Schultz kept Imran on the payroll until the day after he was actually arrested.

Some of those defending the Awans, to include Wasserman-Schultz and the family lawyer, have insisted that he and his family were the victims of  an anti-Muslim, right-wing smear job,  though there is no actual evidence to suggest that is the case. They also claim that the bank fraud, in which he obtained a home equity loan for $165,000 from the Congressional Federal Credit Union based on a house that he owned and claimed to live in in Lorton, Va., was largely a misunderstanding; it was described by his lawyer Chris Gowen, a Clinton family confidant, as something that was extremely minor. It turned out that there was a tenant in the house, an ex-Marine and his Naval officer wife, who were very suspicious about a large quantity of what appeared to be government-sourced computer equipment and supplies, all material that had been left behind by the Awans. They contacted the FBI, which discovered hard drives that appeared to have been deliberately destroyed.

The FBI is certainly interested in the theft of government computers. But it is also looking into the possibility that the Awans were using their ability to access and possibly exploit sensitive information stored in the House of Representatives computer network, as well as through Wasserman-Schultzs iPad, which Imran had access to and connected to the Democratic National Committee server. As Imran Awan was also a dual-national, born in Pakistan, the possibility of espionage also had to be considered. The charge that Awan was actually arrested on, bank fraud, was an easy way to hold him, as that aspect of his activities was well documented. It allows the other more serious investigations to continue, so the argument that Imran Awan is only being held over a minor matter is not necessarily correct.

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Awans wired the credit union money to Pakistan, as part of a $283,000 transfer that was made in January. His wife Hina Alvi also left the U.S. two months later. She was searched by Customs officers and it was determined that she was carrying $12,000 in cash. She also had with her their three children, and numerous boxes containing household goods and clothing. It was clear that she did not intend to come back, but there has been no explanation why she was even allowed to leave , since carrying more than $10,000 out of the country without reporting it is a felony.

As Imran Awan reportedly had access to Wasserman-Schultzs iPad, he presumably also had access to the incriminating Hillary Clinton emails. He also used a laptop in her office that was, according to investigators, concealed in an unused crevice in the Rayburn House Office Building. It is being examined by police but Wasserman-Schultz tried strenuously to recover it before it could be looked at. She pressured the Chief of the Capitol Police Matthew Verderosa to return it, threatening him by saying you should expect that there will be consequences.

There is another odd connection of Imran Awan that goes back to the circle around prominent neoconservative Paul Wolfowitz during the Iraq War. In late 2002 and early 2003, Wolfowitz regularly met secretly with a group of Iraqi expatriates who resided in the Washington area and were opponents of the Saddam Hussein regime. The Iraqis had not been in their country of birth for many years but they claimed to have regular contact with well-informed family members and political allies. The Iraqi advisers provided Wolfowitz with a now-familiar refrain, i.e. that the Iraqi people would rise up to support invading Americans and overthrow the hated Saddam. They would greet their liberators with bouquets of flowers and shouts of joy.

The Iraqis were headed by one Dr. Ali A. al-Attar, born in Baghdad to Iranian parents in 1963, a 1989 graduate of the American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine. He subsequently emigrated to the United States and set up a practice in internal medicine in Greenbelt, Md., a suburb of Washington D.C. Al-Attar eventually expanded his business to include nine practices that he wholly or partly owned in Virginia and Maryland but he eventually lost his license due to questionable billing practices as well as unprofessional conduct due to having sex with patients.

Al-Attar was investigated by the FBI and eventually indicted for large scale health care fraud in 2008-09. This included charging insurance companies more than $2.3 million for services their patients did not actually receive, with many of the false claims using names of diplomats and employees enrolled in a group plan at the Egyptian Embassy in Washington. In one case, the doctors claimed an embassy employee visited three of their clinics every 26 days between May 2007 and August 2008 to have the same testing done each time. The insurance company paid the doctors $55,000 for more than 400 nonexistent procedures for the one patient alone.

Al-Attar fled the United States after the indictment to avoid arrest and imprisonment and is now considered a fugitive from justice. Late in 2012 he was observed in Beirut, Lebanon, conversing with a Hezbollah official. Al-Attar is of interest in this case because he appears to have been a friend of Imran Awan and also loaned him $100,000, which was never repaid. The FBI is currently looking into any possible espionage involving the two men as Awan and his associates clearly had access to classified information while working in the House of Representatives.

The Imran Awan case is certainly of considerable interest not only for what the investigation eventually turns up but also for what it reveals about how things work in Congress. One might well ask how foreign-born IT specialists are selected and vetted prior to being significantly overpaid and allowed to work on computers in congressional offices. And the ability of those same individuals to keep working even after the relevant congressmen have been warned that their employee was under investigation has to be explained beyond Wasserman-Schultzs comment that Awan had not committed any crime. And how does bankrupt Imran Awan wind up with a high-priced lawyer to defend him who is associated with the Clintons ? Finally, there are the lingering concerns about the unfortunately well-established Russiagate narrative. Did the Russians really hack into the DNC, or was it some kind of inside job carried out by someone actually working for Debbie Wasserman-Schultz for reasons that have yet to be determined, possibly to include espionage? There are many questionsand so far, few answers.
Whats Worse: Trumps Campaign Agenda or Empowering Generals and CIA Operatives to Subvert It?

By Glenn Greenwald

August 09, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - During his successful 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump, for better and for worse, advocated a slew of policies that attacked the most sacred prongs of long-standing bipartisan Washington consensus. As a result, he was (and continues to be) viewed as uniquely repellent by the neoliberal and neoconservative guardians of that consensus, along with their sprawling network of agencies, think tanks, financial policy organs, and media outlets used to implement their agenda (CIA, NSA, the Brookings/AEI think tank axis, Wall Street, Silicon Valley, etc.).

Whatever else there is to say about Trump, it is simply a fact that the 2016 election saw elite circles in the U.S., with very few exceptions, lining up with remarkable fervor behind his Democratic opponent. Top CIA officials openly declared war on Trump in the nations op-ed pages and one of their operatives (now an MSNBC favorite ) was tasked with stopping him in Utah , while Time magazine reported , just a week before the election, that the banking industry has supported Clinton with buckets of cash.  What bankers most like about Clinton is that she is not Donald Trump.

Hank Paulson, former Goldman Sachs CEO and George W. Bushs treasury secretary, went to the pages of the Washington Post in mid-2016 to shower Clinton with praise and Trump with unbridled scorn, saying what he hated most about Trump was his refusal to consider cuts in entitlement spending (in contrast, presumably, to the Democrat he was endorsing). It doesnt surprise me when a socialist such as Bernie Sanders sees no need to fix our entitlement programs , the former Goldman CEO wrote. But I find it particularly appalling that Trump, a businessman, tells us he wont touch Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Some of Trumps advocated assaults on D.C. orthodoxy aligned with long-standing views of at least some left-wing factions (e.g., his professed opposition to regime change war in Syria, Iraq/Libya-style interventions, global free trade deals , entitlement cuts , greater conflict with Russia, and self-destructive pro-Israel fanaticism ), while other Trump positions were horrifying to anyone with a plausible claim to leftism, or basic decency (reaffirming torture, expanding GITMO, killing terrorists families, launching Islamophobic crusades, fixation on increasing hostility with Tehran, further unleashing federal and local police forces). Ironically, Trumps principal policy deviation around which elites have now coalesced in opposition  a desire for better relations with Moscow  was the same one that Obama, to their great bipartisan dismay, also adopted (as evidenced by Obamas refusal to more aggressively confront the Kremlin-backed Syrian government or arm anti-Russian factions in Ukraine ).

It is true that Trump, being Trump, was wildly inconsistent in virtually all of these pronouncements, often contradicting or abandoning them weeks after he made them. And, as many of us pointed out at the time , it was foolish to assume that the campaign vows of any politician, let alone an adept con man like Trump, would be a reliable barometer for what he would do once in office. And, as expected, he has betrayed many of these promises within months of being inaugurated, while the very Wall Street interests he railed against have found a very welcoming embrace in the Oval Office.

Nonetheless, Trump, as a matter of rhetoric, repeatedly affirmed policy positions that were directly contrary to long-standing bipartisan orthodoxy, and his policy and personal instability only compounded elites fears that he could not be relied upon to safeguard their lucrative, power-vesting agenda. In so many ways  due to his campaign positions, his outsider status, his unstable personality, his witting and unwitting unmasking of the truth of U.S. hegemony, the embarrassment he causes in Western capitals, his reckless unpredictability  Trump posed a threat to their power centers.

It is often claimed that this trans-partisan, elite coalition assembled against Trump because they are simply American patriots horrified by the threat he poses to Americas noble traditions and institutions. I guess if you want to believe that the CIA, the GOP consulting class, and assorted D.C. imperialists, along with Bush-era neocons like Bill Kristol and David Frum, woke up one day and developed some sort of earnest, patriotic conscience about democracy, ethics, constitutional limits, and basic decency, youre free to believe that. It makes for a nice, moving story: a film from the Mr. Smith Goes to Washington genre. But at the very least, Trumps campaign assaults on their most sacred pieties was, and remains, a major factor in their seething contempt for him. Continue

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This article was first published by The Intercept -
Bought and Paid For





53 Congressional Reps On All Expense Paid Trips To Israel





By If Americans Knew

August 09, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - At least 53 Congressional representatives are on a week-long trip to Israel, paid for by the American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF) , an arm of the powerful lobbying group AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee).

AIEFs budget is approximately $80 million, which it uses to take diverse groups to Israel. More than a dozen Latino leaders from the Southwest U.S. have just returned from an AIEF funded five-day trip to Israel that ended Aug 6, and a trip for top political operatives was conducted in June.

The Tampa Bay Times reports about the Congressional trips:

AIPAC gets around restrictions on privately paid travel by using the educational arm, an arrangement government watchdogs have criticized. A decade ago, the House banned groups from paying for extended trips as part of the fallout from the scandal over lobbyist Jack Abramoff. But a loophole allowed educational foundations to pick up the tab. The Israel trips are estimated at $10,000 per person. Members of Congress feel indebted to someone who provides them with a weeks long vacation. Its lobbying and its more effective than direct lobbying on Capitol Hill, Craig Holman of the watchdog group Public Citizen, who helped draft the 2007 laws, told the Tampa Bay Times in 2013. He said the loophole has been steadily abused and privately-paid travel is back to pre-reform levels. This is not what lobbying should be about, Holman said. It should be about providing information and expertise so lawmakers can make better decisions, not trying to buy their favors with gifts and travel junkets.

House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Democratic Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) are leading the groups. Eighteen Democrats met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, with Republicans scheduled to meet with him on Aug. 9.

Some Congressional members on the trip are John Rutherford, Brian Mast and Charlie Crist of Florida; James Comer of Kentucky, John Faso of New York, and Darin LaHood of Illinois. The full roster of participants is unknown. The Congressional press office has refused to release the names of those participating, and so far national media have ignored the trip.

The AIEF website is extraordinarily sparse, containing only a short mission statement. It does not have any notices or information about these or any of the many other trips the organization has sponsored.

Latino leaders

More than a dozen Latino leaders from the Southwest US have just returned from a trip to Israel intended to deepen their understanding of the country and its relationship with the U.S, while building a partnership with the Jewish community.

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One participant on the trip was Celina Vasquez, who teaches state and government courses part time at Blinn College in Bryan Texas. The local newspaper reports :

As a Latina leader in the Bryan community, this is important for me, Vasquez said, speaking to The Eagle by telephone from Israel. I believe its going to be a transformative experience, to continue to learn the bonds that tie Israel and the relationship with the USA. Vasquez, who teaches state and federal government courses part-time, is participating in the one-week gathering of community leaders and political activists sponsored by the American Israel Education Foundation, or AIEF. She said she thinks the foundations emphasis on Southwest Latino leaders is because they know what the future is, since the future of America includes Latino leadership at local, state and federal levels.

June trip for top political operatives from both parties

A June 2017 AIEF trip took 16 American political operatives from both parties to Israel.

Trump campaign alumni Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie, former Obama White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton, and Clinton advisor Paul Begala were among the participants, according to Politico .

This article was first published by If Americans Knew -
The United States and the Crucifixion of Yemen

By Paul Street

August 09, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The United States has killed, maimed, displaced and otherwise harmed an astonishing number of people in its 241-year record of murder and mayhem including more than 20 million killed in 37 nations since 1945.

Murder, Direct and Proxy

Direct

A grisly distinction exists between those Uncle Sam has directly assaulted and those he has more indirectly attacked. Here are just a few examples from the long record of direct U.S.-military mass murder since 1945:

 Hiroshima (146,000 killed with a single bombwhat President Harry Truman called the greatest thing in history) and Nagasaki (80,000): The arch-criminal atom bombings were unnecessary and savagely carried out even though the U.S. high command knew Japan was defeated and ready to accept U.S. surrender terms.

 Iran Air Flight 655 : On July 3, 1988, the USS Vincennes crossed into Iranian waters and shot down an Iranian civilian plane, blowing 290 people out of the sky. The Vincennes commander was granted an award for exceptionally meritorious conduct.

 The Highway of Death: U.S. fighter jets engaged in a frenzied slaughter of tens of thousands of surrendered Iraqi troops in 1991. Lebanese-American journalist Joyce Chediac testified that U.S. forces continued to drop bombs on the convoys until all humans were killed. So many jets swarmed over the inland road that it created an aerial traffic jam, and combat air controllers feared midair collisions.

 Fallujah: The U.S. Marines waged chemical warfare and used radioactive ordnance in the process of leveling a great Iraqi city in April and November of 2004.

 The U.S. drone war program (2001 to present), aptly described by Noam Chomsky as the most extreme terrorist campaign of modern times: The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reports a minimum number of 3,734 U.S. drone strikes with nearly 10,000 killed, including 1,427 civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen, since the Bureau began collecting data.

Indirect

Dreadful as such incidents of direct imperial butchery are, the United States may well have killed, maimed and displaced more people indirectly, through proxies and clients.

In 1954, a CIA-orchestrated coup removed the democratically elected and leftist Guatemalan government of Jacobo Arbenz. Over the next four decades, U.S,-backed right-wing Guatemalan regimes killed tens of thousands of peasants, workers, students and activists.

In 1960, the CIA killed Congos first independent head of state, the leftist anti-colonialist leader Patrice Lumumba. The United States subsequently backed the brutal Congolese dictator Joseph Mobuto, who killed hundreds of thousands of people. The U.S. has been significantly responsible for as many as 3 million deaths in that resource-rich country ever since. It sponsors and protects the Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame , whose body count in his own country and Congo runs into the tens of thousands.

In 1965 and 1966, the United States worked with Britain and Australia to help orchestrate the overthrow of the democratically elected leftist government of Indonesia and the subsequent massacre of somewhere between 500,000 and 1 million Indonesian peasants, workers, intellectuals and activists. Coup General Suharto received military and economic assistance from the U.S. over three decades of subsequent authoritarian rule.

In December 1975, Suharto got a green light from his sponsors in Washington to invade East Timor. The Indonesian military received advanced weaponry from the United States and the U.S. client Israel as it brutally annexed the poor island nation and killed at least 180,000 of its inhabitants.

In 1973, a CIA-engineered coup overthrew the democratically elected socialist government of Chilean President Salvador Allende and replaced him with the fascist butcher and close U.S. ally, General Augusto Pinochet. Pinochets regime killed 30,000 workers, students, peasants, intellectuals and activists while introducing U.S.-imported economic policies from the University of Chicago during the 1970s and 1980s.

A U.S.-sponsored and -equipped fascist regime in Argentina and allied death squads killed as many 30,000 workers, students, intellectuals and activists in that country between 1974 and 1983.

In the late 1970s and 1980s, Washington, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan created the extremist Islamo-Wahhabist forces that became al-Qaida and the Taliban as part of the U.S. Cold War with the Soviet Union in order to destabilize a pro-Soviet regime in Afghanistan. These Sunni jihadist forces have killed hundreds of thousands of people in Southwest Asia and the Middle East ever since.

U.S.-sponsored authoritarian regimes in Central America killed more than 300,000 people during Ronald Reagans two terms. Lavish funding, training and equipment from Washington fueled this epic bloodshed. Victims were murdered and maimed as punishment forand warnings againstparticipation in popular struggles to redistribute land and improve working and social conditions for peasants and workers in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

Tens of thousands of Iranians were executed , with U.S. economic, political and military assistance and sponsorship, by the Iranian dictator Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was installed into power after a CIA-engineered coup overthrew Irans democratically elected leftist government in 1953.

Between 1980 and 1988, the U.S. backed Iraq in an epic war with Iran . This horrific conflict produced at least 1 million Iranian casualties, including 300,000 soldiers killed and untold thousands still suffering from Iraqi chemical weapons developed with U.S. assistance.

Saudi Arabia, the most reactionary government on earth, has slaughtered tens of thousands of dissenters and ethnic (Shiite Muslim) minorities with U.S. arms, economic assistance and diplomatic cover. It is home to the extreme Sunni-Wahhabist ideology that has fueled mass-murderous jihadists affiliated with al-Qaida and Islamic State, which have received lavish funding from Saudi Arabia. The Saudi kingdom is a prized U.S. ally. It has been visited by both Barack Obama and President Trump in recent years. Trump went to Riyadh in May to seal a $110 billion arms deal with the Saudis.

(For a longer list of post-1945 global mass killing operations carried out by the U.S. military, see my slightly larger compilation here . Also see William Blums Rogue State: A Guide to the Worlds Only Superpower and Ward Churchills On the Justice of Roosting Chickens: Reflections on the Consequences of U.S. Arrogance and Criminality.)

An Absolute Shame on Humanity

Which brings us back to Yemen, a developing humanitarian catastrophe in one of the poorest nations on the planet. Yemen is an Arab country at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the Gulf of Aden (leading to the Indian Ocean) on its south, the Red Sea and Africa to its west, Oman to its east and the powerful, oil-rich and U.S.-equipped Saudi regime along its long northern border. It has been torn by a civil war that began in March 2015, when Saudi-led forces launched a military campaign backing the nations Sunni Muslim-embattled government against allied Shiite Muslim Houthi rebels .

More than 10,000 Yemini civilians have died and more than 44,000 have been injured in this conflict. Most have been killed and maimed by more than two years of airstrikes conducted by a regional coalition headed by the U.S.-equipped Saudi Arabian regime.

More bombing-related deaths will likely result in indirect fashion. The Saudi-led bombing campaign has devastated much of Yemens basic infrastructure, putting 7 million Yemenis at risk of famine. Cholera, a prominent 19th century disease, has become epidemic there, thanks to the collapse of water sanitation. Cholera has already killed nearly 2,000 Yemeni civilians, and 300,000 Yemenis are currently infected. According to the International Red Cross, more than 600,000 Yemenis could contract cholera before the end of the year.

Sixty percent of the country is food-insecure, and more than half the population lacks access to safe drinking water. A child dies from preventable causes on the average of once every 10 minutes in Yemen.

Wolfgang Jamann, CEO of the human rights organization CARE, recently took a five-day trip to Yemen. The current situation is an absolute shame on humanity, he told reporters .

Direct U.S. Assault

Yemen has been a significant target of direct U.S. military attack in Americas terrorist global war on terror. It was home to the first known U.S. drone attack outside Afghanistan in 2002. Hundreds of U.S. drone and other airstrikes have targeted Yemen since 2009, including 70 drone strikes between Feb. 28 and April 2an astonishing outburst in the most extreme terrorist campaign of modern times.

Trump drew his first military blood in Yemen. U.S. Navy special forces carried out a raidplanned by the Obama administration and handed off to the incoming Trump teamthat killed 25 civilians, including 10 children in the mountainous Yakla region of Yemens Al Bayda province. One of the children killed was an 8-year-old girl, Nawar al-Awlaki , daughter of the Islamist preacher Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed on Obamas orders in a September 2011 U.S. drone strike in Yemen. Nawars older brother, 16-year-old Abdulrahman, was killed in a second Obama-commanded drone strike soon afterward.

Trumps continuation of the U.S. slaughter of al-Awlakis children was consistent with his campaign claim that he would kill the relatives of terrorist suspectsa war crime. The other thing with the terrorists is you have to take out their families; when you get these terrorists, you have to take out their families, Trump pronounced on Fox News in December 2015.

A Proxy War

Mainly, though, its been a case of indirect U.S. assault. As Jesse Mechanic noted on Huffington Post in February, For the almost two years since the war began, the U.S. has been a vital ally to Saudi forces. Like many of our conflicts over the decades, its mostly a proxy war were fighting here. Most of our influence in this conflict isnt direct exactly, but we are certainly a party to this destruction. The U.S. supplies surveillance, targeting and other intelligence data to the Saudis. It refuels Saudi planes and sells the Saudis weapons, including more than $20 billion worth of arms in 2016 alone. The ordnance sold includes cluster bombs, which are banned by 119 countries because they are wildly inaccurate and kill and maim civilians for years after military conflicts end.

Americas direct attacks on Yemen since 2002 have technically targeted al-Qaida and affiliated jihadists. Under Trump, however, there has been a significant increase in the number of direct U.S. attacks and indications of a shift toward more direct and explicit support for the Saudi-backed, Sunni Yemen governments war on the Houthi rebels and their rival government. As Reuters reported in late March:

The United States is considering deepening its role in Yemens conflict by more directly aiding its Gulf allies battling Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, officials say, potentially relaxing a U.S. policy that limited American support.  Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama, increasingly sought to limit U.S. ties to the civil war in Yemen and his administration became unnerved by civilian casualties caused by the Saudi-led coalition, which have come under intense international scrutiny.

The Trump White House has been far less squeamish about directly generating Yemeni casualties and about explicitly aiding the Saudis and their Persian Gulf allies in the fight against the allegedly Iran-affiliated Houthis.

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Say No to American Terrorism

A recent short PBS Frontline report from Yemen was filmed in May. It shows doctors and nurses working without pay (the government has no money to give) to save the lives of emaciated children plagued by malnutrition and cholera. It shows infants near death from hunger and dehydration and teenagers in wheelchairs as a result of Saudi-U.S. bombs.

I dont get salary, one nurse tells Frontline producer Martin Smith. She explained that I may be sick one day soon and will depend on others to save my life without salary.

The nurse told Smith that she blame[s] this nation and the foreign powers who are attacking this nation. They are attacking the weak. As usual, noncombatants suffer the most.

In the beginning of the Frontline reporta prelude to a longer Frontline documentary scheduled for next yearSmith blames two-plus years of airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition, the regions wealthiest country [Saudi Arabia] bombing the regions poorest country [Yemen].

Smith notes that the Saudis rationalize their bombing of the weak by claiming the rebel Shiite-Muslim Houthi forces and Houthi government in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa are agents of Riyadhs regional archrival, Shiite Iran. But, Smith notes, a visitor to the nation finds little sign of Iranian influence in a landscape devastated primarily by Saudi bombs and missiles.

Frontline implicates the United States in the heartbreaking human disaster unfolding in Yemen. Americans may not be aware of American involvement in the war in Yemen, Smith says, but Yemenis in Sanaa and in northern Yemen know where the weapons are coming from.

Smith and his film crew attended a big Say No to American Terrorism rally protesting Trumps recent visit to Riyadh.

Smith reports that he and his American crew met absolutely no hostility in Yemen. There was only a sense, he says, that our government was to blame and ordinary Yemenis want the world to be aware of whats going on.

We respect the United States of America  in our hearts, one Yemeni protester told Smith, but we came here to express our outrage against United States policy.

Some Recommendations

Hopefully, Frontline will go deeper in its forthcoming extended documentary. If it is serious about fleshing out the full U.S. role in the crucifixion of Yemen (skepticism is warranted when one peruses the names of the power elite foundationsFord, MacArthur, Park, John and Helen Glessner and Henry Lucelisted at the end of its report), then it will do at least six things.

First, it will mention that the U.S. funding of the Saudi war machine goes back many decades and that the liberal Obama White House offered little resistance to the Saudis deadly assault on Yemenlaunching numerous direct U.S. airstrikes into the country and signing off on huge arms packages with Riyadh. It will not blame the central role of the U.S. in the crucifixion of Yemen just on the Trump administration.

Second, it will observe that the U.S. has an earlier, Cold War-era history of deadly, indirect intervention in Yemen, including CIA sponsorship of paramilitaries who deployed in south Yemen, falsely designated as a Soviet-run international terrorist network under Ronald Reagan.

Third, Frontline should investigate Riyadhs U.S-backed claim that Yemens Houthi rebels are agents of Iranian aggression and regional expansiona charge for which little evidence exists. For its part, Iran rejects accusations that it is giving financial and military support to the Houthis in the struggle for Yemen and blames the deepening crisis on Riyadh.

Fourth, Frontline should tie U.S. support for the Saudis war crimes in Yemen to Washingtons long-standing special petro-imperial relationship with the arch-reactionary but oil-rich Saudi kingdom. As Jesse Mechanic explained in February, Relations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia became strained following the Iran nuclear deal, and [Washington] relies on their intelligence and assistance.  [U.S.] support is more of an attempt to repair an important relationship than it is a show of overwhelming support for the Saudi cause. Washington is turning a blind eye to one of its client states crimes in the case of Saudi Arabias war on Yemen largely because it is concerned about keeping oil-rich Saudi Arabia in the United States geopolitical pocket in the wake of Obamas nuclear deal with Tehrana diplomatic triumph (driven by Washingtons need for Iranian support in the war against the Islamic State) that Riyadh has never accepted.

Fifth, Frontline also should connect the Yemen story to Washingtons related special hostility to Iran , which the U.S. imperial establishment has never forgiven for breaking out from its own prior subordinate client-patron relationship with the U.S. in 1979.

Sixth, it will connect Saudi Arabias war on the Houthis to its fear of Shiite rebellion within its own borders. When Saddam Hussein was overthrown after the 2003 U.S. invasion, the chaos that ensued in Iraq raised the specter of a [Shiite] alliance across majority [Shiite] Iraq. Especially threatening to Washington, Lehigh University political scientist Anthony DiMaggio recently wrote me, has been the prospect of such an alliance including  [Shiites] in Saudi Arabia, who live under oppressive conditions mainly in the east, the oil-rich region of the country.

I do not share other world citizens willingness to pardon ordinary Americans from responsibility for U.S. government crimes, both direct and indirect, around the world and in Yemen. The real story of what the U.S. is doing globally is readily available for those willing to look beyond mainstream sources and doctrine. Most Americans remain willfully ignorant of terrible transgressions regularly committed in their name by Uncle Sam and his allies and clients abroad.

This ugly indifference extends even to many on the nominal left, including Bernie Sanders fans who gave unconditional support to Sanders even after he told a peace activist in Iowa City in 2015 that the Saudis are going to have to get their hands dirty  in the U.S-led war on [of] terror.

For Bernie and his supporters, 2016 Green Party vice presidential candidate Ajamu Baraka wrote two years ago in an essay titled The Yemen Tragedy and the Crisis of the American Left, the mischief that the Saudi government and private individuals have been engaged in across the region financing groups like [Islamic State] wasnt dirty enough.

Neither, apparently, was Riyadhs U.S.-equipped campaign to bomb Yemen back to the 19th centurya campaign that has turned Yemen into a shameful humanitarian disaster of epic proportions.

Paul Street holds a doctorate in U.S. history from Binghamton University. He is former vice president for research and planning of the Chicago Urban League. Street is also the author of numerous books.
'

Stop the Insanity': Demand Grows to Strip Trump of Nuclear Authority





On anniversary of Nagasaki bombing, calls to end "saber-rattling" and de-escalate tensions with North Korea



By Jake Johnson

August 09, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The morning following his " fire and fury " remarks on Tuesdaywhich promised retaliation if the North Korean regime continues to threaten the United StatesPresident Donald Trump took to Twitter to praise America's "powerful" nuclear arsenal, comments that intensified the groundswell of calls to end the pro-war rhetoric and strip Trump of his nuclear-strike authority.

Trump's threat against North Korea came on the heels of a report by the Washington Post indicating that Pyongyang had "successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles."

The Kim Jong-un regime responded just hours after Trump's remarks, promising to hasten " the tragic end of the American empire " and announcing it would review plans to "strike areas around the U.S. territory of Guam," where the U.S. maintains large military bases, "with medium-to-long-range strategic ballistic missiles."

Reacting to Trump's " crazy " comments and to the growing fear that the U.S. is inching closer to nuclear war, activists and lawmakers urged Congress to revive legislation that would strip the executive branch of the power to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike.

"No U.S. President, certainly not Trump, should have sole authority to initiate an unprovoked nuclear war," wrote Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.).

In an interview with MSNBC's Chris Hayes Tuesday night, Markey said Trump's comments "bring us back to August of 1945, when nuclear weapons were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki."

Watch the interview:

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I believe Congress must authorize any nuclear first strike and have co-sponsored @TedLieu 's important bill. https://t.co/1hHwQQFKsj  Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) August 8, 2017

In May, as Common Dreams reported , more than 500,000 people signed a petition expressing support for the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2017, a bill introduced by Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) that, if passed, would bar the president from launching a nuclear strike without congressional authorization.

Do reckless comments of @realDonaldTrump scare you? Support HR 669 by @SenMarkey & me. Requires approval of Congress for nuclear 1st strike. https://t.co/VZyJodhp5q  Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) August 9, 2017

"This saber-rattling from the president is dangerous," concluded Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.). "We need to de-escalate tensions so that diplomacy can work."

Adding to the calls for de-escalation is a newly drafted petition by MoveOn.org, which is set to be delivered to the White House.

The petition, which already has over 57,000 signatures, reads: "Stop the insanity. Don't provoke a war with North Korea."

"Donald Trump is making us all more unsafe with every war-mongering comment, tweet, and threat. His rhetoric threatening North Korea with 'fire and fury' is exacerbating a dangerous situation, putting the people of Guamand everyone around the worldin grave danger," the petition adds. "While a nuclear North Korea is a real concern, the answer must be diplomacy-first, not a rush to a potentially devastating nuclear war."

The growing threat of nuclear war comes as Wednesday marks the 72nd anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan by the U.S.

Carol Turner, vice chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said in a statement : "It beggars belief that the US president has chosen the 72nd anniversary to threaten North Korea with 'fire and fury like the world has never seen.' These words mark the real possibility of a nuclear confrontation."

Speaking at a memorial event on Wednesday, Tomihisa Taue, the mayor of Nagasaki, highlighted the "increasingly tense" international situation and argued that all nations should do away with nuclear weapons.

"A strong sense of anxiety is spreading across the globe that in the not too distant future these weapons could actually be used again," Taue said. "The nuclear threat will not end as long as nations continue to claim that nuclear weapons are essential for their national security."

This article was first published by Common Dreams -

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.

Video: Untold History Of Imperial Japan & The Bomb

Part 2
Governor of Niger government has confirmed that it will use 20 per cent of its bailout funds it received from the Federal Government to settle of all outstanding allowances of pensioners.

This was made known by the Director-General of the State Pensions Board, Malam Tinau Muhammad, on Tuesday at a 3-day sensitisation workshop on Effective Pension Management and Administration in the state in Minna.

I will reiterate again that Niger state government is not owing anybody monthly pension, both at the state and local government levels. Government had in the last two years been settling retirees on the old pension retirement benefits.

Except the arrears of 6 per cent, 15 per cent and 33 per cent of which the board is putting modalities in place to re-screen beneficiaries so as to settle outstanding pension and related liabilities, he said.

Muhammad said that the board has commenced disbursing cheques to qualified pensioners at both the state and local government levels under batch four of the payment.

He added that government had used N2.4 billion to settle liabilities of 1,617 beneficiaries under batches 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The director-general said that those pensioners protesting non payment where those who retired under the New Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

He gave the assurance that government was making concerted efforts to ensure that all pensioners in the state are paid their entitlements.

Similarly, Alhaji Ahmed Ketso, Acting Governor of the state, assured pensioners in the state of the administrations determination to pay their entitlements at all times.

He debunked the alleged missing of N6.2 billion of the 7.5 per cent civil servants contribution made on behalf of SUBEB and local government councils in 2007 and March 2015.

He said that government had carried out forensic audit of the transactions of the CPS on the alleged missing funds and discovered that N5.779 billion was remitted to the state pensions board.

Ketso added that a committee had been set up to investigate the matter to ensure prompt payment of pensioners outstanding liabilities under the CPS.

Source: ( PM News )
At least 1,000 migrants have been rescued by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in northern Niger through search and rescue operations of since April.

According to the agency from July 19 to July 25, it conducted an assessment mission of migratory routes in the Tenere Desert and the area surrounding Nigers border with Libya.

The aim of the mission was to improve migrant rescues by understanding better how to assist migrants in distress on that route and to strengthen the Government of Nigers management migration capacity, it said.

The search and rescue operations are an integral part of the Migrants Rescue and Assistance in Agadez Region (MIRAA) project, it explained.

The project was funded by the Government of the Netherlands, and which is complementary to the larger initiative, Migrant Resource and Response Mechanism (MRRM), developed by IOM Niger and financed by the European Union.

I was shocked when, not far from the border between Niger and Libya in Toummo we came across a large group of women mainly from Nigeria and Ghana sleeping in a dark hangar quite close to the border post, waiting for their next passage north.

We need to better understand how trafficking and smuggling networks intersect, and to further increase our presence in these remote areas in order to provide information, assistance and alternatives to migrants in need, Alberto Preato, MRRM Programme Manager at IOM Niger, said:.

During one of the latest search and rescue missions, conducted in cooperation with the Nigerien Civil Protection, IOM rescued 23 Gambian and Senegalese migrants who had been abandoned by their drivers, including one seven-year-old girl, Preato said.

While on the mission, the IOM officials encountered some migrants they had previously met in the ghettos around Agadez, he added.

According to him, in spite of being informed about the dangers and risks of irregular migration by the community mobilisers, the migrants nevertheless decided to try their luck and headed for Libya.

Preato said the rescued migrants were currently recovering at IOMs transit centre for migrants in Agadez as they waited for assistance to voluntarily return to their countries of origin.

He said the initiative included a wide range of services such as direct assistance, assisted voluntary return and reintegration.

He said IOM with Nigers Department of Civil Protection covered more than 1,400km at the end of July in the northern part of the country.

He said the effort was to identify the challenges and changes in flows and migratory routes, whilst also rescuing more than 150 migrants in distress.

Since January, more than 60,000 individuals have been observed entering Niger, of which only half this number were counted leaving the country through the two flow monitoring points in Seguedine and Arlit; compared to the previous year, there are much fewer migrants reported as both incoming and outgoing.

Following this latest assessment mission and seeing that more dangerous routes are being used by smugglers, IOM is looking at implementing new flow monitoring points in the country.

IOM aims not only continue to provide vital assistance to migrants in distress, but also to enhance community stabilisation by supporting community initiatives along the migratory routes in northern Niger, he said.

Source: ( PM News )
The Nigerian Army has issued a threat to the Boko Haram insurgents to surrender now to avoid humiliating death from the renewed onslaught of the army.

According to a statement by the army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman on Wednesday, told the members that their leaders have already abandoned them.

This is to call on the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists wherever they are hiding, (to surrender) and give up forthwith.

This is because your ideology of Boko Haram is dead and no longer tenable.

There is no reason to be suffering or fighting a lost cause.

As you are aware, your leaders have abandoned you and could no longer be of any help to you, it disclosed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government recently redeployed service chiefs to the front line as well as purchased more fighter jets to combat the menace of terrorism in the Northeast.

Source: (PM News )
President of the United States of America, Donald Trump has told North Korea that it will be met will be met with fire and fury if it threatens the US.

He said this after a Washington Post report, citing US intelligence officials, said Pyongyang had produced a nuclear warhead small enough to fit inside its missiles.

This would mean the North is developing nuclear weapons capable of striking the US at a much faster rate than expected.

The UN recently approved further economic sanctions against the country.

The Security Council unanimously agreed to ban North Korean exports and limit investments, prompting fury from North Korea and a vow to make the US pay a price.

The heated rhetoric between the two leaders intensified after Pyongyang tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) in July, claiming it now had the ability to hit the US.

Mr Trump told reporters on Tuesday: North Korea best not make any more threats to the US. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

Donald Trump said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been very threatful, beyond a normal state. So he responded with language that goes well beyond a normal statement for any US president.

Perhaps Mr Trump believes that no hyperbolic threats should go unmatched or that apocalyptic warnings are the only ones the North Korean leadership will understand. Perhaps he  intentionally or not  is pursuing a Nixonian madman style foreign policy, where adversaries will tread lightly to avoid triggering the wrath of an unpredictable US commander-in-chief.

When the leader of the worlds greatest superpower, the only nation ever to have used nuclear weapons on an enemy, talks of unprecedented fire and fury, however, those words have consequences.

During his presidential campaign Mr Trump criticised his predecessor Barack Obama for not enforcing a red line against Syrias use of chemical weapons. Now President Trump has drawn a fiery bright line of his own with North Korea  one that could commit the US to a perilous course of action if his words go unheeded.

The Washington Post quoted an intelligence community report as saying it assesses North Korea has produced nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery, to include delivery by ICBM-class missiles.

It has previously been thought that the North was still years away from being able to fire a nuclear weapon, although it has long carried out separate nuclear tests and missile launches.

North Korea said on Monday, two days after the UN sanctions were passed, that it would continue with its nuclear weapons programme.

The state-run KCNA news agency said Pyongyang would not put our self-defensive nuclear deterrent on the negotiating table while it faces threats from the US.

It threatened to make the US pay the price for its crime thousands of times, referring to Americas role in drafting the UN sanctions resolution.

Source: ( BBC )
A man has identified as Yakasai Mohammed has ben arrested by operatives of the Kano State Police command for posing as a Police man and extorting N100,000 from the mother of a suspect.

The illegal activities of the impostor was brought to an end after a complaint was made to the Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit on July 27, 2017 by a female Kano resident.

The resident was said to have contacted the PCRRU after picking a PCRRU leaflet she found on the ground a day before.

The Head of the PCRRU, ACP Abayomi Shogunle, explained on Tuesday in Abuja that the leaflets were dropped over the city from a helicopter, adding that the flyers were in English, Hausa and Kanuri languages.

Shogunle stated that the complainant had reported to the police that her son was arrested as a robbery suspect in the Kwana Hudu area of Kano and remanded in Kurmawa Prison by the court.

According to Shogunle, the complainant had met the fake policeman, Mohammed, in court where he collected N100,000 from her on the promise that he would release the complainants son, which he failed to do.

Shogunle said, The case was immediately registered and the matter referred to the Commissioner of Police, Kano State for investigation and report.

The said Mohammed was arrested and it was discovered that he is not a police officer or court official but an impostor who goes around courts in the Kano metropolis, pretending to be a police officer and a court worker.

The ACP said the suspect confessed to the crime, while the N100,000 he obtained from the complainant had been recovered.

The money has since been returned to the complainant and Yakasai has also been charged to court for prosecution accordingly and remanded in prison custody, he explained.

Shogunle advised the public against paying for bail, stressing that it is free.

We urge members of the public to immediately report any demand for bribe to the PCRRU, which is available 24/7 via telephones, emails and social media platforms, he added.

Source: ( Punch )
A kidnapped woman has been reported missing as the suspected kidnapper and ritualist got apprehended by some residents of Ojokoro, Lagos state today.

Along Ojokoro axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, Obadeyi bus-stop, a passersby heard a crying voice of a helpless woman allegedly kidnapped by the suspect and his accomplices but the woman has not been recovered as the suspected culpriut were nabbed.

In the bid to contain the situation, the Police present at the scene pof event tried stopping the local residents from lynching the suspect

In the words of a witness, Adesola John:

A woman was crying for help and people heard her voice and searched under the bridge before they found this man, he said.

The woman has not been found and, as you can see, we are still searching.

Another witness who pleaded anonymity said there may be many victims trapped underneath.

(Tori)


A heartless man who brutally murdered his girlfriend has finally revealed the reason why he murdered her.

Andrew Okoth reportedly killed his girlfriend Fahimah Natoolo for talking with another man

A Ugandan man identified as Mr. Andrew Okoth who brutally murdered his girlfriend has confessed why he killed his girlfriend Fahimah Natoolo at Mbalwa zone, Kira Municipality, Wakiso district last week.

Okoth revealed that he killed her for speaking to another man on phone. The Police spokesperson, Asan Kasingye, said Mr Okoth revealed that he was in the bathroom when he heard Natoolo talking to a person he suspected to be a man.

From the bathroom, he asked her to reveal the man she was talking to but the deceased replied in a reluctant way perhaps thinking it was a mere joke. He picked a flat iron and hit her head. She pleaded for mercy but the suspect stabbed her to death, Mr Kasingye said in reference to what Mr Okoths statement had.

Mr Okoth was arrested on Thursday midnight by Kira Road police commander Michael Kasigire with the help of community members. His arrest came after he was sighted at a supermarket in Naalya and was traced up to his new residence.

Mr Mubarak Kaweesi the deceaseds brother told the media that Natoolo and Okoth loved each other when they were students at Kyambogo University and produced a child. However, Natoolos parents insisted that their daughter could not be married to a non-Muslim and she was married off to a Muslim with whom she had a two-year-old child.

Natoolo and Mr Okot are said to have secretly revived their relationship when Natoolo split with the father of her youngest child. Mr Okoth in television footage confessed to have killed Natoolo and asked to be forgiven.

Citing an example Natoolos death and last weeks incident in Kabalagala where a woman stabbed her husband to death, Mr Kasingye said there was increase in murders involving couples.

It is unfortunate that we are registering murders involving couples. In the last few days we have recorded couple murders in Mbalwa, Kabalagala and Nansana. We are encouraging neighbourhood watch to reduce these incidents, Mr Kasingye said

Ms Scovia Namala arrested on Friday suspected to have stabbed her husband Alex Kabuye in Kabalagala. This came three days after Natoolos decomposing body was retrieved in Mr Okoths house. Juliet Kyandali was also murdered in Nganda, Nansana Municipality. Police arrested her husband and maid to help in investigations.

(Naijaloaded)
A Nigerian undergraduate who was shot dead by suspected cultists has been confirmed to be a cultist after he was buried in his cult regalia.

A Nigerian man, Mr. Osaji Charles who died a cruel death just few days to his graduation from Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe area of Anambra state has been buried in his cult regalia.

Mr Osaji Charles, former Mr NASELS (2013/2014 session), was shot dead by unknown cultists on the 19th of July, 2017.

It has now been confirmed that Charles was a cultist before his death. This came after his gang members attended his burial. Charles was also buried in his cult regalia.

He was to finish his departmental exams on Friday 21st of July and graduate on the 25th after Measurement and Evaluation before the ugly incident happened.

(Naijaloaded)
A young man named Bolaji Sholola of number 18 Damigoro street in Mushin area of Lagos State has been rescued by the police from incarceration.

The man was alleged to have been kept in chains for more than a year by his 85-year-old grandmother.

The grandmother who claimed Bolaji is mentally ill said he was kept in the condition with the consent of some family members.

The victim has been taken to the Psychiatric Hospital in Yaba by the Police Area Commander for Area D.
President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly given a timeline that he may resign by a specific time if he doesnt recover from his undisclosed illness.

Buhari left Nigeria for London on May 7 to attend to his failing health and since then, his deputy, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has been acting in his stead.

According to Independent, a credible source in the presidency said though the president has made immense improvements in the last couple of weeks, he was reported to have told his close aides recently that if he doesnt recover by a specific date, he will tender his resignation letter.

He, however, failed to disclose the specific date or month given by the president.

He added that contrary to the views by many, the president is not desperate to cling on to power but he is being advised by doctors to continue with the treatment while Acting President Yemi Osinbajo presides over the affairs of the nation.

He also confirmed that though some aides of the president tried to bypass the acting president in order to get to the president, the president directed them to relate with the acting president who is presently in charge of the affairs of the nation.

He attested to the fact that the decision of the president to direct all state matters to the acting president has greatly contributed to the remarkable progress the president has made in the last couple of weeks.

The president is not desperate to cling on to power if his health cannot carry him. I can tell you authoritatively that he has given a timeline that if he doesnt recover fully on a specific date, he will file in his resignation letter and if you know President Buhari very well, he meant what he said. That is why Nigerians who love the president and his efforts in restoring Nigerias lost glory should continue to pray for his quick recovery. It will be to our disservice if he dies as some people are wishing him, he said.

Another source reportedly told Independent that when the president was transmitting the second letter of his medical vacation to the leadership of the National Assembly intimating it of his trip to London, he wanted to transmit a letter of resignation but a retired General from Taraba prevailed on him not to do so.
A hospital has reportedly amputated 15-year-old Taraba School girl, Safiya Abbas finger, following serious injuries she sustained during a science practical in her school, Science Secondary School Miga in Taraba state recently, she

Rariya reports that chemicals from the schools laboratory badly injured Safiyas hand, and when the school saw they couldnt manage the situation after two days, they sent her back to her parents who took her to the State hospital.

The doctors who examined the hand after she was brought, told the family that to save Safiyas hand, her finger has to be amputated.

(gistreel)
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has reacted to the sad murder of innocent church goers in Ozubulu area of Anambra state after gunmen invaded a Catholic church and shot dead at least 12 persons last week Sunday.

Jonathan also condemned the hate song about the Igbos which is being circulated in Northern Nigeria, saying the song could lead to another breakdown of law and other.

He pointed out that a similar song was what led to the Rwandan Genocide in which hundreds of thousands of people were killed.
The police in Lagos have arrested seven suspected ritualists following the discovery of an underground kidnappers den at Obadeyi in Ijaye area of the state.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, told newsmen at the scene on Tuesday evening that the dungeon was discovered by joint efforts of security agents and members of the public.

According to Owoseni, the place was discovered after a highway sweeper with the Lagos State Waste Management Agency raised an alarm when she heard the voice of a woman calling for help from the canal.

He said that two of those caught were set ablaze by the mob before the arrival of the police at the scene.

Owoseni said that detectives would be on the ground on Wednesday with more sniffer dogs and other security gadgets to ascertain more facts concerning the incident.

He said, In the process, people moved in there to help and also noticed that some persons who had some charms like a gourd in their mouths tried to escape and that made the crowd suspect something unusual.

For now about seven persons, who are suspected to be using those buildings as a base for rituals, have been arrested.

We will continue to give it a touch of professionalism and scientific approach by deploying sniffer dogs that can also penetrate into the canal to see whether we can get materials to be of evidential value.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that items including clothes, under wears, identity cards and wigs of people suspected to be victims were seen at an abandoned house near the canal reportedly used as a hideout by the suspects.

According to an eyewitness who pleaded anonymity, two of the kidnappers had come out of the canal in an attempt to escape but they were overpowered by the angry mob.

Mr. Fatai Ajibola, an eyewitness, said that some members of Oodua Peoples Congress also went into the dungeon to continue with the search and recovered shoes, clothes and other female items.

A resident, who identified himself simply as Kunle, said the discovery of the den came as a surprise to most members of the community.

Most of us in the estate pass through the bridge on daily basis without observing such a thing under the bridge; only God knows how many people that have been killed by the ritual killers in the dungeon. he said.

The police commissioner said that investigation was underway and assured that perpetrators would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Source : (NAN)
President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma survived an attempt in parliament to force him from office on Tuesday, but was left politically got the backing of some members of his ruling African National Congress (ANC) party voted against the opposition.

The 75-year-old Zuma, in power since 2009, secured 198 votes to the oppositions 177 in a no-confidence motion held by secret ballot as loyal ANC lawmakers rallied to his support. There were nine abstentions.

ANC lawmakers erupted into singing and dancing in parliament even before the speaker of the house announced the result of the vote in favour of Zuma, whose eight years in office have been dogged by allegations of corruption.

They are pumping propaganda through the media that the ANC is no longer supported by the people. It is their own imagination, an exuberant Zuma told a cheering crowd outside parliament in Cape Town after the result was announced.

The ANC is supported by the overwhelming majority, he said, before breaking boisterously into song, cracking jokes and telling his supporters that the opposition had been thwarted in an attempted power grab.

South Africas rand weakened nearly 1.5 percent immediately after the news of Zumas victory. At 1730 GMT the rand was down 1.4 percent at 13.4050 per dollar, having traded as firm as 13.1525 during the session.

Zuma, who has held power in Africas most industrialised economy since 2009, has now survived nine no-confidence votes despite a record in office marred by allegations of sleaze and influence-peddling.

He had particularly upset investors by removing finance minister Pravin Gordhan in March, which hit the countrys credit rating.

That has been downgraded to junk by two of the top three rating agencies, unemployment is at a 14-year high of 27.7 percent and the economy is back in recession.

Had the vote gone against him on Tuesday, he and his entire cabinet would have had to step down.
Copper Nears Important Area Taurus Trading LLC - Sat Nov 12, 11:33AM CST Watch price action between 3.9615 and 4.1167.

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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.

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VAUDREIL-DOIRON, QC (August 8, 2017)-  Fastco Canada announced today the construction of a new 17,000 square foot distribution facility in Airdrie, Alberta. Located 20 kilometers north of the Calgary airport, the facility will allow Fastco to significantly improve its services for clients in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The facility is scheduled to open September 2017.

Our team is looking forward to the opening of this project which will greatly benefit our clients in Western Canada said Mr. Glenn Chaplin, President and founder of Fastco Canada.

The construction of the facility is in addition to Fastcos 131,000 sq. ft. head office and Eastern Canada distribution center which opened last summer in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec. These two facilities will allow 75% of Fastco clients to receive their wheel & tire orders overnight with most remaining orders being delivered in less than 48 hours.

ABOUT FASTCO: Founded in 1989 by Mr. Glenn Chaplin, Fastco is one of Canadas largest alloy wheel manufacturers as well as an importer and distributor of tires, steel wheels and wheel accessories. The companys brands include Fast Wheels, Fast HD, Braelin and Replika. Its mission is to supply Canada with premium quality wheels, tires and accessories while offering excellent customer service, comprehensive technical support, rapid order processing and competitive pricing. The family owned business currently serves over 4,200 customers from coast to coast and employs more than 100 people.

For more information about Fastco, visit the website www.fastco.ca.

For more information, please contact: Genevieve Julien-Beland; Media and Event Consultant; 450 455-9877; gbeland@fastco.ca
A corporate watchdog has extended its partnership with a Sydney-based software company in a bid to become a more data-driven, intelligence-led law enforcement agency.Following a competitive tender process, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission ( ASIC ) has entered into a new deal with Nuix as part of its expanding analytics and e-discovery platforms. It will invest around $60 million on data analytics, IT systems, as well as its surveillance and enforcement capabilities.A critical part of detecting, understanding, and responding to issues is our ability to process large volumes of data and to extract intelligence from the diverse data sources now in use, including phones, tablets, corporate email servers, and the cloud,' said John Wallace, ASIC's chief data officer. The investments we are making are enabling us to more effectively perform in-depth analysis of data, identify relationships between persons and entities, and create chronologies revealed by metadata.ASIC last made a deal with Nuix in 2012 for electronic investigation software that allowed the regulator to access Microsoft SharePoint databases and email archives. ASIC also uses the vendor's optical character-recognition capabilities for faxes and paper documents to improve turnaround times in its investigations, Open Gov reported.
Trial lawyers and other insurers are offering their support to help convince the Florida Supreme Court that GEICO General Insurance did not act in bad faith in handling a claim related to a 2006 accident.In that year, GEICO customer James Harvey was involved in a vehicular collision that claimed the life of John Potts. Harvey had a $100,000 policy with GEICO, so the insurer sent a check for the amount to Potts estate nine days after the accident. The estate, however, later filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Harvey, returning the check GEICO sent. A jury later awarded $8.47 million in a judgment against Harvey - and Harvey, in turn, filed a lawsuit against his insurer, alleging that GEICO acted in bad faith by failing to work with the estates attorney regarding information the estate requested before the lawsuit was filed.The requested information dealt with Harveys personal and business assets and whether he was acting in the course of his business at the time of the collision. A jury ruled in Harveys favor, but the decision was overturned by the 4th District Court of Appeal.Now, Daily Business Review has reported that insurance industry groups have filed an amicus curiae brief. In the brief, the industry groups express that a Supreme Court ruling against GEICO could expose insurers to bad faith liability far beyond what has long been established by this court.Plaintiffs position would constitute a sea change that would degrade bad faith law such that mere negligence in claims handling could constitute bad faith, even in the absence of any evidence that the insurer was acting in its own best interests or without due regard for the interests of its insured [customer], a brief filed by the American Insurance Association, the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, the Personal Insurance Federation of Florida and the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America read.The Florida Justice Association, however, argued in a brief filed last month that the Supreme Court should overturn the appeals court ruling that favored the insurer. The association said in its brief that the appeals court ruling would create standards for insurer bad faith actions not previously recognized by Florida courts.
Insurance giant AIG has reported an 87% year-on-year rise in requests for cyber insurance policies in Asia. This comes in the aftermath of the WannaCry malware attack, which hit hundreds of thousands of devices across 150 countries.AIG also reported that, globally, requests for cyber cover increased by 38%.The sudden increase in demand from Asia reflects how organisations in this region are lagging behind their global counterparts in awareness of the risks associated with cyberattacks, according to Jason Kelly, AIGs head of liabilities and financial lines for greater China, Australasia and South Korea.A lot of companies outside of Asia have already bought this coverage, Kelly told the Financial Times, noting how many Asian companies have just begun taking steps to secure cyber insurance.Around 1.3 million computers were vulnerable to WannaCry, which ended up paralysing hospitals in the UK, stalled transport systems, and caused damage to various businesses in May.In the short period of time since the attack, the insurance industry has focused on learning more about its exposure to cyberattacks. Last month, the Financial Times reported Sompo Internationals chief strategy officers warning that insurers are at risk because of relaxed wordings in their cyber policies, which provide greater coverage without increasing premiums.It is estimated that 80% of large-scale businesses are hit by a cyber breach annually, and total damage from cyber crime to the global economy could exceed US$400 billion, putting insurers in a precarious spot regarding their exposures.
Data breaches only tend to make the headlines when hackers target huge global companies with ransom demands.Ransomware attacks in the US continued to rise in the first half of 2017, up by 50% over the first half of 2016, according to Beazley Breach Insights - a report based on client data collected by specialist insurer Beazley.However, something that never makes the headlines is the amount of accidental data breaches caused by employee error or data breached while controlled by third party suppliers. Accidental breaches made up 30% of breaches overall, according to the Beazley report.Sometimes the breach comes from employees who just dont know the right way to protect data, said Katherine Keefe, leader of the Beazley Breach Response Services Group. While there are criminals behind ransomware attacks, its often a lack of awareness among employees that opens the door for the criminals to come walking through.A company can have the best security systems and yet still be vulnerable to the ever-changing threat landscape from a criminal perspective. But that doesnt mean you should throw in the towel. Theres a lot companies can do with their very own employees, using risk management tools and education campaigns to reduce the threat level from the inside of the company.Accidental data breaches can occur through seemingly innocent actions like dumping paper data in an ordinary dumpster rather than putting it through a shredding bin, or clicking on a link contained in a malicious phishing email  all actions that can be curtailed with the right risk management and education programs in place.Companies need to have a breach response plan in place so that everybody knows what to do and who to turn to for help in the event of a suspected data breach, said Keefe. They need to think about things like which departments will be impacted, which privacy lawyer will guide the company through the complex legal ramifications, and what forensic teams will help in the result of an IT systems compromise.With our program at Beazley, we have assembled all of those resources as part of the insurance coverage, so that when an incident happens, a company with our policy can activate their breach response plan quickly and get the investigation up and running. Time is of the essence as most regulatory agencies require a very expedient and quick response to a suspected data breach.The temperature of the regulatory landscape across the US is something brokers need to stay on top of, according to Keefe. In the past five years, regulators have been increasing the amounts of fines and penalties levied against US companies, especially to those who fail to react in line with data breach laws.Ransomware is a crime model thats not going to go away and will unfortunately probably increase, commented Keefe. Theres not much companies can do about this. But they can certainly curb the amount of accidental breaches, and the insurance industry can step up to help them.
Always keep your eyes and mind open and never stop learning - thats the message from Enya He, one of Insurance Business Americas Elite Women 2017.Born and raised in China and educated both in China and the US, He brings something special to the insurance industry. She has a Bachelors, Masters and PHD in insurance and has knowledge across multiple markets.He is currently the South Central regional director for Lloyds, with responsibility for market development activities in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. She manages relationships with multiple stakeholders, including Lloyds underwriters, Lloyds brokers, US retail and wholesale brokers, independent insurance agents, and risk managers, as well as many trade associations.Before joining Lloyds, she was a tenured professor in insurance at the University of North Texas. Back in her native China, He worked for Ping An Insurance Group, Tong Tai Insurance Brokerage and Swiss Life Group.She is an active director on the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation Southeast/Texas division board and a member of the National Steering Committee for the Womens Insurance Networking Group.Resilience, experience and a passion for learning have helped He thrive in the industry. We caught up with her to find out more:My father passed away when I was six and my mom was making minimum wages while raising three of us all by herself. I grew up in one of the tough neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city where most of my friends did not go to college. I stumbled into insurance by fate and luck. Insurance has changed my life, not only by providing a good way of living, but also by enabling me to help others both at work and in the community.Two things I learned most from the Chinese culture that I grew up with are the need for resilience, and to never stop learning and getting better. Chinese are very resilient people: we fall, we get up and try again, and we dont quit. In a way, Chinese culture is also embedded with a sense of urgency encouraging us to keep learning. Not getting better is equivalent to falling behind, which is very true in todays competitive marketplace.I was very lucky. When I was in college, China began opening its doors to the outside business world, with insurance leading the way in the financial services sector. The presence of many world insurance leaders in China, including Royal & Sun Alliance, AXA , Alliance, AIG , and Swiss Re , created great opportunities for many Chinese including myself to work with and learn from the best in the insurance industry. Gross insurance premiums in China grew rapidly from a little over USD 250 million in 1980 to over USD 400 billion in 2016, now the third largest insurance market in the world. While it has not been easy, China has come a long way and has picked up things quickly  always learning is the key.Lloyds is always very exciting and fascinating, but it also has some mystery in the sense that people dont quite understand it. We are the best-known yet least understood brand, given the unique structure of Lloyds being a marketplace and not an insurance company.I am honored and very excited to be a part of Lloyds. In the US, our Lloyds team works with hundreds of stakeholders in our respective regions, many national stakeholders as well as the 200+ Lloyds brokers and 90+ Lloyds syndicates. We partner with multiple stakeholders who have different objectives and goals. They also all have different interests, which can be very challenging, but also fun.The best thing about working for Lloyds is the people inside and outside Lloyds. I have met so many amazing people from all sorts of different backgrounds, who are wonderful, talented, passionate, energetic and it has been nothing but fun working with them.While major challenges still remain in todays environment, we have made great progress in attracting diverse talents to our industry. We certainly owe a great amount of appreciation to those before us, women and men, who have broken the ceilings and risen to the top, and who have fought to get us where we are today. Personally, I am very grateful to the many men and women in my life who championed, mentored and sponsored me along the way. Across the industry, the effort and initiatives from organizations, such as the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), its Womens Insurance Conference Series and Multi-Generational Conference, Womens Insurance Networking Group (WING), and the Dive In Festival started by Lloyds, are now expanding globally and will continue to advance diversity in our workforce.Always keep an open mind and a little patience is very helpful in our business. Even if the first person you interact with and the first position you take is not that exciting, try to give it some time and be patient. Most importantly, always keep your eyes and mind open and never stop learning. Insurance is such a vast field with many facets and ample opportunities for everyone. We will never know everything but if we learn something new every day and use that knowledge to help people, it is very rewarding.I love good food and enjoy cooking as well as travelling. Perhaps I would have a food truck, be a chef and cook for people. I love to be creative in my cooking and enjoy helping people with my healthy yet easy recipes.
Authorities say a construction worker was buried alive when a concrete and dirt wall collapsed on him at a commercial and residential development site in New York.

Poughkeepsie fire officials tell the Poughkeepsie Journal that the wall collapsed Thursday afternoon in the Hudson Valley.

Emergency crews found one worker trapped under debris and a second man injured nearby.

Officials say the trapped worker was dead by the time rescue crews reached him 30 minutes later.

The other worker was treated at a hospital.

Officials say the 15-acre construction site has been shut down as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigates the fatality.

Information from: Poughkeepsie Journal

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics New York Training Development Construction
Royal Dutch Shell Plc will attempt on Friday to restart one of two crude units at Europes biggest oil refinery that were halted by a fire late last month, a person with knowledge of the matter said. European diesel prices slumped as traders anticipated more fuel supply.

Shell will try to restart a crude distillation unit at the Pernis refinery in Rotterdam, the person said, asking not to be identified because the matter isnt public. Separately, the refinery has brought the first supporting units back online as part of a step-by-step restart of the facility, according to a company statement.

Fuel prices in both Europe and the U.S. jumped at the end of last month when the fire forced Shell to halt most of the plants units. Traders directed extra cargoes from other parts of the world in anticipation of a supply shortfall in northwest Europe. The difference between diesel and crude declined immediately after the planned restart became known, a sign of a weaker market.

I would expect distillate cracks to come off quite a bit in the next few weeks purely as a reaction to Pernis coming back, said Steve Sawyer, a London-based analyst at FGE, talking about fuels like gasoil, diesel and jet fuel. They may weaken for the rest of August and September, until refineries start to go into maintenance in October.

Diesel imports from the U.S. were poised to reach a 12-week high, according to a survey of shipbrokers following the halt at Pernis. Traders were also anticipating an increase in cargoes from Asia, as well as decreased exports of gasoline to the U.S.

Related:

Shell Closes Most Units at Netherlands Refinery After Fire

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics USA Europe Energy Oil Gas
A western Wisconsin farmer could be awarded up to $13.5 million after winning a five-year legal battle against an electric services company over stray voltage.

Paul Halderson told the La Crosse Tribune that his dairy farm herd of nearly 1,000 cows dealt with illness and decreased milk production for more than a decade because of Xcel Energys improperly grounded power lines.

Current that leaks from neutral wires in the ground are referred to as stray voltage. Animals can receive small shocks when they come into contact with a grounded object, such as a watering trough. Research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has found that it can cause cattle to avoid eating, become stressed and produce less milk.

The lawsuit said Northern States Power Company, a subsidiary of Xcel Energy, found excessive voltage in one of Haldersons barns in 1996 but failed to report it. Halderson hired a consultant in 2011 and found that the high levels of electricity were coming from the utilitys distribution system.

Xcel Energy installed equipment to reduce stray voltage in 2011.

Its like night and day, Halderson said in a statement released by his attorney. When we had stray voltage, we could never get the production we wanted and the cows were struggling with health problems. Now it seems effortless. Production is way up and the cows are doing great.

The utility said it didnt detect harmful currents where the cows were located and that the farms dairy production issues were a result of difficulties in the dairy industry such as bad feed, disease and inadequate veterinary care.

A Trempealeau County jury found the company was negligent and didnt follow state regulations, causing Halderson nearly $4 million in losses.

The jury awarded Halderson about $4.5 million, but the court may triple that amount because the company was found in willful, wanton or reckless violation of statutes.

Xcel Energy spokeswoman Christine Ouellette said the company is disappointed by the decision but looking into the next steps.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Agribusiness Wisconsin
Liberty Mutuals has launched a new proprietary Premier Property Protector all-risk policy to accommodate all of a brokers single carrier and shared and layered property coverage needs.

According to Mike Fallon, president of National Insurance, Liberty Mutuals business unit that provides commercial insurance products and services to brokers handling mid-size and large accounts, the Premier Property Protector form helps brokers quickly pinpoint, compare and explain coverages, limits and terms and conditions.

He added it is supported by Liberty Mutuals consultative property risk engineers.

The company broadened its fire and natural catastrophe appetite, and enhanced its risk-taking culture where underwriting account teams have the expertise, authority and now the products to help brokers develop property programs that meet the specific coverage and service needs of individual risk managers.

Premier Property Protector is currently available in 49 states and pending approval by Texas regulators.

Liberty Mutual Insurance offers a range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, accident & health, commercial automobile, general liability, property, surety, workers compensation, group disability, group life, specialty lines, reinsurance, individual life and annuity products.

Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance Property
BMW and Daimler, the worlds top luxury carmakers, have announced alliances with suppliers, talking up the virtues of having a bigger pool of engineers to develop a self-driving car.

But another motive behind these deals, executives and industry experts told Reuters, is a concern that robocars may not live up to the profit expectations that drove an initial investment rush.

Carmakers are increasingly looking to forego outright ownership of future autonomous driving systems in favor of spreading the investment burden and risk.

The trend represents a clear shift in strategy from little more than a year ago when most automakers were pursuing standalone strategies focussed on tackling the engineering challenge of developing a self-driving car, rather than on the business case.

Although it is a substantial market, it may not be worth the scale of investments currently being sunk into it, said a board member at one of the German carmakers, who declined to be identified because the matter is confidential.

Dozens of companies  including carmakers and tech firms like Google and Uber  are vying for a market which, according to consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, will only make up about 10 to 15 percent of vehicles in Europe by 2030. There are sure to be losers.

Its impossible for me to believe there will be 50 successful autonomous vehicle software producers, said John Hoffecker, global vice chairman of Michigan-based consulting firm AlixPartners.

In July last year, BMW became the first major carmaker to abandon its solo development of self-driving cars in favor of teaming up with chipmaker Intel and camera and software manufacturer Mobileye to build a platform for autonomous cars technology by 2021.

The decision followed a trip by senior executives to visit startups and suppliers to gauge BMWs competitive position.

Sitting at other companies, one rattles off the technological challenges and safety aspects, and you come to realize that many of us are swimming in the same sludge, Klaus Buettner, BMWs vice president autonomous driving projects, told Reuters.

Everybody is investing billions. Our view was that it makes sense to club together to develop some core systems as a platform.

Daimlers Mercedes-Benz has since combined efforts with supplier Bosch, three months ago, while Japanese carmaker Honda has said it is open to alliances in the area of autonomous cars.

Even deep-pocketed tech companies are teaming up. San Francisco-based transport app operator Lyft and Alphabet Inc.s self-driving car unit Waymo pooled their resources in May.

SHARE THE BURDEN

Partial autonomy is already a reality in higher-end cars that keep in lane and adjust their speed in motorway driving. Each of the next stages  eyes off, mind off and ultimately driverless autonomy  will likely take years to become reality.

Klaus Froehlich, BMWs board member responsible for development, said the company was likely to lose money with its first fully autonomous vehicles, just like it did with its first-generation electric cars. But developing the technology remains a necessity in order to stay relevant as a carmaker.

It is an enabling technology, not a business case, he said about BMWs decision to develop autonomous vehicles. But if the burden can be shared on a platform, I have nothing against that.

One of the most financially promising markets that autonomous technology will open up is driverless on-demand taxis, which may one day come to replace regular cabs and parts of public transport in large cities.

Robotaxis are expected to drive the wider market for car sharing and ride-hailing, which was worth $53 billion last year and could be worth $2 trillion by 2030, according to a McKinsey study published earlier this year.

Ford and General Motors are investing at least $2 billion each to develop self-driving vehicles for urban ride-sharing fleets beginning in 2021, competing with incumbents and start-ups.

The emergence of alliances involving the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz comes at a time when regulators are pushing for a creation of standards for the new technology, which has the potential to improve vehicle reflexes and cut accidents by up to 90 percent, according to Boston Consulting Group.

Industry experts say such standardization could make it much harder to develop a product which stands out, calling into question the wisdom of high-stakes, go-it-alone strategies.

ALLIANCES, MERGERS

In September 2016, the U.S. Department of Transport and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration released guidance for heavily automated vehicles.

The regulator urged carmakers to disclose how vehicle reflexes are programmed, particularly when cars are faced with a dilemma, such as choosing between hitting a cyclist or accelerating beyond legal speeds to avoid an accident.

It is important to consider whether highly automated vehicles are required to apply particular decision rules in instances of conflicts between safety, mobility, and legality objectives, the guidance said.

Algorithms for resolving these conflict situations should be developed transparently using input from federal and state regulators, drivers and passengers.

European regulators too are debating whether to standardize speeds and distances which autonomous cars need to adhere to while weaving in and out of traffic or joining lanes.

Pressure not to waste development costs is laying the groundwork for alliances and even mergers between the various companies supplying technology for autonomous cars, including makers of vehicles, software, computer chips, radar, camera and laser sensors and high-definition maps.

BMW, Mercedes and Audi put aside their rivalry and teamed up to buy mapping firm HERE, for example, in order to cut their dependence on Google.

What starts out as arms-length agreements designed to capture market share, much like code-sharing deals between airlines, may evolve further into takeovers once the next investment round is due, executives and advisers said.

Will we see what is happening in aviation be adopted in automotive  where first we see alliances, collaborations and consortiums, and then we see full out market combinations? asked Bill Curtin, head of mergers and acquisitions at global law firm Hogan Lovells.

(Additional reporting by Joe White in Detroit, Naomi Tajitsu in Tokyo, and Simon Jessop in London; Editing by Pravin Char)

Topics Auto Tech
Wells Fargo & Co.s U.S. regulators are looking into another issue involving insurance linked to auto loans as scrutiny of a key lending unit widens, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau are examining Wells Fargos guaranteed auto protection insurance program, said the people, who asked not to be named discussing regulatory matters. The insurance has also been of interest to the Federal Reserve, another person said.

Wells Fargo said in a regulatory filing last week that it had identified certain issues related to the unused portion of insurance agreements that could result in refunds to customers. So-called GAP insurance covers the difference between what a customer owes on a car loan and the value an insurance company will give to the customer if the car is destroyed in an accident or stolen.

The same three regulators have been in discussions with Wells Fargo on another kind of auto-loan insurance, Franklin Codel, the lenders head of consumer lending, told Bloomberg in an interview late last month. The regulators were notified very promptly after Wells Fargo received consumer complaints about its collateral protection insurance practices in July 2016 and have been kept up-to-date since, Codel said.

More Probes

Wells Fargos reputation among consumers has been jolted again over the last few weeks after it was revealed it may have forced unwanted insurance on customers who took out car loans. On Tuesday, Californias insurance regulator said he would investigate the bank and the insurer, National General Holding Corp., over the improper placement of such coverage.

The bank said in its quarterly filing Friday that it expects to find and fix more issues in its auto-lending business, potentially including how it creates, services and collects on indirect loans and linked insurance products. It said those issues may spark investigations from regulators.

Wells Fargo disclosed it faces additional government probes, including a look into whether consumers were unduly harmed by the bank freezing and closing accounts suspected of fraudulent activity. And its still trying to pinpoint how many bogus accounts employees opened without client permission while trying to hit sales targets, a scandal that first came to light last year.

The New York Times reported the Feds inquiry into the GAP insurance issue yesterday.

Catherine Pulley, a Wells Fargo spokeswoman, declined to comment about any potential discussions with regulators over the insurance practices. Representatives for the OCC and the CFPB declined to comment.

We do not comment on confidential, firm-specific supervisory matters, the Fed said in a statement. We work closely with the OCC and CFPB, the regulators with primary and direct oversight in this area.

In a statement, Wells Fargo said it thinks it can make refunding whats owed to customers who have the GAP insurance more consistent in the future and that it can make things right for customers in the past.

We promised to be transparent in our efforts to fix problems and build a better Wells Fargo and our disclosure of this issue in our 10-Q is an outcome of that promise, the bank said in the statement.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Auto
Global Bankers Insurance Group is the previously undisclosed buyer of assets from the Beechwood family of reinsurance and asset management companies, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The recent purchase by Global Bankers  a $3.5-billion, Durham, North Carolina-based subsidiary of conglomerate Eli Global LLC  was bound by a confidentiality agreement so its name would not be revealed, said the same person, who requested anonymity because the information is private.

Beechwood, which once managed $2.4 billion, lost clients and suffered a bruised reputation when hedge fund manager Platinum Partners collapsed under federal investigations and fraud charges. Beechwood and Platinum were bound by social and family links to staff and start-up money.

The purchase of select assets included Beechwood Bermuda Investment Holdings Ltd, which issues wealth management products, and Beechwood OMNIA Ltd, which offers international investment plans, according to a second person familiar with the transaction who also requested anonymity. Beechwoods portfolio of companies were based in Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and New York.

The deal does not include the assumption of legal liabilities, according to the first source. Beechwood and some of its executives face Platinum-related lawsuits from subsidiaries of CNO Financial Group and a trustee for defunct oil and gas producer Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations LLC.

Beechwoods Chief Executive Officer Mark Feuer and Oresident Scott are not joining Global Bankers, according to both sources. Feuer and Taylor did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Scott Boug, Global Bankers chief actuary, is leading a new endeavor with Beechwoods assets, according to one of the sources. Boug did not immediately respond to an email request for comment.

The Beechwood deal is part of Global Bankers acquisition-led expansion under Paul Brown, who was hired as head of capital and mergers & acquisitions in September 2016. Other recent purchases include Dutch life insurance company Nederlandse Algemeene Maatschappij van Levensverzekeringen Conservatrix NV, NN Life Luxembourg SA, Cincinnati Equitable Companies Inc., Pavonia Holdings (US) Inc. and Bankers Life Insurance Co.

Related:
Ten businesses in a Tulsa shopping district were so badly damaged by a weekend tornado that they have been condemned, including the TGI Fridays and Whataburger restaurants where several people were injured, city officials said .

Notices posted by city inspectors prohibit 10 commercial structures located in the Highland Plaza district from being occupied or used following the tornado early Sunday morning, just hours after many had closed in the busy midtown area. The businesses are AT&T and Woodcraft stores, AspenDental, Panera, CarTec, Whataburger, TGI Fridays, The Flame Broiler, Vintage Stock and H&R Block.

Emergency Medical Services Authority spokeswoman Kelli Bruer said Sunday that the ambulance company transported 13 people to area hospitals, eight from the TGI Fridays restaurant, which lists its closing time as 1 a.m., four from a 24-hour Whataburger restaurant, and one person who was in the area. The National Weather Service said the tornado struck at 1:19 a.m.

One of the most severely injured was in TGI Fridays and the other was inside the Whataburger, Bruer said.

Allan Chaney, owner of Woodcraft, said the tornado toppled walls and destroyed some of the roof of the store specializing in woodworking tools and supplies.

The tornado took out about a third of our store, Chaney said. He said a cinder block wall at the rear of the store and two interior walls were knocked over.

All of our inventory is knocked all over the place, Chaney said. We will hopefully be able to retrieve about 50 percent of it.

Chaney said he hopes to be back in business by Nov. 1 to take advantage of the holiday shopping season.

Woodworking is a winter sport, he said. Three-fourths of the stores sales occur in November, December, January and February.

We really need those four months, Chaney said.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service office at Tulsa said at least three other tornadoes touched down Sunday morning, EF1 tornadoes in the southeast Tulsa suburb of Broken Arrow, at Oologah, about 20 miles northeast of Tulsa and just south of Chelsea, about 40 miles northeast of Tulsa.

No injuries were reported from the twisters outside Tulsa.

Roger Jolliff, director of the Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency, said that 173 businesses and 25 homes were damaged by the EF2 twister. Two trees fell on a home that was destroyed and nine others sustained major damage. Emergency managers said at least four businesses were destroyed and 71 sustained major damage.

Officials said the tornado that struck Tulsa had wind speeds of 120-130 mph and also damaged power poles and trees. The other twisters had winds of 90-110 mph. The storm near Chelsea felled a number of trees.

St. Francis Hospital spokeswoman Lauren Landwerlin says about 30 people were treated at the hospital, including three in non-critical condition.

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum toured the damaged area Monday and said the city was lucky that the storm hit a mostly commercial district when businesses were closed instead of centering on a residential area.

The timing of it definitely helped, and we are very fortunate, Bynum said.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Oklahoma
Authorities in Florida say five people were injured after a man ran a red light and collided with a Disney World bus.

The Orlando Sentinel reports 34-year-old Ritesh Bhagani crashed into the bus Sunday around 6:30 p.m.

Sgt. Kim Montes with the Florida Highway Patrol says Bhagani slammed into the front of the Disney World bus with 19 passengers inside.

Authorities say the bus driver was hospitalized with serious injuries. Two other people on the bus, along with Bhagani and his passenger, were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Authorities say charges are pending. Its unclear if Bhagani has a lawyer.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Auto
The family of a university student in South Carolina who died falling off a bridge during a pledge run has settled its lawsuit against Clemson University and the fraternity.

Court records filed Thursday show Tucker Hipps parents reached the deal after mediation. The amount of the settlement wasnt released, and it still must be approved by a judge. The family was asking for $25 million.

Hipps was a 19-year-old Clemson University sophomore when he went on a run as a pledge with the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity in September 2014.

Authorities say Hipps body was found at the bottom of the state Highway 93 bridge over Lake Hartwell.

The lawsuit says three students sued made Tucker walk on a bridge rail and tried to cover up what happened.

Topics Lawsuits Education Universities South Carolina
Mountain Tough was a slogan Mayor Mike Werner of Gatlinburg, Tenn. proclaimed in the aftermath of a Nov. 28 blaze that destroyed or damaged more than 2,400 structures, caused more than $1 billion in damages and killed 14 people.

This is the most amazing place to live, said Werner, who lost his own residence in the fire. This is our home. People need to know everything is going to be OK and were going to bounce back.

Bouncing back has tested the legendary stoic resolve of this Smoky Mountain community. Though much rebirth already has been accomplished, there is still a long road ahead.

In all my years as county mayor, I have never seen such destruction as was caused by the wildfires of late November, said County Mayor Larry Waters. Rebuilding has begun and we are pleased with the progress. I am confident that we will fully recover.

More than 12 million people visit Sevier County annually. They head to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, enjoy Pigeon Forges Dollywood theme park, and frequent the candy shops of Gatlinburg.

That industry took a huge hit. Dollars were off $19 million for December in an area where tourism has a $2 billion economic impact annually.

The good news is that the Sevier County Economic Development Council projects tourist revenue will be up 3 percent this year over last.

Almost all of the fire damage was around Gatlinburg. The nearby tourism towns of Pigeon Forge and Sevierville went generally untouched. In Gatlinburg itself, the attractions along the Parkway  including popular Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies  received mostly just smoke damage.

Gatlinburg was closed for less than two weeks and city leaders continue to fight what they see as a national misconception that the town was burned to the ground.

They think there is no Gatlinburg to come to, said local businessman Eric Hensley several weeks after the fire.

An estimated $922 million in incurred losses were filed because of the fire, according to the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.

The number does not include the substantial loss of uninsured or under-insured property.

In addition, fighting the fire cost more than $8.8 million, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Those staggering numbers have been answered to a degree by millions of dollars in assistance.

A document was provided on request from USA TODAY  TENNESSEE by the state of Tennessee that showed more than $45 million in federal and state assistance. The total included such items as $3.2 million from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for waste management and $5.8 million from the federal Department of Labor for worker recovery efforts.

Some of the aid came in the form of $12.45 million in low interest loans from the federal Small Business Administration. Around $16 million in tax refunds and credits were also listed.

I am grateful to the General Assembly for passing a state budget that includes $21.4 million for programs to help Sevier County thrive again, Gov. Bill Haslam said.

Much federal money became available after Sevier County was declared a federal disaster area by then President Barack Obama on Dec. 15 including $3.3 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster funds.

Favorite daughter Dolly Parton raised more than $11 million, with more than $9 million coming from a telethon at which her musical friends performed.

I was happy to do my part as a Smoky Mountain girl, Parton said.

Numerous other private funding efforts have raised several million dollars more.

The outpouring of support was incredible, said Haslam.  Its become a cliche but its true, these people are mountain tough, and I am so grateful for the way they have worked together over the past six months, neighbor helping neighbor, taking care of each other and getting their lives and businesses back up and running.

More than 11,000 of the acres burned were in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The park has more than 10 million visitors annually, more than double the next most-visited national park.

Though it was a significant burn area in the half-million acre park, only about 10 percent of that burned area was burned severely.

Park officials prediction that the woodlands would bounce back quickly has proved accurate. New growth is well underway through most of the burn areas.

All but four of the 17 trails closed within the park in the fires aftermath have been reopened. Among the four is Chimney Tops Trail, one of the parks most popular routes. The Chimney Tops 2 fire, which spread to cause most of the devastation in Sevier County, started near the top of that trail.

The park received $700,717 in emergency fire stabilization funding and hopes to acquire $907,500 more spread over three years, all from the National Park Service, GSMNP deputy superintendent Clay Jordan said.

The fire was blamed for the death of two black bears.

Since their Tudor Inn burned to the ground, co-owners Glenn and Susan Stocks have been digging through the mountains of red tape required after all on the documentation on their business went up in flames Nov. 28.

The Stocks are selling the inn property as are some others for a

ariety of reasons. Older structures were built before building codes and owners are now being told they will have to meet those codes when rebuilding. Some are frustrated with what they say are a lack of answers from public officials. Some were uninsured. Some are just too scared to return.

But many are staying and rebuilding.

Lisa McCarter and her family lost their home, but they are rebuilding and, through their church, are helping other families put their lives back together.

Its more or less rallied people to take a more active role in community restoration, she said. Its actually been a good thing.

Allen Rivera is among the many immigrants who work in the restaurant and tourism business in Sevier County. He also lost everything in the fire. But, his family found a new home even though half of the home is often without electricity and they recently found a snake inside.

Glenn Warren, whose Chalet Village home was burned to the ground, was having it rebuilt when a wind incident on May 4 knocked down part of the frame even as it was being constructed.

Well do this together, he said as he looked over the piles of broken wood. Its taken longer than we originally thought, but well do it.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Tennessee
A California woman who sued her plastic surgeon after photographs of her breasts surfaced on the internet has been awarded $18,000.

The Fresno Bee reported the woman was awarded the money on Monday by a Fresno County Superior Court jury.

She sought $300,000, contending that a Fresno surgeon was negligent and violated her duty to keep a patients medical information confidential.

In March 2013, the woman says she gave the surgeon consent to photograph her naked torso before and after the surgery for anonymous promotion. But the woman says five months later, a man she had met found the pictures by Google searching her name.

The surgeons lawyer told the jury that the photos were mistakenly put on the internet and were taken down within a few days.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits California
Dan McElvany has been named head of reinsurance for Farmers Group Inc.

He will begin Sept. 5 and will report to Scott Lindquist, chief financial officer of Farmers Group.

McElvany has had a 21-year career in insurance, most recently with Swiss Re as a senior vice president. He was a vice president at Underwriters Re before that.

Farmers Insurance and Farmers are tradenames for a group of affiliated insurers providing insurance for automobiles, homes and small businesses and a wide range of other insurance and financial services and products.

Topics California Reinsurance Agribusiness
The US Tax Court in Eaton Corporation and Subsidiaries v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo, 2017-147 determined that the IRS abused its discretion in cancelling two unilateral advanced pricing agreements (APAs) covering the transfer of certain products, the license of intangible property, and cost sharing between Eatons US subsidiaries and foreign subsidiaries in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic (the island subs).

The Tax Court also rejected an alternative IRS position that if the two APAs were valid, Eaton owed additional tax on account of a non-APA covered transfer of intangibles to the island subs that enable the subs to earn excess profits.

Background

Eaton Corporation and its subsidiaries entered into two APAs establishing transfer pricing methodologies for covered transactions between Eatons US subsidiaries (Eaton US) and the island subs. The first APA (APA I) applied to tax years 2001-2005, and the second APA (APA II) applied to tax years 2006-2010. Eaton Corporation and its subsidiaries are collectively referred to as Eaton.

The APAs covered Eaton USs purchase of circuit breakers, switches and push-button controls manufactured by its island subs. The APAs generally adopted as the transfer pricing method (TPM) a comparable uncontrolled price (CUP) method per product sold by the island subs to Eaton US, with an aggregate adjustment, if necessary, to ensure Eaton US achieved a Berry ratio (the ratio of a company's gross profits to operating expenses) on its distribution activities. Under the CUP method agreed in the APAs, the profits of the island subs were not specially tested. During the APA process, some members of the IRS APA team had argued for use of the comparable profits method (CPM), under which the profits of the island subs would have been tested and limited.

After the APAs were executed, Eaton discovered a number of transfer pricing computational errors, which it then corrected via the amended APA annual report filings and amended tax returns. Some of the errors favoured the taxpayer, while others favoured the IRS. In the aggregate, the errors resulted in about a 2% increase in the reported US APA related income.

After reviewing those filings, in 2011, the IRS determined that Eaton had not complied in good faith with the terms of the applicable APA revenue procedures. The IRS cancelled APA I effective January 1 2005 and APA II effective January 1 2006. IRS used the computational errors as one basis for cancelling the APAs.

Immediately following the APA cancellations, the IRS issued deficiency notices determining that 482 income adjustments were necessary to reflect arms-length results for Eatons intercompany transactions between Eaton US and the island subs for tax years 2005 and 2006, in the amounts of $102 million and $266 million, respectively, plus penalties The deficiencies were determined using methods that the IRS APA teams had considered, but not adopted, during the negotiations of APA I and APA II.

As an alternative, if the Tax Court rejected the 482 adjustments, the IRS proposed to increase Eaton USs 2006 income by approximately $231 million based on a deemed 367 (d) transfer of intangibles to the island subs. The IRSs position was that the high profitability of the island subs could only be justified by their exploitation of non-routine intangibles. Because the island subs did not create any non-routine intangibles, the IRS concluded that intangibles must have been transferred from Eaton US to the island subs in a 367(d) transfer.

Key points of the Tax Courts opinion

In opposing the APA cancellations, Eaton initially argued that the APAs were contracts and that under ordinary contract law principles that apply to the US as a contracting party, the IRS had the burden of proving that Eaton had violated the terms of the APAs, which the IRS had failed to do. This argument was rejected by the court in pre-trial proceedings and in the trial opinion. Alternatively, Eaton argued that the APA cancellations were an abuse of discretion because there was no factual basis for the cancellation under the applicable revenue procedures.

The IRS argued that the cancellations were not an abuse of discretion because Eaton did not comply in good faith with the terms and conditions of either APA and failed to satisfy the APA annual reporting requirements. IRS relied upon nine specific errors or omissions made by Eaton to support the cancellations.

The standard of review applied by the Tax Court was whether it was an abuse of discretion for the IRS to cancel the APAs. Thus, Eaton was required to show that the cancellations were arbitrary, capricious, or without sound basis in fact. In considering whether there was an abuse of discretion, the court considered whether the IRS abided by the self-imposed limitations set forth in the applicable revenue procedures. Applying the standards set forth in the APA revenue procedures, the court focused on whether Eaton had made misrepresentations, made mistakes as to a material fact, or failed to state a material fact. In making its determinations, the court looked at nine disputed factual issues.

Based on an individual review of each issue and an aggregate assessment of all the issues, the court concluded that for each particular issue, the information was either known by the APA teams, the APA teams had the opportunity to inquire about the information before agreeing to the APAs (but failed to do so), or the information was corrected or disclosed during APA negotiations and did not impact the choice of the APA TPM. Ultimately, the court concluded that any misrepresentations, mistakes or failures were not material.

Specifically, the opinion stated that: [The] Respondent [IRS] had many opportunities not to agree to APA I and APA II. After completing the APA II negotiations, [the] respondent should have had a clear understanding of [the] petitioners transactions and should not have entered into APA II if the APA II team was concerned that [the] petitioner was omitting or misrepresenting information.

In concluding, the court noted that an APA is a binding agreement and it should be cancelled only according to the terms of the revenue procedures. The revenue procedures define material facts as facts that, if known by the IRS, would have resulted in a significantly different APA or no APA at all.

Eaton made immaterial and inadvertent errors that did not fit the APA governing revenue procedures definition of material. The court further noted that a desire to change the TPM after the negotiations concluded (i.e. buyers remorse) is not a reason for cancellation and therefore the cancellation was arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable.

The court also rejected the alternative argument presented by the IRS under 367(d). The court found that no intangible assets were transferred in 2006. The court disagreed with the IRSs position that an intangible transfer could be inferred solely due to the excess profits of the island subs. The IRS did not identify any intangibles that should be subject to 367(d). The foreign subsidiaries had access to intangibles through licenses and therefore the court concluded that no intangibles were transferred subject to 367(d).

Takeaways and observations

As set forth in the opinion, APA cancellations are rare. There were only 11 APA cancellations or revocation between 1991 and 2015. In addition, Eaton had negotiated two unilateral APAs. Most APAs are bilateral and in such cases a treaty partner would be consulted before an APA was revoked or cancelled. The Eaton case is the first occasion when a taxpayer has judicially challenged an APA revocation or cancellation.

What this case highlights is that APAs may not be reviewed under principles of contract law. The Tax Court will apply the abuse of discretion standard and focus on the self-imposed guidelines in the relevant revenue procedures. Notwithstanding what appears to be a higher burden of proof, the taxpayer was able to convince the court that it had not made misrepresentations of material facts or engaged in other conduct that justified the cancellations.

The court noted that APAs are negotiations designed to solve complex transfer pricing issues. The goal is to reach a mutually acceptable understanding of the appropriate application of the arms-length standard to the taxpayers facts, it said. The conclusion of the negotiation is an acceptable negotiated instrument reached through compromise. During APA negotiations, taxpayers should keep in mind the delicate nature of negotiations to ensure goals are achieved and mistrust is not created.

If the taxpayer discovers errors during the APA negotiations or afterwards, it is important to bring them to the attention of the IRS and maintain a cordial relationship. However, in the rare instance of a revocation or cancellation, judicial relief is available.

Moreover, it is clear that the Tax Court will not support arguments that 367(d) transfers occur solely as a result of having excess profits in a particular entity. Generally, the theory that excess profits are attributable to an intangible transfer underlies many IRS exam adjustments and is the theoretical basis for the income method. In rejecting the IRSs position, the court looked to the statutorily defined list of intangibles that are applicable to  367(d), 482, and 936. The court rejected the IRSs position because there was no actual transfer of intangibles listed in the statute. The Tax Courts holding on this issue is consistent with the courts holdings rejecting similar IRS arguments in the Amazon and Veritas cases.

As a final comment, the APA programme is designed to serve as a non-adversarial alternative to the traditional adversarial procedures for resolving transfer pricing. Based on the grounds argued by the IRS to support the APA cancellations, which the Tax Court found were individually and collectively immaterial or known to the IRS when the APAs were negotiated, it remains factually unclear why the IRS cancelled the two APAs in the first place.

By Mike Patton and Mumi Hemrajani, DLA Piper, US.
On a press meeting, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said that the referendum that Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) plans to hold in northern Iraq in "not constitutional."

Abadi mentioned, "The KRG claims that they won't implement the result of the referendum. If you won't implement it, then why would you do it?"

Calling the KRG and Baghdad partners in their homeland, Abadi said that it is not correct to do anything unilaterally.



"I do not want any new problems. The relationship between the military and peshmerga is very good and there are no sensitivities. I urge them to come up with an alternative to the referendum. The KRG is a part of Iraq. Kurds are the first class citizens of Iraq and they will remain so," Abadi said.



He further added, "The neighboring countries see the situation as a national security threat, and they are right. I want us to continue our solidarity."

In June, KRG President Massoud Barzani announced that they would hold a referendum on independence from Baghdad on Sept. 25. Ankara has opposed the independence vote, calling it a "grave mistake" that would "result in undesired results" for regional peace and security.



With a population of around 5 million people, Iraqi Kurdistan already enjoys a high degree of autonomy. It has its own parliament and armed forces, but has clashed with the central administration in Baghdad over distribution of oil revenues and control of some areas under the central Iraqi administration.

Regarding the liberation of Mosul from the Daesh, Abadi said that civilians were against the terrorist organization in the city. "Some families were reporting Daesh to security forces. We are not supporting collective punishment. We want to have societal peace."



He also mentioned reports on torture of civilians in Mosul, saying that they do not present the truth. On July 9, Abadi declared victory against Daesh in Mosul, but dramatic photos from the centuries-old city that went viral on social media and on news sites show wide-scale destruction.



| Soruce: AINA | By S.Seal
Ireland has exited its lost decade of recession according to Goodbody Stockbrokers but advocacy groups are warning that deprivation levels remain high for many.

In a report today Goodbody pointed to double-digit construction growth and continued consumer spending as driving Irelands core domestic demand.

But the think tank, TASC, say some people are being left behind and that there is a layer of people at the bottom of society whose living conditions are not improving.

TASC Director James Wickham also pointed to the lack of housing as an issue.

"Coventional indicators of inequality are mostly falling ... but those measures dont take into account the rising costs of food and crucially, of course, housing. Five years ago there was no jobs and lots of housing and now it it is the other way round.

Seamus Boland from Irish Rural Link also suggested many areas and people are still lagging behind.

"Yes jobs are being created in the regions but they are very much at lower pay levels."
The Justice Minister has said the rhetoric used by President Trump around North Korea has been "unhelpful and scary".

It comes as tensions continue to simmer between both states after President Trump warned the Asian state that it would face "fire and fury" if it threatens the United States.
#World University Games Chuncheong named host of 2027 World University Games The South Korean central region of Chungcheong was named the host of the 2027 Summer World University Games on Saturday, bringing the biennial event to the country for the fourth t...

#first lady First lady visits home of Cambodian child with heart disease First lady Kim Keon-hee visited the home of a Cambodian child with a heart disease Saturday and comforted the family, urging them not to give up under any circumstances, the presid...
Update 9.48pm: Jason Corbetts son, Jack, described his step-mother, Molly Martens Corbett as a murderer in a victim-impact statement read out in a south Carolina court today.

Molly Martens will not be forgotten, the 12-year-old said in a statement read by Assistant District Attorney Alan Martin.

She will always be remembered as the woman who killed her husband for no reason. She will be remembered as a murderer.

Molly Martens Corbett collapsed into tears when she heard the statement.

During her four-year marriage to Jason Corbett, Molly had tried to adopt Jack and his sister, Sarah, now 10, but Jason Corbett refused to allow it.

After Jason Corbett was killed, Molly Martens Corbett sought to be legal guardian of the children, a move opposed by Jasons sister, Tracey Lynch, and her husband, David Lynch.

A protracted legal battle resulted, and Tracey and David Lynch eventually won custody of the two children, who live with them in Ireland.

Jack said his father was always cheering him on in sports, school and life.

I dont have that from him anymore, he said. He wont be there for me when I get married or have kids. He will miss everything.

Jack said Jason Corbett wont be there to give him advice or see him grow up.

I cant ever go to a movie or pass a ball without feeling bad because thats what me and my dad did, he said.

He said Sarah also has had a hard time.

We are seen as the family of the Irish man who was murdered by Molly Martens, who is so bad, he said.

One thing she is not is a part of the Corbett family.

Thomas Martens, 67, a former FBI agent, is loaded into a prisoner transport van at the Davidson County Courthouse in Lexington, North Carolina. Photo by Jerry Wolford.

Tracey Lynch, with her husband by her side, read her own statement.

Aug. 2 will be imprinted in our minds for all the wrong reasons, she said.

Our day to day lives have been filled with constant worryWe will never come to terms with Jasons death. He was beaten and battered thousands of miles (from his friends and family) in his own home.

We ask ourselves if he was in pain, she said. How long did he lay there before he took his last breath?

Jack and Sarah sometimes have trouble finding joy in the simplest pleasures of life, Tracey Lynch said. They are painfully aware there is violence. They cannot trust because adults break their trust.

Then she read a statement from her mother.

When I close my eyes, all I see is his battered and bruised body lying on the floor, Lynchs mother said.

Update 9pm: The former wife of Jason Corbett and her father have been taken from a south Carolina courthouse to begin their 20-25 year sentence in state prison.

The two were found guilty of the murder, in the second degree, of Jason Corbett earlier today.

Molly Martens Corbett and Thomas Martens in handcuffs after being convicted of 2nd degree murder in killing of #JasonCorbett. #CorbettTrial pic.twitter.com/RxJ175BOs4  Alex Rose (@AlexRoseNews) August 9, 2017

Update 7pm: Jason Corbett's sister, Tracey, has spoken to the media outside court in South Carolina this evening following the conviction of Molly Martens Corbett and Thomas Martens earlier today.

In her statement she thanked the jury and the people of South Carolina in fulfilling their duty of justice.

On the second of August 2015, my niece and nephew (Sarah and Jack) were made orphans in a brutal, merciless killing, she said.

My parents lost their child, and we lost the most wonderful brother and friend. Jason was unarmed. He was struck when he was going down in the middle of the night. Two people battered him until he was dead and then battered him even more.

She said he was beaten by Molly Corbett with a concrete paving brick that she kept on her nightstand and by Thomas Martens with a baseball bat.

Who keeps a brick on their night stand, she said.

Lynch thanked the jury for the verdict.

The jury had fulfilled their duty and we will fulfill our duty to create a good future for Jasons children, whom he lovedJason was a loving man and he was a great father, she said. You can be sure Jason Corbetts family will make sure he is remembered for what he was, not how he died.

Speaking in Limerick earlier, Jason Corbett's twin, Wayne says the jury delivered the right verdict, but it won't bring back his beloved brother.

"We are delighted it has finally come to an end. The ordeal is over. It is not a celebration. Jason is still gone. Finally people have been found guilty and justly so because it was a cold blooded murder in my eyes."

The uncle of Molly Martens Corbett also briefly addressed press outside court and said he was disappointed at what he felt was "an atrocious miscarriage of justice"

Both Thomas and Molly Martens were sentenced to 20 to 25 years in prison.

Update 5pm: A jury of nine women and three men has found Molly Martens Corbett and Thomas Martens guilty of second-degree murder, writes Michael Hewlett from South Carolina.

The jury deliberated for most of the morning before returning a unanimous guilty verdict just before noon.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Molly Corbett said as she was being led away in handcuffs as the court took a brief recess. "I wish they'd just kill me."

Jason Corbett and Molly Martens.

The family of Jason Corbett, including his sister, Tracey Lynch, broke into tears, and during the recess were exuberately happy.

Michael Earnest, Molly Martens Corbett 's uncle, and her mother, Sharon Martens, held their head down, as each juror was polled on their verdict.

Some of the jurors were visibly upset, wiping away tears. One juror, a woman, choked as she answered, "Yes," to the question of whether she stood by her verdict.

Jason Corbett, 39, a plant manager for Multi Packaging Solutions, was found nude and bludgeoned to death in his home at 160 Panther Creek Court in the Meadowlands, an upscale golf-course community in Davidson County, after 3 a.m. Aug. 2, 2015.

His second wife, Molly Martens Corbett, 33, and her father, Thomas Martens, 67, a former FBI agent, were indicted in December 2015 with second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter (prosecutors later dropped the voluntary manslaughter charge but the jury considered it in its deliberation).

Davidson County prosecutors alleged a gruesome crime - that Molly Corbett, using a concrete paving brick, and Martens, using a 28-inch Louisville Slugger baseball bat, beat Jason Corbett to death in his master bedroom, crushing his skull and hitting his head at least 12 times.

But defence attorneys for Molly Martens Corbett and Martens told a different story - that of a father doing everything he could to protect himself and his daughter from being killed by an out-of-control Jason Corbett.

Martens testified during the trial that he and his wife, Sharon Martens, were asleep in the guest bedroom in the basement that morning.

The two had travelled from their home in Knoxville, Tenn., to visit their daughter and their step-grandchildren, Jack and Sarah. But Martens said he heard loud noises coming from upstairs and he grabbed the metal baseball bat he planned to give Jack the next day and went upstairs.

He opened the door to the master bedroom and saw Jason Corbett with his hands around Molly Corbett's throat.

"Let her go," Martens said he told Jason Corbett. Jason said, "I'm going to kill her."

They said the same things to each other several times, each time getting louder and louder, until Martens said he had no choice but to hit Jason Corbett in the head. By this time, Martens testified, Jason Corbett had Molly in a chokehold.

The court heard the hit had no effect, and Jason Corbett dragged Molly Corbett to the hallway, then to the bathroom, where Martens said he hit Jason again, and then back to the bedroom.

Martens testified Jason Corbett was able to grab the bat with his left hand and push him across the room, where Martens lost his glasses for a moment. Then, when Molly escaped from Jason, Martens rushed Jason Corbett, got control of the bat and kept hitting him until Jason went down.

Molly Martens Corbett told investigators that she tried to hit Jason Corbett in the head with the concrete paving brick.

Prosecutors presented testimony from a multitude of EMS paramedics and sheriff's deputies from the Davidson County Sheriff's Office who described a bloody scene in the master bedroom. They also testified that Molly Corbett and Thomas Martens had no visible signs of injury.

Walter Holton, Molly Corbett's attorney, said in closing arguments that investigators failed to take note of a mark on her neck and that Molly Corbett told paramedics that her throat hurt and that she had difficulty swallowing.

Dr. Craig Nelson, a medical examiner, testified that Jason Corbett was struck at least 12 times, and Stuart James, a blood-stain pattern analyst, testified that at least some of the blows to Jason Corbett's head occurred when he was close to the ground.

Stains on Molly Martens Corbett pyjama pants and Martens' boxer shorts suggest that they were above and over Jason Corbett's head when some of the blows occurred.

The case has garnered national and international attention.

A protracted child custody case erupted soon after Jason Corbett died. Molly Corbett, who had unsuccessfully tried to adopt the children while her husband was alive, fought for legal guardianship of the children.

The children's aunt, Tracey Lynch, opposed the move and eventually won guardianship. Jack and Sarah now live in Ireland with Tracey Lynch and her husband, David Lynch, who is the executor of Jason Corbett's estate.

Prosecutors said Molly Corbett's desire to adopt the children was part of the motive for the killing. They also pointed to a $600,000 life insurance policy that Jason Corbett had as a possible motive. They alleged that Martens hated Jason Corbett, pointing to testimony from a former co-worker of his at Oak Ridge Laboratory's Office of Counterintelligence, where Martens worked for eight years.

Molly Martens Corbett and her father Thomas will face at least 12 years in prison with prosecutors looking for lengthier sentences.

Prosecutors are seeking 20 years to 25 years for each Molly Corbett and Thomas Martens. #JasonCorbett  Michael Hewlett (@mhewlettWSJ) August 9, 2017

Earlier: Molly Martens and her father Thomas Martens have been found guilty of the second degree murder of Limerick man Jason Corbett.

The jury in the trial in the US returned their verdict in the last half hour.

The 39-year- old was found beaten to death in the bedroom of their home in North Carolina two years ago.

The pair had claimed they acted in self defence in fear for their lives.

More as we get it
Update 8.45pm: A bomb squad has found no explosives after a man who claimed to be carrying a device in his car in Brussels was stopped by police.

Prosecutors say the suspect - who is from Rwanda - was detained following a police chase.

It happened in the Molenbeek area - which was home to the Islamic State members who attacked Paris in November 2015.

Earlier: Brussels police have opened fire on a car after a high-speed chase in the suburb of Molenbeek and the driver has told officers there are explosives inside the vehicle.

Brussels prosecutors spokeswoman Ine Van Wymersch told The Associated Press that police fired once at the car, which was involved in two collisions during the chase.

Ms Van Wymersch said: "When they got the person out, he immediately claimed that there were explosives inside."

She said the man was alone and no one has been injured.

Army bomb disposal experts have been called in and police have sealed off the area, locking a number of people in nearby shops as a precaution, Ms Van Wymersch said.

Brussels police spokeswoman Dorothee Cattrysse said 400 to 500 people were being kept in the stores.

Brussels has been on high alert since 32 people were killed in 2016 suicide attacks. Many suspects linked to those attacks and the November 2015 massacre in Paris lived in or transited through Molenbeek.

More as we get it ...
Skincare brand Olay's claim that its Regenerist products improve the appearance of skin "cell by cell" has been banned for misleading consumers.

The cosmetics giant made the claim that Regenerist "re-energises skin's appearance cell by cell", with small print adding that it did this "by exfoliating skin surface cells".

However a cosmetic doctor complained to the UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that the claim was misleading and challenged whether Olay could substantiate it.

Procter & Gamble, which owns the Olay brand, said all products in the range included 5% niacinamide, or vitamin B3, which was proven to increase the rate of surface cell renewal and provide an exfoliation benefit, while the "lubricous" nature of the product smoothed the skin's surface.

P&G said it did not believe that the claim implied a deeper physiological action, and referred to the skin's "appearance".

The ASA said the "cell by cell" claim implied that the product would have a deeper physiological effect than only surface level, and the word "re-energises" reinforced that impression.

It said: "We concluded that the claim 'Re-energises skin's appearance cell by cell' as consumers were likely to interpret it had not been substantiated and was therefore misleading."

It ruled that the ad must not appear again in the form complained about, adding: "We told Procter & Gamble to ensure that they held sufficient evidence to support claims made in their advertising."

A Procter & Gamble spokeswoman said: "We believe the advertising claim was clear and substantiated so we are disappointed with the ASA's final ruling.

"All of our Regenerist facial moisturiser products contain 5% Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), an ingredient proven and well documented for its ability to increase the rate of surface cell exfoliation at levels of 2% and above.

"However, we respect the ASA's final decision and will be removing the claim from any external copy."
US Defence Secretary James Mattis has said North Korea should cease any consideration of actions that would "lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people".

Mr Mattis said any action by North Korea would be grossly overmatched by the US, and that Pyongyang would lose any arms race or conflict it started. He said that while the US is pursuing diplomatic solutions, the combined military power of America and its allies is the most robust on Earth.
Government policies encouraging Chinese companies to invest in manufacturing capabilities, particularly for advanced technology, and international trade will help maintain deal flow, the law firm  which specialises in advising on mergers and acquisitions  said in a report. Chinese buyers have spent about $880bn on assets in other countries in the last 10 years, according to the data.

The success of Chinas bidders will depend on their ability to overcome foreign countries concerns about national security and interest, which contributed to the failure of as much as $75bn in announced outbound deals last year, Linklaters said in the report. China may also have to bow to international pressure to liberalise its markets, it said.
Last month EU-member Croatia raised its fees for phytosanitary controls -- agricultural checks for pests and viruses ? on fruits and vegetables at its borders to 2,000 kuna (275) from 90 kuna.

It cited compliance with EU standards and protection of its consumers.

But ministers from EU candidates Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro, as well as from fellow EU aspirant Bosnia, said the move violated their respective pre-accession agreements with the bloc under which they were guaranteed equal access to markets.

These measures are absolutely protectionist in an economic sense. They are populist in political sense and cannot be justified, They are (not) in the spirit of good neighbourly relations, Serbian Trade Minister Rasim Ljajic told reporters after meeting his Balkan counterparts in Sarajevo.

The ministers from the four countries called on Croatia to withdraw its decision and invited the European Commission to get involved to solve an issue they said violated the free trade principles.

They also asked for an urgent meeting with the Croatian agriculture minister. However, until the issue has been resolved, each country will take counter-measures it considered adequate to protect its own economic interests, they said.

Mr Ljajic said that Serbia has already stepped up phytosanitary controls on all organic produce from Croatia and will increase them further. This means that goods, including meat and dairy products, could be held up at borders from 15 to 30 days.

Our goal is not to wage any kind of economic war but to protect our economic interests and the free flow of goods, he said.

Macedonia and Montenegro said they would file complaints to the World Trade Organisation, of which they are members, and seek mechanisms through the body for compensation from Croatia, which raised import fees at a peak of the high season for export of fruits and vegetables from their countries.

Relations remain strained between the two former Yugoslav countries and bitter foes during the Balkan wars of the 1990s, despite improvements in investments, the flow of people and capital.
Last month, Dublin City Council gave the developer the green light to construct the 45m project at Station Square in Clongriffin.

However, the Grange Abbey Residents Association is one of two parties to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanala.

We believe that any new building should be in keeping with the height of the existing development and not towering over it, said the association.

For safety concerns, if the building had to be evacuated, for example, a fire  the higher the building, the more difficult it would be for residents to exit it.

The management company for the nearby Myrtle complex, which has 361 homes, has also appealed the decision.

Gannon Properties wants to build 139 apartments, including 14 three-bed, 97 two-bed, and 28-one bed apartments.

The proposal also includes five retail units.

As part of the planning process, Gannon Properties is to pay the city council 1.12m.

Gannon Properties told the council that the tower will be a landmark building which would add to Dublins urban landscape.

The Gannon firm said the development is of high quality and one which offers excellent communal facilities and open spaces.

In its appeal, the Myrtle management company said the development, due to its scale and design, would negatively and significantly undermine the objectives and policies of the council.

A decision is due in November.
The dismissal of James Damore, a Google engineer, came after he wrote a 10-page manifesto criticising what he deemed a left-leaning culture at Alphabets web division that he said ignores the differences between the sexes.

In an email confirming his firing, Mr Damore said he is currently exploring all possible legal remedies.

Some right-wing websites lionised Mr Damore and accused the company of censoring conservative views. Firing the engineer could be seen as confirming some of the claims in the memo itself  that the s culture makes no room for dissenting political opinions. That outcome could galvanise any backlash against Alphabets ongoing efforts to make its workforce more diverse.

The imbroglio at Google is the latest in a long string of incidents concerning gender bias and diversity in the tech enclave. Uber Technologies chief executive officer Travis Kalanick lost his job in June amid scandals over sexual harassment, discrimination, and an aggressive culture.

Ellen Paos gender-discrimination lawsuit against Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in 2015 also brought the issue to light, and more women are speaking up to say theyve been sidelined in the male-dominated industry, especially in engineering roles.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai had sent a note to employees that said portions of the memo violate our code of conduct and cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace.

The companys shares have been little affected.

Mr Damores memo argued that biological differences play a role in the shortage of women in tech and leadership positions.

It circulated widely inside the company and became public over the weekend, causing a furore that amplified the pressure on Google executives to take a more definitive stand.

After the controversy swelled, Danielle Brown, Googles new vice president for diversity, integrity, and governance, sent a statement to staff condemning Mr Damores views and reaffirmed the companys stance on diversity.

According to the companys most recent demographic report, 69% of its workforce and 80% of its technical staff are male.

Bloomberg
The merger will create a combined group, Standard Life Aberdeen, with assets of around 670bn and which aims to save at least 200m in annual costs.

The companies are looking to shore up their defences in the face of competition from lower-cost index funds and the increased cost of tougher regulations  pressures that are expected to prompt more industry consolidation.

The rationale for the merger is strategic, chief executive Keith Skeoch told a media call, adding that following the completion of the merger on August 14, we can hit the ground running.

The new group will be classed as an asset manager, rather than an insurer, and its headquarters will be in Edinburgh. The merger follows other large deals among active managers to fend off the growing threat from passive investment, such as the Janus Henderson tie-up which completed earlier this year.

Standard Lifes first-half operating profit before tax was 362m, up 6% and above a company-supplied consensus forecast of 353m, helped by a 1% rise in assets under administration to 362bn, in line with forecasts.

Standard Lifes 44bn Gars (Global Absolute Return Strategies) multi-asset investment strategy saw 5.6bn in net outflows, also in line with forecasts.

The evidence I have seen to date says that Gars flows are starting to stabilise as performance has improved, said Mr Skeoch.

Standard Life shares dropped 1.4% at one stage, retreating from recent two-year highs and among the biggest decliners in the FTSE 100 index.

Nonetheless, the shares are 16% higher than at the start of the year and are 48% up from a year earlier. Analyst Eamonn Flanagan at Shore Capital said Gars outflows were likely to worry the market and reiterated his hold rating on the stock.

Mr Skeoch and Aberdeen chief executive Martin Gilbert will be co-chief executives of the combined group, a structure which has also been met with some scepticism.

The machinations of the joint CEO roles will be scrutinised closely in the months to come  we still doubt the wisdom of this move, said Mr Flanagan. Standard Life said it would pay an interim dividend of 7 pence per share, up 8.2% and against a forecast 6.99 pence.
These projections have been made by Failte Ireland, who published a report yesterday on accommodation capacity in Dublin for the five years between 2015 and 2020.

Some 5,382 rooms are due to come on-stream between now and 2020, with the current supply-side pressures due to have significantly eased by 2019.

Of these additional rooms, 3,444 (64%) will come from new hotels, and 1,938 (36%) will come from extensions to existing hotels.

Previous Failte Ireland reports predicted an accommodation shortfall between 2016 and 2018, and while this is still likely to be the case, there will be more rooms available for tourists by 2020.

The updated analysis continues to see a shortfall in visitor accommodation in Dublin in the years 2017 and 2018, but a declining one that moves into surplus in 2020, reads the report.

New hotels planned for the capital in the next three years, with builders already on-site, include premises on Aungier St (311 rooms), Harcourt St (154 rooms), and Mill St (202 rooms).

Other hotels planned for the capital  they have been granted permission, but no on-site work has started  include a 120-bed one on Ormond Quay, Clerys Hotel, on OConnell St, which will have 176 rooms, and a 402-bedroomed hotel at Dublin Airports T2. The latter will be the fourth-largest hotel in Ireland.

Caeman Wall, who is head of research at Failte Ireland, said more and more tourists are predicted to visit Ireland and so accommodation shortages will challenge thriving tourism.

Despite the more than 50% growth in tourist arrival into Dublin, and significant growth in corporate travel since 2010, the stock of tourist accommodation is largely unchanged to date, said Mr Wall.

With further visitor growth anticipated, and the importance of Dublin as a gateway to the rest of Ireland, Dublins shortage of tourism accommodation is one of the biggest challenges facing the continuing growth of Irish tourism.

He added that while the additional rooms are welcomed, their development needs to happen as quickly as possible.

The hotel rooms identified, that are due to come on stream, in todays report, represent private-sector investment worth 800m or more, based on current market valuations, and are very welcome, he said.

We need do whatever we can to help ensure the current pipeline of development is delivered in full as quickly as possible.

This extra capacity will not only increase availability, but also significantly help moderate price increases.

But caution was needed when it came to competitiveness, so Ireland remains an attractive place for tourists to visit, said Mr Wall.

It is critical that the hotel industry keeps a watchful eye on competitiveness.

If we damage our overall value-for-money perception with international visitors and buyers, we will create a problem that will take a long time to fix.
The comments were made by John Leahy, a spokesman for the Wilton Road Residents Association, against the backdrop of the ongoing battle over the proposed city boundary extension.

Mr Leahy has been campaigning for several years on behalf of local residents for safety upgrades to the busy arterial route following almost 100 road traffic accidents since its layout was changed and a bus lane introduced in 2003.

However, council management has ruled out scrapping the bus lane as part of a planned 4m transport corridor revamp along the route.

Mr Leahy said dealing with the city for over two decades on a range of issues in the area has been fruitless, frustrating and pointless.

The standard response is initially to dismiss and then ignore any evidence provided, even by their own surveys, or by those of the community, he said.

Inexplicably, many proposals and advice on serious safety issues provided by senior officers of An Garda Siochana have been and continue to be ignored.

He said communities living in Ballincollig, Blarney, Douglas, Carrigaline, Passage West, Little Island, and Carrigtwohill  county areas earmarked to become part of an expanded city  are right to be sceptical and worried about the proposed boundary extension.

Mr Leahy said the condition of some city roads is abysmal, that road design in many areas is haphazard and dangerous, that city footpaths are broken, pitted, poorly maintained, and dangerous, and that the safety of cyclists is compromised by poorly planned roads and dysfunctional bus lanes.

He branded the citys 33m compensation payout bill since 2000 an outrageous waste of hard-earned public funds and questioned its 9m spend on external consultants over the last three years.

He said the citys focus on the city centre is a myopic strategy which could suck the life blood out of the suburbs and one which doesnt augur well for an expanded city.

Unless there is serious change of management group-think and mindset, based on experience and hard evidence to date as a yardstick, there is no doubt that in an expanded city, community and peoples welfare, health and safety, as well as indigenous businesses will be sacrificed on the altar of traffic requirements and rate generating requirements, said Mr Leahy.
The incident was highlighted by gardai as one of many kinds of fraud in the rental market as they advised students to be careful when hunting for accommodation in the coming weeks.

Sergeant Amanda Flood of the Garda Crime Prevention National Centre of Excellence said the man was coming to the end of his lease and had advertised the property for rent.

He showed a number of people around the accommodation over a couple of days, she said.

The unsuspecting viewers paid over big sums of money as deposits, believing the man was the landlord.

When they came back to move in, he had left and someone else had already moved in, said Sgt Flood.

Although she could not say how many people had been tricked, or what stage the Garda investigation was at, she said the amount of money lost was upwards of 20,000.

The case did not relate specifically to students but it was outlined as part of an awareness campaign by gardai ahead of the busy few weeks when demand for student accommodation rises dramatically.

Gardai said there is a corresponding spike each year in rental scams, as more than 40,000 people are offered college places days after the Leaving Certificate results, which will be issued next Wednesday.

The other main scams are fraudsters seeking deposits from victims without meeting them or showing them the property, and renters thinking everything is fine until they discover the keys they were given do not work.

One thing to keep in mind is that, if the rent is too good to be true, then be very careful, said Sgt Flood.

She referred to a woman in Galway who told gardai she had nearly fallen victim to a scam until she checked the rent on a property she was about to pay a deposit for near a third-level college.

When she compared it to the local average for the area in the Private Residential Tenancies Board rent index, she quickly realised something was wrong and reported the details to gardai.

Sgt Flood said the main message is that forewarned is forearmed on prospective crimes such as these. Contracts should be signed before any deposit is paid, and traceable methods such as cheques or bank drafts should always be used instead of cash, gardai said.

Among the key tips to all those in the market to rent a room, apartment, or house are to ideally only deal with established rental agencies, always meet the prospective landlord in the accommodation itself, and to ask for photograph ID of the landlord or letting agent.

Union of Students in Ireland president Michael Kerrigan said anyone worried that they are being led into a scam should alert gardai or their local students union right away.

Its a shame that people are taking advantage of students like this, he said. They are handing over up to two months rent as a deposit and this kind of money being stolen can have a serious impact on a students ability to afford college for the coming year.
The vet works for a mobile equine unit between north Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

She decided to seek permanent residency because her vocation has been listed as a shortage profession.

While sitting the Pearson Test of English, she passed all components bar the oral proficiency.

In the fluency segment of the mandatory test, Ms Kennedy received a mark of 74, while the government requires one of 79.

Theres obviously a flaw in their computer software when a person with perfect oral fluency cannot get enough points, the vet said in a recent interview.

Pearson is one of five test providers the immigration department uses to assess English competency for visa purposes.

However, it is the only one that uses voice-recognition technology to test-speaking ability.

Ms Kennedy thought the low score was a mistake when the results came back.

She has now been given an opportunity to redo the A$300 (200) test free of charge.

That is based on the fact that there was construction work outside of the test centre at the time which could be a possible interference, she said.

Pearson told Australian Associated Press there was nothing wrong with its systems or the scoring of tests.

Sasha Hampson, the head of English for Pearson Asia Pacific, told the AAP that the immigration department set the bar very high for people seeking permanent residency.

Ms Kennedys experience thousands of miles away is, however, a familiar one for Irish nurses hoping to work in the North.

Last month it emerged that nurses from the Republic of Ireland were being asked to sit a 150 (165) English language test with a high failure rate in order to work in the North.

New regulations by the UKs professional nursing body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, now means that all overseas nurses must prove their competence in reading, writing, listening, and speaking English if they wish to register to practise there.
The news emerged yesterday, more than a year after a large device erected directly in front of the monument was branded an affront to Kents memory.

The almost 2m-high pay meter was installed in front of the monument as part of the construction of one of the citys public bike-sharing stands at Kent train station.

Workers Party councillor Ted Tynan last year called for the ugly device to be moved  particularly as the country commemorated the 1916 centenary.

Irish Rail said in May 2016 that it was aware of the concerns about the placement of the pay station and insisted it planned to relocate the meter as quickly as possible.

A spokesman said at the time that they were proud to have hosted an event a few weeks earlier marking the centenary of Kents execution as part of last years countrywide 1916 centenary commemorations and that they didnt want to have the memorial obstructed in this way.

A spokesman confirmed yesterday that the company is now considering relocating the Kent monument after various options to relocate the meter and the bike parking stand were considered and then ruled out.

We are now looking at an alternative location for the bust, said the spokesman.

The committee involved in the erection of the Kent monument will be consulted before any move is considered, he added.

Kent was arrested in Castlelyons on May 2, 1916, following a two-hour gun battle after members of the RIC arrived at his family home to arrest him and members of his family.

He was transferred to Cork military detention barracks on May 3, 1916, and was kept in isolation.

On May 4, Kent appeared before a quickly convened court-martial presided over by a British army major and two captains.

He was executed on May 9, 1916, against a wall at the perimeter of the prison and was buried in a shallow grave.

His remains were exhumed in 2015 and were buried following a State funeral in Castlelyons.
Although the latest Revenue Commissioners data suggests the average amount paid to owner-occupiers for renting a room has dipped significantly, the numbers taking advantage of the associated tax relief rose to their highest level ever at nearly 6,500 in 2015.

This was 750, or 13%, more than in 2014 when the tax foregone by the State for allowing the relief on rent-a-room income reached a record 9.3m.

The amount which can be earned from renting a spare room without a tax liability has been increased in successive budgets as an incentive to increase use of the scheme. It was just 7,620 from 2002-07 and rose to 10,000 a year from 2008-14. After rising to 12,000 in 2015, the Government pushed it to 14,000 this year.

The new Revenue figures show that in 2015, the cost of the tax relief fell by over a quarter to 6.9m, giving an average relief of almost 1,070 to each of the 6,460 recipients. However, the numbers availing of the relief were more than double the figure for 2007, when 3,180 people claimed exemption from the tax at a cost to the State of 4.7m.

The increasing numbers and smaller average incomes point to the use of the rent-a-room relief by homeowners for fewer rooms, or for shorter periods, or both.

This may be a reflection of a positive response to calls for those living near college campuses to rent to third-level students in the face of an accommodation crisis in some cities.

Launching a Department of Education student accommodation strategy three weeks ago, minister of state for higher education Mary Mitchell OConnor said nearly 2,500 students were accommodated by the renting of spare rooms last year. She said this was a direct result of the Union of Students in Ireland campaign promoting the option. A target of 4,000 students in digs accommodation has been set for 2019.

Its a win-win situation, as students get accommodation and homeowners can earn up to 14,000 a year tax-free doing this, she said.

There still remains a severe shortage of purpose-built rental accommodation for students. Although over 1,000 more bed spaces were added to the stock of student accommodation in the past year, and nearly 1,500 more will be available from this autumn, student representatives still report difficulties around availability and cost in Dublin, Cork, and Galway.

The student accommodation strategy includes funding of 160,000 this year and in 2018 for the USI #HomesForStudy campaign to increase the take-up of digs accommodation.
The council wants 12.6m extra invested next year to fund the jobs, in addition to 400 posts already being restored when schools re-open this month.

The NYCI pre-budget submission also urges the Government to spend 20m bringing child and adolescent mental health service staffing up to levels proposed in national mental health policies.

Council deputy director James Doorley said it is critical that staff and resources are available to help young people with mental health difficulties when they need them, given that the population aged 10 to 24 is set to rise by 1m by 2025. He said while there had been some welcome initiatives to tackle mental health problems, the issue still looms large in the lives of Irish young people.

While the overall number of people dying by suicide has declined, for example, there has been an increase among young men, said Mr Doorley.

And of particular concern is the fact that the suicide rate for young people aged 15 to 19 here in Ireland is fourth-highest in the EU.

In Budget 2017, a commitment was given to allocate extra teaching posts to second-level schools to restore most of those lost when the pupil-teacher ratio was effectively increased five years ago by the ending of the provision of a full-time guidance counsellor for every 500 students. Many counsellors, as a result, were required to spend some or all of their timetabled hours teaching, instead supporting students.
Are you taking the mick when it comes to your holiday packing?

Ryanair thinks you might be. Chief financial officer Neil Sorohan has been berating passengers for abusing the airlines newfound generosity when it comes to carry-on baggage, warning the company might change its policy if we dont collectively clean up our acts.

In a bid to improve its image, Ryanair upped its carry-on allowance a couple of years back, to include a second item, like a small handbag or laptop bag. Sorohan says passengers have been quick to take advantage of Ryanairs newly lax attitude. We are victims of our own niceness, he exclaimed.

Ryanair has been accused of many things over the years  excessive niceness has never been one of them. I suspect this is a pre-emptive PR strike before it cracks down on our carry-ons again, and well doubtless be told to stop whinging when that happens, well have brought it on ourselves.

We all remember the days of the carry-on crackdown; the palpable waves of stress rippling up and down the boarding queue as people anxiously eyed up the luggage gauge, suddenly second-guessing their soft holdall; the one that just kept fitting extra jackets and spare pairs of trainers.

We remember women reduced to tears as they were told to squeeze their handbag into an already over-stuffed case; robotic attendants in branded sweatshirts patrolling the queue like reverse-Oprahs: You pay 50, and you pay 50, and you pay 50!

None of us wants a return to those dark days, so lets acknowledge that with the right luggage and a bit of sensible packing, theres no need to take the piss  especially if youre travelling without kids.

We know in our hearts and souls that for a standard, short-haul couples week in the sun, 10kg of luggage each is ample.

We just need to shrug-off the what ifs that lead us to overfill our cases, and accept that, in most European holiday destinations, a trip into the nearest town will proffer almost anything you suddenly find you need, from sun cream to a nice pair of earrings.

Fair enough, you might not pay Penneys prices for that spare pair of flip flops, but the question becomes: is it really worth paying soaring baggage charges to try to cater for every possible what if, or can we bring it back to basics and learn how to travel light without sacrificing on style?

I dont for one moment believe that Olivia Palermo and her hubby Johannes Huebl travel light  if anything Id imagine they give Liz Taylor and Richard Burton a run for their money, but I do love their couple style; Im in awe of it.

She is the thinking womans fashion goals, and he is quite simply her perfect match  physically and sartorially. She might have genetically engineered him to be her walking, talking dress up doll.

Does he even talk? I dont actually know; I had to Google his name five minutes ago, but the point is, they are on point, unfailingly, all the time, so if youre the type of person who has #couplegoals, these should be those, and here they neatly illustrate rule one of travelling light: choose your travel garb carefully.

This is where you want to consider your what ifs, and instead of packing them, wear them! Comfort neednt be a major concern on short-haul flights, so dont travel in clothes that wont see the light of day until your return journey.

Instead, pick a look made up of items that can pull double duty and maximise your holiday options.

For her, a light, long-sleeved shirt can be knotted and worn with shorts or a maxi skirt; canvas trainers or comfy flats will be perfect for little excursions; and an unlined, unstructured blazer is a great cover up for an evening chill.

For him, lightweight chinos or jeans can be worn at night; you can ace a sockless look in suede driving shoes; and a thin cotton shirt worn over a t-shirt and under a light jacket gives you several workable options to keep in the mix when you hit the heat.

Along with the obvious essentials  sunglasses, sun hat, beach bag, flip-flops or plastic slides for the pool, plus leather sandals or more comfortable walking shoes  a few well chosen extras should see you through a week of sunshine in style, from the airport to the beach to the bar.
IAEA and FAO Send Seeds to Space The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched seeds into space as part of their initiative to develop crops that can withstand the impacts of climate change. READ MORE

University of Punjab Researchers Develop Healthier Potatoes Researchers from the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, used CRISPR-Cas9 to knockdown vacuolar invertase (VInv) gene, which resulted to reduced cold-storage sugar formation and sweetening in potatoes. The findings are published in Planta. READ MORE

PH Natl Biotech Week Webinar Highlights More Filipino Biotech Innovations The second episode of ISAAA Inc.'s Know the Science Webinar Series featured more biotech products in the pipeline to inform the public and members of the media about the latest developments in Philippine agricultural biotechnology. The webinar featured the Bt cotton of the Philippine Fiber Development Authority (PhilFIDA), the Bt eggplant of the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB), and the various gene-edited products being developed by different research institutes in the country. READ MORE

Scientists Discover How Plants Grow Away from Salt Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have discovered that plants can change their root direction and grow away from saline areas. This discovery changes current understanding of how plants change their shape and growth direction and may help alleviate the accelerating global problem of high soil salinity. READ MORE

A biweekly update on genome editing research, regulations, and impact

produced by ISAAA Inc. Read Latest Issue (November 9, 2022)

A monthly update on gene drive research and development provided by ISAAA in collaboration with the Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research Read Latest Issue (October 26, 2022)

GM APPROVAL UPDATES The Philippines approved the eggplant event EE-1 for cultivation

Nigeria approved the wheat event HB4 for food and feed.

The USA approved the corn event MON87429 for food and feed.



Ghana approved the cowpea event AAT709A for food, feed, and cultivation.

The USA approved the wheat event HB4 for food and feed.

Turkey approved the maize event MON87427 for feed. Visit GM APPROVAL DATABASE
Google has fired the employee who wrote a manifesto critical of Google management, taking a largely untenable sexist position. Firing him was largely a mistake, in my view, because that act likely didnt do anything but drive related positions underground. This is far from a simple issue that can be fixed with a termination.

There are many major levels to the diversity problem in technology. We not only have a problem in that tech firms tend to be predominantly male and white, but in salary. Men tend to make more money than women. But to fix any problem, we must fully understand what causes and perpetuates it. Youd think a firm made up of engineers and folks we refer to as data scientists would be willing to roll up their sleeves and study the problem to come up with sustainable solution. But youd be wrong, because that would mean both sides would need to accept that their positions may not be well founded in fact.

In short, the reason we dont seem to be making much progress is that there is too much focus on who is right and wrong and not enough focus on understanding the causes of diversity issues. But until you have a situation where the various sides of an issue like this are willing to consider that they might be wrong, you wont make progress. Winning by executive action, in this case firing the employee who wrote the manifesto, doesnt change belief as much as it drives it back into the dark.

Blaming the Messenger

Blaming the messenger is a frustrating issue for me because, when I finally decided what I wanted to do in college, it was to address problems just like this. The business field was called Manpower Management and it was based on the belief that you could put people in far more rewarding jobs if you spent a lot of time figuring out what they were naturally good at. Sadly, the tests tended to put white men into the best jobs because, at the time, most of the major schools were turning out a lot of well-qualified white men and lacked diversity. But, instead of fixing the school diversity, the placement tests were largely eliminated as racist. This isnt that much different from shutting down studies on global warming to reduce the impression that we have a problem. In both cases, eliminating analysis doesnt fix a problem. It may make it worse because you simply removed an unbiased source of data.

That was back in the 1970s. Here we are approaching 50 years later and the lack of testing certainly hasnt fixed the diversity problem.

Understanding the Cause

We need to focus on two areas. One is the lack of qualified women coming out of major schools and the other is that when women are hired, they are hired at lower salaries. Once you are hired in at a lower salary, you will likely be underpaid throughout your career, unless you change companies, because raises tend to be tied back to that initial salary. And while you can get a kick up if you change firms, that new salary will still likely be partially set by what you were paid at the old firm so you can close the gap but often not fully eliminate it.

Now you could put in place programs to promote women through the schools, which is being done, but the results from that could take a decade or more to fully materialize. More quickly, you could look at your hiring practice and if women are being hired in for less due to a lack of perceived skills or education, you could provide a program that would focus on providing what they lack and reward them, once the course of study was complete, with a raise that brings them in line with their male peers.

But you must start with understanding why employees are initially being paid less. You may find that some men fall into this group as well (I did initially, for instance). Implement the program in a non-gender-specific way.

Fighting Fire with Fire Rarely Works

I should add that the common approach to fixing discrimination by discriminating, or forcing the underprivileged group to the head of the line, just changes the nature of the problem. It doesnt fix it.

Applying Quality Controls to Management

Once hiring salary discrepancies are addressed, it is likely there is discrimination in raises as well, but this is because we dont do a good job of training people to be managers or assuring that people who stink at managing other people dont go into or stay in management. Management is more like a club; once you join, you always belong, even though we know certain types of folks should never manage others.

A quality process to increase the competence of managers could raise all boats and make the firm more successful, as well. Couple this with an effort to remove the stigma of removing someone from management.

Should the Manifesto Writer Have Been Fired? No, But

Writing a large document critical of management that also belittles co-workers would be grounds for termination. The issue here, though, is one of belief. The manifesto in the news brought what was likely a commonly held set of beliefs public. Firing the individual who wrote it now runs the risk of turning that person into a free speech martyr, driving the related beliefs underground while strengthening the resolve of those who hold them. In my view, that isnt fixing the core problem. That is making it worse.

Wrapping Up: Symptoms vs. Disease

We work and live in what is supposed to be a data-driven world in the tech market. Yet when it comes to critical issues, all sides are likely to avoid citing sources and instead just state beliefs, as if they are common and irrefutable. As a result, all sides of most issues are at least partially wrong and others can gleefully point to that wrongness as justification for the validity of their own wrong positions.

We must focus more on understanding the causes of problems and on making the correct decisions. That means our sources and analysis are both important, as is our willingness to at least accept the possibility that we are wrong.

This last is what all sides of most arguments dont realize. Unless all willing to accept that they might be wrong, youll likely not make progress because no one likes a competition they can only lose. And, regardless of whether this is smart, often these things are more about appearing right than actually being right.

Finally, if we ever truly wanted to fix something like salary discrimination, wed come up with a scientific method for measuring employee value. But given that many of the folks whod have to drive this kind of change likely believe they are overpaid, it seems unlikely well ever get there. Then again, as we move to ever higher automation, justifying the cost of such an effort will irrevocably fix that problem once and for all. In short, if you arent worth more than the machine slated to replace you, youll be gone, regardless of your level or title. It might be wise to know that value before this event occurs.

Rob Enderle is President and Principal Analyst of the Enderle Group, a forward-looking emerging technology advisory firm. With over 30 years experience in emerging technologies, he has provided regional and global companies with guidance in how to better target customer needs; create new business opportunities; anticipate technology changes; select vendors and products; and present their products in the best possible light. Rob covers the technology industry broadly. Before founding the Enderle Group, Rob was the Senior Research Fellow for Forrester Research and the Giga Information Group, and held senior positions at IBM and ROLM. Follow Rob on Twitter @enderle, on Facebook and on Google+
Machine learning defined

Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence that includes methods, or algorithms, for automatically creating models from data. Unlike a system that performs a task by following explicit rules, a machine learning system learns from experience. Whereas a rule-based system will perform a task the same way every time (for better or worse), the performance of a machine learning system can be improved through training, by exposing the algorithm to more data.

Machine learning algorithms are often divided into supervised (the training data are tagged with the answers) and unsupervised (any labels that may exist are not shown to the training algorithm). Supervised machine learning problems are further divided into classification (predicting non-numeric answers, such as the probability of a missed mortgage payment) and regression (predicting numeric answers, such as the number of widgets that will sell next month in your Manhattan store).

Unsupervised learning is further divided into clustering (finding groups of similar objects, such as running shoes, walking shoes, and dress shoes), association (finding common sequences of objects, such as coffee and cream), and dimensionality reduction (projection, feature selection, and feature extraction).

Applications of machine learning

We hear about applications of machine learning on a daily basis, although not all of them are unalloyed successes. Self-driving cars are a good example, where tasks range from simple and successful (parking assist and highway lane following) to complex and iffy (full vehicle control in urban settings, which has led to several deaths).

Game-playing machine learning is strongly successful for checkers, chess, shogi, and Go, having beaten human world champions. Automatic language translation has been largely successful, although some language pairs work better than others, and many automatic translations can still be improved by human translators.

Automatic speech to text works fairly well for people with mainstream accents, but not so well for people with some strong regional or national accents; performance depends on the training sets used by the vendors. Automatic sentiment analysis of social media has a reasonably good success rate, probably because the training sets (e.g. Amazon product ratings, which couple a comment with a numerical score) are large and easy to access.

Automatic screening of resumes is a controversial area. Amazon had to withdraw its internal system because of training sample biases that caused it to downgrade all job applications from women.

Other resume screening systems currently in use may have training biases that cause them to upgrade candidates who are like current employees in ways that legally arent supposed to matter (e.g. young, white, male candidates from upscale English-speaking neighborhoods who played team sports are more likely to pass the screening). Research efforts by Microsoft and others focus on eliminating implicit biases in machine learning.

Automatic classification of pathology and radiology images has advanced to the point where it can assist (but not replace) pathologists and radiologists for the detection of certain kinds of abnormalities. Meanwhile, facial identification systems are both controversial when they work well (because of privacy considerations) and tend not to be as accurate for women and people of color as they are for white males (because of biases in the training population).

Machine learning algorithms

Machine learning depends on a number of algorithms for turning a data set into a model. Which algorithm works best depends on the kind of problem youre solving, the computing resources available, and the nature of the data. No matter what algorithm or algorithms you use, youll first need to clean and condition the data.

Lets discuss the most common algorithms for each kind of problem.

Classification algorithms

A classification problem is a supervised learning problem that asks for a choice between two or more classes, usually providing probabilities for each class. Leaving out neural networks and deep learning, which require a much higher level of computing resources, the most common algorithms are Naive Bayes, Decision Tree, Logistic Regression, K-Nearest Neighbors, and Support Vector Machine (SVM). You can also use ensemble methods (combinations of models), such as Random Forest, other Bagging methods, and boosting methods such as AdaBoost and XGBoost.

Regression algorithms

A regression problem is a supervised learning problem that asks the model to predict a number. The simplest and fastest algorithm is linear (least squares) regression, but you shouldnt stop there, because it often gives you a mediocre result. Other common machine learning regression algorithms (short of neural networks) include Naive Bayes, Decision Tree, K-Nearest Neighbors, LVQ (Learning Vector Quantization), LARS Lasso, Elastic Net, Random Forest, AdaBoost, and XGBoost. Youll notice that there is some overlap between machine learning algorithms for regression and classification.

Clustering algorithms

A clustering problem is an unsupervised learning problem that asks the model to find groups of similar data points. The most popular algorithm is K-Means Clustering; others include Mean-Shift Clustering, DBSCAN (Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise), GMM (Gaussian Mixture Models), and HAC (Hierarchical Agglomerative Clustering).

Dimensionality reduction algorithms

Dimensionality reduction is an unsupervised learning problem that asks the model to drop or combine variables that have little or no effect on the result. This is often used in combination with classification or regression. Dimensionality reduction algorithms include removing variables with many missing values, removing variables with low variance, Decision Tree, Random Forest, removing or combining variables with high correlation, Backward Feature Elimination, Forward Feature Selection, Factor Analysis, and PCA (Principal Component Analysis).

Optimization methods

Training and evaluation turn supervised learning algorithms into models by optimizing their parameter weights to find the set of values that best matches the ground truth of your data. The algorithms often rely on variants of steepest descent for their optimizers, for example stochastic gradient descent (SGD), which is essentially steepest descent performed multiple times from randomized starting points.

Common refinements on SGD add factors that correct the direction of the gradient based on momentum, or adjust the learning rate based on progress from one pass through the data (called an epoch or a batch) to the next.

Neural networks and deep learning

Neural networks were inspired by the architecture of the biological visual cortex. Deep learning is a set of techniques for learning in neural networks that involves a large number of hidden layers to identify features. Hidden layers come between the input and output layers. Each layer is made up of artificial neurons, often with sigmoid or ReLU (Rectified Linear Unit) activation functions.

In a feed-forward network, the neurons are organized into distinct layers: one input layer, any number of hidden processing layers, and one output layer, and the outputs from each layer go only to the next layer.

In a feed-forward network with shortcut connections, some connections can jump over one or more intermediate layers. In recurrent neural networks, neurons can influence themselves, either directly, or indirectly through the next layer.

Supervised learning of a neural network is done just like any other machine learning: You present the network with groups of training data, compare the network output with the desired output, generate an error vector, and apply corrections to the network based on the error vector, usually using a backpropagation algorithm. Batches of training data that are run together before applying corrections are called epochs.

As with all machine learning, you need to check the predictions of the neural network against a separate test data set. Without doing that you risk creating neural networks that only memorize their inputs instead of learning to be generalized predictors.

The breakthrough in the neural network field for vision was Yann LeCuns 1998 LeNet-5, a seven-level convolutional neural network (CNN) for recognition of handwritten digits digitized in 32x32 pixel images. To analyze higher-resolution images, the network would need more neurons and more layers.

Convolutional neural networks typically use convolutional, pooling, ReLU, fully connected, and loss layers to simulate a visual cortex. The convolutional layer basically takes the integrals of many small overlapping regions. The pooling layer performs a form of non-linear down-sampling. ReLU layers, which I mentioned earlier, apply the non-saturating activation function f(x) = max(0,x) .

In a fully connected layer, the neurons have full connections to all activations in the previous layer. A loss layer computes how the network training penalizes the deviation between the predicted and true labels, using a Softmax or cross-entropy loss for classification or a Euclidean loss for regression.

Natural language processing (NLP) is another major application area for deep learning. In addition to the machine translation problem addressed by Google Translate, major NLP tasks include automatic summarization, co-reference resolution, discourse analysis, morphological segmentation, named entity recognition, natural language generation, natural language understanding, part-of-speech tagging, sentiment analysis, and speech recognition.

In addition to CNNs, NLP tasks are often addressed with recurrent neural networks (RNNs), which include the Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) model.

The more layers there are in a deep neural network, the more computation it takes to train the model on a CPU. Hardware accelerators for neural networks include GPUs, TPUs, and FPGAs.

Reinforcement learning

Reinforcement learning trains an actor or agent to respond to an environment in a way that maximizes some value, usually by trial and error. Thats different from supervised and unsupervised learning, but is often combined with them.

For example, DeepMinds AlphaGo, in order to learn to play (the action) the game of Go (the environment), first learned to mimic human Go players from a large data set of historical games (apprentice learning). It then improved its play by trial and error (reinforcement learning), by playing large numbers of Go games against independent instances of itself.

Robotic control is another problem that has been attacked with deep reinforcement learning methods, meaning reinforcement learning plus deep neural networks, the deep neural networks often being CNNs trained to extract features from video frames.

How to use machine learning

How does one go about creating a machine learning model? You start by cleaning and conditioning the data, continue with feature engineering, and then try every machine-learning algorithm that makes sense. For certain classes of problem, such as vision and natural language processing, the algorithms that are likely to work involve deep learning.

Data cleaning for machine learning

There is no such thing as clean data in the wild. To be useful for machine learning, data must be aggressively filtered. For example, youll want to:

Look at the data and exclude any columns that have a lot of missing data. Look at the data again and pick the columns you want to use (feature selection) for your prediction. This is something you may want to vary when you iterate. Exclude any rows that still have missing data in the remaining columns. Correct obvious typos and merge equivalent answers. For example, U.S., US, USA, and America should be merged into a single category. Exclude rows that have data that is out of range. For example, if youre analyzing taxi trips within New York City, youll want to filter out rows with pickup or drop-off latitudes and longitudes that are outside the bounding box of the metropolitan area.

There is a lot more you can do, but it will depend on the data collected. This can be tedious, but if you set up a data-cleaning step in your machine learning pipeline you can modify and repeat it at will.

Data encoding and normalization for machine learning

To use categorical data for machine classification, you need to encode the text labels into another form. There are two common encodings.

One is label encoding, which means that each text label value is replaced with a number. The other is one-hot encoding, which means that each text label value is turned into a column with a binary value (1 or 0). Most machine learning frameworks have functions that do the conversion for you. In general, one-hot encoding is preferred, as label encoding can sometimes confuse the machine learning algorithm into thinking that the encoded column is ordered.
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WASHINGTON  Enough, already, with all the takeouts and think pieces about how President Trumps loyal base continues to support him. Thats neither surprising nor impressive  and its certainly not the point about this shameful and appalling presidency.

Also, its not entirely true. Trump won 46 percent of the popular vote in last Novembers election. Thats less than Hillary Clintons 48 percent, but means, nevertheless, that nearly half the country put its trust in a man who had already shown himself to be a liar, a buffoon, a demagogue and a self-proclaimed sexual harasser.

Earlier this week, Gallup reported Trumps approval rating at 36 percent, with 60 percent of those polled disapproving of the job hes doing. Since the advent of polling, no president has been so unpopular at this point in his tenure. Clearly, some who voted for him have had second thoughts. But most have not, and why, at this point, should anyone expect otherwise?

It might feel like six years, but its only been six months and change since Inauguration Day  far too soon for even Trump to have alienated everyone who trusted him with their hopes and dreams. Give him time. Hes working on it.

Lets assume, for the sake of argument, that Trump has a solid base of about 35 percent of voters who will stick with him no matter what. Much of his base lives in small towns, rural areas, the South and the Rust Belt  which has inspired countless lazy op-eds about how the jaded sophisticates of the East and West Coasts are too smug and insular to have a clue about the real America.

Please. Just stop.

This country is riven by many fault lines, race and educational attainment being perhaps the most important. But no citizens America is any more real than anyone elses. The voice of a laid-off West Virginia coal miner is no more authentic than that of a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, a Hollywood production assistant, an Upper West Side advertising executive or  and this may be shocking  an opinion writer for a mainstream news outlet. If people like me live in an elite, progressive bubble, it must be an awfully big one; indicators such as the popular vote suggest there are more Americans inside than out.

I accept that most Trump voters  those who were not heeding his campaigns dog-whistle appeals to white supremacy and racial grievance  had an understandable motive: Frustrated with a political system that seems incapable of getting much of anything accomplished, they decided to lob in a grenade, blow it to smithereens and start over.

I get that. I get how Trumps outrageous statements on Twitter and in campaign-style rallies sound fresh and encouraging to his diehard supporters, not vicious and loopy. Trump gets it, too, and thats why I doubt anyone will ever be able to pry his smartphone from his dainty clutches. Some of his tweetstorms are primal screams from an insecure man who is in way over his head, but others are carefully crafted to show he is keeping the faith with those who elected him to break the rules.

But Trump is genuinely delusional about both his talents and his popularity. On Thursday, a day after he grudgingly signed the Russia sanctions bill, he tweeted, Our relationship with Russia is at an all-time & very dangerous low. You can thank Congress, the same people that cant even give us HCare!

Apparently hes never heard of the Cuban Missile Crisis, in which Washington and Moscow came close to nuclear war. But why is he going out of his way to attack a Congress led by his own party? Senators, especially, do not take kindly to such abuse, as Trump should have learned from the health-care vote. It might be different if he were a popular president. But he is not.

How long will Trumps base stay with him? I dont know, but clearly hes worried. Even Rasmussen, the generally conservative survey that usually shows him as having more support than other pollsters detect, released a poll last week showing Trumps approval below 40 percent for the first time. He makes laughable claims about having accomplished more than any other president in his first months because he knows his support will slowly leak away if he fails at his central promise, which is to get stuff done. Thus far he has been a failure.

Trump voters are not blind to that fact. And their patience wont last forever.
Like the road to Hell, liberal ideas are usually paved with good intentions. But, as Ronald Reagan once said, "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, but that they know so much that isn't so." And all that vast "unknowledge" births monster government agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency.

Today's EPA is an agency gone-wild, filled with environmental extremists and deep state holdovers who have little accountability for their actions. They arrogantly create rules like the "Clean Power Plan" which the Institute for Energy Research [IER] said was filled with about as much junk as the EPA and its contractors pumped into Colorado's Animas River in 2015.

EPA's new administrator, Scott Pruitt, visited the Animas River site Aug. 4 saying the agency "should be held to the same standard as those we regulate." Pruitt said the Obama administration "failed those who counted on them to protect the environment." They also refused to pay claims to many of those they harmed due to "sovereign immunity."

President Trump's promise to "drain the swamp" is happening organically with employees resigning over Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, as well as his March 28 executive order mandating review of the Clean Power Plan, which effectually triggers the skyrocketing electricity prices Obama promised.

The EPA claimed the plan would "save" thousands of lives, probably as effectively as Obama's stimulus plan "saved" jobs. It was also supposed to improve the climate and our health, that is, barring more EPA-caused environmental disasters like the Animas River spill.

Environmentalists have gone bonkers over Trump mandating a review of this costly and burdensome plan, but were mysteriously silent when the Animas spill caused $400 million in economic damage when it sent 3 million gallons of tainted wastewater into rivers in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

We are expected to ignore that the Clean Power Plan will, at best, reduce global temperatures by a negligible one hundredth of a degree, Celsius, according to the Obama administration's former Assistant Secretary of Energy, Charles McConnell.

The plan offers little mercy to millions of Americans burning wood to stay warm, imposing a ban on the sale and production of 80 percent of America's wood burning stoves.Forbes.com says, "Most wood stoves that warm cabins and homes from coast-to-coast can't meet that standard. Older stoves that don't, cannot be traded in for updated types, but instead must be rendered inoperable, destroyed, or recycled as scrap metal."

Or maybe the EPA could just throw scrapped stoves down the Animas River.

In the aftermath of the toxic spill, and with infinitesimal accountability for its actions, this agency marches forward in an unrelenting mission to control our lives, one unlegislated regulation at a time.

A Wyoming man had to sue the EPA to get it off his back for building a stock pond on his property. He was threatened with $37,500 per day fines because "material" from his pond flows into other waterways. It mattered not that the "other waterways" is a manmade irrigation ditch where the water is used for agriculture. Nor did it matter that the Wyoming State Engineer's Office permitted the pond.

Certainly, the "material" from his pristine pond, fit for fish and waterfowl to flourish and cattle to drink, did not turn waterways a toxic Animas River orange.

We know by watching all those lousy pharmaceutical ads the cure is often worse than the disease. And so it goes with the EPA. Back in the 1970s, it banned mosquito-killing DDT after an overreaction to an unsubstantiated book. Scientists today credit tens of millions of needless malaria related deaths to the ban.

Seemingly, for every benefit derived from EPA meddling, there's a list of damaging side effects as long as the Animas River. If Trump wants to prove he really cares about the environment, he could start with this heavy-handed bureaucracy swamp in dire need of draining.
TIM WEBSTER, Clemmons

Positive developments

Thanks for publishing the guest column by Mark Reynolds, Hope for climate solutions rests with growing bipartisan effort in Congress (July 31, journalnow). Reynolds report of a number of positive developments involving both Republicans and Democrats in Congress is cause for optimism. We  and Congress  need more reminders of the possibility and potential of bipartisan action toward environmental policy that both parties can support.

I encourage those unfamiliar with Citizens Climate Lobby to check it out. This organization gives voice to ordinary citizens and works toward consensus building that will allow the bipartisan action that is needed. Thankfully, many members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have already signed on to the Climate Solutions Caucus. No North Carolina representatives have yet joined. However, some have shown openness to considering it, and we need more citizens urging them in that direction.

Reynolds explains the basic concept in his column:  place a rising fee on carbon-based fuels and return the revenue from that fee as direct payments to all households. The fee corrects the market failure underpinning fossil fuels so that we can accelerate the transition to clean energy. Giving revenue from the fee back to households prevents economic fallout from rising energy costs.

I am writing to urge my fellow citizens concerned about climate change to join Citizens Climate Lobby and to ask North Carolina congressional representatives to get on board with this very constructive approach.

******

THE REV. S.J. MUNSON, Winston-Salem

Denounce evil

There is a wise saying that when you mix religion and politics, all you get is politics. Historically speaking, one of the most dangerous and dysfunctional things the church can do is to align itself too closely with a particular political movement or party. When we do so, we run the risk not only of alienating the rest of humanity, but also of insulating ourselves against the very call of the Gospel.

As a pastor, I am horrified to see Christians continuing to be boosters for a political movement that is clearly characterized by racial and religious intolerance, rampant militarism, exaltation of the rich and hatred of the poor, misogyny and xenophobia. If we call ourselves Christians, yet despise what Jesus stands for (such as mercy, tolerance, kindness, peace, generosity; love for the poorest, weakest and most vulnerable, including immigrants and refugees; respect for all human life; and yes even love for sinners), we delude ourselves (1John 2:3,4).

White supremacy and fascist movements have a long history of Christian support in the U.S. In the 1930s, fascism grew apace here, largely with the help of Christians who believed in an America for whites only. Let us not forget that American Christianity has a dark past, founded as it was on colonialism, racial intolerance and white supremacy. It is long past time for Christians to confront this evil part of our history, to stand up and denounce what was and is still being done in Christs name.

******

DUNCAN MASON, Winston-Salem

Best letter

I want to thank you for printing my letter last month. Everybody says its the best letter youve ever printed. The president of the Journal called me to say everybody loves it and youve never printed a better letter. Nobody writes better letters than me.

If you dont print this one, you are an enemy of the American people.

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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With decades of teaching experience in several capacities in Texas and over the past three years with The Flowertown Blossoms in Summerville, Anicia D. Brown is dead set on handing youngsters the tools to master stage acting and production, while also imparting impactful life lessons along t Read moreFlowertown Blossoms preaching the value of teamwork
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JURIST Guest Columnists James G. Hodge, Jr. of the Sandra Day OConnor College of Law, Arizona State University and Sarah A. Noe of the University of Pennsylvania Law School discuss the recent national call for a Presidential state of emergency in response to the opioid epidemic gripping the nation

On July 31, 2017 President Donald J. Trumps White House Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis issued its interim report calling for the President to immediately declare a national state of emergency in response to an epidemic that is devastating individuals and communities across the country.

Led by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, the Commissioners (including Governors from North Carolina and Massachusetts) see no other viable legal option to better implement existing and innovative public health approaches to control this epidemic. Like many law- and policy-makers, we agree.

The Spiraling Opioid Crisis

In a 2016 Gallup poll, approximately 43% of Americans believed overuse of opiates constitutes a crisis (or a very serious problem) in their local communities. From 1999 (largely considered the inception of the modern epidemic) to 2016, approximately 600,000 lives have been lost to abuse and misuse of these drugs in prescription (e.g. oxycodone, morphine, methadone, codeine) and illicit (e.g. heroin, furanyl fentanyl) forms.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1,000 abusers are admitted to emergency departments across the US each day. Nearly 150 Americans die per day (or about 1,000 each week) from opiate addiction. Many of these persons never make it to hospitals or receive meaningful treatments. With a US health care system that fails to provide access for thousands to essential substance abuse services, some are denied care altogether.

The high profile death of Prince in 2016 reflects the magnitude of this public health crisis. Absent major upgrades and resources to support efficacious public health interventions, it will only get worse. Millions of current users (and their family members and friends) will continue to be plagued by physical and mental injuries and the constant threat of lost lives. The next generation of users is already at risk. In 2015 nearly 300,000 adolescents and teens ages 12-17 used prescription pain relievers for non-medical purposes, as well as illicit opiates. Overseas shipments of street drugs, including direct mail-orders of the killer designer drug, furanyl fentanyl, are arriving from China and elsewhere.

In addition to mega-societal costs in terms of lost productivity, externalities of widespread opiate abuse include additional negative health impacts and disabilities. Repeated uses of addictive opiates over time carry long-term impacts on physical and mental health even well after patients are clean.

Spread of serious infectious diseases is also tied to opiate use. In 2015, for example, elderly persons sharing of prescription opiates with younger persons in rural Scott County, Indiana contributed to dozens of HIV infections via injecting drug use. Then Governor and current Vice President Mike Pence was forced declare a state-based public health emergency to facilitate access to needle exchange programs for area residents.

Insufficient Public and Private Sector Responses

Unlike other types of health emergencies, such as Ebola in 2015 or Zika in 2016, the opioid epidemic has not snuck up on an unsuspecting public. Americans have been experiencing this train wreck for over 18 years through four Presidential administrations. Fueled by rampant over-prescribing practices and black markets for illicit drugs, opiate use proliferates. Everyone knows someone at risk; many have felt losses among their families or friends.

Governmental authorities have responded in kind. Multiple federal, state, and tribal agencies are already conducting or supporting significant treatment, screening, and surveillance efforts. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is urging private sector development of alternatives to existing opiate-based painkillers. CDC is pleading with doctors to cease over-prescribing. Customs and Border Control agents are making busts to stem the flow of opiates. Law enforcers have shifted from prosecuting minor offenses to targeting dealers and unscrupulous doctors engaged in massive schemes to share these drugs with persons who do not need them for pain management. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and lay persons are using life-saving naloxone without fear of potential liability.

Governors in 6 states [PDF] (AK, AZ, FL, MA, MD, and VA) and multiple tribal leaders [PDF] have already declared states of emergency specifically to quell the epidemic. Larger cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Phoenix are spending millions of federal, state, and municipal dollars to combat the daily carnage. By comparison rural areas can only devote fractions of these amounts to address opiate use in their communities despite considerably higher rates of lives lost per capita in small towns.

Time for a Declaration of National Emergency

Although public and private efforts are purposeful, they remain insufficient. Widespread opiate access is already one of the deadliest threats to the publics health in modern history. It is time for President Trump to label this crisis what it really is: a public health emergency with national security implications and devastating impacts for Americans. As recommended by the Commission, a national emergency declaration can positively change the legal and policy landscape to:

 reimburse state Medicaid programs to cover treatment facilities, opening up access to care to tens of thousands in existing facilities across the country;

 instruct doctors in proper practices in pain management for prescribing opiates;

 expand access to, and funding for, existing and new medication-assisted treatment (MAT) through the National Institutes of Health (NIH);

 generate model legislation for states to facilitate law enforcement officials access to life-saving naloxone for affected individuals;

 couple naloxone with high-risk opioid prescriptions for patients seeking remedies for their pain; and

 waive existing provisions of federal law that inhibit effective responses, including privacy laws derailing providers from reviewing public health data across states on fraudulent prescription practices and opioid abusers.

These recommendations are an excellent start, but a national emergency raises additional opportunities. As per prior declarations, it compels public and private sectors to coordinate essential preventive measures. National emergencies are often a catalyst for substantial infusions of funding desperately needed by state, tribal, and local governments to implement proven measures and try new ones. Hospitals, clinics, EMTs, and health care workers require more training, treatments, universal safety equipment, and expertise to immediately improve outcomes for patients.

Americans already hooked on opiates need assurances that government is seeking proven and emerging paths to improve their health and save their lives. A declaration may also serve as a national alert for millions more to avoid the scourge of opiate addiction altogether.

Conversely, civil libertarians and others may be concerned about the potential for a national emergency to usher in overly paternalistic interventions via government. This is always possible. Who can forget Governor Christies reckless administration of quarantine powers in New Jersey during the Ebola outbreak in October 2015, or his promise to consider the quarantine of Zika patients in 2016 despite a lack of public health efficacy for either measure? What President Trump may actually endorse or authorize to combat opiates is a sobering question. Heavy-handed public health interventions may predictably be pursued by a federal administration seeking rapid results following its recent failures to reform national health care.

Still, the current circumstances are too dire to ignore a national plea for emergency interventions. In 2015 more than 38% of Americans used prescribed opioids. Given the strong correlation of persons engaged in prolonged use of opioids becoming addicted, millions more are at risk. Within constitutional constraints, President Trump is empowered to positively improve the health and security of millions of Americans through a timely declaration and resulting, bipartisan uses of emergency powers and resources.

James G. Hodge, Jr., JD, LLM, is Professor of Public Health Law and Ethics, and Director, Center for Public Health Law and Policy at the Sandra Day OConnor College of Law, ASU. Sarah Noe, BA (2017) is a JD candidate (2020) at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Suggested citation: James G. Hodge, Jr., Sarah A. Noe, The Call for a National Emergency in Response to the Opiate Epidemic, JURIST  Academic Commentary, Aug. 8, 2017, http://jurist.org/forum/2017/08/Hodge-Noe-opiate-epidemic.php

This article was prepared for publication by Dave Rodkey, the Managing Editor of JURIST. Please direct any questions or comments to him at commentary@jurist.org
[JURIST] A judge for the US District Court for the District of Columbia [official website] on Tuesday struck down [opinion, PDF] an Obama-era rule that banned certain gases from being used in air conditioning and refrigeration appliances. The court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [official website] cannot ban these chemicals under a Clean Air Act [materials] provision, Section 612(c), because it was only meant to prevent the depletion of ozone as these chemicals have not been proven to be hazardous to the earths ozone layer.

Many environmental other groups have expressed serious concerns over Scott Pruitts appointment as the new head of the EPA. In April Earthjustice [advocacy website] filed a motion [JURIST report] that asked the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit [official website] to order the EPA to ban a widely used pesticide after Pruitt denied a petition to prohibit its use. In February Pruitt vowed [JURIST report] to cut back EPA regulations, saying the agencys Clean Power Plan, Waters of the US rule, and the US Methane rule will all be targets under the Trump administration. Pruitts nomination for head of the EPA was met with consternation from Democrats, who cited Pruitts numerous lawsuits against the EPA while he was the Oklahoma Attorney General. Days before his confirmation by the Senate, Pruitt was ordered [JURIST report] by a federal judge to release thousands of emails between the Oklahoma AG office and various fossil fuel companies.
[JURIST] Pravit Rojanaphruk [CPJ profile], a prominent Thai journalist, was charged Tuesday with sedition and violation of Thailands computer laws for making political posts online. Pravit, known for being a strong advocate of press freedom, allegedly made political posts on Facebook in February 2016, prompting the current charges [NYT report]. Poomsuk Poomsukcharoen, a member of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights [advoacy website, in Thai], stated that Pravit presented himself to the police department after the charges were filed. Poomsuk also stated that Pravit was asked to return to police station on August 18, where he will be provided with more information concerning his charges. If convicted, Pravit could face up to seven years in prison.

Thailands enforcement of laws stifling free speech has become increasingly prevalent the past year. In July Thailands Supreme Court sentenced opposition leader Jatuporn Prompan to one year in prison for defaming Thailands current prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. In May Thailand ordered [JURIST report] Facebook to remove posts about the king. That same month a Thai human rights lawyer was charged [JURIST report] for insulting the royal family. In February the Supreme Court of Thailand upheld [JURIST report] the sentence of a former magazine editor who published stories criticizing the royal family. Earlier in February human rights groups urged the Thai Army to drop defamation charges [JURIST report] against three activists. Prior to that, UN Special Rapporteur David Kaye called on[JURIST report] Thai authorities to cease using royal defamation laws to counter free speech that is critical of the royal family.
The Venezuela Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the arrest and removal of the mayor of Chacao, Ramon Muchacho. Muchacho was sentenced to 15 months in prison after he refused to take down barricades set up during anti-government demonstrations. President Nicolas Maduro continued his efforts to shut down opposition to the government when the new constitutional assembly composed solely of pro-government delegates convened on Tuesday as well. Opposition delegates were not allowed to enter the building while the pro-government assembly convened to pass decrees in support of Maduro. Coinciding with these developments, the UN Human Rights Office [official website] issued a short report [press release] condemning the Venezuelan governments use of force to stifle opposition to the government. The UN investigation revealed instances of security forces using tear gas on protestors, deaths among protestors, and over five-thousand detentions. The full report of the UNs findings is set to be released later in August.

Venezuela has been going through significant political unrest between the government and anti-government opposition recently. In July violent protests erupted [JURIST report] after a controversial election for a new assembly that would have the power to rewrite the nations constitution. Earlier in July Venezuelas opposition party made a call [JURIST report] for a 48-hour general strike to be held in response to the scheduled election. A non-binding referendum vote [JURIST report] was held in Venezuela earlier in July in regards to the proposed new constitution which showed that 98 percent of the voters rejected the new constitution. The vote was boycotted by many government supporters. In May the US Department of the Treasury announced sanctions [JURIST report] against Venezuelan Supreme Court justices for usurping democracy. In October the National Assembly voted to open criminal impeachment [JURIST report] proceedings against Maduro, alleging that he manipulated the constitution to remain in power. That same month the Assembly also declared [JURIST report] that there was a breakdown of constitutional order and that the government had staged a coup by blocking an attempt to remove Maduro from power. Instability peaked on March 30 when the Supreme Court of Venezuela dissolved [JURIST report] the opposition-controlled National Assembly and assumed all legislative powers.
KEARNEY  As thousands of tourists are expected to flood south-central Nebraska to view the total solar eclipse, one rural Ravenna family is offering its open land void of city lights.

Nicholas Moffett, his daughters Nicole Shulde of Lincoln and Megan Moffett-Altschuld of Omaha, and son-in-law, Tom Shulde are renting out primitive camping and vendor spaces at their family farm Aug. 19-21. The family homestead, The Moffett Place, is five miles east of Ravenna on state Highway 2 .

At Tuesdays Buffalo County Board of Commissioners meeting, board members approved a special-use permit for the property to operate as a campground and for a special event.

The three Moffett family artists are coining the event The Total Eclipse of the Art. They will sell their own art and invite other artists to sell their work. They have 12 vendors signed up, and Shulde said they are hoping for more. Some vendors are making eclipse-specific art.

Their idea for the event began to grow bigger and bigger.

We thought, Well, we have space for camping, Shulde said.

Campers will be served simple breakfasts, lunches and dinners at the Moffett home. They will also set up a fire pit for the campers because open fire is not permitted. Electricity is available at the home for people to charge their devices, and the Moffett family is bringing in port-a-potties for their guests.

So far, there are 23 campsites reserved for RVs and tents. Shulde said there are about 20 more campsites available.

Cost to rent a 20-foot by 30-foot space is $35 a night and is $70 a night for a 40-foot by 60-foot space.

On Aug. 21, the Moffetts will charge $5 for others to watch the total solar eclipse from their property. A special spot on top of a hill has been designated for astronomers and professional photographers.

The appeal to a couple of them was the dark, unpolluted night skies. Its a hot spot for enthusiasts, Shulde said.

Visitors are coming from nationwide to camp at the Moffetts homestead, Shulde said, including Minnesota, California, Wisconsin and Texas.

Were just anticipating a fun and memorable event, she said.

In other matters, the board accepted a fiberglass buffalo as a gift from Frontier Communications. The buffalo, named Frank, replaces a buffalo that was not returned to the county when it was taken by misrepresentation, said Chairman of the Board Bill McMullen. The maker of the original fiberglass buffalo said he was going to repair the buffalo and never returned it.

Currently, the life-size buffalo sits in the Buffalo County Courthouse lobby.

The board also approved a contract with Nebraska Adult Parole for jail bed space.

Sheriff Neil Miller said the state wanted to do something similar to what is currently being done when people violate their probation. When someone violates parole, the county has the right to bill the state for bed space because the parolee was sentenced to a state facility, Miller said.

Buffalo County is charging $50-$75 a day for bed space.

In other news:

n The board listened to seven property valuation protests from people who were sent valuation change notices after the June 1 deadline.

n The board approved motor vehicle tax renewal exemptions for Goodwill Industries of Greater Nebraska Inc. in Kearney, Good Samaritan Society in Ravenna and the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Village in Kearney.

n The board approved closure of the Buffalo County Courthouse from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Aug. 21 so employees can view the total solar eclipse.

@erikadpritchard
MINDEN  A fiscal year 2017-2018 total budget of $3,857,350, including proposed spending and cash reserve, was approved Tuesday by the Tri-Basin Natural Resources District board at its meeting on the Kearney County Fairgrounds in Minden.

The property tax requirement of $1,473,708 compares to $2,018,983 for FY2017. Thats a drop of $545,275, or 27 percent.

The vote was preceded by a public hearing. No one testified.

After the July board meeting, Tri-Basin General Manager John Thorburn told the Hub that FY2018 operating funds are about the same as last year.

However, there is a carryover of funds budgeted but not used in FY2017 for groundwater recharge projects. Thorburn also said reserve and sinking funds for other projects in progress have built up over the years and are adequate to allow projects to proceed in FY2018.

At Tuesdays meeting, the board set a public hearing on the tax levy at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Tri-Basin office in Holdrege.

Thorburn gave updates on some district projects.

He said an application was submitted for a Nebraska Water Sustainability Fund grant to help pay for the Platte-Republican Diversion Project involving Tri-Basin, the Alma-based Lower Republican NRD and Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District.

The plan is to transfer high Platte River flows, when available after all senior water rights have been filled, into the Republican Basin for interstate compact compliance. The diversion would be from CNPPIDs E-65 Canal, then under Highway 23 west of Smithfield and into the east branch of Turkey Creek for conveyance to the Republican River between Oxford and Edison.

Thorburn said the final agreement between the three entities is nearly complete, which will allow CNPPID to proceed with design of the diversion structure and a water right application to the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources.

Easement discussions are underway with affected landowners.

Thorburn said that in the Little Blue Basin, hes working on a list of construction firms that may be interested in receiving a request for proposals for a project to install up to three check structures (small dams) in Sand Creek in eastern Kearney County. The project goal is to temporarily hold water in the creek for groundwater recharge.

When asked about progress by the Tri-Basin and Little Blue NRDs on a basin integrated water management plan, Thorburn said that effort has paused to allow the LLNRD directors to work on more specific plans for their district.

Really, were waiting for them so we can do another joint meeting with them, he said, which likely will be scheduled after harvest.

In other business, the Tri-Basin board was told that effective July 31 the U.S. Department of Agricultures Farm Service Agency office in Elwood is open only from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Most records were moved to Lexington as the headquarters office serving Gosper County farmers.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service office in Elwood is not affected by the cut in FSA hours, Wendy Clark of the NRCS office in Holdrege said.

Gosper County farmers may ask that their main service office for FSA business be in a different contiguous county, such as Phelps or Furnas, by calling 308-785-3307 or 308-324-6314.

In other business, the board:

- Approved closing the Tri-Basin office in Holdrege from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 21 during the solar eclipse.

- Was updated on Platte Basin Cooperative Hydrology Study computer models by Central Platte NRD Hydrologist Duane Woodward of Grand Island.

- Elected David Raffety of Kearney and Larry Reynolds of Lexington as Tri-Basins delegate and alternate, respectively, for the annual Nebraska Association of Resources Districts convention next month in Kearney.
FILE - In this Jan. 7, 2015 file photo, an Indian man climbs a mound of coal at a coal yard in Mumbai, India. Within the wild energy market of the worldAos second-most populous nation, predictions are proving tricky. India had been projected to become a carbon-belching behemoth, fueled by thermal power plants demanding ever more coal for decades to come. Now, some analysts are saying that may not happen. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade, File)
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This undated photo provided by Maui Grown Therapies shows medicinal cannabis grown in the dispensary's production centers in Upcountry Maui, Hawaii. Dispensary sales of medical marijuana in Hawaii are beginning after patients waited 17 years for a legal way to purchase the drug. Maui Grown Therapies was the first dispensary in the state to sell medical marijuana to patients. (Maui Grown Therapies via AP)
FILE - This undated file photo released by the FBI shows Amor Ftouhi, of Canada. Ftouhi was indicted in the stabbing of a police officer June 21, 2017, at an airport in Flint, Mich. Federal prosecutors have told a judge that Ftouhi, a Tunisia native who stabbed the police officer subscribes to Osama Bin Laden's ideology and celebrated the 9/11 attacks. (FBI via AP, File)
B.C.'s chief medical officer Perry Kendall speaks about the latest statistics on illicit drug overdose deaths and fentanyl-detected overdose deaths during a press conference in Victoria on January 18, 2017. Canadian health care experts, including Kendall, are calling on the federal government to strongly consider Portugal's approach to drug policy including the decriminalization of personal possession.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
FILE - In this June 13, 2017 file photo, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis listens on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mattis is issuing his own sharp threat to North Korea, saying the regime should cease any consideration of actions that would "lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people." (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - In this April 2, 2014, file photo, Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Heller will face a challenge in the 2018 GOP primary by a conservative who is aligning himself with President Donald Trump. The bid by Danny Tarkanian, a 55-year-old Las Vegas businessman, makes good on conservativesAo threats to challenge incumbents who they blame for hurting the years-long quest to dismantle the Obama-era health care law. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
A relative wails on the floor of an alleyway near to the body of a man who had been shot in the head and who the crowd claimed had been shot by police, as the angry crowd shouts towards the police, in the Mathare slum of Nairobi, Kenya Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017. Kenya's election took an ominous turn on Wednesday as violent protests erupted in the capital. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
The launch of the new McDonald's China in Shanghai. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

Some 2,000 quick service outlets to open by 2022 in small cities

McDonald's Corp, the global fast-food chain that has forged a new partnership in China last month, will expand faster by opening 2,000 new restaurants in the next five years.

They will be set up mostly in third-and fourth-tier cities with a focus on take-aways and digitalized services.

The company said it will increase its expansion pace from about 250 new outlets this year to 500 per year from 2022 onward.

It did not disclose other details like the scale of new investments that would ensue.

The new partnership, jointly established by CITIC Ltd, CITIC Capital, Carlyle Capital and McDonald's, paid $2.08 billion for the US-based fast food chain's business in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.

The deal received regulatory approval and was completed on July 31.

The new company will become McDonald's largest franchisee outside of the United States.

CITIC Ltd and CITIC Capital together hold a majority 52 percent stake in the new company, while Carlyle Capital will hold 28 percent, and McDonald's 20 percent.

Currently, McDonald's operates and manages 2,500 restaurants in the Chinese mainland, including 600 franchises, and 240 restaurants in Hong Kong.

The new company will manage all the 2,000 new restaurants directly.

Despite McDonald's global dominance, KFC, owned by Yum China, has bigger presence in the Chinese quick service restaurant. Yum China runs more than 5,000 KFC restaurants in over 1,100 cities and counties.

KFC's wide presence in China appears to have bolstered the confidence of McDonald's investors in the new expansion plan, industry insiders said.

The new partnership of McDonald's aims to achieve double-digit sales growth annually in the next five years.

The goal includes delivery coverage of 3,375 restaurants or over 75 percent of the total.

"China will soon become our largest market outside of the United States," said Steve Easterbrook, McDonald's president and CEO.

"The mainland and Hong Kong are leading the global system in capturing new consumer trends such as delivery and digitalization and it is driving strong performance and growth momentum."

Zhang Yichen, the new chairman of McDonald's China, said restaurant ownership at the local level will foster entrepreneurial spirit within the company.

For example, considering the strong demand for takeout food and the population density in China, Zhang emailed Easterbrook regarding the need to develop a customized software system for the Chinese market.

The latter dispatched McDonald's global IT team to support the China business. Now, the take away operation in China tops the global chain's comparable systems across markets.

Zhang said CITIC has more than 1,400 bank branches in China. Besides, CITIC and Carlyle's extensive resources and market expertise in real estate, supply chains, retail, consumer goods and technology, coupled with the global quality standards and branding of McDonald's, will prove to be a winning formula.

Jason Yu, general manager of Kantar Worldpanel China, a firm that researches shopper behavior, said, "CITIC operates many branches in third-and fourth-tier cities, and they understand the local market, hence will be able to help McDonald's to choose appropriate sites for new restaurants and also provide useful real estate information."
A family from Haiti approach a tent in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec, stationed by Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as they haul their luggage down Roxham Road in Champlain, N.Y., Monday, Aug. 7, 2017. Officials on both sides of the border first began to notice last fall, around the time of the U.S. presidential election, that more people were crossing at Roxham Road. Since then the numbers have continued to climb. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
FILE - In this july 20, 2015 file photo, a member of the Cuban honor guard stands next to a new plaque at the front door of the newly reopened Cuban embassy in Washington. The State Department has expelled two diplomats from CubaAos Embassy in Washington following a series of unexplained incidents in Cuba that left U.S. officials there with physical symptoms. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File, Pool)
Searching the globe this summer, one could easily be overwhelmed by the question: Are there any countries with leaders we can look up to anymore?

Everywhere we look, leadership seems to be characterized by lack of dignity and stature, outright cruelty and personal corruption.

Have you ever heard of Ketumile Masire? I had not myself, although I have visited all the African nations around his landlocked and apparently destined-for-poverty Botswana. Known as Quett, which we shall call him here with a mixture of affection and respect, he was elected president in 1984, 89 and 94 and emerges as one of the great leaders of a continent whose potential has been long-squandered by the greedy Big Men of African politics.

Quett was a poor boy who herded cows as a youngster. When he later went into politics, Botswana  known as Bechuanaland until its independence from Britain in 1966  was the worlds third poorest country. It had eight miles of tarmacked roads, 20 college graduates, 100 secondary school graduates and almost no running water or electricity.

Quett, who took correspondence courses to educate himself, might have been described as a diamond in the rough, but when the famous De Beers mineral-extracting company discovered diamonds in the Kalahari Desert, the financial agility of the self-taught economist turned out to be smooth as silk.

Historically, big Western companies have regularly plundered places like Botswana, but this time, with Quett working closely with his friend, President Seretse Khama, De Beers entered into a unique 50-50 joint venture with the government. The countrys new wealth went not for personal enrichment but for schools, health care, infrastructure and the modernization of farming.

Quett, who died at 91 in June, told the Pan African Parliament: Corruption is an evil. It is something that has really ruined the economy, the morals and everything of value in a society. And there is little corruption allowed in Botswana.

Thousands of miles north of Botswana, almost at the Arctic Circle, lies Finland, a country as different from Botswana as a place could be. Here we find our second great, too-little-heralded leader, Mauno Koivisto, who died at 93 in May in Helsinki. We will call him, respectfully also, by his popular nickname, Manu.

The grandson of a cantor and the son of a Finnish seaman who experienced a religious awakening at sea and became a passionate Adventist, Manu had been a firefighter and schoolteacher before being called to fight the Soviets in the Winter War of 1939 and then the Continuation War between 1941 and 44.

When you have taken part in a game in which your own life is at stake, he once recalled of this horrible time, all other games are small after that experience. Most peoples would have given up, with the powerful Soviet Union demanding Finnish acquiescence. But the Finns, led by Manu, always made the best of a bad situation.

The wars left Manu a sober, proper man whom the Helsinki papers often found boring. Throughout his political career and presidency, he would deal with the Soviets with great propriety, but when the Russians invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968, he later admitted, he sat down and wept.

In the wars with Moscow, the Finns preserved their independence, but they had to pay $300 million in reparations, which was half the GDP of the country. These impossible payments forced the Finns to invest in the shipbuilding and heavy industries that have made them prosperous today.

Meanwhile, Manu was maneuvering brilliantly behind the scenes, secretly negotiating with both President George H.W. Bush and Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev to come to Finland for the famous Helsinki Summit in 1990, which set the pattern for East-West relations until today. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Finland immediately fully joined the European Union and partly joined NATO  and the West.

Two men of extraordinary accomplishments. Two natural-born leaders from two very different worlds, geographically and culturally, and yet admirable in political instincts and similar in moral character.

We would do well to turn off the television and strive to know world leaders like them, for there are many of them, and they can inspire us quietly to greatness.
Rescuers search through rubbles at the scenic spot of Jiuzhaigou county in Southwest China's Sichuan province on August 9, 2017, after a 7.0-magnitude quake hit the area on Monday night. More than 300 soldiers, nine vehicles, as well as 68 rescuers with search equipment have been sent to the quake site. [Photo/VCG] A 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Southwest China's Sichuan province on Tuesday has killed at least 13 people and injured 175, according to local emergency authorities. The epicenter was at a depth of 20 kilometers (12 miles), close to Jiuzhaigou county in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture. It was monitored at 33.2 degrees north latitude and 103.82 degrees east longitude, the China Earthquake Network Center said. Aftershocks measuring a magnitude of about 6.0, which had shaken the affected area over Tuesday night, may continue to strike places around the epicenter in the coming days, the center added. Jiuzhaigou national park, a popular tourist spot known for spectacular waterfalls and karst formations, is in the affected area and has been closed temporarily. President Xi Jinping has called for an all-out effort to rapidly organize relief work and rescue the injured, while evacuating and settling visitors. Because the earthquake took place during the flood period and tourism season, authorities should enhance meteorological early warning and geological monitoring to guard against other disasters and do their best to protect people's lives and property, Xi added. Premier Li Keqiang also urged local authorities to make every effort on relief and monitoring work. After the quake, the Earthquake Administration quickly launched emergency response system and dispatched officers to the affected area to handle emergencies. Meanwhile, the armed police force in Jiuzhaigou was ordered to reach the epicenter to keep order, according to the Armed Police Force's Sichuan Provincial Corps. More armed forces and doctors have been on their way and are expected to arrive at the epicenter around 11 am Wednesday. A hotline for tourists has been set up by the China National Tourism Administration, while provincial tourism authorities also have contacted travel agencies and hotels, collecting tourist information through instant messaging tools such as Wechat and QQ. Tourism departments around the county, such as Mianyang and Deyang cities in Sichuan, also have been asked to provide services for tourists. When the quake happened at 9:19 pm Tuesday, tremors were felt in the provincial capital Chengdu and as far away as Xi'an, Shaanxi province, according to local media. Yang Qihu, a bus driver in Chengdu, said she saw the lamp in her parlor shake as she had dinner with her 6-year-old son on Tuesday night. Although some in Chengdu, 285 km from the epicenter, felt the quake, Jiang Zuquan, a government worker in Ma'erkang, capital of the prefecture government, who happened to be in his office on the first floor, said he did not. "The epicenter is some 600 km from Ma'erkang and few colleagues felt it," he added. "The Jiuzhaigou earthquake is called a strike-slip earthquake, which often happens in China," said Jiang Haikun, a senior researcher at the China Earthquake Networks Center. Jiang said Sichuan is frequently struck by earthquakes in recent years due to the active Bayankala faulting block. "The 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, 2013 Lushan Earthquake and 2010 Yushu Earthquake are all related to its movement," Jiang said. He warned that magnitude 6 aftershocks might hit the Jiuzhaigou area based on the overall movement of the Bayankala faulting block and the precedent of a large double-shock earthquake in the area. A heavy quake in Wenchuan, Sichuan, on May 12, 2008, killed almost 70,000 people. Zhao Lei contributed to this story. Contact the writers at caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn
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Christmas lights shine on Regent Street and in Mayfair, London on Dec 13, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

The United Kingdom is growing in popularity among Chinese travelers, a new survey shows, and flight bookings from China to Britain, from August to October, are up 20 percent, compared to a year earlier.

Britain is now seventh in the ranking of nations Chinese tourists intend to visit during the coming year -up from 17th in 2016. This is according to an annual survey of 3,000 Chinese international travelers conducted by market research firm Ipsos Mori for travel service Hotels.com.

France, the United States, Australia, and Canada are the most popular, followed by Germany and the Maldives. The UK shares seventh with Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand.

The survey found London was the second choice among Chinese travelers considering a trip to Europe, behind Paris and ahead of Athens and Vienna.

In 2016, there were 122 million outbound visits by Chinese tourists - 4 percent more than in 2015, and 74 percent more than in 2011.

Abhiram Chowdhry, managing director for Asia Pacific and Latin America for Hotels.com, said the "potential for growth" in both the number of Chinese travelers and their spending power "is enormous".

A record 54,000 tourists from China visited the UK in the first quarter of 2017, a rise of 27 percent on the same period in 2016, said tourism authority VisitBritain.

VisitBritain director Patricia Yates said Britain was 9 percent more affordable in the first quarter of 2017, compared to the first three months of 2016.

Travel agent Ctrip said Chinese tourists paid up to 20 percent less for trips to the UK following the vote to leave the European Union and fall in the pound.

"As the number of Chinese travelers grows, so does their expectations of new, more adventurous and diverse travel offerings," said Chowdhry.

Survey respondents said the three key areas of the travel experience they would like to see improved are -more Mandarin-speaking staff, more familiar payment options such as Alipay and UnionPay, and improved local transport.

The Hotels.com study noted many hotels in the UK have taken steps to better serve Chinese visitors, including training staff in Mandarin and adding noodle kettles and snack boxes with Chinese food to kitchenettes.

Respondents said safety will be the primary consideration when planning their next holiday. A destination's historical heritage and whether a country was"on the bucket list" shared second spot, followed by cuisine, and value for money.

Respondents said they spent an average of 28 percent of their annual income on international travel. Those born after 1990 spent the largest proportion, averaging 35 percent of their wages.
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Have a story idea or tip about something happening in the East Village? Or maybe a photo? Or several photos? Or video! We'd love to hear about it. Or see it. Or something. Please go here to submit a tip.
The IFL PiRo robot detects the objects desired and automatically puts them into shopping baskets. (Photo: Laila Tkotz, KIT)

Today, the desired book, toy or household appliance can be purchased by a click only  thanks to online mail order business and smart logistics. The bottleneck in logistics, however, is the high-bay store, where many picking and detection processes cannot yet be executed automatically by robots. At the Amazon Robotics Challenge in Nagoya, Japan, the IFL PiRo team of KIT demonstrated how future warehousing may work. First participation in the international competition was crowned by an excellent 7th place in the overall ranking.

In an exciting week with three intensive competition days we mastered several challenges and learned a lot, says Kai Markert of KITs Institute for Materials Handling and Logistics and IFL PiRo team captain. It was a big success for our young team to be able to compete with the best in the world in Japan.

The IFL PiRo team presented with an innovative shelf concept. Instead of arranging the goods in a conventional shelf, the objects are placed in mobile boxes arranged horizontally around the central robot arm. Some of the boxes can be moved by the robot like drawers, thus allowing for a multistorey arrangement. Although load capacity of this system appears to be smaller than that of a shelf system of the same area at first glance, the capacity can be increased easily. In the future warehouse, a second robot might work as a feeder and bring the required boxes or remove those that are no longer needed. As todays warehouse systems have reached their technical limits, we wanted to develop a completely new system for the 21st century in order to make full use of the advantages of the robot gripper, Markert points out. For the video on the system, click:

https://youtu.be/3zJ7TLboaUU

The system was designed such that all actions, i.e. detection, picking, suction, dropping, can be carried out with similar movement patterns from above. This facilitates movement planning and execution and makes the movements quicker and more reliable. Moreover, a laser scanner as used in driverless transportation systems can monitor the area above the boxes to control the success of picking, suction, and transport.

To pick the products, the robot uses a gripper or a suction pad. Depending on the product to be picked, the control independently decides on the method to be used and selects the right parameters and contact points. A camera system supplies two- and three-dimensional image information. Using image recognition software and neural networks, the objects are detected. Grip points can be given when teaching the system or calculated from the position and size of the object after object detection.

The IFL PiRo team consists of about 15 students and scientific staff members of the KIT Institute for Materials Handling and Logistics. The team members work in the areas of mechanical engineering, precision engineering/mechatronics, electrical engineering, computer science, and business engineering. Apart from the IFL PiRo system concept and the software, many mechanical parts were self-developed and produced at the own workshop or using 3D printers.

About the Amazon Robotics Challenge

Apart from the pick task (picking orders, picking products from shelves according to the order list, and placing the products into three different boxes) and a stow task (putting products into shelves, documenting shelf content), it was also required to design the shelf system according to given framework conditions. The objects to be picked are typical products of the mail order business. Only half of the products are known prior to the competition. The remaining products are given to the teams 30 minutes before the start of competition in order to teach them to the robot system. The tasks have to be executed independently by the robot. Interference by the team is not permitted.

Video on the IFL PiRo robot:

https://youtu.be/3zJ7TLboaUU



More information:

https://www.amazonrobotics.com/#/roboticschallenge

More about the KIT Information  Systems  Technologies Center: http://www.kcist.kit.edu

Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,800 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
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
SHANGHAI, Aug 9 (Reuters) - China's Ministry of Finance on Wednesday auctioned 28 billion yuan ($4.18 billion) of two-year bonds at an average yield of 3.4230 percent, and 36 billion yuan of five-year bonds at 3.6005 percent, traders said.

For the two-year bond, market estimates had centred around 3.41 percent and forecasts ranged from 3.37 percent to 3.46 percent.

For the five-year bond, market forecasts had centred on 3.61 percent and ranged from 3.55 percent to 3.65 percent.

The auction yield came in below Tuesday's benchmark secondary market yield of 3.6149 percent for five-year government bonds .

For stories on Chinese debt issues, click on ($1 = 6.6961 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Sunil Nair)
(Adds details, updates prices)

* TSX down 26.64 points, or 0.17 percent, to 15,229.71

* Gold sub-index jumps, financials weigh

* Decliners outnumbered advancers by 1.40-to-1 ratio

TORONTO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index slipped in morning trade on Wednesday, as losses among financial shares offset a rally in gold miners as investors sought safety in the precious metal amid rising geopolitical tensions.

A sub-index of global gold miners that is dominated by Canada-listed stocks jumped 2 percent as escalating tensions between the United States and North Korea pushed up gold prices and weighed on global stock markets.

Earnings hits and misses also had a strong influence on the Canadian market, with a string of companies swinging in both directions.

Supply chain software company Kinaxis Inc fell 12.9 percent to C$69.43 as several analysts cut their target prices and recommendations on the stock.

Semafo jumped 10.3 percent to C$2.99 after Credit Suisse raised its recommendation on the gold miner to "outperform" from "neutral" following its second-quarter results, and Finning International Inc rose 6.9 percent to C$27.63 after the heavy equipment company reported quarterly earnings that beat expectations and raised its dividend.

Gold royalty and streaming company Franco Nevada Corp jumped 4.6 percent to C$96.27 after reporting quarterly results late on Tuesday.

At 10:51 a.m. ET (1451 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was down 26.64 points, or 0.17 percent, to 15,229.71.

Decliners outnumbered advancers by a 1.40-to-1 ratio.

The heavyweight financials sector, which accounts for more than a third of the index's weight, was down 0.25 percent as U.S. and Canadian bond yields fell.

U.S. President Donald Trump's boasted about the strength of the country's nuclear arsenal on Wednesday, after North Korea said it was "carefully examining" a plan to strike Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific that is home to a U.S. military base. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc lost 4.0 percent to C$18.96 after the company said its subsidiaries in Australia were the subject of a tax audit.

Canada-listed shares of Tahoe Resources Inc fell 1.8 percent to C$6.48 after the miner said it would stop paying dividends and suspended overall guidance amid uncertainty about its operations in Guatemala.

Stella-Jones Inc rose 7.2 percent to C$46 after the wood products producer reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings and revenue.

Canadian housing starts rose in July on growth in western British Columbia, even as groundbreaking on single-detached homes fell in Toronto where activity has cooled after the province introduced measures to rein in a frothy market. (Reporting by Alastair Sharp; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)
By Susan Taylor

TORONTO, Aug 9 (Reuters) - With a plump $3.1 billion pile of cash, Newmont Mining Corp is mulling a sweeter dividend to attract a broader shareholder base, a move that makes it an outlier in the still recovering gold sector.

Although miners are no longer crippled by expansion-fueled debt loads, the priority for their cash is building and expanding mines to replace depleting gold reserves, and further reducing debt.

Dividend increases are not on their immediate horizon, making Newmont, which has said it was considering doing so, stand out.

Like other producers, Newmont is also investing in expansion projects, but with the fattest purse among gold producers and no debt due until 2019, the Colorado-based miner may have excess cash to return to shareholders.

Newmont, the world's second-biggest gold producer, has cut net debt by over 70 percent since 2013 to $1.5 billion, and will mull dividend payout options at its October board meeting.

"One of the things we'll be looking at is what's an appropriate level of dividend that might attract new investors," Chief Executive Gary Goldberg told Reuters.

Newmont is nipping at the heels of Barrick Gold Corp for the title of world's largest gold miner, with plans to produce 5 million-5.4 million ounces of gold this year, against Barrick's forecast 5.3 million-5.6 million ounce output.

The two miners are also wrestling for top valuation, with Newmont's market capitalization of $19.3 billion just behind Barrick's $19.4 billion.

Among Newmont's potential options to boost its dividend is issuing a one-time special payment, said Chris Mancini, an analyst at Gabelli Gold Fund.

The company could also boost its gold price-linked dividend again, as it did last year, analysts said. "The market does want them to reinvest in projects which have high rates of return and relatively low risk," said Mancini.

"To the degree that there is excess cash on their balance sheet, the market would like to see that returned to them, in the form of a dividend."

At a $1,250 per ounce gold price, Newmont would pay 30 cents a share for its 2017 dividend, a yield of about 0.8 percent, TD Securities analyst Greg Barnes said in a note to clients.

That is broadly in line with current industry yields, but an increased payout could potentially put Newmont ahead of its peers.

For now, richer dividends are not compelling for producers including Barrick, Kinross Gold Corp , Goldcorp Inc and Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd , which are focused on reducing debt or investing in projects.

But as gold miners gain firmer footing, there is potential to mirror global diversified miners, which are hiking dividends as commodity prices and profits surge, said Clarksons Platou global mining analyst Jeremy Sussman.

Rio Tinto , the world's second-largest miner, last week promised a record-setting $2 billion interim dividend, for example. "If we were to see this on the gold side from one of the majors, especially in a meaningful way, I think the others would probably feel some pressure to follow suit, because at this stage, the vast majority of balance sheets are in very good shape," said Sussman.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Newmont positioned for dividend lift ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Susan Taylor, additional reporting by Nicole Mordant in Vancouver; Editing by Denny Thomas and Phil Berlowitz) Keywords: NEWMONT MINING DIVIDEND/
* Imports from Europe set to double by end of Aug

* Colonial Pipeline: flows to Northeast have recovered

* U.S. gasoline demand waning from summer peak -traders

By Ron Bousso and Devika Krishna Kumar

LONDON/NEW YORK, Aug 9 (Reuters) - As the U.S. summer driving season winds down, a wave of gasoline barrels is headed for the Northeast market from Europe and the U.S. Gulf Coast, which will squeeze profit margins for local refiners in the country's biggest fuel-consuming region.

A string of inventory draws in the United States and a revival in gasoline demand alleviated a longstanding glut in the New York gasoline hub, drawing interest from shippers in Europe at a time when buying historically eases at the end of August.

Expectation for increased flows pushed gasoline futures and margins to a two-week low after they surged last week to a more than three-month high. European exports to North America of gasoline and naphtha, which is used for blending into gasoline, will jump in the coming weeks to the highest in months.

Total East Coast imports are set to reach nearly 850,000 barrels per day (bpd) by the end of August, doubling from a month earlier, according to traders and shipping data.

"Arbs were open for weeks in July and I think the paper hedges were put in place, but the ships were not fixed. So now you are seeing the ships getting fixed," one East Coast trader said.

U.S. gasoline imports into the East Coast more than doubled to 910,000 bpd in the week ended Aug. 4, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. East Coast inventories jumped by 1.4 million barrels and remain above the five-year average. The Colonial Pipeline, which connects the Gulf Coast to the populous Northeast, also signaled that demand to haul fuel on its gasoline line recovered after falling below capacity in June for the first time in six years. Tuesday's restart of Europe's largest refinery, Royal Dutch Shell's 404,000 bpd Pernis refinery in Rotterdam, is expected to support European gasoline exports. Shell tentatively booked on Wednesday the Hafnia Phoenix to ship on August 13-14 a 37,000 tonne (300,000 barrels) cargo of gasoline from northwest Europe to North America, according to shipping data.

While the arbitrage for summer-grade gasoline is currently closed, traders said many Transatlantic cargoes were locked in earlier this month when U.S. prices spiked. The economics for European exports of winter-grade gasoline, which starts trading in fall, was marginally open, they said.

In what traders called a sign of weakening summer demand, winter-grade gasoline barrels were already seen offered in the New York harbor spot gasoline market.

(Reporting by Ron Bousso in London and Devika Krishna Kumar in New York; Editing by David Gregorio)
LONDON/BOSTON Aug 9 (Reuters) - Hedge fund firm Pine River Capital Management's flagship fund has lost about 68 percent of its assets in the 12 months to July, data compiled by HSBC shows.

Assets in the multi-strategy fund dropped from $2.99 billion in July 2016 to $960 million in July 2017, said the data.

Minnetonka, Minnesota-headquartered Pine River, which also has offices in London, Hong Kong and Luxembourg, has hit hard times in recent years, shedding partners, assets and funds. Firm-wide assets fell from $15 billion in 2015 to $8.5 billion in July 2017, a source close to the firm told Reuters.

A year ago, the firm consolidated its fund lineup when it closed its Pine River Fixed Income fund, which posted a 93 percent return in 2009, and said clients could switch their money to the Pine River Fund.

In early June 2016, the portfolio had $3.6 billion in assets. At that time, the firm's founder, Brian Taylor, told clients: "We now believe we can best serve our investors by managing a single flagship multi-strategy fund - the Pine River Fund - which embodies our full opportunity set, rather than simultaneously managing two multi-strategy vehicles."

Pine River is currently changing some of its trading strategies, and ending long-short equity trading, according to a report from Bloomberg in July .

(Reporting by Maiya Keidan and Svea Herbst, additional reporting by Lawrence Delevigne; Editing by Rachel Armstrong)
By Trevor Hunnicutt

NEW YORK, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Momentum for domestic U.S. stock funds waned during the latest week, with investors pulling cash from those products for a sixth week out of the last seven, Investment Company Institute (ICI) data showed on Wednesday.

The funds posted $3.9 billion in withdrawals during the week ended Aug. 2, the trade group said, even as U.S. stocks steamed higher. The S&P 500 is on pace to deliver double-digit percent returns for seventh year in the last decade.

Investors say that rise has left U.S. stocks richly valued and that they have been moving to taxable bonds and international stocks. Each of those categories had a 35th straight week of inflows, according to ICI.

Taxable bonds added $6.1 billion, while world stock funds attracted $4.2 billion.

Bond funds sold $203 billion in shares during the first half of 2017, compared to $136 billion in stocks. Of that, domestic equities took in just $4.3 billion, ICI data showed.

Phil Bak, chief executive at ACSI Funds, said the growth in index funds that own big stakes in technology companies like Facebook Inc and Apple Inc has exacerbated fears of a top-heavy market.

"A lot of people feel that trade will start to unwind," said Bak, whose firm is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

But stocks are not trading in tandem, meaning there are relative winners and losers and in the market. A CBOE S&P 500 Implied Correlation Index that uses options to measure how much markets expect stock prices to move together is trading at 31.4, compared to 57.7 on the day of the U.S. election in November, a turning point for markets.

S&P 500 earnings for the second quarter rose an estimated 12 percent, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. But in recent days some large companies turned in disappointing results, including airlines, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it wants to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes, hitting Altria Group's shares.

Bak said a lack of correlations between stocks creates a good environment for investors who pick equities beyond those held in the highest proportion by indexes such as the S&P 500.

"We think it's a pretty good environment to be in stocks," he said.

The following table shows estimated ICI flows for mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (all figures in millions of dollars):

8/2 7/26 7/19 7/12 7/5/2017 Equity 240 4,969 2,976 3,021 -6,478 -Domestic -3,921 1,055 -4,542 -2,118 -11,551 -World 4,161 3,915 7,518 5,139 5,073 Hybrid -943 -350 -664 -688 -481 Bond 7,006 6,375 13,611 4,780 5,824 -Taxable 6,106 5,651 12,810 4,438 6,072 -Municipal 899 724 801 341 -248 Commodity -359 -1,168 -1,014 -249 -583 Total 5,944 9,827 14,909 6,864 -1,719 (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)
COPENHAGEN, Aug 9 (Reuters) - A.P. Moller Holding, which controls Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk , said Wednesday it has launched a new fund that will invest in infrastructure in Africa.

The fund, which was launched with pension funds PKA, PensionDanmark and Medical Doctors' Pension Fund, has received commitments of $550 million and aims to raise $1 billion.

The fund will be managed by former Maersk management members Kim Fejfer, Lars Reno Jakobsen and Joe Nicklaus Nielsen, as well as Jens Thomassen, who is joining from Denham Capital.

"We are delighted to have established a new promising company in our portfolio with a strong team, who hold the right capabilities and experience to manage infrastructure investments in emerging markets," said A.P. Moller Holding Chief Executive Robert Maersk Uggla.

A.P. Moller Holding is a wholly-owned fund established in 1953 by the founder of A.P. Moller Maersk with approximately $20 billion under management. The holding company owns 41.5 percent of shares and 51 percent of voting rights in the listed Maersk company.

Fejfer used to run the company's APM Terminals division which manages ports around the world and has invested in ports in sub-Saharan countries such as Nigeria and Ghana.

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; editing by David Clarke)
LONDON, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Oil trader Pierre Andurand's hedge fund has recovered some of its losses from the first half of the year, a source close to the firm told Reuters.

Andurand Capital's losses for 2017 so far eased from 17 percent at June 30 to 15 percent at July 31 according to the source.

Andurand Capital and other specialist oil and commodities-focused hedge funds have struggled in 2017, with many racking up double-digit losses. Longtime commodities trader Andy Hall closed his main hedge fund after losing almost 30 percent through June, according to a report on August 3. (Reporting by Maiya Keidan; Editing by Rachel Armstrong)
* STOXX 600 down 0.7 pct, CAC 40 down 1.2 pct

* Gold miners gain as investors rush to safety

* Scout24 soars after winning back customers in Q2

* Brenntag falls as analysts unimpressed by results

* Overall euro zone Q2 earnings growth tracking 16 pct

(changes to reflect July name change to BNP Paribas Asset Management from BNP Paribas Investment Partners, paragraph 13)

By Helen Reid

LONDON, Aug 9 (Reuters) - European shares fell back on Wednesday, with all major benchmarks in the red after a car hit a group of soldiers in a Parisian suburb in what was said to be a deliberate act.

The falls followed U.S. and Asian market declines after North Korea said it was considering plans to attack Guam, which has a large U.S. military base. Strong results from Scout24 and Novo Nordisk lifted those shares, but the pan-European STOXX 600 extended early losses to fall 0.7 percent. Euro zone stocks and blue-chips dropped 1 percent.

France's CAC 40 extended losses to hit a session low, down 1.2 percent after the car incident in Paris.. Germany's DAX was also down 1.1 percent as bond yields fell.

Gold miners Randgold Resources and Fresnillo were among the only gainers on the FTSE, up 1.9 to 2.3 percent as investors rushed to the safety of gold. Banks meanwhile suffered heavy losses, down 1.2 percent.

Results also drove some sharp moves lower.

Chemicals group Brenntag led fallers, down 5.5 percent after second quarter results undershot expectations. "M&A seems to be the main driver while organic growth remains unsatisfying," said Baader Helvea analysts.

G4S shares fell 4.7 percent despite the security group reporting first-half profit up 7.6 percent and saying its turnaround was on track. Stifel analysts pointed to operating cashflow being weaker year-on-year.

German flavours and fragrance maker Symrise fell 3.6 percent, with analysts pointing to margins missing estimates. Overall, results season has been strong, analysts and investors said. Earnings growth for the MSCI Euro zone companies reporting this quarter is tracking at 15.7 percent, with 76 percent of results in so far.

"I still think there's more good news than bad news [in results] because you're still seeing underlying economies growing at a decent clip," said Andrew King, head of European equities at BNP Paribas Asset Management.

"On a longer term view you're now starting to see a break with the history of constant earnings downgrades," he added.

Scout24 was a stand-out performer, jumping 6.6 percent to a seven-month high after the German online classifieds company said it had won back customers in the second quarter. Its shares had fallen sharply after a broker downgrade last week.

The healthcare sector outperformed thanks to strong gains from the world's top maker of diabetes drugs, Novo Nordisk , up 3.9 percent after beating second-quarter profit forecasts. Dutch oil firm SBM Offshore gained 4.7 percent, on track for its best day in more than a year, after its first-half results beat expectations with higher investments in deep sea projects. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ europe stocks sector ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Helen Reid; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
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) - Russian President Vladimir Putins internet adviser plans to take advantage of the worldwide bitcoin craze by generating $100 million in a bid to compete with Chinas fast-growing digital mining efforts.

Russian Miner Coin (RMC), co-owned by Dmitry Marinichev  Putins internet ombudsman, is developing a new virtual asset and plans to have a coin sale to raise capital, which is known in the digital world as the initial coin offering (ICO).

The idea behind the project is to boost Russias stake in digital cryptocurrency mining. RMC believes that Russia is in a good place to expand into digital mining market, with 20 gigawatts of excess power capacity and lower consumer electricity prices than in China.

Russia has the potential to reach up to 30% share in global cryptocurrency mining in the future," Marinichev said at a news conference in Moscow.

RMC wants to develop a new processor for digital mining equipment that would increase productivity by 35 times, according to the company.

The plan is to use semiconductor chips, which were developed for Russian satellites and are known to minimize power consumption. That is key for digital crypto mining, which has very high power consumption levels, increasing costs.

Currently, Chinas Bitmain Technologies Ltd. is one of the top producers of computers that can mine bitcoins with minimized energy consumption.

RMC said that out of the $100 million it plans to raise, $10 million will go towards the development of the new processor and the rest of the $90 million will go to the digital mining production process that will operate by employing a security chip.

Those interested can use ethereum or bitcoin units to purchase the newly created RMC tokens.

The new tokens will have rights to 18% of the revenue earned with the RMCs mining equipment, the company said.

ICOs have been gaining popularity with digital currency startups around the world, as they are an easy way to raise money upfront by giving investors virtual currency units that have the potential to grow in value in the future.
HANOI, Aug 9 (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 0420 GMT.

August 9 USD/VND mid-point 22,440 USD/VND interbank 22,729/22,731 USD/VND unofficial 22,728/22,740 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.13/36.35

Interbank offered rates Overnight 0.4-0.8

1 week 0.5-0.9

1 month 1.5-1.9

3 months 3.1-3.8

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)
ANKARA, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Turkey may need to take reciprocal measures against Russia's restrictions on imports of tomatoes and other produces, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said on Wednesday.

Speaking to businessmen in Ankara, Zeybekci said there were still lingering issues on the export of Turkish tomatoes to Russia, and that restrictions were in place for other vegetables as well.

Russia banned Turkish tomato imports after Turkey shot down a Russian jet near the Syrian border in 2015. Ties between Ankara and Moscow have largely normalised since although the ban remains in place. (Reporting by Nevzat Devranoglu; Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by David Dolan)
WASHINGTON, Aug 9 (Reuters) - U.S. worker productivity rose more than expected in the second quarter amid an increase in hours, but the trend remained weak, suggesting that robust economic growth could remain elusive.

The Labor Department said on Wednesday nonfarm productivity, which measures hourly output per worker, increased at a 0.9 percent annualized rate in the April-June period. First-quarter productivity was revised to show it edging up at a 0.1 percent pace instead of being unchanged as previously reported.

Compared to the second quarter of 2016, productivity increased at a 1.2 percent rate. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast productivity increasing at a 0.7 percent pace in the second quarter.

The government also revised data going back to 2014, in line with recent revisions to gross domestic product figures.

Those revisions showed productivity falling 0.1 percent in 2016, the first drop since 1982. That suggests the economy's potential rate of growth has declined.

Anemic productivity is bad news for President Donald Trump who has pledged to boost annual economic growth to 3.0 percent through tax cuts, infrastructure spending and a rollback of regulation.

Economists blame soft productivity on a shortage of workers as baby boomers retire as well as the impact of rampant drug addiction in some parts of the country. A report on Tuesday showed job openings surging to a record 6.2 million in June.

Other economists also argue that low capital expenditure, which they say has resulted in a sharp drop in the capital-to-labor ratio, is holding down productivity.

There is also a perception that productivity is being inaccurately measured, especially on the information technology side. Annual economic growth has not surpassed 3 percent or more since 2005. Gross domestic product expanded at a 2.6 percent annualized rate in the second quarter.

Hours worked increased at a rate of 2.5 percent in the April-June period after rising at a 1.6 percent pace in the first quarter. As a result, output per worker surged at a 3.4 percent rate, the fastest since the first quarter of 2015, after rising at a 1.8 percent pace at the start of the year.

Unit labor costs, the price of labor per single unit of output, increased at a 0.6 percent pace in the second quarter after jumping t a 5.4 percent rate in the January-March period.

Compared to the second quarter of 2016, unit labor costs fell at a 0.2 percent rate.

(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Paul Simao)
KAMPALA, Aug 9 (Reuters) - The Ugandan shilling held steady on Wednesday, underpinned by lower demand for hard currency from importers. At 1142 GMT, commercial banks quoted the shilling at 3,610/3,620, the same level as Tuesday's close. UGX Spot Rate..... Ugandan Shilling Money Guide.... Calculated Cross Rates.......... Deposits..................... Deposits & Forwards............. Uganda Equities Guide....... Uganda All Share Index........ Shilling background ..... Ugandan Debt Guide............ All Uganda Bonds............. Uganda T-Bills.............. Uganda Benchmark............. Central Bank ................ Ugandan Contributor Index.... Uganda Coffee Prices....... (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Duncan Miriri)

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.
* Nigeria to restructure debt profile by borrowing more offshore

* Africa's biggest economy is in first recession in 25 years

* Nigeria revises down 2018 growth projection to 3.5 pct

(Adds quotes, details, bullet points)

By Felix Onuah

ABUJA, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Nigeria plans to refinance $3 billion worth of treasury bills denominated in the local currency with dollar borrowing to lower costs and improve its debt position, the finance minister said on Wednesday, as Africa's top economy recovers from a recession.

Kemi Adeosun announced the shift after a cabinet meeting in which the spending plan for 2018-2020 was approved. Budget minister Udoma Udo Udoma told the same news conference that the government's economic growth projection for next year had been revised down to 3.5 percent from 4.8 percent.

Dollars have been in short supply in Nigeria since the price of crude oil, the main source of hard currency, plunged in mid-2014, triggering a currency crisis, an exodus of foreign investors and its first recession in 25 years.

Adeosun said the government planned to refinance $3 billion worth of maturing naira-denominated short-term treasury bills with dollar borrowing of up to three years' maturity.

She said it was part of an attempt to restructure the debt portfolio into longer term maturities by borrowing more offshore and less at home, which the minister said would also support private sector access to credit to boost the economy.

"As the economy recovers and grows we will be in a much better position to repay instead of just rolling over the debt," Adeosun said.

She said the government would issue dollar debt as $3 billion worth of naira treasury bills gradually mature. She did not provide a time frame for this.

Nigeria expects a shortfall of $7.5 billion in its 2017 budget. The government plans to raise around half of that in foreign loans, including from the World Bank and from international debt markets. "We are not increasing our borrowings, we are simply restructuring -- instead of owing naira, we will be owing dollars," Adeosun said.

The OPEC member, which relies on crude sales for two-thirds of government revenue, has at least six exchange rates which it has used to mask pressure on the naira during the currency crisis caused by low oil prices.

The finance minister said the debt profile change would have a positive impact on the value of the naira "because it means that $3 billion will be coming into our foreign reserve".

Also briefing reporters, budget minister Udoma said the government had approved "a slightly different" growth trajectory of 3.5 percent for next year, down from 4.8 percent it announced last week in its strategy paper. He did not provide an explanation for why the growth forecast had been revised down.

Udoma forecast growth would top 4.5 percent by 2019 and 7 percent by 2020, adding that the government was projecting crude production of 2.3 million barrels per day for next year at a price of $45 a barrel.

(Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha and Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Catherine Evans)
By Cindy Silviana and Wilda Asmarini

JAKARTA, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Nickel producer Vale Indonesia said Indonesia's recent policy shift to allow ore exports is helping keep global prices of the metal low, and complicating efforts to establish partnerships for new smelter investments.

Nickel miners globally have been grappling with persistent weakness in the market, partly the result of moves by Indonesia and the Philippines to pull back on restrictions targeting their mining sectors. A resumption of Indonesian nickel ore exports in May this year has been a boon for China's nickel pig iron (NPI) producers that depend on such ore, but has meant trouble for the rest of the world's nickel producers. For Vale Indonesia, that has meant difficulties in establishing or maintaining partnerships for several ferronickel smelter projects on the island of Sulawesi.

"Some have told us verbally and some have put it in writing," Vale Indonesia CEO Nico Kanter told Reuters in an interview, speaking of partners who have said they are pulling the plug or delaying decisions amid the pricing and regulatory uncertainties.

Japanese miner Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd is partnering with Vale on a nickel processing plant in Pomalaa in Southeast Sulawesi.

But "they are now more concerned about the calculations of their internal rate of return, because this is a $2 billion project," Kanter said.

Another potential Chinese co-investor has decided to withdraw from a ferronickel smelter project in Bahodopi, Central Sulawesi, he said.

Benchmark nickel prices on the London Metals Exchange have gained about 3.5 percent since Indonesia's rules changed, and were at $10,815 per tonne on Wednesday.

"If there wasn't a (rule change), prices could have improved more," said Kanter.

Nickel prices made small gains since the latest rule change, but remain well below levels seen prior to mid-2015.

Indonesia has already issued permits for 8 million tonnes of nickel ore exports, sparking worries that further permits will follow, Vale Indonesia Corporate Secretary Ratih Amri said. "This is not in line with the government's vision of creating added value in the nation," Amri said.

Indonesia's ban on unprocessed ore exports in 2014 had paid off, Amri said, attracting at least $6 billion in nickel smelter investments.

As of June, however, around half of Indonesia's newly constructed nickel smelters were shuttered as a result of the market's shaky prices. Indonesia's mining ministry has denied that its ore export policy shift is to blame for the closures.

Coal and Minerals Director General Bambang Gatot said the smelters were closed because of "uneconomical technologies".

Vale Indonesia's shares have recovered in recent weeks and were at 2,600 rupiah ($0.1951) on Wednesday, still around 14 percent less than where they were before the policy shift. Below is a table of companies and their corresponding nickel ore export quota allocations (in wet metric tonnes).

Company Quota PT Fajar Bhakti Lintas Nusantara 1,065,215 PT Aneka Tambang 2,716,948 PT Ceria Nugraha Indotama 2,300,000 PT Trimegah Bangun Persada 1,559,799 PT Gane Permai Sentosa 519,933

Total 8,161,895

($1 = 13,327 rupiah)

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Vale Indonesia H1 2017 nickel matte output up 3 pct y/y ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Cindy Silviana, Wilda Asmarini and Bernadette Christina Munthe in JAKARTA; Writing by Fergus Jensen in SINGAPORE; Editing by Tom Hogue)
Movie director Kim Ki-duk poses during the premiere of "One on One" in this May 12, 2014, file photo. / Yonhap



By Kim Jae-heun

A joint special committee, established to deal with Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-duk's assault on an anonymous actress, has urged the industry to end all kinds of violence against actresses, which has been excused as a routine practice in filmmaking.

The committee, consisting of 136 film and women's rights organizations, held a press conference Tuesday at the Seoul Bar Association, arguing that committing violence to evoke an actor's empathy while shooting scenes cannot be justified as effective or ethical directing.

"Filmmaker Kim Ki-duk's case is about Kim abusing his power as a director, having supreme status and unconditional control on the set," said a committee member. "He took advantage of the long-standing custom in the film industry, which must be eradicated as it infringes directly on human rights and dignity."

The committee also urged the prosecution to investigate the case fairly and thoroughly amid flourishing speculative articles trying to identify the actress and the reason why she has revealed the case four years after it happened. It said such reports are obscuring the essence of the case and hampering the debate to solve the problems with the infringement of an actor's human rights in the scene.

The committee has decided to receive reports about sexual assault and human rights infringement cases for a month up to Sept. 7 by phone through the Korea Women's Human Rights Center (02-599-0222).

The filmmaker has been accused of hitting an actress and forcing her to shoot sex scenes for his drama film "Moebius" (2013).

The 41-year-old actress, whose identity is being withheld, argued that Kim slapped her in the face in front of the film crew and coerced her into an unscripted sex scene. She quit shooting later because of such treatment.

The actress told police it took a long time for her to report the case because she was afraid Kim might seek revenge on her, as the high-profile independent filmmaker exercises considerable influence in the film industry.

The Federation of Korea Movie Workers' Union also claimed that several members of the production staff testified against Kim that they witnessed the director hitting the actress.

Kim dismissed the sex scene charge but his representative admitted he hit the actress, saying "the director tried to teach the actress how to act in a physically violent scene." Kim stressed that he had no personal feeling against her.

Kim is well-known for his contemporary independent films that have won him many international awards like the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice International Film Festival for "Pieta" (2012) and a Silver Lion for Best Director at the same event for "3-Iron" (2004) eight years earlier.

Netizens have commented that his previous films show how Kim sees woman as inferior which is apparent in the scenes he shoots.

One netizen said he is curious about the background in which Kim grew up and what makes him treat women so thoughtlessly and why he looks down on them.


By Yoon Ja-young

Following the government's housing market stabilization measures announced on Aug. 2, those who own multiple homes are split between two options - sell their properties to avoid taxes or officially register as landlords. The government, meanwhile, is expected to catch two birds with one stone by stabilizing rental prices and expanding tax revenue by inducing homeowners to register as landlords.

According to data by Statistics Korea, the number of people who own two or more homes totaled 1.87 million as of 2015. Among them, however, less than 7 percent have registered with the government as landlords. Since they are not registered, they can avoid income taxes on rent.

The multiple-homeowners, however, are in a dilemma following the Aug. 2 housing market stabilization measures which seemingly target them. Measures include levying capital gains tax up to 20 percentage points higher than now on those who own three or more homes when they sell their homes.

They used to get up to a 30 percent tax deduction if they possessed the homes for more than three years, but the government announced it will scrap this for multiple-homeowners. They will be paying over half of the capital gains from rising housing prices as taxes when they sell the homes.

The government opened the door for them, which is registering as landlords. They can also avoid the punitive capital gains tax, as well as enjoying diverse exemptions or cuts in acquisition taxes and property taxes if they meet certain conditions.

A real estate agent in Mapo-gu, Seoul, said she gets inquiries from investors regarding whether they should sell their homes or register as landlords.

"They are concerned about the heavy tax following the Aug. 2 measures, but they are also wondering whether benefits would outweigh losses when they officially register," she said, pointing to the possibility of the tax agency tracking their income or facing higher health insurance premiums which are levied according to income and assets.

In exchange for tax benefits, those who register as landlords are subject to a cap when they want to raise rent. They cannot raise it more than 5 percent annually.

Kim Tae-sub, a senior researcher at the Korea Housing Institute, noted in a report that the government will be able to stabilize rents by inducing multiple-homeowners to register and putting them under government control.

"By using the private sector to provide rental homes, the government can also lessen its financial burden while securing housing welfare for the working class," he said. According to land ministry data, 39.7 percent of the households in Seoul are suffering from the housing burden, with their rent-to-income ratio surpassing 30 percent.

The administration is also making it clear that multiple-homeowners will have to pay income taxes. "We want to emphasize that those who own many homes should perform their social responsibilities as well," Kim Su-hyun, the top presidential secretary for social affairs, said last week while giving a briefing on the Aug. 2 measures.

Some expect the government to make it obligatory for multiple-homeowners to register as landlords. Land Minister Kim Hyun-mee had proposed such a bill while serving as a lawmaker last year.
Former Supreme Court justice Kim Ji-hyung, head of the public opinion committee on Shin Kori, gives a briefing at the third meeting of the committee at the Government Complex in Seoul last week. / Yonhap

Experts raise problems of public opinion committee on Shin Kori





By Park Jae-hyuk

A majority of experts have been dissatisfied with the work of the public opinion committee on reactors 5 and 6 at the Shin Kori Nuclear Power Plant in Ulsan, regardless of their stances on atomic energy.

The committee was launched late last month after the temporary suspension of construction of the two reactors.

It has declared it will act as just an advisory body, unlike the government's initial plan to follow the final decision made by the so-called "citizen jurors" selected by the committee.

Ten experts interviewed by The Korea Times generally agreed the committee has a long way to go. They are from the fields of nuclear power, environmental studies, sociology and law.

They regarded the committee's insufficient attempts to discuss the matter with concerned people as the main drawback.

"The committee should allow both pro-nuclear and anti-nuclear experts to agree on the ground rules, but it has yet to do so," said Eun Jae-ho, senior research fellow at the Korean Institute of Public Administration.

"If it arbitrarily sets the rules, its decisions will not be accepted by those opposing the conclusion."

Yum Hyung-cheol, secretary general of the Korea Federation for Environmental Movements, expressed his concerns about the committee, criticizing it for not examining whether its polls will be accepted by the people interested in this issue.

Lee Kang-won, of the Korea Center for Social Conflict Resolution, demanded the committee focus more on the opinions of experts and the people concerned.

"In addition to various topics for discussion, the committee should think about how it will reflect the opinions of Ulsan residents and how it will draw public attention during the discussion," he said.

Some experts said the three-month period is too short to conduct the poll.

"Germans have discussed the same matter for 20 years," said Prof. Lee Myoung-jin of Korea University's Institute of Social Research. "People will unlikely form a social consensus in three months. It is no different than a sudden telephone survey."

The sociologist said the committee's coming survey is nonsense, just as the nation's previous public opinion polls were that decided candidates for lawmakers and presidents.

Shin Ji-hyung, a lawyer at the Green Korea Legal Center, said the committee seemed to be in confusion from the beginning, because it is struggling to finish its work within three months.

Chang Moon-hee, senior research adviser at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, doubts ordinary citizens can pick up basic knowledge about nuclear power, claiming experts in science, the humanities and law should discuss the matter for a longer time and advise the government afterwards.

The researcher also said the committee has been based on an "unlevel playing field" from the beginning.

"The committee seems to take its course as the President wants," Chang said. "The pressure will make the group of people lean to one side."

Professor Whang Joo-ho, from Kyung Hee University's Department of Nuclear Engineering, criticized the administration's attempts to ban government institutions from promoting nuclear energy. He emphasized the committee should be run fairly.

Professor Yun Sun-jin, from Seoul National University's Graduate School of Environmental Studies, however, said the committee excluded experts on polls as it was obsessed with neutrality.

"Most experts in public polls are anti-nuclear activists, so they were excluded from the committee," Yun said.





Ulsan residents chant for construction to resume on reactors 5 and 6 at the Shin Kori Nuclear Power Plant in the port city on Tuesday. Conflicts between proponents and opponents of the reactors are deepening ahead of the government's decision on them. / Yonhap



Legally flawless

Despite the problems, most experts agree the committee has a firm legal basis, unlike the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) labor union's claim.

The union filed a lawsuit this week to nullify the committee's establishment.

"The public opinion committee established without any legal basis has no right to determine the fate of nuclear power plants and the future of Korea's energy issue," the union said in a statement.

"The future of energy should be decided through discussion at the National Assembly, the representative body of the people."

Legal experts dismissed the claim, regardless of how they stand on nuclear power.

"If the committee forces the government to follow its decision, its establishment should be regulated by law," Shin said. "Given that it defined itself as an advisory body, however, the committee can be set up on the prime minister's order."

Shin regarded President Moon Jae-in's initial plan to follow the committee's decision as the main reason for continuous provocation for legal disputes.

"Moon seemingly made the remark to emphasize his desire to follow the people's opinion," she said.

Kim Tae-hoon, permanent representative of the Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea, also denied the union's claim, although he has opposed the shutdown of the reactors.

However, the lawyer criticized the administration for avoiding a more efficient process. "The basic plan for electricity supply and demand is based on the assumption that nuclear reactors will be suspended," he said.

Chang, on the other hand, agreed with the KHNP union.

"The construction of power plants should be regulated by the Nuclear Power Safety Act," he said. "However, the government came up with the ambiguous Energy Law. A judge I know said the committee is highly likely to face legal disputes."

All of the interviewees unanimously agreed that the final decision on the reactors should be made by the government, not citizen "jurors."

They were generally positive about the committee's attempt to limit its role to advice.

"Those who major in polls think forming a consensus is better than just asking about the pros and cons," said Kim Hak-lin, a professor at the Dankook Center for Dispute Resolution. "I praise the committee's current stance, because its advice will help the President make a decision without a heavy burden."

Yun said, "Although the government and the National Assembly may make the final decision, the opinions of citizens are very important."
Two B-1B U.S. strategic bombers trained again over Korea earlier this week, a defense official in Seoul said Wednesday.



The B-1B Lancers from Guam were deployed in the sky over the peninsula Tuesday as part of a regular combined exercise with the South's fighter jets, the official said. The allies did not announce the mission in advance.



North Korea's military threatened Wednesday to launch an intermediate-range ballistic missile attack on "areas near Guam" in order to contain the U.S. military's strategic assets based on the Pacific island.













The North is apparently unnerved by the frequent appearance of U.S. bombers, aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines in the vicinity of its territory.



The U.S. dispatched two B-1Bs late last month in response to the North's test-firing of another intercontinental ballistic missile. (Yonhap)
By Yi Whan-woo

Southeast Asian and Asia-Pacific countries are "arm-in-arm" in pressing North Korea harder, as seen from the statement released at the end of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), analysts said Wednesday.

The experts speculated the ASEAN nations especially played a role in pushing internationally isolated Pyongyang to observe U.N. resolutions in the ARF Chairman's Statement.

It summarizes the highlights of the annual security forum held in Manila, the Philippines, where foreign ministers from 10 ASEAN member nations and 17 Asia-Pacific countries gathered from Sunday to Tuesday.

The ministers "expressed their grave concern" over North Korea's two intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests on July 4 and 28, as well as its two nuclear tests in 2016 and shorter-range ballistic missile launches," according to the statement.

It read that the ministers urged North Korea to "immediately comply fully with its obligations" under the relevant U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. They include Resolution 2371 approved on Aug. 5 to punish Pyongyang's ICBM tests in July.

"This year's statement was harsher than last year's, and I believe it shows growing awareness toward threats posed by North Korea in the region," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University.












By Kim Jae-kyoung

North Korea should never be recognized as a nuclear weapons state regardless of the technological progress it has achieved, according to experts on the reclusive regime.

They warned that doing so will give huge leverage to the North, tipping the balance of power situation in favor of the Kim Jong-un regime.

"We should not recognize North Korea as a nuclear weapons state. To do so would be a nuclear proliferation nightmare," said Joseph DeTrani, a former U.S. special envoy to the six-party talks that included North Korea.

"The North wants to be recognized as a nuclear weapons state," he added. "Their ICBM launches were in pursuit of locking in their nuclear weapons status."

The warnings came as multiple reports indicate that Pyongyang has secured the technological capability to produce nuclear-tipped missiles apparently capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

Citing U.S. intelligence officials, the Washington Post reported Tuesday that the North has successfully completed the production of a nuclear warhead that's small enough to fit on its missiles, taking it one step closer to becoming a nuclear power.

The report came several days after the North successfully conducted two tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), suggesting that it is just a matter of time for Pyongyang to perfect the technology to allow those missiles to be equipped with miniaturized nuclear warheads.

Tara O, adjunct fellow at Pacific Forum CSIS, said that accepting the North as a nuclear state rewards the Kim regime in many ways.

She believes that it will give much needed legitimacy to the regime that can't or won't feed the majority of its population.

"It will be able to hold South Korea, the U.S., and others hostage and make unreasonable demands," she said.












North Korea's military on Thursday repeated its threat to attack Guam, saying it is considering a plan to fire four intermediate-range ballistic missiles around the home to several U.S. strategic bombers.

In a tit-for-tat of bellicose rhetoric, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said its strategic force is "seriously examining" the plan for an "enveloping strike" at Guam with four Hwasong-12 missiles "in order to interdict the enemy forces on major military bases on Guam and to signal a crucial warning to the U.S."

It said in an English statement that the missiles will cross the sky above the Shimane, Hiroshima and Koichi prefectures of Japan and fly 3,356.7 kilometers and land 30 to 40 km away from Guam.

The North's military will finalize the plan by mid-August and report it to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and await his order, the report said.

The North unveiled the more detailed plan one day after it announced its plan for missile strikes at Guam.












Children with disabilities perform during a recital at a welfare institute in Gayang-dong, western Seoul, July 25. / Courtesy of Lee Eun-ja



Education system has long way to go for underprivileged



By You Soo-sun

Children with disabilities struggle at regular schools, at which they often find themselves unsupervised. Although most disabled children attend regular schools as part of the government's goal for an inclusive education system, their needs often go unnoticed or ignored. But even as parents try to find other options, these rarely exist.

Lee Seo-yeon, 14, has an intellectual developmental disorder. She attends a regular middle school in her neighborhood, Gangseo-gu in Seoul. Four of her classmates have other kinds of disabilities, all placed in a separate class run for students with special needs. They have only one special education teacher  the fourth, as three have quit this year alone  and one assistant teacher.

"It's frustrating for us, the parents, but I also understand those teachers," Lee's mother Eom Myung-hee said.

And like many disabled children, Lee also attends a regular class for core subjects each day. Here, she is usually left to fend for herself. "For about four hours each day, she has to just sit through class listlessly, not understanding anything. It's almost like torture."

In such a climate, many parents prefer to send their children to special education schools. But this poses other hurdles. Seoul lacks such schools, with only 29 in the whole city. Of 12,929 students with disabilities in the city, only 4,496 _ or less than 35 percent of them  are admitted into such schools. This poses additional challenges for the children and their parents. Often kids attend schools in other parts of the city, a physically and mentally laborious task.

Lee Eun-ja, 46, wakes her autistic daughter at 6 a.m. every morning. It takes over an hour for her daughter Ahn Ji-hyun, 18, to get prepared. It's another 90-minute bus ride until she arrives at her school in Guro-gu, Seoul.

It was in high school that Ahn was finally granted admission to a special needs school, a great relief for Lee, who waited three years. But every day of her first year there began with her crying over having to wake up early to endure the long bus ride to school. "Every morning is a struggle, as I have to fight to wake her up and prepare her for school," Lee said.

Lee tried to get her into a special needs school in her district, but it was impossible as the school has room for only about 100 students, with about six students in each grade.

The reason Lee endures the daily challenge is because regular schools failed to meet the needs of her daughter. "She had to sit through classes without any help. She cried every day, and I wouldn't know why because she's not able to express herself."

Parents believe the establishment of new special needs schools is long overdue  the last one opened in 2002. After years-long protests by parents, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) this year vowed to open three more schools in the city by 2019 though the plan is not without opposition from residents who are fearful such institutions would damage their neighborhood image and affect real estate prices. But this time, parents are more hopeful as the budget has passed.

"We are hopeful. But at the same time, this is still not nearly enough as new schools would only have space for about three students in each grade," Lee said.

Efforts for inclusive education should continue

While many parents hope to send their kids to a separate institution to keep their children safe and at ease, many also agree that an inclusive education, if done properly, could be more beneficial.

"To guarantee the educational rights of disabled children, regular schools should also become a safe and inclusive place for these children," said Kim Chi-hun, the disability policy and research director of Korean Parents' Network for People with Disabilities. "And the Special Education Promotion Act requires that schools provide full support for special needs children to be included in the system."

He also emphasized the need for more teachers. "The law also stipulates there should be one special education teacher for every four children. Right now, we're only at 65 percent of that level."

But the greater problem is that the current education system is overly focused on college preparatory exams and is not fit for children with developmental disabilities. The entire education system needs an overhaul, Kim said, in order to incorporate these children.

"They cannot attend regular schools when the other students don't acknowledge our kids at all. Even the teachers, I feel, do not want to be bothered by them," said Kim, mother of Lee Jong-min, 14, who has a severe intellectual disability.

Lee began attending a special needs school in middle school, which takes more than an hour of commute time from home. "During the one-hour bus ride, some students scream, some hurt themselves and some bite others. When they get to school, many of the students are already worn out," she said. "Even so, this is still better."
By Yi Whan-woo

The military said Wednesday that two U.S. B-1B Lancer strategic bombers conducted a bombing drill over South Korea, Tuesday.

This is the latest U.S. show of force in the region following North Korea's series of ballistic missile tests last month.

The U.S also deployed the B-1B bombers on July 30 and August 8 in response to North Korea's two intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests.

"We're told that the U.S. sent two B-1B bombers yesterday morning," a military official said Wednesday. "We believe such a deployment was not made public yesterday because it was part of a routine exercise."












President Moon Jae-in, left, and Korea Communications Commission Chairman Lee Hyo-seong walk to attend a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. / Yonhap



By Jung Min-ho

Under the two previous conservative governments, state-sponsored broadcasters lost much of their credibility as they played the role of cheerleaders for powerful politicians rather than impartial observers.

Restoring broadcasters such as KBS and MBC to their original function will be the mission of Lee Hyo-seong, the new chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, a state-run telecommunications regulator.

More specifically, his chief job will be to remove the cronies of former presidents  Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye  who still control much of the management of the broadcasting companies.

During his appointment ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday, President Moon Jae-in told Lee Hyo-seong to recover the fairness and independence of broadcast media.

"Over the past 10 years, many rules have been destroyed in our society. Above all, I believe broadcasters have seen the most serious damage," Moon said.

Moon criticized his predecessors for using the media for their own interests, which he said brought about many side effects.

"Such attempts to control the media must not be repeated," Moon said. "I hope the new chairman will protect their independence and freedom."

But stiff challenges are ahead of him.

Rep. Khang Hyo-shang, the spokesman of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, criticized the President for following in the footsteps of his predecessors in the name of reform.

"All former presidents tried to paint unfriendly media firms as unfair, which is exactly what Moon is doing," he said. "The first step to ensure fairness and impartiality is to guarantee the terms of their presidents. But Moon is pressuring them to resign."

Jeon Ji-myeong, the spokesman of the Bareun Party, also took sides with the right-wing party on the issue. By making such a comment, he said, Moon belittled the efforts of many journalists.

Yet it is true that dozens of journalists have lost their jobs under the previous governments. They believe they were all fired for the same reason: refusing to curry favor with the former presidents and their cronies. Meanwhile, other journalists have moved to departments where they cannot report.

Their vacancies have been filled with those who take no issue with such acts. As such the media companies failed to level any criticism against those people they were supposed to monitor and criticize.

The country is still living with the consequences. Early this week, the Korean Federation of Press Unions revealed what it called the "MBC blacklist," in which its video journalists were categorized into four different groups based on their loyalty, saying the company used the document for personnel matters.

Since then, video journalists have refused to work and left-wing parties have issued statements criticizing it.

Its labor union said it will file a complaint with the prosecution over the list. Many hope that this will be the beginning of a long-awaited reform for MBC.
Participants in a nuclear arms forum, hosted by the main opposition Liberty Korea Party at the National Assembly, Wednesday, listen to an explanation about North Korea's development of intercontinental ballistic missiles. / Yonhap



By Kim Hyo-jin



The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) hosted a forum Wednesday to push for the country's nuclear armament as a countermeasure to North Korea's evolving nuclear threats.



The party's lawmakers renewed their call to the government to consider requesting the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons here.



They said the government should invalidate an inter-Korean denuclearization accord that took effect in 1992, acknowledging that the North has virtually secured nuclear weapons.



"A pre-emptive attack is impossible as it is hard to detect signs of the North preparing for an attack beforehand, and a preventive attack will lead to a war," Rep. Lee Cheol-woo said. "So, having nuclear arms is the right way to defend against Pyongyang."



Rep. Chung Woo-taik, the party's floor leader, agreed, saying: "It's time to seriously look into the option of redeploying U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in the country."



Their calls came two days after the party's Chairman Hong Joon-pyo floated the idea of having the weapons in Korea, during a party meeting Monday.













Hong claimed the party should make it an official position, eliciting positive responses from its lawmakers. Chung said he will soon call a general meeting to seek consensus on the idea among floor members.



The LKP's hawkish view has been strengthened amid rising missile and nuclear threats from the North. Earlier in the day, North Korea's state-run KCNA news agency said its military is examining an operational plan to strike areas around the U.S. territory of Guam with strategic ballistic missiles, raising military tension on the Korean Peninsula.



Its lawmakers ratcheted up their offensive against the Moon Jae-in government, questioning its defense readiness against the North's potential missile attack.



"Even in Guam and Hawaii, evacuation drills are being conducted," Rep. Lee Man-hee said. "I wonder if the government has truly been agile on this matter."



The lawmakers also denounced the government for delaying the full deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system here. Chung said its installation has not been pushed since Moon ordered his aides to discuss with the U.S. the deployment of four additional THAAD launchers.



Following the North's intercontinental ballistic missile tests, some LKP hardliners have repeatedly demanded the nation's nuclear armament, including deployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons.



But the government has rejected the opposition's call, saying the nation's nuclear armament constitutes a direct violation of the Nonproliferation Treaty, which could lead to international sanctions and jeopardize the South Korea-U.S. Defense Treaty.



South Korea renounced its move to develop its own nuclear weapons in the 1970s and joined the Nonproliferation Treaty in 1975. The U.S. withdrew all tactical nuclear weapons from South Korea following the joint Seoul-Pyongyang declaration in 1991.
By Choi Ha-young





Park Kyung-seo

Park Kyung-seo, the country's former human rights ambassador who once met North Korea's founder Kim Il-sung in 1992, has been elected as the new president of the Red Cross.

The organization's decision-making committee elected Park, 77, as its new chief, Tuesday. Park will take office if President Moon Jae-in approves of the appointment.

Park has visited North Korea 29 times as a member of the World Council of Churches mainly for humanitarian aid purposes since 1988.

Park, now a professor at Dongguk University, vowed to take an active role in the organization to arrange the reunions of families divided by the 1950-53 Korean War. "Once I take office, I will attempt to meet my North Korean counterpart in person to figure out their stance on the reunions," he said.

On July 17, South Korea's Red Cross offered to hold talks with its North Korean counterpart, but the latter has not reacted.

"For long-term sustainable cooperation, it would be premature to reveal my specific plans unilaterally," he said. "My view, that the two Koreas should keep in touch anytime even without an agenda, remains unchanged."

Under liberal Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, he served as the nation's first human rights envoy for seven years.
MBC producers Cho Jin-young, right, and Soh Jung-moon protest in front of the MBC building, in Sangam, northwestern Seoul, Aug. 2. / Courtesy of Cho Jin-young



By Kim Hyo-jin



Cho Jin-young, 33, and Soh Jung-moon, 34, are among 10 producers of local broadcaster MBC's popular investigative program "PD Note."



The producers have boycotted the company since July 21 in protest against what they claim is management's inappropriate intervention in program content and editing.



"We are fighting against those who put a gag on us, with hopes that we will be able to make a program that we can be proud of," they said in a statement.



Cho, who has produced the show since 2014, said pressure from management has made her lethargic.



"I thought I had put up with enough. I have long wondered for whom we make the program," she told The Korea Times in a recent interview. "I feel free at last. I feel motivated more than ever, now that I fight for myself and for a cause."



The producers have demanded that the head of the broadcasting company, Kim Jang-kyum, along with the directors in charge of programs on current affairs, step down.



"Kim's term will be guaranteed until August next year. We can wait no longer," Soh said. "Some might say things could change as soon as the government has changed. But I think what matters is if we can restore order by ourselves."



"PD Note" first aired in 1990 and has been the flagship show of public broadcaster MBC for decades.



It built its reputation by diving deep into the social issues of the day, provoking debate. They were among the first to really look into the background behind the tragic deaths of two middle school girls accidentally killed by a U.S. tank in 2002, and into the scandal of Hwang Woo-suk, the disgraced scientist accused of fabricating the results of his stem cell experiments.



But the program fell on dark times following an episode that reported concerns about a potential mad cow disease outbreak associated with the resumption of U.S. beef imports by the Lee Myung-bak government in 2008.



Its producers got involved in a long legal dispute with the government and were accused of spreading false information by the prosecution. The case later resulted in an acquittal but management of the broadcast company took disciplinary measures against the producers and writers of the show.



Control and inspection of producers critical of management and the government became chronic at the company, Cho and Soh said, after a 170 day-long MBC labor union strike in 2012 against then head of the company Kim Jae-chul who they said was parachuted in by President Lee Myung-bak.



The head of the company is appointed by the public organization, Foundation for Broadcast Culture, MBC's largest shareholder, two-thirds of whose committee members approved of the recommendation of the ruling party. The structure makes it hard not to avoid the wishes of the government.



"PD Note used to have the image of a bold critic that would stand up against power and corruption in government. But since the Lee Myung-bak government, we have been deprived of having our own voice," Soh said. "We only had permission to cover simple incidents or criminal cases."



He said it was painful to see their investigative reporting program dulled down and then receive the cold shoulder from the audience.



What triggered their strike this time was management declining their proposal to report labor issues through the story of Han Sang-kyun, the head of one of the nation's largest umbrella unions who was jailed on charges of orchestrating a massive anti-government rally in 2015. The management accused the producers, who were affiliated with the press labor union, of being "hired" by union leaders and seeking to advocate for their "boss."



"It was total humiliation for the producers," Cho said. "Memories of suppression I've suffered so far hit me hard at that point."



The producers unveiled multiple unfair interventions by management during the earlier press conference. Their proposals of covering the cases disadvantageous to the government including Baek Nam-ki, a farmer who died months after being in a coma after being hit by a police water cannon in a 2015 rally; controversy over the state-authored history textbook and the 2015 Korea-Japan sex slave deal were all rejected, they said.



Management even told producers to delete the term "Cheong Wa Dae" from an episode of the show dealing with the sinking of the ferry Sewol, which was belatedly aired in April 2017, three years after the incident.



Their protest has gained support from reporters, writers, and other producers in the company.



"I dream of exerting 100 percent of my ability in producing a show one day," Cho said. "We will wrest our program from the powerful few and give it back to the people."
The government is reportedly preparing to move the presidential office in Cheong Wa Dae to the Government Complex in Gwanghwamun in 2019.



The complex is mainly occupied by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, one of the largest ministries with almost 1,000 employees. In order to accommodate Cheong Wa Dae's relocation plan, the ministry will move to Sejong, the administrative capital which already houses various other ministries.



The relocation of the presidential office is part of President Moon Jae-in's pledge for more transparency and better communication in state affairs. The relocation plan was included in the 100 tasks contained in Moon's five-year policy roadmap unveiled last month.



The President has vowed to work outside of Cheong Wa Dae to create a public park around the area and let people enjoy the surrounding mountains which had been closed off for security reasons. He has also said that he hopes to meet with citizens more often when he moves his office to Gwanghwamun.



Many citizens have welcomed the new President's tendency to be more open and communicative than his predecessor, Park Geun-hye. However, moving the presidential office is not a good idea for several reasons.



First, the relocation may end up wasting a lot of taxpayers' money. To accommodate additional ministries moving to the administrative capital, the government has to build an additional complex in Sejong. The government will also have to spend money on refurbishing the Government Complex in Gwanghwamun for the President's special security needs.



Second, the President's regular presence in Gwanghwamun may also inconvenience citizens, stores and workers in the area because of security problems. Also, it is unsure what the government plans to do with Cheong Wa Dae after the relocation. Whatever the government decides to do with it, it will still have to spend money to manage the site even after the relocation.



In the mobile age, there are so many other ways to promote transparency and communication with citizens besides moving the presidential offices. From the citizens' point of view, it doesn't matter where the president works from as long as he or she performs his or her job properly.



The government should fully consider these issues before finalizing the plan to move the presidential office.








By Kim Jin-hyun





"Visit a mart near your house, and you'll know that numerous cakes and snacks are stacked around. Over half of them are produced by corn." I once read this in a book.

Children or adults always enjoy eating the cakes and snacks as a side dish when they are happy or sad. Moreover, corn is used as canned food, popcorn, or cereal. Also, it is used as a food additive such as in ice cream, beer, and bread and as an artificial sweetener such as in soju or makkolli (raw rice wine).

In this way, the crop is deeply rooted in our life. In other words, it has become one of the most valuable crops in Korean life. But regrettably, the food has been imported from foreign countries, most of which have an altered substance.

Wikipedia says that food with genetically modified organisms (GMO) has both advantages and disadvantages. "It brings productivity growth, bio-energy material and a reduction of pesticide use, while it also causes genetic modification or harmful traits."

Due to the negative effects of the crop, citizens have opposed transporting it, but the government has helped food companies, by delivering it freely. Lately, citizens have suggested that "mutated foods," including corn, should be posted with labels on the product. As a result, the government made a law, but it has many loopholes.

For example, The Food Sanitation Act (article 12) declares that "labels on foods by gene modified foods should be marked," but it's OK without a GMO mark if protein or gene modification DNA is not detected after being processed. Also, if the ingredient containing GMOs is the 5th largest quantity in the product, it is exempt from requiring GMO labeling.

Even with this condition, the Korean government cracked down on 22,986 products (from 2010 to 2015) for not posting GMO labels, but it announced that only 11 were in violation of the law. Most of them were from small businesses (Hankyoreh Newspaper, Jan 11, 2015). The government only regarded the converted food economically.

On the contrary, many countries considering citizens' safety have studied the effects of converted crops on various animals. For example, researchers in France provided mice with gene adjusted food for two years and found that "they had tumors and derangement in their internal organs. Their life span was shorter than the general mice."

Thus, as a way of taking care of citizens' health, in the European Union and China, they ordered food producers who made products with altered crops to put labels on all of their products. By doing so, they helped consumers by guaranteeing the sovereignty of food.

Research conducted in Korea in 2012 found that almost 90% of citizens wanted the government to regulate GMO foods like advanced countries, but instead, although South Korea has been one of the biggest countries importing them, it has permitted companies to carry on through clearance by customs.

Such an attitude by the government has led to distrust among Koreans, saying that food is like a heaven. Citizens now have more anxiety.

In the welfare age, the new government should control the process of food products more completely by tightening the Food Sanitation Act or by creating regulations so that companies can produce them with sincerity. This is one of the ways to preserve Korea's traditional food culture or solving their threats to safety.

The writer is working at Jeonnam Natural Science High School in South Jeolla Province.
By John M. Crisp



Two years ago, my former governor, Rick Perry, called Donald Trump's candidacy for the presidency a "cancer." But this was during the primary season, and Perry was being dramatic.



Nevertheless, Trump is now president and his administration is sick. The symptoms are felt throughout our republic and the world. But if we're going to use a medical analogy, I prefer a less dramatic malady, say, a low-grade fever, which, unlike cancer, can't kill us. And the body politic's effort to fight it off may actually make us stronger.



But enough with the medical analogies. Even fair-minded Trump supporters must have some doubts about how well his first six months in office have gone. His administration is characterized by chaos rather than competence. In Congress, his party is drifting. And the president himself cannot stop making statements that are false, embarrassing or dangerous.



None of this is likely to change. But there are hopeful signs that the disarray in the White House is spurring other entities into action. Last Friday Reps. Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, and Tom Reed, a New York Republican, described the efforts of the 43-member House Problem Solvers Caucus to develop a bipartisan plan to stabilize the health care marketplace.



The details of the plan can be found on the editorial page of the New York Times, and they sound like practical, good-faith thinking that could lead to a compromise between two significantly different approaches to health care.



But the important news is the Caucus itself, a bipartisan group that recognizes that, as the White House flounders and an overly partisan Congress dithers, the well-being of our nation requires good people to step up to fill the void.



Donald Trump is a bully, but citizens are showing the courage to stand up to him in the service of doing the right thing.



Here's an example: When the administration forced Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke to attempt to strong-arm Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski into line on the recent effort in the Senate to repeal Obamacare, she refused to be intimidated, reminding us that a president is just a president and that power in our nation is distributed among many.



When President Trump seemingly encouraged a room full of police recruits not to worry too much about roughing up suspects  "Please don't be too nice," he told them  he generated the cheers and applause that he adores.



But seasoned police officers and departments across the nation were quick to reject Trump's ill-advised remarks. The reaction of the Suffolk County Police Department was typical: "As a department, we do not and will not tolerate roughing up of prisoners."



Finally, it would be difficult to identify President Trump's most incompetent action since Jan. 20, but I might vote for his decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. Regardless of how Trump feels about climate change, except for reinforcing support from his base, he and the nation have nothing to gain from the withdrawal and quite a bit to lose.



But, again, other entities have stepped up to fill the space left by his bad leadership. Even as Trump has reversed efforts by the Obama administration to limit greenhouse gases, states such as California, New York and Virginia, as well as major U.S. cities, are acting on their own to cut greenhouse gas emissions.



And even Walmart has announced its intention to cut greenhouse gases in its supply chain by a gigaton by 2030. A gigaton is more than the annual greenhouse emissions of Germany.



So the Trump administration is sick, but it's not cancer and it won't kill us. Surgery is not called for. But resistance is. We made a bad choice on Nov. 8, 2016. As the Trump administration stumbles and bumbles, citizens and political entities must not be intimidated by a bullying White House.



Usually a bully is also a bluffer. This president calls for caution, but he is nothing to fear. And resistance to his dysfunctional administration could strengthen our republic.





John M. Crisp, an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service, teaches in the English Department at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas. This article was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.




















New Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha took part in the ASEAN Regional Forum which closed on Tuesday and held bilateral talks with her counterparts from the U.S., China and other countries on the sidelines. There were some disturbing scenes that cast doubt over her ability as foreign minister. Such concerns were amplified during her meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.



Wang has voiced his government's adamant opposition to the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Korea on many occasions. During his meeting with Kang, Wang once again made some very offensive comments about it, saying that the Moon administration had "thrown cold water on bilateral relations that had been improving." Wang was referring to Moon's decision to expedite the deployment of the U.S. anti-missile shield in response to Pyongyang's test of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last month.



Many Koreans had hoped that the former high-ranking official at the United Nations would be a departure from her predecessor Yun Byung-se, who was slammed for his passive diplomacy in handling thorny issues with China and Japan. However, she let many people down with her lethargic response to Wang's outburst on THAAD by only saying that she recognized the need to solve bilateral problems through communication.



It is China that has poured "cold water" on bilateral relations by meddling with our national security decisions.

She should have told Wang that his criticism of THAAD was inappropriate and urged Beijing to stop its retaliatory measures against Korean businesses. When asked about why she did not mention this issue, she reportedly said that there was not enough time. The meeting continued for almost an hour, so blaming it on a lack of time is not very convincing.



Before her appointment, there was a lot of concern about her ability to deal with the four major powers (the United States, China, Japan and Russia) and the North Korean nuclear issue as she had little experience with them over the course of her diplomatic career. Her meeting with Wang did little to assuage such concerns. The foreign minister should be resolute about defending the national interest at all times.




Complacency about manufacturing is cause for concern



The recovery momentum of the Korean economy is waning after a brief warm breeze. Export growth has slowed a bit except for semiconductors and several other items, and private consumption remains stagnant. The government's strong anti-speculation property measures are freezing the construction industry rapidly amid skepticism that this year's economic growth target of 3 percent will be unattainable.



According to the finance ministry's Green Book monthly economic assessment report, exports, which account for half of the Korean economy, grew 19.5 percent in July from a year earlier. But the country's export growth would fall to 2.8 percent if shipments of semiconductors and vessels, which surged 58 and 208 percent respectively, were excluded. Retail sales rose only 1 percent in June after expanding 1.5 percent in the previous month.



Dwarfed by slowing exports and consumption, industrial production fell 0.2 percent in June from a month earlier _ a turnaround from a 0.2 percent increase in May. Capacity utilization at factories also dropped to an all-time low.



Views on Korea Inc. are also turning sour. The state-run Korea Development Institute warns that Korea's economic momentum has weakened. In a meeting of economic ministers Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon also echoed this view, saying Korea's recovery pace has remained unsound.



Complacency about manufacturing, triggered by the unprecedented semiconductor boom, is a major cause for concern. What's more worrisome is that the automobile and shipbuilding industries, which generate plenty of economic ripple effects, are running into trouble.



Hyundai Motor, in particular, has suffered a double-digit fall in its operating profit because of sluggish exports to China following Beijing's retaliation against Seoul's decision to deploy a U.S. missile defense system. Despite the company's plight, its labor union is set to begin a partial strike Thursday, demanding a 7.2 percent rise in basic pay. Furthermore, there have been widespread rumors that GM Korea might pull out of Korea. If this should happen, the automaker's withdrawal would leave nearly 300,000 people, including its subcontractors, out of jobs.



Against this gloomy backdrop, the new liberal government has come up with policies that could undermine investment sentiment. Contrary to the global trend, the Moon Jae-in administration opted to raise the corporate tax rate for bigger companies. The minimum wage will be increased by the biggest margin in 17 years next year to the detriment of self-employed business owners and smaller firms. All these measures are part of the government's scheme to drive income-led growth.



But there is no question that revitalizing the economy will be impossible without reforming our outdated labor and services markets. Deregulation is also essential to nurturing new growth engines. Only then will job creation be possible and income will grow.




By John Burton





I have a confession to make. In my wayward youth, I was a Maoist. The idea of overthrowing bureaucratic structures appealed to my libertarian sensibilities. If I felt the same now, maybe I would be a Trumpist.

For one way to understand Donald Trump and his tumultuous presidency is to compare him to Mao Tse-tung and the Cultural Revolution. They share the same strategy of trying to create chaos to challenge and disrupt a hostile establishment.

Mao launched the Cultural Revolution in 1966 to overthrow senior government officials who were trying to sideline him after his disastrous Great Leap Forward that led to widespread famine and the deaths of millions of people between 1958 and 1962.

Mao called on high school and university students, the famous Red Guards, to come out in support of his goal to dismantle existing state institutions and overthrow the officials who were running them. The Red Guards were sent out onto the street under the slogan, "Bombard the Headquarters." Out of the destruction, Mao hoped to reassert his power and personal authority.

Trump is employing a similar modus operandi. American broadcasters often comment that "Trump thrives on chaos." Instead of "Bombard the Headquarters," Trump urges his followers to "Drain the Swamp" in Washington. Steve Bannon, Trump's chief ideologue, talks of "dismantling the administrative state."

The Cultural Revolution was overseen by the "Gang of Four," Mao's inner circle that was led by his wife, Jiang Qing. Trump has his own Gang of Four, including Bannon, his daughter Ivanka Trump, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway.

Red Guards waved the Little Red Book, "The Sayings of Chairman Mao," when they rallied in mass demonstrations. In the media-saturated U.S. landscape, Trump is constantly updating his "Sayings" in the tweets he likes to send out to rally his base.

One prime example of Trump's assault on his own government is the gutting of the U.S. State Department. Key positions are left unfilled and many foreign service officers are leaving the department out of deepening frustration.

At a time of growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, the posts of Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and U.S. ambassador to Seoul remain empty. There is talk that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, even as he wields the ax to the department's bureaucracy, is considering resigning because his views are ignored in the White House.

By 1967, the chaos that Mao wanted to achieve had become a reality. But it was also turning into complete anarchy. A civil war loomed as rival factions fought each other, while the economy was grinding to a halt. In desperation, Mao turned to the army to restore order and military units were soon cracking down on the rampaging Red Guards.

Now as the Trump administration threatens to completely unravel due to factional fighting in the White House and deteriorating relations with Congress, Trump has been forced to turn to a trio of former generals, Chief of Staff John Kelly, Defense Secretary James Mattis and National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, to bring order and create an image of stability.

One result of the Cultural Revolution is that it eventually weakened Mao's authority and set China's economic progress back by at least a decade, although it eventually cleared the way for pragmatists such as Deng Xiao-ping to return to power. The Gang of Four was thrown into prison soon after Mao died in 1976.

The same fate could be in store for Trump. Most believe that he has rapidly lost his effectiveness during his first six months in office, with the failure of major initiatives such as the repeal of Obamacare. The first year is always seen as the most important in a U.S. presidency. Don't be surprised if the Republican establishment tires of Trump's tantrums and ultimately decides to support his impeachment or refuses to back his re-election by endorsing his vice president, Mike Pence, instead.

What I failed to understand in my Maoist days, but what I recognize now is that the Cultural Revolution was basically an anti-intellectual movement that rejected pragmatism. The Cultural Revolution was also based on contradictory premises. It promised to achieve the utopian goals of pure Communism and complete equality while also strengthening the power of a megalomaniac. That was a lesson that was also lost on China's idealistic youth who viewed the Cultural Revolution as a means of liberation from the country's deeply-embedded Confucian culture.

Trump has employed a similarly effective message in appealing to America's deteriorating middle class by promising salvation through economic nationalism and a reduced role for government. Although Trump's Cultural Revolution is less violent (so far), it threatens to cause greater damage not just to the U.S., but the world as well.





John Burton, a former Korea correspondent for the Financial Times, is now a Washington,D.C.-based journalist and consultant. He can be reached at johnburtonft@yahoo.com.
By Maarten Wetselaar





President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the landmark Paris climate accord must not become a distraction from urgent global efforts to combat climate change.



Countries in Asia were among the most committed supporters of the Paris goals. Korea, for example, is targeting a 37 percent reduction in emissions by 2030.



Now is not the time to break stride, but to reinforce the resolve.



Energy demand is set to double this century, with the world's population reaching 11 billion, up from 7.5 billion today.



As the world changes, so will the energy systems that power it, driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions and, crucially for Asia, tackle air pollution that blights so many lives.



Coal is a big contributor to that air pollution. This can, and must, change. Put simply, we will need more and cleaner energy if Asian countries are to continue to thrive in the coming decades.



Today, coal is still the biggest source of power in the region, at 47 percent of the power mix, compared to natural gas at 10 percent. In some countries, coal's share is rising.



In Korea, for example, coal makes up 40 percent of the power mix and the country ranks fifth globally for coal consumption, ahead of China and the U.S. when measured per capita, according to the International Energy Agency.



For Asia's population, renewable energy will be essential to meeting growing demand while tackling climate change and air pollution.



But renewables chiefly produce electricity. And there are parts of the economy, such as industries that produce iron, steel, cement, plastic and chemicals that cannot be electrified yet -- certainly not at a reasonable cost. That's one reason the world will still need oil and gas in large quantities in the coming decades.



During this time we will see a big change in the way energy is produced, used and made available to people. And I see a combination of renewables, such as wind and solar, and natural gas -- the cleanest-burning hydrocarbon -- playing an increasingly important role. Modern gas-fired power plants can quickly respond to an increase in demand for electricity when there's not enough sun or wind.



By the end of the century many millions of people in emerging economies will join the middle class. Most will use cellphones and refrigerators. Many will drive cars or travel in self-driving cars as their quality of life improves.



All this will place enormous pressures on the global energy system. At the same time, we face serious environmental challenges. What kind of air will our children and grandchildren breathe? How will climate change impact the quality of life of people in the most exposed areas, such as coastal regions?



Natural gas is one of the few energy sources that can be used across all sectors of the global economy, including fueling transport, heating and lighting homes and powering industries. Reserves are abundant and available in many regions.



The environmental benefits are also clear. In power generation, for example, natural gas accounts for around half the carbon dioxide emissions and less than one-tenth the air pollutants compared to coal.



Some countries are already taking significant steps to boost the use of gas.



In Korea, the government has introduced policies to end the construction of nuclear and coal power plants, close older and less efficient plants, and expand the role of gas and renewables in the energy mix.



China plans to raise the share of gas in primary energy from 6 percent today to 15 percent by 2030. It is also widely using gas for transport, with more than 200,000 trucks and buses fueled by liquefied natural gas (LNG).



In the city of Lanzhou, strict air pollution policies reduced coal consumption by 40 percent and significantly increased the number of days with clear skies between 2012 and 2016.



Elsewhere, in India, where gas makes up only 8 percent of the energy mix, the government is moving towards a greater use of gas in the economy, creating infrastructure such as gas pipelines and LNG terminals. In Gujarat, India's most industrialised state, gas now makes up 25 percent of the energy system, fueling transport and cooking, as well as major plants producing petrochemicals, fertilizers and glass.



Policies of successive governments will determine the extent to which gas will play a key role in the coming decades. Their decisions must reflect the commitments made at the U.N. Paris climate summit.



Government-led mechanisms that put a price on carbon dioxide emissions would stimulate the development of low-carbon and renewable technologies. Singapore, for example, will be the first country in Southeast Asia to have a carbon tax to encourage industries to reduce emissions.



In 2015, Korea launched its emissions-trading scheme, which places caps on emissions from the country's biggest companies.



Beyond policy choices from governments, a lot will also depend on the actions of energy companies. For Shell's part, we continue to increase our investment in gas, now around half of our total production. And we are exploring commercial opportunities in areas such as biofuels, hydrogen and wind power.



Governments, companies and consumers have the power to shape a new energy future, where renewables and natural gas play critical roles. Now is the time to step up the drive to deliver on the environmental pledges made in Paris.



Maarten Wetselaar is integrated gas & new energies director of Shell.




Groupe SEB Korea CEO Paeng Kyung-in introduces Tefal's pot designed for Korean customers to cook instant noodles, during an interview with The Korea Times, July 26. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk



Groupe SEB Korea chief sets eyes on bigger markets

By Park Jae-hyuk

Tefal has been regarded as a well-made frying pan brand among Korean consumers.

When its parent company Groupe SEB entered the Korean market, its "non-stick" frying pans gained huge popularity among Korean housewives, who had not used coated pans before.

Marking its 20th anniversary in Korea this year, Tefal has firmly maintained its top spot in the nation's cookware market, without any threatening rivals.

Due to the stability, some people may have thought Tefal does not need to introduce anything new anymore.

In an interview with The Korea Times, July 26, Groupe SEB Korea (GSK) chief Paeng Kyung-in, however, emphasized that innovation is Tefal's key value.

"A former representative told me that GSK is free from the risk of being boring, as it is always changing," she said.

The female CEO is one of the founding members of Groupe SEB's Korean unit.

When the French company opened the local branch here in 1997, she joined as a marketing manager for cookware, based on her experience of successfully launching Corelle dinnerware in Korea.

After six months, she also began marketing the company's home appliances as well. Then, she worked as marketing director for 10 years and was promoted to sales director.

The businesswoman has been leading the local unit since September 2009, becoming the first Korean local manager of the 150-year-old firm. Paeng herself has also been together with the changes over the past 20 years.

"Tefal was not famous among Korean consumers 20 years ago, but I was attracted by the so-called Magic Hands, detachable frying pan handles," she reminisced. "I was sure I could enjoy my job as a marketer at the company producing such innovative products."

GSK has introduced Korean consumers to various categories of products, including not only cookware but also small domestic appliances such as blenders, irons, hairdryers, air purifiers, espresso machines and vacuum cleaners.

"We have taken the top spots in the grill, electric kettle and iron markets, although consumers may not regard them as our main items. Our hairdryer is included in the list of leading brands as well," Paeng said.

"We sold the products under the brand names of Rowenta and Krups in the past, following the headquarters' global policy. However, we decided to combine those brands into Tefal in Korea, considering its brand awareness among Korean consumers."

After the changes, the products won larger popularity, according to Paeng. The recent-launched high-speed blender and cordless vacuum also use the brand name of Tefal.

"Keeping pace with the latest trends, we hope to foster both the cookware and home appliance categories," she said. "We have also diversified product lines in the kitchenware category, launching a fritter tender, ladle, scissors, knife and cutting board."



Satisfying Korea, Korean consumers

During the interview, the chief executive introduced Tefal's pot as another example of the company's attempts to diversify its products.

"We had actually focused more on frying pans, because we thought our coating technology was unnecessary for pots," she said. "However, we realized coating is important for Koreans who cook soup in pots."

Before introducing Tefal's pots to Korea, GSK displayed its spirit of innovation, carefully surveying potential customers.

"Pots in the Korean market had been categorized according to their size and handles," Paeng said. "So we decided to categorize pots according to their purposes, designing optimal shapes of pots, respectively, for instant noodles, soups and stews."

For example, Tefal's pot for ramyeon lacks screws on its lid. The lid is concave as bowl, so people can hold small amount of noodle and broth on it. Also, the pot has markings to gauge the optimal amount of water for one person or two. It is designed for people to easily drain water used for cooking Chapagetti as well.

The pots are exclusively sold in Korea, according to Paeng. They are now included in the list of top 10 pots, surveyed by Nielsen.

"When we discussed our plan to release an exclusive category for the Korean market with our consumers, one of them had doubts about it, claiming Tefal was a foreign brand," Paeng said. "Then, other consumers unanimously refuted the consumer, saying Tefal always produces a better product than before."

Pots are not the only products exclusively made for Koreans.

The company launched a grill whose plate lacks holes, so Korean consumers can cook roasted pork with seasoning. It also added a lid to its toaster for Korean consumers who are highly interested in sanitation.

"Korean consumers are particular about products. I always talk of the expectations of Koreans, when the European headquarters call me," Paeng said. "We try our best to satisfy those expectations."

However, the chief executive said the localization is not limited to products. The company has changed the whole process of its business here, including service, company culture, distribution, price policy and personnel.

"The Korean unit adopted its own welfare policies for employees," she said. "It is true that products are important, but I think our competitiveness comes from localization of management itself."



Businesswoman as mother

Serving as a representative of the company for nearly10 years, Paeng has become one of Korea's most famous businesswomen. Since the beginning of her career, however, her gender has always been the talk of the town.

"When I worked for Corning Korea in the early 1990s, I was the first married woman at the U.S.-based company," she recalled. "Most women quit their jobs after marriage at that time."

The difficulty was felt by not only rank-and-file workers but also chief executives then.

"A female CEO I know even considered leaving her office, when her babysitter quit," Paeng said. "Fortunately, I could avoid such difficulties, as my mother and husband helped me a lot."

Based on her experiences, she accepted GSK employees' suggestion to adopt flexible working hours. Although the French headquarters and some Korean workers doubted about the plan, Paeng pushed ahead with the decision.

"I explained to the French headquarters that Korean companies care for the families of their employees," she said. "The loyalty of employees to the company increased after that decision."

The businesswoman, however, stressed that women have their own strengths.

"My personal networks with mothers help me come up with new ideas," she said. "As a consumer too, I can also think about my business, while doing housework."
Matthieu Juery

new BAT Korea CEO Tony Hayward

CFO at Reynolds

By Lee Hyo-sik

British American Tobacco (BAT) has appointed Matthieu Juery as the new head of its Korean unit, effective Sept. 1. He will replace CEO Tony Hayward, who has gone to the United States to become chief financial officer of U.S. cigarette maker Reynolds.

The Swiss national, who worked as a global brand director at BAT's London headquarters for the past three years, is already in Korea to take over the company that faces a range of challenges amid intensifying competition and falling smoking rates.

In particular, the leadership change at BAT Korea comes as it is desperate to catch up with its larger rival Philip Morris International (PMI) Korea in the booming smokeless cigarette market.

BAT will launch its smokeless cigarette "glo," today but neither Hayward nor Juery will be at the event. Instead, the head of BAT's North Asia region and researchers from the London headquarters are expected to fill the void.

PMI launched its IQOS smokeless cigarette in May, which has been well received.

"Juery has begun working with BAT Korea employees to understand the business here," a company official said. "He is also regularly talking to Hayward, who is in North Carolina, to grasp his job description and take over duties from his predecessor."

Hayward spent less than a year as BAT Korea CEO but he had to deal with an array of daunting tasks, including the firm's alleged hoarding and tax evasion following a tobacco price hike in January 2015. Lawmakers quizzed him over the controversy last September, two weeks after he assumed the post.

Over the past few months, Hayward was busy overseeing the launch of glo.

His predecessor Erik Stoel spent only five months as CEO early last year before leaving for Malaysia, where he remains.

In response to growing concerns over the possible adverse effects of frequent leadership changes, the official said Korea's second-largest foreign cigarette brand has been running business as usual, regardless of the presence of the CEO.

"We do acknowledge that there have been frequent leadership changes at BAT Korea," he said. "But the thing is, the London headquarters tend to send competent managers to Korea because it is an important market."

"Competent people get promoted when a company reshuffles its organization. So BAT Korea CEOs are the ones first chosen to assume greater roles elsewhere. This is what has happened to our two previous CEOs. We are glad that Hayward became the No.2 man at Reynolds," he said.

In July, BAT acquired Reynolds, which holds the Pall Mall, Newport and Camel brands, becoming the world's largest cigarette company. Following the merger, the company conducted a full-scale personnel reshuffle.

The official said Juery will continue to strengthen BAT Korea's capabilities as a Korea market leader and nurture it into a key hub for the global tobacco market.
Starbucks Coffee Korea CEO Lee Seock-koo, left, poses with Na Jung-hwa, vice chairman of the Korea Liberation Association (KLA), right, after donating 100 million won ($88,500) in scholarships for university students who are descendants of independence fighters, at the company headquarters in Seoul, Tuesday. Ahead of the Aug. 15 Liberation Day, the Korean unit of the Seattle-based coffee chain gave 2 million won each to 50 university students recommended by the KLA. / Courtesy of Starbucks Coffee Korea
KARD have seen huge international success since their debut and hit track "Don't Recall" became an overnight sensation due to its funky, hypnotic sounds and unique choreography. Now, the co-ed group are geared up for their #WILDKARDinUSA Tour!

After an explosive response to KARD's "WILD KARD" 2017 THE 1ST TOUR IN AMERICA PT. 1, the group will embark on #WILDKARDinUSA PT. 2, marking their second fan meet tour in the States. KARD's agency has officially released information on their tour and stops. Check out the major cities they will be visiting down below! Remember, tickets for the tour will be made available for purchase on Saturday, August 12, 2017.

LOS ANGELES, CA - August 5, 2017 at 10:00 AM

MINNEAPOLIS - September 15, 2017 State Theatre, 8:00 PM via Ticketmaster

WASHINGTON, D.C. - September 17, 2017 Warner Theatre, 8:00 PM via Ticketmaster

NEW YORK - September 20, 2017 PlayStation Theater, 8:00 PM via AXS

MIAMI - September 22, 2017 James L. Knight Center, 8:00 PM via Ticketmaster

SAN FRANCISCO - October 8, 2017 The Warfield, 8:00 PM via AXS

TICKET PRICING & BENEFITS:

P1 - $175 Fansign Hola Hola album

P2 - $145 Group photo (10 fans per group)

P3 - $115 Hi-Touch P4 - $85 Signed poster

P5 - $55

Are you excited to see KARD in concert? Don't forget to learn more about the group down below!



Consisting of two male rappers (J.Seph and B.M) and two female vocalists (Ji Woo and So Min), KARD is a co-ed group from DSP Media. Currently one of the trendiest groups in K-pop, KARD stands for King, Ace, JokeR, and HiDden.

With over 1 million subscribers on Youtube and over 117 million views, KARD has garnered the attention of fans from all over the world with their dancehall inspired tracks. Their singles 'Don't Recall' and 'Rumor' both hit #1 and 'Oh NaNa' hit #2 on the U.S. K-pop iTunes chart.

On Billboard's World Digital Song Sales Chart, 'Don't Recall' and 'Oh NaNa' hit #5 and 'Rumor' hit #3. Their most recent track and highly anticipated debut album, 'Hola Hola', has topped the main charts of 31 countries on iTunes after its release on July 19th. KARD's popularity worldwide has taken them to solo events in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.
Idols are humans after all, so it is no surprise that they want to go on dates as much as the next person but fans were shocked to find photos of Jay Park on Tindr, an American-style dating app.

Unfortunately, (or fortunately) the photos were of Jay Park but not actually Jay Park himself. A user by the name of Dan has uploaded multiple photos of Jay Park claiming that it is him in the photos.

Fans immediately uploaded the user's photos and profile to social media mocking his attempts at using Jay Park's photos to "score a date." Other fans commented saying, "I can't stop laughing" and "This isn't the first time I have seen an idol making this sort of dating profile..."

Other netizens and fans reported that idols from groups such as EXO, BTS and even actors like Seo Kang Jun have been used for numerous dating profiles and warned fans to be fooled. At least this profile didn't try and use Jay Park's name and any other form of his likeness. What do you think of this hilarious profile? Maybe someday we could find an idol on a dating app ~ someday!
BTS continues to become the highlight of international fame as members Rap Monster and Jungkook has made a special guest appearance in a documentary with an American artist.

Major Lazer, an American electronic music trio that specializes in EDM, recently made their own documentary that featured BTS members Rap Monster and Jungkook. Major Lazer's member Diplo previously teased about the documentary as he posted, "About to make a movie with my Korean squad" on his personal SNS!

On August 8th, Major Lazer posted this video of their time touring in South Korea and performing at the '2017 Jisan Valley Rock Festival.' Check out the documentary clip down below and find Rap Monster and Jungkook towards the end of the clip. Are you impressed by BTS' ongoing fame internationally?
Quick work by Rolla police and state troopers seems to have busted five men suspected of being part of many pharmacy burglaries in Texas and several other states. The arrests followed a smash-and-grab break-in at a store in Rolla early Tuesday.

The burglary at the Walgreens store at 120 S. Bishop Ave. was reported at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday. By the time officers arrived, the burglars had fled.

While officers were securing the crime scene, they heard from the Houston, Texas, Police Department that this burglary was like burglaries at other Walgreens pharmacies in Texas and throughout the Midwest, including a couple in Springfield last March.

Houston police pin the burglaries on what they call the Settegast Burglary Crew and say theyve had it under surveillance for the past month. The Houston Police Department contacted the Rolla Police Department after being notified by Walgreens Corporate Security, which monitors its stores from a central office.

Surveillance video from the store in Rolla showed two men with their faces covered striking the drive-through window with large objects like sledge hammers. Two men got inside at 5:33 a.m. while a third man remained outside and continued to hit the glass.

The two inside men exited through the window two minutes later and forced a large trash bag through the hole in the window. The trash bag ripped and medication bottles fell to the ground, according to the probable cause statements used as the basis of the charges against the five arrested men.

Rolla police broadcast a description of the men and their two getaway cars. About an hour after the burglary, troopers stopped one car in Houston. Troopers stopped the other car in Cabool less than 30 minutes later. They arrested five men in the two cars.

In the cars, troopers found numerous loose pills of hydrocodone and OxyContin and a receipt for the purchase of an eight-pound splitting maul in Hope, Ark., on Monday night. The men in the cars also were wearing clothing seen in surveillance video at the store in Rolla, according to the probable cause statements. Alongside U.S. 63, troopers found two splitting mauls and a large amount of prescription drugs. A witness told officers about seeing the items being tossed from one of the vehicles. Troopers also found masks.

The five men are now in jail in Rolla in lieu of $500,000 bonds. They are Jeremy Phillips, 26; Micah Lazaro, 26; Walter Dallas, 28; Anthony Smith, 22; and Raymond Ford, 26. Theyre all from Houston, Texas. Phelps County prosecutors charged each one with second-degree burglary, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, first-degree property damage, and possession of burglars tools.

Investigators believe these five men are part of a large organized crime group based in Houston, Texas, that is under investigation for multiple Walgreens pharmacy burglaries. Springfield police think the men, or others in their gang, may be the burglars who tried to break into two Walgreens pharmacies in Springfield early on March 20. Springfield police don't think they have enough evidence to bring charges however.

Anyone with more information about the burglary can call Rolla Police Detective Derrick Dillon at (573) 308-1213, or you can remain anonymous by calling the Rolla Police Departments Confidential Tip Line at (573) 364- 0111.
Law enforcement officers searched a heavily wooded area near Table Rock Lake for about 30 hours for a man who assaulted two people on Monday. Sheriff Doug Rader says Clinton Martin lives in a tent in those woods and knows the area well.

Officers on foot and in the air looked for Martin from Monday evening until Wednesday afternoon. Officers spotted and chased him on foot on Tuesday but he eluded them. They also spotted him from afar a second time but couldn't get to him.

A man called the Stone County Sheriffs Department on Monday and said Martin assaulted him. He said he met Martin near Table Rock Lake, off Hendrickson School Road, north of Highway H and east of Missouri 39. The man said they were talking when Martin assaulted him, the sheriff says.

The deputies who took that assault report went to talk to Martin. They chased him on food through the woods before they lost sight of him.

Later on Monday afternoon, another person tried to talk to Martin about the assault. That person said Martin reached into the vehicle and stabbed that person several times in the face, shoulder, chest and lower abdomen.

That victim received serious injuries but was in good condition by Wednesday, Rader said.

Sheriffs deputies from Stone and Barry counties and state troopers started looking for Martin on Monday evening. A Highway Patrol helicopter crew participated in the search.

A third call about Martin came in during the search. This time, he was reported to be breaking into a home. He got away again.

"He tried a home invasion about a mile and a half down the road for a separate victim that he did know and ended up breaking windows out and slashing tires," Rader said in an interview.

The sheriff says Martin keeps getting away because of where he lives.

"He's lived in those woods for a year. He knows those woods very well, so he's hard to track down in the woods," the sheriff said.

Investigators set up a search area off Highway H where they think he might be hiding, because they don't know what he might do next.

"It's very frustrating but our job at this point is to try to get him into custody before he hurts somebody else," said Rader.

Even though the active search ended on Wednesday, deputies and troopers are still on the lookout for Martin. Anyone who knows where Martin might be can call 9-1-1. Officers assume he is armed and dangerous. Rader says Martin, 38, is an uncompliant sex offender from Polk County.

Online court records show Martin pleaded guilty in Polk County in 2004 to first-degree statutory sodomy for assaulting a child under age 14 in 2002. He received a 10-year prison sentence.
The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health issued a water quality advisory for La Jolla Cove Aug. 3-4, noting that during the advisory period, bacteria levels exceeded health standards and contact with the water should be avoided.

According to the Countys Beach & Bay Water Quality Program, The Cove is sampled weekly, year round, by the County of San Diego and that water quality may be impacted by marine mammals, birds and other sources at this location.

Jessica Northrup, communications officer with the County of San Diego, said there was nothing noteworthy that caused the bacteria to spike. During a routine inspection, the bacteria levels were higher than what the County considers safe, leading to the advisory, she said, adding that when the water was tested again on Aug. 4, the bacteria levels were deemed safe.

In April 2016, the County posted a similar advisory, citing an uncommon number of high-bacteria results.

Northrup said La Jolla Cove is one of 45 locations that is monitored by the Department of Environmental Health in accordance with Assembly Bill 411.

The goal of AB 411 is to monitor water quality at least weekly during the summer season (April 1 through October 31) and notify the public when state health standards are not met, she said. This may indicate a higher risk of illness to swimmers. Due to a potentially elevated risk of illness, the Department of Environmental Health recommends avoiding water contact at beaches where a water quality advisory is in place.

Heal the Bay, an environmental monitoring group, issues a report card each year for Californias beaches. It gave La Jolla Cove a D grade for the summer 2016 (April to October 2016). Among the findings, Heal the Bay said, Agency staff who monitor water quality in the area noted anecdotally an increase in seal and sea lion activity at the site. Whether or not the seals and sea lions are a contributing factor to these high counts  additional studies would need to confirm. It is likely that the Cove-like conditions exacerbate poor water quality, much like at an enclosed waterbody site.

Northrup added, As with any beach, there are a number of factors that can affect water quality at La Jolla Cove including tides, wave intensity, flushing frequency, presence of humans or animals, presence and amount of surface water runoff and potentially others.

However, this summers Heal the Bay report card (the most recent end date is June 28) gave Cove waters an A+ grade. Data is not available for the months of July and August.

Dan Simonelli, president of La Jolla Cove Swim Club, said in recent weeks, swimmers who frequent The Cove have noticed an increase in sea lions present and see it as no coincidence that the water quality advisory was issued.

We noticed a difference in the smell at The Cove and then all of a sudden the (water quality advisory) sign went up. Weve also seen more sea lions on The Cove beach in the morning. Were not sure if they are the same ones as the ones that haul out on the bluffs at Boomer Beach (near the Bridge Club) or if there are new ones. It seems connected, he said.

San Diego County has created a Water Quality mobile app people can use to check whether an advisory is in effect in real time. Instructions to add a shortcut to this App for Android and Apple devices can be found at sdbeachinfo.com
GENOA CITY  Crossing the Nippersink Creek bridge in Veterans Park is no longer a risky proposition.

The Genoa City Lions Club refurbished the bridge, and plans to do the same with another creek bridge this fall near 332 Fellows.

Kerrie Molter, the clubs first vice president, said they focused on the park bridge because it was in worse shape.

The boards were rotted underneath, and they were covered with plywood, which made it functional, but still not real safe, she said. You could walk across it and it was pretty spongy.

Its almost as if its a new bridge.

The old wood and black iron are gone.

Now, the bridge iron is mostly light blue, with dark brown planks.

One fan of the clubs work is Village President Bill Antti, who happened by as Molter and her son-in-law, Genoa City Lions President Eric Thornburgh, were at the bridge to discuss the project with the Regional News Aug. 1.

I think a lot of people use this bridge, said Antti.

Thornburgh said the bridge has been there at least 30 years, since he was a kid.

It provides people access along a path from the park to County Highway H.

Recently, the village put in a sidewalk on the part of the path that leads up to the highway.

A portion of the upcoming Veterans Park paving project, the rest of the path will be blacktopped.

Antti, Molter and Thornburgh agreed the bridge is used most during Lions Days, the three-day festival which occurred last weekend.

The club wanted to finish the bridge prior to the event, in anticipation of increased foot traffic in the park.

The bridge opened July 29, said Thornburgh.

The right time

It appears timing was just as important to the project as the need to repair the bridge.

Lions Club International is celebrating its 100-year anniversary by encouraging all Lions clubs to complete community legacy projects by June 30, 2018.

The legacy is to build or donate something to the village, the community  a stand, a building, a park, something that is a permanent structure that will last, said Thornburgh.

He said the club began looking for a project last winter, but it was on Molters mind earlier than that.

She and her husband, Mitch, inspected the bridges.

Kerrie made plans to strengthen the Veterans Park bridge, as well as helped with the cleaning and painting.

No stranger to woodworking, she also sawed most of the deck boards.

Most of the boards were donated to the club by Hines Supply, of Grayslake, Illinois.

Craig DeYoung, of DeYoung Manufacturing, town of Linn, performed the bridge welding for free, said Molter.

This has kept the project cost down to around $1,100 so far, but Thornburgh and Molter said that could change as work on the bridge near 332 Fellows begins.

Its not the first time the Genoa City Lions Club has executed projects in Veterans Park.

The pavilion, the building attached to it and the rest room/concession building were some of the projects completed by the club over the years, said Thornburgh.
For a short time, the rustic appeal of barn weddings surpassed the Rivieras posh ballroom as the place for engaged couples to celebrate their nuptials.

According to Charles Gray, the Lake Geneva harbor master, the bookings for the upper level ballroom have been more stagnant than they have in the past.

And he attributes this to the recent agrarian fad.

Barn weddings have become extremely popular in the last few years, Gray explained. We find a lot of people going to the barn.

City Administrator Blaine Oborn said that the revenue from the upper level varies depending on usage, but that barn weddings may have affected the amount of revenue received in 2016 and 2017.

According to Oborn, the city took in about $145,000 in revenue in 2014.

That number jumped to $158,000 in 2015.

However, the projected revenue for 2016 only went up to $160,000, while 2017 is currently at $155,000.

The city also gets a cut of the catering revenue, Oborn said.

The city received $36,000 from catering in 2014, $32,000 in 2015, a projected $25,000 in 2016 and $26,000 in 2017.

The revenue for the ballroom may go up in 2018, however.

Gray said that it is likely that the heyday of barn weddings is now over.

The bookings for 2018 are right back up where they were, he said. It could be that barn weddings have seen their day.

Other sources of

revenue

Weddings arent the only source of revenue at the Riviera, however.

Gray said that though weddings are the primary events held in the upper level, that area also sees its fair share of other events and some business meetings.

And dont forget about the profits from the lower level.

According to Oborn, the lower area of the Riviera where vendors set up shop is made up of concord leases.

These leases see a 3-percent increase each year.

In 2014, the city took in $92,000 from these leases.

The leases went up to $99,000 in 2015, $101,000 in 2016 and $103,000 in 2017.

The Riviera is part of the lakefront fund, which covers everything from beach revenue, to buoys.

In total, the lakefront fund brings in about a half a million dollars each year.

But, Oborn pointed out, we have a lot of expenses, too. So thats not net profit.

The revenue takes a cut from labor expenses, including security guards for the upper level.

Yearly maintenance for the upper level comes in at around $6,000, Oborn added.

The future of the Riv

And now that major renovations for the Riviera are underway, Oborn said it is possible that the current revenue patterns could change if the layout or usage of the building changes.

Theres just a lot of possibilities, he said. Its been the way it is since the 1980s. The configuration of the usage could be different. Do we want to change the usage? Certainly, thats in discussion.
This has been an extremely busy week as we not only finished collecting the matching donations that completed the Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant, but we also finished distributing the assistance these funds provided to the poverty stricken in our communities.

Your donations, met by Fox Charities, provided $50,000 in much needed poverty relief over the past six weeks. Thanks to the Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant, and all of your matching donations, we were able to provide the poverty relief that so many were praying for this summer.

Many senior citizens, the handicapped, veterans, working poor families and single mothers with children have turned to us in desperation as they faced homelessness, utility disconnection, hunger and other pains of poverty. So many people have been suffering in silence as they struggled to pay bills after unexpected emergencies and life changes.

We have talked to people from all walks of life, all ages, as they faced cancer and other life threatening illnesses, accidents, disabilities, sick children, job loss, deaths and tragedies. Their stories and challenges have weighed heavily on our hearts.

Thanks to all of you their suffering has been relieved. Lifes challenges have been made a little easier thanks to your kindness and generosity.

This is how you helped:

Rent/Shelter: $25,618.57

Thanks to all of you and the Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant we have removed the stress and fear of homelessness for many families, children, senior citizens and the disabled in our communities. Our fellow creations have endured much as they have struggled with the care of sick children, job loss, escaped abusive relationships and many other reasons for pending evictions.

Thanks to all of you and Fox Charities we have been able to remove that stress and fear for 47 of our neighbors in desperate need.

A woman diagnosed with brain cancer was provided help with her rent. As she faces disabling treatments and uncertainty we were able to remove the pain and stress of pending eviction.

A veteran was helped to move closer to a veterans hospital as she faced a disabling disease. Two women with children that had suffered years of abuse were finally able to escape thanks to The Time Is Now to Help providing much needed first months rent and security deposit.

A homeless woman and her dog were provided emergency shelter in a motel. She is now in secure housing that was made attainable with our assistance in providing first months rent and security deposit. Now that she is in stable housing, she is also happily employed.

A senior citizen that also cares for her adult mentally-handicapped son was provided help with her rent after some unexpected medical expenses. These are just a few of the 47 people touched by your generosity.

You and Fox Charities have prevented the pains of poverty and impending homelessness for many of our fellow creations this summer. Thanks to the Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant, together we have made a real difference in the lives of people suffering in poverty. Thank you and God bless you.

Utilities: $14,200

The Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant and your generosity have brought utility assistance to nearly 40 people. Natural Gas, electric and water utilities were paid to prevent disconnection.

A woman that recently lost her husband after a long illness and her two children, were saved from utility disconnection.

A woman suffering due to a surgical error and mass infection has been spared from also living in the dark and lack of air-conditioning as she continued to battle her infections.

A grandmother raising her three grandchildren, while also living with a disabling heart condition, has been saved from lack of refrigeration, air-conditioning and lights.

A single mother whose ex-husband left her stranded with little income and two young children was living without gas and scheduled for water disconnection.

Our caring and sharing prevented all these people from suffering due to a lack of utilities. These people will all have lights, appliances and water this summer thanks to you and Fox Charities. Thank you to Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant for allowing us to remove the suffering that lack of utilities can bring.

Food: $2,330.25

Your donations, matched by the Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant, provided desperately needed food assistance and emergency food deliveries made by volunteers. When lack of transportation, illness, emergency food needs, disability or working during the food pantries hours of operation prevents a trip to the food pantry, we provide gift cards to local grocery stores.

Volunteers purchase and deliver food when our fellow creations are not able to get to the grocery store themselves or we find an immediate emergency need for food. Children, single mothers, senior citizens, veterans and working poor families were provided food assistance.

Together, Fox Charities, The Time Is Now to Help and all of You have removed the desperate pain of hunger in our communities.

Transportation: $4,196.39

The Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant was used to provide car repairs for four cars, three car payments and registration for a donated vehicle. We have said before that the key to employment, health care and even food and toiletries, is reliable transportation.

In the summer we receive less car repair requests as many people are able to walk or ride a bike to work. As fall approaches we will again see an increase in car repairs.

Many people were provided gas gift cards to ensure they had enough gas for their trips to work, hospitals, therapies, grocery stores and other necessary places we need to travel.

Thanks to the Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant and all of you we were able to remove the stress that a lack of transportation causes. God bless Fox Charities and all of you for removing the stress and worry over safe, reliable transportation.

Glasses: $900

All of you and the Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant provided glasses for two children being raised by their grandmother living on a very fixed income and a senior woman that had been struggling with her vision.

The gift of clear vision will help these children to prosper in school and this senior woman to safely drive and read once more. Clear vision is an area of poverty relief we feel all should be entitled to, yet so few have any opportunity to ever afford.

Toiletries: $747.79

Soap, shampoo, diapers, feminine hygiene, toothpaste, tooth brushes, combs, toilet paper and many other items were purchased for the senior citizens, the disabled, veterans, children, single mothers and working poor families turning to us for assistance.

After paying for shelter, food, transportation and utilities on a limited budget there is often little left for toiletries. Dental health, personal hygiene and job success are all dependent on access to toiletries.

The Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant and all of you have provided the items needed to maintain health and physical well being.

Beds: $1,707

A senior gentleman who had not slept on an actual bed in more than 20 years was given the gift of a good nights sleep and comfort thanks to you and Fox Charities.

A single mother and daughter were provided beds after her ex-husband left with many of their belongings, including their beds.

A senior woman, living with her granddaughter in a motel due to many health problems, was not only provided first months rent and security deposit in an affordable apartment, she and her granddaughter were also provided new beds and bedding, thanks to you. Thank you Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant and all of you for your generosity that allowed us to purchase new beds for these fellow creations in need.

Dental assistance: $300

A senior woman living in terrible pain due to lack of dental care was given that most appreciated gift. The pain removed for this senior woman is all thanks to you and the Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant. Her dentist graciously volunteered to provide her continuing care after her plight was brought to his attention.

Grand Total: $50,000

Every penny you donated, matched by the Fox Charities Summer 2017 $25,000 Matching Grant, went to assist the poverty stricken. The gifts this matching grant provided were most appreciated by the many children, senior citizens, the handicapped, working poor families and single mothers who were lent a helping hand. Their pain and suffering has been compassionately removed thanks to you and Fox Charities. Our gratitude for your continued support is immense. We know we cannot do this alone. We know we need you to make all of our good works possible. We hope you know how grateful all of us at The Time Is Now to Help are for your help in making our charity work a reality.

As our summer is quickly going by we continue to have many people coming to us in desperate need, living in fear, trying to survive without the necessities of life. As we continue to work very hard verifying the genuine need of good people, we also need your continued support. Together we need to carry on our good works that make our mission for God a success. Together we make a big difference removing the pains of poverty for our fellow creations. Thank you and God bless you.

Health and happiness, love & God bless everyone, W.C./Sal

Please Help: There are many coming to us in desperation. Our good fellow creations need our compassion. Together we make a big difference. Make checks payable to: The Time Is Now to Help, P.O. Box 1, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. The Time Is Now to Help is a federally recognized 5013 charitable organization licensed in the states of Wisconsin and Illinois. You will receive a tax deductible, itemized thank you receipt showing how your donation provided assistance for the poverty stricken.

A very special thank you: Fox Charities, Kunes Family Foundation, Martin Business, John Stensland and family, Lake Geneva Area Realty, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schuberth, The Harold and Bernice DeWeerd Family Foundation, Jeffrey Martin, Jack Fogle Memorial Foundation, Barbara Giovannoni, George and Lauretta Clettenberg, John and Christiane Stuckey, Joan Murphy, James and Constance Van Patten, Carol Calkins, Al and Rosemarie Reiherzer, Barbara Kufalk, John and Kathy Poiron, Jack Mallory, Emily Ploch, Teresa Hurley, our anonymous donors and all of you who support The Time Is Now to Help donation boxes and the businesses that allow our donation boxes. Anyone who would like a Time Is Now donation box in your business, please call (262) 249-7000.

Honoraries: Kathy Rodgers in honor or Richard Driehaus birthday.

Memorials: Dr. Mark and Cynthia Brower and family in memory of sister Marie. John and Marian McClellan in memory of Henry B. Tawton. JJF Pacesetters in memory of Wayne Perkins. The estate of William and Mary Osborn, David Osborn and Valerie Lincoln in memory of Mary Osborn. Melissa Gehrke in memory of Mary Osborn.

Prayer chain: The power of prayer and positive thoughts comes from the true healer, our Lord answering our prayers. Please pray for healing for the following people: Mike, Caroline, Susan, Jennifer, Clarence, Jayden, Santina, Alex, Lily, Kaitlyn, Kynesha, Brandis Grandma, and Marilyn.
Its not just your @#%& imagination: American books have gotten a lot more profane over the last six decades, according to a study led by a San Diego State University psychology professor.

A team of scholars reports that theres been a dramatic increase in curse words in American literature since 1950, the Guardian reports. (Note: the linked article itself contains strong language.)

The academics, led by San Diego psychologist and author Jean Twenge, used Google Books to search for seven swear words in American books published since the middle of the last century. None of the words, which range from the scatological to the sexual, can be printed here, although comedy fans might recognize them from George Carlins monologue about the seven dirty words you cant say on television.

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The researchers found that books published between 2005 and 2008 were more likely to contain the profane words by a factor of 28.

Twenge said the increase in profanity can be chalked up to an increase in American individualism over the last several decades.

Individualism is a cultural system that emphasizes the self more and social rules less, she said. So as social rules fell by the wayside, and people were told to express themselves, swearing became more common. I think this cultural lens is the best way to view it, rather than as bad or good.

The study found that one particular swear word is 678 times more likely to appear in American literature now than it was in the early 1950s. No, were not going to give you a hint.

Profanity is a common reason why books are challenged or banned in schools and libraries. The American Library Assn.'s most recent list of the top 10 challenged books contains four that were flagged for language, including Chuck Palahniuks Make Something Up: Stories You Cant Unread and Rainbow Rowells Eleanor & Park. The authors of the study note that swearing is linked to personality traits such as extraversion, dominance, narcissism, and neuroticism.

Average levels of extraversion and dominance, narcissism, and neuroticism have all increased among individuals in the United States, they write. Thus, the frequency of swearing may increase as well.

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In July, a Marin County woman named Megan Schultz went to her local CVS drugstore to fill a prescription for a generic drug. She forked over $164.68, the co-pay designated by her health plan.

Schultz feels she got ripped off. What she didnt know, according to a federal lawsuit she filed this week, was that she could have acquired the drug at the same store for only $92, if she had chosen to pay cash instead of using her pharmacy insurance benefit. But her pharmacy didnt clue her in.

CVS remained silent and took her money, her lawsuit states, knowing full well that no reasonable consumer would make such a choice.

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PBM corporations are inserting costs into the system on virtually everyone in order to fuel their profits and reward shareholders.  B. Douglas Hoey, spokesman for community pharmacies

Schultz alleges that shes the victim of a practice known as a clawback, instituted in her case by CVS and OptumRX, a pharmacy benefit manager, or PBM, that functions as a middleman between her insurance plan and pharmacies. PBMs negotiate drug prices with drug companies on behalf of insurance companies and other payers, then communicate those prices to druggists at the retail level. The druggists are expected to charge consumers whatever portion their insurers designate as a co-pay.

Most insured consumers assume their co-pay is a discount from the full drug price. But thats not always so. What happens if the negotiated price is less than the co-pay? Much of that, the lawsuit alleges, is passed by the drugstore back to the PBM  as a clawback.

According to the arrangement in effect for Schultzs prescription, the lawsuit says, the consumer pays the amount negotiated by the PBM and CVS even if that amount exceeds the price of the drug without insurance. The drugstore, the lawsuit asserts, remits the excess payments back to the PBMs.

The allegations point to an obscure aspect of Americas drug distribution system that hampers efforts to force prescription prices down: the role of PBMs.

As middlemen occupying the space between drugmakers and insurers, and between insurers and retail drugstores, PBMs are sitting at the center of a big black box, drug marketing consultant Linda Cahn told me in June, in connection with my earlier reporting on PBMs. Theyre the only ones who have knowledge of all the moving pieces.

PBMs originated as intermediaries to help process claims for health plans and allow insurers to combine their customer bases for greater leverage in negotiations with drug manufacturers.

But over time, they became just another special interest. Today the firms extract billions of dollars in price concessions and obscure fees from drug companies eager to remain in their good graces, as well as rebates and other fees from drug retailers. PBM corporations are inserting costs into the system on virtually everyone in order to fuel their profits and reward shareholders, B. Douglas Hoey, head of the National Community Pharmacists Assn., which represents independent drugstores, complained last year.

The extent of clawbacks is unclear, in part because of the confidentiality of contracts tying insurers, drug companies, retailers and PBMs together. The biggest PBM, Express-Scripts, says it doesnt engage in clawbacks, which it calls an anti-patient practice.

Other firms in the system say co-pays are set by insurance companies, not PBMs or drugstores. CVS says the Schultz lawsuit is without merit. It says prescription co-pays are determined by a patients prescription coverage plan, not by the pharmacy.  CVS has not overcharged patients for prescription co-pays. The company says CVS Caremark, its PBM subsidiary, doesnt engage in clawbacks.

OptumRX, which is not named as a defendant in the Schultz lawsuit, says it does not require pharmacies to charge the member the copay amount even when the cash price is lower. Pharmacists should never charge our members more than the cash price, which is a price set by the pharmacy and what an individual without insurance would pay the pharmacy for a prescription.

The company says its contractual policies with retail drugstores are designed to ensure pharmacists always charge the lowest amount outlined in a members health plan when filling prescriptions.

But that leaves unsaid whether pharmacists feel empowered to volunteer information to customers that a cash price would be cheaper. Some 59% of independent pharmacists answering a survey by the National Community Pharmacists Assn. said they were subject to gag clauses prohibiting them from volunteering such information. In other words, the organization said, the patient has to affirmatively ask about pricing.

Even if the gag rule isnt explicit, implicit warnings about circumventing co-pays abound. An OptumRX provider manual filed with Schultzs lawsuit compels pharmacies in the OptumRX network to charge customers using their insurance the required co-pay and only this amount. Waiving the co-pay is strictly prohibited.

And UnitedHealth Group, the parent of OptumRX, said in May in a motion to dismiss a clawback lawsuit filed in Minneapolis federal court that the insurance enrollees who brought the case are entitled to pay the member contribution amounts set forth in their plans  nothing more and nothing less.

Just because there might be some other lower price [the customers] might wish to pay doesnt give them grounds for a lawsuit, the company argued.

Some state legislatures plainly feel that customers are vulnerable to abuse via PBM contracts with drugstores. Anti-clawback laws have been enacted in Louisiana, Georgia, North Dakota and Maine  and most recently, Connecticut passed a law barring insurers or PBMs from prohibiting or penalizing pharmacists from disclosing such information to customers as less expensive methods of purchasing the prescription, including paying the cash price. Such action by a Legislature in a state thats home to several major insurers is a clear indication that the problem exists.

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

Return to Michael Hiltziks blog.
A decision by the city of Long Beach to open its airport to new carriers and more flights has paid off with a nearly 50% increase in passenger volume over the last six months.

During the first half of the year, Long Beach Airport served nearly 1.3 million passengers, a 46.5% jump from the same period in 2016, according to the city of Long Beach.

By comparison, Los Angeles International Airport served nearly 41 million passengers in the first six months of the year, a 5% increase over the same period last year.

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Long Beach Airports growth is attributed mostly to the citys decision last year to add nine new daily departures and arrivals, bringing to 50 the total daily flights allotted to large carriers at the 1,166-acre facility.

The new slots opened the door for Southwest Airlines, the nations largest domestic carrier, to serve Long Beach for the first time and compete head-to-head with rival JetBlue Airways.

The increase has already boosted revenue from parking and concession operators at the airport, airport spokeswoman Stephanie Montuya-Morisky said. Its better overall financially, she said, adding that the citys financial report wouldnt be released for several months.

The decision to add the nine slots riled some Long Beach residents worried that the extra flights would generate more jet noise. But a city study found that the airport could add the nine daily flights without violating an airport noise limit that sets a threshold tied to the airline noise generated in 1989-90.

Southwest Airlines received four daily slots, with JetBlue getting three more slots and Delta Air Lines getting two.

Southwest Airlines began serving Long Beach Airport in June of last year, handling 10,231 passengers in that first month. In June of this year, Southwest served 17,911 travelers, a 75% increase, according to city data.

Weve worked week by week to add additional flights utilizing unused slots that make available our low fares and bags fly free to more people going more places, Southwest Airlines spokesman Dan Landson said. Long Beach became the 10th California airport served by Southwest Airlines.

JetBlue, the biggest carrier at Long Beach Airport, also has experienced higher passenger volume, serving 124,065 people in June, up 23% from the 101,270 passengers handled a year earlier.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter.
Life was once an easy summer breeze for Wham-O. The Southern California toy outfit, founded in a South Pasadena garage shortly after World War II, churned out Frisbees like pancakes and Super Balls like gumballs.

Its Boogie Board (devised in 1971 by Orange County-bred Bahai surfer Tom Morey) stood sentinel in suburban garages. Only squares didnt own a Hula Hoop (introduced in 1957; 100 million units sold within three years).

In Wham-Os television ads, its iconic starburst logo dropped into living rooms like a Super Ball off a third-story balcony.

Times sure have changed.

Of the many entertainment-centric outfits disrupted by the digital era, few have been upended like Wham-O. Its toys, once symbols of an endless summer, are now relics of a bygone season. Even the notion of a firm devoted to plastic playthings feels like an anachronism. Why kick around a beanbag when there's FIFA Mobile Soccer?

Wham-O has had a rough time financially too. Sales fell sharply from their peak, but were still hovering around $80 million as of 2005, according to public documents and company statements. Since then theyve slipped further, to less than a quarter of that as of 2015.

But a new set of executives isnt convinced the company is doomed. Since they took over at the start of last year, they've come up with a number of new ideas and, like Super Elastic Bubble Plastic (introduced, toxically, in 1970), set out to put some air in them.

Their plan highlights the tricky and at times unintended consequences of digital change. Fast-hurtling technology may disrupt traditional businesses, but the disrupted have a few adaptive tricks of their own. Yes, Wham-O executives say, they were already carrying a somewhat dusty product line with low upside  and that was even before this slick digital world came along and threatened it with obsolescence.

Yet at heart their products actually operate on a bedrock Silicon Valley (and human) principle: addictive diversions, especially those built around community, never go out of style.

We think theres a way to make our products the new cool, said Wham-O President Todd Richards. "Being outside can be the new iPhone."

A 1960s television commercial touts the Frisbee and the Hula Hoop. (Wham-O)

Richards is in his ground-floor workspace at Wham-O headquarters in Carson, an office in a series of low-slung industrial-looking buildings tucked off a main road.

Around his desk lie various distractions  or are they research? A miniature basketball hoop. A water balloon aqua bow. Balls, discs and an assortment of flying objects. Richards turns to them when he needs a break from thinking about how to modernize his company, or as inspiration for the same.

Like, for example, the YouTube channel the company has created, in which users can do things like upload videos of their creative (if hardly safety-first) uses of the Slip 'N Slide.

"Officially the box says under 12," he said wryly of the watery backyard implement. "Not everyone abides by that.

Richards oversees a Southland-based staff of about 30 employees. (A second office of about 50 staffers sits in Hong Kong.) The groups mission: to tweak designs and marketing for the 21st century. At their core, after all, many of their products function the same way as those toys in Grandpas basement. But Richards maintains they can be re-positioned for a new audience.

At Coachella this year, Wham-O sent out ambassadors. The emissaries handed out Hacky Sacks (first licensed by Wham-O in 1983; legally required to be present for Phish to perform) and talked to concertgoers about how to master the mini-sphere. The idea was to update the toys image from 1990s jam-band staple to 2017 Schoolboy Q accouterment.

As a part of a promotional treasure hunt, Wham-O also recently hid Frisbees throughout Venice, the South Bay and other sandy spots in the Los Angeles area and leaked out clues about where to find them  Pokemon Go: the 175-gram version. (Among the prizes: the chance to interact with executives from the company.)

A lot of young people would love our products if they got the chance to know what they are. But theyve never had the opportunity," said Olyvia Pronin, the company's director of marketing. "Were trying to show them what they're missing by going to wherever they are."

Or to whatever theyre on. Wham-O is developing a Frisbee app that will essentially allow the disc to be "thrown" from one mobile device to another  all the gratification of backhanding a low slider to your buddy without any of that that running-into-trees messiness.

You're sitting in a meeting and you say 'Hey Paul, catch this,'" Richards said, miming a wrist-flick swipe across an imaginary screen.

And Paul is at the other end of conference room and he looks up and catches it just in time."

After being run as a family business for nearly 35 years  the company was founded in 1948 by USC alums Richard Knerr and Arthur "Spud" Melin, who capitalized on what were then cutting-edge chemical and industrial advances  Wham-O in the last few decades has endured a revolving door of owners, including Mattel , not to mention a series of retail woes.

Richards took over as president when the faltering Wham-O was sold to his privately held Carson-based InterSport and Hong Kong-based Stallion Sport for an undisclosed  but certainly bargain-basement  sum at the end of 2015. The seller was Cornerstone Overseas Investments, which had owned Wham-O for about 10 years and watched as sales cratered.

Richards believes hes finally hit upon a winning formula. Soft-spoken but physically imposing  he's a dirt-bike aficionado who commutes to work on his motorcycle  the executive was a vice president of sales for Wham-O in the early 2000s. After leaving the firm, he watched with some consternation as Wham-O under Cornerstone tried to compete using more generic products like beach sand pails.

Richards had little hope he could do anything about that until Stallions chief, Joseph Lin, approached him several years ago with word that Wham-O was available. The two parties soon had put together financing and closed the deal. (Lin, Wham-Os CEO, declined to be interviewed for this article.)

With EBay and other entities driving a huge nostalgia industry  the company has a store on the retail site, should you be in the market for that vintage Wham-O hunting slingshot  Richards made the acquisition under the belief that Wham-O was well-situated and just needed some new energy. He quickly created a startup environment to rethink how Wham-O does business.

The companys Carson offices feel like a space where employees of a Silicon Valley giant might engage in some much-needed toy-based relaxation from their stressful jobs. Only in this case, the toys are the stressful jobs.

At regular intervals, staffers will gather on the second floor and rain down Super Balls (early 1960s; its how the Super Bowl got its name) or head out to the parking lot to try new Slip N Slide designs (1961, all fun and games until little Lucy ends up in an Ace bandage).

In a large room, a handful of toys, including one involving Nerf projectiles, offers a combination brainstorm session/stress-reliever.

Dont tell anyone too much about what's in here, Pronin said, after allowing a reporter to test-drive some prototypes.

For a mature business like Wham-O's, the companys ability to innovate can turn on small tweaks.

Wham-O also is using a crowdsourcing model, hearing as many as several dozen pitches per week from ordinary citizens who think theyve come up with the next great toy; the ideas sometimes find their way into the companys product-development pipeline. The idea is to make all outdoor Wham-O toys as ubiquitous as Silly String (invented in 1972, terrorizing New Years revelers ever since).

Indeed, digital efforts aren't the only way Wham-O is seeking to grow. New physical toys have been a priority too.

The aqua bow, for instance, allows for water balloons to be shot a maximum distance of 150 yards, instantly making any family picnic more perilous.

And Richards says a radical new Frisbee design is on its way. He at first doesnt let on what it is, then eventually some details slip out  its shaped more like a square and can thus self-correct and fly longer and straighter than the saucer-shaped disc thats been keeping us and our mutts happy for years.

It will change everything, Richards said, flashing the smile of a man about to tell the rest of the Bingo room he's holding the winning card.

For any Frisbee or Hacky Sack purist who thinks perfection cant be improved upon, a worthy reminder comes in the form of an Aerobie (not a Wham-O product, to their chagrin). The hollowed-out disc, created on a lark by a Stanford physicist decades after the Frisbee, could coast endlessly on air and made a certain summer camper circa 1987 feel like he had the arm of Joe Montana.

But for all of its ambition, a number of hurdles stand in Wham-Os way.

With consolidation having gripped the toy business for years, running an independent producer of low-tech toys isnt simple. The number of retailers has dwindled and shelf space is at a premium. Online sales, meanwhile, can be tricky for a company that depends on consumers holding its products in their hands.

And while the specific style and name of Wham-O toys are copyrighted, their basic idea can be  and often is  imitated by competitors, who can take advantage of modern efficiency tools like inexpensive foreign labor and manufacturing costs.

Not to mention the challenge of competition from new fads the company isnt behind (e.g., the Fidget Spinner).

Maybe most important, the company is tethered to the past simply by its constitution.

The downside of [Wham-Os] business model  in which products themselves attain greater brand equity than their parent brands  is it means Wham-O has a more difficult time with launching new products, said Clayton Critcher, a retail expert and professor at Berkeleys Haas School of Business.

When each product is essentially its own brand, it raises the marketing challenges in pushing new products. It requires Wham-O to launch a new brand with each product.

Wham-O executives point to a lower standard for success.

A $100-million company is not big if youre trying to compete with Mattel or Hasbro, but its big for a small firm in Carson, Richards said, citing an eventual revenue target.

As a private company, Wham-O executives declined to reveal financial information, saying only that they hope to increase sales to that $100-million mark by 2021 and have made significant progress toward that goal.

As it looks to fight its way back onto toy store shelves, Wham-O hopes to take advantage of built-in nostalgia for its name.

Richards likes to tell a story about how magician David Blaine cold-called the company once seeking a massive shipment of Super Balls and freaked out when he realized he was talking to the head of Wham-O.

Executives also think that pro sports' push for more outdoor play could benefit the company, too. A TV ad for the NFL's Play 60 campaign, for instance, has stars advocating that kids throw a Frisbee.

Ultimately, though, any digital-age Wham-O revival may come down to an old-fashioned question: Do people enjoy its physical products?

Executives certainly think they will.

"Look at this," Richards said, as he picked up Super Balls of varying weights and colors and began bouncing them. "Come on. Youre going to tell me anything on a screen is as fun as this?

steve.zeitchik@latimes.com

Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT

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By firing engineer, Google shows what you can say  and what you can't  at work
In a country known for its reverence of free speech, in a state strict with labor codes, in an industry steeped in libertarian and progressive ideals, if an employee has something to say, he should just be able to say it, right?

Not quite, as one Google employee learned the hard way when he was fired Monday after writing and internally circulating a memo in which he criticized the companys diversity efforts as unfair and discriminatory.

When the memo became public, women and under-represented groups in tech decried it and Google denounced it. But by Monday night, after Google fired the engineer, claiming hed violated the companys code of conduct, the conversation shifted. Some in tech were incredulous that someone could lose his job for expressing dissent. People took to Twitter: Whither free speech?

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The thing about free speech

One thing many misunderstand about the 1st Amendment is that it only protects the publics right to free speech from government censorship  meaning it doesnt apply to the relationship between private employers and employees.

The 1st Amendment is actually irrelevant because the language says, Congress shall make no law  abridging the freedom of speech, so it only restricts what Congress may do, said Matt Oster, an attorney with Wolf, Rifkin, Shapiro, Schulman & Rabkin. An employer is pretty free to restrict what its employees may say, as long as it doesnt run afoul of other rules.

Its a different story for government workers, who get 1st Amendment protections in the workplace because their employer is, well, the government. But for employees of non-government organizations, there is no blanket free speech protection.

So what protections do employees have?

Employees have protections under the National Labor Relations Act and, in California, the Fair Employment and Housing Act, among other laws. These acts protect certain classes from discrimination based on categories such as gender, race, sexual orientation and national origin. Specific to California, political affiliations are also a protected class, which means an employer cannot take disciplinary action against an employee for his or her membership in a political organization, or for holding certain political views.

There are also other laws in California that carry non-retaliation provisions, which means if someone makes a complaint about work conditions  whether its workplace discrimination or unpaid overtime  an employer cannot fire him or her for expressing those opinions.

The person complaining doesnt even have to be right, Oster said. They only have to make their complaint in good faith.

In the case of James Damore, the sacked Google employee, he accused Google in his 10-page memo of resorting to discriminatory practices in its quest to diversify its workforce. He argued, among other things, that creating programs and mentoring opportunities for women or people of certain ethnic groups creates a high priority queue for diversity candidates, and that the company shows more scrutiny toward any set of people if its not diverse enough, but doesnt show that same scrutiny in the reverse direction.

He also accused the company of alienating people with conservative views.

Whether an abitrator or jury will determine that Damores complaints qualify for protection under California labor laws is yet to be seen.

I have a right to express my concerns about the terms and conditions of my working environment and to bring up potentially illegal behavior, which is what my document does, he said in an email interview with the New York Times.

Damore told Associated Press on Tuesday that he was fired for perpetuating gender stereotypes, and that he considers his termination illegal because he had already filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. He also said he was exploring his legal options.

Whats Googles case?

While Damore could argue that his termination was a violation of the National Labor Code or the Fair Employment and Housing Act, Google could counter that he wasnt fired for views protected under the labor code, legal experts said.

Employment attorneys were quick to point out that in his own memo to employees, Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai acknowledged that parts of Damores memo were fair to debate, regardless of whether a vast majority of Googlers disagree with it, potentially setting the company up to defend itself against accusations of quelling unpopular opinions.

Instead, Pichai focused on the portions of the memo that violated the companys code of conduct, such as when Damore stereotyped women by stating that women on average were more neurotic and prone to anxiety, making them less compatible with techs work environment.

Googles options

Once Damores memo went public, Google had two options, said Adam Galinsky, a professor of management at the Columbia Business School: stand by the employee, or fire him.

The most important thing was some decisive, strongly worded action had to be taken by Google because of the firestorm this created, Galinsky said.

Despite the potential for Damore to take legal action, Galinsky believes the company did the right thing, particularly in light of the cultural shift taking place in Silicon Valley, where discriminatory behavior is decreasingly tolerated.

But in addition to taking a moral stance, employment attorneys believe Google took a wise legal stance, too.

The company has a responsibility to take appropriate, corrective action, and an employer has an obligation to prevent any conduct that creates a hostile work environment, said Genie Harrison, an employment law expert at Genie Harrison Law Firm.

Its a fair business decision, because imagine if they retain him, they send him to some kind of sensitivity training, they bring him back to the workplace, and two months from now the guy is working with female employees and he says something sexist, Harrison said. Those women are going to have robust potential cases against Google, because they will argue that Google knew that he was sexist and didnt take appropriate action [to prevent him] from doing it again.

Damore supporters took to Twitter to debate Googles decision, describing it as a case of political correctness gone wild, and painting Google as an authoritarian organization that didnt allow for dissenting or unpopular views. Some techies also thought the memo, in which Damore wrote that biological differences between men and women are the reason some women might not excel in the tech profession, made fair points.

You dont fire a biologist for noting that the SRY protein could result in social/cognitive differences as if he were promoting harassment, Eric Weinstein, the managing director of Thiel Capital, said on Twitter.

Things might have been different

Damore published the memo on Googles internal platform. If he, or any employee, for that matter, had published his memo externally, in his own time, on his own website, without using any of Googles resources, things might have played out differently, employment attorneys said.

Thats because California has a statute in the labor code that says an employer cannot discipline an employee for conduct that is not illegal, and takes place outside of working hours, not on work premises, and not using work equipment.

Would there still be a kerfuffle about the memo? Probably. But Google would probably have a harder time firing him.

If Damore moves ahead with a legal case, his fate, as well as those of his 3,411 words, will ultimately be decided by an arbitrator or a jury.

Its not like theres a black-and-white test you can use to say if this sort of thing is protected or not, said Eve Wagner, a partner at law firm Sauer & Wagner. This definitely falls in a gray area. Itll be an interesting case to follow.

tracey.lien@latimes.com

Twitter: @traceylien

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Former Google employee James Damore was supposed to come away enlightened by his diversity training, armed with a newfound sense of empathy for colleagues who did not look like him, a white male.

Instead, the software engineer was so enraged by the experience he decided to write a now-infamous 3,000-word memo on a flight to China railing against Googles ideological echo chamber and arguing that women land fewer tech jobs because of biological differences.

I went to a diversity program at Google and  I heard things that I definitely disagreed with, Damore, 28, told Stefan Molyneux, a libertarian podcaster and author. Damore said he had some conversations at the program, but there was a lot of, just, shaming  No, you cant say that, thats sexist; You cant do this. Theres just so much hypocrisy in a lot of the things that theyre saying.

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Damores words were disavowed by Google and rejected by those who believe women possess the same qualities as men to succeed in the tech world  an industry that has sparked no shortage of controversy over its treatment of women and inclusion of minorities.

But Damores bitter reaction raises questions about the effectiveness of diversity and bias training, a tool companies and other organizations have adopted to prevent hostility in the workplace, and in Googles case, to promote the hiring and retention of more women and minorities.

Researchers remain divided on its usefulness, but organizations may have no better option to attempt to shift company culture, establish behavioral guidelines and address the legal risk of a hostile work environment.

Google introduced training in 2013 to make employees aware of hidden biases, such as hiring a man over a more qualified woman because of an unconscious assumption the woman will be distracted by child care. The tech giant, which has funneled three-quarters of its more than 70,000 workers through the program, did not respond to questions about its training program.

One employee said the training covered topics such as considering female employees opinions equal to those of male counterparts. The sessions, which were mandatory, included smaller group discussions. Most people who go to the trainings really want to be better, but of course thats not true of everyone who comes to the classes we offer, said the employee, Sarah Adams, a software engineer.

Experts say one of the fundamental challenges of diversity and bias training is this: People dont like to be told what to do and think. Thats why experts say an instructors words can quickly backfire if they put the audience on the defensive.

Its a lot of what not to do: Dont say this, dont do that, said Joelle Emerson, founder and chief executive of Paradigm, a diversity and inclusion consulting firm whose clients include Airbnb, Lyft, Twitter and Spotify. Turns out most people dont engage super well on that type of training on anything. People are more motivated around strategies that focus on what they can do rather than what they cannot do.

That could mean simply providing structure to an interview so that all job candidates are asked the same questions, reducing the chances of unforeseen prejudices influencing an outcome.

Experts say such guidelines are necessary because its difficult to change peoples minds, particularly when it comes to biases. Often, a more realistic goal is to simply try to manage biases so that they dont poison an atmosphere on the job.

If youre offered training that tries to make you less biased, thats probably bad training because you cant eliminate bias, Emerson said. We train employees and managers on the types of behavior that are designed to reduce the negative consequences of bias.

Damore, who did not respond to requests for an interview, also belongs to a particularly intransigent group when it comes to addressing attitudes and feelings, said Joan C. Williams, professor of law at UC Hastings College of the Law and author of What Works for Women at Work.

What that engineer expressed is an attitude thats common in engineering, which is that engineering is technical and pure, and that anything else that has to do with social issues is unrigorous and doesnt belong in engineering, she said.

Across national studies investigating gender bias, Williams said, this position is a minority attitude, but its much stronger in engineering than it is in the legal profession.

Rather than being prescriptive and tell people what they can or cant say or do, its more effective to play to peoples strengths as problem solvers, according to Williams.

When she has trained people in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields in the past, she has gotten the best response when she presented the room with a well-documented bias, and asked them how they would interrupt it.

People working in the sciences and technology fields, who are used to and comfortable with finding new solutions to old problems, are typically much more open and engaged when asked to come up with solutions this way, she said.

Frederick R. Lynch, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College and the author of The Diversity Machine: The Drive to Change the White Male Workplace, is deeply skeptical of many bias training courses because they inherently strike fear in white audiences who think theyll have to answer for societys inequalities.

The problem with political correctness and the diversity training environment is that it can undermine trust; everyone gets so sensitive they feel like theyre walking on eggshells, Lynch said.

Moreover, Lynch believes the primary goal of such training is often not to change attitudes but to reduce any legal liabilities from workplace incidents.

Most organizations are interested in covering their rear ends, he said.

Damore said he wrote the memo after his bias training to clarify his thoughts.

In the 10-page memo, which he sent to colleagues and which later went public, Damore accused Google of resorting to discriminatory practices in its quest to diversify its workforce.

Damore has granted interviews to Molyneux and to University of Toronto psychology professor Jordan B. Peterson, who have sizable followings on YouTube and track records of criticizing attitudes they describe as politically correct.

Damore told Peterson that he was fired by his human resources representative and his director at Google for perpetuating gender stereotypes and described himself as a victim of PC silencing.

This was a huge PR move, Damore said of his termination. They would have needed approval from higher-ups.

Damore told the Associated Press that he filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board before he was fired and that he is exploring his legal options. A Google spokesperson told the AP that the firing could not have been retaliatory because Google did not learn of the complaint until afterward.

Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai has denounced Damores memo for advancing harmful gender stereotypes and said he was cutting short a vacation and would meet with employees Thursday.

david.pierson@latimes.com

tracey.lien@latimes.com

Times staff writers Ethan Varian and Alexa DAngelo contributed to this report.

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UPDATES:

4:35 p.m.: This article was updated to provide additional reporting about sensitivity training as a policy.

This article was originally published at 11:05 a.m.
Karina Canellakis first appeared on local radar in January 2015 when she guest-conducted  and played violin with  the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. She made quite an impression in repertoire ranging from Vivaldi and Schubert to Peteris Vasks and John Adams.

Whiz ahead to Tuesday night when Canellakis, her international career humming along in her mid-30s, made her first appearance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl.

Again, the ensemble was chamber-sized, but this time the menu was completely safe and homogeneous: three of Mendelssohns most often-played compositions, the Overture to A Midsummer Nights Dream, the Violin Concerto and the Symphony No. 4 (Italian). Make that four, because the high-spirited Canellakis surprised the audience  many of whom were already headed for the exits  by adding the even more famous Wedding March as an encore to this midsummer night at the Bowl.

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Mendelssohn as played by a chamber orchestra does make a lot of sense; Yannick Nezet-Seguin used the Chamber Orchestra of Europe effectively in his bustling new set of the five Mendelssohn symphonies from Deutsche Grammophon. The leaner ensemble makes it easier for a conductor to emphasize the classical aspect of the music, to impart more drive and shine a clearer light into the textures.

All of which Canellakis did, impressively. She has a graceful, flowing, confident baton technique and a repertoire of facial expressions that could be quizzical, mischievous, determined or forceful. She gives the impression that she savors the music, and what she communicates through her motions and expressions could be heard in the playing of the L.A. Phil.

Martin Chalifour Tuesday night at the Hollywood Bowl. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

As a soloist in the Violin Concerto, concertmaster Martin Chalifour turned in one of his best performances, playing it straight in classical style with flawless technique and a tight, even vibrato  entirely comfortable and fitting in this context. Canellakis kept the strings focused and together in the fairy music of the Overture, and in the Italian Symphony imparted plenty of driving, fast-paced vigor that turned fierce in the Saltarello finale.

What I didnt hear was much of a distinctive voice in Canellakis  though that would be hard to produce in this particular repertoire under the Bowls tight rehearsal conditions. But there were flashes of something going on, most noticeably in the third movement of the Italian Symphony, where individual ideas in phrasing came gushing in swiftly moving currents. Someday well have to hear what she can do with larger-scaled pieces like the Shostakovich Eighth Symphony that brought her acclaim in a last-minute substitution in Dallas in 2014.

Meanwhile the sound system contributed bizarre distortions. Sound seemed to bounce off the tower to the right of the lower boxes, creating an aftershock a split second after the notes were sounded. It brought to mind the old joke about unfortunate concert halls with echo problems: At least youre getting two concerts for the price of one. In the case of Karina Canellakis, I wouldnt mind that.

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The Sundance Next Fest is not a typical film festival. Every year the events organizers tweak the program to find new ways of presenting Los Angeles audiences with films that premiered earlier in the year at Sundances flagship festival in Park City, Utah. This years tagline  where movies, music and mischief collide  underscores the difference from a more typical film festival experience.

Musical acts are curated to play after certain movies, and conversations between filmmakers and specially selected guests occur after some screenings. Music videos are included in some programs. This year, comedians Kate Berlant, Kate Micucci and Natasha Leggero each will host one of the evening programs.

Were constantly thinking of a fun thing that wed like to do, that wed like to see, said Trevor Groth, the Sundance Film Festivals director of programming in an interview this week. We put ourselves in the audiences shoes and think, What would get me out of my home in L.A. to go be a part of something like this? So for us all those new additions, all those little elements are just things were doing for ourselves, something wed love to see.

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We put ourselves in the audiences shoes and think, What would get me out of my home in L.A. to go be a part of something like this?  Trevor Groth, director of programming, Sundance Film Festival

This years festival, starting Thursday and running through Sunday night, will begin with a 25th anniversary screening of Reservoir Dogs and a presentation of Sundances Vanguard Leadership award to filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. The movie will be the first 35-millimeter film print shown at the Theatre at Ace Hotel downtown since the theaters renovation. At the festivals close on Sunday night, Mudbound filmmaker Dee Rees will receive Sundances Vanguard Award.

On Friday night, Janicza Bravos bitter comedy Lemon will play, followed by a performance by Lizzo. Saturday will begin with a screening of Marvin Lemus Web series Gente-fied, on gentrification in Boyle Heights, followed by a conversation with the creative team, inducing executive producer America Ferrera.

Also on Saturday, Justin Chons Gook, set within the Korean American community during the 1992 L.A. riots, will be followed by a conversation between Chon and filmmaker Ava DuVernay. Saturday will conclude with a screening of Marianna Palkas Bitch, about a housewife pushed to extreme behavior.

PARK CITY,UTAH --SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017-- Actor Curtiss Cook Jr., actor David So, director/star Justin Chon, actress Omono Okojie, and actress Simone Baker, from the film, Gook, are photographed in the L.A. Times photo studio during the Sundance Film Festival. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Palka is the writer, director and star of Bitch. She made the film last year while also shooting a role in the Netflix series GLOW. She has attended Next Fest in the past as an audience member and said she would be there this year whether her movie was playing in the festival or not.

Shes also a fan of the NYC-based musical duo Sleigh Bells, who will be playing after her movie, and was excited when organizers brought their name up as a possibility.

I was, like, Are you kidding? You can get them? she said The themes in their music are really incredible, and because theyre so deep as a band it just feels like the right fit. I dont think you could have programmed a better combination. Im kind of floored that theyre doing it.

Director Marianna Palka, center, with two of her actors, Jaime King and Jason Ritter, at Sundance. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Sunday will begin with a screening of Dan Sickles and Antonio Santinis Dina, which won the grand jury prize for U.S. documentary this year at Sundance. The movie will be followed by a conversation between the filmmakers, subject Dina Buno and comedian and commentator Larry Wilmore.

Also on Sunday, Alex Ross Perrys nuanced Brooklyn-based comedy-drama Golden Exits will play, followed by a conversation between Perry and filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich. Then Michelle Morgans romantic comedy L.A. Times will screen, followed by a performance by the duo Electric Guest. (Electric Guest member Asa Taccone is the brother of L.A. Times actor and producer Jorma Taccone.)

PARK CITY,UTAH --SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2017-- Actor Adam Horowitz, actress Emily Browning, director Alex Ross Perry, behind and actress Analeigh Tipton, from the film Golden Exits, photographed in the L.A. Times photo studio during the Sundance Film Festival (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

It feels like something that can be different year to year, not because what they did last year failed, said Perry, the first returning filmmaker at Next Fest, whose Listen Up Philip played in 2014.

Usually if something changes after trying it once, its because it was deemed unsuccessful, whereas here they seem to have gotten into a rhythm of being beholden to nothing, Perry said. Its more like, We got good feedback on that and were just going to take a swing at something different.

Some of those ideas have made their way back to the January festival in Park City. John Cooper, director of the Sundance Film Festival, noted that recent artist on artist conversations such as one between Lena Dunham and Norman Lear are in part a result of Next Fest.

Its more a way of thinking about it, what draws audiences, Cooper said . What draws audiences now is one-of-a-kind moments, something thats not typical and has traction and a uniqueness where you might get a spark.

At the heart of all of this is blowing out the boundaries of what a film festival is, Cooper added. Hopefully it propels us into making some crazy ideas come to life.

Sundance Next Fest

When: Thursday, August 10  Sunday, August 13

Where: The Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown, 929 S. Broadway, Los Angeles CA 90015

Info: sundance.org/next

SIGN UP for the free Indie Focus movies newsletter 

Mark.Olsen@latimes.com

Follow on Twitter: @IndieFocus

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Cinematographer John Bailey, whose credits include such films as Ordinary People, The Big Chill, and Groundhog Day, will be the new president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, charged with helping to lead the nearly 90-year-old institution through the next phase of its ongoing public transformation.

In a meeting on Tuesday evening at the academys Beverly Hills headquarters, the groups 54-member board of governors, including such Hollywood luminaries as Tom Hanks, Whoopi Goldberg, Kathleen Kennedy and Steven Spielberg, elected Bailey to succeed outgoing President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, who served four consecutive yearlong terms and steered the organization through one of the most transformative and sometimes turbulent periods in its long history.

Among academy watchers, Baileys election came as a surprise. Though active campaigning for the job of president is frowned on, in the weeks leading up to the election, the names most frequently mentioned in the rumor mill were documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy, casting director David Rubin and actress Laura Dern.

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In decades past the role of academy president, which is unpaid, was largely ceremonial. But in recent years, as the organization has taken a series of dramatic steps to remake itself inside and out, the job has grown more demanding  and the public scrutiny has grown more intense. Holy mackerel, its changed, Boone Isaacs told The Times in an interview this spring, speaking of the increasing spotlight on the academy and its leadership. Im assuming thats not going away.

Indeed, the 74-year-old Bailey, a board member representing the cinematographers branch, will immediately inherit a handful of major challenges facing the organization, including an ongoing push to diversify its overwhelmingly white and male membership ranks, an ambitious and costly effort to build an academy museum in Los Angeles and the erosion in ratings for the all-important Oscars telecast in recent years.

As the academy works to move past the recent #OscarsSoWhite firestorm and a string of perceived public missteps  including this years highly embarrassing Oscar-night gaffe, in which the wrong film was initially announced as best picture  some within the organization believed a well-liked celebrity such as Dern could help boost its public image. But Bailey, who received the American Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and has served on the board of governors for 14 years, emerged as a late contender and won a consensus.

Under the leadership of Boone Isaacs, who was the first African American to serve as academy president, the organization weathered some of the most difficult public relations crises it had ever faced. In 2016, in response to a growing controversy over its selection for the second consecutive year of an all-white slate of acting nominees, the academy announced a sweeping campaign aimed at doubling the number of women and minorities in its membership by 2020. While the diversity initiative has been widely applauded, it was met early on with sometimes bitter pushback from some older rank-and-file members who felt they were being unfairly tarred with the brush of racism.

In the last two years, the academy has opened its doors to the largest and most diverse classes of new members in its history. In June, a whopping 774 industry professionals were invited to join the organization, 39% of whom were female and 30% of whom were people of color, bringing the overall share of women and minorities among the more than 7,000 members to 28% and 13%, respectively. (In a landmark 2012 analysis, The Times reported that Oscar voters at the time were 23% female and 6% nonwhite.)

As he steers the academy forward, Bailey  whose career stretches back to the 1970s and whose most recent credits include A Walk in the Woods and How to Be a Latin Lover  will work closely with academy CEO Dawn Hudson, who oversees the academys staff of approximately 350 and whose contract was recently renewed through June 2020. Hudson has herself at times been a polarizing figure within the academys leadership over what some view as her hard-charging style and in particular her stewardship of the museum, which is currently projected to open in 2019.

The board also elected, or in some cases reelected, a number of other officers for one-year terms, including Lois Burwell as first vice president and chair of the awards and events committee; Kathleen Kennedy as vice president and chair of the museum committee; Jim Gianopulos as treasurer and chair of the finance committee; and Rubin as secretary and chair of the membership and administration committee.

For Bailey, leading a proudly tradition-bound institution that finds itself in many ways at a crossroads will undoubtedly bring its share of challenges. But speaking to The Times in May as her tenure was winding down, Boone Isaacs said she was confident that whoever took the reins as president next would have the skills needed to lead the institution forward.

Listen, this organization was great before I took this position and itll be great after I leave, she said. Its just an evolution of change, and this is an exciting time.

josh.rottenberg@latimes.com

Twitter: @joshrottenberg

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Cuban son ensemble El Septeto Santiaguero can testify to the impact that recognition from the U.S. record industry can have on even a well-established non-U.S. act.

While having formed in 1995, and since releasing eight albums and finding fame in its native country, not to mention tours of Canada, Latin America and Europe, it took the groups Latin Grammy Award in 2015 before the band was able to land its first gig in the States.

Weve received a lot of good reaction in other places, weve met a lot of good people and have been watching people at our shows dancing and being happy, El Septeto Santiaguero founder Fernando Dewar said in an interview recently, for which the groups producer and manager, Alden Gonzalez Diaz, served as translator.

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But we consider that the U.S. is the big market, the main market that we want to reach, said Dewar, who is currently on a 20-city tour that arrives in Los Angeles on Friday for a free concert thats part of the summer Grand Performances series downtown.

The U.S. is very important for us, and we were trying for a long time for what we have now: the facility to play in the U.S., Diaz said.

That goal appears to be shared by many Cuban musicians who in recent years have found it a bit easier to land gigs in America.

One significant factor has been the easing of the longstanding U.S. political and cultural embargo of Cuba, which dates to the 1959 revolution that culminated in Fidel Castros takeover as president and his transformation of the country into a communist regime.

Cuban musicians see the U.S. as a natural artistic environment, mainly for the musical connections that date back to the 50s, said Carlos Alfonso, director of the long-running Afro-Cuban jazz ensemble Sintesis, which will perform Aug. 25 at the Ford Amphitheatre on a bill with Cuban transplant-violinist Dayren Santamaria and her L.A.-based band, Made in Cuba.

El Septeto Santiaguero hails from Santiago de Cuba on the far eastern end of the island nation, more than 500 miles from Havana. The group scored its Latin Grammy in the traditional tropical Latin album category for its 2015 work Tributo a Los Compadres: No Quiero Llanto. The album is a tribute to Los Compadres, a duo that is one of Septeto Santiagueros predecessors in the trova tradition  loosely, the Cuban strain of troubadour music.

Still, the group might not have made it here if former President Barack Obamas administration hadnt moved to improve relations with the nation that sits 90 miles off the coast of Florida.

After that shift began, the band was invited to perform last year at Lincoln Centers Midsummer Night Swing Festival in New York  its first show in the U.S. El Septeto Santiaguero also landed a coveted spot at the 2017 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival as part of this years spotlight on Cuban music.

We agree absolutely with the more open relationship between Cuba and the U.S., Dewar said. Its very important that more average American people be able to travel to Cuba. We are very positive about all the things President Obama did, and we hope the way is smooth for a more open relationship to continue.

Sintesis Alfonso sees that two-way street helping on both sides of the political fence.

Now the American tourists can see, or even better, touch the Cuban reality themselves, he said. The people who come here might have some opinions about Cuba influenced by mass media, but here they can really appreciate how the Cuban people are, how we live our lives.

Sintesis, which formed in 1974, has made a number of visits to the U.S. beginning in 1997 with its first trip north for performances in Whittier and Santa Monica, and even recorded an album, Orishas, in Calabasas. Sintesis has been back sporadically  in 1999, 2001, 2012 and most recently in 2014.

The loosening of restrictions in recent years has directly affected Septeto Santiaguero by making collaborations with U.S. musicians more practical. New Orleans jazz trumpeter Nicholas Payton is one of many guest artists on the groups new album Raiz, from which the band is drawing on its current 3 1/2- week, 20-date U.S. tour.

The groups new album highlights the variety of styles and sounds the band is capable of, including Afro-Cuban jazz and traditional Cuban son and salsa. There are also shades of hip-hop, dancehall and tropical music of the Caribbean.

We are trying to make the traditional music interesting for new generations, said Gonzalez Diaz. Now in Cuba, most of the music the younger generations listen to is totally different from the music we are doing. We dont want to lose the traditions, and one of the ways to win this battle is to make our music more relevant to young generations, and by attracting young people to our concerts in Cuba. We think we are doing it.

In Santiago, which was the original capital of Cuba before it shifted to Havana in the late 16th century, Septeto Santiaguero plays venues both humble and stately. It regularly performs on Tuesday nights at the Casa de La Trova, where residents of Santiago gather to dance, drink and socialize, as well as at the Teatro Nacional in Revolution Square, where the ensemble last fall played for an audience of government bigwigs.

President Trumps shift in policy has imposed limits in travel to Cuba, and there is a concern among artists that visiting the U.S. could once again become more difficult.

If everything that has been done changes, this of course will mean a huge step backwards, Alfonso said. The Cubans as well as the Americans would be equally damaged, because youd lose the flow of people and the cultural exchanges that make more natural the interactions between our two countries.

As is often the case among artists, Alfonso hopes that the cultural exchange will be able to continue.

Each time you capture foreign sounds or elements and mix them with your musical culture without losing your roots, your essence, its a fantastic thing, Alfonso said. This amplifies your music, takes it to another level, a more universal level.

         

El Septeto Santiaguero and Vocal Vidas

When: 8 p.m. Friday

Where: Grand Performances, California Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles

Cost: Free

Info: (213) 687-2190 or www.grandperformances.org

Sintesis and Dayren Santamaria

When: 8:30 p.m. Aug. 25

Where: Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. E.

Cost: $30 to $70

Info: (323) 461-3673 or www.fordtheatres.org

randy.lewis@latimes.com

Follow @RandyLewis2 on Twitter.com

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Kitchen islands are command central. Playing host to everything from homework to happy hour, islands are often the most popular spot in the house  as well as a stunning showcase of style.

It used to be that islands played an important role in allowing homeowners to gain more countertop for cooking, but its really taken on a whole new life in todays kitchen, said Stephanie Pierce, director of design and trends for MasterBrand Cabinets, its more about creating a focal point within the space for social and family interaction, in addition to the food prep.

Designer Denise Bosley, owner of Denise Bosley Interiors in Sierra Madre said, If homeowners can fit an island, they will have an island.

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In many cases, the bigger the better.

The popularity of open floor plans has resulted in larger islands that serve as a kitchen workhorse, Grand Central for socializing and a piece of custom furniture that connects spaces and creates flow.

Living large

If an oversized island is on the wish list, however, Bosley advises clients to think it through. You have to consider things like the type of stone you want to use, said Bosley, if you do want a really large island youre going to have seams  and some people dont like that.

Bosley said one 11-foot island she installed required a seam down the center to merge two slabs. You dont see it in pictures, and it becomes an afterthought  then you build this big island and think, oh, boy.

Counter culture

Paul LEsperance, co-owner of LEsperance Design in West Hollywood said when it comes to countertops, his clients are requesting Neolith, an ultra-compact surface material manufactured by combining raw materials found in glass, porcelain and quartz under extreme heat and intense pressure.

Everybody wants the beauty of Calcutta marble, said LEsperance, but they dont want the upkeep  this is selling like crazy.

Bosley agreed. People want marble, but they know its not practical for most family kitchens, she said, weve been using a lot of quartz, and a lot of new [manufactured] materials coming out that look like marble.

Sink style

Upgraded islands also boast bigger sinks. Its not just a small prep sink anymore, said Bosley. People are using them to wash dishes and share during prep.

Divided sinks are out too, LEsperance said: Everybody wants the big trough, farm sinks in stainless steel or enamel.

Island blues

The biggest news in islands, however, is color.

The island is a great opportunity to provide some personality with color or warmth with wood tones, so we are seeing islands being utilized a lot as an accent element, Pierce said.

Everybody wants to paint their cabinets right now, LEsperance said. Theres a little bit of a revolt from white so the first project people jump on is an island because its not like redoing all the cabinets.

Well do white perimeter cabinets, said Bosley, and color on the island. Navy blues, beachy shades and bold greens and blues are trending.

Blue is definitely the number one pick for kitchen accent colors this year, said Pierce, and its all shades.

Hague Blue from Farrow and Ball is beautiful, said LEsperance, you know with islands, people can go a little more wild.

For your design inspiration, we pored over our photo archives for some of our favorite kitchen islands. Enjoy!

Bonnie McCarthy contributes to the Los Angeles Times as a home and lifestyle design writer. She enjoys scouting for directional trends and reporting on whats new and next. Follow her on Twitter @ThsAmericanHome.

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Authorities say theyre struggling to recover two bodies from a car that crashed down a cliff two weeks ago and landed in the middle of a raging river.

Thailands Consulate in Los Angeles says it believes the bodies are those of two Thai students who were vacationing in California.

The Fresno County Sheriffs Office said Tuesday that it is working with Thai authorities.

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Officials say the car went off the road 75 miles east of Fresno in the steep Sierra Nevada. It crashed 500 feet below into the Kings River, swollen with snowmelt.

Thai officials havent officially identified the students but say they had been enrolled at the University of South Florida.

They say the students relatives have traveled to California, where they are waiting for authorities to retrieve the bodies.
A convicted child predator, whose proposed home was destroyed in a suspicious fire, has been released and is living in motels in Fresno County.

Jeffrey Snyder, 61, was released Monday from Coalinga State Hospital and placed in the custody of Liberty Healthcare, according to the Fresno County district attorneys office.

Liberty, the contractor hired to supervise Snyder 24 hours a day, and the California Department of State Hospitals looked at 1,749 homes in Fresno County as possible residences for him.

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But none of the homes were deemed suitable for Snyder, a sexually violent predator convicted seven times of molesting children, the district attorneys office said in a statement. With few options remaining, authorities had to house Snyder in motels.

The subject of Snyders housing has been contentious one for Fresno County residents. Under the law, he must be relocated in Fresno County, because that is where he was prosecuted.

A county judge previously rejected a bid to move him to northwest Fresno after owners of nearly 300 properties declined to rent to him, the Fresno Bee reported.

In January, authorities thought they had finally found housing for Snyder. But before he could move into the home, a court hearing was required to be held for public comment.

So that month, the district attorneys office and Fresno County Sheriffs Office announced the court hearing discussing his placement on the rural property.

The announcements included details about the proposed 756-square-foot, two-bedroom home and its address in Squaw Valley, an area in southwest Fresno County.

In a Facebook post, the Sheriffs Office urged Squaw Valley residents to speak up to stop Snyders placement in their community.

Its important to note that this same person was scheduled to be moved into a northwest Fresno neighborhood last year, but residents fought back and stopped him from moving in. Now the people of Squaw Valley have an opportunity to speak up, the Sheriffs Office wrote.

Days after the announcements, Snyders proposed home was destroyed in a suspicious fire.

Fire officials said the timing of the blaze raised some flags.

The cause of the fire was never determined, said Capt. Jeremiah Wittwer, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for Fresno County.

Investigators were not able to rule out the cause of electrical or arson, he said.

Snyder has been in and out of prison since 1979, when he was found to be a mentally disordered sex offender. According to the district attorneys office, Snyders victims were males 8 to 17.

After he was released from prison, Snyder was sent to Coalinga State Hospital, where he was receiving sex-offender treatment.

In March, a Fresno County Superior Court judge ruled that while Snyder still met the criteria of a sexually violent predator, he was eligible for outpatient treatment only through a conditional release. In June, the county judge ordered his release.

On conditional release, Snyder must wear a GPS ankle bracelet and attend sex offender treatment.

Because Snyder doesnt have a permanent residence, he must register as a transient sex offender with local police and check in every 30 days, said Tony Botti, a sheriffs spokesman. Other sex offenders who have permanent home addresses register on a yearly basis.

Records showed that Snyder registered Tuesday as a sex offender with the Fresno Police Department, Botti said.

If he violates the conditions of his release, he could be sent back to Coalinga State Prison.

Meanwhile, the search for permanent housing for Snyder continues.

When a suitable home is found, prosecutors said, a court hearing will be held for public comment.

On Wednesday, Snyders attorney, Curtis Sok, said he was worried about his client and hoped that he would recover.

While I fear for his safety and well-being after his release, I hope he would be a constructive and contributing member of out society, and the community will eventually accept and support his reintegration to our society as it would for any recovering and rehabilitated addict or ex-felon, he said.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA

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Year after year, Manchester Square has slowly become a ghost town in the shadow of Los Angeles International Airport.

Houses and apartments have gradually been razed or boarded up. Empty lots surround the scattered buildings that remain. Homeless people pitch tents along its streets, under the roar of airplanes.

This place used to be so beautiful, said Jena Morgan, who first moved to Manchester Square two decades ago. This whole place was packed with homes. I used to take my 3-year-old trick-or-treating up here.

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Now look at it! she said, gesturing to the vacant lots beyond her apartment window.

For nearly two decades, airport authorities have been trying to buy up property under the flight path, aiming to get rid of homes in a neighborhood nagged by airplane noise. Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that owns and operates LAX, is planning to build a rental car facility, parking areas and a transportation hub there as part of a sweeping modernization plan that aims to reduce congestion around the busy airport.

And now Manchester Square is on its way to finally being empty: The Los Angeles City Council gave the green light Wednesday to acquire dozens of homes in the neighborhood via eminent domain, a process that allows government agencies to take over land for public purposes.

This is an important step for the airport to get us to the modernization that weve been seeking, Councilman Mike Bonin said before the council vote.

As of June, airport officials had already spent nearly $400 million to buy more than 500 properties in the area, located just west of the 405 Freeway and north of Century Boulevard, but were at a stalemate over more than three dozen that remained. They sought permission to get the remaining properties through eminent domain, calling it a fallback.

Since the Board of Airport Commissioners approved that plan, owners of 30 of the 37 properties have agreed to sell them, though not all of the titles have been transferred. Airport officials still see eminent domain as a fallback option as they continue to try to negotiate on the remaining seven properties, said Mark Waier, director of communications for Los Angeles World Airports.

It is always possible that a settlement could be reached without a trial or significant litigation  and that is always our hope, LAWA Chief Commercial Officer Debbie Bowers told the council on Wednesday.

Pursuing eminent domain is also a welcome step for some property owners: Attorney John S. Peterson, who is representing two of the owners who have not yet agreed to sell, said that eminent domain allows them to seek another assessment of how much their property is worth, instead of relying on an appraisal that the government has obtained.

It levels the playing field, Peterson said. We are not challenging the right of LAWA to acquire the property. Were not trying to stop the project. But we are seeking just compensation.

Waier added that the eminent domain declaration also affords property owners some tax benefits. Attorneys and airport officials say the legal process could take a year or longer, though the airport agency could take over the remaining properties sooner if it sought a court order.

Jena Morgan talks about living in her apartment building on Glasgow Place in the Manchester Square neighborhood. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Renters are also supposed to get help. Airport officials have hired consultants to assist tenants with relocating, Waier said. Under city and federal rules, the agency is also legally required to provide financial assistance to displaced renters: Waier said that last year, the airport agency paid out an average of $45,000 for each unit occupied by a renter, based on a sampling of its data.

But remaining tenants like Morgan are anxious about how much they will ultimately receive and how far that assistance will stretch as L.A. rents continue to surge. Im scared, she said on a recent afternoon. If they didnt do this, we would probably have been here for the rest of our lives.

Others are worried about what will happen to the hundreds of homeless people who have found refuge along its empty streets. I fear theyll just fence everything off, said Heather Oblon, a Hermosa Beach resident who coordinates community service projects in the area.

Waier said that revenue restrictions prevent the airport authority from providing financial assistance directly to the homeless, but it has hired a manager and partnered with other groups to help connect them to housing and services. So far, 23 people have been housed, he said, and that process is expected to accelerate now that a nonprofit team is focusing on it full time.

The City Council vote on Wednesday did not address how much any property owner would be paid, though the airport commission approved spending up to $108 million to acquire the dozens of remaining properties in June.

The sole owner who came to speak at the Wednesday hearing was Michael Parris, a 92-year-old who lamented that he did not want to leave his home of 60 years, where his wife and father died, and where his sons grew up.

Now theyre ready to throw us out, Parris said.

emily.alpert@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATimesEmily

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The analog world couldnt help a Yucaipa father find the man his wife said groped her at a grocery store, so he turned to the online community instead.

On Sunday, John Gordon was with his wife at a Stater Bros. grocery store in Yucaipa when a convicted sex offender out on parole grabbed his wifes and other womens rear ends and also groped some victims chests, the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department said in a statement.

She looked back at me like, Did you just see what happened?  Gordon told CBS2.

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As Gordons wife began to explain, another woman approached them and said the man had just groped her too, Gordon said.

So Gordon snapped a picture of the man and alerted store employees.

Authorities said staff escorted the man, 30-year-old Geovanni Chavez, out of the store and called police. But by the time deputies arrived, Chavez had left.

But Gordon wasnt going to let it go.

I cant let him leave and let this escalate to another woman, he told CBS2.

So the Yucaipa father posted the mans photo on Facebook and sent it to his daughters, who recognized the man and told their father he had groped them at a local fair a few days earlier.

The picture also began circulating on Facebook, and by Monday, it had entered the news feed for Chavezs parole officer, officials said. The officer checked the mans GPS-monitored ankle bracelet and told investigators where Chavez was, authorities said.

Chavez was arrested Monday on suspicion of sexual battery.

Court records show Chavez is a registered sex offender under Megans Law who was convicted of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 15. After being sentenced to a year in prison late last year, he was given credit for time in custody and served only days in prison.

joseph.serna@latimes.com

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Diego is on pace to deport fewer people this year than last, most of them unauthorized immigrants without a criminal record.

As of June 30, ICE has deported 16,599 people from San Diego and Imperial counties, according to a summary of removals provided by the agency.

Last year, ICE deported 23,719 individuals from the San Diego and Imperial region. With three months left before the federal fiscal year ends on Sept. 30, it seems likely the agency will end up removing fewer total unauthorized immigrants than last year.

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Despite President Trumps campaign rhetoric of cracking down on immigration violators by targeting bad hombres and gang members, most people being removed by ICE in San Diego dont have criminal records.

ICE deported 6,818 unauthorized immigrants with criminal records in the U.S. through June 30. During the same period, 9,781 individuals without a criminal conviction in the U.S. were deported.

The data reflect the new immigration enforcement regimen put in place under Trump and Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, which makes any unauthorized immigrant in the country a target for deportation  not just those with criminal records or who are deemed threats to public safety.

Under the Obama administration, people who were in the country illegally but had not committed serious crimes were not a priority for removal. Instead Obamas ICE was told to target serious criminal offenders, leaving otherwise law-abiding unauthorized immigrants alone.

That changed in a Jan. 25 executive order from Trump laying out the new rules. While still emphasizing removing people with serious criminal convictions, the order also expanded the pool of people subject to deportation to include those convicted of minor crimes, people who were simply charged with a crime, and those who had prior removal orders from an immigration judge but had ignored them and continued to live in the country.

Lauren Mack, ICE spokeswoman in San Diego, said in a statement that the deportation figures reflect the agencys new priorities.

ICE conducts targeted immigration enforcement in compliance with federal law and agency policy, she said in an email. However, as ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan has made clear, ICE does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement.

All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.

San Diego immigration lawyer Esther Valdes said she has seen the change in priorities in her law practice. Its not uncommon for ICE to go to a home or workplace to pick up one person they have targeted because of a criminal record  and come out with several unauthorized immigrants with no criminal convictions but still subject to deportation.

Were seeing these clusters of people being picked up, not just one or two, she said.

Peter K. Nunez, a former U.S. Attorney in San Diego and board member for the Center of Immigration Studies, said the deportation numbers are not surprising.

The Obama administration made it clear that if you were a non-criminal, you had nothing to fear, he said. What Trump and Sessions made clear is while theyll continue to prioritize criminal aliens, its not to the exclusion of other people who were subject to deportation.

The rise in non-criminal deportations in San Diego runs counter to emerging national trends since Trumps inauguration. In April, CNN cited ICE national data that showed 30,00 convicted criminals and 23,000 non-criminals deported since January.

Historically, ICE deports more criminals annually than non-criminals, but that has varied in San Diego over the years. In 2014 and 2015, more people with criminal convictions were deported than non-criminals, but the opposite was true in 2013.

Moran writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @gregmoran

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Los Angeles officials will begin cracking down next week on a wave of renegade parking across the city, more than five years after first turning a blind eye to the practice.

Starting Monday, L.A. parking officers will begin ticketing cars parked on the stretch of public land between the sidewalk and the street, the Transportation Department said.

Those slivers of land  called parkways or berms  have become popular de facto parking places in neighborhoods where street spaces are at a premium. The practice has destroyed grass, plantings and curbs in dense, central neighborhoods such as Westlake, East Hollywood and Koreatown.

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The City Council suspended the policy of ticketing such vehicles in 2011, after being sued multiple times over alleged violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

One lawsuit said the citys practice of allowing drivers to park on the sloping portion of the driveway between the sidewalk and the curb, known as the apron, violated accessibility laws.

At the advice of city lawyers, parking officials began paying closer attention to apron parking  and a wave of ticketing followed. Drivers who had parked in their own driveways for years began to receive tickets.

After an outcry, city lawmakers suspended parkway parking enforcement until a separate policy could be written for driveways.

Five years passed. The citys lenient stance was never advertised, but drivers eventually caught on, bumping over curbs and driveways to reach parkway spaces.

Residents in East Hollywood and Westlake, frustrated by City Halls inaction, turned to guerrilla tactics to discourage their scofflaw neighbors. Some planted trees and installed posts, only to have them knocked down.

The new policy, approved in June, will allow the city to resume ticketing drivers for parking on parkways. It will also allow drivers to park on driveway aprons  provided cars dont block the street or the sidewalk.

You cant have your wheels on the sidewalk or on the street, Transportation Department spokesman Bruce Gillman said.

The practice is particularly common in Westwood, where landlords sometimes sell driveway apron spaces to students or guarantee them in their leases. The city has asked UCLA to include the new parking information in students orientation packets, Gillman said.

Parking officers have been placing warning fliers under drivers windshields since the start of July, Gillman said.

Were not trying to pull the wool over anyones eyes or hide anything, Gillman said.

laura.nelson@latimes.com

Twitter: @laura_nelson

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UC Irvine police were increasing patrols around university apartments Tuesday night after a man tried to kidnap a female student earlier in the day.

About 5:40 a.m., a man in a blue Toyota RAV4 pulled up to the student, who was walking near a university housing complex in the 200 block of Arroyo Drive, and asked if she needed a ride home, UCI officials said. She told him she did not.

The driver then told the student he had a gun.

He wanted her to get in the car, UCI spokesman Tom Vasich said.

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When the student refused to get in the vehicle, the man drove off toward California Avenue. He drove an older-model, four-door car with something hanging from the rearview mirror, authorities said.

In a crime alert to the campus community, UCI police advised students to cross the street, yell or run to a well-lit area if they think theyre being followed. Authorities also reminded students about the safety escort program, which is available to anyone by calling (949) 824-7233.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call UCI police at (949) 824-5223.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek

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The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department uses flawed methods to collect data about violence in county jails that result in unreliable and in some cases inaccurate statistics published internally and in public reports, according to the agencys principal watchdog.

Inspector General Max Huntsman said his 17-page report, released Tuesday, calls into question whether the department is in control of itself as it continues to implement reforms a few years after an abuse scandal rocked the nations largest jail system.

They themselves said that they didnt believe their own data, Huntsman said. If they cant assess themselves, and if they cant tell us whats going on in their own department, then we cant assess them.

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Huntsman said his review was prompted by questions earlier this year from the Los Angeles Times about why the department was reporting inconsistent numbers of inmate-on-inmate assaults.

The department told the newspaper this past spring it could not stand by the inmate assault statistics it had previously issued to the paper and to the inspector generals office  which had already published the numbers in a few of its reports  and that it would review its data systems.

Huntsmans office found the department tracks jail incidents using various types of software that are incompatible with one another and sometimes allow for duplicate entries and other times enable multiple events to be listed as one, among other errors.

As a result, the numbers that the department collects for its internal records versus the statistics it reports to outside agencies can diverge significantly.

In one example cited by Huntsman, the department recorded in an internal report that there were 382 inmate-on-staff assaults in 2015, but the department told the office of inspector general there were 464 of those assaults that year. The inspector general described this as a 17.7% variance.

In 2012, the Citizens Commission on Jail Violence voiced similar concerns, saying that the department relies on antiquated, incompatible systems to track uses of force and that it should replace those methods with a uniform, comprehensive data tracking system.

Sheriff Jim McDonnell, then chief of the Long Beach Police Department, was one of seven members of that citizens commission.

Assistant Sheriff Kelly Harrington said he agreed with many of the inspector generals findings and that the department would be better served by an integrated jail data system with one repository for information.

But Harrington, who oversees the departments jails and previously served as a director in the state correctional system, said creating a streamlined jail management system has not been a top priority in the year and a half hes been with the Sheriffs Department.

He emphasized, however, that the trend line on severe or inappropriate uses of force by guards  arguably the most important metric to examine in the wake of the jail abuse controversy  is indeed down.

Those issues arent happening in the jails, and if they are, those individuals responsible are being held accountable, Harrington said.

Peter Eliasberg, chief counsel at the ACLU of Southern California, which monitors the jails, agreed that brutal, heavy-handed assaults by guards in which inmates teeth are kicked in or jaws shattered appear to no longer be a common feature in the countys jails.

But Eliasberg said its still critical for the department to collect precise data about all types of jail incidents, including minor uses of force by guards, inmate-on-inmate assaults and inmate-on-staff assaults. Even relatively small fluctuations in those statistics, such as a 5% rise or drop, can signal the need for officials to examine problems more closely.

Miriam Krinsky, a former federal prosecutor who served as the executive director of the 2012 commission, said the inspector generals report underscores the continued need for oversight of the Sheriffs Department.

Any law enforcement agency can only improve what it knows and what it tracks, she said.

Huntsmans report recommends that there be a single unit in the department responsible for compiling and verifying all jail violence data in order to generate more accurate information.

maya.lau@latimes.com

Twitter: @mayalau
After President Trump threatened nuclear-armed North Korea with fire and fury  and after Kim Jong Uns hermit kingdom replied with a bombastic warning aimed at a speck of U.S. territory in the vast western Pacific  many Americans got busy Googling Guam.

To the outside world, the tropical island is perhaps best known as a bloody battleground in World War II.

In subsequent decades, Guam, the largest island in the Mariana chain, became an outsized bastion of U.S. military might in a remote but strategic region  a role that probably placed it in the gun sights of an erratic and often paranoid leadership in Pyongyang.

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And at a distance of about 2,100 miles, Guam lies closer to North Korea than any other U.S. territory.

For the islands 160,000-plus inhabitants  who awoke Wednesday to news of the North Korean militarys announcement that it was weighing operational plans for a ballistic-missile strike on Guam  it was a jolting switch from concerns like the local scuba-diving conditions, a bird population beset by invasive tree snakes and warnings of the ills of chewing betel nuts.

Native-born Guamanians are U.S. citizens by birth, and the islands governor, Eddie Baza Calvo, took to YouTube early Wednesday to inform constituents that he had been assured by the White House that Guam would be defended as if it were the U.S. mainland should North Korea try to strike.

This is not the time to panic, he told reporters. There have been many statements out there that have been made by a very bellicose leader, but at this point theres been no change in the security situation here on Guam.

More reassurance came from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who arrived on a previously scheduled refueling hours after the latest North Korean threat while en route home from diplomatic stops in Southeast Asia.

Declining to echo Trumps belligerent tone, he played down the prospect of any immediate concerns that Kim would lash out at the island and said Americans should sleep well at night.

It wasnt the first time the island has been on the receiving end of Pyongyangs threats. There was similarly ominous talk from North Korea in 2013, making specific note that Guams sprawling Andersen Air Force Base, among other Pacific territories, lay within target range.

Still, many residents were worried about the unpredictability of North Koreas leader, and by the warnings of enveloping fire emanating from Kims capital.

Its kind of scary, because we dont know what this guy is capable of, Rudy Matanane, the mayor of the town of Yigo, which lies close to Andersen, told the Pacific Daily News. I hope our mother country does whats right for us.

For a place only about the size of Chicago, Guam is home to a good deal of heavy firepower, with the U.S. military presence taking up nearly one-third of its territory and some 7,000 troops stationed across the island.

In addition to Andersen, whose airborne arsenal includes B-52 bombers, military venues include Naval Base Guam, operating nuclear submarines and a U.S. Coast Guard station.

The 212-square-mile island, sometimes likened by military officials to a permanent aircraft carrier, is also shielded from ballistic missiles  at least in theory  by the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, similar to the one the U.S. is in the process of deploying, controversially, in South Korea.

Not unusually for a small, contained territory with a large military presence, there are occasional tensions between Guams civilian population and what can seem an overweening outside power. But the big U.S. deployment, together with tourism, is the islands economic lifeline, and Guam residents join the military in disproportionately large numbers.

Though tiny, Guam has witnessed some dramatic historical upheaval. Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, on his way around the world at the behest of the Spanish king, arrived in 1521, setting the stage for three centuries of Spanish colonial rule, the remnants of which can be seen in a scattering of landmark forts, palaces and churches.

As was the case in so many colonial outposts, contact with Western powers came at a terrible cost to the islands indigenous people. Smallpox burned a hellish path through the native Chamorro population, punctuated by natural disasters like typhoons and earthquakes. But Chamorros remain the largest ethnic group in Guam today, and have managed to keep their native language alive, using it alongside English.

Ceded to the United States at the close of the 19th century, Guam and its people fell captive to the Japanese soon after the Pearl Harbor attack in Hawaii in 1941, enduring more than two years of nightmarish occupation. Five years after the wars end, the island became an unincorporated U.S. territory, by act of Congress.

Guams residents cant vote in U.S. presidential elections, giving rise to some tart social-media commentary about how they did not elect Trump.

The territorys nonvoting congressional delegate, Democrat Madeleine Z. Bordallo, put out a statement urging the president to show steady leadership in dealing with North Korea.

laura.king@latimes.com

@laurakingLAT

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Only about half of the non-emergency care doctors in California are willing to treat patients who are on Medi-Cal  the states version of Medicaid, the joint federal-state health insurance program for the poor and disabled  because the state pays them too little for their services. Yet the federal government, which sets and enforces Medicaids standards for access to care, has consistently given the states program permission to continue as-is.

Now, two civil rights organizations are asking a judge to order the state to spend more on the program. In a recently filed lawsuit, the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center claim that the states underfunding of Medi-Cal discriminates against Latinos in violation of California law. Their clients include half a dozen Medi-Cal enrollees who were denied timely care for agonizing medical problems, largely because they had trouble finding specialists who would accept their insurance.

The implications of the case are huge. Medi-Cal covers 13.5 million people, or about one out of every three Californians, and costs $89 billion a year  about two-thirds of it coming from the federal government. Forcing the state to pay more for medical procedures would be enormously costly, potentially leading lawmakers to cut the number of people eligible for the program, reduce the services it covers, or both.

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The MALDEF lawsuit illustrates how the cuts in provider rates have translated into pain for individual Californians.

Thats why Medi-Cals budget involves policy trade-offs that should be made by the Legislature, not by litigants. Yet by persistently underfunding key parts of the program, lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown have invited the courts to make these decisions for them.

This week a federal appeals court revived a separate challenge to Medi-Cal provider rates by a group of hospitals, which claim a 10%, across-the-board cut in provider fees the state ordered in 2011 violates federal Medicaid standards. Under federal law, Medicaid programs fees must attract enough doctors to make care and services available at least to the extent that such care and services are available to the general population in the geographic area.

But even before that cut, California was paying healthcare providers less and spending less per patient than most other states Medicaid programs. According to MALDEFs complaint, the state pays Medi-Cal doctors little more than half as much as the federal government pays when the same procedures are performed on seniors covered by Medicare.

The MALDEF lawsuit contends that the states handling of Medi-Cal amounts to discrimination against Latino Californians because Medi-Cals population is disproportionately Latino; in fact, it argues, the underfunding problem has grown as Latinos have come to dominate the Medi-Cal rolls. The lawsuit also alleges that the state has failed to monitor the program to make sure patients have timely access to care, and that the programs red tape discourages doctors from participating.

State judges will decide whether Medi-Cals funding levels discriminate against Latinos or if it is administered in a way that violates the states constitutional guarantees. But the assertion that the program is discriminatory is dubious. Plaintiffs dont allege that Latinos are treated worse than anyone else on Medi-Cal. Instead, they claim that Latinos arent served as well by this safety net program as others are served by employer-sponsored health plans or Medicare  insurance programs that are paid for at least in part by the participants themselves.

No question, it would be great if a safety net program could offer healthcare as extensive as private insurance or Medicare. But that may not be possible or practical, and it cant reasonably be guaranteed by law. The fiscal pressures on the state force lawmakers to balance competing demands, so increasing Medi-Cal provider fees could require cuts in benefits, a reduction in the number of people eligible for coverage, or sacrifices in other state programs. How to strike that balance is a policy judgment, not a legal one.

For several years the Legislature prioritized expanding eligibility for Medi-Cal over improving access to care for those already in the program. Now, the state is starting to raise provider rates, thanks to an initiative in November (Proposition 56) that raised the tobacco tax sharply and dedicated much of the money to Medi-Cal. Lawmakers  who are led by Latinos in both the Assembly and the Senate  decided to use up to $800 million this fiscal year to raise provider rates an estimated 2.5%.

This page has long urged the Legislature to make raising provider rates its top Medi-Cal priority and to pay more attention to problems with access to care. The MALDEF lawsuit illustrates how the cuts in provider rates have translated into pain for individual Californians. With the infusion of tobacco tax dollars, however, lawmakers have started to raise those rates and make care more available. Lawmakers need to continue that process, or else the courts will do it for them.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook
To the editor: Its about time that some faithful Trump supporters wake up to the follies of this president. These people in Arizona hoped for a miracle which never happened. Just remember: a leopard never changes his spots. (To these voters, Trump fitting in with the swamp, Aug 5)

Christine Peterson, Woodland Hills

..

To the editor: When the Supreme Court ruled that money is speech and corporations are people, everything went off the rails. Money isnt speech, its amplification that drowns out the voices of average Americans and encourages politicians to pander to corporate donors.

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With Trump, the swamp has gone global; were being ignored on a much grander scale.

We need fact-based focus on our well-being, not partisan rhetoric.

The non-partisan CBO should assess and report on citizen well-being, measuring things like community vitality, economic/ecological/cultural resilience, good governance (clean air and water, infrastructure, law enforcement), so we all can see whether our government is making progress on our behalf.

Using the GDP for that lets the Wall Street tail wag the dog.

If Trumps policies and Congressional Republicans bills dont measurably support and broaden the well-being of our population and increase our resilience in the face of inevitable destabilizing change, then their party doesnt deserve to exist.

Linda Kranen, Carlsbad

..

To the editor: Never a good word for President Trump in The Times.

A more extensive poll is needed. Its quite unbelievable you make no mention of the jobs created, stock market higher than it has ever been, so much work done securing our border, keeping America safe.

How is it possible for this president to ever do what he wants when some members in his own party want him to fail as does the media?

America will fail if anything bad happens to Trump. Remember this prediction if anything unjust, unfair, happens to President Trump. America will go down faster than a speeding bullet. The swamp, you write? America will be a swamp.

Elaine Vanoff, West Hollywood

..

To the editor: I have rarely been as scared by an article as I was by this piece on focus groups in Arizona showing equal disgust with President Trump, the Republicans and the Democrats.

Your article suggests the nightmarish possibility that rebellious voters may replace Trump with someone even worse  an open, out-front dictator who promises to trash the Constitution, rule by decree and keep himself and his family in power forever.

Maybe Trump is Americas Boris Yeltsin, an incompetent autocrat who will so screw up the institutions of democracy that America will reject them altogether and look for a new savior, an American Putin.

Mark Gabrish Conlan, San Diego

..

To the editor: I am tired of people saying the political parties have abandoned them, especially those who voted for candidates who made no secret that their first loyalty was to the party, not the voters.

In the last campaign, voters could choose a party that wanted to improve affordable access to healthcare; maintain the progress toward cleaner air, water and soil; find solutions to global climate change; advance technologies that improved daily life; and police banks, credit card issuers, financial firms and even educational businesses that victimize consumers.

Instead they voted for the other guy, and now theyre surprised he wont deliver?

Give me a break.

David Middleton, Rancho Mirage

..

To the editor: Last November, most Arizona voters chose Donald Trump despite his lack of public service, multiple bankruptcy filings, open disrespect for women, and nothing to offer but wild promises and scapegoating.

Yet voters loved him because he was different and wore a red hat. Now those voters are suffering buyers remorse because  surprise!  the snake-oil salesman was selling snake oil. Looks like Barnum was right on target.

Bonnie Sloane, Los Angeles

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
An FBI raid last month at one of the homes of Donald Trumps former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, provides the clearest evidence so far that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III is aggressively pursuing the investigation into the campaigns dealings with Russia and that his inquiry includes possible financial wrongdoing by Manafort.

Agents served a warrant early in the morning on July 26 at the Alexandria, Va., home of Manafort, a lobbyist with a long background of ties to pro-Russia politicians, according to Jason Maloni, a spokesman for Manafort.

Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well, Maloni said in a statement about the raid, which was first reported Wednesday morning by the Washington Post.

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The search, conducted by FBI agents working on the case supervised by Mueller, sought records related to foreign bank accounts and foreign registrations, according to a person familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity to comment on the probe.

The federal Bank Secrecy Act requires Americans to file disclosure forms with the government if they have foreign bank accounts valued at more than certain threshold amounts. Penalties for violation can run as high as 10 years in prison if the offense is especially serious.

The search showed that Mueller, who is working with a grand jury in Washington, has amassed enough evidence to justify a warrant seeking records. Unlike subpoenas, which a grand jury can issue on its own, a warrant requires prosecutors to persuade a judge that probable cause exists to believe that a crime may have been committed.

The search provides the first clear public confirmation that Muellers investigation now includes questions about Manaforts complicated finances. Manafort has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

The specific allegations that Muellers prosecutors are pursuing are not known, but in major investigations involving multiple potential subjects, a standard technique is to use charges against some possible perpetrators to persuade them to testify against others.

The raid came on July 26, the day that Manafort had been scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is also investigating the Trump campaigns possible collusion with Russian attempts to influence the 2016 election. That appearance was called off after Manafort agreed to provide the committee with records. The previous day, Manafort answered questions behind closed doors from staff of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Manafort has continued to cooperate with the Judiciary panels investigation, according to committee spokesman George Hartmann. His lawyers turned over 400 pages of documents, including his foreign agent filing, on Aug. 2. Manaforts lawyers are still discussing the terms for a closed-door interview with committee investigators.

The committee also received 20,000 pages of records from the Trump campaign last week, along with 250 pages from Donald Trump Jr., Hartmann said. The committee is still seeking records from the Trump Organization.

People close to Manafort complained that the raid was unnecessary because he had already agreed to turn over his records. A spokesman for Mueller declined to comment.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined to answer questions about the search, referring questions to Manaforts attorneys.

Manafort ran Trumps campaign during a pivotal period leading up to the Republican convention last summer. In June 2016, Manafort attended a meeting at Trump Tower that was set up by Donald Trump Jr., who forwarded Manafort an emailed invitation to get research on Hillary Clinton that he had been told was provided by the Russian government. Russia-Clinton-private and confidential, the subject line read.

Trumps son in law, Jared Kushner, also attended the New York meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya and four others, including a lobbyist who once worked with Soviet army intelligence and a longtime aide to an influential Russian oligarch. Manafort had agreed to turn over notes of that meeting to congressional investigators.

During the Republican convention in Cleveland, the Trump campaign worked to soften a plank in the party platform that originally called for the U.S. to provide weapons to Ukraine to fight pro-Russia forces.

Manafort was forced to leave the campaign after investigators in Ukraine said they were looking into allegations that he had been secretly paid more than $12 million by a political party connected to former Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych, a pro-Kremlin figure who was driven from office by a popular uprising in 2014.

Manafort, who worked for Yanukovych for more than a decade, announced in April that he was belatedly registering as a foreign agent.

In addition to allegations related to the campaign and transactions involving Manaforts work overseas, the FBI separately has been investigating real estate deals involving Manafort and his son-in-law, Jeffrey Yohai, including Los Angeles ventures involving actor Dustin Hoffman and his son Jacob.

The FBI has spoken to Yohai in hopes that he would cooperate and testify against Manafort, Maloni said. But he said the son-in-law has no information about Manaforts other business dealings. A lawyer for Yohai declined to comment.

Tanfani reported from Washington and Bierman from Bridgewater, N.J.

joseph.tanfani@latimes.com

Twitter: @jtanfani

ALSO

Pences sensitivity to talk of 2020 speaks to White House insecurity

White House shifts tone on Obamacare repeal, signals openness to bipartisan fix

Trump emphasizes tough law enforcement in comments on opioid epidemic

UPDATES:

2:05 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details about the search and reaction.

This article was originally published at 11 a.m.
It was just two days ago that our newsletter suggested that it could be a quiet week in politics.

Nope.

That quiet was been shattered by a single comment  a dire warning  made by President Trump about the nuclear weapons program in North Korea.

Good morning from the state capital. Im Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers, and the comment by the president was made during an event that was supposed to be about the nations opioid drug crisis.

But as weve seen so many times before, its the unscripted Trump that overshadows whats otherwise supposed to be on his agenda.

THE FIRE AND FURY AND HOW ITS PLAYING

They will be met with fire and fury, like the world has never seen. It was that stark warning from the president that is now driving the news cycle in American politics.

Advertisement

As our team of reporters makes clear, the comment took some military leaders by surprise and came on the heels of reports that North Korea has developed a nuclear warhead that can sit atop an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Meanwhile, Barbara Demick has a sharp FAQ on the issue. What happens if the fire and fury begins?

(By the way, Trump did get back to talking about the nations opioid problem. He suggested law enforcement efforts are a key part of the solution.)

THE QUICK POLITICAL ROUNDUP

The second-in-command at the State Department tried to boost morale of the agencys workers on Tuesday during an hourlong meeting.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was seeking common ground with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

There are reports that some federal scientists are worried the Trump administration will try to suppress a new report on climate change.

Before his warning on North Korea, Trump had been busying himself in a war of words with a Democratic senator over Vietnam.

And on the Russia investigation, Californias northernmost congressman calls it a bunch of crap. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Chico) offers that assessment in a chat with The Times Phil Willon.

OF LAMALFA AND LIEU

LaMalfas comment was made after a town hall event he held early Monday morning in his district  a tense setting, where a man critical of the GOP politicians vote on healthcare changes said this:

I hope you die in pain.

Weve been tracking town hall meetings during recess on our Essential Politics news feed.

Javier Panzar spoke with Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) when he held an event in Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabachers Orange County district. As one of the regional vice chairs in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Lieu helps the party with House races in California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Alaska and Hawaii.

Lieu said he isnt worried there are so many candidates running in competitive districts. We are going to have a lot of messy primaries in a lot of these districts. But at the end of the day there will be a strong general election candidate, he said.

Read the rest of our Q-and-A with Lieu here .

WHATS IN STORE FOR CALIFORNIAS SANCTUARY STATE BILL?

When lawmakers return to the state Capitol in less than two weeks for their final sprint to the end of the 2017 session, perhaps no bill will loom larger than the proposal to extend sanctuary provisions to all communities across California.

But what changes might Gov. Jerry Brown require to embrace it? He suggested last weekend that the proposal needs work. On Tuesday, the states powerful association of sheriffs said its working with Brown on possible amendments. The question: Will legislative Democrats go along?

A CONSERVATIVE LEGAL GROUP WANTS VOTER DATA FROM CALIFORNIA

The next six days will be an interesting showdown between Secretary of State Alex Padilla and a conservative legal group seeking detailed records on millions of California voters.

Will Padilla give it to them?

The group, Judicial Watch, alleges that the number of voters on two lists  the active and inactive registration lists  is greater than the voting-eligible population in 11 counties. As my story points out, the counties dispute that assertion. Judicial Watch declined to give specifics on its methodology for crunching those numbers.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

-- The state will financially support Los Angeles bid for the Olympic Games in 2028, according to letters from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon.

-- In the tiny Sierra Valley town of Loyalton, the citys four retired city employees became the first in California to see their pensions sliced after the city defaulted on its payments to CalPERS.

-- A Bay Area city delayed a vote on a big housing project despite a push from a gaggle of state lawmakers to approve it.

-- Death and hunger strikes plague a California immigration detention center.

-- Dave Min, a Democrat running for Congress against Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine) has released his first campaign ad, and its unabashedly anti-Trump. He uses the tactic of tying Walters to Trumps agenda, one that didnt work out so well for Democrats last year.

-- The ongoing dispute over the California Democratic Party chairs race continues. Really. Candidate Kimberly Ellis called for binding arbitration on Tuesday, and the party called it a desperate Hail Mary pass.

-- Heres what the first month in Congress has been like for L.A.'s Rep. Jimmy Gomez.

OTHER VOICES

Heres some of what else weve been reading on the latest political news:

The San Francisco Chronicles Nanette Asimov reports that former UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks will still receive his $434,000 salary while on leave.

The New York Times Matthew Rosenberg reports that some intelligence officials are uneasy with the political approach to the job brought by CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

In Politico, Eliana Johnson reports that Vice President Mike Pences new chief of staff is there to help preserve the veeps future political options, whatever those might be.

LOGISTICS

Essential Politics is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics?

Miss Mondays newsletter? Here you go.

Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.

Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox.
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.
A Los Angeles man is said to be responsible for robbing several businesses across the Southland, including two in Burbank, according to authorities.

Douglas Arevalo-Alvarado, 40, was arrested in Orange County on July 28 after being caught burglarizing a Fountain Valley jewelry store. Sgt. Derek Green, a spokesman for the Burbank Police Department, said Arevalo-Alvarado had been wanted in connection with several burglaries in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties.

He said the burglaries were determined to be part of a widespread crime ring.

According to Green, Arevalo-Alvarado is also behind the July 7 theft of $90,000 in merchandise from the Luxmary Handbags store on West Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank.

Police were able to link him to the multiple burglaries through a car he allegedly used during each one.

With Arevalo-Alvarado in custody, Burbank police conducted a search of a Hollywood storage unit in his name. Green said detectives discovered evidence linking him to the crimes including handbags from Luxmary as well as multiple watches stolen from the Toluca Watch Co. on West Riverside Drive in Burbank in June.

Hes currently charged with two counts of burglary, with several other charges pending.

Arevalo-Alvarado is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 17.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
Sixty animal shelters and rescue groups, including the Burbank Animal Shelter and Pasadena Humane Society, will be dropping their adoption fees yet again to help find hundreds of pets new homes.

NBC4 and Telemundo 52 are hosting their third annual Clear the Shelters event on Aug. 19, which aims to raise awareness about pet adoption and help reduce the number of animals at local shelters.

From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. that day, all participating shelters in Southern California will reduce their adoption fee to $20 for dogs, cats and other available animals.

The fee includes spaying or neutering, the first round of vaccinations and microchipping, said Stacie Wood, senior animal control officer at the Burbank Animal Shelter.

Wood added that Burbank will also have smaller animals, such as bunnies, hamsters and turtles, that will also be up for adoption that day for a lower fee.

The Burbank Animal Shelter usually charges $125 for a dog adoption and $78 for a cat adoption, both of which also include spaying or neutering, vaccinations and microchipping.

The $20 fee during [the Clear the Shelters event] is a great deal, Wood said.

Staff members at the Pasadena Humane Society, which provides animal-control services for Glendale, will also be helping the animals they have at their facility find new homes.

The typical adoption fees at the Pasadena shelter are $130 for dogs and $75 for cats, said Jamie Holeman, a spokeswoman for the Pasadena Humane Society.

Holeman added the Pasadena shelter tends to become overcrowded during the summer because owners are more willing to put their pets outside on hot days. Because the warmer temperatures make female cats go into heat, the stray cat population tends to increase as well, Holeman said.

Though the fee to adopt a pet will be significantly less than at other times of the year, Wood and Holeman both said that potential pet adopters must undergo a screening before they can take home their furry companion.

Both Wood and Holeman agreed that those looking to adopt a pet should go to a shelter rather than a breeder.

The great thing about adopting a pet from an animal shelter is that you are actually saving two lives, Holeman said. Youre saving a life by adopting and youre saving another by creating space in our shelter for another pet coming in.

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio
A Fountain Valley man is suing Heineken and The Kroger Co., saying he found two dead geckos in a beer can he bought at a local Ralphs supermarket.

George Toubbeh alleges he suffered severe abdominal pain in August 2015 after he drank from a 24-ounce Heineken he bought from a Ralphs in Fountain Valley, according to a lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court on Friday.

The Ralphs chain is owned by Ohio-based Kroger.

According to the suit, Toubbeh noticed that the beer had a foul taste and he immediately began having abdominal pain and started vomiting. His daughter examined the can of beer and found two juvenile leopard geckos inside, the suit states. Geckos are a type of lizard.

When discovered, the geckos had not been decomposed at all and were likely alive when the beer was poured and sealed into the cans in the bottling and/or canning facility, the lawsuit states.

Heineken USA, a subsidiary of the Dutch brewing company, said in a statement that it holds the safety and integrity of the products we import to the highest standards. We have investigated this isolated claim, and based on a number of factors, we confidently believe there is no merit to this claim.

Toubbeh said he went to the emergency room at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and was prescribed Xanax, a sedative, and Zofran, which helps treat nausea and vomiting.

The suit says he continued to suffer from severe gastrointestinal ailments, emotional distress and anxiety and missed several weeks of work as a result.

John Montevideo, Toubbehs attorney, said his law firm, DiMarco Araujo Montevideo, independently examined the beer can and had the geckos evaluated by a zoologist.

We feel the action is meritorious and viable, he said.

Toubbeh is seeking unspecified general damages, medical expenses, lost earnings and the cost of the lawsuit.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
There was little doubt the Laguna Beach City Council on Tuesday would back pacts by other countries and cities to, among other steps, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, given the citys track record of preserving thousands of acres of open space and conserving water.

The question was what steps would the city take in the coming years amid various reports of increased temperatures and sea-level rise that scientists have partly attributed to carbon emissions, such as burning fossil fuels.

Earlier this week the New York Times published a story about a federal climate change report awaiting approval by the Trump administration in which scientists from 13 federal agencies found it extremely likely that more than half the worlds mean temperature increase since 1951 can be linked to human influence, according to the article.

In a council chambers filled to near capacity, with several attendees wearing green shirts and holding signs that read Laguna Is Still In, the council unanimously adopted a resolution that supports goals of the Paris Agreement and commits the city to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through additional policies and programs than those currently included in its own Climate Protection Action Plan.

The council also directed city staff to explore ways of measuring greenhouse gas emissions and ways to reduce the emissions even further after some of the 34 speakers called for tangible steps the city would take going forward.

Resident Chris Prelitz did not support the document as presented to the council.

What we have is a nice piece of fluff which says all the great things weve done, but it actually does not commit to anything, Prelitz said. I would support overwhelmingly if the language was amended and added that every other city has done. We will be the laughingstock of every other city that has signed on if we actually allow something like this to go forward.

The Paris Agreement, which is voluntary, aims to strengthen the global response to climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above pre-industrial levels, according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change website.

It also challenges countries to collectively cut the temperature increase even further to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit.

Residents had contacted the city because they were concerned with President Trumps decision earlier this year to remove the United States from the Paris Agreement, according to a city staff report.

Although there is no mechanism for cities and states to join the Paris Agreement, several cities, now including Laguna, are showing support through the group Mayors National Climate Action Agenda. The organization, co-founded by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, commits U.S. mayors to work together to strengthen local efforts to curb greenhouse gases.

Laguna Beach adopted a Climate Protection Action Plan in 2009 and updated it in 2012, the staff report said.The plan highlights several recommendations for reducing carbon emissions by cutting energy use, promoting green building practices, conserving water and encouraging public transportation such as the trolleys that ferry visitors and residents throughout town.

Laguna has taken steps to address some of these areas.

The city created bike routes through town and installed bike racks, required trash disposal trucks to use compressed natural gas, outlawed single-use plastic bags and implemented a recycled food waste program for restaurants, among other actions, according to the report.

The city also has weaved standards into its building code, such as encouraging programmable thermostats and discouraging use of air conditioners, the report said.

And the city said it would look to transform vacant lots that are either unused or sparingly used into parks with benches, shade trees, bike racks and patios with tables to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians, the report said.

I appreciate the ongoing support that all of you have given to the Climate Protection Action Plan, said resident Ginger Osborne, a member of the Citizens Advisory Group on Climate Change. Ive been motivated as well even more so as I have begun to suspect a chronic cough I have is provoked by air pollution in Laguna Beach.

A couple of days ago I was wiping off the bottom of our patio table, pulled out the rag and it was black. Black soot. I get the same thing when I wipe down the electric car. It should not be black.

Some speakers suggested the city should look into placing solar panels on its buildings, such as City Hall, while others said simple steps, such as placing containers for recyclables at beaches, would go a long way.

There is stereotype about environmentalists that they are crazy and wacko and want to bring everyone back to the stone ages, Councilman Steve Dicterow said. I did not hear anything like that [Tuesday night]. I heard practical, pragmatic ideas that were common sense.

bryce.alderton@latimes.com

Twitter: @AldertonBryce
The Glendale chapter of the Armenian National Committee of America is asking management at the Americana at Brand to reverse its recent decision to reject an advertisement for a documentary about the Armenian Genocide.

The documentary Architects of Denial chronicles genocides through the perspectives of survivors of atrocities, including the Armenian Genocide. The film is produced by actor Dean Cain and television host Montel Williams.

According to Margarita Baghdasaryan, the committees community outreach director, the films producers were told by marketing company Outfront Media  which handles billboard space for the Americana  that their proposed ad was rejected by Caruso management for being too political.

Baghdasaryan said no draft or sample copy of an advertisement was presented by the producers to the marketing company and that the billboard space was rejected solely on the subject matter.

In a special Glendale City Council meeting last week, Baghdasaryan brought up the issue to council members during public comment, hoping to recruit their help in getting Americana officials to reverse their decision.

The excuse made by the Americana management that the billboard advertisement is too political is not only illogical, it is also unfair, Baghdasaryan said. The film, which is educational in nature, argues that when genocide is denied, genocide is repeated  a premise we are all too familiar with. Any attempts to censor historical facts will not be accepted by our community.

Councilman Zareh Sinanyan said during the council meeting he was disturbed by the claims.

Of all the places in the city of Glendale for something like this to happen  very disturbing, he said.

Also, during the meeting, Mayor Vartan Gharpetian asked city manager Scott Ochoa to schedule a meeting with Americana officials to discuss the matter.

Jackie Levy  executive vice president of operations for Caruso, which owns the Americana  said in an email to the city that although careful consideration was given to their earlier denial, they hope to sit with the films producers to discuss concerns and learn more about the proposed documentary ad.

Please know that we are and have always been committed to treating everyone fairly and with equal respect, Levy said in the email.

Levy invited city officials to join the meeting as well. No further details on the date of a possible meeting were available as of Tuesday.

Baghdasaryan said the committee tried last week to communicate with Americana management but was unsuccessful.

On Tuesday, committee chair Artin Manoukian sent a second letter addressed to Rick Caruso, chief executive of the Caruso real estate company, again stating their grievances and requesting an immediate meeting with mall leadership.

In a similar 2015 incident, management at the Americana came under fire for telling a cart vendor with clothing company Pentagon Records that they could no longer openly display shirts and hoodies for sale that commemorated the Armenian Genocide.

In a statement by Caruso officials at that time, they said the request to pull the clothing display was made after customers complained and officials sought to maintain welcoming venues for all guests.

jeff.landa@latimes.com

Twitter: @JeffLanda
The artwork that hangs on hospital walls isnt widely regarded for its memorability. Pastel landscapes and blandly rendered abstract themes seem designed to offer no offense, but rarely do they inspire a second glance or even a first.

A group of art-minded folks at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital hopes to turn that stereotype on its head Thursday, when the facility debuts the first installment of a Healing Arts Exhibit, featuring works by Glendale and La Canada Flintridge-area artists intended to welcome, uplift and inspire all who behold them.

We want our community to come in and feel like part of the family, said Kerry Yoder Hubbard, executive director of the USC Verdugo Hills Hospital Foundation. We really try to create that community feeling, and I think art helps with that.

An opening reception featuring the work of Glendale watercolorist Vincent Takas will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday near the hospitals main entrance. It is free and open to the public.

The concept for a rotating exhibit was developed by a healing arts committee formed in January by USC-VHH Foundation Chair Sue Wilder and art therapy administrator Julie Shapka. They invited others to help them craft a vision of reflecting beauty, harmony, health and hope through the works of local artists.

The new leadership was looking around the space and really wanted to do something to enhance the environment at the hospital and strengthen the community connection, Shapka said. There were a lot of blank walls here  it was a blank canvas.

Takas, himself a member of the healing arts committee, was chosen as the exhibits inaugural artist because his use of popular local and regional landmarks as subjects tends to provoke viewers to share their own hometown memories with others.

Most of the 12 works on display through December are locally recognizable  from Glendales Alex Theatre to the Montrose Harvest Market to Los Angeles landmark Philippe the Original.

His inspiration is simple, he explains: I go to Philippes to eat. I love it. I paint it.

An artist who began his career more than 25 years ago with pen-and-ink sketches, Takas was a safety specialist at the Walt Disney Co. in 1990 when an administrator spied his talent and recommended he take employee development courses.

Generally offered to Disneys Imagineers, lessons instilled the principles of form, composition and design and helped Takas segue from amateur to professional art, a pursuit hes continued to this day.

That changed my life in so many positive ways, he said.

Shapka said studies indicate exposure to familiar and positive images helps ease anxiety and reduce stress levels among viewers. The benefits of creating that dynamic in a hospital environment, she added, are obvious.

A patient may come in for surgery, and they may have some anxiety. But if you put some art on the wall, it creates something familiar, it helps them feel less stressed and worried.

Although the reception will be held Thursday evening, Takas works were already eliciting comments and recollections from visitors at the facility on Tuesday, proving the exhibits mission may already be hitting its mark.

This is just wonderful  its like therapy for me to see something different said Los Angeles resident Alicia Nakata, visiting her husband in the intensive-care unit Tuesday. I think Ill take some pictures of these and share them with my husband.

Artwork in the Healing Arts Exhibit is for sale, with a portion of proceeds supporting hospital programs.

USC Verdugo Hills Hospital is located at 1812 Verdugo Blvd., Glendale.

For more information, visit uscvhh.org/classes-and-events.

sara.cardine@latimes.com

Twitter: @SaraCardine
With La Canada Unified campuses preparing to start a new school year on Monday, school board members provided an update on anticipated enrollment numbers for 2017-18 in an Aug. 3 meeting and shared their own plans for the year ahead.

LCUSD Supt. Wendy Sinnette said the district is expecting approximately 4,209 students, including 1,441 students at the high school and 695 students in grades 7 and 8. Among the elementary schools, Palm Crest is expected to start the school year with about 644 students enrolled, Paradise Canyon anticipates 751 and LCE hopes to welcome about 678 students.

Although the total number of transfer student applications approved for 2017-18 were not available at press time, Sinnette confirmed after the meeting the district accepted an additional 39 elementary school student permits from the citys westernmost Sagebrush area, along with 18 students in grades 7 through 12, bringing the total number of Sagebrush students so far at 142.

Currently, grades 2 and 3 at all elementary schools are full, the superintended reported, but LCUSD is continuing to maintain a 22:1 student-to-teacher ratio in transitional kindergarten through third grade and a 30:1 ratio in grades 4 through 6.

Also at the meeting, board members delivered a presentation on the recently formed Coalition for Base Funding Fairness, outlining the multidistrict groups goals and objectives.

LCUSD approved in July entering into a contract along with five other area school districts to secure the services of Sacramento consultant Capitol Advisors, to lobby state lawmakers to increase school funding.

The coalition  comprising LCUSD, Manhattan Beach, South Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia and Redondo Beach unified school districts  aims to increase the amount of base funding distributed through the states Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) mechanism.

LCFF provides an across-the-board base grant per student, with additional funding for districts with high numbers of low-income, English learners and foster students. LCUSD and other coalition districts have maintained the formula unfairly shortchanges districts without such populations.

The contract states the coalition will pay Capitol Advisors an annual total of $60,000 per year. La Canada Unifieds share works out to about $6,612 per year, but factoring in the termination of a previous lobbying contract, the net increase works out to about $2,000 to $3,000 annually, officials have stated.

Were looking at the long-term wrap up for when we have a new governor, Sinnette explained at the meeting. Were laying the seeds now for the 2018 election. Its important work and extends beyond our district.

According to Board Member Ellen Multari, who has been representing LCUSD at the coalition meetings, members will meet again in late August.

Multari said there are a lot of freshman senators who do not understand the funding formula and have cited the statewide average LCFF per-student cost as $11,000.

Ours is $7,800 per student, she said. The goal here is not to take money away from those districts, but highlight the need that districts deserve an adequate need in funding.

Multari estimated the lobbying effort would likely be a two- to three-year process.

We have to  keep identifying inadequacies and disparities so that each student deserves an adequate base level of funding, she added.

Board member David Sagal agreed the effort was a priority.

This has created different classes of schools, essentially, the LCFF, and we want to fight for ours, he said.

Matt Sanderson is a Times Community News contributing writer.
Before you pack for your next trip to Hawaii, be prepared to leave your favorite sunscreen at home. And dont worry, your skin wont fry.

Scientific research shows that oxybenzone  also known as BP-3, contained in many sunscreen lotions, cremes and sprays  is extremely harmful to the states fragile coral reefs.

Aqua-Aston Hospitality, Hawaiis largest chain of hotels and resorts, has come up with a way to protect guests and protect the ocean coral.

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While millions of people each year enjoy the beaches and warm ocean waters of Hawaii, many are not aware of the potential damge their sunscreen can do to marine life. (Tor Johnson/Hawaii Tourism Authority)

Check-in desks and towel supply stations at the companys nearly 50 properties throughout the state will allow guests to swap their oxybenzone-containing sunscreen for a free bottle of Raw Elements, a reef-safe sunscreen.

Safe sunscreen dispensers also are provided to hotel guests for free.

The companys For Our Reef campaign began earlier this year, before an announcement July 20 that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would provide a $715,000 grant to Hawaii to help protect its fragile coral.

According to a news release from Sen. Mazie Hirono, (D-Hawaii), the money will be used to fund activities critical to the effective management and protection of Hawaiis coral reefs.

Hawaii is out to protect its coral reefs from damaging sunscreens by educating guests and offering them a safer alternative. (Mark Kushimi/Hawaii Tourism Authority)

South Kohala, on Hawaii Island, and West Maui are designated as top priorities.

In November 2015, the National Ocean Service, a federal agency, reported that a team of international scientists had found that oxybenzone is highly toxic to juvenile corals and other marine life.

The report said swimmers wearing sunscreen are contributing to problems such as DNA damage and deformities in baby coral.

The report also found that the chemical is used in more than 3,500 skin care products sold worldwide.

If you dont bring any sunscreen, you can buy Raw Elements all-natural Broad Spectrum SPF-30 but its pricey. It costs $18.99 for a 3-ounce tube.

The reef-safe sunscreen also can be found in dispensers at Honolulus Waikiki Aquarium, just steps from the world-famous beach and the ocean.

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travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
During the 1976 National Air Races at Mojave, a stuntman going by the nickname the The Human Fly twice appeared atop a DC-8 piloted by well-known pilot Clay Lacy. After the first performance, staff writer Reggie Smith reported in the June 20, 1976, Los Angeles Times:

The man looked visibly worried as aides strapped his legs and chest to the aeronautical brace atop the DC-8 jetliner. The brace was to be his only support during the 15-minute flight.

He smiled and waved to the crowd below. Some of the spectators looked up in amazement as their cameras clicked away.

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He had billed himself as the Human Fly, the greatest daredevil that ever lived, and promised to prove it by riding on the top of a jet flying at speeds of more than 200 m.p.h. at 100 feet above ground.

Dressed in a red-and-white jumpsuit, white cape and red platform shoes, The Fly wore a mask.

The Fly wants to remain anonymous because he doesnt want to draw attention to himself, said David Levin, his promotional agent.

Levin claimed The Fly was the victim of an automobile accident which 60% of his body was replaced with steel parts.

As a result of The Flys hospital experience, he says he will donate a substantial portion of his earnings to a recognizable charity, Levin said.

Finally, everything was ready before the assembled crowd of thousands Saturday at the annual California National Air Races at Mojave.

As the plane was airborne, The Fly gestured with his hands. First, the sign of the cross, then a clinched fist and finally, as the plane headed toward the runway, the victory sign.

When the plane landed, Fly was rushed away for a medical checkup, where the doctor gave him the OK to see members of the press.

It was a great feeling up there, said the 29-year-old masked man. Im the greatest daredevil in the world.

The only problem I had up there was with my helmet, he said. A piece came off during the flight.

Im going to be around for a long while yet, he added. Just look forward to seeing the greatest daredevil that ever lives.

He is scheduled to repeat the stunt today.

After the second flight on Sunday, June 20, the Human Fly performed one additional flight in Texas. In 1977, he attempted a motorcycle jump over 26 buses at Montreal Olympic Stadium. He landed short, crashed and suffered several injuries.

After the 1977 jump, the Human Fly  later identified as Rick Rojatt  retired and disappeared from public life.

The aviation news website AVweb has posted on YouTube a good interview with pilot Clay Lacy about the DC-8 stunt.

June 19, 1976: The Human Fly rides atop a DC-8 on a short flight over the Mojave Desert. (Art Rogers / Los Angeles Times)

June 19, 1976: The daredevil is strapped into a brace atop the plane. (Art Rogers / Los Angeles Times)

See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here
At the highest levels in South Korea, the fiery rhetoric exchanged this week by Washington and Pyongyang over nuclear weapons has prompted extraordinary concern  even for a nation thats been technically at war for several decades.

South Koreas progressive new president, Moon Jae-in, on Wednesday called for a rebirth of his countrys defenses, telling military commanders that top-down reform was needed to counter North Koreas escalating nuclear threats.

On the street, though, the most common reactions were shrugs that any conflict might affect residents safety.

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I have never thought a war would actually happen in my day, even though we are constantly threatened by North Korea, said university student Han Hyo-jeong, 24, who met with friends Wednesday in Seouls Sinchon district, a central neighborhood known for its bustling nightlife.

Han is one of about 25 million residents  roughly half of South Koreas population  who live in this capital citys metropolitan area, within an hours drive or less of the highly secure North Korean border.

That proximity puts hundreds of thousands of residents within range of the Norths potentially catastrophic conventional weapons, such as artillery or rockets, should the war of words escalate to actual military conflict and the government in Pyongyang retaliate against fellow Koreans to the south.

But that threat of a war that might spill over onto the civilian population isnt new  a fact that hasnt changed amid the recent concern about the Norths effort to develop the capacity to deliver nuclear-armed intercontinental missiles to the U.S. mainland.

Meanwhile, the regional tensions, already high, were ratcheted up this week after the United States used long-range bombers over the Korean peninsula during a military exercise. North Korea, which has recently shown the ability to strike U.S. targets outside Northeast Asia with missiles, this week threatened to target Guam, a strategically located American territory in the Western Pacific from which the bombers were deployed.

The threat, delivered via North Korean state news, appeared to be prompted by President Trumps declaration that fire and fury would come to the Pyongyang government if the threat to U.S. targets continued.

Any conflict, whether prompted by Pyongyang or Washington, could lead to catastrophic results in Seoul, the heart of Asias fourth-largest economy, despite some residents seeming lack of concern.

Even as many residents and tourists here enjoyed Wednesday without anxiety over the future, Trumps comments seemed to escalate an already tense situation for South Koreas leadership.

The renewed threats perhaps played a part in prompting Moon, who planned to seek a more conciliatory tone with North Korea after his election in May, to raise a new alarm about the escalating threat on the peninsula.

I believe we might need a complete defense reform at the level of a rebirth instead of making some improvements or modifications, Moon said Wednesday during a meeting with military commanders, according to pooled news reports.

He added, Another task now facing us is the urgent task of securing defense capabilities to counter North Koreas nuclear and missile provocations.

The more serious situation, coming days after newly enacted United Nations sanctions prompted North Koreas strong objections, also highlights the civil defense challenge in protecting Seouls residents.

The metro areas residents are largely packed into densely populated neighborhoods, with some high-rise residential apartment complexes less than 45 miles from North Koreas numerous artillery installations.

Both the national and metro governments have plans for dealing with a war, though it remains unclear how many residents are aware of them. The plans include a network of shelters  more than 3,000 in Seoul and even more nationwide  in subway stations, parking garages and other underground areas.

The government, which sends automatic warnings to cellphone users about low air-quality days, flash floods and abnormally high temperatures, offers an Internet application  in both English and Korean  for emergencies.

In case of an emergency, the government will order us where to go and what to do, said Choi Jin-soo, 29. If we follow directions, we will be safe.

Not everyone agrees.

James Kim, a research fellow at the Asan Institute in Seoul, said the citys residents arent ready for an attack that some analysts believe could lead to tens of thousands of deaths within days.

Its not something thats been drilled in. There isnt a formal evacuation procedure, said Kim, who has studied emergency management in South Korea. There could be one in theory, but in terms of readiness, theres isnt enough preparation on the part of the Seoul city government or the national government so the people know what to do.

Any conventional military strike on Seoul, regardless of efforts at readiness, could be deadly and disruptive, many fear. Yet not everyone here is buying that a threat would materialize, given that it would probably prompt a massive response by the United States.

An unprovoked military attack against the United States or its treaty allies would be suicidal, said Daniel Pinkston, an international relations expert at Troy University in Seoul. The North Korean leadership is not suicidal.

Theres also a cried-wolf sense here that the conventional North Korean threat might never actually happen, despite years of warnings.

North Korea, party to an unsteady armistice signed in the mid-1950s, has provoked international complaints over its actions, both related to military matters and human rights.

Current leader Kim Jong Un, grandson of the totalitarian states communist patriarch, Kim Il Sung, has increased the international provocations in recent years by developing nuclear weapons and testing missiles that could deliver them.

North Korea has conducted more than 50 ballistic missile tests during Kims tenure, which began in late 2011, and has also conducted two underground nuclear detonation tests  all violations of United Nations Security Council sanctions.

In a televised address in January, Kim also said his nation was making progress toward an intercontinental ballistic missile, a type capable of striking locations on the United States mainland.

President-elect Trump famously tweeted in January that such a step wont happen!

Two recent missile tests confirmed that the North has acquired the ability, in theory, to meet that intercontinental goal  and concern has increased that the government has also miniaturized its nuclear devices to fit atop a missile.

Much of the world, in response, has expressed dire concern. Yet fear in Seoul is less palpable, almost inconceivable to many, even though the threats continue to raise alarm among local news organizations and the leadership.

There cant be a war, said Jeong Jae-pyo, 58, who lives in Seoul. We are always threatened, but there is never a war.

Stiles is a special correspondent.
Before the age of compact cars, laptop computers and pocket telephones, there were miniature nuclear warheads.

For as long as there have been engineers, they have been working on making complicated things smaller and better. Weapons are no exception.



For the record: An earlier version of this article misstated the date of the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. It was Aug. 6, 1945, not Aug. 9. Also, the Fat Man bomb dropped on Nagasaki was referred to as the Fat Boy. And the first test of a thermonuclear weapon created a blast equal to 10 megatons of TNT, not 19.

Now, North Korea apparently has figured out how to make a very big explosive small enough to sit atop one of its mobile-launched missiles, a development that could threaten much of the U.S., according to a U.S. intelligence report that surfaced this week.

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North Korea is making progress, showing it can put together competent teams of scientists and solve technical problems, but it is far from proving that it is capable of launching a punishing nuclear strike on the U.S., according to U.S. weapons experts.

Making a miniature nuclear weapon that has a large explosive force involves a lot of scientific and engineering know-how.

The Little Boy bomb that the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, weighed as much as two 2017 Cadillac Escalade SUVs, about 9,700 pounds. Three days later, the Fat Man bomb, slightly heavier at 10,300 pounds, was dropped on Nagasaki.

Since then, the weight of U.S. atomic bombs has shrunk considerably, as scientists have refined the physics of the devices and streamlined how they are armed.

With the last generation of nuclear weapons designed in the 1980s, engineers at Los Alamos National Laboratory produced the W88, weighing only 800 pounds despite having an explosive force equal to 475,000 tons of TNT  in other words, less than one-tenth the weight of the first atomic bomb, but 400 times more powerful.

What technical capability is necessary to build a missile-ready nuclear bomb?

The first step is understanding how to reduce the amount of conventional high explosives that surround a hollow pit of highly enriched uranium or plutonium. A nuclear detonation occurs when the high explosive implodes the hollow sphere of fissile material next to it to start an uncontrolled chain reaction.

After the war, work progressed on smaller bombs. One of the crucial design steps was to create a small, precisely uniform air gap between the conventional explosives and the sphere of nuclear fuel, amplifying the force of the conventional explosion and reducing the amount needed to trigger a nuclear chain reaction.

Its unclear that Pyongyang has mastered that precise construction, said Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear weapons analyst with the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, Calif.

What Pyongyang has said so far is that its weapon is a Korean-style mixed charge device, indicating they dont have a lot of plutonium, so they are mixing it with uranium, Lewis said.

It is possible the North Koreans are also injecting tritium gas into the hollow sphere to get some fusion energy out of the bomb, as well, he said.

The concept is well known, but you cant know without testing. But North Korea tests, so they would know, he said.

North Korea has probably not succeeded in building a lightweight, miniaturized bomb, as the U.S. and Russia have, but only a more compact weapon that isnt significantly lighter.

The biggest stride in miniaturization involved the hydrogen bomb design pioneered by two Eastern European immigrants, Edward Teller and Stanislaw Ulam.

The Teller-Ulam configuration created two or three stages in a weapon, in which a fission trigger causes X-rays to compress a secondary stage of the weapon containing fusion fuel. The secondary stage can trigger a third stage that contains more fission fuel.

The first full-scale demonstration of such a thermonuclear weapon was conducted in 1952, just seven years after the first atomic bomb test of the Manhattan Project. It created an unexpectedly large blast equal to 10 megatons of TNT.

The bomb was actually a machine that weighed an astounding 82 tons, including cryogenic cooling equipment.

The ensuing decades led to refinements that drastically reduced its weight. By the time of the Reagan administration, the U.S. was able to field Peacekeeper MX missiles that could carry 10 warheads each and drop them on separate targets anywhere in the world.

North Korea is believed to have been working on nuclear weapons only since the 1990s. The nation lacks the industrial infrastructure of the other nuclear powers, not only the U.S., but also France, Britain, Russia and even India.

In September, the country detonated a weapon estimated to have a nuclear yield of 15 kilotons to 25 kilotons, according to Siegfried Hecker, former director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

North Korea said it had standardized the design and would begin production.

They would be lucky to land 10 miles from their targeting point.  David Wright, Union of Concerned Scientists

Philip E. Coyle III, a retired nuclear weapons design executive for the Energy Department and a former senior Pentagon official, said North Koreas two-stage Hwasong-14 missile, which flew 45 minutes and reached an altitude of 1,850 miles in space in late July, is significantly smaller than the three-stage U.S. Minuteman III.

Although it appears that the unarmed Hwasong-14 could reach the U.S. mainland, a heavy nuclear warhead would significantly reduce its range.

I assume what North Korea means by miniature is that it is small enough to be carried by their rocket, Coyle said. But this North Korean rocket does not have a lot of payload-carrying capacity.

The other key question is whether the North Koreans have an adequate reentry vehicle to carry a nuclear weapon. A warhead travels about 4 miles per second, glowing red hot, as it enters the atmosphere.

The nose cone of the missile has to protect the weapon from the heat and aerodynamic forces of reentry. Its shape has to be nearly perfect to avoid drifting off target.

The U.S. spent years and years to develop nose cones that would ablate uniformly so the reentry vehicle wouldnt drift off target, said David Wright, a weapons expert at the Union of Concerned Scientists. The missile has to know where it is and where it is going. All the errors add up like crazy, he added. My guess is that they would be lucky to land 10 miles from their targeting point.

ralph.vartabedian@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @rvartabedian

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1:50 p.m.: This article was updated with details about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

This article was first published at 3 a.m.
The United States is imposing sanctions on eight more individuals, including the brother of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, whom it accuses of undermining democracy in the South American country.

The Treasury Department said seven are current or former Venezuelan government officials. The U.S. says they supported the creation of a constituent assembly that is charged with rewriting Venezuelas constitution and has declared itself superior to all other government institutions.

Chavezs brother Adan  among those targeted  has been appointed secretary of the new assembly.

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The U.S. has called the vote to create the assembly illegitimate and a sign that President Nicolas Maduro is trying to strengthen what the U.S. calls his dictatorship.

The U.S. previously targeted Maduro himself with sanctions, in a rare action against a foreign head of state.
It has all the hallmarks of a classic political scandal: a combative leaders forceful denials, family members and intimates caught up in burgeoning but slow-moving investigations, prosecutors leaning on a tarnished former aide with tales to tell, arcane legal arguments over power and its limits.

The setting is Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, viewed by foes and admirers alike as a consummate political survivor, faces the growing prospect of criminal charges that could ultimately dislodge him.

Even in a country where scandal is a near-constant backdrop to daily life and a notably high tolerance for political chaos is the national norm, theres a sense that this long-brewing crisis has reached a crucial juncture.

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Authorities are still building a case or cases against the prime minister, and legal experts say the filing of charges could still be months away. But events of recent days, analysts say, have dramatically heightened the eventual likelihood of an unprecedented public spectacle: the indictment of a sitting Israeli prime minister, the longest-serving since founding father David Ben-Gurion.

Last week, police stated formally for the first time that Netanyahu was suspected of fraud, bribery and breach of trust. Then bombshell news broke: the prime ministers Los Angeles-born former chief of staff Ari Harow, a onetime close confidant of the prime minister, had turned states witness to avoid jail time on charges stemming from his business dealings.

This week came reports that the attorney general would soon announce a separate indictment against the first lady, Sara Netanyahu, over alleged misuse of government funds. And the Supreme Court ruled that the prime minister would have to disclose logs of phone calls with senior executives of the pro-government newspaper Israel Hayom, founded and financed by U.S. billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson.

Across the political spectrum, newspaper headlines not only sounded a common theme, but employed nearly identical wording. How long might it take Netanyahu to go? the conservative Jerusalem Post asked Tuesday. How long can Netanyahu continue to serve? echoed the left-leaning Haaretz.

Netanyahus defenders maintain that Israeli law does not explicitly state that he would have to step down, even if charged with serious criminal offenses. But in practical terms, serving out a term scheduled to last until 2019 while contesting accusations in court would be immensely complicated and difficult.

Sensing opportunity, a number of ostensible political allies in his hard-right governing coalition have begun positioning themselves as potential successors.

Netanyahus coalition chief, David Bitan, has been pushing government ministers to be more vehement in their defense of the boss; a political cartoon showed him holding a gun to their heads and exhorting: With more feeling!

Declared rivals inside and outside Netanyahus party include political up-and-comer Gideon Saar, who had already been expected to challenge him for the Likud leadership, and ex-Finance Minister Yair Lapid, whose centrist party has been rising in the polls.

The potential charges against the prime minister, according to a roundup by the newspaper Haaretz, primarily stem from two separate investigations. At least one involves acceptance of luxury-themed gifts such as fine cigars, champagne and jewelry from wealthy Netanyahu backers including Israeli-born Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan in exchange for favors.

Another probe centers on allegations that the prime minister sought to make a deal to cut the circulation potential of Israel Hayom, the Adelson-founded paper, in exchange for more positive coverage in a rival newspaper.

At 67, after decades in the public eye, the Israeli leader is known to many Americans. During U.S. visits, he dispenses eloquent speeches and punchy interview quips in the smoothly colloquial, American-accented English he picked up during long stays in the country as a young boy, a college student, then a businessman and a diplomat.

He famously feuded with President Obama; in May, he was an expansively genial host when President Trump visited Jerusalem, showering his American visitor with praise.

That visit provided an opportunity to air some shared grudges as well as points of pride. Sara Netanyahu was caught on a hot microphone telling the U.S. first lady, Melania Trump: The majority of the people in Israel  unlike the media  they love us! and adding: We have something in common.

Amid the gathering legal storm, Netanyahu, who vehemently denies any wrongdoing, initially sought to present an unruffled image. In a Facebook video last week  a favored means of communing with the public  he dismissed the investigations as background noise.

But by this week, Israeli news reports had him lashing out furiously in closed-door talks with members of his coalition, insisting he would not be toppled and warning his ministers not to undermine him. Echoing tactics that have served him in previous political battles, the prime minister moved to portray attacks on him as a broader attempt to undermine Israels right wing.

Netanyahu often rallies his base  and it is a stridently loyal one  by whipping up fear of a common enemy. The prime minister drew cries of racism in 2015 with an ominous election-day warning that Arab citizens of Israel were flocking to the polls in droves to vote against him.

In an echo of that, he posted on Facebook on Monday a headline from a right-wing newspaper that described Palestinian officials as rejoicing at the prospect of him being ejected from office.

Wont happen, he wrote beside it.

Netanyahus predicament has drawn inevitable comparisons to that of his predecessor, Ehud Olmert, who resigned as prime minister when his indictment on corruption charges was imminent. He was released from jail in June after serving 16 months of a 27-month sentence.

The prime ministers backers have called the investigations a witch hunt, and one of his Cabinet ministers, Tzachi Hanegbi  who himself weathered a perjury conviction in 2010  said it was too soon to rush to judgment.

At this stage, by law, every Israeli citizen, and certainly the prime minister, must be presumed completely innocent, he told Israel Radio.

Among Israelis, there is a keen awareness of Netanyahus proven ability to bounce back from reversals, even the most crushing ones. In 1999, after a high-profile start as the youngest prime minister in Israeli history, he quit politics after a humiliating defeat at the polls by his former army commander Ehud Barak. But a decade later, he was prime minister again.

Some Israeli commentators have taken an almost Shakespearean  or biblical  view of Netanyahus travails, deeming him blessed with cleverness but cursed by an excess of pride.

Analyzing elements of his public and private life is something of a national parlor game: the stern and forbidding late father, the historian Benzion Netanyahu; the heros death of the favored older brother, Yonatan, in the daring 1976 Entebbe raid to free Israeli hostages held in Uganda by hijackers; Netanyahus three marriages; his self-destructive behavior even in moments of triumph.

He learned nothing from the fall of his predecessor, wrote Haaretz columnist Yossi Verter in a piece that read as much like an obituary as a current-affairs commentary.

He behaved foolishly and carelessly while losing all restraints, morality and his grip on things. The wisdom is still there, but his flawed personality and long years in power, his sense of entitlement, his confidence that he would remain prime minister as long as he wanted to, led him on a twisted path.

Special correspondent Tarnopolsky reported from Tel Aviv and Times staff writer King from Washington.

laura.king@latimes.com

Twitter: @laurakingLAT
At least one man has been charged in connection with a group fight last week in Allentown that ended with gunshots and at least one person injured.

Rennie Watts, 24, was seen on surveillance video on Aug. 2 with a firearm concealed in his waistband under a shirt, Allentown police said.

The video shows "the functionality of this firearm," police said in the affidavit.

The department previously said they were called for a fight between two groups on Liberty Street, when they received reports of shots fired near North Penn and Liberty streets. Officers didn't find any casings, but surveillance video confirmed guns were used in the melee.

Police followed a blood trail and found a 33-year-old man with facial injuries at the corner of North Fourth and Allen streets. The man was rushed to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township for treatment.

Watts does not have a valid concealed permit, and was adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile in 2004 on a charge of possession of a weapon on school property, police said.

Watts, of the 500 block of North Fifth Street in Allentown, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of prohibited possession of a firearm, and carrying a firearm without a license. His bail was set at 10 percent of $50,000.

Records show Watts was released from jail on Aug. 1, after paying $1,650 on a contempt of court order from Judge Michele Varricchio.

The order stems from a 2016 drug case, where Watts pleaded guilty March 13 to purchase of a controlled substance by an unauthorized person, and was sentenced to one year of probation.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A New York City man was sent to Northampton County Prison this week in lieu of $50,000 bail following his latest in a string of arrests at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.

De Ming Li (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

De Ming Li, of Flushing, Queens, was permanently evicted from the Bethlehem facility on July 20, 2015, due to multiple thefts, according to court records filed by Pennsylvania State Police.

A review of Sands security documents shows the 36-year-old has returned to the casino 13 times since then, police said.

State police responded to the casino floor about 12:25 a.m. Tuesday after Li allegedly stole a purse. He returned the purse and money when confronted, and the victim declined to press charges, police said.

However, while he was in police custody, he was found to be in possession of a cellphone and wallet belonging to someone else, according to court records. He told police through a Chinese translator that he found them on the casino floor and took them, records say.

Because police were unable to immediately verify his address in New York, and due to multiple incidents of trespassing, theft and outstanding citations, police brought him before a district judge in an effort to ensure he will appear in court and pay his fines, records say.

He was arraigned Tuesday morning before District Judge Jacqueline Taschner on a felony count of trespassing and misdemeanor theft. He was sent to the prison to await a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled Aug. 22 before District Judge Anthony Rapp Jr.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A community wellness center that acts as a one-stop shop for everything from doctor visits to job training is coming to South Bethlehem.

Wednesday morning Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley and its partners celebrated the $2.1 million renovation of the new Fowler Community Wellness Center, 520 E. Fourth St., by breaking down a wall.

The center is slated to open next year in a building donated by the late philanthropist Marlene "Linny" Fowler prior to her death. Fowler served on the board of the center and believed in its mission strongly, said Mary S. Colon, interim center executive director and board president.

Colon said Wednesday she knew Fowler was smiling upon the effort to bring together 14 of the Lehigh Valley's leading nonprofit groups and schools in a collaborative effort to help residents lead healthy and productive lives.

The center will offer physical and mental healthcare, health and wellness education, academic enrichment along with a job readiness and job placement services. It will feature a community engagement room for special events and fitness classes, nutritionist services and a medical clinic.

"We need a place where the community can come that is a one-stop shop," Colon said.

St. Luke's University Health Network and Lehigh University are the project's lead donors. The Bethlehem Area School District is a major partner with Superintendent Joseph Roy serving as one of the honorary chairmen of the fundraising effort.

The center will help low- to moderate-income South Side residents achieve healthy and productive lives, Bethlehem Mayor Bob Donchez, who grew up a block from the center, said.

For 49 years, the Hispanic Center has served the South Bethlehem neighborhood, a place that has long welcomed waves of immigrants and newcomers, said Mario Stuart, a center board member.

"Today, we take an important step forward in our ongoing effort to break down the walls to health and self-sufficiency for all in our community," Stuart said in a news release.

Fourteen organizations are partnering to pool their resources and power to tackle breaking the cycle of poverty and, hopefully, expand the services they offer, said Dale Kochard, a center board member, who retired from Lehigh as the assistant vice president for community and regional affairs. The breadth of services the center could offer is truly incredible, he said.

"What the South Side really needs is access to better health care," Kochard said. "...We are looking to be the catalyst."

The center is drawing upon a proven model that has worked across the country, Colon said, and offering it to the residents of Bethlehem.

"We want to bring this community up," Kochard said.

So many organizations want in on the effort, the wellness center is almost out of room and is turning to the Hispanic Center's main facility, he said.

The center continues to operate its senior center and offer its full slate of services.

"It is just an expansion," Colon said.

The capital campaign committee has raised about $2 million of its $2.1 million goal, Kochard said. The next priority will be raising money to address capital needs at the existing Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley building.

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Easton Area School District superintendent said he inherited a "leadership crisis" when he took over in 2013 and reshaped his administrative cabinet.

Superintendent John Reinhart said he didn't reassign Stephen Furst out of revenge, as Furst claims in his lawsuit.

Reinhart testified Wednesday in Northampton County Court that when he attended a school board meeting in May 2013, he noted a "tremendous absence in current leadership stemming from the superintendent" that made the district dysfunctional.

"The board and administrative team were at odds with each other," Reinhart said, later adding, "There was little eye contact between individuals. It was very tense and very sad to be truthful."

Attorney Carolyn Furst said Reinhart was brought in by the board to fire her husband.

"This was devised, this was concocted by the board," she said. "Mr. Reinhart was brought on, directed to do this."

She said board members were upset that Stephen Furst told police about the cyber-spying activities of former technology director Thomas Drago. Drago resigned after he admitted he illegally recorded a private administrative meeting.

Reinhart said the administrative reassignments had nothing to do with Furst's whistleblowing.

"I knew it was far beyond the financial crisis the district was facing. There was a leadership crisis that was impacting tremendously on decisions being made regarding children," Reinhart said. "When I left that (May 31 school board) meeting, I knew major changes needed to be made."

He eliminated Furst's job as director of teaching and learning and split it into two newly-created posts. He said he reassigned Furst as part of a plan to clean house and send a message that the tension and bickering under the previous superintendent would not be tolerated.

"I did believe that it was important to me to have people around me that were not connected to the strife and the internal issues that were happening," Reinhart said.

He said Furst was disappointed at the job change but said he'd do what was best for the team.

"I had other people who weren't as appreciative of their new assignments," Reinhart said.

Furst was later fired when pornography was found on his computer. Furst claims he didn't put the pornography there, although district administrators say he did.

Carolyn Furst said Reinhart's decision to ban Furst from district property two days before a grievance hearing in 2015 shows he had his mind made up to get rid of her husband. Reinhart issued a memo to district staff to have Furst escorted off district property if he showed up.

"Did you every think of what that would do to his reputation?" Carolyn Furst asked.

Asked whether Reinhart feared Furst posed an "imminent danger" to the district at the time, Reinhart said Furst did pose a danger.

Asked why he banned Furst, Reinhart said, "I have responsibility as superintendent to address concerns expressed by staff members."

Stephen Furst claims he was forced to leave his job and $116,569-a-year salary as director of assessment and accountability and seeks $4 million.

Testimony will resume Aug. 21.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
The lawyer for an ex-Easton Area School District administrator accused of having pornography on his district laptop suggested Wednesday that the photos were put there by someone else.

Carolyn Furst, the attorney and wife of ex-administrator Stephen Furst, wanted the school district superintendent to admit that nude photos were downloaded to Furst's computer when Furst downloaded a video from a student's phone of a bathroom fight.

"You were informed that two of the photos that were alleged to have come from his iPhoto library were downloaded with that video?" Carolyn Furst asked Superintendent John Reinhart in Northampton County Court.

"That's not what the forensics expert said," Reinhart said.

Computer expert Mike Nelson testified on April 5 that one photo of a woman's bare backside was found in Furst's iPhoto library. He said two naked photos were in his Dropbox account folder and a fourth was deleted but recovered on the hard drive.

Furst no longer works for the district. Reinhart said Furst agreed to resign but Furst claims he was forced out due to the inappropriate photos. Reinhart admitted he planned to fire Furst had he not resigned.

Carolyn Furst said Dropbox was "used throughout the district as a file sharing tool," but Reinhart refused to agree with her that a district employee could have put the inappropriate photos into her husband's folder.

Other inappropriate photos found on the computer have been attributed to another district employee. Photos of Denise Bennett's naked baby and other personal photos ended up on Furst's laptop. Stephen Furst testified a used hard drive from Bennett's computer was put into his computer.

Carolyn Furst said the district didn't do enough to investigate and potentially exonerate her husband when they thought they "had the goods" on him.

Her lawsuit says the district fired Stephen Furst in retaliation after he went to police with complaints about the former technology director Thomas Drago. Drago was forced to resign after he illegally recorded a private meeting with administrators.

District officials testified during the trial that Drago frequently snooped on Furst's computer and had a naked photo of a district employee on his own computer.

Stephen Furst claims he was forced to leave his job and $116,569-a-year salary as director of assessment and accountability and seeks $4 million.

Reinhart said Furst was cleared of any wrongdoing in connection to Bennett's photos. Other photos of women in bikinis were linked to advertisements on pages where Furst read education-related articles. But Furst was held responsible for the two inappropriate photos in his dropbox folder, one in his iPhoto library and a fourth one with his deleted files.

"I had evidence from our forensic person, Mr. Nelson, that those pictures came from Mr. Furst's own particular activity on that computer," Reinhart said.

Reinhart's testimony will continue later Wednesday.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
Fans of cheesy 90s pop music S Club and 5ive can 'reach up for the stars', because their dreams are about to come true, with both bands announced for Electric Picnic 2017.

Electric Ireland is headlining S Club and 5ive on their 'Throwback Stage' at Electric Picnic.

Organisers announced the news today by unashamedly throwing in lots of puntastic song titles.

"If Ya Gettin Down at Electric Picnic, 90s chart sensations 5ive and S Club Party will headline the Electric Ireland Throwback Stage, ensuring festival-goers will Bring It All Back to a simpler time when things were rapid, pure class and deadly."

Electric Ireland, the official energy partner of Electric Picnic, is bringing 90s nostalgia and slammin pop tunes back to Stradbally this September 1 to 3, with its ultimate Throwback Stage.

Electric Ireland will be giving away free tickets to Electric Picnic, with broadcasting legends Don Conroy and Dustin the Turkey to star on a Facebook Live game show - the Electric Ireland Throwback Show on August 23rd at 8pm.

The show will feature a number of 90s nostalgia related games with Electric Ireland inviting people to tune in to win tickets on its Facebook Page.

Electric Irelands Throwback Stage will also screen old school movies during the day including Clueless, Honey I Shrunk The Kids, Police Academy and Dumb and Dumber.

The Electric Ireland stage has previously brought 80's and 90's legends like Bonnie Tyler, 2 Unlimited, The Vengaboys and Bananarama to Stradbally.
One very cute local dog has barked off tough competition to become the 2017 Laois Nose of Tralee.

Little Trixie, from Portlaoise, is now representing Laois in the national competition to crown the best Nose of Tralee in the country and now she needs all of Laois to get behind her.

The competition is run by Pet Sitters Ireland and the winner will receive lots of doggy friendly prizes.

Trixie's owner, Linda Butler, said Trixie is one of a kind.

"Trix is our little superstar and she is one in a million. Trix came into our lives by chance only a few months ago and in that time we have fallen head over heels about her and love the ground her little paws walk on!

"She was such a nervous scared little thing when we met her and we are pretty convinced she wasn't shown much love in her puppy years! But every day with lots of patience and love and making her feel safe she is starting to burst with confidence.

"She loves any doggy she meets and is so friendly- she's still getting to grips with people but she is getting there!

"Trix should definitely be the Nose of Tralee and show Ireland that a little abandoned pup can do it and shine like a superstar," she said.

To vote for Trixie CLICK HERE.

Have a look at the tough competition here and remember to vote for Trixie!

Read more Laois,
July saw the highest number of Closure Orders served to food businesses in Ireland so far this year.

A total of 9 Closure Orders were served on food businesses in the country by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), during July for breaches of food safety legislation.

One of those orders was served in a takeaway in Laois.

Tasty Spice takeaway, Main Street, Abbeyleix was served with a Closure Order by the FSAI.

Commenting on the Enforcement Orders served in July, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI said that all food business operators must take their legal responsibility seriously to ensure they protect the health of consumers by strictly following food safety and hygiene laws.

It is very disappointing to find that July is the highest month so far this year for Closure Orders needing to be served on food businesses.

"The majority of food businesses in Ireland must be commended for adhering to the highest of food safety standards, but there continues to be a number of food businesses disregarding important food safety standards.

"Each Enforcement Order sends a clear message to food businesses that unsafe food safety practices or non-compliance with food legislation is not tolerated by the inspection officers.

"There is absolutely no excuse for negligent practices. Food businesses must recognise that they are legally bound to make sure that the food they serve is safe to eat. This requires ongoing compliance with food safety legislation and hygiene standards. There is absolutely no excuse for careless practices," said Dr Byrne.

The other eight food businesses issued with Closure Orders were:

Punjab Pantry (restaurant/cafe), 39 Richmond Street South, Dublin 2

Hartleys (restaurant/cafe) (Closed Area: basement dry goods store and basement cleaning store only), 1 Harbour Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

Zam Zam Kebab House (restaurant/cafe), 16 Mallin Street, Wexford

Moo's Burrito (restaurant/cafe), 62 Georges Street Upper, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

Costa Coffee (restaurant/cafe), Unit 1 Longford Retail Park, Longford

Tesco, Ballyfermot (supermarket) (Closed area: deli, bakery, and loose fruit and vegetable areas), Tesco Shopping Centre, Ballyfermot Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10

Weeping Thaiger (restaurant/cafe), New Town Centre, Naas, Kildare

Aroma Chinese, 72 St Laurences Park, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin

The Enforcement Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive.

Read more Laois news here.
A Naas restaurant was one of nine restaurants hit with closure orders by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in July.

The FSAI today revealed the list of orders for July and said they were served on food businesses for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998.

The Enforcement Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The Weeping Thaiger (restaurant/cafe), New Town Centre, Naas was one of the businesses who was targeted. The order was served on July 11, and lifted on July 28.

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI said that all food business operators must take their legal responsibility seriously to ensure they protect the health of consumers by strictly following food safety and hygiene laws.

It is very disappointing to find that July is the highest month so far this year for Closer Orders needing to be served on food businesses. The majority of food businesses in Ireland must be commended for adhering to the highest of food safety standards, but there continues to be a number of food businesses disregarding important food safety standards.

Each Enforcement Order sends a clear message to food businesses that unsafe food safety practices or non-compliance with food legislation is not tolerated by the inspection officers. There is absolutely no excuse for negligent practices.

She said that food businesses must recognise they are legally bound to make sure that the food they serve is safe to eat.

This requires ongoing compliance with food safety legislation and hygiene standards. There is absolutely no excuse for careless practices, she concluded.

Closure orders and improvement orders remain listed on the FSAI website for three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue.
A Workers Rights Welcome Centre, which is open to all workers who wish to drop in for information on workplace issues, was launched by SIPTU General President, Jack OConnor. The Centre was opened on July 28 in SIPTU Office, Hansons Retail Park, Cleveragh, Sligo.

Workers Rights Welcome Centre (WRWC) project manager, Rachael Ryan, said: Our staff are committed to providing up-to-date confidential and accurate information on workplace issues to workers who visit our centres

Centres already operate in Dublin, Tralee Navan and Cork where Advocates and Information Assistants already provide advice and representation to workers every day. In many incidences they have saved the jobs of workers or satisfactorily addressed their grievances.

She added, Workers in the Sligo/Leitrim/Roscommon area who are suffering unfair treatment at work and who want to talk to someone face to face in a confidential and empathetic setting, will be able to drop in to the Centre, which will be open from 10 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Workers can also ring the Centre on 071 - 9161841.

The WRWC network is complemented by the Worker Rights Centre website and dedicated helpline number of 1890 747 881. These services are provided by the trade union SIPTU, in solidarity to all workers (members and non-members) who need them.



SIPTU Sectoral Organiser, John McCarrick, said: Many workers are employed in precarious, intolerable and inequitable situations, while others simply want to improve their pay and conditions, this makes it critically important that they organise themselves and join a union.



Head of the WRWC, Tom ODriscoll, said: The forerunner to the WRC was established in 2010. The WRC is the single biggest user of the States employment rights bodies recovering close to 25 million in compensation for workers.
Costa Coffee restaurant/cafe, Unit 1, Longford Retail Park is one of nine food businesses that were served with Closure Orders during the month of July for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998.

The Enforcement Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive.

Under the FSAI Act, 1998, a Closure Order is served where it is deemed that there is, or there is likely to be, a grave and immediate danger to public health at or in the premises; or where an Improvement Order is not complied with. Closure Orders can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of the food premises, or all or some of its activities.

Commenting on the Enforcement Orders served in July, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI said that all food business operators must take their legal responsibility seriously to ensure they protect the health of consumers by strictly following food safety and hygiene laws.

"It is very disappointing to find that July is the highest month so far this year for Closer Orders needing to be served on food businesses. The majority of food businesses in Ireland must be commended for adhering to the highest of food safety standards, but there continues to be a number of food businesses disregarding important food safety standards.

"Each Enforcement Order sends a clear message to food businesses that unsafe food safety practices or non-compliance with food legislation is not tolerated by the inspection officers. There is absolutely no excuse for negligent practices.

"Food businesses must recognise that they are legally bound to make sure that the food they serve is safe to eat. This requires ongoing compliance with food safety legislation and hygiene standards. There is absolutely no excuse for careless practices," said Dr Byrne.

Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAIs website at www.fsai.ie

Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month.
VInce Cable set the ball rolling a month ago with a simple remark: Im beginning to think that Brexit may never happen. It brought into focus the reality that our deeply divided government is failing to progress the Brexit negotiations and doesnt even know what it wants to achieve as an outcome. (Nor, for that matter, does the Labour opposition).

Within a fortnight the talk was all of the need for a transitional arrangement. Even Brexiteers who once told us that Britains separation from the EU could be achieved within six months now appear happy to endorse Philip Hammonds suggestion that it will take till 2022.

It almost seems indelicate to point out that no-one has yet explained what might be the terms of this transitional arrangement. The government has not yet mentioned it to the EU negotiators, and indeed they cannot because the EU has made clear that it wont talk about any such matters until sufficient progress has been made in determining the future rights of EU and British citizens, the financial arrangements for the divorce, and the future of the Eire-Northern Ireland oirder.

Maybe even the more extreme Brexiteers have been cowed by the words of former Tory leader William Hague, a man not afraid in the past to play to Europhobic sentiments, who has warned that 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.

So what might be the terms of a transitional arrangement? Will we just carry on exactly as we are for the next few years, with the only change being that free movement of European citizens will allegedly come to an end in March 2019?

Of one thing we can be sure, the continuation of Brexit means that Britain will lose its seat at the EU table in March 2019. Our civil servants will be excluded from the working groups where Europes governments thrash out the details of EU legislation. Our MEPs will have made their final speeches. Our ministers will no longer be able to forge coalitions between like-minded partners and use their votes to steer Europe in their chosen direction.

Yet we will carry on implementing the vast majority of EU laws, updating our own legislation as and when the European Parliament and European Council make changes. This will be the case even if no agreement at all is reached; it will be the requirement for doing business with our largest trading partner by far.

So this will be a red, white and blue Brexit? This will be having our cake and eating it? This will be Britain regaining its national sovereignty?

Certainly I think there is a possibility that Brexit may never happen. But more likely is that the government will want an outcome that allows them to claim that they have complied with the alleged will of the people while ensuring that very little changes in reality.

With trading links secured, and British representatives no longer sitting in Brussels rooms where deals are negotiated, I cannot see that our EU partners will be under any pressure to facilitate a further separation. It would, in any case, be no more to Britains advantage in the future than it is now.

My fear is that a political Brexit will take place in March 2019. It will look like a duck, and it will walk like a duck, but the Brexiteers and their media friends will call it a big, bold lion. What else can they say other than admit that they will have been responsible for a fatal undermining of British influence? It wont be a lion that roars, it will be one that quacks.

* Chris Davies was Liberal Democrat MEP for the North West from 1999-2014.
Tim Gordon has stepped down as the Chief Executive of the Liberal Democrats.

In a statement today, he said:

It has been an honour to work for the Party for the past half decade. These have not been easy years but I am proud to have worked with both Nick Clegg and Tim Farron who so clearly and eloquently articulated the Liberal voice that Britain needs. We now have a great new leader and deputy in place and after the challenges of the past few years this feels like an appropriate moment for a change. There are other opportunities that I have delayed pursuing for long enough and I want to give my successor as much time as possible to prepare before what could be yet another snap General Election. I am extremely proud of what my team has delivered. After decades of decline we are now well in to our fifth consecutive year of membership growth and are on track for our fifth consecutive year of fundraising growth, beating Labours non-union donations in most sets of quarterly returns. Both have benefited from our investment in new systems and digital communications; online fundraising has increased over 40-fold. HQs diversity has improved: both the director team and salary levels are now gender-balanced. Critically, we are again winning electoral battles  even if there remains much to do. I am incredibly grateful and frequently humbled by all those across the Party who have worked so hard for the fightback that is now underway. The Party under Vince Cable is now well positioned to move forward. We have the right approach to Brexit for both party and country. And I intend to keep on helping the Party in the ways that I have always done: knocking on doors and delivering the odd leaflet.

Senior figures thanked him for his five years at the helm of the party:

Sal Brinton, our Party President said:

On behalf of the party I want to place on record a huge thank you to Tim for his all his amazing hard work over nearly five often gruelling years. He has run the party machine during extremely demanding times, with the Liberal Democrats in coalition government, then two general elections and the EU Referendum. After the setback of the 2015 general election, Tim immediately set out to make sure that the partys finances were secured, and provided the structures that have allowed the party to recover. In the last two years our membership has doubled, we have won many council by elections and the Richmond Park parliamentary by-election and in June this year increased our MPs. He leaves at a time when the Liberal Democrat fightback is well-underway and we wish him the very best.

Vince Cable added:

Tim has managed the party staff and finances very effectively during challenging times, and I want to thank him for ensuring that the party is now in such good order to move back into the centre of British political life.

My first encounter with Tim Gordon came just weeks after he took over. I had just become Scottish Party Treasurer and had to deal with the aftermath of An Almighty Row between the Federal and Scottish Parties. Neither of us cared much about the history of this Great Feud. We were both able to come to an amicable solution in about 10 seconds flat.

For me his finest hour came during the divisive and awful Scottish independence referendum. Tim did all he could to help us in a really open, helpful and constructive way. He even came up and went campaigning with us. He won a lot of respect and gratitude in the process.

I wish him well for whatever he goes off and does next.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
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The Liberal Democrats have a unique opportunity to occupy the centre ground in UK politics. At least, this is the assertive and ambitious pitch set out by new party leader Vince Cable MP.

On the face of it, this is a compelling argument, coming just as the Labour and Conservative parties seem to be in thrall to their fringes and flirting with a hard Brexit.

Moreover, it is now evident that many remainers voted Labour to deny the Conservatives a clear majority for a hard Brexit, and are likely to be less than enamoured by Corbyns fairly open support for the same goal.

At the same time, we have to be brutally honest. If this is such a great plan, how come we still seem so far away from a Macron-like rejuvenation of the centre? Even if the strategy is the right one, are the Libdems best placed to deliver it? (To be clear, a weak centre party is a blessing for the two main parties.)

For sure, FPTP is a structural issue that seems here to stay. And with the benefit of hindsight, the enablers of the austerity coalition government calling for a second referendum during the election campaign is likely to have been perceived as special pleading amongst some parts of the electorate and will have done little to change our image.

Facing up to this allows us to confront an important question. While many voted to leave the EU to bash the government of the day or exercise a purely nationalist vote, others did so because they believed the lies printed on the side of a bus; namely, that Brexit would help shore up public services. Even if the link with Brexit is spurious, do we not do agree with this underlying concern?

That is, while we would not want to share nativist fears that public services are overcrowded, it is fairly clear that the social contract in the UK is under heavy strain. The evidence is ample, from the visible gap in wealth between London and the rest of the country, sky-high house prices in the South, the lack of investment in public services across the board, (e.g. transport, health, schools, defence), an HMRC captured by business interests, the perception of a declining quality to our liberal democracy, to name but a few examples.

Putting a positive vision for the country centre stage, unashamedly embracing the fast-changing nature of globalisation but with strong public services and a redistributive element that allow us to flourish as a society, would underpin the case for remaining in the EU but also address head-on the legacy of the coalition. We cannot be credible on Brexit while at the same time that we perceive ourselves as the most progressive party in UK politics we are derided by significant parts of the electorate as Tories on bikes.

Finally, at this most important juncture in UK politics, only the Libdems are able to present a workable strategic vision for Britains future. The Tories are caught between a rock and a hard place, trying to preserve the spirit of 23 June 2016 while avoiding a cliff edge hard Brexit that they fear will obliterate them. Labour are trying to profit from ambiguity but, in a mirror image to some on the right, the current leadership ultimately seems to relish Brexit as an opportunity to radically remake the UK. It has never been clearer that the battle of Brexit is a struggle for control over the narrative on Britains future, and one in which Libdems have always believed we have the best weapons. Lets use them.

* Rory Domm is a member of the Twickenham and Richmond Libdems
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Domestic-violence charges brought against former 49ers cornerback Tramaine Brock this year were dropped Tuesday because of insufficient evidence, according to Santa Clara County prosecutors.

Brock, 28, had been charged with felony domestic violence in June after police alleged he assaulted his 31-year-old girlfriend following a dispute over what to watch on television, according to the Santa Clara County district attorneys office.

Prosecutors declined to move forward with the case because the victim did not want to cooperate, Sean Webby, a spokesman for the district attorneys office, said Wednesday.

The woman had visible injuries when officers arrived at Brocks home in Santa Clara, police said in a statement shortly after he was arrested April 6.

She also told police that Brock tried to strangle her multiple times in a single day while his friend was visiting, prosecutors said when the charges were filed.

Brock was cut from the 49ers the day after he was arrested.

It was not easy and felt like it was something that we needed to do, general manager John Lynch said at the time.

A source told The Chronicle that five teams, including the 49ers, had expressed interest in Brock since the charges had been dismissed. Head coach Kyle Shanahan later said the 49ers were not considering re-signing Brock.

At 5-foot-10, 197 pounds, Brock started all 16 games at cornerback last season and 40 for the 49ers in his seven-season career.

Chronicle staff writer

Eric Branch contributed

to this report.

Filipa Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi
Bill Hutchinson / The Chronicle

San Jose police have located the guardian of a toddler found wandering around all alone early Wednesday morning in a sprawling apartment complex in the South Bay city, officials said.

Police received reports of a boy, believed to be 1 to 2 years old, wandering alone near the 4300 block of The Woods Drive in the southern part of San Jose about 3:30 a.m., according to Officer Albert Morales, a spokesman for the San Jose Police Department.
A man wanted in connection with a fatal shooting in Belmont was found and arrested early Wednesday at the Union City BART station after a four-day investigation and search, officials said.

Jovhon Alexander Stewart, 27, was wanted in the shooting death of 24-year-old DeJohn Jones on the 500 block of Ralston Avenue in Belmont early Saturday, according to the Belmont Police Department.
After two years of absence in Houston, Texadelphia is coming back. A new location will open on Westheimer in the Galleria by late September.

The Texas-based chain, which fuses Philadelphia cheesesteaks with Tex-Mex flare and a side of chips and queso, has ten storefronts in Austin, Dallas, South Texas and Oklahoma, but the last of its two Houston locations closed in 2015 after an approximately 20-year run.
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The San Antonio breakfast taco market is getting some new competition: H-E-B.

And the grocer is getting weird with it.

Among the more traditional taco fare, customers who roll up to the True Texas BBQ drive-thru at the supermarket chains new store at Bulverde Road, which opens Friday, will find breakfast tacos with brisket, avocado, pickled red onions, rajas and cotija cheese.

People play with pizza, said Randy Evans, H-E-Bs executive chef and director of restaurants. Who wouldve thought pineapple and ham could go together? But someone did it and said, Hey, that works.

Evans added, Doing tacos in San Antonio, you cant just throw something together.

The Texas-Sized Signature Breakfast Tacos are among several changes the company is experimenting with at its 118,000-square-foot Bulverde store, which will anchor a retail center being developed by local firm Fulcrum Development south of Loop 1604 on the citys Northeast Side.

The competition is intense in the $669 billion U.S. grocery industry, and H-E-Bs latest moves are necessary to win over shoppers who increasingly value convenience and a more enjoyable in-store shopping experience, analysts say.

Food retailers and supermarket chains have worked to add services such as curbside pickup or at-home delivery to pry shoppers eyes away from Amazon as the Seattle-based e-commerce company moves from grocery delivery to operating physical grocery stores. Amazon reportedly eyed H-E-B as a potential takeover target before it entered a $13.7 billion bid to buy Austin-based organic grocery chain Whole Foods and its 465 stores in June.

Grocery store chains are also increasingly opening sit-down restaurants to get shoppers into physical stores, said Phil Lempert, a food industry analyst with SupermarketGuru.com

These retailers are searching for what their point of difference is, Lempert said. Theyre discovering that this is it.

The True Texas BBQ restaurant at the Bulverde store is the seventh in H-E-Bs brand of barbecue restaurants, but its the first of the companys in-store restaurants to offer drive-thru service, company spokeswoman Dya Campos said. The San Antonio company currently manages a dozen in-store restaurant brands.

Customers can order their brisket, pulled pork and coleslaw through a mobile True Texas BBQ mobile application and pick up their order, Campos said. But customers can also eat their meals at the stores sit-down restaurant or on the patio, perhaps while drinking a glass of one of the eight Texas craft beer brands the restaurant will have on tap, Campos said.

H-E-B is also rapidly expanding its curbside delivery service, which allows customers to place their grocery orders online and pick them up at a later time.

In April, the service was available at 22 of the companys stores. Now, customers can use the service at 45 stores  including the Bulverde store and a new 93,000-square-foot store opening in November at the intersection of Alamo Ranch Parkway and Alamo Parkway on the citys far West Side. The company is spending at least $3.7 million expanding the service to stores throughout the state, according to estimated construction costs provided to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

H-E-B plans to offer the service at 100 stores by the end of 2017, Campos said, calling it a result of high customer demand.

Its a very fast and convenient way to get a really large shop done, Campos said. You dont have to take the kids out of the car.

Shoppers dont have to physically visit H-E-B stores to complete their grocery run. H-E-B is expanding its partnership with the $99 subscription delivery service Shipt in San Antonio and Austin, as well as adding new delivery markets in Killeen, Temple and College Station  expanding the partnerships reach to 4.6 million Texas households.

But H-E-B customers in areas where those services are available havent stopped shopping in the companys physical stores, Campos said.

Loving the shopping experience and the food experience has not gone away, Campos said.

Both new San Antonio stores will feature Optical by H-E-B, the supermarket chains prescription eyewear offering. The brand was previously available at two stores in Hutto and Spring.

H-E-B will also expand its portfolio of nine convenience stores with a Bulverde location that will have its own food offerings, filling station and carwash. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation records show construction on the convenience store is slated to cost $3 million and end in October.
James Steidl / James Steidl / ST

Four people, including one man who went by the alias of Hitler,were charged in connection with an interstate marijuana ring that led to a murder in Oakland, federal prosecutors said in an indictment that was unsealed Thursday.

The charges stemmed from the death of Trince Thibodeaux on March 22, 2016, in Oakland at 90th Avenue and International Boulevard, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of California.
If we have learned anything from the Cooking Channel, it's that talent isn't defined by the ingredients you use but what you do with them. By that measure, director David F. Sandberg is an alchemist of the first order, taking the base - even leaden - components of horror and whipping them into a shivery chiffon of dread.

The Swedish filmmaker did it with his debut feature, "Lights Out," which milked a deceptively simple, yet sublimely spooky premise - the boogeyman only appears when the lights go out, and vanishes as soon they're back on - for all it was worth. And he has done it again - with even cheesier material - taking the cliche-filled pantry of the Devil-doll prequel "Annabelle: Creation" and turning out a dish that, while pulled together from the familiar components of the ghost story, is uncommonly, nerve-wrackingly satisfying.

The recipe Sandberg uses is one we've seen before, mixing bits and pieces from a screenplay by Gary Dauberman (who also wrote the much less effective "Annabelle," a 2014 spinoff from the universe of "The Conjuring"). The 1950s-set tale, which centers on orphans living in a remote, sprawling house, complete with balky electricity, a drafty dumbwaiter and an abundance of secret crawl spaces, also features: a locked room; a dead child; a well; a reclusive invalid who wears a "Phantom of the Opera"-style half-mask; and, for crying out loud, a nightmarish scarecrow.

Oh, yes: The house's proprietor is a retired dollmaker, whose magnum opus is the titular, demented-looking poppet - one you wouldn't expect to see on any sane person's bookshelf, let alone in the toy aisle.

Twelve years after losing their daughter, known as Bee (Samara Lee), in a car accident - shown in a startlingly abrupt prologue - Sam and Esther Mullins (Anthony LaPaglia and Miranda Otto) open their home to six orphaned girls and a nun (Stephanie Sigman). The youngest of the girls are sisters Linda (Lulu Wilson) and Janice (Talitha Bateman), the latter of whom walks with a leg brace and crutch as the result of polio. Sandberg makes good use of her limited mobility, as you might expect.

In short order, Janice begins to see spooky apparitions. And the aforementioned doll - which she discovers in a locked room lined with pages from the Bible - just won't stay put.

None of this is new, and in lesser hands it would easily become tedious. But Sandberg knows how to ratchet up suspense, composing shots filled with beautiful shadows, in whose corners there always seems to be lurking something scary: a ghostly little girl; a doll that looks like the spawn of Howdy Doody and Bette Davis in "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?"; and something far more sinister.

"The Conjuring" is a good movie. Its sequel, not so much. "Annabelle," which took a small part of those films' world - a prop, really - and expanded on it, was an uninspired first crack at injecting some life into the trope of the demon doll. It didn't work.

On paper, "Annabelle: Creation" shouldn't work either. But to be fair, what horror movie doesn't sound stupid when you talk about it? Horror works - or it doesn't - in the flickering, moving images of the screen, not the page.

Sandberg knows that. His artistry, for that's what it is, is like that of the dollmaker Sam Mullins: to take inert material and create a living, breathing thing.

---

Three stars. Rated R. Contains violence and terror. 109 minutes

Ratings Guide: Four stars masterpiece, three stars very good, two stars OK, one star poor, no stars waste of time.

End advance fri aug 11
A harsh, wintry beauty pervades "Wind River," screenwriter Taylor Sheridan's modestly assured directorial debut. In this sturdily effective thriller, Jeremy Renner plays Cory, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tracker whose job is to quickly dispatch the wolves and mountain lions that kill livestock on the Wind River Indian reservation in Wyoming. As an outdoorsman well versed in tracking, observing and knowing precisely which shot to take, Cory puts his skills to unexpected use when he finds the body of an 18-year-old native girl (Kelsey Asbille) dead and frozen on an isolated snowfield.

Because the circumstances are suspicious, the tribal police chief (played by a flawlessly deadpan Graham Greene) calls the FBI, which sends a rookie agent from Las Vegas named Jane (Elisabeth Olsen) to the scene. She quickly discovers she's out of her depth, not just regarding the case at hand, but in a community steeped in mistrust of the government, tough self-reliance, grinding poverty and cruelly foreshortened prospects.

Sheridan, who spent time living on an Indian reservation to research the screenplay, doesn't play up the exoticism and despair of reservation life, but he makes his point clear in an early shot of an upside-down American flag at the entrance to Wind River: Things aren't right here, and haven't been for a very long time.

Sheridan is best known for writing the excellent contemporary thrillers "Sicario" and last year's "Hell or High Water." Like those films, which were set amid the U.S.-Mexico border and post-recession desperation, "Wind River" engages present-day social issues through the lens of conventional suspense-driven genre.

"Wind River" is inspired by true events, as a card announces at the beginning; later, Sheridan informs the audience that missing person cases aren't tracked in Native communities. Perhaps because he organized his narrative to illuminate that statistic, "Wind River" occasionally shows its schematic gear works, especially during the final third, when a tense showdown, a gruesome flashback and a climactic act of revenge turn the movie from a subtle, character-driven procedural into visceral, borderline exploitative pulp.

By that time, it's clear that "Wind River" will conclude, not with twisty complexity, but with blunt, overstated simplicity. Although Sheridan has approached the setting with the sensitivity and respect of his deeply empathic protagonist, the film still bears a slight but inescapable whiff of cultural tourism. (In one scene, Cory gives literal meaning to the term "white savior.")

As Jane, Olsen does her best with an underwritten role that evokes Jodie Foster's Clarice Starling, but with none of that iconic character's contradictions and psychological layers. Still, "Wind River" is graced with fine performances from Greene, Gil Birmingham as a grieving father and especially Renner, who slips into Cory's reluctant heroism as if donning a favorite camo parka.

In addition to Ben Richardson's striking cinematography and a whispery musical score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, "Wind River" is worth watching if only to see Renner in the kind of starring role he so richly deserves and, with luck, will continue to find. As Cory, he brings to life the kind of super-competent, accidental crime-solver one could imagine anchoring a detective series that's less hard-boiled than steeped in aching, unresolved loss. Renner's tears never feel false, whether they spring from palpable grief or the stinging cold of the Wyoming backcountry.

---

Two and one-half stars. Rated R. At area theaters. Contains strong violence, a rape, disturbing images and obscenity. 107 minutes.

Ratings Guide: Four stars masterpiece, three stars very good, two stars OK, one star poor, no stars waste of time.

End advance fri aug 11
Well Go USA Entertainment

Personal identity is as complicated as the plot in "Once Upon a Time," a CGI-heavy Chinese fantasy-romance.

Heroine Bai Qian (Liu Yifei) is a goddess who can transform into a multi-tailed white fox. She's also the exact double of Susu, the lost love of Prince Ye Hua (Yang Yang), who looks just like - well, that's supposed to be a surprise.
Michael Connelly hit a milestone this year: his 30th published novel in the past 25 years. I have trouble believing it myself, the best-selling author said in a recent interview.

While most of Connellys crime universe has revolved around a jazz-loving LAPD homicide detective named Hieronymus  Harry  Bosch, The Late Show (Little, Brown, $28) introduces us to a fiery new detective, a woman named Renee Ballard. The LAPD detective works the night shift at Hollywood Station  called the late show. She is based on a real LAPD detective whom Connelly met as a consultant to his TV series Bosch and calls determined and fierce. Her job really puts her in the front line of human depravity, the downside of humankind, Connelly said. Youre on the midnight shift in Hollywood, you see more than most cops. Read the full interview here.

Heres a look at some other recent books on our night table:

Its hard not to weep reading The Unwomanly Face of War (Random House, $30), Nobel Prize winner Svetlana Alexievichs alternately harrowing and inspiring oral history of the 1 million women who fought in the Soviet army during a war that would claim close to 30 million Soviet lives. For more than three decades, Alexievich has been the memory and conscience of the 20th century. When the Swedish Academy awarded her the Nobel Prize, it cited her invention of a new kind of literary genre, describing her work as a history of emotions ... a history of the soul. Her landmark work has just been published in a complete English translation. Alexievich traveled thousands of miles and visited more than a hundred towns to record these womens stories. Together, this symphony of voices reveals a different aspect of the war the everyday details of life in combat left out of the official histories. Read the full review here.

Lawrence Osbornes riveting third novel, The Forgiven, explored the dire consequences of louche Europeans partying in conservative Morocco. His new novel, Beautiful Animals (Hogarth, $25), transports us to the Greek island of Hydra, where two young women strike up a somewhat hierarchical friendship while vacationing with their families for the summer. When the footloose pair discovers a Syrian refugee, Faoud, washed up on a deserted beach, Naomi is determined to make the young man their summer project. But the altruism of her intention to help him reach mainland Europe rings hollow. She is a mischief-maker and idly attracted to Faoud, who is instinctively leery of non-Greeks bearing gifts. Read the full review here.

In 1934, when he was 25, Chester Himes published a story in a new magazine called Esquire, joining fellow contributors Ernest Hemingway and Ezra Pound. At 35, Himes sold his debut novel to a major publisher, and by his 45th birthday, he had authored four ambitious books. Himes, who died in 1984, wrote robust social novels and brisk genre yarns with starring roles for black policemen Grave Digger Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson. As middle age dawned, Himes was an established artistic success  and deeply, perennially poor. In those years, Lawrence P. Jackson notes in the new book Chester B. Himes: A Biography (Norton, $35), Himes often felt famous but destitute, a paradox no one could believe. As Himes recalled years later, The only jobs in New York available to a black writer without recommendations or connections were the menial jobs available to all transients and bums. Which is what I was, I suppose. Jacksons Chester B. Himes is an insightful study of an exceptional storyteller. Read the full review here.

Samantha Irbys second book of essays, We Are Never Meeting in Real Life (Vintage, $15.95), touches on aspects of human experience ranging from childhood to the mid-30s, notably experiences common to women  and in Irbys case, a black lesbian woman. The topics in this collection range from the comedic to the serious, with the comedic bringing levity to the tragic, as is Irbys trademark style. Each essay is both profound and relayed in the conversational, down-to-earth tone of a seasoned blogger. Irbys blog, Bitches Gotta Eat no doubt shaped her unique voice. She makes fun of hipsters, white people and customers at the veterinary clinic where she works, but she also makes fun of herself. Read the full review here.

SBennett@express-news.net
Saxophonist Woody Witt flew back to Texas Monday after a week of gigs in New York. Pianist Carl Vinthe, bassist Johny Amann and drummer Andy Mogrensen arrived Tuesday from Copenhagen, Denmark.

Having only met in person for the first time just this week, this four-piece will perform two nights at Cezanne this weekend.

Such international musical blind dates aren't uncommon, as the costs of touring jazz across the Atlantic can be prohibitive. Also, the internet affords musicians opportunities to familiarize themselves with the work of other artists they've never met, which is how Witt came across Vinthe's trio.

As a composer, instrumentalist and educator Witt has been an anchor in Houston's jazz scene for years. But the nature of his work often has him looking outside the city - for new music and artistic accomplices. He found Vinthe's group through YouTube and sent an email to Vinthe expressing his admiration.

More Information Woody Witt with the Carl Vinthe Trio When: 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday Where: Cezanne, 4100 Montrose Tickets: $20; 832-592-7464, cezannejazz.com See More Collapse

"That started this back-and-forth exchange," Witt says. "So he was coming to the States to do other things, including a recording session. We worked out a way to extend their run here."

Witt arranged a mini Texas tour that also includes stops in Fort Worth and Austin. The shows will be the first the esteemed band has ever played in Texas. Vinthe - the son of well-known trumpeter Jens Vinthe - is a particularly well-regarded player in Denmark and a regular collaborator with Boston-based saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi.

Witt describes the uncertainties around the collaboration as a positive.

"There's an added level of excitement, not knowing what to expect," he says. "We're going to do some original material of Carl's, which he sent to me in advance. It's interesting music. If I had to characterize it, I'd tell you to imagine early- and mid-'60s John Coltrane Quartet, with that high energy and intensity in the music."

Witt and the trio also plan to have a recording session on Monday before the group returns to Copenhagen.

Inviting Vinthe's band here also opens up opportunities for Witt overseas. He spent a week playing shows earlier this year in Romania, thanks to a connection he made with a German pianist.

"Copenhagen, in particular, is quite supportive of jazz and the arts," Witt says. "They look to have a great scene there, from what I can tell from the festivals and clubs and all that. I'm trying to build a network of people I can play with overseas. It's just more cost-effective to travel alone and pick up the gigs there.

"Plus, each time I play with a different group, I get to play with a different repertoire. I get to hear others who are composing, and I get to hear my music played by different groups, which is inspiring, too. Jazz can be so conversational in the way it works. Bringing different voices to the conversation can be inspiring."
Jena Willingham, a mom from Alabama, has gone viral after sharing a post to Facebook that perfectly captures the first-day-of school for both students and parents.

The image shows Willingham floating comfortably in the pool with a drink in hand while her three kids stand behind her  packed and ready for school  looking less than enthused for their first day.
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A 26-year-old Laredo man pleaded guilty Tuesday in a local federal court to receiving child pornography.

A grand jury indicted Jaime Gerardo Gonzalez in November on charges of possession, receipt and distribution of child pornography.

An investigation led authorities to discover Gonzalez, 43, was making child pornography videos available for sharing over the internet, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a press release.

The Webb County Sheriff's Office reported Gonzalez as one of 13 suspected child predators arrested in 2016 as part of its undercover initative, Operation Child Guardian.

Those arrested included a former senior U.S. Border Patrol agent, who pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity.

READ MORE: Social media posts mourn man killed in Laredo's sixth homicide of the year

Salvador Contreras, 50, called himself "a sex addict" and said he was just "looking for his next high," during his sentencing last week, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. He was ordered to serve 11 years in federal prison.

Of those 13 arrested, four cases were dismissed in federal court. Gonzalez is the last of the remaining nine to be sentenced for various child pornography and enticement charges.

Jon Matthew Woodland, 41, of Plano Texas, received the longest sentence, 15 years in prison, after traveling approximately 450 miles to Laredo to engage in a sexual act with a minor.

The remaining defendants, Alton Brister, Christopher Cobb, Christopher Earl Dunn, Daniel Melton, Anastasio Monsivais and Cristian Joseph Perez, received ten-year sentences for their crimes.

Gonzalez's case

Gonzalez's case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Bukiewicz as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

"Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

An investigation into Gonzalez began in September, when Homeland Security Investigations received information that an individual residing in the 500 block of Montgomery Street was in possession of child pornography.

On Nov. 3, HSI special agents, Webb County Sheriff's Office deputies, the Laredo Police Department and the United ISD Police Department executed a search warrant at the residence, where they encountered Gonzalez.

Law enforcement seized a computer hard drive at the residence which resulted in the discovery of approximately 308 videos of minors engaging in sexual activities, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

RELATED: Mugshots from Operation Child Guardian

During a post-Miranda interview with authorities, Gonzalez said he downloaded and viewed child pornography on his computer for a few months in early 2016, according to court records.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Gonzalez further admitted "he had watched adult pornography regularly but had become bored with it."

Gonzalez is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 6 before U.S District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo.

He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000.

Marmolejo allowed Gonzalez to remain on bond pending his sentencing, records state.

The U.S. Attorney's Office recommends visiting www.usdoj.gov/psc for more information about Project Safe Childhood. Information regarding internet safety education is available by clicking on the "resources" tab at www.usdoj.gov/psc.
As the investigation continues into the shooting death of Jose Capetillo, friends and loved ones mourned the loss of Capetillo and expressed their feelings on social media.

"R.I.P Joe Rob. I can't believe it. May u R.I.P. I'm gonna miss you u tons 'till we meet again," Facebook user Crystal Borjas posted on Capetillo's account.
Magnolia Pictures

Although Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis rarely stray beyond the borders of Ferguson, Mo., in Whose Streets?, their front-lines documentary about a torn community pushing for change in the wake of the 2014 shooting death of black teenager Michael Brown, viewers thoughts probably will be roaming far and wide, and across time.

Like to Michigan in 1967, where Kathryn Bigelows current Detroit portrays race riots during the civil rights decade. Or to Washington and presidents 44 and 45, and the societies they reflect. Or Nevada and O.J. Simpsons impending parole. Even San Francisco and such relatively mundane matters as Colin Kaepernicks employability. In short, Whose Streets? does not shy away from our wide racial divide and is a loud plea for an America that embraces all its citizens, even if it seems we are further from that goal than ever before.
Texas Children's Hospital

In honor of Qatar Airways' eight-year anniversary of nonstop, daily service between George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, the airline donated hundreds of new children's amenity kits to the Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.

Qatar Airways' children's amenity kits, updated earlier this year in partnership with Hasbro Inc., feature a range of plush toys, children's activity kits and in-flight lunch boxes to entertain the airline's youngest travelers on its long-haul flights. To thank the Houston community for embracing Qatar Airways, the airline shared these new kits with the children's hospital. Plush infant toys Elefun and Mr. Potato Head, as well as classic favorites, such as Clue Junior, Guess Who and Monopoly Here are among the toys available in the children's amenity kits.
Center for Excellence in Education

The United States is again home to the world's top high school biology team, winning top honors for the fourth time in seven years, thanks to Thomas Xiong of Seven Lakes High School in Katy.

Xiong and fellow Team USA students from Texas, California and Massachusetts, all earned gold medals at the 28th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) held at The University of Warwick in Coventry, United Kingdom. The students represented the United States at IBO after winning the USA Biology Olympiad (USABO) National Finals, sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE). This is Xiong's second consecutive gold medal at IBO as a member of Team USA.
Last night, New York Times culture writer Sopan Deb went to the August Wilson Theatre and witnessed Bill Murray watching the Groundhog Day musical for the first time. The excitement in his tweets and the pure Bill Murray-ness of it all (including a post-show speech to the cast about the Panama Canal) has us feeling inspired, energized and, what's this other weird feeling? Oh right, happy!

Related: Here's What It's Like to Be in Business With Bill Murray

Check out the tweets, and go here to read the full New York Times story if you feel like being in a really good mood for the rest of the day.

I am here at the August Wilson Theatre, where Bill Murray is about to watch the Groundhog Day musical for the first time. Dead serious.  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 8, 2017

Picture here with Danny Rubin and Brian Doyle-Murray. Also in the cast. pic.twitter.com/clThU3piQR  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 8, 2017

Murray has gone mostly unnoticed inside. Just stepped on our photog's shoes. (Not in a jerky way. But because he could.)  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 8, 2017

Murray just got a brief round of applause.  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 8, 2017

It's intermission. Murray let out a fist pump during the show when Phil Connors meets Ned Ryerson for the first time.  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 9, 2017

Now taking selfies and sipping a beer in the lobby. Murray just gave two children junior mints.  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 9, 2017

The bows are happening. Murray is sobbing from what I can tell. I'm sitting right behind him.  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 9, 2017

Bill now being mobbed by fans in the theater. He just advised an 11 year old girl on crutches: "Do the rehab."  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 9, 2017

Bill Murray being VERY gracious with his time. Staying well after to take pictures with everyone.  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 9, 2017

This was Bill Murray's speech to the Groundhog's Day cast. Stay tuned for the part about the Panama Canal. pic.twitter.com/YK0nhkxiAa  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 9, 2017

I wish it really was Groundhogs Day so I can do this again tomorrow night.  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 9, 2017

I'm going to sleep now. Thanks for following along. Too early for flapjacks?  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 9, 2017

!!! This is Zoey, who Bill Murray advised to "Do the rehab." Said otherwise she'd "limp and gimp." https://t.co/V0dFcfIMLa  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 9, 2017

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The three boys made the trip together, nearly 2,000 miles from the grassy plains of Wyoming to a small town in central Pennsylvania. It was March 11, 1881.

Like the 10,000 other children who would eventually walk into the reconverted Army barracks as newcomers, the three were given haircuts. They were put into military uniforms. Pushed into marching regiments. Forbidden from speaking the language they had known all their lives.

Even their names were taken away.

Little Chief, 14, became Dickens Nor.

Horse, 11, was now Horace Washington.

Little Plume, 9, was re-christened Hayes Vanderbilt Friday.

And within two years of arriving at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, the three members of the Northern Arapaho tribe were dead. They were placed in a small cemetery that would come to hold nearly 200 other children from the school during its tenure between 1879 and 1918.

But now the three boys are also making the return trip together.

On Monday, the U.S. Army personnel began digging up the graves of the three Northern Arapaho children, according to Philly.com. Fifteen members of the tribe - including direct relatives of the deceased - were on hand to witness the process, which is expected to continue into the week.

The return of the remains is a fitting epilogue to one of the uglier chapters in the history of U.S. government's interaction with native tribes, a period when schools like Carlisle were used as tools to detach Native American youths from their traditions and cultures.

"It's a long time coming," Crawford White Sr., an Northern Arapaho elder, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "It's something that had to be done for our tribe, and the healing begins."

The school at Carlisle was the first of its kind, and was also the idea of a former U.S. cavalry officer, Capt. Richard Henry Pratt. From his interactions with tribes in the west, Pratt became convinced Native Americans needed to shed their customs and embrace the worldview and behaviors of whites.

"A great general has said that the only good Indian is a dead one, and that high sanction of his destruction has been an enormous factor in promoting Indian massacres," Pratt said in a 1892 speech. "In a sense, I agree with the sentiment, but only in this: that all the Indian there is in the race should be dead. Kill the Indian in him, and save the man."

That last line essentially became the Carlisle school's motto. Accounts online describe the institution as a form of military school, with a strict set of rules enforced by corporal punishment. Students were also forced to attend mandatory academic classes - arithmetic, reading and writing - while also learning trade skills such as carpentry and blacksmithing.

Eventually, the federal government set up around 150 schools based on the Carlisle model. These campuses, however, were particularly vulnerable to diseases like tuberculosis and flu. Philly.com reported 100 students died at Carlisle in the school's first decade of operation.

After the school closed in 1918, the Northern Arapaho did not forget about the three boys back east. In 2016, members of the tribe formally petitioned the U.S. Army (the Army War College now stands on the same campus) for the remains.

The government agreed, and also agreed to pay the estimated $500,000 cost to exhume and ship the bodies back to the Wind River Reservation in Fremont County, Wyoming.

"The Army is grateful to have the opportunity to help the Northern Arapaho families find closure by reuniting them with their relatives who were buried at Carlisle Barracks Cemetery more than 100 years ago," Karen Durham-Aguilera, Executive Director of Army National Military Cemeteries, told PennLive.com

According to Philly.com, the Rosebud Sioux of South Dakota have also formally requested the return of the remains of their ancestors buried at the school.
Australia will hold a voluntary postal vote on whether to legalize same-sex marriage that may lead to the issue being resolved by the end of the year, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said.

Should a majority of voters indicate support for gay marriage, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's government expects it to be legislated "quite quickly" after polling closes on Nov. 15, Cormann told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. The move comes after the government's bid to legislate to hold a mandatory public vote, known as a plebiscite, was defeated in the Senate for a second time.

While opinion polls show a majority of Australians support marriage equality, previous efforts to legalize such unions have failed in parliament, and the issue has split the right-leaning Liberal Party. With his government consistently behind the Labor opposition in recent polls, a failure to unite the party could put Turnbull's leadership under further pressure.

Gay activists have criticized the postal vote, saying it won't be legally binding because lawmakers will ultimately make the final decision through legislation. They say it will lead to bigotry from anti-same-sex marriage campaigners and have vowed to try to block it in the courts.

Australia has become increasingly isolated among Western nations on the issue, with Germany, the U.S. and Ireland recently joining countries including the U.K. and New Zealand in legalizing same-sex unions.

After winning the leadership of the ruling Liberal party two years ago, Turnbull stuck with the policy of predecessor Tony Abbott that Australia should hold a mandatory plebiscite, a move requiring legislative approval. With that blocked, the government -- under pressure from some of its lawmakers who have urged a free vote in parliament to resolve the impasse -- is now pushing ahead with the voluntary postal ballot.

"If you don't like same-sex marriage, vote no," Abbott, who remains a conservative voice on Turnbull's backbench, said Wednesday. "If you're worried about religious freedom and freedom of speech vote no; and if you don't like political correctness vote no, because voting no will help to stop political correctness in its tracks."

Turnbull, 62, has said he will vote to support gay marriage in the postal ballot, but won't be campaigning for it, as Australians were more concerned with other issues such as economic growth and national security.

In the past, Turnbull had been a champion of marriage equality, along with other issues including cutting Australia's ties with the British monarchy and tackling climate change. As leader he's been unable to pursue the socially-progressive agenda many voters expected of him, leading to claims he is beholden to conservatives within his own party.

Marriage equality is also a growing concern for Australia's business community. Earlier this year, a group of more than 30 business leaders, including the chief executive officers of Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Telstra Corp., petitioned Turnbull to introduce legislation on same-sex marriage. Qantas Airways CEO Alan Joyce was hit in the face with a pie during a speech in Perth in May by a man protesting against his support of gay unions.

Australia had about 46,800 same-sex couples in 2016, a 39 percent increase since 2011, government figures show. Australia's largest city of Sydney, which has hosted the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras since 1978, is regarded as the San Francisco of the South Pacific.

Labor leads the ruling coalition by 53 percent to 47 percent on a two-party preferred basis, according to a Newspoll survey published Aug. 7 in The Australian newspaper. While that's the same margin as the previous poll, support for Turnbull as preferred prime minister rose to its strongest position this year at 46 percent to Shorten's 31 percent.
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Texas megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress, one of President Donald Trump's evangelical advisers who preached the morning of his inauguration, has released a statement saying the president has the moral authority to "take out" North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"When it comes to how we should deal with evil doers, the Bible, in the book of Romans, is very clear: God has endowed rulers full power to use whatever means necessary - including war - to stop evil," Jeffress said. "In the case of North Korea, God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong Un."

Jeffress said in a phone interview that he was prompted to make the statement after Trump said that if North Korea's threats to the United States continue, Pyongyang will be "met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

The biblical passage Romans 13 gives the government authority to deal with evildoers, Jeffress said. "That gives the government to the authority to do whatever, whether it's assassination, capital punishment or evil punishment to quell the actions of evildoers like Kim Jong Un," he said.

More for you Trump's evangelical advisers want a meeting with Pope Francis...

He said that many pacifist Christians will cite Romans 12, which says, "Do not repay evil for evil," but Jeffress says that the passage is referring to Christians, not to the government.

"A Christian writer asked me, 'Don't you want the president to embody the Sermon on the Mount?' " he said, referring to Jesus' famous sermon. "I said absolutely not."

In his sermon on the morning of Trump's inauguration in January, Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, compared Trump to the story of the biblical leader Nehemiah who helped rebuild the city of Jerusalem.

The first step of rebuilding the nation, Jeffress said, was the building of a wall around Jerusalem to protect its citizens. "You see, God is not against building walls," Jeffress said in his sermon at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington.

Jeffress is no stranger to controversy. He has said in the past that former President Barack Obama paved the way for the antichrist and drew wide attention for calling Mormonism a cult during the 2012 Republican primaries. Jeffress knows his comments on North Korea could be considered controversial, even among fellow evangelicals. His megachurch in Dallas is a prominent Southern Baptist church, one where famed evangelist Billy Graham had membership for many years. In 2016, the church reported an average weekly attendance of about 3,700.

"Some Christians, perhaps younger Christians, have to think this through," Jeffress said. "It's antithetical to some of the mushy rhetoric you hear from some circles today. Frankly, it's because they are not well taught in the Scriptures."

Over the past two years, Jeffress said, Trump has been "very measured, very thoughtful in every response."

"People instinctively know that this president is not going to draw an imaginary red line and walk around it like President Obama did," he said.

Attitudes about North Korea among evangelicals are unclear, he said.

"I think many evangelicals, like most Americans, really don't pay attention to global affairs," Jeffress said. "I believe we're all going to be forced to soon if North Korea isn't dealt with decisively."

Jeffress is unusual for an evangelical pastor because most pastors do not speak about specific foreign policy issues from the pulpit, except sometimes about Israel, said Amy Black, a political science professor at Wheaton College, an evangelical institution in Illinois.

Theologians and church leaders have debated the interpretation of Romans 13 for millennia, Black said. Most mainstream interpretations of the passage, she said, would suggest that God works through governmental leaders, but ultimate authority comes from God. Debate broke out among Christians in Germany during World War II over how to interpret this passage; some Christians believed they should follow the government while others set up a resistance movement.

"If anything, Romans 13 creates a conundrum, because it could be interpreted that Kim Jung Un has authority to govern," she said.

Jeffress last met with Trump in July when a group of pastors laid hands on the president in the Oval Office. He said now that health care is off the table, evangelicals are hoping for tax reform, though he didn't have any specifics in mind.

The access Jeffress has to the White House, Black said, may explain why many evangelicals have been so attracted to Trump.

"Some of the approval of Trump is less about the specific person and even specific policy, but it's about someone who is listening to us," she said. "Jeffress is a piece of that story of having access."

Black says that Jeffress represents an "old guard" of evangelicals, closely aligned to leaders like popular radio personality and psychologist James Dobson and Pat Robertson, who founded the Christian Broadcasting Network. Many evangelicals now look to leadership from pastors like Rick Warren in California or Tim Keller in New York City, though Warren and Keller do not speak about politics very often.

"We're in a weird vacuum, we're past the Jim Dobson and Pat Robertson era, but it's not 100 percent clear who will fill their place," Black said.

Jeffress, who was an early supporter of Trump, has said that after sharing Wendy's cheeseburgers in Iowa, he believed Trump would be the next president and that it would be because God placed him there. In July, his church choir and orchestra performed a song called "Make America Great Again" at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts where Trump was in attendance.
The people of California's 1st District made their congressman see red Monday morning.

Like other Republican congressmen before him, Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., held a town hall on the ongoing health care debate and the Trump and GOP-led effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

And like some of his colleagues, LaMalfa was met with boos, catcalls and verbal barbs shouted from the 400 person-strong audience, this time at the Chico Elks Lodge in Northeast California, recorded on video and audio by North State Public Radio.

It was the most recent of a declining number of health care-focused town hall meetings charged by emotional pleas and debates between constituents and their representatives, which has sparked anxiety among GOP lawmakers heading home to face tough questions.

The audience was armed with blunt questions, harsh comments and red placards they used to signal their disapproval over audience queries or LaMalfa's responses. Green cards were used to show approval.

LaMalfa saw his fair share of red over his responses. He did not help himself, with occasional veers into sarcasm over concerns ranging from health care to climate change.

Out of a sea of moments threatening to boil over, one stood out as particularly tense.

"I think that your vote to throw 22 million people off of health is reprehensible and in the service of the rich," a resident told LaMalfa on his efforts to defund Planned Parenthood.

"I hope you suffer the same painful fate as those millions that you have voted to remove health care from. May you die in pain," he added.

The comments drew a stream of groans from the audience in a rare moment of sympathy for LaMalfa.

"We pray for our constituents too, sir," LaMalfa, who took office in 2013, quickly countered.

Once dotted on Republican lawmakers schedules early in the Trump administration, town halls in VFW halls, rotary clubs and school gyms have become flash points of partisan politics, where local activists marshaled opposition against conservative leaders in the months leading up to last month's vote, when the Senate rejected a partial repeal of Obamacare.

Town halls have become a damned if you do, damned if you don't for GOP lawmakers hoping to sell their message to voters, some in reliably red districts whose constituents have used new health care laws to their advantage, like receiving medical treatment for preexisting conditions.

Some lawmakers have refused to hold the meetings. Others have prescreened participants in the hopes of purging activists who do not live in the districts. That decision has drawn fire.

"Even when you had the conservative outrage over Obamacare, I don't recall anyone trying to preselect attendance. The unwillingness to take criticism or any heat from a legislative decision is really unusual," Norm Ornstein, a congressional ethics expert, told The Washington Post in May.

Videos and tweets from events have gone viral, prompting Congress to slow the pace of town halls in recent months. Over the July 4 recess, only three GOP senators announced decisions to hold town halls. Republican Sens. Ted Cruz, Texas, Jerry Moran, Kan., and Bill Cassidy, La., all voiced concern over the bill. Only Cassidy broke ranks to vote against the full repeal-and-replace measure.

LaMalfa's district is comfortably red. He cruised to his last victory by 15 percentage points and Trump soundly defeated Hillary Clinton in the presidential election there. And for his part, he has held town halls recently, with one each in March and April, according to the Los Angeles Times. LaMalfa spokesman Parker Williams told The Post he plans to hold more town halls "in the coming weeks and months."

"I think things went about as well as could be expected, given the high emotions in our country at present," Williams said, calling the town hall a "largely cordial and productive conversation."

Monday's meeting might be a test case in how to manage the crowd. As the crowd appeared to get agitated during LaMalfa's meandering explanation of Medicaid costs, he stopped to address the civility of the participants.

"I've got the mic folks, OK? If we want to have a positive interaction, if you want to do any more of these, then we need to have-," and was promptly cut off by boos, hisses and laughter among audience members who appeared to take LaMalfa's tone as a condescending lecture. Scores of red cards waved back and forth.

The district's voters have also watched LaMalfa's voting record to roll back environmental regulations.

A local Chico woman who identified herself as Barbara Richman told LaMalfa that 50 years ago she could see uninterrupted views of Mount Shasta, a towering nearby volcano buttressed by glaciers. Those views are now filled with haze, she said.

"Unlike what you have said, mankind is playing some role in this," she said. LaMalfa took aim at regulations in response.

"Indeed, mankind is preventing forest management that keeps our forests from burning."

He barely finished the sentence. Boos erupted, and red cards shot up.
The White House is still struggling to come up with an Afghanistan strategy. A long-expected review of the current American commitment to the war-blighted nation has stalled, with President Trump reportedly dissatisfied with the bulk of the solutions offered by his key lieutenants. In that vacuum, Erik Prince - the founder of private security firm Blackwater and brother of Trump's education secretary, Betsy DeVos - has set about pushing his own plan: Send in the mercenaries.

According to a number of reports, as well as Prince's own television appearances this week, the proposal involves close to 5,000 private military contractors replacing the U.S. troops currently deployed in support of Afghanistan's national security forces. Instead of the short-term deployments of U.S. troops, the mercenaries, drawn from a range of Western nations, would be embedded with some 91 Afghan battalions for "the long haul," reported the Financial Times. Prince also proposed building a private air force with close to 100 aircraft, including fixed-wing jets, attack helicopters and drones, to help compensate for the woes of the fledgling Afghan air force.

Prince argues his plan is a cost-effective alternative to the current U.S. role in Afghanistan, and the privatization scheme has reportedly piqued the interest of White House advisers Stephen K. Bannon and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law. Prince may also have found an eager listener in Trump, who is not happy about the prospect of sending more troops to fight an "unwinnable" war against the Taliban. Why not outsource the job and sweep aside the meddling of Washington wonks, bureaucrats and those ornery rules of engagement that restrict the actions of American troops?

The neocolonial echoes of Prince's venture are unmistakable, and he doesn't shy away from them. In a column published earlier this year in the Wall Street Journal, Prince peddled his vision of mercenary companies on the front lines with an American "viceroy" in Kabul calling the shots. He gestured to the history of Britain's East India Co. in South Asia as a useful precedent, much to the bewilderment of others aware of the company's history of looting, slaughter and exploitation.

Prince renewed his attempts at historical analogy on Tuesday, casting the company as a cost-effective, low-footprint model: "When the East India Company operated for 200-plus years, they deployed with that model," he told MSNBC. "One mentor to 20 local troops."

Prince's insistence on the comparisons reveals not only historical illiteracy but a simply amoral view of the world.

"In many ways, the EIC was a model of corporate efficiency: 100 years into its history, it had only 35 permanent employees in its head office," noted Delhi-based historian and author William Dalrymple. "Nevertheless, that skeleton staff executed a corporate coup unparalleled in history: the military conquest, subjugation and plunder of vast tracts of southern Asia. It almost certainly remains the supreme act of corporate violence in world history."

Prince's mercenary force would probably be skilled at such violence, but certainly not at helping Afghanistan bolster its government or foster political reconciliation with the Taliban. Afghan leaders would be unlikely to welcome private contractors into their armies so readily, especially given the history of Prince's old company in Iraq, where its operatives gunned down 14 civilians at a Baghdad traffic circle in 2017.

"Everything we know about successful counterinsurgency tells us that it requires close integration between political goals and forces. It is the tethering of force to common and shared concerns that begin to build its legitimacy and thus the political buy-in on which stable governance is built," wrote Deborah Avant of the University of Denver. "But with [private military companies] you often trade integration away. This has been particularly true with U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Avant, who points to Prince's longstanding desire to privatize both NATO and U.N. peacekeeping forces, said his plan "is not just unlikely to improve the United States' ability to conduct counterinsurgency in Afghanistan, it reflects entirely different of U.S. goals. Instead of an - albeit flawed - policy aimed at building a legitimate government willing to be part of the international community, this plan aims only to secure resources." Such as, perhaps, Afghanistan's lucrative mineral deposits.

An East India Co. 2.0 might not even deliver on its low-budget promises: Analysts suggest that there's little way to trim costs when it comes to the logistics of deploying forces abroad, be they private contractors or U.S. troops.

"As an ex-military contractor, I cannot think of a worse solution for Afghanistan," wrote former contractor Sean McFate in the Atlantic.

Of course, few people outside of Prince's orbit seem enthusiastic for a mercenary war. National security adviser H.R. McMaster and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis have advocated boosting U.S. troop numbers with a "mini-surge" of some 4,000 soldiers, while also further unleashing the military in its campaign against an Islamic State affiliate in the country. Afghanistan's leaders certainly aren't having it.

"President Ghani has told me he won't accept it," said Ronald Neumann, a former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, to The Military Times. "Afghans will never accept this."

But after 16 fruitless and costly years of war - with the Taliban still commanding large chunks of territory, the government in Kabul hobbled by corruption and infighting, and the numbers of civilian war-related deaths steadily climbing - the Trump administration seems desperate to find new ideas to latch onto.

"To just say we're going to keep doing what we've been doing, the president is not willing to accept that," said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Monday during an Asian regional summit in Manila. Tillerson added that Trump is "asking some tough questions" about the American role in Afghanistan. He probably won't like any of the answers.
Advocates for California motorists who face mounting fees for traffic tickets have reached a legal settlement under which those who cant pay their fines will be offered alternatives.

The settlement with Solano County Superior Court, which advocacy groups described as a model for other counties, requires the court to notify drivers of affordable alternatives to traffic fines. Depending on their income, drivers could ask to pay the fine in installments, seek a lower fine or perform community service.

The agreement follows the enactment of a state law, effective July 1, that prohibited California courts from suspending drivers licenses because the motorist couldnt afford to pay a ticket. Earlier, the state Judicial Council told traffic courts to adopt rules basing fines on drivers ability to pay. Legislation pending in Sacramento would require those rules to be uniform statewide.

Now wed like to see counties across California follow Solano Countys example and address the exorbitant traffic fines and fees structure that plunges people into a cycle of poverty, said Christine Sun, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, which took part in Tuesdays settlement.

Courts across the state have turned to traffic fines and surcharges to fill budget gaps caused by shortages in state funding. A standard $100 fine for a minor violation like a broken taillight carries a $490 surcharge. When drivers miss payment deadlines, they face additional penalties.

A report by the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights in San Francisco found that 4.2 million Californians had their licenses suspended between 2006 and 2013 for failing to pay traffic fines, and that poor people were hit the hardest.

Its a conflict of interest for courts to be issuing penalties because they need the revenue, said Elisa Della-Piana, an attorney with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights. She said California has higher traffic fines and fees than any other state.

Under Tuesdays settlement, the Solano County court will advise drivers in writing, in court and on the courts website of their right to a determination of whether they can afford to pay a traffic fine. Low-income drivers must be offered a nonmonetary option such as community service. Those who fail to pay and dont show that they are unable to do so can still be fined up to $300.

The settlement also includes $90,000 in attorneys fees for the advocacy groups.

When the groups filed the suit in June 2016, they said they had told court officials in 17 other counties, including Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Cruz, that their traffic-fine systems unfairly penalized drivers without providing alternatives.

Della-Piana said the organizations are monitoring those counties and others to see whether they are complying with the state-mandated changes.

Another option was proposed in May by Californias chief justice, Tani Cantil-Sakauye: ending criminal punishment for traffic infractions, such as speeding, running a red light or changing lanes without signaling, and moving those cases to the civil court system.

Drivers would still face fees for violations but would no longer have a criminal record and would spend less time in court. If approved by the Judicial Council this fall, the proposal will be sent to the Legislature.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@egelko
President Donald Trump held a meeting with several administration officials on Tuesday to discuss the opioid crisis sweeping the United States. Following the meeting, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price told reporters that Trump called the crisis "an absolute priority of his administration, as it has been from day one."

A priority? From day one? While Trump did sign an executive order establishing the opioid task force in March, and he's emphasized securing the border with Mexico to stem the flow of drugs, the administration has also taken actions that could undermine its ability to get a handle on the crisis.

The opioid crisis is a major issue affecting Trump's base. In 2015, more than 33,000 people died of an opioid overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In areas with the highest rate of drug, alcohol, and suicide deaths, Trump outperformed previous Republican candidates, according to a study from Pennsylvania State University. One-fifth of those deaths involved opiates, the study noted.

Last week, a nugget in transcripts from the president's Jan. 27 call with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto revealed an unfiltered Trump perspective on how voters in areas particularly hard-hit by the opioid crisis viewed him. On the call, Trump said he won New Hampshire because the state was "a drug-infested den." Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., responded to Trump's comments on Twitter, calling them "disgusting," before saying his policies to date would prevent the state from getting a real handle on the crisis.

One of those policies is Trump's 2018 budget. The budget proposes major but unspecified cuts to Medicaid, which plays a major role in combating the crisis. Roughly 30 percent of the 2 million people in treatment for an opioid addiction are on Medicaid, according to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Cutting states' funding for the program would reduce the number of people who have access to addiction treatment.

In states like West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio, which Trump actually won in the general election, unlike New Hampshire, Medicaid accounts for 44 to 50 percent of all spending on buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid addiction, according to the report. Despite the White House's budget proposal, when asked by a reporter why the administration is proposing cuts to Medicaid, Price responded unequivocally:

"Nobody is interested in cutting Medicaid," said Price. "The president's goal is to make certain that we have a health-care system that works for patients."

If the proposed budget isn't proof enough that someone in the Trump administration wants to cut Medicaid, we can review the president's directive to Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare. Yes, that saga is over, for now. But it is important to point out that millions would have lost Medicaid coverage under the Senate's initial bill. Later versions of the bill included $45 million to address the opioid crisis after several GOP senators from opioid-ravaged states grew concerned that the cuts would make it hard for their constituents to get substance abuse treatment.

In a statement, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said the initial bill would "not ensure access to affordable health care in West Virginia, does not do enough to combat the opioid epidemic that is devastating my state, cuts traditional Medicaid too deeply, and harms rural health-care providers."

The president has been consistent about one possible solution to the drug crisis: stopping drugs from coming into the United States from the southern border by building a wall along it.

Most recently, at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, in July, Trump raised the issue again when he assured rally-goers that he has already started making progress on the wall.

"And just so you understand, we've already started fixing much of the good wall that's already there. We've already started fixing it," he said before adding that the efforts have reduced illegal immigration along the border. "We are cracking down hard on foreign criminal gangs that have brought illegal drugs, violence, horrible bloodshed to peaceful neighborhoods all across our country."

Advocates for changing drug policy argue focusing on the supply side of the issue hasn't been effective.

"A supply side approach to drugs has never worked," Bill Piper, senior director for the Drug Policy Alliance, told CNN. "That is what has been tried for decades, and it has failed for every drug it has applied to, including alcohol during Prohibition. As long as there has been [a] demand for drugs, there will be a supply."

To deal with the crisis, advocates urge officials to focus on getting drug users (the demand side of the equation) into treatment. The president's commission on opioid addiction seems to agree. The commission released an interim report detailing measures the administration could take to deal with the crisis. One of the recommendations is to "rapidly increase treatment capacity" by eliminating Medicaid regulations that prevent states from covering patients who receive treatment in residential facilities with more than 16 beds. Doing so "will immediately open treatment to thousands of Americans in existing facilities in all 50 states," writes the commission.
When Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull described his country's strict refugee policy to President Donald Trump in a phone call in January, Trump was impressed. Turnbull said Australia detains and deports every single person trying to enter the island nation illegally by boat - "even if you are a Nobel Prize-winning genius" - as a way to deter smuggling operations.

"That is a good idea. We should do that, too. You are worse than I am," said Trump, according to a transcript of the call published by The Washington Post last week.

The policy is highly contentious in Australia. More than 1,000 people are being held in refugee detention centers funded by Australia but located on the Pacific islands of Manus (part of Papua New Guinea) and Nauru. Interviews with detainees have revealed fetid, even anarchic conditions at the sites. A United Nations report found that 88 percent of detainees examined by doctors on Manus showed signs of depressive, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorders.

In April 2016, Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court ordered that the Manus center be closed. Water and electricity have been cut off to parts of the site, and full closure is expected by an Oct. 31 deadline.

The Obama administration had made a deal with Australia to take in hundreds of people from Manus and Nauru, and though Trump lambasted the decision in his call with Turnbull, it appears that the United States will honor the agreement, which is moving along slowly.

The urgency of the situation has been heightened by the deaths of seven people in the detention centers since 2013. The latest occurred Monday. An Iranian man named Hamed Shamshiripour, who had been suffering from bouts of depression, apparently hanged himself at an elementary school near the Manus site. His body was discovered by children.

The chief medical officer of Australia's immigration department, John Brayley, was aware of the severity of Shamshiripour's condition a full year ago, according to emails shared with The Post by the advocacy group Doctors for Refugees. Over the course of months, doctors with the group begged Brayley to intervene.

"Australia cannot preside over a man's mental health in this fashion in 2017," they wrote in an email dated Jan. 11. "It's nothing less than medieval."

"Appropriate care for acute and urgent psychiatric disorders is virtually nonexistent for those in detention, especially offshore," said Barri Phatarfod, the group's president.

Brayley declined an interview with the Guardian on Tuesday, and an email from The Post was awaiting response. The Australian government has directed all inquiries around Shamshiripour's death to Papua New Guinea authorities, who are investigating.

Those suffering from mental illness and post-traumatic stress disorder in the detention centers may have carried the conditions with them from their countries of origin or developed them in the centers, Phatarfod said.

Shamshiripour was the subject of numerous reports by doctors on Manus, who said he had "become a danger to stakeholders and residents alike with his erratic and unpredictable behavior," according to documents obtained by the Guardian. After a psychotic episode, he was put in a jail for a month. Fellow detainees who were friends of his said he was beaten there.

Behrouz Boochani, an Iranian journalist also housed on Manus who often speaks with the international press, said he knew Shamshiripour well. He said detainees' pleas to get Shamshiripour help went unanswered.

"He was hungry and homeless. Nobody cared about him," Boochani told the New York Times. "Why are people dying on this island? Hundreds of people who are there are medically and physically sick."

Some refugee advocates have questioned whether Shamshiripour committed suicide, saying his contentious relationship with locals, particularly police, could have made him a target. Photos of his body have been making the rounds.

"Anyone who has seen the photos knows that Hamed's death is suspicious," Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul told the Guardian. "And anyone who is familiar with Hamed's circumstances, would know that Hamed had been arrested and beaten by the local police many times. The PNG police could not be relied on to carry out a thorough or impartial investigation. There are no facilities on Manus for an autopsy."

Tensions on Manus are high. Over the past few years, the detention center has witnessed horrific incidents, including riots, prolonged hunger strikes and dozens of gruesome suicide attempts, some involving the swallowing of razor blades or scissors. In one incident, police personnel and gangs allegedly infiltrated the facility and attacked detainees, injuring 77 and killing one Iranian by dropping a large rock on his head.

Australia's refugee policy has achieved its goal, however. Boat arrivals, which reached their peak between 2010 and 2014, have practically ceased.
Learning and development programs are currently seeing increased prioritization at organizations across industries. In the digital age, fast and flexible innovation depends on the quality, quantity and accessibility of information. With this growing need for accumulated knowledge, companies and employees are placing a special emphasis on workplace education. According to a study by PwC, millennials now make up the largest segment of the United States workforce, and they tend to agree that training and development are the most valuable benefits employers can provide. One unique approach Ive leveraged is encouraging discomfort to drive employee growth.

During my work at MuleSoft, a San Francisco-based enterprise software company, Ive found that the best way to promote ongoing education is to place ourselves in new and unfamiliar situations. I first joined the company as the head of employee services, initially charged with running our global facilities, planning internal events like happy hours and offsites, driving our monthly all hands meeting and owning our annual company conference MeetUp. I had been working for less than two weeks when I was asked to join the project team for a major field sales event that was outside of my job description.

Related: All Business Is Personal: Employees Need Human Connections at Work

The task was to help plan our week-long sales kickoff, in which the entire global field team would be temporarily relocated to the tiny town of Braselton, Ga. The 300-person event was larger than anything Id ever planned, and we had under a month to pull it together. These challenges, though initially daunting, were incredibly rewarding for my professional development. I tackled the steep learning curve of running production for the general session, built incredibly important relationships with field leaders and executives, and learned a lot about how we produce content and the technical requirements to make it happen. I wholeheartedly believe uncertainty and discomfort are vital in the modern workplace, and in order to grow, these are exactly the kind of stretch opportunities that we need.

Helping run sales kickoff, despite being technically outside of my job description, accelerated my ability to successfully plan our company-wide MeetUp each year. The event runs for a week in San Diego and addresses four main goals: 1) aligning on company strategy, 2) learning new skills, 3) working through issues, and 4) building new relationships. Each of these goals have one thing in common: They embrace challenges beyond the scope of our day-to-day work. It is a demanding week that requires incredible energy and stretch from everyone in the company. Heres how we do it:

Expand social circles.

Though it sounds simple, interacting with new people can be a huge catalyst for both personal and professional development. According to a survey conducted by Globoforce, 89 percent of respondents indicated that work relationships made an impact on their overall quality of life. Breaking outside of our everyday lines of communication helps cultivate empathy and alignment in the workplace.

Related: 4 Tips to Take Struggling Employees to the Top of Their Game

At MuleSoft, we encourage new interactions by stressing the importance of facetime. In our global offices, we utilize an open floor plan where no one has an office and everyone shares common spaces. Our calendar system is also completely public, allowing employees across all teams to view individual schedules and invite colleagues to meet. This commitment to accessibility generates novel social interactions every day.

When planning MeetUp, we drive relationship-building by randomized seating at meals, holding company-wide team building challenges and activities, and even asking Muleys to have roommates! We also try to create ways for people to get to know our wide range of personalities; last year, we conducted a carpool karaoke contest, an 800-person game of Connections (like Assassin but without the violent undertones), and a host of off-site activities including surfing and indoor skydiving.

After the event, the difference in our workplace dynamic is palpable. Fresh perspectives help employees communicate with colleagues across teams and locations with newfound patience and mutual understanding.

Enforce cross-functional learning.

According to a 2017 report conducted by Gallup, only four in 10 employees agree that in the last year they have had opportunities to learn and grow. Furthermore, only three in 10 agree that there is someone at work who encourages their development. The report states that one significant way to boost engagement is to challenge employees in positive ways. Stepping outside of their intellectual comfort zones is one of the best ways to learn and grow.

At MuleSoft, we maintain multiple cross-functional teams to promote each others ongoing learning. It is often easy to settle into siloed functions, solving familiar problems with the same people each day. However, working within these isolated functions will ultimately stagnate team growth.

Related: You're More Likely to Succeed If You Enjoy the Process

When teams are learning from one another, they are able to look at problems more holistically. Throughout the year, we run a series of discussions called Muley Talks, in which department leads are challenged to condense their major initiatives and functions into a 20-minute public presentation. Each talk is followed by an open Q&A. Through Muley Talks, we provide a space for employees to take charge of their own learning and ask questions about different roles within the company.

During MeetUp, we enable cross-function collaboration through employee-led training sessions. Last year, Steven Butt, a senior software engineer, trained the entire global talent team on how to make your own API with a presentation called MuleSoft 101. Vera Wang, a senior corporate communications manager, hosted a media training session for our regional spokespeople. Brian Miller, our VP of business development, had his team facilitate a discussion on the importance of building a partner ecosystem.

When employees push themselves to work and learn alongside other teams, they develop new critical thinking and communication skills.

Encourage ownership.

We want to create an environment where everyone has something new to contribute and where people can proudly own their work. Sometimes, that means providing our employees with the tools and resources necessary for innovation and then letting them take the drivers seat.

The MeetUp Hackathon is one way in which we encourage employee autonomy. Over the course of 36 hours, last years teams created 33 new and unusual projects using MuleSoft technology. When time was up, our engineers presented their projects to the rest of the company, old-school science-fair style.

Related: 7 Excellent Reasons to Focus on Employee Engagement

Many of the projects showed promise for continued use after MeetUp. For example, one team built a Chrome extension that could quickly evaluate APIs on any customer or prospect website, proving immediately useful for sales teams. Another team built a project that awarded social media interactions to MuleSoft by releasing a piece of candy from a dispenser. This could help the talent team conduct demonstrations at career fairs.

By giving employees the freedom to innovate outside of everyday operations, we can promote both personal and company growth.

The comfort zone is one of the largest threats to growth. When you integrate discomfort and unfamiliarity into your learning and development programs, big things can happen. One of MuleSofts core values is fearlessness because we believe that challenging the status quo requires courage. If you take the time to foster courage and confidence in your employees, great culture and awesome ideas will follow.

Related:

Abu Dhabi Global Market And KPMG Invite Applications For Fintech Challenge

Why We Built a Company-Wide Event That Encourages Discomfort

Top 10 Powerful Moments That Shaped Social Media History Over the Last 20 Years



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


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The Harris County Sheriff's Office has charged nine people in a scheme that involved stealing cars in Houston and reselling them online.

According to the sheriff's office, the group - eight of whom have been arrested - would steal cars from dealership lots in Houston by making keys. The vehicles were then sold on Craigslist and OfferUp with doctored documents.

NO MORE MARKERS: Houston police put an end to the use of Whataburger tents as crime scene markers

Police said they've recovered 29 vehicles so far, all of them GM models. Silverados, Yukons, Tahoes and Escalades ranging from 2009 to 2014 models were among the stolen vehicles. They were mostly resold in Houston, but some went to Dallas and San Antonio.

In addition to stealing the vehicles, police said the suspects were able to falsify titles. The sheriff's office said the total loss in retail value to dealers was $787,294. Buyers of the vehicles lost $229,000.

Victims of the scheme include 25 dealers and 27 buyers. The accused criminals targeted recent immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries. Police said the thieves targeted immigrants, believing they wouldn't report stolen vehicles.

During the investigation, the sheriff's office said the seized $8,600 in cash from the suspects. Four guns were also seized, including two AR-15s.

SCHEME: Houston-based gang members ran five-state scam targeting rental cars, indictment says

Police believe there are more stolen vehicles from Houston in similar illegal schemes. Investigators said they will continue to recover them.

A sheriff's office representative said that it's not illegal to buy a stolen vehicle, but once the vehicle is identified as stolen, the purchaser cannot keep it. Money spent on the vehicle often times cannot be recovered since it was unknowingly given to a criminal.

Police said eight of the suspects have been charged with felony theft. Some of the suspects face felony charges of money laundering. One person faces a felony charge of reporting false credit.

According to the Harris County Sheriff's Office Twitter account, suspect Joshua Azpiazu remains at large. He is identified as playing a role in the stolen car scheme.

To avoid buying a potentially stolen vehicle, police suggest checking the vehicle's VIN number. They also suggest traveling with the seller to the Harris County Tax Office, where clerks can verify the vehicle's ownership documents. Police suggest not buying vehicles from websites and to get a copy of proper identification from the seller.

Anyone with information about Azpiazu's whereabouts or the location of the vehicles is encouraged to call the sheriff's office at 281-446-4399.
Less than two years after Bexar County spent nearly $900,000 on body and dashboard cameras for deputies, Sheriff Javier Salazar received permission Tuesday from county commissioners to field test a different brand of body-worn cameras.

He told commissioners court that deployment of the Utility system purchased by his predecessor had stalled and only about 50 of 300 cameras are now in use. He suggested switching brands may improve the transfer of data needed by prosecutors.

After hearing from Salazar, commissioners approved a 180-day field test proposal with Axon Enterprise, the company formerly known as Taser, at no cost to the county. It was approved on a voice vote with no opposition; Commissioner Kevin Wolff was absent.

The test will include five in-car cameras, two on motorcycles, 18 worn by detention officers and 20 for officers in the field.

Salazar reported finding no evidence of extensive field testing by the county before the purchase of the Utility system, but former Sheriff Susan Pamerleau told the Express-News later thats incorrect.

Commissioner Tommy Calvert expressed concern about the limited use of the Utility system of vehicle- and body-mounted devices, whose distribution to about 300 deputies should have occurred by now.

This whole thing from the beginning has been very, very odd, he said.

Calvert suggested a cost-benefit analysis be done on switching systems and that county officials meet with all interested vendors before any change is made.

He joined Commissioner Paul Elizondo in stressing the importance of equipping officers with the cameras to record their interactions with the public, especially during the current period of heightened scrutiny of law enforcement.

This is a national issue, Elizondo said.

Salazar touted the experience of James Serrato, his chief of staff, who assisted the San Antonio Police Department in acquiring and implementing more than 2,000 cameras from Axon before leaving that agency.

Serrato told commissioners that deploying more Utility cameras to deputies may exacerbate difficulties experienced with quickly transferring videos from the cameras to DVDs for use by prosecutors. Afterward, Salazar told the Express-News that transferring the video has turned out to be so time-consuming, deploying all the cameras would require hiring more personnel.

Serrato expressed hope the Axon system will help resolve the video transfer issue, saying, Does this work well with the existing infrastructure we have? We believe it will.

Commissioners in December 2015 unanimously approved spending $886,489 with Utility for 230 in-car cameras and 70 body-worn cameras, including hardware, installation, storage and professional services, according to a fiscal note prepared by county staff.

The county spends about $250,000 annually for support and maintenance of its entire camera inventory, which includes 230 in-car units and 300 body worn cameras, the fiscal note prepared for Tuesdays meeting says.

If the sheriffs office were to switch vendors, the county will lose the benefit of funds already invested and will more than likely incur significant additional expenses, the analysis said.

Later Tuesday, Salazar said he favors a meeting with all interested vendors and expressed hope for minimizing the cost to taxpayers if a switch is made, saying, Were looking for ways to get credit for whats already been spent.

Reached by phone afterward, Pamerleau said the deployment of cameras to her deputies was occurring on schedule when she left office in December and reported no unusual issues in getting videos needed for criminal cases to prosecutors.

She said the SAPDs purchase of Axon cameras without advance consultation with prosecutors caused the county to spend about $500,000 to develop a transfer solution for delivery of videos and data from SAPD.

Pamerleau put the total cost of implementing the Utility system at $1.5 million, but noted the company discounted its wares since the county already owned other system components.

I understand the cost from Axon to buy their body camera, with less capability, would be about three times as much, she said. As a taxpayer, that concerns me.

zeke@express-news.net
Authorities arrested six Texans they say were part of an operation that manufactured synthetic marijuana in Houston and distributed the drug in Austin.

The six are facing federal charges as a result of two separate multi-agency investigations in the Houston and Austin areas, according to a news release from the Austin Police Department.
AUSTIN -- A U.S. District judge dismissed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's preemptive lawsuit against the city of Austin Wednesday, saying it would not engage in "hypothetical legal questions" to declare Texas' anti-"sanctuary city" law constitutional.

U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, of the Western District of Texas in Austin, said in a ruling filed Wednesday every government faces the threat that someone could challenge the constitutional validity of a law.
Born into a sharecropping family in Arkansas, Joe Shaver changed his life by attending college, starting a career that took him from the Caribbean island of Aruba to New York City.

Raised in the Church of Christ, Shaver also nurtured his faith his whole life, founding churches in Aruba and White Plains, New York, where he worked for 20 years.

He taught us to help others, share with others, learn from others, daughter Cynthia Hopkins said.

Shaver died Friday at 91.

More Information Joe Shaver Born: Oct. 25, 1925, Ingram, Ark. Died: Aug. 6, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: Wife Bea Shaver, parents Edna Pearl Meredith and Joseph Martin Shaver; a sister; two brothers Survived by: Daughters Cynthia Hopkins and son-in-law Stephen, and Susan Johnson and son-in-law Walter; son Neal Shaver and daughter-in-law Marycke; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren Services: Visitation at 1 p.m. Saturday at Northside Church of Christ, 19818 U.S. 281, followed by funeral and reception; burial will be private See More Collapse

Raised during the Great Depression, Shaver was often taken out of school to work in the fields.

They were very poor  farmed cotton, Hopkins said. Even so, he got such good grades, he got some money to go to a little Christian college.

Attending what is now Harding University, Shaver had finished only about a year before he dropped out to help support his family by working at what was then Emerson Electric Co. in St. Louis during World War II.

Called home to Arkansas by his father, Shaver was soon drafted into the Army toward the end of the war. He was sent to postwar Japan.

Discharged after a little more than a year, Shaver used the GI Bill to attend the University of Missouri in Columbia, where he studied business and met his future wife, a student at what was then Columbia College.

Working for what was then Standard Oil of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Shaver accepted a job with Lago Oil and was sent to Aruba, where he brought his bride after marrying her in 1950.

Aruba was wonderful, Hopkins said. There were about 800 American families there to work in the refineries. An American colony on the island.

Accepting a transfer to New York after the refinery was dismantled in the early 1960s, Shaver moved his family to White Plains, commuting daily to his office in Rockefeller Center, where he worked in the controllers office for what is now Exxon Mobil.

Traveling as much as possible, Shaver and his wife took all three of us to Europe, across the country, Hopkins recalled. They really tried to expose us to lots of different things.

Retiring in 1983, Shaver and his wife moved to San Antonio to be closer to their son and grandchildren, becoming members of Northside Church of Christ for many years.

Though mostly conservative, Shaver was very open-minded, his daughter said. He was willing to learn and to listen; he was a sweet man  a genuine good human being.

mheidbrink@express-news.net
1 Syria conflict: Syrian opposition activists are reporting that air strikes on parts of the northern city of Raqqa that are controlled by the Islamic State have intensified, killing at least 29 people in the past two days. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have been trying to capture the city since launching an offensive on June 6 backed by air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition. The Kurdish-led force now controls half the city. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said on Wednesday that 29 civilians, including nine women and 12 children, were killed on Tuesday alone.

2 Taliban shootout: A shootout with militants in a Pakistani tribal region bordering Afghanistan on Wednesday killed an army major and three other officers, the military said. According to a military statement, one of the attackers blew himself up and another was shot and killed in the raid on a home in the Dir tribal region. The slain officers included an intelligence officer, the statement added. The Pakistani Taliban, or Tahreek-e-Taliban Pakistan as the militant group is known, said it was behind the killing of the soldiers in a text message sent to the media.
An Oireachtas Budgetary Committee has published its capital expenditure report Upgrading Connectivity with the N4/N5 upgrade at the top of its agenda.

The Committee on Budgetary Oversight 2017 report highlights the need for immediate improvement to other road networks in Western regions, in particular the development of a motorway connecting Mayo to Mullingar, as well as a complete upgrade of the N4 from Longford to Sligo.

Speaking to the Leader, Cllr Seamus Butler said that the development of the road networks in this region now looked very likely and these latest indications could well see a new motorway in Co Longford in the not too distant future.

All this follows on from our presentation in April to the Oireachtas Committee on the need for an upgrade of the roads network in this region, he added, before pointing to the positive response the group received at the time.

The Budgetary Committee has now come along and highlighted the importance of the N4/N5, so I feel now that we will get on to the capital programme.

Meanwhile other routes recommended for upgrade include the A5 Donegal/Derry to Dublin road; complete upgrade of N72 and N73 in Cork and Kerry and completion of the M11 to Wexford town and Rosslare.

Together, the entire upgrade would improve the transportation of goods nationwide and help to alleviate congestion at Dublin Port.

The issues around lack of connectivity were brought into sharp focus when the Brexit issue arose, continued Cllr Butler.

We need to develop our capacity at our major ports so that we can ship goods to

mainland Europe directly and invest in airports so that goods manufactured here and destined for international markets can go direct from Ireland.

He says that when the N4/N5 and motorway options are given the go ahead, design and CPO will be the next step.

After that, it will take approximately two and a half years to complete the works, he continued.

Meanwhile, the Joint N4/N5 Lobbying Group has welcomed the report.

We welcome the need for immediate improvement to the road networks in Western regions, in particular by developing a motorway connecting Mayo to Mullingar, as the condition of some sections of the N5 and N26 was described as appalling at present, said Lisa Brady.

A complete upgrade of N4 from Longford to Sligo would also serve as a huge boost to Longford.
There are mounting fears a Co Longford garda station controversially closed and put up for sale by the former Fine Gael-Labour coalition four years ago is falling into disrepair.

Ardagh Garda Station was one of 21 policing outposts earmarked for sale in 2014 on behalf of the taxpayer.

The station, with a 125,000 guide price attached, had been withdrawn from public auction in March 2014 after failing to attract any bids.

Its Newtowncashel equivalent was likewise withdrawn from sale before finally selling for 50,000 in 2014.

In previously unpublished documents, Dublin based firm Ganly Waters were advised by the OPW immediately following the auction to dispose of the Ardagh barracks by private treaty.

That change of approach drew a total of eight offers over the course of a five month period with a bid on September 2 eventually being accepted by the OPW.

By January 2016, the proposed sale hit a snag. Internal emails seen by the Leader between the OPW and Ganly Waters, brought to light the difficulties both sides were seemingly having in rubber-stamping the deal.

On January 1 2016, a senior Ganly Waters representative contacted the OPW to reveal that the proposed purchaser of the former station was now looking for an extension while funds came through from a separate property sale.

By May, a further exchange between property management officials from the OPW coincided in a decision to put the aforementioned barracks back up for sale.

Following a lengthy process, the sale fell through and the CSSO (Chief State Solicitors Office) now require instructions as to how the Commissioners wish to proceed, wrote a high ranking property management agent.

The State official went on to recommend the forfeiture of an initial booking deposit and for Ganly Waters to make contact with previously interested parties who had submitted bids in the past.

In a briefing document dated May 11 2016, the same OPW official commented on how the property had been the subject of interest from a local community group, a string of ministerial representations, parliamentary questions and a Freedom of Information request.

The OPW had not responsed to a request in respect of the matter by the Leader at the time of going to print.
Issues over the closure of an entrance that needs to be removed at the Dun Darrach housing estate along Longford towns Dublin Road continued recently as the matter was brought to further attention during a meeting of Longford Municipal District.

Cllr Seamus Butler (FF) told those gathered that the area around the entrance had become badly littered in recent times and now included old mattresses and other household goods.

Unless we have some kind of controls down there, people will continue to dump, fumed Cllr Butler, before pointing out that he had informed the litter department at Longford Co Council about the matter.

I dont know if anything is going to be done about it, but the fact remains that area in Dun Darrach needs to be blocked off - it is a right of way that needs to be extinguished and here we are talking about this issue two years after it was first addressed.

Responding to the issues that were raised, area engineer Eamonn Bennett said that a letter of consent - to seal off the right of way - had been sent out to residents and the local authority was now waiting for those letters to be returned.

Once that was done, engineers would proceed with the matter from there.

Well this is about health and safety now, fumed Cllr Peggy Nolan (FG).

The rubbish down there is now being set on fire, its a disgrace and it needs to be sorted out now.
Longford County Council's announcement last week of its plans to resettle 10 Syrian refugee families in Longford has been branded misguided by one of its longest serving elected members.

Cllr Mae Sexton said she was still smarting from the Council's decision to relay its intentions at a behind closed doors or 'in committee' meeting last Friday.

Those admissions came less than 48 hours after the Leader first revealed that Longford was set to take in 40 to 60 Syrian refugees under the Government's Irish Refugee Protection Programme.

For any government dept/local authority to decide to place already traumatised and vulnerable communities into an area with a 60% dependency rate -well above the national average - and a deprivation index of an equally stark nature without first taking the State's own statistics, identified in numerous internal and external reports, into consideration is inexcusable and shameful and offers nothing but lip-service to the vulnerable people it claims to represent, she seethed.

The decision taken by the County Council Executive last week in Dublin and the lack of opposition to that decision at Friday's 'in committee meeting' of the council is, to my mind, misguided and I take no pleasure in being the only one to say so.

Cllr Sexton was at pains to stress her remarks were not of a racist or xenophobic nature, but rather were aimed at highlighting Longford's already hard-pressed social and economic populace.

My comments relate not to unfortunate refugees  wherever they might come from - but to the economic viability of the decision only which took no consideration of or made reference to the socio-economic demographic of Longford, she continued.

In a statement, Longford County Council said the upshot of last week's revelations first emanated from a government led decision two years ago.

The Government in September 2015 committed to taking in 4,000 people through different mechanisms. It established the Irish Refugee Protection Programme and tasked local authorities and (the) NGO Community to work together to find long term housing.

The meeting on Friday was an opportunity to inform the members in relation to the Irish Refugee Protection Programme.
Four men have been remanded in custody in connection with carrying out late night raids in Longford and Leitrim.

Kean Doherty (19), 52 Cherry Orchard Court, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10; Wayne Coffey (23) 47 Michael Collins Park, Clondalkin, Dublin 22; Lorcan Ross (22), 484 Ballyfermot Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 and Jamie French (23), 24 Greenfort Park, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 appeared at a special sitting of Longford District Court last Friday.

They were charged with theft and trespassing charges arising out of break-ins at Bells Shop, Newtownforbes, Longford and Esquires Coffee Shop, Dublin Road, Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim on August 2.

Superintendent Jim Delaney said the gang broke into Bells Newsagents and Post Office late on Wednesday evening before making off with 700 in cash and coins.

It was alleged the four men set off in the direction of Carrick-on-Shannon where a similar raid was carried out.

Supt Delaney said gardai managed to arrest all four defendants on the main N4 on the outskirts of Longford town during the early hours of Thursday morning.

A further incident, he revealed, was also allegedly committed in Strokestown, Co Roscommon which resulted in a criminal damage charge being issued against Mr French.

It was further claimed gardai had since retrieved a safe from the vehicle the suspects were arrested in, some of the contents the Garda Superintendent said came from the Esquires burglary.

Superintendent Delaney said it was the States application to remand all four men in custody.

This, he said, was largely owing to the fact that upon conviction on indictment a burglary charge carried a maximum term of 14 years imprisonment.

He also said gardai would be opposing bail due to the gravity of the charges and to concerns over the likelihood of all four men reappearing before the courts.

In submitting a bail application for his client, Mr Doherty, defence solicitor Frank Gearty, said the 19-year-old was in fact charged with a trespassing charge and not that of burglary.

No bail application was made by Mr Geartys other client, Mr French, however.

Bail applications for the pairs co-accused, Mr Coffey and Mr Ross were also made but denied by Judge Deirdre Gearty.

The Judge said while all four had the right to enjoy the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, her decision was based on the seriousness of the charges before the court and the strength of evidence provided.

She granted legal aid to each of the men before remanding them in custody to appear before Harristown District Court on Friday.
We've had a lot of unsettled weather over the past few weeks, with a plenty of showers in between sunny spells, and a lot of cloud. Fortunately, it's looking like we might have a break for the next day or so.

In fact, according to accuweather, today will be filled with sunshine and some cloud, so if you've got a mountain of laundry that has built up over the past number of wet weeks, now is the perfect time to get it done.

Temperatures will reach up to 20 degrees this afternoon, with light breezes. Tonight will be dry, with long clear spells for much of the night. Mist and fog patches will form later. Rather cool with lowest temperatures 7 to 9 degrees Celsius, in light westerly breezes.

More of the same weather on Thursday, with warm sunshine and partial cloud cover, but again, a great day for the drying. Temperatures will reach about 18 degrees Celsius.

Cloud cover will start to build up tomorrow evening, with the rain coming back for midnight.

Come Friday, we'll be back to our on-again off-again relationship with the rain, with showers, then sunshine, then showers, then sunshine - much the same as what we've had for the past few weeks.

So enjoy these two days while the good weather lasts. We'll be back on Friday with a weekend weather forecast.
By Long Island News & PR Published: August 09 2017

Dispatches Second Crew to Help Battle Blaze in Western States.

Albany, NY - August 9, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today welcomed home a team of 20 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation employees and volunteers Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today welcomed home a team of 20 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation employees and volunteers who helped battle and contain the Sunrise Fire in the Lolo National Forest in Montana . The Governor also dispatched a second 20-member New York firefighting crew to western states to continue battling wildfires in the region.

"As we welcome home the brave men and women who have been battling these wildfires, we give our best wishes to the second crew on their way to continue our efforts to help protect and preserve communities out west," Governor Cuomo said. "New Yorkers are proud to lend a hand to neighbors in need, and I commend our courageous volunteers and Forest Rangers for stepping up and helping to save lives and natural resources on the west coast."

The first team of firefighters that began their 14-day assignment in western Montana on July 24, arrived back in the Capital Region on Tuesday, August 8. The volunteers and DEC staff, including members of the State's Forest Rangers, joined crews from other states to help battle the wildfires. When the New York crew arrived, there were approximately 80 firefighters and support personnel assigned to the fire, which soon increased to more than 500 as the wildfire continued to spread.

The returning crew of New York Forest Rangers, employees and volunteers from across the state include:

Charles Kabrehl, Forest Ranger, Crew Boss, Warren County

Robert Praczkajlo, Forest Ranger, Essex County

Patrick Dormer, Forest Ranger, Ontario County

Joseph Bink, Forest Ranger, Delaware County

Justin Thaine, Forest Ranger, Allegany County

Corenne Black, Forest Ranger, St. Lawrence County

David Nally, Forest Ranger, Schenectady County

Joseph Hess, Forest Ranger, Saratoga County

Howard Thomes, Forest Ranger Jefferson County

Chester Lunt, Forest Ranger, Onondaga County

Robert MacKenzie, DEC Lands & Forests, Dutchess County

Steven Jackson, DEC Volunteer Firefighter, Albany County

Timothy Yeatts, DEC Fish & Wildlife, Onondaga County

Joshua Choquette, DEC Fish & Wildlife, Deleware County

Eric Kasza, DEC Volunteer Firefighter, Saratoga County

Eric Hepperle, Volunteer Firefighter, Greene County

Daniel Welc, DEC Lands & Forests, Chenango County

James Canevari, DEC Fish & Wildlife, St. Lawrence County

Aaron Graves, DEC Lands & Forests, St. Lawrence

William Fonda, DEC Volunteer Firefighter, Nassau County

The team assisted in creating control lines to contain the wildfire, clear materials from the path of the fire and protect the 81 residences that were threatened. The crew worked in rough mountainous terrain and endured daily temperatures hovering close to 90 degrees. Crews worked for two weeks to contain the 13,488-acre wildfire outside Superior, Montana, which is believed to have been sparked by a lightning strike. Currently, the fire is only 15 percent contained and is expected to burn until late September.

The second crew dispatched from New York is currently en route to Montana and could be sent to any of the more than 40 forest fires currently burning in western states.

"I commend our staff for their bravery over these past two weeks in helping to contain large wildfires and protect precious natural resources and private homes," said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. "All New Yorkers should be proud of work our fire crews did to battle these blazes and should join me in wishing our newest crew a safe journey as they continue to assist our sister states in their time of need."

In 1979, New York sent its first firefighting crew to assist western states with large wildfires. On average, one or two crews have been sent as needed, to assist with wildfires every year since.

Last year, DEC sent 33 firefighters, including one 20-person crew, to several western states and Canada. In addition to helping contain the western wildfires and minimize damage, these crews also gain valuable experience that can be utilized fighting wildfires and managing all-risk incidents in New York.
The Seyyed al Shuhada Brigades, an Iraqi-Shiite militia controlled by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), claimed yesterday that its forces came under fire from American artillery shells in the vicinity of Jamouna, Syria.

A US Defense spokesman has rejected the allegation.

Jamouna is located approximately eight miles from the Iraqi border and 37 miles northeast of Tanf, where a US military base is located. The Islamic State has posted footage of a raid in that area on the same day that shows the Shiite militias flag, strongly suggesting an attempt by the Shiite-jihadist militia to cover up an attack by the Sunni-jihadist group, muddy the waters and shift the blame to the United States.

The Iraqi militia said more than 40 had been killed and injured, and the Islamic State claimed to have killed 68. Iranians are among the dead.

The Seyyed al Shuhada Brigade initially published a statement claiming US artillery shells struck forces positioned between Syrias Jamouna and Iraqs Akashat, which is in the western portion of Anbar province. Iranian media reported it as US jet strike. The Secretary General of the militia, Abu Aala al Walayi, confirmed the numbers to IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News, adding that seven of our brothers in the Guard Corps were also killed.

Al Walayi later changed his account of the story, however. He said forces were undertaking clearing operation between Akashat and east of Tanf, and were struck by US artillery shells, as well as fighter jets. He claimed his forces have video proof. The militia chief then accused the US of coordinating with the Islamic State and that the group attacked precisely after the heavy bombardment by the Americans from the Americans security zone, meaning the deconfliction area.

The IRGC and militias have long accused the US of directly support the Islamic State. The Iraqi militia chief claimed his forces had provided information about the cleared area to the Syrian army and Russian forces.

Al Walayi stressed the border clearing operation is more important than Tal Afar, a besieged town to the west of Mosul, due to the border towns special position. His militia fights under the banner of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which is a legal institution like the Iraqi army and Federal Police. The militia leader claimed he has asked Iraqs joint command headquarters to investigate the great catastrophe.

The Islamic State has claimed the deaths of two Revolutionary Guard operatives during the raid. Iran has thus far acknowledged the death of a colonel and the photos provided by Iran and the Islamic State match. Al Walayi confirmed the death of that senior commander, who went by the alias of Hossein Qomi, calling him a commander with more than four years of experience in Syria who was responsible for commanding and leading forces in the area. His death led to disruption in the coordination of our forces, the militia chief added.

Iranian military officials and media are offering little information about the senior officer who was killed in the raid, though some officials are saying he was a member of the Qods Force, the Guards external operations branch.

Col. Morteza Hosseinpour-Shalmani, a Guardsman and Gilani shrine defender of the corps Qods Force, was killed in Syria during an advisory mission fighting takfiri DAESH [Islamic State] forces, according to a Revolutionary Guard official from the Ground Forces Qods Corps of the northern Gilan province (not to be confused with the Qods Force). The media report citing the official quotes him as saying Hosseinpour-Shalmani was a part of the Qods Force, though Iranian media have frequently reported that and the Gilan unit as the same.

The report, however, distinguishes between the Qods Force and the Qods Corps, referring to the said official as the deputy coordinator of Gilans Qods Corps. Tasnim News report citing another local official makes the same distinction, adding Hosseinpour-Shalmani was residing in Qom province, central Iran, perhaps explaining why he took the alias of Qomi. If he were attached to the Gilan provincial unit, he would have resided in the province.

A Qods Corps official today said the colonel was killed in Syrias Deir Ezzor province and is to be buried in his home county of Shalman in Gilan this week.

The Revolutionary Guard divides its Ground Forces units by provinces.

A Guard-affiliated outlet claimed the officer was killed near Palmyra in central Syria, and another state-affiliated outlet claimed he was killed in eastern part of the central Homs province, where the ancient city of Palmyra is located. Pro-Syrian regime forces are operating in the area to take Suknah, to the east of Palmyra, from the Islamic State. Guard-affiliated media have been covering this battle.

The Sunni-jihadist group has posted another footage of whom they claim is an Iranian captured during the raid, subsequently showing his beheaded body (not shown here). Iran has yet to confirm that individuals death.

Iranian media has also announced the deaths of at least two additional Guardsmen in Syria, both of whom were attached to different units that fall under the Ground Forces. The Revolutionary Guard has claimed they were killed near Palmyra. They may be part of the seven killed in the Islamic States assault.

Guard Corps commanders not only advise militias in Syria but have directly led them in combat. Lower-ranked Iranian operatives from the Ground Forces have been previously embedded among Shiite militiamen as components of the expeditionary forces led by the Qods Force.

In May and June, Tehran-led forces including the Seyyed al Shuhada Brigades challenged a US de-confliction zone near Tanf, triggering US strikes. The militia is part of a wider Iranian-backed operation to control the Iraqi-Syria border and deny that area to US-backed forces. [See FDDs Long War Journal report, Iran tests the US in southeastern Syria.]

The Islamic States footage of this weeks raid:

Amir Toumaj is a Research Analyst at Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Caleb Weiss is a contributor to FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
A Taliban commander who was targeted by the US military in an airstrike nearly a decade ago and who has links to Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp  Qods Force remains a key player in the insurgency in central Afghanistan. The Taliban commander, known as Mullah Mustafa, was instrumental in the Talibans takeover of Taiwara district in Ghor province several weeks ago. Afghan forces have retaken the district, but maintain a tenuous hold on it.

Taiwara district fell to the Taliban on July 23 after hundreds of fighters assaulted the district center and overran Afghan forces and the local militia and police forces. More than 700 Taliban fighters using humvees and trucks stolen from Afghan forces in Helmand province launched the assault, according to The New York Times. Out of a force of 50 Afghan commandos guarding the district, 12 were killed, more than 20 were wounded, and several more are missing. Afghan officials claimed that more than 200 Taliban fighters were killed during the fighting.

Mustafa, who The New York Times described as a local facilitator of the Taliban, had played a major role in the recent offensive to take Taiwara. He has contacts in Iran and is protected by senior figures in Kabul, the capital, including those in Afghanistans peace council assigned to negotiate with the Taliban.

FDDs Long War Journal has tracked Mullah Mustafa since the US military targeted him in an airstrike in Ghor province on June 9, 2009. The US military initially believed they killed Mustafa and prematurely announced his death. Two days after the US military announced his death, Mustafa spoke to the media. Mustafa claimed he never [has] been in the opposition to the [Afghan] government but did not deny attacking US forces.

The US military said Mustafa commands more than 100 fighters in Ghor and is thought to receive support from Irans Qods Force, the external operations branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

The commander of approximately 100 fighters in western Afghanistan, Mustafa had recently met with senior Taliban leaders, and reportedly had connections to Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps  Qods Force, the US military stated when it wrongly announced his death.

When it retracted its initial report of his death, the US military said it will continue to target Mustafa.

Mustafa is an enemy of Afghanistan, and were working with Afghan officials to pursue him until he is captured or confirmed killed, Navy Lieutenant Commander Christine Sidenstricker said.

Eight years after the US military tried to kill Mustafa, he remains a key player in the Talibans growing insurgency in western and central Afghanistan.

Mustafa likely played a role in the Talibans takeover of Char Sada district in Ghor in July 2014. Before the district was overrun, the Taliban exerted significant influence there. In 2013, Mustafa was spotted along with Mullah Abdul Rahamn, the Talibans shadow district governor for Char Sada. The two Taliban leaders imposed the Talibans strict brand of sharia law when they ordered the public beating of a couple for having an affair.

Irans links to the Taliban, particularly in western and central Afghanistan, have been well established by the US military and government. In an Aug. 2010 designation of General Hossein Musavi and Colonel Hasan Mortezavi, both senior officers in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps  Qods Force, the US Treasury Department noted that the two provide financial and material support to the Taliban.

Musavi was the commander of the Ansar Corps, the IRGC command that is assigned to direct operations in Afghanistan. The Ansar Corps is based in Mashhad in northeastern Iran. [See Iranian Qods Force commanders linked to Taliban: US Treasury.]

The US military has targeted multiple Qods Force-linked Taliban leaders and operatives inside Afghanistan, while Taliban commanders have admitted to receiving support from Iran.

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.
Editors' note: MarketMinder does not recommend individual securities. The below simply represent a broader theme we wish to highlight.

10 years ago today, France's largest bank froze three hedge funds as subprime-panicked investors fled. Headlines globally are calling this the beginning of the Global Financial Crisis, and at first blush, it certainly has all the trappings. Packaged subprime mortgages, a run on a bank, a liquidity crunch and hard-to-value assets. World stocks slid -7.3% in just 6 trading days when the news broke.[i] But then they bounced. By Halloween, the MSCI World Index was up 6.2% since BNP Day.[ii] That turned out to be world stocks' peak. US stocks peaked weeks earlier, on October 9. "Why" is always harder to pin down than "what," but all evidence suggests it's no coincidence the bear market began as banks started taking the asset writedowns required by FAS 157-the mark-to-market accounting rule-which took effect in November. Subprime and frozen funds are part of the backstory, but in my view, mark-to-market was the catalyst that ultimately destroyed nearly $2 trillion in bank capital. That catalyst no longer exists, as regulators subsequently neutered the rule-something to keep in mind today, as headlines warn a resurgence of allegedly risky debt raises the likelihood of a 2008 repeat.

BNP's funds weren't the only ones that imploded in 2007. Two Bear Stearns hedge funds collapsed in June and July, forcing creditors to liquidate some of the funds' collateral. As The New York Timesreported at the time:

Several lenders, including JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Bank of America, reached deals with Bear Stearns that forestalled a need to sell securities in the open market. It appeared that some lenders pulled back over concerns about the effect that a large liquidation would have on bond prices and investor confidence. While the securities involved represent a fraction of the market, a liquidation could have forced a bigger sell-off while setting a lower price.

One lender, Merrill Lynch & Company, moved ahead with plans to auction $850 million in collateral it had seized from the Bear funds, according to people briefed on the matter. And Deutsche Bank was said to be shopping $600 million in assets.

The boldface is mine, because it is the kicker: While mark-to-market accounting wouldn't be the law of the land until November 15, some banks were phasing it in. Selling assets at fire-sale prices would make these banks write down the value of all comparable assets on their balance sheets. Whether or not they intended ever to sell them. But at the time, we didn't get that vicious circle of fire sales, writedowns, more fire sales and more writedowns. Banks plodded along until October, the eve of mark-to-market D-Day. That's when the writedowns got fast and furious. UBS, Citigroup, Merrill Lynch and others took hits then. Bear Stearns took its big one on November 14.

In principle, mark-to-market accounting is fine-for some assets. But at the risk of oversimplifying, before FAS 157 banks could put assets in one of two balance sheet buckets: "for sale" or "hold to maturity." In the first, banks intend to trade them, so valuing them at the going market price makes sense. Your trading portfolio is worth only what you can sell it for. But in the second bucket, valuing them at the market price is rather senseless. If you don't intend to sell, ever, the potential selling price doesn't matter. Banks holding mortgage-backed securities to maturity cared only about the interest income, which never really dried up (even as market values sank). But FAS 157 forced their hand. Once it took effect, all banks had to take paper losses on illiquid, held-to-maturity assets whenever another bank fire-sold them.

Here you might ask, "if banks never meant to sell assets, then what fire-sales were there to mark to?" This is where the hedge funds come in. Thanks to some changes in the Net Capital Rule, which regulated investment banks' use of leverage, hedge funds were margined to the hilt in 2007. So they didn't just need to worry about raising cash to meet investors' redemption requests. They also faced the risk of margin calls. This is what happened to Bear Stearns' funds, triggering fire sales that summer. There was no summertime bank balance sheet bloodbath because most banks didn't have to take the corresponding hit. But once mark-to-market took effect, any time a hedge fund sold, banks got blasted, creating a negative feedback loop. Here's a toy model:

Exhibit 1: An Oversimplified Financial Crisis

Source: My weird brain and history.

Your next logical question might be, "why were all these writedowns a surprise?" That's where the fact these were illiquid assets comes in. By illiquid, I mean, "rarely traded and hard to sell in a pinch." Since stocks trade constantly, it's easy to figure out what they're worth. But for something that doesn't change hands frequently, it's more difficult. The last reference price might be months old-or more. Pretend you're Hedge Funds-R-Us trying to sell that hypothetical SadBond in January 2008, three months after anyone else traded it. Three months of scary headlines, volatile markets and worldwide handwringing. You reckon you'll have to accept a lower price, but you have no way to measure how low, because fear is impossible to quantify. X number of headlines doesn't equal a Y% discount. You just have to put it out there, hope for the best, and see what bids you get. When buyers know you're desperate, they'll lowball. Just how it works.

Mark-to-market made 2008 great for bargain shoppers, including the Federal Reserve, which ultimately reaped handsome profits on Bear Stearns' not-toxic-after-all assets. But for banks and investors, it was wretched. No one knew when the next writedown would come or what collateral damage it would inflict. People hoped a wave of January writedowns would be the extent of it, but then Bear Stearns failed. A month later, Merrill Lynch took a fresh $6.6 billion writedown, triggering another wave. In mid-May, Citigroup announced plans to shed $400 billion in assets over the next three years, and everyone braced for more pain. After a summer of writedowns, Merrill fire-sold its portfolio of mortgage-backed securities to Lone Star Capital, effectively pulling the rug out from under its peers and setting up the Great Dismantling of Wall Street as We Knew It. Within weeks, Lehman Brothers was dead; AIG was a ward of the state; Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley were bank holding companies instead of investment banks, allowing them to tap Fed funding; WaMu was seized by the Office of Thrift Supervision; and Merrill Lynch became property of Bank of America. The government's inconsistent, haphazard response triggered the massive panic that roiled stocks in September and October. When the feds chose who lived and who died with seemingly no rhyme or reason, everyone froze. No one wanted to take risk, whether that risk was funding a bank or buying a stock.

The crisis ultimately ended the next March, during a Congressional hearing on mark-to-market. As investors anticipated changes to the rule, which the Financial Accounting Standards Board eventually delivered, stocks rallied. The amendment, released April 9, relieved banks of the need to apply mark-to-market to illiquid, held-to-maturity assets. That stands to this day.

This is why all the warnings of 2008 redux-which we've seen for 10 years now-are moot. Mortgage-backed securities are still with us, but we now know they weren't toxic. Even the subprime-based ones. They were back near face value years ago, proving the crisis didn't have to happen.[iii] If the rules let banks ride it out, with no writedowns on illiquid assets they never planned to sell, everything probably would have been fine. Overleveraged hedge funds would still have had their day of reckoning, but the banks would have been able to cruise, collect the income and wait for the storm to pass.

Thankfully, this is what they can do the next time people get jittery about subprime or illiquid, opaque packaged debt. The financial system is by no means risk-free, but without mark-to-market, troubles in isolated parts of the market shouldn't ripple through banks' balance sheets.

[i] FactSet, as of 8/8/2017. MSCI World Index return with net dividends, 8/8/2007 - 8/16/2007.

[ii] FactSet, as of 8/8/2017. MSCI World Index return with net dividends, 8/8/2007 - 10/31/2007.

[iii] So said former FDIC head William Isaac in his most excellent book, Senseless Panic.
MARTINSVILLE  Even though school in Henry County officially began today, the halls of Laurel Park Middle School buzzed with excitement on the first Friday of August.

As school employees readied the facility for the influx of students descending upon the institution the following week, a former mainstay just over the North Carolina border arrived in order to help supply the middle school with much-needed educational items.

The donation opportunity came across Principal JoEllen Hyltons desk when MillerCoors employee Chuck Ellis, spouse of LPMS teacher Kim Ellis, asked if the Henry County school needed supplies.

Of course the answer was yes, Hylton said.

The donation to the local middle school came after MillerCoors helped supply schools in Rockingham County, North Carolina, where the Eden brewery closed in 2016 after 37 years in the area, displacing an estimated 520 workers.

On Friday, the company made a donation that Hylton estimated had a value of more than $2,500.

The middle school received one large and one small shredder, office chairs, a laminator, paper, notebooks, electric pencil sharpeners, hole punchers, staplers, a paper cutter, hanging folders, binders, pencils, Sharpies, dry erase markers, tape and various other office and classroom supplies.

Hylton said the donation came in light of the company wanting to give back to area communities.

Distributed on a first come, first served basis, the supplies will help teachers and staff in the educational pursuit of sixth through eighth graders throughout the school year.

This support was incredible and felt like a blessing, Hylton said. It was Christmas in August for educators.

The principal said that the goods the school received were put to use before the school year even began.

Everything is already being used, Hylton said. The guidance office is using the shredder daily.

As a school division, we so appreciate the partnership of local businesses and community organizations, said Monica Hatchett, director of communications and organizational learning. We know that we could not support our students in the ways that we are currently able to without the help of our community partners. We are so grateful to groups like MillerCoors who so generously give to extend the opportunities our students have each day.

While the donation from MillerCoors helped the local middle school embark on a well-supplied new school year, Hylton said there still are needs that other local businesses or individuals could help fill.

Top wish list items for LPMS include additional dry erase markers, highlighters, bound black and white composition journals, notebook paper and pencils  supplies that teachers and students use each day in the classroom.

To arrange a donation with Henry County Public Schools, contact Hatchett at (276) 634-4766.
MARTINSVILLE  After a couple of months of being full for the first time in its history, the West Piedmont Business Development Center (WPBDC) has space available again.

Just a little, though.

A tenant recently vacated about 200 square feet of office space in the small business incubator, Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce President Amanda Witt told Martinsville City Council Tuesday night.

The city-owned incubator at 22 E. Church St. uptown is managed by the Chambers Partnership for Economic Growth (C-PEG), a chamber affiliate supporting efforts to improve the local economy.

After factories closed and put many people out of work in prior decades, the incubator was started in 2002 to help people establish new businesses to create jobs.

Incubator tenants receive advice from professionals about developing business plans and overcoming financial and managerial issues. They also share resources such as clerical staff, utilities and major items of office equipment so they can spend less toward start-up costs and more on developing their firms.

Over the years, 31 area businesses and organizations that have created at least 290 jobs that graduated from the WPBDC  left to make it on their own after it was determined they were able.

Witt, who also is C-PEGs executive director, announced in late May that the incubator had 24 tenants its highest number ever  and all of its floor space was occupied.

She told the council Tuesday night that lawyer Laura Frazier moved out recently.

Its time for any entrepreneur interested in her former space to call dibs on it.

Luckily, we dont have a waiting list right now for space in the incubator, Witt said.

Still, C-PEG and city officials must start thinking about how the WPBDC will accommodate any prospective tenants that come knocking on its doors in the future, she said.

C-PEG has contracts with the city and county to help them handle small business development matters. Its contract with the city focuses heavily on promoting and luring business to uptown, the communitys central business district.

Within the coming week, Witt said, C-PEG hopes to have up-and-running an online portal at which owners of commercial properties in Martinsville-Henry County can upload photos of - and information about  their available properties comprising 25,000 square feet or less.

We have one property owner who is uploading information right now as sort of our guinea pig to make sure it (the portal) works the way we want it to, she said.

When the portal becomes operational, accounts will be given to property owners wanting to use it, she added.

Three of this years Startup Martinsville-Henry County grant recipients  Compassionate Care Pediatrics, Lawless Welding and Joe Cheap  already have opened in the community and other recipients are working to get open, Witt said.

Startup Martinsville-Henry County is an annual program providing boot camp-style classes to people wanting to open businesses. Some participants are awarded funds through a business plan competition.

Witt said that a lease has been signed for remaining commercial space at The Henry, the revitalized former Henry Hotel at the corner of East Church and Broad streets uptown that now has apartments as well as businesses.

The new business there will be Sparkle Me Pretty, a womens clothing store that already has a location in the county. Witt said she understands that location will remain open.

Sparkle Me Pretty participated in Startup Martinsville-Henry County but did not receive a grant, Witt said.

We are so excited that she was able to still open her (new) store, Witt said of the unidentified owner.

Booth registrations now are being taken for the annual Oktoberfest street festival uptown, to be held Oct. 7. Witt said the goal is to attract 250 vendors and so far, at least 150 have signed up.

Witt said C-PEG and a private consultant are striving to finish detailed strategies for trying to recruit new chain stores and restaurants to Martinsville-Henry County.

Research has shown were definitely missing on opportunities to market the community to such businesses that generally locate in places of similar size and demographics, she said.

Witt also mentioned the uptown farmers market is going strong and further TGIF concerts will be held Aug. 18 and Sept, 15. The first one was held several Fridays ago.

In another matter Tuesday night, the council recognized the Martinsville Sheriffs Office for recently receiving its third state accreditation.

Details of the accreditation and other matters discussed during the council meeting will be reported in the Martinsville Bulletin on Thursday.
Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul have included a Boston date on their upcoming tour.

The group will play The Orpheum Theater in Boston on Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are on sale beginning Saturday, Aug. 12 at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available through all Ticketmaster outlets and locations including ticketmaster.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000.

Little Steven is touring to support his latest release "SoulFire."

Introduced to the world as Bruce Springsteen's sidekick in the legendary E Street Band, Steven Van Zandt has gone on to include a career as a solo artist, producer, and actor ("The Sopranos," "Lilyhammer,") on his resume.
LENOX - Encores for classical music concerts seem to abide by a set of rules as complex as the royal protocol at Buckingham Palace or the court of Louis XVI in 18th century Versailles.

Some soloists never play them, no matter how much the audience cheers for them. Others play them all the time, which makes them sometimes seem a little less special since everyone knows and expects there will be an encore.

And there's no rhyme or reason why certain soloists perform - or don't perform - encores. Many soloists who play encores are younger. But I've seen seen may older performers who regularly play encores as well.

And if you think certain kinds of musicians play encores more than others, think again. Some violinists or cellists do, others almost never. The same goes for pianists, young and old. I've even seen entire orchestras perform an encore, including last year when the Montreal Symphony Orchestra played two encores at Symphony Hall in Boston.

And don't even get me started with rock bands and encores. It's often such a joke how the band will walk off stage and wait a minute while the audience goes berserk. And everyone knows an encore is coming since the lights are all still off. Nothing about such encores feels spontaneous or genuine.

I was thinking about all of this last night after hearing pianist Garrick Ohlsson perform another outstanding concert at Tanglewood. Over the weekend, Ohlsson played both Chopin piano concertos to perfection on Friday and Saturday night. Last night, Ohlsson played a superb solo concert in Tanglewood's intimate Ozawa Hall.

Last weekend, Ohlsson played one encore each for both Chopin concerts - Chopin's Nocturne in F Sharp Major, Number 2 on Friday night, Chopin's Nocturne in C Sharp Minor, Number 27 on Saturday night. I expected this since Ohlsson's famous for his interpretations of Chopin's music. Ohlsson is still the only pianist from the United States to win the Chopin International Piano Competition held every five years. He won in Poland in 1970.

But the number of encores after last night's concert was truly surprising. The encores kept coming one after another after Ohlsson performed two Schubert sonatas (No. 14 in A minor and No. 20 in A) and five shorter works by Scriabin.

As expected, Ohlsson's performance of Schubert and Scriabin last night sounded sublime. I've heard Ohlsson perform many times with orchestras, on his own and with chamber groups. And every time, he brings such a sensitive, thoughtful approach to the music. Last night was no exception.

I've also come to expect Ohlsson to play an encore after every concert, the same way he did Saturday and Sunday. But Ohlsson truly outdid himself last night at Ozawa Hall. He didn't need to play an encore. And one would have been fine. Instead, he ended up playing three encores featuring three Scriabin etudes. And while some musicians seem to play encores because they feel like they have to do so, Ohlsson's encores always seem to come from the heart.

But last night's encores felt different. Last night, Ohlsson simply seemed to be having so much fun playing, he didn't want to leave the stage. He was like a kid, excited to share his enthusiasm and love for music with everyone there. It was quite touching.

I believe Ohlsson was more enthusiastic than usual since last night's concert was the last of five concerts he performed this summer at Tanglewood. Ohlsson has performed regularly every summer at Tanglewood since 1971. But he performed more concerts that usual this summer since he is this year's Tanglewood Koussevitzky Artist, an award given annually to the best musician.

Ohlsson discussed the award in an interview I conducted with him earlier this year. He said he was especially honored to receive this award. "I'm thrilled and delighted," Ohlsson said, regarding receiving the award. "It's not an award you apply for. It just sort of falls out of the sky. I'm very pleased."

Last night felt the same way for all of us in the audience at Ozawa Hall. None of us applied for an award. But we all received one last night - another outstanding performance from Ohlsson, featuring three generous, unexpected, heartfelt encores. Thank you!

THIS WEEK AT TANGLEWOOD

Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 8 p.m. in Ozawa Hall

The Handel and Haydn Society perform Purcell's "The Fairy-Queen"

Thursday, Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. in Ozawa Hall

Tanglewood Music Center Festival of Contemporary Music

Friday, Aug. 11 at 2:30 p.m. in Ozawa Hall

Tanglewood Music Center Festival of Contemporary Music

Friday, Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. in The Shed

Giancarlo Guerrero conducts Dvorak, Brahms and Stravinsky featuring violinist Gil Shaham and cellist Alisa Weilerstein

Saturday, Aug. 12 at 10:30 a.m. in The Shed

Rehearsal of Sunday, Aug. 13 Boston Symphony Orchestra concert featuring violinist Joshua Bell

Saturday, Aug. 12 at 2:30 p.m. in Ozawa Hall

Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI) Summer 2017 Ozawa Hall Series Young Artists Orchestra

Saturday, Aug. 12 at 8 p.m. in The Shed

Juanjo Mena conducts Anderson, Brahms and Beethoven featuring violinist Nikolaj Znaider

Sunday, Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. in Ozawa Hall

Tanglewood Music Center Festival of Contemporary Music

Sunday, Aug. 13 at 2:30 p.m. in The Shed

Lahav Shani conducts Mozart, Mendelssohn and Schubert featuring violinist Joshua Bell

Sunday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m. in Ozawa Hall

Tanglewood Music Center Chamber Music
DEERFIELD - Police arrested two people for allegedly trafficking in heroin and cocaine after making a routine motor vehicle stop early Tuesday morning.

Massachusetts State Police troopers confiscated 154 grams of a white powder believed to be heroin and 54 grams of a substance believed to be cocaine.

Nathaniel Aikens, 31, of Brooklyn, New York, and Janiqua Wright, 22, of Richmond, Virginia, were charged with trafficking in heroin, trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to violate drug laws and unlawfully attaching plates. Wright was also charged with unlicensed operation of a vehicle, police said.

Trooper Anthony Lavigne was monitoring traffic on Route 5 and stopped a 2004 Ford Explorer he believed was displaying registration plates from a different vehicle. He pulled the driver over at about 2:10 a.m.

Following a subsequent investigation conducted by Lavigne, Deerfield Police Officer Tyler Hersom and state police K-9 Officer Matthew Baird, the cocaine and heroin were allegedly found in the car, police said.

The two were arraigned in Greenfield District Court on Tuesday, police said.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine has sued Gov. Paul LePage in federal court, saying he violated free speech rights encoded in the U.S. Constitution by blocking critics from his Facebook page and deleting their comments.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court follows a July letter from the ACLU warning the Republican governor to stop censoring his Facebook page, which has nearly 40,000 followers.

"Social media has quickly become a crucial tool for constituents to express their opinions to public officials," ACLU attorney Meagan Sway said in a statement. "Free speech must be protected from government censorship on Facebook just as is it in any other public forum."

LePage dismissed the threat as a liberal attack, and claimed it's not a government Facebook page. The page is run by political adviser Brent Littlefield and not by LePages taxpayer-funded communications staff, according to the Bangor Daily News.

Maine's ACLU chapter says the page is used to share government information, and as a "limited public forum," commenters are protected by the First Amendment. LePage's actions constitute "unlawful, viewpoint-based exclusion," the lawsuit states.

The plaintiffs are Karin Leuthy and Kelli Whitlock Burton, co-founders of Suit Up Maine, a progressive group comprising more than 5,000 members.

The lawsuit alleges that in July, after Leuthy and Burton criticized LePage on his Facebook page, their remarks were deleted and they were blocked from posting or reacting to comments.

The Maryland chapter of the ACLU recently sued Republican Gov. Larry Hogan over a similar issue.
NAHANT -- A 25-year-old Cambridge woman is in the intensive care unit of Massachusetts General Hospital after her kite surfing rig went out of control Sunday morning and threw her onto rocks near a Nahant Beach.

A passing bicyclist was "clotheslined" by the rig as it blew away from the woman. He was treated for mouth and face lacerations and released from a local hospital, police said.

Nahant Police Lt. Joseph Manley told the Lynn Daily Item that the woman was kite surfing off Doggie Beach in Nahant when she was blown toward shore at a high rate of speed.

The woman cut one of her lines to try to prevent herself from being thrown onto rocks but crashed anyway. The rig continued over a berm separating the beach from Nahant Road and struck a passing bicyclist.

Both injured people were transported to Salem Hospital. The bicyclist was treated and later released while the woman was transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital with serious injuries.

The two injured individuals were discovered by Nahant firefighters who happened to be passing the area at that time.
Consumers will get no break on the sales tax from the state of Massachusetts this summer, as lawmakers opt for the second year in a row to forego a tax holiday weekend.

Revenue Committee Chairman Jay Kaufman confirmed that August will pass without what has been in recent years a semiannual tradition of suspending the sales tax for one weekend.

"I would say that's certain. I don't see how there could be one since there's no possibility of us having a hearing and a session to vote for one, so there will be no sales tax holiday this year," Kaufman, a Lexington Democrat, told the News Service Monday.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stan Rosenberg had strongly indicated the sales tax holiday was not on their agenda after Gov. Charlie Baker tried to revive the issue last week by filing his own sales tax holiday legislation.

After lawmakers adjourned their final formal sessions of the summer in late July without taking up a sales tax holiday bill, Baker last Wednesday filed a bill to suspend the 6.25 percent tax on purchases under $2,500 the weekend of Aug. 19-20.

"We've heard from a lot of folks who said to us that this is really important to them," Baker said in a WBZ NewsRadio interview last week. "It's important to downtowns, it's important to main streets, and we just think it's the right thing to do."

Lawmakers left Beacon Hill with sales tax holiday bills idling in committees and Baker, by filing his bill after lawmaker recessed, was apparently counting on legislators being able to pass his controversial bill in informal sessions, which is unlikely since some lawmakers strongly oppose the idea.

Baker filed his bill on the same day that he signed new temporary assessments on employers that critics have labeled a new tax. The assessments are part of a new state budget that will also not deliver a Jan. 1 income tax reduction that lawmakers just a few months ago believed was inevitable.

DeLeo said it made "little sense" for the governor to file a new sales tax holiday bill when other similar bills were already pending before committee, and Rosenberg said he would wait for the recommendations from the committee.

The House and Senate referred the governor's bill (H 3871) to the Revenue Committee, which may not hold a public hearing on it until September.

"Sales tax holidays under any circumstances are a mistake, and under these circumstances are a colossal mistake," Kaufman said last week.

On Monday Kaufman said there are no immediate plans to hold a hearing on the bill.

Kaufman said, "Since it's a proposal for a sales tax holiday, what, 10 days from now, it was sort of not timely filed."

Baker is on a staycation this week in Massachusetts.

Rep. Shaunna O'Connell, a Taunton Republican, suggested there is a double-standard.

Lawmakers this session quickly passed a hefty pay package for themselves, even though state finances were questionable at the beginning of the year, too.

"They can afford to give these huge pay raises, but they can't afford to give the taxpayers just a small little break once a year that they really look forward to and that really stimulates the economy, gets people out shopping," O'Connell told Boston Herald Radio. She said, "I hope people aren't going to forget about this when it comes election time."

Chris Dempsey, director of Transportation for Massachusetts, debated the sales tax holiday on Greater Boston Monday with Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts.

Rather than providing a major stimulus, Dempsey said the holiday only "shifts purchases around" and doesn't create "a lot of new spending."

Hurst said the holiday is a "life preserver" for business that have a "six and a quarter percent anchor around their neck."

Retailers this month filed potential 2018 ballot questions with the goal of both reducing the sales tax and making the sales tax holiday weekend permanent.
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Alan Ganoo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade and Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail attended the 9th meeting of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Council of Ministers of Trade held from 25-26 July 2022 in Accra, Ghana.

The objectives of the meeting were to, amongst others, consider the progress made in the negotiations ongoing for Trade in goods, Trade in services, Competition Policy, Intellectual Property Rights and Investment at the continental level.

The Agreement establishing the AfCFTA came into force on 01 January 2021. Work is still ongoing to operationalise the Agreement.

During the 9th meeting of the Council of Ministers of Trade, African Ministers deliberated on a number of issues including market access issues and the rules of origin. Regarding Trade in goods, the Provisional Schedules of Concessions of Algeria and EAC Member States were adopted by the Council. This increased the total number of Provisional Schedules of Concessions under the AfCFTA from 29 to 36.

On Trade in Services, the Council of Ministers further adopted the Schedules of Commitments of Republic of Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Namibia, the Republic of Malawi, the Republic of Mauritius, the Republic of Seychelles, the Republic of Zambia, the Republic of Zimbabwe, and the combined Schedule of the East African Community Partner States.

The adoption of these Schedules of specific commitments would enable trade in services among these countries in the five priority sectors, namely Business Services, Communication Services, Financial Services, Transport Services and Tourism Services.

The meeting further extended the September 2022 deadline to conclude phase II issues which covers Investment, Competition Policy and Intellectual Property Right by six months. A comprehensive work programme has been adopted by the Council of Ministers to work towards achieving the target of completing the negotiations for the phase II issues.

Tools which are key for countries to begin preferential trade under the AfCFTA trade regime were also launched during the meeting. These include the AfCFTA Website, the Rules of origin manual and the e-tariff book.

During the meeting, the Hon Minister A. Ganoo intervened on a number of key issues including trade in services, the need for flexible regulations on Special Economic Zones and the urgency to conclude the outstanding rules of origin on textiles to boost the confidence of investors and provide a predictable framework for investment on the continent

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Who gets to be Metis? As more people self-identify, critics call out opportunists

Undoubtedly, part of the draw of Indigenous identity is the rights and benefits it is seen to confer

And he warned a woman who said she had her new car delivered to a First Nations reserve to avoid paying tax that she could be tracked down for fraud.

SHERBROOKE, Que.  The scent of burning sage lingers in the air as drummers begin a song of welcome. They are traditions dating back centuries, but on this Sunday afternoon the ceremony opens a gathering of one of the countrys youngest Aboriginal groups  the two-year-old Wobtegwa Metis clan.The meeting, held in a high school auditorium, has brought together members from a corner of Quebec stretching northeast from Montreal past Quebec City and south to the United States border. Some of those present have long known of their Indigenous roots; for others the discovery has come recently. But they have all come together to push for government recognition of their rights.This clan is sovereign on its territory, Yves Cordeau, band chief for the Lac-Megantic region informs the group. If the claim comes as news to many in Quebec, its because the provinces Metis awakening is recent. Raynald Robichaud, the Wobtegwas clan chief, says even members of his own family discouraged him from returning to his Aboriginal roots. We knew we had a great-grandmother who was aboriginal, but our family absolutely did not want to talk about it, because they were afraid, he says. For us now, the fear is gone, and.According to the latest census numbers,. Between 2006 and 2016 the number of Metis increased by 51 per cent, with the most pronounced spikes in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. Demographers say natural growth explains only a fraction of this increase. Put simply, more people are newly identifying as Aboriginal on the census, states Statistics Canadas report.Checking a box on a census or connecting to family heritage is one thing. But as groups like the Wobtegwa lay claim to special services and territorial rights  a backlash to the influx of new Metis is emerging. Some critics question the motivation of those who become Metis, and the impact of their activism on more established groups.Last month, for example, two professors posted a scathing piece on self-indigenization, or becoming Indigenous, on the website The Conversation. The meteoric rise of Metis in eastern Canada, wrote Darryl Leroux, of St. Marys University in Halifax, and Adam Gaudry, of the University of Alberta, is mostly due to white Quebecois and Acadians using long-ago ancestors to reimagine a Metis identity. These new Metis are deeply invested in the settler status quo, they added, and could undermine the sovereignty of First Nations in Quebec and the Maritimes.Leroux, Gaudry and organizations representing western Metis maintain that mixed ancestry alone does not make one Metis. True Metis  as recognized by the Constitution as one of Canadas three aboriginal groups  must have roots in Manitobas historic Red River settlement, they say. That can include Metis all the way west to British Columbia and into Ontario, but not as far east as Quebec and the Maritimes.Chris Andersen, dean of the University of Alberta faculty of native studies, shares that view. The wave of people identifying as Metis because they have one or two Indigenous ancestors somewhere in their family tree do a disservice to legitimately Indigenous people who have been separated from their communities and are trying to reconnect, he says. Metis identity is not a soup kitchen. Its not open for people to come whenever they feel some hunger for belonging.The impression that Metis identity is there for the taking is in part because of the Supreme Court of Canada. Two key decisions  Powley in 2003 and Daniels in 2016  were seen to expand the scope of who is considered Metis. Powley, which involved members of a Metis community near Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., established a three-part test to determine Metis status in order to assert Aboriginal rights under the Constitution. The court ruled that one must identify as a Metis person; be a member of a present-day Metis community; and, have ties to a historic Metis community.After Powley, new Metis groups sprung up in eastern Canada, but so far none have managed to have their Aboriginal rights recognized by a court. The Daniels decision, however, which recognized the Metis as Indians to whom the federal government has a fiduciary duty, contained a paragraph that breathed new life into their aspirations.There is no consensus on who is considered Metis or a non-status Indian, nor need there be, the court wrote. Cultural and ethnic labels do not lend themselves to neat boundaries. Metis can refer to the historic Metis community in Manitobas Red River Settlement or it can be used as a general term for anyone with mixed European and Aboriginal heritage. For eastern Metis, proof of the latter is enough. Their organizations typically accept anyone who can provide a genealogical chart showing an Indigenous ancestor.Denis Gagnon, a professor at Universite de Saint-Boniface in Winnipeg and former Canada Research Chair on Metis identity, says those in the west who claim they are the only real Metis are hypocritical. They fail to acknowledge how their own ranks have swollen in the last 15 years. Every day I meet people who have a Metis card but do not have the culture, he says. They know a little bit of history. The expression they use is that they are non-practicing. Its like a religion.Georges Champagne, who says he joined the Wobtegwa because his family has Algonquin roots, has more basic needs than saving money on a new car. He opens his mouth wide to show a discoloured molar. Ive got a rotten tooth, but I cant get it removed because it costs too much, he says, explaining that his treatment involves putting an aspirin on the tooth to dull the pain.Gagnon acknowledges that some of the people claiming Metis status in Quebec may be opportunists. But in an interview he says he believes others are proud of their identity of mixed ancestry  and now they are fighting for their rights. Its legitimate.His position is forcefully rejected by St. Marys Universitys Leroux, who in a September lecture at the Universite de Montreal called the existence of a distinct Quebec Metis people a myth. He accused Gagnon and other like-minded researchers of rewriting history and creating an Aboriginal identity for a colonizing people.In his interview with National Post, Gagnon counters that Leroux is spreading hatred toward eastern Metis.Relations are hardly more cordial between eastern Metis and their First Nations cousins. In Nova Scotia, Greg Burke, chief of the Bras dOr Lake Metis Nation, says his groups 250 members and the thousands of other Nova Scotia Metis deserve the same benefits as the provinces Mikmaq. He belittles Mikmaq reserves as welfare states and says Mikmaq leaders claim exclusive Aboriginal rights in Nova Scotia because they do not want to share the millions they receive from Ottawa.(The emphasis is mine)More wanna be nonsense:legitimately Indigenous people..........uh huh..............like being 1/8 of something totally negates the other 7/8ths.
Morgan County Veterans Day Parade slated Nov. 11 Audio Article The Morgan County Veterans Day Parade will be held on Friday, Nov. 11. The parade will form at the Commons, in McConnelsville, at 9:30 a.m. and set out at 10 a.m. The American Legion Post 24 will render honors at the monuments at the Commons, Riecker Building, the Square, at...

A concert with two purposes Audio Article Wednesday, Nov. 30, a concert with dual purposes is being held at the Twin City Opera House in McConnelsville, Ohio. Its a thank-you to healthcare workers, who can attend for free, and its a benefit for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society. In September 2021, Rick Shriver contracted COVID-19. He collapsed...

BOE reminder of early voting hours and polling location change Audio Article Remaining early voting hours at the Morgan County Board of Elections are as follows: from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov, 2 through Friday, Nov. 4; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5; from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6; and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m....

Lions Club announces annual Wreaths Across America Audio Article On Saturday, Dec. 17, the Chesterhill Lions Club will be joining with National Wreaths Across America in the laying of wreaths at each of the seven cemeteries located in Marion Township. The mission is to honor the local veterans who have served our nation so their families can rest assured...

Governor DeWine awards $6.7 million for domestic violence survivor programs Audio Article Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has announced that he is awarding $6.7 million to support the work of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN) to offer mobile and health advocacy services and temporary residential services for domestic violence survivors across the state. The announcement comes during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month....

CDC committee vote wont change Ohio school vaccine requirement Audio Article Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA has released the following statement: The CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation for the COVID-19 vaccine to be added to the formulary or schedule of vaccines for children does not mandate this vaccine for school children. Ohio law determines...
Seeking the benefits of Canadian citizenship for their children, more and more parents-to-be from other countries are choosing to have them hereBirth tourism is legal, and despite common misconceptions, simply being a parent of a child born here is not enough to land a permanent resident visa for a prolonged length of time. Women here on visitor visas must go home with their children and apply to come back later, usually when their children are adults and can sponsor them. In the majority of cases, a Canadian passport is less a backdoor entrance into a Canada than an insurance policy for parents hoping to give their children better options.But birthing hotels are unregulated and can go untracked. In some cities, the number of maternal hospital beds being taken up by non-residents is increasing, and, in some cases, they have become a flashpoint for peoples insecurity and xenophobia  especially urban areas such as Vancouver and Richmond, where a long history of racial tensions still simmers, and skyrocketing home prices (blamed in part on foreign investment) have some residents on edge. Here are the basics:Canada is one of the few developed countries, along with the United States, that grants birthright citizenship. When a baby is born here, he or she receives a birth certificate and can apply for a Canadian passport right away. With that comes the benefits of potentially living in Canada one day: access to our education system and public healthcare, for instance. It also can provide benefits in the parents home country: In China, for example, a child with a foreign passport can gain access to international schools, which are often more affordable than private schools, with a high standard of education.If China has become the main source of birth tourism to the West Coast, its because of the countrys volatility, explains Will Tao, an immigration lawyer at Vancouvers Larlee Rosenberg. Everything is tied up with government. Many people have been able to ride the wealth of China, but they realize the foundation isnt that strong. There is this idea that at any moment, things can turn for them, and what will happen to those things they worked towards? Canada, then, becomes a stable Plan B, Tao says.Etc etc
Researchers from Yale University School of Medicine have discovered that defects in the transport of lysosomes within neurons promote the buildup of protein aggregates in the brains of mice with Alzheimer's disease. The study, which is published in The Journal of Cell Biology (JCB), suggests that developing ways to restore lysosome transport could represent a new therapeutic approach to treating the neurodegenerative disorder.

Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, with over 5 million Americans currently estimated to be living with the disorder. A characteristic feature of the disease is the formation of amyloid plaques inside the brain. The plaques consist of extracellular aggregates of a toxic protein fragment called -amyloid surrounded by numerous swollen axons, the parts of neurons that conduct electric impulses to other nerve cells.

These axonal swellings are packed with lysosomes, cellular garbage disposal units that degrade old or damaged components of the cell. In neurons, lysosomes are thought to "mature" as they are transported from the ends of axons to the neuronal cell body, gradually acquiring the ability to degrade their cargo. The lysosomes that get stuck and accumulate inside the axonal swellings associated with amyloid plaques fail to properly mature, but how these lysosomes contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease is unclear. One possibility is that they promote the buildup of -amyloid because some of the enzymes that generate -amyloid by cleaving a protein called amyloid precursor protein (APP) accumulate in the swellings with the immature lysosomes.

Shawn Ferguson and colleagues at Yale University School of Medicine investigated this possibility by impeding the transport of lysosomes in mouse neurons. The researchers found that neurons lacking a protein called JIP3 failed to transport lysosomes from axons to the cell body, leading to the accumulation of lysosomes in axonal swellings similar to those seen in Alzheimer's disease patients. The swellings also accumulated APP and two enzymes--called BACE1 and presenilin 2--that cleave it to generate -amyloid. Neurons lacking JIP3 therefore generated increased amounts of -amyloid.

The researchers then removed one copy of the gene encoding JIP3--halving the amount of JIP3 protein--from mice that were already prone to developing Alzheimer's disease. These animals produced more -amyloid and formed larger amyloid plaques, surrounded by an increased number of swollen axons.

"Collectively, our results indicate that the axonal accumulations of lysosomes at amyloid plaques are not innocent bystanders but rather are important contributors to APP processing and amyloid plaque growth," Ferguson says.

Genetic and environmental factors that impede lysosomal transport may therefore contribute to the progression of Alzheimer's disease. For example, traumatic brain injuries, which are thought to be significant risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, are known to disrupt transport along axons and induce axonal swelling.

"The identification of other proteins that function alongside JIP3 in regulating the axonal transport and maturation of lysosomes could ultimately lead to strategies to modulate the axonal abundance of lysosomes for therapeutic purposes," Ferguson says.

Article: Impaired JIP3-dependent axonal lysosome transport promotes amyloid plaque pathology, Swetha Gowrishankar, Yumei Wu, Shawn M. Ferguson, The Journal of Cell Biology, doi: 10.1083/jcb.201612148, published online 7 August 2017
Man gets over 16 years in prison for drugging, kidnapping UK modelAssociated PressMore from Associated PressPublished:June 11, 2018Updated:June 11, 2018 1:51 PM EDTModel Chloe Ayling speaks with the media outside of her house in Surrey, England on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017. (RAI via AP)MILAN  An Italian court on Friday convicted a Polish man of kidnapping a 20-year-old British model for ransom in a case that raised the spectre of young women being auctioned off online on encrypted websites.The verdict slammed the door on the defendants claims that the victim was in on the scheme with him. Lukasz Herba, the 30-year-old defendant, got a 16-year, nine-month sentence that exceeded the prosecutors request.The lawyer for British model Chloe Ayling, Francesco Pesce, called it quite an important verdict. He said he would seek half a million euros ($590,000) in compensation in separate proceedings, while conceding it was unlikely that Herba would be able to pay.In his closing arguments, prosecutor Paolo Storari had demanded 16 years and eight months in prison for Herba, citing the possibility that Ayling could have died during the July 11-17, 2017 kidnapping. He said the model was drugged with ketamine, which knocked her out, then put inside a canvas bag and transported to a farmhouse, where she was handcuffed to the furniture for at least the first night.Herba denied guilt throughout the trial, and claimed that Ayling agreed to the scheme to boost her career.In a declaration that defendants are allowed to have in an Italian court, Herba said he had been in love with Ayling, and they had concocted the kidnap plot to help her overcome financial difficulties after the birth of her son.I never hurt the girl. I was not violent with her, Herba said. If she felt forced verbally in any way, I am very sorry. But it certainly was not as Chloe has described.I was in love and I was hoping that once her fame took off that she would repay me with feelings and we would share the money, he said.Previous testimony showed that the two had met on Facebook and had met at least once in person before her pregnancy.According to prosecutors, Ayling was lured to Milan with the promise of a modeling gig and then drugged when she showed up at a mocked-up photographic studio. She was zipped inside a canvas pack and transported to a secluded farmhouse in neighbouring Piedmont. There she was held for six days before Herba released her at the British consulate in Milan. In his initial statement to police, he said he did so out of sympathy for the fact she was a mother.Ayling told investigators that she never tried to escape, even when she accompanied Herba into a store to buy shoes, because she was terrified, believing his threats that he was part of a bigger criminal gang that had eyes on her constantly.She said she had been told that she would be auctioned off online since she was not able to come up with 300,000 euros ($355,000) that the criminal Black Death group was seeking. She said Herba showed her photos of other girls who were reportedly being sold over the deep web.But in his shifting story line, Herba also testified previously that he had concocted the alleged criminal group and that his brother was helping him in the scheme agreed to by Ayling.Italian prosecutors are seeking the brothers extradition from Britain.Herba said he didnt tell police that Ayling was in on the scheme during his initial statements because he believed she would come forward herself and defend him.During closing arguments, his lawyer, Katia Kolakowska, cited an email she received from a U.S. film producer, who pointed out that Aylings story closely matches the plot of a movie titled By Any Means, that was released about eight weeks before the 2017 kidnapping.After the verdict, Kolakowska expressed disappointment that the court did not take into account that Ayling emerged from the ordeal unharmed, which would have limited the sentence to one year to eight years. She said she would appeal.Storari, in his closing arguments, noted that Herba had invested at least 10,000 euros (nearly $11,800) in the kidnapping, taking into account real estate rentals and travel. He said it was unrealistic that Herba would have done so only to get ransom from a young woman without any means.The prosecutor also cited Herbas purchase of two ski masks, which Chloe said she saw kidnappers wearing when she was freed from the canvas bag, and a note to his brother telling him to clean the trunk of the car well to make sure that there were no traces of her hair.
Since a third of the food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted throughout the supply chain globally, reducing this loss is no longer a simple matter of changing individual habits. It's true that by doubling down on our efforts to minimise recklessness in our individual consumption patterns we could potentially make a contribution, but such a transition is negligible and more often than not unsustainable. 40% of food loss actually occurs at post-harvest and processing levels in developing countries, and in industrialised nations the same percentage occurs on retail and consumer levels. As we wait for some sort of government-led mechanism to tackle the issue, Gurugram residents have instead chosen to take matters into their own hands in a staggering display of sensibility and altruism to address at least one critical impact of this wastage: hunger.

Spurred on by Rahul Khera - a member of Sharing Shelves, an organisation committed to the cause - residents of Suncity, Gurugram, have installed a community refrigerator at the entrance. Residents are encouraged to leave leftovers behind in cold-storage in a bid to reduce the community's overall food waste. This food can then be accessed by anyone in need of it, minus restrictions. Here's his post:

Despite a recurring crop surplus, India repeatedly fares poorly in the Global Hunger Index. 20 crore Indians sleep on an empty stomach each day, even as 7,000 lose their lives to hunger daily. Everywhere else, governments are stepping in with more concrete solutions intrinsic to establishing food sustainability. France's recent ban on supermarkets destroying unsold food, for example, has forced these markets to donate excessive food to charitable organisations and food banks.

Closer home, most initiatives - scattered as they are - focused on connecting surplus or donated food with food insecure families appear to be citizen-led. Apart from the Gurugram community fridge initiative, which has now been joined by 30 families, there is also the Nanma Maram' manoeuvre in Kochi. Instituted by Mina Pauline of local restaurant Pappadavada, this community fridge has motivated individuals, party-makers, event planners, and restaurant owners to donate their surplus for redistribution of food in a similar fashion.

Another notable movement dedicated to eradicating food waste in India is the No Food Waste' app, borne into existence by three social entrepreneurs, which operates in eight cities including New Delhi. Through an app and helpline number, No Food Waste tracks public events about to dispose of food and dispatches volunteers to test the quality of food and redistribute among set hunger zones' in each city, geo-tagged by app's users.

Here's a video showing the app in action:

A permanent, and obvious, solution to putting an end to food waste altogether is to efficiently close the supply-chain loop. Facilitate supply systems that consume fewer resources than the prevailing paradigm. Aside from ensuring that food does not reach those who need it, food waste currently entails loss of freshwater and fuel, while contributing to unsustainable agricultural practices and heightened global carbon emissions. Retreating to a more heuristic approach that relies on localised, small and mid scale community farms rooted in permaculture could help us rethink our consumption patterns.

 Thinkstock/Getty Images

It's true that I began this article by outwardly disparaging small-scale civic efforts. That is, perhaps, a little too jaded and not my true opinion. Anyone who has faced even a day of intractable hunger, and I have had my fair share, will tell you the same. One meal rerouted to someone in need is a meal worth celebrating. Bon appetit, India.
Americans crossing into Canada carrying guns with 'alarming frequency'

Guess the Americans think Canada is just the 51st state.

SAINT JOHN, N.B. -- Six Americans have been charged with bringing handguns across the New Brunswick border so far this summer, as a Canadian prosecutor says it's proving difficult to let otherwise law-abiding people know they can't bring firearms on vacation."The offences continue to occur with alarming frequency during the summer months," federal prosecutor Peter Thorn said from Hampton, N.B.Five men -- three from Florida, two from New England -- pleaded guilty and were fined between $1,500 and $2,000, he said.Thorn, who has prosecuted these cases for years, said most of the people caught are "respectful and law abiding citizens of the U.S.A." who are unaware handguns are either restricted or prohibited in Canada.He said many don't realize they can legally declare firearms and leave them behind as they enter the country. Many of the tourists are 60 and older, and from the South.The Canadian government has issued travel advisories, and there is signage at the border, but some Americans keep bringing their guns and lying about it, he said.Thorn said each time he handles a case, he asks the judge for a sentence that will deter others from travelling armed, but word doesn't seem to filter back to the U.S."Unfortunately, whereas the offenders reside in the U.S.A., it is highly unlikely that the sentencing message will ever reach those who could take heed or notice of the message," Thorn said in an email to The Canadian Press.The first case at St. Stephen, N.B., this summer came May 20. A 69-year-old New Hampshire man admitted he had a .357 Magnum in his glove compartment as border guards inspected his SUV. He was fined $1,500.Two days later, a 27-year-old Maine woman was charged with failing to declare a prohibited handgun at St. Stephen. She has pleaded not guilty and will face trial in Saint John, N.B., on March 23, 2018, Thorn said.On June 9, a 66-year-old Tavernier, Fla., man denied having a gun in his motor home -- until border officers found a Smith & Wesson 9 mm in a locked safe. He was fined $1,500.On June 23, a Hampton, Fla., man arrived with two undeclared guns, including a prohibited .25 calibre Raven Arms handgun. He was fined $2,000.On July 11, there were two cases within hours.A 59-year-old New Hampshire man heading for Roosevelt Campobello International Park denied having guns while entering Campobello, N.B., from Lubec, Maine, and was targeted for a search.He told officers he wanted to return to the U.S. but it was too late. Officers found a .38 in a storage case in his motor home, as well as undeclared alcohol and two grams of suspected marijuana. He was fined $2,000.That same day, a handgun was seized from a 64-year-old Jacksonville, Fla., couple at St. Stephen. It was found, undeclared, in the woman's suitcase, where her husband had hid it without telling her, Thorn said."(The woman) stated that she specifically told her husband not to bring his handgun into Canada," said Thorn.The man pleaded guilty, telling Judge Andrew LeMesurier of the New Brunswick provincial court they were coming to Canada to escape the heat.The judge joked the "heat" found him -- and that he should know by now to listen to his wife. The Jacksonville man was fined $2,000.The Canadian Border Services Agency said such seizures are common.In 2015, the agency seized seven guns in St. Stephen, up from five the previous year, it said. Nationally, it seized 671 firearms in 2015, 313 of which were prohibited in Canada, mostly in Ontario and B.C.Last summer, Thorn said border agents seized a gun about once a week at St. Stephen.On one weekend in August last year, two Texas men separately tried to bring hidden guns across at St. Stephen. On one October weekend, two retirees in their mid-60s from southern states arrived hours apart, both carrying weapons and both denying it.................................. :lol:
Im a proud Canadian: Toronto father shocked after racist graffiti spray painted on SUV

A Toronto father who has lived in Canada for more than 35 years says hes shocked and hurt after finding racist graffiti spray painted on his SUV outside of his north-end home and police say they are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.I just cant believe it, Wiley Ko told Global News Tuesday. Every race in this country should be respected, we shouldnt have this kind of racism here.Ko said he parked his SUV in the parking lot of his apartment building, near Don Mills Road and Highway 401, Sunday around 5 p.m.The following morning, his son returned home to find his fathers SUV covered in white spray paint with the racial slur chk, graphic images and the phrase Go bak to China [sic] on the back of the vehicle.It really, really hurts. Ive been in this country for 35 years and Ill always believe that every person in this country could live equally, he said.Everyone should be respected. So I dont know why this kind of racism would get to me, would come to me.Toronto Police Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu said the vehicle also had two broken headlights in addition the graffiti, with damage estimated to be in excess of $4,000. She added the incident is currently being investigated as a mischief charge but officers are working with the Toronto Police Hate Crime unit and charged may be upgraded.Ko said he was really shocked upon discovering the graffiti and didnt know how to process the incident.I dont know how to explain my feelings, he said. At the very, very first moment I dont know what to say. I dont know how to express my feelings.He added that racist incidents happen across the country but when it hits close to home its a totally different kind of feeling and emotionI really dont know what to do. Also, for one minute there I felt my safety is being affected, Ko said. Like somebody would attack me.Once he realized that the perpetrators knew his identity and where he lives, Ko immediately contacted police and posted the incident on social media in hopes of finding witnesses.If somebody did this to you what would you feel?, he said, adding his safety is totally jeopardized. Would you feel terrible? Would you feel hurt?Ko said he immigrated to Canada in 1981 from Hong Kong and has lived here ever since and has two sons aged 28 and 21 who were both born in Toronto.Theyre all Canadians. Im also a citizen too, he said, adding the insinuation he should return to China was ridiculous.No way, this is already my home. I consider this country, this city  my home.Im a proud Canadian because this country is really, really great and I respect all kinds of people in this country.
A former drug lord turned missionary and author will speak at an event that will benefit Fremont youth.

Officials at the Hope Center for Kids recently announced that Dimas Salaberrios, a pastor and author of Street God, will speak at the 10th annual gala on Oct. 20 at CenturyLink Center in Omaha.

Rooted in Hope is the theme of this years gala designed to celebrate the work done by the Hope Centers in Omaha and Fremont. It also helps fund the nonprofit organizations year-round programs.

The formal evening starts with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and a program at 7 p.m.

Salaberrios, a worldwide missionary, speaker and writer, will share his personal story of being a former drug lord on the run and the mission that provided him with hope and a second chance. The pastor also will tell how hes used the opportunity for good. Salaberrios has appeared on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, Fox News and The Eric Metaxas Show.

That Friday evening, attendees also will hear from youth about how the Hope Center has impacted their lives.

At The Hope-Fremont, were not just about providing a place of physical safety, were also providing a place of emotional security where kids can come and trust their relationships with each other and with healthy adults, said Lindsey Valla, awareness specialist. Were empowering our youth in Fremont through education, employment training and planning what their future looks like based on their skills, passions and talents.

Valla said almost 100 students in grades 5-12 benefit from The Hope Center for Kids in Fremont.

For almost 20 years, the Hope Center has worked to inspire hope in the lives of youth and children through education, employability, collaboration and faith.

The Hope-Fremont, which opened in 2014, grew out of a program the late Ty and Terri Schenzel started in Omaha in 1998.

Ty, a former Fremonter, and his wife were killed in an auto accident in August 2015.

The October fundraising event will begin with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m., followed by a dinner and a program at 7 p.m., when Salaberrios will speak.

Individual tickets are $100 or a table of $10 is $800. Sponsorship levels range from $1,250 to $15,000 and can be secured at hopecenterforkids.com.

Valla said local donors may specify that their donations go to support Fremont youth.

For more questions or more information, contact Melissa Yahnke at 402-341-4673, Ext. 1028 or melissa@hopecenterforkids.com.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ioannis Amanatidis met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, 4 August 2017, with the new Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, Jens Plotner.



The meeting, which took place in a friendly climate, focused on the implementation of the "Action Plan for Greek-German Bilateral Cooperation," in whose framework Mr. Plotner invited Mr. Amanatidis to visit Berlin this coming September, accompanied by representatives of the co-competent ministries.



The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs accepted the invitation to this first meeting in the context of the "Action Plan for Greek-German Bilateral Cooperation," which is expected to lay the groundwork for a new era in Greek-German bilateral relations.

The "Action Plan for Greek-German Bilateral Cooperation" was established in the joint declaration of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Greece and the Federal Republic of Germany, signed on 3 December 2016 by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias and his German counterpart.
Area residents had an opportunity to voice concerns on air quality matters related to the operation of the planned Costco-Lincoln Premium Poultry chicken processing plant on Tuesday.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) held a public hearing at the Christensen Field Main Arena in regard to a proposed air quality construction permit for the chicken facility, which includes processing plant, feed mill and hatchery.

Around 75 people attended, and more than a dozen area residents offered testimony at the hearing with the vast majority of speakers asking the NDEQ to either deny, or reevaluate, the proposed permit.

The hearing provided only for the presentation of testimony with no cross-examination of those testifying and no provision for question and answer. All comments and documents submitted at the hearing are now part of the public record.

Randy Ruppert, President of Nebraska Communities United, voiced his concerns over the lack of a day-to-day monitoring system to ensure the facility is adhering to the conditions of the proposed permit.

We as citizens of this county need to know that this facility is not going to be bringing our children down with asthma and our seniors with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), he said at the hearing.

We have no monitoring system here, so day to day who will be protecting the citizens of Fremont?

There were also concerns raised about the effect on residents with respiratory conditions such as asthma and COPD.

My concerns about air quality center on the consequences of health and well-being of our citizens, Fremont resident Evelyn McKnight said. My children and grandchildren have a history of asthma, I myself have lung damage due to radiation from breast cancer treatment. With the expected increase in ground level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, I am concerned that our already compromised respiratory systems will be more stressed with the increase of emissions and particulates.

According to Gary Buttermore, Environmental Quality Supervisor at NDEQ, an air quality construction permit is required when a planned facility would surpass certain emissions thresholds.

In preparing to issue this permit, he said, his department studied levels and types of pollutants the facility would emit and determined that the plant would not have what is considered a significant impact on air quality beyond the plant property.

The entire state of Nebraska is in compliance with ambient air quality standards and we dont anticipate that this project will change that standing, he said.

According to Shelley Schneider, an environmental engineer at NDEQ, the department conducted an air quality impact analysis for the proposed permit and found that the facility would be in compliance with state and national ambient air quality standards.

The standards of specific concern for this project are particulate matter, this air quality impact analysis the modeling analysis demonstrates that Lincoln Premium Poutry, when constructed and operated in accordance with the proposed permit is expected to be in compliance with state and national ambient air quality standards, she said at the hearing.

Following the hearing, the NDEQ will respond to any relevant questions brought up by concerned citizens and take into account all information before moving forward with granting, denying or amending the permit. The public comment for the proposed permit ends August 10.

We will look at all of the comments in the context of the permit and if there is anything that is relevant then we will take those into consideration and determine if there are changes that need to be made to the permit and go forward from there, Buttermore said.
CASS CITY -- The Cass City Village Council offered the village manager's position to Deboria Powell, pending a background check by the Michigan Municipal League (MML), following a special meeting Monday.

Kathie Grinzinger, lead executive recruiter with MML, explained the council's options after the board rescinded offering the manager's position to Ted Andrzejewski because of concerns over some controversial news articles.

According to Grinzinger, the council could go back to the pool of the 14 candidates who had originally applied or look at the candidates they had selected to be interviewed.

"After looking at what each of those 14 candidates could bring to the table, the council narrowed it down to a field of 10, and then chose five to interview in July," explained village Clerk Nanettle Walsh. "Only four candidates were interviewed because Mike Greene accepted another position."

Powell and Nancy Barrios were the two candidates left from the original interviews.

Powell is a graduate of the certified public manager program at Saginaw Valley State University, and has an associate degree from Delta College. She is expected to complete a bachelor of science degree in public administration in December from Central Michigan University.

She serves as assistant to the manager/public information officer for the city of Saginaw, and also served as executive assistant to the city manager of Bay City.

"The salary for our manager position is between $55,000 to $75,000, and will be part of the negotiations," said Walsh.

Also, there will be another special council meeting 7 p.m. Aug. 15, to fill the trustee seats vacated by Steve Erickson on May 22 and by Mark Karwowski on June 26.

Those who are expected to be interviewed for the trustee seats are Heather Severance, Eric Reed, Dan Delamater, Nancy Hrabcak and Nancy Barrios.
This week, I am leading a trade mission to Canada. The importance of Canada as a trading partner that is helping grow Nebraska cannot be overstated. Canada is Nebraskas largest export market and fourth largest agriculture export market. In 2016, total agricultural exports from Nebraska to Canada equaled an estimated $468 million out of a total agriculture export value of $5.4 billion. In addition to our important trade relationship, Nebraska and Canada are both celebrating our 150th birthdays this year, a special occasion which we will be highlighting along the way!

Our historic partnership is why I chose to lead what is quite possibly the first-ever, Governorled Nebraska trade mission to Canada. Why travel to Canada when Nebraska already has such a great relationship? We cannot take our best customers for granted. Appreciation is one of the most important aspects of any partnership, so we are taking the time to thank our largest export market for their business while solidifying our current relationships with government officials and investors. This mission can also help open new doors and new opportunities for Nebraska ag producers and businesses looking to grow.

The timing of this trade mission is critical, as negotiations between the United States, Canada, and Mexico are set to begin on the modernization of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA has been pivotal to growing Nebraska agriculture, our states number one industry. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, exports from Nebraska to free-trade agreement markets grew 104 percent from 2005 to 2015, with growth in NAFTA trade far outpacing our trade with other partners. As NAFTA negotiations have begun, Nebraska ag producers and I have been working together to showcase how critical this agreement is to the future of the farm families who help grow our state.

This week, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Economic Development, as well as ag producers will be joining the mission. During our visit we will share the story of Nebraska and the high quality commodities produced by our farm and ranch families with current and potential investors.

While in Canada, we will sit down for a roundtable discussion with the United States Consul General for Toronto, as well as a reception and meal featuring Nebraska beef that will be hosted by the Minister Counselor for Agricultural Affairs. Nebraska beef products are Nebraskas number one agricultural export to Canada, totaling $138.2 million in 2015.

My cabinet directors and I will also have the opportunity to meet directly with the Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs. This meeting will provide us an opportunity to share our thanks for the market access Nebraska products enjoy in Canada as well as a conversation about future growth opportunities.

Additionally, we plan to meet with the Canadian Pork Council and the Canadian Cattlemen Association at the U.S. Embassy. Pork is Nebraskas third highest agricultural export to Canada, providing $61.3 million of exports. We look forward to sharing Nebraskas beef and pork story with these two organizations.

During the trade mission, participants will also receive a number of briefings on trade issues. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture is hosting a workshop on the Safe Foods for Canadians Act. This workshop, which is also open to Canadian businesses, will allow for an open discussion about how the Act will change the way we export food products to Canada. During visits with the U.S. Consulate in Toronto and the US Embassy in Ottawa, the delegation will learn more about Canadas economic and social structures and how those affect the Nebraska manufacturing and agricultural sectors.

Trade missions like these have allowed Nebraska to build on relationships that have been helping grow our state for 150 years. Nebraska has achieved great growth through trade over the years because of an ongoing commitment by our agriculture and business communities to raising Nebraskas international profile. As work begins on modernizing NAFTA, it is more important than ever that we demonstrate our appreciation for our states largest customer, and this trade mission will help do just that. If you have any questions about the trade mission or any other matter, I hope you will contact my office by emailing pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov or calling 402-471-2244.
The first female commander of a top veteran advocacy organization, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), credits a lifelong love of asking questions and a willingness to try new things with leading her to the new job.

Retired Army reservist Delphine Metcalf-Foster was elected to the role Aug. 1 at the DAV's annual meeting in New Orleans.

She had previously served as the first woman commander of the organization's California chapter and is also the first African-American woman to hold either position.

"People call me and say, 'Tell me, how do you feel about being the first woman commander,' and I say, 'I feel I can continue to do my work,' " Metcalf-Foster said Tuesday in an interview with Military.com. "It's really an honor, and very humbling."

She is the first female leader of the trio of veteran organizations collectively known as "the big three" -- the DAV, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. The Vietnam Veterans of America was led by Army veteran Mary Stout from 1987 to 1991.

The daughter of a "Buffalo Soldier," Metcalf-Foster said she had dismissed the idea of joining the military as a child when she learned she wouldn't be able to ride horses like her father had during his service.

But while she was working as a civilian at age 34 at the now-shuttered Letterman Army Medical Center in California, a female supervisor asked her to consider joining the Reserves.

"She convinced me that I could do it, and she was right," Metcalf-Foster said. "I was the oldest one in my platoon."

Over her next 21 years in service, her Reserve units were based at Letterman, leaving her to serve in uniform and deploy out of the same place she worked as a civilian employee.

Metcalf-Foster, who was injured in combat in 1991 while deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Storm, said her passion at the DAV lies in helping make sure female veterans get the care they need through the VA.

The only way to do that, she said, is to continue to work with VA leadership and lawmakers to highlight problems as they become apparent.

"When we find out things, we work with the system to bring it to their attention," she said. "If no one brings it to their attention, how can it change? But by working with them, I feel like there can be change."

Metcalf-Foster also plans to continue the organization's push to expand to veterans of all eras a program that compensates family members for caregiving. Currently, the benefit is available only to post-9/11 veterans.

"A lot of people don't realize that there are hundreds of thousands of caregivers caring for veterans in this country," she said. "I want to work to see that the programs offered by the VA are there for anyone ... this is just something that we should do."

Like many veteran service organizations, DAV struggles to recruit new members. Metcalf-Foster hopes a renewed focus on mentorship while continuing to host job fairs and publicize the ways DAV can assist its members will help the organization increase its reach.

"I have the backing and advocacy for my organization, and it makes such a big difference," she said.

-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com.
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...
Joseph V. Micallef is a best-selling military history and world affairs author, and keynote speaker. Follow him on Twitter@JosephVMicallef.

In late July, the House and Senate both passed the Russian Sanctions Bill by an overwhelming majority, 419 to 33 in the House and 98 to 2 in the Senate. The bill, which had started out as a move to impose additional sanctions on both North Korea and Iran for their recent ballistic missile tests, turned into a vehicle for sanctioning Russia as well in response to continuing disclosures of Russian interference in the recent U.S. presidential election.

The Sanctions Bill specifically targets Russia's weapons exports and energy sector. In particular, it allows the U.S. to impose sanctions on any companies participating in the development of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

The pipeline is designed to bring Russian natural gas from Vyborg in the Russian Federation to Greifswald in Germany. The route, across the Baltic sea floor, bypasses the need to cross any of Russia's neighbors.

There are five European companies, Uniper, Wintershall, Shell, OMV and Engie, that have committed to each financing 10 percent of the project, up to roughly one billion dollars each. The other 50 percent of the financing is being funded by the Russian energy company Gazprom. The Sanctions Bill has been criticized in Europe as it exposes the five European companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 project to potential sanctions by the U.S.

In addition, the legislation limits the ability of a president to roll back any of the sanctions that were imposed by former President Barack Obama, via an executive order in December 2016, in response to findings that the Kremlin had interfered in the 2016 presidential elections.

Not since Congress passed the War Powers Act in 1973, has a bipartisan Congress moved so resolutely to limit Presidential authority. The Trump Administration, after claiming that it had weighed in on some of the provisions of the bill and had them modified, quietly signed the measure on August 2.

The Russian response to the new sanctions bill was swift. Russian President Vladimir Putin termed the sanctions bill "illegal" and went on to add, "it's impossible to endlessly tolerate this kind of insolence towards our country ...This practice is unacceptable -- it destroys international relations and international law."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov derided the American action, claiming that Russia was doing "everything possible" to improve U.S.-Russia relationships but that, "U.S. policy was in the hands of Russophobic forces, pushing Washington to the path of confrontation."

On Sunday, July 30, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it had seized two properties owned by the U.S. Embassy, a warehouse in Moscow and a country villa, or dacha, on the outskirts of the city. In addition, the Ministry announced that the U.S. would have to reduce its embassy and consulate staff, by 755 employees, from 1,210 to 455 -- the same level of staff allowed to Russia in the U.S.

From a practical standpoint, most of the staff reduction will involve Russian nationals that are employed in the embassy in a variety of roles, from drivers to housekeeping functions. The last time the Kremlin took a similar action, in the 1980s, diplomatic staff were forced to contribute one day a week doing various menial and support tasks at the embassy.

In addition, the Kremlin is likely to redouble its efforts to sow dissension within NATO while looking for additional opportunities to challenge American interests around the world. On July 31st, Moscow announced plans to integrate soldiers in the South Ossetian militia into the Russian Army.

South Ossetia, is a breakaway region of Georgia that has been supported by Russia. Abkhazia, a second breakaway region from Georgia announced that same day that it would establish "an information and coordination center" with Russia.

Significantly, the announcement came during US Vice President's July 31 -- August 1 visit to Georgia's capital, Tbilisi. The next day, Georgian president Giorgi Margvelashvili issued a statement that Georgia's territorial integrity and its eventual membership in NATO were "clearly defined" during Pence's visit.

The Kremlin's policy towards Georgia is a classic example of how Moscow uses conflicts in peripheral areas to hamper US policy. Georgia is not a strategic interest of the U.S. Its position in the South Caucasus however makes it critically important to Russia.

If the US downplays its commitment to Georgia's territorial integrity, ignores Russian attempts at subversion or does not support Georgia's eventual membership in NATO, the Kremlin will emphasize the limits of US power and Washington's unwillingness to defend the territorial integrity of the nations in the Near Abroad.

If, on the other hands, Washington emphasizes its commitment to nations like Georgia, it will create conflict within NATO. There is little support within NATO's European members to include a member currently in open conflict with Russia and whose geographic position is not strategic to NATO's mission.

Likewise, Moscow has moved to expand its trade relationship with North Korea, shipping food and possibly fuel supplies to Pyongyang. Russia has little strategic interests in North Korea, but here too it can hamper US plans to further isolate Pyongyang to gain some leverage against Washington.

Russia voted in favor of the recent UN Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions on roughly one billion dollars' worth of North Korean exports. At the same time, Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, called for a "creative solution" to the Korean problem; a reference to Moscow's proposal to trade a suspension of Pyongyang's nuclear program for a withdrawal of US forces from South Korea.

The Trump Administration is now the third American presidency to attempt to improve U.S. relations with Russia with little success. George W. Bush famously declared that he had looked into Vladimir Putin's soul and "found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy." In March 2009, Barack Obama dispatched his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, to Geneva to symbolically present Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with a reset button that would re-energize Russian-American cooperation.

As a candidate, Donald Trump argued that he would improve U.S.-Russian relationships only to find himself, subsequently to becoming president, at the center of a broad investigation concerning Russian meddling in the U.S. election and inappropriate contacts between members of his campaign staff and Russian officials. This latest Sanctions Act, effectively strips much of the president's power to unilaterally roll back many of the sanctions imposed on Russia.

Not since the height of the Cold War have relations between Moscow and Washington been so frigid. Moreover, this time the U.S. and Russia seem to be locked into a cycle of confrontation and tit-for-tat reprisals that is accelerating into a steadily increasing spiral of deteriorating relations. Are Moscow and Washington falling into an ever-deeper pattern of confrontation and retaliation?

Since 2014, the imposition of sanctions by the U.S. and its allies, in response to the Russian takeover of the Crimea and the Kremlin's support of secessionist groups in the Donetsk Basin of Eastern Ukraine, has been at the center of Russian-U.S. relations. The effect of the sanctions has been further magnified by low petroleum prices. The issue over Ukraine, however, is just a symptom of a far deeper issue that dates back to the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1989.

In the spring of 1990, the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the four principal Allied powers from World War II, the U.S., France, Great Britain and the Soviet Union signed, in Moscow, a treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany, which consented to the unification of the two Germanies and granted full sovereignty to the new, unified German state.

The treaty, nicknamed the Two Plus Four Treaty, represented a revision to the agreement reached by U.S. President Harry Truman, British Prime Minister Clement Attlee and Soviet General Secretary Joseph Stalin in Potsdam on August 1, 1945.

The original agreement, among other things, had set out the borders of the four occupation zones in which Germany was divided as well as the overall borders of the German state, and in particular the eastern border with Poland along the Ode and Neisse rivers (Oder-Neisse line)

German reunification was a controversial issue. UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was famously opposed to it, declaring, "We defeated the Germans twice! And now they're back!" French President Francois Mitterrand was equally opposed, although he conceded that reunification was inevitable. Given its prior history with Germany, the Soviet leadership also had serious misgivings about German reunification.

The negotiation over the Two Plus Four Treaty occurred during a period of worsening economic crisis in the USSR. Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev was convinced that the USSR needed to integrate itself further into Europe and believed that Soviet consent to German reunification would pave the way for closer economic relations with the EU and America, as well as access to Western financing and technology.

The Kremlin has long held that its acquiescence to German reunification was contingent on U.S. assurances that neither NATO nor the EU would seek to expand eastward into those countries whose government had previously been allied with Moscow. Successive U.S. administrations, however, have maintained that no such assurances were ever given to Moscow.

The Treaty on the Final Settlement did not impose any limitations on the expansion of either NATO or the EU eastward. Significantly, former General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev has also confirmed that he did not ask for any such assurances and that none were given by then Secretary of State James Baker.

In retrospect, it was naive to think that having suffered a half century or more of Soviet control, the former members of the Warsaw Pact, as well as those newly independent nations, formerly constituent republics of the Soviet Union like the Baltic states, would not seize the opportunity to protect their sovereignty through the collective security arrangements offered by NATO.

Likewise, the opportunity to link their economies to the dynamic marketplace of the European Union and its access to capital, technology and its multi-trillion-euro consumer market was difficult to resist.

It was equally naive to believe that the United States and its EU and NATO allies would not see the opportunity afforded by the collapsing Soviet Union to roll back the influence of the USSR and later Russia and to institutionalize that roll back by expanding multilateral organizations like NATO and the EU.

In allowing and encouraging the expansion of NATO and the EU, however, the U.S. and its allies also committed themselves to the defense of a region where the U.S. had little strategic interest and which have historically been seen by Moscow as crucial to its defense and security.

Vladimir Putin famously declared that the breakup of the USSR was "the greatest geopolitical tragedy of the 20th century."

When Putin came to power in 2000, he brought with him a conception of Russian security shaped by Russia's historical experience of its vulnerability of invasion from the West and a strategic doctrine that Russian security was firmly grounded in Russian dominance of the region the Kremlin called the Near Abroad, essentially that area formerly bound by the Soviet Union and now distributed among the 14 successor states which emerged, in addition to Russia, from the detritus of the USSR.

Additionally, this region included 25 million ethnic Russians to whom Russia would eventually grant Russian citizenship and assume responsibility for.

Between 2000 and the present day, a series of popular, peaceful uprisings took hold in the Balkans and in some of the former republics of the USSR. The Western media termed them the "Color Revolutions," although the first uprising in Yugoslavia, which ultimately led to its break up, was termed the Bulldozer Revolution and two subsequent uprisings, in Georgia in 2003 and in Kyrgyzstan in 2005, took a rose and a tulip respectively as their symbol.

These popular uprisings were unofficially supported by the U.S. and European governments and were aided by a variety of Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), many of which operated with financial support and assistance from American and European governments.

U.S. and European support for democratic movements in Eastern Europe was nothing new. The Reagan Administration had actively supported such movements prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union and had covertly funneled hundreds of millions of dollars of financial aid to, among others, Poland's Solidarity movement.

Russian hardliners to this day still argue that had the Kremlin enforced the Brezhnev Doctrine and intervened to quell the unrest, as Moscow had done in Hungary in 1956 or Czechoslovakia in 1968, the Soviet Union might still exist today.

For Moscow, the argument underscores the importance of Russian military power in the region. Russian foreign policy hardliners point out that Washington opted not to intervene during the Hungarian and Czech crisis because it realized that the region was a core interest of the Soviet Union and any intervention could lead to a military conflict with the USSR.

By the 1980s, Soviet weakness meant that the West could intervene with relative impunity; a condition that has persisted to this day.

For the Kremlin these revolutions, which it perceived as having an anti-Russian and anti-Moscow character, served to not only undermine Russia's position in the region and to bring U.S. and European influence that much closer to Russia's borders, but also as a source of contagion that could spill over into other regions of the "Near Abroad" and potentially into Russia itself. The color revolutions were simply the latest chapter in an ongoing drama for how the U.S. and its allies were rolling back first Soviet and now Russian influence and power in the region.

Moscow is convinced that the West is determined to encourage color revolutions throughout the former Soviet Union and even Russia itself, an event that would result in the overthrow of Vladimir Putin and the Russian ruling class that has emerged around him.

As Russia has become increasingly more autocratic, the prospect of democratic revolutions among its neighbors has become all the more threatening. For the Kremlin, the color revolutions and Western support for them is nothing less than an existential threat to the continuation of the present regime.

The color revolution that has been playing out in Ukraine since 2004 was particularly dangerous to Moscow. Ukraine's geographic position raised the prospect of NATO forces on the doorstep of the Russian heartland while at the same time potentially limiting Russian access to the Black Sea.

Moreover, it meant that virtually all of what had once been western Russia was, except for Belarus, now increasingly in America's orbit. Not since the Treaty of Brest Litovsk in 1917, had Russian influence been rolled back so dramatically.

Unable to restore the pro-Russian government of Viktor Yanukovych, and fearful that the pro-Western government in Kiev would move to join NATO, Putin dispatched Russian troops to seize the Crimea, while at the same time supporting ethnic Russians advocating for Eastern Ukraine and the Donetsk Basin to secede from Ukraine.

It was those actions that prompted the U.S. and the EU to impose sanctions on Russia and that have set the tempo of Russian-American relations ever since.

The United States does not have any significant strategic interests in Eastern Europe or the Near Abroad outside of their potential role in containing Russia. Moreover, while Russia has been and will continue to be a disruptive force in European political affairs and in European-American relations, Moscow no longer has the ability to militarily dominate Western Europe or impose its will upon the continent.

On the other hand, support for democratic movements has long been a touchstone of U.S. foreign policy. In Eastern Europe and the Near Abroad, however, such support however comes at a high price.

While Russia is no longer the superpower it once was, it is still the dominant military power in the region, and will likely retain that status for the foreseeable future. The democratic states that emerged from the Soviet Union will find it difficult to resist Russian encroachments and subversion on their own, especially if they are still highly dependent on Russian natural gas for their energy needs or have a large number of ethnic Russian citizens within their borders.

Hence, their interest in seeking the support of a multilateral military coalition like NATO. Ultimately, having now allowed them to join NATO, it will fall on the U.S. and its NATO allies to ensure that these countries retain their independence in accordance with the mutual defense provisions of the NATO treaty. Barring a fundamental change in Moscow's posture, that is an open-ended commitment that will last for some time.

In the closing months of World War II, Adolph Hitler confidently predicted that the Allied Coalition arrayed against him would collapse over rivalries on who would dominate postwar Europe. It didn't, in large part because at Yalta, Churchill and Roosevelt consented to the postwar domination of Eastern Europe by the USSR. Stalin, confident that American withdrawal from the European continent would eventually open the way for Soviet domination of the rest of the continent, was content to bide his time.

What the Kremlin ultimately wants from the West is a 21st century Yalta, an explicit commitment that NATO and the EU will halt their eastward expansion and ideally even reverse it, and consent to Russian political and economic domination of the Near Abroad. Such an outcome, while not inconceivable, is unlikely.

First, there is no clear mechanism to rescind NATO membership. A member of the alliance can withdraw or downplay its membership, as France did under Charles de Gaulle, but it can't be booted from the group. Secondly, a withdrawal by the U.S. and Europe from the region, or even the imposition of an enforced neutrality among the nations of the Near Abroad, would be highly unpopular among Western European voters.

Repeated Pew Research Center surveys of European voters have shown widespread support, for example, for Ukraine membership in NATO and the EU and for providing economic assistance, even though direct military aid much less a military confrontation with Russia over Ukraine remains unpopular.

While American voters are generally more ambivalent and less knowledgeable about the situation in Eastern Europe, these countries enjoy broad bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. Any attempt by an American president to consent to a Yalta-like solution would be vigorously opposed by Congress.

Moreover, an American withdrawal from Eastern Europe would be perceived as undermining NATO, raise doubts about the reliability of American security guarantees elsewhere in Europe and be interpreted as a major Russian diplomatic victory. In short, having advanced NATO's and the EU's frontiers to Russia's borders, the West will find it difficult to reverse course, even when that strategy makes an ongoing confrontation with Russia inevitable.

There is an old adage that, when you find yourself in a hole the first thing to do is to stop digging. It is a lesson that Vladimir Putin has yet to acknowledge.

Having gambled and lost in Russia's intervention in Ukraine, the Kremlin has since tried to double down; interfering in the U.S. and French presidential elections in the hope of electing friendlier governments while continuing to oppose U.S. interests and objectives around the world in the hope of amassing enough chips to allow it to broker a satisfactory agreement with the U.S. and its allies over Ukraine and the elimination of economic sanctions.

To date, that strategy has largely failed. While it is indisputable that the Kremlin sought to interfere in the U.S. presidential elections, it is unclear whether their objective was to promote the candidacy of Donald Trump, cripple the campaign of Hillary Clinton or simply inject enough confusion and uncertainty about Russia's role and objectives to simple cast a shadow over the legitimacy of any incoming administration.

While Moscow has certainly accomplished those goals, they have come at a high political price; one that makes it virtually impossible for the existing sanctions against Russia to be lifted.

As long as the Kremlin defines its security as contingent on its control of the Near Abroad, as long as Moscow sees democratic revolutions among its neighbors as potentially destabilizing Russia, and as long as it sees Russia's status as a great power dependent on its ability to dominate and shape its periphery, and as long as the U.S. and its European allies are committed to supporting democratic revolutions among the former Republics of the USSR, then Moscow and Washington will remain on a collision course.

The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com.

-- If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.
Despite calls from the Japanese government to ground Marine Corps V-22 Ospreys in the wake of an Aug. 5 crash off the east coast of Australia, the service will continue flight operations, the commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force said Wednesday morning.

After an initial examination of the facts and circumstances leading up to the mishap, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit determined the fleet is still safe to fly, Lt. Gen. Lawrence Nicholson said.

The aircraft that crashed was assigned to the deployed 31st MEU, and went down shortly following a launch from the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard.

Nicholson said a 48-hour operational pause was observed by the MEU in order to review unit safety procedures, and a full investigation, still underway, will include eyewitness accounts; reviews of aircraft maintenance logs and crew training records; and analysis of all factors contributing to the mishap.

"I would never put my aircrews or any local citizens in danger by flying an aircraft that I do not believe is safe and ready to fly," Nicholson said in a statement. "We did not take the decision to continue flight operations lightly."

The commanding officer of the squadron, VMM-265 out of Futenma, Japan, also met with squadron members to re-emphasize adherence to flight standards and safety procedures, Nicholson said.

Three Marines were killed in the Aug. 5 crash: 1st Lt. Benjamin Cross, Cpl. Nathaniel Ordway, and Pfc. Ruben Velasco.

Dive teams continue to conduct salvage and recovery operations at the crash site, with assistance from the Australian Defence Force, Nicholson said.

"We mourn the loss of our Marines and grieve with their families," he said. "Please continue to keep all our Marines in your thoughts and prayers."

Particularly on Okinawa, where about 27,000 Marines are stationed, the Corps' use of the Osprey is a topic of hot contention.

Early in development, there were several high-fatality crashes involving the Osprey, which contributed to its reputation as an unsafe airframe.

While Marine officials say the Osprey now has one of the best safety records of any aircraft the Corps flies, the aircraft has continued to provoke protests on Okinawa.

In December 2016, a V-22, also from VMM-265, crash-landed in shallow water off the coast of Okinawa in a botched attempt at a precautionary landing. The incident drew ire from the governor of the Okinawa prefecture and resulted in a temporary grounding of all Ospreys in Japan. The cause of that mishap has not been made public.

In his statement, Nicholson emphasized that the Osprey, a unique tiltrotor aircraft that can fly like an airplane and take off and land like a helicopter, has proven a valuable asset in the Pacific, particularly in humanitarian aid missions such as those undertaken after the 2016 earthquake in Kumamoto, Japan; the 2015 earthquake in Nepal; and the 2013 super typhoon, Haiyan, in the Philippines.

"We live in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and care very deeply for our international friends and partners," he said. "We value our aircrews and the Marines and sailors who fly in our aircraft, as well as the citizens we fly over in the United States, Japan, Australia, and throughout the world.

"III MEF will continue to train to ensure readiness while minimizing impact to our communities so we can operate safely when and where we are needed," he said.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
ANN ARBOR, MI - The owners of Cafe Zola said they turned away two immigration agents who stopped at the Ann Arbor restaurant the afternoon of Wednesday, Aug. 9 to look for an unnamed person.

Owner Alan Zakalik said two agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement walked into the restaurant at 112 W. Washington Street around 2 p.m. and asked about an individual, but did not divulge the name.

Zakalik was not at the restaurant at the time, but said his wife, Hediye Batu, declined to let the agents walk through the kitchen and search for the individual in question.

"I was not around when they came in but they did speak to my wife, and she refused them entry," Zakalik said. "They wanted to go through the kitchen."

The agents then left the property, he said.

"It was not busy when they came, it was kind of toward the end of the lunch hour so the restaurant was slow, more quiet," Zakalik said.

Batu deferred questions to her husband.

The two have owned Cafe Zola for 21 years, and Zakalik said immigration agents have never been in the restaurant before.

When Zakalik arrived at the restaurant, he talked to some of the customers who had witnessed the quick visit but said most of the people in the restaurant did not notice the immigration agents at the door.

He added the agents were in uniforms emblazoned with "POLICE" on the back and were carrying guns.

"They looked pretty equipped," Zakalik said. "These few people who did notice, they didn't like the intimidation factor when people come in with guns."

Khaalid Walls, spokesman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, issued a statement by email following the incident.

"Today's enforcement operations are a part of routine, daily targeted operations conducted by ICE in this region and around the country every day, targeting criminal aliens and other immigration violators," Walls said. "No arrests were made."

Less than three months ago, ICE agents walked into another Ann Arbor restaurant and asked about one individual before eventually detaining 3 people.

Restaurant owner Sava Lelcaj told The Ann Arbor News after the arrests that ICE agents ate at the restaurant, 216 S. State Street, about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 24 before entering the kitchen area to look for an employee.

Additional raids have taken place across Michigan and resulted in multiple detainments and community protests.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Reporters Ryan Stanton and Lindsay Knake contributed to this story.
ROCKFORD, MI -- We got off to a "hot" start this week in our search for Michigan's Best Chicken Wings!

Amy Sherman and I kicked things off at Rockford Brewing Company, which finished first in our regional poll for Best Wings in the Grand Rapids area.

We sampled four wings:

Naked, Sweet Honey Soy, Korean Chile Garlic and Smaug's Revenge.

Yes, Smaug is as advertised - hot! We even had a glass of milk to go with it.

Executive Chef Ryan Bolhuis serves up "Korean Sticky Wings," and he's doing it with a lot of flavor and creativity. Even through Smaug was hot -- with habanero and ghost peppers -- it was mighty tasty.

Overall, Amy and I will visit about 40 finalists in the next two weeks. These finalists are ones nominated and voted on by readers of MLive.

Our journey continues this week in the Upper Peninsula, then we're off to Pinconning, Bay City, Frankenmuth, Burton, Davison, Lansing, Eagle and Portland.

Next week we'll be in Metro Detroit, Ann Arbor, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Decatur, Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Silver Lake.

Follow our journey at mlive.com/michigansbest.

Also, follow us on Social Media. We are always posting photos, videos and more!

Amy Sherman on Twitter @amyonthetrail, as well as Facebook and Instagram @amyonthetrail.

John Gonzalez on Twitter @michigangonzo, as well as Facebook and Instagram @MichiganGonzo.

Lastly, we want to say thank you to our friend Cory Morse of MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. He joined us on our trip to the Rockford Brewing Company and took some great photos.

IF YOU GO

Rockford Brewing Company

Address: 12 E Bridge St NE, Rockford, MI 49341

More info: Open for lunch and dinner; rockfordbrewing.com

Cost: 6 wings for $13.

MORE MICHIGAN'S BEST

UP's Tastiest PASTIES

Best Mac and Cheese: TOP 10:
By Kyle Meinke | kmeinke@mlive.com

ALLEN PARK -- With the Detroit Lions set to open the preseason on Sunday afternoon against the Indianapolis Colts, here's a projection of who's in, who's out and who's straddling the bubble.

Detroit has until 4 p.m. Sept. 2 to trim its roster from 90 to 53 players.

Don't Edit

Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Quarterback (2)

Starter: Matthew Stafford

Reserve: Jake Rudock

Out: Brad Kaaya

Analysis: The only question here is whether the Lions hold a third QB spot for Kaaya, or hope they can sneak him onto the practice squad without losing him. Based on what we've seen so far, the latter shouldn't be a problem. Kaaya lacks arm strength and makes a lot of mistakes. In short, he looks very much like a rookie QB. He's a long way from being ready to help anybody.

Don't Edit

Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Running back (4)

Starter: Ameer Abdullah,

Reserves: Theo Riddick, Zach Zenner, Dwayne Washington

Out: Matt Asiata, Tion Green, Mike James

Analysis: Asiata and Green were acquired to push for jobs behind the big two, but Zenner and Washington have done nothing to lose them. Zenner looks like the preferred power back right now, while Washington still has intriguing upside and is competing seriously for the kick return job. But a lot can change based on what happens Sunday and throughout the preseason. Just ask Washington, who played himself onto the roster with a big preseason last year. Or Zenner, who did the same the year before that.

Don't Edit

Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Receiver (5)

Starters: Golden Tate, Marvin Jones, Kenny Golladay

Reserves: TJ Jones, Jared Abbrederis

Out: Jace Billingsley, Keshawn Martin, Dontez Ford, Michael Rector, Noel Thomas, Ryan Spadola

Analysis: There's as many as four legitimate contenders for the job or two behind Marvin Jones, Golden Tate and Kenny Golladay. TJ Jones is probably the best bet right now, given that he's worked with the starters all offseason. But Jared Abbrederis has made more plays than anybody in camp, while Jace Billingsley and Keshawn Martin have shots too, especially if they make noise as return men.

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Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Tight end (4)

Starter: Eric Ebron

Reserves: Darren Fells, Michael Roberts, Cole Wick

Out: Brandon Barnes, Khari Lee, Robert Tonyan

Analysis: The Lions usually roll with three players here, but there's a bunch of reasons they might carry an extra one this year. They want to run more multiple tight end packages, for one. And Ebron's hurt, for another. And they've cut fullback Michael Burton, for yet another, which means they're probably going to need a tight end on hand who can line up in the backfield. So carrying a guy like Wick makes sense. He's been split out quite a bit in camp, and also lined up as the de facto fullback in power sets.

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Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Offensive line (9)

Starters: LT Greg Robinson, LG Graham Glasgow, C Travis Swanson, RG T.J. Lang, RT Rick Wagner

Reserves: Cyrus Kouandjio, Cornelius Lucas, Joe Dahl, Laken Tomlinson

PUP: Taylor Decker

Out: Nick Becton, Leo Koloamatangi, Storm Norton, Corey Robinson, Matt Rotheram, Brandon Thomas

Analysis: There's no bigger concern about the Lions right now than their search for somebody to play a left tackle. Those guys have made Alex Barrett and Jeremiah Valoaga look like All-Pros. Robinson probably has the early edge, based on his experience and recent improvement, but Kouandjio will get a long look too. On the inside, Dahl is emerging as a valuable asset because of his versatility behind the starters. In addition to repping ahead of Tomlinson at guard, he could play either center or tackle in a pinch.

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Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Defensive line (10)

Starters: DE Ezekiel Ansah, DT Haloti Ngata, DT A'Shawn Robinson, DE Kerry Hyder

Reserves: Brandon Copeland, Jordan Hill, Jeremiah Ledbetter, Akeem Spence, Cornelius Washington, Anthony Zettel

Suspended: Armonty Bryant, Khyri Thornton

Out: Alex Barrett, Ego Ferguson, Bruce Gaston, Pat O'Connor, Jeremiah Valoaga

Analysis: The projected starting lineup remains intact, but things could get interesting behind them as Detroit deals with two suspensions and three injuries at the position. Copeland is a good bet because of his versatility. He could wind up playing a rotational role at end, or even starting at linebacker. Hill has made a name for himself with some disruptive play on the inside. Ledbetter eked in on this projection, but he's firmly on the bubble, with Ferguson nipping at his heels. And don't sleep on Barrett either.

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Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Linebacker (5)

Starters: MIKE Jarrad Davis, WILL Tahir Whitehead, SAM Paul Worrilow

Reserves: Antwione Williams, Jalen Reeves-Maybin

Out: Steve Longa, Thurston Armbrister, Nick Bellore

Analysis: With so many special teams aces in the secondary, Detroit goes light here, especially with Copeland able to fill in at the SAM. Although Worrilow has received most of the first-team reps there, and Williams has had some good moments too. Armbrister played a lot of special teams snaps last year, and Bellore has done some good work there in his career as well, but Reeves-Maybin looks more than capable of handling those duties

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Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Defensive back (11)

Starters: CB Darius Slay, CB Nevin Lawson, CB Quandre Diggs, FS Glover Quin, SS Tavon Wilson

Reserves: Teez Tabor, Jamal Agnew, Johnson Bademosi, D.J. Hayden, Miles Killebrew, Don Carey Out: Adairius Barnes, Alex Carter, Desmond Lawrence, , Rolan Milligan, Josh Thornton, Charles Washington

Analysis: Diggs has rebounded nicely and should start in the nickel, although some solid practices from Hayden has made things interesting. At the very least, Hayden provides experienced depth both on the inside and outside, something Detroit hasn't had in the secondary in a long time. At safety, Wilson is repping ahead of Killebrew but both will play substantial snaps this year alongside Quin. Bademosi and Carey make the team for what they do as gunners, while Agnew already looks like Detroit's most explosive punt returner.

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Photo by Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

Specialist (3)

Starters: PK Matt Prater, P Sam Martin, LS Don Muhlbach,

Out: Kasey Redfern

Analysis: Martin hasn't so much as showed up at a practice yet, but the ankle injury that's holding him out is not expected to linger into the season opener. With Prater and Muhlbach also back, Detroit should once again have one of the best specialist units in the league. If you're looking for interesting job battles to watch in the preseason, keep a close eye on the return men. Those are positions that are best settled in a live setting, and players like Dwayne Washington, Jamal Agnew, Jace Billingsley, Keshawn Martin and Jared Abbrederis will be given opportunities to show what they've got. (My money's on Washington for kick return and Agnew for punt return, for whatever that's worth. Which isn't much.)

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ANN ARBOR, MI - Democratic incumbent Jack Eaton won the 4th Ward primary race for Ann Arbor City Council on Tuesday.

With all precincts counted, Eaton defeated challenger Jaime Magiera with 57 percent of the vote.



The vote count was 1,256 to 963.



Eaton was gathering with supporters at Conor O'Neill's on election night, Aug. 8, while Magiera was at Pizza House, where other council members up for re-election were gathering, including Zachary Ackerman, Jason Frenzel and Chip Smith.

Ann Arbor City Council Member Jack Eaton, D-4th Ward, makes a victory speech at an election party at Conor O'Neill's in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017.

Magiera lost by 373 votes when he challenged Eaton two years ago, and he decided to seek a rematch this year.



Magiera ran with backing from members of the current council majority, who are at odds with Eaton on certain issues.



Eaton is part of a minority faction on council that's been on the losing side of several 8-3 votes in the past year.

Live August 2017 election results for Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County Mayor's camp could lose 'supermajority' on Ann Arbor City Council

That includes the 8-3 vote to sell the city-owned Library Lot to make way for a 17-story high-rise, multiple 8-3 votes to continue moving ahead with plans for a new Amtrak station in the city, and other 8-3 votes approving new housing developments.



Eaton is a labor attorney who lives in the Dicken Woods neighborhood, and Magiera is a University of Michigan system administrator who lives in the Lower Burns Park neighborhood.



Both are longtime Ann Arborites.



During the campaign, they differed on issues ranging from new taxes to whether the City Council should have put the future of the city-owned Library Lot to a vote of the people and whether the council should have voted to publicly release certain documents and emails related to the city's train station project.

Eaton now faces independent challenger Diane Giannola in November.
Qataris and customers of Qatar Airways have many new destinations in the Eastern Europe to discover this autumn. Qatar Airways continues its Eastern European expansion, with service to Prague and Kyiv launching this month and the historic city of Sarajevo on October 31.

The capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina is now becoming the latest must-see destination for leisure travelers, combining its rich history with a modern atmosphere to offer a unique cultural mix. Visitors can experience stunning views of the city and surrounding mountains from one of Sarajevos many viewing platforms, and visit Bascarsija, an Ottoman bazaar in the heart of the city boasting many remarkable historical and cultural sights. (Sarajevo hotels)

The new four times-weekly service, set to begin on 31 October, is part of the airlines expedited expansion into Eastern Europe, with the recent launch of four times-weekly service to Skopje (Skopje hotels) as well as daily flights to Prague, Czech Republic (Prague hotels) and Kyiv (Kyiv hotels), Ukraine set to begin later this month.

Doha  Sarajevo flight schedule:

Four times a week

Doha (DOH) to Sarajevo (SJJ) QR293 departs 06:40 arrives 10:40

Sarajevo (SJJ) to Doha (DOH) QR294 departs 11:40 arrives 18:55

Doha - Skopje Flight Schedules:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sundays

Doha (DOH) to Skopje (SKP) QR305 departs: 06:50 arrives: 11:15

Skopje (SKP) to Doha (DOH) to QR306 departs: 12:15 arrives: 18:15

Doha  Prague Flight Schedules:

Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday

Doha (DOH) to Prague (PRG) QR 289 departs 02:30 arrives 07:40

Prague (PRG) to Doha (DOH) QR 290 departs 09:25 arrives 16:25

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Doha (DOH) to Prague (PRG) QR 291 departs 08:00 arrives 13:10

Prague (PRG) to Doha (DOH) QR 292 departs 17:10 arrives 00:10 +1

Doha  Kyiv Flight Schedules:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

Doha (DOH) to Kyiv (KBP) QR297 departs 15:15 arrives 20:55

Kyiv (KBP) to Doha (DOH) QR298 departs 23:45 arrives 05:05 +1

Wednesday, Friday, Sunday

Doha (DOH) to Kyiv (KBP) QR295 departs 06:45 arrives 12:25

Kyiv (KBP) to Doha (DOH) QR296 departs 13:25 arrives 18:45
ANN ARBOR, MI - Democratic incumbent Chip Smith won the 5th Ward primary race for Ann Arbor City Council on Tuesday.



With all precincts counted, Smith defeated challenger David Silkworth with 53 percent of the vote.



The vote count was 1,948 to 1,749.

Smith was celebrating with supporters at Pizza House for election night, Aug. 8, while Silkworth was with his team at Conor O'Neill's.

From left, Chip Smith, Patti Smith and Scott Trudeau talk at an election party at Pizza House in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017.

Smith, an urban planner who lives in the Old West Side, is seeking reelection for the first time after winning his seat on council two years ago by defeating incumbent Mike Anglin.

Smith still could face independent challenger Ali Ramlawi in the November general election if Ramlawi files by the Aug. 9 deadline.

Silkworth, an insurance claim representative who lives in Charlton Apartments near Virginia Park, made his second run for council this year after failing to unseat Chuck Warpehoski last year.



On this year's campaign trail, Smith and Silkworth differed on issues ranging from public art to new development.



Smith took a more pro-development position, arguing the city needs to expand the supply of housing so more people can live in Ann Arbor, and he argues a city without public art is a city without whimsy.



Silkworth argues the city needs to get its priorities straight and focus on basic services, and he's concerned about new developments such as a 17-story high-rise proposed on the city-owned Library Lot.

Live August 2017 election results for Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County Mayor's camp could lose 'supermajority' on Ann Arbor City Council

Silkworth has been heavily critical of Smith for voting along with a majority of council members against putting the future use of the Library Lot to a vote of the people and instead voting to sell it for a Chicago developer for $10 million.



Smith ran with support from Mayor Christopher Taylor and a majority of council members, including Zachary Ackerman, Jason Frenzel, Julie Grand, Graydon Krapohl, Chuck Warpehoski and Kirk Westphal.



Silkworth ran with support from Council Members Jack Eaton, Sumi Kailasapathy and Jane Lumm, who have been on the losing side of several 8-3 votes in the past year.



That includes the 8-3 vote to sell the city-owned Library Lot to make way for a 17-story high-rise, multiple 8-3 votes to continue moving ahead with plans for a new Amtrak station in the city, and other 8-3 votes approving new housing developments.
ANN ARBOR, MI -- A Saginaw man accused of fatally stabbing his brother-in-law had his jury trial set when he appeared in the Washtenaw County Trial Court on Wednesday, August 9.

Gerald Kariem, 40, faces one count of open murder in the stabbing death of Marcus C. Coney, 40, of Ypsilanti Township.

His case was bound over to circuit court in June, records show.

A final pretrial hearing was set for Nov. 15. The trial was set for Nov. 27.

Judge Archie Brown also set an Oct. 18 deadline for motions in the case.

Police believe Kariem stabbed Coney during an argument over a vehicle on Saturday, April 29, in the basement of Coney's Ypsilanti area home, located at 1412 Jeff Ave.

Coney was later pronounced dead at an area hospital. Kariem was arrested May 2 in Oak Park, Illinois. He is being held with no bond.

Kariem was previously convicted of manslaughter in 2002 in Saginaw County.

He was released on parole in 2009 and discharged from the department in 2011, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections.
The Sabiha Gokcen Airport, located on the Asian side of Istanbul, handled a total of 3.2 million passengers last month, and the number of passengers using the airport saw a 13% increase compared to the figures in the last year over the same period, which was 2.6 million.

The number of domestic flight passengers hit 2 million in July with a 12% increase, while one million international flight passengers used the airport last month, seeing a 15% increase.

Moreover, the airport also handled a total of 17.4 million passengers in the first seven months of 2017, representing 4% increase from the last years figures.

The number of domestic flight passengers in the first seven months of 2017 using the airport has increased 3%, hitting 11.7 million, while international flight passengers were 5.7 million, with a 6% increase over the same period.

The highest number of passengers at the airport meanwhile was recorded on July 28, with a total of 109,928 passengers.
Istanbul based TAV Airports has fulfilled the requirements of the program which was launched to promote female employment and prevent discrimination against women at the workplace. Supported by the World Bank, the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey (KAGIDER) has the purpose to put an end to gender discrimination in business life.

TAV Airports, the leading global brand of Turkey in airport operations, successfully completed the independent auditing processes and received Equal Opportunities Model (FEM) certification.

TAV Airports VP  Human Resources Hakan Oker said: TAV believes that increased participation of women in labor force is of significant importance for development and social progress. Accordingly, we strive to provide equal opportunities for all employees in all the countries that we operate at. We offer equal opportunities during all work processes such as recruitment and selection, personal and professional development, performance evaluation, promotion processes etc. In order to increase the participation of women at every level, we have a made a commitment to increase the number of women at the board to 25 percent in the following five years. TAV is committed to the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and became a corporate member of Professional Womens Network (PWN) Turkey. We are delighted to be certified by an independent audit company for our efforts to fulfill Equal Opportunities Model practices. We hope to set a motivating example to the companies that plan to carry out similar works".

Under technical assistance from the World Bank, KAGIDER has developed the Gender Equality Model for Turkey (FEM) in 2011. Following an independent evaluation process, the organizations that are awarded to Equal Opportunities certification prove and are certified that their structures, actions and employment practices are sensitive to gender equality in society and women empowerment in recruitment at the national and international arena.

Supported by Sabanc University Social Gender Equality Forum, the program has the purpose to define inequalities in various processes such as recruitment, training, career planning, development processes, etc. and put an end to the approaches based on gender discrimination at workplaces.
[August 08, 2017] ESB Telecoms Ltd to Work with Silver Spring Networks to Deploy National IoT Network in Ireland

Silver Spring Networks, Inc. (NYSE: SSNI) today announced it has agreed to work with ESB Telecoms Ltd to develop a national Internet of Things (IoT) network across Ireland. ESB Telecoms Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of ESB and operates a national open access wholesale telecommunications network throughout Ireland. The envisioned network will serve as a catalyst for municipal, commercial and industrial customers to connect IoT and smart city applications and devices. Once the deployment of the IoT network is completed, Silver Spring's Starfish platform-as-a-service (PaaS) would augment ESB Telecoms Ltd's telecoms infrastructure and services nationally. Starfish PaaS would offer service level agreements, and be based on Silver Spring's proven, secure, reliable, Wi-SUN standards-based mesh technology, built on the IEEE (News - Alert) 802.15.4g specification1. "Many Irish cities, towns and businesses are interested in how the IoT can help create new innovative, efficient and sustainable services," said Rory McGowan, Managing Director, ESB Telcoms Ltd. "By working with Silver Spring Networks, we believe that we'll be able to accelerate IoT development nationally, with the high standard of reliability and service that our customers have come to expect from us. We look forward to helping Ireland become a leader through the deployment of one of the world's first standards-based national IoT rollouts." "We will be honored to work with ESB Telecoms Ltd and see this as a further endorsement of the Wi-SUN mesh network protocol. Together we expect to utilize currently existing standards-based technology to accelerate deployment of massive-scale networks for devices, enabling entities to cost-effectively join the IoT revolution through our Starfish Platform-as-a-Service," said Mike Bell (News - Alert), President and CEO, Silver Spring Networks. "By its very nature, mesh technology can securely aggregate data from widely distributed endpoints - from dense urban environments to remote rural areas - and then backhaul that data through the carriers' towers. And above all, it's real and scalable - it has already proven itself for industrial IoT on five continents." As mesh-connected devices communicate with their neighbor devices, these networks are uniquely suited for delivering the robust and reliable connectivity that IoT networks require. With more than 26.7 million enabled devices delivered, Silver Spring has deployed its technology in Bristol, Chicago, Copenhagen, Dubai, Glasgow, Kolkata, London, Melbourne, Mexico City, Paris, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Sngapore, and Washington, D.C.



To learn more on why mesh networks are suited for smart cities and the Internet of Important Things, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYN2poDFiec. Join the Silver Spring Networks Conversation

Read more on the Silver Spring Connect blog at

www.ssni.com/blog/

www.ssni.com/blog/ Follow @SilverSpringNet on Twitter

Like Silver Spring Networks on Facebook (News - Alert) at www.facebook.com/silverspringnetworks

Learn more about the Wi-Sun Alliance and the value of open standards-based IoT networking at www.wi-sun.org About ESB Telecoms Ltd. ESB Telecoms Ltd is the telecoms subsidiary of ESB, the Irish energy utility. ESB Telecoms Ltd owns and operates the National Telecommunications Fibre Optic Network covering the entire country. It also operates 450 telecommunication towers and sites on which all major Irish telecommunications companies have substantial installations. Customers of ESB Telecoms Ltd include all Mobile Phone (News - Alert) operators, Irish Government bodies, licensed FM operators and Wireless Internet services providers.

www.esb.ie/our-businesses/telecoms/telecoms-overview About Silver Spring Networks Silver Spring Networks enables the Internet of Important Things by reliably and securely connecting things that matter. Cities, utilities, and companies on five continents use the company's cost-effective, high-performance IoT network and data platform to operate more efficiently, get greener, and enable innovative services that can improve the lives of millions of people. With more than 26.7 million devices delivered, Silver Spring provides a proven standards-based platform safeguarded with military grade security. Silver Spring Networks' customers include Baltimore Gas & Electric, CitiPower & Powercor, ComEd, Consolidated Edison, CPS Energy, Florida Power & Light, Pacific Gas & Electric, Pepco Holdings, and Singapore Power. Silver Spring has also deployed networks in Smart Cities including Copenhagen, Glasgow, Paris, Providence, and Stockholm. To learn more, visit www.ssni.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements about Silver Spring Networks' expectations, plans, intentions, and strategies, including, but not limited to statements regarding Silver Spring's intended collaboration with ESB Telecoms Ltd. Statements including words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or "future" and statements in the future tense are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions, which, if they do not fully materialize or prove incorrect, could cause our results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties include the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement, as well as those described in Silver Spring Networks' documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Silver Spring Networks as of the date hereof. Silver Spring Networks assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements. 1 Wi-SUN is a registered trademark of the Wi-SUN Alliance. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808006144/en/

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The Board of Directors of the Company at their meeting held on 09-08-2017 have considered and approved the following Agenda items:1. Approved Unaudited Financials (Consolidated and Standalone) for the First Quarter ended on 30-06-2017.2. Approved appointment of Mr. Ajay Milhotra as CFO.3. Intimation of AGM of the Company.The Company hereby informs that the 33rd AGM of the Company will be held on Thursday, 21-09-2017 at 3.00 pm at Indian Social Institute Auditorium, 10 Institutional Area, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003. AGM Notice along with e-voting schedule was approved.4. Intimation of Book Closure for 33rd AGM.Pursuant to Section 91 of the Companies Act, 2013 and Regulation 42 of SEBI (LODR) Regulations, 2015, we further inform you that the Register of Members and Share Transfer Books of the Company will be closed from 14-09-2017 to 21-09-2017 (both days inclusive) for the purpose of 33rd AGM of the Company scheduled to be held on Thursday, 21-09-2017.Source : BSE

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We would like to inform you that at the Fifty Eighth Annual General Meeting of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Limited held on Wednesday, August 9, 2017 at 9.30 a.m. at Punjab Public School Auditorium, The Punjab Public School (Senior Wing), Nabha 147 201 (Punjab), the Chairman ordered voting through Ballot Paper on all the resolutions mentioned in the Notice of the Annual General Meeting.The details of the voting results of the voting through Ballot Paper at the Annual General Meeting and the remote electronic voting on all the resolutions contained in the Notice shall be forwarded to you on the receipt of the report of the scrutinizers.A copy of the detailed proceedings of the 58th Annual General Meeting of the Company shall be sent to you in due course.Source : BSE

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Sub.: Proceeding of 108th Annual General Meeting of the CompanyIn compliance of Regulation 30 of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, please find enclosed herewith the summary of the proceedings of the Annual General Meeting of the Company held today, i.e. on Wednesday, August 09, 2017 at Walchand Hirachand Hall, Indian Merchants' Chambers Building, Churchgate, Mumbai - 400020.This is for your information and record.Thanking you,Yours faithfully,For Walchandnagar Industries Ltd.G. S. AgrawalVice President (Legal & Taxation) & Company SecretaryEncl.: As aboveSource : BSE

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As the banking industry is wrestling high non-performing assets (NPAs), the most untouched lender HDFC Banks magic wand seems to be its high degree and frequency of engagement with its clients to pick early warning signals.

Over the last two years, while most banks, including large public and private sector, have witnessed a higher level of NPAs in the range of 5-15 percent, HDFC Bank has remained shielded with its NPAs at 1.24 percent as on June end.

Kaizad Bharucha, Executive Director at HDFC Bank, which is also the second largest private bank in India, said: We engage with our client at a much higher degree and frequency and that is a part of the entire delivery mechanism which helps us deal with the client to not only resolve banking pain points, add value or bring another level of technology or digitisation but also allows us to pick up early warning signs. That is the architecture that runs across the wholesale banking space.

Bharucha is a veteran banker, who joined HDFC Bank in 1995 from the State Bank of India (SBI) Commercial and International Bank, and now heads the wholesale banking team as ED for the past five years since December 2013.

Under Bharucha, the wholesale banking book has remained consistent in its share of total loans accounting for 45-47 percent of its total loan book. The book has increased from Rs 1.36 lakh crore in December 2013 to Rs 2.78 lakh crore as on June-end 2017. The retail to wholesale mix stands at 53:47.

In the first quarter of FY18 from April to June this year, the wholesale banking growth was at 24.8 percent.

There are certain things that have made this bank successful across businesses. One of them is prudence. When we look at growth, we take a look at the Indian economy and the composition of GDP. Our exposure to various sectors will broadly mirror that. We will not succumb to the latest fad. We were selective and used prudence in lendingWe looked at the input and output risks to see what value the project provided, Bharucha said to the banking reporters in a rare interaction along with his team.

Explaining HDFC Banks stance on most banks lending to the much-glorified infrastructure space, he said in the case of the power sector, basics like fuel linkages and power purchase agreements were not in place. We took a conscious decision to limit our exposure to the infrastructure sector and at that time it looked like an opportunity lost. Today, we are being hailed as visionaries. It is simply doing the basics right.

Bharucha said that the bank looks at the corporate before lending and his team visits and checks the projects based on the data and information shared by them.

Given the caution, the term financing has increased from 27-28 percent last year to 30 percent this year, constituting 30 percent of its total wholesale book. The rest of the loans are towards working capital and refinancing.

K Balasubramanian, group head, corporate banking, HDFC Bank said, Ours is a client-centric approach to make tailor-made products to meet their requirements. This has helped us gain market share. In the next 12-18 months, we would continue to gain market share with the same strategy. The fundamental change is that digitisation and technology are playing a key role as an enabler and differentiator.

Sensing an opportunity from the NPA trouble within public sector banks, HDFC bank aims to grow its term financing and though the private investments have not picked up as expected, Bharucha said it has provided a lot of refinancing opportunities where the implementation and project risk is done away with.

He added that at present, the roads, power transmission, and renewable sector look promising and HDFC Bank will lend based on their evaluation and comfort, largely in the refinancing space and less as project loans.
A Bitcoin (virtual currency) coin is seen in an illustration picture taken at La Maison du Bitcoin in Paris, France, June 23, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/Illustration - RTS18C0W

Qvolta, a peer-to-peer (P2P) cryptocurrency-fiat exchange platform and mobile application that allows people to buy and sell bitcoin and ethereum using local popular payment methods, is launching its minimum viable product (MVP) today.

On September 15, 2017, the full-featured product will be launched globally.

"The platform will transform the way people deal with cryptocurrencies, promising a secure, user-friendly P2P exchange solution poised for mass adoption," the press release says.

Up until recently, cryptocurrency exchange platforms had high barriers to entry, so they were the exclusive domain of advanced users and geeks. We created Qvolta as a direct response to this problem," says Kirill Murzin, CEO of Qvolta.

"Users dont need to be crypto tech geeks to use our services like they do on our competitors platforms. On Qvolta, they find a secure and convenient solution  and both novices and advanced users alike will appreciate the lower commission rates, he adds.

Qvolta aims to enable citizens of any country in the world to conveniently exchange cryptocurrencies for fiat currencies or vice versa using their local popular payment methods and the whole process is expected to take just 10 minutes after registration.

"Thanks to the fact that traders are verified and interactions are decentralized, Qvolta is highly secure," the compant statement says.

"The platform acts as a guarantor for the trades executed on it. Qvolta doesnt take custody of user funds, which can attract hackers: the users' fiat money does not go through the platform and users make payments to each other directly. All P2P exchange users are verified in accordance with the requirements of Anti Money Laundering norms (AML)."

"Currently, the most widely used P2P platforms are LocalBitcoins, Paxful, and Bitsquare. But LocalBitcoins offers only bitcoin, charges high fees and commissions, and doesnt have a user-friendly interface," Qvolta says.

"Paxfuls main drawback is that its only popular among US-based users. And Bisq makes no pretense to mass appeal: users must install special professional software and possess a gamut of technical skills in order to buy cryptocurrency there."

Qvolta traders will use native tokens (QVT) to pay for tariff plans. Traders start by purchasing a tariff plan, after which they can offer to sell/purchase cryptocurrency on the P2P Qvolta exchange. Users can easily buy or sell cryptocurrency by responding to offers from traders.

Qvolta traders can also manage their cryptocurrency on the go  the solution will be available both as a desktop and mobile app (for iOS and Android).

Users can test the platforms MVP starting today. Then, on September 15, 2017, the full-featured product will launch.

A pre-ICO (initial coin offering) is planned for August 15-29, where 10 percent of tokens will be sold (175,000 ETH) at an exchange rate of 1 ETH (Ethereum) = 1000 QVT. The pre-ICO bonus will be 50 percent. The ICO is planned for October 10.

The Qvolta team plans to add Monero and other altcoins to the platform in the very near future.

By 2018, they hope the platform will have evolved into a financial ecosystem thriving on the interaction between the blockchain and fiat currencies, moving from the American market into Europe and Russia, then Latin America, and on to Asia and Australia.

The platform was developed by a team of blockchain enthusiasts with keen interests in Fintech and the Internet of Things. The co-founders of Qvolta have each logged more than 5 years of experience in the international financial sector and financial technology in particular. The platforms engineers previously developed the Upwork platform.
Outgoing Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya has said that writing off some debt of Air India, so as to make it attractive to prospective investors, could be a "wise" move.

Following a suggestion by Niti Aayog, the government is endeavouring to privatise the state-owned carrier and a committee has been set up under Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to carry forward the process.

"I don't know whether you need to write off debt to find a buyer, I don't know the market. Transaction advisers are competent on that," Panagariya told PTI in an interview.

"I am just saying that it's probably wise to write off part of the debt before this happen (privatisation of Air India)," he added. On whether there is need for a asset stripping before sale of national carrier, he said, "No, why would you do asset stripping.

It's a well running, well functioning Airline." Panagariya, who will leave Niti Aayog this month-end to return to academia in the US, further said that there are details which need to be sorted out by the transaction advisers.

As regard the real estate of the Air India, Panagariya said: "Real estate part is a separate issue... We made some recommendations and all but not to the level of that details to keep this and sell this." Citing provisional figures, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha recently had said Air India's total debt stood at Rs 48,876.81 crore at the end of March 2017.

Out of the total amount, Rs 17,359.77 crore is aircraft loan, while Rs 31,517.04 crore is working capital loan. "The rates of interest on aircraft/ working capital loans are linked to the respective bank's prime lending rates/base rate/libor plus margins prevalent at the time when these loans are taken," Sinha had said.

The previous UPA regime had extended a bailout package worth a little over Rs 30,000 crore to the national carrier for 10 years starting from 2012.

"Air India is facing financial pressure and earning less profit due to high debt burden as an offshoot of past accumulated losses. The debt servicing is at around Rs 6,000 crore per annum," the minister had said.

As per the figures, the number of contractual staff rose to 2,636 as on April 1, 2017 compared to 1,740 at the same period a year ago. The Union Cabinet on June 28 gave in-principle approval for the disinvestment of debt-laden Air India.

The Jaitley- headed group of ministers is finalising the modalities and held its first meeting last month. IndiGo, the country's largest airline with a domestic market share of a little over 41 per cent, is keen on snapping up the international operations of Air India as well as its profitable low-cost arm Air India Express.

As an alternative, the budget carrier is "equally interested" in buying out all the operations of Air India and Air India Express, according to the letter sent by IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh to the civil aviation ministry.
Aurobindo Pharma, India's third largest drug maker on Wednesday, posted a 11.4 percent decline in net profit to Rs 518.5 crore for the first quarter ended June FY18 with flat US generics sales and drop in revenues of API and anti-retrovirals impacting the bottomline, despite surge in Europe business.

The company reported a net profit of Rs 585 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The revenues declined 2.3 percent to Rs 3678.75 crore for the quarter ended June.

The results were below analyst estimates. The CNBC-TV18 analysts poll estimated a net profit of Rs 586 crore and revenues of Rs 3855.2 crore.

However the EBITDA margins were higher than analyst expectations at 22. 8 percent.

The company managed to keep its expenses under control at Rs 3004 crore.

Sales of formulation or generic drugs, which contribute about four-fifths of total revenue, grew 6 percent to Rs.3,051 crore compared with Rs.3032 crore in the year-ago period.

Sales of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), the key raw materials that go into manufacture of drugs, dropped 15 percent to Rs.625 crore due to the impact of GST implementation and deferment of certain products sale, the company said.

The US formulation business contributes 46 percent to the total revenues, declined 0.5 percent to Rs.1,694.9 crore in the first quarter on year-on-year basis, however on sequential basis the US business grew 3.1 percent.

The company received final approval for 17 abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) including 16 orals and one injectable and tentative approval for 3 ANDAs.

In the first quarter the company filed 13 ANDAs with USFDA including 9 in oral and 4 injectable.

As on 30th June 2017, on a cumulative basis, the company filed 442 ANDAs with USFDA and received approval for 329 ANDAs including 37 tentative approvals.

The company has launched 15 products including 3 injectables during the quarter

EU formulations contributed 25 percent to the total revenue registering a growth of 18.1 percent to Rs.831 crore, led by an acquired business that has seen profitability during the year on the back of increased focus, product pruning and cost efficiencies.

In January 2014, Aurobindo bought loss-making western European commercial operations of Irish drug maker Actavis Plc for 30 million.

The antiretroviral portfolio added Rs 244.6 crore to the total revenues of the company, posting a decline of19.3 percent.

Our key markets continue to maintain its momentum in both YoY and QoQ despite headwinds, said N. Govindarajan, managing director of the company.

We believe the momentum to sustain going forward driven by changing product mix towards complex products. We remain focused on strengthening our existing businesses and developing a differentiated and specialty driven product basket, Govindarajan added.

Aurobindo said it has spent Rs.162.3 crore or 4.4 percent of sales on research and development.

Shares of Aurobindo Pharma dropped 5.84 percent to close at Rs 684.15 on BSE, the benchmark Sensex declined 0.68 percent to end at 31,797.84 points.
Integra Engineering India | The company's RoE for FY18: 33.00%, FY19: 63.33%, and FY20: 22.22%. On September 7, the share price closed at Rs 25.50 which is -45 percent below its 52-week high of Rs 46.70.

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Textile company Page Industries' first quarter profit is seen rising 13.4 percent year-on-year to Rs 76 crore and revenue may grow 14.2 percent to Rs 652 crore due to strong volume growth.

According to average of estimates of analysts polled by CNBC-TV18, operating profit is seen rising 13.8 percent to Rs 124 crore and margin may expand 10 basis points to 19.2 percent compared with same quarter last year.

Page Industries located in Bangalore is the exclusive licensee of JOCKEY International Inc (USA) for manufacture, distribution and marketing of the Jockey brand in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and the UAE.

Analysts expect volume growth at 7-8 percent and realisations at 7-8 percent that may negate the impact of high cotton price.

They don't expect GST impact on the company, infact that is positive for Page.

Most of their products are in the sub Rs 1,000 range.

Branded apparel below Rs 1,000 has a GST rate of 5 percent, which is lower than what the company was paying earlier.
New Delhi: Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari interacts with PTI journalists in New Delhi on Wednesday. PTI Photo by Atul Yadav (Eds pls see Story under DEL 15,16,17,18) (PTI5_20_2015_000091B)

Expressing confidence that Chabahar Port in Iran will be ready for operations by 2018, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said India is considering sending wheat to Afghanistan via the strategically located port.

"Government of India is going to send one lakh tons of wheat to Afghanistan, and we are trying to send that via Chabahar," the minister said at an event here, days after his visit to Iran.

He said the civil construction of the port project, being developed by India, is complete, and the government is in a position to place orders worth Rs 400 crore for mechanised equipment and cranes.

"I feel we will commence the operations by 2018," he said.

During his visit, Gadkari said, he met Iran President Hasan Rouhani, and construction of a railway line liking the port with Russia was discussed.

"Now, we are building a railway line in Iran. From Chabhar, we can go to Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Russia," he said.

An official statement had said yesterday that India and Iran had expressed commitment for early completion and operationalisation of Chabahar Port.
Various foreign companies, including those from Russia, China and UAE, have evinced interest in setting up business units in Punjab, a spokesman of the government claimed.

The companies have shown interest in diverse areas like defence and metro railway, he said.

A Sberbank representative, on behalf of Energo Group Company LLC, met Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh with a proposal for waste-to-energy projects in the state, offering turnkey solutions for renewable energy projects, a statement claimed.

Its head of corporate banking, Vigen Sogomonyan, said the Russian company Energo had done extensive research in Punjab and seeing the state's agriculture potential, would like to explore opportunities for setting up a waste-to-energy technological plant in Punjab within the 'Make in India' framework.

The plant, according to the company, would create energy from raw material such as animal dung, agriculture waste etc.

Sberbank conveyed to the Chief Minister that a Russian helicopter manufacturing company was interested in setting up a facility in India.

The chief minister said his government was willing to offer the necessary land and suggested that the company make a formal presentation to the state government in this regard, said the spokesperson.

Several other companies were also interested in establishing defence manufacturing units in Punjab, Sogomonyan claimed.

Kartik Chopra, managing director of the Great Eagle Group, also attended the meeting and told the chief minister of Beijing's interest in launching a metro project in Ludhiana.

Amarinder said he was willing to explore the possibility after going through the details and asked the delegation to put the company officials in touch with his government.

Chopra also proposed food processing units for exports to the UAE, to which the chief minister responded positively, according to the spokesperson.

Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal and other senior officials of the finance department were present in the meeting.
Crystal Crop Protection, a Delhi-based maker of agrochemical products, plans to float an initial public offering (IPO) next year to raise Rs. 1000 crores, a merchant banker familiar with the development told Moneycontrol. Most of the capital raised will be through issue of fresh shares, he said.

Singapore-based Everstone Capital is the sole institutional investor in the company, accounting for a 3.5 percent stake, according to the banker. It had a higher stake earlier but the promoters have bought back the stake over a period, he said.

Merchant bankers are set to make a pitch to the company next week in search of a mandate.

Crystal Groups web site says the company was established 34 years ago by Chairman Nand Kishore Aggarwal. The company is a manufacturer and marketer of insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, plant growth regulators and micro nutrients. It also exports these to more than 10 countries in Africa, West Asia and South East Asia.

Also read: Crystal Crop eyes 2-fold revenue jump at Rs 2,500 cr by 2020

The company makes agri equipment like spray pumps, tillers, harvesters and sowing machines. It is also a supplier of seeds for growing tomato, maize, brinjal, bitter gourd, okra and bajra.

The Indian crop protection market is dominated by insecticides, which form almost 60 percent of domestic crop protection chemicals market. The major applications are found in rice and cotton crops. Fungicides and herbicides are the largest growing segments accounting for 18 percent and 16 percent respectively of total crop protection chemicals market respectively, according to the annual report of Insecticides India, a large listed player in the market.

At present, per hectare consumption of pesticides in India is amongst the lowest in the world and stands at 0.6 kg/ha against 5-7 kg/ha in the UK and 13 kg/ha in China.
IPO

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Security and Intelligence Services (India) is set to list its equity shares on exchanges on Thursday, August 10. The issue price is fixed at higher end of price band of Rs 805-815 per share.

The Rs 780-crore public issue, which was opened for subscription between July 31 and August 2, was oversubscribed 7 times.

The reserved category for qualified institutional buyers was oversubscribed 5.64 times while non institutional investors portion has seen 1.66 times subscription and retail investors 19.51 times.

The initial public offering comprised of fresh issue of equity shares of up to Rs 362.25 crore and an offer for sale of up to 51.2 lakh equity shares to be diluted by investors and promoters.

The funds raised through fresh issue would be used for repayment & pre-payment of a portion of certain outstanding indebtedness availed by company (about Rs 200 crore); funding working capital requirements (Rs 60 crore); and general corporate purposes.

The Security and Intelligence Services provides security services both in India and Australia with diverse solutions across the security spectrum. The portfolio of services includes security design and solutions, fire safety, event security, VIP protection, aviation security, emergency response, investigation work and integrated technology solutions providing man-tech solutions.
As Indian IT services companies look to consolidate operations, employees staring at an uncertain future are taking the online route to make themselves heard, filing online petitions, gathering political support and hoping for a re-consideration by their respective firms.

The latest such petition is one filed by a group of IT professionals in Kolkata addressed to Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra, asking for greater clarity in the confusion over IT giant Tech Mahindra shutting down its IT services operations in the city.

An online petition titled Tech Mahindra IT winding up Kolkata Operations. Time to intervene and save jobs has been put up on change.org, a popular portal for starting online campaigns and taking up issues with different authorities and organisations.

In the two days since it was put up, the petition has got support from nearly 1,300 people.

The reason we filed this petition was that we want clarity. We are also planning to petition the CM of West Bengal through change.org. There is a fear among Tech Mahindra employees that the entire unit is being shut down, since the past two or three weeks. We don't want industry to move out of the State, said Sayantan Das, convener of the Information Technology and Services Employees' Forum, which has filed the petition.



The #CityOfJoy #Kolkata holds a special place in our hearts & we remain committed to hiring & nurturing talent for the future @tech_mahindra pic.twitter.com/xwTDDUrvF9

 CP Gurnani (@C_P_Gurnani) August 3, 2017

On July 28, a local Bengali daily had said that Tech Mahindra was looking to wind up operations in West Bengal. This was followed by Tech Mahindra CP Gurnani tweeting an article on August 3 that spoke about the company being bullish on Bengal and going on a major expansion drive in the State.

Moneycontrol learns, however, that the tweet did little to assuage existing employees, especially in the IT services operations in the city.

Several of them said one of the teams in Kolkata got an email saying IT operations will be moved to a different location and asked for their flexibility in moving to a different location. This sparked off concerns about the future of other teams in Kolkata too.

We have been asked to be ready to relocate within two months, else we will be released from our projects. CP's tweet and the stories only mention ramping up BPO operations, nothing on IT services, said an employee who works at the Kolkata office, on the condition of anonymity.

A Tech Mahindra spokesperson, in response to an email query from Moneycontrol regarding the change.org petition, said: We deny the speculation as reported in a recent Media article, making it amply clear that there is no plan to close our operations in Kolkata. On the contrary, we are fully committed to the City of Joy, as we are growing our customer-centric projects in the state and our forthcoming Center of Excellence for Customer Service & Experience standing as testimony to our objectives.

Petitions becoming more common in the IT sector

This is not the first time employees have taken to change.org to air their grievances. Three weeks ago, a group called IT Industry Lucknow put up a petition to the Prime Minister of India and the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh to prevent job losses through the shutdown of Tata Consultancy Services Lucknow operations.

The petition has 5,228 signatures till date, and the forum has a target of reaching 7,500 signatures.

In January this year, an individual called Latif Bansal had petitioned the Labour Ministry to Stop Indian IT companies from forcefully holding employees with 3 months' notice period, which till date has support from nearly 65,000 people, just 10,000 short of its target number of signatures.

There is no clarity on what happens to these petitions once they reach their target signatures, but the amount of support they receive is certainly an indicator of the kind of causes people and I this case, IT employees, care about.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India on Monday placed trading curbs on 331 stocks of firms suspected to be shell companies. Of these, 162 are actively traded while 169 had already been suspended for various violations of the listing agreements.

What does the SEBI order say?

Stocks of the 331 companies suspected to be shell companies can be traded only once a month, the first Monday of every month.

Who has prepared the list?

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs

What is the reason for such a drastic move?

The government suspects these companies exist merely for the purpose of helping tax evaders launder their undisclosed income.

What does the move mean for buyers in these 331 stocks?

They will need to deposit an additional margin of 200 percent of the trade value with the exchanges. In short, to buy Rs 10,000 worth of shares, the buyer will have to deposit an additional Rs 20,000 with the exchange. The buyer will get the margin money back only after five months.

What about the sellers? Will their proceeds also be subject to a lock-in?

No. The sellers will get their money the following day after the sale. However, the stringent margin requirements mean that sellers will have a tough time finding buyers for their holdings in these stocks.

How long will the companies stay on the list?

Till the exchanges certify the credentials/fundamentals of these companies. SEBI has asked exchanges to appoint an independent auditor to conduct an audit, even a forensic audit, if need be, to verify their credentials/fundamentals.

What if the companies are unable to prove their credentials/fundamentals?

SEBI has asked the exchanges to compulsorily delist the companiesAnd how will companies prove their credentials/fundamentals?

It is not clear yet. A stock exchange official told Moneycontrol that SEBI and the listing departments at both exchanges will jointly decide on the criteria.

What has been the market reaction to the SEBI move?

Many legal experts have slammed the move, as the Companies Act and the SEBI Act do not define shell companies. Also, some of the companies named on the list have genuine business operations.

What next?

Many of the companies have protested the SEBI decision and are expected to challenge it in the Securities Appellate Tribunal.

What has been the impact of the SEBI decision on the market?

There was a massive sell-off in the market on Tuesday after the stock exchanges published the list of the 331 companies. The selling pressure was far more severe in mid and small cap shares

Why so?

The market is worried that the regulator may come out with more curbs on mid and small cap shares to deter excess speculation. Already, prices of second line shares have run up quite a bit over the past few months, and many are trading way above what their earnings can justify.

Besides, there is also the contagion effect. Investors in many of the abovementioned 331 companies have bought shares on borrowed money. They have pledged other shares in their portfolio with the broker, and borrowed money against that. Now that the 331 stocks can be traded only once a monthand that too if there are buyersbrokers are trying to recover their money by liquidating the shares pledged with them.
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Parsvnath Developers, SQS India BFSI, J Kumar Infraprojects and Prakash Industries are the companies that have been featured among 331 "suspected shell companies".

On August 7, capital market regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India placed 331 companies in Stage VI of Graded Surveillance Measure (GSM).

This means that the securities of companies in this group will be allowed to trade only on the first Monday of every month on a trade-to-trade basis and with 200 percent margin from buyer, which will be retained with the exchange for a period of five months.

Moreover, the upside move has been capped to previously traded price. The promoters and directors of these companies shall not be allowed to transact in these securities, except buy them unless credentials/fundamentals of the company are verified by the exchange.

For the verification, an independent auditor will be appointed to audit and, if necessary, a forensic audit too might be done. After verification, if the exchange does not find appropriate credential/fundamentals of these companies, they will be delisted.

Reacting to SEBIs diktat action, realty firm Parsvnath Developers, JK Infraprojects and SQS India BFSI have expressed shock on finding their names in the list of suspected shell companies.

Below are the reaction of companies to SEBIs diktat:

A statement from Parsvnath Developers said that it is not a shell company by any "stretch of imagination". J Kumar Infraprojects said it is not a shell company and suspicion of the regulator is uncalled for. "Our company's compliance track record both with the exchanges and Registrar of Companies have been impeccable". The company said that majority of its clients consist of government authorities and listed out Delhi Metro, Mumbai Metro and JNPT Port connectivity as some of the projects underway.

J Kumar Infra is not a shell company and the suspicion of the regulator is uncalled for. We are rated IND A+ for fund-based limit, IND A1+ for non-fund-based limit and IND A1+ for commercial paper by India Ratings.

Many of retail and institutional investors have panicked and are continuously following up with the management on the further update as they could not ascertain any rational of branding JKIL as one of the purported shell companies, placing them in GMS framework and unilaterally suspending trading in JKIL causing substantial loss and great inconvenience,

Therefore, in light of the aforesaid, the management has humbly requested SEBI to kindly recall the order passed vide said Letter, and to issue appropriate advisory to exchanges so that, they could recall the public notice, with appropriate justification. They have offered to meet SEBI even at a very short notice.

JKIL also stated that in case SEBI fails to respond, JKIL will be constrained to initiate appropriate legal proceeding as provided under the law.

Prakash Industries said that directions issued by SEBI are "totally devoid of merit and uncalled for. Besides, there has never been an occasion when our company has indulged in any kind of malpractices in stock market".

SQS India BFSI has expressed shock that it has been placed under the surveillance list even as it has been complying with all the norms under Companies Act and SEBI regulations. "... we would provide all the necessary details and extend all assistance to cooperate with the authorities and get the matter resolved quickly," the company said.

According to Ministry of Finance statement shell companies are characterised by 1) Nominal paid-up capital; 2) High reserves and surplus on account of receipt of high share premium; 3) Investment in unlisted companies; 4) No dividend income; 5) High cash in hand; 6) Private companies as majority shareholders; 7) Low turnover and operating income; 8) Nominal expenses; 9) Nominal statutory payments and stock in trade; 10) Minimum fixed asset.
In the latest developments in the Korean peninsula, in a statement carried by the state owned Korean Central News Agency, the North Korean army said it is seriously considering striking Guam - Guam is a US territory in the Pacific. The threat comes after a sharp warning from President Donald Trump where he said Pyongyang (capital of North Korea) will be met with fire, fury, and frankly, power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.

In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Geoff Lewis, Global Strategist-Capital Markets Group at Manulife AMC and Michael Every, Head of Markets Research for Asia-Pacific at Rabobank assessed the impact of this news on the markets.

Below is the verbatim transcript of the interview:

Latha: What would you assessment be. Do you think this will all be more talk and it is going to subside?

Lewis: Assuming both sides are rational, I think this is just rhetoric. It might encourage China to put a bit more pressure on North Korea. We haven't seen a big selloff in markets because of geopolitical risk so far this year. The improving economics of the global expansion has won out of politics. If we did see a sharp selloff then that would be a buying opportunity but we are not seeing that sort of opportunity at the moment. Presumably this will blow over. It's not clear what Donald Trump can do. Hopefully calm will prevail.

Latha: Is there any market that looks attractive to you now?

Every: If we look at the background of geopolitical risks and central bank pricing, there is not a single market that looks attractive to me. But if we look at the fact that nothing matters anymore, everything looks attractive to me. So it depends on how you want to play, whether you are prepared to just ignore everything and keep buying because the trend is your friend till the end.
Hunting stocks in a market which is consistently hitting record highs almost on a daily basis becomes a tedious task. But, staying with winners has always turned out to be the right strategy for investors who are looking to find value in an overbought market.

Indian market swung from underperformance to outperformance in the last one year weighed down by US Presidential elections, Brexit, demonetisation etc. which led to a sharp correction in benchmark indices in the second half of 2016.

But, that did not deter some promoters to increase stake in their own companies in the last 4 quarters. As much as 36 companies saw promoters increasing their stake in the CNX 500 index in the last one year.

The S&P BSE Sensex rose 14 percent in the last one year. It remained subdued for the most part of 2016 and promoters used the opportunity to accumulate or increase the stake in their own companies on dips.

Small and midcap stocks saw most of the action with respect to hike in promoters stake. Stocks in which promoters raised stake and has also more than doubled investors wealth include names like Everest Organics, Visaka Industries, Bhageria Industries, West Coast Paper, Samrat Pharma, Organic Coating etc. among others.

Promoters raising stake through market acquisition or other available means is generally a good sign. One should be cautious to the extent that same holding is not simultaneously pledged to raise the stake, which basically means that the promoter is eyeing for some short term gains in stocks, Rakesh Tarway, Head of Research, Reliance Securities told Moneycontrol.

By and large promoters buy their own stock only if he is confident of a better future about his business. Since a promoter is a thorough insider he knows better than any outsider about his business, he said.

Rise in promoter stake is a good sign from a fundamental point of view as it signifies confidence of the management in the company at current valuations when they made the purchase.

And if the promoter or the promoter group are raising the stake in their company regularly then it can be safely assumed that there is some value in the company.

By Sebi regulation, a promoter can buy up to 5 percent equity of his company in any particular year from the stock market through the creeping acquisition route, to increase stake up to 75 percent.

Generally it is a good sign if promoter increases his stake in the company. It reflects the promoters confidence on the companys future prospects. Not to forget that Promoters are the biggest shareholders in their companies and they have all the information about their companies, Sanjeev Jain, AVP - Equity Research at Ashika Stock Broking Ltd told Moneycontrol.

I believe before making an investment in a company just only on the basis of promoter stake buying; an investor must look for the reason of promoters stake buying and also go through the companys financials and its future business road-map, he added.

Jain further added that if companys sound fundamental and the reason for promoters stake buying are satisfactory, then one can invest in the company. It is an important parameter so investors must keep an eye on it.

For the quarter ended June, some 270 companies increased their stake on a quarter-on-quarter basis which includes names like Shakti Pumps, MEP Infra, Simplex Infra, Can Fin Homes, Punjab Alkalies, Balaji Telefilms, Chambal Fertilisers, Dalmia Bharat among others.

They kept the stake constant in over 1800 companies on the NSE while decreased their stake in nearly 400 companies which include names like Indiabulls Ventures, Indiabulls Real Estate, Avanti Feeds, Ansal Properties, Emkay Global, Geojit Financial Services, Man Industries, V-Mart, Team Lease, Godrej Properties, PNB Housing, Sintex Industries, JM Financial, Muthoot Finance etc. among others.
business Here are SP Tulsian's top trading ideas In an interview to CNBC-TV18's Surabhi Upadhyay and Anuj Singhal, SP Tulsian of sptulsian.com shared his views and outlook on the fundamentals of the market and specific stocks.
Maharashtra Seamless

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For Tata Steel, its European operations are turning out to be the joker in the pack. It is demonstrating highly unpredictable outcome which has led to a positive impact on its overall financial performance.

Consider this: Europe accounts for almost 50 percent of the overall group's steel production but contributed only 25 percent to groups profitability (EBITDA) in FY17.

While European operations were going through a restructuring process, the market had very little expectations. As against hopes of EBIDTA at USD 50/tonne, Europe has delivered EBITDA of USD 81/ tonne in the quarter ended June 2017.

The strong recovery demonstrated by the European business also led to some good overall performance. On a consolidated basis, the company reported a three-fold jump in net profits to Rs 1550 crore on a sales turnover of Rs 30,973 crore that rose 19 percent in Q1FY18.

If Europe continues to deliver, considering there is still huge levers in terms of improving profitability, it is going to have significant impact on overall earnings.

For instance, the Indian operations on an annual sales turnover of 10.97 million tonnes generated close to Rs 12,000 crore EBITDA, which was thrice the amount of EBITDA (Rs 4400 crore) generated by European operations on a similar sales volume or 10.7 million tonnes in FY17.

Europe: pushing efficiency to the hilt

The next pertinent question is how much of the current performance of European operations is sustainable. There are three key developments, namely, volume, realisation and cost that are working in favour of its European operations.

In Q1FY18, Europe saw 27 percent increase in shipments to 2.8 million tonne, which is expected to remain strong, backed by better demand and improving economic prospects in the region. The European economy is expected to grow by 2.2 percent in the year 2017.

Secondly, European operations saw strong growth in realisation to Rs 58,663 per tonne in Q1FY18, up by 22.2 percent. Realisations were driven by a better product mix (value added products) and attractive pricing environment, which is expected to continue.

While speaking to analysts during the conference call, the management indicated that manufacturing and steel PMIs were trending higher in Europe. During the quarter ended June 2017, the European steel demand grew at 3.1 percent along with an increase in steel prices.

The third important pillar that is helping the European operations is effective management of cost, which is expected to stay low. The management has spoken about maintaining profitability of current European operations (EBITDA per tonne at USD 81 in Q1FY18 as against USD 51 per tonne in Q1FY17) post the restructuring of the business led by exiting from the loss-making facilities completely and restructuring pension and other liabilities.

On an yearly basis, in FY18, even at USD 80 per tonne, Europe on a sales volume of about 10 million tonne will be making close to Rs 5,200 crore EBITDA as against Rs 4400 crore in FY17.

Domestic business: driving volume growth

While the European business is delivering higher profitability, the domestic business continues to benefit from volume growth led by the Kalinganagar project. During the quarter, Tata Steel India reported close to 28 percent growth in volumes to 2.75 million tonnes. Higher volumes combined with better prices led to higher realisations, which during the quarter, moved up to Rs 47,166 per tonne as against Rs 42,421 per tonne in the corresponding quarter last year.

Outlook

Thanks to the expansion at Kalinganagar project, Indian operations will be clocking sales volumes of close to 12.5 million tonnes in the current financial year as against 10.97 million tonnes last year.

Higher volumes at the Indian operation and improving profitability of its European business will lead to a turnaround year for Tata Steel in FY18. This will be supported by a healthy price and demand scenario in both international and domestic markets.

However, most of these positives are already factored in. Even if we optimistically estimate 10-12 percent profit growth over earlier expectations of a profit of Rs 5000 crore, the stock is priced dearly. It now trades at 10 times its FY18 consensus estimated earnings, leaving very little upside in the near-term.
Rajya

Sabha

In late-night drama, Election Commission disqualified votes of two Congress rebels

* Amit Shah and Smriti Irani also elected to Rajya Sabha

19:30 In all, 11 Rajya Sabha members  one from Goa, one from Madhya Pradesh, six from West Bengal and three from Gujarat  were elected.

FULL REPORT | Rajya Sabha elections: Here who's got elected and re-elected

19:00 Senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav on Wednesday congratulated Congress' Ahmed Patel for winning the election to a Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat, 'in spite of the toughest hurdles'. Full Report

16:34 Why Patel's win matters: A defeat could have meant more trouble for the Congress.

15:51 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also congratulated Ahmed Patel on his victory.

"How much more evidence do we require to understandthat we opposition parties are up against a ruthless, finely

tuned BJP political machine," Abdullah said.

14:21 Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has said that Congress leader Ahmed Patel's win in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha polls "should have never been this difficult" and the opposition needs to introspect and shift strategy to counter the BJP in the 2019 general elections.

13:33 Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath says the party has always fought back.

12:59 Amit Shah is choosing to focus on the third anniversary of his tenure as BJP President, thanking his followers his Twitter for their wishes. He has not yet commented on his Rajya Sabha victory or the BJP candidate's defeat to Ahmed Patel.

12:14 There is no confirmation from the BJP yet over whether they will approach the courts over the EC's decision to disallow two votes.

11:39 Kailash Vijayvargiya puts things in perspective. "We have won two seats and Congress only one [in Gujarat], no question of disappointment," the BJP leader tells News18.

11:19 Congress President Sonia Gandhi says she is very happy with Ahmed Patel's victory. "Thank god for the Election Commission," she says.

11:03 Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad says the defeat is a lesson for the BJP and they are free to approach any court.

10:33 JD(U) legislator Chhotubhai Vasava is also believed to have voted for Ahmed Patel, defying the party whip.

10:22 JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav has congratulated Ahmed Patel on his Rajya Sabha victory. The JD(U) is now part of the NDA, but Yadav has been against the idea.

09:55 Meanwhile, six leaders were elected to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal on Wednesday. Five of them were from the Trinamool Congress -Derek O'Brien, Dola Sen, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Manas Bhunia, Shanta Chhetri. Pradip Bhattachya of the Congress was also elected to the Upper House.

09:12 While Smriti Irani has taken to Twitter to express her joy at being elected to the Rajya Sabha, there is no official word yet from Amit Shah, who was also elected and completes three years as BJP President today.

08:28 There is speculation that the BJP may approach the courts regarding the Election Commission's decision to disqualify the two votes. We should get some clairty as the day progresses.

08:10 In the end, it was two disqualified votes that helped take Ahmed Patel over the line. Here's a recap.

07:50 Ahmed Patel has gone from a low-profile politician to the centre of attention in the past month. Here's a short history of Patel's career.

07:40 Why does Patel's win matter so much? Read our report.

07:30 After late-night drama that saw Ahmed Patel retain his seat, we can expect to see reactions pour in through the day.

02:30 That's all from the Rajya Sabha election for now. Log on to www. moneycontrol.com for coverage of the Rajya Sabha elections during the day. Thanks for staying tuned.

02:15 Celebrations in the Congress ranks have begun in full swing. After his win, Ahmed Patel tweeted, "BJP stands exposed of personal vendetta and political terror. People of Gujarat will give them a befitting reply in this year's election."

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram lauded Congress' resilience. "BJP can break a few weak Congress MLAs, but BJP cannot break the Congress party," he tweeted.

01:52 BJP's Amit Shah, Smriti Irani and Congress' Ahmed Patel have won Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat.

01:45 Congress has begun claiming victory in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha election. Bharat Singh Solanki tells CNN-News18 Ahmed Patel has received 44 votes and won the Rajya Sabha seat. There is no official confirmation from the Election Commission yet.

01:30 Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani says the ballot box has been opened. Counting has begun. Will it complete without any further interruptions?

01:15 There appears no sight to the drama in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha polls. The BJP is reportedly not allowing the counting of votes to take place. It has asked Election Commission to address its complaint over the issue of privacy of votes, reports CNN-News18. Remember, a battery of BJP leaders including Union Ministers Arun Jaitley, Nirmala Sitharaman, RS Prasad and Piyush Goyal had arrived at the EC headquarters on Tuesday evening.

00:35 The cliffhanger doesn't end at EC disqualification. BJP MLA Nalin Kotadiya says he voted for Congress nominee Ahmed Patel. This is likely to tilt the scales in favour of Patel.

23:57 Reactions coming from the BJP camp now. Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel says the party doesn't agree with the Election Commission's move. Shaktisinh Gohil Ji was angry when MLA showed him his vote, tried to snatch the ballot paper, he says.

23:50 The Election Commission's decision is a big win for democracy. It will boost the morale of Congress workers. Ahmed Patel will win with big margin, says Gujarat Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki.

23:47 Modhwadia lauds the Returning Officer, says he didn't act under pressure from the BJP. We welcome Election Commission's decision, he says.

23:45 The Congress MLA votes that are disqualified belong to Bhola Bhai Gohil and Raghav Bhai Patel, says Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia while briefing the media. He adds that after they voted, the duo waved their ballot papers to the BJP candidates.

23:40 The process of counting shall now begin after the two votes are "segregated".

23:36 The wait on the Election Commission verdict has ended. Big setback for the BJP. The EC has disqualified the votes cast by two rebel Congress MLAs, reports CNN-News18.

23:00 Reports indicate that Election Commission is set to give a go-ahead to the counting of votes. It will intimate the Gujarat Election Commission of its decision. Meanwhile, the BJP brass including Amit Shah are awaiting EC's decision at the counting centre in Gandhinagar.

22:30 The BJP has brought in an "army"of Union Ministers at the Election Commission headquarters to "suppress the truth", says Congress leader Surjewala.

22:00 Election Commission officials didn't meet Congress and BJP leaders after they turned up at its headquarters. The officials are holding a closed-door meeting now.

21:58 The BJP leadership is going all-out to hit back at the Congress. Here's what the party leaders have said on Congress' charges and the Election Commission.

Union Minister RS Prasad: Congress cannot put undue pressure on the Election Commission.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal: Congress indulging in complete. Their allegations are completely baseless.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan: We are confident about EC's judgement. It will be giving its opinion on counting soon.

21:20 CNN-News18 reports that Election Commission officials have reviewed the video and that the counting will be completed tonight. No word yet on the decision over the validity of votes cast by two MLAs.

21:08 Meanwhile, BJP leader has come to the party's defence. He says voting was conducted in a fair manner while urging the Election Commission to commence counting at the earliest.

20:27 The Election Commission must reject these ballot papers as it did in Haryana in June 2016, Chidambaram adds.

20:25 Congress leader P Chidambaram is speaking to media now. There is enough evidence that ballot papers of 2 MLAs were seen by people other than those authorised to see, Chidambaram. The Congress urges disqualification of the 2 votes, he says.

20:15 Congress leader Anand Sharma makes a case for vote disqualification. One of our MLAs had mistakenly showed his vote in Haryana and his vote was rejected. Same was done in Gujarat, so it should be rejected, says Sharma.

20:00 The BJP now says that it has urged EC to reject Congress' plea. RS Prasad says the voting process was fair and nothing can be done once votes are cast.

19:30 Even Union Ministers Arun Jaitley, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Nirmala Sitharaman have reached Election Commission.

19:25 BJP leadership comprising Union Ministers MA Naqvi, Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan reaches EC headquarters in Delhi.

BJP likely to retaliate to Congress allegations. Reports say BJP will move EC on the issue.

Gujarat Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia says that the BJP is putting pressure on the Election Commission. The BJP has objected to Congress' request that of watching the video in presence of EC's presiding officer and the BJP, he says.

18:57 Rebel Congress MLA Raghav Ji Patel tells News18 that he didn't flash ballot paper to anybody, except Congress party agent. He denies all the allegations, says Congress was losing elections and thus resorting to such actions. He adds that he supported the BJP by voting against the Congress while reiterating that he didn't flash his ballot paper.

18:40 The Gujarat Election Commission has sent Congress's complaint to the Election Commission of India. Counting will start only after the local body receives a response from the CEC, reports News18.

18:10 Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala and RPN Singh are addressing the media outside the Election Commission. He says the party wants cancellation of two votes. There is a legal ground for quashing of votes, he adds. The party has expressed its concerns and raised a complaint with EC, says Singh.

Surjewala says that Congress has communicated its grievances to the EC in writing and has given evidence to support their claim.

17:50 Secrecy of votes is sacrosanct in any election. In the case of Rajya Sabha polls, MLAs are allowed to show their ballot papers only to their respective party agent.

17:46 Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala and RPN Singh have approached the Election Commission to demand quashing of votes of 2 Congress MLAs. They seek disqualification on the ground that the MLAs publicly showed votes (ballot papers), according to ANI.

17:40 Interesting developments coming in. JD (U) leader KC Tyagi tells ANI that the party's Gujarat MLA Chotubhai Vasava voted for the BJP after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asked him to vote for the BJP.

17:32 The complaint has delayed the counting. The party says that votes of MLAs who showed their ballot papers to Amit Shah must be disqualified. The BJP claims that the Congress is resorting to delaying tactics.

17:30 Two Congress MLAs Bholabhai and Raghavji Bhai voted for BJP and publicly showed their votes, says Gohil.

17:24 Two Congress MLAs voted for the BJP and showed their votes to Amit Shahji, it has been video-graphed, says Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil. If voter shows his vote to anyone other than party's authorised agent, then the vote gets rejected, he adds.

17:10: Congress has lodged complaint with Election Commission. The party says that 2 MLAs who showed their ballot papers to Amit Shah must be disqualified.

16:52 Counting will begin in 10 minutes from now. A reminder that Amit Shah and Smriti Irani are also in the fray from Gujarat. In addition, seven other seats are up for grabs in West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.

16:33 Chotubhai Vasava confirmed voting for Ahmed Patel in the election because he was opposed to his party JD(U) president Nitish Kumar forming an alliance with the BJP in Bihar.

16:08 Election officials have told NDTV that counting will begin at 5pm and the result will be known around 6pm.

15:36 Ahead of counting, the Congress believes it has the support of 45 legislators, which is exactly how many votes it needs to get Ahmed Patel elected. These include 43 party MLAs, one from the NCP and one from the JD(U).

15:17 A defeat for Ahmed Patel would constitute a major blow for the Congress, given that he has been a senior party figure for years.

14:55 As we wait for counting to begin, here's a report on what's at stake for Ahmed Patel.

14:38 No clarity yet on when counting will begin. Voting was supposed to end at 4pm, but given that all the MLAs have already voted, counting could possibly take place earlier.

14:23 Ahmed Patel: Number are in our favour; result should be good. I am confident and optimistic.

14:15 State election officer says voting has ended with all 176 eligible MLAs having cast their vote.

14:10 So as things stand, we know for sure that one Congress MLA cross-voted while one JD(U) legislator and one NCP legislator voted for Congress candidate Ahmed Patel.

14:00 The sole JD(U) legislator has confirmed to News18 that he voted for Ahmed Patel.

13:50 Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia: We will get more than the number required. We will get two votes more than 45. All our MLAs and two from other parties have also voted for Ahmed Patel.

13:40 Congress' Gujarat in-charge Ashok Gehlot admits that one party MLA cross-voted, but insists that Ahmed Patel will still win.

13:23 A little more than 100 legislators have cast their vote. The deadline is 4pm. Gujarat has 176 MLAs.

13:12 The Congress is now claiming that only have 44 of its MLAs voted for Ahmed Patel, but one BJP legislator has cross-voted.

12:48 "The victory of our candidates is certain. The party had been working for this since announcement of election dates," says former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.

12:28 Senior Congress leaders are insisting that Makwana did not cross-vote.

12:17 Makwana was one of the 'resort MLAs' who were shipped off to Bengaluru.

12:10 CNN-News18 reports that Congress legislator Karamsinh Makwana has cross-voted.

12:03 BJP President Amit Shah has cast his vote. He is set to be elected to Parliament for the first time.

11:38 Wondering how Rajya Sabha members are elected? Here's the lowdown:

A Rajya Sabha member from any state is elected by dividing the total number of eligible votes (legislators) in the assembly with the number of candidates being put up, plus one.

In Gujarats case, there were originally 182 eligible votes. After the recent spate of resignations from Congress, the total number of eligible votes has come down to 176.

As things stand today, this how the numbers work out: 176 divided by 4, which equals to 44, plus one. This means that the number of votes which a candidate requires to be elected to the Rajya Sabha in Gujarat sits at 45.

11:17 Meanwhile, elections are also taking place in West Bengal, where the tenure of members Derek O'Brien (TMC), Debabrata Bandhopadhyay (TMC), Pradip Bhattacharya (Cong), Sitaram Yechury (CPM), Sukhenduhakhar Roy (TMC) and Dola Sen (TMC) is set to end.

11:04 Things have been blown out of proportion because of Ahmed Patel. Hes in a risky situation; half of his people might end up voting for the BJP, says NCPs Majeed Memon.

10:48 The Congress is also banking on support from the lone JD(U) MLA, Chhotu Vasava. But he gives nothing away. "I have voted for the nation," Vasava says.

10:37 A bus with 44 Congress MLAs has arrived at the state assembly in Gandhinagar. The legislators were being housed at a resort in Anand after returning from Bengaluru on Monday.

10:31 Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani earlier said that both NCP legislators will vote for the BJP candidate.

10:22 Vaghela now saying that Ahmed Patel will get support from less than 40 of the 45 MLAs required for victory.

10:18 A glimmer of hope: NCP legislator Jayant Patel says he voted for Ahmed Patel.

10:13 A reminder that the Congress needs the support of 45 legislators to secure Ahmed Patel's victory. It has 51 MLAs in the Assembly, but seven of them were not in the Bengaluru contingent.

10:07 The Congress is making a concerted effort to distance Sonia Gandhi from what is looking like a possible defeat for Ahmed Patel. Both Patel and Gujarat Congress in-charge Ashok Gehlot have said today that the Congress President should not be dragged into this election.

09:57 Some more bad news for the Congress. Senior party leader Arjun Modhwadia says that two party legislators who were part of the group that was shipped off to the Bengaluru resort have defied party orders and voted for the BJP candidate.

09:55 Personal equations could also be at play as Vaghela's granddaughter is married to BJP candidate Balvantsinh Rajput's son.

09:51 More from Vaghela: "The Congress is not winning so why should I waste my vote?"

09:47 Ahmed Patel is putting on a brave face. "We will become stronger, in fact, we will form the government this time. We have more than 44 people on our side, we will win for sure. I am contesting as a Congress member and not as Soniajis aide," he said.

09:39 Vaghela brushed off a question over whether he had voted for the BJP candidate or chosen the NOTA option.

09:34 Shankersinh Vaghela, who resigned as Leader of Opposition and quit the Congress a fortnight ago, says he will not vote for Ahmed Patel. This is important given that his loyalists may also follow suit.

09:23 Voting ends at 5pm. The counting will begin immediately after.

09:16 In some good news for the Congress, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said he has instructed his two Gujarat legislators to vote for Ahmed Patel.

09:12 The BJP is already the single largest party in the Rajya Sabha, albeit by a narrow margin. The party will be looking to consolidate today.

09:06 The mini exodus of sorts from the Congress had triggered political drama. The Congress had shipped off its Gujarat MLAs to a resort in Bengaluru over fears that the BJP would try and poach them. The legislators only returned to Gujarat on Monday, where they were again housed in a resort in a bid to keep the flock together.

09:04 Patel remained confident of victory, saying on Monday that the numbers will be surprising when the results are declared.

09:02 Voting has begun in the state Assemblies.

09:01 It is after a gap of about two decades that a contest is happening in Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat, where official nominees of major parties used to get elected unopposed, after the BJP fielded a Congress rebel against Patel, who is seeking a fifth term.

08:56 Shah and Irani's victory is a foregone conclusion given the BJP has 121 MLAs in the truncated 176-member Gujarat Assembly. However, Ahmed Patel's victory is anything but certain after six Congress legislators resigned in the past fortnight.

08:53 Voting will begin at 9am in the state assemblies.

08:50 All eyes are on Gujarat, where high-profile leaders are contesting. BJP President Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani are both contesting from the state, as is Congress troubleshooter and Sonia Gandhi's political secretary.

Good morning and welcome to live coverage of the Rajya Sabha elections. Legislators from three states - Gujarat, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh - will vote today to elect 10 MPs to the Upper House of Parliament.
Ahmedabad: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addresses a round table conference on Global Growth Through Indian Economy in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. PTI Photo(PTI5_23_2017_000170B)

Amid the border standoff with China, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley today said the Indian armed forces are strong enough to meet any challenge to the country's security as he underlined that lessons have been learnt from the 1962 war.

He also said in the Rajya Sabha that the people of the country have a predominant wish of retrieving the parts of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan since 1948.

Jaitley, while initiating a special debate to mark the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942, said India had faced many challenges over these decades but "we can proudly say the country became stronger with each challenge".

He said India had "learnt a lesson" from the 1962 war with China that "the armed forces will have be made fully capable on our own because even today the nation faces challenges from our neighbouring countries."

Compared to 1962, the armed forces were made stronger in 1965 and 1971 wars, Jaitley said.

In 1962, India had to face a war imposed by China and suffer severe reverses. However, in the wars of 1965 and 1971 thrust by Pakistan, India had emerged victorious.

"I agree that some challenges are still there. Some people are targeting our country's sovereignty and integrity. But I am fully confident that our brave soldiers have capabilty to keep our country secure, may it be challenges on the eastern border or the western border," he said. "The armed forces can give any kind of sacrifice for the security of the nation," the defence minister asserted.

Jaitley's message assumes significance as it comes amid a two-month-long border standoff with China in Doklam even though he did not specifically mention it.

He also referred to the occupation of parts of J&K by Pakistan soon after the Independence.

"Initially (after Independence), we faced a crisis. Our neighbour had an eye on Kashmir. Even today, we cannot forget that a part of the country has got separated. It is a wish of every Indian today as to how to retrieve that part," the minister said.

Jaitley, who is Leader of the Rajya Sabha, said today was the day to commit to make India a strong, just and economically-progressive country.

He underlined the need for freeeing the country from all kinds of violence, be it in the name terrorism, politics or religion.

Jaitley said the country is facing a bigger challenge from terrorism and Left-wing extremism.

In a clear reference to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, he said a prime minister and a former prime minister had to lose their lives to terrorism.

Jaitley said people from across the border and also some people within the country who have taken to arms, are trying to spread terrorism especially in northern region of the country.

He said the security forces, including army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir police have contributed a lot in fight against terrorist in J&K, though some incidents still take place.

Jaitley stressed that the House and the whole nation needed to commit in one voice to fight the menace of terrorism.

He also emphasised on probity in public life and reduction of money use in politics.

Emphasising that different religions and castes are an integral part of the country, Jaitley said it is important to manitain harmony in the country.

The minister said there should be no place in the country for violence in the name of politics, religion and terrorism.

"The country should be freed from such violence," he said and added that on this historic day there is a need to take pledge to make India strong, just and economically progressive.

While recalling the events related to Quit India movement launched on this day in 1942, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad took a jibe on the ruling BJP, saying "last night too several incidents happened", an apparent reference to Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat and subsequent events.

As Azad said parties of those who participated in the freedom struggle and those who did not could be easily searched online, CPM member Sitaram Yechury quipped that internet was not working.

To this, Azad said the country has defeated the "mightiest powers" and one should not get afraid of such small issues like absence of internet.

Samajwadi Party member Ram Gopal Yadav talked about contribution of socialist leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and Jai Prakasah Narayan.

He asked the government to keep an eye on Himalayan region as "the threat is from that side".

Senior JDU leader Sharad Yadav stressed that one should learn from history. "History should not distorted," he added.
11:46 am: The Maratha Community in Mumbai is holding a silent protest (mook morcha) seeking reservations in jobs, and punishment for accused in the Kopardi case and education for the Maratha community.

As the protest continues, Moneycontrol gets the latest updates.

11:46 am: This is 58th - and the largest - protest march of the Maratha community, exactly a year after the first march was held in Aurangabad. So far, 57 protests, in the form of

'mook morcha' (silent rallies), have been held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old Maratha girl in Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

11:52 am: The morcha began at 11 am from the BMC's Jijamata Udyan and will end at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai. Social media platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter have been used to spread the morcha message to community members.

11:57 am: Mumbai police has said that the JJ flyover will be closed for traffic tomorrow in view of the morcha. Schools in south Mumbai are shut as a precautionary measure.

: The silent protest is a peaceful way to press demandfor reservation in jobs and educational institutions and

punishment for culprits in the Kopardi case.

12:05 pm: Mumbai Police has tweeted traffic arrangements to minimise inconvenience to citizens, during the silent morcha today from Byculla to Azad Maidan between 9 am-5 pm.

12:20 pm: Lakhs of people are out on streets supporting the protest due to which the route between Byculla and JJ Flyover is blocked. More people are expected to join the protest.

12:25 pm: The Maratha Community is demanding Amendment in SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its misuse, loan waiver to curb farmer suicides, and remunerative prices for agricultural produce.

12:35 pm: Find out what the Maratha Kranti Morcha is all about.

12:38 pm: All the opposition MLAs are heading to Azad Maidan where the protest will conclude. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha has been adjourned till 3 pm.

12:45 pm: Those who are leading the march have told politicians from both opposition and ruling party to stay away from the protest.

12:50 pm: The morcha has been organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups. BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta and Commissioner of Police Datta Padsalgikar had met last week to discuss preparations and necessary arrangements from a security point of view.

12:55 pm: According to media reports, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to make an announcement. He may talk about the formation of committee, comprising several Maratha leaders.

1:00 pm: The committee which will include Maratha leaders will look into the technicalities of the reservation policy. Fadnavis is likely to meet leaders of the Maratha protests and Maratha MLAs and make an announcement in the Vidhan Sabha.

1:10 pm: First to reach Azad Maidan is Congress leader Narayan Rane who is heading a one-man commission which looked into the Maratha reservation policy during the Congress-NCP government.

: The Central Railway has made elaborate arrangements to deal with the rush which is expected today on account of `Maratha Morcha'. Chief PRO of Central Railway told PTI that probably after twopm, railway will run additional suburban services as per the

requirement.

1:22 pm: Another leader to join the protest is former chief minister Ashok Chavan.

1:25 pm: Maratha Kranti Morcha protesters have reached Azad maidan. Around 2 lakh people hit the streets to support the protest.

1:35 pm: Azad Maidan is engulfed in a sea of saffron. Few leaders of the Maratha Kranti Morcha are addressing the crowd gathered there. The protesters were provided with biscuits and water.

: In the state legislature, Shiv Sena members, led byEknath Shinde, supported the demands of the Maratha community. The party MLAs raised slogans on the steps of the

Vidhan Bhavan.

1:50 pm: Traffic movement affected at various places due to Maratha Kranti Morcha rally. Visuals from Thane Eastern Express Highway.

No toll will be collected today from vehicles coming into

Mumbai in order to avoid delays at collection points, considering the large number of vehicles entering the city.

1:58 pm: The Mumbai's famed 'Dabbawalas' (lunchbox deliverymen), majority of whom hail from the Maratha community, also joined the march.

Talking to IANS, former Chief Minister Narayan Rane said, "A delegation of Maratha leaders will call on the Chief Minister to submit a memorandum listing their various demands. Though there are many issues, stress will be on education and job reservations for the Maratha community members."

Actor Riteish Deshmukh tweeted a picture of the Maratha Kranti Morcha.

Eknath Shinde, supported the demands of the Maratha community. The party MLAs raised slogans on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan.

Shinde told PTI, "We completely support the demands of the Maratha community. A large section of the community is deprived of education, good income sources and skills that would get them good jobs. Reservation in education and jobs could be one way of supporting them."

"The other demands, such as strict action against those who had allegedly sexually assaulted the girl and murdered her, will be given the required support," he said.

According to an IBN Lokmat report, discussions between chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and the organising committee is currently underway.

Heres a quick check on traffic across the city: The commuters can now use the BA Road, which is open for access till Khada Parsi. JJ Flyover still closed.

According to Hindustan Times, Maharashtra government is likely to announce a package for Maratha students. The government also plans to set up a subcommittee to take forward reservation procedure. This subcommittee will not need Cabinet approval.

Keeping in mind the traffic, railways will run extra local trains today between CST and Panvel, and between Thane and Kalyan.

The Maratha morcha organising committee is in meeting with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis currently.

The meeting between CM Devendra Fadnavis and Maratha morcha organising committee is over. Fadnavis is expected to make a statement soon.

The proceedings in Kopardi case are in last stages, Devendra Fadnavis said in the Assembly post meeting with Maratha morcha committee.

The government is in favour of reservations, Fadnavis said. A skill development programme for 3 lakh students will be developed soon, he added.

Every district in the state will have hostel facility for Maratha students. For every district, Rs 5 crore will be given, CM said.

A Cabinet sub-committee will be formed to oversee the reservation process. This committee will be headed by Chandhrakant Patil.

The state government will also give 18 Maratha communities with caste identification cards.

On loan waivers, CM said that farmers with loans of over Rs 10 lakh will be given assistance.

Quick check on trains: Two extra trains will ply on the central line during non-peak hours. Eight extra trains will run on harbour line and 16 on main line, according to a report in the Hindustan Times.

605 educational courses, which were exclusive for SC/ST students, will now be available for Maratha students also. The cut off for scholarship for Maratha students has been reduced from 60% to 50%.

Reservation for Muslims: Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi demanded an answer on no reservation for Muslims in the Assembly.

The Maratha morcha protest in Mumbai has been called off following assurance given by Devendra Fadnavis.

SUMMARY

Maharashtra govt will set up a sub-committee to look into reservation process

A skill training programme will be launched for 3 lakh students.

Every district will have hostel facility for Maratha students. Rs 5 rore will be given for it.

605 education courses will be open for Maratha students now. Cut off for scholarship has been reduced to 50%

On loan waiver, farmers with loans of over Rs 10 lakh will be given assistance.

In Kopardi case, proceedings are in last stage and decision is expected soon.

That's a warp on the live blog. Thanks for staying tuned.
Representative image

Exactly a year after the first silent march was taken out by Maratha Kranti Morcha in Aurangabad, today's Maratha Kranti Morcha in Mumbai is its 58th and biggest march.

The protestors are mainly demanding reservation for the Maratha community in jobs and education and justice for 14-year-old girl who was brutally raped and murdered in Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

How it started

A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered by Jitendra Shinde, Santosh G Bhaval and Nitin G Bhailume in Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra. The incidents sparked intense but largely peaceful protests from the Maratha community - to which the girl belonged to.

The protesters hit the street demanding stringent actions against the accused who were from the Dalit community.

Later, the objective of the protests also included the reservation for the Maratha community in jobs and education.

Series of protests

The Mumbai protest is the 58th mook morcha or silent march being organised by the community. Before this, protests have been held in various cities and towns of the state to grab the attention towards their demands.

Though the protests are generally leaderless, they are organised by an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups, Sakal Maratha Samaj.

Apart from the justice for Kopardi incident and reservation, the group also demands an amendment in SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its misuse, loan waiver to curb farmer suicides, and remunerative prices for agricultural produce.

The group uses social media tools like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter to reach out to the community and gather support.

(With inputs from PTI)
March for Science organised in Washington DC. India will march on Aug 9

Complementing a rally in April taken out by scientists, researchers and students in 600 cities across the globe, academicians in India will hold a march on August 9.

The rally, titled India March for Science, is being organised to put a stop to the propagation of "unscientific", "obscurantist" ideas and increase the funding for science and promote scientific research, a media release noted.

We note with deep concern that financial support to even premier institutions like IITs, NITs, and IISERs has been slashed. Universities are facing shortage of funds to adequately support scientific research. Research funding agencies like DST, DBT and CSIR are reportedly impacted by reduced governmental support. Scientists in government laboratories are being asked to generate a part of their salary by selling their inventions and from other sources, said an appeal by the scientists.

In Pune, the march will start from Mahatma Gandhi statue near Pune Railway station and will conclude at Ambedkar statue, said Immunologist Vineeta Bal, who is one of the organisers. In Delhi, the march will be held at Mandi House.

The march will be a show of scientific community to stand in defence of science and scientific attitude in an open and visible manner.

"It is however, a matter of deep concern for all of us to note that cultivation of rational thinking and scientific temper in India is heading towards a crisis. There have been alarmingly frequent instances of obscurantism and religious fundamentalism in our society, which mark a departure from the vision of a nation guided by a rational outlook, scientific temper and humanity," the media release said.

The organisers of the rally have come out with the following demands and appealed to scientists, researchers, teachers, students, as well as all concerned citizens to march in support:

- Allocate at least 3% of GDP to scientific and technological research and 10% towards education

- Stop propagation of unscientific, obscurantist ideas and religious intolerance, and develop scientific temper, human values and spirit of inquiry in conformance with Article 51A of the Constitution.

- Ensure that the education system imparts only ideas that are supported by scientific evidence.

- Enact policies based on evidence-based science.

(With inputs from PTI)
On a day when India is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, there are 3 different rallies and a single state tour being held across various parts of India. These rallies are being called by different people and organisations for causes that range from seeking reservation for government jobs to betrayal of peoples mandate.

Here is a look at what these different rallies are addressing:

Maratha Rally

The Maratha Community in Mumbai is holding a silent protest to press for their demands seeking reservation in jobs, education and punishment of the accused in the Kopardi rape case. They are also demanding amendment in SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its misuse, loan waiver to farmers to curb suicides, and a guaranteed rate for agricultural produce.

This is the largest protest march held by the Maratha Community which saw participation of around nine lakh Marathas in Mumbai's Azad Maidan, accordingly to the police. This comes exactly a year after the first march was held by Marathas in Aurangabad. Since last year, they have held 57 mock rallies. The rally had support from political parties like Congress, Shiv Sena and NCP.

Yogi Adityanath Tour of Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath today began his 4-day tour from Gorakhpur and will be going to various districts in the state to gauge the impact of his government's schemes. He is likely to take stock of the law and order, health, cleanliness and electricity situation in the state.

The CM will cover 5 districts in the first phase namely Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Siddharthanagar, Ballia and Allahabad.

Akhilesh Yadav begins statewide campaign to take on BJP

After a crushing defeat in the Uttar Pradesh assembly election, Former Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav launched today a statewide 'Desh Bachao Desh Banao' campaign from the temple town of Ayodhya to take on BJP-led governments in the Centre and state.

Akhileshs campaign will focus on the rising crime graph, unemployment, price hike and corruption in the BJP government. He is seeking to resurrect his political career and make Samajwadi Party stronger.

Tejashwi Yadav rally against Nitishs 'betrayal'

Lalu Prasad Yadavs son and Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav begins 'Janadesh Apmaan Yatra' from Motihari in East Champaran to intensify attack on Nitish Kumar for 'betraying' peoples mandate given by the people of Bihar to the Grand Alliance.

The main agenda of the tour will be informing people about how Nitish abandoned the Grand Alliance and joined hands with the BJP. RJD Supremo Lalu Prasad told reporters yesterday that Nitish has committed political suicide by teaming up with BJP.
16:21 That's all for now. Thanks for staying with us. For more updates stay tuned to Moneycontrol.

13:19 The Upper House has been adjourned till 2 pm.

12:57 Currently, leaders of various political parties and other members of the Rajya Sabha are speaking.

Similar addresses are happening in the Lok Sabha as well.

The discussion will be followed by passing of a resolution.

12:44 Institutions

across the country are posting pictures of their staff taking the New India Pledge that PM Modi took in Lok Sabha earlier today.Here's the pledge:

12:26 CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury says that today, 'neoliberal economic policies' that are creating a gap between the rich and the poor, must quit India.

12:16 Trinamool Congress' Sukhendu Sekhar Roy raises anti-BJP slogans during his address in the Rajya Sabha.

12:09 Senior Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav just concluded his address in the Rajya Sabha.

12:06 Deputy Speaker Munisamy Thambidurai, who is also the leader of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Mazhagam (AIADMK) in Lok Sabha is now addressing the House.

12:03 Sonia Gandhi says that on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, people are questioning if foundation of democracy is under attack.

She ends her address by saying "We must fight for India that we believe in."

11:57 Sonia Gandhi says that Mahatma Gandhi's call to "do or die" galvanized the people of the country.

She recalls Congress leaders who were jailed and the restrictions imposed by the British across the country.

11:54 The prime minister has ended his address. Congress president Sonia Gandhi is next to speak.

11:52 The prime minister says, the success of the Goods and Services Tax is not a success of any political party or the government, but of the people's will power.

11:50 PM Modi says that we should make the period between 2017 to 2022 like the period between 1942 and 1947.

11:46 The prime minister is talking about changing people's perception and instilling a feeling of duty towards the country.

11:42 PM Modi says that breaking rules and laws has crept into our way of life and that we don't feel wrong about it anymore.

As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of #QuitIndiaMovement, let us pledge to make hunger,disease,poverty, prejudice & intolerance quit India pic.twitter.com/wCRzG2uAFC Pranab Mukherjee (@CitiznMukherjee) August 9, 2017

11:40 PM Modi says that if we come together it will not be difficult to realise Mahatma Gandhi's dreams.

He says that India is now in a position where it can inspire other nations again.

11:36 PM Modi says, "The people had received Mahatma Gandhi's slogan to 'do or die' very well."

"This was the result of India's will power. That's a lesson for us," he adds.

11:33 PM Modi talks about Mahatma Gandhi's call to "do or die".

Similar discussion is also happening in the Rajya Sabha. Finance Minister Arun Jailtey spoke earlier. Congress leader and leader of opposition in the Upper House, Ghulam Nabi Azad is currently speaking there.

11:26 PM Modi addresses the parliament:

He says, "We all are feeling proud that we have had the honour of celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement in the parliament today."

11:22 The floor has been opened for discussion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to speak first.

11:19 Sumitra Mahajan says that the patriotic feeling seen during the freedom struggle still exists and that it needs to be awakened.

11:16 Speaker Mahajan is talking about the hardship dealt by the people during the independence struggle.

11:12 PM Narendra Modi tweeted earlier today about the Quit India movement.



On the 75th anniversary of the historic Quit India movement, we salute all the great women & men who took part in the movement.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017



11:10 Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is now addressing the lower House of the Parliament while Vice President Hamid Ansari earlier addressed the Rajya Sabha.

11:09 The Congress Working Committee (CWC) passed a resolution on Tuesday, paying homage to the Quit India movement on its 75th anniversary.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi said accused the people in the BJP-led government were political heirs to organisations that had opposed the iconic movement and had collaborated with the British.

The party also claimed that the resolution due to be passed as part of the special session had no mention of Mahatma Gandhi and Congress which they say were the protagonists of the movement.

11:08 The movement also known as the India August Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi at a session of the Indian National Congress in Bombay (now Bombay) on August 8, 1942.

Within hours of Gandhi delivering a speech, mass protests erupted and key leaders of the Congress were arrested.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his recent Mann Ki Baat address had called for launching the mega campaign title 'Sankalp Se Siddhi' today.

11:07 Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to speak at the session along with leaders other parties. The discussion will end with passing of a resolution that will reaffirm their commitment to the nation.

Several events have been planned across the country at organisational and local levels to mark the occasion.

11:06 Welcome to the live updates of the special parliamentary session to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement.

Both Houses of the Parliament will suspend the Question Hour and Zero Hour to make way for the special session.
US aircraft maker Boeing is reported to be in talks with Indian companies, seeking collaboration on drones, digital technology and aerospace services.

In an interview with Mint, Marc Allen, President of Boeing International, said that the company is casting its "anchor deep into India" and more announcements are likely to follow soon.

In collaboration with the Tata Group, Boeing is already making the fuselage of its Apache attack helicopters and floor beams for some of its airplanes.

Allen said that the company is producing the structure for the Apache helicopters and the way ahead will be a progression of its ongoing operations.

We have talked around, a variety of possibilities whether it is autonomous systems or whether it is systems themselves on another platform. None of them are announced yet, so I am not going to make news...but there are a number of discussions ongoing, so thats going to continue growing, he said.

Allen further said that the company has increased its research on autonomous systems and is looking to work on digital technology and services out of India.

The firm has also stepped up its research in autonomous systems. Boeing is also looking to work on digital technology and services out of India, Allen said.

In the past few years, Boeing has won contracts worth about USD 14 billion from India, which includes contracts for C17 Globemaster transport planes, Harpoon missiles, and P-8 anti-submarine warfare jets, Mint reports.
Image via Flickr user BTC_Keychain under CC 2.0

Since it first came into existence in 2009, bitcoin has threatened to disrupt financial institutions and change the meaning of money itself.

The worlds first decentralized cryptocurrency aims to serve as a peer-to-peer electronic cash, making transactions possible directly between users, eliminating the need for trusted third parties like central banks.

Bitcoin transactions are verified and registered over a publicly distributed ledger known as blockchain.

Who verifies and registers these transactions? This is done through a process called mining.

Each entry is confirmed by 'miners' who have to solve a complex math problem associated with each transaction in order to be able to verify it and earn some bitcoins for the hard work.

With the passage of time, the math problems become more complex and more computational power is required to mine.

Due to this, bitcoin mining activity has increasingly become difficult to undertake. Those who do not want to invest in expensive hardware required for bitcoin or cryptocurrency mining in general, can earn some coins through cloud mining. (This activity refers to mining bitcoins using advanced hardware of companies that are set up specifically to offer this service, in lieu of a fee.)

In an extensive conversation with Moneycontrol, Marco Streng, CEO of Genesis Mining, the largest cloud mining company in the world, sheds light upon the cloud mining industry, its challenges and the road ahead for cryptocurrencies.

Could you please introduce our audience to your company, Genesis Mining?

Cryptocurrency, which is an umbrella term for Bitcoin and Altcoins like Ethereum, Dash, Monero etc, is bound to change the way we look at money. Industry leaders like Bill Gates and Richard Branson have expressed their support for Bitcoin and Blockchain technology and Bitcoin experts like Andreas Antonopoulos believe, Its the Internet of Money.

The co-founders of Genesis Mining, Marco Krohn, Jakov Dolic and I met around 4 years ago through the Munich (Germany) localBitcoins website -- back then there were no Bitcoin exchanges. We discovered we had a shared passion for Bitcoin and home mining.

We decided to set up a large GPU farm in Eastern Europe, to mine Litecoins and in the process of doing this, we pretty quickly decided to create a cloud-mining platform. We realized that not only was there a huge opportunity to open up our expertise in managing large cryptocurrency mining farms to a bigger audience but also, to ensure we stayed true to Satoshi Nakamotos ideals.

With our cloud-mining products, we strive to democratize mining and give a platform to about a million customers to participate in the cryptocurrency revolution.

Currently, we have a highly motivated team spread across 5 continents, comprised of mathematicians, investment bankers, engineers, security experts, customer support & marketing specialists (and even musicians and artists!) who have a passion for blockchain and cryptocurrency!

And, we have mining farms across the world working seamlessly to power this financial revolution.

Genesis Mining went through a rough week recently with the attack on your hot wallet which led to daily customer payouts being delayed. Could you please share some insights into that?

Yes, it was a very hard week for all of us, especially since our security protocols meant we had to delay mining payouts until everything was proved to be secured again. Weve now been able to restore regular service and deliver the payouts that had been delayed.

We believe we have learned a lot and have come out stronger.

While we continue to strengthen our security measures and improve our customer support, we also believe our business fundamentals like daily payouts have helped us tremendously in mitigating risk.

On the night of July 21, an intrusion into one of our hot wallets (an online wallet where we temporarily store the output of our mining). We immediately thwarted this attack but had to delay our daily mining payouts, on the advice of our cyber security team which included third-party security experts.

We communicated with our customers, the technical difficulties we were facing, without compromising information that could further affect all of us negatively and we had customer support agents cancelling vacations and rushing back to work multiple shifts.

On July 26, we were in a position to share more information with our customers and we did this through a blog post.

At this time, a common thread of thought that echoed throughout the company was, We completely empathize with our customers fear of potentially losing hard earned money. Let us assure them and also ensure that their investment is completely safe.

We would like to stress that through these 6 days when we temporarily halted payouts, our mining farms were continuing to mine crypto for our customers.

We restarted payouts on July 27 and using bulk payouts, have now brought the situation under control.

Through this tough week, we were humbled by the positive feedback and trust we got from most of our customers and would like to assure them that we will adopt their valuable suggestions immediately.

In the long run, we also believe that this will bring us closer to our customers and we hope, increase their trust in us.

Where do you see the Bitcoin or the cryptocurrency industry heading in the coming years?

The world of cryptocurrencies is evolving rapidly.

First of all, the high risks taken by the innovators in the industry have paid off in many ways, and we are perhaps still at a pre-early adopter stage. There is still a lot of opportunity for investors who would like to invest in cryptocurrencies.

Not only are there many awe-inspiring stories of successful, innovative Bitcoin and blockchain companies and but also, the knowledge eco-system around the industry has reached a certain level of maturity.

Secondly, governments are taking the Bitcoin industry more seriously. The Japanese government has legalized Bitcoin as a form of currency; the American and German governments allow Bitcoins to be traded as an asset-class and India, according to multiple rumours, is about to legalize and/or regulate Bitcoins.

All this points us in the direction of Bitcoin, or one of the other cryptocurrencies (aka Altcoins), gaining wider acceptance not only as a store of value but also as a currency within the next 5-10 years.

There are also exciting times ahead for smart contracts, token technology based apps (DApps) like Augur for prediction markets, Golem for distributed computing and second-layer technologies like lightning.

Where do the mining businesses fit into the future?

Mining and proof-of-work will continue to power some major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. It is the backbone of the trustless trust network. Miners play a key role in securing the network and verifying transactions: like auditors.

With our experience in building and running large-scale, energy-efficient computing farms at an attractive price point, we also see ourselves engaged deeply in the cloud computing revolution. There are a few interesting applications in the works!

How risky is cloud mining?

Cloud mining per se isnt risky.

What is important is that there is awareness among customers regarding how mining in general and cloud mining in particular, works. In this regard, there are many positives we have been observing lately. More and more people are not only aware of the risks involved with mining companies who promise fixed returns but have also researched about which cryptocurrency theyd like to mine and what kind of diversified mining portfolios theyd like to build up.

Having said that, the lack of regulation in the industry and the exponential rate of growth is leading to some unethical players exploiting their customers trust.

A related disturbing trend is the emergence of various Bitcoin funds which promise to invest in non-existent mining capacity and startups.

A lot of these players are essentially Ponzi schemers who guarantee impossibly high fixed returns.

To fight back against this and to protect our customers and our industry, we are constantly taking initiatives to educate both our current and potential customers about how an investment in mining and our cloud mining product works and, how to spot a Ponzi scheme.

We are a regular presence at various conferences, correspond regularly with journalists and media publications, and also live stream images from our mining farms. We also enforce a daily payout system, which not only differentiates us from Ponzi schemes but also ensures theres very little incentive for potential hackers.

After the halving last year, is Bitcoin mining still profitable in 2017?

For sure, block reward halving and difficulty level increases, have made mining harder.

However, this is where both our experience and expertise gained over the past 4 years comes in handy.

There are a few different factors that help us remain profitable:

1) Economy of scale enables us to keep costs low. We have mining farms across 4 different continents with Enigma, our largest farm in Iceland rivaling the worlds second-largest supercomputer based on pure brute-force computing strength.

2) A highly streamlined supply chain, where we have strong long-term partnerships helps us to react quickly and efficiently to the massive demands which we are currently seeing.

3) We have over the years negotiated good deals with energy companies and are firmly focused on using renewable energy.

4) On top of this, we are also working with chip manufacturers to deliver custom solutions.

5) We also offer 100% uptime guarantee for our customers and we are able to deliver on our promise by switching pools and using state-of-the-art Mining farm management software called Genesis HIVE which we have developed in-house.

6) Our multipool technology further boosts profitability for our customers by switching between different coins, depending on their profitability. Our deep experience with Altcoin mining helps with this.

So all-in-all, despite the halving last year, we believe we have the systems in place to maximize profitability for our customers.

Bitcoin is regularly referred to as Digital Gold in the media and this is an apt analogy. As difficulty to mine increases, the value of Bitcoins will continue to increase and inefficient players will get filtered out.

How many cryptocurrencies can be mined from your platform and with the recent boom in altcoins what plans do you have for the future?

Apart from Bitcoin, we offer a range of other cryptocurrency mining options. The altcoins we mine are Ethereum, Litecoin, Dash, Monero and Zcash.

We started off 4 years ago with GPU-based Altcoin mining and Altcoins retain a special place in our hearts.

Despite the current GPU shortages in the industry our long term strategic partnerships with hardware manufacturers and R&D initiatives to build proprietary graphics cards that are optimized for mining, allows us to ramp up rapidly.

Some of our largest current farm build-outs are GPU focused and we have an exciting announcement to make, in the near future!

What is the return on investment in cloud mining?

As a cryptocurrency mining company which actually mines with real farms minting crypto coins, we at Genesis Mining never commit to a fixed ROI because Bitcoin and altcoin mining depends highly on the prices and difficulties of the coins you mine and this, cannot be predicted.

We recommend all our clients to do their own research and do their own profitability calculation. There are websites like coinwarz.com which help one do this.

We find it encouraging that our refusal to commit ROI (or fixed returns), in fact gains us the trust and respect of our customers. What we do guarantee though, is to keep pushing the boundaries of crypto mining world and offer best-in-class returns to our customers.

The government is trying to regulate cryptocurrencies in India. What are your suggestions in this direction?

First of all, we fully welcome it!

Over-regulation in the early stages of any technology usually stifles innovation but with Bitcoins gaining in popularity, there is definitely a need for limited regulation in order to protect the consumers.

While we are moving out of the innovators stage and into the early adopter stage of the Bitcoin industry, the profile of the typical customer is changing and although educational and awareness related initiatives help, the government could play key role.

Steps like mandating KYC, AML and CFT procedures, setting up a certification system to counter fraudulent companies which engage in MLM and Ponzi schemes and a strong consumer protection system for grievance redressal, are all the need of the hour.

We are confident that as the conversation around this grows, there will be more positive ideas which will come up. We have some very smart minds working on this from both sides - DABFI, a self-regulating body comprising of leading Indian Bitcoin companies like Zebpay, Unocoin and Coinsecure and represented by Nishith Desai Associates, is at the forefront of this effort and we completely support their initiatives.

Since the start of 2017 cryptocurrencies have witnessed a crazy rally, many say that they are in a bubble right now? Do you think that this price appreciation is a result of herd mentality?

There is no perfect or safe answer to this question we reckon because by the time this interview is published, the crypto markets might have turned a little bearish or gone on a wild upswing.

While the buzz around cryptocurrency is definitely playing a role, we also think its a natural progression of the cryptocurrency technology-market acceptance arc. There is a lot more awareness and excitement regarding our young industry and there is still tremendous headroom for growth - over time, this will bring down volatility.

Drops in price often bring in new investors which ends up increasing the number of people using Bitcoin which drives value right back up.

How will the Segwit2x update impact the cloud mining industry? Is Genesis mining in favour of Segwit2x or not?

Segwit2x is a good idea and we will support it (we signed the New York Agreement). It allows for increasing the block size further (via hard fork) and thus allows more people to use Bitcoin at lower prices. This type of on-chain scaling is needed until 2nd layer technologies (such as lightning network) are available for everyone.

We advise our customers to be careful in the days preceding and following any potential change. As a company, our stand is aligned to our customers and the industrys interests. And therefore, our focus is both to secure the Bitcoin network, and serve our customers wishes.

With this in mind, we will always ensure that our customers retain the ability to make their own choice.

You have recently forayed in the India market as well, how has been the experience and any thoughts you would like to share with our audience or people who plan to venture in the world of crypocurrencies?

We are highly focused on the Indian market and weve had some great experiences over the last year or so - the community is rapidly growing.

Over the past year, we have focused to increase awareness and trust  both in the technology behind Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc. and, in Genesis Mining, as the worlds leading and most reliable cloud-mining service provider.

Another key focus has been to meet our customers in-person at various forums.

We recently organized a conference  the first Edition of BlockSpeak in Mumbai and Bangalore to help people understand the basics of Bitcoin, cryptocurrency mining and, to also help like-minded people get together.

We work closely with pioneers in the industry like [Bitcoin expert] Sunil Aggarwal who recently released an interesting book on Bitcoin and blockchain called Bitcoin Magnet to educate people in India about the technology involved. Genesis Mining also recently partnered with industry leaders like Zebpay to bring Andreas Antonopoulos to Mumbai for an exciting talk about Bitcoin and Blockchain technology, which was a huge success.

We are also holding a BTCC conference in Mumbai on August 10th where our keynote talk will focus on the basics of Mining and Altcoins and also, high-volume investment opportunities in this space.
BJP president Amit Shah completes his three years in office today, a period that saw the party rapidly expand its base and clinch states like Goa, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh through some astute political manoeuvres despite lacking majority.

Seen as a master strategist and workaholic, the BJP leader is considered Prime Minister Narendra Modi's alter ego, and the two have together given the saffron party political sinews it could hardly even imagine before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

A blend of Modi's mass appeal and Shah's organisational skills and sagacity has resulted in BJP having 13 states under its belt and it is in power in five more with alliance partners.

Under Shah's watch, the BJP and its allies won a thumping victory in Uttar Pradesh, pocketing 73 of the state's 80 Lok Sabha seats. The wily Gujarat leader, a five-term MLA, was then in-charge of the BJP's campaign in the key cow belt state.

As the 52-year-old leader from Gujarat begins his fourth year at the helm of the party's affairs, he is also set to make his debut in Parliament as a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.

Shah was appointed the party chief in July 2014 following the induction of his predecessor Rajnath Singh into the Modi cabinet but the BJP's national council ratified the decision on August 9 that year.

If growing public support for a party is a measure of its chief's popularity, Shah is the most successful BJP president. Party leaders are quick to point out that under him the BJP has not only won most elections it contested, it also saw its vote percentage rise even in the polls it lost, like in Bihar.

Barring Bihar and Delhi, where it had to eat a humble pie, the BJP juggernaut rolled on as it formed its maiden governments in Assam, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

Under Shah, the BJP jettisoned its oldest saffron ally the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and contested Assembly polls on its own, emerging as the single largest party. The two parties are again together now, both in the state and at the Centre.

BJP sources, however, cite the party's win with unprecedented margin in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections this year as probably his biggest electoral achievement.

Coming as it did in the wake of the demonetisation exercise, which was used by opposition parties to corner the central government, the victory put to rest any doubt over Modi's charisma waning and brought the BJP to power in India's politically most important state after a gap of 15 years, they said.

"The party has expanded in all parts of the country. Shah has worked to live the vision of Jana Sangh (earlier incarnation of the BJP) founders like Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Deen Dayal Upadhyay who wanted the party be a 'party of all Indians'," a leader said.

In states like Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Manipur, the BJP has tasted power for the first time. In Goa, where it finished second after Congress, Shah despatched Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, a canny practitioner of realpolitik, to cobble together a majority and form a government with smaller parties.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the party under Shah engineered mass defection by 33 of the 43 MLAs of People's Party of Arunachal Pradesh, and formed its own government.

The party also notched more than ever vote share in local bodies polls in Odisha, Kerala and West Bengal, states which Shah has marked out as it as the next potential growth regions for the party during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Shah has put in place a well-oiled mechanism that ensures the government and the party work in sync. He has used the party apparatus to create awareness about various programmes of the Modi government including 'beti bachai beti padhao', 'namami gange', 'ujjwala yojna' and the one for crop insurance to tackle agrarian unrest.

Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) Director Sanjay Kumar termed Shah's three-year tenure as "superb" and said that the party appeared set, as of now, to win the 2019 election under him.

"In terms of the party's president he has been able to expand its support base," he said, adding that as a strategist too, Shah has been successful.

The BJP under him has been able to form governments in states even where it lost, Kumar said, lauding Shah's political sagacity.

"There's no question mark on his performance. I don't see any challenge to the BJP till 2019 if nothing dramatic happens," he said.

The BJP also claims to have become the largest political party in the world under him by enrolling over 11 crore members.

They credit his decision to meet the common man and the party's office bearers on the first and third Monday of every month, and efforts to communicate directly with functionaries across states among reasons for enhanced cohesion in the organisaiton.

"If the party president is himself undertaking a nation- wide tour of 110 days, pasting posters on walls and interacting with workers and common voters at the booth-level, then it energises the entire organisation," a senior party leader said.

On an average, Shah has travelled 541 km daily as he held rallies and other programmes in virtually all parts of the country, he said.

With the BJP set to face coming elections, including the next Lok Sabha poll, under him, Shah has announced that the party's golden era will arrive when it rules across the country from "panchayat to Parliament".

Under him, the BJP, once considered a 'Brahmin-Baniya' party, has reached out to the backward classes and dalits, a strategy that paid rich dividends in the UP Assembly elections.
With the election of Ram Nath Kovind and Venkaiah Naidu, India now has a new President and Vice-President.

From appointing Governors to judges, the President of India serves as Head of the State and is tasked with defending the Constitution.

He acts on the advice of the government in most of his duties.

On the other hand, Vice President serves as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and presides over sittings of the Upper House.
Humans all over the world spend on an average 1300 years each day in typing passwords.

Some of the reasons to blame for this are the things we have been trained to keep in mind before setting a password - using numbers, obscure characters and capital letters.

But now you can forget all of that, because its all pretty useless.

As per a report in Washington Post, Bill Burrs work, the NIST Special Publication 800-63. Appendix A brought out in 2003 which listed the standard rules of setting passwords has been revised and a new edition been brought out that proves the previous ways of setting passwords as wrong.

So are your passwords based on a wrong set of guidelines?

Not exactly, but the core rules have been revised and fresh ones brought out in place.

In June this year the "Special Publications 800-63" was re-released after a two-year long overwrite by Paul Grassi, a NIST standards-and-technology adviser who led the project.

The fresh guidelines, as per Grassis statement have been written from scratch, and drop two of the most religiously followed password rules  the requirement for special characters, and the 90-day expiration date advice.

The renewed set of guidelines say that cooking a complicated password isnt really helping - as larger number of letters a more helpful than a short, complicated password.

The previous rules did little for security and actually ended up with a bad experience on the users end who had to remember crazy complicated passwords.

Summed up in short here's what the new guidelines suggest -

# No evidence shows that changing passwords every few months keeps us safer

# Adding numbers and special characters to passwords to make them more secure is a myth

# For instance, commonly used tricks such as "MickeyMou$se" are easily predictable by hackers as they know that a '$' sign stands for an S

# Experts propose to choose a password you like and one that you may easily remember, even if it is a combination of words

# It is still important to stay away from - previously breached passwords, dictionary words, repetitive /sequential characters (ABCD, 1234, aaaa, etc) and context specific words such as usernames

# The best advice would be to choose a long string of text characters

# You need to change your password only if your account is compromised

The crux of the matter?

Now, one can choose to use long but easy-to-remember phrases over the usage of complex alphanumeric and special characters passwords.

Academics who have studied passwords for a long time claim that often using a series of four words can make the job easier rather than using a mash-up of characters from all ends of the spectrum.

Looking back on the previous rules, Burr claims that change your password every 90 days rule is grossly misfollowed by people. Most people keep changing just one or two characters by adding an extra number at the end that stems from human tendency of keeping it easy to remember.

A widely circulated cartoon Randall Munroe pointed out that 550 years was required to correct a standard set of combined words password such as correct horse battery staple all written as one word, but a complicated password like Tr0ub4dor&3, which appears to be a standard password as per the previous set of rules, could be cracked in three days. (Credit: xkcd)

Why did Burr go wrong ?

Burr had based his password advice on real-world password data. According to him, continuous public pressure to come out with a password guidance soon made him work in haste for the nine-page document in 2003.

Another reason why his 2003 document could be wrong is that Burr did not really have access to any proper empirical data at that time while working on it. He had asked NISTs computer security experts for passwords as a case study, but they did not comply. Ultimately, Burr had to go with a white paper written in the 1980s.

The new set of rules are not recommended to be adopted by any organisation immediately. However, these types of recommendations are usually implemented as best practices for security.
10001-00000-000-01685

Justice Dipak Misra was today sworn in as Chief Justice of India, succeeding incumbent JS Khehar who retired on Sunday.

At a brief ceremony held at the Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhawan, President Ramnath Kovind administered the oath of office to Misra, who had been recommended as a successor by Justice JS Khehar in July.

Misra's tenure as the 45th Chief Justice of India will last for 14 months until he retires on October 2018.

Dipak Misra, 63, has been at the forefront of some of the landmark judgements in recent history.

A native of Odisha, he began his legal journey as an advocate in 1977. Misra ventured into most realms of law - constitutional, civil, criminal, revenue, service and sales tax matters - before being appointed as an additional judge of the Orissa High Court in 1996. He was transferred to the Madhya Pradesh High Court shortly before he became a permanent judge in 1997.

Misra served as the Chief Justice of Patna High Court in 2009 and the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court in 2010. Subsequently, he was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court in September 2011.

He is currently the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and has taken up initiatives to provide legal aid to the deprived people. His efforts extended to creating the facility of "Legal Assistance Establishments" or Nyaya Sanyog which cater to poor litigants to get faster access to justice by accessing court documents, case statuses and easy connectivity with the lawyers via phone numbers or online.

Misra headed the bench when Yakub Memon, convicted in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, had pleaded for the dismissal of his death sentence hours before he was due to be hanged. In a judgement that would be etched in Indian legal history, Dipak Misra dismissed the last-minute plea in an unprecedented 2.30 am hearing.

In May, Misra also upheld the death sentence of the four convicts in the heinous 2012 Delhi gang-rape case.

He was also heading the bench which made singing the national anthem compulsory in cinema halls as well as standing up for the same.

Misra has been entrusted with the responsibility of heading a three-judge bench which will hear a string of petitions challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict on the Ayodhya land dispute from August 11.
Source: www.kremlin.ru

Amid the Sino-Indian border stand- off, an organisation founded by former RSS ideologue K N Govindacharya has called for boycotting Chinese goods and using products manufactured in the country.

The outfit, Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan, will be launching a nationwide campaign, 'Say no to China - Be Bhartiya buy Bhartiya' from today, an office-bearer said here.

Addressing a press conference, the organisation's convener, Pawan Shrivastav, said the campaign calling on people to boycott Chinese goods will be launched in the city by Govindacharya, a former BJP general secretary.

He said the campaign will be conducted in more than 50 cities in the country from August 9 to September 6 and conclude in New Delhi.

Shrivastav said this movement will strengthen national self-respect and also self-reliance.

The campaign is being launched at a time when Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face-off in Dokalam in the southernmost part of Tibet in an area also claimed by Bhutan.

The stand-off started in mid-June when Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the disputed area.
To mark the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, one of the landmark events in India's freedom struggle, Parliament will on Wednesday hold a special sitting on both the houses.

During the special session, all the parties will express their views, following which a resolution will be passed affirming commitment to the nation, reported the Economic Times.

The movement was launched in Bombay during the meeting of All India Congress Committee. To embrace those memories, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) held a meeting on Tuesday.

The platinum jubilee of the Quit India movement brings back the memories of August Kranti of 1942, where the whole nation rose up against the British rule.

In the July broadcast of 'Mann ki Baat', a monthly radio programme, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in his speech mentioned the upcoming anniversary of the Quit India movement.

He had then proposed the citizens to come together to let poverty, filth, corruption, communalism, terrorism and casteism quit India. Modi drew parallels between the India at present and what it was 75 years ago.

The culture ministry has also decided to put up an exhibition, named Karenge Ya Marenge 75 Chalo Dilli, at the National Archives of India to display thousands of declassified files and documents related to Quit India movement and Azad Hind Fauj launch, Hindustan Times reported.

These documents include slogans, pamphlets, banners, letters and other documents which will be open for public to view for a period between August 9 and September 1.

The official records showcase interesting facts such as the name of the person who coined the famous 'Quit India' or 'Bharat Chodo' slogan. While it is widely believed that the term was coined by Mahatma Gandhi, these records prove that the person behind the slogan was a Congress leader, Yusuf Meherally (also spelled as Yusuf Meher Ali).
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CV Raman

Indias automobile industry is going through a major transformation. A new set of vehicle safety norms is set to come into effect, starting October. The car industry is rapidly upgrading its products to meet these stringent safety norms. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has, after studying the best vehicle safety practices across the world, laid down these norms which are at par with safety standards in Europe. Interestingly, these safety norms cover not just car users, but also aim to minimize injury to pedestrians who may be hit by an automobile.

The car industry is investing in new equipment such as airbags and anti-lock braking systems. But that alone is not enough. Companies are making other innovations so that the additional equipment, while delivering higher safety, does not unduly increase vehicle weight and compromise on other important aspects like emission, performance and customer comfort.

Car companies are investing in extensive research, testing and evaluation to ensure these cars meet advanced safety norms. In Maruti Suzuki, for example, we crash test 35-40 cars of each model at our advanced R&D Centre in Rohtak (Haryana) before we can be satisfied that it meets the forthcoming safety norms.

All this effort and investment are being made to minimize injury and fatalities in road accidents. Nearly 1.5 lakh people die on Indian roads each year. Disturbed by this, Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, has taken the challenge of bringing this to half by 2020. As automobile engineers, it gives us great satisfaction to be contributing our efforts to a national goal.

However, all these efforts may be nullified if we do not acquire a basic habit: putting on the seat belt while travelling in an automobile. Strange as it may seem, the more advanced the safety features in a car, the more critical is the role of the humble seat belt. For example, in a vehicle with airbags, if the passengers are not wearing the seat belt at the time of a crash, an airbag could end up causing harm to the passengers.

As per WHO ( report published in 2015), wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of fatality among drivers and front seat passengers by 45-50 percent ! The risk of serious injuries comes down by 45 percent. Among passengers on the rear seat, says WHO, seat belts reduce fatal and serious injuries by 25 percent. In fact, this is leading countries to not just adopt comprehensive seat belt laws, but also strengthen enforcement.

This expert view is reinforced in our experience in the R&D lab. In our crash lab tests, we use dummies made of steel and rubber with sophisticated sensors embedded in them to simulate the human body and measure the damage caused during a crash. We have dummies of different sizes and shapes which represent a typical male or a female or a child sitting in the car. Our tests show the impact is much more severe on dummies that do not wear a seat belt.

Indias record with regard to seat belts is dismal and shocking. In most parts of the country, vehicle users are not even expected to wear a seat belt. There is practically no enforcement of this rule. Even where enforcement is stringent, it is confined to the passengers in the front seats. For some strange reason, rear seat passengers are not expected to wear the seat belts provided for them.

I see this as a big opportunity. If we could only adopt this simple act of wearing a seat belt each time we use a vehicle  voluntarily, in areas where it is not enforced  we would be bringing down road fatalities by a significant number. As cars become more sophisticated in terms of safety, it is even more critical that we belt up every single time for ourselves and our loved ones.

(The author is Head of Research & Development, Maruti Suzuki India Limited)
Afghanistan ranked 1st- with a score of 9.592 - on the index that measures the impact of terrorism.

An explosive device tonight went off inside a truck parked on the route former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif is to take on Wednesday for a public rally in Lahore, injuring at least 35 people, officials said.

Official sources told PTI that the explosives were placed in the truck laden with fruits on the Out Fall Road - the route Sharif is to take on his return to his hometown for the first time since the Panama Papers scandal verdict on July 28.

Sharif was initially scheduled to travel to Lahore from Islamabad via the famous Grand Trunk Road on Sunday, but the rally was postponed to Wednesday.

"It appears the explosive device was to target Sharif's cavalcade," the sources said, adding that Sharif is now likely to review his Wednesday's planned march through the route.

The truck was parked there for the past three days, police said citing initial reports they had received.

"It appears to be a message for Nawaz Sharif to cancel or defer his planned rally on coming Wednesday," the sources said.

The PML-N has planned a "million march" against Sharif's disqualification by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. Opposition leader Imram Khan has expressed concern over the ousted prime minister's plan to travel to Lahore with a cavalcade, terming it "a deliberate attempt to undermine the Supreme Court" and its judgement in the high-profile scandal.

Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said Sharif's travel plans were making Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders anxious.

"Khan's is afraid of the strong solidarity that will be demonstrated by the masses for the ousted prime minister, who is now emerging as the people's prime minister," Iqbal said.

A rescue official told PTI that an explosive device planted in the truck went off at around 9pm local time.

The kind of device and the explosives used were not yet known.

Police and rescue officials have cordoned off the area.

"At least 35 people have been injured and admitted to hospitals. An injured minor girl is stated to be critical," he said.

DIG Haider Ashraf confirmed that it was a bomb blast and said that the blast has created a huge crater.

"We have launched investigation on all aspects," he said.

Azim Hanif, an eyewitness, said he was going to the parking area when the powerful blast took place.

"Due the impact of the blast, I fell on the ground. After a couple of minutes when I gained my senses, I saw some people injured," Hanif said.

The explosion shattered the windows of nearby buildings. A number of bikes and cars were damaged due to its intensity.

Lahore, the cultural capital of Pakistan, has witnessed several terror attacks in recent months.

On July 24, a Taliban suicide bomber struck a police team near residence-cum-office of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif here, killing 27 people, including policemen.

In April, six persons were killed and 15 others injured when a suicide bomber targeted a population census team in Lahore's Bedian Road.

In February, a suicide bomber killed 14 people, including senior police officers, near the Punjab Assembly here.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at his election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - RTX2SPTE

American nuclear arsenal is now far stronger and "more powerful than ever", US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday in an apparent warning to North Korea over its repeated missile tests.

Trump's tweets come a day after he told reporters that North Korea's threats against the US, if they continue, will be met with "fire and fury" like the world has never seen before.

"My first order as President was to renovate and modernise our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before," Trump said in the first of his two tweets.

"Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!" Trump said in another tweet.

A day earlier, Trump warned North Korea of consequences of threatening the US.

"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen. He has been very threatening, beyond a normal statement," Trump told reporters at his vacation home in New Jersey.

He was responding to reporters' questions on the North Korea's nuclear capabilities.

"As said, they will be met with fire, fury, and, frankly, power the likes of which this world has never seen before," he said.

Trump's remarks came amidst reports that North Korea is coming close to obtaining an atomic weapon that can strike the US.

Media reports said North Korea has successfully miniaturised a nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi slammed Trump for making such a remark.

"Since President Trump took office, North Korea has accelerated its nuclear programme to unprecedented levels. The president's most recent comments are recklessly belligerent and demonstrate a grave lack of appreciation for the severity of the North Korean nuclear situation," she said.

"The US must respond to the North Korean nuclear threat by working with other nations including Russia and China to enforce the new United Nations sanctions and must join with our allies to advance a diplomatic solution," she said.

Senator Dianne Feinstein said isolating the North Koreans has not halted their pursuit of nuclear weapons.

"And President Trump is not helping the situation with his bombastic comments. There is no question that North Korea is seeking to add a nuclear warhead to an ICBM capable of reaching the United States," she argued.

"What this tells me is that our policy of isolating North Korea has not worked. The United States must quickly engage North Korea in a high-level dialogue without any preconditions. Hopefully, Secretary Tillerson is already discussing the possibility of reopening talks with our Asian partners during his current trip. In my view, diplomacy is the only sound path forward," Feinstein said.

According to Arms Control Association, a peaceful resolution to the escalating crisis is more difficult than ever to achieve.

"Trump's attempt to play the role of nuclear 'madman' is as dangerous, foolish, and counterproductive as North Koreas frequent hyperbolic threats against the United States," it said in a statement.

"Trump's latest statement is a blatant threat of nuclear force that will not compel Kim to shift course. In fact, repeated threats of US military force only give credibility to the North Korean propaganda line that nuclear weapons are necessary to deter US aggression, and it may lead Kim to try to accelerate his nuclear programme," Arms Control Association said.
Representative image

An Iranian drone flew within 100 feet (30 meters) of a US Naval jet today as the American plane was trying to land on an aircraft carrier in the Gulf, the Navy said.

The encounter unfolded in international air space as the F/A-18E Super Hornet was preparing to land on the USS Nimitz, US Naval Forces Central Command spokesman Commander Bill Urban said.

He said that despite repeated radio calls to stay clear of flight operations near the Nimitz, the Iranian drone executed "unsafe and unprofessional" altitude changes near the F/A 18.

The US jet had to maneuver to avoid collision, with the drone passing just 100 feet away at its closest point.

"The dangerous maneuver by the QOM-1 in the known vicinity of fixed-wing flight operations and at coincident altitude with operating aircraft created a collision hazard and is not in keeping with international maritime customs and laws," Urban said.

He added this was the 13th "unsafe and/or unprofessional" interaction between US and Iranian maritime forces this year.

In July, a US Navy patrol ship fired warning shots at an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps boat in the Gulf as it closed in on the American vessel.
He believes the U.S. could get out of its growth slump if Washington can do something on tax reform, infrastructure and education.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told CNBC on Tuesday that Congress must implement tax reform to make the country more competitive.

"America is the best country on the planet. I'm a complete patriot," Dimon said in a live interview from Chicago. "It is the shining city on a hill. But we should acknowledge our problems and fix them."

The comments came a few weeks after Dimon blew up during his bank's second-quarter earnings call . He ripped the current climate, saying, "It's almost an embarrassment being an American citizen traveling around the world and listening to the stupid s--- we have to deal with in this country."

On Tuesday, he softened his rhetoric somewhat but said it's urgent that Congress implements tax reform at a time when the US has the highest corporate rate in the world. And he pressed for education reforms as the Trump administration pushes for apprenticeship programs to teach young people better skills.

"I'm a proud American," he said. "What's embarrassing to me is our inability to get infrastructure done properly."

"We don't have a competitive tax system here," Dimon added. "Our tax system has become less competitive over the last 20 years. Everyone has improved theirs. We simply haven't."

Despite his heated rhetoric, Dimon has avoided appearing partisan. He has signed on to help President Donald Trump promote his economic agenda and is chairman of the Business Roundtable, a consortium of big-business leaders looking to improve the US economic climate.

Asked to pin blame on either side, he did note a possible difference in priorities.

"I'm not going to blame anyone," he said. "Everyone wants to get it done, or at least everyone in the Republican Party. We don't quite know what the Democrats want to do with tax reform. But my major point is we should all get together and work as hard as we can to get it done. If we fail, we fail. But I'm going to give it my best shot. I think it's just critical to America."

That shot, though, apparently does not entail a personal foray into politics.

"No I'm not stepping into the arena," he said. "And I'm not criticizing Washington, I'm criticizing us collectively. Collectively, the leadership of America hasn't done the thing that could get us growing faster  jobs and wages."

Dimon said he believes the economy could be growing faster than its current 2 percent pace if Washington gets tax reform and other priorities finished.
Moneycontrol News

As the 72nd anniversary of the World War II bombing in Nagasaki gets observed in Japan, one man is remembered again for a feat that can only be ascribed to fate.

Tsutomu Yamaguchi was the only man in history known to have survived the two atomic bombings in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki that took place in a span of three days in August 1945 as the World War II was coming to an end.

Yamaguchi was the only survivor to be recognised by the Japanese government only in 2009, out of a total of estimated 165 survivors of both bombings (Pic Courtesy : Twitter)

August 6, 1945 was supposed to be Yamaguchis last day in the city of Hiroshima. Yamaguchi, then 29, was on a brief assignment for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as he was eagerly waiting to go back to his home and family.

Also read: 72nd anniversary of 1945 Hiroshima bombing observed in Japan

Little did he know that his fate was to change forever, as on 8:15 am that day, a US B-29 Bomber launched the worlds first ever nuclear attack on Hiroshima and the sky burst into light like that of a huge magnesium fare.

On the day of the blast, Yamaguchi who was less than two miles from the explosion spot, had dived into a ditch to survive.

After the blast, he was severely burned, temporarily blinded and permanently left deaf in one ear. His family could not recognise him when he went home.

He later told The Times: "I didn't know what had happened. I think I fainted for a while. When I opened my eyes, everything was dark, and I couldn't see much. It was like the start of a film at the cinema, before the picture has begun when the blank frames are just flashing up without any sound."

Three days later, such was the twist of fate that Yamaguchi had reached his home in Nagasaki, and as he was discussing what had happened in Hiroshima three days back with his folks, the next bomb was dropped.

Yamaguchi along with his family survived the second bombing. He suffered from severe radiation poisoning that would last for years.

Immediately after the war, Yamaguchi worked as a translator for American forces in Nagasaki and later as junior high school teacher.

He told The Independent "After I die, I want the next generation of hibakusha (a survivor of either of the atomic explosions at Hiroshima or Nagasaki in 1945) and the children after that to know what happened to us."

Yamaguchi started talking publicly about the bomb blast only in 2000s, when he launched a memoir that became part of the anti-atomic weapons movement.

Yamaguchi later journeyed to the United Nations in New York in 2006 and told his tale at a nuclear disarmament meet. He said: Having experienced atomic bombings twice, and survived, it is my destiny to talk about it.

Yamaguchi lived until he was 93 years old and died of stomach cancer in 2010. He was the only survivor to be recognised by the Japanese government in 2009.

Certification as an atomic bomb survivor in Japan qualifies individuals for a government compensation, monthly allowances, free medical checkups and funeral costs.

He told the Mainichi newspaper in the last year of his life: "My double radiation exposure is now an official government record. It can tell the younger generation the horrifying history of the atomic bombings even after I die. I could have died on either of those two days. Everything that follows is a bonus."

Tsutomu Yamaguchi wasnt the only person to endure two atomic blasts. His coworkers Akira Iwanaga and Kuniyoshi Sato were also in Nagasaki when the second bomb fell, as was Shigeyoshi Morimoto, a kite maker who had miraculously survived Hiroshima despite being only a half-mile from ground zero.

All told, some 165 people may have experienced both attacks, yet Yamaguchi was the only person officially recognised by the Japanese government as a nijyuu hibakusha, or twice-bombed person.
Iowas signature summer humidity is not just an annoyance, its a costly reminder that climate change is real and needs to be addressed, a group of Iowa scientists said Wednesday.

Gene Takle, director of Iowa State Universitys climate science program told a Statehouse news conference that absolute humidity measured by dew-point temperature has increased statewide by 8 percent to 23 percent since 1971.

Scientists have good evidence the rise is due to increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that likely will increase in the future, Takle said.

He is one of the architects of the seventh annual Iowa Climate Statement, released with endorsement of endorsement of 190 science faculty, researchers and educators from 39 Iowa colleges and universities.

Takle, a professor of geological and atmospheric sciences in the ISU Department of Agronomy, said the conditions relate to the increase of springtime moisture transported from the Gulf of Mexico that settle along eastern Iowa. That results in higher humidity readings measured across all seasons at all long-term monitoring stations in Iowa.

The increasing cost for flooding, mold, insects, mosquitos, humidity-related health issues, grain drying, air conditioning, erosion, etc., are evidence that climate change in humidity already is having a negative impact on both public and private checkbooks, Takle noted.

He said Iowa has been a national leader in embracing renewable energy sources but factors outside the states boundaries and control are negatively impacting the states climate.

"As long as we avoid making progress on reducing the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, these effects are going to increase," Takle said.

The latest statement issued by the Iowa scientists describes the impact of significantly higher humidity levels on people, animals, crops and infrastructure.

According to the scientists, there is evidence:

 The frequency of intense rain has increased in Iowa over the past 50 years.

 There is a northward expansion of species formerly restricted by a colder climate that could disrupt natural ecosystems and introduce new agricultural pests and diseases.

 Agriculture, human health and economic stability could be affected if greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase.

We must all do more to mitigate the effects of climate change, by curtailing emissions of heattrapping gases, improving energy efficiency, and increasing use of clean and renewable energy, said Betsy Stone, a University of Iowa chemistry and biochemical engineering associate professor.

Stone pointed to monitoring data dating back to 1971 indicating average humidity increased by 8 percent in Mason City, 23 percent in Dubuque, 14.8 percent in Burlington, 11.9 percent in Des Moines, 10.7 percent in Waterloo and 9.2 percent in Sioux City.

Increased levels of humidity create hazardous conditions for Iowa workers and sensitive populations through the danger of heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Asthma is worsened by higher levels of allergens in the air. And the cost of air conditioning homes and businesses to maintain comfort levels increases, Takle said. For Iowas agriculture, increased warmseason humidity leads to water-logged soils during planting season, rising humidity also leads to longer dew periods and higher moisture conditions that elevate costs of drying grain. Increased nighttime temperatures coupled with humidity causes stress to crops, livestock and pets.
MASON CITY | A Mason City man was found to be in possession of marijuana in Cerro Gordo County jail after hiding it in a "body cavity," law enforcement says.

Wayne David Lones, 37, was arrested around 2:49 a.m. Tuesday for public intoxication, according to the criminal complaint.

Lones was intoxicated in the 1200 block of North Federal Avenue, the complaint stated, smelled strongly of alcohol; had red, bloodshot, watery eyes and admitted to consuming alcohol.

Around 5:15 a.m., Lones was found to be in possession of contraband in a correctional facility. He brought a green, leafy substance consistent with marijuana into a holding cell by hiding it in a "body cavity," the criminal complaint says.

While in the cell, Lones allegedly removed the substance, which was found by jail personnel.

He was charged with felony possession of contraband in a correctional institution and misdemeanor public intoxication, third or subsequent offense.

He has been released on bond. No court date has been set.

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CEDAR RAPIDS | An Eagle Grove man has been indicted in federal court on a number of child porn-related charges.

Court documents indicate Jason Marvets, 30, Eagle Grove, has been charged in U.S. District Court with:

 Sexual exploitation of a child  Marvets is accused of persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct and for the purpose of transmitting live visual depictions of such conduct between June 2016 and April 17.

 Enticement of a minor  Marvets is accused of using a minor under 18 in production of child pornography between June 2016 and April 2017,

 Distribution of child pornography in January 2017.

 Receipt of child pornography between June 2016 and April 2017.

 Two counts possession of child pornography  Marvets is accused of possessing photos or videos of a child under age 12 on a SanDisk micro SD card and Samsung cell phone between June 2016 and April 2017.

 Extortion  Marvets is accused of intending to extort from persons things of value, communications containing threats to injure the reputations of these person by distributing depictions of these persons between August 2016 and April 2017.

 Destruction of evidence  Marvets is accused of altering, destroying or concealing electronic data to impede investigation in April 2017

Marvets has not entered a plea to the federal charges.

Wright County man faces child porn, extortion charges EAGLE GROVE | An Eagle Grove man accused of possessing child pornography had his initial set

Marvets was charged in Wright County District Court in April with four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and possessing a depiction of a minor in a sex act. Those charges have been dismissed.

He was also charged in Wright County District Court in June with extortion and 10 counts of possessing a depiction of a minor in a sex act. He has submitted a written plea of not guilty to those charges, and has a trial scheduled for Sept. 21.

In that case, Wright County Attorney Eric Simonson said Marvets is accused of telling a minor who had sent him a nude photo that he would share the photo unless she sent more.

Marvets is currently being held in the Wright County Jail.
August 09, 2017

Stop The Bluster - North Korea Is A Nuclear Weapon State

The Washington Post headlined today: Trump threatens fire and fury in response to North Korean threats

Just another Trump bluster, I thought. Such are mo longer a reason to read a story. But what are those "North Korean threats" he "responded" to? I had not seen any of those. Diving into the story I found :

President Trump used his harshest language yet to warn North Korea on Tuesday that it will be met with fire and fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before, if it does not stop threatening the United States.

...

It was not immediately clear what Trump was responding to.

The Washington Post needs to fire its headline writer. Why assert that Trump responded to "threats" when there were none? Why assert a reason when you have no fucking clue why he did what he did?

A different shabby site claims that the base for Trump's played-up nonsense was a WaPo piece published the day before:

The president was responding to a report in the Washington Post that, according to a confidential U.S. intelligence assessment presented late last month, the North Korean regime has successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles.

That report was again just bluster. The DPRK (North Korea) had announced a miniaturized nuclear device in March 2016. It even published pictures of it.

On July 4th the DPRK launched its first Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. A second test was successfully launched on July 29 under realistic operational conditions. The DPRK successfully tested nuclear devices at least five times - including a hydrogen device with potentially megatons of explosive power. It has enough nuclear material for some 40-60 weapons. All DPRK claims about progress in its missile and nuke programs have, sooner or later, been proven as truthful. There was and is no reason to doubt its March 2016 assertion.

North Korea is for all practical purposes a nuclear weapon state with the ability to deliver nukes onto the continental United States.

This is not news. Talk about "fire and fury" or an ultimatum to North Korea or of preemptive strikes is all nonsense. Nothing the U.S. can do to North Korea can prevent a response that would nuke and destroy Washington DC or some other U.S. city.

North Korea has good reasons to want nukes and the U.S. missed all chances to remove those reasons. It is way too late to lament about that.

Posted by b on August 9, 2017 at 18:02 UTC | Permalink

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A Newton man was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple crimes committed in Morganton between 2015 and 2017, according to a press release from the District Attorneys Office.

The crimes committed by Christopher Michael Martin, 33, include two counts of felony larceny, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and conspiracy to commit larceny, the release said.

The first incident stemmed from information Lincoln County detectives gave the Burke County Sheriffs Office, the release said. Martins phone records showed he sold a trailer to a South Carolina man through Craigslist.

The trailer was determined to be one stolen from South Mountain Childrens and Family Services, and items from the trailer were later found at Martins home, the release said.

The next incident occurred in December 2016 when a Polaris four-wheeler was stolen from a Morganton home, the report said. Witnesses identified Martin and another suspect as the ones who took the four-wheeler and put it on a trailer.

Martin did not strap the four-wheeler down on the trailer and later lost control of the vehicle. The trailer jack-knifed and struck another vehicle, the report said. The four-wheeler was damaged in the crash.

The final offense happened in January 2017 when two trailers, a lawnmower and a four-wheeler were taken from a home. A witness identified Martin as attempting to sell the items through craigslist.

Martin was charged for the 2016 and 2017 crimes after his accomplice confessed and implicated him.

Martins sentence was increased due to him admitting to being a habitual felon, the report said. His prior convictions include obtaining property by false pretense in Catawba County in November 2004, financial transaction card theft in South Carolina in 2007 and unlawful transport of firearms in October 2011.
There are regions where economic stress coexists with a beloved way of life. It can be hard to make a living in parts of the rural West, northern New England and the South. But people stay put in these places for reasons other than the almighty dollar. They include community, tradition and quality of life.

The prospect of losing a way of life is the source of anger in eastern Wyoming over the Trump administration's opening of more public lands in the Powder River Basin to coal mining. It is also behind the continuing resistance in Nebraska to the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

But the issues go beyond the matter of souls vs. fossil fuels. They involve conflicts between one source of income and other sources. Both projects threaten the water supply in places where water is extremely valuable. That, in turn, threatens the farm and ranching economies on which these regions depend.

A clean environment is also essential for the recreation industry, a major employer in the rural West. Without clean water and air, hunters, anglers and hikers would have no reason to be there  nor would the outfitters whose businesses depend on them.

Ranchers can't ranch if the water supply is fouled. Mining operations throw dust in the air that chokes the animals. They also scrape away the grasslands on which cattle feed. The U.S. Forest Service puts pasture near the mines off-limits to ranchers. Small wonder ranchers are among the most potent opponents to expanded mining on public land.

The fight is about more than environmentalism vs. fossil fuels. It's about money vs. money. And if that's the case, why would fossil fuel interests win over ranching, farming and recreation interests? The answer is that fossil fuels have more money and more of it goes into politicians' pockets.

Trump's secretary of the interior is Ryan Zinke. As a Republican rep from Montana, Zinke took campaign money from several major coal companies and the railroad that transports the coal. In June, he attended a meeting of Western governors, where he blew a lot of smoke about finding a balance between resource extraction on public lands and protecting them. Right before, he had a cozy one-on-one with a petroleum CEO.

U.S. taxpayers, meanwhile, extend billions of dollars in corporate welfare to the mining companies. The welfare comes in the form of below-market rates for the right to mine on public lands. The Obama administration took action to reduce the abuses. Trump reversed it.

So, we subsidize mining companies to sell cheap coal to China, after ravaging land belonging to the American people. The locals are left with gouged-out canyon walls, polluted strip mines and poisoned water. And for what, a few jobs in a rapidly automating industry? No, to enrich a handful of fossil fuel executives.

Ranching is not an easy livelihood. But it's a way of life for families who do it generation after generation. Joining them in opposition are the Cheyenne. "We are wealthy in life here," a member of the tribe told a reporter. "We don't have money. But we have land, water and air. Snuff that out and we are gone."

In Nebraska, TransCanada wants to take private land to build the Keystone XL pipeline. In effect, a foreign company would be using eminent domain to seize land that the farmers' ancestors homesteaded. All with Donald Trump's blessing.

It's fairly easy to preserve a house that George Washington slept in. It's hard to preserve a way of life, especially when the side that would end it can buy the politicians. But it's sure worth trying.

Follow Froma Harrop on Twitter @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com. To find out more about Harrop, visit the Creators webpage at www.creators.com.
NORTHWOOD | Ace Professional Cleaning Services is giving back to North Iowa.

Northwood-Kensett Schools was the beneficiary of the Mason City-based businesss generosity Tuesday when at least four of its employees donated their time to clean 500 windows between the elementary school and high school about two weeks before the first day of school.

We just decided if we could take something off the to-do list, then we would do it, said Regina Krambeer, who has owns and operates Ace Professional Cleaning Services with her husband, Joe.

The couple purchased Ace Professional Cleaning Services in 2014, and today, the business provides window-cleaning services to commercial and residential locations in North Iowa, including about 400 businesses that are serviced monthly from Northwood to Hampton and Garner to Charles City.

This is the first year the business has donated its services to Northwood-Kensett Schools, or any district, because its where the Krambeers reside and their children attend school, but she hopes to offer it to more schools in the future.

Although window-cleaning is very important to me, it doesnt really fit the top 10 priorities for the education of a child, she said. Thats why I started with the school because I was thinking of a place that maybe wouldnt budget otherwise to have it done.

Superintendent Michael Crozier, who is starting his fifth year with the district, was all smiles Tuesday morning when he checked in with Krambeer at the elementary school.

Its amazing to have such parental and community support in this town, he said.

Crozier said window-cleaning is usually done by the districts custodial staff, who are responsible for the maintenance of all its buildings, or high school students working part-time in the summer.

Theres a lot to get done, so this really helps, he said.

Last year, Krambeer approached Crozier after speaking with Daryl Love, director of transportation at Northwood-Kensett Schools, about cleaning the districts windows at no cost. The work is estimated at $2,000, she said.

If we need something, the community is there to help us out. Theres no doubt about that, Crozier said, noting the local businesses that have donated to the district over the years.

The couple, who also own a trucking company, have grown Ace Professional Cleaning Services about 30 percent and added six employees since taking ownership of the business in 2014, Krambeer said. They hope to donate their services to the Northwood-Kensett school district, and others, annually.

Were all about giving back to our communities that we serve in, she said.
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One channel lenders recently launched alternative offerings are one step further to offering a suite of banking products.With last years mortgage rule changes, there is certainly a growing need for alternative lending solutions  and now brokers have one more lender to send those clients to.Street Capitals Street Solutions Mortgage Program does just that; though the program was in the works even before the announcement of last years changes, Alfonso Casciato, senior vice president of sales at Street Capital Bank of Canada, told MortgageBrokerNews.ca.Our objective when we launched was to introduce a competitive alternative offering to the market, he said.The program includes lending solutions aimed at various non-traditional home buyers including; self-employed Canadians, those who have experienced some form of credit impairment, and new Canadians. It also includes a program specifically for rental units.Originally launched in May of this year in Ontario, Street Capital has begun rolling out its alternative program in Western Canada.The launch of the Street Solutions Program is an important milestone in our ongoing commitment to be a customer-centric financial institution and represents a meaningful long-term growth opportunity for Street Capital Bank, Ed Gettings, Chief Executive Officer of Street Capital Group Inc., said of the programs launch. The uninsured segment has become a significant portion of the Canadian mortgage landscape, as successive regulatory changes over the past several years have pushed a growing number of good quality customers out of the prime insured space.As as a Schedule I bank, we plan to judiciously add to our product suite in the coming years to better meet the needs of our valued customers and trusted mortgage broker partners. Our focus on credit quality, along with a stable and conservative funding approach, ensures that we are well-positioned to drive substantial value for our shareholders over time.According to Stephen Kissuk, VP of mortgage credit, the new program is a great way for brokers who have previously relied on Street for its prime offerings, to also explore its non-prime products.As well, it offers brokers who specialize in the alternative segment the opportunity to give Street Capital a try.Its a good opportunity for brokers to take a look at Street Capital, Casciato said.
There are several definitions of "pain trade" floating around on the web, and I'm not a huge fan of any of them. The top google hit is particularly bad, despite having elements that do indeed jive with how the average trader might describe it. Ultimately, it's a concept that defies simple definitions, and ends up being one of those things that "you know when you see it." The common element in any definition should be notion of "forced liquidation of positions."

In other words, you had a trading idea. You put your money on the line to bet on that idea. And markets moved in such a way that you had to cut your losses. If a lot of other traders did the same, the cutting of losses becomes a bigger, more noticeable deal.

Pain trades can occur over short or long time frames. They can be small or large in scale. The 2013 taper tantrum was a pain trade for bond bulls who didn't appreciate the scope and impact of Bernanke's taper talk in late May, or even the economic data earlier in the same month (super strong jobs report reversed 2 months of terrible data that ostensibly kept the Fed's tapering whispers from growing louder).

The current pain trade potential begins with the theme that I've mentioned a few times now. Specifically, it makes good sense for traders to take opportunities to push rates HIGHER (I know... how dare I...) ahead of one of any number of events.

In the shortest term, it could be Friday's CPI. A strong number would reinvigorate the case for the Fed rate hike timeline and the reinvestment tapering plan. A weak number would have to be pretty darn weak to derail the tapering plan. As such, like last week's NFP pre-trade, the risks are asymmetric. We're more likely to move higher from Monday's yields after Friday's data. So traders take Tuesday-Thursday to move yields higher. They're getting ahead of the move.

Enter the pain trade. In this case, it was yesterday's North Korea headlines. All these traders have "short positions" set up to bet on Friday's CPI. They're better rates move higher. They want to push rates higher. Then along comes the North Korea headlines and creates enough of a buying spree that the short positions are suddenly faced with "stop-loss" levels. They're forced to buy to cover their short position. Those stop losses may be at various levels between 2.28 and 2.22, but the more shorts that cover, the lower yields go and the greater the chances of the next trader in line seeing their stop-loss level get hit.

As such, it's not too surprising to see a quick flush down to 2.22% to start the day. Moving lower from there would trigger bigger picture short-covering among traders who took out short positions stretching back to June's low yields. That could easily set us up for a challenge of 2017's low yields, but it would have absolutely zero staying power without a WEAK CPI report on Friday. Spikes to lower yields are great lock opportunities in the short term.

The larger scale pain trade potential concerns the motivation to push yields higher ahead of Jackson Hole at the end of the month, and higher in general through the end of the year. We'll be discussing these by and by--especially if they end up materializing.
LAKE MILLS | Eric Christianson is a 30-year swine industry veterinarian who also operates a contract hog finishing site for Christensen Farms.

His background gives him a unique perspective on the controversy brewing in nearby Worth County over the prospect of seven concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) being built.

There is organized opposition to the sites, all of which conform to state guidelines. Opponents hope to either shame the applicants from building them or convince the Legislature to approve a moratorium until the state matrix can be changed to eliminate loopholes.

Christianson, whose hog site is a $1.5 million operation with computers monitoring and regulating every phase of the operation, said he understands the concerns of the opponents in Worth County.

"But the science isn't there to validate their concerns," he said. "Or at least it's not overly convincing."

He said proper siting will just about eliminate odor concerns and 8-foot-deep pit walls that have a perimeter tile all around them are fully inspected by the Iowa DNR and can be tested regularly.

Christianson's daughter and her family live next door to his operation, easily within walking distance.

"I wouldn't have her live there if I didn't think it was safe," he said.

Christianson said he realizes his operation is much larger than most of the farms where CAFOs are being planned.

"No matter the size, it's still about good management," he said. "It's still about not spilling manure."

He said at his place, "no manure will see the light of day."

Christianson's son, Lars, is working with his father and will probably take over the business some day.

He too thinks that opponents in Worth County may have unfounded fears. "People don't know what they don't know," he said.

Both Christiansons know most of the CAFO applicants in Worth County and know their parents and grandparents as well.

Like, Lars, the applicants are young men who are responsible and want to make a good living for their families, Eric said.

"No hog barns? We need them," Eric said in a letter submitted to the Globe Gazette. "I am a bit biased because barns (CAFOs) are going to provide my grandkids with a college education and give my son and daughters a good retirement while they pay nice taxes to pay for our roads and schools.

Worth County residents rally opposition to CAFOs KENSETT | There was an unspoken yet prevailing theme Thursday night at a meeting of Worth Co

"I know some of the families building these barns and they are upstanding young men with great upbringings, typical of traditional rural Iowa. They will be bringing school kids into our rural schools and churches and not chasing them away from rural Iowa."

"We need these young farmers. Don't chase them away to the cities," he said.

Christianson wants older farmers and rural advocates to stop being "the silent majority" and talk to doubters about how much safer, healthier and more efficient hog confinement operations are today than the way they used to be.

"Today, manure spills to our waters is a rare event. Back 30 years ago, an awful lot of manure washed down the hill when it rained.

"Sure, some odor events are inevitable as they always have been with all livestock. Growing up, most farm kids had a bit of an odor to them. We all survived."

Christianson said farmers must choose good, responsible sites. He said the current master matrix already requires stringent distance requirements and makes finding a site to build on fairly challenging.

"We don't need more regulations that keep our good, hard-working kids from getting into agriculture," he said.

Lars said he understands the difficulty in finding a middle ground between proponents and opponents of CAFOs.

"It's like Iowa and Iowa State," he said.
The bane of the mortgage industry is the missed opportunity  that client an originator couldnt help for one reason or another, who then goes on to get a loan from a different originator.But exactly how much business are originators losing that way? Well, if one companys analysis of its customers is representative of the whole industry, the numbers are pretty staggering.Sales Boomerang connects to any existing CRM or lead management system and acts as a tracking and alerting system, keeping tabs on leads and alerting originators when a previously unqualified customer becomes qualified. The company recently ran a missed opportunity analysis for its clients  and the results were sobering, according to Alex Kutsishin, co-founder and chief ROI Booster.We took our clients data and said, Okay, heres everyone you turned down, and here are all your customers. Then we analyzed their data to see how many of their past clients have gotten a loan from a competitor, Kutsishin said. We showed them what they missed. Why we do this is, its a predictor of the future. If you lost 500 loans this year, theres a very good chance youre going to miss 500 loans next year. Unless you have intelligence, how are you going to know?According to Sales Boomerangs analysis, its clients had more than $2 billion in missed opportunities in the first six months of 2017 alone. And Kutsishin puts that loss down to one continuing challenge for the industry: access to customer intelligence.Customer intelligence is knowing when your client has fixed their credit. Its knowing when theyre shopping again, or when their home has equity he said. Its knowing that the guy you pre-approved for a loan six months ago still hasnt taken a loan.Many originators, Kutsishin said, use a scattershot approach when it comes to following up with leads  basically cold-calling old customers to ask if their situation had changed and if they were ready to buy or refinance.Customer intelligence, on the other hand, is using relevant data to reach out to customers rather than just playing the odds, Kutsishin said.Thats what makes products like Sales Boomerang so useful, Kutsishin said. The program tracks customers and alerts originators when they meet certain thresholds. Perhaps the customers credit has improved sufficiently to get a loan. Maybe rates have dropped to the point the customer was looking for. In any event, the system lets originators know when to re-establish contact with an old lead  in a way that can help the customer. And thats something customers appreciate a lot more than receiving cold calls, Kutsishin said.Its numbing when somebody reaches out to you every day, every month, or whatever  just to say, I dont want you to forget me. I dont have anything of value to offer you right now, I just want you to remember me, he said. The way to make sure someone remembers you is to contact them with something they can use. If you call a person at the right moment to help them, theyll never forget you.When you have intelligence, you dont reach out randomly, he said. You reach out to say, Hey, Mr. Customer, I just want to remind you that Im always working for you, even when you dont hear from me. When I have something positive to tell you, youll hear from me. That message is very powerful.
The owner of Torinos Pizza Bar in San Miguel Shopping Center wants to take his shot at improving the former Woofers and Tweeters location.

The Midland City Council on Tuesday green-lighted that effort with an alcohol permit.
Call it the kindness of strangers, a simple gift. Or call it what you will. We know it when we see it and this vignette from DeKalb, Indiana, is the real thing. The deed surely will not be forgotten by 11-year-old Phil Mick.

At Christmastime last year, Phil and his mother, Tammy Mick, attended an event held by a motorcycle shop in DeKalb for families who couldnt afford a holiday celebration. There they met Brent Warfield of KDZ Motorcycle Sales & Service.

Phils mother confided to Warfield that her son had been getting physically bullied for the past two years. Mick told The Washington Post she suspected it after he came home with bruises. Kids at his school would hit, punch and call Phil names, she said. The 11-year-old told WTSP he was being bullied for being overweight.

The boys plight struck a chord with Warfield. I was bullied when I was younger, he told The Washington Post. I know what its like to be picked on.

I told his mom, Ive got a bunch of big-hearted biker friends who would love to help. 

A couple of days before the start of school this week, Warfield took Phil to the mall to get new clothes and some school supplies.

Then Warfield, who is the director of United Motorcycle Enthusiasts, put a message on his Facebook page inviting Indiana bikers to escort Phil to school. He wrote, Were hopefully going to make a positive [impact] for Phil and hopefully show the other kids that bullying isnt cool.

The first day of school rolled around Aug. 1. That morning, a group of bikers met Phil and his mom for breakfast at Richards, a local restaurant. When they left, people on bikes were out in the parking lot, Warfield said. Some of the bikers had traveled over an hour to escort Phil to school. Some took the day off work.

Before the ride, a member from the Christian Motorcyclists Association led a prayer wishing Phil a safe school year. There they were, gathered in a circle, heads bowed, all the new friends of Phil.

Going to school can be tough, the prayer leader said. You know, Lord, that there are people out there that are just not nice. . . . Lord, I ask that you make your presence known to Phil as he goes to school, not just today, but all through the school year. Let him know that you are there with him, that he can lean on you. . . . Amen.

Phil hopped on the back of a bike for his first motorcycle ride, and the group, resplendent on their Harleys and in their leather jackets, thundered down the street.

The glorious growl of 50 big bike engines reverberated off the brick walls of DeKalb Middle School as they pulled up, sending a message no one could miss.

Principal Matt Vince fully approved, he told the Brown County Democrat. Standing up against bullying - we need more of that. And they did it in a positive way.

Phil was just in heaven. He wasnt apprehensive or scared. He walked in with confidence, Warfield said. This is his new start. He was happy as heck.

Warfield said the work isnt over. The Indiana motorcyclists have organized a suicide awareness and teen bullying ride scheduled for late September. Phil plans to speak at the event.

As for Phil, he hasnt stopped smiling, his mother said. He told her, she said, that he has new brothers and sisters watching over him.






The Midland ISD school board on Monday heard details of a plan that calls for insurance premiums for non-employee medical plans to increase 10 percent.

The district cited increasing health-care costs and increasing use of medical and pharmaceutical services as reasons for the first increase in medical plan premiums in eight years. The district will continue to pay for 100 percent of the employee-only portion for Plan I.

Medical insurance revenues collected totaled $15.182 million during the 10 months of the current period, according to the district. That amount was more than $1.7 million higher than the same period last year. The revenue also was about $2.4 million less than expenses paid ($17.6 million). It was the second-straight year expenses outpaced revenue by more than $2 million. Those figures presented to the board do not include the summer months when claims are higher, MISD officials said.

Our plan has steadily been losing money, and weve been having to dip into the fund balance to cover medical costs, according to a Benefits Office memo to all MISD employees.

Last month during a budget workshop, MISD trustees said teachers should receive a 1.726 percent increase to their salaries and the district will pay for increases to health care benefits. When everything is taken into account, the increase in total compensation for teachers will be closer to 4 percent, according to trustees. Monday night, trustees again cited their efforts to offer a total compensation package included raises and covering the rising costs of insurance.

The memo states Midland ISD is self-insured, which means the district pays for all claims out of premiums collected. The districts health-care administrator is Blue Cross Blue Shield, which is responsible for processing district claims, not paying for medical claims, according to the memo.

New monthly premiums for Plan I are:

- Employee/children: $302.50 (currently is $275)

- Employee/spouse: $415.80 ($378)

- Employee/family: $667.70 ($607)

Other changes to Plan I are:

- Prescription deductible: $400

- Individual medical deductible: $4,000 (family deductible $8,000)

New premiums for Plan II are:

- Employee only: $77 ($70)

- Employee/children: $418 ($380)

- Employee/spouse: $547.80 ($498)

- Employee/family: $814.00 ($740)

Other changes to Plan II are:

- Individual medical deductible: $2,250 (family deductible $5,500),

- Individual out-of-pocket deductible: $5,500 (family deductible $9,000).

Other changes to both plans include removing CVS from the pharmacy network. CVS was charging Clue Cross Blue Shield more than other pharmacies, MISD officials said.

Additional employee benefits include:

- District employees can see a board-certified doctor 24 hours a day, using MD Live.

- The MISD Care Clinic will remain open and available for all employees and dependents enrolled in the districts medical plan.








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Long lines formed across Kenya on Tuesday as voters waited to cast their ballots in a hotly contested election that pits incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta against former prime minister Raila Odinga.

Latest developments

Kenyatta and long-time rival Odinga polling neck and neck

Minor technical issues have been reported and are being addressed - officials

Polls closed at 5 p.m. (10 a.m. ET) but those already in line, or in an area affected by delays, will be allowed to vote

Kenyatta, the son of Kenya's founding president and the country's youngest leader at 55, is seeking a second five-year term. If he loses, he'll make history as the only incumbent president not to win re-election.

Odinga, who's running for president for the fourth time, served as prime minister between 2008 and 2013 and is the incumbent's main challenger.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) spokesman Andrew Limo said turnout looked "huge" as Kenyans cast ballots at more than 40,000 polling stations on Tuesday.

Limo acknowledged claims of malfunctioning voting machines, which have circulated online, saying there have been "three or four cases of malfunction where the system needed restarting" but added that for the most part things have "gone well."

The IEBC said in a statement that extra ICT support staff have been brought into service to resolve minor technical issues.

Videos circulated on social media of skirmishes and tear gas allegedly being used in some parts of the country, but CNN has not witnessed any evidence of violence thus far. The atmosphere at several polling stations in Nairobi was relaxed as eager voters queued in orderly lines to vote.

Local "boda boda" (motorbike taxi) drivers told CNN they have been ferrying people to their local stations for free.

Voters shared photographs on social media of their fingers marked with purple dye, which is being used by election officials to ensure people only vote once.

One of those first in line to vote was 102-year-old Lydia Gathoni, who said a quick prayer before casting her ballot, Reuters reported.

"Let God prevail. Let God govern the country," she said.

Kenya's Elections Observation Group (ELOG) said over 8,000 representatives had been deployed to all 47 counties and 290 constituencies in an effort to ensure a fair democratic process.

ELOG said some of its observers had been denied access to polling stations while others had their phones confiscated upon arrival. It said that authorities were working speedily to resolve issues but nine observers are still unable to enter their assigned stations.

The group also noted delays at voting stations due to the late arrival of polling materials and officials.

Fears of violence

Kenya's last election in 2013 was mainly peaceful, but a decade ago, the country plunged into widespread violence in the aftermath of the 2007 vote.

More than 1,000 people were killed in months of bloodshed following the 2007 election after Odinga -- defeated by then-President Mwai Kibaki -- claimed the vote was rigged.

Odinga, 72, has accused Kenyatta of attempting to rig this year's election. Kenyatta in turn has said Odinga is attempting to divide the country.

The killing of a senior election official days before the election sparked tensions last week. Chris Msando was head of information technology for Kenya's Integrated Electoral Management System. While his department was responsible for voter identification and result transmission technology for the elections, it's unclear whether his killing was related to the election.

Leading up to the poll, wary residents stocked up on food and water amid fears of a return to violence.

A razor-thin margin

Results are not expected until Wednesday at the earliest, but with the predicted margin between the two leading presidential candidates razor thin, it could be several days before a winner can be declared.

Heavy rain overnight hampered transport in some parts of the country, causing delays at polling stations. The IEBC extended voting hours in the affected areas and deployed helicopters to ferry materials and polling officials to the stations.

More than 11,000 polling stations -- around a quarter of the total -- are without decent cell phone coverage, meaning returning officers have to use satellite phones and other means to transmit results.

Officially, the electoral commission has up to a week to announce the outcome.

Almost 20 million people are registered to cast their votes for a new president as well as members of parliament, senators, governors and local councilors.

The youth vote is highly coveted -- young people between the ages of 18 and 35 make up 51% of the country's registered voters.

CNN's Farai Sevenzo, Briana Duggan and Dominique van Heerden contributed to this report from Nairobi, and Faith Karimi and Lauren Said-Moorhouse wrote from London. James Griffiths and James Masters also contributed to this report.
The City of Plainview will host a Leap of Faith 25th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, Aug. 12.

The celebration will begin with self-guided tours of different filming sites from 1-5 p.m. Maps of the sites will be available at The Broadway Brew, 108 E. Seventh, and Fair Theater, 717 Broadway, as well as online.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m., a reception honoring Director Richard Pearce will be held at The Broadway Brew. Pearce will be on hand to visit and tell stories about filming the movie in Plainview and memorabilia from the movie as well as drinks and snacks will be available.

Following the reception will be a viewing of the movie at the Fair Theater, beginning at 7 p.m. The event is free, the public is encouraged to attend and concessions will be available. Director Richard Pearce will have a question-and-answer time around 9 p.m., following the movie.

For those of us living around Plainview during the filming, it was quite an adventure, says Melinda Brown, CVB coordinator/Main Street director. With the 25th anniversary happening this year, we wanted to celebrate. We couldnt be more excited to have Director Richard Pearce joining us!

Leap of Faith included two months of preproduction and 11 days of actual shooting in the summer of 1992. The short stay of filming pumped more than $1 million into the Plainview economy and many residents had the opportunity to not only view the filming but serve as extras in the movie as well.

Leap of Faith is a story about touring Christian evangelist Jonas Nightengale (Steve Martin) and his cohorts who tend to put on their bogus faith-healing revivals in major cities, where hefty donations flow freely. When Jonas and company find themselves stuck in a remote nook of Kansas due to a truck breakdown, they decide to perform for the locals and take them for all they are worth. The shows go off without a hitch until sensible lawman Will Braverman (Liam Neeson) catches on to the scam and vows to prove to everyone that Jonas is a fake.

The filming not only brought notable stars such as Steve Martin and Debra Winger, but also introduced Plainview (and audiences) to MeatLoaf and Liam Neison. Produced by Paramount Pictures, the film grossed more than $23 million.

The Texas Film Commission is proud to celebrate Leap of Faith with the City of Plainview. We hope this 20th anniversary celebration shines a spotlight on this beautiful town and its gracious community who were so essential to the films success, says Heather Page, director of the Texas Film Commission. Leap of Faith is one of a number of classic films shot throughout Texas in the 90s that kept Texas in front of the eyes of the world, and we are excited that this anniversary provides an opportunity for a new generation of viewers to fall in love with the film and Plainview just as so many did when the film was first released.

Director Richard Pearce has thought of Plainview on many accounts, not just directing Leap of Faith. Back in early 2013, I woke up one morning to find an article in the NY Times about the devastating consequences to a small West Texas town from the third worst drought in Texas history. Before it was officially declared over in May of 2015, the 4 1/2-year drought had dried up pastures and forced local ranchers to sell off most of their livestock, ultimately bringing about the closure of the town's biggest employer: the Cargill meat processing plant. At the end of the article, the reporter wrote about a group of local residents encircling the Cargill plant praying for a miracle. My heart literally skipped a beat.

It had been 15 years since I had last been to Plainview, Texas. I had come looking for locations for a Hollywood comedy/drama about a fake faith healer named Jonas Nightingale (played by Steve Martin) who, while stranded during a severe drought in a small West Texas town (read: Plainview) almost despite himself succeeds in bringing about an actual miracle (read: a rainstorm).

I sat staring at that New York Times article that morning and thought about the strange ways in which Art imitates Life and Life imitates Art. Back in 1992, I had chosen Plainview not only because of its photogenic big sky West Texas landscape but also because it seemed to sit at the literal epicenter of the one of the country's driest (read: dryland) agricultural regions. Plainview would be the perfect place to set this fictional story of a small town experiencing a devastating drought.

The only problem was that by the time we arrived to actually shoot the movie, the town of Plainview had had one of the wettest springs that anyone in the town could remember. The result was that no matter where you looked, the fields around Plainview were bright florescent green with the miracle of dryland agriculture. And this was years before Hollywood discovered the miracle of CGI (i.e., computer graphics). Whatever we filmed would be what the theater audience would see. Yikes . . . Life and Art seemed to be on a collision course, and there seemed to be no way to avoid it. What to do?

We invite everyone to come join us not just to find out more about Director Pearces story but to also enjoy this piece of Plainview history, said Brown. It will be fun and memorable.

For more information about the event, contact Melinda Brown at 296-1119 or mbrown@plainviewtx.org.
Congress "kicked the can down the road" with the overnight failure to repeal or replace Obamacare, but Nebraska officials are in no position to point fingers at Washington.

To no one's surprise, the closing of four beer stores in Whiteclay has been a boon to the beer business in adjoining cities as Pine Ridge Reservation residents drive to places like Gordon, Hay Springs, Chadron and mainly to Rushville.

The Lincoln Journal Star cited Nebraska Liquor Control Commission figures that showed beer sales more than tripled in Rushville, from 3,729 gallons in April to 12,962 gallons in June, with smaller increases in the other towns.

Law enforcement was one of the driving forces in the move to close the Whiteclay stores, where drunkenness, fights and vagrancy were a problem.

The larger communities are better able to police those issues, supporters of the ban contended.

Hobert Rupe, the Liquor Commission's executive director, said it's too early to establish a pattern, and there have been fewer complaints like those that occurred in Whiteclay. It will also be interesting to track the number of drunk driving arrests in the area in the coming years.

Whiteclay store owners have a point in that Pine Ridge residents will still get their alcohol, and the owners have a hearing before the Nebraska Supreme Court on Aug. 29. One or more hearings on allegations the stores sold to bootleggers will be conducted in the coming months, according to Rupe.

The ban on alcohol on the reservation turned out about the same way Prohibition did in the entire United States  a disaster.

Someone should pick up the beer can from the road and deal with it once and for all.

Opening up the reservation to alcohol, with all its problems, would provide the resources to deal with those problems instead of pretending prohibition works.

This editorial appeared in the July 28 edition of the McCook (Nebraska) Daily Gazette.
EDMONTON, Alberta, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlas Growers, operating under MMJ Genetics Ltd, announced today that is has begun a partnership with Mr. Jim Hole of Holes Greenhouses Ltd. Jim has agreed to act as the Director of Cultivation, guiding all activities regarding plant growth and plant health. Jim Hole holds a Bachelor of Science degree (major in Plant Science) and is a Certified Professional Horticulturist with the American Society for Horticultural Science and has over 35 years experience in the agriculture/horticulture industry. Currently Jim is operating Holes Greenhouses in St. Albert, Alberta which is one of the largest grower/retailer businesses in Canada.



Jim has been working with Atlas Growers, engineers, and suppliers to develop unique, efficient, and consistent practices for cultivating the worlds highest quality medicinal cannabis. Mr. Hole will be training Atlas master cultivators to manage production, and to fine tune the irrigation systems by adjusting nutrient balances within their proprietary fertilizer formulas to ensure only the highest quality medicinal cannabis is produced at the Atlas facility. Jim will be overseeing the commissioning of the irrigation systems, lighting systems, air handing systems, and sanitation processes.

We are thrilled to have Jim Hole on the team. says Sheldon Croome, President of Atlas Growers, His passion and extensive knowledge of cultivation, safe agricultural practices, and his desire to play a part in standardizing cannabis production are major assets to the Atlas team. Jims commitment to work as our director of cultivation is a major step forward in our efforts to legitimize and standardize the Canadian cannabis market. We are fortunate to have Jim (Hole) on board and are excited for Atlas to be participate in the developing global cannabis marketplace.

Many Canadian horticulturists and agriculture specialists see the value of growing medical cannabis for people suffering from serious medical conditions. Im excited to play a part in defining standardized cannabis production in Canada. The industry needs better agronomic standards, proper safety protocols, and research to back it all up. I believe that in partnering with Atlas Growers, we can reach the highest levels of quality and consistency says Jim Hole. Canadians may now register with a licensed medical cannabis producer to legally buy medical cannabis. The Company recognizes the benefits of medical cannabis for Canadians with medical conditions and is looking forward to producing medical marijuana as under Health Canadas Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR).

To obtain more information about Atlas Growers, visit http://atlasmj.com/.

About the Company

Atlas Growers is a privately held Canadian corporation that wants to improve peoples lives. We anticipate a day when everyone is free to make informed and safe choices about their health and lifestyle. Our focus lies in creating and offering specialized natural health products to both the Canadian and International legal cannabis markets. We strive to be the most-trusted, highest-quality cannabis provider both locally and worldwide. Atlas plans to open its first cannabis production facility in the first quarter of 2018. The 38,000sqft building is being constructed by the esteemed Alberta company Scott Builders and has been planned by industry leading engineers with experience designing for existing ACMPR licensees.
Chris Carlson/AP

As reliever Bobby Wahl, who has spent most of this season on the disabled list after experiencing shoulder discomfort in May, will visit vascular surgeon Dr. Gregory Pearl in Dallas this week.

Pearl is a specialist in thoracic-outlet syndrome, in which there is compression of arteries, veins or nerves in the area from the neck to the armpit, a condition that has affected numerous pitchers in recent years, including Matt Harvey, Josh Beckett, Chris Carpenter, former Giants starter Noah Lowry and former As starter Tyson Ross.
A routine day of digging for fossilized tooth fragments in northern Kenya was coming to an end for Isaiah Nengo when the Bay Area anthropologist stumbled onto the kind of find that defines a career  a breakthrough discovery that could help solve the enduring mystery of where humans come from.

On a rocky outcropping beneath a hot summer sun, the De Anza College professor and his research team unearthed the skull of what they say was a baby ape that lived in the forests of East Africa some 13 million years ago.

The spectacularly preserved skull, described in a landmark report to be published Thursday in the journal Nature, was about the size of a lemon and in better shape than any specimen of its kind. Moreover, it offered a rare look at what is believed to be a shared ancestor of todays apes and humans.

The cranium is that of a young primate that had ears, a nose and a jaw with human similarities but more closely resembled a monkey or gibbon.

We were walking back to our field vehicle to drive back to our camp, Nengo, a 55-year-old Marin County resident, recounted in an email to The Chronicle as he flew home from Kenya on Wednesday. One of the field assistants started to roll a tobacco cigarette and we chased him away. As he walked ahead of us, we saw him milling around this one spot and realized he had found something.

We got there, he said, and brushed away the sediment to reveal the dome of the skull (and) we instantly recognized it was the skull of a primate.

The discovery helps piece together the evolutionary puzzle of how and where the human lineage emerged before it split with gorillas, orangutans and chimpanzees. While scientists have learned a great deal about recent human evolution through such famed fossil finds as Lucy, the 3.2 million-year-old human-like skeleton, and younger Neanderthals, the distant past remains a big unknown.

Unlike previous clues into this murky period, which are limited to small fragments of jaws and teeth, Nengos discovery, dubbed Alesi, introduces an entire skull to the fossil record.

Its hard to imagine how something like that could be preserved and not just fall apart, said John Fleagle, an anthropologist at Stony Brook University in New York who worked with Nengo and co-authored this weeks publication. This gives us a huge insight into a group of fossil apes that was only known from bits and pieces.

Nengo and his team excavated the skull from ash that had spewed long ago from a volcano in the dry Napudet Hills, west of Kenyas Lake Turkana. The eruption helped preserve the cranium, which, like other relics of the era, might have withered in what was then lush jungle.

While the area has been a hotbed of fossils, most of the region had been picked through before Nengo arrived five years ago. Nengo said he was looking primarily for ape teeth when the fully intact skull emerged.

With help from the European Synchronton Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France, which took powerful X-ray scans of the skull, Alesi was found to be a year and four months old when he or she died. The apes gender is not known, nor is the cause of death.

While similar in appearance to a baby gibbon, the ape had features that signaled an indisputable link to more modern apes and humans, such as bony ear tubes, a wide nasal passage and teeth in certain positions, as well as a larger brain cavity than other primates of the period, the researchers said.

The skull continues to be studied, but already the distant human ancestor has been deemed a new species of ancient ape, named Nyanzapithecus alesi.

We get a much clearer look at what came before humans arrived on the scene, Nengo said.

Scientists believe the human lineage made the extraordinary leap from that of other apes about 6 or 7 million years ago, sharing its last kinship with a type of chimpanzee.

The common relative of apes and humans, which are known collectively as hominoids, gave rise to many of todays human traits. The shared ancestors lived in complex social groups in forests, but what they looked like, where exactly they lived and how they evolved are continuing subjects of inquiry.

Nengo, who was born in Kenya and lives in Ross, has spent the past five summers in northern Kenya trying to answer these and other evolutionary questions. Hes currently on leave from De Anza in Cupertino, where he has taught for 14 years, and works as a research professor at Kenyas Turkana Basin Institute. But his team includes several students from the South Bay community college.

Nengos work was supported by the Leakey Foundation, the Foothill-De Anza Foundation, the Fulbright Scholars Program, the National Geographic Society, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and the Max Planck Society.

A lot of times we dont pay a lot of attention to our older ancestors, but to be able to go back 13 million years, its quite exciting, said Sharal Camisa, executive director of the Leakey Foundation in San Francisco, which funds research into human origins. Its remarkable to think that this is part of our story.
A proposed Louisiana port project could define the ceiling for the future of the Texas shale oil boom, according to a new report.

While Houston and Corpus Christi are leading the way in the burgeoning crude oil export industry, they could be surpassed by proposed plans to turn the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port into a "two-way LOOP" that ships out crude as well as receives it.

The LOOP is currently gauging customer interest for major crude exports. If successful, LOOP could make oil exports comparable to the nation's growing liquefied natural gas export industry. If the interest isn't there, we'll know the "ceiling on international demand for shale crude," argues Sandy Fielden, Morningstar's director of oil and products research.

"That ceiling could pose a greater constraint on future production than lower (oil) prices or OPEC production cuts," Fielden concluded.

LOOP's interest in oil exports is notable in part because its the only Gulf Coast terminal capable of handling the largest oil supertankers. The 36-year-oil LOOP only imports oil for now, carrying foreign oil to pipelines that ship it to refineries.

In 2010, LOOP took in about 900,000 barrels a day, but that amount has since fallen substantially to less than 600,000 barrels daily. Because of the nation's decreasing reliance on foreign oil, a growing percentage of the oil LOOP receives now comes from Texas and the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, and not just other countries.

"At the same time as LOOP inbound tanker shipments are declining, U.S. crude production and exports are increasing," Fielden noted.

U.S. crude exports have grown from more than 500,000 barrels daily in 2016 to almost 1 million per day this year, according to the U.S. Energy Department, since Congress undid the decades-old crude export ban at the end of 2015.

Much of the exports remains in the experimentation phase with a lot of foreign companies and countries opting to "buy and try" U.S. crude oil grades thus far, rather than setting up regular shipments, Fielden argued.

While most of the country's crude exports are leaving Houston or Corpus Christi, the problem is Texas' facilities can't accommodate the biggest tankers carrying full cargo loads. They're mostly spending more time and money to use smaller vessels and then transfer those cargoes to the tanker class called very large crude carriers.

The first so-called VLCC to enter Corpus Christi did so in late May for testing purposes, but such vessels can't take even close to full cargo loads until terminal modifications are completed in a couple years or so. Houston-based Occidental Petroleum is leading the effort with the Port of Corpus Christi.

Exporting from LOOP would lower freight costs and allow for the blending of different crude grades to meet specific customer needs thanks to LOOP's crude storage hub.

Another caveat is that a LOOP expansion could connect to the in-construction Bayou Bridge pipeline from Texas through Louisiana that's being built by Phillips 66. The pipeline is set to receive oil from the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline, giving Bakken crude oil - and even some Canadian oil - the opportunity to be exported from the Gulf Coast.

Still, Houston and Corpus Christi remain well situated because they - and not LOOP - are best connected to crude pipeline from West Texas' Permian Basin, where the current oil boom is focused, Fielden noted.

The California West Coast is still best situated geographically to ship crude via supertankers, but California ports don't have the pipeline infrastructure to easily receive Texas oil.
Ex-Google engineer James Damore says problems with the companys culture and diversity programs prompted him to write the memo on gender differences that ignited a social media firestorm and led to his dismissal.

Damore, who went from employee to outcast upon the memos circulation, said in his first public comments that he penned the document out of a love for Alphabet Inc.s Google. Damore was a software engineer at the search giants Mountain View headquarters until Monday afternoon, when he said he was fired for perpetuating gender stereotypes. His missive  published internally to Google employees late last week  argued that conservative viewpoints are suppressed at the company and biological differences explain in part why more men work in software engineering than women.

A lot of this came from me seeing some of the problems with our culture at Google, where a lot of people who werent in this group-think just felt totally isolated and alienated, he told YouTube chat-show host Stefan Molyneux in an interview posted online. There were many people that came to me and said, yeah Im thinking of leaving Google because this is getting so bad.

I really thought this was a problem Google had to fix, he added.

Damore had stayed largely silent since the weekend, only confirming to a few news outlets including Bloomberg why he believed he was fired and that he was currently exploring legal remedies. In the video, the software engineer revealed he created the document  started on a 12-hour flight during a work trip to China  after attending a secretive diversity training session that rubbed him the wrong way.

There was a lot of just shaming: No, you cant say that. Thats sexist. Theres just so much hypocrisy in a lot of the things that they were saying, he said on the video. I decided to create the document to clarify my thoughts.

In a second interview, posted on YouTube Wednesday morning, Damore specified that he believed the diversity policies he heard discussed at the meeting were illegal and that teams at Google under pressure to increase diversity among their workers made hiring decisions based on candidates race or gender. A Google spokesperson disputed the characterization of the meeting as secretive and said the company is transparent about its diversity policies and practices.

Many in Silicon Valley denounced Damores arguments, including Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai, who said Monday in a memo to employees that the engineers manifesto violated Googles Code of Conduct and that suggesting a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK.

But others agreed with his description of a politically correct monoculture and in particular, saw Googles decision to fire him for voicing an unpopular opinion as proving exactly his point. Julian Assange tweeted that WikiLeaks would hire Damore, adding Censorship is for losers. Gab.ai, a far-right social network, also offered Damore a job, calling his writing a beautiful work of art. Other supporters raised more than $5,000 on a crowdfunding campaign to help Damore fight his firing.

Damores publicly available biographical details, mostly from his LinkedIn profile, are not all true: He says that he has a Ph.D. from Harvard University in Systems Biology, which his supporters frequently noted as a credential for him to talk about the biological differences between men and women. A Harvard spokeswoman said Damore only completed a masters in systems biology, a field that uses quantitative methods to study biological systems such as cells and organisms. A spokesman for the University of Illinois confirmed he has a Bachelor of Science degree in molecular and cellular biology from 2010. An online resume says he was a competitive chess player and held research positions at Harvard, Princeton University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

An online CV and Facebook profile suggest Damore hails from suburban Chicago. His Facebook page only has a few snippets: an album of charcoal sketches, including portraits of actors Will Smith and Keira Knightley, and posts such as one from 2013 saying how excited he was to be starting a job at Google in Mountain View soon.

Damore, who said he landed his job working on image and video search at Google by doing well in a coding competition, didnt go into his future plans apart from acknowledging a number of job offers. He did admit the scale of the social-media backlash had taken him by surprise, conceding it was a blind spot of his and that he was still struggling to understand the severity of the public reaction. Damore also said he was surprised by the size of his support.

It still hasnt truly hit me, the enormity of it all, he said.

He reflected on how Silicon Valley culture discourages the airing of right-leaning sentiments.

Definitely those who arent on the left feel like they need to stay in the closet and not really reveal themselves, Damore said in his interview. Those people actually mask and say things they dont believe.
HARTFORD >> Senate Republican President Len Fasano made it clear Wednesday that hes not running for governor in 2018.

Fasano, who succeeded John McKinney in leading the Senate Republican caucus, said he had intended to wait until the state budget was resolved to make a decision. However, as the budget process continues its become clear that it could be another month before a state budget is finalized.

I knew it was time to choose my path and let others know where I stand, Fasano said in an emailed statement. It is only fair to the other hard working candidates, delegates, the party and the public to be upfront so that others can make important decisions to move the election process forward.

Fasano hasnt thrown his support behind any of the other candidates, but believes Connecticut needs a Republican governor.

We need a Republican leader in the governors seat who brings political parties and people together, who is sensitive to the needs of all economic levels, who understands the importance of supporting our cities, and who can grow a stable economy so we can fund core programs that are important to this state, Fasano said. Connecticut is ready to overcome our challenges and ready to change.

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San Antonio will be a little more "insane" in a few months.

The American hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse will perform at the Alamo City Music Hall on October 13. As a part of "The Great Milenko" 20 year tour, the face-painted pair will give San Antonians a taste of their horrorcore rap.
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Godzilla long has been the love of professional artist and San Antonio native Matt Frank. That especially goes for the man who first portrayed the atomic fire-breathing icon.

Frank recently posted a dynamic artistic tribute to Haruo Nakajima, who first stomped on miniature landscapes as Godzilla in the 1954 classic film that birthed a monster franchise. Nakajima died Monday of pneumonia. He was 88.

As of Wednesday morning, Franks art had more than 1,000 likes and 800 retweets on Twitter, and more than 400 shares on Facebook.

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Franks illustration showcases a smiling Nakajima among Godzilla, Mothra and many other movie monsters Nakajima portrayed on screen.

Nakajima-san was much more than a guy in a rubber suit, a term that is typically used by Americans to demean his craft, Frank said via Facebook Messenger. Nakajima poured himself into the art of acting, an especially difficult process being caked in 150 lbs. of latex for each film shoot. Understanding how to move, where to walk, how to convey rage, these were all invaluable tools in his arsenal.

But his greatest power was his dedication, Frank continued, not just to the 18 years he spent playing monsters, but to the countless fans he spent his last days making happy by visiting conventions even after his health took a turn for the worst.

Like Godzilla himself, he was almost invincible. Almost.

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Frank first met Nakajima in Rosemont, Illinois, in 2008 while on the way to his first G-Fest, the big annual convention dedicated to Godzilla and other Japanese monsters. Frank spotted Nakajima outside a hotel, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans. He took also took a photo with Nakajima, which Frank posted on Twitter as well.

He was so happy to meet all of these people from the other side of the world who loved him as much as we did, Frank said.

Godzilla fans can see more of Franks appreciation for the King of the Monsters on the new Blu-ray/DVD release of Shin Godzilla. Frank appears in a special roundtable chat for the domestic video release of the 2016 Japanese film.

rguzman@express-news.net

Twitter: @reneguz
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STAMFORD  The sentencing of a New Haven man for his role in a downtown murder has brought an end to a case that shook the community and embodied the polices struggle with youth crime.

James McLamb, 24, received the maximum sentence of five years in jail Wednesday for his involvement in the 2015 killing of Antonio Muralles outside the downtown McDonalds.

McLamb was the accomplice to Marquest Hall, who was 15 years old when he viciously stabbed Muralles to death over a spilled cup of coffee.

Stamford Police Capt. Richard Conklin said the states juvenile justice system did not effectively reform Hall, who was arrested several times before the killing.

While it is no ones intent to scar people for life for minor type crimes, were seeing a certain group of youth get involved in violence and serious crimes and the way the laws are right now makes it very difficult to deal with them, Conklin said.

Conklin said the laws are weighted too heavily against juvenile detention with youth offenders released after being charged with crimes involving theft, fighting, guns and drugs.

Were talking about juveniles involved in hard-core criminality in terms of drugs, violence and theft and the laws as they are written right now really handicap police in the state of Connecticut, Conklin said. Hall had been arrested numerous times before this and it is a tragedy it culminated in someones senseless death.

Hall was sentenced last month to 20 years in prison after accepting a plea agreement for first-degree manslaughter. Hall faced 60 years in prison if he was convicted at trial.

McLamb, who accepted a plea deal for second-degree assault, apologized to Muralles family during his sentencing on Wednesday.

I would like to apologize for the whole situation that happened, especially to the victims family, McLamb said. Its something that I could easily have avoided. Its changed my life and changed their lives too in a drastic way.

The 55-year-old victim bumped into Hall and McLamb on March 11, 2015, accidentally spilling coffee on the teen. Police said an infuriated 5-foot-4, 140-pound Hall spit in Muralles face and asked him, Do you want to die now?

McLamb then punched Muralles and Hall stabbed him twice. Muralles fell to the ground and the pair continued the attack.

Hall and a group of others had been milling around the area that night, poking people with a stick to try to instigate fights, according to police.

McLambs public defender, Howard Ehring, said his client joined the fight because he wrongly thought Muralles was picking on Hall.

I dont know what Mr. McLamb was thinking that evening when he decided to punch the victim, Prosecutor Paul Ferencek said. The only thing I could say is the evidence is contradictory as to whether Mr. McLamb saw the victim was stabbed...the punches were superficial in this matter.

Following the sentencing, a niece of Muralles, who declined to provide her name, said the family is still devastated by the loss of her uncle, and there is no cure for that.

Conklin said the case was shocking for its heedless violence.

Oftentimes, we see violence with minor reasons, but this was really for no reason and certainly this incident got the attention of many people, Conklin said.

Conklin said surveillance videos from the McDonalds and other downtown businesses were key pieces of evidence that led to the arrests. Video footage has since become a vital tool in helping police solve crimes, Conklin said.

Conklin said the incident also forged a partnership between police and business owners to discourage youth loitering.

Conklin said its appropriate to release juvenile defendants to the custody of their guardians in cases involving minor offenses. However, he said juveniles accused of more serious crimes usually come from family environments lacking the structure to discipline or address the issues.

Someone who is bent on criminality, it is very difficult to dissuade that, Conklin said. They are often being released to the custody of single parents or grandparents who really dont have the sway over them.
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GREENWICH  With one month down and about six more to go, town officials say the project to dredge Binney Pond is running smoothly.

Residents who peer through the chain-link fence surrounding the project are able to witness a vastly different landscape than theyve witnessed in Binney Park before. This is the first time the town has cleaned Binney Pond in two decades.

Water is continuously being pumped downstream toward the Long Island Sound so workers can get to the sediment clogging the pond.

When it rains, they have to pump the water back out, Department of Public Works Chief Engineer Jim Michel said this week.

Now Playing: In response to concerned residents wondering what is happening to wildlife while A. Vitti Excavators is dredging Binney Pond, the Greenwich Time asked workers themselves, who say they have been trained by the town and Bruce Museum turtle expert, Tim Walsh, on how to relocate the animals safely until the project is finished. Video: JW Player

After being removed from the pond, the dredge material must sit to dry before it can be hauled away, so the contractors take out one section at a time. The silt is separated and surrounded with erosion protections until it is dry enough move.

The sediment, which has been tested and found to contain contaminants, will be shipped to an approved site in Pennsylvania.

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Half of the pond is already dredged, Michel said, but in rainy weather, the pond fills again quickly and the material takes longer to dry.

The DPW project is budgeted for $3.5 million. Once the department finishes its work  which also will include installing silt traps, reinforcing eroded banks on the edges of the pond and planting 50 new native trees  the Parks and Recreation Department will add additional landscaping.

Officials said residents have been asking questions about the project  most having to do with the fate of the turtles who live in the pond and other wildlife at Binney Park.

DPW Senior Civil Engineer Gabriella Circosta-Cohee said the department sought out advice from the Bruce Museums turtle expert, Tim Walsh, organizer of the Connecticut Turtle Atlas, an online platform for citizens to list where they have spotted turtles, by species, in an effort to record populations and ensure turtle safety.

A lot of people have been calling, asking about the turtles, said Circosta-Cohee. The turtles have been relocated downstream. And one person is dedicated to the relocation  who was trained by Tim Walsh  to ensure the turtles are safe.

The turtles keep coming back to the pond, however, so they are relocated almost daily to keep them away from the dredging area, Circosta-Cohee said.

After the dredge material is removed, the next part of the project will begin, and the contractors will create sediment basins.

The pond itself is being excavated deep in a couple of the sections to allow material to settle out in that section, Michel said. As water moves the sediment it will fall into that area. Then we can go in and maintain it once a year or once every couple of years.

During the regular maintenance the sediment can be vacuumed out, Circosta-Cohee said.

Despite relatively heavy rain so far, the project, which began July 5, is expected to be finished around February 2018.

The engineers said residents have been respectful of the parks limited access.

If people can continue to use patience and respect the restrictions we have around the site, its there for their safety  it will help the contractors get the job done in an expedited manner, Michel said.





E: JTuriano@greenwichtime.com; T: @jturianoGT; IG: @greenwichgreen
GREENWICH  As political violence and crisis continue to wreak havoc in Venezuela, a group of local activists and volunteers are doing what they can to prevent more suffering in the South American nation.

Rosanna Mini, a Venezuelan native from Greenwich, will be seeking signatures at Greenwich Town Hall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday to send to the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands. The goal, said Mini, is to investigate government-sponsored torture cases in Venezuela.

These cases must be known, said Mini, a high-school teacher in Fairfield. We have to look for justice, or it will keep happening.

Mini said there have been credible reports coming out of Venezuela that torture was being used on political prisoners and demonstrators opposed to President Nicolas Maduro. Human rights observers and lawyers have found evidence that prisoners detained by the Maduro security forces have endured regular beatings and sometimes other forms of physical and sexual abuse, according to news reports.

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The latest reports about torture and kidnappings of political opponents, following years of economic strife and hardship, has Venezuelans living in the U.S. deeply troubled.

Im lucky to be living in the U.S., but its very painful, said Mini. People are dying in the hospital, they dont have medicine. They need more medicine, they need food, clean water  and they need freedom.

Mini and another Connecticut organizer, Marla Velez, of Shelton, are working in a loose-knit organization to aid the human-rights campaign in their homeland.

Last month Maduro and his ruling socialist party gave itself virtually unlimited powers and clamped down on opposition, news reports said.

The goal of Mini and others in the U.S. is to bring international pressure to bear and begin a formal investigation into torture and other violations in Venezuela, she said.

The movement to investigate torture in Venezuela is being spearheaded by a human-rights lawyer driven into exile from her native land, Tamara Suju, who is currently residing in the Czech Republic.

More than 320,000 Venezuelans live in the U.S., according to 2015 Census survey. Norwalk and New Haven are home to a number of Venezuelan immigrants.
KYOTO, Japan, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nidec Corporation (TSE:6594) (OTC US:NJDCY) (the Company or Nidec) resolved at a meeting of Board of Directors held on August 9, 2017 to make Nidec Sankyo Corporation (Nidec Sankyo), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, succeed the business of Tokyo Maruzen Industry Co., Ltd. (the Splitting Company) by way of an absorption type company split. For this purpose, both companies have entered into an agreement under which Nidec Sankyo will form a new company (the Succeeding Company) to succeed the Splitting Companys business.



1. Purpose and Background of the Company Split

Nidec has been developing its electric contact business since January 2014, when Nidec Sankyo acquired Mitsubishi Materials C.M.I. Corporation, currently Nidec Sankyo CMI Corporation. Electric contact products used for relays, switches, circuit breakers, etc. are gaining popularity in the fast growing EV and PHV market and also expected to expand their use into the appliance and industrial equipment market. Nidec Sankyo and the Splitting Company have entered into an agreement for transferring the entire business, including the mainstay electric contact business, of the Splitting Company in response to the surge in demand for electric contacts. Nidec believes the efficient use of the managerial and operational resources of Nidec Sankyo and the Splitting Company will help strengthen their capacity in material development, production engineering and manufacturing responsiveness, which will lead to profitability improvement.



2. Outline of the Company Split

(1) Company Split Schedule

Board of Directors approvals for company split at the Splitting Company and the Succeeding Company August 28, 2017 (planned) Shareholders meetings at the Splitting Company and the Succeeding Company September 28, 2017 (planned) Effective date of the company split October 1, 2017 (planned)

(2) Company split method

Under this absorption type company split, the new company will be the Succeeding Company and Tokyo Maruzen Industry Co., Ltd. will be the Splitting Company.

(3) Details of allotments relating to this absorption type company split

The transaction will be funded by cash. There shall be no allotment of shares.



3. Outline of the Companies Party to the Company Split (As of March 31, 2017)

Splitting Company Succeeding Company (1) Company name Tokyo Maruzen Industry Co., Ltd. Tokyo Maruzen Industry Co., Ltd. (tentative) (2) Location of head office 591-11, Ishikawa, Sakura-shi,

Chiba 285-0813, Japan 5329, Shimosuwa-machi, Suwa-gun, Nagano 393-8511, Japan (3) Representative President: Yoshihira Kirita President: Akira Noami (4) Description of business Development, manufacture and sales of electric contact materials, rivet contacts and contact staking Development, manufacture and sales of electric contact materials, rivet contacts and contact staking (5) Establishment April 19, 1969 August 18, 2017 (planned) (6) Major shareholders and shareholding ratios Yoshihira Kirita: 25%

Others: 75% Nidec Sankyo Corporation: 100%

4. Business to be transferred



(1) Details of the business to be transferred

Development, manufacture and sales of electric contact materials Development, manufacture and sales of rivet contacts Development, manufacture and sales of contact staking Other related business

(2) Operating results of the business to be transferred (year ended March 31, 2017)

Net sales: 3,745 million yen

5. Effect on Financial Performance for the Current Fiscal Year

Nidec intends to make appropriate disclosures regarding the impact of the transaction described herein on its consolidated financial performance for the current fiscal year and announce any changes to its financial performance in accordance with the applicable rules of the Tokyo Stock Exchange once such details are determined.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the intent, belief, strategy, plans or expectations of the Nidec Group or other parties. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those described in such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, the risks to successfully integrating the acquired business with the Nidec Group, the anticipated benefits of the planned transaction not being realized, changes in general economic conditions, shifts in technology or user preferences for particular technologies, whether and when required regulatory approvals are obtained, other risks relating to the successful consummation of the planned transaction, and changes in business and regulatory environments. The Nidec Group does not undertake any obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained herein or the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements except as may be required by law.
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Conroe's chief of police was asked to leave the Texas Ear Nose and Throat Specialists office in The Woodlands Tuesday afternoon because he was carrying his firearm.

Chief Philip Dupuis told The Courier he was wearing his badge on his belt in plain view next to his handgun, as well as his Conroe PD identification on a lanyard around his neck when he entered the doctor's office in the 3900 block of Pinecroft Drive around 4 p.m. and started to check in. A receptionist took his driver's license and insurance card before questioning him about the gun on his hip.

Dupuis said she asked him to take his gun out to his car. The 35-year law enforcement veteran, who never has had an accidental discharge, refused to disarm himself, reiterating that he is a police officer.

STATE PARK SHOOTING: Family of 4-year-old victim asks for further investigation

That's when he was asked to leave, Dupuis said.

"It's just bad," Dupuis said. "My badge is clearly displayed. I have my lanyard on with 'police' on my ID card hanging around my neck. I had handcuffs. The lobby was full of people, and they asked me to leave because of who I am."

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Under Texas law, as a licensed police officer, Dupuis can legally open carry anywhere in the state.

"I didn't think twice about it because I can and do carry everywhere," Dupuis said. "I carry to protect myself and I carry to protect my family and the public."

RIGHTS EXPANDED: Community colleges prepare for 'campus carry' law

However, Dupuis acknowledged that despite Texas carry laws, a private business or property owner can create "weapons-free" zones. The owner must post signage referring to the Penal Code, Chapter 30.06 and 30.07, enabling the prohibition of concealed carry and open carry, respectively.

"These people have the right to do what they did and refuse my service," he said. "Legally, they can ask me to leave because I'm not there on official business."

Dupuis initially took to Facebook to express his displeasure, stating, "I will be looking for a new ENT, just asked to leave ... because I am wearing my gun, badge, and ID. I have never been so embarrassed ... in my 35 years of law enforcement. ..."

Texas ENT Office Manager Ryan Johnson called Dupuis to apologize. Johnson told The Courier they have the same signage regarding firearms as any other doctor's office. It was unclear whether that signage prohibits both open and concealed carry.

"Mr. Dupuis identified himself as a police officer," Johnson said. "This situation simply should not have happened."

He said none of the doctors at the office were aware of the situation.

"This was a mistake," Johnson said. "All we can do is sincerely apologize for it and will use it to teach our employees how to better handle these situations when they arise."

But for Dupuis, the incident hit a little too close to home. He has two children who want to be police officers when they grow up.

"After a day like today, I want to come home and try and talk them out of it," Dupuis said. "I shouldn't have to talk my children out of being in a profession that I have loved for so long and has provided for me and my family a good life. When I see something like this, I don't want my kids going through this."
LOS ANGELES  Captain America has a thick British accent, and his day job is cinematographer. Iron Man lives in an apartment behind Hollywoods Dolby Theatre, and at least one of Batmans wings ismade with a pair of shower curtains from Target.

Superman comes from Ukraine, not the planet Krypton, and dont be surprised to see several Spider-Men and Catwomen of various races and nationalities.

Welcome to the superhero world of Hollywood Boulevard, where just about every caped crusader youve seen in comic books or on film is busy posing for photos with tourists.

While the Hollywood we see in movies is a place of glamour and beautiful celebrities, the cast of superheroes filling Hollywood Boulevard is frequently anything but. Many are people struggling to make a buck as they pursue their dreams of stardom.

Its a place of diversity, its a place of drama, its a place of illusion, a place of broken dreams, says Dan Inigo, a 25-year-old actor who prowls the boulevard dressed as Spider-Man.

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Although he barely scrapes by, Inigo says its still a great gig for a struggling actor who needs to keep an open schedule for auditions.

You can just suit up and come down here whenever you need, he said. It really is a perfect job if you are an artist.

If you want to make any real money on Hollywood Boulevard, you have to really look the part, says Matthias Balke, who put $3,000 into his elaborate Batman ensemble.

He doesnt grab tourists or crack a joke to get their attention. Instead, he waits for them to come to him.

My way of soliciting is the quality of my costume, he said. People see it, they come to me to ask me for a picture. Id never walk up to anybody.

The screenwriter-producer-actor says tips can range from a few coins to as much as $100. He accepts them all, noting the change occasionally comes in handy: Even Batman has to do laundry.

Longtime street performers say the business used to be more lucrative, until the boulevard became overpopulated with costumed characters. Whats worse, some look grungy, while others turn off tourists with aggressive demands for money.

This should be done by people with performance backgrounds, Balke said. It should be like Disneyland.

Associated Press writer John Rogers contributed to this report.

Jae C. Hong is an Associated Press writer.
In the fall of 1962, cadets at New York Military Academy were consumed by a terrifying prospect: nuclear apocalypse.

Soviet ships had delivered nuclear weapons to Fidel Castro's government, which was busy installing them on the island just 90 miles away from the U.S.

In their barracks at the military academy an hour north of New York City, cadets huddled around radios each night to learn if Armageddon was at hand. On Oct. 22, they listened intently as President John Kennedy delivered a stern address on the rapidly spiraling crisis.

"It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union," Kennedy warned.

Among the cadets at the academy in that fraught, fear-filled autumn was a 16-year-old junior named Donald J. Trump.

Fifty-five years later, President Trump now finds himself facing a nuclear crisis of his own.

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"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States," Trump told reporters on Tuesday. "They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

Trump's comments echoed President Harry Truman's warning to Japan two days after the bombing of Hiroshima that if the country didn't surrender, it faced "a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth."

But as a threat by an American president to another nuclear-armed state, Trump's warning is without precedent, experts say.

It has set off intense speculation over Trump's willingness to use America's nuclear arsenal, as well as questions about his temperament as president.

To Trump's former classmates, however, his blunt words reflect the influence not only of the military academy they attended but also the Cuban missile crisis they endured together.

"Here we were, we're basically teenagers, and we are believing that New York is very possibly about to get a hydrogen bomb dropped on it," recalled Peter Ticktin, a Florida attorney who was in Trump's 1964 graduating class. "We were basically thinking that this is the end."

New York Military Academy was founded in 1889 by Civil War veteran Charles Jefferson Wright. It boasts of its record whipping rebellious youths into shape. "Courageous and gallant men have passed through these portals," reads an inscription over the front door.

On top of such courses as math and English, students tackle military history and learn how to fire rifles and mortars.

Few instructors spoke about the situation with Cuba, even as November approached and the missile crisis deepened, cadets recalled.

But it was all the students could talk about, remembered Ticktin and two other former cadets reached by phone Wednesday morning.

"We were just listening to every piece on the radio," said George White, who at the time spelled his last name Witek. As they gathered in their rooms at night, some of the students nervously smoked contraband cigarettes. At one point, White accidentally sat on a smoldering cigarette, ruining his school uniform.

"It was intense," he said.

Adding to the fear was the expectation that cadets, particularly older students like Trump, could be called upon in the case of nuclear war.

"We weren't just kids," said Ticktin. "We were kids who had M-1 [rifles]. We were kids in uniform."

"We knew they would use us to keep order," he added. "If we weren't all dead."

"Basically the thought was we were going to war," said Jack Serafin, a Florida businessman who was a freshman at the time of the Cuban missile crisis.

Tensions inside the barracks - and across America - built over the week following Kennedy's address until, finally, on Oct. 28, Khrushchev announced on Russian radio that the Soviet Union would remove the nuclear weapons from Cuba.

"When the announcement was made that the Russian ships were turning back. . . it was a sigh of relief," Ticktin recalled.

Ticktin, who is a Trump supporter and donor, said he saw parallels between Kennedy's handling of the Cuban missile crisis and Trump's response on Tuesday.

"We had a president who was deadly serious and threatening the most horrible possibilities, and that worked," he said. "In order for Kennedy to be effective, and for Khrushchev to believe that he meant what he said, he had to get the population of the United States to believe it as well. So we did."

"I'm not saying that Donald Trump now would do that for the purpose of scaring the other side to get a deal, but he's got to make sure that he's understood," he added. "He's in the same position as Kennedy."

Ticktin said he felt that Trump's warning was "appropriate."

"He's not doing it because he's angry or upset," he said. "This thing going on in Korea isn't quite as imminent as what happened [in 1962] - people in New York aren't thinking, 'Oh my god, a bomb could fall on us at any moment' - but it could get to that."

White, however, felt like Trump had drawn the wrong lessons from their time at the military academy.

"The military school environment did teach the fear factor, the aggression factor, the don't-back-down factor. Absolutely," said White, who, unlike Trump, joined the Army after graduating and was stationed for a year in Korea.

He called Trump's warning to North Korea "a pile of [expletive]."

"At the military academy, [General Douglas] MacArthur was our model," White said. "Trump doesn't even have MacArthur right. MacArthur wasn't a warmonger. If it came to that, he would give them holy hell. But if there is no threat of war, don't threaten war."
The Justice Department has reversed its position in a high-profile voting case in Ohio, siding with the state in its effort to purge thousands of people from its rolls for not voting in recent elections.

The move is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to support restrictions on who is eligible to vote, a radical change in philosophy from the previous Justice Department, which sued a number of states over voting laws that it deemed discriminatory against minorities.

In a court filing late Monday, Justice Department attorneys took the opposite position from the Obama administration in a case that involves Ohio's removal last year of tens of thousands of inactive voters from its voting rolls.

In their brief, government lawyers say they reconsidered the Ohio vote-purging issue after the "change in Administrations," and they argue that the state's actions are legal under federal law. The case is headed next to the Supreme Court.

Ohio's procedure allows the state to purge voters who meet certain criteria for being inactive. If a voter has not cast a ballot in two years, the person is sent a notice asking them to confirm their registration. If the voter does not respond and does not cast a ballot over the next four years, the person is removed from the rolls.

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The Trump administration has signaled in other ways that it intends to back added requirements for voters as part of a crackdown on alleged fraud.

President Donald Trump in May created an advisory commission on election integrity that has been tasked with determining the extent of illegal voting. The president earlier made the baseless allegation that illegal voting cost him the popular vote against Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

The commission's only notable act so far has been to request massive amounts of voter data from the states, a move that has provoked lawsuits accusing the panel of breaching Americans' privacy.

The case in Ohio is not the first time the Justice Department has reversed course in a major legal battle over voting rights. In February, shortly after Jeff Sessions became attorney general, the department dropped its position in a long-running case that argued Texas intended to discriminate against minorities when it passed a strict voter-ID law.

The Texas law, passed in 2011, required that voters present certain forms of identification, such as a driver's license or a weapons permit, but the state did not allow other forms, including IDs issued by colleges. Critics said these restrictions targeted voters, such as young people and minorities, who are more likely to vote Democratic. A number of courts found the Texas law to be unconstitutional, and a federal court in April found that the Texas legislature intentionally discriminated against black and Hispanic voters.

Voting rights advocates said the Justice Department's action on Ohio represented a major change in direction for the U.S. government's stance on access to the polls.

The move "signals the broader agenda of the administration to roll back voter rights in this country," said Vanita Gupta, former head of the Justice Department's civil rights division under President Barack Obama and now president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

Ohio's purging process has been defended by Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, a Republican who is running for governor. He said the method of removing inactive voters has been used by both Republicans and Democrats to clear the rolls of people who have moved away or died.

"Maintaining the integrity of the voter rolls is essential to conducting an election with efficiency and integrity," Husted said in a statement in May, after the Supreme Court said that it would hear the case.

"I remain confident that once the justices review this case they will rule to uphold the decades-old process that both Republicans and Democrats have used in Ohio to maintain our voter rolls as consistent with federal law," Husted said.

Civil rights groups last year challenged Ohio's process, arguing that such purges are prohibited under the National Voter Registration Act. The Justice Department under Obama filed a friend-of-the-court brief siding with the groups.

The brief filed Monday takes the side of Ohio, and unlike the prior one was not signed by career attorneys in the department's civil rights division.

"The law hasn't changed since the department accurately told the court that Ohio's voter purge was unlawful," said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "The facts haven't changed. Only the leadership of the department has changed. The Justice Department's latest action opens the door for wide-scale unlawful purging of the voter registration rolls across our country."

Justice Department spokeswoman Lauren Ehrsam said that the department's position is supported by "the National Voter Registration Act's text, context and history."

"The question is what states are allowed to do in order to maintain their voter registration records - not what they are required to do," Ehrsam said. "A ruling in Ohio's favor would simply uphold a practice already in use in many states without requiring any state to change how it maintains its rolls."

The brief defends the process by noting that multiple steps are required before a voter is removed from the rolls.

"Registrants are sent a notice because of that initial failure, but they are not removed unless they fail to respond and fail to vote for the additional period," the brief says.

But Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Law School who worked in the Obama administration on this issue, said the brief suggested that Ohio "can purge people who have ostensibly moved without any evidence that they have actually moved."

Levitt said that not voting and not responding to one piece of mail are not enough to determine that someone is ineligible to vote - and that the procedure affects "less active" voters, who tend to be nonwhite, young and poor.
Netroots Nation, the activist left's largest annual gathering, arrives in Atlanta this week with its clearest focus in years: how to resist President Donald Trump.

Former Vice President Al Gore will speak about the threats to the planet from a president who dismisses climate change as a hoax hatched in Beijing. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., will ring alarm bells about domestic policy. And 14 separate sessions will discuss the best ways to fight the White House and Republican Congress. Jon Ossoff, the Democratic star who narrowly lost Georgia's special House election in June, will also show.

"The last couple of years, much of the energy nationally was focused on social justice," said Netroots Nation spokeswoman Mary Rickles. This year, the focus for nearly 3,000 attendees was back on politics: "How do we channel the energy of resistance into helping progressives win elections?"

At more than 80 panels and training sessions Thursday through Sunday, activists will get updates from the "resistance" groups like Indivisible founded after the 2016 election, or those that have multiplied their membership since then, like the American Civil Liberties Union. One panel will go over ways to challenge Trump's "xenophobic NAFTA narrative," while another - more relevant given news from North Korea - will brainstorm ways to oppose Trump if a traumatic event causes people to rally around the flag.

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"Hitler used the Reichstag Fire; Putin used the 1999 apartment bombings; and George W. Bush used 9/11," reads the online description of the panel, which will feature leaders of MoveOn.org and the ACLU. "With Trump, (Stephen K.) Bannon and their allies in Congress, progressives must be prepared to fight back in the first hours and days of a national security crisis."

The conference, which began in 2006 as a spinoff from the elections-focused Daily Kos blog, transformed in the Obama years into a showcase for labor and civil rights movements. In 2007, it hosted every major Democratic candidate for president for a traditional question-and-answer session, and more than a hundred reporters swarmed the halls to see where the Democratic base was directing its energy.

But as soon as Democrats took power, an invitation to Netroots meant a decent shot of being heckled by activists who demanded results on LGBT rights, on National Security Agency spying, or the failings of the Affordable Care Act. In 2015, when Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) took questions, they were interrupted by Black Lives Matter activists - a scene that led to productive meetings between protesters and candidates, but unfolded awkwardly onstage. In 2016, Hillary Clinton's campaign checked off the Netroots box with a three-minute video message.

"There was a general concern that the conference would no longer be able to attract 'top names,' celebrity politicians that 'everyone' wants to see," said Chris Savage, founder of the Michigan-based Electablog. "I am someone who is glad for that. This conference is best for me when the focus is on organizing and training and sharing best practices, and not focused on which famous politician is there."

Warren, who was the focus of a brief presidential draft campaign when she appeared at the 2014 Netroots, is the only potential 2020 presidential candidate on the convention's schedule. But organizers expect a record crop of down-ballot candidates looking for ideas and support. Both of Georgia's leading Democratic candidates for governor, State Rep. Stacey Abrams and State Rep. Stacey Evans, will hit the convention with divergent theories of how the party can win in the South.

"The sheer number of activists already stepping up to run as first time candidates is breaking records," said Carolyn Fiddler, the political editor of Daily Kos. "I expect a lot of activists at the conference will be looking for ways to plug in not only to campaigns, but also to resources for potential candidates."

Randy Bryce, an iron worker running a buzzy long-shot campaign against Speaker of the House Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., described a packed Friday schedule that would take him from meetings with the election-focused Progressive Change Campaign Committee, to an interview with Samantha Bee's show "Full Frontal," to a happy hour sponsored by the Howard Dean-founded Democracy for America.

"It's about building up a network of people who have the same goals as you, and want to win some elections," said Bryce. "It's going to be a big help."

The troubles of the Trump administration will shape the conference, too, as activists discuss how to make Republicans' work even harder. The American Federation of Teachers will explain how a "dedicated effort from educators, parents and the community" made Education Secretary Betsy DeVos infamous, imperiling her nomination. Groups like Bend the Arc and Muslim Advocates will share how they actually defeated Trump nominees for other jobs, like Labor Secretary nominee Andrew Puzder.

For longtime convention attendees, it's a bit of deja vu to the final years of a Bush administration that ground to a halt after a failed campaign to privatize Social Security.

"The convention played a key role in forming the prospective policy ideas that came from opposing the Bush agenda," said ACLU political director Faiz Shakir, who previously attended Netroots as the editor of the liberal news site ThinkProgress. "I think this year presents the same opportunity and challenge. I'm anticipating a pretty thoughtful and engaged audience deliberating over what ideas could convert resistance into meaningful success."

Gina Cooper, the founder of the conference, said that she couldn't make it to Atlanta but saw plenty of parallels to the first Netroots gatherings.

"Once again, the conference is a platform for the next generation of digital savvy progressive activists," said Cooper. "The party apparatus and other operatives will have to decide if they want to harness this energy or just hope that it goes away. But it is not going away."
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While the City of Willis won a small battle in appeals court regarding its ongoing red light camera legal fight, opponents of the civil penalty system are refusing to pay the fines -- with the backing of a county elected official.

Four people, including Campaign for Liberty's Texas Gulf Coast Regional Coordinator Kelli Cook, protested the red light camera penalties they say are not enforceable.

"We've had lots of thumbs up, honking, waving," said Cook, holding a poster on FM 1097 Tuesday in Willis. "The purpose is to let people know the law is written to allow you to legally throw your red light tickets in the trash," she said.

While Cook said, in the case of unpaid camera tickets, the law does not allow an arrest warrant to be issued, a collection agency to harass people or for the violation to be on a driver's record, Willis Police Chief James Nowak said the violations still are being enforced. While some cities, including Conroe and Houston, have opted out, Willis continues to take a stand on the issue.

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"Chapter 707 is still the law, the city ordinance is still valid," Nowak said.

Nowak said red light runners who refuse to pay or don't request a hearing are subject to a $25 late charge and losing the right to a hearing; and tickets not paid within a certain time limit will go to collections, but are not reported to the credit bureau. Drivers also may not be able to have their vehicle registration renewed with an outstanding citation.

"People are showing up at city hall with registration holds," said Nowak, who noted violators are flagged as a scofflaw, which is a prohibition-era term for those who violate laws that are difficult to enforce. He shared there are at least three reasons a person may be flagged as a scofflaw, which a clerk may not be able to see.

However, Montgomery County Tax Assessor-Collector Tammy McRae, who was not able to be reached by Tuesday, confirmed in July 2016 that she elects not to deny vehicle registration for red-light camera violations.

"The red-light violations are a civil matter ... and I don't want to get involved with that," McRae said.

Willis resident Michael Moore stopped to talk to the protesters. Moore said he and his wife have received about seven red light camera violation notices in Willis.

"I won't pay them," he said. "I'm not saying they (the protesters) are right or wrong in what they are doing, but I believe in what they are doing. It violates our civil right."

Willis Scofflaw Contract Renewal

The Willis City Council approved the scofflaw services contract for flagging Texas Motor Vehicle registration records in June 2016, which is a five-year interlocal agreement with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to "flag" the vehicle registrations of scofflaws who do not pay for violations of the city's photographic enforcement system ordinance.

"As you know, registration hold is the only method to enforce payment of violations captured by the photographic enforcement systems," Nowak stated in a memo to the council. "Therefore, I recommend approval of the agreement."

Willis originally passed the scofflaw ordinance on Aug. 3, 2010. The DMV receives the flag and clear files once per month from the camera company, Arizona Transportation Services, with 100 to 300 flags processed per month, and 20-75 cleared per month, according to Nowak's written recommendation.

The City Council approved the DMV contract renewal in a 3-2 vote, opposed by Bill Van Alstyne and Thomas Luster.
Ocean View, Delaware, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



Fitness Equipment Market share will surpass USD 14 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc.

Rising health initiatives and programs to combat the increasing instances of weight-related diseases is a major factor driving the fitness equipment market growth. The Australian government, for instance, promotes healthy eating habits and provides free gym memberships to the general population to combat diabetes and heart related diseases. Approximately 38% of the adult population in the U.S suffers from obesity and the instances of childhood obesity is rapidly increasing. The disease can lead to an increased chance of cancer, cardiovascular illnesses, childbirth problems, and asthma.

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Rapid industrialization and urbanization, primarily in countries such as India and China, has led to an increase in pollution and the working population leading to a high-stress, sedentary lifestyle. Various gyms and health centers are providing customized programs and discount packages to their client base, further propelling the fitness equipment market size.

Adoption of advanced technologies such as wearables, software tracking apps, and connected devices is revolutionizing the fitness equipment market. The penetration of smartphones and the internet connectivity across the world has led to the advent of personal AI trainers and mobile trackers that can monitor body movement. Corporate wellness programs are anticipated to exhibit a high growth during the forecast timespan. Organizations having strong financial resources, such as Verizon, Google, and Fitbit, are constructing on-site gyms that are available 24*7 and have dedicated trainers. The Indian government, for instance, has issued orders for setting up gyms in every department to relieve the stress levels of ministers and officials.

The cardiovascular equipment market is anticipated to dominate globally with approximately 5% CAGR from 2017 to 2024. Modern cardiovascular devices are equipped with body vital trackers and software apps that can be connected to the consumers smartphones or handheld devices. Furthermore, the high emphasis on weight-loss and leaner body figure is escalating the fitness equipment market demand.

The home fitness equipment market segment is projected to experience high growth over the forecast timespan. Home gyms boost privacy, eliminate the inconvenience of commuting, and are cost effective in the long run. Furthermore, consumers are more likely to purchase cardiovascular equipment as they are durable and provide more functionality to the user.

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Rising disposable income of the middle-class population is a major factor propelling the growth of the Asia Pacific fitness equipment market. Additionally, an increasing number of organizations are identifying the benefits of providing corporate wellness programs to their employee base. Government initiatives to improve the health of the citizens is creating growth opportunities for the industry.

Players operating in the global fitness equipment market include Brunswick Corporation, Amer Sports, HOIST Fitness Systems, Nautilus, Inc., Torque Fitness, True Fitness, etc. The industry is characterized by many new entrants investing heavily in the development of this technology, primarily small strength training equipment such as free weights. The industry is moving towards consolidation, with a number of mergers and acquisitions seen in the past few years; for instance, the acquisition of LeMond by HOIST systems to expand their product offerings.

Read our Insightful Blog on Fitness Industry @ https://www.gminsights.com/blogs/smart-fitness-industry

Browse Related Reports:

Smart Clothing Market Size By Product (T-shirts, Pants, Shoes, Undergarments, Jackets, Socks), By Application (Sports & Fitness, Healthcare, Military & Defense, Industrial, Entertainment), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, France, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Brazil, Mexico), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017  2024

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/smart-clothing-market

Digital Health Market Size By Technology [Telehealthcare {Telecare (Activity Monitoring, Remote Medication Management), Telehealth (LTC Monitoring, Video Consultation)}, mHealth {Wearables (BP Monitor, Glucose Meter, Pulse Oximeter, Sleep Apnea Monitor, Neurological Monitor), Apps (Medical, Fitness)}, Digital Health System (EHR, e-prescribing System)], Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, Spain, Italy, Russia, Poland, Japan, China, India, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2024

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/digital-health-market

About Global Market Insights

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WASHINGTON - If you really want to know why the Republican majority in the House has been so strong, the answer lies in these six states: Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania - across the Rust Belt - and Virginia and Florida down South.

After the 2008 elections, those six states sent a combined 97 members to the House and Democrats held a 51-to-46 edge over Republicans among the lawmakers representing them. The disastrous 2010 showing for Democrats resulted in a net GOP gain of 21 seats in those states, 67 Republicans to 30 Democrats, and that margin has remained remarkably steady ever since. Today, after decennial reapportionment reduced those combined seats by two, there are now 64 Republicans to 31 Democrats in the House from those six states. It's a bulwark created partly by Republican control of most of those states during the 2011 redrawing of the congressional districts - and partly by the House Democrats' inability to field candidates who appeal to voters beyond the inner suburbs (see this year's battle over whether the Democratic Party should back candidates who don't support abortion rights).

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That's one of the most fascinating findings of the political gold standard, the "2018 Almanac of American Politics," set to be released in September (preorder your copy here). A must-read for political fanatics since its first edition in 1972, the latest version is sure to be in greater demand this year because of the way President Donald Trump rearranged political plate tectonics in 2016 and won the White House by upending, or accelerating, past voting patterns. Its authors - Richard Cohen, James A. Barnes, Charlie Cook, Michael Barone, along with Lou Jacobson - are among the smartest political reporters in town. In an era where armchair pundits pull their analyses off websites aggregating polling data, these writers have done the spade work in the data weeds for decades.

The opening chapters of this year's book, several of which we got a sneak peek at, read like a road map for understanding how we got to this point and provide a possible route to the pivot points of where things might change.

Cohen slices and dices the numbers to show just how much the nation "split into two political nations," one a Republican red wall stretching from the Deep South into the Mountain West; the other two areas of coastal terrain running from Maine to Virginia and from California to Washington. "The split between the two parties has become so clear-cut and overwhelming that the numbers are easy to present and describe," Cohen writes.

That Republican coalition, made up of 24 states, delivered all of its 219 electoral votes to Trump last year, sends 43 Republicans (and just five Democrats) to the Senate, and has a House delegation tilted toward the GOP by a 132-to-39 margin.

The Democratic coalition, made up of 16 states, gave all 203 of its electoral votes to Barack Obama in 2012 and 182 of them to Hillary Clinton; 30 of its 32 senators are Democrats; its House delegation tilts to Democrats by a 113-to-55 edge.

Some might quibble with the inclusion of Florida and North Carolina in the GOP stronghold, along with Pennsylvania and Virginia in the Democratic camp, but the numbers are otherwise pretty clear. The question in 2018 is whether Trump's presidency, at historic levels of unpopularity, will grow the number of swing states and put the GOP majority at risk jeopardy in states that could suddenly turn blue.

Cook analyzes 39 midterm elections since the end of the Civil War - according to him, the president's party has lost seats in the House 36 times, with average losses of 33 seats - that's nine more seats than Democrats currently need to retake the majority. BUUUUT, all midterms are not created equal. First-term midterms are traditionally kinder to the ruling party, with presidents suffering an average loss of 26 House seats represented by lawmakers from the same party, Cook writes. If that trend held true next year, Democrats would retake the House majority, but it would be with an insanely narrow margin: 220 Democrats to 215 Republicans.

Jacobson, an expert on state and county governments, highlights how different the Two Nations theory became under Trump. It's long been noted how polarized the nation's politics have become, but the Trump-Clinton race so accelerated the changes that vast swaths of the nation did actually flip party alignment last year. Every county in Iowa along the Mississippi River supported Obama in 2012, but in 2016 Trump won all but one of those counties and narrowly lost the other.

These shifting trends have left House Democrats more isolated in coastal and urban areas than at any time in party history.

Of the six states that Cohen singles out as being the foundation for the House GOP majority, all 31 Democratic seats come from big cities or very close-in suburbs. Republicans hold every exurban and rural district in this collection of states. One of Cook's smartest proteges, David Wasserman of the Cook Political Report, has tracked this development closely and also published his own account this week of how bad the congressional map has become for Democrats.

Cohen notes that the Democratic problem is deeper than just the district lines. "Only a handful of House districts in those six states have been competitive since 2012, even though many of them have been competitive in presidential elections," he writes.

Those include a trio of seats in the Philadelphia suburbs where Clinton won or was virtually tied with Trump, yet the GOP won the House seats by embarrassingly large margins. If they don't field strong enough candidates, or reconfigure their agenda to specifically appeal to these voters, Democrats might find themselves stuck in the minority again for another two years.

Cook believes the "potential for losses clearly exist" for House Republicans and could "endanger their majority," but he writes that Trump has so rewritten the rules of politics that no one can be certain of anything. For starters, Trump is so unique in voters' minds, no one can be sure that voters will associate their local Republican congressman with his presidency.

"This most unconventional of candidates has become the least conventional president in history and many of the normal rules won't apply," Cook concludes.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., say the president will sign a comprehensive revamp of the tax code into law by the end of the year. But roughly 98 percent of businesspeople aren't convinced.

Corporate skepticism of the GOP's tax ambitions comes blaring through in a survey the accounting firm Deloitte released Tuesday. Only 2.4 percent of the 3,100 business, tax and finance professionals the firm surveyed said they are very confident the party will meet its goal of overhauling the code by the end of the year; 16 percent said they are somewhat confident, while 74 percent described themselves as doubtful or not at all confident. (The survey wasn't a scientific poll; rather, the firm asked participants in a July webcast to answer several questions on their predictions for the tax debate.)

Such sentiments about President Donald Trump's signature economic priority roughly align with broader public attitudes toward the president's leadership. A pair of polls from CNN and CBS this week show Trump's overall job approval rating has sunk below 40 percent. According to the CNN survey, 73 percent say they trust "noting at all" or "just some" of what they hear in official administration communications. Only 5 percent say they trust "almost all" of it.

Similarly, 5 percent of the businesspeople Deloitte surveyed believe the Trump administration can achieve its stated goal of lowering the top corporate tax rate to 15 percent. And 70 percent think that rate is more likely to end up somewhere in the low 20s, along the lines of what House Republicans have described.

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Jon Traub, who heads Deloitte's tax practice, appears to be slightly more bullish about progress on taxes than the respondents to his firm's survey. "I'd put myself in the category of doubtful," he tells me. Traub notes the poll constructed the question narrowly, by asking only about the chances for a wholesale rewrite of the code, and one that's accomplished by the end of the year.

A former top staffer on the House Ways and Means Committee, Traub puts a greater probability on action by broadening what qualifies to include a simple rate cut, even one that only makes it to the president's desk next year. Like many others close to the debate, he predicts congressional Republicans will get something done in order to avoid heading into the midterm election with nothing to show for their majorities.

But business leaders aren't just dubious that Republicans can move their agenda. They are also showing signs they've begun to tune out the entire process.

As the Wall Street Journal's Ben Eisen reported earlier this week, just 12 percent of second-quarter earnings calls so far have mentioned the Trump administration, down from 49 percent six months ago. "A new president's agenda will often stir much discussion, and it's not surprising that it dies down over time," he writes. "But the declining mentions of Mr. Trump suggests that Washington hasn't turned out to be the key driver of the economic and business outlook that some thought it might right after the election."

And here again, business sentiment tracks with popular opinion. Americans report very different feelings about the economy than they do about the president, with 69 percent telling CBS the national economy is "very good" or "fairly good," up from 55 percent in December. If the divergence has any historical precedent, it isn't obvious. Most recently, George W. Bush's approval ratings wallowed below 40 percent in Washington Post-ABC polling just before the 2006 midterms, despite a 4.4 percent jobless rate. But the public at the time had an overall sour view of the economy, with 53 percent rating it "not so good" or "poor."

This, despite the fact that Trump has taken credit regularly for the economy and rising stock market, most often on Twitter.

There's a long way to go until the 2018 midterms. Bread-and-butter economic issues are often a driving force in how Americans vote, whether or not they give the president credit or blame for the economic situation.

But should an anti-Republican wave start building next fall, it's tough to imagine voters will be swayed by a temporary tax cut into returning the GOP to the helm of Congress.
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday defended President Trump's forceful warning to North Korea to stop threatening the United States, and dismissed concerns that Guam is in any imminent danger from Pyongyang's missiles.

"What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," Tillerson said in an interview with two pool reporters while flying from Malaysia to a scheduled refueling stop in Guam.

"I think the president just wanted to be clear to the North Korean regime that the U.S. has the unquestionable ability to defend itself, will defend itself and its allies, and I think it was important that he deliver that message to avoid any miscalculation on their part."

On Tuesday, Trump sharply ratcheted up rhetoric against North Korea, saying it would face "fire and fury" if it does not stop threatening the United States. Trump did not make clear whether he was responding to the latest bellicose remarks from North Korea or a report in The Washington Post that the North had successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead capable of fitting inside its ballistic missiles.

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Hours after Trump's comments, North Korea said it was preparing to send intermediate-range missiles near Guam, which is home to more than 160,000 U.S. citizens, including some 6,000 members of the armed forces. U.S. bombers have flown out of Guam on their way to joint exercises with South Korea and Japan over the Korean Peninsula.

Tillerson is returning home from Asia, where he continued his campaign to get more countries fully enforcing U.N. sanctions against North Korea over its ballistic missile and nuclear testing, with an ultimate aim of forcing it to the bargaining table.

During Tillerson's stop in Guam - which included brief meetings with some U.S. military personnel - Trump called attention to the might of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. In Twitter posts, Trump did not specifically mention North Korea, but the messages came as attention was focused on the confrontation with Pyongyang.

Trump asserted that U.S. nuclear power was "now far stronger and more powerful than ever" after his administration moved to "renovate and modernize" the arsenal.

"Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!" Trump wrote.

While Pyongyang has been making bombastic threats against the United States for some time, as the pace of its testing has accelerated its warnings have grown more specific and directed against the United States.

On Monday in Manila, where Tillerson was attending a regional security conference, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho issued a lengthy statement vowing that his country would never relinquish its nuclear weapons. Ri said the "nukes" would be used only against the United States, and he asserted that the entire U.S. mainland is within range of North Korean missiles.

Tillerson said Guam is in no more danger than anywhere else, adding that North Korea's threats naming the island as a target did not deter him from making a scheduled refueling stop here.

"Well, the North Korean missile capability can point at many directions," he said. "So Guam is not the only place that can be under threat. No, I never considered rerouting the trip back. And I do not believe that there is any imminent threat, in my own view."

Tillerson said North Korea's rhetoric shows that the campaign to turn Pyongyang's allies against it is working.

Russia and China, North Korea's main economic lifelines, both supported a new set of U.N. sanctions passed last weekend that could cut the country's revenue by a third. And the Association of Southeast Asian Nations approved a statement expressing "grave concern" over North Korea's actions.

Tillerson said he knew of no significant changes in the last 24 hours that could speed a move to military action. Nor does he see any reason for a change in strategy. Diplomatic and economic isolation is working, he said, even if it could take a long time to materialize.

"I think in fact the pressure is starting to show," he said. "I think that's why the rhetoric coming out of Pyongyang has gotten louder and more threatening."

Tillerson also said Americans should not worry about the increasingly angry tone displayed in recent days.

"I think what the president was just reaffirming is that the United States has the capability to fully defend itself from any attack, and our allies, and we will do so," he said. "So the American people should sleep well at night."

Key U.S. allies, meanwhile, called for a greater push to open talks with North Korea.

The spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said "a lasting peace and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula must be achieved through peaceful means."

"That excludes military action," said the spokeswoman, Catherine Ray.

In New Zealand, Prime Minister Bill English called Trump's comments "not helpful" in a standoff that was already "very tense."

---

The Washington Post's Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.

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Video: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that he doesn't "believe there is any imminent threat" from North Korea on Aug. 9, after the regime threatened to fire missiles at Guam. (The Washington Post)

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Golden Predator Mining Corp. (TSX-V:GPY) (OTCQX:NTGSF) (the Company or Golden Predator) is pleased to report assay results for 8 reverse circulation (RC) drill holes and 10 diamond core drill holes at the 3 Aces Project in southeast Yukon, Canada. The current drill program has focused on the Spades Zone to provide appropriate drill density for interpretation and modelling of the gold mineralization in the high-grade vein system. The Company also reports a new discovery of gold in quartz veining at the new Ace of Diamonds and Three of Diamonds, which were discovered through the ongoing sampling and mapping program.



Significant results include:

Hole 3A17-124: 4.57 m of 58.75 g/t gold , including 1.52 m of 121.75 g/t gold

, Hole 3A17-132: 13.30 m of 6.69* g/t gold , including 1.95 m of 25.64* g/t gold

, Hole 3A17-134: 4.6 m of 18.77* g/t gold , including 1.5 m of 36.6* g/t gold

, Hole 3A17-138: 1.5 m of 8.31* g/t gold , and 8.0 m of 50.4* g/t gold , including 1.0 m of 156.0* g/t gold

, , Hole 3A17-131: 13.75 m of 65.31 g/t gold , and 4.55 m of 46.90 g/t gold , including 0.95 m of 209 g/t gold (Grade Verification)

, , (Grade Verification) Hole 3A17-133: intersected 6.0 m of 15.98* g/t gold, including 1.5 m of 49.93* g/t gold, and 16.2 m of 20.5* g/t gold, including 5.1 m of 57.77* g/t gold (Grade Verification)

Intervals reported with an asterisk (*) are results from 50g Fire Assay. These intervals have been submitted for Metallic Screen Analysis, which are pending. Metallic Screen Analysis may report higher or lower gold values than 50g Fire Assay. To date, overall average gold values increase in reported grade when comparing Metallic Screen Analysis to 50g Fire Assay.

The drill results reported include step-out and in-fill holes at the Spades Zone, as well as, two grade verification diamond core holes. Step-out holes 3A17-137 and 3A17-138 extend mineralization along strike, intercepting quartz veining 10m apart and 17m from previous drilling. Hole 3A17-137 returned 1.5m of 68.30* g/t gold and 5.5m of 7.24* g/t gold with hole 3A17-138 returning 1.5m of 8.31* g/t gold and 8m of 50.4* g/t gold. The grade verification holes have confirmed grades in areas previously explored with reverse circulation drilling. Hole 3A17-131 intersected the best mineralized interval reported to date from the 3 Aces Project at 13.75 m of 65.31 g/t gold, and lower in the same hole another interval of 4.55 m of 46.90 g/t gold. Hole 3A17-133 intercepted a blind vein with 1.15 m of 73.2* g/t gold at a depth of 60.1m, some 25m below the nearest previously known intercept. Results continue to confirm the potential for near surface and high-grade underground targets and are part of a fully-funded 40,000m drill program, which will continue throughout 2017.

The Company has greatly increased its understanding of the structural and stratigraphic controls of the gold mineralization within the 11km2 Central Core Area. These controls and style of mineralization persist along a northwesterly trend measuring 35 km within the current 357km2 land package at 3 Aces. The similarities and repetitive nature of the structures, stratigraphy and mineralization have significant district scale implications across the property.

Geologic mapping and soil sampling are critical summer exploration programs and recently led to a visible gold discovery at the newly identified Ace of Diamonds in the Diamond Zone. The Diamonds zone features gold-bearing quartz veining occurring continuously over a strike of 1.2 km. The Company also discovered quartz breccias containing up to 3.21 g/t gold at the newly discovered Three of Diamonds. Discovery of gold in the lower stratigraphy that hosts the Diamonds Zone supports the theory that deep mineralization underlies the Spades, Hearts and Clubs Zones. Expansion into the Diamonds Zone significantly enhances the overall potential of the Central Core Area.

Complete location maps can be found on the Companys website at: http://goldenpredator.com/_resources/news/3Aces_PressReleaseMaps_20170808.pdf

Webcast / Call-In Details:

The Company has scheduled a webcast to provide an update on the 2017 exploration program and to better explain the evolving structural model. A question and answer period will follow the presentation.

Time: 11 AM EDT Date: Wednesday, August 9th,2017 Webcast link: http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/k7vp4976 Participant Toll-Free Dial-In Number: (833) 659-7621 Participant International Dial-In Number: (409) 767-9130 Conference Code: 67840800

2017 Exploration Program Update



The 2017 exploration program has provided valuable interpretations of the district scale potential and the 3 Aces orogenic gold model. Through mapping, sampling and the interpretation of over 100 drill holes within the 11 km2 Central Core Area, as well as, new exposures created through trenching and road building, the Company has refined the geological models key parameters including the persistent structural and stratigraphic controls for the length of the project (35 km).

To date, the 2017 drill program has focused exclusively on delineating and expanding the Spades Zone. Going forward, drilling will expand to 3 reverse circulation (RC) drills in August 2017 and will be focused on the down dip and strike extension targets at the Ace of Hearts, as well as, expanding to both the Clubs Zone and Diamonds Zone. The diamond core rig is expected to resume operation in September 2017.

A 10,000 sample soil geochemical program is approximately 40% complete. The intention of this work is to fill in gaps from previous sampling programs along trend, and is anticipated to facilitate selection of additional drill targets. The program has been designed to provide an initial grid testing of the favorable stratigraphic exposure along the 35km trend at 3 Aces.

The Company built approximately 11 km of exploration roads in 2016, with an additional 7 km added to date in 2017. An additional 3 km of roadwork is planned for the remainder of the year.

Significant Drill Results Table  Spades Zone

Hole ID1 Sample

Type2 From

(m) To (m) Drilled Width

(m)3 Au g/t4 3A17-121 RC 16.76 18.29 1.53 14.90 including RC 17.53 18.29 0.76 26.10 and RC 32.77 34.29 1.52 4.31 and RC 36.58 39.62 3.04 5.24 3A17-122 RC 25.15 25.91 0.76 5.08 and RC 43.43 44.96 1.53 7.34 3A17-123 RC 40.39 41.15 0.76 4.89 3A17-124 RC 6.10 10.67 4.57 58.75 including RC 6.86 8.38 1.52 121.75 and RC 31.24 32.00 0.76 3.11 3A17-129 DD 24.10 26.75 2.65 8.99 and DD 120.30 121.35 1.05 6.57 3A17-130 DD 49.40 52.20 2.80 4.54 3A17-132 DD 20.00 33.30 13.30 6.69* including DD 20.85 23.30 2.45 8.22* including DD 27.05 29.00 1.95 25.64* 3A17-134 DD 4.40 9.00 4.60 18.77* including DD 7.50 9.00 1.50 36.60* 3A17-135 DD 5.50 9.20 3.70 6.24* and DD 20.50 22.00 1.50 31.80* 3A17-137 DD 7.50 9.00 1.50 68.30* and DD 11.00 16.50 5.50 7.24* 3A17-138 DD 2.00 3.50 1.50 8.31* and DD 7.50 15.50 8.00 50.40* including DD 8.50 9.50 1.00 156.00* 3A17-140 DD 38.00 38.65 0.65 8.29* 3A17-141 RC 5.33 7.62 2.29 11.11* 3A17-142 RC 6.10 6.86 0.76 8.89* 3A17-131 DD-GV 25.75 39.50 13.75 65.31 including DD-GV 25.75 31.30 5.55 92.98 including DD-GV 32.00 34.50 2.50 121.64 including DD-GV 36.00 38.40 2.40 24.79 and DD-GV 42.25 46.80 4.55 46.90 including DD-GV 45.85 46.80 0.95 209.00 3A17-133 DD-GV 12.50 18.50 6.00 15.98* including DD-GV 14.00 15.50 1.50 49.93* and DD-GV 23.80 40.00 16.20 20.50* including DD-GV 23.80 28.90 5.10 57.77* including DD-GV 34.10 34.60 0.50 15.50* and DD-GV 57.50 65.00 7.50 13.92* including DD-GV 60.10 61.25 1.15 73.20*

1Drilled intervals assaying 3.0 g/t gold are reported in table as significant results;

No Significant results were returned in RC holes 3A17-136 or 3A17-139

3A17-121s significant results from 36.58m to 39.62m include 0.76m of 1.72 g/t Au at 38.10m

3A17-130s significant results from 49.40m to 52.20m include 1.50m of 2.94 g/t Au at 49.40m

3A17-131s significant results from 25.75m to 39.50m include 0.70m of 0.51* g/t Au at 31.30m, and significant results from 42.25m to 46.80m include 2.35m of 0.75* g/t Au at 43.50m

3A17-132s significant results from 20.00m to 33.30m include 3.75m of 0.97* g/t Au at 23.30m and 2.9m of 0.83* g/t Au at 29.00m

3A17-133s significant results from 23.80m to 40.00m include 3 intervals totaling 6.35m averaging 1.80* g/t Au between 28.90m and 37.55m, and significant results from 57.50m to 65.00m include 3 intervals totaling 3.50m averaging 1.52* g/t Au between 59.00m and 65.00m

2Sample Type 'RC' is 5.5" (139.7mm) reverse circulation cuttings (whole samples for holes 3A17-121 to 3A17-124, 50% rotary field-split samples for holes 3A17-141 and 3A17-142), and Sample Type DD and DD-GV represent  sawn, or  sawn for duplicate, 3.35 (85mm) PQ core.

3All intervals are reported as drilled thicknesses; true thicknesses are estimated to be 50-100% of drilled thicknesses

4Reported Au assay grade sourced from ALS using Au-SCR24B method (* indicates finalized Au-AA26 results are used)

Sampling Methodology, Quality Control and Assurance

All analyses for the drill samples from the program were performed by ALS with sample preparation in Whitehorse, YT, Terrace, BC, Kamloops, BC or North Vancouver, BC and assaying in North Vancouver, BC. Drill samples were analyzed using a 50 g fire assay with atomic absorption (AA) finish. If the procedure returned a value of 2.0 g/t gold or greater it is re-run using a 2kg screen metallic gold method (Au-SCR24). Refer to the Companys news release dated July 10th, 2017 for a complete discussion of sampling methods, quality control and assurance.

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mark C. Shutty, CPG, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and an employee of the Company.

Golden Predator Mining Corp.

Golden Predator Mining Corp. is a well-financed gold exploration company focused on its 3 Aces Project in Canadas Yukon. The 357 km2 land package includes at least 6 mineralized areas, all located within and along favorable stratigraphic and structural zones that extend over 35km along trend. The 2017 40,000m drill program is focused on the year-round road and bridge accessible Central Core Area, host to numerous high-grade gold in quartz veins. The Company also holds the Brewery Creek Project in the Yukon. The Companys Projects are in a favorable, low-risk jurisdiction, and with proven management and an experienced technical team, the Company is well positioned for stable growth.

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. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. This press release contains forward-looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information can include without limitation statements based on current expectations that the private placement will complete as described herein, that the Project will advance through permitting and feasibility. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.
City Council on Wednesday delayed placing Houston's $495 million bond package on November's ballot, pushing their vote until next week.

Councilmen Michael Kubosh, Steve Le and Greg Travis tagged the ordinance ordering the fall election without discussion, but Kubosh and Le later said they did so to allow for additional public input.

"We do want to give the public a week for any kind of input," Le said.

The proposition would ask voters to authorize the city to issue $159 million in public safety bonds, $104 million for parks, $109 million for general government improvements and $123 million for libraries. In a break from tradition, the bond package does not include money for affordable housing.

City Council did, however, vote to place measures to loosen the Heights' alcohol rules and issue $1 billion in pension obligation bonds on the fall ballot.
The body of a 49-year-old man was discovered when two men went fishing at Salado Creek on the East Side.

The fishermen found the body about 8:35 a.m. Sunday beneath an overpass in the 3400 block of East Commerce Street, according to preliminary information from a San Antonio Police Department report.
NEW YORK, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE American:ATNM) ("Actinium" or "the Company"), a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative targeted therapies for cancers lacking effective treatment options announced today that the Company will participate in the Oppenheimer Boston Oncology Insight Summit at the Four Seasons Hotel Boston on August 16-17, 2017. The two day event will feature 10-12 oncology focused companies and will consist of 1-on-1 meetings with institutional investors followed by a series of discussions with primary investigators at Dana-Farber in Boston, MA about translational cancer research in hematology-oncology and solid tumors, followed by a tour. The main speaker will be William C. Hahn, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Research Strategy Officer Chief, Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.



Members of Actiniums executive team will participate in the event. To learn more about the event please visit the following link: https://www.opco.com/conferences/boston17/index.aspx.

About Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative targeted therapies for patients with cancers lacking effective treatment options. Actinium's proprietary platform utilizes monoclonal antibodies to deliver radioisotopes directly to cells of interest in order to kill those cells safely and effectively. The Company's lead product candidate Iomab-B is designed to be used, upon approval, in preparing patients for a hematopoietic stem cell transplant, commonly referred to as bone marrow transplant (BMT). BMT is often the only potential cure for patients with blood-borne cancers but current standard preparation for a transplant requires chemotherapy and/or total body irradiation that result in significant toxicities. Iomab-B aims to enable a faster and less toxic preparation of patients seeking BMT, potentially leading to increased transplant success and survival rates. The Company is currently conducting a single pivotal 150-patient, multicenter Phase 3 clinical study of Iomab-B in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) age 55 and older. The Company's second product candidate, Actimab-A, is currently in a multicenter open-label, 53-patient Phase 2 trial for patients newly diagnosed with AML age 60 and over. Actimab-A is being developed to induce remissions in elderly patients with AML who lack effective treatment options and often cannot tolerate the toxicities of standard frontline therapies. In addition, Actinium is developing Actimab-M, which is being studied in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in a Phase 1 clinical trial. Actinium is also utilizing its alpha-particle technology platform to generate new drug candidates based on antibodies linked to the element Actinium-225 that are directed at various cancers that are blood-borne or form solid tumors. More information available at www.actiniumpharma.com and Twitter feed @ActiniumPharma, www.twitter.com/actiniumpharma.

Forward-Looking Statements for Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding product development, product potential, or financial performance. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Actinium Pharmaceuticals undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
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UVALDE - Jack D. Youngs attorney wants to see what evidence the state has compiled on the March 29 crash that killed 13 church members before Young, accused of causing it, decides how hell plead to numerous felony indictments.

The only survivors of the head-on collision on U.S. 83 were Young, who authorities say admitted consuming prescription pills and texting while driving, and one passenger on the small bus carrying congregants of the First Baptist Church New Braunfels home from a retreat.

The 20 year-old defendant from Leakey faces 13 two-count indictments charging him with intoxication manslaughter and manslaughter, and one two-count indictment accusing him of intoxication assault and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

His lawyer, Rogelio F. Munoz, revealed that no decision on the pending pleas has been made after the cancellation of a hearing Wednesday on a defense motion to reduce the bond set for Young. He has been held under $380,000 bail at the Uvalde County Jail since he surrendered June 28.

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Munoz said the hearing on the motion was postponed until Aug. 24, the same date set for Youngs arraignment, to give the defense time to undertake discovery of the investigative records compiled by the Department of Public Safety and prosecutors.

Weve got to wait until we have discovery before we proceed with the hearing, said Munoz, who added he hopes state District Judge Camile DuBose reduces Youngs bond to a reasonable amount, but did not cite a figure.

District Attorney Daniel Kindred said the hearing was postponed at Munozs request.

Were opposed to the bond reduction, Kindred said.

If Young does post bond, DuBose has set numerous conditions hed have to meet.

Besides submitting to weekly urine testing, hed have to wear a GPS device to monitor his movements, adhere to a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew and equip his vehicle with a device that prevents its operation by an intoxicated driver.

Young was not in the courtroom at the Uvalde County Justice Center on Wednesday. His father, Ben Young of Leakey, was there but declined comment.

Likewise, four relatives of people killed in the incident wouldnt speak about the case as they waited in the courtroom for the hearing while lawyers for dozens of defendants in other cases conferred with Assistant District Attorney Christina Busbee.

One family member of a bus passenger killed in the wreck expressed mixed feelings about the case when reached by phone last month.

It just breaks our heart that this young man is having to go through this. Were very torn, said the woman from San Antonio who asked that her name not be published. If there comes a time when it comes to court where we can address him, thats when well speak, in our victim impact statement.

Its still hard to get over, she said.

zeke@express-news.net
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AUSTIN  After saying the Texas Legislature could simply pass a bill a day to get his ambitious 20-item agenda completed within the 30-day special session, Gov. Greg Abbott saw Day 22 pass Tuesday without a single bill reaching his desk.

The House and Senate again aired their sharp differences over school finance; there appears no prospect of a vote by the House on school vouchers, an idea the chamber has rejected in the past; and House State Affairs Committee Chairman Byron Cook said hes unlikely to even have a hearing on a bill to restrict the public restrooms that transgender people can use.

Nevertheless, Abbotts staff holds out hope.

We remain optimistic about the governors special session agenda, said Abbott spokesman John Wittman. We think all the items on the agenda deserve an up-or-down vote.

There has been progress on some items, including must-pass sunset legislation to keep open several state agencies, extension of a commission on maternal mortality, and new abortion restrictions.

The abortion bills include a proposal that would require people to buy supplemental coverage if they want their health insurance to include elective abortions. That bill has passed the Senate and was given an initial House approval Tuesday, after lengthy debate.

In addition, a high-profile proposal to revamp local property taxes is within striking distance of a vote by the full House. The proposal, which would require an automatic rollback election if cities and counties raise taxes above a certain level, has passed the Senate and a House committee in different forms.

The tax measure has yet to be scheduled for a vote by the full House, but even some who have fought the measure say indications are that rollback legislation will be approved there. House and Senate differences then would have to be negotiated.

No legislation has yet made it to the governors desk. No bill with the same number, containing identical language, has passed both chambers in the special session. Thats what it takes for a measure to go to Abbott for consideration and become law before the session ends Aug. 16.

The situation Abbott and lawmakers find themselves in was predicted, since many items on the special sessions agenda are high-profile and contentious.

But Abbott could be breezy about the matter before the session began, pointing out that a number of the issues had been approved by the Senate in the regular session and that he had been assured by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over that chamber, that senators would pass them again. He said it was a matter of getting them to the House floor for a vote.

All we need for them to do is to vote out one bill a day, Abbott said in an interview with Lubbock radio station KFYO before the start of the session, which can last no longer than 30 days. If they dont get it done, its because theyre lazy, its because they have the lack of will, the lack of desire to get this done, and the taxpayers of the state of Texas are not going to tolerate it.

As Patrick promised, the Senate quickly passed most of Abbotts agenda items. But as House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, promised, his chamber is taking its own course. Abbott can call additional special sessions if he chooses.

I think we can work through a lot of these things. Where we end up, I couldnt tell you at this point, but theres a lot of things still in play, said Senate Education Committee Chairman Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood.

Taylor, along with other members of the Senate Republican Caucus, had a news conference Tuesday slamming a $1.8 billion school finance reform measure approved by the House as a political fix

We have a broken system that is well past applying another Band-Aid, said Taylor, touting instead a proposed school finance commission that he said would take a much-needed in-depth look at the system.

But House Public Education Committee Chairman Dan Huberty, R-Houston, flatly said the commission is a no-go unless the Senate approves his chambers school finance measure, House Bill 21.

We know that House Bill 21 does not fix the entire problem. But we also know that you have to take a step, Huberty said. We are not going to just pass a commission bill unless House Bill 21 passes.

Rep. Diego Bernal, a San Antonio Democrat who is Public Education vice chair, and Huberty said the school finance issue already has been studied  a point that Straus also has made.

Theres really no mystery what we need to do, Bernal said. We know where the holes are. We know where the deficiencies are.

Hubertys bill is scheduled for a hearing in Taylors committee on Friday.

The so-called bathroom bill, meanwhile, has passed the Senate. But its unlikely to get a hearing in the House State Affairs Committee, said Cook, a Corsicana Republican who heads the panel.

Cook had previously said he would have a hearing on the bill even while expressing the opinion that it would be harmful to the state, pointing to opposition from businesses and law enforcement.

Top executives have continued to voice concerns that the bill would lead to economic boycotts if it becomes law, saying the legislative discussion already has cost the state business. Straus has long opposed the measure.

Faith leaders who oppose the bathroom bill also have come to the Capitol to show that pastors who support it arent speaking for all religions on the matter.

On Tuesday, women who are business executives with entities including Dell and Celanese Corp. and faith leaders joined in a Capitol event to protest the bathroom bill, decrying the daughters over dollars slogan used by supporters of the bill.

The bills backers say the measure is necessary to protect the privacy and safety of women and children, but those at the event  including mothers and grandmothers  said that focus is off target.

These bills have nothing to do with protecting my daughter or myself, because there are already laws that keep us safe, said Casandra Matej, president and chief executive officer of Visit San Antonio. But what I am worried about is the very real impact these bills will have on my business, the people I employ, and my industry.

We arent putting dollars over daughters, she said. These bills are putting fear mongering over common sense.

Hareem Ahmad, a member of the Nueces Mosque in Austin who is with the interfaith social justice network Texas Impact, said, As faith leaders and as women, all of us here agree, there is no place for hate in the Lone Star State.

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac
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A former Judson High School teacher who was arrested in 2016 on suspicion of hosting sex parties for teenage boys and encouraging them to perform sex acts on each other has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Jared Anderson was 28 when two victims contacted authorities and told them that for several months Anderson had been hosting parties at his home for numerous boys and that they played games that involved sexual activity, police said.

Anderson taught English for about a year at the school. Officials had to recall yearbooks to remove a page that honored him as Teacher of the Year just two months after his arrest in March 2016. He was indicted on multiple counts of sexual performance by a child, and subsequently placed on administrative leave from the district until he later was terminated.

Sgt. Jesse Salame, a San Antonio police spokesman, told the Express-News last year that one of the incidents was a bros night at Anderson's home on Feb. 12, 2016, with seven boys ranging in age from 15 to 17. A sign greeted them at the door that read, The last one to get naked has to get the first dare.

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Salame said another incident involved Anderson and a 17-year-old sending pictures of their genitals to each other.

Anderson pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual performance by a child and two counts of indecency with a child by exposure as part of a plea agreement about a month ago, his attorney Eduardo J. Garcia said Tuesday.

State District Judge Steven C. Hilbig ordered a pre-sentencing investigation hearing for Monday, and Garcia asked the judge to consider Andersons application for probation, but the judge did not.

Anderson, 29, had faced up to 20 years in prison. He was sentenced to 10 years as part of the plea agreement, and fined $9,000 $1,500 on each of the six counts, according to court records.

This report contains material from Express-News archives.

ezavala@express-news.net

Twitter: @elizabeth2863
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On the day Kenne McFadden would have turned 27, her family was still grieving her death, but they also wanted to celebrate her life.

They gathered with friends and members of San Antonios transgender community on the River Walk on Tuesday evening, almost four months after her body was found floating there, for a candlelit vigil memorializing McFadden.

The transgender womans death has been ruled a homicide by drowning. The Bexar County district attorneys office is reviewing a police investigation an acquaintance of McFaddens who has not been charged in connection with the killing but is in jail on other charges.

The review of this case will be completed as quickly as possible, Jennifer Saucedo Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the DAs office, said in an email.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg tweeted Thursday evening, Rest In Peace, Kenne. Your memory will continue to remind us that compassion for all is how we will build a stronger city and a safer world.

As dusk began to fall, members of McFaddens family and transgender advocates boarded a barge docked near Houston Street. Advocates lit white candles ringed with rainbow drip guards and held aloft electric candles.

During the barges journey, the Rev. William Knight, a provisional pastor at Metropolitan Community Church San Antonio, talked about how for some time the citys transgender community hadnt even known theyd lost one of their own because McFadden had been misgendered in initial reports. He spoke of the fact that McFadden was the 12th transgender person nationwide who had been killed this year.

We hurt together, so were called to gather together, Knight said. Nows the time to embrace all of our sisters and brothers whose lives are vilified, objectified and marginalized.

The driver navigated the barge down the river to the spot where McFaddens body was discovered. There, McFaddens mother, Joann McFadden, stood up. She said she wanted to sing a song at the spot where my baby was found, she said.

I decided that I cried my last tears yesterday, she sang.

She also said she no longer had to worry about cruel people, vicious people hurting her child.

Afterward, the group gathered at Hermann Sons Ballroom to celebrate Kenne McFaddens 27th birthday.

In the months since McFadden was killed, Joann McFadden has struggled to understand why someone would harm Kenne, who was living with her prior to her death.

I just want justice for my baby, she said. I just want justice.

McFadden said she wanted to bring together members of San Antonios trans community, a network with resources that Kenne had not been aware of before she died.

Tuesdays memorial was planned with the help of PolitiQueers, the San Antonio Gender Association and Pride Center San Antonio.

Its encouraging to see a show of support and a show of unity within the San Antonio community for the transgender folks who live there, said Emmett Schelling, president of SAGA. Community that is rallied together and standing together. Its going to be a better, safer, more inclusive place for everybody.

McFadden was the 12th transgender woman killed in the U.S. this year, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Since then, four other transgender women have been killed, according to media reports gathered by the group. Most of the victims have been transgender women of color.

Last year, the organization tracked the deaths of 22 transgender people.

Now, more than ever, whether the trans community wanted to be pushed into the public spotlight this much or not, were going to do everything that we can to turn it into a positive thing and advancing transgender equality and awareness, Schelling said.

lcaruba@express-news.net
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Like most stories, this one starts with a dark and stormy night. That was when Scamper lived up to his name and escaped his Olmos Park home.

But the 11-year-old Terrier mix hasn't gotten his happy ending yet.

So his family is trying an unusual, last-ditch move to bring Scamper home.

Two months ago, on June 4, Scamper, spooked by a recent thunderstorm, slipped out through the back gate of the Johnson family's house on the North Side. A police officer was stationed outside while the family was on a 10-day vacation in the Galapagos Islands and noticed the rescue dog dart off, said Laura Johnson, in an interview with mySA.com.

"(Scamper's) just absolutely apoplectic in a storm and that's what made him run," she said.

After realizing the dog was gone, the family's housekeeper jumped into action and began hanging up signs and asking local businesses if anyone had seen the animal. A laundromat owner on McCoullough Avenue told the housekeeper a woman had taken a dog that looked like Scamper to a veterinary clinic.

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But that was the last bit of information the Johnsons received.

RELATED: 10-plus tips to keep your dog Spot swimming safely

So, in an act of desperation, the family took out two billboards  one at the intersection of East Ashby Place and McCollough Avenue and another near Los Barrios Mexican Restaurant on Blanco Road.

Johnson said she hopes the billboards, coupled with a $1,000 reward, bring Scamper home.

At $800 each, the billboards have been up since July 15, said Norma Martinez, Johnson's secretary.

"We're pretty desperate and that's (the billboards) the only thing we can think of that would grab attention," Martinez said.

RELATED: 9 San Antonio pet boutiques and bakeries that help you spoil your dog

The family first fostered Scamper 11 years ago and later adopted him after Johnson's 15-year-old son Jamie, who was 4 at the time, could not bear to part with him.

"He said, 'Mom, I'd just like to keep this one,'" Johnson, who runs a toy soldier business and considers herself "semi-retired," said. "He absolutely adored this little animal."

Now, the family is trying to get Scamper back before Jamie heads to boarding school in Tennessee this week. Those with information on the dog can call 210-323-6926.

"We need to know we've done absolutely everything, because (Scamper's) a family member," Johnson said. "We just lost track of him."

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
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AUSTIN  A proposal to require automatic rollback elections if cities or counties raise local property tax rates above a certain level will be considered by the Texas House on Saturday under action by the House Calendars Committee.

The committee voted Wednesday to put the bill on the House calendar.

It also voted to prevent any amendments from being offered to the bill when its debated. The ban on amendments will require a vote by the full House to be maintained.

The property tax measure, a top priority for Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, didnt get a House vote in the regular session that ended May 29. Abbott then put it on the agenda of the special session, which he controls.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, said during the regular session that there wasnt enough support in the chamber to pass automatic rollbacks. Bonnen since has said that House backing is growing for the proposal.

Today's passed bills

The automatic rollback proposal has been vehemently opposed by local officials, including San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who say it would hamper their ability to provide key services, including police and firefighting services.

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Law enforcement and local officials have come to the Texas Capitol to oppose the legislation. They came again Wednesday, when Live Oak Mayor Mary Dennis said smaller cities are against it even though theyd be exempt from the current legislation.

Theyre going after big cities this time. Theyll go after us next time, Dennis, Texas Municipal League president, told the San Antonio Express-News.

Under current law, people can petition for a rollback election if cities, counties and special districts raise property tax revenues more than 8 percent.

Senate Bill 1, as approved by senators, would lower the threshold to 4 percent and make the rollback election automatic if revenue is collected over that amount. Bonnens committee approved a 6 percent threshold, also making elections automatic if revenue increases are higher. Both measures contain exemptions, although their details differ.

If approved by the House, the bill would go to the Senate for consideration of changes. The Senate could ask for a committee to negotiate differences.

Rep. Byron Cook, a Corsicana Republican who serves on the Calendars Committee, said the no-amendments rule was approved by the panel to keep the bill clean.

I dont think it would have happened otherwise, Cook said of the committee vote to schedule the bill for debate.

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac
HOUSTON  More than 1,000 heat-sensitive inmates will begin transferring before dawn Wednesday to air-conditioned facilities across the state following a federal judges order to shield them from dangerously hot conditions at the Wallace Pack Unit northwest of Houston.

Air-conditioned buses will shuttle the inmates starting about 4 a.m. from the Navasota facility to 11 other prisons with air conditioning. All transfers must be completed within three weeks, U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison ruled Tuesday.

Lawyers for the inmates urged Ellison to expedite the transfers given the extreme weather conditions, but the judge said the Texas Department of Criminal Justice deserved some leeway in bringing about the complex resettlement operation.

This is a massive move of humanity were talking about, Ellison said Tuesday in Houston federal court.

Inside the minimum-security Pack facility  which houses more than 1,400 inmates, many of whom are elderly, are mobility impaired or have health problems  inmates were abuzz late Tuesday about the impending transfers, said Shanda Carter, whose 39-year-old husband is at the facility.

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Many had not been told whether they were staying or going, but they all had been told to pack their things and move to the air-conditioned gymnasium, she said.

Inmates displaced by the transfers will move to state prisons that are not air-conditioned, officials said. But the transfers are temporary  the state plans to return the Pack inmates to the Navasota site once the hot weather subsides.

The courts assumption that there are significant safety, security and health issues is a good one, said Craig Warner, one of the lawyers representing TDCJ. Its not a process that can be accomplished in a couple days, but it can start immediately and it will start immediately ... The court has determined that all of those people have vulnerabilities that have to be addressed.

A group of Pack inmates filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in 2014, accusing the state of violating their constitutional rights against cruel and unusual punishment and the Americans with Disabilities Act after a series of heat-related deaths at prison facilities across the state.

In July, Ellison issued a temporary injunction ordering the state find cooler living quarters for hundreds of inmates at the Pack Unit who take medication or have health conditions such as hypertension and diabetes that make them vulnerable to heat.

The judge found the state impeded remedies and showed deliberate indifference to the dangers inmates faced.

The suit has drawn national attention and is being closely watched by prison advocates. More than 30,000 inmates in Texas have been designated as sensitive to extreme temperature because of age, health conditions or medicines they take, according to state documents obtained by the Houston Chronicle through the state open records law. Some of the inmates are already at air-conditioned facilities, officials said.

In federal court Tuesday, TDCJ officials outlined for Ellison their plans for the transfers and adjustments to the heat wave policy. Officials agreed to continue talks with the inmates lawyers to fine-tune their plan to address weather emergencies, including awareness training for inmates and improved 24-hour access to respite areas during heat waves.

Jeff Edwards, an attorney for the inmates, said the struggle is just beginning against TDCJ policies.

This case is not over and our case does not only concern the most vulnerable in TDCJ; it also concerns everyone in TDCJ because at some point its our hope that the agency will join the 21st century, he said. Its not only the inmates who are at risk. The officers are at significant risk.

Warner, the TDCJ attorney, said officials had been working around the clock to prepare for the transfers to prisons and jails around the state.

As of Tuesday, the plan called for transferring 562 inmates to the Travis State Jail in Austin, 291 to the Diboll Correctional Center near Lufkin and 122 to the Mark W. Stiles Unit in Beaumont, which can accommodate CPAP machines and other specialized medical devices.

Seven inmates who will be moved to Rufus H. Duncan Geriatric Facility and one inmate will be moved to the Estelle Unit for cancer treatment, officials said.

Arrangements have also been made for a few dozen inmates in wheelchairs to be taken to facilities that can accommodate their needs, including 23 who will be moved to the Holliday Transfer Facility in Huntsville, 10 to Richard P. LeBlanc Unit in Beaumont, eight to the UTMB Hospital in Galveston, six to the John Montford Unit in Lubbock, four to the French Robertson Unit in Abilene and three to William P. Clements Unit in Amarillo.

To make room for the Pack inmates, the state will transfer hundreds of inmates out of the air-conditioned facilities to the Connally Unit near Victoria, Dalhart Unit north of Amarillo and the Smith Unit south of Lubbock, according to court documents.

The judge gave the attorneys 10 days to work out the details of the respite, training and heat wave program.

TDCJ stated in court filings that 23 inmates have died from heat stroke since 1998, although Ellison noted in his July ruling that heat deaths are often underreported.

The Pack inmates lawsuit is among 10 federal complaints filed in Ellisons court by attorneys from Edwards Law in Austin and the Texas Civil Rights Project. Eight families of inmates who died of heatstroke are pursuing wrongful death suits, and another inmate who survived a heat stroke has also sued TDCJ.

Statewide, 17 lawsuits have been filed against TDCJ officials in various federal jurisdictions regarding heat conditions, according to documents provided by TDCJ. The family of a 36-year-old inmate, who died after an asthma attack during a heat wave, sued in Houston last week.
AUSTIN  Municipal officials heaped praise Tuesday on a bill that would create a zoning board to regulate development for five miles around military installations, saying it could help prevent potential base closures.

The military is not anti-development, they want compatible land use, said San Antonios director of military affairs Juan Ayala, one of about half a dozen municipal officials to testimony before the House Defense & Veterans' Affairs Committee. This bill will in fact protect military installations.

Its not clear, however, whether the measure can get through the special session, which is set to conclude Aug. 16.

The issue is not among the 20 items Republican Gov. Greg Abbott prioritized for the session. Rep. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, filed HB 362 in response to a bill Abbott is pushing to overhaul state annexation laws.

Municipal officials fear the measure, which would let homeowners veto annexation, could hurt cities ability to control development around military bases and put them at risk for closure.

Right now, cities dont need residents approval to pull unincorporated land into their boundaries through annexation. Municipalities have used the tool to manage land use around military bases.

The zoning board Gutierrez is proposing would take on that duty and have power to regulate building height, population density and other factors that can negatively affect the training mission of a military base, he said.

We cannot forget the bigger picture, the military component. Its part of the economy and we need to protect that, Gutierrez said.

During 40 minutes of almost entirely positive testimony from city officials, the only major concerns came from the Texas Association of Builders.

It grows county land use authority a great amount, said Ned Munoz, who added he would rather see a bill tweak county and city land use rules that already exist.

U.S. Army attorney James V. Cannizzo said those government entities dont have nearly enough authority to effectively manage land use around such military bases. In their extraterritorial jurisdiction, known as ETJ, cities can only enforce local tree ordinances, Cannizzo told the committee. Counties have power over septic tanks and lighting around a military installation, he said.

If annexation reform passes and it becomes very hard for cities to make these areas within city limits, theres a vacuum. Theres no regulatory authority, he said.

City officials said they are pleased with the proposed make-up of the military zoning board, which includes representatives appointed by the city and county and residents who live in the regulated area: one who owns more than 500 acres and one who owns less. A person could petition the military zoning board for an exemption from a regulation, under the bill.

Concerns about military encroachment have dialed up recently amid talk in Washington D.C. that a round of base realignment and closures, known as BRAC, could be on the horizon. San Antonio lost Kelly AFB to BRAC.

The committee will likely vote on the bill later in the week.

A House committee recently strengthened military base protections within the annexation reform bill. While the version under consideration in the lower chamber includes a 5-mile military buffer, in line with a Joint Land Use Study of San Antonio bases, the Senate has favored a smaller, quarter-mile buffer zone. Gutierrez said the bigger buffer is a step in the right direction and anything less than 5 miles is arbitrary.

AMorris@express-news.net
A 69-year-old man was found decomposing in his San Antonio home late last month, and police are now searching for suspects in the man's killing.

The body of Donald "Duck" Darden was first discovered on July 20 when a woman went to his home after he hadn't answered his phone for several days.
FORM 8.3

PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY

A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE

Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code")

1. KEY INFORMATION

(a) Full name of discloser: P. Schoenfeld Asset Management LLP (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):

The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named. (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:

Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree Elis SA (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken:

For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure 08 Aug 2017 (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?

If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state "N/A" Yes, Berendsen Plc





2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

(a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

Class of relevant security:



EUR 10.00 ordinary



Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: (2) Cash-settled derivatives:



666,981 0.48 (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:



TOTAL: 666,981 0.48

All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

(b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other employee options)

Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists: Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:

3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

(a) Purchases and sales

Class of relevant security Purchase/sale



Number of securities Price per unit





(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. CFD Nature of dealing

e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit EUR10.00 ordinary Equity Swap



Decreasing a short position 45,690 GBP 18.7294





(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type

e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit

(ii) Exercise

Class of relevant security Product description

e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit





(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant security Nature of dealing

e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable)





4. OTHER INFORMATION

(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:

Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none"



None





(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:

(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or

(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:

If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none"



None





(c) Attachments

Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? No





Date of disclosure: 09 Aug 2017 Contact name: Alan Chan Telephone number: +1 212-649-9500

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service and must also be emailed to the Takeover Panel at monitoring@disclosure.org.uk. The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.
San Antonio police arrested a man accused of attacking his grandmother over synthetic marijuana.

On July 30, a 65-year-old woman called police and told them her grandson, David Lee Trevino, 24, had assaulted her at her home in the 900 block of Glamis Avenue.

RELATED: Minors stole SUV, golf carts, iPads from Hays County schools, police say

When officers arrived, the woman reportedly told them that she confronted Trevino over his addiction to synthetic marijuana.

She said Trevino became agitated since he hadn't used the drug that day and began to break items in the home, police said.

When she tried stopping him, Trevino pushed her to the ground, according to the arrest affidavit. The woman injured her elbow in the fall and was taken to Southwest General Hospital to get checked out.

Trevino was arrested on a $13,500 bond, according to jail records. He is charged with injury to the elderly, a third-degree felony.

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Houston City Council planned to adjourn mid-meeting Wednesday so members could attend the funeral of former Texas Gov. Mark White.

As it turned out, the council completed its full agenda in a mere 25 minutes, leaving members ample time to reach Second Baptist Church for the the 11 a.m. memorial service.
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Enrique Guerrero took great pride in being a dedicated patriot, family man and aircraft mechanic.

Less than a month ago, he celebrated his birthday while surrounded by family, recalled his daughter Evangelina Flores. Another daughter, his youngest, asked him, How do you feel about turning 101?

He replied, Ive had a great life; every day when I get up, I always think about the future. I always look forward, I never look back. I remember my life, but I dont dwell in the past. The best part aside from having all of you is that I was able to share it with your mother. I couldnt ask for anything more.

On Aug. 3, Guerrero died of natural causes.

He grew up in San Marcos until his late teens when his family moved to Laredo.

At the age of 25, Guerrero decided to defend his country and joined the military, becoming a tank commander with the 1st Armored Division during WWII. Serving in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, he earned several medals, including the Purple Heart award, and the EAME with six Bronze Stars.

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Before going to WWII, Guerrero met a woman he would adore and love for the rest of his life, Elena Diaz Guerrero.

After returning from the war, Guerrero and his wife moved their family to San Antonio, buying a house on West Commerce Street. Guerrero began a career as an aircraft mechanic at what was then Kelly AFB.

More Information Enrique Guerrero Born: July 15, 1916, San Marcos Died: Aug. 3, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Severa and Jose M. Guererro; brother Juan Guerrero Survived by: Wife Elena Diaz Guerrero; daughters Haidy Busekrus and husband Jack, Evangelina Flores and life partner David Reta, Sylvia DeHoyos and ex-husband David, and Zandra McCool and husband Rich; son Enrique Guerrero Jr. and wife Carmella; 10 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren Services: The Funeral Mass will be at 2 p.m. on Thursday at St. Luke Catholic Church, 4603 Manitou Drive See More Collapse

During the years he worked at Kelly, he volunteered for two tours of duty as a civilian in Vietnam and one to Iran. He was very proud that he had been able to go and retrofit and fix the cargo planes for our troops, Flores said.

He also was very proud that he was able to send all five of his children to Catholic school  from elementary to high school. He felt whatever sacrifice had to be made or adjustment in his finances, it was something he wanted to give his children, Flores said. He was extremely proud when all five of his children went on to college.

Guerrero would take his family on yearly trips, Flores said. My father loved to drive, so we would take car trips.

Flores recalls her family packing into their 48 Plymouth with their luggage strapped on top, often taking scenic routes to cities in Mexico such as San Luis Potosi, Monterrey and Mexico City.

Flores said her fathers relationship with his eight great-grandchildren was of great significance to them, bringing history to life and teaching them the character and strength of his age and generation.

NBautista@express-news.net
Connecticut families and businesses need to understand the state union agreement the legislature has just approved and what it means for them. While one union leader called it the best and longest public-sector pension and health care contract in the country, its far-reaching budgetary consequences will likely not draw such enthusiasm from Connecticut taxpayers.

The governor, to his credit, negotiated the agreement with state employee union leaders in an effort to achieve savings in the face of the looming $5.1 billion deficit and the states perennial budget crisis. Although the deal, estimated to save about $1.5 billion in 2018-19, takes steps toward labor cost reforms that my colleagues and I have long advocated, it doesnt go far enough in making the structural changes necessary to eliminate Connecticuts massive unfunded liabilities and persistent deficits. And it includes significant, long-term concessions by the state and the taxpayers who fund it.

Yes, thats right. Its not just union members who make concessions in a contract like this.

Among the union concessions: a two-year wage freeze, increased contributions to pensions and health care plans, and three furlough days, and for new hires, introduction of a hybrid defined benefit/defined contribution pension plan. The taxpayer concessions: no layoffs for four years until July 2021; a one-time bonus payment in 2020 for each employee; guaranteed 3.5 percent raises and step increases in both 2021 and 2022; and an extension of the current pension and health care benefits contract from 2022 until 2027, locking in for 10 years benefits that are still among the most, if not the most, expensive in the country.

What do these benefits include? A defined-benefit pension plan, something most private sector employees have not seen in decades. Inclusion of overtime in annual salary for calculating pensions. Longevity bonuses. Employee contributions to pension plans that have until now ranged from 0 percent to 2 percent, and will still be well below those required for Connecticut teachers and municipal workers. Health insurance contributions and co-pays lower even than those paid by federal employees. Higher education tuition for family members. Paid time on the clock for union officials to spend doing union work.

State employees work hard and deserve fair compensation, and their interests are paramount in negotiating any contract. But still, in fairness, these must be balanced with those of taxpayers, who fund their wages and benefits. Taxpayers should understand the concessions that the administration negotiated and majority legislators approved on their behalf:

The contract extension prevents future legislators and governors from reducing the costs of public sector benefits, which remain among the highest in the country, for 10 years.

The no-layoff provision and related conditions limit the states ability to cut government costs by consolidating departments or shifting services to the private sector.

The $1.5 billion in near-term savings, most of which are one-shot, leaves a $3.6 billion deficit on the table, to be closed by tax increases and service reductions.

Its now certain that new taxes and service cuts are among the concessions to be borne by taxpayers  including state employees themselves. Although we are well into the new biennium, and the majority party has still not issued a budget proposal, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and legislative Democrats have made it clear that they will rely on three tools to close the deficit: 1) deep service cuts, 2) outright tax increases, and 3) indirect property tax increases stemming from municipal aid reductions and pushing state costs onto towns. As long as state labor costs remain frozen, taxpayers will be exposed to these measures, year after year.

Supporters of this deal insisted that it was the only possible option for the state. This is simply not true. Legislative Republicans offered a balanced budget in April that we have continually updated to reflect new developments. It includes no new taxes, preserves services for the neediest, increases education funding for all districts, and saves $600 million more in labor costs than the recent agreement. It respected all legal constraints, did not seek to amend existing state employee contracts, and would not have required union negotiations. Unfortunately, the majority party blocked our many efforts to bring our proposal, which aimed to balance the interests of all Connecticut residents, to a vote.

Connecticut taxpayers need advocates just like unions do. Its our job as legislators to advocate for the taxpayers we represent. Clearly, those who voted to approve the union agreement either didnt understand or didnt care about the extent of the concessions it required from taxpayers, now and for years to come.

State Rep. Gail Lavielle represents the 143rd district, which includes parts of Norwalk, Westport, and Wilton. She is ranking member of the General Assemblys Education Committee, and a member of the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee and the Transportation Committee.
TORONTO, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Colour of Poverty  Colour of Change (COP-COC) and some of its Steering Committee members will be highlighting the experience and impact of racism experienced by people of African descent and other racialized peoples in Canada and Indigenous peoples at their appearance before the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) on August 14.

The UN CERD Committee will be examining Canadas compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (1965). COP  COC, Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic (CSALC), Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) and South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO) submitted a joint shadow report to the CERD Committee. The African Canadian Legal Clinic has submitted its own report to the CERD Committee highlighting the experience of people of African descent.

The community groups will use their time before the Committee to call for a National Action Plan on Racism for Canada, and the collection of disaggregated data across all government departments.

Indigenous peoples and peoples of African descent in Canada are over-represented in poverty and in the criminal justice system. This is not the first time we brought this concern to the CERD Committee, and yet very little has changed in more than a decade of our submitting shadow reports, said Debbie Douglas, Executive Director of OCASI. In this International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024) we expect to see concrete actions by the Government of Canada to redress these inequalities, she added.

Racialization of poverty in Canada is pervasive and deeply entrenched, and racialized communities are disadvantaged by any measure, including income, education, housing and more. We will be asking the CERD Committee to call on Canada to develop and implement a National Action Plan on Racism to bring systemic change, said Avvy Go, Clinic Director of CSALC.

Collection of disaggregated data by all governments across all departments and institutions is necessary to map who is disadvantaged in Canada and to help develop targeted measures to address disparities in areas such as health and wellness. We will be asking the CERD Committee to recommend that Canada should adopt universal disaggregated data collection, said Shalini Konanur, Executive Director of SALCO.

The organizations joined other Canadian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in issuing a joint statement in advance of Canadas appearance before the CERD Committee. The NGOs affirmed their intention to speak out strongly on Canadas record on Indigenous rights, anti-Black racism, racial discrimination and human rights and hold the Canadian government accountable in this important international forum.

COP-COC is a province-wide initiative made up of individuals, groups and organizations working to build community-based capacity to address the growing racialization of poverty  for both First Peoples and peoples of colour  and the resulting increased levels of social exclusion and marginalization of racialized communities across Ontario.
ANSONIA >> City officials Tuesday said they want to explore the possibility of regionalizing Ansonia schools with another town to see whether some savings could be realized from such a partnership.

During the Board of Aldermens monthly meeting, Alderman Joe Jaumann introduced a resolution to form a temporary regional school study committee to explore the most cost effective way to improve and enhance its school system.

Jaumann said with the financial woes the state is dealing with, he wants to explore all options to save taxpayers money, and regionalization could be a way to do that.

All you need to do is look at Hartford and the trickling down of financial problems, and especially in the financial climate were in, I dont think you leave any stone unturned, said Jaumann. This resolution is not to approve regionalization but to study it thoroughly and comprehensively ... and make sure were looking at everything to save money.

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The board ultimately ended up not voting on Jaumanns resolution, but instead voted to have the aldermanic education subcommittee, which Jaumann is now on, get together with the Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools Carol Merlone to begin an informal discussion.

Jaumanns resolution came as a complete shock to Merlone and the school board, who told the aldermen they were never given a heads-up about Jaumanns resolution.

This hit us by surprise, said school board member Chris Phipps. Im not necessarily opposed to regionalization, but we looked at it before, in 2011 and in 2016, with Derby and state officials, and were told it wasnt practical to go forward with it. Shared services are the way to go, and thats something weve been working toward.

Merlone said a study in 2011 on the feasibility of regionalizing with Derby didnt bode well, and a survey of residents in both towns fetched only 188 responses, with just 36 percent of residents in favor of regionalization. Jaumann didnt name a particular town to look at regionalizing with.

Merlone said when she got wind earlier in the day about Jaumanns resolution she called Derby school and city leaders, who she said were unaware of Ansonias desire to sit down and talk regionalization once again.

You didnt communicate this to us, shouldnt we know about this? Merlone said to Jaumann. If were going to do this, we need to work together. All of the aldermen are welcome to come to my office and look at all the notes and paperwork from the 2011 regionalization discussions.

Jaumann said as a newer aldermen he was not aware of what was looked into the past. He said the aldermen, by state statute, are the legislative body to determine whether a study committee should be formed. Then discussions with school officials would ensue.

Ultimately, if a study committee were to be formed, the state Board of Education would decide whether regionalization is feasible. And if it is, a public referendum would be held in both towns where regionalization is being considered.

Alderman Charlie Stowe, chairman of the education subcommittee, said he, too, was disappointed that he was kept out of the loop regarding Jaumanns proposal, and suggested the subcommittee meet with school officials prior to a study committee being formed to see whether everyone is onboard.

Jaumann said the resolution was intended to get the ball rolling.

This was a resolution to explore a study, nothing more, nothing less, he said. I am looking forward to working with the Board of Education and having continued conversations. The longer we wait to explore opportunities like these, the greater the risk of unnecessary tax increases because of wasted opportunities.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) is pleased to announce the India Connect Program, which was launched today in partnership with Langara College and Optimus Information.



The India Connect Program is the first in a series of country-specific scholarship programs that are part of APF Canadas larger Asia Connect Program. Through this partnership, the APF Canada and Langara College Foundation will provide two scholarships worth $10,000 each for undergraduate students of Langara College interested in gaining co-op work experience in India.

This is a tremendous opportunity for Canadian students to gain valuable experience, broadening their intercultural skills in the process, said Ajay Patel, Vice-President, External Development, Langara College. Partnering with APF Canada and Optimus Information, working closely with the Langara College Foundation, allows the College and our students to build new and strengthen existing relationships within the Indian business and information technology communities.

In an increasingly globalized world pivoting on Asia, young Canadians must seize the opportunity to live, work and play in other countries and cultures, said Pankaj Agarwal, Managing Partner, Optimus Information Inc. Optimus Information is one of Canadas fastest growing IT firms and our India office is bustling with young people who are eager to introduce Canadians to their culture and the Indian way of doing business. I am excited to be able to partner with Langara College and APF Canada to offer this lifetime learning opportunity to Canadian students.

To capitalize on the remarkable growth in India, young Canadians need to be India competent, said APF Canada President and CEO, Stewart Beck. They need the India-related skills and knowledge to help them better engage with this dynamic country.



About the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada:



The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is dedicated to strengthening ties between Canada and Asia with a focus on expanding economic relations through trade, investment and innovation; promoting Canadas expertise in offering solutions to Asias climate change, energy, food security and natural resource management challenges; building Asia skills and competencies among Canadians, including young Canadians; and, improving Canadians general understanding of Asia and its growing global influence.



The Foundation is well known for its annual national opinion polls of Canadian attitudes regarding relations with Asia, including Asian foreign investment in Canada and Canadas trade with Asia. The Foundation places an emphasis on China, India, Japan and South Korea while also developing expertise in emerging markets in the region, particularly economies within ASEAN.



Visit APF Canada online at www.asiapacific.ca

About Langara College:



Located in beautiful Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Langara College provides University, Career, and Continuing Studies education to more than 21,000 students annually. With more than 1,700 courses and 130 programs, Langaras expansive academic breadth and depth allows students of all ages, backgrounds, and life stages to choose their own educational path. Langara is also known as snwey lelm, a name given to it by the Musqueam people on whose unceded traditional territory the College is located.

Visit Langara online at www.langara.ca

About Optimus:



Optimus Information provides expert services for application development, data analytics and software testing. Its model is designed to allocate the right mix of local and offshore resources in order to optimize expertise, speed, and cost. Optimus provides the ability to quickly add specialty skills to its clients' development teams without incurring long-term costs. This results in far better management of resource capacities and outcomes.



Visit Optimus Information online at www.optimusinfo.com
ZIMBABWEANS will do justice to Grace Mugabe when her husband dies, a Catholic cleric and confidant of former President Robert Mugabe has ominously indicated.

Father Fidelis Mukonori is understood to be one of the few people close to Mugabe, a famed loner, who was forced to resign last month after a revolt by the military and his own Zanu PF party.

The Catholic cleric mediated between the military Generals and Mugabe who, as part of his resignation deal, was allowed to remain in the country, enjoying the perks due a former president as well as immunity over the outrages of his 37-year reign.

The security and material guarantees reportedly also apply to Mugabes divisive wife Grace who is widely blamed for his inglorious exit from power.

However, what will happen after the death of her 93-year-old husband remains uncertain.

Asked about that in an interview with an international Catholic magazine last week, Father Mukonori was not reassuring for the former first lady.

When asked about her future after her husband dies, (Fr Mukonori) says calmly, Im sure that people would do justice to her, reports the American Jesuit Review magazine.

He speaks fondly about Mr Mugabes first wife, Sally, but his demeanour changes when he speaks about Grace, said the publication adding,

One cannot but help feel that Father Mukonori attributes Grace Mugabes greed for power as a serious contributing factor to her husbands political demise.

Grace was the nuclear weapon deployed by Zanu PFs G40 faction in the succession war against the rival Lacoste group which backed Mugabes then deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa.

With the aid of allies such as former cabinet ministers Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere, Patrick Zhuwao and ex-vice president Phelekezela Mphoko, Grace staged rallies around the country where she savagely attacked Mnangagwa and military Generals.

At the height of her power and influence, Grace was widely seen as de facto State president, as she and her G40 allies allegedly exploited her husbands age-induced near infirmity.

But alarm within the ruling party and the military spiked as it became clear that, beyond crushing Mnangagwa and his Lacoste group, Grace was now determined to succeed her husband as leader of the party and country.

However, the scheme ironically collapsed with G40s success against Mnangagwa. After the Lacoste god-father was fired from the party and government by Mugabe, the military intervened resulting in the latters resignation.

Mnangagwa has since taken over as President, with G40 drivers such as Prof Moyo, Kasukuwere and Zhuwao escaping into exile.

Describing, what led to Mugabes fall, Fr Mukonori chose very strong language. The problem, the cleric explained, was Political debauchery political division slicing each others character trying to position each other for power.

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MONTGOMERY, Ala.  On August 2, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey recognized NACS Chairman Rahim Budhwani for his service to NACS. Budhwani is the first elected NACS chairman from Alabama.

Budhwani met with Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill to discuss general business conditions in the state to see how we can align more with those goals that would benefit the state and convenience stores, Budhwani told NACS Daily. I also wanted Merrill to know that NACS was available to assist the state government in matters related to our industryto be the resource for those concerns.

The chairman said that during their conversation, Merrill mentioned I should let Gov. Ivey know about my NACS position and provide an overview of what NACS does. When Budhwani did, the government responded with a certificate of recognition for Budhwanis contributions.

The certificate reads: This certificate is presented to Mr. Rahim Budhwani of Hoover, Alabama, for being the first Alabama resident elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). NACS is an international trade association representing more than 2,100 retail and 1,600 supplier company members who do business in nearly 50 countries and a majority of those members are based in the United States. The State of Alabama is proud to recognize Rahim Budhwani on this prestigious honor.
Oxfam is an international confederation of 17 organizations (affiliates) committed to creating a just world without poverty. In Nigeria Oxfam works in the areas of Economic Justice/Sustainable Livelihoods, Humanitarian Programming to save lives, Advancing Gender Justice and Good Governance, adopting a right based approach.Annual Budget: Approx 280,000Location: Flexible (subject to being able to establish a contract of employment and where the right to work can be obtained and/or maintained), This post will move to Nairobi by 2019 at the latest.Oxfam has launched a major new initiative to change the way we use digital technology to influence and leverage the power of people to end poverty. Over the next three years we aim to become one of the worlds leading digital influencing organizations using mobile, web and social media to drive, support and connect the actions, donations and offline participation of millions of people globally and nationally, south and north.We will do this by building on a base of digital excellence in our existing markets to create a more unified global voice and by empowering teams, especially in the global south, to use digital tools at a local level to create positive change. At the heart of this strategy is our new digital platform https://act.oxfam.org/international The successful applicant will be an exciting digital leader with experience of using mobile, web and social media to engage the public at a global level. They will be enthusiastic about the power of digital to connect people and amplify our voices to influence decision makers. They will be a creative problem-solver with the technical knowledge to lead by example and inspire a team to deliver transformational digital change in one of the worlds largest NGOs.Reporting to:Deputy Advocacy and Campaigns Director: Global Campaigns until April 2017Reporting to Oxfam International Head of Digital and matrix managed by Deputy Director Advocacy and Campaigns: Global Campaigns from April 2017Staff reporting to this post: Senior Digital Campaigner, Innovation and Technical LeadThis post is responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction to Oxfams digital campaigns teams and for the management and implementation of Oxfams global digitalcampaigns to achieve agreed objectives for mobilization, fundraising and impact at global and national level.The post holder will achieve this through close working relationships with OI global campaigns and public engagement staff, senior staff from Oxfam affiliates and at national level in priority countries.Campaign leadership and coordination:Provide overall leadership, vision and strategic guidance to Oxfams digital WIN (Worldwide Influencing Network) project, implementing and regularly reviewing Oxfams global digital influencing strategy as well as internal tactics to ensure the successful implementation of this strategy.Ensure the definition and development of strategic and achievable priorities and objectives within a coherent and achievable digital influencing work-plan.Lead processes with internal and external stakeholders at a senior level to plan and deliver outstanding digital engagement combining advocacy, campaigns and fundraising focused on audiences across a range of digital channels.Ensure womens rights are at the heart of our digital campaigns.Participate in key OI processes (campaign planning, OI strategic planning, annual campaigns budgets, etc.) as required.Lead implementation of some global calls to action, most likely those that need flexible resources.Ensure effective coordination, communication and consultation within Oxfam on campaign decisions, to maximize alignment to agreed priorities.Lead on institutional fundraising, to support global and national use of the platform.Ensure effective monitoring and evaluation processes of global calls to action and overall use of the digital platform to deliver objectivesOne program approach and WIN implementation:Work with fundraising colleagues to ensure that Oxfam achieves agreed goals for recruiting donors and fundraising linked to the platform.Work closely with Public Engagement and program colleagues to ensure digital influencing is integrated into all Oxfams work and there is a holistic approach to engaging supporters and the public.Work closely with Public Engagement colleagues to ensure that digital WIN actions are integrated and aligned across audiences and digital platformsWork with heads of campaigns and a decision-making group to define 10  15 global calls to action annually and ensure their effective implementation.Collaborate with all Oxfams worldwide campaigns, and participate in other key OI processes (such as strategic planning) as required by the OI Advocacy and Campaigns Director and Deputy Advocacy and Campaigns Director.Key Working Relationships:Digital campaign staff reporting to head of digital campaignsCampaign management teams and heads of the four worldwide campaignsOI Deputy Advocacy and Campaigns DirectorOI Head of Digital (expected to be appointed in April 2017)OI Public Engagement DirectorOI Advocacy and Campaigns DirectorOI Associate Director of Income and Supporter DevelopmentOI Senior Digital Engagement Manager and Digital Engagement GroupOI Social Media ManagerPublic engagement and campaigns staff and decision makers in affiliates, regions and countriesEssential:Excellent global and national campaign leadership skills and experience.Strong team building and relationship management skills.Strong oral and written communication skills, including high level presentation, lobby and media experience.Proven knowledge of digital technologies and techniques and their potential application for Oxfams online work.Outstanding knowledge of social media and understanding of its potential for engaging publics to directly influence decision makers.Understanding of gender analysis and commitment to promoting gender justice.Effective negotiation abilities and informal leadership skills in a multi-stakeholder, network environmentStrong organizational and project management skills, ability to manage multiple projects to deadlines.Ability to think and operate strategically and creativelyAbility to communicate clearly and work cooperatively in a cross-cultural settingDeveloping organizational strategies and plans for campaigns communication and measuring effectivenessAbility to provide clear recommendations and communicate complex digital issues in order to influence stakeholders, including senior managers, with varying degrees of technical understanding.Experience of using digital strategies to achieve fundraising goals.Fluent spoken and written EnglishAbility and willingness to travel up to 12 weeks a year.Other languages, particularly French, Spanish, an advantage.Key Behavioral Competencies (based on Oxfams Leadership Model)Decisiveness:We are comfortable to make transparent decisions and to adapt decision making modes to the context and needs.Influencing:We have the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders in a way that leads to increased impact for the organization We spot opportunities to influence effectively and where there are no opportunities we have the ability to create them in a respectful and impactful manner.Humility:We put we before me and place an emphasis on the power of the collective, nurture the team and play to the strengths of each individual.We are not concerned with hierarchical power, and we engage with, trust and value the knowledge and expertise of others across all levels of the organization.Relationship Building:We understand the importance of building relationship, within and outside the organization. We have the ability to engage with traditional and non-traditional stakeholders in ways that lead to increased impact for the organization.Listening:We are good listeners who can see where deeper levels of thoughts and tacit assumptions differ. Our messages to others are clear, and consider different preferences.Mutual Accountability:We can explain our decisions and how we have taken them based on our organizational values. We are ready to be held to account for what we do and how we behave, as we are also holding others to account in a consistent manner.Agility, Complexity, and Ambiguity:We scan the environment, anticipate changes, are comfortable with lack of clarity and deal with a large number of elements interacting in diverse and unpredictable ways.Systems Thinking:We view problems as parts of an overall system and in their relation to the whole system, rather than reacting to a specific part, outcome or event in isolation.We focus on cyclical rather than linear cause and effect. By consistently practicing systems thinking we are aware of and manage well unintended consequences of organizational decisions and actions.Strategic Thinking and Judgment:We use judgment, weighing risk against the imperative to act. We make decisions consistent with organizational strategies and values.Vision Setting:We have the ability to identify and lead visionary initiatives that are beneficial for our organization and we set high-level direction through a visioning process that engages the organization and diverse external stakeholders.Self-Awareness:We are able to develop a high degree of self-awareness around our own strengths and weaknesses and our impact on others. Our self-awareness enables us to moderate and self-regulate our behaviors to control and channel our impulses for good purposes.Enabling:We all work to effectively empower and enable others to deliver the organizations goals through creating conditions of success. We passionately invest in others by developing their careers, not only their skills for the job.We provide freedom; demonstrate belief and trust provide appropriate support.We give more freedom and demonstrate belief and trust, underpinned with appropriate support.Annual Salary and Benefits: In line with Oxfam values and subject to locationInternal Job Grade: In line with Oxfam values and subject to locationContract type: Open-ended (subject to being able to establish an open-ended contract of employment)Interview Datew/c 4th September, 2017.21 August, 2017
Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a Danish international non-governmental organisation, which promotes and supports durable solutions to the problems faced by refugees and internally displaced people all over the world. DRC is present in more than 30 conflict territories around the world assisting displaced people with shelter, food, income generating activities, and wide range of other assistance.It is of utmost importance for DRC to work in compliance with the DRC Accountability and Quality Management system and national legislations. Smooth, reliable and effective operational systems are preconditions for DRC to maintain its position as a trustworthy and reliable partner for our donors and an accountable organisation towards our beneficiaries.DRC has been operating in the West Africa region for over 15 years, running a combination of emergency, livelihood, protection and advocacy programmes through Country Offices (COs) Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria and a Regional Office (RO) in Abidjan. DRC has 17 offices and more than 500 staff members across the WA region.DRC started operating in Nigeria in 2015 where plans to run a combination of emergency, livelihood, WASH, protection and advocacy programmes has been set. DRC currently has offices in Abuja, Yola, Mubi, Maiduguri and Yobe.Provide support to the programme by undertaking technical and practical operational tasks to ensure smooth, safe and efficient operation of logistical activities in accordance with the Operations Handbook and Program Manual with adherence to the donor guidelines.Fleet ManagementProvide day-to-day supervision to Logistics Assistants to ensure all the vehicles are properly cleaned, road worthy and utilized as per the organizations polices and maintain documentations.Ensure that the allocation of vehicles and drivers is done in an effective manner, in response to authorized transportation requests.Ensure issues related to maintenance are reported immediately to the Logistics and Procurement Manager and to owner of the vehicle if hired.Ensure that copies of all Logbooks, Maintenance Reports, Fuel Reports and Mileage Reports exist in appropriate files for each month and all data are captured and reported.Ensure fuel for vehicles and generators is well managed following DRC procedures.Assets ManagementMaintain the records of Assets, Equipment in line with the Assets recording system for the country programme.Ensure that the assets that are issued to staff are authorized, recorded and necessary paper work exists as per the DRC policy.Ensure that all assets are properly maintained and looked after. Any misuse and abuse is reported to the Logistics Manager.Inventories and Stock ManagementEnsure that all stock items are properly stored and correctly recorded as per the guidelines and the warehouse/stores are well maintained.Ensure that the movement of inventories To or From the warehouse & stores are correctly documented; authorized and paper work is done as per procedures.Power Systems ManagementEnsure all power generation equipment, electric appliances and power systems are well maintainedEnsure issues related to power systems are timely reported and solutions are sought under the guidance of the Logistics Manager.Monthly reports of use and maintenance are produced and submitted to the Logistics Manager.TransportationArrange for transportation of goods as required and ensure accurate documentation maintained.Arrange for the distribution of programme supplies as per plan and coordinate with programme teams.Ensure safe transportation of programme mail pouches to the field offices and the relevant procedures are adhered to by the drivers and mail carriers.General Work and FilingImplement standard DRC logistics systems and proceduresProvide training and support to other logistics colleagues when requested.Ensure health and safety policy is implemented and matters related to are reported to the designated responsible manager.Provide technical inputs on procurements related to vehicles, generators & power systems and other technical items required for logistics operations.Ensure all paper work is kept according to DRCs policies and procedures of and filed neatly with supporting documents in respective files.Undertake any other reasonable duties requested by line manager, where they do contradict the organizations policies.Essential:2-5 years experience in logistics, including procurement, supply chain, fleet management & inventory.Knowledge & experience of dealing with service providers and contractors management.Excellent computer skills in MS Word & Excel.Desirable:Flexible & willing to work in a remote setting & to travel to other field locations.Understanding and experience of security management.Experience from working in an (I)NGOEducation:Bachelor Degree or higher diploma in logistics and supply chain with relevant professional certification.Driving licenseLanguages:Fluency in written and spoken English. Fluency in local spoken languages.Key stakeholders:InternalProgramme staffHead of Support ServicesExternalRelevant stakeholdersConditionsAvailability: ASAPSalary and conditions: In accordance with Danish Refugee Councils Terms of Employment;The income will be subject to statutory deductions as per applicable Nigeria laws. The employee is responsible for the tax returns.The position is for NIGERIAN NATIONALS ONLY.CV and Cover Letter indicating and explaining the suitability to the position applied.Provide contact details (name, position, email address and tel. no.) of 3 professional non-related references, whereas 1 must be for the latest employer. Please do not attach any written recommendations.Applications should be addressed to: Recruitment Manager only.Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications, sent together with a CV, will be considered. CV-only applications will not be considered.Deadline date. 11/08/2017 Applications sent/received after the deadline will not be considered.Only short-listed applicants will be invited for written test and oral interview.For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult: www.drc.dk 11 August, 2017
Landscapes give latitude to 2-D material designers (Nanowerk News) Rice University researchers have learned to manipulate two-dimensional materials to design in defects that enhance the materials' properties.

The Rice lab of theoretical physicist Boris Yakobson and colleagues at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are combining theory and experimentation to prove it's possible to give 2-D materials specific defects, especially atomic-scale seams called grain boundaries. These boundaries may be used to enhance the materials' electronic, magnetic, mechanical, catalytic and optical properties.

Researchers at Rice University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory determined that two-dimensional materials grown onto a cone allow control over where defects called grain boundaries appear. These defects can be used to enhance the materials' electronic, mechanical, catalytic and optical properties. (Image: Yakobson Research Group/Rice University)

The key is introducing curvature to the landscape that constrains the way defects propagate. The researchers call this "tilt grain boundary topology," and they achieve it by growing their materials onto a topographically curved substrate -- in this case, a cone. The angle of the cone dictates if, what kind and where the boundaries appear.

The research is the subject of a paper in ACS Nano ("Tilt Grain Boundary Topology Induced by Substrate Topography").

Grain boundaries are the borders that appear in a material where edges meet in a mismatch. These boundaries are a series of defects; for example, when two sheets of hexagonal graphene meet at an angle, the carbon atoms compensate for it by forming nonhexagonal (five- or seven-member) rings.

Yakobson and his team have already demonstrated that these boundaries can be electronically significant. They can, for instance, turn perfectly conducting graphene into a semiconductor. In some cases, the boundary itself may be a conductive subnanoscale wire or take on magnetic properties.

A theoretical model at left, created at Rice University, shows a triangular flake of tungsten disulfide grown around a cone that forces the creation of a grain boundary at a specific angle. The Rice researchers showed the width of the cone could be used to determine the placement of the boundary, and scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory proved it when they made the matching material seen in the electron microscope image at right. (Image: Rice University/Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

But until now researchers had little control over where those boundaries would appear when growing graphene, molybdenum disulfide or other 2-D materials by chemical vapor deposition.

The theory developed at Rice showed growing 2-D material on a cone would force the boundaries to appear in certain places. The width of the cone controlled the placement and, more importantly, the tilt angle, a crucial parameter in tuning the materials' electronic and magnetic properties, Yakobson said.

Experimental collaborators from Oak Ridge led by co-author David Geohegan provided evidence backing key aspects of the theory. They achieved this by growing tungsten disulfide onto small cones similar to those in Rice's computer models. The boundaries that appeared in the real materials matched those predicted by theory.

"The nonplanar shape of the substrate forces the 2-D crystal to grow in a curved 'non-Euclidian' space," Yakobson said. "This strains the crystal, which occasionally yields by giving a way to the seams, or grain boundaries. It's no different from the way a tailor would add a seam to a suit or a dress to fit a curvy customer."

Modeling cones of different widths also revealed a "magic cone" of 38.9 degrees upon which growing a 2-D material would leave no grain boundary at all.

Researchers at Rice University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory predict and confirmed that two-dimensional materials grown onto a cone allows control over where defects called grain boundaries appear. At left, a Rice model predicts how a grain boundary would form on a steep cone and extend onto a shallow cone. Scientists at Oak Ridge confirmed the prediction when they created the material seen in an electron microscope image at right. (Image: Rice University/Oak Ridge National Laboratory) (click on image to enlarge)

The Rice team extended its theory to see what would happen if the cones sat on a plane. They predicted how grain boundaries would form over the entire surface, and again, Oak Ridge experiments confirmed their results.
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.
South Tipperary people suffering a heart attack will have to travel to Cork for emergency treatment if the Government implements the Herity Report's recommendation to cease Waterford University Hospital's emergency cardiac service, a meeting of Carrick-on-Suir District councillors was told.

Retired WUH consultant Dr Paddy Condon of the South East Patient Advocacy Group told the Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District's monthly meeting that this scenario was unacceptable and made no sense.

Clonmel was 102km from Cork University Hospital (CUH) compared to 49km from Waterford University Hospital. he said.

Patients suffering serious heart attacks have a 90-minute window for treatment, measured from the onset of chest paints. The rural distribution of the South East's population meant it was not possible for people to get to CUH in time if you have a heart attack, he said.

Dr Condon's comments were made during a presentation he gave to the Municipal District meeting about the Advocacy Group's campaign to secure a second cath lab for Waterford University Hospital (WUH) and retain the hospital's emergency cardiac service.

He urged the District's councillors to use their political influence to lobby their local TDs and the Government to achieve these two objectives. The Herity Report published last year concluded there wasn't sufficient demand in the South East for a second cath lab and that WUH should cease its emergency cardiac service.

Dr Condon highlighted how the need for a second cath lab where heart examinations and cardiac procedures such as the insertion of stents are carried out, was borne out by the recent death of Co. Waterford farmer Thomas Power.

Mr Power presented to WUH's emergency department with chest pains on a Sunday afternoon and died in an ambulance outside Dungarvan while he was being transported to Cork University Hospital because the cath lab in WUH was closed for the weekend.

WUH's cath lab is currently open five days a week from 9am to 5pm so any cardiac emergency cases after 5pm each day and at the weekends are referred by ambulance or helicopter to Cork.

Dr Condon said the South East was the only region not to have a cath lab opened 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week.

He explained that a second Cath Lab was needed to provide this 24 hour service because the one currently providing the five day a week service at WUH needed to be closed once a week for cleaning and sterilisation. It was also required if several cardiac cases presented to the hospital at the same time.

Dr Condon said the second cath lab would require an investment of only 1.5m and involve the hiring of a number of extra staff and conversion of existing accommodation at the hospital. There was no need to construct a new building.

He presented to councillors statistics showing there was sufficient demand in the South East for the existing cath lab and a second unit. Last year, 102 patients were treated at WUH's cath lab and a further 69 were referred elsewhere because the lab was closed at night and weekends.

The year before 85 patients were treated at the unit and 90 were referred elsewhere.

In relation to the Herity Report, Dr Condon's dismissed its recommendations as "flawed" as its terms of reference only included cardiac patients from South Tipperary and Waterford and not those from Wexford and Kilkenny.

It also didn't take into account the cardiac patients from the South East referred to hospitals outside the region because the cases were after 5pm and a weekends.

"We believe the Herity Report shouldn't be considered anymore. Any further reviews should take into account the proper number of patients," he said.

He warned if the Waterford UH lost its cardiac emergency service, it would also probably lose more medical services.

Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District Chairman Cllr John Fahey said the District's councillor unanimously supported the South East Patient Advocacy Group's campaign.

Mullinahone Cllr Eddie O'Meara (Ind) said WUH's cardiac treatment services were so important to the people of the South East and the amount of investment required to provide a second cath lab at the hospital was just a "drop in the ocean" in the overall health budget.

Carrick-on-Suir Cllr David Dunne said he fully supported the campaign and confessed he was disappointed Waterford based Minister of State John Halligan didn't resign when he didn't secure WUH's second cath lab.
A parish priest in the diocese of Cashel & Emly has opposed the introduction of a Permanent Diaconate for the Archdiocese because it will exclude women.

Fr. Roy Donovan, Parish Priest in Caherconlish/ Caherline in the Limerick part of the diocese, said to bring in a male only Permanent Diaconate was a slap in the face to women who were doing tremendous work for the church in parishes all over the diocese.

A native of Galbally, Fr. Donovan said having an all male diaconate was wrong and should not be introduced in Cashel & Emly on that basis.

Fr Roy Donovan

Fr. Donovan spoke out prior to the establishment of a group , both lay and clerical, established by Archbishop Kieran O'Reilly, and to be chaired by Fr. Tom Fogarty to examine all aspects of the proposed Permanent Diaconate for Cashel & Emly.

The group is expected to begin its work this autumn.

Fr. Donovan said Permanent Diaconates introduced in up to fifteen dioceses around the county were all male and voiced his opposition to the introduction of such a structure in Cashel & Emly.

Permanent Diaconate excludes women. Introducing the Permanent Diaconate, without women, is extending Patriarchy in the Archdiocese. What are the implications of this when already there are so many women involved on the ground, in all kinds of ministries, without been given much status and power?

Have they not also earned their place at the top table? It has been suggested by some that one of the reasons why men get involved in the Diaconate, is that it gives a certain amount of power and status said Fr. Donovan.

He pointed out that Pope Francis had set up a Commission in July 2016 to study the diaconate and the role of deaconesses in the early Church.

Is this group set up by the Archbishop going to pre-empt the Commission and introduce deaconesses?! Allowing a male only diaconate further questions the nature of relationships priests have with their mothers, sisters and nieces. It also questions the nature of relationships priests have with women. said Fr. Donovan.

Fr. Donovan said there were women in the Archdiocese who believe they are called by God to be priests such as Marese Skeehan (Thurles) and Noirin Ni Riain (Murroe & native of Caherconlish) who was recently ordained as a minster in the One Spirit Inter Faith Seminary Foundation.

We have a long way to go to implement the originality of the Gospel of Jesus a ministry of equals among equals. After all, Mary Magdalene, known as the Apostle to the Apostles, was the first minister of the good news  proclaiming that Jesus is alive. said Fr.Donovan.
Toronto, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Seneca is the first postsecondary institution in Canada to have a graduate-level program in financial planning approved by the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI).

The Financial Planning graduate certificate program offered through Senecas School of Accounting & Financial Services has been approved as an educational path leading to the CSIs Personal Financial Planner (PFP) designation.

CSIs approval of Senecas graduate-level financial planning program as a pathway to the PFP designation is recognition that our graduates are well prepared to begin their financial services careers, says Karen Murkar, Chair of Senecas School of Accounting & Financial Services. This is a tremendous advantage for our students and were thrilled that they will now be able to fast-track toward becoming PFPs.

Senecas programs prepare students to build careers in the financial services sector, including banking, insurance, securities, financial crime analysis, and compliance. Students who complete the Financial Planning graduate certificate will now qualify to write the Applied Financial Planning Certification exam, which is required to earn the PFP designation. Graduates from the Seneca program are also eligible to apply for the Certificate in Financial Services Advice (CFSA) offered through CSI. The CFSA is an industry-recognized certificate program required for a number of roles in the financial services industry.

Were very pleased to partner with such a large and respected Canadian postsecondary institution. The Personal Financial Planner (PFP) designation is a great asset for students who want to build careers in the financial services industry, says Marie Muldowney, Managing Director, CSI. The PFP program provides them with the skills and knowledge they need to work in the industry and to give financial planning advice to clients. Its gratifying to know that, through our partnership with Seneca, we can help students interested in this field to achieve their career goals faster.

More information about Senecas Financial Planning graduate certificate.

ABOUT THE CANADIAN SECURITIES INSTITUTE

The Canadian Securities Institute (CSI) is Canadas leading provider of financial services education and credentials. Valued for its expertise in Canada and abroad, CSI offers more than 150 courses, such as the well-known Canadian Securities Course (CSC), twelve certificate programs, popular specialized financial designations, such as PFP, CIM, CIWM , MTI, and the Fellow of CSI (FCSI). CSI operates as part of the Training and Certification arm of Moody's Analytics. For more information, please visit www.csi.ca.

ABOUT SENECA

With campuses in Toronto, York Region and Peterborough, Seneca offers degrees, diplomas, certificates and graduate programs renowned for their quality and respected by employers. It is one of the largest comprehensive colleges in Canada, offering nearly 300 full-time, part-time and online programs. Combining the highest academic standards with work-integrated and applied learning, expert teaching faculty and the latest technology ensure Seneca graduates are career-ready.

Find out more at senecacollege.ca

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(Natural News) A study by researchers from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill has sent shock-waves across the globe with its finding that over 260,000 people will die prematurely by the year 2100 because of air pollution triggered by global warming. The catastrophic man-made global warming alarmists love these kinds of studies, of course, because they reinforce their doomsday predictions. However, even if these researchers alarming findings are 100 percent reliable (and there is enough conflicting evidence out there to make that highly unlikely), even a quarter of a million people would be a drop in the ocean compared to the number of people that Big Pharma will likely kill by 2100. More on that later.

The UNC researchers reached their alarming conclusions after analyzing data from the globes top climate change modeling groups. Well, that already puts their findings on shaky ground, doesnt it? (Related: The REAL FAKE NEWS exposed: 97% of scientists agree on climate change is an engineered hoax  Heres what the media never told you.)

According to the Daily Mail, the researchers believe that hotter temperatures will cause an increase in the speed of the chemical reactions that cause air pollutants, and that as areas become increasingly drier, there will be less rain to remove these pollutants. These higher temperatures will also cause trees to emit more organic pollutants.

The study predicts that this toxic combination will result in killer smog that will kill 260,000 people across the globe (with the exception of Africa) by 2100.

The Mail reports:

The rise in toxic air pollution adds to other risk of death from climate change including heat stress, a lack of clean water and food, severe storms and the spread of infectious diseases.

The study was published in the Nature journal, Climate Change.

Of course, the mainstream media has been quick to jump all over this story, blasting readers with headlines like the Mails Global warming will cause 260,000 premature deaths from air pollution by 2100, shocking study finds. While that number does seem high, and it is true that pollution causes many deaths worldwide each year, there is a far more alarming number that the mainstream media has made no attempt to disclose: The number of deaths attributable to Big Pharma and its toxic chemicals.

The website PharmaDeathClock.com has been shining a light on this disturbing number for some time now. It constantly updates real-time numbers of victims killed by Big Pharma in the U.S. and worldwide since January 1, 2000. Some of the numbers included are for deaths which are not directly attributable to the pharmaceutical companies, including things like medical error, hospital errors and hospital malnutrition.

Nonetheless, if we include only the figures for deaths which can directly be blamed on Big Pharma, a staggering 21,483,350 (at the time of writing) people died at their hands since 2000. Thats a mind-blowing average of 1,227,620 per year for the past 17.5 years.

Figures included were for deaths resulting from: Chemotherapy; adverse drug reactions; SSRIs; prescription drugs; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; opioids; benzodiazepines; antidepressant overdoses; anti-epileptic and anti-Parkinsonism drugs; systemic and hematological drugs; antipsychotic and neuroleptic drugs; acetaminophen-related deaths; respiratory drugs; cardiovascular drugs; barbiturates; autonomic nervous system drugs; anesthetics and therapeutic gases; hormones, insulins and glucocorticoids; anti-infectives; diuretics and other drugs, medicaments and biological substances; and topical drugs.

Based on the aforementioned average, by the year 2100, 122,762,000 people will have been killed by Big Pharma  a number that is more than 45,000 percent higher than the number of people predicted to die from so-called global warming.

This begs the question: Why is the media silent? Who will speak for the millions who have died and will continue to die at the hands of the greedy pharmaceutical giants?

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

PharmaDeathClock.com
(Natural News) Each day, farmers face real-world challenges to produce food, especially in countries where their lives depend upon agricultural success. Managing natural resources and crop yields in the face of unpredictable weather is a daunting task. African farmers face irregular seasons of drought; therefore they must breed and select the right drought-tolerant and insect-resistant hybrids in order to maintain their yields.

The last thing these farmers need is multinational seed corporations and billionaire investors sensationalizing the climate change narrative in order to introduce GM seeds, take over farmland, and steal away farmers right to use their own seeds and adapt them to regional weather and pest challenges. However, that now seems to be an issue: The pretentious climate change narrative is being used as a selling point to push genetically modified drought resistant traits on African farmers.

The main culprits, who are bringing this climate change solution to Africa, are the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Monsanto. Both of these entities have cleverly funded, infiltrated, and/or helped develop the Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project, an organization committed to producing drought-tolerant and insect-protected maize varieties.

The five countries participating in the WEMA project are now being sold on the necessity of Monsantos drought resistant maize genes. Even though these GM seeds have only shown a six percent reduction in yield loss in times of moderate drought, they could become the climate change solution for African farmers who are always looking for ways to increase corn yields. However, small, short-term gains with Monsantos GMOs doesnt equate to long term resiliency, especially when nature is unpredictable, or when weeds and pests resist the GM technology. The resiliency of nature can quickly render these genetically modified traits worthless, putting a farmers livelihood at risk.

The single gene edits that Monsanto introduces to these countries is insufficient to handle unpredictable and ever-changing drought conditions. Drought tolerance is an adaptation process in plants governed by several genes throughout the plants makeup. The quality of the soil also plays a vital role in a plants ability to withstand insects and drought. Monsantos gene edits could exacerbate the farmers problems long term because the GM plants wont be naturally suited to handle ever-changing weather conditions.

If current selective breeding practices are replaced by a one-size-fits-all GM trait, then farmers wont be able to adapt to regional climate activity with a diverse selection of seed traits. Once these genetically modified seeds are unleashed into these countries, there will be a perpetual need for Monsantos technology. The biodiversity of the farmers seed selection will dwindle and their agricultural success will depend upon Monsanto.

So why does the solution always center on Monsantos gene edits? Why arent these billionaires helping African farmers create healthy soils, improve water storage, or diversify the type of crops they can grow, so they can be independent?

The WEMA project joins Monsanto and the Gates Foundation with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, and African agricultural research systems that implement field trials. The coalition has been shrouded in secrecy from the start. Farmers and the rest of society from the five affected WEMA countries (Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda and Tanzania) have been excluded from the debate. According to the African Centre for Biodiversity and the Kenya Biodiversity Coalition, it has been difficult to obtain more information on the GM technology that is pushed into these affected countries. Questions have been deflected. These two pro-biodiversity groups gathered in Kenya in July of 2017 to discuss with African farmers and other concerned people what the WEMA project has been up to.

According to groups, Monsanto has already donated its failed Bt insect resistant maize called MON 810 to four of the WEMA countries, even though most countries have stopped using this technology due to the development of increased pest resistance to the GM maize. Why is Monsanto dumping its failed technology on these countries? (Related: Study shows Monsantos Bt toxin kills human embryo cells.)

The concerned people are also wary that Monsanto is donating the GM genes to open the door to manipulate and control other crop traits in Africa. After all, the supposed GM drought tolerant maize is only being made available unless the countries accept Monsantos insect resistant trait and herbicide resistant trait. (The Roundup ready trait just got commercial approval in southern Africa.)

By joining with CIMYTT, the WEMA project becomes an open door for Monsanto to access a sacred, diverse maize germplasm, which is a diverse collection of African maize, which spans 12 countries and holds valuable traits. Will Monsanto engineer aspects of this germplasm, claim property rights, and commercialize it? (Related: Visit GMO.News and stay up-to-date with all subjects biotech.)

Sources include:

GMWatch.org

ACBio.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Although China has been making an effort to slowly introduce free market principles into their vast economy in recent years, the Chinese government as a whole remains tyrannical and oppressive. The people of China do not benefit from the same rights and liberties we enjoy here in the United States, even though there is a strong case to be made that even here in the U.S., those rights and freedoms are under assault.

For example, although the freedom of speech is constantly being eroded by the progressive left in America, it still remains a crucial part of our society and has yet to be removed from the United States Constitution. In China, this is not the case. The freedom of speech is not part of Chinas society, nor has it ever been. Sadly, this often leads to the suppression of information, and the restriction of certain content in movies, on television, and on the Internet.

In a recent effort to help China implement the countrys harsh restrictions on online content, Amazon is warning people to stop using software that allows them to circumvent the various barriers and restrictions established across the Internet by the Chinese government (Related: Apple goes all-in for communist China censorship by banning apps that help users bypass state censorship.)

If users dont comply with the guidance, the offered services and their websites can be shut down, explained one woman surnamed Wang, who works as a hotline operator for Amazons China-based cloud-computing business called The Beijing Sinnet Technology. We the operators also check routinely if any of our users use these softwares [sic] or store illegal content.

Wang explained that the decision to stop Amazon customers from using software that can circumvent Chinas Internet restrictions came from the countrys Ministry of Public Security as well as the countrys telecom regulator. So far, Amazon has yet to respond to any emails or phone calls requesting comment.

Many Americans dont even realize just how bad censorship in China really is. In the U.S., it is quite common for people of all ages to have accounts on various social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. However, in China, these social sites are restricted thanks to the Great Firewall, which is the nickname given to the countrys network of sophisticated Internet barriers and filters. Even lovable Disney characters arent safe from government control.

After pictures comparing Chinese President Xi Jinping to Winnie the Pooh were circulated across the Chinese social media site Sina Weibo, the government took action to censor all references to the Disney character on the Internet. Winnie the Pooh-themed stickers were also removed from the instant messaging service WeChat.

One of the more popular memes that lead to the ban featured a photo of President Xi Jinping walking next to former U.S. president Barack Obama, which was placed alongside a picture of Winnie the Pooh walking with his tiger friend Tigger. Needless to say, the comparison was almost too obvious  Barack Obama is tall and thin like Tigger and President XI Jinping is rather short and round like Winnie the Pooh.

Another meme that lead to Chinas ban on Winnie the Pooh references featured a picture of President Jinping shaking the hand of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, placed alongside an image of Winnie the Pooh shaking the hand of Poohs donkey friend Eeyore (RELATED: Read about how U.S. censorship mirrors Chinas).

If nothing else, the recent actions taken by the Chinese government to usurp the freedoms of their people should be a stark reminder that liberty is a very precious thing. Once the government begins to accumulate more and more regulatory power, it is incredibly difficult to get it to back off. As Americans, we should be thankful that we live in a country that puts emphasis on individual liberty, unlike in China where the government has the final say on virtually everything, from content on Amazon to Winnie the Pooh.



Sources include:

NYTimes.com

Breitbart.com
(Natural News) On March 20, 2015, the World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) unleashed a firestorm with its analysis of five organophosphate insecticides and herbicides, including glyphosate. Their finding that the herbicide glyphosate and the insecticides malathion and diazinon were classified as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A) has resulted in at least 100 lawsuits against agri-giant Monsanto, whose Roundup herbicide contains more than 50 percent glyphosate. The lawsuits, which are being handled in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, allege that exposure to this dangerous chemical has resulted in the plaintiffs or their loved ones developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In the course of these lawsuits, some very damaging documents have come to light, including evidence that the editor-in-chief of the journal that retracted a damaging glyphosate study had a contractual relationship with Monsanto.

The groundbreaking study by Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini was first published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology (FCT) back in September 2012. The study determined that both Monsantos NK603 GM maize variety and its Roundup herbicide led to kidney and liver damage in rats, among other serious health effects. Then, in November 2013, FCTs editor-in-chief, A. Wallace Hayes, bowing to external pressure, retracted the study, claiming that its findings were inconclusive, thereby inferring that they were inaccurate or misleading. This was obviously very damaging to Professor Seralinis reputation, and was a massive victory for Monsanto. (Related: Discover the truth about GMOs and herbicides at GMO.news)

Fortunately for those who rely on unbiased, accurate scientific research, after passing through three rounds of rigorous peer review, the study was republished in the reputable journal Environmental Sciences Europe.

An earlier Natural News article explained:

Inadvertently, the vested interests that sought to discredit Seralinis study actually reinforced its findings by ramming it through multiple additional layers of peer review. Even the secret panel that evaluated it a second time, presumably in an effort to discredit it, was unable to come up with anything damning, affirming that there was absolutely nothing incorrect about its stated findings.

Now, internal documents released during the glyphosate court cases make it clear that Monsanto launched an immediate campaign to get Seralinis work retracted after it was published, and that this included entering into a contractual arrangement with Hayes just before that retraction took place.

First of all, Monsanto hired third party experts, apparently unconnected to the company to put pressure on Hayes to retract the study.

Monsanto scientist David Saltmiras was directly involved in this pressure campaign, and also boasted in email correspondence about leveraging his relationship [with] the Editor i[n] Chief of the publishing journal, which, of course, was Hayes.

Part of that leveraging apparently involved entering into a contract with Hayes just before the process of retracting the Seralini study began. As already noted, the study was initially published on September 19, 2012. Hayes contract with Monsanto came into effect September 7, 2012. Hayes was paid $400 an hour, ostensibly to establish a network of scientists in South America, participate in a meeting there, and arrange a seminar discussing glyphosate toxicology in 2013.

As soon as he signed that contract, Hayes should have recused himself from any further involvement in the Seralini study, but he chose to keep his conflict of interest to himself. He even went so far as to assure Danny Hakim of The New York Times that Monsanto played no role whatsoever in the decision that was made to retract.

Irrespective of his protestations, it is clear he had a huge, undisclosed conflict of interest. Furthermore, the very timing of this convenient contract with Monsanto immediately calls his integrity into question.

GM Watch explains clearly exactly what needs to happen next:

Now that Monsantos involvement in the retraction of the Seralini paper is out in the open, FCT and Hayes should do the decent thing and issue a formal apology to Prof Seralini and his team. FCT cannot and should not reinstate the paper, because it is now published by another journal. But it needs to draw a line under this shameful episode, admit that it handled it badly, and declare its support for scientific independence and objectivity.

Sources include:

IARC.fr[PDF]

USRTK.org

GMWatch.org

NYTimes.com

NaturalNews.com
Big Chicken Maryn McKenna National Geographic (2017) 9781426217661, 9781408707920 | ISBN: 978-1-4262-1766-1

This superb scientific expose by journalist Maryn McKenna skewers the use of growth-promoting antibiotics in chicken feed. The practice has left much US supermarket chicken laced with antibiotic-resistant bacteria; globally, such microbes cause 700,000 human deaths each year. McKenna tracks the method's rise from the 1940s, a harrowing story punctuated by disease outbreaks and regulatory laxity. More recently, she shows, a trend to ban antibiotic use and instead re-engineer the poultry-farm environment could, given the dominance of chicken, transform the global meat economy.

The Sky Below: A True Story of Summits, Space, and Speed

Scott Parazynski with Susy Flory. Little A (2017)

9781503936706

I'm walking like Frankenstein on crack, but it's the best I've got. Thus writes astronaut and physician Scott Parazynski on climbing Everest with severe back pain, brought on by exposure to zero gravity. A veteran of five space missions, seven spacewalks and a stint as space pioneer John Glenn's personal medic, Parazynski is as disarmingly down-to-earth as he is heroically stoic. You're with him every minute in this hair-raising memoir, as he wrangles with wayward tethers outside the space station Mir, sutures a solar array to the International Space Station or gazes at the glittering tapestry of stars from Earth orbit.

Insider Trading Naomi Pfeffer Yale University Press (2017) 9780300118551 | ISBN: 978-0-3001-1855-1

Organs for transplantation comprise only a fraction of the potential 'harvest' yielded by a human corpse. In this pacy, detailed chronicle, Naomi Pfeffer reveals how hundreds of products are traded in US and UK markets, from skin for dressing leg ulcers (plastic-packed like American cheese) to the ground bone mixed into fixative for prosthetic limbs. Focusing on corneas, pituitary glands and skin, Pfeffer unravels the tangled ethics of this mortuary-fuelled industry, which has evolved over a century of medical experimentation and advances in extracting and preserving cadaver stuff.

The Hungry Empire Lizzie Collingham Bodley Head (2017) 9781847922700 | ISBN: 978-1-8479-2270-0

Beyond gold and glory, an insatiable lust for foreign foods drove the juggernaut of British imperialism. So shows Lizzie Collingham in this rich economic history, drawing on annals military, mercantile and domestic to reveal the complex routes along which the fruits of colonial fields and fisheries were shunted to Britain's dining rooms. The 500-year journey begins with the role of Newfoundland salt cod ('poor John') in Tudor exploration, and progresses through imperial tales of class and cruelty by way of Jamaican rum, African rice and alarming dishes such as iguana curry and roasted opossum.

Slums: The History of a Global Injustice Alan Mayne Reaktion (2017) 9781780238098 | ISBN: 978-1-7802-3809-8
PhD students in Luiz Davidovich's quantum-optics laboratory at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) in Brazil are afraid to turn on the lab's main laser in case it malfunctions. Davidovich encourages them to be extremely careful. If it breaks  and lasers do break  that's it, he says. There's no money to replace or fix it. Students occupy Argentina's Science and Technology Ministry in December 2016 to protest against huge cuts to researcher numbers. Credit: Victor R. Caivano/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Davidovich, who was elected president of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences last year, says that institutions supported by Rio de Janeiro's state government are reeling from the latest round of funding cuts.

Salaries are several months in arrears at Rio de Janeiro State University, which forced it to close for three months earlier this year. The state's research funding agency, FAPERJ, is bankrupt, yet still publishes calls for new projects. There's a law that says they have to  but they know they don't have money to pay for the projects they have already approved, says Davidovich. It's a theatre of the absurd.

Brazil's bleak financial picture has caused great disquiet among researchers across the nation. In March, the federal government announced that it was slashing the proposed 2017 science budget by 44%, bringing it to the lowest level in 12 years  2.8 billion reais (US$888 million). Although cuts were made across almost all federal ministries, the reduction in science spending hit particularly hard because the budget had already been chopped every year since 2013 (see 'Brazilian science funding squeeze').

Yet Brazil is not the only South American nation where scientists are struggling because of the dire economic situation. Researchers in Argentina, which has the most Nobel prizes of any South American country, also face an uncertain and potentially grim future. Both countries have undergone political swings to the right in the past few years, electing governments that dismiss the value of science funding.

Argentine President Mauricio Macri cut the science ministry's budget by 36% in real terms as part of an austerity programme that he hopes will attract foreign investment. Argentine researchers now fear that if Macri's party gains a congressional majority in October's mid-term elections, he will fuse the science and education ministries. It would imply that Macri's government sees science as having more to do with culture than with industry and innovation, says Cesar Bertucci, an astrophysicist at the University of Buenos Aires. And the nation's commitment in 2013 to steadily increase its stock of scientists by 10% every year to 201920 is faltering.

Some researchers forecast a brain drain from both nations. When that comes, as always, it will be the best who leave, says Davidovich.

Decline and fall

Bertucci returned to Argentina about ten years ago, when both his native country and Brazil were enjoying a scientific blossoming. This was thanks to increasing amounts of public funds supporting research and heads of state who perceived such support as a means to economic and social development.

But that halcyon era is over, and for some scientists, the current financial struggle has already proven too much to withstand. Neuroanatomist Suzana Herculano-Houzel returned to Brazil in 1999 after completing her postdoctoral studies at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt, Germany. She worked as a visiting scientist at a museum, then moved to the UFRJ in 2002 and was promoted to associate professor in 2005. By then, she had won a small three-year grant from FAPERJ and was using a saline suspension and DNA dye to count the neurons in rodent brains  the first time such a method had been accurately applied to brain cells, she says. She later applied the method to larger rodents and, eventually, to primates, earning recognition from colleagues and fanfare, particularly after producing a TED talk about it. After that initial bit of funding, things went really well in Brazil until about 2014, she recalls.

But the rot set in for her that year, at around the same time that a corruption scandal started to engulf Petrobras, Brazil's partly state-owned oil company. The scandal grew as the government grappled with an economic crisis that led to widespread public-spending cuts, which cast a pall over many Brazilians' hopes for the country's upward mobility, particularly in the scientific realm.

Herculano-Houzel had applied for a $30,000 grant from the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, but learnt late in 2014 that she would receive just $13,000. Even worse, it took several months for the funds to arrive. In the meantime, she supported her lab from her FAPERJ stipend, and eventually turned to crowdfunding to leverage funds for research aiming to show that the folding of the cortex region of mammals' brains follows a simple mathematical pattern. Credit: Ministry of Science Technology, Innovations and Communications (MCTIC)

Her lab received more than $30,600 from that effort, enough to keep it running for six more months as students completed projects. Then Herculano-Houzel bolted in 2016 for a tenured faculty position at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. It was like  of course I'm leaving, she says. When I arrived here at Vanderbilt, I realized I had developed a chronic anxiety disorder. Nearly all her former lab members in Rio have also since left Brazil, she says, thanks to funding woes.

In Argentina, the outlook is especially grim for junior researchers. The National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) has reduced its proposed number of new research posts for 2017 by 50% as a result of funding cuts. Perversely, this is encouraging some of Bertucci's former students  who are now doing postdocs in France  to try to return sooner than they otherwise would have for fear that things could get worse in the future. Nahuel Andres, a postdoc in the plasma-physics lab of Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris, expects to apply for a post this December, accelerating his planned return to Argentina by a year. I have to apply now so as not to lose one of the last permanent positions that there may be for many years, he says.

Life at a crossroads

For Guadalupe Garcia, things have already got worse. She is one of around 400 researchers who were recommended for a seven-year fellowship at CONICET after three stages of competitive evaluation. Last December, she learnt that her fellowship had been cancelled owing to budget cuts. As a medical anthropologist trained at the University of Buenos Aires, she has developed relationships with hospitals in the low-income suburbs around the city and says that she is not keen on setting down research roots elsewhere. In her work, she analyses how medical technologies become integrated into patients' lives.

While she awaits the result of a professional appeals process, Garcia plans to teach. In the long term, if a CONICET position fails to materialize, she may go into teaching more permanently  or move abroad to continue a research career. Neither option is her first choice. I worry that if I stop research to teach, I will become out of touch with cutting-edge methods in my field, she says. And although I am looking for positions abroad, I don't want to emigrate. I want to give back to the society that has invested in me, in my training.

Researchers in both nations are trying to plan their futures. Argentine scientists are getting together and discussing science's place in society, says Bertucci. We are receiving messages from the president of CONICET, Alejandro Ceccatto, that we're in a war economy.

In Brazil, PhD student Kleber Neves at the UFRJ has noticed the same shift. People here were very comfortable just staying in the university and doing their research, he says. But suddenly they are aware of the necessity of convincing society at large that what they do is important  the feeling is that the public needs to be on your side, otherwise the cuts will go through and nobody will care.

It's a huge crisis. Nobody knows how we are going to escape from this.

To this end, Davidovich and his colleagues in the Brazilian Academy of Sciences are working on a report that will explain what better-resourced science could do to alleviate some of Brazil's problems, from the Zika virus to deforestation, as well as to boost the economy. Davidovich expects to deliver the report to the science minister by the end of the year. And, maybe just symbolically to the president, whoever that may be, he adds, half in jest. Davidovich is referring to allegations of corruption against current president Michel Temer and the impeachment last year of former president Dilma Rousseff after she was found guilty of breaking budgetary laws. It's a huge crisis, he says. Nobody knows how we are going to escape from this.

Neves has ten months left of a PhD that he started in 2014 in Herculano-Houzel's lab. He completed the experimental part of his project before the lab's funding became really tight, but he is starting to doubt that a research career is for him. Here people work like crazy for a few years, then they go abroad, come back and become professors here  at least that's what happened with the previous generation. This generation might be forced to change this, he says. Young people are seriously considering doing their whole careers abroad.

Search for salvation

Scientists in Sao Paulo state are better off than elsewhere in Brazil, thanks to a provision in the state constitution. Under that stipulation, the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), which provides grants to researchers, has been receiving 1% of Sao Paulo state's annual tax receipts since 1989. Researchers say that this model buffers shifts in the availability of science funding. Applications for FAPESP postdoc fellowships have risen by 8.5% in the past year.

Still, neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis, a faculty member at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, says that he was disheartened by a recent visit to the University of Sao Paulo (USP), where he earned his PhD and medical degree. When I heard of the difficulties young researchers were facing, I was ready to cry because, in my opinion, USP is a patrimony of the Brazilian people, he says.

Both nations have tried to expand research in the private sector, but have met with mixed success. Argentina's science minister, Lino Baranao, has prioritized translational research in key areas, including biotechnology and agriculture. But the funding dried up before his efforts had a chance to generate much in the way of profits and jobs, says Tomas Santa Coloma, a biomedical researcher at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina in Buenos Aires. Current policies to lure foreign investment don't favour the small- to mid-sized start-ups that Bertucci thinks could power the economy.

Fernanda de Negri, a researcher at the Institute for Applied Economic Research, a Brazilian government-affiliated think tank, says that Brazil's efforts in innovation are stymied by counterproductive legislation. One law, for example, gives tax breaks for corporate research and development, but another discourages investment by the private sector.
Dallas, TX, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Associa Principal Management Group of North Texas (PMG) hosted the Knowledge is Power educational seminar to provide board members with unparalleled training opportunities and educational resources to better serve their communities.



The event featured guest speakers from Associa OnCall, 1000 Oaks, Sparkling Water Pools and Riddle Williams. The sessions provided information on backflow device instructions, successful contract services, pool amenities, compliance and related legal information.



Associa PMG is focusing on providing advanced training for our board members, stated Zan Miller, PMG president. We want to give them every opportunity possible to serve their communities and residents better and more efficiently. The industry experts provided detailed material on everything from new technology to legal scenarios, which allows the board members to have the most updated information to succeed.



Associa PMG hosted more than 20 board members for the first in a series of seminars for the year.



With more than 180 branch offices across North America, Associa delivers unsurpassed management and lifestyle services to nearly five million residents worldwide. Our 10,000+ team members lead the industry with unrivaled education, expertise and trailblazing innovation. For more than 40 years, Associa has provided solutions designed to help communities achieve their vision. To learn more, visit www.associaonline.com.



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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6388b9b9-774f-481c-91ab-e2b01d92a9d2
More trouble could be headed Googles way.

Roughly 60 employees, both current and former, are mulling filing a class-action lawsuit, accusing the Mountain View-based tech behemoth of sexism and income inequality, according to the Guardian.

James Finberg, a civil rights attorney handling the possible legal action, said that the women claim to earn significantly less  in terms of salaries, bonuses and stock options  than their male counterparts despite comparable qualifications and jobs.

When men bring in a higher base salary and stock options, "the big initial disparity turns into a larger and larger disparity every year," Finberg said.

Other employees described a "culture that is hostile to women," which impedes their chances for career growth, he told the Guardian.

Google has found itself embroiled in a scandal ever since engineer, James Damore, wrote a memo criticizing the company for pushing mentoring and diversity programs and for "alienating conservatives." The parts that drew the most outrage made such assertions as women "prefer jobs in social and artistic areas" and have a "lower stress tolerance" and "harder time" leading, while more men "may like coding because it requires systemizing."

However, Google's code of conduct says workers "are expected to do their utmost to create a workplace culture that is free of harassment, intimidation, bias, and unlawful discrimination." CEO Sundar Pichai said Damore, who has since been fired, violated this code.

The fallout comes as Silicon Valley faces a watershed moment over gender and ethnic diversity.

Blamed for years for not hiring enough women and minorities  and not welcoming them once they are hired  tech companies such as Google, Facebook and Uber have promised big changes. These have included diversity and mentoring programs and coding classes for groups underrepresented among the companies' technical and leadership staff. Many tech companies also pledge to interview, though not necessarily hire, minority candidates.

These are the sorts of things Damore's memo railed against.

Initially shared on an internal Google network, the memo leaked out to the public over the weekend, first in bits and pieces and then in its 10-page entirety. It took a life of its own as outsiders weighed in.

With its motto, "don't be evil," Google is broadly seen as a liberal-leaning company. However, the looming class-action gender lawsuit would add onto a U.S. Department of Labor case that also claims the company has a systemic problem of underpaying women. Labor officials have further criticized Google's strict confidentiality agreements, which they say deter women from reporting the prejudicial treatment they face.

Google denies the allegations, the Guardian reported.

After speaking to half of the 60 women who may be part of the lawsuit, Finberg said gender inequity is apparent at Google.

"They are concerned that women are channeled to levels and positions that pay less than men with similar education and experience," Finberg told the Guardian.



Several women describe earning tens of thousands of dollars less than male colleagues, who are doing the same work. One estimate puts the difference at $40,000, Finberg said.

A woman told Finberg that a man joined her team with a higher salary than what she was being paid  even though she was his supervisor, the Guardian reported.

Half of the women still work for Google while more than a dozen said the rampant discrimination forced them to question their value at the Silicon Valley giant and ultimately led to them resigning.

A woman described leaving Google after being subjected to inappropriate comments about her appearance, while being refused promotions despite her efforts and achievements.

In reference to the group of women who are thinking about the class-action, a Google spokesperson told the Guardian: "Sixty people is a really small sample size. There are always going to be differences in salary based on location, role and performance, but the process is blind to gender."

For his part, Finberg told the Guardian that such a class-action lawsuit could reverberate throughout the tech industry, if the women decide to file.

"Google is not alone in Silicon Valley," he told the publication. "The goal of the case is to not only get Google to change its practices, but to encourage other Silicon Valley companies to change their pay practices as well."
In an effort to regain the public's trust, BART will be stepping up police patrols aboard trains and at stations, agency officials said Tuesday.

In the wake of a string of recent high-profile crimes on the rails, riders will start seeing more officers in and around trains, BART police Chief Carlos Rojas said.

Rojas said it all comes down the staffing levels and priorities, and they are now prepared to beef up their presence on the trains.

Officers Carlos Dazhan and Julie Liu are part of BART's critical asset patrol team, or CAP.

"The public feels safer with us around, and it helps deter crime," Dazhan said.

The officers spend their shifts patroling train cars throughout the East Bay.

The CAP team is funded by the Department of Homeland Security, and for the first time since the team was implemented in 2011, its fully staffed with seven officers and one sergeant.

"It fluctuated from three to four and a supervisor," BART's deputy police chief Ed Alvarez said. "That was it. With vacation and time off, it didnt provide us the staffing we needed that was adequate to ride the trains."

Alvarez said in the past year theres been an increase in crime throughout the transit system. On Monday, police arrested Mario Washington on suspicion of using bolt cutters to assault a rider in the East Bay and assaulting another rider in San Francisco in what were deemed random attacks.

Oscar Rodriguez is a union representative for train agents and operators. He says theyve been asking for increased patrols on trains for months, and he's glad to hear the CAP team is fully staffed.

"A lot of angry people out there," he said. "The station agents are having a lot more problems with violent behavior in the stations."

While CAP team is fully staffed after several officers from other teams were reassigned, officials say BART's police force still is understaffed and is looking to hire 50 officers.
A San Francisco judge on Tuesday ordered a mental evaluation of a man facing hate crime assault and threats charges but who is perhaps better known as the purported victim of videotaped incident of alleged police brutality.

Sean Moore, 44, was shot by officers in a videotaped scuffle on the staircase of his Ocean View home in January. In May, a judge threw out criminal charges in that case, ruling that police overstepped their authority in seeking to notify him of a restraining order violation in the early morning incident. Moore recently filed a civil claim against the city for excessive force.

Then came his arrest last week.

On Tuesday, Moore entered a not guilty plea on new charges stemming from what police portray as a hate-motivated attack against a 16-year-old Latino jogger on Friday. He also faces charges that he threatened to kill at least three police civilians at the Taraval police station.

Moore's lawyer, deputy public defender Herman Holland, argued that his client was not a danger because he had not been convicted of a felony in a decade. While Holland says his client denies the alleged hate crimes attack, he said the threats case amounted to a police effort to really stack the case against him.

A lot of the conduct may be because he is suffering from a deteriorating mental state, Holland told Judge Joseph Quinn.

Prosecutor Margaret Buitrago argued that bail should be more than $450,000, saying that Moore posed a risk to the public. The victim in Friday's attack suffered a broken nose and a concussion.

Buitrago revealed that, according to police, Moore called the Taraval police station 158 times and threatened to separately kill three police civilians between June and the end of July.

In the end, Quinn ordered that Moore undergo a mental evaluation and set bail at $175,000.

I have serious public safety concerns, Quinn said, calling the bail sought by prosecutors unreasonable.

Moore left the hearing early after having a dispute with Holland.

Id like a different lawyer, he said.

Later, he insisted on leaving when he was admonished by the judge about speaking out of turn.

Im done, lets go, he said.
Coast Guard crews on Wednesday are continuing to comb the water near Ocean Beach in San Francisco in hopes of locating a missing person.

A 911 call Tuesday night around 7:30 p.m. notified emergency personnel that a person in the water at the popular beach was in distress, according to the Coast Guard. A search was commenced, but crews have yet to find the person.

A helicopter may join the search effort Wednesday depending on visibility.

Ocean Beach is known for playing host to dangerous conditions such as strong rip currents and powerful sneaker waves.

Back in February, a 45-year-old man was rescued from the surf after he was found face down in the water. The man suffered critical injuries.

In August of 2016, a 29-year-old man died while surfing just offshore. Months before that, two Vallejo teens presumably drowned while swimming in the Ocean Beach water. A search effort for the pair proved to be unsuccessful.
An angry voter told Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., at a town hall meeting on Monday that he hopes the congressman "dies in pain," NBC News reported.

The voter, an elderly man who was not identified, was one of 400 residents who attended the town hall in Chico, California, many of them protesting the California Republican's support of a House GOP plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

"I think that your vote to throw 22 million people off of health is reprehensible and in the service of the rich," the resident told LaMalfa. "I hope you suffer the same painful fate as those millions that you have voted to remove health care from."

But LaMalfa defended his vote, saying that "people across the board are being hurt by this," and that "we pray for our constituents, too, sir," according to The Los Angeles Times.
Seven people were shot, one of them fatally, in a mass shooting late Tuesday night just blocks from the Chicago Police Department's headquarters.

Police said the victims were standing on a sidewalk just after 10:30 p.m. in the 100 block of East 37th Place when several men walked up and opened fire from the corner of the block.

A 28-year-old man was shot in the back and pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Three others were taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in stable condition, including a 21-year-okd woman who was shot in the left knee, a 28-year-old woman shot in the left leg and a 45-year-old woman shot in the right buttocks.

Two other women, ages 46 and 27, were transported to Mercy Hospital with gunshot wounds to their legs, police said. They were last listed in stable condition.

A 30-year-old man later walked into Northwestern Memorial Hospital with a gunshot wound to the right leg. He was also listed in stable condition.

Further details weren't immediately available. An investigation remained ongoing Wednesday morning.
Taxpayers said they are not happy to hear a former Hartford city employee may have been doing a side job on city time during the aftermath of a snowstorm last winter.

"He's supposed to be doing his job. Taking care of the city, instead, he's doing himself a favor," Wendel Ferreria, a Hartford taxpayer told the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters.

The impact of winter 2017 could still be felt across Connecticut well into March. City crews across the state, including then-Hartford schools employee Greg Hooper were assigned to clean up efforts, like plowing and sanding school properties for days.

Hartford Public Schools (HPS) landscape mechanic Hooper was accused of taking some of that city time and a truck on a detour to Simsbury, roughly fifteen miles from work back on March 16, 2017.

NBC Connecticut requested the case file from HPS on March 23, 2017. On Monday, August 8, Hartfords central office provided 60 pages of documentation to the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters. One letter was Hoopers termination notice, dated on June 20, citing "egregious conduct."

"You used a Board of Education vehicle to plow a driveway on Stratton Brook Road in Simsbury, Connecticut during a snowstorm. This is against the reasonable work rules for the district," Assistant Superintendent of Hartford Public Schools Peter Dart wrote.

The investigation into Hooper started from an email titled "Use of City Equipment" to Hartford City Hall. The author asked NBC Connecticut to remain anonymous.

The email was dated March 16, 2017, and asked, Is it proper for a Hartford public schools plow truck #12 with salt dispenser #2 plow a private road in West Simsbury today about 9:45 am?"

The author of the email told the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters, "I understand it is not the first time he had done that. I did what I thought was my responsibility as a tax payer and a retired Hartford Public Schools teacher."

One day after the plowing incident in question, on March 17, 2017, district officials placed Hooper on paid leave. He continued to receive his $51,771 salary until termination on June 20, 2017.

The district also alleges Hooper was hostile toward a supervisor when confronted about the complaint. HPS school officials provided video of the exchange between Hooper and that district employee. There is no sound on the recording.

Assistant Superintendent Peter Dart added in Hoopers termination letter, "You acted aggressively and used profanities toward another district employee..."

Hooper had no comment at his home in Simsbury on Tuesday. In a statement to the Board of Education, Hooper denied accusations of using certain profanity and accused a supervisor of acting aggressively toward him.

In the same letter, Hooper noted he is normally assigned a different truck but didn't know which truck he was assigned that specific day.

Hooper told NBC Connecticut he had an attorney, but would not provide a name.

Hoopers union representative did not respond to telephone calls or emails.

School District officials also claim Greg Hooper was insubordinate for failing to attend two hearings he was required to, while still getting paid by the city.

Hartford Superintendent Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez released this statement to NBC Connecticut:

"The termination of Gregory Hooper is a confidential personnel matter. Our employees are held to a high standard of conduct and professionalism. In circumstances in which we must consider termination of an employee, we follow processes and procedures that ensure the right decision is made."
A Meriden father who sought sanctuary in a New Haven church when he was supposed to be deported Tuesday to Ecuador said he does not want to be separated from his children and is prepared to stay as long as he has the support of his family in the decision.

Marco Reyes, a father of three and the family's sole provider, learned in July when he reported to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as scheduled, that he would have to leave behind the life he built in Meriden and head back to Ecuador by Aug. 8.

Instead, Reyes took sanctuary at the First and Summerfield United Methodist Church in New Haven with his family members.

U.S. Customs and Immigration officials said that a federal immigration judge issued a final order of removal for Reyes in 2009 and Reyes was granted a stay of removal to allow him to pursue legal options in his immigration proceedings but has since exhausted his legal options.

Reyes explained that he came to the U.S. in 1997 because he wanted to build a better life for his family. He did that by working a construction job as he and his wife raised their three children. He said he has no criminal record.

Reyes has been living in Connecticut with his wife and children since 1997 and the problem came in 2007 when the family was vacationing and accidentally crossed into Canada.

Federal immigration authorities apprehended Reyes as they tried to return and supporters said he has been checking in with ICE since 2016.

I am very honest in this country. Very, very honest. I pay my taxes, I pay everything. So I dont understand. Why me? Reyes said.

Reyes said that it is frustrating to be stuck at the church because he cannot provide for his family, but that all the support he has received from the community has been a blessing. Senator Richard Blumenthal has called on ICE to reconsider the order, saying the move is a result of the Trump administrations cruel and inhumane immigration policies.

His 12-year-old daughter Adriana, who is staying at the church with her father, said she hated the thought of being separated and wished that President Donald Trump would consider what deportation does to families.

He should think about all those families that their families are getting destroyed, separated  maybe they wont get to see them for  maybe forever, she said.

She also asked that people who wanted her father to leave stop and think about that the situation really means, and how they would feel if it were them.

You dont like when youre separated from your family. You never want to go through that, she said.

Shawn Neudauer, ICE spokesman for the New England area said that Reyes is now considered an ICE fugitive for refusing to comply with the removal order and will be arrested when encountered. It is ICE's policy not to apprehend people in sensitive locations like churches unless there are pressing circumstances.

"A federal immigration judges orders cannot be ignored. ICE and the courts can delay acting on an order to ensure all applicable legal processes and possible benefits are followed and/or reviewed, which occurred in this case. However, after these legal options are exhausted, ICE must still carry out the judges order in the absence of any other mitigating factors," Neudauer said in a statement.

Reyes is not the first Connecticut resident to seek refuge in a church while fighting deportation.

Nury Chavarria, a mother of four, who left Guatemala in 1993, when she was 19, sought sanctuary at Iglesia De Dios Pentecostal Church in New Haven, and has since been granted a stay that will allow her to remain in the country.
A rare pink dolphin is making a splash in Louisiana thanks to a video showing the animal jumping in and out of the water in front of a ship in the Calcasieu Ship Channel this weekend.

In fact, Bridget Anne Boudreaux said she saw two albino dolphins by her boat Saturday, along with some others, she told NBC News.

Albino dolphins are extremely rare, according to the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, with five potentially white bottlenose dolphins spotted in the entire Southeast United States as of 2016 and just three individuals likely behind the sightings of white or pink bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico.

A pink dolphin calf was first spotted in Calcasieu Lake, Louisiana, in 2007, and has been spotted many times since then, according to NOAA, which wrote that it's considered an albino despite its pink coloration.

"All sightings of this dolphin have been off Louisiana and most of the time it was seen swimming with a group," according to NOAA.

NBC reached out to the agency to ask about the video.



Boudreaux said the two pink dolphins she saw never appeared together, so she couldn't get video of them both. One jumping out of the water near her boat caught the attention of her and her husband.

"We watched them play around for awhile and then they went to the ship to play in front of it. And I told my husband to keep up with the ship so I can get a better video," Boudreaux said.
One of three people in custody in connection with the videotaped assault of a man on board a DART train said Monday that he doesn't feel "any kind of sorry about it" because he was only protecting his family.

"It's my brother, my family. I'm here to protect them and that's what I'm going to do and I feel like I did what I was supposed to do as a brother," said Remon Hendrix, 23.

Hendrix and his 21-year-old brother, Jakobi, were both arrested last week on assault charges after the beating involving the two and several others, was caught on DART surveillance footage and cellphone video. The video -- including images showing some of the suspects hitting the victim with a skateboard -- had been viewed nearly 200,000 times by Monday afternoon.

Click here to read more from our partners at The Dallas Morning News.



Jakobi Hendrix gave an interview to NBC 5 last Friday where he apologized for his role in the attack and said if he'd known how the fight started he would have pulled his brother off of the victim.

A man arrested in connection with a mob of people who attacked a DART passenger Sunday spoke from the Dallas County Courthouse on Friday. Jakobi Hendrix, 21, said he jumped into the fight to protect his brother and was upset days later when he learned how the fight started.

On Monday, DART police announced a third arrest in the case -- an unnamed juvenile with distinctive red hair seen in a video published on social media.


WHITEHORSE, Yukon, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pizza 73 opened its first location in Whitehorse, Yukon, on July 20, 2017. Located at 4211 4th Avenue, this marks the 83rd store opening for the Edmonton-based banner.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/af898e32-24ee-4ae5-ba45-c225712f46b0

We couldnt be happier to set up shop in Whitehorse, says Pat Finelli, chief marketing officer at Pizza 73. We believe local residents and the increasing number of tourists who visit Whitehorse will appreciate our commitment of providing a better meal for a better deal.

Pizza 73 is a proudly Canadian brand with a long history of service and value to its customers. With the help of its network of owner-operators, the brand has been behind industry innovations including its now famous double-decker pizza delivery box and being one of the first Canadian pizza chains to offer online ordering over a decade ago.

Consumers in and around the Whitehorse area can expect the complete Pizza 73 menu which includes: famously flavourful pizzas, golden crispy chicken wings, widely acclaimed wedgies as well as side options like jalapeno poppers, onion rings and curly fries. Pizza 73 locations also offer gluten-free pizzas and boneless wings. The Whitehorse location, like all Pizza 73 stores, prepares its dough in-house, made fresh daily, and offers delivery and pick up including a wide range of specials.

As a leader in the pizza and foodservice industry, Pizza 73 is committed to bringing the people of Whitehorse together to enjoy quality pizzas and side dishes for large groups and the whole family.

About Pizza 73

Established in 1985, Pizza 73 aims to satisfy every customer by providing excellent quality food and true value in a fast and friendly manner. The brand is a leader in the communities it serves and offers a broad range of menu items with 20 varieties of specialty pizzas, over 20 different toppings and three styles of crust (traditional pan, super pan and gluten-free), and an assortment of side dishes including chicken wings, boneless wings, wedgies, dipping sauces and salads. Visit www.pizza73.com for more information.
Former Gov. Mark White has been remembered as a dedicated and caring Texas leader by someone who later held the same elected position -- George W. Bush.

The nation's 43rd president spoke Wednesday at White's funeral at Second Baptist Church in Houston.

White, a Democrat who served as Texas governor from 1983 to 1987, battled kidney cancer and died Saturday at age 77.

Bush praised White, who served in the 1980s, as a good and decent man who "envisioned a Texas where all children were educated."

Gov. Greg Abbot and ex-Gov. Rick Perry were among the hundreds of mourners. Luci Baines Johnson, a daughter of ex-President Lyndon B. Johnson, said White may have retired from public office but never retired from public service.

White was to lie in state Thursday at the Capitol Rotunda, with burial at the Texas State Cemetery.
How do you capture the aroma of a city that produces 12,000 tons of trash every day?

Luxury fragrance company Diptyque said on Twitter it is creating an exclusive New York City candle, and that has elicited strong mixed reactions on social media. The 6.5 oz candle is already listed on the company's website for $70.

NYC exclusive candle captures the scent of the city that never sleeps... pic.twitter.com/7siJFaTumF  diptyque Paris (@diptyqueparis) August 5, 2017

The Paris-based company, which also produces perfumes, cosmetics and skin care products, retails its candles from $34 to $295.

if this smells like fresh h&h bagels I'll buy 200 https://t.co/6TFM8YLY4a  BOOchie Wally (@rwxoxo) August 7, 2017

Though Diptyque didn't say exactly what the candle will smell like, users on social media weighed in on the possibilities.

Some customers expressed their enthusiasm over the new candle, hoping it has the essence of iconic New York foods like pizza, bagels, Halal meat or roasted nuts.

Love my city to death but it's a no from me dawg. https://t.co/jEehjmoCdJ  a Skettelectual (@ShenaeCurry) August 7, 2017

However, the majority of people seemed unimpressed or skeptical about the aroma of New York.

Common guesses about the scent included rats, urine, smoke, sweat, hot garbage and subways in the heat.

Other tweets referred to the quirky sights and smells of the city  the only-in-New-York incidents like the pizza rat or a stray shoe on the street.

Others had more abstract ideas about the scent, like despair and gentrification.

Diptyque also recently announced a London candle which they specified will smell like flowers.

To celebrate Westbourne Grove boutique reopening, diptyque proposes a London exclusive candle; a flower market encapsulated. pic.twitter.com/wO4IX9CZka  diptyque Paris (@diptyqueparis) August 8, 2017

To celebrate Westbourne Grove boutique reopening, diptyque proposes a London exclusive candle; a flower market encapsulated, the company tweeted.

The company hasnt confirmed if the London and New York candles are part of a city-themed series in the making, but some people are hoping not.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the ports of entry along the California border with Mexico intercepted 1,500 pounds of narcotics valued at more than $3.3 million and captured 17 fugitives over the weekend.

From Friday through Sunday, CBP officers intercepted more than 470 pounds of methamphetamine, 72 pounds of cocaine, over 1,000 pounds of marijuana and 11 pounds of heroin.

CBP officers discovered the narcotics hidden inside cars in various places, from the car floors, fenders, doors and tires to quarter panels.

During the same period, 17 fugitives were arrested for various charges that included attempted murder, aggravated assault, larceny and parole violations.

On August 4, at approximately 2:05 p.m., a 33-year-old male U.S. citizen was escorted on foot to the San Ysidro Port of Entry Pedestrian West Crossing by Mexican authorities.

CBP Officers took custody of the man and conducted a query to get biometric information via the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS).

CBP officers identified him as Carlos Beltran and confirmed that Beltran was wanted by the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department for attempted murder, which carried a bail of $1 million. CBP officers turned Beltran over to U.S. Marshals.

CBP officers seized all cars and narcotics. All narcotic-related subjects were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further processing.

CBP officers at the border crossings in Southern California routinely stop illegal activity, while processing millions of legitimate travelers into the United States. Those statistics can be found here.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) may have discovered a path to a vaccine for two types of currently incurable step throat, thanks to a recent medical discovery.

"What we are discovering has gone unnoticed for nearly a century by researchers," said Victor Nizet, MD, a professor at UCSD.

According to Nizet, strep throat bacteria can lead to flesh-eating diseases in those with weak immune systems.

"There is one protein on the bacteria that breaks off when it enters the body," said Nizet. "The body's white blood cells explode to attack it, which causes inflammation."

This is why your throat often swells up when strep is present: because the body is fighting off the infection, Nizet explained.

"In patients with weakened immune systems, that very same inflammation can spin out of control and cause severe damage," said Nizet. "So that's what we're understanding. The battle between the host, meaning our immune systems, and this leading pathogen."

Nizet said this has gone unrecognized until now because scientists have been focused on studying the bacteria, not the protein that breaks off of it.

The discovery could lead to a change in the way vaccines are designed and a development for Strep Group A and Group B, which currently have no vaccines that efficiently fight them off.


Starbucks held on-the-spot interviews to hire refugees in El Cajon Tuesday.

The coffee company said they are committed to helping refugees find work.

Dozens of people from Syria, Somalia and other countries throughout the middle east and Africa came out to interview at the International Rescue Committee office on Main Street.



"I came here from Afghanistan a month ago and I am hoping to be an employee of Starbucks," said Ali Arman, who added he came to San Diego with his family to escape violence.

About 30 Starbucks managers were present at the event to help with hiring. Applicants needed to have work authorization and will go through the same review and background check as other potential employees, according to the company.



Some locals expressed concern on social media over the hiring event, saying it could take away jobs from more qualified candidates.

"If they are pushing to hire refugees they might discriminate against other applicants," said one commenter.



Starbucks said the goal is to hire 10,000 refugees globally by 2022.


Florida Highway Patrol troopers rescued a man from Tampa Bay this week after a concerned Uber driver alerted them to the man's possible plan to take his life by jumping off a bridge.

Uber driver Chad Farley wrote on Facebook that he was working Monday night and had picked up the man, who requested to be taken to the middle of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa, a spot where dozens have reportedly died by or attempted suicide.

Farley said the man, who is in his 20s, said he had been diagnosed with brain cancer, so they started talking and praying. Farley said he took a picture with the man before he dropped the man off away from the bridge and called 911.

"I called 911 because this guy was definitely suicidal and his goal was for sure to jump off the Skyway Bridge if he was able to get up there," Farley wrote. "I had zero doubts about his intentions."

According to FHP, troopers responded to a rest area near the bridge and found the man on a fishing pier. As the troopers were talking with the man, he fled into the water and submerged himself, officials said.

The two troopers entered the dark water and were able to find the man after several minutes. He was taken to shore and the troopers gave him CPR until rescue workers arrived, officials said.

The 28-year-old man was taken to Bayfront Medical Center where he was listed in critical but stable condition, FHP officials said.

"God put that man in my car tonight for a reason. I'm just glad he is still alive," Farley wrote in the post.

SUICIDE PREVENTION HELP: The National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


Teachers in South Florida have a chance to win a lot of cash for classroom supplies just in time for the new school year.

McDonald's is hosting its first annual "Cash for the Classroom" contest for teachers in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties. Three teachers will win a $1,000 prize to buy supplies for the classroom.

The fast-food chain will choose three teachers who demonstrate exceptional efforts in furthering students' education.

We understand sometimes educators might invest their own dollars for school supplies for the programs they believe in," said Melissa Montes, local McDonald's owner. "This contest is a way to help support classrooms with the funds they need, as well as recognize the significant work these exceptional teachers do every day in our schools.

The contest is open August 9 through September 25 to licensed teachers with kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms. The winners will be selected based on their creativity and how the teacher is making a difference in the classroom.

Submissions can be emailed to CashForClassroom@ThinkBSG.com. For more information, click here.
A BMW plowed into a group of soldiers in a Paris suburb Wednesday, hurting six, in what the local mayor said was "without a doubt" the work of a "terrorist."

The driver escaped but was tracked down and shot five times by a SWAT team while he was traveling on a highway about 150 miles north of Paris, officials told NBC News.



The suspect, a 36-year-old North African man who lives in another suburb of Paris, was wounded and taken to a hospital, according to the Paris prosecutor's office.

French counterterorrism experts opened an investigation after the ramming attack at an army barracks in Levallois-Perret, in which three of the wounded soldiers were seriously injured.

"Without a doubt this is a terrorist attack ... he deliberately drove out to hit the soldiers," Levallois-Perret Mayor Patrick Balkany said.
TORONTO, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lydian International Limited (TSX:LYD) (Lydian or the Company) announced today its results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017. All dollar amounts referenced in this news release are, unless otherwise indicated, in United States dollars.



Second Quarter 2017 Highlights

The summer construction season in Armenia is providing opportunity for progress and completion of significant earthworks at Amulsar. As of June 30, 2017, project commitments totaled 72% of estimated total project costs. The ADR platform is now complete, and multiple contractors are working at all elevations. Foundation excavations and concrete work will begin during Q3 2017.

Major engineering and procurement commitments are complete; this supported initial deliveries of structural steel and other key equipment during Q2 2017. Shipments and deliveries of major mining and processing equipment are advancing as planned.

Howard Stevenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lydian International, stated, During the second quarter, we significantly advanced construction at Amulsar and contractor performance continues to accelerate as we advance through summer. Overall project completion is now at 46%, with construction progress estimated at 29%. We received our first advance under our major credit facility and ended the quarter with a strong cash position of $77 million. Looking ahead, we expect to achieve significant milestones by year-end and our first gold pour by mid-2018.

Recent Developments

Key developments occurring during Q2 2017 and more recently include:

Materials Handling System  Major pieces of equipment for the crushing plant, including the jaw crusher, a secondary cone crusher, rock breaker, pan feeders, and screen liners have all arrived at site. The material handling system includes crushing and screening equipment and the overland conveyor, all supplied by Sandvik. Components have been shipping during Q2 2017 as fabrication is completed. Modular steel structures for the overland conveyer and other structural steel components are arriving on site and will continue throughout Q3 2017. Excavation of the crushing platform is advancing.

Mine Operations  Caterpillar remains on schedule in manufacturing the primary mine mobile equipment. The first phase of equipment, consisting of a 6040 hydraulic shovel, one 944 front end loader, five 789D haul trucks and other equipment, was shipped in July 2017. Deliveries to Amulsar and assembly are expected over the balance of Q3 2017.

Heap Leach Facility  Major earthworks continue and construction of the HLF has commenced with topsoil stripping, preparation of the sub-base for the geomembrane, and completion of the temporary sediment control dam.

Processing Plant  The ADR plant is being fabricated in South Africa by Azmet. Pre-assembled modules have been loaded for shipment later this month. Delivery is expected by late Q3 2017. The concrete foundations contract has been awarded and the concrete batch plant components have arrived at site.

Infrastructure  ABB is suppling all major site-wide electrical and control systems. Fabrication of the main substation and distribution grid, integrated automation and process control by optimized solutions, motors and drive systems is advancing in accordance with the manufacturers planned delivery schedules. Electrical transformers are scheduled for shipment this month, with delivery anticipated during Q4 2017.

Financing  On June 30, 2017, Lydian received the first advance of $25 million under the Term Loan Agreement and amended the agreement to provide for a second advance of $25 million by August 15, 2017, subject to applicable conditions precedent. The commercial production date was extended by three months to September 30, 2018.

Sustainability  Biodiversity programs are successfully advancing as planned to achieve compliance with international standards. Potentilla porphyrantha studies demonstrate positive potential for ex situ conservation and propagation from seed. Planning activities and assessments are being completed in support of establishing the Jermuk National Park as a biodiversity offset. Lydian is also supporting Armenias implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative with membership on the EITI Multi-Stakeholder Group and participation in several working groups. Preparation of the Companys 2016 Sustainability Report continues, with publication expected Q3 2017.

To view construction photos and videos, please click on the following link:

http://www.lydianinternational.co.uk/projects/amulsar/multimedia-gallery

About Lydian International Limited

Lydian is a gold developer, focusing on construction at its 100%-owned Amulsar Gold Project, located in south-central Armenia. Amulsar presents an opportunity for a large-scale, low-cost operation with production expected to begin mid-2018. Open pit mining and conventional heap leach processing contribute to excellent scale and economic potential. Amulsar will be Armenias largest gold mine, with estimated mineral resources containing 3.5 million measured and indicated gold ounces and 1.3 million inferred gold ounces. Gold production is targeted to average approximately 225,000 ounces annually over an initial 10-year mine life. Existing mineral resources and open extensions provide opportunities to improve average annual production and extend the life of mine. The Company is committed to good international industry practices in all aspects of its operations including production, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. For more information and to directly contact us, please visit www.lydianinternational.co.uk.

For further information, please contact:





Doug Tobler, CFO

+1 720-307-5087 (d) or +1 303-905-4442 (m) Pamela Solly, Vice President of Investor Relations

+1 720-464-5649 (d) or +1 303-810-4863 (m)



Or: moreinfo@Lydianinternational.co.uk

Caution regarding forward-looking information

Certain information contained in this news release is forward looking. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events, results, outcomes or developments that the Company expects to occur are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects, is expected, intends, anticipates or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, will, would, should, or occur or the negative or other variations of such terms. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements with respect to: the realization of mineral resource estimates and the timing of development of the Amulsar Gold Project, including the expected start date of production; the current Amulsar Gold Project construction schedule, including the Companys plan to begin and advance various on-site construction activities; current expectations regarding forthcoming operational objectives and the timing and satisfaction of such objectives; the ability to access funds under current and future financing arrangements and the timing and terms of such funding; results of future exploration and drilling; the commitment to and implementation of good international industry practices; the expected gold production from, and life of mine of, the Amulsar Gold Project; the expected mining methods at the Amulsar Gold Project; and the expected cost of operations at the Amulsar Gold Project. Statements concerning mineral resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking information to the extent that they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered when the property is developed.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, without limitation: changes in gold and silver prices; adverse general economic, market or business conditions; failure to achieve the objectives of the future exploration and drilling programs; regulatory changes; as well as "Risk Factors" included in the disclosure documents filed on and available at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.




What to Know French police are searching for a driver who slammed a BMW into a group of soldiers in a Paris suburb, injuring six of them, officials say

A safe haven where drug users inject themselves has been quietly operating in the United States for the past three years, a report reveals

Disney announced it intends to pull all its content from Netflix for its own streaming service in 2019, CNBC reports

Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Vehicle Hits Soldiers in Paris Suburb, Injuring 6, Officials Say

French police are searching for a driver who slammed a BMW into a group of soldiers in a Paris suburb, injuring six of them in what appeared to be a carefully timed ambush before speeding away, officials said. The driver's motive is unclear, but officials said he deliberately aimed at the soldiers, and counterterrorism authorities opened an investigation. It is the latest of several attacks targeting security forces guarding France over the past year. While others have targeted prominent sites like the Eiffel Tower, Wednesday's attack hit a leafy, relatively affluent suburb that is home to France's main intelligence service, the DGSI. Three of the soldiers suffered light injuries while three were more seriously injured, but their lives are not in danger, according to the Defense Ministry. They were from the 35th infantry regiment and served in Operation Sentinelle, created to guard prominent French sites after a string of deadly Islamic extremist attacks in 2015.

Military Judge Agrees to Suppress Bowe Bergdahl Comments Made in Captivity

A military judge in North Carolina agreed to suppress statements made by former prisoner of war Bowe Bergdahl while he was in captivity, NBC News reported. Army Judge Col. Jeffery R. Nance agreed to suppress Bergdahl's statements after his defense attorneys argued the comments are highly unreliable and were coerced, according to NBC affiliate WRAL. Bergdahl appeared in court for a motion hearing. He is facing a court martial after he wandered away from his base in Afghanistan in 2009 and was captured by the Taliban. Bergdahl was returned to the U.S. in 2014 in exchange for five Guantanamo Bay prisoners. Some have criticized the swap, including President Donald Trump, who called Bergdahl a "traitor."

Fired Google Engineer Files Complaint, Weighs Legal Options

A 28-year-old former Google engineer who was fired over a memo he wrote about gender differences said he's exploring all his legal options and has already filed a labor complaint over his treatment. James Damore, whose memo over the weekend caused an uproar online, said in an email that he was terminated late Monday for "perpetuating gender stereotypes." He said that prior to being fired he had filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board and that "it's illegal to retaliate against a NLRB charge." A filing by Damore with the board Monday alleged he was subjected to "coercive statements" while at Google. A Google spokesperson said Tuesday that the company could not have retaliated because it was unaware of his labor complaint until reading about it in the media after his dismissal. As of Tuesday afternoon, the company said it had not been sent notice of the complaint by the board.

Disparity Between Infant Mortality Rates in Appalachia, Rest of U.S. Growing, Study Finds

Placing much of the blame on smoking, a study chronicling the ongoing health crisis in Appalachia has concluded that the 13-state region suffers from a growing disparity in infant mortality and life expectancy, two key indicators of "a nation's health and well-being." The study, published in an issue of Health Affairs, compared infant mortality and life expectancy rates in Appalachia with the rest of the United States between 1990 and 2013. It found while the rates were similar in the 1990s, by 2013 infant mortality across Appalachia was 16 percent higher than the rest of the country while life expectancy for adults was 2.4 years shorter. While the region has been the focus of the opioid epidemic in recent years, the study found one of the biggest culprits was likely the prevalence of smoking and the region's tendency to be "more accepting of tobacco use as a social norm." Gopal K. Singh, a co-author of the study and a senior health equity adviser with the Health Resources and Services Administration, noted nearly 20 percent of Appalachian women report they smoked during pregnancy. In the rest of the country, it's 8 percent.

Researchers Detail Heroin, Drug Use at Underground U.S. Haven

A safe haven where drug users inject themselves with heroin and other drugs has been quietly operating in the United States for the past three years, a report reveals. None were known to exist in the U.S. until the disclosure in a medical journal, although several states and cities are pushing to establish these so-called supervised injection sites where users can shoot up under the care of trained staff who can treat an overdose if necessary. In the report, two researchers said they've been evaluating an underground safe place that opened in 2014. As a condition of their research, they didn't disclose the location of the facility  which is unsanctioned and potentially illegal  or the social service agency running it. The researchers offered little data, and their main finding was that no one died while injecting at the safe place. There were two overdoses on site, which were reversed by staff members using the overdose medication naloxone. Advocates and some politicians in recent years have called for government-sanctioned injection sites as the U.S. grapples with the opioid epidemic. More than 52,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2015  the most ever  fueled by soaring abuse of heroin and prescription painkillers. Government statistics for the first nine months of last year show overdose death rates continuing to spiral.

Glen Campbell: A Rhinestone Cowboy Who Shines On

Glen Campbell, during a half-century-plus career, defied easy categorization as his impeccably smooth voice plied the varied waters of country, rock, folk and even the thump of New Orleans-infused pop. But Campbell's final performances and recordings as Alzheimer's disease slowly ravaged his mind made as clear as the sweet notes he sounded that his identity was firmly rooted in producing great music, no matter what the type. By the time he got to the end of his life at the age of 81, Glen Campbell had wrought a legacy as an inspirational musical force whose work spanned genres and generations. His bittersweet final years belied his launch as grinning country boy charmer who seemed to effortlessly entertain crossover audiences during the turbulent late 1960s. Far from an overnight success, the Arkansas native laid the seeds for his blossoming as a versatile superstar during stints on guitar for top acts ranging from Nat King Cole to the Beach Boys, with whom he toured at the peak of their popularity. Campbell reached remarkable heights of fame on his own, beginning with "Gentle on My Mind," the proto-Eagles tune initially issued in June 1967, the same month the Beatles released "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band."

Disney to Remove All Content on Netflix for Its Own New Service, Company Says

Disney wants to own a piece of the streaming pie. The company announced during its latest earnings report it intends to pull all its content from Netflix for its own streaming service in 2019, CNBC reported. CEO Bob Iger told CNBC's Julia Boorstin Disney had a "good relationship" with Netflix, but decided to exercise an option to move its content off the platform. Movies to be removed include Marvel as well as Disney titles. It will also be making a "significant investment" in exclusive movies and television series for the new platform.
What to Know A newly-ordained priest in New Jersey is accused of groping a teen girl under her skirt, authorities say

The Rev. Marcin Nurek, 37, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and criminal sexual contact, officials say

A protest will go on outside the Morristown courthouse Wednesday morning as Nurek faces a judge

Members of a non-profit charity that assists victims of sexual abuse and their families demonstrated outside a New Jersey courtroom after authorities say a newly ordained Roman Catholic priest has been charged with groping a teen girl under her skirt.

The protesters say they want to see changes in the church to make sure children are safe. Most of them say they were victims of clergy abuse. They held signs that said things like, "Church can't protect kids, strong laws can" and "End the limitations for sex abuse."

Bob Hoatson, a former priest and victim of clergy abuse, was among those demonstrating outside of Morristown's courthouse Wednesday morning as Marcin Nurek prepared to face a judge.

"We're here to say that children are the priority, they must be the priority, and the church has to change its structure to enact better policies and procedures to protect them," he said.

The alleged victim in Nurek's case isn't believed to have known him, and the alleged abuse didn't happen inside a church.

Surveillance video captured a man allegedly following a group of girls and grabbing one of them. The video shows a group of four girls walking down Main Street in Boonton when a man with a backpack comes from behind. He grabs the buttocks of one of the girls, then takes off down the street.

The 37-year-old man allegedly told the teenage girl she was "sexy," according to the Morris County prosecutor's office.

The girl reported the incident to police, and the man with the backpack -- who allegedly turned out to be the Rev. Marcin Nurek -- was arrested on Essex Avenue about 20 minutes later, police say.

He's charged with endangering the welfare of a child and criminal sexual contact.

The Diocese of Paterson put Nurek on administrative leave. He remains in jail pending a detention hearing on Wednesday. It wasn't immediately known if he had an attorney to comment on his behalf.

Nurek is an immigrant from Poland who arrived in the U.S. in March 2015, and was ordained into the priesthood in July. He was scheduled to begin his assignment at St. Catherine of Siena this month; his assignment has since been terminated.

The Diocese of Paterson said that he had completed training regarding proper conduct with children and his international criminal background check in October 2014 was clear.
A new study from data science company Niche has ranked the best public elementary schools in the nation.

And four schools in New York and New Jersey have landed in the top 10.

Three of the four schools are located in Jericho on Long Island.

Robert Seamen Elementary came in at No. 7, followed by Cantiague Elementary at No. 8 and the George A. Jackson School at No. 10.

A New Jersey school also ranked in the top 10 nationally. Littlebrook Elementary in Princeton landed the No. 9 spot.

The company analyzed state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, grade school ratings and the overall quality of the school district to determine the rankings.

In addition to the national list, Niche also ranked schools by state.

Check out the list below to see if a school near you made it into the top 10 public elementary schools in either New York or New Jersey.

New York:

No. 1: The best public elementary school in New York is Robert Seaman Elementary School in Jericho. The Long Island school has 326 students and a 9:1 student to teacher ratio, according to Niche. It also ranked as the seventh best elementary school in the nation.

The best public elementary school in New York is in Jericho. The Long Island school has 326 students and a 9:1 student to teacher ratio, according to Niche. It also ranked as the seventh best elementary school in the nation. No. 2: A Jericho school also landed the second spot on the list. Cantiague Elementary School also ranks fifth for the best public elementary school teachers, according to Niche. It is ranked No. 8 nationally.

A Jericho school also landed the second spot on the list. also ranks fifth for the best public elementary school teachers, according to Niche. It is ranked No. 8 nationally. No. 3: Yet again, a Jericho school has landed on the list. George A. Jackson School located in Jericho, New York. This school has about 431 students and is ranked 10th nationally.

Yet again, a Jericho school has landed on the list. located in Jericho, New York. This school has about 431 students and is ranked 10th nationally. No. 4: Great Neck's Lakeville Elementary School is ranked fourth New York. The school received "A+" grades for academics and teachers and received a "B+" for diversity.

Great Neck's is ranked fourth New York. The school received "A+" grades for academics and teachers and received a "B+" for diversity. No. 5: The fifth best elementary school in New York is E.M. Baker School in Great Neck, according to Niche. The Great Neck school has an 11:1 student to teacher ratio. The school received "A+" grades for academics and teachers and received a "B+" for diversity.

The fifth best elementary school in New York is in Great Neck, according to Niche. The Great Neck school has an 11:1 student to teacher ratio. The school received "A+" grades for academics and teachers and received a "B+" for diversity. No. 6: Syosset's Village Elementary School claims the sixth spot. The students at this public elementary school are 92 percent proficient in math and 77 percent proficient in reading, according to Niche.

Syosset's claims the sixth spot. The students at this public elementary school are 92 percent proficient in math and 77 percent proficient in reading, according to Niche. No. 7: Edgewood School is the seventh best elementary school in New York, according to Niche. This Scarsdale school also reportedly has the third best public school teachers in New York.

is the seventh best elementary school in New York, according to Niche. This Scarsdale school also reportedly has the third best public school teachers in New York. No. 8: Scarsdale's Greenville School is ranked No. 8 on the list of New York's best public elementary schools. Seventy percent of students at this school are proficient in reading and 77 percent are proficient in math, according to Niche.

Scarsdale's is ranked No. 8 on the list of New York's best public elementary schools. Seventy percent of students at this school are proficient in reading and 77 percent are proficient in math, according to Niche. No. 9: The ninth school on the list is another Scarsdale school, Seely Place School . This elementary school has a 14:1 student to teacher ratio, according to Niche.

The ninth school on the list is another Scarsdale school, . This elementary school has a 14:1 student to teacher ratio, according to Niche. No. 10: South Grove Elementary School is the tenth best public elementary school in New York, according to Niche. The Syosset school received "A+" rankings for academics and teachers and a "B+" for diversity.

New Jersey:
The El Segundo community has raised over $5,000 to support a high school valedictorian whose college fund was stolen while she and her parents were away for her freshman orientation.

When Kristin Villanueva, 17, returned home from orientation at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and saw her room had been rummaged through, her excitement for college quickly dissipated.

The $2,000 Villanueva earned from tutoring over the past four years, money that was supposed to go towards tuition and textbooks during her first quarter at Cal Poly SLO, was stolen.

"She would rush from going to her internships, coming back to tutor, and sometimes not eating lunch because she's so busy with school work and engineering club, robotics until eight, nine at night," said her mother, Jane Kihara. "She worked hard for it, every penny."

When the El Segundo Police Officers' Association heard about what happened to Villanueva, they started a GoFundMe page for her. In less than 10 days, they raised more than double the amount of her original college fund.

"She's helped tutor kids in the city, saved up all her money, she's the valedictorian  we felt (she's) someone who's done everything right her entire life, and something terrible happened to her," said Joseph Cameron, an El Segundo Police Department officer. "We felt we could step in and help out."

Villanueva says the community's kindness has boosted her inspiration to do well in school and beyond so she can give back to the place that has given her so much.
A military judge in North Carolina agreed Tuesday to suppress statements made by former prisoner of war Bowe Bergdahl while he was in captivity, NBC News reported.

Army Judge Col. Jeffery R. Nance agreed to suppress Bergdahl's statements after his defense attorneys argued the comments are highly unreliable and were coerced, according to NBC affiliate WRAL.

Bergdahl appeared in court Tuesday for a motion hearing. He is facing a court martial after he wandered away from his base in Afghanistan and was captured by the Taliban in 2009.

Bergdahl was returned to the U.S. in 2014 in exchange for five Guantanamo Bay prisoners. Some have criticized the swap, including now-President Donald Trump, who called Bergdahl a "traitor."
At some point during many flights, the captain will calmly announce that there could be some bumps ahead and so passengers must be seated with their seat belts on.

The plane might seem to bobble or bounce a bit, but rarely does it turn into a serious threat to safety. That, however, is just what happened to an American Airlines flight last weekend, when 10 people were injured as the plane plowed through turbulence on its way to landing in Philadelphia.

A rundown of statistics, recent incidents, and what pilots and airlines do to avoid hitting potholes in the sky:

The Numbers

About 40 people a year are seriously injured by turbulence in the U.S., according to Federal Aviation Administration figures from the last 10 years. The FAA counted 44 injuries last year, the most since more than 100 were hurt in 2009.

But the official count is almost certainly too low.

The National Transportation Safety Board requires airlines to report incidents that result in serious injury or death, and FAA uses those reports to tally the number of people hurt by turbulence. But airlines are not required to report injuries unless they require a 48-hour hospital stay or involve certain specific injuries such as major broken bones, burns or organ damage.

Saturday's American Airlines flight to Philadelphia likely won't meet those standards  the injured people were released from the hospital within a few hours and didn't suffer the types of injuries that trigger a report to the federal safety board.

Recent Flights

The American Airlines flight from Athens hit severe turbulence over the New York coastline. Seven crew members and three passengers among the 299 people on board were taken to a hospital for treatment. American Airlines spokesman Ross Feinstein said the seat-belt sign was on but none of the injured people were buckled in.

Feinstein said the plane was inspected and suffered no damage. After the interior was cleaned up  coffee and other drinks went flying, even splashing the ceiling  the plane was put back in service Monday, he said.

It was the latest in a string of scary turbulence incidents.

 In June, 10 people on a United Airlines flight from Panama City to Houston were injured when their plane was shaken over the Gulf of Mexico.

 In May, more than two dozen passengers suffered injuries including broken bones when they were tossed around the cabin of an Aeroflot plane headed from Moscow to Bangkok.

 More than 20 people were injured in August 2016 when a JetBlue plane ran into turbulence in a line of thunderstorms over South Dakota and had to make an emergency landing.

Rating Turbulence

Turbulence is classified as light, moderate, severe or extreme. The first two might be frightening to some passengers, but it is only the latter two that are dangerous, especially for passengers and crew who aren't buckled in.

Most people associate turbulence with heavy storms. The most dangerous type, however, is so-called clear-air turbulence  a wind-shear phenomenon that can occur in wispy cirrus clouds or even clear air near thunderstorms, as differences in temperature and pressure create powerful currents of fast-moving air.

Planes can sail into clear-air turbulence without warning, as appeared to happen to the American Airlines flight.

Technology, Terrain and the Eye Test

Airlines rely on meteorologists to predict the location and intensity of bad weather, and dispatchers on the ground give updates to pilots during a flight.

Pilots are on notice anytime a flight goes over a mountain range or through certain kinds of weather fronts.

Modern airliners are equipped with sophisticated weather-radar technology, yet often "it's as simple as looking out the window," says Patrick Smith, an airline pilot and author of "Ask the Pilot." Indicators such as thunder clouds with an anvil-shaped top usually mean the ride is about to get bumpy. But the most helpful tool, he says, is reports from other pilots in the area.

Pilots React

Pilots have a few techniques for getting through turbulence safely. They can slow down to what is called turbulence-penetration speed  fast enough to avoid a stall, but not so fast that they risk damaging the plane. They can ask air traffic controllers to let them move to a lower or higher altitude or go around troublesome clouds, but those requests can't always be honored.

"If you feel the plane climbing or descending midflight, [there is a] good chance it's because of a report from fellow pilots up ahead," Smith says.

Associated Press writer Anthony Izaguirre contributed to this report.


A Camp Pendleton-based U.S. Marine was identified Tuesday as one of the victims in the fatal military aircraft crash off the east coast of Australia.

Pfc. Ruben Velasco, 19, was assigned to the Battery G, Battalion Landing Team for the third Battalion, fifth Marines based out of Camp Pendleton, according to the U.S. Marine Corps.

Velasco was among three U.S. Marines presumed dead after the submerged wreckage of a military aircraft was found two days after it crashed into the sea near Australia.

The loss of every Marine is felt across our entire Marine Corps family. To the families of the brave Marines we lost  there is no way for us to understand what you are going through, said Col. Tye R. Wallace, Commanding Officer, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, in a statement.

His decorations included the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

The other victims were identified as first Lt. Benjamin Cross, 26, from Oxford, Maine and Cpl. Nathaniel Ordway, 21, from Kansas, according to the U.S. Marine Corps.

"They will live on forever in our thoughts and our hearts. You will always be a part of the Marine Corps family, and you will remain in our prayers," added Wallace.

Governor Jerry Brown honored Velasco by ordering that flags be flown at half-staff over the State Capitol. Brown is sending his condolences to the Velasco family in a letter.

An Australian navy ship arrived in Shoalwater Bay in Queensland state Sunday night to help the U.S. military hunt for the MV-22 Osprey, which the Marines said was conducting regularly scheduled operations on Saturday when it crashed into the water. The wreckage was found shortly thereafter, Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne said, in a statement.

Twenty-three other personnel who were on board the Osprey when it crashed were rescued. Three Marines went missing and were later presumed dead.

The Osprey is a tilt-rotor aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter but flies like an airplane. The aircraft has been involved in a series of high-profile crashes in recent years.
CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Freehold Royalties Ltd. (Freehold) (TSX:FRU) announced second quarter results for the period ended June 30, 2017.



Results at a Glance

Three Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30 June 30 FINANCIAL ($000s, except as noted) 2017 2016 Change 2017 2016 Change Royalty and other revenue 38,430 32,219 19 % 79,521 57,152 39 % Net income (loss) 13,084 (2,249 ) - 20,172 (10,839 ) - Per share, basic and diluted ($) 0.11 (0.02 ) - 0.17 (0.11 ) - Funds from operations 31,769 24,142 32 % 63,838 39,642 61 % Per share, basic ($) 0.27 0.23 17 % 0.54 0.39 38 % Operating income (1) 35,235 28,011 26 % 72,319 48,303 50 % Operating income from royalties (%) 97 91 7 % 94 94 0 % Acquisitions 1,267 162,211 -99 % 34,619 162,430 -79 % Capital expenditures 1,139 753 51 % 1,851 2,837 -35 % Working interest dispositions 28,808 - - 29,096 - - Dividends declared 17,705 13,380 32 % 33,043 31,225 6 % Per share ($) (2) 0.15 0.12 25 % 0.28 0.30 -7 % Net debt 49,819 98,191 -49 % 49,819 98,191 -49 % Shares outstanding, period end (000s) 118,073 117,652 0 % 118,073 117,652 0 % Average shares outstanding (000s) (3) 118,018 106,736 11 % 117,987 102,914 15 % OPERATING Average daily production (boe/d) (4) 12,589 12,041 5 % 12,670 12,006 6 % Oil and NGL (%) 54 59 -8 % 55 61 -10 % Average price realizations ($/boe) (4) 32.98 28.48 16 % 33.93 25.37 34 % Operating netback ($/boe) (1) (4) 30.76 25.57 20 % 31.54 22.11 43 %

(1) See Non-GAAP Financial Measures.

(2) Based on the number of shares issued and outstanding at each record date.

(3) Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period, basic.

(4) See Conversion of Natural Gas to Barrels of Oil Equivalent (boe).

President's Message

Freehold achieved record royalty production and solid cash flow results in Q2-2017 marking the fourth consecutive quarter of increasing royalty production on a per share basis. We are revising our 2017 production guidance up 500 boe/d to 11,800  12,300 boe/d with better than expected audit recoveries and operating results. At current dividend levels we are forecasting an adjusted payout ratio for 2017 of 61%, safely within our target adjusted payout range of 60%  80%. Not only are we growing royalty production on a per share basis, we exited the quarter with lower debt resulting in net debt to 12-month trailing funds from operations of 0.4 times (net debt of $50 million). In Q2-2017, Freehold issued 12 new lease agreements for a cumulative total of 37 new leases in the first half of 2017, exceeding the entire 2016 new lease count as we deliver continued organic growth. Our quarter was in line with Freehold's objective to deliver growth and low risk attractive returns to shareholders over the long term.

Tom Mullane

President and CEO

Dividend Announcement

The Board of Directors has declared a dividend of Cdn. $0.05 per share to be paid on September 15, 2017 to shareholders of record on August 31, 2017. The dividend is designated as an eligible dividend for Canadian income tax purposes.

2017 Second Quarter Highlights

Freehold's production averaged 12,589 boe/d, a 5% improvement over Q2-2016. Gains in production were largely driven by drilling activity on our royalty lands, our strong audit function (over 700 boe/d of prior period adjustments) and royalty acquisitions.

Royalty production was up 16% compared to Q2-2016, averaging 11,270 boe/d. Royalty production increased 5% on a per share basis versus Q1-2017. We have grown our royalty production nine successive quarters and four quarters on a per share measure.

Royalty interests accounted for 90% of total production and contributed 97% of operating income in Q2-2017, both being the highest totals in our history.

Wells drilled on our royalty lands totaled 58 (1.6 net) in Q2-2017, up from 23 (0.4 net) in Q2-2016. Year-to-date we have seen 208 (10.2 net) wells drilled on our royalty lands compared to 108 (3.8 net) locations drilled during the same period in 2016.

In Q2-2017 Freehold issued 12 new lease agreements for a cumulative total of 37 new leases in the first half of 2017, exceeding the 2016 total new lease count. Freeholds unleased holdings are available for review on our websites Leasing Opportunities page at www.freeholdroyalties.com.

Freehold closed $28.9 million dispositions of various working interest assets located in southeast Saskatchewan. Total production and operating income associated with these assets for Q1-2017 was approximately 650 boe/d and $1.4 million respectively.

Funds from operations totaled $31.8 million, an increase of 32% compared to Q2-2016, largely due to the increase in revenue. On a per share basis, funds from operations was $0.27/share in Q2-2017 up from $0.23/share in Q2-2016.

Freehold generated $12.9 million in free cash flow (1) , over and above our dividend, which we applied to outstanding debt. At June 30, 2017, net debt totaled $49.8 million resulting in a net debt to 12-month trailing funds from operations ratio of 0.4 times.

, over and above our dividend, which we applied to outstanding debt. At June 30, 2017, net debt totaled $49.8 million resulting in a net debt to 12-month trailing funds from operations ratio of 0.4 times. Cash costs (1) for the quarter totaled $5.63/boe, down from $7.34/boe in Q2-2016 and $7.66/boe in Q1-2017. With the April 2017 disposition of our southeast Saskatchewan working interest assets and growth in our royalty production, we have reduced our cash costs and enhanced our netback.

for the quarter totaled $5.63/boe, down from $7.34/boe in Q2-2016 and $7.66/boe in Q1-2017. With the April 2017 disposition of our southeast Saskatchewan working interest assets and growth in our royalty production, we have reduced our cash costs and enhanced our netback. Dividends declared for Q2-2017 totaled $0.15 per share, up 25% from $0.12 per share one year ago. In March 2017, Freehold announced an increase to its monthly dividend from $0.04 to $0.05 per share.

Basic payout ratio (1) (dividends declared/funds from operations) for Q2-2017 totaled 56% while the adjusted payout ratio (1) ((cash dividends plus capital expenditures)/funds from operations) for the same period was 59%.

(1) See Non-GAAP Financial Measures.

Sustained Momentum on our Lands

Including drilling associated with acquisitions, 208 (10.2 net) wells were drilled on our royalty lands during the first six months of 2017, a 168% increase versus the same time period in 2016 (on a net basis). While the second quarter typically represents a slower period on the activity front, drilling on our lands came in above expectations with 58 (1.6 net) locations drilled, this compares to 23 (0.4 net) during the same period last year.

Activity through the first half of 2017 was primarily focused on oil prospects including the Viking at Redwater and Dodsland, which represented greater than 40% of our net locations through the first two quarters. We also see continued activity in core areas southeast Saskatchewan (Bakken, Mississippian), southwest Saskatchewan (Shaunavon) and the Deep Basin (Montney). Our top payors continue to represent some of the most well capitalized E&P producers in Canada.

Royalty Interest Drilling Three Months Ended June 30 (1) Six Months Ended June 30 (1) 2017 2016 2017 2016 Equivalent Equivalent Equivalent Equivalent Gross Net (2) Gross Net (2) Gross Net (2) Gross Net (2) Non-unitized wells 35 1.5 11 0.3 175 10.0 59 3.5 Unitized wells (3) 23 0.1 12 0.1 33 0.2 49 0.3 Total 58 1.6 23 0.4 208 10.2 108 3.8

(1) Counts include wells drilled on acquired lands from the beginning of the reporting period (this may differ from the closing date of the acquisitions).

(2) Equivalent net wells are the aggregate of the numbers obtained by multiplying each gross well by our royalty interest percentage.

(3) Unitized wells are in production units wherein we generally have small royalty interests in hundreds of wells.

Guidance Update

The table below summarizes our key operating assumptions for 2017.

We are increasing our 2017 production range to 11,800-12,300 boe/d (previously 11,300-11,800 boe/d), as a result of higher than expected results through the first half of the year, mostly due to drilling activity and prior period adjustments. We do not include the effects of future acquisition activity in our forecasts. Also, minimal prior period adjustments are in our forecast as we do not record the effects of audit and compliance activities until revenue collection is certain.

Volumes are expected to be weighted approximately 55% oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) and 45% natural gas.

We continue to improve our royalty focus with royalty production accounting for 88% of forecasted 2017 production (up from 87%) and 95% of operating income (up from 94%).

We are reducing our West Texas Intermediate price assumption to US$50.00/bbl (previously US$52.00/bbl). Western Canadian Select remains unchanged due to positive effects of the declining light/heavy oil differentials. Our AECO natural gas price assumption remains at $2.60/mcf.

The Cdn$/US$ exchange rate has been adjusted upwards to $0.77 from $0.76 as a result of recent Canadian dollar appreciation and market expectations for the remainder of the year.

Our operating costs forecast is revised downwards to $2.40/boe (from $2.50/boe) and general and administrative costs to $2.50/boe (from $2.60/boe) as a result of our increased royalty production.

Based on our current $0.05 monthly dividend level, we expect our 2017 adjusted payout ratio ((cash dividends plus capital expenditures)/funds from operations) to be approximately 61%.

We continue to forecast year-end net debt to funds from operations of approximately 0.3 times based on our revised key operating assumptions.

Key Operating Assumptions

Guidance Dated 2017 Annual Average Aug. 9, 2017 May 10, 2017 Mar. 2, 2017 Nov. 8, 2016 Daily production boe/d 11,800-12,300 11,300 - 11,800 11,300 - 11,800 11,000 West Texas Intermediate crude oil US$/bbl 50.00 52.00 52.00 50.00 Western Canadian Select crude oil Cdn$/bbl 49.00 49.00 49.00 46.00 AECO natural gas Cdn$/Mcf 2.60 2.60 2.60 3.00 Exchange rate Cdn$/US$ 0.77 0.76 0.76 0.75 Operating costs $/boe 2.40 2.50 3.25 3.25 General and administrative costs (1) $/boe 2.50 2.60 2.60 2.65 Capital expenditures $ millions 4 4 6 6 Weighted average shares outstanding millions 118 118 118 118

(1) Excludes share based compensation.

Recognizing the cyclical nature of the oil and gas industry, we continue to closely monitor commodity prices and industry trends for signs of deteriorating market conditions. We caution that it is inherently difficult to predict activity levels on our royalty lands since we have no operational control. As well, significant changes (positive or negative) in commodity prices (including Canadian oil price differentials), foreign exchange rates, or production rates may result in adjustments to the dividend rate.

Based on our current guidance and commodity price assumptions, and assuming no significant changes in the current business environment, we expect to maintain the current monthly dividend rate through the next quarter. We will continue to evaluate the commodity price environment and adjust the dividend levels as necessary (subject to the quarterly review and approval of our Board of Directors).

Conference Call Details

A conference call to discuss financial and operational result for the period ended June 30, 2017 will be held for the investment community on Thursday, August 10, 2017 beginning at 6:00 am MT (8:00 am ET). To participate in the conference call, approximately 10 minutes prior to the conference call, please dial 1-800-273-9672 (toll-free in North America).

Availability on SEDAR

Freeholds 2017 second quarter interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying Managements Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) are being filed today with Canadian securities regulators and will be available at www.sedar.com and on our website www.freeholdroyalties.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This news release offers our assessment of Freeholds future plans and operations as at August 9, 2017, and contains forward-looking statements that we believe allow readers to better understand our business and prospects. These forward-looking statements include our expectations for the following:

our outlook for commodity prices including supply and demand factors relating to crude oil, heavy oil, and natural gas;

light/heavy oil price differentials;

changing economic conditions;

foreign exchange rates;

drilling activity during 2017 and the impact on our production base;

estimated capital budget and expenditures and the timing thereof;

our expected adjusted payout ratio for 2017;

average production for 2017, contribution from royalty lands and weighting of oil, NGL and natural gas;

2017 percentage of production and operating income from royalties;

key operating assumptions including operating costs and general and administrative costs;

forecast year-end net debt to funds from operations;

our dividend policy and expectations for future dividends; and

maintaining our monthly dividend rate through the next quarter.

By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control, including the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, currency fluctuations, imprecision of reserve estimates, royalties, environmental risks, taxation, regulation, changes in tax or other legislation, competition from other industry participants, the lack of availability of qualified personnel or management, stock market volatility, and our ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. Risks are described in more detail in our Annual Information Form.

With respect to forward-looking statements contained in this news release, we have made assumptions regarding, among other things, future commodity prices, future capital expenditure levels, future production levels, future exchange rates, future tax rates, future legislation, the cost of developing and producing our assets, our ability and the ability of our lessees to obtain equipment in a timely manner to carry out development activities, our ability to market our oil and gas successfully to current and new customers, our expectation for the consumption of crude oil and natural gas, our expectation for industry drilling levels, our ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms, shut-in production, production additions from our audit function and our ability to add production and reserves through development and acquisition activities. The key operating assumptions with respect to the forward-looking statements referred to above are detailed in the body of this news release.

You are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Our actual results, performance, or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. We can give no assurance that any of the events anticipated will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits we will derive from them. The forward-looking information contained in this document is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. To the extent any guidance or forward looking statements herein constitute a financial outlook, they are included herein to provide readers with an understanding of management's plans and assumptions for budgeting purposes and readers are cautioned that the information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Our policy for updating forward-looking statements is to update our key operating assumptions quarterly and, except as required by law, we do not undertake to update any other forward-looking statements.

You are further cautioned that the preparation of financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which are the Canadian generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for publicly accountable enterprises, requires management to make certain judgments and estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses. These estimates may change, having either a positive or negative effect on net income (loss), as further information becomes available and as the economic environment changes.

Conversion of Natural Gas To Barrels of Oil Equivalent (BOE)

To provide a single unit of production for analytical purposes, natural gas production and reserves volumes are converted mathematically to equivalent barrels of oil (boe). We use the industry-accepted standard conversion of six thousand cubic feet of natural gas to one barrel of oil (6 Mcf = 1 bbl). The 6:1 boe ratio is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip. It does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead and is not based on either energy content or current prices. While the boe ratio is useful for comparative measures and observing trends, it does not accurately reflect individual product values and might be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. As well, given that the value ratio, based on the current price of crude oil to natural gas, is significantly different from the 6:1 energy equivalency ratio, using a 6:1 conversion ratio may be misleading as an indication of value.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Within this news release, references are made to terms commonly used as key performance indicators in the oil and natural gas industry. We believe that, operating income, operating netback, basic payout ratio, adjusted payout ratio, free cash flow and cash costs are useful supplemental measures for management and investors to analyze operating performance, financial leverage, and liquidity, and we use these terms to facilitate the understanding and comparability of our results of operations and financial position. However, these terms do not have any standardized meanings prescribed by GAAP and therefore may not be comparable with the calculations of similar measures for other entities.

Operating income, which is calculated as royalty and other revenue less royalties and operating expenses, represents the cash margin for product sold. Operating netback, which is calculated as average unit sales price less royalties and operating expenses, represents the cash margin for product sold, calculated on a per boe basis.

Payout ratios are often used for dividend paying companies in the oil and gas industry to identify its dividend levels in relation to the funds it receives and uses in its capital and operational activities. Basic payout ratio is calculated as dividends declared as a percentage of funds from operations. Adjusted payout ratio is calculated as dividends paid in cash plus capital expenditures as a percentage of funds from operations.

Free cash flow is calculated by subtracting capital expenditures from funds from operations. Free cash flow is a measure often used by dividend paying companies to determine cash available for payment of dividends, paying down debt or investment.

Cash costs is a total of all recurring costs in the statement of income (loss) and deducted in determining funds from operations. For Freehold cash costs are identified as royalty expense, operating expense, general and administrative expense, interest expense and share based and other compensation expense (if paid out in the period). It is key to funds from operations, representing the ability to, sustain dividends, repay debt and fund capital expenditures.

We refer to various per boe figures which provide meaningful information on our operational performance. We derive per boe figures by dividing the relevant revenue or cost figure by the total volume of oil, NGL and natural gas production during the period, with natural gas converted to equivalent barrels of oil as described above.
Carlsbad native and Olympian Shaun White is heading to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, with something to prove.

White wants to show the world he can still dominate after failing to win a medal at the last Olympics.

"There's moments where I'll kind of trip out where I see something, or someone introduces me, and they're like he's done this and he's done that, and they kind of list the accomplishments, because I don't really connect them. Once I've won that kind of lasts a little bit and then it fades, and then you need to do it again," White told NBC 7.

Time has flown by for the snowboarder once called the Flying Tomato, the teen who captured the first-ever Olympic Halfpipe Gold in 2006, and then again four years later.

But at the last Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, White shocked the world again, this time by finishing fourth and missing the medal stand.

"I remember like 'oh, this is what this feels like' you know, it was rough," he recalled.

White is no longer the freakishly talented teenager who swept the Winter Olympics.

Now, he is a freakishly successful business man in his early 30s. He is a clothing designer who puts on huge events and, in his spare time, he learns Spanish and takes singing lessons.

"I was in a band, the band split up, and I was left with what do I do now?" White said. "Instead of going 'oh the bands done, and blah, blah blah,' I went you know what I'm going to learn how to sing, that'll be fun, I'm going to learn piano because it's a different type of music that I've ever gone for."



But the clock is ticking towards February 2018, and White is refocusing on South Korea with one goal: reclaiming gold.

"Winning the Olympics is like winning a high five hall pass. Everyone is just like - anywhere, the pilots, the train conductor, if you take a train," he said.
A San Diego man drowned last week attempting to cross Kings River, Fresno Sheriff officials said Tuesday.

Luca Chiarabini, 47, is being remembered by friends as an adventurer who loved to explore canyons and caves.

He passed doing what he loved. On a rope, in the water. I guess, is there a better way to go? friend Trevor Mottram said.

Chiarabini died on a camping trip he took with two other adults northeast of Hume Lake.

Chiarabini and two friends parked at Yucca Point and hiked down to a trailhead, where they crossed the river and camped overnight, deputies learned.

After camping, the group went back to cross the river.

Chiarabini chose to pass first as the others stayed back to the shore.

To cross the river, Chiarabini wore a helmet, wetsuit and fins, but no life jacket, his friends told investigators. He tied himself to a rope and secured it to a nearby rock.

As he swam across the river, deputies said, the current overwhelmed him. The current carried Chiarabini into the rapids and took him downstream, away from his friends.

One of the hikers activated his emergency beacon, equipped with inReach satellite technology, which called sheriff's deputies to respond.

Sheriff's deputies, California Highway Patrol and Search and Rescue officials launched a search in the area.

Around 9:50 a.m., deputies operating the department's helicopter found Chiarabini submerged underwater. SAR officials conducted a rescue and recovery plan through white water rapids to recover Chiarabini's body.

Deputies warn anyone heading to the area that the water in Kings River moves faster this year than in years past.

Deputies ask those heading to the area to make good judgment calls, to avoid anything outside your experience level and to wear a life jacket.

Mottram remembers when they first met, he thought Chiarabini was light years ahead of anyone else when it comes to experience.

Safety usually should take precedent over everything. He did everything by the book and was as safe as they come, Mottram said.

Mottram added that on adventures like the one Chiarabini was on, it's not common for people to wear a life jacket.
The D.C. health department has ordered the Southeast D.C. hospital that serves some of the poorest residents of the city to stop delivering babies and offering prenatal care for the next 90 days.

The D.C. Department of Health restricted the hospital license for obstetric and newborn nursery services at United Medical Center (UMC), the department announced Tuesday.

Ward 7 Councilman and former D.C. mayor Vince Gray called the temporary closure a "health equity" issue. He's set to hold a public meeting on the problem at the Wilson Building Friday morning.

The license suspension will remain in place for 90 days or "until the hospital implements its plan for obstetrics and nursery services," the health department said in a statement.

The health department did not release additional information on why the license was suspended, and did not respond to an email or phone call requesting information on how this affects new moms, expectant moms and babies.

A statement from the hospital, located on Southern Avenue SE, said the health department cited "deficiencies."

"These include three separate cases involving deficiencies in screening, clinical assessment and delivery protocols," the statement said. Privacy considerations bar the hospital from releasing additional information, the hospital's statement said.

"UMC is taking immediate action to address these deficiencies," the statement said.

People who live near the hospital were not told the hospital cannot serve pregnant women and newborns, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Keeon Bassett said. Having to pay for transportation to other hospitals is a burden, she said.

"You have a lot of unfortunate people around here that really can't afford to go anywhere else, and it's really not fair," Bassett said.

The nearest hospitals -- Howard University Hospital in Northwest, D.C.; Providence Hospital in Northeast D.C. and Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly, Maryland -- are all more than 20 minutes away by car.

Gray called the temporary closure of the obstetrics unit an example of how neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River should have access to better health care.

"It is far past time to finally bring health equity to the east end of the city," the former mayor said in a statement. The continued struggles of United Medical Center highlight the unacceptable chasm in health equity that is currently a way of life for residents on the east end of the District of Columbia. An over half-century old hospital simply cannot provide the quality and scope of health care services that residents enjoy in other areas of the city."

The closure of UMC's obstetrics unit follows the closure this fall of the neonatal intensive care unit at Prince George's Hospital Center. The NICU was shut down for almost two months after the potentially deadly bacterium pseudomonas was found in the water system. Three babies tested positive for the bacterium, and nine infants were moved from one NICU to another.

The roundtable Gray's office announced will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in room 500 of the Wilson Building. Anyone who wishes to testify is asked to contact Gray's office.
The U.S. Attorney's Office determined there is insufficient evidence to charge a D.C. police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black motorcyclist in September, but the police department has asked the officer to resign, according to the mayor.

D.C. Police Officer Brian Trainer shot 31-year-old Terrence Sterling in northwest Washington Sept. 11. Police said Sterling intentionally drove his motorcycle into the door of an officer's cruiser blocking his path.

Witnesses have disputed the police department's account of the incident and said the crash was unavoidable.

The U.S. Attorney's Office found there was not enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt Trainer violated Sterling's civil rights by using unreasonable force, had criminal intent when he shot Sterling or was not acting in self-defense, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Mayor Muriel Bowser released a statement saying the Metropolitan Police Department asked for the officer's resignation.

"Without accountability in this case, we break trust with our communityrendering the District and MPD less safe and less strong," Bowser said. "I do not believe there can be real accountability if the officer remains on the force."

Following the decision by U.S. attorney, D.C. police has 90 days to review the incident to see if department policies were violated, Bowser said.

"The Internal Affairs Bureau was prohibited from conducting its administrative investigation while the case was being reviewed by the United States Attorneys Office," a statement from the police department said. "When the Internal Affairs Investigation is completed, the case will be submitted to MPDs Use of Force Review Board for an evaluation to determine if any departmental rules or policies were violated."



A review of the incident by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Metropolitan Police Department found that at about 4:20 a.m. on Sept. 11, Trainer and his partner were stopped at a red light on U Street at 15th Street in Northwest when Sterling pulled in front of their cruiser and briefly stop before speeding off through the red light, according to the U.S. attorney. The officers turned on their emergency lights and siren and pursued Sterling.

The officers lost sight of Sterling at times, but other officers and civilians saw him riding at speeds estimated at 100 mph, running red lights and nearly hitting another police cruiser, according to the U.S. attorney.

The pursuit continued for several minutes and covered about 25 blocks until Sterling stopped at Third and M streets NW and the officers pulled into the intersection to partially block Sterling's path, according to the U.S. attorney.

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Trainer drew his weapon and opened his door. Evidence shows Sterling accelerated toward the passenger side, hitting the door as the officer was getting out, the U.S. attorney said.

Trainer reacted by firing two rounds through the front window, according to the U.S. attorney.

Sterling was taken to Howard University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Sterling, who was from Fort Washington, Maryland, died of wounds to the neck and back, according to the city's chief medical examiner. Toxicology results found Sterlings blood alcohol content was 0.16, twice the legal limit.

Trainer was wearing a body camera at the time but didn't turn it on until after the shooting.

"As I said at the time and I say again today: It is unacceptable that in this incident, the officer failed to activate his body-worn camera in violation of MPD policies," Bowser said in her statement.

In the wake of Sterling's death, Bowser ordered tighter protocols for when officers activate their cameras, and the department doubled its number of body cameras.

House Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton said the chase also violated policy.

"There was no need for the police to engage in this vehicle chase, which violated MPD policy, and, as a result, we tragically lost another young African-American man in a police shooting that should have been avoided," she said in a statement.

A spokesperson for the D.C. Police Union issued the following statement:

"Anytime a police, citizen encounter results in the loss of life it is regrettable. This is why accountability procedures such as Judicial and Departmental review are so important.

"In this instance the Judicial review has come to a close and an empaneled Grand Jury made up of the citizens of the District of Columbia have found this officers actions to be justifiable.

"As always the D.C. Police Union supports our members, and will continue to protect our members rights though the remainder of the investigative process.

"With the conclusion of the judicial process, the Department is now responsible for completing an administrative investigation and the D.C. Police Union and the affected member will fully cooperate with all steps of that process."

Lawyers for Sterling's family filed a $50 million lawsuit against the District and Metropolitan Police Department in Superior Court.

The evidence considered in the review of the incident incuded law enforcement and civilian witness accounts, photographs, diagrams, physical evidence, 911 calls, radio runs, D.C. Department of Transportation video, closed circuit television video, MPD photo radar footage, cellphone video, body-worn camera footage, law enforcement agency reports from MPD and the FBI, MPD general orders, accident reconstruction reports, speed analysis data, reports from D.C. Fire and EMS, and Sterling's autopsy.
A Maryland teen has been charged in connection with upskirting photos taken of women who were riding the escalator at various Metro stations.

Brandon Lynn Williams, 19, of Forestville, Maryland was arrested and charged with misdemeanor sexual abuse. Police were able to find Williams after a woman contacted Metro Transit police about someone with a hand up her skirt on Aug. 3.

Authorities reviewed surveillance video and saw Williams allegedly place a cellphone up the victims skirt. He was arrested, and investigators found multiple cellphones, computers and hard drives at his Prince Georges County residence.

Other victims seen on images on the electronic devices have been contacted by police. However, investigators said there are still potentially more female victims who are unaware that upskirt photos were taken.

They said several incidents known to investigators occurred at Columbia Heights Station Wednesday evening, Aug. 2, on the ascending escalator located on the west side of 14th Street, Northwest. Police believe Williams was also at the Columbia Heights and U Street Metrorail stations the following day, Thursday, August 3.

Investigators said all of the victims were females wearing skirts.
A Texas woman helped a man try to cover up the slaying of his wife, a U.S. Army soldier stationed in Maryland, according to federal prosecutors.

Dolores Delgado, 32, of San Antonio pleaded guilty to interstate travel to commit domestic violence resulting in death in connection with the death of Karlyn Ramirez.

Ramirez was assigned to Fort Meade when she was found shot to death in her home in Severn Aug. 25, 2015.

Ramirez was married to another soldier stationed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, prosecutors said. They had a 4-month-old daughter but recently had separated.

According to prosecutors, Ramirez's husband drove from South Carolina to Maryland in Delgado's car Aug. 24, 2015, entered Ramirez's home using his key and shot her three times with a .357-caliber revolver. He is accused of staging the scene to make it look like a sex assault and placing their 4-month-old girl in Ramirez's arms.

In addition to the car, Delgado provided the gun and large gas cans so Ramirez's husband wouldn't have to risk being seen at a gas station, prosecutors said. She also stayed at his home with his phone and car to make it appear he hadn't gone anywhere, prosecutors said.

According to prosecutors, Delgado also went to a Florida waterway to helpdispose of clothes worn during the homicide, the key used to enter Ramirez's home, shell casings and the gun, from which she tried to remove the serial number and dismantled.

Delgado faces a penalty of life in prison at sentencing scheduled for November. She remains in custody.

The case against Delgado's codefendant is pending.
FBI agents looking for financial documents have searched one of the homes of President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, whose past foreign political work has been swept into the investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election. A Manafort spokesman confirmed the search Wednesday.

Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni said in a statement that FBI agents had obtained a warrant and searched one of Manafort's homes, but he would not say when the search occurred or what it was for.

"Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well," Maloni said.

The Associated Press has learned the warrant for the search on July 26 at Manafort's home in Alexandria, Virginia, sought information including tax documents and banking records. The Washington Post first reported the raid.

Manafort has been a subject of a longstanding FBI investigation into his dealings in Ukraine and work for the country's former president, Viktor Yanukovych. That investigation has been incorporated into the probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is also scrutinizing Manafort's role in the Trump campaign as he looks into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and any possible collusion with Trump associates.

Manafort, who led the Trump campaign for several months, has denied any wrongdoing. He also spoke behind closed doors to Senate investigators for an interview just one day before the search of his home.

The use of a search warrant indicates that law enforcement officials have convinced a judge there is probable cause to believe a crime may have been committed. A house raid can be seen as an aggressive tactic given that Manafort has been cooperating with congressional investigators and has turned over hundreds of pages of documents. It could indicate law enforcement was looking for records beyond what Manafort provided.

Word of the raid is the latest revelation about Mueller's investigation, which had been operating in relative secrecy compared with numerous congressional probes looking at the election. In recent days, it's become clear the former FBI director is using a grand jury in Washington in addition to one in the Eastern District of Virginia, where investigators also have been looking into former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Also, FBI agents have been asking witnesses since the spring about $530,000 worth of lobbying and investigative work carried out by Flynn's firm, Flynn Intel Group, according to a person familiar with the investigation. That work sought the extradition of an exiled Turkish cleric living in the U.S. Through his attorney, Flynn has declined to comment on the investigation.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive details of the investigation, said FBI agents have also been asking about Flynn's business partner, Bijan Kian, who served on the Trump presidential transition . Kian has not responded to multiple attempts to contact him over several months.

In recent months, Flynn and Manafort have turned over documents to congressional committees investigating the election interference.

One focus of the multiple probes, including Mueller's, is a June 2016 meeting Manafort attended with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump Jr. That meeting, held at Trump Tower in New York, was described to Trump Jr. in emails as part of a Russian government effort to help the Trump campaign by passing along information that could be used against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

During his Senate intelligence committee interview , Manafort provided his recollection of the Trump Tower meeting and turned over contemporaneous notes he took during the gathering. The interview was confined to that meeting.

Manafort has also turned over other documents to the Senate intelligence committee as well as about 400 pages of records to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Meanwhile, the Judiciary Committee said Wednesday it has also received about 250 pages of documents from Trump Jr. and about 20,000 pages from the Trump campaign.

The content of the documents was not immediately clear. The committee said it received the Manafort and Trump campaign documents on Aug. 2 and the records from Trump Jr. on Aug. 4.

Judiciary committee leaders have also been in talks with Trump Jr. and Manafort about private interviews. The committee initially called for them to testify publicly, but lawmakers have since said they were negotiating the terms of their appearances.
Seven teenagers have been charged for what police say was a "violent attack" on another group of teenagers at a Quincy, Massachusetts, pier last month.

The incident happened at the pier at Squantum Point Park on July 31.

Video footage showed a large group of teens punching and kicking other teens.

Massachusetts State Police said the group of seven teenagers, who range from 14 to 17 years old, prevented the other group from leaving the pier so they could attack them.

Each of the suspects have been charged with 18 separate counts of offenses including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery and kidnapping.

No names are being released because of the suspects and the victims ages.

The investigation remains open and additional charges may be filed.

A court date for the suspects has not been set yet.
Maine Governor Paul Lepage is catching heat after Facebook users were blocked and had their comments deleted from his Facebook page.

The ACLU of Maine filed a lawsuit on Tuesday accusing LePage of censoring the "Paul LePage, Maine's Governor" Facebook page.

The ACLU said that Gov. LePage officially uses the Facebook page to perform government business, and "blocking people from the page who disagree with the governor constitutes viewpoint discrimination and government censorship in violation of the U.S. and Maine constrictions."
CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cameron MacGillivray, President and Chief Executive Officer of Enform Canada, has announced his intention to retire at the end of September, 2017, after leading the safety association for more than five years.



John Rhind, who worked for more than 30 years in the oil and gas industry, including serving as Vice President, Oil Sands with Shell Canada Ltd., has been appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer by Enforms Board of Directors. Murray Elliott, a director of Enform and General Manager for Shell Canadas Greater Deep Basin, has been appointed President. Both appointments are effective September 1, 2017.

MacGillivrays retirement is concurrent with the anticipated closure of a merger agreement between Enform and the Oil Sands Safety Association (OSSA). MacGillivray is scheduled to retire on Sept. 30, 2017 and will support Rhind and Elliott through a transition period.

Speaking for the entire Enform Board of Directors, including all of the six industry trade associations, we thank Cameron for his service and his contribution to Enform, the employees, and all of Enforms partners and stakeholders, said Greg Stringham, Chairman of Enforms Board of Directors. Cameron has played a key role in the development and the transition of Enform as a safety association and he has been instrumental in advocating that a safety culture be at the forefront of everything the industry does. Cameron has been a solid leader at Enform through the industrys ups and downs and through his leadership has created a strong reputation for safety, the Enform organization and its staff.

The appointment of John Rhind and Murray Elliott will ensure a seamless transition into the newly-formed organization, which will be responsible for leading and accelerating improvements in safety performance across the oil and gas industry. John Rhind was instrumental in creating the vision for the new merged safety organization when it was first conceived in 2015.

We look forward to working with John and Murray and all of the dedicated staff at Enform and OSSA as we transition to the new organization and through this next stage of growth and development, said Stringham. Both John and Murray bring tremendous leadership capabilities and solid track-records in industry.

Background:

MacGillivray joined Enform also after more than 30 years in the oil and gas industry, including more than 20 years with Encana Corp., culminating as senior vice-president in charge of international operations. From there he moved to President and CEO of Endev Energy Inc.

Rhind has worked in various capacities in the sector, primarily focused on oil sands operations. He joined Shell Canada in 2008, as the Chief Operating Officer for Albian Sands Energy and was responsible for integrating Albian into Royal Dutch Shell.

Elliott has also had an extensive career with Shell Canada. Prior to his current role he served as Vice President, Health, Safety, Environment and Sustainable Development with Shells Heavy Oil division. While at Shell, Murray also served as President of the industrys Oil Sands Developers Group as it transitioned into the Oil Sands Community Alliance.

Enform represents Canadas upstream oil and gas industry, supporting and promoting the highest safety standards through education and training, certifications, services and resources. OSSA represents companies and their stakeholders operating in Canadas oil sands mining sector, similarly supporting and promoting strategies, safety standards, training and tools regionally.
After an alarming spike in roadway deaths in Vermont involving drivers or passengers not wearing seat belts, there are new pleas from law enforcement to members of the driving public.

Police are strongly urging drivers not only to buckle up, but to keep their speeds down, avoid distractions such as text messaging, and not drive impaired.

"The life that you save might be your own," Colchester Police Chief Jennifer Morrison said.

In just the past few days, Vermont tallied seven road deaths involving drivers or passengers who were not wearing seat belts.

In just one crash in Bridport, three employees of a traveling carnival and a friend died Monday.

Vermont State Police said the four were inside a Volkswagen Beetle when they crossed the center line of Route 22A and collided with a pickup truck.

All four people in the Beetle were not wearing seat belts and died; the two people in the pickup were belted and lived, police said, though required treatment for injuries.

"Seat belts make an incredible difference," said Senior Firefighter Prescott Nadeau of the Williston Fire Department.

Nadeau told necn that when the department heads out on calls, it often doesn't know what to expect when it rolls up on serious crash scenes.

He pointed to several recent crashes that looked extremely serious, but in which people managed to avoid permanent injury or death thanks to seat belts.

"While you're not invincible simply by [wearing a seat belt], you're increasing your survivability incredibly," Nadeau said of buckling up.

The Vermont Department of Public Safety said people are 50 to 70 percent more likely to survive a crash if they're belted.

Take it from Kate Brush of Charlotte.

"I was very lucky," she said Wednesday, recalling a nasty 2001 rollover crash from which she walked away with minor cuts and bruises, thanks to her seat belt. "Had that not been there, I would've been thrown, for sure."

Another Vermont resident, Annabelle Dally of Pittsfield, told necn she and her fiance suffered only bruises when a car plowed into them in a snowstorm several years ago in Rutland County.

"She hit us going really fast," Dally recalled. "It would've been a lot worse had we not been restrained. I probably  both of us  probably would've went through the windshield."

In addition to seat belts, the Williston Fire Department said your child's car safety seat needs to be properly installed. Improper installation, the department said, could be like not having one at all.
A Massachusetts man left his 10-month-old daughter inside his car while he broke into an SUV parked in an MBTA parking lot, police said Wednesday.

Attleboro police say the suspect, Steven Wachter of North Attleboro, faced multiple charges, including reckless child endangerment.

The child was released to her mother by the state's Department of Children and Families.

The Sun Chronicle also reports Wachter, who had left his daughter in the car with the engine running, was found with a small amount of crack cocaine, a glass pipe and a pocketknife.
A vigil was held Tuesday night for the teenager killed early Monday morning in a rollover crash in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Loriann Benoit just lost her mother last week, now she's also mourning the death of her 18-year old son, Allan Dunne.

"I'll tell you, I've never felt a pain like I'm feeling right now," Benoit said at the vigil. "We will see justice."

Dunne was in a Ford utility truck with two other people when the truck hit two utility poles, a fence and two parked vehicles before rolling over around 12:30 a.m. on Palmer Street. Dunne was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said a 17-year-old man was taken to Boston Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

A third occupant, Christopher Murch, 22, of Quincy, was taken to Quincy Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Police said Murch initially left the scene of the crash and was found at his home. He was arrested on an outstanding warrant related to another case.

At the vigil on Tuesday night, dozens of family and friends joined Dunne's mother to remember his life and to support one another.

"He was everyone's protector. He cared about everyone and gave unconditional love," said one person at the vigil.

Dunne's mother said her main message to other people is to not drink and drive.

"Do not drink and drive. Hug your kids. Life is too short," said Benoit.

Police said it's still not clear who was driving the truck but that speed appears to have been a factor. They also said charges could be filed in the next few days pending the outcome of the investigation.
A man charged with killing a western Missouri police officer during a traffic stop was arrested Tuesday evening, authorities announced.

Missouri State Highway Patrol dispatchers said Ian McCarthy, 39, was taken into custody in Henry County, which includes the city of Clinton. McCarthy is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Clinton police Officer Gary Michael on Sunday night.

About 100 local, county and state law enforcement officers had been looking for McCarthy since the shooting. Investigators believe McCarthy jumped from his vehicle and shot the 37-year-old Michael, before driving a short distance, crashing his vehicle and fleeing on foot.

Authorities earlier Tuesday converged on a home in Chilhowee, Missouri, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Clinton after fielding a tip that McCarthy might be hiding there. But Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said that search also proved fruitless.

McCarthy is also wanted in New Hampshire, where a warrant was issued in 2013 when he failed to show up for sentencing on a disorderly conduct charge, according to court records in that state. He served about four years in prison there for first-degree assault and a parole violation. He also is wanted on a warrant out of Johnson County, Missouri, in 2015 for unlawful possession of a firearm.

It's possible that those warrants prompted McCarthy to shoot Michael to avoid arrest, Lowe said. He also could have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or not in his right mind for some reason, but "it's hard to say unless we have him here to ask," Lowe said Tuesday afternoon.

Moments before Michael was shot, a man identified as McCarthy was seen on surveillance video entering a Clinton convenience store and buying cigar wrappers, according to a probable cause affidavit by Sgt. Greg Martin, an investigator with the highway patrol. The footage later shows McCarthy driving away in a Dodge Nitro before a Clinton officer in an SUV activates his lights to pull over McCarthy, Martin wrote. Michael managed to give a dispatcher a description of the Nitro  registered to McCarthy  before the officer was shot, Martin wrote.

Michael, who had been on the force less than a year, was the first police officer killed in the line of duty in Clinton, a town of about 9,000 people about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City. He was a military police officer overseas for about five years before returning to the Kansas City area. He decided in his 30s to become a police officer and served in Appleton City for a short time before joining the force in Clinton.

Survivors include his wife, three children and a grandchild. His brother, Chris Michael, told area media that Gary had always wanted to serve.

"My brother was a light to the world," Chris Michael said. "One man's bad decision took that light from the world. He was a husband, he was a father, he was a brother and he did all of them pretty darn good."
Police are searching for a man wanted in connection with a double homicide in Holyoke, Massachusetts, early Monday morning.

Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni said Ivan Ramos, 19, of Holyoke, is believed to be connected to a shooting that occurred in the area of 570 South Summer St. at 1:06 a.m.

Police arrived to the scene to find two victims dead on a second floor porch from apparent gunshot wounds.

They have been identified as Colin Hodges, 31, and Arnaldo Rentas, 37, both of Holyoke.

Investigators believe that the victims were visiting Ramos when he fired several shots before fleeing the scene.

Anyone with information on Ramos' whereabouts is asked to contact the Holyoke Police Department at 413-533-8477 or the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit 413-505-5993.
Once, there was a pin factory. It employed ten workers  each of whom performed a different task. This organizational structure allowed them to generate 48,000 pins every day. If the people working at the plant were working independently, the output of each would have been limited to 20 pins at most  totaling 200 pins. This story describing division of labor was used in Adam Smiths 1776 book The Wealth of Nations, as an example of operational excellence (OE).

If your company is to survive in a competitive market, OE must be sought, explained Faisal Hoque in Fast Company. In other words, the enterprise must identify, understand and create the capabilities, behaviors and focuses necessary for repeatable, continuous and measurable operational improvement, said Hoque.

True. However, multi-vendor cloud hosted environments can make achieving OE feel particularly complicated and challenging to accomplish, especially because this technology is growing so quickly. Over two-thirds of firms in the United States are budgeting more for cloud systems in 2017 than they did in 2016, according to a poll of 300 IT professionals from B2B research company Clutch. To specifically look at infrastructure as a service (i.e., cloud hosting), it is actually the fastest growing segment; skyrocketing at 36.8 percent per Gartner, IaaS is expanding more rapidly than either cloud platforms (PaaS) or software (SaaS).

Clouds rapid growth should not be an excuse to set operational excellence aside, but a call to action to ensure that you have instituted OE strategies into the way that you partner with cloud services. Lets explore this topic by answering five critical questions.

1. What issues come from the multi-vendor cloud?

The cloud systems that are available to businesses are proliferating, and (as indicated by the above figures) adoption rates are staying strong and even increasing in some segments. If you are a CIO at an enterprise that is in the process of transitioning from an extensive in-house application hosting architecture to cloud hosting, you want to maintain your companys standards (and your own) for computing operations throughout.

When your hosting is multi-vendor, tasks you need to complete for your IT systems that can become difficult to manage include remote system monitoring; disaster recovery and business continuity planning; transaction processing; task scheduling; and administration of system changes. There is a general tendency to assume that these types of activities do not demand as much attention in the third-platform world as they did previously, but it is necessary to integrate all your operations, even if a multi-vendor or multi-cloud scenario makes that seem daunting.

When you are cloudifying legacy systems, the challenging thing is really that you are throwing numerous elements into the air and having to make a bunch of adjustments at the same time. Well, perhaps thats overly dramatic, but you do have to align various operational aspects in fast succession.

Tim Porzio, Vice President of Operations and Infrastructure at Sodexo North America, discussed this complexity in CIOReview. It is necessary to modify your operational standards, tools, and policies and procedures proactively, Porzio noted, so that your ability to provide application hosting services smoothly throughout your ecosystem continues to exemplify the principle of operational excellence.

Moving over to cloud involves making choices. The goal of the CIO should be to blend all elements into a coherent, detailed and comprehensible operational excellence management system (OEMS). A positive way to view this work is that it is often neglected, so performing it well can be a differentiator. It is an opportunity to define your expectations from cloud partnerships. In the absence of this effort, your data and disaster recovery are placed in the hands of remote services, a hodgepodge of external hosting at companies that have undergone a range of different assessments.

2. What does operational excellence mean to you?

When you are moving to cloud aggressively, you want to be clear there is a common perception of operational excellence. To get there, it helps to build standards through a cloud services model, including tiers of service. Since service accountability with cloud is substantially different, it must be conveyed that services will not necessarily be the same with cloud as they were prior to the transition. This model should introduce your OEMS. Plus, you want to list requirements of any specific providers. There should be service levels, or tiers, and a listing of tasks that are performed accompanying each of your cloud partners. You then want to do the same with your applications: assign each to a tier depending on the extent to which they are mission-critical.

Once this model or framework is complete, you should see that you may not have identical services to your on-premise offerings; and that, while service accountability may be challenging to manage, you can control your IT in the expanding cloud environment through conscientious tiered planning.

Standardize the management system in order to integrate its disparate components. That way you can deftly manage all aspects  from operational monitoring to escalation, from tracking of system modification to governance.

3. How can you achieve OE in tandem with providers?

Now, with your OEMS in hand, meet with the cloud provider. It must be clear that the partnership is based on mutually understood expectations. Talk about the process that will be followed, how you will communicate, governance, key performance indicators and your legal agreement.

4. How do you handle governance of OE?

Establish a formal, built-in way to communicate at predefined intervals (monthly or quarterly) to be sure that service quality is strong. Rate the provider before each meeting, and then review the rating when you talk. Mention improvements that could be made. Verify that any issues will be resolved.

5. How can you protect your cloud relationships?

You want the points of view of each of your stakeholders to be infused within the operational excellence management system; otherwise some will view it as bureaucratic nonsense, despite its merits. Send your colleagues notes from your periodic governance assessments, or encourage their active participation.

Consider the key performance indicators of value to IT, as well as how reliable and supported the system is, so that you can quickly and effectively measure how well the service is being delivered and experienced.

It should be clear by now that cloud computing and OE are not mutually exclusive. In fact, this technology is being increasingly adopted by enterprises precisely because it improves their operations. How? Well, various ways, but one is very simple and straightforward. When you move a system to an external hosting provider, it means that maintenance and security is being handled beyond your walls. That means you are able to focus on development rather than spending all your time making sure your infrastructure is up to snuff.

Keep in mind, just because you can passively enjoy some amount of operational excellence simply by moving to the cloud, it is ridiculous to think that anything excellent will come easily. By reviewing the above points and discussing your OEMS with providers, you can make sure that you maintain your own operational standards even as your infrastructure becomes increasingly diverse and complex.
Sajid Javid overturns Planning Inspectorate's recommendation to approve more than 700 homes

TWO housing schemes that would have seen more than 700 homes built on the outskirts of Thatcham have been halted by government intervention.

A2Dominion had appealed against West Berkshire Councils refusal of its scheme for up to 495 homes and a primary school at Siege Cross Farm.

At the same time, Croudace Strategic had taken its scheme for 225 homes with provision for a GP surgery at Henwick Park to appeal.

Planning inspector John Chase had ruled that both schemes should go ahead, owing to the council being unable to demonstrate an up-to-date housing supply.

But Mr Chase was overruled by the secretary of state for communities and local government Sajid Javid, who said that the situation had changed since the appeals were heard in November last year.

In a letter to the developers on behalf of Mr Javid, the DCLG said that the council could now demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites, which carried substantial weight in his decision.

He said that a number of applications, including the approval of the 232-home redevelopment at Market Street, Newbury, 400 homes surrounding Vodafones Newbury HQ in Donnington  won by developers on appeal  and the adoption of the councils development plan document could boost the districts housing stock.

It goes on to say The Secretary of State concludes that, as the council can demonstrate a 5 year housing land supply the appeal by the developers is not upheld.

Thatcham Town Council leader Jason Collis (Con Thatcham North), and who represents Thatcham South and Crookham at West Berkshire Council, said he was pleased with the decision.

He said: It was close, but it was thanks to submissions from West Berkshire Council with the updated DPD, which proves the need for having the local strategic plan sorted.

We need to have future development in partnership with the town rather than against it.

The town needs to have a stronger voice in how it grows.

I look on these appeals as giving us a breather.

However, Mr Javid also said that up to 198 affordable homes at Siege Cross Farm would be a considerable boost to the supply of low-cost housing, while increased education choice from a new school also attracted significant weight.

Furthermore, improvements to the road system and flood defences on the site would provide benefits for the town.

He added that the development would be in an accessible location, with the potential to minimise the use of private transport.

He also agreed that concerns about traffic congestion and the capacity of Newbury to cope with the additional housing were not valid reasons to dismiss the scheme.

West Berkshire Council policy indicates that approximately 900 homes are to built in Thatcham during its current development plan.

But Mr Javid agreed with Mr Chase that this figure should not be viewed as a ceiling and that development should not be restricted to this level.

Liberal Democrat town councillor Mike Cole (Thatcham North) said: Its a bit of a torn one in terms of residents, and especially the younger residents who need new housing, but for a development that size in the location it was, especially when it breached the settlement boundary, I think would have been difficult for Thatcham to swallow.

Mr Cole disagreed with the dismissal of residents concerns and said that the impact on Kennet School and traffic on to Floral Way and the A4 would have been dramatic.

Building the homes so close to the historical farm was judged to have some detrimental effect and would lead to a loss of elements of the landscape.

However, Mr Chase noted that its location made it a logical choice for expansion in Thatcham and that the proposed housing would not be out of keeping with the prevailing suburban character.

An A2Dominion spokesperson said: We are currently reviewing the outcome and will consider our options.
RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 09, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- State Employees Credit Union (SECU) President Mike Lord joined Governor Roy Cooper at Pearsontown Elementary School in Durham, N.C. yesterday for the Governors formal announcement of a statewide school supply drive to benefit North Carolina public schools. SECUs network of 258 branches will serve as collection points for the drive, which will begin August 14th and conclude September 8th. The project is a natural fit for the Credit Union, which provides a variety of financial services to North Carolina teachers, public school, university and state employees and their families.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2df8567c-4177-4464-b974-e2b263d8a6fd

We are happy to work with Governor Cooper and other partners  the North Carolina Business Committee for Education and Communities in Schools of North Carolina  by providing donation sites in all 100 North Carolina counties, said Mr. Lord. This important project aligns with our mission of service and our focus on education. Many of our branches have held school supply drives in the past to benefit schools in their communities. This statewide effort is another way we can have a positive impact on the lives of North Carolina children, their families, their teachers and our communities.

The Governors office reports that teachers spend an average of $500 of their own money to provide classroom and student supplies each year. To help expand the availability of basic school supplies across the state, the Governor is encouraging North Carolina residents to donate paper, spiral notebooks, pencils, pens, dry erase markers, tissues and sanitizing wipes. Monetary donations will also be accepted and used to purchase supplies. The supplies will be collected and distributed primarily in the local areas where the donations are made.

Pearsontown Elementary School Principal Rodriguez Teal noted, Yesterdays visit from Governor Cooper was an exciting day at Pearsontown Elementary School. Having the opportunity to serve as the location for him to launch his statewide school supply drive was so appropriate because we have students that we provide a variety of supplies for every day. As a member and Advisory Board volunteer for State Employees Credit Union, as well as a recipient of forthcoming donations for our teachers and staff, I feel proud and honored to be part of this initiative.

About SECU

A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, SECU has been providing employees of the State of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 80 years. The Credit Union also offers a diversified line of financial advisory services including retirement and education planning, tax preparation, insurance, trust and estate planning services, and investments through its partners and affiliated entities. SECU serves 2.2 million members through 258 branch offices, nearly 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Member Services via phone and a website, www.ncsecu.org.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The commerce ministry has started the process of shutting down the over 100-year-old government procurement arm - Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D)- in this fiscal, a senior official said.

The public procurement of goods and services is being managed by the ministry's e-market platform (GeM) since last year.

Before closing, the ministry has to decide upon the issues concerning manpower, land and office spaces of the directorate, which are present all over the country.

"We are closing DGS&D. We would close it in this fiscal only...It is a more than 100-year-old organisation," the ministry official, who did not wish to be named, said.

Currently, the directorate has four regional offices including Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. It has 12 Purchase Directorates (Commodity-wise) at its headquarters here. Besides, there are 20 offices /sub centres and the staff strength is over 1,200.

DGS&D has its origin in the India Stores Department, which was established in 1860 in London for purchase of imported stores.

In 1922, India Stores Department was established in India to arrange purchases for Government Civil Departments and Military Purchases. In 1951, the set-up of Purchase and Inspection was reorganised and DGS&D was constituted, in its present form, to handle all government purchases centrally.

A minor restructuring happened in 1974, when defence and railways were allowed to procure items meant for their exclusive use. The directorate has two professional service cadres -- Indian Supply Service and Indian Inspection Service.

Last year, GeM was launched by the ministry to bring greater transparency and efficiency in public procurement.

The GeM portal has eliminated human interface in vendor registration, order placement and payment processing to a great extent.

The central and state governments procure goods and services worth over Rs 5 lakh crore annually.

Currently, over 20,000 sellers are registered on this portal for selling over 50,000 products.

NEW DELHI: The commerce ministry has started the process of shutting down the over 100-year-old government procurement arm - Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D)- in this fiscal, a senior official said. The public procurement of goods and services is being managed by the ministry's e-market platform (GeM) since last year. Before closing, the ministry has to decide upon the issues concerning manpower, land and office spaces of the directorate, which are present all over the country. "We are closing DGS&D. We would close it in this fiscal only...It is a more than 100-year-old organisation," the ministry official, who did not wish to be named, said. Currently, the directorate has four regional offices including Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. It has 12 Purchase Directorates (Commodity-wise) at its headquarters here. Besides, there are 20 offices /sub centres and the staff strength is over 1,200. DGS&D has its origin in the India Stores Department, which was established in 1860 in London for purchase of imported stores. In 1922, India Stores Department was established in India to arrange purchases for Government Civil Departments and Military Purchases. In 1951, the set-up of Purchase and Inspection was reorganised and DGS&D was constituted, in its present form, to handle all government purchases centrally. A minor restructuring happened in 1974, when defence and railways were allowed to procure items meant for their exclusive use. The directorate has two professional service cadres -- Indian Supply Service and Indian Inspection Service. Last year, GeM was launched by the ministry to bring greater transparency and efficiency in public procurement. The GeM portal has eliminated human interface in vendor registration, order placement and payment processing to a great extent. The central and state governments procure goods and services worth over Rs 5 lakh crore annually. Currently, over 20,000 sellers are registered on this portal for selling over 50,000 products.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Japanese tech major Panasonic expects a revenue of Rs 2,000 crore from its smartphone business this year as it revamps operations by launching new devices and undertakes aggressive marketing.

The company plans to launch as many as 28 devices this year, priced in the range of Rs 6,000 to Rs 20,000.

"We ended our partnership with Jaina in April and are now pursuing the smartphone business on our own. Last few months have been spent on preparing for the launch and now we are ready to bring in the best products for Indian customers," Panasonic India Business Head Mobility Division Pankaj Rana told PTI. He added that the company is targeting the youth with its smartphone offerings so as to convert them into buyers of its consumer durables range also.

Panasonic has also roped in actor Taapsee Pannu as brand ambassador, along with Varun Dhawan, for the smartphone vertical. "We will launch 28 smartphones this year. About 20 will be offline and rest will be online. In the next 30-40 days, we will bring in 11 of these into the offline market," Rana said.

Panasonic has been trying to make inroads into the hyper competitive Indian smartphone market but has not met much success. India is one of the worlds fastest growing smartphone markets.

Driven by increasing data consumption and falling data prices, a huge number of feature phone users are also migrating to smartphones and seek affordable devices.

According to research firm IDC, 27 million smartphones were shipped to India in the January-March quarter of 2017. Samsung led the market with 28.1 per cent share, while Xiaomi and Vivo had 14.2 per cent and 10.5 per cent share respectively. Lenovo had 9.5 per cent, while Oppo had 9.3 per cent share in the said quarter.

"We are not running after market share. We are working on strengthening our brand presence and delivering quality products to customers. This year, we hope to get Rs 2,000 crore in revenue from the smartphone business," he said.

Rana added that last year, the smartphone business had a revenue of about Rs 1,400 crore. He said the company expects tier II and III cities to account for major chunk of the sales, especially states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal.

Panasonic will also use its 250 exclusive retail counters that sell its other products to showcase its handsets. "Apart from the exclusive counters, we are working with distributors across states and large format retail stores to reach customers," he said.

NEW DELHI: Japanese tech major Panasonic expects a revenue of Rs 2,000 crore from its smartphone business this year as it revamps operations by launching new devices and undertakes aggressive marketing. The company plans to launch as many as 28 devices this year, priced in the range of Rs 6,000 to Rs 20,000. "We ended our partnership with Jaina in April and are now pursuing the smartphone business on our own. Last few months have been spent on preparing for the launch and now we are ready to bring in the best products for Indian customers," Panasonic India Business Head Mobility Division Pankaj Rana told PTI. He added that the company is targeting the youth with its smartphone offerings so as to convert them into buyers of its consumer durables range also. Panasonic has also roped in actor Taapsee Pannu as brand ambassador, along with Varun Dhawan, for the smartphone vertical. "We will launch 28 smartphones this year. About 20 will be offline and rest will be online. In the next 30-40 days, we will bring in 11 of these into the offline market," Rana said. Panasonic has been trying to make inroads into the hyper competitive Indian smartphone market but has not met much success. India is one of the worlds fastest growing smartphone markets. Driven by increasing data consumption and falling data prices, a huge number of feature phone users are also migrating to smartphones and seek affordable devices. According to research firm IDC, 27 million smartphones were shipped to India in the January-March quarter of 2017. Samsung led the market with 28.1 per cent share, while Xiaomi and Vivo had 14.2 per cent and 10.5 per cent share respectively. Lenovo had 9.5 per cent, while Oppo had 9.3 per cent share in the said quarter. "We are not running after market share. We are working on strengthening our brand presence and delivering quality products to customers. This year, we hope to get Rs 2,000 crore in revenue from the smartphone business," he said. Rana added that last year, the smartphone business had a revenue of about Rs 1,400 crore. He said the company expects tier II and III cities to account for major chunk of the sales, especially states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal. Panasonic will also use its 250 exclusive retail counters that sell its other products to showcase its handsets. "Apart from the exclusive counters, we are working with distributors across states and large format retail stores to reach customers," he said.
Jayanthi Pawar By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Four men, who were accused of illegally selling pistols in the city, were nabbed by Chennai police on Tuesday night.

At the time of their arrest from Triplicane, they were carrying a 9mm pistol, for sale to a businessman. Police said the gang had gotten the pistol from a man named Arjun and was planning to sell it to a Madurai-based businessman.

A senior police officer told the New Indian Express that his team acted on a tip off from an advocate who got wind of a gang that was illegally selling pistols in the city.



The four arrested men have been identified as, A Gopinath, 25, L Kumar, 52, Murugan, 52, and Prakash, 32.

Further investigations are on.

CHENNAI: Four men, who were accused of illegally selling pistols in the city, were nabbed by Chennai police on Tuesday night. At the time of their arrest from Triplicane, they were carrying a 9mm pistol, for sale to a businessman. Police said the gang had gotten the pistol from a man named Arjun and was planning to sell it to a Madurai-based businessman. A senior police officer told the New Indian Express that his team acted on a tip off from an advocate who got wind of a gang that was illegally selling pistols in the city. The four arrested men have been identified as, A Gopinath, 25, L Kumar, 52, Murugan, 52, and Prakash, 32. Further investigations are on.
V V Balakrishna By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: The state government is likely to tie-up either with the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation or Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the construction of second phase of Hyderabad Metro Rail project.The Municipal Administration and Urban Development secretary Navin Mittal, who was in Japan for six days, held preliminary discussions with the Japanese officials in this regard. The state government has proposed 83 km in five stretches tentatively for the second phase of HMR. For this, the state government wanted a tie up with the Japanese Mitsubishi or JICA. We have held preliminary discussions. The dialogue process will continue further, Navin Mittal told Express on Tuesday.



Navin Mittal also discussed with the Japanese officials and industrialists on setting up of hardware, software, automobile, pharma and textile industries in the State. Mittal also studied in the clean air authorities in Japan so that they could be implemented in Hyderabad. The state government has been pursuing hard for the take of the proposed Hyderabad Pharma city across the Globe. As part of this, Mittal held discussions with the representatives of Pharma companies in Japan.



Official sources said that it would take at least three to four months time for translation of officials talks in Japan into actions into state. Meanwhile, the Municipal secretary is scheduled to visit Singapore from August 14 to 18 on various Hyderabad developmental works.

2nd phase of HMR

The TRS government is determined to expand the Hyderabad Metro Rail facility to around 200 km in future. As part of this, the State government proposed five stretches in the second phase programme. Miyapur-Patancheuru (13 km), LB Nagar-Hayat Nagar ( 7 km), Nagole to LB Nagar-Falknuma-Shamshabad (28 km), Tarnaka to ECIL cross roads ( 7km ) and Raydurg-Gachibowli-Shamshabad (28 km).

HYDERABAD: The state government is likely to tie-up either with the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation or Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the construction of second phase of Hyderabad Metro Rail project.The Municipal Administration and Urban Development secretary Navin Mittal, who was in Japan for six days, held preliminary discussions with the Japanese officials in this regard. The state government has proposed 83 km in five stretches tentatively for the second phase of HMR. For this, the state government wanted a tie up with the Japanese Mitsubishi or JICA. We have held preliminary discussions. The dialogue process will continue further, Navin Mittal told Express on Tuesday. Navin Mittal also discussed with the Japanese officials and industrialists on setting up of hardware, software, automobile, pharma and textile industries in the State. Mittal also studied in the clean air authorities in Japan so that they could be implemented in Hyderabad. The state government has been pursuing hard for the take of the proposed Hyderabad Pharma city across the Globe. As part of this, Mittal held discussions with the representatives of Pharma companies in Japan. Official sources said that it would take at least three to four months time for translation of officials talks in Japan into actions into state. Meanwhile, the Municipal secretary is scheduled to visit Singapore from August 14 to 18 on various Hyderabad developmental works. 2nd phase of HMR The TRS government is determined to expand the Hyderabad Metro Rail facility to around 200 km in future. As part of this, the State government proposed five stretches in the second phase programme. Miyapur-Patancheuru (13 km), LB Nagar-Hayat Nagar ( 7 km), Nagole to LB Nagar-Falknuma-Shamshabad (28 km), Tarnaka to ECIL cross roads ( 7km ) and Raydurg-Gachibowli-Shamshabad (28 km).
By PTI

MUMBAI: Thousands of people belonging to the Maratha community from different parts of Maharashtra converged here today as part of their campaign to press for reservation in jobs and education among other demands.

Amid tight security, the massive silent march began from the Jijamata Udyan in Byculla this morning with participants carrying saffron swallow tail flags.

People had started arriving in the city since early morning in private vehicles as well as public modes of transport. Police and traffic personnel were deployed in large numbers to manage the huge inflow of people and the movement of vehicles in Mumbai.

The Mumbai's famed 'Dabbawalas' (lunchbox delivery men), the majority of whom hail from the Maratha community, also joined the march.

This is the 58th march of the Maratha community, exactly a year after the first such protest held in Aurangabad. The march has been organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups.

These 'mook morcha' or silent rallies were held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl, belonging to the Maratha community, at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

The JJ flyover was closed for traffic in view of the march, police said. Schools in south Mumbai were closed today as a precautionary measure, an official said.

WATCH VIDEO: Maratha Kranti Morcha takes to Mumbai streets demanding jobs reservations

At Azad Maidan, where the Maratha Morcha will culminate later today, the campaigners raised slogans as Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar reached the venue.

Some of the campaigners said that they don't want politicians to interfere.

Shelar rubbished reports that he was stopped and manhandled at Azad Maidan.

In Maharashtra Legislature, where the monsoon session is underway, Shiv Sena MLAs joined legislators across parties in shouting slogans demanding reservation for Marathas.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter have been used to rally the community members, the organisers said.

The silent protest is a peaceful way to press the demands for reservation in jobs and educational institutions and punishment for culprits in the Kopardi case, they said.

Their other demands include amendments in SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its misuse, loan waiver to curb farmer suicides and remunerative prices for agricultural produce.

A police official said over five lakh people are expected to participate in the Morcha.

No toll will be collected today from vehicles coming into Mumbai in order to avoid delays at collection points, considering a large number of vehicles entering the city.

In the state legislature, Shiv Sena members, led by Eknath Shinde, supported the demands of the Maratha community.

See images: Maratha Kranti Morcha demanding reservation engulfs Mumbai

The party MLAs raised slogans on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan.

Shinde said, "We completely support the demands of the Maratha community. A large section of the community is deprived of education, good income sources and skills that would get them good jobs. Reservation in education and jobs could be one way of supporting them."

"The other demands, such as strict action against those who had allegedly sexually assaulted the girl and murdered her, will be given the required support," he said.

MUMBAI: Thousands of people belonging to the Maratha community from different parts of Maharashtra converged here today as part of their campaign to press for reservation in jobs and education among other demands. Amid tight security, the massive silent march began from the Jijamata Udyan in Byculla this morning with participants carrying saffron swallow tail flags. People had started arriving in the city since early morning in private vehicles as well as public modes of transport. Police and traffic personnel were deployed in large numbers to manage the huge inflow of people and the movement of vehicles in Mumbai. The Mumbai's famed 'Dabbawalas' (lunchbox delivery men), the majority of whom hail from the Maratha community, also joined the march. This is the 58th march of the Maratha community, exactly a year after the first such protest held in Aurangabad. The march has been organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups. These 'mook morcha' or silent rallies were held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl, belonging to the Maratha community, at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district in July 2016. The JJ flyover was closed for traffic in view of the march, police said. Schools in south Mumbai were closed today as a precautionary measure, an official said. WATCH VIDEO: Maratha Kranti Morcha takes to Mumbai streets demanding jobs reservations At Azad Maidan, where the Maratha Morcha will culminate later today, the campaigners raised slogans as Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar reached the venue. Some of the campaigners said that they don't want politicians to interfere. Shelar rubbished reports that he was stopped and manhandled at Azad Maidan. In Maharashtra Legislature, where the monsoon session is underway, Shiv Sena MLAs joined legislators across parties in shouting slogans demanding reservation for Marathas. Social media platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter have been used to rally the community members, the organisers said. The silent protest is a peaceful way to press the demands for reservation in jobs and educational institutions and punishment for culprits in the Kopardi case, they said. Their other demands include amendments in SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its misuse, loan waiver to curb farmer suicides and remunerative prices for agricultural produce. A police official said over five lakh people are expected to participate in the Morcha. No toll will be collected today from vehicles coming into Mumbai in order to avoid delays at collection points, considering a large number of vehicles entering the city. In the state legislature, Shiv Sena members, led by Eknath Shinde, supported the demands of the Maratha community. See images: Maratha Kranti Morcha demanding reservation engulfs Mumbai The party MLAs raised slogans on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan. Shinde said, "We completely support the demands of the Maratha community. A large section of the community is deprived of education, good income sources and skills that would get them good jobs. Reservation in education and jobs could be one way of supporting them." "The other demands, such as strict action against those who had allegedly sexually assaulted the girl and murdered her, will be given the required support," he said.
By ANI

LOS ANGELES: Eros group is in early negotiations to sell its content library to Apple, Netflix or Amazon for around 1 billion USD.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mumbai-based Eros shared a statement that it also issued to the Bombay Stock Exchange, It may be noted that we are not privy to any strategic discussion that our NYSE listed parent company Eros International plc may be having with various potential partners.

Adding, As always, the company will continue to make the necessary disclosures as and when material events occur.

Eros Indian listed entity  which primarily focuses on content creation, is a subsidiary of Eros International, which handles international distribution and also runs ErosNow, which has said it has 2.9 million paid subscribers.

Eros catalog library of about 3,000 titles covers mainstream Hindi-language Bollywood and regional language cinema, considered the largest of any Indian film group. Eros' hits include last years historical epic Bajirao Mastani.

While its upcoming slate of 50 titles includes co-productions with China with the working titles The Zookeeper and Love in Beijing.

LOS ANGELES: Eros group is in early negotiations to sell its content library to Apple, Netflix or Amazon for around 1 billion USD. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mumbai-based Eros shared a statement that it also issued to the Bombay Stock Exchange, It may be noted that we are not privy to any strategic discussion that our NYSE listed parent company Eros International plc may be having with various potential partners. Adding, As always, the company will continue to make the necessary disclosures as and when material events occur. Eros Indian listed entity  which primarily focuses on content creation, is a subsidiary of Eros International, which handles international distribution and also runs ErosNow, which has said it has 2.9 million paid subscribers. Eros catalog library of about 3,000 titles covers mainstream Hindi-language Bollywood and regional language cinema, considered the largest of any Indian film group. Eros' hits include last years historical epic Bajirao Mastani. While its upcoming slate of 50 titles includes co-productions with China with the working titles The Zookeeper and Love in Beijing.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: It's been a while since reports of "Andaz Apna Apna 2" started doing the rounds. Veteran actor Viju Khote, who played Robert in "Andaz Apna Apna", feels somebody needs to coax its director Rajkumar Santoshi to make the 1994 comedy film's sequel, which could probably star actor Varun Dhawan.

"Someone would have to push him (Santoshi) to do 'Andaz Apna Apna 2'. Somebody needs to really coax him. I've not gone to his place for sometime. Maybe he is thinking of something else, but not this picture," Viju told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

"He also has to get good actors for that. Salman Khan and Aamir Khan were good, they were young and nice," he added.

Varun, who stepped into the shoes of Salman with the forthcoming film "Judwaa 2", could be a good option for "Andaz Apna Apna 2", Viju felt.

"About a year and a half ago, Rajkumar and I had a casual discussion about its sequel. We thought of Varun. Ranveer Singh was good when he entered Bollywood, but he looks much older than Varun now. He won't be able to match him," said Viju, 75.

Viju Khote and Shehzad Khan as Robert and Bhalla in 'Andaz Apna Apna'

"It was just a suggestion. He (Rajkumar) was not into it... The type of comedy has changed. What we did in that film was different. Comedies are now different. We wonder if it will even work now," he added.

"Andaz Apna Apna", which saw two men competing for an heiress' love and attention, didn't do good business when it hit the screens in 1994. The actor blames poor publicity for it.

"Publicity was not done enough. I didn't see big banners in Mumbai that time. There were just small posters. So, the public probably didn't know that the movie was coming out. Back then, we didn't promote films on TV or by talking to media so much like it's done now, but when it came on TV it became a big craze. It is Rajkumar Santoshi's best comedy," he said.

Earlier this month, movie buffs got a chance to catch "Andaz Apna Apna" at a theatre in Mumbai as part of Zee Classic's property 'Retro In A Metro'. The line-up of films also includes "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron", "Amar Akbar Anthony" and "Karz".

But "Andaz Apna Apna", which later gained a cult status, had almost got shelved.

"After the second schedule, the whole thing started getting uneasy. The actors were not turning up, dates were different. So, Rajkumar said 'Pack up. We are not shooting like this.' Then a big meeting was held at Aamir's house," Viju recalled.

"I was looking after them like a spot boy... getting tea and all. I was asked why I was running around like that. I said 'It's such a good film. I don't want it to go waste. So, complete it.' We had shot a couple of sequences with Tinnu Anand, but he was not there for the next schedule."

That role, Crime Master Gogo, finally landed in actor Shakti Kapoor's kitty.

Asked about the evolution of comedy, Viju said: "You have to go with times. You can't help it. People might not like situational comedy now. Deven Varma never did comedy. He acted on the basis of the situations."

"People might laugh at it (sex comedies), but I might not be able to do that," added Viju.

NEW DELHI: It's been a while since reports of "Andaz Apna Apna 2" started doing the rounds. Veteran actor Viju Khote, who played Robert in "Andaz Apna Apna", feels somebody needs to coax its director Rajkumar Santoshi to make the 1994 comedy film's sequel, which could probably star actor Varun Dhawan. "Someone would have to push him (Santoshi) to do 'Andaz Apna Apna 2'. Somebody needs to really coax him. I've not gone to his place for sometime. Maybe he is thinking of something else, but not this picture," Viju told IANS over phone from Mumbai. "He also has to get good actors for that. Salman Khan and Aamir Khan were good, they were young and nice," he added. Varun, who stepped into the shoes of Salman with the forthcoming film "Judwaa 2", could be a good option for "Andaz Apna Apna 2", Viju felt. "About a year and a half ago, Rajkumar and I had a casual discussion about its sequel. We thought of Varun. Ranveer Singh was good when he entered Bollywood, but he looks much older than Varun now. He won't be able to match him," said Viju, 75. Viju Khote and Shehzad Khan as Robert and Bhalla in 'Andaz Apna Apna' "It was just a suggestion. He (Rajkumar) was not into it... The type of comedy has changed. What we did in that film was different. Comedies are now different. We wonder if it will even work now," he added. "Andaz Apna Apna", which saw two men competing for an heiress' love and attention, didn't do good business when it hit the screens in 1994. The actor blames poor publicity for it. "Publicity was not done enough. I didn't see big banners in Mumbai that time. There were just small posters. So, the public probably didn't know that the movie was coming out. Back then, we didn't promote films on TV or by talking to media so much like it's done now, but when it came on TV it became a big craze. It is Rajkumar Santoshi's best comedy," he said. Earlier this month, movie buffs got a chance to catch "Andaz Apna Apna" at a theatre in Mumbai as part of Zee Classic's property 'Retro In A Metro'. The line-up of films also includes "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron", "Amar Akbar Anthony" and "Karz". But "Andaz Apna Apna", which later gained a cult status, had almost got shelved. "After the second schedule, the whole thing started getting uneasy. The actors were not turning up, dates were different. So, Rajkumar said 'Pack up. We are not shooting like this.' Then a big meeting was held at Aamir's house," Viju recalled. "I was looking after them like a spot boy... getting tea and all. I was asked why I was running around like that. I said 'It's such a good film. I don't want it to go waste. So, complete it.' We had shot a couple of sequences with Tinnu Anand, but he was not there for the next schedule." That role, Crime Master Gogo, finally landed in actor Shakti Kapoor's kitty. Asked about the evolution of comedy, Viju said: "You have to go with times. You can't help it. People might not like situational comedy now. Deven Varma never did comedy. He acted on the basis of the situations." "People might laugh at it (sex comedies), but I might not be able to do that," added Viju.
By Express News Service

Prems upcoming directorial, which is still being shot, has already raked in good business. Trade has high expectations from this Kannada film starring Shivarajkumar, Sudeep and Amy Jackson. The film has already fetched good money from sale of its satellite rights. Prem, who could not hold back his excitement, tweets:

TheVillain rights sold for recrod numbers, comparable 2 Telugu & Tamil! and he goes on to thank the artistes and producers who are part of the film. Though he doesnt mention the amount, according to industry sources, Zee Channel has bought the rights of the film for a whooping ` 7.3 crore, which is definitely on par with other south Indian films. The film has already fetched ` 5.4 crore for Hindi rights.

Meanwhile, director Prem who is back from London is currently in Mumbai hunting for a location to set the first song shoot with Sudeep.

The film, produced by CR Manohar, also features senior actor Mithun Chakraborty, Telugu actor Srikanth and Sruthi Hariharan among others. The Villain has music by Arjun Janya and cinematography by Gire.

Prems upcoming directorial, which is still being shot, has already raked in good business. Trade has high expectations from this Kannada film starring Shivarajkumar, Sudeep and Amy Jackson. The film has already fetched good money from sale of its satellite rights. Prem, who could not hold back his excitement, tweets: TheVillain rights sold for recrod numbers, comparable 2 Telugu & Tamil! and he goes on to thank the artistes and producers who are part of the film. Though he doesnt mention the amount, according to industry sources, Zee Channel has bought the rights of the film for a whooping ` 7.3 crore, which is definitely on par with other south Indian films. The film has already fetched ` 5.4 crore for Hindi rights. Meanwhile, director Prem who is back from London is currently in Mumbai hunting for a location to set the first song shoot with Sudeep. The film, produced by CR Manohar, also features senior actor Mithun Chakraborty, Telugu actor Srikanth and Sruthi Hariharan among others. The Villain has music by Arjun Janya and cinematography by Gire.
S Subhakeerthana By

Express News Service

Udhayanidhi Stalin has no qualms about admitting that his heart lies in commercial cinema. At the same time, he remains open to doing films like Manithan. The actor is quite nervous about Podhuvaga En Manasu Thangam thats hitting the screens this weekend, as its the first time hes doing a film with an outside producer.

The film, he says, has a social message. It talks about the importance of villages in our country. I havent worked on a story set against the backdrop of a village, he says.

He feels the expectations weighing down on him. When its my production house, loss-o, profit-o ennoda poidum, he says. But doing a film for another producer is a great responsibility. The film is the result of much thought.

Murali sir of Sri Thenandal Films and I took a lot of time to zero in on this script, which is inspired by incidents that happened in director Thalapathy Prabhus village. I think this nativity factor will really work in advantage of Podhuvaaga... Padam thiruvizha maari kalakala-nu irukkum.

IN PICTURES: Udhayanidhi Stalin starrer Podhuvaga Emmanasu Thangam releases on August 11

Udhayanidhi enjoyed shooting with Parthiepan, Soori, and Mayilsamy. Parthiepan sir plays a negative character in this film. We know how witty he is, right? And he has been given a lot of freedom to improvise, he says.

Shooting for this film also made him feel a bit of nostalgia. When I was shooting in Theni, I got reminded of my mothers village, Thiruvenkadu. It felt nice being away from the city for sixty days, and being insulated from urban issues like traffic and pollution, he says.

The actor is all praise for his co-star Nivetha Pethuraj. Heroines generally dont come in for dance rehearsals. But she was there from day one. I attend rehearsals, as dancing doesnt come naturally to me. But she was part of them too, and that was new for me, he says.

Meanwhile, Udhayanidhi is also done shooting for Gaurav Narayanans Ippadai Vellum. Its a commercial crime-comedy set in the city. I play a software engineer. How I use my mind to accomplish some seemingly impossible things is the story. Lyca is producing this, he says.

But the big one is Priyadarshans next in Tamil and the remake of Malayalam super hit, Maheshinte Prathikaaram. Udhayanidhi has already begun shooting for the film. Priyadarshan takes his time to do research about the films he works on. This film will be a perfect example of such meticulous work, says the actor.

Priyadarshan called him out of the blue. I had met him previously, but never thought hed offer me a film. He simply gave me a CD of Maheshinte Prathikaaram, and said he was going to remake it in Tamil, he says. I still cant believe that I am acting under his direction. He told me he had never seen any of my films. I replied that maybe thats why he approached me, he laughs.

Udhayanidhi feels that Priyadarshan will transform him as an actor. I have had to unlearn everything I learned since my first film. I needed a director like him. Malayalam films are generally slow-paced, but Priyan sir has changed the script to suit our audiences. I am excited about joining the next schedule of the film from August 12, he says.

The actor considered making Manithan-2, but he doesnt see it happening. The film wasnt commercially successful, but fetched me a good name. I want to do films like Kadhaiye illadha Saravanan Irukka Bayamaen, which have no story, but I also want to do films like Manithan. I have begun working for other banners. Lets see what the future has in store for me, he says.

Udhayanidhi Stalin has no qualms about admitting that his heart lies in commercial cinema. At the same time, he remains open to doing films like Manithan. The actor is quite nervous about Podhuvaga En Manasu Thangam thats hitting the screens this weekend, as its the first time hes doing a film with an outside producer. The film, he says, has a social message. It talks about the importance of villages in our country. I havent worked on a story set against the backdrop of a village, he says. He feels the expectations weighing down on him. When its my production house, loss-o, profit-o ennoda poidum, he says. But doing a film for another producer is a great responsibility. The film is the result of much thought. Murali sir of Sri Thenandal Films and I took a lot of time to zero in on this script, which is inspired by incidents that happened in director Thalapathy Prabhus village. I think this nativity factor will really work in advantage of Podhuvaaga... Padam thiruvizha maari kalakala-nu irukkum. IN PICTURES: Udhayanidhi Stalin starrer Podhuvaga Emmanasu Thangam releases on August 11 Udhayanidhi enjoyed shooting with Parthiepan, Soori, and Mayilsamy. Parthiepan sir plays a negative character in this film. We know how witty he is, right? And he has been given a lot of freedom to improvise, he says. Shooting for this film also made him feel a bit of nostalgia. When I was shooting in Theni, I got reminded of my mothers village, Thiruvenkadu. It felt nice being away from the city for sixty days, and being insulated from urban issues like traffic and pollution, he says. The actor is all praise for his co-star Nivetha Pethuraj. Heroines generally dont come in for dance rehearsals. But she was there from day one. I attend rehearsals, as dancing doesnt come naturally to me. But she was part of them too, and that was new for me, he says. SEE MORE: Priyadarshan's Maheshinte Prathikaaram remake starring Udhayanidhi Stalin progresses in Tenkasi Meanwhile, Udhayanidhi is also done shooting for Gaurav Narayanans Ippadai Vellum. Its a commercial crime-comedy set in the city. I play a software engineer. How I use my mind to accomplish some seemingly impossible things is the story. Lyca is producing this, he says. But the big one is Priyadarshans next in Tamil and the remake of Malayalam super hit, Maheshinte Prathikaaram. Udhayanidhi has already begun shooting for the film. Priyadarshan takes his time to do research about the films he works on. This film will be a perfect example of such meticulous work, says the actor. Priyadarshan called him out of the blue. I had met him previously, but never thought hed offer me a film. He simply gave me a CD of Maheshinte Prathikaaram, and said he was going to remake it in Tamil, he says. I still cant believe that I am acting under his direction. He told me he had never seen any of my films. I replied that maybe thats why he approached me, he laughs. Udhayanidhi feels that Priyadarshan will transform him as an actor. I have had to unlearn everything I learned since my first film. I needed a director like him. Malayalam films are generally slow-paced, but Priyan sir has changed the script to suit our audiences. I am excited about joining the next schedule of the film from August 12, he says. The actor considered making Manithan-2, but he doesnt see it happening. The film wasnt commercially successful, but fetched me a good name. I want to do films like Kadhaiye illadha Saravanan Irukka Bayamaen, which have no story, but I also want to do films like Manithan. I have begun working for other banners. Lets see what the future has in store for me, he says.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: Three militants belonging to Zakir Musa-led Ghazwat-ul-Hind, Kashmir cell of Al Qaeda, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Tral area of south Kashmirs Pulwama district on Wednesday while a civilian died in security forces firing on protestors during clashes near the encounter site.

A police official said acting on intelligence input about presence of 3-5 militants of Zakir Musa group hiding in a village, army, police and CRPF men laid siege around Gulabbagh village in Tral in south Kashmirs Pulwama district early this morning to flush out the militants hiding there.

He said as the security personnel were conducting house to house searches, they came under heavy volume of fire from the hiding militants.

The fire was returned by the troops and in the ensuing gunfight, three militants were killed, the official said.

Police sources said two militants managed to escape during the gunfight.

The slain militants were identified as Zahid Ahmad Bhat, Mohammad Ishaq Bhat and Mohammad Ashraf Dar.

Police said two AK 47 rifles and a pistol were recovered from the encounter site.

A police spokesman said the slain militants were locals and belonged to Zakir Musa group.

Zakir Musa, a former Hizbul Mujahideen commander, was recently named by Al Qaeda as head of its Kashmir cell named, Ansar Ghazwatul Hind.

Police said one of the slain militant Ishaq was involved in thrashing and torturing of some SPOs on gunpoint and circulated the same on social media.

Police sources said three militants were earlier associated with Hizbul Mujahideen but had later changed loyalties to Zakir Musa group.

According to them, the three militants were recently seen in pictures with Zakir Musa. The pictures were released by Zakir Musa group.

Meanwhile, youth of the area took to roads and clashed with security personnel near the encounter site.

The youth chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans wanted to march towards the encounter site. However, when they were intercepted by the security personnel, they pelted stones on them. The security personnel in retaliation fired pellets, tear smoke shells and resorted to heavy baton charge.

A 16-year-old youth identified as Mohammad Younis sustained critical pellet injuries in the security forces firing.

He was rushed to Srinagar hospital, where he succumbed to injuries.

As the news about Youniss death reached his native place in Tral, people including men and women took to roads to protest against his killing.

Meanwhile, Hizbs operational spokesperson Burhanuddin in an statement to news gathering agency in Srinagar said three militants killed in the encounter today were on way to rejoin the militant group after leaving Zakir Musas group.

He said the trio on way got killed in an encounter with forces.

Ansar-Gazwatul Hind, headed by Zakir Musa, has been created to divide the Kashmiri nation. Hizbs doors are open for the militants of Zakir Musa group, he added.

SRINAGAR: Three militants belonging to Zakir Musa-led Ghazwat-ul-Hind, Kashmir cell of Al Qaeda, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Tral area of south Kashmirs Pulwama district on Wednesday while a civilian died in security forces firing on protestors during clashes near the encounter site. A police official said acting on intelligence input about presence of 3-5 militants of Zakir Musa group hiding in a village, army, police and CRPF men laid siege around Gulabbagh village in Tral in south Kashmirs Pulwama district early this morning to flush out the militants hiding there. He said as the security personnel were conducting house to house searches, they came under heavy volume of fire from the hiding militants. The fire was returned by the troops and in the ensuing gunfight, three militants were killed, the official said. Police sources said two militants managed to escape during the gunfight. The slain militants were identified as Zahid Ahmad Bhat, Mohammad Ishaq Bhat and Mohammad Ashraf Dar. Police said two AK 47 rifles and a pistol were recovered from the encounter site. A police spokesman said the slain militants were locals and belonged to Zakir Musa group. Zakir Musa, a former Hizbul Mujahideen commander, was recently named by Al Qaeda as head of its Kashmir cell named, Ansar Ghazwatul Hind. Police said one of the slain militant Ishaq was involved in thrashing and torturing of some SPOs on gunpoint and circulated the same on social media. Police sources said three militants were earlier associated with Hizbul Mujahideen but had later changed loyalties to Zakir Musa group. According to them, the three militants were recently seen in pictures with Zakir Musa. The pictures were released by Zakir Musa group. Meanwhile, youth of the area took to roads and clashed with security personnel near the encounter site. The youth chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans wanted to march towards the encounter site. However, when they were intercepted by the security personnel, they pelted stones on them. The security personnel in retaliation fired pellets, tear smoke shells and resorted to heavy baton charge. A 16-year-old youth identified as Mohammad Younis sustained critical pellet injuries in the security forces firing. He was rushed to Srinagar hospital, where he succumbed to injuries. As the news about Youniss death reached his native place in Tral, people including men and women took to roads to protest against his killing. Meanwhile, Hizbs operational spokesperson Burhanuddin in an statement to news gathering agency in Srinagar said three militants killed in the encounter today were on way to rejoin the militant group after leaving Zakir Musas group. He said the trio on way got killed in an encounter with forces. Ansar-Gazwatul Hind, headed by Zakir Musa, has been created to divide the Kashmiri nation. Hizbs doors are open for the militants of Zakir Musa group, he added.
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By PTI

CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh Police today summoned Vikas, the son of Haryana BJP leader Subhash Barala, to join the investigation into alleged stalking case against him filed by a city-based woman.

Vikas, who was asked to appear by 11 am at the sector 26 police station, did not turn up, a police official said, even as his father insisted that "he will soon reach Chandigarh and will cooperate in the police investigation".

DGP Tejinder Singh Luthra said Vikas (23) refused to receive the notice so, the police pasted it outside his house.

Addressing a press conference this morning, the said CCTV footage from different places of the Friday night incident indicated that the accused were chasing the girl.

The DGP said Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar (27), who were earlier arrested and granted bail, had refused to give blood and urine samples for medical examination which could go against them during prosecution.

With the Chandigarh Police facing questions over its handling of the case, Luthra stressed they will do "everything under the sun" to ensure the 29-year-old complainant gets justice.

Meanwhile, Haryana BJP Chief Subhash Barala said his son Vikas Barala will soon join the police investigation.

"He will soon reach Chandigarh and will cooperate in the police investigation," he said.

A large posse of policemen was deployed at the sector-26 police station, where Vikas was asked to appear. Congress workers staged a protest outside the police station alleging that the police had buckled under political pressure and was shielding Vikas.

"The police was under political pressure in the case,"

said a Congress activist. They continued with their protest after Vikas Barala did not turn up.

Meanwhile, the DGP, who appeared before the media for the first time since the case involving the daughter of an IAS officer was reported, said they had "sufficient" CCTV footage in connection with the incident.

"The accused are law graduates and they are well versed with the law. They refused to give samples (of blood and urine) to the duty doctor. Because they know that under law, they can refuse this," Luthra told reporters here.

"However, in such circumstances, when anyone refuses to give samples, then this thing goes against them during investigations and during court trial," the DGP asserted.

"In the present case also, this refusal (to give samples) will go against the accused and will also be used against them during the course of investigations and during trial also," he said.

"Whatever steps fall in our domain pertaining to the investigation and collection of evidence, we will collect all these and ensure that the victim gets justice," he said.

"I can assure that we will take every such step to ensure that justice is done to the victim," DGP said.

CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh Police today summoned Vikas, the son of Haryana BJP leader Subhash Barala, to join the investigation into alleged stalking case against him filed by a city-based woman. Vikas, who was asked to appear by 11 am at the sector 26 police station, did not turn up, a police official said, even as his father insisted that "he will soon reach Chandigarh and will cooperate in the police investigation". DGP Tejinder Singh Luthra said Vikas (23) refused to receive the notice so, the police pasted it outside his house. Addressing a press conference this morning, the said CCTV footage from different places of the Friday night incident indicated that the accused were chasing the girl. The DGP said Vikas and his friend Ashish Kumar (27), who were earlier arrested and granted bail, had refused to give blood and urine samples for medical examination which could go against them during prosecution. With the Chandigarh Police facing questions over its handling of the case, Luthra stressed they will do "everything under the sun" to ensure the 29-year-old complainant gets justice. Meanwhile, Haryana BJP Chief Subhash Barala said his son Vikas Barala will soon join the police investigation. "He will soon reach Chandigarh and will cooperate in the police investigation," he said. A large posse of policemen was deployed at the sector-26 police station, where Vikas was asked to appear. Congress workers staged a protest outside the police station alleging that the police had buckled under political pressure and was shielding Vikas. "The police was under political pressure in the case," said a Congress activist. They continued with their protest after Vikas Barala did not turn up. Meanwhile, the DGP, who appeared before the media for the first time since the case involving the daughter of an IAS officer was reported, said they had "sufficient" CCTV footage in connection with the incident. "The accused are law graduates and they are well versed with the law. They refused to give samples (of blood and urine) to the duty doctor. Because they know that under law, they can refuse this," Luthra told reporters here. "However, in such circumstances, when anyone refuses to give samples, then this thing goes against them during investigations and during court trial," the DGP asserted. "In the present case also, this refusal (to give samples) will go against the accused and will also be used against them during the course of investigations and during trial also," he said. "Whatever steps fall in our domain pertaining to the investigation and collection of evidence, we will collect all these and ensure that the victim gets justice," he said. "I can assure that we will take every such step to ensure that justice is done to the victim," DGP said.
Ejaz Kaiser By

Express News Service

RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh police today arrested a CRPF jawan who is accused of molesting school girls in the Maoist-affected Dantewada district. A police team has been sent to Uttarakhand to nab another man accused.

The arrest was made after they were identified by the victims.

The arrested man has been identified as Shamim Ahmed. The co-accused, Neeraj Pondawal, left for Uttarakhand soon after a probe was launched.

The school girls through the photographs have identified the CRPF men. One of them has been taken into custody. We have sent a police team to Uttarakhand to arrest another. The law is equal for everyone and we will not protect anyone found guilty, the deputy inspector general of police (Bastar zone) P Sunderraj told the New Indian Express.

The tribal girls, who were Class XI students, had attended an event to tie rakhi to CRPF men when they were molested by the two in a toilet. The girls subsequently lodged a complaint with the local police. Soon, a probe was ordered by the district administration. Sensing the gravity of the matter, the CRPF too decided to conduct an internal court of inquiry.

The incident occurred during a programme organized by a private news channel ahead of Raksha Bandhan day at Palmar. Nearly 500 girls had gathered to tie rakhi to CFPF personnel.

Both Shameem and Neeraj belonged to the 221 battalions of the CRPF. Further investigation into the charges will be made. If found guilty, action will be taken against them under the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act, police said.

RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh police today arrested a CRPF jawan who is accused of molesting school girls in the Maoist-affected Dantewada district. A police team has been sent to Uttarakhand to nab another man accused. The arrest was made after they were identified by the victims. The arrested man has been identified as Shamim Ahmed. The co-accused, Neeraj Pondawal, left for Uttarakhand soon after a probe was launched. The school girls through the photographs have identified the CRPF men. One of them has been taken into custody. We have sent a police team to Uttarakhand to arrest another. The law is equal for everyone and we will not protect anyone found guilty, the deputy inspector general of police (Bastar zone) P Sunderraj told the New Indian Express. The tribal girls, who were Class XI students, had attended an event to tie rakhi to CRPF men when they were molested by the two in a toilet. The girls subsequently lodged a complaint with the local police. Soon, a probe was ordered by the district administration. Sensing the gravity of the matter, the CRPF too decided to conduct an internal court of inquiry. The incident occurred during a programme organized by a private news channel ahead of Raksha Bandhan day at Palmar. Nearly 500 girls had gathered to tie rakhi to CFPF personnel. Both Shameem and Neeraj belonged to the 221 battalions of the CRPF. Further investigation into the charges will be made. If found guilty, action will be taken against them under the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act, police said.
By IANS

BEIJING: The countdown to a military conflict between India and China has begun and New Delhi should come to senses and withdraw troops from Doklam before it's too late, a Chinese daily said on Wednesday.



An editorial in the state-run China Daily told India that the "clock is ticking away". The piece was the latest addition to the hostile commentaries in the Chinese media.



The newspaper said "India will only have itself to blame" if it didn't withdraw troops from Doklam where its troops are locked in a stand-off with the Chinese Army since mid-June.



"The countdown to a clash between the two forces has begun, and the clock is ticking away the time to what seems to be an inevitable conclusion," it said.



"As the standoff ... enters its seventh week, the window for a peaceful solution is closing."



China has warned India of serious consequences if Indian troops were not pulled back from Doklam, which Beijing calls Donglang and claims is its territory.



India has proposed to China to simultaneously pull back from Doklam, which India and Bhutan say belongs to Thimpu. Beijing has refused.



The newspaper said India had ignored China's stern warnings.



"Anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear will have got the message. Yet New Delhi refuses to come to its senses and pull its troops back to its own side of the border."

BEIJING: The countdown to a military conflict between India and China has begun and New Delhi should come to senses and withdraw troops from Doklam before it's too late, a Chinese daily said on Wednesday. An editorial in the state-run China Daily told India that the "clock is ticking away". The piece was the latest addition to the hostile commentaries in the Chinese media. The newspaper said "India will only have itself to blame" if it didn't withdraw troops from Doklam where its troops are locked in a stand-off with the Chinese Army since mid-June. "The countdown to a clash between the two forces has begun, and the clock is ticking away the time to what seems to be an inevitable conclusion," it said. "As the standoff ... enters its seventh week, the window for a peaceful solution is closing." China has warned India of serious consequences if Indian troops were not pulled back from Doklam, which Beijing calls Donglang and claims is its territory. India has proposed to China to simultaneously pull back from Doklam, which India and Bhutan say belongs to Thimpu. Beijing has refused. The newspaper said India had ignored China's stern warnings. "Anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear will have got the message. Yet New Delhi refuses to come to its senses and pull its troops back to its own side of the border."
By IANS

GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitinbhai Patel on Wednesday said that Election Commission's decision to reject the votes of the two rebel Congress MLAs was "wrong" and the party may take legal action against it.

"I believe they already had plans since yesterday (Monday) to make this fabricated story and conspiracy. Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil had seen the CD himself also and knows that he stood up in anger.

"Shaktisinh Gohil Ji was angry when MLA (Raghavji Bhai Patel) showed him his vote, he was visibly angry. He tried to snatch the ballot paper. He even asked the MLA to show it twice and held his hand. This is against law," Nitinbhai Patel told reporters after the decision.

"The decision is sad. If the CD of voting is made public, not just us the whole nation will say the decision is wrong," he added.

Patel also said: "Our polling agent raised the issue immediately but we thought it is for EC to decide further on it. I demand EC to make CD public. If required we will take legal action."

"Our election agent was not shown in the CD. Moreover the two MLAs have not shown their vote to our agent. The votes of Raghavji Patel and Bholabhai Gohil were not shown to anyone. The original CD should be made public," he added.

Patel also accused Congress High Command of putting pressure on the EC. "EC did not take a practical decision. They should review their decision. People should see the CD and they should decide," Patel added.

The Election Commission on Tuesday night ordered rejection of the votes of two rebel Congress MLAs in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections, giving a new twist to the outcome involving Congress President's political secretary Ahmed Patel.

The two rebel Congress MLAs are Raghavji Patel and Bholabhai Gohil.



GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitinbhai Patel on Wednesday said that Election Commission's decision to reject the votes of the two rebel Congress MLAs was "wrong" and the party may take legal action against it. "I believe they already had plans since yesterday (Monday) to make this fabricated story and conspiracy. Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil had seen the CD himself also and knows that he stood up in anger. "Shaktisinh Gohil Ji was angry when MLA (Raghavji Bhai Patel) showed him his vote, he was visibly angry. He tried to snatch the ballot paper. He even asked the MLA to show it twice and held his hand. This is against law," Nitinbhai Patel told reporters after the decision. "The decision is sad. If the CD of voting is made public, not just us the whole nation will say the decision is wrong," he added. Patel also said: "Our polling agent raised the issue immediately but we thought it is for EC to decide further on it. I demand EC to make CD public. If required we will take legal action." "Our election agent was not shown in the CD. Moreover the two MLAs have not shown their vote to our agent. The votes of Raghavji Patel and Bholabhai Gohil were not shown to anyone. The original CD should be made public," he added. Patel also accused Congress High Command of putting pressure on the EC. "EC did not take a practical decision. They should review their decision. People should see the CD and they should decide," Patel added. The Election Commission on Tuesday night ordered rejection of the votes of two rebel Congress MLAs in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections, giving a new twist to the outcome involving Congress President's political secretary Ahmed Patel. The two rebel Congress MLAs are Raghavji Patel and Bholabhai Gohil.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police crime branch on Wednesday arrested Swami Sadachari alias Swami Om ji Maharaj from east Delhi. According to the police, he was declared proclaimed offender by a local court. The self-proclaimed godman Swami Om ji has earlier participated in Big Boss event.

Confirming the development DCP crime Branch Madhur Verma said that the accused was arrested from Bhajanpura area of East Delhi.

In November 2008, an FIR was registered against Vinodanand Jha aka Swami Omji on a complaint by his younger brother Pramodh Jha, who accused him of breaking the lock of his bicycle shop in Lodhi Colony here along with three men and stealing 11 bicycles, expensive spare parts, sale deed of the house and important documents.

Swami Om ji also faces charges under the Arms Act, Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act in other matters and almost a dozen of cases have been registered against him.

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police crime branch on Wednesday arrested Swami Sadachari alias Swami Om ji Maharaj from east Delhi. According to the police, he was declared proclaimed offender by a local court. The self-proclaimed godman Swami Om ji has earlier participated in Big Boss event. Confirming the development DCP crime Branch Madhur Verma said that the accused was arrested from Bhajanpura area of East Delhi. In November 2008, an FIR was registered against Vinodanand Jha aka Swami Omji on a complaint by his younger brother Pramodh Jha, who accused him of breaking the lock of his bicycle shop in Lodhi Colony here along with three men and stealing 11 bicycles, expensive spare parts, sale deed of the house and important documents. Swami Om ji also faces charges under the Arms Act, Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act in other matters and almost a dozen of cases have been registered against him.
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar was arrested on Wednesday when she was on her way to Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh to meet the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) oustees.

Earlier on Wednesday, Patkar was discharged from the intensive care unit of the Bombay Hospital in Indore, where she had been admitted for urgent medical care on the 12th day of the indefinite fast on Monday evening.

She was not cooperating for the medical treatment and clinical investigations, neither was she willing to take anything orally. Though the level of life threatening compound Ketone still existed in the urine, owing to her insistence of not staying at the hospital, we were forced to discharge her. But she was discharged only after she signed the leaving against medical advice form, said key sources from the Bombay Hospital administration in Indore.

The Indore divisional commissioner Sanjay Dube confirmed the arrest to the New Indian Express over phone

Prohibitory orders are already in place in Dhar. Since she is hell bent at returning to the venue of fast, it might create law and order problems. She might instigate more trouble similar to the violence that happened in Chikilda village while she along with other fasting activists were being removed for medical treatment on Monday evening, said Dube.

She was produced before SDM Dhar and arrested under Section 151 (r/w Sections 107, 116(3)) of Criminal Procedure Code which deals with arresting someone as a preventive measure to prevent possible breach of peace.

In Bhopal, meanwhile, the states inspector general of police (IG Law and Order) Makarand Deuskar said over 30 police personnel, including several female constables, were injured when the activists assaulted the on-duty cops at Chikilda on August 7 evening, while the police force was shifting the NBA leader and other fasting activists for medical treatment in Dhar and Indore.

One of our newly recruited female constables Swati Pathak has sustained severe injuries in head in the attack by the mob of activists at Chikilda on Monday evening. She is presently undergoing treatment at Indore, said Deuskar.

BHOPAL: Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar was arrested on Wednesday when she was on her way to Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh to meet the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) oustees. Earlier on Wednesday, Patkar was discharged from the intensive care unit of the Bombay Hospital in Indore, where she had been admitted for urgent medical care on the 12th day of the indefinite fast on Monday evening. She was not cooperating for the medical treatment and clinical investigations, neither was she willing to take anything orally. Though the level of life threatening compound Ketone still existed in the urine, owing to her insistence of not staying at the hospital, we were forced to discharge her. But she was discharged only after she signed the leaving against medical advice form, said key sources from the Bombay Hospital administration in Indore. The Indore divisional commissioner Sanjay Dube confirmed the arrest to the New Indian Express over phone Prohibitory orders are already in place in Dhar. Since she is hell bent at returning to the venue of fast, it might create law and order problems. She might instigate more trouble similar to the violence that happened in Chikilda village while she along with other fasting activists were being removed for medical treatment on Monday evening, said Dube. She was produced before SDM Dhar and arrested under Section 151 (r/w Sections 107, 116(3)) of Criminal Procedure Code which deals with arresting someone as a preventive measure to prevent possible breach of peace. In Bhopal, meanwhile, the states inspector general of police (IG Law and Order) Makarand Deuskar said over 30 police personnel, including several female constables, were injured when the activists assaulted the on-duty cops at Chikilda on August 7 evening, while the police force was shifting the NBA leader and other fasting activists for medical treatment in Dhar and Indore. One of our newly recruited female constables Swati Pathak has sustained severe injuries in head in the attack by the mob of activists at Chikilda on Monday evening. She is presently undergoing treatment at Indore, said Deuskar.
Anand ST Das By

Express News Service

PATNA: Tejaswi Yadav today attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar during a rally in the West Champaran district where he kicked off his Janadesh Apaman campaign, protesting JD(U)-BJP alliance, which was cemented last month.

He claimed that the rally, inaugurated on the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, would eventually lead to the miserable defeat of both JD(U) and BJP in the state. He dared both Kumar and Modi to arrest him.

If they have faith in the allegations leveled against me, they should arrest me. I dare them to arrest me, said Tejaswi, whose refusal to quit as the state's deputy chief minister after CBI registered a corruption case against him, prompted Nitish Kumar to abandon the JD(U)-RJD alliance and form a government with BJP on July 27.

Accompanied by his elder brother, Tej Pratap Yadav who is a former health minister, and several MLAs of RJD, Tejaswi began his campaign with a prayer meeting at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Motihari.

I apologize to the father of the nation for allying with Nitish Kumar and believing in him. He abandoned the principles of secularism and social justice and landed in the lap of the communal forces like BJP and RSS, said Tejaswi.

I did not know he (Kumar) would join hands with Mahatma Gandhi's killers. I have come here to seek forgiveness from Bapu for the blunder I committed We will propagate your (Gandhis) message of brotherhood and peace across the country, he added.

Just three months ago, both Tejaswi and Kumar had shared the stage at the venue when the state government observed the centenary of Gandhis Champaran Satyagraha movement.

We will fight against these people who follow Nathuram Godses ideology of hatred and violence. These people have imposed a dictatorship in the country and have been conducting the politics of vendetta, violence while stroking hatred between communities, said Tejaswi, without naming Narendra Modi.

In his 45-minute speech before a large crowd that was gathered on the grounds of a girls high school in Madhopur, Tejaswi claimed: RSS and BJP were conspiring to abolish reservation for backward castes and minorities. The RJD sources said the leader, seen as the partys chief ministerial candidate, plans to revive his fathers Mandal politics in a bid to keep BJP and JD(U) out of power in Bihar.

Nitish Kumar, who himself faces a murder case and was recently fined by the Delhi High Court in a copyright violation case, has not only backstabbed me but also the people of Bihar by allying with the BJP. We will not let their dirty designs succeed, he said.

The BJP and JD(U) leaders ridiculed Tejaswi and his yatra. This yatra is nothing but Tejaswis histrionics to conceal his and his familys huge benami assets. Bihars people know that their mandate in the 2015 Assembly polls was not for fulfilling Lalu and his familys unbridled greed, said deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi of BJP.

PATNA: Tejaswi Yadav today attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar during a rally in the West Champaran district where he kicked off his Janadesh Apaman campaign, protesting JD(U)-BJP alliance, which was cemented last month. He claimed that the rally, inaugurated on the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, would eventually lead to the miserable defeat of both JD(U) and BJP in the state. He dared both Kumar and Modi to arrest him. If they have faith in the allegations leveled against me, they should arrest me. I dare them to arrest me, said Tejaswi, whose refusal to quit as the state's deputy chief minister after CBI registered a corruption case against him, prompted Nitish Kumar to abandon the JD(U)-RJD alliance and form a government with BJP on July 27. Accompanied by his elder brother, Tej Pratap Yadav who is a former health minister, and several MLAs of RJD, Tejaswi began his campaign with a prayer meeting at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Motihari. I apologize to the father of the nation for allying with Nitish Kumar and believing in him. He abandoned the principles of secularism and social justice and landed in the lap of the communal forces like BJP and RSS, said Tejaswi. I did not know he (Kumar) would join hands with Mahatma Gandhi's killers. I have come here to seek forgiveness from Bapu for the blunder I committed We will propagate your (Gandhis) message of brotherhood and peace across the country, he added. Just three months ago, both Tejaswi and Kumar had shared the stage at the venue when the state government observed the centenary of Gandhis Champaran Satyagraha movement. We will fight against these people who follow Nathuram Godses ideology of hatred and violence. These people have imposed a dictatorship in the country and have been conducting the politics of vendetta, violence while stroking hatred between communities, said Tejaswi, without naming Narendra Modi. In his 45-minute speech before a large crowd that was gathered on the grounds of a girls high school in Madhopur, Tejaswi claimed: RSS and BJP were conspiring to abolish reservation for backward castes and minorities. The RJD sources said the leader, seen as the partys chief ministerial candidate, plans to revive his fathers Mandal politics in a bid to keep BJP and JD(U) out of power in Bihar. Nitish Kumar, who himself faces a murder case and was recently fined by the Delhi High Court in a copyright violation case, has not only backstabbed me but also the people of Bihar by allying with the BJP. We will not let their dirty designs succeed, he said. The BJP and JD(U) leaders ridiculed Tejaswi and his yatra. This yatra is nothing but Tejaswis histrionics to conceal his and his familys huge benami assets. Bihars people know that their mandate in the 2015 Assembly polls was not for fulfilling Lalu and his familys unbridled greed, said deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi of BJP.
By PTI

MEDINIPUR: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today accused the BJP government at the Centre of subverting democracy and said the TMC will work with all opposition parties to oust the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Giving the slogan of 'BJP quit India in 2019', Banerjee charged that the BJP-led government at the Centre has "taken away the rights of the people in the country". She also alleged that "secularism is under threat".

"The BJP-led government is trying to divide the country. We will not allow it. In 2019 our slogan will be 'BJP quit India'. We will work with all other opposition parties, so that we can unitedly fight against the BJP. We want this politics of communalism and hatred to come to an end," she said while kicking off the campaign here.

The West Bengal Chief Minister launched the campaign on a day when the country is commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement. "We will fight and not stop till the BJP is ousted from power. Democracy will triumph against all odds", she said.

"They can threaten us by using the ED, Income Tax and the CBI but we are not afraid of it. The Central government has turned into a government of the agencies, by the agencies, of the agencies and for the agencies," she alleged. Banerjee said she will attend the rally convened by RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna later this month.

The TMC leader also accused the BJP of shedding "crocodile tears" for adivasis and backward sections of the society. "On the one hand they (BJP) are lynching adivasis and people from backward sections of society, while on the other hand, they are are clicking photographs with adivasis and having lunch at their houses," she charged.

MEDINIPUR: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today accused the BJP government at the Centre of subverting democracy and said the TMC will work with all opposition parties to oust the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Giving the slogan of 'BJP quit India in 2019', Banerjee charged that the BJP-led government at the Centre has "taken away the rights of the people in the country". She also alleged that "secularism is under threat". "The BJP-led government is trying to divide the country. We will not allow it. In 2019 our slogan will be 'BJP quit India'. We will work with all other opposition parties, so that we can unitedly fight against the BJP. We want this politics of communalism and hatred to come to an end," she said while kicking off the campaign here. The West Bengal Chief Minister launched the campaign on a day when the country is commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement. "We will fight and not stop till the BJP is ousted from power. Democracy will triumph against all odds", she said. "They can threaten us by using the ED, Income Tax and the CBI but we are not afraid of it. The Central government has turned into a government of the agencies, by the agencies, of the agencies and for the agencies," she alleged. Banerjee said she will attend the rally convened by RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna later this month. The TMC leader also accused the BJP of shedding "crocodile tears" for adivasis and backward sections of the society. "On the one hand they (BJP) are lynching adivasis and people from backward sections of society, while on the other hand, they are are clicking photographs with adivasis and having lunch at their houses," she charged.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Highlighting the dangers of communalism, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury today warned against creating a "Hindu Pakistan" out of India.

He was speaking in the Rajya Sabha while participating in a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.

While talking about the freedom struggle, he said the country's Independence also had the painful episode of partition attached to it.

Yechury, whose term as Rajya Sabha member is coming to an end with this session, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned that communalism must quit India. "The question is -- are we doing anything to make it quit?"

Reciting a couplet about communal harmony, he said a 'Hindu Pakistan' should not be created.

The CPI(M) leader recounted the contribution of several communist leaders in the fight against British rule. He said a lot of people in the cellular jail were communist leaders from Bengal and Punjab.

He, however, emphasised that attempts should not be made to appropriate the freedom struggle.

Yechury said there were two communist leaders - a maulana and a swami - who had moved a resolution for complete independence at a meeting of the Indian National Congress in 1921.

The Quit India movement belonged to the people and is a common heritage, he said.

He said the divide between the rich and poor was widening. From 49 percent earlier, the amount of the country's GDP held by 1 percent of the country's population has risen to 58.4 per cent.

The need is to eliminate neo-liberal policies and communalism, Yechury said.

Participating in the debate, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Congress) recalled the contribution of freedom fighters in the country's Independence.

However, he regretted that there were some traitors at that time also, who did not participate in the movement at that time.

There were parties at that time which sided with the British to derail the Quit India movement, Roy said.

"Even today, there are some traitors who threaten our brotherhood," he said, adding that Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would launch 'BJP Bharat chhodo andolan' (BJP Quit India movement) from today.

At this juncture, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said politics should not be brought into this discussion which has to be at a higher level.

Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also said that at least for today, criticism should be left aside. Congress leader Anand Sharma, however, said that if something is a fact of history it must remain in record.

Prasanna Acharya (BJD) said the need is not create a Congress-free or BJP-free India but a corruption and communalism free India.

Veer Singh (BSP) spoke against the inequality in the society while Majeed Memon (NCP) spoke about mountains of hate being created and emphasised on the need to counter poverty and unemployment.

Kanimozi (DMK) said an atmosphere prevails today that not speaking Hindi or eating some food were seen by some as being less India. "Why have we become this?".

She said that 50 percent of the population -- the women -- were still not being given their due and there were incidents like stalking and honour killings, a reference to the Chandigarh stalking case.

She said it was a sorry state of affairs that leaders were questioning the victims of stalking etc, asking why they were out late.

The DMK MP regretted that Parliament had been unable to pass the Women's Reservation Bill and half of the population did not get proportional representation in the passing of laws.

Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena) said the Quit India movement was not the monopoly of any one party. He mentioned the contribution of Veer Savarakar and mill workers in the struggle.

Naresh Gujral (SAD) spoke about the sacrifices made by his family and the people as a whole. He said the need was to reflect collectively and not indulge in blame game.

D Raja (CPI) mentioned about the role played by communist leaders along with the Congress.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale, Rajni Patil (Congress) and A V Swamy also spoke.

NEW DELHI: Highlighting the dangers of communalism, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury today warned against creating a "Hindu Pakistan" out of India. He was speaking in the Rajya Sabha while participating in a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement. While talking about the freedom struggle, he said the country's Independence also had the painful episode of partition attached to it. Yechury, whose term as Rajya Sabha member is coming to an end with this session, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned that communalism must quit India. "The question is -- are we doing anything to make it quit?" Reciting a couplet about communal harmony, he said a 'Hindu Pakistan' should not be created. The CPI(M) leader recounted the contribution of several communist leaders in the fight against British rule. He said a lot of people in the cellular jail were communist leaders from Bengal and Punjab. He, however, emphasised that attempts should not be made to appropriate the freedom struggle. Yechury said there were two communist leaders - a maulana and a swami - who had moved a resolution for complete independence at a meeting of the Indian National Congress in 1921. The Quit India movement belonged to the people and is a common heritage, he said. He said the divide between the rich and poor was widening. From 49 percent earlier, the amount of the country's GDP held by 1 percent of the country's population has risen to 58.4 per cent. The need is to eliminate neo-liberal policies and communalism, Yechury said. Participating in the debate, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Congress) recalled the contribution of freedom fighters in the country's Independence. However, he regretted that there were some traitors at that time also, who did not participate in the movement at that time. There were parties at that time which sided with the British to derail the Quit India movement, Roy said. "Even today, there are some traitors who threaten our brotherhood," he said, adding that Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would launch 'BJP Bharat chhodo andolan' (BJP Quit India movement) from today. At this juncture, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said politics should not be brought into this discussion which has to be at a higher level. Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also said that at least for today, criticism should be left aside. Congress leader Anand Sharma, however, said that if something is a fact of history it must remain in record. Prasanna Acharya (BJD) said the need is not create a Congress-free or BJP-free India but a corruption and communalism free India. Veer Singh (BSP) spoke against the inequality in the society while Majeed Memon (NCP) spoke about mountains of hate being created and emphasised on the need to counter poverty and unemployment. Kanimozi (DMK) said an atmosphere prevails today that not speaking Hindi or eating some food were seen by some as being less India. "Why have we become this?". She said that 50 percent of the population -- the women -- were still not being given their due and there were incidents like stalking and honour killings, a reference to the Chandigarh stalking case. She said it was a sorry state of affairs that leaders were questioning the victims of stalking etc, asking why they were out late. The DMK MP regretted that Parliament had been unable to pass the Women's Reservation Bill and half of the population did not get proportional representation in the passing of laws. Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena) said the Quit India movement was not the monopoly of any one party. He mentioned the contribution of Veer Savarakar and mill workers in the struggle. Naresh Gujral (SAD) spoke about the sacrifices made by his family and the people as a whole. He said the need was to reflect collectively and not indulge in blame game. D Raja (CPI) mentioned about the role played by communist leaders along with the Congress. Union minister Ramdas Athawale, Rajni Patil (Congress) and A V Swamy also spoke.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: As the Indian and Chinese militaries are engaged in face off over a disputed site in the Sikkim, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said the Indian armed forces are strong enough to meet any challenge to the country's security as he underlined that lessons have been learnt from the 1962 war.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley said India had "learnt a lesson" from the 1962 war with China that "the armed forces will have be made fully capable on our own because even today the nation faces challenges from our neighbouring countries."Compared to 1962, the armed forces were made stronger in 1965 and 1971 wars, Jaitley said.

Meanwhile, army sources denied reports of any unusual troop movement towards the disputed territory and maintaining the status quo in the sector. Two brigades were already moved further up as armys summer deployment.

We are keeping close watch on the movement of Chinese military. So far, there is no unusual movement on all four sectors facing China. Even, China has also not made any major troop movement towards forward locations, said a source.

However, in Parliament, Arun Jaitley, while initiating a special debate to mark the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942, said India had faced many challenges over these decades but "we can proudly say the country became stronger with each challenge".

"I agree that some challenges are still there. Some people are targeting our country's sovereignty and integrity. But I am fully confident that our brave soldiers have capabilty to keep our country secure, may it be challenges on the eastern border or the western border," he said.

"The armed forces can give any kind of sacrifice for the security of the nation," the defence minister asserted. Defence minister also referred to the occupation of parts of J&K by Pakistan soon after the Independence.

"Initially (after Independence), we faced a crisis. Our neighbour had an eye on Kashmir. Even today, we cannot forget that a part of the country has got separated. It is a wish of every Indian today as to how to retrieve that part," the minister said.

NEW DELHI: As the Indian and Chinese militaries are engaged in face off over a disputed site in the Sikkim, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said the Indian armed forces are strong enough to meet any challenge to the country's security as he underlined that lessons have been learnt from the 1962 war. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley said India had "learnt a lesson" from the 1962 war with China that "the armed forces will have be made fully capable on our own because even today the nation faces challenges from our neighbouring countries."Compared to 1962, the armed forces were made stronger in 1965 and 1971 wars, Jaitley said. Meanwhile, army sources denied reports of any unusual troop movement towards the disputed territory and maintaining the status quo in the sector. Two brigades were already moved further up as armys summer deployment. We are keeping close watch on the movement of Chinese military. So far, there is no unusual movement on all four sectors facing China. Even, China has also not made any major troop movement towards forward locations, said a source. However, in Parliament, Arun Jaitley, while initiating a special debate to mark the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942, said India had faced many challenges over these decades but "we can proudly say the country became stronger with each challenge". "I agree that some challenges are still there. Some people are targeting our country's sovereignty and integrity. But I am fully confident that our brave soldiers have capabilty to keep our country secure, may it be challenges on the eastern border or the western border," he said. "The armed forces can give any kind of sacrifice for the security of the nation," the defence minister asserted. Defence minister also referred to the occupation of parts of J&K by Pakistan soon after the Independence. "Initially (after Independence), we faced a crisis. Our neighbour had an eye on Kashmir. Even today, we cannot forget that a part of the country has got separated. It is a wish of every Indian today as to how to retrieve that part," the minister said.
Hey, remember that whole thing about how Andrew Cuomo wants to drive FDR's car around America in the country's real Wacky Race (I'm talking about the presidential election, folks)? It would be kind of awkward if he ran on the idea that he was a Democrat Who Got Things Done while two warring factions of Democrats duked it out on the floor of the state Senate. So, and this time he's for real about it don't laugh, Andrew Cuomo is going to unite the Democratic Party in state Senate. Hey, you back there rolling your eyes, quit it.

The Times took a look at Cuomo's recent efforts to try to bridge the divide between mainline Democrats and the Independent Democratic Conference, a breakaway group of eight state Senate Democrats who help Senate Republicans claim a majority in the chamber. The governor's impact so far is...well, not great, Bob. For one, the Governor reportedly bungled a Midtown meeting of the Democratic minds when he told Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (who represents Westchester) that Senator Jeff Klein of the IDC (whose membership is heavily skewed towards the city) knows more about winning suburban elections. Cousins's response, according to multiple sources in the room was:

You look at me, Mr. Governor, but you dont see me. You see my black skin and a woman, but you dont realize I am a suburban legislator. Jeff Klein doesnt represent the suburbs. I do.

Stewart-Cousins and a Cuomo spokesperson both downplayed the incident at the meeting, which the same sources told the Times was "profound" and left the governor in "stunned silence."

Even as pressure has been building on the IDC from a variety of quarters including grassroots activists, other breakaway Democrats and the national Democratic Party, Cuomo has kept his distance from the fray. Confronted by an activist earlier this summer, Cuomo was non-committal about getting the mainline Democrats and IDC members back together, telling the man, "I can perform marriages, but I can't force them" (which is a line he'd used before).

Any potential reunion is also complicated by the efforts of activists dedicated to removing IDC members from the state Senate. Jose Peralta already has a teen challenger for his seat in Taseen Chowdhury, and recruitment efforts are afoot for primaries against the seven other members of the conference. A spokesperson for the anti-IDC organizing group No IDC sent Gothamist a statement slamming both Cuomo and the IDC:

Today's story is just more proof that the 8 "IDC" State Senators are totally bought off by Trump Republicans. It's also proof that Governor Cuomo is deeply complicit in the IDC's scam. In every conversation we've had with real Senate Democrats, in public and private, they've been willing to work with every Senator to protect our rights. The real Senate Democrats recognize the threat that Trump Republicans pose to New York. The Times article shows that the real Senate Democrats have come to the table in good faith and remained open to working with the IDC at every turn. Of course, the IDC has continued backing their Republican bosses and donors on every issue, from refusing to make New York a sanctuary state, to blocking fair funding for New York public schools. The IDC has shown us for 7 years now that they won't act like Democrats. They're bought and paid for by the Republicans. And that's why No IDC NY is committed to the only path forward to progressive government in New York: We're working to raise awareness and raise money to replace all 8 members of the crooked IDC.

And of course, there's the matter of Klein and Stewart-Cousins not exactly getting along. Last year, both members of the state Senate expressed extreme frustration with the other in interviews with Gothamist. Klein, talking about the mainline Democrats, said "if you're serious about a coalition, the way to do it is not to ask everyone under the sun to force us back. They play everything out in the press." Stewart-Cousins, for her part, charged that separately rogue Democrat Simcha Felder, who caucuses with the Republicans currently, told her he tried to bring the IDC back with him but no one from the group would do it.

Furthermore, if the IDC continued to exist in a coalition with the mainline Democrats, it would mean that Klein and Stewart-Cousins would have to come to a kind of power sharing agreement, denting the historic marker of Stewart-Cousins becoming the state Senate's first black female leader.
By PTI

AMARAVATI: Ace shuttler and Rio Olympics silver medalist P V Sindhu today joined as the Deputy Collector in the Andhra Pradesh government.

Sindhu, who had been handed over the letter of appointment on July 27, today reported to the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration Anil Chandra Punetha here and assumed her new role as a Group-1 service officer.

She was then posted to Krishna district for training.

Sindhu met district Collector B Lakshmi Kantham in the evening and reported for duty.

Meanwhile, official sources said the government might waive the two-year training period for Sindhu since she was keen on focusing on her career.

Expressing happiness over her appointment, Sindhu said her first priority would be to continue playing badminton.

"My focus will be on the sport only," she had said on the day she was handed over the appointment order.

She had also thanked the Chief Minister for the job.

Now that Sindhu has joined the revenue service in AP government, chances are that she might get inducted into the Indian Administrative Service seven or eight years down the line.

AMARAVATI: Ace shuttler and Rio Olympics silver medalist P V Sindhu today joined as the Deputy Collector in the Andhra Pradesh government. Sindhu, who had been handed over the letter of appointment on July 27, today reported to the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration Anil Chandra Punetha here and assumed her new role as a Group-1 service officer. She was then posted to Krishna district for training. Sindhu met district Collector B Lakshmi Kantham in the evening and reported for duty. Meanwhile, official sources said the government might waive the two-year training period for Sindhu since she was keen on focusing on her career. Expressing happiness over her appointment, Sindhu said her first priority would be to continue playing badminton. "My focus will be on the sport only," she had said on the day she was handed over the appointment order. She had also thanked the Chief Minister for the job. Now that Sindhu has joined the revenue service in AP government, chances are that she might get inducted into the Indian Administrative Service seven or eight years down the line.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Union government will directly conduct the admission counselling for super-speciality medical courses this year.

Though the seats are open for students from other States, so far the State governments were conducting the counselling. This year, the Union health ministry would conduct the counselling. This is being opposed by Tamil Nadu doctors who feel that it infringes on the role of the State governments.

Earlier, the State used to conduct counselling through entrance examination and only candidates from Tamil Nadu were allotted super-speciality seats. Also, 50 per cent of seats were reserved for government service doctors.

It may be noted that recently Tamil Nadu received the formal nod for 13 additional super-speciality seats for this academic year from the Medical Council of India, taking its total number of super-specialty seats in government medical colleges to 202. This is the highest in the country among government institutions.

G R Ravindranath, general secretary, Doctors Association for Social Equality said, This totally infringes on the role of State governments. After the Supreme Court order, seats were opened for candidates from all the other States. This will definitely ruin the State health care system. Because, candidates from other States will study and leave. They wont do service in Tamil Nadu, he said.

Now over 50,000 candidates appeared from NEET-SS across the country and there would be only around 2,500 doctors from Tamil Nadu. If the seats are open only for Tamil Nadu, a majority of them would have got the seats, Ravindranath said.

P Balakrishnan, Chennai district president of Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association said the State government should bring in a special law to protect the rights of the State. It should conduct counselling and fill the seats. Otherwise, super-speciality care will be affected.

Another doctor said the State spent a big sum to develop infrastructure and faculty. Government doctors who get these seats would do government service till their retirement. Now, this will be affected. There would not be any super speciality doctors in the State in the coming years if this continues.

Meanwhile, the Directorate-General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, announced in its website that counselling for super -speciality seats will be conducted from August 12 based on NEET-SS.

CHENNAI: The Union government will directly conduct the admission counselling for super-speciality medical courses this year. Though the seats are open for students from other States, so far the State governments were conducting the counselling. This year, the Union health ministry would conduct the counselling. This is being opposed by Tamil Nadu doctors who feel that it infringes on the role of the State governments. Earlier, the State used to conduct counselling through entrance examination and only candidates from Tamil Nadu were allotted super-speciality seats. Also, 50 per cent of seats were reserved for government service doctors. It may be noted that recently Tamil Nadu received the formal nod for 13 additional super-speciality seats for this academic year from the Medical Council of India, taking its total number of super-specialty seats in government medical colleges to 202. This is the highest in the country among government institutions. G R Ravindranath, general secretary, Doctors Association for Social Equality said, This totally infringes on the role of State governments. After the Supreme Court order, seats were opened for candidates from all the other States. This will definitely ruin the State health care system. Because, candidates from other States will study and leave. They wont do service in Tamil Nadu, he said. Now over 50,000 candidates appeared from NEET-SS across the country and there would be only around 2,500 doctors from Tamil Nadu. If the seats are open only for Tamil Nadu, a majority of them would have got the seats, Ravindranath said. P Balakrishnan, Chennai district president of Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association said the State government should bring in a special law to protect the rights of the State. It should conduct counselling and fill the seats. Otherwise, super-speciality care will be affected. Another doctor said the State spent a big sum to develop infrastructure and faculty. Government doctors who get these seats would do government service till their retirement. Now, this will be affected. There would not be any super speciality doctors in the State in the coming years if this continues. Meanwhile, the Directorate-General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, announced in its website that counselling for super -speciality seats will be conducted from August 12 based on NEET-SS.
By AFP

BERLIN: Germany today urged North Korea and the United States to show "restraint" after apocalyptic threats from President Donald Trump and Pyongyang in their mounting war of words.

"We are watching the increasing rhetorical escalation regarding the Korean Peninsula with the greatest concern," foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer told reporters.

"That is why we call on all sides to use restraint." Schaefer said Berlin was convinced a "military option" could not be "the answer in the quest for a nuclear weapon free Southeast Asia".

He urged the international community to "thoroughly implement" the latest round of sanctions against North Korea approved by the United Nations Security Council.

And he backed a call by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to resume talks with Pyongyang if it halts ballistic missile tests.

"We must all continue our diplomatic efforts -- it is the only way to ensure that the threat of the illegal North Korean nuclear weapons programme can be contained," he said.

Trump sharply intensified his rhetoric against North Korea yesterday, threatening "fire and fury" over its weapons programmes.

North Korea raised the stakes just hours later, saying it was considering missile strikes near US strategic military installations on the Pacific island of Guam.

BERLIN: Germany today urged North Korea and the United States to show "restraint" after apocalyptic threats from President Donald Trump and Pyongyang in their mounting war of words. "We are watching the increasing rhetorical escalation regarding the Korean Peninsula with the greatest concern," foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer told reporters. "That is why we call on all sides to use restraint." Schaefer said Berlin was convinced a "military option" could not be "the answer in the quest for a nuclear weapon free Southeast Asia". He urged the international community to "thoroughly implement" the latest round of sanctions against North Korea approved by the United Nations Security Council. And he backed a call by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to resume talks with Pyongyang if it halts ballistic missile tests. "We must all continue our diplomatic efforts -- it is the only way to ensure that the threat of the illegal North Korean nuclear weapons programme can be contained," he said. Trump sharply intensified his rhetoric against North Korea yesterday, threatening "fire and fury" over its weapons programmes. North Korea raised the stakes just hours later, saying it was considering missile strikes near US strategic military installations on the Pacific island of Guam.
By AFP

NAIROBI: President Uhuru Kenyatta appeared headed for re-election Wednesday as his rival Raila Odinga rejected early results as "fake", setting nerves on edge in east Africa's richest economy.

With ballots from 90 percent of polling stations counted, electoral commission (IEBC) results showed Kenyatta leading with 54.6 percent of the nearly 13 million ballots tallied against Odinga's 44.5 percent, a difference of 1.3 million votes.

"These results are fake, it is a sham. They cannot be credible," Odinga told a press conference in the early hours of the morning as partial results fell quickly via an electronic tallying system aimed at preventing fraud.

Odinga claimed the IEBC had not provided documents that would show how the tallies were arrived at.

"It is the machine that has voted," Odinga told reporters. "These results are wrong."

Odinga, 72, who is making his fourth stab at the presidency as the flagbearer for the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, accused his rivals of stealing victory from him through rigging both in 2007 and 2013.

In 2007, the disputed vote resulted in two months of ethnically-driven political violence that killed 1,100 people and displaced 600,000 in a major blow to a nation seen as a regional bastion of stability.

The contested election in 2013 was taken to the courts, and ended largely peacefully even though Odinga lost.

The run-up to this year's vote was fraught with tension, heightened by the torture and murder of Chris Msando, a key administrator of the biometric voting system, whose body was found on the outskirts of Nairobi earlier this month.

"We fear that this is the precise reason why Mr. Chris Msando was assassinated," Odinga said, referring to his fraud claims.

- Winners and losers -

Local media praised a calm day of voting Tuesday, but urged the losers to peacefully accept the result and turn to the justice system with their grievances.

"The voters, too, must await the results while acknowledging that their favourite candidate can actually lose. It is a critical measure of democracy that there will be winners and losers," read an editorial in the Daily Nation newspaper.

The normally traffic-choked streets of Nairobi were unusually quiet the day after the vote. However some businesses slowly began opening as the country held its breath over the results.

Odinga asked the IEBC to stop streaming results on its public website until the forms backing up the figures sent in from constituencies could be produced.

However IEBC commissioner Roslyn Akombe declined to do so.

"As a commission we decided that as part of the commitment we made to the voters and the Kenyan people, transparency and accountability are part of them."

- 'The will of the people' -

The contest between Odinga and Kenyatta was seen by pollsters as too close to call ahead of the vote.

It is the second time the two men have faced off in a presidential election in dynastic rivalry that has lasted more than half a century since their fathers Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Odinga went from allies in the struggle for independence to bitter rivals.

The men belong to two of Kenya's main ethnic groups, Kenyatta from the Kikuyu, the largest, and Odinga from the Luo.

Both had secured formidable alliances with other influential communities in Kenya, where voting takes place largely along tribal lines.

In 2013 Kenyatta won by 800,000 votes.

Kenyatta, 55, is credited with overseeing steady economic growth of more than five percent, however food prices have soared under his watch and several major corruption scandals broke out in his first term.

Raphael Tunju, secretary-general of Kenyatta's Jubilee party, shrugged off Odinga's fraud charge.

"I don't expect anything else from NASA," he said.

On Tuesday, Kenyatta urged Odinga to accept the result should he lose.

"I also want to say that if I lose, I will accept the will of the people," Kenyatta said after voting.

- A quiet vote -

Despite reports of some technical glitches and delays, Tuesday's vote went off peacefully, and the IEBC moved quickly to deal with any complaints.

A clerk in a polling station where ballot papers were pre-marked as "rejected," was fired, and police arrested another clerk in the port city of Mombasa who was caught issuing double ballot papers to certain voters.

Shortly before polls closed, NASA put out a statement praising poll officials and security forces, but complained that some of its voters had been turned away or not found their names on the register.

NASA also said it had reports of "pre-marked ballot papers" and attempts to bribe voters.

Kenyans voted in six different elections, including several knife-edge races for governor that have fired up local tensions.

Early results showed the opposition looked set to lose the governorship of the capital Nairobi -- which had been seen as a major coup in 2013 -- to the ruling party candidate.

NAIROBI: President Uhuru Kenyatta appeared headed for re-election Wednesday as his rival Raila Odinga rejected early results as "fake", setting nerves on edge in east Africa's richest economy. With ballots from 90 percent of polling stations counted, electoral commission (IEBC) results showed Kenyatta leading with 54.6 percent of the nearly 13 million ballots tallied against Odinga's 44.5 percent, a difference of 1.3 million votes. "These results are fake, it is a sham. They cannot be credible," Odinga told a press conference in the early hours of the morning as partial results fell quickly via an electronic tallying system aimed at preventing fraud. Odinga claimed the IEBC had not provided documents that would show how the tallies were arrived at. "It is the machine that has voted," Odinga told reporters. "These results are wrong." Odinga, 72, who is making his fourth stab at the presidency as the flagbearer for the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, accused his rivals of stealing victory from him through rigging both in 2007 and 2013. In 2007, the disputed vote resulted in two months of ethnically-driven political violence that killed 1,100 people and displaced 600,000 in a major blow to a nation seen as a regional bastion of stability. The contested election in 2013 was taken to the courts, and ended largely peacefully even though Odinga lost. The run-up to this year's vote was fraught with tension, heightened by the torture and murder of Chris Msando, a key administrator of the biometric voting system, whose body was found on the outskirts of Nairobi earlier this month. "We fear that this is the precise reason why Mr. Chris Msando was assassinated," Odinga said, referring to his fraud claims. - Winners and losers - Local media praised a calm day of voting Tuesday, but urged the losers to peacefully accept the result and turn to the justice system with their grievances. "The voters, too, must await the results while acknowledging that their favourite candidate can actually lose. It is a critical measure of democracy that there will be winners and losers," read an editorial in the Daily Nation newspaper. The normally traffic-choked streets of Nairobi were unusually quiet the day after the vote. However some businesses slowly began opening as the country held its breath over the results. Odinga asked the IEBC to stop streaming results on its public website until the forms backing up the figures sent in from constituencies could be produced. However IEBC commissioner Roslyn Akombe declined to do so. "As a commission we decided that as part of the commitment we made to the voters and the Kenyan people, transparency and accountability are part of them." - 'The will of the people' - The contest between Odinga and Kenyatta was seen by pollsters as too close to call ahead of the vote. It is the second time the two men have faced off in a presidential election in dynastic rivalry that has lasted more than half a century since their fathers Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Odinga went from allies in the struggle for independence to bitter rivals. The men belong to two of Kenya's main ethnic groups, Kenyatta from the Kikuyu, the largest, and Odinga from the Luo. Both had secured formidable alliances with other influential communities in Kenya, where voting takes place largely along tribal lines. In 2013 Kenyatta won by 800,000 votes. Kenyatta, 55, is credited with overseeing steady economic growth of more than five percent, however food prices have soared under his watch and several major corruption scandals broke out in his first term. Raphael Tunju, secretary-general of Kenyatta's Jubilee party, shrugged off Odinga's fraud charge. "I don't expect anything else from NASA," he said. On Tuesday, Kenyatta urged Odinga to accept the result should he lose. "I also want to say that if I lose, I will accept the will of the people," Kenyatta said after voting. - A quiet vote - Despite reports of some technical glitches and delays, Tuesday's vote went off peacefully, and the IEBC moved quickly to deal with any complaints. A clerk in a polling station where ballot papers were pre-marked as "rejected," was fired, and police arrested another clerk in the port city of Mombasa who was caught issuing double ballot papers to certain voters. Shortly before polls closed, NASA put out a statement praising poll officials and security forces, but complained that some of its voters had been turned away or not found their names on the register. NASA also said it had reports of "pre-marked ballot papers" and attempts to bribe voters. Kenyans voted in six different elections, including several knife-edge races for governor that have fired up local tensions. Early results showed the opposition looked set to lose the governorship of the capital Nairobi -- which had been seen as a major coup in 2013 -- to the ruling party candidate.
By Associated Press

CARACAS: Venezuela's new constitutional assembly has taken over the halls of the endangered, opposition-controlled congress, issuing a decree declaring itself superior to all other branches of government and prominently displaying images of the late President Hugo Chavez.

The yesterday's order bars anti-government lawmakers in congress from taking any action that would interfere with the laws passed by the newly installed assembly, Delcy Rodriguez, the super-body's leader, declared to unanimous approval.

"We are not threatening anyone," said Aristobulo Isturiz, the constitutional assembly's first vice president. "We are looking for ways to coexist."

Embattled President Nicolas Maduro convoked the constitutional assembly in what he contends is an attempt to resolve the nation's political standoff, but opposition leaders insist it is a power grab. Since its installation on Friday, the assembly has already ousted the nation's outspoken chief prosecutor, established a "truth commission" expected to target Maduro's foes and passed decrees pledging "support and solidarity" with the unpopular president.

Opposition lawmakers said they were barred from entering the gold-domed legislative palace after security forces led by Rodriguez broke into congress late Monday.

"This government invades the spaces that it is not capable of legitimately winning," Stalin Gonzalez, an opposition lawmaker, wrote on Twitter of the assembly's takeover of the chamber the opposition has controlled since winning 2015 elections.

Earlier yesterday, Venezuela's pro-government Supreme Court sentenced a Caracas-area mayor at the center of recent protests to 15 months in prison for not following an order to remove barricades set up during anti-government demonstrations.

Ramon Muchacho is the fourth opposition mayor whose arrest the high court has sought in the past two weeks. The court also ordered an investigation into another prominent Caracas-area mayor, David Smolansky, for the same alleged crimes.

Muchacho's whereabouts were not immediately known, but he denounced the ruling on Twitter, saying that "all of the weight of the revolutionary injustice has fallen on my shoulders" for merely acting to guarantee the constitutional right to protest.

The constitutional assembly's meeting yesterday came amid mounting criticism from foreign governments that have refused to recognize the new super-body.

More than a dozen Latin American leaders were gathering in Peru to discuss how to force Maduro to back down. Peru's president has been vocal in rejecting the new Venezuelan assembly, but the region has had trouble agreeing on collective actions.

In response, Maduro convened a meeting of foreign ministers from the Bolivarian Alliance, a leftist coalition of 11 Latin American nations.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told representatives from nations including Cuba and Bolivia Tuesday that longstanding US aggressions against his troubled South American nation have "entered a much stronger phase."

Opposition lawmakers have vowed to hold onto their only government foothold, the country's single-chamber congress despite threats from the constitutional assembly to strip them of any authority and lock up key leaders.

Lawmakers voted unanimously Monday not to recognize any of the new super-body's decrees.

Since the disputed election, security forces have stepped up their presence. The UN human rights commissioner report warned of "widespread and systematic use" of excessive force, arbitrary detention and other rights violations against demonstrators.

Only a few dozen demonstrators heeded the opposition's call to set up traffic-snarling roadblocks in Caracas yesterday to show their opposition to the new assembly.

Protests that drew hundreds of thousands at their peak are drawing fewer and fewer as fear and resignation creep in.

At least 124 people have been killed and hundreds more injured or detained during the protests.

CARACAS: Venezuela's new constitutional assembly has taken over the halls of the endangered, opposition-controlled congress, issuing a decree declaring itself superior to all other branches of government and prominently displaying images of the late President Hugo Chavez. The yesterday's order bars anti-government lawmakers in congress from taking any action that would interfere with the laws passed by the newly installed assembly, Delcy Rodriguez, the super-body's leader, declared to unanimous approval. "We are not threatening anyone," said Aristobulo Isturiz, the constitutional assembly's first vice president. "We are looking for ways to coexist." Embattled President Nicolas Maduro convoked the constitutional assembly in what he contends is an attempt to resolve the nation's political standoff, but opposition leaders insist it is a power grab. Since its installation on Friday, the assembly has already ousted the nation's outspoken chief prosecutor, established a "truth commission" expected to target Maduro's foes and passed decrees pledging "support and solidarity" with the unpopular president. Opposition lawmakers said they were barred from entering the gold-domed legislative palace after security forces led by Rodriguez broke into congress late Monday. "This government invades the spaces that it is not capable of legitimately winning," Stalin Gonzalez, an opposition lawmaker, wrote on Twitter of the assembly's takeover of the chamber the opposition has controlled since winning 2015 elections. Earlier yesterday, Venezuela's pro-government Supreme Court sentenced a Caracas-area mayor at the center of recent protests to 15 months in prison for not following an order to remove barricades set up during anti-government demonstrations. Ramon Muchacho is the fourth opposition mayor whose arrest the high court has sought in the past two weeks. The court also ordered an investigation into another prominent Caracas-area mayor, David Smolansky, for the same alleged crimes. Muchacho's whereabouts were not immediately known, but he denounced the ruling on Twitter, saying that "all of the weight of the revolutionary injustice has fallen on my shoulders" for merely acting to guarantee the constitutional right to protest. The constitutional assembly's meeting yesterday came amid mounting criticism from foreign governments that have refused to recognize the new super-body. More than a dozen Latin American leaders were gathering in Peru to discuss how to force Maduro to back down. Peru's president has been vocal in rejecting the new Venezuelan assembly, but the region has had trouble agreeing on collective actions. In response, Maduro convened a meeting of foreign ministers from the Bolivarian Alliance, a leftist coalition of 11 Latin American nations. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told representatives from nations including Cuba and Bolivia Tuesday that longstanding US aggressions against his troubled South American nation have "entered a much stronger phase." Opposition lawmakers have vowed to hold onto their only government foothold, the country's single-chamber congress despite threats from the constitutional assembly to strip them of any authority and lock up key leaders. Lawmakers voted unanimously Monday not to recognize any of the new super-body's decrees. Since the disputed election, security forces have stepped up their presence. The UN human rights commissioner report warned of "widespread and systematic use" of excessive force, arbitrary detention and other rights violations against demonstrators. Only a few dozen demonstrators heeded the opposition's call to set up traffic-snarling roadblocks in Caracas yesterday to show their opposition to the new assembly. Protests that drew hundreds of thousands at their peak are drawing fewer and fewer as fear and resignation creep in. At least 124 people have been killed and hundreds more injured or detained during the protests.
By AFP

SEOUL: The world's biggest polluter China has a "big job" ahead of it in the global fight against climate change, the UN's environment chief said Wednesday.

Since US President Donald Trump's decision in June to quit the Paris agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Beijing has proclaimed its willingness to stick to the pact.

Analysts say the US move gives China an opportunity to establish its credibility and strengthen its diplomatic clout ahead of future negotiations.

Beijing has repeatedly pledged to reduce its reliance on carbon-belching coal as it seeks to clear the toxic smog from its cities.

But it has also invested heavily in coal projects abroad as part of its Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, prompting accusations it is exporting its pollution to poorer and less developed countries.

Erik Solheim, head of the UN Environment Programme, told AFP the world was in a "transformative phase" from coal to renewable energy and Beijing had a vital role to play.

As well as its number one position as a source of pollution, China is also the world's biggest investor in renewable energy such as solar and wind power.

Its coal consumption has fallen for the past three years, and earlier this year it reportedly cancelled more than 100 carbon-belching coal power projects.

But China still relies on the fuel for 62 percent of its primary energy mix.

"China has a very big job ahead of it to transform fundamentally from coal into these very promising new technologies," said Solheim.

German environmental group Urgewald estimates that around 250 Chinese companies are involved in nearly half the 1,600 new coal power projects planned or being built worldwide, including in countries such as Pakistan and Egypt which currently burn almost no coal.

Solheim warned that "locking yourself into this oldfashioned technology is very dangerous", as it would make them heavily dependent on fossil fuel for decades with serious environmental and health risks.

Trump "clearly made a mistake" in withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, said Solheim, who was in Seoul for meetings with South Korean officials and businesses.

But the consequences of Trump's decision were "limited", Solheim insisted, adding it had only "energised the entire environment community" including America's big businesses such as Apple, Google and Microsoft.

"They do that for their customers and for the environment. They don't do it for the White House," he said.

The Paris climate accord was signed last year by 175 countries and went into effect in November, just days before Trump was elected -- having vowed on the campaign trail to back out of it.

The Paris accord aims to limit global warming to "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over preindustrial levels.

SEOUL: The world's biggest polluter China has a "big job" ahead of it in the global fight against climate change, the UN's environment chief said Wednesday. Since US President Donald Trump's decision in June to quit the Paris agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Beijing has proclaimed its willingness to stick to the pact. Analysts say the US move gives China an opportunity to establish its credibility and strengthen its diplomatic clout ahead of future negotiations. Beijing has repeatedly pledged to reduce its reliance on carbon-belching coal as it seeks to clear the toxic smog from its cities. But it has also invested heavily in coal projects abroad as part of its Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, prompting accusations it is exporting its pollution to poorer and less developed countries. Erik Solheim, head of the UN Environment Programme, told AFP the world was in a "transformative phase" from coal to renewable energy and Beijing had a vital role to play. As well as its number one position as a source of pollution, China is also the world's biggest investor in renewable energy such as solar and wind power. Its coal consumption has fallen for the past three years, and earlier this year it reportedly cancelled more than 100 carbon-belching coal power projects. But China still relies on the fuel for 62 percent of its primary energy mix. "China has a very big job ahead of it to transform fundamentally from coal into these very promising new technologies," said Solheim. German environmental group Urgewald estimates that around 250 Chinese companies are involved in nearly half the 1,600 new coal power projects planned or being built worldwide, including in countries such as Pakistan and Egypt which currently burn almost no coal. Solheim warned that "locking yourself into this oldfashioned technology is very dangerous", as it would make them heavily dependent on fossil fuel for decades with serious environmental and health risks. Trump "clearly made a mistake" in withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, said Solheim, who was in Seoul for meetings with South Korean officials and businesses. But the consequences of Trump's decision were "limited", Solheim insisted, adding it had only "energised the entire environment community" including America's big businesses such as Apple, Google and Microsoft. "They do that for their customers and for the environment. They don't do it for the White House," he said. The Paris climate accord was signed last year by 175 countries and went into effect in November, just days before Trump was elected -- having vowed on the campaign trail to back out of it. The Paris accord aims to limit global warming to "well below" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over preindustrial levels.
By Associated Press

DALLAS: Following widespread outrage over a passenger who was violently dragged off an overbooked plane, US airlines are bumping customers at the lowest rate in at least two decades.

The Transportation Department said today that just one in every 19,000 passengers was kicked off an overbooked flight in the first six months of this year.

That's the lowest rate since the government started keeping track in 1995.

The biggest decline took place between April and June, partly because airlines began paying many more passengers to give up their seats.

Airlines have routinely overbooked flights for years in the expectation that some passengers won't show up. When a flight is overbooked, airlines typically offer travel vouchers to encourage a few passengers to take a later flight.

That practice backfired in April when United employees, whose offers of vouchers were ignored, asked Chicago airport officers to help remove four people from a United Express flight to make room for airline employees commuting to their next flight.

A 69-year-old man was dragged forcibly down the airplane aisle and other passengers captured the spectacle on camera phones, turning the incident into a public-relations disaster for United.

Since then, United and other large US airlines have introduced new measures to reduce overbooking and raised the maximum amount that passengers can be offered to give up a seat.

Passengers still get bumped, however. Besides instances in which airlines sell too many seats, passengers may get booted when a mechanical breakdown causes an airline to use a smaller aircraft, or when the plane's weight must be reduced for a safe takeoff.

United Airlines spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said the carrier has sharply reduced bumping since the April incident.

United booted 1,964 passengers in the first six months of 2017, with more in the second quarter than the first.

However, McCarthy said, bumpings dropped from 957 in April to 61 in May and 46 in June. The Transportation Department did not provide a monthly breakdown.

DALLAS: Following widespread outrage over a passenger who was violently dragged off an overbooked plane, US airlines are bumping customers at the lowest rate in at least two decades. The Transportation Department said today that just one in every 19,000 passengers was kicked off an overbooked flight in the first six months of this year. That's the lowest rate since the government started keeping track in 1995. The biggest decline took place between April and June, partly because airlines began paying many more passengers to give up their seats. Airlines have routinely overbooked flights for years in the expectation that some passengers won't show up. When a flight is overbooked, airlines typically offer travel vouchers to encourage a few passengers to take a later flight. That practice backfired in April when United employees, whose offers of vouchers were ignored, asked Chicago airport officers to help remove four people from a United Express flight to make room for airline employees commuting to their next flight. A 69-year-old man was dragged forcibly down the airplane aisle and other passengers captured the spectacle on camera phones, turning the incident into a public-relations disaster for United. Since then, United and other large US airlines have introduced new measures to reduce overbooking and raised the maximum amount that passengers can be offered to give up a seat. Passengers still get bumped, however. Besides instances in which airlines sell too many seats, passengers may get booted when a mechanical breakdown causes an airline to use a smaller aircraft, or when the plane's weight must be reduced for a safe takeoff. United Airlines spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said the carrier has sharply reduced bumping since the April incident. United booted 1,964 passengers in the first six months of 2017, with more in the second quarter than the first. However, McCarthy said, bumpings dropped from 957 in April to 61 in May and 46 in June. The Transportation Department did not provide a monthly breakdown.
By AFP

JERUSALEM: The Palestinian Authority has dramatically reduced financial support for Gazans seeking medical care outside the blockaded Gaza Strip, WHO figures showed today, as president Mahmud Abbas seeks to squeeze the Hamas-run enclave.

The number of financial approvals from June, the most recent number available, was 80 percent lower than the monthly average for 2016, the World Health Organization said in a statement.

Just 477 Gazans were given financial approval to travel for treatment during the month, down from 1,883 in June the previous year.

The Palestinian Authority has officially denied any change in policy, but Abbas has been seeking to squeeze Gaza's rulers Hamas through a series of measures including reducing electricity payments.

"We will continue the gradual stopping of financial allocations to the Gaza Strip until Hamas commits to reconciliation," he said at the weekend.

In a statement to AFP, health ministry official in Gaza Medhat Muhesan condemned the "punitive measures".

"We need international organisations to pressure Abbas's government to stop the punitive measures against Gaza," he said.

Hamas seized Gaza from Abbas's Fatah party in 2007 and the two have been at loggerheads since.

Gazans seeking medical care outside of the strip must first apply to the Palestinian Authority for permission and financial aid, before seeking Israeli permits.

Poverty is widespread in the enclave, with unemployment at some 42 per cent, while advanced medical equipment is lacking.

Last month, the United Nations's top humanitarian official in the Palestinian territories warned politicising medical care was unacceptable.

"The Palestinian Authority has been taking certain measures to at least slow access to proper health care,"

Robert Piper told AFP.

"These sorts of measures for us are not acceptable."

JERUSALEM: The Palestinian Authority has dramatically reduced financial support for Gazans seeking medical care outside the blockaded Gaza Strip, WHO figures showed today, as president Mahmud Abbas seeks to squeeze the Hamas-run enclave. The number of financial approvals from June, the most recent number available, was 80 percent lower than the monthly average for 2016, the World Health Organization said in a statement. Just 477 Gazans were given financial approval to travel for treatment during the month, down from 1,883 in June the previous year. The Palestinian Authority has officially denied any change in policy, but Abbas has been seeking to squeeze Gaza's rulers Hamas through a series of measures including reducing electricity payments. "We will continue the gradual stopping of financial allocations to the Gaza Strip until Hamas commits to reconciliation," he said at the weekend. In a statement to AFP, health ministry official in Gaza Medhat Muhesan condemned the "punitive measures". "We need international organisations to pressure Abbas's government to stop the punitive measures against Gaza," he said. Hamas seized Gaza from Abbas's Fatah party in 2007 and the two have been at loggerheads since. Gazans seeking medical care outside of the strip must first apply to the Palestinian Authority for permission and financial aid, before seeking Israeli permits. Poverty is widespread in the enclave, with unemployment at some 42 per cent, while advanced medical equipment is lacking. Last month, the United Nations's top humanitarian official in the Palestinian territories warned politicising medical care was unacceptable. "The Palestinian Authority has been taking certain measures to at least slow access to proper health care," Robert Piper told AFP. "These sorts of measures for us are not acceptable."
By AFP

WASHINGTON: The United States imposed new sanctions on crisis-hit Venezuela on Wednesday, targeting members of a controversial, all-powerful, loyalist assembly installed last week to bolster what Washington calls the "dictatorship" of President Nicolas Maduro.

The measures were aimed at six members of the so-called Constituent Assembly -- among them the brother of late president Hugo Chavez -- as well as a military officer in charge of security for the body, and a board member of the national electoral authority.

They added to previous US sanctions on Maduro himself -- a rare step against a sitting head of state -- imposed just before the assembly was elected on July 30 in a vote marred by violence, fraud allegations and an opposition boycott.

"President Maduro swore in this illegitimate Constituent Assembly to further entrench his dictatorship, and continues to tighten his grip on the country," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

"This regime's disregard for the will of the Venezuelan people is unacceptable, and the United States will stand with them in opposition to tyranny until Venezuela is restored to a peaceful and prosperous democracy."

The Venezuelan government reacted by saying the US was "making a fool of itself in front of the world."

It "doesn't respect any criterion, any basic principle of international law," Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told state television. "Venezuela can't be sanctioned for anything, nor by anybody."

The US announcement came as the Constituent Assembly and Venezuela's supreme court took actions to limit the opposition's ability to challenge Maduro.

The assembly has established a "truth commission" which Maduro has said should examine alleged crimes by opposition leaders -- especially those in charge of the country's legislature, which his Socialist Party lost control of two years ago.

Sweeping powers

The assembly has also fired the attorney general, Luisa Ortega, who broke ranks to become an outspoken critic of the president.

The supreme court ordered the jailing of an opposition mayor who allowed anti-government protests in his Caracas district, and was mulling similar cases against others.

Ostensibly brought in to rewrite the constitution, the Constituent Assembly has sweeping powers to override all other branches of government.

It has vowed to remain in operation for up to two years -- beyond the scheduled end of Maduro's term in 2019.

Those targeted in the US sanctions announced Wednesday included Adan Coromoto Chavez, the brother of the late president who was Maduro's mentor before he died of cancer in 2013.

The National Electoral Council board member, Tania D'Amelio Cardiet, was designated for defending the assembly and for suspicion of being involved in fraud in its choosing.

The security official, Bladimir Humberto Lugo Armas, "has been involved in several acts of violence against National Assembly opposition members," including against the body's leader, Julio Borges, the US statement said.

The sanctions freeze the US assets of those targeted and ban American entities from doing business with them.

Battling isolation

Major Latin American nations and Canada have also rejected the legitimacy of the Constituent Assembly and slammed Venezuela for "breaking democratic rule."

The UN rights office has condemned "excessive force" by Venezuelan security forces against protesters who objected to the Constituent Assembly and who are angry about an economic crisis that has made food and medicine scarce amid hyperinflation and a nosediving currency.

Since the protests turned violent four months ago, nearly 130 people have died.

Protests against Maduro became muted in the past week, however, as the Constituent Assembly started sitting and intensified a clampdown.

The opposition coalition, while urging more demonstrations, has agreed to field candidates in overdue regional elections set for December 10. It said it did so to pressure Maduro to make sure they are held, and with an eye to winning most of Venezuela's 23 states.

Although broadly criticized, Venezuela is not entirely isolated internationally.

It can count on the support of Russia and China -- which have granted tens of billions of dollars in loans to Venezuela.

On Tuesday, Caracas hosted a number of leftist allies, including Cuba, Bolivia and Ecuador, as well small Caribbean nations to which it gives cheap oil, in a meeting to show solidarity.

Maduro told the representatives he was open to regional dialogue -- as long as Venezuela was "respected."

The leader reaffirmed that the difficulties he was facing were driven by an "imperialist" United States that wanted Venezuela's oil.

"Venezuela is the big prize, the jewel of the crown -- that's what they say in the corridors in Washington," he said.

WASHINGTON: The United States imposed new sanctions on crisis-hit Venezuela on Wednesday, targeting members of a controversial, all-powerful, loyalist assembly installed last week to bolster what Washington calls the "dictatorship" of President Nicolas Maduro. The measures were aimed at six members of the so-called Constituent Assembly -- among them the brother of late president Hugo Chavez -- as well as a military officer in charge of security for the body, and a board member of the national electoral authority. They added to previous US sanctions on Maduro himself -- a rare step against a sitting head of state -- imposed just before the assembly was elected on July 30 in a vote marred by violence, fraud allegations and an opposition boycott. "President Maduro swore in this illegitimate Constituent Assembly to further entrench his dictatorship, and continues to tighten his grip on the country," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. "This regime's disregard for the will of the Venezuelan people is unacceptable, and the United States will stand with them in opposition to tyranny until Venezuela is restored to a peaceful and prosperous democracy." The Venezuelan government reacted by saying the US was "making a fool of itself in front of the world." It "doesn't respect any criterion, any basic principle of international law," Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told state television. "Venezuela can't be sanctioned for anything, nor by anybody." The US announcement came as the Constituent Assembly and Venezuela's supreme court took actions to limit the opposition's ability to challenge Maduro. The assembly has established a "truth commission" which Maduro has said should examine alleged crimes by opposition leaders -- especially those in charge of the country's legislature, which his Socialist Party lost control of two years ago. Sweeping powers The assembly has also fired the attorney general, Luisa Ortega, who broke ranks to become an outspoken critic of the president. The supreme court ordered the jailing of an opposition mayor who allowed anti-government protests in his Caracas district, and was mulling similar cases against others. Ostensibly brought in to rewrite the constitution, the Constituent Assembly has sweeping powers to override all other branches of government. It has vowed to remain in operation for up to two years -- beyond the scheduled end of Maduro's term in 2019. Those targeted in the US sanctions announced Wednesday included Adan Coromoto Chavez, the brother of the late president who was Maduro's mentor before he died of cancer in 2013. The National Electoral Council board member, Tania D'Amelio Cardiet, was designated for defending the assembly and for suspicion of being involved in fraud in its choosing. The security official, Bladimir Humberto Lugo Armas, "has been involved in several acts of violence against National Assembly opposition members," including against the body's leader, Julio Borges, the US statement said. The sanctions freeze the US assets of those targeted and ban American entities from doing business with them. Battling isolation Major Latin American nations and Canada have also rejected the legitimacy of the Constituent Assembly and slammed Venezuela for "breaking democratic rule." The UN rights office has condemned "excessive force" by Venezuelan security forces against protesters who objected to the Constituent Assembly and who are angry about an economic crisis that has made food and medicine scarce amid hyperinflation and a nosediving currency. Since the protests turned violent four months ago, nearly 130 people have died. Protests against Maduro became muted in the past week, however, as the Constituent Assembly started sitting and intensified a clampdown. The opposition coalition, while urging more demonstrations, has agreed to field candidates in overdue regional elections set for December 10. It said it did so to pressure Maduro to make sure they are held, and with an eye to winning most of Venezuela's 23 states. Although broadly criticized, Venezuela is not entirely isolated internationally. It can count on the support of Russia and China -- which have granted tens of billions of dollars in loans to Venezuela. On Tuesday, Caracas hosted a number of leftist allies, including Cuba, Bolivia and Ecuador, as well small Caribbean nations to which it gives cheap oil, in a meeting to show solidarity. Maduro told the representatives he was open to regional dialogue -- as long as Venezuela was "respected." The leader reaffirmed that the difficulties he was facing were driven by an "imperialist" United States that wanted Venezuela's oil. "Venezuela is the big prize, the jewel of the crown -- that's what they say in the corridors in Washington," he said.
State Senator Daniel Squadron, the Democrat representing Brooklyn waterfront neighborhoods and lower Manhattan, suddenly announced that he is leaving the State Senate this week to work on promoting Democratic issues and candidates for the state. In an announcement published in the Daily News, Squadron wrote that one of the main reasons for his departure is the corruption that lies beneath much of the Albany power structure, calling New York a "seedy example" of how corruption has flourished thanks to "political dealmaking, big money and public distraction."

Politico's Azi Paybarah and Jimmy Vielkind note, "Its a rare Albany departure that does not include an arrest, indictment or accusation of wrongdoing."

In a Daily News op-ed explaining his decision, Squadron wrote about the excitement of his 2008 win:

I had defeated a 30-year incumbent to become the youngest member of the state Senate, part of the first Democratic majority in more than 40 years. I believed in state governments potential. I still do. But over the years I have seen it thwarted by a sliver of heavily invested special interests. In the state Senate, for example, Democrats have repeatedly been denied control of the chamber by cynical political deals, despite winning an electoral majority  including in 2016. And the status quo has proven extraordinarily durable: It barely shuddered when the leaders of both legislative chambers were convicted of corruption.

As for his next steps, Squadron wrote, "There are no easy answers, but I believe stronger candidates, a sharpened approach and better policies at the state level can help turn the tide nationally. In the coming months, along with entrepreneur Adam Pritzker and Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University, I will launch a national effort focused on addressing this crisis  joining others already doing important work toward 2018 and beyond."

In a letter to constituents (full text below), he framed it as, "After much reflection, I have decided to lend my hand to make a difference in states across the country, pushing policies and candidates that will create a fairer and more democratic future. It's not possible to take on this challenge and continue to be a full-time legislator, which is what I always promised I would be."

Noted Beastie Boys fan Squadron has been a reliably progressive member of the State Senate, promoting civil rights issues and supporting NYC public schools adding Lunar New Year as a holiday, and rapping to criticize ticket scalping. He ran for Public Advocate in 2013 but lost in the primary run-off against Letitia James. During the 2013 primary race, Squadron admitted that his family lost their money in Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme.

Squadron emphasized in the op-ed, "My decision will not impact the partisan balance of the chamber. The 26th District is safely Democratic, and I am stepping aside with enough time to ensure it will be filled on election day this November. And I will remain committed to doing all I can to support an empowered Democratic majority."



Full text of State Senator Squadron's letter to constituents:


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.
Overall crime, police stops, and arrests for petty offenses have all fallen during Mayor Bill de Blasios first term. But the mayor still believes that jumping a subway turnstile should be a criminal offense, because in his words, the typical person who is arrested turnstile jumping has money on them.

They have money on them, so its not an economic issue from everything we can see, the mayor told civil rights activist and podcaster DeRay Mckesson on Monday.

And then sometimes, not typically, but too many times there is a weapon involved too, and thats important because we need that weapon off the street for the good of everybody in New York City.

Deb Lolai, a criminal defense attorney who works for the Bronx Defenders, says she was quite surprised by the mayors assertion that New Yorkers who are arrested for turnstile jumping are well-off enough to afford a fare.

Even if theyre arrested with some cash on them, it doesnt mean they can afford a three dollar MetroCard, Lolai said. All of our clients are indigent, many of them are trying to survive day by day. If they have five dollars on them, they need to choose between spending that five dollars on a meal, or a MetroCard, or food for their children, or diapers, or formula. So making a claim that just because people are arrested with cash on them they can afford a three dollar ride and are jumping the turnstile regardless, is just a false statement.

Theft of services, which carries a $100 fine per offense, is one of the most common charges in New York City8,625 people have been arrested for the offense in 2017 so far, and nearly 90 percent of them are people of color. Roughly three times as many are issued a summons and are not taken into custody.

The Bronx Defenders handled 2,249 cases of fare beating in the 2017 fiscal year, which ended on June 30th. Fewer than one percent of those cases involved a weapons charge, according to Craig Levine, the Bronx Defenders director of public policy.

Its the age old Broken Windows rhetoric: we must go after low-level stuff because frequently the alleged perpetrators of low-level stuff are often revealed to be high level perpetrators, and are in possession of illegal weapons, Levine says. It seems to us demonstrably false.



A sign at a rally for Fair Fares this past May. (Emma Whitford / Gothamist)

During the interview, the mayor was asked about the difference between his current community policing initiative, and Broken Windows policing that gained fame in the mid 1990s, given that both strategies rely on cracking down on low-level crime and both were designed by former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton.

"I think Broken Windows policing got a bad name in part because it was associated with the Giuliani administration and there are a lot of reasons to be highly critical of the Giuliani administration, the mayor said. But I think the underlying principle was the right principle, which is you address little things before they turn into big things. You respond to quality of life concerns that come from the community."

The mayor also pointed out that NYPD officers have the right to choose the most minimal approach and issue a summons, and added that warnings are a perfectly legitimate form of policing, its literally a tool thats being underutilized.

Timothy Rountree, the Legal Aid Societys attorney-in-charge for Queens County, says, I havent seen that trend.

If you are a first arrest, or dont have any outstanding warrants, have your ID, then more likely than not youll get a summons. But that discretion typically wont be applied to people who are down and out, who have been in and out of jail. Those people I dont think will benefit from a summons.

Rountree said he believed that turnstile arrests target these populations simply because they dont have the money to pay. For [police], its low-hanging fruit.

For her PhD thesis, Baruch College professor Alexis Perrotta performed a qualitative study on low-income New Yorkers who used mass transit, and found that low-income riders are more likely to evade the fare, exploit free transfers, and rely on fragmented systems of generosity and welfare than to forego goods.

Perrotta quotes one of her subjects at length:

Theres been times that Ive had to ask him [her childs father from whom she fled to a domestic violence shelter] for like a $5 or $10 little advance or whatever so he would give that to me so I can get my child to school. Or sometimes Ive risked jumping on the back of the bus and I do notgosh I dread the day I would get caught for that cause its so silly, but I mean I only do itIve only done it if it was something that Im trying to get my daughter to school. Its not like I was just jumping on there for the fun of it.

Lolai, the Bronx public defender, said she recalled one client, a 16 year old boy with a developmental disability, who did not have any guardians taking care of him.

He had a case for jumping the turnstile in almost every single borough. It kept happening because he couldnt fully understand the consequences, but also he literally didnt have any money or any means of transportation, this was what made sense to him.

Lolai added, Im thinking of so many clients who are living on the street for them to get anywhere in the city theyre going to have to jump turnstiles.

Manhattan DA Cy Vance Jr. recently announced that he would create a diversion program for those arrested for the crime, and acting Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez said a similar plan is in the works for his borough. Assemblywoman Tremaine Wright and State Senator Jesse Hamilton, both from Brooklyn, announced plans to introduce state legislation that would make the offense a civil, not a criminal penalty. The Fair Fares initiative, advocated by the Community Service Society and the Riders Alliance, would provide half-price MetroCards for the poorest New Yorkers.

In the interview, the mayor said that his newfound support for Fair Farespaid for by a state-levied tax on the richwould go towards addressing the core disparities in society, but warned that imposing civil, instead of criminal penalties on fare beating would create chaos.

If you recognize theres a lot of people who do it a lot, who dont necessarily have to do it cause economics, the problem is if you send an incessant message that were gonna loosen it up and loosen it up, then more and more people are gonna do it, the mayor said. I dont think its a good message to the whole society that some people are gonna jump the turnstiles everyone else is paying their fare, I dont think thats good for the social fabric, if you will.

Rountree, who himself said he was unsure about decriminalizing fare beating, also urged caution.

I think we all have to be careful how to categorize people. In a city as rich as New York, there are pockets of devastating poverty and people in desperate situations, and we cant always say that people are looking for an opportunity to get over or game the system just because they can."
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Light snow this evening followed by clearing late. Low 23F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 60%..

Tonight

Light snow this evening followed by clearing late. Low 23F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 60%.
A new lawsuit alleges that some employees and managers of the iconic Plaza Hotel have created a culture of widespread sexual harassment where female employees are regularly groped, propositioned, and catcalled by male coworkers.

According to six current and former employees of The Plaza and The Palm Courtthe iconic restaurant located in the hotel's lobbythe "institutional indifferences of the Hotel" allowed for a "hostile and permissive culture" in which female employees were forced to deal with harassment on a regular basis. When those employees went to supervisors and human resources with complaints of inappropriate behavior, they were brushed aside or even punished, the lawsuit alleges.

"We will utilize all of our resources to ensure that The Plaza will no longer be able to ignore its female employees who are victimized by its managers and staff, and that The Plaza will no longer use its reputation and influence to blame the victims or silence them," Andrew Goodstadt, the attorney representing the six female Plaza employees, said in a statement.

In one of several instances of harassment highlighted in the suit, Christian Florenthe most senior ranking employee at The Palm Courtis accused of cornering female employee Dana Lewis in a coat check closet, then forcibly kissing and groping her. Lewis claims that when she refused his advances, Floren began crying, then begged her not to tell the Human Resources department. During a performance review following the incident, Floren allegedly tried to put his hands in Lewis's pants, and once again started crying after he was rebuffed.

Other female employees report similar encounters with both supervisors and colleagues. Several women accused server and union delegate Syed Islam of verbal harassment, and said they were dissuaded by other union delegates from taking those complaints public. Others said they were routinely catcalled and whistled at while walking through the kitchen to change uniforms.

When employees complained to HR about these incidents, no disciplinary steps were taken, the suit alleges, and some employees were even warned to avoid male attention by dressing more conservatively. At least one female employee was placed on leave for mentioning the harassment to hotel management, the complaint alleges.

In response to the allegation, a spokesperson for Fairmont Hotels, which manages The Plaza, told Gothamist, "Any attempt at harassment or discrimination toward our colleagues and guests has not and never will be tolerated. We are proud of our differences, actively prioritizing gender equality, diversity and inclusion. We take all claims of harassment or discrimination seriously, take appropriate remedial action where warranted, and do not retaliate against any staff member who raises a claim of harassment or discrimination in good faith."


New Delhi: The government on Wednesday said anti-dumping duty is in force on 93 products including chemicals and machinery items imported from China.



The other Chinese products on which India has imposed this duty include steel and other metals; fibres and yarn; rubber or plastic; electric and electronics; and consumer goods.



"Anti-dumping duty is in force on 93 products concerning imports from China," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.



In addition, 40 cases concerning imports from China have been initiated by the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping & Allied Duties, she said.



Countries impose anti-dumping duties to guard domestic industry from surge in below-cost imports.



Anti-dumping steps are taken to ensure fair trade and provide a level-playing field to the domestic industry. They are not a measure to restrict import or cause an unjustified increase in cost of products.



In a separate reply, she said India's imports from China in 2016-17 have marginally dipped to $61.28 billion as compared to $ 61.7 billion in 2015-16.



India's exports to China include iron ore, cotton yarn, petroleum products, copper and chemicals, while imports include telecom instruments, electronic components, computer hardware, industrial machinery and chemicals.
New Delhi: Buffalo meat exports from India declined 18% in value terms in 2 years, according to data provided by the Commerce Minister. Valued at $4.78 billion in 2014-15, the exports fell to $3.92 billion by 2016-17, Nirmala Sitharaman said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.



In quantity terms the export of the bovine meat declined from 15.03 lakh tons in 2014-15 to 13.3 lakh tons in 2016-17. Curiously, in 2015-16 exports were slightly lower in quantity terms (13.14 lakh tons) but higher in value terms at $4.06 billion.



Sitharaman said that Indian buffalo meat exports became less competitive on world markets due to the impact of the devaluation of Brazils currency.



The Union government in May introduced an amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act which made it more difficult to purchase and sell milch animals in cattle markets. That law has been stayed by the Supreme Court for the time being.
New Delhi: Jet Airways on Wednesday said Vinay Dube has joined as its chief executive officer after receipt of all requisite government and regulatory approvals.



An Indian American, Dube's appointment was approved by the airline's board of directors on May 30. Jet Airways has been without a full-time CEO since Cramer Ball quit in February 2016.



Since the exit of Ball last year, there have been two acting CEOs -- Gaurang Shetty and Amit Agarwal.



In a release, the airline said Dube has joined the company as CEO "after receipt of all requisite government and regulatory approvals".



His appointment also comes at a time when the airline is facing challenging business conditions.



Dube has served in various roles at Delta Airlines, Sabre Inc and American Airlines in the US, Europe and Asia.



"Vinay (Dube) will lead the executive management committee to deliver on our strategic objectives, at a time when the Indian aviation market is poised to develop manifold going forward," Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal said.



Under Dube's leadership, Goyal said the airline would accelerate the momentum of turning around the company as well as deepen relationship with strategic partner Etihad Airways.



"I am indeed happy to return to India after more than three decades to join the country's premier international airline at an extremely interesting and exciting time. I look forward to meeting the organisation's objectives with the support of the entire management team and employees, in order to strengthen and grow the airline and its illustrious legacy," Dube said.



In a filing to the stock exchanges, Jet Airways said the civil aviation ministry, through a letter today, granted security clearance for the appointment of Dube as CEO. Consequently, Amit Agarwal ceases to be the acting CEO of the company, the filing added.



Agarwal continues to be the chief financial officer of the company, it said in another filing.



Prior to the appointment, Dube had served as Senior Vice President (Asia Pacific) at Delta Airlines. He was also a board observer at China Eastern.



"During his tenure in Asia, Vinay (Dube) successfully led the turnaround of the Airline in the Asia Pacific markets, restructured the network, established strategic partnerships, worked extensively on brand-building and successfully brought about a transformation in the work culture of his teams," the release said.
Jammu: Firing by the Pakistan across the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir killed an Indian Army jawan on Monday. The Indian troops retaliated "strongly and effectively" to the Pakistani firing, said an Army officer.



"Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in Krishnagati sector at around 1450 hours on Monday," the officer said.



In the firing, Sepoy Pawan Singh Sugra was grievously injured and succumbed to his injuries, the officer said.



Sugra, aged 21, belonged to Sugri village of Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand. He leaves behind his parents.



"Sepoy Pawan Singh Sugra was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," the Army said.



On Monday, an Army jawan was injured in a ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along the LoC in the Uri sector of Baramulla district.



On August 7, the Pakistani Army had violated the ceasefire by firing at Indian posts along the LoC in Baba Khori belt of Naushera sector of Rajouri district.



Till August 1, there had been 285 such violations by the Pakistan Army while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to figures of the Indian Army.



(With PTI inputs)
Daniel Squadron, who won an election to the State Senate at age 27 and seemed to personify good government ethos at its core, announced in a Daily News op-ed this morning he was resigning from office. Few saw Squadrons announcement coming.

Squadron said he had grown disillusioned with trying to reform Albany. It didnt help that, as a Democrat, he sat in a chamber controlled by Republicans and a band of rogue Democrats known as the Independent Democratic Conference.

I have seen it thwarted by a sliver of heavily invested special interests. In the state Senate, for example, Democrats have repeatedly been denied control of the chamber by cynical political deals, despite winning an electoral majority, Squadron wrote. And the status quo has proven extraordinarily durable: It barely shuddered when the leaders of both legislative chambers were convicted of corruption.

Indeed, despite the corruption convictions of the Assembly speaker and Senate majority leaderone already overturned on appeal, another looking like it could break that waynothing has changed. Squadron, now 37, says he is leaving the Senate to join a still-nebulous national campaign effort with entrepreneur Adam Pritzker and Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University to fight back against the influence of the Koch Brothers.

Squadron has long wanted out of Albany. In 2013, he ran for public advocate and lost in the runoff to Letitia James. Before unseating a longtime incumbent in his district in 2008, Squadron was a top aide to Senator Chuck Schumer, helping him write a bromide-filled book about how Democrats won congressional majorities in 2006.

Few doubt Squadrons intelligence or sincerity. He seemed to always want to do the right thing. He fought hard to close the egregious loophole in state election law that allows corporations to exceed donation limits by forming as many LLC's as they want.

Yet his departure from the legislature is hypocritical, because the very anti-democratic machine forces Squadron railed against will determine who replaces him in Albany.

Squadrons district is funky. It spans brownstone Brooklyn and lower Manhattan, roping in the neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Tribeca, the Financial District, Chinatown and the Lower East Side. Squadron is a Brooklyn resident but Manhattan comprises more of his district.

Squadron announced his decision long after the petitioning process for candidates to get on the ballot ended in June, so there will be no open primary for his seat. Instead, a special election will be held in November to coincide with the general election, with the Democratic and Republican parties each nominating a candidate.

Since Squadrons district is almost entirely Democratic, that Democrat is guaranteed victory. He or she will not have to compete in an election that matters and will get to serve at least two years in the Senate. Given how often we re-elect incumbents, this anointed successor will likely get many years in the state legislature.

Party bosses play an outsized role in this kind of special election because its up to local county committee members in the district, usually loyal to the party leader, to decide on a nominee. In Manhattan, the party is weaker and less centralized; the party chairman Keith Wright isnt exactly Vladmir Putin. About 60 percent of the county committee members of Squadrons district live in Manhattan, though, giving Wrights borough more weight than Brooklyn.

Political watchers expect Wright, who thinks nothing of working for one of the most powerful lobbying firms in the city and running the Manhattan party at the same time, to play a significant role, but local power brokers could make their own moves. One of them happens to be Sheldon Silver, that disgraced former Assembly speaker from the Lower East Side who irked Squadron with his sleaze. There are enough of the few hundred county committee members who are loyal to Silver (10 percent, in one close watchers estimation). Silver is now a free manand therefore free to whip some votes.

Already, current elected officials like Manhattan Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh are throwing their hats into the ring for party bosses to consider. Had Squadron decided to leave around March or April, the voters of his district could have had a say in their future. But, as Squadron learned over a decade, thats not how things usually work in Albany.

CORRECTION: The initial version of this story named Keith Wright as a "registered lobbyist," when he is in fact not registered as one. Wright works for the lobbying firm, doing "strategy" and advising clients.

[UPDATE] Around 4 p.m., Squadron released a letter he sent to New York County Democratic Committee Chair Keith Wright and Kings County Democratic Committee Chair Frank Seddio. Acknowledging that the process for filling his seat "is not what it should be," he urges them to allow Brooklyn's committee members to have input in the process of choosing

"To disenfranchise Brooklynites would be unfair and undemocratic," Squadron writes. "The Party rules leave these decisions to you."
Chennai: The Chennai cyber crime police have taken up a case of online abuse, after fans of a filmstar trolled a woman journalist with abuses over the last three days.



The case comes a day after other cases of stalking led to massive outrage in north India. In Chennai, the case relates to trolls who took umbrage with a woman journalist's single tweet that expressed her opinion about a movie.



Dhanya Rajendran, Editor of thenewsminute.com, had tweeted on August 4 that she felt Shah Rukh Khan's new movie Jab Harry Met Sejal was worse than Tamil hero Vijay's film, Sura. In a matter of hours, over 31,000 tweets trended hashtag #publicitybeepDhanya, leading to a torrent of abuse from Vijay's fans, that included name-calling, threats of rape and personal attacks. Incidentally, none of Shah Rukh Khan fans had any issue with her expressing her opinion.



After three days of relentless trolling on social media, Dhanya filed a complaint with the Chennai police commissioner that included proof of derogatory tweets. "The tweet was an opinion without being rude or aggressive. Immediately, what followed was a spate of abuse, personal, sexual, threatening tweets and cyber-stalking," she stated in her complaint.



An FIR has been registered against unnamed people, under non-bailable offences.



In a social media post after the complaint, Dhanya said: "FIR filed. I may have done a lot of things you don't like or do not appreciate. You don't like my stories, jokes or plain stupid stuff I did. Criticise me, question my ethics... But please never use that to support abuse and sexual threats in any way. By doing that, we strengthen anonymous mobs. Yesterday was tough. Cops wanted us to give them the worst tweets. Reading thru it was a horrible experience. When I left the station, I thought of the trauma that actual sexual violence victims go thru. Mine is nothing compared to that. I am very very very thankful to a bunch of friends and my family. Thank you."



Some of the trolls even got support from Twitter handles of the ruling AIADMK's OPS faction's social media cell. Joint Secretary of the IT wing Hari Prabhakaran said Thalapathy (as actor Vijay is popularly known) fans are "giving it back in a positive way" and proclaimed that some journalists are trying to "beautify their publicity."



Responding to the case, Vijay said, "n society, I respect women the most .. whoever have a rights to describe whatever the movie according to their wish.In my opinion, Whatever the circumstances, no one should reveal contemptuous or disgraceful comments on woman. I urge everyone for not to post anything in internet with the instinct that harms women."



Working president of the Opposition DMK MK Stalin condemned the abuse, tweeting, "Intolerance in any form, for expressing one views in a democratic country is unacceptable. These acts to strangulate the Freedom of Expression especially of a women (sic) journalist in Chennai is highly deplorable and condemnable. Rule of Law must take prompt measures in curbing this menace."
Washington: Nearly two years before the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the CIA had suggested that her son Rajiv Gandhi may not succeed her in the event of her sudden death because he was "politically immature" and had "failed to excite either the party or the public", according to a secret report declassified by the US agency.



The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in a report dated January 14, 1983, noted that the Congress Party would become weaker in such circumstances.



However, the sequence of events after the then premier's assassination in October 1984 proved otherwise as she was succeeded by Rajiv, who within a few months was re-elected with an unprecedented mandate.



A sanitised copy of the report 'India in the Mid-1980s: Goals and Challenges' was released by the CIA under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which is similar to India's Right to Information Act.



Running into more than 30 pages, the document discussed the prospects of India in the mid-1980s and looked into various political scenarios, which among others included re-election of Indira Gandhi in the next general election in 1985 with a slim majority and what happens in the case of her sudden death.



"In the event of (Indira) Gandhi's sudden death, Raiiv Gandhi, working closely with President Zail Singh, would be one of the major figures involved in the selection of a successor. His own chances of being elevated to the office right now are uncertain, in part because of his political immaturity and because of his still junior status," the CIA had said in its secret report declassified in December.



"Raiiv's prospects would probably improve the longer Indira Gandhi remained in office. However, even if he were to become prime minister, his hold on the reins of power could be short-lived unless he unexpectedly emerges as a superb political strategist like his mother or develops a party organisation," the report noted.



"Other possible candidates who party factional leaders might consider are such cabinet-level statesmen-politicians as Defence Minister R Venkataraman, Foreign Minister P V Narasimha Rao, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, and Industry Minister Narain Dutt Tiwari," it said.



Intelligence agencies, globally, are known for talking about and discussing various political scenarios in the country of their interest.
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India will consider linking the Aadhar number of Voters with their voter ID cards, the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology told Parliament.



Based on the outcome of the case, the Election Commission will consider the proposal of linking Aadhar number for various electoral services, at an appropriate time, P.P. Chaudhary, Mos, told the Lok Sabha in a written reply. The case in question pertains to an application filed by the ECI in the Supreme Court in July 2017 asking the apex court to obtain the Aadhar details from voters in order to link it to the voter database.



In 2015 the ECI had launched a programme called National Electoral Roll Purification & Authentication Programme (NERPAP) to link Aadhar numbers to the electoral database. However, when the collection and seeding were in full swing the SC passed an interim order stating that: The unique identification number or the Aadhaar card will not be used by the respondents for any purpose other than the PDS scheme and in particular for the purpose of distribution of foodgrains, etc. and cooking fuel such as kerosene.



Since the ECI was one of the respondents in the matter it had to stop seeding Aadhar numbers in its database. However, as the Minister indicated, based on the order passed by the SC, the ECI will consider the proposal.






New Delhi: Judges cannot run a government and ask it to do "miracles", Attorney General K K Venugopal on Wednesday told the Supreme Court while opposing fresh pleas being made by NGO 'Swaraj Abhiyan' in a PIL for relief measures in drought-hit states.



A bench, headed by Justice M B Lokur, directed the Centre to set up state food commissions, as mandated under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, even in the states not hit by drought.



Venugopal took strongly opposed the submissions of Prashant Bhushan, representing the NGO run by activist Yogendra Yadav, and termed them as fresh ones.



"New submissions are being made every time. The issue (PIL) cannot go on forever. We have filed a detailed affidavit stating all steps are being taken by us. There has to be an end. Your lordships cannot run the government. We cannot be asked to do miracles as this is such an enormous task. We are trying to persuade the state governments to do the best thing possible. The government is concerned with the issue and is putting the best way forward. But grant us some time, preferably six months," Venugopal said.



He said that if fresh issues were raised, then there would be no end to the grievances and moreover, the Centre was looking into the issues and has written numerous letters to states concerned.



The bench, also comprising Justice N V Ramana, then told the attorney general that the petition would be confined to only three issues -- delay in payment of wages and compensation, reduction in person days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and absence of social audit.



Ordering setting up of state food commissions, the bench said the provisions under the NFSA provided for such commissions in all the states and Union territories (UTs).



"Although this writ petition is confined to 10 states, we have brought it to the notice of the attorney general that since we are dealing with a parliamentary statute namely the National Food Security Act, 2013, it will be appropriate if the provisions of the Act are faithfully implemented in all the states and the Union territories."



"The attorney general has assured us that the matter will be taken up with due earnestness and the provisions of the Act will be implemented in all the states and the UTs. All efforts will be made by the central government in this regard," the bench said.



During the proceedings, the chief secretaries of various states were present in the courtroom. The judges were informed that state food commissions have been set up in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Karnataka.



With regard to constitution of the commission in Haryana, the counsel, appearing for the state, told the bench that the matter was pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.



The top court also asked the states to implement other provisions of the Act including appointment of vigilance committees and the district grievance officers and conduct of social audits of government ration shops.



The court made the observations when Bhushan sought relief measures for farmers in the drought-hit states under the statute. Bhushan told the court that the implementation of the NFSA still remained a major challenge and adequate work under the MNREGA was not being given by the state governments.



He said there has been a one-third cut in the protected labour budget under the MNREGA and almost 67 per cent of the budget has already been exhausted by the Centre in the initial four months of this financial year. The matter would be hear again on December 5.



The apex court had on March 22 summoned the Cchief secretaries of ten states for failure to implement the NFSA. It had said that with regard to the statute, the state governments have to appoint the food commissions and could not give a go by to the law enacted by Parliament.



The court had also impleaded the Reserve Bank of India as a party to the case as the petition had said that the guidelines issued for loan waiver and loan restructuring of farmers of drought-hit areas were not being implemented by the banks.



The PIL had claimed that parts of 12 states-- Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana and Chhattisgarh -- were hit by drought and the authorities were not providing adequate relief.



The petitioners had claimed that the directions issued by the court in the matter were not complied with by these states.
Indore: Former JNU student union president Kanhaiya Kumars car was pelted with stones by unknown people at the BRTS corridor in Indore. The windshield of the car was smashed but Kumar escaped unhurt, police said.



Kumar was in Indore to address a lecture at local Anand Mohar Mathur auditorium but faced stiff protests. Volunteers of a local outfit, Bharat Swabhiman Manch, also showed black flags to Kumar and tried to storm the auditorium, claiming they would not let him hold the lecture.



Police tried to persuade them to back off but they entered into heated arguments with the cops. They insisted that those talking about dividing the country wont be allowed to address the event. They also threatened to blacken faces of Kumar and the organisers.



Some of the protesters, armed with sticks, smashed windows of the four wheelers parked near the venue. The policemen used mild force and dispersed the mob.



However, after the function, the car carrying the student leader was pelted with stones at BRTS corridor. The police had taken Kumar out of the event venue amid tight security but some unknown people, presumably the volunteers of Bharat Swabhiman Manch, pelted stones on the vehicle.
New Delhi: Last week, when Chief Justice of India J S Khehar sent his recommendation naming Justice Dipak Misra as his successor, one thing became crystal clear. Justice Khehar had passed the baton to the next CJI for filling up not just the existing four vacancies in the Supreme Court but also six others that will arise during the latters term at the helm.



What has been consigned to Justice Misra is an opportunity that did not come up for many of his predecessors; an opportunity which may change the face of the highest judiciary in the country as he gets the responsibility to appoint as many as 10 judges during his stint.



The convention in the Supreme Court has been that after a CJI names his successor, the existing Collegium headed by him does not make any fresh recommendation for appointment in the apex court or in the high courts.



Therefore, when Justice Khehar named Justice Misra, it also signified that he has left it to his successor for making one of the highest appointments in the recent past.



Out of the sanctioned strength of 31 judges in the Supreme Court, four vacancies exist as on today. Two more judges  Justice Khehar and Justice P C Pant  will retire in 2017 after Justice Misra takes over as the 45th CJI on August 28.



Four more judges will retire before Justice Misra demits office on October 2, 2018. These four judges are: Justices J Chelameswar, R K Agrawal, Adarsh K Goel and Amitava Roy.



Hence, it will be for the new Collegium, headed by Justice Misra, to make recommendations to the government for appointment of these 10 judges.



After the last appointment of SC judges in February this year, the Collegium made no such recommendation while the government repeatedly pointed out that they were not to be blamed for vacancies in the top court if the names are not sent to them.



The governments statement had come at a time when there was a protracted standoff between them and the judiciary over finalization of the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP). The MoP has to guide all future appointments after it being notified but the judiciary and the government have not been able to come to a meeting ground even after 20 months and sharing of three drafts between them.



Justice Misra will become the head of the judiciary when all eyes will be on him as he initiates the process for appointing judges in the SC. This will be a test for his dexterity to get sharp minds to the apex court amid demands to have judges for representing different regions of the country, and also more women on the bench. For more than a year now, there has been only one woman judge in the SC.



Besides, Justice Misra will have yet another challenge that the names he recommends are not stuck over the contentious MoP and in the usual bureaucratic loop, prompted by the governments anxiety to get a substantial say in judicial appointments.
Patna: JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, who will arrive in Patna on Thursday for his state-wide Yatra, may be sidelined by the party for criticising Nitish Kumars decision to leave the Mahagathbandhan and join hands with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).



The veteran socialist leader, after several twists and turns, decided to go ahead with his idea of going around the state and interact with people over Nitishs decision, which he described as "betrayal of peoples mandate". His party Janata Dal (United) had advised him not to embark on any such Yatra.



After defying his party, Sharad fell out of favour with Nitish loyalists and it will likely result in disciplinary action against him on August 19, the day JD(U) is expected to convene a national executive meeting in Patna.



Sharad chose to stay back in Delhi after Nitish embraced BJP on July 26 and formed the new government with their support the very next day.



Initially, he held meetings with opposition leaders and a few dissidents from his own party, but rubbished reports of forming a new front. Meanwhile, back in Patna when Nitish was asked about Sharads defiance, he said, "If few more troubles get away from my path, then I will welcome that."



This was sufficient for Sharad to sense what was in store for him in the party. Changing his guarded approach, Sharad decided to go ahead with his Yatra. Estranged partner Lalu Yadav openly said that he was in touch with Sharad. Even on Wednesday, Lalu said, Sharad ji is the founder of Janata Dal. He had merged with Nitish. Again he will be with us. So Mahagathbandhan in Bihar will continue to flourish.



The JD(U) has not just distanced itself from his Yatra but also directed party workers to oppose him. Our supporters are not happy with his approach. They are free to demonstrate their displeasure in a democratic manner, a party spokesperson told News18. Local JD(U) leaders are all set to oppose Sharad and may even obstruct the route that he plans to take on his Yatra.



Taking a dig at Sharad, JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, He has forgotten his own reality. He had resigned from the Parliament when he was named in the famous Hawala case. Why is he changing his stance and trying to side with corrupt Congress?



Nitish Kumar removed Sharads loyalist Arun Srivastava on Tuesday for his selection of partys agent for Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat. Srivastava was continuously in touch with Sharad and participated in a meeting called by him in Delhi after political realignment in Bihar.



Sharad is said to be displeased with Nitish Kumar ever since he ousted him from the post of party national president and took over the post himself. Sharad was sent to Rajya Sabha.



Veteran socialist leader George Fernandes also met the same fate in 2009. He was denied party ticket from Muzaffarpur which could have ensured his tenth term as a Lok Sabha member, a feat only achieved by Somnath Chatterjee and Atal Bihar Vajpayee.



George challenged and contested as an independent candidate. Many socialist colleagues such as the late Digvijaya Singh supported him. Nitish quickly convened a meeting and George was expelled from the party in April 2009. George had publicly slammed Nitish, accusing him of running the party as an autocrat. However, under pressure, he was sent to the Upper House from the party after his defeat in the Lok Sabha elections.



Many leaders of the party accept the fact that Sharad is on the same path. This is also a coincidence that Sharad ji, like George, is an outsider. But unlike George, he is not a mass leader. Nitish can easily take a tough decision going by his style of functioning, a leader close to Nitish said. That decision, sources said, might come just after Sharad Yadav completes his Yatra.
New Delhi: Two passengers, including a woman, who was to fly to Dubai, were apprehended at the Pune airport for allegedly trying to smuggle out foreign currency worth Rs 1.29 crore by concealing them in hotboxes containing 'upma'.



A senior official involved in airport security said two separate incidents occurred on Tuesday at the airport there when an immigration officer found the documents of a man, identified as Nishant Y, suspicious.



He said the immigration officer alerted the Customs authorities at the airport who ordered a repeat check of the man's check-in luggage. He was booked on a flight to Dubai.



"The bag contained a hot case with 'upma' inside. But, the weight of the eatable was more than usual and hence it was checked, only to reveal a black polythene having USD 86,600 and Euro 15,000 inside," the official said.



The immigration authorities, after some time, similarly alerted Customs officials about another doubtful passenger, identified as H Ranglani, traveling to Dubai on the same flight on which the man was booked.



Her baggage was checked by CISF security personnel which led them to a hot case kept in her bag.



"This hotcase, containing upma, was opened and foreign currency of USD 86,200 and Euro 15,000 was found concealed in it," he said.



The Customs officials are probing if the two cases are related, the official said.
Chandigarh: Vikas Barala, son of Haryana BJP chief and the main accused in the Chandigarh stalking case, finally joined the probe after a 3-hour wait since the summons deadline ended at 11am.



Five days after the incident, police has now slapped abduction charges on Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar. His bail bond, that was furnished by BJP spokesperson Kishan Dhull, has also been cancelled.



Just before his arrival at the Sector 26 police station, BJP chief Subhash Barala told mediapersons that he has asked his son to join the probe and he was on his way towards Chandigarh. He said, "Criminals should be punished even if he is my son. The girl is like my daughter and I have asked my son to join the probe."



The Chandigarh Police on Wednesday said there is sufficient evidence from the CCTV footage that Barala was stalking and chasing the 29-year-old woman on Friday night.



Director General of Police, Tajender Singh Luthra, said, The accused are law graduates and they know the law. Still they refused to give their urine and blood samples for investigation. If they dont show up even after receiving the summons, appropriate action will be taken against them.



Police had issued the summons to Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar to join the investigation on Tuesday evening. There were initial reports that Vikas was not willing to join the probe.



The other accused, Kumar, is also likely to appear before the police on Wednesday. The two were given time till 11am to respond.



At the same time, police sources said Vikas has come up with the excuse that he was chasing the 29-year-old complainant because he had a bet to find out whether the driver was a woman.



The Chandigarh administration has sent an investigation report to the Ministry of Home Affairs.



Police on Tuesday recovered the missing CCTV footage of five key locations in Chandigarh that showed Vikas and his friend chasing the woman in a car. This was a day after the crucial video evidence went missing.



Soon after police said that the recovered footage shows Barala chasing the woman, Subhash Barala said the police is under no pressure and claimed that the victim was like his daughter.



The Chandigarh police added that it will not hesitate to add non-bailable provisions in the case, if required.



The 29-year-old daughter of a top bureaucrat in the Haryana government alleged that she was followed by Vikas Barala and his friend on Friday night. Baralas SUV pulled up close to her car several times in a bid to block her way.



While the womans complaint and a Facebook post narrating the incident caused a massive stir, the Haryana BJP unit on Monday blamed the victim for driving so late in the night.
New Delhi: Vikas Barala, son of Haryana BJP chief, along with his friend, accused of chasing a woman in a car in the Chandigarh stalking case, was on Thursday arrested by Chandigarh police. They will be presented before the court on Thursday morning, police said.



Vikas surrendered before the police on Wednesday afternoon, three hours after the deadline to surrender ended. The police have slapped charges of attempt to abduct under sections 365 and 511 of the Indian Penal Code. The charges carry a maximum sentence of seven years in jail.



Police had earlier booked the two accused under sections section 354 D (stalking) of IPC and 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act (driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drugs).



Directorate General of Police (DGP) Chandigarh, Tajender Singh Luthra, told media the harsher sections were introduced after they caught hold of concrete proof from CCTV footage and they took legal opinion.



They will be produced in the court on Thursday morning and we will seek custody of the accused. A lot of facts in the case still needed to be verified, he said.



Police added that the duo was arrested based on the primary interrogation and they cannot reveal more details as it could hamper the further investigation. DGP Chandigarh also made it clear that there was no "political pressure" on police and "we are doing everything

professionally and objectively".



Barala and his friend were earlier arrested on Saturday but were released on bail. He finally joined the probe five days later on Wednesday morning, after police cancelled his bail bond and issued him the summons.



The police had recovered the missing CCTV footage of five key locations in Chandigarh that showed Vikas and his friend chasing the woman in a car. This was a day after the crucial video evidence was said to be missing.



Soon after the police said that the recovered footage shows Barala chasing the woman, Haryana Subhash Barala said the police was under no pressure and claimed that the victim was like his daughter.



The 29-year-old daughter of a top bureaucrat in the Haryana government alleged that she was followed by Vikas Barala and his friend on Friday night. Baralas SUV pulled up close to her car several times in a bid to block her way.



While the womans complaint and a Facebook post narrating the incident caused a massive stir, the Haryana BJP unit on Monday blamed the victim for driving so late in the night.



Barala and his friend were earlier arrested on Saturday but were released on bail. He finally joined the probe five days later on Wednesday morning, after police cancelled his bail bond and issued him the summons.



The police had recovered the missing CCTV footage of five key locations in Chandigarh that showed Vikas and his friend chasing the woman in a car. This was a day after the crucial video evidence was said to be missing.



Soon after the police said that the recovered footage shows Barala chasing the woman, Haryana Subhash Barala said the police was under no pressure and claimed that the victim was like his daughter.



The 29-year-old daughter of a top bureaucrat in the Haryana government alleged that she was followed by Vikas Barala and his friend on Friday night. Baralas SUV pulled up close to her car several times in a bid to block her way.



While the womans complaint and a Facebook post narrating the incident caused a massive stir, the Haryana BJP unit on Monday blamed the victim for driving so late in the night.


District Attorneys from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx ceremoniously dismissed roughly 644,500 years-old summonses Wednesday morning, putting a dent in the more than 1.5 million open warrants city-wide.

Mostly issued for low-level or "quality-of-life" offenses like drinking in public, spitting on the sidewalk or public urination, these summonses factor large in the NYPD's "broken windows" approach to policing, and have a tendency to land New Yorkersmore often than not, men of colorin jail for failure to pay a small fine or appear in court.

"By asking the court to purge these old warrants, we are removing a hindrance to many people's lives," Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark stated last month. "Those who committed minor offenses a decade ago or longer and have not been in trouble with the law pose no threat to public safety today. These warrants bog down the court system."

City Hall worked with the NYPD and DAs to come to today's agreement, according to a mayoral spokeswoman. The purge will not apply to individuals who have been arrested in the last ten years, or are the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation.

"We are all safer when our police officers are focused on preventing crime and arresting dangerous criminals instead of processing the arrests of those who pose no threat to public safety," Mayor de Blasio stated.

In Manhattan, 240,472 summonses have been dismissed; 159,394 in the Bronx, 143,532 in Brooklyn, and 101,096 in Queens.

Today's purge has been anticipated since February, when the New York Times reported on conversations between the District Attorneys from all five boroughs. At the time, there was some debate over the thresholdsummonses at least 20 years old, or 10 years old. "Vacating all summons warrants 10 years or older would achieve the goal of promoting fairness without compromising safety," Acting Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez argued at the time.

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito reportedly supported a ten-year purge, which the DAs have since settled on, while City Hall initially declined to take a position.

The NYPD didn't immediately respond to our request for comment Wednesday, but the NY Times reported over the winter that brass were hesitant to purge warrants that have "sometimes proved helpful" in pinning down "dangerous suspects."

Staten Island DA Michael McMahon backed out of this month's joint effort, telling DNAInfo in a statement that vacating summonses "sends the wrong message."

"I believe that issuing blanket amnesty for these offenses is unfair to those citizens who responsibly appear in court and sends the wrong message about the importance of respecting our community and our laws," he added.

Open warrants "can hold disastrous and punitive consequences restricting access to public housing, student loans and other public programs," countered Tina Luongo, Attorney-In-Charge of the Criminal Practice at The Legal Aid Society.

"We encourage the Staten Island District Attorney to do right by his constituents and afford them the same justice," she added, calling today's announcement "long overdue."

New York immigration attorneys and advocates also say warrants are increasingly dangerous for non-citizens, as one of President Donald Trump's sweeping executive orders targets any non-citizen with an arrest on their record for deportation.

Last spring, the City Council signed legislation empowering the NYPD to steer certain low-level offenses to civil court, rather than criminal court. Bill sponsors estimated that the new laws would prevent about 10,000 New Yorkers per year from opening a criminal record. But the law is discretionary.

Both Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance and Gonzalez also recently pledged to prosecute fewer New Yorkers for turnstile jumping. Starting this fall, Vance will encourage the NYPD to issue civil summonses for the offense. Those who are arrested will have the option to enter a diversion program.

"Part of the issue for me is the politicians are so frightened of these issues, and at the same time, more and more eager to appear to be reformist," said Bob Gangi, a long-shot mayoral candidate and head of the Police Reform Organizing Project.

Gangi called for a full purge of open warrants. "There are still over half-a-million New Yorkers subject to arrest because they have an outstanding warrant," he said. "And that is a waste of criminal justice resources that leads to the needless criminalization of low income black and brown people."
New Delhi: Underlining that voters cannot have the right to decide the manner of casting votes, the Central government has opposed in the Supreme Court a batch of petitions on mandatory use of VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit trail) with EVMs during elections.



Submitting its affidavit, the Union Law Ministry said that VVPAT could be used just as a "backup" facility for EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines), which are adequately "reliable and tamper proof" machines.



"There is no adjudication by this Hon'ble court or any other on the unsoundness of functioning of EVMs. In this background, it is respectfully submitted that any petition seeking a mandatory direction in bringing in VVPAT is liable to be rejected outright," stated the Ministry's affidavit.



It emphasised that since use of VVPAT was "not indispensable in the organisation of an election," the enormous investment involved in procurement, storage and maintenance of VVPAT machines did not warrant deployment of these units in a time-bound mandatory manner. It pointed out that VVPAT machines will also have a shelf life of 15 years and their replacement will cause huge expenditure.



"EVMs are reliable and tamper proof, thus the VVPAT units must be considered as a backup and as an additional measure to ensure transparency in the electoral process," said the Ministry.



About an elector's right, the affidavit stated that the right to vote did not include the right to choose manner of casting votes. "This sphere must necessarily be left to the autonomous expert body, namely the Election Commission of India," it added.



The Ministry further said that use of EVMs did not invade voter's right to vote nor did it in any manner came in the way of free and fair elections.



The Supreme Court will examine this affidavit on Thursday. The court is hearing a clutch of PILs, which have challenged the credibility of EVMs and have sought directive for mandatory use of paper audit trails if EVMs are to be used.



Earlier, the Election Commission had also told the Supreme Court that its EVMs are fully tamper-proof and credible machines, which cant be hacked.



It sought that all PILs claiming that EVMs are faulty machines must be dismissed since there has not been even one evidence of such lapse.



The EC said EVMs in India are better machines than the electronic voting machines used in the US, Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland. It pointed out that EVMs in foreign countries rely on internet connectivity, whereas EVMs here are standalone devices which work on a completely internal platform.
Beijing: Rejecting India's suggestion for a simultaneous withdrawal of troops to end the standoff at Doklam, China on Tuesday upped the ante, wondering what New Delhi would do if it "enters" Kalapani region in Uttarakhand or Kashmir.



India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.



China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau. Bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims the area belongs to it and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.



"Even if there is only one Indian soldier, even for a day it is still a violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity," Wang Wenli, Deputy Director General of the Boundary and Ocean Affairs of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said.



Wang was briefing an Indian media delegation, whose visit was sponsored by the state-run All China Journalists Association (ACJA), on China's stand on the Doklam standoff.



"It is impossible to have a dialogue with India at this time. Our people will think our government is incompetent."



"Until the Indian side withdraws from the Chinese territory, there will be no substantive talks between us," she said, while reiterating Beijing's stand that the only way to end the present crisis on the border was the withdrawal of Indian troops from Doklam.



Needling India, she raised the Kashmir issue and also referred to the Kalapani dispute between India and Nepal.



"We think it is not doable for the Indian side to use tri-junction as an excuse," she said, referring to Indian External Affairs Ministry's assertion that the road building at the China, India and Bhutan tri-junction in the strategic narrow Chicken's Neck area changes the status quo.



"The Indian side has also many tri-junctions. What if we use the same excuse and enter the Kalapani region between China, India and Nepal or even into the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan," she said.



"Therefore, using the tri-junction as an excuse does not hold water at all. It will only cause more trouble," Wang said.



This is the first time that a Chinese official sought to bring in the Kashmir issue even though such a remark has been made earlier by a scholar in the state-run Global Times. Asked whether China was getting ready for a war with India, Wang said, "I can only say that for the PLA (People's Liberation Army) and for the Chinese government, we have the determination. So, if the Indian side decides to go down the wrong path or still have illusions about this incident, then we have the right to use any act that is in line with the international law to protect our rights."



Wang said India and China had many standoffs before but "we haven't issued any position paper till now". "But this time we have the position paper and in the position paper, you can find clear information about our position and possible moves by us," she said, referring to a 15-page fact sheet issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry few days ago.



"The Indian border troops are sending a signal of aggression while the signals sent by the foreign ministry is for peaceful negotiations. So, we think these two signals do not match with each other," she said.



Wang also rejected a negotiated solution by restoring status quo with the simultaneous withdrawal of Indian and Chinese troops to their earlier positions.



India's position on the issue was made clear by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj recently, saying both sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place, favouring a peaceful resolution of the border standoff.



Referring to reports in the Indian media that both the countries' border troops can withdraw at the same time to restore the status quo, Wang said "this is also unacceptable for China".



"Because the facts are clear. It is the Indian troops that crossed the mutually recognised boundary into the Chinese territory. So, it is the Indian border troops that have the responsibility to withdraw," she said.



Skirting any references to the shrill campaign being conducted by the official media here, Wang said China is exercising restraint and goodwill.



"In fact, we have expressed many times the diplomatic channel is always open and it is so in the past 50 days but it does not mean that we will not use our power to use the acts of defence in line with the UN charter or relevant international law."
Meerut: The relatives of a 28-year-old woman have claimed that she had to deliver her baby in an e- rickshaw outside a hospital due to alleged dilly-dallying by its staffers in admitting her.



The Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial (LLRM) Medical College authorities, however, have refuted the charge and launched a probe into the matter.



Suman, a resident of Kanshiram Residential Colony, on Tuesday went into labour pain and soon her family members called up ASHA worker as well as an ambulance.



"But neither of them arrived and as Suman's condition worsened she had to be taken to the hospital in an e- rickshaw," her brother-in-law Suresh claimed.



He alleged that when they reached the hospital, the staffers kept them running from pillar to post instead of admitting her for half an hour.



"When her pain increased, a woman who had accompanied us to the hospital helped her deliver the baby in the e- rickshaw," Suresh claimed.



He said it was only after the child was born that the chief medical superintendent (CMS) of the hospital, Dr Ajit Chaudhary, reached the spot and got the mother admitted in the maternity ward.



The baby, who was born on the day of 'Raksha Bandhan', has been named 'Raksha', Suresh said.



The CMS said a probe has been initiated and the woman's statement would be recorded. If any staffer is found guilty, necessary action would be taken against them, Chaudhary added.



Hospital's gynecologist Dr. Abhilasha claimed the woman had been suggested to get admitted in the maternity ward two days ago but her family insisted that she would stay at home.



The mother and the child both at present are doing well, she added.
Fans of the fashion designer Betsey Johnson, known for her sartorial exuberance and whimsical motifs, can now book a stay at her equally over-the-top Mexican villa listed on Airbnb.



Located on Mexico's Pacific Coast, northwest of Acapulco, BetseyVilla is described as a "boutique vacation experience" for six to eight guests.



Minimalists be warned -- in true Betsey Johnson style, the four-bedroom property is stylishly loud and colorful, with bold, floral print cushions and fuchsia sombreros accenting white couches and marble flooring.



Likewise, guests should be comfortable with living, dining and sleeping with Johnson peering over their shoulders, as portraits of the designer line many a wall.



The property itself features a large pool, terrace and outdoor kitchen, along with fully-equipped exercise room.



Guests can take advantage of a full staff for meals, yoga instruction, in-house spa treatments and outdoor activities, or opt for complete privacy.



The property boasts private beach access.



The luxury property also comes equipped with all the creature comforts of the modern traveler, with a Sonos sound system, Wifi, Netflix and cable TV, along with access to a 7-seat Jeep Commander, ATV and paddle board for land and water activities.



Guides are also available for horseback ridiing, surf lessons, snorkeling trips and yacht charters.



Rates start at US$618 a night, with a three-night minimum stay.



Johnson isn't the only fashion designer to have a listing on Airbnb. Donna Karan rents out a villa in Turks and Caicos for 7,130 (US$9,277) a night.
Mumbai: Acclaimed Indian actor Irrfan Khan's film Doob: No Bed Of Roses, which was earlier banned by the Bangladesh Censor Board because it claimed to be loosely based on late Bangladeshi writer and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed, will now be issued a censor certificate by the Bangladesh Censor Board.



The India-Bangladesh co-production drama film, written and directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, also features Nusrat Imrose Tisha, Rokeya Prachy and Parno Mittra.



The film tells the story of two people from different families who fall in love after the head of one of the families dies. It's a story about love, fallout and reunion, read a statement from the makers.



"We all have been waiting for this for a tad too long. The first few screenings at the festivals' competition went well and it brought an independent jury award from Moscow. The reviews from top critics of Variety, Hollywood Reporter and Screen were highly inspiring," Sarwar Farooki said.



"But one thing was constantly bothering me was the censor delay at home. However, I had faith in our system. It's a humble human story and I knew they would realise it soon. Thanks to them for clearing the film finally," he added.



Doob has been co-produced by Jazz Multimedia and Irrfan Khan Films.


Chennai: Director Rahesh is appalled by the decision of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to not certify his upcoming Tamil film Marainthirunthu Paarkum Marmam Enna, which explores crime in grave detail.



"My film is about day-to-day crimes that happen around us. In order to keep everything realistic, I have shown techniques that are used to commit the crimes," said Rahesh.



He claims the CBFC committee had problems with the detailing with which he has showcased crimes.



"I was asked why I showcased the chain-snatching incidents. Their questions shocked me and at the same time, I was clueless. You showcase a road accident and use that to endorse the safety of wearing helmets. You can't say you don't want blood to be shown in the road accident," he said.



Rahesh says he is not endorsing crime through his film but is trying to create awareness.



"For instance, I have shown how chain snatching is usually done and I have also explained what needs to be done to be safe. The government is screening the statutory warning on smoking advertisements in theatres. Can they screen the ad without showing the cigarette," he asked.



Rahesh has been directed to go to the Revising Committee for certification.



"I told the board I won't mind if they give me U/A or even A certificate. But they just were not ready to certify my film. They have asked me to go to Revising Committee. The process should take three to four weeks," he said.



Mostly starring newcomers, the film features actor-filmmaker J.D. Chakravarthy in a crucial role.
Ahmedabad: Ahmed Patels media appearances in the past one month would outnumber the ones he had made in his entire political career before the dates of Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat were announced. But then such were the times and such was the situation that the all-powerful yet understated political secretary to the Congress President had to personally manage his own RS election and count every MLA to the polling booth. Ironically, in the last two decades, Patel would have vetted and cleared innumerable tickets to the Upper House.



Gujarat, they say, has ruled the country for almost 13 years now.



Narendra Modi moved to Delhi in 2014 after an emphatic victory in Lok Sabha elections. For 10 years before that, Ahmed Patel, the low-profile political advisor to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi was the chief of staff calling the shots.



Patels rise in the Congress pecking order under Mrs Gandhi has been phenomenal, and perhaps the most under-reported development in contemporary Indian politics.



An old style politician, Patel has maintained cordial relations with the media which, till last month, he shied away from.



There is one phone call every senior Congress reporter invariably gets each year on Holi and Diwali without fail. Its from Ahmed Patel, or AP as he is known in political circles.



It is this understated style which has, perhaps, been his strength in Congress durbar politics.



The three-time Lok Sabha MP from Bharuch in South Gujarat has been in Parliament since 1977. He is one of the few politicians who has worked with three generations of Congress first family.



He cut his teeth in active politics during Indira Gandhis tenure and learned the ropes when Rajiv Gandhi was the prime minister between 1984 and 1989. His proximity to the two former PMs helped Patel chaperone Sonia Gandhi when the latter took over as party president. Patel was also closely associated with the setting up of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, something which brought him close to the family after the former PMs assassination.



So when Sonia took the plunge into active politics, Ahmed Patels stature within the party grew. Those who have watched him closely say he never flaunted his proximity to the Congress president. The fact that he was very discreet made him all the more valuable to the party.



Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah disclosed at a media interaction earlier this year that he was in the Congress because of AP.



Not that Patel did not have his share of adversaries in intra-party politics. Some would occasionally go and complain hoping he would be downsized in the next restructuring. But come the new list and Ahmed Patel would find pride of a position in the hierarchy.



Sources within the party say that in the last 10 years, Patel was the brain behind all the political decisions taken by Sonia. A former general secretary of the party says, There is not a single decision taken that did not have Patels stamp of approval. Whenever madam said she would think over an issue, everyone knew that she meant to discuss it with Patel.



When Team Rahul moved in, it was felt in Congress circles that APs rein was finally over. Initially, it seemed to be so as calls to him would often get a stoic response dont ask me, I dont know anything.



But as the Congress faced one crisis after another, especially after the Lok Sabha debacle and Bengal election, AP has been active in managing political crises.



From seat distribution talks with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh to the presidential and vice-presidential elections, Rahul and Priyanka have fallen back upon him in crisis situations.



AP knew that outcome in the Gujarat RS polls would have a larger national ramification. It will hugely undermine Sonia Gandhis authority. Consecutive fifth Rajya Sabha term (since 1993) is unprecedented... A demoralising message will go that neither Sonia nor her key strategist are capable of winning indirect polls or keep the flock together, political analyst Rasheed Kidwai told News18.



This perhaps explains why Patel fought till the finish. What was at stake was not just one RS seat but Congress President Sonia Gandhis political writ.
New Delhi: The Election Commission headquarters in New Delhi received a report from the Gujarat Returning Officer (RO) at 5:19 pm on Tuesday, seeking permission to go ahead with counting for the all-important Gujarat Rajya Sabha poll.



The report stated that during the polling, the election agent of Congress Party submitted two written applications for rejection of votes tendered by Bhola Bhai Gohil and Raghavji Bhai Patel, for violation of the procedure under Rule 39AA of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, as they showed their marked ballot papers to people other than the authorized representative of the Congress Party.



The Returning Officer further reported that the complaints were examined by him and even the video recording of the polling process was viewed and pursuant to that he rejected the objection raised by Congress election agent Shailesh Bhai Parmar.



If the Election Commission had gone by the report of the RO then the Congress complaint would have been overruled and counting could have begun as early as 5:30 pm.



But just when the matter was being considered, a Congress delegation of Randeep Surjewala and RPN Singh met the EC and argued that the Returning Officer had improperly rejected the objection of the authorized representative of the Congress candidate and contended that the said two voters had violated the secrecy of votes by not complying with the voting procedure. They submitted that the Commission can verify the position by calling for the video recording for its own viewing.



According to highly placed sourced, this was also the time when Ahmed Patel sent an email to the Commission with the same request.



Within minutes, a delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party led by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley comprising law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, power minister Piyush Goel and commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman met the EC and sought an early commencement of counting.



The BJP argued that the Returning Officer is the statutory authority to conduct the polling, counting process and to decide the validity of a ballot paper as per the rules and the Commission has no power as the field is already covered by the enacted laws.



The Congress immediately decided to counter the points put forth by top Union ministers. Within minutes, a team led by leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and former finance minister P Chidambaram reached Nirvachan Sadan on Ashoka Road.



This was followed by another round of delegation from the BJP and the Congress.



At this point, the Election Commission said it had heard arguments from both the sides and no more delegation would be entertained.



According to sources, the first thing the EC did at this point was a careful examination of the video in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Jyoti. The EC then evaluated the Returning Officers report and arguments submitted by both sides.



In light of the evidence and facts, it was decided to overrule the Returning Officers conclusion.



According to sources, it was the last delegation of the Congress which clinched the case of the party as it was able to cite the Kuldip Nayar case in which the five-judge bench of the Supreme Court had held that in Rajya Sabha election, open ballot only means that the MLA can show the vote to the authorized representative of his party and no one else.



The Election Commission order which came at around 11:30 pm acknowledged this ruling of the apex court. The order read: If a marked ballot paper by an elector is shown to, or be seen by, anyone other than the said representative, which may violate the secrecy of the vote, has to be rejected by the Returning Officer by recourse to the provisions of sub-rule (5) to (8) of Rule 39A, read with Rule 39AA. This position has been unambiguously made clear by the Commission in the Handbook for Returning Officers (for Elections to the Council of States and State Legislative Councils) 2016-Edition vide Para 35 (ii) in Chapter X. This position has been upheld by the Supreme Court in Kuldip Nayar vs Union of India and Others (AIR 2006 SC 3127) 10.



As per the order The Rule is very clear that the elector has to show his ballot paper only to the authorized representative of his party and to no one else. In the case of independent members of the Assembly, he is not to show his ballot paper to anyone else. Thus, even the provision of the open voting at Rajya Sabha elections does not mean that the principle of secrecy of vote has been given complete go by and that the ballot paper of an elector can be shown to, or be seen by, any person present in the place of poll. Consequently, if a marked ballot paper by an elector is shown to, or be seen by, anyone other than the said Representative which may violate the secrecy of vote has to be rejected by the Returning Officer.



After going through the video, the EC found that it has been observed therefrom that the said two electors violated the voting procedure and secrecy of the ballot papers cast by them when they exercised their right to vote.



Backed by the judgment of the Supreme Court, which stated clear guidelines of the procedure, the Commission set aside the order of the Returning Officer.



Once again, the EC has maintained its image of being an Independent and unbiased constitutional authority.
Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel early on Wednesday managed to pull of a dramatic victory in Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections. CNN-News18's Marya Shakil spoke to veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath about Ahmed Patel's victory, the drama that preceded it and what it means for the Congress party. Edited excerpts:



What does Ahmed Patel's victory mean for a senior Congress leaders like you, who has been a member of parliament for nine terms?



37 years



37 years Mr Kamalnath, thank so much for your time. Let me begin by asking you, what does Ahmed Patels victory mean to people like you who have been in Congress for decades?



I think we have got to look at the larger picture. There is Ahmed Patel's victory but then it is a defeat of money power, the abuse and the misuse of the government machinery. It is really a black spot when India's democracy, which we are proud of as a vibrant democracy and which is respected worldwide, stoops to this level. What happened in Gujarat was that the BJP was using money and muscle power.



But there are claims that your party used money and muscle power



There was never a charge like that, in fact, we abstain from doing so. Let us be very clear about that.



You took your MLAs to Bengaluru.



Obviously, the MLAs were being threatened, they were being allured. This is the politics of allurement  What happened in Arunachal Pradesh? What happened in Assam? What happened in Uttarakhand? These are the examples of the kind of politics that is happening right now. These demons are abusing democracy.



One observation is that its the old guard in the Congress that has a fire in the belly. We saw the fiercely contested Rajya Sabha election on Wednesday, where senior party leaders stood in the front line and fought with Ahmed Patel, while the next generation were all missing.



Well, I don't think that you should use the word old guard. I don't know which guard I am but I am obviously the old guard. Of course, we have come up with the kind of politics that was combative, in a decent sense though  not the threat of suppression that is happening now. All around, not merely in the political system but outside as well, this is happening. So of course we have to come out and of course we have got fire in our belly.



This victory is coming at a time when Jairam Ramesh has said that Congress is facing existential crisis, he even went on to say that the Sultanate is gone but that we still behave like sultans. Who are these sultans that he is talking about?



I don't know who are the sultans he is talking about. This is better answered by him, what he means by that and how he wants it to be interpreted. Certainly its the Congress' existence which is at stake. I remember when the BJP won two seats in the parliament, I remember when we lost in 1977, I remember when Mr Vajpayee was in power. People said 'oh Congress is finished'. The people in the country keep saying that.



But somebody from within your party is saying that the congress is finished.



You will have people within the party making all sorts of comments. I don't want to comment on that, but I want to say that there is no question of the existence of the Congress being at stake. Let me be very clear about that. The Congress has always fought its way back and the people believe in the Congress, and what we are seeing these last three years is that the people in this country are simple, are poor, are decent but they are very smart.



So is Tuesday an example of Congress fighting back? Perhaps the fight back is happening from the old guard? The senior leaders who have seen through various transition phases of the congress.



All congress men have to fight back and Tuesday demonstrated that. Tuesday was also a demonstration of the independence of our Election Commission. All the senior minister of the BJP were present in the Election Commission office to create pressure but the EC did not get bogged down.



One observation is that the number of Congress working committee members have not contested elections. You have contested elections, you have fought in Chhindwara and won nine consecutive terms. Does it mean that the people who know the art of real fight, which is essentially fighting elections, and winning, should be the people acquiring important position in Congress?



Well, when you fight an election, for you its a completely different kind of experience. If you have never contested a Lok Sabha election or an Assembly Election, you haven't been through that experience. So this experience is really important, lets recognise this. Although this experience is really important, but it has to be tempered with other kinds of inputs which Congress needs and that is made by getting people who have not contested elections.



Do you think that, people who don't contest election really don't understand what it takes to win election? For example, you have won elections, Ahmed Patel yesterday showed what it really takes to win election?



Yes, certainly, Ahmed Patel has contested Lok Sabha elections. He was with me in the seventh Lok Sabha. He has contested elections. He has not spent his life in the Rajya Sabha. He has been through that grind of contesting an election. I think its a different kind of experience and those who have never contested elections are denied that experience.



Do you think that the senior leaders like you or others have been sidelined and this is an example perhaps in which Ahmed Patel had shown that they can fight back hard?



First, to meet your point that we have been sidelined, I have not been sidelined. I am the member of the working committee. Whats more, I am the member of the highest body of the congress. I am also the general secretary of the Congress party. Sometimes, people themselves don't want to be actively involved, and they don't. So I don't want to say that people are being sidelined, everybody has a role to play and we must utilise them in the role in which they are effective.



Throughout last evening Rahul Gandhi was missing, even as the congress working committee was going on in Delhi. Ahmed Patel was fighting there, Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders were monitoring the situation in Delhi. Leaders like Gulam Nabi Azad and P. Chidambaram were leading delegations to the Election Commission. Does it mean that the Congress' young guard are still not ready?



First, let me correct you when you said Rahul Gandhi was not there. Rahul Gandhi is down with fever, he's got a viral infection. Thats not just yesterday but has been happening from last two days. Even today, as of this morning, he has fever. So, obviously he cannot be there. As for the old guard, of course the old guard has such a reservoir of experience and that it gives them an edge.



Ahmed Patel's victory is coming at the time when Jairam Ramesh has said that the Congress is in deep crisis and that the sultanate is gone but they are still behaving like sultans. Who is the sultan and where is the sultanate?



I think you better ask him.



But you are the leader of the party, sir, you understand statements?



I don't understand, I am not responsible for what he says, what he understands. I don't understand myself so whoever wants to understand this, ask him what he means by this.



Is congress in a crisis?



No, Congress is not in crisis. We were in government for so many years, now we are in the opposition, fair enough. That is what politics is all about but lets preserve the dignity of Indian politics. Lets not take politics to a level where money power, muscle power, government machinery become the instruments of winning elections.




Ahmed Patel early on Wednesday managed to wrest a Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat after a hard fought contest which saw high drama as well. CNN-News18s Marya Shakil spoke senior Congress Leader P Chidambaram about the win, what it means for the Congress and future of the grand old party of Indian politics. Edited Excerpts:



What does Ahmed Patels victory mean to veterans like you, the old guard, and to the grand old party?



I am not an old guard. I think there are people who are older than I am. I think all these classifications are irrelevant. What the Gujarat episode teaches us is, that we must pay attention to the organisation. We must build, organic links between the workers and the elected representatives or the political party office bearers. So that each elected representative or each political party office bearer feels obligation to the workers of his constituency, his district, his region. This will ensure that he or she does not act in a manner that is offensive to the workers. Here, if six guys resigned, seven defected and one cross-voted, it means that these elected representatives, feel and believe that they are not responsible to their workers.



So does it mean that the Congress has got its mojo back? Or, because it is being said that Congress is in a state of coma, are these first signs of coming back to life?



No, Congress is not in a state of coma. I think you guys in the media are overly impressed or intimidated by the BJP-RSS juggernaut as you use these terms to describe opposition parties. I think the Congress had neglected organization. One of the reasons was that we were in government for 10 years. When you are in government, there is a tendency to neglect the organisation. So, that is a lesson that we have learnt that we must go back and work to rebuild the organisation. Once the organisation is rebuilt, it becomes fit and fighting machine, you will find that there is more activity. More people are attracted to the party, there is more political action, and there is greater confidence.



Is this a case of what Jairam Ramesh said, that the Congress is facing existential crisis and there are sultans without a sultanate?



I am not a philosopher so I cant use those terms. So all I can say is go back and pay attention to the Block Committee and the District Committee. I think we are beginning to do that. Work has already started in many states to pay attention to the health of the block committee and the district committee.



Recently at a book launch you had said that current organizational structure of the Congress is no match to that of the BJP and the RSS. Do you think what happened in Gujarat with Congress being able to show that they even in Amit Shahs bastion they can win battles, that will come as a surprise?



Firstly, do you agree with us or not that huge amounts of money have changed hands? Do agree with us or not that allurements, promises and enticements were held out to Congress MLAs? I mean dont tell me that these six plus seven guys and one more, defected out of a sudden discovery of the virtues of BJP.



But sir, some of this the Congress has also used in the past.



Show me a case where, anything like what happened in Gujarat has happened. I have a pretty long memory but I cant recall a case where six MLAs resigned on the promise that they will be given tickets in the next election, seven MLAs including the leader defects, one MLA in the 44 cross votes. I cant recall any such incidents in the recent past. Yes, here and there one or two guys may have been enticed away. But this is one a scale that mocks democracy; this is on a scale that thumbs your nose against the whole democratic system.



We saw you leading from the front, you were there at the election commission. Do you remember anything in your political career of anything playing out of this nature where current ministers and former ministers, senior leaders from both the parties were taking one delegation after another and fighting it out in front of the Election Commission, do you recall anything of this kind playing out ever and at night?



Speaking for myself, this is the first time ever that I have entered the Election Commission office. Ive never been to the Election Commission office before. I was told by about 8 pm or half past 8 that Randeep Surjewala has sought an appointment with the Election Commission and he would like me and a couple of others to go along and present our case. So I had about a 5-minute notice. I said fine, so there was Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ashok Gehlot, R.P.N Singh, Randeep Surjewala and I at the Election Commission.



A battery of senior leaders



Practically. It looked as though the venue of the cabinet meeting has shifted to the Election Commission. Only the Prime Minister was absent, God Bless Him.



And senior leaders from your party?



Well, my party, the senior leaders are office bearers. Ashok Gehlot is an office bearer, Ghulam Nabi Azad is an office bearer both are general secretaries of the party. R.P.N Singh is in-charge of a state; Randeep is the communications department chief. So they were party office bearers who went.



Do you think that Ahmed Patels victory settles the old guard VS new generation debate in the Congress?



You guys have nothing else to munch upon so you talk about it. I have always believed that we must allow the younger generations to take greater responsibility. I have always said that younger members of the Congress party must become secretaries in the Parliament, in the legislature. For example, recently, we have inducted young secretaries. I know there are four from Gujarat, four from Karnataka and four from Rajasthan under three general secretaries, 12 young people have been inducted as secretaries.



Rahul Gandhi has lost 27 elections ever since he took charge as the Vice-President in 2013.



What 27 elections, weve not had 27 elections.



Do you think he has it in him to lead the Grand old party? I am asking you because, senior leaders, veteran leaders, like you, bring the experience. You are saying that the Congress should be led by a younger generation but can young and old be a happy marriage.



Ive said it several times; I said it in Jaipur where Rahul Gandhi was elected as Vice-President. I said it then, I say it now. I can identify a number of young people, men and women across the states who I think are perfectly capable of becoming district leaders, state leaders and becoming chief ministers, becoming ministers.







Finding a place in the Congress working committee as well?



Absolutely, I think the Congress working Committee when it is revamped, re-structured, they will induct a large number of young people. Remember, Jawaharlal Nehru was 40 when he became Congress president. Forty years of age! So why cant we induct people of 40 years of age to take over as working committee members with specific responsibilities.



So what will seniors as veterans do?



Number of things to do. We can write, we can speak, we can go to the Election Commission when it is necessary, so there are a number of things we can do.



Do you think that the Congress perhaps is suffering from some kind of perceived image of the taint that came in the UPA-2?



See every government when it ended its tenure was tainted. Every government was tainted. Remain in Government for five years and ten years, something will stick. Take Maharashtra, the state from where I am elected for Rajya Sabha. Number two, Mr. Khadse, left the government under a shadow. Now there is another minister, a housing minister, who in all fairness should put in his papers or the CM should ask for his resignation. There are serious allegations. The secretary has been asked to leave. How is the minister still in office? The point I am making is, if you remain in government for a few years, some charges will stick and therefore, some charges have been made against UPA-2, none have been proved yet.
Ahmedabad: This probably would go down in the history of Indian parliamentary democracy as the mother of all electoral battles. Just one Rajya Sabha seat at stake, and for more than 12 hours the potboiler in Ahmedabad gripped the nation's collective conscience like a T20 nail biter.



It was a match for which both teams prepared for well over a month in advance. A senior BJP leader had been telling the media off-record for more than two months that the party would win all three Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat. It was a battle for which, former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot  one of Ahmed Patels closest aides  was sent by the Congress leadership to make preparations. The ruse, however, was the Gujarat Assembly polls slated for November this year.



In retrospect, it seems the Congress was anticipating trouble when party president Sonia Gandhi's political advisor would seek his re-election. A defeat here at the hands of BJP would have had larger political ramifications, eroding the very authority of the Congress leadership in its inability to ensure a safe passage to Ahmed Patel.



The outcome of these elections would also impact the internal political dynamics of the Congress, triggering another round of war between the old guard and generation next. A win here would underscore old guard's ability not only to fight back but also win.



For Ahmed Patel, there were other options available as well. Looking East, Mamata Banerjee was offering support for one seat from West Bengal. Congress also had numbers to complete the home run, though leaving the battlefield in the face of a raging war would have had a more debilitating impact, in the poll bound state and outside.



A showdown was inevitable. Hence the Congress, which has increasingly started to see politics as a discipline in human resource management, entered the arena for an uphill battle and inevitable slugfest.



The outcome of the Presidential elections, where 11 supporters of Shankarsinh Vaghela voted against the opposition candidate, Meira Kumar, set the cat among the pigeons. Bapu had made his choice, and it was up to the Congress party to consolidate its defence.



So in a role reversal of sorts, it was Congress which had to take its MLAs to faraway Karnataka, to keep them shielded from the prying eyes of the ruling party.



The BJP accused Congress MLAs of enjoying a 5-star holiday when the rivers in Gujarat were drowning parts of the state. Senior Congress leaders were forced to take up the relief work in absence of elected representatives.



The twists and turns in the Gujarat saga continued till the very last. One NCP MLA reportedly defied the party whip to vote for the BJP. Lone JD(U) MLA Chotu Vasava kept everyone guessing till the very end.



Two Congress MLAs  from the lot of 44  voted for BJP, and perhaps made a demonstration of it.



By evening, more than a dozen current and former union ministers were knocking at the Election Commission's door  some seeking disqualification of their votes, others arguing against it.



Half an hour to the stroke of midnight, EC came up with its final order. Cheers echoed from the Congress camp in Ahmedabad.



The counting finally started close to midnight.



Lo and behold, when everyone through the day scanned Congress ranks for renegades, the Trojan horse was found to have quietly entered the opposite camp and done the damage.



Inherent in the Gujarat RS polls outcome are two important messages:



One, politicians have elephantine memory, they dont forget or forgive.



Two, the law of diminishing returns creeps into play if stakes are raised beyond a threshold.
. @ahmedpatel Ji congratulations for a big fight. Good fight. Good win  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 9, 2017

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be travelling extensively to various states to with opposition parties to attempt to forge a united front to take on BJP ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections.Her political tour will start from Thursday as she is going to New Delhi to attend the Opposition Parties meet called by Congress President Sonia Gandhi on August 11.Besides Banerjee, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Odisha Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik, and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav are likely to attend the meet.The TMC supremo - who is engaged in a bitter political fight with the BJP  on Wednesday congratulated Congress leader Ahmed Patel for winning the Rajya sabha election from Gujarat.In a public meeting under the banner of BJP Quit India Movement in Midnapur district, she referred to Patels win and said, Last night we all witnessed the battle between democracy and autocracy. We are happy that finally democracy won against all odds.I will be on tour to other states to garner national support for Trinamool Congresss BJP Quit India movement. After Delhi, I will be attending anti-BJP rally at Patna on August 27. On August 30, I will visit Jharkhand which is witnessing frequent atrocities on Dalits. I am not going to stop till we oust BJP from power at the Centre, she added.In a veiled attack on BJP President Amit Shah, Banerjee said, This outsider came to Bengal and had lunch at Dalits house in North Bengal and on the other hand his party leaders are torturing Dalits across India.TMC will organise block-level programmes in support of BJP Quit India movement till September 5. After Durga Puja break, the party will once again intensify their movement against the ruling party at the Centre till 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party MLC Ambika Chaudhary is all set to resign from the UP Legislative Council, following in the footsteps of Samajwadi Party leader Ashok Bajpai, who quit earlier on Wednesday.



A former SP leader and a close aide of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Chaudhary was a cabinet minister in the Akhilesh government. He had switched to the BSP just before the Assembly elections in February. His decision to quit has apparently been forced by the council initiating proceedings against him for deserting the SP for BSP.



He would be the sixth MLC to resign from the UP Legislative Council in the last few days. Earlier on Wednesday, Bajpai had resigned, stating he was hurt on being sidelining of SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav. I am tendering my resignation from the Council membership. I am peeved at the treatment meted to Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) in the party, said Bajpai.



Four SP MLCs had quit earlier and have already joined the BJP. The string of resignations assumes significance as the saffron party has to soon take a call on five of its ministers in Uttar Pradesh, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who are not members of either of the two Houses. The resignations have paved the way for Yogi Adityanath and deputy CMs Keshav Maurya and Dinesh Sharma to enter through the Legislative Council.



News18 had earlier reported how some more resignations could be in pipeline as per the strategy of the BJP. As per the saffron partys strategy the possible defectors could be resigning at regular intervals to maintain BJPs strength and play out a psychological message to other party MLCs and members.
Patna: The leader of opposition in Bihar assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, started his Janadesh Apman Yatra from Champaran on Wednesday by daring chief minister Nitish Kumar to arrest him even as he strongly refuted the graft charges levelled against him.



Alleging the cases were a political conspiracy by BJP and JDU to frame him, his father Lalu Prasad and other family members, Tejashwi vowed to expose political opportunism of Nitish Kumar before the public.



The former deputy of Nitish alleged that central agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) were acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.



They are trying to put my family behind the bars. But I am in front of you to seek justice. Please support me. We will expose their vicious designs on August 27 in Bhajpa Bhagao Desh Bachao Rally, Tejashwi told his supporters.



He offered an apology for what he said was his inability to understand Nitish by keeping two minutes of silence in front of Mahata Gandhis statue.



Nitish Kumar has not only backstabbed me but peoples mandate. People voted against the saffron party but he switched side with them to retain power. RSS and BJP was scared of me and my father but we never compromised with our principles. On the other hand Nitish bowed down to them, he said.



Tejashwi also hinted he would reinvigorate Mandal politics by saying his party with the help of like-minded forces will continue to fight for social justice. He accused Nitish and his party JD(U) of joining ranks with RSS which, he said, was conspiring to eliminate reservation.
Harare: Zimbabwe's cash-strapped government plans to build a $1 billion university named after 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe, the higher education minister said on Wednesday, a move that was quickly cricitised by the opposition as a waste of resources.



Jonathan Moyo, Higher and Tertiary Education Minister, said the Robert Gabriel Mugabe University would focus on science and technology and have an institute focusing on research and "transformative and revolutionary leadership."



"Cabinet has approved a grant of $800 million towards the construction of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe University and a grant of $200 million towards the University Endowment Fund for research and innovation," Moyo said.



Mugabe and his wife Grace are the founding trustees of the university that would be built outside the capital Harare.



While Mugabe's rule was promising at independence in 1980, the ageing leader has been accused of wrecking the economy of the former breadbasket of the region through populist policies such as the seizure of white-owned farms.



The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), criticising the plan, said Mugabe's government should instead improve existing underfunded universities around the country.



Students at state run universities and colleges struggle with lack of accommodation and crumbling infrastructure, while the government does not offer grants to help the universities.



With formal unemployment above 90 percent, most graduates are forced to take informal jobs, mostly hawking goods on the streets or seeking employment in neighbouring countries, to pay for their studies.



"This is populism that defies logic. It is meant to stroke Mugabe's ego because we know this government is broke," Obert Gutu, MDC spokesman said.



Zimbabwe struggles to pay its workers and spends more than 90 percent of the national budget on salaries, leaving very little for roads, hospitals and education.
Washington: FBI agents seized documents and other material last month at the Virginia home of Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign manager, as part of a special counsel's probe into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, a spokesman for Manafort said on Wednesday.



The predawn raid was conducted at Manafort's home in the Washington suburb of Alexandria without advance warning on July 26, a day after Manafort had met with Senate Intelligence Committee staff members, the Washington Post reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the probe.



The search warrant was wide-ranging and FBI agents working with Robert Mueller, the special counsel named by the U.S. Justice Department in May to head the investigation, departed the home with various records, the Post said. Investigators were looking for tax documents and foreign banking records, the New York Times reported.



Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni confirmed the raid had taken place.



"FBI agents executed a search warrant at one of Mr. Manafort's residences. Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well," Maloni said in an email.



The raid was the latest indication of the intensifying of Mueller's probe, which Trump has derided as a "witch hunt." Allegations of possible collusion between people associated with Trump's campaign and Moscow have dogged the Republican president since he took office in January.



US intelligence agencies concluded that Russia interfered in the presidential race, in part by hacking and releasing emails embarrassing to Trump's Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, to help him get elected.



Manafort has been a key figure in the congressional and federal investigations into the matter. Mueller's team is examining money-laundering accusations against Manafort, poring over his financial and real estate records in New York as well as his involvement in Ukrainian politics, two officials told Reuters last month.



Congressional committees are looking at a June 2016 meeting in New York with a Russian lawyer organized by Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who released emails last month that showed he welcomed the prospect of receiving damaging information about Clinton at the meeting. Manafort attended the meeting.



The Federal Bureau of Investigation did not immediately return a request for comment on the raid. Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for Mueller's office, declined to confirm the raid.



Manafort has been cooperating with the congressional committees in their Russia probes, meeting with staff members behind closed doors and turning over documents. He also has been in talks with them about testifying publicly.



He met with investigators from Senate Intelligence Committee staff last month and has been negotiating an appearance before the Judiciary Committee.



Committee leaders said they wanted to discuss not just the campaign, but also Manafort's political work on behalf of interests in Ukraine. Russia's aggression in Ukraine was one reason the U.S. Congress defied Trump and passed new sanctions on Russia last month.



Manafort previously worked as a consultant to a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine and helped support the country's Kremlin-backed former leader, Viktor Yanukovich. According to a financial audit reported by the New York Times, he also once owed $17 million to Russian shell companies.



A Senate Judiciary Committee aide said the panel on Aug. 2 received approximately 20,000 pages of documents from Trump's presidential campaign that it requested for its own Russia investigation, as well as about 400 pages of documents from Manafort the same day.
Kathmandu: Hundreds of members of Nepal's gay community marched through Kathmandu today, many wearing vibrant costumes and carrying rainbow flags and balloons, in an annual pride parade.



The march is timed to coincide with the Hindu festival of Gai Jatra, which brings hundreds onto the streets to pay respects to those who have died in the past year.



Historically Gai Jatra, which dates back to when Nepal was under royal rule, was also a chance for people to criticise the government -- with many people in colourful costumes satirising politicians.



In recent years the gay community has started using the festival to call attention to its demands for equal rights.



Around 1,500 people took part in the parade, paying tribute to members of LGBTI community who had died in 2017, including American artist Gilbert Baker who designed the rainbow flag that has become an emblem of the gay community.



"Every year we celebrate a pride festival to show that we want to be recognised in this society with our different identity, that we are a part of this society," said Pinky Gurung, president of the Blue Diamond Society, a gay rights organisation in Nepal.



Nepal has some of South Asia's most progressive laws on homosexuality and transgender rights, but activists say members of the community continue to face discrimination and live in the shadows of society.



"The government has recognised us but should do more. People of third gender like us should be able to come out in the open, society should accept us," said Kirti Gurung, a 21-year-old transgender woman.



Last month a transgender woman and her husband were issued a marriage certificate by a district office, a first in Nepal.



But the country's laws are silent on same-sex or transgender marriages and the legality of the union is unclear.
Washington: North Korea said on Wednesday it is considering plans for a missile strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after President Donald Trump told the North that any threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury".



The ratcheting up of tensions rattled global financial markets and prompted warnings from US officials and analysts not to engage in rhetorical slanging matches with North Korea.



Pyongyang said it was "carefully examining" a plan to strike Guam, an island of around 162,000 in the western Pacific and the site of a US military base that hosts a submarine squadron, an airbase, and a Coast Guard group.



A Korean People's Army (KPA) spokesman, in a statement carried by state-run KCNA news agency, said the plan would be put into practice at any moment once leader Kim Jong Un makes a decision.



In another statement citing a different military spokesman, North Korea also accused the United States of devising a "preventive war" and said any plans to execute this would be met with an "all-out war wiping out all the strongholds of enemies, including the U.S. mainland".



Washington has warned it is ready to use force if need be to stop North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programmes but that it prefers global diplomatic action, including sanctions.



Speaking to reporters in New Jersey on Tuesday, Trump issued his strongest warning yet for North Korea.



"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen," Trump said.



The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Saturday over its continued missile tests, that could slash the reclusive country's $3 billion annual export revenue by a third.



North Korea has made no secret of plans to develop a nuclear-tipped missile able to strike the United States and has ignored international calls to halt its nuclear and missile programmes.



It says its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are a legitimate means of defence against perceived U.S. hostility. It has long accused the United States and South Korea of escalating tensions by conducting military drills.



US stocks closed slightly lower after Trumps comment and S&P stock futures (ESc1) slipped further in Asian trade, while a widely followed measure of stock market anxiety <.VIX> ended at its highest in nearly a month.[MKTS/GLOB]



The US dollar index <.DXY> edged down and the safe-haven yen strengthened against the U.S. currency after North Korea's response. Asia stocks dipped, with South Korea's benchmark index <.KS11> and Japan's Nikkei both falling 0.5 percent.



TENSIONS RISE





The United States has remained technically at war with North Korea since the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.



Tensions have risen since North Korea carried out two nuclear bomb tests last year and two ICBM tests last month.



On Monday, two U.S. B-1 bombers flew from Guam over the Korean Peninsula as a part of its "continuous bomber presence," a U.S. official said, in a sign of the strategic importance Guam holds.



The alert status at Andersen Airforce Base on Guam had not been changed as of Wednesday morning, according to the duty officer at the base's public affairs office.



Republican U.S. Senator John McCain said Trump should tread cautiously when issuing threats to North Korea unless he is prepared to act.



"I take exception to the presidents comments because you got to be sure you can do what you say youre going to do, he said in a radio interview.



The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that North Korea has successfully produced a miniaturised nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles, according to a confidential U.S. intelligence assessment.



But U.S. intelligence officials told Reuters that while North Korea has accelerated its efforts to design an ICBM, a miniaturised nuclear warhead, and a nosecone robust enough to survive reentry through the Earths atmosphere, there is no reliable evidence it has mastered all three, much less tested and combined them into a weapon capable of hitting targets in the United States.



North Korea's ICBM tests last month suggested it was making technical progress, Japan's annual Defence White Paper warned.



WAR OF WORDS



Former U.S. diplomat Douglas Paal, now with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank in Washington, said Trump should not get into a war of words with Pyongyang.



It strikes me as an amateurish reflection of a belief that we should give as we get rhetorically. That might be satisfying at one level, but it takes us down into the mud that we should let Pyongyang enjoy alone, said Paal, who served as a White House official under previous Republican administrations.



Lockheed Martin Corp, the Pentagon's No. 1 weapons supplier, said on Tuesday its customers are increasingly asking about missile defence systems.
What an irony it is for Pakistan that having suffered most in the war on terror, it remains permanently pilloried in the eyes of successive American administrations as the villain of the piece. Its immediate neighboursIndia, Afghanistan and Iranhave their own grouses on different counts.



In view of independent analysts, fault lies within the parameters of its foreign policy, domestic political, religious contradictions and the perception that its establishment remains committed to running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.



Once considered most trusted ally of the United States east of Suez, it has after sixty years down the road come to be Washingtons favourite whipping boy. Trump Administration is singularly hostile to it. Its officials that regularly visit Pakistan while uttering few ceremonial praises for its sacrifices in war against terror, dont hesitate in blowing hotter than before down its necks most brazenly conveying that Trump Administration would not accept its role as it is and would like it to do more in eliminating terrorism and helping it restore stability in Afghanistan.



No doubt Pakistan has come to be one country worst victim of American policies that bask in creating uncertainties in areas of their geo-strategic interests. Its pleadings that Islamabad itself is paying through its nose for the post-Soviet Unions occupation of Afghanistan seems to fall like seeds on the stony ground. Except of course one person in the previous American Administration, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton no one responsible in America for Pakistans sad plight had the courage to accept its responsibility for creating the Jihadis-turned Taliban-turned terrorists wreaking havoc within Pakistan, Afghanistan and the region.



Wiser counsel always believes that before finding faults in external factors, forces, geo-strategic currents and cross-currents one should look deeply within to charter a correct course and seek a sense of direction that avoids pitfalls in seeking pastures new. Unfortunately, it has come to be a habit among the mangers of the state that instead of thoroughly investigating and analyzing factors behind an untoward incident, they have instant answer in the blame game on external elements rather than getting to the roots of the problem within.



Divergent religious forces with bigoted agendas of their own after having opposed the idea of Pakistan and its founder Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah found a safe heaven mainly in the province of Punjab. Though they had different notions as how to practice their brand/sect of religion, they were united in subverting MAJs secular, democratic vision that had no place for religion in the business of the state.



These elements readily found common cause with the power troika hell bent in replacing Pakistans secular raison d etre with the idea of a security statean all purpose kit available for the Americans to exploit in the cold as well dismantling of the Soviet Union.



We have had Jamaat-e-Islami and various other religious groups finding a favourable playing field in Pakistan funded by their Sunni and Shia financiers. The birth of Jihadis and their subsequent branching off have sprouted in various shapes all over now causing havoc with human kind. Pakistan and more so province of Punjab became an epicenter for the pursuit of what they call a theocratic state. In the post 9-11 Jihadi organizations such as Jesh Muhammad, Sipah-e-Sahaba, Lashkar-e-Tayaba etc became corollaries to Al-Qaeda and Taliban.



Like previously, the present American administration firmly believes that establishment in Pakistan has a deep nexus with such groups especially one led by Hafiz Saeed of JuD running his training and recruiting camp in Muridke in Punjab. Though he is supposed to be incarcerated, his opponents say that he is in protective custody. His Muridke Centre is overly active in business as usual.



Knowing well the fact that Saeed is to Americans what could a bull be in a china shop. They have put prize money on his head; his organization is banned and prohibited to collect funds. And any bilateral talks would remain incomplete if he is not mentioned. To add insult to Washingtons injury or in his sublime audacity, his organization has decided to plunge in mainstream politics by establishing its political partyMilli Muslim League-- to be registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan ready to participate in 2018 elections.



With former President and ex-Army Chief General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf as his avowed mentorone could smell a rat all over. Now its electoral importance to PML-N has also come out clear as manifested in its persistent reluctance to stop funding to JuDs charity.



While its leader Hafiz Saeed remains detained, MML will be led by his second-in-command JuD official Saifullah Khalid. Its agenda is to convert Pakistan into 'a real Islamic and welfare state'. It will provide its supporters protection and better cover to maneuverability without falling under the preview of American pressure for an effective crack down on LeT and JuD.



Not only it is a red rag for the Americans, it is no less for the Indians who insist that he had been the alleged mastermind behind the Mumbai terrorist onslaught in May 2008. One wonders how Foreign Minister Khawaja Asifs desire to build bridges with India will fare with the emergence of MML.



Notwithstanding the possibility of MML securing some electoral seats, its establishment at this critical juncture adds a sinister dimension to Pakistans murky politics. It is time to wake up for all secular and liberal forces to join hands to effectively blunt moves to inject sectarian poison in the body politics of Pakistan. Any move to impose bigotry in the name of Islam be nipped in the bud. A little late would be too late.



(The author is former High Commissioner of Pakistan and a veteran journalist)
Beijing A strong earthquake shook a mountainous region in southwestern China near a famous national park, killing 13 people, injuring 175 others and knocking out power and phone networks.



At least five of the dead were tourists, China's official Xinhua News Agency said. At least 28 people had serious injuries, according to the Aba prefecture government in Sichuan province.



Chinese President Xi Jinping called for rapid efforts to respond to the quake and rescue the injured. Authorities sent medical teams, rescuers and other resources.



The quake around 9:20 p.m. Tuesday struck a region bordered by the provinces of Sichuan and Gansu. The area is on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau and home to many Tibetan and other ethnic minority villages. It's also near Jiuzhaigou, or Jiuzhai Valley, a national park known for spectacular waterfalls and karst formations.



The U.S. Geological Survey said it was magnitude-6.5 and just 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) deep, while the China Earthquake Networks Center measured the earthquake at magnitude-7.0 and said it struck at a depth of 20 kilometers (12 miles). Shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage than deeper ones.



A man surnamed Song who answered the phone at a local emergency office in Aba prefecture, where the Jiuzhaigou national park is located, said the nearby town of Zhangzha reported the deaths and injuries. Song did not say where the five tourists who died were from.



The epicenter was about 39 kilometers (24 miles) from the county of Jiuzhaigou, which has a population of around 80,000, and was 285 kilometers (177 miles) from Chengdu, the densely populated capital of Sichuan province, according to the Chinese quake center.



Xinhua said strong tremors could be felt in Chengdu. The Sichuan provincial government's news website said that after the quake struck, a number of train services to Chengdu and other cities were suspended.



Jiuzhaigou county had a massive power outage following the quake, Song said. Local officials were being sent to the town of Zhangzha, which was closest to the quake's epicenter.



"The tremors were very strong," said a woman in Jiuzhaigou town who gave only her surname, Wang, and said she worked for a travel company. She said the damage in the town center seemed minimal other than the suspension of electricity.



"People from other regions are a pretty frightened," Wang said.



Xinhua said more than 30,000 tourists at Jiuzhaigou were relocated to safety with help from tourist buses and private vehicles.



Yu Qian, a local taxation bureau official, told Xinhua that she felt strong shaking that sent her and her two children rushing from their home on the fifth floor. Yu said the quake cut off power in her neighborhood and disrupted telephone service.



"I was getting into a car at the time of the quake, and it felt like a heavy-duty truck roaring past," said Liu Yanrong, a local township official, told Xinhua.



Xinhua cited a worker at the Jiuzhaigou park named Sangey as saying that some houses in the tourist site collapsed or cracked following the quake and that authorities were organizing evacuations of residents.



Images on Chinese social media sites showed rocks scattered on roads and people running out of bars and cafes in Jiuzhaigou town onto the street.



A report on the news site's official microblog also cited Zhao Wei, the party secretary of the Communist Youth League's Jiuzhaigou division, as saying some telephone communications networks were down, making it difficult to determine the scale of the damage.



On Wednesday morning, another strong earthquake struck in far northwestern China, some 2,200 kilometers (1,360 miles) away.



It was measured at magnitude 6.3 by USGS and 6.6 by China's agency and was in a sparsely populated area of the Xinjiang region near the Kazakhstan border. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.



Earthquakes are common in China's west, although the low population density there often means casualties are low. China's deadliest earthquake this century, a magnitude-7.9 temblor, struck Sichuan province in May 2008, killing nearly 90,000 people.
Kabul: The Taliban rejected reports they used foreign fighters and cooperated with Islamic State in fighting at a remote village in northern Afghanistan this weekend where officials said dozens of local police and civilians were killed.



The Taliban, fighting to install sharia in Afghanistan and drive out foreign forces, said the claims were intended to discredit it. The movement sees Islamic State, which is fighting to create a global caliphate, as a hostile force.



However, Afghan government officials quoted villagers as saying as many as 600 fighters, who appeared to include both Taliban and Islamic State militants, had overrun Mirza Olang village in the northern province of Sar-e Pul on Saturday.



They said that many of the fighters appeared to be foreigners, speaking Turkmen, Uzbek and Punjabi, a language spoken in the Punjab region of Pakistan.



The reports appeared to offer support to claims that the Taliban have been using foreign fighters, but in a region with a patchwork of different ethnicities and national borders close by, establishing a true picture is difficult.



"The Afghan government and its foreign masters are making false claims that we are working with Daesh (Islamic State) just to discredit us in the local community," one Taliban commander said.



However, the Mirza Olang incident adds to the picture of growing insecurity across Afghanistan where many remote areas are completely out of government control.



Zabihullah Amani, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said that contact with the village was difficult, in part because fighters had been going house to house confiscating mobile telephones.



The Taliban said a force led by a commander named Ghazanfar had staged the attack and had killed 28 local police members but they denied using foreigners or cooperating with Islamic State.



A senior Taliban member said the fighters were Uzbeks, but he did not say whether they were part of Afghanistan's substantial Uzbek minority or from Uzbekistan itself.



"We don't have Arabs, Turkmen or Pakistanis in that area. Only the Uzbek mujahideen took part in the fighting," he said.



Afghan officials say that villagers reported exceptionally brutal treatment in the Mirza Olang attack, including beheadings and victims being thrown off a cliff. The Taliban denied such killings.



"Our fighters didn't behead them but it's possible they were killed in fighting," said one senior Taliban member.
United Nations: Antonio Guterres will make his first visit as U.N. secretary-general to Israel and the Palestinian territories later this month for a firsthand look at a conflict that has been on the front burner of the United Nations for 70 years.



The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, said Tuesday that the trip "comes at a critical time in which there are attacks against the two-state solution," which would see an independent Palestinian state existing side-by-side with Israel in peace.



The secretary-general "is adamant in emphasizing that there is no Plan B to the two-state solution," Mansour told The Associated Press. "So to emphasize the importance of the two-state solution, and abiding by it and respecting the global consensus around it, is something that I think the Israeli leadership needs to listen to."



Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon said the trip "will provide an excellent opportunity for him to see firsthand both the challenges and the opportunities that we face in our region, including Hezbollah's activities in Lebanon in violations of Security Council resolutions."



Guterres' first stop will be Israel on Aug. 28 followed by a visit to Palestinian leaders including President Mahmoud Abbas on Aug. 29 in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Mansour said. The secretary-general will then travel to Gaza on Aug. 30 where he is expected to visit some projects of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.



Danon first mentioned the trip last month. It has not been officially announced by the U.N.



Israeli-Palestinian tensions escalated recently over the holiest site in Jerusalem when Israel installed metal detectors after Arab gunmen killed two Israeli policemen there in mid-July. Muslims protested and Israel removed the devices after intervention from the United States, Jordan and others.



Israel and the United States, the country's closest ally, have sharply accused the United Nations of anti-Israel bias.



"We welcome the secretary-general's statements speaking out against anti-Semitism and in favor of treating Israel as a fully equal U.N. member-state," Danon said Tuesday in a statement to AP. "During his meetings with the prime minister, president and minister of defense, the secretary-general will also hear about the importance Israel places on being treated fairly at the United Nations."



Mansour said Guterres must "push as much as he can" to stop Israeli settlement activities, which are illegal under international law and are on land Palestinians want for their state.



He said the secretary-general also needs to press Israel to lift its "illegal blockade" in Gaza.
A dozen NASA-sponsored high school sophomores built functional Mars rovers this week near Canyon Ferry Reservoir at a camp for students interested in science, technology, engineering and math careers.

While the robots built by the high-schoolers were much smaller than the one-ton rovers currently cruising around the red planet, they were programmed to drive around, avoid obstacles and snap photos of rock samples.

The three-day camp is a hands-on culmination of an online course run through the University of Washington. This is the first year the Western Aerospace Scholars program was offered to Montana sophomores, Montana Learning Center director Ryan Hannahoe said. Hannahoe, a Clancy Elementary School teacher, has a background in aerospace and helped host and run the camp.

Jasmine Wilkerson, a sophomore from Helena who hopes for a future in medicine, said she was excited to be learning about how great of an impact NASA research has on every aspect of society. She mentioned the super-strong textiles invented as airbag cushions for rovers dropped on the surface of Mars.

The same fabric, which is woven with steel, is now used as body armor for law enforcement officers, Wilkerson said. The taxes and funding that go towards NASA contribute so much more than just putting people in space.

The mini-rovers are built with Legos robotics-focused products, mounted with a smartphone and controlled by programs written by students on a tablet. Once students sat down with their tools and computers, they had the rovers built and programmed to independently operate within an hour.

The attendants of this years program were mainly chosen by science teachers across Montana. In rural places like Montana, young people who are interested in STEM careers can have limited opportunities for advancement within their own school, said Melissa Edwards, who is leading the program in partnership with UW and The Museum of Flight in Seattle.

This is really just a taste of what is ahead for these gifted students, Edwards said. Sophomore participants are automatically eligible for the junior level program, which is more intensive and earns students five college credits from the University of Washington.

The program is totally free to students, but they must work on the online segment throughout the school year. Three Forks sophomore Cora Taylor, tasked with making sure the rovers stay financially solvent, said it takes a special type of student to put in the extracurricular work to succeed.

Its hard to fit in time to write essays and do the math work in addition to school and homework, Taylor said. But I guess thats why we all get along so well here. Were all pretty nerdy.
Aboud misses the point

Roget has been fighting against these very things from the platform of the trade union movement all his life with little success, in the face of vilification from the public, as Aboud is aware and has been himself doing, to his credit.

Every time Roget calls for public action he is treated to a barrage of angry criticism. His call for a boycott is as a result of the failure of the authorities to act, which leaves social activism as the only recourse. Aboud well knows this.

In the Bahamas, four former government officials have been arrested and charged for corrupt activities. On the basis of that, one can only conclude that no public official in Trinidad has ever done anything wrong. Our record is categorical in that regard.

Apparently, none of the issues referred to by Aboud have ever happened here, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, and repeated promises by every incoming politicians to correct the failures of the past.

What then is one to do - continue whistling in the wind without hope of remedy? Roget has achieved the desired effect, to focus the nations attention on the failings of our leaders and their incompetence so as to generate a response from the people, including Aboud, to begin the movement against the increasing disparity in the society.

Karan Mahabirsingh Carapichaima
GATE POLICE

Well be appointing investigating officers in instances where we perceive students have not been truthful in their declarations, he said. Students caught trying to cheat the means-test for assessing their true entitlement to a GATE grant, could find themselves fully debarred from the subsidy now and in the future, Garcia warned.

I want to ask all students to ensure that the information they submit as a result of the means testing, is accurate, so that sanctions or withdrawals will not have to be applied. Over and over we have been asked what we can put in place to ensure integrity of the process, I am appealing to students to ensure that integrity is maintained so we will not have to send investigating officers to your homes or workplace to verify accuracy of the information.

You could run the risk of having funding debarred or future access to GATE denied and we dont want that. Garcia said while Government is committed to everyone accessing tertiary education, the country no longer enjoys its former economic largesse when oil and gas prices were high.

He said new measures aim to save about $100 million per year out of the usual GATE annual cost of $600 million. The income- based means test will ensure persons truly in need of state assistance will get the maximum benefit available, he said. Saying people are confused by misinformation over GATE, Garcia spelt out the entitlements.

Students with a household monthly income of under $10,000, can get 100 percent GATE funding.

For those between $10,000 to $30,000 income, the GATE funding is 75 percent. Students whose households earn over $30,000 will get 50 percent funding. Cabinet has decided that wherever a persons household income falls, that person will still be eligible for some measure of GATE funding. Garcia said students will be funded only for one undergraduate and one postgraduate degree.

So the programme hopping we saw in the past will be no more. He said that for post-graduate students, GATE funding will be accessible only to students whose programmes are aligned with the countrys development needs and which are approved by the Accreditation Council (ACTT).

Asked if the ministry has a list of the aligned courses, Garcia deferred to Teresa Davidson, head of the ministrys Unit for Grants and Funding, who said the list is being compiled by the Ministries of Planning, Labour and Finance.

For the upcoming academic year, this aligned list will not be applied, Davidson said.

Garcia said new students over age 50, wont be able to access GATE, but continuing students who reach age 50 will get funding to complete their programme. He said his ministrys website contains details of the means testing.

Davidson pointed out that the means test only deals with income, unlike a previous eightpage means test used in 2004 to 2006, which included questions on family assets. Garcia said that even with means-testing, students fees will be modest.

He said that for a student to pay 25 percent of the $12,000 annual fees of the Faculty of Social Studies, would work out at just $250 per month. Minister in the Ministry of Education, Dr Lovell Francis, said the GATE debate covers just a 20 percent portion of the university fees, with the State paying the rest. So you are being asked to pay a fraction of a fraction, Francis said.

Also at the briefing yesterday, ACTT executive director Michael Bradshaw said the tertiary student population is estimated at 56,316, enrolled in 1,697 programmes approved the council at 12 accredited institutions, led by the University of the West Indies. Inclusive of non accredited bodies, the student population is 67,500, he added.
Some Zimbabweans have launched a communist party which they claim is aimed at bringing local people together in order to rebuild a nation devastated by years of economic stagnation.



The Zimbabwe Communist Party (ZCP), led by Ngqabutho Mabhena based in South Africa, says it wont contest the 2018 general elections.



The official launch of the party comes a few days after two opposition parties were unveiled to the public while seven others formed a broad movement - MDC Alliance  meant to unseat President Robert Mugabes Zanu PF party in the next elections.



Mabhena, who lives in South Africa, said they want to create dialogue with Zimbabweans in order to revive the nation facing serious social, economic and political problems.



"Our immediate concern is not to remove Mr. Mugabe from power like what other opposition parties want but to create a situation where people may engage each other for the benefit of the nation. This is one way of rebuilding the nation. We don't even want to contest this year's elections."



He said Zimbabweans want to rebuild their nation, which has been devastated by economic stagnation for a long time.





Two opposition parties were launched recently and others formed an Movement for Democratic Change Alliance, designed to unseat President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF in the 2018 general elections. voa
COMMUNITIES in Bulawayo have expressed mixed feelings over Vice President Phelekezela Mphokos day-old chicks donations, with some accusing the politician of dumping substandard birds on them, while others are backing the initiative.



Last year, Mphoko  a shareholder in the Choppies supermarket chain  went around Bulawayo suburbs  including Nkulumane, Pumula and Mpopoma  distributing day-old chicks to Zanu PF party supporters, a project he said was aimed at alleviating poverty and promoting in the communities.



I am giving you these chicks free of charge so that you start income-generating projects to improve your standard of living and please feed these birds, dont let them die, he said during one of the gatherings where he was distributing the chicks.



However, to some, the initiative was a deceptive move, under which the VP was not well meaning.



An investigation revealed that over 50 percent of the chicks that were distributed reportedly died upon delivery or a few days later. For those that survived, the Daily News learnt that they had a stunted growth and took several months to mature.



The chicks were sourced from commercial white farmer, Peter Cunningham  owner of Maleme Farm in Matobo  who observers allege was returning the favour after Mphoko backed him in a farm dispute which involved politicians in the region.

Cunningham, however, could not be reached on his mobile.



The beneficiaries were made to go into groups of 10, and would normally receive a donation of 300 chicks per group, which in most cases they would share among themselves.



The Daily News also gathered that when the beneficiaries, who refused to be named, received the donations from the VP, they were unprepared and had no proper facilities to accommodate the chicks in addition to the fact that they had to acquire their own feed.

In reaction to the development, Zanu PF Bulawayo central district youth chairperson Magura Charumbira tore into Mphoko.



Surely, its embarrassing for the VP to make such a fallacy donation, Charumbira said.

Instead of people benefiting, they actually lost a fortune, time and money. Almost everyone in our 12 constituencies is complaining that the chicks were rejects and besides, the process of distribution was totally biased, it was done on factional basis and only G40 members were benefiting from that programme.



Zanu PF youth and former provincial commissar, Thabo Thwala, also rubbished the donations, adding: Thats not how you eradicate poverty, honestly how can a whole VP give people dying chicks, chicks that are in an intensive care. When this happened, we asked ourselves whether it was a genuine empowerment or some political game.



But Pumula legislator Godfrey Malaba, in whose constituency some benefited, differed.

He dismissed the complaints, and described the project as a success.



The principal director in the vice presidents office, Themba Ndlovu was here recently trying to check the progress of the project. We showed him around and he was happy because some are doing quite well. The project was a success, Malaba insisted.



However, some chicks died because when they were donated, the people had not received proper training on how to keep them and the type of feed to use, he said.



George Mlala, who was the chief coordinator on the programme, referred questions to Ndlovu, whom he said was responsible for compiling a report on the project.



Contacted for comment, Ndlovu said he couldnt discuss details as he was still in the process of compiling the report.



I am still in the process of compiling a report on the project, and I am left with two MPs, after then I will present it to the vice president (Mphoko) and it will be him who will be responsible for giving you the findings in that report. I am sure I will be done with the report in two to three weeks time, he said. Daily News
Mr Kenyatta's lead could mean that he is elected outright. There were eight candidates in all, but apart from Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga none polled more than 0.3% of the vote.
Despite a massive security deployment and calls for peace by Kenyas main politicians, unrest has broken out in some parts of Kenya after leading opposition politician Raila Odinga alleged that the electoral commission (IEBC) has been penetrated by computer hackers who rigged the vote against him.





Odinga is behind in the IEBCs preliminary results based on 14.6 million ballots counted, which show President Uhuru Kenyatta well on his way to winning a second term in office with 54.7 percent of the vote to Odingas 44.8 percent.





As the sun rose on Wednesday, Odinga supporters in Kisumu, a stronghold of his on the shores of Lake Victoria, stood in angry knots on street corners, puzzling over the news.





Something is cooking, said Steven Okeda, a 37-year-old primary school teacher. What we are saying is, Uhuru Kenyatta has stolen the election and we will not accept that.

By late morning, the tension had boiled over in Kisumus poor Kondele neighbourhood, and in some parts of the capital Nairobi.





Both areas were scenes of terrible violence after a disputed presidential vote in 2007 that degenerated into two months of politically motivated ethnic bloodshed and left 1,100 people dead and 600,000 displaced.





And in both cities on Wednesday, protesters chanted No Raila, no peace, their rallying cry after the 2007 and 2013 elections which Odinga claims were stolen from him.





In Kisumu, a police helicopter hovered overhead as officers engaged in running battles with protesters, who would disperse as officers advanced, only to then re-emerge and re-group minutes later.

If Raila is not president, we cant have peace, one protester told AFP shortly before tear gas again sent the crowd running. Later in the day police fired rubber bullets.





Kenya's electoral commission seems to have "discharged its responsibilities" in accordance with the law, the head of the African Union (AU) observer mission, Thabo Mbeki, has said.

Mr Mbeki, the former president of South Africa, added that Kenya's judiciary was "well-prepared" to deal with any disputes that may arise from the poll.





Opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga has alleged that the commission's IT system was hacked, and the result manipulated to give victory to President Uhuru Kenyatta.





The commission has promised to investigate the allegations.




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Those who grew up with Reading Rainbow will likely be dismayed to learn that there's a big fight between the owners of the show and the celebrity with whom it's most closely associatedLeVar Burton. Burton hosted the show on PBS from 1983 to 2006, and starting in 2009, Burton started discussing plans to revive the show in some fashion, the International Business Times reports. In 2011, Burton's company, RRKidz, got a license from New York-based PBS affiliate WNED (which describes itself in its lawsuit as the show's co-creator and exclusive holder of rights to the series' logo and associated intellectual property) to use intellectual property related to the show, but WNED is now suing Burton and RRKidzfor the second time, according to the Hollywood Reporter. WNED says Burton and RRKidz are trying to "control and reap the benefits of Reading Rainbows substantial goodwill" without having the right to do so.

In 2014, Burton launched a Kickstarter aimed at reviving Reading Rainbow, which appears to be where the trouble began. WNED says that, under the licensing deal, Burton and RRKidz were supposed to be in charge of digital distribution of a new series while WNED would be in charge of making new episodes. With the Kickstarter campaign, WNED felt it lost control of the revival, and notified RRKidz the licensing agreement was terminated. The company responded by asking a judge to rule that the deal couldn't be terminated. The new lawsuit from WNED is a second one, also against Burton and RRKidz, accusing Burton of using his old Reading Rainbow catchphrase, "But you don't have to take my word for it," in the podcast he launched in June, LeVar Burton Reads. He also refers to the podcast as a sort of "Reading Rainbow for adults," which WNED takes issue with. The suit seeks to stop him from using the catchphrase, but there's a lot more to it than that. See THR for more. (Read more LeVar Burton stories.)
People who claim to be more creative after a pint may be onto something after all, according to researchers studying the age-old assumption. A team at the University of Graz in Austria reports in the journal Consciousness and Cognition that among the 132 young adults they studied, the ones who drank a beer performed better on experiments testing creativity. The team used two tests that measure creativity, per Pacific Standard. In one, participants tried to come up with a word to link three seemingly unrelated words, ie, cheese to link cake, blue, and cottage. They did this 10 times. In the other, they had 2.5 minutes to list as many creative uses for everyday objects as possible, say a shoe or umbrella. Then, half the participants had a beer (men had a pint, women had 12 ounces, for a blood alcohol content of about 0.03) and half had a placebo before taking the tests again.

Those who imbibed scored as much as 40% better on the first test, though no real difference was seen on the second. The team speculates that alcohol could "reduce fixation effects by loosening the focus of attention," or make you less likely to get creatively stuck on a solution. But before you break open that second beer, the lead author has a warning: "Beneficial effects are likely restricted to very modest amounts of alcohol, whereas excessive alcohol consumption typically impairs creative productivity." And participants did worse on a test measuring executive function, which refers to the skills that help us get things done, control our emotions, manage time, and so forth, per Understood. (Ambient noise may improve creativity, too.)
Police have now identified all three women found dead in a shed at an Idaho man's farm in June. Authorities, who earlier identified one victim as 56-year-old Cheryl Baker, wife of fugitive Gerald Michael Bullinger, say the second two victims are 48-year-old Nadja Medley, Bullinger's alleged mistress, and Payton Medley, her 14-year-old daughter, People reports. Police say Bullinger, who was already wanted on charges of failing to report the deaths, will now be charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Authorities say all three victims died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

Police say Nadja and Payton Medleywho had apparently moved to the Caldwell, Idaho, farm from Utahwere identified with DNA evidence found in the course of the investigation, KTVB reports. A nationwide manhunt is underway for Bullinger, who is considered armed and dangerous, the Idaho State Journal reports. His vehicle was found July 12 at a remote campground in northwest Wyoming, and authorities say evidence found in the vehicle helped identify the victims and build a "very strong" case for murder charges. (Read more Idaho stories.)
North Korea has threatened to use missiles to create "enveloping fire" around Guamand while residents of the American territory are used to hearing Pyongyang mention Guam, they are understandably a little on edge. Residents tell the AP that they are worried about being caught in the middle of the escalating tensions between Washington and Pyongyang. "If anything happens, we all got to be ready, be prepared, and pray to God that it doesn't happen," says resident Daisy Mendiola, 56. "Everyone's afraid, because we're dealing with powers that's beyond us." In other developments:

Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo said he had been in touch with the White House and there is no change in the threat level, Reuters reports. He said defenses are in place for "any eventuality." "Guam is American soil," he said in an online video message. "We are not just a military installation."

Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Guam's delegate to the US House of Representatives, said she is working to make sure Guam remains safe and she wants President Trump to avoid "concerning and unhelpful" rhetoric, the Telegraph reports. "Kim Jong Un's reckless behavior cannot be tolerated, and I strongly urge the president to explore every avenue to peacefully respond to it and avoid further escalating this situation," the Democrat said.

A North Korean military spokesman warned Wednesday that as well as "carefully examining the operational plan" to strike Guam, the military is prepared for "all-out war, wiping out all the strongholds of enemies, including the US mainland" if any attempt is made to attack the North, the Guardian reports.

Trump threatened the North with "fire and fury like the world has never seen"and one of his evangelical advisers says God is on the president's side. "The Bible, in the book of Romans, is very clear: God has endowed rulers full power to use whatever means necessaryincluding warto stop evil," Texas pastor Robert Jeffress tells the Washington Post. "In the case of North Korea, God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong Un."

Analysts tells the New York Times that Trump's harsh language echoes that of the North Koreans. Former George W. Bush adviser Peter Feaver says the "jingoistic" tone puts Trump on a "risky" path, though it is in keeping with the president's tendency to upend established diplomacy. "They may be saying, 'Look, we have a 30-year record of bipartisan failure on this issue, so lets flip the script and give North Korea a bit of its own medicine and see if we can get a different result,'" he says.

The BBC looks at "tiny but important" Guam: The US territory has a population of around 163,000, with military bases covering around a quarter of its territory, housing around 6,000 troops.

CNN reports that Trump's "fire and fury" threat was criticized by lawmakers from both parties, with Sen. John McCain warning that "you've got to be sure that you can do what you say you're going to do." "The great leaders I've seen don't threaten unless they're ready to act and I'm not sure President Trump is ready to act," he said.

(Read more North Korea stories.)
An 83-year-old New Hampshire woman accused in a murder-for-hire plot involving her son's ex-wife is heard on recordings laughing and saying she wants her former daughter-in-law dead, reports the AP. During a hearing Monday, prosecutors played phone calls between Pauline Chase and a hitman. Chase and her son, 63-year-old Maurice Temple, both of Plainfield, have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit murder, and attempt to commit murder.

Prosecutors say the hitman went to police. In one call, the man asks Chase if she's sure she wants the woman dead. Chase responds, laughing, "Yes, that's right." At one point she allegedly said, "She made all those years miserable," per the New Hampshire Union Leader. When asking about disposing of the body, she allegedly added, "Got a meat grinder?" Temple's lawyer says Temple wasn't part of the plan until the hitman persuaded him to be. The hearing was continued to Thursday. No arguments have been heard yet for Chase. (Read more murder plot stories.)
Days after public defenders argued his case should be dismissed, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman has said adios and hired a private legal team. Jeffrey Lichtman says Guzman has hired himself and Marc Fernich, who successfully defended the son of mafia boss John Gotti in a 2005 racketeering trial, along with two other lawyers who have experience defending drug kingpins, reports Reuters. Guzmanwho faces drug, firearms, and conspiracy charges in the US"is likely to be the challenge of Mr. Lichtman's legal career," reports the New York Times, citing an interview given to Sean Penn last year in which Guzman admitted, "I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anybody else in the world."

Lichtman counters that "whatever he said to Sean Penn, I don't know that it suggests he did anything wrong in the Eastern District of New York," where Guzman's charges have been filed. More than 40 witnesses are set to testify against Guzman, who was previously convicted of drug trafficking and spent time in and escaped from two high-security prisons in Mexico. But Lichtman, referring to "numerous cooperating criminals who will all be seeking to use him as their Get Out of Jail Free cards," suggests they may not be credible. Lichtman raised one other issue: The conditions in which Guzman is kept in Manhattan's federal jail "are the most horrific I've ever seen," he says. "Terrorists at Guantanamo Bay have it easier than this guy does." (Read more Joaquin Guzman stories.)
President Trump says a deal to bring a $10 billion Foxconn plant to Wisconsin will bring "magnificent decades"but analysts warn that it could be decades before the state sees any benefit from the deal. The non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, which provides analysis for the state legislature, predicts that it will be at least 25 years before the state breaks even on the $3 billion package of incentives it has offered the Taiwanese electronics giant, Reuters reports. Gov. Scott Walker has offered the company $2.85 billion in tax credits, along with tax breaks on construction materials and exemption from environmental regulations. The deal still needs the approval of the state legislature.

The analysis found that according to an optimistic model of increased tax revenues after the plant opens in 2020, the state will break even in the 2042-2043 fiscal year, the AP reports. But numerous variables could push the date back even further, including the location of the plant. Foxconn is believed to be looking at a site just across the Illinois border and if a significant proportion of the plant's workers live out of state, it could mean several more years before Wisconsin breaks even, analysts say. Much will also depend on whether Foxconn follows through on its promise to expand employment from 3,000 to 13,000 workers. (Walker says critics of the "once in a lifetime" deal "can go suck lemons.")
Her lawyer says it was "discipline that went a little too far." Police say it was a felony. Houston woman Whitney White, 27, has been charged with felony injury to a child for abuse that included abusing her son with a stun gun when he was 5 years old, the New York Daily News reports. The boy told police it happened last fall after he got into trouble at school. "From zero to 10, it hurt 10," he said, according to court documents seen by the Houston Chronicle. White is also accused of hitting the boy, now 6, with a belt last month.

"My anger management class told me not to Tase him, but we didn't go into what else to do," White told police, according to court documents. The boy and his sibling, a 2-week-old baby, have been placed in a relative's care by Child Protective Services. "This is a CPS issue, not a criminal law issue," White's attorney tells the Chronicle. "It's discipline that went a little too far." He says he expects the case to be dismissed after White completes parenting and anger management courses. (Read more Texas stories.)
French police say a vehicle slammed into soldiers guarding a Paris suburb Wednesday, injuring six of them before getting away. Authorities are searching for the driver and vehicle, which drove away after the incident at Place de Verdun in Levallois-Perret, on the northwest edge of Paris, according to a Paris police spokesman. The BMW's driver appeared to clearly target the soldiers, but the motive is unclear, the spokesman tells the AP. Levallois-Perret Mayor Patrick Balkany denounced on BFM television what he called an "odious attack" and said it was "without a doubt deliberate." The attack targeted soldiers from the Sentinelle security force created after Islamic extremist attacks in 2015. (Read more Paris stories.)
A 28-year-old former Google engineer who was fired over a memo he wrote about gender differences said Tuesday he's exploring all his legal options and has already filed a labor complaint over his treatment. James Damore, whose memo over the weekend caused an uproar online, said that prior to being fired on Monday he had filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board alleging he was subjected to "Coercive Statements (Threats, Promises of Benefits, etc.)." Damore notes it's illegal to fire someone in retaliation for going to the NLRB, though as Bloomberg puts it, he'd "have to prove he was trying to organize collective action among his fellow employees and was fired in retaliation for that." A Google rep said Tuesday that the company could not have retaliated because it didn't learn about the complaint until after he was fired.

Wired lays out the reasons why Damore may have a case, including California law related to protected activities when it comes to allegations of unequal employee treatment. The AP also notes Damore's filing with the NLRB cites a part of the labor relations act that gives employees the right to engage in "protected concerted" activities. That includes being active on social media, though it's unclear if his memo, written on a Google Doc and submitted to an employee-only forum, qualifies for such protection. Damore isn't the only one considering legal action. The Guardian reports more than 60 current and former female Google employees are weighing whether to file a class-action suit that zeroes in on alleged pay disparities, with some reportedly claiming they're paid about $40,000 less than their male counterparts. (Read more Google stories.)
We've heard of skunky beer, but never gecko-y beer. The latter seems to be much worse than the former, based on a lawsuit filed in California against Heineken and the Kroger grocery chain. Consumerist reports on the complaint, which came about after Orange County's George Toubbeh said he bought 24-ounce cans of Heineken in August 2015 from a Kroger-owned Ralphs in Fountain Valley, and had a decidedly unpleasant experience after drinking from one. Per the suit, Toubbeh picked up on a "foul taste" in his brew; soon after sipping it he fell victim to "severe abdominal pain followed by vomiting." He says when his daughter went to examine the can, she made an alarming discovery inside: two un-decomposed juvenile leopard geckos, which aren't native to the USthey're indigenous to parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Iran, and Iraqbut can be kept as pets here.

Toubbeh notes in the suit that he became "violently ill" and went to the ER, where he was given anxiety and nausea medication. Business Insider also notes his claim that he developed "extreme anxiety and  PTSD," which he says continue to this day, as a result of his allegedly lizard-steeped libation. Toubbeh thinks the geckos were probably alive and sealed in the can at the packaging plant. Heineken, for its part, is calling this incident "isolated" and says "based on a number of factors we confidently believe there is no merit to this claim." If you've got a strong stomach, Consumerist documents other instances of surprise "ingredients" in food and beverage items. (Read more lawsuit stories.)
The headstone designated the resting place of Hayes Vanderbilt Fridaya name given to a Northern Arapaho child in what the Philadelphia Inquirer calls a "brutal, turn-of-the-century experiment in forced assimilation." The government-run Carlisle Indian Industrial School was established in 1879 as a place to scrub Native American children of their "savage nature," a process that involved forcing new names, clothing, and language onto them. More than 180 are buried in a graveyard there, and the Northern Arapaho are now reclaiming the three children that are theirs. This week, more than a dozen tribe members arrived on the former campus in Carlisle, Pa., from Wyoming to oversee the exhumation of 14-year-old Little Chief, 11-year-old Horse, and 9-year-old Little Plumeor, as the school insisted the latter be called, Hayes Vanderbilt Friday.

The children arrived at the school in 1881 and will soon return to Fremont County, Wyoming, for burial. PennLive reports that the US Army, the Army National Military Cemeteries, and a number of anthropologists and archaeologists are carrying out the five-day exhumation, which began Tuesday. There's a big "X-factor," one archaeologist tells PennLive, in that the children were interred in wooden coffins, making the condition of their remains unknown. The process is being approached with great care: no machines, just shovels, hands, and mesh screens designed to sift out the smallest pieces of coffin or bone. The dead, many of whom couldn't withstand outbreaks of tuberculosis or the flu, hail from 50 different tribes, and future exhumations are expected. The AP reports the government is covering the $500,000 cost of returning the Northern Arapaho boys home. (Read more Native Americans stories.)
Last month, the IT manager of Kenya's election commission was brutally murdered. Now his death is playing a role in unrest in the wake of Tuesday's presidential vote, chaos that threatens to plunge Kenya into violence with reverberations around the African continent. Here's what's happening:

Disputed results: The first results in the closely watched election suggest a clear-cut finish: President Uhuru Kenyatta got more than 50% of the vote over opposition leader Raila Odinga and thus can avoid a runoff. The problem: Odinga is refusing to accept the results, alleging that hackers helping Kenyatta's party rigged the outcome, reports the BBC. Election officials inside and outside the country are scrambling to assess the claims.

The first results in the closely watched election suggest a clear-cut finish: President Uhuru Kenyatta got more than 50% of the vote over opposition leader Raila Odinga and thus can avoid a runoff. The problem: Odinga is refusing to accept the results, alleging that hackers helping Kenyatta's party rigged the outcome, reports the BBC. Election officials inside and outside the country are scrambling to assess the claims. The murder: Odinga cites the July killing of Chris Msando, whose tortured body was found on the outskirts of Nairobi. He had been in charge of IT for Kenya's election body, and Odinga alleges that Msando's killers stole his credentials, accessed the nation's election servers on Tuesday, and manipulated them to ensure a big Kenyatta win, reports the New York Times. The election "was a fraud," he charged.

Violence begins: Odinga called for calm, but his supporters already have begun staging sometimes violent protests, reports the AP. At least two people were fatally shot in unrest in Nairobi. A decade ago, another disputed electionOdinga lost that one, tooled to what was essentially a civil war that left more than 1,200 dead and 600,000 displaced.

Odinga called for calm, but his supporters already have begun staging sometimes violent protests, reports the AP. At least two people were fatally shot in unrest in Nairobi. A decade ago, another disputed electionOdinga lost that one, tooled to what was essentially a civil war that left more than 1,200 dead and 600,000 displaced. 2 troubling quotes: "I don't control the people," said Odinga after his call for calm. And his supporters chanted "No Raila, no peace" in the western city of Kisumu, reports Reuters.

"I don't control the people," said Odinga after his call for calm. And his supporters chanted "No Raila, no peace" in the western city of Kisumu, reports Reuters. Bellwether: This has repercussions beyond Kenya's borders, writes Joshua Keating at Slate. Kenya is "something of a bellwether" in Africa, where electoral democracy already seems to be faltering in nations such as Zambia, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, he writes. The piece also lays out the ethnic rivalries at play in Kenya.

(Read more Kenya stories.)
With North Korea again topic No. 1 in the news, Jimmy Kimmel did one of his man-in-the-street stunts asking Americans to locate the country on a map. The results were, literally, all over the map. Of course, these get edited to provide the worst answers, notes Mashable, but the results are still pretty funny and/or scary. Watch the video here. Meanwhile, President Trump's "fire and fury" threat to Pyongyang was also on late-night hosts' minds:



Kimmel: "As you can see, the vacation is really relaxing him," he said, per Mediaite. "Listen, were sorry we made fun of you. Go back to golfing before you kill all of us!"

"As you can see, the vacation is really relaxing him," he said, per Mediaite. "Listen, were sorry we made fun of you. Go back to golfing before you kill all of us!" Stephen Colbert: "I dont want to be alarmist, but were all gonna die," he said. Thankfully, faced with the greatest challenge of his presidency, Donald Trump stepped up and in a moment of great statesmanship de-escalated the rhetoric and brought calm to our worried nation." Pause. "Im just kidding." To Trump, he added, while taking cover, "Shut up! OK? Youll get us all killed. And I just started the Handmaids Tale!" Here is the video.

Seth Meyers: "Yeah, that oughta cool things down. God forbid Trumps ever put in charge of a hostage situation." He then imagined the president dealing with a hostage situation using a bullhorn: "Kill a hostage? You dont have the balls! Plus, if you do, Ill kill everyone outside the bank!" Here's the video.

"Yeah, that oughta cool things down. God forbid Trumps ever put in charge of a hostage situation." He then imagined the president dealing with a hostage situation using a bullhorn: "Kill a hostage? You dont have the balls! Plus, if you do, Ill kill everyone outside the bank!" Here's the video. Conan OBrien: "Today, President Trump warned that if North Korea does not stop escalating its nuclear program, quote, Theyll be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen,'" said O'Brien. "Yeah. Then Melania said, 'Dont worry, he says that to me every night and nothing ever happens.'"

(Read more North Korea stories.)
After a spate of doom-and-gloom headlines on North Korea, two more positive ones emerged Wednesday morning: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sought to dial down the rhetoric and Pyongyang released a Canadian pastor. Tillerson, speaking to reporters aboard his plane as he returned to DC from Malaysia, made a point to say he sees no "imminent threat" from North Korea, per the AP. "Americans should sleep well at night," he said, adding, Nothing that I have seen and nothing that I know of would indicate that the situation has dramatically changed in the last 24 hours." Asked about President Trump's "fire and fury" threat to North Korea, Tillerson said it's important to consider the audience it was aimed at.

"What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un can understand, because he doesnt seem to understand diplomatic language," Tillerson said. Trump, he added, wanted to make clear that the US won't hesitate to defend itself or its allies. The North, meanwhile, released a 62-year-old Canadian pastor who has been held since 2015, reports the CBC. North Korean state media said Rim Hyon Su, also known as Hyeon Soo Lim, was freed on "sick bail." The South Korean native, pastor of the large Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Ontario, had been sentenced to hard labor for life in December 2015 after Pyongyang accused of him trying to overthrow the regime. (Read more Rex Tillerson stories.)
The Virginia home of President Trump's former campaign chairman was raided by FBI agents late last month, sources tell the Washington Post. Paul Manafort had voluntarily met with investigators for the Senate Intelligence Committee on July 25, and the pre-dawn raidwhich came with no advance warningwas carried out the following day by agents working with special counsel Robert Mueller, who's overseeing the investigation into Russian tampering with the 2016 election. The agents, operating under a search warrant, took documents and other materials. A source also spoke to the New York Times about the raid and said agents were looking for tax documents and foreign banking records. The Times notes that those types of records are usually sought when there's an investigation into violations of a law requiring Americans to report their foreign banking accounts.

Sources say Mueller is probing allegations related to Manafort's work for the Ukrainian government and his role in the the June 2016 meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer, in which Russians allegedly promised to share info that could hurt Hillary Clinton. Manafort has been voluntarily handing over documents to congressional committees probing the election meddling, including his notes from the aforementioned meeting, but the raid suggests Mueller's investigators may not believe he's turning over everything. Sources say Mueller may be focusing on Manafort in an effort to build a separate case against him, with the goal of getting Manafort to turn on others in Trump's inner circle in an attempt to lessen the legal ramifications against himself. ABC News notes that Manafort resigned from Trump's campaign team amid questions about his foreign business connections. (Read more Paul Manafort stories.)
French police shot and arrested a man suspected of slamming a BMW into soldiers in a Paris suburb on Wednesday, injuring six of them in what appeared to be a deliberate and carefully timed ambush, officials say. He has not been identified, and police have not speculated about a motive. The morning attack hit the relatively affluent suburb of Levallois-Perret that is home to France's main intelligence service and its counterterrorism service, per the AP. The suspect was seen waiting in a BMW in a cul-de-sac near the Levallois city hall and a building used as a staging point for soldiers in France's Sentinelle operation who protect prominent sites from attack, say officials. A group of soldiers had emerged from the building when the car sped up and rammed into them, according to one official. It then drove away.

The street is normally guarded by posts that are removed when vehicles move in and out, so the driver must have known exactly when to strike, a local resident says. Those hit by the car were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries while police fanned out and searched for the attacker. Then, on the A16 highway near the English Channel port of Calais, police stopped what the prime minister called the "principal suspect" in the attack. Images of the arrest scene show emergency vehicles surrounding a black BMW with a damaged windshield. Police officers opened fire during the arrest to subdue the man, and the suspect was injured along with a police officer hit by a stray bullet, according to a judicial official. The suspect was taken to a hospital. His condition is unknown. (Read more France stories.)
Want to live like a Trump? Now's your chance: The president's New York City boyhood home is on Airbnb. The 1940 Tudor-style house in Queens is being offered for $725 a night. The listing says the house has five bedrooms and sleeps up to 20 thanks to a slew of bunkbeds. The amenities include a giant cutout of President Trump in the living room, which the listing calls "a great companion for watching Fox News late into the night." The listing also notes that "not much has been changed since the Trumps lived here, the kitchen is original and the opulent furnishings represent the style and affluence in which the Trumps would have lived." Smoking, pets, and parties are no-nos, reports the AP.

Trump photos and memorabilia appear throughout, though the listing makes clear the home has no ties to the president or White House. The cutout isn't the only quirk. The listing notes guests "have access to the entire house but should note that I live in one of the bedrooms which will not be accessible to you during your stay." Newsday reports that the principal of Paramount Realty USA, Misha Hagani, confirmed the listing's authenticity. Paramount auctioned the house to an unidentified buyer in March for $2.14 million (some have claimed it was bought by a woman from China). Hagani says he can't disclose whether the home was placed on Airbnb by the property owner or by a leaseholder. (Read more President Trump stories.)
President Trump doesn't appear to be heeding calls to end his rhetoric in regard to North Korea. In a pair of tweets, he boasted about America's nuclear prowess. "My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal," he tweeted. "It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before." He then added, "Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!" Earlier, in response to North Korea's threat to strike Guam, Trump retweeted a Fox News story about US Air Force jets taking off from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam for a training mission, with a caption noting pilots could be ready to "fight tonight," notes the Wall Street Journal. Related:

Ad-lib? The New York Times reports that Trump's "fire and fury" line from Tuesday was improvised. The newspaper says the president did not run the language by advisers in advance, including chief of staff John Kelly. A piece of paper Trump had in front of him was reportedly a fact sheet on the opioid crisis. Politico reporter Josh Dawsey's sources tell him the words were not "carefully vetted," adding, "Don't read too much into it."

The New York Times reports that Trump's "fire and fury" line from Tuesday was improvised. The newspaper says the president did not run the language by advisers in advance, including chief of staff John Kelly. A piece of paper Trump had in front of him was reportedly a fact sheet on the opioid crisis. Politico reporter Josh Dawsey's sources tell him the words were not "carefully vetted," adding, "Don't read too much into it." Mattis weighs in: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson may have had a more calming tone on the subject Wednesday, but defense chief James Mattis followed up with some tough language. Among other things, he warned in an afternoon statement that North Korea should "cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and destruction of its people," per CNN.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson may have had a more calming tone on the subject Wednesday, but defense chief James Mattis followed up with some tough language. Among other things, he warned in an afternoon statement that North Korea should "cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and destruction of its people," per CNN. American nukes: Trump's tweets on the US arsenal were apparently in reference to a review of nuclear weapons that was ordered on Jan. 27 but isn't expected to be completed until year's end, reports the Washington Post. Such reviews are required by Congress about every eight years. After the last one in 2010, Barack Obama announced a $1 trillion plan to upgrade the nuclear arsenal over 30 years. Given all that, fact-checkers are pushing back on Trump's boast that he beefed up the arsenal, and that's putting it mildly.

Trump's tweets on the US arsenal were apparently in reference to a review of nuclear weapons that was ordered on Jan. 27 but isn't expected to be completed until year's end, reports the Washington Post. Such reviews are required by Congress about every eight years. After the last one in 2010, Barack Obama announced a $1 trillion plan to upgrade the nuclear arsenal over 30 years. Given all that, fact-checkers are pushing back on Trump's boast that he beefed up the arsenal, and that's putting it mildly. JFK comparison: These are the moments when we have to come together as a nation and support the executive, White House aide Sebastian Gorka said on Fox News, per Mediaite. Whether you voted for him or not, whether theyre a Democrat or whether theyre a Republican, these are trying times.  During the Cuban missile crisis we stood behind JFK. This is analogous to the Cuban missile crisis.

These are the moments when we have to come together as a nation and support the executive, White House aide Sebastian Gorka said on Fox News, per Mediaite. Whether you voted for him or not, whether theyre a Democrat or whether theyre a Republican, these are trying times.  During the Cuban missile crisis we stood behind JFK. This is analogous to the Cuban missile crisis. Seeking ambassador: No ambassador to South Korea is in place yet under the new administration, and BuzzFeed reports that the absence of one is especially troubling now.

(Read more President Trump stories.)
Police in upstate New York are describing a horrifying crime that might've proved deadly if not for what the Elmira Star Gazette describes as a "miracle." According to the Elmira Police Department, a 17-year-old girl placed her 8-month-old daughter in a plastic bag and abandoned her behind an Elmira home on Saturday. Three days later, two women heard a noise they thought was coming from an animal in distress, reports WENY. As they moved toward the noise around 1pm Tuesday, they instead saw the infant's feet poking out of the bag. "Her head was in the bag, her whole head was covered all the way down," says one of the women. She says she ripped open the plastic to find the 8-month-old covered in waste but miraculously alive.

Sgt. William Solt describes the women as "heroes" noting they "rendered as much first aid as possible" until police arrived. The infant, who police say was dehydrated and injured, was taken to a hospital where she was listed in stable condition Tuesday. Later Tuesday, police charged Harriette Hoyt with second-degree attempted murder. Court documents state Hoytwho lives 20 miles from Elmira in Sayre, Penn.left the child near bushes around noon on Saturday, did not return to check on her, and did not contact anyone else regarding her safety, per WHAM. WENY reports Holt, who faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted, showed "no emotion" during a court appearance Wednesday. She's due back in court on Monday. (Read more attempted murder stories.)
A GOP senator is backtracking after controversial comments about John McCain Tuesday. Speaking about the Senate's failure to pass a bill repealing ObamaCare on the AM560 radio show Chicago's Morning Answer, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said, "I'm not gonna speak for John McCainhe has a brain tumor right nowthat vote occurred at 1:30 in the morning, some of that might have factored in." In response to the host's incredulous "really?" Johnson replied, "Again, I-I-I don't know exactly whatwe really thoughtand again I don't want speak for any senator. I really thought John was going to vote yes to send that to conference at 10:30 at night. By about 1, 1:30, he voted no. So you have talk to John in terms what was on his mind."

But Johnson was singing a different tune in a statement Wednesday in which he said he's "disappointed I didn't more eloquently express my sympathy for what Sen. McCain is going through. I have nothing but respect for him and the vote came at the end of a long day for everyone." The statement came after Johnson's original words caused a bit of an uproar, with a McCain spokesperson calling them "bizarre and deeply unfortunate," CNN reports. Politico notes that there was also backlash against Johnson on Twitter; one columnist called Johnson "the scuzziest senator [ever]." (Read more Ron Johnson stories.)
The parents of a Georgia teenager found dead inside a rolled-up gym mat and their attorney must pay more than $292,000 in legal fees to dozens of people they accused of foul play in a lawsuit that was later dropped, a judge ruled. The body of Kendrick Johnson, 17, of Valdosta was found in 2013 by classmates at Lowndes High School. Sheriff's investigators concluded Johnson died in a freak accident, stuck upside-down and unable to breathe while trying to retrieve a shoe that fell inside the upright mat. But Johnson's parents have long insisted he was murdered. Kenneth and Jacquelyn Johnson filed a 2015 lawsuit accusing two brothers of killing their son. They also said law enforcement and school officials covered up the crime. The Johnsons dropped the suit last year.

The 39 defendants they had sued asked the judge to order the family to pay their attorney fees and related court costs, the AP reports. They initially said they were owed about $850,000. Superior Court Judge Richard Porter had the lawyers take a closer look at their billings. In a ruling Monday, he ordered the Johnsons and their attorney, Chevene King, to pay $292,105. He cited sworn depositions in which attorneys questioned Johnson's parents in October 2015. "Their testimony shows that they had no evidence to support their claims that the [brothers] killed Johnson or that any of the other defendants engaged in a conspiracy to conceal the cause or manner of Johnson's death," Porter wrote. The judge's order also holds the Johnsons' attorney responsible for filing a "groundless" lawsuit and taking actions to delay rulings in the case. (Read more lawsuit stories.)
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School District 2 trustees fired a tenured Medicine Crow Middle School teacher for poor job performance Wednesday.

Mark Kramlich had taught social studies full-time in SD2 since 2008. District officials laid out a multi-year pattern of poor teaching and supervision, failure to perform basic tasks and an unwillingness to follow improvement plans  including specific incidents like a student climbing out a classroom window and Kramlich calling students "f---ing idiots."

SD2 representatives couldn't recall the last time trustees fired a tenured teacher. Montana law awards tenure to teachers employed for more than four years and requires "good cause" to fire them.

"This is truly an anomaly," superintendent Terry Bouck said. "Mark Kramlich should not be teaching our children."

Kramlich disputed district accusations and presented trustees with a 30-page workplace bullying report, arguing that scrutiny from administrators unfairly targeted him.

"When they say that it's chaos, chaos, chaos, I have documentation that shows differently," he said.

Kramlich represented himself at the hearing. The Billings Education Association, the local teachers union, notified the district before the hearing that it wouldn't provide representation for Kramlich, district officials said.

Medicine Crow

Administrators from Medicine Crow painted a picture of an ineffective teacher whose failure to supervise students created safety risks.

Associate Principal Tyler Blood detailed an incident during state-required standardized testing when a student removed a window screen, climbed out, and was locked back out by other students. The student went back in through the front door of the school and returned to the classroom. Administrators only found out about the incident because of a Snapchat video.

"How does that happen?" Blood said Wednesday in front of trustees. "That's not OK ... He's not a teacher. He shouldn't be in our building. He shouldn't be in any building."

Of the 117 students in Kramlich's classes, he wrote up 55 of them during the year, Blood said. In a document detailing SD2's accusations, students described disciplinary measures like one student being made to "stand on a chair in the middle of a classroom because he was 'a peasant,' and made people throw things at him." The student was hit in the head by a binder, according to student statements.

In another incident, students said that Kramlich called them "f---ing idiots." When confronted by administrators, Kramlich said he "nearly" used the curse word but didn't finish it.

Blood and school principal Nikki Hofmann said that Kramlich failed to present coherent lessons, grade assignments consistently, keep his classroom clean and provide documentation for teaching practices.

Hofmann, in describing several student and parent complaints, said that one particularly bright student became "very lackadaisical about her work" after Kramlich failed to grade assignments or assigned grades without evaluating work.

Hofmann said that one class of 22 students had a grade breakdown of one F, one A and 20 A-pluses.

"He came on to our radar through parent calls, emails," she said. "You need to take the word of middle schoolers with a grain of salt ... (But) when you start to hear enough of the same thing, you see a pattern."

Will James

Kramlich ended up at Medicine Crow as a chance for a "fresh start," Bouck said. He was transferred to the new middle school after teaching at Will James Middle School since 2008. Kramlich said he requested the transfer.

The district said Kramlich pushed back against attempts to improve his teaching at Will James Middle School, blaming then-Principal Reece Kalfell.

"Kalfel (sic) hates me," he wrote to a union representative in an email.

He continued to argue at Wednesday's hearing that administrators at Medicine Crow, who district officials said were not informed of problems at Will James, subjected him to unfair scrutiny.

"I did not get a fresh start," he said, disputing several interactions described by administrators. He did admit to other problems, like not consistently recording attendance.

In May, Kramlich filed a harassment and bullying complaint with the district, arguing in part that he was being discriminated against for his sexual orientation, his evaluations constituted harassment and that he wasn't given time to show improvement. An outside investigator hired by SD2 found no basis for the claims.

Kramlich was hired in 2008 by then-Will James Principal Lance Orner after working as a substitute.

"While Principal Orner generally gave Mr. Kramlich good evaluation marks, Mr. Kramlich's first years at the District were not without performance issues," according to a document detailing the problems with the teacher's performance.

Orner dinged Kramlich for arriving late to work and not recording attendance during the 2010-11 school year, according to district officials. During the 2012-13 school year, Orner "reached out to Mr. Kramlich with an increased number of parent and student concerns."

In 2013-14, parent complaints increased and Kramlich failed to complete required professional development classes.

Play

One parent complaint became a continuing reference point for Kramlich. A parent took issue with their daughter "being 'forced' to 'play a lesbian' in a play Mr. Kramlich was overseeing as head of the school's drama club."

District administrators reviewed the play and "it was decided that the play would not be performed." Another play was nixed the next school year.

When addressing trustees, Kramlich opened his presentation citing the play, saying it hadn't been cast yet.

"I don't even know where the lesbians came into play," he said. When asked by Trustee Janna Hafer when he felt harassment by administrators started, he identified the play's rejection.

When asked why Kramlich earned tenure and the district didn't attempt to terminate his employment for several years after documented problems emerged, SD2 lawyer Jeana Lervick, who previously served as director of Human Resources for the district, cited attempts to improve Kramlich's teaching that took several years.

"It's extremely unusual to get to this point," she said. "But it does not mean that nothing was being done up until this point."

Five trustees voted unanimously to fire Kramlich. Trustee Joe Oravecz attended most of the hearing but was absent for the vote, and trustees Mike Leo, Tanya Ludwig and Gordon Klasna did not attend.

"It's very, very tough to be here," said board chairwoman Greta Besch Moen. "(But) it's a pattern that has spanned years. It's spanned administrators."

Several trustees noted that Kramlich didn't have union representation. Kramlich said he would have preferred representation, and cited "errors" by the union.

MEA-MFT representative Scott McCulloch said Thursday that Kramlich told the union on three separate occasions that he would have his own counsel at the hearing, and the union doesn't provide representation when members retain their own counsel.
As the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) recently confirmed, outdoor recreation is not only intrinsic to our way of life in Montana, it is now the largest sector of Montanas economy.

According to OIAs new numbers, Montanas outdoor recreation economy generates over $7 billion per year in consumer spending and supports over 70,000 jobs that pay more than $2 billion worth of wages. These numbers, while eye-popping, are even more impressive when you consider that they dont even account for indirect economic effects, such as the hundreds of start-ups and small businesses that choose to locate here to take advantage of our outdoor way of life.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the report is that the old economy versus conservation dichotomy no longer applies. As this data shows, our economy actually depends on conservation of our public lands. Not only are public lands critical to the clean air and water that make our communities livable, they are what make our outdoor recreation economy tick, with hikers, bikers, skiers, and others spending billions each year in Montana while recreating on public lands.

This report from OIA also makes clear that Montana is home to a thriving industry of small businesses, an industry that is resilient, even in times of economic downturn. But, just like other key sectors of our economy, we cant expect this industry to grow if we dont have the right policies in place. A common sense and much-needed first step is the creation of Montanas own Office of Outdoor Recreation, and we applaud Governor Steve Bullock for recently announcing that he will create this office in September. Similar offices have already been created in at least six other states.

Despite the enormous influence that outdoor recreation plays in our states economy, we have never had an office dedicated to supporting and growing that sector. While several different agencies manage various pieces of the outdoor recreation economy  State Parks, Office of Tourism, Office of Economic Development, for instance  we lack a unified and strategic approach to this massive part of our economy.

This new Office of Outdoor Recreation could play several critical roles in our outdoor recreation economy. One of its top priorities should be to expand the outdoor recreation economy map in Montana and help rural communities across the state gain access to the resources they need to more fully capture the benefits of that economy. Those resources could include grant opportunities to strengthen trail systems and improve outdoor infrastructure. Likewise, the office could be an important advocate for rural business owners, such as outfitters and guides, who have ideas on how to improve Montana's regulatory environment and promote outdoor tourism.

Another priority should be to protect our public lands. For our outdoor economy to thrive, we must reaffirm our commitment to keeping our public lands intact, well-managed, and accessible, especially as visitation continues to rise. That means, at a minimum, rejecting efforts to transfer ownership or management to the state, a move that would compel the state to either industrialize or sell off those lands just to keep the state from going bankrupt. It also means strengthening and supporting efforts to protect wildlands and investing in outdoor recreation infrastructure. Keeping our public lands in prime condition  with clean water, clear trails, abundant wildlife, and beautiful vistas  is, after all, the right economic choice.

Finally, the office should serve as an advocate for properly funding our public land management agencies. We rely on the Park Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other agencies to maintain trails, trailheads, campgrounds, and other infrastructure on our public lands. Without that infrastructure in place, we cant expect our outdoor recreation economy to continue to thrive. Right now, these agencies are facing a budget crisis, and the Office of Outdoor Recreation could serve as a powerful voice in persuading our elected officials to adequately fund those agencies.

Every community in our state has the potential to use outdoor recreation to improve the quality of life for its residents and attract new visitors, businesses, and investment. We hope this office helps more communities harness the power of this booming sector of our economy.
New Delhi:

It may be tough for you to retire in India as the place is not considered best for retirement. As per the report of French asset management company Natixis Global, India ranks lowest among BRICS countries in terms of retirement.

In a list of global retirement index of 43 countries, India has ranked the lowest. The French index ranks countries on the basis of four parameters -- the material means to live comfortably in retirement; access to quality financial services to help preserve savings value and maximize income; access to quality health services; and a clean and safe environment.

On all the four parameters, India ranked lowest whereas Switzerland, Norway and Iceland help top positions.

The index ranks 43 countries which include International Monetary Fund (IMF) advanced economies, members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China).

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New Delhi:

Subrata Roys Sahara Group on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking not to auction the Aamby Valley property. The group said that some developments are being made on refund of money to capital market regulator Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India).

Last month the Supreme Court directed the Bombay High Court liquidator to start the process of selling Sahara's Aamby Valley property. Sahara was also asked to deposit Rs. 1,500 crore with market regulator Sebi by September 7 in the SEBI-Sahara refund account by September 7.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear Sahara's petition soon. A three-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra was informed by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Roy, that the Sahara chief has deposited Rs 247 crore as against the promised amount of Rs 552.21 crore which was to be deposited in the refund account by July 15.

Sibal told the bench, also comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and A K Sikri, that the balance amount of Rs 305.21 crore out of the Rs 552.21 crore would be deposited by August 12.

The bench, however, said that Rs 1,500 crore which Roy would deposit by September seven would also include the balance amount of Rs 305.21 crore.

The apex court extended the parole granted to him earlier till October 10. The bench asked the official liquidator of the Bombay High Court to proceed with the publication of sale notice with regard to auctioning of Saharas prime property at Aamby Valley.

The bench fixed the matter for further hearing on September 11. On July 5, the apex court had noted that Roy had deposited Rs 710.22 crore in the SEBI-Sahara account, but had warned him that his cheque of Rs 552.21 crore must be realised within the July 15 deadline.

Roy had earlier told the court that he will pay Rs 1,500 crore on or before June 15 and Rs 552.22 crore exactly a month thereafter.

He has spent almost two years in jail and been on parole since May 6 last year. The parole was granted the first time to enable him attend the funeral of his mother. It has been extended since then.

Besides Roy, two other directorsRavi Shankar Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudharywere arrested for failure of the groups two companiesSahara India Real Estate Corporation (SIRECL) and Sahara Housing Investment Corp Ltd (SHICL) -- to comply with the courts August 31, 2012 order to return Rs 24,000 crore to their investors.

Another company director Vandana Bhargava was not taken into custody.

With PTI Inputs

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New Delhi:

Indian Telecom sector is one of the growing industry. It eases business by speeding up the communication and also contribute to the GDP by speeding up the communication. As this sector is in the financial stress, The inter-ministerial group constituted to suggest measures to ease financial stress will meet next week to discuss and finalize its report, according to a senior DoT official.

The high-level group will hold its next meeting on August 14 and August 16 to "discuss, finalize and sign" its report, said the official who did not wish to be named. The draft report is expected to be circulated among members tomorrow.Telecom sector is reeling under massive debt and profitability issues, so for helping out the sector IMG with other proposals considering of giving more time to pay for the spectrum they bought

At present, a portion of spectrum auction amount is taken as upfront payment by Department of Telecom (DoT) and the rest after a two-year moratorium is paid out every year in 10 installments. Some other proposals being considered include shifting from PLR (over 13 per cent) to MCLR (8 per cent) for interest on deferred payments, and convergence between DoT guidelines and RBI guidelines on the issue of allowing spectrum as a collateral.

The IMG, earlier in June, had held extensive dialogue with all telecom players as well as large banks to discuss the industry's financial difficulties. Three Giant operators Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular United against Reliance Jio, have cited Rs 4.6 lakh crore of cumulative industry debt to demand raising of the call termination charges from the current 14 paise per minute as well as reduction in licence fee, spectrum usage charges and GST, besides relaxation in deferred payment norms for the spectrum acquired.

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New Delhi:

In a tragic incident on Wednesday in outer Delhis Nihal Vihar, a 19-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing his father, said police.

After killing his father with a knife, Rahul informed the police, following which he was arrested, they said.

According to the police, Rahuls father, Dinesh would often come home drunk and allegedly thrash and abuse his mother.

Yesterday too, his father returned home drunk and again started beating his wife. Rahul tried to persuade him against assaulting his mother but Dinesh did not listen to him.

In a fit of rage, Rahul stabbed his father to death with a knife. He also informed police who arrested him.
New Delhi:

Remember the controversial contestant of Bigg Boss 10 - Swami Om, who had created the buzz with his contentious remarks and arrogant behaviour on the reality show? Well, the self proclaimed godman is once again in the headlines, after he was arrested by Delhi Police on Wednesday. According to the media reports, Swami Om was arrested by inter-state cell of crime branch of Delhi police from Bhajanpura.

"Delhi: Controversial self-proclaimed godman Swami Om arrested from Bhajanpura, by inter-state cell of crime branch. More details awaited," ANI tweeted a couple of minutes back.

Interestingly, this isn't the first time that Swami Om has been arrested by the cops. Earlier, both Swami Om and Swami Santosh Anand were accused of molesting and threatening a woman.

Earlier, the court granted the relief to Om on a personal bond of Rs 25,000 and a surety of the like amount.

Also Read: Rakhi Sawant vs Swami Om | 'Baba Bawali' supports Asaram Bapu

Advocate A P Singh, who appeared for Om, claimed that all the allegations were false and frivolous and the FIR was lodged to defame the accused.

The self-proclaimed godman rose to fame after he appeared in the season 10 of famous television reality show Big Boss. Famous Bollywood actor Salman Khan has been seen hosting the show throughout the years.

#Delhi: Controversial self-proclaimed godman Swami Om arrested from Bhajanpura, by inter-state cell of crime branch. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/6bfut27T9H  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

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DECATUR  Months after being arrested for his involvement in five burglaries in 2016, police said officers arrested a 24-year-old man in another burglary that happened around the same time as the others.

The man faces a preliminary charge of burglary, which is subject to review by the Macon County State's Attorney's office. He was held in the Macon County Jail on $10,000 bond Tuesday.

Responding to an activated security alarm, police found a broken window around 3:27 a.m. Nov. 22 in the 800 block of West Macon Street, according to a signed police affidavit.

The homeowner told police that the house was being renovated and unoccupied, the affidavit said. Nothing was taken from the house, the affidavit said, but police found a large pair of bolt cutters, an empty bottle of liquor and wire strippers underneath the broken window.

Those items were sent to be processed at the Illinois State Police Crime Lab, which found the suspect's fingerprints on the liquor bottle and bolt cutters. He was arrested at the intersection of West Macon Street and South Haworth Avenue on Monday.

The man was previously arrested for five burglaries that happened between Nov. 16 and Dec. 18, 2016. The affidavit said those burglaries were in the same general area as the one connected with this recent arrest. He pleaded guilty to one count of burglary and received probation on April 5.
New Delhi:

Veteran actor Dilip Kumar who was hospitalised last week on Wednesday after suffering from dehydration, has been discharged today evening from Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. Lat week, Kumar was reportedly rushed to the hospital after he complained a variety of health issues.

According to media reports, Dilip showed considerable progress during his treatment throughout the week. Apart from dehydration, the actor was also struggling with kidney dysfunction and urinary tract infection.

"Yes, Dilip Kumar sahab is ready to go home. He will be discharged today. He is eating well and feeling better. There is nothing to worry about as his creatinine levels have come down to normal. He has been suggested some rest at home, and soon he will start following his normal routine," Ajay Kumar Pande, the VP of Lilavati Hospital was quoted while interacting wityh reporters.

Message from Saira Banu:

By the grace of Allah, Dilip Sahab is under the care of Dr. Nitin Gokhale, Dr. Arun Shah of Lilavati Hospital...1/  Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) August 9, 2017

"We are very happy on the progress of Dilip Kumars health. He has responded so well. One thing he has been suggested by the doctors is to stay away from getting any sort of infection. Dilip Sahabs creatinine level has come down further. He is normal and responding. Enjoying his food. It is a good sign. Will take a decision on his discharge soon," Ajay added further.

Also Read: Dilip Kumar's health is stable now, confirms family friend

2/:and Sahab's personal family physicians Dr. R.C. Sharma and Dr. S. Gokhale, along with the able input of Dr. S. D. Bapat...this excellent  Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) August 9, 2017

Saira Banu, the wife of the veteran actor stood by his side throughout the time of his suffering and was a bit relaxed after hospital administration confirmed the release of Kumar.

Talking about the same Saira said, "He is very good. It was like a nightmare. This has been a miracle. I thank God for all the good things. All the fans, doctors, everybody wished for his good health and God heard. I cant tell you how grateful I am. This was a terrible thing which happened all of a sudden. He is perfectly fine now. He is eating and also talking slowly. God willing he will be alright soon. Jiska shauhar Kohinoor hoga Hindustan hu, unki wife sati savritri Kyu Nahi hogi? Main deewani hu unki."

Also Read: Dilip Kumars health still critical, battling renal dysfunction

Dilip ji is totally fine and I am waiting for doctor to discharge him today: Saira Banu, #DilipKumar wife pic.twitter.com/DwwKXufhIM  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

Saira did not even forget to thank the team of doctors and Dilip's fans and followers throughout the world. Dilip was being inundated with best wishes from colleagues and fans while he was suffering from a variety of ailments throughout the week.

Also Read: Lata Mangeshkar wishes Dilip Kumar quick recovery

3/ team has given the green signal to take Sahab home today.  Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) August 9, 2017

4/ My gratitude to fans, friends for prayers, doctors for expert treatment, hospital staff n Sahab's personal attendants for all the care.  Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) August 9, 2017

5/ It is the Almighty God's will and benevolence that I wish to acknowledge in all humility and gratitude.  Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) August 9, 2017

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New Delhi:

Celebrated actress Oviya Helen pulled out of Bigg Boss Tamil citing medical reasons. And the buzz doing the round is that she might not come back on the show.



After quitting Bigg Boss Tamil, Oviya is now back to her first love  acting, and will soon start shooting for the film Silukkuvarupatti Singam which she has signed before entering the Bigg Boss house.



Silukkuvarupatti Singam has Regina Cassandra and Vishnu Vishal in the lead roles while Oviya will be seen in a cameo. As per the sources, Oviyas role was initially small but is now slated to be an extended cameo.



Silukkuvarupatti Singam will be the first film for Oviya post-Bigg Boss. It is being termed as her comeback film in the Tamil language as she was last seen in a Tamil movie more than a year ago.



Thanks to Kamal Haasan hosted Bigg Boss Tamil Oviya has now earned a huge fan following especially for her candid and cheeky demeanour on the show.



It was believed that Oviya will go on to win the Bigg Boss title in the first season of the show but she voluntarily walked out of the house thus earning huge fan following and respect from the audience.



Silukkuvarupatti Singam is being directed by Chella Ayyavu and produced by Vishnu Vishal.
New Delhi:

On the eve of 71st Independence, it is a time to remember the sacrifices of the revolutionaries who devoted their life for the freedom of India. The Chauri Chaura and Kakori incident were inflection points in the freedom struggle movement which led to a revamping of political and social strategies by eminent leaders for the cause of the Indian freedom movement.

Chauri Chaura

After World War I (1914-18), the fight over independence in India was fully accelerated because the British had turned their backs on their promise of liberating India after World War. Following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre (April 13, 1919) and the Rowlat Act, there was a tremendous uprising against the English government in the Indians.

The proposals passed in the Calcutta Convention, which had things like promoting indigenous movement by the acquisition of self-interest and the exclusion of foreign goods, had to end the economic and social pillars of British rule. So in 1920, non-cooperation movement under the leadership of Gandhi took the form of extension.

It became such a nationwide movement that led the country to think that the country would be liberated very soon. Standing on the leadership of Gandhi, the whole country was fighting the non-cooperation movement. Millions of farmers - the workers stood together against the British. After the rebellion of 1857, the English rule was once again completely shaken but on February 5, 1922 when the police stopped a group of farmers in Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur, the angry mob burnt the police station there. In which nearly 22 policemen were killed.

It was such a time that when whole India was on the streets, the English rule was shaken. But after the violent incidents of Chauri-Chaura, Gandhi postponed the non-cooperation movement.There is no doubt that Gandhi's non-violent style was uniting the country as an ideology. But after the postponement of the Non-Cooperation Movement, many members of Congress and the revolutionaries opposed Gandhi's decision.

After this, the angry members formed a new Swaraj Party because at the time the freedom movement was at its peak. At such a time, delaying of the movement was to weaken the entire battle.Politicians such as Motilal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose did not believe in the right to postpone the entire movement due to the violence in any corner of the country.

Also read | 70 years of Independence: Remembering martyr Shivaram Rajguru, Indias beloved son

Kakori conspiracy

Kakori conspiracy also known as train robbery incident took place on 9th August 1925. Kakori conspiracy, one of the significant event of the freedom struggle. The conspiracy was planned and executed by the Hindustan Socialist Republic Association (HSRA). The whole ploy was spearheaded by Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqullah Khan.

The main aim behind this robbery was the need of money.Since people with money refuted to help them because of fear of the government. So they decided to loot the Number 8 Down Train travelling from Shahjahanpur to Lucknow. At Kakori, the train was stopped by one of the revolutionaries by pulling its chain and 10 HRA revolutionaries looted the government treasure. In the conspiracy one passenger was killed by an accidental shot, making it a murder case. The revolutionaries escaped to Lucknow.

However, the plot was unearthed within a month and some 30 people were arrested. The people who were arrested included Swaran Singh, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri, Durga Bhagavati Chandra Vohra, Roshan Singh, Sachindra Bakshi, Chandrasekhar Azad, Vishnu Sharan Dublish, Keshab Chakravarthy, Banwari Lal, Mukundi Lal, Sachindra Nath Sanyal, and Manmathnath GuptaRam Prasad Bismil and some others were charged with various offences, including robbery and murder. The final judgments were pronounced on April 6, 1927.

Also read |70 Years of Independence: Remembering Mangal Pandey, who led first war against British regime in 1857

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New Delhi:

India is all set to celebrate 71st Independence Day on 15th of August. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the Indian flag from ramparts of Red Fort. In the 70 years of independent India, there were many politicians who have shaped the fortunes of country. While their illustrious contributions took the country to the position where it is today, there are many budding politicians on the political landscape who have age on their side and have the potential to carry the country forward.

Chances are that the young politicians of Indian political landscape will be torch bearers as we will move forward. Seldom that we see a young politician on the horizon but fact of the matter is that it is young politicians who will take our country from strength to strength. At the occasion of 71st Independence Day, we are trying to look into young politicians who have shown all the spark to make it big in Indian politics:

1. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Birth date: January 1, 1971): He is son of Congress politician Late Madhavrao Scindia . He has already held important positions in the government. He has already served as Minister of State for Commerce and Industry. He is known to voice his opinions in the Parliament as well as outside. He represents Indian National Congress as an MP. He earned a management degree from Stanford University. He has also worked for Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley as investment banker.

2. Sachin Pilot (Birth date: September 7, 1977): He is son of deceased Congress politician Rajesh Pilot. Like father, Sachin Pilot is also a Congress politician. His title of pilot came to him as his father was squadron leader in Air Force. Sachin Pilot is known because of his quality to mince no words. He actively participates in the leading issues of the country. He is a management graduate from prestigious Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA. He has already held important position of Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology in last government.

3. Akhilesh Yadav (Birth date: July 1, 1973): He is son of Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. Akhilesh has already held an important position of being the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2012 to 2017. As the present standing goes, he has also become his partys chief. Known for his witty oratorical skills, Akhilesh is new hope for his party. He is an engineering graduate. He married to Dimple Yadav who is also active in politics. His young shoulder carries the responsibility of his party as well as the hopes of millions of young Indians.

4. Omar Abdullah (Birth date: March 10, 1970): He is son of NCs patriarch Farooq Abdullah. He has already served as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He is considered very close to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi. He is a B.Com graduate and grandson of Sheikh Abdullah. He, his father and grandfather, all have been Chief Minister of the state. He has also held position of Minister of state for External Affairs.

5. Dushyant Singh (Birth date: September 11, 1973): He is son of Vasundhara Raje (a member of the Scindia royal family of Gwalior). Dushyant Singh belongs to Bhartiya Janata Party. He acquired a management degree from IHTTI School of Management, Neuchatel, Switzerland. He represents the Jhalawar-Baran constituency of Rajasthan. He is son of last recognised titular Maharaja of Dholpur, Hemant Singh. He completed his schooling at Colonel Brown Cambridge School and The Doon School.

6. Rahul Gandhi (Birth date: June 19, 1970): Rahul hails from one of Indias most powerful political family. Three members of his family have been Prime Ministers in independent India. His father, Rajiv Gandhi, was also Prime Minister of India. He is currently Vice President of Congress party. He has been very active in politics of late. As we near 2019 Lok Sabha elections, there are chances that he will spearhead the Congress campaign. He went to Harvard University but after assassination of his father, he was shifted to Rollins College, University of Florida due to security reasons.

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New Delhi:

Amid the border standoff with China, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said the Indian armed forces are strong enough to meet any challenge to the countrys security as he underlined that lessons have been learnt from the 1962 war.

He also said in the Rajya Sabha that the people of the country have a predominant wish of retrieving the parts of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan since 1948.

Jaitley, while initiating a special debate to mark the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942, said India had faced many challenges over these decades but we can proudly say the country became stronger with each challenge.

He said India had learnt a lesson from the 1962 war with China that the armed forces will have be made fully capable on our own because even today the nation faces challenges from our neighbouring countries.

Compared to 1962, the armed forces were made stronger in 1965 and 1971 wars, Jaitley said.

In 1962, India had to face a war imposed by China and suffer severe reverses. However, in the wars of 1965 and 1971 thrust by Pakistan, India had emerged victorious.

I agree that some challenges are still there. Some people are targeting our countrys sovereignty and integrity. But I am fully confident that our brave soldiers have capabilty to keep our country secure, may it be challenges on the eastern border or the western border, he said.

The armed forces can give any kind of sacrifice for the security of the nation, the defence minister asserted.

Also Read | In a Dragon vs Tiger faceoff, who holds the edge? Indian military's strength check

Jaitleys message assumes significance as it comes amid a two-month-long border standoff with China in Doklam even though he did not specifically mention it.

He also referred to the occupation of parts of J&K by Pakistan soon after the Independence.

Initially (after Independence), we faced a crisis. Our neighbour had an eye on Kashmir. Even today, we cannot forget that a part of the country has got separated. It is a wish of every Indian today as to how to retrieve that part, the minister said.

Jaitley, who is Leader of the Rajya Sabha, said today was the day to commit to make India a strong, just and economically-progressive country.

He underlined the need for freeeing the country from all kinds of violence, be it in the name terrorism, politics or religion.

Jaitley said the country is facing a bigger challenge from terrorism and Left-wing extremism.

In a clear reference to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, he said a prime minister and a former prime minister had to lose their lives to terrorism.

Jaitley said people from across the border and also some people within the country who have taken to arms, are trying to spread terrorism especially in northern region of the country.

He said the security forces, including army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir police have contributed a lot in fight against terrorist in J&K, though some incidents still take place.

Jaitley stressed that the House and the whole nation needed to commit in one voice to fight the menace of terrorism.

He also emphasised on probity in public life and reduction of money use in politics.

Emphasising that different religions and castes are an integral part of the country, Jaitley said it is important to manitain harmony in the country.

The minister said there should be no place in the country for violence in the name of politics, religion and terrorism.

The country should be freed from such violence, he said and added that on this historic day there is a need to take pledge to make India strong, just and economically progressive.

While recalling the events related to Quit India movement launched on this day in 1942, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad took a jibe on the ruling BJP, saying last night too several incidents happened, an apparent reference to Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat and subsequent events.

As Azad said parties of those who participated in the freedom struggle and those who did not could be easily searched online, CPM member Sitaram Yechury quipped that internet was not working.

Suggested Read | Sikkim standoff: India rejects Chinese claim of troop reduction, says forces' ground position remains intact in Doklam

To this, Azad said the country has defeated the mightiest powers and one should not get afraid of such small issues like absence of internet.

Samajwadi Party member Ram Gopal Yadav talked about contribution of socialist leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and Jai Prakasah Narayan.

He asked the government to keep an eye on Himalayan region as the threat is from that side.

Senior JDU leader Sharad Yadav stressed that one should learn from history. History should not distorted, he added.

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New Delhi:

The Chandigarh police on Wednesday arrested Haryana BJP president Subhash Baralas son Vikas Barala (23) and his friend Ashish (27) in connection with stalking case.

The police arrested him under non-bailable sections while inflicting section of attempt of abduction. Vikas appeared before police at secor-26 police station. The police had already made heavy security arrangements at the police station.

Earlier in the day, the Chandigarh police summoned Vikas Barala to join the investigation.

Tejinder Luthra, Chandigarh DGP, said everything under the sun and effort will be done to ensure justice.

The DGP said,Vikas Barala refused to accept the notice, therefore, we have pasted the notice on the wall of his residence.

#ChandigarhStalkingCase: Accused Vikas Barala, son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala, arrives at police station in Sector 26, Chandigarh. pic.twitter.com/vno6YLF36n  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

On the other hand, Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala said that Vikas will cooperate the police in the investigation and urged the opposition parties not to play politics in the matter.

Also Read | Chandigarh stalking case: Police summon Haryana BJP president's son Vikas Barala for probe

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New Delhi:

The Chandigarh police on Wednesday summoned Haryana BJP President Subhash Baralas son Vikas Barala in connection with stalking case.

The police asked Barala to reach at Sector-26 police station at 11 am for investigation in the matter.

Tejinder Luthra, Chandigarh DGP, said that additional evidence is welcome but they now have sufficient CCTV footage.

Luthra said everything under the sun and effort will be done to ensure justice.

The DGP said,Vikas Barala refused to accept the notice, therefore, we have pasted the notice on the wall of his residence.

Krishan Kumar, Subhash Barala's PA said that they have received police notice for Vikas, but he did not have details.

It is said that Vikas Barala refused to take summon when the police approached him early morning. Later, the police officials pasted the summon at the gate of his residence.

Vikas Barala refused to accept the notice therefore we have pasted the notice on the wall of his residence: T Luthra, Chandigarh IG pic.twitter.com/1QVdZbcMhC  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

We have received the police notice( to Vikas). I don't have any other details: Krishan Kumar,Subhash Barala's PA #ChandigarhStalkingCase pic.twitter.com/3oFDsCQaNo  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

On Tuesday, Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala broke his silence, saying that the victim (Varnika Kundu) is like his daughter and there was no pressure from his side to influence the investigation.

Chandigarh: Police summons Haryana BJP President's son Vikas Barala at 11 am today, in stalking case pic.twitter.com/tVtTESfAor  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

While talking to ANI, Barala said that law must take its own course in the matter. He said BJP is a party which believes in women's rights and freedom.

Senior BJP leader Anil Jain, in-charge of the partys Haryana affairs, had ruled out the resignation of Barala following the arrest of his son.

Also Read | Chandigarh stalking case: Police find footage showing IAS daughter being stalked by Haryana BJP chiefs son

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New Delhi:

A major untoward incident was averted at Delhis Indira Gandhi International airport after wings of Ethiopian Airlines plane collided with Air India on Wednesday early hours.

According to airport officials the incident occurred on Tuesday night when the Ethiopian Airlines plane was being pushed back for a take-off and Air India's Airbus A320 was parked.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is probing the incident.

Air India official not authorised to talk to the media said that the wings of the two planes collided with each other.

The official added that the Air India plane has been grounded temporarily.

Also Read: Air India flight suffers tyre burst at IGI airport, all passengers safe

Also Read: Abu Dhabi-Mumbai Etihad Airways flight tyre bursts on landing at Airport, all passengers, crew safe

The official added that the ET plane was was being pushed back by tractor at bay No. 87 and the Air India flight was parked at Bay No 86.

The Ethiopian Airlines apologised to its passengers and said, We flew with an substitute aircraft to continue with flight service.

The Ethiopian flight ET 687 was bound to Addis Ababa and was scheduled to depart at 2.20am Wednesday.

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New Delhi:

Highlighting the dangers of communalism, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday said a Hindu Pakistan should not be created in India.

He was speaking in the Rajya Sabha while participating in a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.

Yechury referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modis comments in the recent episode of his monthly radio programme Mann ki Baat in which he had said that all out efforts should be made to end the problems of the country in five years from now, just like the period between 1942 and 1947 was a decisive one.

Now, Sir, what is that objective? In 1947, we became Independent. We are all proud... In those five years, we also saw the partition of India. We saw the communal polarisation that led to this unfortunate partition, aided by the British. So, if you are alluding to those five years, there is an ominous sign. It is a very dark cloud, Yechury said.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad immediately objected to Yechurys remarks, saying the prime minister had spoken about unemployment, education etc.

This is wrong quoting...It is going on the record and I must protest, Prasad said, adding today is a pious day, he should not talk against the prime minister.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked Yechury to please avoid controversies.

Continuing his speech, the CPI(M) leader, whose term as Rajya Sabha member is coming to an end next week, said it was the prime minister who had said that communalism must quit India.

I am talking of that communalism. It was the prime minister of India, and your leader, who said that communalism must quit India. I am asking, are we doing anything to make it quit, Yechury asked.

Also Read | Kerala CM asks media to leave from CPI(M)-RSS meeting

He said that secularism and democracy were enshrined in our Constitution.

He said that the movement forward should be for strengthening the secular democratic republic of India and not for creating a Hindu-Pakistan in India.

Yechury also criticised the neo-liberal economic policies and held those responsible for disparity.

He said the divide between the rich and poor was widening. From 49 percent earlier, the amount of the countrys GDP held by 1 percent of the countrys population has risen to 58.4 per cent.

The need is to eliminate neo-liberal policies and communalism, Yechury said.

The CPI(M) leader recounted the contribution of several communist leaders in the fight against British rule. He said a lot of people in the cellular jail were communist leaders from Bengal and Punjab.

He, however, emphasised that attempts should not be made to appropriate the freedom struggle.

Yechury said there were two communist leaders - a maulana and a swami - who had moved a resolution for complete independence at a meeting of the Indian National Congress in 1921.

The Quit India movement belonged to the people and is a common heritage, he said.

Participating in the debate, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Congress) recalled the contribution of freedom fighters in the countrys Independence.

However, he regretted that there were some traitors at that time also, who did not participate in the movement at that time.

There were parties at that time which sided with the British to derail the Quit India movement, Roy said.

Even today, there are some traitors who threaten our brotherhood, he said, adding that Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would launch BJP Bharat chhodo andolan (BJP Quit India movement) from today.

At this juncture, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said politics should not be brought into this discussion which has to be at a higher level.

Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also said that at least for today, criticism should be left aside. Congress leader Anand Sharma, however, said that if something is a fact of history it must remain in the record.

Also Read | Darjeeling stir: CPI (M), BJP fueling unrest in West Bengal, says chief minister Mamata Banerjee

Prasanna Acharya (BJD) said the need is not to create a Congress-free or BJP-free India but a corruption and communalism free India.

Veer Singh (BSP) spoke against the inequality in the society while Majeed Memon (NCP) spoke about mountains of hate being created and emphasised on the need to counter poverty and unemployment.

Kanimozi (DMK) said an atmosphere prevails today that not speaking Hindi or eating some food were seen by some as being less India. Why have we become this?.

She said that 50 percent of the populationthe women

were still not being given their due and there were incidents like stalking and honour killings, a reference to the Chandigarh stalking case.

She said it was a sorry state of affairs that leaders were questioning the victims of stalking etc, asking why they were out late.

The DMK MP regretted that Parliament had been unable to pass the Womens Reservation Bill and half of the population did not get proportional representation in the passing of laws.

Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena) said the Quit India movement was not the monopoly of any one party. He mentioned the contribution of Veer Savarakar and mill workers in the struggle.

Naresh Gujral (SAD) spoke about the sacrifices made by his family and the people as a whole. He said the need was to reflect collectively and not indulge in blame game.

D Raja (CPI) mentioned about the role played by communist leaders along with the Congress.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale, Rajni Patil (Congress) and A V Swamy also spoke.

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New Delhi:

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the opposition BJP and CPI (M) trying to fuel Darjeeling unrest on Wednesday.

Banerjee further added that the state government will never allow division of West Bengal.

BJP is trying to divide the country. They are acting as a catalyst in fueling the ongoing unrest in the Darjeeling hills, said the West Bengal chief minister

She added, Darjeeling, Dooars and Terai is pride of the state. The saffron party is trying to divide Bengal.

Targeting the CPI (M) she said, There is no difference between the CPI (M) and BJP).

The Banerjee said, The CPI(M) when in hills talks about division and in plains they take out rallies for one Bengal.

Life in Darjeeling hills has been affected due to the undeclared bandh there, she had said and urged the hill parties to shun violence and come to the discussion table, for which the government was ready.

Such kind of agitation in the hills has become common in a 10-15 year interval and there had been a loss of Rs 550 crore and that the state administration had shown restraint, she had said at the house.

The indefinite shutdown in the hills is on for a straight 56 days over the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state, which is being spearheaded by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha.

(With inputs from PTI)

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DECATUR  The Decatur detective investigated after he shot and wounded a suspect this spring has been cleared by Macon County State's Attorney Jay Scott, who said Tuesday that the shooting was a justifiable use of force.

Detective Jeffrey Hockaday was placed on administrative duties after wounding Donald Redmon in the back after firing at him three times during a foot chase May 31. Police have said Redmon, 33, was armed with a 9 mm handgun.

In a statement, Scott said Hockaday reasonably believed that the force he used was necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or another when he shot Redmon. Scott said he could not reveal more details because of pending criminal charges against Redmon.

Police said both Redmon and Dallas C. Vorties, 30, had handguns when they were stopped near the 800 block of South Webster Street in a car holding 26 bags of crack cocaine. Both men ran from the vehicle and were taken into custody after a short pursuit, according to police statements.

Scott cleared Hockaday based on information gathered in a report into the shooting prepared by Illinois State Police investigators. It is standard procedure for the state police to investigate officer-involved shootings.

Jeanelle Norman, NAACP Decatur Branch president and one of the community leaders working with police to provide accurate information about the case, said there are still questions about how Redmon came to be shot in the back.

Scott said he had outlined all he could say in the printed statement accompanying his decision on the shooting investigation, which also included copies of sworn police affidavits relating to the charges against Redmon and Vorties. He said he did not hold a press conference because he could not answer questions about the shooting circumstances until the pending cases are resolved.

Police Chief Jim Getz said Hockaday was covered by the same legal restrictions the state's attorney had cited and would not be able to make any comment.

Getz said he is looking at the feasibility of taking action in another area: equipping his officers with body cameras.

I am a supporter of body cameras, Getz said. I think, overall, they are helpful to everybody.

Pretrial scheduled

Recovering from his wound, Redmon was arrested as he was released from HSHS St. Marys Hospital on June 4. He pleaded not guilty June 28 to charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, armed violence and being an armed habitual criminal.

Vorties, who police say was driving the car involved in the traffic stop, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, armed violence and possession of a weapon by a felon. He also pleaded not guilty to all charges on June 28.

Both Redmon and Vorties are being held in the Macon County Jail. Redmon's pretrial is scheduled for Aug. 14, and Vorties' pretrial is scheduled for Aug. 15.

Redmon's lawyer, Scott Rueter, said Tuesday evening he was not free to comment on the case and its developments because of legal rules. An attorney for Vorties could not be reached for comment.

Patrol officer Todd Cline, president of the Police Benevolent & Protection Association Unit 39, said he cannot comment on any department-related issues, especially one involving an ongoing case involving the state's attorney's office.

The Herald & Review filed a request through the Freedom of Information Act seeking video footage of the incident from police vehicle cameras, but the request was denied because of the pending investigation.

Melvin Cox, 45, who lives across the street from where Redmon was shot said his family recently moved to Webster Street.

Cox described the neighborhood as quiet and said he and his family enjoy their friendly neighbors who always say hi and wave. He said his opinion of the neighborhood hasn't changed after the incident.

This is a good neighborhood, a great neighborhood, no problems, he said. Me, my wife and three kids mind our business.

More questions ahead

Scott and Getz praised the efforts of a community group called the Area Leaders Educators Response Team (ALERT), which was formed in 2015 to spread accurate information in the event of high-profile incidents involving police and the black community. Hockaday is white; Redmon is black.

Norman, who helped form the ALERT team, said she accepted the pending court cases imposed legal barriers on what could be revealed now. But, she said, important questions will have to be answered at some point.

We have an interest in knowing where the bullet wounds occurred, and whether there was excessive force used. We very much want to know why (Redmon) was shot in the back, but we didn't get an answer to that, Norman said. The state's attorney stressed that he couldn't have those discussions with us.

Norman said members of the team had not been given any information beyond what has been released to the public.

Another team member, Caring Black Men founder Jeffrey Perkins, said ALERT will continue to respond as the case develops. He expects all of the information that team members and the public want to know will come to light during legal proceedings for Redmon and Vorties.

We have issues regarding officer-involved shootings all over the country," Perkins said. "We just want to stay on top of it when these things happen, and we want to adjust in the best way that we can."

Norman and the Decatur Police Department had founded ALERT in 2015 after several high-profile police-involved shootings nationwide that sparked civil unrest, including the 2014 killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.

ALERT members are notified when incidents such as the officer-involved shooting occur, allowing them to hear some details of what happened and spread those to their schools, churches and neighborhoods.

Norman said the group will be looking for more information in this latest case.

We will continue to seek answers, she said. She said that meant being willing to wait until the court cases against the suspects are heard and to see they get a fair hearing. We want the process to be fair on both sides, but we do have questions we want answers for, she added.

In the meantime, Norman said she wanted to see the police equipped with body cameras: That's something our community should push for; I understand the cost, but having body cameras would clear up what actually happened at the scene and there wouldn't be any questions about it, she added.

The ALERT team was also heavily involved in the response to Decaturs last officer-involved shooting, on July 11, 2016. Officer Andrew Wittmer shot and wounded Lonnie D. Mitchell, 40, who police said was armed with a knife strapped to his wrist and a BB gun that looked like a semiautomatic handgun.

No charges had been filed against Mitchell after he recovered from his wounds, and the Scott said he therefore had been free to talk about that case.

After that incident, Getz had said he was considering body cameras for his department. He said Tuesday that his concern remains the cost, which may be as much as $200,000 to equip all his officers. He said it's not just the price of the cameras, but also information storage, software and maintenance agreements.

But towards the end of the year, as I put my 2018 budget together, I definitely want to look at that (cameras) and see where I go from there, he added.

Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe praised ALERT team members for helping to spread accurate information and the community for having patience at the state police investigation progressed.

"We've seen in other cities that misinformation gets out and resulted in violence and damage," she said. "The police department strives to be as transparent and open as possible, and I think the ALERT group makes a big difference.

Reporters Justin Conn, Jaylyn Cook, Claire Hettinger and Tom Lisi contributed to this story.
New Delhi:

A relationship between a 10-year-old girl and a 26-year-old man, which was unacceptable to their families, forced them to commit suicide. The duo, who live in Delhis Narela jumped before a train. They, however, survived the incident but the man had lost both his legs whereas the girls limbs were broken.

The girl, who is a class 4 student fell in love with her neighbour. Both of them hail from Bihar. The minor used to play with him, who lives in the same building, before their unusual love affair happened. Later, the duo developed feelings for each other.

ALSO READ: Vyapam scam accused Praveen Yadav commits suicide at his residence in MP's Morena

When their family members came to know about their love affair and their intentions to get married, they vehemently opposed them. They were not even allowed to speak to each other. In order to separate them, the families even tried to turn their relationship into brother-sister one on the occasion of Rakha Bandhan. They asked the girl to tie Rakhi on the mans wrist.

They disagreed to do so and fled from the spot. Later, they jumped before a train. However, the police said that they are not ruling a possibility that this could be an accident too.

ALSO READ: CRPF jawan commits suicide in Chattisgarh's Sukma district

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New Delhi:

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patels victory was more than a battle of prestige for the grand old party after the leader successfully secured 44 votes and confirmed his entry for the fifth time in the Upper House.

Earlier, it was seen that the rebels and NCP would ensure his ouster from the Rajya Sabha but the Election Commissions decision of quashing the two votes of Congress MLAs, who allegedly showed their ballots to BJP chief Amit Shah before casting them in violation of rules, gave him reprieve and paved his way to the Upper House. JD(U) legislator Chotubhai Vaswa also voted for Patel. BJP MLA Nalin Kotadiya also admitted that he has voted for the Congress party.

The poll panel watched the footage and passed the order, saying two electors-Bholabhai Gohil and Raghavjibhai Patel--had "violated the voting procedure and secrecy of ballots." According to the rules, voters for the Rajya Sabha elections have to show their ballots to authorized representative of their respective parties before casting them.

Congress' Ahmed Patel secured 4400 votes, he is elected; BJP's Amit Shah got 4600, he is also elected: Returning Officer #GujaratRSPolls pic.twitter.com/ITydpx2fQS  ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2017

As it happened-

Congress approached the Election Commission demanding cancellation of the votes of Gohil and Patel for having shown the ballots to people other than the party's authorised representatives.

Three delegations each of the Congress and BJP made a dash for Nirvachan Sadan', the EC headquarters, within a span of two hours, with the former demanding that the votes of Gohil and Patel be declared invalid, and the latter insisting that counting be taken up "immediately".

The poll panel, finally, accepted the Congress's contention and asked the returning officer to reject the votes of its two MLAs and proceed with the counting.

Hours after the votes had been cast, Congress took the issue of alleged impropriety by its MLAs to the EC, setting off dramatic developments as delegation after delegation of the two parties made a beeline for the Nirvachan Sadan.

Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala and RPN Singh also produced a video of the poll proceedings to the commission and demanded that votes of Bholabhai Gohil and Raghavjibhai Patel be cancelled as per law since they violated the "secrecy of ballot".

BJP leaders approached EC

Terming Congress' objections as "baseless", a delegation of BJP leaders, including Union ministers Arun Jaitley, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Piyush Goyal, approached the EC demanding immediate counting of votes, contending that validity of votes once put in ballot boxes cannot be questioned.

Prasad said the Congress was acting out of fear of losing the poll, in which its senior leader Ahmed Patel is locked in a tight fight with a Congress rebel fielded by the BJP.

Chidambaram visited EC

Immediately, after the visit of the high-profile BJP team, Congress heavyweight P Chidambaram led another delegation to the EC.

After the meeting, Chidambarm told reporters,"If the BJP is so confident of winning the election then it must abide by the law. And the law is very clear. If the ballot is seen by a person other than the authorised person then it is liable to be rejected. BJP was beneficiary of this law on June 11, 2016.

He was apparently referring to the Rajya Sabha election in Haryana in which BJP-backed independent candidate Subhash Chandra had defeated Congress-supported candidate R K Anand after votes of several MLAs were declared invalid.

Surjewala alleged that the two legislators, instead of showing their ballots to party's election agent, displayed it to BJP president Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani, which he said, "should not be accepted".

Also Read | Gujarat RS Polls: Victory for Congress Ahmed Patel, Amit Shah makes maiden entry in Upper House

Apart from Rajput, five other Congress MLAs had also quit with two joining the BJP with him, bringing down the Congress's strength in the 282-member House to 51 from 57.

Of these, seven, including former chief minister Shankarsinh Vaghela, did not join the 44 MLAs the Congress had packed off to a resort on Bengaluru outskirts. Vaghela had resigned from Congress ahead of the exit of the six MLAs. He also quit as leader of the opposition, but retained his Assembly membership. The other six MLAs who did not join the 44 lawmakers in Bengaluru were his camp followers and were learnt to have voted for BJP. (With PTI Inputs)

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Ahmedabad:

Congress candidate Ahmed Patel on Tuesday defeated the BJP nominee in a bitterly fought Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat after late night dramatic developments saw the Election Commission reject the votes of two dissident MLAs of the main opposition party for violating electoral rules.

Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi beat Balwantsinh Rajput, till recently the partys chief whip in the state Assembly before defecting to BJP, polling 44 votes, in the first RS polls in Gujarat in two decades which saw a contest instead of official candidates of major parties getting elected unopposed. Rajput secured 38 votes.

BJP chief Amit Shah made his maiden entry into the house of elders and so did party nominee and Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, clinching 46 votes each, an EC official said.

This is not just my victory. It is a defeat of the most blatant use of money power, muscle power and abuse of state machinery, Patel, who secured a fifth Rajya Sabha term after the tough electoral fight, tweeted after his victory.

I am happy and I thank my party leadership, my MLAs, partys rank and file who worked like a family. It was a tough election which we won, he said.

ALSO READ: Gujarat Rajya Sabha polls: Ahmed Patel wins in the battle of prestige

A defeat for Patel, apart from being seen as a personal setback to Sonia, would have left Congress rank and file hugely demoralised in a state where Assembly elections are to take place later this year.

The ECs decision to cancel the votes of two Congress MLAs brought down the requirement for an outright victory for a candidate to 44 from 45. Ahmed Patel secured 44, but would have won with even lesser number of votes given the fact that Rajput could clinch only 38.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said BJP would legally challenge the ECs decision rejecting the votes of two Congress MLAs who had backed his party.

Before counting was taken up following the Election Commissions order rejecting the votes cast by Bholabhai Gohil and Raghavjibhai Patel for allegedly showing their ballots to Amit Shah in violation of rules, a high-voltage drama unfolded at Nirvachan Sadan, the poll panels headquarters in New Delhi. TV footages, however, showed that Patel displayed his ballot to an unidentified person present in the voting hall.

Congress media in-charge Randeep Surjewala and spokesman Shaktisinh Gohil had earlier claimed the two disgruntled MLAs had shown their ballots to Shah.

The poll panel passed the order after viewing the video recording of the voting process, saying the two electors had violated the voting procedure and secrecy of ballots.

The usually quiet polls for the upper chamber of Parliament turned acrimonious and chaotic after the Congress approached the Election Commission demanding cancellation of the votes of Gohil and Patel for having shown the ballots to people other than the partys authorised representatives.

Three delegations each of the Congress and BJP made a dash for Nirvachan Sadan within a span of two hours, with the former demanding that the votes of Gohil and Patel be declared invalid, and the latter insisting that counting be taken up immediately.

The poll panel, finally, accepted the Congresss contention and asked the returning officer to reject the votes of its two MLAs and proceed with counting.

That the contest for three Rajya Sabha seats would go down to the wire had become clear the very day when Balwantsinh Rajput, the Congress chief whip in the state Assembly until a few days ago, defected to the BJP and was fielded to take on Ahmed Patel, the high-profile political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

According to the rules, voters for the Rajya Sabha elections have to show their ballots to authorised representative of their respective parties before casting them.

Terming Congress objections as baseless, a delegation of BJP leaders, including Union ministers Arun Jaitley, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Piyush Goyal, approached the EC demanding immediate counting of votes, contending that validity of votes once put in ballot boxes cannot be questioned.

Prasad said the Congress was acting out of fear of losing the poll, in which its senior leader Ahmed Patel is locked in a tight fight with a Congress rebel fielded by the BJP.

The BJP fancied its chances of getting a third candidate elected as, apart from Rajput, five other Congress MLAs had resigned with two joining the BJP with him, bringing down the Congresss strength in the 282-member House to 51 from 57. It hoped to make further inroads into the Congress diminished flock of MLAs, which it did. However, that was not enough to ensure Rajputs victory.

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New Delhi:

On Election Commissions decision to reject the votes of two dissident MLAs of Congress in Rajya Sabha Polls, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said that in the coming days BJP will fight a legal battle and will appeal in the court.

In coming days we will fight a legal battle and will get justice, said Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani.

The ECs decision to cancel the votes of two Congress MLAs brought down the requirement for an outright victory for a candidate to 44 from 45. Ahmed Patel secured 44, but would have won with even lesser number of votes given the fact that Rajput could clinch only 38.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said BJP would legally challenge the ECs decision rejecting the votes of two Congress MLAs who had backed his party.

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated BJP president Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani on being elected to Rajya Sabha from Gujarat.

The duo made their maiden entry into the Rajya Sabha. The polls for the seats held on Tuesday.

Congratulations to BJP President @AmitShah & ministerial colleague @smritiirani on getting elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, PM Modi tweeted.

Congratulations to BJP President @AmitShah & ministerial colleague @smritiirani on getting elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

Besides this, the Prime Minister also congratulated Shah for the completion of three years as the party president. He also mentioned that the partys base had expanded during these three years.

Congratulations to Shri @AmitShah on completing 3 successful years as @BJP4India President, he said in another tweet.

Congratulations to Shri @AmitShah on completing 3 successful years as @BJP4India President.

 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

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New Delhi:

The Indian Army on Wednesday gunned down three terrorists in the Tral area of Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir. The security forces have launched the search operation in the region at the time of filing the report.

On Monday, the Army had gunned down one terrorist in encounter in Samboora area of Pulwama district. The Pakistani terrorist was identified as Umer of Abu Ismail group.

The encounter had begun between security forces and militants at 10:30 pm on late Sunday night.

Jammu and Kashmir DGP SP Vaid had informed that one Pak LeT terrorist was killed in the encounter while 1-2 terrorists managed to escape from the spot. One terrorist got injured, he said.





#UPDATE Two terrorists gunned down by security forces in Pulwama's Tral. Operation continues  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

Also Read | J&K: Army personnel martyred in sniper shot fired by Pakistan in Balnoi Sector of Mendhar

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Patna:

The Janata Dal (United) on Monday removed Arun Shrivastav from the post of party general secretary for unauthorisedly writing to the Returning Officer of Gujarat Assembly appointing an election agent for the crucial Rajya Sabha election there.

A letter to this effect was served to Srivastav by party secretary general K C Tyagi.

The party president (Nitish Kumar) has taken a serious note of the issue and has relieved you of your responsibility from the post of general secretary, Tyagi said in his letter to Srivastav, considered a close confidante of senior party leader Sharad Yadav.

The act of yours not only amounts to anti-party activity, breach of discipline but is also treachery, Tyagi said in the letter.

The lone JD(U) MLA in Gujarat, Chhotu Vasava, today claimed he voted for Congress nominee Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha polls as the ruling BJP has done little for the tribal people and the poor.

The JD(U) MLAs claim of voting for the Congress nominee comes at a time when the party has forged ties with the BJP in Bihar to form government.

Tyagi showed a letter of JD(U) president Nitish Kumar written to the Returning Officer of Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat authorising only Tyagi to appoint authorised agent and to take all steps in Rajya Sabha elections for the three seats held today.

But, Srivastav wrote to the Returning Officer of Gujarat Legislature unauthorisedly, it said.

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the freedom fighters on the occasion of 75 years of aQuit India Movementa via Twitter. He said that the entire country salute to all the women and men who took part in the movement.

Live updates

#Few organisations were against freedom of India: Gandhi

#I pay homage to Congress workers who participated in the freedom struggle: Gandhi

#Congress played a crucial role in the freedom struggle of India: Sonia Gandhi

#Congress president Sonia Gandhi addresses Parliament

#In 1942 the clarion call was 'Karenge Ya Marenge' - today it is 'Karenge Aur Kar Ke Rahenge.' These 5 years are about 'Sankalp Se Siddhi': PM

#From 2017 to 2022, when India turns 75, we need to create the same spirit that existed from 1942 to 1947: PM

#In the freedom struggle of India, the role of women was important: PM

#Poverty, lack of education & malnutrition - these are big challenges our nation faces. We need to bring a positive change in this regard: PM

#The menace of corruption has adversely impacted our development journey: PM

#Our freedom was not only about our country. It was a defining moment in bringing an end to colonialism in other parts of the world too: PM

#People followed the clarion call of Mahatma Gandhi of 'Do or Die': PM

#The Indian freedom struggle witnessed participation from a wide range of individuals over several years: PM

#The Quit India movement marked the rise of a new leadership. They supported Mahatma Gandhi during the movement: PM

#It is important for the younger generation to know about historical events like the Quit India movement: PM

#This is a special occasion - we remember the Quit India movement. Remembering such movements gives us strength as a nation: PM

#Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the Parliamentarians.

#Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan addresses the Parliamentarians.

#Proceedings start in the Parliament.

In his another tweet, he said that the need of the hour was to free India in 1942 but now the issues are different. He also urged the country to take a pledge to free India from poverty, dirt, corruption, terrorism, casteism and communalism.

On the 75th anniversary of the historic Quit India movement, we salute all the great women & men who took part in the movement. a Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

In 1942, the need of the hour was to free India from colonialism. Today, 75 years later the issues are different. a Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

Let us pledge to free India from poverty, dirt, corruption, terrorism, casteism, communalism & create a 'New India' of our dreams by 2022. pic.twitter.com/x4zbaxGKkN a Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

Let us work shoulder to shoulder to create the India that our freedom fighters would be proud of. #SankalpSeSiddhi https://t.co/TYuxNNJfIf a Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

A

On the other hand, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said that the people in the government were political successors to those who had opposed the movement and cooperated with the British. Passing the resolution on Tuesday, the Congress Working Committee paid homage to the 1942 movement on its 75th anniversary.

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New Delhi:

Lakhs of Maratha community members on Wednesday started reaching for a rally to press their demand of reservation in jobs and education.

The Mumbaikars witnessed traffic snarls at major location due to crowd. Long queues of car could be seen at Thane Eastern expressway highway.

It will be the 58th - and the largest - protest march of the Maratha community, exactly a year after the first march was held in Aurangabad, the organisers told reporters here.

So far, 57 protests, in the form of mook Morcha (silent rallies), have been held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old Maratha girl in Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

Mumbai: Traffic movement affected at various places due to #MarathaKrantiMorcha rally. Visuals from Thane Eastern Express Highway. pic.twitter.com/2nBrt4qSzZ  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

The Central Railway had made elaborate arrangements to deal with the rush which is expected on Wednesday on account of `Maratha Morcha', a planned gathering of the Maratha community, in Mumbai.

Lakhs of community members were expected to travel to the city for the event from across Maharashtra.

"Based on inputs about number of people who will go back to their destinations after the rally, probably after two pm, we will run additional suburban services as per the requirement, as are run during peak hours," Sunil Udasi, chief PRO of Central Railway, had said.

Also Read: Maratha community starts protest rally to demand reservation in jobs

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New Delhi:

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in a bid to calm thousands of protesting Marathas said the matter of their reservation has been referred to backward classes commission for feasibility.

Matter referred to backward classes commission which will do a study of the feasibility of giving reservation to Maratha community, Fadnavis said in Maharashtra assembly.

Giving instant relief to the Maratha protesters, Fadnavis announced Rs. 5 crores to build hostels for students from the Maratha community.

Govt announces land and grant of Rs5 crore to build hostels for students from Maratha community in every district, Maha CM said.

Govt announces land&grant of Rs5 crore to build hostels for students from Maratha community in every district:Maha CM D Fadnavis in assembly pic.twitter.com/yTSufFETZs  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

Thousands of people belonging to the Maratha community from different parts of Maharashtra converged on Wednesday as part of their campaign to press for reservation in jobs and education among other demands.

Amid tight security, the massive silent march began from the Jijamata Udyan in Byculla this morning with participants carrying saffron swallow tail flags.

Don't know when we will get reservation? Marathis frm across country hv gathered to put forward our demands: #MarathaKrantiMorcha supporter pic.twitter.com/GJLL1g1uzS  ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017

People had started arriving in the city since early morning in private vehicles as well as public modes of transport. Police and traffic personnel were deployed in large numbers to manage the huge inflow of people and the movement of vehicles in Mumbai.

Also Read | Thousands of Maratha people take out massive march to press for reservation in jobs, education in Mumbai

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DECATUR  Multiple community agencies are working together on an educational campaign to discourage giving money to panhandlers, saying it does not help them.

The effort is spearheaded by the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce, which announced it in a news release Tuesday.

Almost every business owner in and near downtown has had problems with panhandlers disturbing customers, Chamber President Mirinda Rothrock said in a statement. More recently, the panhandling problem has spread far past downtown into almost every area of the community. Grocery store parking lots, intersections of main streets, movie theaters, gas stations and car washes have all become popular spots, she said.

Businesses and organizations will have posters in their windows and doors encouraging people to give money to social service agencies such as the Salvation Army and Dove Inc., rather than directly to panhandlers.

Both Dove and the Salvation Army are working in cooperation with the campaign, as well as The United Way of Decatur and Mid-Illinois, Macon County Continuum of Care, the Macon County Sheriffs Office and Decatur Police Department.

Dove Executive Director Christine Gregory said giving cash to people who need help often causes harm by encouraging them to disengage and supporting harmful habits.

What we know from experience is that comprehensive case management and one-on-one human interaction to help identify and overcome barriers really helps people, she said in a statement.
New Delhi:

Thousands of people belonging to the Maratha community from different parts of Maharashtra converged on Wednesday as part of their campaign to press for reservation in jobs and education among other demands.

Amid tight security, the massive silent march began from the Jijamata Udyan in Byculla this morning with participants carrying saffron swallow tail flags.

People had started arriving in the city since early morning in private vehicles as well as public modes of transport. Police and traffic personnel were deployed in large numbers to manage the huge inflow of people and the movement of vehicles in Mumbai.

The Mumbais famed Dabbawalas (lunchbox deliverymen), majority of whom hail from the Maratha community, also joined the march.

This is the 58th march of the Maratha community, exactly a year after the first such protest held in Aurangabad. The march has been organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups.

These mook morcha or silent rallies were held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl, belonging to the Maratha community, at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

The JJ flyover was closed for traffic in view of the march, police said. Schools in south Mumbai were closed today as a precautionary measure, an official said.

At Azad Maidan, where the Maratha morcha will culminate later today, the campaigners raised slogans as Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar reached the venue.

Some of the campaigners said that they dont want politicians to interfere.

Shelar rubbished reports that he was stopped and manhandled at Azad Maidan.

In Maharashtra Legislature, where the monsoon session is underway, Shiv Sena MLAs joined legislators across parties in shouting slogans demanding reservation for Marathas.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter have been used to rally the community members, the organisers said.

The silent protest is a peaceful way to press the demands for reservation in jobs and educational institutions and punishment for culprits in the Kopardi case, they said.

Their other demands include amendments in SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its misuse, loan waiver to curb farmer suicides and remunerative prices for agricultural produce.

A police official said over five lakh people are expected to participate in the morcha.

No toll will be collected today from vehicles coming into Mumbai in order to avoid delays at collection points, considering the large number of vehicles entering the city.

In the state legislature, Shiv Sena members, led by Eknath Shinde, supported the demands of the Maratha community.

The party MLAs raised slogans on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan.

Shinde said, We completely support the demands of the Maratha community. A large section of the community is deprived of education, good income sources and skills that would get them good jobs. Reservation in education and jobs could be one way of supporting them.

Also Read | Maratha Kranti Morcha rally: Mumbaikars witness heavy traffic jam at various places in city

The other demands, such as strict action against those who had allegedly sexually assaulted the girl and murdered her, will be given the required support, he said.

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New Delhi:

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday vowing to unite all opposition parties to oust the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections launched BJP quit India movement.

She alleged that secularism is under threat and the BJP-led government is trying to divide the country.

We will not allow it. In 2019 our slogan will be BJP quit India. We will work with all other opposition parties so that we can unitedly fight against the BJP. We want this politics of communalism and hatred to come to an end, Mamata said while kicking off the campaign in Medinipur of West Bengal.

The West Bengal chief minister launched the campaign on a day when the country is commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement.

Also Read | Darjeeling stir: CPI (M), BJP fueling unrest in West Bengal, says chief minister Mamata Banerjee

We will fight and not stop till the BJP is ousted from power. Democracy will triumph against all odds, she added.

Mamata also targeted BJP for its alleged witch hunt against political opponents by using CBI, ED and Income tax department.

They can threaten us by using the ED, Income Tax and the CBI but we are not afraid of it. The central government has turned into a government of the agencies, by the agencies, of the agencies and for the agencies, she alleged.

Mamata also confirmed her participation in the rally of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna later this month.

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New Delhi:

Use of micro satellites have become a prevailing trend, and now scientists have developed a new kind of miniature satellite called CubeSat that can use tiny bursts of water vapour for movement in space.

Numerous tasks might be performed with the launch of thousands of these miniature satellites ranging from high-resolution imaging and internet services, to disaster response, environmental monitoring and military surveillance.

Alina Alexeenko, a professor at Purdue University in the US stated, "They offer an opportunity for new missions, such as constellation flying and exploration that their larger counterparts cannot economically achieve".

These CubeSats require micropropulsion devices to deliver precise low-thrust "impulse bits" for scientific, commercial and military space applications in order to reach their full potential.

Read more: Saliva-powered battery that can be used in unusual conditions

The new system, called a Film-Evaporation MEMS Tunable Array (FEMTA) thruster, uses capillaries small enough to harness the microscopic properties of water.

Since the capillaries are only about 10 micrometers in diameter, the surface tension of the fluid keeps it from flowing out, even in the vacuum of space.

The thurst is made available by activating small heaters located near the ends of the capillaries that creates water vapour.

"Water is thought to be abundant on the Martian moon Phobos, making it potentially a huge gas station in space", Alexeenko said.

"Water is also a very clean propellant, reducing risk of contamination of sensitive instruments by the backflow from thruster plumes", he added.

Read more: 'March for Science': Scientists to take to the streets across India

While conventional satellites require specialised electronics that can withstand the harsh conditions of space, CubeSats can be built with low-cost, off-the-shelf components.

(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

Scientists across the country will pave a peculiar way to defend the vital role science plays in our society through 'India March for Science' on Wednesday.

The rally mirrors the global march held earlier this on April 22, which was attended by over a million people from 600 cities. The scientists, researchers and acamedicians will fight for at least 3% of Indias GDP towards scientific and technological research and 10% towards education along with a share in policy-making on evidence-based science.

It is being organised in the light of ending unscientific, obscurantist ideas and religious intolerance, ensuring that only proof-based ideas are being delivered to the educational institutions.

Read more: Solar eclipse to take place on August 21, here is date, time and facts

We note with deep concern that financial support to even premier institutions like IITs, NITs, and IISERs has been slashed. Universities are facing shortage of funds to adequately support scientific research. Research funding agencies like DST, DBT and CSIR are reportedly impacted by reduced governmental support. Scientists in government laboratories are being asked to generate a part of their salary by selling their inventions and from other sources, scientists asserted in an appeal.

More than 3,000 scientists across the country have signed the petition and protests will be held in 27 cities and towns across the country.

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London:

A consortium of 12 British and Indian universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, has received a 7-million-pound grant from the UK government to build five self-sufficient solar-powered buildings in remote Indian villages.

The grant is part of a new solar project SUNRISE aimed at developing printed photovoltaic cells and new manufacturing processes which can be used to make solar energy products in India.

These will then be integrated into buildings in at least five villages of India, allowing them to harness solar power to provide their own energy and run off grid.

The programme is part of the Swansea University led SPECIFIC Project, which recently opened the UKs first "energy-positive classroom" and revolves around a "buildings as power stations" concept.

"The energy-positive classroom we built shows that this technology works, successfully turning buildings into power stations. This funding will enable us to export this model to support Indias plans to boost solar energy," said Professor Dave Worsley of Swansea University, head of research at the SPECIFIC project and leader of the SUNRISE team.

"The Swansea team will be working closely with our partner universities in the UK and India. Our hope is that if we can show this works on five villages in India, then it could be rolled out to other buildings in India and around the world," he said.

Also Read: Hindustan Power targets to raise Rs 6,000 cr over next two years

Swansea University says the project is in line with Indian governments plans to turn the country into a solar energy leader, leap-frogging fossil fuels and to boost the Indian manufacturing sector.

The teams concept of a building as a power station has been working in the form of its first energy-positive classroom on the Swansea University Bay campus.

"Designed and built by the SPECIFIC project, the classroom can run off grid. Electricity is generated by a steel roof with integrated solar cells," the university said in a statement.

Some of the other universities which are part of the consortium include Oxford, Cambridge, Brunel and Imperial College London.

The 7-million-pound award comes from the UK governments Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), which supports cutting-edge research that addresses the global issues faced by developing countries.

"From healthcare to green energy, the successful projects receiving funding highlight the strength of the UKs research base and our leadership in helping developing countries tackle some of the greatest global issues of our time," said Jo Johnson, UK minister for universities and science.

"At a time when the pace of scientific discovery and innovation is quickening, we are placing science and research at the heart of our Industrial Strategy to build on our strengths and maintain our status as science powerhouse," Johnson said.

Also Read: 13-year-old boy makes solar powered bike in Haryana

One of the key aims of the SUNRISE project for India is to provide a real-life example which proves that this technology works and that it is appropriate within communities.

The plan is that it will encourage local industries to manufacture affordable prefabricated buildings, adapted for their environment, that can generate, store and release their own power.

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New Delhi:

Pakistan's ruling party may field former PM Nawaz Sharif's wife Kulsoom or his daughter Maryam from the seat that fell vacant after he was disqualified by Supreme Court from holding office.

Sharif was disqualified for not disclosing his assets.He ceased to be a member of Parliament. Earlier ruling party of Pakistan has decided that the Sharif's younger brother Shehbaz Sharif would contest election from NA-120in Lahore, vacated by Mr.Sharif so that he can become Prime minister.But later on decided to let him continue his term as CM of Punjab.

The PML-N leader on condition of anonymity, said that party has a lot of respect for Ms. Kulsoom as she is the symbol of courage for many party members who remember the time when she led the party after Mr. Sharif was imprisoned by former military dictator Pervez Musharraf following the 1999 coup.

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New Delhi:

The Qatar government on Wednesday launched visa-free entry programme for citizens of 80 countries. The decision has been taken to encourage air travel and tourism in the country amid a two-month boycott imposed on the Gulf state by its neighbors.

The country has made provisions to allow people from dozens of countries in Europe including India, Lebanon, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States to receive tourist visa on arrival.

Qatar is facing boycott from Oil giant Saudi Arabia along with Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The boycott was effected on June 5. It was ordered to cut off all transport links with the country on charges of supporting terrorism and of close ties to Iran.

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Washington:

The standoff between India and China at the Doklam area of the Sikkim section has enormous consequences for the world, including America, so the Trump administration should have its diplomacy at the ready, a former CIA analyst said on Wednesday. Bruce Riedel, who is now working with the Brookings Institute, a Washington-based think-tank said both India and China have built up their conventional forces facing each other in the Himalayas. "China and India are now nuclear weapons powers with nuclear-armed missiles targeting, respectively, New Delhi and Beijing. Both are huge economic powers with considerable trade between them," Riedel wrote in an op-ed in the Daily Beast.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in Doklamfor 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area. "This is a face-off with potentially enormous consequences for the world. Neither side has asked for American intervention but American interests are very much at stake," he said.

The Chinese incursion into Bhutan coincided with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi?s visit to the White House, probably a deliberate move by Beijing, he wrote. "Washington should have its diplomacy at the ready. We need experienced hands in the State Department South Asia bureau. We need the best possible ambassadors on the scene.Our military ties to India need to be on watch.

JFK was ready in 1962, we should not be caught off guard today," Riedel said. In 2015, Riedel wrote a book 'JFK's Forgotten Crisis: Tibet, the CIA, and the Sino-Indian War Hardcover', whose paperback edition is coming out soon. The book gives an account of how the US president John F Kennedy came out in support of India during the 1962 war with china.

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DECATUR  New deputies for the Macon County Sheriff's Office are training in DuPage County right now.

Far from home, and without onsite residence halls, those officers are staying in hotels, and the sheriff's office is paying for lodging and food. That will soon change, when the new Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center opens in October.

This one allows the opportunity for the dormitory to be right there, said Sheriff Thomas Schneider, who has been involved in the planning for the facility. For instruction, cohesiveness, it's all in one place, and it's great. The facility is state of the art, and what I like about this place is its design and versatility in all aspects.

"We'll have court security, corrections and basic law enforcement training," he continued. "If we need to put on a training class for other aspects, we can do that. It's absolutely a dream for law enforcement.

The center is a partnership between Richland Community College and the Illinois Law Enforcement and Training Standards Board. The initial concept and financial support is thanks to the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, which donated $15 million to fund the project.

The two-structure five-acre site sits along U.S. 51 near Grove Road and includes a two-story dormitory, training building, and outside track. The training building contains multiple classrooms, scenario-based training rooms, a physical skills and exercise room, indoor firing range, administrative offices and a conference room.

The academy will house 80 to 100 cadets year round, who will each attend 12- to 14-week sessions. It will be owned and managed by the training board, and operations and maintenance will be handled by Richland.

Richland President Cris Valdez said the partnership is mutually beneficial and fits in with Richland's mission to meet the educational and training needs of the region.

Law enforcement departments from throughout Illinois will use the facility, Schneider said. While its proximity will be especially convenient for the sheriff and other local departments, the facility will have the capability to train any department's new officers. It will also offer ongoing training for experienced officers, too, he said.

When you're first hired, you go through the basic academy, which the standard board requires, 14 weeks long, Schneider said. Once that's complete, you take the state certification exam, and (candidates) are back with their own department for the field training program.

In addition then, after you're an officer, each year you're going through different trainings. This will have the ability to provide ongoing training, but also for executives, command-type training, so much opportunity for advancement and professional educational services.

"I can't tell you how impressed and happy I am that Richland is part of it. It just brings everything home to all of us who are in law enforcement.

Schneider said he anticipates a formal ceremony will be scheduled once the center is complete and ready to open.
DECATUR  With Decatur Public Schools beginning Wednesday, Aug. 16, Todd Getz knew if his 5-year-old grandson was going to start kindergarten, hed have to get a physical.

On Tuesday, Getz sat in an exam room at Crossing Healthcare with his grandson, Dimitri Jennings, while Dr. Tricia Scerba shined a light and looked closely into the right ear of Dimitri.

What do you think Im going to see in there? Scerba asked Dimitri. Then she shined a light in his right ear.

Oh my goodness, Scerba said, pulling away quickly.

Dimitris eyes widened as he looked up at her.

It was worms, Scerba said. She paused, then laughed.

Dimitri sighed. So did Getz. Dimitris legal guardian, Getz was glad to be crossing off another step toward Dimitri beginning school.

We're just trying to do everything we have to do to get him ready for it, Getz said. "There's a lot of stuff, but he's excited about it. He's a healthy boy, so this doesn't bother him."

Any student at Decatur Public Schools required to have a physical or immunizations entering the school year must have them completed by Friday, Sept. 15, or theyll no longer be allowed to attend school, according to DPS health services coordinator Angie Wetzel.

Were encouraging parents to have everything ready by the first day of school, Wetzel said. But on Sept. 15, they need to have everything taken care of or their child wont be able to come to school.

What Crossing doesnt want is a repeat of two years ago. On the Oct. 2015 day that the school district no longer allowed students to attend without having updated immunizations and physicals, police had to be called to Crossing to contain the traffic created by the rush. The clinic had to shut down to accommodate all the physicals.

Crossing has made efforts to be more prepared, such as offering walk-in clinics. But Fasick said Crossing was anticipating another late push.

We watch our numbers and its typical, Fasick said. Theres the first group, about one-third, who get it done early. You have another third who do it around the start of school. Then you have another third who come on the kickout day.

For those who have waited until the last minute to have their childs physical or immunizations, this weekend is a good chance to take care of that.

The JumpStart Back-to-School Clinic, which provides free school physicals, dental exams and other screenings, will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12, at two locations: First Christian Church, 3350 N. MacArthur Road, and Crossing Healthcare, 320 Central Ave.

This is the seventh year for the JumpStart clinic, which recruits 350 volunteers, including 18 medical providers, and served 400 students last year.

"Some people at the church wanted to solve the problem of students not being able to stay in school because they hadn't filled the medical exam requirement," said Amanda Elven, First Christian Church community missions associate and coordinator of JumpStart.

While JumpStart and Crossing offer physicals for free, vaccinations cost depending on each individuals medical insurance. For children covered by Medicaid, the shots are free. Both Crossing and the health department advise bringing in insurance cards and information.

Andricks said if a child has had immunizations in Illinois, theyll be available to the school and health care workers at the Illinois Department of Public Health website. But for any child who has had care out of state, Crossing clinical director Linda Fasick said its a good idea to track down any medical records, get copies and bring them to the appointment. The childs previous school will likely have those records.

Not having those records isnt going to prevent the child from getting a physical, but its helpful to have it so we know what the child has and what they need, Fasick said.

Crossing chief medical officer Dana Ray said Crossing doctors dont treat school physicals lightly.

Were not proponents of the quick five-minute physical, Ray said. This isnt necessarily a cut-and-dry look in their ears, look in their mouth, listen to their heart and lungs. Youre getting a detailed physical exam here.

We dont skimp. Youre going to get your hemoglobin checked. Youre going to get your lead screened. Youre going to get all your vaccines. And were going to address anything we find thats wrong.

Were trying to make sure we can catch any medical issues and emotional issues.

Andricks said those types of exams take time  another reason parents should act now for their childrens physicals.

When were trying to do 200 physicals in two days  our physicians are human beings, Andricks said. The thing that is sad about this is a lot of the kids who are getting their physicals at the last minute are kids whose lives are in transition. Theyre moving, being shuffled between guardians  those are the children getting their healthcare managed last, and theyre the ones who need the most attention.

Thats why we want as many people to come in early as we can. We want to make sure every kid gets a solid look-over.
The Japanese government launched a search Wednesday for venomous fire ants at the 68 ports that regularly receive shipping containers from other countries including China.

The Environment Ministry and the transport ministry began the search from the Port of Yokohama, near Tokyo, where more than 700 fire ants have been found in a crack in asphalt at its container yard in July.

The ministry plans to install receptacles to trap the ants on three separate occasions between now and the end of October. If fire ants are found, it will take measures to deal with them, including putting out poisonous feed.

"By confirming (their existence) early, we want to start taking steps to prevent their entry (into the country)," said Environment Ministry official Yusuke Miyake.

Fire ants -- native to South America -- enter into Japan with containers shipped from overseas. They are known for their sting, which can cause anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can lead to breathing problems and even death.
Japan Display is considering tough downsizing measures to help save its struggling business, including slashing more than 3,000 jobs.

The maker of liquid-crystal display panels has booked net losses for 3 straight years due to poor sales of LCDs for smartphones.

Sources say the company is planning to shut down an assembly line at a plant in Ishikawa Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast.

It will also ask more than 200 employees in Japan to take early retirement.

The cuts would go considerably deeper overseas. The firm is expected to close or reduce production at plants in China and the Philippines, and lay off more than 3,000 workers.

Some of that production will then be outsourced.

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About 270,000 puffer fish farmed in a bay off Nagasaki Prefecture have died due to the outbreak of red tide, resulting in damage of around 400 million yen, a local fisheries cooperative said Tuesday.

The dead tiger puffers are equivalent to around one-fourth of the 1.1 million of the fish farmed in Imari Bay off Matsuura, Japan's largest puffer-producing city.

The red tide has spread throughout Imari Bay following its outbreak in late July, according to the Shinmatsuura fisheries association. Neutralizing agents have been used to contain the red tide, but the amount of damage is expected to increase further.

Puffers are lethally poisonous but carefully prepared meals of the fish are one of Japan's most celebrated and luxurious dishes.

The massive fatalities likely resulted from an outbreak of toxic plankton covering puffer gills, causing breathing difficulties for the fish.

Along with tiger puffers, 62,000 other farmed fish including bluefin tuna and yellowtail have also been found dead in the bay.
Haruo Nakajima portrayed the King of the Monsters for 18 years.

Considering that we never see the actor inside the Godzilla suit, one might assume that creature is played by whichever stuntman happens to be free when it's time to shoot a scene. But such random work assignments won't do when portraying the most famous of all kaiju, and for the first dozen films in which the King of the Monsters appeared, it was always actor Haruo Nakajima portraying His Royal Highness.

Following a severe case of pneumonia, Nakajima passed away this Monday at the age of 88, bringing to an end an incredible life full of contributions to cinematic history. The third son in a family of five children, Nakajima knew he wouldn't be able to take over his father's butcher shop, and after a brief stint as a truck driver for the occupying Allied Forces in 1947, he enrolled in an acting program at the age of 18 in 1947.

Nakajima earned a bit part in Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece The Seven Samurai, but his big break came in 1954, when he was tapped to wear the 100-kilogram (220-pound) suit of the titular Godzilla in the 1954 film from distributor Toho that launched the franchise. The actor would go on to play Godzilla for the next 18 years, culminating in 1972's Godzilla vs. Gigan, his final time to fill the role.
When cat cafes started showing up in Japan, no one was really sure how long they'd last. Sure, the idea of sipping on drinks and munching on light fare while surrounded by felines had a definite appeal, but some wondered if it might be nothing more than a passing fad.

Fast-forward to the present day and cat cafes are so popular that some specialize to an even greater degree within the category, leading to cat cafes that boast luxurious interior design, alcoholic beverages, or nothing but black cats. One of the best subgenres of cat cafes are those that seek to match rescue cats with new homes, and now Gifu-based rescue cat cafe Sanctuary is going one step further in unique ideas by creating Japan's first cat cafe train.

The project is a joint venture with Yoro Railway, which operates in Gifu and Mie Prefectures. The Cat Cafe train will run between Gifu's Ogaki and Ikeno Stations, and passengers will share the carriage with a number of rescue cats which were originally scheduled to be culled but are now under the protection of Sanctuary.
The Japanese market has been in a strange place for some time now. While Abenomics has certainly shown some promise, albeit without managing to live up to the hype that it suggested, the truth of the matter seems to be that the market is unsure as to whether Japan is about to enter a period of time where uncertainty causes an end to the bull market that has been in place since Abenomics hit full flow sustained in part by increased government investment.

Having pursued a very different strategy compared to the rest of the G7, Japan has at least proven that it is prepared to take on the challenge of an ageing population and a low birth rate while also dealing with rather more "uniquely Japanese" issues such as a private sector that has companies unwilling to even get close to spending on investing anything like they earn.

A Long-Term Change?

Abenomics has successfully increased the number of independent directors in leading companies, meaning that a lack of company investment could well be a thing of the past now. This could be spurred on by shareholder power as stockholders start to consider whether or not they want companies to continue to sit on lots of cash assets when they could be getting a better return from their investment. If this fails to happen then investors are going to have to start looking at different options to see how they can increase their returns.

While there are many ways to invest, it is always important to look into how much risk you are willing to take with an investment. With this in mind, investors may start to look for ways to speculate that work whether we are experiencing a bull market or a bear market. One example of this can be seen by usinga company that offers the opportunity to invest using a CFD (contract for difference) instrument model. This means investors can speculate on outcomes without having to actually own any assets, meaning that if you are worried about having to buy into companies, you can avoid doing so by using a CFD rather than buying stocks and shares.

Threats Still Linger

While the changes made by Prime Minister Abeseem to have made a difference, providing an opportunity for potential big returns for investors, two key threats still linger for the Japanese economy. The first of these is the lingering issue over the level of debt that the government has racked up; it has been borrowed cheaply, but we don't yet know what will happen if stagnation persists in the economy, rather than the hoped-for economic explosion.

Perhaps, though, the second issue is a more worrying long-term trend: an ageing population that is likely to see a shortage of labour in the future. The most worrying stat in this area is the fact that the labour shortage has hit a 43-year high. The impact of this could be huge with a lack of demand for jobs, although the recent unemployment figure increase to 3.1% does show that people are prepared to leave their jobs to seek out better prospects.

Given that in the past Japanese workers were simply happy to live out their entire career in one company, this drive and determination to look for a better job rather than to settle for anything on offer, combined with the reforms driven through in Abenomics, highlights the fact that Japan may not be in a perfect situation where the economy is ready to enjoy a boom period, but is certainly in a place to have a period of growth despite taking on challenges that many Western economies are simply afraid to even discuss.
This week marks the 72nd anniversary of the two US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On Wednesday, people gathered at a ceremony held at Nagasaki's Peace Park, close to where the bomb hit, to reflect in a moment of silence.

The park fell silent at 11:02 AM. That is the exact moment the bomb was dropped.

More than 70,000 people died in Nagasaki in 1945 alone. Among those in attendance were atomic bomb survivors, known as hibakusha.

Representatives from more than 50 countries including some nuclear powers also took part.

Nagasaki's Mayor Tomihisa Taue delivered a peace declaration.

Taue spoke about a treaty to ban nuclear weapons that was adopted last month at the UN headquarters by more than a hundred countries.

Nuclear powers did not participate in the negotiations. Neither did countries that depend on the nuclear powers for protection including Japan.

To leaders of these nations, mayor Taue said, "Please reconsider your policies of seeking to protect your nations through nuclear weapons. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligates all its member states to achieve nuclear disarmament. Please fulfill this obligation. The whole world awaits your courageous decisions."

A message from the UN Secretary General was read by the UN Under-Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu.

It praised bomb survivors for their contributions to create a safer future. It also raised the issue of the nuclear weapons ban treaty.

Aug 09 (ANNnewsCH) - eaZaa72azcaaZYcaaeZaaaaYaaacaaaaeaZaacaSaeaaaaaaa aaccaaaaaaaS aaaaaYaaaasa aaa aSaaaaiaecaaaSaaaaa aSiaaaa9aaacaaSaaaYa
Investigative sources have revealed that six male students at Keio University have been prosecuted on Tuesday in the alleged sexual assault of a female student in Kanagawa Prefecture last year, reports Nikkan Sports.

On the evening of September 2, the six students, affiliated at the time with the Keio Advertisement Society, are alleged to have sexually gang-raped the girl, who was a female student at the university, after they forced her to drink large quantities of alcohol at a social gathering held at a dormitory in the town of Hayama.

The six students, who have been accused of quasi-rape, were sent to prosecutors on Tuesday.

According to the sources, the girl was summoned to the dormitory to assist with the cleaning its interior. The woman was then repeatedly forced to drink shots of tequila prior to the alleged sexual assault.

The month after the incident, the university announced the cancellation of the annual Miss Keio Contest, which is organized by the Keio Advertisement Society. The society broke up that same month.
The owner of one branch of the Mini Stop convenience store chain has had it with non-customers parking in his store's parking lot.

Not only does this prevent Mini Stop customers from using the occupied space, he can't even confront the perpetrators directly, since after parking their car they wander off to whatever their non-Mini Stop destination is. So to deal with the problem, he recently decided to leave a note on an unauthorized parker's car.

The shop owner plastered the car with notices, including a traffic cone on hood stating "No parking allowed for non-Mini Stop customers." While this might seem like an extreme reaction, the presence of detailed printed reprimands suggests that this is a frequent problem for the store.

The papers taped to the window say "There are a limited number of parking spaces in our lot, so please refrain from: napping in your car or using it as a meeting place, leaving your car here and going somewhere else, or remaining parked for more than 30 minute after finishing your shopping." Peeling all those off is going to be a pain for the car's owner, but the bigger headache is the boot that the store owner has attached to the car's right rear wheel, locking the car in place. "A boot has been placed on your car!" the handwritten notice announces. "If you want it removed, please pay 40,000 yen (US$360)."

Aug 09 (ANNnewsCH) - aaaaaaaaaaaaaYa4aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaeeaeeSaeaacaaaeaScaaaYaaaaaaaaSaaaaacaZaaaYaaaaaaaaaaZaaaaYa
DECATUR  School district leaders in Decatur are exploring options in case state lawmakers cant reach an agreement on education funding before the districts money runs out in November.

Superintendent Paul Fregeau and Beth Nolan, vice president of the school board, said that they hope it wont come to that. Leaders in the Illinois General Assembly announced Wednesday that the Senate would convene on Sunday to take up the issue, and the House would follow with a session next Wednesday.

There's a lot of excitement about school starting, but there's a little bit of a tinge on the start of school because everybody's kind of nervous about what's going to come, Fregeau said. How long can we stay open? I haven't heard of any school that's not opening, but there are several that in September, they're one month in and they have to close.

The district could cut bus routes and programs if the impasse in Springfield continued long enough, Fregeau said, but he said those conversations are well in the future.

Decatur's reserves should hold out until mid-November, he said. District leaders would then consider other options, such as borrowing money against future tax revenue, which Fregeau described as akin to taking out a credit card to pay another credit card.

With borrowing money, there might not be many people willing to loan, with so many schools hitting the market, he said. It's a future that we don't really know what that's going to look like.

Fregeau has advocated for the passage of Senate Bill 1, the legislation that both chambers of the General Assembly passed in May. Gov. Bruce Rauner issued an amendatory veto of the legislation on Aug. 1, the day after it was sent to him.

Rauners changes removed help for Chicago Public Schools' pensions along with money the district formerly received in the form of a block grant, and other changes.

Three-fifths of lawmakers in both chambers would need to vote to either approve or override Rauners veto. A new plan would also face a three-fifths threshold. If neither chamber has the votes, the legislation would die.

Without funding legislation, districts wont get paid. Public schools are set to receive $350 million under the state budget passed in July, but it requires money to be be distributed through an "evidence-based" funding formula, like the one lawmakers approved with passage of SB 1.

The funding model would steer money to schools based on local property wealth and distinct student-population needs. It would ensure that none of the state's 850 school districts gets less money than it did this year.

In a statement Wednesday, Senate President John Cullerton said lawmakers would pass a funding system that improves education in the states public systems, one way or another. The Chicago Democrat said he remained optimistic about a path to compromise.

This is a priority Senate Democrats have been working on for the better part of four years, he said.

No 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.

If Decatur must turn to borrowing, interest rates are likely to be punishing, Nolan said.

As a financial adviser at Raymond James, she said, she knows that several factors will drive that interest rate up. One is that Illinois as a whole has a poor credit rating; another is the education bonds have high interest rates, and districts across the state would be trying to borrow money at the same time.

I know the bond market and I can tell you right now that even if it's Decatur and we're really solvent, we are paying a premium in interest just because we live in Illinois, Nolan said. If they're education bonds, you have another premium on top of that. And if we get into fall and the money's still not flowing, you have another premium.

It's like a high-risk credit card, so not only are we borrowing money to kick the can down the road, we're borrowing at a rate that's going to be really costly.

If finances should get really tight, some of the options Nolan has thought about proposing include closing schools on Fridays and having four-day weeks, or doing away with sports programs.

The problem there is the contracts with employee unions, which would require re-negotiations to change work hours. Cutting sports, Fregeau added, would only save a negligible amount of money.

If cuts have to be made, he said, he wants to start as far away from the classroom as possible, which could mean changes such as having fewer bus routes.

If the worst should happen and schools should have to close, Fregeau said, he doesn't know how that would affect teachers contracts. He said he hoped he wouldn't have to find out.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Legal group warns 11 California counties: Clean up your voter registration rolls or face federal lawsuit

A Washington, D.C.-based legal and government watchdog organization has threatened to file a federal lawsuit against the state of California and 11 of its counties because it says they have more registered voters than their population warrants.

According to a press release from Judicial Watch, the group sent a notice-of-violation letter to the Golden State threatening the suit if state and county officials do not clean up their voter registration lists as mandated by the National Voter Registration Act.

The NVRA, in addition to the Help America Vote Act, mandates that states take all reasonable measures to ensure the accuracy of their voter registration lists.

The letter, sent Aug. 1, was sent on behalf of Judicial Watch California supporters and the Election Integrity Project California, Inc. The letter said Judicial Watch had obtained public information from the Election Assistance Commissions 2016 Election Administration Voting Survey, as well as verbal accounts from various county agencies, that show 11 California counties have more registered voters than they do voting-age citizens:

 Imperial County (102 percent)

 Lassen (102 percent)

 Los Angeles (112 percent)

 Monterey (104 percent)

 San Diego (138 percent)

 San Francisco (114 percent)

 San Mateo (111 percent)

 Santa Cruz (109 percent)

 Solano (111 percent)

 Stanislaus (102 percent)

 Yolo (110 percent)

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton handily won the state of California and 10 of the 11 counties named by Judicial Watch. According to a graphic of the breakdown, Clinton received 5,289,203 votes to Trumps 1,413,721 votes in the named counties.

Shortly after Trump won, the Clinton campaign and the mainstream media lamented the fact that the Democrat won the popular vote  even though Trump prevailed handily in the electoral vote, the latter of which is what decides who wins the presidency in our system. Trump countered by claiming that as many as four million people may have cast illegal ballots. Given that California is the countrys most populous state, and with high-population counties voter registration lists over by double digits, its possible that the president is onto something.

There is strong circumstantial evidence that California municipalities are not conducting reasonable voter registration list maintenance as mandated under the NVRA, said Judicial Watch in its notice letter to California Secretary of State Alex Padilla.

The legal group also referred California officials to a settlement agreement it has reached with the state of Ohio in which the latter agreed to update and maintain voter registration lists in accordance with the law, and to keep current lists online and available for public inspection.

Californias voting rolls are an absolute mess that undermines the very idea of clean elections, said Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton. It is urgent that California take reasonable steps to clean up its rolls. We will sue if state officials fail to act.

The organization earlier sent out notice-of-violation letters accompanied by a threat to sue 11 other states for outsized voter registration rolls that exceeded the number of voter-age citizens: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Tennessee.

In recent weeks studies have shown Trumps earlier claims that voter fraud is much more widespread than Democrats have ever admitted are true. (Related: Why are liberal professors blackballing studies aimed at proving Trumps claim of massive voter fraud?)

In addition, The National Sentinel reported that a lawsuit in Broward County, Florida, also claims that jurisdictions voter registration rolls contain more names than the number of citizens of voting age:

The suit was filed by the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), on behalf of the American Civil Rights Union, or ACRU. Logan Churchwell, the organizations lead researcher, told Lifezette he counted thousands of people who were 100 or more on the countrys voter data rolls that were submitted to the federal Election Assistance Commission after the 2014 election.

Once again, Trump has been proven correct.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

TheNationalSentinel.com

JudicialWatch.org

Submit a correction >>
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General Electric this week said its new Boston headquarters will be complete by 2021, pushing back by two years the companys original plans, according to a report in the Boston Globe. GE last year moved its headquarters from its longtime home in Fairfield to Boston, with several hundred employees in temporary office space there while the permanent structures are readied. Two existing brick buildings that will be part of the headquarters campus will be renovated first, with employees moving in by 2019, with the new 12-story building to open two years later.
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Joe DeVito knows how to find the funny in everything. From relationships to the inside scoop on his Italian-American family, to pop culture and current events, nothing is off limits.

DeVito, who grew up in New Milford, has already made more than 100 television appearances on shows from Comics Unleashed to NBCs Last Comic Standing. He will entertain in the Ivy League of Comedy show at Fairfield Theatre Company, on Saturday, Aug. 12.

The Ivy League of Comedy is a premier group of comedians, also including Wali Collins, who hosted an event for former First Lady Michelle Obama, and Shaun Eli, a master storyteller. The three cohorts, who have appeared all over late-night television and Comedy Central, will perform at FTCs StageOne venue. The venue said the Ivy League of Comedy honors audiences with original, well-written comedy that doesnt resort to playing on stereotypes or picking on the audience. DeVito shared more via email.

Q: When did you graduate from Fairfield University, and what did you learn there that helped with your comedy career?

A: I graduated in 1990 with a quality Jesuit education, or as they say, two credits away from saying Mass. But a big part of my college career was writing for The Mirror, the student newspaper. It was my first experience making a larger audience laugh, although I was too much of a chicken to do it live.

Q: Youve appeared on a wide range of programs, from Chelsea Lately and The Late Late Show to Animal Planet. What have you enjoyed most?

More Information Fairfield Theatre Company's StageOne, 70 Sanford St. Saturday, Aug. 12, 7:45-11 p.m. $29. 203-259-1036, fairfieldtheatre.org See More Collapse

A: Last Comic Standing season 5 was the show that gave me the big boost. At first I was bummed because I made the semifinals but not the top 10, but when I got back to New York the response was overwhelming. I also like being the comic relief on current events panels  especially when Im paired up with serious politicos.

Q: When it comes to stand-up, youre known for your dead-on timing, unexpected twists and flights of lunacy. How would you describe your comedy, and what can the audience expect at Fairfield Theatre Company?

A: Ive found that as my material becomes more personal, it connects even better with the audience. We all deal with relationships, work, frustrations, etc., and laughing is the best way to let off steam. But Ill still have plenty to say about the news  these days, the jokes almost write themselves.

Q: As a writer, you have contributed to Maxim Magazine, MTV, and the award-winning film, Super Size Me. Do you like McDonalds food? Any new projects you can tell us about?

A: I stopped eating McDonalds after (director) Morgan Spurlock smelled like french fries long after he stopped filming. Although I did cave in and have a McGriddle; it was delicious and I immediately felt like I was gonna die. Lately Ive been doing longer-form writing thats not stand-up comedy but might turn into a book or a screenplay. Or maybe a compelling diner place mat  too soon to tell!

LKoonz@newstimes.com; Twitter: @LindaTKoonz
Mark Rosati has eaten plenty of Shake Shack burgers, but he still savors every one.

I tend to be a fast eater  but I find myself pausing a bit when I eat our burger, says Rosati, culinary director of this popular modern-day, roadside burger-and-shake stand. Maybe it is the daily ground meat made of muscle, not trim, or the soft potato roll. I still feel that experience of how it is done, how it is cooked and all that  and it brings me back in time, to that first one I had at Shake Shack before I worked there  how special it made me feel. It is kind of my touchstone, to remind me of the magic of the experience.

Some 13 years later he and other people around the world still feel the magic, which has translated into restaurants in 19 states (including Connecticut with outposts in Darien, Westport and New Haven) and 11 international sites. What began as a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park in New York City in 2001, under restaurateur Danny Meyers Union Square Hospitality Group, became a beloved brand.

When the permanent Shake Shack opened in the park in 2004, it was a harbinger of the fine casual trend. Gourmet burgers could be found in fine-dining establishments, as celebrity chefs balanced high-end ingredients with a simpler presentation, decorations or menu. Shake Shack had fine dining in its DNA (USHGs establishments include Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Cafe), but also a great love for roadside shacks. Meyer was influenced by burger joints and drive-ins of his St. Louis youth, while Rosati, 40, was inspired by seaside shacks he savored growing up in Stonington, such as Abbotts Lobster in the Rough in Noank and the Sea Swirl, a seasonal seafood shack in Mystic.

We had this notion that (Shake Shack) would only be open in the summertime, during the day and then shut its doors at night  and come back the next day and do it all over again. Maybe wed cook 50 burgers a day, Rosati says. As we all know, that went very differently.

Since its start, Shake Shack attracted long lines no matter where it opened and an excitement played out over social media, with photo-ready images of decadent shakes, eye-catching hamburgers and hot dogs piled high with tasty ingredients. While its success was well-known, the Shake Shack team had never truly recorded it.

More Information The ShackBurger Serves 4 4 hamburger potato buns 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 4 tablespoons Not Quite Our Shack-Sauce 4 pieces green leaf lettuce 8 -inch slices ripe plum tomato 1 pound very cold ground beef, divided into 4 pucks Our Salt and Pepper Mix (see recipe below) 4 slices American cheese Heat a cast-iron griddle over medium-low heat until warm. Open the hamburger buns and brush insides with the melted butter. A soft brush is helpful here. Place the buns buttered side down on the griddle and toast until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer buns to a plate. Spoon the sauce onto the top bun. Add a piece of the lettuce and two slices of tomato. Increase the heat to medium and heat the griddle until hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Make the salt and pepper mix: Mix  cup kosher salt with  teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Evenly sprinkle a pinch of the salt and pepper mix on top of each puck of meat. Place the pucks on the griddle, seasoned side down. Using a large, sturdy metal spatula, firmly smash each puck into a 1/3-inch-thick round patty. Pressing down on the spatula with another stiff spatula helps flatten the burger quickly. Evenly sprinkle another big pinch of the salt and pepper mix. Cook the burgers, resisting the urge to move them, until the edges beneath are brown and crisp, and juices on the surface are bubbling hot, about 2 minutes. Slide one of the spatulas beneath the burger to release it from the griddle and scrape up the caramelized browned crust. Use the other spatula to steady the burger and keep it from sliding. Flip the burgers. Put the cheese on top and cook the burgers 1 minute longer for medium. Cook more or less depending on your preference. Transfer the cheeseburgers to the prepared buns. ShackSauce Makes about  cup  cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 3/4 teaspoon ketchup  teaspoon kosher dill pickling brine Pinch of cayenne pepper Fried Pickles Serves 4 2 cups round kosher dill pickle slices, drained 1 cups buttermilk 2 cups flour  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Canola oil for deep-frying Kosher salt Soak the pickles in the buttermilk for 5 minutes in a large bowl. Whisk together flour and pepper in a deep wide dish. Set the pickles and seasoned flour aside. Pour the oil into a heavy, deep pot to a depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium heat until the temperature of the oil reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer. Working in batches, dredge the pickles in the flour, shaking off any excess flour. Use a wire spider or a slotted spoon to carefully lower the pickles into the hot oil. Deep-fry the pickles, turning them halfway through, until they are golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Salt and serve immediately. Serve with variety of toppings, such as ShackSauce or ketchup. See More Collapse

Well, order up. With the release of the 240-page book, Shake Shack: Recipes and Stories, by Rosati and CEO Randy Garutti, fans and newbies get a peek into the chains secret sauce. Stories are interspersed with 70 recipes, hundreds of photos and other tidbits that will likely make fans hungry for more. There is even a recipe for the chains ShackSauce, well, not exactly, but close enough.

We actually shied away from doing a cookbook for a long time, Rosati says. Every American cook cooks burgers and hot dogs, and sure, we have our own way of doing it. But we thought maybe this is not just recipes; this is also for us to tell the story  of how we have grown over the past several years  and the people who helped us to get there.

Shake Shack often has been put into the context of a happy accident, but as Meyer points out, the success was accidental, but the idea was not. It flows from the philosophy of an enlightened hospitality that works for a simple shack to a white-tablecloth dining room. It may be quick serve, but the ingredients, attention to presentation and taste suggest sophisticated intention. Great food is a must, Rosati says, but experience is just as important. He recalls early days at Abbotts.

There is just something about sitting on a dock, overlooking the harbor, eating a lobster roll in the middle of summer, he says. The lobster roll has to be good, but that experience, from the way you order, pick up your food, that is what makes it legendary. You cannot get that experience anywhere else in the world.

What better way to differentiate than connect with culinary superstars. In 2014, five iconic New York City chefs, including Daniel Boulud and David Chang, created special burgers for a 10th year anniversary celebration. The recipes of all five are in the book. When asked whether the chain might ever reach out to Fairfield Countys top chefs, Rosati says its a possibility. Maybe somewhere down the road, well have the opportunity to do it, he says, noting he already influenced one special burger, the SurfNShack, with its heap of lobster salad atop a burger. It is sold in New England during the summer.

chennessy@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @xtinahennessy
DANBURY  A FedEx deliveryman was arrested Wednesday afternoon after police said he started a fight with an employee at the Jos. A. Bank clothing store near the Danbury Fair mall.

Danbury Police said the staff at Jos. A. Bank had dealt with the deliveryman, Javon Willis, 24, of Mount Vernon, N.Y., in the past and had ongoing issues with his handling of the stores packages.
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PALATKA, Fla. -- As the sun set along the widened expanses of the St. Johns River, Palatka Mayor Terrill Hill grabbed a cooler filled with beer and climbed aboard the Pride of Palatka. Inside the red-and-white riverboat sat a group of visiting environmental enthusiasts, eager to see the attraction locals hoped could revive the rural town they love.

Sam Carr, a Palatka native who runs a local outdoor activities promotion group, told passengers they'd soon be immersed in a waterworld of green marshes and moss and mangroves, of tall birds wading in the current and alligators lingering in the water.

The travelers hoped the old river might be the key to a prosperous future for a rural community that, like many others across the United States, has been largely left behind by the modern economy. They envision bed-and-breakfasts along the water, condominiums rising for retirees who might prize the view, and tourists flocking to experience a rare pocket of undisturbed, natural Florida.

"This is our best thing," Carr said.

As Carr continued his talk, the sky turned dark and gray. The waves rose, and, in the distance, lightning flashed.

"We have to leave the boat," he said as the group began to evacuate.

The return to the river would have to wait.

Palatka, a city of 10,400 swaddled by potato farms and a paper mill that employs a small fraction of the workers it once did, is desperate for an economy to call its own.

Abandoned by retailers that have moved out of their city, and disappointed that President Trump hasn't yet delivered on his promise to restore economic opportunity to small communities, the people here say they don't have much choice.

The alternative would be to allow their beloved home to become the next example of a dying American small town. To help save it, some have started homegrown carwashes and small restaurants and bars selling craft beers. Others have worked with developers to build apartments downtown. And officials here are striving to turn the riverfront, a resource that is unique to their city, into a future hub for tourism and a draw for retirees.

"We have to tap into our locals, our entrepreneurial spirit and our aspirations to substitute what is happening around us," said Hill, 44, who grew up here, left to get degrees from Howard University and the University of Florida, and returned to open a law practice.

Some here thought this would be a year of revival. Trump had vowed a major deal to pour trillions into roads, bridges, water systems and other infrastructure projects that Palatka, like many other communities, has been seeking for years. Some Democrats, even in these tense times, said they were eager to work with him.

Instead, the only Kmart went out of business this spring, and the town's beloved J.C. Penney closed its doors last week, eliminating dozens of jobs and the only thing around that resembles upscale shopping.

Opioid abuse is rampant, and 1 in 10 residents continue to live in public housing. The school system ranks among Florida's worst. And the city's pipes are so old that the water sometimes comes out the color of rust.

One by one, the institutions that Palatka officials had wanted to depend on were proving unreliable. Requests this year for financial assistance from Washington and Tallahassee have gone unanswered. A plea by the mayor to J.C. Penney's corporate headquarters to reconsider shuttering the department store was shot down.

In some ways, the strategy of self-reliance is a return to the city's past.

For decades, Palatka's leaders and residents had embraced their bubble. Politicians rejected plans over the years to build highways that would have connected Palatka to Interstates 75 and 95, spurring growth. Back then, they were afraid growth might change things too much.

Sixty miles south of the sprawling city of Jacksonville, residents here have relished their lifestyle in a place Hill calls "the last bastion of old Florida" - shaggy trees, old houses with worn-out roofs, accents that were more like Montgomery, Ala., than Miami.

From the city's founding, residents relied on the river to attract thousands of jobs. It once brought in a furniture manufacturing plant and a paper mill.

And, in a city whose population is close to evenly split between blacks and whites, Palatka residents take pride in their values. Whites here largely rejected the Ku Klux Klan when it was terrorizing black residents in other parts of north Florida, according to Vice Mayor Mary Lawson-Brown, 81, who is black. Lawson-Brown's grandmother operated an integrated hospital; her grandfather ran the funeral home. No one could be born or buried in town without help from a black person.

"We were still a segregated city, especially on Sunday," Lawson-Brown said. "But we didn't have any racial riots. . . . Everyone wanted to preserve Palatka."

Over the past two decades, however, the small city has been forced to contend with the realities of the global economy.

The furniture manufacturer closed in 2003, citing competition from Chinese imports, according to news reports at the time. About 650 people lost their jobs. The old factory building sits on River Street, unused and empty.

Automation and competition led to jobs at the paper mill, which is owned by Georgia-Pacific, being slashed by a third, to 850, over the past 12 years, according to public affairs manager Terry Hadaway.

By 2013, local leaders were horrified to learn that an expert hired by the Florida League of Cities had found that Palatka was the state's only "dying city."

The designation was based on pure statistics - more deaths than births, more people moving out than moving in. But it stung.

For Hill, the label served as an inspiration to make the leap into politics. In 2014, he ran for mayor with the slogan "Helping Our Palatka Evolve," and persuaded one of his friends to run for the city commission. They won overwhelmingly, and Hill became the second black mayor in Palatka's history.

By 2016, the five-person city commission was all black. Four commissioners were younger than 50.

"The city needed fresh ideas," said Ed Killebrew, a white fifth-generation Palatkan. "And they were all from here, so they understood what we needed."

When it came to the presidential election, Killebrew, like many others in this traditionally Democratic city, made a similar calculation.

"There was only one candidate who I felt knew what we needed," Killebrew said. "That was Trump."

And what does Palatka need?

"Help," he said.

To understand the city's troubles, Killebrew suggested, take a stroll through the Palatka Mall. Foot traffic was reduced by online retail, and other stores left for bigger cities throughout the country.

When Killebrew was growing up, he remembered going with his family to shop for Boy Scout uniforms downtown and lining up along the main street for the annual Christmas parade.

Then came the mall in 1981, taking all the major businesses within its enclosed peach-colored walls. Its anchor was the J.C. Penney, which had put its first Florida store in Palatka in 1928 and employed a generation of workers, mostly women, who generally did not seek to work in the sulfurous-smelling mill.

For years, the new mall was filled with people, and it bustled with commerce.

Today, there are almost no people and hardly any commerce. The mall sits as an empty, dimly lit shell where lizards race up and down with abandon. The parking lot in front of the old J.C. Penney is empty.

Hill had tried to make the case for J.C. Penney to stay.

In April, he wrote to the company's chief executive in Plano, Tex., to explain how much his city depended on the department store. He noted Palatka's low rate of car ownership and said many residents could not easily get to the nearest store, 30 miles away in St. Augustine. There is a local bus service that caters to seniors.

"We have lost too many major retail chain stores," Hill wrote.

The company's senior counsel, Arnold Grothues, responded five days later. He was not convinced.

"We are sensitive to the fact that this is a blow to our associates in those stores and to the communities they have served," Grothues wrote, according to a copy of the letter provided by the city. "But I must stress that the decision is final."

A J.C. Penney spokesman declined to comment.

At the mall one recent afternoon, Jaquese Smith, 18, sat on a bench in front of a closed jewelry shop. He had graduated from Palatka High with a 3.2 grade-point average but could only find a job working for Wendy's. He quit after a manager asked him to shave his goatee, an infringement he felt was not worth the $8 an hour.

So Smith had come to the mall to visit one of the only storefronts with a tenant - the Army recruitment office.

"The military is probably the best place for me to get some opportunities and to earn some benefits," he said.

"This place is kind of hollow," he added. "Everything's closing. Kmart gone, J.C. Penney's gone. I'm just saying, you kind of wonder what's next."

City officials have the same question. The closures of retail stores not only mean a loss of jobs but also a decline in sales tax revenue that can be used to address the city's many needs.

Palatka's cracked and rusty water pipes, some of which haven't been replaced since 1886, seemed to be exactly the type of problem both parties in Washington wanted to address.

But Palatka has had a tough time finding an ally, according to City Manager Terry Suggs.

The city's population made it slightly too big, by about 500 people, to be eligible for federal grants and loans to assist rural communities with waste-management problems, Suggs said.

Suggs said he sent emails, made phone calls and visited with lawmakers in the hope of securing waivers so Palatka might qualify for assistance. But no decision has been made.

"We need folks in Washington to get their act together!" Suggs said.

Among those to hear from Suggs was Rep. Ted Yoho, the Republican congressman whose district includes Palatka. Yoho counseled patience.

"The Trump administration is just getting started," he said. "It has taken a while for nominees to get approved, so it will just take some time."

The city also appealed to the state for $1.5 million to help with water treatment during the most recent legislative session in the spring.

State Rep. Bobby Payne (R), who represents Palatka, said he couldn't even get the bill out of committee. Larger communities tend to have more clout in the budget process. "We'll keep trying," Payne said.

The city's lobbyist in Tallahassee, Yolanda Cash Jackson, said Palatka will always have disadvantages.

"They don't have a giant tax base, and they are Democrats in a Republican state," Jackson said. "So it's easy for their problems to get lost. And they do."

On a recent evening, residents flocked to Beulah Baptist Church, ready for a revival. The preacher commanded the worshipers to be hopeful even in the presence of hardship.

"Every time I step forward, it feels like I'm taking two steps back," he said. "But after all I've been through, I ain't gonna let nothing, or nobody, take my joy! Grab it! Get your joy back!"

Applauding him was Isaac Brinson, 44, whose smile displayed his teeth capped with gold grills with dollar signs on them.

Brinson, who as a felon lost his voting rights, said he would not have supported Trump had he been allowed to cast a ballot. But he said he appreciated Trump's ability to hustle. He was a hustler, too.

Brinson said he had planned on using the money he earned from selling drugs to help start a day-care center. Then he was arrested. When he returned from prison, he opened his own business because he couldn't get a job.

"I took a bucket, some detergent and one of those sticks with a large brush and started my own carwash," Brinson said. "Now, I don't even wash cars. I have two people working for me each day. That's what we need to do here."

Hill figured the city would need that kind of moxie, just on a larger scale. Everyone had to hustle. When Suggs heard that the owner of Bass Pro Shops was coming to town for a bass tournament this year, he and the mayor traveled to the private airport to try to persuade him to build a store in Palatka.

There have been a few good signs. The paper mill announced in June that it was adding a new processor to the factory, bringing 80 more jobs to the community.

Georgia-Pacific was also working with the local school board to train high school students to prepare them for the manufacturing jobs of today.

"We have confidence that Palatka and the surrounding area can support the kind of skilled employees we need now, but more importantly, in the future," said Karen Cole, a company spokeswoman.

She added, "You can't underestimate the value of a positive, long-term relationship with a community, which we very much have in Palatka."

A 10-minute drive from the mill, a local accountant and his wife had bought space downtown to start Uncork and Unwind, with $7 craft beer and the most expensive wine in town. Sitting on a stool there one evening was Killebrew drinking a Raging Blonde with real estate agent Robbi Correa and the owner.

"If we just improved our education system, we can have more jobs," said the owner, David Griffith, who was tending the bar.

"But we need good jobs," Killebrew said. "This way people can stay."

They were happy that there were more jobs coming to the mill but feared how long it would be until, once again, technology rendered them irrelevant.

Correa, a retired teacher from Connecticut, cast her hopes on tourism. If more people saw the river, she said, they would choose to retire here, as she did.

Their conversation took place on the same afternoon Hill and the visiting environmental enthusiasts had to evacuate the boat. After climbing out, the group dined in a local welcome center on food from the Golden Corral and discussed how building hiking and biking trails had improved other small towns in Florida.

From the windows, they could see the sky clearing in shades of blue and pink.

Carr, who led the group off the boat, looked again to the St. Johns's flowing waters.

They walked out of the center and headed back to the docks. As the last speckles of the day's sun sparkled on the river, they climbed aboard the Pride of Palatka and trailed away. After the rain, the conditions seemed just right.
There were 29 registered aircraft in Armenia as of April 1, 2016. As of July 7, this year, their number had dropped to 23, according to the General Department of Civil Aviation of the Republic of Armenia (GDCA).

Only civil and state (non-military) aircraft are under the jurisdiction of the GDCA. Military aviation is regulated by the Defense Ministry.

Not all of the 23 planes are presently in service, and some fly outside Armenia.

Having only two dozen aircraft is a sad indicator for a country - both economically and strategically. This number corresponds to the number of a middle-size-fleet air company. By saying Armenian aircraft, I mean a plane registered in Armenia and bearing the national symbol of Armenia  EK.

According to the Law on Aviation, an aircraft can be registered in the State Register of Armenian Aircraft if it satisfies several conditions: it should be owned or operated either by the Republic of Armenia, communities in Armenia, citizens of Armenia, or legal entities registered in Armenia. The aircraft should be fit for flight and shouldnt be registered in another country.

There is also a registry appendix, where an aircraft is temporarily registered based on the request of the owner or his representative. In this case, the aircraft must satisfy only the requirements in relation to the owner and not being registered in another country.

Aircraft mentioned in the appendix

Four of the 23 aircraft are registered in the registry appendix. One of them is Armenian Airlines Il-86 (EK-86117), which has been parked at Moscow's Domodedovo airport since April 2004. It cannot be sold, since its technically worn out. By staying in the airport, it has managed to accumulate large debts that increase day by day.

The EK-20014 (CRJ 200LR), that belongs to another bankrupted former national carrier, Armavia, isparked at Zvartnots Airport. The company's bankruptcy manager, Karen Asatryan, is trying to sell the plane that lacks some important systems parts. Its value is estimated at 125 million drams (around US $260,000), a steep drop from its original value of 360 million drams. According to www.grav.am, the plane is being used as collateral, but there is no mention about it on www.azdarar.am.

Diamond DA40-TDI 4-seat aircraft (EK-225), operated by Armenia Airways, is another plane in the appendix. The company was founded by Armen Sargsyan and Main Aviation Technics LLC. Karen Movsisyan, the nephew of the former head of the GDCA Artyom Movsesyan, is the owner of the latter and the director of Armenia Airways. During Movsesyan's term, DA40 was used as a training plane in the Aviation Training Center CJSC located near Zvartnots, but there are no more trainings for commercial pilots.

The fourth airplane included in the appendix is the Tu-134 (EK-65072). Built in 1977, it was operated by the Armenian Airlines (AAL) as a VIP plane. After AAL's collapse, the airline was operated by Armavia, but it belonged to the state.

The plane was at the disposal of Armenias President until 2007. It remained a government plane for the next three years, when it was put up for sale for 600 million AMD. Some reports say it was acquired by Armavia, even though the plane is currently attached to the President's Staff. The 40-year-old plane, parked at Zvartnots Airport, will hardly fly again.

Armenia's operating aircraft fleet

At present, there are 19 functioning aircrafts in Armenia.

Aircompany Armenia, based in Zvartnots Airport, operates a Boeing 737-505 aircraft (EK-73736, produced in 1996). Since last year, the company has been operating scheduled and charter passenger flights to Russia, Iran, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The airplane is in Armenia since 2016.

The two planes of Atlantis European Airways, EK-32002 (1997) and EK-32008 (1991), are currently used by Moldovan Fly One.

Taron-Avia, based in Gyumri, flies to Russian cities this year.

EK-73797 (1994) was operated by Air Armenia in 2013-2014, and now it is the only aircraft that serves Taron-Avia. The other two Boeing 737-55S aircrafts, EK-73775 (1999) and EK-73772 (1998), were leased to Sudanese Badr Airlines in 2015. According to the GDCA, Taron-Avia has one more Boeing 737-500, which is registered as EK-73776.

Mars Avia company, which didnt exist in 2016 list, has12 aircrafts.

Below, is a map of the 23 airplanes based on their location or place of operation, and the address of the Armenian operator (owner).
/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR

DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES./

WINNIPEG, Aug. 9, 2017 /CNW/ - Buffalo Capital Inc. (TSX.V: BUFF.P - the "Company" or "Buffalo"), a capital pool company ("CPC"), is pleased to announce it has entered into an amalgamation agreement dated August 8, 2017 (the "Agreement") with Waverley Pharma Inc. ("Waverley"). Waverley is a specialty pharmaceutical company that is dedicated to the development and commercialization of safe, effective and affordable oncology drugs. Pursuant to the Agreement, Buffalo and Waverley will amalgamate (the "Amalgamation") under the Canada Business Corporations Act (the "CBCA"). Buffalo intends that the Amalgamation will constitute its Qualifying Transaction, as such term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange").

Summary of the Qualifying Transaction

The Agreement contemplates Buffalo and Waverley completing a non-arm's length business combination transaction by way of amalgamation pursuant to the CBCA to continue as a new company, Waverley Pharma Inc. (the "Resulting Issuer"). Each common share in the capital of Buffalo (the "Buffalo Shares") that is outstanding immediately prior to the Amalgamation (other than Buffalo Shares held by shareholders of Buffalo (the "Buffalo Shareholders") who exercise their dissent rights) shall be converted into one (1) issued and fully paid and non-assessable common shares in the share capital of the Resulting Issuer (the "Resulting Issuer Shares") at a deemed price of $0.50 per Resulting Issuer Share. Each Class "A" common share in the capital of Waverley (the "Waverley Shares") that is outstanding immediately prior to the Amalgamation (other than Waverley Shares held by shareholders of Waverley (the "Waverley Shareholders") who exercise their dissent rights) shall be converted into 400,000 issued and fully paid and non-assessable Resulting Issuer Shares at a deemed price of $0.50 per Resulting Issuer Share. Upon completion of the Amalgamation and assuming the Concurrent Financing (as defined herein) is fully-subscribed, former holders of Buffalo Shares will hold, in the aggregate 13,000,000 Resulting Issuer Shares representing approximately 24.5% of the outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares and the former holder of Waverley Shares will hold, in the aggregate 40,000,000 Resulting Issuer Shares representing approximately 75.5% of the outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares.

As a result of the Amalgamation, Buffalo will essentially acquire Waverley through the issuance of 40,000,000 Resulting Issuer Shares at a deemed price of $0.50 per Resulting Issuer Share for aggregate deemed consideration of $20,000,000, exclusive of the Resulting Issuer Shares issuable pursuant to the Concurrent Financing.

The Resulting Issuer Shares to be issued pursuant to the Amalgamation will be issued pursuant to exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable securities legislation and certain of the Resulting Issuer Shares issued to insiders of Waverley will be subject to escrow conditions, as required by the Exchange.

Buffalo expects that the Amalgamation will result in the Resulting Issuer being a Tier 2 Life Sciences Issuer on the Exchange. Dr. Albert D. Friesen, an officer and a director of Buffalo, indirectly owns and controls Waverley. As a result, the Amalgamation is a Non-Arm's Length Qualifying Transaction (as defined by the policies of the Exchange). The Amalgamation must be approved by not less than 662/3% of the votes cast at the meeting (the "Buffalo Meeting") of Buffalo Shareholders. In addition "Majority of the Minority" approval will be required from disinterested Buffalo Shareholders. It is expected that the Buffalo Meeting will be held on or about October 6, 2017 and a management information circular will be provided to Buffalo Shareholders in due course.

The completion of the Amalgamation is subject to the satisfaction of various conditions as are standard for a transaction of this nature, including but not limited to (i) the completion of the Concurrent Financing; (ii) the approval by the shareholders of Buffalo to complete the Amalgamation; (iii) the absence of any material adverse change, material litigation, claims, investigations or other matters affecting Buffalo and Waverley, including any subsidiary of Waverley; (iv) the closing of the acquisition by Waverley of a marketing rights for each of WAV-101 and WAV-102 (each as defined herein); and (v) receipt of all requisite regulatory, stock exchange, court or governmental authorizations and consents, including the Exchange. There can be no assurance that the Amalgamation will be completed on the terms proposed above or at all.

Reasons for and Benefits of the Amalgamation

The directors and management of Buffalo believe that the Amalgamation is in the best interests of the Buffalo Shareholders and that the Amalgamation provides a number of benefits for the Buffalo Shareholders including, but not limited to, the following: (a) following the Amalgamation, the Resulting Issuer will have significantly greater financial and business resources than Buffalo; (b) Buffalo Shareholders will gain exposure to Waverley's operations, including the development and commercialization of certain oncology drugs; (c) Buffalo Shareholders will receive a premium to Buffalo's current share price; and (d) Buffalo Shareholders will have the opportunity to participate in a combined company that will have increased market capitalization resulting in increased liquidity for Buffalo Shareholders.

The sole director and officer of Waverley believes that the Amalgamation is in the best interests of the Waverley Shareholder and that the Amalgamation provides a number of benefits including provision of a public listing, which provides Waverley with a greater ability to access capital and increased liquidity.

Board Recommendations

The board of directors of Buffalo has unanimously approved the Amalgamation Agreement (Albert D. Friesen abstaining) and (i) determined that the Amalgamation is in the best interests of Buffalo and the Buffalo Shareholders; (ii) approved the Amalgamation Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby; and (iii) recommends approval of the Amalgamation by Buffalo Shareholders. The sole director and sole shareholder of Waverley have also each approved the Amalgamation Agreement.

Concurrent Financing

A condition to the completion of the Amalgamation, is that Buffalo complete a financing for gross proceeds of up to $5 million (the "Concurrent Financing''). It is anticipated that this financing will be undertaken as a "best efforts" brokered private placement of up to 10,000,000 Buffalo Shares at a price of $0.50 per share and that it will close immediately prior to the closing of the Amalgamation. PI Financial Inc. has been engaged to act as lead agent (the "Agent") in connection with the Concurrent Financing and will be paid a cash commission of 7% of the gross proceeds of the Concurrent Financing. The Agent will also be entitled to receive up to 700,000 warrants (the "Broker Warrants"). Each Broker Warrant shall entitle the Agent to acquire one Buffalo Share at a price of $0.50 for a period of 24 months following the completion of the Amalgamation.

Proceeds of the Concurrent Financing are currently expected to be used to file applications in the European Union (target date Q4 2017) and North America (target date Q1 2018) for the approval of its generic oncology products, WAV-101 and WAV-102, and for general corporate purposes.

The Resulting Issuer

It is estimated that there will be approximately 53,000,000 common shares of the Resulting Issuer issued and outstanding immediately following closing of the Amalgamation and the Concurrent Financing (57,200,000 on a fully-diluted basis), with former Buffalo shareholders holding approximately 5.7% of such common shares, former Waverley shareholders holding approximately 75.5% of such common shares and subscribers under the Concurrent Financing holding approximately 18.9% of such common shares.

Upon completion of the Transaction the management of the Resulting Issuer will include the persons identified below:

Albert D. Friesen Director

Dr. Friesen is the President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Medicure Inc. (TSXV: MPH), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapeutics for the U.S. hospital market. Dr. Friesen is also the President and founder of Genesys Venture Inc. ("GVI"), a private company which provides the expertise for launching and managing emerging health and biotechnology ventures. Dr. Friesen has been involved with the founding and development of several other private and public health industry companies including: ABI Biotechnology Inc. (now Apotex Fermentation Inc.), a biotech company providing services in research, process development, scale-up and manufacturing of fermentation based products, including active pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals; and the Winnipeg Rh Institute, where he led the development of Canada's first biotech product, WinRho. Dr. Friesen was a founder and the first Board of Director Chair of the Industrial Biotechnology Association of Canada (now BIOTECanada).

Dr. Friesen holds a Ph.D. in protein chemistry from the University of Manitoba.

Dr. George Thomas - Chief Executive Officer, President and Corporate Secretary

Dr. Thomas has held senior executive positions at Torrent Pharmaceuticals Research Centre, India, where he led teams responsible for setting up in vitro and in vivo assays, managing outsourced studies, pharmacokinetic and toxicological studies and clinical trials. In addition, he has been responsible for the scientific evaluation of various technologies for license or acquisition from industry and academia. In his role with CentreStone Ventures, a life sciences focused venture capital fund, Dr. Thomas has been actively involved in the scientific assessment and feasibility of various business opportunities, sourcing new opportunities, and taking executive leadership positions with investee companies.

Dr. Thomas holds a Master of Pharmacy degree and Ph.D. from the Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Pilani, India. He received his post-doctoral training at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto and also holds an MBA from the Ivey School of Business, London, Ontario.

Pieter J. de Visser - Chief Financial Officer and Director

Mr. de Visser was the managing and founding partner of DeVisser Gray LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, a Vancouver firm that has provided services to the mining community for 25 years. He currently acts as an advisor to the firm. Mr. de Visser has been a member of a technical advisory committee to the British Columbia Securities Commission. Mr. de Visser is a director of Camino Minerals Corporation (TSXV: COR) and was previously the Chief Financial Officer of Pretium Resources Inc. (TSX/NYSE: PVG). Mr. de Visser has also acted as Chief Financial Officer and Director of multiple TSXV-listed mining and life science companies.

Mr. de Visser holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.

P. Marcus Enns  Director

Mr. Enns is the Vice President, Corporate Affairs of GVI, overseeing treasury activities and contract administration for the company and assisting in both private and public fundraising activities for GVI's client companies. Mr. Enns was previously a Vice President and Secretary of Miraculins Inc. (TSXV: MOM) (now Luminar Medical Technologies Inc.) and a Vice President of Kane Biotech Inc. (TSXV: KNE) and was involved with bringing each of these companies public in 2002 and 2003 respectively. Mr. Enns is currently the Chair of the Board of the Rosenort Credit Union.

Marcus Enns obtained his Bachelor of Commerce (Hons.) degree from the University of Manitoba.

Hellen Siwanowicz  Director

Ms. Siwanowicz is a lawyer with over 25 years of business law experience. From 1991 to 2016, Ms. Siwanowicz practiced law at McMillan LLP and its predecessor, Lang Michener LLP, with an emphasis on securities law. Ms. Siwanowicz has significant experience advising public companies on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance matters.

Ms. Siwanowicz holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto and an LL.B degree from the University of Toronto.

Sponsorship of the Qualifying Transaction

Sponsorship of a "Qualifying Transaction" of a CPC is required by the Exchange unless exempt therefrom in accordance with the Exchange's policies. Given the size and nature of the Amalgamation, including the amount of the Concurrent Financing, Buffalo intends to apply for an exemption from the sponsorship requirements pursuant to the policies of the Exchange. If the exemption is not granted by the Exchange, then Buffalo would be required to engage a sponsor.

Other Matters

At the Company's request, trading in the Buffalo's Shares has been halted by the Exchange. Trading is expected to remain halted until, at the earliest, the completion of the Amalgamation.

As part of the Agreement, Waverley and Buffalo have agreed not to solicit or negotiate with any other entities in regard to a transaction similar to the Qualifying Transaction.

Each of Buffalo and Waverley will bear their own costs in respect of the proposed transaction.

About Buffalo Capital Inc.

Buffalo is a CPC that completed its initial public offering and obtained a listing on the Exchange in April 2017 (trading symbol: "BUFF.P"). Prior to entering into the Agreement, Buffalo did not carry on any active business activity other than reviewing potential transactions that would qualify as Buffalo's Qualifying Transaction.

About Waverley Pharma Inc.

All information in this Press Release relating to Waverley is the sole responsibility of Waverley. Management of Buffalo has not independently reviewed this disclosure nor has Buffalo's management hired any third party consultants or contractors to verify such information.

Waverley is a private, federal company, incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act in 2014, with a wholly-owned subsidiary, Waverley Pharma International Inc. ("WPI"), incorporated in Barbados. Waverley is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba and is active in the innovation, design and development of novel small molecule drugs for the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Albert D. Friesen (Winnipeg, Manitoba), an officer and director of Buffalo, is the majority shareholder of, and controls, the corporate entity that is the sole shareholder of Waverley.

Waverley is a specialty pharmaceutical company that is dedicated to the development and commercialization of safe, effective and affordable oncology drugs. Waverley's initial research project was the development of a novel poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) inhibitor for cancer treatment. Inhibitors of PARP-1 are a newer class of anti-cancer agents of clinical importance in various types of cancer.

In an effort to augment the product pipeline and vastly reduce the time to revenue and profitability, Waverley's current focus is on the generic oncology injectable market in the European Union and North America. Recently, Waverley, through WPI, entered into a binding term sheet with Reliance Life Sciences Private Limited, based in Mumbai, India, in order to obtain a license to market, sell and distribute two generic oncology products, dubbed WAV-101 and WAV-102. Waverley is also beginning to build a pipeline of injectable products, through entering into partnerships, in different stages of development.

WAV-101 is an injectable generic chemotherapy drug, developed for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma. Currently, there are no marketed generics for this product and the brand generates yearly revenue of over USD 1 billion. WAV-102 is also an injectable generic chemotherapy drug, developed for the treatment of multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. Currently, there are no marketed generics for this product and the brand generates yearly revenue of over USD 800 million. As the drug substance and drug product patents for the branded version of these two drugs near expiry, several generics are expected to compete in these therapeutic segments.

Waverley plans to file applications in its marketing territories i.e., the European Union (target date of Q4 2017) and North America (target date of Q1 2018) for the approval of its generic oncology products, WAV-101 and WAV-102. Through its extensive contacts and marketing relationships, Waverley plans to commercialize the products. In addition to its head office in Canada and wholly-owned subsidiary in Barbados, Waverley is exploring establishing a subsidiary in the European Union to help advance its products. This would help navigate the regulatory process and realize commercial potential of Waverley's innovative products in the region.

To date, Waverley has had minimal business operations and its only significant asset pertains to the its rights to WAV-101 and WAV-102 as set forth in the binding term sheet with Reliance Life Sciences Private Limited. The following is a summary of certain unaudited financial information of Waverley for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014:



For the Year Ended

December 31, 2016 For the Year Ended

December 31, 2015 For the Year Ended

December 31, 2014 Income Statement Data





Total Expenses $1,078 $10,646 - Net Loss $1,078 $10,646 -



As at December 31, 2016 As at December 31, 2015 As at December 31, 2015 Balance Sheet Data





Total Assets $100 $100 $100 Total Liabilities $11,724 $10,646 -

Cautionary Note

As noted above, completion of the Amalgamation is subject to a number of conditions including, without limitation, approval of the Exchange, approval of the shareholders of Buffalo, including on a "Majority of the Minority Approval" basis, approval of the sole shareholder of Waverley and completion of the Concurrent Financing by Buffalo. Where applicable, the Amalgamation cannot close until the required approvals have been obtained. There can be no assurance that the Amalgamation will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the continuous disclosure document containing full, true and plain disclosure regarding the Amalgamation and related transactions, required to be filed with the securities regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the affairs of the Company, any information released or received with respect to the Amalgamation may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. The trading in the securities of Buffalo on the Exchange, if reinstated prior to completion of the Amalgamation, should be considered highly speculative.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Albert D. Friesen

Chief Executive Officer,

Corporate Secretary and Director

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect Buffalo's current expectations. When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release include information relating to the business plans of Buffalo, Waverley, and the Resulting Issuer, the Concurrent Financing, the Amalgamation (including Exchange approval and the closing of the Amalgamation) and the board of directors and management of the Resulting Issuer upon completion of the Qualifying Transaction. Such statements and information reflect the current view of Buffalo. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Such factors include, among others, the following risks:

there is no assurance that the Concurrent Financing will be completed or as to the actual offering price or gross proceeds to be raised in connection with the Financing. In particular, the amount raised may be significantly less than the amounts anticipated as a result of, among other things, market conditions and investor behaviour;





there is no assurance that Buffalo and Waverley will obtain all requisite approvals for the Amalgamation , including the approval of the Buffalo Shareholders, the Waverley Shareholder or the approval of the Exchange (which may be conditional upon amendments to the terms of the Amalgamation, the Concurrent Financing and/or related transactions);





will obtain all requisite approvals for the Amalgamation , including the approval of the Buffalo Shareholders, the Waverley Shareholder or the approval of the Exchange (which may be conditional upon amendments to the terms of the Amalgamation, the Concurrent Financing and/or related transactions); following completion of the Amalgamation, the Resulting Issuer may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations. Financing may not be available when needed or on terms and conditions acceptable to the Resulting Issuer;





there is no assurance that the Resulting Issuer's will be successful in marketing and selling WAV-101 and WAV-102 or other pharmaceutical products;





new laws or regulations could adversely affect the Resulting Issuer's business and results of operations; and





the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies. These fluctuations may adversely affect the price of the Resulting Issuer's securities, regardless of its operating performance.

There are a number of important factors that could cause Buffalo's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of Buffalo and Waverley; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; inability to obtain marketing rights to WAV-101 and WAV-102; results of operational activities and development of projects; cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; fluctuations in pharmaceutical prices, and general market and industry conditions.

Buffalo cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on Buffalo's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Buffalo has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF BUFFALO AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE BUFFALO MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.

This press release is not an offer of the securities for sale in the United States. The securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, Exchange acceptance. There can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular to be prepared in connection with the transaction, any information released or received with respect to the transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

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 press release.

SOURCE Buffalo Capital Inc.

For further information: Albert D. Friesen, Email: [email protected] , Phone: (204) 928-7900
(in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted)

Warrant Exercise Adds $356 million to Treasury

TORONTO, Aug. 8, 2017 /CNW/ - "Franco-Nevada's diversified portfolio continues to perform very well" commented David Harquail, CEO. "We are now expecting to finish 2017 at the higher end of our original gold equivalent ounce guidance. The exercise of our 2017 warrants during the second quarter has raised $356 million. That brings our cash and cash equivalents to over $600 million and we have another $1.1 billion in available credit facilities. Franco-Nevada is very active in both precious metals and Oil & Gas investment opportunities and I am confident we can add further assets in each category before year end."

Q2/2017 Financial Highlights

122,541 Gold Equivalent Ounces 1 (GEOs) sold

(GEOs) sold $163.6 million in revenue

in revenue $125.5 million of Adjusted EBITDA 2 or $0.69 per share

of Adjusted EBITDA or per share $45.6 million of net income or $0.25 per share

of net income or per share $46.1 million of Adjusted Net Income 3 or $0.25 per share

of Adjusted Net Income or per share $614.3 million in cash and cash equivalents at quarter-end and no debt, reflecting proceeds of $356.4 million from the exercise of share purchase warrants

















































Revenue and GEOs by Asset Categories

















Q2/2017

Q2/2016





GEOs

Revenue

GEOs

Revenue





#

(in millions)

#

(in millions) Precious Metals





















Gold

92,706

$ 116.5

85,724

$ 108.2

Silver

18,139



22.8

18,523



23.6

PGMs

8,801



11.0

7,053



9.4 Precious Metals - Total

119,646

$ 150.3

111,300

$ 141.2 Other Minerals



2,895



3.7

1,487



1.9 Oil & Gas







9.6





7.8





122,541

$ 163.6

112,787

$ 150.9

For Q2/2017, revenue was sourced 91.9% from precious metals (71.2% gold, 13.9% silver and 6.8% PGM) and 82.2% from the Americas (15.8% U.S., 19.9% Canada and 46.5% Latin America). Operating costs and expenses increased year-over-year due to the increase in the number of GEOs sold during the quarter. Oil & gas revenue increased 23.1% year-over-year, reflecting higher prices as well as the addition of the STACK and Midland portfolio of royalties. Cash provided by operating activities was $126.5 million, an increase of 22.2% compared to Q2/2016, reflecting increased gross profits as well as positive changes in non-cash working capital.

Corporate Updates

2017 Warrants: Franco-Nevada received proceeds of C$479.1 million , or approximately $356.4 million , from the exercise of 6,388,528 common share purchase warrants in the first half of 2017. The warrants had an exercise price of C$75.00 per warrant and were due to expire on June 16, 2017

Franco-Nevada received proceeds of , or approximately , from the exercise of 6,388,528 common share purchase warrants in the first half of 2017. The warrants had an exercise price of per warrant and were due to expire on Midland Oil & Gas Royalties: Franco-Nevada reported on this $110.0 million purchase in the West Texas Permian Basin in our last quarterly update. Following completion of title due diligence, the first part of the portfolio was acquired for $89.8 million and was closed on May 24 , 2017. The second part of the portfolio is expected to close shortly bringing the adjusted total purchase price to approximately $107 million .

Franco-Nevada reported on this purchase in the West Texas Permian Basin in our last quarterly update. Following completion of title due diligence, the first part of the portfolio was acquired for and was closed on , 2017. The second part of the portfolio is expected to close shortly bringing the adjusted total purchase price to approximately . STACK Oil & Gas Royalties: Franco- Nevada has agreed to purchase, for $27.8 million , a second package of mineral titles in the core of the STACK shale play in Oklahoma from a private company. This will complement our existing position acquired in late 2016. This transaction will have an effective date of June 1, 2017 and is expected to close in November 2017 .

Q2/2017 Portfolio Updates

Precious Metals  U.S.: GEOs from U.S. precious metals assets increased by 15.8% year-over-year with increases at South Arturo, Gold Quarry, Stillwater , Fire Creek/Midas and Bald Mountain more than offsetting the decrease from Goldstrike. 19,350 GEOs were received from the U.S. precious metal assets.

GEOs from U.S. precious metals assets increased by 15.8% year-over-year with increases at South Arturo, Gold Quarry, , Fire Creek/Midas and Bald Mountain more than offsetting the decrease from Goldstrike. 19,350 GEOs were received from the U.S. precious metal assets. South Arturo (4-9% royalty)  This project, operated by Barrick and Premier Gold, represented an increase of 2,366 GEOs year-over-year. Premier Gold stated that mining from the current phase has been extended into Q3/2017 and processing at Goldstrike could continue to early 2018. A further phase of open pit mining is under detailed review for which development could begin in early 2019. Drilling of the El Nino underground deposit is expected to begin later this year.



Stillwater (5% royalty)  In May, Sibanye Gold successfully acquired Stillwater Mining and is now the new operator. Sibanye continues to advance the Blitz project which it expects to add between 270,000 and 330,000 PGM ounces of incremental production per annum by 2021.

(5% royalty)  In May, Sibanye Gold successfully acquired Stillwater Mining and is now the new operator. Sibanye continues to advance the Blitz project which it expects to add between 270,000 and 330,000 PGM ounces of incremental production per annum by 2021.

Hollister (3-5% royalty)  Klondex reports that it is ramping-up mining rates at Hollister and expects to begin processing ore at the Midas mill in the second half. An initial reserve was reported for Hollister and drilling is reported to be ongoing, notably at the Hatter Graben area.



Bald Mountain (0.875-5% royalty)  Kinross expects production at Bald Mountain to be higher in the second half of the year with overall 2017 production to be double that of 2016.

expects production at Bald Mountain to be higher in the second half of the year with overall 2017 production to be double that of 2016.

Rosemont (1.5% royalty)  Hudbay released results of a feasibility study for the Rosemont project which outlined a 19 year mine life with annual copper production over the first 10 years of 127,000 tonnes. The final Record of Decision was received from the U.S. Forest Service in June 2017 . Franco- Nevada's 1.5% royalty covers all commodities.

(1.5% royalty)  Hudbay released results of a feasibility study for the project which outlined a 19 year mine life with annual copper production over the first 10 years of 127,000 tonnes. The final Record of Decision was received from the U.S. Forest Service in . Franco- 1.5% royalty covers all commodities.

Goldstrike (2-4% royalty & 2.4-6% NPI)  Barrick is integrating the Cortez and Goldstrike mines in an effort to reduce all-in sustaining costs which would benefit the profit royalties.





Precious Metals  Canada : GEOs from Canadian precious metals assets increased by approximately 14.6% to 17,097 GEOs compared with Q2/2016, primarily from its interests in the Hemlo property and the Sudbury assets.

: GEOs from Canadian precious metals assets increased by approximately 14.6% to 17,097 GEOs compared with Q2/2016, primarily from its interests in the property and the assets. Brucejack (1.2% royalty)  Brucejack poured first gold on June 20, 2017 and declared commercial production on July 3 , 2017. Franco-Nevada's royalty begins after approximately 500,000 ounces have been produced.

 Brucejack poured first gold on and declared commercial production on , 2017. Franco-Nevada's royalty begins after approximately 500,000 ounces have been produced.

Hemlo ( 3% royalty & 50% NPI)  Barrick filed a Technical Report for Hemlo outlining the life of mine plan and providing additional detail of the increased reserves previously announced.

(  Barrick filed a Technical Report for outlining the life of mine plan and providing additional detail of the increased reserves previously announced.

Hardrock (3% royalty)  Joint venture operators Centerra Gold and Premier Gold submitted the Environmental Impact Statement / Environmental Assessment to initiate the formal environmental review process for the Hardrock project.

 Joint venture operators Centerra Gold and Premier Gold submitted the Environmental Impact Statement / Environmental Assessment to initiate the formal environmental review process for the Hardrock project.

Dublin Gulch/Eagle (1.5-2% royalty)  Victoria Gold has obtained a $220 million debt financing commitment for the construction of the Eagle gold project.

 has obtained a debt financing commitment for the construction of the Eagle gold project.

Positive exploration news since our last quarterly update was provided by operators at Macassa (various royalties) , Timmins West (2.25% royalty) , Taylor (1% royalty) , Canadian Malartic Odyssey project (1.5% royalty) , Dublin Gulch/Eagle (1.5%-2% royalty) and on part of the Cariboo/Barkerville play (3% royalty) .





, , Taylor , Canadian project , Dublin Gulch/Eagle and on part of the Cariboo/Barkerville play . Precious Metals  Latin America : GEOs from Latin American precious metals assets were flat year-over-year, with 60,548 precious metal GEOs earned in Q2/2017, as increased deliveries from Candelaria were offset by decreases from Guadalupe, Antapaccay and Antamina.

GEOs from Latin American precious metals assets were flat year-over-year, with 60,548 precious metal GEOs earned in Q2/2017, as increased deliveries from Candelaria were offset by decreases from Guadalupe, Antapaccay and Antamina. Antapaccay (gold and silver stream)  Antapaccay delivered 17,364 GEOs in Q2/2017, a decrease of 11.3% year-over-year, in line with the 2017 life of mine plan.

 Antapaccay delivered 17,364 GEOs in Q2/2017, a decrease of 11.3% year-over-year, in line with the 2017 life of mine plan.

Antamina (22.5% silver stream) 11,081 GEOs from Antamina were sold during the quarter, a decrease compared to 11,898 GEOs in Q2/2016. The year-over-year decrease was expected, as 2016 was an exceptionally strong year of silver production for Antamina.

11,081 GEOs from Antamina were sold during the quarter, a decrease compared to 11,898 GEOs in Q2/2016. The year-over-year decrease was expected, as 2016 was an exceptionally strong year of silver production for Antamina.

Candelaria (gold and silver stream)  Candelaria earned 21,981 GEOs, compared to 16,247 GEOs in Q2/2016, as expected according to its mine plan. The Los Diques tailings facility construction is progressing on schedule and conceptual studies to increase production from five underground deposits to optimize life-of-mine plan are advancing.

 Candelaria earned 21,981 GEOs, compared to 16,247 GEOs in Q2/2016, as expected according to its mine plan. The Los Diques tailings facility construction is progressing on schedule and conceptual studies to increase production from five underground deposits to optimize life-of-mine plan are advancing.

Guadalupe (50% gold stream)  The Guadalupe agreement, which became effective in Q3/2016, delivered 9,683 GEOs in Q2/2017, compared to 12,501 under the Palmarejo agreement in Q2/2016. Under the Guadalupe agreement, Franco-Nevada pays an ongoing cost of $800 per gold ounce received versus the inflation adjusted cost of $400 per gold ounce under the prior Palmarejo agreement.

 The Guadalupe agreement, which became effective in Q3/2016, delivered 9,683 GEOs in Q2/2017, compared to 12,501 under the Palmarejo agreement in Q2/2016. Under the Guadalupe agreement, Franco-Nevada pays an ongoing cost of per gold ounce received versus the inflation adjusted cost of per gold ounce under the prior Palmarejo agreement.

Cobre Panama (gold and silver stream)  During the quarter, Franco-Nevada contributed $52.4 million of its share of construction capital for the Cobre Panama project, or $102.6 million for the first half of 2017, for a cumulative total contribution of $564.8 million of its maximum $1 billion commitment as of the end of Q2/2017. First Quantum reported that the project is now over 58% complete as of the end of Q2/2017 and that all aspects of the project remain scheduled for phased commissioning during 2018, with continued ramp-up over 2019. Franco-Nevada expects to contribute $200-$220 million to the project in 2017.

 During the quarter, Franco-Nevada contributed of its share of construction capital for the Cobre Panama project, or for the first half of 2017, for a cumulative total contribution of of its maximum commitment as of the end of Q2/2017. First Quantum reported that the project is now over 58% complete as of the end of Q2/2017 and that all aspects of the project remain scheduled for phased commissioning during 2018, with continued ramp-up over 2019. Franco-Nevada expects to contribute to the project in 2017.

Cerro Moro (2% royalty )  Yamana reports that the mine construction is proceeding on schedule with production expected in 2018.





)  Yamana reports that the mine construction is proceeding on schedule with production expected in 2018. Precious Metals  Rest of World: 22,651 GEOs from Rest of World precious metals assets were sold during the quarter, an increase of 20.6% year-over-year, primarily due to an increase in the fixed ounce deliveries from Karma.

22,651 GEOs from Rest of World precious metals assets were sold during the quarter, an increase of 20.6% year-over-year, primarily due to an increase in the fixed ounce deliveries from Karma. Sabodala (fixed gold deliveries and stream)  Teranga Gold announced that, as at June 30 , 2017, Sabodala has increased its Mineral Reserve to 2.7 million ounces of gold representing an increase of more than 400,000 ounces.

 Teranga Gold announced that, as at , 2017, Sabodala has increased its Mineral Reserve to 2.7 million ounces of gold representing an increase of more than 400,000 ounces.

Subika (2% royalty)  Newmont announced plans to begin underground mining and expand plant capacity at its Ahafo operation in Ghana. Together, the two projects are forecast to add incremental gold production between 200,000 to 300,000 ounces per year during the first five years of production. Franco-Nevada estimates that the majority of underground reserves are covered by its royalty.

 Newmont announced plans to begin underground mining and expand plant capacity at its Ahafo operation in Ghana. Together, the two projects are forecast to add incremental gold production between 200,000 to 300,000 ounces per year during the first five years of production. Franco-Nevada estimates that the majority of underground reserves are covered by its royalty.

Tasiast (2% royalty)  Kinross reports the Tasiast Phase 1 expansion remains on schedule for full production in Q2/2018. Kinross expects to provide a feasibility for a possible Phase 2 expansion in Q3/2017. This is expected to add an additional 18,000 tonnes per day for a total combined throughput capacity of 30,000 tonnes per day. Encouraging drilling in the Tasiast Sud area (located immediately south of the Tasiast mine) has accelerated an infill drilling program and initiation of a pre-feasibility study.

 reports the Tasiast Phase 1 expansion remains on schedule for full production in Q2/2018. expects to provide a feasibility for a possible Phase 2 expansion in Q3/2017. This is expected to add an additional 18,000 tonnes per day for a total combined throughput capacity of 30,000 tonnes per day. Encouraging drilling in the Tasiast Sud area (located immediately south of the Tasiast mine) has accelerated an infill drilling program and initiation of a pre-feasibility study.

Karma (fixed gold deliveries and stream)  4,453 GEOs were sold in the quarter, an increase compared to 2,500 in Q2/2016, due to a scheduled increase in the fixed ounce deliveries. Q2/2016 also only included two months of deliveries.

 4,453 GEOs were sold in the quarter, an increase compared to 2,500 in Q2/2016, due to a scheduled increase in the fixed ounce deliveries. Q2/2016 also only included two months of deliveries.

Agi Dagi (2% royalty)  Alamos Gold has tabled a positive feasibility report for the project projecting annual production of 177,600 ounces of gold over 5 years. A positive PEA was also completed for the neighbouring Camyurt project on which Franco-Nevada also holds a royalty.

 Alamos Gold has tabled a positive feasibility report for the project projecting annual production of 177,600 ounces of gold over 5 years. A positive PEA was also completed for the neighbouring Camyurt project on which Franco-Nevada also holds a royalty.

Duketon (2% royalty)  Gloster and Erlistoun, two satellite deposits at Duketon, commenced operations to provide additional mill feed. Regis Resources continues to actively explore the extensive land package.

 Gloster and Erlistoun, two satellite deposits at Duketon, commenced operations to provide additional mill feed. Regis Resources continues to actively explore the extensive land package.

At Sissingue (0.5% royalty) , Perseus Mining reports that construction remains on schedule and first gold is expected in early 2018. At Ity (1.5% royalty) , Endeavour Mining has reported an additional 1 million ounces of M&I resource compared to the year end 2016 estimate.





, Perseus Mining reports that construction remains on schedule and first gold is expected in early 2018. At Ity , Endeavour Mining has reported an additional 1 million ounces of M&I resource compared to the year end 2016 estimate. Oil & Gas: Revenue from Oil & Gas assets increased to $9.6 million in Q2/2017 compared to $7.8 million in Q2/2016, reflecting higher prices and higher production levels year-over-year on the Company's Canadian assets, as well as the addition of the STACK and Midland portfolio of royalties. The contribution from the new U.S. royalty assets is expected to become more significant after 2017.

Dividend Declaration

Franco-Nevada Corporation is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of US$0.23 per share. The dividend will be paid on September 28, 2017 to shareholders of record on September 14, 2017 (the "Record Date"). The Canadian dollar equivalent is to be determined based on the daily average rate posted by the Bank of Canada on the Record Date. Under Canadian tax legislation, Canadian resident individuals who receive "eligible dividends" are entitled to an enhanced gross-up and dividend tax credit on such dividends.

The Company has a Dividend Reinvestment Plan ("DRIP"). Participation in the DRIP is optional. The Company will issue additional common shares through treasury at a 3% discount to the Average Market Price, as defined in the DRIP. However, the Company may, from time to time, in its discretion, change or eliminate the discount applicable to treasury acquisitions or direct that such common shares be purchased in market acquisitions at the prevailing market price, any of which would be publicly announced. The DRIP and enrollment forms are available on the Company's website at www.franco-nevada.com. Registered shareholders may also enroll in the DRIP online through the plan agent's self-service web portal at www.investorcentre.com/franco-nevada. Beneficial shareholders should contact their financial intermediary to arrange enrollment.

This press release is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer of securities. A registration statement relating to the DRIP has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and may be obtained under the Company's profile on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov.

Shareholder Information

The complete Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis can be found today on FrancoNevada's website at www.franco-nevada.com, on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov.

Management will host a conference call tomorrow, Wednesday, August 9, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to review FrancoNevada's Q2/2017 results.

Interested investors are invited to participate as follows:

Via Conference Call: Toll-Free: (888) 231-8191; International: (647) 427-7450

Conference Call Replay until August 16 th : Toll-Free (855) 859-2056; Toronto (416) 849-0833; Pass code 54013459

Webcast: A live audio webcast will be accessible at www.franco-nevada.com

Corporate Summary

Franco-Nevada Corporation is the leading gold-focused royalty and stream company with the largest and most diversified portfolio of cash-flow producing assets. Its business model provides investors with gold price and exploration optionality while limiting exposure to many of the risks of operating companies. Franco-Nevada is debt free and uses its free cash flow to expand its portfolio and pay dividends. It trades under the symbol FNV on both the Toronto and New York stock exchanges. Franco-Nevada is the gold investment that works.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward looking information" and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, respectively, which may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to future events or future performance, management's expectations regarding Franco-Nevada's growth, results of operations, estimated future revenues, carrying value of assets, future dividends and requirements for additional capital, mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates, production estimates, production costs and revenue, future demand for and prices of commodities, expected mining sequences, business prospects and opportunities. In addition, statements (including data in tables) relating to reserves and resources and gold equivalent ounces ("GEOs") are forward looking statements, as they involve implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions, and no assurance can be given that the estimates and assumptions are accurate and that such reserves and resources and GEOs will be realized. Such forward looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "projects", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "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 Franco-Nevada to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward looking statements. A number of factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from any forward looking statement, including, without limitation: fluctuations in the prices of the primary commodities that drive royalty and stream revenue (gold, platinum group metals, copper, nickel, uranium, silver, iron-ore and oil and gas); fluctuations in the value of the Canadian and Australian dollar, Mexican peso, and any other currency in which revenue is generated, relative to the U.S. dollar; changes in national and local government legislation, including permitting and licensing regimes and taxation policies and the enforcement thereof; regulatory, political or economic developments in any of the countries where properties in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest are located or through which they are held; risks related to the operators of the properties in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest, including changes in the ownership and control of such operators; influence of macroeconomic developments; business opportunities that become available to, or are pursued by Franco-Nevada; reduced access to debt and equity capital; litigation; title, permit or license disputes related to interests on any of the properties in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest; whether or not the Corporation is determined to have "passive foreign investment company" ("PFIC") status as defined in Section 1297 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; potential changes in Canadian tax treatment of offshore streams; excessive cost escalation as well as development, permitting, infrastructure, operating or technical difficulties on any of the properties in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest; actual mineral content may differ from the reserves and resources contained in technical reports; rate and timing of production differences from resource estimates, other technical reports and mine plans; risks and hazards associated with the business of development and mining on any of the properties in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest, including, but not limited to unusual or unexpected geological and metallurgical conditions, slope failures or cave-ins, flooding and other natural disasters, terrorism, civil unrest or an outbreak of contagious disease; and the integration of acquired assets. The forward looking statements contained in this press release are based upon assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including, without limitation: the ongoing operation of the properties in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest by the owners or operators of such properties in a manner consistent with past practice; the accuracy of public statements and disclosures made by the owners or operators of such underlying properties; no material adverse change in the market price of the commodities that underlie the asset portfolio; the Corporation's ongoing income and assets relating to determination of its PFIC status; no material changes to existing tax treatment; no adverse development in respect of any significant property in which Franco-Nevada holds a royalty, stream or other interest; the accuracy of publicly disclosed expectations for the development of underlying properties that are not yet in production; integration of acquired assets; and the absence of any other factors that could cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. However, 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. Investors are cautioned that forward looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Franco-Nevada cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward looking statements and investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. For additional information with respect to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, please refer to the "Risk Factors" section of Franco-Nevada's most recent Annual Information Form filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities on www.sedar.com and Franco-Nevada's most recent Annual Report filed on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on www.sec.gov. The forward looking statements herein are made as of the date of this press release only and Franco-Nevada does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

NON-IFRS MEASURES: Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA are intended to provide additional information only and do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These measures are not necessarily indicative of operating profit or cash flow from operations as determined under IFRS. Other companies may calculate these measures differently. For a reconciliation of these measures to various IFRS measures, please see below or the Company's current MD&A disclosure found on the Company's website, on SEDAR and on EDGAR. Comparative information has been recalculated to conform to current presentation.

1 GEOs include our gold, silver, platinum, palladium and other mineral assets. GEOs are estimated on a gross basis for NSR royalties and, in the case of stream ounces, before the payment of the per ounce contractual price paid by the Company. For NPI royalties, GEOs are calculated taking into account the NPI economics. Platinum, palladium, silver and other minerals are converted to GEOs by dividing associated revenue, which includes settlement adjustments, by the relevant gold price. The gold price used in the computation of GEOs earned from a particular asset varies depending on the royalty or stream agreement, which may make reference to the market price realized by the operator, or the average for the month, quarter, or year in which the mineral was produced or sold. For Q2/2017, the average commodity prices per ounce were as follows: $1,257 gold (Q2/2016 - $1,259), $17.26 silver (Q2/2016 - $17.17), $940 platinum (Q2/2016 - $1,004) and $819 palladium (Q2/2016 - $568). For the six months ended June 30, 2017, the average commodity prices were as follows: $1,238 gold (H1/2016 - $1,220), $17.34 silver (H1/2016 - $16.00), $960 platinum (H1/2016 - $959) and $793 palladium (H1/2016 - $546).



2 Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA per share are non-IFRS financial measures, which exclude the following from net income and EPS: income tax expense/recovery; finance expenses; finance income; depletion and depreciation; non-cash costs of sales; impairment charges related to royalty, stream and working interests and investments; gains/losses on sale of royalty interests; gains/losses on investments; and foreign exchange gains/losses and other income/expenses.



3 Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Net Income per share are non-IFRS financial measures, which exclude the following from net income and earnings per share ("EPS"): foreign exchange gains/losses and other income/expenses; impairment charges related to royalty, stream and working interests and investments; gains/losses on sale of royalty interests; gains/losses on investments; unusual non-recurring items; and the impact of income taxes on these items.

Reconciliations to IFRS measures





























For the three months ended

For the six months ended



June 30,

June 30, (expressed in millions, except per share amounts) 2017 2016 2017 2016 Net Income

$ 45.6

$ 42.3

$ 91.2

$ 72.3

Income tax expense



11.1



11.3



21.5



19.4

Finance expenses



0.8



0.8



1.6



2.1

Finance income



(1.1)



(1.0)



(2.0)



(2.1)

Depletion and depreciation



67.2



68.2



138.7



133.7

Non-cash costs of sales



2.3



1.7



4.1



3.5

(Gain) on investments







(2.8)







(4.3)

Foreign exchange (gains)/losses and other (income)/expenses



(0.4)







(1.1)



0.1 Adjusted EBITDA

$ 125.5

$ 120.5

$ 254.0

$ 224.7 Basic weighted average shares outstanding



181.6



177.8



180.1



175.2 Adjusted EBITDA per share

$ 0.69

$ 0.68

$ 1.41

$ 1.28

















































































For the three months ended For the six months ended



June 30,

June 30, (expressed in millions, except per share amounts) 2017 2016 2017 2016 Net Income

$ 45.6

$ 42.3

$ 91.2

$ 72.3

Foreign exchange (gains)/losses and other (income)/expenses



(0.4)







(1.1)



0.1

(Gain) on investments







(2.8)







(4.3)

Tax effect of adjustments



0.1



0.8







0.6

Other tax related adjustments



























Valuation allowance



0.8



(0.6)



0.8



(0.7)



Impact of tax increases







0.3







 Adjusted Net Income

$ 46.1

$ 40.0

$ 90.9

$ 68.0 Basic weighted average shares outstanding



181.6



177.8



180.1



175.2 Adjusted Net Income per share

$ 0.25

$ 0.22

$ 0.50

$ 0.39

FRANCO-NEVADA CORPORATION











CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION











(unaudited, in millions of U.S. dollars)





































At June 30,



At December 31,





2017



2016

ASSETS















Cash and cash equivalents (Note 4)

$ 614.3



$ 253.0

Receivables



55.1





71.1

Prepaid expenses and other (Note 6)



50.1





37.1



Current assets



719.5





361.2



















Royalty, stream and working interests, net (Note 3)



3,752.9





3,668.3

Investments (Note 5)



140.8





147.4

Deferred income tax assets



22.4





21.3

Other assets (Note 7)



19.9





23.4



Total assets

$ 4,655.5



$ 4,221.6



















LIABILITIES















Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

$ 20.5



$ 21.0

Current income tax liabilities



18.2





16.6



Current liabilities



38.7





37.6



















Deferred income tax liabilities



43.6





37.5



Total liabilities



82.3





75.1



















SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (Note 14)















Common shares



5,078.9





4,666.2

Contributed surplus



16.1





41.6

Deficit



(327.5)





(336.8)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss



(194.3)





(224.5)



Total shareholders' equity



4,573.2





4,146.5



Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

$ 4,655.5



$ 4,221.6





































Subsequent events (Note 3)

















The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated interim financial statements and can be found in our Q2/2017 Report available on our website

FRANCO-NEVADA CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (unaudited, in millions of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts)

































For the three months ended

For the six months ended



June 30,

June 30,



2017

2016



2017



2016 Revenue (Note 10)

$ 163.6

$ 150.9



$ 336.3



$ 282.9





























Cost of sales





























Costs of sales (Note 11)



33.9



27.7





73.8





52.1

Depletion and depreciation



67.2



68.2





138.7





133.7 Total cost of sales



101.1



95.9





212.5





185.8 Gross profit



62.5



55.0





123.8





97.1





























Other operating expenses (income)





























Corporate administration



5.8



5.7





11.1





11.1

Business development



0.8



0.3





1.6





0.6

Gain on sale of gold bullion (Note 16)



(0.1)



(1.6)





(0.1)





(2.1) Total other operating expenses



6.5



4.4





12.6





9.6 Operating income (Note 16)



56.0



50.6





111.2





87.5

Foreign exchange gain (loss) and other income (expenses) (Note 16)



0.4









1.1





(0.1)

Realized gain on investments







2.8











4.3 Income before finance items and income taxes



56.4



53.4





112.3





91.7





























Finance items





























Finance income



1.1



1.0





2.0





2.1

Finance expenses



(0.8)



(0.8)





(1.6)





(2.1) Net income before income taxes



56.7



53.6





112.7





91.7





























Income tax expense (Note 13)



11.1



11.3





21.5





19.4 Net income

$ 45.6

$ 42.3



$ 91.2



$ 72.3





























Other comprehensive income (loss):



























Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit and loss:



























































Unrealized (loss) gain in the market value of available-for-sale investments, net of income tax recovery of $1.8 (2016 - income tax expense of $0.3), income tax recovery of $1.6 (2016 - income tax expense of $0.5) (Note 5)



(11.7)



10.8





(10.2)





26.6

Realized change in market value of available-for-sale investments (Note 5)







(2.8)











(4.3)

Currency translation adjustment



30.7



(4.0)





40.4





45.5 Other comprehensive income



19.0



4.0





30.2





67.8





























Total comprehensive income

$ 64.6

$ 46.3



$ 121.4



$ 140.1 Basic earnings per share (Note 15)

$ 0.25

$ 0.24



$ 0.51



$ 0.41 Diluted earnings per share (Note 15)

$ 0.25

$ 0.24



$ 0.51



$ 0.41

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated interim financial statements and can be found in our Q2/2017 Report available on our website

FRANCO-NEVADA CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited, in millions of U.S. dollars)



















For the six months ended



June 30,



2017



2016 Cash flows from operating activities













Net income

$ 91.2



$ 72.3 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:















Depletion and depreciation



138.7





133.7

Non-cash costs of sales



4.1





3.5

Share-based payments



3.1





2.4

Unrealized foreign exchange (gain) loss



(0.6)





0.2

Gain on investments









(4.3)

Deferred income tax expense



6.0





2.3

Other non-cash items



(0.7)





(0.8)

Acquisition of gold bullion (Note 16)



(12.1)





(33.7) Proceeds from sale of gold bullion (Note 16)



9.4





46.1 Operating cash flows before changes in non-cash working capital



239.1





221.7

Changes in non-cash working capital:

















Decrease in receivables



16.0





8.7



Increase in prepaid expenses and other



(9.3)





(4.3)



Increase in current liabilities



0.5





1.4 Net cash provided by operating activities (Note 16)



246.3





227.5















Cash flows from investing activities















Acquisition of royalty, stream and working interests



(198.2)





(555.7)

Acquisition of oil & gas well equipment



(0.9)





(1.3)

Proceeds from sale of investments









23.6

Acquisition of investments









(1.6) Net cash used in investing activities (Note 16)



(199.1)





(535.0)















Cash flows from financing activities















Net proceeds from issuance of common shares









883.5

Repayment of Credit Facility









(460.0)

Credit facility amendment costs



(1.0)







Payment of dividends



(62.2)





(57.5)

Proceeds from exercise of warrants



356.4







Proceeds from exercise of stock options



7.8





15.6 Net cash provided by financing activities



301.0





381.6 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents



13.1





2.5 Net change in cash and cash equivalents



361.3





76.6 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period



253.0





149.2 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$ 614.3



$ 225.8















Supplemental cash flow information:













Cash paid for interest expense and loan standby fees

$ 1.2



$ 1.8 Income taxes paid

$ 29.4



$ 21.4

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated interim financial statements and can be found in our Q2/2017 Report available on our website

SOURCE Franco-Nevada Corporation

For further information: For more information, please go to our website at www.franco-nevada.com or contact: Stefan Axell, Director, Corporate Affairs, (416) 306-6328, [email protected]; Sandip Rana, Chief Financial Officer, (416) 306-6303

Related Links

www.franco-nevada.com


MONTREAL, Aug. 9th, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Today, on the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) is proud to announce the celebration for the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). This international event will be held in Montreal on September 12-13th 2017.

September 13th 2017 is a symbolic date. It marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of this founding text by the UN General Assembly. Endorsed as of now by almost 150 countries including Canada, the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is the most complete international instrument on the fundamental rights and freedoms of Indigenous peoples (culture, identity, religion, language, territory, health, education, cooperation...).

To celebrate and demystify the declaration among the general public, AFNQL, with Ville de Montreal and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, are co-organizing two days of festive and educational events in Montreal:

Conferences and exchanges at the Palais des congres de Montreal on Indigenous rights and reconciliation (mandatory registration);

and at the Palais des congres de Montreal on Indigenous rights and reconciliation (mandatory registration); A festive evening titled "The Voice of Nations" with outdoor concerts at the heart of the Old Port (free admittance).

The event is intended to celebrate the 370 million Indigenous people throughout the world and honour the great diversity of Indigenous cultures. The artists and speakers will be announced soon and reflect several regions.

Through this rich and varied program, the 10th anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is addressed to all interested or concerned citizens, Indigenous or non-Indigenous. An opportunity to share knowledge for some, and to discover new horizons for others, in a festive atmosphere!

Further information at the official event site: www.undrip10.org

"The work leading to the adoption of the Declaration was marked by major battles. We must recognize the people who, by their actions, their convictions and their determination, have made the difference for the advancement of our collective rights. We celebrate their legacy and on behalf of AFNQL, I am proud to invite you to celebrate this unifying 10th anniversary in brotherhood and friendship", declared the Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL), Mr Ghislain Picard.

"In this pivotal year of the 375th anniversary of the City of Montreal, I am particularly proud today to underline the International Day of Indigenous Peoples. But with all these festivities, responsibilities come too. More than ever before, cities have a crucial role to play in Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and the respect of their rights. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples underlines the City of Montreal's international status and affirms its pivotal role in enshrining human rights and those of Indigenous people on a daily basis", declared the Mayor of Montreal, Mr Denis Coderre.

"Recognizing the rights and aspirations of Indigenous peoples is an essential step in the reconciliation process", declared Sebastien Goupil, Secretary-General of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. "We must help create the conditions to strengthen ties between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. It is in this spirit that the Commission joins in with these important celebrations that will also contribute to the outreach of knowledge and cultures several thousand years old".

"The Declaration is an essential tool for reconciliation", said Nicole McDonald, a Metis woman and Program Director of Indigenous initiatives at the McConnell Foundation in Montreal. "It provides Canada with a path to work collaboratively with Indigenous communities to achieve the Declaration's aims and secure a country in which the rights of First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples are promoted and protected."

"The Society for the Celebration of Montreal's 375th Anniversary is proud to support this festive and inclusive event that celebrates a significant historic accomplishment for all Indigenous peoples throughout the world. The 375th anniversary of Montreal is for us an opportunity to highlight an Indigenous presence of over 6 000 years on this territory, to showcase the wealth of Indigenous cultures and to promote a greater participation of Indigenous people in the progress of our city", declared France Chretien Desmarais, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Society of Montreal's 375th Anniversary.

"No relation is more important for our government and for Canada than the relationship with Indigenous peoples. Canada can be proud of the Indigenous and Canadian leaders who, on the path to reconciliation, have worked for years to achieve the vision of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples. I am proud today to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Declaration affirming that Canada has pledged to adopt it and to fully implement the Declaration, in partnership with the First Nations, the Inuit and the Metis", declared the honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs.

About the AFNQL

The Assembly of First Nations of Quebec-Labrador is a political organization that includes the 43 Chiefs of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador. www.apnql-afnql.com

About CCUNESCO

The Canadian Commission for UNESCO serves as a bridge between Canadians and the vital work of UNESCO  the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. By promoting UNESCO values, priorities and programs in Canada and by bringing the voices of Canadian experts to the international stage, the Commission contributes to a peaceful, equitable and sustainable future that leaves no one behind.

About the Society for the Celebration of Montreal's 375th Anniversary

The Society for the Celebration of Montreal's 375th Anniversary is a non-profit organization whose mission is to organize the celebrations and socioeconomic contributions that will mark Montreal's 375th anniversary in 2017. With a focus on promoting Montreal expertise, it acts as a catalyst for local forces in carrying out its mandate: to mobilize the community, implement a funding strategy, rigorously manage public funds, develop quality programming and ensure the visibility of the celebrations.

The Society benefits from the support of the Ville de Montreal, the Quebec government, the Canada government and private funding from 12 Great Montrealers. For more information, see http://www.375mtl.com.

You can find all our press releases and additional pictures and videos in our virtual press room.

Get all the latest news in real time on our Twitter feed: @375Mtl.

Follow us on Facebook.

To learn more about the contribution of the Quebec government to Montreal's 375th Anniversary celebrations, click here.

Source: Assembly of First Nations Quebec Labrador

Related links: www.undrip10.org

SOURCE Ville de Montreal - Cabinet du maire et du comite executif

For further information: Event: Basile Groussin, 10th anniversary Communications Manager, (514) 576-6155, [email protected]; AFNQL: Melanie Vincent, Executive Assistant of the Chief of the AFNQL, (418) 580-4442, [email protected]; Ville de Montreal: Jules Chamberland, Press Relations, (514) 872-7426, [email protected]; CCUNESCO: Angele Cyr, Public Affairs, (613) 566-4414 ext 4168, [email protected]; Society of the 375th: Isabelle Pelletier, Press Relations, (514) 238-4178, [email protected]
VANCOUVER, Aug. 9, 2017 /CNW/ - Nevsun Resources Ltd. (TSX:NSU) (NYSE MKT: NSU) (Nevsun or the Company) today announced its financial results for Q2 2017 and key strategic and capital allocation updates to its core assets, the high-grade Timok Upper Zone copper-gold project in Serbia and the cash producing Bisha mine in Eritrea. Nevsun's recently appointed President and CEO, Peter Kukielski, has completed a comprehensive strategic review which included several trips to Serbia and Eritrea.

Peter Kukielski commented, "Nevsun's mission, and the reason I joined the Company, is to build a strong, multi-mine mid-tier mining company, delivering shared prosperity to all stakeholders. With great people, strong assets and a clean balance sheet the Company is well positioned to deliver that vision. In getting to know the business I have been pleased to meet the teams we have on the ground and to witness the strong support we enjoy from our local governments and other stakeholders."

Mr. Kukielski continued, "To ensure we properly evaluate optimization opportunities and increase the level of front end engineering at Timok, we will now complete the Preliminary Feasibility Study ("PFS") in Q1 2018. We will provide the market with an interim update via an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") in October 2017. The additional time spent on the PFS will reduce the time needed for a Feasibility Study, and we therefore continue to maintain our target for production in 2021. We are also required to make tough capital allocation decisions across the business. We have decided to only fund the capital for a four year open pit at Bisha. With additional capital, deeper material remains economic and we are working with the State of Eritrea to assess reserve increase options. Overall, the Company is in a stronger position to fund Timok with cash flow from Bisha and cash of $171 million on the balance sheet."

Highlights

Peter Kukielski appointed President and CEO on May 12, 2017

appointed President and CEO on Decided to publish an updated Timok PEA in October 2017

Revised Timok PFS timeline to Q1 2018

Timok remains on-track for 2021 production with decline construction commencing in Q4 2017

Decided to invest $24 million in capital in a four year open pit at Bisha (all funded from operating cash flow)

in capital in a four year open pit at Bisha (all funded from operating cash flow) Ended period with cash and cash equivalents of $171 million

Sold 34.3 million payable pounds of zinc in zinc concentrate at C1 cash costs (1) of $0.92 per payable pound sold

of per payable pound sold Sold 7.7 million payable pounds of copper in copper concentrate at C1 cash costs (1) of $1.59 per payable pound sold

of per payable pound sold Recorded a $70 million non-cash, pre-tax write-down of long term stockpiles and mobile equipment

Timok Project Review













Q2 2017 Q1 2017 Q4 2016 Q3 2016 Spending  Upper Zone $ 6,314 $ 7,668 $ 5,924 $ 2,785 Spending  Lower Zone

5,781

2,914

2,022

1,013

The Company has spent $14 million to date in 2017 on Upper Zone activities, and expects that the PFS will be achieved within the $40 million budget despite the extended timeline. Key milestones achieved to date in 2017 include the completion of all planned infill drilling (30,000 metres) and the advancement of key technical mining, metallurgical and environmental studies. The Company is on track to commence decline development in Q4 2017, with permitting well advanced, and the contract tendering process on schedule.

The Company has recently commenced a 10,000 metre drilling program to search for additional nearby, high grade Upper Zone type deposits, with two rigs actively drilling at June 30.

The Company has spent $9 million to date in 2017 (cumulative $12 million from June 2016) on the Lower Zone drilling program. The Company has drilled 29,000 metres to date, and is targeting another 16,000 metres of Lower Zone drilling in 2017, with eleven rigs actively drilling at June 30.

Financial Review























Q2 2017

Q1 2017

Q4 2016

Q3 2016 Revenue (millions) $ 66.1 $ 71.6 $ 36.2 $ 22.9 Operating income (loss) (millions)

(65.1)

11.7

(4.9)

17.5 Net income (loss) (millions)

(70.2)

2.9

(8.5)

6.0 Working capital (millions)

171.1

190.3

201.1

206.9

















Copper price realized, per payable pound sold $ 2.65 $ - $ - $ 2.10 C1 cash cost per payable copper pound sold(1)

1.59

-

-

0.72

















Zinc price realized, per payable pound sold

1.16

1.28

1.17

- C1 cash cost per payable zinc pound sold(1)

0.92

0.89

1.06

- (1) C1 cash cost per pound is a non-GAAP measure  see the MD&A for discussion of non-GAAP measures and cash costs.

Q2 operating results were pre-released. See the news release from July 13, 2017 for operating details and commentary.

Changes to 2017 Outlook and Guidance

Deliver an updated Timok PEA in October 2017

Deliver Timok PFS in Q1 2018 (previously September 2017 )

) Produce 190 to 210 million pounds of zinc (previously 200 to 230)

Zinc cash cost $0.70 to $0.90 per payable pound sold (no change)

per payable pound sold (no change) Produce 20 to 30 million pounds of copper (previously 10 to 20)

Copper cash cost $1.55 to $1.75 per payable pound sold (previously $0.90 to $1.10 )

per payable pound sold (previously ) Monetize 15,000 gold equivalent ounces from stockpiles (previously 10,000)

Capital investment of $104 million (previously $88 million )

Revised production guidance reflects the fact that Bisha no longer produces bulk zinc concentrate and copper concentrate has been produced every month since February 2017 with improved recoveries. Cash cost changes reflect mix in copper vs zinc (hence different allocation of costs) as well as higher than anticipated mining costs.

Revised 2017 capital spending guidance is as follows:

Timok Upper Zone decreased to $40 from $45 million ;

from ; Timok Lower Zone decreased to $14 from $17 million due to slower than planned drilling;

from due to slower than planned drilling; Timok Upper Zone greenfield exploration commenced with additional $4 million budget as announced April 20, 2017 ;

budget as announced ; Bisha sustaining capital increased to $41 million from $17 million primarily to acquire new heavy mining equipment; and

from primarily to acquire new heavy mining equipment; and Bisha regional exploration spending remained unchanged at $9 million for 2017.

Bisha Reserve Estimate

Bisha and Harena proven and probable primary ore reserves as of December 31, 2016 declined to 9.6 million tonnes at 6.16 percent zinc, 1.05 percent copper, 0.69 g/t gold and 44.9 g/t silver. See Appendix of this release for complete table and assumptions. At a processing rate of 2.4 million tonnes per annum, the Bisha operation now has a reserve mine life to mid-2021, down from approximately 8 years at the last reserve estimate. The decrease is due to the decision to mine a smaller pit at Bisha. A larger capital investment to mine a larger pit was considered, however, the Company determined that on a risk-adjusted basis this alternative was not the most prudent allocation of capital at this time

The new technical report assumes 70% recovery of copper to copper concentrate and 77% recovery of zinc to zinc concentrate, down from the previous reserve estimate of 85% and 80% respectively. These levels are the best current estimate of long-term recoveries for processing Bisha primary ore. We expect to achieve the new recoveries in 2018 and have retained a leading metallurgical expert full time to drive continued improvement at Bisha.

The Company has allocated an additional $24 million of sustaining capital in 2017, primarily for the acquisition of new heavy mining equipment. This additional capital provides a robust return on investment while de-risking mining and processing of the above reserve.

For more details, please refer to the NI 43-101 technical report supporting this reserve and the resources reported in February 2017 filed on SEDAR, EDGAR and the Company's website.

Bisha and Harena Underground Studies

Bisha has approximately 28 million tonnes of measured and indicated mineral resources and 31 million tonnes of inferred mineral resources within 20 kilometres of the existing mill. While results of both the Harena and Bisha underground scoping studies were marginal, converting regional resources into reserves remains a long term objective.

For more detail on the underground scoping work, please refer to Section 24 of the NI 43-101 technical report supporting this reserve and the resources reported in February 2017 filed on SEDAR, EDGAR and the Company's website.

Q2 2017 Results Conference Call and Webcast Details

The Company will hold a conference call and webcast on Thursday, August 10, 2017, at 8AM Vancouver / 11AM Toronto, New York / 4PM London, to discuss the Q2 2017 results.

Conference Call:

Please call in at least five minutes prior to the conference call start time to ensure prompt access to the conference. Dial in details are as follows:

North America: 1 888-390-0546 / +1 416-764-8688 / +1 778-383-7413

UK: 0800 652 2435 (toll free)

Other International: +1 416-764-8688 / +1 778-383-7413

The conference call will be available for replay by phone until Thursday, August 17, 2017, by calling 1 888-390-0541 / +1 416-764-8677 and entering passcode 458226 #.

Webcast:

A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company's website www.nevsun.com or by clicking https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1462194/D71E5CD15383FD33589C096AF55F0D0E

About Nevsun Resources Ltd.

Nevsun Resources Ltd. is the 100% owner of the high-grade copper-gold Timok Upper Zone and 60% owner of the Timok Lower Zone in Serbia. Nevsun generates cashflow from its 60% owned copper-zinc Bisha Mine in Eritrea. Nevsun is well positioned with a strong debt-free balance sheet to grow shareholder value through advancing Timok to production.

Qualified Persons Statement

The information in this report that relates to mineral reserves was prepared by Anoush Ebrahimi P. Eng. of SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc.

Peter Manojlovic, P.Geo., and Frazer Bourchier, P.Eng., are Nevsun's designated Qualified Persons and have reviewed and approved the contents of this press release.

A Quality Assurance/Quality Control program was part of the sampling program for the Bisha work. Certified reference material (standards), duplicates and blank samples are systematically inserted into the flow of drill samples and results analyzed on a batch by batch basis. This program includes a chain of custody whereby diamond drill core samples are initially crushed and sub-sampled at the Bisha Mine sample preparation facility and pulverized and analyzed by Genalysis in Perth, Australia. Multi-element analysis is completed using ICP-AES methods; gold is analyzed by fire assay with AAS finish. Reverse circulation drill samples are processed at the Bisha Mine on-site laboratory, which is a member of the SGS group. Multi-element analysis is completed using ICP-OES methods with gold also analyzed by fire assay.

Cautionary Notes to Investors - Resource and Reserve Estimates

In accordance with applicable Canadian securities regulatory requirements, all mineral resource estimates of the Company disclosed or incorporated by reference in this news release have been prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), classified in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum's "CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves Definitions and Guidelines" (the "CIM Guidelines"). The definitions of mineral reserves and mineral resources are set out in our disclosure of our mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates in our Annual Information Form.

The Company uses the terms "mineral resources", "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources". While those terms are recognized by Canadian securities regulatory authorities, they are not recognized by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and the SEC does not permit U.S. companies to disclose resources in their filings with the SEC.

Pursuant to the CIM Guidelines, mineral resources have a higher degree of uncertainty than mineral reserves as to their existence as well as their economic and legal feasibility. Inferred mineral resources, when compared with measured or indicated mineral resources, have the least certainty as to their existence, and it cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will be upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource as a result of continued exploration. Pursuant to NI 43-101, inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of any economic analysis, including any feasibility study. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a mineral resource exists, will ever be converted into a mineral reserve, or is or will ever be economically or legally mineable or recovered.

Forward Looking Statements

The above contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "hopes", "intends", "estimated", "potential", "possible" and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results "will", "may", "could" or "should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are statements concerning the Company's current beliefs, plans and expectations about the future, including but not limited to statements and information made concerning: statements relating to the business, prospects and future activities of, and developments related to the Company, anticipated dividends, goals, strategies, future growth, planned future acquisitions and explorations activities, the adequacy of financial resources planned production, capital investment, production costs, deliverables and other events or conditions that may occur in the future, and are inherently uncertain. The actual achievements of the Company or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, without limitation, the risks that: (i) any of the assumptions in the historical resource estimates turn out to be incorrect, incomplete, or flawed in any respect; (ii) the methodologies and models used to prepare the resource and reserve estimates either underestimate or overestimate the resources or reserves due to hidden or unknown conditions, (iii) exploration activities, or the mine operations are disrupted or suspended due to acts of god, internal conflicts in the country of Eritrea or Serbia, unforeseen government actions or other events; (iv) the Company experiences the loss of key personnel; (v) the Company's operations or exploration activities are adversely affected by other political or military, or terrorist activities; (vi) the Company becomes involved in any material disputes with any of its key business partners, suppliers or customers; (vii) the Company is subjected to any hostile takeover or other unsolicited attempts to acquire control of the Company; (viii) the Company is subject to any adverse ruling in any of the pending litigation to which it is a party; (ix) the timing and success of improving the quality of the copper circuit product by resolving the metallurgical challenges from the variable ore materials being processed to produce concentrate from the copper circuit; * the effect on resource or reserve estimates due to the possible inability to resolve the metallurgical challenges on the variable ore materials being processed on a timely basis or at all; and other risks are more fully described in the Company's Annual Information Form for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, which are incorporated herein by reference. The Company's forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made and the Company assumes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements in the future, except as required by law. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements.

Further information concerning risks and uncertainties associated with these forward-looking statements and our business can be found in our Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2016, which is available on the Company's website (www.nevsun.com), filed under our profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on EDGAR (www.sec.gov) under cover of Form 40-F.

Mineral Reserve statement for Bisha Main and Harena deposits, Eritrea, effective 31 December 2016

Category Quantity (000's t) Grade Contained Metal (% Zn) (% Cu) (g/t Au) (g/t Ag) '000 lbs Zn '000 lbs Cu '000 Ozs Au '000 Ozs Ag Proven Supergene 12

2.57 0.71 17

675

7 Primary 1,047 7.43 1.05 0.76 46 171,583 24,248 26 1,535 Total Proven 1,059







171,583 24,923 26 1,541 Probable Supergene

















Primary 8,532 6.00 1.05 0.68 45 1,128,788 196,688 186 12,293 Total Probable 8,532







1,128,788 196,688 186 12,293 Total Reserve (P&P) Supergene 12

2.57 0.71 17

675

7 Primary 9,579 6.16 1.05 0.69 45 1,300,371 220,936 212 13,827 Total 9,591







1,300,371 221,611 212 13,834

Notes to be read in conjunction with the Mineral Reserve tables: (1) NSR cut-off ($US/t): Supergene ore $39.12 and Primary ore, $37.22 at Bisha Main, and $39.78 at Harena. Mineral Reserves are defined within a mine plan, with phase designs guided by Lerch-Grossman (LG) Pit Shells, generated using commodity prices for copper, zinc, gold and silver of $2.70/lb, $1.00/lb, $1,200/oz, $18.00/oz respectively. The reference mining cost was $2.27/t, plus $0.015/t/5 m bench for ore and waste below reference elevations of 540 m amsl for Bisha Main. The total ore-based cost (process, G&A, stockpile and rehandle) is $39.12/t for supergene and $37.22/t primary ores. Harena ore-based costs include an additional $2.56/t overland ore haulage cost. Overall pit slopes varied from 38 to 44 for Bisha Main and from 29 to 36 for Harena. (2) Economic values for multi-metal, multi zones were modelled using Net Smelter Return values. Each block NSR value was calculated using diluted grades, commodity prices, recoveries and appropriate smelter terms and downstream costs. Metallurgical recoveries, supported by metallurgical testwork, were applied as follows:

a. Bisha Main Supergene zone: Two concentrates are produced from primary ore, copper and zinc concentrates. For copper concentre recoveries of 70%, 15% and 27% were applied for copper, gold and silver respectively. For zinc concentrate a 77% recovery has been applied to zinc.

b. Copper concentrate grade is 20%.

c. Zinc concentrate grade is 50%

d. Harena primary zone: recoveries to copper concentrate of 85%, 36% and 29% were applied for copper, gold and silver respectively. A zinc recovery to zinc concentrate of 85% was applied. (3) Mineral Reserves are reported within Bisha Main and Harena ultimate pit designs, using NSR block grade, where the marginal cut- off is the total ore based cost stated above. Tonnages are rounded to the nearest 1,000 tonnes. Grades for contained metals are rounded to two decimal places. (4) Rounding as required by reporting guidelines may result in apparent summation differences between tonnes, grade and contained metal content. (5) Tonnage and grade measurements are in metrics units. Contained gold and silver ounces are reported as troy ounces, contained copper and zinc pounds as imperial pounds. (6) The life of mine strip ratios (by weight) for Bisha Main and Harena are 7.1:1 and 7.2:1 respectively. (7) 0.5 m "skin" of dilution is applied at ore/waste contacts. (8) 2% mining losses adjustments are made. (9) The end of December 2016 topography was used for this calculation.

NEVSUN RESOURCES LTD.



"Peter G.J. Kukielski"

Peter G.J. Kukielski

President & Chief Executive Officer

SOURCE Nevsun Resources Ltd.

For further information: Nevsun Investor Relations: Tel: +1 604 623 4700, Toll free: 1 888 600 2200, Email: [email protected], Website: www.nevsun.com
OTTAWA, Aug. 9, 2017 /CNW/ - The Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Carolyn Bennett, issued the following statement today:

"Today is the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples  a day to acknowledge First Nation, Inuit and Metis cultures, traditional knowledge and the rich contributions they make to this diverse country.

This year's theme is the 10th Anniversary of the United Nation Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Our Government adopted the United Nation Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples without reservation or qualification. I would like to thank Indigenous leaders and the many Canadians who worked for years to realize the vision of that Declaration.

In direct response to the Declaration, the Prime Minister established a working group of Ministers to review federal laws and policies impacting Indigenous peoples. We are working with First Nations, Inuit and Metis to change laws that were designed and written in a paternalistic and colonial way.This means that our laws will align with the Declaration, and reflect Canada's constitutional obligations to treaty and Aboriginal rights which, for far too long, have not been properly respected. The review will also ensure that our laws adhere to international human rights standards, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and support the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action.

Engaging with Indigenous peoples, at all stages of policy and program development and implementation, and upholding principles such as the duty to consult, are vital to strengthening relationships and advancing reconciliation. Indigenous voices must be heard at the highest levels of our government and we must work together in the full spirit of cooperation and partnership.

The Government of Canada takes the journey of reconciliation very seriously; it guides everything we do. Reconciliation is not just the work of governments, however. It is about all Canadians  Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike  working together to achieve a fundamental shift in the way we perceive and interact with each other for the betterment of ourselves and our country. I encourage all Canadians, from coast to coast to coast, to take this day as an opportunity to reflect on our past and to see their own personal role in reconciliation.

This statement is also available on the Internet at www.aandc.gc.ca .

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SOURCE Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada

For further information: Media may contact: Sabrina Williams, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, 613-697-8316; INAC Media Relations, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, 819-953-1160
Strong Operational Performance Across all Business Verticals, Silver Bay Integration on Track

/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES./

TORONTO, Aug. 9, 2017 /CNW/ - Tricon Capital Group Inc. (TSX: TCN), a principal investor and asset manager focused on the residential real estate industry, today announced its consolidated financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017. All of the financial information presented in this news release is expressed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.

Key operational and investment highlights for Q2 2017 include:

Assets under management ("AUM") increased by 54% year-over-year to $4.6 billion ( C$5.9 billion ) following the acquisition of Silver Bay Realty Trust Corp.("Silver Bay");

( ) following the acquisition of Silver Bay Realty Trust Corp.("Silver Bay"); Tricon Housing Partners ("THP") investment income increased by 33% to $6.6 million year-over-year, reflecting strong performance from various investment vehicles;

year-over-year, reflecting strong performance from various investment vehicles; Tricon American Homes ("TAH") reported $27.6 million of net operating income ("NOI"), a 98% year-over-year increase, driven by the completion of the Silver Bay acquisition and strong operational performance, including 96.9% occupancy, 4.9% blended rent growth and a 60.8% NOI margin;

of net operating income ("NOI"), a 98% year-over-year increase, driven by the completion of the acquisition and strong operational performance, including 96.9% occupancy, 4.9% blended rent growth and a 60.8% NOI margin; TAH also reported strong same home portfolio NOI growth of 9.3% year-over-year driven by occupancy of 97.5%, year-over-year blended rent growth of 5.0% and NOI margin of 61.5%;

Tricon Lifestyle Communities ("TLC") achieved a 65% increase in NOI and a 107% increase in Core FFO year-over-year;

Adjusted EBITDA increased by 96% year-over-year to $47.6 million ; and

; and Adjusted basic and diluted earnings per share of $0.17 increased by 42% from $0.12 in the prior-year period.

"The second quarter was a period of remarkable growth for Tricon, with adjusted EBITDA almost doubling from the prior year as we completed the transformational acquisition of Silver Bay," said Gary Berman, President and CEO of Tricon Capital. "Our results this quarter also reflect our ability to smoothly integrate Silver Bay's complementary single-family rental portfolio, with TAH reporting a healthy NOI margin of 60.8% and acquisition synergies running ahead of schedule at both the local property level and at head office operations. In addition, our THP, TLR and TLC investment verticals registered meaningful year-over-year growth in investment income as they continued to execute on their business plans in the context of a healthy U.S. and Canadian economic backdrop. We are still in the early innings of Tricon's housing-centric growth strategy, and our team's dedication to growth, as well as strong operational execution, should serve investors well as we move forward."

Financial Highlights

For the periods ended June 30

Three months

Six months (in thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts)

2017 2016

2017 2016 Investment income - THP

$ 6,568 $ 4,928

$ 12,236 $ 11,329 Investment income (loss) - TAH

(1,954) 13,079

10,315 25,989 Investment income - TLC

1,613 1,399

3,932 1,881 Investment income - TLR

2,847 788

4,778 2,707 Private Funds and Advisory revenue

6,359 6,016

12,103 11,789













Net income (loss)

(21,643) 14,322

(13,888) 27,179













Basic earnings (loss) per share

(0.17) 0.13

(0.12) 0.25 Diluted earnings (loss) per share

(0.17) 0.11

(0.11) 0.22













Dividends per share

C$ 0.065 C$ 0.065

C$ 0.13 C$ 0.13

























For the periods ended June 30

Three months

Six months (in thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts)

2017 2016

2017 2016 Non-IFRS measures











Adjusted EBITDA

$ 47,583 $ 24,294

$ 76,959 $ 51,094 Adjusted net income

21,830 13,771

37,230 29,584 Adjusted basic earnings per share

0.17 0.12

0.31 0.26 Adjusted diluted earnings per share

0.17 0.12

0.30 0.25













Assets under management (AUM)







$ 4,556,263 $ 2,966,856

Tricon reported a net loss of $21.6 million, or ($0.17) per basic and diluted share, in Q2 2017 compared to net income of $14.3 million, or $0.13 per basic share and $0.11 per diluted share, in Q2 2016. The net loss for the quarter was the result of (i) non-recurring transaction costs of $28.7 million incurred at TAH in connection with the acquisition of Silver Bay; and (ii) a fair value loss on derivatives of $19.2 million related to a change in the fair value of the conversion feature embedded in the outstanding convertible debentures, as Tricon's share price increased materially during the quarter.

Adjusted net income increased by 58% for Q2 2017 to $21.8 million compared to $13.8 million in Q2 2016. Adjusted basic and diluted earnings per share increased by 42% to $0.17 compared to $0.12 in Q2 2016. The increase in adjusted net income is a result of higher adjusted EBITDA across all investment verticals, offset by higher adjusted interest expense from incremental debt at TAH as a result of the Silver Bay acquisition, and higher compensation expense due to increased staffing levels to support the Company's ongoing growth.

Investment income  Tricon Housing Partners

For Q2 2017, investment income from THP was $6.6 million, an increase of $1.6 million compared to $4.9 million in Q2 2016. The increase was driven by the contribution of new investments in Trinity Falls, THP US SP1 and THP US SP2 completed in the past year, and strong performance in commingled funds THP2 US and THP3 Canada. These gains were partially offset by a lower contribution from THP1 US as investments matured and capital was returned.

Investment income  Tricon American Homes

Including non-recurring transaction costs of $28.7 million, TAH reported an investment loss of $2.0 million. TAH recorded NOI of $27.6 million, an increase of 98%, driven by the acquisition of 9,054 homes from Silver Bay and disciplined expense management for repairs, maintenance and turnover activities. The NOI margin for the combined portfolio was 60.8% (with Silver Bay homes at 60.7% from May 9 to June 30, 2017). Core FFO of $7.2 million for Q2 2017 was 6.6% lower than the prior year as a result of increased staffing and overhead expenses leading up to the Silver Bay acquisition and throughout the integration process, as well as by higher interest expense that resulted from increased debt levels. The Q2 2017 results also included a fair value gain of $19.8 million (compared to $6.9 million in Q2 2016), reflecting home price appreciation of 1.2% in Q2 2017 (4.8% annualized). Homes acquired through the Silver Bay acquisition were held at cost given the close proximity of the transaction date and valuation date.

On a same home basis, NOI increased by 9.3% from Q2 2016 as a result of blended-rate rent growth of 5.0% and an occupancy increase to 97.5% from 95.2%. The same home NOI margin increased to 61.5% from 60.6% in Q2 2016.

Subsequent to quarter-end, TAH launched the offering of its third securitization transaction. The transaction involves the issuance and sale of single-family rental pass-through certificates representing beneficial ownership interests in a loan secured by a portion of TAH's portfolio of single-family rental properties and is intended to: (i) refinance a portion of the debt incurred in connection with TAH's recent acquisition of Silver Bay (ii) reduce TAH's cost of capital over the long term, and (iii) extend the term structure of TAH's debt.

Investment Income  Tricon Lifestyle Communities

For Q2 2017, investment income from TLC was $1.6 million, an increase of $0.2 million compared to $1.4 million in Q2 2016. NOI increased by 65% to $1.9 million, as the portfolio has expanded to 14 properties compared to ten properties in Q2 2016. The increase in NOI was partially offset by higher interest expense from the incremental financing associated with the property acquisitions. Core FFO for TLC was $0.8 million, a 107% increase over the prior-year period. During Q1 2017, Tricon announced its intention to exit the TLC vertical as part of its business simplification strategy following completion of the capital enhancement programs at its communities. TLC has seen a significant level of buyer interest and expects to conduct an orderly sales process over the coming quarters.

Investment Income  Tricon Luxury Residences

For Q2 2017, investment income from TLR was $2.8 million, which was $2.1 million higher than Q2 2016. The investment income for Q2 2017 is mainly attributable to fair value gains recognized in the U.S. portfolio as the two projects currently under construction progressed toward completion. As well, foreign exchange gains in TLR Canada were recognized due to the strengthening Canadian dollar. In Q1 2017, Tricon announced its intention to exit the TLR U.S. vertical as part of its business simplification strategy, and it intends to sell its interest in the two U.S. projects held on the balance sheet once they are completed and stabilized in the next 12 to 24 months.

Private Funds and Advisory

Revenue from Private Funds and Advisory (including contractual fees, general partner distributions and performance fees) for Q2 2017 was $6.4 million, slightly higher than the $6.0 million generated in Q2 2016. Management fees increased by $0.3 million as a result of incremental fee revenue from new investments in separate accounts. This was partly offset by marginally lower fee revenue from The Johnson Companies as the sales mix shifted toward smaller lots intended for entry-level homes, which in turn generated lower fees. This product mix change has occurred in response to decreased home price affordability for millennials, and resulted in a 25% year-over-year increase in the number of lots sold and a 21% year-over-year increase in home sales at Johnson communities during the quarter.

Quarterly Dividend

The Company announced a dividend of six and one half cents per share in Canadian dollars payable on or after October 15, 2017 to shareholders of record on September 30, 2017.

Tricon's dividends are designated as eligible dividends for Canadian tax purposes in accordance with subsection 89(14) of the Income Tax Act (Canada), and any applicable corresponding provincial and territorial legislation. Tricon has a Dividend Reinvestment Plan ("DRIP") which allows eligible shareholders of the Company to reinvest their cash dividends in additional common shares of the Company. Common shares issued pursuant to the DRIP in connection with the announced dividend will be issued from treasury at a 3% discount from the market price, as defined in the DRIP. Participation in the DRIP is optional and shareholders who do not participate in the plan will continue to receive cash dividends. A complete copy of the DRIP is available in the Investor Information section of Tricon's website at www.triconcapital.com.

Conference Call and Webcast

Management will host a conference call at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, August 10, 2017 to discuss the Company's results. Please call (647) 427-2311 or (866) 521-4909 (conference ID # 50682064). The conference call will also be accessible via webcast, and a supplementary conference call presentation will be provided at www.triconcapital.com (Investor Information  Events). A replay of the conference call will be available from 1 p.m. ET on August 10, 2017 until midnight ET on August 17, 2017. To access the replay, call 1 (800) 585-8367 or (416) 621-4642 and use pass code 50682064.

The Company's Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 are available on Tricon's website at www.triconcapital.com and have been filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). The financial information therein is presented in U.S. dollars.

About Tricon Capital Group Inc.

Tricon is a principal investor and asset manager focused on the residential real estate industry in North America with approximately $4.6 billion (C$5.9 billion) of assets under management. Tricon owns, or manages on behalf of third-party investors, a portfolio of investments in land and homebuilding assets, single-family rental homes, manufactured housing communities and purpose-built rental apartments. Our business objective is to invest for investment income and capital appreciation through our Principal Investment business and to earn fee income through our Private Funds and Advisory business. Since its inception in 1988, Tricon has invested in real estate and development projects valued at approximately $19 billion. More information about Tricon is available at www.triconcapital.com.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements relating to expected future events and financial and operating results and projections of the Company. Such forward-looking information and statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on management's current expectations, intentions and assumptions in light of its understanding of relevant current market conditions, investee business plans, and the Company's prospects. If unknown risks arise, or if any of the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may differ materially from management expectations as projected in such forward-looking statements. Examples of such risks are described in the Company's continuous disclosure materials from time to time, available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, although we believe that our anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. 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, unless required by applicable law.

The Company has included herein certain supplemental measures of key performance, including, but not limited to, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per share ("EPS"), as well as certain key indicators of the performance of our investees. We utilize these measures in managing our business, including performance measurement and capital allocation, and believe that providing these performance measures on a supplemental basis is helpful to investors in assessing the overall performance of the Company's business. However, these measures are not recognized under IFRS. Because non-IFRS measures do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS, Tricon's use of these measures may not be comparable to similar measures reported by other issuers and they should not be construed as alternatives to net income (loss) or cash flow from the Company's activities, determined in accordance with IFRS, in measuring the Company's performance. The definition, calculation and reconciliation of the non-IFRS measures used herein are provided in Sections 6 and 7 of the Company's MD&A for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017.

SOURCE Tricon Capital Group Inc.

For further information: Wissam Francis, Chief Financial Officer, Tel: 416-323-2484, Email: [email protected]; Wojtek Nowak, Director, Corporate Finance and Investor Relations, Tel: 416-925-2409, Email: [email protected]

Related Links

www.triconcapital.com


star 1.JPG

The solar eclipse shadow over southern Turkey, northern Cyprus and the Mediterranean Sea as seen from the ISS on March 29, 2006. Image from NASA.

(NASA)

Syracuse, N.Y. -- The persistent rainy pattern that has dogged Upstate New York for months might just ruin the solar eclipse, too.

It's obviously too early to give an accurate forecast for the afternoon of Aug. 21, when the United States will have its first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse in 99 years. It's not too early, though, to look at how broad weather patterns could affect our viewing 12 days from now.

"We have a pattern that unfortunately could give us socked-in, overcast skies," said Mark Wysocki, New York state's climatologist. "The reason for this is we're getting these very large, slow-moving storms across the U.S-Canadian border. Once they move in, they don't move out very fast."

In Syracuse, the eclipse will begin at 1:17 p.m. on Aug. 21, and end at 3:53 p.m. The maximum eclipse comes at 2:38 p.m., when the moon covers about 75 percent of the sun. The 70-mile wide "path of totality," in which the moon completely covers the sun, never comes closer than 800 miles to Syracuse.

Even if the storms move out of Upstate New York in time for the eclipse, Wysocki said, geography could pose another problem for would-be eclipse viewers.

"We've got the Great Lakes out to the west and the north, and they always add moisture," he said. "It's easy for us to generate clouds pretty fast even without the rain."

Upstate New York is one of the cloudiest areas of the country, thanks in part to the Great Lakes.

Another meteorologist, Paul Walker, of Accuweather, is slightly more optimistic about weather on eclipse day. He said that it's likely to be dry in parts of Upstate New York on eclipse day, although a system coming through the Canadian prairies could still cause problems.

"There could be high clouds, which would not be ideal," he said.

If we miss this one, we only have seven years to wait for the next total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. The path of totality will run right through Western New York.

We're not making any forecasts for that one yet.

Contact Glenn Coin: Email | Twitter | Google + | (315) 470-3251
Part II: Unsuccessful Repatriations to Armenia, Past and Present

By Markar Melkonian

This opinion piece is a follow-up to my article that appeared in Hetq on July 17.

That article, in turn, was a response to a fifteen-part multi-author series in Hetq, published between late May and late June of this year, about the sad fate of around 100,000 Armenians who immigrated from the diaspora to Soviet Armenia in the decades following the Second World War.

My July 17 response to that series focused on the historical background of the repatriation, notably the decimation of the Soviet Union and Armenia during WWII, which had taken place just before the first wave of arrivals. The authors of the fifteen-part series, in their haste to provide the required Free Market moral of the story, omitted to mention this detail.

Despite all this spilled ink, much of what needs to be said has been left unsaid. But perhaps readers are tired of this topic. In the present piece, I will limit myself to three points with a direct bearing on the repatriation, and I will try to be brief.

First Point: Deafening Silence on Post-Soviet Emigration:

The five authors of the fifteen-part Repatriatesseries (let us call them the series authors) have devoted much attention to the thousands of emigrants who eventually returned to the diaspora after relocating to Soviet Armenia. But they do not acknowledge the catastrophic emigration that has taken place since Armenia returned to the capitalist fold. The demographic hemorrhage is well documented. So far, more than one million Armenians have left the region since the victory of the counterrevolutionaries in Yerevan.

It would be helpful to know how many diasporan Armenians have relocated to the Republic of Armenia in the past quarter century, and how many of them remain in the country to date. In the absence of firm figures, we will have to fall back on rough estimates, but even rough estimates will serve our present purposes: conservatively speaking, ten times the number of Armenians have left capitalist Armenia than left Soviet Armeniaand they have left in half the time. Meanwhile, birth rates and life expectancy figures have plummeted in Free, Independent Armenia, while suicide rates, especially for women, have skyrocketed.

Most recently, Armenias National Statistical Service (NSS) reported that, as of 1 July 2017, the permanent population of the country had declined by15,000 since a year ago (Diana Ghazaryan, Armenia's Population Drops 15,000, Says Official Report, Hetq Online,August 1, 2017).

A 2005 United Nations report predicted that Armenias population would drop by another half a million by 2050, and subsequent studies have born out this general trend (Armenia: Troubling Demographic Data Hetq Online, June 5, 2017). During the Soviet period, by contrast, Armenias population increased dramatically. In 1989 the population of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic was 3.3 million, having almost quadrupled from 880,000 in 1926.

The vast majority of the recent emigrants have been deghatsiner (from long-established native families), not akhbarner. Most of them have left capitalist Armenia because of unemployment, poverty, and lack of opportunity, and most have settled not in the opulent West but in Russia.

Privatization of land and industry; the cessation of industrial inputs; the necessity suddenly to pay market prices for oil and gas; embargo by NATO Turkey; the devaluation of the ruble; global recessionall these factors, clearly, account for the demographic catastrophe that has taken place in Armenia after its return to capitalist rule. All these factors are clearly and demonstrably the result of Armenias return to capitalist rule, and none of these developments fit into the picture that the series authors are hawking.

The country is following the same path as five-dozen other impoverished, diminished, and dependent countries of the south: dispossession, urbanization, and emigration. (Or are we to believe that an evil, mystical Soviet mentality or inertia is also responsible for emptying out Honduras, El Salvador, Ghana, Greece, and dozens of other capitalist countries that have undergone the same mass emigration as Armenia?) By ignoring these global realities and tossing around doltish epithets about iron curtains and totalitarianism, the series authors are saying more about their own myopia than anything else.

Second Point: Operating Reality versus Declared Reality in the West:

Time and again the series authors compare the war-devastated USSR unflatteringly to capitalist countries. For example, one of the authors writes: The repatriates entered the Soviet Union from places where the operating reality on the ground was equal to or quite close to the declared reality.

Many of the repatriates came from Egypt and Iran. It might be interesting to discuss the operating reality on the ground in those countries. Other repatriates came from Greece, which at the time of the repatriation was just emerging from a civil war. The Greek anti-fascist resistance, led by the Communist Party, beat the Italian and German occupiers of their country, thanks to their superhuman valor, and at enormous cost. As soon as they had won this victory, though, the UK and the USA imposed a regime of former German collaborators, sparking the civil war that ended in fascist victory in 1949. In the following years, Greece labored under the burden of Western-imposed dictators and juntas. All of this in the name of Freedom, of course--in a country where, according to the authors of the series, the operating reality on the ground was equal to or quite close to the declared reality.

Other repatriates came from France. Starting in 1948 and continuing for the next four years, that country benefitted from the Marshall Plan. At the same time, some two million men, women, and children starved to death in a famine in French Indochina. We might also compare the declared reality of liberte, egalite, fraternite to the operating reality in the prisons and torture chambers of the French province of Algeria.

Turning to the far side of the Atlantic, let us remind ourselves that for the two decades after WWII, the Land of the Free was a land of lynching, Jim Crow, blacklisting, and the persecution of dissidents.

As of 1947, there were more than seventy-one nominally sovereign states, fewer than ten of which were in the socialist camp (including East Germany and Bulgaria, but not yet China). Of the remaining sixty-plus countries and their colonial possessions, most (much of Asia including India and China; almost the entire continents of Africa and Central and South America) were dirt-poor and dominated by various tyrannies. For poor people, workers, and non-white people under imperialist domination and capitalist rule, the real rules dominating life were quite different from the declared reality of the series authors.

And they still are. One of the authors extols Basket III of the Helsinki Accords, which urged the participating states to deal in a positive and humanitarian spirit with the applications of persons who wish to be reunited with members of their family, and do that as expeditiously as possible. (Shirinyan, Helsinki Final Act, 1975. Reunification of Families Divided by International Borders, Hetq Online, June 16,2017)

Perhaps someday these provisions will apply to the tens of millions of refugees that the warmongers in Washington D.C. have created in the past ten years. Or to the hundreds of thousands of Mexican families on both sides of the north-south border, torn apart by poverty and U.S.-demand-driven drug wars that have claimed the lives of 160,000 of their compatriots.

Third Point: Unsuccessful Repatriation in Capitalist Armenia

One of the series authors concludes that, with reference to the immigration campaign during the Soviet era, we are dealing with what can be called unsuccessful repatriation. Time and again, akhbarner interviewed by the series authors described the culture shock, conflicts, and resentment of native-born locals towards them. In an informative article that was not part of the Repatriates series, Hetqs Hrant Galstyan quotes Hazel Antaramian-Hofman, the organizer of a recent exhibit,entitled Stream of Light, about the Great Repatriation:

In some of the interviews that I had they talk about how they came and had local Armenians looking at them suspiciously. They were ridiculed. So even if they felt like the hayrenik (homeland), but here the brothers and sisters werent welcoming them  ridiculing their clothes, the way they talked, because it was the western Armenian dialect It was almost like they werent even Armenians to Armenians.

(Yerevan Exhibit: The Not-So-Small Problems of the Great Repatriation, Hetq Online, June 17, 2016.)

The stories of local hostility, culture shock, and disillusionment apply to later repatriates, too. We have heard of the businessmen from the diaspora who set up shop in Free Independent Armenia, only to pack up and leave a few years later; of the volunteers and charity workers who arrived full of hope, only to return to their countries of origin after years of disillusionment; of new arrivals arrested on trumped-up charges; of others jailed for their political beliefs; of an Armenian-American businessman who devoted time and treasure to charity work, only to be injected with ketamine, strangled to death, and tossed in a ditch. Sadly, the list could go on and on, and readers will add their own stories to the liststories of impunity, duplicity,shakedowns, selective taxation, cronyism and bribery in the court system, and the sort of unresponsive bureaucracies that prevail today across the impoverished global south.

It seems, then, that the conflicts and resentments continue today, both on the street and in the courtrooms and bureaucracies. Contrary to the picture that the authors have tried to draw, there is little evidence here of anything distinctively Soviet about it.

One of the series authors mentions the case of the most recent wave of immigrants: Today, the influx of Syrian-Armenians to Armenia and the relative ease with which they integrate into a new environment, is mainly because they can engage in private business (Aghasi Tadevosyan, Soviet Socialism and the Difficulties of Repatriate Integration, Hetq Online, May 25, 2017).

This series author fails to mention that many of the Syrian Armenians were already engaged in private business in Syria, and most of them are refugees, who find themselves in Armenia because they were forced out of their country thanks to massive regime change efforts perpetrated by none other than the USA and its regional surrogates, notably Turkey, Israel, and several Gulf States.

Let us see, then, where the Syrian refugeeswill be in ten or fifteen years.Some of us suspect--and I hope we are wrong about this--that most of them, too, will have emigrated from Armenia.

The series authors create the impression that the Soviet Union is to blame for the on-going demographic catastrophe in Armenia. One of them, for example, writes that, the inertia of the failure has been preserved to date, thus adversely affecting post-Soviet Armenia.Let us understand this claim clearly: this author is blaming the Soviet Union, which has not existed for 26 years, for the on-going emigration from the Republic of Armenia today.

Historical inertia, it seems is a very selective force. On the one hand, the series authors tacitly deny that the massive destruction that the country had undergone during WWII had any consequences, any inertia, when it came to the poverty and repression that the repatriates encountered a few years later. On the other hand, the series authors expect us to believe thata mysterious inertia from the Soviet period is to blame for the dramatic catastrophe that has overtaken Armenia during twenty-six years of capitalist rule.

If this interpretation serves to impede an understanding of recent Armenian history, then perhaps the series authors have achieved their aim.

* * *

The fate of the repatriates was terribly sad. Many of us have friends and family relations among them. We have seen the dismal conditions under which they lived, and we have heard their stories and their bitter regrets. The series authors portray them as fools and naifs. Thus, we read, Those who tried to have nothing to do with the real rules dominating life in the space between the official and the shadow, were called good for nothing and less than human, not a man (Aghasi Tadevosyan, Locals and Akhpars: Daily Conflict or Culture Clash? Hetq Online, May 30, 2017).

By contrast, the series writers celebrate the jeans culture of impressionable rubes in platform shoes and knock-off pants, and they exalt the aspiration to have the chance to do business, make money and become rich (Tadevosyan, Reasons for Leaving Soviet Armenia, or Unsuccessful Experience, Hetq Online, June 13,2017).

Thus, the series authors celebrate clownish consumerism and juvenile illusions that fly in the face of economic reality.

A generation coming of age in Free Independent Armenia looks around and sees poverty, injustice, and humiliation. Meanwhile, the ideological enforcers of neoliberalism denigrate the sacrifices of the Soviet Armenians who secured the borders, fed the hungry, defeated the invaders, built the industry, and educated the youth. Thus, the enforcers deny young people today their rightful legacy of pride in Soviet Armenia.

There are those who like to say that money making and patriotism do not conflict. This is a topic for another time, but let us note that the series authors tell a very different tale: if they have done anything, they have illustrated the point that the two purposes do indeed conflict. Their greatest wisdom, it seems, and their most inspiring advice to the next generation is: sacrifice for the greater good is for fools; there is no purpose in life nobler than to do business, make money, and become rich.

But we dont have to accept their values. We could choose instead to view the post-war emigrants as unsung heroes who paid a steep price for their dedication to their motherland.

We could honor them as patriots who deserve our gratitude, not ridicule from the ideological enforcers of neoliberalism.

Top photo - Between 1946 and 1947, 100,000 Armenians left their homes in Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East to settle in Soviet Armenia. (Photo taken at an Alexandria port in 1947, courtesy of AGBU Alexandria)

Other photos: The 1947 and 1949 Armenian Repatriation - Hazel Antaramian Hofman / Galleries / Media - OsservatorioBalcani e Caucaso - Transeuropa

Markar Melkonian is a teacher and an author. His books include Richard Rortys Politics: Liberalism at the End of the American Century (1999), Marxism: A Post-Cold War Primer (Westview Press, 1996), and My Brothers Road (2005).
When the people of New Haven gave sanctuary to Edward Whalley, William Goffe and John Dixwell, humanitarianism wasnt their aim. Being nice wasnt their goal. In supporting the judges cause, they were supporting the cause of freedom.

Whalley, Goffe and Dixwell were three of 59 magistrates who signed the king of Englands death warrant in 1649. When the kings son, Charles II, seized back the throne in 1660, he marked them for death. They fled to Judges Cave at the top of West Rock (its actually a bunch of boulders), where the patriotic residents of New Haven supplied them until all was clear.

Again, the reason wasnt sympathy, though sympathy surely played a role in giving the regicides political asylum. The reason was self-government in the shadow of tyranny. In protecting the judges from the new kings vengeance, New Haveners were advancing the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Thomas Jefferson wouldnt write those words for another century, of course. The point is that anti-tyranny runs deep in New Haven. Remember that as the Elm City returns to its historic role as the epicenter of a new debate over freedom and justice. Instead of a murderous monarch seeking the heads of 59 judges, however, the tyrant this time is a president hell bent on deporting 11 million otherwise law-abiding illegal immigrants.

And instead of taking shelter in a small gap between large boulders atop West Rock, as the regicides did, these asylum-seekers are taking shelter in New Havens houses of worship. They dont want to. They have been forced to. They must seek alternatives to working with the federal government, because the federal government, under this president, has betrayed them. These are desperate times. They require desperate measures. And the people of New Haven are ready.

That was a surprise to Glenn Formica, an immigration lawyer representing Nury Chavarria. He told Frances X. Clines of the New York Times that he hated, just hated it, when his client bolted for a Fair Haven church instead of following more orthodox legal channels. But two things changed his mind.

One was Immigration and Customs Enforcements barbarism  its a rabid dog now, Formica told Clines. Two is the support Chavarria received from the states congressional delegation, the governor, New Havens mayor, Norwalks mayor, civic leaders and hundreds of ordinary people who showed up in solidarity at a candlelight vigil last month.

I did a 180 on sanctuary right there, Formica told Clines. I never thought in 20 years Id ever see such an outpouring of support for one of my clients.

Expect more of the same. President Donald Trump said his administration would not deport people who came to the land of opportunity seeking freedom and a better life. He said only bad hombres would be targeted, giving us reason to believe hed follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Barack Obama.

Its now clear the Trump administration is prosecuting slow-motion mass deportation, banishing unauthorized immigrants whether they have been convicted of serious crimes or not.

Indeed, ICE has had immense success in prosecuting the presidents agenda in New England, because of New Englands history of providing sanctuary. ICE knows where its targets are, because ICE has been working with them for years. Between January and April 30 of this year, ICE arrests of non-criminal immigrants more than tripled. The national rate only doubled. The federal government, in a very real sense, betrayed them.

One of those was Nury Chavarria, who was granted a stay of deportation last month. Another is Marco Reyes, who is now following a trail she blazed. He too exhausted his legal options, a process that unfolded over years. On Tuesday, the Meriden resident and married father of two took refuge in the First and Summerfield United Methodist Church at College and Elm streets. His attorney hopes to persuade authorities hell be marked for death if returned to his native Ecuador. As they did with Chavarria, New Haveners showed up with their support.

But again, the reason isnt sympathy, though that surely plays a role in supporting Reyes quest for political asylum. The reason is self-government in the shadow of tyranny. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave in spite of the presidents disgraceful actions to the contrary. In protecting illegal immigrants from Trumps vengeance, New Haveners are advancing the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Be proud.

John Stoehr is a fellow at the Yale Journalism Initiative and a New Haven resident.
HARTFORD >> Senate Republican President Len Fasano made it clear Wednesday that hes not running for governor in 2018.

Fasano, who succeeded John McKinney in leading the Senate Republican caucus, said he had intended to wait until the state budget was resolved to make a decision. However, as the budget process continues its become clear that it could be another month before a state budget is finalized.

I knew it was time to choose my path and let others know where I stand, Fasano said in an emailed statement. It is only fair to the other hard working candidates, delegates, the party and the public to be upfront so that others can make important decisions to move the election process forward.

Fasano hasnt thrown his support behind any of the other candidates, but believes Connecticut needs a Republican governor.

We need a Republican leader in the governors seat who brings political parties and people together, who is sensitive to the needs of all economic levels, who understands the importance of supporting our cities, and who can grow a stable economy so we can fund core programs that are important to this state, Fasano said. Connecticut is ready to overcome our challenges and ready to change.

Read more.
christine stuart / ctnewsjunkie

NEW HAVEN >> U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal Wednesday said President Donald Trump should spend his time enlisting our allies to help impose strict sanctions against North Korea, instead of waging an escalating war of words.

Blumenthal, who was the subject of scathing criticism himself from Trump earlier this week, said the presidents statement that North Korea would face fire and fury like the world has never seen if it continued to threaten the United States, was the wrong approach.
BRIDGEPORT >> Federal and local law enforcement said Wednesday that six men indicted this month on federal racketeering, firearm and narcotics trafficking charges are responsible for much of the gun violence in New Haven in 2016.

Connecticut U.S. Attorney Deirdre Dalys office announced the federal arrests Wednesday after four of the defendants appeared in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport for arraignment. All six defendants remain in federal custody.

All six of the men included in the Aug. 3 indictment are believed to be associated with the Goodrich Street Boys, a New Haven street gang, according to a release from Dalys office.

This investigation, which has been a great collaboration between our Office, ATF and the New Haven Police Department, has utilized cutting-edge ballistic analysis to connect 18 recent shootings to three handguns that, we allege, were possessed by GSB members and associates, said Daly. The indictment specifically alleges that GSB members were involved in multiple shootings and, as a result, five individuals suffered gunshot wounds.

The street gang has ties to Goodrich Street in Newhallville and recently formed an alliance with Fruit Town Piru, a sect of the Bloods gang, in the city, federal prosecutors said. The Goodrich Street Boys are known for trafficking heroin, crack cocaine and marijuana and have been a part of assaults and attempted murder, the release from Dalys office said.

To protect the gang and enhance its reputation, [Goodrich Street Boys] members and associates are expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including committing acts of intimidation, violence, and threats of violence, the indictment states.

Charged in the indictment are Milton Reese Westley, 19; Clifford Cliff G Brodie, 20; DeJuan Hot Boi Ward, 20; Michael MB Belle, 18; and Michael Mike Live Via, 20. All of the defendants are residents of New Haven.

Each of the six defendants has been charged with one count of racketeering and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and/or drug trafficking crime, according to the indictment. In addition, Ward and Brodie face a charge of committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering, specifically attempted murder. Pervis has been charged with transferring a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Westley and Brodie have also been charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and cocaine. Lastly, Brodie and Belle have been charged with marijuana distribution offenses.

We believe that members of this gang were responsible for a large percentage of the shootings that occurred in our city in 2016, said New Haven Police Chief Anthony Campbell in the release Wednesday. Together with our federal law enforcement partners we will continue to remove violent individuals from the community and make New Haven a safe place to live.

As alleged in the indictment, the Goodrich Street Boys are connected to a number of shootings in New Haven, including five in 2016. The indictment chronicles acts of violence between September 2015 and May 2016.

Studies show, and this investigation seems to confirm, that an incredibly small percentage of a citys population is responsible for most of the gun violence that occurs there, Daly said. The murder rate in New Haven has plummeted in recent years, and we will continue to identify and root out violent actors to ensure that this positive trend continues.

In addition to New Haven police, Hamden police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives, Daly said Project Longevity was a part of the ongoing effort to curb gang violence.

Project Longevity aims to deter violence and not simply react to it, Daly said. However, if a group or gang, such as GSB, engages in gun violence, they will become the focus of all the law enforcement partners who participate in the Project Longevity Intelligence meetings held at the NHPD four days a week, and appropriate federal and state criminal violations will be charged.
Is there room for more than one second-chance Dan in the governors office?

Middletown Mayor Dan Drew is standing by a one-time Mafia member who served prison time for racketeering and contributed to Drews exploratory committee for governor.

Salvatore Butch DAquila Jr. has given $375, the maximum allowed under the states clean-elections law, to Drew since the beginning of the year, filings with the state Elections Enforcement Commission show. He also attended a fundraiser for Drew, a Democrat who is seeking to become the heir apparent to criminal justice reformer Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in 2018.

In 1991, DAquila was sentenced to 15 years in prison for running an illegal gambling ring for the Patriarca crime family  aka the New England mob.

Im not going to run away from him, Drew, now a declared candidate for governor, told Hearst Connecticut Media. He paid his debt to society.

DAquila listed his occupation as a manager for the Carabetta Companies, a property management, real estate development and construction company, on his contribution form. The firm has at least 11 rental properties in Middletown, where Drew said he was not aware of any contracts between the city and the company.

He is a member of the Middletown community, Drew said of DAquila, an Old Saybrook resident. Hes a friend.

Connecticut has developed a reputation as the second-chance state under Malloy because of the governors bail reform and other criminal justice reform initiatives. And then theres Joe Ganim, the second-chance mayor of the states largest city, Bridgeport, who is also exploring a run for governor after his imprisonment for corruption.

An internal foe for Merrill?

Just when the Trump administrations deep dive for illegal voters was becoming a headache for Connecticuts top election official, now Democrat Denise Merrill is facing the prospect of a primary challenge.

This is if Merrill runs for a third term as secretary of the state  and thats a big if.

Karen Talamelli Cusick, the Democratic Town Committee chairwoman of Woodbridge, registered last week as a 2018 candidate for the office occupied by Merrill since 2011.

She said she gave a heads-up to Merrill, who has been mum about her political future.

I dont feel that Im running against her, Cusick said.

The finance director for Project Service LLC, which operates all of the service plazas on Interstates 95 and 395 and Route 15, Cusick said she would look to improve the working relationship between the secretary of the states office and the business community. In addition to supervising elections, the office is the commercial record keeper for the state.

I think the secretary of the states office can be doing so much more and can make a difference, Cusick said. Plausible deniability is not an excuse and the status quo is not an option.

Cusick avoided specific criticisms of Merrill, for whom a message seeking comment was left Monday.

Merrill has balked at a request by the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity for a trove of voter information. The panel was created by the Trump administration after the president claimed that illegal voting by undocumented immigrants cost him the popular vote in the November election against Hillary Clinton.

Murphy aide eyes statewide office

A likely opening in the state comptrollers office is piquing the interest of state Rep. Sean Scanlon.

The second-term Democrat comes from Guilford, the hometown of the offices current occupant, Kevin Lembo, who is raising money for a probable run for governor.

Scanlon should have no trouble getting a reference from his boss, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, for whom he works as director of community affairs.

Comptroller is Connecticuts fiscal watchdog, and there is a lot of watching that needs to be done right now, Scanlon said.

Scanlon had been eyeing the state Senate seat of Ted Kennedy Jr. before the JFK nephew from Branford nixed a run for governor.

Honestly, my ultimate decision about this will not be about one seat closed or this is an open seat, Scanlon said.

The co-chairman of the Legislatures Insurance Committee, Scanlon said he would try to pick up the efforts of Lembo to try to bring more sunlight to drug pricing in the state. Lembo introduced a drug price gouging bill that died in March.

Scanlon also said he would examine increasing overtime costs incurred by the state amid workforce reductions.

I think theres a lot that can be done from that office, Scanlon said.

http://twitter.com/gettinviggy; nvigdor@hearstmediact.com; 203-625-4436
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian today received a delegation to Armenia headed by Li Huilai, Chinas Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Europe and Central Asia.

After Nalbandian said that Armenia viewed good relations with China as a prime objective of its foreign policy, Ambassador Huilai added that the high level of relations between the two countries was based on sincerity and mutual respect.

The two countries have enjoyed diplomatic relations for the past twenty-five years.

Nalbandian and Huilai are said to have discussed a number of regional and international issues in addition to cooperation in the educational, science and cultural sectors.

Mention was made of the opening of an Armenian center at the University of Foreign Languages in the Chinese city of Dalian, and the work of the Confucius Institute in Armenia.
NEW HAVEN >> First responders on the scene of a drug overdose in Connecticut no longer are dealing simply with a medical emergency. The site of a suspected drug overdose in the state now is a crime scene.

More than 80 people believed to have sold drugs to victims of overdoses have been arrested on federal charges since February 2016, as the result of an initiative started by the U.S. attorneys office. All of those investigations into the alleged dealers began after an overdose caused by an opioid, cocaine, benzodiazepine, or combination thereof. Not all of the overdoses were fatal.

U.S. Attorney Deirdre Dalys office has worked to convict approximately 60 individuals that were charged with federal drug crimes as a result of an overdose in the last 19 months. Each of those defendants pleaded guilty. The rest of the cases still are working their way through the process, Daly said.

When asked whether the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions since the initiative began have made a significant impact on the drug trade in the state, Daly said, Im not arrogant or naive enough to say yes.

But, we are in a new place now, Daly said, referring to the importance of continuing to try these cases. Death is different.

In 2016, more than 900 people died as a result of accidental drug intoxications, or overdoses, according to the medical examiner. Heroin was a factor in more than 500 of those deaths, and fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin, was a factor in 273, according to the data.

Updated statistics for 2017 have not been released by the state medical examiners office.

Daly often has said she does not believe her office can arrest the state out of an opioid crisis, and there has been a big push of educational outreach in schools by her office to bring the message about the dangers of prescription opioids and heroin to students and their parents.

Traditionally, her office focuses more on violent crime, but the initiative targeting dealers is one way to target those who are distributing lethal drugs on Connecticut streets, and the ripple effects are there as federal prosecutors look beyond the courtroom to bring awareness to the community, she said.

This was a very conscious decision, Daly said. If this many people are dying we need specific attention to these cases.

Working up the chain

On Jan. 3, 2016, first responders found a 20-year-old male in a friends house in Weston unresponsive as a result of an overdose of oxycodone and Xanax. While the victim remains in a vegetative state even more than one year later, the U.S. attorneys office tracked down not only the direct supplier of the oxycodone involved in the overdose, but two dealers up the supply chain.

Tahir Farid, 22, of Hamden was sentenced to six months in prison after it was found that he sold 30 oxycodone pills to the victim for $900. Farids supplier, Ryan Looney, 19, also of Hamden, was convicted of one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, oxycodone and is scheduled to be sentenced in September.

Looneys supplier, Wayne Bradbury, 32, also of Hamden, pleaded guilty in July to one count of distributing oxycodone and marijuana to an individual under 21 years of age and faces up to 40 years in federal prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Spector said this Hamden case is one of the best examples of how the initiative the office has taken of targeting dealers directly related to overdoses has helped law enforcement work up the chain to prosecute more prominent dealers in the state.

Bradbury, the top dog in this case, also was convicted of money laundering charges, according to court documents.

Were doing both big and small, Daly said.

Daly said that, like in the Bradbury case, dealers often also are convicted of other charges, not just drug distribution charges.

In a case prosecuted this year, Ramon Gomez of Uncasville was convicted of sex trafficking of a minor and drug distribution charges after a 17-year-old girl died from an overdose in a motel room in Groton. Gomez faces at least 10 years in prison for the offenses.

Most defendants are charged with possession with intent to distribute or conspiracy to distribute, rather than a charge that indicates the dealer was responsible for the death of the victim in the case. Daly said because so many of the overdoses are caused by a combination of substances, its hard to show direct causation between a heroin dealer and a death.

In addition, if such charges were brought where the defendant was charged with causing the death of an individual, there is a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison, Daly said. She said that seems too Draconian.

Spector, who has taken on a large quantity of these overdose cases, said he has been happy to see the initiative targeting dealers to victims of overdoses span outside of the federal courts and more overdose cases being taken up by state prosecutors.

Theres no reason they cant do state cases, as well, Spector said. For us, thats what our ultimate goal is. Everybody working on the same sheet of music.

Spector also said he doesnt measure the success of the initiative on the number of convictions the office is able to get.

My measure of success is to think in terms of lives saved, Spector said. If we can teach a generation not to smoke, we can teach kids not to use pills.

Ripple effects

More convictions leads to potentially more inmates in the Federal Bureau of Prisons and more people tasked with readjusting to society after a period of incarceration.

Warren Maxwell, chief U.S. probation officer in New Haven, said at the federal level there is a wealth of resources for those leaving prison on supervised release, from support court to Reentry Court. For those looking for jobs, having a probation officer is a good selling point, he said.

We do work with our people to help them navigate the conversation about their conviction, Maxwell said. Theres a lot of great reasons to hire somebody on supervision. ... They have people working with them to ensure their success.

The prison time for those convicted of the drug distribution crimes due to this initiative have varied between probationary sentences and several years behind bars  even in a case in which it came to distributing the same batch of drugs.

For example, four men were charged with distribution offenses after a batch of cocaine was sold in New Haven in June 2016 that was laced with pure fentanyl. Three fatalities resulted from the sale of that particular batch of cocaine, and more than a dozen other people overdosed and were hospitalized from it.

While Frank Pina, the supposed leader of a conspiracy, will be in prison for the next seven years and Emeth Soloman, the bottom of the distribution chain in that case, only received a sentence of probation, both men have federal convictions on their record.

A period of incarceration, no matter how long, may have damaging effects, said Maxwell, citing new research about the topic. Maxwell said some research suggests that even if someone is only incarcerated for a couple of days while they wait for a bond hearing, the person may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

So, even a short sentence of only a couple of months because of a relatively minor drug crime can take its toll, he said.

Even short-term periods of incarceration can have negative impacts, Maxwell said.
Yale University School of Architecture grad students

design and build a home in New Haven every year for the Jim Vlock

Building Project. This year they have designed and are building a

prefab home on Adeline St. in New Haven for Columbus House. This is

the first year of a five year commitment to Columbus House.
When the Naval Academy needed the son of an admiral to graduate fifth from last in his class, John McCain was there. And when the Navy needed a pilot to crash two jets while clowning during training exercises, McCain suited up. When a helicopter whisked reporters away from the burning wreckage of the USS Forrestal, it was an admirals son who filled the empty seat while his shipmates remained among the dead and injured. When his first wife (recovering from a car crash requiring 23 surgeries) needed someone to cheat on her, divorce her, and marry a wealthy heiress, John McCain did not let her down.

When the American League of MIA/POW Families needed somebody to publicly berate and humiliate their chairwoman as she pleaded support before a Senate subcommittee, McCain spewed his venom far and wide. When Arizona needed an enlightened statesman to vote against Martin Luther King Day, John McCain led the charge. When the ACLU sought senators with the lowest civil rights ratings, McCain always made the cut. When a 13-year-old Chelsea Clinton needed a grown man to call her ugly on national television, theeeeere was Johnny! When thousands of U.S. soldiers missing across Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia needed a brave patriot to stop those countries from stonewalling our search efforts, McCain was there with all his military credentials to convince the world it was time to move on. And most recently, upon leaving deaths door to rear his head in the Senate like a craven Medusa amidst the GOPs dysfunction, Sen. John McCain was there.
Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) today were escorted by the Nigerian Police as they staged a peaceful protest from Unity Fountain through Federal Secretariat Complex to the entrance of 3 Arms Zone, Abuja.According to them,the unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable and IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu should be arrested. More photos below




The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said it had recovered over N328.9bn out of N349.8bn debts from nine major petroleum marketers within the last one year.The EFCC Head of Operations, North West Zone, Kano, Mr Adamu Hamisu-Danmusa, made this disclosure while addressing newsmen in Kano on Tuesday.According to him, the debts, which included legacy/bad debts and current debts, were recovered following report from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria to the commission.The IPMAN reported to the commission that there are some major marketers that connived with NNPC officials and received fuel allocation but refused to pay the money into the Treasury Single Account.So after investigation, we were able to find out that there is N349.8bn as legacy/bad debts and debts on current transactions.The commission was able to make recoveries of N328.8bn from the nine major marketers from July 2016 to July 2017, he said.Hamisu-Danmusa added that the commission had also recovered huge amount of money from the cases reported by individuals, corporate bodies and Independent National Electoral CommissionThe money include N364.4m, $4.7m, 60,050, 59,200 euro and 70,500 Saudi Riyals.The money was recovered from January to date,  Hamisu-Danmusa said.He said the commission recovered N305,000 from a Chinese national arrested at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, on July 25.He added that the Chinese, Mr Ma Youngin, who could not speak English language, was apprehended by Customs officials with the money while on his way to Dubai.One other suspect was also arrested at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, with 849 different ATM (debit) cards.
Happy New Month Nigeria! Welcome to the month of June. As the world searches for a respite from all its troubles since 2020 began, one can ...
Nigerian Air Force

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Tuesday raided Boko Haram hideouts in Sambisa forest and killed several insurgents, The Nation reports.

A statement issued by NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, said few terrorists were seen evacuating the remains of dead Boko Haram fighters after the strikes.

The NAF statement which was supported with a video footage reads: In furtherance of operations to completely defeat the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) Organization, on August 7, 2017, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Component of Operation Lafiya Dole conducted an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission over Parisu, in the Sambisa general area.





During the ISR mission, a large group of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) was seen converging under a tree close to a prominent zinc-roofed structure. Part of the structure was concealed by the foliage of a tree, making it a seemingly unobtrusive gathering point for the terrorists.

A confirmatory ISR mission indicated that the structure was indeed a BHT hideout, housing a large number of terrorists. Accordingly, on August 8, 2017, the Air Component detailed fighter aircraft to strike the target in succession.





Following the first and second strikes, the building was completely destroyed and the location was strafed during the third attack. The fourth attack was re-directed to a close by building, where BHT activity was also noticed.





Subsequent Battle Damage Assessment revealed that the BHT hideout was completely reduced to rubble and several BHTs were killed while a few of them were seen evacuating the casualties.




Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano has declared that the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Odigie-Oyegun, lacks moral authority to speak on good governance in Nigeria.Obiano was reacting to a statement attributed to the APC national chairman where he called on the incumbent Anambra state governor to write his handing over notes and start preparing to vacate office.Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communications, Oliver Okpala, the governor said the APC national chairmans record as first civilian governor of Edo state was unenviable and as such he lacked the moral authority to sermonize on good governance.He said: this is a former Governor who has no traceable achievement to his name as far as his tenure in Edo state is concerned. Apart from high level of thuggery, brigandage and insecurity, no one can recall any meaningful development recorded during Oyeguns government in Edo state.It was also during his era that a very low level of governance was introduced to that state, a clear departure from the pragmatic and result oriented leadership style of the likes of Professor Ambrose Ali and Dr Samuel Ogbemudia, both of blessed memory.It was during Oyeguns tenure that the song of no money for projects became the regular cry in governance circle in Edo state. He could not think outside the box.Many Nigerians still remember that Oyegun also won the unenviable record of the Governor during whose tenure Edo state recorded the lowest score in WAEC. The records are there for all to see! So, what is a failed governor talking about when it comes to good governance?Indeed Oyegun has no moral right to speak on issue of good governance in Anambra state or any part of the country. If what we practice is a democracy then the will and wish of the people should be respected.Many Nigerians also know how he emerged as National Chairman of the APC. It was a clear case of political imposition which has left the party prostrate till date. As we speak, the APC under his watch cannot hold meetings of its crucial organs. No wonder its house is in disarray.What this clearly shows is that Oyegun is a virus in APC, as he has foisted his regime of lack of internal democracy in the party. No wonder the party is seriously bleeding today, suffering from constant defections, calamitous directionless, and crass incompetence. The implication is that the party is heading for doom if Oyegun is not quickly removed. No wonder, a prime founder and leader of APC Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his followers have since called for his removal.It is this weak leadership style that he wants to import into Anambra state? After all what is his business with Anambra when he has not been able to put his own house in order.Oyeguns declaration that his rudderless party would take over Anambra is also an unfortunate exposure of that undemocratic spirit and cancer that has befallen the APC. If what we practice is true democracy, where democracy is the government of the people, for the people and by the people Oyegun could not have made such an unguarded utterance.His declaration that APC must take over Anambra is a signal that they are bent on forcefully overturning the will of the people who are the true custodian of democracy.Granted, as Oyegun said, Anambra is crucial to their plot of making inroads into the south east, but must that be achieved through undemocratic means which often leads to bloodletting and mayhem?
The police officer and the journalist

More controversial details have continued to emerge from the scene of the anti-government protest in Abuja led by Charles 'Charly Boy' Oputa and a former social media manager of the PDP, Deji Adeyanju.

Sergeant Idiake Julius has been accused of brutalising a Silverbird Television reporter, Amadin Uyi during a peaceful protest to compel President Muhammadu Buhari to return to Nigeria after spending 93 days in London, United Kingdom.

A picture of him being engaged with the reporter is currently making rounds on social media. Rumours have it that the journalist landed in the hospital after the attack.
Two patients being treated for Lassa fever at Lagos University Teaching Hospital have died in one week, only days after they were hospit...

Two patients being treated for Lassa fever at Lagos University Teaching Hospital have died in one week, only days after they were hospitalized.Both patients are said to have been hospitalized after the Lassa infection had gone on for too long.Officials have put under surveillance at least 100 hospital workers who may have had contact with the patients.The first of the patients, a 32-year-old pregnant woman, had bleeding problems after having a stillbirth. A post-mortem exam confirmed her positive for Lassa.A pathologist who took part in her autopsy has also been confirmed positive and is hospitalized at LUTHs isolation ward, where he is said to be responding to treatment.The hospitals chief medical director Chris Bode, who visited the patient on a morale-boosting tour on Tuesday, has called on staff to maintain heightened level of alert in the wake of the outbreak.The hospital says it has notified the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. It has also put up response lines where the public can report suspected cases of Lassa fever.Humans infect other humans through direct contact with infected body fluids: urine, blood, sputum.Infected humans must be isolated to avoid human to human transmission.Close contacts of infected individuals and health workers who do not observe standard infection control practices are at increased risk of being infected.There is a good chance of cure with an antiviral agent called Ribavirin when treatment starts within the first week of the illness. However, Ribavirin is avoided in pregnant women because of the risk to the foetus.Health workers also provide supportive care with intravenous fluids, blood transfusion and medications for seizures as might be required.Primary prevention involves avoidance of contact with rats. This tends to be heightened following bush burning. The rats are displaced from their natural habitat so they come close to homes in search of alternative abode.Experts advise that bushes and clutter around homes must be cleared to make the surrounding unattractive to rats; food, cooking utensils and drinking water must be kept in rat-proof containers; and to avoid using rats as food sources.To avoid human-to-human transmission, close contacts of individuals with illness involving fever that does not respond to treatment for malaria should wear gloves to touch body fluids.Health workers must wear gloves, protective gowns and masks while caring for individuals suspected of Lassa fever.Hospitalized suspected cases must be isolated and contact with staff of the hospital minimised: individualised equipments must be provided for such patients. Separate thermometers, blood pressure apparatus, bath utensils must be provided.And specific team of health workers must be identified to care for suspected cases who must be nursed in isolation.A high index of suspicion is required on the part of health workers for early detection and chance of curative treatment.
A handful of Arewa youths on Wednesday staged a protest in Abuja, urging security agencies to arrest leader of the Indigenous Peoples of ...

A handful of Arewa youths on Wednesday staged a protest in Abuja, urging security agencies to arrest leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.Kanu, who is standing trial for treason charges before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had been admitted to bail.The protesters, who are members of Arewa Youth Assembly, were accompanied by policemen on horses along the Shehu Shagari Way.This was in stark contrast to the police assault on protesters calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to resume or resign on Tuesday.The group of northern youths marched from Unity Fountain, Maitama, through the Federal Secretariat Complex to the entrance of Three Arms Zone.The placards-carrying youths said the unity of Nigeria was non-negotiable and upbraided Kanu for allegedly undermining the sovereignty of the nation.The placards read, The unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable; and Nnamdi Kanu is undermining the sovereignty of Nigeria.They marched to the junction of the Presidential Villa, where they sang for some minutes before dispersing.
Famous Nollywood actor, James Ikechukwu Esomugha, otherwise known as Jim Iyke has described Nigeria as a joke of Africa.

Famous Nollywood actor, James Ikechukwu Esomugha, otherwise known as Jim Iyke has described Nigeria as a joke of Africa.

The actor said the giant of Africa title had since been taken away from Nigeria due to bad leadership.

Iyke was among those who on Wednesday stormed Abuja to join forces with anti-Buhari protesters who are seeking for the resignation or the resumption of president Buhari.





Jim Iyke, who spoke to newsmen in Abuja said that Nigeria that was once the giant of Africa is now the joke of Africa.





He equally stressed that our mumu don do.

Enough is enough. It is a simple thing, our mantra is one and our decision is one.

Unequivocally, we are saying that the president either resumes or resigns. It is natural when you get old; you shift and let the young ones take over.
Liverpool and England legend, Steven Gerrard has said the only way Philippe Coutinho will swap the Anfield for Barcelona was to create war.Coutinho had been the subject of rumoured moves to the Nou Camp this summer Yesterday, reports indicated that both clubs had agreed a 108.8m fee for the 25-year-old playmaker, a development which the bosses at Liverpool denied.Liverpool have also insisted their talisman is not for sale at any price.But Gerrard, who played for the Reds between 1998 and 2015, believed that the move will only happen if Coutinho decides to force a move, like fellow South Americans Javier Mascherano and Luis Suarez did during his time at the club.Especially South American players who always go on record saying its a dream of theirs to play for Barcelona, Gerrard said while working as a pundit on BT Sports broadcast of the UEFA Super Cup.Ive experienced it before as a player and a fan with (Javier) Mascherano, with (Luis) Suarez and its a very, very difficult situation for a club to be in.The good thing from the Liverpool fans point of view is the manager (Jurgen Klopp) is desperate to keep hold of him and is trying to keep hold of him.The board want him to stay, this is not a situation where Liverpool need money or to cash in.Were not a selling club so theyre gonna do everything in their power for him to stay but at the end of the day it comes down to Philippe Coutinho and his decision, what hes prepared to do, what type of war hes prepared to create to get out because Liverpool wont make it easy for him.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr Steve Ayorinde, has urged fathers not to compete for space with their babies during the pe...

File Photo: Nursing mother

The Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr Steve Ayorinde, has urged fathers not to compete for space with their babies during the period of breastfeeding.Ayorinde gave the advice in a message to the Lagos Chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) as it held a Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign and a 5 km Health Walk in Ikeja.The commissioner, represented by Mrs Toro Oladapo, a former NAWOJ President and the Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Information, urged fathers to leave the breast for the babies during the period.He said that fathers should support the mothers to properly breastfeed new born babies, describing exclusive breastfeeding as vital during the first six months of life.According to him, breastfeeding should be encouraged till the baby reaches two years for healthy child development.Ayorinde told the female journalists to continue the advocacy for a healthy nation.Nothing is natural like breast milk, he said, noting that human milk is better for babies than animal milk.Thank you so much for promoting the essence of womanhood, he said.The commissioner emphasised the agenda-setting role of the media in promoting the right attitude toward healthy child development and urged NAWOJ not to relent in its efforts.The media should help ensure mothers are breastfeeding to raise a healthy nation.You will all agree with me that children that are breastfed distinguish themselves academically, he said.The commissioner said that women, in the past, used breastfeeding for child-spacing and family planning, urging NAWOJ to spread the awareness.The Chairperson, Lagos Chapter of the NAWOJ, Alhaja Sekinat Lawal, appealed to all tiers of government to implement policies that encourage breastfeeding for healthy child development and speedy economic growth.She condemned violence against women, pointing out that violence could affect the flow of milk to new-born babies.Lawal said the fitness walk was aimed at keeping journalists healthy.We are trying to inculcate the habit of exercise in our members, she said.Lawal said that journalists were always busy people who had a tendency to forget their health, hence, the walk was organised as part of activities of the breastfeeding week.She explained that the association during the walk also educated women on the importance of breastfeeding.According to her, breastfed children can facilitate economic development because of their intelligence.For the week, we are encouraging mothers to exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of life.We are also carrying out advocacy against domestic violence for people to speak out, she said.Mrs Tosin Odusola, the immediate past National Treasurer of NAWOJ, said that the 2017 programme was important because it captured advocacy for peaceful environment to promote breastfeeding.Odusola, a Health journalist, said domestic violence could lead to stress and affect the flow of breast milk to newborns.She urged female journalists to champion the campaign for nationwide advocacy against domestic violence, which hampers healthy child development.There should also be male involvement in breastfeeding because an emotionally stable woman would produce more milk, she said.Mrs Barbara Negbejie of the Federal Ministry of Information Chapel of the NAWOJ lauded the fitness exercise as part of recreational activities of the union.I have always looked forward to this moment to burn off excess fat, she said.Miss Eunice Olile of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria told NAN that the awareness for breastfeeding and fitness should always be on the front burner.Olile said that career women had a tendency to neglect breastfeeding and fitness exercises due to pressure of work and other family demands.Mothers neglect their children and give them to caregivers, giving more attention to their work.With breast milk, children grow well, she said.NAN reports that the association also paid a visit to the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.The Executives of the Lagos Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), represented by its Treasurer, Mrs Kehinde Ajayi and Mr Alfred Odifa, the Assistant Secretary, participated in the walk alongside Mr Adeleye Ajayi of NAN, a chairmanship aspirant in the forthcoming NUJ elections.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Tuesday raided Boko Haram hideouts in Sambisa forest and killed several insurgents.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Tuesday raided Boko Haram hideouts in Sambisa forest and killed several insurgents.A statement issued by NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, said few terrorists were seen evacuating the remains of dead Boko Haram fighters after the strikes.The NAF statement which was supported with a video footage reads: In furtherance of operations to completely defeat the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) Organization, on August 7, 2017, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Component of Operation Lafiya Dole conducted an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission over Parisu, in the Sambisa general area.During the ISR mission, a large group of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) was seen converging under a tree close to a prominent zinc-roofed structure. Part of the structure was concealed by the foliage of a tree, making it a seemingly unobtrusive gathering point for the terrorists.A confirmatory ISR mission indicated that the structure was indeed a BHT hideout, housing a large number of terrorists. Accordingly, on August 8, 2017, the Air Component detailed fighter aircraft to strike the target in succession.Following the first and second strikes, the building was completely destroyed and the location was strafed during the third attack. The fourth attack was re-directed to a close by building, where BHT activity was also noticed.Subsequent Battle Damage Assessment revealed that the BHT hideout was completely reduced to rubble and several BHTs were killed while a few of them were seen evacuating the casualties.
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has boasted that victory was sure for All Progressive Grand alliance, APGA, at the November 18, 2017 governorship poll, where he is seeking a re-election for a second term.Obiano, who spoke in Abuja, dismissed any form of pessimist against his chances of winning the re-election bid because the achievements of the administration in the last three and years are daunting and glaring in the state.Recall the governor had picked the Nomination and Expression of Interest forms of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, National Working Committee led by Dr. Victor Oye at the party headquarters in Abuja.Chief Obiano assured Nigerians and Anambrarians that the election would be held on schedule and would be peaceful.While predicting victory for himself, Obiano, said, I have already won my re-election, and that is what I am telling you. Havent you seen my performance? My performance will tell you what I can do at the end of my eight years.He said he has completed the first step for going for re-election, to pick the partys forms, which you will complete appropriately and return, followed with the primary and thereafter emerge a winner, then the election.But what is important is what do I want to do for Anambra during my second tenure. Very critical, it is to institutionalise the big achievements I have already made in the last three and half years. By that I mean by the time I leave office in the next four and half years, Anambra will be like Lagos State.There will be self sufficient revenue wise and therefore, whatever comes to the state from Abuja, would be using as jara in local parlance. So that is the whole objective. We are doing that in trade and commerce, agriculture, in oil and gas, industrialisation.Our efforts will be up and running in three years. These are all within my administration period. And the things we are doing under our enabler will be going on-education, health, of course, security would be critical. Our people will sleep with their two eyes closed because I will be awake to make sure they are sleeping.And agriculture will be brought to a level that is unprecedented. We are going to be number one agriculture state in Nigeria, purely based on what we are doing now.You know we have Anambra Rice. We are exporting it to the United Kingdom, and we have orders to export yams to the United States of America and many more.So, we are very ready. We are now self-sufficient in rice production. Anambra consumes 320,000 metric tons of rice per year. What we are doing now, with addition of Orumba Farm, 275,000 metric tons. So we have already exceeded our consumption capacity. So, what is left is for export.
National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP of being behind the growing wave of hate speeches in the country and the recent Hausa audio tape that sought to pitch the north and other parts of the country against the Igbo.While he warned against the resort to hate speeches in national conversation, Odigie-Oyegun described perpetrators of hate-speeches, images and songs as worse than Boko Haram.The APC national chairman was speaking in reaction to an audio recording which seeks to disparage the Igbos and which is currently being circulated especially in the north of the country.Odigie-Oyegun observed that even though ethnic distrust is not new in the country, the rising wave of hate speeches, negative religious and ethnic utterances and actions as is currently being experienced, is part of the fallouts of the 2015 presidential election.Anyone participating in an election knows that there could only be two outcomes, you win or you lose. When you lose, you prepare for the next election. What we have seen however is that since 2015, some politicians and political groups have carried on as if they wished the country itself to collapse just because they are no longer in power. This is tragic indeed, he said in apparent reaction to the former ruling party, the PDP.Describing the song as dangerous and despicable, the APC national chairman, therefore, called on security agencies to promptly apprehend those behind the recording and other similar acts, no matter who they are.According to him, every ethnic based crises of whatever nature had started with hate speech. When people within the same country frame and define one another in the manner intended to set them up for violent attack, then they are setting themselves up for a major disaster.He added that, the merchants of hate dont know or just dont care about the consequences of the fire they are stoking in the country. But they have the experiences of other countries to learn from. Rwanda remains a classic example on our continent. However, even as terrible as Rwanda was, it would be nothing compared to what could happen if a huge country like Nigeria is allowed to fall into the disaster of hate-driven conflict. This is why we must all rise, regardless of our political differences and condemn these ugly and shameful acts with one voice.Odigie-Oyegun however called on the acting president to direct the security agencies to ensure that those behind these odious acts are promptly arrested and swiftly brought to justice.We cannot sit idle and watch a few disgruntled individuals destroy our democracy, and God forbids, the nation that we all fought hard to achieve and build
The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday initiated moves to woo former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice Pr...

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday initiated moves to woo former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Senate President, Bukola Saraki; and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, back to its fold.Other targeted by the party include Senators Rabiu Kwankwaso, Aliyu Wamakko, Abdullahi Adamu, Danjuma Goje, Governor Aminu Tambuwal and many others who were members of the PDP but defected to the All Progressives Congress ((APC).The PDP had appointed Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers) and Ibrahim Dankwabo (Gombe) as chairman and deputy chairman of a reconciliation committee set up to woo the high profile politicians back to its fold.While inaugurating the committee in Abuja on Tuesday, the National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, tasked Wike and Dankwabo on the need to win the targeted individuals back to the party.The party also appointed a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi, as chairman of a newly inaugurated Disciplinary Committee.A former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, was named deputy.Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, was named chairman of National Convention Committee, while former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, will act as deputy chairman.Makarfi charged the reconciliation committee to extend its assignment to the founding members of the PDP, stressing that the dragnet should be extended beyond those that left the party in 2015.According to him, all individuals who had held top government and political positions on the platform of the PDP but have left the party should be brought back.Makarfi said: This includes President, Vice President, governors and former Senate president, Speaker of House of Representatives and all other former top ranking members in the party.Everybody that was in PDP at one time or the other should be reconciled with. It is not limited to pre-2015.Makarfi also mandated the committee to reach out to other individuals who have never been in the PDP with a view to bringing them into the party without any conditions attached.
Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Wednesday predicted victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general elections.

Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Wednesday predicted victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general elections.Okowa, who chairs the partys Special Non-Elective National Convention Committee, said the convention slated for Saturday, would signpost the partys readiness to return to power in 2019.The governor spoke during the inaugural meeting of the committee, at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, adding that the convention would be an acid test of the partys readiness for 2019 polls.Okowa said: Yesterday (Tuesday), we were inaugurated with the task of organising a successful national convention for our great party. It is our hope that the various committees will set out to work immediately as we have barely a few days to go.As an organised party, I have confidence in our leaders of the various sub-committees that we will be able to deliver a successful national convention that we can all be proud of.I trust in our abilities because I have seen a good number of committed party members who are dedicated to the cause of ensuring we return to power in 2019.On preparations for Saturdays national convention, Okowa said a lot of grounds had already been covered by the leadership of the party despite the limited time frame.Our party is back alive and with the national convention, PDP will send a very strong message that will make Nigerians to realise that we are very much ready to take over power come 2019, the governor added.
Chairman of the PDP Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has said the party will send a very strong message to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and indeed Nigerians on Saturday.The party non-elective convention, slated for Saturday in Abuja is the first in the series of activities aimed at re-positioning the party in readiness for the 2019 elections.Addressing members of the committee Wednesday, at its maiden meeting at the PDP national secretariat, Dr. Okowa said the message would signal the preparedness of the party to reclaim power in the 2019 general elections.PDP has come alive and PDP will send a very strong message to Nigerians this Saturday.All Nigerians will on that day know that truly, the party is ready to take over power in 2019,  he said.
A group of youths under the aegis, Arewa Youth Assembly, today staged a peaceful protest in Abuja to demand the immediate arrest of the l...

A group of youths under the aegis, Arewa Youth Assembly, today staged a peaceful protest in Abuja to demand the immediate arrest of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

According to the youths, Kanu has with his actions in recent times undermined the sovereignty of Nigeria and should be arrested asap. See more photos below








National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), has lent its voice to the call by the Army High command for parents in Borno to stop donating their daughters to Boko Haram for suicide missions.A statement signed by Hajiya Binta Ibrahim, the councils Public Relations Officer, described the act as unthinkable and despicable.On Tuesday the Nigerian Army disclosed that some parents in Borno state were donating their daughters to Boko Haram to be used as suicide bombers.In the light of this, Ibrahim advised parents and guardians in Borno to stop the practice.She said that it was inhuman to donate children to be sacrificed for whatever reason or motive.She appealed to traditional and community leaders and other well-meaning Nigerians especially in the North-East, to dissuade parents from donating their daughters or wards for indoctrination and suicide bombing missions.The council frowns at this discovery by the Army that some of these hapless minors were donated to the terrorists sect by their parents and guardians, as part of their contribution to the perpetuation of Boko Haram terrorists.We are calling on states and civil society organizations to assist in protecting the large number of children on the streets, by helping them get back to school, she said.The PRO stressed the need to step up social re-awakening of the people of the area through sensitisation of the youths on the dangers of religious indoctrination.She advised parents to desist from this act, stressing that it was destroying the social fabric of the society and the country at large.In a related development, the NCWS has condemned Sundays shooting of worshippers at St. Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra.Ibrahim who described the act as `sacrilegious, called for prompt action to bring the culprits to book.
Nigerian rapper, Vic O has threatened to drop a diss track that will surprise Don Jazzy if the Mavin record boss does not agree to work wit...

Nigerian rapper, Vic O has threatened to drop a diss track that will surprise Don Jazzy if the Mavin record boss does not agree to work with him.

Vico, who has been away from the music scene for a while, tweeted at Don Jazzy yesterday, telling him hes a big fan and will like to work with him.





He gave him a one-week ultimatum to reply his tweet otherwise he will do a diss track targeted at the record producer.





So far, Don Jazzy is yet to reply and Vico is counting down already.




Youths from the 19 Northern states and Abuja under the aegis of Arewa Youth Forum, AYF, have alleged that some officials of the presidency,...

Youths from the 19 Northern states and Abuja under the aegis of Arewa Youth Forum, AYF, have alleged that some officials of the presidency, Northern governors and South West politicians were behind the protest against President Muhammadu Buhari.

They called on the politicians to immediately call those they described as their attack dogs to order or face being exposed.





A statement issued by AYF National president, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu and made available to newsmen in Kaduna, Wednesday said they were pained that the same situation that happened

during the Late president Umar Musa Yaradua is trying to repeat itself.





The statement noted that instead of the Northern politicians to come together and fight for the interest of the region, they are busy positioning themselves for the post of Vice president.





It accused the northern governors who they said won election on the back of President Muhammadu Buharis popularity as not doing enough, saying they are either been cowed into silence by people like Ekiti state Governor Ayodele Fayose or are busy holding meetings negotiating for the Vice Presidents slot.





The statement reads, Let it be known that we are not unmindful of what is happening in Nigeria. We know those that are behind the protest against the President, as a group we are giving them 7 days to call their attack dogs to order or we will have no option than to expose them.





For the avoidance of doubt, we are aware that Southwest politicians are behind the plot, they are colluding with some Northern governors and some elements of the presidency who do not wish the country and President Muhammadu Buhari well. But their time is ticking.





The funny thing about these northern governors is that many of them won their elections on the back of President Buhari, we wonder why they are now interested in themselves and very ready to sell the man who is their benefactor for a plate of porridge.





It is the same situation that happens during the late Umaru Musa Yaradua that wants to repeat itself. But instead of fighting for the region, these governors are busy holding nocturnal meetings and negotiating for the position of Vice president, but we will soon expose them.





A Governor from the South West, Ayodele Fayose is been used for their crusade against the President, but our northern governors are only murmuring in their chambers afraid to confront him. But let it be known that as people committed to the emancipation of the north and the unity and development of the country as a whole, we cannot be cowed into silence by anybody.





We know that it is the fundamental rights of every Nigerian to protest, but protest must have a human face. We believe that President Buhari has done the right thing by handing over power to the acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo who has been discharging his duties without hindrance.

Those behind the scenes beating the drums of political discord should watch their steps. We are unto them.
The Ijaw youths council, IYC, has warned that any attack on southerners residing in the North will be visited with commensurate response....

The Ijaw youths council, IYC, has warned that any attack on southerners residing in the North will be visited with commensurate response.

IYC issued the threat why faulting the refusal of security agents to arrest Arewa youths over the quit notice and those behind the hate song calling for the killings of Igbos in the North.





Factional Chairman of the council, Eric Omare said the failure of security agents to arrest those behind the hate speech and quit notice is an indication that some Northern are determined to massacre Southerners.





In a statement, Eric said, The news of a song calling for the killing of Igbo in the north has been reported by several newspapers; however it is sad to note that the government and security agencies have failed to act.





The deliberate refusal of the government and security agencies to take action against several conducts by northern elements which threaten national security is emboldening these persons to continue in their conducts.





It is very unfortunate that security agencies that would invite reputable Nigerians of southern extraction even for comments they know nothing about would turn a deaf ear to issues that threatens the survival of the country by northern elements.





The hate song circulating in the north is more worrisome considering the insistence by northern youths that Igbo should quit the north by October 1, 2017. The coalition of northern youths October 1, 2017 quit notice coupled with the hate song and the deliberate refusal of the Hausa/Fulani led federal government to act clearly indicate that some elements in the north have made up their minds to massacre southerners living in the north. This is highly condemnable and unacceptable.





The IYC call on southerners living in the north to be vigilant in the days ahead and warn that any attack on southerners in the north will be visited with commensurate response from southerners. The federal government must know that considering the fragile state of the nation; Nigeria may not be able to survive any inter-regional or inter-ethnic killings.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun has blamed the rising wave of hate speech, negative religi...

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun has blamed the rising wave of hate speech, negative religious and ethnic utterances experienced across the country on the loss of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 presidential election.

He described perpetrators of hate-speeches, images and songs as worse than Boko Haram.





Odigie-Oyegun said this in his reaction to an audio recording that is currently being circulated, especially in the northern part of the country, which he described as dangerous and despicable.





He posited that even though ethnic distrust was not new in the country, the rising wave of hate speech, negative religious and ethnic utterance and actions as is currently being experienced, is part of the fallouts of the 2015 presidential election.





The APC National Chairman therefore called on security agencies to promptly apprehend those behind the recording and other similar acts, no matter who they are.





Every ethnic based crises of whatevernature had started with hate speech. When people within the same country frame and define one another in the manner intended to set them up for violent attack, then they are setting themselves up for a major disaster.





The merchants of hate dont know or just dont care about the consequences of the fire they are stoking in the country. But they have the experiences of other countries to learn from. Rwanda remains a classic example on our continent.





However, even as terrible as Rwanda was, it would be nothing compared to what could happen if a huge country like Nigeria is allowed to fall into the disaster of hate-driven conflict. This is why we must all rise, regardless of our political differences and condemn these ugly and shameful acts with one voice.

Anyone participating in an election knows that there could only be two outcomes, you win or you lose. When you lose, you prepare for the next election.





What we have seen however is that since 2015, some politicians and political groups have carried on as if they wish the country itself to collapse just because they are no longer in power. This is tragic indeed, he said.





Odigie-Oyegun called on the Acting President to direct the security agencies to ensure that those behind these odious acts are promptly arrested and swiftly brought to justice.





We cannot sit idle and watch a few disgruntled individuals to destroy our democracy, and God forbids, the nation that we all fought hard to achieve and build, he concluded.
The Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, on Wednesday said Buhari reserves the right to ke...

The Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, on Wednesday said Buhari reserves the right to keep his health status private because some people despite being in, public service are private people and they like to keep their personal lives out of the public domain.

Onochie said this while describing those demanding that Buhari should disclose his health status as ignorant of the 1999 constitution.





In a statement on her Facebook, the Presidential aide said it is not mandatory for Buhari to disclose his health details, adding that hes not under any obligation to do so.





Onochie also said it is wrong to compare the Buharis health situation with that of late President Musa YarAdua.





She wrote: Every human being on earth, reserves his/her rights to Privacy. Not only in Nigeria but in every nation. Thats what separates us from animals.





Some people in public service are private people in that they like to keep their personal lives out of the public domain. Others place their personal lives in the public domain for all to see. Its an individual choice.





Since Pres. Buhari travelled on medical vacation, some people have been ignorantly calling on him to address the nation. But thats because they do not understand the 1999 constitution. Having a leader who adheres to the provisions of our constitution, is new to all of us. That Pres. Buhari transmuted power to his Vice to become Acting President, is totally new to in our nation.





Many of us are yet to fully understand what it means and its implications. Sadly, those who should be educating Nigerians on the full implication of the process, are quite happy to cry louder, in ignorance than the protest merchants.





We will all learn. Some of us, faster, some slower. Like Alledeh guy or whatever hes called, whose experience of politics has been PDP and nothing else.





But mischief makers, never. This inability to accept this positive change is the reason we find ignorant, confused and uneducated people comparing cotton and silk.





In the case of Late Pres. YarAdua, the National Assembly was not informed nor were the people Nigeria informed that he was going on a medical leave. He also DID NOT hand over to his Vice. So, he took the power to run Nigeria with him. That is NOT the case today as ignoramuses would have you believe.





During the slap and spit on our constitution by PDPs Pres. YarAdua, the then General Buhari, a man of integrity who had and still has the utmost respect for our laws and our constitution, joined other well-meaning Nigerians to call on Pres. YarAdua to order.





Ronald Reagan as President of America, had colon cancer. He never disclosed it. Americans did not know about it. Neither did they hold him down by the throat to tell them what ailed him. That was his personal grief to deal with. It was part of his life he CHOSE to make private. And Americans respected his rights to Privacy. Yes they did.





Barrenness is an illness that doctors treat. The British people are not holding down Mrs. Theresa May to declare why she cannot have children or to state the status of her husbands sperm count. No! She chose to tell them about her struggles with Diabetes. But the other health issues, she CHOSE to keep private.





If leaders cannot exercise a degree of privacy, then, we must demand access to their bedrooms so we all are acquainted with how they relate with their wives and husbands.





Its a personal choice individual leaders would make. If President Buhari decides to publish the details of his health records, it would be his personal decision to do so. But Its not mandatory and hes not under any obligation to do so.




Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, has expressed his frustration at the absence of the VAR system, which he feels would have ruled out Casemiros opening goal, as they lost 2-1 to Real Madrid in Tuesdays Super Cup in Skopje, Macedonia.The Brazilian broke the deadlock in the 24th minute in Skopje, slotting Dani Carvajals long pass into the bottom corner of David de Geas net.Replays show he had strayed fractionally offside, but the goal was allowed to stand. Isco doubled Madrids lead, before Romelu Lukaku pulled one back for Mourinhos men.I think we did well, I think we lost to one goal which shows the result was really short and one of their goals was an offside. With a good VAR system it would be 1-1 and extra time, Mourinho told BT Sport.They could have scored more goals than they did, we could have scored more goals than we did. They had a period of dominance at middle of the first half and we had a period of dominance at middle of the second half.
Factional leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West, insisted on Tuesday that Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe remained the partys authentic chairman in the geopolitical zone.They also accused the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, of fanning the embers of disunity within the party in the zone.The leaders also dissociated themselves from the meeting summoned by the Senator Ahmed Makarfi group in Ibadan on Monday, saying that the executives, who emerged at the zonal congress held on October 11, 2014 remain the only validly elected and judicially-sanctioned leadership of the party in the zone.Those were the resolutions of the leaders of the party from Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Oyo, Ondo and Osun states, after an emergency meeting in Lagos.Those present at the meeting, according to the communique released include the senator representing Ogun-East Senatorial District, Buruji Kashamu; a former deputy governor of Ekiti State, Abiodun Aluko; a former PDP National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo; Mr. Tunde Carenna, Alhaji Fatai Adeyanju, Mr. Segun Adewale, Mr. Wahab Owokoniran, Chief Gbenga Otegbolu, Chief Kolapo Ogunjobi, Mr. Hakeem Taiwo and Mr. Adekola Razak.The communique of the meeting, which was said to have been read by Ogundipe and made available to our correspondent said, We observed with grave concern the activities of some impostors and errand boys parading themselves as members of the South-West zonal executives of the PDP.These people  Eddy Olafeso, Bunmi Jenyo and others- are products of a contraption which has since been nullified by the Federal High Court, Lagos, in suit No. FHC/L/CS/605/2016.We further note that in a final judgment delivered on the 24th of June, 2016, the court categorically stated that our tenure ends in October 2018, having been elected at a special zonal congress held on the 11th of October, 2014 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.Therefore, the South-West Zonal executive of the PDP under the able leadership of Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, who was Fayoses nominee at the South-West Zonal Congress, held on the 11th of October, 2014, remains the only validly elected and judicially sanctioned leadership of the party in the zone.Ogundipe, who allegedly berated Fayoses hostile, authoritarian and destabilising activities, demanded that he should be cautioned before he killed the party in the South-West.The authentic zonal leadership and stakeholders hereby declare Fayose a persona non grata and dissociate the zone from his activities, he added.He, however, appealed to the partys chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, to desist from relating with Fayose on issues relating to the South-West zone.
BRIGANTINE -- It was surf's up for approximately 100 surfers competing in the Brigantine Surf Jam Tuesday. With waves 3 to 4 feet nearly all day long at the south jetty beach, conditions were near perfect.

Surfers of all ages contended for titles in shortboard and longboard, as well as stand up paddleboards (SUP). There were also bodyboarding contests for kids not yet catching waves on surfboards.

During last year's contest, organizer Tim Daley noted that the event is to "celebrate those who paved the way and those who are the future of the sport and the island," and that tradition continued this year, with past and present residents of Brigantine taking part in the planning and execution of the event.

Former Brigantine resident Ryan Starr -- an expert surf forecaster working for Surfline, who now calls Huntington Beach, California, home -- helped with making the decision on which day this week Daley should hold the contest.

"As you could see, [it] was an excellent call!" Daley said.

The panel of judges included Linda Davoli, who has been ranked second on the women's world tour in the past; Paul Ferriozzi, a local surfboard shaper for OZboards; Dave Cooker; Pat Jordan; Jack Dougherty; Rick Derrickson; Jerry Miller; and Chris Tate. Locals tabulating the scores included Dee Brown, Bernadette Fuller and Catherine Simone.

Surfers making their way back to the island from afar included Dave Cooker, who now lives in Newport Beach, California; Hollin Walker, now living in Oahu, Hawaii; and Lou Micheli, who makes his home in San Diego.

Daley has run the Surf Jam for the past 12 years, with help from the Brigantine CER (Community Education and Recreation), Brigantine City Beach Patrol, police, fire and public works departments, and numerous volunteers. The Brigantine Wave Riding Association ran a surfing contest for more than 20 years prior.

The not-for-profit event raises money for the community. Last year, proceeds went to purchasing an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), which was installed in the ACME and is maintained by the fire department.

Results:

BodyBoarding, 10 and under:

BodyBoarding, 11-13:

Wahine - Girls shortboard surfing, 10 and under:

Menehune - Boys shortboard surfing, 10 and under:

Groms - Boys shortboard surfing, 11-13:

Gromettes - Girls shortboard surfing, 11-16:

Junior Men's shortboard surfing, 14-17:

Women's shortboard surfing, 17 and older:

Men's shortboard surfing, 18 and older:

Junior longboard surfing, 29 and under:

Senior longboard surfing, 30 and older:

Open Stand Up Paddleboarding:

Super Heat champion

Spirit of Aloha winner

Wave of the day

Lori M. Nichols may be reached at lnichols@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @photoglori. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Hykeem Martin, one of two men convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in a 2014 fatal shooting of a Vineland man.

MAYS LANDING -- After a five-day trial, two men have been convicted in a fatal 2014 shooting of a Vineland man, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced in a statement.

Hykeem Martin, 25, of Buena Vista Township, and his cousin, 27-year-old Dominique Washington, were convicted of conspiracy to commit murder but acquitted of murder charges in the shooting death of Vincent Williams on July 3, 2014, according to officials.

Authorities said at the time that Martin was the one who allegedly shot and killed Williams. His cousin's involvement in the homicide remains unclear.

Police who responded to the scene on July 3, 2014, discovered Williams lying in the roadway of 9th Street in Buena Vista Township with apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Martin was arrested in January 2015 at his home in Newtonville after authorities determined that he was "the prime suspect," the statement said. Washington was extradited from Pennsylvania in September 2016 after authorities arrested and charged him.

Sentencing for the two men is scheduled for Sept. 29 at the Atlantic County Criminal Courts Complex before Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury.

Both men could face up to 20 years in prison.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.
UPDATE: Death of man at Tropicana ruled a suicide

ATLANTIC CITY -- Officials say there is no danger to the public after hotel workers found a man dead and a woman with injuries in a room late Tuesday afternoon at the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City.

Hotel employees went to the room on the 37th floor of the Tropicana around 5:45 p.m. after the registered guests failed to check out, Fox29.com reported.

The workers called 911 after finding the man's body and a woman hurt. The woman was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in the city.

Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner told 6abc.com Tuesday that the incident is limited to whatever happened in the room. An update posted on the prosecutor's Facebook page indicated there is no danger to the public and the investigation is ongoing.

The cause of the man's death and the woman's injuries has not been released by authorities.

A spokeswoman for the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday that the investigation remains ongoing.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
"God, Jesus, I can't believe I killed a little girl."

Those are the words Assistant Prosecutor Yomara Castro told jurors that Michael C. Brady, 38, uttered while in Englewood Police custody after the bodies of Tam Marie "Tammy" Pitts-Gaddy and Natasia Gaddy, 5, were found slain in their West Palisades Avenue apartment on Jan. 29, 2013.

The words were those of a man "struggling to come to terms with the overwhelming guilt over what he did," Castro said during her opening statement in the Teaneck man's trial Tuesday afternoon in Superior Court in Hackensack before Judge James J. Guida.

Defense attorney Kevin G. Roe, however, told jurors that those words were twisted by police in a rush to judgment of "a loving mate," who helped his girlfriend buy a car.

Brady, who is Jamaican, Roe said, was really saying "I can't believe someone killed the baby," and, because of his accent, switches words around.

Rather than tape recording the comments, an Englewood Police officer got a piece of copy paper and took long hand notes of "what he thinks he hears," Roe said.

Tammy Pitts-Gaddy and Natasia Gaddy

Authorities say Brady had recently split with Pitts-Gaddy after a four year relationship. On the morning of Jan. 28 -- sometime after Pitts-Gaddy called out of work sick at 5:41 a.m. -- a fight between the two escalated into Brady stabbing her 11 times. One strike was so powerful that the tip of the knife broke off in Pitts-Gaddy's skull, Castro said. She died just days after suffering a miscarriage with Brady's child.

Brady then allegedly suffocated Natasia with a black plastic bag. "She was five, so she would tell," Castro said. "And he wanted to prevent that."

Brady later denied being involved in the killings when he was transferred to the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office for questioning, Castro said.

The bodies were discovered after Pitts-Gaddy's mother couldn't reach her and sent the slain woman's sister and father to check on her. On their way to her apartment they spotted Brady's car parked outside a chicken restaurant and enlisted his help in reaching her.

When they arrived at the apartment, Brady pulled his car next to the building and peered into Pitts-Gaddy's bedroom window, after a knock at the door went unanswered. "They tied her up," he yelled, according to Castro.

At the urgency of her sister Brady got into the apartment and unlocked the door for the others to enter. There they found Pitts-Gaddy with her feet dangling off the bed and stab wounds to her face. Furniture was broken and knocked out of place. There was blood on the carpet, bed and door, Castro said.

Brady left the bedroom and called out for Natasia. He went down into the basement, which was pitch black, Castro said, where he found the lifeless body of the kindergartener and yelled, "They put a bag over head."

Responding police found the girl with her hair done, sneakers on and dressed for school, Castro said. A plastic bag and cushion laid nearby.

Brady, Castro told the jury, "was the only person who had the motive, the opportunity and the ability to carry out this crime."

Roe disagreed, telling the 15 jurors, that the victim's nephew was a "drama queen" at the murder scene as the family watched authorities work behind crime scene tape; that his DNA was mixed with the victim's on a cleaning solution bottle used "in a failed effort to clean the scene"; and that police could not rule out that a bloody footprint found in the apartment belonged to the nephew.

"He was interviewed four different times," Roe said, "and his story changed" with regard to when he last saw his aunt -- switching from Friday to Sunday, the day before her murder.

Roe also told jurors that police searched the home Brady shared with his parents, his car and a shed his neighbor allowed him to use for storage.

"They did not find ... a speck of blood or any evidence proving he's the one," Roe said.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Madison School's ad hoc committee on Educational Resource Officers heard from restorative justice practitioners who recommended that the district move away from police in schools to more positive responses to student misconduct.
MAPLE SHADE -- A local cultural group is stepping up in an unsolved double murder, urging the community to come forward with details.

Sasikala Narra and son Anish Narra, a 38-year-old woman and her 6-year-old son, were found stabbed to death in their apartment in March. Hanumantha Rao Narra, the husband and father, said during a 911 call that he found the two dead in the apartment.

While the FBI has stepped in to assist in the investigation, no arrests have been made. The victims, who are natives of India, were flown back to the country for burial services, authorities said.

On Wednesday, the Indian Cultural Center of South Jersey posted a message urging anyone in the group to come forward following a meeting with Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina.

"Prosecutor Mr. Coffina reiterated his commitment on multiple occasions during our meeting that this case is being investigated at the highest priority," the statement said. "He would like to establish and maintain a comfortable and productive relationship with our community. Please help the investigating team solve this homicide. The smallest information or tip can be useful in solving this case."

Anyone with information related to the slayings is encouraged to contact authorities at 609-265-5035.

Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amahoover. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NEWARK -- Police on Wednesday asked for the public's help to find a Newark resident accused of beating a 53-year-old man with a hammer after an argument at a store in Newark's West Ward.

Maurice Murray, 25 (Photo: Newark Dept. of Public Safety)

Maurice Murray, 25, was charged with aggravated assault in the attack last Wednesday, according to police.

The victim reported Murray hit him "repeatedly" with a hammer after the two had an argument around 4 p.m. at a business in the 900 block of South Orange Avenue, police said. The injured man escaped the shop.

He suffered non life-threatening injuries and was treated at an area hospital, according to authorities.

"While police are actively searching for Murray, we seek the public's assistance in quickly locating him and removing him from our streets," Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. "The investigation is continuing."

In a statement, Ambrose urged anyone with information to contact Newark's 24-hour Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867). All anonymous tips would be kept confidential and could lead to a reward, officials said.

Tips can also be submitted with the Newark police smartphone app and website.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc and on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
MANTUA TWP. -- Residents were evacuated from a township street for several hours on Tuesday after sheriff's officers serving an eviction notice spotted suspicious items in a home, township police reported.

The incident began around 11 a.m. on Firth Drive at a home that was the scene of a hazmat incident in April.

In the April case, police responding to a domestic violence call summoned hazmat units to remove and detonate a "questionable substance" found in the house.

What responders found Tuesday were items that were apparently left over from the April incident but that were not dangerous, police said. Not knowing that at first, and given the prior history at the home, officials called in numerous agencies to check out the materials.

"The items were not illegal to possess individually and therefore had been left at the residence at the time," police said in a statement. "Nothing was mixed in a manner in which it was a danger and no residents were in danger at any time."

Police have not disclosed what items were found in the April incident or on Tuesday.

The items found Tuesday were removed from the home for destruction, police said.

Streets were reopened by late afternoon and residents were allowed to return to their homes.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
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Brenda Konkel, executive director at Tenant Resource Center, speaks during a Homeless Rally outside the City-County Building in 2015.
As she voluntarily entered the police interrogation room in Moline, Illinois, four years ago, Dorothy Varallo-Speckeen thought she was there to help solve a child-abuse case.

She soon realized, however, Detective Marcella OBrien thought she  a then-22-year-old babysitter with no criminal record  had abused the child, a felony punishable by up to 30 years imprisonment.

Im not trying to point fingers, but I know for a fact that the injury occurred during the time when you guys were watching Brylee, OBrien said, referring to Varallo-Speckeen and her girlfriend and, by name, the baby they were watching.

That statement came early in a video-recorded interrogation obtained by IowaWatch. In the video, OBrien subjected Varallo-Speckeen to an interrogation that sought to extract a confession. Her tactics are common in law enforcement, but many experts say they can coerce false confessions and should be abandoned.

OBrien talked over Varallo-Speckeen, interrupted and rejected or cut off denials and repeatedly pushed OBriens theory  that Varallo-Speckeen had broken the legs of the 15-month-old toddler.

Maybe she was too rough changing a diaper, or maybe she accidentally hurt the child, OBrien suggested time and again. Despite Varallo-Speckeens insistence that she wasnt too rough, that she didnt hurt the toddler, that she had not changed the babys diaper during the hours in question, OBrien held to the theory that Varallo-Speckeen was to blame.

After nearly two hours in the interrogation room, and after OBrien once more insisted that Varallo-Speckeen must have caused the injuries, Varallo-Speckeen relented. It happened when Varallo-Speckeen recalled the moment her girlfriend first said the childs legs were broken.

Varallo-Speckeen: And so then she was like well, her legs are broke, and then I was confused like how, how did that happen. That was my reaction.

OBrien: OK. So what do you think now?

Varallo-Speckeen: I think it was because I was changing her diaper.

Looking back on that day, July 24, 2013, Varallo-Speckeen, now 26, said she believes OBrien coerced that confession.

The detective and Moline police officials declined several requests for interviews over several months about the case and interrogation practices.

OBriens tactics mirrored the Reid Technique of Interviewing and Interrogation, which researchers describe as the gold standard for interrogating suspects. A majority of law enforcement officials are being trained to use it or another method based on it.

Critics relate the technique to the fact that more than a fourth of wrongfully convicted suspects later exonerated with DNA evidence had given a false confession or incriminating statement, according to the Innocence Project, a nonprofit that works to exonerate the wrongly convicted.

Some critics point to policies used in the United Kingdom as an effective and fair alternative. Andy Griffiths, a retired United Kingdom detective superintendent with a doctorate in major crime interviewing, said his country no longer sees cases going to the UKs appeals court because of false confessions.

But, Joseph Buckley, president of John E. Reid & Associates, stands by the technique, saying it is an ethical and efficient way to obtain justice, and he denies false confessions and the Reid Technique are related.

To understand police interrogation techniques, IowaWatch interviewed experts, read police records of the case, analyzed the video and transcript of Varralo-Speckeens interrogation and compared it to Reid methods. The video was provided by Sharon Varallo, Varallo-Speckeens mother.

Statements heard in the interrogation video indicate that two others and possibly a third were alone with the child during the time in which she was injured.

SERIES OF EVENTS

Varallo-Speckeen had moved from Rock Island to Moline after being adopted at 11 by Sharon Varallo, a college professor. She had been abused as a child.

She and Sharon moved to Iowa City, where she graduated from Iowa City High School, before they returned to the Moline area. She often worked as a babysitter for different families but rarely held a stable, long-term job.

The events in July 2013 that put Varallo-Speckeen in an interrogation room began about two months earlier when she and her girlfriend, Jennifer Schafer, 30, moved into a basement apartment in the home of Schaefers friend, Jami Kepple. Kepples mother, Kim Linhart, and cousin, Brad Hessell, lived in the apartment upstairs.

On Monday, July 22, at 5 a.m., Kepple took her daughters to the apartment of her mother, Linhart, before leaving for work. Normally Linhart watched her grandchildren, but Hessell, the cousin, said he watched the girls because Linhart was ill.

Around 7:30 a.m., Hessell took the girls downstairs for Varallo-Speckeen and Schafer to watch while he went to work. Hessell told Schafer that Brylee was not feeling well and to give her Tylenol. She slept until 11 a.m., when Schafer changed her diaper.

When I picked her up to change her diaper, she was real fussy, Schafer told IowaWatch. Like every time you moved her, like when I picked up her legs to slide the diaper in and out, she just kind of screamed a little at me; I thought maybe her belly hurt, thought maybe when I pulled her legs up it squished on her belly.

Later, Schafer took Jasmine, Kepples eldest daughter, outside to play, while Brylee and Varallo-Speckeen napped on the couch. When Schafer returned about 45 minutes later, Varallo-Speckeen was awake, but Brylee was still sleeping on Varallo-Speckeens chest.

When Kepple returned from work at 1:30, she drove Brylee to Illini Hospital in Silvis, Illinois.

There was clearly something wrong, but nobody knew what, Schafer said. She just wasnt acting herself.

Schafer told OBrien that Kepple said the hospital found nothing seriously wrong with Brylee.

The next day, Tuesday, July 23, both of Brylees legs were swollen, and Kepple took her to Trinity East Hospital in Moline, where staff discovered the childs legs were broken.

Police were called, and Detective OBrien soon focused on Varallo-Speckeen.

THE INTERVIEW

When the Reid Technique was introduced in 1974, it was meant to replace interrogation tactics that involved threats, beatings and even torture. The creator of the technique was a former Chicago detective, John E. Reid, and he had elicited his first confession using it in 1955.

Whether OBrien had received Reid training could not be determined; she refused repeated interview requests. However, her tactics followed its technique.

Starting with a behavioral analysis interview, investigators are taught to ask non-threatening questions to understand the individuals demeanor, then decide whether the suspect is lying based on verbal and non-verbal cues.

But Reids opponents say it is impossible to detect deception accurately.

You simply cannot tell whether a person is lying or telling the truth based on those cues, said Stephanie Madon, an Iowa State University psychology professor who researches why individuals confess to crimes they didnt commit.

The Reid Technique tells interrogators there is not any one cue or response that can determine deception, and that all behavioral cues need to be analyzed.

But, in the course of a high pressure investigation, these are snap judgments being made by detectives, and theyre often wrong, said Steve Drizin, legal director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions, which works to exonerate the wrongfully convicted and reform the justice system.

Some trained in the technique say the behavioral analysis interview causes tunnel vision.

Youve already decided a person is guilty, so now youre looking for confirmation, said James Trainum, author of How the Police Generate False Confessions and a former Washington, D.C., homicide detective.

Trainum said he realized this after eliciting the confession of a woman he was sure was guilty in 1994. When evidence proved she could not have committed the murder to which she had admitted, he began to wonder what had gone wrong.

The truth you are trying to get is the truth you believe in, Trainum said. Reid, he says, focuses too much on confessions and not enough on gathering information.

That confession is the most powerful piece of evidence in the court of law, and it ends up corrupting the quest for truth, Drizin said.

However, Buckley, the Reid and Associates president, said the Reid Techniques core principles are in place to prevent false confessions. To safeguard against false confessions, interrogators should get corroborating details in the suspects written statement.

THE INTERROGATION

In the interrogation stage, investigators can move through nine steps, starting with directly accusing the suspect of the crime or of knowing something about it.

So obviously something happened in your care, OBrien told Varallo-Speckeen. Now, do I think it was on purpose? Absolutely not. I dont think that you guys, or most people, are the type of person who intentionally hurt a baby. I think that type of thing would be an evil person who would do that  I mean if youre going to hurt a baby, you would have to be a very mean, evil person and plan that. I dont think that was the case. I think what happened was an accident.

Throughout the interrogation in the Varallo-Speckeen case, OBrien told Varallo-Speckeen she was guilty or knew what happened to Brylee 36 times.

The second step of Reid teaches investigators to develop a theme, giving the suspect justification or excuses for committing the crime. Investigators deflect denials by talking over and using gestures to cut the suspect off.

They may try to convince suspects a victim provoked the suspects or try to minimize blame by suggesting the crime was an accident or that the behavior was an anomaly for the suspect.

That tactic leaves suspects with two options: admit to the crime using the given justification or confess without it, leaving the suspect to appear like a monster, Drizin said.

Either way, innocence is off the table, he said.

OBrien presented Varallo-Speckeen with a variety of accidental ways the injuries could have occurred. It was OBriens suggestion that it could have happened during a diaper change, although Schafer and Varallo-Speckeen told OBrien Schafer was the only one to change Brylees diaper while watching the baby July 22.

When Varallo-Speckeen said she didnt remember doing anything that could have hurt Brylee, OBrien cut her off. In the two-hour interrogation, split between Schafer and Varallo-Speckeen, OBrien interrupted her 71 times.

Reid methodology teaches investigators to share stories about others who have made similar mistakes, a tactic that either minimizes or maximizes the severity of the crime. OBrien told Varallo-Speckeen about past cases where children had fractured skulls and bleeding on the brain.

On a scale of things, this is not that severe, OBrien said. Bones heal. Bruises go away. Its not going to be something thats going to be a horrible impact for the rest of their life. Unlike when I have babies who are shaken or thrown into walls and they have brain damage. Thats never going to get fixed.

OBrien told her repeatedly that Varallo-Speckeen was the only person who had been alone with Brylee, although statements given to OBrien by Hessell, Schafer and Varallo-Speckeen and viewed by IowaWatch show that is not true. Presenting false evidence is another Reid tactic, made legal by the U.S. Supreme Court case of Frazier v. Cupp.

Interrogation scholars have pushed to change this law, and in other countries it is illegal to lie to a suspect about evidence.

OBrien told Varallo-Speckeen the two of them could plan a way to tell Schafer and Kepple that would put Varallo-Speckeen in a favorable light, that OBrien wouldnt throw Varallo-Speckeen out to the wolves.

I can do that for you, OBrien said. But we cant help you if you dont help us. And thats what I need. I need you to help me, so I can help you with this. Because you dont want me going back and putting you in unfavorable light to them, do you?

THE CONFESSION

As the interrogation continued, OBrien repeatedly insisted that Varallo-Speckeen must have broken Brylees legs while changing her diaper.

At one point, OBrien handed her a baby doll, instructing her to demonstrate how she changed diapers. OBrien watched as Varallo-Speckeen put a diaper on the doll. But OBrien didnt accept her demonstration.

That wouldnt be enough force, OBrien said.

Well, thats how I change diapers, Varallo-Speckeen responded.

Nevertheless, the detective continued pressing her theory, and Varallo-Speckeen began to waver. If OBrien believed Varallo-Speckeen was guilty, that must be what happened, she told OBrien, adding she was willing to take the consequences.

Still, the detective was not satisfied; why would Varallo-Speckeen take responsibility for something she didnt do, OBrien asked her.

I just want it over, Varallo-Speckeen told OBrien.

In an IowaWatch interview, Varallo-Speckeen said: I feel like I admitted to a story that I was told.

I didnt think I had, but the way she kept telling me that obviously I had done it, I was like maybe I turned wrong and rolled over Brylee during their nap. But Varallo-Speckeen said she doubts that, because the child never woke up crying.

I feel like I just agreed to get it off the table, to just get it out of there, to just get it done, Varallo-Speckeen said. She said she still doesnt think she changed Brylees diaper.

Varallo-Speckeen was charged with felony aggravated battery against a child. Two years later, she accepted a plea bargain, pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery causing bodily harm.

Id rather be guilty of the lesser charge and only have to have one to two years of consequences versus going to trial and chancing six to 30 years, where my life is gone for something I know I didnt do, she said.

The month she spent in jail in 2013 was counted toward her sentence, and she remained under court supervision for 12 months.

Varallo-Speckeen said media coverage of the case ruined her reputation, ending her babysitting work and costing her lots of friends.

Following the charges, Brylees mother, Kepple, told Schafer in a Facebook message that she didnt know who hurt her daughter, that she didnt trust the police and that she just wanted Brylee to be OK. Kepple declined talking to the press then and declined to comment on this story.

THE DEBATE

Reid critics say other interrogation methods would prevent false confessions and that police need more training in interviewing and interrogating. But Reids proponents dont believe the techniques cause false confessions, nor that other options would help close cases.

Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, an Illinois consulting firm that has trained thousands of law enforcement officials nationwide, stopped offering Reid training in 2017.

Shane Sturman, chief executive officer, said Wicklander-Zulawski officials listened to academics, police interrogation researchers and law enforcement officials and decided the non-confrontational methods they have offered since 1983 work just as well.

Its not the Reid method thats the problem as much as the misuse of the Reid Technique, Sturman said.

I do not believe that Reid or anyone else teaching intends to elicit a false confession, Sturman said, but that the confrontational nature of Reid could explain missteps.

Buckley, Reid & Associates president, said if a false confession occurs, it is not a matter of misusing the Reid Technique but rather not using it at all.

When you research false confessions, the majority of them come when officers participate in inappropriate behavior, Buckley said.

Reid methods say interrogators should treat subjects with respect, not make promises of leniency, threaten physical harm or inevitable consequences, deny their rights or the opportunity to satisfy physical needs.

Former detective Trainum said a three-day seminar typically offered to law enforcement to be certified in the Reid Technique doesnt fully cover Reids textbook. He said it spends considerable time on core principles and false confessions, but the seminars dont cover the different issues a detective might encounter.

At Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, officers get six hours of interviewing and interrogation training, instructor Molly Jansen said. Any further training would be at local departments, she said.

Davenport Police Chief Brent Biggs said in the past many officers attended Reid seminars, but recently more go to Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers. There, they learn about eliciting admissions, how to address and mitigate denials, countering interviewee questions, and advanced evidence and theme presentation.

Buckley said the Reid textbook cant be covered in the three-day seminar because it is more than 400 pages long, but that the safeguards and principles are. He said police get on-the-job training by spending more time talking to people than anything else they do.

Reid critics recommend a technique used by officers in the United Kingdom called PEACE, which is similar to the Participatory Method that Wicklander-Zulawski uses, Sturman said. It focuses more on gathering information rather than getting confessions.

The PEACE method was developed in the early 1990s through a collaboration of law enforcement experts and psychologists in England and Wales and implemented in response to the UKs Police and Criminal Evidence Act of 1984.

Before this, Griffiths, the former UK detective, said officers werent trained in interviewing and interrogation methods. He said the courts threw out several confessions in the 1970s because officers were misbehaving and forcing people to confess. The act gave interviewees more rights, including requiring that all interviews of suspects be recorded.

PEACE follows a five-step approach that focuses on asking interviewees for their version of events and determining if that information is reliable. Interrogators do not accuse suspects of guilt.

Now every officer learns PEACE in a five-day seminar, and others take another three-week advanced course. A national standard says only advanced interviewers should interview suspects and victims of rape, murder or kidnapping.

In contrast to PEACE, the Reid interrogator does all the talking, not the suspect, Trainum said. How do you get information if the suspect isnt talking?

Buckley, however, contended that PEACE cannot accomplish the goal of solving cases.

They have fewer false confessions, but they also have fewer cases they solve, because they have fewer cases where the deceptive person tells them what they did, Buckley said.

When asked for supporting data, however, Buckley did not provide it.

Griffiths rejected Buckleys contention. Confession rates before and after PEACE are roughly the same, he said, adding that the United Kingdom always has had a smaller case resolution number because plea-bargaining doesnt exist.

Regardless of what causes false confessions, many agree something needs to be done to prevent the imprisonment of innocent people.

We need to have a major change in the culture in law enforcement, unfortunately, Trainum said. Our problem is we are so focused on closing cases and locking up criminals, we kind of lost our perspective that our real goal is to gather information that is admissible and reliable and unbiased. Let the evidence take us where it may.

Varallo-Speckeen said she has several regrets:

Agreeing to pretend that everyone is a good guy, and its all going to work out. I regret talking at all, now.
Spanish students in the Lewis Central Community School District will have some new materials to study this year.

The Lewis Central school board unanimously adopted a world languages standard Monday while also approving the purchase of new curriculum materials at an estimated cost of $51,000.

Neither board President Dorene Scheffel nor district Superintendent Mark Schweer could remember the last time new curriculum materials were purchased for the World Languages Department, which only offers Spanish.

The package will include online resources and textbooks for four levels, according to the board packet. Printed materials will not arrive in time for the beginning of the school year, but classes can use online resources initially, said Kim Jones, the districts coordinator of curriculum, instruction and mentoring.

Board members approved a 2.5 percent raise for seasonal employees by a unanimous vote. The change will increase hourly wages for most of the workers from $10.80 to $11.07, according to information provided to the board. Two employees who mow school grounds will have their current wage of $11.10 increased to $11.38. The raises will be retroactive to July 1.

The board discussed a policy for handling unpaid school meal balances proposed by Tracy Watsabaugh, director of nutrition services.

The policy was prompted by a new federal mandate that school districts have written policies on the matter. The policy does not require board approval, but Schweer said he wanted to make sure the board and nutrition staff were on the same page.

The school district will notify families when their positive balance is getting low, Watsabaugh said. Once it reaches zero, students will no longer be able to charge a la carte items, according to a summary provided to the board.

A letter will be sent to the family when its balance owed reaches $20. When a family owes a balance of $25, students will no longer be able to charge anything.

Watsabaugh stressed that staff would not grab a students tray or embarrass them. Students with a negative balance could still buy lunch with cash. Students who qualify for free lunches would never be denied a meal.

The board approved higher meal prices at its July 17 meeting. Under the new fee schedule, middle school breakfast will increase from $1.85 to $1.90; middle school lunch will rise from $2.85 to $3; and high school breakfast will grow from $1.85 to $2.

High school lunch options will change from $2.90, $3.05 and $3.55 to $3.20 to $3.45. Rates for elementary breakfast and lunch will remain unchanged.

Adult breakfast will increase from $2.50 to $2.70, while adult lunch will climb from $3.55 to $3.75.

Watsabaugh has developed a method for evaluating the districts wellness policy every three years like other policies. Among policies to be reviewed at future meetings is the districts collective bargaining policy.

To comply with state legislation, the board approved the first reading of a policy that would increase the probationary period for superintendents from two to three years.

The boards next regular meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 21 at the Educational Resource Center, 4121 Harry Langdon Blvd.
Vickie Murillo believes its important to seek to understand before she can be understood.

The new superintendent of the Council Bluffs Community School District met with around three dozen people on Tuesday evening at Abraham Lincoln High School during the first of two listening sessions.

Murrilo cited Stephen Coveys The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People in explaining the goal of the listening sessions, which she said allow her to make sure Council Bluffs doesnt grow accustomed to good enough but strives to continue improving its schools.

A second public input session will be held Thursday from 5:30 to 6 p.m. in the commons area of Thomas Jefferson High School. Light dinner and child care will be available, and RSVPs are encouraged by not required at tinyurl.com/cblistentour.

Diane Ostrowski, chief communications officer for the Council Bluffs schools, said 42 community members attended Tuesdays forum. An additional session will be held next week with business partners, and two sessions will be held with district staff members after school resumes.

Ostrowski said the district will tabulate priorities from all the session as well as compile themes from the feedback, which participants gave in small group discussions. She said the event organizers were happy so many people chose to give an hour to offer their perspectives.

We were surprised by the turnout and pleased with the mix of parents and community members who decided to participate in this conversation, Ostrowski said. It sounded like great table conversation, which gave people more of a voice than you might have in a larger group.

The first 20 minutes were spent listening strengths and weaknesses for the district. Each table reported its lists to the full group, allowing for comments to be heard by everyone  including and especially Murillo, who said she thought Tuesdays session went well.

I really appreciate input from the community, Murillo said. I think they appreciate being heard.

Among the positive highlights for the district were its strong partnerships  especially with Google, the Iowa West Foundation and Iowa Western Community College  as well as grant-funded programs, such as Pottawattamie Promise scholarships and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

The districts technology, career readiness event, dual-credit programs, Tucker College and Career Center, facilities (except, one group noted, at the middle school level) and process for hiring and supporting teachers all earned praise from the groups.

Among the areas for improvements noted by the participants are establishing sustainable funding as well as teaching more life and trade skills. Participants said more opportunities are needed for high-achieving students, more mental health and self-care resources are needed and additional attention should be paid for students in the middle  not just those who are on the top and bottom academically.

The affordability of school activities, the five-period schedule at the high schools, options for middle school students, communication with non-English speaking families and the transition from elementary to secondary buildings for special education students were also brought up as areas for improvement.

Murrilo said a report from all the listening sessions will be released at a later date. The input will be aligned with the districts strategic plan, Ostrowski said, and the final product will be to develop a plan of action, allowing Murillo to move the district forward.

The idea is to get beyond the basic, Ostrowski said, and to use the information to create a plan that is meaningful and future-focused.
Pottawattamie County has agreed to take its part of a settlement with an insurance company accused of not disclosing additional fees.

The Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 Tuesday to accept the settlement made by the Iowa Insurance Division with Two Rivers Insurance Co. The county will receive $143,356.02 from the company, which has offices in West Des Moines, Burlington, Fort Madison and elsewhere in the state.

An investigation found Two Rivers charged fees and commissions that were not disclosed to members of the Iowa Governmental Health Care Plan, of which the county is a part, according to the Iowa Insurance Division.

Assistant Pottawattamie County Attorney Maggie Popp Reyes said that Two Rivers acts as a broker for the group, selling insurance for a number of companies, with Wellmark Pottawattamie Countys insurance company.

The division said Two Rivers listed an inflated premium amount that included the Wellmark-established premium and undisclosed fees and commissions for Two Rivers. The impropriety was discovered around three years ago, Popp Reyes said. The insurance division required Two Rivers to pay $1.31 million as restitution to members of the Iowa Governmental Health Care Plan.

Supervisors Tom Hanafan, Tim Wichman and Scott Belt voted to accept the settlement. Board Chairman Justin Schultz voted against accepting it. The body met with Popp Reyes and outside counsel to discuss the issue in closed session Tuesday.

The insurance division is the one that protects insurance in this state. They came back with this number, Hanafan said after the meeting.

Hanafan noted that since the county joined the group in 2007 and worked with Two Rivers, the county has saved money on health insurance. The supervisor said it would have been difficult for the county to pursue more money through litigation against Two Rivers.

Are you spending $500,000 to $600,000 to get back an extra $100,000? Are you sure you can get anything? Hanafan said. At the end of the day, it was the best thing to do.

Popp Reyes said her opinion was that the chances of collecting more money in litigation wouldve been slim.

I didnt see our chances of collecting much more than that, she said of the settlement amount.

Schultz said he voted against the settlement because Two Rivers is basically getting away with fraud.

We need to protect taxpayers, he said, noting he didnt think the settlement was a fair amount for the county.

Schultz admonished Two Rivers for failing to disclose the fees, noting that if theyd proposed a 1-2 percent fee the board wouldve likely approved it because of the insurance cost savings.

The City of Council Bluffs is also a part of the Iowa Governmental Health Care Plan. At its July 24 meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to accept a settlement with Two Rivers.

The city will receive $253,418.10, the Council Bluffs Public Library will receive $8,201.95 and Council Bluffs Waterworks will receive $24,511.65 as part of the agreement.

A total of 33 entities will receive a portion of the $1.3 million from Two Rivers. Also in southwest Iowa, the allotment for the city of Harlan is $21,321.
A California Congressman making a swing through the Midwest is stopping in Council Bluffs on Thursday.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat, will speak during a Pottawattamie County Democratic Party event from 7 to 9 p.m. at Barleys Bar, 114 W. Broadway, according to the county party.

Swalwell is chairman of the Future Forum, an effort by Democrats to connect on issues important to millenials, from rising student loan debt to a decline in entrepreneurship.

The goal is to just understand the challenges that young people are facing, Swalwell said.

He said the effort is about gathering information and taking it back to Washington to inform policy decisions.

Before his stop in Council Bluffs, Swalwell will host a Millennial Town Hall that will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Kaneko, 1111 Jones St. in Omaha.

 BH News Service reporter Joseph Morton contributed to this story.
Pardeeville Elementary students attended the schools Unity Day assembly Oct. 21, 2015, in the gymnasium. The school found that its efforts to fight bullying during October were so successful, staff planned to continue such practices for the rest of the school year.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, joined by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, left, Vice President Mike Pence, Terry Gou, president and chief executive officer of Foxconn, and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, July 26, 2017.
Meryl Bishop of South Portland, Maine, will be the guest speaker Monday and Tuesday at the Christian Womens Group meetings.

Her presentation is titled Keeping Watch.

Bishop, originally from South Africa, will share how she came to understand that you cant discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.

After 5 Connection

The After 5 Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday at the Parkview Community Church, 1802 N. Jeffers St.

The cost is $7, which includes a full meal. Special music will be by Brett and Debbie Hatheway.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling Donna Beardsley at 308-532-5252 or Kathy Gove at 308-530-4655 or by emailing govegang25@gmail.com no later than Friday. Cancellations are essential and should be phoned to Kathy by 10 a.m. on Monday.

Tuesday morning brunch

The Tuesday group will meet at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday at the First Christian Church, 220 N. Vine St. Please use the back door.

The cost is $5, which includes brunch. Special music will be by pianist Carolyn Harms. A special feature will be presented by Missy Couse, owner of Refined Boutique.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling Konnie Wemple at 308-532-4268, Darlene Small at 308-532-2971 or Bev Larsen at 308-539-0719 no later than Sunday. Cancellations are essential and should be phoned to Darlene or Konnie by 9 a.m. on Monday.
We at Lincoln County Community Development Corp. are so pleased to receive $10,000 from the First National Bank Community Development grant program.

The board of directors is pleased that First National Bank has partnered with us in our effort to address affordable housing needs in our community for many years. Well do we understand that it is a partnership that brings about the results that our community needs!

This years program targets the demolition of condemned houses. Essentially we will be building new houses once the condemned properties are removed. We are also offering Owner-Occupied Rehab to low-income homeowners. Essentially, up to $25,000 will be available to low-income homeowners to replace roofs, heating and cooling systems, plumbing systems, electrical systems, doors and windows. We will encapsulate lead-based paint problems and bring the home to code. Of course, we continue to offer homebuyer education classes.

We are spearheading efforts to strengthen our community code enforcement laws and also to provide rental inspections.

The First National Bank partnership has helped us do all of these things. Thank you once again for investing in Lincoln County Community Development Corp. and our community. Thank you also for the opportunity to partner with you!

Nancy Striebel

Lincoln County Community Development Corp.
Schick Hydro Preview: Melbourne Storm v Sydney Roosters

AAMI Park

Saturday, 5.30pm

The Storm can all but lock-up the minor premiership when they clash with the second placed Roosters in a Saturday blockbuster at AAMI Park.

Melbourne have been almost unstoppable this season as they march towards the finals, swatting away the Cowboys with a scrappy win last round. But good teams can win ugly, and the Storm will be keen to deliver a polished performance against the Tricolours.

The Roosters had three consecutive wins before their surprise loss against the Sea Eagles on Sunday, losing 32-18. It should be a hiccup rather than a habit for Trent Robinson's men, who were outmuscled on the day by a strong Sea Eagles pack, but deserve their spot behind Melbourne as one of the most consistent teams this season.

Melbourne keeps the same 17 with no Cameron Munster or Tohu Harris. Sydney Roosters junior Ryley Jacks keeps his spot at five-eighth.

Roosters' co-captains Boyd Cordner and Jake Friend are both set to make their return after missing significant game time, with Cordner to line-up in the NRL for the first time since Round 13. They also welcome back Mitchell Aubusson and Aidan Guerra to the starting line-up, with Joseph Manu moving to the wing.



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 23: Storm vs Roosters



Why the Storm can win: They are a settled line-up with only regular five-eighth Cameron Munster still missing (ankle). Wingers Josh Addo-Carr and Suliasi Vunivalu are the in-form try-scorers and Will Chambers continues to have a strong year. Yet it is their young forward pack who are performing consistently well each week, led by Jesse Bromwich.

The Storm lead all clubs for tries scored in 2017  they have 86  and that's 12 more than the Roosters. They've also conceded 11 fewer tries (51 to Roosters 62).

Why the Roosters can win: Cordner and Friend will add discipline and defensive zeal, attributes that went missing last round. The Roosters were stringing together a streak of their own over the past two months, winning six of their last eight matches, so should be in a confident mood.

With two of their best players back and some motivation to atone from a disappointing last performance, the Roosters will go in with every opportunity to produce a performance worthy of their second place.

They'll also take positives from their last match against the Storm: a 25-24 victory in Adelaide seven rounds ago.



Player Comparison Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership: Cooper Cronk vs Mitchell Pearce

Try Assists, Line Break Assists, Total Kicks, Tackle Breaks.



The history: Played 32; Storm 18; Roosters 14. Melbourne enjoys a 6-4 record over the past 10 clashes and at AAMI Park its 4-2 stretching back to 2010.

What are the odds: 96 per cent of the cash has gone on the Storm at home, however Sportsbet has seen more interest in the Roosters than Melbourne at the line. There's no splitting Suliasi Vunivalu and Josh Addo-Carr in the popularity stakes for first try scorer. Latest odds at sportsbet.com.au.

Match officials: Referee: Gerard Sutton. Assistant Referee: Dave Munro. Touch judges: Michael Wise and Jeff Younis. Review official: Ben Galea. Senior RO: Jared Maxwell.

Televised: Fox League  Live from 5.30pm.

NRL.com predicts: A forward-orientated battle looms in what should be a finals-intensity showdown. We're tipping Melbourne to prevail in another close contest with too much class out wide and through the middle. Storm by four.
If his name is anything to go by then we can expect great things from Wests Tigers rookie Esan Marsters.

How so, you might be asking yourselves. Well, Esan's middle name is Nike, and in Greek mythology, she is the goddess of victory; a good trait for someone involved in professional sport.

Fittingly, the 20-year-old has been a revelation at right centre since he made his debut in Round 13, with the former NYC star scoring four tries from nine appearances to sit equal third on the club's try-scorer list in 2017.

While Greek mythology would provide a fun backstory to explain his cool middle name, there is a far simpler explanation as to how he was given the name Nike.

"When I was born, my aunty didn't get to choose a name for my older brother so she asked my mum  who's her twin sister  if she could choose a name for me, and my mum told her that she could give me my middle name," Marsters explained to NRL.com.

"At that time she really liked Nike sporting gear so she went from there and my mum agreed. She made nothing of it at the time but now it's a pretty cool story, I guess.

"I still get a few questions from people who can't believe that's my middle name so it's good ice breaker. At Holy Cross (his high school), they used my middle name and everyone got excited, but now that I'm a bit older I just use my two names."



Fantasy Widget

[2017] Marsters Esan - Wests Tigers



More Url:



In a world dominated by personal brands, Marsters admitted he had entertained the idea of being sponsored by the iconic company, and it seems a more than likely scenario given the fact Nike already supplies him with clothing apparel.

"I want to sort that out because my manager already gets me Nike gear for this season so it would make sense for them to hopefully sponsor me one day," he added.

Just to add further spice to the story, Esan's aunt has a son of her own who is on track to play NRL in the coming years.

Steven Marsters has been a shining light at fullback and on the wing for the Dragons in the Holden Cup this season and was rewarded for his enterprising play with a call-up to the Junior Kiwis squad for the mid-year Test in Canberra.

The pair are so close that Esan refers to him as his little brother, while it's also rumoured that Steven has a brilliant middle name of his own; although Esan's mum didn't play any part in it.

"If you talk to him you'll have to ask him about his middle name because I think it's Hawk," Esan said.

"I think he gets jealous of me sometimes because his mum named me, but he's playing really good footy at the moment so I'm really proud of him."



Bunker got it right: Eisenhuth

McIlwrick charged for dangerous throw

Cleary household glad week is over

Holden Cup wrap: Round 22

NRL Power Rankings: Round 23


Gov. Scott Walker told reporters Aug. 1 that he does not anticipate there will be "major changes" to a bill that would extend $3 billion in taxpayer incentives to lure electronics manufacturer Foxconn to build a factory in Wisconsin. PHOTO BY SCOTT BAUER/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Residents of East Chicago's Indiana Harbor neighborhood have a new place to find fresh produce.

Ramirez Produce opened on Main Street in Downtown North Harbor, where the city recently put up a new overhead Downtown Harbor Gateway sign as part of an ongoing effort to revitalize the commercial area, which East Chicago is billing as its second downtown. East Chicago native Olga Ramirez opened the small fruit and vegetable market at 3929 Main St. Suite B.

"She wanted to give back to the community by opening something she felt was needed in the community," the City of East Chicago said in a statement. "Ramirez Produce will provide quality produce for the community at reasonable prices, along with juicing and take-home salads."

The new market is located in a largely residential community next to the new R&R Caribbean Jerk restaurant and near where a new medical center will be constructed.

Ramirez Produce stocks a wide array of items, including avocados, quenepas, yucca, green tomatoes, cherries, strawberries and leafy greens.

The business is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, call 219-256-8114 or visit www.facebook.com/pg/RamirezProduceEastChicago/.
Diners with a penchant for a gordita should make plans to visit Loli's on Chicago's Southeast Side.

Loli's, located on 106th Street, not far from the Hammond border, specializes in gorditas, which is a Mexican treat made from masa. A gordita, a thick, tortilla-like pastry, can be stuffed with various ingredients from meat and veggies to beans and grains.

Gorditas actually can be made in various sizes. At Loli's, they are medium-sized and come with an assortment of creative fillings.

We visited Loli's recently for an early Wednesday dinner. At the eatery, customers may order at the counter and carry out their food or take a seat at one of a half-dozen tables to enjoy a meal.

The small eatery's decor features rich colors and a few Mexican-inspired wall hangings.

While the majority of the menu stars gorditas of all types, Loli's also serves burritos; menudo (on Sundays); barbacoa (on Saturdays and Sundays); quesadillas; steak and brisket tacos; aguas frescas (fresh fruit juices); and other beverages.

For our dinner, which we ordered to take home, we chose an assortment of gorditas, including the Deshebrada En Salsa Roja (Shredded Beef in Red Sauce); Asada Con Queso (Steak with Cheese); Discada (Meat Lover); and Papas Con Queso (potatoes with cheese). Most of the gorditas are $1.95 with some on the vegetarian side of the menu running $2.30.

The Meat Lover gordita featured a good amount of pork, beef and sausage. What ranked as our favorite for flavor was the potato and cheese rendition. All of the gorditas are served with a choice of green or red sauce or a combination of both sauces.

Among other gorditas on the menu are Steak with Poblano Peppers; Ground Pork Meat; Cactus with Egg in Red Sauce; Beans with Cheese; Pork Meat with Red Sauce; Ricotta Cheese; and Mushroom.

Aguas Frescas on the menu are Horchata; Guayaba (Guava); and Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower).

Stop in for an out-of-the-ordinary treat.
Its around 5:30 a.m. on a Thursday morning. My husband Joe left at 3:50 a.m. for the RV factory. About a month ago, son-in-law Mose started working at the same RV factory. They leave and come home at the same time.

Sons Benjamin, 18, and Joseph, 15, left at 5:15 a.m. to go help nephew Noah.

Daughter Susan quit working quite some time ago so she is a big help to me. Susan and Mose have been shopping for a place but it seems like nothing has come up that suits them. They need some acreage for their horses and it seems the places for sale have either too many or not enough acres. We dont mind having them here beside us. I know the feeling that you want something to call your own. When Joe and I were first married we lived with my parents for a while before we moved into a mobile home on the other side of the drive from my parents and lived in that. We lived there until after we had Elizabeth and Susan. We bought a house several miles from my parents and lived there until we moved here in Michigan in 2004.

After much thought we decided to sell our cow Bessie to a close-by dairy farm. She gave way more milk than we could use and with the boys leaving so early it made an extra chore before they left. Im sure Bessie will be much happier with other milk cows. Joseph was usually the one who milked Bessie mornings and evenings. He said it helped build up his arm muscles. Bessie was a good cow and I hope she does well for her new owners.

On Saturday, Aug. 5, Mose and Susan will have their first anniversary. How can it be a year already? And Aug. 14 is Timothy and Elizabeths second anniversary.

Yesterday daughters Elizabeth (and Abigail), Susan, and Lovina, 13, went garage saling with Elizabeths horse and buggy pulling our buggy trailer. There were around ten garage sales at Amish places so they were able to buy some clothes as well. Abigail thinks she has to hold the driving lines and tell the horse giddy up. Elizabeth said when they pass another buggy Abigail waves and says, Hi! Then she goes back to telling the horse to go.

Steven, son of sister Emma and Jacob, had his tenth birthday on Sunday, July 30. He was very excited to get to sit with the boys in church now. After the boys and girls turn ten they dont have to sit with their parents. Son Kevin, 11, was so glad Steven could come in with him.

Today daughter Elizabeth and Abigail and sister Emma and Steven will come to help us prepare for the upcoming church services we will host in three weeks. It looks like we will be canning hot peppers and pickles. We are planning to wash out cabinets also and wash laundry if weather permits. Daughter Susan will also come over to help so we should get something accomplished today with all the help.

Friday Joe and I, along with daughter Verena, 19, and son Kevin, 11, traveled to Berne, Ind., with my good friend Ruth. We met readers and signed books at the Faith and Life Books and Gifts store in Berne. This was during the busiest time of the year for Bernethe Swiss Days Festival. After not being there for 14 or 15 years it has really expanded throughout the streets. I think the reader there for the signing who was from farthest away was Sharon from California. Then I found out she is a cousin to Aunt Gyneth Coblentza small world!

We stopped in to say hi to sister Leah and Paul. Then we stopped by my home place, where I was born and raised and lived until I was married with two childrenbittersweet memories! We also went by the house Joe and I lived in for eight years. We stopped in and said hi to our old neighbor Emma, then we went to visit sister Liz, Levi, and daughters. Liz had surgery and was still recovering from that. She wasnt feeling too good while we were there. Before heading for home we stopped at brother Amos and Nancys but no one was home so we headed back to Michigan. A big thanks to Ruth for once again taking time out of her life and away from her family to drive us!

Gods blessings!

Fried Corn

4 ears fresh sweet corn

2 strips crisp bacon and drippings

1 small onion, minced

Salt and pepper

Cut uncooked corn from cob and add to bacon drippings. Add onion, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat in a frying pan, stirring occasionally, until corn is tender, about 15 minutes. Crumble bacon over top.
HAMMOND  A 19-month-old boy suffered severe burns on nearly half his body after police say his mother intentionally scalded him by running him a bath at dangerously high water temperatures.

When detectives later checked the bath water during a search of the mother's home, they recorded water temperatures of up to 135 degrees after running the tap for one minute, according to a probable cause affidavit filed this week in Lake Criminal Court.

Cristiana Mendez, of Hammond, allegedly changed her story more than once in interviews with police, and initially denied knowing how her toddler received his injuries in the 4400 block of Hohman Avenue, according to the affidavit.

After noticing her son's injuries hours after giving him a bath, Mendez, 20, had a friend take them to Franciscan Health Hammond. The boy was later transported to Comer's Children's Hospital in Chicago for further treatment.

According to the affidavit, the boy suffered partial-to-full thickness burns on about 40 percent of his body, including his scalp, back, shoulders, neck, scrotum, thighs and penis. He also had a bruise over his right eye, court records show.

A family case manager with the Indiana Department of Child Services had been at Mendez' residence earlier in the day to assess allegations of domestic abuse between Mendez and a boyfriend who did not live at the home, court records show.

Since the incident, DCS had taken protective custody of Mendez' 3-year-old son and the toddler, records show.

Mendez admitted she suffered from depression, which puts her in a fog, court records show.

In a second interview with police, Mendez told police she stood her son in the bathtub at the far end of the faucet, and turned the water on without checking the temperatures to give him a bath that day, court records show.

She filled a souvenir McDonald's cup with water and poured it over his head "a couple of times" and then washed him. She again refilled the cup a few times to rinse the soap off, records show.

She told police she didn't disclose this initially with hospital staff because she "was afraid of being seen as an unfit mother."

In a follow-up interview with the doctor handling the toddler's case, the doctor told police the events Mendez described "were not plausible," arguing his burns were "too complicated for only one person to have done it and that more than a couple of cups of water were required."

The boy was placed in a medically induced coma while hospital staff treated his burns. According to the affidavit, the boy was listed as being in critical condition in the pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Comer's.

Hammond Police Detective Sgt. Mark Biller, who signed the affidavit, was not immediately available for comment Wednesday afternoon or to discuss the child's condition.

Mendez faces several felony counts, including neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, battery resulting in serious bodily injury to a person less than 14 years old, neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, battery resulting in bodily injury to a person less than 14 years of age, battery of a person less than 14 years old, battery resulting in moderate bodily injury and neglect of a dependent.
CROWN POINT  A 38-year-old man was arrested Tuesday on allegations he gunned down a car mechanic last month in Lake Station and twice tried to kill a witness to the shooting.

Alexander Wilderness III is charged in Lake Criminal Court with murder, two counts of attempted murder and three counts of felony battery.

Wilderness is accused of fatally shooting Joseph Martin, 40, of Portage, on July 3 at a mechanic's garage on the 2400 block of Ripley Street in Lake Station, according to a probable cause affidavit.

An employee at the shop told police a man visited the garage and asked Martin to work on his vehicle, but the mechanic refused.

He said the man then grabbed a gun and repeatedly shot Martin, the affidavit states. The employee said Wilderness then turned the gun on him, but he was able to hide behind a car in the garage, according to the affidavit.

The employee said the man had visited the shop a few days before the shooting asking for work on his vehicle, according to the affidavit.

Eduardo Ponce, owner of Sigma Towing  which is next door to the garage where Martin was shot  told The Times on Wednesday he "never thought" something like this would happen to Martin.

Ponce, who has been in business for five years, said he would always wave hello to Martin when he saw him. He described Martin as a nice guy and didn't think he was ever confrontational.

"We all have mad customers here and there, but I never thought anyone could do that for something so small," Ponce said. "It's kind of hard to believe that happened to him out of nowhere."

Wilderness' vehicle was identified through surveillance footage as a blue Chevrolet Blazer, the affidavit states.

An officer spotted a similar vehicle parked July 14 outside a motorcycle clubhouse in Gary.

The officer followed the vehicle into a nearby neighborhood before the driver abandoned it and fled on foot, the affidavit states.

Police searched the vehicle and located a wallet that contained an identification card for Wilderness.

The garage employee shot at by Wilderness on July 3 identified Wilderness as the shooter in a photo lineup, the affidavit states.

That same witness was found by police three days later laying near a road in the 4600 block of Connecticut Street in Gary, according to the affidavit.

The man, who was shot in the forearm, chest and left cheek, was transported to a hospital in Illinois, where he identified his shooter as Wilderness in a photo lineup, the affidavit states.

Wilderness was charged in the shootings last month, but the case was sealed until Wednesday, according to court records.

Capt. Brian Williams of the Lake Station Police Department said Wednesday afternoon Wilderness was arrested in Michigan City. He said the shootings remained under investigation.

Wilderness was previously convicted in federal court of carjacking on allegations he pistol-whipped and kidnapped a Gary woman during a robbery in December 1995.

He was sentenced to almost 20 years in prison, according to federal court records, and released in October 2013.

Wilderness is not afforded bail on the charges, records state.

A court hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Times staff reporter Lauren Cross contributed to this report.
BARABOO  In response to a Baraboo News Republic article, Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister has asked the Wisconsin Department of Justice to review criminal allegations against the countys former highway commissioner.

Meister made the announcement on the sheriffs department Facebook page Tuesday morning.

In June, Meister determined that criminal allegations against former Sauk County Highway Commissioner Steve Muchow were not worthy of law enforcement investigation.

The News Republic published a story Tuesday disclosing that Meister and Muchow are members of a group that meets socially for breakfast each month. The story provided a firsthand account of the two men dining together at a restaurant Friday morning, and included a photo of Meister leaving the restaurant.

Two attorneys with expertise in criminal law who were quoted in the story said they disagreed with Meisters determination that the allegations were not worthy of criminal investigation.

They also said Meister should have recused himself from the matter and forwarded it to an outside agency for review.

In response to the Tim Damos news piece, the Sauk County Sheriffs Office has reached out to the (Division) of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to conduct an independent review of our findings, Meister wrote Tuesday morning in a Facebook post that also provided a link to the story.

The announcement and link were also shared on the departments website.

I honor the duties and responsibility of this agency to the citizens of Sauk County, above all else. To insure (sic) full transparency, once the independent review is complete, findings will be made available.

The Division of Criminal Investigation is an agency within the Wisconsin Department of Justice. DOJ spokesman Johnny Koremenos confirmed in an email Tuesday that the agency had received Meisters request.

Sheriff Meister felt strongly about having DOJ review these allegations and we will be taking the appropriate steps to address the Sheriffs request, he said.

Meister met with his oversight panel, the Sauk County Boards Law Enforcement Committee, late Tuesday afternoon. The DOJ referral was not discussed.

County highway employees alleged their boss had misrepresented financial information, manipulated bids, used county resources for personal reasons, misused county business relationships, falsified timecards and mistreated employees.

Muchow gave notice of his intention to retire in late April, prompting county officials to drop a personnel probe into the matter.

He has denied any wrongdoing, and said he was not aware of the investigation when he decided to retire.

On June 12, Administrative Coordinator Alene Kleczek Bolin asked Meister to review the allegations for potential criminality.

Four days later, Meister wrote back that he and his chief deputy had reviewed the allegations and determined that only two of them constituted potential criminality.

However, they determined that evidence gathered during the personnel investigation was insufficient to prove the allegations, so no law enforcement probe was necessary.
HAMMOND  Purdue University Northwest is hosting a "Coffee with a Cop" from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16 at its Hammond campus.

University police and Indiana State Police will meet with the community at this event  over coffee  to discuss issues and learn more about each other, according to PNW Police Chief Patricia Nowak.

Residents, students, faculty and staff are invited to attend the free event, according to a PNW news release.

Another event is in the works later this fall for community members and PNW police officers to meet at the university's Westville Campus.
DOLTON  Illinois State Police said two carjacking suspects were in custody Tuesday night following a police pursuit and subsequent officer-involved shooting on the Bishop Ford near 130th Street.

State police said they are assisting Dolton police with the case.

The Dolton Police Department was involved in a pursuit for a vehicle wanted out of Hazel Crest, Illinois, state police said. The pursuit led to an officer shooting one of two suspects at about 2:19 p.m. Tuesday on the Bishop Ford near 130th Street, state police said.

The suspects fled on foot and a pursuit ensued, according to state police. One of the suspects was shot and transported to an area hospital.

As of 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, the northbound lanes of the Bishop Ford in the area of the pursuit remained closed to traffic to block off the crime scene. For some time, police were searching in the area for a possibly armed suspect involved in the earlier car hijacking.

Both individuals were in custody as of 7:30 p.m., state police said.
INDIANAPOLIS  U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Brownsburg, is counting on the same populist wave that last year carried Donald Trump into the White House to help him win Indiana's Republican U.S. Senate nomination.

The Munster native officially announced Wednesday that he's joining the increasingly crowded field of Hoosier Republicans vying for the chance to deny re-election next year to U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind.

Standing in front of the Statehouse on a brilliant sunny morning, surrounded by flag-waving supporters chanting "Joe must go," Rokita declared that he's running to bring conservative principles and "Hoosier values" to the Senate.

"I want to continue to fight for all Hoosiers so they can build better lives for themselves and their families," Rokita said.

He repeatedly returned to his campaign's theme, "Defeat the Elite," by describing Donnelly as part of a "rigged system" in Washington, D.C., that promotes government growth over the private sector and who "looks down on the rest of us."

"President Trump and Vice President Pence have an agenda that Hoosiers, and Americans, fully support," Rokita said.

"They need more partners in the Senate willing to challenge the status quo, from both parties, and take on the failed policies of the Washington elite."

If elected, Rokita pledged to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, reduce business taxes, eliminate "way out of whack" regulations, enact a constitutional amendment mandating a balanced budget and rescind union protections for federal employees.

He also vowed, without specifying how he'd pay for it, to "rebuild our military" and "secure the border," in addition to imposing term limits on members of Congress, prohibiting former members from lobbying and relocating federal agencies to states far from Washington.

"And, finally, of course, I will stand up for our Hoosier values by protecting our 2nd Amendment right, our God-given right, and affirming the right to life," Rokita said.

The four-term congressman and former Indiana secretary of state walked off without speaking to reporters about why he shouldn't be considered part of "the elite," as a member of a 435-person body that represents 325 million Americans where he serves as vice chairman of the House Budget Committee.

He did say that returning to Indiana every week keeps him grounded in the real-life issues faced by Hoosiers, a not-so-veiled shot at his most prominent primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Luke Messer, R-Shelbyville, who moved his family to Virginia after being elected to Congress.

But Rokita and his campaign finance chairman, former state Rep. Dan Dumezich, R-Schererville, saved their most withering attacks for the first-term Democratic incumbent.

"People like Joe Donnelly are obstructionists and they have to leave," Dumezich said. "He does not represent the citizens of Indiana; he represents the liberal elites of Washington."

Donnelly campaign manager Peter Hanscom said it's clear that Rokita and his campaign team don't know Joe.

"Joe Donnelly has built his career on reaching across the aisle to find the best solutions for Hoosiers, and he's worked every single day to strengthen his connection to the people he represents," Hanscom said.

Besides Rokita and Messer, so far four additional Republicans are competing for the party's U.S. Senate nomination: state Rep. Mike Braun, R-Jasper; Hamilton County businessman Terry Henderson; Kokomo attorney Mark Hurt; and Floyds Knobs educator Andrew Takami.
INDIANAPOLIS  The stalemate over whether and how to consolidate Lake County's numerous "small" voting precincts continues unabated, and likely is headed for a new venue.

On Wednesday, the four-member Indiana Election Commission was unable to secure the three votes required to adopt either of the two consolidation plans submitted by Lake County Republicans.

And a lawsuit filed Wednesday by the Gary-based Indiana NAACP and several Region residents requests a federal judge block the state election commission from adopting any consolidation plan and declare that the consolidation mandate is unconstitutional.

The civil rights organization says in its complaint that precinct consolidation will make it unreasonably difficult for residents of northern Lake County, many of whom are minorities, poor, elderly or disabled, to exercise their right to vote.

Republican Attorney General Curtis Hill is expected to file his response to the lawsuit by the end of the month.

Senate Enrolled Act 220 requires the Indiana Election Commission to adopt a consolidation plan by Sept. 1, but the law does not specify what happens if the commission does not.

Of the two consolidation plans submitted, Plan One, proposed by Lake GOP Chairman Daniel Dernulc, would have eliminated 154 of the county's 523 precincts, saving a projected $102,530 each election through reduced polling place staffing costs.

Plan Two, crafted by Patrick Gabrione, the assistant director of the Lake County Board of Elections and Voter Registration, proposed cutting 126 precincts, saving the county $84,950 at each election.

Under both plans, most of the precincts set for merger had fewer than 600 active voters as of Nov. 1, 2016, and were located in Hammond, East Chicago and Gary.

The second plan maintained Lake County's 11 precincts with between 1,200 and 1,391 active voters, while the first authorized a total of 34 precincts to contain more than 1,200 active voters.

Lake County Democratic Chairman James Wieser did not submit a plan.

Instead, in a letter to the commission, Wieser identified 10 issues with the consolidation mandate that he said needed to be addressed before any action is taken.

The state election commissioners divided along party lines with the two Republicans voting in favor of Plan One, then Plan Two.

The two Democrats opposed both plans.

As a result, neither plan could be accepted, echoing a similar failure in May when Lake County election officials were unable to agree on a bipartisan consolidation plan after being ordered to devise one by the Republican-controlled General Assembly.

Its next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 18.
The summer of 2017 is one Katie Sivak will always remember. Sivak is a student at Hanover Central High School in Cedar Lake and attended classes at the renowned Art Institute of Chicago, in the Early College Program Summer Institute. The summer residency program allows high school students to earn college credit, but perhaps more importantly to get a taste of a much larger world outside their hometowns.

A total of 150 students attended the session with nearly 90 percent of them living on campus at the institute.

Katie describes a typical day in the program as getting up early and walking three blocks from her dorm to class starting at 9 a.m. The classes are very free flowing. The teacher gives you an idea and lets you run with it. I made some crazy art there, Katie said.

Katies mom, Angie, cant help but wonder where this "artistic" child came from. An accountant with a grounded personality, Angie Sivak explained, Katie is our square peg in a round hole. Angie and Jeff Sivak are in awe of their daughters talent and her participation in the Early College Program. Not only did she earn 2 college credits, but she lived in a dorm, visited Navy Pier and other Chicago landmarks. She worked with other students from around the world. It was just crazy, Angie Sivak said.

Katie does have a few "practical" suggestions for students who might attend the program in the future. You want to buff up. I had to carry my stuff up five flights of stairs and Im a noodle, she said with a laugh. I dont ever want to climb five flights of stairs again! Katie had high praise for her instructor, artist Katherine Jost, who has exhibited art at shows around the world. She was a very good teacher, with a laid back demeanor. There were days she was mean and critical, but then there were other days when she brought in doughnuts and apologized, said Katie. Jost has offered to stay in touch with Katie and serve as her mentor as her artistic future develops.

The two-week program ended with an exhibition of the students' artwork. It was just like a real gallery show, but without the wine, said Katie. Katie chose to paint a person, but in a unique way. I painted her without a face and kind of made her melt, she explained. Actually, I knew I wanted colorful and I chose my palette, even before I chose my subject, so shes really colorful, she added. Katie also appreciated many of the pieces done by other students. I was in awe of another students portrait. It was beautiful and detailed and I just dont know how she did it, Katie said.
CROWN POINT  There was a mixture of joy and determination on the faces of children Tuesday afternoon as they demonstrated their strength in the Lake County Fairs pedal pull competition.

Some had large smiles while also biting their lower lips or sticking their tongues to the side as they displayed the combination of emotions.

No matter the outcome of each attempt at pulling sleds with the miniature, leg-powered tractors, children consistently had fun in the competition.

That was especially true for Camden Slager, of Cedar Lake.

The boy was champion of the 3- and 4-year-old division of the pedal pull event.

Hes very pumped, his mother, Patti Slager said after Camden received his first-place trophy.

Patti said Camden has tried out a pedal pull event before, taking second place in that competition. She said its fun to watch him take part in the activities.

During the first round of pulling for the 3- and 4-year-old division, 110 pounds of weight was added to the sled. More than half of the 16 participants in the division completed a full-pull with that weight. A full-pull involves traveling 40 feet on the track.

Another 75 pounds was added, and each child who completed a full-pull took another try on the tractor.

Camden was the only child who completed a full-pull on the second try.

There was no shortage of encouragement inside the Showcase Tent as the children attempted their pulls.

Events organizers and participants family and friends shouted you can do it and keep those legs going as children made their way through the track.

Each attempt concluded with cheering and applause, the loudest coming when participants completed a full-pull.

In addition to receiving a trophy, the champion in each of the divisions has the opportunity to participate in the state competition later this month at the Indiana State Fair.
VALPARAISO  For many Americans who will view the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, it is a rare celestial event. But for 20-year-old Darrin Dusza, of Valparaiso, it may well be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Darrins mother, Valerie Fratgillo, said her son was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a heredity disease that took the life of Darrins brother Collin four years ago.

The life expectancy is in the early 20s, and they have made progress, but not enough. You never know from one day to the next if hell be here, she said.

Which is why Darrins dream to see the total eclipse is more important than ever. Fratgillo and her boyfriend, Chris Heath, are planning a trip to Nashville or South Carolina, depending on funding, to see the rare sight.

Though residents in Northwest Indiana will be able to see about 90 percent of the sun covered by the shadow of the moon (with proper safety glasses), those in the 68-mile wide path of the eclipse across the USA, stretching from Charleston, South Carolina, to Salem, Oregon, will be able to witness 100 percent coverage.

Fratgillo said her son enjoys science, including at Michigan City High School where he graduated in 2015, but his curiosity has been piqued with news of the eclipse.

He has always been interested in science, and he recently went to an observatory in Lowell, and he really enjoyed that. Since hes into planets and science, he has an interest in this, she said.

Though it will be difficult to make the trip, given Darrins medical needs and financial constraints on the family, they are asking for the communitys support via a GoFundMe page to make Darrins dream a reality.

We wont be able to take his electric wheelchair, which is more comfortable for him, because my vehicle is not operable right now. We have to take a car, so well put his manual wheelchair on the bike rack. Darrin also has a CPAP machine he needs to sleep at night, hes on four or five medications he takes through the day, and Im sure it will be a difficult trip. But because its something he really wants to do, we want to make it happen, she said.

Heath said that the trip will also be good for the family to be together, especially since Valerie is always providing for Darrins care and rarely has had a break.

She has been a caregiver 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for decades. She deserves to see something cool too. So when Darrin said he wanted to see the eclipse we wanted to do it for him, so were breaking our butts to make sure this happens, Heath said.

Fratgillo said she looks forward to giving her son something that brings him joy.

As much pain as he in, he is still a comedian. He can be in the emergency room, and hell still be cracking jokes. He never lets anything get to him, she said.
A petty thief nabs a duffel bag full of sex toys and pornography from a parked SUV in Long Island. Authorities soon find the thief and take him to an interrogation room, where a gruff, middle-age officer threatens to kill him and beats the man, restrained by shackles, until junior officers intervene.

Thats the story, according to federal prosecutors, who in November 2016 secured a 46-month sentence for ex-Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke. After the perpetrator called the chief a pervert, Burke decided to punish the man with sustained physical blows. It should be noted that the porn-filled duffel bag belonged to the chief.

The topic of police brutality once again took center stage in Suffolk County recently, this time in the form of comments from the president of the United States. In a July 29 speech to law-enforcement officers and officials in Brentwood, New York, President Donald Trump said:

When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just see em thrown in. Rough. I said Please dont be too nice. He continued: Like when you guys put somebody in the car and youre protecting their head  the way you put their hand over  like, dont hit their head and they just killed somebody, dont hit their head. I said, You can take the hand away, OK?

Multiple police departments, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Foundation and the New York police commissioner condemned Trumps statement as irresponsible and not representative of proper police tactics.

The White House was quick to respond that Trumps comments were intended as a joke. But lets be crystal clear about what is being discussed here. The president, joking or not, encouraged law-enforcement officers to physically assault those under their dominion.

Those who are suspected to have committed a crime are treated as just that  suspects. Police officers are obligated, under the rule of law, to protect the civil liberties of all citizens, even the bad guys.

One reason for the swift response from law-enforcement representatives may be that the vast majority of police officers do not want to be associated with violating citizens rights. A recent survey found that 86 percent of officers believe high-profile controversies over police violence make their jobs harder.

It may be naive to assume these statistics and responses from police public relations departments are representative of all or most of law enforcement (especially given the remarkable support Trump received from police organizations and the laughter his comments elicited from the audience), but that isnt the point. The fact is police understand that when communities mistrust the police, law enforcements job becomes more difficult and more dangerous.

The president appears to associate supporting law enforcement with giving police carte blanche to use force.

The truth is, when poor and minority communities feel threatened by police, they are less likely to cooperate and report crimes.

Those who advocate community policing, increased training in de-escalation and holding officers with troubled histories accountable do not do so out of spite, but out of concern for the well-being of police officers.

Trumps rhetoric, in jest or otherwise, serves only to escalate tensions between communities and police departments.
Members of the public have begun the effort to oust Jake Speed from the Onalaska school board.

The recall Jake Speed website and Facebook page announced this weekend paperwork had been filed to begin the recall process for the embattled Onalaska school board member. In order for a recall election to take place, the movement will need to gather at least 1,743 signatures from residents of the Onalaska School District within the 60-day time period, which ends Oct. 3.

Onalaska residents Justin Steele and Active Chiropractic owner Mark Cassellius have been spearheading the recall effort against Speed. Cassellius spent more than a dozen years on the board, including a stint as board president, and said it felt like now was a good time to move forward on the petition.

I have been sensing a lot of enthusiasm in the last week, he said. That energizes me.

Attempts to reach Speed were unsuccessful Monday as the number listed on the districts school board member contact page had been set to reject any incoming calls and he did not immediately return an email requesting comment. Speed has repeatedly refused to speak with journalists, whom he has dismissed as fake news.

If the signature threshold is achieved, state law says a recall election will take place with Jake Speed as one of the candidates, unless he resigns from the position within 10 days of the petition results. According to the law, a recall election will take place on the Tuesday six weeks after a successful petition has been determined.

Deanna Verdon, who was elected to the school board in 2014 but did not run for a second term this year, has expressed interest in running against Speed in a recall election. Verdon is a teacher at Holmens Viking Elementary School and works with at-risk special education children.

According to the recall website, the decision to pursue this option was made due to Speeds behavior as a board member. He was unanimously censured by the board in April, and has refused to attend a number of board functions, including several closed meeting sessions where the board discussed its recent purchase of the former Festival Foods support center to become the new district office.

Along with conduct at board meetings, the recall effort takes issue with the fact that Speed has clashed with board members over topics such as his romantic history with Northern Hills Elementary teacher Allison Pratt, conduct on school grounds, and an allegation he made and then later retracted that the district was sending him malicious files in email attachments.

During his run for the school board last year, Speed successfully challenged the candidacy papers of the other two board members vying for open board seats. Cassellius said his group was going to take extra care to make sure every signature on the petition is above board as well as getting extra signatures in anticipation of potential challenges.

According to the efforts Facebook page, there will be a kickoff event at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Active Chiropractic Clinic, where those interested can sign the petition or agree to help circulate it.

I know how well our school board can function, Cassellius said. All of this has been a big distraction for them. I hope after this we can move forward.
NEW YORK - The NYPD is looking for a man who they say is connected to at least seven robberies of taxi drivers in Manhattan.

Police say the seven robberies in question occurred between June 28 and July 31.

In each instance, the NYPD says the suspect reached into the open window of a taxi and took money from a driver.

In each of the seven incidents, he took between $7 and $200, according to police.

Authorities say he fled each incident on a bicycle.

The suspect is described as between 5 feet, 10 inches tall and 6 feet tall, and weighing about 200 pounds.

Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
Approximately 100 Wisconsin Dells families will start the new school year soon with at least one burden lifted, thanks to a generous, anonymous donor.

The donor recently gave more than $2,200 to the districts food services department in order to pay off all of the debts owed to the department for student meals, according to District Food Services Director Greg Heller.

The generous donation cleared debts for approximately 100 district families, which means approximately 120 students will begin the year with no debt on their food service accounts.

I thank the donor, the school district thanks the donor and Im sure all the families who got their balances paid off thank the donor, Heller said recently.

The donor contacted Heller last spring to inquire as to whether any of the districts students had negative accounts with the food services department. Heller confirmed that indeed there were such arrearages.

The donors response was, Id like to make a donation and cover all of those, Heller recounted.

The donation was especially helpful to families whose debt load had become prohibitive, the long-time food services director said.

Some of these balances were to the point, for some of these families, its overwhelming to pay these balances once they get to a certain point, he said. There was no way they were going to come up with even $20 to pay it off.

The donation came just as the district recently was required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish and set forth a policy for administering meal program debts, according to Heller. The new policy will not allow a student to receive a reimbursable meal if their account is empty.

When that happens, a meal will continue to be provided, Heller said, but it wont be as extensive as the full, reimbursable meal.

We will continue to feed them, we wouldnt let anybody go hungry around here, he said. If they dont have funds, they will be getting something for lunch regardless. Well do everything in our power to let parents know if their balance is getting down.

Assistance is available for anyone truly needing it to help to pay for lunch, Heller said.

Anybody in this school district who cant afford to pay for their school lunches, we have programs out there to take care of that for them, he said.

Students at Spring Hill School will receive their meals beginning this fall from brand new serving tables, which the school acquired via a National School Lunch Program Equipment Assistance Grant of almost $12,000.

The food services department applied for the grant last fall because the incumbent serving tables were outdated, in Hellers words, and becoming increasingly costly to maintain and repair.

These new tables will ensure the hot food is served at the right temperature, theyre safer and more energy efficient, he said.

The two new tables already have been installed in the Spring Hill lunchroom.
Michael Bukenya, the Bukuya MP has asked government to compensate thousands of small-scale miners that are being evicted by police from Mubende gold mines.

In a phone interview, Bukenya said the eviction, which started on August 3, has caused huge losses to people who were operating in the mines, adding that many even had operation licences.

People abandoned their businesses. People lost money. For instance, there was a Sacco that was lending money to people, but those with loans just went back to where they came from. So, those were all losses.

Bukenya advised that government should come and compensate whoever has been affected because we see the president giving out millions of shillings and for us we were just doing our own businesses.

Miners on the move after police evicted them from Mubende gold mines

The legislator also argues that those being evicted are not illegal miners as the government has tainted them; rather, they are ordinary gold diggers, who, in January 2016, received a presidential endorsement at the height of the general election campaigns.

Emmanuel Kibirige, the general secretary of Ssingo Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners Association (SASSGMA), also said the eviction was unfair for it has caused many economic and social hardships for many families who relied on the trade for a living.

I have over 20 workers on the mining site and 16 on the processing site. Surely, there is grief and I dont even know what to tell them. Some of them are asking whether I can go with them wherever my next destination is, Kibirige told The Observer by telephone.

But according to a statement by the permanent secretary of ministry of Energy and Mineral Development released on August 2, the eviction is intended to rid the area of illegal immigrants who currently pose a security threat to a large licensed miner.

Government has established the presence of an influx of people amongst whom are foreigners from neighbouring countries and, beyond that, are involved in illegal mining in the areas of Kitumbi and Bukuya sub-counties in Mubende, Dr Stephen Isabalija wrote.

He added that miners were not only using rudimentary methods such as hoes, spades and basins to extract gold, but some of them undertake highly mechanised operations such as using bulldozers to excavate the ore, use sophisticated machines to crush and grind ore, and also use mercury and cyanide in the processing of gold that has resulted into environmental degradation and also affected the health and safety of the people in the areas of those mining operations.

He concluded that for the next three months, all local artisans will be registered so that they could be organised into regulated groups.

The intervention will be supported by Uganda Police Force, Uganda Peoples Defence Forces, Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control under the ministry of Internal Affairs and will be led by ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Isabalija wrote.

Kibirige, however, said if government wanted to streamline mining in the area, they should not have started by closing mines. He noted that most miners had already applied for licenses and the ministry of energy had assessed and allowed them to pay processing fees.

My company and my brother; we are bound to lose over Shs 120m on equipment that we cant move [from the mines]. We have one acre of landwhere we had over 150 tenants paying Shs 30,000 per month, Kibirige said.

Many miners feel this is another ploy by government to disenfranchise small players in favour of established investors.

In June this year, Museveni met with some MPs from Mubende and an investor, Moses Masagazi of Gemstone International, at State House Entebbe to draw plans on how to protect the investor who claimed artisanal miners were failing his activities.

The president then issued a one-week ultimatum to all small-scale miners to vacate the place, an order that was defied by Mubende MPs and miners themselves until late last week.

tusiime.chris20@gmail.com
The laying of the foundation stone for the construction of the worlds longest heated crude oil export pipeline from Hoima to the Tanzanian port of Tanga, on the day Uganda also announced that it had agreed project terms for an oil refinery, is a huge step in turning the region into an oil frontier.

The two projects, with a combined value of more than $8 billion, could turn around the investment outlook of the region, attracting capital into different industries.

On Saturday, President John Pombe Magufuli of Tanzania and Ugandas Yoweri Museveni set the stage for the construction of the pipeline, which, according to a press statement, is a landmark event in the history of both countries.

On the same day, Ugandas ministry of energy issued a statement where it noted: The government of Uganda has agreed core project terms for the Uganda Refinery Project with the Albertine Graben Refinery Consortium (AGRC) for the development of a greenfield oil refinery.

Museveni and Magufuli lay a foundation stone for the construction of the pipeline in Tanzania

The ministry added: The agreement of the core project terms signals the start of government discussions and negotiations with the consortium on the Project Framework Agreement (PFA). The PFA will detail the proposed solutions, validation of the solutions, risk mitigation measures, and additional due diligence necessary for accelerating investments and financing for the project.

The statement pointed out that the consortium will have the benefit of exclusivity during this period of negotiations and should the parties agree on all terms, the consortium will be granted the rights and licenses to develop and manage the refinery as lead investor in a joint venture partnership with government.

The Project Framework Agreement, according to the statement, is expected to be concluded and signed within the next two months. Progress over the two oil infrastructure projects, however, offers little clarity on the timelines and project implementation, something that investors tend to look out for.

Also, there has not been an official communication on who the contractor of the pipeline is. Sources have, however, told us that Chinese firm Cnooc will be in charge of the construction of the pipeline.

Different sources said a number of staff from China have already flown into the country and are working intensely to have the designs in place in preparation for the construction of the pipeline.

Also, meetings between Total E&P and Cnooc  the two main joint venture companies - are said to have intensified lately as the they race to have a pipeline in place by 2020 at the earliest.

According to what our source told us, French firm, Total E&P, will mainly come up with the studies and the sourcing for the financing, while Cnooc will lead construction of the 24-inch diameter pipeline.

Tullow Oil, the third partner in this joint venture partnership, will be a non-operator and will only contribute its share to the financing of the pipeline.

The issue of Tullows role is still not clear, especially after the companys changes at the top management. The company announced in May that Paul McDade, who has been at the company for 16 years, has replaced Aidan Heavey, 63, as the chief executive officer of Tullow.

Heavey has taken on a new role as the non-executive chairman of the company. Ian Springett, the chief financial officer, recently resigned from Tullows board, citing ill-health. He has been replaced by Les Wood, who joined the company two years ago.

Heaveys departure from the most influential position in Tullow Oil could represent a change in the companys strategy, especially in markets such as Ugandas. Tullow is trying to complete the sale of 22 per cent of its stake in Uganda to Total and Cnooc.

But the deal could meet some resistance. It is not clear whether government will slap a 30 per cent capital gains tax on Tullows $900 million sale.

Tullow has said that of the $900 million that it intends to get at the completion of the transaction, $700 million will be spent as part of its share in the project development cost for the crude oil pipeline and its attendant infrastructure.

On that basis, Tullow sees no reason of paying capital gains tax, and has effectively asked for a private ruling on whether the transaction should attract tax.

The shareholding structure of the oil pipeline is not clear. Uganda will hold a 15 per cent stake in the crude oil pipeline from Hoima to the Tanzanian port of Tanga, where this participation is bound to be interpreted as more of a state guarantee for the project, especially in accessing land, than a call to invest money.

During the recent signing of the inter-government agreement, which spells out a working framework between Uganda and Tanzania on the pipeline, Irene Muloni, Ugandas energy minister, said Uganda will participate through the countrys national oil company.

This level of shareholding is in line with the state participation stake in the upstream oil fields under the current Production Sharing Agreements, she said.

Uganda continues to consider the development of an oil refinery as its main priority. With the country facing a debt burden already as a result of the huge infrastructure projects going on, it is hard to see Uganda committing large sums of money to the pipeline.

Finding the financing option of the pipeline and the refinery will be one of the most closely-watched news over these two projects.

jeff@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
Long queues yesterday characterised Kenyan elections with no traces of violence as millions of people turned up to cast their ballot.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga and the incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta were neck-to-neck with either of them having a chance of taking it.

Tensions had been rising in Kenya with some analysts saying there could be a repeat of the 2007/08 happenings where violence marred the exercise with thousands of people losing their lives and up to 600,000 being displaced.

Late last week and at the start of this week, some Kenyans were seen crossing into Uganda for fear of breakout of violence. Voting in Kampala At the Kenyan High Commission in Kampala, people came out in small numbers and by 1pm, there was no visible queue.

At least 1,000 people were expected to cast their vote from the Kenyan high commission in Kololo. When we visited in Kololo, a few Kenyans were taking pictures after voting as those who arrived one by one went and cast their vote.

One of the voters named Moses told us he was confident it would be all peace. We were informed that most Kenyans chose to go back and vote from home because they had interests in the local competitors like the governors and other lower posts.

At the embassies and high commissions, those in the diaspora only voted for the president.

Most of those who went back home wanted to vote for the local leaders like the governors and senators. Here [Uganda] we only vote for the president, said one voter.

After casting his vote at around 11am, the incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta said: I feel good. I feel positive because we ran a positive campaign. He re-echoed a call for peace.

UGANDA'S INTEREST

A presidential election ending peacefully at the neighbours is in the best interest of Uganda, which is landlocked. Kenya is Kampalas top export market followed by South Sudan.

Bank of Uganda figures show that Uganda exported worth $422m to Kenya last year, making the country Ugandas biggest market in the region. Kenyas exports to Uganda are worth $718m.

Violence in Kenya means that Ugandas flagship projects like Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) would be affected immensely.

Uganda imports 90 per cent of its products, including fuel, through the Kenyan port of Mombasa. The 2007/08 post-election violence saw prices for essential goods shoot up in Uganda as the supply route was cut off in Kenya.

amwesigwa@observer.ug
Jamil Mukulu

Allied Democratic Forces [ADF] leader has again cried out over what he calls mistreatment at Luzira maximum security prison where he is currently under incarceration.

In a letter addressed to Celesitine Twesigye, the officer in charge of Luzira Upper prison and copied to Livingstone Sewanyana, the chief executive officer of Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, a local human rights body, Jamil Mukulu says he has been subjected to torture, including the confiscation of his property.

On the 19th June...you sent a team of military men into the cell in which I am detained. They took away my legally acquired belongings, including a copy of the Quran and my diary of 2016, Mukulu writes in his letter dated July 20, of which The Observer obtained a copy.

On top of the confiscation of his property, Mukulu also claims that he has on several occasions been tortured at the behest of Twesigye. Mukulus letter is also copied to his lawyers Caleb Alaka and Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi. Mukulu claims that Tewsigye called him to his office and surrendered him to two anti-terror tormentors who tortured him in his [Twesigyes] presence. 

If I dont live long enough due to the fact that you may shorten my life as you promised me, I have a son; he will pick from where I may have left off, even if it takes decades. But with my Holy Quran and diary, I need them now, Mukulu says.

Speaking to The Observer, Sewanyana acknowledged knowing about the troubles Mukulu is undergoing and said he has tried to meet the commissioner general of prisons, Johnson Byabashaija, although he is yet to be successful.

I had to meet the commissioner general of prisons to discuss his complaints but he has not given me an appointment up to now. My team met with prison staff but they denied that Mukulu was being mistreated, Sewanyana said.

He added that they will continue pursuing Byabashaija to try and establish the truth about Mukulus situation.

I will send my team again to see whether something new has happened. They have been on routine visits upcountry and have just returned; so, they will be making visits to Luzira prison, Sewanyana said.

Efforts to speak to the spokesperson of the Prisons Service, Frank Baine, were futile as his phone went answered several times. However when similar complaints arose in January this year, Baine told The Observer then that Mukulu should know prison is not his home.

When you are an officer in charge, you are responsible for the administration of the unit and there are disciplinary measures for any prisoner who doesnt want to follow orders. Jamil Mukulu must know that prison is not his home, Baine said.

This is a man heading an institution which has terrorized this country for over 20 years. So, when we are dealing with him, we have to be very careful.

Mukulu is facing murder, treason and terrorism-related charges. Prosecution alleges that Mukulu masterminded the murder of about 80 Kichwamba students in 1998. He was arrested in Tanzania in April 2015 and later extradited to Uganda to face criminal charges.

bakerbatte@observer.ug
When President Donald Trump delivered his fiery threat against North Korea on Tuesday, many observers mused that he sounded more like North Korean leadership -- that is, bombastic and bellicose -- than any American leader this side of World War II.

But a look back at Trump's past statements on Pyongyang's nuclear program and the Hermit Kingdom's young dictator, Kim Jong Un, shows the President to have been consistently aggressive on the issue, as it relates to US security, over the course of nearly two decades.

Simply put, while the heated language in Trump's remarks to reporters in New Jersey on Tuesday might have been jarring in the moment, no one should have been surprised by the tone.

"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States," he said. "They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen. (Kim) has been very threatening beyond a normal state. And as I said, they will be met with fire, fury, and, frankly, power, the likes of which this world has never seen before."

Reminders of 1999

Trump on Tuesday seemed to recycle some of the language he had used just a few minutes earlier, on the subject of the American opioid crisis, when he said, "We're being very, very strong on our southern border and, I would say, the likes of which this country certainly has never seen that kind of strength."

Like that turn of phrase, Trump's posturing on North Korea has a familiar ring.

During a November 1999 interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, the future president warned that, without a diplomatic solution, the US would need to consider military measures.

"You go and you start negotiating," Trump said, "and if you don't stop them ... you will have to take rather drastic actions because if you don't take them now, you're going to be in awfully big trouble in five years from now when they have more missiles than we do.

Asked if that meant he was advocating for a unilateral strike, Trump said, "You can never rule it out."

"That's what they're afraid of," he added. "That's what they're concerned with. You'll most likely with that attitude be able to make a deal. But if you can't, you have to react."

Trump struck a similar note when discussing the issue on NBC's "Meet the Press" that fall. When host Tim Russert asked about the suggestion Trump would, if president, "launch a preemptive strike against North Korea's nuclear capability," Trump first said, "I would negotiate like crazy. And I'd make sure that we tried to get the best deal possible."

Failing that, he ventured, the US should consider preemptive action. (North Korea did not, at that time, have a confirmed nuclear arsenal.)

"You want to do it in five years when they have warheads all over the place, every one of them pointing to New York City, to Washington and every one of our -- is that when you want to do it?," Trump said. "Or do you want to do something now?"

Advice for Obama in 2013

After years of back-and-forth over sanctions, and a broken pledge to give up its program, North Korea in October 2006 claims to have successfully tested its first nuclear weapon. Over the next decade, Pyongyang reported a series of additional detonations, while ramping up its ability to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile -- a development that, in theory, could put the distant US and European cities in its nuclear crosshairs.

By 2013, Kim Jong Un had been in power for more than a year. His father, Kim Jong Il, died of a heart attack in December 2011. Trump has spoken with a mix of qualified admiration, opprobrium and mockery when addressing the young strongman.

"(President Obama) must be very careful with the 28 year old wack job in North Korea," Trump tweeted in April 2013, adding, in a preview of Tuesday's rhetoric, "At some point we may have to get very tough - blatant threats."

Fast forward another three years, and Trump the candidate, in a sit-down with The New York Times, again described nuclear proliferation as the "biggest problem, to me, in the world."

Conflict and confusion on the campaign trail

"You have, probably, North Korea has them. I mean, they don't have delivery yet, but you know, probably, I mean to me, that's a big problem," he said. "And, would I rather have North Korea have them with Japan sitting there having them also? You may very well be better off if that's the case."

Japan, however, has forsworn nuclear weapons and since a little after the end of World War II has been governed under a so-called "pacifist constitution."

When Trump told CNN's Anderson Cooper, days after his Times interview was published, that Japan and South Korea should either protect themselves, with US forces leaving and nuclear weapons taking their place, leaders from both countries expressed disbelief and disappointment.

Since taking office, though, Trump has focused more on China when discussing avenues for curtailing North Korea's ambitions. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has enjoyed a relatively warm relationship with Trump, including a round of gold course diplomacy during a February visit with Trump in Florida.

Still, Trump's grasp of the nuclear situation, including the extent and particular assets of the American arsenal, is unclear. When asked during a December 2015 primary debate about the US nuclear triad, he gave a rambling answer that suggested he was unfamiliar with the term.

Co-moderator Hugh Hewitt, the conservative radio host, pressed Trump, asking, "Of the three legs of the triad, though, do you have a priority?"

"I think," the candidate responded, "I think, for me, nuclear is just the power, the devastation is very important to me."

(Note: the "triad" is a shorthand for the three means of delivering a nuclear payload, including heavy bombers from the air, in-ground silos holding missiles and submarines with launch capabilities.)

Mutual escalation

Since February of this year, North Korea has launched 18 missiles over the course of 12 tests. The two fired in July, both KN-14, or liquid fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles, have upped the ante -- and tension around the world. On Saturday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution imposing new sanctions on the regime in response.

But even as Trump touted that significant diplomatic coup, a new report, with the potential to completely upend the status quo, was coming down the pike.

It arrived on Tuesday, when The Washington Post first reported that North Korea has "successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles." Sources have told CNN that, while intelligence analysts now claim Pyongyang is producing the smaller weaponry, it is not believed the capability has been tested.

On Wednesday, Trump's early morning tweets included a claim that his "first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal." That was false, the order to review US nuclear posture and strategy was his thirteenth.

"(The nuclear arsenal) is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before," he added, in a return to the previous day's saber-rattling. "Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!"

CNN's Barbara Starr and Jim Sciutto in Washington, and Serenitie Wang in Beijing contributed to this report.
Members of Parliament from the Acholi sub-region have warned Lands minister Betty Amongi not to tamper with their land.

This came after reports emerged last Saturday about a possible government takeover of land in Amuru district, which could be handed over to the Madhvani group of companies for sugarcane plantations.

The MPs, during a recent news conference, asked Amongi, who still belongs to the opposition party, the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC), to back off Acholi land.

Minister Betty Amongi with husband also UPC president James Akena

Let Amongi not dare tamper with Acholi land. That is cheap popularity and arrogance. She is justifying marriage between UPC and NRM. She wants to appease the appointing authority but we are ready to stop her before their first [child] is born, Kilak South MP Gilbert Olanya said.

The MPs that vented their anger included: Anthony Akol from Kilak North, Lucy Akello from Amuru, Beatrice Anywar from Kitgum municipality, Lucy Achiro from Aruu North, and Lamwo Woman representative Molly Lanyero, among others.

If she is talking about the use of force, we are ready to welcome her to show us what type of force she is coming with, Olanya said.

The MPs said the Acholi cannot tolerate Amongis intimidation and vowed to deal with her should she dare cross to Acholi.

According to the MPs, Amongi ordered for the UPDF officers deployment in that area. As I talk, UPDF officers are already there. The police officers who were there have been withdrawn and replaced by the UPDF, Olanya said.

The MPs have unanimously agreed to move to the region and camp there until the matter is resolved amicably.

namuloki16@gmail.com
Parliaments committee on Foreign Affairs has expressed disappointment with the Office of the President over its failure to meet with the president.

According to committee chairperson, Rose Mutonyi (Bubulo West), the legislators have written several letters to President Museveni, requesting for a meeting to discuss a number of issues constraining the foreign affairs sector.

During a meeting with State Minister of Foreign Affairs Henry Oryem to discuss the ministry activities and the committee recommendations on the 2017/2018 budget yesterday, Mutonyi said some of the issues raised during the budget process included the recruitment of few career diplomats, underfunding and indebtedness to international organisations.

She said Sam Kutesa, the minister of Foreign Affairs, had made a commitment during the budget process to set up an appointment with the president, but this has not been fulfilled.

Legislators pleaded with Oryem to address the issue with Kutesa to push for the meeting, stating that it was for the good of the image of Uganda in having a well-funded ministry that is able to front the countrys tourism and investment interests.

The ministry is grossly underfunded and yet it is the face of our nation. We need to see how best the ministry can be used as a great marketing platform for this countrywe need a bigger budget for the ministry because they lack marketing materials, Latif Ssebaggala (Kawempe North) said.

Out of the 35 ambassadors representing Uganda in different countries across the globe, only six are career diplomats.

The ministry is also choking on Shs 60 billion arrears as contributions to international organisations accrued over the years.

In response, Oryem said the ministry appreciates the concerns of the committee in regard to appointment of career diplomats, but said the ministrys hands are tied since President Museveni has the authority to choose the ambassadors.

eyotaru@gmail.com
Last week, the chairman at Uganda Land Commission (ULC), Baguma Isoke, appeared before the Justice Catherine Bamugemereire-led commission of inquiry into land matters to explain how government lost its land in Jinja to a private developer.

Isoke denied knowledge of a cabinet resolution ordering his commission to repossess this property that was fraudulently obtained by Simpson Birungi of Birus Property Services and Movit Cosmetics.

Isoke promised to immediately handle the cabinet directive, which he said he was seeing for the first time. Earlier, Birungi, the principal in this controversy, told the commission that he did not know of any government directives barring him from constructing a building at the contested piece of land.

Baguma Isoke before the land probe

Isoke maintained that ULC considered the no-objection letter by the permanent secretary of ministry of Trade to offer a lease to Birungi. ALI TWAHA and ZAHRAH ABIGABA captured the proceedings during a cross-examination led by Counsel Ebert Byenkya.

Byenkya: You appeared here last time; you are just reminded that you are still under oath. You provided us with a letter dated July 31, 2017 addressed to the chairperson of inquiry providing us with some information. I want us to just go through that document.

I see that, in paragraph three, you have searched the records of the registry of ULC and have come across some information. Maybe just explain the part regarding ownership of land and what your findings are.

Isoke: My lord, government owns the land known as plot 60 to 62 Alidina road in Jinja under freehold tenure. I have presented a copy of certificate of title which is in the custody of ULC.

I note that on the owners copy of the certificate, there is no indication of the user department as is the practice to indicate a user department on any registered or even unregistered government land. The title is clean as of today.

Byenkya: You indicate that there is a practice of recording the user department but, in this case, it is not recorded. Do you have any idea why this anomaly would occur?

Isoke: No idea, but the omission may be [because of] unseriousness on the side of those who are supposed to do it.

Byenkya: I also note that the title which is an X1 is said to be addressed under the Public Land Ordinance 1962. Is that correct?

Isoke: Yes, my lord.

Byenkya: It seems initially this property had been given out under a lease from Jinja Municipal Council. Are you aware of how this transformation could have happened?

Isoke: My lord, I am not aware.

Byenkya: At least we have established that the land is owned by the ULC. Please go on to the second paragraph regarding ownership

Isoke: My lord, ULC sitting on June 2, 2011 under minute no.2/2011(a) (24) approved the application for the grant of leasehold to Birus Property Services and I have presented a copy of the minute as annex two.

Byenkya: And the minute you are referring to would be the minute on page nine which talks about Jinja district?

Isoke: Yes, if I may read it, the commission considered and took note of the no-objection letter provided by the applicant, thereafter granted a five-year lease term extendable to 49 years on terms to be determined by the chief government valuer.

Byenkya: However, there is a remark you make there

Isoke: However, my lord, the no-objection letter from the permanent secretary [PS] ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry is missing on file.

Byenkya: Can you comment on that. Is it coincidental that this no-objection letter is now missing?

Isoke: When I searched the file, my lord, the provisional file, there is a small folder which was created at the time of application for extension. I found a report to the head of public service.

This report was made by secretary, ULC. Its headed; Controversy surrounding the eviction of tenants and demolition of a government building on plot 60 to 62 Alidina road in Jinja. Now, what is pertinent to the letter of the PS is the following: The PS said the original file was not available, instead, a back-up file was availed to me [that is to PS] by the registrar ULC.

This was on July 15, 2015. The head of public service required the secretary ULC to report on this controversy and in particular on the involvement of the principal land officer, Mr Paul Idude, in the controversy. The secretary, in answer, attached a report by Mr Idude, a report which was addressed to the secretary and, in this matter, it touches the no-objection letter.

Mr Idude wrote on June 22, 2015: In the instant case, the applicant actually presented the no-objection letter from the ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry at the time of application. This no-objection letter was not at the instance of the ULC as is the case normally. But still, ULC considered the request and granted allocation.

Property files at Lands ministry

Byenkya: We dont have both those letters as part of your report. But from what I understand in that second response, the normal practice would be that the ULC to seek the no-objection, and not the other way round.

Isoke: Indeed.

Byenkya: So, that would suggest that was anomalous in this application process?

Isoke: Its not our practice to seek the applicant to get the no-objection. It should be government-to-government.

Byenkya: If we may go on the paragraph of ownership, there is a paragraph which is headed my lord

Isoke: My lord, I wish to report that the original file for Birus Property Services is missing from the registry of ULC.

This file is supposed to contain, among other documents, the application for the land, an inspection report before the grant, a survey report, valuation report, payment receipts for various taxes and fees; the lease agreement is missing, and pertinent correspondences for the transaction. The information I have written from this letter is from a temporary folder of that reference containing a few copies of what should be in a substantive land transaction file.

Byenkya: Do you have any comment on that now as chairman, where your files are missing?

Isoke: The comment is that the registry of ULC has been strengthened and is in the process of being further strengthened. The code of practice for the public service records is also being implemented. My lord, in May, I presented to you a copy of the procedure for the movement of files in ULC.

Byenkya: Alright, lets proceed to the next item which concerns items for application of lease

Isoke: My lord, last year on January 2, Birus applied through their lawyers, KMT Advocates, to have the lease extended to full term of 49 years. I have attached as annex four a copy of their application. In the ULC meeting of June 29-30, 2016, the commission deferred consideration of this application because the same matter, the commission was informed, was being handled by cabinet.

Byenkya: Have you since seen the cabinet decision on this matter?

Isoke: I have just seen it three minutes ago.

Byenkya: This cabinet minute was provided to this commission during the course of this investigation; are you suggesting that the ULC has not had communication regarding the cabinet minute?

Isoke: No, my lord.

Byenkya: Lets look at the cabinet minute now that we have it. I will take you to the third page which has approved the way forward. And I want to take you to immediate actions

Isoke: That government should take immediate repossession of the property comprising plot 60 to 62 Alidina road from Mr Simpson Birungi who continues trespassing on the government property.

Byenkya: If you look at that minute, it seems there has been a decision of the executive of this country that this property should be repossessed. Is it still tenable that ULC would still consider this application or extension of the lease? Because you said it was deferred pending a cabinet decision?

Isoke: My lord, this is a direct directive to ULC to withdraw the offer that it had given to Mr Birungi in the first instance, but also not to allow the extension. In this case, it would be a renewal of lease, the initial lease having expired.

Byenkya: But at the moment you have a directive not to do that. Would this directive apply to you to take back possession?

Isoke: Government has possession

Bamugemereire: Government does not have possession. The building was demolished and somebody else has possession.

Isoke: My lord, the freehold title held by government is still on.

Byenkya: Despite the absence of title, certificate of occupation, Birus Property Services has the possessionWe have this incredible situation where the highest organs in the land have made a decision but, somehow, it seems this company is able to defer everything and retain possession.

Isoke: My lord, I wish to clarify that this directive of cabinet [agreed in 2015] has not yet been communicated to ULC.

Byenkya: Where would the problem be and how are these directives communicated?

Isoke: My lord, that same letter says that it is not the practice of cabinet to communicate its deliberations to non-cabinet members. I think thats the reason why we are not privy.

Byenkya: We want to find out where the problem isWho would be responsible for communicating if you know; you are a department of government?

Isoke: The minister who supervises ULC communicates matters of this nature to the commission.

Byenkya: So, your position is that this hasnt been done and the ULC has been ignorant of this directive until now?

Isoke: In this instance, yes my lord.

Byenkya: Maybe you could also read IV; it might be relevant to your body.

Isoke: Immediate actions; Investigate and punish some government officials whose omissions and commissions directly or indirectly aided the fraudulent acquisition of a lease by Mr Birungi, eviction of bona fide tenants on plot 60 to 62 Alidina road and the demolition of a building thereon.

Byenkya: So, that would have been relevant to some of your officers. What is puzzling me is that the heading of this cabinet extract is: Immediate actions. So, what would be your comment on this?

Isoke: My lord, when I scanned through the extract, I saw somewhere where the head of public service was being given a time frame to report on this matter within six weeks.

Bamugemereire: Could you just go back to number five?

Isoke: Immediate action number five; Government should verify and recognize the bona fide tenants on its property plot 60 to 62 Alidina road and should also provide legal aid to those bona fide tenants to pursue compensation from Mr Birungi for the losses they suffered during their eviction and demolition of the property

Cabinet agreed that the following officers should be investigated further to establish their role in the eviction of tenants and demolition of government building: Mr Paul Idude (principal land officer, ULC), Mr Emmanuel Olauna (undersecretary, ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development), [the late] Andrew Felix Kaweesi (assistant inspector general of police), ACP Julius Twinomujuni (commander Land Protection Unit), SP Edgar Nyabongo (RPC Kiira region), SP Apollo Kateeba (DPC Jinja), ASP Felix Mugizi (OC Jinja police station).

Byenkya: But what would come to our attention now is that these officers just appeared before this commission yet cabinet had considered immediate actions against them. But it took this commission for them to be questioned regarding their activities.

So, we seem to have a situation where cabinet decisions are either subverted or ignored. I dont know whether you have any comment on that.

Isoke: Cabinet, besides naming the head of public service, has not indicated any other investigating body [that] should probe the matter and these individuals.

But my lord, I wish to report that this morning when I gave a last glance to the provisional file, I saw a letter from the head of CIID [Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Directorate] of police requiring ULC to supply the information I have referred to you in this report.

Byenkya: Im not satisfied with your very limited definition of repossession in this matter. The cabinet directive is saying take back the property. And that means also physical possession of the property. Im concerned about your limited interpretation of the directive.

Isoke: When it is communicated to ULC, we shall implement what is communicated.

Bamugemereire: You are the owner of the land. Because of the manner in which communication is handled in your department, you would probably say you have never seen cancellation of title. And under so many circumstances, the commissioner registration cancelled the title of Birus twice

Isoke: My lord, all that information is missing at ULC.

Bamugemereire: Who is keeping that information from being available?

Byenkya: We have a situation where nothing can touch this property; the owner himself says I am waiting for lawful directives. There is a cabinet directive which has been brought to your attention now, which you can follow up and verify. Why this reluctance?

Isoke: My lord, I am not aware of the cancellation. Thats why I was talking about repossession and cancellation as a matter that has come now.

I promise this commission that upon receipt of the cabinet directive, I will convene the commission within two weeks to effect the directives of cabinet on this matter.

And as I make that pledge, I request to be made privy to other decisions from other bodies that have taken decisions on this matter so that ULC implements our part. I make this statement under oath.



alitwaha@observer.ug
A Chinese consortium which was competing for the oil refinery deal has described as unfair the decision by government to choose Albertine Graben Refinery Consortium to build Ugandas $4 billion oil refinery project in Kabaale, Hoima district.

The five-company consortium says in a formal complaint to government they were appraised as best bidder and therefore introduction of parallel negotiations with another bidder was not necessary and in bad faith.

The companies that constitute the Chinese consortium are Guangzhou DongSong Energy Group Ltd, Guangdong Silk Road Fund, China Africa Fund for Industrial Cooperation, China Petroleum Engineering and Construction Corporation and the East Design Institute.

Their complaint follows a weekend announcement by the ministry of Energy and Mineral Development permanent secretary, Dr Stephen Robert Isabalija, that government had decided to negotiate the deal with a joint venture made up of American and Italian firms.

These include General Electric [GE], Yaatra Ventures/ Intracontinent Assets Holdings and Saipem of USA and Italy.

A Chinese consortium has lodged a complaint over Uganda's refinery deal

The governments decision followed a claim that the DongSong-led consortium collapsed after governments preferred bidder, China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation [CPECC] withdrew from the race.

However, in a letter dated August 8, 2017, which is addressed to the Energy minister Irene Muloni and copied to the Energy PS, the prime minister and the attorney general, the Chinese deny knowledge about CPECCs withdrawal.

We are taken aback by press reports indicating that GoU [Government of Uganda] has purportedly selected a group known as the Albertine Graben Refinery Consortium to develop the refinery project. Incidentally the same press reports indicate that the DongSong-CPECC consortium had been appraised as the best bidder with 83.38 per cent, reads a letter written by Lv Weidong on behalf of DongSong-led consortium.

We are also surprised and disturbed by reports claiming that the DongSong CPECC consortium withdrew from the selection process due to disagreements in the consortium. These claims are not true. None of our letters indicated the withdrawal of CPECC or the consortium from the selection process, the letter adds.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that the DongSong-CPECC consortium has never disintegrated; [it] remains strong and committed to invest in the development of Uganda Refinery project provided the concerns raised in the consortiums earlier letters are addressed, the letter adds.

Such disagreements have far-reaching consequences that could further delay the project, especially if the DongSong group decides to go to court.

The letter further notes that if their concerns are not addressed, the consortium reserves the right to challenge the procurement process that led to the selection of any other consortium.

CORRUPTION CITED

Speaking to The Observer yesterday, an official linked to the DongSong-CPECC consortium said the only reason they were denied the deal was because they are close to President Museveni.

DongSong is suffering because it is close to the president. There is no way it can give money to people involved in the selection process, the official said adding, Previously, when ministry of Finance officials tried to ask for money from DongSong, they were arrested. So, we were edged out because they know we cant give them money, the letter said.

According to a ministry of Energys due diligence report, a copy of which this newspaper has obtained, the DongSong Group-led consortium was ranked as the best consortium with a total score of 83.38 per cent and the Intercontinental Asset Holdings-consortium came second with 66.78 per cent.

These emerged from a group of ten other consortia which were whittled down from more than 40 firms that expressed interest in constructing the refinery.

The report notes that since the termination of the negotiations with Russian RT Global Resources consortium and the alternate bidder that had been given the deal, government received expression of interest from over 40 companies.

The report notes that the DongSong Group-led consortium demonstrated that it has capacity to handle the project as one of its firms, CPECC, a subsidiary of CNPC, had demonstrated a high level of organisation and has built and operated four refineries in Africa [Sudan, Algeria, Chad and Niger].

Given CPECCs experience in refinery development and operation, Uganda would benefit a lot from their expertise and innovation, the report further adds. On the Intracontinent Asset Holdings Ltd-led consortium, the report notes that it demonstrated a thorough process for establishing the viability of the project using market driven analytics to settle on a plausible 50,000 barrels per day refinery.

It adds that the consortium also has a very experienced Engeering, Procurement and Construction contractor [Saipem].

They expressed commitment to availing the required pre-FID development costs but did not submit proof of the said funds, the report notes, adding, The consortium did not provide the identity of some of its intended financiers for the debt portion.

However, the report notes that neither of the two consortia that were assessed is in position to realize the Uganda Refinery project without government support.

ISABALIJA LETTER

After the due diligence report, on May 29, Isabalija wrote to DongSong informing them of the governments decision to progress with them to another stage.

Following our government of Uganda visit to your consortium and financiers offices in China in April 2017, we are pleased to confirm you the GoUs decision to progress your consortium to the next stage of Uganda Refinery Project, Isabalija wrote to DongSongs Weidong.

He added that the main undertakings of the next stage were technical and financial negotiations that would lead to the signing of a Project Framework Agreement [PFA] and the Implementation Agreement [IA].

The PFA and IA will be signed with the consortium that offers the GoU the best terms. Negotiations will begin on Monday, 26th June in Uganda. Details of the meeting will be communicated nearer the date, the letter added.

DONGSONG RESPONDS

Ten days later, on June 8, Weidong wrote back informing Isabalija that they discussed among consortium members and were seeking clarification on whether there is a preferred and alternate consortium of the two consortia and how government was going to negotiate with them.

The consortium further notes from the letter that the negotiations will be on technical and financial matters leading to the execution of the Project Framework Agreement [PFA] and the Implementation Agreement. [IA]. The consortium requests for term sheet of these agreements to enable it understand the terms offered by the Government of Uganda, Weidongs letter says.

It added that without the term sheet requested, it was not possible for the consortium to prepare for meaningful negotiations on the date provided by government.

The consortium also seeks clarification on the rules that will apply to the selection process going forward. Clarification on the matters is critical for the consortiums next course of action, Weidong said.

We were unable to establish whether there was any further communication between government and DongSong before it finally awarded the deal to the American-Italian consortium.

Ministry of Energy PS Dr Stephen Isabalija told The Observer in a text message yesterday: Unfortunately, I havent received the letter [of DongSong protesting]. Dr Isabalija added: However, we went through a verifiable process that is open for scrutiny and we are still following the same.

bakerbatte@observer.ug

amwesigwa@observer.ug
When news broke that our soldiers in Somalia had been ambushed and massacred, my mind immediately rushed to a Facebook post I had put on my wall a week before.

I also reflected widely on the way African politicians handle and value the military. On Saturday, July 22, 2017, I was going home and found a contingent of Ugandan forces headed for African Mission in Somalia (Amisom) duty.

Below is what I wrote on my Facebook page the next day: ...My workplace being Mengo, I have always had the chance to bump into the various Battle Groups as they head out or come back into the country. I just love seeing the combatants in the trucks and the military police giving them escort and opening up the route for them.

My fear, however, is that their routine route is so monotonous and so are the times of day. To make matters worse, the press is even invited to the send-off events...that is a very big blunder. The force is directly playing into al-Shabaab hands.

Actually, the route they take as they head to Entebbe takes them through Bukesa and Mengo, which have a very heavy presence of Somalis... its the same route always and at the very same times of day. Someone pass that on to army intelligence.

So, when news of the ambush came out, I realized they must have been doing the very same blunders while in Somalia by not taking caution and being unpredictable. The problem might even be beyond the lack of armored vehicles as Brigadier Richard Karemire, the UPDF spokesperson, pointed out while providing reasons why our soldiers suffered a heavy blow.

Of course Brig Karemires statements also raise other questions, but those can be left for another day. It baffles me that a reputable force like the UPDF has no cemetery for its officers who fall in combat.

If we really are proud of the causes and wars we have been to such as in Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Liberia, etc, we should have a common military cemetery where anyone who falls in battle should be buried with full military honours.

The United States of America has over 100 national military cemeteries for soldiers and their spouses. They also have national monuments such as the Vietnam War Memorial Wall which is inscribed with names of over 58,000 soldiers who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.

They even go further and have a tomb that stands for all the dead in every war they go to that they call the tomb of the unknown soldier. Such tributes serve to remind them of their war history and the human cost from such adventures.

Its also a tradition in the USA that the commander in chief, the president, personally calls and even writes to the next of kin of the deceased to show the importance of their lives to the nation.

So, I think burying our deceased combatants in some obscure graves in the country-side is unfair, especially in a country where land grabbers can soon disturb the peace of such fallen patriots by grading their graves.

There was an attempt to start a military cemetery starting with the late Col Jet Mwebaze but this seems to have stopped at mere talking.

Lastly, such deaths should help us reconsider how we go about distributing national medals. It still beats my understanding that in an army where some of the top brass have been to Fort Leavenworth, Fort Bragg and even Sandhurst, there is no attempt to streamline how military medals should be earned on merit.

The United States is still the best go-to place in terms of military custom.

The US military has a number of military medals but some of the outstanding ones are the Purple Heart, which is awarded to anyone wounded or killed in battle; the Silver Star awarded for gallantry in action; the Medal of Honor warded for extraordinary heroism involving putting oneself at risk beyond the call of duty; while families that have lost such soldiers are called Golden Star families and are to be accorded all maximum respect.

I dont think it is too late for the UPDF to begin such a tradition. Lets reserve the highest respect for those who dare to serve and die in action.

May our brothers souls rest in peace!

The author works with Muteesa I Royal University and reads widely on military history and customs.
One of the memorable things Field Marshall Idi Amin Dada did when he ruled Uganda was to construct a 30-million-litre petroleum products reservoir in Jinja.

At that time, in the mid-1970s, Uganda had about 10 million people and, I think, about 70,000 vehicles. The reserves were supposed to store petrol, diesel and kerosene  10 million litres each.

The petroleum products were supposed to cushion the country against unexpected disruption in supply caused either by price changes or transportation challenges for at least six months. The national population and housing census of 2014 put Ugandas population at 34.6 million.

And considering that our population grows by three per cent annually, we are now about 40 million people. Uganda Revenue Authority puts the total number of vehicles in the country at about 800,000.

Instead of constructing more petroleum products reserves, the government of Gen Yoweri Museveni has run down a facility constructed more than 40 years ago by an un-educated leader.

In more than three annual reports includ- ing the one of 2015 under consideration by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the auditor general is consistently faulting this administration.

The Museveni administration concessioned out the reserves in Jinja to Hared Petroleum Limited on condition that the private firm refurbishes the facility, restocks and maintains it for 10 years. The agreement was that at any one given time, the reserve must hold 12 million litres of fuel, which is 40 per cent of its capacity.

At his last inspection, the auditor general found there just only 273,000 litres of petrol and 331,000 litres of diesel. The auditor general also reported that from his analysis, the private operator has never put there the 40 per cent agreed products.

Neither had the firm paid Uganda the agreed annual $974,659 rental fee. The reserves are, by the way, classified as a strategic facility. But under Museveni strategic facilities can be placed in private hands!

I think the only strategic facility that Gen Museveni cannot place in private and foreign hands is his and the regimes security. This is a preserve of his kith and kin. There has never been a Musoga presidential guard commander.

This presidential guard has now grown into a group called Special Forces Command, numbering thousands and it is still commanded by one ethnic group. The mismanagement of our fuel reserves constructed by Idi Amin is what came to my mind when our neighbours in Kenya went to polls yesterday.

We paid a heavy price in 2007 when Kenya erupted into flames after general elections. I am told it is the reason the reserves were privatized so they can be stocked. Another election has come and the reserves are not ad- equately stocked.

The state under Museveni, who turns 73 years next month, behaves like a private entity. I remember in 2007, it was Minister Daudi Migereko who gave me the fuel that took me back home. I saw him quietly signaling to Ofwono Opondo after Capital FMs Capital Gang talk show and I followed them uninvited.

He felt embarrassed and gave me 15 litres out of his stock at a fuel station. I suspect that is what they have done this time round  building presidential and ministers fuel stocks at given fuel stations.

Those of us who are supposed to be catered for by the government can go and hang! That is how Museveni has run this country for the last 31 years.

He wakes up every day (does he sleep anyway?) looking for what to grab for himself or his family. And they are not satisfied with wealth; they also want offices. Isnt that how the wife ended up becoming education minister without any justification?

The brother and son are senior presidential advisors, with the former also responsible for all wealth creation funds in the country. And I am tired of taking blame for Musevenis overstay in power.

This man grabbed power when I was 12 years and four months old. I was actually in primary school. Instead of blaming one another  especially the elite blaming the opposition  let us wake up and join hands to rescue our country. This visionary leader who is now revising his age wont simply walk away.

That is why I welcome all the initiatives and efforts, including those from suspicious sources. We have a duty on our hands. Finally, the FDC officially begins its presidential elections processes next week with nomination of candidates.

I think five people have picked nomination forms wanting to be- come party president. If Gen Mugisha Muntu wins, he will be serving his final term as our constitution limits a leader to only two terms. He will then join Col Kizza Besigye on the elders bench.

That is what the FDC is able to give to Ugandans. If you dont hold credible internal elections, it will be impossible for you to give credible elections to the entire country. If only the NRM can learn!

semugs@yahoo.com

The author is Kira Municipality MP and Opposition Chief Whip in parliament.
Weber Shandwick, which represented the Bahamas for 18 years until budget issues ended the relationship in 2013, is working on that travel account again.

Alice Diaz

We are looking forward to partnering with Weber Shandwick, leveraging their experience with the destination, their creativity and the industry-leading expertise they bring to the work, said a statement from Joy Jbrilu, director-general of Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

The Interpublic unit will pitch the Bahamas in the US and Canada and handle projects in the UK and Latin America.

Alice Diaz heads Weber Shandwicks travel & lifestyle group.
Agricultural News

Youth Participate in Charitable Service Work for Peers in Need During AFR's Leadership Summit

During the recent AFR Leadership Summit, youth participants worked on service projects that benefitted children less fortunate than themselves.





During the teen session, for grades 7-9, the youth constructed 80 fleece blankets for donation to Project Linus. According to their website, the mission for Project Linus is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets. The blankets are collected locally and distributed to children in hospitals, shelters, social service agencies, or anywhere that a child might be in need of a big hug.





The service project for the senior session students, grades 10-12, was a research project focused on finding the best charity to receive a $1,000 donation. The students chose to donate to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.





"I think this is great for these young people to get involved and care about helping children," Emily Drover, Oklahoma City representative for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.





The mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Founded by Danny Thomas, the hospital's vision is no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or ability to pay.





"Families never receive a bill from us," Drover said. "We believe all a family should worry about is helping their child."





The service projects were honored Aug. 8 during recognition with the respective organizations. Representing the young participants was the AFR Youth Advisory Council, elected at the senior session.





"I've always wanted to give back and improve the world," Drew Hardaway, Battiest, Okla., and Youth Advisory Council member, said.





For Micaela Danker, AFR youth development coordinator, watching the young rural Oklahomans work on these service projects was a great joy.





"I think it is incredible these kids care enough to spend part of their summer helping others," Danker said.





The history of AFR is rich with culture and growth and began with Oklahoma Farmers Union. For more than 40 years the farm organization has sponsored a leadership summit for the state's top young leaders. Many of the participants have taken what they have learned at the summit back to their communities and served in greater leadership roles at the local and state levels.





This year 200 young leaders participated in the annual summit, held July 23-29 at the Heartland Conference Center near Oklahoma City.







Source - American Farmers & Ranchers













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Agricultural News

New Name, Same Mission - Noble Research Institute's Bill Buckner Advancing Organization's Work

President and CEO of what is now called the Noble Research Institute, Bill Buckner, visited Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays in studio this week to sit down and discuss the Institute's rebranding efforts and its recent work in conservation. You can listen to their entire conversation by clicking or tapping the LISTEN BAR below at the bottom of the page.





Known originally as the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, the organization reestablished itself this year as what Buckner describes an agricultural research organization, or ARO, chartered under legislation introduced by the Foundation back in 2008 and passed by Congress in 2015.





"There was a piece of legislation which created the ability for philanthropists, like Mr. Noble, to create agricultural organization," Buckner explained. "There were about 320 medical research organizations across the country that were started by individuals of wealth - but there was never anything that existed for an ag research organization."





He continued to explain the intent of the organization, which was to eventually migrate its operations into an ARO structure, once the legislation had been passed, in order to expand the reach and capability of its core mission.





"As our opportunities grow and they exist, we can take those programs and put them to better use in other parts of the country as well," Buckner said enthusiastically. "And so, it's an exciting time for us but I have to admit, it's tough to say the Noble Research Institute after so many years of the Noble Foundation."





Despite the name change, business continues on as usual. Although, Buckner says on a growing scale.





"The whole intent is no to create just change for the sake of change - it's an evolution and so the things that we really feel like where we can be very good at like standing up the Soil Health Institute on a nationwide basis," he said. "So, it was just natural that we could take our influence that we have across the country."





And to this end, the Institute has also gotten back to its roots, so to speak. Buckner remembers that Noble's original motivation was the reparation of the soil. After a period of focusing on plant science, the NRI has brought its attention back to conservation, even developing partnerships with other conservation entities to form a summit meeting to advance and promote this cutting edge scientific movement.





"It goes back to our mission. That's what Mr. Noble wanted to do first and foremost," Buckner said. "Our intent is to really put a stake in the ground and raise a lot of money for the Soil Health Institute and expand awareness as well."





Buckner will join Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays for his weekly In the Field segment on KWTV News9 in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday morning at 6:40 a.m.





















Listen to Ron Hays speak with Bill Buckner, CEO of the Noble Research Institute, about his mission

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For some, a total solar eclipse can be a religious experience  and sure enough, an old house of worship in Nebraska bears the name Eclipse Church.

And wouldnt you know, the 101-year-old church sits in the path of totality for the Aug. 21 Great American Solar Eclipse.

So you can imagine that some people want to watch from the church property, in middle of the Sand Hills in the middle of the state, near the south fork of the Dismal River, as the moon blocks out the sun and the sky goes dark.

You have no idea, said Linda Tucker, whose family owns the church property. Probably 20 to 30 people have called.

But with days to go before the big event, she and her husband, Jack, are saying no  on Tuesday he began posting no trespassing signs.

Its not because the Tuckers are mean. They are Nebraska nice, but they fear that an influx of people would be risky.

Were sorry to have to do this, Linda said, but everything is so dry, were concerned about range fires. Were just scared wed be bombarded by people.

So how did a church and cemetery in the middle of ranch country  about 30 miles southwest of Mullen in Hooker County  come to be called Eclipse? The Tuckers dont know but say there was previously an Eclipse post office nearby.

The familys history in the Sand Hills dates to 1886. The story goes that another young family was headed west by wagon and left a sick baby to be temporarily cared for. The parents never returned.

The baby died, and Jacks great-grandfather, Chauncey Tucker, buried the child in a pasture  the start of the Eclipse Cemetery. The tombstone is still there, with the words Our Baby.

In 1916, an Episcopal church, originally called All Saints, was built next to the cemetery.

For many years there were no roads to the church, so people arrived by wagon or on horseback. The congregation eventually dwindled and there were no regular services, though the church occasionally has hosted a wedding or funeral.

In 1981, the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska sold the church to the Tuckers, and it became nondenominational. It took the name of the cemetery and has been known as Eclipse Church.

In honor of its history, Nebraska Episcopal Bishop Scott Barker of Omaha last year presided at a service celebrating its centennial.

Its just a gorgeous, iconic, white country church in incredibly remote and beautiful Sand Hills ranch country, he said Tuesday in Omaha. The Tuckers have really taken it on as a ministry to care for the church and its grounds.

About 15 years ago, Linda said, people responded to the familys call for help. Repairs were made, including replacement of 18 windows and the roof.

A metal gate into the cemetery includes an arch with the word Eclipse. Linda calls the little church, which has no electricity, picturesque.

The old Tucker place sits not far from the church, but Jack and Linda now own a home in North Platte.

Jack still drives 65 miles a day to the ranch, now in its sixth generation. The operation, which used to be all Herefords but now has crossbreds, is run by son John and his two sons.

Though the Eclipse Church is surely out of the way, Linda says people find it.

I think that church is in one of the most beautiful spots in the state, she said. Youd be surprised how many people drive off the highway and come up to see it. People love that little church.

There were a couple of reports of people staking out spots in the Sand Hills for eclipse-viewing, but ranchers have asked them to leave the private property. The grassy area is fragile.

Across the path of the eclipse, people who look forward to an unimpeded view Aug. 21 are hoping for clear skies. The Tuckers dont want anyones celestial show spoiled, but they and other ranchers really need precipitation.

The drought is substantial, said Bishop Barker, who will watch the total eclipse from another Sand Hills ranch. We are praying for rain at every church I visit in greater Nebraska.

Linda says its too dangerous to let anyone on their place.

We are really concerned about it, she said. We dont want fires like theyve had in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

As they post signs asking people to stay away from Eclipse Church on Eclipse Day, the Tuckers will keep praying  and hope eclipse-watchers wont ignore them, asking the couple to forgive their trespasses.
He was a 12-year-old boy on summer vacation. So, like any kid would, Dennis Riesselman groaned when his mother woke him at the crack of dawn on June 30, 1954, in Butte, Nebraska.

They drove just south of town, joining about 40 or 50 others at the top of a tall hill. There, staring due east through darkened glass, Riesselman watched the moon slowly blot out the rising sun.

It was a sight that wouldnt be visible again in the Cornhusker State for more than 60 years. And even though he couldnt have cared less when he woke that morning, Riesselman, now 75 and living in Omaha, remembers it sharply after all this time.

It just got completely dark, he said recently.

Riesselman has found himself sharing his story with family and friends as another total solar eclipse approaches on Aug. 21. That day, onlookers in a 70-mile-wide swath, stretching from the western end of the state to the east, will be able to see the moon fully eclipse the sun.

Last time, things were a little different.

The path of the 1954 eclipse extended 8,000 miles from the U.S. through Canada, the North Atlantic and Eastern Europe before concluding in India. But it began in a small patch of northeastern Nebraska, visible in its totality only from a handful of small towns such as Butte, Atkinson and ONeill.

It began in the early morning. Days before the event, The World-Herald predicted that Omaha would see a black sunrise with 96 percent of the sun obscured at 5:05 a.m.

In coverage that wouldnt look out of place today, the newspaper warned readers against staring at the sun without eye protection. It advised viewers to watch the eclipse through heavily smoked glass, welders glasses or strongly exposed photographic film.

Newspapers advised amateur photographers to use deep filters and listed recommendations of prime viewing locations. In Omaha, the newspaper suggested North 72nd Street near the North Omaha Airport, one of the highest spots in Douglas County; hills in Hummel Park or near the top of a downtown office building, such as the City National Bank Building (also called the Orpheum Tower).

So Omahans scoped out their spots and made their preparations. And when the big morning arrived, well ...

Hundreds of Omahans who went to high points to watch were disappointed, The World-Herald reported in its June 30, 1954, evening edition. Clouds left over from a thunder shower covered most of the eastern sky.

Those who had chosen points in north Omaha saw the partially obscured sun for about a minute, the newspaper said, before it disappeared behind the clouds. A photo from the day shows a group of people staring at an ordinary-looking overcast sky.

It was a similar situation in Lincoln, according to the Lincoln Star. Maybe thats why Joe Workman, who was 12 at the time and appears in a Star archive photo with friends photographing the eclipse, has such a hazy memory of it.

Im not sure I remember it at all, said Workman, now 75. Though, after thinking awhile, he does recall a vague memory of making his own pinhole projector.

Later this month, Workman and his family plan to make the trip west to view the coming eclipse within the path of totality.

I thought maybe itd be once in a lifetime, but maybe its twice in a lifetime for him, said Workmans wife, Tina.

The view of the 1954 eclipse was far better for those who made the journey north. The World-Herald reported that several Omahans traveled to ONeill or towns in Minnesota to see the event in all its glory.

That morning, newspapers reported, the sun rose partially obscured.

The sky was clear as a bell when the first rays of the sun peeked over the horizon, reported the Holt County Independent. Within a few minutes the sky became darker until the sun was totally covered. A faint circle of light could be seen around the edges of the sun.

The streetlights in ONeill, each controlled by an electric eye, flickered back on for a quick moment as the sky darkened. At about 5:06 a.m., the moon was centered on the sun.

The following day, the Frontier, another Holt County newspaper, described a lively celestial scene: The eclipse, however, did not bring total darkness. The suns corona or halo appeared outside the shadow of the moon, and around the rim of the sun were red, jet-like tongues of incandescent hydrogen gas.

As quick as it began, it was over. And Nebraskas last total solar eclipse became just another memory, forgotten by many, preserved in scant photographs and yellowing newsprint.

But when he looks back on it, Riesselman is glad his mother woke him up that morning in Butte. He feels lucky, he said, to have seen such a rare event. After this month, Nebraska wont see a total solar eclipse again until May 3, 2106.

So Riesselman and his family are making the most of the experience. Theyre heading south, just across the states Missouri border, to watch the eclipse with friends. Hes looking forward to it. After all, he already knows what to expect.

Its awe inspiring, he said. It really is.
President Donald Trumps America First rhetoric is doing no favors for U.S. ethanol producers, who are hoping to avoid a trade fight with fuel buyers in Brazil.

The administration has started making noise about rising imports of Brazilian biofuel made from sugar. Thats got the South American producer mulling tariffs or a quota on imports of U.S. fuel made from corn. A trade spat would be a much bigger problem up north because the U.S. ships more than four times as much to Brazil as it buys from the country.

The brewing trade dispute is gearing up to pit the worlds two biggest ethanol producers against each other. As the rivalry heats up, hedge funds seem to be signaling that Brazil will be the winner  speculators cut their bullish bets on corn last week while getting less bearish on sugar.

The winds of protectionism are blowing in Washington, said Joel Velasco, a principal at Albright Stonebridge Group in Washington and a former representative for the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association, or Unica. The race to raise barriers can quickly sour things for U.S. and Brazil relations.

Raw-sugar futures have risen as much as 8 percent since the end of June, buoyed by the outlook for increased use in ethanol. Gains

for crude oil have spurred Brazils state-controlled oil company, Petroleo Brasileiro, to raise gasoline prices, boosting the allure of ethanol, which competes directly at the pump in a country where most cars can use either fuel. A recent fuel-tax hike is also favoring use of the biofuel.

Speculators cut their corn net-long position, or the difference between bets on a price increase and wagers on a decline, by 21 percent to 84,644 contracts in the week ended July 25, according to U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data released three days later. By contrast, the net-bearish sugar position contracted by 19 percent.

The tension escalated last month, when the Environmental Protection Agency, in proposing annual renewable-fuel quotas, asked for public comments addressing the agencys concerns that Brazilian ethanol is being used to satisfy parts of the countrys biofuel mandate.

Both countries have long imported from each other, with demand fluctuating along with corn and sugar price differentials.

While Brazil also depends on its shipments to the U.S., its No. 1 customer, its industry as a whole is not as reliant on exports because of a robust domestic market. The U.S.s capacity exceeds its current domestic demand.

Its also bad timing for U.S. producers who already lost a mammoth customer in China after the nation raised tariffs on American ethanol and an animal feed byproduct. While the American industry wrote a Feb. 7 letter to Trump asking him to intervene, those issues were absent in a May announcement that the U.S. reached an agreement with China on commodities, including beef.

To ward off a similar fate from Brazil, Washington-based trade groups for agriculture and biofuels are lobbying the Trump administration for a softer stance and for Brazil to reconsider its move toward a tariff.

The efforts seem to be helping. Brazil on July 25 postponed an official decision from its trade chamber on the potential 20 percent tax.
SIDNEY, Iowa  The former manager of the Fremont County landfill has pleaded guilty to a criminal charge of theft related to a state investigation that accused him of improperly using thousands of tax dollars between October 2014 and August 2015.

Dusty VanRenan, 32, was charged with ongoing criminal conduct and second-degree theft.

In Fremont County Court this week, VanRenan pleaded guilty to the theft charge in exchange for the dismissal of the criminal conduct charge.

The charges were related to a 2016 special investigation conducted by Iowa State Auditor Mary Mosiman.

In the auditors report, released in August 2016, the investigation identified $39,599.38 of improper and unsupported disbursements, undeposited collections and forgone revenues.

The investigation specified the dates of March 1, 2014, through Sept. 30, 2015, when the landfill was under the VanRenans supervision.

The investigation reported $7,904.43 of improper disbursements identified, including $2,299.37 of purchases with a commission credit card, $2,100 of estimated excess fuel purchases with the commissions fuel card and $1,612.50 of transportation costs improperly paid by Fremont County.

The report stated that there were two landfill credit cards held by VanRenan and another employee. After reviewing the credit card statements, it was determined the card held by the employee was not used much and purchases were deemed reasonable.

However, the card held by VanRenan was frequently used. Auditors found were several charges that were identified as improper, totaling roughly $2,300 with an additional $2,089 in unsupported charges.

A few of the improper charges included fuel purchases. VanRenan was to purchase fuel only at Caseys General Store with a Caseys fuel card. But the credit card statements included 41 charges from Caseys General Store, Pilot, Shell Oil, Hamburg Oil and Cenex Cubbys totaling $1,894.

In addition, the statements had two purchases at Bohlens Farm Service in Percival; six purchases totaling $106.36 from restaurants including McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Wendys; 23 purchases from Apple iTunes store and three purchases from SAT-Tech LLC.

The investigation also showed undeposited collections of roughly $7,622 as well as payments for recycled pallets that were deposited into VanRenans personal bank account rather than the commissions bank account.

Mosiman also reported the $21,450 of forgone revenue identified includes $1,450 of estimated reimbursements not received from the Department of Natural Resources and $20,000 of forgivable loan proceeds which have to be repaid to DNR as a result of not complying with program requirements.

The $2,622.85 of unsupported disbursements identified includes payments on a commission credit card and payments to vendors for which supporting documentation was not available. As a result, it was not possible to determine the propriety of the payments, according to the report.

Toward the end of the report, recommendations were added to strengthen the commissions internal controls and overall operations. Improvements include a segregation of duties, review pertinent information and documentation prior to making decisions.

VanRenan resigned in September 2015.

In court Monday, VanRenan requested sentencing right away, and was given deferred judgement and two years of formal probation. He also was ordered to pay restitution and court costs.

Fremont County Attorney Brenna Bird said the amount of restitution is yet to be determined.
Nebraskas Vietnam veterans are getting together in Lincoln this weekend for what organizers describe as a family reunion.

The annual event, called the Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Reunion, will be Thursday through Sunday at the Cornhusker Hotel, 333 S. 13th St.

The event began in 1985 with a small group of veterans, mostly from Nebraskas smaller cities and towns, holding a get-together in Grand Island, said Jaime Obrecht, one of the founding veterans.

The meeting has grown, and now 300 or more veterans usually attend along with almost as many spouses. He said last years event, held in Omaha for only the third time, was a breakthrough for attendance and popularity.

The reunion committee is bringing back one of the most popular events from last year, the Faces of Agent Orange seminar.

It is part of the Vietnam Veterans of Americas campaign to boost awareness of possible health threats that wartime exposure to herbicides pose to children and grandchildren of Vietnam War veterans. The town hall-style sessions will be held at 3 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday.

The other headline event is a presentation by Bill Albracht, author of Abandoned in Hell, about the escape from Firebase Kate, in Vietnams Central Highlands, in October 1969.

Albracht, then a 21-year-old Green Beret captain, held out for five days with 126 American and Montagnard soldiers surrounded by thousands of North Vietnamese troops. He led them out of the besieged base to safety, with only one soldier killed.

He will be reunited with Jon Beckenhauer of Lincoln, a Vietnam War helicopter pilot who served three combat tours and flew relief supplies to Albrachts men at Firebase Kate.

Obrecht said walk-ins are welcome at the conference, which will begin at 5 p.m. Thursday with a barbecue at the Auld Recreation Center in Antelope Park.

More information is available at vetsreunion.com.
The Better Business Bureau warned businesses Tuesday about a scam that uses its own BBB logo and false complaints about safety violations.

The scammers send a message saying someone has complained about the business and asks the recipient to click on a document explaining the problem. But that could let the criminals infect a computer system or steal passwords, the BBB said.

Businesses should not click on the link but rather send a copy of the message to phishing@council.bbb.org and delete the message.
Ahmed Patel won the battle but Amit Shah is winning the war

India

oi-Prabhpreet

By Prabhpreet

After the day long drama, that finished well past midnight, Congress's master strategist, Ahmed Patel, was finally able to secure his fifth consecutive term in the Rajya Sabha. The election that garnered more attention than any other similar event, at least in recent memory, saw Patel and Congress save face and showcase it as a victory over Bharatiya Janata Party and its President Amit Shah.

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Gujarat Assembly elections: Ahmed Patel saves Congress's grace | Oneindia News

Yet it would be a folly on the part of the grand old party of India to treat the win as an outcome of outmanoeuvring the ruling party and its chief since it was only Election Commission of India's decision to declare two votes against Patel invalid that helped secure it.

It will be an even bigger mistake as the BJP was able to break away the Congress's legislators and ensure cross voting, and only naivety by two legislators in terms of the electoral procedure was able to see Patel through. Forgetting that it was luck and not a master strategy that helped Patel might also take away the party's attention from how it is in disarray in not only Gujarat but also at the national level.

A dangerous proposition, given that by going after Patel, the man who taught Sonia Gandhi the workings of politics in the country while being her political secretary, the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah, has clearly shown that it is hell bent on finishing off the Congress by attacking it at the very top level of its leadership.

Modi and Shah are going for the Congress's jugular

In the attempt to defeat Patel, given his standing in the party, the BJP's leadership broke the unwritten agreement between top political parties that when in power and out, they do not go after the top rung leadership of the other, while the lower rung leaders might be left to protect themselves.

How the ECI came to the rescue of Ahmed Patel

By going after Patel, not through the use of investigative agencies but trying to hurt him where it really matters for a politician, elections, BJP has made sure that the country realises that the often repeated call for a 'Congress Mukt Bharat' made by the Prime Minister is not to be treated just as a catchy phrase, but is to be considered a serious intention of the saffron party.

This intention can be seen turning into action given the timing of the attack on Patel, as it has come when his party, and its leader Sonia Gandhi, are fighting to stay relevant in the country's political arena.

The struggles which started following the drubbing in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, that Congress went into after ten years in power and yet won only 44 seats, have shown no sign of ending. And the BJP is showing no signs of relenting.

Since then the BJP has grown from strength to strength, as it is now in power in 18 states, 13 of them on its own, while the Congress has lost out in state elections one after the other. Including not being able to form the government in states like Goa and Manipur where it came first but was outsmarted by the Shah's party.

A Congress house in disarray

Though a much-needed win for the Congress, it has the potential to distract the party from essential house cleaning that it needs to undertake in a battle to keep occupying a meaningful space in the political arena, at a time when it is being dealt one blow after the other, both, electorally and politically.

The latest being the break away of legislators of the party before the Gujarat Rajya Sabha election and cross voting during it, that can be seen as Shah's handiwork, does not bode well for Congress's chances for the upcoming polls in the state.

From 57, the party has gone down to 51 legislators after the six of them resigned following senior leader Shankersinh Vaghela's exit after he rebelled against the leadership. And the fact that not all of the remaining voted for the Patel just adds substance to the belief of the Congress is a deeply divided party.

Seen in the backdrop of the cross voting within the joint grouping of the opposition which the Congress is trying to head, in the recently held elections for the post of the President and the Vice- President of the country, these facts just make the troubles of the party even more blatant.

Squeezed between the elections for the two posts, was another blow of the breaking of the Grand alliance in Bihar when Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) broke away from the coalition, with Congress and Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal, to form the government in the state with the BJP.

Another loss for Congress has been the addition of 10 JD (U) Rajya Sabha members into the BJP-led NDA's fold. This along with the reality of senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu to be the Chairman of the upper house of Parliament, have made the Congress and the opposition weaker in the one place where they have been able to give the government a strong fight.

Patel won the battle but Shah is winning the war

There is little doubt that the current reality of political standings of both BJP and Congress have come under Shah and Patel, who are both considered the main political strategist in their parties. And it is equally true of the latest fight between the two.

Though it might feel like just a fight between the government and the opposition or one political entity against another, the reality is that the events of the election also had a personal element between Shah and Patel. This comes from the time when the nature and quantum of power that both now have, were totally opposite.

Gujarat RS elections: A tale of two political Chanakyas, Shah and Patel

While Patel was one of the most powerful people in the country during the UPA regime, Shah was sent to jail in the Sohrabuddin encounter case when he was the home minister of Gujarat and still just a state leader. It won't be too far off the mark to think that Shah might feel that the push in the case from the various investigative agencies might have had a hand of the then all mighty Patel.

And though Patel and the Congress might have been able to fend off the latest attack and come out victorious, believing that they have suddenly been able to reverse the trend of coming out second best in almost all political battles since 2014, might end up doing the opposition more harm than good.

OneIndia News
BJP cadre no longer disciplined? Rebellion, in-fighting in state units dent image

India

oi-Anusha

Ahmed Patel's victory in Gujarat Rajya Sabha poll has come as an eye opener to the BJP that all is not well within. While losing the third seat came as loss of face to the party, cross-voting by its own MLA is the real threat. Is the BJP fast losing its disciplined, obedient cadre? Rebellion, in-fighting in many state units may soon send BJP packing the Congress' way.

With a political Chanakya like Amit Shah at the helm of affairs, the BJP's juggernaut has become unstoppable. While he is the mastermind, the party gains its strength from the RSS and its ideals of discipline, unity and obedience. Not often does one see a BJP leader defying the senior leadership. Off late, the scenario is deteriorating and it is not good news for the party that is hoping to return to power in 2019.

BJP MLA from Gujarat Nalin Kotadiya voted for Ahmed Patel in Tuesday's Rajya Sabha elections. In a video, he justified his decision and said that the Patidar agitation had affected him. "I voted against the BJP," the leader said and that puts things into perspective. BJP's own MLA voted 'against the party' and inadvertently for the Congress. Irrespective of BJP's confidence in winning the assembly elections in Gujarat, Ahmed Patel's win and BJP MLA's role in the victory speaks volumes about resentment within the party

Rot in state units threaten the BJP

Rebellion, resignations, infighting, leadership crisis etc were relatively rare in the BJP largely thanks to the RSS. However, the in-fighting in Kerala unit of BJP led to an internal probe being leaked. What followed was an embarrassment to the BJP and a dent on its corruption-free image. The leak was the result of infighting in the unit against an RSS man, Kummanam Rajasekharan being at the helm of affairs.

In Karnataka, the infighting in the state unit has ripped the party into multiple groups. While sanity is expected to return to the state unit after Amit Shah's visit to Karnataka, the BJP remains a divided house. With elections fast approaching, the ego battles between B S Yeddyurappa and K S Eshwarappa refuse to allow the party to function as a singular entity. So much so, that Eshwarappa even gave the state executive meet on Sunday a miss.

For a party that emerged the single largest in the parliament and hopes to return to power at the centre in 2019, it may well do the BJP some good to stop, look at the rot from within that threatens to grow into a headache.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 15:53 [IST]
Areeb Majeed not part of ISIS rules Bombay HC

India

oi-Anusha

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed an appeal filed by National Investigation Agency in the alleged ISIS recruit Areeb Majeed case. The NIA had filed an appeal against a special court's order refusing to charge Areeb Majeed as a member of Islamic State.

The High Court was of the opinion that there was no material to prove that Areeb was even a member of a terrorist gang or association. The NIA had moved court after one charge against Majeed was dropped by a trial court while framing charges. One charge under section 20 of Unlawful Activity Prevention Act was dropped by the lower court.

The High Court bench of Ranjit More and Sadhana Jadhav dismissed the NIA's plea after Majeed's counsel argued that his association with the then ISIL was prior to it being declared a terrorist organisation.

Mubin Solkar, who had appeared for Majeed in the lower court argued that NIA had claimed Majeed had fled to join the IS and since he was a member of the then ISIL, he had committed or taken part in terrorist acts. "Acts attributed to Areeb in 2014 were prior to the organisation being declared as a terror outfit," Mubin Solkar had pointed out. The same argument led to the trial court dropping charges of 'being a member of a terrorist group' against Majeed.

The NIA counsel argued that Majeed and three others had formed their own 'terrorist group' and hence attracted the offence under UAPA. The NIA chargesheet against Majeed says that he had formed his own gang of terrorists. However, the agency's own draft charges accuse Majeed of being a member of the IS and not of forming a separate terror outfit. The point was raised by Majeed's counsel after which the plea was dismissed.

OneIndia News
Been waiting for a long time: Sonia Gandhi as Congress votes for non-Gandhi president

Sonia says she 'feels relieved' as Kharge takes charge of Congress

Can't let communal forces take over Quit India Movement: Sonia Gandhi

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Emphasising on the role played by the Congress in the Quit India Movement, party president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday took a veiled dig at the Centre and said "public space" is no longer open for free debate.

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Sonia Gandhi corners BJP: Hindu Mahasabha had no role in freedom struggle | Oneindia News

Speaking at the Lok Sabha on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, Sonia said India can not be allowed to be taken over communal and dark forces.

"Nafrat aur badle ki rajneeti ke badal chha gaye hain, public space mein behes ki gunjaish kam ho rahi hai (Politics of hatred and revenge is being practised. Debate in public domain is being stifled)," she said.

Without naming the BJP, Sonia vowed to continue fighting and said, "India cannot be your prisoner."

She recalled Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and said he spent many years in prison during the freedom struggle, adding that several Congress workers died in jail.

In a comment that seemed to be aimed at the RSS, Sonia said, "We must not forget that some organizations opposed the Quit India Movement, such organisations had no role in freedom struggle."

TMC's Sugata Bose's remark led to noisy scenes in the house after he said "some parties had betrayed the August Kranti movement", in an apparent reference to the RSS.

Union minister Ravishankar Prasad demanded Bose's remarks to be expunged.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the younger generation ought to know about the historic movement which was one of the most important events in India's freedom struggle.

[Modi recalls Quit India Movement, says similar resolve needed to root out corruption]

Recalling Mahatma Gandhi famous line 'Karenge ya marenge', Modi said the Quit India Movement marked the rise of a new leadership and the entire nation stood up to support Father of the Nation.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 13:18 [IST]
Chandigarh stalking: Barala's nephew accused of forcing minor to drop rape charges

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the police to file a report on the allegations that Kuldeep Barala, the nephew of Haryana BJP Chief Subhash Barala had pressurised a minor to drop charges. The development comes in the midst of Barala's son being investigated after a lady alleged that he had stalked her.

It was alleged Kuldeep and his associates had pressurised a minor girl from Fatehabad to change her statement after she was alleged kidnapped and raped by one of Kuldeep's relatives in May. The court ordered the report to be filed by August 31.

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Chandigarh Stalking case: Amid growing anger, Barala offers justification | Oneindia News

The victim has alleged that the police had not acted against the accused due to pressure from Subhash Barala. She said that there was enough evidence to act against the accused. In her petition she said, " till date no action has been taken against the respondents because they are very influential people and close relative of MLA of the Tohana constituency (Subhash Barala). Hence, local police under their influence are not taking any action"

The petition was filed on June 1. On the previous date of hearing, the court had sought for a copy of the victim's statement under Section 163 of the Cr.PC. It was alleged that the girl was illegally confined till midnight at Dhani Shera village in Tohana. The FIR of kidnapping was first registered on May 8 at Tohana police station in which the girl had alleged that Vikram Singh of the same village as the girl had abducted her after conspiring with Kuldeep, his wife and others. Vikram is a distant relative of Barala.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 7:14 [IST]
Tuesday is now No Meeting Day in Haryana and officers to be with people on Friday

Chandigarh stalking: Vikas will fully cooperate in probe, says Subhash Barala

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Subhash Barala's son, Vikas Barala, was on Wednesday summoned by the Chandigarh Police in connection with the stalking case.

Subhash Barala confirmed that Vikas has left for Chandigarh to join the probe and assured that his son will fully cooperate with the investigation.

"Vikas has left for Chandigarh to join the probe, he will fully cooperate...We respect the law, Vikas has cooperated in the probe earlier as well," he told news agency ANI.

Chandigarh DGP Tejinder Luthra earlier said Vikas Barala refused to accept the notice because of which it had to be pasted on the wall of his residence.

"Accused refused to give their blood and urine samples. Such refusal will be held against them in the investigation and trial," he told media.

"Everything under the sun will be done to ensure justice," he added.

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Chandigarh Stalking case: Amid growing anger, Barala offers justification | Oneindia News

Varnika Kundu, daughter of Haryana Additional Chief Secretary VS Kundu, had on Friday alleged that Vikas and and his friend Ashish stalked her.'

Speaking to the media, Subhash Barala had on Tuesday said there was no pressure to influence the probe in the stalking case, adding, "Varnika is like my daughter".

[Chandigarh stalking: She is like my daughter says accused's father]

The Chandigarh police on Monday claimed that there were no CCTV footage of Subhash Barala's son stalking the daughter of a senior IAS officer. Then later, the footage was retrieved late Monday night after the police had faced criticism for saying that the CCTVs along the route of the incident were not working.

However, the probe has not taken off as the footage that was retrieved was of poor quality. The police are finding it hard to ascertain whether an attempt to kidnap was made as was alleged by Varnika.

What has further weakened the case is the failure of the police to obtain a medical examination of the accused two hours prior to the FIR being registered.

[Chandigarh stalking case: Probe hits roadblock]

Vikas and Ashish were arrested from the Housing Board light point late on Friday night. Varnika, a disc jockey, who was driving from Sector 7, Chandigarh, towards Panchkula at 12.35am, alleged the two men followed her in their SUV.

OneIndia News
Tuesday is now No Meeting Day in Haryana and officers to be with people on Friday

30 per cent down: How Haryana aced the decrease in stubble burning

Chandigarh stalking case: Police slap kidnapping charges against both accused

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

The Chandigarh Police on Wednesday arrested Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party chief Subhash Barala's son, Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar over charges of kidnapping and stalking an IAS officer's daughter.

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Chandigarh Stalking case: Vikas Barala taken into custody after questioning | Oneindia News

"We called both the accused for interrogation. It was a lengthy interrogation. A number of things have come to fore in today's interrogation. Thus we have decided to press two charges - attempt to abduction (365/511). Both shall be produced in the court on Thursday, said DGP TS Luthra addressing a press conference.

"There are a number of things for which we need the accused to reconstruct the scene of crime to verify many facts. I can't share many things that are part of investigations. I have shared the conclusion of our investigations done so far," he said.

Further he said that there is no political pressure on us and we are doing everything professionally and objectively. We will do "everything under the sun" to ensure the 29-year-old complainant gets justice.

Varnika Kundu, daughter of Haryana Additional Chief Secretary VS Kundu, had on Friday alleged that Vikas and his friend Ashish stalked her.

Vikas Barala was on Wednesday summoned by the Chandigarh Police in connection with the stalking case.

Subhash Barala has earlier said that his son would fully cooperate with the investigation.

"Vikas has left for Chandigarh to join the probe, he will fully cooperate...We respect the law, Vikas has cooperated in the probe earlier as well," Subhash Barala had earlier said.

[Chandigarh stalking: Vikas will fully cooperate in probe, says Subhash Barala]

Chandigarh DGP Tejinder Luthra earlier said Vikas Barala refused to accept the notice because of which it had to be pasted on the wall of his residence.

"Accused refused to give their blood and urine samples. Such refusal will be held against them in the investigation and trial," he told media. "Everything under the sun will be done to ensure justice," he added.

The Chandigarh police on Monday claimed that there were no CCTV footage of Subhash Barala's son stalking the daughter of a senior IAS officer. Then later, the footage was retrieved late Monday night after the police had faced criticism for saying that the CCTVs along the route of the incident were not working.

[Chandigarh stalking case: Probe hits roadblock]

However, the probe has not taken off as the footage that was retrieved was of poor quality. The police are finding it hard to ascertain whether an attempt to kidnap was made as was alleged by Varnika.

OneIndia News
Chhattisgarh school girls molestation case: CRPF jawan held, one absconding

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Raipur, August 9: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel has been arrested while another accused is absconding for allegedly molesting school girls in Palnar village of Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district. A warrant has been issued against the absconding CRPF personnel.

The arrest was made after he was identified by the victims. The arrested man has been identified as Shamim Ahmed. The co-accused, Neeraj Pondawal, left for Uttarakhand soon after a probe was launched, reports The New Indian Express.

The tribal girls, who were Class XI students, had attended an event to tie rakhi to CRPF men when they were molested by the two in a toilet. The girls subsequently lodged a complaint with the local police. Soon, a probe was ordered by the district administration. Sensing the gravity of the matter, the CRPF too decided to conduct an internal court of inquiry.

The incident occurred during a programme organized by a private news channel ahead of Raksha Bandhan day at Palmar. Nearly 500 girls had gathered to tie rakhi to CFPF personnel.

Both Shameem and Neeraj belonged to the 221 battalions of the CRPF.

Sundarraj P, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Baster, told ANI that the accused CRPF jawans are being interrogated. "Strong action will be taken against those who will be found guilty, further investigation is underway." said Sundarraj. He also said the issue is serious and guilty will be punished.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 16:29 [IST]
Close to 1000 clerics, Imams demand action against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed

India

oi-Madhuri

Around 1,000 Indian Muslim clerics and imams have urged United Nations to take action against 26/11 mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed for his anti-India activities. The resolution was passed against Saeed at a gathering at Madrassa Darul Uloom Ali Hasan Ahle Sunnat in Mumbai. It also urged to denounce JuD, along with several other Pakistan-based terror outfits.

The resolution was sent to Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, chair of the UN Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee at the Security Council, with a copy marked to the Prime Minister's Office.

According to Mumbai-based Islamic Defense Cyber Cell head Dr Abdur Rahman Anjaria who introduced this resolution said,''Hafiz Saeed and the terror outfits he heads are threats to global peace. He calls India enemy number one but he is the enemy of Islam and humanity.''

When asked the reason behind passing the resolution, Maulana Mohammed Hashim Ashrafi, patron of Madrassa Darul Uloom Ali Hasan Ahle Sunnat, said Indian clerics were "morally bound to oppose those who kill or support the killing of innocents in the name of Islam".

The 13-page resolution also speaks about Kashmir which is an internal issue of India and that no third party should interfere in it. Earlier in 2015, Anjaria had also sought the fatwa against terror outfit Islamic State which was signed by over 1000 Muslim clerics and imams.

OneIndia News
Curbs under stage 3 of anti-pollution plan to continue in Delhi-NCR: CAQM

Delhi air quality still in very poor category, stubble burning figure jumps

Controversial Godman Swami Om arrested

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

The inter-state cell of crime branch on Wednesday arrested the controversial self-proclaimed godman from Bhajanpura, ahead of Big Boss finale.

According to some reports, Swami Om has been detained on the grounds of preventive measures taken by Lonavala police officials and will be released only after the shoot of the grand finale is over today.

He was earlier declared as a proclaimed offender by a Delhi court. Last year, the court issued non-bailable warrant against Swami Om for allegedly breaking and entering a cycle shop owned by his brother Pramod Jha.

He was accused of stealing 11 bicycles, a few spare parts and the sale deed of Jha's house.

The controversial self-proclaimed godman became popular during his appearance in Bigg Boss season 10.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 20:56 [IST]
Despite stress management, fratricide, suicide cases in Indian Army on rise

India

oi-Madhuri

Minister of Defence Subhash Bhamre on Tuesday informed the Rajya Sabha that 310 army personnel had committed suicide since 2014. And nine officers and 19 junior commissioned officers were among those who committed suicide between 2014 and July 31. There have already been 44 suicides and a fratricide case in the Army alone this year, while in 2016 there were 101 cases, going past the figures of 78 in 2015, 84 in 2014, 86 in 2013 and 95 in 2012.

The latest case of an Army jawan shooting his senior has once again raised the issue of psychological problems faced by security personnel in their high stress-level jobs. Jawans often undergo tremendous mental stress for not being able to take care of the problems being faced by their families back home.

In order to cope up with these stress related problem the minister also listed out implementation of Sahayak system in Indian Army.

As per this system, soldiers are attached to an officer, and the soldier helps the officer in all ways possible. From guarding him to helping him carrying out his responsibilities, this exercise reportedly aims to resolve any stress jawans go through.

According to Bhamre, the Defence Institute of Psychological Research conducted several studies on suicides and fratricides and their findings highlighted the urgent need for steps to address the problem of stress. He further said that stress management sessions are organised in all major army stations by commanders and psychiatrists at various levels.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 10:30 [IST]
The Western bias and why it cannot digest Indias success

Explained: Why has US removed India from its currency monitoring list

Doklam standoff: Indian Army in 'no war, no peace' mode, says official

India

oi-PTI

Indian Army is in 'no war, no peace' in Doklam and status quo continues in the area, official sources said on Wednesday.

Asked specifically about reports of sending of troops from the Sukna-based 33 Corps to Doklam, the sources said there has been no enhancement of army personnel in the India- Bhutan-China trijunction.

"We are in no war no peace mode in Doklam," the sources said.

In military parlance, no war, no peace mode refers to a confrontation or face-off position with enemies.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Armyfrom building a road in the area.

China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau. Bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims it to be its territory and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 23:53 [IST]
Doklam standoff: Military countdown has begun says China

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A Chinese daily has said that the countdown for a military conflict has begun. This media report comes a day after a senior Chinese official said if the Indians do not leave Doklam, then they could enter Uttarakhand and Kashmir.

An editorial in the state-run China Daily today warned India that the "clock is ticking away" and "India will only have itself to blame" if it does not withdraw its soldiers from the Doklam plateau which has hosted a military confrontation between the two countries since the middle of June.

Wang Wenli, a top official with China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said , "Even if there is only one Indian soldier, even for a day it is still a violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity."

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Wang said, "It is impossible to have a dialogue with India at this time. Our people will think our government is incompetent."

"We think it is not doable for the Indian side to use tri-junction as an excuse," she alleged."The Indian side has many tri-junctions. What if we use the same excuse and enter the Kalapani region between China, India and Nepal, or even into the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan, she also said.

"I can only say that for the PLA (People's Liberation Army) and for the Chinese government, we have the determination. So, if the Indian side decides to go down the wrong path or still have illusions about this incident, then we have the right to use any act that is in line with the international law to protect our rights."

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 16:42 [IST]
As terrorists lose big in Kashmir, Pak looks to push in the old guard

Don't force Kashmir girls to participate in Independence Day, says Zakir Musa

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

In a fresh warning, Zakir Musa, has warned institutions in Kashmir against forcing girls from taking part in Independence Day celebrations. Musa who had broken away from the Hizbul Mujahideen to form an outfit affiliated to the al-Qaeda said a principle of an educational institution was "forcing" girls to participate in the parade on August 15 celebrations on India's Independence Day at Bakshi Stadium Srinagar.

"The principle is threatening the girls of issuing them discharge certificates if they don't participate in the parade where they have to exhibit their bodies," Musa said in a 4.8 minute video clip.

He warned the principle not to take girls "forcibly" to participate in the parade at Bakshi Stadium. "Instead forcing our sisters to participate in August 15 celebrations, the principle should take her daughters there," he said.

"After Abu Dujana got martyred, the Indian media defamed him that he was harassing the Kashmiri girls and their parents that are totally baseless allegations. Everyone knows how the Mujahidin are fighting here and people should not believe what the Indian media says," he said.

Musa claimed that Indian forces were "scared" to fight with militants in the valley. "The Indian army often says that its brave soldiers eliminate militants here. The reality is militants fight like lions, he also said.

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Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to rush a team to Delhi

India

oi-Amitava

By Amitava

Darjeeling, August 9, 2017: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has decided to rush a team to Delhi in the next few days. The decision comes on the heels of the Union Government turning a deaf ear to the GJM 's repeated pleas for intervention in the ongoing Hill impasse.

A GJM central committee meeting resolved to send a team to Delhi and another to the North Eastern states.The Delhi team will comprise of the 3 GJM MLAs and other front rung leaders. Though the GJM did not divulge the Delhi itinerary, sources stated that in Delhi they will be meeting Minister and political heads.

"In the North East, the team will be meeting MPs and Chief Ministers of the 7 states over the Gorkhaland issue. Thereby a strong lobby for Gorkhaland will emerge" stated Binay Tamang, Assistant Secretary, GJM.

The GJM has also shifted the date for intensifying the agitation from August 9 to after 15th August. From August 9 to 15, "Tiranga Yatra" will be organized by the Hills, Terai and Dooars with the slogan "Bengal Quit the Hills. "

"These rallies will be brought out in the Hills, Terai, Dooars along with the National Highway 55 and NH10 connecting Siliguri with Gangtok, Sikkim" added Tamang.

With incidents of arson continuing unchecked in the Hills, the GJM has decided to post picketers in all vulnerable areas to put a halt to such incidents.

On Wednesday morning a vehicle returning after delivering newspapers was torched below Zero Point on the Rohini road in Kurseong. Azahar Ali, driver of the vehicle claimed that three of the newspaper vehicles were stopped by picketers questioning why the vehicles were plying during the bandh.

Despite explaining that the vehicles carry newspaper to the Hills daily one of the picketers lobbed a petrol bomb in the vehicles. Local residents arrived and prevented the other two vehicles from being torched. Ali had a narrow escape. The drivers of the vehicles carrying newspapers from the plains to the Hills are reluctant to continue carrying papers after the incident.

In another incident a truck carrying food grains and other essential commodities to Sikkim from Siliguri was torched near Hanuman-dhara on the National Highway 10 to Sikkim by masked men.

The GJM central committee meeting resolved that in order to make the ongoing bandh more effective and prevent miscreants from harassing people and committing crimes like arson, GJM picketers will be posted in all vulnerable areas, in Darjeeling Kurseong, Mongpu, Kalimpong and Mirik.

" We have earmarked vulnerable areas in Darjeeling Kurseong, Mongpu, Kalimpong and Mirik and will post picketers. We have told the picketers to ensure that vehicles and the public are not harassed in any way" stated Binay Tamang, Assistant Secretary, GJM.

On Wednesday one Srijana Tamang was arrested in connection with the June 8 incident when GJM supporters had clashed with security forces in Darjeeling town leaving many from both the sides injured.

Tamang has been charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Destruction of Public Property; Arms Act and West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order Act.

Police and the CRPF continued area domination and raids in the Singamari, Patleybash areas. Sources stated that the security forces raided the house of Bimal Gurung along with the GJM party office at Patleybash, 8 km from Darjeeling town which is a GJM stronghold.

The indefinite bandh hit the 56th day mark on Wednesday. The fast unto death touched the 20 day mark. Though the hunger strikers objected from being shifted to the hospitals, intravenous fluids and oxygen were administered to the agitators whose conditions had deteriorated considerably.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 23:17 [IST]
Foxconn is not just interested in Wisconsin for its technology skills or its cancer research advances.

The Taiwanese electronics giant also wants to tap into Wisconsins agricultural resources  more specifically, ginseng.

Foxconn has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin for a yearlong collaboration to investigate ways to promote Wisconsin ginseng in Asia.

Robert Kaldunski, president of the Ginseng Board, said he was very much surprised to hear that Foxconn chairman Terry Gou and Leonard Wu, CEO of Foxconn Technology Group, wanted to meet with him.

I thought electronics, televisions, phone ... I was happily surprised. Were excited about things we could work together on, Kaldunski said.

Terry Gou is passionate about Wisconsin ginseng, Kaldunski said. He said Gou told him both he and his mother take Wisconsin ginseng regularly.

American ginseng is the treasure of Wisconsin, Wu said. It is a great opportunity for Foxconn to add our promotional and, hopefully, technological expertise to help Wisconsin American ginseng return to glory.

Wisconsin has about 180 ginseng growers, mainly in central Wisconsin in the Wausau area. In the 2016 fiscal year, the U.S. exported 586,430 pounds of cultivated ginseng valued at $20 million, and 98 percent of the exports came from Wisconsin.

Ginseng was first introduced in the state around 1900 and became a cultivated crop in the 1920s, Kaldunski said.

By the 1990s, the state had more than 1,000 ginseng growers who produced almost 2 million pounds a year. Then the price farmers received dropped, the weather created problems and some growers retired, Kaldunski said.

Known as a wild herb, ginseng is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. A 2012 study by the Mayo Clinic showed it reduced fatigue in cancer patients. WebMD says it also has been studied for a range of other uses from improving mood to reducing erectile dysfunction, but no conclusions have been reached.

Its an energy boost  kind of a mind and body thing, Kaldunski said.

Foxconn has said it plans to invest $10 billion in southeastern Wisconsin for a factory to build display panels for televisions and cellphones.
Gujarat 'unassailable fortress of BJP, says Amit Shah after RS win

India

oi-PTI

Proud to be from a state, which is an unassailable fortress of the Bharatiya Janata Party, said BJP chief Amit Shah, a five-time MLA, on Wednesday after tendering resignation as an MLA.

Shah, 52, tendered his resignation as an MLA to Assembly Speaker Ramanlal Vora after giving an hour-long farewell speech in the House on the second and the last day of the monsoon session of the state assembly.

Shah, who represented Naranpura assembly seat in Ahmedabad, in his speech said he was "proud to be from a state, which is an unassailable fortress of the BJP".

Congress MLAs were not present during his speech as the 20-odd legislators boycotted the proceedings for the rest of the day after some of them were evicted from the House for creating ruckus in the beginning of the first half.

In his address, Shah came down heavily on the Congress alleging that its leaders, both here and at the Centre, had taken an "anti-Gujarat" on the Sardar Sarovar Dam project over the river Narmada.

The BJP president also hit out at the opposition party for stalling the OBC Commission Bill in the Rajya Sabha.

As the assembly polls are approaching in the state, he called upon the party legislators to highlight both these issues prominently during their public interactions.

"Congress' stand always remained anti-farmer. Though Narmada Control Authority had already completed all the formalities to raise the height (before June 2014), their (UPA) government did not give the nod. But PM Narendra Modi gave it within one month of assuming office" said Shah.

"Now, Congress leaders must tell the citizens, who sat on that permission? Even today, their leaders Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia speak against the project in Parliament. Gujarat Congress is silent, because they agree to what is being said by their leaders. It shows their anti-Narmada mentality," said Shah.

Shah said the people of Gujarat would seek an answer from Congress in December, when the state goes to polls. He predicted that the Congress' strength will reduce to half from the current tally of 51 after the polls.

"Congress showed their anti-OBC mentality by stalling the OBC Commission Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Mark my words, that next election in Gujarat will be fought on the issues of Narmada and the welfare of OBCs and poor. And, I can easily predict that oppositions' strength will reduce to half after the polls," he added.

Almost all the BJP members, including Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy CM Nitin Patel and state president Jitubhai Vaghani were present in the House to listen to Shah's farewell speech.

After his speech, in which he also thanked his colleagues for being with him since his journey started 20 years back as a party worker, Shah tendered his resignation to the Assembly Speaker.

"Today is my last day here, as I will resign after my speech. I never fought to acquire anything, instead, I proudly gave up what I had. I am proud to be from a state which is an unassailable fortress for the BJP," he said.

The two-day monsoon session of the state assembly, which ended today, is likely to be the last session as the state polls are expected to be held by the end of the year.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 23:40 [IST]
How DK trounced PK to become the Congress' star

India

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Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar may have just replaced political strategist Prashant Kishor to emerge as Congress' star. Recent events including IT raids have projected Shivakumar as a loyalist who will go any length for the party. Add to it the ground intelligence he has in Karnataka and the mass appeal around him as a prominent caste leader, Shivakumar may just be the one-stop-shop for the Congress ahead of the assembly elections.

While the party has made no official announcement, it is speculated that poll strategist Prashant Kishor could be roped in to be the Congress' brain. Thanks to recent developments, D K Shivakumar has now emerged as the heroic face of Congress in the state. If he won the Congress senior leadership's hearts by hosting the Gujarat MLAs, he registered his position as a strong leader in the face of adversities during the three-day raids on his properties.

Congress leaders in Karnataka, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, aren't very keen on Prashant Kishor or the effectiveness of his strategy in the South. At a time when the Congress is yet to finalise on Kishor's advent into Karnataka, Shivakumar has emerged as its new star. For starters, he is not an outsider. While Kishor's strategy worked wonders for the Congress in Punjab, its abysmal performance in Uttar Pradesh was also attributed to him. With D K Shivakumar, there is no risk that the party runs. Add to it the money and the muscle power that Shivakumar brings to the table. Despite being raided by the Income Tax department, Shivakumar has remained unfazed. Party cadres look at his strength as a defiance to 'BJP's arm-twisting tactics'.

Does Karnataka need Prashant Kishor now?

Despite losing the KPCC chief's post to G Parameshwara, the energy minister of Karnataka has emerged a hero for the party trouncing political strategist Prashant Kishor. Just like how Kishor became an overnight sensation following his successful campaign for Narendra Modi in 2014, D K Shivakumar, a prominent leader in Karnataka was catapulted to national fame overnight following raids that coincided with him hosting MLAs from Gujarat.

The Congress has been depending on Prashant Kishor to build the party's image and brand it ahead of elections in key states. In Karnataka, Shivakumar can do the same single-handedly thanks to his newly acquired 'loyal Congressman being targeted by the BJP' status.

In taking care of the MLAs from Gujarat and facing IT heat, D K Shivakumar's political stature may have just risen. The clamour to make D K Shivakumar the KPCC president was loud before the Congress' Karnataka In-charge general secretary Venugopal announced Parameshwara's extension in the post. Now, the voices of support for D K Shivakumar are growing once again making him the party's sole requirement to gather strength and votes for the election.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 11:45 [IST]
How the ECI came to the rescue of Ahmed Patel

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The disqualification of two votes helped Ahmed Patel of the Congress sail through into the Rajya Sabha for the fifth time. It was the Election Commission of India which declared the two votes as invalid as a result of which Patel was elected to the upper house of Parliament from Gujarat.

Had the ECI not accepted the contention by the Congress to declare the two votes as invalid, it would have been the end of the road for Patel. The Congress contended that the two votes be declared invalid since the MLAs had shown their ballot paper to BJP chief Amit Shah.

176 legislators of the Gujarat assembly voted on Tuesday. With the two votes being declared invalid and the total valid votes down to at least 174, each candidate needed 44 votes to win, instead of the earlier 45. Patel managed an exact 44 votes - the figure that was needed to win the election.

The senior Congress leader was counting on 44 of the party's 51 MLAs to support him. One of the 44 voted against him, so he had 43 votes from his party. It is not known yet who else voted for Ahmed Patel.

Patel was counting on Chhotubhai Vasava, the lone Janata Dal (United) legislator, and one of two MLAs from Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to vote for him.

The election turned out to be a close contest after the defection of six Congress MLAs recently. What also made the contest a cliffhanger was the cross voting by Congress MLAs.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 6:00 [IST]
It was political terror by BJP, Ahmed Patel says after dramatic midnight win

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

It was political terror, Ahmed Patel of the Congress said after his dramatic midnight win which saw him enter the Rajya Sabha for the 5th time.

My re-election to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat exposed the ruling BJP's "personal vendetta and political terror, he said.

In a series of tweets after the results of the acrimonious polls were announced well past midnight, Patel said legislators who backed him "voted for an inclusive India".

The results were announced after the Election Commission cancelled the votes of two Congress MLAs, in the last twist to the fortnight-long poll drama.

Patel's re-election is being seen as a major victory for the Congress, which was besieged by back-to-back resignations from six of its lawmakers and forced to herd its flock to a resort near Bengaluru. The party had accused the ruling BJP of bribing and intimidating its MLAs to defect.

"This is not just my victory. It is a defeat of the most blatant use of money power, muscle power and abuse of state machinery," Patel tweeted.

"BJP stands exposed of personal vendetta and political terror. People of Gujarat will give them a befitting reply in this year's election," he said in another tweet.

Patel, the political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, also thanked "each and every MLA who voted for me despite unprecedented intimidation and pressure from BJP".

Besides Patel, BJP president Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani were also elected to the Upper House of Parliament.

While Shah will enter Parliament as a member for the first time, Irani will return for a second term.

The Congress also launched a scathing attack on the BJP.

"It is not a victory of Congress party alone or of our senior leader Ahmed Patel. It is a victory of truth.It is a defeat of forces which wanted to misuse muscle and money power. It is an eye opener for BJP," party leader Randeep Surjewala said.

Party MP Renuka Chowdhury said the BJP did their best to ruin the democracy but failed.

"They (BJP) did their best to ruin the democratic practices, finally democracy won. Ahmed Patel won with the blessing of the people."

It was political terror by BJP, Ahmed Patel says after dramatic midnight win

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 11:31 [IST]
J&K CM, Mehbooba Mufti receives terror threat from Zakir Musa

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has received a terror threat. The Intelligence Bureau reported that a threat had been received by Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday.

An analysis of the threat suggests that the same was issued by Zakir Musa who had recently fallen out with the Hizbul Mujahideen. A security review would be undertaken in the wake of this threat being issued.

Earlier Zakir Musa, the former Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist from Jammu and Kashmir had warned of consequences if girls are forced to take part in Independence Day celebrations.

"The principle is threatening the girls of issuing them discharge certificates if they don't participate in the parade where they have to exhibit their bodies," Musa said in a 4.8 minute video clip.

He warned the principle not to take girls "forcibly" to participate in the parade at Bakshi Stadium. "Instead forcing our sisters to participate in August 15 celebrations, the principle should take her daughters there," he said.

"After Abu Dujana got martyred, the Indian media defamed him that he was harassing the Kashmiri girls and their parents that are totally baseless allegations. Everyone knows how the Mujahidin are fighting here and people should not believe what the Indian media says," he said.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 13:46 [IST]
Udaipur killers had tried infiltrating BJP to kill its leaders

Major infiltration bid foiled in Macchil, 5 terrorists killed: Army

India

oi-Madhuri

Confiming the killing of 5 terrorists in Kashmir's Machil sector, Brigade Commander of Indian Army RK Suresh on Wednesday said that they had launched an operation in Macchil sector of Kupwara district to eleminate five terrorists who had taken advantage of dense foliage and were successful.

The Army aslo confirmed that they had recovered huge quantity of arms & ammunition and also ration, medicines with Pakistani markings.

Earlier on Monday, five terrorists were killed as security forces successfully foiled an infiltration bid from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) into Machil sector of north Kashmir's Kupwara district.

On July 23, another infiltration attempt was foiled by the Army in the very same area. This year, the Army has foiled a total of 22 infiltration bids along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 13:54 [IST]
Mamata's new slogan, 'BJP Quit India in 2019'

India

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By Oneindia Staff Writer

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the BJP government at the Centre of subverting democracy and said the TMC will work with all opposition parties to oust the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Giving the slogan of 'BJP quit India in 2019', Banerjee charged that the BJP-led government at the Centre has "taken away the rights of the people in the country". She also alleged that "secularism is under threat". "The BJP-led government is trying to divide the country. We will not allow it. In 2019 our slogan will be 'BJP quit India'. We will work with all other opposition parties, so that we can unitedly fight against the BJP. We want this politics of communalism and hatred to come to an end," she said while kicking off the campaign here.

The West Bengal Chief Minister launched the campaign on a day when the country is commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement. "We will fight and not stop till the BJP is ousted from power. Democracy will triumph against all odds", she said. "They can threaten us by using the ED, Income Tax and the CBI but we are not afraid of it. The central government has turned into a government of the agencies, by the agencies, of the agencies and for the agencies," she alleged.

'Crocodile tears for tribal'

Banerjee said she will attend the rally convened by RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna later this month. The TMC leader also accused the BJP of shedding "crocodile tears" for adivasis and backward sections of the society, "On the one hand they (BJP) are lynching adivasis and people from backward sections of society, while on the other hand, they are are clicking photographs with adivasis and having lunch at their houses," she charged.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 17:37 [IST]
Partial success for Maratha Kranti Morcha, govt promises to fulfil demands

India

oi-Anusha

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday gave in to demands put forth by the Maratha Kranti Morcha. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that a cabinet sub-committee will review all demands on reservations. Chandhrakant Patil will head the committee.

Speaking in the state Assembly, Fadnavis promised extension of benefits in 605 educational courses for Maratha students. Interest-free loans up to Rs 10 lakh for self-employment and reducing cut off for a scholarship for Maratha students from current 60 per cent to 50 per cent was also announced. Land, as well as a grant of Rs 5 crore to set up separate hostels for students from the community, was also promised. The Maharashtra government has assured to set up district-wise committees to decide on cases filed under the Atrocities Act.

CM @Dev_Fadnavis meets representatives from #MarathaMorcha and leaders from all political parties. pic.twitter.com/5VFIs0jSJI  CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) August 9, 2017

Maratha leaders were assured that Devendra Fadnavis' government will put in efforts to ensure stringent punishment to culprits of Kopardi case and added that the push will be made to expedite court proceedings.

Earlier in the day, a delegation of Morcha leaders met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Maharashtra secretariat. Maratha leaders brought Mumbai to a standstill with Wednesday's rally.

The Maharashtra assembly was adjourned till 3 PM on Wednesday after opposition, as well as Shiv Sena MLAs, walked out to join the protests. Maratha leaders who organised the protests however, warned political leaders to stay away.

MLAs of the opposition parties in Maharashtra, as well as those from the Shiv Sena, have extended support to the Maratha Kranti Morcha rally. A sea of humanity covered the entire stretch from Byculla to J J Nagar flyover on Wednesday noon as lakhs of protestors participated in the silent march.

No sloganeering took place despite lakhs gathering to show their support for the cause of Marathas in the state capital.Volunteers also cleaned up after the rally to ensure that no inconvenience was caused to residents.

The massive rally by Maratha Kranti Morcha took place in Mumbai with lakhs thronging to take part. Protestors waived saffron flags as they began the silent march from Mumbai's Byculla on Wednesday morning.

Schools in Mumbai were shut on Wednesday while close to 10,000 policemen were deployed along the route of the rally. Drones cameras, CCTVs at prominent places are being used to monitor the silent but slow rally.

Lakhs of protesters waving saffron flags also include thousands of women and children. Mumbai's famous Dabbawallahs called off work for a day to support the rally and take part in the same.

Traffic snarls were witnessed in Mumbai on Wednesday with thousands taking to the streets to be part of the Maratha Kranti Morcha rally. The government had announced that schools will remain shut on Wednesday considering the magnanimity of the rally. Touted to be the largest and the last of the multiple rallies by the community across Maharashtra, the one in Mumbai is focused on urging the government to extend reservations to the Maratha community.

Close to five lakh people are expected to be part of the Maratha pride rally and as expected, traffic snarls were reported from various junctions. As Azad Maidan is filling up, Ambedkar road was opened up for traffic. Alternate routes and parking restrictions have been chalked out. For a rally that is being touted as apolitical, the Maratha Kranti Morcha has the support of almost all political parties in Maharashtra.

Maratha Kranti Morcha rally in Mumbai: Roads to avoid and alternate routes

Civic administration has asked people to avoid travelling to South Mumbai while the police have put restrictions in place. The organisers, however, have claimed that the march will not cause inconvenience but the sheer numbers are expected to bring the city to a standstill.ambed

The rally began from Byculla at 11 AM and culminated at Azad Maidan near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus at 5 PM. Reservations for Marathas in the state, amendments to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 are the key demands of protestors. The rally was also aimed at demanding justice in the Khopardi rape and murder case.

The massive rally in Mumbai comes after the community completed 57 silent rallies across multiple locations Maharashtra. The rally passed through major junctions and as expected, led to traffic disruptions at various locations.

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Maratha Kranti Morcha rally gets support from Balochistan

India

oi-Anusha

The Maratha Kranti Morcha's rally in Mumbai has surprisingly found support from an organisation in Balochistan. A group of Marathas who have settled in Balochistan have extended their support via their organisation Marhtta Qaumii Itehad.

Descendants of the Maratha army men who were captured after the Third Battle of Panipat have settled in Balochistan. On Tuesday, members of the group posted a message supporting Maratha community's fight for reservation in Maharashtra.

Maratha Kranti Morcha: Government may review reservation policy

The chief of Maratha Qaumi Ittehad, Wadera Din Muhammad Marhatta posted in the organisation's social media page on Tuesday in support of the rally. "Chief Maratha Qaumi Itehad fully supports this protest. In India, the community is facing injustice. I condemn it strictly. In Pakistan, the rights of the community have been established. Why can't it be the same in India?" the post read.

Wadera Din Muhammad Marhatta also said that reservation in government jobs and education should be given to the Maratha community, which is its national right. "Disfavour with the community will not be tolerated. We are with it in every protest," he added.

The mammoth rally, despite involving no sloganeering or ruckus has brought Mumbai to a standstill. Schools have been shut, the famous dabbawallahs have gone off work. Around 5,000 dabbawallahs are expected to go to Azaad Maidan to voice their support. The Samajwadi party, Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena have extended support to the rally that has sought reservation for Marathas in government jobs.

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Social activist Medha Patkar arrested, sent to Dhar jail

India

oi-PTI

Social activist Medha Patkar, who was discharged from a hospital on Wednesday, has been arrested while on her way to Dhar to resume her hunger strike.

"We have arrested her as she insisted on going back to meet the oustees. We have told her that it is not possible to allow her to go to Dhar as section 144, CrPc has been imposed in the area," Ajay Sharma, additional director general of police (ADGP), Indore range, said.

The police stopped Patkar and informed her that she could not proceed to Dhar, but as she refused to relent, she was placed under arrest at the border of Indore and Dhar districts, and subsequently, taken to Dhar, he added.

"We will ask her to furnish a bond stating that section 144 will not be violated. If she furnishes it, we will release her," the ADGP said.

Subsequently, Patkar was produced before a sub-divisional judicial magistrate at Dhar who sent her to jail.

Patkar, 62, and 11 others were forcibly removed from Chikhalda in Dhar on August 7, where they were staging an indefinite fast demanding a proper rehabilitation of the oustees, and were admitted in different hospitals.

Earlier in the day, Patkar was discharged from a private hospital in Indore after her condition improved.

After she was discharged from the Bombay Hospital, Patkar said her indefinite fast would continue.Patkar, 62, and the other activists have been fasting for 14 days.

"Medicines were administered through drips to the fasting agitators in various hospitals but none of us has eaten food so far. We demand the oustees be allowed to stay in their original dwellings till proper arrangements are made for their rehabilitation," Patkar, who came out of the hospital on a wheelchair, told reporters.

She claimed that the process of rehabilitation of the displaced people in the Narmada valley was yet to be completed.

"At many places, even drinking water is not available. But the state government is insisting the people to go to these places. This situation is not acceptable to the oustees and therefore, they continue to stay put at their original dwellings," she added.

Patkar said a special leave petition (SLP) came up before the Supreme Court yesterday, but it was dismissed as a related case was pending before the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

"The hearing in the case is scheduled tomorrow in the high court. On behalf of the dam oustees, we appeal to the judiciary to deliver justice in the matter," she added.

Patkar termed as "incorrect" Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's "claims" that different decisions of the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal on the issue of rehabilitation were being followed by his government.

"The state government is just making announcements, statements and giving out figures, but is doing nothing on the issue," she alleged.

Asked about her future course of action, the activist said a plan to stage a "big agitation" would be finalised soon.

Patkar alleged that after her removal from the site of the fast, she was kept in an "illegal" custody in the hospital.

"I was allowed to meet only two-three persons. They also did not allow me to use my mobile phone," she claimed.

However, Indore Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Dube dismissed Patkar's charge.

"Every hospital has its own rules. In view of the health condition of the patient, the management did not allow every visitor to go to the ICU (where Patkar was admitted). Still, some were allowed to meet her," he said.

Dube said Patkar was admitted in the hospital on a written advice of doctors that her life was in danger due to the fast.

Thousands of families, living along the banks of the Narmada river in Barwani, Dhar, Alirajpur and Khargone districts of Madhya Pradesh, are at the risk of getting displaced with the closing of the gates of the Sardar Sarovar dam in neighbouring Gujarat and the resultant rise in the water level in its catchment area.

PTI
After years of plans and months of construction, Steinhafels has opened its new store on the Far East Side of Madison.

The 82-year-old Waukesha-based furniture store company opened a 105,000-square-foot store on Aug. 3 at 5215 High Crossing Blvd. in what for years was home to American TV & Appliance before American went out of business in 2014.

The $4 million renovation provides Steinhafels with a significantly larger footprint than the 20,000-square-foot store it had at East Towne Mall and is a change from its original expansion plan announced just prior to the recession of 2008. That project called for a new 100,000-square-foot building on 14 acres of land near East Towne Mall, but when the economy tanked, the plans were put on hold.

The purchase of the former American TV location just east of Interstate 39-90-94 was part of package deal that included former American TV locations in Appleton and Oak Creek. The Appleton location opened as a Steinhafels in November 2014; the Oak Creek Steinhafels opened in February 2015.

"Madison is really the best (furniture) market in Wisconsin," Gary Steinhafel told the Wisconsin State Journal in 2015. The new store "will be a significant increase both in terms of our footprint and obviously sales."

With the opening of the High Crossing Boulevard store, next door to Greenbush Bakery's second location that opened this summer, Steinhafels will have nine furniture superstores. It also has seven mattress stores, including stores at West Towne and in Sun Prairie, and with plans to open an eighth store at 2257 Zeier Road in Madison on Friday. Steinhafels also has two combination furniture and mattress stores. Only one of its stores, a superstore in Vernon Hills, Illinois, is outside Wisconsin.

The former American TV store along the Beltline near Todd Drive was converted in 2015 to a 105,000-square-foot showroom for Stevens Point-based Furniture & ApplianceMart.
Modi remains quiet on Patels jolt to BJP as he congratulated Shah, Irani on victory

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

New Delhi, August 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not only one of the most followed world leaders on the micro-blogging site, Twitter, but he is also one politician who loves to tweet to express his Mann ki Baat (Matters of Heart) on a regular basis.

That is why whenever something important happens and Modi remains missing from Twitter, his detractors are the first ones to pin-point the 'anomaly'.

On Wednesday, after the Gujarat Rajya Sabha election results were declared, Modi took on to Twitter to congratulate Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah and union minister Smriti Irani on their victory.

This is what Modi tweeted: "Congratulations to BJP President @AmitShah & ministerial colleague @smritiirani on getting elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat."

Congratulations to BJP President @AmitShah & ministerial colleague @smritiirani on getting elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2017

Those were definitely encouraging words from the PM to his party colleagues. However, what struck the most is that Modi decided to remain quiet on the victory of Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who managed to fight the might of the BJP, to win one of the three Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat, the voting for which were held on Tuesday.

Modi's "strategic" silence on Patel's victory is understandable as both the Congress and the BJP were involved in a "prestige battle" to win the Rajya Sabha seat from which Patel contested against the BJP's Balwantsinh Rajput.

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Finally, Patel, the political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. He won the elections by getting 44 votes (the minimum votes to win the contest), after a series of dramatic events that unfolded on Tuesday, which started with the voting for the Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat to the complaint filed by the Congress against two of its own men who not only cross-voted against the party, but foolishly showed their ballot papers to persons whom they were not supposed to be shown.

Based on the complaint filed by the Congress, the Election Commission (EC) decided to declare the two votes as invalid for violating the secrecy code. After the EC's decision, Patel had to get 44 votes instead of 45, which he somehow managed to win.

The contest for one Rajya Sabha seat in Gujarat saw a series of events which clearly indicated how important it was for the BJP to defeat Patel, a close-aide of the Gandhi family.

The BJP desperately wanted to vanquish Patel with the hope to further weaken the already sinking boat of the Congress. Patel is a politician who certainly is not very media savvy, but is a man who works backstage and known to strategise every move of the party.

By defeating Patel, the BJP was hoping to hit the Congress the hardest. It was Shah himself who was overseeing the entire BJP battle to defeat Patel. However, this time, the Congress proved a little better than the team Shah in this one Rajya Sabha seat, the contest of which was a close one and a widely-watched one too.

Modi also tweeted to congratulate Shah for completing three years as the BJP president on Wednesday.

"Congratulations to Shri @AmitShah on completing 3 successful years as @BJP4India President," Modi tweeted.

"During the Presidency of Shri @AmitShah, @BJP4India has expanded its base in several areas & diligently worked towards nation building," Modi added.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 9:45 [IST]
Mumbai University results 2017: Get answer sheet copy on e-mail

India

oi-Anusha

The Mumbai University has cut down fees for reevaluation by 50 per cent. Students applying for re-evaluation can now pay Rs 300 instead of Rs 600. The photocopy of the answer sheet will be sent via e-mail instead of the student coming to collect it physically, the Mumbai University said.

The management decided to slash re-evaluation fees to pacify students who are already irate over the delay in declaring Mumbai University results 2017. The University faculty is working overtime to complete evaluation and moderation of answer papers giving rise to concerns over the quality of assessment. Now, the students can pay Rs 250 for re-evaluation and Rs 50 for digital copy of the answer sheet which will be sent via e-mail.

Students who have been protested against the University had also sought a reduction of charges on re-evaluation and photocopy of answer sheets. The university has maintained that the move to send answer sheets via e-mail was proposed to save paper and take forward its digital push.

"The university will no longer have to spend money on taking photocopies of the answer sheets, as they would be sent to the students in digital format. The re-evaluation process will also be convenient for them, as it will be carried out through respective colleges. Students won't have to visit the varsity to collect their answer sheets," University officials told the media.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 8:54 [IST]
Rajya Sabha election: How the drama unfolded in Gujarat and Delhi

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

It was an eventful Tuesday and at the end of it, Ahmed Patel made it to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat. This is the fifth time that he is entering the Rajya Sabha.

Ahmed Patel was pitted against Balvantsinh Rajput, the Congress rebel who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. BJP national president Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani won the other two seats.

There was plenty of suspense through the day with claims and counter claims made by both the Congress and the BJP. What added a twist to the tale was the stand taken by the JD(U) which has one MLA in the Gujarat legislative assembly. While the JD(U)'s spokesperson K C Tyagi said that the vote had gone to the BJP, the MLA himself countered the same and said he had voted in favour of the Congress.

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The Congress went to the Election Commission of India seeking that the two votes by its MLAs be declared null and void. The Congress said its two rebel legislators had showed ballot paper to the BJP polling agent.

"We had demanded that video tape should be run, our claim be checked and two votes should be cancelled," said Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil, adding, "If required, we are ready to take this fight to the Supreme Court."

The legal battle began in the state Election Commission which had rejected the plea made by the Congress. This prompted an appeal in the ECI by the Congress. Senior BJP leaders also made it to the ECI on Tuesday night to put forth the party's case. Deputy chief minister of Gujarat Nitin Patel alleged, "The Congress delayed the counting because they have seen the defeat coming,'' and said after the state election office had rejected the Congress plea for cancellation of two votes.

In the morning, former Congress legislature party leader Shankersinh Vaghela attracted the spotlight as he claimed that he had not voted for Patel. "I did not vote for the Congress. I did not want to waste my vote when Congress is not winning," he said.

He also claimed that as eight Congress MLAs cross-voted and party's official candidate will lose. Ahmed Patel was quick to retort saying he was confident of the victory.

Those who cross-voted also include Karmshi Patel, Sanand Congress MLA, who was part of the 44 MLAs taken by the Congress to Bengaluru levelling charges of horse-trading against the BJP.

All 44 of them, who were on Monday shifted from Bengaluru to a resort in Ananad, over 100 km from Gandhinagar, were Tuesday brought together in a bus at polling station in secretariat. State senior leaders lined up to greet them as they got down from bus and left for polling.

There was a lot of suspense till the last minute as it was not clear which party the one of the two NCP MLAs had voted for. The lone JD(U) MLA too added to the suspense who told the media that he had voted for the nation.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 5:50 [IST]
Leave India to God

In May 1942, Mahatma Gandhi called on Britain to "Leave India to God. If this is too much then leave her to anarchy". In July 1942, the Congress Working Committee met at Wardha and a resolution was passed which was termed The Wardha Resolution. It is also known as Quit India Resolution which demanded, "The British Rule in India must end immediately.

Photo credit: INC.IN

Do or Die (karo ya Maro)

The resolution was ratified in the AICC with minor amendments and a non-violent mass struggle under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi was sanctioned. The session began on the August 7 and concluded post midnight of August 8, 1942 at Gowalia Tank Maidan, Bombay. In a speech entitled, "Do or Die (Karo ya Maro)," given on by Mahatma Gandhi, he urged the masses to act as an independent nation and not to follow the orders of the British.

Gandhi's speech

During this politically charged time, it is important to remember Mahatma Gandhi's words on 8 August, 1942 in Bombay ahead of the Quit India Movement, in which he asked people to adopt ahimsa (non-violence) during the struggle for India's independence.

Here is the excerpts of Gandhi's speech.

Let me, however, hasten to assure that I am the same Gandhi as I was in 1920. I have not changed in any fundamental respect. I attach the same importance to non-violence that I did then. If at all, my emphasis on it has grown stronger. There is no real contradiction between the present resolution and my previous writings and utterances.

The proposal for the withdrawal of British power did not come out of anger. It came to enable India to play its due part at the present critical juncture.

But it is my conviction that inasmuch as these struggles were fought with the weapon of violence they failed to realise the democratic ideal. In the democracy which I have envisaged, a democracy established by non-violence, there will be equal freedom for all. Everybody will be his own master. It is to join a struggle for such democracy that I invite you today. Once you realize this you will forget the differences between the Hindus and Muslims, and think of yourselves as Indians only, engaged in the common struggle for independence.

Photo credit: INC.IN

Gandhi, Nehru and many other leaders arrested

Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru during the announcement rally of Quit India Resolution. In 1942, in a fiery speech, Mahatma Gandhi gave a 'do or die' call to the people of India in a final push to make the British quit. The next day, Gandhi, Nehru and many other leaders of the Indian National Congress were arrested by the British Government. Disorderly and non-violent demonstrations took place throughout the country in the following days.

The 'Quit India' movement, more than anything, united the Indian people against British rule. In 1944, Gandhi continued his resistance and went on a 21-day fast. By the end of the Second World War, Britain's place in the world had changed dramatically and the demand for independence could no longer be ignored.

Photo credit: INC.IN
RS polls: From Gujarat to Bengaluru, a drama that finally ended in Delhi

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The battle that began in Gujarat was played out in Bengaluru and finally ended in New Delhi. Probably this was the only highly watched Rajya Sabha election in the history of the country which ultimately saw Ahmed Patel of the Congress making it to the upper house of Parliament. Amit Shah and Smriti Irani too won their respective seats.

While the drama began in Gujarat with Shankersinh Vaghela trying to spoil the Congress' prospects, the same shifted to a resort in Bengaluru as the party carted away its MLAs to avoid poaching. Finally there after the voting was over in the Gujarat assembly the drama shifted to the Election Commission of India where the Congress demanded the cancellation of votes of its two MLAs for showing the ballots to BJP chief Amit Shah.

Three delegations each of the Congress and BJP made a dash for 'Nirvachan Sadan' within a span of two hours, with the former demanding that the votes of its MLAs Bholabhai Gohil and Raghavjibhai Patel be declared invalid, and the latter insisting that counting be taken up "immediately".

Congress was the first to move the Election Commission demanding cancellation of votes of its two disgruntled MLAs for allegedly showing their votes to persons other than the authorised party representatives.

Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala and RPN Singh also produced a video of the poll proceedings to the commission and demanded that votes of Bholabhai Gohil and Raghavjibhai Patel be cancelled as per law since they violated the "secrecy of ballot".

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Gujarat Assembly elections: Ahmed Patel saves Congress's grace | Oneindia News

According to the rules, voters for the Rajya Sabha elections have to show their ballots to authorised representative of their respective parties before casting them.

Terming Congress' objections as "baseless", a delegation of BJP leaders, including Union ministers Arun Jaitley, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Piyush Goyal, approached the EC demanding immediate counting of votes, contending that validity of votes once put in ballot boxes cannot be questioned.

Goyal told reporters after meeting EC officials that the decision of presiding officers is final.

If neither they nor election observers objected to it when votes were cast, then their validity cannot be questioned now, he said, and demanded that "the counting of votes be done immediately and results declared".

Prasad said the Congress was acting out of fear of losing the poll, in which its senior leader Ahmed Patel is locked in a tight fight with a Congress rebel fielded by the BJP.

Immediately, after the visit of the high-profile BJP team, Congress heavyweight P Chidambaram led another delegation to the EC.

After the meeting, Chidambarm told reporters,"If the BJP is so confident of winning the election then it must abide by the law. And the law is very clear. If the ballot is seen by a person other than the authorised person then it is liable to be rejected. BJP was beneficiary of this law on June 11, 2016. How was law changed in one year. These two ballot papers must be rejected."

He was apparently referring to the Rajya Sabha election in Haryana in which BJP-backed independent candidate Subhash Chandra had defeated Congress-supported candidate R K Anand after votes of several MLAs were declared invalid.

Objecting to Congress' contention, BJP leaders also paid a second visit to the commission and insisted on their demand for immediate counting of the votes.

Election is over and the situation of confusion should end, Prasad said, adding that Congress is "crumbling" and its people are leaving the party.

"The votes cast by these two MLAs are required to be cancelled for the reason of voting procedure violation," Congress said in its memorandum to the Commission.

Surjewala alleged that the two legislators, instead of showing their ballots to party's election agent, displayed it to BJP president Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani, which he said, "should not be accepted".

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 5:53 [IST]
Security is a big cause for concern in Aadhaar system, says Ex UIDAI head Nandan Nilekani

India

oi-Madhuri

Infosys co-founder and former chairman of Unique Identity Development Authority of India Nandan Nilekani on Tuesday said that the Aadhaar system has not been breached but security will be a cause for concern.

While speaking at an event CK Prahalad Memorial Lecture organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Nilekani said that Aadhaar has not been hacked, but people have tried to get users to do OTPs (one-time passwords) and game others' details and capture them. It's not a hack but security is the big concern here.

His comments came at the backdrop of UIDAI lodging a complaint with the Bengaluru police last month against Ola employee and co-founder of Qarth Technologies, Abhinav Srivastava on charges of Aadhaar data theft.

According to the complaint, Srivastava illegally accessed UIDAI data through an "Aadhaar e-KYC verification" mobile app that he developed himself.

Nilekani also said that if we are living in this digital world, we also have to make sure about the security and system to be secured. All over the world, it's a challenge, but we are moving at a rapid pace," he said, suggesting UIDAI was using the best security systems and protocols.

Nilekani further said that its the policy issue which is need to be addressed soon not the technology issue.

OneIndia News
Sparrow- Modi's tool for a 'corrupt, lazy babu mukth Bharat'

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

It is a well known fact that millions of citizens suffer thanks to lazy, corrupt babus or bureaucrats. In the background, work is quietly underway to rid India of such babus and the Narendra Modi government has taken upon itself to solve the problem as soon as possible.

A few months back Modi's government started an online performance assessment system for the bureaucrats. This works as an effective tool to track performance. The data here is accessible to the ministers in charge of the respective department.

As a first measure, the government began assessing the performance of all officers in the age group of 50 and 55 and those who have completed 30 years in service. On the Probity Portal, the ministers can submit online reports so that the babu in question can be tracked.

In addition to this the government is also using Sparrow- Smart performance appraisal report recording online window. This system makes the appraisal review available for the ministries concerned.

The use of cloud based technology helps in initiating departmental inquiry and also checking the other charges against the officer in question. The documents such as conduct certificate and also the proceedings regarding the inquiry will be stored online. There is also a system in place which gives both email and SMS alerts.

This system is currently adopted to track IAS officers posted at the centre. However over a period of time it will be extended to All India Services officers as well as Group A employees serving in the Central government.

The government has already been cracking the whip on non-performers. A few months back the government prematurely retired 33 tax officers which included seven Group 'A' officers. The government said 72 officers had been dismissed in other departmental/disciplinary actions in the last two years. The Department of Personnel and Training has taken actions like premature retirement and salary cut against 381 officers, 24 of whom were from IAS officers, for non-performance and corruption. A few days 2 IPS officers too were compulsorily retired from service.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 10:00 [IST]
"Stop propagation of unscientific ideas": Scientists take out nationwide 'March for science'

India

oi-Anusha

Demanding allocation of at least three per cent gross domestic product (GDP) to scientific and technological research, scientists are holding 'March for Science' across the country on Wednesday. The march also demands allocation of 10 per cent GDP on the education sector.

Scientists have demanded that propagation of unscientific, obscurantist ideas and religious intolerance should be stopped in the country. The march is to push development of scientific temper, human values and spirit of inquiry empowered by the Constitution of India under article 51A. The march comes on the anniversary of Quit India Movement.

Students, teachers and scientists from over 26 locations across the country including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Wardha, Pune, Puducherry, Lucknow, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Guwahati and Chennai gathered in hundreds for the cause of science. While the march was scheduled for the morning in Bengaluru, Hyderabad etc, marches will be taken out in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata etc in the evening.

The march is also aimed at urging the government to enact policies based on empirical science. The protesters have also demanded that the government ensures that education imparts ideas that are supported by scientific evidence alone. The march comes in the backdrop of many textbooks across the country misrepresenting facts or drawing parallels between mythological concepts and modern day science.

OneIndia News
TRB Lecturer Exam on September 15, check last date for application

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The TRB Lecturer Exam will be held on September 16th. Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment Board had earlier said that the exam would be held on August 13.

TRB will hold the Lecturer exam for filling around 1,058 vacancies. The recruitment is being conducted for the Direct Recruitment of Lecturers (engineering and non-engineering) in government polytechnic colleges, categorized under TN Educational Service. 30% posts will be reserved for Women as per the prevalent Government Rules. If the women reserved seats linger vacantly, those vacancies will be given to the male candidates belonging to same communal categories.

Earlier on June 16, TRB had issued the notification no. 04/2017 for Lecturer recruitment, which was quashed by the High Court of Madras on July 5. The High Court ordered the TRB to start application process afresh as it did not fulfil All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) norms.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 7:44 [IST]
People already getting 5Gs of 'garibi', 'ghotala', 'ghapla', 'ghalmel', 'gorakhdhanda under BJP: Akhilesh

Watch: Convoy of 175 cars of Akhilesh passes toll plaza without paying toll tax

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

In a grave violation of political power, Akhilesh Yadav's convoy of 175 cars passed the toll plaza in Barabanki district in Uttar Pradesh without paying toll tax. A video capturing the act has emerged on Wednesday.

The toll plaza manager has claimed that the former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav's convoy of 175 cars passed the toll plaza in Barabanki but did not pay any toll tax, reports ANI.

#WATCH: Former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav's convoy of 175 cars passes toll plaza in Barabanki without paying toll tax, claims toll plaza manager. pic.twitter.com/ZHKnohA4VU  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) 9 August 2017

Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav was in the news when he said that those who wanted to leave the party, were free to do so but they should not make any baseless excuses for their actions.

"This will give me a chance to see who all stand by me during these tough times," he said, speaking to party workers.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 21:52 [IST]
TDS Broadband Service plans to add to its holdings in the state of Oregon.

The Madison company has signed an agreement to buy Crestview Cable Communications in central Oregon. Terms of the transaction were not released.

Crestviews coverage area is next to that of BendBroadband, of Bend, Oregon, which was acquired by TDS in 2014.

The purchase, if approved by local and federal regulators, will add 21,000 addresses to TDS Broadband.

The company already has more than 300,000 customer connections for cable TV, broadband internet and phone service in six states in addition to Oregon: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Texas.

Meanwhile, TDS Telecommunications Corp. said the Wisconsin Public Service Commission has approved $286,000 for TDS to build high-speed internet service to more than 300 households in the town of Vermont, in western Dane County. Thats about half of the estimated $583,000 price for extending the service, TDS said.

TDS Telecom is the seventh-largest local exchange telephone company in the U.S. and provides 1.2 million connections to high-speed internet, phone and TV services.

TDS Broadband and TDS Telecom, both based in Madison, are subsidiaries of the publicly traded Telephone and Data Systems, Chicago, whose businesses include U.S. Cellular.
What is the Maratha Kranti Morcha rally in Mumbai all about

India

oi-Anusha

A sea of humanity waving saffron flags thronged Mumbai on Wednesday. The Maratha Kranti Morcha rally brought Maximum City to a standstill with lakhs coming together to fight for the Maratha community. Giving in to their demands, the Maharashtra government has now agreed to consider each of its demands seriously. Here is all you need to know about the rally.

The demands

The Maratha community has four primary demands. Reservation or quota in government jobs and education. The community claims that more than 95 per cent members are socially and educationally backward and has sought reservation.

The community has sought an amendment to the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) to stop its misuse. There is massive opposition to this demand from the Dalit community who are holding counter-marches across Maharashtra.

Implementation of the Swaminathan Commission on farmers is also a demand. The Maratha Kranti Morcha has sought farm loan waiver to curb farmer suicides. Most farmers in Maharashtra who have committed suicides are from the Maratha community. Demands for guaranteed rate for agricultural produce have also been made.

Finally, the rally is fighting for justice in the Kopardi rape and murder case of a Dalit minor. In July last year, a minor who went missing was found murdered in the district. Her body was mutilated and bloodied. The protestors have demanded the death sentence to the accused in the case.

58th silent protest

Wednesday's rally in Mumbai is the 58th and last of its series. Maratha Kranti Morchas are being held since a year across Maharashtra but Mumbai's rally garnered much attention. Wednesday's rally was exactly a year after the first march was flagged off in Aurangabad. The 'mook morcha' is aimed at creating maximum impact with no inconvenience. Wednesday's rally brought Mumbai to a standstill.

No leader! No slogans! is the moto

Maratha leaders have ensured that the fight remains apolitical. No political party leaders have been allowed to hijack the protests. Even on Wednesday, leaders from various parties including the Shiv Sena were asked to refrain from participating. The silent march does not encourage sloganeering. Volunteers even clean up after the rally to ensure no inconvenience is caused to any one.

Who took part

Apart from community leaders, thousands of doctors, students, women, working professionals, the famous dabbawallahs and government employees took part in Wednesday's march. More than five lakh people are estimated to have taken place in the rally. Schools in South Mumbai were shut on Wednesday after a circular by the state government.

Government relents

The Maharashtra government was forced to relent to the protests. On Wednesday Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the state assembly that a cabinet sub-committee would be formed to consider the demands for reservation by the community. Fadnavis also announced a slew of benefits to students from the community including separate hostels in every district.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 18:27 [IST]
Bhutan acknowledged Doklam is not its territory says China

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

China has made another unsubstantiated claim. This time a Chinese official has said that Bhutan has acknowledged that the Doklam area where the Indian and Chinese troops are engaged in a standoff does not belong to it.

China's top diplomat on the boundary issue, Wang Wenli, told a visiting Indian media delegation that Bhutan has conveyed to Beijing through the diplomatic channels that the area of the standoff is not its territory.

She provided no evidence for the claim, which is at the complete variance with Bhutan's stated position and actions. Bhutan had protested to the Chinese government, accusing it of violating a bilateral pact after its troops tried to construct a road in the Doklam area on June 16.

"After the incident, the Bhutanese made it very clear to us that the place where the trespassing happened is not Bhutan's territory," said Wang, who is the Deputy Director General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

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She went on to say that "Bhutanese find it very strange that the Indian border troops are on the Chinese soil," and implied that her views have been gleaned from Bhutanese state media and legal blogs which have "more convincing information".

A statement issued by India's External Affairs Ministry on June 30 said, "On June 16, a PLA (People's Liberation Army) construction party entered the Doklam area and attempted to construct a road. It is our understanding that a Royal Bhutan Army patrol attempted to dissuade them from this unilateral activity."

India had also cited the Bhutanese Foreign Ministry as emphasising that "the construction of the road inside Bhutanese territory is a direct violation of the 1988 and 1998 agreements between Bhutan and China and affects the process of demarcating the boundary between these two countries. They have urged a return to the status quo as before June 16, 2017."

India also conveyed to the Chinese government that the road construction would represent a significant change of status quo with serious security implications for it. India says both sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place.

Wang said Bhutan is observing the actions being taken by both Indian and Chinese troops from its territory. Bhutan has no direct diplomatic relations with China and maintains contacts with Beijing through its diplomatic mission in New Delhi.

Bhutan and China have held 24 rounds of talks to resolve boundary dispute while India and China have completed 19 rounds of talks. Wang said India and Bhutan are two countries out of the 14 countries China is yet to sort out boundary disputes.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 7:19 [IST]
To get China to budge, India brings in its best 3

Doklam standoff: What if we enter Uttarakhand, Kashmir asks China

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

China continued to wage a war against India in its media by asking what if it entered the Kalpani region in Uttarakhand or Kashmir.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for over 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau. Bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims the area belongs to it and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.

"Even if there is only one Indian soldier, even for a day it is still a violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity," Wang Wenli, Deputy Director General of the Boundary and Ocean Affairs of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said.

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Wang was briefing an Indian media delegation, whose visit was sponsored by the state-run All China Journalists Association (ACJA), on China's stand on the Doklam standoff.

"It is impossible to have a dialogue with India at this time. Our people will think our government is incompetent."

"Until the Indian side withdraws from the Chinese territory, there will be no substantive talks between us," she said, while reiterating Beijing's stand that the only way to end the present crisis on the border was the withdrawal of Indian troops from Doklam.

Needling India, she raised the Kashmir issue and also referred to the Kalapani dispute between India and Nepal.

"We think it is not doable for the Indian side to use tri-junction as an excuse," she said, referring to Indian External Affairs Ministry's assertion that the road building at the China, India and Bhutan tri-junction in the strategic narrow Chicken's Neck area changes the status quo.

"The Indian side has also many tri-junctions. What if we use the same excuse and enter the Kalapani region between China, India and Nepal or even into the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan," she said.

"Therefore, using the tri-junction as an excuse does not hold water at all. It will only cause more trouble," Wang said.

This is the first time that a Chinese official sought to bring in the Kashmir issue even though such a remark has been made earlier by a scholar in the state-run Global Times.

Asked whether China was getting ready for a war with India, Wang said, "I can only say that for the PLA (People's Liberation Army) and for the Chinese government, we have the determination. So, if the Indian side decides to go down the wrong path or still have illusions about this incident, then we have the right to use any act that is in line with the international law to protect our rights."

Wang said India and China had many standoffs before but "we haven't issued any position paper till now".

"But this time we have the position paper and in the position paper, you can find clear information about our position and possible moves by us," she said, referring to a 15-page fact sheet issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry few days ago.

"The Indian border troops are sending a signal of aggression while the signals sent by the foreign ministry is for peaceful negotiations. So, we think these two signals do not match with each other," she said.

Wang also rejected a negotiated solution by restoring status quo with the simultaneous withdrawal of Indian and Chinese troops to their earlier positions.

India's position on the issue was made clear by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj recently, saying both sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place, favouring a peaceful resolution of the border standoff.

Referring to reports in the Indian media that both the countries' border troops can withdraw at the same time to restore the status quo, Wang said "this is also unacceptable for China".

"Because the facts are clear. It is the Indian troops that crossed the mutually recognised boundary into the Chinese territory. So, it is the Indian border troops that have the responsibility to withdraw," she said.

Skirting any references to the shrill campaign being conducted by the official media here, Wang said China is exercising restraint and goodwill.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 5:53 [IST]
French parliamentary election: What you need to know

Paris car attack: Suspect arrested after car rams anti-terror troops

International

oi-Madhuri

French police on Wednesday arrested a suspect in a dramatic motorway chase after a car smashed into soldiers outside a barracks in a Paris suburb, injuring six.

Among them, two of the soldiers have been seriously wounded while the others sustained light injuries, the Paris Police Authority has said.

Following the attack, a major police operation has been launched in search of the vehicle in the Levallois-Perret commune.

The Mayor of Paris Patrick Balkany condemned the incident and claimed that there is "no doubt" that vehicle driving into soldiers "was a deliberate act".

According to reports, the soldiers were on a routine patrol as part of Operation Sentinelle that was launched after the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015.

OneIndia News
N Korea hits back at Trump, threatens with ICBM strike

International

pti-PTI

Seoul, Aug 9: Hours after US President Donald Trump threatened Pyongyang over its missile program, North Korea on Wednesday said that it is considering strikes near US strategic military installations in Guam with its intermediate range ballistic missiles, state news agency KCNA reported.

Trump had threatened North Korea with "fire and fury" over its missile program and days after the UN Security Council levied new sanctions on North Korea over its growing nuclear arsenal. Pyongyang said it's "now carefully examining the operational plan for making an enveloping fire at the areas around Guam with medium-to-long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12," according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The plan will be finalised "and will be put into practice in a multi-concurrent and consecutive way any moment once Kim Jong Un, supreme commander of the nuclear force of the DPRK, makes a decision," it added.

The threat came after Trump issued an apocalyptic warning, saying North Korea faces "fire and fury" over its missile program, after US media reported Pyongyang has successfully miniaturised a nuclear warhead. Trump's warning followed a Washington Post report that quoted a Defense Intelligence Agency analysis as saying officials think North Korea now has "nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery" -- including in its intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The progress suggests North Korea is further along the path to having a deployable nuclear missile than had previously been acknowledged. Experts had until last month said it would take another two or three years for North Korea to develop a nuclear-tipped ICBM.

But that calculus suddenly changed after Pyongyang last month tested two ICBMs -- the first time North Korean leader Kim had demonstrated such a capability. The remarks mark a sharp rise in rhetoric from the United States.

Previous administration comments have focused on finding non-military solutions. North Korea has vowed that tough new UN sanctions agreed over the weekend would not stop it from developing its nuclear arsenal, rejecting talks and angrily threatening retaliation against the United States.

PTI
If Modi was careful, Doklam stand-off could have been avoided

To get China to budge, India brings in its best 3

On Doklam standoff, Nepal decides to stay neutral

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

In a snub to China, Nepal has said that it will not take sides on the Doklam issue. This was conveyed by Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara.

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Nepal wants India and China to use "peaceful diplomatic means" to resolve the issue, said Mahara, who is also the Foreign Minister.

"Nepal will not get dragged into this or that side in the border dispute," he told reporters.

"Some media reports are attempting to drag us in favour of one or the other side, but I want to make it clear that we have not taken any side in this matter," Mahara said.

He said that Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba will pay an official visit to India from August 23 to 27 and necessary preparations are going on for the same.

However, detailed itinerary of the visit is yet to be finalised, Mahara said.

He also told media persons that Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang will arrive in Nepal on August 14 on an official visit.

The Chinese leader's visit will be development-centric, and it cannot be linked with the prime minister's visit to India in any way, he added.

India and China have been locked in a standoff in Sikkim section's Doklam area since June 16 after Chinese troops began constructing a road near the Bhutan trijunction.

Bhutan has protested to China, saying the area belonged to it and accused Beijing of violating agreements that aim to maintain the status quo until the boundary dispute is resolved.

India says the Chinese action to lay the road was unilateral and changes the status quo. It fears the road would allow China to cut off India's access to its northeastern states.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 7:26 [IST]
Sichuan earthquake: 19 dead, 247 injured in 7.0-magnitude tremblor

International

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

At least 19 people were killed and 247 injured in a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck a remote area in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Tuesday night, Xinhua news agency reported.

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The massive earthquake struck at 9:19 pm (local time) and the epicentre was monitored at a depth of 20 km. Reports say that over 130,000 houses could have been damaged.

Five among the dead were visitors to the popular tourist destination of Jiuzhaigou national park.

So far, the Jiuzhaigou County has dispatched more than 90 emergency vehicles and 1,200 personnel to participate in the rescue work. The county also sent consultants to hotels, rural inns and streets to offer possible counselling service for tourists. The quake was felt in the provincial capital Chengdu, about 300 km south of the epicentre, and other regions in the neighbouring provinces of Gansu and Shaanxi, the Xinhua report said.

The news website of Sichuan provincial government reported a suspension of train services to Chengdu and other cities post earthquake. There were also reports of disruption in the telephone communications.

China's cabinet, the State Council, has sent a national work team to the disaster-hit area to guide relief work. Local governments have also activated top-level emergency response procedures.

Sichuan is a quake-prone region.

OneIndia News with PTI inputs
Sikkim standoff: 53 Indian troops still present at Doklam, says China

International

oi-PTI

Fifty-three Indian soldiers and a bulldozer were present at the Doklam area, reports Global Times on Wednesday.

The Chinese foreign ministry, according to the Global Times, asked India to withdraw its troops and equipment from what it called the "Chinese territory".

Citing the ministry, the daily said that 53 people and a bulldozer from the Indian side remain in "Chinese territory" as of Monday.

"India should withdraw its troops and equipment...They have gravely infringed on China's sovereignty," the ministry was quoted as having said by the daily.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang last week said that "there were 48 Indian soldiers and one bulldozer" in Doklam area as of August 2.

"In addition, there are still a large number of Indian armed forces congregating on the boundary and on the Indian side of the boundary," Geng had said.

A 15-page fact sheet issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry had earlier said that there were over 40 Indian border troops and one bulldozer in the area by the July end.

Countering Chinese contention, sources in New Delhi last week maintained that around 350 Indian Army personnel have been in Doklam for last six weeks after China tried to build a road in the area, triggering the standoff.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for over 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau. Bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims the area belongs to it and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.

Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Doklam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

The military standoff between China and India in the Doklam region has lasted for almost two months now, and there is still no end in sight, the Chinese daily added.

However, India has made it clear that both sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place, favouring a peaceful resolution of the border standoff.

PTI

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 22:21 [IST]
Suicide bomber denotes himself in Kabul, one dead

International

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

A suicide bomber detonated himself near a police check post in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Wednesday, killing one person, said reports.

The number of persons injured in the attack is not clear as yet as further details are awaited.

On Monday, at least 50 civilians have been killed by militants in northern Afghanistan, said reports. The assailants entered a village and shot dead mainly Shia Muslim civilians including women and children

Last week, an explosion at a mosque in the Afghan city of Herat killed about 30 people and injured dozens more. Herat officials had confirmed that the explosion 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.

On August 2, two U.S. service members were killed in an attack on a NATO convoy near Kandarhar in southern Afghanistan.

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Story first published: Wednesday, August 9, 2017, 14:40 [IST]
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The West Towne Mall spot that served West African food as well as some American fast-food items, closed after 20 months.

Burgers and Ethnic Food B-B-Q opened in the mall's food court in November 2015 and then moved into its most recent location there last summer.

In December, owner Mahamadou Tunkara also took over a combination Quizno's/Chocolate Shoppe ice cream location next door and sold Chocolate Shoppe ice cream and sandwiches under the name Good Eats Subs.

At Burgers and Ethnic Food B-B-Q, Tunkara offered African food such as fried meat pies; domada, a Gambian peanut stew over rice; benachin, or jollof rice, popular in Gambia and Senegal; fufu, chicken on top of a bed of starch made with cassava leaves and plantain flour; and yassa, a spicy Sengalese entree with chicken in a peppery sauce, served over rice or couscous.

He also sold jerk chicken, curry chicken, burgers, fried chicken, fish sandwiches and a daily fish fry.

Tunkara closed his restaurant June 30 because the rent was too high, and he's currently looking for another spot. "It's not easy to find a place in Madison right now," he said.

He said he doesn't care where in Madison he relocates. "It's 20 minutes from anywhere to anywhere."

GreenLife Essence will open soon in the former Burgers and Ethnic Food B-B-Q space, selling organic smoothies and smoothie bowls, mall spokeswoman Tiffany Bernhardt Schultz said.

There are two additional empty spaces in the food court, and Bernhardt Schultz said the mall is currently in negotiations with potential tenants.

[Editor's note: This story was updated to correct the name of the smoothie shop coming to West Towne Mall.]
A suicidal man who told his family he would commit "suicide by cop" was arrested Sunday morning at a residence in Richland County.

Christopher Stewart, 31, of Arizona, was tentatively charged with intimidation of a victim, being a felon in possession of a firearm, endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon and operating a firearm while intoxicated, the Sheriff's Office said.

The incident started at 3:13 a.m. Sunday when 911 got a call about a suicidal man in possession of a 9 millimeter pistol at a residence on Highway H, about 15 miles north of Richland Center.

"The suspect had been drinking vodka when he was involved in a physical domestic incident with his son," the Sheriff's Office said. "The suspect pointed a pistol at his son and told him there was a round in the chamber, and the suspect also had fired numerous rounds into the woods outside the residence."

Stewart then fled into the woods on the 320-acre property, while deputies and Richland Center police formed a perimeter along surrounding roads.

Vernon County and the State Patrol assisted, and Stewart came back to the residence at about 6:20 a.m., banging on the door.

"Deputies approached and took him into custody," the report said.

Nobody was injured.
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Parts of the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge would open to spring turkey hunting as part of a series of a proposals for expanded hunting and fishing announced Wednesday by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.

As the steward of our public lands, one of my top priorities is to open up access wherever possible for hunting and fishing so that more families have the opportunity to pass down the heritage, Zinke said in a statement announcing plans for 10 refuges.

At Horicon, another 80 acres would be added to the roughly 19,000 already available for general hunting in the fall, said Dave Bolin, deputy refuge manager.

But the biggest change would be adding the refuges first spring turkey hunt in certain parts of the refuge, Bolin said. The proposal also calls for adding Canada geese to a learn-to-hunt waterfowl program and making changes to a special pheasant hunt, Bolin said.

Fox River National Wildlife Refuge in Marquette County would also add about 80 acres for general hunting, Bolin said.

Changes are also proposed for refuges in Georgia, South Carolina, Minnesota, Oregon, Oklahoma, North Dakota and Indiana.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting public comments for 30 days. For more information, go to www.regulations.gov, docket no. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2017-0005.
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said Tuesday that Sen. John McCains battle with a brain tumor might have factored in to his vote last month to sink a Senate Republican health care bill.

Johnson was asked in the interview about the U.S. Senate Republicans latest failure to repeal former President Barack Obamas health care law. That process has stalled after McCain, joining fellow Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska as no votes, cast a surprise vote last month to defeat a so-called skinny repeal bill.

Johnson, R-Oshkosh, and the remaining Senate Republicans voted for the bill.

Im not gonna speak for John McCain. He has a brain tumor right now; that vote occurred at 1:30 in the morning  so some of that might have factored in, Johnson said.

Really? the host responded. You really think that that played a factor in his judgment call?

I really thought John was going to vote yes to send that (bill) to conference at 10:30 that night, Johnson said. By about 1, 1:30, he voted no. So youd have to talk to John in terms of what was on his mind.

McCain, R-Ariz., announced last month that hes undergoing treatment for a brain tumor.

A McCain spokeswoman said Wednesday that it is bizarre and deeply unfortunate that Senator Johnson would question the judgment of a colleague and friend.

Sen. McCain has been very open and clear about the reasons for his vote, spokeswoman Julie Tarallo said.

McCain has said he voted no because the process that created the bill was flawed and partisan, and the measure doesnt do enough to replace the parts of Obamacare it would have repealed. He has urged members of both parties to begin working together on a health care bill.

After Johnsons remarks were widely reported Wednesday, he issued a statement saying Im disappointed I didnt more eloquently express my sympathy for what Sen. McCain is going through.

I have nothing but respect for him, and the vote came at the end of a long day for everyone, Johnson said.
Global Antibody Fragments Market Research Report 2017

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Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Antibody Fragments in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), covering North America Europe China Japan Southeast Asia IndiaGlobal Antibody Fragments market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including, Novartis F. Hoffmann-La Roche Johnson & Johnson Amgen Bristol-Myers Squibb AbbVie Takeda Pharmaceutical Sanofi Biogen Eli LillyGet Free PDF sample atOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into F(ab) Fragment F(ab)2 FragmentOn 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 Antibody Fragments for each application, including, Cancer Immunodeficiencies OtherList of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Antibody FragmentsFigure Global Antibody Fragments Production (K Pcs) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2012-2022)Figure Product Picture of F(ab) FragmentTable Major Manufacturers of F(ab) FragmentFigure Product Picture of F(ab)2 FragmentTable Manufacturers Antibody Fragments Manufacturing Base Distribution and Sales AreaTable Manufacturers Antibody Fragments Product CategoryFigure Antibody Fragments Market Share of Top 3 ManufacturersFigure Antibody Fragments Market Share of Top 5 ManufacturersRead entire Report atLife Science Market Research(LSMR) firm is specialized in market research , that helps companies in the field of life science to achieve growth and success by providing market intelligence.New York City Zone 01, United Stateshelp@24lifesciences.comInt'l: (+1) 646 781 7170UK(Toll free): +44 800 088 5734
Herbal Toothpaste Market Overview, Top Manufacturers, Industry Growth Analysis and Forecast to 2023

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Market Research Future Published a Half Cooked Research Report (HCRR) on the Global Herbal Toothpaste Market has been estimated to grow over 4.3 % till 2023Market OverviewToothpaste is a paste or a gel used to clean and uphold the health of teeth with the help of toothbrush. It is used to promote oral hygiene by helping in removal of food and dental plaque from the teeth, supports in subduing halitosis, and delivers ingredients such as fluoride to help avoid tooth decay and gum disease. Herbal Toothpaste comprises a formulation of well constituted herbs that ensure anti-bacterial and gum tightening properties and provide complete dental care. It contains natural taste of ingredients like neem, mint, basil, spice extract, meswak & others and help users in maintaining a fresh mouth for the whole day and also provide ideal protection against dental issues like pyorrhea, gum bleeding, cavity and sensitivity. Further, the herbal toothpastes are made of rare herbs that are safe to use and have great effect on oral health and hygiene.Competitive Analysis-The Major Key Players in Herbal Toothpaste Market areColgate-Palmolive Company (U.S.)Procter & Gamble (U.S.)Unilever (U.K.)GSK group of companies (U.K.)The Himalaya drug company (India)Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Europe)Dabur (India)The demand for herbal toothpaste has pushed manufacturers to innovate and develop new product line which are better in taste and offers various health benefits.Request a Sample Report @Market ForecastThe global herbal toothpaste market is anticipated to be driven by the increasing awareness of ingredients such as neem, mint, basil, spice extract, meswak and others. Adoption of chemical-free products by the consumers is considered to be one of the major drivers for this market. Increased awareness about the harmful effects of synthetic toothpaste for dental care has raised the bar for quality in the oral hygiene domain and in turn, the market share for herbal toothpaste on a global level. Mass market penetration is leading to introduction of new products and their retail across various regions. High focus on Research and Development has led to innovations and in the product line which has fueled up the market share of herbal toothpaste in global market. High benefits obtained from herbal products are also supporting the sale of herbal toothpaste globally. Among the various type of herbal, neem and mint are evaluated to hold a major share as wide range of products are available in this category attracting consumers towards the product line. Additionally, the advancement in product development coupled with the technological advancements is considered to be one of the significant reasons for the increasing growth of herbal toothpaste market during the review period of 2017-2023.Access the market data and market information presented through more than 60 market data tables and 25 figures spread over 110 numbers of pages of the project report Herbal Toothpaste Market - Forecast to 2023Downstream Market Analysis:Globalization and urbanization are major driving force for this market, furthermore popularity of oral health and usage of herbal ingredients are also encouraging the growth of the market. Because of rising demand of herbal products, is expected to play a significant role in the growth of herbal toothpaste market during the forecast period. Additionally, the advancement in product development coupled with the technological advancements is considered to be one of the significant reasons for the increasing growth of herbal toothpaste market during the review period of 2017-2023. Additionally, herbal toothpaste varieties are also expected to gain popularity due to oral health issues in the contemporary population owing to gum bleeding, cavity and sensitiveness.Regional AnalysisGlobal Herbal Toothpaste Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). Among these, Asia Pacific has the major market share followed by North-America. Increased production of herbal toothpaste in India, China is projected to generate a high revenue from Asia Pacific region during the given forecast period. Changing consumer preferences for natural and authentic products will support the sale of herbal toothpaste in various regions during the forecast period. Also, new flavors and various innovative products are introduced by key players which are playing a major role to upsurge the sales of herbal toothpaste in the recent time. However, Asia Pacific region is estimated to witness a maximum growth in the global herbal toothpaste market during the forecast period of 2017-2023.Access Report Details @Study objectives of Herbal Toothpaste Market:Deep dive study of the market segments and sub-segmentsTo estimate and forecast market size by ingredients type, certification type, application, distribution channel and regionTo analyze the key driving forces influencing the marketRegion level market analysis and market projections for North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (RoW) and their countriesValue Chain Analysis & Supply Chain AnalysisCompany profiling of major players in the marketCompetitive strategy analysis, mapping of key stakeholders in the marketAnalysis of historical market trends, and technologies, and current government regulatory requirementsMarket Segmentation-Global Herbal Toothpaste Market is segmented by Ingredient Type, Certification, Application, Distribution Channel and RegionAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.ContactAkash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
19th International Conference on Nanotechnology and Expo

With the successful journey of NANOTEK 2016 conferences in USA, ConferenceSeries Ltd planned to continue its Nanotechnology conference series saga in USA from 2017. On this auspicious occasion, ConferenceSeries Ltd inviting the participants from all over the globe to take part in the 19th International Conference on Nanotechnology and Expo at Atlanta, Georgia, USA during November 13-14, 2017.The theme of the conference highlights the interdisciplinary nature of Nanotechnology. Scientific Tracks designed for this conference will enable the attendees and participants to learn extremes.With the successful journey of NANOTEK 2016 conferences in USA, ConferenceSeries Ltd planned to continue its Nanotechnology conference series saga in USA from 2017. On this auspicious occasion, ConferenceSeries Ltd inviting the participants from all over the globe to take part in the 19th International Conference on Nanotechnology and Expo at Atlanta, Georgia, USA during November 13-14, 2017.The theme of the conference highlights the interdisciplinary nature of Nanotechnology. Scientific Tracks designed for this conference will enable the attendees and participants to learn extremes.Hilton Atlanta Airport 1031 Virginia Avenue N/A Atlanta,30354 Georgia, USA
Conductive Glue Market 2017 - LG Chemical, BASF SE, Alent PLC, Kyocera Chemical Corp

Conductive Glue Market

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https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/1791

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/conductive-glue-market-1791

Market Synopsis of Conductive Glue Market:The Global Conductive Glue Market has seen a potential growth over the past few years and as per MRFR analysis, the global market will achieve higher growth during the forecast year. The global market for conductive glue is majorly attributed towards growing electronic industry. Along with this, the increasing need of conductive glue in in the applications such as surface mount devices, wire-tacking, potting and encapsulation, conformal coating has also mounted the demand. Surface mounting devices contribution to the global market is quiet impressive and also making it a leading market in the application segment. On the other hand, the major challenges which could hamper the growth would be strict government regulations and fluctuating prices of raw materials. On the basis of geography, Asia-Pacific has accounted as the leading region in terms of value and volume. Chinas contribution to the regional as well as global market is very much appreciated. Addition to this Japan and South Korea has also played a major role in the growth of APAC market.Request Sample Research Report @Key Players for Conductive Glue Market:Some of the key players in this market are Henkel, 3M Company, Evonik Industries, Dow Corning, Mitsui Chemicals, LG Chemical, BASF SE, Alent PLC, Kyocera Chemical Corp, Indium Corporation and others.Study Objectives of Conductive Glue Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 6 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Conductive Glue Market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the Conductive Glue 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 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 segments by types, application and regions. To provide overview of key players and their strategic profiling in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global market.Request for Discount @Key Points from Table of Content:10. Company Profiles10.1 Henkel10.1.1 Overview10.1.2 Financials10.1.3 Product Portfolio10.1.4 Business Strategies10.1.5 Recent Development10.2 3M Company10.2.1 Overview10.2.2 Financials10.2.3 Product Portfolio10.2.4 Business Strategies10.2.5 Recent Development10.3 Evonik Industries10.3.1 Overview10.3.2 Financials10.3.3 Product Portfolio10.3.4 Business Strategies10.3.5 Recent Development10.4 Dow Corning10.4.1 Overview10.4.2 Financials10.4.3 Product Portfolio10.4.4 Business Strategies10.4.5 Recent Development10.5 Mitsui Chemicals10.5.1 Overview10.5.2 Financials10.5.3 Product Portfolio10.5.4 Business Strategies10.5.5 Recent DevelopmentInquire more about this Report @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics 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. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Hexagonal Boron Nitride Market 2017 - Denka Company ltd., Showa Denko K.K., Kennametal Inc.

Hexagonal Boron Nitride Market

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1811

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/1811

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/hexagonal-boron-nitride-market-1811

Market Synopsis of Hexagonal-Boron Nitride MarketThe key drivers contributing to the growth of Hexagonal-Boron Nitride Market are increasing demand from electronics & metallurgy industries. The increased awareness about environment safety has augmented the demand for such eco-friendly compound with superior lubrication. Boron Nitride is a chemical compound with a very high chemical and thermal stability which is used widely across applications such as personal care products, automotive, aerospace and electronics industries.Request Sample Research Report @Furthermore, the Hexagonal Boron Nitride Powder products are also extensively used in composites as replacement parts for areas in which high oxidation, longer life and much lower erosion rates are required in replacement parts such as vents, plates and stacks. This fuels the demand for such compound globally. However, Asia- Pacific region is the largest and the fastest growing market due to the high demand from the countries like Japan, China and India. The Global Hexagonal-Boron Nitride Market is projected to cross USD 825 Million, growing at a CAGR of 5.5% by the end of the forecasted period.Key Players:The key players of Global Hexagonal Boron Nitride Market include Dalian Jinma Boron Technology GroupInc., 3M Company, Denka Company ltd., Showa Denko K.K., Kennametal Inc., Momentive Performance Materials Inc., HC Starck GmbH, Mizushima Ferroalloy Co. Ltd., ZYP Coatings, and Henze Boron Nitride Products AG.Study Objectives of Hexagonal Boron Nitride Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 6 years of various segments and sub-segments of the Global Hexagonal Boron Nitride Market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the Global Hexagonal Boron Nitride Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, APAC, and Rest of the World (ROW). To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective. To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by application, end-use industries and regions. To provide strategic profiling of the key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Hexagonal Boron Nitride Market.Request for Discount @Key Points from Table of Content:10. Company Profiles10.1 Dalian Jinma Boron Technology Group Inc.10.1.1 Overview10.1.2 Financials10.1.3 Product Portfolio10.1.4 Business Strategies10.1.5 Recent Development10.2 3M Company10.2.1 Overview10.2.2 Financials10.2.3 Product Portfolio10.2.4 Business Strategies10.2.5 Recent Development10.3 Denka Company ltd10.3.1 Overview10.3.2 Financials10.3.3 Product Portfolio10.3.4 Business Strategies10.3.5 Recent Development10.4 Showa Denko K.K10.4.1 Overview10.4.2 Financials10.4.3 Product Portfolio10.4.4 Business Strategies10.4.5 Recent Development10.5 Kennametal Inc.10.5.1 Overview10.5.2 Financials10.5.3 Product Portfolio10.5.4 Business Strategies10.5.5 Recent DevelopmentInquire more about this Report @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics 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. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Succinic Acid Market 2017 - Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals, Lixing Chemicals, Nippon Shokubai

Succinic Acid Market

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1914

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/1914

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/succinic-acid-market-1914

Market Synopsis of Succinic Acid Market:The Global Succinic Market has witnessed a significant growth over the last decade and it has been analyzed that the global market will achieve the same growth during the forecast period. As per MRFR analysis, the Global Succinic Market is accounted to reach USD 750 million by 2022 with a CAGR of 29%. The major factors which are driving the global market are growing application segment, rising interest in green chemicals, shifting trends towards bio based succinic acid, increase use in pharmaceutical sector and succinic acid has replaced the use of adipic acid and others. Geographically, Europe has accounted the largest market share in 2015 and expected to lead the market during the forecast period. Followed by Asia-Pacific and North America.Request Sample Research Report @Key Players for Succinic Acid Market:Some of the key players in this market are BASF SE, Anhui Sunsing Chemicals Co. Ltd, Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals, Lixing Chemicals, Nippon Shokubai, Mitsubishi Chemical, Bioamber, Gadiv Petrochemical Industries Ltd., Succinity, Anqing Hexing Chemical Co. Ltd and among others.Study Objectives of Succinic Acid Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 6 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Succinic Acid Market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the succinic acid market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective. To provide country level analysis of the market for segments by product types, by end use applications and by regions. To provide overview of key players and their strategic profiling in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global market.Request for Discount @Key Points from Table of Content:10. Company Profiles10.1 BASF SE10.1.1 Overview10.1.2 Financials10.1.3 Product Portfolio10.1.4 Business Strategies10.1.5 Recent Development10.2 Anhui Sunsing Chemicals Co. Ltd10.2.1 Overview10.2.2 Financials10.2.3 Product Portfolio10.2.4 Business Strategies10.2.5 Recent Development10.3 Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals10.3.1 Overview10.3.2 Financials10.3.3 Product Portfolio10.3.4 Business Strategies10.3.5 Recent Development10.4 Lixing Chemicals10.4.1 Overview10.4.2 Financials10.4.3 Product Portfolio10.4.4 Business Strategies10.4.5 Recent Development10.5 Nippon Shokubai10.5.1 Overview10.5.2 Financials10.5.3 Product Portfolio10.5.4 Business Strategies10.5.5 Recent DevelopmentInquire more about this Report @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics 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. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Magnesium Oxide Market 2017 - Grecian Magnesite, Premier Magnesia LLC, Ube Industries Ltd.

Magnesium Oxide Market

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1983

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/1983

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/magnesium-oxide-market-1983

Market Synopsis of Magnesium Oxide Market:Globally, the Magnesium Oxide Market is growing at a CAGR of 2.10% during forecasted period (2016-2022). Magnesium Oxide is also known as magnesia, most magnesium industry manufactures products namely Magnesium Carbonate- Magnesium carbonate is utilized in various applications namely, fireproofing, fire extinguishing compositions, cosmetics and toothpaste. Magnesium Hydroxide- Magnesium Hydroxide is derived from natural (brucite), seawater and brine. It is mainly used in pharmaceuticals. Geographically, APAC (Asia-Pacific) is the fastest growing region, followed by North America and Europe.Request Sample Research Report @Key Players Global Magnesium Oxide Market:Key players in market includes RHI AG, Magnesita Refrat`rios., Magnezit Group, SMZ Jelsava, Martin Marietta Magnesia Specialties, Grecian Magnesite, Premier Magnesia LLC, Ube Industries Ltd., Israel Chemical Ltd, Imerys, and Qinghua Refractory Group.Study Objectives of Magnesium Oxide Market: To study detail of Global Magnesium Oxide Market by product type, by application and by region; in forecast 2022. To identify Magnesium Oxide Market dynamics by drivers, restrains, opportunities and challenges. To analyze various factors like Value Chain Analysis and Porters Five Forces Model. To provide historical and forecast revenue of market segment with respect to North America, Europe, APAC and RoW. 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 mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances, new product development of new Magnesium Oxide Market candidate.Request for Discount @Key Points from Table of Content:10. Company Profiles10.1 RHI AG10.1.1 Overview10.1.2 Financials10.1.3 Product Portfolio10.1.4 Business Strategies10.1.5 Recent Development10.2 Magnesita Refrat`rios10.2.1 Overview10.2.2 Financials10.2.3 Product Portfolio10.2.4 Business Strategies10.2.5 Recent Development10.3 Magnezit Group10.3.1 Overview10.3.2 Financials10.3.3 Product Portfolio10.3.4 Business Strategies10.3.5 Recent Development10.4 SMZ Jelsava10.4.1 Overview10.4.2 Financials10.4.3 Product Portfolio10.4.4 Business Strategies10.4.5 Recent Development10.5 Martin Marietta Magnesia Specialties10.5.1 Overview10.5.2 Financials10.5.3 Product Portfolio10.5.4 Business Strategies10.5.5 Recent DevelopmentInquire more about this Report @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics 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. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Variti International GmbH launched in Europe

New Cyber Security Vendor - Variti International GmbH

https://variti.com

Cloud Cyber Security provider appoints Christian Sauer as Operations Director EuropeLucerne, 8th August, 2017Variti International GmbH, a leading provider of innovative cloud-based cyber security solutions, has successfully launched its operations in Europe. To lead Varitis European expansion, Variti has appointed industry executive Christian Sauer as its Operations Director Europe. In addition to focusing on sales and business development, Mr. Sauer will lead efforts to build strategic partnerships with key ISPs and cloud service providers to deliver end-user programs.Variti International has developed a highly efficient cyber security solution using its innovative Active Bot ProtectionTM technology, a set of highly optimized algorithms that analyze and classify traffic in real-time. Variti detects and blocks malicious bots in real-time from the first request of a cyber attack. It continues to block the malicious bots while allowing the customers Internet resources to continue to be used by legitimate users. Unlike other vendors, Variti offers highly effective protection against DDoS attacks without impairing access to the customers Internet resources at all time."We have addressed the issue of DDoS attacks from a whole new perspective by placing the business processes of our customers at the forefront," said Christian Sauer. Each blocked user and every elapsed second of a blocked network leads to unacceptable productivity losses for a customer. It was therefore essential for us to remove the disadvantages of existing protection methods and to provide DDoS protection that not only blocks the attack but maintains network operation during a cyber attack from the very first malicious bot request.Variti's cloud service solutions ensure the availability of customer websites and Internet services and eliminate the daily risk of cyber attacks. Varitis Active Bot ProtectionTM technology is an innovative, real-time solution against all types of automated attacks on a global scale. Sauer added that "Internet resources are a precious asset and current protection solutions are not effective against intelligent threats because of the difficulty in detecting them."Variti International GmbH is headquartered in Lucerne, Switzerland. The company was founded in 2016 in Moscow by Vitaliy Zolotarev, a cyber-security expert, and Konstantin Kamenetsky, an IT industry executive.Variti International GmbHDenkmalstrasse 26006 Luzern - SchweizChristian SauerTel: +41 41 417 20 57Tel: +49 89 21541670Email: christian.sauer@variti.comInternet:
Automated scheduling system expedites the pathway to student success

Automated Scheduling System

https://www.creatrixcampus.com

Timetable scheduling system is an automated and dynamic system that creates and manages the learning and teaching activities for various courses, faculties, student groups and venues based on various parameters and constraints. Scheduling optimization algorithm ensures faculty and student groups are benefited.Once the schedule has been created for a class, instructors will be able to access and edit the schedule. Students will be able to dynamically schedule their class to mark their availability as well as to meet credit hours.Schedule Management System is fully automated. Just select the courses and teachers for each class within specific sessions and thats it. You can filter schedules based on course paper, room, faculty, session and topic. Group Scheduling can be automated for special classes based on certain criteria.Clash-free and conflict-free schedulingThe good thing is to avoid scheduling conflicts. If the instructors are busy with another course in another class while you are trying to assign them in a certain session, the system will automatically resolve the conflict and control scheduling.Scheduling beyond campusThe best part of course scheduling allows you to schedule classes remotely across different countries without time zone discrepancies.Intelligent schedulingWonder about time or resource constraints? Same, the system can intelligently check for hard or soft constraints to adjust and control scheduling freeing you from worrying about how to avoid messy schedule. Scheduling system can create a pattern based real time scheduling algorithm for different classes to organize your schedules in faster and more accurate manner. What's more auto-assign faculty based on preferred courses, modalities, and skill sets.For more information, please visit Creatrix Campus Higher Education ERP System.Creatrix Campus is a Higher Education Cloud Platform which integrates multiple systems in one solution.Creatrix Campus is a flagship product of Anubavam LLC, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas with branches across South Africa, UAE and India. With their innovative approach to education, Creatrix Campus platform helps small, medium and large sized colleges and higher education institutions to better align their core academic and administrative processes with technology, and help plan, implement, manage and maintain their IT infrastructure, leading to enhanced learning outcomes and ability to compete in today's market.Sriram S.Education Consultant7801 Broadway Ste 205Texas, United States.+1-210-877-2946
The leader of the Republican-controlled state Senate said Wednesday he isnt sure yet if his house has enough votes to pass a taxpayer-funded package that would give $3 billion worth of incentives to Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn.

Senate Republicans have been shut out of final negotiations on the legislation authored by Gov. Scott Walker that Assembly Republicans are pushing quickly through their house and plan to vote on next week, said Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, of Juneau.

I dont know where the votes would be on Foxconn but you know, its definitely a new wrinkle in the whole discussion thats been going on all summer not just with the governor but the other house, Fitzgerald told reporters after meeting with Walker on Wednesday.

Fitzgerald later told Milwaukee conservative radio talk show host Mark Belling that he has talked to Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling about securing Democratic votes for the Foxconn deal, but a spokeswoman for Shilling said Fitzgerald has not indicated to her that he does not have the votes or how many of his members do not plan to vote for the bill.

The bill provides $2.9 billion in refundable tax credits to Foxconn over 15 years, exempts the company from another $150 million in sales taxes on construction materials and equipment, and waives environmental regulations.

The company also is eligible for lower utility rates under the bill, which includes $250 million in bonding to expand and rebuild Interstate 94.

Foxconn Technology Group wants to build a 20-million-square-foot LCD panel manufacturing campus  its first in the U.S.  in Racine or Kenosha counties and has promised to hire 13,000 workers. Walker has proposed tying the tax credits to job creation.

Assembly lawmakers, who plan to take up the incentive package during a floor session on Aug. 17, are now making changes to that package but have not involved Senate Republicans in the amending process, Fitzgerald said.

Its not something were working together on right now, thats for sure, he said, adding that the bills passage absolutely could be delayed without the Senates participation now. It certainly creates a different process than otherwise were typically used to working (with), especially on a bill this size.

Fitzgerald also told Belling he is concerned that the amendments Assembly Republicans are working on could ultimately affect the terms of the contract with Foxconn.

A spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, did not respond to a request for comment, but in a tweet, Vos said his caucus is working WITH Gov Walker to improve the deal and get it to his desk!

Fitzgerald said the components of the bill need further vetting and the 2017-19 state budget, which is now more than a month late, needs to be passed before lawmakers should take up the massive incentive package.

We should be cautious. Thats what were doing right now is the due diligence to make sure this is a good deal for the state and a good deal for locals and ultimately creates this kind of high-tech campus that everyones hoping for, he said.

Budget remains undone

Fitzgerald also said he absolutely wants the 2017-19 state budget passed before moving on to the Foxconn legislation because of the $250 million in bonding to expand I-94 that is included in the bill.

Assembly Republicans have said they want the Foxconn bill to take priority.

If you take $250 million in transportation bonding and tie it up specific to that bill, it changes the dynamics of the entire transportation portion of the state budget, Fitzgerald said. Im not doing it just to do it. Its a necessity to try and get the state budget in a good place ... because that (bonding is) going to have an effect on projects throughout the state and could have an effect at the local level.

Fitzgerald said he has three days later this month blocked off for the budget-writing committee to meet and take action on the state budget. He said the two houses, which have been feuding all summer over transportation funding, are getting closer.

But I feel like Im kind of negotiating with myself at this point, Fitzgerald added.

According to an agreement Walker signed in July with Foxconn chairman Terry Gou, the Legislature must pass the Foxconn incentive package by Sept. 30 in order to secure the project.

Fitzgerald questioned that timeline, and said a recent legislative analysis showing it would take 25 years for the state to begin to recoup the money it plans to pay Foxconn in tax credits raises more questions. But he said he thinks the bill could be passed before then.

A big deal

Meanwhile, Walker on Wednesday was a guest on a number of conservative radio shows following Tuesdays release of the analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. He downplayed the projected 25-year timeline.

Weve known it all along, Walker told syndicated host Jerry Bader. We knew that this was a big deal. I mean, its 13,000 jobs.

Walker said that projected timeline is largely a result of the states tax credit for manufacturers and farm owners.

We knew it would take some time, mainly because not just for Foxconn but for anybody, big and small alike, years ago we wiped out almost all of the taxable liability on our states two largest industries  that being manufacturing and agriculture  and so from the state treasury standpoint, it takes awhile before the income tax is paid by employees equate to the amount of incentives out there, Walker said. But clearly the economic impact statewide is going to be far greater and far sooner than that.

But Fitzgerald on Wednesday described the 25-year payoff as striking and said he still needs to find an answer to whether the plan will be a good deal for taxpayers.

A lot of that is going to be based on viability and on how this happens over the next 15 to 25 years, he said. What is the payback going to be? And its difficult to really measure that right now. Everybody loves the idea that Wisconsin becomes the center of high-tech development, domestically in the U.S.  if that happens, its going to be, like they say, transformational.

Walker also said Wednesday a number of well-intentioned Democrats including Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, and Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, are working with Republicans to amend the legislation in response to issues that arose during a hearing on the bill last week.

A spokesman for Walker did not provide details about what the issues are, and a spokeswoman for Barca did not respond to a request for comment.

If people are really being honest, if they put aside their political partisan blinders on this, people realize this is one of those moments we just got to step up and do the right thing, Walker said. This is something well look back 15, 20, 25 years from now and say, This was one those transformational moments, this reset the paradigm for the state of Wisconsin, and Im just proud that Wisconsin is ready and in a position to take advantage of this.
Co-Founder of ezCater announced as Keynote Speaker at CWE's 2017 Women Business Leaders Conference

Stefania Mallett, Co-Founder and CEO of ezCater, will speak at the Center for Women & Enterprises 2017 Women Business Leaders Conference (WBLC) on October 20 in Framingham, MA. The WBLC is New Englands premier educational and networking event for women business leaders and supplier diversity professionals.EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION OPEN TILL SEPTEMBER 8!Early-bird ticket price - $175General admission after September 8 - $250This year's event will feature: 2 Keynote Speakers:o Afternoon Keynote Speaker: Stefania Mallett, Co-Founder & CEO, ezCater(morning keynote to be announced shortly) Expert speakers on a variety of educational and motivating topics related to Personal & Professional Growth and Building & Expanding Your Business Awards Luncheon Ample opportunities to network & make new connectionsFor ticket pricing, registering, & more info: www.cweonline.org/wblcThe Center for Women & Enterprise is a nationally known nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people start and grow their businesses. CWE has worked with more than 37,300 Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont entrepreneurs since 1995. CWE also operates the Veterans Business Outreach Center of New England (VBOC of NE) that focuses on assisting veterans, active duty service members and their families with starting and growing their business.Kate O'NeillCenter for Women & Enterprise24 School StreetSuite 700Boston, MA 02108
2017-2022 Global Website Builders Market Analysis by Players and Industry Size by Type and Application by Ethocle Reports

Ethocle Reports has published its latest Market Research Report on 2017-2022 Global Website Builders Market Analysis by Players and Industry Size by Type and Application. This report focuses on the Website Builders in Asia-Pacific market, especially in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, India and Australia. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, countries/Regions, type and application. Browse tables and figures for more information.Website builders are tools that typically allow the construction of websites without manual code editing.Click here for more information about this ReportScope of the Report:This report focuses on the Website Builders in Asia-Pacific market, especially in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, India and Australia. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, countries/Regions, type and application.Click here to get a Sample ReportMarket Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversWixWebYahooGodaddyWeeblyYolaeHostJimdoTappinnActivemobiIbuiltClick here to get Discounts on this Report {Hurry Offer valid for Limited Time}Market Segment by Countries, coveringChinaJapanKoreaTaiwanSoutheast AsiaIndiaAustraliaMarket Segment by Type, coversPC Website BuildersMobile Website BuildersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoPersonal WebsiteSchool or College WebsitesBusiness WebsiteOtherThere are 19 Chapters to deeply display the Asia-Pacific Website Builders market.Chapter 1, to describe Website Builders Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by countries, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the manufacturers of Website Builders, 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 Asia-Pacific market by countries, covering China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, India and Australia, with sales, price, revenue and market share of Website Builders, for each country, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Website Builders Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.4 Market Analysis by Countries1.5 Market Dynamics2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Wix2.2 Web2.3 Yahoo2.4 Godaddy2.5 Weebly3 Asia-Pacific Website Builders Market Competition, by Manufacturer3.1 Asia-Pacific Website Builders Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer (2016-2017)3.2 Asia-Pacific Website Builders Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer (2016-2017)3.3 Asia-Pacific Website Builders Price by Manufacturers (2016-2017)3.4 Market Concentration Rate3.5 Market Competition Trend4 Asia-Pacific Website Builders Market Analysis by Countries/Regions4.1 Asia-Pacific Website Builders Sales Market Share by Countries/Regions4.2 Asia-Pacific Website Builders Sales by Countries/Regions (2012-2017)4.3 Asia-Pacific Website Builders Revenue (Value) by Countries (2012-2017)5 Asia-Pacific Market Segmentation Website Builders by Type5.1 Asia-Pacific Website Builders Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 PC Website Builders Sales Growth and Price5.3 Mobile Website Builders Sales Growth and Price6 Asia-Pacific Market Segmentation Website Builders by Application6.1 Asia-Pacific Website Builders Sales Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.2 Personal Website Sales Growth (2012-2017)6.3 School or College Websites Sales Growth (2012-2017)6.4 Business Website Sales Growth (2012-2017)6.5 Other Sales Growth (2012-2017)7 China Website Builders Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers7.1 China Website Builders Revenue, Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)7.2 China Website Builders Sales and Market Share by Type7.3 China Website Builders Sales by Application (2012-2017)7.4 China Website Builders Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer7.5 China Website Builders Export and Import (2012-2017)8 Japan Website Builders Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers8.1 Japan Website Builders Revenue, Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)8.2 Japan Website Builders Sales and Market Share by Type8.3 Japan Website Builders Sales by Application (2012-2017)8.4 Japan Website Builders Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer8.5 Japan Website Builders Export and Import (2012-2017)9 Korea Website Builders Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers9.1 Korea Website Builders Revenue, Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)9.2 Korea Website Builders Sales and Market Share by Type9.3 Korea Website Builders Sales by Application (2012-2017)9.4 Korea Website Builders Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer9.5 Korea Website Builders Export and Import (2012-2017)10 Taiwan Website Builders Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers10.1 Taiwan Website Builders Revenue, Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)10.2 Taiwan Website Builders Sales and Market Share by Type10.3 Taiwan Website Builders Sales by Application (2012-2017)10.4 Taiwan Website Builders Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer10.5 Taiwan Website Builders Export and Import (2012-2017)11 Southeast Asia Website Builders Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers11.1 Southeast Asia Website Builders Revenue, Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)11.2 Southeast Asia Website Builders Sales and Market Share by Type11.3 Southeast Asia Website Builders Sales by Application (2012-2017)11.4 Southeast Asia Website Builders Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer11.5 Southeast Asia Website Builders Export and Import (2012-2017)12 India Website Builders Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers12.1 India Website Builders Revenue, Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)12.2 India Website Builders Sales and Market Share by Type12.3 India Website Builders Sales by Application (2012-2017)12.4 India Website Builders Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer12.5 India Website Builders Export and Import (2012-2017)13 Australia Website Builders Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers13.1 Australia Website Builders Revenue, Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)13.2 Australia Website Builders Sales and Market Share by Type13.3 Australia Website Builders Sales by Application (2012-2017)13.4 Australia Website Builders Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer13.5 Australia Website Builders Export and Import (2012-2017)14 Website Builders Market Forecast (2017-2022)14.1 Asia-Pacific Website Builders Sales, Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)14.2 Website Builders Market Forecast by Countries/Regions (2017-2022)14.3 Website Builders Market Forecast by Type (2017-2022)14.4 Website Builders Market Forecast by Application (2017-2022)15 Website Builders Manufacturing Cost Analysis15.1 Website Builders Key Raw Materials Analysis15.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure15.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Website Builders16 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers16.1 Website Builders Industrial Chain Analysis16.2 Upstream Raw Materials Sourcing16.3 Raw Materials Sources of Website Builders Major Manufacturers in 201616.4 Downstream Buyers17 Sales Channel, Distributors, Traders and Dealers17.1 Sales Channel17.2 Distributors, Traders and Dealers18 Research Findings and Conclusion19 Appendix19.1 Methodology19.2 Analyst Introduction19.3 Data Source List of Tables and FiguresEthocle reports is a part of Ethocle Research and Development Private Limited.We provide the best next gen market research reports, analysis and forecasting reports available, understanding the statistical surveying needs of the market.We at Ethocle appreciate the importance of market research data for your institution. Hence we have teamed up with the best research institutes and market specialists to bring to you the latest, most pervasive statistical research.We have at our disposal one of the most exhaustive, highly reliable database of market research reports. We undertake extreme precautions in screening the credentials of publishers and authors before taking in their submissions.We specialize in delivering latest trending research reports and are way ahead of our peers in delivering tailored reports to suit our customers needs.We believe in generating not one sized fit- reports but requirement driven customized ones that makes all our customers a regular on the website.Rex Villa, Sr. No-36, Mozeswadi, Vadgaonsheri. Pune-411014+91 20 6533 3231+1 302 261 5322info@ethoclereports.com
Loc Performance Products, Inc. Awarded Follow-on Bradley ECP1 Contract

http://www.locperformance.com

Michigan-based Loc Performance Products, Inc. (Loc) has been awarded a $417 million defense contract to restore lost mobility to the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command issued the contract as a follow-on effort to its $161 million dollar contract awarded in 2014. Together, they represent the Armys Bradley Fighting Vehicle Engineering Change Proposal One (ECP-1) production and fielding program. Loc began fielding in the summer of 2015 and continues today at a rate of 36 vehicles per month.The new contract award includes scope for fielding upgraded Bradley final drive systems, in addition to the suspension and track systems being upgraded under the original 2014 contract. It also includes scope for fielding at Army fort locations in Kuwait, Germany and South Korea in addition to numerous sites within the continental United States. The follow-on award adds 2,264 vehicles to the 1,080 vehicles from the original contract, bringing the total to 3,344 in the United States global Bradley fleet."This award validates Loc as the Best Value provider of suspension, driveline and track systems for combat tracked vehicles. The Army is driving hundreds of millions of dollars out of the system for upgrades like this through competition. Loc is well positioned to win and deliver on competitive solicitations like this Bradley ECP1 program," said Lou Burr, President, Loc Performance.Jason Atkinson, Loc's Chief Operating Officer said, "Loc has built its sound reputation through decades of winning business competitively and exceeding performance to contract, including business for commercial customers such as Caterpillar and General Electric where we compete on a global scale. Loc is able to support the warfighter through this ECP1 effort to obtain more capability at significantly lower prices. The funds freed up through Locs competitive cost structure allow reallocation of funds to other warfighter needs."Chad Darr, Locs Chief Program Officer said, "A key success factor for winning this award is Loc's pro-active management approach for executing its programs. This approach has allowed Loc to be at or ahead of schedule at all times, to accelerate when the Army requested it and to save the Army an additional $5,000 per vehicle by refurbishing removed suspension arms into their updated configuration."To learn more about Loc Performance Products, Inc., visitLoc Performance Products, Inc. provides full services for complex mechanical products, fabricated structures and systems that range from complete design services to prototype manufacturing, testing, production launch, full rate production and product service and sustainment. Loc provides quality products at affordable prices through a lean organizational structure and two Michigan based manufacturing facilities that span 580,000 square feet. The Plymouth facility serves as corporate headquarters and specializes in suspension, driveline and track systems and the Lansing facility specializes in fabrications and armor product solutions.PO Box 871346Canton, MI
Lake Michigan Credit Union announces acquisition of Encore Bank of Naples, Fla.

www.lmcu.org

www.EncoreBank.com

Lake Michigan Credit Union (LMCU), headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Encore Bank, headquartered in Naples, Fla. The combined entity will have approximately $5.6 billion in assets, over $9 billion in serviced mortgages, with ten branches in Florida and over 40 in Michigan."We are delighted that Encore Bank has agreed to join with Lake Michigan Credit Union, to help strengthen and expand our presence in the growing Southwest Florida region," said Sandy Jelinski, president and chief executive officer of LMCU. "We admire Encore's high-level of personalized service, focus on improving our communities, and the commitment they have to always doing what's best for their customers...it's the same model we live by every day. This is an exciting opportunity for both organizations, our collective customers, and our dedicated teams of bankers. Encore's six branches are a perfect fit for our four Florida branch locations...there is no overlap. Plus, Encore is a healthy, well-run bank with experienced staff that when joined with our staff will immediately make the combined team a key player in this market."We are excited to join the LMCU Team, said Tom Ray, CEO of Encore Bank, who will stay on as regional president of Lake Michigan Credit Union of Florida after the acquisition is completed. We are extremely proud of the relationships we have built at Encore Bank and I am convinced this partnership will significantly benefit our customers and the communities we serve. The agreement was approved by the Board of Directors of each company. The acquisition is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018, subject to all required regulatory requirements and approvals and the fulfillment of all customary closing conditions.LMCU was advised in this transaction by Mike Bell from Howard and Howard, as legal counsel, and Donnelly Penman and Partners, as financial advisor. Encore Bank was advised by Jack Greeley from Smith Mackinnon, as legal counsel, and the Hovde Group, as financial advisor.About Lake Michigan Credit Union:Founded in 1933, Lake Michigan Credit Union, a state chartered credit union, is the largest credit union in Michigan, and is one of the top performing credit unions in the country. With a staff of over 1,000, LMCU's assets exceed $5.2 billion, and mortgages serviced and portfolioed total over $9 billion. With over 360,000 members, LMCU has 42 branches, including four in Southwest Florida. LMCU members have access to over 55,000 AllPoint ATMs worldwide. LMCU provides a full-range of financial services, from high interest checking accounts (one named by Money magazine as the Best in America), to personal loans, mortgages, investments, and commercial banking. To find out more please visitAbout Encore Bank:Founded in 2010, Encore Bank is headquartered in Naples, Florida and operates as a community focused bank with local decision making. Encore has approximately $400 million in assets and operates six branches in Southwest Florida. Encores loan portfolio is balanced between consumer, commercial and commercial real estate and their client base consists of small and mid-sized businesses and their owners, professionals, real estate associations and retirees. To find out more please visitFor more information:Lake Michigan Credit UnionDon Bratt, Senior Vice President of Marketing(616)-242-9774 or email don.bratt@lmcu.orgEncore BankDharmesh Patel, Senior Vice President of Retail Banking(239)-437-7063 or email DPatel@EncoreBank.comConric PR & Marketing6216 Whiskey Creek Dr B, Fort Myers, FL 33919Josh Milton239-690-9840
Oil-Immersed Current Transformer Market Global Forecast 2017-2022: Dalian Beifang, Instrument Transformer Technologies

Oil-Immersed Current Transformer

http://bit.ly/2vhKExA

http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-oil-immersed-current-transformer-market-2017-demand-insights-key-players-segmentation-and-forecast-to-2022

http://bit.ly/2wpwV6z

Oil-Immersed Current Transformer Market Research 2017A market study  Global Oil-Immersed Current Transformer Market  examines the performance of the Oil-Immersed Current Transformer market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Oil-Immersed Current Transformer market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Oil-Immersed Current Transformer market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Oil-Immersed Current Transformer Market 2017 report includes Oil-Immersed Current Transformer market Revenue, market Share, Oil-Immersed Current Transformer industry volume, market Trends, Oil-Immersed Current Transformer Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Oil-Immersed Current Transformer Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Oil-Immersed Current Transformer Market 2017 :ArtecheKONCARPfiffnerEmekIndian TransformersInstrument Transformer TechnologiesDYHDalian BeifangXD GroupSieyuanTAIKAI INSTRUMENTFirstly, the report covers the top Oil-Immersed Current Transformer manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Oil-Immersed Current Transformer report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Oil-Immersed Current Transformer industry, Oil-Immersed Current Transformer industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Oil-Immersed Current Transformer Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Oil-Immersed Current Transformer 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 Oil-Immersed Current Transformer market revenue worldwide.Finally, Oil-Immersed Current Transformer market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.To Find Few More Related Report:Global Oil-Immersed Voltage Instrument Transformer Market 2017 :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
Smart Railways System Market Global Forecast 2017-2022: Alcatel-Lucent, ZTE, Indra Sistemas, Larsen & Toubro

Smart Railways System

http://bit.ly/2unsufh

http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-smart-railways-system-market-2017-demand-insights-key-players-segmentation-and-forecast-to-2022

Smart Railways System Market Research 2017A market study  Global Smart Railways System Market  examines the performance of the Smart Railways System market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Smart Railways System market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Smart Railways System market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Smart Railways System Market 2017 report includes Smart Railways System market Revenue, market Share, Smart Railways System industry volume, market Trends, Smart Railways System Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Smart Railways System Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Smart Railways System Market 2017 :AlstomBombardierCisco SystemGeneral ElectricHitachiIBMHuawei TechnologiesIndra SistemasSiemensAlcatel-LucentAnsaldo STSABB GroupCGI GroupComputer SciencesZTEDB InternationalKapsch CarrierComLarsen & ToubroMRX TechnologiesRad Data CommunicationsFirstly, the report covers the top Smart Railways System manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Smart Railways System report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Smart Railways System industry, Smart Railways System industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Smart Railways System Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Smart Railways System research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Smart Railways System market revenue worldwide.Finally, Smart Railways System 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
Polyether Sulphone Market Global Forecast 2017-2022: Wacker Chemie, Hexion, Solvay, Henkel, Huntsman

Polyether Sulphone

http://bit.ly/2vLyzlf

http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-polyether-sulphone-market-2017-demand-insights-key-players-segmentation-and-forecast-to-2022

Polyether Sulphone Market Research 2017A market study  Global Polyether Sulphone Market  examines the performance of the Polyether Sulphone market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Polyether Sulphone market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Polyether Sulphone market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Polyether Sulphone Market 2017 report includes Polyether Sulphone market Revenue, market Share, Polyether Sulphone industry volume, market Trends, Polyether Sulphone Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Polyether Sulphone Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Polyether Sulphone Market 2017 :SolvayHuntsmanDu PontHexionMitsui ChemicalsDICHenkelDow CorningWacker ChemieRoyal TencateBASFPolyether Sulphone Market : By ApplicationAdhesives & SealantsPaints & CoatingsCompositesPolyether Sulphone Market : By TypePharmaceutical GradeIndustrial GradeFirstly, the report covers the top Polyether Sulphone manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Polyether Sulphone report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Polyether Sulphone industry, Polyether Sulphone industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Polyether Sulphone Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Polyether Sulphone 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 Polyether Sulphone market revenue worldwide.Finally, Polyether Sulphone 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
ProSafe 2017: Think and act bigger with insights from Origin Energy, Incitec Pivot Limited, Department of Mines and Petroleum, BlueScope Steel, Toll Group, SafeWork NSW and Queensland Nitrates

MARCUS EVANS

The potential for danger at industrial processing facilities throughout the world is serious and ever-present. The adversities faced are expansive as panelist Bruce Latham, Corporate OHS Governance Manager of BlueScope concurs in a recent interview there seems to be a daunting array of obstacles and challenges placed by regulators, managers, legal, budgets, and personnel to overcome, some are steep, some are slippery and others just hard to grasp. The physical and mental resources to plan and execute a successful course of action is significant.marcus evans 9th annual ProSafe 2017 will include a combination of interactive global case studies, expert presentations, government spotlights, mini-workshops and regulatory think-tanks on topics such as leadership, human factors, fantasy plans, critical controls, risk management, technical and mechanical integrity, emergency response systems, safety design, incident investigations and operational excellence This conference will take place in The Langham Melbourne on 21st & 22nd August 2017.Steven Rigby General Manager, Asset Management and Development, Origin Energy and Debra Kirk Group Dangerous Goods, Hazardous Substances Manager Toll Group take on the official chairpersons role for this two day event. Some of the confirmed speakers include: Andrea Bionda EHS Leader, GE Power, Switzerland, Shan Ruprai Group Systems & Compliance Manager SEQR Colas Australia 2016 NSW SafeWork Award Winner  Best Individual Contribution to Workplace Health & Safety, Adrian Sandral HSE Manager, Australian Munitions, Thales Group, Wayne Richards General Manager, Group, Health Safety Environment and Quality Transdev Australasia, Scott Pelling Group, Process Safety and Assurance Manager and Andrew Cunningham Risk and Projects Manager, Incitec Pivot Limited, Melanee Reilly State Inspector  Process Safety (Major Hazard Facilities) SafeWork NSW and Jamie Ross Director Safety, Melbourne Metro Rail Authority.Fellow chairperson and panelist, Simon Ridge notes ProSafe 2017 allows for a wide range of speakers covering a diversity of subjects. It is crucial that you bring something back after these events and implement something you have learnt that you believe can materially improve safety at your facility. There is something here for everybody. Further to this, delegates can look forward to excellent networking opportunities with sponsors R4Risk, BROWZ, Teksal Controls, Brady Australia Pty Ltd, Sofis, Meercat RiskView, AMOG & CGE Risk Management Solutions and industry partner Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety on boardmarcus evans specialises in the research and development of strategic events for senior business executives. From our international network of 63 offices, marcus evans produces over 1000 event days a year on strategic issues in corporate finance, telecommunications, technology, health, transportation, capital markets, human resources and business improvement.Above all, marcus evans provides clients with business information and knowledge which enables them to sustain a valuable competitive advantage and makes a positive contribution to their success.Suite A-20-1, Level 20, Hampshire Place Office157 Hampshire, 1, Jalan Mayang Sari50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Impedance Analyzers Market Forecasts 2017 Keysight, Solartron, Hioki USA, Zurich Instruments

Impedance Analyzers

http://bit.ly/2foWLDF

http://bit.ly/2fp0vF9

Global Impedance Analyzers Market ResearchThe Global Impedance Analyzers Market 2017 Industry Research Report is a in-depth study and professional analysis on the current state of the Impedance Analyzers market.Firstly, Worldwide Impedance Analyzers Market report provides a basic overview of the Impedance Analyzers industry including classification, definitions, Key vendors, Growth Drivers, Competitive Landscape, Regional Analysis and Impedance Analyzers industry chain structure.Request For Sample Report:Major Companies covered in this Research Report are:-1. Keysight2. Solartron3. Hioki USA4. Zurich Instruments5. Blue I Water Technologies6. Sourcetronic7. Times Technology Company8. TrewMac Systems9. RJL...Global Impedance Analyzers Market analysis is provided for the international industry including company development history, Impedance Analyzers market competitive landscape, Regional analysis and major regions development status on industry Market scenario.Secondly, Impedance Analyzers Market report includes, development policies and plans are discussed, manufacturing processes and cost structures. This Impedance Analyzers Industry report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, Global Impedance Analyzers Market revenue and gross margin by regions (South East Asia, India, North America, Europe, Japan and China) and also other can be added.Browse Complete Report Here:Then, the report pay attention on worldwide major leading market players (in Impedance Analyzers industry area) with information such as Company Profile, Sales Volume, Price, Gross Margin and contact information. Global Impedance Analyzers Industry report also includes Upstream & downstream consumers analysis, raw materials.All above Company Profile, Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Revenue, Supply, Import, Export and Consumption covered in Impedance Analyzers industry report.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
Gadolinium Oxide Market Share 2017 China Minmetals Rare Earth, Longyi Heavy Rare-Earth

Gadolinium Oxide

http://bit.ly/2fonEI0

http://bit.ly/2viiFfJ

Global Gadolinium Oxide Market ResearchThe Global Gadolinium Oxide Market 2017 Industry Research Report is a in-depth study and professional analysis on the current state of the Gadolinium Oxide market.Firstly, Worldwide Gadolinium Oxide Market report provides a basic overview of the Gadolinium Oxide industry including classification, definitions, Key vendors, Growth Drivers, Competitive Landscape, Regional Analysis and Gadolinium Oxide industry chain structure.Request For Sample Report:Major Companies covered in this Research Report are:-1. China Minmetals Rare Earth2. Longyi Heavy Rare-Earth3. Ganzhou Rare Earth Mineral Industry4. Ganzhou Qiandong Rare Earth Group5. Chenguang Rare Earth6. Jiangyin Jiahua Advanced Material ResoucesGlobal Gadolinium Oxide Market analysis is provided for the international industry including company development history, Gadolinium Oxide market competitive landscape, Regional analysis and major regions development status on industry Market scenario.Secondly, Gadolinium Oxide Market report includes, development policies and plans are discussed, manufacturing processes and cost structures. This Gadolinium Oxide Industry report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, Global Gadolinium Oxide Market revenue and gross margin by regions (South East Asia, India, North America, Europe, Japan and China) and also other can be added.Do Inquiry Before Purchasing Report Here:Then, the report pay attention on worldwide major leading market players (in Gadolinium Oxide industry area) with information such as Company Profile, Sales Volume, Price, Gross Margin and contact information. Global Gadolinium Oxide Industry report also includes Upstream & downstream consumers analysis, raw materials.All above Company Profile, Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Revenue, Supply, Import, Export and Consumption covered in Gadolinium Oxide industry report.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
Universal Gasoline Carburetor Market Share 2017 Keihin Group, Walbro, Mikuni, Zama

Universal Gasoline Carburetor

http://bit.ly/2wDVw6Y

http://bit.ly/2wpzeq4

Global Universal Gasoline Carburetor Market ResearchThe Global Universal Gasoline Carburetor Market 2017 Industry Research Report is a in-depth study and professional analysis on the current state of the Universal Gasoline Carburetor market.Firstly, Worldwide Universal Gasoline Carburetor Market report provides a basic overview of the Universal Gasoline Carburetor industry including classification, definitions, Key vendors, Growth Drivers, Competitive Landscape, Regional Analysis and Universal Gasoline Carburetor industry chain structure.Request For Sample Report:Major Companies covered in this Research Report are:-1. Keihin Group2. Walbro3. Mikuni4. Zama5. Ruixing6. Holley7. Fuding Huayi8. Zhanjiang Deni9. Fuding Youli10. Huayang Industrial11. Zhejiang Ruili12. TK13. Kunfu Group14. DELLORTO15. Ruian Sunshine16. Bing Power17. Kinzo18. Wenzhou Zhongcheng19. Fujian FuDing JingKe20. Keruidi...Global Universal Gasoline Carburetor Market analysis is provided for the international industry including company development history, Universal Gasoline Carburetor market competitive landscape, Regional analysis and major regions development status on industry Market scenario.Secondly, Universal Gasoline Carburetor Market report includes, development policies and plans are discussed, manufacturing processes and cost structures. This Universal Gasoline Carburetor Industry report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, Global Universal Gasoline Carburetor Market revenue and gross margin by regions (South East Asia, India, North America, Europe, Japan and China) and also other can be added.Do Inquiry Before Purchasing Report Here:Then, the report pay attention on worldwide major leading market players (in Universal Gasoline Carburetor industry area) with information such as Company Profile, Sales Volume, Price, Gross Margin and contact information. Global Universal Gasoline Carburetor Industry report also includes Upstream & downstream consumers analysis, raw materials.All above Company Profile, Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Revenue, Supply, Import, Export and Consumption covered in Universal Gasoline Carburetor industry report.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 Breast Cancer Predictive Genetic Testing Market Ongoing Outlook 2022

https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-global-breast-cancer-predictive-genetic-testing-market-outlook-2022.php

For Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.com or +91-11-47067990Report Table of ContentsCancer Susceptibility Testing1.1 Prologue to Cancer Susceptibility1.2 Aspects of Cancer Susceptibility TestingBreast Cancer Susceptibility2.1 Conceptual of Breast Cancer Susceptibility2.2 Trail of the Inherited Susceptible GenesHereditary Breast Cancer Genes3.1 High Penetrant Genes3.1.1 Breast Cancer Gene1 (BRCA1)3.1.2 Breast Cancer Gene 2 (BRCA2)3.1.3 TP533.1.4 PTEN3.1.5 STK11 and CDH13.2 Intermediate Penetrant Genes3.2.1 CHEK23.2.2 PALB23.2.3 ATM3.2.4 Other Genes3.3 Low Penetrant GenesBreast Cancer Susceptible Syndromes4.1 Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer4.2 Cowden Syndrome4.3 Li-Fraumeni Syndrome4.4 Peutz-Jeghers SyndromeCancer Susceptibility Testing Essentials5.1 Prerequisites towards Cancer Susceptibility5.2 Sequential Stages in TestingGenetic Cancer Susceptibility Testing6.1 Risk Assessment6.2 Genetic Counseling6.3 Genetic Testing6.4 Post-Test CounselingManagement of Hereditary Risk7.1 Surveillance7.2 Chemoprevention7.3 Bilateral Prophylactic MastectomyEconomical, Ethical and Social Aspects8.1 Economic Aspects of Cancer Susceptibility Testing8.2 Ethical Aspects of Cancer Susceptibility Testing8.3 Social Aspects of Cancer Susceptibility TestingGlobal Prevalence of Breast Cancer9.1 Breast Cancer Incidences9.2 Germline Breast Cancer EthnicityPrevalence over Geographic Regions10.1 Prevalence in Developed Regions10.1.1 US10.1.2 Europe10.1.3 Canada10.1.4 Japan10.2 Prevalence in Developing Regions10.2.1 China10.2.2 India10.2.3 AfricaPreface of Monetary Prospects11.1 Cost of Breast Cancer Susceptibility Testing11.2 Insurance Affairs for Breast Cancer Susceptibility TestingAspects of Cancer Susceptibility Market12.1 Breast Cancer Susceptibility Market Overview12.2 Direct To Consumer MarketGlobal Breast Cancer Predictive Genetic Testing Market Dynamics13.1 Accelerative Parameters13.2 ChallengesGlobal Breast Cancer Predictive Genetic Testing Market Future AspectsCompetitive Landscape15.1 Cancer Genetics15.2 Invitae15.3 Iverson Genetics15.4 Myriad Genetics15.5 NeoGenomics15.6 Oncocyte15.7 PerkinElmer15.8 Quest Diagnostics15.9 Roche15.10 Thermo Fisher ScientificFigure 1-1: Layout of Traditional and Advanced Cancer Susceptibility TestingFigure 2-1: Demonstration of the Potentials Aspects of the Cancer Susceptibility TestingFigure 3-1: Common Genetic Variants of Breast Cancer Susceptible GenesFigure 3-2: Percentage of BRCA1 Gene Mutations and Other Genes for Breast CancerFigure 3-3: Breast Cancer Risk by Carriers and Non-Carriers with Growing AgeFigure 3-4: Representation of Gene Specific Lifetime Breast Cancer RisksFigure 3-5: Percentage of Risk Factors of Breast Cancer and Variability of Penetrance GenesFigure 4-1: Percentage Share of the Causes of Breast Cancer Risk AssessmentFigure 4-2: Number of Genes Associated With Hereditary Breast Cancer SyndromeFigure 4-3: The Cumulative Lifetime Risk to Age 70 Years for Breast or Ovarian CancerFigure 4-4: Li-Fraumani Syndrome Age Related Risk Patterns for Cancer DevelopmentFigure 5-1: Advantages of Genetic Cancer Susceptibility TestsFigure 5-2: The Criteria of Target Population for Genetic Testing of Breast CancerFigure 5-3: Representation of the Sequential Stages in the Cancer Susceptibility TestingFigure 6-1: The Concept of Breast Cancer Risk Assessment and ManagementFigure 6-2: The Outline of Genetic Test for Breast Cancer SusceptibilityFigure 6-3: Interpretation of Possible Outcomes after Cancer Genetic TestingFigure 7-1: Management Strategies of Hereditary Risk of Breast CancerFigure 7-2: Percentage of Cancer Risk Reductions via Varied Management StrategiesFigure 8-1: Proportion of Cost Effectiveness Ratios in Predictive Genetic TestFigure 8-2: Ethical Issues of Breast Cancer Susceptibility TestingFigure 9-1: Global - Demonstration of Incidence and Mortality Rate of Breast CancerFigure 9-2: Global - Comparative Percentage of Risk of Developing Breast Cancer in WomenFigure 9-3: US - Prevalence of BRCA Mutation Percentage among White PopulationFigure 9-4: UK - Prevalence of BRCA Mutations Percentage among White PopulationFigure 9-5: Prevalence of Mutations in Ashkenazi Jewish IndividualsFigure 10-1: US - Rates of Incidence and Mortality Breast Cancer in US as per 100,000Figure 10-2: US- Prevalence of BRCA1 Mutations Percentage over the Base of EthnicityFigure 10-3: Europe - Percentage of Incidence and Mortality of Breast CancerFigure 10-4: UK - Rate of Breast Cancer Incidence Related to Age, 2014Figure 10-5: Europe - Percentage of BRCA1 Mutation in High Risk FamiliesFigure 10-6: Canada - Percentage of All New Cancer Cases and Breast Cancer Cases, 2016Figure 10-7: Canada - Percentage of New Breast Cancer Diagnosed in Canadian Women by Age Group, 2016Figure 10-8: Japan - Incidence Rates of Breast Cancer as per 100,000Figure 10-9: China - Incidence and Mortality Rates in Chinese Population, 2015Figure 10-10: India - Percentage of Increasing Incidence of Breast Cancer in Younger Age GroupsFigure 10-11: Central Africa - Age Adjusted Incidence and Death Rates for Breast CancerFigure 11-1: US - Cost of Breast Cancer Susceptibility Testing (US$)Figure 11-2: UK - Cost of Breast Cancer Susceptibility Testing (US$)Figure 11-3: Canada - Cost Range of Breast Cancer Susceptibility Testing (US$)Figure 11-4: Japan - Cost Range of Breast Cancer Susceptibility Testing (US$)Figure 11-5: Australia and New Zealand - Cost of Breast Cancer Susceptibility Testing (US$)Figure 11-6: China - Cost of Breast Cancer Susceptibility Testing in China (US$)Figure 11-7: India - Cost of Breast Cancer Susceptibility Testing (US$)Figure 11-8: Singapore - Cost of BRCA Testing and MastectomyFigure 12-1: Myriads - Market Sales for BRCA Testing (US$ Millions)Figure 12-2: Criticism for the BRCA Testing Genes Patented by Myriad GeneticsFigure 12-3: The Cost Comparison of Myriads BRCA Testing and Other Competitors (US$)Figure 12-4: Price Difference between Healthcare BRCA Testing and Direct to Consumer TestFigure 12-5: Global andndash; BRCA Susceptibility Testing Market Opportunity (US$ Million), 2017-2022Figure 12-6: US andndash; BRCA Susceptibility Testing Market Opportunity (US$ Million), 2017-2022Figure 12-7: Europe andndash; BRCA Susceptibility Testing Market Opportunity (US$ Million), 2017-2022Figure 12-8: Asia andndash; BRCA Susceptibility Testing Market Opportunity (US$ Million), 2017-2022Figure 13-1: Global - Major Parameters of Growth in Breast Cancer Susceptibility TestingFigure 13-2: Global - Major Challenges of Breast Cancer Susceptibility MarketTable 4-1: High Penetrance Mutation Variants Corresponding to Breast Cancer SyndromesTable 7-1: Schedule of Surveillance of Breast Cancer According To AgeDownload Report:Kuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Kuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.
US Anti-diabetics Drug Market and Ongoing Outlook 2022

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For Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.com or +91-11-47067990Report Table of ContentsAntidiabetics: Regimen for Diabetes Mellitus1.1 Prologue Towards Diabetes1.2 Preface to AntidiabeticsAntiquity of Managing Diabetes Mellitus2.1 Trajectory from Diabetes to Insulin2.2 Historical En Route towards Oral Diabetic MedicationTreatments Available for Diabetes Mellitus3.1 Non-Pharmacological Approaches for Diabetes Mellitus3.2 Pharmacological Approaches for Diabetes MellitusCataloguing of Antidiabetic Agents4.1 Antidiabetic: Oral Agents4.1.1 Biguanides4.1.2 Thiazolidinediones (TZDs)4.1.3 Sulfonylureas4.1.4 Meglitinides4.1.5 andalpha;- Glucosidase Inhibitors4.1.6 Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor4.1.7 Bile Acid Sequestrants (BAS)4.1.8 Dopamine Agonist-2Antidiabetic: Injectable Drugs5.1 Insulin: A life saving Modality5.2 Non-Insulin Alternatives for Diabetes MellitusUS Diabetes Epidemiology6.1 Prevalence of Type 1 and 2 Diabetes6.2 Economic Burden Associated with Type 1 and 2 Diabetes: Productivity Loss and Medical BillsUS Antidiabetics Market Overview7.1 Antidiabetic Injectable Market Trends in US7.2 Antidiabetic Oral Drugs Market Trends in US7.3 Commending Trends of AntidiabeticsUS: Key Marketed Antidiabetic Drugs8.1 Insulin Degludec (Tresiba)- Injection8.2 Insulin Lispro - Injection8.3 Insulin Inhalation(Afrezza) - Inhalation8.4 Insulin Glargine (Toujeo) - Injection8.5 Insulin Glulisine (Apidra) - Injection8.6 Insulin Aspart (NovoLog) - Injection8.7 Insulin Detemir (Levemir FlexTouch) - Injection8.8 Insulin Glargine (Lantus) - Injection8.9 Insulin Aspart/Insulin Protamine Aspart (NovoLog) - InjectionUS Biosimilar Insulin Market: Glargine Basaglar andndash; The First Biosimilar Insulin9.1 First Insulin Biosimilar9.2 Impact of Basaglar LaunchUS Antidiabetics Drug Market Dynamics10.1 Accelerative Parameters10.2 Major ChallengesUS Antidiabetics Drug Market Future ProspectsCompetitive Landscape12.1 AstraZeneca12.2 Bayer12.3 Boehringer Ingelheim12.4 Eli-Lilly12.5 Johnson and Johnson12.6 Merck12.7 Novartis12.8 Novo Nordisk12.9 Sanofi12.10 TakedaFigure 1-1: Illustration of the Categories of Diabetes MellitusFigure 1-2: Percentage of Different types of Antidiabetics UsedFigure 2-1: Historical Pathway of oral Diabetic MedicationFigure 3-1: Control of Glucose Uptake during Muscle WorkingFigure 4-1: Categorization of Oral Antidiabetics Approved in USFigure 4-2: Chemical Structure of Metformin, Phenformin and BuforminFigure 4-3: Illustration of the Sub-Categories of SulfonylureasFigure 5-1: Mechanism of Insulin in Regulation of Blood Glucose LevelsFigure 5-2: Differences between Diabetes Mellitus 1 and 2 over InsulinFigure 5-3: Structure of Differentiation of Peptidic Insulin AnalogsFigure 5-4: Demonstration of Action Profiles of Insulin AnalogueFigure 5-5: Activity Profiles of Different Types of InsulinFigure 5-6: Difference between Lantus and LevemirFigure 6-1: US: Number of Type 1 Diabetes Incidence (Million), 2016 and 2022Figure 6-2: US: Number of Type 2 Diabetes Incidence (Million), 2014 - 2022Figure 6-3: US: Type 1 Diabetes Prevalence Rate (%), 2016 and 2022Figure 6-4: US: Type 2 Diabetes Prevalence Rate (%), 2014 - 2022Figure 6-5: US: Diabetes Prevalence Rate among Adults Aged 18+ (%), 2010 - 2016Figure 6-6: US: Obesity Rate Among Adults Aged 18+ (%), 2010 - 2016Figure 6-7: US: Percentage of Adults with Obesity by State (%), 2015Figure 6-8: Illustration of Total Cost of Diabetes ExpenditureFigure 6-9: Annual Average Cost Of Diabetes per Person in USFigure 6-10: US: Productivity Loss Due To Type 1 Diabetes (US$ Billion), 2014 - 2022Figure 6-11: US: Productivity Loss Due To Type 2 Diabetes (US$ Billion), 2014 - 2022Figure 6-12: US: Medical Cost for Type 1 Diabetes (US$ Billion), 2014-2022Figure 6-13: US: Medical Cost for Type 2 Diabetes (US$ Billion), 2014-2022Figure 7-1: Overview of Diabetic Drug Market SegmentationFigure 7-2: US: Antidiabetics Drug Market (US$ Billion), 2014 - 2022Figure 7-3: US: Share of Antidiabetics Drug Market in Total Drug Market Spending (US$ Billion), 2016Figure 7-4: US - Percentage of Most Common Class of Antidiabetics DrugsFigure 7-5: US andndash; Percentage of Generally Prescribed Anti-Diabetic Drugs (%)Figure 8-1: US - Insulin Degludec (Tresiba) Injection Sales (US$ Million), 2016-2022Figure 8-2: US -Insulin Lispro Injection Sales (US$ Million), 2016-2022Figure 8-3: US - Insulin Glargine (Toujeo) Injection Sales (US$ Million), 2016-2022Figure 8-4: US - Insulin Glulisine (Apidra) Injection Sales (US$ Million), 2016-2022Figure 8-5: US - Insulin Detemir (Levemir FlexTouch) Injection Sales (US$ Million), 2016-2022Figure 9-1: Comparison of Price of Insulin Lantus and BasaglarFigure 10-2: Estimated Insulin Basaglar Sales in DiabetesFigure 10-1: Major Accelerative Parameters for Antidiabetic Market in USFigure 10-2: Estimated Impact of Increasing Trend in Obesity by 2020Figure 10-3: Estimated Increase in Total Number with Diagnosed Diabetes till 2050Figure 10-4: Major challenges in Antidiabetics MarketFigure 10-5: Important Challenges with the Use of InsulinFigure 11-1: US: Share of Antidiabetics Drug Market in Total Drug Market Spending (US$ Billion), 2022Figure 11-2: Illustration of Antidiabetic Drugs Under DevelopmentDownload Report:Kuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.comKuicK ResearchAvanta Business Center 4th Floor,Statesman House Barakhamba Road,Connaught Place New Delhi  110 001, India+91-11-47067990
Nigeria Renewable Energy Policy Handbook Market by Manufacturers, Production and Research Report Forecast to 2017

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SummaryWiseGuyReports published new report, titled Nigeria Renewable Energy Policy Handbook."Nigeria Renewable Energy Policy Handbook 2017 is among the latest country specific policy reports.the industry analysis specialist that offers comprehensive information on major policies governing renewable energy market in the country.The report provides the current and future renewable energy targets and plans along with the present policy framework, giving a fair idea of overall growth potential of the renewable energy industry. The report also provides major technology specific policies and incentives provided in the country.The report is built using data and information sourced from industry associations, government websites and statutory bodies. The information is also sourced through other secondary research sources such as industry and trade magazines.GET SAMPLE REPORT @Scope- The report covers policy measures and incentives used by Nigeria to promote renewable energy.- The report details promotional measures in Nigeria both for the overall renewable energy industry and for specific renewable energy technologies that have potential in the country.Key points to buyThe report will enhance your decision making capability in a more rapid and time sensitive manner. It will allow you to -- Develop business strategies with the help of specific insights about policy decisions being taken for different renewable energy sources.- Identify opportunities and challenges in exploiting various renewable technologies.- Compare the level of support provided to different renewable energy technologies in Nigeria.- Be ahead of competition by keeping yourself abreast of all the latest policy changes.Table of Contents1 Table of Contents 21.1 List of Tables 32 Introduction 42.1 Renewable Energy Policy 42.2 Global Data Report Guidance 43 Renewable Energy Policy, Nigeria 53.1 Overview 53.2 National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy 53.3 Renewable Energy Master Plan 53.4 Multi-Year Tariff Order 2 63.5 Feed-in Tariff 63.6 Biofuels Blending Mandate 7..CONTINUEDFOR ANY QUERY, CONTACT US @For accessing accurate and deep understanding and to gain latest insights and key developments in the area of your interest, we also have a list of conferences in which you will be interested in, for more information, cordially checkFor updating knowledge or for thoroughly understanding various terminologies, we also have vast list of seminars for your reference, for more information cordially checkWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, Venezuela
Global Radio-pharmaceuticals Market Ongoing Outlook 2020

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For Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.com or +91-11-47067990Report Table of Contents1. Global Radiopharmaceutical Market Overview1.1 Current Market Scenario1.2 Diagnostic & Therapeutic Radiopharmaceuticals1.3 Global Radiopharmaceticals Clinical Pipeline Overview2. Global Radiopharmaceuticals Market Dynamics3. Radioisotopes Used in Radiopharmaceuticals4. EMA Guidelines for Radiopharmaceuticals4.1 Physico-Chemical, Biological or Microbiological Tests of Medicinal Products4.2 Toxicological & Pharmacological Tests4.3 Clinical Documentation4.4 Radiation Dosimetry4.5 Labelling & Packaging5. FDA Guidelines for Radiopharmaceuticals5.1 Clinical Indication5.2 General Considerations for Safety Assessments5.3 Clinical Evaluation of Medical Imaging Agents6. Canada Guidelines for Radiopharmaceuticals6.1 Use of Positron Emitting Radiopharmaceuticals (PERs) in Basic Research6.2 Use of Positron Emitting Radiopharmaceuticals in Basic Research involving Humans6.3 Stability Testing of Existing Drug Substances and Products6.4 Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for Positron Emitting Radiopharmaceuticals (PERs)7. Global Radiopharmaceuticals Clinical Pipeline Insight by Company, Indication & Phase7.1 Unknown7.2 Research7.3 Preclinical7.4 Phase-07.5 Phase-I7.6 Phase-I/II7.7 Phase-II7.8 Phase-II/III7.9 Phase-III7.10 Preregistration8. Marketed Radiopharmaceuticals Clinical Insight by Indication8.1 Florbetapir F 18 (Amyvid)8.2 Iobenguane I-123 (AdreView)8.3 Ibritumomab Tiuxetan (Zevalin & Zevamab)8.4 Radium-223 Chloride (Alpharadin & Xofigo)8.5 Tc 99m Tilmanocept (Lymphoseek)8.6 Florbetaben F18 (NeuraCeq)8.7 Capromab (ProstaScint)8.8 Pentetreotide (Oktreotid & 111In)8.9 Iodine I 131 Derlotuximab Biotin (Cotara)8.10 Tc 99m Besilesomab (Scintimun)8.11 Samarium 153 lexidronam (Quadramet)8.12 Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid Injection8.13 Tc 99m Apcitide (AcuTect)8.14 DW 166HC (Milican)8.15 Tc 99m Sulesomab (LeukoScan)8.16 Satumomab (OncoScint CR/OV)8.17 Pentetreotide (OctreoScan & SomatoTher)8.18 Tc 99m ior cea18.19 Tc 99m Nofetumomab Merpentan (VerLuma)9. Discontinued & Suspended Radiopharmaceuticals by Indication & Phase9.1 No Development Reported9.2 Discontinued9.3 Market Withdrawal9.4 Suspended10. Competitive Landscape10.1 Avid Radiopharmaceuticals10.2 Actinium Pharmaceuticals10.3 AREVA Med10.4 Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals10.5 Cardinal Health10.6 Immunomedics10.7 Lantheus Medical Imaging10.8 Merck10.9 Navidea10.10 Nordion10.11 Lantheus Medical Imaging10.12 GE Healthcare10.13 Ion Beam Applications10.14 PETNET Solutions (Siemens Healthcare Global)Figure 1-1: Global Radiopharmaceuticals Market (US$ Billion), 2014-2020Figure 1-2: Global Radiopharmaceuticals Market by Region (%), 2014 & 2020Figure 1-3: Global Radiopharmaceuticals Market by Region (US$ Billion), 2014 - 2020Figure 1-4: Target Patient Base for Radiopharmaceuticals (Million), 2014-2020Figure 1-5: Target Patient Base for Radiopharmaceuticals by Region (%), 2014 & 2020Figure 1-6: Target Patient Base for Radiopharmaceuticals by Region (Million), 2014 - 2020Figure 1-7: Global Radiopharmceutical Pipeline by Phase (%), 2016Figure 1-8: Global Radiopharmceutical Pipeline by Phase (Numbers), 2016Figure 1-9: Suspended & Discontinued Radiopharmceutical Pipeline (%), 2016Figure 1-10: Suspended & Discontinued Radiopharmceutical Pipeline (Number), 2016Figure 8-1: Lantheus Medical Imaging Product PipelineTable 1-1: Calcium-47 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-2: Carbon-11 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-3: Carbon-14 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-4: Chromium-51 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-5: Cobalt-57 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-6: Cobalt-58 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-7: Erbium-169 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-8: Fluorine-18 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-9: Gallium-67 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-10: Gallium-68 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-11: Hydrogen-3 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-12: Indium-111 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-13: Iodine-123 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-14: Iodine-125 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-15: Iodine-131 Diagnostic Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-16: Iodine-131 Therapeutic Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-17: Iron-59 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-18: Krypton-81m Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-19: Nitrogen-13 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-20: Oxygen-15 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-21: Phosphorus-32 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-22: Radium-223 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-23: Rubidium-82 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-24: Samarium-153 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-25: Selenium-75 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-26: Sodium-22 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-27: Sodium-24 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-28: Strontium-89 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-29: Technetium-99m Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-30: Thallium-201 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-31: Xenon-133 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugTable 1-32: Yttrium-90 Investigation Properties as Radiopharmaceuticals DrugDownload Report:Kuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.comKuicK ResearchAvanta Business Center 4th Floor,Statesman House Barakhamba Road,Connaught Place New Delhi  110 001, India+91-11-47067990
Germany Consumer Payments Market Revenue, Price and Gross Margin Research Report 2017

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SUMMARYWiseGuyReports published new report, titled Consumer Payments Country Snapshot: Germany."Consumer Payments Country Snapshot: Germany 2016" report examines the consumer payments market in Germany, considering payment cards, online payments, P2P payments, and newer payment technologies such as mobile wallets and contactless. This report also examines the main regulatory players in the German market.Despite a strong economy and high levels of financial inclusion, German consumers favor cash for the majority of their day-to-day spending. Payment cards are used sparingly at the point of sale (POS), and the German POS network is among the least developed in Europe. German consumers consider cash to still be the best available option due to a combination of ingrained consumer habits and the German cultural preference for spending within ones means. As a result, alternative payment methods are sharply limited in both usage and consumer interest.GET SAMPLE REPORT @Specifically the report - Analyzes consumer attitudes to financial services by life stage.- Analyzes the major payment card types in terms of both card holding and usage.- Identifies the major competitors in card issuing and how their position in the market has changed over the last five years.- Considers consumer attitudes towards P2P tools, mobile payment tools, and contactless cards, and how companies in Germany are deploying these tools to meet customer needs.- Explores the online payment market in Germany by merchant type and payment tool, as well as providing a five-year forecast for the development of the market.Scope- Less than 10% of German consumers held a revolving credit card in 2015, and of those 80% paid off their balances in full each month.- German consumers preference for privacy have led them to favor online payment tools that allow them to pay without revealing their account information, meaning PayPal and Sofort are both popular.- German consumers preference for cash is not tied to the convenience of its use - Germans prefer the anonymity, certainty, and above all control over personal spending afforded by cash.Key points to buy- Understand the key facts and figures in the consumer payments market in Germany.- Learn what trends drive consumer behavior at the macro level and plan your strategy accordingly.- Find out what products the major competitors are launching in the market.- Discover consumer sentiments towards various payment tools in the German market and use this knowledge to inform product design.Table of ContentsMegatrendsProximity PaymentsRemote PaymentsPayments Infrastructure & RegulationAppendixFor accessing accurate and deep understanding and to gain latest insights and key developments in the area of your interest, we also have a list of conferences in which you will be interested in, for more information, cordially checkFor updating knowledge or for thoroughly understanding various terminologies, we also have vast list of seminars for your reference, for more information cordially checkWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Microplate Readers Market is Growing Significantly Owing to High Prevalence of Diseases

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Microplate readers are also known as plate readers or microplate photometers. This instrument is used to detect biological, physical, and chemical events of samples in microtiter plates. Microplate technologies are flexible, configurable, reliable, and ubiquitous in structure. The system handles the routine upgradeable design which creates new assay possibilities. Its unique technology and software features ensure better functional ability, and also increase the productivity of the lab in near future. There are many types of microplates, which depends on density of wells structure, color, material of plastic and various coatings. However, new developments in medical devices allow to detect the diseases or infection at the cellular and molecular level, paving the way for early diagnosis and treatment of diseases.Obtain Report Details @High prevalence of diseases such as influenza, rising patient awareness, growing research and development initiatives, advent of high-throughput screening (HTS) for drug discovery, and genomic technology are important driving factors for the growth of the microplate readers market. According to the World Health Organization, India and Bangladesh have been detected with high proportion of influenza A (H1N1). In southern China, 1,074 specimens were tested positive for influenza in April 2012. In 2012, there were 119 influenza-associated SARI cases reported between January 13 and April 18, out of which 58% of cases was known to be fatal. In 2015, the WHO stated that the number of new cancer cases is expected to rise by about 70% over the next two decades. Growth in technologies such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing, which rely on sensitive biologic fluorescent imaging reagents, is projected to fuel the growth of the overall microplate readers market. However, factors such as high cost of reagents, label-free technologies, and sensitivity towards storage conditions are expected to hamper the growth of the global microplate readers market.The global microplate readers market has been segmented on the basis of product, technology, application, end-user, and region. In terms of product, the market is classified into single mode reader, absorbance reader, fluorescence reader, and multimode reader. In terms of technology, the market is classified into nanotechnology, biologic targeting, microfluidics, supramolecular chemistry, protein engineering, and others. In terms of application, the market is classified into oncology, biotechnology, neurology, and others. Biotechnology is a fast growing segment owing to increasing funds in research and technology globally. In terms of end-user, the market is classified into diagnostic laboratories, pathology labs, life sciences and research lab, and others.Make an Enquiry @In terms of region, the market is distributed over North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Geographically, North America dominates the global microplate readers market due to increase in funding for the development of research and health care infrastructure. Growing incidence of epidemic diseases and early phase diagnosis and treatment of diseases are driving the medical biotechnology segment, which in turn is expected to boost the growth of the market for microplate readers in North America. Europe is the second largest market for microplate readers as there are favorable government policies regarding the development of health care infrastructure and molecular device companies. Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a high growth rate during the forecast period due to rising population, changing lifestyle, growing awareness among patients, and increasing per capita expenditure. In addition, the economic growth in India and China is supporting the health care infrastructure as well as expansion of pharmaceutical companies and biotech labs.Major players operating in the global microplate readers market include PerkinElmer, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, MDS Analytical Technologies, Tecan, BioTek Instruments, Inc., Corning, and Greiner Bio-One 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. 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:
Anatomic Pathology Testing Market is Driven by Increasing Prevalence of Chronic Diseases and Government Awareness about Early Cancer Detection and Diagnosis

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Anatomic pathology, or anatomical pathology, entails biochemical, microscopic, and molecular examination of tissues and organs to uncover abnormalities in them. This helps to diagnose diseases and manage treatment. Although most commonly used to detect and manage different kinds of cancer and tumors, it is also useful in evaluating other health conditions such as kidney and liver diseases, infections, and autoimmune diseases.The two different types of anatomic pathology testing products are instruments and consumables. Instruments include slides, microscope, centrifuges, and cassette printers, while consumables include reagents, kits, and antibodies. The two different services in the anatomic pathology testing market are cytopathology and histopathology. Anatomic pathology testing finds application in hospitals, clinical diagnostic laboratories, and physician office laboratories.Obtain Report Details @From a geographical standpoint, North America is a key region in the anatomic pathology testing market because of the growing prevalence of cancer and other chronic diseases. Europe is another key region and is propelled by the large pool of elderly population that is highly susceptible to chronic diseases and surging popularity of personalized medicine and digital laboratory.Asia Pacific is a lucrative market owing to the rising investment by governments and academic institutions in diagnostic research and increasing awareness about anatomic pathology tests. In addition, globalization, improving economies, and changing lifestyle is also stoking growth in the market in the region.Some of the prominent participants in the global anatomic pathology testing market are Neogenomics Laboratories, Inc., Abbott Diagnostic International Ltd., Danaher, Agilent Technologies, Bio SB, Roche Diagnostics, and Quest Diagnostics Incorporated.Anatomic pathology is a branch of science or branch of medicine that primarily involves microscopic, biochemical, and molecular examination of organs and tissues to find out the effectiveness of diseases. The key objective of anatomic pathology is to identify abnormalities in order to manage diagnosis and treatment. Anatomic pathology helps to detect various types of tumor and cancer. It is also sometimes useful to evaluate the liver and kidney diseases effectively. Gross examination, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, cytopathology, and flow immunophenotyping are some of the procedures carried out during anatomic pathology test. Anatomic pathology testing is a superspeciality test. To perform this type of test, a person should have a qualified certification from a recognized body such as the American Board of Pathology or the American Osteopathic Board of Pathology. Anatomic pathologist is also involved in post mortem examination. Like clinical pathology reports, anatomic pathology reports also contain essential elements such as name, number, sample type, and source. Many anatomic pathology departments operate according to the specific need of a patient.The anatomic pathology testing market has been segmented based on product, services, and application. In terms of product, the market has been categorized into instruments and consumables. Instruments such as microscope, centrifuges, slides, and cassette printers are used to conduct anatomic pathology tests. Consumables include kits, reagents, and antibodies. Based on services, the anatomic pathology testing market has been segmented into cytopathology and histopathology. In terms of application, the market has been categorized into breast cancer diagnosis, lung cancer diagnosis, and cervical cancer diagnosis. Based on end-user, the global anatomic pathology testing market has been segmented into clinical diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, and physician office laboratories. Increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, maximum use of biomarkers, direct to customer facility, and government awareness about early cancer detection and diagnosis are likely to boost the growth of the anatomic pathology testing market. High cost of digital imaging, poor resolution, set up costs, lack of depth perception are some of the factors restraining the market.Make an Enquiry @Geographically, the anatomic pathology testing market is dominated by North America due to rising incidence of cancer and epathology solutions. Rising prevalence of chronic diseases, rapid increase in geriatric population, and high acceptance of personalized medicine and digital laboratory propel the market in Europe. Growing academic and government investment in diagnostic research and rising awareness about the use of anatomic pathology test among physicians are projected to boost the growth of the market in Asia Pacific. Increasing globalization, sound economy, and changing lifestyle habits of the population in the region has led to the growth of the anatomy pathology testing market in Latin America. High life expectancy, increasing burden of diseases, increasing chronic and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and obesity fuel the growth of the anatomic pathology testing market. Improving living standards, and increasing demand for quality medicines in Middle East & Africa boost the growth of the anatomy pathology testing market in the region.Major players in the anatomic pathology testing market are Abbott Diagnostic International Ltd., Agilent Technologies, Danaher, Roche Diagnostics, Bio SB, Neogenomics Laboratories, Inc., and Quest Diagnostics Incorporated.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. 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:
Fire Trucks Market Competitive Dynamics & Global Outlook 2024

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Global Fire Trucks Market: OverviewFire trucks are vehicles designed for firefighting operations. They are also used for other applications such as emergency medical purposes and rescue purposes by the fire and safety companies. These vehicles are used to transport the firefighters to the sites, for providing necessary equipment and water to fight the fire and to bring it under control. Tools such as ladders, hydraulic rescue tools, a self-contained breathing apparatus, ventilating equipment, and first aid kits are generally carried in a fire truck. These fire trucks are equipped to combat various forms of emergencies and help in saving lives of the people.Request Free Sample Report @Global Fire Trucks Market: SegmentationThe market for fire trucks market is globally fragmented into its types, application, and geography. On the basis of its types, the market is divided into the mini tank, rescue, and others such as mini pumpers and multitasking trucks. Based on application, fire trucks are segregated into rescue, conventional, airport application, wild land, and others. On the basis of geography, the market is divided into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa.Global Fire Trucks Market: Growth FactorsThe fire trucks market is a growing market owing to acceptance of new and advanced technology, product innovation, and use of advanced digital tools and modern electronics which will help to enhance the efficiency, quality, and capability of the fire truck. Increasing availability of municipal budgets from governments which aids in the development of the fire and safety departments is also fuelling the growth of the fire trucks market. The financial condition of the economies is also improving gradually. It will create a positive impact on the market growth across the globe. However, low rate of replacements may affect the fire trucks market growth adversely.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @Global Fire Trucks Market: Regional AnalysisAsia Pacific holds the largest share in the fire trucks market. This growth can be attributed to factors such as rising awareness about safety coupled with the stable growth in the infrastructure and also the rapid developments witnessed in countries such as China, South Korea, and India. In China, the presence of low labor charge and high production capacity contribute to the expansion of fire trucks market. The growth in Asia Pacific is further influenced by a growing demand for fire trucks in airports and other enterprises to ensure public safety and supporting this demand are the regulations put forth by the government. Following the growth in Asia Pacific is North America. Strict regulations by the government and a large number of fire stations and are the main reasons for the growth of the market in this region. Growth in Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa will be increasing steadily during the future years.Global Fire Trucks Market: Competitive PlayersSome of the major companies in the fire trucks market include Oshkosh Corporation, W.S. Darley & Co., Magirus GmbH. (CNH Industrial Group), Ziegler Firefighting, Gimaex GmbH., Rosenbauer International AG, E-one, Morita Holdings Corporation, Smeal Fire Apparatus, and HME Incorporated.Browse detail report @Fire Trucks Market by Geographical Analysis: North America( U.S.), Europe( UK, France, Germany), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India), Latin America( Brazil), Middle East and AfricaOur value reports provide full, in-depth analysis of the parent market including most significant changes in market dynamics; the report also presents a detailed overview on segmentation of this market. We managed to present as many important information in essential form  thanks to our report You will learn more about former, on-going, and projected market analysis in terms of volume and value, assessment of niche industry developments and Market share analysis. We have not forgotten to present key strategies for major players, emerging segments and regional markets and last but not least, testimonials to companies in order to fortify their foothold in the market.Inquire more before buying this report @About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligate company. We create futuristically, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, a company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with Vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from Cardinal Industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Our Blog:
Descending more than 400 feet below the surface of Lake Michigan last weekend, in near-total darkness cut only by the lights on his cameras, John Janzen could just make out the outlines of his quarry.

The Senator, a 121-year-old steel freighter that sank off the coast of Port Washington in 1929, was so heavily encrusted with quagga mussels it appeared covered in fuzz.

Although the ship was discovered four years ago by sonar and explored by remotely operated underwater vessels, the perilous deep-water dive was the first time scuba divers had seen the wreck with their own eyes, a monumental technical achievement Janzen said.

This (was) so far beyond what recreational divers experience ... its more like going up into space or something, said Janzen, of Waunakee, who made two dives to the site with fellow diver John Scoles, of Farmington, Minnesota, on Saturday and Sunday. The depth limit for recreational scuba divers is typically around 130 feet.

The Senator sank on a foggy Halloween morning in 1929, after it collided with the Marquette, an ore carrier, 20 miles off of Port Washington. The newly refurbished Senator, along with nine passengers and about 250 brand new Nash automobiles being transported from Milwaukee to Detroit, rolled quickly over and sank before its crew had a chance to man the lifeboats, according to an Associated Press report the next day.

The ships remaining 20 passengers were saved by a passing fishing tug and the damaged Marquette, which was dragged back to a port in Milwaukee.

The Senator is now a 400-foot-long mass beached at the bottom of the lake. Janzen said the ship appeared to have taken quite a beating  a large metal radio mast that was once vertical is now bent parallel to the boat, and previous surveys have discovered a large gash in the stern from the collision. Cars not chained inside the ships hull have fallen from the boat, sliding into the sand, according to the Wisconsin Shipwrecks website.

The shipwreck was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2016, as a rare example of a nineteenth-century vessel type that was vital to Wisconsins economy, the steel bulk freighter, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. The ships structure incorporates steel arches and a movable water ballast system  rare structural amenities. Its frigid surroundings, coupled with the complete absence of natural light, has made the structure one of Wisconsins best-preserved shipwrecks.

Paul Ehorn, a shipwreck hunter from Elgin, Illinois, who discovered the ships coordinates, drove the divers to the site both days. Loaded with cameras and extra air cylinders and wearing dry suits to combat the 42-degree water, the divers were able to reach the site in less than 15 minutes.

When they arrived, Janzen and Scoles had only enough time to check out the ships bow and the pilot house, about 15 minutes of exploration. The longer divers remain underwater, the longer they must spend decompressing, a slow and arduous process that allows dissolved gases built up in the body when diving under immense pressure to gradually be released. The total dive took a little over two hours.

In order to stay down longer at such low depths, Janzen and Scoles used a piece of technology called a close-circuit rebreather, a device that recycles the users breath for unused oxygen content. They also hung several traditional air cylinders on the line they used to hook to the shipwreck, for backup.

Despite the precautions, Janzen said, he was nervous, apprehensive.

I used that (apprehension) to help me prepare, to help me focus and do things correctly, he said.

Eager to return to the shipwreck, they plan to make the dive again in coming weeks.

Ehorn said the insurance company that owns the ship could attempt to collect the antique cars, though it would purely be a labor of love for vehicles that may not be worth much after almost a hundred years underwater. The vehicles are considered the largest unmodified collection of early Wisconsin-built automobiles known to exist, according to the Historical Society.

No reward without risk

Janzen, 48, said he and Scoles, 47, an industrial engineer, arent macho thrill seekers but technical geeks who pay attention to the risks, and plan closely for the process.

For Janzen, the thousands of dives he has done in the past have all led up to reaching the Senator  his deepest and most dangerous dive yet. Janzen is a chemist and an engineer, but he finds the job boring compared to diving, which forces him to make crucial decisions.

I like to do things where my decision matters, he said. If I make a mistake, it could be fatal. Its scary, but it also has a lot of meaning to me. There isnt much reward without the risk.

Both divers were motivated by the challenge of becoming pioneers.

No one else had done it before, Janzen said.

For now, the crew plans to continue scoping out the site  exploring the wreck and collecting high-quality footage of the ship.

After he found the shipwreck on June 21, 2003, Ehorn, 71, kept the exact coordinates mum. But he had been talking with Janzen and Scoles for years about scoping out the site. Taking the dive was ultimately a matter of biting the bullet, Scoles said.

Ehorn, who has either discovered, or help discover about 13 shipwrecks, was finally able to see the pairs footage on Tuesday night  the clearest shots he has seen of the wreckage over years of surveying the site.

Its a nice feeling  it was beautiful.

[Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect a correction. The original version misstated the year the the Senator was discovered. Paul Ehorn found the wreck via sonar equipment on June 21, 2003.]
Microbiome Sequencing Services Market that is Driven by New validated Target and Disease Diagnosis and Detection

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In biotechnology, sequencing is the procedure to determine the sequence of amino acids in a protein or nucleotide sequence in the DNA. Currently, protein sequencing and gene sequencing methods are used for Microbiome sequencing. The process of identifying the order of genes in DNA is called DNA sequencing and order of amino acids in a protein is called protein sequencing. Genomic research is the most popular application of sequencing. The approaches include sequencing by synthesis (SBS), pyrosequencing, Sanger sequencing, and sequencing by ligation among others. Sequencing by synthesis or SBS is a method that utilizes DNA polymerase or ligase enzymes to extend many DNA strands in parallel. SBS methods can further be categorized as either ensemble based or single moleculebased SBS methods.Obtain Report Details @However, Sanger sequencing is a DNA sequencing technique of selective incorporation of chain terminating dideoxynucleotides by the DNA polymerase enzyme. This sequencing process was developed by Frederick Sanger and colleagues in 1977. This method was followed for more than 40 years. Ligation sequencing is a DNA sequencing method to determine the mismatch sensitivity of nucleotides in a given DNA sequence using a DNA ligase enzyme. DNA ligase enzyme helps to join ends of DNA molecules. The scientific community depends on the above approaches. Moreover, no one single platform can provide all solutions. Some platforms are more costly. The cost of maintaining and purchasing multiple sequencing platforms is high, which is a drawback of this market.New validated target and disease diagnosis and detection are market driven for microbiome sequencing services. In-depth research work and lack of expertization are key restraints of the microbiome sequencing services market. The microbiome sequencing services market is segmented based on technology, applied research type, laboratory type, end user, and by region. Based on application, the market is further divided into sequencing by synthesis, sequencing by ligation, Sanger sequencing, pyro-sequencing, and other sequencing.In terms of research type, the microbiome sequencing market is segmented into two segments - outsourced and internal. Outsourcing is a major factor driving the microbiome sequence market. On the bases of laboratory use, the segment is further divided into wet lab and dry lab. Wet lab is a laboratory where drugs, chemicals or biological products are tested using water. Dry lab is a computer generated lab where biological or chemical data is analyzed through computer generated models. In terms of end user, the microbiome sequencing services market is segmented into research institutes, and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.Make an Enquiry @The microbiome sequencing services market is also segmented on the basis of geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (China, India, and Japan), and Middle East & Africa. North America is considered the largest microbiome sequencing services market, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The U.S. was the top contributor for microbiome sequencing services market revenues. Government funding for genomic research, ongoing developments in sequencing methods, next generation sequencing (NGS) data analysis and increasing number of research studies in various fields including cancer, autoimmune disease, and rare diseases are major factors driving the microbiome sequencing services market in this region. However, the Asia Pacific region is projected to be the most promising market in the near future due to better healthcare infrastructure, economic growth, and a developing private healthcare sector with increasing awareness amongst people due to educational progress in India, China, and Japan.Key players operating in the microbiome sequencing services market include C3J Therapeutics, Inc., uBiome, Synlogic, Blue Turtle Bio, Eligo Bioscience, Enterome, Evelo Therapeutics, Kallyope, Rebiotix, Evolve BioSystems, Taxon Biosciences, EpiBiome, MicroBiome Therapeutics, and Microbiota Therapeutics. More companies are anticipated to enter the microbiome sequencing services market in the near future.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:
Frozen Fruits and Vegetables Market - Industry Analysis, Growth, Trends, Key Players and Statistics 2017 - 2022

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The global frozen fruits and vegetables market has witnessed a healthy growth over the past few years. Some of the major driving factors include urbanisation, technological advancements, ease of storage and convenience as well as a strong demand in the food industry.Request for sample report @IMARC Groups latest report, titled Frozen Fruits and Vegetables Market: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2017-2022, finds that the global frozen fruits and vegetables market reached a volume of nearly 24 Million Tons in 2016, growing at a CAGR of 6% during 2009-2016. Frozen fruits and vegetables are currently gaining popularity worldwide as they provide ease of preparation, storage and convenience to the consumers. The freezing process helps in slowing down the microbial growth as well as delays chemical and cellular metabolic reactions. This preserves the quality of the fruits and vegetables for long storage periods, and also retains their taste, texture, colour and nutrients.Highlights of the Global Frozen Fruits and Vegetables Market:A strong demand from the flourishing food industry represents the primary growth driving factor.In terms of consumption, frozen vegetables account for the majority of the market share.Europe and North America represent the leading markets.The thriving food industry requires a steady supply of seasonal fruits and vegetables throughout the year. This acts as a major driver inciting the growth of the global frozen fruits and vegetables market. The trend of clean eating coupled with rising awareness about the nutritional value of frozen fruits and vegetables have also contributed to the market growth. Furthermore, technological advancements along with improving cold storage chains in the developing regions have resulted in a systematic supply network of frozen fruits and vegetables. Some of the other growth inducing factors include urbanisation, increasing disposable incomes, fast-paced lifestyles of the consumers and aggressive marketing by the manufacturers. According to the report, the market is further expected to reach a volume of around 30 Million Tons by 2022.Currently, the market is dominated by frozen vegetables, accounting for the majority of the total share. Within this segment, frozen potatoes and frozen mixed vegetables hold a half of the market share. On the basis of region, Europe and North America represent the largest markets, together accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total global market share. The other major markets include Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. Some of the key players operating in the market are Dole Food Company, Inc., Ardo NV, HJ Heinz, Simplot Australia Pty. Ltd. and General Mills.Read full report with TOC @The report has examined the global frozen fruits and vegetables market on the basis of:Frozen Fruits and Vegetables:Frozen vegetablesFrozen fruitsRegion:EuropeNorth AmericaLatin AmericaAsia-PacificMiddle East and AfricaMajor Manufacturers:Dole Food Company, Inc.Ardo NVHJ HeinzSimplot Australia Pty. Ltd.General MillsBrowse related reports :Frozen Finger Chips Market -Extruded Snack Food Market -About IMARC GroupIMARC Group is a leading market research company that offers management strategy and market research worldwide. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses.IMARCs information products include major market, scientific, economic and technological developments for business leaders in pharmaceutical, industrial, and high technology organizations. Market forecasts and industry analysis for biotechnology, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, travel and tourism, nanotechnology and novel processing methods are at the top of the companys expertise.IMARC Group309 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USAWebsite:Email: sales@imarcgroup.comUSA: +1-631-791-1145Follow us on twitter: @imarcglobal
Recording Chart Paper Market Size & Share to See Modest Growth Through 2024

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Recording chart paper is extensively used in the diagnosis of various healthcare diagnostic procedures. It is a thermal coated special paper used with equipment such as fetal monitoring, ECG monitoring, and video image printers. Recording chart paper is designed precisely to display clearly defined alphanumeric characters as well as to generate clear and accurate tracings. They are majorly used in the medical field, diagnostic field, and for laboratory analysis. They come in either rolled format or Z-folded format and are used in the recording of the antepartum and intrapartum monitoring. Benefits such as extended timelines at one-minute intervals and easy to read grids are offered by recording chart papers and they are an essential part of the diagnostic procedures of cardiovascular diseases. Recording chart papers are static sensitive and this property makes it compatible with various diagnostic equipment.Request Free Sample Report @The global recording chart market is segmented into its type of product, end-users, and geography. On the basis of the type of product, the market is divided into ultrasound or OBGYN recording chart paper, ambulatory or EMS recording charts for defibrillators, fetal monitoring recording chart papers, and cardiology monitoring recording chart papers. Based on end-users, the market is segregated into ambulatory surgical centers, clinics, diagnostic centers, and hospitals. On the basis of geography, the market is diversified into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and North America.Rising emphasis to reduce infant mortality and the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, especially among the geriatric population, will drive the market demand for recording chart paper. Other factors such as increasing population, rising health concerns among individuals, and increasing disposable income will influence the market growth positively. However, digital instruments used are more accurate as compared to record chart papers. This factor may cause a hindrance to the growth of the recording chart paper market.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @North America will account for the major market share of the recording chart papers market. This growth can be attributed to the fine reimbursement policies for diagnostic procedures in this region. Also, increase in the geriatric population which is more prone to cardiac disease coupled with the increasing number of cardiovascular disease in Canada and the U.S. will boost the recording chart paper market in this region. Following North America in its growth will be Asia Pacific. A large number of local players providing cheap recording chart paper especially in China will greatly influence the market growth in this region. Europe will grow at a moderate pace in the coming periods. Latin America and the Middle East and Africa will also be contributing a considerable share to the market growth.Market Competitive PlayersSome of the major companies in the recording chart paper market include Kokusai Chart Corporation, Covidien Ltd. (Medtronic Plc.), Pirrone Srl., Tele-Paper Sdn Bhd., Precision Charts Inc., Recorders Charts & Pens Inc., and Euran Erikoispaperit Oy.Browse detail report @Recording Chart Paper Market by Geographical Analysis: North America( U.S.), Europe( UK, France, Germany), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India), Latin America( Brazil), Middle East and AfricaOur value reports provide full, in-depth analysis of the parent market including most significant changes in market dynamics; the report also presents the detailed overview on segmentation of this market. We managed to present as many important information in essential form  thanks to our report You will learn more about former, on-going, and projected market analysis in terms of volume and value, assessment of niche industry developments and Market share analysis. We have not forgotten to present key strategies for major players, emerging segments and regional markets and last but not least, testimonials to companies in order to fortify their foothold in the market.Inquire more before buying this report @About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligate company. We create futuristically, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, a company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with Vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from Cardinal Industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Our Blog:
Global Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization (TACE) Market USD 15.9 Billion by 2021 (Updated)

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Increase in adoption of minimally invasive surgeries due to technological innovations and worldwide increasing cancer prevalence is projected to drive the transcatheter arterial chemoembolization market. North America accounted for a major share of the market in 2016 due to gradually increasing cases of HCC, increasing investment, novel drug delivery systems development and presence of major market players in the region. Most of the major players operating in the region have made a series of strategic acquisitions leading to the increase in their market share. Increasing cancer prevalence in the region is the one of the key factors contributing to the growth of TACE market. The global transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) market to reach US$ 15.9 Billion by 2021, growing at 5.6% CAGR over the forecast period 2017-2021 (updated).To request Table of Contents and Sample Pages of this report, contact us:The global transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) market provides market size (revenue US$ million) and number of procedures for TACE, market size (revenue US$ million) and volume (number of units) for micro catheter, micro guidewire used in TACE procedures, market share analysis by key players, growth trends and forecast (CAGR%, 2017 to 2021). The global transcatheter arterial chemoembolization market research report is further segmented by geography into North America (U.S., Canada), Europe (U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Rest of EU), Asia Pacific (Japan, China, South Korea, Rest of APAC), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Rest of LA), and Rest of the World. The global transcatheter arterial chemoembolization market report also provides the detailed market landscape (market drivers, restraints, opportunities), market attractiveness analysis and also tracks the major competitors operating in the market by company overview, financial snapshot, key products, technologies and services offered. Major players operating in the global embolization in interventional oncology market and included in this report are Boston Scientific, BTG International, Cook Medical, Covidien, Depuy Synthes, Merit Medical Systems, Inc., Sequent Medical, Stryker, Surefire Medical, Inc., and Terumo Medical Corporation.1. Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization1.1. Market size by Geography1.2. Number of Procedures by Geography2. Device Type2.1. Micro Catheter2.1.1. Market size by Geography2.1.2. Number of Units Sold by Geography2.2. Micro Guidewire2.2.1. Market size by Geography2.2.2. Number of Units Sold by Geography3. Geography (Region, Country)3.1. North America (U.S., Canada)3.2. Europe (U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Rest of EU)3.3. Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Rest of LA)3.4. Asia Pacific (Japan, China, South Korea, Rest of APAC)3.5. Rest of the World (Middle East & Africa)4. Company Profiles4.1. Abbott Laboratories, Inc., USA4.2. ABK Biomedical, Inc., Canada4.3. Asahi Intecc Co., Ltd., Japan4.4. BioSphere Medical, Inc., USA (Merit Medical Systems, Inc.)4.5. Blockade Medical, USA (BALT International)4.6. Boston Scientific Corporation4.7. Braile Biomedica, Brazil4.8. BTG International4.9. Cook Medical, Inc.4.10. Covidien plc (Medtronic plc)4.11. Depuy Synthes (JnJ)4.12. Guerbet Group, France4.13. Magle Life Science, Sweden4.14. Medtronic, Inc. (Covidien), USA4.15. Merit Medical Systems, Inc.4.16. Penumbra, Inc., USA4.17. Pfizer, Inc., USA4.18. PharmaCept, Germany4.19. Piolax Medical Devices, Inc. (Piolax, Inc.)4.20. Sequent Medical (Terumo Corporation)4.21. Sirtex Medical Limited, Australia4.22. St. Jude Medical, Inc., USA4.23. Stryker Corporation4.24. Surefire Medical, Inc.4.25. Terumo Medical Corporation4.26. Vascular Solutions, Inc., USATo request Table of Contents and Sample Pages of this report, contact us:iHealthcareAnalyst, Inc. is a global healthcare market research and consulting company providing market analysis, and competitive intelligence services to global clients. The company publishes syndicate, custom and consulting grade healthcare reports covering animal healthcare, biotechnology, clinical diagnostics, healthcare IT, healthcare services, medical devices, medical equipment, and pharmaceuticals.In addition to multi-client studies, we offer creative consulting services and conduct proprietary single-client assignments targeted at clients specific business objectives, information needs, time frame and budget. Please contact us to receive a proposal for a proprietary single-client study.Ana AitawaiHealthcareAnalyst, Inc.2109, Mckelvey Hill Drive,Maryland Heights, MO 63043United StatesEmail: sales@ihealthcareanalyst.com
HAIs Control Market Estimated to Flourish by 2024

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HAI stands for hospital-acquired infection. Hospital-acquired infections are caused due to pathogens, virus, fungi, and bacteria. It is the contagious disease caused to patients and increases the chances of infection to their companions. The concept of HAIs control has come up to control such infections in the hospital. For instance, Clostridium difficult bacterium caused serious infections in the U.S. hospitals and nursing homes. Researchers from the University of Michigan started the work with $7.5 Million to examine which factor in the C. difficile created the alarming problem in patients.Request Free Sample Report @Rapid technological development in HAIs control is expected to drive the global market growth in future. The government initiatives through promoting anti-HAI technology and improved health care facilities are further anticipated to boost the HAIs control market in the near future. Moreover, increasing awareness regarding cleaning is expected to fuel the market in coming years. Plasma sterilization technology is more popular in the healthcare sector which also positively impacts the market growth. Conversely, lack of well-equipped medical healthcare facilities and infrastructure may restraint the HAIs control market in near future. Moreover, lack of trained staff may have also the negative impact on the global market growth.The HAIs control market is bifurcated on the basis of diagnostic techniques as confirmation testing, manual testing, automated testing, and others. Based on the cleaning and sterilization, the global market is divided as wide-area sterilization, disinfection of linen, instrument sterilization, and others. The HAIs control market is fragmented based on the treatment segment as environmental treatment and pharmaceutical treatment. The pharmaceutical treatment segment is further sub-segmented as fungal HAI Pharmaceuticals, viral HAI pharmaceuticals, and bacterial HAI pharmaceuticals. Moreover, the environmental treatment is further sub-segmented as chemical treatment, air treatment, and water treatment.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @Geographically, the global HAIs control market is segmented as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. North America is the leading regional segment owing to rising demand for HAIs control; this, in turn, is expected to higher technological advancements in this region. The U.S. is an emerging region for HAIs control and is anticipated to witness considerable growth in the market mainly owing to improved healthcare facilities in this region. Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the highest growth in the global HAIs control market. In addition, rising population may positively impact the market growth indirectly. Moreover, government support to the healthcare industries also contributes to the global market growth. Furthermore, rising demand for more advanced healthcare facilities in China and India are anticipated to foster the global market growth in future.Market Competitive PlayersSome of the key players dominating the global HAIs control market are Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., STERIS Corporation, Becton Dickinson & Company, Advanced Sterilization Products Division, Pfizer Inc., and others.Browse detail report @HAIs Control Market by Geographical Analysis: North America( U.S.), Europe( UK, France, Germany), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India), Latin America( Brazil), Middle East and AfricaAbout Us: Zion Market Research is an obligate company. We create futuristically, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, a company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with Vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from Cardinal Industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Our Blog:
Hydrophilic Coatings Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Hydrophilic coatings are applied on a variety of substrates in order to reduce the coefficient of friction. These coatings can be used for medical as well as non-medical applications. Medical devices such as catheters, guidewires, syringes, needles and intravascular devices are coated with hydrophilic coatings in order to make the surface of these devices lubricious. Hydrophilic coating materials are also used to impart self-cleaning and anti-fogging properties to flat glass for applications in the building, automotive and aerospace industries. Increasing expenditure on better medical & healthcare facilities and growth in the construction industry is anticipated to provide lucrative opportunities to the hydrophilic coatings market during the forecast period.Request For Sample Report:Global Hydrophilic Coatings Market: Scope of the ReportThis report analyzes and forecasts the market for hydrophilic coatings at the global and regional level. The market has been forecast based on revenue (US$ Mn) from 2017 to 2025, considering 2016 as the base year. The study includes drivers and restraints of the global hydrophilic coatings market. It also covers impact of these drivers and restraints on demand for hydrophilic coatings during the forecast period. The report also highlights opportunities in the hydrophilic coatings market at the global and regional level.The report includes detailed value chain analysis, which provides a comprehensive view of the global hydrophilic coatings market. Porters Five Forces model for the hydrophilic coatings market has also been included to help understand the competitive landscape in the market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness.Global Hydrophilic Coatings Market: SegmentationThe study provides a decisive view of the global hydrophilic coatings market by segmenting it in terms of substrates such as polymers, metals & metal alloys and glass & other ceramics and applications such as automotive, aerospace, medical devices, optical & others ( building etc.). These segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends. Regional segmentation includes current and forecast demand for hydrophilic coatings in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa.The report provides the actual market size of hydrophilic coatings for 2016 and estimated market size for 2017 with forecast for the next eight years. The global market size of hydrophilic coatings has been provided in terms of revenue. Market revenue is given in US$ Mn. Market numbers have been estimated based on key end-users of hydrophilic coatings. Market size and forecast for numerous end-users have been provided in terms of global, regional, and country level markets.Global Hydrophilic Coatings Market: Research MethodologyIn order to compile the research report, we conducted in-depth interviews and discussions with a number of key industry participants and opinion leaders. Primary research represented the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. We reviewed key players product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents for competitive analysis and market understanding. Secondary research includes a search of recent trade, technical writing, Internet sources, and statistical data from government websites, trade associations, and agencies. This has proven to be the most reliable, effective, and successful approach for obtaining precise market data, capturing industry participants insights, and recognizing business opportunities.Secondary research sources that are typically referred to include, but are not limited to company websites, annual reports, financial reports, broker reports, investor presentations, SEC filings, Plastemart magazine, TPE magazine, internal and external proprietary databases, and relevant patent and regulatory databases such as ICIS, Hoovers, OneSource, Factiva and Bloomberg, national government documents, statistical databases, trade journals, market reports, news articles, press releases, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market.Browse Full Report with TOC :We conduct primary interviews on an ongoing basis with industry participants and commentators to validate data and analysis. These help validate and strengthen secondary research findings. These also help develop the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.Global Hydrophilic Coatings Market: Competitive DynamicsThe report comprises profiles of major companies operating in the global hydrophilic coatings market. Key players in the hydrophilic coatings market are Surmodics, Inc., Royal DSM N.V., Hydromer, Inc., AdvanSource Biomaterials Corp., Covalon Technologies Ltd., BioCoat, Inc., and Harland Medical Devices. Market players have been profiled in terms of attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, and recent developments.The global hydrophilic coatings market has been segmented as follows:Hydrophilic Coatings Market: Substrate Type AnalysisPolymersMetal & Metal AlloysGlass & Other CeramicsHydrophilic Coatings Market: Application AnalysisAutomotiveAerospaceMedical DevicesCardiovascularUrologyNeurologyGeneral surgeryOthers (Ophthalmology, gynecology, etc.)OpticalOthers (including Buildings, etc.)Hydrophilic Coatings Market: Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaS.CanadaEuropeGermanyItalyFranceK.SpainRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaIndiaJapanASEANRest of APACLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of LATAMMiddle East & AfricaGCCSouth AfricaRest of MEASend An Enquiry: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:
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Market Report 2017

EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Market Report 2017

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The MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines 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 MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines 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.EMEA MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines market competition by top manufacturers/players, with MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines sales volume (K Units), price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingDragerMedline IndustriesGE HealthcareAnandicVetland MedicalSmiths MedicalHamilton MedicalMallard MedicalParker Hannifin......Ask a complete & professional report sample, please send message to tinaning@qyresearch.com or visit atTable of contents:1 MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Overview2 EMEA MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application3 Europe MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Players, Countries, Type and Application4 Middle East MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Region, Type and Application5 Africa MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines (Volume, Value and Sales Price) by Players, Countries, Type and Application6 EMEA MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Manufacturers/Players Profiles and Sales Data7 MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Manufacturing Cost Analysis8 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers9 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders10 Market Effect Factors Analysis11 EMEA MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Market Forecast (2017-2022)12 Research Findings and Conclusion13 AppendixRelated Reports:Global MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Market Report 2017Europe MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Market Report 2017China MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Market Report 2017India MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Market Report 2017Japan MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Market Report 2017USA MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines Market Report 2017Korea MRI-Compatible Anesthesia Machines 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 Patient Lift Sling Market Research Report 2017

Patient Lift Sling

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Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Patient Lift Sling in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), covering, North America Europe China Japan Southeast Asia IndiaGlobal Patient Lift Sling market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including, ArjoHuntleigh Argo Medical, Inc. Bestcare Medical Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare Etac AB DJO Global GF Health Products, Inc. Joerns Healthcare, LLC Invacare Corporation Prism Medical Spectra Care Ergolet Guldmann Hill-Rom Mackworth HealthcareOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into,By Sling Point- 2 Point 4 Point 6 Point By Sling Shape U-shape Sling Full Body SlingYou can have Free PDF sample report @On the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Patient Lift Sling for each application, including, Hospital Nursing Home Home Health Care OthersTable of ContentsGlobal Patient Lift Sling Market Research Report 20171 Patient Lift Sling Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Patient Lift Sling1.2 Patient Lift Sling Segment By Sling Point2 Global Patient Lift Sling Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Patient Lift Sling Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Patient Lift Sling Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)3 Global Patient Lift Sling Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Patient Lift Sling Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Patient Lift Sling Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers4 Global Patient Lift Sling Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Patient Lift Sling Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 North America Patient Lift Sling Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Patient Lift Sling Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Patient Lift Sling Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Patient Lift Sling Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)Access full Report atLife Science Market Research(LSMR) firm is specialized in market research , that helps companies in the field of life science to achieve growth and success by providing market intelligence.New York City Zone 01, United Stateshelp@24lifesciences.comInt'l: (+1) 646 781 7170UK(Toll free): +44 800 088 5734
Global Nuclear Waste Management System Market 2017 - Areva SA, Veolia Environment Services, Bechtel Corporation, US Ecology, BHI Energy

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The report studies Nuclear Waste Management System in Global market Professional Survey 2017: Size, Share, Trends, Industry Growth, Opportunity, Application, Production, Segmentation, Cost Structure, Company Profile, Product Picture and Specifications during the Forecast period by 2022. Whats more, the Nuclear Waste Management System industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. The industry analysis have also been done to examine the impact of various factors and understand the overall attractiveness of the industry.Download Sample Report @The report firstly introduced the Nuclear Waste Management System basics: definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain overview; industry policies and plans; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures and so on. Then it analyzed the world's main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, capacity utilization, supply, demand and industry growth rate etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.Scope of the report:Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global Nuclear Waste Management System market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the new installations.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaFior Markets report, Global Nuclear Waste Management System Market 2017-2022, 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.Top ManufacturersAreva SAVeolia Environment ServicesBechtel CorporationUS EcologyAugean PlcBHI EnergyPerma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc.Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co.Stericycle, Inc.Waste Control Specialists, LLCGet Full Report With TOC @Key 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?Nuclear Waste Management System Market Research Report Split by TypeLow Level WasteIntermediate Level WasteHigh Level WasteNuclear Waste Management System Market Research Report Split by ApplicationBoiling Water ReactorsGas Cooled ReactorsPressurized Water ReactorsPressurized Heavy Water ReactorsOthersReasons To Buy- What was the size of the Global Nuclear Waste Management System market by value in 2016?- What will be the size of the Global Nuclear Waste Management System market in 2022?- What factors are affecting the strength of competition in the Global Nuclear Waste Management System market?- How has the market performed over the last five years?- What are the main segments that make up the global's Nuclear Waste Management System market?RELATED POST:The report has put special emphasis on the market share and size of global industry, owing to their large scale share in the current and upcoming market of Nuclear Waste Management System. The industry analysis have also been done to examine the impact of various factors and understand the overall attractiveness of the industry.If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.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.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerOffice - 102, Sanskriti Aspirations,Near Post 91, Baner Road,Pune, MH, India - 411045Phone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Global Shooting Market Research Report 2017 - Daisy, Baikal, Anschutz, Weihrauch, Daystate, Hatsan

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Shooting Market Research Report 2017 to its huge collection of research reports.The new report in QYResearchReports.coms market intelligence repository presents readers with a comprehensive evaluation of the global Shooting market. Each aspect of the global Shooting market is assessed in thorough detail in the report in order to provide a 360-degree review of the markets workings for interested parties. The past, present, and future growth trajectory of the Shooting market are assessed in the report, with detailed analysis of the historical trajectory of the market providing a solid database for reliable predictions regarding the Shooting markets future.The major players in global Shooting market includeCrosmanUmarexGamoFeinwerkbauShanghai Air GunDaisyBaikalTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report examines the environment of the global Shooting market in great detail in order to familiarize readers with the operating conditions of the market and the factors likely to boost and impede their growth. The economic and regulatory factors likely to have a lasting impact on the global Shooting market are studied in the report, providing readers with a comprehensive look at the Shooting markets operating conditions. The latest updates regarding the economic and regulatory factors determining the Shooting markets growth are provided in the report, making it a must-have accessory for all interested parties in the Shooting market. This analysis is a crucial aid in the SWOT analysis of individual players, as a detailed understanding of the Shooting markets operating environment is necessary to formulate winning strategies on a regular basis.The segmentation of the global Shooting market is assessed in detail in the report, providing readers with a close look at the hierarchy and granular structure of the Shooting market.Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Shooting11.1 Definition and Specifications of Shooting11.1.1 Definition of Shooting11.1.2 Specifications of Shooting21.2 Classification of Shooting22 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Shooting152.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Shooting152.2 Components & Accessories Analysis of Shooting192.3 Power Sources and Price Analysis of Shooting202.4 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Shooting223 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Shooting333.1 Capacity and Establish Date of Global Shooting Major Manufacturers in 2016333.2 Headquarter of Global Shooting Major Manufacturers in 2016333.3 Mainly Product Analysis of Global Shooting Major Manufacturers in 2016343.4 Economic/Political Environmental Change34Browse Complete Report with TOC @4 Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of Shooting by Regions, Types and Manufacturers434.1 Global Capacity, Production and Revenue of Shooting by Regions 2012-2017434.2 Global and Major Regions Capacity, Production, Revenue and Growth Rate of Shooting 2012-2017474.3 Global Production and Revenue of Shooting by Types 2012-2017544.4 Global Capacity, Production and Revenue of Shooting by Manufacturers 2012-201757List of Tables and FiguresTable Global Capacity (K Unit) of Shooting by Regions 2012-201743Figure Global Capacity Market Share of Shooting by Regions in 201243Figure Global Capacity Market Share of Shooting by Regions in 201644Table Global Production (K Unit) of Shooting by Regions 2012-201744Figure Global Production Market Share of Shooting by Regions in 201245Figure Global Production Market Share of Shooting by Regions in 201645Table Global Revenue (M USD) of Shooting by Regions 2012-201745Figure Global Revenue Market Share of Shooting by Regions in 201246Figure Global Revenue Market Share of Shooting by Regions in 201646About 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
For two decades, Wisconsin was a shining example of what an open court system could be. The state Supreme Court was one of the few in the nation that conducted deliberations in public.

Now that experiment in good government is over.

In June, justices voted to close the doors. No longer will residents get to watch them argue about arcane judicial policies and codes of ethics. They will make those decisions in secret, and the people can just live with whatever they decide, no questions answered.

It was the end of an era in which transparency built trust and allowed voters to make informed decisions when a justice came up for re-election every 10 years. Since the 1990s, Wisconsinites have been able to watch the states legal luminaries thoughtfully consider both complex and mundane issues.

Granted, often wisdom and restraint were absent. Justices were sometimes no better than churlish children in a schoolyard. They insulted and berated each other. There was even a physical altercation.

They werent building trust. They were undermining it. Transparency caused embarrassment.

Most people in similar circumstances would identify the problem as the behavior and work to change it. They might seek to develop a more collegial environment where justices could disagree respectfully, even across ideological lines. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and the late Justice Antonin Scalia couldnt have been much further apart ideologically, but they developed a famously close friendship. Surely, Wisconsins justices could strive for courtesy if not friendship.

Wisconsins justices arent most people. They identified transparency as the problem, not their behavior. So last month they changed the rules. Justices Pat Roggensack, Annette Ziegler, Michael Gableman, Rebecca Bradley and Daniel Kelly supported moving their bad behavior behind closed doors. Justices Shirley Abrahamson and Ann Walsh Bradley wisely opposed it.

To be clear, these are not deliberations in lawsuits and criminal cases argued before the court. This is not like a jury going into a room to hold a frank conversation that decides the fate of a defendant.

This is more like lawmakers in the Capitol writing laws. The justices are deliberating about policies and the ground rules that affect anyone caught up in the Wisconsin legal system, not specific cases.

Voters can send a message that they expect better from the states highest court. Wisconsins system of electing judges has serious problems, but in this case it could serve the people well.

Justice Michael Gableman has announced he will not seek re-election in 2018. At least three people have already declared their candidacy, and others could join them.

We will ask the judicial candidates about this decision and whether they support the publics right to watch their government at work.

Voters should do the same and think twice before supporting someone who endorses secrecy over the publics right to know.
Global Fire Safety Equipment Technical Market Verticals & Elite Projects 2017- Honeywell, Johnson Controls , Robert Bosch , Siemens

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Fire Safety Equipment Sales Market Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.The global market for Fire Safety Equipment market has been extensively analyzed in this report on the basis of the drivers, restraints, challenges, opportunities, this market faces. The study estimates the current size of the Fire Safety Equipment market in as well as what it will be after the forecast period by evaluating its historical and present performance. The size of the Fire Safety Equipment market is provided in terms of volume and revenue. The market revenue for all the regions is determined in US$ Mn and the volume is measured in kilo tons. The market size of each of the segments is offered in the context of the global and the regional markets.The market estimations for this study have been based on the revenue and the volume. The factors for the usage of Fire Safety Equipment in each of the applications have been taken care of in assessing the revenue of this market. The demand for Fire Safety Equipment has been derived by examining the global as well as regional demand for Fire Safety Equipment in each of the application segments. The Fire Safety Equipment market has been evaluated keeping the expected demand in mind.Global Fire Safety Equipment market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Fire Safety Equipment sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingHoneywellJohnson ControlsRobert BoschSiemensTycoANAFBritannia FireBuckeyeFire FighterILT Industrie-LuftfiltertechnikLarsen's ManufacturingSafexSupremexEnter your information below to receive a sample copy of this report @The market data for each of the segments is based on their respective revenues and production volume. The predictions have been made upon the projected demand from Fire Safety Equipment applications. Researches have utilized the top  down and bottom - up approaches to calculate the market, divided into regions.The report further provides a detailed analysis of the competitive landscape in the market for Fire Safety Equipment in a bid to highlight the level of the competition between the leading players. In this process, researchers review the profiles of the prominent market participants and identify the key strategies they have taken up for the progress of their businesses.Table of ContentsGlobal Fire Safety Equipment Sales Market Report 20171 Fire Safety Equipment Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Fire Safety Equipment1.2 Classification of Fire Safety Equipment by Product Category1.2.1 Global Fire Safety Equipment Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Fire Safety Equipment Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Extinguisher1.3 Global Fire Safety Equipment Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Fire Safety Equipment Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.4 Global Fire Safety Equipment Market by Region1.4.1 Global Fire Safety Equipment Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Fire Safety Equipment Status and Prospect (2012-2022)2 Global Fire Safety Equipment Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Fire Safety Equipment Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Fire Safety Equipment Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Fire Safety Equipment Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Fire Safety Equipment (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Fire Safety Equipment Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Fire Safety Equipment Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)Browse Complete Report with TOC @3 United States Fire Safety Equipment (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Fire Safety Equipment Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Fire Safety Equipment Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Fire Safety Equipment Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Fire Safety Equipment Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 United States Fire Safety Equipment Sales Volume and Market Share by Players3.3 United States Fire Safety Equipment Sales Volume and Market Share by Type3.4 United States Fire Safety Equipment Sales Volume and Market Share by Application4 China Fire Safety Equipment (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Fire Safety Equipment Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 China Fire Safety Equipment Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 China Fire Safety Equipment Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 China Fire Safety Equipment Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 China Fire Safety Equipment Sales Volume and Market Share by Players4.3 China Fire Safety Equipment Sales Volume and Market Share by Type4.4 China Fire Safety Equipment Sales Volume and Market Share by Application5 Europe Fire Safety Equipment (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 Europe Fire Safety Equipment Sales and Value (2012-2017)5.1.1 Europe Fire Safety Equipment Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.2 Europe Fire Safety Equipment Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.3 Europe Fire Safety Equipment Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)5.2 Europe Fire Safety Equipment Sales Volume and Market Share by Players5.3 Europe Fire Safety Equipment Sales Volume and Market Share by Type5.4 Europe Fire Safety Equipment Sales Volume and Market Share by ApplicationList of Tables and FiguresFigure Product Picture of Fire Safety EquipmentFigure Global Fire Safety Equipment Sales Volume Comparison (K Units) by Type (2012-2022)Figure Global Fire Safety Equipment Sales Volume Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2016Figure Global Fire Safety Equipment Market Size (Million USD) by Regions (2012-2022)Figure United States Fire Safety Equipment Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure China Fire Safety Equipment Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Europe Fire Safety Equipment Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Japan Fire Safety Equipment 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 Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Market Shares Investments & Base Applications 2017- Nippon Carbon , COI Ceramics , UBE INDUSTRIES , Cerafil

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales Market Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.This research report on the Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers market intends to offer a comprehensive strategic market analysis including a statistical study on revenue generated in this market and its growth projections over the next few years. With the improvements in Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers in terms of returns and benefits, this market is expected to experience a high growth rate in the years to come.This research study on the Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers market offers an in-depth analysis of the various application of Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers and the requirements of the end users. Further, it assesses this market by segmenting it on the basis of the business and the deployment models. It also talks about the demand for Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers across various geographies and how it has impacted the growth of this market as a whole. An all-inclusive coverage of the fundamental economic and technological factors that influences the markets progress has also been provides in this market study.Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers sales volume, Price (USD/MT), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingNippon CarbonCOI CeramicsUBE INDUSTRIESCerafilFill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Research analyst have carried out a number of assessments to identify the volume of the production and the efficiency of the market for Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers considering the performances of its regional markets. The statistics pertaining to the demand, supply, and sales of Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers has also been reviewed thoroughly in this market study.Further, the driving forces, restraints, limitations, and growth opportunities have been analyzed at length in this report. With these factors, the research study determines various prominent trends in the Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers market, which have been influencing this market and are expected to impact the markets growth greatly in the years to come. A detailed analysis of the competitive landscape in the market for Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers in a bid to highlight the level of the competition between the leading players has also been provided in this study.Table of ContentsGlobal Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales Market Report 20171 Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers1.2 Classification of Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers by Product Category1.2.1 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.3 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Fibers For Ceramic Composite Materials (CMC)1.4 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Market by Region1.4.1 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)3 United States Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)For more information on this report, fill the form @4 China Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 China Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 China Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 China Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 China Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales Volume and Market Share by Players4.3 China Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales Volume and Market Share by Type4.4 China Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales Volume and Market Share by Application5 Europe Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 Europe Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales and Value (2012-2017)5.1.1 Europe Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.2 Europe Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.3 Europe Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)5.2 Europe Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales Volume and Market Share by Players6 Japan Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6.1 Japan Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales and Value (2012-2017)6.1.1 Japan Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6.1.2 Japan Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6.1.3 Japan Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)List of Tables and FiguresFigure Product Picture of Silicon Carbide Continuous FibersFigure Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales Volume Comparison (K MT) by Type (2012-2022)Figure Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Sales Volume Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2016Figure Preceramic Polymer Pyrolysis (3P) Product PictureFigure Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) Product PictureFigure Global Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Market Size (Million USD) by Regions (2012-2022)Figure United States Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure China Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Europe Silicon Carbide Continuous Fibers 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:
Automotive Speed Monitoring System Market to 2022 Analysis, Applications, Opportunities and Trends

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Automotive Speed Monitoring System Market Research Report 2017 The report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.Global Automotive Speed Monitoring System market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingPricol LimitedDatazone Systems LLCFleetmatics Development LimitedTruvelo ManufacturersTraffic Technology LtdMOTO SafetyAIRCO Auto InstrumentsTechnopurpleSMG Security SystemsRequest a Sample atGeographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD) , market share and growth rate of Automotive Speed Monitoring System in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast) , coveringUnited StatesEUChinaJapanSouth KoreaIndiaBrowse Complete Report atOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoMicrowave RADAR-based SystemsLaser-based SystemsUltrasonic-based SystemsCamera-based Monitoring SystemIntrusive Sensors & Road TubesSatellite-based Road Traffic MonitoringOthersOn 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 Automotive Speed Monitoring System for each application, includingFleet MonitoringVehicle SchedulingRoute MonitoringDriver MonitoringOthersGet discount on report purchase atKey Point from Table of Contents:1 Automotive Speed Monitoring System Market Overview2 Global Automotive Speed Monitoring System Market Competition by Manufacturers3 Global Automotive Speed Monitoring System Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)4 Global Automotive Speed Monitoring System Supply (Production) , Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)5 Global Automotive Speed Monitoring System Production, Revenue (Value) , Price Trend by Type6 Global Automotive Speed Monitoring System Market Analysis by Application7 Global Automotive Speed Monitoring System Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Pricol Limited7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Automotive Speed Monitoring System Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Pricol Limited Automotive Speed Monitoring System Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Datazone Systems LLC7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Automotive Speed Monitoring System Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Datazone Systems LLC Automotive Speed Monitoring System Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Fleetmatics Development Limited7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Automotive Speed Monitoring System Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Fleetmatics Development Limited Automotive Speed Monitoring System Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview8 Automotive Speed Monitoring System Manufacturing Cost Analysis9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders11 Market Effect Factors Analysis12 Global Automotive Speed Monitoring System Market Forecast (2017-2022)13 Research Findings and ConclusionPurchase Complete Report atContact Information:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb 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
Global Smart Rings Market to grow at a CAGR of 10.16% during 2017-2021 - Jakcom, Kerv Wearables, Logbar, Mota, NFC Ring

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The smart ring wearables were the latest addition to smart wearables technology in 2015. The smart rings are gaining popularity though they are overshadowed by smartwatches and smart bands. The application of smart rings is limited considering their compact size. The smart rings are mainly used for notifications, which are channeled from smartphones for calls, messages, and other apps. The smart rings can be used to unlock smartphones and smart door locks. Some of the near-field communication (NFC)-enabled smart rings are used for direct payment, which needs no authentication.The global smart rings market to grow at a CAGR of 10.16% during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global smart rings market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers wearable rings that can be technologically integrated or connected to smart devices.Click to get sample PDF with TOC:The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Americas- APAC- EMEATechnavio's report, Global Smart Rings 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- Jakcom- Kerv Wearables- Logbar- Mota- NFC Ring- Ringly- VinayaOther prominent vendors- Nimb- Oura- TheTouch XMarket driver- Advances in technology and miniature electronic components.- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Low participation from leading consumer electronic device manufacturers.- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend- Investments by crowdfunding campaigns and venture capitalists.- 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:
Global Automotive Interior Leather Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022

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"The Report Global Automotive Interior Leather Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"This report studies Automotive Interior Leather in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production (10 K Sq. m), price (USD/ Sq. m), revenue (M USD) and market share (%) for each manufacturer, coveringEagle OttawaGST AutoLeatherBader GmbHBoxmarkKyowa Leather ClothExco TechnologiesWollsdorfJBSView Full Report :Mingxin LeatherScottish Leather GroupCouro AzulD.K Leather CorporationElmo Sweden ABConneaut Leather IncDani S.p.A.Download Sample copy of this Report at :Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Automotive Interior Leather in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), likeNorth AmericaChinaEuropeJapanOtherSplit by Product Types, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoGenuine LeatherSynthetic LeatherSplit by applications, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Automotive Interior Leather in each application, can be divided intoHeadlinersSeatsDoor TrimsConsolesOthersSend An Enquiry Request :Table of Contents1 Automotive Interior Leather Market Overview11.1 Product Overview and Scope of Automotive Interior Leather11.2 Automotive Interior Leather Segment by Types21.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Automotive Interior Leather by Types in 201621.2.2 Genuine Leather31.2.3 Synthetic Leather31.3 Automotive Interior Leather Segment by Applications41.3.1 Automotive Interior Leather Consumption Market Share by Applications in 201651.3.2 Headliners51.3.3 Seats61.3.4 Door Trims61.3.5 Consoles71.3.6 Others71.4 Automotive Interior Leather Market by Regions81.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)81.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)91.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)101.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)111.4.5 Other Region Status and Prospect (2012-2022)121.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Automotive Interior Leather (2012-2022)132 Global Automotive Interior Leather Market Competition by Manufacturers142.1 Global Automotive Interior Leather Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)142.2 Global Automotive Interior Leather Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)162.3 Global Automotive Interior Leather Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)192.4 Manufacturers Automotive Interior Leather Manufacturing Base Distribution and Sales Area212.5 Automotive Interior Leather Market Competitive Situation and Trends222.5.1 Automotive Interior Leather Revenue Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers in 2016222.5.2 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion233 Global Automotive Interior Leather Production, Revenue (Value) by Regions (2012-2017)263.1 Global Automotive Interior Leather Production and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)263.2 Global Automotive Interior Leather Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)283.3 Global Automotive Interior Leather Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)293.4 North America Automotive Interior Leather Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)303.5 Europe Automotive Interior Leather Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)303.6 China Automotive Interior Leather Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)303.7 Japan Automotive Interior Leather Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)313.8 Other Region Automotive Interior Leather Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)314 Global Automotive Interior Leather Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)324.1 Global Automotive Interior Leather Consumption by Regions (2012-2017)324.2 North America Automotive Interior Leather Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)344.3 Europe Automotive Interior Leather Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)344.4 China Automotive Interior Leather Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)354.5 Japan Automotive Interior Leather Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)354.6 Other Region Automotive Interior Leather Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)355 Global Automotive Interior Leather Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Types375.1 Global Automotive Interior Leather Production and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)375.2 Global Automotive Interior Leather Revenue and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)395.3 Global Automotive Interior Leather Price by Type (2012-2017)405.4 Global Automotive Interior Leather Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)416 Global Automotive Interior Leather Market Analysis by Applications426.1 Global Automotive Interior Leather Consumption and Market Share by Applications (2012-2017)426.2 Global Automotive Interior Leather Consumption Growth Rate by Applications (2012-2017)447 Global Automotive Interior Leather Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis457.1 Eagle Ottawa457.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Sales Area457.1.2 Automotive Interior Leather Product Overview467.1.3 Eagle Ottawa Automotive Interior Leather Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)477.2 GST AutoLeather477.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Sales Area477.2.2 Automotive Interior Leather Product Overview497.2.3 GST AutoLeather Automotive Interior Leather Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)497.3 Bader GmbH507.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Sales Area507.3.2 Automotive Interior Leather Product Overview517.3.3 Bader GmbH Automotive Interior Leather Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)517.4 Boxmark52About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Microporous Insulation Market Insights with Key Company Profiles - Forecast to 2025

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Microporous insulation refers to a composite material found in the form of fibres or compacted powder characterized by an interconnecting pore size which is comparable to the average free path of air molecules present at standard atmospheric pressure. Microporous insulation generally contains opacifiers to reduce the amount of transmission of radiant heat. Microporous insulation material is fully inorganic which makes it non-combustible and suitable for passive fire protection applications. The microporous insulation materials are less thick which makes them suitable to be used in high temperature environments such as in the aerospace industry, low temperature refrigeration and cryogenic applications and other industrial applications. Microporous insulation products and materials are a composition of fibres, silica, and specially developed infrared opacifiers which have the ability to reduce thermal heat transmission process by absorbing and reflecting the radiant heat.Obtain Report Details @:Microporous insulation materials are associated with some key features and benefits which helps to drive the growth of the global microporous insulation market. Some of the core benefits and features are, these products have exceptional thermal efficiency, they are low in weight coupled with high compressive strength, and they have the ability to increase operational efficiency and others.High operational and manufacturing cost are the major drawbacks which are expected to create hindrances in the growth of the global microporous insulation market during the forecast period.Further, emerging countries are developing the infrastructure of their industries which is expected to create further growth opportunities for the global microporous insulation market. Growth and development of existing and more industries will improve the demand for microporous insulation materials and products.The global microporous insulation market has been segmented based on type of products, application and region.Based on type of product, the global microporous insulation market has been further segmented into, flexible panels, rigid boards and panels and others. The flexible panels segment is expected to hold significant share of the global microporous insulation market.Fill the form to gain deeper insights on this market @:Based on application, the global microporous insulation market has been further segmented into, industrial, energy and power, aerospace and defense, oil and natural gas, and others. The industrial segment has been further bifurcated into, iron and steel, glass, cement and others industry. While, the energy and power segment has been further bifurcated into conventional power generation, nuclear power generation, and fuel cells among others. Moreover, the oil and natural gas industry has been further bifurcated into, petrochemical and others industry and the aerospace and defense industry has been further bifurcated into naval and sea, aerospace and army munition. The aerospace and defense segment followed by the industrial segment is expected to hold considerable market share, however the oil and natural gas segment followed by the energy and power segment are expected to be the fastest growing segments respectively.Based on region, the global microporous insulation market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America. Asia Pacific is expected to hold a considerable portion of the global microporous insulation market during the forecast period owing to the presence of majority of the leading players in this region.The global microporous insulation market is highly fragmented with the presence of many leading players operating in this market. Some of the key players operating in the global microporous insulation market are, Zhongheng New Material Technology Co., Ltd., Laizhou Surya Thermal Insulation Material Co., Ltd., Sunsmed Protective Products Ltd., Tianjin Morgan-Kundom Hi-Tech Development Co., Ltd., Langfang Chaochen Thermal Insulation Material Co., Ltd., Beijing North Refractories Co., Ltd., Shandong Luyang (Luyang Energy-Saving Materials Co., Ltd.), Shanghai Nanovix Thermal Insulation Co., Ltd., Laizhou Mingguang Thermal Insulation Material Co. Ltd., Thermost Thermtech Co., Ltd., Siltherm International Group Limited, Nati Refractories Co., Ltd., Anhui Ningguo Hantai New Materials Limited Company, Kingspan Group PLC, and Zircar Ceramics Inc. 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. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. 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Worldwide Solar Mobile Charger Market Report: Region, Type, Application and Forecast To 2021

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Publisher's Solar Mobile Charger 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 reportSuntricaEMPO-NIVoltaicSolioGoal ZeroXtormXsoriesAnkerGlobal Solar Mobile Charger Market: Product Segment AnalysisOrdinary TypeLighting Function TypeVoltage Adjustable TypeFor More Information About This Report:Global Solar Mobile Charger Market: Application Segment AnalysisMobile Phone Charging ApplicationDigital Camera Charging ApplicationMP3 Charging ApplicationOther ApplicationsGlobal Solar Mobile Charger Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaRequest Sample Copy 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
KACO new energy delivers 4.7 megawatts of inverter power to E.ON.

Includes the DC combiner and overvoltage protection: the XL variant of the blueplanet 50.0 TL3 INT inverter.

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Neckarsulm, 8. August 2017  Inverters from KACO new energy as well as its new reactive power technology will be employed in the Hassel solar park. The open space PV plant is currently being constructed and will be operated by E.ON. The project is the largest one by the German energy provider in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the first one of this scale that uses KACO new energy products. 4.7 megawatts are to be connected to the grid in August.The Hassel solar park in Saxony-Anhalt will be equipped with 85 blueplanet 50.0 TL3 INT inverters by German manufacturer KACO new energy GmbH. The order has been placed by E.ON Energie Deutschland. Construction of the open space system westward of the community Hassel started in June.The building phase has made good pace so that the completion of the first sub-project with a power of 4.7 megawatts is planned for the current month of August; this would mean the inverters would start to feed-in clean solar energy for 2,500 households into the medium voltage grid at the best time of year. In 2018, the array will be enlarged by a second sub-project of 3.1 megawatts; when completed, it will be the largest PV system by E.ON in Saxony-Anhalt with an overall power of 7.8 megawatts.KACO new energy offers its blueplanet 50.0 TL3 INT inverter in different variants. This paid off when E.ON was looking for an inverter with integrated DC combiner with the purpose of simplifying installation. The XL variant chosen by E.ON also provides the DC and AC surge protection type 1+2 for the highest level of protection against damage by lightning.The solar park is supposed to support grid management right from the start. We, as KACO new energy, have just had our new reactive power inverter made market-ready. We had good discussions with E.ON in which we came to the conclusion that the new unit meets all the requirements, said Otto Gentner, Regional Sales Manager, Bavaria & Austria at KACO new energy. Eight blueplanet 50.0 TL3 RPonly (reactive power only) subsequently completed the shipment to E.ON. The unit is AC coupled and delivers reactive power night and day.About E.ON Energie Deutschland:E.ON has been developing solar products and services tailored to its customers specific needs for many years. The range of services encompasses the design, installation, maintenance, and servicing of solar systems for residential and business customers. Backed by decades of experience as an energy supplier, E.ON can carefully manage every stage of the project delivery process. The company also supplies millions of customers across Germany with power and gas. For more information, visitAbout KACO new energy:KACO new energy, headquartered in Neckarsulm, Germany is one of the worlds largest manufacturers of inverters for grid-feed solar power. The product line-up covers the full power range, from single units designed for a family home up to complete systems for solar parks producing megawatts of electricity. Since 1999, KACO new energy has supplied inverters with a cumulative power output of 10 gigawatts. This offering has been extended to include solutions for PV self-consumption and energy storage, devices for grid management, as well as products and value-added services for utility-scale projects. KACO new energy is the first company in the photovoltaic industry to achieve CO2-neutral production and in 2014, celebrated the 100th birthday of the original parent company which, at the end of the 1930s, was one of first ever inverter manufacturers. For more information, visitContact:Kornelia LauserDirector Global Marketing & Power Plant SolutionsKACO new energy GmbHCarl-Zeiss-Str. 174172 NeckarsulmGermany+49 7132 3818-0+49 7132 3818-703pr(at)kaco-newenergy.de
Dunnage Air Bags Market Size & Share to See Modest Growth Through 2024

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Global Dunnage Air Bags Market: OverviewThe packaging industry worldwide has projected a fabulous growth in the recent years. This has positively impacted the shipping and logistic company as there has been a tremendous rise in the logistics and transportation services. All these shipping and logistics carry valuable cargos which need to be protected from breakage while transiting. For these purposes, dunnage air bags are used. Dunnage air bags offer protective packaging to cargo and are used for transporting the cargo safely to its destination. These bags are robust and lighter so can be used for supporting large cargos.Request Free Sample Report @Global Dunnage Air Bags Market: SegmentationThe global dunnage air bags market is segmented into its material type, a number of layers, packaging type, application, and geography. On the basis of material type, the market is divided into Kraft paper, plastic which is further sub divided into polyvinyl chloride and polypropylene. Based on the number of layers, the market is segregated into 8 layers and above, 6 layers, 4 layers, and 2 layers. On the basis of packaging type, the market is classified into laminated dunnage bags, woven dunnage bags, and paper dunnage bags. Based on application, the market is categorized into railways, trucks, and ships. On the basis of geography, the market is divided into North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa and Asia Pacific.Global Dunnage Air Bags Market: Growth FactorsDunnage air bags are highly demanded in the shipping and logistic company as a safe mode of packaging and transportation of the cargo. Features of the dunnage air bags such as light weight, increased cost efficiency, high durability, enhance protection of shipments, and reduced efforts in handling are further propelling the demand for them in the market. Environment consciousness and the rising importance of transporting the cargo safely has led the transporter companies to increasingly opt for dunnage air bags over other packaging options. However, poor resistance to damage caused by sharp objects may hamper the market growth of the dunnage air bags in the coming periods.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @Global Dunnage Air Bags Market: Regional AnalysisThe highest demand in the dunnage air bags market will be seen in North America. This can be attributed to the convenience offered by these bags for shipping and logistics industry. Countries such as the U.S. and Canada will be the major centers of demand in this region. Also, significant demand will be seen in Europe and Asia Pacific due to the growing dominance of these regions worldwide. Considerable market growth will be visible in the coming periods in Latin America and the Middle East and Africa.Browse detail report @Global Dunnage Air Bags Market: Competitive PlayersSome of the major companies in the dunnage air bags market include Green Label Packaging, Cordstrap B.V., Tyoga Container Co Inc, Litco International Inc., Southern Bracing Systems Enterprises LLC, Cejipac Sdn. Bhd., Southern Packaging LP, Bulk-Pack Inc., Packbest Air Packaging Co. Ltd., Buffers USA Inc., Parimet Safepak (Shenzhen) Company Limited, and Special Packaging Material Co. Ltd.Inquire more before buying this report @About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligate company. We create futuristically, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, a company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with Vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from Cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Our Blog:
Garage Door Replacement Parts Market 2017 - Amarr, SOMMER, LiftLogix, Prime-Line, Koala Canada

Garage Door Replacement Parts Market

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Apex Research, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the "Garage Door Replacement Parts Market" across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of "Garage Door Replacement Parts Market" from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global Garage Door Replacement Parts industry, and estimates the future trend of Garage Door Replacement Parts market on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares "Garage Door Replacement Parts Market" performance both in terms of volume and revenue.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportChamberlain GroupOverhead DoorNovofermAmarrSOMMERLiftLogixPrime-LineKoala CanadaDalian SeasideSkylinkFORESEETeckentrupMarantecDalian Master DoorIndustrial SpringCame S.p.A.Steel-CraftGaragaSWR GroupADH GuardianThe market research report explores the Garage Door Replacement Parts market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of "Garage Door Replacement Parts Market". The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the Garage Door Replacement Parts market based on major product types, application and end users industries of Garage Door Replacement Parts. Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for Garage Door Replacement Parts market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Garage Door Replacement Parts is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, Garage Door Replacement Parts market's production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Garage Door Replacement Parts market globally.Enquire Before Buying @The worldwide Garage Door Replacement Parts market 2017 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Garage Door Replacement Parts production volume, data pertaining to demand and Garage Door Replacement Parts supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of Garage Door Replacement Parts along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for Garage Door Replacement Parts across the world.About UsApexResearch offer reports from top publishers and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.biz
State Transport Minister Mahender Reddy today held a meeting with Telangana Secretariat in Hyderabad.

"Aadhaar is mandatory for registration of vehicles and registrations", he said.

He made several suggestions on vehicle ownership issues.

He said the concerned authorities to set up special camps and provide awareness to vehicle dealers.
Airport Security Market to surpass USD 12.5 billion by 2023, with gains at over 4.6% CAGR

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Global Market Insights Inc. has announced the release of a new research report on Airport Security Market Size which is forecast to register USD 12.83 billion by 2023. The report covers in-depth analysis of the market with segmentation based on technology, region, and competitive scenario. It also features key factors that influence the market including drivers, obstacles, challenges, prospects and key trends.Request for a sample of this research report @New investments in the market, advanced technologies in screening, big data, and integration markets are driving upgrades. Furthermore, cyber security is also projected to exhibit the significant growth at the faster pace during the predicted time frame. An initiative by governments to tighten safety measures concerning criminal attacks and terrorism is likely to influence the market. Further, new rules about screening can also impact the new technology solutions in airport security market trends. The need for system upgrade and maintenance due to growing number of threats demands technology advancement to provide greater efficiency. This increased security need impels growth encouraging technology providers to roll out integrated and intelligent security solutions and stimulate additional airport efficiencies. Moreover, strategic partnerships and acquisitions play a vital role to success for companies in this arena.Budgetary constraints of advanced technologies, economic turmoil may hamper the airport security market growth. The aviation security surveillance segment is forecast to exhibit growth over the predicted period. IP cameras are gaining popularity and will completely replace analog systems soon.Key drivers of the market: The rising importance of improved aviation security Advanced security infrastructure and screening technologies The global air passenger volume growth Rapid growth of APAC aviation sector ( new airports and upgrades) The moderate growth of the air transport industry in other regions. The need to restructure aviation security processes and decreased waiting time for passengers.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @The report analyzes highly competitive industry with some key players profiled in the report. Investment in R&D to develop reliable and credible solution and product offering is a key strategy for competitors.The key participants in the aviation security screening market include Smiths Detection Safran Morpho OSI Systems (Rapiscan) American Science & Engineering L-3 Security & Detection.The global aviation security industry, technologies, and markets are undergoing a significant shift. The U.S. airport security market size is tipped to surpass USD 3.5 billion by 2023. The Middle East market segment will also propel global growth by 2023. China is also projected to witness significant growth owing to growing infrastructure development and passenger volumes.About Fractovia.orgFractovia.org is one of India's leading in-house and free news portal. It is fully automated, and operates on a constant premise, interfacing with news sites and offering redesigned breaking features to readers across the globe. Our mission is to offer individuals opportunities for connections with news writers and distributors which they can pursue. We operate by mapping articles pertaining to breaking news, constantly and progressively, against a pre-determined word-based theme, offering important connections to readers and clients, as well as distributers.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAFractovia.orgPhone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@fractovia.orgWebsite:
Solomon Islands Insurance Market Analysis Report Opportunities to 2017

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WiseGuyReports published new report, titled Solomon Islands Insurance, Key Trends and Opportunities.Synopsis'Governance, Risk and Compliance  The Solomon Islands Insurance Industry' report is the result of extensive research into the insurance regulatory framework in the Solomon Islands.It provides detailed analysis of the insurance regulations for life, property, motor, liability, personal accident and health, and marine, aviation and transit insurance. The report specifies various requirements for the establishment and operation of insurance and reinsurance companies and intermediaries.The report brings together research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on prevailing insurance regulations, and recent and upcoming changes in the regulatory framework, taxation and legal system in the country. The report also includes the scope of non-admitted insurance in the country.GET SAMPLE REPORT @SummaryThe report provides insights into the governance, risk and compliance framework pertaining to the insurance industry in the Solomon Islands, including: An overview of the insurance regulatory framework in the Solomon Islands. The latest key changes, and changes expected in the countrys insurance regulatory framework. Key regulations and market practices related to different types of insurance product in the country. Rules and regulations pertaining to key classes of compulsory insurance, and the scope of non-admitted insurance in the Solomon Islands. Key parameters including licensing requirements, permitted foreign direct investment, minimum capital requirements, solvency and reserve requirements, and investment regulations. Details of the tax and legal systems in the country.Scope The report covers details of the insurance regulatory framework in the Solomon Islands. The report contains details of the rules and regulations governing insurance products and insurance entities. The report lists and analyzes key trends and developments pertaining to the countrys insurance regulatory framework. The report analyzes the rules and regulations pertaining to the establishment and operation of insurance businesses in the country. The report provides details of taxation imposed on insurance products and insurance companies.Key points to buy Gain insights into the insurance regulatory framework in the Solomon Islands. Track the latest regulatory changes, and expected changes impacting the Solomon Islands insurance industry. Gain detailed information about the key regulations governing the establishment and operation of insurance entities in the country. Understand key regulations and market practices pertaining to various types of insurance product.Key Highlights The Solomon Islands insurance industry is regulated by the Central Bank of the Solomon Islands. Composite insurance is permitted in the Solomon Islands. 100% FDI is permitted in the Solomon Islands insurance industry. Non-admitted insurance is not permitted, however there are a few exceptions. Motor third-party liability insurance is compulsory in the Solomon Islands.Table of Contents1 INTRODUCTION2 GOVERNANCE, RISK AND COMPLIANCE3 APPENDIX..CONTINUEDFor accessing accurate and deep understanding and to gain latest insights and key developments in the area of your interest, we also have a list of conferences in which you will be interested in, for more information, cordially checkFor updating knowledge or for thoroughly understanding various terminologies, we also have vast list of seminars for your reference, for more information cordially checkWise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
MenSe V-Tec "diagonal shank" series feed rollers  A revolutionary innovation on the feed roller market!

MenSe V-Tec "diagonal shank" series feed rollers  A revolutionary innovation on the feed roller market!

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MenSe V-Tec "diagonal shank" series feed rollers  A revolutionary innovation on the feed roller market!The impact of feed rollers on the productivity of harvesting work and the quality of the end product should not be underestimated. The ingenious, uncompromising design and low price of the V-Tec give forest machine contractors the opportunity to improve the productivity of the harvester.The gripping surface machined onto the diagonal shank in the direction of the axle forms a circular outer sphere, which feeds timber evenly. Cutting length is achieved faster, the operation becomes more effective, improving profitability. The spikes on the diagonal shank provide sturdy support for the timber. The rollers provide excellent grip in both feeding directions, backwards and forwards. The grip also minimizes surface damage. Gripping pressure may be lowered, which also provides savings in fuel costs. V-Tec has an open, light, non-clogging structure. The rollers are made of hard, tough Hardox 450 steel.MenSe has over 20 years of experience in manufacturing feed rollers for harvesting machines. The companys first product, developed in the 90s, a rubber-damped steel feed roller, combines the benefits of steel and rubber rollers. Now V-Tec rebuilds the feed roller structure once more. We are continuously developing our products, taking into account the wishes and needs of forestry professionals and their stakeholders.MenSe Oy also provides log processing rollers with a flexible structure for sawmills. Thanks to the structure the bearings and axles are spared many problems.MenSe Oy is engaged in the development of new solutions and innovations for the mechanized harvesting and clearing of timber. The company was founded in 1996. We design, manufacture and sell feed rollers for forest harvesters and sawmills, hydraulic cutters, clearing ad-ons to harvester heads and hose binding accessories. We also perform various subcontracting works, such as robot welding, CNC machining, vulcanizing, and contractual manufacturing. MenSe Oy is situated in Taavetti, Finland.Mense OyHallikuja 2FI-54500 TAAVETTI+35856106900mense@mense.fi
Harmonic Filter Report on Global and United States Market Status and Forecast 2017-2022 by Players, Types and Applications

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "2017-2022 Harmonic Filter Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications" to its huge collection of research reports.This report on the Global and United States Harmonic Filter market has been developed by a designated team of professional market researchers analysts, with a unique way to provide the recent outlook of the market for Harmonic Filter and focus on its growth prospects. The report concentrates on audiences such as manufacturers and service providers, government agencies, other research consultancy services currently active in the Global and United States Harmonic Filter market. The report presents comprehensive evaluation of the major factors, which may influence the stipulation in the Global and United States Harmonic Filter market, captures the latest trends, inspects the restrains or challenges, and analyzes what the existing key players must remember as tactics in respect to get ahead in the competition.This report on the Global and United States Harmonic Filter market presents the market size estimations based on the value (USD million). It also includes topsy-turvy perspective to validate and estimate the overall size of the Harmonic Filter market and several related segments of the overall Global and United States market to help the viewers understand the market growth scenario. The opportunities in the market for Harmonic Filter has been accounted on the basis of application, countries type in terms of manufacturing, and provides forecast for the duration of 2017-2022 has also been considered extensively in this research report.Fill the form to gain deeper insights on this market @The major players in global and United States Harmonic Filter market, including ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), Baron Power Limited (India), Comsys AB (Sweden), Schneider Electric SE (France), Eaton Corporation Plc (Ireland), Danfoss A/S (Denmark), Siemens AG (Germany), Crompton Greaves Ltd. (India), TDK Corporation (Japan), Schaffner Holding AG (Switzerland), MTE Corporation (US), Enspec Power Ltd. (UK), Larsen & Toubro Limited (India), Arteche (Spain), AVX Corporation (US), Mirus International Inc. (Canada), LPI-NZ Ltd. (Australia), Mesta Electronics, Inc. (US), REO AG (Germany)This report presents the shareholders of the Global and United States Harmonic Filter market, which was only enlightened that few of the leading companies recently in this market are accounted in terms to represent their product portfolio, recent strategic decisions and market share. This section also targets at the potentiality of new-entrants and completely explores the prospects. Dominant players in the Harmonic Filter market have been identified through extensive research, and their influence in respective regions have also been calculated through proven research methodologies.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @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 Harmonic Filter Market Overview2.1 Harmonic Filter Product Overview2.2 Harmonic Filter Market Segment by Type2.3 Global Harmonic Filter Product Segment by Type2.4 United States Harmonic Filter Product Segment by Type7 Harmonic Filter Players/Manufacturers Profiles and Sales Data7.1 ABB Ltd. (Switzerland)7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.1.2 Harmonic Filter Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 ABB Ltd. (Switzerland) Harmonic Filter Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Baron Power Limited (India)7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.2.2 Harmonic Filter Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Baron Power Limited (India) Harmonic Filter Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Comsys AB (Sweden)7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.3.2 Harmonic Filter Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Comsys AB (Sweden) Harmonic Filter 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 Global Harmonic Filter Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Figure United States Harmonic Filter Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Table Global Harmonic Filter Sales (K Units) by Types (2012-2017)Table Global Harmonic Filter Sales Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)Figure Global Sales Harmonic Filter Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)Figure Global Sales Harmonic Filter Market Share (%) by Types in 2016Table Global Harmonic Filter Revenue (Million USD) 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
The outlook for True Fleet in the UK remains dark and gloomy

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While the UK is enjoying the sunny weather the same cannot be said for the Fleet market which was hit with this years 2nd month of double-digit negative growth sliding by 13.1% in July. The Total Market finished down by - 9.3% with all channels playing their part. True Fleet was the most afflicted market segment with - 13.1% while Special Channels dropped by - 7.1%. The Private Market was not far behind in percentages with a - 6.9%. While we must not forget that 2016 was a record year, it does now seem interesting to see if this negative trend can be halted or if the market slide will continue?Brand PerformanceMost OEMs had a tough July which could somewhat be expected with the 13.1% drop, leaving only two (inside the Top 10) able to manage significant growth rates. The return of Ford to the #1 spot and Opel to the #2 position may bring some light relief to the brands in terms of True Fleet ranking, unfortunately neither could post a positive growth.German brands took out the next four places with both VW and Mercedes retaining their positions of 3rd and 4th, followed by Audi and BMW who both gained a place to finish 5th and 6th respectively. Nissan slid a couple of spots to finish in 7th and Kia gained a place to move into 8th.It took until 9th place before we saw double-digit growth and the glory went to Toyota with a + 42.7%, helped in no small part by the C-HR which is currently achieving a significant acceptance in the fleet market. Skoda rounds out the top 10 and is the 2nd significant achiever for July with a + 25.6% helped by solid volume from Kodiaq, Superb and Octavia.After the recent announcement from Skoda regarding the addition of a new 1.5L petrol engine for the fleet market we took a look at the Octavia fuel segment and can see why.Month-on-month comparison for Octavia petrol variants show increases of 153.2% in May, 218.3% in June and 206.8% in July. In these 3 months alone the Octavia has sold more than half of its 2016s total petrol volume.Fuel TypesThe UK market is perhaps one of the most significant at present in terms of movements in fuel type. While the Total Market is certainly feeling a drop in volume there is an exciting amount of growth happening in both the Electric and Hybrid segments. Year to date, electric is up 53.8% and hybrid 28.2% this equates to a little over 16,000 extra units for those Alternative fuels.With petrol also successfully resisting the market slide with a + 4.3%, this obviously leaves us only diesel left to report on. The beleaguered fuel type is taking a real hammering from all market segments and is down by 11.1% for the Total Market. Heaviest hit in the fall is True Fleet, down a little over 48,000 units YTD equating to a - 14.8% in terms of growth.The question is now when is this likely to start hitting residual values?(517 words, 2837 characters)DATAFORCE  Focus on FleetsDataforce is the leading provider of fleet market data and automotive intelligence solutions in Europe. In addition, the company also provides detailed information on sales opportunities for the automotive industry, together with a wide portfolio of information based on primary market research and consulting services. The company is based in Frankfurt, Germany.Gabriel JuhasDataforce Verlagsgesellschaft fur Business Informationen mbHHamburger Allee 1460486 Frankfurt am MainGermanyPhone: +49 69 95930-250Fax: +49 69 95930-333Email: gabriel.juhas@dataforce.de
Malaysian Cards and Payments Industry Detailed Analysis, Future Market Trends and Opportunities Forecasted until 2021

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Market Research Hub (MRH) added a new market research report "The Cards and Payments Industry in Malaysia: Emerging trends and opportunities to 2021", the report provides a detailed analysis of market trends in the Malaysian cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including credit transfers, payment cards, cash, direct debits, and cheques during the review-period (2017-21).Request Free Sample Report @The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2016-20f). It also offers information on the countrys competitive landscape, including the market shares of issuers and schemes.The report brings together Market Research Hubs research, modeling, and analysis expertise to allow banks and card issuers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages. The report also covers details of regulatory policy and recent changes in the regulatory structure.This report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the Malaysian cards and payments industry, including - Current and forecast values for each market in the Malaysian cards and payments industry, including debit, credit and charge cards.Detailed insights into payment instruments including credit transfers, cash, cheques, direct debit, and payment cards. It also, includes an overview of the countrys key alternative payment instruments.E-commerce market analysis and payment methods.Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the Malaysian cards and payments industry. Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit, credit and charge cards.Scope:Malaysian payment card market has recorded strong uptake in contactless technology, with all major banks including Maybank, Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN), CIMB Bank, Public Bank, and Hong Leong Bank now offering contactless cards. The number of contactless POS terminals stood at 33,721 in 2016, increasing almost sevenfold from 4,839 terminals in 2015. To further encourage contactless payments, banks are launching innovative products. Maybank collaborated with Visa in January 2016 to launch an NFC wristband, Maybank Visa Payband, to enable its customers to make payments with a wave of the wrist.A growing preference for secure electronic payments, growth in the young population, and deeper smartphone penetration saw banks, payment service providers, and telecom companies launching new payment solutions to gain market share. Samsung Electronics, CIMB Bank, and Maybank all launched mobile wallets between 2016 and 2017.BNM launched the Malaysian Chip Card Specification initiative in 2014 as part of a shift towards EMV standards. According to BNM, complete migration to EMV standards with contactless functionality is expected to be completed by January 1, 2018. As a result, from 2015 banks gradually started to replace domestic debit cards with EMV-compliant cards with contactless functionality.Browse Full Report with TOC @Reasons to buy1. Make strategic business decisions, using top-level historic and forecast market data, related to the Malaysian cards and payments industry and each market within it.2. Understand the key market trends and growth opportunities in the Malaysian cards and payments industry.3. Assess the competitive dynamics in the Malaysian cards and payments industry.4. Gain insights into marketing strategies used for various card types in Malaysia.5. Gain insights into key regulations governing the Malaysian cards and payments industry.Table of Content:1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 21.1. Market overview 21.2. Key facts 41.3. Top five industry events 52. PAYMENT INSTRUMENTS 112.1. Current payment environment 113. E-COMMERCE AND ALTERNATIVE PAYMENTS 133.1. E-commerce market analysis 133.2. Alternative payment solutions 153.2.1. PayPal 153.2.2. CIMB Pay 153.2.3. Samsung Pay 153.2.4. JomPAY 153.2.5. MPay 163.2.6. Masterpass 163.2.7. Visa Checkout 163.2.8. Alipay 163.2.9. Maybank Pay 163.2.10. MOLPoints 173.2.11. Mobile Money 173.2.12. Celcom AirCash 17.continueMake an Enquiry for this Report @About Market Research HubMarket Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of banking market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free : 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel : +1-518-621-2074Email : press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite :
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Solar Energy Charge Controller Market 2017 with Sales Volume & Manufacturer

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Solar Energy Charge Controller Market Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, the EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller 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 Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Solar Energy Charge Controller for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Benelux;Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran;Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria.EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Solar Energy Charge Controller sales volume (K Units), price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingGenasunMorning StarSRNE SolarMPP SolarPhocosLeonicsSolexPower MasterBeijiing Epsolar TechnologyBeijing Shoushanxinda TechnologySunway PowerSuzhou Cosuper EnergyAnhui Jing Neng Green EnergyFor more information on this report, fill the form @On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K Units), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Unit), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoPWM Charge ControllersMPPT Charge ControllersOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (K Units), market share and growth rate of Solar Energy Charge Controller for each application, includingSolar Street LampsSolar Traffic SignsSolar HeatersOthersTable of Contents1 Solar Energy Charge Controller Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Solar Energy Charge Controller1.2 Classification of Solar Energy Charge Controller1.3 EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller Market by Application/End Users1.4 EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller Market by Region1.5 EMEA Market Size (Value and Volume) of Solar Energy Charge Controller (2012-2022)Browse full table of contents and data tables of Report @2 EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers2.2 EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller (Volume and Value) by Type/Product Category2.3 EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller (Volume) by Application2.4 EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller (Volume and Value) by Region6 EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller Manufacturers/Players Profiles and Sales Data6.1 Genasun6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Solar Energy Charge Controller Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Product A6.1.2.2 Product B6.1.3 Genasun Solar Energy Charge Controller Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Morning Star6.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.2.2 Solar Energy Charge Controller Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Product A6.2.2.2 Product B6.2.3 Morning Star Solar Energy Charge Controller Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 SRNE Solar6.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.3.2 Solar Energy Charge Controller Product Type, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Product A6.3.2.2 Product B6.3.3 SRNE Solar Solar Energy Charge Controller Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business OverviewList of Tables and FiguresFigure Product Picture of Solar Energy Charge ControllerFigure EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller Sales Volume (K Units) by Type (2012-2022)Figure EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller Sales Volume Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2016Figure EMEA Solar Energy Charge Controller Market Size (Million USD) by Region (2012-2022)Figure Europe Solar Energy Charge Controller Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Europe Solar Energy Charge Controller Revenue (Million USD) Status and Forecast by CountriesFigure Middle East Solar Energy Charge Controller Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Middle East Solar Energy Charge Controller Revenue (Million USD) Status and Forecast by CountriesQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. 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Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Report on Global Market by Players, Types and Applications, Status and Forecast, 2017-2022

Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Industry

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In our aim to provide our erudite clients with the best research material with absolute in-depth information of the market, our new report on Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Market is confident in meeting their needs and expectations. The 2017 market research report on Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Market is an in-depth study and analysis of the market by our industry experts with unparalleled domain knowledge. The report will shed light on many critical points and trends of the industry which are useful for our esteemed clients. The report covers a vast expanse of information including an overview, comprehensive analysis, definitions and classifications, applications, and expert opinions, among others. With the extent of information filled in the report, the presentation and style of the Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Market report is a noteworthy.Request Sample of Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Industry Report at:The Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Industry report provides key information about the industry, including invaluable facts and figures, expert opinions, and the latest developments across the globe. Not only does the report cover a holistic view of the industry from a global standpoint, but it also covers individual regions and their development. The Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Industry market report showcases the latest trends in the global and regional markets on all critical parameters which include technology, supplies, capacity, production, profit, price, and competition. The key players covered in the report provide a detailed analysis of the competition and their developments in the Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Industry. Accurate forecasts and expert opinion from credible sources, and the recent R&D development in the industry is also a mainstay of the Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Market report.Browse Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Market Report at:The report also focuses on the significance of industry chain analysis and all variables, both upstream and downstream. These include equipment and raw materials, client surveys, marketing channels, and industry trends and proposals. Other significant information covering consumption, key regions and distributors, and raw material suppliers are also a covered in this report.Finally, the Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Market report ends with a detailed SWOT analysis of the market, investment feasibility and returns, and development trends and forecasts. As with every report on Orbis Research, the Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Industry is the holy grail of information which serious knowledge seekers can benefit from. The report which is the result of ultimate dedication of pedigree professionals has a wealth of information which can benefit anyone, irrespective of their commercial or academic interest.Major Points from TOC:Chapter One: Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Market OverviewChapter Two: Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter Three: Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Four: Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Five: Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter Six: Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter Seven: Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Manufacturers Profiles/AnalysisChapter Eight: Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter Nine: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter Ten: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter Eleven: Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter Twelve: Global Industrial Wireless Remote Controller Market Forecast (2017-2022)Chapter Thirteen: Research Findings and ConclusionChapter Fourteen: AppendixCheck for Discount offered on this Report at:About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Information:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas  75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +9164101019Email: sales@orbisresearch.comFor More Press Releases, visit:
ADVANCED FARMING MARKET Status and Forecast showcasing Progressive CAGR of 13.44% Growth During 2016-2022

ADVANCED FARMING MARKET

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ADVANCED FARMING MARKET Technologies (VRT, Remote Sensing, HPPS, IEC, Automated Steering Systems), Applications (Fleet Management, Horticulture, Aqua, Forest, and Livestock Farming), and Services Global Market Drivers, Opportunities, Trends, and Forecasts,A new research document with title 'ADVANCED FARMING MARKET Technologies (VRT, Remote Sensing, HPPS, IEC, Automated Steering Systems), Applications (Fleet Management, Horticulture, Aqua, Forest, and Livestock Farming), and Services Global Market Drivers, Opportunities, Trends, and Forecasts covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis and important players/vendors such as Deere & Company, Raven Industries, AgJunction etc. The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast.Get Sample Report @Description :The agriculture sector feeds around 7.5 billion people that require proper lands and fresh water. However, with the increasing pollution, the environment is changing and resulting in damage of crops and is leading to the change in the life cycle of plants and animals. Thus, one way to address this issue of agricultural production is to use sensing technology to make intelligent farms. Advanced farming is about utilisation of right technology to improve the cultivation regardless of using chemicals. The use of advanced farming will improve monitoring of crop health and animal, quality of the filed, improvement in soil (moisture and fertility), and yield production. It also helps in reducing wastage on the field and improves the efficiency of land and the crop.The usage of technologies improves decision making process in agriculture. Escalating the demand of the food supply chain has mandated the utilisation of the agriculture resources. With this, the regulatory bodies have also started developing rural areas by setting up new infrastructure to ensure the Benefits of the development in these areas.The analyst estimates the advanced farming market to witness a CAGR of 13.44% during the forecast period 20162022. Some of the players included in the report are Trimble Navigation, AGCO Corp., John Deere & Company, Raven Industries, and Agjunction Inc. The advanced farming market is segmented by technologies, applications, services, deployment, and regions. The reports also talks about the investment done in all the regions by private and public sector. In regions, Americas is expected to be the biggest market in terms of revenue contribution while Asia Pacific and the Middle East & Africa (MEA) are expected to expand the market in the upcoming years.The study covers and analyses Global Advanced Farming Market. Bringing out the complete key insights of the industry, the report aims to provide an opportunity for players to understand the latest trends, current market scenario, government initiative and technologies related to the market. In addition, it will help the venture capitalist in understanding the companies better and take informed decisions. Since last few years, with the growing food requirement and climate change concerns, farmers across the globe have started utilizing the technology- and environment-friendly farming practices. Although this transition is mostly in the developed economies, it is expected that in the coming years, even the underdeveloped markets will adopt it.The advanced farming technologies such as variable rate technology (VRT) and high precision positioning systems (HPS) help the farmers to take informed decisions such as when, how and where to harvest the crop and increase the yield. Most of these systems are interlinked with the farming management systems (FMS). These technologies also help the farmers to track and monitor the animal health. Since past two to three years, the cloud based FMS has started penetrating into the advanced farming market. With the help of these systems, the farmer is able to track and monitor the farm activities from remote locations at any time from his desktop or from a mobile device. For example, if there is some variation in the animal health, the farmer will receive an alert message. These cloud based systems at present are popular in North America, Western Europe, and Australia.There are various factors driving the advanced farming market such as government and United Nations (UN) support, growing food requirement, and need for the water management systems. But, one of the key factors impacting the growth of the market is the high initial investments. Farmers are bit reluctant in adopting these technologies specifically in underdeveloped countries such as in Africa.Buy this report @Companies Mentioned in the ReportTrimble NavigationAGCO Corp.Deere & CompanyRaven IndustriesAgJunctionCisco SystemsIBM Corp.Microsoft Corp.Intel CorporationSmart Fertilizer ManagementBlue River TechnologyGrowing SmartThingWorxEnquire for Discount @Table Of Content :1 Industry Outlook1.1 Industry Overview1.2 Industry Trends1.3 Pest Analysis2 Report Outline2.1 Report Scope2.2 Report Summary2.3 Research Methodology2.4 Report Assumptions3 Market Snapshot3.1 Total Addressable Market (TAM)3.2 Segmented Addressable Market (SAM)3.3 SAM as a Segment of TAM3.4 Advanced Farming By Types3.5 Related Markets3.5.1 Connected Agriculture3.5.2 Smart Animal Husbandry .. 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, NJ USA - 08837sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218
Analytics of Things Market is expected to grow at CAGR of 28.2% owing to rising demand till 2023

Analytics of Things Market

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A new research document with title 'Analytics of Things Market to grow at a CAGR of 28.2% during the forecast period 2017-2023 to reach an aggregrate of $23.99 billion by 2023 covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic and important players/vendors such as Microsoft, Cisco, SAP etc. The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2017-2023.Request a sample report @SummaryOverviewNew wireless technologies, sensors, and mobile devices are driving the IoT evolution. However, the real business value of the technology lies in analytics. Advanced analytics can provide meaningful insights that could help in transforming consumer experiences, development of products and services, optimization of operations, and cost savings on assets. The datasets extracted from sensors can be correlated with data, such as social data, to yield a strong understanding of the operations or a person or a group of individuals.Product analysisIoT analytics platform could enable a wide range of analytics, from real-time to machine learning and cognitive to edge. Automated machine learning can be added to quick and simple real-time monitoring for identification of anomalous behavior. Predictive analytics uses advanced statistical modeling and historic data. For contextual insights, cognitive analytics can be applied to the unstructured data sources. These insights would consist of detailed graphs and visualization dashboards. The platform is purposely built to scale the high velocity and large volumes of data. With the advancements in processing and analytics, analytics can be performed at the edge of the network to overcome the challenges of connectivity, security, bandwidth, and latency.Market analysisAnalytic of Things (AoT) has become highly relevant to few industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and utilities. Analytics is being applied to power grid systems for continuous monitoring, proactive management of power supply, and preventive maintenance. Most of the manufacturing plants and fleets in logistics already have Internet-enabled sensors, and thus these businesses utilize analytics. Most of the new business processes and systems are likely to incorporate at least some elements of IoT analytics. Large enterprises who have prioritized low cost solutions are likely to deploy AoT solutions on cloud.Technology analysisThe value of IoT Analytics lies in real-time business analytics. In IoT, real-time analysis is difficult with several million events often streaming into the system. Lack of real-time advanced algorithms poses a challenge in real-time analytics. However, the challenges are being addressed as several IoT vendors are investing in improving the efficiency of the IoT systems. Descriptive analytics has already become mature, and the vendors are now focusing on predictive and prescriptive analytics. Both the types are likely to attract consumers attention due to high operational efficiencies and cost reductions that they yield.Buy this report @Key playersMost of the IoT vendors in the market have offerings for IoT analytics as well. The major vendors in the IoT market are Microsoft, Cisco, SAP, Intel, IBM, Google, AGT International, Accenture, Capgemini, and TIBCO Software.Competitive analysisAlmost the entire AoT market is ruled by the IT conglomerates. Intel, Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, Google, and HP are few of the major players in the AoT market. The vendors are proactively investing in the development of IoT technologies. For instance, Microsoft has invested on processing features of Microsoft Streaming Analytics to enable better extraction of information from sensors in real-time. IBM has invested in enterprise application infrastructure and databases for connected devices. With respect to such investments, there has been a rise in the demand for data scientists and courses for the same. The Federal and Central governments of several countries are incentivizing development of the AoT ecosystem and are promoting the use of IoT and related technologies.Regional analysisWith its assurance of cost reduction and operational efficiencies, IoT and analytics is gaining popularity across all the regions. North America leads the AoT market in terms of market share due to the rising adoption of IoT solutions, a well-developed ecosystem, and the presence of major IoT players in the market. The market is yet to tap the entire potential as few organizations are still unsure about the technology. European organizations and governments are investing on innovations and ecosystem development. Asia Pacific is a rapidly developing region, and the economies are likely to invest in AoT as a move towards digitization. Heavy and sustained investments in IoT from countries, such as India, China, South Korea, Singapore, and several Western European countries, have positioned them fit to guide the next digital wave of computing and industrialization. While the Middle East and Africa are investing in AoT in line with their growing economy and the prominent oil and gas industry in MEA region, Latin America will experience increased investment by IoT vendors in the next 5 years.BenefitsIoT analytics platform enables an organization to transform its business operations and boost its revenues. AoT warns organizations of any potential problems associated with an equipment. Strengths and weaknesses of various processes can be analyzed by turning tools and systems into smart devices. Fuel and energy consumption in the processes can be tracked and the expenses can be minimized. Data gathered with respect to preferences and purchasing habits of customers can be used in developing personalized shopping experience. The product quality can be assessed with the help of IoT Analytics.Companies Mentioned in the ReportMicrosoft, Cisco, SAP, Intel, IBM, Google, AGT International, Accenture, Capgemini, and TIBCO Software.Get customization & check discount for report @Table of Contents1 Industry Outlook1.1 Industry Overview1.2 Industry Trends1.3 PEST Analysis2 Report Outline2.1 Report Scope2.2 Report Summary2.3 Research Methodology2.4 Report Assumptions3 Market Snapshot3.1 Total Addressable Market3.2 Segmented Addressable Market3.3 Related Markets3.3.1 Big Data Analytics Market3.3.2 IoT in Manufacturing4 Market Outlook4.1 Overview4.2 Market Definition4.3 Market Trends4.4 Ecosystem of Analytics of Things4.5 Architecture4.6 Market Segmentation4.7 Porter 5 (Five) Forces....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, NJ USA - 08837sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218
Phenolic Resol Resin Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and Forecast : 2012-2017

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Phenolic Resol ResinGet Access To Full Summary @Phenolic Resol Resin Report by Material, Application, and Geography a 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).The report firstly introduced the Phenolic Resol Resin basics: definitions, classifications, applications and market overview; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures, raw materials and so on.Get Sample Report @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 Phenolic Resol Resin Market;3.) the North American Phenolic Resol Resin Market;4.) the European Phenolic Resol Resin Market;5.) market entry and investment feasibility;6.) the report conclusion.Get Customization & Check Discount For Report @Table of ContentsPart I Phenolic Resol Resin Industry OverviewChapter One Phenolic Resol Resin Industry Overview1.1 Phenolic Resol Resin Definition1.2 Phenolic Resol Resin Classification Analysis1.2.1 Phenolic Resol Resin Main Classification Analysis1.2.2 Phenolic Resol Resin Main Classification Share Analysis1.3 Phenolic Resol Resin Application Analysis1.3.1 Phenolic Resol Resin Main Application Analysis1.3.2 Phenolic Resol Resin Main Application Share Analysis1.4 Phenolic Resol Resin Industry Chain Structure Analysis1.5 Phenolic Resol Resin Industry Development Overview1.5.1 Phenolic Resol Resin Product History Development Overview1.5.1 Phenolic Resol Resin Product Market Development Overview1.6 Phenolic Resol Resin Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.1 Phenolic Resol Resin Global Import Market Analysis1.6.2 Phenolic Resol Resin Global Export Market Analysis1.6.3 Phenolic Resol Resin Global Main Region Market Analysis1.6.4 Phenolic Resol Resin Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.5 Phenolic Resol Resin Global Market Development Trend AnalysisChapter Two Phenolic Resol Resin Up and Down Stream Industry Analysis2.1 Upstream Raw Materials Analysis2.1.1 Upstream Raw Materials Price Analysis2.1.2 Upstream Raw Materials Market Analysis2.1.3 Upstream Raw Materials Market Trend2.2 Down Stream Market Analysis2.1.1 Down Stream Market Analysis2.2.2 Down Stream Demand Analysis2.2.3 Down Stream Market Trend Analysis...CONTINUED...About 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.com Ph: +44-020-3286-9338 (UK) +1-214-377-1121 (US)Office No: 206 Empress Mill Society Shree Nagar,Nagpur - 440015MaharashtraIndia
Cloud Gaming Market to peak demand by 2022 at a CAGR of 46.8% - NVIDIA, Samsung Electronics, LG

Cloud Gaming Market

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A new research document with title 'Asia Pacific Cloud Gaming Market Report 2016-2022 covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic and important players/vendors such as NVIDIA, Samsung Electronics, LG etc. The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2017-2023.Request a sample report @SummaryAsia Pacific Cloud Gaming Market  Drivers, Opportunities, Trends, and Forecasts: 20162022Cloud gaming or gaming on demand is an online gaming that offers frictionless and direct playability. Basically, there are two types of cloud gaming  file streaming and video streaming. At present, Asia Pacific is set to be the most attractive destination for business expansion/investment for key stakeholders across the globe. The increasing internet dependent population, government initiatives, rising FDI, and economic growth are few factors that are making Asia Pacific an emerging market for all kind of players. Over the past few years, the cloud gaming has seen a positive growth mainly driven by the increase in the online gamers in the region and improved gaming technology by the companies. The market is witnessing an increased adoption of next generation technologies and the ever-increasing popularity of PCs and electronic devices are also supporting the cloud gaming market in the region.Currently, although the cloud gaming market is at an emerging stage, it is growing rapidly due to the increasing internet penetration, increase in the number of gamers, and rapidly growing smartphone shipments in the region. The cloud gaming market has brought great business growth opportunities for various stakeholders such as mobile operators, content providers, content publishers, mobile app developers, OEMs & network vendors, service providers, brands, advertisers, and investors. The Asia Pacific cloud gaming market is segmented into gaming audience, devices, technologies, and countries. The social media games and mobile games are contributing the major share to the overall market as these two channels consist of a huge customer base. The countries covered in the report are ANZ, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Others.Buy this report @According to The Research, the Asia Pacific Cloud Gaming market is estimated to witness a CAGR of 46.8% during the forecast period 20162022. The increasing mobile and internet subscriber base, increase in the gaming audience, government initiatives related to infrastructure activities, increase in the development of new technologies, and decrease in piracy are the major drivers for the market growth. Further, the increasing growth rate of 3G and 4G technologies is expected to support the cloud gaming market growth in the region. The players included in the report are Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Samsung, LG, etc.The study covers and analyzes the Asia Pacific Cloud Gaming market. Bringing out the complete key insights of the industry, the report aims to provide an opportunity for players to understand the latest trends, current market scenario, government initiatives, and technologies related to the market. In addition, helps the venture capitalist in understanding the companies better and take informed decisions.Report Summary  Asia Pacific Cloud Gaming MarketFrom the past 10 years, there is a drastic change in the gaming market. The traditional video gaming market is moving towards the declining stage, where the gaming players are drastically seeing a negative impact on their gaming revenue. In Asia Pacific, major drivers for cloud gaming market growth are smartphones and electronic devices penetration, growing number of the gaming audience, and low cost of cloud gaming.Asia Pacific cloud gaming market is analyzed based on gaming audience, devices, technologies, and countries. Gaming audience segment is further divided into social gamers, serious gamers, and core gamers. The social gamers hold the major market share in Asia Pacific cloud gaming market followed by core gamers.In devices segment, smartphones are the leading gaming devices in cloud gaming market followed by tablets, console units, PCs and smart TVs. In technologies segment, data streaming technology will hold the major market share in cloud gaming market followed by server technology. Gaming-as-a-Service is set to be the emerging technology. The countries covered include ANZ, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Others. China is the leading country for Asia Pacific cloud gaming market growth followed by Japan and South Korea.The Asia Pacific cloud gaming market is expected to reach $1,123.9 million by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 46.8% during the forecast period 20162022. In Asia Pacific, increasing online gaming population, internet user base, and emerging gaming technologies such as e-learning, machine learning, gaming analytics are the major drivers for the cloud gaming market growth.The digital infrastructure development in the region is expected to support the cloud gaming market in the upcoming years. Few of the major players in Asia Pacific include Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Samsung, LG, etc.Companies Mentioned in the ReportSony Corporation,Nintendo Co Ltd, Microsoft,NVIDIA,Samsung Electronics,LG, Other Prominent Vendors, Amazon Web Services, Google, IBM, Razer Inc, Ubitus Inc, Zynga IncGet customization & check discount for report @Table of Contents1 Industry Outlook1.1 Industry Overview1.2 Industry Trends1.3 Pest Analysis2 Report Outline2.1 Report Scope2.2 Report Summary2.3 Research Methodology2.4 Report Assumptions3 Market Snapshot3.1 Total Addressable Market (TAM)3.2 Segmented Addressable Market (SAM)3.3 Related Markets3.3.1 Smartphones and Tablets Gaming3.3.2 PCs/Console Games/Smart TVs4 Market Outlook4.1 Overview4.2 Market Definition  The Research4.3 Market Trends and Impact4.4 Market Segmentation4.5 Technology Roadmap4.6 Porter 5 (Five) Forces....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, NJ USA - 08837sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218
Bahrain Life Insurance Market Analysis Highlights Key Trends and Prospects for Growth till 2020

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Life Insurance is an important part of an individuals safety net, in particular, if the person has dependents. Recently, a report on Life insurance in Bahrain has been prepared by the analysts, which states that Bahraini insurance companies can do more to develop their life insurance business. In addition, the introduction of mandatory health insurance in Bahrain would help develop the life insurance market. Market Research Hub (MRH) has recently included a report titled Life Insurance Industry in Bahrain, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 to its wide portfolio of research studies, which encompasses historical values for the Bahraini life insurance segment for the 20112015 review period, and projected figures for the 20152020 forecast period.Request Free Sample Report:The study provides detailed market analysis, information and major insights into the Bahraini life insurance. This subsequent section covers market overview, growth prospects by category, an overview of Bahraini economy and demographics and comparative analysis of Bahraini life insurance segment with its regional counterpart. The insurance industry has shown steady results in the year 2015. In 2015, the Bahraini insurance industry comprised 25 domestic and 11 foreign insurers, which carry out insurance, reinsurance, takaful and retakaful business. The gross contributions of Takaful Firms operating in Bahrain have risen significantly over the course of the last ten years.Moreover, 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. Key performance indicators such as written premium, loss ratio, incurred loss, commissions and expenses, total investment income and retentions; and total assets during the review period of 2011 to 2015 and future forecast till 2020.Browse Full Report With TOC:The research further analyzes that as a regional financial hub, Bahrain has also become a very fertile ground for the growth of the insurance industry. As per the key findings, Zurich remains totally committed to Bahrains insurance market through its existing two licenses. In April 2015, Zurich International Life reduced its number of licenses from three to two in order to simplify its legal structure and provide more resources to loyal customers. The study further also highlights that, in March 2017, State Bank of India (SBI) Life announced plans to enter the Bahraini insurance industry by 2018. It is currently waiting for approval from the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB).Moving further, the report offers detailed competitive landscape section. This section comprises profiles of top life insurance companies operating in Bahrain and outlines the key regulations affecting them. Top players are LIC (International) Company, American Life Insurance Company, Al Hilal Life Insurance Company, Zurich International Life Ltd., and Bahrain National Life Assurance Company.Enquire About this Report:About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:Read Industry News At:
Egypt Rail Infrastructure (Construction) Market 2017- Key trends, Drivers and Challenges 2021

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WiseGuyReports published new report, titled Rail Infrastructure (Construction) in Egypt: Market Analytics by Category & Cost Type.Synopsis"Rail Infrastructure (Construction) in Egypt: Market Analytics by Category & Cost Type to 2021" contains historic and forecast market data for the rail infrastructure category in Egypt, it also provides detailed breakdown of the data by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and by cost type (construction materials, construction equipment and construction services).GET SAMPLE REPORT @SummaryThe construction of facilities that serve the railway system is categorized under the rail infrastructure category. It includes, but is not limited to, rail bridges, railway stations, terminals, rail buildings, rail tunnels and rail tracks.The Egyptian rail infrastructure construction category continued to increase in the review period with a value of EGPxx.xx million (US$xx.xx million) in 2016 and increased at a rate of xx.xx% over 2015. The market recorded a CAGR of xx.xx% from 2012 through 2016."Rail Infrastructure (Construction) in Egypt: Market Analytics by Category & Cost Type to 2021"' provides a top-level overview and detailed insight into the operating environment of the rail infrastructure market in Egypt. It is an essential tool for companies active across the Egypt construction value chain and for new players considering to enter the market.Scope A top level overview of the rail infrastructure construction category in Egypt. Historic data provided from 2012 through 2016 and forecast from 2017 through 2021. A detailed breakdown of the data by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and by cost type (construction materials, construction equipment & construction services) across the rail infrastructure market.Key points to buy Provides a top level understanding of the Rail Infrastructure construction in Egypt. Helps you understand the market performance by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and construction cost type (construction materials, construction equipment & construction services). Allows you to plan future business decisions using the forecast figures given. The broad but detailed perspective will help all the players in the construction activity to understand and succeed in the challenging construction market.Table of Contents1 INTRODUCTION2 Overall Rail Infrastructure construction: Market Analysis3 Rail Infrastructure construction Output: Analysis by Category4 Appendix..CONTINUEDContact UsEmail Us at :Reach Us at : +1 339 368 6938 (US) +44 208 133 9349 (UK)For accessing accurate and deep understanding and to gain latest insights and key developments in the area of your interest, we also have a list of conferences in which you will be interested in, for more information, cordially checkFor updating knowledge or for thoroughly understanding various terminologies, we also have vast list of seminars for your reference, for more information cordially checkWise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Precise Study on U.K. Vitality Insurance Company Profile, Business Strategies and Core Segments

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The world is changing, and so is the insurance industry as a whole. It is well recognized that healthcare is the most important thing for any individual, hence the presence of an active health insurance plan ensures protection to several grounds. In recent years, Vitality, which is a health and life insurer, has approached the U.K. market in an innovative way by utilizing wearable tech to offer policies to those consumers adopting a healthy lifestyle. With a prime focus on U.K. business of Vitality, a study titled Insurance Company Profile: Vitality has been broadcasted to the vast repository of Market Research Hubs research studies. The study comprises comprehensive review of Vitality, along with its market structure, overall performance in both the commercial and personal lines markets.Request Free Sample Report:Initially, the study starts by presenting the global overview of Discovery Holdings Company, along with its corporate structure and historic milestones. Discovery Holdings is a global thought leader and a proudly South African company. The company provides innovative services and assurance products. These services and products integrate with their trend-setting wellness programme, Vitality. It has been analyzed that the company has a core purpose of making people healthier and protecting their lives.Then, the research focuses on current status of Discovery Holdings. Vitality was launched in 2015 when parent company Discovery Holdings acquired the remaining shareholding in PruHealth and PruProtect; and rebranded the businesses as VitalityHealth and VitalityLife, continuing to develop the brands core social purpose of making people healthier. Collectively, VitalityHealth and VitalityLife cover close to 1 million lives. Vitality provides health insurance like other companies, but along with diagnosing and treating medical issues it aims to keep customers fit by offering them rewards and discounts. It has a positive impact on the prevalence of mortality and morbidity experience in the insurance business and in society.Browse Full Report With TOC:The company can track customers health using wearables and gym visits. As per the study, Vitalitys success in using wearable technology to create sophisticated pricing structures based on a policy holders well-being is likely to pave the way for much greater use of wearable technology in the health insurance industry. It also offers customers the benefit of a Vitality GP. This option allows customers to speak to one of Vitality's fully qualified GP's over an internet call for consultation, diagnosis or treatment advice.This profile further explores Vitalitys approach and offers a review of the company, its business structure and strategy, its financial performance, and a SWOT analysis. Also, marketing and distribution strategy to remain competitive is also well-identified in this study.Enquire About this Report:About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:Read Industry News At:
Global Healthcare Information Systems Sales Industry :By Drivers & Strains, Size and Share 2017

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SummaryThis report helps to analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Healthcare Information Systems Sales Market 2017 Industry Trend and Forecast 2022DescriptionOrbis Research always aims to bring their clients the best research material and in-depth analysis of the information for any market. This new report Global Healthcare Information Systems Sales Market for 2017 aims to fulfil the needs of the clients looking for a fresh outlook towards the Global Healthcare Information Systems Sales Market, or fill in the knowledge gaps with the data available in the report. The well-presented and curated report is compiled by seasoned and professional research experts and subject matter experts in the field. The clients will find the report complete in all aspects as it covers all key components with valuable statistics and expert opinions in all regards.The Global Healthcare Information Systems Sales Industry report contains a complete product overview and its scope in the market to define the key terms and provide the clients a holistic idea of the market and its tendencies. This is followed by the classification, applications, and the regional analysis of the market to ensure the clients are well informed about each section. The report also contains key values and facts of the Global Healthcare Information Systems Sales market in terms of value and volume, sales and its growth rate, and revenue and its growth rate.Get a PDF Sample of Report at:One of the major mainstays of the Global Healthcare Information Systems Sales Industry report is the coverage on the competition. The report covers all key parameters such as market share, revenue generation, new products or marketing strategies of the competition, latest R&D, and market expert comments, along with the contact information. Key market trends, expert opinions, and a well curated forecast are all included in Global Healthcare Information Systems Sales Market report.Also, some key information such as the cost analysis, industrial chain, sourcing strategy, distributors, marketing strategy, and factor analysis of the Healthcare Information Systems Sales Market are all a part of the report. The report concludes with the customary SWOT analysis and the analysis on investment feasibility and returns.To Browse the Entire Report, Visit :The Some Points Mentioned in Report are:Chapter One: Healthcare Information Systems Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Healthcare Information Systems1.2 Classification of Healthcare Information Systems by Product Category1.2.1 Global Healthcare Information Systems Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Healthcare Information Systems Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Hospital Information System1.2.4 Pharmacy Information System1.2.5 Laboratory Information SystemChapter Two: Global Healthcare Information Systems Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Healthcare Information Systems Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Healthcare Information Systems Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Healthcare Information Systems Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Healthcare Information Systems (Volume and Value) by TypeChapter Nine: Global Healthcare Information Systems Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data9.1 GE Healthcare9.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.1.2 Healthcare Information Systems Product Category, Application and Specification9.1.2.1 Product A9.1.2.2 Product B9.1.3 GE Healthcare Healthcare Information Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.2 Siemens Healthcare9.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.2.2 Healthcare Information Systems Product Category, Application and Specification9.2.2.1 Product A9.2.2.2 Product B9.2.3 Siemens Healthcare Healthcare Information Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.3 3M Health.No. of Report Pages: 116As always has been the aim at Orbis Research with every report put up, the information on offer is complete and true knowledge seekers will benefit from it. Irrespective of the interest, academic or commercial, the Healthcare Information Systems Sales Industry report curated and compiled by domain experts will definitely shed light on key information which the clients require.Got any Query? Feel free to ask us at :About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Information:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas  75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +9164101019Follow Us on LinkedIn:
2017-2022 Global and Japan Photovoltaic Inverter Market Analysis Report

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"The Report 2017-2022 Global and Japan Photovoltaic Inverter Market Analysis Report provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"The global Photovoltaic Inverter 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.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%.View Report @This report studies the Photovoltaic Inverter market's development status and future trend in Japan, focuses on top players in Japan, also splits Photovoltaic Inverter market by type and by applications, to fully and deeply research and reveal the market general situation and future forecast.The major players includeSMA Solar Technology AG(Germany)ABB(Switzerland)SolarEdge(Israel)TMEIC(Japan)Enphase(US)OmronJapanTabuchiJapanFronius(Austria)General Electric Company(US)Power-One(US)KACO(Germany)REFUsol(Germany)Ingeteam(Spain)Yaskawa - Solectria Solar(US)SUNGROW(China)HUAWEI(China)TBEA(China)KSTAR(China)Samil Power(China)ChintPower(China)EAST(China)Sineng(China)Zeversolar(China)SURPASS SUN ELECTRIC(China)CORONA(China)DELTA(China)Growatt(China)Samil(China)KELONG(China)Goodwe(China)Get Sample Copy of this Report @Geographically, this report splits the Japan market into 5 regions:TokyoYokohamaOsakaNagoyaOthersOn the basis of product, the Photovoltaic Inverter market is primarily split intoPhotovoltaic Inverter Market, UseStandby power supplyGrid ConnectionPhotovoltaic Inverter Market, Waveform ModulationSquare Wave InverterStep Wave InverterSine Wave InverterCombined Three - phase InverterPhotovoltaic Inverter Market, by FeaturesAutomatic Operation and Shutdown FunctionMaximum Power Tracking Control FunctionAnti-stand-alone FunctionAutomatic Voltage Adjustment FunctionDC Detection FunctionKey ApplicationsFor solar panelsFor photovoltaic power plantsFor HomeMarketResearchReports.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.State Tower 90 Sate Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-621-2074 USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948
Finland Foodservice Market In-depth Analysis Covering Consumer Trends and Future Opportunities till 2020

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As Finland left recession behind, consumer foodservice saw positive growth as more consumers could afford to eat out instead of home. It has been analyzed that, in recent years, operators have been helped by a consumer trend towards unconventional eating, creating greater opportunities for out-of-home meal occasions. A recent forecast report, titled Finland- The Future of Foodservice to 2020 has been freshly broadcasted to the online repository of Market Research Hub (MRH), which offers widespread analysis of the Finnish Foodservice market over the next five years. This specific forecasts will give readers the ability to make informed business decisions through identifying emerging/declining markets.Request Free Sample Report:The competitive environment in consumer foodservice remained intense in Finland. Within the market, a low population density has led international operators to converge in the few populous cities, creating a fiercely competitive environment. Moreover, a fragile economic climate, high unemployment rate and low consumer confidence in Finland have solidified a shift towards a price conscious market. Constant weak economic growth has created a gradually cost-conscious foodservice market in Finland, with 29% of consumers citing price to be the most important factor influencing decision making.This 156 pages study starts by presenting Finland's macro-economic landscape, which covers current macro-economic factors and their impact on Finlands foodservice market including GDP per capita, consumer price index, population growth and annual household income distribution. Additionally, a section covering major growth dynamics which highlights trends and factors in the foodservice market is outlined. Nowadays, Finnish consumers are increasingly thinking and buying local, forcing international operators to incorporate local ingredients, traditions and even celebrities in an attempt to show a connection between their brands and Finnish culture.Browse Full Report With TOC:Moreover, in-depth data and forecasts of key channels segmentation within the market have been included. Key channels such as QSR, Coffee & Tea Shops, FSR, Clubs, Pubs and Bars; including the value of the market, number of transactions, number of outlets and average transaction price is assessed. As per the report, consumer foodservice in Finland is expected to see an improving performance in terms of outlets, transactions and value sales. In addition to this, detailing of consumer segmentation with the desires of known consumers among all major food service channel will allow readers understand the wants and needs of their target demographics.Later, Overview of market leaders within the four major channels including business descriptions and number of outlets are outlined in this study. Leading companies providing best food services are Arnolds, Coffee House, McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, Hanko Sushi, Pancho Villa, Rax Buffet, Starbucks, Wanha Mestari, Robert's Coffee, Hemingway's, Public Corner, Hesburger, Irish Pub, KotiPizza, Picnic, Presso, Restel Group, Rolls and Rosso.Enquire About this Report:About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:Read Industry News At:
Global Cyber Insurance Market - Size, Share, Growth and Segment Forecast 2017 To 2022

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Cyber-insurance is an insurance product used to protect businesses and individual users from Internet-based risks, and more generally from risks relating to information technology infrastructure and activities. Risks of this nature are typically excluded from traditional commercial general liability policies or at least are not specifically defined in traditional insurance products. Coverage provided by cyber-insurance policies may include first-party coverage against losses such as data destruction, extortion, theft, hacking, and denial of service attacks; liability coverage indemnifying companies for losses to others caused, for example, by errors and omissions, failure to safeguard data, or defamation; and other benefits including regular security-audit, post-incident public relations and investigative expenses, and criminal reward funds.Get a Sample of Cyber Insurance Market research report from Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Cyber Insurance in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Major Players Included in Cyber Insurance Market:American International GroupThe Chubb CorporationZurich Insurance CoXL Group LtdBerkshire HathawayAllianz Global Corporate & SpecialtyMunich Re GroupLloydsLockton CompaniesAON PLCAnd Many OthersScope of the Cyber Insurance Industry on the basis of region:North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Browse full Report with table of contents and data tables For Cyber Insurance Market Report @Market Segment by Type, coversSmall Medium EnterpriseLarge Medium EnterpriseMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoHealthcareRetailFinancial ServicesInformation Technology and ServicesOthersThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Cyber Insurance market.Chapter 1, to describe Cyber Insurance Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Cyber Insurance, with sales, revenue, and price of Cyber Insurance, 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 Cyber Insurance, 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, Cyber Insurance market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Cyber Insurance sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceFor more help Speak to our Experts @About Global Info Reports:GIR Market Research is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. GIR Market Research is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:+1-888-376-9998 (US)Email- sales@globalinforeports.comWeb-Blogs-
Global Remote Diagnostic Market Poised for Strong Growth at a CAGR of 14.8% during 2017-2025

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In recent years, demand for safety and awareness about vehicle diagnostics has grown which, as a result, given positive impact to the remote diagnostic market. According to the latest study findings, rising awareness among consumers for vehicles to comply with road safety directives and emission standards are among the prominent factors fuelling the growth of remote diagnostics market. Considering this fact, a new research report with a title Remote Diagnostic Market- Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017-2025 has been recently added to the vast online repository of Market Research Hub (MRH). This report evaluates the future prospects of remote diagnostics market for the years from 2015 to 2025. The primary objective of the report is to offer insights on the recent advancements in the market that are anticipated to drive market growth.Request Free Sample Report:As per the analysts predictions, the global remote diagnostics market is all set to register an impressive 14.8% CAGR for the forecast period between 2017 and 2025. Growing at this pace, the market will become worth US$42.04 bn by 2025 increasing from US$12.88 bn in 2016. At present, increasing demand for Real Driving Emission Test is one of the important key trends in the global remote diagnostic market.The first part of the study begins with an executive summary which covers market overview, market dynamics and detailed segmentation by application, vehicle type, connectivity and region. Remote diagnostics combines dynamic mapping, vehicle health reports, fault code action plans, and notification alerts. The research identifies that remote diagnostics is an important factor in the automotive industry today. Remote vehicle diagnostics solutions help in determining the root source of the vehicle problem, monitoring the health of the vehicle, and provides real time information on vehicle limitations to evaluate its performance. Also, advancement in the existing technology is likely to create opportunities in the remote diagnostic market globally.Browse Full Report With TOC:The geographical bifurcation includes North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Europe and Latin America as the prime regions for assessing the market size. Of these, North America is the most promising market which has led the overall market in terms of revenue contribution in 2016. Asia Pacific is accounted for fastest growing region globally. On the basis of application, the market has been categorized into roadside assistance, vehicle tracking, vehicle state alert, crash notification, training assistance and others. By connectivity, it includes Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 3G/4G.The major key players in the remote diagnostic market encompass Robert Bosch GmbH, Continental AG, OnStar LLC, Delphi Automotive PLC, Mercedes-Benz, Magneti Marelli S.p.A., Softing AG, Voxx International Corporation, Vector Informatik GmbH and Vidiwave Ltd. among others. Company profiling also includes attributes such as company overview, financial overview, products and services portfolio, major recent developments and key strategies within the report.Enquire About this Report:About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:Read Industry News At:
Global Anticoagulant Market To Grow At A CAGR Of 7.42% During The Period 2017-2021 Key Vendors - Bayer HealthCare, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Daiichi Sankyo, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Anticoagulants Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021)" to its huge collection of research reports.The report entitled Global Anticoagulants Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021) provides an in-depth analysis of the global anticoagulants market with description of market size and growth. The analysis include market share by treatment, by segment, and by products.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report also provides analysis of injectable and oral anticoagulants available in the market. Details of Lovenox, Arixtra, Xarelto, Eliquis, Pradaxa and Savaysa has been provided in the report in terms of their global sales.A brief analysis of the US anticoagulants market has also been provided in terms of value and sales of top four oral anticoagulant drugs in the region.Furthermore, the report also assesses the key opportunities available in the market and outline the market dynamics that are and will be accountable for growth of the industry. Growth of the global anticoagulants market has also been forecasted for the period 2017-2021, taking into consideration previous growth outlines, growth drivers and the existing and forthcoming trends.Bayer, BMS/Pfizer, Boehringher Ingelheim and Daiichi Sankyo are some of the key players operating in the global anticoagulants market, whose company profiling has been done in the report. This segment summarizes business overview, financial overview and the business strategies of the companies.Company CoverageBayer GroupBMS/PfizerBoehringher IngelheimDaiichi SankyoBrowse Detail Report With Full TOC @Country CoverageThe USExecutive SummaryAnticoagulants which are also known as blood thinners are drugs that are prescribed to prevent blood from clotting or stop existing clots from getting larger. The drugs prevent harmful clots forming in heart, veins or arteries. Formation of clots in the blood can lead to heart attack or stroke. These drugs are used to treat strokes, myocardial infarctions, pulmonary embolisms, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT)- all potentially life-threatening conditions. Anticoagulants work by interrupting the process involved in the formation of blood clots.The most commonly prescribed anticoagulant is Warfarin. Newer types of anticoagulants are also available and are becoming increasingly common. These include rivaroxaban (Xarelto), dabigatran (Pradaxa), apixaban (Eliquis), and edoxaban (Savaysa/Lixiana). Warfarin and the newer alternatives are taken as tablets or capsules. There's also an anticoagulant called heparin that can be given by injection.The global anticoagulants market has increased over the years and is expected to grow in the next four years i.e. 2017-2021, particularly due to development of novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs). The global anticoagulants market is supported by various growth drivers such as growing aging population, rising prevalence of coagulant disorders, increasing demand for NOACs, rising awareness about anticoagulants, etc. Yet, the market faces some challenges which are obstructing the growth of the market. Some of the challenges are stringent regulations from regulatory bodies, high cost of oral anticoagulants, major side-effects associated with the drugs, etc.Major Points in Talble Of Content1. Executive Summary2. Introduction2.1 Overview of Anticoagulants2.1.1 Types of Anticoagulants2.1.2 Novel Oral Anticoagulants3. Global Market Analysis3.1 Global Anticoagulants Market Analysis3.1.1 Global Anticoagulants Market by Value3.1.2 Global Anticoagulants Market Share by Treatment3.1.3 Global Anticoagulants Market Share by Segment3.1.4 Global Anticoagulants Market Share by Products4. Global Anticoagulants Product Analysis4.1 Injectable Anticoagulants Product Analysis4.1.1 Global Lovenox Market by Value4.1.2 Global Arixtra Market by Value4.2 Oral Anticoagulants Product Analysis4.2.1 Global Xarelto Market by Value 274.2.2 Global Eliquis Market by Value 284.2.3 Global Pradaxa Market by Value 294.2.4 Global Savaysa Market by Value 305. Region/Country Analysis5.1 The US Anticoagulants Market Analysis5.1.1 The US Anticoagulants Market by Value5.1.2 The US Xarelto Market by Value5.1.3 The US Eliquis Market by Value5.1.4 The US Pradaxa Market by Value5.1.5 The US Savaysa Market by Value6. Market Dynamics6.1 Growth Drivers6.1.1 Growing Aging Population6.1.2 Rising Prevalence of Coagulation Disorder6.1.3 Increasing Demand for NOACs6.1.4 Rising Awareness about Anticoagulants6.1.5 Pressure to Curtail Spending on Healthcare6.1.6 Increasing Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation6.2 Challenges6.2.1 High Cost Of NOACs6.2.2 Lack of Antidotes for NOACs6.2.3 Strict Regulations6.2.4 Side Effects Associated with Drugs6.3 Market Trends6.3.1 Strategic Alliance6.3.2 Expanding Therapeutic Applications6.3.3 Patient Assistance Programs7. Competitive Landscape7.1 Global Top Oral Anticoagulants by Sales7.2 Global Anticoagulants Market Players by Product Comparison8. Company Profiling8.1 Bayer Group8.1.1 Business Overview8.1.2 Financial Overview8.1.3 Business Strategy8.2 BMS/Pfizer8.2.1 Business Overview8.2.2 Financial Overview8.2.3 Business Strategy8.3 Boehringher Ingelheim8.3.1 Business Overview8.3.2 Financial Overview8.3.3 Business Strategy8.4 Daiichi Sankyo8.4.1 Business Overview8.4.2 Financial Overview8.4.3 Business StrategyMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Iodine World Market forecast 2021 share detailed Strategies, Application and Key Players Cosayach, Ise Chemicals, KNG

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HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 119 pages on title 'World Iodine Market by Product Type, Market, Players and Regions-Forecast to 2021' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes USA, Europe, Japan, China, India, South East Asia and important players such as Cosayach, Ise Chemicals, Godo Shigen Sangyo, KNG, etcRequest a sample report @SummaryThe Iodine 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.Global Iodine Market: Product Segment AnalysisSaltpeter Mineral type IodineUnderground brine type IodineSeaweed type IodineGlobal Iodine Market: Application Segment AnalysisFoodPharmaceuticalAgricultureChemicalPhotosensitive materialOthersBuy this report @Global Iodine Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaThe Players mentioned in our reportSQMCosayachIse ChemicalsGodo Shigen SangyoKNGNippoh ChemicalsToho EarthtechJoint Venture SenagatsuwIOCHEMSiroccoIofina plcJiejingNanshan SeaweedGather Great Ocean SeaweedXinwang SeaweedEnquire for Discount @Table of ContentChapter 1 About the Iodine Industry1.1 Industry Definition and Types1.1.1 Saltpeter Mineral type Iodine1.1.2 Underground brine type Iodine1.1.3 Seaweed type Iodine1.2 Main Market Activities1.3 Similar Industries1.4 Industry at a GlanceChapter 2 World Market Competition Landscape2.1 Iodine Markets by Regions2.1.1 USAMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.2 EuropeMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.3 ChinaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.4 IndiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.5 JapanMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.6 South East AsiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.2 World Iodine Market by TypesContinuedView 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 Tactical Communication and Protective System Market Analysis, Size, Application and Geography - Global forecast 2022

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The Tactical Communication and Protective System (TCAPS) provides concurrent hearing protection and auditory situational awareness. Historically, Soldiers have had to choose between hearing protection and force protection. TCAPS maintains hearing protection while enabling Soldiers to use existing tactical radios, resulting in increased mission effectiveness, safety, and survivability.Get a Sample of Tactical Communication and Protective System Market research report from Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Tactical Communication and Protective System in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Major Players Included in Tactical Communication and Protective System Market:BAE SystemsGeneral DynamicsHarrisIridiumL-3 CommunicationsLockheed MartinAnd Many OthersScope of the Tactical Communication and Protective System Industry on the basis of region:North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Browse full Report with table of contents and data tables For Tactical Communication and Protective System Market Report @Market Segment by Type, coversAirborne PlatformShipborne PlatformLand PlatformUnderwater Platform`Market Segment by Applications, can be divided intoISRCommunicationsCombatCommand & ControlOtherThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Tactical Communication and Protective System market.Chapter 1, to describe Tactical Communication and Protective System Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Tactical Communication and Protective System, with sales, revenue, and price of Tactical Communication and Protective System, 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 Tactical Communication and Protective System, 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, Tactical Communication and Protective System market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Tactical Communication and Protective System sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceCheck for Discount @About Global Info Reports:GIR Market Research is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. GIR Market Research is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:+1-888-376-9998 (US)Email- sales@globalinforeports.comWeb-Blogs-
World LED Grow Lights Market Trends, Key Vendors Applications, Future Trends and Growth Prospects to 2021

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HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 112 pages on title 'World LED Grow Lights Market by Product Type, Market, Players and Regions-Forecast to 2021' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa and important players such as Valoya , Apollo Horticulture, Grow LED Hydro, Flow Magic, etcRequest a sample report @SummaryThe LED Grow Lights 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.Global LED Grow Lights Market: Product Segment Analysis0-30w LED Grow Lights30-100w LED Grow Lights>100w LED Grow LightsGlobal LED Grow Lights Market: Application Segment AnalysisVegetables irradiationThe landscaped plant irradiationGlobal LED Grow Lights Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaBuy this report @The Players mentioned in our reportPhilipsOSRAMFionia LightingValoyaApollo HorticultureGrow LED HydroFlow MagicCalifornia LightWorksKessilLEDHYDROPONICSKind LED Grow LightsSpectrum King Grow LightsCidlySunprouJCX LEDWeshineK-lightQEE TechnologyRosy ElectronicsOhmax Optoelectronic LightingZhicheng LightingNetledEnquire for Discount @Table of ContentChapter 1 About the LED Grow Lights Industry1.1 Industry Definition and Types1.1.1 0-30w LED Grow Lights1.1.2 30-100w LED Grow Lights1.1.3 >100w LED Grow Lights1.2 Main Market Activities1.3 Similar Industries1.4 Industry at a GlanceChapter 2 World Market Competition Landscape2.1 LED Grow Lights Markets by Regions2.1.1 USAMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.2 EuropeMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.3 ChinaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.4 IndiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.5 JapanMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.6 South East AsiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.2 World LED Grow Lights Market by Types0-30w LED Grow Lights30-100w LED Grow Lights>100w LED Grow Lights2.3 World LED Grow Lights Market by ApplicationsVegetables irradiationThe landscaped plant irradiation2.4 World LED Grow Lights Market Analysis2.4.1 World LED Grow Lights Market Revenue and Growth Rate 2011-20162.4.2 World LED Grow Lights Market Consumption and Growth rate 2011-20162.4.3 World LED Grow Lights Market Price Analysis 2011-2016Chapter 3 World LED Grow Lights Market share3.1 Major Production Market share by Players3.2 Major Revenue (M USD) Market share by Players3.3 Major Production Market share by Regions in 2016, Through 20213.4 Major Revenue (M USD) Market share By Regions in 2016, Through 2021Chapter 4 Supply Chain Analysis4.1 Industry Supply chain Analysis4.2 Raw material Market Analysis4.2.1 Raw material Prices Analysis 2012-20164.2.2 Raw material Supply Market Analysis4.2 Manufacturing Equipment Suppliers Analysis4.3 Production Process Analysis4.4 Production Cost Structure BenchmarksContinuedView 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 Hotdog Forming Machine Sales Market Report: Industry Prospects and Estimations Forecasted during 2017-2022

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The Market Research Hubs report offers majority of the latest and newest industry data that covers the overall market situation along with future prospects for Hotdog Forming Machine Sales Market around the globe. The research study includes significant data and also forecasts of the global market which makes the research report a helpful resource for marketing people, analysts, industry executives, consultants, sales and product managers, and other people who are in need of major industry data in a ready-to-access format along with clear presentation of graphs and tables.Request Free Sample Report:In this report, the global Hotdog Forming Machine 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 Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Hotdog Forming Machine for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Hotdog Forming Machine market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Hotdog Forming Machine sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingFritschRademakerAMF Bakery SystemsRondoKaakMecathermRheonWP Bakery GroupZlineRincOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K Units), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Unit), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoSmall and Medium SizeLarge SizeOn 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 Hotdog Forming Machine for each application, includingCommercial ApplicationInudstrial ApplicationBrowse Full Report With TOC:Table of ContentsGlobal Hotdog Forming Machine Sales Market Report 20171 Hotdog Forming Machine Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Hotdog Forming Machine1.2 Classification of Hotdog Forming Machine by Product Category1.2.1 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Small and Medium Size1.2.4 Large Size1.3 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Commercial Application1.3.3 Inudstrial Application1.4 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Market by Region1.4.1 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Hotdog Forming Machine Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Hotdog Forming Machine Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Europe Hotdog Forming Machine Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Hotdog Forming Machine Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Hotdog Forming Machine Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Hotdog Forming Machine Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Hotdog Forming Machine (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Hotdog Forming Machine (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Global Hotdog Forming Machine (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global Hotdog Forming Machine Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4 Global Hotdog Forming Machine (Volume) by Application3 United States Hotdog Forming Machine (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Hotdog Forming Machine Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Hotdog Forming Machine Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Hotdog Forming Machine Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Hotdog Forming Machine Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)ContinuedEnquire About this Report:About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:Read Industry News At:
Medical Laser Systems Global Market Will Grow At A CAGR Of 13.25% From The Period 2017 - 2021

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Medical Laser Systems Global Market Will Grow At A CAGR Of 13.25% From The Period 2017 - 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.Medical lasers are used for the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions and have tissue interaction properties such as photothermal, photochemical, and photoablation reactions. Medical laser systems are used in photodynamic therapy, laser-assisted procedures, photomedicine, and light therapy. They are also used in dermatology, ophthalmology, cardiovascular studies, gynecology, dentistry, and urology.Technavios analysts forecast the global medical laser systems market to grow at a CAGR of 13.25% during the period 2017-2021.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global medical laser systems market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of different medical laser products.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEATechnavio's report, Global Medical Laser Systems 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 vendorsAlconCynosureIRIDEXLumenisSyneron MedicalTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Other prominent vendorsA.R.C. LASERAbbott Medical OpticsAlma LasersAngioDynamicsBausch & LombBiolaseBiolitecBoston Scientific (American Medical Systems)Carl Zeiss MeditecCoherentCryoLifeCuteraDEKA MedicalDornier MedTechElem MedicalEllex Medical LasersEllman InternationalHaas Laser TechnologiesHOYA ConBioJenoptikKarl StorzLaser EngineeringLENSARLightMedLISA Laser USALutronicMedeluxMerz AestheticsMm and NiicNew Star LasersNidek TechnologiesNovadaq TechnologiesOlympusQuanta SystemQuantelScitonSolta MedicalSpectraneticsSunny Optoelectronic TechnologyTopconTrimedyneZiemer Ophthalmic SystemsMarket driverIncreasing demand for minimal and non-invasive cosmetic procedures.For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeRisks associated with laser technology.For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendGrowing demand in emerging economies.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 @
Global Biodiesel Industry 2017 Market Research Report - Biopetrol, Diester Industries, Neste Oil, ADM, Infinita Renovables, Ital Green Oil

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The Global Biodiesel Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Biodiesel industry.Biodiesel is a renewable fuel that can be manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease for use in diesel vehicles. Biodiesel's physical properties are similar to those of petroleum diesel, but it is a cleaner-burning alternative. EU is the biggest production base and consumption area of biodiesel, followed by USA, South America and China. Though enjoying a high share in fuel market, in many European countries, the biodiesel industry is threatened by overcapacity. In China, the production of biodiesel fuel is also in a tough situation, since governmental supports from authorities in China are very limited.To Get a Sample Copy of this Report Visit @Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Biodiesel 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 and China), 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 Biodiesel 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.Explore Research Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Biodiesel11.1 Definition and Specifications of Biodiesel11.1.1 Definition of Biodiesel11.1.2 Specifications of Biodiesel11.2 Applications of Biodiesel31.2.1 Industrial Fuels41.2.2 Transportation Fuels51.2.3 Chemical Industry61.3 Industry Chain Structure of Biodiesel71.4 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of Biodiesel81.4.1 Industry Overview of Biodiesel81.4.2 Global Major Regions Status of Biodiesel81.5 Industry Policy Analysis of Biodiesel91.6 Industry News Analysis of Biodiesel131.7 Biodiesel Feedstock Analysis162 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Biodiesel182.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Biodiesel182.1.1 Soybean Oil Market Analysis212.1.2 Rapeseed Oil Market Analysis242.1.3 Palm Oil Market Analysis262.1.4 Animal Fats Market Analysis262.1.5 Waste Cooking Oil Market Analysis282.1.6 Methanol Market Analysis282.2 Equipment Suppliers Analysis of Biodiesel302.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Biodiesel322.4 Other Costs Analysis of Biodiesel352.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Biodiesel372.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Biodiesel37QYresearchreports.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.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Commercial Roofing Materials Market - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2016 To 2024

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Commercial Roofing Materials Market - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2016 To 2024" to its huge collection of research reports.The report covers the analysis and forecast of the commercial roofing materials market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2015 along with the forecast for the period between 2016 and 2024 based on revenue (US$ Mn) and Volume (Kilo Tons).The study provides a detailed view of the commercial roofing materials market by segmenting it based on building type and materials type. On the basis of building type, the commercial roofing materials market has been further segmented into low sloped roofing and steep sloped roofing. The commercial roofing materials market has been segregated on the basis of materials type into single ply products, modified bitumen materials, spray polyurethane foam, built-up roofing, metals and others types of commercial roofing materials. Single ply roofing has been further segregated into ethylene propylene diene monomer, thermoplastic polyolefin and polyvinyl chloride.Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America. These have been further sub-segmented into countries and regions with relevance to the market. The segmentation also includes demand for individual product and applications in all regions.The competitive profiling of the key players in the global commercial roofing materials market across five broad geographic regions is included in the study. These include different business strategies adopted by the leading players and their recent developments as in the field of commercial roofing materials.Global Commercial Roofing Materials Market: Scope of the StudyA comprehensive analysis of the market dynamics that is inclusive of market drivers, restraints and opportunities is included in the purview of the report. Additionally, the report includes potential opportunities in the commercial roofing materials market on the global and regional level. Market dynamics are the factors which impact the market growth, thereby helping to understand the ongoing trends of the global market. Therefore, the report provides the forecast of the global market for the period from 2016 to 2024, along with offering an inclusive study of the commercial roofing materials market.The report provides the size of the commercial roofing materials market in 2015 and the forecast for the next nine years up to 2024. The size of the global commercial roofing materials market is provided in terms of both volume and revenue. Market revenue and volume is defined in US$ Mn and Kilo Tons respectively. The market size and forecast for each product and application segment are provided in the context of global and regional markets. Numbers provided in this report are derived based on demand generated from different applications and types products. Market dynamics prevalent in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific have been taken into account for estimating the growth of the global market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Global Commercial Roofing Materials Market: Research MethodologiesMarket estimates for this study have been based revenue being derived through regional pricing trends. The price for commonly utilized quality of commercial roofing materials in each application and function has been considered. Demand for commercial roofing materials has been derived by analyzing the global and regional demand for commercial roofing materials in each application for its respective functions. The global commercial roofing materials market has been analyzed based on expected demand. Average selling price of commercial roofing materials products in the major countries has been taken into consideration to estimate regional and global revenue. Forecasts have been based on the expected demand from Commercial Roofing Materials applications. We have used the bottom-up approach to estimate the global revenue of commercial roofing materials market, split into regions. We have initially determined the volume and price in every region for the commercial roofing materials market. Revenue has been determined with the help of volume and price derived from every region. Based on building type and materials type, we have summed up the individual revenues from all the regions to achieve the global revenue for commercial roofing materials. The application split of the market has been derived using a bottom-up approach for each regional market separately, with the global application segment split being an integration of regional estimates.Companies were considered for the market share analysis based on their product portfolio, revenue, and manufacturing capacity. In the absence of specific data related to the sales of commercial roofing materials of several privately held companies, calculated assumptions have been made in view of the companys product portfolio and regional presence along with the demand for products in its portfolio.The report covers a detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and company profiles of key players operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report are GAF, CertainTeed Corporation, TAMKO Building Products, Inc., Firestone Building Products Company, Owens Corning Corporation, Johns Manville Corporation, and IKO Industries Ltd. among others.Global Commercial Roofing Materials Market: By Building TypeLow Sloped RoofingSteep Sloped RoofingGlobal Commercial Roofing Materials Market: By Materials TypeSingle-Ply ProductsModified Bitumen MaterialsSpray Polyurethane Foam (SPF)Built-Up Roofing (BUR)MetalsOthersGlobal Commercial Roofing Materials Market: By GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaMexicoEuropeU.K.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 @
Global Airline Industry Market Research Report 2017 - American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Lufthansa, Emirates, Southwest, Alaska Airline

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This report studies the global Airline market, analyzes and research the Airline development status and forecast in USA, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeAmerican AirlinesUnited AirlinesDelta AirlinesLufthansaEmiratesSouthwestAlaska AirlineJetblueAir France KLMInternational Airlines GroupChina Southern AirlinesMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUSAEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Application, Airline can be split intoDomestic ServiceRegional ServiceInternational ServiceTo Get a Sample Copy of this Report Visit @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview1.1 Airline Market Overview1.1.1 Airline Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Airline Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 USA1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Airline Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Domestic Service1.3.2 Regional Service1.3.3 International Service2 Global Airline Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Airline Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 American Airlines3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Operation Specification3.1.5 Technology Development3.1.6 SWOT Analysis3.1.7 Business Strategy3.2 United Airlines3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Operation Specification3.2.5 Technology Development3.2.6 SWOT Analysis3.2.7 Business Strategy3.3 Delta Airlines3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Operation Specification3.3.5 Technology DevelopmentExplore Research Report with TOC @QYresearchreports.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.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Medical Device Connectivity Market Size Is Projected To Be Around $ 2.1 Billion By 2025

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A research study titled, Medical Device Connectivity Market by Technology and Component - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 published by Crystal Market Research, states that the Medical Device Connectivity Market is projected to be around $ 2.1 billion by 2025.Medical device connectivity is installation and maintenance of connection which is used to transfer data between medical devices and information systems. It is gaining significant importance as it facilitates exchange and access of vital information which is necessary for better patient information exchange and monitoring. These devices carry vital information such as patients history, maintenance schedule, and real time patient tracking information for providing best available care to patients. Increase in geriatric population, rise in incidences of chronic diseases, rise in demand for homecare devices, and advanced technologies (such as mobile health, and wireless and Wi-Fi enabled patient monitoring) will play a key role in growth of the market during the forecast period. Various healthcare providers and institutes are highly focused on advancing medical device connectivity as medical device dataneeds to be more reliable, accurate and standardized to improve clinical outcomes and patient safety.Browse full research report with TOC on Medical Device Connectivity Market by Technology and Component - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 at:Medical device connectivity services segment dominated the global market in 2016. This can be attributed to increase in demand for maximum utilization of connectivity services by end users. However, medical device connectivity solutions segment will experience robust growth over the forecast period due to rising adoption of interoperability solutions and electronic health record (EHR) systems in healthcare organizations. Technological advancements in wireless technology such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enable medical devices for monitoring will further contribute to the market growth.U.S. dominated the North American medical connectivity devices market in 2016, due to the rising adoption of home care medical devices to manage and improve prolonged medical conditions. As medical device connectivity facilitates connection between physicians and medical devices, it becomes convenient to continuously monitor patients health parameters. Emerging economies such as India and China will witness favorable growth for medical devices connectivity market over the forecast period due to rising demand for advanced healthcare services in these countries.Strategic collaborations and acquisitions are the major strategies adopted by the leading companies in medical device connectivity market. For instance, in September 2015, Qualcomm Life Inc. acquired Capsule Technologies, a global leading provider of clinical data management and medical device integration solutions. Likewise, in October 2014, Philips Healthcare collaborated with Eseye, global provider of M2M cellular connectivity, for supplying Multi-IMSI AnyNet connectivity for their telehealth platform, Philips Motiva.Some of the key players in the medical devices connectivity market are Phillips Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Cerner Corp., Honeywell HomeMed LLC, Drager Medical GmbH, eDevice Inc., Capsule Tech, Qualcomm Inc., Lantronix Inc., and Cardiopulmonary Corporation.Request a sample copy of Medical Device Connectivity Market ResearchReport @Key Findings of the Research Study: Medical devices connectivity services market accounted for the largest share of the overall market in 2016, due to the need for effective implementation of connectivity solutions. Medical devices connectivity solutions market will witness favorable growth over the forecast period, due to the need for integrated healthcare solutions to improve the quality and outcome of healthcare systems. North America occupied major share of the global medical devices connectivity market in 2016, due to rising adoption of healthcare information systems in the region. Europe held the second largest share of the global medical devices connectivity market in 2016. Increasing need of real time and continuous patient monitoring and information management will further drive the growth of this market over the forecast period.Inquire more about this report at:Medical Device Connectivity Market Segmentation:By Component: Medical Device Connectivity Services Medical Device Connectivity SolutionBy Technology: Wired Technologies Wireless Technologies Hybrid TechnologiesBy Region: North Americao U.So Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo Franceo UKo Italyo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia-Pacifico Japano Chinao Australiao Indiao South Koreao Rest of Asia-Pacific Rest of the Worldo Brazilo South Africao Saudi Arabiao Turkeyo United Arab Emirateso OthersGet Customization in the Report At:Related Reports:Homecare Medical Device Market by Product Type and Mode of Distribution - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:Healthcare Integration Market by Product Type and Application - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:Healthcare IT Services Market by Product Type and Application - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:About Crystal Market ResearchCrystal Market Research is a U.S. based market research and business intelligence company. Crystal offers one stop solution for market research, business intelligence, and consulting services to help clients make more informed decisions. It provides both syndicated as well as customized research studies for its customers spread across the globe. The company offers market intelligence reports across a broad range of industries including healthcare, chemicals & materials, technology, automotive, and energy.Contact:Judy304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesToll Free: +1-888-213-4282Email: sales@crystalmarketresearch.comBlog:Website:
Construction in Croatia - Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020

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"Construction in Croatia - Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020" The Report covers current Industries Trends, Worldwide Analysis, Global Forecast, Review, Share, Size, Growth, Effect.Description-SynopsisConstruction activity in Croatia was weak during the review period (2011-2015) following the economic recession, which resulted in a deteriorating business environment. Poor investor confidence reduced construction activity in the country. Consequently, the construction industrys output value in real terms contracted at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.03% during the review period.Get Sample Report With TOC @The industrys value is expected to pick up slightly over the forecast period (2016-2020), however, driven by a gradual revival in the economy and subsequent improvements in business confidence. This is expected to be driven by investments in the countrys public infrastructure, commercial and energy projects over the forecast period.The European Unions (EU) move to finance various infrastructure projects in the country through the Cohesion Fund (CF) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) will also support growth in the industry over the forecast period.The industrys output value in real terms is expected to rise at a CAGR of 1.79% over the forecast period; up from -6.03% during the review period.Over the forecast period, government efforts to develop the countrys transport and commercial infrastructure will support growth in the industry. In addition, the governments aim to improve local energy resources is expected to support investments in energy infrastructure projects, which will fuel growth in the industry.SummaryTimetrics Construction in Croatia - Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 report provides detailed market analysis, information and insights into the Croatian construction industry including:Croatian construction industry's growth prospects by market, project type and construction activityAnalysis of equipment, material and service costs for each project type in CroatiaCritical insight into the impact of industry trends and issues, and the risks and opportunities they present to participants in the Croatian construction industryProfiles of the leading operators in the Croatian construction industryData highlights of the largest construction projects in CroatiaScopeThis report provides a comprehensive analysis of the construction industry in Croatia. It provides:Historical (2011-2015) and forecast (2016-2020) valuations of the construction industry in Croatia using construction output and value-add methodsSegmentation by sector (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, energy and utilities, institutional and residential) and by project typeBreakdown of values within each project type, by type of activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and by type of cost (materials, equipment and services)Analysis of key construction industry issues, including regulation, cost management, funding and pricingDetailed profiles of the leading construction companies in CroatiaReasons To BuyIdentify and evaluate market opportunities using Timetric's standardized valuation and forecasting methodologies.Assess market growth potential at a micro-level with over 600 time-series data forecasts.Understand the latest industry and market trends.Formulate and validate strategy using Timetric's critical and actionable insight.Assess business risks, including cost, regulatory and competitive pressures.Evaluate competitive risk and success factors.Key HighlightsThe Croatian construction industry has been in decline since 2009. In real terms, the construction industrys output contracted by 39.9% between 2009 and 2015. According to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the countrys seasonally adjusted annual average construction work index declined by 0.9%, from 68.6 in 2014 to 68.0 in 2015. However, government efforts to restore economic growth through large-scale infrastructure investments are leading to improvement in the construction activity in the country. In addition, the EUs provision of financial aid to develop infrastructure projects across the country is also adding momentum to construction activity.In a bid to promote economic growth in Europe, the EC launched the CEF program in 2014. Under this program, the EC made investments to develop various cross-border projects in the transport, energy and telecommunication sectors until 2020. Accordingly, in June 2016, the EC approved HRK2.3 billion (US$335.3 million) to finance 12 transport infrastructure projects in Croatia.With an aim to develop the countrys infrastructure, the government is seeking financial assistance from the EU. Accordingly, in March 2015, the European Investment Bank (EIB) granted a loan of HRK2.2 billion (US$320.8 million) as the initial disbursement of the total loan of HRK4.5 billion (US$656.2 million). This disbursement is a part of the EIBs move to co-finance HRK60.6 billion (US$8.8 billion) worth of priority infrastructure projects in various sectors, such as healthcare, energy and transport.Tourism is a key sector in the Croatian economy, and constitutes over one-fifth of the countrys GDP. The government is therefore making efforts to promote growth in the tourism sector. As a part of the move, in April 2016, the Croatian Tourism Ministry signed an agreement with Avenue Ulaganja, to develop the Kupari tourism project in Dubrovnik with an investment of over HRK1.0 billion (US$145.8 million).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
Global Gold and Silver Jewelry Market For 2017: Top Manufacturers - Dyrberg/Kern, PILGRIM, KennethCole, Liz, Monet & JUICYCOUTURE

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Gold and Silver Jewelry Market For 2017: Top Manufacturers - Dyrberg/Kern, PILGRIM, KennethCole, Liz, Monet & JUICYCOUTURE" to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies Gold and Silver Jewelry 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, coveringDyrberg/KernPILGRIMKennethColeLizMonetJUICYCOUTUREGUESSMEXXJloNINEWESTCAROLEEANNEKLEINNEWYORKAvonFOSSILClairesBy types, the market can be split intoGold JewelrySilver JewelryBy Application, the market can be split intoMenWomenTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @By Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaTable of ContentsGlobal Gold and Silver Jewelry Market Professional Survey Report 20171 Industry Overview of Gold and Silver Jewelry1.1 Definition and Specifications of Gold and Silver Jewelry1.1.1 Definition of Gold and Silver Jewelry1.1.2 Specifications of Gold and Silver Jewelry1.2 Classification of Gold and Silver Jewelry1.2.1 Gold Jewelry1.2.2 Silver Jewelry1.3 Applications of Gold and Silver Jewelry1.3.1 Men1.3.2 Women1.3.3 Application 31.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Gold and Silver Jewelry2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Gold and Silver Jewelry2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Gold and Silver Jewelry2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Gold and Silver JewelryBrowse 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 @
Military Wearable Sensors Market is driven by Rise in Need for military wearable sensors to monitor the psychological health of soldiers

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Wearable sensors are smart electronic devices worn on the body as accessories or implants which incorporate various features and functions. Wearable sensors comprise Internet of Things (IoT) such as software sensors, electronics, and connectivity that help objects to transfer data with the help of operator, manufacturer, and other related connected devices. Wearable sensors are now being heavily incorporated in the defense industry to cope up with the advancements in technology. Development of smarter, smaller, and cheaper sensors are likely to propel the demand for military wearable sensors over the forecast period. Increasing focus on the development of biosensors to analyze the mental health of a warrior is likely to be one of the crucial driving factors for the growth of the military wearable sensors market over the forecast period. Rise in need for military wearable sensors to monitor the psychological health of soldiers is also expected to fuel the market.Fill the form to gain deeper insights on this market @These devices have the ability to integrate with other devices to transfer data at high accuracy and efficiency levels. U.S Army Research along with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has cooperated with Profusa to innovate and develop biosensors that are able to deliver real time health updates. Introduction and improvement of next generation sensors is likely to gain traction in this market. Rise in need for light weight and small size sensors which can be implanted in the skin is likely to drive the protection level of soldiers. This is likleyto facilitate the development of protection systems. Integration of IoT and AR technologies is likely to improve the growth potential of the military wearable sensors market over the forecast period.By product type, the military wearable sensor market has been segmented into military device based sensors and military clothing based sensors. Military device based sensors comprise key chains, goggles, watches, and health tracking enabled wristbands. Military device based sensors held the dominant share of the military wearable sensors market in 2016 and the segment it is likely to retain its position over the forecast period. These devices contain global positioning systems to display and track the position of personnel and physical structures on the field. Moreover, the military based devices help to track the actual time data of soldiers in case of situational consciousness.Obtain Report Details @By geography, the military wearable sensors market is segregated into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. North America accounted for the dominant market share in 2016 and is likely to retain its dominance over the forecast period. Rise in demand from this region to improve military modernization efforts is expected to fuel the demand for military wearable sensors over the forecast period. Significant investment for the development and monitoring of solider health so as to develop the data security of military platforms is expected to drive the market in this region. Collaborations in order to develop the record and collection of data about soldiers is also expected to drive the military wearable sensors market in this region. Europe is predicted to be one of the most attractive markets in military wearable sensors owing to the huge spending on defense in this region. Germany, France, and the U.K. are likely to occupy significant shares of the military wearable sensors market over the forecast period. Asia-Pacific is an emerging region for the military wearable sensors market due to the adoption of IoT technologies for advancement of its defense industry.The military wearable sensors market is highly fragmented and there is a large presence of numerous global vendors across the globe. Key players in the military wearable sensors market are Ledios, Boeing, Safran Group, TT Electronics, Lockheed Martin, Rheinmetall, Innova Design Solutions, Arralis, and Q-Track, among others.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Military robots market is rising rapidly due to Rise in trend of drones

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Military robots are automated robots that are extensively manufactured for various military applications such as transport, and search and rescue. Military robots are designed to perform risky tasks, which gives them an edge over other traditional instruments. They have the capability to withstand enemy outbreaks so as to defend the nation from cross border attacks. Rise in investment from governmental and defense sectors to procure and develop military robots to recompense for military rationalizing is expected to drive the military robots market over the forecast period. Replacement of army troops or solders with humanoid robots is expected to propel the demand for military robots in the near future.For more information on this report, fill the form @Robots in the infantry industry help to reduce human casualties, operational cost, improve capabilities of attack, and deliver efficient surveillance. Rise in trend of drones is expected to drive the growth of military robots exponentially. These drones are well equipped with sensors, navigation systems, and GPS which helps to deliver situation reports to troops, disarm bombs, and also help in rescue and search operations. Unprecedented growth in demand for arm enabled drones for use in land based and naval applications is predicted to drive the growth of military robotics market over the forecast period. Swift developments in technology have made it possible for global manufacturers to install and develop capabilities in UAVs so as to reduce the probability of collusion with aircrafts and other airborne vehicles. The U.S. Air Force has initiated and incorporated different kinds of sensors on UAVs such as electro-optical cameras and traffic collision avoidance systems. These UAVs help to transfer data without interruption of data streams to ground stations during operations. Rise in spending on advancements in technology is likely to fuel the development of shared airspace so that the drones can easily carry out their assigned tasks.The military robots market has been bifurcated into platform and payload. By platform, the military robots market has been segregated into land, airborne, and naval. Airborne segment is expected to expand at a rapid pace owing to the rise in demand for UAVs across various industries. UAVs have been gaining popularity; as a result there has been heavy investment on UAVs from private agencies and governmental organizations. On the basis of payload, the military robots market has been segregated into radar, sensors, camera, laser, weapons, and video screen. By application, the military robots market has been segregated into firefighting robots, war field robots, metal detector robotic vehicle, voice control robotic vehicle, pick and place robots and others. Warfield robots segment is expected to dominate the military robots market by the end of the forecast period owing to the rise in need for battle field operations and border surveillance.Browse Market Research Report @In terms of geography, the military robots market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. North America held majority of the market share of the military robots market in 2016 and is likely to retain its dominance over the forecast period. Significant investment on military spending is likely to drive the growth of this market in the near future. The U.S. held majority market share of the military robots market in North America due to massive investments on research and development in the defense sector. Europe is expected to be the most attractive market for military robots due to rise in trend of drones for various defense purposes. Countries such as the U.K., Germany, and France spend significantly for the development of their defense sector. Positioning of land based robots to combat and counter attacks from enemies is likely to drive the military robots market in this region. Growing prevalence of terrorism in Asia Pacific is likely to drive the growth potential for military robots in this region.Key players in the military robots market are General Dynamics, Boston Dynamics, Thales Group, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Elbit Systems, BAE Systems, Saab, Turkish Aerospace Industries, and Israel Aerospace Industries, among others.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Cardiovascular catheters market share to exceed $20 billion by 2024

Global Market Insights, Inc.

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According to research report Catheters Market Size By Product (Cardiovascular, Urology, Intravenous, Neurovascular, Specialty Catheters), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Germany, France, Spain, India China, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2024 by Global Market Insights, Inc. says Catheters industry will exceed a revenue of USD 73 billion by 2024, registering a CAGR of 11% over the coming seven years.Catheters market is accumulating a major share of the medical devices industry and is poised to remain a profitable business space over the coming years. Healthcare industry is one of the most prominent sectors being rapidly swayed by the technological innovations. One such innovation transforming the traditional medical approach are minimally invasive surgeries which have become the top most consumer preference, owing to its ease of operation and cost-effectiveness.Request for a sample of this research report -This shifting focus and growing adoption of minimally invasive surgery is one of the major drivers of the catheters industry growth. In addition to this, the increasing patient pool suffering from cardiovascular, neurovascular, and urological ailments is also providing a significant push to the catheters product demand.U.S. led the global catheters industry landscape in 2015 holding a revenue of USD 8.6 billion. This was approximately 87% of the regional revenue, representing the huge participation of U.S. in this market space. The growth is quite validated with the hi-tech advancements in healthcare, accessible medical facilities, and high patient awareness across this region.However, study depicts that future scenario of the catheters industry is slated to provide a bunch of opportunities to the emerging regions which are indeed a pool of untapped business opportunities. Asia Pacific, in response to this fact, is one of the prominent regions walking on this trajectory growth roadmap. It is estimated that Asia Pacific catheters market will register an appreciable CAGR of 14.7% over the period of 2016-2024.Browse key industry insights spread across 110 pages with 94 market data tables & 16 figures & charts from this 2017 report Catheters Market in detail along with the table of contents at:Cardiovascular catheter was the most recognized product in 2015, having held 38% of the global catheters industry share. The product is poised to continue its dominance with a target market share of USD 20 billion by 2024. In parallel to the increasing share of the cardiovascular catheter, another product capturing the attention of the investors is specialty catheters. The increasing penetration of this product, particularly, in the emerging economies of Asia Pacific and Latin America will drive the demand. As per the report, Specialty catheters market size is forecast to register a CAGR of 13.4% over the coming seven years.Europe is emerging as one of the prominent grounds supporting the growth of the catheters industry. Estimates suggest that Europe is set to surpass the North America catheters market, with a target revenue of more than USD 28 billion by 2024.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Infections acquired by catheters might serve as an industry roadblock over the coming years. However, the technological innovations and increased R&D spending to address the concern will combat the growth threat.Looking at the competitive scenario, the market is dominated by the established brands and is projected to witness the entries of new players in the years ahead. Pricing strategies and product differentiations will be the two major parameters differentiating the industry giants in terms of their market value. Key players currently sharing this business space are Boston Scientific Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic Inc., Teleflex, Abbott Laboratories, and Coloplast.Browse Related Reports:Guidewires Market Size by Product (Coronary, Peripheral, Neurovascular, Urology), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, France, Spain, India, China, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa), Application Growth Potential, Price Trend, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2023About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:
Homecare Medical Devices Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth and Forecast Report To 2025

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Homecare Medical Devices Market Overview:With an increasing number of consumers investing in physical well-being, personal care or home medical devices are witnessing a huge surge in terms of demand and sales. Reduced service time or shorter hospital stays can considerably reduce the overall expenditure on healthcare by the patients. The traditionally prevalent doctor-patient monitoring system is one of the major cost factors associated with healthcare expenditure adding a huge financial burden on the patients and their families. For instance, after a patient has undergone a surgery, he can be shifted to his home which is a much low cost treatment environment and mobile health devices such as home monitors of different kinds can be used to monitor his health parameters. This can considerably reduce the financial burden on the patients and their families. With the formal healthcare system becoming increasingly stressed, patients are being discharged from healthcare facilities while still needing some amount of care. Home care medical devices prove immensely helpful in such cases where patients can efficiently manage their own health in non-institutional settings.Browse Full Report @Medical devices used in home care settings need to be appropriate for the environment in which they are used and for the people using them. These people may be lay or professional caregivers or the recipients themselves. These people may have distinct cognitive, sensory, physical, and emotional characteristics. Environments may vary in terms of accessibility of utilities, amount of available space, humidity and temperature levels and noise and light levels. All these factors have to be considered in order to ensure that the medical devices are effective and safe for the people receiving home care. The most common homecare medical devices are first aid equipment including thermometers, bandages, heating pads and ace bandages. Users of medical devices in homecare settings are a diverse set of people. Some are professional care-givers such as nurses, physicians, occupational therapists and homecare aides. They are typically associated with homecare organizations or may operate as independent providers. Others are lay care-givers who may be family members or friends of the patients receiving care. Some recipients may operate the devices themselves.Rise in geriatric population, increasing cases of chronic disorders, and increased demand for affordable home care medical devices owing to ever increasing costs of institutional healthcare are set to drive the market growth. With increased life expectancy the risk of suffering from chronic diseases also increases considerably. As elder people require more time to recover from an illness, the homecare alternative is favorable for providing care to these patients. Also, rising consumer expectations about the convenience of medical treatment have resulted in an increased demand for home care medical devices. However, factors such as safety concerns related to patients and limited insurance coverage are expected to hamper the growth of homecare devices market.Request for an in-depth table of contents for this report @Developing medical devices which can be easily and efficiently operated in homecare settings and which ensure patient safety in such environments, holds favorable future prospects. With rising demand for effective yet low cost homecare medical devices by the patients, providers are aggressively investing time and resources in product advancement and development.Some of the key players operating in this market are Chart Industries, Drive Medical, Inogen, Sunrise Medical (US) LLC, Invacare Corporation, and Philips. These companies focus on product development aided by technological advancements to develop more sophisticated and patient centric homecare products in order to capture a larger share of the market.Make an inquiry @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:Connect with us: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Concrete Floor Coatings Market expanding at a CAGR of 5.2 % between 2017 and 2025 - Canada Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast

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"The Report Concrete Floor Coatings Market - Canada Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"DescriptionCanada Concrete Floor Coatings Market: OverviewConcrete floor coating is the covering applied to cured concrete in order to make the surface last longer. These coatings offer corrosion resistance property. Advantages of using concrete floor coatings include esthetic look, durability, ease of maintenance, ability to be customized, long term cost savings, health benefits and low installation cost.Get Sample copy of this Report @Increase in the number of construction projects and rise in demand for green technology are expected to fuel the market for concrete floor coatings. In terms of application, the concrete floor market in Canada has been segmented into indoor and outdoor. Indoor applications include residential, commercial, institutional, and office buildings. Outdoor applications comprise walkways, garages, patios, sport complexes, terraces, and driveways. Indoor applications are estimated to offer attractive growth potential compared to the outdoor applicationsCanada Concrete Floor Coatings Market: Scope of the ReportThe report estimates and forecasts the Canadian concrete floor coatings market on the provincial level. The study provides forecast between 2017 and 2025 based on volume (Tons) and revenue (US$ Mn) with 2016 as the base year. The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis for each of the product segments. It provides a comprehensive view of the market. Value chain analysis also offers detailed information about value addition at each stage. The study includes drivers and restraints for the concrete floor coatings market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The study also provides key market indicators affecting the growth of the concrete floor coatings market. The report analyzes opportunities in the concrete floor coatings market on the provincial level. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities mentioned in the report are justified through quantitative and qualitative data. These have been verified through primary and secondary resources. Furthermore, the report analyzes average price trend analysis of concrete floor coatingsThe report includes Porters Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the concrete floor coatings market. The report comprises a qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein application and countries have been analyzed based on attractiveness for each region. Growth rate, market size, raw material availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated in order to derive the general attractiveness of the market. The report comprises price trend analysis for concrete floor coatings between 2017 and 2025.Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market: SegmentationThe study provides a comprehensive view of the concrete floor coatings market by dividing it into product type, application and provinces. The concrete floor coatings market by product has been segmented into epoxy, polyaspartics and others. Application segments have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends, and the market has been estimated in terms of volume (Tons) and revenue (US$ Mn) between 2017 and 2025.Provincial segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for concrete floor coatings in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba , Saskatchewan, and Atlantic. Additionally, the report comprises provincial analysis in terms of volume and revenue for end-user segments. Market segmentation includes demand for individual end-users in all the provinces.The report covers detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and profiles of key players operating in the Canada market. Key players profiled in the report include The Sherwin Williams Company, PPG Industries Inc, BASF SE, RPM International, Inc and Sika AG .Company profiles include attributes such as company overview, number of employees, brand overview, key competitors, business overview, business strategies, recent/key developments, acquisitions, and financial overview (wherever applicable).View Report @Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market: Research MethodologySecondary research sources that were typically referred to include, but were not limited to company websites, financial reports, annual reports, investor presentations, broker reports, and SEC filings. Other sources such as internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases and market reports, news articles, national government documents, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market have also been referred for the report.In-depth interviews and discussions with a wide range of key opinion leaders and industry participants were conducted to compile this research report. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. Key players product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. This helped in validating and strengthening secondary research findings. Primary research further helped in developing the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.The Canada Concrete Floor Coatings market has been segmented as follows:Concrete Floor Coatings Market  Product Type AnalysisEpoxyPolyasparticsOthersConcrete Floor Coatings Market  Application Type AnalysisIndoorOutdoorConcrete Floor Coatings Market  Provincial AnalysisOntarioQuebecBritish ColumbiaAlbertaSaskatchewanManitobaAtlanticBrowse more Paints and Coatings Market Research Reports @Table of Content1. Preface1.1. Report Scope and Market Segmentation1.2. Research Objectives2. Assumptions and Research Methodology2.1. Assumptions and Acronyms Used2.2. Research Methodology3. Executive Summary3.1. Market Size, Indicative (US$ Mn)3.2. Top 3 Trends4. Market Overview4.1. Product Overview4.2. Key Industry Developments4.3. Market Indicators4.4. Upcoming Construction Projects in Canada5. Market Dynamics5.1. Drivers and Restraints Snapshot Analysis5.1.1. Drivers5.1.2. Restraints5.1.3. Opportunities5.2. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market Analysis and Forecast5.3. Porters Analysis5.3.1. Threat of Substitutes5.3.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers5.3.3. Bargaining Power of Suppliers5.3.4. Threat of New Entrants5.3.5. Degree of Competition5.4. Value Chain Analysis5.5. Canada Paints & Coatings Industry SWOT Analysis6. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market Analysis , by Product6.1. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market, Value Share Analysis, by Product6.2. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market Forecast, by Product6.3. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market Analysis, by Product6.4. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market Attractiveness, by ProductRequest for Enquiry @7. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market Analysis , by Application7.1. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market, Value Share Analysis, by Application7.2. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market Forecast, by Application7.3. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market Analysis, by Application7.4. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market Attractiveness, by Application7.5. Global Cubic Boron Nitride Market Value Share Analysis, by Application7.6. Global Cubic Boron Nitride Market Forecast and Analysis, by Application8.Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market, Value Share Analysis, by Provinces8.1. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market Value Share Analysis, by Provinces8.2. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market Forecast, by Provinces8.2.1. Ontario8.2.2. Quebec8.2.3. British Columbia8.2.4. Alberta8.2.5. Saskatchewan8.2.6. Manitoba8.2.7. Atlantic8.3. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market Attractiveness, by Provinces8.4. Canada Growth Scenario8.5. Key Insights8.6. Comparison Matrix of Canadian Provinces8.7. Canada Concrete Floor Coatings Market : PEST AnalysisAbout 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.Contact usMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Peripheral Vascular Stents Market Analysis- Products, Application - Forecast Report To 2025

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Peripheral Vascular Stents Market Overview:Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is the narrowing and/or blockage of arteries, which restricts the blood flow. This medical condition is also known as peripheral vascular disease (PVD). It occurs due to accumulation of fatty or calcified material in an artery wall. The most common symptoms of PAD are pain in the lower extremities, discomfort in muscles of the calves and/or thighs, burning sensation and buttock pain. Moreover, the accumulation of plaque may remarkably reduce the blood flow through the arteries with the disease progression. Thus, peripheral vascular stents are used to treat these medical conditions.Browse Full Report @Rise in prevalence of PAD coupled with increasing geriatric population is the prime factor driving the market growth. This is a very common condition that affects millions of people across the globe. As per the American Heart Association (AHA) estimates 8 million Americans (aged >40 years) are suffering from PAD. In addition to this, the rapidly aging population is contributing to the market growth as this group is more prone to PAD. The global population is aging rapidly. Almost every country is experiencing growth in the number and proportion of older people in their population. As per United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the number of older people is projected to reach 2 billion in 2050 from 841 million people in 2013. Thus, the rapidly aging population will accelerate the demand for peripheral vascular stents in near future. Such high target population will bring in ample growth opportunities for the key players to develop technologically advanced products. However, there are many people who go undiagnosed due to low awareness about the disease, which hinders the market growth.Innovation is set to derive the demand for peripheral vascular stents globally. Therefore, key players are highly focused on developing innovative peripheral vascular stents to meet the unmet medical needs. For instance, in February 2016, Boston Scientific obtained CE Mark for its Eluvia Drug-Eluting Vascular Stent System, which can restore blood flow in the peripheral arteries. This system provides a unique drug-polymer combination to provide continued release of the drug for preventing narrowing of the vessel. Likewise, in June 2015, Terumo Interventional Systems launched its MISAGO RX Self-expanding Peripheral Stent to treat patients with peripheral artery disease in the proximal popliteal and superficial femoral artery. Such product developments helped these companies to strengthen their product portfolio to sustain their position in the market.Request for an in-depth table of contents for this report @Major players operating in this market are Terumo Medical Corporation, Boston Scientific, Cardinal Health, Abbott Laboratories, Braun Melsungen, Biotronik, Cook Medical, C.R. Bard, Intact Vascular, W.L. Gore & Associates, and Medtronic.Make an inquiry @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:Connect with us: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Global Advanced Materials Market Is Expected To Be Worth US$102.48 bn By 2024 At A CAGR Of 10.4% | Researchmoz

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Advanced Materials Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024" to its huge collection of research reports.Global Advanced Materials Market: OverviewAdvanced Materials generally have superior properties than conventional materials available. They can outperform conventional materials, in terms of their applications. They are materials that are novel or have undergone modifications in existing materials to gain superior performance with respect to one or more characteristics that are essential for the applications under consideration.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Global Advanced Materials Market: Drivers and TrendsAs climate change statistics are continuously rising, there's growing pressure from all areas  consumers, businesses, and governments  to search for more eco-friendly manufacturing techniques. This acts as another opportunity for advanced materials market because of always advancing technologies that are used for production of advanced materials. North America and Europe are major regions for the global advanced materials market, with them currently being and projected to remain comparatively mature markets.The market is anticipated to undergo constant changes due to emerging technologies in various segments, as any advancement carried out on existing products results in the inclusion of the modified product in the existing market. Limited number of players operate in the advanced materials market. Their share of R&D expenditure is expected to reflect on the overall investment in R&D for advanced materials.Global Advanced Materials Market: ScopeThe report estimates and forecasts the advanced materials market on the global and regional levels. The study provides forecast between 2016 and 2024 based on volume (million tons / kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Bn / US$ Mn) with 2015 as the base year. The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis for each of the segments. It provides a comprehensive view of the market. Value chain analysis also offers detailed information about value addition at each stage.Browse Detail Report With Full TOC @Global Advanced Materials Market: Research MethodologyThe study includes drivers and restraints for the advanced materials market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The study also provides key market indicators affecting the growth of the market. The report analyzes opportunities in the advanced materials market on the global and regional level. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities mentioned in the report are justified through quantitative and qualitative data. These have been verified through primary and secondary resources. Furthermore, the report analyzes substitute analysis of advanced materials and global average price trend analysis.The report includes Porters Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the advanced materials market. The report comprises a qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users and regions have been analyzed based on attractiveness for each region. Growth rate, market size, raw material availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated in order to derive the general attractiveness of the market. The report comprises price trend analysis for advanced materials between 2016 and 2024.Secondary research sources that were typically referred to include, but were not limited to, company websites, financial reports, annual reports, investor presentations, broker reports, and SEC filings. Other sources such as internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases and market reports, news articles, national government documents, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market have also been referred for the report.In-depth interviews and discussions with a wide range of key opinion leaders and industry participants were conducted to compile this research report. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. Key players product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. This helped in validating and strengthening secondary research findings. Primary research further helped in developing the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.Global Advanced Materials Market: SegmentationThe study provides a comprehensive view of the advanced materials market by dividing it into product, application and geography segments. The products have been segmented into ceramics, glasses, polymers, composites and metals & alloys (M&A). The applications are segmented into medical devices, automotive, aerospace, electricals & electronics (E&E), industrial, power and others. These segments have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends.Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast consumption of advanced materials in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Market segmentation includes demand for consumption in all the regions individually.Key Players Mentioned in this Report are:The report covers detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and profiles of key players operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include 3M Advanced Materials, Morgan Advanced Materials plc, Huntsman Corporation, Hexcel Corporation, Hanwa Group, Materion Corporation and Others. Company profiles include attributes such as company overview, number of employees, brand overview, key competitors, business overview, business strategies, recent/key developments, acquisitions, and financial overview (wherever applicable).The global advanced materials market has been segmented as follows:Advanced Materials Market  Product Analysis- Ceramics- Glasses- Polymers- Composites- Metals & AlloysAdvanced Materials Market  Application Analysis- Medical devices- Automotive- Aerospace- Electricals & Electronics- Industrial- Power- OthersAdvanced Materials Market  Regional Analysis- North America- U.S.- Canada- Latin America- Brazil- Mexico- Rest of Latin America- Europe- Germany- France- U.K.- Spain- Italy- Rest of Europe- Asia Pacific- China- Japan- India- ASEAN- Rest of Asia Pacific- Middle East & Africa- GCC- South Africa- Rest of Middle East & AfricaMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market expanding at a CAGR of 3.80% between 2017 and 2025 - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast

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"The Report Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"DescriptionGlobal Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market: OverviewIndependent lubricant manufacturers usually purchase base oils from major oil suppliers since they do not have their own refineries. In order to provide lubricants for various end-user industries such as industrial and automotive, manufacturers blend these oils with additives to make lubricants.Get Sample copy of this Report @Independent lubricant manufacturers primarily focus on manufacturing and marketing lubricants for specialties and niche businesses. They offer their services to end-user industries such as automotive, aerospace, marine, and industrial.Mineral lubricants are those whose formulations include mineral base oil and additives. These lubricants include those that are produced from group I and II base oils. Synthetic lubricants are those whose formulations include synthetic base oil and additives. They are artificially made chemical compounds, using chemically modified petroleum components rather than whole crude oil. Group II+, III and some of group IV base oils falls under the class of synthetic base oils. Bio-based oils include oils derived from vegetable oils and animal fats. They are manufactured from either natural or synthetic sources.Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market: Scope of the ReportThe major application boosting the demand for lubricants is automotive sector. Rise in demand for automotive is anticipated to drive the demand for automotive lubricants in the next few years. Increase in environmental pressure and implementation of strict government regulations are boosting the demand for high quality lubricants in automotive and industrial end-use industries.The report estimates and forecasts the independent lubricant manufacturers market on the global and regional levels. The study provides forecast between 2017 and 2025 based on volume (kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Mn) with 2015 as the base year. The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis for each of the segments. It provides a comprehensive view of the market. Value chain analysis also offers detailed information about value addition at each stage. The study includes drivers and restraints for the independent lubricant manufacturers market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The study also provides key market indicators affecting the growth of the market. The report analyzes opportunities in the independent lubricant manufacturers market on the global and regional level. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities mentioned in the report are justified through quantitative and qualitative data. These have been verified through primary and secondary resources. Furthermore, the report analyzes substitute analysis of independent lubricant manufacturers and global average price trend analysis.The report includes Porters Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the independent lubricant manufacturers market. The report comprises a qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users and regions have been analyzed based on attractiveness for each region. Growth rate, market size, raw material availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated in order to derive the general attractiveness of the market. The report comprises price trend analysis for independent lubricant manufacturers market between 2017 and 2025.Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market: SegmentationThe study provides a comprehensive view of the independent lubricant manufacturers market by dividing it into product, end-user, and geography segments. The products have been segmented into mineral lubricants, synthetic lubricants, and bio-based lubricants. The end-users are segmented into automotive, aerospace, marine, industrial and others. These segments have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends.Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast consumption of independent lubricant manufacturers in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Market segmentation includes demand for consumption in all the regions individually.The report covers detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and profiles of key players operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include ADDINOL Lube Oil GmbH, AMSOIL INC., BVA Oil, Carlube, Forsythe Lubrication, and Motul. Company profiles include attributes such as company overview, number of employees, brand overview, key competitors, business overview, business strategies, recent/key developments, acquisitions, and financial overview (wherever applicable).View Report @Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market: Research MethodologySecondary research sources that were typically referred to include, but were not limited to, OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Independent Chemical Information Service (ICIS), Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association (ILMA), The Union of the European Lubricants Industry (UEIL), The UK Lubricants Association (UKLA), SAE International, company websites, financial reports, annual reports, investor presentations, broker reports, and SEC filings. Other sources such as internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases and market reports, news articles, national government documents, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market have also been referred for the report.In-depth interviews and discussions with a wide range of key opinion leaders and industry participants were conducted to compile this research report. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. Key players product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. This helped in validating and strengthening secondary research findings. Primary research further helped in developing the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.The global independent lubricant manufacturers market has been segmented as follows:Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market  Product AnalysisMineral lubricantsSynthetic lubricantsBio-based lubricantsIndependent Lubricant Manufacturers Market  Application AnalysisAutomotiveAerospaceMarineIndustrialOthersIndependent Lubricant Manufacturers Market  Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of Latin AmericaEuropeGermanyFranceU.K.SpainItalyRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaASEANRest of Asia PacificMiddle East & AfricaGCCSouth AfricaRest of Middle East & AfricaBrowse more Chemicals Market Research Reports @Table of Content1. Preface1.1. Report Scope and Market Segmentation1.2. Research Highlights2. Assumptions and Research Methodology2.1. Report Assumptions2.2. Secondary Sources and Acronyms Used2.3. Research Methodology3. Executive Summary3.1. Market Snapshot3.2. Top Trends4. Market Overview4.1. Product Overview4.2. Key Industry Developments4.3. Market Indicators4.4. Drivers and Restraints Snapshot Analysis4.4.1. Drivers4.4.2. Restraints4.4.3. Opportunities4.5. Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market Analysis and Forecast4.6. Porters Analysis4.6.1. Threat of Substitutes4.6.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers4.6.3. Bargaining Power of Suppliers4.6.4. Threat of New Entrants4.6.5. Degree of Competition4.7. Value Chain Analysis4.8. Global Demand-Supply Scenario4.9. Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market Outlook, 20164.10. Regulatory Scenario4.11. Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market: SWOT AnalysisRequest for Enquiry @5. Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market Analysis, by Product5.1. Introduction5.2. Key Findings5.3. Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market Value Share Analysis, by Product5.4. Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market Forecast and Analysis, By Product5.4.1. Mineral lubricants5.4.2. Synthetic lubricants5.4.3. Bio-based lubricants5.5. Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market Attractiveness Analysis, by Product5.6. Market Trends6. Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market Analysis, by End-user6.1. Introduction6.2. Key Findings6.3. Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market Value Share Analysis, by End-user6.4. Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market Forecast and Analysis, by End-user6.4.1. Automotive6.4.2. Aerospace6.4.3. Marine6.4.4. Industrial6.4.5. Others6.5. Global Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Market Attractiveness Analysis, by End-userAbout 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.Contact usMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Bioabsorbable Stents In Global Industry: Trends and Forecast Report

Market Research Report

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Bioabsorbable Stents In Global Industry: Trends and Forecast Report" to its huge collection of research reports.2016 Global Bioabsorbable Stents Industry Report is a professional and in-depth research report on the world's major regional market conditions of the Bioabsorbable Stents industry, focusing on the main regions (North America, Europe and Asia) and the main countries (United States, Germany, Japan and China).The report firstly introduced the Bioabsorbable Stents basics: definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain overview; industry policies and plans; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures and so on. Then it analyzed the world's main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, capacity utilization, supply, demand and industry growth rate 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 Bioabsorbable Stents industry; 3.) the North American Bioabsorbable Stents industry; 4.) the European Bioabsorbable Stents industry; 5.) market entry and investment feasibility; and 6.) the report conclusion.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Table of ContentsPart I Bioabsorbable Stents Industry OverviewChapter One Bioabsorbable Stents Industry Overview1.1 Bioabsorbable Stents Definition1.2 Bioabsorbable Stents Classification Analysis1.2.1 Bioabsorbable Stents Main Classification Analysis1.2.2 Bioabsorbable Stents Main Classification Share Analysis1.3 Bioabsorbable Stents Application Analysis1.3.1 Bioabsorbable Stents Main Application Analysis1.3.2 Bioabsorbable Stents Main Application Share Analysis1.4 Bioabsorbable Stents Industry Chain Structure Analysis1.5 Bioabsorbable Stents Industry Development Overview1.5.1 Bioabsorbable Stents Product History Development Overview1.5.1 Bioabsorbable Stents Product Market Development Overview1.6 Bioabsorbable Stents Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.1 Bioabsorbable Stents Global Import Market Analysis1.6.2 Bioabsorbable Stents Global Export Market Analysis1.6.3 Bioabsorbable Stents Global Main Region Market Analysis1.6.4 Bioabsorbable Stents Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.5 Bioabsorbable Stents Global Market Development Trend AnalysisChapter Two Bioabsorbable Stents Up and Down Stream Industry Analysis2.1 Upstream Raw Materials Analysis2.1.1 Upstream Raw Materials Price Analysis2.1.2 Upstream Raw Materials Market Analysis2.1.3 Upstream Raw Materials Market Trend2.2 Down Stream Market Analysis2.1.1 Down Stream Market Analysis2.2.2 Down Stream Demand Analysis2.2.3 Down Stream Market Trend AnalysisBrowse 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 @
Healthcare Cloud Computing Market to Significant Growth Foreseen by 2025

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North America Healthcare Cloud Computing Market: SnapshotCloud computing is increasingly being adopted in healthcare owing to the increasing demand for improved healthcare at reduced costs. In order to attain these goals, healthcare providers are implementing Clinical Information System such as Electronic Health Record (EMR), Radiology Information System (RIS), and Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) among others.Cloud computing helps store, process, and manage data from different locations, and delivers information over the Internet. The four forms in which cloud computing as a technology is used in the healthcare industry are computation, storage, memory, and networking.One of the key factors driving the North America healthcare cloud computing market include legislative reform of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). In addition, advanced features of cloud-based healthcare services and federal mandates for insuring every citizen in the U.S. are some other key growth drivers. In addition, cloud computing offers other benefits such as cost reduction, improved accessibility and mobility, positive returns on investment, improvements in storage technology, and greater flexibility and scalability of data.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The improved healthcare infrastructure, predominantly in the U.S. and Canada account for the high growth of North America healthcare cloud computing market. In 2012, America Hospital Association (AHA) conducted a survey for the total number of registered hospitals in the U.S. Registered hospitals that fulfilled the criteria of AHA were 5,723 in number in 2012. Thus, the improved healthcare system in the U.S. has been instrumental in significant rise in demand for cloud computing services for high quality patient care and healthcare services.North America Healthcare Cloud Computing Market: OverviewCloud computing is an internet-based computing model that provides and sources information technology services, such as servers, applications, and storage, on a pay-per-use basis. Cloud services are renowned for their flexible nature - they can be easily configured, scaled, and adapted - and require lower capitals investment and ongoing maintenance and operating expenses as compared to traditional IT models.Request TOC of the Report @Cloud computing boasts of an infrastructure capable of enabling all crucial verticals of the healthcare industry to incorporate computing resources in everyday operations and processes at lower costs and at a high level of agility. In the past few years, these has been a huge surge of interest among healthcare companies in North America about the potential of cloud computing in improving operational efficiency of a variety of healthcare processes. It is estimated that the North America market for healthcare cloud computing will exhibit growth at a significant pace in the next few years and in a matter of few years, all healthcare systems in the regions will come under the umbrella of pure or hybrid healthcare cloud computing models.This report on the North America healthcare cloud computing market presents a detailed overview of the present growth dynamics of the market and includes vast forward-looking statements predicting the future growth prospects of the market and its segments over the period between 2016 and 2024.Get Discount @North America Healthcare Cloud Computing Market: Key Driving ForcesThe key factors expected to drive the North America healthcare cloud computing market include the flexibility and cost-competitiveness offered by the cloud technology and the significant improvements in security and reliability of cloud services. Healthcare reforms across key countries in the region are making it mandatory for the healthcare industry to be digitally modernized; adoption of electronic medical records, smart medical devices, and proliferation of mobile devices has become an integral aspect of the modern-day healthcare industry in the region.The industry is rapidly adopting an information-centric patient-care and data sharing models, facilitated in part by collaborative workflows and open standards that support cooperation. Healthcare cloud computing is increasingly gaining prominence as a technology that is at the core of this transformation.North America Healthcare Cloud Computing Market: Regional and Competitive AnalysisFrom a geographic perspective, the report examines the North America healthcare cloud computing market across the U.S. and Canada. Of these, the U.S. market accounted for a lions share in the revenue of the North America healthcare cloud computing market and is expected to remain the leading contributor to the market over the forecast period as well. The market is expected to benefit from the increasing adoption of healthcare cloud computing solutions across the insurance sector.Over 150,000 physicians and healthcare practitioners across all the 50 states of the U.S. have already adopted cloud based electronic health record services and the consumer-base of cloud-based healthcare services continues to rise at a remarkable pace in other countries in the region as well. Owing to the increased demand, several small-, medium-, and large-scale companies are foraying into the healthcare cloud computing arena in the region and the market is becoming intensely competitive.To strengthen their foothold in the market, companies are relying upon strategic collaborations, mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and introduction of innovative service offerings. Large international IT firms such as Microsoft, Philips, Qualcomm Life, ORACLE Corporation, IBM, and AT&T are launching increasingly sophisticated healthcare cloud solutions. Other leading vendors in the market include GNAX Health, ClearData Networks, Inc., VMware, Inc., and CareCloud Corporation.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Cyber Security Market Is Set for Rapid Growth to Reach around USD 181.77 Billion in 2021

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Zion Market Research has published a new report titled Cyber Security Market (Network Security, Cloud Security, Wireless Security, and Others), By Solution (Identity and Access Management (IAM), Encryption, Risk and Compliance Management, Data Loss Prevention, Antivirus And Antimalware, Firewall And Others), By Vertical (Aerospace, Government, Financial Services, Telecommunication, Healthcare And Others): Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Segment, Trends and Forecast, 2015  2021. According to the report, global cyber security market was valued at USD 105.45 billion in 2015, is expected to reach USD 181.77 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 9.5% between 2016 and 2021.Request for Free Sample Report @Cyber security is associated with information technology security, which focuses on protecting computers and confidential data stored in it from cyber criminals. Cyber security market offers several advantages including enhanced security of cyberspaces, expanded digital safeguard and quicker reaction time to national crises. These advantages of cyber security market automatically enhance the value of service given to the market end-users.The cyber security market is one of the highest growing markets in the information technology domain and it yields large economic opportunities. Growing risks such as computer hacking, software piracy, and virus deployment are increasing the demand for cyber securities services. The governments of various countries are increasing their investment in cyber security owing to development in computer interconnectivity and remarkable growth in computing power of government networks.The major drivers of this market include stringent government regulation on data privacy and increasing cyber threats. Lack of awareness and availability of pirated security software are expected to hamper the cyber security market in the forecast period. There is a significant increase in the cyber security market due to development in cyber solution and services and it offers various options to safeguard data. Providing cyber security solution to ever increasing government IT domain becomes an expensive challenge for the government authorities.Request to view Report TOC (Table of Contents) @The cyber security market is segmented based on security types, solution, and vertical and by regions. On the basic of security types market is divided into network security, cloud security, wireless security and others. Cyber solution segment includes identity and access management (IAM), encryption, risk and compliance management, data loss prevention, antivirus and antimalware, firewall and others. By vertical, market is segmented into aerospace, government, financial services, telecommunication, healthcare, and others.In 2015, North America dominated the cyber security market owing to the increasing cyber crime and strict government rules against it. Asia Pacific is a fastest growing regional market for cyber security market due to increasing number of internet users in China and India.Some of the key players involved in global cyber security market include Symantec, IBM, McAfee, Northrop Grumman, and Booz Allen Hamilton, CSC among othersBrowse Detail Report @About Us :Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us :Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:Blog:
Steam Turbine Market : Size, Industry Analysis And Forecast 2025

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Global Steam Turbine Market: SnapshotWith the assistance of blades joined to a rotor, the steam turbines change thermal energy of steam into mechanical energy. The turbine begins to turn when steam of high pressure goes through the succession of rotor blades. With the developing populace over the world, and robust urbanization in developing economies, the continuous demand for power and energy is heightening reliably, and therefore, the demand in the worldwide steam turbine market is anticipated to extend at a sound rate. The demand for steam turbine will be high from the integration of nuclear energy and the upgradation relating to plants and production. Rise in deep-water marine exploration and excavation and the robust industrial growth are further going to supplement the progress of the market in the years to come.The market for steam turbine might be challenged due to the prevalence of strict government norms relating to the replacement of generic sources of energy. The rising focus on gas-fired power production and the rising emphasis on the use of clean resources namely natural gas and other forms of renewable energy is anticipated to further inhibit the growth of the global steam turbine market in the years to come. In the years ahead supercritical innovation will be an essential part in expanding the generation limit and in addition proficiency, other than diminishing the greenhouse gasses. It has likewise been noticed that few old steam turbines are achieving a developing stage, which will additionally expand the interest for the high-end steam turbines.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Steam Turbine Market: OverviewWith the help of blades attached to a rotor, the steam turbines convert thermal energy of steam into mechanical energy. The turbine starts to rotate when high pressure steam passes through sequence of rotor blades. With the growing population across the world, and rapid urbanization in several emerging economies, the demand for energy is escalating consistently, and as a result, the demand in the global steam turbine market is expected to expand at a healthy rate during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025.This report on the global steam turbine market has been prepared using proven research methodologies, and includes steam turbine market segmentations, market size and growth prospects, value chain analysis, key opportunities, and industry analysis including Porters five forces. The report has been prepared to serve as an information guide to targeted audiences such as distributors and suppliers, OEMs, private equity groups. The report also includes a featured section on the companies that are currently active in the global steam turbine market, estimating their market share, financial performance, product benchmarking, and recent strategic initiatives.Request TOC of the Report @The global steam turbine market can be segmented on the basis of type into steam cycle and combined cycle, on the basis of application into coal, nuclear, biomass, and others, on the basis of rated capacity into 1 to 120 MW, 121 to 350 MW, 351 to 750 MW, and above 750 MW. By exhaust type, the market can be segmented into condensing and non-condensing. Geographically, the report studies the potential available for steam turbine market in the regions such as North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa.Global Steam Turbine Market: Drivers and RestraintsRapid industrialization in emerging economies and rising global population, which are consistently propelling the demand for energy, are the primary factors augmenting the demand for steam turbine. Steam turbines are essential in generating electricity from various sources such as nuclear, biomass, and coal. Moreover, the report observes that in the coming years, supercritical technology will play an important role in increasing the generation capacity as well as efficiency, besides decreasing the greenhouse gases. It has also been noted that several old steam turbines are reaching a maturing stage, which will further augment the demand for the advanced steam turbines. Currently, steam turbine of capacity between 121 MW to 350 MW serves the maximum demand, owing to its application in CHP units. Get Discount @Get Discount @Conversely, the growing emphasis on gas-fired power generation, and increasing emphasis on cleaner resources such as natural gas and renewable energy owing to environmental concerns are expected to hinder the growth rate during the forecast period. Each of these factors have been analyzed in detail in the report and their eventual implications have been estimated.Global Steam Turbine Market: Regional OutlookIndia and China are the two most lucrative country-wide markets for steam turbine market, which makes Asia Pacific the most important region for this market. In China, there are more than 150 new coal-fired power plants in pipeline while India is aspiring to strengthen its position in the power sector. General Electric (GE) are introducing 660MW and 800MW supercritical steam turbines in India while Siemens is investing US$44.2 million in the country to expand its steam turbine facility in Vadodara, Gujarat.Companies mentioned in the research reportSiemens, General Electric Co., Toshiba, Ansaldo, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Hitachi, and Dresser-Rand are some of the leading vendors in the global steam turbine market, which is primed to get consolidated with little potential for new entrants in the new future. Moreover, these prominent players aggressively acquire smaller players to maintain their stronghold over the market and establish their monopoly.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Sesame Oil Market Projected to reach US$ 9,000 Mn by 2022

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The primary factor which is sustaining growth of the global market for sesame oil, is its utilization in various cuisines, Ayurveda, variety of massage oils, and beauty products. Owing to its nutritional value, adoption of sesame oil has gained an uptick among consumers, and power packed sesame oil has been gaining higher traction on the back of its benefits to human health. This report, published by Fact.MR, provides in-depth analysis of the global sesame oil market for the forecast period 2017-2022, and offers key insights about future market direction.ScopeThe scope of Fact.MRs report is to analyze the global sesame oil market for the forecast period 2017-2022 and provide readers an unbiased and accurate analysis. Sesame oil manufacturers, stakeholders, and suppliers in the global food & beverage sector can benefit from the analysis offered in this report. This report offers a comprehensive analysis, which can be of interest to leading trade magazines and journals pertaining to sesame oil.SummaryThe report commences with a brief information of the global sesame oil market. This executive summary sets the tone for the rest of the report, providing users the scope of the report. The executive summary includes important facts and statistics on the global sesame oil market.For More Details - A sample of this report is available upon request@OverviewThe next section offers an overview of the global sesame oil market. This comprises an introduction to the market, along with a standard definition of the product  sesame oil. In this section, market value and year-over-year growth is offered to the readers. Year-over-year growth provides readers with a broader view of growth patterns over the forecast period.The reports succeeding section focuses on drivers, restraints and key trends from macroeconomic, demand, and supply perspectives. Impact analysis of weighted average model-based growth drivers is contained in the report for better provision of decision-making insights to clients.In order to offer readers with up-to-date information about the latest advancements in the global sesame oil market, the report provides updates about market opportunities, which can benefit leading manufacturers of sesame oil. With continuous evolution of the food & beverage sector, keeping a record of latest developments and trends is fundamental for sesame oil manufacturers to formulate key business strategies. Detailed insights about raw material sourcing, supply chain, pricing analysis, list of distributors, and cost structure are provided in this section.Request For Discount:In order to provide detailed insights, and by considering wide scope of the sesame oil market, Fact.MRs report has offered segment-wise forecast & analysis. The global market for sesame oil is categorised into product type, distribution channels, end-users, and region. The segmentation analysis offered in the report is comprehensive, along with the in-depth country-wise forecast offered on all parameters.The reports last section comprises of the global sesame oil market competitive landscape, to provide readers with the dashboard view of company analysis and market players. This competitive intelligence is based on the providers categories across value chain, and their presence in the global sesame oil market.Research MethodologyFact.MR is committed to offer unbiased and independent market research solutions to its clients. Each market report of Fact.MR is compiled after months of exhaustive research. We bank on a mix of tried-and-tested and innovative research methodologies to offer the most comprehensive and accurate information. Our main sources of research include,Primary researchSecondary researchTrade researchFocused interviewsSocial media analysisBrowse Full Report:ABOUT US:Fact.MR is focused on offering transformative intelligence that inspires breakthroughs and innovation. We believe that the right decisions at the opportune time are integral to achieve extraordinary success. We are here to help you with your strategic decision making.CONTACT:Suite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandPhone: +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.comwebsite:
Bio-Wax Market Dynamics, Forecast, Analysis and Supply Demand 2015-2025

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Bio-wax is a group of water soluble organic polymers that are manufactured from bio-based raw materials. It is also manufactured as a byproduct of bio-diesel production process. The applications of bio-wax are cosmetics and personal care products, water protection systems,firelogs, infrastructure building and paints & coatings. Bio-waxis developed to replace petroleum based wax and synthetic olefins. Itis usually a low odor group of compounds that does not interfere with complexfragrance profiles. The uses and properties of bio-wax depend on its molecular weight and branching of polymer.Rising demand for cosmetics and personal care products is expected to drive the bio-wax market. Cosmetics and personal care industry is driven by demand from developed countries and rising demand from emerging economies worldwide. Owing to changing lifestyle and rising disposable incomein emerging economies, cosmetics and personal care products are experiencing huge demand. Bio-wax based products are used as firelogs that emits less green house gases as compared to other fire fuels. According to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency report,bio-based fuels do not increase carbon di-oxide concentrations in environment. Thus, the demand for bio-wax in firelogs from cold climatecountries is expected to further boost the market growth. In addition, reduction in petroleum wax supply and changing consumer groups preference is expected to fuel the bio-wax market growth. Petroleum wax is subjected to price and supply volatility of crude oil and it may have adverse effects on human health. Bio-wax is also used in concrete work such as bridge construction, roof tiles, pre-fab elements and precast concrete application. Growing building and construction industry in emerging economies and repairing of existing infrastructure in developed countries is expected to drive the bio-wax market.Request Report Sample@However, cost and complex process of manufacturing is expected to hamper the market growth. Bio-based raw materials are used for bio-diesel production and bio-wax is also produced as a byproduct of this process. Raw materials suppliers are preferring bio-diesel plants over bio-wax manufacturing which creates scarcity of the raw materials. Technological advances and increasing scope of use of bio-wax in new applications in expected to provide opportunities for bio-wax market in the near future.North America was the largest consumer of the bio-wax in terms of consumption and production. Demand from cosmetics and personal care industry is expected to drive the bio-wax market in this region. In addition, governmental regulations for bio-based fuel in firelogs are anticipated to boost the market. North America was followed by Europe, where stringent governmental policies for reducing carbon di-oxide emission are expected to boost the market. Shift in preference of consumer groups from petroleum based wax to bio-wax in cosmetics and other application is expected to fuel the market growth. Building and construction industry in this region is expected to contribute to the growth of bio-wax market. Use of bio-wax in infrastructure building and firelogsis in line with the sustainable growth policy of Europe. Growth in Asia Pacific was submissive however, it is expected to grow at higher pace in the near future. Abundant raw materials and presence of bio-diesel plants is expected to boost the market in this region.Visit For TOC@Key players in this market include Biosil, Duraflame, BioJouvance, Fisch, Remmers, Chant Oil Co. Ltd. among 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:
Battlefield Management Systems Market Intelligence and Forecast by Future Market Insights

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Battlefield management systems provide accurate real-time information to military unit for effective decision making. These systems integrate information acquisition and processing to improve control and command of a military unit. Battlefield management systems (BMS) enable absolute situational awareness by efficiently displaying vital data to the field commander. This system offer integrated COP (common operating picture) with the help of collaborative planning tools. This helps tactical commanders to take knowledge based and responsive decisions and implement highly efficient control over operations in fluid and dynamic battlefield.The BMS aid soldiers in performing their tasks by displaying the command and control (C2) information related to different plan overlays, enemy troops, own troops and terrain features. In order to provide such data BMS consist of highly advanced hardware components and enhanced software. The main building blocks for battlefield management systems are a computer and touch screen. Keyboard is also incorporated in order to enter textual information into the BMS. BMS stations are connected to global positioning system receiver to obtain information regarding the present location. Sensors such as laser range finder can also incorporated in order to enhance the performance. BMS employ combat net radio communication for the distribution of information. However, LAN (local area network) and wireless LAN can also be used in more static environments.Request For Report Sample@Foremost component in success of military operation is the capability to translate intelligence data into an information benefit that can be leveraged on the combat zone. In such a case BMS enable evaluation, real-time situational awareness and planning and eases implementation and orders of executive actions. It provides accurate information, virtual reconnaissance, flexible communications and dynamic situational awareness to the battlefield. It also improves operational tempo, intelligence surveillance, co-ordination, navigation, logistics management and alerts.BMS is highly mobile tactical control and command information system. It is integrated with decision making tools, weapon platforms and sensors. It also includes hand-held or wearable information systems with individual commander or soldiers and vehicle mounted information system. These are integrated via data enabled communication networks. BMS include several platforms such as air, land and naval platforms. Battlefield management systems consists of different subsystems including networking system and infrastructure-less communication, database server, application server, relational database management system, compute platforms, integrated GIS and GPS embedded systems. Trackers used in BMS are handheld systems provide individual dismounted soldiers accurate communication, precise information and tools to execute particular mission. Integrator used in BMS is a configuration that offers functionality of tracker with the extension of numerous operator capabilities and sensors. It has a server and several connected workstations. Integrator can be design for mobile and fixed applications.Visit For TOC@Rising need to reduce friendly fire, improve military troop efficiency and security of military troops worldwide are some of the factors supporting the growth of BMS market. However, development of battlefield management systems offers several challenges in terms of interoperability, training, functionality, man machine interface, data communication and training.Some of the major players in battlefield management systems market include Rockwell Collins, Inc., General Dynamics Corporation, Saab Group, Harris Corporation, BAE Systems, L-3 Communications Corporation, Thales Group and Exelis Inc. among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Agriculture Equipment Market Growth, Trends, Absolute Opportunity and Value Chain 2015-2025

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Agriculture equipment are the machine tools used in the various stage of agriculture such as harvesting, planting, threshing and agro processing. Agriculture equipment are replacing traditional tools: for traditional practice in land development, tillage and seed bed preparation plough and blade harrow were used but current practice includes tractors, mould board plough and power tiller.Agriculture Equipment Market: Drivers & RestraintsGrowing population at faster pace is the main driver for agricultural equipment market as it spurs the need of food which aggressively demand for better equipment for agriculture. Though agriculture equipment help in the cultivation but farmers are in having financial issues to replace the old equipment with new machinery, which hindered the growth of the global agriculture equipment market. Asia Pacific is one of the major user of tractor.Request Report Sample@Agriculture Equipment Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product type, agriculture Equipment market is broadly segmented as:TractorCombine HarvesterThrasherRotavatorSelf-Propelled Vertical Conveyer ReaperZero Till Seed DrillMulti Crop PlanterPower TillerLaser Land LevelerRice TransplanterPower SprayPower WeederDrip Irrigation EquipmentSprinkler Irrigation EquipmentOn the basis of process, the market is segmented into:Land Development, Tillage, Seed Bed PreparationSowing & PlantingWeed Inter CultivationPlant ProtectionHarvesting & ThreshingPost-Harvest & Agro ProcessingAgriculture Equipment Market: Region  Wise OutlookAsia  Pacific region is expected to dominate the market during the forecasted period aided by China and India the fastest growing agriculture equipment market. Growing population will increase the demand of food in these countries, which in return increase the demand of better harvesting machinery. Europe and North America agriculture equipment market is expected to show a moderate growth. With rapid technological advancement and growing population agriculture Equipment market is expected to increase at a double CAGR during the forecast period.Visit For TOC@Agriculture Equipment Market: Key PlayersSome of the players in the market we identified includes, CNH Industrial NV, AGCO Corp, J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited, Iseki & Co. Ltd, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, Deere & Company and Kubota Corporation.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:
Zeolite 4A Market - Research Methodology, Trends & Recent development 2025

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Global Zeolite 4A Market: SnapshotThe eco-friendly nature and high ion exchange capability zeolite 4A makes it an alluring alternative to Sodium Tri Poly Phosphate (STPP) in the detergent market. Its utilization gives advantages such as extreme sequestering power at extraordinary temperatures and no fertilizing impact. Drying, oil refining, gas separation, packaging, and water treatment are some of its key applications. Zeolite 4A is being contemplated widely as a heterogeneous catalyst that can be recovered and reused with the lower cost and better simplicity, thus prompting less byproducts.A substantial share of the revenue of the worldwide zeolite 4A market is produced from the detergent industry. Zeolite 4A is significantly utilized as a substitute for phosphorous for producing detergents, as it has high proficiency in forestalling remote particle deposition and soil evacuation. Furthermore, the enhancing awareness among consumers with respect to the negative impacts of detergents based on phosphate on the environment is likely to work in favor of the market. Moreover, stringent government measures relating to the conservation of the environment is expected to supplement the progress of the market in the years to come.Request Sample Copy of the Report @On the other side, the developing entrance of less expensive eco-accommodating catalyst materials and chemicals is making pressures relating to pricing on players in the market. Moreover, the prevalence of various substitutes, for instance, metals and different mixes is obstructing the growth of the zeolite 4A market.Global Zeolite 4A Market: OverviewThe environment-friendly nature and excellent ion exchange capacity of zeolite 4A make it an attractive substitute for Sodium Tri Poly Phosphate (STPP) in the detergent industry. Its use provides benefits such as high sequestering power at extreme temperatures and no fertilizing effect. Water treatment, packaging, gas separation, oil refining, and drying are some of its key applications. Zeolite 4A is being studied extensively as a heterogeneous catalyst that can be regenerated and recycled with the lower expense and better ease, leading to fewer byproducts. The research report is a professional study on the global market for zeolite 4A, offering insights into various critical aspects.Global Zeolite 4A Market: Key TrendsA large share of the revenue of the global zeolite 4A market is generated from the detergent industry. Zeolite 4A is majorly used as a substitute for phosphorous for manufacturing detergents, as it possesses high efficiency in preventing foreign particle deposition and dirt removal. In addition, the increasing consumer awareness regarding the harmful effects of phosphate-based detergent on environment is working in favor of the market. Moreover, stringent government measures pertaining to environment conservation are augmenting the market.Request TOC of the Report @On the flip side, the growing penetration of cheaper eco-friendly catalyst materials and chemicals is creating pricing pressure on players in the market. Furthermore, the presence of numerous substitutes such as metals and other compounds is hampering the growth of the market.Global Zeolite 4A Market: Market PotentialThe demand for zeolite 4A in the refining industry is anticipated to increase in the near future due to the rising volume of refinery output in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific regions. The global refinery output was 76,865.1 thousand barrels per day in 2015. Because of the high selectivity, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency of zeolite catalysts, they are often the most preferred method for a number of refinery conversions. The growing research and development activities in product-based catalyst applications to keep pace with the flourishing refining industry are also likely to facilitate the uptake of zeolite 4A. Moreover, the increasing usage of catalysts in various processes in the petrochemicals industry such as fluid cracking is estimated to bode well for the growth of the market in the foreseeable future.Get Discount @Global Zeolite 4A Market: Geographical SegmentationThe key segments analyzed in the report on the basis of geography are North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. Europe will be a prominent market throughout the review period, with countries such as France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands being the major contributors. Stringent regulatory framework for greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions along with high-capacity manufacturing units for detergents and refrigerants is contributing to the growth of the region.North America will also account for a noteworthy share in the market, owing to the increasing demand for zeolite 4A for infrastructural applications, particularly in the U.S. Asia Pacific will post a significant CAGR during the same period. The mounting infrastructural expenditure in emerging countries such as India and China is fuelling the growth of the region. The rising demand in Latin America can be attributed to the growing application in animal feed to improve nutrition intake.Global Zeolite 4A Market: Competitive LandscapeThe global zeolite 4A market is a highly fragmented arena. Players are willing to invest sizeable funds in research and development activities to launch a wide range of zeolite 4A grades over the forthcoming years. Some of the key global participants in the market are Clariant International Ltd., Zeolyst International (a subsidiary of PQ Corporation), Tosoh Corporation, and BASF.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
Software Defined Radio (SDR) Market Research Study for the Period (2014- 2020)

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With the evolution of digital electronics the radio market and communication technologies have evolved a lot. Though the concept of software defined radio (SDR) is not new, in the recent years, this market has undergone many changes in terms of technology and uses. SDR is a type of radio communication system where communication is carried out by the use of software on embedded system or personal computer instead of implementing hardware such as filters, amplifiers, mixers, detectors, demodulators and modulators, among others. SDR are capable of transmitting and receiving a wide spectrum of frequency. When the data from a source is converted into digital format, the remaining activities involved in radio communications are carried out with the help of software driven automated functions.SDR optimizes the tactical information system as embedded software used in SDR helps in the dynamic selection of the communication channel. The number of digital service users is increasing resulting into the improved adoption rate of software defined radio. Public safety, military and commercial use are the three major end-use applications of SDR systems. The demand for SDRs in expected to increase in coming years owing to efficiency and cost effectiveness offered by them. The industry has undergone transformation from analog to digital. Thus, the advance capabilities of digital radio are expected to drive the growth of SDR market. Multiple regulations govern the SDR market and this affects the market growth and trends. For instance, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) legally created a newer class for equipment of SDRs that had streamlined equipment authorization procedure.Request For Report Sample@Military modernization programs being carried out by several countries such as South Korea, India, Germany, Japan and the U.S and the interoperability provided by SDR are major driving forces for SDR market. The issues faced in the integration of the various sub systems pose a challenge to the SDR market. Further, the development of software platforms, technologies and tools, which allow flexible specification, design and implementation of radio systems, is another significant challenge. Players in software defined radio market have potential opportunity in technical advancements of SDR technology such as resolving the problem of frequency congestion, wide frequency range (spectrum) and improved broadcasting services in future.Software defined radio market is segmented on the basis of type, end-user application and geography. On the basis of type of SDR, the market is segmented into ideal software defined radio, baseband software defined radio (BBSDR) and high frequency software defined radio (HFSDR). On the basis of end-user industry, SDR market is segmented into defense industry, telecom industry, manufacturing plants, public safety vendors and personal use. U.S. Canada, Japan, France, Brazil, South Korea, India, Germany and Italy have emerged as the leading countries for software defined radio market.Visit For TOC@Some of the key vendors in software defined radio market are BAE Systems PLC, Elbit Systems Ltd., IndraSistemas, L3 Communications Corporation, Raytheon Co., Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co KG, Thales Group, Viasat Incorporated, SAAB AB, Rockwell Collins, Northrop Grumman Corp., ITT Corporation, Harris Corporation and Datasoft Corporation, among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Tuberculosis Diagnostic Market Research Report by Geographical Analysis and Forecast to 2025

Tuberculosis Diagnostic Market

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Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), which is characterized by the growth of tubercles (a small rounded projection specially formed in the bone or on the surface of an animal) in lung. It usually affect the lungs, but also affects other parts of body such as brain, kidney, and spine. There are two types of tuberculosis: latent tuberculosis and active tuberculosis. The condition in which bacteria remain in an inactive state and cause no symptoms is called latent tuberculosis. The condition in which bacteria are in active state and show symptoms is called active tuberculosis. Chronic cough with blood containing sputum, fever, and night sweat are some symptoms of active tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is a contagious disease which spreads through air. Diagnosis of active tuberculosis is done through chest X-rays and microscopic examination of culture body fluids. Latent tuberculosis diagnosis is done through tuberculin skin test or blood test. People with prolonged and close contact with tuberculosis infected people, already suffering from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and have weak immune system are particularly at high risk of developing tuberculosis. According to the World Health Organization, 10.4 million people are infected with tuberculosis globally i.e., 28,500 people/day and 1.8 million people have died from tuberculosis, including 400,000 with HIV positive tuberculosis i.e., 4,900/day. Tuberculosis is among the top 10 causes of death globally.This report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Tuberculosis Diagnostic Market:Based on test, the tuberculosis diagnostic market has been segmented into diagnostic laboratory method (culture based tests, nucleic acid testing, serological tests, interferon-gamma release assays, phage-based tests, and others) and radiographic method (chest X-ray). The diagnostic laboratory method segment holds significant market share because it is cost effective and easy to perform as compared to radiographic method. However, compromised accuracy and longer processing time are factors that restrain the diagnostic test method segment. Hence healthcare industries are looking for the advanced technique to overcome from the problem of diagnostic laboratory. Advances in X-ray systems, especially mobile radiography and portable equipment such as Practix 400 Plus, are likely to fuel the growth of the tuberculosis diagnostic market. Increase in morbidity and mortality rate and high unmet needs to current diagnostic tools such as no rapid test available to detect the resistance of anti-tuberculosis drugs(rifampin and isoniazide), no rapid test available to detect the latent tuberculosis , and other than DNA there is no good biomarker are the opportunities that boosts the tuberculosis diagnostic market. However, most of the tests require a good quantity of sputum which some patients are unable to produce. Moreover, high cost of diagnosis and requirement of highly developed infrastructure to perform the diagnostic tests are the major factors restraining the market.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Tuberculosis Diagnostic Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market:Geographically, Asia Pacific dominated the global tuberculosis diagnostic market because of large patient pool (about 60% of the worlds population). According to the World Health Organization, countries such as China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and South Africa are affected with tuberculosis. Increase in awareness about the disease, better purchasing power, and developed health care infrastructure boost the growth of the tuberculosis diagnostic market in North America. Affordability issues, lack of availability of diagnostic tools, and poor patient education are factors restraining the market in Middle East & Africa.Key players in the tuberculosis diagnostic market include Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Hologic Company, Alere, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Becton, Dickinson and Company, bioMerieux SA, Hain Lifescience GmbH, Sanofi S.A., Cepheid Inc., and QIAGEN.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Business Intelligence Market Is Set for a Rapid Growth and is Expected to Reach USD 26.50 billion by 2021

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Zion Market Research has published a new report titled Global Business Intelligence Market by Mobile BI, Cloud BI, and Other Applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, and Forecast, 2015-2021. According to the report, the global business intelligence market accounted USD 16.33 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach USD 26.50 billion by 2021, growing at a CAGR of around 8.4% between 2016 and 2021.Request for Free Sample Report @Business Intelligence defined as the process of analyzing huge volumes of enterprise data usually stored in large databases such as data warehouses. BI detects the hidden trends and patterns in data, track the business performance and assist the business users to make improved decisions based on real-time data. From a marketing stand point, Business Intelligence can be described as a strategic management tool that can support executives and business users to make improved decisions that are necessary for day to day operations, tactical and strategic planning.Applying BI to each of department like (Marketing, HR, Payroll, CRP etc) can provide ultimate flexible analysis of raw data. BI provides end to end approach to store and present data. For example, Companies can compare their respective revenues per quarter or month with peers, so that they can retrospect there strategic decisions or policies. Business intelligence helps companies understand their customers. This is possibly the most important reason for business intelligence.Request to view Report TOC (Table of Contents) @A good business intelligence tool will allow employees to gain imminent into key marketing questions such as who are best customers, how sales can be increased through new sell opportunities, or what products are trending. With business, intelligence tool companies can plan marketing campaigns accordingly based on real data. Business Intelligence helps companies make better decisions. Other drivers are like the software will improve the visibility of processes and make it possible to identify any areas that need development.By type segment, the mobile BI (MBI) segment accounted for more than 20% of the global Business Intelligence market in 2015. Mobile BI enables the mobile workforce to get business insights by analyzing data with the help of applications for mobile and smart devices. The growing smartphone adoption is likely to appear as a key driver for this segment during the forecast period. Mobile business intelligence is software that extends desktop business intelligence (BI) applications so that they can be used on a mobile device. MBI applications optimize traditional BI reports so they can be viewed easily on small screen. It is ideal for displaying key performance indicators (KPIs) and alerts on small screens with simple charts, graphs, and sparklines. An additional advantage of MBI is that it allows data that is captured by the mobile device to be incorporated on-the-fly so that reports are currents and mobile workers can make informed decisions in real time.Browse Detail Report @By deployment segment, the on-premise segment accounted for 86% of the market share in 2015. However, this segment is projected to witness a decline in its shares by the end of the forecast period. In this segment, software is installed on the server of an enterprise. It requires more protection but is highly secure and easy to manage.North America is expected to be the largest market for BI due to major growth in the market. It accounted for around 56% of the markets share globally. Asia Pacific is expected to manifest high-growth over the foreseeable future due to rapid industrialization in the region and growing number of start-ups focusing on smartphone application development. Major industry participants in this include Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, Microstrategy, GoodData, Targit, SAS, SAP, and Tableau Software among others.About Us :Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us :Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:Blog:
Bromine Market Volume Forecast and Value Chain Analysis 2015-2025

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The Global bromine market has made remarkable growth over the past few decades. This market has largely been driven by the increased usage of bromine in various applications such as flame retardant, photographic chemical, bleaching & oxidizing chemical, precision cleaning, monomers for specialty polymers, organic intermediates and lot more. The growing demand for flame retardants by textile and electronic industries is anticipated to offer outstanding opportunities for bromine market.Bromine belongs to halogen group and is the only liquid nonmetallic element. It is volatile element that is reddish-brown in color and is extracted from seawater, salt lakes, and brine wells. In seawater bromine appears in very small amount and it is recovered through the treatment of seawater with chlorine gas. There is no need to produce the bromine in laboratory as it is present commercially in the market. The bromine vapor may cause throat and eye irritation so maximum precautions are taken while handling it.The growing consumption of bromine in various industries such as pharmaceuticals, Pesticides and water treatment industry is poised to show an impressive growth for global bromine market during the forecast period 2015-2020.Request Report Sample@Bromine Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe demand for global bromine market is anticipated to show considerable growth during the forecast period 2015-2020 due to its increased demand in several applications such as biocides, flame retardants, oil & gas drilling, plasma etching, and PTA synthesis. The growth in Bromine consumption by numerous industries such as cosmetic industry, textile industry, pharmaceuticals and Agro-Fumigants is set to fuel the demand for bromine market. Though bromine is very vital element for various industries and used in large scale, it has some negative effects also. Brominated flame retardant are considered toxic in nature. Thus, rising environmental concern such as water and soil pollution due to bromine may affect the demand for global bromine market.Bromine Market: Market SegmentationThe global bromine market is broadly classified into six segments by applicationsFlame retardantsBiocidesOrganic IntermediatesPTA synthesisPlasma etchingOil & Gas drillingFlame retardants is the biggest application among all other bromine applications and expected to show tremendous growth during the forecast period.The global bromine market is broadly classified into five segments by end user industryPharmaceuticalsCosmeticsTextilePesticidesAutomotiveOthersThe global bromine market is broadly classified into five segments by derivativesClear brine fluidsHydrogen bromideOrganobrominesAmong all Organobromines is the largest derivative for bromine.Bromine Market: Regional OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global endoscopy visualization systems and components market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. As of 2015, Asia-pacific is the largest market in global bromine industry followed by North America and Western Europe. In Asia Pacific region China is the largest market for bromine and it is the worlds third largest producer of Bromine after U.S. and Israel. Growing automotive and construction industries in Asia Pacific region and their increasing consumption of bromine are the major drivers for Asia Pacific bromine market.Visit For TOC@Bromine Market: Market PlayersMajor players operating in Global bromine market are, Israel Chemicals Limited (Israel), Albemarle Corporation (U.S.), Tosoh Corporation (Japan), , Tata Chemicals Limited (India), Chemtura Corporation (U.S.), Jordan Bromine Company Limited (Jordan), Gulf Resources Inc. (China), and Hindustan Salts Limited (India), Tetra Technologies Inc. (U.S.), are some of the major manufacturers of bromine in the world.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:
Vented Pneumatic Nebulizers Market share to exceed $700 mn by 2023

Global Market Insights, Inc.

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The research report Pneumatic Nebulizers Market Size By Product (Breath-Actuated, Vented), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Japan, China, India, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico), Unit Shipments, Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2023, by Global Market Insights, Inc. says Worldwide Pneumatic Nebulizers Market was valued USD 626.2 million in 2015 and will collect a revenue of USD 1.05 billion by 2023 with a CAGR of more than 6% over the period of 2016 to 2023.Pneumatic nebulizers market is slated to experience remarkable growth prospects, owing to the prominent product application in the medical and pharmaceutical space. The product is extensively used in the treatment of respiratory diseases. Consequently, the surging prevalence of asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) across the globe will stimulate pneumatic nebulizers industry size. As per the study, the global aging population was measured at 809.4 million in 2012. The fact that the elderly are more vulnerable to respiratory diseases will be a major driving factor for the development of pneumatic nebulizers market.Request for a sample of this research report -Order This Report by calling Global Market Insights, Inc. at 1-888-689-0688 (Toll Free) or 1-302-846-7766.The differentiating factor of Pneumatic Nebulizers report by Global Market Insights, Inc. when compared with other, similar syndicated research studies includes a 360-degree synopsis of trends for a period of more than 10 years including historic information as well as future outlook. Business focussed multiple trends for Pneumatic Nebulizers industry are discussed along with regional trends to offer an overall view of the market. The industry insights chapter of this research provides the most comprehensive analysis of Pneumatic Nebulizers market covering segmentation, size, forecasts, ecosystem analysis and more. Industry impact forces (regional and global) that cover growth drivers and challenges, growth potential analysis, a strategy dashboard for competitive landscape of Pneumatic Nebulizers market support this sector specific data and information points.Of late, automation and the emergence of IoT have resulted in surging technological advancements, which has led to the development of various high-end products. The availability of such products is likely to contribute toward the quick and effective treatment of many disorders, which will favor pneumatic nebulizers market growth. The U.S. is expected to invest heavily in technological developments over the coming timeframe, pertaining to which U.S.pneumatic nebulizers market will exhibit considerable annual growth rate over the years ahead, having held a revenue of USD 200 million in 2015. The growth can be attributed to the favorable initiations taken by government to create awareness among the people about the benefits of early respiratory disease treatment. Moreover, easy availability and the heavy utilization of technologically enhanced portable products will propel the industry growth notably.Browse key industry insights spread across 190 pages with 144 market data tables & 46 figures & charts from the report Pneumatic Nebulizers Market, in detail along with the table of contents:Portable pneumatic nebulizers market will generate substantial revenue with an annual growth rate of 7.5% over the coming six years. The growth can be attributed to escalating need of corticosteroid/ bronchodilator combination therapies which are prominently used in the treatment of respiratory diseases such as COPD. Europe pneumatic nebulizers industry will surpass a revenue collection of USD 300 million by 2023, owing to the growing prevalence of respiratory disorders across this region. Germany will be the prominent revenue contributor.Shifting trends of the consumers toward the adoption of cost effective treatment along with compatibility of the product with different types of compressors will boost the demand for vented pneumatic nebulizers. Vented pneumatic nebulizers industry will collect a revenue of more than USD 700 million by 2023 with a total sale of over 7.5 million units. The rising number of patients suffering from respiratory disorders across the developing countries will fuel the product demand considerably.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Asia Pacific pneumatic nebulizers market will generate a significant revenue with a CAGR of 8% over the coming timeframe. The attributing factors toward the market growth are lack of pollution control norms and the rapidly changing lifestyle. Japan, India, and China will be the prominent revenue contributors of APAC region.Industry giants are planning to expand their global presence by investing significant capital into low and middle-income countries. Mergers and acquisitions are the few growth strategies adopted by the market players. The noteworthy participants in pneumatic nebulizers market are Philips Respironics, Becton Dickinson, Omron Corporation, DeVilbiss Healthcare, ARI Medical, Heyer Medial AG, Briggs Healthcare, and Salter Labs.Browse Related Reports:Therapeutic Respiratory Devices Market Size By Product (Nebulizers, Humidifiers, Oxygen Concentrators, Ventilators, Gas Analyzers, Capnographs), By Technology (Electrostatic Filtration, HEPA, Hollow Fiber Filtration, Microsphere Separation), By Filters (Nebulizer, Humidifier, Positive Airway Pressure Device, Oxygen Concentrator, Ventilator Filters), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, China, India, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2024About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:
Contactless Payments Market Size, Share, Trends, Analysis and Forecast Report 2017-2025

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According to The Insight Partners, Global Contactless Payments Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Contactless Payments industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Contactless Payments market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Contactless Payments market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Contactless Payments players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.Request a Sample Report atContactless Payments Market Players:Gemalto N.V.Giesecke & Devrient GmbHHeartland Payment Systems, Inc.Ingenico GroupInside SecureOberthur Technologies Saon Track InnovationsProxama, PLCVerifone Systems, Inc.Wirecard AGThe report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global Contactless Payments market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Contactless Payments 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 Contactless Payments 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 Contactless Payments 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
Dental Practice Management Software Market: Upcoming Demands and Growth Analysis 2025

Dental Practice Management Software Market

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The global dental practice management software market is expected to display steadfast growth in the coming years mainly because of growing geriatric population globally and initiatives from several governments for oral health. As per statistics of the National Institute on Aging, in 2010, almost 524 million individuals, which is almost 8% of the global population were above the age of 65 years. By 2050, the number is expected to become 1.5 billion, which is almost 16% of the global population.Advances in dentistry and advances in healthcare information technology along with rising awareness for oral health are also some pivotal factors driving the global dental practice management software market. In the U.S., for example, The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act fosters the adoption of health information technology.Dental practice management software is all-important for modern dental practice. The set of powerful software connects the front desk with concerned departments and eliminates the need to store patient information on paper. The basic feature of practice management software is to store patient records, practice schedule, and all business information.However, most software platforms offer much more capabilities that include management of clinical images, patient communications, and insurance claims. In addition, several dental practice management software enables clinicians to access key pieces of information remotely and allow patients to update and even submit information online.This report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Dental Practice Management Software Market:The selection of dental practice management software for dental practices needs to satisfy initial and ongoing training requirement, reliable customer service, and timely upgrade of software.Dental practice management software is an administrative tool that helps in operation of dental practices. The software is inclusive of all non-clinical operational functions such as appointment bookings, accounting, patients accounts, patient monitoring analytics, report generation, medical records, and bill generation. The software aids in maintaining high quality standard of patient care, is easy to use, saves time, and regularizes the data. Additional features can be added to enhance productivity such as anesthesia monitoring and use of radiographic systems.The global dental practice management software market (DPMS) is projected to grow at a robust rate during the forecast period. Growing demand for dental services due to increase in geriatric population and rise in oral health care expenses are the key factors fueling the growth of the global dental practice management software market. Furthermore, technological advancements in the software, reduction of manpower, rise in investment by companies, integrated software with all features within a small package, higher penetration rates leading to increase in providers, and rise in demand for health care IT systems are the major factors augmenting the global market during the forecast period. However, high cost of software can restrain the dental practices management software market in few developing countries during the forecast period.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Dental Practice Management Software Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market:The global dental practice management software (DPMS) market can be segmented based on application, deployment mode, end-user, and region. In terms of application, the global market can be divided into appointment scheduling, patient communication, electronic claims, report generation, and others. The appointment scheduling segment is expected to dominate the global market due to increase in dental checkups as a result of rise in awareness about oral health. Based on deployment mode, the global dental practice management software market can be divided into web-based and cloud-based. The cloud-based segment is anticipated to grow at a robust rate during the forecast period. Factors such as availability of data at any point of time irrespective of place and no need of IT investments are propelling the segment. In terms of end-user, the global market can be segmented into corporate dental practices, individual dentists, and non-profit dental practices.Geographically the dental practice management software market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the market, accounting for the largest share. High adoption rate of the software and increased oral health care expenditure propel the market in North America. Furthermore, technological advances in the software such as billing integrated with electronic health records have increased the penetration rate of the software in the region leading to market growth. Asia Pacific is anticipated to register faster growth rate during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is the most lucrative market due to increasing geriatric population, adoption of health care IT solutions for better standard of life, and rise in awareness towards oral health care.Key players have adopted strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, cost effective and efficient products, and collaborative partnerships to sustain market position. Prominent players operating in the global dental practice management software market are ACE Dental, MOGO, Inc., Carestream Health, Patterson Companies, Inc., MacPractice, Inc., Henry Schein, Inc., Practice-Web, Datacon Dental Systems, and Dentisoft Technologies, among others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Pediatric Neurology Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025

Pediatric Neurology Market

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Neurology is a branch of medicine which deals with nervous system disorders. Neurology deals with the treatment and diagnosis of all types of disorders related to the peripheral and the central nervous system. Pediatric neurology refers to the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders specifically in pediatric patients. Pediatric neurological disorders include muscular dystrophy, epilepsy, and paroxysmal disorders. There are various age groups considered in a pediatric patient pool such as infants, children, neonates, and adolescents. The neonates are considered newborn infant, infants are referred in age group up to two years. The adolescents are considered in the age range of 10 years to 19 years. The pediatric neurology market comprises few medical devices such as EEG (electroencephalogram) and brain stimulation devices, which are used in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric neurological disorders. There are various therapies available for the treatment of pediatric neurological disorders such as intrathecal drug therapies, lumbar puncture therapies, and pediatric neurological evaluations. Currently, there is growing extensive research and development with a significant number of new product introduction in the market. This caters to the increasing patient demand for efficient and effective treatment modality. The pediatric neurology is a consolidated market, with significant market shares held by top industry players such as Medtronic, Elana Inc. Courtagen, and Ethicon. Most of the companies are emphasizing on research and development activities toward novel drug development, which in turn is contributing to the market growth for pediatric neurology. In addition, high unmet needs for curative treatment of pediatric neurological disorders are likely to present a significant market opportunity. Growth of the global pediatric neurology market is projected to be driven by emerging economies in Asia, where the prevalence of the disorder is comparatively high as compared to other regions.This report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Pediatric Neurology Market:According to a report published by UMKC School of Medicine, about 2.7 million people in the U.S. have epilepsy and more than 45,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. Epilepsy is more common than multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and Parkinsons disease combined. Rising incidence and prevalence of neurological disorders in pediatric patient pool explains the need for treatment of neurological disorders in the region, and thereby increases the market potential for neurology drugs. Therefore, rising incidence of neurological disorders is a major factor driving the global pediatric neurology market. In addition, rising demand for advanced diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders, intra-industry competition, and increasing new entrants are boosting the market growth.The global pediatric neurology market has been segmented based on age group, service and treatment, subspecialty, and region. Based on age group, the global pediatric neurology market has been segmented into infants, neonates, children, and adolescents. Based on service and treatment, the market has been segmented into intrathecal drug therapy, electroencephalogram, lumbar puncture, neurological evaluation, and vagal nerve stimulation. Based on subspecialty, the market has been segmented into neuromuscular, neurooncology, neuroimmunology, stroke, neonatal neurology, and others.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Pediatric Neurology Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market:Geographically, the pediatric neurology market has been divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is anticipated to account for the highest share of the pediatric neurology market during the forecast period, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The market in Asia Pacific is projected to expand at a significant CAGR during the forecast period. Globally, market players involved in the pediatric neurology treatment and services have implemented new strategies and technological advancements. In terms of country, the U.S. dominates the pediatric neurology market with a significant market share, followed by the U.K. New launch of pediatric neurology devices worldwide is projected to drive the growth of the market.Major players operating in the global pediatric neurology market include Medtronic, Elana Inc., Courtagen, Ethicon, Nemours, and Inova Health System.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Canned Salmon Market to Witness Exponential Growth by 2025

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Canning of food product is a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed under controlled atmosphere and conditions and sealed in an airtight container. Canning helps in increasing shelf life of a product typically ranging from one to five years, although under specific circumstances it can be much longer than that. Salmon fish has been widely popular since it has a specific taste along with various health benefits that lures the masses. Canned salmon was perceived in order to increase its shelf life plus feasibility to store it and import it to another countries where salmon fish is not easily available owing to lack of resources. Rising popularity of canned salmon among consumers will put the market on necessary thrust and escalate the market CAGR of canned salmon market.To View full report @Canned salmon has been gaining popularity amongst the masses due to the fact that such canned salmon are processed to be consumed with or without other food items. Salmon fish provides various health benefits for which it has gained significant popularity amongst it consumers. Health benefits such as enhances heart health, controls blood pressure, helps in growth and development, assist in weight loss and obesity, boost immune system, fire up energy levels, increases blood circulation, cancer prevention, reduces probability of kidney diseases, reduce inflammation, cell membrane damage are associated with consumption of salmon fish. Increase in trade network among various nations. Rise in modern retail outlets, establishments of processed food industry across countries with development of food parks. Increase in investments by budding entrepreneurs in processed food industry are few of the viable factors which is driving the canned salmon market.A sample of this report is available upon request @Regarding geography, canned salmon market has been categorized into five key regions including North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, APEJ, Japan, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. North America is anticipated to witness canned salmon market to register a healthy CAGR during the forecast period. This is due to the very fact that packaged food has a strong demand in North America due to the prevalence of culture where such foods are preferred and moreover canned salmon has been a staple food for North American dwellers. Asia-Pacific represents the significantly higher market share next to North America over the forecast period. Countries in APEJ such as India,To view TOC of this report is available upon request @China, and Thailand are witnessing significantly higher demand for canned salmons due to increase in consumption of canned salmons among the masses. Western Europe stands next to APEJ for canned salmon market, where the consumers prefers canned salmons for breakfast and salads Eastern Europe has a similar trend alike Western Europe. Japan has been a strong market for canned salmon. The population of Japan have a special liking towards fish and sea products owing to its geography and canned salmon has been one of the favorites for Japanese. MEA and Latin America has also been witnessing affinity for canned salmon and over the forecast period the market of canned salmon will gain significant share in these regions.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market : Consumption, Revenue, Market Share and Growth Rate 2025

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Global Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market: SnapshotMedical nonwoven disposables have become essential products in the healthcare industry. Globally, they are becoming increasingly important in preventing hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and incontinence problems in adult populations. The rising number of patients infected with HAI and the increasing incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) have propelled the demand for nonwoven disposables. The use of sterile disposable non-woven drapes and sterile surgical gowns in hospital settings has gained traction in reducing the rate of SSI. A number of preoperative and postoperative infection prevention guidelines by the World Health Organization (WHO) have mandated the efficacy of medical nonwoven disposables in reducing the rate of cross-contamination and preventing patients picking up infections on the operating table. This has bolstered the adoption of medical non-woven disposables across hospitals in various developing and developed nations. In addition, constant advances in nonwovens production technologies and improving healthcare infrastructure in several developing countries is expected to boost the demand for nonwoven disposables in the healthcare sector. Several prominent manufacturers are engineering fabrics that are sterile, excellent liquid-repellent, and have significant anti-bacterial and flame retardant functionalities. This is anticipated to accentuate the medical nonwoven disposables in the coming years. The rising number of surgical procedures and the rapidly rising geriatric population in developing regions are the key factors catalyzing the market growth. Furthermore, the rise in uptake of disposable adult incontinence products in developed nations such as the U.S has boosted the market.Global Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market: OverviewThe global market for medical nonwoven disposables is expected to exhibit a healthy growth rate in the coming years. The growing awareness among patients regarding the advantages and preventive measures from different type of infections is likely to boost the demand for medical nonwoven disposables across the globe. Moreover, the increasing healthcare expenditure is predicted to contribute significantly towards the development of the market in the coming years.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market: Key TrendsThe increasing prevalence of hospital acquired infections and the tremendous rise in geriatric populations are the major factors anticipated to encourage the growth of the global medical nonwoven disposables market. In addition, the rising prevalence of incontinence and the rising focus on technological advancements in this field are estimated to accelerate the growth of the overall market in the coming years.On the flip side, the easy availability of alternatives is expected to restrict the growth of the global medical nonwoven disposables market in the next few years. Nonetheless, the rising awareness concerning incontinence products have resulted in the acceptance of such products is predicted to supplement the growth of the market in the near future.Global Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market: Market PotentialAccording to World Health Organization (WHO), the average prevalence rate of hospital acquired infections in the U.S. and Europe is growing at a significant rate. As a result, the medical nonwoven disposable products are being used extensively for their ability in order to prevent bacterial contamination among patients.Request TOC of the Report @The leading players in the global medical nonwoven disposables market are focusing on innovating and introducing safe, new, and value added products. Moreover, the introduction of premium quality, non-woven medical apparels and hospital clothing with latest fabric technology is predicted to provide safety and a high level comfort to the patients. This is estimated to generate promising and lucrative growth opportunities for players in the near future.Global Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market: Regional OutlookFrom a geographical perspective, North America is anticipated to account for a key share of the global medical nonwoven disposables market in the next few years. A large number of population make use of disposable adult incontinence products in the U.S. is one of the major factors is anticipated to contribute significantly towards the growth of the North America in the next few years.Furthermore, Asia Pacific is projected to witness a healthy growth in the next few years. The increasing geriatric population, especially in China and Japan is a key factor estimated to accelerate the growth of the market in the near future. In addition, the growing awareness among consumers and the rising number of hospital acquired infections are projected to accelerate the growth of the medical nonwoven disposables market in Asia Pacific throughout the forecast period.Get Discount @Global Medical Nonwoven Disposables Market: Competitive AnalysisThe global market for medical nonwoven disposables is extremely competitive and fragmented in nature, owing to the presence of a large number of players operating in it. In order to create a brand name and expand their market presence, the prominent players are focusing on innovations and new product development. Moreover, the increasing number of collaborations is expected to encourage the growth of the overall market in the near future.Some of the prominent players operating in the medical nonwoven disposables across the globe are Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget, Polymer Group, Inc., First Quality Enterprises, Inc., Domtar Corporation, Covidien, and Mediline Industries, Inc. As per the research study, several new players are anticipated to enter the market, which will strengthen the competitive scenario in the next few years.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
Biometrics System Market Report Offers Intelligence and Forecast till (2014- 2020)

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Growing concerns of security, and threat of life has developed a need for safe and secure environment. The safety concerns has industrialized a biometrics safety system. Keeping safety on the top, biometrics systems are used across several industries such as banking, hospitality, defense, government, healthcare, consumer electronics, home safe and safety, transport, and commercial safety and security. Before introducing the biometrics system in the practice, tradition methods such as personal identification cards, passwords or keys, and magnetic cards were used for verifying the identity of a person, which can be easily theft or stolen. Whereas, biometrics system identifies a person on the basis of individuals face, fingerprints, signature, iris, DNA, and typing rhythms. Therefore, the biometrics system is considered to be the most convenient solution. These unique features such as easy to measure, permanent, easy to use, and secured information system will drive the demand for biometrics system. The global biometrics market was value at US$ 6,357.7 Mn in 2012, and is expected to witness double-digit growth rate by 2019.The global biometrics system market is driven by factors such as security concerns due to increasing crimes and terror attacks, unique and simple features of biometrics system. On the other hand, unreliability and high cost involvement for the biometrics technologies implementation will decelerate the growth of the global biometrics system market in the near future. However, development of multimodal biometrics solution will further enhance the biometrics system market in the next five years.Request For Report Sample@Moreover, the growing concerns of safety, and need for secured solution systems has developed ample of technology innovations in the application segment that include hand geometry, face, iris, Voice, AFIS, signature, non-AFIS, and others (DNA and rhythms), Among all the aforementioned application segments, the non-AFIS segment dominated the biometrics system market in 2012 due to its cost effectiveness and user-friendliness feature. After non-AFIS, iris system is expected to contribute to the growth of biometrics system market over the next five years. This growth is attributed to increasing adoption in the high-end security applications and modest contactless and safe biometrics application.Among all the aforementioned end-use segments, the transport/visa/logistics segment witnessed as the largest market share in 2012, and is expected to display a significant growth in the biometrics system market in the near future. Furthermore, the banking segment is also anticipated to exhibit a momentous growth rate in the next few years.The global biometrics system market covers region such as Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and RoW. The North America region dominated the global biometrics system market in 2014, followed by Europe. Asia Pacific has also contributed to the growth of the global biometrics system market in 2012, and is expected to witness a substantial growth rate in the near future. This is attributed to rising concerns of safety and security and rising government projects that include e-passport, National identification Programme. Implementation of programme in the few countries such as China, India, Israel, Indonesia, and South Korea.Visit For TOC@According to the market research, key participants considered in the global biometrics systems market are NEC Corporation, 3M Cogent, Safran Morpho, DigitalPersona, and BIO-Key International. NEC Corporation and Safran Morpho accounted for the highest revenue share in 2012. Keeping competition on the top, key companies main focus is on expanding their customer base with the help of strategic alliances, development of innovative products and exploiting more in R&D activities. These alliance will help the key companies to hold a stable position in the global biometrics systems market in the near future.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Chocolate Powdered Drinks Market, Global Surge Towards Solid Growth by 2024

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Global Chocolate Powdered Drinks: OverviewTo prepare instant chocolate drinks the chocolate powdered drinks are mixed with milk or water. Soft drinks and energy drinks are the cold drinks which have chocolate powdered drinks mixed with the water. Protein shakes, chocolate drinks, and cappuccino mixes are the milk-based chocolate based drinks. According to the consumer demands, the chocolate powdered drinks can be served in hot and cold form. Chocolate powdered drinks are consumed by the consumers of all age groups such as teenagers, kids, and youngsters; it has several health benefits and it has attractive flavors available and tastes good.Global Chocolate Powdered Drinks: SegmentationThe global market for the chocolate powdered drinks is fragmented into the distribution channel, types, and end use. Based on the distribution channel, the market is segregated into convenience stores, online and grocery stores, supermarket/hypermarket, and specialty stores. In terms of revenue, hyper/supermarket segment is the leading one. The recent trend of online shopping will positively contribute to the market growth. Depending on the product type, the market is categorized into milk chocolate powdered drinks, dark chocolate powdered drink, and white chocolate powdered drinks. According to the end user, the market is bifurcated into milk beverages, protein shakes, energy drinks, chocolate drinks, and cappuccino mixes.Request Free Sample Report @Global Chocolate Powdered Drinks: Growth FactorsThe key factor that is driving the chocolate powdered drinks market includes the increasing demand from the consumers of different regions. The other major factors are the change in the lifestyle, the rise in the disposable income, and changing food habits. There has been an increasing trend of following the western culture which is affecting the growth of the market in a positive way. The increase in the population is also a factor that contributes to the market growth as the consumption of the product increases rapidly. The improvements and innovations that are made in the chocolate powdered drinks such as the addition of dry fruits, natural flavors, natural herbs, and DHA; this adds on the health benefits of the chocolate powdered drinks thus triggering the growth of the market. There are attempts being made for the development of the organic powdered drinks which may open up new market opportunities and will show new manufacturers entering the market.Global Chocolate Powdered Drinks: Regional AnalysisBased on the geographic regions, the chocolate powdered drinks market is diversified into North America, Eastern Europe, South America, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. More than half of the worlds cocoa is produced in the West African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon. These regions produce the maximum amount of cocoa seeds in the world. The largest market for the chocolate powdered drinks is in the country of Brazil. The countries that are dominating the chocolate powdered drinks market are Ghana, The U.K., Belgium, and Switzerland. The regions such as North America, Middle East, and Asia Pacific are also having a huge demand for the chocolate powdered drinks and an increased consumption of the product is expected from the developing regions such as India, China, and Brazil.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @Global Chocolate Powdered Drinks: Competitive PlayersSome of the major market players that are involved in the chocolate powdered drinks market include Nestle S.A., Mars Inc., PepsiCo Inc., Mondelez, Gatorade, GlaxoSmithKline Plc., Kanegrade Ltd., and others.Global Chocolate Powdered Drinks: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilThe Middle East and AfricaBrowse detail report @About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligate company. We create futuristically, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, a company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with Vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from Cardinal Industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Our Blog:
Biodegradable Packaging Market Analysis, Forecast, and Assessment 2014-2020

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Biodegradable packaging provides natural and easily degradable protection when used mainly for the presentation and packaging of the products from the moment the production process begins until the product is administered or consumed. Biodegradable packaging significantly differs from the conventional non-biodegradable packaging. Biodegradable packaging degrades easily and quickly and thus, usually does not require the help of an external catalyst for degradation. Biodegradable products are usually land filled than that compared to that of the non-biodegradable conventional products. Depending on the choice of the materials used in the manufacturing of biodegradable packaging the properties, consumer attributes and appearance of the product packaging varies. Biodegradable packaging sector is a small segment which represents a merger percentage of the packaging industry. The global biodegradable packaging has now moved on towards more advanced and efficient packaging. A decade ago, biodegradable packaging was not known to have any real significance. However, recently biodegradable packaging has become an integral part of the global packaging market. The rising consumer awareness towards biodegradable packaging has led to the tremendous growth of the overall market.Increased consumer preference towards biodegradable materials coupled with the growing environmental concern is expected to boost the overall growth of the biodegradable packaging market. Most of the major packaging companies are now shifting their focus towards biodegradable packaging in order to achieve greater consumer satisfaction. In addition, to differentiate their products from that of the competitors many manufacturers are now shifting towards biodegradable packaging. The biodegradable packaging market is expected to witness the fastest growth than that compared to the plastics packaging market. The biodegradable packaging market is a relatively new market however; it is expected to capture the existing market share of the non-biodegradable plastic packaging market. The food packaging and beverage packaging market is expected to play a crucial role in driving the overall global biodegradable packaging market. However, lack of government support especially in the developed countries is expected to curb the growth of the market. The presence of hugeprice difference between the biodegradable packaging and other conventional packaging is further expected to hamper the growth of the market.Request For Report Sample@Europe and North America are expected to dominate the overall market of biodegradable packaging. North America is expected to be the largest consumer of the biodegradable packaging market.The developed regions are expected to dominate the overall biodegradable packaging market owing to the presence of mature markets that consist of highly environmental conscious consumers. In addition, the presence of high-spending population is also expected to increase the overall demand for biodegradable packaging in the developed regions. The presence of large populations in Asia Pacific is expected to boost the biodegradable packaging market. Owing to the increase in the contract manufacturing process coupled with increased governmental interest to promote biodegradable products by providing incentives in some countries such as China and India is further expected to contribute to the growth of the market.Visit For TOC@The biodegradable packaging market is highly fragmented in nature. Some of the key participants of the biodegradable packagin market include International Paper, Natureworks LLC, Biopac, BASF SE, Stora Enso, Smurfit Kappa Group, Rocktenn, Clearwater Paper Corporation, Georgia-Pacific LLC and Novamont S.P.A among others. The companies mainly strive towards developing newtechnologies to manufacture biodegradable packaging material from various easily available natural resources. There are also huge investments in the research and development in order to develop innovative product which in turn would help the companies to gain competitive advantage in the market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Cloud Business Email Market 2015-2025 Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecast

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With the increasing usage of the social networks, chat, conferencing on the web, instant messaging and various other means of communications that are being used by the businesses, the E-mails are the most formal communication form and have remained the most prevalent form of business environment. Cloud business E-mail is an effective business email service that allows access, storage, sending and receiving of emails without the use of hardware or complex software. The global cloud business email market is growing at a good pace holding the fact that the number of small and medium sized businesses are increasing.Cloud-based business e-mails are getting greater importance and are seeing tremendous growth year after year. Most of the providers of these services provide more than just the mails and collaboration facility that includes Unified Communications, extra storage, Social Networking, File Sync and Share and instant messaging. The email services at first were targeted only to smaller organizations of limited funds, but now cloud email is seeing strong acceptance with businesses of all sizes across globe which is raising the global cloud business e-mail market.Request Report Sample@The developing industry of cloud computing has largely affected the global cloud business email market. A lot of small business technology needs are being taken care of by the cloud computing which is growing the cloud adoptions now a days.Cloud Business Email Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe increasing focus of the business on the cost and succeeding diversion to the agile solutions has raised the market of cloud computing at an increasing rate which has led to the global cloud business email market penetration. The most inducing factor for the growing cloud business email market is ease of access, rapidity, and collaboration. Increasing SOHOs (Small Offices/Home Offices) and SMBs (Small and Medium Businesses) may be a driving force for the global cloud business email market. The demographic structure of the global cloud email market has shifted recently that is inducing more and more mid-sized and large organisations that are migrating to this cloud email services which is raising global cloud business email market.Apart from the countless benefits of the cloud based business emails there are some major whys and wherefores that the consumers can restrict them from using it. The major restraint in the global cloud business email market implies to be the data security problems when compared to the commonly used hardware and software systems for managing data. Personal data such as addresses, banking details, photographs and telephone numbers are examples of information that can approve somebodys individuality and is quite often confined in an email. Increasing cyber-attacks, insider threats, government intrusions, and lack of standardization of the cloud computing may pose a threat to this well growing market..Request For TOC@Cloud Business Email Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product/service type, the global cloud business email market is segmented as Cloud Business Email Providers and Hosted Microsoft Business Partners.On the basis of application type, the global cloud business email market is segmented as Dedicated Cloud Business Email and Multi-Tenant Cloud Business EmailCloud Business Email Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global cloud business email market is expected to register a favourable growth for the forecast period, 2015?2025. North America (United States) is expected to be the largest regional market with reference to the global cloud business email market. Europe is projected to be the second largest market followed by Asia-Pacific and ROW. Asia-Pacific is projected to endure its control on the global cloud business email market in terms of growth rate. The key countries in the mentioned region are likely to be India and China as an outcome of the increasing pace of progresses in the enterprise sector and also the need for more efficient solutions into the IT services. Japan also contributes to the global cloud business email market remarkably.Cloud Business Email Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market participants in global cloud business email market are Apptix, Google, AppRiver, NaviSite , Intermedia, Microsoft, , Rackspace, SherWeb, GoDaddy, and SilverSkyABOUT 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:
Skin Replacement Market 2015-2025 Growth and Forecast

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Skin is the largest organ in human body which is highly dynamic in nature. It is composed of two layers, the outer layer called epidermis and the inner layer called dermis. Its network of nerves, blood vessels and cells thus acting as a protective armor. It serves the body in diverse ways. Its of paramount importance owning to its protective functionality. The skins protective function creates a barrier for internal organs and tissues from toxins, disease-carrying microbes, heat and cold and other dangers present in the environment. It also plays a significant role in regulating the body temperature and preserving bodys fluid balance. Nerves within skin sense the presence of potentially harmful agents, such as bees, and immune cells in the skin help to fight against these malicious agents. For the aforementioned reasons, the loss of skin due to burns or trauma can cause a severe blow to the human body; leading to impairment or sometimes elimination of many vital functions which it typically performs.John F. Burke invented the first synthetic skin, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Artificial skin considered to be the Holy Grail in treating burn victims for more than hundred years till a flexible material was found. It protects against dehydration and infection, easy to produce from ordinary substance and is completely acceptable by the victims immune system. The artificial skin can be easily sterilized and usually stored at room temperature. Skin replacement represents a prospective source of advanced therapy in combating acute and chronic skin wounds. With the capability of large scale production and immediate availability for grafting, its potential for use is easy and relatively economic among the burn patients.Request Report Sample@Skin Replacement Market: Drivers & RestraintsMuch progress has been made toward the development of artificial skin replacement products. Continued research promises to bring more products to the marketplace, and each new product seems to develop a niche in the field of skin replacement. Increased life expectancy, increasing disposable income and favorable demographics are some of the key factors driving the growth of the global skin replacement market.Bioengineered skin replacements are continually being developed and improved. The next generation of skin replacements will probably evolve from lessons learned from our understanding of wound repair and regeneration. Competition from low-cost substitutes, lack of clinical support are probable factors restraining the growth of the global skin replacement market.Skin Replacement Market: SegmentationThe global skin replacement market is broadly classified on the basis of product type, material, end-use industry and geographies.Based on product type, the global skin replacement market is segmented into:EpicelIntegraBased on material, the global skin replacement market is segmented into:Spider silkCollagenBased on end use industry, the global skin replacement market is segmented into:ChemicalCosmeticPharmaceuticalSkin Replacement Market: OverviewThough skin replacement is a new technology for emerging economies, but in the developed nations the same technology is in use for few decades. With increasing disposable income and rising urbanization the acceptance of skin replacements is gaining popularity. The global skin replacement market is expected to expand at a promising CAGR during the forecast period (2015-2025).Request For TOC@Skin Replacement Market: Region-wise OutlookSkin replacement market is still in its early stage of maturity. The global skin replacement market is expected to register an optimistic CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, global skin replacement market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa.Skin Replacement Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market participants in global skin replacement market are Cellular Dynamics International, Cynata Therapeutics Limited, Platelet BioGenesis, Tengion, TissueGene, Inc.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, types.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:
Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market 2015-2025 Industry Analysis and Forecast

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Real-time e-healthcare system is one of the best ways to keep your health records and track it anytime, without any geographical constraint. Patients can always stay in touch with their doctors and communicate with them about any health issue. They can self-check also for an immediate result without any third partys dependence. With advanced technology and rapid innovation, these days products are being made in such a way that it should be more consumer friendly and easy to use. Real-time e-healthcare system fulfills all the above criteria and hence, the market is growing at a positive rate.Recently, Kaiser Permanente implemented an EMR protocol in Community Health Centres in Oregon, US, to improve clinical decision support for patients with diabetes, which can remind them to prescribe hypertension medications to reduce heart attack and other strokes. iPatientCare EHR, Praxis, EMR, Insta HMS, e-MDs Chart, WRS Health, AccuMed, WEBeDoctor, A.I.med are some of the top Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software products.Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market: Drivers & RestraintsTechnological advancement, increasing disposable income, increase use of online services, increase use of mobile devices, increased health cost and expenditure, increasing need of an integrated healthcare system are the most important driving factors in real-time e-healthcare system market. Sine real-time e-healthcare system reduces medical errors and easily accessible information, the demand for real time e-healthcare system has increased regardless of the geographical location.Request Report Sample@Lack of inexperienced professionals, high maintenance and service cost, privacy concerns, the complexity of systems, less presence of real-time e-healthcare system in rural areas including developed nations like Europe and are acting as a barrier for real-time e-healthcare system market.Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market: SegmentationReal-time e-healthcare system is broadly classified on the basis of the following segments By Product:Fitness Bands/wristband deviceClip on monitor devicesThermometerBlood-pressure monitor deviceM-health applicationsBlood glucose monitor devicesBy End-user:Public/Private HospitalsPharmacyIndividualsOthersReal-Time E-Healthcare System Market: OverviewThe real-time e-healthcare market has grown substantially at a healthy CAGR due to rising disposable income, increasing health awareness by consumers, ageing population and increasing healthcare expenditure. With rapid technological advancement and variety of options available in the market, real-time e-healthcare market is expected to grow globally. North America represents the largest market for this product category. Asia Pacific will emerge as the fastest growing region in real-time e-healthcare market.Request For TOC@Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market: Region-wise OutlookThe real-time e-healthcare market is expected to register a double-digit CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, real-time e-healthcare market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market due to the improved healthcare infrastructure and high healthcare cost and rising disposable income. Increase demand of cloud computing from the developed nations like Europe and North America may also increase the demand for real-time e-healthcare systems by the end of forecast period.Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in real-time e-healthcare market are Fitbit, Garmin, Jawbone, Misfit Wearables, DexCom, Medtronic, Abbott, Cerner Corporation, GE Healthcare, Epic Systems Corporation, Medical Information Technology Inc. (MEDITECH).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:
Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment Market Snapshot by 2017  2025

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Seborrheic Dermatitis is a dermatological condition characterized by itchy flaking skin with visible inflammation. It is mild skin disorder showing symptoms like red patches, plaques with greasy scales, also raised density of sebaceous glands on face, scalp, retro auricular area, flexures and upper trunk. Seborrheic Dermatitis mainly affects the adult population. Though seborrheic dermatitis have high prevalence, its etiology is not clearly understood. Diverse environmental and intrinsic factors such as fungus colonization on skin surface, excessive sebaceous secretion, and individual susceptibility are the factors responsible for pathogenesis, also a yeast called Malassezia present on the skin considered a part in causing seborrheic dermatitis. Though Dandruffs symptoms resembling to seborrheic dermatitis, the both conditions are different, also seborrheic dermatitis have thin scaling compared to psoriasis. Seborrheic Dermatitis is particularly likely to seen in people with HIV infection, neurological diseases like Parkinsons disease, indicating probable connection between weak immune system and seborrheic dermatitis. Treatments keep seborrheic dermatitis under control, but it cannot be cured totally. Seborrheic Dermatitis is non hereditary. According to NCBI, seborrheic Dermatitis affects 5 % of us population often appears in conjunction with other skin diseases like acne and rosacea.Request to View Tables of Content @The global Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment market is driven by global increasing rate of stress, hormonal changes and illness, causing seborrheic dermatitis. Excessive use of solvents, harsh detergents, soaps and chemicals is also triggers the global seborrheic dermatitis treatment market. Globally rising prevalence of skin diseases is fueling global Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment market. Lack of awareness for minor skin conditions is another driving factor in global Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment market.However, the high cost of Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment, and unawareness about advanced technologies in Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment can impact negatively on the revenue growth of the Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment market and restrain the growth of the global market over the forecast period. Side effects associated with Seborrheic dermatitis treatment are also hindering the growth of global seborrheic Dermatitis treatment market.Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment market has been segmented on the basis of product type, route of administration, distribution channel, and regionPlayers in Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment Market are adopting new product innovation as the key strategy. Owing to high revenue in the Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment market, players are investing to build up their product portfolios. By treatment type, topical medicines are anticipated to grow in positive traction owing to global rising awareness for Seborrheic Dermatitis preventive majors.Geographically, Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment market is segmented into regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America and Europe regions are anticipated to hold larger market revenue share in Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment market over the forecast period. Awareness of Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment is anticipated to fuel the revenue growth in the Asia Pacific region. The countries like India and China are attractive markets for key players for global Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment market.The key players in Seborrheic Dermatitis Treatment Market include Stiefel Laboratories Inc., Galderma S.A., Verilux, Inc., Valeant Pharmaceutical International, Inc. , Johnson & Johnson, Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA, Allergan Plc., and Syneron Medical Ltd, to name a few.To view complete report @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Dunnage Trays Market insights shared in detailed report though 2017-2027

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Technological advancements and innovation growth in packaging industry have enabled packaging to play the more vital role than just containing the product during the transit. Today packaging industry is over US$ 820 Bn and is anticipated to grow at rapidly due to its growing area of application in various industries such as automotive, shipping and logistics, food and beverage industry. Dunnage trays are commonly made of plastic and are created with the impressions to perfectly fit with the product hence increasing the stability of the product during the transportation and storage of the product. Use of dunnage tray ensures the safety of the workers dealing with heavy equipment. These trays can also be designed to be loaded robotically thus improving the overall functionality and efficiency of the organization. Light weight, low cost and high load carrying capacity makes dunnage trays an attractive choice for industrial and packaging manufacturers.Dunnage Trays Market - Market DynamicsTrays have an extensive application in various industries and to tap the potential of growing use of trays in different industries manufacturers are focusing on innovation in trays market. Trays market is estimated to be over US$ 130 Bn and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 4.5% over the forecast period. Dunnage trays are thermoformed trays manufactured to fulfill the containing solution for a particular product. The ease of handling in products on the use of dunnage trays is the key driver for boosting the demand in dunnage trays market. The ability to get customized according to the need of customers is another factor for supporting demand for dunnage trays market. Reusability, light weight, low cost of raw material and high speed in manufacturing are some other drivers for dunnage trays market. Apart from low-cost dunnage trays can be easily stacked and reused which makes them convenient for transportation. However, dunnage trays market may see a decline due to the rising concern among the regulatory authorities around the globe. Increasing penetration of molded fiber pulp tray in packaging market is eliminating the need for dunnage trays which may limit the scope for dunnage tray market in future. However, on the backdrop of the ability to handle products of with different weight and shapes is expected to lay new opportunities for dunnage trays market.Request Report Sample@Dunnage Trays Market - Market Segmentation:Dunnage trays market is segmented by the types of materials used and by end-use industry.Based on the types of materials used, dunnage trays market is segmented into:PolystyrenePolyvinyl chloride (PVC)Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)Polypropylene (PP)High-density polyethylene (HDPE)High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (HMWPE)Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU)Based on the end use industry, dunnage trays market is segmented into:Shipping & LogisticsBeverage IndustryAutomobile IndustryFood IndustryMedical IndustryAgriculture IndustryOthersDunnage Trays Market: Regional OutlookRegionally global dunnage trays market is segmented intoNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEastern EuropeWestern EuropeAsia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ)Middle East & Africa (MEA)JapanDue to rapid industrialization and massive regional goods consumption APEJ region is expected to be the most attractive region for dunnage trays market over the forecast period. North America is expected to follow APEJ region in dunnage trays market to due its huge automotive industry. Western Europe and Eastern Europe are expected to show moderate growth in dunnage market over the forecast period while Japan is expected to contribute the significant share in Dunnage trays market and, MEA and Latin America are expected to exhibit sluggish growth rate over the forecast period in the region.Visit For TOC@Dunnage Trays Market- Key Players:Some major players of the dunnage trays market are Rohrer Corporation, Dordan Manufacturing Company, PolyFlex Products, Inc., Brown Machine, LLC., Dunnage Engineering, Great River Plastics, LLC, Dandy Packaging, Inc., Tray-Pak Corporation, Waveform Plastics Technologies Ltd, Sohner Plastics LLC, Electro-General Plastics Corp., Innovative Plastech, Engineered Components & Packaging, LLC and Sonoco.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:
Growing Trends in Physical Security Market 2017  2023

Physical Security Market

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North America dominates the global physical security market pertaining to increased terrorism incidence and enhanced security measures across diverse verticals including commercial; transportation, banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI); residential; and others. Furthermore, growth in Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest among other regions, owing to prominent initiatives from the governments for enhancing safety and security standards.Access Full Summary@Physical Security Market was valued at $78 billion in 2016 and is projected to reach at $153 billion by 2023, supported with a CAGR of 10.3%. The advent of Internet of Things (IOT) has transformed the outlook of the global physical security market. Physical security comprises three essential elements, which include access control, surveillance, and testing. The physical sites are secured against attacks, accidents, or environmental disasters using locks, fencing, biometric access control systems, access control cards, and fire suppression systems. Physical locations are monitored by surveillance cameras and notification systems, including heat sensors, intrusion detection sensors, and smoke detectors. Disaster recovery procedures and policies requires periodic scrutiny to ensure better safety and reduce the time taken for recovering from disasters.The Asia-Pacific physical security market is poised to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period. Physical security services segment dominated the global market in 2016, and is expected to maintain its dominance in the near future. Furthermore, the other industry verticals including education, healthcare, retail, energy & utilities, and manufacturing, and industrial have dominated the global market, as these are the major prime end users of physical security.The report focuses on the growth prospects and restraints of the market based on the analysis of regional trends. The study provides Porters five forces analysis of the industry to understand the impact of various factors such as bargaining power of suppliers, competitive intensity of competitors, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and bargaining power of buyers on the growth of the market.Physical security includes protection of hardware, software, data, personnel, and networks against physical events and actions, which could potentially cause damage or loss to an organization. It safeguards organizations from natural disasters, fire, theft, vandalism, and terrorism. It uses multiple layers of interdependent systems, which include security guards, CCTV surveillance, locks, protective barriers, access control protocols, and other similar techniques.Get PDF Brochure of Physical Security Market Study@Physical Security Market Key Segments:The physical security market is segmented on the basis of type, industry vertical, and geography.By Type System Video Surveillance Access & Entrance Control Perimeter Intrusion & Detection Services Remote Monitoring Security Systems IntegrationBy Industry Vertical BFSI Commercial Government Residential TransportationKey Market Players Anixter International Inc. Tyco International PLC. Cisco Systems, Inc. Genetec Inc. ADT Corporation Honeywell International, Inc. Bosch Security Systems, Inc. Stanley Security Senstar CorporationAbout Us:Allied 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.Contact Us:Pankaj Kumar 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220 United StatesDirect: +1-503-894-6022Toll Free: +1 (800) 792-5285 (U.S. & Canada)Fax: +1 (855) 550-5975E-mail: sales@alliedmarketresearch.com
Soy Protein Ingredient Market 2015-2025 Industry Analysis and Forecast

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Soybean is processed primarily into three forms which includes soy protein isolates comprise ~90% protein, soy protein concentrates with ~70% protein, and soy flour with ~50% protein. Soy protein ingredient is considered to be the best substitute for animal protein. Soy protein ingredient comprises amino acids and are also rich in fiber, calcium, iron, potassium, polyunsaturated fats and lecithin, magnesium and vitamin B. Thus it contains high health-related benefits and functional properties. Due to its characteristics it primarily used as emulsifier, gel, tenderizer, binder, stabilizer, and thickener by food and beverages processing industry. Soy protein ingredients are also environmental friendly as they require less amount of water while processing.Soy Protein Ingredient Market SegmentationOn the basis of type soy protein ingredient can be segmented as soy protein isolates, soy protein concentrates and soy flour. Among all these product type soy protein isolates is expected to account for the potential market share followed by soy protein concentrates. Due to high percentage of protein content in soy protein isolates is supporting the demand for the same during the forecast period. Soy flour is also expected to show a substantial growth in the near future. However due to less protein content in the soy flour is expected to restrain its growth in the near future.Request Report Sample@Furthermore the soy protein ingredient market is segmented on the basis of application which includes bakery and confectionary, processed meat products, functional foods, dairy replacers, infant foods and others. Among all these segment functional food is expected to be the major contributor in supporting the growth soy protein ingredient followed by processed meat products. Rising awareness among the consumer for health beneficiary products is supporting the demand for soy protein ingredient market during the forecast period. Moreover, infant food is also expected to support the demand of soy protein ingredient market. This is due to the increasing parental concern for providing the nutritious and healthy food to their child.Geographically Europe and North America is expected to account for the major market share in the forecast period. However these region is expected to record moderate growth. In North America, U.S. is expected to be the major contributor in terms of revenue followed by Canada. Moreover Asia pacific is expected to show the double digit CAGR growth during the forecast period followed by Latin America. In Asia pacific region China and India is expected to account for the substantial growth due to increased demand for nutritional food among the consumers. Moreover in Latin America, Brazil is expected to be the major contributor in terms of revenue followed by Mexico.Soy Protein Ingredient Market DriversHigh functional properties of the soy protein ingredient coupled with ecofriendly and natural health benefits is driving the demand of soy protein during the forecast period. Moreover it is cost effective than the animal protein and reflects the same protein content. This is expected to enhance adoption of soy protein across various end-use industries resulting in increasing the shelf life of the processed food, so it is also considered as the most sustainable protein ingredients which is favoring its growth in alternate way.Soy Protein Ingredient Restraining FactorsHowever, its anti-nutrients and allergic nature of soy protein ingredients is restraining its growth during the forecast period. Moreover, negative impact of genetically modified (GM) soy coupled with the availability of various alternatives such as milk proteins, pea proteins and other animal proteins are also effecting the growth of soy protein ingredient in the forecast period.Request For TOC@Soy Protein Ingredient Market: Key PlayersKey international players operating in the soy protein ingredient market are, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) Company, Dean Foods Company, Armor Proteins, Gelita Group, Bunge Alimentos SA, Kerry Ingredients Inc., Burcon NutraScience, Cargill Health & Food Technologies, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Kellogg Company, Doves Farm Foods, Kraft Foods Group Inc., Manildra Group, MGP Ingredients, Omega Protein Corporation, George Weston Foods and others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Dry Powder Refilling Machine Market Growth and Value Chain 2016-2026

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The Automatic Dry Powder refilling machine is used for various applications such as spice filling, medicine filling, etc. and works on auger based filling principle. An Automatic dry powder refilling machine helps to reduce the operating cost and time and increase the overall operating efficiency. It is also suitable to fill sterile powder into vessels. A fully automatic dry powder refilling machine are reliable and easy to use. It is widely used in various industry such as pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food & beverage and retail & consumer goods. Various manufactures are designing robotic based dry powder refilling machines which will help to increase the accuracy and enhance the performance.Request Report Sample@Global dry powder refilling machine market: DynamicsThe key factors which drive the global dry powder refilling machine market include increasing demand for packaged food & beverage products along with increasing health consciousness among consumers.The macroeconomic factors which are responsible for the growth of global dry powder refilling machine market are increasing per capita income, the rapid rate of urbanization, changing lifestyleand emerging economy such as China, and India. High technological advancement in dry powder refilling machine will fuel the dry powder refilling machine market across the globe, attributed to high investment in innovation of the dry powder refilling machine. Other factors driving the global dry powder refilling machine market includes rapid rate of industrialization and safety and rapid increase of durability of fast moving consumer goods. Furthermore, significant growth in the cosmetics industry and robust growth in the pharmaceutical industry are the major factors which help to grow the global dry powder refilling machine market due to its high demand for the packaging of powder form cosmetics products as well as its robust demand for medicines packaging. The key factor which is restraining the dry powder refilling machine market is the high maintenance cost of dry powder refilling machines across the globe. Fully automatic dry powder refilling machine embedded with Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) as well as the touch screen is the key trend of the global dry powder refilling machine market.Global dry powder refilling machine market: SegmentationGlobal dry powder refilling machine market can be segmented by end-use industry, head type, technology type and region type.Global dry powder refilling machine market can be segmented based on end use type as follows:-PharmaceuticalspackagingFoods and Beverages.CosmeticsRetail & consumer goodsChemicalGlobal dry powder refilling machine market can be segmented based on head type as followsSingleDoubleTripleGlobal dry powder refilling machine market can be segmented based on technology type as follows:Semi-AutomaticFully-AutomaticGlobal dry powder refilling machine market: Regional OutlookBased on the geographies, global dry powder refilling machine is segmented into seven regions includes Eastern Europe, Western Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Among the above-mentioned region, North America captures large market share in the dry powder refilling machine across the globe followed by Western Europe, due to robust growth in pharmaceutical as well as cosmetics industry in this region. Western Europe is expected to witness a positive growth in the global dry powder refilling machine market over the forecasted period, owing to the high demand of dry powder refilling machines for industrial purpose in this region. The Asia-Pacific excluding Japan region also captures for the significant share of the global dry powder refilling machine market with high growth rate, attributed to its robust demand for spice packaging, increasing per capita income and the rapidly growing population in the region. Latin America is estimated to showcase a positive growth rate in the global dry powder refilling machine market, attributed to its high demand for the coffee packaging in this region. The Middle East and Africa is estimated to witness positive growth rate in global dry powder refilling machine market, owing to its increasing demand for the pharmaceutical industry in this region.Visit For TOC@Few prominent players of global dry powder refilling machine market as follow:-Firefighter industry SDN BHDVista Technopack Machines.Adinath InternationalMultipack Packaging RussiaVitro Pharma MachinerySS Automation & Packaging MachinesShree Bhagwati Group of CompaniesAbout 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:
Global Bio-Butanol Market Research Report 2016

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This report studies Bio-Butanol in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringBASFButamaxGevoCobalt TechnologiesCathay Industrial BiotechGreen BiologicsButyl Fuel LLC.W2 EnergyZeaChemEnergy QuestButalco GmBHFill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @METabolic ExplorerTetraVitae BiosciencesDowCelaneseEastmanMarket Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Bio-Butanol in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaSplit by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Bio-Butanol in each application, can be divided intoMotor FuelPlastics and ResinsAdhesivesSynthetic RubberPersonal Care ProductsPaintsRead Comprehensive Overview of Report @Table of Contents1 Bio-Butanol Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Bio-Butanol1.2 Bio-Butanol Segment by Type1.3.1 Bio-Butanol Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Motor Fuel1.3.3 Plastics and Resins1.3.4 Adhesives1.4 Bio-Butanol Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Bio-Butanol (2011-2021)2 Global Bio-Butanol Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Bio-Butanol Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Bio-Butanol Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global Bio-Butanol Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Bio-Butanol Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Bio-Butanol Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Bio-Butanol Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Bio-Butanol Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Bio-Butanol Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2011-2016)3.1 Global Bio-Butanol Capacity and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.2 Global Bio-Butanol Production and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.3 Global Bio-Butanol Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.4 Global Bio-Butanol Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.5 North America Bio-Butanol Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.6 Europe Bio-Butanol Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)4 Global Bio-Butanol Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)4.1 Global Bio-Butanol Consumption by Regions (2011-2016)4.2 North America Bio-Butanol Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)4.3 Europe Bio-Butanol Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)Figure Picture of Bio-ButanolFigure Synthetic Rubber ExamplesFigure Personal Care Products ExamplesFigure Paints ExamplesFigure North America Bio-Butanol Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure Europe Bio-Butanol Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure China Bio-Butanol Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure Japan Bio-Butanol Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure Southeast Asia Bio-Butanol Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure India Bio-Butanol Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure Global Bio-Butanol Revenue (Million UDS) and Growth Rate (2011-2021)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:
Macroeconomic and Microeconomic Flooring and Carpets Market Analysis by Future Market Insights

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This research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market, contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, statistically-supported, industry-validated market data, carpets and floorings are a vital part of any household or commercial structure. In addition, carpets and flooring are increasingly gaining importance in other applications such as automobiles, aerospace and aviation. Carpets can be made from various materials such as wool, polymer staple fibers and bulk continuous fibers. In addition, rugs may also sometimes be classified under carpets. Resilient flooring, wood flooring, laminate flooring, rubber flooring and ceramic floor tiles are different types of flooring available in the global market.Recovery of the construction industry in developed regions such as North America and Europe is expected to be one of the main drivers for the growth of the market over the next few years. In addition, increasing construction activities in emerging economies such as China, Brazil and India is expected to fuel the demand for floorings in this region. Moreover, increased consumer expenditure on interiors of houses, hotels and offices is expected contribute significantly to the growth of the market. More and more automobile manufacturers are strategically using carpets and floorings in automobiles to enhance the vehicles appearance. However, price volatility of raw materials such as polymers, rubbers and ceramic are expected to hamper the growth of the market. Development of innovative designed light weight carpets and floorings is expected to open opportunities for the growth of the market in the near future.Request For Report Sample@Market for ceramic tiles was significantly large in Asia Pacific and South America while the market for carpets was substantial in North America and Europe. Rapid industrialization and favorable economic conditions in Asia Pacific is expected to drive the construction market, which in turn is expected to bolster the demand for flooring and carpets over the forecast period. Demand for flooring and carpets are expected to be significant in the Americas over the same time period.Visit For TOC@Some of the key participants of the market include Armstrong World Industries, Autoneum Holding, Beaulieu Group, Dixie Group, FRITZ EGGER, Hangzhou Nabel Group, Interface Incorporated, Mohawk Industries, Oriental Weavers, RPM International and Suminoe Textile among others. The market is highly fragmented in nature owing to the presence of several small, medium and large-scale manufacturers.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Medical Pendant Market : Recent Industry Trends, Analysis and Forecast 2026

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The medical pendant systems provide appropriate positioning of medical equipment, terminal units, medical gas, specialty and electrical services. Medical pendant systems are mounted on the ceiling with the robust carcass system consisting of stainless steel flanges and supporting rods. Medical pendant is the compact system with various configurations to fulfill exact requirements of hospital. Medical pendants have various number of arms which can be help to accommodate all electrical services, medical gas, data communication services and facilitating equipment management. Incoming electrical and gas services from ceiling to minimize the cable clutter provide a safer and cleaner place for the movement and activity of medical professional teams. The movable arm of medical pendant system allows it to be located at exactly where it is most suitable for the operating team and these arms cover the requirement of any operation theatre. Medical pendants make medical tasks and procedures easier, while ensuring safety while placing monitoring equipment. Medical pendants are designed to maximize space in the operation theatre for operations and critical care areas to improve accessibility around the patient bed thereby enabling healthcare staff to deliver effective patient care.Request Report Sample@Medical PendantMarket: Drivers and RestraintsThe primary factor for the growth of global medical pendant market is growing awareness in the healthcare professionals andrequirement of safe and low risk work space for medical staff. Medical pendant systems are highly useful in operation theatres or in intensive care unit. The growth of medical pendant market is primarily attributed to accurate and effective results in various application areas such as surgeries and endoscopy. Major factor which limits the growth of the global medical pendant market is high cost of medical pendant system setup and unavailability of skilled nursing staff.Medical Pendant Market: SegmentationGlobal medical pendantmarket is classified on the basis of product type, application and geographyBased on product type, the global medical pendant market is segmented into the following:Fixed PendantsFixed Retractable PendantsSingle Arm Movable PendantDouble Multi Arm Movable PendantBased on application, the global medical pendant market is segmented into the following:SurgeryEndoscopyAnaesthesiaIntensive care UnitsMedical Pendant Market: OverviewMedical pendant systems are designed to remove standing devices from the operation floor around the patient bed. The unique design of medical pendant systems enables mounting of a number of medical devices in a compact space. The maximum range of movement enables quick, easy positioning of service and provides safety control while minimizing the infection risk. Medical pendant systems decrease the visual impact in the patient environment, increasing the capacity of equipment load and improving equipment access. Medical pendant systems allow various devices to be connected with it such as electrical supply, lighting, communication equipment, gas and liquid supply and rail system for installations of equipment. Medical pendant systems design enable different combinations and resources that fulfill the special needs and expectations of operating rooms in hospitals. Fixed Retractable Pendants and Double Multi Arm Movable Pendant product type segments are expected to register highest CAGRs in terms of value owing to faster adoption among the medical communities worldwide.Medical Pendant Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global medical pendantsystem market is expected to register a healthy CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic region, global medical pendant systemmarket is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. North America held largest share in the global market of medical pendant systemfollowed by Europe, Japan and Asia Pacific owing to the need for increasing the standard of healthcare infrastructure coupled with substantial investments. The developing nations in APAC and MEA hold huge potential for growth in the global medical pendant systemmarket, due to the convenience it offers in hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers.Visit For TOC@Medical Pendant Market: Key PlayersSome of the key participating global players in medical pendant systemsmarket are ELEKTRA HELLAS, Starkstrom, Ondal, Hipac, Beacon Medaes, Unicorn Medicals, Medilon, Uttam, Medimax, Brandon Medical.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:
Global Omeprazole Sales Market Report 2016 - Apotex, Sandoz, Astrazeneca, Santarus

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This report studies sales (consumption) of Omeprazole in Global market, especially in USA, China, Europe, Japan, India and Southeast Asia, focuses on top players in these regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these regions, coveringApotexDr reddys laboratoriesImpax laboratoriesKremers urban developmentLek pharmaceuticalsMylan pharmaceuticalsSandozWatson laboratoriesAstrazenecaDexcel pharma technologiesSantarusMarket Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Omeprazole in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeUSAChinaEuropeJapanIndiaSoutheast AsiaFill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Split by product Types, with sales, revenue, price and gross margin, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoCapsuleSustained Release TabletOthersSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Omeprazole in each application, can be divided intoApplication 1Application 2Application 3Table of ContentsGlobal Omeprazole Sales Market Report 20161 Omeprazole Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Omeprazole1.2 Classification of Omeprazole1.2.1 Capsule1.2.2 Sustained Release Tablet1.2.3 Others2 Global Omeprazole Competition by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Global Omeprazole Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Global Omeprazole Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2011-2016)2.1.2 Global Omeprazole Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2011-2016)3 USA Omeprazole (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 USA Omeprazole Sales and Value (2011-2016)3.1.1 USA Omeprazole Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)3.1.2 USA Omeprazole Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)3.1.3 USA Omeprazole Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @4 China Omeprazole (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Omeprazole Sales and Value (2011-2016)4.1.1 China Omeprazole Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)4.1.2 China Omeprazole Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)4.1.3 China Omeprazole Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)4.2 China Omeprazole Sales and Market Share by ManufacturersList of Tables and FiguresFigure USA Omeprazole Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure China Omeprazole Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure Europe Omeprazole Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure Japan Omeprazole Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure India Omeprazole Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure Southeast Asia Omeprazole Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure Global Omeprazole Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Figure Global Omeprazole Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Table Global Omeprazole Sales of Key Manufacturers (2011-2016)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:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Safety Sensors Market Research Report 2017

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Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Safety Sensors in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesEUChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanGlobal Safety Sensors market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingOmronKeyenceSICK AgPepperl+FuchsHalmaFill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Ifm ElectronicRockwellDatalogicBannerABBLntechMonceeKcennOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoSafety Light CurtainsSafety MatsSafety Laser ScannersOtherOn 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 Safety Sensors for each application, includingAutomotiveFood & BeverageElectronicsPackagesRead Comprehensive Overview of Report @Table of ContentsGlobal Safety Sensors Market Research Report 20171 Safety Sensors Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Safety Sensors1.2 Safety Sensors Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Safety Sensors Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Safety Sensors Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.3 Global Safety Sensors Segment by Application1.3.1 Safety Sensors Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Automotive1.3.3 Food & Beverage1.3.4 Electronics1.3.5 Packages1.3.6 Other1.4 Global Safety Sensors Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Safety Sensors Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 EU Status and Prospect (2012-2022)2 Global Safety Sensors Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Safety Sensors Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Safety Sensors Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Safety Sensors Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Safety Sensors Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Safety Sensors Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Safety Sensors Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type3 Global Safety Sensors Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Safety Sensors Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Safety Sensors Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Safety Sensors Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Safety Sensors Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 United States Safety Sensors Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 EU Safety Sensors Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Safety SensorsFigure Global Safety Sensors Production (K Units) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2012-2022)Figure Global Safety Sensors Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2016Figure Product Picture of Safety Light CurtainsTable Major Manufacturers of Safety Light CurtainsFigure Product Picture of Safety MatsTable Major Manufacturers of Safety MatsFigure Product Picture of Safety Laser ScannersTable Major Manufacturers of Safety Laser ScannersFigure Product Picture of OtherTable Major Manufacturers of OtherFigure Global Safety Sensors Consumption (K Units) by Applications (2012-2022)Figure Global Safety Sensors Consumption Market Share by Applications in 2016Figure Automotive ExamplesAbout 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:
Flavored Milk Market 2015-2025 size and forecast

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Flavored milk is a dairy drink produced with milk, sugar, colorings, and additional flavor and sweetener. It offers some vital nutrients such as calcium, potassium, protein, phosphorus, vitamins A, D and B12, niacin and riboflavin. The flavored milk is generally available in different flavors such as strawberry, chocolate and vanilla flavors in fat free and low fat ranges.The Global Flavored Milk industry is at nascent stage as the consumption is still low as compared to other drinks such as carbonated soft drinks. Upbeat consumer perceptions about the various health benefits of milk are creating prospects for flavored drinks consumption across the World. This will escalate the overall flavored milk market globally.Global Flavored Milk Market Segmentation:Global Flavored Milk industry can be divided on the basis of types of ingredients such as calcium propionate, hydrocolloids, natural colors, natural flavors, food and beverage enzymes, food and beverage emulsifiers, food and beverage texturants, food phosphates, high intensity sweeteners, food and beverage preservatives, flavourant, food and beverage stabilizers and systems, food and beverage colorants, food and beverage sugar and its substitutes, and fruit concentrates. The industry can also be segmented on the basis of products such as high pressure processing and sodium reducing agents. Global Flavored Milk Market can also be segregated by types of packaging such as paper-based (cartons), plastic, glass, metal, and others.Request Report Sample@Global Flavored Milk Region-wise Outlook:Geographically, the Global Flavored Milk industry can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific region, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Presently, China captured the highest market share in the overall revenue of Global Flavored Milk market, followed by the U.S. and India holding second and third position respectively. In Asia, rising demand for flavored milk over the past few years were highly propelled by China, Indonesia, and India. In the next few years, the demand for flavored milk is anticipated to incline globally especially in Latin America and some regions of Asia.Global Flavored Milk Market Growth Drivers:Rising health consciousness and aspiration for nutritious and healthy food, changing lifestyle along with the change in consumers taste and preferences especially in developing countries are strengthening the growth of Global Flavored Milk industry. Besides this, consumers unscheduled eating habits due to busy working schedule are also fostering the demand for flavored milk in different parts of the world.Request For TOC@Global Flavored Milk Market: Major Players:Some of the key players identified across the value chain in the Global Flavored Milk market includes Danone (France) and Kraft Foods Group (U.S.A.). These two companies have captured the major chunk in the Global Flavored Milk Industry. Besides this, there are other major players dominating in this industry such as Yili Industrial Group Company Limited (China), China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited, (Amul) Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (India), Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable Private Limited (India).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:
Halal Pharmaceuticals Market : Industry Trends and Developments 2016 - 2026

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Halal pharmaceuticals are those medicines that stringently adhere to Shariah law. More specifically, halal pharmaceuticals refer to medicines that should not contain any parts of animals (dogs, pigs and ones particularly with pointed teeth), insects (bees), alcohol and other substances prohibited as haram under the Shariah law. Competent religious local regulatory bodies in countries generally provide a better segregation regarding the classification of drugs as halal or haram (unlawful) across the world. Halal pharmaceuticals are subject to normal pre-marketing and post-marketing controls by the relevant national pharmaceutical regulators such as the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau in case of Malaysia. Halal medicines market has vast potential globally in terms of revenue generation supported by growing demand for faith-compliant medicines from an expanding Muslim population. Drugs approved by halal drug certifiying agencies such as Lembaga Pengkajian Pangan Obatobatan dan Kosmetika Majelis Ulama Indonesia (LPPOM MUI) of Indonesia and Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia are expected to witness rising consumption globally. Currently, halal medicines are estimated to have contributed close to one-third of the total revenue from the global halal market, posing an extremely attractive opportunity for Shariah compliant drugs. This is supported by the fact that demand outstrips supply of halal medicines by a significant margin, creating potential for future economic value added in the industry.Request Report Sample@Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: Drivers and RestraintsDrivers of the halal pharmaceuticals market include a growing Muslim population. Given that Muslims have been estimated to account for close to 25% of the global population in 2015~1.6 billion people (PewResearch)  the annual growth rate of the Muslim population has been estimated to be ~1.6%, which is higher than the growth rate of the world population (1.1% per annum). Increasing awareness among Muslims regarding wellness and medicines is propagating mainly through increased education. This is another prime factor contributing to growth of the halal medicine market. Other socio-economic factors driving the need and uptake of halal medicines include rising purchasing power parity, increasing access to critical medicines in resource-constrained nations supported by public organizations such as World Health Organization, safety of consumption, assurance of product efficacy and hygienic processing among others. Increasing need to get medicines certified from an approved regulatory body is driving regulatory convergence in the halal medicines market among countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, Turkey, France and others.Key restraints include lack of adequate infrastructure in non-Islamic countries to avoid cross-contamination between halal and non-halal production lines, and lack of sufficient halal advisory and certification agencies to approve medical products. Other restraints include dearth of sufficient R&D for halal medicines globally and omission of critical medicine classes such as vaccines and biologics as they do not comply with Shariah norms. Ban on use of forbidden components such as porcine excipients also limit the number of drugs that can be produced. Industry experts have noted that formation of a proper, well-regulated and harmonized accreditation and halal management system could serve a long way in raising demand for halal medicines.Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: SegmentationHalal pharmaceuticals market can be segmented as indicated below:Segmentation by drug classesRespiratory drugsCardiovascular drugsEndocrine drugsPain medicationsAllergies (cough &cold)OthersSegmentation by product typeTabletsSyrupsCapsulesOthersSegmentation by source materialPlant and plant derivativesAnimals (compliant under religious laws)Synthetic and semi-synthetic sourcesRecombinant DNASegmentation by regionsHalal Pharmaceuticals Market: OverviewUptake of Halal medicines is gaining major traction globally, primarily due to two reasons. Firstly, these medicines are fully compliant with faith and so are readily acceptable under religious laws. Secondly, these medicines are very well assessed for quality and certification before being released into the market and are mostly made using herbal and synthetic materials. The market for halal pharmaceuticals is expected to register a significant CAGR as well as annual growth rates over the forecast period. Regulatory harmonization and regional regulatory convergence is expected to emerge as the key market trends in the near future.Visit For TOC@Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of geographic regions, halal drug market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and Middle East & Africa.In terms of geography, Asia Pacific region is the main region exhibiting development and uptake of halal medicines, particularly in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. However, R&D activities related to halal medicines are gaining traction in the European and North American regions. Discussion on formation of halal medicine certification agencies and guidelines are key features found in the traditionally pharmaceutically developed markets. Companies producing halal medicines are expected to enter Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran, Qatar, Russia, France, Libya, Algeria and Singapore as well as the UAE to cater to the high demand base for better revenue generation, either through distributor route or via tie-ups with established players.Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: Key PlayersSome key accredited players in the halal medicine market include Chemical Company of Malaysia Berhad (CCM Pharmaceuticals Sdn Bhd), Pharmaniaga Bhd, Simpor Pharma Sdn Bhd, EMBIL Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Nutramedica Incorporated, etc. among 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:
Clinical Trials Market Research Report and Outlook by Future Market Insights

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Clinical trials are research studies performed on humans to gain specific information about biomedical interventions such as novel vaccines, devices, treatments and drugs and thereby generating safety data. Clinical trials are regulated by health authorities and ethics committees.Documents required for performing clinical trials are investigators brochure (IB) which include current and relevant scientific information about the investigational product, United States Food and Drug (FDA) form 1572, protocol and amendments, inform consent, other written information for participants, recruitment advertisement, financial disclosure form (FDF), master clinical trial agreement (MCTA), institutional review board (IRB) approval, medical licensure, training records, laboratory accreditation, visit monitor reports, miscellaneous document, signature sheet and documentation of investigational drug destruction. The International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) brings together regulatory authorities of Europe, the United States, Japan and experts from pharmaceutical industry to frame and regulate the technical and scientific aspects of pharmaceutical product registration. The Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) states rules and standard guidelines for clinical trials. ICH guidelines are followed as law by several countries in the world.Request For Report Sample@Clinical trials are conducted in four phases namely, Phase I, II, III and IV. Phase I is conducted for safety, phase II is conducted for efficacy, phase III is conducted for final confirmation of safety and efficacy and phase IV is conducted for post sales studies. Risk to participants involved in clinical trials decreases from phase I to phase VI. Number of participants increases from phase I to phase IV resulting in increasing cost of trials. Based on the phases of clinical trials, global clinical trials market is segmented as follows:Phase IPhase IIPhase IIIPhase IVBased on indication, global clinical trials market is classified as follows:Blood disordersOphthalmologyAutoimmune diseasesCirculatory diseasesCancerGenitourinary diseasesCongenital diseasesMusculoskeletal diseasesCentral nervous system (CNS)InfectionsDermatologyMetabolic disordersCardio vascular system (CVS) diseasesGastrointestinal diseasesMental disordersOthersBeing relatively costly process, in order to reduce economic burden on company and shift focus on core business activities, many companies outsource their clinical trial activities to contract research organizations (CROs). Contract research organizations provide services such as clinical trial management, clinical research and preclinical research. Factors such as advancement in technology and increasing demand of innovative solutions in healthcare industry are driving the market of global clinical trials towards growth. On the other hand, factors such as high cost and stringent regulations are restraining the growth of clinical trials market globally. Geographically, the global clinical trials market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World.Visit For TOC@North America is the leading consumer of global clinical trials solutions, followed by Europe. Ample availability of funds to outsource clinical trials serves as the major growth driver for the North America clinical trials market. Asia-Pacific demonstrates impressive growth potential for clinical trials market and is expected to show the highest growth rate as compared to other regions in the world. Countries such as India are attractive markets due to advantages such as availability of skilled practitioners and availability government support in terms development of outsourcing hubs thus attracting pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to outsource clinical trial activities to CROs in this region. Some of the market leaders contributing to the global clinical trials market include Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk A/S, Ranbaxy Laboratories, Ltd., Sanofi Aventis A.S. and Roche Group.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Sales Market Report 2017 - Koninklijke, Proliant Inc, Arla Foods, DuPont

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In this report, the global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients 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 MT), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaTo Get Sample Copy of Report Slick HERE @Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients sales volume, Price (USD/MT), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingFonterra Co-operative Group LtdKoninklijkeProliant IncArla FoodsDuPontAmbaDSM N.V.Cargill IncAPS BiogroupLactalis S.ANestl SADanone SAOn 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 intoWhey proteinCasein proteinOn 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 Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients for each application, includingFood industryCosmetics industryTable of ContentsGlobal Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Sales Market Report 20171 Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients1.2 Classification of Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients by Product Category1.2.1 Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20162 Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients (Volume and Value) by Type3 United States Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)Download Full Report with TOC @4 China Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 China Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 China Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 China Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)List of Tables and FiguresFigure Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Market Size (Million USD) by Regions (2012-2022)Figure United States Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure China Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Europe Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Japan Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Southeast Asia Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure India Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Sales Volume (K MT) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Global Market Major Players Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Sales Volume (K MT) (2012-2017)Table Global Dairy Nutritional and Nutraceutical Ingredients Sales (K MT) of Key Players/Suppliers (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:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
How Lab Automation Market will Grow in Future? FMI Research Offers Insights

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Laboratory automation system comprises of automated lab instruments, devices and software algorithms which provides benefits such as increased productivity, reduced cycle time, improved workflow coverage and enhanced data quality. Laboratory automation is known as the use of technology to rationalize or substitute manual handling of equipment and processes. The manual laboratory procedures process fewer samples at a slower rate. The laboratory automation and robotic products are provided in customized form and according to the requirement of specific laboratories or researcher. According to some industry experts the two aspectspreferred by customers are higher throughput to screen more samples/plates or want to automate the high precision part of their manual work.Therefore, lab automation becomes essential in laboratories for handling high volumes of sample at pretty faster rate. This system offers streamlined solution to lab procedures such as centrifugation, decapping, aliquoting, sorting, recapping, etc.The applications market for lab automation is segmented into  pharmaceutical, clinical diagnostics, biotechnology, food and agriculture, contract research organizations and academia. Forensic, food and agriculture, genomics and proteomics are the application areas which promise to fuel the growth of this market in the future and thereby broadening the market. A particular trend observed in this market is growing influence of automation is expanding from genomics to proteomics because proteomics market requires to increase throughput, create new solutions to improve reproducibility and boost sensitivity for the purification and separation.Request For Report Sample@The global market is poised to grow further owing to drivers such as shortage of skilled lab personnel in developed countries, cost effectiveness than manual lab procedures, government and corporate funding in biotech research, increasingly stringent control on research activities by regulatory bodies such as USFDA in healthcare. The major advantages of laboratory automation and the growing emergence of robotics have helped associated scientists and technicians to achieve complex processes in comparatively less time and in low operation cost. Some of the industry experts also emphasize on low error rates especially in a scientific paper or drug development process where precision is important factor.Global lab automation market is segmented on the basis of equipment/software as automated liquid handling, microplate readers, robotics, automated storage and retrieval system, software and laboratory information system and others. Based on the type of automation, the market is segmented in two segments as - modular automation and total lab automation. Total lab automation provides automation from beginning to the end of the laboratory process, while the modular automation approach provides task specific automation.North America was the largest market leading in spite of stringent USFDA regulations and pre-marketing approvals. North American and Europe market leads the global lab automation market because of increasing adoption of lab automation systems by research labs, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, clinical diagnostics, clinical research institutes, and contract research organizations.Lab automation is a leading laboratory solution in markets such as USA, Canada, Europe and Japan.Asia - Pacific and Latin American countries represent emerging markets, due to a rise in research outsourcing by leading pharmaceutical companies, growing industry demand for accreditation and standardization and rise in biotechnology sector investment.Visit For TOC@Some of the key players in the lab automation market are Abbott Diagnostics, Biotek Instruments Inc., Agilent Technologies, Perkinelmer Inc., Roche Holding AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Siemens Healthcare, Beckman Coulter Inc., Hamilton Robotics, Labware Inc. and TECAN.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:
Companion Diagnostics Market : Key Growth Factors and Industry Analysis 2016-2026

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Companion diagnostics are tests to understand which patient can be benefited from a certain drug or what dosage should be prescribed based upon patients clinical diagnosis, which provides evidence required for the successful and harmless use of an equivalent drug or biological product to treat the medical condition. These are medical instruments that support doctors to elect which treatment and dosage should be given to patients personalized to their necessity.Companion Diagnostics is utilized to ascertain who would benefit from treatment and it comes in handy to identify if someone cannot be cured, but also conversely can be harmed by use of specific drug used for their ailment. Technological advancements has brought a lot of changes in the method of disease treatment. Companion diagnostics is characterized by growing requirement for enhancedpersonalized patient treatment that gives healthcare providers and their patients an assurance about the treatment result in a positive way, contrary to traditional treatment procedure. Major impact of companion diagnostic will been on oncology therapy area.Request Report Sample@Companion Diagnostics Market: Drivers and RestraintsPresently, companion diagnostics global market is driven by the technological advancement in healthcare industry, increase in various treatment procedures. Number of companion diagnostics can be given approval for a single drug as scientific knowledge advances with practical application of treatment. Although, cost related with latest technology acts as a key barrier for the growth of global companion diagnostics market.Companion Diagnostics Market: SegmentationCompanion diagnostic global market is segmented into following segments:By ApplicationColorectal CancerBreast CancerLung CancerMelanomaUrologyGastric CancerBy TechnologyImmunohistochemistryMolecular DiagnosticsIn-situ HybridizationFISHCISHReal Time PCRGene SequencingBy RegionNorth America (U.S., Canada)Latin America (Mexico. Brazil)Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand)JapanMiddle East and Africa (GCC, S. Africa, N. Africa)Companion Diagnostics Market: OverviewWith rapid technological advancement, increase in the incidence of chronic disease, rise in aging population, increasing adoption rate of treatment of chronic disease, increase in number of prevalence of chronic disease around the globe are the factors expected to boost the companion diagnostics market over the forecast period.Companion Diagnostics Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global companion diagnostics market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East & Africa.North America is the leading market for companion diagnostics because of rapid technical inventions, huge investment on research and development in this region. Whereas, Asia-Pacificand Europeis projected to grow at a significant growth due to large consumer base, rising government initiatives for enhancing healthcare infrastructure, and high disposable income.Visit For TOC@Companion Diagnostics Market: Key PlayersSome of the key participating global players in companion diagnostics market global market are ARUP Laboratories, Roche Molecular Systems Inc., Dako Inc., Qiagen Ltd., bioMerieux Inc.,Ventana Medical Systems Inc., Abbott Molecular Inc., Myriad Genetics Inc.,Biogenex Laboratories, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH 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:
ASEAN Confectionery Market Intelligence and Forecast by Future Market Insights

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ASEAN Confectionery Market OverviewItems in confectionery market consists of candies, chocolates, toffees, lollies, bakery items;basically food items that are rich in sugar and sweet content. Mostly confectionery market items consists of food products like butter, cocoa, honey, milk, flour, fruits, honey, nuts, sugar syrup and more. They are consumed globally, mostly by all regions and countries and are expected to grow in developing countries. Confectionery market is growing in mostly all the South East Asian countries and saw a tremendous growth in the last couple of years.ASEAN Confectionery Market SegmentationThe confectionery market is segmented into three segments  Chocolates, Sugar confectionery and Gum. Chocolates constitutes the significant part of confectionery market. Cocoa and sugar are the raw materials for chocolate and latex is the raw material used for gum.Worlds largest cocoa processor Barry Callebauts production has also moved to Asia pacific and Latin America because of its low production costs and great future opportunities.Its factories are in Malaysia and Thailand. Nestle has acquired a majority stake in Chinese confectioner Hsu Fu Chi.Request For Report Sample@Europe constitutes the biggest share of confectionery market, followed by Asia Pacific confectionery market. ASEAN region has become an attractive place to do business. Some big MNCs have shifted their base(plants) for the production of chocolate to Indonesia to improve efficiency and reduce costs in supply. Indonesia has the most consumption of confectionery items as compared to other South East Asian countries. Flavors GmbH (WILD), another company is opening its branch center in Singapore to serve the hub for the ASEAN region. Main markets in South East Asian countries include Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia for confectionery market.ASEAN Confectionery Market DynamicsRising disposable income, higher population, high GDP growth and consumer spending are the major key drivers of ASEAN confectionery market. The biggest constraint to ASEAN confectionery market could be rise in raw material cost and uncertain consumer behaviour. Also health issues, increasing government regulations, could also be the biggest challenge for confectionery market. Chocolate segment expected to grow the most under ASEAN confectionery market. On special occasions and celebrations, sale of confectionery items increase because people gift each other and its consumption and demand increase. Vietnam is gradually cutting down the import tax imposed on products of ASEAN, countries in accordance with the ASEAN Free Trade Area, AFTA, regulations. As a result, the Vietnamese confectionery market is vibrant compared to other nations.ASEAN Confectionery Market Distribution ChannelMostly confectionery items are sold in retail stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets and convenience stores. Multinational flavor companies and smaller local manufacturers are active in South EastAsia confectionery market. The latter offers good distribution expertise and local connections. Innovation by producers playing a great role in experimenting with flavors, taste, size which is driving a growth of this market. Enterprises operating under Vietnamese confectionery market use modern technology of foreign countries such as Germany, Italy, Japan and Austria to make their products, and apply non-chemical preservation techniquesVisit For TOC@ASEAN Confectionery Market Key PlayersKey players in this confectionery market are Ferraro, Hersheys,Lindt, Wrigleys, Perfetti Van Melle and ChupaChupa. Product innovation and consistent in quality are the reasons for their success. Dunkin Donuts has signed a franchisee agreement to develop a brand in Vietnam with Vietnam Food and Beverage Co. domestic confectionery companies have simultaneously launched many new products in confectionery market. Pioneers of the campaign included famous companies such as Kinh Do, Bibica, Kotobuki, and smaller producers like Nguyen Tran and ThanhPhat, etc. ierce competition was found between Malaysian Khongguan biscuits and Vietnamese productsABOUT 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:
Wood Pellet Market to Bring US$ 21,100 Mn by the end of 2027

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Future Market Insights latest report on the global market for wood pellets reveals that by the end of 2027, close to 35% of global wood pellet sales will be accounted by their end-use in industrial pellet co-firing. In the report, titled Wood Pellet Market: Global Market Analysis 20122016 and Forecast 20122027, the market is expected to reach US$ 9,204.9 Mn by the end of 2017. The report further projects that global sales of wood pellets will soar at a CAGR of 8.7% to bring in over US$ 21,100 Mn by the end of 2027.The report also reveals that in 2016, approximately 37.5 million tons of wood pellets were sold across the globe. Increasing investments in new technologies & pelleting machines, coupled with higher demand for wood pellets in electricity generation, are some of the prominent trends influencing the growth of global wood pellets market during the forecast period. Apart from industrial co-firing, the market is also expected to witness higher traction in end-use offerings such as use of pellets in residential & commercial heating and industrial pellet end-use in CHP/district heating.Request For Report Sample@Wood Pellet Market: Key DriversAccording to the report, increasing consumption of wood pellets is triggered by promotion of reusing agricultural produce or forest wood in industrial processes. North Americas climate change concerns is compelling the regions wood pellet manufacturers towards resource & feedstock optimisation. Meanwhile, wood pellets are successfully replacing fossil fuels such as charcoal in specific heating applications. The report reveals that 1 ton of wood pellets have the potential to provide raw thermal energy equivalent to that of 2.8 barrels of crude oil.In future, wood pellets are also expected to be in great demand for their low carbon emission properties, compared to fossil fuels. However, the markets robust growth is likely to be restrained by inability of pellet manufacturers in fulfilling certification criteria, and the gradual reduction in sawmill residue caused by technological intervention in sawing industries. Electricity generation, however, is observed as a lucrative opportunity for boosting the use of wood pellets.Western Europe  Lucrative Region for Growth of Wood Pellets MarketThe report also reveals that in 2017 and beyond, around 70% of the global market sales will be concentrated in Western Europe. Although, towards the end of 2027, Western Europes market share is poised to witness a dip, while Eastern Europe, Japan and Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) regions will witness a significant rise in their market share. Some of the key excerpts of the report include:Throughout the forecast period, over half of the markets value will be accounted by forest & wood waste feedstockIn 2016, an estimated 8.6 million tons of wood pellets were consumed by free standing pellet stove applicationSend an Enquiry @The global market for wood pellets is also expected to witness sizeable growth in terms of volume, registering a CAGR of 8.5% through 2027The report also enlists & profiles leading players in the global wood pellets market, and they include Drax Biomass Inc, Rentech, Inc, Enviva Partners, LP, German Pellets GmbH, Viridis Energy Inc, AS Graanul Invest, Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc, Lignetics Of Idaho, Inc, Zilkha Biomass Energy, LLC, Land Energy Girvan Limited, Colombo Energy Inc, Premium Pellet Ltd, ECARE, Fram Renewable Fuels, Agon Biomass, Pellet power, Blue Sky Biomass, Bio Eneco Sdn Bhd, Schellinger & Co Muhlenwerke, Snow Timber Pellets LLC.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:
Brain Tumor Treatment Market : In-Depth Market Research Report 2016 to 2026

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A brain tumor is an abnormal and uncontrolled proliferation of cells in the brain. It can be benign or malignant. Brain tumor arises from brain tissue and rarely spreads. The tumor eventually compress and damage other structures in the brain. According to American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA), there are two types of brain tumors - primary and secondary. Primary tumors arises from brain tissue and secondary tumors arises from other parts of the body and spreads to brain. Gliomas are most common type of primary tumors which arises from brains glial tissue. Glioblastoma multifome is a fast growing and of higher grade when compared to other tumors. Advanced medications are available to treat the brain tumors. Increasing pharmaceutical R&D spending is expected to provide the lucrative growth for the global brain tumor treatment market over the forecasted period.Request Report Sample@Brain Tumor Treatment Market: Drivers and restraintsIncreasing incidence of brain tumor (Glioblastoma) is one of the leading factor driving the growth of the market globally. For instance, as per the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), brain tumor incidence rate growing at 2.6% compared to the last year. An estimated 22,850 cases diagnosed with primary cancerous tumors of the brain in the U.S. Furthermore, increasing geriatric population is also driving the brain tumor market. Increasing consumer awareness regarding the latest technological advancements in therapies, and medications are responsible for the growth of global brain tumor treatment market.Brain Tumor Treatment Market: SegmentationGlobal Brain Tumor Treatment Market can be segmented as following typesBy Product:TemozolomideCarmustineCisplatinBevacizumabGeftinibErlotinibBy End user:Hospital PharmaciesAmbulatory Surgical CentersIndividual PharmaciesBrain Tumor Treatment Market: OverviewIncrease in incidence rate of brain tumor has fuelled the demand for effective treatment. As such, global companies are spending significant portion of their revenue on R&D to develop novel medications. Many products related to novel drug delivery technologies are lined up for FDA approval. Increasing demand for advance medication to treat brain tumors is expected to fuel overall growth of the market.Brain Tumor Treatment Market: Region-Wise OutlookDepending upon the geographic regions brain tumor treatment market segmented into seven key regions: Those are North America, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia pacific excluding japan, Japan, Middle East and Africa.North America and European region is expected to dominate the global brain tumor market throughout the forecast period, owing to increasing incidences of glioblastoma coupled with technological advancements.Visit For TOC@Though North America and Europe are expected to lead the market, Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness robust growth. Significant increase in incidence rate of brain tumors along with shifting of locus of economic activity and dynamism to this region is expected to boost the demand for drugs responsible for brain tumor treatment.Latin America and MEA are expected to witness moderate growth during the forecast period. Companies need to capitalize their resources in emerging regions to gain market share in brain tumor treatment market.Brain Tumor Treatment Market: Key playersKey players in the brain tumor treatment market are Genetech U.S.A, Bristol Myers Squibb, Hoffmann- La Roche, AstraZeneca plc, Pfizer, Inc., Novartis AG, Antisense Pharma, Merck & Co, Macleods Pharmaceutical Limited, Mankind Pharma, Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd.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:
Molecular Diagnostics Market : Key Players, Growth, Analysis, 2016 - 2026

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Molecular diagnostics is a method of analyzing and identifying the biological markers in the genome and proteome in order to identify gene expression by applying molecular biology. Molecular diagnostics are used to diagnose disease and risk involved. Molecular Diagnostics helps to decide the therapies are suitable for individual patients. The new advanced technologies has qualified the instruments in providing accurate results. This ability of the diagnostic tool resulted in increased rate of acceptance of the molecular diagnostics. The concept of personalized medicine has emerged out of molecular diagnostics.Molecular Diagnostics Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe factors driving molecular diagnostic market are increase in demand for care facilities, favorable regulatory policies which aims at promoting the care diagnosis, acceptance of personalized medicine, development in biomarkers, advancements in proteomics, increasing awareness of the diagnostic procedures. However rising cost of molecular diagnostics, obligation of skilled labors to handle the complexity of instruments are the factors restraining the growth of molecular diagnostics market.Request Report Sample@Molecular Diagnostics Market: SegmentationMolecular diagnostic market is classified on the basis of product, technology, application, end use and geography.Based on product, the global molecular diagnostic market is segmented into the following:InstrumentsReagentsOthers (service and software)Based on technology, the global molecular diagnostic market is segmented into the following:DNA sequencingPolymerase chain reactionIsothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification TechnologyTranscription Mediated Amplification (TMA)In situ hybridizationSequencingMicroarraysMass spectrometryDNA sequencingOthers (southern blotting, northern blotting, electrophoresis)Based on application, the global molecular diagnostic market is segmented into following:CancerPharmacogenomicsGenetic testingInfectious diseasePrenatalNeurological diseaseCardiovascular diseaseBased on end use, the global molecular diagnostic market is segmented into following:Diagnostic laboratoriesHospitalsOthers( nursing home, blood banks, point of care)Molecular Diagnostics Market: OverviewThe awareness of diagnosis is giving rise to the trend of self-care management. The early diagnosis of disease or disorder helps the patient in getting better treatment and cure. Infectious disease and Oncology is estimated to be the fastest growing application owing to the increased prevalence of cancer and demand for early diagnosis. The introduction to specific biomarkers for the treatment has a positive impact over the molecular diagnosis market. However maximum use of reagents is estimated owing to their accurate results. Commonly used reagents are salts, formamide, sodium dodecyl sulfate and dextran sulphate heparin. Growing awareness about the prenatal genetic testing for early detection of chromosomal abnormalities during pregnancy has enhanced the use of molecular diagnostics.Visit For TOC@Molecular Diagnostics Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, the Global Molecular Diagnostics market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. North America is estimated to be the largest player in molecular diagnostic market owing to the technological advancements and innovations, increase in R&D investments by large pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries and demand for early diagnosis. Asia Pacific is estimated in rising molecular diagnostic market due to increase in the prevalence of diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases and large population suffering from diabetes.Molecular diagnostics Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified in the molecular diagnostic market are Abbott laboratories, Becton Dickinson, Novartis, Roche Diagnostics, Johnson and Johnson, Bio-Rad Laboratories, bioMerieux, Danaher Corporation, Qiagen N.V, Siemens Healthcare, Cepheid, Hologic, Inc,.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:
Compression Therapy Market Intelligence Report for Comprehensive Information

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Compression Therapy is a process of applying external pressure to the limbs or other parts of the body through which different chronic disease can be treated. Compression therapy is a very effective technique for disease indication such as, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Venous Thrombolism (VTE), Varicose Veins, Lymphedema, Chronic and Diabetic Ulcers.A gradual pressure is being given to infected area or the veins which in turn increases the blood flow in the veins, increases the drainage of nocious substances, reduces pain and inflammation.A common myth prevailing among people is that compression bandages and clothes hinder the blood circulation but in reality these products are designed in such a way that when applied properly they assist in blood flow.The annual incidence of DVT is around 1 per 1000 people. As per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 60,000-100,000 patients have DVT in United States.Request For Report Sample@Compression Therapy Market: Drivers and RestraintsCompression therapy market is driven by aging population, high incidence of disease indications, rising awareness among patients and ease of application and durability of the products.Other factors include regular product training to physicians that helps them to better understand the product and use of fancy garment to manufacture stockings and bandages.Lack of knowledge about the disease indication among patients and inadequate reimbursement for compression therapy products from government agencies in developed countries will slow down the market in the forecast period.Compression Therapy Market: SegmentationGlobal Compression Therapy Devices is further segmented into these following types:Static Compression TherapyCompression GarmentsUpper Compression GarmentsLower Compression GarmentsCompression BandagesAnti-Embolism StockingsDiabetic ShoesDiabetic Compression SocksDynamic Compression TherapySegmented Compression PumpsNon-Segmented Compression PumpsCompression SleevesCompression Therapy Market: OverviewWith the advancement of technology and increase incidence in disease population, compression therapy is gaining wide acceptance as a method of choice among patients. This market is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR in the forecast period (2015-2025).Advances in garments, textile technology, compression stockings, and bandages aimed at improving patient comfort are expected to drive the market in the forecast period.Compression Therapy Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global compression therapy market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa.In terms of geography, North America dominates the compression therapy market, followed by Europe. Growing aging population and increasing prevalence of diabetes are also supporting the growth of compression therapy market in this regions. India, China, and Japan are expected to be the fastest-growing markets for compression therapy in Asia.Visit For TOC@Compression Therapy Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in compression therapy market are SIGVARIS, BSN medical GmbH, Covidien Plc. PAUL HARTMANN AG, 3M Co., ArjoHuntleigh, Thuasne SA, Smith & Nephew plc and medi GmbH & Co.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:
Mens Wear Market to reach US$ 540,454.6 Mn by 2022

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The global mens wear market is expected to grow moderately, and is influenced by many factors within the market. Factors such as rise in trendy clothing, metrosexual mentality of the people, availability of sufficient disposable income, brand awareness by celebrity endorsements, developments in the clothing products and innovation in these products to suit various purposes, increase in the use of footwear, ethnic wear, and shits and t-shirts, etc., are primarily driving the global mens wear market. The APEJ region followed by North America region shows higher market attractiveness index and is more lucrative for the growth of the mens wear market.The global mens wear market is poised to reach US$ 540,454.6 Mn by the end of 2022 and is anticipated to grow at a steady CAGR during the forecasted period of 2017 to 2022.For More Details - A sample of this report is available upon request@5 Forecast Highlights on Global Mens Wear MarketThe APEJ (Asia-Pacific excluding Japan) region is more lucrative a region for mens wear and hence favors the mens wear market by showing a healthy CAGR of 4.6% during the period of forecast. APEJ followed by North America, shows high market attractiveness, owing to prevalence of higher and increasing population along with greater disposable incomes. New trends and developments in the clothing sector has raised the bar of people adopting trendy and premium clothes and presence most of the super finicky individuals is driving the premium and the super-premium segment. The mens wear market is poised to reflect higher growth rate in China and IndiaThe superpremium segment runs at a higher pace to reflect a robust CAGR of 5.2% followed by the premium segment. However, these segments have a less market share by revenue, as compared to the economy segment in the price-based category. The economy segment is also poised to show steady growth rate during the forecast periodThe 26-36 segment by demographics is anticipated to reflect a modest CAGR of 5.2% during the period of forecast, 2017-2022, and shows an equally good market share during 2017-2018. The 18-25 segment shows the highest market share by revenue, and a steady growth rate with a gain in the BPS by the end of 2022. According to Fact.MR, 66+ and 18-25 segments can be said to have similar growth rates during the forecast periodRequest For Discount:The online sales channel shows steady growth pattern during the period of forecast but a less market share by revenue. The modern trade segment dominates other segments in terms of revenue market share and growth rate and is expected to grow even higher to reflect a CAGR of 4.9% during 2017 to 2022 forecast period. Specialty store segment reflects significant growth rate followed by the online segment. The franchise store segment is expected to grow slow during the forecast periodAccessories segment is poised to show a moderate growth rate yet possess a higher market share by revenue, a revenue of more than US$ 63,200 Mn has been slated during 2017. Ethnic wear segment by category reflect the highest growth rate followed by t-shirts/tops/shirts segment and both these are expected to experience a gain in the BPs by the end of 2022. The accessories and the sportswear segments show more or less equal growth rate during the period of forecast.The report has also profiled leading players in the global market for mens wear, which would remain active through 2022. These include companies like Burberry Group Plc., Adidas AG, Hugo Boss AG, PVH Corp., NIKE Inc., LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.E, Kering S.A, Industria de Diseno Textil S.A, H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB and The Gap Inc.Browse Full Report:ABOUT US:Fact.MR is focused on offering transformative intelligence that inspires breakthroughs and innovation. We believe that the right decisions at the opportune time are integral to achieve extraordinary success. We are here to help you with your strategic decision making.CONTACT:Suite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandPhone: +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.comwebsite:
Diatom Mud Market Insights with Key Company Profiles - Forecast to 2025

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Diatom is a common type of algae and belongs to the group of phytoplankton. This type of algae comes in the form of colonies and ribbon. Diatom mud is a popular choice for consumers to use for wall decoration and stone coated roofing tiles.Obtain Report Details @:With the rise in population, investment in real estate industry is witnessing accelerating growth rate. Developed as well as emerging economies such as India, China, and South Korea are seeing increased spending on the construction industry. Demand for residential and commercial buildings is on the rise and this factor is increasing the demand for diatom mud in recent years. Consumers use diatom mud for wall decoration. Diatom mud is environment friendly as well. It is a type of porous substance full of additives. With the help of modern technology, diatom mud is available in different designs, thus enhancing the beauty of interiors and furnishing. As this is a type of fossil, it enables decomposition of formaldehyde, purification of air, and absorption of humidity. Moreover, being an environment friendly raw material it does not emit any harmful gases and thus offers a pollution free environment. These factors are projected to trigger the growth of the diatom mud market over the forecast period.Some of the major disadvantages of diatom mud is that this green wall material cannot be washed and hence consumers face difficulty when using it as wall decoration material. Moreover, price of diatom mud is rather high as compared to other wall decoration materials. Paint and putti are available at a much lower price than diatom mud. Thus, the high price of this product is a major restraint to the growth prospects of this market.Diatom is a type of single cell algae and has considerable uses in medical science. This multiparous algae has chemical inertness property. Owing to several health benefits, diatom mud is used in the healthcare industry as a skin ailment material. This organism has been used for curing burns, bruises, and other skin diseases. Considering its varied health benefits, the global diatom mud market is expected to witness growing demand in the healthcare industry during the forecast period. It is largely used in the engineering sector as well. Diatom mud has been substantially used in stone coated steel roofing materials. With the rising number of construction activities, demand for diatom mud is expected to have a steady growth rate during the forecast period.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @:On the basis of product type, the global diatom mud market is segmented into two types - industry grade and cosmetic grade. Industry grade held the dominant share in 2016 and this segment is expected to retain its market dominance during the forecast period. Diatom mud has been considerably used in manufacturing and construction industry and with the growing share of these industries, demand for diatom mud is likely to grow exponentially during the forecast period.Based on application, the global diatom mud market is segregated into two types, wall coating and skin care products. Demand for diatom mud for wall coating held the dominant share and this segment is expected to retain its market dominance during the forecast period. Diatom mud witnesses growing demand as wall decoration material and owing to its environment friendly nature this material has been substantially used as wall coating.According to geographical locations, the global diatom mud market is segmented into five regions. These include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Latin America. North America held the leading market share and Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing regional market.Some of the key players in the diatom mud market include Lvsenlin, CleanKavass, Hengkang, Lantiden, Dado and 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. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. 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Global Loyalty Management Market Expected to Reach $6,955 Million by 2023

Loyalty Management Market

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According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, Loyalty Management Market by Type, Organization Size, and Industry Vertical: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20172023, the global loyalty management market was valued at $1,931 million in 2016, and is projected to reach $6,955 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 20.8% from 2017 to 2023. The customer loyalty segment is anticipated to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period.Get PDF Brochure of Loyalty Management Market Study@North America generated the highest revenue in the global loyalty management market in 2016 due to adequate infrastructural development for the adoption of loyalty management. Asia-Pacific loyalty management market is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period, owing to the remarkable economic growth in Southeast Asia, India, & other economies and growing trend of online shopping.The sales & marketing business segment contributed the highest share in 2016. This segment accounted for $8,995 million in 2016, and is projected to grow at the CAGR of 13.1% during the forecast period. However, the loyalty management market for operations segment is projected to grow at the highest rate of 14.2%. The BFSI segment accounted for the highest revenue share in 2016, while the healthcare segment is anticipated to grow at the highest rate of 14.4%.The global loyalty management market is driven by a rise in the use of mobile phones, lack of awareness about loyalty programs among consumers, a significant increase in the number of card holders, and growth in appreciation for online reward management solutions. In addition, recurrent alteration of end-user demographics, increase in expenditure on loyalty programs from the organizations, stringent government rules & regulations, and rapid growth in applications of Big data and machine learning supplement the market growth.According to Kalyani Sonawane, Research Analyst, ICT & Media at Allied Market Research, The loyalty management market is in its growth phase, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20.8% during the forecast period. Organizations have focused on improving customer satisfaction and implementing strategies for customer retention to reduce their operational costs. North America was the highest shareholder in terms of revenue, while Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.Access Full Summary of Report@The report features a competitive scenario of the global loyalty management industry and provides a comprehensive analysis of key growth strategies adopted by major players. The key players profiled in the study are Oracle Corporation, IBM Corporation, Aimia Inc., Comarch, Bond Brand Loyalty, Epsilon, ICF International, Inc., and Kobie Marketing, Inc., SAP SE, and TIBCO (The Information Bus Company) Software Inc. These players have adopted competitive strategies, such as geographical expansions, mergers & acquisitions, new product launches, and partnerships & collaborations, to augment the growth of the loyalty management market.KEY FINDINGS OF THE STUDY The customer retention segment accounted for the highest share of the global loyalty management industry in 2016, growing at a CAGR of 19.3% from 2017 to 2023. The BFSI loyalty management market generated the highest revenue share in 2016, and is projected to grow at a rate of 20.9%. North America loyalty management market generated the highest share, valued at $647 million, in terms of revenue in 2016. The loyalty management market for small & mid-size organizations is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period.Do Purchase Inquiry@About Us:Allied 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 Us:Rahul Thakur5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesDirect: +1-503-894-6022
Gas Analyzer, Sensor & Detector Market Size to Observe Steady Growth

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Gas Analyzers, Sensors & Detectors are safety devices used in the commercial, medical, industrial and several other industries. These devices continuously analyse and monitor the concentration of gases in different end use industries and thus provides life safety and helps to avoid fire break outs. To provide adequate safety to life gas analyzer, sensor & detectors are implemented to measure and monitor the concentration and quality of a single or multi gases in the mixture of gases. These devices can be classified on the basis of their working principle technology as Electrochemical, Infrared, Paramagnetic, Zirconia, Catalytic, Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS), Laser, Photo Ionization Detection (PID) and others. Each technology used in these devices have its own unique features with respective detection range and application. The assembly of gas analyzer consists of a sensor and display device, where sensor detects the gases and the detected signal is displayed through the display device. The gas analyzers can analyze the physical parameters of particular gases such as temperature, pressure, concentration, floe rate etc. Basically detectors and sensors are same, but the major difference between them is sensor can only sense a gas in a mixture of gases whereas detectors can raise an alarm to alert the operator about the leakage or for any other threat.Browse Complete Report @The increasing demand for gas analyzers, sensors and detectors due to the increasing standards with regard to workplace and residential safety, and implementation of stringent environmental regulations. Safety measures for industrial gas processing is one of the key factor driving the gas analysers, sensors & detectors market in oil & gas and chemicals industry. Various oil & gas and chemical companies have to make sure that the emissions of various harmful gases are according to the standards set by local government agencies, this factor has given a boost for the demand of gas analyzers, sensors & detectors devices. Electromechanical sensors are widely used across the world as compared to other technology type sensors as it consumes less power and are less affected by the temperature and pressure compared to other technologies.A sample of this report is available upon request @However price pressure is a prominent challenge for the market participants. The price pressure on OEM is passed on to the component supplier including sensor manufacturers. Many of the leasing manufacturers are trying to reduce this pressure by simply providing extra features and functionality with the sensors and detectors.The global Gas Analyzer, Sensor & Detector Market is segmented into the seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America is the largest market for gas analyzers, sensors & detectors. China is the largest market in Asia Pacific region. The market in Aisa Pacific region is expected to increase at a significant rate during the forecast period. Various environmental regulations and awareness among the customers regarding the benefits of using gas analyzers, sensors & detectors are driving the market in Asia Pacific region.Request to view table of content @Gas Analyzer, Sensor & Detector Market: Key PlayersDragerwerk Ag & Co.KgaAAMETEKHoneywell International, Inc.ABB Ltd.General Electric Co.Emerson Electric Co.Figaro Engineering Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales Market Report 2017

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This report studies sales (consumption) of PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch in Global market, especially in United States, China, Europe and Japan, focuses on top players in these regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these regions, coveringSUKANOAmpacet CorporationA. SchulmanAstraBARS-2Polyplast Mller GmbHSetas Masterset MasterbatchesCONSTABSpearepetEnter your information below to receive a sample copy of this report @Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaTable of ContentsGlobal PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales Market Report 20171 PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch1.2 Classification of PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch1.2.1 Organic Type1.2.2 Inorganic Type1.3 Application of PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch1.3.1 Plastic Film Industry1.3.2 Packaging Industry1.3.3 Other1.4 PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Market by Regions1.4.1 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Browse Complete Report with TOC @2 Global PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Competition by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Global PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Global PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch (Volume and Value) by Type2.3 Global PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch (Volume and Value) by Regions2.3.1 Global PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Revenue and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)2.4 Global PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch (Volume) by Application3 United States PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.2 United States PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers3.3 United States PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales and Market Share by Type3.4 United States PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales and Market Share by Application4 China PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.2 China PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers4.3 China PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales and Market Share by Type4.4 China PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch Sales and Market Share by ApplicationList of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of PET Type Antiblock MasterbatchTable Classification of PET Type Antiblock MasterbatchFigure Global Sales Market Share of PET Type Antiblock Masterbatch by Type in 2015Figure Organic Type PictureFigure Inorganic Type PictureTable Applications of PET Type Antiblock MasterbatchQYReseachReports.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 StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Airborne Telemetry Market Size to Observe Steady Growth

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The airborne telemetry systems gather and process the critical information on onboard spacecraft, UAVs, projectiles, and aircraft. These solutions are built to function under the most severe conditions of defense and aerospace applications. Due to the influx of smart weapons and systems into the modern warfare, the requirement for efficient transmission of data is increasing and subsequently contributing to the growth of airborne telemetry market. Based on technology, the wireless telemetry is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period owing to the increase in the number of aircraft deliveries which has led to the growth in demand for airborne telemetry. These are mainly used for navigation and communication and the real-time positioning of the aircraft.Browse Complete Report @Factors such as growing use of software defined radio technology, an emergence of modern electronic warfare and network-centric warfare systems, and the increasing use of wireless and cloud computing technologies are expected to surge the growth of airborne telemetry market during the forecast period.A sample of this report is available upon request @Further, the market is driven by huge R&D investments in technological advancements for defense operations which is expected to be one of the key factors to drive the market during the forecast period. Growth in network-centric military communication and increased use of cloud computing in telemetry are a few other factors expected to enhance the market for airborne telemetry. Moreover, increasing mergers and acquisition have allowed the companies to expand, and this has created various opportunities in the market.The wireless telemetry is expected to dominate the airborne telemetry market in 2016 and is anticipated to maintain its dominance during the forecast period due to the rise in aircraft deliveries. Further, the data provided by the aircraft to air traffic control towers is in real-time, with the continuous flow of information such as location, destination, speed, and other information.Load cells are anticipated to account for the highest growth rate in global airborne telemetry market during the forecast period.Based on the platform, parachute segment is anticipated to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period due to the increased usage of parachutes for tourism and weather monitoring.Request to view table of content @North America is estimated to be the largest region in airborne telemetry market in 2016 and is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period Emerging economies such as China, and India are estimated to drive the APEJ market during the forecast period, due to the factors such as increasing disposable income of the population. Moreover, India and China are building modern and advanced aircraft carriers, and the countries such as Vietnam and Philippines are procuring modern communication systems for homeland security, further enhancing the demand for airborne telemetry systems in APEJ.The Airborne Telemetry Market is fragment ed and competitive, with a large number of players operating at the regional and local level. Some of the major key players in the market includes,BAE Systems PLC Honeywell International Inc. L-3 Communication Holdings, Inc. Rockwell Collins, Inc. Cobham PLC. Leonardo S.p.A.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Advanced Thermal Management Solutions Market Size to Observe Steady Growth

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The global thermal management solution industry is paving a good progress because of its comprehensive solution to cool electronics and finding way for the electronic industry to develop high performance applications. Technically thermal management solutions infers the array of solution and material technology that systems manufactures apply to regulate the unwanted heat caused by normal functioning of an electronic system. The electronic industry has responded to the consumers in innovative, product offerings which are much powerful than the conventional ones and matching the consumers needs. Thermal management solutions are essential for modern electronic devices which dissipates heat because they consume more power and hence they generate more heat. There could be many challenges for thermal management in electronic devices namely: reduced form factors, growing power densities, development of advanced technologies and materials, and also increase in demand from the consumers. Thermal management solutions are primarily based on two parameters i.e. product level and industry level. Even in the medical electronics global advanced thermal management solutions plays a key role in reducing health care costs, an increased emphasis on preventive medicine and wearable medical products with increasing substantial rate.Browse Complete Report @The Global Advanced Thermal Management Solutions Market is driven by the introduction of microelectronics and increasing demands for their functionality and reliability. Also the increase demand for the mobility, wireless connectivity, and advanced features demands for the variety of new products, servers, laptops, data centers and cameras by the consumers and this had been major driving force for the global advanced thermal management solution market. The internal device management solutions like insufficient airflow distribution are improper and hence the market is restrained by the fact that thermal management solutions are not faring well, and hence the market is restrained globally. Also many technological issues including heat effect on transistor operation, temporal variation in the heat load, multiple heat transfer interface, and acoustic noise emissions have been challenge to technological advancements and hence market is hampered.A sample of this report is available upon request @The Global Advanced Thermal Management Solutions Market is divided into seven regions including North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. North America is expected to lead the Global advanced thermal management solution market because of the number of growing companies in electronics are increasing in this region. Asia Pacific has the second highest market share because of the growing electronics market in this region which is followed by Europe. Western Europe region has highest demand in comparison with East Europe. Middle East and Africa has a lesser market share.Request to view table of content @Global Advanced Thermal Management Solutions Market Key PlayersHoneywell InternationalPentair Thermal ManagementAlcatel-LucentLairdTechThermal Management TechnologiesAdvanced Cooling TechnologiesThermacoreDau Thermal SolutionsHeatexMomentive Performance MaterialsSapa GroupAavid ThermalloyAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Thrombin Market - Trends And Opportunities For The Industry By 2024

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Hemostasis is a medical condition, wherein blood vessel, platelets, and coagulation factors act together to arrest bleeding. It occurs by coagulation process, wherein blood is transformed from liquid to gel state through sequential enzymatic steps. During hemostasis process, thrombin plays a role of key enzyme. Thrombin is an enzyme called serine protease, which is synthesized from a precursor glycoprotein called prothrombin. During the clotting process, proteolytic cleavage of prothrombin produces thrombin. Insoluble fibrin is produced from soluble fibrinogen through a series of reactions catalyzed by thrombin. The production of thrombin in body is highly regulated, as the overproduction of thrombin may result in the blockage of normal blood flow a state called thrombosis. Under such condition, tissues may die due to unavailability of oxygen.Prothrombin is produced in liver and is passed into blood stream in an inactive form. Whenever a vascular injury occurs, collagen and tissue factor lead to activation of coagulation pathways. These pathways lead to activation of factor X, which, in conjugation with other factors, forms a complex. This complex cleaves the prothrombin protein into a thrombin molecule. Once thrombin is produced, it cleaves fibrinogen into fibrin. This result in platelet aggregation and thrombus formation, which help in the stoppage of bleeding.Obtain Report Details:Thrombin acts on different cell types. On smooth muscle cells, it causes vasoconstriction. It activates platelets to promote their aggregation at the site of injury. In activated state, thrombin plays a role of chemo-attractant and mitogen for neutrophils and fibroblasts. Thrombin also plays a role in regulating the endothelial cell functions. It also plays a role in the anticoagulant system, wherein it activates protein C upon interaction with thrombomodulin. This helps in improving circulation as an anticoagulant effect during the vascular injury. Thrombin are produced naturally in body and is also available in commercialized forms. In both the forms, it has two important functions. It helps in the process of coagulation wherein fibrinogen is converted into fibrin. This promotes platelet aggregation, which helps in clotting of blood at the site of injury. Secondly, it acts in the anticoagulation process by activating the protein C. Commercially produced thrombin is available in concentrated form, which, upon application, is capable of converting fibrinogen into fibrin. This helps in thrombus formation at the site of injury. The concentration of thrombin is directly promotional to the rate of clot formation. Types of commercially available thrombin differ in terms of dosage form and concentration. This factor is considered while selecting the product, as higher concentration speeds up the process of hemostasis.The global thrombin market can be segmented on the basis of product type, dosage form, end-user, and geographical region. Based on product type, the market has been segmented into bovine thrombin, human thrombin, and recombinant thrombin. The human thrombin segment is sub-segmented into alpha, beta, and gamma thrombin. The use of bovine thrombin generates antibodies, which cross-react with human coagulation proteins. This has been observed to result in severe complications and life-threatening bleeding. Hence, human thrombin was introduced, as an alternative to bovine thrombin. However, human thrombin is associated with the risk of transmission of viruses. The recombinant thrombin segment is anticipated to lead the market, as recombinant thrombin is free of risks associated with viral infection and it has potential efficacy.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report:Based on dosage form, the global thrombin market has been segmented into powder form, solution form, pad form, spray kits, and others. Based on end-user, it can be segmented into hospitals, diagnostics & clinics, and academic and research institutes. The hospitals segment is anticipated to lead the market, due to increase in the number of surgeries.Based on geography, the global thrombin market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is anticipated to lead the global market, due to increase in the number of surgeries and developed health care infrastructure.Key players operating in the global thrombin market are Baxter, Bayer, CSL, Grifols, GE Healthcare, Hualan Biological, Haematologic Technologies Inc., Pfizer, Octapharma, Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., and Shanghai RAAS.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:
Biosimilar Market 2017: Industry Demand, Insight & Forecast By 2022

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ReportsMonitor.com has added a new report to its database United States Biosimilar Market Report 2017.This report identifies the Biosimilar 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 Biosimilar market.Biosimilar 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, coveringPfizerRocheEli LillyBayerAmgenSanofi-AventisJohnson & JohnsonNovo NordiskMerckThe competitive landscape of the global market for Biosimilar is determined by evaluating the various market participants, production capacity, Biosimilar markets production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Biosimilar market worldwide.This report segments the Biosimilar marketAntibodyHormoneGrowth FactorsOtherOn the basis of application:TumorDiabetesCardiovascularHemophiliaOtherFor comprehensive understanding of market dynamics, the Biosimilar market is analyzed across key geographies namely:The WestSouthwestThe Middle AtlanticNew EnglandThe SouthThe MidwestEach 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:United States Biosimilar Market Report 20171 Biosimilar Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Biosimilar1.2 Classification of Biosimilar by Product Category1.2.1 United States Biosimilar Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)9 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders9.1 Marketing Channel9.1.1 Direct Marketing9.1.2 Indirect Marketing9.1.3 Marketing Channel Development Trend9.2 Market Positioning9.2.1 Pricing Strategy9.2.2 Brand Strategy9.2.3 Target Client9.3 Distributors/Traders ListReports 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 analysis008, Mihir Co-operative,Above Bharat Suzuki showroom,Fatima Nagar,Pune,Maharashtra,IndiaIndia: +91 2069535353Jay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:
Dispensing Spouts Market to record high demand by 2016-2024

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After removal of the desired quantity of product, dispensing spouts are used to reseal the packaging. They are extensively used in packaging of liquid or viscous forms of product. Dispensing spout provides the convenience of carrying and using the product. They may be in the shape of the pump, cap, valve, or dropper depending upon the product.Request Free Sample Report @The global dispensing spouts market is segmented into its material type, sealing type, spout type, packaging type, end-use industry, and geography. On the basis of material type, the market is divided into HDPE, PET, plastic, and metal dispensing spouts. Based on sealing type, the market is classified into without liner and liner dispensing spouts. On the basis of spout type, the market is categorized into valve, pumps, dropper, and cap. Based on packaging type, the market is divided into bulk grocery bags, tubes, jars, liquid cartons, bottle, and pouch. On the basis of end-use industry, the market is bifurcated into chemical and petrochemical industry, home care and personal care, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage industries. Diversification based on geography is seen into North America, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @Dispensing spouts are specially designed to enable the user to frequently use the product according to their desired quantity. This need among the consumers will drive the dispensing spouts market growth. A wide range of application and convenience in the use of dispensing spouts will further boost the market growth. The dispensing spout has applications in markets such as food and beverages, toiletries, home care, and household chemicals among others. Use of dispensing spouts help to reduce the costs of manufacturing as well as it reduces the carbon footprints of packaging. However, the use of water dispensing is prone to have bacterial growth which may hamper the market growth.North America dominates the dispensing spouts market across the globe. Growth in the consumer goods market is simultaneously increasing the demand for dispensing spouts in this region. The U.S. and Canada are the major growth centers in North America. Asia Pacific will be following the growth of North America primarily due to the changing lifestyles of the individuals and changing retail patterns in this region especially in China. Other countries in Asia Pacific such as Japan, India, New Zealand, and Australia will be showing a healthy market growth. Europe will grow at a moderate pace in the coming years. Latin America and the Middle East and Africa will also register a considerable growth in the dispensing spouts market.Browse detail report @Some of the major companies in the global dispensing spout market include Nilkanth Polyplast., AptarGroup Inc., Rieke Corporation, O.Berk Company LLC., Elkay Manufacturing Company Inc., Weener Plastik GmbH., Uflex Ltd., Guangdong Danqing Plastic Packaging & Printing Co. Ltd., Liqui-Box Corporation, Tacom SA, Poppelmann GmbH. & Co. KG, Stern Engineering Ltd., Precision Valve Corporation, Glenroy, Inc., and Tomlinson Industries.Inquire more before buying this report @About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristically, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, a company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with Vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from Cardinal Industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Our Blog:
Hirudin Market is Anticipated to Show Growth by 2022

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This report studies the Hirudin market. Hirudin is a naturally occurring peptide in the salivary glands of medicinal leeches (such as Hirudo medicinalis) that has a blood anticoagulant property. Hirudin is the most potent natural inhibitor of thrombin.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Hirudin in United States market, to split the market based on manufacturers, states, type and application.Browse Full Table of Contents and Report Description @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers The Medicines Company Keyken Minapharm Abbott SALUBRIS Pfizer, Inc Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd DUOPUTAI PentapharmMarket Segment by States, covering California Texas New York Florida IllinoisMarket Segment by Type, covers Natural Hirudin Recombinant HirudinMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into Thrombosis Disease Tumor Disease OthersFor Requesting a Sample Copy of This Report, Please Visit @There are 17 Chapters to deeply display the United States Hirudin market.Chapter 1, to describe Hirudin 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 Hirudin, 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 Hirudin, for each state, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, to analyze the key States by Type and Application, covering California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Florida, with sales, revenue and market share by types and applications;Chapter 12, Hirudin 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 Hirudin Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source.About UsReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform to meet the market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Contact UsJay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:
Nepheline Syenite Market Globally Provides Major Statistics, Guidance and Growth Strategies for Key Players 3M, Anglo Pacific Minerals

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HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 118 pages on title 'World Nepheline Syenite Market by Product Type, Market, Players and Regions-Forecast to 2021' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa and important players such as 3M, Anglo Pacific Minerals, Unimin, Sibelco, etcRequest a sample report @SummaryThe Nepheline Syenite 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.Global Nepheline Syenite Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaThe Players mentioned in our report3MAnglo Pacific MineralsUniminSibelcoEnquire for Discount @Table of ContentChapter 1 About the Nepheline Syenite Industry1.1 Industry Definition and Types1.2 Main Market Activities1.3 Similar Industries1.4 Industry at a GlanceChapter 2 World Market Competition Landscape2.1 Nepheline Syenite Markets by Regions2.1.1 USAMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.2 EuropeMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.3 ChinaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.4 IndiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.5 JapanMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.6 South East AsiaBuy this report @Market Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.2 World Nepheline Syenite Market by Types2.3 World Nepheline Syenite Market by Applications2.4 World Nepheline Syenite Market Analysis2.4.1 World Nepheline Syenite Market Revenue and Growth Rate 2011-20162.4.2 World Nepheline Syenite Market Consumption and Growth rate 2011-20162.4.3 World Nepheline Syenite Market Price Analysis 2011-2016Chapter 3 World Nepheline Syenite Market share3.1 Major Production Market share by Players3.2 Major Revenue (M USD) MarkContinuedView 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
Air Bubble Bags Market to Undertake Strapping Growth by 2024

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Packaging is a vital component of product delivery. They help to safeguard the product during storage and transportation. Air bubble bags are a type of packaging which is used to protect the products from external damages which may be caused due to moisture or corrosion. They are used in the packaging of health supplements, food products, and electronic components among others.The global air bubbles bag market is segmented into its closure type, material type, end use, and geography. On the basis of closure type, the market is divided into the zipper, slider, and slider-zipper type. Based on the material type, the market is classified into aluminum foil, paperboard, plastic and paper. Plastic and paper segment can be further categorized into polyvinylidene chloride, polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, polyamide, polyester, and Kraft paper among others. On the basis of end use, the market is segregated into the pharmaceutical industry, food industry, mailing, gifts, industrial goods, garbage use, electronics, automotive products, and others. Based on geography, the market is divided into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa.Request Free Sample Report @Growth in the air bubble bags market is largely influenced by the technological advancements, increasing the disposable income of the individuals and the rapid industrialization and urbanization. Rising use of air bubble bags in food and beverage and pharmaceutical industry is significantly fuelling the market growth. Air bubble bag requires less material and helps to protect the material from external damage. These features make them a highly demanded product in the market. Air bubble bags are greatly demanded in online sales activities. This influences the market growth further. However, regulations regarding the use of plastic put forth by the government, high costs and availability of substitutes such as heat seal bags may hamper the market growth.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @Geographically, the largest share in the air bubble bags market is held by Asia Pacific. Growth can be attributed to the rising consumption of food products in this region. China, Japan, India, Australia, and New Zealand will be the central countries that will be contributing to the market growth in Asia Pacific region. Asia Pacific is followed by North America in its growth. This region will exhibit an above average growth rate mainly due to the contribution made by countries such as the U.S. and Canada. Higher adoption of air bubble bags for industrial and commercial use is the influencing the market growth in North America. Moderate growth will be witnessed in the European regions in the future years and Latin America and the Middle East and Africa will also show a positive outlook for the air bubble bags market growth.Browse detail report @Some of the major companies in the air bubbles bags market include Bemis Company Inc., Amcor Limited, Sealed Air Corporation, Berry Plastics, Mondi Group, Wipak Group, Wenzhou Chuangjia Packing Material Co. Ltd., Shenzhen Rishanhong Plastic Packaging Products Co. Ltd., Cangnan Kanghui Packaging Co. Ltd., and Dongguan OK Packaging Manufacturing Co. Ltd.About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristically, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, a company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with Vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from Cardinal Industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Our Blog:
World Phycocyanin Market Forecast 2021 Research on Global (US, UK, France, India & Japan) Provides Major Statistics, Guidance and for Key Players Yuchang Shiye, Japan Algae

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HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 117 pages on title 'World Phycocyanin Market by Product Type, Market, Players and Regions-Forecast to 2021' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa and important players such as Fuqing King Dnarmsa Spirulina , Yuchang Shiye, Japan Algae, etcRequest a sample report @SummaryThe Phycocyanin 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.Global Phycocyanin Market: Product Segment AnalysisFood GradeCosmetic GradeAnalytical PureGlobal Phycocyanin Market: Application Segment AnalysisFoodCosmeticHealth CareOthersBuy this report @Global Phycocyanin Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaThe Players mentioned in our reportDainippon Ink and ChemicalsParry NutraceuticalsNorland BiotechFuqing King Dnarmsa SpirulinaYuchang ShiyeJapan AlgaeEnquire for Discount @Table of ContentChapter 1 About the Phycocyanin Industry1.1 Industry Definition and Types1.1.1 Food Grade1.1.2 Cosmetic Grade1.1.3 Analytical Pure1.2 Main Market Activities1.3 Similar Industries1.4 Industry at a GlanceChapter 2 World Market Competition Landscape2.1 Phycocyanin Markets by Regions2.1.1 USAMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.2 EuropeMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.3 ChinaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.4 IndiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.5 JapanMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.6 South East AsiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.2 World Phycocyanin Market by TypesFood GradeCosmetic GradeAnalytical Pure2.3 World Phycocyanin Market by ApplicationsFoodCosmeticHealth CareOthers2.4 World Phycocyanin Market Analysis2.4.1 World Phycocyanin Market Revenue and Growth Rate 2011-20162.4.2 World Phycocyanin Market Consumption and Growth rate 2011-20162.4.3 World Phycocyanin Market Price Analysis 2011-2016Chapter 3 World Phycocyanin Market share3.1 Major Production Market share by Players3.2 Major Revenue (M USD) Market share by Players3.3 Major Production Market share by Regions in 2016, Through 20213.4 Major Revenue (M USD) Market share By Regions in 2016, Through 2021ContinuedView 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
. To do so, first type the original number into the text box. Then click on the "Scientific Notation" option located at the top of the floating window. Finally, click on the "Standard" button found beneath the text box to display your result. This program is useful for scientists and engineers working with decimal-based numbers. It provides easy access to those who need to convert those numbers into more compact forms without having to do heavy math calculations first.

Scientific notation is a way to express very large or very small numbers. It is used in physics, chemistry and other fields where large numbers are common. Those numbers are written as a power of 10 followed by a number with an exponent. For example, 1,000,000 (one million) is written as 1  103. The exponent shows how many zeros are after the first digit. For example, 1,000,001 is written as 1  102. Scientific notation is a useful tool for making calculations easier. You can use it to write down very big or very small numbers in one step instead of writing out both the large and small numbers separately. You can also use it to express large or small numbers in terms of other units like centimeters or millimeters.

Scientific notation solver is an online tool that can be used to convert any number into scientific notation. Simply enter any number to the left of the decimal point and it will automatically convert it into a scientific notation equivalent. This web tool can be very helpful when you need to convert a large number into scientific notation. However, please note that this online tool can only convert numbers that are in scientific format. For example, it cannot convert a non-scientific number like "1,085" into a scientific notation equivalent. It is also important to keep in mind that this web tool only works when converting numbers from one particular format to another. For example, if you want to change a non-scientific number like "1,085" into standard format, then you will have to use another online tool like NumberFormatting.com.
Geothermal Power Market in USA, Europe, Japan, China, India, South East Asia Witness Growth rate of Key Manufactures Dry Steam, Flash Steam, Binary Cycle

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HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 117 pages on title 'World Geothermal Power Market by Product Type, Market, Players and Regions-Forecast to 2021' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes USA, Europe, Japan, China, India, South East Asia and important players such as Dry Steam, Flash Steam, Binary Cycle, etc.Request a sample report @SummaryThe Geothermal Power 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.Global Geothermal Power Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaThe Players mentioned in our reportDry SteamFlash SteamBinary CycleEnquire for Discount @Table of ContentChapter 1 About the Geothermal Power Industry1.1 Industry Definition and Types1.2 Main Market Activities1.3 Similar Industries1.4 Industry at a GlanceChapter 2 World Market Competition Landscape2.1 Geothermal Power Markets by Regions2.1.1 USAMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.2 EuropeMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 2016Buy this report @2.1.3 ChinaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.4 IndiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.5 JapanMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.6 South East AsiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 2016.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
Glass Cleaner World Market Analysis 2017 with Trends, Key Vendors Applications, Future Trends and Growth Prospects to 2021

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HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 111 pages on title 'World Glass Cleaner Market by Product Type, Market, Players and Regions-Forecast to 2021' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa and important players such as Stoner, Diversey Inc, 3M, Meguiars, Rain-X, etcRequest a sample report @SummaryThe Glass Cleaner 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.Global Glass Cleaner Market: Product Segment AnalysisBy PH: alkaline cleaners, neutral detergentBy Form: liquid, solid (powder, paste)Global Glass Cleaner Market: Application Segment AnalysisResidentialCommercialGlobal Glass Cleaner Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaBuy this report @The Players mentioned in our reportS. C. JOHNSON & SON, INCReckitt BenckiserArmourChemical GuysCloroxCRCPPG Architectural Finishes, IncStonerDiversey Inc3MMeguiarsRain-XRutland Fire Clay CompanySeventh GenerationSpraywayWeiman Products, LLC.ZepEnquire for Discount @Table of ContentChapter 1 About the Glass Cleaner Industry1.1 Industry Definition and Types1.1.1 By PH: alkaline cleaners, neutral detergent1.1.2 By Form: liquid, solid (powder, paste)1.2 Main Market Activities1.3 Similar Industries1.4 Industry at a GlanceChapter 2 World Market Competition Landscape2.1 Glass Cleaner Markets by Regions2.1.1 USAMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.2 EuropeMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.3 ChinaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.4 IndiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20162.1.5 JapanMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2011-2021Sales and Growth Rate 2011-2021Major Players Revenue (M USD) in..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
Smart Toilet Seat Market Report provides Major Statistics, Guidance and Direction for Key Players with Regions and Applications to 2022

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HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 121 pages on title 'Global Smart Toilet Seat Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa and important players such as Panasonic, Kohler, Coway, Toshiba, Jomoo, etcRequest a sample report @SummaryA toilet seat is a hinged unit consisting of a seat, and usually a lid, which is bolted onto a toilet bowl for a toilet used in a sitting position. When the lid is down, the lid itself is also used as a seat when needed.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Smart Toilet Seat 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 coversTotoLIXILPanasonicKohlerCowayToshibaJomooBrondellDongyang MagicDongpengDuravitROCALotus HygieneMarket 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, coversStorage HeartingInstantaneous HeatingOtherMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoResidentialCommercialFor Discount, Enquire Now @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Smart Toilet Seat market.Chapter 1, to describe Smart Toilet Seat Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Smart Toilet Seat, with sales, revenue, and price of Smart Toilet Seat, 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 Smart Toilet Seat, 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, Smart Toilet Seat market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Smart Toilet Seat 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.Buy this report @HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218
Comprehensive Membrane Switch Market to reach 7116 million USD by 2021 growing at a CAGR of 3.31%

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HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 120 pages on title 'Global Membrane Switch Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa and important players such as Airborne Oil & Gas, Wienerberger (Pipelife), Cosmoplast, etc.Request a sample report @SummaryReinforced thermoplastic pipes (RTP) is a generic term referring to a reliable high strength synthetic fibre (such as glass, aramid or carbon), which is a kind of high-pressure plastic compound pipe consisting of three layers. The outer layer can be white (on the ground against ultraviolet ray) or black (under the ground) based on needs; the intermediate layer is the reinforced tape compounded by the reinforced material, which may be polyester fiber or aramid fiber and so on. The pipes use many kinds of connection forms such as buckle joint, in-line coupling joint and flanged joint. The general application temperature of RTP is -42C-+135C, and the maximum operation pressure may reach 32MPa.RTP is mainly used for Oil & Gas applications. The global market for Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipes (RTP) is expected to reach about 7116 million USD to 2022 from 5860.48 million USD in 2016, registering a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.31% during the analysis period, 2017-2022.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipes (RTP) 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 coversTechnip, GE Oil & Gas (Wellstream), National Oilwell Varco (NKT Flexibles), Shawcor (Flexpipe Systems), Airborne Oil & Gas, Wienerberger (Pipelife), Cosmoplast, Polyflow, LLC, PES.TEC, Aerosun Corporation, Changchun GaoXiang Special pipeMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Spain and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America, Middle East and AfricaMarket Segment by Type, coversNon-metallic RTPMetallic RTPMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoOil flow linesGas distribution networksWater injection linesOtherFor Discount, Enquire Now @There are 13 Chapters to deeply display the global Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipes (RTP) market.Chapter 1, to describe Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipes (RTP) Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipes (RTP), with sales, revenue, and price of Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipes (RTP), in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipes (RTP), for each region, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 5, 6, 7 and 8, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 9 and 10, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 11, Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipes (RTP) market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 12 and 13, to describe Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipes (RTP) sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, 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.Buy this report @HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218
Worldwide Menthol Market Forecast 2022 provides Major Statistics, Guidance and Direction for Key Players with Regions and Applications

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HTF Market Intelligence released a new research report of 119 pages on title 'Global Menthol Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022' with detailed analysis, forecast and strategies. The study covers key regions that includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa and important players such as Takasago, Tienyuan Chem, Arora Aromatics, Fengle Perfume, etc.Request a sample report @SummaryMenthol is an organic compound with the chemical formula C10H20O that occurs naturally in mint and some other plants. It can be extracted from the leaves by distillation, and it can be made synthetically. Pure menthol is a crystalline solid. The compound is widely used in cough and cold remedies because of its soothing effects and as a flavoring in candy, chewing gum, medical products and cigarettes.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Menthol 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 coversAgson GlobalSymrise AGNantong Menthol FactoryTakasagoTienyuan ChemArora AromaticsFengle PerfumeSwati Menthol & Allied ChemNectar LifesciencesBhagat AromaticsKM ChemicalsSilverline ChemicalsYinfeng PharmaGreat Nation Essential OilsXiangsheng PerfumeBASFIfan ChemMentha & Allied ProductsNeeru EnterprisesVinayakHindustan Mint&Agro ProductsA.G. IndustriesMarket 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 TypeSynthetical TypeMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoOral HygienePharmaceuticalsTobaccoConfectionariesOtherFor Discount, Enquire Now @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Menthol market.Chapter 1, to describe Menthol Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Menthol, with sales, revenue, and price of Menthol, 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 Menthol, 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, Menthol market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Menthol 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.Buy this report @HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218
China Electrical Switches Market 2017 Analysis provides Market Application, Estimation Growth and Key Players ABB, Schneider, GE, Alps

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A new research document with title 'China Electrical Switches Market by Manufacturers, Regions (Province), Type and Application, Forecast to 2022' covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions and important players/vendors such as ABB, Schneider, GE, Alps, etc The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2017-2022Request a sample report @SummaryIn electrical engineering, an electrical switch is an electrical component that can "make" or "break" an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The mechanism of a switch removes or restores the conducting path in a circuit when it is operated. It may be operated manually, for example, a light switch.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Electrical Switches in China market, to split the market based on manufacturers, Regions (Province), type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversLegrandSiemensSimonABBSchneiderGEAlpsPanasonicHavellsSalzer ElectronicsAmit ElectricalDelixiCHINTLongshengOppleGamderFeidiaoBullGELANMarket Segment by Regions (Province), coveringSouth ChinaSouthwest ChinaEast ChinaNortheast ChinaNorth ChinaMarket Segment by Type, coversTraditional Electrical SwitchesSmart Electrical SwitchesMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoPolyester Fibers, Cellulose Acetate FibersResidentialCommercialGet customization & check discount for report @There are 18 Chapters to deeply display the China Electrical Switches market.Chapter 1, to describe Electrical Switches Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by Region (province), market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the manufacturers of Electrical Switches, 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 China market by Regions (Province),covering South China, East China, Southwest China, North China, Northeast China, Northwest China and Central China, with sales, price, revenue and market share of Electrical Switches, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 7,8,9,10,11,12 and 13 to analyze the key Province by Type and Application, covering South China, East China, Southwest China, North China, Northwest China, Central China and Northeast China, with sales, revenue and market share by types and applications;Chapter 14, Electrical Switches market forecast, by Regions (Province), type and application, with sales, price, revenue and growth rate forecast, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 15, to analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc.Chapter 16, to analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers);Chapter 17, to describe sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc.Chapter 18, to describe Electrical Switches Appendix, methodology 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.Buy this report @HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218
Massive Expansion of Procurement Software Industry: Worth USD 9 Billion by 2023 with a CAGR of 10%

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Market Research Future published a research report on Procurement Software Market Research Report- Global Forecast 2023  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2023.Procurement Software Market, By Deployment (On-Premise, On Cloud), By Software (Spend Analysis, E-sourcing, E-procurement), By Vertical (IT & Telecommunication, Travel & Logistics) - Forecast 2023Procurement software is characterized as a product program that empowers association to complete their buy procedure naturally and oversee stock of merchandise.Expanding interest for programmed buy prepare is one of the significant driving component that backings in the development of acquirement administration Market. The robotization in buy handle replaces the customary, manual upkeep of records. The capacity completed by Procurement software incorporates requesting and buying items or administrations, choosing, electronic treatment of installments, giving obtainment office detail report of item requested, subtle elements investigation of every item requested and supporting right requests, coordinating and getting receipt and request. There are numerous Procurement software in the market, out of which e-obtainment programming is boosting the market. The investigation shows that medium and little measured endeavors are having high usage of acquirement programming and the majority of the undertakings utilize cloud based Procurement software.Procurement software market division is done on the premise of arrangement these incorporate cloud construct and with respect to start. Cloud based acquirement programming empower association by controlling expense and help them in accomplishing higher edge of benefit. It encourages modernize source to pay prepare through mechanization and social cooperation. Association can fortify their business by utilizing social coordinated effort and accomplish quicker outcomes by conveying cloud based obtainment programming. It can control the cost and lessen hazard in settling acquirement handle. The market of Global Procurement Software will achieve USD 9 Billion by 2023, and is required to develop at a CAGR of 10%.Get a Copy of Sample Report @E-obtainment Software can be worked in both on-preface and cloud based. This product empower association in supplanting challenges cause by receiving conventional obtainment prepare. Issues, for example, discovering right class of items, reasonable provider for improving the business, not able to discover the sum spent on buy, much measure of time is spent on non-esteem including exercises. What's more, the examination additionally shows that e-acquisition programming limits every one of these challenges confront by association, by giving precise arrangement. It involves components, for example, index administration, end-to-end obtainment cycle, order and endorsements, electronic information trade and keeping up association with providers as far as improvement in regards to contract and understanding. Moreover, the cloud based innovation, for example, programming as an administration (SaaS ) and stage as an administration (PaaS) will keep on boosting the market , and speak to a twofold digit compound yearly development rate. Additionally, by the use of these product different enterprises are being profited, particularly the one into inventory network and coordinations bolster.Key Players: International Business Machines Corporation (U.S.), Oracle Corporation (U.S.), Proactis (U.K.), SAP SE (Germany), Infor (U.S.), Coupa Software Inc. (U.S.), Epicor Software Corporation (U.S.), Zycus (U.S.), JDA Software Group, Inc. (U.S.), Cvent Inc. (U.S.), Mercateo (U.K.) among others.Study Objectives of Procurement Software Market: To give point by point investigation of the market structure alongside figure of the different fragments and sub-portions of the obtainment programming market. To give bits of knowledge about variables influencing the market development. To examine the obtainment programming market based doorman's five drive investigation and so forth. To give chronicled and estimate income of the market portions and sub-sections as for four fundamental topographies and their nations North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW). To give nation level investigation of the market as for the present market size and future forthcoming. To give nation level investigation of the market for fragment on the premise of arrangement, sort, association sort and vertical. To give vital profiling of key players in the market, exhaustively breaking down their center capabilities, and drawing an aggressive scene for the market. To track and investigate aggressive advancements, for example, joint endeavors, key organizations together, mergers and acquisitions, new item improvements, and research and improvements in the procurement software market.Browse Full Report Details @Segments:Procurement Software Market for segment on the basis of By Deployment, By Type, By Organization Type and By Vertical.Procurement Software Market by Deployment: On-Premise On-CloudProcurement Software Market by Type: Spend Analysis E-sourcing E-procurement Contract Management Supplier Management OthersProcurement Software Market by Organization Type: Small and Medium Size Large Business EnterprisesProcurement Software Market by Vertical: Retail Automotive Travel & Logistics Electronics IT & Telecommunication Mining OthersRegional Analysis:The regional analysis of procurement software market is being studied for region such as Asia pacific, North America, Europe and Rest of the World. North America region accounts for largest share in procurement software market owing to better network infrastructure, technological advancement and higher digitization across industries in logistics and support. Europe region is one of the prominent player in procurement software market due to increase adoption of e-procurement solution in supply chain management. Whereas, Asia Pacific is expected to grow with a highest CAGR by 2023.Intended Audience Investors and consultants System Integrators Government Organizations Research/Consultancy firms Technology solution providers IT Solution Providers Supply Chain & Logistics Organizations Original Equipment ManufacturersContinueWe are thankful for the support and assistance from Procurement Software Market Research Report- Global Forecast 2023 chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Hernia Repair Market 2022: Strong Development 8.5 Billion By 2022

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Market Research Future published a research report on Hernia Repair Market Research Report - Global Forecast to 2022  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2022.Hernia Repair Market information, by Hernia type (inguinal hernia, femoral hernia, umbilical hernia, incisional hernia, and others), by products (devices, consumables, and others), by surgery type (open hernia surgery, laparoscopy) - Forecast to 2022Hernia is a bulge of an organ through a powerless spot in the encompassing connective tissue called as a sash. There are a few sorts of hernia among which the most widely recognized are inguinal, incisional, and femoral. Hernia can be caused because of anything that causes an expansion in weight in the stomach area. There are some main considerations in the headways in the hernia repair, for example, move into strain free procedure that fuses the utilization of level sheets of work rather than sutures, reception of extensive pore networks, and the appropriation of laparoscopic surgeries rather than ordinary open strategy. Universally, the market is developing relentlessly and it is foreseen to demonstrate an exponential development coming to roughly $8.5 Billion in 2022.Get a Copy Sample Report@Key Players for Hernia Repair Market: ABISS, A.M.I. GmbH, Angiologica B.M., Aspide Medical, Atrium Medical Corporation, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Baxter Internationals, C. R. Bard, Inc. (Davol Inc), COOK MEDICAL INC., Cousin Biotech, Covidien (Medtronic), Ethicon, Integra LifeSciences Corporation, and others.Study Objectives of Hernia Repair Market: To give detail investigation of the market structure alongside gauge for the following 7 years of the different fragments and sub-portions of the hernia repair Market To give bits of knowledge about elements influencing the market development To break down the market in view of different elements value examination, inventory network investigation, doormen five drive investigation and so forth. To give recorded and estimate income of the market portions and sub-fragments regarding four primary 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 forthcoming To give nation level investigation of the market for fragments by hernia sort, by item, by surgery sort and its sub-sections. To give outline of key players and their key profiling in the market, thoroughly breaking down their center skills, and drawing an aggressive scene for the market To track and investigate focused improvements, for example, joint endeavors, vital collusions, mergers and acquisitions, new item advancements, and research and improvements in the worldwide hernia repair Market.Browse Full Report Details @Intended Audience Hernia Repair manufacturers and suppliers Contract Research Organizations (CROs) Research and Development (R&D) Companies Government & Independent Research Laboratories Government and Independent Regulatory Authorities Market Research and Consulting Service Providers Academic Institutes and UniversitiesSegments:Hernia Repair market has been segmented on the basis of hernia type which comprises inguinal hernia, femoral hernia, umbilical hernia, incisional hernia, epigastric hernia, hiatal hernia. On the basis of product, the market is segmented into devices, consumables, others. Consumables are further divided into synthetic material and biological material. On the basis of surgery type, market is segmented into open hernia surgery, laparoscopy.Regional Analysis of Hernia Repair Market:Considering the global scenario of the market, America is believed to be the largest market for Hernia Repair. Moreover the European market is also growing continuously and slowly catching up with the American market. On the other hand, Asia-Pacific market is expected to grow at the fastest pace in the Hernia Repair segment during the forecasted period. Middle East & Africa region are likely to have a limited but steady growth in the market.The report for Hernia Repair 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.ContinueWe are thankful for the support and assistance from Hernia Repair Market Research Report - Global Forecast to 2022 chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Malignant Neoplasm Therapeutics Market: Global Outlook and Competitive Dynamics 2024

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Malignant neoplasm is believed to be one of the extended conditions of neoplasm. It is a form of cancer that develops an abnormal growth of tissues usually leading to the formation of a tumor. The primary cause of this disease is understood as damaging of DNA under certain circumstances that further escalates to a stage of cancer. The very beginning of malignant neoplasm is the occurrence of abnormal patterns of growth in the tissue known as dysplasia or metaplasia.Obtain the Report Details for Malignant Neoplasm Therapeutics Market:Higher Prevalence of Malignant Neoplasm in Geriatric Population Driving the Market GrowthThe global cancer incidences have increased to a considerable number over the past few decades owing to a rise in the geriatric population, increasing life expectancy and changing lifestyle. In addition, factors such as advanced cancer diagnostics and early initiation of the treatment are fuelling the global malignant neoplasm therapeutics market. Development of targeted therapies are revolutionizing the conventional concepts of cancer treatment and are likely to get higher preference in the coming years. Moreover, a higher success ratio of these latest cancer drugs compared to traditional anti-carcinogenic treatment is expected to further drive the market growth in the near future. These latest drugs are capable of countering more than one type of cancer. For example imatinib, which was first developed for treating a single type of cancer was later found effective on multiple cancer types.Novelty in cancer treatment has significantly influenced the present treatment models. However, a complete cure for the disease is still not ascertained. Further, many of the advanced treatment models are often expensive and only available in developed regions of the world. In some case, delay in integration of the novel drugs into current treatment methods limit the options for the patient. Other factors such as price risk and credibility of the drugs are few of the other concerns for the market.Over the years, the subject of oncology has received paramount attention from biomedical researchers, health care experts and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Owing to a severe need for effective treatment of cancer, heavy investments are being made in further research and development of the particular subject. Many of the pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis International AG and Pfizer Inc. are introducing a range of anti-carcinogenic drugs under their brand names promising to be more efficient. The global malignant neoplasm treatment market has become increasingly competitive in the recent years with more player joining in. Currently, most drug manufacturers offer two primary cancer therapeutic programs, namely cytostatic hormonal treatments and antineoplastics.Malignant Neoplasm Therapeutics Market: Regional SegmentationOn the basis of region, the global malignant neoplasm therapeutics market has been segmented into six key regions namely North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. North America is considered as one of the largest market of malignant neoplasm therapeutics owing to a strong presence of drug manufacturers in the region and availability of advanced healthcare facilities. In terms of value, the U.S accounts for a healthy portion of the global malignant neoplasm therapeutics market attributed to the growing demand for cancer treatment in the country. In addition, Europe is one of the other regions where the market is growing at a considerable rate and is expected to continue a similar in trend in the coming years.Request for the Sample Report:Key PlayersFew of the key players identified in the global malignant neoplasm therapeutics market include F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Novartis International AG, Sanofi S.A., AstraZeneca plc, Eli Lilly and Company, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, Pfizer Inc. Bayer AG, Amgen, AbbVie Inc and Celgene Corporation.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:
Opioid Induced Side Effects Treatment Market Forecast to 2024 with Share & Growth Projections in Key Product Segments

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Opioid Induced Side Effects Treatment Market: OverviewOpioids are strong analgesics that are highly addictive in nature. These are narcotic medications, which are to be administered cautiously to prevent serious side effects. Opioids are recommended for severe pain, which is not expected to be relieved effectively by normal analgesics. The opioid class of painkillers includes codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphonw, methadone, meperidine, morphine and oxycodone. These opioids are available as single drug product as well as in combination with other analgesic such as oxycodone in combination with acetiaminophen. As these drugs attach to specific proteins called opioid receptors present in brain, spinal cord, gastrointestinal tract and other parts of the body, it can negatively affect these organs if taken for a longer term.Obtain the Report Details for Opioid Induced Side Effects Treatment Market:Opioids can cause various side effects such as nausea, constipation, interruption in the CNS functions, prutitis, hyperalgesia, seizures, hallucination and respiratory depression. Long-term use or abuse of opioids can depress respiration and may lead to death if continued. Certain identified opioid induced side effects treatment options to minimize adverse events include dose reduction, symptomatic management and opioid rotation. Physicians support the clinical use of opioid rotation in which, one opioid is exchanged for the other to improve pain control or manage the adverse effects. Symptomatic management includes administration of drugs providing relief from the various side effects.Opioid Induced Side Effects Treatment Market: SegmentationThe opioid induced side effects treatment market is categorized based on the side effects caused by opioids and the medications used to treat or reduce the intensity of those side effects. Therefore, based on the side effects, the global opioid induced side effects treatment market is segmented as medications for nausea, constipation, CNS adverse effects and pruritis. Medications for treating opioid induced nausea include antihistamines, antipsychotics and related agents, prokinetic agents and serotonin antagonists. Medications for opioid induced constipation include methylcellulose, polycarbophil, psyllium, lactulose, polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, magnesium citrate, bisacodyl, docusate sodium and senna. Medications for opioid induced CNS adverse effects include haloperidol, risperidone, dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate. Medications for opioid induced pruritis include antihistamines such as cetrizine, diphenhydramine, fexofenadine, hydroxyzine and loratadine. Some of the other recommended treatment drugs include buprenorphine and naloxone.Rising drug abuse and further research development in this field leading to introduction of new products would drive the global opioid induced side effects treatment market. In April 2014, the FDA approved naloxone (Evzio) as an autoinjector dosage form for home use by family members or caregivers.Opioid Induced Side Effects Treatment Market: Region-wise OutlookBased on geography, the global opioid induced side effects treatment market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. North America leads the global opioid induced side effects treatment market owing to higher drug abuse levels in this region which demands the need for treatment of the side effects induced by opioids. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention death due to opioid overdose rose from 4,030 deaths in 1999 to 16,651 in 2010. In addition, nearly 60% of the overall drug overdose deaths in 2010 (22,134) in the U.S., was on account of pharmaceutical drugs of which opioid drugs were the reason for three out of every four pharmaceutical overdose deaths. Thus, the need for prevention and control has been recognized in the U.S. healthcare market. However, the Asia-Pacific opioid induced side effects treatment market is expected to grow at a faster rate owing to rising drug abuses in this region which is alarming the need for treating the drug induced side effects.Request for the Sample Report:Some of the key players in the global opioid induced side effects treatment market include AstraZeneca plc, S.L.A. Pharma AG, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and AIKO Biotechnology, Inc.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:
Pulp and Paper Sector to Drive Chelating Agents Market Growth Over 2016-2024, APAC to be a Strong Ground

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According to Global Market Insights, Inc., Chelating Agents market is poised to exceed a revenue of USD 5 billion by 2024, with a CAGR of more than 3% over the period of 2016-2024.Mandatory regulations regarding industrial cleanliness and growing awareness about household microbes due to unclean surfaces will likely propel the overall chelating agents market. The product finds significant application in the manufacturing of household and industrial detergents.Government initiatives regarding improvement of hygiene, along with rapid developments of synthetic laundry and liquid detergents will augment the growth. Increasing population and enhancing living standards will further catalyze the global detergents industry, hence driving the chelating agents market.Request for a sample of this report @Rising awareness pertaining to water treatment will also drive the chelating agents market in the upcoming period. With various regulatory bodies at different levels including the EPA, ASTM, REACH, Energy & Environmental Affairs (EEA), European Environment Agency, National Science Foundation (NSF), etc.mandating industrial waste water treatment, the product demand in water treatment chemicals will increase significantly. Chelating agents, such as citric acid, have good water softening properties and find varied applications in treatment of waste water. Water treatment chemicals industry was worth more than USD 25 billion in 2015 and will likely reach USD 40 billion in 2024.Non-biodegradable nature of petrochemical chelating agents such as EDTA, DTPA, and HEDP, are harmful to the environment and the biotic species. These chemicals are extensively found in discharges after water treatment in various industries and percolate through the top soil to contaminate the groundwater by mobilizing the dissolved heavy metals from their solid phases. The harmful effects of the chemicals may hinder market development.Browse key industry insights spread across 130 pages with 152 market data tables & 14 figures & charts from the report, Chelating Agents Market Size By Product (Aminopolycarboxylic Acid [APCA], Sodium Gluconate, Organophosphates), By Application (Pulp & Paper, Household & Industrial Cleaning, Agrochemicals, Water Treatment, Chemical Processing, Consumer Products), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, GCC), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2024 in detail along with the table of contents:Chelating agents market has been categorized into aminopolycarboxylic acid, commonly called as APCA, sodium gluconate, organophosphates, and others such as EDTA, etc. In 2015, APCA products generated more than USD 1.5 billion and will likely flourish by around 3.5% CAGR in the forecast spell. These products are modifiable to act towards the desired metal ions present in hard waters.Bioderived sodium gluconate will likely gain the market owing to its eco-friendly and non-toxic nature. This product segment accounted for over 35% of the overall chelating agents market in 2015.The product application segment has been classified into pulp & paper, water treatment, agrochemicals, household & industrial cleaning, consumer products, chemical processing, and others. Pulp & paper application segment for bleaching, whitening, pulping, and descaling of the end products generated beyond USD 1 billion in 2015. Growing demand for recycled paper products will augment the overall chelating agents market growth.Water treatment chemicals accounted for less than a tenth of the total chelating agents market in 2015, but will have a fast growth owing to strict government regulations regarding waste water treatment and reclamation of industrial waste water.Prevalence of several paper & pulp industries and agrochemical industries in China, India, and south east Asian countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, etc. has rendered Asia Pacific a significant region for chelating agents market growth. Growing awareness about hygiene among the huge populations of China and India will likely enhance the product application in detergents and cleaners manufactured in this region. In 2015, Asia Pacific had more than 40% of the overall chelating agents market share.Chelating agents market competitive landscape is fragmented with the presence of numerous manufacturing companies including AkzoNobel, BASF SE, Mitsubishi Rayon, Kemira Oyj, Archer Daniels Midland, EMD Millipore, Lanxess, Tate & Lyle, Sigma-Aldrich, Dabeer, Cargill Inc, Dow Chemical Company, Nagase ChemteX, AVA Chemicals, and Shandong IRO.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.com
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Market Trends, Regulations And Competitive Landscape Outlook Upto 2024

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Global Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Market: OverviewObsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may be defined as an anxiety disorder that is characterized by unreasonable and uncontrollable thoughts and fears that lead an individual to perform repetitive behaviors. Obsessive-compulsive disorder compels a person to get stuck on a particular thought or fear. For example, a person afraid of contamination may wash his/her hands repetitively in an order to make sure his/her hands are clean. Likewise, a person may check a gas stove multiple times to be sure that its really turned off. Usually people affected with obsessive-compulsive disorder possess both obsessions as well as compulsions; however, in many cases individuals may have either obsessions or compulsions.Obtain the Report Details for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Market:Some common thoughts that usually pop up in mind of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder are fear of being contaminated by germs or dirt, excessive thinking about religious or moral ideas, superstitions, having things orderly or symmetrical, doubts that stove is turned off and thoughts of hurting oneself or others. These thoughts cause people with obsessive-compulsive disorder to perform actions like repeatedly checking of things such as locks and switches; repeatedly reciting certain words with intent to reduce anxiety, ordering or arranging things and accumulating wastes like newspaper, wine bottles or empty food containers. The exact causes of OCD are not known, however, some possible reasons may include differences in brain structure and genetic factors.The treatment involves psychotherapy as well as medication. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a specific type of psychotherapy that has been useful in treating people with OCD. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) teaches a person multiple ways of thinking, reacting and handling a particular situation. Most commonly used medications for treating OCD include antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. A child suffering from PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections) is prescribed antibiotics for treating strep infections and SSRI medicines (citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, sertraline and paroxetine).Global Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Market: TrendsThe market for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is expected to grow globally under the influence of high prevalence of OCD and life style changes causing changes in thinking processes. According to International OCD Foundation, approximately 2-3 million adults are living with OCD in the United States. The International OCD Foundation also states that nearly 500,000 American children have OCD. A large number of cases of OCD go unreported as many people are not aware that there is any such specific disease. Also, many people hide their illness in order to avoid embarrassment.Global Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the market for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). North America was the largest regional market in 2013, followed by Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). One of the major factors responsible for North Americas leading position in this particular market is well established health coverage in the region and high level of awareness regarding the illness. In Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW) regions, the market is expected to grow in coming future owing rise in prevalence of people with OCD and increasing wareness regarding the disease. Japan, China, India, Australia and New Zealand are the most potential markets in the Asia-Pacific region.Request for the Sample Report:Global Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Market: Key PlayersSome major companies and research institutions that are extensively engaged in the development, manufacturing and marketing of OCD drugs include Abbott Laboratories, Pfizer Ltd., Merck & Co., Sanofi, Novartis AG, University of South Florida, Ortho-McNeil Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC and Indiana University.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:
Uveal Melanoma Market: Present Scenario and the Growth Prospects 2024

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Global Uveal Melanom Market: OverviewUvea is present posterior to sclera and the cornea and has three parts namely, iris, ciliary body and choroid. Uveal melanoma is referred as the cancer of the parts of eye including the iris choroid and ciliray body. It is the condition in which the tumors arise from the melanocytes residing within the uva responsible for the color of the eye. Though is a rare condition, it is most common type of intraocular malignancy in adults. The uveal melanoma treatment depends on various factors most important being the size of the tumor. This type of melanoma is completely asymptomatic in the initial stages. On enlargement of tumor with time, certain changes may be observed such as distortion of pupil, decreased visibility due to secondary retinal detachment and blurred vision. Risk factors for this kind of cancer include fair complexion, blue, and green or light colored eyes, and older age. The role of inherited genetic mutation in uveal melanoma is yet unknown. According to the American Cancer Society, about nine of 10 melanomas of the eye develop in the choroid. The society also reports about 2,730 new cases in 2014 of uveal melanoma in the U.S.Obtain the Report Details for Uveal Melanoma Market:Global Uveal Melanom Market: Segment OutlookThe global uveal melanoma market can be segmented based on diagnostic tests, therapy type, location type and geography. Location type can be further classified as iris melanoma, choroid melanoma and ciliary melanoma. Primary treatment involves enucleation i.e. removal of the affected eye. However this has now been replaced by radiation therapies such as plaque brachytherapy in the developed countries. Other types of treatment include external beam proton therapy, transpupillary thermotherapy, surgical resection techniques (transretinal endoresection and trans-scleral partial choroidectomy), gamma knife stereotactic surgery and also combination of these modalities. For small size tumors, the treatment available includes photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy, and local resection. The selection of appropriate treatment largely depends on the size and location of the tumor; associated ocular findings; the status of the fellow eye; and individual factors, including age, life expectancy, quality of life issues, concurrent systemic diseases and patient expectations.Diagnosis of uveal melanoma consists of careful examination of the eye by an experienced clinician. Clinical manifestations include tumor thickness more than 2 mm, sub retinal fluid, and orange pigment on the tumor surface. Various ancillary diagnostic tests include ultrasonography, high resolution ultrasound biomicroscopy, indocyanine green angiography, fluorescein angiography and oclular coherence tomography. Eye exams include ophthalmoscopy, slit-lamp biomicrocopy and gonioscopy. Eye examination is carried out by dilation of pupil with the help of medicated drops allowing doctors to visualize the parts of eye clearly through lens. Biopsy is a rarely used diagnostic test for intraocular melanoma. Regular eye examinations by an ophthalmologist are the best way to find uveal melanoma early, when chances for successful treatment are the highest.Request for the Sample Report:Global Uveal Melanom Market: TrendsThe treatment for such metastasis disease is continuously demanding more research to determine the most effective, and life saving treatments. Extensive research is being carried out in areas of immunotherapy and targeted therapy. Ipilimumab is one such example of immunotherapy shown to help people with advanced melanoma to boost the overall immunity; however its benefits are still under clinical trials for eye melanoma. Other similar drugs under investigation include nivolumab and lambrolizumab. Selumetinib is an example of targeted drug known to slow down the growth of eye melanoma. Other targeted drugs under investigation include vemurafenib, dabrafenib and trametinib amongst various others. Astra Zeneca plc, Eli Lilly & Co., Pfizer, Inc. Novartis AG, and Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc., are few key players contributing to the global uveal melanoma market.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Bioprocess Technology Market Segmentation and Analysis Research Report to 2024

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Global Bioprocess Technology Market: OverviewThe global bioprocess technology market is forecast to report a strong growth between 2016 and 2024. Besides the expansion of pharmaceutical industries across emerging nations, the market is seemingly gaining from the higher research and development funding. Furthermore, as pharmaceutical giants focus on their core competencies they are more likely to outsource a few crucial operations to vendors with expertise. This would further give impetus to the global bioprocess technology market.Obtain the Report Details for Bioprocess Technology Market:The report provides a detailed assessment of the market covering growth drivers, major restraints, and opportunities. It has segmented the market based on various parameters for the purpose of the study. The effect of Porters five forces on the overall market is studied in detail as well.Global Bioprocess Technology Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe bioprocess technology market is majorly gaining from the growth witnessed in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Given the scenario, the industry now witnesses rising research funding, novel drug launches, and increasing government support. These, coupled with the increasing incidence of chronic ailments, will keep the demand for bioprocess technologies high through the reports forecast period.Besides this, the market is also looking forward to the rapid growth in pharmaceutical and biotechnologies industries to gain more business. Rising R&D activities supported by favorable government policies are direct results of expansion witnessed in the pharmaceutical industry. Launch of novel therapeutics will ensue the trend. These factors will have a positive impact on the overall market thus helping it gain higher. Also the market will gain from the increasing pharmaceutical outsourcing to vendors operating in the bioprocess technology market.Global Bioprocess Technology Market: Regional OutlookRegionally, Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World constitute the key segments in the global bioprocess technology market. Among these, North America exhibited highly lucrative opportunities till 2016 and the trend is likely to continue through the reports forecast period. As the region exhibits increasing demand for high quality biologics and the top players domiciled therein increase research funding, the bioprocess technology market in North America will continue showing steep rise.Likewise in Asia Pacific the market is expected to witness highly lucrative opportunities. Benefiting from the growing pharmaceutical industry and investments by key market players, the demand for bioprocess technologies will rise in Asia Pacific. Besides this, the market players in the region are also gaining from the rising outsourcing to Asian countries and easy availability of academic excellence in Asia Pacific.Request for the Sample Report:Global Bioprocess Technology Market: Vendor LandscapePolicies adopted by prominent companies have a significant impact on the overall market. The report therefore profiles some of the leading enterprises and studies the impact of their latest marketing strategies, mergers and acquisitions, and product launches. For the purpose of the study, a detailed overview of their product portfolio is mentioned as well. The strengths and weaknesses of the companies profiled are analyzed using SWOT analysis, which also presents insights into opportunities and threats these companies could face during the forecast period.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:
Lab Informatics Market Report Analysis and Forecast Upto 2026

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Global Lab Informatics Market: SnapshotThe rise of the global lab informatics market is attributable to both, the increasing rate of diagnoses and soaring technological advancements that have introduced improved tools. Furthermore, the widening application of lab informatics solutions in industries such as the food and beverage, chemical, research and development, life sciences, and contract research is expected to have a positive impact on the global market. The phenomenal accuracy and efficiency of results offered by the systems available in the global lab informatics market are projected to benefit growth prospects in the coming years.Obtain the Report Details for Lab Informatics Market:Transparency Market Research has compiled a thorough research report that discusses the global lab informatics market in complete detail. The research report highlights the market drivers, opportunities, threats, and weaknesses impacting the overall market. Furthermore, the document also includes SWOT analysis and Porters five forces analysis that gives a granular view of the ever-changing market dynamics. The publication is aimed at guiding its readers to formulate strategic, profitable, and well-informed decisions to further their businesses.Global Lab Informatics Market: SegmentationThe global market offers products such as laboratory information management systems (LIMS), electronic lab notebooks (ELN), scientific data management systems, enterprise content management (ECM), and chromatography data systems. The report indicates that LIMS is expected to lead the global market in the coming years as the system truly offers a wide range of features such as sample lifecycle, reporting, security and system administration, stability study, instrument, schedule, and analytic workflow. These features have definitely brought in value to the product, which has translated into effective delivery of results.Integration of IT in lab informatics has augmented the demand for cloud-based services in the global market over the past few years. The ease of real-time data entry and remote access have won cloud-based delivery mode a significant consumer base. Its most likely that this segment will lead the global market leaving behind the on-premise delivery mode segment.Global Lab Informatics Market: Regional OutlookCurrently, the global lab informatics market is divided into regions such as Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. The report indicates that North America will dominate the global market in the coming years. The indomitable stance of this regional market will be due to the strong presence of the leading giants in North America, higher level of awareness about diseases and diagnosing them, and well-equipped end users for LIMS. It has been observed that increasing funding for research and development activities in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry of North America is also projected to boost the market in the coming years.Currently, Asia Pacific is also presenting the lab informatics market with incredible growth opportunities. The regions increasing need to improve its research and development facilities, emerging economies with flourishing industry, and several unmet medical needs are expected to favor Asia Pacific lab informatics market in the near future.Request for the Sample Report:Key Players Mentioned in the Report are:Some of the leading players in the global lab informatics market are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., LabVantage Solutions, Inc., LabWare, Inc., LLC, Core Informatics, LabLynx, Inc., Abbott Informatics, PerkinElmer, Inc., ID Business Solutions Ltd., Waters Corporation, and Agilent Technologies, Inc. These players are fervently focused on advancing their research laboratories with the best of technical knowledge, IT integration, and affordable pricing to lure in larger consumer bases.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:
Transfusion Diagnostics Market Opportunities and Growth Forecast Upto 2024

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Blood transfusion is a process of receiving blood products or blood into the circulatory system intravenously. Blood transfusion is used in different medical conditions for replacement of lost component in the blood. Earlier blood transfusion included whole blood; however, modern medical methods can use only a component of blood for transfusion. Blood transfusion is among the most common procedures used for patients in hospitals. Hence, it becomes imperative that clinicians have knowledge about the appropriate administration of blood products, along with the symptoms, signs, and transfusion reaction management. Different blood products that can be transfused in the human body are red blood cells, platelets, plasma, albumin, and immunoglobulin preparations.Obtain the Report Details for Transfusion Diagnostics Market:The blood transfusion process is as follows: blood sample is taken and sent to hospital laboratory where tests are performed to ensure that the donor blood is compatible with patient's blood. This process is called cross-matching. Risks associated with blood transfusion are viral infections, allergic reactions, fever, hemolytic reactions, and iron overload. Everything possible should be done to reduce these risks during blood transfusion. Hence, before blood transfusion, several steps are taken to ensure the quality of blood products, compatibility, and safety to the recipient. A definite diagnosis is required for both the donor and recipient blood. Red blood cells are the most common blood products to be transfused. One of the transfusion diagnostics incudes molecular blood group diagnostics. Molecular blood group diagnostic enables safer blood preservation and on-demand supply for patients who have antibodies against clinically relevant, rare or weak antigens. Blood group serology is another blood transfusion diagnostic used to avoid side effects caused due to administration of incorrect blood preservatives or immunizations.Based on type, the transfusion diagnostics market can be segmented into instruments, reagents and others. In terms of application, the market can be segmented into blood grouping, disease screening, and others. Based on distribution channel, the market can be segmented into hospitals, laboratories, blood banks, plasma fractionation facilities, military blood banks, and others. Blood banks and hospitals are the major segments of the transfusion diagnostics market.Increasing prevalence of diseases which require complete blood transfusion is one of the major drivers of the transfusion diagnostics market. Rising number of accidents due to road rash or other reasons which lead to blood loss is also likely to propel the market. Another factor driving the transfusion diagnostics market is the rising emergency situations for blood transfusions during surgical blood loss. Rising number of diseases due to improper blood transfusion without diagnosis of blood also fuels the growth of the transfusion diagnostics market. Alternative treatments and better techniques for blood transfusion are the major restraints of the transfusion diagnostics market. More advanced, efficient, and reliable transfusion diagnostic techniques are expected to create significant opportunities in the market.Geographically, the transfusion diagnostics market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounted for the largest share of the blood transfusion diagnostics market owing to increasing health care awareness and technological advancement in the region. Europe is the second largest market for blood transfusion diagnostics due to large geriatric population in the region. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market for blood transfusion diagnostics due to increasing adoption of improved health care technologies, emerging health care infrastructure, and rising accidents, diseases, and other emergency situations which require blood transfusion.Request for the Sample Report:Major players in the blood transfusion diagnostics market include Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter, Quotient Limited, Novartis AG, Abbott Diagnostics, Diagast, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Immucor, Inc., BAG Health Care, DiaSorin, Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc., Grifols, S.A., Hologic/Gen-Probe, Biokit, Bio-Rad Laboratories, and Quidel Corporation.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:
Hospital Infectious Disease Testing Market Set to Grow Exponentially by 2024

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Hospital infectious disease testing is a procedure to identify hospital acquired/related infections. Hospital infections are among the most prominent challenges faced by health care delivery systems across the globe. Hospital infectious diseases are considered a significant cause of death globally. These are acquired while receiving health care treatment. Hospital infectious diseases tests are performed by health care professionals, especially clinical laboratory technicians, for the diagnosis of infections..Obtain the Report Details for Hospital Infectious Disease Testing Market:Based on test type, the global hospital infectious disease testing market has been broadly segmented into:Urinary tract infection (UTI)Surgical site InfectionPneumoniaBloodstream infectionMRSAOthersThe UTI segment accounted for the major share of the hospital infectious disease testing market, followed by surgical site infections and pneumonia. Hospital infectious diseases are required to be closely monitored due to increase in antimicrobial resistance in some regions. Automated urine microscopy is the most preferred diagnostic tool adopted by clinical technicians for UTI. Prevalence of pneumonia and deaths associated with it are increasing gradually. Other hospital infections include cardiovascular, systemic, joint and bone, respiratory, and ENT (enteric) infections.The hospital infectious disease testing market has experienced strong growth in the last decade due to factors such as increased awareness about growth in the incidence of infections globally and development of innovative prevention and treatment solutions. Major factors driving the market are establishment of quality government guidelines and uniform code for prevention of hospital infectious diseases. Lack of funding and skilled manpower in developing countries and lack of stringent guidelines and framework to control the morbidity rate of hospital infections are restraining the hospital infectious disease testing market. Lack of controlling authorities and controlling programs in lesser developed regions is another major factor hampering market growth. Technological development of molecular diagnostics and passage of the Patient Care and Affordable Care Act in the U.S. are likely to offer significant opportunities in the market in the near future.Geographically, the global hospital infectious disease testing market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounted for the largest share of the market due to growing patient awareness, favorable initiatives taken by the federal government, and large number of market players based in the region. The hospital infectious disease testing market in Europe is mature due to presence of strong and active hospital infection control and prevention authorities and guidelines such as the NHS in the U.K. Moreover, Europe is considered the hub for the global geriatric population. It is observed that geriatrics are more prone to various infections. This is likely to increase demand in Europe. Asia Pacific is a lucrative market for hospital infectious disease testing products as the overall prevalence of the infections in this region is high. Moreover, stringent guidelines have been set for the prevention and control of such conditions in the health care infrastructure in this region. Countries such as China, India, Japan, Thailand, Australia, and the Philippines are expected to be the major contributors to the hospital infectious disease testing market in Asia Pacific. Latin America and Middle East & Africa are considered the emerging markets for hospital infectious disease testing. This is attributed to increasing investment by governments for effective health care infrastructure in the region.Request for the Sample Report:Key players operating in the hospital infectious disease testing market include Abbott Laboratories, Alere, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (Life Technologies Corporation), Becton, Dickinson and Company, bioMerieux SA, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Hologic, Inc., Siemens Healthineers, Diatherix Laboratories, Inc., Meridian Bioscience, Inc., Cepheid, Inc., and QIAGEN.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:
Air Ambulance Services Market Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast To 2025

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Ambulance services are vital for transportation in case of medical emergencies. Efficient ambulance services has led to on-time medical attention for accident victims or patients with chronic illness, emergency medication situations, etc. Air ambulances are armed with innovative medical equipment and accessories, along with skilled medical crew trained in providing initial emergency medical care to patients. Air ambulance provides the advantages over the issue of prolonged travel durations and limited remote areas reach that are faced in road ambulance services. The Federal Aviation Administration has laid down strict safety guidelines for air ambulance services. Air ambulance services are equipped with advanced life care services (ALS). Earlier, the use of ambulances were primarily in the battlefield; however, with rising incidence of several severe medical situations coupled with advanced innovation in ambulances, their utilization also started for transportation to-and-from hospitals of critical patients. Air ambulance services directly transport patients from their residence or place of accident to the health care establishment such as multispecialty hospitals.Obtain the Report Details for Air Ambulance Services Market:On-board medical assistance, favorable policies for reimbursement, rising governmental focus for enhancing the emergency care standards, demand for better emergency health care services are expected to drive the global air ambulance services market. However, operational constraints, high costs, and air ambulance accidental incidences are projected to restrain the global air ambulance services market. High initial capital investments are expected to arrest the entry of new entrants in the market. Superior technological advancements in the on-board medical treatments have attracted the attention of major market players, and increasing number of service providers is expected to serve as huge opportunity for the growth of the global air ambulance services market. The need for maximizing the use of air ambulance assets to offer better emergency care and generation of more profitable returns is anticipated to fuel the growth of the market.The global air ambulance services market has been segmented based on service type, transport vehicle type, and region. In terms of service type, the market has been classified into hospital services, community services, and other services. Based on transport vehicle type, the market has been segmented into helicopters, aircraft/airplane, and sea-planes. The aircraft segment has been further bifurcated into rotary wing aircraft and fixed wing aircraft. Helicopters offer certain advantages such as comparatively smaller take-off/ground area and ease in landing. These advantages are expected to reflect in increasing market share of the segment.In terms of region, the global air ambulance services market has been segmented into five regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to show continual growth owing to rising adoption of advanced health care infrastructure to create health care system experience safer and less strenuous and growing number of multispecialty hospitals. North America is projected to dominate the global air ambulance services market due to greater insurance coverage for air ambulance facilities and rising adoption of air medical transport facilities. However, inadequate number of aircrafts for emergency transport and lack of health care air services infrastructure in emerging countries are the key challenges in the development of the global air ambulance services market in developing countries.Increasing health expenditure per capita attributed to improving economic conditions, enhanced access to efficient emergency treatment, rising prevalence rate of cardiovascular diseases worldwide, proper reimbursement policies, increasing number of multinational hospitals equipped with proper air-ambulance services, strategic collaborative initiatives from major market players, and improving medical infrastructure in rural regions are fueling the growth of the global air ambulance services market.Request for the Sample Report:Key players in the global air ambulance services market are Envision Healthcare Companies, Falck Danmark A/S, Rural/Metro Corporation, Air Methods, Acadian, AMR Air Ambulance, AirMed International, Express Aviation Services, and Lifeguard Air Ambulance, among others.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:
Classified Platform Market to Incur Rapid Extension During 2016 - 2024

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In the past, classified ads were part of newspapers which offered advertisers cheap, small type notices arranged under specific categories. The media industry has witnessed switch from print media to digital media and has proven itself quite lucrative for classified platform players. Growing number of sites are providing specialized classified marketplaces online catering to niche categories including products and services such as boats, pianos, pets, and adult services. Classified platforms market includes both business to consumer (B2C) and consumer to consumer (C2C) categories. Despite of several advancements in the online classified platforms, the market is currently at a nascent stage due to large of consumers spending time on the print media; however, with increasing internet subscribers and growing number of subscribers on social media, the market for online classified platform is expected to hold promising revenue opportunity during the forecast period.Get access to full summary @:Online advertising of a particular product or service through classified platforms enables consumer to explore and compare a particular product or service in a better way than print advertising. Few of the classified platforms also provides 360 degree view of products which enables consumers to better understand the dimension and esthetics of a product, thereby enhancing consumers experience. Moreover, with the proliferation of business applications on mobile platforms, classified ads platforms is providing greater opportunity to both buyers and sellers in terms of saving time and cost.As classified advertisement platforms do not charge for posting an advertisement, few of the classified platform websites displays clutter of information and lack of genuine content. This is acting as a challenge for classified platforms market. Leading players in this market need to focus on building intelligent processes in order to have genuine content without comprising scale of their business.Segmentation of Classified Platform market on the basis of ad models:Horizontal Model:This model offers a wide range of categories such as mobiles, electronics & accessories, cars, bikes, furniture, pets, books, fashion, jobs, real estate, and home services. Although, horizontal players are capable enough to drive large audience base on their platforms, they often lack specialized product offering.Vertical Model:Vertical model focuses on single categories such as cars and real estate. Usually these kind of business models charge consumers to for listing their products on the platforms. Vertical model comprises advertisements of all the entities in the ecosystem of a particular industry.Classified Platforms Market: Key DealsOn January 2016, Quikr acquired online real estate portal Commonfloor.com for US$ 200 millionOn December 2015, OLX, Inc. raised US$ 13.5 million in series B round of fundingCountries in Europe region such as France and Norway are witnessing increasing popularity for horizontal classified model. Most of the consumer in the Europe are using classified platforms for searching second hand merchandise across a range of categories. Countries such as U.K and Germany have witnessed increased popularity for online classified with vertical business models.In the North America and Latin America regions, the market of online classified is yet to go as a mainstream business. Few of the enterprises in the countries such as the U.S. and Brazil, prefer advertising their product or service on print media as against online digital media.Although overall e-commerce market in Asia-Pacific region is booming, online classified platform market is witnessing moderate growth. In countries such as China and India, the online classified ad penetration is low, primarily due to presence of this platforms in only tier 1 and tier 2 cities.A sample of this report is available upon request @Craigslist Inc., Finn.no, Gumtree (ebay), Quikr India Private Limited (Commonfloor.com), OLX, Inc., Rightmove plc, Backpage.com are some of the key player of global classified platform market.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems Market Report Demand, Supply and Forecast 2022

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems 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 Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems 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, coveringNexteer AutomobileTRWJTEKT CorporationBoschNSK Motion&ControlShowa CorporationThyssenkruppMando CorporationBeijing Hainanchuan Automotive Parts Co.Tri-ring GroupElite Electro MechanicalZhejiang Shibao Holding GroupHyundai MOBISMore information about this report atBy types, the market can be split intoColumn TypePinion-and-rack TypeDouble pinion TypeBall screw TypeBy Application, the market can be split intoPassenger CarsCommercial VehicleBy 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 Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems4 Global Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems Overall Market Overview5 Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems Regional Market Analysis6 Global 2011-2017E Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems Segment Market Analysis (by Type)7 Global 2011-2017E Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems Segment Market Analysis (by Application)8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems8.1 Alstom8.1 Nexteer Automobile8.1.1 Company Profile8.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.1.2.1 Product A8.1.2.2 Product B8.1.3 Nexteer Automobile 2016 Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.1.4 Nexteer Automobile 2016 Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems Business Region Distribution Analysis8.2 TRW8.2.1 Company Profile8.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.2.2.1 Product A8.2.2.2 Product B8.2.3 TRW 2016 Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.2.4 TRW 2016 Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems Business Region Distribution AnalysisDiscount on report purchase at9 Development Trend of Analysis of Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems Market10 Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems Marketing Type Analysis11 Consumers Analysis of Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems12 Conclusion of the Global Automotive Electric Powered Steering Systems 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
SPRINGFIELD State Representative Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego) filed new legislation Wednesday, House Bill 4080 , to prohibit governments from suing taxpayers and job creators for damages simply for exercising their constitutional right to challenge the legality of a tax.

The bill filing comes in response to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkles retaliation against the men and women of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) seeking $17 million in damages for the one-month delay in implementing the controversial Cook County soda tax after a judge issued an injunction in response to IRMAs legal challenge to the tax, originally scheduled to go into effect on July 1

Although Preckwinkle has withdrawn her motion to seek damages against IRMA, Wheeler believes this legislation is necessary to prevent even the threat of such action in the future.

Some reports indicate that Preckwinkle only withdrew her motion because another court ruled in her favor. That sends the signal that this chilling tactic could be used to punish or suppress those who might question tax policy in the future, Wheeler said in a statement.

Imagine a local small business grocer, family restaurant, hamburger stand, or theater owner being driven out of business by their own local government leaders who are suing the small business owner because he or she had the audacity to ask the courts if a new tax, that the local government was forcing the business to collect from its customers, was actually constitutional, Wheeler said. No one should be able to be sued by their own government for asking the courts if a tax they are forced to collect is constitutional.

Specifically, Representative Wheelers House Bill 4080 prohibits a local government entity from seeking damages in connection with a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction based upon a constitutional challenge to a tax.

I have filed this legislation in order to protect Illinois small businesses and taxpayers from a vengeful government seeking to punish them for exercising their constitutional rights, Representative Wheeler added. This is an issue that crosses partisan political lines. I am very optimistic that Democrat and Republican colleagues alike will join me in advancing this bill toward becoming law.
Global Electrophoresis Reagents Market, Industry Analysis,Trends & Forecast 2017 - 2022

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Electrophoresis is a biotechnological technique developed to aid in study of biochemical proteins. It is utilized for several analytical techniques employed in biochemistry for segregating molecules or particles based on their size, charge they carry, or the binding affinity.Request For Sample Report :The market is driven by increased use of electrophoresis in therapeutics, basic research and commercial applications. However, stringent regulations are expected to inhibit market growth. Increasing research and development activities in various industries are expected to act as opportunities for future market growth.Electrophoresis reagents market can be segmented on the basis of end-use into four segments as protein synthesis and purification, gene expression, DNA and RNA analysis, drug testing. Protein synthesis and purification is estimated to be the largest segment and expected to remain so for the next six years. Drug testing is expected to be the fastest growing end-use segment owing to increased expenditure on research and development by pharmaceutical industry supported by subsidies from state governments worldwide.Browse Full Report With TOC :The market can be divided, based on application types, into three segments as gels, dyes and buffers. Gels are anticipated to be the dominant application for electrophoresis reagents, where agar gel is the most popular. Dyes and buffers are also aiding the market growth driven by increased therapeutic activitiesIn terms of geography, North America is estimated to be the leading market attributed to the advanced infrastructural capabilities and huge investments on drug development and testing Asia Pacific is also witnessing rapid growth in the market as a result of a general improvement in healthcare infrastructure along with enhanced research and development facilities.Send An Enquiry :Some of the players in the electrophoresis reagents market include Abbott Laboratories Agilent Technologies Inc., Beckman Coulter Inc., Becton, Dickinson And Company, GE Healthcare Ltd., Hoefer Inc., Siemens Healthcare and Life Technologies Corporation among many others.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:
Global Warehouse Management Systems Market,Industry Analysis, Forecast & Trends 2017 - 2024

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This report aims to provide a comprehensive strategic analysis of the global warehouse management systems market along with revenue and growth forecasts for the period from 2014 to 2024. With advancements in warehouse management systems and rising demand for warehouse management systems in retail and third party logistics (3PL) application, the warehouse management systems market is expected to experience high growth in the coming decade. Some of the factors supporting the growth of the market worldwide include the emergence of e-commerce and increased technological investment in developing regions such as Asia Pacific, high demand from the health care sector, advent of industry specific warehouse management systems in developed regions such as North America and Europe, increasing awareness of cloud based warehouse management systems, and surge in demand for warehouse management integrated with RFID technology. The impact of these and other macro-micro economic factors has been analyzed while developing the market growth models.Request For Sample Report :This research study on the global warehouse management systems market provides a detailed analysis of warehouse management systems deployed for different applications by end-users depending upon their needs. The report offers an in-depth study of the market drivers, restraints, and growth opportunities. Using these factors, the study identifies various trends prominent in the industry and are expected to influence the market growth during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024. It includes a comprehensive coverage of the underlying economic and technological factors influencing the warehouse management systems market growth. It provides the competitive landscape of key players in the warehouse management systems market in order to highlight the state of competition therein. The report also provides a detailed competitive analysis of the key players in the market and identifies various business strategies adopted by them. The study explains the penetration within each market segment across various geographies, and how these segments have accelerated the growth of the market as a whole.The global warehouse management systems market is analyzed by segmenting it on the basis of component and application. Based on component, the market is classified into software and services. The software segment further based on the deployment type covers, on-premise and cloud based software. Further, on-premise and cloud based software segments are each fragmented into labor management systems, analytics and optimization and others which includes 3PL billing and yard management. The service segment type covers consulting, system integration, and operations and maintenance services. In terms of application, the global warehouse management systems market is segmented into retail, electronics, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, 3PL, and others which includes books and publishing, and home improvement. Geographically, the global market for warehouse management systems has been segmented into five regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America. The market size and forecast for each region has been provided for the period from 2014 to 2024 along with the CAGR (%) for the forecast period from 2016 to 2024.Browse Full Report With TOC :The study also includes quantitative analysis of the competitive scenario for major countries/regions such as the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Australia, Indonesia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Brazil in country snippet segments. The analysis by component, application and regions helps in evaluating the present scenario and growthprospects of the warehouse management systems market over the forecast period from 2016 to 2024.Send An Enquiry :A list of recommendations have been provided for new entrants to help them establish a strong presence and for existing market players to take strategic decisions and strengthen their market position in the global warehouse management systems market. The report concludes with the profiles of major players in the warehouse management systems market on the basis of various attributes, such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, SWOT analysis, segment presence, and recent developments. The major players profiled in this report include HighJump Software, Tecsys, Inc., Infor Inc., JDA Software Group, Inc., LogFire Inc., Made4net LLC, Manhattan Associates Inc., Oracle Corporation, Reply, SAP SE, Softeon, Inc. and Synergy Logistics Ltd.Market Segmentation:Warehouse Management Systems Market Analysis, by ComponentSoftwareOn-premiseLabor Management SystemsAnalytics and OptimizationOther (3PL Billing, and Yard Management)CloudLabor Management SystemsAnalytics and OptimizationOther (3PL Billing, and Yard Management)ServicesConsultingSystem IntegrationOperations and MaintenanceWarehouse Management Systems Market Analysis, by ApplicationRetail (Apparel, Department & General Merchandise)ElectronicsGrocery/Food & BeveragePharmaceutical3PLOthers (Books & Publishing, Home Improvement)In addition, the report provides cross-sectional analysis of the warehouse management systems market with respect to the following geographical segments:North AmericaThe U.S.CanadaRest of North AmericaEuropeThe U.K.GermanyFranceSpainItalyRest of EuropeAsia-PacificJapanChinaAustraliaIndonesiaIndiaRest of Asia PacificMiddle East and Africa (MEA)The UAESaudi ArabiaSouth AfricaRest of the Middle East & AfricaSouth AmericaBrazilRest of South 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:
Global Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Professional Survey Report 2017 Top Manufacturers  Vestas, Siemens, Enercon, Gamesa, MOOG, SSB, Mita-Teknik, Parker hannifin, Bosch, Rexroth, Atech, DEIF Wind Power, MLS, OAT, AVN

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Professional Survey Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies Wind Turbine Pitch Systems 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, coveringVestasSiemensEnerconGamesaMOOGSSBMita-TeknikParker hannifinBosch RexrothAtechDEIF Wind PowerMLSOATAVNDHI/DCWBeijing TechwinHuadian TianrenREnergy ElectricDONGFENG ElectricCoronaRee-electric/ReenergyChongqing KK-QianweiChengdu ForwardLianyungang JariecTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @By types, the market can be split into1.5 MW Type2 MW Type4 MW Type6 MW TypeOthersBy Application, the market can be split intoOffshoreOnshoreBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaBrowse Detail Report With Full TOC @Table of ContentsGlobal Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Professional Survey Report 20171 Industry Overview of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems1.1 Definition and Specifications of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems1.1.1 Definition of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems1.1.2 Specifications of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems1.2 Classification of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems1.2.1 1.5 MW Type1.2.2 2 MW Type1.2.3 4 MW Type1.2.4 6 MW Type1.2.5 Others1.3 Applications of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems1.3.1 Offshore1.3.2 Onshore1.3.3 Application 31.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Major Manufacturers in 20163.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Major Manufacturers in 20164 Global Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Overall Market Overview4.1 2012-2017E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2012-2017E Global Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2016 Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2012-2017E Global Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2016 Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2012-2017E Global Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Sales Price4.4.2 2016 Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)5 Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Regional Market Analysis5.1 North America Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Analysis5.1.1 North America Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Overview5.1.2 North America 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.1.3 North America 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Sales Price Analysis5.1.4 North America 2016 Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Share Analysis5.2 China Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Analysis5.2.1 China Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Overview5.2.2 China 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.2.3 China 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Sales Price Analysis5.2.4 China 2016 Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Share Analysis5.3 Europe Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Analysis5.3.1 Europe Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Overview5.3.2 Europe 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.3.3 Europe 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Sales Price Analysis5.3.4 Europe 2016 Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Share Analysis5.4 Southeast Asia Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Analysis5.4.1 Southeast Asia Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Overview5.4.2 Southeast Asia 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.4.3 Southeast Asia 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Sales Price Analysis5.4.4 Southeast Asia 2016 Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Share Analysis5.5 Japan Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Analysis5.5.1 Japan Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Overview5.5.2 Japan 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.5.3 Japan 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Sales Price Analysis5.5.4 Japan 2016 Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Share Analysis5.6 India Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Analysis5.6.1 India Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Overview5.6.2 India 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.6.3 India 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Sales Price Analysis5.6.4 India 2016 Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Market Share Analysis6 Global 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Segment Market Analysis (by Type)6.1 Global 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Sales by Type6.2 Different Types of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Product Interview Price Analysis6.3 Different Types of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Product Driving Factors Analysis6.3.1 1.5 MW Type of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Growth Driving Factor Analysis6.3.2 2 MW Type of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Growth Driving Factor Analysis6.3.3 4 MW Type of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Growth Driving Factor Analysis6.3.4 6 MW Type of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Growth Driving Factor Analysis6.3.5 Others of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Growth Driving Factor Analysis7 Global 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Segment Market Analysis (by Application)7.1 Global 2012-2017E Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Consumption by Application7.2 Different Application of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Product Interview Price Analysis7.3 Different Application of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Product Driving Factors Analysis7.3.1 Offshore of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Growth Driving Factor Analysis7.3.2 Onshore of Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Growth Driving Factor AnalysisContinued...Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Polyurethanes (PU) Market Rising at 5% CAGR During 2016-2023: Analysis of Key Players, Trends, Drivers & Challenges

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Global Polyurethanes (PU) Market is Projected to grow at 5% CAGR during the period 2016-2023. Polyurethanes (PU) Industry research report also provides granular analysis of the market share, Size, segmentation, revenue forecasts and geographic regions of the market.Rising demand for sustainable, high efficiency and innovative products along with extensive polymer R&D is driving the polyurethanes market. Increasing awareness pertaining to energy conservation and growing GHG emissions concerns are the key factors enhancing industry growth.Polyurethane (PU) Market size is estimated to exceed USD 75 billion by 2023; according to a new research report.Request a Sample Copy of Global Polyurethanes (PU) Market Research Report @Europe, led by Germany, UK and Italy is estimated to generate revenue worth over USD 20 billion by 2023. EU promotions for energy efficient households is the key stimulating factor driving regional demand. Germany automotive applications are estimated to witness CAGR at over 3% up to 2023. High R&D investments and huge automobile manufacturers fueled the product demand.Polyurethanes market observed significant demand from construction, automotive and furniture industry. Increasing infrastructure spending coupled with government compliance in construction industry will drive the PU market growth. High performance parameters and light weight properties led to increasing usage in refrigeration insulation, seat cushioning and interior trims.Automotive polyurethanes market will witness growth at over 4% by 2023. Increasing automobile applications including instrument panels, exterior panels, engine encapsulation and seating as a better substitute over other conventional materials will support the application scope.Request Discount for Global Polyurethanes (PU) Market Research Report @Increasing innovations in bio-based PU due to government regulations on recyclability of materials will open new opportunities for polyurethanes market growth.Polyurethanes market witnessed increased emphasis in automotive industry, owing to its low weight properties. Low weight automobiles and reduced harmful emissions are the emerging automobile trends encouraging the industry demand.Construction polyurethanes market share was the major contributor, accounted for around 30% of the overall industry in 2015. Rising demand from acoustic and thermal insulation in households for effective energy conservation will enhance the industry demand. Varying MDI, PDI and polyol prices due to fluctuating crude oil index and stringent regulations on petrochemical based products are the major challenges of the industry.Rigid PU foam market will witness growth at over 4% by 2023. Increasing insulation uses due to rising awareness regarding energy conservation and carbon emissions will positively influence the product demand. Flexible PU foam market generated worth more than USD 13 billion revenue in 2015. Changing lifestyle and increasing consumer affordability led development in mattress and automotive seating applications, which will fuel the flexible foam penetration.Expansion in construction industry particularly in the U.S. is the key factor influencing the industry growth. U.S. polyurethanes rigid foam market will witness gains at over 4% in revenue terms. Rigid foam is widely used as insulation to reduce thermal losses and conserve energy.APAC polyurethanes market revenue was over USD 20 billion in 2015. The region will witness notable growth due to rapid industrialization and urbanization along with increasing construction spending particularly in China, India and South East Asia.Global polyurethanes market share was consolidated with the leading multinational corporations. Bayer, Dow Chemical Company, Huntsman Corporation and BASF are the chief industry participants. Mitsui Chemicals, British Vita Unlimited, Nippon, Recticel, Woodbridge Foam Corp and Foamex Innovations are the other industry players.Related Reports: -World Spray Polyurethanes Foam (SPF) Market Research Report 2021(Covering USA, EU, China, South East Asia, India, Japan and etc)Spray Polyurethanes Foam (SPF) 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.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:
Nigeria Crude Oil Refinery Outlook to 2022

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ReportsWeb.com published Crude Oil Refinery Market from its database. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market."Nigeria Crude Oil Refinery Outlook to 2022", is a comprehensive report on crude oil refinery industry in Nigeria. The report also provides details on oil refineries such as name, type, operational status, operator apart from capacity data for the major processing units, for all active and planned refineries in Nigeria for the period 2012-2022. Further, the report also offers recent developments, financial deals as well as latest contracts awarded in the country's oil refinery industry.For more information about this report atScope- Updated information related to all active and planned refineries in the country, including operator and equity details- Information on CDU, catalytic cracking and hydrocracking capacities by refinery in the country, where available- Key mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, private equity and IPOs in the country's crude oil industry, where available- Latest developments, financial deals and awarded contracts related to crude oil refineries in the countryReasons to buy- Gain a strong understanding of the country's crude oil refining industry- Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast capacity data- Assess your competitor's major crude oil refining assets and their performance in the country- Analyze the latest developments, financial deals and awarded contracts related to the country's crude oil refining industry- Understand the country's financial deals landscape by analyzing how competitors are financed, and the mergers and partnerships that have shaped the marketRequest a sample copy atTable of Content1 Table of Contents 11.1. List of Tables 31.2. List of Figures 42. Introduction 52.1. What is This Report About- 52.2. Market Definition 53. Nigeria Refining Industry 63.1. Nigeria Refining Industry, Key Data 63.2. Nigeria Refining Industry, Overview 63.3. Nigeria Refining Industry, Total Refining Capacity 63.4. Nigeria Refining Industry, Crude Distillation Unit Capacity 83.5. Nigeria Refining Industry, Catalytic Cracking Capacity 93.6. Nigeria Refining Industry, Hydrocracking Capacity 93.7. Nigeria Refining Industry, Asset Details 103.7.1. Nigeria Refining Industry, Active Asset Details 103.7.2. Nigeria Refining Industry, Planned Asset Details 204. Recent Contracts 584.1. Detailed Contract Summary 584.1.1. Awarded Contracts 585. Financial Deals Landscape 705.1. Detailed Deal Summary 705.1.1. Equity Offerings 706. Recent Developments 726.1. Other Significant Developments 726.1.1. Apr 10, 2017: Nigeria Refining Capacity Increases By 29% 726.1.2. Jan 24, 2017: GE Proposes Investment In Nigeria's Three Refineries 736.1.3. Nov 27, 2016: NNPC To Upgrade, Expand Refineries 736.1.4. Nov 09, 2016: Dangote's Lagos Refinery To Come Online By 2018 End 746.1.5. Apr 13, 2016: NNPC Takes Port Harcourt Refinery Back Online 756.1.6. Mar 29, 2016: Nigeria In Talks With Chevron, Total And ENI To Upgrade Oil Refineries 756.1.7. Sep 08, 2015: Epic Secures License To Set Up $30bn Refinery In Nigeria 756.1.8. Sep 07, 2015: Nigeria's KRPC Raises Kaduna Refinery Capacity By 60% 766.1.9. Sep 04, 2015: NNPC Directs WRPC To Start Full Production At Refinery Within 90 Days 766.1.10. Aug 13, 2015: KRPC Restarts Operations At Refinery In Nigeria 776.2. New Contracts Announcements 776.2.1. Jan 04, 2017: SacOil Holdings Wins Crude Term Contract From NNPC 776.2.2. Sep 29, 2016: Nigeria's Ogun State Inks Agreement For Refinery Establishment 776.2.3. Sep 05, 2016: Chemex Modular Selected By Niger Delta Petroleum Resources To Expand Leading Nigerian Refinery 786.2.4. Jul 11, 2016: Argentina Picks Shell For Nigerian Bonny Light Crude Oil Supply 787. Appendix 797.1. Abbreviations 797.2. Methodology 797.2.1. Coverage 797.2.2. Secondary Research 797.3. Contact Us 807.4. Disclaimer 80Inquire for Report atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer Bauxite Mining and our customer support Bauxite Mining is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Citronella Oil Global Market Key Players EOAS,Van Aroma,Yunnan Aroma Source Yunnan Tian Lake Essential Oil Company Ltd Analysis and Forecast to 2022

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Press Release: Pune, India- August , 2017Global Citronella Oil Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022Description:This report focuses on Citronella Oil in Vietnam market, Citronella oil is one of the essential oils obtained from the leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon (lemongrass). The oil is used extensively as a source of perfumery chemicals such as citronellal, citronellol, and geraniol. These chemicals find extensive use in soap, candles and incense, perfumery, cosmetic, and flavouring industries throughout the world. Citronella oil is also a plant-based insect repellent and has been registered for this use in the United States since 1948. The United States Environmental Protection Agency considers oil of citronella as a biopesticide with a non-toxic mode of action.For Sample Report@Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Citronella Oil 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 coversAnhui Great Nation Essential Oils Co., Ltd.Jiangxi Hengcheng Natural Flavor Oil Co., LtdNanchang Yang Pu Natural Essence & Spice Co.EOASVan AromaYunnan Aroma SourceYunnan Tian Lake Essential Oil Company LtdKarimun Kencana AromaticsManohar Botanical Extracts Pvt. LtdReho Natural IngredientsVIETNAM ESSENTIAL OIL., JSCMarket 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, coversCeylon TypeJava TypeMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoFood & DrinkDaily Chemical ProductOthersThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Citronella Oil market.Chapter 1, to describe Citronella Oil Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Citronella Oil, with sales, revenue, and price of Citronella Oil, 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 Citronella Oil, 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, Citronella Oil market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Citronella Oil sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceFor any Enquiry write us @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Citronella Oil Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Ceylon Type1.2.2 Java Type1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Food & Drink1.3.2 Daily Chemical Product1.3.3 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Anhui Great Nation Essential Oils Co., Ltd.2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Citronella Oil Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Anhui Great Nation Essential Oils Co., Ltd. Citronella Oil Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 Jiangxi Hengcheng Natural Flavor Oil Co., Ltd2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Citronella Oil Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 Jiangxi Hengcheng Natural Flavor Oil Co., Ltd Citronella Oil Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Nanchang Yang Pu Natural Essence & Spice Co.2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Citronella Oil Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Nanchang Yang Pu Natural Essence & Spice Co. Citronella Oil Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 EOAS2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Citronella Oil Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 EOAS Citronella Oil Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Van Aroma2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Citronella Oil Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Van Aroma Citronella Oil Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 Yunnan Aroma Source2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Citronella Oil Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Yunnan Aroma Source Citronella Oil Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)ContinuedBuy now@Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028 Maharashtra, India
Telecom Industry Business Outlook and Procurement Report H1 2017

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ReportsWeb.com published Telecom Industry Business Outlook and Procurement Market from its database. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Publisher's "Telecom Industry Business Outlook and Procurement Report H1 2017", examines executives' opinion on the business outlook and procurement activities over July 2017-December 2017. Organizations can know about key business priorities, supplier price variations, changes in capital expenditure, and organizations' perspective on e-procurement. Additionally, it provides information categorized by region and company type.Amid growing pricing pressure, cost containment, and rising competition within the telecom industry, companies are planning to increase their focus on business expansion in existing market, new product development, and improving operational efficiency. Mergers and acquisitions are expected to increase within the telecom industry with emerging markets such as China, India, and Brazil offering prominent growth opportunities. Additionally, global telecom industry business executives from all company sizes expect a surge in capital expenditure on new product development over the next six months.For more information about this report atWhat else does this report offer-- Key business priorities: examines the telecom companies' important priorities for July 2017-December 2017- Emerging and developed markets: provides information about key emerging and developed markets that will offer the most growth over the next six months- Change in M&A activity: analyzes telecom industry executives' opinion on changes in merger and acquisition activity globally- Business concerns: identifies major business concerns that are likely to impact manufacturers and suppliers- Change in capital expenditure: tracks the expected change in capital expenditure both globally and regionally- Change in procurement activities: evaluates how procurement activities will change in the telecom industry over the next six months- Procurement budget outlook: projects procurement budget allocation along with changes in procurement expenditure over July 2017-December 2017- Supplier prices outlook: determines the expected change in supplier prices over July 2017-December 2017- E-procurement: identifies executives' perspective towards e-procurement within the telecom industryScope- Respondents consider expanding in current markets and improving operational efficiency as key priorities during July 2017-December 2017- Survey analysis reveals that 28% of respondents from small companies expect no change in the current level of M&A activity during the next six months- Capital expenditure on new product development and IT infrastructure development is expected to increase over the next six months- Overall, 14% of executives anticipate their global procurement budget will range between US$1 million and US$500 million over the next six months- In total, 24% of executives who operate in Europe indicate limited deployment of e-procurement within their organizationsRequest a sample copy atReasons to buy- Highlights key business priorities thus helping telecom companies to realign business strategy- Develop or adjust business expansion plans by using significant growth offering emerging and developed markets- Make changes in procurement budget allocations through procurement budget projections anticipated by executives for July 2017-December 2017- Implement effective price management by viewing supplier price variations highlighted for the next six months.Table of ContentDefinitionsMethodology and sample sizeRespondent ProfileSection 1: Global Business Outlook in July 2017-December 2017Strategic business prioritiesEmerging markets with significant growth potentialGrowth potential for developed marketsMergers and acquisitionLeading business concernsCapital expenditure projectionsSection 2: Procurement Behaviors and StrategiesPotential changes in procurement resources and objectivesProcurement activity outlook in key areasGlobal procurement budget projectionsPlanned change in procurement expenditureSupplier prices outlookOrganizations' viewpoints on EprocurementSection 3: AppendixInquire for Report atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer Bauxite Mining and our customer support Bauxite Mining is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Cognitive security market is expected to grow at approximately USD 10 Billion by 2023, at 19% of CAGR between 2017 and 2023

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Market Research Future published a research report on Cognitive Security Market Research Report- Global Forecast 2023  Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2023.Cognitive Security Market, By Deployment (Cloud, On-Premise), By Organization Size (Small and Medium Enterprises, Large Enterprises), By Vertical (Logistics, BFSI, Healthcare, IT & Telecommunication) - Forecast 2023Market Synopsis of Cognitive Security MarketMarket Scenario:Cognitive security can be defined as security that uses data mining, machine learning, natural language processing and human-computer interface for securing the data from the virus and cyber-attacks. Cognitive systems helps in analyzing security developments and separate all the structured and unstructured information data into information it also provides continuous security to business and improve its productivity.The major driver for the growth of this market is growing cyber-attacks on the cloud. The growth in usage of cognitive security services for data storage of the confidential and private data of an organization and the rise in employee mobility are also expected to drive the global cognitive security market. The other factor contributing to the growth of this market are the emerging trend of bring your own device to the office premises. The growth of online market will also drive the growth of the global cognitive security market. The IT & telecom sector is contributing the highest to the growth of cognitive security market. The IT businesses are adopting the cognitive security services for transferring huge amount of data. There is rapid adoption of internet on smartphones which access data on cloud. To secure this data which is transferred by the IT and telecom sector, there is increased need of cloud security. This contributes to the growth of cognitive security market. The lack of awareness about cognitive security among the small and medium organizations is one of the restraints hampering the cognitive security market.The cognitive security market is expected to grow at approximately USD 10 Billion by 2023, at 19% of CAGR between 2017 and 2023.Get a Copy of Sample Report @Study Objectives of Cognitive Security Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the cognitive security market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the cognitive security market based porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW). To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective. To provide country level analysis of the market for segment on the basis of deployment, organization size and vertical. 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 cognitive security market.Key Players:The prominent players in the cognitive security market are- Intel Security (U.S.), XTN (Italy), Symantec Corporation (U.S.), IBM Corporation (U.S.), Cisco systems (U.S.), CA Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), CSC (U.S.), Fortinet, Inc. (California, U.S.), Cato Networks (Israel), Check Point Software Technologies (Israel) among others.Segments:Cognitive security market is segmented on the basis of deployment, organization size and vertical.Cognitive Security Market by Deployment: Cloud On-PremiseCognitive Security Market by Organization Size: Small and Medium Enterprises Large EnterprisesCognitive Security Market by Vertical: BFSI It & Telecommunication Supply Chain And Logistics Healthcare Energy & Power And Utilities Education And Government OthersBrowse Full Report Details @Regional Analysis:The regional analysis of cognitive security market is being studied for region such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and Rest of the World. North America region is the leading player in the cognitive security market. The need of safety & security solutions to secure the huge existing database of the organizations is contributing to the growth of cloud security market in the region. The European region has highly developed network infrastructure. The growing healthcare industry in the region is demanding for security over cloud technology thereby driving the cloud security market. The Asia Pacific region is promoting the concept of bring your own device to the company premises which is increasing the threat of cyber-attacks for data on-cloud. To save the corporate data from unauthorized access and treats of cyber-attacks more and more companies are establishing the cloud security systems.ContinueWe are thankful for the support and assistance from Cognitive Security Market Research Report- Global Forecast 2023 chain related technical experts and marketing experts during Research Team survey and interviews.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Media Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Flooring Market with Focus on Vinyl Tiles Industry Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020) - Researchmoz

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Flooring Market with Focus on Vinyl Tiles Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020)" to its huge collection of research reports.The report entitled Global Flooring Market with Focus on Vinyl Tiles Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2016-2020), provides a detailed analysis of the flooring market with analysis of market size and growth and market segmentation on the basis of materials. The analysis includes the market by value, volume and market share by product and by region. Special focus has been given on the vinyl tiles with its market size in terms of volume and market share by region.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report provides brief regional analysis of North America (including the US), Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Latin America and CIS. The regional analysis of the flooring and vinyl tiles market includes market size by volume along with the market share by product.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 global flooring market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.A brief company profiling of major market players namely Armstrong, Mohawk, Tarkett and Interface has provided in the report on the basis of aspects like business overview, financial overview and business strategies adopted by these companies.Country CoverageNorth AmericaThe USAsia-PacificEuropeMiddle East & AfricaLatin AmericaCISCompany CoverageArmstrong Flooring InternationalMohawk Industries Inc.TarkettInterfaceExecutive SummaryThe flooring market can be segmented on the basis of materials and application. On the basis of materials market can be segmented into: ceramics, residential carpet, commercial carpet, vinyl, linoleum & rubber, wood & laminate and other. Out of all the different segments in the floor covering industry today, vinyl flooring has proven to be the most popular- even among industry standards like ceramic tile, plank wood, engineered wood and laminate flooring. On the basis of application, market is broadly classified into three: residential, commercial and industrial.Browse Detail Report With Full TOC @The global flooring market witnessed an upsurge at a significant CAGR during 2013-2015 and projections are made that the market would rise in the next five years i.e. 2016-2020 at a rapid pace. Major factors contributing in the growth of the market are rapid urbanization, resurgence of construction industry, rising infrastructure spending in both developed and developing nations, rising per capita income of the population in emerging economies, rising demand for aesthetically appealing products and technological advancements etc.In the forecasted period, market will be pushed by emergence of sustainable flooring, increasing insulation demand, hassle-free installation techniques and rising demand for anti-bacterial flooring. In spite of high growth, market is still facing certain challenges that are hampering the growth of the market. Challenges encountered by the market are disposal of waste, complexity in installation, environmental & health related issues and fluctuating prices of raw materials.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Latest Research Report on Global Beer Market with Focus on Craft & Premium Beer Market: Size, Trends and Forecasts (2016-2020) - Researchmoz

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Beer Market with Focus on Craft & Premium Beer Market: Size, Trends and Forecasts (2016-2020)" to its huge collection of research reports.The report titled Global Beer Market with Focus on Craft & Premium Beer Market: Size, Trends and Forecasts (2016-2020), provides an in-depth analysis of the global beer market with detailed geographical analysis of major markets such as the US, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore. The report also includes analysis of craft and premium beer in the US and other markets. Growth of market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report also includes detailed analysis of leading players in the global beer industry including attributes such as business overview, recent developments, financials and strategies adopted by the market leaders in order to ensure growth, sustainability, etc.Company CoverageHeinekein Holding NVAB InBev SADiageo PLCExecutive SummaryBeer market by category is broadly divided into premium, super premium and draught. One of the popular beer categories, Craft beer refers to beer that is not brewed by one of the big "mega-brewery" corporations. Globally, beer market has been following premiumization trend with growth advent in craft beer and premium beer segment.Global beer market is driven by rising demand from emerging markets, increasing market penetration of premium and craft beer; and growth opportunity in Asian markets. However, factors such as high regulation in craft brewing industry, distribution challenges from hypermarkets, emergence of alternative beverage categories and falling consumer demand are posing challenge to growth of the industry. Key trends prevailing in the industry includes rising consolidation in the global beer industry and growth of premium beer brands globally.Browse Detail Report With Full TOC @Table Of Content1. Executive Summary2. Introduction2.1 Beer Market: Overview2.2 Beer Industry Analysis by Production2.3 Beer Market: Outlets3. Global Market Analysis3.1 Global Beer Market: An Analysis3.1.1 Global Beer Market Size by Value3.1.2 Global Beer Market Size by Value Forecasted3.1.3 Global Beer Industry Profit Growth3.1.4 Global Beer Market Size by Volume3.1.5 Global Beer Market Volume Share by Region3.1.6 Global Beer Market Volume Share by Competitors3.2 Global Beer Market: Pricing Analysis3.2.1 Global Beer Market Pricing Analysis4. Regional/Country Analysis4.1 Asia Beer Market: An Analysis4.1.1 Asia Beer Market Size by Volume4.1.2 Asia Beer Market Share by Nations4.1.3 China Beer Market Size by Volume4.1.4 China Beer Market Share by Competitors4.1.5 South Korea Beer Market Size by Volume4.1.6 Taiwan Beer Market Size by Volume4.1.7 Malaysia Beer Market Size by Volume4.1.8 Singapore Beer Market Size by Volume4.2 The US Beer Market: An Analysis4.2.1 The US Beer Market Size by Volume4.2.2 The US Market Size by Volume4.2.3 The US Craft Beer Market Size by Volume4.2.4 The US Premium Beer Market Size by Volume5. Market Dynamics5.1 Growth Drivers5.1.1 Demand from emerging markets5.1.2 Increasing market penetration of premium and craft beer5.1.3 Growth opportunity in Asian countries5.2 Challenges5.2.1 High regulation in craft brewing5.2.2 Distribution challenges from Hypermarket5.2.3 Emergence of alternative beverage categories5.2.4 Falling consumer demand5.3 Market Trends5.3.1 Consolidation in the Industry5.3.2 Growth of Premium Beer Brands Globally6. Competitive Landscape7. Company Profile7.1 Heinekein Holding NV7.1.1 Business Overview7.1.2 Financial Overview7.1.3 Business Strategy7.2 Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A. NV7.2.1 Business Overview7.2.2 Financial Overview7.2.3 Business Strategy7.3 Diageo PLC7.3.1 Business Overview7.3.2 Financial Overview7.3.3 Business StrategyMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Silicone Elastomers Market Soaring at 7.6%CAGR During the Period 2017-2023

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Worldwide Silicone Elastomers market report of 2017 provides a detailed market overview as well as industry analysis for / of companies, manufacturers and distributors covering data on gross margin, cost structure, consumption value, sale price and more.These are extensively used as an adhesive in electrical &electronics industry. The rise in the demand of electronic gadgets and devices especially cellular phones and other portable electrical products is anticipated to boost global silicone elastomers market consumption.Silicone Elastomers Market size is set to exceed USD 12 billion by 2023; as reported by a new study from Global Market Insights, Inc.Request a sample copy of Silicone Elastomers Market Research Report @Widespread use construction industry as a sealant and structural glazing has been a strong growth factor.The ability to resist high temperature makes these polymers suitable to be used across gaskets and vibration dampers in vehicles. Positive vehicle production outlook across Eastern Europe, India, China and South Korea could see a significant advantage for silicone elastomer market participants.Healthcare industry is another upcoming application segment of silicone elastomers, and is used in the applications like textile coatings, instruments, anesthetic masks, membranes, medical cables, tubing etc. Strong R&D investment trends across the healthcare space are likely to translate into revenue potential for the silicone elastomers market. O-rings and gaskets are another avenue offering strong growth potential for manufacturers.Enquire about this report @Asia Pacific is the leading region in the global silicone elastomers market and is anticipated to maintain its market share during the forecast period. This contribution of Asia Pacific is attributed to the booming industries in the region such as electronics &electrical, automotive, healthcare, industrial machinery, consumer goods etc. Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 5.9% in terms of volume with a market share of more than 50%.Europe silicon elastomers market is anticipated to contribute more than USD 1 billion in revenue, driven by the well-established German automobile industry. There is also decent growth across electronic gadgets, construction and industrial machineries.High Temperature Vulcanized (HTV) is used for high temperature applications such as in vibration dampers and gaskets in automobiles. Also, it is having a wide application in industrial machineries and some healthcare devices.LSR (Liquid Silicone Rubber) is another significant product used as an adhesive in electronics and electrical equipments industry. LSR was valued as more than USD 2.0 billion in 2015 and is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 7.9%.Construction industry is the most dynamic application avenue for the silicone elastomer market, which are used in sealants and structural glazing. These applications are responsible for more than 40% of global consumption.Major manufacturing companies include Momentive Performance Materials Inc., Wacker Chemie AG, Dow Corning Corporation, KCC Corporation, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co.; Ltd,MarketSizeForecasters.com, a Skyline Market Research LLP brand, is an online aggregator of market research reports. MarketSizeForecasters.com offers a comprehensive collection of full length reports on global and regional markets in 100+ industry verticals. We have partnered with some of the leading business and market research publishing houses and regularly update our online library to offer wide range of reports to our customers.Market size forecastersThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketsizeforecasters.comWebsite:News:Connect with us: LinkedIn | Twitter
Ceramic Tiles Market Size, Share 2016 Industry Trend, Growth and Forecast 2024

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Global Ceramic Tiles Market: SnapshotThe global ceramic tiles market is prophesied to be privileged with a heightened demand across several regions of the world on account of a noteworthy upturn in construction activities due to rising urbanization. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and various other economies such as Brazil and Turkey are anticipated to testify an extensive propulsion in the sale of ceramic tiles. In the next few years, the demand for ceramic tiles could escalate tellingly as a result of consumers gaining more aesthetical consciousness and witnessing an upward thrust in the increase of their disposable income.Browse Market Research Report:Improving at a CAGR of 9.80% between 2016 and 2024, the market is well poised to attain a revenue valuation of US$178.1 bn by the end of 2024. In 2015, a revenue valuation of US$76.81 bn was recorded.Floor Tiles Make Cut with Myriad of Residential, Commercial, Industrial ApplicationsAccording to an expert analysis of the world ceramic tiles market, vendors could cash in on the lucrative business of various products such as roofing tiles, ceiling tiles, wall tiles, and floor tiles. However, amongst these, floor tiles are predicted to receive a strong impetus in their demand throughout the forecast period. Out of the overall consumption volume of ceramic tiles in 2015, floor tiles had secured a dominating share.A broad range of flooring applications from residential to commercial and industrial is prognosticated to set the tone for a reliable growth in the world ceramic tiles market. Airports, railway stations, and other transport infrastructures besides educational institutes and hospitals require floor tiles at a consistent rate. As a result, the demand for floor tiles could stay higher in the foreseeable future.Asia Pacific Clings to Overriding Consumption Rate to Top MarketIn the present scenario, Asia Pacific is reported to secure a significant consumption rate for ceramic tiles. In 2015, the region had accounted for a colossal share of 65.6% in the overall ceramic tiles market. Bankable markets such as India, China, and South Korea are expected to draw an enormous demand for ceramic tiles owing to a rapid rise in urbanization leading to increased construction activities. Furthermore, this trend could continue until the next few years.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Ceramic Tiles market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @The construction sector in Asia Pacific could paint a lucrative outlook for the regional ceramic tiles market. A host of market opportunities are projected to take shape in the region as the demand continues to see a rise. Industry players operating in Asia Pacific could leverage the boost in consumption because of the shift in preference from metal slabs, marble floors, and other decorative offerings to ceramic tiles.Apart from Asia Pacific, the international ceramic tiles market is forecasted to find North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa as key geographies to count on. In 2015, Europe had followed Asia Pacific in terms of consumption around the globe. The region is envisaged to benefit from a sudden increase in residential replacement activities. The demand for ceramic tiles in the region could be augmented further as the trend continues to prevail over the course of the forecast period.The worldwide ceramic tiles market is envisioned to demonstrate a highly fragmented nature in the near future. In 2015, five leading companies, i.e. Lamosa Grupo, Siam Cement Group, Ras Al Khaimah Ceramics, Mohawk Industries Inc., and Kajaria Ceramics, had raised a paltry share of 7.7% in the overall market. Some of the other top manufacturers operating in the market are Saloni Ceramics, China Ceramics Co. Ltd., Ceramiche Atlas Concorde S.P.A, Florida Tile, Inc., and Crossville Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Nickel Alloy Welding Consumables Market Analysis and Forecast Study for 2016-2024

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Nickel and its alloys are highly regarded as excellent materials for welding operations owing to properties such as high temperature strength and resistance to thermal expansion and corrosion. As a result, Nickel-alloy-based welding fillers have gained widened popularity in the past few decades. The increasing use of nickel in end-use applications such as renewable energy, aerospace, LNG, and shipbuilding has augmented the market and is expected to present healthy growth opportunities to the global nickel alloy welding consumables market in the near future.Browse Market Research Report:Transparency Market Research estimates that the global market will witness a significant rise in its overall valuation in the next few years, from US$3.32 bn in 2015 to US$5.87 bn by 2024. This translates to a 6.6% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2024. In terms of volume, the market is expected to exhibit a nearly 5% CAGR over the same period.Applications across Oil and Gas Industry to Lead to Promising ReturnsNickel alloy welding consumables can be very expensive compared to consumables made of other metals such as stainless steel, and with unskilled workers, the cost of welding can rise significantly. Thus, the applications of nickel alloy welding consumables are somewhat limited to critical applications across industries such as power generation, oil and gas, marine, construction, manufacturing, and transportation.Of these, the oil and gas industry is presently the leading contributor to the global nickel alloy welding consumables markets revenues and is expected to retain its dominant stance in the next few years as well. Applications of nickel alloy welding consumables across the oil and gas industry are expected to account for a share of over 22% of the global market in 2016. The rising use of nickel alloys in welding activities across heat exchangers, pipelines, valves, drilling machines, and pressure vessels in the oil and gas industry will lead to promising growth prospects for the nickel alloy welding consumables market.Growth across Industrial Sectors in Asia Pacific to Foster Nickel Alloy Welding Consumables MarketOn the basis of geography, the global market for nickel alloy welding consumables has been analyzed for five regions: Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, North America, Latin America and Europe. Of these, markets in developed regions such as North America and Europe are mature and provide limited growth opportunities in terms of untapped potential. However, the positive growth across the manufacturing and power sectors observed in Canada and Germany in the past few years could provide sizeable growth avenues for the nickel alloy welding consumables market. Europe and North America together are expected to constitute nearly 50% of the global market in terms of volume in 2016.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Nickel Alloy Welding Consumables market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Asia Pacific dominated the global market in terms of volume, and is expected to remain the most attractive region for the global nickel alloy welding consumables market in the next few years as well, expected to account for a volume-wise share of more than 37% in 2016. The regions attractive growth prospects can be attributed to factors such as high population rates and significant development across many end-use industries, which has attracted substantial investment and trade activities in the industrial sector in the region. Also, international players in the global nickel alloy welding consumables market have increased their focus on the region and are attempting to expand manufacturing, marketing, and sales channels to exploit the vast set of untapped growth opportunities.The global market for nickel alloy welding consumables is dominated by few international vendors but also features a large number of domestic players commanding prominent share of the overall market. The top five companies in the market, including ESAB, Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.,Illinois Tool Works Inc., Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC, and voestalpine Bohler Welding GmbH, collectively held a nearly 50% share in 2015. Other key vendors in the market are Sandvik Materials Technology AB, Kobe Steel, Ltd., Ador Welding Ltd., Colfax Corporation, Tianjin Golden Bridge Welding Materials Group Co., MEC Holding GmbH, and Special Metal Corporation, Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Market 2017: Key Derma Sciences FzioMed,Alliqua BioMedical,Skye Biologics

OPHTHALMOLOGY AMNIOTIC MEMBRANE Industry

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Press Release: Pune, India- August , 2017Global Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022Description:Amniotic membrane (AM) can function in the eye as a basement membrane substitute or as a temporary graft. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-scarring effects and contains growth factors that promote epithelial wound healing on the surface of the eye.For Sample Report@Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane 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 coversDerma SciencesFzioMedAlliqua BioMedicalSkye BiologicsIOP OphthalmicsMarket 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, coversCryopreservation of Amniotic MembraneLyophilized Amniotic MembraneOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane market.Chapter 1, to describe Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane, with sales, revenue, and price of Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane, 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 Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane, 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, Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceFor any Enquiry write us @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Cryopreservation of Amniotic Membrane1.2.2 Lyophilized Amniotic Membrane1.2.3 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Derma Sciences2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Derma Sciences Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 FzioMed2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 FzioMed Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Alliqua BioMedical2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Alliqua BioMedical Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Skye Biologics2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Skye Biologics Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 IOP Ophthalmics2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 IOP Ophthalmics Ophthalmology Amniotic Membrane Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)ContinuedBuy now@Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every category and an even more comprehensive collection of research reports under these categories and sub-categoriesOffice No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028 Maharashtra, India
Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems 2017 Global Key Players The Schaefer Group.,Automated Fork Truck, Inc.,Kardex Ag.,Dematic Corporation.,Beumer Group Gmbh & Co. Kg. Market Analysis And Forecast To 2022

Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems Market

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Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems Market 2017Wiseguyreports.Com Adds Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems Market -Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Manufacturers, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2022 To Its Research Database.Description:Automated Storage and Retrieval systems refers to machinery which automates storage/ retrieval operations to ensure precision, accuracy and speed in performing storage and retrieval operations. As an extension of Material Handling Equipment, AS/RS eliminate human intervention in performing basic operations such as precise storage of an item to predefined location, removal of an item automatically, transferring the goods to specific processing or interface point and so on. AS/RS aids in increasing storage capacity, facilitates efficient floor space utilization and better labor productivity in logistic operations.The emergence of Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems has created a transformational change in industrial operations. AS/RS systems have the ability to carry any category of material, products and perform these functions in effective and organized manner. The range of product moved by automated storage and retrieval system varies from heavy metal components to small electronic components.Request for Sample Report@The global market for Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) has been segmented based on their type, equipment, applications and functions. The market has also been segmented based on different geographical segment. Under the type segment the market has been segmented into Unit-Load AS/RS or Fixed-Aisle S/R System, Mini-Load AS/RS, Micro-Load AS/RS, Vertical Lift Modules and Carousels. Under the equipment segment the market has been categorized into Storage Aisles and Storage/Retrieval (S/R) machines. AS/RS market has also been segmented based on the type of functions they perform into assembly, order picking, storage, consolidation, replenishment and kitting. On the basis of their applications in various industries the market has been classified into Automotive, Chemicals, Food & Beverage, General Manufacturing, Semiconductors & Electronics, Life Sciences, Aerospace and E-commerce among others.Unit-load as well as Mini-load AS/RS systems are the most preferred type of AS/RS systems contributing to more than half of the overall market in 2014. APAC region emerged out to be the global market leader for AS/RS market in 2014 and is estimated to remain the market leader throughout the forecast period followed by Europe and Americas.The overall market is also presented from the perspective of different geographic regions and the key countries in each region. The market has been segmented in to four regions North America, Europe, Asia-pacific and Rest of the World. Competitive landscape for industry and market players are profiled with attributes of company overview, financial overview, business strategies, product portfolio and recent developments.Enquiry before Buying @Table of Contents:Automated Storage & Retrieval System (AS/RS): Market Overview.1. Introduction.1.2. Market Classification.2. Executive Summary.3. Automated Storage & Retrieval System  Market Landscape.3.1. Market Share Analysis.3.2. Comparative Analysis.3.2.1. Product Benchmarking.3.2.2. End-User Profiling.3.2.3. Patent Analysis.3.2.4. Top 5 Financials Analysis.4. Automated Storage & Retreival Systems- Market Forces.4.1. Market Drivers.4.1.1. Multichannel Supply-Chain Strategy In Retail to Drive the AS/RS Market.4.1.2. Rising Labor Costs Amidst the Aging Workforce to Boost the AS/RS Demand.4.1.3. Leasing of Material Handling Equipment Paving New Avenues for the Automated Material Handling Systems.4.2. Market Constraints.4.2.1. Initial Concerns Associated With AS/RS to Confront Market Development.4.2.2. Delayed Return on Investment (ROI) Model Constricting the Emergence of AS/RS.4.3. Market Challenges.4.3.1. Limited Flexibility for Handling Mixed Skus Posing Challenge for AS/RS.4.3.2. Misconceptions Prevalent Around Utilization of AS/RS.4.4. Attractiveness of the Market.4.4.1. Power of Suppliers.4.4.2. Power of Customers.4.4.3. Threat of New Entrants.4.4.4. Threat of Substitution.4.4.5. Degree of Competition.5. Automated Storage & Retreival Systems Market-Strategic Analysis.5.1. Value Chain Analysis.5.2. Pricing Analysis.5.3. Opportunities Analysis.5.4. Opportunity Analysis.5.4.1. Distribution Operations In E-Commerce Industries Are Being Optimized With Reliable Automation Tools..5.4.2. Robotic AS/RS Based Picking Systems to Drive More Flexibility In Warehouse Operations.5.5. Product/Market Life Cycle Analysis.5.5.1. Product Life Cycle Analysis.5.5.2. Market Life.12. Company Profiles.12.1. The Schaefer Group.12.1.1. Business Overview.12.1.2. Financials12.1.3. Products.12.1.4. Developments.12.2. Automated Fork Truck, Inc..12.2.1. Business Overview.12.2.2. Financials.12.2.3. Products.12.2.4. Developments.12.3. Kardex Ag.12.3.1. Business Overview12.3.2. Financials.12.3.3. Products.12.3.4. Developments.12.4. Dematic Corporation.12.4.1. Business Overview.12.4.2. Financials.12.4.3. Products.12.4.4. Developments.12.5. Beumer Group Gmbh & Co. Kg.12.5.1. Business Overview.12.5.2. Financials.12.5.3. Products.12.5.4. Developments.12.6. Daifuku Co., Ltd..12.6.1. Business Overview.12.6.2. Financials.12.6.3. Products.12.6.4. Developments.12.7. Intelligrated Systems Inc..12.7.1. Business Overview.12.7.2. Financials.12.7.3. Products.12.7.4. Developments.12.8. Mecalux, S.A..12.8.1. Business Overview.12.8.2. Financials.12.8.3. Products.12.8.4. Developments.12.9. Murata Machinery, Ltd..12.9.1. Business Overview12.9.2. Financials.12.9.3. Products.12.9.4. Developments.12.10. TGW Logistics Group Gmbh.12.10.1. Business Overview.12.10.2. Financials.12.10.3. Products.12.10.4. Developments.12.11. Swisslog Holding Ag.12.11.1. Business Overview.12.11.2. Financials.12.11.3. Products.12.11.4. Developments.12.12. Knapp Ag.12.12.1. Business Overview.12.12.2. Financials.12.12.3. Products.12.12.4. Developments.12.13. Vanderlande Industries B.V..12.13.1. Business Overview.12.13.2. Financials.12.13.3. Products.12.13.4. Development.Continued..Buy now @For accessing accurate and deep understanding and to gain latest insights and key developments in the area of your interest, we also have a list of conferences in which you will be interested in, for more information, cordially check:For updating knowledge or for thoroughly understanding various terminologies, we also have vast list of seminars for your reference, for more information cordially check:Contact US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About Us:Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Addres:: Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt Ltd: Pune  411028: Maharashtra,: Ph: +91 841 198 5042
Next generation biometrics market worldwide research, trends and development of 2022

Next generation biometrics

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The Global Next generation biometrics Market Research Report provides detailed analysis of the key regional market status of the Next generation biometrics Industry.According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Next Generation Biometrics market is estimated at $14.7 billion in 2015 growing at a CAGR of 10.4% is expected to reach $29.37 billion by the year 2022. Adoption of e-commerce services and E-governance are the factors influencing the market growth. High cost of biometric devices and privacy concerns are the factors restricting the market growth. Security of biometric data is the biggest challenge for Next Generation Biometrics market.North America accounted for the largest share in the market. However, Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a highest CAGR during the forecast period. The biometrics system market for single-factor authentication is expected to grow at the highest CAGR.Some of the key players in global next generation biometrics market includeNEC Corporation, Precise Biometrics Ab, 3M Cogent, Inc., Fujitsu Ltd., Safran SA, Bio-Key International, Inc., Suprema Inc., Fulcrum Biometrics, Thales SA, ZK Technology LLC, Cross Match Technologies, FUTRONIC Technology Co. Ltd, IDEX Group and RCG Holdings Limited.Sample Copy @Applications Covered: Military & Defence Travel & Immigration Government Banking & Finance Securityo Home Securityo Commercial Security Healthcare Consumer Electronics OthersFunctions Covered: Non-Contact Biometrics Contact BiometricsAuthentication Types Covered: Single Factor Authenticationo IRISo Fingerprinto Faceo Palm Vein. Multi-Factor Authenticationo Biometrics With Pino Two-Factor Biometrics Authentication Keypad Lockso Three-Factor Biometric Authentications Biometric Lockso Face and Pino Fingerprint and Pin/Cardo Palm Vein and Cardo Multi-Modal.o Face and Fingerprinto Iris and Fingerprinto Face and Palmo Voice Recognitiono Signature Recognitiono Other Biometric Technologieso Keystroke Recognitiono Gait Recognitiono DNA RecognitionRegions 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 advancementsTable Of Content1 Executive Summary2 Preface2.1 Abstract2.2 Research Scope2.3 Research Methodology2.4 Research Sources3 Market Trend Analysis3.1 Introduction3.2 Drivers3.3 Restraints3.4 Opportunities3.5 Threats4 Porters Five Force Analysis4.1 Bargaining power of suppliers4.2 Bargaining power of buyers4.3 Threat of substitutes4.4 Threat of new entrants4.5 Competitive rivalry5 Global Next generation biometrics Market, By Procedure5.1 Cartilage Reconstruction and Repair5.2 Ligament Reconstruction and Repair5.3 Bone Reconstruction & Repair5.4 Surgery10 Company Profiling10.1 Arthrex10.2 Biomet Inc.10.3 Arthrocare10.4 Conmed Corporation10.5 Stryker Corporation10.6 Otto Bock Healthcare10.7 DJO Global10.8 Zimmer Holdings Inc.10.9 Smith & Nephews10.10 XirosCONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)For accessing accurate and deep understanding and to gain latest insights and key developments in the area of your interest, we also have a list of conferences in which you will be interested in, for more information, cordially check :For updating knowledge or for thoroughly understanding various terminologies, we also have vast list of seminars for your reference, for more information cordially check :Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Pune, India
Thermochromic Pigments | Quantitative Market Analysis, Current and Future Trends

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A new research report by Transparency Market Research offers a comprehensive evaluation of the global Thermochromic Pigments Market. The study, titled Thermochromic Pigments Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025, is available for sale on the firms website.Thermochromic pigments are special pigments that change color when they detect temperature change, it can be either high temperature or low temperature. The pigments are very sensitive to temperature change. Consequently, thermochromic pigments are used for various applications such as textile printing, plastics, mugs, and others. In textile printing, thermochromic pigments are used with normal textile pigments for printing textiles. When the print undergoes a change in temperature, it changes color. For instance, if normal yellow textile pigment is mixed with blue thermochromic pigment, the resulting product will be green color, which will change to yellow when it senses or undergoes a change in temperature. Thermochromic pigment is used in plastic bottles and mugs to detect temperature of the liquid present in the bottle or mug.Browse Market Research Report @In terms of application type, the thermochromic pigments market can be segmented into paints & coatings, ink printing, and plastic products. In these industries the pigments are used to display the temperature change of the product. The usage of thermochromic pigment in ink printing can usually be seen on beer wrappers indicating the coldness of beer, or on the stickers of pizza delivery boxes indicating hotness of the pizza. The ink printing segment held a major share of the market in 2016, globally. Rise in standard of living, quality of life, disposable income, and development of economy of various countries such China and India, is anticipated to boost the thermochromic pigments market across the globe.In terms of product type, the thermochromic pigments market can be segmented into reversible and irreversible pigments. In reversible thermochromic pigments, the color change of the pigment is reversible and is majorly employed in decorative products. The Reversible thermochromic pigments segment held a prominent share of the market in 2016. Irreversible thermochromic pigments can change color only once, and the color is not reversible at all. These pigments are cheaper as compared to the reversible ones and have comparatively lower market share in 2016.In terms of region, North America held a major share of the market across the globe, in 2016. Increasing demand for thermochromic pigments in the U.S. for printing application is the reason for the high share of the product in the region. The share of Asia Pacific region is anticipated to rise rapidly in the near future due to rising usage of thermochromic pigments in the textile industry. Furthermore, the automotive industry of Japan is witnessing a rising demand for thermochromic pigments. This, in turn, is estimated to drive the market in Asia Pacific. Europe followed North America in terms of market share. Increasing demand for thermochromic food quality indicators in countries such as Germany, France, and the U.K. is projected to fuel the market for thermochromic materials in Europe. The rising demand for food quality indicators is seen to determine the quality of frozen meat and dairy products. It is projected to be the contributing factors for the demand for food quality indicators in the region. Middle East & Africa held an average share in the market. The region is expected to rise with an average growth rate.Key manufacturers of thermochromic pigments across the globe include E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, RPM International, OliKrom, Sherwin-Williams Co., Chromatic Technologies Inc., NanoMatriX International Ltd, The 3M Company, and Hammer Packaging.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Thermochromic Pigments market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this 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.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)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. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog :
Vanadium Compounds | Worldwide Industry Analysis and New Market Opportunities Explored

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A new research report by Transparency Market Research offers a comprehensive evaluation of the global Vanadium Compounds Market. The study, titled Vanadium Compounds Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025, is available for sale on the firms website.Vanadium is a very hard metal which is light silvery in color, brittle, and stable in dry air at room temperature. It ranks seventeenth among the metals available in the earths crust but is considered to be rare as it is present in a dispersed form and its extraction and mining is very costly. Vanadium is not found in the elemental state but in a chemically combined form.Vanadium compounds can be classified into the following segments: oxides, pentoxides, sulphates, and vanadates. They are present in various forms such as liquid, hydrous cake, and powder. Vanadium salts (potassium metavandate, ammonium polyvanadate, and sodium metavanadate) and solutions display highly selective catalytic features.Browse Market Research Report @Vanadium oxide, when doped with tungsten, has been examined for use as a spectrally-selective window coating to block infrared transmission and reduce the harm of building inner heat through windows. Vanadium pentoxide is used as a catalyst for sulphuric acid production, as a pigment, and in batteries. The vanadates include ammonium metavanadate, potassium metavanadate, and sodium metavanadate which find application in various fields. For instance, ammonium metavanadate is used as a synthetic catalyst for organic acids & in denitrification and as a corrosion inhibitor & a pigment. Potassium metavanadate is used as a corrosion inhibitor and a catalyst in desulfurization and denitrification. Sodium metavanadate is used as a pigment, catalyst in desulfurization, and corrosion inhibitor.On the basis of application, the vanadium compounds market can be segmented into the following sectors: chemical catalysts, pharmaceuticals, pigments, and glaze. Vanadium compounds are used as catalysts for the oxidation of sulphur dioxide. Vanadium pentoxide is an excellent catalyst used in the contact process for the production of sulphuric acid  an important process in the chemical industry. Vanadium compounds are testified to exhibit insulin-enhancing properties when administered orally. Gastrointestinal absorption of vanadium is usually poor and depends on the chemical nature & solubility. These compounds are also employed in the pigments, ceramic, and paints industries. Ammonium metavanadate and sodium vanadate are responsible for the color of ceramic tiles and containers. Bismuth orthovanadate is a temperature-resistant yellow pigment employed in varnishes and plastics.The main driver for the vanadium compound market is the industrial catalytic sector. For instance, these compounds are used in the production of sulfuric acid using the contact process. The paints and ceramic industries also employ sodium vanadate and sodium metavanadate. Vanadium oxide is used for glass coatings, while vanadates offer protection to steel against corrosion and rust as well. All these factors drive the market.Environmental and health hazards including eye, nose, and throat infections act as a barrier for the vanadium compound market. Other ill-effects include damage to nervous system and carcinogenic diseases. Vanadium compounds can cause inhibition to the enzymes in animals and in certain cases, lead to cancer.The market for vanadium compounds is distributed over North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. The market of Asia Pacific is dominant, followed by Europe and North America. Demand for vanadium compounds is on rise in Asia Pacific due to the regions burgeoning chemical industry. China possesses immense vanadium mines; therefore the vanadium compound market in this country is anticipated to expand. Brazil is another significant market due to the industrial activities in this country.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Vanadium Compounds market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market@Key players in the vanadium market include Treibacher Industries AG, Shinko Chemical, V-PubChem, Yogi Dye Chem, Forbes Pharmaceuticals, and Oxkem Limited.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.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)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. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog :
Dimethyl Ether Market SWOT Analysis Of Top Key Player Forecasts To 2020

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Global Dimethyl Ether Market: SnapshotThe dimethyl ether market is the largest in Asia-Pacific region, specifically China. The companies, China Energy Limited (Singapore) and Jiutai Energy Group (China) are dominant players in the Asia-Pacific region. The market for DME is expected to grow during the forecast period on account of its use in LPG blending. DME is extensively used by aerosol propellant. The capacity for fuel has increased in Asia Pacific and this is expected to continue to grow steadily, on account of the increasing establishment of new plants for sufficient domestic fuel supply. Asia Pacific is the most populated region worldwide and thus, the demand for fuel substitutes such as dimethyl ether is highest from this region. Countries such as Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea, are fueling the growth of the DME market, apart from China, which is the largest contributor.View Report @Use of DME in LPG Blending to Remain Key Driver for MarketThe various applications of DME studied in the report are: LPG blending, aerosol propellants, transportation fuel, industrial, and others which comprise chemical feedstock among others. Of these, the LPG blending segment is anticipated to lead in the market. The scarcity of LPG is a growing concern gripping countries that have inadequate gas reserves or insufficient supply to meet the high demand from growing population. DME has emerged as a boon for such countries as it reduces the dependency on LPG imports. LPG imports are reduced by blending 20% DME with LPG, which is then used for cooking, fueling the growth of the market. DME is blended in LPG and requires no change in the infrastructure and has emerged efficient, thus driving the market to a large extent.DME as Potential Transport Fuel to Create Growth OpportunitiesWith little alterations in the fuel injection systems, DME has promising potential to be used in conventional engines as transport fuel in place of diesel. This is expected to create immense growth potential for the market and players will benefit from the opportunities offered by DME in the transport sector. The global dimethyl ether market will witness a rapid growth in the years to come on account of its clean combustion properties. The growth in the automobile industry will push the DME market in China. With easy and abundant coal reserves in China, the market will flourish in the country. The market is expected to receive boost from favorable regulations set by governments regarding emission control for environmental conservation, which will compel the use of cleaner fuels such as DME.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Dimethyl Ether Market Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Lack of Export Infrastructure to Limit Growth Opportunities for DME Market PlayersOne of the key challenges of this market is the lack of proper export infrastructure which is dampening the growth of the market. Despite the high demand for DME from various countries, the lack of trade norms is acting as a major hurdle for the growth of this market. Due to these two constraints, the compound is seldom exported to countries, negatively impacting the global DME market. Another hurdle in the market is the small plant capacities. This has compelled players in the DME market to operate their plants at much lower rates. The impact of this restraint is estimated to reduce in the years to come as government strives hard to overcome the challenge. This is expected to help the markets in China, Papua New Guinea, and Saudi Arabia.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Waste to Energy Market Product, Production, Revenue, Price, & Industry Analysis 2019

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Global Waste to Energy Market: OverviewWaste to energy processes refer to a technique used for converting municipal solid waste, which is generated from the industrial, commercial, and domestic sectors, into energy. Various technologies are deployed to process the waste generated from the various sectors to produce fuel cell, steam, and electricity. The course of action in every technology is comparatively different and the end product is used in industries, commercial units, and domestic dwellings. Waste to energy technology helps in regaining monetary value from different kinds of wastes such as plastic and tin cans, among others.The global waste to energy market is expected to be driven by the growing demand for renewable resources worldwide and the shift towards alternative renewable sources of energy such as coal to decrease carbon emissions. Governments across the world have been impelled to impose stringent regulations regarding waste control due to the rising volume of industrial and domestic waste. The market is further expected to benefit from the incentives provided by governments in the form of tax benefits and subsidies. The deployment of waste to energy techniques is anticipated to rise over the forthcoming years owing to the burgeoning environmental concerns across the globe.The market is projected to rise to a valuation of US$31.8 bn by the end of 2019.View Report @Biological Technology to Gain Preference among Consumers despite Dominance of Thermal SystemsIn terms of technology, the global waste to energy market has been classified into biological and thermal technologies. Thermal technology has gained importance over biological technology in recent years, as it is flexible in terms of the feed used in the plant and helps reduce the weight and volume of the ash generated from the waste. The thermal technology segment accounted for a share of 80% in 2012 in the global waste to energy market.However, the market for thermal technology might face challenges as the different varieties of feed being processed in the incineration plants affect the effectiveness of the plants. The growth of the biological technology segment is also expected to gain momentum over the coming years as it converts waste into energy through anaerobic digestion. This technology is highly preferred by farmers as it is a biodegradable process and the moisture content is comparatively high.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Waste to Energy Market Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Asia Pacific to Retain Firm Grip on Global MarketAt present, Asia Pacific leads the global waste to energy market with a share of over 40%. The market is anticipated to witness robust growth in the coming years owing to the growing disposable income of consumers in the region and economic development of the countries. The waste to energy market in Asia Pacific is expected to be propelled by Japan, China, and India. Japan is one of the countries exhibiting widespread adoption of the latest waste management solutions. The increasing amount of industrial and domestic waste in India and China is expected to further fuel the growth of the market.The key players operating in the market are Suez Environment S.A., Waste Management Inc., Constructions industrielles de la Mediterranee (CNIM), C&G Environmental Protection Holdings, Covanta Energy Corporation, China Everbright International Limited, and Veolia Environment.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Drug And Alcohol Rehabilitation Market Size, Status and Forecast 2025

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The process of combining medical and psychotherapeutic treatment to address the dependence on alcohol and drugs such as prescription drugs and street drugs is called rehabilitation. Addiction to alcohol and drugs is considered a chronic disease. If the addiction is untreated, it can have serious life threatening effects. Drug and alcohol addiction is treated with several steps such as detoxification, counselling, medication, and long term follow ups to avoid relapse. Withdrawal symptoms are serious such as sweat, nausea, and vomiting. Hence, addiction is considered treatable, but a complex process.View Report @The global drug and alcohol rehabilitation market is expected to expand at a significant growth rate during the forecast period. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 26.9% of people aged 18 and above were engaged in binge drinking in a month in 2015. Rising prevalence of alcoholism is likely to be a key factor driving the global market from 2017 to 2025. Increased usage of illegal drugs is another factor anticipated to propel the global market during the forecast period. Furthermore, rise in major depression disorders, surge in trend among youngsters toward drugs and alcohols, underage drinking, peer pressure, and self-medication are some of the factors projected to fuel the growth of the global drugs and alcohol rehabilitation market during the forecast period. Serious withdrawal symptoms of the treatment is a major factor anticipated to restrain the global market from 2017 to 2025.The global drugs and alcohol rehabilitation market can be segmented based on treatment, screening, end-user, and region. In terms of treatment, the global market can be segmented into counselling, medication, and behavioral treatment. The medication segment can be sub-segmented into opioid addiction, tobacco, alcohol, and others. The medication segment is expected to account for a significant share of the global market during the forecast due to increase in usage of illicit drugs, alcoholism, and self-medication. Based on screening, the global market can be divided into oral fluid drug screening, urine drug screening, breathe alcohol screening, hair analysis, and others. In terms of end-user, the global drugs and alcohol rehabilitation market can be segmented into rehabilitation centers and clinics, hospitals, and home care settings. The rehabilitation centers and clinics segment is anticipated to hold the largest share of the global market during forecast period due to factors such as increasing federal funding.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.The global drug and alcohol rehabilitation market is projected to expand at a significant growth rate across regions. Geographically, the global drug and alcohol rehabilitation market can be divided into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the global market in terms of value. Factors attributed to the growth of the market in North America are increase in patients suffering from major depression, prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle, surge in drug trafficking, and peer pressure. Europe is anticipated to account for the second largest share of the global market due to highest number of alcoholism-related disorders in the region. The market in Asia Pacific is expected to experience high growth due to increase in alcohol usage.To maintain a significant position in the global drug and alcohol rehabilitation market, the key players are adopting strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, robust research and development, and geographical expansion. Major players operating in the global drug and rehabilitation market are Indivior, Inc., West-Ward Pharmaceuticals Corp., and Pfizer, Inc., among others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. 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:
Psoriasis Drugs Market:Global Industry Analysis,Trends and Forecast 2025

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Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease characterized by red, itchy abnormal skin patches. There are five types of psoriasis: inverse, pustular, guttate, plaque, and erythrodermic. Psoriasis is considered to be a long-term skin disorder that produces plaques of scaling and thickened skin. The most commonly affected areas on the body are around the scalp, knees, navel, and back of the forearms. Psoriasis is triggered by various factors such as environmental factors and genetic deformity. Psoriasis is considered to be a non-curable disorder; however, a few drugs are available that ease the symptoms. Psoriasis therapies include topical therapeutic drug, systemic therapeutic drug, and combination of two or more therapies. A report published by the Alabama Pharmacy Association stated that around 17 million people in North America and Europe are affected by psoriasis. According to the treatment report, the frequency of occurrence of the disease is low in Africans, Americans, and Asians, and higher in Caucasians. According to a WHO report, males and females are almost equally affected. According to the WHOs global report on psoriasis in 2016, the trends during 19792008 indicate that prevalence of psoriasis has increased from 4.8% to 11.4%.View Report @Rising number of psoriasis patients and FDA approval of new biologics are the major factors driving the companies to invest in R&D. The psoriasis drugs market is likely to become more competitive with the approval of new biologics. Several drug classes competing for the same moderate to severe patient population is expected to drive the psoriasis drugs market during the forecast period. Awareness about the disease is increasing in developing countries such as China and India through various campaigns by government and health care professionals. It has become easy to access physicians or dermatologists for drugs in developing countries. This is expected to increase the number of patients treated for psoriasis which in turn is likely to boost the growth of the psoriasis drugs market. Some of the psoriatic drugs shows adverse side effects upon administration. Common side effects include injection site reactions such as hardening of the skin, stabbing chest pain, feeling short of breath, cold symptoms, headache, tired feeling, diarrhea, or skin rash or itching. These side effects are hampering the growth of the psoriasis drugs market.The global psoriasis drugs market has been segmented based on product type, type of therapy, distribution channel, and region. In terms of product type, the global psoriasis drugs market has been segmented into tissue necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, vitamin D analogues or combinations, interleukin blockers, and others. TNF inhibitors is projected to be the largest segment in terms of revenue during the forecast period. In terms of type of therapy, the global psoriasis drugs market has been segmented into topical therapeutic drugs, systemic therapeutic drugs, combinations, and others. Topical therapeutic drugs constitute a key therapy of the psoriasis drugs market as it is a patient convenient process as well as conventional use of this therapy by patients and physicians is high. Based on distribution channel, the global psoriasis drugs market has been segmented into hospital pharmacy, retail pharmacy, and online sales.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Psoriasis Drugs Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.The global psoriasis drug market has been categorized into five major regions: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominated the global psoriasis drugs market and is expected to be one of the highly attractive markets for psoriasis drug during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the growing disease prevalence as well as high cost of approved biologics in the region. Growth of the psoriasis drug products market in Europe is attributed to expected introduction of biosimillars during the forecast period. North America and Europe are anticipated to be key markets due to high consumption of psoriasis drug products as compared to other regions. Asia Pacific and Latin America are expected to witness significant growth in the latter half of the forecast period due to the introduction of biosimillars.Key players in the global psoriasis drugs market are Merck & Co., Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Amgen, Inc., Novartis AG, Eli Lilly and Company, Inc., Pfizer, Inc., AbbVie, Inc., LEO Pharma A/S, and Biogen.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Bone Growth Stimulator Industry Trends and key Insights by 2025

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Bone growth stimulation, or BGS, is a type of therapy which is often used to aid in the healing process after a fracture or spinal fusion surgery. BGS or bone growth stimulation can help in promoting quicker healing in fractures which make take longer duration to heal by the natural healing process. Bone growth stimulator also known as osteogenesis stimulators devices provide pain-free ultrasound or electrical stimulation and is generally recommended by orthopedists to help in faster bone healing. Human bones have an innate ability to heal on their own if there is any spinal fusion process, surgery, and injury. Bone growth stimulators devices work by releasing either a low-level pulsed ultrasonic energy or pulsed electromagnetic field. The energy field fuels bone growth process by helping repair the damaged body tissues and increase the cell formation and maturity process, leading to improved bone density.View Report @The major factor contributing to the growth of the bone growth stimulator market is the rising inclination of patients towards minimally invasive and non-invasive surgical treatments and growing population of obese and diabetic population. Elderly population is particularly vulnerable to bone related injuries and fractures. Globally the number of elderly population- people aged 60 years or over has grown significantly in most of the countries in the recent years and that this growth is anticipated to accelerate in the coming years. According to United Nations 2015 report, globally the number of people aged 60 years or more were 901 million in 2015 from 607 million observed in 2000. The elderly population is slated to increase by 56% to 1.4 billion by 2030 and is projected increase twofold from its size in 2015, reaching nearly 2.1 billion by 2050. Thus the growing aging population is anticipated to propel the growth of the market during the forecast period. Additionally, the cost benefits offered by the bone stimulation devices for bone fracture treatments are some of the key factors driving the growth of bone growth stimulator market. On the contrary, side effects associated with orthopedic treatment and legal litigations against market players are some of the restraining factors that could affect the growth of the bone growth stimulator market during the forecast period.The global bone growth stimulator market is segmented based on product type, by application, by end user type and by geography. In terms of product type, bone growth stimulator market is categorized into external and implantable devices. In terms of application, the market is classified into delayed nonunion and union bone fractures, spinal fusion surgeries, maxillofacial and dental surgeries. Based on end-user type, the bone growth stimulators market is classified into specialty clinics, homecare settings, and hospitals.Geographically global bone growth stimulators market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America & Middle East and Africa. North America accounted for the largest share of the market due to improved reimbursement policies and upsurge in the investments in healthcare-service sector. The region is projected to maintain its lead in terms of overall market share primarily due to the growing awareness levels among the population regarding chronic injuries and bone fractures, and the growing investments by major manufacturers in research and development of technologically advanced devices. Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth rate due to increasing elderly population in the region. The high percentage of elderly population in developing countries such as China and Japan are increasing the incidences of bone fractures & spinal fusion surgical procedures in the Asia Pacific regionGet accurate market forecast and analysis on the Bone Growth Stimulator Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.To maintain a significant position in the market the key players in the global bone growth stimulators market are operating strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, cost effective and efficient products, collaborative partnerships etc. The major players reported in the market include Orthofix International N.V, Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc., Bioventus LLC., Synergy Orthopedics, ITO Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, DePuy Synthes Spine, Inc., DJO Global, Inc Ossatec Benelux Ltd., and Orchid Medical.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Corneal Neovascularization Market: Emergence of advanced technologies and global industry analysis 2024

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Global Corneal Neovascularization Market: OutlookCorneal neovascularization is a disorder of the eyes, which is mainly characterized by the incursion of novel blood vessels into the cornea of the individuals suffering from the disease. This disorder is majorly caused due to disruption of the balance between the factors that protects and maintain the corneal transparency. The two factors that need to be balanced include angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors. The incursion of new blood vessels, which are relatively immature, hence can cause lipid exudation as well. Other major symptoms include scarring in eyes, persistent inflammation, which leads to diminishing corneal transparency and visual perception. The corneal neovascularization disorders if left untreated it may lead to high growth of new blood vessels that may reach visual axis to permanently threat the vision of the affected individual. Presently, several patients suffering from various eye problems, many a times undergo corneal grafts; corneal neovascularization may lead to rejection of such grafts as well. Thus, timely and proper treatment (may include surgical intervention and therapeutic drugs) of corneal neovascularization is necessary for effective management of the disease to ensure proper eye vision.Global Corneal Neovascularization Market: Regional AnalysisGeographically, North America and Europe are expected to dominate the corneal neovascularization market. Major factors responsible for their expected dominance in the corneal neovascularization market are high prevalence of ophthalmic disorders in the region, aging population, rising overweight as well obese population, and high awareness levels of the population. However, emerging economies like China, India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, and Malaysia among others from Asia-Pacific, LATAM, Middle East and other regions will present tremendous opportunities towards the growth of this market. Major factors responsible for the growth of the corneal neovascularization market in these regions are availability of high patient population, high prevalence of diseases like diabetes and hypertension, increasing healthcare awareness in these regions and increasing purchasing power of the people in APAC and RoW.View Report-Global Corneal Neovascularization Market: Drivers and RestraintsMajor driving factors for the growth of corneal neovascularization market include increasing incidences of ophthalmic disorders, rising number of corneal grafts, aging population, increasing obesity rate, increasing number of diseases such as diabetes and hypertension and increasing demand for advanced treatment options. Ophthalmic disorders are one of the leading disorders that affect very large population globally; several eye related disorders require ophthalmic interventions that may increase the risk of developing corneal neovascularization, hence accompanied by graft rejections. Increasing geriatric population will also contribute towards the growth of this market as aged individuals are more prone to several disorders and hence, tend to suffer from ophthalmic disorders. Increasing obesity rates are also adding to various eye related disorders mainly the lipid deposition increase the chances of developing corneal neovascularization, hence will contribute towards the growth of this market. Several diseases like diabetes, hypertension and others also lead to ophthalmic diseases, in turn require diagnostics and therapeutics from this market, thus will contribute towards the growth of corneal neovascularization market. Several pharmaceutical companies are having many therapeutic drugs for the effective treatment of this disorder in different phases of clinical trials, which will soon hit the market.Global Corneal Neovascularization Market: Companies Mentioned in the ReportSome of the major players operating in this market include, Amakem NV, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., GTx, Inc., and Sirnaomics, Inc. that have their drugs in different phases of clinical trials, which will soon be commercialized in the global corneal neovascularization market.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Corneal Neovascularization 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:
Electroceuticals/Bioelectric Medicine Market: New Business Opportunities & Investment Research Report | Forecast up to 2024

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Electroceuticals are medical devices that affect changes in body functions by utilizing electrical impulses. Electroceuticals act as an alternative to drug-based remedies, and are expected to be the future gold standard of treatment of various diseases. Unlike other stimulators of the muscles or tissues, electroceuticals act on the basis of neurostimulation, which is the modulation of the nervous systems using electrical impulses. Current treatment options in several neurological disorders and other disease states depend upon drug-based medications, which are associated with considerable side effects and promises of delivery of results are not yet totally fulfilled. Electroceuticals have found applications in various diseases and disorders and are effective in treatment of these conditions in both invasive and non-invasive methods. These are considered a genuine replacement of drug-based medications in future.The global electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine market is segmented based on product, device type, end-user, application, and region. In terms of product, the global electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine market is segmented into cardiac pacemakers, deep brain stimulators, implantable cardioverter defibrillators, cochlear implants, spinal cord stimulators, vagus nerve stimulators, and others. The implantable cardioverter defibrillators segment accounted for the largest share of the global electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine market.Based on end-user, the global electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine market is segmented into hospitals, clinics, home care settings, and others. In terms of device type, the global electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine market is segmented into non-invasive electroceuticals and implantable electroceuticals. The implantable electroceuticals segment is expected to account for the largest share of the market. However, the non-invasive electroceuticals segment is projected to expand at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. Based on application, the global electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine market is segmented into arrhythmias, epilepsy, Parkinsons disease, spinal cord disorders, and other applications.View Report-Increasing global geriatric population, rising cost pressures of drug based medicines, growing interest from major pharmaceutical players in the electroceuticals segment, and increasing incidence and prevalence of neurological disorders and chronic diseases across the world are some of the factors likely to boost the growth of the global electroceuticals market during the forecast period. Major players such as GlaxoSmithKline plc have made significant investments in the electroceuticals segment and other organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the U.S. have shown great interest in the field of electroceuticals. Increasing incidence of neurological disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinsons diseases, and other chronic diseases are expected to augment the electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine market during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024.In terms of region, the global electroceuticals/biomedicine market is segmented into five regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period due to higher prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hearing loss due to rapidly increasing geriatric population in China, Japan, and India, increasing incidence of neurological disorders, and rising adoption of neurostimulation techniques. North America dominated the global electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine market in 2015 owing to factors such as increasing adoption of neurostimulation techniques, new and technologically advanced products being introduced, rising awareness about electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine, and increasing neurological and chronic diseases.Key players in the electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine market are Boston Scientific Corporation, Cochlear Limited, Medtronic plc, St. Jude Medical, Inc., Biotronik, Sonova Holding AG, LivaNova plc, ElectroCore LLC, Nevro Corporation, and Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. Other pharmaceutical companies such as GlaxoSmithKline plc have invested in the electroceuticals market, with increased focus on bringing new miniaturized electroceutical devices in the market.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Electroceuticals/Bioelectric Medicine Market during 2016- 2024About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.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:
In the middle of the large Chilean Atacama desert, a team of Polish astronomers are patiently monitoring millions of celestial bodies night after night with the help of a modern robotic telescope. In 2013, the team was surprised when they discovered, in the course of their survey, stars that pulsated much faster than expected. In the following years, the team that included Dr. Marilyn Latour, an astronomer from the Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, the astronomical institute of Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg (FAU), studied these stars in more detail and concluded that they had stumbled upon a new class of variable star.---Many classes of star exhibit variations in brightness. Unlike our Sun, these stars are not stable; their surface oscillates, meaning that the surface expands and shrinks by a few percent. This is what happens in the case of the more familiar Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars, which have oscillation periods that extend over a few hours to hundreds of days.The researchers discovered a dozen stars that seemed at first sight to show variations that were very similar to those of the Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars but have much shorter (20-40 minutes) oscillation periods and, at the same time, are much bluer in colour. This indicates that the newly identified stars are hotter and more compact. It was because of these characteristics that it was proposed to give this new class of variable stars the acronym BLAPS, i.e. Blue Large-Amplitude Pulsators. What kind of stars these were, however, remained an enigma.The nature of the newly discovered starsFor the astronomers, these new stars posed a riddle. At first, they assumed that BLAPs could be hot dwarf stars since they have similar oscillation periods. Hot dwarf stars are old stars approaching the end of their lives. They generate their energy by means of the thermonuclear fusion of helium to form carbon. The Sun, being in an earlier phase of its life, is currently converting hydrogen to helium.In order to find out whether BLAPs are actually hot dwarfs, the astronomers used two of their largest telescopes to make observations. They were able to capture suitable spectra of some BLAPs using the large Gemini and Magellan telescopes, both located in the Chilean Atacama desert. Latour analysed these spectra using sophisticated physical-numerical models. She was able to show that the variations in luminosity are attributable to temperature changes on the surface of the stars. The temperature of the BLAPs turned out to be five times greater than that of the Sun  something that is characteristic of hot dwarfs.However, the BLAPs are significantly bigger than hot dwarfs, meaning that they form a new class of stars that are similar to hot dwarfs but have a more bloated envelope than the latter. Why BLAPs oscillate like Cepheids and why they are bloated remain puzzles, as does their origin. Further investigations need to be undertaken to solve the mystery of how BLAPs come into being.The findings have been recently published in the journal Nature Astronomy (DOI: 10.1038/s41550-017-0166).Weitere Informationen:Dr. Marilyn LatourTel.: +49-951-95222-16Quelle: idw
https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1707079114

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A study led by scientists of the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD) at the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science in Hamburg presents evidence of the coexistence of superconductivity and charge-density-waves in compounds of the poorly-studied family of bismuthates. This observation opens up new perspectives for a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of high-temperature superconductivity, a topic which is at the core of condensed matter research since more than 30 years. The paper by Nicoletti et al has been published in the PNAS.---Since the beginning of the 20th century, superconductivity had been observed in some metals at temperatures only a few degrees above the absolute zero (minus 273 degrees Celsius). Only in the 1980s, physicists managed to synthetize new classes of compounds, based on ceramic materials, which were able to conduct electricity without any losses at temperatures as high as 138 K (minus 135 degrees Celsius). These were named high temperature superconductors.The best known and heavily studied family of high temperature superconductor is that of cuprates, which display by far the highest critical temperatures (i.e. the temperature below which superconductivity occurs), and are therefore the most promising for applications. However, a wide variety of other compounds exists, which also manifest superconductivity at fairly high temperatures, among them the recently discovered iron pnictides.A universal picture able to describe the physics behind the phenomenon of high temperature superconductivity is still missing. However, an important commonality between almost all high temperature superconductors is the emergence of superconductivity in proximity of other exotic phases of matter, such as the charge-density-waves. All these materials can be typically tuned from one phase to another, possibly achieving superconductivity, by chemical doping, external pressure, or magnetic fields. However, the subtle inter-relation of these phases remains poorly understood, and in some case, there are evidences that charge-density-waves and superconductivity can even coexist microscopically in the very same compound.In such circumstances, experiments performed by stimulating materials with ultrashort, intense laser pulses (as short as few hundreds of femtoseconds) have been shown in the past to provide new insights in the physics of these systems. For example, the group of Andrea Cavalleri at the MPSD in Hamburg has already successfully demonstrated that, in some cuprates compounds, such pulses can be used to remove charge-density-waves and promote superconductivity at higher temperatures, possibly even up to room temperature (see links below: W. Hu, Nature Materials, 13, 705711 and R. Mankowsky, Nature 516 , 7173).In the present work, Nicoletti, Cavalleri and coworkers focused on different compounds, belonging to the poorly studied family of bismuthates. These superconductors were discovered in the 1970s, even before the cuprates, but they attracted less attention due to their far lower critical temperatures (about 30 K). They share many commonalities, but also some differences with their better-known relatives. In particular, the so-called parent compound, BaBiO(3), has a robust charge-density-wave phase, from which superconductivity emerges by chemical substitution.High quality crystals of BaPb(1-x)BixO(3), with different Pb concentrations x, were synthetized and characterized by Ian R. Fisher and P. Giraldo-Gallo at Stanford University, California. The Hamburg team performed a series of experiments on these crystals, in which they photo-excited the materials with very short and intense laser pulses and measured how their conductivity was transiently modified and relaxed back to the initial value within few picoseconds. By analysing the dependence of such signal on frequency, temperature, and Pb concentration, they could uniquely assign it to a modification of the charge-density-wave phase induced by the laser field.Strikingly, says Nicoletti, we were able to measure this response not only in the parent compound BaBiO(3), for which a charge-density-wave is well known to exist, but also in a Pb-doped superconducting compound. This observation is an indirect demonstration of the coexistence of charge-density-waves and superconductivity in the very same material, something that has been discussed previously, but never definitely established in this class of materials.The scientists were also able to exactly determine the energy scales associated with the modification of the charge-density-waves, thus providing new information on their dynamical interplay with superconductivity in bismuthates.These results are especially timely given that charge-density-waves have recently been found in several cuprate superconductors, pointing towards a surprising commonality between some aspects of these materials. The present experiment is an additional example of how light can be employed to investigate, control, and manipulate complex materials. One of the ultimate goals of this line of research is to provide guidance for material engineering to develop new functionalities at increasingly higher temperatures.This work was supported by the ERC Synergy Grant Frontiers in Quantum Materials Control (Q-MAC), the Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (CUI), and the priority program SFB925 of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. The experiments were performed in the laboratories of the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), a joint enterprise of DESY, the Max Planck Society, and the University of Hamburg. The research was carried out in close collaboration with scientists of Stanford University, California, USA.Contact: Dr. Daniele Nicoletti, corresponding author, +49 (0)40 8998-6208,Weitere Informationen:- Original publication- Superconductivity without cooling (2014)- A first hint for superconductivity at room temperature (2014)Quelle: idw
Wednesday 9 August 2017 4:21pm



The Beauchamp family, 1898. The young Kathleen Beauchamp, later to be known as Katherine Mansfield, is third from left in the back row. Photographer possibly Harold Beauchamp.

The discovery of the story His Little Friend is at the heart of a new book on the life of the young Katherine Mansfield by Wellington author and historian Redmer Yska, who made the find while researching in the archives of the Wellington City Library.

Previously unknown to Mansfields modern readers and scholars, the short story, by the 11-year old Kathleen M. Beauchamp (her given name), was published on the Childrens Page of the New Zealand Graphic on 13 October 1900. It predates her first known published work by seven years, and is reprinted in full in Yskas new book, A Strange Beautiful Excitement: Katherine Mansfields Wellington 18881903, published by Otago University Press.

Yska describes the story, about the friendship between a lonely, elderly man and an impoverished child, as showing the young Mansfield grappling with harsh, bleak truths at a young age, paving the way for much of what was to come. The literary discoveries didnt end there: Yska also found in the Graphic the writers first two known published letters.

A Strange Beautiful Excitement works to locate Mansfield in the rickety colonial capital of the 1890s; the sights, sounds and smells of her Thorndon and Karori childhood.

Kiwis tend to see Katherine Mansfield as a grown woman in her twenties, the vamp with the bob and the faraway eyes. Shes always in London: bookish, cosmopolitan, swallowed up in a cloud of Bloomsbury cigarette smoke, Yska says.

Thats in part because most of her biographers (mainly British) think the story really starts when she leaves Wellington. So that crucial, formative part of her life gets a few pages or a chapter at most.

Yska notes that Mansfield spent nearly half of her 34 years in the city, and even after she left, she never stopped writing about it. Her most luminous stories are set in this raw, wind-bashed city with its singular charm and barrenness.

I have tried to bring her back home, underline her physical presence. I show her as a vigorous youngster striding through the gale, long curly hair flying. Ive tried to find the human story of her adolescence, her living footsteps. Ive tried to catch a glimpse of her in the open air, to make her live, move, talk.

Described by Fiona Kidman as a ravishing, immersing read, A Strange Beautiful Excitement is a wild ride through the Wellington of Mansfields childhood. This handsome hardback edition features a number of evocative photographs and illustrations.

Redmer Yska is a Wellington-born writer and historian. He has published books about postwar teenagers (bodgies and widgies), Dutch New Zealanders like himself, and a commissioned history of Wellington City. He was awarded the National Library Research Fellowship to write a history of NZ Truth, published in 2010. Yska was the major recipient of a New Zealand History Research Trust Fund Award in 2014, allowing him to write this book.

A Strange Beautiful Excitement

Katherine Mansfields Wellington 18881903

By Redmer Yska

Release Date: 28 July 2017

ISBN 978-0-947522-54-4

$39.95

Otago University Press
Renee Bowles, left, school nurse, and Thomas Brittle, right, director, at St. John's Christian Academy

receive their certificates of completion at the conclusion of the South Carolina Independent School Associations H.E.L.P.S. program from Lyndi Bonnette, center, SCISA activities director.
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BLOOMINGTON  An assisted living home in northeast Bloomington is on track to open before the end of the year.

Construction is nearly finished on Welbrook Bloomington, a facility from chain Welbrook Senior Living, at 1402 Leslie Drive and should be operating in 2017, said Vice President of Business Development Mark Guth.

Were expecting to have our construction complete and receive a certificate of occupancy sometime early November, he told The Pantagraph. "Hopefully we will be licensed (by the state) and ready to operate early December."

The $10.5 million, 72,000-square-foot building will offer 54 assisted living beds and 26 memory care beds. Assisted living is "the minimum amount of assistance people need in order to still be independent, while memory care is for those with ailments, including Alzheimer's disease, that require more care.

We will have examples of apartments and units available for the public to see by Sept. 15, Guth said. Well be establish a local number, and a local person on site around that time. ... Well be able to offer tours and answer questions for anyone who wants to come by and see what were doing.

In the meantime, those interested can call 855-Welbrook for more details.

Were really excited to be bringing the Welbrook product to the Bloomington-Normal area, said Guth. We look forward to being an integral part of the community.

The facility is Welbrook's first in Illinois. The El Segundo, Calif., company has locations in that state, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah, as well as an Arizona facility in development.
BLOOMINGTON  Frontier Internet customers in parts of Central Illinois are experiencing outages, and the company said crews are trying to resolve the problem.

We are receiving reports of problems in Bloomington, Normal, Clinton and other areas around Central Illinois, a Frontier spokesman told The Pantagraph Wednesday. We have received several in the past few days and hope to have those issues fixed soon.

Customers are reporting issues with the internet service not working at all. Others say the service has been intermittent or slow.

Officials declined further comment and could not be specific as to how many people are affected or when the issues will be corrected. Problems also being reported in Chicago and other states, including Florida, California, New York, Iowa, Washington and Texas.
BLOOMINGTON  The countdown to the first day of school has started, but students cannot attend Twin City schools without the proper immunizations.

Get it done as early as possible so kids arent excluded from school. The (McLean County) health department is open year round and were willing to meet their vaccine needs, said Susan Grant, supervisor of community health services for McLean County Health Department.

According to Illinois law, all students entering K-12 schools must be immunized against measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, chicken pox and hepatitis B.

Appointment cards to receive vaccinations will not be accepted on the first day of school.

Vaccination appointments can be made from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the health department, 200 W. Front St. in Bloomington. The office will be open until 6 p.m. on Monday.

The department also will host a walk-in clinic for school-aged children next week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Through the federal Vaccines for Children program, any family on Medicaid or without health insurance can receive free or discounted shots.

Vaccinations are more important for school-aged children. Theyre in a contained environment and they pass a lot of germs around, said Grant. People are so nonchalant about chicken pox, mumps and measles. Yes, it can be benign, but not for everyone. People do still die from those diseases.

An Illinois law went into full effect last year to tighten measures for parents who want to opt their child out of the vaccinations. Now, the only acceptable reasons for vaccination deferrals are specific religious beliefs or if the child has a severe medical condition like cancer.

Paperwork must be signed by the childs physician and it must be approved by the state board of education and presented to the school.

School officials are encouraging parents with questions to call their childs school nurse, primary physician or the health department.

We will do everything we can to see students in school on the first day. We want everyone to be protected, said Michelle Maurer, school nurse at Bloomington High School.

School nurses truly want to connect families to the right resources. Thats on the front burner of what were doing this time of year, added Susy Marcum, curriculum chair for the McLean County Unit 5 nursing department.

Marcum said research has proven the importance of vaccinations, especially for the health of children.
SPRINGFIELD (AP)  Illinois lawmakers will be in session next week as a showdown with Gov. Bruce Rauner over school finance continues.

The Senate will meet Sunday to deal with the Republican's veto of a school funding revamp. The House will convene next Wednesday.

Senate President John Cullerton issued a statement Wednesday, but the Chicago Democrat did not specifically mention a vote to override the Republican governor's amendatory veto.

Cullerton's announcement comes after a week of inactivity on the issue at the Statehouse.

The measure introduces an "evidence-based" funding model to improve fairness in state aid to public schools. It would ensure no school gets less than it got this year and then funnels money first to districts with more poverty and other needs.

Rauner used an amendatory veto to remove a portion of the legislation that he says is too generous to Chicago Public Schools.

Cullerton says work on a compromise continues. The first state-aid payment was supposed to be provided on Thursday.

Chicago Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan scheduled a House meeting on Governor's Day at the state fair. That's a day for Republicans to celebrate and campaign at the summer festival in Springfield.
BLOOMINGTON  The deadline has been extended for people who want to apply to serve on the city's new Public Safety and Community Relations Board.

"There seemed to be some confusion by a handful of people about the deadline so we extended it until Monday at 5 (p.m.)," said Mayor Tari Renner.

The original deadline was 5 p.m. Friday. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were 15 applicants, said Renner.

Anyone interested in serving on the board must fill out a statement of interest form at http://www.cityblm.org/government/boards-commissions.

"We want to make it clear that people have to fill out the form just like for any other committee," said Renner. "They can't just send me an email."

By an 8-1 vote on July 24, the City Council approved the creation of a civilian board to review public complaints against the police.

The seven-member advisory board will look at public complaints about police, reviewing whether department protocols were followed.

The board was created at the request of an alliance of community organizations, including Not in Our Town, American Civil Liberties Union of Central Illinois, NAACP, YWCA of McLean County and Black Lives Matter Bloomington-Normal.

The board's membership will not include convicted felons or anyone currently or previously associated with law enforcement, including former prosecutors.

Because it is a new committee, Renner will make an exception and have the council look at all the applications. He said he will abide by the council's top selections.

Renner will ask each alderman to select his or her top three candidates and submit those preferences by Aug. 21. He will make his selections from that pool and make his decision public by Aug. 22.

"They will need to be vetted to ensure they meet the criteria of the ordinance," said Renner.

The mayor's appointments must be approved by six of the nine aldermen.

"All of the applications will be public. The council votes will be public and obviously, it will be public the seven whom I submit," said Renner.
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Elizabeth Kuehn, a doctoral candidate in history at the University of California, Irvine, who works with the Joseph Smith Papers project in the Church History Department of the Church History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, offered a presentation on Finances and Faith in the Kirtland Crisis of 1837. She provided a calm, informed, lucid, and empathetic treatment of both the faithful Saints and the dissenters embroiled in the rise and fall of the Kirtland Bank.

***

Dr. Keith Erekson, director of the Church History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke on Witnessing the Book of Mormon: The Testimonies of Three, Eight, and Millions.

Anybody whos followed me much over the years will know that Im extremely interested in the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. Some will be aware that Im especially focused on their story, and how to tell it, right now. (More on that in months to come, I hope.)

Brother Erekson examined the treatment of the experiences of the official Witnesses in various sources and accounts.

I liked his bringing of the relevant scriptural passages to bear on the calling of the official Witnesses. And I was grateful that he alluded to the experience of Mary Whitmer, my favorite among the unofficial witnesses.

At the end, he very briefly applied the principles that he had outlined to Mr. Jeremy Runnells lamentable Letter to a CES Director. It didnt fare well at his hands. (He offered a nice general judgment on critics of the Witnesses in the question-and-answer session, too  a judgment with which I completely agree.)

And he suggested two basic readings, in which he lays out some of his principles for the faithful study of the history of the Restoration:

Understanding Church History by Study and Faith

A Pattern for Learning Church History by Study and Faith

***

A very solid conference, thus far. How I wish that more members of the Church were paying attention to these things. I think that many whore wavering might have been strengthened by things that were said today.

Full disclosure: Im a member of FairMormons very small board. Both FairMormon and the Interpreter Foundation  of which Im the president and board chairman  could use more volunteers and, to put it bluntly, more money. I understand that a generous donor has offered to match donations during this conference, up to $5000. I hope that supporters will take advantage of that opportunity.
For this week, Pagan Channel Editor Jason Mankey asked all the Patheos Pagan bloggers to write on How I Found Paganism. Thats a hard one for me, since Ive already written multiple variations on this theme over the years.

My Defining Moment tells the story of how I met a Wiccan for the first time (which is literally how I found Paganism), but mainly its the story of how I stopped dabbling and got serious about being a Pagan.

Losing My Religion, Twice explains how fundamentalists poisoned the Christianity of my childhood, and why a religion of pure rationality just doesnt work for me.

Killing Your Inner Fundamentalist describes how a positive Pagan experience crowded out years of negative fundamentalist experience.

Cernunnos tells what little we know about the Lord of the Animals from ancient times, but mainly its my experience of him from a very early age.

Gateways to More explains the importance of the woods and horror movies in why I never became an atheist.

Rather than retelling or remixing these stories, I want to explore the question of why Im a Pagan. In particular, I want to discuss whether my Paganism is a question of nature, nurture, or choice.

I was born a Pagan

Thats an odd thing for me to say, since I was born into a Christian family in a Christian church in a Christian society. I was a Christian during my childhood, and I tried to be a Christian in my early adult years. Atheists like to say that no child is born Christian or with any other religious affiliation  they all have to be taught. Certainly they all have to be taught myths and doctrines, but I dont think its accurate to say children are born atheists either.

Ive always had a love of Nature that borders on reverence. This wasnt the admiration of Gods handiwork that some Christians have, it was an intuitive understanding that Nature is sacred in and of herself, a sacredness that does not depend on who made her. More than that, wild places (including the woods right outside my backdoor) have always been mystical and magical.

Ive always craved ritual and first-hand religious experience. In that regard, I was probably born into worst possible religious environment short of atheism. Baptists dont do ritual (many called it Godless ritual) and the only first-hand experience they offered (whoopin and hollerin ) wasnt anything I wanted.

I was born with certain Pagan ideas, or at least, ideas that made me receptive to Paganism. Ideas like racial and gender equality, universalism, and a respect for the beliefs and practices of our ancient ancestors. I dont know where I got those ideas. I didnt get them from my family, my school, or especially my church. But Ive always had them.

Most of all, I was born with both an insatiable curiosity and a logical mind that refused to accept what I was told. If it didnt make sense, it didnt make sense even if my parents said it, if the preacher said it, or if the Bible said it.

I learned Paganism

Growing up, I rarely heard the word pagan (it was never capitalized). If I did, it was used to mean someone who wasnt a Christian, or someone who wasnt the right kind of Christian. It certainly wasnt anything anyone would want to be.

But I learned Paganism from our mainstream culture. I learned Greek and Roman mythology at a early age  I still have a copy of The Greek Gods I ordered through the in-class book sales program in 3rd or 4th grade. The Greek Revival architecture so popular in Tennessee was often an exact replica of ancient Greek temples. I learned about Egypt from The Mummy and The Ten Commandments.

I was introduced to magic in horror movies. Witches were sometimes portrayed as servants of Satan, but I can remember thinking if you can do the magic, why do you need the devil? My thinking hasnt changed much in all these years. More frequently (at least in the movies I watched) witches were the victims of witch hunters who epitomized the real evil I saw in the real world  the abuse of the weak by those in power.

I learned Paganism from fundamentalism. Fundamentalist, Calvinist doctrine so offended my sense of right and wrong (and my sense of logic) I had to find a new religion. I couldnt just find a more liberal Christianity  I had to make a clean break. Fundamentalism may not have introduced me to Paganism, but it put me firmly on the path that would lead to Paganism.

And of course, I learned Paganism once I discovered modern witchcraft and modern Pagan religion in 1993. I was introduced to it by a friend, and then started devouring all the books I could find.

I chose Paganism

For most people throughout most of history, the idea of changing your religion has been unthinkable. It still is in some places. But we live in the most religiously diverse society in the history of humanity  we have hundreds if not thousands of religious choices. Now, more choice isnt always a good thing. More than three choices usually just confuses us  thats why salesmen use a good  better  best approach.

For those of us who actually think about religion  as opposed to those who unreflectively accept what theyve always been told  choices have to be made. Either religion is important to us or it isnt. We stay in the religion of our childhood or we explore something new. We explore a small change (one Christian denomination to another) or we explore a big change (like when Leah Libresco converted and moved from the Patheos Atheist channel to the Catholic channel).

I explored Mainline Protestantism, liberal Christianity, Buddhism, and something I called vague deistic universalism. None of them worked.

Paganism works for me.

In advance of my first Pagan initiation in 2003, I was inundated with calls to turn back. I didnt know what was in front of me, but I knew what was behind me, and I wasnt going back to that. I chose to go forward in spite of my fears. The next day I wrote this in my personal journal:

I knew it took as it was happening. There were no flashes of light, no otherworldly presences, just a feeling that everything was right and good. Only today I realized that at no time last night did I have any thoughts or feelings that it wasnt right, either from my fundamentalist childhood or from my skeptical nature. I dont know whats next, but Im sure its going to be good.

I took the vows of a priest in 2007  that was another choice. In 2010 I screamed what do you want? in desperation at a stressful job situation that lasted for 18 months. What I got back was keep moving. I chose to keep moving. Last year I was asked (more told than asked, but I still had the option to say no) to take on some even deeper work  I said yes.

Time and time again Ive been asked to make a choice. Ive chosen to serve the Gods and my Pagan community.

Those havent been easy choices, but theyve been good choices.

Life is complicated

Is my Paganism is a question of nature, nurture, or choice? By now Im sure you realize its a combination of all three. I was born with a predilection for Paganism. I learned Pagan stories and Pagan concepts throughout my life. And I chose Paganism.

Change just one or two elements of my story and my religion would have been different. I could have been a liberal, mystical Catholic or Anglican. I could have been a Sufi. I probably should have been a Buddhist.

As it turned out, Im a Pagan, a Druid, and a polytheist.

I think things worked out OK.
The Diocese of Savannah held a Lenten Service of Consolation earlier this week at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. All victims and survivors of abuse, their families, friends and the community were invited to gather for a time of prayer and reflection.

Bishop Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conv, publicly admitted before the 200 or so gathered that recently we have had to admit that far too many innocent ones have lived with the pain of abuse at the hands of those who should have protected them, nurtured them, and sanctified them. The suffering of the innocent is the reason we are gathered this evening in prayer, in our cathedral, the mother Church of our diocese.

He further stated in his heartfelt homily that I must do more than speak a word of apology. I must continue to assure people that the church is doing everything within its power to provide a safe environment for the vulnerable, comfort for the injured, and a compassionate heart for those who seek to share their sorrow with us.

He apologized profoundly because the Church herself has too often added to the burdens and weighed down the yokes of too many people through the deeds of some of her ministers and colleagues, through the negligence and regrettable decisions of some of her shepherds.

The service not only recognized the abuse suffered by minors by members of the clergy, but also shed light on the tragedy of all abuse including physical and psychological abuse. Despite of the various reasons the faithful attended the service, Bishop Hartmayer noted that the Church in South Georgia gathers this evening in prayer and in solidarity with some of the people who bring yokes and burdens with them in hopes of finding some peace, some understanding, and in Gods grace, perhaps, discovering a bit of closure.

I want to apologize for people that I may never have met, or events that occurred before I became your bishop, or in places far removed from Savannah or Georgia. I do that from the heart and I do that in justice and in love because these people deserve to hear no less than those words spoken sincerely from the heart of the church. I am truly sorry for any pain that a church minister might have inflicted on any person here or upon any relative or friend of anyone gathered here in prayer this evening.

The evening included readings from the Scriptures, beautiful music, a candle lighting service, and a litany of healing. As six candles were lit on the altar, a lector read profound statements that pierced the air of the darkened cathedral.

We remember the entire church community, so deeply affected by the sin of smugness, insensitivity, unkind words, scandalous example and selfishness, the result of which is hurt and sometimes despair. We commit ourselves to respect others and we seek to be respected. We affirm our dignity as sisters and brothers in Christ.

We remember and apologize to children, youth and adults victimized by trusted clergy and other representatives of the Church, family members, coworkers, neighbors or public officials. We acknowledge their deep wounds. We acknowledge the betrayal of a most sacred trust. We acknowledge their courage in speaking the truth. We affirm their dignity as people who are seeking truth, accountability, compassion, and redress for the wrong that has been done to them. We support their healing. We offer our prayer for their journey toward wholeness.

We remember and apologize to the families and loved ones of those hurt or victimized. We acknowledge their pain, the betrayal, shock, confusion and loss of faith because of the violation of trust. We acknowledge their struggles as relationships and families have sometimes been divided. We acknowledge their anguish in seeing one they love deeply suffer. We acknowledge their loyal courage as they stand with their loved one in very hard times.

Those gathered for the evening departed the cathedral uplifted.

I am convinced Christ did bring healing to many souls that evening as tears streamed down the faces of some.

The grace of God pierces through the darkness of sin, bringing unending light that heals and comforts.

Watch a Savannah television news story here

Watch the service here 22:30 for the homily; 43:00 for the candle lighting service
In a speech last summer, Trump suggested creating an ideological screening test to bar from the U.S. Muslims who hold the hateful ideology of Radical Islamits oppression of women, gays, children, and nonbelievers.

He explained further as follows:

A Trump Administration will establish a clear principle that will govern all decisions pertaining to immigration: we should only admit into this country those who share our values and respect our people.  In addition to screening out all members or sympathizers of terrorist groups, we must also screen out any who have hostile attitudes towards our country or its principlesor who believe that Sharia law should supplant American law. Those who do not believe in our Constitution, or who support bigotry and hatred, will not be admitted for immigration into the country. Only those who we expect to flourish in our country  and to embrace a tolerant American society  should be issued immigration visas.

These statements make the results of a recent poll feel highly ironic.

While homophobia certainly still exists in American Muslim communities, as a whole, American Muslims are slowly becoming more accepting of homosexuality. And notably, theyre doing it at a faster rate than white evangelical Protestants. A Pew Research Center survey conducted this year found that 52 percent of U.S. Muslims say homosexuality should be accepted by society. In contrast, only 34 percent of white evangelical Protestants believed in 2016 that homosexuality should be accepted by society. The rate at which white evangelicals are shifting their views is slower than the rate for Muslims. White evangelicals shifted their views by 11 percentage points between 2006 and 2016. Muslims acceptance of homosexuality shot up by 25 percentage points between 2007 and 2017.

For illustration of this change, check out this chart:

And this change isnt being driven solely by Muslims born in the U.S., either. While 57% of U.S. Muslims born in the country say homosexuality should be accepted by society, so do 49% of foreign-born U.S. Muslims, a number far higher that white evangelicals 34%. The numbers didnt dip much for U.S. Muslims who said religion was very important to their lives, either: 47% of these respondents stated that homosexuality should be accepted by society.

Interestingly, based on Pew surveys, Baby Boomer U.S. Muslims are more likely to believe homosexuality should be accepted by society (42%) than were Baby Boomer evangelicals (32%), and Millennial U.S. Muslims are more likely to believe that homosexuality should be accepted by society (60%) than Millennial evangelicals (52%). Furthermore, U.S. Muslims (U.S.-born and foreign born, old and young) are rapidly becoming more accepting of homosexuality over time as white evangelical views remain more stagnant.

Im not saying theres not still progress to be made. U.S. Muslims are less likely than the U.S. general public to believe that homosexuality should be accepted by society (52% compared with 63%) and Millennial U.S. Muslims are less accepting that U.S. Millennials overall (60% compared with 74%). Still, the trajectory is towards greater acceptance, and a comparison with white evangelicals is important because of Trumps embrace of that group even as he lambasts Muslims for lack of tolerance.

You have a tremendous audience, Trump told Pat Robertson while appearing on his 700 Club earlier this summer. You have the people that I love: the evangelicals. Trump made these comments despite the fact that Robertson is extremely anti-gay.

Trumps rhetorical lambasting of Muslims for being intolerant of homosexuality isnt actually about ensuring that gay rights are respected. Its about fanning Islamophobia.

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Voice in the Wind, pp. 258-261

And here we are alreadyat Julias second wedding.

Hadassah is worried.

though Hadassah had no facts or foundation for what she felt, she was convinced something dark and sinister was beneath the mans smooth facade. Whenever Caius looked at her, she felt chilled by that dark, unblinking stare.

I dont want to discount this. Ive gotten weird vibes from people before, only to learn later that they were busted for child molesting. I dont discount vibes. However, I worry that stories like thiswhere the good Christian correctly senses that something is off while others dontmay suggest to evangelical readers that they will recognize an abuser when they meet one. As we know from many many many cases, that is frequently not the case. Christians dont come equipped with potential-abuser detectors.

Note, too, that Hadassah never had a problem with Claudius. In fact, she urged Julia to give Claudius a chance, and she viewed Claudius as a good, honorable man. Never mind that Claudius, at 50, had married a 15-year-old girl, thinking she might be the reincarnation of his dead wife. Never mind that Claudius forced himself on a 15-year-old child even though she found his sexual advances repulsive, and shuddered when she thought of it. Never mind that Claudius didnt care a whit about Julias happiness.

Both of these men approached Julia with only their own interests in mind. Both of them treated her as an object placed on earth to fulfill their needs. Neither of these men cared what Julia wanted. True, Claudius never laid a hand to Julia (as Caius will), but then, he was angry enough the day he went after her on his horse that he might well have done so had he found herand if he had, who would Hadassah have blamed? Julia. If Julia hadnt run off to the ludus alone  and after all, Claudius was just trying to protect her.

The double standard in how Rivers treats Claudius and Caius is disgusting.

Hadassah wishes she had someone she could talk with about her concerns about Caius, but alas, Marcus is (apparently) her only confidant and he is conveniently still away on business. Phoebe is charmed by Caius, but Rivers keeps coming back to Hadassahs spider senses.

it was as though Hadassahs soul caught a glimpse of something malevolent and dangerous hidden beneath the polished manners and good looks.

Im grinding my teeth here. Seriously, Rivers? Seriously? Caius is malevolent and dangerous  but Claudius was good and upstanding and honorable. Caius may be a horrible abusive shit, but hes not an old man marrying a child for his own gratification, and hes going to give Julia the life she wantedparties and games and shows. Hes not smothering her the way Claudius did. Dont get me wrongI am absolutely on team Caius is the worst. Whats grating is that Hadassah has picked this up but thought Claudius was the best.

Also, Rivers is engaging in some not-so-subtle signaling to her evangelical audience in her word choice here. She is using the sort of words Frank Peretti uses when writing about people with demons whispering in their ears. There is something spiritual going on here. Caius isnt just an abusive narcissistic shit, hes malevolent. Claudius, meanwhile, was upstanding and kind and gentle and so forth. Hadassahs greatest regret regarding Claudius was that she never witnessed to himhe was, we are to believe, open to the gospel.

Do you know whats getting me? All of the men in Julias life so far have been abusive, but Rivers does not know that.

I could clearly spend my entire post on this, so let me move on

Everyone is happy happy happy at the wedding. Julia is radiant, wearing a white plus and orange shoes. Phoebe is proud of how beautiful her daughter looks. A pig is sacrificed, and Hadassah feels nauseous at the bloodIm curious whether she would have been exposed to animal sacrifice while in Judea. Perhaps even if she was, all of the blood she saw in the sack of Jerusalem changed her reaction? It doesnt read that way, thoughRivers seems to be emphasizing that animal sacrifice was pagan and barbaric, and that good Christians were properly horrified at the sight.

We do learn this of the wedding guests:

Most of those attending the wedding were there purely out of social obligation to Decimus Valerian, their patron. Few who knew Julia had any fondness for her.

Rivers seems to think she is emphasizing how selfish and horrid Julia is with this commentI mean no one likes herbut somehow it only makes me feel more sorry for her. Did she have no friends growing up? Were there no adults outside of the family that invested in her? What happened that made her friendless? And just as importantwhy does Marcus seemingly have lots of friends? Isnt Marcus already as hedonistic as Julia wants to be? Is the problem that Julia was born female, making these traits unattractive?

Also, what is it with the Hadassah kitchen scenes at Julias weddings?

Summoned to the kitchen, Hadassah was handed a silver tray of goose liver molded into a horrific beast with exaggerated genitals. Mortified at the obscene offering, she clanged the tray back onto the counter and drew back from it with revulsion. Whats the matter with you? If youve done damage to my work, Ill have the hide flogged off of you. The master asked expressly for that dish. Now take it out and serve it to your mistress. No! she said without thinking, horrified at the very idea of offering something so grotesque to Julia. The blow the cook gave her sent her back agains the cupboard.

This time the wedding feast is at Caius villa, not the Valerians, so this cook is not Sejanus. At the feast celebrating Julias marriage to Claudius, as you may remember, Sejanus, the cook, asked Hadassah to carry dishes that were considered unclean under Jewish law. Hadassah gushed over the dishes and congratulated Sejanus over them, but when Sejanus offered her a taste, Enoch, the Jewish slave who was responsible for purchasing her, objected. I suspect were meant to see this exchange as contrastHadassah has no problem with food considered unclean under Jewish law, but she does have a problem with food shaped like a penis. Priorities.

As the feast ends and Caius and Julia leave for bed, Phoebe tells Hadassah that she will be returning to the Valerians villa. Caius told us hes arranged for servants for Julia already and has released you from your duties to her, Phoebe tells her. But before I close, I want to make two more points.

In this section we are told that Phoebe is completely taken in by Caius, but we arent told until much later that Decimus was not. Here is an excerpt from a conversation between Decimus and Marcus much later, on page 351-352:

I know Caius beat [Hadassah], Decimus said. Did you know the beating was meant for Julia? Yes. Your sister and mother were blinded by Caius charm. I was not. Then why didnt you prevent the marriage? Because I didnt want to lose my daughter completely! I forced her into an unwanted marriage, and that turned out to be a disaster. I couldnt interfere with one she chose for herself.  Sometimes, no matter how much you want to protect your children, you have to let them make their own mistakes.

Now yes, Roman women often had more freedom in a second marriage, and yes, Julia likely wouldnt have listened if Decimus had aired his concerns. But I find Im still bothered. Decimus let this marriage go forward with nary a word of caution. For Julia to make her own informed decisions, she needed information. She didnt have that. Decimus tells Marcus that All you can do is hold on to the hope that theyll turn to you when they need you. Butspoiler!Julia doesnt turn to Decimus when she ultimately recognizes Caius as abusive. Surprise!

I get that Julia wasnt in a listening mood, and I get that Decimus has forfeited any right he may have had to be listened to. But this still feels wrong.

Next, Rivers tells us that this time Julia is married coemptio.

I am by no means an expert on Roman marriage law, but from what Ive read, both conferreatio (Julias marriage to Caludius) and coemptio (Julias marriage to Caius) were cum manu forms of marriage. This meant that the bride transferred to her husband. However, it is my understanding that by 70 AD, cum manu marriage was rare. Most women preferred sine manu marriage, which allowed them and their property to remain with their family rather than transferring to their husbands possession.

Rivers appears to only be aware of cum manu marriage. Julias third marriage (not to look too far ahead here) is by usus, which is the third and final form of cum manu marriage, and which had become obsolete during this period. If Decimus was as concerned about Caius as were told he was, he could have had Julia married sine manu which would have allowed for easy divorce and would have protected Julias property from speculation by Caius (Julias money would have remained with her family). But againIm not sure that Rivers is aware of sine manu marriage, despite its being the most common form of marriage used by women of Julias status.

Whew. Weve covered a lot this weekfrom Hadassahs selective abuser detecting spidey sense to Hadassahs revulsion for penis cakes to Decimus silence on Caius true nature to Rivers selective knowledge of Roman marriage laws. Next week we find out how Marcus reacts when he returns from business to find his sister married. If only theyd sent a raven.

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when it warns, as it has done since Jesus said, You cannot serve God and Mammon that riches are harmful to the soul.

The Prophet Chesterton says it all quite well:

Only the Christian Church can offer any rational objection to a complete confidence in the rich. For she has maintained from the beginning that the danger was not in mans environment, but in man. Further, she has maintained that if we come to talk of a dangerous environment, the most dangerous environment of all is the commodious environment. I know that the most modern manufacture has been really occupied in trying to produce an abnormally large needle. I know that the most recent biologists have been chiefly anxious to discover a very small camel. But if we diminish the camel to his smallest, or open the eye of the needle to its largest  if, in short, we assume the words of Christ to have meant the very least that they could mean, His words must at the very least mean this  that rich men are not very likely to be morally trustworthy. Christianity even when watered down is hot enough to boil all modern society to rags. The mere minimum of the Church would be a deadly ultimatum to the world. For the whole modern world is absolutely based on the assumption, not that the rich are necessary (which is tenable), but that the rich are trustworthy, which (for a Christian) is not tenable. You will hear everlastingly, in all discussions about newspapers, companies, aristocracies, or party politics, this argument that the rich man cannot be bribed. The fact is, of course, that the rich man is bribed; he has been bribed already. That is why he is a rich man. The whole case for Christianity is that a man who is dependent upon the luxuries of this life is a corrupt man, spiritually corrupt, politically corrupt, financially corrupt. There is one thing that Christ and all the Christian saints have said with a sort of savage monotony. They have said simply that to be rich is to be in peculiar danger of moral wreck. It is not demonstrably un-Christian to kill the rich as violators of definable justice. It is not demonstrably un-Christian to crown the rich as convenient rulers of society. It is not certainly un-Christian to rebel against the rich or to submit to the rich. But it is quite certainly un-Christian to trust the rich, to regard the rich as more morally safe than the poor.
India cuts Iran oil imports amid Farzad gas field row

08/09/17

Source: Press TV

India is making good on its promise to cut crude oil imports from Iran amid the two countries' spat over the development of a gas field in the Persian Gulf. According to new data released on Wednesday, India's purchases of Iranian crude fell 16.3 percent in July from a month ago to 414,900 barrels per day (bpd).

Imports were down 20.7 percent from a year ago, yet the highest drop since February 2016 might be on the way this month when India's loadings of Iranian crude are expected to hit 310,000 bpd, Reuters reported.



The cuts are in keeping with Indian refiners' plans to order about a quarter less Iranian crude in the fiscal year to March 31, 2018.



India has been replacing less Iranian barrels with those from Iraq, raising purchases from the Arab country by 31.5 percent in July from a month ago.



India lifted 954,400 barrels per day (bpd) of Iraqi oil in the month compared with 725,800 bpd in June. That made Iraq the top oil supplier of India for the fourth straight month.



The spike in Iraqi imports came amid a slump in Venezuelan crude shipments, which fell 31.1 percent from June to 337,100 bpd in July, the report said.



India's decision to cut Iranian imports came after Tehran refused to submit to New Delhi's demand for exceptional concessions on the development of Iran's giant Farzad B gas field.



The Indians were stripped of the right to develop the field in 2014 for dragging their feet after Bijan Zangeneh was named Iran's minister of petroleum.



For the new cabinet, President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday proposed the reappointment of Zageneh as the oil minister who is known for his no-nonsense approach.



In May this year, Zangeneh stressed that Iran was not worried about the Indian cuts as he oversaw the signing of a basic agreement with Russia's Gazprom for the development of Farzad B.



"India is one of our good customers and we are willing to boost cooperation. If there is a cut in our exports to India, we will have no troubles as there are many other customers," he said.



Impacts on Chabahar plan



Some observers fear that India's tactic might have implications for its further dealings with Iran. New Delhi has long been eyeing Iran's port of Chabahar for development as part of its ambitious bid to access Central Asia and Afghanistan.



India's Road Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari, however, expressed confidence on Tuesday that the venture was safe.







Last week, Gadkari represented India at the oath taking ceremony of President Rouhani for the second term in Tehran where he discussed Chabahar as well as the gas field standoff with Iranian officials.



"Chabahar will not only boost ties between Iran and India but we will be closer to Afghanistan and then Russia, we can export goods till Russia. This will be a direct route," he told Press Trust of India (PTI) on Tuesday.



Gadkari said he was confident that Chabahar would be ready for operations by 2018 and that India was considering sending wheat to Afghanistan via the strategically-located port.



"Once Chabahar is operationalized, which we are hopeful to be in 12 to 18 months time, it will prove to be a gateway to golden opportunities to boost trade and business," he said.
Government has allocated GHC456 million to support the private sector to participate fully in the implementation of the One-District-One-Factory project.



Mr Perry Curtis Okudzeto, the Deputy Minister of Information who announced this on Wednesday, said the Ministry of Trade and Industry has approved 80 local and international investors ready to be engaged under the project.



He was speaking at a town hall meeting organised by the Sunyani West District Assembly at Odumase, which offered opportunity for the people to interact with the Assembly.



Mr Okudzeto explained that government had set up a separate unit at the Ministry of Trade and Industry and was working out modalities to identify areas to site the factories.



He said the unit had received 350 applications from local and foreign investors which are ready to partner the government for the implementation of the project.



Mr Okudzeto affirmed that everything was set for the smooth implementation of the free Senior High School programme in September, and added that all bills were covered under the programme.



Mr Okudzeto assured Ghanaians that government would continue to engage the citizenry in decision making process.



He said democracy could be strengthened and the national development agenda could thrive if citizens are actively engaged and abreast with government policies and programmes.



Mr Martin Obeng, the Sunyani West District Chief Executive, said the meeting had come to stay to provide an avenue to sensitize the public on government policies and programmes.



He said it was necessary for the assembly to interact regularly, identify and address the pressing needs of the local communities.



Mr Obeng explained that government had worked out modalities for the successful implementation of almost all the various poverty intervention programmes contained in the NPP 2016 manifesto.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Garment and Textiles Cluster Initiatives (GATCI), a group of professional tailors and dressmakers, have launched their flagship product  Made In Ghana boxer shorts for men and women.



The launch, on the theme: Reviving the Garment and Textile Industry for Accelerated National Development, was performed by Mr Robert Ahomka-Lindsay, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry and Mrs Gifty Twum-Ampofo, Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection.



GATCI operates under the Cluster Development Programme (CDP) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research  Science and Technology Research Institute (CSIR-STEPRI), which facilitates the activities of the Cluster and others.



The CDP operates on the principles of the Triple Helix, which brings together entrepreneurs, government agencies and the academia/research institutions to work towards the growth of small and medium scale industries.



Mr Ahomka-Lindsay, who was the guest speaker, said the launch was very much in sync with the governments effort to revive the local industry and also increasing export of the non-traditional products in order to create employment, provide income and raising the standard of living of Ghanaians.



He said it was common knowledge that government was aggressively rolling out a number of initiatives, which were in tandem with the theme of the launch.



Any attempt by any group or individuals to contribute to the realisation of the government policies is very much commendable and welcoming.



Todays launch falls within the general mantra of produce/patronise Made In Ghana Products. It is also within the remit of the One District, One Factory policy and the One District, One Exportable Products.



All these find relevance in the governments trade policies and programmes: Ghana Trade Policy, Private Sector Development Strategy, and Industrial Sector Support Programme. So, we give our total support to CSIR-STEPRI Cluster Development Programme who is the facilitators of the GATCI, he added.



Mr Ahomka-Lindsay said research and innovation was at the heart of the government and would work with the research institutions to produce technologies to enhance the competitiveness of the micro, small and medium scale enterprises.



Our government is also committed to meeting one per cent of gross domestic product allocation to science, technology and innovation as agreed at the AU, he stated.



He noted that the government also intends establishing research fund to finance research and development.



Plans are in place to establish an Innovation Centre at the CSIR, which would also go a long way to boosting the activities of the Clusters.



It is our conviction that these efforts would inure to the benefits of businesses, as research institutions would produce relevant technologies for business growth, he said.



Mr Ahomka-Lindsay urged businesses to leverage the power of science, technology and innovation to grow.



Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection in speech read on her behalf said: If governments efforts to industrialise our economy are going to be possible, then the involvement of women is crucial and non-negotiable.



Women form about 51 per cent of the population and should be deeply involved if any marked impact is desired, she added.



Dr George Essegbey, Director, CSIR-STEPRI, said STEPRIs involvement in the GATCI project was because business development and growth was also a key thrust of their mandate.



He said currently, they were having clusters in different trades or commodities and at different levels of activeness.



He said: Apart from the GATCI, there are other clusters engaged in mushrooms, shea butter, wood and milk.



Madam Felicia Maku Quaye, GATCI Team Lead, said most boxers made in the western world and exported to Africa, especially Ghana were produced of fabrics like polyester and nylon which were not suitable for the tropics.



This is what has necessitated the use of cotton African prints and fabrics in the production of boxer shorts, which are more comfortable and suitable for any hot weather condition, she said.



Ms Gifty Kekeli Klenam, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Export Promotion Authority, who chaired the launch, said the Authority was vigorously engaging stakeholders in the country to stimulate them to produce flagship products in their district for the export market.



GNA

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is warning of a looming threat of terrorist attack on Ghana.



His warning comes at the back of a travel advisory on the website of the Canadian Embassy in Ghana cautioning Canadian citizens wanting to travel to the former Gold Coast over a looming threat of terrorist attack on Ghana and the need to be conscious of their surroundings in public places.



There is a threat of terrorism. Terrorist targets could include shopping malls, government buildings, public areas such as bars, restaurants, hotels and sites frequented by Westerners. Be aware of your surroundings in public places, the travel advisory on the Canadian Embassy in Ghana in part noted.



The Embassy further advised the Canadian citizenry to exercise a high degree of caution in Ghana and maintain a high level of security awareness at all times stating among other things pickpocketing, purse snatching and attacks by individuals on motorbikes that are increasing in Accra and its surroundings, including areas around the High Commission of Canada.



Violent crimes have also increased, including armed robbery. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid walking alone or displaying signs of wealth. Home invasions are on the rise. Affluent areas in Accra where foreigners live are targeted and some thieves carry firearms.



There have been recent cases of violent robberies often targeting foreigners travelling in taxis at night. If you have to use a taxi, ensure that there is no other passenger in the car and try to limit trips to daytime hours, the Canadian Embassy in Ghana further noted on its website.



Ablakwa who is the lawmaker for North Tongu worried about this looming terrorist threat, therefore, wants the Ghanaian Government to adequately brief its citizenry on the true security situation in the country for them to be aware of places of a possible target and the need to be conscious visiting those places.



I other countries, they dont keep quiet on this potential threat. They announce it, they raise alert levels and announce precautionary measures for citizen to take. It is my hope the Ghanaian Government will take a cue and make sure that we get to the bottom of the matter, he noted.



He made this revelation on the sidelines of Wednesdays Parliamentary sitting.

Source: kasapafmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Lawyers for Akua Adubofour, mother of convicted cocaine baroness, Ruby Adu-Gyamfi aka Nayele Ametefe, have filed an application at the Court of Appeal over the judgement giving the state the green light to confiscate two storey buildings at East Legon belonging to her (Adubofours) daughter.



According to solicitors at the Oak & Wuuds Law Firm, the flower court erred in granting the request by the applicants  the Narcotic Control Board (NACOB) and the Economic and Organized Crimes Office (EOCO) to confiscate the properties.



The appeal comes just a week after the Accra Financial and Economic Crimes Court had given the state the go-ahead to seize the properties.



Seizure



The court, presided over by Justice Georgina Mensah-Datsa, was convinced that the properties, which were a subject of litigation, belong to Ruby  who is currently serving an eight-year jail term in the United Kingdom for transporting 12.5kg of cocaine to Britain.



Madam Adubofour sued the state, claiming ownership of the two-storey buildings.



The state had filed a motion on notice for the confiscation of the purported illegal properties, estimated at $1.8 million.



Proceeds from the sale of the said facilities would be shared as follows: 50 per cent to the Narcotics Control Board, 20 percent to the Economic and Organized Crimes Office, 15 percent into the Consolidated Fund and another 15 percent to the Judicial Service.



Appeal



But Madam Adubofour is back in court seeking to stay the execution of the judgment of the court.



In the motion filed on July 27, 2017 at the Court of Appeal, the claimant stated that The judgment is against the weight of evidence, considering the facts and the evidence adduced before the court.



On the second grounds of appeal, lawyers for Madam Adubofour claim that The court erred on the means by which ownership or title to landed property may be proved in Ghana.



Insisting that additional grounds would be filed on receipt of records of proceedings from the court, the lawyers want the court to reverse the seizure of the properties.



Aside cost, Nayeles mother wants an order reversing the decision of the High Court to grant the confiscation of House No. 5, 4th Asoyi Link, East Legon, dated 25th July, 2017.



EOCO and NACOB have so far confiscated all items in the Night Angels Enterprise, located along the Dzorwulu highway and six Fidelity Bank accounts, including one containing GH3.22p belonging to Nayele.



EOCO was also demanding that lawyers representing Madam Adubofour serve her daughter in prison with processes she had filed claiming ownership of two houses.



However, Adubofours lawyers insisted that there was no need to serve her daughter with the processes since the houses belong to her (Adubofour).



Background



In Ghana, Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong, the immediate past Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Justice, through Ms Penelope Ann Mammattha, a chief state attorney, filed Nolle Prosequi to drop the charges against six other suspects who were before an Accra circuit court presided over by Justice Francis Obiri, for their alleged complicity in the Ruby cocaine case.



The application, dated February 20, 2015 signed by the AG, stated in part, Take notice that the state intends that the proceedings against the accused persons in the above-named case shall not continue.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Reverend Isaac Owusu-Bempah was instrumental to see Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo win the presidential election in the 2016 election.



Many doubted his prophecy about Nana Addos victory but he was unperturbed and continued to preach a massive victory for Nana Addo which came to pass.



However, the controversial founder of the Glorious Word Power Ministry has again prophesied that former President John Dramani Mahama, will never return to power.



He said Mahama must not heed to calls by some supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to lead the party in election 2020.



The man of God, who predicted that Mahama would lose the December 7, 2016 presidential election, said God had revealed to him that Mahamas political career has come to an end.



Mark it anywhere he can never again be President of Ghana, he said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie.



"He Mahama cant be a President on this earth again. If he visits any true man of God he will tell him exactly what I have said, so he shouldnt waste his money in 2020," he added.





Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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President Akufo-Addo does not intend to replace the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Charlotte Osei according to Eugene Arhin, Communication's Director at the Presidency.



This follows a warning the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) gave to the President concerning the EC boss.



The NDC has warned President Akufo-Addo to stop his plan of ousting Madam Charlotte Osei following internal wrangling at the commission.



Speaking at a press conference, the Minority Leader of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, cautioned that, President Akufo-Addos blackmailing attempt of Madam Osei in order to impose another person on the EC, will be met will fierce resistance from the opposition members.



Stay off and stop intruding into the operations and activities of the EC, the NDC has tolerated the NPP hounding out Civil Servants from office since assumption of power, he said.



However, speaking in an interview on Okay FMs morning show Ade Akye Abia, Monday, Eugene Arhin said the President has no intention of replacing the EC boss.



"He has no plans of replacing Madam Charlotte Osei . . . he has only forwarded the petitions he received to the Chief Justice to see if a prima facie case can be established, he explained.



President Akufo-Addo has referred two petitions against Deputy Chairpersons of the Electoral Commission, Ms. Georgina Opoku Amankwa and Mr. Amadu Sulley to the Chief Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo.



The president referred both petitions to the Chief Justice for resolution, in accordance with the provisions of Article 146(3).



Prior to this, a similar petition against the chairperson of the commission, Charlotte Osei was also referred to the Chief Justice.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
An employment agency has opened in Olde Liberty Square.

Ronda McCurdy has opened Nextaff of Greater Harrisburg at 4813 Jonestown Road in Lower Paxton Township. McCurdy has worked with local businesses for more than twenty years. The Harrisburg-area office which opened on Monday says it uses a software called X Factor that was developed by Nextaff to best match people with jobs.

The firm will work with businesses and people in Dauphin, Cumberland and Lebanon counties as well as surrounding areas. A ribbon-cutting, will be held in conjunction with the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC, the Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce and the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce at 5 p.m. Aug. 10 as part of the company's grand opening celebration.

Nexstaff has franchise locations in seven states and this is the only location in Pennsylvania, according to it website. Nextaff is the franchise division of Malone Workforce Solutions. The companies are headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Combined, they have more than 35 locations. Nexstaff was founded in 1998, and Malone Workforce Solutions was founded in 1969.
UPDATE: 315-lb man accused of raping Pa. girl, 8, surrenders

Pennsylvania State Police are tracking an accused child rapist wanted for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl when she was 7 or 8 years old in western Pa., according to KDKA-TV and the Observer-Reporter newspaper.

The suspect is Timothy Hewitt, 31, of Washington County.

He is described as 6 feet, 1 inch tall and 315 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.

The manhunt was sparked by a recent "forensic interview" involving the alleged victim, who told investigators she was sexually assaulted and raped by Hewitt at a home in 2012, according to the Observer-Reporter, which adds:

The girl reportedly first told her guardian the assault happened in spring 2012, and because of her age, she did not realize what was happening.

The house where the assault allegedly took place was later destroyed in a fire.

Hewitt's wife and 5-year-old son were killed in the Oct. 27, 2013, fire.

An arrest warrant was issued Monday charging Hewitt with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, indecent assault and indecent exposure.

State police are asking anyone information on Hewitt's whereabouts to contact them at (724) 223-5200.
PennLive file photo by Dan Gleiter, dgleiter@pennlive.com

The brewery boom continues in the Harrisburg region and beyond. Here are 21 breweries that have opened roughly in the past two years, as well as a few that are about to turn on the taps.

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Ever Grain Brewing Co.

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Sue Gleiter | sgleiter@pennlive.com

Last fall, Ever Grain joined Cork & Fork at the new Hampden Terminal off the Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township. Owners Norm Fromm and Larry Dolan focus on the beer and do a little bit of everything. They pour Joose Juicy, an American style IPA; Surf Breaker, full-bodied West Coast style IPA; and The Udder One, chocolatey and creamy full-bodied stout. Food is provided by the neighboring Red Sky Cafe.

4444 Carlisle Pike, Hampden Township

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Burd's Nest Brewing Co.

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Look for Burds Nest to open this fall at the former Carlisle Arts Learning Center building in Carlisle.

"We want to present you with artfully crafted beer using as many fresh,

local ingredients as possible, while supporting other local businesses,

and creating an experience that will make you want to indulge until the last drop," reads the brewery's Facebook page.

The beer lineup includes Amburd Amber Ale, Hop Blossom IPA, Centennial Pale Ale and Scoundrel Sweet Stout.

19 N Hanover St., Carlisle

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Harty Brewing Co.

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India Pale Ale, Belgian Blonde Ale and Hefeweizen brewed and served at Harty Brewing Co. in the Walden neighborhood in Silver Spring Township, Pa., Feb. 15, 2016.Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com

Michael Harty and Lauren Ishaq opened Hartys taproom in the Walden community developed by Charter Homes & Neighborhoods in 2016. They carry six beers on tap at any given time from their American Pale Ale to a Harty IPA and Oatmeal Stout along with seasonal releases such as jalapeno cream ale and green tea honey kolsch. They also carry PA local wine from Allegro Winery, Cider from Big Hill CiderWorks, and Spirits distilled locally at MidState Distillery.

146 Walden Way, Silver Spring Township

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The Vegetable Hunter

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This is Punk Rock Girl beer, a hibiscus saison. Four beers are on tap at The Vegetable Hunter. The Vegetable Hunter restaurant is at 614 N. Second St. in Harrisburg. April 5, 2017. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com

Diners at The Vegetable Hunter, a small and eclectic vegan and vegetarian cafe along Restaurant Row in Harrisburg, are requesting drafts of Punk Rock Girl hibiscus saison and Geiger's Punch dry-hopped pale ale with their superfood protein bowls and black bean quinoa burgers.

The nearly three-year old restaurant (formerly called Crave and Co.) at 614 N. Second St. recently added a boutique brewery, allowing owners Kristin Messner-Baker and John Baker to bring their passion for creative and unique ingredients to the tap.

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The line of handcrafted Rustic Row House Ales is brewed by Timothy Myers, who is an award winning home brewer who lives in Carlisle and Jeff Thompson, another award winning home brewer who lives in Enola who is an engineer/ scientist and home brewer.

614 N. Second St., Harrisburg

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Funk Brewing

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The Elizabethtown location is a satellite for Funk Brewing of Emmaus. Owner John "Norm" Norman and his brother-in-law, Kyle Funk are partners in the brewery they started in 2014. Norman brought Funks beer west to Elizabethtown in late 2015 to the Hotel building on South Market Street. Visitors can try Funks beers, order off a locally sourced menu and listen to live music

28 S. Market St., Elizabethtown

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Boneshire Brew Works

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Boneshire Brew Works' owner Alan Miller. PennLive file photo by Sue Gleiter, sgleiter@pennlive.com.

Alan Miller, one of the partners of the former Millbock Brewing Co. in Lower Paxton Township, opted to move forward with a new project - Boneshire Brew Works. Miller secured a commercial lease at a small shopping center at 7462 Derry St. where in the fall of 2016 he opened the craft brewery and 40-seat tasting room.

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Boneshire emphasizes multiple styles such as IPAs, stouts, wheat beers and Belgian beers. Find Tried and True Witbier, Derry Street Wheat Mango Hefeweizen and LazaRis stout as well as other Pa.-brewed beers on tap.

7462 Derry St., Swatara Township

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Big Bottom Brewery

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Big Bottom recently opened in Dillsburg in the back of Als Pizza and Subs restaurant. They brew on a two-barrel system so there are always plenty of new beers to try. Among the ones on tap, Blonde Ale, Guerilla Tactics Double IPA, Gose' Cuervo (margarita Gose) and Saison du Brunch (mimosa saison) and the popular B3 IPA. Beer is available on tap or in growlers.

6 Tristan Drive, Dillsburg

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Rotunda Brewing

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Next to the Batdorf Restaurant in Annville, Rotunda Brewing Company brews its own beers from its nanobrewery. Its owned by brothers Mike, Lou and Dave Rotunda, who also own the Batdorf as well as Irvs Pub in Hershey.

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Look for Walking the Bear, a juicy brown ale with apple crisp and comet hops; Melancholy into Madness: NE DIPA with oats and wheat; and Blood Orange Gose, an Imperial Gose with blood orange puree. Saturdays are the day to go when new releases hit the taps.

The bottle shop also sells more than 500 beers.

239 W. Main St., Annville

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Gearhouse Brewing Co.

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Small craft brew pub opened in December 2016 in Chambersburg serving its own beers as well as Big Hill Ciderworks and Pa. wines. Kitchen pumps out shareable plates of food including York City Pretzels, tater tot poutine, a meat and cheese charcuterie board, Gettysburg Baking Co. warm seeded twist paired with fresh Trickling Springs Butter, and a variety of changing tacos. Sip a Dont Cry Joe Pale Ale brewed with Little Amps Coffee Roasters Ehiopian beans, an ESB Extra Special Bitter or Mad Machinist Double IPA.

253 Grant St, Chambersburg

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Tattered Flag Brewery & Still Works

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File photo by Dan Gleiter, dgleiter@pennlive.com.

The brewery/distillery opened in the summer of 2016 in Middletown. The multi-level facility boasts a tasting room and brewpub as well as space for private events.

Tattered Flag is the first brewery/distillery in the immediate Harrisburg area. The distilling end of the business produces un-aged white bourbon, single malt whiskey and vodka.

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Tattered Flag is owned by Susquenita High School friends Pat Devlin, Matt Fritz, Tony DeLellis, and Ben Ramsay. The team took over the former Elks building on the first block of South Union Street and spent nearly two years renovating the facility.

They used a mix of reclaimed materials to give the industrial building new life. Those who have stopped by Tattered Flag call it a "cool place" with 'a lot of potential."

1 S. Union St., Middletown

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The Millworks

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Facebook photo taken by Paul Vasiliades.

The midtown Harrisburg Millworks restaurant began pouring its in-house brewed beer in the summer of 2016. The Millworks Brewery features a 15-barrel system to create draughts that will be on tap at the restaurant. Offerings include Nitro Mocha Porter, Urban Radler German lager and PA Pale Ale.

340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg, 717-695-4888

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Howling Henry's Brewery

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File photo by Sue Gleiter, PennLive.

Nearly two years ago, Greg Schertzer opened Howling Henry's in Hummelstown. He operates under the motto of "Crafting beer without rules."

Howling Henry's, named after his family's 10-year-old pet Beagle, is housed in an unmarked warehouse in Hummelstown off of North Duke Street.

It's a basic setup. Nothing fancy but it works. Used dairy milk tanks purchased off of the Internet have been fashioned into fermenters and mash tuns.

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The beers are sold on tap at restaurants and bars as well as at stands at the West Shore Farmers Market in Lemoyne and The Downtown Hershey Market.

The West Shore Market stand sells single bottles, six and 12 packs, plus T-shirts, hats and limited HHB pint cups. Find it next to Daytons Coffee and across from Shaffers Meats.

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Desperate Times Brewery

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Take a seat in its 3,000 square-foot tasting room and sip such brews as Desperate Measures Red IPA, Honest Lawbreaker Oatmeal Stout and Kinky Thompson Pale Ale. There are a dozen beers on tap. They offer a full menu with an emphasis on sandwiches  Cubans, corned beef, sausages and pulled pork.

1201 Carlisle Spring Road, Carlisle

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Mellow Mink Brewing Co.

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Mellow Mink Brewing will open in 2018 in Mechanicsburg with a taproom.

"It is our goal to bring the traditions of both old and new world brewing excellence to our home on the west shore of the Susquehanna River. We believe that craft beer should be inventive, inclusive, and above all, delicious," according to the website. Owners are Matt Miller, a long time homebrewer, pharmacist, and author of the educational brewing website Sour Beer Blog, and Cole Taylor, a young entrepreneur, photographer and dental assistant.

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"Our sour, funky, and farmhouse style beers will embrace local terroir, rotate and change with the seasons, and make use of fruits, flowers, and spices from all over the world," according to the site.

4900 Carlisle Pike, Hampden Township

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Collusion Tap Works

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Collusion opened in the fall of 2016 with an ambitious 24 taps filled with beer, cider, mead and soda, all produced in-house. IPAs and sours dominate the taps followed by imperial stouts. Compact menu is filled with tasty offerings from soft pretzel baguettes filled with crab dip to nachos, sweet heat chicken melts and short rib panini sandwiches. Collusion is owned by Jared, Chuck and Doug Barnes. Jared Barnes trained in Germany and most recently worked at Wyndridge Farms in Dallastown.

105 S. Howard St., York

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Mount Gretna Craft Brewery

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Owners Todd Holsopple and Brad Kleinfelter opened the brewery this year in the former Leeds Corner in South Londonderry Township at routes 322 and 117. Guests can stop in for a bite to eat with their beer and swing by a General Store.

Mount Gretna produces such brews as Chiques Creek IPA, Tailgate Sipper and Big Red Amber, and carries Hidden Still Spirits and Waltz Vineyards wines.

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The pub offers such eats as Rails Trails Bark smores granoloa with Wilbur chocolate, dark pretzels and roasted hazelnuts, charred kale cobb salads, craft burgers, sandwichess and margherita pizzas.

One of the perks is a general store where Sonder Coffee Co. operates and visitors can purchase locally made pantry goods and foods.

2701 Horseshoe Pike, Palmyra

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Rhone Brew Company

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This supplier of home brew equipment opened in 2016 in the former Party Outlet building in Carlisle. It sells all the supplies and equipment for making beer, cider and wine. Offers a brew-on-premise, an "open" brewery where you can brew your own beer on a fully automated, state-of-the art brew system. Plans call for the eventual addition of a taproom and brewery.

19 E. High St., Carlisle

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Highway Manor Brewing Co.

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Highway Manor sells its beers at places such as Grain + Verse Bottlehouse in Fairview Township and beyond at Philadelphia bars. Owner Johnnie Compton III specializes in sour beers and Belgium style Saison made with ancient techniques. The style of beers is "all dry, tart and very complex," he said.

2238 Gettysburg Road, Lower Allen Township

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Among the beers he brews are a Mr. Strawberry barrel aged with 50 pounds of strawberries per barrel and a Mr. Blueberry made with 50 pounds of blueberries per barrel. Beer Advocate rates Mr. Blueberry American Wild Ale an 85.

"Surprisingly full aroma of tart fruit with just a hint of funkiness," said one reviewer.

2238 Gettysburg Road, Lower Allen Township

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Cox Brewing

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Owners and veterans Nick Cox and Tim Kreider opened the nano brewery in 2015. Visitors can sample beers in the taproom and buy growlers and howlers to go. The lineup includes Liberty Lager American Lager, 82nd Amber Ale, Ch-47 IPA and Fat Cow Baltic Coffee Porter.

276 Heisey Quarry Road, Elizabethtown

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Zeroday Brewing Company

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PennLive file photo by James Robinson, jrobinson@pennlive.com

If feels as though ZeroDay has been around for a long time but the midtown brewery only opened in 2015. The specialty is ales and lagers and they also offer Pennsylvania wine and cider in the 60-seat tasting room.

They have a 20-tap system and rotate specialty beers alongside flagship beers. Nibble on snacks such as oversized soft pretzels, hummus and an adult version of a Lunchable.

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It recently expanded with an Outpost at the Broad Street Market in Harrisburg where visitors can sit down around the bar, order a Zeroday beer and sip it with foods ordered from dozens of market vendors.

250 Reily St #103, Harrisburg and Broad Street Market, North Third and Verbeke streets in Harrisburg

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Lydian Stone Brewing Company

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Opened in summer 2016 in York Haven under the Touchstone Brewery name but has since altered the name. This nano brewery offers craft beers light or malty to the hoppy or stouts. Sells growlers, six-packs and cases. Offerings include a Perfect Day IPA, Celtic Irish style red ale and sweet apricot ale.

685 York Haven Road, York Haven

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More food and dining

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The search for a man suspected of killing a Missouri police officer during a traffic stop ended after an alert driver spotted him walking along a state highway not far from where the shooting occurred.

Sgt. Bill Lowe, of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, said Ian McCarthy was spotted Tuesday night near Bucksaw Resort & Marina in Clinton, Missouri, less than 20 miles from where authorities say he fatally shot Officer Gary Michael.

McCarthy's arrest ended a two-day manhunt that spanned several miles in the western part of the state and began Sunday night, when what was supposed to be a routine traffic stop over a registration violation quickly escalated into an exchange of gunfire. The officer's death shocked the small Missouri town, about 75 miles from Kansas City, Missouri, and sent law enforcement agencies nationwide into mourning.

A four-minute police dispatch recording obtained by the Kansas City Star paints a picture of what happened about 10:45 p.m. Sunday, when authorities say Michael pulled over McCarthy. An officer, presumably Michael, can be heard radioing his location, describing the vehicle as a dark gray Dodge SUV, and giving a phonetic alphabet spelling of the license plate.

Moments later, there was a scream: "Shots fired! Officer hit!"

Within seconds, the blare of sirens can be heard. A dispatcher alerted all Henry County units that an officer had been shot and that the suspect had driven away.

"Shots fired! Officer down, officer down. I repeat, officer down!" another officer can be heard saying.

Michael, a 37-year-old officer for the Clinton Police Department, went into cardiac arrest, according to the audio. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. An officer can be heard saying that Michael had been shot with a long gun and that a bullet went through his vest.

Authorities have remained tight-lipped about what might have prompted the shooting, saying only that McCarthy got out of his vehicle after he was pulled over and fired shots at Michael. He then drove off, crashed his car nearby and ran away. Lowe said McCarthy was wounded during the shooting, though he declined to discuss the extent of the injuries.

McCarthy, who was not armed when he was arrested, was taken to a Kansas City-area hospital for treatment and is now at the Henry County Jail, the Associated Press reported. The 39-year-old has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

McCarthy served four years in prison in New Hampshire for first-degree assault and a parole violation, according to the AP. He has a four-year-old outstanding warrant in that state for failing to show up for sentencing on a disorderly conduct charge. He has another outstanding warrant from Johnson County in Missouri for unlawful possession of a firearm.

Lowe said it's hard to say whether those outstanding warrants were part of the reason McCarthy shot Michael.

"Could just be speculation at this point, but we're looking at any possibility," Lowe said, adding later: "We're appreciative of the public's assistance. Without the phone call in, we might still be looking for him."

Condolences from local and federal law enforcement agencies have poured in for Michael's family and the Clinton Police Department, where he'd been an officer for just less than a year.

It was his dream job, his brother told the Kansas City Star.

"Gary's only regret was that he didn't do this sooner," Chris Michael said. "He was just loving what he did and really enjoyed the people in the community."

On Wednesday, a procession with dozens of law enforcement and public safety vehicles brought Michael's body back to Clinton, where a flag was mounted to honor him.
Three Northern Arapaho boys, who died in the 1880s while they were attending the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, will soon be returning home.

Little Plume, Little Chief and Horse (anglicized to Hayes Vanderbilt Friday, Dickens Nor and Horace Washington) are the first American Indian children to be disinterred from the Carlisle Barracks. The U.S. Army, the American National Military Cemeteries and a team of archaeologists and anthropologists are leading the solemn work this week to return the children to Wyoming.

More than 10,000 American Indian children attended the school, run by the Department of the Interior between 1879 and 1918. There are roughly 180 of them buried at the Carlisle Barracks, most of whom died from disease.

The Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center has been keeping a collection of records, photographs and archives from the days of the school. Here is a sampling of some of their images, including one photo that may show the three boys when they arrived at the school.
The Harrisburg Street Crimes Unit Tuesday night arrested a third suspect in connection with a human trafficking and retail theft ring allegedly operating behind the guise of a bogus ministry for drug addicts.

Police Officer Anthony Fiore arrested Johnnie J. Ferrell, 19, about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night, according to court records filed online.

Ferrell was charged with 12 felonies, including five counts of involuntary servitude, five count of delivering a controlled substance, one count of dealing in illegal proceeds and one count of retail theft.

Ferrell

He remained behind bars in lieu of a $300,000 bond, which was slightly higher than the $250,000 bond assigned to his co-defendants who were arrested July 27.

According to the affidavit filed against Ferrell: He and alleged conspirators Daerell Holmes, 20, and Edward Edmonds, 31, "participated in a criminal enterprise from the address of 2411 North 6th Street, which was the purported headquarters of "Beyond your limits ministries.

"The alleged ministry was actually a front for an elaborate and sophisticated retail theft, sexual abuse and human trafficking operation."

Prosecutors announced felony charges against Holmes and Edmonds last month. The charges were based on information and evidence from five people who previously lived at the home. Two additional victims came forward after their arrests.

The "transitional housing ministry" that Edmonds ran out of the rented three-story property on Sixth Street was simply a mechanism, prosecutors say, to take advantage of young people with unstable housing or addiction issues and compel them into committing retail thefts of expensive electronics.

Residents would bring home $2,000 worth of electronics from a prescribed "shopping list," police say, and be rewarded with $50 worth of heroin.

If tenants didn't bring home electronics, and sometimes even if they did deliver the goods, they were shot in the legs with a BB gun or whipped with a belt.

Female residents also were pressured into sex acts with Edmonds in exchange for heroin, including an encounter with a 16-year-old girl that was recorded on Edmonds' cell phone, police say.

Police said they found a bag in Edmonds' bedroom where he stored driver's licenses, social security cards, access cards, vehicle registrations and other personal information from his tenants, which police believe he used to help control them.

Edmonds allegedly offered heroin to residents who had not previously used opioids, prosecutors say, in an effort to get the residents hooked on harder drugs and make them easier to control.

It's unclear what alleged role Ferrell played. He did not live in the home on North 6th Street.

But his Facebook page seems to indicate that he was selling merchandise and he posted repeated photos of himself holding wads of fanned-out cash.

A message was posted on his page Dec. 31, 2016, that said: "When the shop open up, the back door open."

A post on his page also lamented in December that "they just towed the Buick." But additional messages from Ferrell's account noted that it was not registered in his name and he "took a lost. It coo."

"Get another one," his friend wrote. "You feel me?"
Joe Maddon, the World Series-winning manager of the Chicago Cubs, has been the subject of disdain in his hometown of Hazleton after he made remarks criticizing those in the city who have not been welcoming to an influx of immigrants, saying "it's either help or die."

Maddon made the remarks two weeks ago during an interview on NBC. He has been supportive of the Hazleton Integration Project, a group that helps immigrants in the city assimilate. Hazleton, which had long been a majority white town, has seen an influx of immigrants in recent years.

"They're going to save our town," Maddon said. "You have two options right here. Either you get on board and help us as we're moving this thing along or you're going to die. And when you die and go away, then you're going to get out of the way. You're not going to be part of the problem anymore. So, it's either help or die."

According to the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, Maddon's comments have been met with criticism from city residents. The newspaper's Editorial Board called on Maddon to apologize for his remarks, saying he insulted "the hardworking and fair-minded people of Hazleton."

Maddon said before a Cubs game on Tuesday that he wasn't going to apologize, saying there was no "ill intent" in his remarks, according to the Chicago Tribune.

"If you watch the show in its entirety, it's a really positive piece. And I think the message is 99.9 percent positive," he said. "So for those who misinterpreted the comments, I can't say I even apologize for that because there's no ill intent involved."
Last Tuesday, Louise Hyder-Darlington was swimming in the English Channel. This Tuesday, she was talking about her experience on HACC's Harrisburg campus, where she works.

Hyder-Darlington completed the swim as part of a six-person relay. The group took a little over 14 hours to complete the 20-mile swim from Dover, England, to Calais, France. Hyder-Darlington first got into swimming a few years ago when she began to do laps in the pool during her lunch break. She got hooked, she says, and completed her first open-water swim around the Statue of Liberty.

She has since swum in lakes, rivers and even ponds, which can be "a little dicey." Hyder-Darlington has also swum from Catalina Island in the Pacific Ocean to the coast of California and made a circuit around Manhattan with a relay team. She has set her eyes on swimming the English Channel solo -- which she plans to do next August.

Hyder-Darlington says these open-water swims can be daunting, with concerns about weather, avoiding larger boats and other potential dangers in the water sometimes crossing her mind. To finish, Hyder-Darlington says she has to stay focused.

"The number one thing you must train for the English Channel is this," she says, pointing to her head.

For her relay swim across the English Channel this year, Hyder-Darlington used the opportunity to raise money for the Emergency Assistance Fund. Students who run into an unexpected financial burden, such as car repairs or medical payments, can apply for $500 grants through the fund.

Hyder-Darlington says she often tries to tie-in fundraising with her open-water swimming, but that this time was special.

"The most important aspect of it is that it directly helps students," she says.

Hyder-Darlington has raised over $2,000 so far, and is still taking donations. She and her relay team completed their swim last week, after facing uncertainty about whether they would even be able to do it at all. Dover, where many begin their journey across the Channel, is in a bout of bad weather, Hyder-Darlington says. They had to convince their boat captain that they were ready and able to swim in a short window of safe weather.

For Hyder-Darlington, swimming the Channel has been in her mind since she swam around the Statue of Liberty. And when they reached the French coast?

"It was just excitement," she says.
Attorney General Josh Shapiro and a bipartisan coalition of 32 other attorneys general on Wednesday announced a settlement with Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and a subsidiary for a 2012 data breach that resulted in the loss of personal information belonging to more than 1.2 million Americans, including 36,000 Pennsylvanians.

The data breach, caused by the companies' alleged failure to apply a critical security patch, resulted in the loss of consumers' social security numbers, driver's license numbers, credit information and other personal data. The lost personal information was collected by Nationwide in order to provide insurance quotes to consumers applying for insurance, according to a press release out of Shapiro's office on Wednesday afternoon.

"Protecting Pennsylvanians' privacy and personal information like Social Security numbers and credit data is a key priority. Anyone, whether it's a large company or an online scammer, who fails to protect your information will be held accountable," Shapiro said in the release.

As part of the settlement, Nationwide and its subsidiary, Allied Property & Casualty Insurance Company, agreed to pay $5.5 million to a group of 33 attorneys general to resolve the data breach investigation. Of that total, Pennsylvania will receive $248,830.

The settlement requires Nationwide to initiate a series of actions to update its security and ensure the timely application of patches and other updates to its security software:

Nationwide must hire a technology officer responsible for monitoring and managing software and application security updates.

Strengthen its procedures relating to the maintenance and storage of consumer data.

Conduct regular inventories of the patches and updates applied to its systems used to maintain consumers' personal information.

Hire an outside, independent provider to perform an annual audit of its practices regarding the collection and maintenance of consumers' personal information.

Many of the consumers whose data was lost as a result of the data breach never became insured by Nationwide. However, the company retained their data in order to more easily provide re-quotes at later times, the release said. The settlement requires Nationwide to be more transparent about its data collection practices and compels it to disclose to consumers that it retains their information even if they do not become customers.

In addition to Shapiro, the settlement was joined by the attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

The Federal Trade Commission offers free credit reports here.
After Elon Musk took over as the CEO of Twitter, he introduced a host of sweeping changes to the micro-blogging platform, one of which was asking users to pay a subscription of $8 dollars a month for the blue tick visible on verified accounts. However, it has not been a smooth ride for the billionaire as he had to roll back the decision after many fake handles got the verification or the blue tick after paying for a subscription.
By Erik Wemple

Matthew Boyle, the Breitbart reporter known for his close relationship with Trumpland, has gotten ahold of some email traffic. From a New York Times reporter. And it is scandalous, at least according to this Breitbart headline:

Erik Wemple (Washington Post photo)

"Exclusive - Deep State Teams with Fake News: Email Evidence Proves New York Times Soliciting Anti-Trump Bureaucracy Leakers"

Here's the lead: "Emails from a reporter for the New York Times to government employees obtained exclusively by Breitbart News demonstrate that the newspaper's employees are not just on the receiving end of leaks, but are actually soliciting government employees to become leakers. What's more, the emails demonstrate the Times colluded with the president of government union to encourage and solicit these leaks-something that may become highly problematic for both institutions."

Over the course of approximately 1,600 words, Boyle documents how New York Times reporter Coral Davenport is ... seeking sources to inform her about goings-on at the Environmental Protection Agency.

The smoking-gun document is an email from Davenport to John O'Grady, who as president of Chicago's AFGE Council 238 represents workers at the agency now helmed by Trump appointee Scott Pruitt. Already this year, Davenport has provided aggressive coverage of the agency, noting, for example, how Pruitt has relied on advice from industry - and not so much on the EPA's career braintrust - as he pursues a deregulatory agenda. That piece relied on "interviews with over 20 current and former E.P.A. senior career staff members."

In appealing to O'Grady, Davenport is apparently seeking sources for another big heave on the EPA. "I've heard a lot of second-hand rumors, but in order to report these incidents, I'd need to have first-hand or eyewitness accounts," writes Davenport in her email. "I'm looking for examples of things like, information being communicated only verbally when it would historically have been put in writing, people being told not to bring phones, laptops or even take notes in meetings where they would in the past typically have done so, eyewitness accounts of things like the administrator or top political appointees refusing to use official email, phones or computers, or any other specific, first-hand examples of practices that appear to demonstrate unprecedented secrecy or transparency."

There's much more to Davenport's email, and each line is unassailable - a reporter diligently trying to find inside information critical to U.S. taxpayers. It is journalism, and its very practice is under siege from people who don't understand it. These days the siege often targets the New York Times, whether the assailant is Matthew Boyle, the National Rifle Association, the vice president or the president. An increasing chunk of the media critic's portfolio in these times is standing up and saying, in defense of the New York Times: This is journalism.

Consider that Breitbart is highlighting this New York Times email at a time when people such as President Donald Trump have pointedly raised questions about whether there are actually sources behind the mainstream media's exposes:

"Remember, when you hear the words 'sources say' from the Fake Media, often times those sources are made up and do not exist." - Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2017

Take it straight from Davenport's email: Yes, there are sources. The reporters who cite them take great pains to court and protect them, too.

Were this tract merely a piece of Breitbartian, conspiracy-driven media criticism, that'd be fine. But it's more than that. Read Boyle's entire story; after he hammers Davenport for seeking information on how Pruitt is running the EPA, he notes that O'Grady forwarded Davenport's email to a number of EPA employees who might be interested in providing information to her. So what, right?

Well, Breitbart is here to provide the extraordinary public service of listing names - more than 30 - to which the email was supposedly forwarded.

Nice move, Breitbart. You've scolded the New York Times, possibly stifled its sources and assisted the Trump EPA with a potential leak investigation, all in one post.

Erik Wemple writes the Erik Wemple blog for The Washington Post, where he reports and opines on media organizations of all sorts.
President Donald Trump's advisers said Tuesday that he would not declare a national emergency over the opioid crisis, despite an "urgent" recommendation from the commission he appointed to study the epidemic.

"Your declaration would empower your cabinet to take bold steps and would force Congress to focus on funding and empowering the Executive Branch even further to deal with this loss of life," the commission, chaired by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, wrote in its report. But Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price told reporters that the government could deploy the necessary resources without declaring an emergency.

"Most national emergencies that have been declared in an area of public health ... have been focused on a specific area, a time-limited problem, an infectious disease or a specific threat," he said, citing the outbreak of the Zika virus and the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

The opioid commission had issued a draft report last week that called for a declaration of a national emergency and focused entirely on public health recommendations to address the crisis. It received widespread bipartisian support, including from Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat.

In brief remarks to reporters before meeting with Mr. Price on Tuesday, Mr. Trump didn't mention the report or its recommendations. He stressed border protection and "strong law enforcement" as keys to combating the heroin epidemic.

Here's who's overdosing on heroin, opioids in Pa.

He added that he would work with health care officials as well, and added that drug prevention programs were the "best way" to keep people from becoming addicted or overdosing. "If they do start, it's awfully tough to get off, so if we can keep them from going on and maybe by talking to youth and telling them: No good, really bad for you in every way," Mr. Trump said. "But if they don't start, it will never be a problem."

Thomas Farley, the commissioner of the city's Department of Public Health and the co-chair of Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney's opioid task force, said the president's comments "show he doesn't understand the opioid crisis."

"He spoke about protecting young people. About law enforcement. About stopping drugs coming across the border," he said. "But most people who are getting addicted to opioids are middle-aged and are supplied by their doctors."

Speaking to the media, Mr. Price said the commission's report was being "reviewed at all levels" and echoed some of its public health approach: providing resources for "prevention, treatment and recovery" and making the overdose-reversing drug Narcan more available.

Experts have said that declaring a national emergency could help free up federal funding for states dealing with an overdose crisis that, the commission said, kills 142 Americans a day, though some advocates worried the Trump administration would have used the declaration to return to policies similar to the war on drugs.

Some experts in Philadelphia said declaring an emergency wouldn't have had much impact. "Access to medicine, access to care, these are the big issues. We don't need words at this point," said Scott Burris, a law professor at Temple University and the director of the school's Center for Public Health Law Research.

Mr. Farley said the president would do well to heed the words of his own commission.

"It had a number of excellent recommendations," he said, adding that an emergency declaration would at least help "as a way of focusing attention on the problem."

City officials and advocates had praised the commission's report for its emphasis on prevention and treatment -- which dovetails with the recommendations produced by the city's own opioid task force. The crisis, they said, has moved beyond politics.

Jose Benitez, the executive director of Prevention Point, the needle exchange and advocacy program that serves people suffering from addiction in Kensington, said before Mr. Trump's remarks on Tuesday that he had been encouraged by the report after years of tough-on-crime federal drug policy.

"It really is time to look at this as a public health issue," Mr. Benitez said. About three Philadelphians die each day from an overdose, he said, and countless more are revived with Narcan.

The federal commission's recommendations also include funding an expansion of medically assisted addiction treatments -- which studies have shown are effective but underutilized, mostly because of a persistent stigma that such treatments don't count as recovery, the commission wrote. (Indeed, Philadelphia's own medically assisted treatment programs still have slots open -- the stigma, health officials say, makes them difficult to fill.)

Last week city officials said that federal support for their goals could help achieve them sooner.

"One of the things we've been really pushing for is to have all forms of medically assisted treatment available at all our licensed facilities," said Geoffrey Neimark, the chief medical officer at Community Behavioral Health, the city agency that handles Medicaid claims for substance abuse treatment. "But that's a big change of practice, and a culture change. Having a report like this, which has expert consensus behind it, is going to help us push that forward."

Mr. Benitez said an influx of federal funding would be crucial in places like Philadelphia, where the heroin is the purest and cheapest in the country, and where he and his staff are working against a death toll that could hit 1,200 by year's end.

He said, "It's desperate out here. The stigma attached to this is so pervasive -- if this were happening in any other population, we would have had federal resources a long time ago, I think, and that's the travesty of it all."
Stung by a paradigm-shifting defeat in the state Senate, Pennsylvania business leaders launched a full frontal assault Tuesday against an energy-heavy $570 million tax package that's a House vote away from going to Gov. Tom Wolf for enactment.

The leaders argued the tax plan as proposed amounts to a direct attack on energy costs - one of the areas where Pennsylvania, looking forward, has a chance to lay a foundation for economic growth.

"This is about Pennsylvania's future, and whether or not we're going to sacrifice it on the high altar of one year's state budget," said David Taylor, president of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association.

The new taxes are part of a larger $2.2 billion tax and borrowing plan that's been proposed to close a deficit from 2016-17 and cover $32 billion in new spending for the current fiscal year.

The business assault grabbed center stage Tuesday because the state budget talks are on a bit of an August pause while House GOP leadership analyzes the Senate plan and tries to prepare a counter.

The Senate-passed plan has two major energy-related prongs:

It applies a new 5.7 percent gross receipts tax on sales of natural gas to end-of-line users - both residential and business - and increases the existing gross receipts tax rate on use of electricity.

Establishes a new severance tax on the extraction of natural gas from Marcellus Shale reserves, with rates floating with the average market price of the fuel.

Taken together, those measures would account for about $470 million to $500 million in new taxes, according to legislative projections.

The proposed increases come at a time when businesses' share of Pennsylvania's tax burden has been on a steady decline: Corporate taxes accounted for 22.9 percent of general fund tax collections in 1995-96; just 17 percent in 2015-16.

But to business leaders - accustomed to years of pitching shut-out ball against significant tax hikes since 2011, when the current impact fees on fracking wells took effect - this year's plan could have a particularly punishing effect on Pennsylvania's future economic growth.

The problem, they argue, is that taxing one of Pennsylvania's top natural resources from the wellhead and at the usage point threatens what many business leaders had hoped would become a long-term advantage here: low energy costs.

The Senate proposal, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President Gene Barr said, effectively taxes a natural gas molecule at four different points: When the well is drilled (impact fees to local communities); when the gas is extracted (severance tax); when the gas is used (gross receipts tax); and finally, when the provider pays taxes on its business profits.

Those taxes are actually paid by several different payers.

But the point is clear.

Noting Pennsylvania has underperformed the national economy in terms of job growth since the Great Recession, Barr said "any proposal that attacks that (energy) advantage... is one that really forces us to oppose this."

"Bottom line, does Pennsylvania want investment here, or elsewhere?" added Stephanie Wissman of the Associated Petroleum Industries of Pennsylvania.

The gross receipts tax, Taylor and others noted, will land particularly hard on manufacturers, who by definition are among the biggest natural gas users in the state.

A state Independent Fiscal Office report issued this spring stated that 62 percent of Pennsylvania's natural gas consumption tracks to commercial and industrial users; 38 percent to residential customers.

The new gross receipts tax on natural gas would raise, according to Senate projections, about $304 million across all categories. The increase in the tax on electricity wold bring in an additional $83 million.

As for the shale tax, the energy industry leaders argued the new levy, projected to raise from $80 million to $110 million this year on top of the existing impact fees, could encourage gas producers to take their capital elsewhere.

Especially during a period of depressed prices and when a lack of pipeline infrastructure has limited the ability of Pennsylvania drillers to get their gas to market.

"I"m so sick and tired of hearing the argument, 'The industry's here. They can afford to pay a severance tax.'" said Wissman, of the petroleum industries trade group.

"What's affordability? No one is listening to the economic reality- the price pressures we are under as an industry. Keep in mind, capital is movable... and it goes to where the most return will be on that investment."

Proponents of the shale tax say it is an appropriate way for all Pennsylvanians to share in the benefits of a shared natural resource, and it's a revenue stream with the potential to grow over time as prices and volume pick up.

The tax plan negotiated by the state Senate and Wolf is paired with a series of regulatory reforms designed to speed permitting processes and give the legislature greater oversight over pending attempts to regulate methane leaks from shale operations.

That trade-off was one of the major reasons the majority Senate Republicans let the shale tax plan move forward, according to Majority leader Jake Corman, R-Centre County.

But industry representatives on Tuesday's call said that is no consolation at the moment.

When the state's first major shale industry regulation bill was passed in 2012, they noted, the impact fees stuck, but state courts struck down provisions designed to help drillers with local zoning and other issues.

The shale tax is politically popular: One 2016 poll showed public sentiment for the severance tax running at 73 percent in favor to 22 percent opposed.

Another problem the industry has in arguing against the tax is in showing how the no-severance-tax policy of the past 10 years - when Pennsylvania became the only major gas-producing state without a severance tax - has actually provided a significant economic advantage.

Gas production has surged here in that time, there's no doubt. National gas production figures from 2016 show that Pennsylvania is the nation's second-leading producer of natural gas, with 5.2 million cubic feet produced.

But state Department of Labor and Industry statistics on gas and oil industry employment shows the no-tax policy was no inoculation against other market forces that caused the number of jobs to drop from a peak of 33,181 in summer 2014 to 20,163 last summer as new drilling activity lagged.

Furthermore, there is Wolf's argument, reiterated in a radio appearance last week, that the shale tax - if passed through to consumers - would largely fall to out-of-state ratepayers.

The IFO projected in April that because of Pennsylvania's proximity to major markets like New York and Boston, nearly 75 percent of a shale tax here could wind up paid by out-of-staters.

The House is the logical place for the energy industry to make its stand, and there is no time like the present.

The industry has always had a staunch ally in House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny County. But last month 12 members of Turzai's majority GOP caucus called on the Speaker to permit a vote on a shale tax.
FILE - In this July 24, 2012 file photo, matchmaker Amber Kelleher-Andrews, from the TV series "Ready For Love," and chief executive of matchmaking service Kelleher-Andrews attends NBCUniversal's 2012 Summer Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif. Darlene Daggett, former president for U.S. commerce for the West Chester-based home shopping channel QVC, settled a lawsuit against Kelleher International for a matchmaking service that set her up with a string of highly incompatible suitors, including men who were married, mentally unstable or felons. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
Anne Polischuk, manager of the Osoyoos United Church Thrift Shop, is part of the Dorcas Ladies Group, which runs the shop and has donated $30,000 to the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation.
By PTI: Dhaka, Aug 8 (PTI) Fourteen militants of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh were today sentenced to 20 years in jail by a local court for carrying out a series of deadly coordinated bomb attacks in 2005.

The group carried out serial blasts at over 600 locations in 63 districts in 2005 soon after the government banned it, killing at least two people and wounding over hundred others.

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The additional district and sessions judges court ordered 20 years in jail for the convicts. They have also been fined by Tk 30,000 (Rs 23,588) each, failing to pay which will make them stay in jail for another three years.

In 2012, police pressed charges in court against 17 JMB operatives, the bdnews24 reported.

Court polices Inspector Anwarul Islam said charges against three suspects were dropped as they had died while four of the convicts are absconding.

The group is also blamed by Bangladeshi authorities for a deadly attack on a Dhaka cafe in July last year that killed 22 people, mostly foreigners and an Indian woman. PTI KJ ZH KJ

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A Woodland caribou bull is shown in an undated handout photo. A U.S. environment group says satellite imagery proves a much lauded agreement between Canada's logging industry and environmental groups to protect boreal caribou habitat was a failure. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, CPAWS - Mike Bedell
By PTI: Islamabad, Aug 9 (PTI) At least four army personnel, including a major, were killed today in exchange of fire during a raid at a militant hideout in Pakistans restive northwestern tribal region.

The raid was carried out in Sherotkai area of Lower Dir district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, one of the four administrative provinces of Pakistan.

Army said the militants wearing suicide vests opened fire at the army personnel resulting in a shootout.

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Four army men, including Major Ali Salman, were killed in the intelligence-based operation, it said.

One militant was killed while the other blew himself up, Army said, adding that a suspected militant was also arrested in the operation.

The raid was conducted as part of Operation Radd-ul- Fasaad which was launched in February to dismantle terrorist networks in Pakistan.

Lower Dir is adjacent to Swat where army had to wage a war against militant in 2009 to clean it. PTI SH MRJ

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FILE - In this July 18, 2016 file photo, then-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort walks around the convention floor before the opening session of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. A spokesman for President Donald TrumpAos former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, says that FBI agents served a search warrant at one of his homes. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
Democrats seal control of Senate after Cortez Masto defeats Laxalt in Nevada

Democrats will retain control of the U.S. Senate after incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada defeated Republican Adam Laxalt.
By India Today Web Desk: Amitabh Bachchan started shooting for Kaun Banega Crorepati 17 years back. The show in its ninth season is making a comeback after 3 years. Its last season aired in 2014.

The show that originally aired on Star Plus has now been airing on Sony TV Season 4 onwards.

Here are some behind-the-scene facts about KBC you probably don't know:

If you think that the Kaun Banega Crorepati set is as grand as you see it on screen, you cannot be more wrong. Reportedly, the set looks like an abandoned bunker or a garage from outside. Big B will shoot KBC Season 9 at Mumbai's Film City, the same set where he began shooting for the show 17 years back. He considers it lucky. The set was shifted to YRF few years back. Amitabh Bachchan makes sure he has enough information about the background of each contestant. So, after arriving on the sets, he first goes to a cabin to do his ground work. The contestants, whether they have lost, won or quit, are not allowed to leave the sets till the entire shoot is over. There is a cabin near the sets where all of them are made to sit. If you are a loyal fan of KBC, you would be aware of computerji who locks the answers and puts questions in real time. Well, there's a guy who does all this while sitting with his mac book and other gadgets on the floor (due to less space) near Big B and the hot seat. All the KBC audiences are served food which is free of cost. Amitabh Bachchan keeps the crowd on the sets of Kaun Banega Crorepati entertained by cracking jokes.

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Also read: Here's how Amitabh Bachchan's Kaun Banega Crorepati 9 will be different from previous seasons

--- ENDS ---
Top oil buyers go on light crude oil hunt to meet diesel demand

Heesu Lee/Bloomberg



Malibu, the Suezmax crude carrier, carries Kazakh crude oil. Asian diesel profits surge as demand booms in India, China. SK Innovation to take delivery of U.S. crude for first time

By Heesu Lee

SEOUL

Petroleumworld 08 09 2017

Captain Tsitrelis Ioannis and the 26-strong crew of the Malibu arrived at Ulsan in early August after sailing almost 9,000 nautical miles to deliver a million barrels of Kazakh CPC crude from the Black Sea to South Korea, one of the key buyers in the world's biggest oil market.

Another cargo of light oil, which is less sulfurous than heavier grades, is set to arrive in a couple of months at Ulsan from even farther away -- the U.S. -- to be processed by SK Innovation Co. , South Korea's top refiner. The two shipments are part of a stream of similar varieties flowing to Asia as companies look to process the kind of crude that yields more diesel to capitalize on surging demand for the fuel.

Last month, profit margins from making diesel in Asia touched the highest since November 2015, contrary to expectations for a typical seasonal drop in demand during this time of the year due to monsoon rains. The unusual gains have been driven by higher imports of cleaner diesel by India after the government imposed new quality standards and as China uses more to feed the expansion of its construction and industrial sectors.

There's no reason not to buy more, Kim Wookyung, a spokeswoman at SK Innovation, said by phone from Seoul. The margins of these fuels are pretty high.

Profits in Asia from turning benchmark Dubai crude into diesel jumped to $14.38 a barrel on July 31, a gain of 57 percent since touching a nine-month low on May 4. The crack spread, as it's known, was at $12.64 a barrel at 12:05 p.m. in Singapore on Wednesday. The surge helped lift overall crude refining margins to $7.82 a barrel on Aug. 7, up more than 200 percent from a year earlier, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Diesel demand has been strong in emerging economies, including the Philippines, Indonesia and India as they focus on increasing infrastructure spending, said Peter Lee, an analyst at BMI Research. China's diesel demand has returned to growth in the second quarter as construction and industrial consumption picked up.

That's led South Korean refiners SK Innovation and GS Caltex Corp., among the top regional exporters of distillate fuels, to scour countries from Algeria to the U.S. in search of light crude.

Typically, lighter varieties with a lower sulfur content will yield about 85 percent of lucrative products such as gasoil and gasoline, and about 15 percent of residue. Heavier varieties, which are usually cheaper, would yield only 55 percent of valuable fuels, according to SK Innovation.

Still, the company -- and most refiners -- don't process purely light or heavier crude at any given time. It blends about 15 different grades of oil before a crude distillation unit cracks it into products including diesel and gasoline. The proportion of varieties changes depending on market factors, according to an official at SK Innovation's plant in Ulsan.

While low-cost drilling methods have unlocked vast deposits in places like Texas, supplies from U.S. shale fields are primarily light, low-sulfur oil, which many of the refineries along the American Gulf Coast aren't designed to process. As a result, exports surged and America now ships more than some members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

More Attractive

Meanwhile, supplies of heavier crudes -- which are more prevalent in the Middle East -- have shrunk as OPEC nations including Saudi Arabia curb output as part of a deal aimed at propping up prices. That's made regional benchmark Dubai crude stronger relative to other markers such as Brent and U.S. West Texas Intermediate, making them more attractive to Asian buyers.

If you can get your hands on light crude now, it's the time, said Victor Shum, a Singapore-based vice president at industry consultant IHS Energy. Given the current strong diesel cracks, refiners indeed should find light, sweet crude to be attractive.

Sunho Yoon

Malibu, the Suezmax crude carrier, at SK Innovation Co.'s refinery in Ulsan, South Korea.

SK Innovation, which is diversifying away from its long-term crude suppliers in the Middle East, will load one million barrels of WTI Midland crude in late August from Freeport, Texas, and the same amount of Mexican Isthmus crude, with both expected to arrive in Ulsan in mid-October.

The increased appetite for light crude in new locations mean Captain Ioannis will be tasting new seas as he readies to embark on his next journey. While he's still waiting to hear the destination, he doesn't rule any country out. I travel everywhere, he said on board the Malibu, which was floating 3 miles off Ulsan.







Story by Heesu Lee ; With assistance by Sharon Cho, Debjit Chakraborty, Tsuyoshi Inajima, and Serene Cheong from Bloomberg .



bloomberg. com / 08 09 2017
Latin American nations urge Venezuela to close Assembly, the country now a dictatorship'

Mariana Bazzo/Reuters



Peru's Foreign Minister Ricardo Luna (C) along with foreign ministers and representatives from across the Americas, called Venezuela now a dictatorship', Ministers criticize human rights violations and use of violence, in Lima, Peru, August 8, 2017.

By John Quigley

LIMA

Petroleumworld 08 09 2017

Latin American foreign ministers said Tuesday that they would refuse to recognize any decision taken by Venezuela's new constitutional assembly in which President Nicolas Maduro has placed all his hopes of retaining power.

Ministers and diplomats from 12 nations meeting in Lima called on the Venezuelan government to close the newly installed assembly, saying it represents a definitive break in the democratic order. They also asked the government to release all political prisoners and allow international observers to monitor elections this year and next.

Read more: Is Venezuela Becoming a Cuba-Style Dictatorship?: QuickTake Q&A



The assembly creates a situation that's incompatible with international law, human rights and democracy in this region, Peru's Foreign Minister Ricardo Luna told reporters.

The election of an assembly to rewrite Venezuela's constitution sparked international condemnation and led the U.S. to impose sanctions on top officials. The gathering of Latin American foreign ministers stopped short of taking economic measures of their own or breaking diplomatic ties.

Maduro said on Tuesday the assembly, which on Tuesday declared itself the nation's supreme political authority, will strip legal immunity from Congress and establish a truth commission.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said the group of nations will only recognize decisions approved by Venezuela's National Assembly, including those related to loans, refinancing and public works.

A statement signed by the 12 nations also condemned Venezuela for not allowing foreign donations of food and medicine and for the systematic violations of human rights.

The fading out of democratic institutions in recent times has reached its culmination and what we have in Venezuela is a dictatorship, Luna said.

The pronouncement was signed by envoys from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Peru. A further five nations participated in the meeting but didn't sign the document. They were Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Santa Lucia and Uruguay.







Story by John Quigley from Bloomberg .



bloomberg. com / 08 08 2017
Amid a surging U.S. stock market that is helping fund drug developers and other growth companies, five Philadelphia biotech firms attracted hundreds of millions of dollars in out-of-town investment and acquisition capital last week, notes Martin Lehr, CEO and cofounder of Context Therapeutics, a Drexel University spin-off.

"Amazing," says Lehr, whose own firm is developing Sigma1, a drug for use against cancer and other diseases, and is funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute and wealthy investors.

The deals include:

 Up to $425 million for InfaCare Pharmaceutical Corp., the 16-year-old, Trevose-based developer of Stanate, a treatment that helps babies with severe jaundice (which turns them yellow) avoid blood transfusions and hospitals. Founder Robert A. Vukovich, 73, sold the company to Mallinckrodt Inc. for an $80 million upfront payment, plus up to $345 million in future payments if Stanate meets sales projections.

 $330 million (net proceeds) in a secondary stock offering for Spark Therapeutics. The University City gene therapy developer, based on Katherine A. High's work at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, hired JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs to sell more stock; they priced 4.4 million shares at $76 each. Spark's current clinical trials include treatments for hemophilia and a rare eye disease; its commercial partners include Pfizer.

 $62 million in third-round venture-capital fund-raising by Complexa Inc., the Radnor firm run by former AstraZeneca and startup veteran CEO Joshua Tarnoff (a LaSalle graduate) and medical head Diane K Jorkasky (formerly of Endo and SmithKline, and a veteran of the Penn Medicine staff). Complexa said it will use the money to boost clinical development of CXA-10, which fights an "orphan" kidney disease.

 $42 million in second-round venture funding from Versant Ventures, Foresite Capital, and Abingworth for VenatoRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Malvern developer of antibiotics for drug-resistant infections, run by Christopher J. Burns, formerly of Novartis' Protez division. Versant also boasts a National Institutes of Health grant and funding from London-based Wellcome Trust.

-$12.7 million from New Ventures III and earlier investors for Enterin, a Philadelphia firm headed by Georgetown University transplant specialist and Magainin Pharmaceuticals Inc. founder Michael A. Zasloff. Enterin is developing ENT-01, a treatment it says "repairs the dysfunctional gut-brain axis" in Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative disease patients, to relieve constipation, among other conditions.
Newest rendering of Stadium Casino L.L.C.'s Live! Philadelphia casino & hotel in South Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board gave the green light  again  to Stadium's ownership structure to get a license to build Philadelphia's second casino. Read more

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board gave the green light again Wednesday for Stadium Casino L.L.C.'s proposed casino and hotel in South Philadelphia.

The board voted 7-0 that wealthy businessman Watche "Bob" Manoukian does not, and will not, hold a financial interest in Stadium that exceeds 33.3 percent, and that Stadium is in full compliance with the state Gaming Act.

The board agreed with Stadium's argument based on evidence and testimony on July 31 from Manoukian, who said that he will transfer $34 million to a trust for his sons that will own a portion of the proposed casino. Manoukian said he will fund the trust by "irrevocable and outright gifts" and that he has no monetary right or claim, or investment in, the trust.

By a roll-call vote, the gaming board approved a motion that "Watche Manoukian does not maintain a financial interest in Stadium Casino L.L.C. through either the Sterling Investors Trust or Sterling Fiduciary Services Inc." Funding the trust by gifts did not "rise to a financial interest."

In June, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court sent the case back to the gaming board for a further evidentiary hearing. Based on a special hearing and legal briefs, the board concluded Wednesday that Manoukian, who owns an 85.84 percent interest in Parx Casino in Bensalem, did not violate casino ownership restrictions in the proposed Live! Philadelphia Casino & Hotel in South Philadelphia.

The law prevents an individual who owns one casino from owning more than 33.3 percent of another.

Manoukian has a net worth of $850 million, according to board documents. His company, Greenwood Racing, formed a 50-50 partnership with entities controlled by the Cordish family in Baltimore.

The gaming board picked the joint venture Stadium to build Philadelphia's second casino in November 2014, but state Supreme Court appeals by a losing bidder and by SugarHouse Casino, the city's first casino, have delayed the project.

The June Supreme Court decision was the second time the award of the second Philadelphia license to Stadium Casino was sent back to the gaming board for further consideration.

Philadelphia lawyer Richard Sprague, on behalf of SugarHouse Casino, said Wednesday, "It's very easy to say 'I've given a gift to my children.' What's the source of the money?" Sprague said. "Stadium was asked, but did not answer, the exact source of the funds of that $34 million gift."

"The answer was 'multiple sources,' " Sprague said, adding, "Someone should take the depositions of the sons."

Cyrus Pitre, chief enforcement counsel for the gaming board, said he supported the board's decision and noted that background checks had been done on Manoukian and, as with other casino license approvals, his staff traces where all the money comes from to know that it's from legitimate sources. SugarHouse's position "borders on complete arrogance," Pitre said.

With Wednesday's action, the gaming control board will write an "adjudication," a statement outlining why the board came to its decision. Once the parties receive the document, it could be appealed back to the Supreme Court. If no one appeals, the gaming board would move forward to make the license final, said Richard McGarvey, spokesman for the gaming board.
The NRAs response to the Sandy Hook shooting is to proposed that teachers be armed. Read more

The National Rifle Association claims its mission is to protect and defend constitutional freedoms. Yet with a recent advertisement that says the NRA is "coming for" the New York Times, the organization does just the opposite.

"We the people have had it," NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch says in the ad.

"We've had it with your narratives, your propaganda, your fake news.

We've had it with your constant protection of your Democrat overlords. Your refusal to acknowledge any truth that upsets the fragile construct that you believe is real life  We're going to fisk the New York Times and find out just what deep rich means to this old gray hag In short, we're coming for you."

While Loesch claims her intention was to tell the Times that the NRA would be fact checking the newspaper's content  that's why she said she used the word fisk  don't be fooled. When an organization that claims to have millions of armed members says, "we're coming for you," that is a physical threat. But more than that, it is a threat to the very Constitution the NRA has sworn to defend.

Because while I believe the NRA loves that the Constitution's Second Amendment allows Americans to bear the arms that have made gun manufacturers wealthy, I also believe the NRA hates that the Constitution allows for a free and unfettered press. That's because a truly free press can expose the NRA for what it is  a right-wing organization that used racial and religious bigotry to help gun manufacturers sell 27 million firearms to Americans in 2016.

If the NRA loved the Constitution, it would have spoken out forcefully for licensed black gun owner Philando Castile, who was gunned down by a police officer while legally exercising his Second Amendment right to bear arms. The NRA would have pointed out that Castile did not receive the equal protection that is promised in the 14th Amendment. Or perhaps the NRA would have encouraged people to exercise their First Amendment right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Instead, the NRA issued mealy-mouthed statements that never truly condemned the actions of an officer who killed a law-abiding gun owner and was subsequently fired but never convicted of a crime. When asked about the NRA's stance on Castile on Fox News, Loesch defended the organization.

"I'm on Twitter," Loesch said. "I mean you can always reach out to someone and ask for a statement, and I have remarked on this and the NRA has issued a statement on Philando Castile, as well. And personally I've spoken out about this on radio, and I've spoken out about it on Twitter. So I think for anyone to say that the NRA has not been present on this issue, I think they're willfully not listening."

I took Loesch at her word and reached out to her on Twitter to ask for that statement in which the NRA spoke out on Castile's death. There was no response by press time.

That's not surprising. The NRA, while claiming to represent "We the people," instead represents we the gun manufacturers. And it will use any tack to promote the sale of guns, even if it has to push unconstitutional practices along the way.

The NRA did so in the wake of terror attacks that rocked London, suggesting that the answer to terrorism is monitoring mosques in the United States. Such monitoring of law-abiding citizens is at odds with the First Amendment's guarantee of religious freedom.

But when you're in the business of stirring up fear to boost gun sales, Constitutional guarantees mean little. That includes the guarantee of a free press.

The NRA  which suggested arming teachers in response to the shooting deaths of 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School  is an organization whose ruthlessness knows no bounds.

The NRA has shown an amazing proclivity for remaining virtually silent on the deaths those who are different, those who are young, and those who are vulnerable. It has shown a stunning willingness to buy right-wing politicians while pushing an agenda that is equal parts money and blood.

Thus the NRA, while proclaiming itself to be the clenched fist of truth, has proved to be nothing more than another organization that benefits from the suffering of others.

Without a free and unfettered press to shine light into the dark corners of such an organization, there can be no liberty. There can only be the fear that drives Americans to suspect one another, to buy more guns, and to kill more people.

That's not the country in which I want to live. That's why America's free press must expose the activities of those who would manipulate us with fear.

Then we must do our jobs while uttering the four words that matter most: We're coming for you.
Ahead of the crucial Gujarat Assembly election scheduled to take place end of this year, the win for Congress in the Rajya Sabha election is likely to be a morale booster for the party's workers in the state.

Ahmed Patel managed to hold on to his Rajya Sabha seat from Gujarat. Photo: PTI.

By India Today Web Desk: With veteran Congress leader Ahmed Patel clincing a dramatic Rajya Sabha win in Gujarat last night, the grand old party has erupted in celebration.

Ahmed Patel's victory will be a major boost for the Congress which was dealt a severe blow by the Amit Shah-Narendra Modi juggernaut in the recent Assembly elections in five states.

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Ahead of the crucial Gujarat Assembly election scheduled to take place end of this year, the win for Congress in the Rajya Sabha election is likely to be a morale booster for the party's workers in the state.

"This is not my victory. It is a defeat of the most blatant use of money power, muscle power and abuse of state machinery," Ahmed Patel tweeted last night.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) also congratulated Ahmed Patel for his Rajya Sabha win. TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today tweeted, "@ahmedpatel ji congratulations for a big fight. Good fight. Good win".

. @ahmedpatel Ji congratulations for a big fight. Good fight. Good win- Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 9, 2017

Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who was critical of the party's Delhi leadership in the wake of the MCD election debacle, also congratulated Ahmed Patel for his win. "Congratulations to the brave @ahmedpatel for this well deserved victory. It is this indomitable spirit that @INCIndia is known for," she said.

Congratulations to the brave @ahmedpatel for this well deserved victory. It is this indomitable spirit that @INCIndia is known for- Sheila Dikshit (@SheilaDikshit) August 9, 2017

How Ahmed Patel managed to secure the magic number for Rajya Sabha seat. How Ahmed Patel managed to secure the magic number for Rajya Sabha seat.

HERE IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE DRAMATIC WIN OF AHMED PATAL IN RAJYA SABHA ELECTION: Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, secured 44 votes, just about enough to beat Balwantsihn Rajput of the BJP for a fifth term in Rajya Sabha. The other Rajya Sabha members from Gujarat were BJP chief Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani who got 46 votes each. The election day was marked by drama, allegations, counter-allegations and a pitched battle at the office of the Election Commission. The Election Commission upheld the Congress complaint seeking rejection of two votes of Bhola Bhai Gohil and Raghavji Bhai Patel, both of whom are loyalists of Shankarsinh Vaghela, on the ground that they had shown their ballots to Amit Shah and Smriti Irani against the Conduct of Election Rules. The Election Commission rejected the arguments of the BJP delegation, led by Arun Jaitley, that the Commission had no power to intervene in the matter as returning officer is the statutory authority to decide the validity or otherwise of ballot paper. The BJP's argument was countered by the Congress which asserted the Election Commission was the only authority to decide on the issue, keeping in mind the precedents set by the Commission in Haryana last year and in Rajasthan in 2000. As two votes of the MLAs were deemed disqualified, Ahmed Patel needed 44 votes to win the Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat. Ahmed Patel's Rajya Sabha win, in his own words, was the most difficult one. Ahead of the Rajya Sabha election, the Congress was hit by defections of its MLAs, with some joining the BJP--the BJP named former Congress leader Balwantsinh Rajput as its third Rajya Sabha candidate from Gujarat. The Congress, in a bid to keep its flock of remaining MLAs together, flew them to Bengaluru and kept them in a luxury resort for 10 days. During the 44 MLAs' stay at the resort, the Income Tax department raided the property and picked up Karnataka minister D K Shivakumar for questioning for alleged tax evasion. The Congress, however, cried foul over the IT raids and called it witch-hunt. On the day of polling, Congress rebel Shankersinh Vaghela said that he has not voted for Ahmed Patel as the Congress is not going to win the election. After much speculation and reports of cross-voting, Ahmed Patel was finally announced the winner.

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ALSO READ:

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11 days, 2 resorts: Ahmed Patel's big Rajya Sabha victory may have cost the Congress several lakhs

Bengaluru to Anand, resort to resort: Congress MLAs back in Gujarat ahead of Rajya Sabha polls

Gujarat attack: What's Rahul hiding, why keep SPG in dark on foreign tours, asks Rajnath Singh

ALSO WATCH: Ahmed Patel trumps Amit Shah to retain Rajya Sabha seat, says next target is Gujarat Assembly election

--- ENDS ---
Here's the good news about the crisis over North Korea.

We are not going to war. Donald Trump is not going to nuke Pyongyang, reckless, rhetorical threats to the contrary. Nor is North Korea's Kim Jong Un going to nuke Guam.

Yes, I know the president just threatened to meet any more North Korean threats to the United States "with fire and fury like the world has never seen." This is the kind of extreme military rhetoric by a U.S. president the world has never seen, except by Harry S. Truman before bombing Nagasaki. Kim responded by threatening a preemptive strike against Guam, a U.S. territory with American military bases.

But a preemptive war is not on the horizon, with one key caveat: My prediction may soon reverse if Trump's team can't muzzle the president's tongue. For months, observers have warned that Trump's tweets and careless comments could endanger our country in a crisis. You couldn't find a better example than the president's fiery war of words with Kim.

The president's bombast was off the cuff, at a news conference on opioids in New Jersey. No national security adviser was present, nor was anyone warned beforehand, according to news reports.

Trump not only freaked out our Asian allies, he also risked provoking worse behavior by Pyongyang, where a skittish young leader appears convinced that America wants to carry out a regime change. So Kim is willing to raise his threat level to scare off the Americans.

Trump's words were no doubt perceived by Kim as a warning of a likely preemptive attack on North Korea, which led to his dangerous riposte on Guam.

But the president also undercut his own team  who were making some important progress in putting the squeeze on Pyongyang. Only last week, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, pushed through the harshest sanctions yet against North Korea's nuclear program, with China and Russia on board. These sanctions could cut North Korea's foreign earnings, which fund its military, by a third.

Much more needs to be done to ensure enforcement of U.N. sanctions, to curb North Korea's export of workers, and to pursue U.S. secondary sanctions against foreign banks that help the North. The model (despite differences) should be the sanction policy that forced Iran to the nuclear bargaining table.

In tandem with the sanctions push, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had made a key statement aimed at reassuring Kim. He said America does "not seek a regime change" or collapse, or an accelerated reunification of the two Koreas. Tillerson also said, "We do not seek an excuse to send our military north of the 38th parallel."

In other words, despite competing statements from different Trump team officials, the nucleus of a smart North Korea policy was emerging: aggressively pursuing sanctions and compliance from Beijing, moving at a much faster pace than President Barack Obama did with Iran, while trying to reassure Kim of U.S. intent. The goal: to get North Korea to stop testing missiles and nukes and return to the bargaining table.

No guarantee of success, but given the likelihood of hundreds of thousands of Korean and Japanese deaths should a new Korean war break out, a policy worth pursuing.

Then, Trump casually  and without consultation  blew it up.

Tillerson, reportedly blindsided, tried to walk things back, saying nothing had changed and "Americans should sleep well at night."

But Americans can't sleep easy if Trump continues to say whatever comes to his mind on North Korea. As CNN pointed out, Trump frequently uses the phrase "like the world has never seen" to brag about his achievements, but in this case the intended audience is not his fan base and the phraseology implies nuclear war.

Trump clearly misunderstands the presumed target of his rhetoric, whom he thinks he can bully into better behavior. However, Kim, who's mainly concerned with staying in power, already knows that an attack on the U.S. would be suicidal, says Scott Snyder, the Council on Foreign Relations' top Korea expert. But the young leader is making a major miscalculation by "using threats in a more provocative way than we saw [Soviets] doing in the Cold War."

This escalation of threats could provoke Kim into doing something rash, which might in turn persuade Trump to order military retaliation. From such rhetoric and miscalculations, a war could begin.

Then again, if Trump keeps escalating his threats but does nothing, he will be seen as a paper tiger. Already, the new red line he set in his "fire and fury" riposte is making America's allies wonder if U.S. policy on North Korea will ever be coherent or reliable with Trump at the helm.

The best advice I've heard, from the Atlantic Council's Robert Manning, a veteran of past negotiations with Pyongyang, is: "Stop getting hysterical every time they [the North Koreans] do something."

Trump should make clear, as part of an overall policy, that any use of WMD would result in a massive American reaction. But beyond that, his team needs to press behind the scenes for a broader, tougher sanctions regime, involving European and Asian allies. And pressure on Beijing and Moscow to comply with U.N. sanctions should be tough and constant.

The "fire and fury" episode sends a warning of where Trump's loose tongue could lead. That prospect presents a more immediate danger than does Pyongyang.
Butterfly in the sky, do you know any good attorneys?

Former Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton, 60, is facing a lawsuit from public broadcaster WNED in Buffalo, N.Y., over his apparent intentions to revive the long-canceled program.

Reading Rainbow initially ran on PBS Kids from 1983 to 2006, encouraging children to read. WNED owns the show.

Filed on Friday, the lawsuit seeks to have Burton stop using his Reading Rainbow catchphrase  "But you don't have to take my word for it"  on his podcast, LeVar Burton Reads, and WNED wants profits from the show. Burton has referred to his podcast as "Reading Rainbow for adults."

"Burton's use of both the slogan and the tagline from the RR series is an unmistakable  and unauthorized  invocation of Reading Rainbow," the suit says. WNED also asks that Burton and his company, RRKidz, surrender administrative access to a number of social media accounts and websites, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

This is the most recent dust-up between RRKidz and WNED, which have reportedly been in court for about a year over a licensing deal made in 2011. That deal allowed RRKidz to use Reading Rainbow intellectual property for an online revival. Relations later soured, however, with WNED accusing Burton and his company of attempting to produce a Reading Rainbow reboot for Netflix without the station's input, among other allegations. WNED later terminated the agreement.

Burton, the Hollywood Reporter reports, launched a Kickstarter campaign to revive the show in 2014, and pulled in $6.5 million in donations. WNED alleges that Burton and RRKidz secretly met with Netflix to negotiate a series return. RRKidz reportedly has said its talks with Netflix involved a show not affiliated with Reading Rainbow.

"As evidenced by Mr. Burton's conduct since he began 'teasing' the public about the return of Reading Rainbow years before his company acquired any rights to do so, Mr. Burton's goal is to control and reap the benefits of Reading Rainbow's substantial goodwill  goodwill that unquestionably belongs to WNED," the company's suit reads. "Now that WNED has called their bluff and is prepared to take RRKidz Action to trial, the defendants have resorted to theft and extortion."

WNED makes a number of allegations against Burton and RRKidz in the suit, including "copyright infringement, conversion, cybersquatting, violations of the Lanham Act, breach of contract, and interference with customer relations," according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Take a look, it's in a book  you can read the Reading Rainbow lawsuit here.
Parents, before you snap up those discounted notebooks, pencil-and-pen multi-packs, and that new hot-character backpack, do this first:

Get your kids immunized. Now.

Under new Pennsylvania state health rules, parents must see to it that their children have the required vaccinations by the first day of school.

"If you don't do that, your child may not be able to start school. And more importantly, your child may not be protected against serious diseases," said Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas A. Farley in a Tuesday joint news conference with city school Superintendent William R. Hite Jr.

Unlike the old eight-month grace period, the current rules allow children to be granted a waiver of up to five days to get a required dose of a vaccine. That deadline can be extended if a doctor provides a medical plan explaining when the vaccines will be provided.

The new regulations also call for additional vaccines. Now, students entering the 12th grade must receive a second dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine, or MCV, to protect against meningitis. Students were already required to get a dose of the vaccine before entering the seventh grade.

In addition, children are now required to receive four doses of the polio vaccine. In the past, the state requirement called for "three or more" doses.

Pennsylvania also requires vaccination against tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, and chickenpox.

The new rules don't specify penalties for districts that don't enforce the requirements, said a state Health Department spokesman. But they are supposed to prohibit noncompliant children from attending school.

There are a few exceptions: In Pennsylvania, parents can seek to have their children exempted from vaccinations for religious, medical or philosophical reasons.

The state and school districts have been trying to avoid turning students away by getting the word out about the new mandate.

"Our nurses have been actively reaching out to families all summer to ensure that immunizations are up to date, but we still have a number of students who are at risk of exclusion," said Douglas Young, spokesman for the Lower Merion School District. "Unless the Department of Health grants an extension, we imagine there will be many students across the state who may not be permitted to come to school."

Philadelphia and other districts have been using tools like robocalls to remind parents and guardians to get their kids the required shots.

"Our school nurses also worked before the end of school in June to notify those families with needs to contact their pediatrician and work with them this summer on update vaccines and to make sure that we have update information on file," said Patricia McGlone, spokeswoman for the Downingtown Area School District.

In Radnor, school officials plan to review cases of noncompliant students on an individual basis to determine if those youngsters will be excluded from school, according to district spokesman Michael Petitti.

The state does not require children to be immunized against human papillomavirus (HPV). However, David Cognetti, co-director of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital's Center for Head and Neck Surgery, is hoping that parents take advantage of their visit to a clinic or doctor's office and also get their children protected with this potentially life-saving vaccine.

Cognetti, an associate professor with the Sidney Kimmel Medical College, said over 85 percent of the sexually active population will be exposed to HPV at some point in life.

When the vaccine became available years ago, providers advised that it be administered before the beginning of sexual activity, usually around middle-school age. However, now federal health officials recommend that the vaccine series be given to individuals through age 26 for its life-saving properties.

"It's a message that can't be repeated often enough," Cognetti said.
Jose Gonzales was wounded in a shootout with Philadelphia police. Read more

A 30-year-old Camden man who was wounded in a shootout with Philadelphia police officers Monday in the city's Fairhill section was trying to flee in a vehicle he had carjacked at gunpoint earlier in the day, police said Tuesday.

Jose Gonzales of the 900 block of Cedar Street in Camden was in critical condition at Temple University Hospital with gunshot wounds in the torso and legs, police said.

Just before 4:45 p.m. Monday, 26th District officers were dispatched to the 2200 block of North Fairhill Street to investigate a report of a man with a gun. The responding officers saw Gonzales holding a handgun and attempting to enter a 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, police said.

Gonzales failed to comply with orders to drop the gun and fired two rounds at the officers, police said. Two officers returned fire and struck Gonzales, who dropped his gun and was arrested without further incident. The officers were not injured.

Two bullets believed to have been fired by Gonzales struck a nearby home. The occupants were not hurt.

The handgun was a 9mm pistol with eight rounds in the magazine and one fired cartridge casing in the chamber. A second 9mm handgun was also recovered at the scene.

The Monte Carlo was reported stolen in a gunpoint carjacking in Camden County around 2 p.m. Monday. The description of the suspect matched Gonzales, police said.

Formal charges were pending, police said.

The two officers were placed on mandatory administrative duty pending an Internal Affairs investigation.
The official slogan of QVC, the West Chester-based e-commerce behemoth, is: "Find what you love. Love what you find." But when it comes to matters of the heart, one former company executive has been unable to live up to that mantra.

In a row over romance unrequited, Darlene Daggett  QVC's president for U.S. commerce between 2002 and 2007  has ended her string of bad courtships by taking her matchmaker to court.

Daggett, 62, says she paid $150,000 to a dating service for high-profile executives to be introduced to wealthy eligible bachelors from around the world. Instead, she claims, Kelleher International set her up with a string of unsuitable suitors  including a disgraced New York Supreme Court judge, a man who passed out from a heart ailment on their first date, and one potential paramour who purportedly told her he was waiting on his terminally ill wife to die before reentering the dating pool.

"Kelleher's 'highly screened' matches for Daggett included men who were married, mentally unstable, physically ill, pathological liars, serial Lotharios, stalkers, convicted felons, and men unwilling or unable to travel and/or the subject of professional sanctions," Center City lawyer M. Kelly Tillery wrote in the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Philadelphia.

The suit itself appears destined to last a shorter time than many of Daggett's ill-fated romantic entanglements. Both parties agreed to settle within hours of Thursday's filing, court records show. Daggett and lawyers for both sides have declined to discuss details of the case, citing a nondisclosure agreement.

Still, the legal spat over Daggett's love life opens a rare window into the dating habits of the ultra-rich, while also highlighting an inescapable truth that plagues all lovelorn romantics: Regardless of fame, wealth, and renown, love still proves fleetingly elusive.

"It doesn't always work out," said Kelleher chief executive Amber Kelleher-Andrews in a statement describing her work. "But what is good about each scenario is that you still have a lot of reflection, and you have an opportunity to look at yourself and your potential partner and really discover what's realistic in terms of expectation.  If in the end it doesn't work out with someone, we do our best to end it fairly and reasonably."

The California-based firm, which bills itself as the nation's largest privately owned matchmaking service, is one of several companies that have sprung up in recent years promising a path to romantic fulfillment for tech entrepreneurs, moguls of commerce, and celebrities with enough cash to cover the pricey entrance fees. The company is responsible for thousands of marriages over its 30-year history, several engagements, and a small baby boom among its clients, said Kelleher-Andrews, a former Baywatch and Melrose Place actor.

Charging between $25,000 and $150,000 for its services, the company describes itself in a patois infused with corporate jargon. Its website likens its matchmakers to "personal headhunters, continuously networking and recruiting" for clients, who are considered "members of our firm."

Kelleher-Andrews, whose company was started by her mother Jill Kelleher in 1986, is coy about naming clients. But the firm has been linked in gossip columns and tabloids to celebrities including Terrell Owens, Jennifer Aniston, Paula Abdul, and David Spade, and has hosted $45,000 confabs for business elites on billionaire Richard Branson's private Caribbean island.

Promotions for the weeklong island retreats are filled with lofty philanthropic and corporate affirmations that wouldn't seem out of place at the World Economic Forum's annual meetings in Davos, Switzerland, if that conclave also served as a singles mixer for the TED Talk set.

Daggett, a divorced mother of four who lives in an $8 million Devon estate, turned to Kelleher International in 2014, hoping to find a companion with whom to spend her retirement years, according to her lawsuit.

"Due to her senior level position in a local firm, [she] felt that social dating sites did not provide her with the degree of screening and privacy she was looking for," the lawsuit states.

Daggett joined the matchmaking service at its $150,000 "CEO Level"  a membership that guaranteed her matches from around the globe and the personal attention of Kelleher-Andrews herself. But Daggett's court filings detail a series of brief romantic entanglements with prospective suitors, each proving more unsuitable than the last.

She quickly hit it off with an Australian entrepreneur  a man who swept her off to Panama and Costa Rica in 2015 after two dates in California, the suit claims. They made plans to reconvene in Pennsylvania, but he called her two days later explaining that he "needed to go dark."

"The man also mentioned doing work for Interpol in previous conversations with Daggett, so Daggett thought this was a potentially legitimate, albeit strange occurrence," her lawsuit states.

Fleeting communications followed over the next several weeks  exchanges that the suit describes as having the feel of "clandestine operations taking place in Eastern Europe."

But after 13 months, Daggett learned that the man was actually cavorting around the globe with his ex  a whirlwind tour that began the same day Daggett had flown back from Panama.

Another man  a Belgium-based senior executive of a Fortune 500 company, whom the suit refers to only as "the Serial Lothario"  wined and dined Daggett and spent Thanksgiving and Christmas at her home, only to drop their relationship without explanation after a period of months.

Then came Kelleher's brief attempt to match her up with a former judge of the New York Supreme Court, which is a trial court and not the highest-level appellate court, unlike most state Supreme Courts. A simple Google search revealed to Daggett that the man had been censured during his time on the bench for sleeping with an attorney who regularly appeared before him and reshuffling court appointments so he could sneak off to broadcasting school classes to pursue his dream of becoming a TV legal pundit.

By far the worst match Daggett describes in her suit was Kelleher's 2015 attempt to set her up with a purported widower from Charlottesville, Va.

He cried during their first lunch date on a frigid day in February, noting that his wife had been killed on a similarly cold and rainy day. But over dinner together one evening in Philadelphia, Daggett received a voicemail from the man's supposedly dead wife.

Mortified, her date explained that he had been raped as a child and was still dealing with trauma that compelled him to lie uncontrollably and cause pain and shame for others, Daggett's suit claims.

Despite her attempts to cut off all contact, the suitor persisted  emailing Daggett, showing up outside her home, and eventually prompting her to hire an attorney to pursue a stalking complaint.

Several months later, the man was charged and convicted in an unrelated $10.5 million federal bank fraud case and is awaiting sentencing in a county jail in Virginia. His lawyer did not return calls for comment.

Daggett's involvement with this man left her "genuinely frightened for her personal safety and that of her family," the suit says.

Still, things could have been worse. A Florida health-care executive who sued Kelleher in 2012 claimed she was set up with an internet sex toy salesman and a convicted felon before calling off her search for love through a lawsuit in California. Her case was quickly dismissed.

Daggett's Philadelphia lawyer, Tillery, declined to discuss her settlement, saying only that she "dismissed the lawsuit as the parties have amicably resolved the dispute" and that she wishes Kelleher International well.

Kelleher International's lawyer, David C. Macpherson, also demurred, citing the agreement by all parties not to discuss their dispute.

But Jill Kelleher, the matchmaking service's founder, in a 2013 New York Times Style section profile offered one observation that might explain her company's fractured relationship with Daggett.

"A lot of older women, we don't take," she told the Times. "They're fabulous, but it's too hard to match them."
A Narcan kit that emergency responders use to save the lives of those who overdose from opioids. Read more

A rant about the opioid crisis went viral after a Middlesex County, N.J., funeral director created a post on his business website titled 'F you, Opioids.'

Peter Kulbacki, 60, put his frustrations in words and posted them this week on his website for the Brunswick Memorial Funeral Home in East Brunswick. He said he believes that the drug crisis is far worse than the public realizes and that the statistics fall short of the real story behind deaths that are often ruled accidental or suicide.

"Those who know me know I'm not prone to profanity, and as the consummate professional, I cannot say this to the parents, children, siblings, friends, and neighbors that we serve in the aftermath of opioid addiction. But I want to scream it out loud. F you heroin," Kulbacki wrote in his post.

"Folks, we have a problem, a very real problem right here in our backyard, in every town. Every month we get overdose calls, and from personal experience I'm telling you it's truly getting worse. Middlesex County is ranked one of the top four counties in New Jersey for opioid overdoses. I speak to local police officers who are issued two doses of Narcan at the beginning of their shifts, and have to come back to the station before their shift is over because they've already used the initial two doses. True story.

"I am witness to the parents left with inexplicable grief. I am witness to the spouses left to carry the emotional and economic burden of raising a family alone. I am witness to the children who are left wondering, 'Why?' "

In an interview Wednesday, Kulbacki, who said he has been in the funeral home business about 40 years, said it pains him to see the senseless loss of life from an out-of-control drug crisis. He said he does not have the answers, but believes the medical community and pharmaceutical industry have to join police and emergency response teams who are seeing the face of death on a regular basis. One woman, he said he had been told by authorities, survived 10 times from overdoses after she was given the life-saving drug that blocks the effects of opioids.

He has become passionate about the issue as the number of overdose funerals increased sharply. About five years ago, he said, his business averaged a handful of overdose deaths annually. Now it is making arrangements for several overdose deaths in some months that surpass what had been yearly numbers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nationwide, there were 52,404 drug deaths in 2015 (26.3 per 100,000) and 34,162 (10.6 per 100,000) were caused by opioids. According to the New Jersey Office of the State Medical Examiner, there were 1,587 drug deaths across the state in 2015. In Pennsylvania, the CDC reported 4,642 drug deaths across the state in 2015.

Another funeral director, Charles A. Castiglia, is president of the trade organization International Order of the Golden Rule, which published a guide called. "Opioid Epidemic: How Funeral Directors Can Respond." Two years ago, Castiglia, who has two locations outside Buffalo, N.Y., got his first call about an overdose on Thanksgiving. While celebrating Thankgiving, the family learned that their friend's son died of an overdose the day before he was to enter a rehabilitation center. The next fatal overdose was on Easter. The number of overdoses is now one or two a week, he said.

It has taken a toll on his staff, as the business is part of the community and many of the deaths are family friends of the staff, "and we're not used to this," he said.

The deaths are mostly white men in their 30s and 40s, he said.

"We're losing a generation. That's what it feels like," Castiglia said Wednesday.

Kulbacki's post, although written as a "frustration piece," immediately garnered attention. Kulbacki received interview requests from reporters across the region  among the first to report the post was NJ.com. Kulbacki said he was glad that it attracted widespread attention with people talking about the problem and solutions.

The bottom of the blog commended the people and groups affected by addiction and advocating for providing help to those who need it. Some of those included the East Brunswick Police Department's Police-Assisted Addiction Recovery Initiative (PAARI), which provides outreach to township residents who have had struggles with addiction, and Immaculate Conception Church's "A Safe Place" support group for families dealing with the aftermath of opioid addiction.

He ended: "We have to stand and fight as a community. We have to beat this horrible monster."
Ponding on the Margate beach on Tuesday, more than 24 hours after rainfall. Read more

Confronted with photos of deep ponding behind newly constructed dunes on Margate beaches, an Army Corps of Engineers project manager was at a loss for solutions Wednesday even as the corps asked a federal judge to allow the project to continue.

"I would ask for suggestions," testified Keith Watson, the corps project manager for the Absecon Island Storm Damage Reduction project, when asked by Margate's attorney, Jordan Rand, what could be done "right now" to ease the problem.

The parties were in U.S. District Court in Camden before Judge Renee Marie Bumb five days after a state Superior Court judge in Atlantic County ordered the $63 million, federally funded dune and beach replenishment project halted so the parties could work out a solution to the drainage issue, which has led to a half-mile of ponding between the dunes and the bulkhead after several recent rainfalls.

The Army Corps attended one meeting with the city the day after the state judge's ruling was issued and did not return, city officials said. The corps filed a motion in federal court asking that the state order be lifted. The state Department of Environmental Protection was present in court but did not join the action. Bumb did not rule and did not indicate when she would. The restraining order expires on Friday.

The situation on the Jersey Shore town's beach came into sharper relief when Gary Brown, an environmental engineer testifying on Margate's behalf, called the ponded water a vast public health hazard. The basins behind the dunes, he said, were "wastewater lagoons" and breeding grounds for parasites.

The ponding has angered residents and city officials, who say it presents a health and safety risk, long- and short-term, and cuts them off from their beaches. Four members of the Margate City Beach Patrol were in court  all in shorts, one in flip-flops  to testify about rashes they say were the result of bacteria in the pond, as well as the risk to small children from the water, which was 3 feet deep in places, and out of sight of lifeguard stands.

Beach Patrol Lt. Chuck LaBarre said he was caught off guard when the corps asked him for solutions to the ponding issue. "They were looking to me for an answer," he said, "which is why I became seriously concerned."

Bumb previously dismissed a Margate-hired engineer's predictions of bacteria-, mosquito-, and oil-filled ponding as "fantastical," and ordered the project to proceed over Margate's objections.

Following Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Gov. Christie ordered that dunes be built along the state's 127-mile coastline. Congress authorized the funding.

Asked whether the corps' design, which calls for a trench behind the dunes to collect storm water, resulting in routine ponding that lasts 24 to 36 hours, was acceptable, Watson responded, "I have no answer for that."

Watson said the ponding had exceeded predictions. One possible solution, making the trenches more shallow, might lead to more street flooding, he said. The trenches were incorporated into the design because Margate had previously drained storm-water runoff by digging trenches from the bulkheads to the ocean to allow the water to seep into the sand and ocean. The dunes now block that.

Watson's testimony outraged residents who packed the hearing and have mobilized in recent weeks to decry the damage they say is being done to beaches they considered pristine prior to the project.

"He's stumped," said Debby Bleznak, "They don't even know how to fix the problem. The solution is to fill the holes. Put the sand back. Do not do Longport. Longport! Save your beaches."

Margate's attorney, Rand, noting that months of work went into the Army Corps' engineering study, asked: "Would you agree that an equally detailed and considered approach is needed to determine what to do next?"

Watson agreed.

Rand said: "The Army Corps won't know for how long now how to solve this problem, but wants to keep building anyway."

"That's correct," Watson said.

Wednesday afternoon, a corps engineer, Andrew Schwaiger, testified that a long-term solution could only be figured out after the project was completed.

Leaving the dunes half-finished would leave the beaches vulnerable to hurricanes, a larger threat to public safety. "What if I wait a month and a hurricane hits?" he asked.

Bumb seemed to be looking for short-term assurance that the corps could get rid of the ponding, which would allow the impasse to be resolved "properly and soon."

There was talk about fencing, immediate pumping, and building walkways during the seven hours of testimony. .

The construction, especially at the height of summer, has left local residents and those with summer homes distressed.

Mayor Michael Becker called the emotional toll "worse than Hurricane Sandy."

"I'm sick to my stomach," said Patti DeRoo, who lives at Essex Avenue and the beach. "I grew up on these beaches. I've been nauseous since the day they started."

After hearing Brown's testimony, she said, "It shows what everybody's been saying. It's a polluted cesspool."

Earlier, Assemblyman Chris Brown (R., Atlantic) testified that the ponding was the result of the state's "ramming one-size-fits-all" onto its citizens and said the government was "more concerned with moving ahead despite knowing it's a complete and utter failure." He also said he lives in Ventnor, and agreed that dunes in that town, where any ponding is hidden by a boardwalk, aided in damage-prevention during Sandy.
Ahmed Patel had a key role in running the UPA alliance, as a trusted lieutenant of Sonia Gandhi, during its 10 years in power from 2004 as he managed ties with the allies.

By Press Trust of India: Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who pulled off a victory in the bitterly fought Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat, has the reputation of being a trouble-shooter and strategist for the party.

The long-serving political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been one of the most powerful functionaries in the party. An organisational man, he had gently turned down offers to join the government at the centre by four prime ministers when the Congress was in power, according to party insiders.

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A Nehru-Gandhi family loyalist, he has represented Gujarat seven times in Parliament--three-time as Lok Sabha member from Bharuch and four-time as Rajya Sabha member. The contest for fifth Rajya Sabha term turned out to be the most challenging for the 67-year-old leader.

Ahmed Patel beat Balwantsinh Rajput, who was till recently the Congress' chief whip in the state Assembly before switching over to BJP, polling 44 votes in the first Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat in two decades which saw a contest instead of official candidates of major parties getting elected unopposed.

He won after dramatic late night developments which saw the Election Commission rejecting the votes of two dissident MLAs of the main opposition party for violating electoral rules. "This is not just my victory. It is a defeat of the most blatant use of money power, muscle power and abuse of state machinery," Patel tweeted after his win.

WON LOK SABHA ELECTION AT 28

Party workers say he often has the final word on who should be the party chief in Gujarat or who should fight even a mayoral election.

Patel, a self-made politician, is the son of a social worker. He was born in a small village of Bharuch district in south Gujarat. He cut his teeth in the Youth Congress and went on to become its state president.

Patel was just 28 when he was chosen to defend the party in the Lok Sabha election from Bharuch by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1977, which he won.

He then went on to win two more Lok Sabha elections back-to-back in 1980 and 1984. However, as the Hindutva wave started sweeping Gujarat since the late 1980s, propelling the BJP to the centrestage, Patel found it difficult to win a direct election. He lost the Lok Sabha election in 1990.

He took the Rajya Sabha route to Delhi in 1993. He was re-elected to the Upper House of Parliament in 1999, 2005 and 2011.

NOT A LIMELIGHT-SEEKER

"Patel is a soft-spoken but articulate person, who will never seek limelight. As the political secretary to the Congress president, he was the main contributor in cobbling up an alliance after the 2004 Lok Sabha polls to form the UPA-I, when the Congress got more seats than the BJP," Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

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Patel had a key role in running the UPA alliance, as a trusted lieutenant of Sonia Gandhi, during its 10 years in power from 2004 as he managed ties with the allies. He had also served as the Congress' parliament secretary, treasurer and president of Gujarat unit.

ALSO READ:

Ahmed Patel checks into Rajya Sabha for a fifth term: All you need to know in 10 points

11 days, 2 resorts: Ahmed Patel's big Rajya Sabha victory may have cost the Congress several lakhs

Why Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat isn't just a personal battle between Ahmed Patel and Amit Shah

ALSO WATCH: Ahmed Patel trumps Amit Shah to retain Rajya Sabha seat, says next target is Gujarat Assembly election

--- ENDS ---
BELLEFONTE, Pa.  One of the 18 Pennsylvania State University fraternity members charged in the hazing death of Tim Piazza erased security footage that could have shed light on the 19-year-old pledge's final moments, a lead investigator alleged Thursday.

State College Police Detective David Scicchitano testified that he believed he knew which of the charged young men was responsible for wiping the tapes, although he did not name names.

Prosecutors later added that their investigation into Piazza's death continues and that additional charges could be filed.

Those twin revelations came as the preliminary hearings for 16 members of the now-shuttered Beta Theta Pi fraternity chapter resumed in a Centre County courtroom in a fourth day of proceedings that have stretched over two months.

The hearing is set to resume Friday, when District Judge Allen Sinclair could issue his decision on whether to allow the unusual prosecution to proceed to trial. In a case that has ignited debate over fraternity culture, hazing, and reckless college drinking, prosecutors have sought to hold criminally responsible nearly everyone connected to a booze-fueled Feb. 4 initiation ritual that left Piazza blackout drunk.

Thursday's proceedings got off to a tense start as long-simmering tensions between Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller and supporters of the fraternity brothers boiled over.

Responding to scoffs from the gallery as she urged a defense lawyer, at mid-objection, to "show some respect," Parks Miller turned her back on the judge and began shouting toward the audience.

"How about the family cool it with the reactions?" she said. Then she turned toward the fraternity members and their lawyers, yelling: "And I've had it with you, too!"

The exchange  a startling break from courtroom decorum  set the tone for the combative day to come as defense attorneys continued their fight to persuade Sinclair to throw out the case.

But Parks Miller aggressively challenged them at every turn, earning nods of approval from Piazza's parents seated in the gallery's front row, while irritating the young, suit-clad defendants and their lawyers with her pugnacious interruptions.

"This whole thing is them trying to blame Mr. Piazza for his death," she told the judge at one point. "It's not relevant. It's not a defense to these crimes."

Ted Simon, lawyer for Luke Visser  one of eight Beta Theta Pi members facing the most serious charges  stepped up to the defense table early Thursday to become Parks Miller's latest sparring partner. And, like the lawyers who had come before him, he tried to downplay his client's role.

Visser, 19, of Encinitas, Calif., didn't live in the fraternity house and wasn't there at the time Piazza sustained his fatal injuries during multiple drunken falls that night, Simon stressed in cross-examination of Scicchitano, the lead investigator. According to the presentment in the case, Visser ran a beer-pong station for pledges earlier in the evening.

"You have no evidence that my client ever intended to harm Mr. Piazza," Simon said. "And you certainly have no evidence that Mr. Visser intended to cause his death."

Others sought to shift blame away from their clients onto Tim Bream, a 56-year-old Penn State athletic trainer and live-in fraternity adviser, who was at the Beta Theta Pi house the night Piazza sustained his injuries.

Evan Kelly  attorney for Craig Heimer, 21, of Port Matilda  bristled at the fact that Bream had not been charged. He alleged that the man had weekly meetings with the fraternity's executive board in which he was informed of upcoming parties and had "personally approved" an alcohol-chugging obstacle course that left Piazza unable to stand.

That line of questioning appeared to annoy Parks Miller, who sought to refocus the proceedings on the actions of the 16 young men sitting at defense tables.

"Trust me when I say, if we find anyone that bears any additional criminal responsibility beyond this date, we will charge them," she said. "So if you have any evidence against him, tell me now, or quit talking about Mr. Bream."

Lawyers for five of the 18 charged are still awaiting a chance to question the detective. Two Beta Theta Pi members have waived their right to the hearing, and the fraternity chapter itself has been charged as a defendant.

Parks Miller has remained tight-lipped on whether she intends to call any other witnesses before concluding her case.

Prosecutors say the fraternity brothers pressured Piazza to become dangerously drunk and then left him as he tumbled down stairs, stumbled into doors, and was beaten and taunted at the party. The events were caught on harrowing security camera footage from the fraternity house that night.

However, as Scicchitano testified for the first time Thursday, the recordings recovered by investigators early in their probe are missing a key piece  the erased footage from the basement camera.

The deleted video could provide a new vantage point from which to view Piazza's drunken fall down the basement stairs, believed to have caused some of the injuries that led to his death. It also could shed new light on the actions of others at the party in the main room where they stored most of the alcohol.

Two days after the party, Piazza died of a head injury, a ruptured spleen, and a collapsed lung.

The fraternity members facing the most serious charges  involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault  are: Visser; Joseph Sala, 19, of Erie; Beta Theta Pi fraternity president Brendan Young, 21, of Malvern; pledge master Daniel Casey, 19, of Ronkonkoma, N.Y.; Gary DiBileo, 21, of Scranton; Nick Kubera, 19, of Downingtown; Michael Bonatucci, 19, of Woodstock, Ga.; and Jonah Neuman, 19, of Nashville.

Ten others face lesser charges, including hazing, recklessly endangering another person, furnishing alcohol to minors, and tampering with evidence.
Its too early for campaigning, but yet Read more

Because campaigns are always with us, so is political chatter  some of it salient, some of it silly.

The New York Times last weekend reported on Republicans, including Vice President Pence, lining up in case President Trump (for whatever reason) isn't a candidate or an incumbent come 2020.

Pence, naturally, invoked "fake news" and called the story, as applied to him, "categorically false."

I get the story and retort. There's reason to wonder about Trump, given his Twitter-finger and Robert Mueller's grand jury. And the story let Pence submerge what he's thinking, likely some version of, "Baby, I'm licking my chops."

So be it.

But in Pennsylvania, chatter around 2018 reelection bids of Democrats Gov. Wolf and Sen. Bob Casey is already getting silly.

For example, the state Democratic Party last week hit Republican U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, who's considering challenging Casey, with an official complaint filed with the House Office of Congressional Ethics. (Don't you dare smirk at the title "Office of Congressional Ethics.")

Why the filing? Because Barletta, during a TV interview on health care, answered a reporter's question about maybe running against Casey (he said he might). But he did so standing in one of his congressional offices  with the seal of the U.S. House visible on a wall behind him.

Oh, brother. Abuse of office. Abuse of tax dollars. Abuse of being abusive.

This is the same state Democratic Party that for years provided a parade of elected officials charged with actual crimes, most of whom were frog-walked from public service at rates that should make party leaders blush.

There's not enough space here for the ever-growing list of Democratic abusers.

Also, a Casey-Barletta contest, if it happens, will offer clear contrasts on major policies, from health care to immigration and other Trump priorities.

If Dems want to attack possible opponents early, they should do so with something weightier than standing in front of a government symbol.

Speaking of which, the Wolf campaign (under the guise of the state party) is working a drip-drip effort against possible GOP opponent Paul Mango. He's the Pittsburgh biz whiz running for the Republican gubernatorial nomination against, so far, State Sen. Scott Wagner (R., York).

The Harrisburg Patriot-News last week reported on a Mango campaign web ad with three GOP county commissioners touting Mango's acumen in creating jobs. But the report notes Mango's longtime and recent employer, global consultant McKinsey & Co., has a reputation for downsizing clients, causing job loss.

So, state Dems, a.k.a the Wolfies, put up a clever little website, JobsMangoCreated.com, which when clicked shows "This Page Does Not Exist."

Cute. They also pushed the story and started a day-count on the Mango campaign's inability to name specific Mango-made jobs.

(Mango's campaign offers testimonials from big-time health care execs in other states praising Mango's help in growth efforts, but also notes Mango is contractually bound from speaking about past clients.)

A couple things: This could become an issue if Mango is the GOP nominee, and job-creation claims get mired in detail and legalese.

But if Wolf goes after McKinsey, he might have to explain why he spent $1.8 million in tax dollars hiring McKinsey for advice on getting a sustainable state budget, which (at this point) isn't looking like a sound investment.

Also, the incumbent doesn't have lots of latitude to argue jobs.

U.S. Labor Department data show Pennsylvania is 33rd among states in job creation, lower than New Jersey, New York, and Maryland. And financial website WalletHub's 2017 "Best and Worst States for Jobs" ranks Pennsylvania 40th (lowest among northeastern states).

I know campaigns get antsy. I understand urges to stake early ground. But questionable complaints and witty websites are neither arguments for reelection nor avenues to inspired campaigns.
Donna L. Torrisi at the Family Practice and Counseling Network in Philadelphia. Even though shes an executive, she still sees patients. Read more

Stroke by stroke, Donna Torrisi, 67, slices through the water at her pool most mornings, counting the laps  1, 2, 3, up to 25.

Torrisi, the nurse-practitioner who leads the Family Practice and Counseling Network, the nation's largest nurse-led clinic network for the poor, reserves the last few laps for prayer for her family, for her patients, and for the nation, now on the brink of cutting health care, particularly for the poor.

"In my 25th lap, I pray for the leaders of the country and for health care for everybody," she said. One thing needed, Torrisi explained, is more people understanding how health care works.

"It's abhorrent to me for people not having access to health," she said. "My mother said to me once, `Why do they need health insurance? Can't they just use your centers?' But, Torrisi said, "That's not health insurance. That's access to primary care, but what about everything else? What about if you have some kind of neurological symptoms and need to see a neurologist? Too bad.

"How do you look at someone and say, `I'm sorry, I can't get you a colonoscopy, even though it's recommended at your age, or even though you're having blood in your stool," which could be a sign of cancer?

"It's absurd. It's painful," said Torrisi who still practices a half-day a week to stay in touch with patients. "The whole thing is unethical. When we first started the health center, we had this letterhead, and at the very bottom it said: `Health care is a right, not a privilege.' How poignant is that today?"

What will happen to your clients if you lose some Medicaid funding?

I can tell you what it was like before the Affordable Care Act. One out of four of our patients was uninsured. So we have about 24,000 patients, and about 6,000 were uninsured. Now it's one out of 10 uninsured. So we went from actually about 26 percent, to about 9 percent.

What would happen? Give me an example.

If they came in with a hurt ankle that was all swollen and they needed an X-ray, then we would have a problem. Where do we get them an X-ray that they don't have to pay for? So, we send them to the emergency room. Then there's a really big bill, but they don't charge them at the moment. They just send a bill, and the patients never pay it, so it's an expense on the hospital. Then the patients have huge hospital bills, and they probably end up with a collection agency, and it hurts their credit for their rest of their lives.

Youve been practicing medicine a long time. What changes have you seen?

People who are 50 years old having the diseases of a 70- or 80-year-old person. That's what you see when you are taking care of people who are very low-income. Stress, smoking, poor eating habits, people living in abusive situations, all that takes a toll.

Is it just poverty?

We're looking at opening a birthing center, so I've been doing some reading on why birth outcomes in Philadelphia are so bad. Some studies show that people who come from African countries, when they come to this country, birth outcomes get worse. It's been blamed on racism. Women who are black and are highly educated and come from an upper socioeconomic class have worse birth outcomes than poor, white women. So it's not all about poverty and access to health care. It's something else.

Many leaders in our community are nurses  Madeline Bell at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia and Rebecca Rimel at Pew Charitable Trusts. Any theories about that?

Nursing isn't for wimps. You have to really be tough and you have to be really willing to get in there and do anything and see people at their very most vulnerable and take care of their physical bodies when they are the most dependent. Some people say, 'I could never touch a person's sweaty body, or deal with bed pans.' It's not the most fun part of nursing, but I think you have to have a certain amount of courage to actually be with people  people who are dying. It takes a certain internal strength.

DONNA TORRISI:

Home: Bala Cynwyd

Family: Partner, Judith Palmer; children, Jessie Torrisi, 40, Ben Palmer, 31.

Diplomas: Villanova University, nursing; University of Pennsylvania, master's in nursing.

Job interview question: What do you do to take care of yourself?

Why: That person is not going to come to work stressed out, because when you're stressed out, you aren't going to be able to manage yourself and other people well.

FAMILY PRACTICE AND COUNSELING NETWORK:

What: Largest network of nurse-led family health-care clinics in the nation. Provides medical and psychological care.

Served: 23,000 patients in 2016, 100,000 visits.

Where: Five locations, headquarters in East Falls.

Revenues: $25 million total; $19 million from Medicaid, Medicare; $3.8 million in other federal grants.

Employees: 180, including 55 health practitioners.
President Donald Trump delivers a statement on North Korea during a briefing on the opioid crisis at Trump National Golf Club, Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017, in Bedminster, N.J. Read more

President Trump's advisers said Tuesday that he would not declare a national emergency over the opioid crisis, despite an "urgent" recommendation from the commission he appointed to study the epidemic.

"Your declaration would empower your cabinet to take bold steps and would force Congress to focus on funding and empowering the Executive Branch even further to deal with this loss of life," the commission, chaired by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, wrote in its report. But Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price told reporters that the government could deploy the necessary resources without declaring an emergency.

"Most national emergencies that have been declared in an area of public health  have been focused on a specific area, a time-limited problem, an infectious disease, or a specific threat," he said, citing the outbreak of the Zika virus and the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

The opioid commission had issued a draft report last week that called for a declaration of a national emergency and focused entirely on public-health recommendations to address the crisis. It received widespread bipartisian support, including from Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf, a Democrat.

In brief remarks to reporters before meeting with Price on Tuesday, Trump didn't mention the report or its recommendations. He stressed border protection and "strong law enforcement" as key to combating the heroin epidemic.

He added that he would work with health care officials as well, and said that added drug-prevention programs were the "best way" to keep people from becoming addicted or overdosing. "If they do start, it's awfully tough to get off, so if we can keep them from going on and maybe by talking to youth and telling them: No good, really bad for you in every way," Trump said. "But if they don't start, it will never be a problem."

Thomas Farley, the commissioner of the city's Department of Public Health and the co-chair of Mayor Kenney's opioid task force, said the president's comments "show he doesn't understand the opioid crisis."

"He spoke about protecting young people. About law enforcement. About stopping drugs coming across the border," he said. "But most people who are getting addicted to opioids are middle aged and are supplied by their doctors."

Speaking to the press, Price said the commission's report was being "reviewed at all levels" and echoed some of its public-health approach: providing resources for "prevention, treatment and recovery" and making the overdose-reversing drug Narcan more available.

Experts have said that declaring a national emergency could help free up federal funding for states dealing with an overdose crisis that, the commission said, kills 142 Americans a day, though some advocates worried the Trump administration would have used the declaration to return to war-on-drugs style policies.

Some experts in Philadelphia said declaring an emergency wouldn't have had much impact. "Access to medicine, access to care, these are the big issues. We don't need words at this point," said Scott Burris, a law professor at Temple University and the director of the school's Center for Public Health Law Research.

Farley said the president would do well to heed the words of his own commission.

"It had a number of excellent recommendations," he said, adding that an emergency declaration would at least helped "as a way of focusing attention on the problem."

City officials and advocates had praised the commission's report for its emphasis on prevention and treatment  which dovetails with the recommendations produced by the city's own opioid task force. The crisis, they said, has moved beyond politics.

Jose Benitez, the executive director of Prevention Point, the needle exchange and advocacy program that serves people suffering from addiction in Kensington, said before Trump's remarks on Tuesday that he had been encouraged by the report after years of tough-on-crime federal drug policy.

"It really is time to look at this as a public health issue," said Benitez. About three Philadelphians die each day from an overdose, he said, and countless more are revived with Narcan.

The federal commission's recommendations also include funding an expansion of medically-assisted addiction treatments  which studies have shown are effective but underutilized, mostly because of a persistent stigma that such treatments don't count as recovery, the commission wrote. (Indeed, Philadelphia's own medically-assisted treatment programs still have slots open. The stigma, health officials say, makes them difficult to fill.)

Last week city officials said that federal support for their goals could help achieve them sooner.

"One of the things we've been really pushing for is to have all forms of medically assisted treatment available at all our licensed facilities," said Geoffrey Neimark, chief medical officer at Community Behavioral Health, the city agency that handles Medicaid claims for substance-abuse treatment. "But that's a big change of practice, and a culture change. Having a report like this, which has expert consensus behind it, is going to help us push that forward."

Benitez said an influx of federal funding would be crucial in places like Philadelphia, where the heroin is the purest and cheapest in the country, and where he and his staff are working against a death toll that could hit 1,200 by year's end.

He said, "It's desperate out here. The stigma attached to this is so pervasive  if this were happening in any other population, we would have had federal resources a long time ago, I think, and that's the travesty of it all."
If you have electricity in your house or a phone, Pennsylvania lawmakers want you to help plug the budget's $2 billion gap.

Along with the controversial, highly publicized tax on natural-gas bills, in a vote last month the Senate also approved levies on telephone and electric utilities, which typically pass such costs onto customers.

The revenue package still must go before the House, where its fate is uncertain. "There doesn't seem to be support" for the Senate's package, Steve Miskin, spokesman for the House Republicans, said Wednesday. What their alternatives could be  and if or when the Republican-controlled House would vote on the plan  remain uncertain.

But if the Senate has its way:

Those who heat their homes with natural gas would see a new 5.7 percent tax on their bills. A consumer with a $100 monthly bill would pay $5.70 per month, or $68.40 per year, in new taxes.

Taxes on telephone utilities  including landlines and cellphones  would increase from 5 percent to 6 percent.

Taxes on electric bills would rise from 5.9 percent, to 6.5 percent. Together, the natural gas, electric, and telecommunications taxes would raise more than $400 million per year.

For the first time, Pennsylvanians could buy aerial fireworks  on which they would pay a 12 percent tax, in addition to regular sales taxes. Lawmakers say this could raise $ 2.8 million per year.

Websites that facilitate third-party sales, such as eBay, Etsy, and Amazon Marketplace, would be required to collect Pennsylvania's 6 percent sales tax. Lawmakers say this change would allow the state to collect an additional $43.5 million in the coming fiscal year.

A new severance tax on Marcellus Shale drillers would bring in $80 million annually. Though not a direct tax on consumers, industry leaders warn that it could affect the price of natural gas.

As House members decide what to do with the Senate's solution, industry leaders and advocacy groups are ready for a fight.

Terry Fitzpatrick, president and CEO of the Energy Association of Pennsylvania, said utilities have concerns about the transparency of the taxes.

"We're sort of being used as a collection agent to maybe mask the cost," he said. "It takes the cost of government and it presents it to customers not on your tax bill, but on your utility bill."

One group of residents that would be winners under the new taxes: Those who do not heat their homes with natural gas. Fitzpatrick said only slightly more than half of Pennsylvania residents use natural gas.

Gene Barr, president of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, said he worries that the tax package would take away the state's competitive advantage of having "affordable, accessible natural gas."

Some manufacturing members of the chamber have estimated that they could spend more than $1 million a year in taxes from the new 5.9 percent gross receipts tax on natural gas, Barr said.

While lawmakers are resistant to raising income or sales taxes, Barr said, "our real concern is that raising that [utilities and natural gas] tax actually depresses our economic growth even more."

Meanwhile, Senate leaders called the revenue package a responsible solution for a budget that required difficult choices. Lawmakers have to fill a $1.5 billion gap in last year's budget, and a $700 million deficit in the fiscal year that began July 1.

"I guess some advocate that we shouldn't do anything, we should just sit back and let Rome burn or let the governor come up with $2.2 billion worth of cuts," Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R., Centre) said on the Senate floor last month.

But some members of both major parties were among those to oppose the measure, which passed with a 26-24 vote.

Sen. Art Haywood (D., Montgomery) said he would not support the tax increases without also increasing the minimum wage.

"I am not opposed to raising taxes when appropriate," he said in a statement after the Senate vote. "At the same time, when we raise taxes on everyday people, we must consider the impact on their wallets. There are more than one million Pennsylvanians in low-wage and poverty pay jobs."

Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R., Montgomery) also opposed the tax proposal.

"Throughout the budget process, I have supported pursuing all cost-saving measures before considering tax increases," he wrote in a letter to constituents explaining his vote.

Fitzpatrick, of the energy association, said he has sent emails to House members. Some are sympathetic, he said. But one thing is clear: Even if lawmakers agree with his perspective, there is no consensus on what to do about it.

"There's all sorts of ways to raise money, certainly none of them are perfect and all of them have political downsides for folks," he said. "So there's nothing but tough choices and we realized that."

Miskin said House Republicans are discussing alternative revenue ideas. Representatives had been told to prepare to return for possible votes this month, but no date has been set.

Liz Navritil of the Harrisburg bureau contributed to this article.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the Senate's proposed tax rates for natural gas and electric bills.
Tina J. Angelini, 87, of Glassboro, a teacher and a child of immigrants who saw public school and advanced education as the path to a better future, died Monday, July 31, of heart failure at her home.

Mrs. Angelini came relatively late in life to her 25-year career as a second-grade teacher, and later as a reading specialist, in the Glassboro School District.

She enrolled in what was then Glassboro State College at age 38 to earn a bachelor's degree. In 1972, she began teaching second grade at the Academy Street School, and was much-loved and respected, said fellow teacher Phyllis Bullock-Beaufait, who taught third grade there and knew Mrs. Angelini for 24 years.

"I was thrilled when I received students from her second grade," Bullock-Beaufait wrote in an online tribute. "She was an excellent teacher, instilling the love of learning, as well as respect for one another in her students."

An energetic, enthusiastic figure who expected her students to learn in unusual ways, Mrs. Angelini regularly arranged for college professors to come to her classroom to talk about such diverse topics as astronomy and biology.

She received a master's degree in reading from Glassboro State in 1977, and worked as a basic skills and reading teacher at Dorothy L. Bullock Elementary School, forming special bonds with her most difficult students, her family said. She retired as a second-grade teacher in the mid-1990s, when she began to experience the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

"Our mom helped many children and enjoyed friendships with the staff members of Academy Street School and Bullock School," her family said. "She worked very hard and loved every minute of her teaching career."

A lifelong Glassboro resident, the former Tina Trifiletti was the youngest of five children born just after the stock market crash of 1929 to Sicilian immigrants, who struggled to eke out a living. Her mother took in piecework to turn out on a sewing machine.

As a child, Mrs. Angelini worked summers with her four brothers and sisters, picking string beans and other vegetables on a truck farm for which her father supplied labor.

"Our mom didn't tell many life stories, like our dad did," said Nora J. Hessel, one of her three daughters. "She was a doer rather than a talker. But I will never forget this early memory she shared with me: At a very young age, our mom saw her mother collapsed over her sewing machine, sobbing. The family could not make ends meet, even with my grandmother taking in extra sewing work. Our grandmother was tired and despondent. The Great Depression was harsh on the Trifilettis and many, many hardworking families."

But Mrs. Angelini quickly grasped that the key to advancement lay in a public school education.

"Tina took full advantage of that from day one," Hessel said. "When she entered school, our mother couldn't speak English, but her intelligence and determination ensured her academic success. By age 18, she graduated high school with honors and was voted 'most likely to succeed' by her peers."

Her goal was to attend college, but her family was old-school. College was meant for the boys, Hessel said.

For a time, Mrs. Angelini worked as a secretary with the IRS in Philadelphia.

She met Dominic J. Angelini, a World War II veteran and commercial artist, at a dance at the St. Anthony's Society in Glassboro. They married in 1953.

"Tina's determination showed in her homemaking skills," Hessel said. "She kept an immaculate house, sewed, and knitted. She was an artist in the kitchen, an instinctive cook, like her mother. If you ever had a chance to try her ethereal meatballs, you'd know what I am talking about. She enjoyed baking, too, making many batches of chocolate chip cookies. She was famous for her pineapple cheese pie."

The Angelinis remained together for 64 years until her husband's death on July 1.

Mrs. Angelini passed down her love of education to her daughters, two of whom have careers in education. She continued to take courses, earning 30 credits beyond her advanced degree.

"She got addicted to college," Hessel said.

In her spare time, Mrs. Angelini enjoyed watching TV cooking shows, Turner Classic Movies, and Jeopardy! "My father said that she knew practically all the answers," Hessel said.

In addition to her daughter, Mrs. Angelini is survived by daughters Christine Tanfani and Susan Zitkevitz; four grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were Monday, Aug. 7. Interment was in St. Bridget's Cemetery in Glassboro.

Memorial donations may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, www.michaeljfox.org.
By PTI: glitch

New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) A crack in the main cockpit window forced an Air India plane from Frankfurt to Delhi to land mid-way in Tehran this morning.

AI 120 Frankfurt-Delhi plane landed at Tehran at 6.20 AM as a "precautionary" measure, according to the airline spokesperson Dhananjay Kumar. There were 249 passengers onboard the aircraft.

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"The main window in front of the pilot developed cracks. This happened because of malfunctioning of the internal heating system," said an airline official on the condition of anonymity.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has now been grounded and a relief plane, a Boeing 747, has been sent from Mumbai to ferry the passengers to Delhi, Kumar said.

The plane will also carry a team of technical and engineering staff to make the repairs to the grounded aircraft. PTI JC JTR IKA

--- ENDS ---
The Frankfurt skyline on July 30, reflected in the river Main behind the Ignatz-Bubis bridge. Read more

There weren't a large variety of leisure activities in the small village in which I grew up, in the rural west of Germany in the 1990s. One way of escape was going to the biggest city in the region, Frankfurt, which was only about an hour away by train.

I was filled with excitement every time I went there. My parents, however? Not so much. They worried. During the 1980s and early '90s, Frankfurt was notorious for its open drug scene. It was the drug capital of Germany and a drug hot spot in Europe.

The epicenter of this activity, where addicts were taking their illegal substances  mostly heroin  was a park in the financial district, halfway between Central Station and the main shopping street. As many as a thousand junkies were living in this little park. Regina Ernst, head of the city's local drug department, called the park a "ghetto" recently when she recalled Frankfurt's most inglorious years.

Luckily, Frankfurt's situation has changed for the better. Massively.

In 1991, Frankfurt saw 147 overdose deaths. Thanks to "harm reduction" measures adopted by the city, those numbers have dropped in two decades  never higher than 44 10 years ago, close to 30 and even 20 in recent years.

The park today is an enjoyable place for a walk, and the once-shabby neighborhood around Central Station is one of the city's hippest districts. Junkies, gambling halls, and brothels have mostly vanished; burger and organic food places have appeared. Then, no one wanted to live in this area; today, apartments sell for high prices.

Today, Frankfurt is a role model for other cities, in Germany and beyond. How did it manage this turnaround? And is there anything Philadelphia might learn from the experience in its sister city?

In the late '80s, politicians, prosecutors, police officers, social workers, and representatives of the city's health services came together, trying to find a solution for the horrible situation. Before, the major goals had been to eliminate the drug scene and stop the addicted from taking drugs. This time, the focus would be on "harm reduction," a mixture of helpful and repressing measures. In some cases, it would mean adopting tactics that had been taboo before.

The recognition that not every addict is willing or able to stop his addiction was vital for the steps that were to come. Frankfurt wanted to offer help to these victims, focusing on survival  reducing the number of overdose deaths.

In 1989, Frankfurt introduced a needle-exchange program, something that was inconceivable before, when police were tasked with confiscating them.

Five years later, the city opened Germany's first safe injection site. Addicts could take their own drugs in a stress-free and, most importantly, hygienic environment. The fear among Germans that the safe injection sites would encourage drug use was hotly debated, and the discussion continues. But the reduction in overdose deaths has proved the sites' value.

Without the sites, people would still use drugs, but under nonhygienic conditions. With the sites, there has been a reduction in the spread of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. In addition, the sites take addicts off the street, reducing conflicts with other citizens in the neighborhoods. They also allow outreach workers to directly offer assistance to people suffering from addiction.

Another measure, started in 2009, is a controlled supply of diamorphine, a substitution therapy for longtime addicts covered by German health insurance. Frankfurt also offers plenty of counseling services and points of contact, run by authorities, health care services, religious communities, self-help groups, and other organizations.

A crucial change was the role played by police. Before, addicts were targeted. Today, police are fighting drug trafficking and distribution, not addicts.

The model continues to evolve, depending on the issues that arise. At the moment, the city is looking at an increasing abuse of crack around Central Station. Any measures taken will draw on lessons already learned, and the understanding that drug abuse is a problem for which there are no quick and simple solutions.

Oliver Bilger is a writer for Berlin's Der Tagesspiegel newspaper who is working with the Inquirer as part of the Arthur F. Burns Fellowship Program. obilger@philly.com
America's electrical grid was failing. In some parts of the country, natural gas generation could not produce because the gas was not available. Coal plants were shutting down because their coal piles were frozen. Forty thousand megawatts of forced outages almost plunged the Northeastern and Midwestern United States into darkness.

This scenario is not hypothetical: It happened in January 2014. This serious threat to our electrical grid was caused by the weather  by a "polar vortex" that slammed the country with prolonged extreme cold, freezing coal stacks and rendering natural gas unavailable.

It was an act of nature. It could just as easily have been an act of terror. And in its aftermath, one fact stood out: Almost all of the region's nuclear power remained operational throughout the crisis.

As the nation's first secretary of homeland security, it was my privilege to lead the department in those uncertain times after the 9/11 attacks. The department was and remains hyper-focused on events with substantial economic and security implications. Any contingency affecting the grid  polar vortex, terrorist act, cyber attack  certainly falls within that category. Only a grid built on diverse and stable sources of energy can withstand evolving threats and keep the lights on throughout America. The goal of grid resilience cannot be met without nuclear power.

Energy Secretary Rick Perry ordered a review of America's electric grid April 14. He wrote, "Significant changes occurring within the electric system could have a profound impact on the economy and national security." America's security depends on energy sources that are stable enough  and diverse enough  to consistently meet demand. That's where nuclear energy and other forms of baseload power come in. The nation's nuclear plants are extraordinarily reliable, available over 90 percent of the hours in a year and with up to 24 months of fuel on site. Prices are less volatile than those of other energy sources. And nuclear plants produce no carbon emissions, which means cleaner air and better health for millions of Americans.

"The United States has been at the forefront of nuclear energy for nearly 70 years," former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman wrote in 2015, "and the benefits it has provided to our health, the environment, and national security are countless."

Despite these benefits, today nuclear energy accounts for barely 20 percent of our power mix, according to the Energy Information Administration. And that share is declining as more plants come offline. While China has embarked on a high-profile campaign to build 60 nuclear power plants over the next decade, the U.S. has closed or retired 13 nuclear plants since 2012, with an additional 20 at risk of shutting down in the coming years, according to industry experts. If current trends continue, nuclear could fall to just 10 percent to 15 percent of our energy supply  a dangerously low percentage from a security standpoint.

This retreat risks another element of our national security: leverage over how other countries use nuclear power. When other nations buy Russian and Chinese nuclear exports  as they increasingly do  Moscow and Beijing, not Washington, set the standards. That is why I agree with retired Rear Adm. Michael Hewitt, who recently said, "We want to elevate the conversation to talk about nuclear power as an element of national power."

Reductions in our nuclear fleet would have a devastating economic impact as well. Just ask state and local leaders, who know firsthand how important nuclear energy is for reliable electricity, sustained investment in local economies, and jobs in their states. As governor, I ordered a restructuring of Pennsylvania's energy market in the mid-1990s to unlock the power of competitive markets to benefit the state. One thing we did not change, however, was the state's responsibility to meet federal laws  including goals for cleaner air. This is also why governors of both parties  including Republican Bruce Rauner of Illinois and Democrat Andrew Cuomo of New York  have recently supported commonsense initiatives to support nuclear plants that would otherwise retire prematurely.

The review ordered by Perry, another former governor, gives me confidence that our leaders will do what's necessary to ensure an energy mix that provides reliable electricity for defense and security operations  just as nuclear power has done, safely and reliably, for the last six decades. That review was reinforced by America's reliability watchdog organization, the North American Electric Reliability Corp., which informed Perry that "premature retirements of fuel-secure baseload generating stations reduce resilience to fuel supply disruptions."

As Congress and the administration work in the years ahead to advance economic opportunity while preventing threats to our security, they must strengthen and preserve our nation's baseload nuclear fleet, thus protecting our national security while ensuring a diverse, resilient energy grid.

Tom Ridge is founder and chairman of the risk-management consulting firm, Ridge Global.
The Design Advocacy Group (DAG) strongly supports the historic designation of 23 W. Penn St., known as the Boys and Girls Club of Germantown, as an important historic asset for that neighborhood and Philadelphia.

Members of the DAG Steering Committee are architects, planners, historians, and urban advocates. We believe someone needs to stand up for our respective professions in the face of biased and subjective reports commissioned by club leaders, who not only are unfamiliar with historic buildings, but seem to fear them.

Germantown abounds in buildings that trace the history of the city, socially and architecturally. Taken in relation to one another they make up a neighborhood whose architectural character is unrivaled anywhere else in the city. Similarly, Germantown is known for the intense involvement of its citizens. There aren't really 99 civic groups there, but sometimes it feels that way. Yes, there is poverty, but no, this is not a ghetto in need of a savior.

Spaces in the more than 100-year-old building embody what has been called "the poetics of space." Per the criteria as stated in the Philadelphia Code, this building is an excellent candidate for historic designation. It "has significant character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the city, commonwealth, or nation." No one would argue against the significance of the Boys (and later Girls) Clubs in Philadelphia and in this country. That history is evident in their buildings. The Shane Victorino Nicetown Club on Hunting Park Avenue is another wonderful historic building. Likewise, the building, "owing to its unique location or singular physical characteristic, represents an established and familiar visual feature of the neighborhood, community, or city."

For all its human and architectural treasures, Germantown is a neighborhood at a tipping point. If this building were torn down and replaced by a suburban-style complex, not only would the adjacent neighborhood suffer, but nearby parcels owned by the club would inevitably be turned into parking lots.

A local historian hired by club leadership wrote a remarkably emotional and tone-deaf report arguing that the building should be demolished. The writer lacks experience in actually renovating buildings, but that is a minor defect when compared with the biases of his main argument. He posits that those neighbors who support historic designation do so because they are racists, and cites the nomination's "failure to disclose the real purpose of the nomination," which he believes is "merely to prevent the construction of a new facility that would markedly improve the situation for the user community." He also asserts that the nomination "assumes that racial segregation is a social or cultural norm." He comes to the head-scratching conclusion that the neighbors' desire to save the club's building is "an attempt to force the club out of its neighborhood and away from its long-term setting."

It is likely that anyone reading this is aware that architecture, planning, zoning, and historic preservation have all been used as cudgels to enforce white privilege. Most of history has been written from the position of white privilege. But the club's hired historian is mistaken when he assigns those motives to this nomination.

Respectfully, the Design Advocacy Group urges the Historical Commission to file away the report commissioned by the Germantown Boys and Girls Club leaders at the very back of a very dark closet, and to designate 23 W. Penn St. as an important building in Philadelphia's past and future.

Do some classes of society deserve fine old buildings and others don't? Describing this building in the context of a largely African American community, the hired historian states, "Its architectural character is meaningless to its user group at best, at worst it is evidence of a hand-me-down past to the present user group."

Actually, no. White people don't have a monopoly on appreciating architectural character and fine old buildings. Kids of all classes and races deserve places where they can play, dream, be inspired, and have their spirits uplifted by architecture.

Kiki Bolender is an architect, and immediate past chair of DAG. It meets the first Thursday of the month at 1218 Arch St., and the public is welcome to attend. For more information, visit facebook/design advocacy. kiki@bolenderarchitects.com
The city's ambitious plan to spend $120 million to overhaul its tech systems was one of the first big stories I covered when I started on the Philly tech beat at Technical.ly Philly.

"This is a historic moment in Philadelphia's history, where we're going to spend $120 million to modernize the city," then-CIO Adel Ebeid told me in the summer of 2012. "We're not going to have this chance again," he added.

I reported the story without much skepticism. I was young and naive. (Don't hate.)

We've since learned that many of the projects under that initiative have gone over budget and are years past their proposed completion date. I'm not surprised.

Five years of tech reporting later, I now know that a project as sweeping as that one was doomed to fall short. That's what happens to huge IT projects, and it's not unique to government  these problems plague the private sector, too. We just don't hear about them as often.

Here's how city government can do better:

Think small. Stop looking for "one ring to rule them all" projects, says Azavea founder Robert Cheetham, who started his career as a city employee and now leads a tech company that works with governments. Narrow your scope and develop products that do one thing very well. The bigger the project, the longer it will take, and the more you run the risk of technology becoming outdated, a new mayor getting elected, or a new vendor acquired, all of which could damage your chances of success. The federal government's 18F digital service agency is leading the charge on this kind of approach.

Do what startups do. Yes, this line is getting old and there are definitely lots of things tech companies do wrong, but when it comes to developing software, startups have it down to a science. Build a working prototype, known in startup circles as a "minimum viable product." Get user feedback and apply it. Repeat as necessary. When governments execute tech projects, they often favor one big release, which leaves no room for evolution along the way. Startup-style development builds support among users (whether city staffers or the public) and a sense of ownership. Software development shouldn't be a one-way street.

Recognize what's working. The team that's redesigning Phila.gov, led by chief data officer Tim Wisniewski, has been following that iterative startup development process: It released an "alpha" version of Phila.gov, sought feedback from actual Philadelphians and used that feedback to rework the site. Could other city tech projects follow their lead?

Develop ways to get new talent in the door. Another promising project from Wisniewski's team is a short-term fellowship that brought designers and content strategists inside City Hall to work on city projects. This could be a model to replicate with procurement and tech upgrades.

Fix the RFP process. The current process favors companies that know how to apply for 250-page RFPs, rather than those that know how to build software. Several Nutter-era staffers were particularly focused on this problem and on fixing procurement in general, but Michael Nutter's administration ended before many of the projects could have a lasting effect.

Fight the culture of shame. City government needs to own its failures and, more importantly, learn from them. That's hard to do if leaders are getting shamed for projects that fall short. I'm especially thinking about this from a journalist's perspective. It's important that we hold city government accountable and speak up when the city has wasted taxpayer dollars, but I'm not convinced it's always productive if it means that city staffers fear the prospect of failure. Failure is an important part of the software development and innovation process. The key is to make sure those failures aren't enormous.

Realize that this is a systemic problem, not one limited to the Office of Innovation and Technology. City Council is quick to criticize failed projects like these, but you don't hear Council taking responsibility for its role in a system that perpetuates big tech project failures. Budgeting, for example, is a major cause of procurement failures, and Council is a powerful force in that process. One reason that governments plan huge one-shot IT projects is because they're worried they won't be able to secure the money for more projects down the line. So they try to do everything all in one go, which, as we've seen, often doesn't work.

Juliana Reyes is a freelance journalist and leads editorial product at Technical.ly.
Philadelphia Superintendent William R. Hite and School Reform Commission Chair Joyce Wilkerson will hear the case of Khepera Charter School. Read more

The fact that there is any chance the Khepera Charter School in North Philadelphia may reopen underscores a broader problem regarding oversight of all charters.

The School Reform Commission voted in June to begin the process of revoking Khepera's operating charter, which includes a public hearing that will begin Thursday. But this should be an open-and-shut case.

Consider the charter school's troubled record:

* Khepera abruptly closed early last school year because of financial problems.

* Teachers are still owed back pay.

* The school's landlord has gone to court to kick the school out of its building because of unpaid rent.

* The company that provides special-education teachers, substitutes, and counselors has filed suit, alleging it is owed $90,000 for its staffing services.

* Khepera failed to make $1 million in payments to the state teachers' pension fund.

* The school failed to submit annual financial reports for 2015 and 2016, as required by state law.

It is painfully obvious Khepera has no business being in the business of educating students. The 450 pupils who went to the K-8 elementary school last year deserve better.

A School District spokesman said the district's charter office had been assisting Khepera parents who have asked for help finding spots for their children in other schools. Other parents would be wise to start their own searches. Fast.

Khepera's story raises the broader issue that stricter oversight of all charters is needed. In fact, it's amazing that Khepera is the only charter school among more than 80 citywide that faces revocation of its charter.

There there are many excellent charter schools in the city, but a number of others are a financial or academic mess, or both. Officials at eight charters in Philadelphia have pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges.

Meanwhile, a U.S. Department of Education audit of 33 charter schools in six states, including Pennsylvania, found weak internal controls at 22 of them, including conflicts of interest and transactions with related parties.

Academically, the performance of charters is mixed. Test scores and graduation rates at some exceed traditional public schools, but other charters perform worse than regular schools. The poor performance of many cyber charters is glaring.

School districts are supposed to regulate charters, but they need to be able to move quickly to fix problems and hold individual schools accountable. With the school year only weeks away, Kephera parents need to know its fate immediately.

Khepera is scheduled to receive a nearly $400,000 payment from the School District. It has submitted an academic calendar for the 2017-18 year and is requesting bus services for its students. None of that should happen.

The SRC needs to shut Khepera because it has failed to meet basic education and financial standards. All schools, traditional and charter, should be held to a high standard. Schools that can't meet that standard  let alone pay their bills  need to be closed if they can't improve.

Children's education should not be left hanging in the balance.
By PTI: Jammu, Aug 8 (PTI) An Indian Army jawan was killed in Pakistani firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir today. The Indian troops retaliated "strongly and effectively" to the Pakistani firing, an Army officer said. "Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in Krishnagati sector at around 1450 hours today," the officer said. In the firing, Sepoy Pawan Singh Sugra was grievously injured and succumbed to his injuries, the officer said.

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Sugra, aged 21, belonged to Sugri village of Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand. He leaves behind his parents "Sepoy Pawan Singh Sugra was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," the Army said.

Yesterday, an Army jawan was injured in a ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along the LoC in the Uri sector of Baramulla district.

On August 7, the Pakistani Army had violated the ceasefire by firing at Indian posts along the LoC inBaba Khori belt of Naushera sector ofRajouri district.

Till August 1, there had been 285 such violations by the Pakistan Army while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to figures of the Indian Army. PTI AB AKK AKK

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A dad-of-four from Saltash who went to his doctor with heartburn but was given the tragic news he had terminal cancer, wants to thank the NHS for saving his life on numerous occasions and prolonging his time with his young family.

Gordon Reeve, 52, has not only had to come to terms with his life-span being dramatically shorted, he has also suffered a stroke and two heart attacks since his chemotherapy to prolong his life began.

And not long after the former milkman was told he had inoperable oesophageal cancer, his two-year-old son was diagnosed with Klinefelters syndrome, a little known condition meaning he would not only be slow to develop, he may not go through puberty and be able to have children.

Gordon's wife Mary, 49, who formerly worked for a cancer society at home in Ireland, said the pair want to warn people to visit their doctor as soon as symptoms appear rather than waiting until it is too late.

She described his very few and very mild symptoms which they thought not to be serious as absolutely terrifying because they could have easily been ignored.

Mary told The Herald of the horrors of discovering her husband and her son were both ill, she said: Even though its terminal hes fit and healthy so they decided to give him an aggressive form of chemo.

But five days after the first lot of chemotherapy Gordon was ready to be discharged from hospital and the doctors found that his blood got extremely thick and complications then led to a stroke.

Then just a week later he was collapsed on the zebra crossing outside the hospital and suffered a heart attack and was fitted with a stent. But when he returned home and a blood clot had grown in the stent and he hence suffered yet another heart attack. All of this happened in the space of three weeks."

His stent has now been widened and strengthened to prevent this happening again and he has to inject himself every day with blood thinning drugs.

She added: We thought that we were dealing with cancer but it ended up being very different to that."

But Mary said despite all of his recent hardships, Gordon is still fighting.

Two months ago tests showed that despite the difficulties which arose following Gordons chemo, it had in fact shrunk the tumours and so doctors decided it would be best to attempt another in a bid to prolong Gordons life.

Mary praised the health service and said: Everyone has been fantastic and so helpful and the hospital has been so good.

Yes its a sad story but where theres life, theres hope.

There are two ladies Jen and Marilyn from Macmillan who have been incredible support since he was diagnosed. We just want to give something back.

Its quite a lonely and boring time  you spend a lot of time not being able to go out but theyre completely understanding and there for emotional support being just at the end of the phone whenever you need them.

In his head hes just the same and wants to do things but theres a lot his body says no to now."

But Gordon has found one way of giving back to those who have assisted him through the dark days.

He will be braving the shave for Macmillan on Thursday, August 10.

Raising money has been keeping us focused and occupied.

Mary who worked for cancer services in Ireland before moving to Saltash, said her former job helped her come to terms with Gordons prognosis.

Its absolutely helped me come to term with things  we dealt with customers as soon as they entered so we saw the raw emotions and I knew the words and what they meant.

"But obviously when it happens to you its such a shock."

Mary said she has been encouraging her husband to do all sorts of things he has never done before.

His top priority is to meet Caroline Flack who he fell for on the Xtra Factor and is in Plymouth to perform in Crazy For You at the Theatre Royal.

Two-year-old son Adam has an extra X chromosome which means he may not be able to have children and will struggle to keep up with his peers.

But 49-year-old Mary, who is originally from Ireland but moved to her husband's hometown of Saltash last year, said: The NHS has been fantastic- hes had such early intervention.

"Hes only bum shuffling and not walking or talking yet  so hes very much behind his developmental milestones.

But hes the most beautiful child, terribly happy and will hopefully lead a very normal life thanks to the NHS," she said.

Despite being little-known, Klinefelters syndrome actually affects one in every 660 males.

Some do not notice until they realise they are unable to have children but others, like Adam, are found to have the syndrome at a young age because their development is much slower.

She added: I cant thank the NHS enough  in comparison to back at home in Ireland they would have been 20 years behind. Hes been diagnosed early and can receive help early which means weve got time to prepare him for school.

Hes getting the best intervention and hell be the best he can be because of that  I just know it.

The NHS have provided Adam with a range of helpful programmes and support systems, including play therapy sessions and adapted boots he can wear to encourage him to start walking.

These will help him to get ahead and hopefully closer to reaching the development level of his peers.

But Mary said the trauma of coping with her husbands illness has meant she has gained a positive attitude when it comes to dealing with Adams Klinefelter syndrome.

She said: Because of what was happening with Gordon, if he wasnt so ill I would have taken it a lot worse.

We just thought you know what we can deal with it. Im just putting one foot in front of the other at the moment and taking each day as it comes.

You realise life is very short and so now we just try and it enjoy it as much as we can  even if that means just watching a good programme on TV or actually managing to get out.

Yes its a bit grim and horrible but we both just thought we can sit here and cry for the time he has left but whats the point in that?

We put on a brave face and do what we can for the children as well  we try not to use the word cancer anymore.

And we just think with every event that has happened so far he could have died so we thank our lucky stars.

Hes a very strong and independent man so he medicates himself  its just become part of his life now.

The pair hope to find a positive from their situation and encourage all men in particular to go to their GP at the earliest sign that something isn't right.

For Gordons particular type of cancer, unfortunately the symptoms often only become serious when it too late.

To help Gordon raise funds for Macmillan go to: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mary-reeve
Ian McCarthy is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of a Clinton, MO, police officer. (Photo: Henry County SO)

The hunt for the man accused of shooting and killing a Clinton, MO, police officer last Sunday during a traffic stop is over.

Ian McCarthy, 39, of Clinton was apprehended about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday walking on a highway a mile south of Bucksaw Resort and Marina in Henry County, MO.

McCarthy was returned to Clinton early Wednesday and booked into the Henry County jail shortly after midnight.

Authorities had searched for McCarthy since he was charged Monday with first-degree murder. Bucksaw Marina is about 18 miles from the scene of the shooting, the Kansas City Star reports.

Michael, 37, had been on the force less than a year.

A driver spotted McCarthy on an area highway and reported the sighting to police, the Missouri Highway Patrol reports. McCarthy was apprehended on Missouri Route U shortly thereafter without incident.
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Col. Lawerence Wilkerson, Colin Powells former chief of staff, took apart Trump and made the President seem way out his league by pointing out that Trump seems to think dealing with N. Korea is like negotiating a casino deal.

Video:

Col. Lawrence Wilkerson on Trump's actions on North Korea: He seems to think he's negotiating a casino deal #inners https://t.co/u22HOAWXci  All In w/Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) August 9, 2017

Col. Wilkerson said on MSNBCs All In With Chris Hayes, People say we cant talk with a criminal regime. Those are the regimes you need to talk to. John Kennedy said it best. never negotiate out of fear, but never fear to negotiate. Tillerson has said that, more or less, as has Mattis. We need to get to it, and we need to curb this president who seems to think hes negotiating the Taj Mahal or some other casino with Steve Wynn.

Wilkerson was right on the money. Only a fool would handle a life or death diplomatic crisis by making reckless threats about military escalation. Unfortunately, for the people of the United States and the rest of the world, the man occupying the White House has offered no proof that he is anything less than a blustering fool who is trying to bluff his way through the presidency. The difference between Trumps latest N. Korea statement and his other remarks is that the President has the potential to launch a war with his comments.

Institutions are trying to check Trump, but more must be done. Trumps Secretaries of State and Defense must step up and get the situation under control. If Republicans sit back and enable Trump, they will be setting the United States up for a war the likes of which hasnt been seen since the 1960s.
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By Christine Kim and James Oliphant

SEOUL/BEDMINSTER, N.J. (Reuters)  North Korea said on Wednesday it is considering plans for a missile strike on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after President Donald Trump told the North that any threat to the United States would be met with fire and fury.

The sharp increase in tensions rattled financial markets and prompted warnings from U.S. officials and analysts not to engage in rhetorical slanging matches with North Korea.

Pyongyang said it was carefully examining a plan to strike Guam, home to a U.S. military base that includes a submarine squadron, an airbase and a Coast Guard group.

A Korean Peoples Army spokesman said in a statement carried by state-run KCNA news agency the plan would be put into practice at any moment once leader Kim Jong Un makes a decision.

North Korea also accused the United States of devising a preventive war and said in another statement, citing a different military spokesman, any plans to execute this would be met with an all-out war wiping out all the strongholds of enemies, including the U.S. mainland.

Washington has warned it is ready to use force if needed to stop North Koreas ballistic missile and nuclear programs but that it prefers global diplomatic action, including sanctions. The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Saturday.

Trump issued his strongest warning yet for North Korea in comments to reporters in New Jersey on Tuesday.

North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen, Trump said.

North Korea has made no secret of its plans to develop a nuclear-tipped missile able to strike the United States and has ignored international calls to halt its nuclear and missile programs.

Pyongyang says its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are a legitimate means of defense against perceived U.S. hostility. It has long accused the United States and South Korea of escalating tensions by conducting military drills.

U.S. stocks closed slightly lower after Trumps comment and S&P stock futures <ESc1> slipped further in Asian trade, while a widely followed measure of stock market anxiety <.VIX> ended at its highest in nearly a month.

The U.S. dollar index <.DXY> edged down and the safe-haven yen <JPY=> strengthened against the U.S. currency after North Koreas response. Asia stocks dipped, with South Koreas benchmark index <.KS11> and Japans Nikkei <.N225> both falling 0.5 percent.

North Korea have no intentions of backing down. Tensions will continue to mount and could eventually develop into a black swan event that the markets are not prudently considering, Steve Hanke, professor of Applied Economics at the Johns Hopkins University, told the Reuters Global Markets Forum.

TENSIONS RISE

The United States has remained technically at war with North Korea since the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

Seoul is home to roughly 10 million people, within range of massed North Korean rockets and artillery, which would be impossible to destroy in a first U.S. strike.

Tens of thousands of U.S. troops remain stationed in South Korea and in nearby Japan, the only country to have been attacked with nuclear weapons. Wednesday marked the 72nd anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city of Nagasaki by the United States.

Tensions in the region have risen since North Korea carried out two nuclear bomb tests last year and two ICBM tests in July.

Japanese fighters conducted joint air drills with U.S. supersonic bombers in Japanese skies close to the Korean peninsula on Tuesday, Japans Air Self Defence Force said.

On Monday, two U.S. B-1 bombers flew from Guam over the Korean Peninsula as part of its continuous bomber presence, a U.S. official said, in a sign of Guams strategic importance.

The island, popular with Japanese and South Korean tourists, is protected by the advanced U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system recently installed in South Korea, the deployment of which has angered China.

The alert status at Andersen Airforce Base on Guam had not been changed by Wednesday morning, according to the duty officer at the bases public affairs office.

The Guam Visitors Bureaus branch in Tokyo said it had not received any inquiries about the threat, and major South Korean tour agencies reported no cancellations or inquiries either.

WAR OF WORDS

Republican U.S. Senator John McCain said Trump should tread cautiously when issuing threats to North Korea unless he is prepared to act.

I take exception to the presidents comments because youve got to be sure you can do what you say youre going to do, he said in a radio interview.

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that North Korea had successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles, according to a confidential U.S. intelligence assessment.

However, U.S. intelligence officials told Reuters that, while North Korea has accelerated its efforts to design an ICBM, a miniaturized nuclear warhead, and a nosecone robust enough to survive re-entry through the Earths atmosphere, there is no reliable evidence that it has mastered all three, much less tested and combined them into a weapon capable of hitting targets in the United States.

North Koreas ICBM tests last month suggested it was making technical progress, Japans annual Defence White Paper warned.

A Japanese government source said Japan was not asking for Trump to tone down his remarks, which were in line with his policy of not letting the other side know what the United States might actually do, based on its all options are on the table stance.

Former U.S. diplomat Douglas Paal, now with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank in Washington, said Trump should not get into a war of words with Pyongyang.

It strikes me as an amateurish reflection of a belief that we should give as we get rhetorically. That might be satisfying at one level, but it takes us down into the mud that we should let Pyongyang enjoy alone, said Paal, who served as a White House official under previous Republican administrations.

(Additional reporting by Soyoung Kim in SEOUL, Amy Miyazaki and Tim Kelly in TOKYO, Doina Chiacu, Susan Heavey, John Walcott, Idrees Ali and David Brunnstrom in WASHINGTON, Rodrigo Campos in NEW YORK, Linda Sieg in TOKYO, Maureen N. Maratita in GUAM, and Divya Chowdhury in MUMBAI; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Paul Tait)
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Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, explained to the American people that contrary to Trumps bluster, war with North Korea would not be quick or glorious.

Here is Cardins statement in response to Trumps threats to N. Korea:

Unlike Trump, Sen. Cardin knows what he is talking about. A war with North Korea would be a slog that could go on for months at a minimum and drain US military resources around the world. The US military, South Korean military, and civilian casualties would be massive. It is estimated by military experts that an invasion of North Korea would require a huge ground force commitment. War with North Korea would make Iraq and Afghanistan look like childs play.

The problem with trying to use surgical strikes is that the US doesnt know where all of North Koreas nuclear facilities are. There is no easy out once America decides to engage militarily on the Korean Peninsula.

Trump may have been talking tough to make himself feel like a big man, but this isnt The Apprentice. The stakes are nothing less than a total war the likes of which the United States hasnt seen since Vietnam.
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Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) didnt pull any punches when he described Trumps behavior towards North Korea as erratic and making a bad situation even worse.

The ranking member of House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA:

There is no question that the threat posed by the North Korean regime is real and growing more dangerous each day, and it is incumbent on the United States to do whatever is necessary to protect the nation and our allies. As I have said since the beginning of this Administration, left unchecked the North Koreans are likely to be able to marry their nuclear capability to an increasingly sophisticated intercontinental ballistic missile technology capable of striking the United States.

Secretary Tillerson is right to emphasize a diplomatic resolution of this growing danger to the world. While nothing can be taken off the table, the military option would be catastrophic and involve a potentially massive loss of life  American, South Korean, Japanese and North Korean. President Trump would be well to keep this in mind. The erratic and fiery belligerence of his statements and tweets do little to defuse the situation and threaten to make a bad situation worse. He should let Secretaries Tillerson and Mattis, and UN Ambassador Haley do their jobs without taking actions that hamper their efforts.

The economic sanctions levied by the United Nations Security Council this weekend are a positive step as they hold the prospect of further choking off trade supporting the regime. Increased economic pressure may improve prospects that North Korea will choose diplomacy over further weapons development and provocation. The power of these sanctions to coerce North Korea will depend largely on whether China will enforce them; we will need to monitor this closely and inform China that secondary sanctions on Chinese banks, an expanded U.S. naval presence in the region and broader missile defense may be necessary if the existing efforts are unsuccessful.

It isnt said often enough that a defining characteristic of the Trump presidency is his ability to take a bad situation and make it worse. Trump has escalated the North Korea problem by treating it like it is an episode of The Apprentice. America needs steady, calm, competent leadership.

Trump has defined his presidency with his threats to North Korea, and the damage will not be undone anytime soon. The word erratic is increasingly being used by both Democrats and Republicans to describe Trumps behavior. This president is unstable, and it speaks volumes that people like Adam Schiff are calling on the White House to push Trump out of the way and take the keys to the country back from the drunk six-year-old president before he launches a nuclear war.

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Six European officials who had interactions with Trump and his White House describe the president as a threat to global security who is obsessed with Obama.

Buzzfeed News reported:



But behind the mocking, there is growing fear among international governments that Trump is a serious threat to international peace and stability.

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They also believe Trumps foreign policy is chiefly driven by an obsession with unravelling Barack Obamas policies. Its his only real position, one European diplomat said. He will ask: Did Obama approve this? And if the answer is affirmative, he will say: We dont. He wont even want to listen to the arguments or have a debate. He is obsessed with Obama.

The officials also described meetings between Trump and other world leaders as useless because Trump doesnt know anything, and all he does is bombard the world leader with questions about their GDP.

Trump wants to be Obama. He is trying to erase Barack Obamas legacy because he needs to be the popular president. Trump is probably still fuming over the jokes that Obama told about him during the White House Correspondents Dinner years ago. Donald Trump is obsessed with Obama, and it is driving him crazy that he is failing where Obama was successful.

Donald Trump is not well, and he is obsessed because Obama was the kind of president that he will never be.
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The FBIs raid of Paul Manaforts office means that they have evidence of criminal wrong doing by Trumps former campaign manager during the 2016 election.

The Washington Post reported, FBI agents raided the Alexandria home of President Trumps former campaign chairman late last month, using a search warrant to seize documents and other materials, according to people familiar with the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Federal agents appeared at Paul Manaforts home without advance warning in the predawn hours of July 26, the day after he met voluntarily with the staff for the Senate Intelligence Committee. The search warrant was wide-ranging and FBI agents working with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III departed the home with various records.

Interestingly, this raid happened when Trump was in the midst of tantrum at Attorney General Jeff Sessions for not protecting him from the Russia investigation. The FBI had a warrant, which means that a judge deemed that there was sufficient evidence to approve the raid.

It is important to note that because Manafort is under investigation for his own business dealings, many people have put him into a separate category on the Russia scandal. However, Manafort could have easily served as a key connection between Putin and Trump, and if the Russians were somehow funneling money or resources into the Trump campaign, Manafort, as campaign manager, would have been in the middle of it.

The FBI is conducting criminal raids of former members of the Trump campaign in relation to the Russia investigation. The current presidents former presidential campaign has central figures being raided by the FBI.

Trump and the Russians have the potential to the biggest political scandal in American history.
Intellectual and political circles are abuzz that something major is going to happen when it comes to Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional status.

By Shuja-ul-Haq : Article 35A is the new topic that people of Kashmir are being heard discussing of late. Intellectual and political circles are abuzz that something major is going to happen when it comes to constitutional status of the state.

The activity has been triggered by a petition in the Supreme Court seeking abrogation of Article 35A. Though the case has been going on since 2014, what has caused panic is the recent reply by the Centre to the court.

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In the previous hearing the attorney general told the court that the issue can be debated. This to a lot of people was an indication of that the Centre was taking a soft approach in the case - which could benefit the petitioner who seeks deletion of the article.

'REVOLT'

Political clamour over it has already begun. The opposition parties seem to be united on this issue in the state.

"This is a serious matter and we all need to stand together. We have created awareness among people across the state about it," said MLA MY Tarigami after meeting Farooq Abdullah.

"This issue can have wider ramifications. We all remember what happened during Amarnath land row, people came out overnight. If Article 35A is abrogated The revolt is going to be bigger," said National Conference (NC) chief Dr Farooq Abdullah.

CALL FOR BANDH

In a joint statement the Hurriyat and other separatist parties have called for a Kashmir bandh in an attempt to abrogate Article 35A.

Meanwhile in a late evening development, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday met opposition National Conference president Farooq Abdullah. The meeting is being seen in the backdrop of the debate on Article 35A.

"Mehbooba called on @JKNC_ President this evening to discuss the prevailing political situation in the state. It was a cordial meeting," tweeted NC working president Omar Abdullah.

Earlier Mehbooba Mufti was quoted saying in a function in Delhi that if Article 35A was touched, there won't be anyone in the state to bear the national flag.

Lately a petition was filed by an NGO in the Supreme Court, seeking abrogation of the constitutional provision. This Article is important to the state as it defines the special privileges enjoyed by permanent residents of the state.

Political parties in the Valley are all set to rake up the Article 35A issue, which confers special rights and privileges on Jammu and Kashmir's permanent residents.

National Conference has called for a meeting of the opposition parties to discuss the sensitive issue.

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HISTORY

Article 35A was specifically devised to grant protection to the state subject laws that had already been defined under the Maharaja's rule and notified in 1927 and 1932.

It was added through the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954, issued under Article 370. In 2014, an NGO, We the Citizens, filed a petition seeking the abrogation of Article 35A. The J&K government in its affidavit sought dismissal of the petition, however the central government hasn't.

In fact, in the last hearing the attorney general was reportedly had told the double bench that the petition raises constitutional issues and it was after this that the court referred the matter to a three judge bench for hearing and disposal.

ALSO READ

Supreme Court admits plea challenging Jammu and Kashmir's Article 370 status, issues notice to Centre

Why Farooq Abdullah is angry over Article 35A and how it will impact special status of Kashmir

Article 370: 10 facts that you need to know

ALSO WATCH

'Don't tamper with Article 35A, else there will be repercussions', says J-K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti

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Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low around 55F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low around 55F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
"Lalu yadav you cannot defeat BJP alone. If you want to work for the sake of Muslims welfare in Seemanchal, AIMIM is ready to come with you," said Owaisi.

By Ashish Pandey: In a surprised move All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and Hyderabad Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi extended his friendship to Rashtriya Janta Dal president and former chief minister of Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav.

While addressing a public meeting in remembrance of party revivalist Abdul Wahed Owaisi in the old city of Hyderabad, Owaisi said, ''Lalu yadav you cannot defeat BJP alone. If you want to work for the sake of Muslims welfare in Seemanchal , AIMIM is ready to come with you. But don't think that I am saying this because of fear of the BJP.''

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Criticising Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who broke 'Mahagathbandhan' with Congress- RJD in the state and joined hand with the BJP, Owaisi said that knew Nitish will one day join BJP.

"I had said in Kochadhaman (Kishanganj, Bihar) meeting that Nitish will one day join BJP and now it has turned true. It was the same Nitish Kumar who had said that he will die but not join hands with BJP. But now, he is saying corruption is more important issue than secularism and joined hand with the fascist party," said Owaisi.

AIMIM chief also said that for the sake of secularism and to stop the communal forces, all the political party should come together. "It's not the only responsibility of Congress, Lalu or Owaisi but all opposition parties should come together and think how they can stop BJP," he said.

Interestingly, the AIMIM chief who is a sharp critic of Congress party and its leadership, termed political secretary of Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel as 'Congress's Big Muslim leader', and said that the BJP was trying to snatch the Rajya Sabha seat from him by hook or by crook. He added that people should learn from this.

Meanwhile, BJP harshly reacted to the comments of AIMIM and said that his party is also a corrupt party and both the corrupt leaders coming together is nothing surprising.

"BJP is not threatened with these noises. We are a secular party and we believe in Sabka Saath Sab Ka Vikas which drives our development agenda. These two parties do non-secular Muslim vote bank politics. This will be no alliance but collision and these collision has failed before. What happened to Mahagathbandhan, that is going to happen this alliance too. We wish him best of luck as we are not threatened at all," said a BJP leader.

Also Read:

RSS should ask PM Modi to cut bilateral ties with China: Asaddudin Owaisi

Shamshaan over Kabristan in Uttar Pradesh, says Owaisi; Sajjad Lone counters with democracy argument

WATCH | The prodigal ally: Frenemies Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav over the years

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ALBERT LEA  The Austin man accused of running over a party-goer in a pasture, killing him, was sentenced last month to seven years in prison.

Nathan Paul Brooks, 28, was given credit for 436 days already served during his July 12 sentencing in Freeborn County District Court.

Brooks was charged with one count each of criminal vehicular homicide: leaving the scene, a felony, and driving after cancellation, a gross misdemeanor, after the April 2016 incident that killed Alex Tapp, 30.

Brooks pleaded guilty to the homicide charge in April; he was sentenced to 84 months in prison and ordered to pay $8,416.04 in restitution and fees. The other charge was dismissed at sentencing.

The investigation began about 9:15 p.m. April 16, 2016, when deputies were sent to a home in rural Freeborn County for a report of a man who'd been run over. It was Tapp, also of Austin; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

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There had been a party and bonfire in the pasture of the property that evening; several witnesses said Brooks was driving a large SUV around the pasture, "doing donuts," "tearing around" and "four-wheeling."

At least three people reported seeing Brooks after Tapp's body was found; when they called 911 and started CPR, Brooks allegedly said, "I thought I hit the dog." He was no longer in the pasture when first responders arrived.

According to court documents, deputies looked in the pasture, near the bonfire and in the nearby home, but couldn't find Brooks. After multiple calls to his cell phone went unanswered, the cell phone provider "pinged" the phone; it was determined the phone was in a seven-mile radius of the property, but the provider couldn't be more specific.

Brooks wasn't located that night; the next afternoon, an attorney called law enforcement and said Brooks would turn himself in, which he did.

Brooks reportedly told authorities that when he was returning to the pasture with more firewood, he ran over something and his "heart just stopped." He said he hoped it was just a log.

After parking the SUV near the bonfire, he noticed Tapp wasn't around; Brooks claimed he ran to the area where he'd run over something and found Tapp on the ground, critically injured.

Brooks said he alerted others, who called 911 and began CPR, and said he was on the phone with 911 when they were doing CPR.

According to the criminal complaint, Brooks said he walked to the house, went into the basement, kept the lights off and sat in the dark. He called his wife to have her come over, then shut off his phone and cried, he told investigators.

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Brooks denied driving carelessly and denied trying to hide; he said he didn't hear anyone in the house or he would've talked to the deputies, but admitted he didn't speak with law enforcement before going inside.

When a detective told Brooks that deputies had searched the house that night and had spoken with his wife there, Brooks again denied hiding, and said he didn't speak to his wife until 9:30 the next morning.

The detective asked Brooks why he'd shut off his phone; according to court records, Brooks denied shutting it off, saying instead that it had died.

A review of Brooks' criminal history reveals three convictions for DWI between 2009 and 2014. In addition, his driver's license has been revoked since 2010.

He's been in prison since November, when a 36-month prison term for a 2014 DWI was executed. The sentence had been stayed for seven years at his original sentencing in April 2015.

He'd appeared in court for that case the day before the fatal crash, where he told the judge that his sobriety was "going very well" and that he had been sober since Aug. 2, 2015, court records show.
An effort to return a piece of Rochester's history to downtown continues to seek community support.

The "It's Time to Bring Back The Clock" campaign has raised approximately $62,000 to match a $100,000 donation from a Rochester resident, who spurred the effort to erect the historic clock tower and bell at the corner of Sixth Street and Broadway.

"It's starting to gain some traction, I hope," said Rochester Fire Chief Greg Martin, who noted $270,000 to $300,000 will be needed for the project.

How can people contribute?

The campaign is raising funds by selling $350 engraved pavers for around the tower's base, as well as $10 commemorative coins.

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Donations can be made through the Rochester Area Foundation's website or by filling out paper pledge forms, which are available at the city's fire stations.

Coins also can be purchased at the fire stations, as well as Glynner's Pub, 1643 N. Broadway Ave. Martin said he's hoping more Rochester businesses will consider selling the coins.

He's also encouraging businesses and others to consider corporate sponsorships of $1,000 or more, which will land donors on a clock-tower plaque.

What has it cost the city?

So far the city's contribution has been $6,500 for the first phase of architectural service.

When the Rochester City Council approved the funding two years ago, it directed Martin to return if further funding is needed, but the fire chief said he's hoping contributions will eventually cover the cost.

"We wanted to focus it more as a community project," he said, noting the department would prefer not to make it a city-funded project.

Where did the matching grant come from?

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Alan Calavano brought Martin a $100,000 pledge in 2015 with the caveat that it be used to erect the clock tower at the fire station closest to its original location.

The 1899 four-sided clock originally served as the alarm bell for the fire station that sat where the intersection of Broadway and Fourth Street is today. The Seth Thomas clock was a primary timepiece for the city, and the 1,200-pound bell sounded the alarm for firefighters.

While Calavano said he represented an anonymous donor at the time, it was revealed after his March 18, 2016, death that he provided the money.

What if the $100,000 matching funds aren't raised?

Martin said he's not ready to consider that at this point, even though the effort has a Dec. 31 deadline.

"We are going to get it done," he said, noting he hopes to continue raising awareness.

"We're getting a lot of interest, but interest hasn't always translated into donations," he recently to the city council.

Once the match is made, how will the gap be filled?

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Again, Martin said he's confident the community will step forward to provide the added $70,000 to $100,000 to complete the project.

Once matching funds are in place, he said he hopes to be able to start work on plans for construction, which could boost interest and help draw in-kind contribution for the eventual installation, which will require shifting some parking at the current fire station.
GRAND MEADOW  A current hog feedlot in Mower County's Frankford Township is looking to expand from an 830-animal unit operation to a 2,999.2 AU operation.

Deer Creek Run, LLC, a swine finishing facility located just more than half a mile west of U.S. Highway 63 on 255th Street near Deer Creek Speedway, currently has two barns that house gestating and farrowing sows. The new barns, which would more than triple the size of the current operation, would add more of the same, according to the environmental assessment worksheet posted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

The MPCA will take public comments on the project through Sept. 6 before ruling on whether to permit the facility or require a more stringent environmental impact statement.

The 2,999.2 AU of pigs would generate 4,686,003 gallons of manure annually to be stored in engineered, underground pits with a capacity of 16,281,146 gallons. The EAW comes with a manure management plan for spreading the manure on area farmland.

The proposed expansion would take place in two phases. The first phase would add 1,144.4 AU in a series of barns plus an 8,200-square-foot mortality compost bay with 4-foot side walls. Phase two would add barn space for 1,024.8 AU. Each new barn will have steel-reinforced concrete pits for manure storage, according to the proposal.

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Steven Schmidt, east unit feedlot supervisor for the MPCA, said neither Deer Creek Run nor its owner, Kevin Hugoson, have any past MPCA violations. The site in Mower County has been registered with the MPCA since 2002.

According to the EAW, there are several nearby features, but all meet MPCA setback guidelines. That includes a possible sinkhole about 600 feet from the site (MPCA guidelines require a 300-foot setback), a home located 1,020 feet from the proposed structures (MPCA requires 1,000 feet), and Deer Creek, which runs more than 1,900 feet away, well beyond the MPCA's 300-foot guidelines.

In addition to the natural features in the area, Deer Creek Speedway and Campground is located more than 3,300 feet away from the facility, and Four Daughters Vineyard and Winery is located just outside the 1-mile circumference around the proposed expansion.

Other than the wells at the site, the closest drinking-water wells are located 2,700 feet away.
Heidi Welsch said she looks forward to helping lead Olmsted County into the future.

Welsch was appointed Monday as the next county administrator, positioning her to take over when Richard Devlin retires after 49 years in the post at the end of October.

She acknowledged she has big shoes to fill, but she said she looks forward to helping the county tackle a variety of shifting and complex policy issues as it continues to grow and become more urban. She said the key will be to continue efforts to listen to all community needs and help county commissioners make decisions to fill those needs.

"We're a more complex county than we were 25 years ago," she said, noting community services cover a wide scope.

Welsch became deputy county administrator on Oct. 3, 2016, when she was promoted from her previous role as Community Services' director of family support and assistance, which brought her to Olmsted County in 2013.

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With a doctorate in public administration, Welsch's experience includes public positions with Dakota and Hennepin counties, the Minnesota State University system, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Metropolitan Council and the U.S. Peace Corps.

Devlin said it's her recent experience that makes him confident the county will be in good hands when he retires.

"She's going to be an outstanding administrator based on my observations during the past few months," he said.

County board member Sheila Kiscaden credited Devlin with making sure the county is on a good path.

"I think Richard did a really nice job of helping us have the smoothest transition possible, and I think that we will benefit from that greatly," she said.

Statute allows county administrators to be selected from within their ranks of employees, meaning an external search wasn't needed.

"The county board may appoint as county administrator any county official or employee deemed to be qualities by reason of training, experience and administrative qualification," said Dale Ignatius, the county's director of human resources.

County Board Chairman Ken Brown said Welsch fits the bill.

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"We have observed Dr. Welsch to be a highly talented, experienced leader," he said.

Welsch started taking over management responsibilities in April, shortly after Devlin announced his retirement plans. As he nears retirement, he is working on three initiatives: finding ways to overcome crowding concerns in the county's detention center, seeking new revenue streams at the county's waste-to-energy facility, and developing a business plan for Graham Park.

As she prepares for her new role, Welsch said she looks forward to working with county commissioners, staff and residents to build the county's future.

"It's my great privilege to serve the board and people of Olmsted County," she said.

In other business, the board:

 Approved accepting National School Lunch Program reimbursements for qualified students for the Olmsted County Juvenile Detention Center. Participation in the program is expected to provide an additional $4 per day for each student, while costing an extra 15 cents per meal to meet nutritional requirements. County staff expects to see a net financial gain of approximately $25,000 per year.
Photos showing real estate broker Suryanarayana offering pots of gold and cash worth several lakhs at a pooja have raised questions about his earnings and income tax status.

By Rohini Swamy: A Bangalore-based real estate broker landed himself in a soup in his attempt to please the Gods.

Broker K Suryanarayana organised a pooja at his place in the name of Goddess Varalakshmi. Soon, photos of the ceremony flooded social media, and tossed Suryanarayana in the eye of of the storm.

The photos show Suryanarayana and his his wife offering pots of gold and cash worth several lakhs to Goddess Varalakshmi, which he described as his 'hard earned' money.

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Suryanarayana went on to say that he had withdrawn Rs 88 lakh from the bank for the pooja, and used 1.23kg gold to decorate his pooja room.

People who saw the viral photos on social media, however, are not that convinced. Questions are being asked about how, at a time when income tax officers are raiding Congress leader DK Shivakumar's place, people like Suryanarayana are escaping the IT net despite such show of wealth.

WHAT DOES SURYANARAYANA HAVE TO SAY?

Suryanarayana has defended himself saying that the money and gold have been earned through "honest means", and that he has had "very humble beginnings" as the son of an auto driver.

Suryanarayana added that, this year, he has paid taxes worth Rs 13 lakh, and claimed to have assets worth Rs 15 crore.

The real estate broker also expressed his regret for having posted pictures of the pooja pictures at his place, saying that it 'put him in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons'.

For more on income tax...

I-T raids on Karnataka minister Shivakumar: Rs 300 crore recovered in undisclosed income

Four-day-long I-T raids on Congress minister DK Shivakumar: A timeline of events

DK Shivakumar appears before IT slueths for questioning

Bengaluru: I-T raid of DK Shivakumar's Sadashivnagar residence yields nothing

Also Watch: Image of the day: Real estate broker offers gold, Rs 88 lakh cash to Goddess Varalakshmi

--- ENDS ---
Over at PJ Media, Patrick Poole is following the story that broke this morning in Paris of a car that rammed and injured several French military personnel. The driver, who fled the scene, was subsequently arrested, though as of this writing his identity has not been revealed. But French authorities are describing it as a terror attack, which means we can expect that CNN will say that we dont know the motive until we get the recording of the driver yelling Allahu akbar, after which CNN will recycle another Russia story.

Worth paying attention to one key phrase in an early Sky News report about the incident:

A search is also ongoing for the dark-coloured vehicle which is said to have been driven at speed at the troops as they left their barracks to go on patrol. (Emphasis added.)

WaitFrench army troops on patrol in Paris? Yes: France has been officially under a state of emergency since the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015. On any given day, up to 10,000 French military personnel are guarding every Jewish synagogue and merchant location in the entire country, as well as popular tourist locations. Its called Operation Sentinelle, and you dont need to be fluent in French to comprehend the title.

Translation: France is under martial law. Few Americans understand this. Todays attack is merely the latest in a series of deliberate attacks on French military personnel.

The Sky News report adds this:

It is the sixth time soldiers involved in the nationwide security crackdown have been targeted. In February, a man with a machete attacked troops near the Louvre Museum. French defence minister Florence Parly described Wednesdays attack as cowardly, adding that it does nothing to dent soldiers determination to work for the security of the French people. France has been under a state of emergency since the November 2015 attacks in the French capital which left 130 people dead. Mr Philippe said that despite a high threat against France, the government is sticking to plans to lift the 21-month state of emergency on 1 November.

Prediction: The formal state of emergency may end on Nov. 1, but I expect French soldiers will still be deployed as they are now. Unless France has decided on suicide.
At FiveThirtyEight, David Wasserman has a heartwarming analysis of why the Democratic Party is pretty much hosed in Congressional elections for the foreseeable future:

Even if Democrats were to win every single 2018 House and Senate race for seats representing places that Hillary Clinton won or that Trump won by less than 3 percentage points  a pretty good midterm by historical standards  they could still fall short of the House majority and lose five Senate seats.

***

In the last few decades, Democrats have expanded their advantages in California and New York  states with huge urban centers that combined to give Clinton a 6 million vote edge, more than twice her national margin. But those two states elect only 4 percent of the Senate. Meanwhile, Republicans have made huge advances in small rural states  think Arkansas, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana and West Virginia  that wield disproportionate power in the upper chamber compared to their populations.

***

In 2016, Trump lost the national popular vote by 2.1 percentage points, but Republicans won the median House seat by 3.4 points and the median Senate seat by 3.6 points  thats the widest Senate gap in at least a century and tied with 2012 for the widest House disparity in the last half-century.

The Senate is where the GOP has the largest built-in advantage, since so many Democratic voters are concentrated in a few large states:

Today, Republicans dont even need to win any swing states to win a Senate majority: 52 seats are in states where the 2016 presidential margin was at least 5 percentage points more Republican than the national outcome. By contrast, there are just 28 seats in states where the margin was at least 5 points more Democratic, and only 20 seats in swing states.

With Democrats poised to be the minority party in the Senate for as far as the eye can see, the case for doing away with the filibuster is overwhelming. Still, Republicans can plausibly look forward to filibuster-proof Senate majorities:

[A]ll Republicans would need to obtain 60 seats would be to win every seat in the 30 states that Trump won  no Clinton states needed. Thats a plausible outcome over a few election cycles, thanks to todays extraordinarily high rates of straight-ticket voting  if the basic contours of the nations political geography dont drastically change in the next decade. The implications beyond Congress, especially for the Supreme Court, should deeply worry Democrats.

Good point! The Democrats have refused to accept the result of the 2016 presidential election, and Senate Democrats have done everything possible, despite their minority status, to block President Trump from staffing his administration and making routine judicial appointments. Dont think the Republicans arent taking notes. Next time we have a Democratic president, he or she will in all probability be dealing with a Republican Senate. If a majority-Republican Senate copies the minority Democrats 2017 playbook, a Democratic administration can be brought to a halt and never permitted to function. The Democrats asked for it. Lets hope they get it, good and hard.
Kenyan opposition leader, Raila Odinga, rejected early results of a presidential election on Wednesday that showed he was losing to incumbent and long-time rival Uhuru Kenyatta.

As of 0300 GMT, the election commission website put Kenyatta ahead by 55.1 per cent of votes counted to 44 per cent for Odinga, a margin of nearly 1.4 million ballots with more than 80 per cent of polling stations reported.

Kenyatta, a 55-year-old businessman seeking a second five-year term, had held such a lead since the start of counting after Tuesdays peaceful vote, the culmination of a hard-fought contest between the heads of Kenyas two political dynasties.

Odinga, a 72-year-old former political prisoner and self-described leftist, rejected the results as fictitious and fake, lashing out in a late night news conference at which he said his partys own tally put him ahead.

We have our projections from our agents which show we are ahead by far, Mr. Odinga said, questioning why published results were not accompanied by scanned copies of forms signed by all party agents in polling stations.

Kenyan law states that where there is a discrepancy between a result on the website and the form, the result on The form will be considered final.

Alleging vote-rigging, he also brought up the unsolved torture and murder of a top election official just over a week before the vote.

We fear this was exactly the reason Chris Msando was assassinated, he said.

Mr. Odingas comments carry ominous echoes of 2007 when he cried foul in an election marred by major irregularities.

Around 1,200 people were killed in a campaign of ethnic violence that followed.

Crimes against humanity charges brought by the International Criminal Court against Kenyatta and William Ruto, now his deputy, were withdrawn after witnesses died or disappeared.

Mr. Odinga also ran and lost in 2013, but quelled potential clashes by taking his complaints about the widespread failure of electronic voting equipment to court.

Many Odinga supporters said they believed their leader had been robbed of victory during the last two polls and vowed not to allow a third election to be stolen.

I will accept the outcome only if its credible, said Odinga supporter Joseph Okuoch as he carefully watched vote tallying at his polling station in Kisumu, an Odinga stronghold in western Kenya.

There were no signs of trouble in Kisumu as dawn started to break.

The son of Kenyas first vice-president, Mr. Odinga is an ethnic Luo in the west, an area that has long felt neglected by the central government and resentful of their perceived exclusion from power.

Mr. Kenyatta, the son of the first president Jomo Kenyatta, is a Kikuyu, the ethnic group that has supplied three of the four presidents since independence from Britain in 1963.

On Tuesday, Mr. Kenyatta called on whoever lost to concede the race.

In the event that they lose, let us accept the will of the people.

I am willing myself to accept the will of the people, so let them too, Mr. Kenyatta said as he voted at the Mutomo Primary School in Gatundu, some 30 km north of the capital.

Later, Mr. Odinga also told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle that he would also accept loss in the unlikely event that I lost fairly.

The winner needs one vote more than 50 per cent, and at least a quarter of the vote in 24 of Kenyas 47 counties.

In addition to a new president, Kenyans are electing lawmakers and local representatives, the result of a 2010 constitution that devolved power and money to the counties.

(Reuters/NAN)

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U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson played down President Donald Trumps incendiary warning to North Korea on Wednesday, saying he was just trying to send a strong message in language its leader would understand.

Tillerson, speaking to reporters before landing in Guam, a U.S.-held Pacific island that Pyongyang threatened to strike, said he does not believe there is an imminent threat from North Korea.

I think Americans should sleep well at night, have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days, he said.

Trump on Tuesday warned North Korea it would face fire and fury if it threatens the United States, prompting the nuclear-armed nation to say it was considering firing missiles at Guam.

I think what the president was just reaffirming is that the United States has the capability to fully defend itself from any attack, and our allies, and we will do so, Tillerson said.

The international community had a pretty good week with respect to North Korea, he said, citing new UN sanctions and strong statements coming out of a meeting of world leaders in Asia.

In response to that, North Koreas rhetoric is just ratcheted up, louder and louder and more threatening, Tillerson told reporters.

So I think the president, what the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesnt seem to understand diplomatic language.

The U.S. wanted to make clear it has the ability to defend itself and its allies, he said, and avoid any miscalculation by Pyongyang.

Just moments after Tillersons remarks were reported, Trump hammered home his tough talk in a Twitter post about U.S. nuclear weapons in what looked like another warning to North Korea.

My first order as President was to renovate and modernise our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before, he said.

North Korea has made no secret of plans to develop a nuclear-tipped missile able to strike the United States and has ignored international calls to halt its nuclear and missile programmes.

Tillerson said he hoped international pressure, including engagement of China and Russia, can persuade North Korea to reconsider its nuclear ambitions and begin diplomatic dialogue.

He said he never considered dropping his stop in Guam.

(Reuters/NAN)

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Residents of Obadeyi at the Ijaiye-Ojokoro axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway on Tuesday called on security operatives to conduct a thorough search on a building allegedly used by kidnappers in the area.

Some of the residents spoke to PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday when an alleged kidnappers den was uncovered in a tunnel around the bridge on that part of the expressway.

PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported the mayhem which led to the death of two suspects who were set ablaze by an irate mob.

Although Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, said on Tuesday that seven people have been arrested by the police, only three individuals were arrested at the scene of the incident which PREMIUM TIMES monitored from morning till dusk.

THE TRAGEDY



Tragedy struck in the early hours of Tuesday when a street sweeper allegedly overheard the voice of a woman and her child crying for help inside the tunnel.

The development prompted local security operatives and residents to plunge into the tunnel and allegedly found the first suspect who was beaten and immediately set ablaze.

The presence of security operatives and fire fighters, however, deterred the residents and the fire was put off. But the suspect was not evacuated as he rolled on the floor, and declined to make any confession.

PREMIUM TIMES correspondent at the scene reports that many witnesses alleged that the suspect later said he would not confess because he could not be killed, a statement that infuriated the mob who finally set him ablaze for the second time and got him killed.

He bragged that he cannot die. Many of us used several objects on him and he didnt die. He swallowed a gourd and said he wont confess. We just had to do the needful, a member of the mob who declined to be identified told PREMIUM TIMES.

Two others allegedly arrested from the den were, however, lucky as they were rescued by security officials on ground. One of them was caught after he allegedly burst out of an exit around Zenith Bank premises. He allegedly confessed that that were about 25 more suspects underneath the tunnel. The other rescued suspect, who was wearing African wax material, popularly called Ankara, was allegedly found with charms and a calabash.

The third suspect arrested was a man believed to be mentally unstable who hung around the neighbourhood. But residents took him to security operatives, saying he might be kidnappers informant.

However, the atmosphere became tense when another suspect was caught after he allegedly ran out of the tunnel. Police and other security operatives were overpowered by the mob who declined to have him rescued like the other two, saying the police may compromise the matter.

He was eventually dragged to the spot where the first suspect was burnt to death and set ablaze by the jubilant mob.

SUSPECTED BUILDING

Meanwhile, windows and louvres of a building located on Ajasa Close, off the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, were vandalised by the mob who alleged that owners of the building were abbeting crime.

Trouble started when some of the residents traced a few incriminating materials to another abandoned building located beside the building. Some of the materials allegedly found in the abandoned building include female underwears, used condoms and calendars.

The mob later stormed the building with the intent of vandalising valuable items. Residents of the building later emerged to plead with the mob and the police prevented an attack on the residents.

This building is a suspect, the tunnel connects to this place and they might know about it, Ajayi, one of the angry crowd members told PREMIUM TIMES.

Owners of this building are not completely innocent. How would they not know about the materials found here. They must be probed by security officials, another resident told our correspondent in Yoruba.

Meanwhile, another resident, Jide Obadina, called on the government to conduct thorough search around the tunnel.

Government has the master plan of this tunnel. Let them come around to search it.

Other residents however claimed that officials of the local vigilante made several suspicious discoveries when they plunged into the tunnel

The vigilante people found several holes inside. They even said they heard sound of a generator and voices of people, Joju Kareem, a resident of the area, said.

But PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report that when the search of the tunnel was conducted by soldiers and local vigilante groups, no victim was found underneath.

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Protesters asking President Muhammadu Buhari to return to work or resign over 90 days after the ailing leader headed off to London for medical treatment have fired audacious warning at the executive arm of the government after the police attacked them on Tuesday.

The protesters, under the aegis of #OurMumuDonDo, started on Monday with a sit-out in Abuja, but faced police harassment on Tuesday, as they commenced their civic action.

An entertainer and rights activist, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charlie Boy, and Uyi Amadin, a security correspondent with Silverbird Television, as well as his cameraman, sustained injuries during the clampdown, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

The police action against the protesters followed the statement by Mr. Buharis spokesperson, Garba Shehu, asking Nigerians to ignore the protesters on Monday.

Similarly, on Tuesday, the Senate said the protests were unreasonable because Mr. Buhari had breached no law.

Mr. Buharis ailment remains undisclosed to Nigerians. His indefinite medical vacation is publicly funded and activists now demand the president, septuagenarian retired general, should return to work or resign.

In a statement after the police harassment Tuesday evening, Mr. Oputa said the protesters would not desist from demanding Mr. Buhari should either return to his duty or resign.

This was just as the group described the Senate as a monumental failure over the upper chambers failure to live up to its constitutional responsibilities by asking necessary questions on the whereabouts of Nigerias President.

I am disappointed in this country. But let it be known that no amount of intimidation on us by security agencies will deter us from demanding explanations from government, said Mr. Oputa.

They must be accountable to Nigerians because they were elected into power by us, and, on that basis that, they will account for their actions. We are tired of the back and forth stories from the Presidency on Buharis whereabouts.

Mr. Oputa then hit back at the Senate, which had earlier described as unreasonable the protesters demands.

He said: Also, to compound the mess Nigerians are in, it is disheartening for the Senate that ought to ask questions to be the very tones supporting such show of shame.

Indeed, the feeling out here based on their position is that they are nothing but Buharis errand boys. I guess the Senate is desperate to please the president. They have failed Nigerians when most needed.

He, however, called on Nigerians to speak up by asking for the presidents whereabouts, adding that not doing so could lead to the countrys undoing especially against the backdrop of heightening secessionist agitations presently threatening the unity of the country.

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Five hundred and forty Nigerians are set for deportation from Libya, beginning from Aug. 10, Julie Okah-Donli, Director-General, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons(NAPTIP), has said.

Mrs. Okah-Donli disclosed this on Wednesday in Osogbo, at the inauguration of the North-West Zonal Command Office of the agency.

She said the deportees would be brought back to Nigeria in three batches of 180 each.

The NAPTIP boss said more than 2,000 Nigerians were deported from various parts of the world from February till date, over various migration offences, including human trafficking.

Mrs. Okah-Doni disclosed that the agency had rescued and supported more than 12,000 victims of human trafficking, and also secured 325 convictions since its inception in 2003.

She decried the rising trend of deportation of Nigerians from different parts of the world, especially in Africa, and described the situation as frightening.

Such massive deportations are not good for us as a people. Government at all levels must take steps to halt it by initiating measures that will reduce the vulnerability of our people to being trafficked.

We must also strive to enlighten our people to resist the temptation to leave the country at all cost, she said.

Mrs. Okah-Donli, who described human trafficking as a modern day slavery, urged stern measures to end it.

She reaffirmed NAPTIPs commitment to implementing the Trafficking in Persons(Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act of 2015, and declared that there would be no sacred cows.

Mrs. Okah-Donli identified Osun, Ekiti and Ondo among the endemic states in trafficking in persons in Nigeria, saying all hands must be on deck to change the trend.

Nigeria is a source, transit and destination country. Women and young girls are recruited for sexual and labour exploitation in parts of Europe, the Middle East and even within the African continent.

This calls for concerted action by all as Nigerians cannot make meaningful progress in its human capital development index, with a sustained depletion of her young and brightest stars.

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security Matters, Tope Adejumo, promised that the state government would collaborate with the agency to minimise human trafficking.

In his remarks, a former governor of the state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who is also the royal ambassador of the agency, said he was ready to support the agency in its war against human trafficking.

Mr. Oyinlola urged the agency to take the campaign against human trafficking to the grassroots, using the native language as a means of communication.

(NAN)

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The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has called on African lawyers to help revive democracy in Nigeria, saying the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has used the police to destroy its foundation.

The governor also accused the police of promoting crime in Nigeria, saying, most of the kidnapping in the country are done by the police.

But the police promptly responded by describing the governors statement as deceitful.

Everybody knows the antics of Governor Wike, police spokesperson Jimoh Moshood told PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.

You people should disregard such statements. The Nigeria Police are not promoting any crime. In fact, we are fighting crime with all the resources at our disposal.

I want people to disregard such statement we have made a lot of progress in terms of fighting crime and criminality..

According to a press statement by the state government, Mr. Wike alleged that the APC was already laying the structures to rig the 2019 general elections through the promotion of indicted police officers.

He made the allegations at a state banquet he gave members of the African Bar Association at Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday night.

Mr. Wike said the police promoted Akin Fakorede, the Rivers State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) commander, whom he alleged was filmed at a collation centre rigging election and beating up electoral officials.

He said the police also promoted an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Steven Hasso, for his criminal role in the rigging of rerun elections on December 10, 2016.

They promised Nigerians change, but we are seeing nothing. The former President of Tanzania by his visit has done us much good by his presence in Nigeria. Through him, we will send a message to the world.

Democracy in Nigeria is gone. By 2019, nobody should talk about democracy. One Mr Akin Fakorede who was caught on video rigging election has been promoted. Stephen Hasso who was also a culprit in the rigging of elections has been promoted. Both of them are to be positioned in Rivers State for 2019 to help the APC rig elections.

But the police also dismissed the allegation concerning the promotions.

Mr. Moshood said the promotion of senior police officers is done by the Police Service Commission.

I am not aware of any promotion like that, he said.

Promotion is not done by the IGP of the Nigeria Police Force, it is done by the Police Service Commission. And to the best of my ability the commission has not released any list of promoted officers. Anything that has to do with promotion, the commission is in charge.

Speaking further, Mr. Wike claimed the APC has made it a policy to intimidate and destroy the judiciary.

He claimed that the situation has degenerated to the level that police had taken over the duty of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC by allegedly certifying election results for APC to use at tribunals.

The governor said that the police under the present dispensation has become a major stumbling block to the investment drive of the country as they deliberately generate insecurity.

The police is the one promoting crime in Nigeria. Most of the kidnapping in the country are done by the police. We cannot continue like this, enough is enough.

Efforts by our reporter to reach the APC spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, were unsuccessful as his phone was switched off at the time of filling this story.

In his remark at the banquet, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Onueze Okocha said Rivers is a peaceful state and always ready for investors.

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The Nigerian Army said it killed six terrorists in Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno during an operation to dislodge the remnant of Boko Haram insurgents in the state.

Sani Usman, the Director, Army Public Relations, in a statement in Maiduguri on Wednesday, disclosed that the insurgents were killed on Monday

Troops of 22 Brigade Dikwa under 7 Division of Operation LAFIA DOLE in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), ambushed suspected Boko Haram terrorists between Bulabirin and Mongole villages in the area.

During the encounter, the troops neutralised six terrorists, while several others sustained various degrees of injuries, the brigadier general said.

He explained that the troops recovered six bicycles, three dane guns and one machete from the insurgents.

He reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army to sustain the tempo and clear unrepentant Boko Haram insurgents from the shores of Nigeria.

(NAN)

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Bhopal prison stamped faces of children accompanied by their mother to distinguish from children of inmates.

By India Today Web Desk: In what can be called gross violation of human rights, two children who accompanied their mother to visit their father in Bhopal Central Jail had their faces stamped with an entry seal.

Faces of the children were reportedly stamped by the jail authorities in a bid to distinguish them from the children of the women inmates.

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It is also believed that the children were stamped as the authorities wanted to prevent them from entering the premises again.

The incident took place on Monday.

Following the incident the Madhya Pradesh human rights commission sought a report from the Director General of Prisons.

"We will investigate the matter and take action against officials responsible for the same," said Madhya Pradesh Jail Minister Kusum Mehdele.

Also Read:

Bhopal-Ujjain train blast: NIA files chargesheet against 4 men of ISIS' India module

Prison officials confirm VK Sasikala given special treatment, probe ordered

Also Watch: Exclusive: Exposing poor administration doesn't amount to criticising the govt, DIG Roopa to India Today

--- ENDS ---
The Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, on Wednesday said the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, lacks the integrity and moral ground to speak on good governance, saying he does not have record of such.

The governor was reacting to media reports that the APC national chairman advised him to write his handing over notes and start preparing to vacate office.

Mr. Obiano said such advice lacks democratic spirit behind it.

He, however, called on Nigerians, especially in his state to be vigilant and prepared against any evil plot by Oyegun-led APC to perpetrate rigging in the forthcoming election.

Anambra State will elect a new governor on November 18, with Mr. Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, seeking reelection.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communications, Oliver Okpala, the governor described the remarks credited to Mr. Oyegun as reckless.

He said it showed that the APC leader is a political misfit who should have taken a second look at his unpopularity of leading such a ruling party like APC.

This is a former governor who has no traceable achievement to his name as far as his tenure in Edo state is concerned. Apart from high level of thuggery, brigandage and insecurity, no one can recall any meaningful development recorded during Oyeguns government in Edo state.

It was also during his era that a very low level of governance was introduced to that state, a clear departure from the pragmatic and result-oriented leadership style of the likes of Professor Ambrose Ali and Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, both of blessed memory.

It was during Oyeguns tenure that the song of no money for projects became the regular cry in governance circle in Edo state. He could not think outside the box.

Many Nigerians still remember that Oyegun also won the unenviable record of the Governor during whose tenure Edo state recorded the lowest score in WAEC. The records are there for all to see! So what is a failed governor talking about when it comes to good governance?

Indeed Oyegun has no moral right to speak on issue of good governance in Anambra state or any part of the country. If what we practice is a democracy then the will and wish of the people should be respected.

He said Mr. Oyegun has mismanaged APC as a ruling party, claiming, many Nigerians also know how he emerged as National Chairman of the APC.

It was a clear case of political imposition which has left the party prostrate till date. As we speak, the APC under his watch cannot hold meetings of its crucial organs. No wonder its house is in disarray.

The statement recalled that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said there was lack of internal democracy in the countrys political party system with APC under Mr. Oyegun in view.

Mr. Okpala said the statement attributed to Mr. Abubakar was a pitiable scenario in APC.

What this clearly shows is that Oyegun is a virus in APC, as he has foisted his regime of lack of internal democracy on the party. No wonder the party is seriously bleeding today, suffering from constant defections, calamitous directionlessness, and crass incompetence. The implication is that the party is heading for doom if Oyegun is not quickly removed. No wonder, a prime founder and leader of APC Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his followers have since called for his removal.

It is this weak leadership style that he wants to import into Anambra state. After all what is his business with Anambra when he has not been able to put his own house in order?

Oyeguns declaration that his rudderless party would take over Anambra is also an unfortunate exposure of that undemocratic spirit and cancer that has befallen the APC. If what we practice is true democracy, where democracy is the government of the people for the people and by the people, Oyegun could not have made such an unguarded utterance.

His declaration that APC must take over Anambra is a signal that they are bent on forcefully overturning the will of the people who are the true custodians of democracy.

Sadly, this is not the first time APC chieftains are making such calamitous declarations. Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state had earlier said so when he inaugurated an illegal, thuggery gang which he says he would use to override the will of the electorate in Anambra- as if Anambra is now a battlefield.

Granted, as Oyegun said, Anambra is crucial to their plot of making inroads into the South-east, but must that be achieved through undemocratic means which often leads to bloodletting and mayhem?

The governors aide also recalled that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige had also made similar remarks, saying the implication of this is that the APC has contrived a grave plot to undermine the will of the Anambra electorate, to forcefully take over the governance of Anambra state.

Instead of working genuinely to win the love of the people of Anambra as required in a democratic setting, the APC leaders who know that Governor Obiano has performed creditably are rather working out sinister plots to unseat the Governor.

We have it on good authority that they have been working at various options including an attempt to foment insecurity in the state to pave way for a state of emergency as a prelude to their takeover. What this requires is that Anambra people and Nigerians in general, especially lovers of democracy and good governance, should be alert.

The naked truth is that if anything untoward happens in Anambra, the world should hold Oyegun responsible. Power is given by God and must not be sought for by killing and devilish orchestrations. A destructive means cannot bring about a constructive end.

Democracy is about the people, and its powers and legitimacy should flow from the ballot box, not the barrel of the gun, even as seemingly unattractive as that is. So Oyegun and the APC must accept that reality, and refrain from their evil plot to forcefully remove Governor Obiano from office come November 18 governorship election in Anambra state.

No doubt this statement, which we consider as coming from not just Chief Oyegun but from the ruling APC is a clear threat to Nigerias democracy and security in Anambra state.

It has again re- affirmed the undemocratic nature of many APC apostles and this is unfortunate for our nation especially at this critical point in our history when democratic tenets should be nurtured.

If unchecked, APCs negative political appetite would mean that the up coming elections and the inherent display of the power of choice by the electorate would all be an exercise in futility. For them , since they control the Federal government which is in charge of the crucial agencies such as INEC , the Police and other security agencies then their sinister motive would be easily achieved.

This is how low our democracy has sunk under Oyegun and his APC. It is indeed an unfortunate event and a clear threat to our hard earned democracy which so many Nigerians fought hard to achieve. But the truth is that their evil plans would surely fail as God and the good people of Anambra are solidly behind Governor Willie Obiano.

Efforts made to get the reaction of the APC to the governors remarks were not successful as the partys spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, did not pick several calls to his phone or respond to a text message.

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Some governors of northern states on Tuesday paid a visit to the war-ravaged Borno State where they donated N360 million towards addressing the humanitarian challenges in the state.

Governors Aminu Masari of Katsina, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto and Bindow Jibrilla of Adamawa arrived Maiduguri on a chartered flight to make the donation.

The four governors, who represented other governors of the 19 northern states presented cheques of N20 million each, on behalf of 18 of them to Governor Kashim Shettima.

The Borno State Governor is the chairman of the northern governors forum, and was not part of the donation.

While in Maiduguri, the governors visited one of the internally displaced persons camps and later paid a courtesy call on Mr. Shettima.

Mr. Masari, who led the delegation, spoke on their behalf.

He said they were in the state on behalf of other governors in the north to commiserate with Mr. Shettima and the people of Borno State over resurgence of Boko Haram attacks especially the killing and abduction of oil prospectors and many other innocent citizens.

At our last meeting of the Northern Governors, it was resolved that a committee was set up to visit Borno. We were nominated as members of the committee.

We are here to show sympathy to the good people of Borno and in solidarity with our brother, Governor Kashim Shettima. We are solidly behind him and we stand by him at this trying time.

We have also resolved to be more united than ever before. What affects any of us, affects all. Each of the 18 northern states is donating N20m totalling N360 million. Some have already issued cheques while others are sending theirs soon.

We will stand in solidarity with each other and we will do everything humanly possible to ensure that this kind of crisis that affected the northeast does not affect any other part of the north and by extension the country, Mr. Masari said.

Mr. Shettima said his colleagues support has always motivated him to carry on despite the challenge.

As your brother and colleague in this State, one of the things that has kept me strong despite the calamity of Boko Haram, is the genuine empathy and encouragement I constantly receive from all of you.

Most governors have solidly identified with us even when Borno suffered its most severe neglect between 2011 and 2014. It was at this period that Boko Haram took over most of our local government areas after very audacious and bloody attacks. They killed thousands, destroyed communities, abducted and raped our sisters and daughters.

They destroyed nearly one million residential houses; destroyed over five thousand classrooms and other school buildings. They destroyed over 200 healthcare centres. They bombed water and electricity installations. They set large scale farms ablaze, blocked major economic highways like the Ngala road connecting Nigeria with five countries. Wealthy traders and international transporters lost their trailers and became poor overnight.

The insurgents kept on launching suicide attacks on the Maiduguri Monday Market in order to cut off economic activities in the state. They mounted pressure on the state so much that our local economy was only charged anytime salaries were paid to workers at the state level and at the University of Maiduguri which is the second largest employer in Borno. Traders were terribly affected to the extent that we had to resort to giving some sort of bailout to some of them.

Shocking as this may sound, throughout that darkest period of large scale killings and destructions, the total support we got from the federal government was a paltry two hundred million naira. This came at time the state government was spending N600 million monthly to feed about two million internally displaced persons.

At that time, the international community didnt quite appreciate the humanitarian situation in the northeast. Most of the UN agencies and international partners started making major food interventions in 2016. It was actually the unfortunate Chibok abduction of April 2014 that began to attract focus on Borno. But like I always say, going through difficult times is not the worst thing in life. The worst is to be hopeless in the face of difficulty, Mr. Shettima said.

Also on Tuesday, Mr. Shettima said the $1 million worth of food donation made by the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to persons displaced by Boko Haram, will not be diverted by local officials.

Mr. Shettima said the safety of the 22,600 metric tonnes of food grains donated by ECOWAS is guaranteed under the watch of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA.

In the past, cases of food diversion by local officials and IDP camp managers were reported.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how local officials were caught on video re-bagging food meant for IDPs with the intent of taking them for sale in the open market.

Some culprits who were caught trying to sell IDP food were arraigned and later jailed for committing the crime.

ECOWAS delivered the food at NEMAs zonal store in Maiduguri.

Speaking before taking delivery of the food supply, on behalf of the north-east states, Mr. Shettima commended ECOWAS for the intervention which he said was one of the largest coming from outside the country.

We assure you that this food will get to the right persons, and I must commend NEMA for the good job it has been doing especially by ensuring that the right people get the food and supplies meant for them. So far, there hasnt been any case of diversion of food meant for IDPs under the watch of NEMA, he said.

Earlier, the Acting Director of Humanitarian Affairs of ECOWAS, Florence Iheme, who stood in for the organisations President, Marcel de Souza, said the commission was concerned by the persisting attacks on defenceless population.

She said ECOWAS was in full support of the efforts of government to rid Nigeria of the menace of Boko Haram and will continue to do all within its frameworks for humanitarian intervention to assist our population of concern in West Africa.

Mrs. Iheme said the decision by ECOWAS to deliver food items worth $1 million was made late last year when the organisations president visited Maiduguri.

She said the $1 million worth of food supply was an addition to $400,000 and $300,000 already disbursed to the international Federation of the Red Cross and the UNHCR respectively for response to the needs of IDPs and the affected communities in the north-east as well as the Nigerian refugees in the neighbouring African countries.

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At least 56, 000 children orphaned by the Boko Haram insurgency have been registered for enrollment in 20 mega schools the Borno State government is building, officials have said.

The government said the children would remain under its care even after other displaced persons might have returned to their communities.

The state Commissioner for Education, Musa Kubo, disclosed this on Wednesday at a press briefing organised to mark the Press Week of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state.

Mr. Kubo said the 56, 000 children who lost their parents due to Boko Haram insurgency were those who have so far been registered, adding that the number could rise.

He said the kids would be enrolled in the 20 mega schools that are currently being built in safe locations across the state.

Each of the mega schools is going to accommodate a minimum of 2000 pupils, said the commissioner.

Mr. Kubo, who is a retired educationist, lamented that education of children in the state was disrupted in April 2014 when Boko Haram gunmen turned their attacks on public schools.

He said the schools were not reopened for two years until 2016, by which time most of the educational infrastructures in the state, including 28 senior secondary schools, had been destroyed by the insurgents.

Mr Kubo, who is also a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, said the state government had to immediately embark on massive reconstruction of schools, especially in safe locations. He said new ones like the mega schools are also being built to cater for the orphans who may not be able to return to their ancestral communities.

As part of the plan to revive education in the state, the commissioner disclosed that the state government has concluded arrangement for conditional cash transfers for parents who enroll their wards in schools.

Any parent, especially those in remote countrysides who willingly enroll their children in school, would be paid a certain amount of money as encouragement. And a parent that enrolled a girls child gets higher payment than those who enroll boys, he said.

We have taken full responsibility for the education of the orphans; for if we fail to care and educate them, they will certainly become the dreaded Frankenstein monster that rise tomorrow to consume us all  it could even be worse that Boko Haram.

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The National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has named seven aspirants who have obtained the partys nomination and expression of interest forms for the Anambra governorship election scheduled for November 28.

The list of the seven aspirants includes controversial businessman and Managing Director, Capital Oil and Gas, Ifeanyi Ubah, and a former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah.

Others are former Miss Nigeria and former member of House of Representatives, Lynda Ikpeazu, Alex Obiogolu, Oseloka Obaze, Okechukwu Emeka, Akolisa Ufodike.

Dayo Adeyeye, the National Publicity Secretary, PDP National Caretaker Committee, made this known at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mr. Adeyeye recalled that the party had on July 27 dissolved all the parallel PDP executives in Anambra.

The two big guns in the list, Mr. Ubah and Ms. Oduah are being probed for alleged sharp practices.

The Department of State Services, DSS arrested Mr. Ubah in May over his alleged role in the alleged theft of petrol kept in his tank farm in Lagos by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. The product, it said, was valued at over N11 billion. The agency said Mr. Ubahs action amounted to economic sabotage, with capacity to negatively impact on national economy.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the petrol was stored in Capital Oils tank farm by the state oil firm, NNPC. Capital oil eventually sold the petrol without the permission of the NNPC leading to eventual arrest of Mr. Ubah who was later released by the SSS.

The businessman, however, denied any wrongdoing, saying he was also being owed billions by the NNPC.

Ms. Oduah, much more earlier in 2013, landed in troubled waters over the purchase of two armoured BMW vehicles for N255 million by an agency under her supervision when she was aviation minister.

Reacting to the allegation more recently, the former minister said she is unaware of any probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of the scandal.

Ms. Oduah told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday that there was no basis upon which she could be probed.

Whoever emerges the PDP candidate is expected to slug it out with the governing APGA party in Anambra as well as other political parties for the governorship election.

In a related development, the PDP national chairman, Ahmed Makarfi, has warned that the party would no longer condone any act of indiscipline from members.

Mr. Makarfi gave the warning while inaugurating a 37-member Caretaker Committee for the Anambra chapter of the party on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that the partys leadership was already witnessing some form of indiscipline from some members, and warned that any undisciplined act would be sanctioned promptly.

Anybody that transgresses and thinks he can act the way he wants will be dealt with. We will no longer allow the party to be abused, Makarfi said.

He stated that the inauguration of the Anambra caretaker committee for the party was important after the dissolution of the hitherto parallel executive committees in the state.

According to him, the inauguration of the new committee is important as the party prepares for Anambra governorship election.

Anybody that transgresses and thinks he can act the way he wants will be dealt with. We will no longer allow the party to be abused, Makarfi said.

He stated that the inauguration of the Anambra caretaker committee for the party was important after the dissolution of the hitherto parallel executive committees in the state.

According to him, the inauguration of the new committee is important as the party prepares for Anambra governorship election.

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Police and other security operatives on Wednesday barricaded the entrance of Ajasa Street, Obadeyi area of Ijaiye-Ojokoro end of the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway where the infamous kidnappers den was uncovered Tuesday.

PREMIUM TIMES correspondent at the scene Wednesday morning said the street was put under surveillance by officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Watch, the Nigeria Police and other paramilitary agencies.

Similarly, the shopping complex where the suspected kidnappers were burnt alive Tuesday was completely deserted, as the shops remained under lock.

PREMIUM TIMES had on Tuesday reported the incident which led to the death of two suspects burnt alive by an angry mob.

A building on Ajasa Street, believed to be the hideout of the alleged kidnappers, was also invaded Tuesday by the mob and police officials.

Our correspondent at the scene Wednesday morning reports that the street had been barricaded and officials of several security outfits were seen parading the different exits around the tunnel.

A resident who craved anonymity said residents of the area now live in fear as they do not know what would be the outcome of police investigations.

Everyone is afraid as I speak. We could barely sleep through the night. We hope they will get to the bottom of this crisis, he said.

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A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has thrown his weight behind the Lagos State government over the lingering dispute with the federal government on the control of inland waterways.

Mr. Falana said in a statement on Tuesday that the July 18 decision of the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal clearly vested on the state government the power to control the intra-inland waterways.

The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, last month, delivered a judgment in the case of Lagos State Waterways Authority & Ors. v. The Incorporated Trustees of Association of Tourist Boat Operators & Water Transportation in Nigeria.

In the leading judgment of the court, Justice Hussein Mukhtar held that: Item 64 is couched in no narrower scope as it deals with water from such sources declared by the National Assembly to be sources affecting more than one State. The inland waterways within Lagos State are not and cannot by any stretch of interpretation be covered by any item on the Exclusive Legislative List under Part 1 to the Second Schedule of the Constitution and I so hold

The glaring absence of the Lagos State intra-waterways in the Exclusive Legislative List under Part 1 as well as the Concurrent Legislative List under Part 2 of the Second Schedule to the Constitution, means that it is automatically a residuary item that falls within the legislative competence of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Mr. Falana said the judgment was unambiguous in upholding the constitutional right of the Lagos State House of Assembly to make laws in respect of the intra-inland waterways in Lagos State.

Accordingly, the federal government lacks the power to authorise dredgers to mine any resources in the intra-inland waterways in Lagos State, said Mr. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

The Lagos State government and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), a federal government agency, have been embroiled in a dispute over the control of the waterways in Lagos.

Following the Court of Appeals decision, the state government issued a seven-day ultimatum to boat operators, dredgers and stakeholders in the inland waterways sector to comply with its laws, rules and guidelines concerning their operations or face stiff sanctions.

But Mohammed Abass, a permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, responded by directing its licensed dredgers in the state to go about their businesses without hindrance by the government while its legal officers study the appellate courts judgment.

Earlier, the NIWA had maintained that the court only gave the Lagos State government power to legislate on intra-state waterways, which are waterways that originate and end within the state.

Mr. Falana described Mr. Abasss directive to the dredgers as a demonstration of brazen impunity.

In the light of the constitutional duty imposed on the Buhari Administration to operate under the rule of law, we urge the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami SAN and the Honourable Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi to call Mr. Mohammed Abass to order without any further delay, he said.



While commending the Court of Appeal for the historic judgment, we urge the Lagos State government and other state governments to continue to challenge the constitutional validity of all decrees enacted by the defunct military junta which have turned Nigeria into a unitary state.

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Minister Krzysztof Szczerski

The revealed recordings of a conversation between the then Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and the then PKN Orlen oil company CEO Jacek Krawiec do not reflect the attitude of Poland's present authorities towards Lithuania", Polish President's top aide Krzysztof Szczerski said.

Minister Krzysztof Szczerski stressed that his visit to Vilnius on Aug. 23 "will focus on Polish-Lithuanian bilateral relations".

"I am going there as a representative of the Polish President for the observances of the 78th anniversary of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact (signed by the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany in August 1939 - PAP). And I will also hold political consultations at the Lithuanian President's Office", Minister Szczerski said.
A.C., county will share services to save money

{child_byline}VINCENT JACKSON

Staff Writer

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NORTHFIELD  The Atlantic County Freeholders unanimously approved Tuesday three shared-services agreements with Atlantic City that will save the resort more than $1 million and generate close to that amount for the county.

The county entered shared-services agreements with the city for transportation services for seniors and the permanently disabled, for home-delivered meals and for public health services such as flu clinics.

Atlantic City budgeted $2 million for services that the county will provide to it for $936,431, said Frank Formica, the freeholder board chairman.

These three resolutions are the direct result of the state of New Jersey meeting with the (county) administration and other representatives, elected officials a couple of years ago to be partners in the rescue of Atlantic Citys financial situation, Formica said.

Before the freeholders voted, Vice Chairman John W. Risley Jr. said the county is protected because the amount of money received from the city through the five-year, shared-services agreements increases 2 percent each year. All three agreements start Oct. 1.

City employees, who have been doing the jobs covered by the shared-services agreement, already have been interviewed once and will be interviewed a second time to see if they will be hired by the county, county Administrator Jerry DelRosso said after the meeting.

After the shared-services agreements were approved, Formica said that during the negotiations for the countys take of the payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, in Atlantic City, the media reported the county was supposed to receive 13.5 percent of the $120 million PILOT.

It was reported in the press that officials from the DCA and other officials in the state said the reason we are not going to get that (the 13.5 percent) is because we did not provide shared services and help the city of Atlantic City, Formica said.

The freeholders questioned the states Department of Community Affairs and the state asked what they wanted the county to do, Formica said.

In a meeting 18 months ago, the county put on the table the three resolutions that were approved Tuesday and other services, including the temporary acquisition and funding of the Atlantic City Utilities Authority.

When we asked what you wanted us to do, they were mute, Formica said.

OK, so here is your notice, state: We are doing something, Formica said. Let us know when you are ready to keep up your (end of the) deal.

In other business, freeholders approved professional service agreements with various medical providers to establish a pool of medical services to inmates at the Atlantic County jail for an amount not to exceed $700,000.

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Chandrasekhar said he would ask Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi to conduct a study "at the earliest."

By Arpan Rai: BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar has decided to approach Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi to point out how India lacks substantial data on child sexual abuse, further diluting the approach required to tackle increasing sexual crimes against children.

"The last study by the government on child abuse was conducted a decade ago with a sample size of roughly 52,000. We need accurate data to assess the reality in 2017," said Chandrasekhar, who will present recommendations to combat child sexual abuse this week.

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"I will ask the minister to conduct a study at the earliest," the MP told MAIL TODAY.

SHOCKING TRUTHS

The 2007 survey published as 'Study on Child Abuse: India 2007' brought out some shocking facts about children with different backgrounds and situations.

While out of the children surveyed, 52.9 per cent were boys and 47.06 per cent girls, 21.90 per cent of them said to have faced severe sexual abuse.

"Unfortunately, POSCO Act has not been able to bring down the crime rates against the children," read the report.

An absence of specific provisions to deal with sexual abuse by parents or teachers has been observed.

Chandrasekhar has recommended the creation of a unique 'sex-offender's registry' in POSCO as well.

Chandrasekhar, in constitution with National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and women's rights lawyer Flavia Agnes, has formed a coalition to make recommendations to the existing POCSO Act, 2012.

ALSO READ

Sexual abuse of children growing in country: Kailash Satyarthi

Akshay Kumar reveals he was abused as a child

Kerala priest arrested for sexually abusing minor boys

--- ENDS ---
Jim Barnabei moves fast. When he was offered to take over the space of the former Fuze Restaurant & Lounge that closed in Avalon this spring, he didnt hesitate.

Within a matter of a few short weeks, Barnabei relocated his long-standing Wildwood Crest restaurant Marie Nicoles Grill to that Avalon location. And in that same time frame, he opened the new DeNinnos Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar in the former Marie Nicoles spot.

Opportunities to own a property in Avalon with a liquor license are few and far between  the last time it happened was 28 years ago with the Concord Cafe, says Barnabei of when he opened his first restaurant in Avalon. I jumped at the chance.

But Barnabeis real reason for moving Marie Nicoles to Avalon? He simply wanted a bigger space to make people happy.

An Italian renaissance in Wildwood Crest

Barnabei always wanted an Italian restaurant. In fact, Marie Nicoles was originally slated to be just that, but it morphed into something quite different to give Cape May restaurants a little friendly competition.

Fifteen years ago my family and friends and I would go out to dinner in the Wildwoods  it was all Italian, he says. So Marie Nicoles became more classic American upscale fare. What was the sense of (people) driving to Cape May?

No cosmetic changes were made to the former Marie Nicoles building, which helped ensure an easy entry for the DeNinnos concept. For a smooth transition in the kitchen, Barnabei employed the help of long-time Marie Nicoles Chef Gus Zimmerman  whom he brought along to Avalon  and his daughter and general manager Jamie DelMonte to design the new Italian menu and train the staff that included DeNinnos Chef Ivan Medina  all within that three-week span when Marie Nicoles moved to Avalon and DeNinnos opened in the Crest.

It was a deliberate move on Barnabeis part to lower the prices for DeNinnos, as well as give his new place a more family-friendly feel.

Atlantic City Country Club blends past glory, modern innovation To enhance its future, Atlantic City Country Club spent $5 million upgrading ballrooms, deck

We wanted to lower the price point  there are lots of families vacationing here, and theyre price-conscious, Barnabei says. (And) thats the tricky part  making it affordable and good.

Barnabei should absolve himself of his worries on both  particularly the latter. DeNinnos is good. Excellent, in fact.

Mangia

Already-popular items from an outstanding menu  where each entree comes with a house salad  include two different bone-in chickens: Milanese ($23.99) with a delicate lemon vinaigrette, and parmesan ($21.99) with a side of linguini.

The other white meat served here is the delectable grilled pork chop ($20.99) with a sage and walnut pesto, potatoes and zucchini. Seafood lovers will delight in the crab-stuffed Sicilian fluke ($23.99) with parmesan bread crumbs, roasted rosemary potatoes and sauteed green beans.

Naturally, the menu is also inclusive of pasta dishes, like rigatoni Bolognese ($17.99) made with ground beef, pork and veal; crab ravioli with shrimp ($24.99) in a blush sauce; and tortelloni pesto with sausage ($19.99).

If youre not in the mood for a full meal, DeNinnos also serves pizzas like the Arugula ($15.99), a white pie with arugula salad, prosciutto, tomato, parmesan, red onion and lemon vinaigrette, or the Soppressata ($13.99), a different take on a classic pepperoni pie. And youd better be really hungry if you order a hamburger here. The Uncle Tonys burger ($13.99) is made of premium blended beef and topped with crispy prosciutto, sharp provolone, arugula, pesto mayo and served with a side rosemary fries  for which youll want to request a side of Aunt Tree  a flavorful pomodoro sauce for dipping your fries.

Nightly specials and happy hour

Each night of the week hosts its own food or drink special. Examples include homemade lasagna on Sundays ($17.99), lobster and shrimp risotto on Saturdays ($29.99) and select bottles of wine for $15 on Wednesdays and Mondays, the latter of which is also Margherita pizza night ($7.99).

Happy hour runs from 5 to 7 p.m. nightly at the bar. Drink specials include house wines ($5), $2 off craft beers and house martinis ($6), with appetizer offerings such as fried calamari ($8 for happy hour, $11.99 regular menu) and the meat and cheese board accompanied by crostini and a tasty olive tapenade ($8 at happy hour, $13.99 regular menu).

Turning the tables in Avalon

Its kind of funny, when we first went to the Avalon/Stone Harbor area (with Concord Cafe), all the restaurants were fine-dining, jacket-only  we were the only casual dining spot around, Barnabei recalls. The tables have turned. Lots of places today are going more casual. Its funny that were going back (now) with Marie Nicoles.

That said, Barnabei refuses to use the term fine dining when describing Marie Nicoles.

Were at the shore. The shore is more casual  you cant do fine dining, he says. You want guests to be comfortable. So you dont want to seem too pretentious.

Thats why Marie Nicoles still offers burgers and flatbreads, early-bird specials for $25 and prix-fixe dinners ($35) that you can order any time.

A lot on his plate

Now with a total of four restaurants  Concord Cafe and Marie Nicoles in Avalon, the California-cool North End American Grill in North Wildwood and the brand-new DeNinnos in Wildwood Crest, Barnabei hints that he might be ready for the next chapter, which he refers to as, the hand-off to the kids.

But before making any permanent career decisions, for now Barnabei still relishes the restaurant business and, in what free time he has, enjoys playing with his two 5-month-old Portuguese Water Dog puppies, Major and Simone.

Two new puppies with a new restaurant, he laughs. A lot has happened in a short time. But its worked out.
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CAMDEN  A federal judge Wednesday concluded a daylong hearing on a controversial Margate dune project without a decision but promised to rule as quickly as possible.

U.S. District Court Judge Renee Bumb concluded the hearing shortly before 7 p.m., wrapping up a day of testimony from both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as city lifeguards.

The Army Corps asked Bumb to allow it to resume its beach-replenishment project at the shore, a project a state judge ordered shut down last week after a nearly 10-block-long lake of standing water formed at the protective dunes following a deluge.

City lifeguards told the judge they developed rashes after walking through the water.

But Army Corps Project Manager Keith Watson said the ponding behind the dune was not unexpected. The area behind the dune was designed to hold stormwater, Watson said, but it should percolate within 24 to 36 hours.

Andrew Schwaiger, the Army Corps chief engineer said the ponding that occurred following the heavy rainfall was made worse by the project, which requires massive amounts of water to create the slurry of sand that builds the beaches there.

Once construction is completed, the water table will lower and ponding shouldnt be as extreme, Schwaiger said.

Schwaiger said it could take several months to return to pre-construction levels.

Sea Isle City had ponding problems during a beach project, but residents didnt complain, he said.

Margate Business Association President Ed Berger testified that the ponding issue severely affected businesses that have only three months to profit for the year.

People are simply not coming to Margate, he said.

Margate Mayor Michael Becker said the city has been effectively managing its drainage problems for the 49 years he has lived there. He said he hasnt been able to go to the beach because it upsets him to see what the Army Corps has done to it.

The citys environmental engineering expert also testified bacteria levels in the pounded water were 37 times acceptable levels.

Bumb, in concluding the day, said she would take testimony under advisement and rule as expeditiously as possible.

After court ended, resident and 9600 Condominium manager Sharon Ianoale said she was worried the Army Corps would win its appeal.

I dont think we will have an adequate remedy, Ianaole said. We dont know what will happen when the project is completed. The city will be viewed negatively when people pick their vacation spot.
An Atlantic County grand jury has indicted a Pennsylvania man on six counts including child luring and criminal sexual contact, Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced Wednesday.

Dean Leon, 48, of Enola, Pennsylvania, was arrested March 31 in Somers Point and charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault and possession of child pornography.

Leon had arranged to meet a 14-year-old girl at the Somers Point Library with the intent to start a relationship, authorities said. Police were notified a man involved in an online relationship with a child was driving from Pennsylvania to meet the girl, the Prosecutors Office said in a statement.

Investigators from Somers Point police and the prosecutors Computer Crimes Unit discovered sexually explicit images and videos of the victim and others on Leons phone and social media accounts, authorities said.

Leon was indicted on charges of attempting to lure or entice a child by various means, endangering the welfare of a child with sexual contact, endangering the welfare of a child with possession of child pornography, distribution of obscene material to a minor, criminal sexual contact, and endangering the welfare of a child by permitting a child to engage in pornography.

Leon is held in the Atlantic County jail.
Fishermens wants BPU to revisit wind project

Regarding the July 30 editorial, Offshore wind energys future is major farms, not failed A.C project:

August marks the seventh anniversary of the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act (OWEDA) and the 10th anniversary of the founding of Fishermens Energy.

The Governors 2007 Blue Ribbon Panel and OWEDA both recommended a pilot project, with OWEDA calling for a small project off the coast of Atlantic City, providing a net benefit to New Jersey, a competitive price and financial integrity. Fishermens proposed a locally owned, fully permitted project to allow a made in America demonstration project to evaluate the impacts and benefits of offshore wind development.

Fishermens revised price was low enough to garner the support of the state Division of Rate Counsel. Despite this support and a finding of $30 million in net benefits, the Atlantic City Windfarm was denied by the state Board of Public Utilities.

The project remains the only fully permitted offshore project off New Jersey and would be the nations second such project behind Deepwater Winds Block Island wind farm. The Atlantic City project has political, environmental and labor support; it needs the Governors Office and the BPU to be willing to revisit a new submission with proven turbines, western financing and competitive pricing to proceed.

None of the larger projects can be built as quickly, and none should be built until the impacts and benefits have been analyzed based on the construction and operation of a pilot scale demonstration project.

Paul J. Gallagher Sr.

Linwood

Alternate views of events

After President Obama, the integrity of the Nobel Peace Prize was reclaimed by a teenage Pakistani school girl, Malala Yousafzai. Now, after Obamas Profile in Courage Award, I wonder who will reclaim the integrity of that award.

Vladimir Putin and Melania Trump both can speak German. Both were born under Communism and one converted to democracy. They sat side by side at the G20 banquet. Oh, to know what was said.

There is a cry over North Koreas ICBM launch, in and of itself a frightening development, but watching the rocket after clearing the launch debris is a majestic sight, rising on a smokeless, translucent flame, a propellant formula we could certainly use.

Robert J. Caroccio Sr.

Ocean City
Jat fell unconscious during a meeting chaired by party national president Amit Shah in Jaipur on July 22.

By Himanshu Mishra: Sanwar Lal Jat, the BJP MP from Ajmer, has died.

Last month, the former Union Minister lost consciousness during a meeting chaired by party chief Amit Shah in Jaipur.

Jat was initially rushed to Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, and later admitted at AIIMS, Delhi.

He had served as Minister of State for Water Resources in the Narendra Modi government.

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(More inputs are waited)

ALSO READ

Rajasthan: BJP MP Sanwar Lal Jat critical after falling unconscious during Amit Shah's event

Sanwar Lal Jat, a Raje confidante, makes it to Team Modi

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An unidentified car hit French soldiers today in Paris prompting the launch of a hunt.

By Reuters: French soldiers were hit and injured by a vehicle in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret, Paris police authorities said on Wednesday, adding that a security operation was underway in the area.

"Police intervention is underway. Search underway for vehicle," the Paris police department said in a tweet.

Six soldiers were hurt, four of them lightly and two more seriously, a police department official added in response to a query from Reuters.

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(More details awaited)

--- ENDS ---
Vikas Barala who is accused of stalking Varnika Kundu has been issued a summons by police. However, Barala snubbed the summons.

By India Today Web Desk: Chandigarh stalking main accused Vikas Barala who is accused of stalking and attempting to abduct 29-year-old Varnika Kundu, today refused to accept a summons issued by the Chandigarh Police.

The summons was issued on Tuesday late evening. However, after Vikas son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala refused to accept it, the police went ahead and pasted it on the gate of his residence.

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Moreover, his family in Sector 7, Chandigarh too refused to accept the summons from the police.

Meanwhile, Subhash has requested the Chandigarh Police to give time to his son Vikas and his aide Ashish.

Subhash said that the notice was received early morning today, hence, they needed some time.

While the Varnika Kundu stalking case has been the centre of media glare for the last couple of days, the incident is also likely to be raised in Rajya Sabha today.

Following the incident, the Chandigarh Police came under fire over allegations of lapse in probe. However, the police later said that they were unbiased and were investigating the case with an open mind.

Police summons to Vikas Barala

After the incident, Vikas Barala has not come forward, however, his father Subhash Barala on Tuesday said that there was no pressure or efforts to influence the police.

He even went on to say that Varnika was like his daughter.

Vikas was arrested after Varnika filed a complaint with the police.

Meanwhile, sources informed India Today that Chandigarh Police failed to collect blood and urine samples of Vikas Barala and his friend.

Also Read:

Police flip-flop in Varnika Kundu stalking case

Chandigarh stalking: After SC lawyer, BJP spokesperson Shaina NC shares photo to spread fake narrative

Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala's son held on charges of harassment, stalking

WATCH : Chandigarh woman stalked by Haryana BJP chief's son narrates ordeal to India Today

--- ENDS ---
Rather than taking Barala in an ordinary vehicle, the local police took him to the hospital in a blue beacon-fitted vehicle while other accused was taken in a Scorpio sans a blue beacon.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Chandigarh Police continues to face flak for the alleged VVIP treatment meted out to the stalking accused Vikas Barala, the son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala, who was finally arrested today along with Ashish Kumar in the high profile stalking case.

Barala came in Endeavour vehicle at 2.30pm and was questioned for nearly three hours. After the probe, rather than taking Barala in an ordinary vehicle, the local police took him to the hospital in a blue beacon-fitted vehicle (CH01GA6060) while the other accused Ashish Kumar was moved in a Scorpio sans a blue beacon.

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This is the second time when the police offered special treatment to the stalking accused. Earlier in the police custody, the accused were offered cold coffee besides providing other amenities.

The accused were arrested after they were charged with IPC Sections 365 and 511 (kidnapping, punishment for attempting to commit offences), police officials told India Today.

Giving details about the arrest, Director General of Chandigarh Police ,Tajender Singh Luthra said the accused were asked to join the investigation which resulted in their arrest.

"I have some points which I want to share with you. As you know that we have called both the accused for an interrogation. This was quite a long interrogation. A number of things which will help the investigation have come to light. In the light of the facts which came to the light during today's and earlier investigation we have decided to add two more charges .One is attempt to abduction which will attract two sections i.e. section 365 and 511.Besides this, we have also decided to arrest both the accused. Both these accused will be presented in the court tomorrow. We will request the court to get their police remand as the accused are required to be confronted with many facts. We will also take them to the route to recreate the scene of crime which will confirm a number of facts."

Luthra also clarified that there was no political pressure on the police which was working professionally, objectively and independently. He said the new charges were added on the basis of the legal advice and the evidences.

"The charges are being added after taking the legal advice besides taking into consideration the evidence in form of CCTV footage , statement of witnesses and map of the route," Luthra said.

The DGP, however, refused to share more details about the case saying revealing minute details may harm the investigation.

"There are many things of investigation which I will not share with you as it will affect the investigation. So far, we have come to the conclusion that we will add two fresh charges against them, will arrest them and will produce them in the court . I am only sharing important conclusions and the intricate details are not being shared though it may interest you being a professional journalist but I will refrain from divulging the minute details," Luthra said.ALSO READ:

Chandigarh stalking case: Police recovers footage from 5 CCTV cameras

Chandigarh stalking: Why was she out so late, asks BJP leader

Chandigarh stalking: Before granting bail, police dropped charges against Vikas Barala

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ALSO WATCH:

--- ENDS ---
(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/543591/Agrytech_startup_finalists.jpg )



The 17 startups went through a 2-month Bootcamp where they learned different business methodologies and connected with business and sector experts. This has allowed them to apply their knowledge on validating their business model, test potential users and market interest, and define their minimum viable product. A grant of $3300 was given to each team to be able to cover costs related to the validation process.

The startups have presented their final pitches to a jury of experts and executives in the entrepreneurship, technology, investment and agri-food sectors on July 10th, preceding Demo Day where only 11 have been advanced to phase 2 of the program including a 4-month acceleration period with $16,000 in support grants. These 11 teams earned the opportunity to pitch in front of the grand audience on Demo Day while the entire participants of this first cohort were part of a networking session afterwards.

In his speech, Mr. Han-Maurits Schaapveld a.i., Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Netherlands reiterated, "By bringing great minds together you will be able to create state of the art innovations and technologies to solve local & regional problems, like water scarcity and mismanagement. Who best can do it other than the locals who know better than anyone else what the problems are and what the local context is."

Maroun N. Chammas, Chairman & CEO of Berytech, highlighted: "The Agrytech Program aims to support startups in scaling their activities and accessing international markets; an objective that lines with the support of the Lebanese resilience to grow the economy. This objective also lines with Berytech's mission for the last 15 years to support, grow and fund innovative entrepreneurs."

Ramy Boujawdeh, Deputy GM of Berytech and program Director of Agrytech, highlighted that the road is continuing and several activities will take place during the coming 6 months to connect the engineers and computer scientists to the sector challenges through a series of round tables, Hackathon and Ideathon events to help bridge the problem-solvers with end-users and help elevate the support service to a sector that is crucial to the Food security, economic and sustainable development of Lebanon and the region. Preparations for Batch 2 will start early 2018.

Business ideas in the Agrytech Accelerator tackle agri-food challenges with varied methods of intervention: 209 Lebanese Wine is an online market place for Lebanese wines, ADTech generates electrical energy from biodegradable waste, AgriHub is an online platform for Lebanese farmers, Agrysense is a platform for precision farming, L'atelier du miel is bridging gaps between honey producers and consumers, Drone Tech is streamlining pest control practices, EasyReady Hummus is creating a fresh hummus dispenser, Fresh Express is an online platform connecting packers to retailers, Lifelab Biodesign is providing the world's smallest hydroponic modules, Makanat is a platform connecting the public to production facilities, Meka-Prep is automating the manoushe making process, Mothers Cooking is an online platform that connects the public to home cooked food, SmartGourmet is making ready-to-eat sous-vide food, Starchy has innovated a bio coating for fruits, Souk Baladi is a platform that connects farmers to consumers, Mountain Bite is an online marketplace connecting rural to urban and Na7le is innovating the collection of bee venom.

The Agrytech Accelerator is headquartered in Berytech Technology Pole located inside the Campus of Sciences and Technology of the St Joseph University (ESIB), in Mar Roukoz, Mkalles, Beirut. The 11 teams will compete for phase 3 of this one-year program where up to 8 teams will receive 6 months of incubation and growth and $22,000 in Matching Grants.

The Agrytech Program (http://www.agrytech.org) is an initiative jointly funded by the Kingdom of The Netherlands and Berytech, which aims to develop startups with technology-based innovations in the agriculture and agro-food sectors.

For more information, contact: info@agrytech.org

Main Organizers:

Berytech: Founded in 2001, Berytech is a leading organization in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Lebanon developing startups and SMEs through incubation, business support, networking, mentoring, funding, access to markets, and company hosting. Berytech is a Member of the European Business Network (EBN) and has the BIC certification (business innovation center) and is also part of the International Business Innovation Association, the largest member-based entrepreneurial support network in the world. Visit: http://www.berytech.org

Kingdom of the Netherlands: The Agrytech Program is part of a larger stabilization contribution of 86 Million EUR aimed at reinforcing Lebanon's resilience by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This contribution aims to provide a better future for the Lebanese youth focusing on the importance of economic growth and job creation for a stable and more prosperous Lebanon.

More from the official launch of Agrytech Program here: http://berytech.org/berytech-the-embassy-of-the-netherlands-launch-agrytech/

SOURCE Berytech
Over the last 11 years, Banggood has provided high-quality products and professional customer service. During this time they have developed a customer base of over millions of people from all around the world. With over 2000 full-time employees and warehouses in China, Europe and the United States of America, the brand has developed into an international empire that offers over 100,000 different items. Banggood releases new products every day and stays up to date by providing the latest technology trends at bargain prices.

Every year Banggood organizes a large celebration to mark their Anniversary. 2017 marks Banggood's 11th Anniversary and the company will be launching an event under the slogan "The Biggest Bang Since the Big Bang." The event will start on Sept 7th, and it will last until Sept 9th.

One of the main events is the "Stellar Sale" where a number of flash deals, snap ups and numerous other discounts will be available in many product categories. This annual celebration grows larger every year and is set to be one of the best events for online shoppers this summer.

The future of online commerce is bright, and Banggood is on a trajectory to be one of the top players in the industry. "The Biggest Bang Since the Big Bang" will be a great event, showing the success of the company and will expect to be an exciting occasion.

The complete schedule of the Banggood's 11th Anniversary is available on the website www.banggood.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/542280/The_11th_Anniversary_Event.jpg

Related Links

http://www.banggood.com



SOURCE Banggood Technology CO, Limited
(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/543513/Holborn_Assets_Mongol_Rally.jpg )



Successful candidates will work closely with senior figures in different departments at the company to build an array of skills in finance, management and communication. New interns will also have the choice to work in Holborn's offices in Dubai, UAE, or Colombo, Sri Lanka or even split time between both offices as part of a dedicated, cross-cultural experience placement.

The generous package will include return flights, accommodation* and a monthly salary equating to 1,200 (subject to exchange rates). As a financial services firm, Holborn aims to provide candidates with ample opportunity to save a substantial sum at the very start of their careers.

Not limited to specific degree backgrounds, the organisation is actively seeking candidates studying a range of business subjects. Those studying or graduating in digital marketing, events management, customer service, operations, administration, finance and human resources are especially encouraged to apply to the firm.

As part of their internship, the six candidates will be offered the opportunity to involve themselves in a charitable endeavour either with one of the business's existing community partnerships in Malawi, Sri Lanka or South Africa. However, the company encourages future employees to propose and present a social enterprise they are passionate about to its Community Support Committee for consideration. This initiative follows the success of last year's interns who, after completing six months work each in Dubai and Colombo, successfully petitioned their cause to raise funds for environmental charity Cool Earth by taking part in the Mongol Rally**.

The Rally, taking place in July, requires participants to purchase a vehicle for less than 500 and to map a full route to drive a whopping 10,000+ miles across Europe and Asia. Ambitious adventurers will navigate their way through the mountains, deserts and wilderness of various countries including Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia before finishing in Siberia's Ulan-Ude, close to Lake Baikal.

Commenting on the opportunity, Chief Operations Officer at Holborn Assets, Simon Parker, said: "We want to offer something unique to the brightest and most innovative students in the country. Not only does this include providing a great, international business experience, but also a highly competitive salary and accommodation at no additional cost to our new recruits. We're looking to invest in future talent for the company, so those who deliver excellent performance during their internship are likely to receive a full-time employment as Holborn continues to expand worldwide.

"Having had great success with Charles Leahy and Adam Holland, our interns for the 2016 - 2017 academic year, the team here are excited to offer the same opportunity to triple the number of young people to learn, grow and develop with us both professionally and personally.

"Our programme of training will offer rich learnings in international business management across several locations with the aim of developing skills, experience and thorough financial support as part of, what we feel is, an opportunity of a lifetime.

"There are six placements up for grabs - and we very much look forward to meeting the new members of our team."

To apply, prospective candidates should email a full CV, cover letter detailing why you should be considered and what you can bring to the company in addition to two references (including referee contact details) to interns@holbornassets.com by 23:59 BST on 1st October 2017.

To be considered, fluency in English (as a native speaker) is essential. Candidate must have a valid passport which permits entry to the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka. Applicants must be available for a minimum of six months with internships to be arranged for a maximum of 12 months. Holborn Assets can recruit current university students as part of sandwich courses.

*Shared accommodation offered with male and female candidates housed separately. All basic bills will be covered by the company.

**Further detail about the Mongol Rally challenge can be found on the Holborn Assets Facebook page here.

Full information and requirements can be found online here: holbornassets.com/internships-holborn-assets/

About Holborn Assets

Holborn Assets is a global financial services group and a leading financial advisory firm based in Dubai. Established in the Emirates for over 20 years, the business has expanded to operate throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

A family owned and operated business, Holborn Assets has over 400 employees worldwide, including 120 financial advisors. Committed to delivering the best possible service, each advisor is trained and qualified to United Kingdom standards with many holding qualifications from the UK's Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) or Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI).

Holborn's experienced team of professional advisors specialise in delivering clients quality, independent financial advice and services. Core areas of operation include: Independent Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Financial Planning, Wealth Management, Shariah Wealth, Currency Exchange, Employee Benefits, Management Services, Insurance, Investments, Protection & Insurance, Pensions, Mortgages, Offshore Services, Tax Planning, Will Writing, Pension Transfers, and QROPS.

Holborn Assets is licensed by the UAE Ministry of Economy and FSB in South Africa. The business is registered on the UAE's Insurance Authority (IA) List within the Insurance Broker category.

SOURCE Holborn Assets
STOCKHOLM, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

EQT Infrastructure to invest in majority stake in Spirit Communications, a leading pure-play fiber based data and broadband service provider in South Carolina , North Carolina and Georgia in the U.S.; the current owners will retain a significant stake in the company

Spirit operates in the highly attractive fiber infrastructure sector, a core market for EQT where it holds significant industry expertise

Spirit and EQT Infrastructure are jointly committed to continue to provide high quality services to current and future customers and to continue the growth of the company

The EQT Infrastructure III fund ("EQT Infrastructure" or "the fund") has signed a definitive agreement to invest in a majority stake of Spirit Communications ("Spirit" or "the company") from its founding partners who will retain a significant ownership interest in the company. Following the transaction, Spirit Communications President and CEO Robert Keane and current Chairman of the Board of Spirit Brian Singleton will each be appointed to the new Board of Directors.

Founded in 1985, Spirit is a leading pure-play provider of fiber based data and broadband services to enterprises, governments, and wireless carriers in the Carolinas and Georgia. The company's network is comprised of over 9,000 miles of fiber and serves thousands of customers across 17 metro markets. Spirit's fiber is directly connected to over 2,400 buildings as well as over 2,500 cell sites.

EQT Infrastructure will invest in the continued development of Spirit's fiber footprint and services. The company is expected to benefit from the underlying macro trends of growing data traffic and increasing data bandwidth needs.

Robert Keane, President and CEO of Spirit Communications, commented, "After many months of effort to identify the right partner to continue and accelerate Spirit's capabilities, EQT was identified as the type of partner that would help transform the business. EQT has had a long and storied history beginning with the heritage of the Wallenberg family which has significant investments in many household names in North America, such as, Electrolux, AstraZeneca and Ericsson to name a few. I am very excited to join the new board and to work with EQT on the continued growth of Spirit."

Jan Vesely, Director at EQT Partners, Investment Advisor to the fund, added: "We are very impressed with what the management team and the current owners have been able to achieve with the company and are thrilled about the opportunity to invest in the future growth and development of Spirit. The company is a perfect match for EQT Infrastructure's expertise in the fiber sector and strategy to build a platform for growth in the region."

Brian Singleton, CEO of TruVista and Chairman of Spirit Communications, stated, "Spirit has been an essential part of the fabric of each of our companies since 1985, supporting the needs of the Member Companies while enhancing the communications infrastructure for our customers. This partnership with EQT Infrastructure gives us a unique platform for even greater success in the years to come."

The parties have agreed not to disclose financial details of the transaction.

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approval and other closing conditions.

TD Securities and Waller Capital Partners, LLC served as co-financial advisors to Spirit in connection with the transaction. McNair Law Firm, P.A. served as legal counsel to Spirit in connection with the transaction. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius LLP served as legal advisors to EQT Infrastructure.

Contacts:

Media Contact

Grey Humphrey

Chief Marketing Officer

+1 (803) 726-4080

grey.humphrey@spiritcom.com

EQT Press office: +46-8-506 55 334 (International media)

KEKST: + 1 (212) 521 4800 (US media)

Daniel Yunger or Ross Lovern, daniel.yunger@kekst.com / ross.lovern@kekst.com

About Spirit Communications

Headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina, Spirit uses traditional and advanced technologies to connect people around the corner, throughout the Carolinas, and beyond, enabling customers to transform their operations through fast, stable and secure offerings that flex with business demand. With the most advanced technologies, Spirit provides voice, data, Internet and fiber optic solutions along with a full suite of Cloud services to Enterprise, Carrier and Government customers across the Southeast. As a leading provider, Spirit serves thousands of customers in over 150 service locations with over 9,000 miles of fiber throughout South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.

More info: www.spiritcom.com

About EQT

EQT is a leading alternative investments firm with approximately EUR 37 billion in raised capital across 24 funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 19 billion and approximately 110,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtpartners.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/eqt-ab/r/eqt-infrastructure-to-make-majority-investment-in-spirit-communications,c2323974

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE EQT AB
DUBLIN, August 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Baby Drinks Market (2017-2023)" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The Baby Drinks Market would attain a market size of 40,701.7 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 10.6% during 2017-2023

The market for baby drinks is largely driven due to a substantial increase in the working women population. Additionally, changing lifestyle, growing middle class population, and rise in the disposable income among the population in the emerging economies such as India, China, Indonesia, and others, have contributed to the market growth.



However, concerns over food safety and steadily declining birth rate, globally are the factors that would hinder the market growth. Baby drinks, such as infant formula, baby juice, and baby electrolyte, are considered to be a rich source of energy, protein, certain vitamins, and minerals.

Physicians have been recommending the use infant formula up to 12 months, as a substitute to breast milk. Infant milk, follow-on-milk, specialty baby milk, etc. is fed to the babies up to 12 months, and growing-up milk is fed to the toddlers.



The report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the Baby Drinks market.



Key companies profiled in the report include



Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc. (Mead Johnson Nutrition Company, LLC)

Sofina (DANONE)

Beingmate Group Co. Ltd.

HiPP GMBH & CO.

Nestle

Hain Celestial Group, Inc.

Campbell Soup Company

Abbott Laboratories

Arla Foods

Key Topics Covered:



1. Market Scope & Methodology



2. Market Overview



3. Global Baby Drinks Market



4. Global Baby Drinks Market by Application



5. Global Baby Drinks Market by Distribution Channel



6. Global Baby Drinks Market by Region



7. Company Profiles



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b7qgl3/baby_drinks

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



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SOURCE Research and Markets
Trilliant will connect meters for Green Energy UK to help the sustainable provider meet UK's SMIP obligations

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Trilliant, a key technology provider of the most widely used AMI solutions in the United Kingdom, has closed a deal to provide smart meters as a managed service for new and existing Green Energy UK clients. Green is an independent sustainable energy company that sells 100 percent Ofgem-certified green and renewable electricity and gas to homes, businesses and organizations across the United Kingdom.

"As an eco-based supplier dedicated to engaging environmentally conscious clients, we know the smart metering landscape can be complex and challenging," said Chris Greer, contracts manager for Green Energy UK. "We look forward to working with Trilliant's SMSO platform to implement Time of Use tariffs to encourage smarter and greener consumption from our customers."

Green Energy UK will be using the Trilliant SMSO platform hosted by Stark, which includes data assurance, data analytics and asset financing via Stark Utility Funding and elective half-hourly settlement, which will help to deliver a more flexible, innovative and efficient electricity market.

The provider will access the Trilliant SMSO via a cloud-based system and plans to utilize Time of Use tariffs to encourage consumption from customers when there is more renewable energy supplied to the grid.

"Knowing there was a need in the market, we developed and launched this easy-to-deploy solution for environmentally conscious companies who needed an available, non-resource-intensive solution," said Richard Wiles, vice president of Trilliant Networks.

About Trilliant

Trilliant offers the energy industry's only enterprise-wide Smart Communications Platform for connecting the internet of things (IoT) through a secure, standards-based, multi-technology, open spectrum solution. With three decades' experience and the most field-proven and globally compliant solution, Trilliant maximizes smart grid and smart city investments and makes operations future-ready. http://www.trilliantinc.com

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Related Links

http://www.trilliantinc.com



SOURCE Trilliant
Led by Citigroup, 10 lenders and investors participated to refinance existing debt on Canadian StorageMart self storage assets

COLUMBIA, Mo., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 07, 2017, StorageMart closed on $566M (CAD) of mortgage and mezzanine debt used primarily to refinance existing debt placed in 2015 on 63 Canadian self storage properties.

Citigroup led a banking syndicate of eight mortgage lenders and two mezzanine debt investors to reach the new deal. All but one participant from the 2015 financing returned to the table, and one new lender rounded out the team.

"Our Canadian portfolio has performed very well, and we have been fortunate to enter the market at the right time with superior assets and a great team with which to operate," said Mike Burnam, CEO StorageMart

Canadian StorageMart assets affected by the refinancing are distributed as follows: Ontario (64%), Alberta (17%), Quebec (9%), Saskatchewan (7%) and BC (3%).

StorageMart is seeking to expand in markets across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The company aims to hire 35-40 employees in the next three months. Parties interested in employment opportunities should visit https://www.storage-mart.com/en-gb/about-storagemart/careers.

About StorageMart

StorageMart started with a single store in Columbia, Missouri and has grown to be the largest privately-owned, family-operated storage company in the world with 195 self-branded, high-quality properties throughout the US, Canada and UK. StorageMart is led by the Burnam family, which has been in the storage industry for three generations. Dedicated to providing easy, clean and friendly service to each and every customer, StorageMart is also committed to giving back to the many communities it calls home. In 2016, the company donated more than $142,000 to charities, in addition to donating over $350,000 in free rent to local organizations throughout the US and Canada. Find out more at www.storage-mart.com.

Media Contact

Sarah Little

Marketing Director

[email protected]

573.449.0091

SOURCE StorageMart

Related Links

http://www.storage-mart.com


Main accused in the Chandigarh stalking case Vikas Barala and his friend were arrested as soon as they turned up at the Sector-26 police station in Chandigarh.

By India Today Web Desk: Chandigarh stalking accused Vikas Barala, who had reportedly refused to accept the summons issued by the police to join the probe, reached the police station today, and was immediately arrested.

Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish, who were accused of chasing Varnika Kundu, were arrested after Sections 365 and 511 were added to the FIR.

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IPC Section 365 deals with "kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person", while IPC Section 511 is related to "punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment".

The Chandigarh Police was earlier accused of dropping these two serious charges in the FIR, following which Vikas Barala and his friend were let out on bail without being produced in the court.

Sources in the Chandigarh police said that both Vikas Barala and his friend have joined the probe. "We will question them, and confront them with evidence collected so far, including the woman's statement and the CCTV footage," sources in the police said.

Addressing a press conference, Director General of Police (DGP) Chandigarh Tajender Singh Luthra said that detailed interrogation of both the accused took place and fresh charges, including the attempt to kidnap, will be pressed against them.

The DGP said that Vikas Barala and friend Ashish will be produced before the court on Thursday. "There is no political pressure on us and we are doing everything professionally and objectively," the officer said.

MY SON WILL COOPERATE

The stalking survivor Varnika Kundu, a disc jockey, and her father Virender Kundu, a Haryana-cadre IAS officer, had filed a complaint against Vikas Barala and his friend on August 4. Reacting to news of Vikas Barala's arrest, Virender Kundu said that just the "arrest is not enough".

Subhash Barala, Haryana BJP chief and father of the main accused Vikas Barala, told reporters that his son will "fully help" in the investigation, minutes before his son appeared at the Sector-26 police station in Chandigarh.

"We also want that law should take its own course. My son Vikas Barala is cooperating (with the police), he will reach the police station in 15 minutes," Subhash Barala said.

The summons were issued to Vikas Barala on Tuesday evening, but after he refused to accept it, the police pasted the same on the gate of his residence in Chandigarh.

With the Chandigarh stalking grabbing national headlines, the police have been under fire over allegations of lapse in the probe. In the face of criticism, the Chandigarh police maintained that they were unbiased and were investigating the case with an open mind.

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ALSO READ:

Chandigarh stalking case: Police recovers footage from 5 CCTV cameras

Why Chandigarh stalking is not a shocker: A look at crime against women in numbers

Chandigarh stalking case victim Varnika Kundu: Being the daughter of an influential father helped

ALSO WATCH: India Today accesses CCTV footage in Chandigarh stalking case

--- ENDS ---
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Addepar, the operating system for our financial world, today announced a strong second quarter and continued company momentum. Founded in 2009 by Joe Lonsdale, Addepar now supports 250 firms and $750 billion in assets on its leading investment management platform, a 33 percent increase since the beginning of the year.

Client Growth Reflects Significant Industry Demand

The Addepar platform has attracted the attention of leading wealth advisors, family offices and large financial institutions. BMO Wealth Management's CTC l myCFO, GHS Partners, King Pine Investments, Rossmore Private Capital, and Summit Equities, Inc. are a few of the clients to join the Addepar roster during the quarter. Existing clients Morgan Stanley, Dynasty Financial Partners, and Jefferies reflect the breadth of clients that trust Addepar's purpose-built solution, embracing technology to enhance wealth management practices and deliver client-centric advice.

"CTC | myCFO is privileged to partner with some of the world's wealthiest families, helping them manage their wealth with an unwavering focus on service and an open architecture investment platform," said Nick Paldrmic, President of BMO Wealth Management's CTC | myCFO. "Our partnership with Addepar will allow us to focus on wealth research, advisory, and management while continuing to provide clients with sophisticated analysis and performance reporting across multiple generations, investment partnerships, and alternative investments."

"Transitioning from a legacy system could have been a painful process. But Addepar made this experience as pain-free as possible. Addepar had us onboarded in a matter of weeks, and from our first engagement to the day-to-day support, they have consistently delivered an unrivaled level of client service," said Theodore B. Smith, III, Managing Member of GHS Partners. "Our family office wants to scale without a huge back office. The Addepar platform allows us to do this without an army of analysts."

"Finding the right technology partner was critical to us as we started our new advisory firm. Addepar's platform gives us the flexibility and depth we need to provide our clients with transparency and insight into their portfolios," said Stuart Ames, Partner at King Pine Investments. "Our endowment and foundation clients are sophisticated investors who take fiduciary responsibility seriouslyboth theirs and ours. As a critical part of the client experience, Addepar helps us demonstrate that we understand our clients' organizations and act as their integrated investment office/OCIO."

Financing Ranks Among Largest Deals in 2017

In June, Addepar announceda $140M Series D round of funding, one of the largest fintech funding rounds to date in 2017. Led by Valor Equity Partners, 8VC, and QuantRes founder Harald McPike, the new capital allows the company to continue investing significantly in R&D, expand its product and platform, and serve a wider range of wealth and asset management firms. Addepar's employee headcount grew to over 250 by the end of Q2, and the company will continue to hire top talent in the coming months across its New York, Mountain View and Salt Lake City offices.

Acquisition and Integrations Expand Platform

Addepar continues to deliver the most comprehensive wealth management platform, actively integrating with partners to provide an unrivaled solution to clients. In June, Addepar acquired AltX, an intelligence platform that brings Addepar clients greater visibility and insights into alternative investments using machine learning technology. Addepar also launched an integration with eMoney Advisor, and deepened its integration with Schwab by joining OpenView Gateway. This expands the Addepar ecosystem which includes the most respected financial services and technology companies: Salesforce Financial Services Cloud, FolioDynamix, iCapital Network, Citco Fund Services, RedBlack Software, Blaze Portfolio, Quovo, Morningstar and BaySys Technologies among others. Each integration is tailored for wealth advisors to unlock greater value from Addepar's platform and maintain a competitive edge by delivering a differentiated service to each client.

"Our growth reflects extraordinary demand from wealth advisors who embrace technology strategically in order to serve their clients and scale their business," said Eric Poirier, CEO of Addepar. "In the past quarter, our team has made a massive impactbut we're just getting started: our recent funding, client and partner wins and commitment to deep innovation propel us toward our ambitious goal of powering the global financial system with a unified platform."

To learn more about the Addepar platform, please visit addepar.com.

About Addepar

Addepar is the financial operating system that brings common sense and data-driven investing to our financial world. Addepar gives asset owners and advisors a clearer financial picture at every level, all in one place. It handles all types of assets denominated in any currency. With customizable reporting, financial advisors can visualize and communicate relevant information to anyone who needs it. Secure, scalable, and fast, Addepar is purpose-built to power the global financial system. Hundreds of single and multi-family offices, wealth advisors, large financial institutions, endowments, and foundations manage $750 billion of assets on the Addepar platform. Addepar has offices in Silicon Valley, New York, Chicago, and Salt Lake City.

SOURCE Addepar

Related Links

https://addepar.com/


NORTHVALE, N.J., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ADM Tronics Unlimited, Inc. (OTCQB: ADMT), has entered into a multi-faceted Memorandum of Understanding (the "Memorandum") with Solution To Products, Ltd. ("S2P").

S2P, based in Israel and China, specializes in the development and production of high performance plastic, aluminum, metal and silicon parts for medical equipment as well as for general electronics, telecommunications, electro-optics and consumer products. Under the Memorandum, ADMT will be able to utilize the efficiencies and expertise of S2P in ADMT's product development and production activities for its own proprietary medical device products as well as for customers. This relationship expands ADMT's engineering, development and production capabilities as well as providing S2P with the ability to offer its customers ADMT's regulatory expertise as well as a facility in a US location for engineering and production resources.

With respect to expanding ADMT's market presence, the Memorandum provides that S2P can now offer to its non-US based customers the ability to enter the US market utilizing ADMT's FDA-registered medical device production facility, engineering, regulatory and manufacturing services.

Andre' DiMino, ADMT CEO stated, "We look forward to this new relationship that has significant benefits for both of our companies. I am impressed with the management of S2P and their knowledge and experience in this field. Combining that with our capabilities, provides significant opportunities for growth."

Gil Lederman, Co-CEO of S2P stated, "We view the collaboration with ADMT as an important expansion of S2P's capabilities. Now we can offer our customers additional services, such as FDA regulatory services as well as, to our non-US customers, an FDA-registered production facility, a US-base to jumpstart their business in North America."

Shmuel Shaked, Co-CEO of S2P added, "Both S2P and ADMT's US and International customers can benefit from the expanded high-quality, cost effective services in the US, China and Israel."

In consideration of the broad potential application of this relationship to the diverse opportunities to be explored between both companies, the Memorandum provides that specific financial agreements will be crafted for each project to be addressed by ADMT and S2P, on a case-by-case basis.

About ADMT

ADMT is a diversified, technology-based developer and manufacturer of innovative technologies and products. Its core competency is its ability to conceptualize a technology, bring it through development, into manufacturing and commercialization, all in-house. ADMT has three areas of activity: Proprietary Electronic Medical Devices; Design, Engineering, Regulatory and Manufacturing Services and Eco-Friendly, Safe, Water-Based Formulations. The Company's headquarters, laboratories, FDA-Registered medical device and manufacturing operations are located in Northvale, NJ. ADMT's multi-disciplinary team of engineers, researchers and technologists utilize advanced technology infrastructure, such as 3-D solid prototyping, precision instrumentation and specialized software and peripherals, for the research, development and commercialization of diversified technologies. Additional information is available at the Company's websites - admtronics.com and concepttoquantity.com.

Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this news release are "forward looking" statements (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995), including statements regarding future revenue growth and performance. Although ADMT believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that its expectations will be realized. Forward looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. Factors that could contribute to such differences include those described from time to time in ADMT's filings with the SEC, news releases and other communications. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information contained in this news release.

SOURCE ADM Tronics Unlimited, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.admtronics.com


SEATTLE, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported July and year-to-date operational results on a consolidated basis, for its mainline operations operated by subsidiaries Alaska Airlines, Inc. (Alaska) and Virgin America, Inc. (Virgin America), and for its regional flying operated by subsidiary Horizon Air Industries, Inc. (Horizon) and third-party regional carriers SkyWest Airlines and Peninsula Airlines.

Air Group's acquisition of Virgin America took place on Dec. 14, 2016. Operational results below include Virgin America results from pre-acquisition periods for comparison.

AIR GROUP

On a combined basis for all operations, Air Group reported a 6.6 percent increase in traffic on a 6.4 percent increase in capacity compared to July 2016. Load factor increased 0.2 points to 87.0 percent.

The following table shows the operational results for July and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods(1):



July

Year-to-Date

2017

2016

Change

2017

2016

Change Revenue passengers (000) 4,075

3,909

4.2%

25,492

24,244

5.1% Revenue passenger miles RPM (000,000) "traffic" 4,864

4,561

6.6%

30,134

28,308

6.5% Available seat miles ASM (000,000) "capacity" 5,591

5,253

6.4%

35,596

33,722

5.6% Passenger load factor 87.0%

86.8%

0.2 pts

84.7%

83.9%

0.8 pts





(1) 2016 information has been adjusted to include Virgin America operating results for comparison.

ALASKA

Alaska reported a 7.8 percent increase in traffic on a 7.0 percent increase in capacity compared to July 2016. Load factor increased 0.6 points to 87.8 percent. Alaska also reported 85.7 percent of its flights arrived on time in July 2017, compared to 89.4 percent reported in July 2016.

The following table shows Alaska's operational results for July and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:



July

Year-to-Date

2017

2016

Change

2017

2016

Change Revenue passengers (000) 2,445

2,293

6.6%

15,211

14,218

7.0% RPMs (000,000) 3,292

3,055

7.8%

20,607

19,227

7.2% ASMs (000,000) 3,748

3,502

7.0%

24,092

22,731

6.0% Passenger load factor 87.8%

87.2%

0.6 pts

85.5%

84.6%

0.9 pts On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT 85.7%

89.4%

(3.7) pts

81.3%

88.3%

(7.0) pts

VIRGIN AMERICA

Virgin America traffic increased 2.4 percent on a 3.2 percent increase in capacity compared to July 2016. Load factor decreased 0.7 points to 86.4 percent. Virgin America also reported 75.8 percent of its flights arrived on time in July 2017, compared to 75.5 percent in July 2016.

The following table shows Virgin America operational results for July and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:



July

Year-to-Date

2017

2016

Change

2017

2016

Change Revenue passengers (000) 763

758

0.7%

4,729

4,611

2.6% RPMs (000,000) 1,193

1,165

2.4%

7,239

6,945

4.2% ASMs (000,000) 1,381

1,338

3.2%

8,638

8,291

4.2% Passenger load factor 86.4%

87.1%

(0.7) pts

83.8%

83.8%

 On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT 75.8%

75.5%

0.3 pts

65.8%

76.1%

(10.3) pts

REGIONAL

Regional traffic increased 11.5 percent on an 11.6 percent increase in capacity compared to July 2016. Load factor decreased 0.1 points to 82.0 percent. Regional also reported 82.9 percent of its flights arrived on time in July 2017, compared to 86.0 percent in July 2016.

The following table shows regional operational results for July and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:



July

Year-to-Date

2017

2016

Change

2017

2016

Change Revenue passengers (000) 867

858

1.0%

5,552

5,416

2.5% RPMs (000,000) 379

340

11.5%

2,288

2,136

7.1% ASMs (000,000) 462

414

11.6%

2,866

2,700

6.1% Passenger load factor 82.0%

82.1%

(0.1) pts

79.8%

79.1%

0.7 pts On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT 82.9%

86.0%

(3.1) pts

79.3%

87.8%

(8.5) pts

Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional partners, flies 40 million guests a year to 118 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Cuba. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners , guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America" in the J.D. Power North America Satisfaction Study for 10 consecutive years from 2008 to 2017. Learn more about Alaska's award-winning service and unmatched reliability at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

SOURCE Alaska Air Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.alaskaair.com


CLEVELAND, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aleris Corporation today reported results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140115/CL46886LOGO

Second Quarter Summary

Net loss of $2 million compared to net loss of $13 million in the second quarter of 2016

compared to net loss of in the second quarter of 2016 Adjusted EBITDA of $66 million ; up from $65 million in the second quarter of 2016

; up from in the second quarter of 2016 Solid rebound in North America through better demand, margins and operating performance

through better demand, margins and operating performance Europe plate and sheet mix improvement partially offset aerospace and automotive headwinds

plate and sheet mix improvement partially offset aerospace and automotive headwinds Europe unfavorably impacted by weaker U.S. dollar

unfavorably impacted by weaker U.S. dollar North America autobody sheet project continues to progress on schedule

autobody sheet project continues to progress on schedule Liquidity of approximately $300 million as of June 30, 2017

Third Quarter Outlook

Segment income and Adjusted EBITDA expected to be modestly lower than the third quarter of 2016

Third quarter results will be impacted by major Lewisport outage tied to hot mill upgrades

outage tied to hot mill upgrades After outage, Lewisport expected to be positioned for autobody sheet production in 2017

expected to be positioned for autobody sheet production in 2017 Recent choppy housing starts leading to customer inventory rebalancing early in the quarter

Improved metal spreads expected to continue to benefit North America

Aerospace softness due to continued supply chain destocking and automotive model launch delays will impact Europe volumes

volumes Weakening U.S. dollar will negatively impact Europe results

results Solid regional demand continues in Europe with continued focus on our product mix

"We delivered solid results in the second quarter and first half," Sean Stack, Aleris Chairman and CEO said. "I am very pleased with our global team's focus and execution during the quarter, delivering much stronger operating performance while also making substantial progress on our Lewisport automotive expansion. As we expect to conclude the project later this year and begin shipping product, we will have strategically repositioned our business, enabling Aleris to focus on higher growth and a much higher value added mix."





For the three months ended

For the six months ended



June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016 (Dollars in millions, metric tons in thousands)

(unaudited)



Metric tons of finished product shipped

220

221

418

426 Revenue

$ 776

$ 705

$ 1,450

$ 1,367 Commercial margin (1)

$ 326

$ 314

$ 620

$ 607 Segment income

$ 71

$ 70

$ 134

$ 128 Net loss

$ (2)

$ (13)

$ (38)

$ (19) Adjusted EBITDA (1)

$ 66

$ 65

$ 118

$ 109

















(1) See the attached tables for a reconciliation to the applicable GAAP performance measure.

Second Quarter 2017 Results

Net loss was $2 million in the second quarter of 2017 compared to $13 million in the second quarter of 2016. Adjusted EBITDA increased to $66 million for the second quarter of 2017 from $65 million for the second quarter of 2016. Second quarter net loss and Adjusted EBITDA were impacted by the following:

improved operating performance and a favorable mix of product sold more than offset lower volumes, increasing Adjusted EBITDA approximately $3 million ;

; favorable metal spreads resulting from increased aluminum prices and improved scrap availability increased Adjusted EBITDA approximately $8 million ;

; improved rolling margins increased Adjusted EBITDA approximately $2 million ;

; wage inflation along with higher commodity costs, particularly natural gas, and increased repair and maintenance spending, more than offset by productivity improvements, decreasing Adjusted EBITDA approximately $9 million . Productivity benefits were limited by lower volumes and increased investments in research and development; and

. Productivity benefits were limited by lower volumes and increased investments in research and development; and a weakening U.S. dollar decreased Adjusted EBITDA approximately $3 million .

In addition to the factors that impacted Adjusted EBITDA, net loss was also affected by the following:

a $19 million favorable change in unrealized derivative gains ( $25 million of unrealized gains in the second quarter of 2017 compared to $6 million of unrealized gains in the second quarter of 2016); and

favorable change in unrealized derivative gains ( of unrealized gains in the second quarter of 2017 compared to of unrealized gains in the second quarter of 2016); and a $13 million decrease in debt extinguishment costs.

These favorable changes to net loss were partially offset by the following:

a $10 million increase in interest expense resulting primarily from the 9% Senior Secured Notes due 2021 issued in 2016 and 2017;

increase in interest expense resulting primarily from the 9% Senior Secured Notes due 2021 issued in 2016 and 2017; a $5 million increase in start-up costs resulting primarily from our North America autobody sheet ("ABS") project;

increase in start-up costs resulting primarily from our autobody sheet ("ABS") project; a $3 million unfavorable change in the provision for income taxes; and

unfavorable change in the provision for income taxes; and a $2 million unfavorable variation in metal price lag ( $5 million unfavorable in the second quarter of 2017 compared to $3 million unfavorable in the second quarter of 2016). Metal price lag represents the difference between the price of primary aluminum included in our revenues and the price of aluminum impacting our cost of sales net of hedge gains and losses.

In the second quarter of 2017, capital expenditures were $55 million, as compared to $100 million in the second quarter of 2016. The majority of the capital expenditures were for the North America ABS project at our Lewisport, Kentucky facility and related spending to upgrade critical equipment and capabilities at the facility. That project continues to progress on schedule with ABS shipments anticipated to commence in 2017.

As of June 30, 2017, Aleris had liquidity of approximately $300 million, which consisted of approximately $245 million of availability under our 2015 ABL Facility, $52 million of cash on hand and $2 million of cash restricted for the payment of the China loan facility.

Capital expenditures during the third quarter of 2017 are expected to be lower than the third quarter of 2016. We expect capital spending of approximately $240 million to $250 million in 2017, which includes amounts spent through the first half of the year of $118 million.

North America

North America segment income increased to $31 million in the second quarter of 2017 from $28 million in the second quarter of 2016. Segment Adjusted EBITDA increased to $36 million in the second quarter of 2017 from $28 million in the second quarter of 2016. Performance drivers for segment income and segment Adjusted EBITDA included:

higher volumes, an improved mix of products sold and favorable cost absorption resulting from strong operating performance increased segment Adjusted EBITDA approximately $3 million . Building and construction volumes increased 4 percent. Distribution volumes decreased 2 percent as our Lewisport hot mill capacity was allocated to a strategic build of inventory ahead of an extended outage that began late in the second quarter. The mix of products sold was favorably impacted by a higher percentage of painted product sold;

. Building and construction volumes increased 4 percent. Distribution volumes decreased 2 percent as our hot mill capacity was allocated to a strategic build of inventory ahead of an extended outage that began late in the second quarter. The mix of products sold was favorably impacted by a higher percentage of painted product sold; favorable scrap spreads resulting from rising aluminum prices and improved scrap availability increased segment Adjusted EBITDA approximately $6 million ;

; improved rolling margins increased segment Adjusted EBITDA approximately $3 million ; and

; and wage inflation along with higher natural gas costs and repair and maintenance costs more than offset favorable productivity and decreased segment Adjusted EBITDA approximately $4 million .

In addition to the factors above, segment income was impacted by a $5 million unfavorable variance in metal price lag.

Europe

Europe segment income was $35 million in the second quarter of 2017 compared to $40 million in the second quarter of 2016. Segment Adjusted EBITDA was $35 million in the second quarter of 2017 compared to $43 million in the second quarter of 2016. Performance drivers for segment income and segment Adjusted EBITDA included:

a 5 percent increase in heat exchanger volumes and an improved mix of regional plate and sheet products sold partially offset a 6 percent decrease in volumes, decreasing segment Adjusted EBITDA approximately $1 million . Continued supply chain destocking resulted in a 10 percent decrease in aerospace volumes, a shift in program timing led to a 2 percent decrease in automotive volumes, and uncertainty caused by higher LME prices decreased regional plate and sheet volumes 10 percent;

. Continued supply chain destocking resulted in a 10 percent decrease in aerospace volumes, a shift in program timing led to a 2 percent decrease in automotive volumes, and uncertainty caused by higher LME prices decreased regional plate and sheet volumes 10 percent; improvements in casting operations limited the need for externally purchased slab, while other productivity gains were negatively impacted by lower volumes and increased investments in research and development. Productivity and inflation in labor costs decreased segment Adjusted EBITDA approximately $2 million ; and

; and a weakening U.S. dollar had an unfavorable impact on the translation of U.S. dollar denominated working capital balances resulting in a $3 million decrease in segment Adjusted EBITDA.

In addition to the factors above, segment income was impacted by a $2 million favorable variance in metal price lag.

Asia Pacific

Our Asia Pacific segment reported segment income and segment Adjusted EBITDA of $4 million in the second quarter of 2017 compared to segment income and segment Adjusted EBITDA of $3 million in the second quarter of 2016. Performance drivers for segment income and segment Adjusted EBITDA included:

an increase in volumes increased segment Adjusted EBITDA approximately $1 million ;

; lower rolling margins decreased segment Adjusted EBITDA approximately $1 million ; and

; and productivity gains from continued strong operational performance improved segment Adjusted EBITDA approximately $1 million .

Potential Acquisition of Aleris Corporation

On August 29, 2016, Aleris Corporation entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with Zhongwang USA LLC ("Zhongwang USA"), Zhongwang Aluminum Corporation, a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Zhongwang USA ("Merger Sub"), and the stockholders representative party thereto, pursuant to which Merger Sub will be merged with and into Aleris Corporation, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, with Aleris Corporation as the surviving entity (the "Merger"). Upon consummation of the Merger, Aleris Corporation is expected to be a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Zhongwang USA, which is expected to be indirectly beneficially owned by entities affiliated with Mr. Liu Zhongtian and other investors and financial institutions. Zhongwang USA has agreed to pay approximately $1.1 billion in cash, subject to adjustment, for the equity of Aleris Corporation and will assume certain of the Company's outstanding indebtedness.

The Merger is subject to customary regulatory approvals, including the receipt of approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States ("CFIUS"), and other customary closing conditions. The Merger is not subject to a financing condition. As previously disclosed, following the initial filing of the CFIUS voluntary notice by Aleris Corporation and Zhongwang USA, CFIUS identified national security concerns with the Merger and invited Aleris Corporation and Zhongwang USA to withdraw and refile their notice in order to obtain additional time to provide additional information, including possible measures to mitigate these concerns. In February 2017, Aleris Corporation and Zhongwang USA withdrew their notice and refiled in the second quarter of 2017. CFIUS continues to raise national security concerns with the Merger and, as a result, Aleris Corporation and Zhongwang USA have withdrawn their most recent notice seeking approval of the transaction from CFIUS and continue discussions concerning the transaction. However, there can be no assurance that the Merger will be consummated. The Merger Agreement may be terminated by Aleris Corporation or Zhongwang USA on or before August 31, 2017, the date the transaction will automatically expire by its terms.

Year-to-Date Results

Key financial highlights for the six months ended June 30, 2017 include:

Revenues of approximately $1,450.4 million compared to approximately $1,367.4 million for the prior year period. The increase of 6 percent was primarily attributable to higher average price of aluminum included in our invoiced prices and improved rolling margins. These increases were partially offset by lower volumes and the impact of a stronger average U.S. dollar on the translation of euro-denominated sales.

compared to approximately for the prior year period. The increase of 6 percent was primarily attributable to higher average price of aluminum included in our invoiced prices and improved rolling margins. These increases were partially offset by lower volumes and the impact of a stronger average U.S. dollar on the translation of euro-denominated sales. Net loss of $38 million in the current year compared to a net loss of $19 million in 2016. The change resulted from increased interest expense and increased start-up costs. These were partially offset by the factors that drove the increase in Adjusted EBITDA discussed below and debt extinguishment costs incurred in 2016 that did not recur.

in the current year compared to a net loss of in 2016. The change resulted from increased interest expense and increased start-up costs. These were partially offset by the factors that drove the increase in Adjusted EBITDA discussed below and debt extinguishment costs incurred in 2016 that did not recur. Adjusted EBITDA increased to $118 million in the current year from $109 million in 2016 as a result of improved operating performance, favorable year-over-year scrap spreads and improved rolling margins and mix of products sold. These increases were partially offset by higher labor, natural gas and repair and maintenance costs.

in the current year from in 2016 as a result of improved operating performance, favorable year-over-year scrap spreads and improved rolling margins and mix of products sold. These increases were partially offset by higher labor, natural gas and repair and maintenance costs. Cash used by operating activities totaled $75 million in the current year compared to cash provided by operating activities of $45 million in 2016. The current year cash used by operating activities relates to $18 million of cash from earnings offset by cash used to fund a $93.3 million increase in net operating assets. The increase in operating assets was primarily due to an increase in North America inventory due to the strategic build of inventory in preparation for the production outage at our Lewisport facility that began late in the second quarter of 2017, additional quantities to be used for commissioning and quantification and higher aluminum prices.

in the current year compared to cash provided by operating activities of in 2016. The current year cash used by operating activities relates to of cash from earnings offset by cash used to fund a increase in net operating assets. The increase in operating assets was primarily due to an increase in inventory due to the strategic build of inventory in preparation for the production outage at our facility that began late in the second quarter of 2017, additional quantities to be used for commissioning and quantification and higher aluminum prices. Capital expenditures decreased to $118 million in the current year compared to $222 million in 2016. The majority of the capital expenditures were for the North America ABS project and related spending to upgrade critical equipment and capabilities at our Lewisport facility.

Third Quarter Outlook

As discussed above, we estimate that segment income and Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter of 2017 will be modestly lower than the third quarter of 2016 and lower than the second quarter of 2017. In addition, pre-tax income will be impacted by higher start-up costs and depreciation expense associated with the North America ABS project and higher interest expense associated with the additional $250 million of 9 % Senior Secured Notes issued in February 2017.

Our estimate for the third quarter includes the impact of our major planned outage in Lewisport focused on widening the hot mill and finalizing our automotive readiness project. Without the outage we would have expected to be substantially ahead of 2016 through solid end-use demand, improved operational performance and productivity, despite continued sluggish aerospace and automotive demand and short term building and construction destocking.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

Aleris will hold a conference call and webcast on August 9, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Sean M. Stack, chairman and chief executive officer, and Eric M. Rychel, executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer, will host the call to discuss results.

The webcast can be accessed through the Company's website, www.aleris.com. The conference call can be accessed by dialing 1-877-870-4263 or 1-412-317-0790 (for international callers) and asking for the "Aleris call". A replay of the call will be posted on the Company's website in the Investor Relations section.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Statements under headings with "Outlook" in the title and statements about our beliefs and expectations and statements containing the words "may," "could," "would," "should," "will," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "estimate," "target," "project," "look forward to," "intend" and similar expressions intended to connote future events and circumstances constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements about, among other things, the pending acquisition of Aleris Corporation by Zhongwang USA LLC (the "Merger"), future costs and prices of commodities, production volumes, industry trends, anticipated cost savings, anticipated benefits from new products, facilities, acquisitions or divestitures, projected results of operations, achievement of production efficiencies, capacity expansions, future prices and demand for our products and estimated cash flows and sufficiency of cash flows to fund capital expenditures. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in or implied by any forward-looking statement. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) our ability to successfully implement our business strategy; (2) the success of past and future acquisitions or divestitures; (3) the cyclical nature of the aluminum industry, material adverse changes in the aluminum industry or our end-uses, such as global and regional supply and demand conditions for aluminum and aluminum products, and changes in our customers' industries; (4) increases in the cost, or limited availability, of raw materials and energy; (5) our ability to enter into effective metal, energy and other commodity derivatives or arrangements with customers to manage effectively our exposure to commodity price fluctuations and changes in the pricing of metals, especially London Metal Exchange-based aluminum prices; (6) our ability to generate sufficient cash flows to fund our capital expenditure requirements and to meet our debt obligations; (7) competitor pricing activity, competition of aluminum with alternative materials and the general impact of competition in the industry end-uses we serve; (8) our ability to retain the services of certain members of our management; (9) the loss of order volumes from any of our largest customers; (10) our ability to retain customers, a substantial number of whom do not have long-term contractual arrangements with us; (11) our ability to fulfill our substantial capital investment requirements; (12) risks of investing in and conducting operations on a global basis, including political, social, economic, currency and regulatory factors; (13) variability in general economic conditions on a global or regional basis; (14) current environmental liabilities and the cost of compliance with and liabilities under health and safety laws; (15) labor relations (i.e., disruptions, strikes or work stoppages) and labor costs; (16) our internal controls over financial reporting and our disclosure controls and procedures may not prevent all possible errors that could occur; (17) our levels of indebtedness and debt service obligations, including changes in our credit ratings, material increases in our cost of borrowing or the failure of financial institutions to fulfill their commitments to us under committed facilities; (18) our ability to access credit or capital markets; (19) the possibility that we may incur additional indebtedness in the future; (20) limitations on operating our business as a result of covenant restrictions under our indebtedness, and our ability to pay amounts due under the Senior Notes; (21) risks related to the Merger, including the possibility that the Merger may not be consummated or that, if the Merger does close, our stockholders may not realize the anticipated benefits from the Merger; and (22) other factors discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections entitled "Risk Factors" contained therein. Investors, potential investors and other readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether in response to new information, futures events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to the results reported in accordance with GAAP, this press release includes information regarding certain non-GAAP financial measures. Management uses EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, segment Adjusted EBITDA and commercial margin (collectively, the "Non-GAAP Measures") as performance metrics and believes these measures provide additional information commonly used by the holders of the Senior Notes and parties to our 2015 ABL Facility with respect to the ongoing performance of our underlying business activities, as well as our ability to meet our future debt service, capital expenditures and working capital needs. In addition, EBITDA with certain adjustments is a component of certain covenants under the indentures governing the Senior Notes. Adjusted EBITDA, including the impact of metal price lag, is a component of certain financial covenants under the credit agreement governing the 2015 ABL Facility. Management also uses commercial margin as a performance metric and believes that it provides useful information regarding the performance of our segments because it measures the price at which we sell our aluminum products above the hedged cost of the metal and the effects of metal price lag, thereby reflecting the value-added components of our commercial activities independent of aluminum prices which we cannot control.

Our EBITDA calculations represent net income and loss attributable to Aleris Corporation before interest income and expense, provision for and benefit from income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and income from discontinued operations, net of tax. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as EBITDA excluding metal price lag, unrealized gains and losses on derivative financial instruments, restructuring charges, the impact of recording inventory and other items at fair value through purchase accounting, currency exchange gains and losses on debt, stock-based compensation expense, start-up costs and certain other gains and losses. Segment Adjusted EBITDA represents Adjusted EBITDA on a per segment basis. EBITDA as defined in the indentures governing the Senior Notes also limits the amount of adjustments for cost savings, operational improvement and synergies for the purpose of determining our compliance with such covenants. Adjusted EBITDA as defined under the 2015 ABL Facility also limits the amount of adjustments for restructuring charges and requires additional adjustments be made if certain annual pension funding levels are exceeded. Commercial margin represents revenues less the hedged cost of metal and the effects of metal price lag.

The Non-GAAP Measures, as we use them, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. We calculate the Non-GAAP Financial Measures by eliminating the impact of a number of items we do not consider indicative of our ongoing operating performance, and certain other items. You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment and the reasons we consider it appropriate for supplemental analysis. However, the Non-GAAP Financial Measures are not financial measurements recognized under GAAP, and when analyzing our operating performance, investors should use the Non-GAAP Financial Measures in addition to, and not as an alternative for, net income and loss attributable to Aleris Corporation, operating income and loss, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP, or in addition to, and not as an alternative for, cash flow from operating activities as a measure of our liquidity. The Non-GAAP Financial Measures have limitations as analytical tools, and they should not be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for, or superior to, our measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP.

About Aleris

Aleris is a privately held, global leader in aluminum rolled products production. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Aleris operates 13 production facilities in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.aleris.com.

The information disclosed in this press release is believed by Aleris to be accurate as of the date hereof. Aleris expressly disclaims any duty to update the information contained in this press release. Persons engaging in any transactions with Aleris or in Aleris's securities are cautioned that there may exist other material information regarding Aleris that is not publicly available.

Aleris Corporation

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(unaudited)

(in millions)





















For the three months ended

For the six months ended



June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016 Revenues

$ 776.2

$ 704.9

$ 1,450.4

$ 1,367.4 Cost of sales

690.5

626.4

1,279.7

1,215.4 Gross profit

85.7

78.5

170.7

152.0 Selling, general and administrative expenses

51.0

50.2

104.1

100.5 Restructuring charges

0.8

0.6

1.2

1.4 (Gains) losses on derivative financial instruments

(12.5)

3.6

15.7

2.6 Other operating expense, net

1.0

1.1

2.0

1.6 Operating income

45.4

23.0

47.7

45.9 Interest expense, net

31.3

21.1

58.4

39.2 Other expense, net

3.8

5.5

3.4

7.9 Income (loss) before income taxes

10.3

(3.6)

(14.1)

(1.2) Provision for income taxes

12.8

9.4

23.5

18.2 Net loss

$ (2.5)

$ (13.0)

$ (37.6)

$ (19.4)

Aleris Corporation

Operating and Segment Information

(unaudited)

(in millions)

































For the three months ended

For the six months ended

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016















Segment income:













North America $ 31.1

$ 27.6

$ 55.3

$ 51.7 Europe 35.3

40.2

73.3

73.2 Asia Pacific 4.3

2.5

5.7

3.4 Total segment income 70.7

70.3

134.3

128.3















Depreciation and amortization (25.8)

(26.4)

(51.5)

(52.7) Other corporate general and administrative expenses (10.9)

(11.6)

(23.3)

(24.8) Restructuring charges (0.8)

(0.6)

(1.2)

(1.4) Interest expense, net (31.3)

(21.1)

(58.4)

(39.2) Unallocated gains on derivative financial instruments 25.1

5.6

17.4

14.9 Unallocated currency exchange losses (1.4)

(0.6)

(1.5)

(0.7) Start-up costs (15.4)

(10.0)

(29.9)

(16.4) Loss on extinguishment of debt 

(12.6)



(12.6) Other expense, net 0.1

3.4



3.4 Income (loss) before income taxes $ 10.3

$ (3.6)

$ (14.1)

$ (1.2)

















Aleris Corporation

Operating and Segment Information

(unaudited)

(Dollars in millions, except per ton measures, metric tons in thousands)

















































For the three months ended

For the six months ended

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016 Metric tons of finshed product shipped:













North America 131.8

129.5

246.6

249.3 Europe 82.6

87.4

162.2

169.3 Asia Pacific 6.9

5.4

12.4

10.3 Intra-entity shipments (1.5)

(1.2)

(2.8)

(2.6) Total metric tons of finished product shipped 219.8

221.1

418.4

426.3















Revenues:













North America $ 417.4

$ 361.5

$ 769.0

$ 695.7 Europe 335.8

323.4

644.8

636.0 Asia Pacific 30.9

25.2

55.1

46.5 Intra-entity revenues (7.9)

(5.2)

(18.5)

(10.8) Consolidated revenues $ 776.2

$ 704.9

$ 1,450.4

$ 1,367.4















Commercial margin (1):













North America $ 164.4

$ 150.7

$ 307.7

$ 289.3 Europe 146.3

149.9

286.5

294.7 Asia Pacific 14.8

12.9

25.3

22.9 Total commercial margin (2) $ 325.5

$ 313.5

$ 619.5

$ 606.9















Commercial margin per metric ton shipped:













North America $ 1,247.6

$ 1,164.1

$ 1,247.7

$ 1,160.5 Europe 1,772.4

1,716.2

1,766.2

1,740.5 Asia Pacific 2,152.5

2,376.2

2,043.3

2,229.7















Segment Adjusted EBITDA (1):













North America $ 36.4

$ 28.3

$ 59.7

$ 49.0 Europe 35.4

42.6

72.7

75.2 Asia Pacific 3.6

2.5

4.5

3.4 Corporate (9.1)

(8.9)

(18.8)

(18.6) Total Adjusted EBITDA $ 66.3

$ 64.5

$ 118.1

$ 109.0















Segment Adjusted EBITDA per metric ton shipped:













North America $ 276.4

$ 218.6

$ 242.1

$ 196.6 Europe 428.7

487.1

447.9

444.0 Asia Pacific 525.3

468.6

367.6

332.4 Aleris Corporation 301.6

291.9

282.3

255.8































(1) See the following tables for a reconciliation to the applicable GAAP measure.











(2) Amounts may not foot as they represent the calculated totals based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

Aleris Corporation

Consolidated Balance Sheet

(unaudited)

(in millions, except share and per share data)



















ASSETS

June 30, 2017

December 31, 2016 Current Assets







Cash and cash equivalents

$ 52.3

$ 55.6 Accounts receivable (net of allowances of $7.2 and $7.6 at June 30, 2017 and

December 31, 2016, respectively)

299.7

218.7 Inventories

621.8

538.9 Prepaid expenses and other current assets

45.1

33.4 Total Current Assets

1,018.9

846.6 Property, plant and equipment, net

1,433.2

1,346.0 Intangible assets, net

35.7

36.8 Deferred income taxes

91.9

88.3 Other long-term assets

68.4

72.2 Total Assets

$ 2,648.1

$ 2,389.9









LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY







Current Liabilities







Accounts payable

$ 281.5

$ 246.6 Accrued liabilities

191.4

201.4 Current portion of long-term debt

18.7

27.7 Total Current Liabilities

491.6

475.7 Long-term debt

1,648.3

1,438.5 Deferred income taxes

17.5

2.8 Accrued pension benefits

168.0

158.4 Accrued postretirement benefits

33.4

34.2 Other long-term liabilities

65.5

63.7 Total Long-Term Liabilities

1,932.7

1,697.6 Stockholders' Equity







Common stock; par value $.01; 45,000,000 shares authorized and 31,991,478

and 31,904,250 shares issued at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016,

respectively

0.3

0.3 Preferred stock; par value $.01; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued



 Additional paid-in capital

428.0

428.0 Retained (deficit) earnings

(30.5)

11.8 Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(174.0)

(223.5) Total Equity

223.8

216.6 Total Liabilities and Equity

$ 2,648.1

$ 2,389.9











Aleris Corporation

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(unaudited)

(in millions)

























































For the three months ended

For the six months ended



June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016 Operating activities















Net loss

$ (2.5)

$ (13.0)

$ (37.6)

$ (19.4)

















Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used) provided by operating activities:















Depreciation and amortization

25.8

26.4

51.5

52.7 Provision for deferred income taxes

8.4

4.7

14.4

8.0 Stock-based compensation expense

0.4

1.7

1.1

3.4 Unrealized gains on derivative financial instruments

(25.1)

(5.6)

(17.2)

(14.8) Amortization of debt issuance costs

0.7

1.3

1.4

2.9 Loss on extinguishment of debt



12.6



12.6 Other

3.8

2.5

4.7

2.6 Changes in operating assets and liabilities:















Change in accounts receivable

(17.4)

2.6

(67.8)

(53.3) Change in inventories

8.7

(1.2)

(58.3)

3.8 Change in other assets

6.5

(0.9)

6.0

3.4 Change in accounts payable

(19.5)



24.3

46.1 Change in accrued liabilities

(26.3)

2.2

2.4

(3.5) Net cash (used) provided by operating activities

(36.5)

33.3

(75.1)

44.5 Investing activities















Payments for property, plant and equipment

(55.4)

(100.0)

(118.0)

(222.1) Other

(0.7)

(1.0)

(1.1)

(1.0) Net cash used by investing activities

(56.1)

(101.0)

(119.1)

(223.1) Financing activities















Proceeds from revolving credit facilities

141.4

25.0

300.9

135.0 Payments on revolving credit facilities

(71.9)

(35.6)

(366.5)

(35.8) Proceeds from senior secured notes, inclusive of premiums and discounts



540.4

263.8

540.4 Payments on the senior notes, including premiums



(443.8)



(443.8) Net payments on other long-term debt

(1.8)

(0.6)

(4.1)

(0.9) Debt issuance costs



(3.0)

(1.8)

(3.4) Other

(0.1)

(0.1)

(1.2)

(0.5) Net cash provided by financing activities

67.6

82.3

191.1

191.0 Effect of exchange rate differences on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 1.6

(1.6)

2.2

0.3 Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

(23.4)

13.0

(0.9)

12.7 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period

78.1

61.9

55.6

62.2 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period

$ 54.7

$ 74.9

$ 54.7

$ 74.9

















Cash and cash equivalents

$ 52.3

$ 74.9

$ 52.3

$ 74.9 Restricted cash (included in "Other current assets")

2.4



2.4

 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

$ 54.7

$ 74.9

$ 54.7

$ 74.9

Aleris Corporation

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to

Net Loss and Cash Flows (Used) Provided by Operating Activities

(unaudited)

(in millions)







































For the three months ended

For the six months ended



June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016 Adjusted EBITDA

$ 66.3

$ 64.5

$ 118.1

$ 109.0 Unrealized gains on derivative financial instruments

25.1

5.6

17.2

14.8 Restructuring charges

(0.8)

(0.6)

(1.2)

(1.4) Unallocated currency exchange losses on debt

(1.3)

(0.6)

(1.3)

(0.5) Stock-based compensation expense

(0.4)

(1.7)

(1.1)

(3.4) Start-up costs

(15.4)

(10.0)

(29.9)

(16.4) (Unfavorable) favorable metal price lag

(4.7)

(3.1)

(2.6)

0.7 Loss on extinguishment of debt



(12.6)



(12.6) Other

(1.4)

2.4

(3.4)

0.5 EBITDA

67.4

43.9

95.8

90.7 Interest expense, net

(31.3)

(21.1)

(58.4)

(39.2) Provision for income taxes

(12.8)

(9.4)

(23.5)

(18.2) Depreciation and amortization

(25.8)

(26.4)

(51.5)

(52.7) Net loss

(2.5)

(13.0)

(37.6)

(19.4) Depreciation and amortization

25.8

26.4

51.5

52.7 Provision for deferred income taxes

8.4

4.7

14.4

8.0 Stock-based compensation expense

0.4

1.7

1.1

3.4 Unrealized gains on derivative financial instruments

(25.1)

(5.6)

(17.2)

(14.8) Amortization of debt issuance costs

0.7

1.3

1.4

2.9 Loss on extinguishment of debt



12.6



12.6 Other

3.8

2.5

4.7

2.6 Change in operating assets and liabilities:















Change in accounts receivable

(17.4)

2.6

(67.8)

(53.3) Change in inventories

8.7

(1.2)

(58.3)

3.8 Change in other assets

6.5

(0.9)

6.0

3.4 Change in accounts payable

(19.5)



24.3

46.1 Change in accrued liabilities

(26.3)

2.2

2.4

(3.5) Net cash (used) provided by operating activities

$ (36.5)

$ 33.3

$ (75.1)

$ 44.5

Aleris Corporation

Reconciliation of Segment Income to

Segment Adjusted EBITDA

(unaudited)

(in millions)

















































For the three months ended

For the six months ended

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016 North America













Segment income $ 31.1

$ 27.6

$ 55.3

$ 51.7 Unfavorable (favorable) metal price lag 5.3

0.7

4.4

(2.7) Segment Adjusted EBITDA (1) $ 36.4

$ 28.3

$ 59.7

$ 49.0































Europe













Segment income $ 35.3

$ 40.2

$ 73.3

$ 73.2 Unfavorable (favorable) metal price lag 0.1

2.4

(0.6)

2.0 Segment Adjusted EBITDA (1) $ 35.4

$ 42.6

$ 72.7

$ 75.2































Asia Pacific













Segment income $ 4.3

$ 2.5

$ 5.7

$ 3.4 Favorable metal price lag (0.7)



(1.2)

 Segment Adjusted EBITDA (1) $ 3.6

$ 2.5

$ 4.5

$ 3.4















(1) Amounts may not foot as they represent the calculated totals based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

Aleris Corporation

Reconciliation of Revenues to

Commercial Margin

(unaudited)

(in millions)

























































For the three months ended

For the six months ended



June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016 North America















Revenues

$ 417.4

$ 361.5

$ 769.0

$ 695.7 Hedged cost of metal

(258.3)

(211.5)

(465.7)

(403.7) Unfavorable (favorable) metal price lag

5.3

0.7

4.4

(2.7) Commercial margin

$ 164.4

$ 150.7

$ 307.7

$ 289.3

















Europe















Revenues

$ 335.8

$ 323.4

$ 644.8

$ 636.0 Hedged cost of metal

(189.6)

(175.9)

(357.7)

(343.3) Unfavorable (favorable) metal price lag

0.1

2.4

(0.6)

2.0 Commercial margin

$ 146.3

$ 149.9

$ 286.5

$ 294.7

















Asia Pacific















Revenues

$ 30.9

$ 25.2

$ 55.1

$ 46.5 Hedged cost of metal

(15.4)

(12.3)

(28.6)

(23.6) Favorable metal price lag

(0.7)



(1.2)

 Commercial margin

$ 14.8

$ 12.9

$ 25.3

$ 22.9

















Aleris Corporation















Revenues

$ 776.2

$ 704.9

$ 1,450.4

$ 1,367.4 Hedged cost of metal

(455.4)

(394.5)

(833.5)

(759.8) Unfavorable (favorable) metal price lag

4.7

3.1

2.6

(0.7) Commercial margin

$ 325.5

$ 313.5

$ 619.5

$ 606.9

SOURCE Aleris

Related Links

http://www.aleris.com


"Alex is a great fit for Inspirus because of his expertise in accounting and finance and his passion for education," said Inspirus Credit Union President Scott Adkins. "He will be an incredible asset to our organization and we're very happy to have him."

Mendes comes to Inspirus with 28-years of experience in the financial services industry. He started his career in Manhattan with some of the largest financial institutions in the United States. Mendes has strong credit union experience and most recently worked as Chief Financial Officer for Navy Army Credit Union in Texas.

Mendes graduated from SUNY Old Westbury with a double major, obtaining Bachelor's degrees with concentration in both Finance and Accounting. Afterwards, Mendes attended New York University in Manhattan and is currently working towards his Master's Degree in Accounting.

Prior to joining Inspirus, Mendes's volunteer experience included serving as the President of the Coastal Bend Children Advocacy Center and as Educator for Junior Achievement Programs in Texas, which helped students learn about financial education. Mendes is excited to be part of an organization that gives back to education and he plans to continue his volunteer efforts in Washington.

"I love working to support the community and am passionate about teaching our youth about financial education," Mendes said. "I come from a family who shares this same love and passion and I'm eager to become more involved with Inspirus and giving back."

In his free time, Mendes enjoys spending time with his wife and three children. He puts an emphasis on education and all three of his children have attended or are planning to attend college.

About Inspirus Credit Union

Founded in 1936 by a Seattle math and journalism teacher, Inspirus serves 80,000 members across Washington who share a passion for education. With $1.1 billion in assets, Inspirus operates branches in Seattle, Spokane, and Lynnwood. Its philanthropy model includes education-giveback programs that allow members to direct charitable contributions to schools in their communities. Inspirus team members donate upwards of 1,000 volunteer hours each year in support of education. Inspirus Credit Union is a 2017 winner of Puget Sound Business Journal's Corporate Champion Awards, honoring their contributions to education. For more information, visit inspirusCU.org.

SOURCE Inspirus Credit Union

Related Links

https://www.inspiruscu.org


MIAMI, Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami Health System and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has again been ranked as the nation's best in ophthalmology by U.S News & World Report in its Best Hospitals edition. It is the 14th year in a row and the 16th time that Bascom Palmer Eye Institute has been ranked Number One since the publication began surveying U.S. physicians for its annual rankings.

"Our patients inspire Bascom Palmer's superb team of 1,200 doctors, scientists, nurses, ophthalmic technicians and support staff to excel in patient care, vision research, education and surgical innovation," said Eduardo C. Alfonso, M.D., chairman of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. "Ensuring personalized, exceptional care for each of our patients is our priority. The fact that ophthalmologists from around the country recognize us as the best in the nation again and again is a great honor."

Bascom Palmer's doctors and scientists are recognized international leaders in their fields of expertise in every subspecialty of ophthalmology; these include macular, retinal and optic nerve diseases, cataracts and corneal diseases, glaucoma, eye cancers, and eye diseases in children.

Another University of Miami Health System program -- ear, nose and throat at University of Miami Hospital (UMH) -- joins Bascom Palmer in the national rankings at Number 35. Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Miami Hospital and Clinics is ranked "high performing" in cancer, as is neurology and neurosurgery at UMH. In the regional rankings, UMH is ranked No. 4 in the Miami Metro Area and No. 12 in Florida.

"It is such an honor to work with the extraordinary physicians, researchers and staff at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, and throughout our medical center," said Edward Abraham, M.D., Dean and Chief Academic Officer of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. "The Bascom Palmer experts set the standard for innovation in ophthalmology research, education and care, and patients around the world benefit."

Bascom Palmer is one of the first academic institutions to initiate the American Academy of Ophthalmology IRIS Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight)  the nation's first comprehensive eye disease and condition registry, which allows ophthalmologists to compare their performance against benchmarks and ensure the best possible outcomes for their patients in the delivery of eye care.

For more information, visit https://physician-news.umiamihealth.org/bascom-palmer-eye-institute-ranked-nations-1-in-ophthalmology-for-16th-time/

SOURCE Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
BOSTON, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Beacon Health Options (Beacon), a national leader in behavioral health management, announced that it has signed an innovative contract with Column Health, a new technology-enabled health care company, to expand access to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in Massachusetts. The cornerstone of the contract is a value-based bundled payment structure that promotes high-quality treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), resulting in positive clinical outcomes and reduced administrative burdens for the provider. The bundled payment structure is based on phases of treatment for patients, which creates a continuum of care.

Opioids are a class of drugs that include heroin as well as the licit prescription pain relievers oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl and others. MAT combines the use of behavioral therapy with medications, such as methadone and buprenorphine, to treat OUD.

Although the data is preliminary, according to a June 5, 2017 article in The New York Times, the best estimate regarding deaths due to drug overdose in 2016 is that, nationwide, it rose 19 percent over the previous year. All evidence suggests the problem is worsening in 2017. According to a Massachusetts Department of Public Health first-quarter report on opioid-related deaths, such deaths have increased by almost 21 percent, from 1,651 in 2015, to 1,993 in 2016. In the first quarter of 2017, there have been 172 confirmed opioid overdose deaths, plus an additional 242 to 307 that have not been confirmed.

"Offering evidence-based treatment to every person with opioid use disorder is central to the Beacon Health Options strategy for combating this epidemic. Our association with Column Health expands our capacity to engage and retain members in a proven, effective treatment program that offers multiple options for medically assisted treatment combined with other recovery services," said Dr. James Thatcher, Medical Director for Beacon Health Options' Northeast Region. "Its programs in Metro Boston communities show impressive outcomes and provide timely access to services. We look forward to working with Column Health to deliver a quality continuum of immediate, long-term care for our recovering members."

The chronic care model and the use of bundled value-based payments were promoted in Beacon's 2015 white paper, Confronting the Crisis of Opioid Addiction. This type of payment structure discourages fee-for-service, episodic care that has a high relapse rate and is known for increased mortality.

"We've seen the disease of addiction reach epidemic levels, impacting every community and every demographic," said Colin Beatty, CEO and founder of Column Health. "Our Column Health team, together with our partners at Beacon Health Options, are making incredible progress helping the most vulnerable people in our state and soon across the country to grapple with this disease. I couldn't think of a team better equipped and more aligned than Beacon to help us tackle the epidemic and move the industry to outcomes-driven, value-based models of care."

About Column Health

Column Health is a new technology-enabled healthcare company that has developed an innovative model of treatment for full recovery from addiction and substance use disorders. It has a rapidly expanding network of outpatient mental health clinics focused on innovative and humane treatment that provides outcomes-focused treatment for patients struggling with the disease of addiction. Column Health offers a full suite of mental health and substance use treatment-related services, including Medication-Assisted Recovery Treatment, psychotherapy, integrated lab testing, detoxification, and medication management in technology-enabled, state-of-the-art medical clinic settings. By integrating a more comprehensive range of care needed to properly treat mental illness, Column Health is able to provide convenience and care coordination for patients seeking a full range of care and facilitate improved effectiveness of the program.

About Beacon Health Options

Beacon Health Options is a managed behavioral health care company that serves 50 million individuals across all 50 states and the United Kingdom. On behalf of employers, health plans and government agencies, we manage behavioral health insurance and EAP benefits to ensure that individuals have access to robust mental health and addiction services. To promote quality care, Beacon works with its provider partners to design innovative programs and solutions that directly address the challenges our behavioral health care system faces today. Beacon is a national leader in the fields of mental and emotional well-being, addiction, recovery and resilience, employee assistance, and wellness. Partnering with a network of providers nationwide, we help individuals live their lives to the fullest potential. For more information, visit www.beaconhealthoptions.com and connect with us on www.facebook.com/beaconhealthoptions, www.twitter.com/beaconhealthopt and www.linkedin.com/company/beacon-health-options.

SOURCE Beacon Health Options

Related Links

https://www.beaconhealthoptions.com


PITTSFIELD, Mass., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The registered nurses of Berkshire Medical Center, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, have filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against BMC citing management's months long refusal to provide information necessary to negotiate over health insurance, which is a mandatory subject of bargaining under federal labor law.

"As nurses we provide much of the health care at our hospital. We are simply looking to negotiate affordable, quality health insurance to keep ourselves and our families healthy," said Amber VanBramer, RN on the MNA BMC Bargaining Committee. "It is particularly frustrating as a single parent that BMC has refused to negotiate over this key issue. The hospital already charges nurses like myself in family plans a lot more than managers. Nurses are at high risk for injuries and assault. We are working while exhausted, pushed by management beyond our ability to provide safe patient care."

Nurses have repeatedly requested data from BMC that the MNA needs to analyze the hospital's self-insurance rates as part of a proposal to create an additional "employee +" or "employee plus children" health insurance option. BMC has proposed raising nurses' health insurance rates by 10 percent even as nurses in BMC's family health insurance plans already pay 40 to 70 percent more than managers. BMC has also refused to consider any plan design, cost sharing, rates or co-payments other than what management first demanded at the beginning of negotiations nearly a year ago.

Quality RN Health Insurance Matters

According the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, health care workers are injured on the job more than those in any other profession. In Massachusetts, they are twice as likely to be injured as those in other industries and suffer from patient handling injuries at a rate 70 percent higher than those in other states, according to the Department of Public Health.

Violence against health care workers accounts for nearly as many injuries as in all other industries combined, according to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration. That is at a rate five times greater than the average worker in our country, with nurses experiencing more non-fatal incidents of workplace violence than against the police or corrections officers.

A recent survey of more than 220 union and non-union Massachusetts nurses found that fear of violence and physical and verbal abuse are widespread in Massachusetts health care facilities. More than 85 percent of nurses have been punched, spit on, groped, kicked or otherwise physically or verbally assaulted.

Background on Bargaining

BMC nurses are seeking a fair contract that foremost protects patient care by ensuring safe levels of nurse staffing. Nurses have filed hundreds of unsafe staffing reports with BMC management in recent months. They have repeatedly detailed their concerns about high RN workload and how that connects to negative impacts on patient care. Another key issue for nurses is quality and affordable health insurance.

Negotiations between BMC nurses and management began in September 2016. More than 20 bargaining sessions have been held to date, and now include a federal mediator. On May 31, nurses overwhelmingly rejected the hospital's "best and final" contract offer by a margin of 82 percent. Last month, nurses voted 83 percent to authorize a potential one-day strike. The 85 percent turnout was the highest ever for BMC nurses. The 16-member RN Bargaining Committee has the authority to call for a one-day strike and issue the 10-day strike notice required under federal law.

In July, BMC nurses filed a separate unfair labor practice charge against BMC and its Vice President of Human Resources for sending a letter to nurses that interfered with their protected rights by threatening retaliation against them if they took part in a one-day strike.

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


SPRING CITY, Pa., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- College ranking website BestCollegeReviews.org has released its 2017-2018 ranking of the top online Master's Degrees in Accounting.

Programs were ranked according to affordability, quality of the educational program, and the flexibility of educational content and format.

In the ever-changing world of business, the needs and demands of employers often change without warning. This can affect the job market, and the demand for employees with specific qualifications can be difficult to predict. There are, however, some jobs that will never become obsolete, foremost among them is the field of accounting. Accounting professionals often play the most important roles in a company, and those with a diverse range of accounting skills are highly valued.

The more diverse a person's accounting skills are, the more secure their career future can be. In considering the students seeking this kind of job security, the editorial staff at Best College Reviews turned its sights toward ranking colleges and universities across the country who offer online master's degree programs in accounting.

Below is a listing of the programs highlighted in the ranking. For further details, please visit the full article at http://www.bestcollegereviews.org/top/online-masters-accounting/.

- Bellevue University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- Wilmington University, Online Master of Accounting

- Edgewood College, Online Master of Science in Accountancy

- Auburn University, Online Master's in Accounting

- Baker College, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- Saint Leo University, Online Master's in Accounting

- Regis University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- American Public University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- Ashford University, Online Master of Science of Accountancy

- Emporia State University, Online Master of Accountancy

- Western Governors University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- Stetson University, Online Master of Accountancy

- Franklin University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- Southern New Hampshire University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- Post University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- Florida Atlantic University, Executive Master of Forensic Accounting

- Georgia Southern University, Online Master of Accounting

- Gardner-Webb University, Online Master of Accountancy

- California State University - Sacramento, Online Master of Science in Accountancy

- Walden University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- Liberty University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- Colorado State University - Global Campus, Online Master of Professional Accounting

- Western New England University, Online Master's Degree in Accounting

- Rider University, Online Master of Accountancy

- University of Maryland - University College, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- Indiana Wesleyan University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- University of South Dakota, Online Master of Professional Accountancy

- Colorado Technical University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- University of Alabama, Online Master of Accounting

- Nova Southeastern University, Online Master of Accounting

- SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Online Master's in Accounting

- New England College, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- Rutgers University, Online Master of Accountancy

- University of Massachusetts - Lowell, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- St. John's University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- University of Connecticut, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- Saint Joseph's College, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- University of Scranton, Online Master of Accountancy

- Southern Utah University, Online Master of Science in Accounting

- University of Massachusetts - Amherst, Online Master of Science in Accounting

BestCollegeReviews.org reviews publicly available data and produces independent ranking assessments of various educational programs and college facilities. The mission of Best College Reviews is to be a vital resource for potential students making one of the most important decisions of their lives. Best College Reviews recognize that no ranking system is perfect, and recommends that their ratings be used only as a general guide for choosing a quality school.

Contact: Julie McCaulley, Editor

Phone: 518-496-0845

Email: http://www.bestcollegereviews.org/contact/

SOURCE BestCollegeReviews.org

Related Links

http://www.bestcollegereviews.org


ST. JOHNS, Antigua and Barbuda, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The Government of Antigua and Barbuda announces the appointment of Mr Calvin Ayre as a Special Economic Envoy with responsibility for advising on economic cooperation and commerce between Antigua and Barbuda and other sovereign States where blockchain technology is being utilised.

Mr Ayre will advise the Government on the effective implementation of new technological developments in cryptocurrency and Bitcoin which have been adopted by leading companies in the United States, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Canada, China, and the United Kingdom. He has already invested heavily in Bitcoin blockchain core technology and his e-Com technology processes more Bitcoin transactions than any other platform in the world today.

As it did in offshore banking and Internet Gaming in the 1990s, the government of Antigua and Barbuda anticipates becoming an early leader in the Caribbean to compete in the international community in the provision of a legal platform for world-wide private sector activity utilising blockchain technology.

In addition to the work that his companies have done in research and development of blockchain technology and Bitcoin, Mr Ayre has a wealth of knowledge in the internet gaming sector having pioneered the development of software support for online gaming, and subsequently establishing his own gaming operations under the popular Bodog brand.

His efforts are expected to re-invigorate the Internet Gaming industry in Antigua and Barbuda which, in 1999, provided more than US$100 million to the economy and employed over 2,000 people. Today, the online gaming business is worth in excess of US$37.9 Billion annually with markets throughout Asia and Europe.

As it continues to diversify the economy and create new and high paying jobs for its people, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda looks forward to the contribution of Mr Ayre's technological companies.

SOURCE Government of Antigua & Barbuda
By PTI: By K J M Varma

Beijing, Aug 9 (PTI) China today lodged a diplomatic protest with Japan over its defence white paper which criticised Beijings aggressive policies in the South and East China seas.

In the white paper of more than 560 pages, Japan devoted 34 pages to "unjustified criticism" of Chinas normal defence construction and military activities, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

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Japan said in its defence white paper that "China has tried to change the status quo in the East China Sea and South China Sea based on its own assertions, and this has become a common concern of the region and the world at large."

Geng accused Japan of meddling in the South China Sea, saying China has lodged solemn representations with the Japanese side.

Geng reaffirmed that the will of the Chinese government to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests is firm.

China claims almost all of South China Sea and also laid claims on the Senkaku islands under the control of Japan in East China Sea and resorted to aggressive patrols in the last two years.

Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the South China Sea.

Geng said conducting patrols and law-enforcement activities in waters off the Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands is Chinas inherent right and Japan is in no position to point fingers at those activities.

The Chinese side, carrying out normal sea and air activities in accordance with international law, relevant domestic laws and regulations as well as national defence needs, is beyond reproach, he said.

The construction of necessary and appropriate facilities by the Chinese side in some reefs and islands of the Nansha Islands is a legitimate right granted to sovereign states by international law, which has nothing to do with militarisation and does not pose a threat to regional security, Geng said.

With the concerted efforts of countries in the region, the situation in the South China Sea has stabilised, he said.

China and ASEAN countries are focusing on strengthening cooperation to promote a comprehensive and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and jointly develop regional rules, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

On Sunday, China and ASEAN foreign ministers adopted a framework of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, said Geng, noting that all parties affirmed the positive situation in the South China Sea and highly appreciated the early cooperation results, such as the China-ASEAN senior diplomats hotline.

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Geng hoped that Japan would respect the efforts made by China and ASEAN countries in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, stop intervention in the South China Sea issue, and play a constructive role in maintaining regional peace and stability.

In the recent years, Japan has drawn broad attention from countries in the region and international community as it sharply adjusted its military security policy and attempted to make excuses for developing its armed forces and amending the constitution by exaggerating neighbouring safety threats, Geng said.

He urged the Japanese side to learn lessons from history, stick to the path of peaceful development and act prudently in military security.

"We hope that the Japanese side could do more to help enhance mutual trust with China and other neighbouring countries and to safeguard regional peace and stability," he said. PTI KJV ASK ASK

--- ENDS ---
BOCA RATON, Fla., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Campus Management today announced that Bryant University Zhuhai selected CampusNexus Student on the CampusNexus Cloud to assist in the institution's goal of expanding education opportunities in China's Guangdong Province. Due to a quick implementation process, the Student Information System (SIS) is already supporting the institution as it engages undergraduate business students at the Zhuhai campus.

Bryant University Zhuhai is the first and only American university with a presence in Zhuhai and the only U.S.-China joint business program in the Guangdong Province on the southeast coast. Since 2005, the U.S.-China Institute at Bryant has forged academic, business, and cultural partnerships that have provided students and faculty with broad global experiences. The graduating students will receive a Bryant University degree.

"Campus Management was the best cloud-based SIS provider to help us move from numerous manual processes to increased operational efficiency," said Bryant University CIO, Chuck LoCurto. "In less than 90 days, CampusNexus Student was implemented and already engaging international students, which is faster than anything we could have imagined. It's already saving the Zhuhai campus staff time and reducing errors."

Campus Management Corp. implemented CampusNexus Student using CampusNexus Cloud for the Bryant University Zhuhai campus. CampusNexus Student has been enhanced with features and functionality that provide an innovative user experience. Even though the Bryant University Zhuhai program will be taught in English, CampusNexus Student allows institutions to configure their portal in multiple language according to their preference.

"Education is nation building, and we are thrilled that Bryant University Zhuhai chose Campus Management to help them solve the challenges that come with expanding an international program," said Campus Management CEO, Jim Milton. "We were able to leverage our experience of deploying solutions in 20 countries to quickly get CampusNexus Student operational and helping students in China achieve success."

About Campus Management Corp.

Campus Management is a leading provider of cloud solutions and services that transform higher education institutions. Its next-generation suite, CampusNexus, includes enterprise-wide Student, CRM, and Finance, HR & Payroll solutions. Today, more than 2,000 campuses in 20 countries partner with Campus Management to transform academic delivery, student success and operational efficiency.

About Bryant University Zhuhai

Bryant University Zhuhai is situated on the 800-acre campus of Beijing Institute of Technology Zhuhai and houses the only U.S.-China joint four-year undergraduate business degree program in China. The academic program for Chinese as well as U.S. students mirrors the vigor and quality of Bryant's nationally recognized curriculum.

Media Contact:

Ashley Prince

Media Relations

Campus Management Corp.

954-249-1124

[email protected]

SOURCE Campus Management Corp.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Captain D's, the leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced today it has signed a franchise development agreement with industry veterans Richard Reeves and Larry Lavigne to expand its presence throughout Florida's west coast, bringing nine new restaurants to the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota-Bradenton market. This agreement was fueled by the company's alliance with leading development firm American Development Partners (ADP), which has helped propel the brand's aggressive franchise development plans. Over the past several years, Captain D's has continued to achieve significant growth and experience ongoing success, with 2016 marking its sixth consecutive year of same-store sales increases and fourth successive year of record high system-wide AUV.

Captain D's

"At Captain D's, supporting both new and existing franchisees is a top priority and our alliance with ADP is a reflection of our commitment to them," said Michael Arrowsmith, chief development officer of Captain D's. "Our ongoing success has established Captain D's as one of the strongest franchising opportunities in the industry today and contributed to our expansion nationwide. We look forward to working with Richard and Larry, and have no doubt that their impressive expertise will be a valuable asset as we continue our growth in the Sunshine State."

Driving Captain D's growth in Florida are new franchisees Richard Reeves and Larry Lavigne, who will be opening nine locations in the greater Tampa Bay market over the next five years. As part of its alliance with Captain D's, ADP will assist the franchisees with the development of their new locations by facilitating the acquisition of land and overseeing construction. Reeves brings more than 40 years of industry experience to the table and is a multi-unit operator of World of Beer, Taco John's, Checker's and Church's. Lavigne currently manages daily operations at 15 Jet's Pizza locations and oversees 25 additional franchise locations, and will be overseeing operations at each of the new Captain D's restaurants.

"After decades working in the food service and franchising industries, we can spot a good opportunity when we see one. Captain D's unparalleled support for its franchise network and outstanding management team made it the obvious choice for us and we're thrilled to add one of the strongest fast casual concepts to our portfolio," said Reeves. "The Tampa Bay region is a thriving community that is ripe with potential for the brand and we're proud to be a part of the brand's expansion in the area."

Coupled with its menu diversification and expanded array of offerings, Captain D's credits its new restaurant beach design with contributing to the brand's compounding success. To date, nearly 60 percent of all restaurants have been reimaged to the brand's new vibrant, coastal design, with another 50 locations to be remodeled by the end of this year. With these efforts, Captain D's has remained true to what it does best  serving high-quality seafood with warm hospitality at an affordable price in a welcoming atmosphere.

With 521 restaurants in 21 states, Captain D's is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America ranked by average unit volume. The company is currently seeking single- and multi-unit operators to join in the brand's rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit http://www.captaindsfranchising.com or call 800-550-4877.

ABOUT CAPTAIN D'S

Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Captain D's has 521 restaurants in 21 states. Captain D's is the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant and was named the #1 seafood chain in the QSR 50, ranked by AUV. Founded in 1969, Captain D's has been offering its customers high-quality seafood at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere for more than 47 years. Captain D's serves a wide variety of seafood that includes freshly prepared entrees and the company's signature hand-battered fish, which is cooked to order. The restaurants also offer premium-quality, grilled items such as shrimp, and surf and turf, as well as hushpuppies, desserts and freshly brewed, Southern-style sweet tea, a Captain D's favorite. For more information, please visit www.captainds.com.

ABOUT AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

American Development Partners is a full service development, general contractor, architectural and private equity firm with the ability to build in all 50 states. American Development Partners franchise growth division (FGD) provides a 100% turnkey funding solution that allows successful multiunit operators to grow their business without using any of their own capital. For more information visit www.americandevelopmentpartners.com.

Contact:

Samantha Russo

Fish Consulting

954-893-9150

[email protected].com

SOURCE Captain D's

Related Links

http://www.captainds.com


CHICAGO, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cars.com, Inc. (NYSE: CARS)  today announced its financial results for the second quarter ended on June 30, 2017.

Financial Highlights  Second Quarter:

Revenue of $156.6 million , in-line with expectations and flat to the prior year

, in-line with expectations and flat to the prior year Net income of $24.8 million , or $0.35 per diluted share, in-line with expectations and down compared to prior year net income of $42.0 million

, or per diluted share, in-line with expectations and down compared to prior year net income of Adjusted net income of $50.5 million , compared to prior year adjusted net income of $60.2 million

, compared to prior year adjusted net income of Adjusted EBITDA of $62.1 million , or 39.7% of revenue, compared to prior year adjusted EBITDA of $62.2 million , or 39.7% of revenue, and in-line with expectations

, or 39.7% of revenue, compared to prior year adjusted EBITDA of , or 39.7% of revenue, and in-line with expectations Net cash provided by operating activities of $96.7 million for the first half of 2017 with free cash flow of $77.8 million , compared to prior year net cash provided by operating activities of $72.3 million and free cash flow of $67.5 million

for the first half of 2017 with free cash flow of , compared to prior year net cash provided by operating activities of and free cash flow of Remain on track to reach full year 2017 revenue and adjusted EBITDA margin guidance

Key Metric Highlights  Second Quarter:

Traffic (Visits) of 104.1 million, down 1% from the prior year period, and improved upon a 7% year over year decline in the first quarter of 2017

Dealer Customers of 21,465, flat to first quarter 2017 dealer customers of 21,552

Average Vehicle Listings of 5.0 million, up 6% from the prior year period

Initial growth in traffic seen during June compared to the prior year

Mobile traffic up 9% from the prior year period

Operational Highlights  Second Quarter:

Completed spin-off from former parent company TEGNA, Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) on May 31 and listing of Cars.com on NYSE

and listing of Cars.com on NYSE Closed on a $900 million credit facility with borrowings at closing of $675 million

credit facility with borrowings at closing of Eclipsed 5 million reviews extending our lead as the industry's largest and broadest reaching platform for product, dealership and salesperson reviews

Granted a patent for Lot Insights, a reporting tool providing unparalleled intelligence of where and when customers use the Cars.com mobile and improving overall understanding of customer behavior

"This quarter was transformational for us with the completion of our spin-off from TEGNA and the listing of Cars.com on the NYSE. I am proud of the efforts of our employees and the support of our partners through this period," said Alex Vetter, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cars.com.

"During this quarter, we executed on our strategic priorities to improve traffic and consumer acquisition and to innovate in product and technology," Vetter continued. "We remain confident in the differentiated value proposition that our two-sided marketplace delivers to both consumers and our partners. We are well positioned to leverage our operating flexibility and our stand alone capital structure to pursue growth initiatives."

Second Quarter Results

Revenue for the second quarter of 2017 was flat at $156.6 million compared to $156.7 million for the prior year period. Revenue for the first half of 2017 was $309.8 million compared to $309.1 million for the prior year period. Note that the current year period includes revenue from DealerRater, which was acquired August 1, 2016. Retail revenue comprised 74% of revenues, while wholesale comprised 26%, for the second quarter of 2017. We remain on track to meet our full year 2017 revenue guidance.

Total operating expenses for the second quarter of 2017 were $127.8 million compared to $114.8 million for the prior year period. This increase is primarily related to a $12.3 million increase in general and administrative expenses, $10.3 million of which is non-recurring (costs related to the spin-off transaction ($4.6 million), the move to our new corporate office ($2.7 million), restructuring charges ($1.7 million) and a write-off on assets ($1.4 million)). In addition, $1.7 million of the increase in general and administrative costs is related to the incremental cost of being a public company and $0.9 million is related to an increase in depreciation expense. Similarly, operating expenses for the first half of 2017 were $253.7 million, up $20.3 million, or 9%, from the prior year period.

Net income for the second quarter of 2017 was $24.8 million compared to $42.0 million for the prior year period. Adjusted net income for the second quarter of 2017 was $50.5 million compared to $60.2 million for the prior year period. These declines were driven by the increase in operating expenses described above and costs associated with the new capital structure of the Company. Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of 2017 was flat at $62.1 million, or 39.7% of revenue, compared to $62.2 million, or 39.7% of revenue, in the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA for the first half of 2017 was $112.3 million, down 3% from the prior year period. We remain on track to meet our full year 2017 adjusted EBITDA margin guidance. See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below.

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet

Net cash provided by operating activities was $96.7 million for the first half of 2017, compared to $72.3 million for the prior year period. Free cash flow was $77.8 million for the first half of 2017 compared to $67.5 million for the prior year period. Note that the Company incurred incremental capital expenditures in 2017 of $13.9 million related to the cost of the new corporate office space. See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below.

Cash and cash equivalents increased to $36.6 million as of June 30, 2017 from $8.9 million as of December 31, 2016. Excluding debt issuance costs, debt outstanding as of June 30, 2017 was $675 million of which $450 million was term debt and $225 million was associated with the Company's revolving credit facility. $225 million was undrawn on the revolving credit facility as of June 30, 2017.

"In a fragmented market, our size and scale is a key differentiator, driving robust cash flow and maintaining our strong balance sheet," said Becky Sheehan, Chief Financial Officer of Cars.com. "Going forward we will continue to make investments in our technology platform and marketing initiatives while pursuing acquisitions to better serve our consumers and partners."

2017 Outlook

We remain on track to reach full year 2017 revenue and adjusted EBITDA margin guidance provided earlier this year.

Revenue growth of 0  2%

Adjusted EBITDA margin between 38  40%

"Based on these second quarter results, we remain confident that we are on track to meet our 2017 guidance regarding adjusted EBITDA margins and revenue provided earlier in the year," Sheehan said.



Second Quarter Earnings call

As previously announced, management will hold a conference call and webcast today at 7:30 a.m. CT. This webcast may be accessed at investor.cars.com. A replay of the webcast and the slideshow will be available at this website following the conclusion of the call until Wednesday, August 23, 2017.

About Cars.com

Cars.com is a leading online destination that helps car shoppers and owners navigate every turn of car ownership. A pioneer in automotive classifieds, the company has evolved into one of the largest digital automotive platforms, connecting consumers with local dealers across the country anytime, anywhere. Through trusted expert content, on-the-lot mobile app features, millions of new and used vehicle listings, a comprehensive set of research tools and the largest database of consumer reviews in the industry, Cars.com helps shoppers buy, sell and service their vehicles. Cars.com properties include DealerRater, Auto.com, PickupTrucks.com and NewCars.com. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. For more information, visit www.Cars.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This earnings release discusses adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted net income and free cash flow. These are not financial measures as defined by GAAP. These financial measures are presented as supplemental measures of operating performance because we believe they provide meaningful information regarding our performance and provide a basis to compare operating results between periods. In addition, we use adjusted EBITDA as a compensation measure. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures are frequently used by our lenders, securities analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry.

Other companies may define or calculate these measures differently, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. Because of these limitations, these non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as substitutes for performance measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Definitions of these non-GAAP financial measures and reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are presented in the tables below.

We define adjusted EBITDA as net income before (1) interest expense, net, (2) provision for income taxes, (3) depreciation, (4) amortization of intangible assets, (5) stock-based compensation, (6) write-off and impairments of assets, plus (7) certain other one-time or non-cash charges including transaction related costs, restructuring costs and costs related to the headquarters move. Amortization of unfavorable contract liability is not adjusted out of adjusted EBITDA.

We define adjusted net income as net income excluding the after-tax impact of amortization of intangible assets, stock-based compensation, write-off and impairments of assets, and certain other one-time or non-cash charges including transaction related costs, restructuring costs and costs related to the headquarters move. Amortization of unfavorable contract liability is not adjusted out of adjusted net income.

We define free cash flow as net cash flow provided by operating activities less capital expenditures, including purchases of property and equipment and capitalization of internal-use software development costs.

Key Metrics Definitions

Traffic (Visits). Traffic (Visits) and our ability to generate traffic are key to our business. Tracking our traffic performance is a critical measure. Traffic to the Cars.com network of websites and mobile apps provides value to our advertisers in terms of audience, awareness, consideration and conversion. In addition to tracking traffic volume and sources, we monitor activity on our properties, allowing us to innovate and refine our consumer-facing offerings. Traffic is an internal metric representing the number of visits to Cars.com desktop and mobile properties (web browser and apps). Visits refer to the number of times visitors accessed Cars.com properties during the period, no matter how many visitors make up those visits. Traffic (Visits) numbers provide an indication of our consumer reach. Although our consumer reach does not directly result in revenue, we believe our ability to reach diverse demographic audiences is attractive to our dealers and national advertisers.

Dealer Customers. Our value to consumers tracks to our ability to showcase the inventory of our dealer and Original Equipment Manufacturer ("OEM") customers. The larger the advertiser base, the more inventory and options that are available for consumers to review. Dealer Customers represents the car dealerships using our products as of the end of each reporting period. Each dealership location is counted separately, whether it is a single-location proprietorship or part of a large consolidated dealer group. Multi-franchise dealerships at a single location are counted as one dealer.

Average Vehicle Listings. Our value to consumers tracks to our ability to showcase the inventory of our dealer and OEM customers. The more vehicle listings that are available for consumers to review, the more traffic we attract and the higher the consumer engagement. Average Vehicle Listings represents the daily average of vehicles listed for sale on Cars.com properties. The daily average is calculated on a monthly basis and averaged for the reporting period.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements may relate to business strategies, market potential, future financial performance and other matters. The words "believe," "expect," "estimate," "could," "should," "intend," "may," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. The matters discussed in these forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Where, in any forward-looking statement, an expectation or belief as to future results or events is expressed, such expectation or belief is based on the current plans and expectations of our management and is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that the expectation or belief will result or be achieved or accomplished. Comparisons of results between current and prior periods are not intended to express any future trends, or indications of future performance, unless expressed as such, and should only be viewed as historical data. Whether or not any such forward-looking statement is in fact achieved will depend on future events, some of which are beyond our control. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include: competitive pressures in the markets in which we operate and innovation by our competitors; increased closures or consolidation among automobile dealers or other events which may adversely affect business operations of major customers and/or depress their level of advertising; macroeconomic trends and conditions; economic downturns leading to a weak automotive market or a decrease in online and mobile advertising or consumer demand for new and used cars; our ability to anticipate market needs and develop new and enhanced products and services to meet those needs, and our ability to successfully monetize them; potential disruption or interruption of our operations due to accidents, extraordinary weather events, civil unrest, political events, terrorism or cyber security attacks; an inability to realize benefits or synergies from acquisitions of new businesses or dispositions of existing businesses or to operate businesses effectively following acquisitions or divestitures; the ability to attract and retain employees; the ability to adequately protect intellectual property; reliance on third-party service providers; rapid technological changes and frequent new product introductions prevalent in the markets in which we compete; volatility in financial and credit markets which could affect our ability to raise funds through debt or equity issuances and otherwise affect our ability to access the credit and capital markets at the times and in the amounts needed and on acceptable terms; reliance on the performance of counterparties to affiliation agreements to generate wholesale advertising revenues, and the potential underperformance of these counterparties; the ability to stay abreast of new or modified laws and regulations that currently apply or become applicable to our business; adverse outcomes in proceedings with governmental authorities or administrative agencies; any other than temporary decline in operating results and enterprise value that could lead to non-cash goodwill, other intangible asset, investment or property, plant and equipment impairment charges; our expectations regarding the time during which we will be an "emerging growth company" under the JOBS Act; our inability to engage in certain corporate transactions following our spin-off from TEGNA; any failure to realize expected benefits from our spin-off from TEGNA; other uncertainties relating to general economic, political, business, industry, regulatory and market conditions, and other factors that can be found in the our Registration Statement on Form 10, as modified in any subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Current Report on Form 8-K, which are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and are available on our website, investor.cars.com, and on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as may be required by law, we undertake no obligation to modify or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect new information, events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

Cars.com Inc. CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED STATEMENTS OF INCOME Unaudited and in thousands (except per share data)





















Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,



2017

2016

2017

2016 Revenues:















Retail:















Direct revenue

$ 83,273

$ 82,123

$ 166,908

$ 163,928 National advertising revenue

28,441

27,756

53,377

52,007 Other revenue

3,996

3,701

7,670

7,250 Total retail revenue

115,710

113,580

227,955

223,185 Wholesale

40,914

43,070

81,843

85,954 Total

156,624

156,650

309,798

309,139 Operating expenses:















Product support, technology and operations

35,062

33,203

69,881

65,912 Marketing and sales

50,512

53,263

109,513

111,605 General and administrative

20,354

8,037

30,699

15,539 Affiliate revenue share

2,355

2,108

4,716

4,102 Amortization of intangible assets

19,468

18,164

38,935

36,328 Total

127,751

114,775

253,744

233,486 Operating income

28,873

41,875

56,054

75,653 Nonoperating (expense) income:















Interest (expense) income, net

(1,770)

12

(1,729)

12 Other income, net

51

133

135

54 Total nonoperating (expense) income, net

(1,719)

145

(1,594)

66 Income before income taxes

27,154

42,020

54,460

75,719 Provision for income taxes

2,345



2,763

 Net income

$ 24,809

$ 42,020

$ 51,697

$ 75,719 Earnings per share, basic

$ 0.35

$ 0.59

$ 0.72

$ 1.06 Weighted-average common shares outstanding, basic

71,716

71,588

71,716

71,588 Earnings per share, diluted

$ 0.35

$ 0.59

$ 0.72

$ 1.06 Weighted-average common shares outstanding, diluted

71,780

71,588

71,780

71,588





































Cars.com Inc. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED BALANCE SHEETS In thousands (except share data)













June 30, 2017

December 31,

2016



(unaudited)



Assets







Current assets







Cash and cash equivalents

$ 36,600

$ 8,896 Accounts receivables, less allowance of $3,301 and $3,527, respectively

90,062

98,303 Prepaid expenses and other current assets

24,982

12,342 Total current assets

151,644

119,541 Property and equipment







Cost

59,117

37,190 Less accumulated depreciation

(18,521)

(16,729) Net property and equipment

40,596

20,461 Intangible and other assets







Goodwill

788,107

788,107 Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization of $204,586 and $165,651, respectively

1,568,434

1,607,369 Investments and other assets

11,104

11,788 Total assets

$ 2,559,885

$ 2,547,266 Liabilities and equity







Current liabilities







Accounts payable

$ 5,760

$ 7,844 Current portion of long-term debt

21,153

 Accrued liabilities

73,679

64,140 Total current liabilities

100,592

71,984 Noncurrent liabilities







Deferred incentive plans

1,903

3,913 Unfavorable contracts liability

31,485

44,085 Long-term debt

647,752

 Deferred tax liability

276,786

8,325 Other noncurrent liabilities

17,834

1,674 Total noncurrent liabilities

975,760

57,997 Total liabilities

1,076,352

129,981 Commitments and contingent liabilities







Stockholders' equity







TEGNA's investment, net



2,417,285 Common Stock at par, $0.01 par value; authorized 300,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 71,588,447 shares at June 30, 2017, and no shares authorized, issued and outstanding at December 31, 2016

716

 Additional paid-in capital

1,478,981

 Retained earnings

3,836

 Total stockholders' equity

1,483,533

2,417,285 Total liabilities and equity

$ 2,559,885

$ 2,547,266





















Cars.com Inc. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS Unaudited and in thousands













Six Months Ended June 30,



2017

2016 Cash flows from operating activities:







Net income

$ 51,697

$ 75,719 Adjustments to reconcile net income to operating cash flows:







Depreciation and amortization

44,450

40,459 Amortization of unfavorable contract liability

(12,600)

(12,600) Write-off and loss on assets

1,383

108 Gain on trading securities related to deferred compensation

(136)

(55) Provision for doubtful accounts receivable

1,627

1,453 Share-based compensation

481

 Amortization of debt issuance costs

112

 Increase (decrease) in operating assets and liabilities

9,718

(32,776) Net cash flow provided by operating activities

96,732

72,308 Cash flows from investing activities:







Purchase of property and equipment

(18,910)

(4,795) Purchase of investments



(2,229) Proceeds from sale of property and equipment



15 Net cash used in investing activities

(18,910)

(7,009) Cash flows from financing activities:







Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt

675,000

 Payments of debt issuance costs and other fees

(5,918)

 Cash distribution to TEGNA related to Separation

(650,000)

 Transactions with TEGNA, net

(69,200)

(65,231) Net cash used in financing activities

(50,118)

(65,231) Increase in cash and cash equivalents

27,704

68 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

8,896

100 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$ 36,600

$ 168 Supplemental non-cash information:







Purchases of property and equipment in accrued liabilities and accounts payable

$ 9,002

$ 19 Supplemental cash flow information:







Cash paid for interest

$ 574

$ 











Cars.com Inc. NON-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS Unaudited and in thousands





















Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,



2017

2016

2017

2016 Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA

































Net income

$ 24,809

$ 42,020

$ 51,697

$ 75,719 Interest expense (income), net

1,770

(12)

1,729

(12) Provision for income taxes

2,345

-

2,763

- Depreciation

2,909

2,050

5,515

4,131 Amortization of intangible assets

19,468

18,164

38,935

36,328 Stock-based compensation

481

-

481

- Transaction related costs and other

4,560

-

4,664

- Restructuring costs

1,671

-

1,671

- Costs related to the headquarters move

2,731

-

3,428

- Write-off and loss on assets

1,383

-

1,383

- Adjusted EBITDA*

$ 62,127

$ 62,222

$ 112,266

$ 116,166



































Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted Net Income













Net income

$ 24,809

$ 42,020

$ 51,697

$ 75,719 Amortization of intangible assets

19,468

18,164

38,935

36,328 Stock-based compensation

481

-

481

- Transaction related costs and other

4,560

-

4,664

- Restructuring costs

1,671

-

1,671

- Costs related to the headquarters move

2,731

-

3,428

- Write-off and loss on assets

1,383

-

1,383

- Tax impact of adjustments

(4,563)

-

(5,079)

- Adjusted net income*

$ 50,540

$ 60,184

$ 97,180

$ 112,047



































Reconciliation of Cash Flow Provided by Operating Activities to Free Cash Flow

























Net cash flow provided by operating activities

$ 53,016

$ 46,450

$ 96,732

$ 72,308 Purchase of property and equipment

(13,301)

(2,666)

(18,910)

(4,795) Free cash flow

$ 39,715

$ 43,784

$ 77,822

$ 67,513



















* Amortization of unfavorable contract liability is not adjusted out of adjusted EBITDA or adjusted net income.

SOURCE Cars.com, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cars.com


DENVER, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Catalyst, the leader in fast and scalable e-discovery technology, welcomed Shaun Sullivan, an e-discovery and business technology expert, to lead their West Coast sales. As a seasoned e-discovery professional, Sullivan has advised Fortune 500 companies and AmLaw 100 organizations on a diverse range of matters including international litigation, sensitive internal and regulatory investigations, second requests, and complex intellectual property litigation.

"Catalyst is growing quickly and delivering rapid new upgrades and capability. With Shaun's enthusiasm, expertise, and experience he'll be a great addition to our team," said TJ Gill, Catalyst's vice president of sales. "The new machine learning algorithm and our expansion into legal hold requires someone who is both skilled and diverse. We're extremely excited to have Shaun for his technical grasp of our industry and his global knowledge."

Most recently, he was the business development manager at Convetit, Inc., where he oversaw business development and sales strategy. In 2011, Sullivan had a project cited by the New York Times, and a year later he managed the largest e-discovery project in the world up to that time.

Prior to his role at Convetit, Inc., Sullivan was the director of discovery services for BlackStone Discovery, where he oversaw strategy, business and market development. Sullivan was instrumental in expanding BlackStone's national footprint, as well as their international forensic and e-discovery expertise with projects in India, China, Japan, Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore. He was also an integral part of expanding their technical and consulting experience by spearheading the development of their forensic department.

"I'm looking forward to being a part of such a dynamic and innovative e-discovery company," said Sullivan. "Catalyst is one of the most unique and effective companies in the industry, and I'm excited to help expand their west coast presence."

Based in California, Sullivan graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Law and Society. Sullivan also received a Diploma in European Common Law from the University College Cork, Ireland.

About Catalyst

Catalyst designs, hosts, and services the world's fastest and most powerful document repositories for large-scale discovery and regulatory compliance. For more than 15 years, corporations and their counsel have relied on Catalyst to help reduce litigation costs and take control of complex legal matters. To learn more, visit catalystsecure.com or follow the company on Twitter at @CatalystSecure.

SOURCE Catalyst

Related Links

https://catalystsecure.com


THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CB&I (NYSE:CBI) today announced financial results for the second quarter of 2017.

Unless otherwise indicated, results reported are for continuing operations, which consist of CB&I's Engineering & Construction (E&C), Fabrication Services and Technology businesses. The results of our former Capital Services business have been classified as a discontinued operation for all periods presented. CB&I also announced in a separate news release today that it is initiating the process to sell its Technology business.

Revenue was $1.3 billion in the second quarter of 2017, compared to revenue of $2.2 billion in the second quarter of 2016. CB&I reported a net loss of $304.1 million, or $3.02 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2017, compared to net income of $115.6 million, or $1.09 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2016.

New awards in the second quarter of 2017 totaled $1.1 billion, compared to $1.3 billion in the second quarter of last year. Backlog at June 30, 2017, was $13.6 billion, compared to backlog of $14.7 billion at June 30, 2016.

"Although our second quarter results are disappointing, we are taking decisive actions to improve our operating performance and strengthen the company's financial position," said Patrick K. Mullen, President and Chief Executive Officer of CB&I. "We have initiated a comprehensive cost reduction program and suspended our dividend. We are injecting additional rigor and discipline into our execution and risk management processes, further strengthening the integration between our E&C and Fabrication Services operating groups, and accelerating the implementation of innovative practices and technologies. We remain committed to our integrated self-perform model, which we believe will enable us to generate attractive earnings and cash flows over time.

"Additionally, we announced today that we are pursuing a sale of our Technology business, which we believe will unlock significant value for stakeholders. We plan to use the proceeds from the sale to significantly enhance CB&I's financial strength and flexibility by eliminating the majority of our debt and reinvesting in our E&C and Fabrication Services businesses. We envision a bright future for CB&I as a highly focused company with tightly integrated EPC and fabrication capabilities serving the LNG, petrochemical, refining and gas power generation markets."

E&C Operating Group

E&C operating group revenue was $702.2 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared to $1.5 billion in the year-ago quarter, due to the wind-down of a large cost-reimbursable LNG mechanical erection project in the Asia-Pacific region and lower revenue on two U.S. LNG projects. The E&C group reported an operating loss of $525.7 million due to forecasted increases in costs on four fixed-price contracts amounting to $548.0 million, as well as an additional $50 million from the current-quarter impact of a lower margin percentage recognized on work performed during the period on the projects. The projects that incurred these cost increases were two gas turbine projects and two LNG export facility projects, all of which are being executed in the U.S. The E&C group's new awards in the second quarter totaled $398.4 million, and backlog as of June 30, 2017, was $10.4 billion.

Fabrication Services Operating Group

Fabrication Services operating group revenue was $508.5 million compared to $547.7 million in the year-ago quarter. The Fabrication Services group reported operating income of $57.6 million compared to $67.4 million in the second quarter of 2016, which had benefited from $11 million in net savings on project costs. Operating income margin was 11.3 percent, compared to 12.3 percent in the year-ago quarter. The Fabrication Services group's new awards in the second quarter were $521.4 million, more than double the new award level in the second quarter of 2016. Backlog as of June 30, 2017, was $2.0 billion.

Technology Operating Group

Technology operating group revenue was $72.8 million, an increase of 13 percent from the year-ago quarter due to increased petrochemical licensing. The Technology group reported operating income of $21.5 million compared to $23.1 million in second quarter of 2016. Operating income margin was 29.5 percent, down from 35.7 percent in the year-ago quarter, due largely to mix. The Technology group's new awards in the second quarter were $148.5 million, up 38 percent from the year-ago quarter. Backlog as of June 30, 2017, was $1.2 billion.

Corporate and Other

The company also announced today that it is initiating a comprehensive corporate and operating expense reduction program expected to generate cost savings of approximately $100 million on an annualized basis.

CB&I's Supervisory Board has elected to suspend the company's quarterly common stock dividend effective immediately. The suspension of the dividend is expected to result in annual cash savings of $28 million to $30 million.

The company reported a use of cash from operations in the second quarter of 2017 of approximately $157 million, driven primarily by the net loss partially offset by an increase in our contract capital liability position.

Using the cash proceeds from the June 30, 2017, sale of Capital Services, the company reduced its total debt to $1.8 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2017, as compared to $2.4 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2017.

Amended Credit Agreements

As of June 30, 2017, the company would not have been in compliance with certain covenants required under CB&I's credit agreements without amending the agreements. Effective August 9, the company amended its credit agreements, which are subject to final documentation, to waive its current non-compliance and to revise future covenants. The company continues to maintain adequate liquidity with borrowing capacity of approximately $1.4 billion at the end of the second quarter.

Guidance

Based on the market conditions and operating environment that CB&I has encountered through the first six months of 2017, the company has revised its outlook for the second half of the year. The company currently expects second-half revenue to be between $3.7 and $4.0 billion and diluted earnings per share in the range of $1.00 to $1.25. The company's earnings guidance does not include any benefits from the cost reduction program, which are likely to be realized in 2018.

Earnings Conference Call

CB&I will host a conference call and webcast August 9 at 4:00 p.m. CDT (5:00 p.m. EDT) to discuss financial and operating results and answer questions from investors. The webcast will be available on the Investor Relations page of www.CBI.com, and the conference call can be accessed by telephone at 1-800-301-8321 (U.S.) or 1-706-634-2259 (outside the U.S.) with conference ID # 51193998.

About CB&I

CB&I (NYSE:CBI) is a leading provider of technology and infrastructure for the energy industry. With more than 125 years of experience, CB&I provides reliable solutions to our customers around the world while maintaining a relentless focus on safety and an uncompromising standard of quality. For more information, visit www.CBI.com.

Important Information For Investors And Shareholders

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding CB&I and represents our expectations and beliefs concerning future events. These forward-looking statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. The forward looking statements in this press release include: statements about CB&I's new awards and backlog, to the extent these may be indicators of future revenue or profitability; the intended sale of the Technology operating group, including the timing with respect to the completion of that sale; the execution of activities on and completion of specific projects, including timing to complete, future productivity and cost to complete; estimates of percentage of completion and contract profits or losses; and guidance for the second half of 2017, with respect to revenue, earnings and cash flow.

When considering these and any other statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or use or contain words, terms, phrases or expressions such as "achieve," "forecast," "plan," "propose," "strategy," "envision," "hope," "will," "continue," "potential," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," "predict," "intend," "should," "could," "may," "might" or similar forward-looking statements, we refer you to the cautionary statements concerning risk factors and "Forward-Looking Statements" described under "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of our Annual Report filed on Form 10-K filed with the SEC for the year ended December 31, 2016, and any updates to those risk factors or "Forward-Looking Statements" included in our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC, which cautionary statements are incorporated herein by reference.

Investors: Scott Lamb, +1 832 513 1068, [email protected]

Media: Gentry Brann, +1 832 513 1031, [email protected]

Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V. Consolidated Statements of Operations (in thousands, except per share data)

















Three Months

Six Months



Ended June 30,

Ended June 30,



2017

2016

2017

2016

















Revenue

$ 1,283,477



$ 2,161,164



$ 3,110,829



$ 4,295,793

Cost of revenue

1,661,534



1,903,209



3,337,935



3,782,268

Gross (loss) profit

(378,057)



257,955



(227,106)



513,525

% of Revenue

(29.5) %

11.9 %

(7.3) %

12.0 %

















Selling and administrative expense

67,167



69,195



140,224



150,141

% of Revenue

5.2 %

3.2 %

4.5 %

3.5 %

















Intangibles amortization

6,377



6,464



12,863



13,541

Equity earnings

(8,655)



(2,059)



(16,266)



(5,664)

Other operating expense, net

3,637



1,107



3,668



927

Operating (loss) income from continuing operations

(446,583)



183,248



(367,595)



354,580

% of Revenue

(34.8) %

8.5 %

(11.8) %

8.3 %

















Interest expense

(34,714)



(20,196)



(58,815)



(40,261)

Interest income

882



2,754



2,110



4,934

(Loss) income from continuing operations before taxes

(480,415)



165,806



(424,300)



319,253



















Income tax benefit (expense)

178,752



(41,937)



165,048



(81,461)

Net (loss) income from continuing operations

(301,663)



123,869



(259,252)



237,792

Net (loss) income from discontinued operations

(120,847)



8,679



(111,353)



14,718

Net (loss) income

(422,510)



132,548



(370,605)



252,510



















Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests ($457, $437, $870 and $885 related to discontinued operations)

(2,909)



(8,709)



(30,159)



(21,746)

Net (loss) income attributable to CB&I

$ (425,419)



$ 123,839



$ (400,764)



$ 230,764



















Net (loss) income attributable to CB&I per share (Basic):















Continuing operations

$ (3.02)



$ 1.10



$ (2.87)



$ 2.07

Discontinued operations

(1.20)



0.08



(1.11)



0.13

Total

$ (4.22)



$ 1.18



$ (3.98)



$ 2.20



















Net (loss) income attributable to CB&I per share (Diluted):















Continuing operations

$ (3.02)



$ 1.09



$ (2.87)



$ 2.05

Discontinued operations

(1.20)



0.08



(1.11)



0.13

Total

$ (4.22)



$ 1.17



$ (3.98)



$ 2.18



















Weighted average shares outstanding:















Basic

100,866



105,298



100,660



105,051

Diluted

100,866



106,091



100,660



105,925



Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands)













June 30,

December 31,



2017

2016 ASSETS

















Current assets

$ 2,072,447



$ 2,127,020

Equity investments

174,561



165,256

Property and equipment, net

502,426



505,944

Goodwill and other intangibles, net

3,037,602



3,033,212

Assets of discontinued operations





876,876

Other non-current assets

1,359,243



1,131,112

Total assets

$ 7,146,279



$ 7,839,420











LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

















Current maturities of long-term debt and other borrowings, net

$ 1,843,320



$ 911,410

Other current liabilities

3,634,960



3,377,370

Long-term debt, net





1,287,923

Liabilities of discontinued operations





252,857

Other non-current liabilities

447,789



448,523











Shareholders' equity

1,220,210



1,561,337

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

$ 7,146,279



$ 7,839,420





Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and Other Financial Data (in thousands)









Six Months



Ended June 30,



2017

2016 CASH FLOWS

















Cash flows from operating activities

$ (466,110)



$ 319,264

Cash flows from investing activities

653,341



(115,668)

Cash flows from financing activities

(394,507)



(137,736)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

57,040



(13,169)

(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents

(150,236)



52,691

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the year

505,156



550,221

Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period

354,920



602,912

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period - discontinued operations





(16,596)

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period - continuing operations

$ 354,920



$ 586,316











OTHER FINANCIAL DATA

















Increase in receivables, net

$ (164,655)



$ (113,662)

Change in contracts in progress, net

298,677



87,405

Decrease in inventory

32,988



15,334

Decrease in accounts payable

(57,913)



(53,637)

Change in contract capital

$ 109,097



$ (64,560)











Depreciation and amortization

$ 48,898



$ 62,853

Capital expenditures

$ 34,300



$ 25,276



Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V. Segment Information (in thousands)

























Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,



2017

2016

2017

2016

































NEW AWARDS (1)





% of





% of





% of





% of





Total





Total





Total





Total Engineering & Construction

$ 398,421



37%

$ 977,911



73%

$ 2,634,594



67%

$ 1,319,576



62% Fabrication Services

521,447



49%

253,633



19%

967,707



25%

627,772



29% Technology

148,507



14%

107,769



8%

308,861



8%

191,389



9% Total

$ 1,068,375







$ 1,339,313







$ 3,911,162







$ 2,138,737







































REVENUE





% of





% of





% of





% of





Total





Total





Total





Total Engineering & Construction

$ 702,150



55%

$ 1,548,994



72%

$ 1,982,903



64%

$ 3,085,355



72% Fabrication Services

508,518



39%

547,658



25%

987,090



32%

1,081,364



25% Technology

72,809



6%

64,512



3%

140,836



4%

129,074



3% Total

$ 1,283,477







$ 2,161,164







$ 3,110,829







$ 4,295,793







































OPERATING (LOSS) INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS





% of





% of





% of





% of





Revenue





Revenue





Revenue





Revenue Engineering & Construction

$ (525,682)



(74.9)%

$ 92,809



6.0%

$ (520,268)



(26.2)%

$ 200,882



6.5% Fabrication Services

57,639



11.3%

67,385



12.3%

109,698



11.1%

104,495



9.7% Technology

21,460



29.5%

23,054



35.7%

42,975



30.5%

49,203



38.1% Total

$ (446,583)



(34.8)%

$ 183,248



8.5%

$ (367,595)



(11.8)%

$ 354,580



8.3%

































BACKLOG (1)

June 30, 2017

% of Total

December 31, 2016

% of Total Engineering & Construction

$ 10,445,699



77%

$ 9,871,208



76% Fabrication Services

2,001,355



15%

2,117,567



16% Technology

1,160,453



8%

1,025,723



8% Total

$ 13,607,507











$ 13,014,498















(1) New awards represent the value of new project commitments received by the Company during a given period, as well as scope growth on existing commitments. Backlog includes the value of new awards until work is performed and revenue is recognized or until cancellation. Backlog may fluctuate with currency movements.

SOURCE CB&I

Related Links

http://www.cbi.com


ATLANTA, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- You're going to want to drink up this deal! Hot Dog on a Stick is squeezing out some fresh deals in celebration of National Lemonade Day on August 20. The All-American, beach-born brand is giving away FREE souvenir cups filled with its fresh, hand-stomped lemonade to the first 50 customers at each participating store. In addition, all customers will enjoy a FREE Original Turkey Hot Dog on a Stick item with a lemonade purchase throughout the day. *

"Hot Dog on a Stick is proud to stick a smile on our customers' faces with our famous lemonade. Being the only national restaurant with genuine hand-stomped fresh lemonade, we believe it's truly the best around," said Jeremy Roy, Vice President of Hot Dog on a Stick. "Sip one for yourself on National Lemonade Day and enjoy our Original Hot Dogs on a Stick items, too!"

Operated by Global Franchise Group, LLC, Hot Dog on a Stick has close to 100 locations in the U.S., as well as internationally, including Korea. To find a Hot Dog on a Stick near you, visit www.hotdogonastick.com or engage with Hot Dog on a Stick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

*Valid on August 20, 2017 at participating Hot Dog on a Stick locations only, when customers mention National Lemonade Day. No purchase necessary for first 50 customers to receive the souvenir cup filled with lemonade.

About Hot Dog on a Stick- www.hotdogonastick.com

Established in 1946 in Southern California, Hot Dog on a Stick is known for its fresh, made-to-order hot dog on a stick and cheese on a stick products, hand-stomped natural lemonade, smiling customer service and its iconic bright striped uniforms. Hot Dog on a Stick provides customers with a fun all-American quick service restaurant experience, catering services for events, party packs, and fundraisers. Hot Dog on a Stick has close to 100 locations in the U.S. and internationally, including Korea. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For franchising opportunities, visit www.hotdogonastickfranchise.com .

About Global Franchise Group, LLC - www.globalfranchise.com

Global Franchise Group, LLC is a strategic brand management company with a mission of championing franchise brands and the people who build them. The company owns a portfolio of franchise brands that includes five primary quick service restaurant (QSR) franchise concepts: Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Marble Slab Creamery, MaggieMoo's Ice Cream & Treatery, and Pretzelmaker. The brands are managed by GFG Management, LLC, a subsidiary of Global Franchise Group, LLC. Global Franchise Group, LLC is a portfolio company of Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, an independent investment firm, with approximately $7 billion of capital under management and substantial franchise management experience.

SOURCE Hot Dog on a Stick

Related Links

http://www.hotdogonastick.com


NORWALK, Conn., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Charkit Chemical Company LLC ("Charkit" or the "Company") announced today that LeBaronBrown Industries LLC ("LeBaronBrown") has made an investment as a new, long-term majority shareholder in Charkit. Charkit's management team, led by its President and Founder Charlie Hinnant, will continue to manage the business.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. As part of the agreement, the Company has changed its legal status from Charkit Chemical Corporation to Charkit Chemical Company LLC.

Founded in 1982, Charkit is currently celebrating its 35th year of operations and has undertaken this transaction to position the Company for ongoing growth, including entry into new markets, forging agreements with distribution partners, and pursuing selective acquisitions of other specialty chemical distributors. LeBaronBrown is a private investment firm with a multi-decade orientation and will dedicate its capital and resources to supporting the growth of Charkit over the long term.

"We're excited about the vision for Charkit's future and thrilled to be partners with LeBaronBrown," said Mr. Hinnant. "The investment in our company recognizes the hard work our management team has put into successfully building Charkit over the last 35 years and also recognizes the tremendous opportunities for growth that lie ahead for us."

Simon Brown and Matthew LeBaron, founders of LeBaronBrown, added "Charlie and the team at Charkit have built a superb company over time. We are delighted at the opportunity to partner with Charkit and provide resources to support the ongoing growth of the Company. Building on the Company's operating excellence, we will be actively seeking complementary acquisitions in the specialty chemical distribution industry."

For more information about Charkit Chemical Company, please contact Shawn McManus at 203.299.3227 or [email protected]. For more information about LeBaronBrown, please contact Simon Brown or Matt LeBaron at 212.841.8500. To arrange a press interview, please contact Maria Garvey at 914.747.1400 or [email protected].

Founded in 1982 by its President, Charles Hinnant, Charkit Chemical Company LLC offers a wide range of products to the personal care, food, flavor and fragrance, water treatment, imaging, metal treatment, nutritional and pharmaceutical industries as well as to producers of fine and specialty chemicals. In addition to high demand products, Charkit provides custom sourcing, manufacturing, technical assistance and product development services through its partners. In 2017, Charkit celebrates its 35th year of continuing growth.

Charkit Chemical Company LLC

PO Box 90

Norwalk CT 06856-0090

www.charkit.com

LeBaronBrown Industries LLC is a private investment firm with a multi-decade investment horizon. LeBaronBrown's objective is to support the creation of long term equity value and compounding of performance. LeBaronBrown's capital and resources will be dedicated to supporting the growth of Charkit over the long term, including by actively seeking complementary acquisitions.

LeBaronBrown Industries LLC

400 Park Avenue, 21st Floor

New York, NY 10022

www.lebaronbrown.com

SOURCE Charkit Chemical Company LLC

Related Links

http://www.charkit.com


CHICAGO, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cision Ltd. (NYSE: CISN), a leading global provider of software and services to public relations and marketing communications professionals, today reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017.

Highlights of the quarter include:

Revenue increased 73% to $157.1 million ;

; Operating income for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 was $10.4 million , a $24.2 million improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter operating loss of $13.8 million ;

was , a improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter operating loss of ; Adjusted EBITDA increased 89% to $58.5 million ; and

; and Adjusted pro forma net income per diluted share increased by 250% to $0.14 .

"We are pleased to have delivered another solid quarter, our first as a public company  with improved organic revenue growth and continued margin expansion," said Kevin Akeroyd, Cision's Chief Executive Officer. "Over the coming quarters, we will keep our operational focus on delivering best-in-class products and services to our customers, executing on our remaining synergies, and driving toward meeting our 2017 goals and objectives."

Financial Results

Revenue for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 was $157.1 million , a 73% increase over the prior fiscal year's second quarter revenue of $90.8 million ;

was , a 73% increase over the prior fiscal year's second quarter revenue of ; Net loss for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 was $19.1 million , a $1.9 million improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter net loss of $21.0 million ;

was , a improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter net loss of ; Fully-diluted pro forma net loss per share for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 was $0.23 , a $0.03 per share improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter fully-diluted pro forma net loss per share of $0.26 ;

was , a per share improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter fully-diluted pro forma net loss per share of ; Net cash provided by operating activities was $18.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 , a $36.5 million improvement versus the net cash used in operating activities of $18.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016 ;

for the six months ended , a improvement versus the net cash used in operating activities of for the six months ended ; Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 was $44.6 million , a $29.6 million improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter EBITDA of $15.0 million ;

was , a improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter EBITDA of ; Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 was $58.5 million , a $27.5 million improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter Adjusted EBITDA of $31.0 million ;

was , a improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter Adjusted EBITDA of ; Adjusted net income for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 was $11.6 million , an $8.0 million improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter Adjusted net income of $3.6 million ;

was , an improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter Adjusted net income of ; Adjusted pro forma net income per share for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 was $0.14 , a $0.10 per share improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter Adjusted pro forma net income per share of $0.04 ;

was , a per share improvement versus the prior fiscal year's second quarter Adjusted pro forma net income per share of ; Adjusted net cash provided by operating activities was $38.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 , a $14.7 million improvement versus the prior fiscal year's six months ended June 30, 2016 adjusted net cash provided by operating activities of $24.0 million.

Business Statistics and Operational Highlights

Cision/PRN US cross-sell bookings of $2.1 million (annual contract value) during the second quarter, bringing the total cross-sell bookings within the US to $9.3 million since the completion of the acquisition of PR Newswire;

(annual contract value) during the second quarter, bringing the total cross-sell bookings within the US to since the completion of the acquisition of PR Newswire; Cision/Bulletin US cross-sell bookings of $0.8 million (annual contract value) during the second quarter, bringing the total cross-sell bookings within the US to $0.8 million since the completion of the acquisition of Bulletin Intelligence;

(annual contract value) during the second quarter, bringing the total cross-sell bookings within the US to since the completion of the acquisition of Bulletin Intelligence; Significantly enhanced our industry leading Cision Communications Cloud platform, with releases that expanded social media monitoring capabilities, improved management and measurement of multi-channel PR campaigns, and integrated analytical tools such as Google Analytics and Adobe;

The average number of subscription customers was approximately 36,100 during the second fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2017 ;

; The average annualized revenue per subscription customer was approximately $10,300 during the second fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2017 ;

during the second fiscal quarter ended ; During the second fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2017 , approximately 33,200 customers purchased services from us on a transaction basis;

, approximately 33,200 customers purchased services from us on a transaction basis; The average revenue per customer that purchased services from us on a transaction basis was $1,560 during the second fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2017 ;

during the second fiscal quarter ended ; Americas revenues were $119.7 million for the second fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2017 , an 87% increase over the prior fiscal year's second quarter Americas revenues of $64.0 million ;

for the second fiscal quarter ended , an 87% increase over the prior fiscal year's second quarter Americas revenues of ; EMEA revenues were $31.3 million for the second fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2017 , a 20% increase over the prior fiscal year's second quarter EMEA revenues of $26.0 million ; and

for the second fiscal quarter ended , a 20% increase over the prior fiscal year's second quarter EMEA revenues of ; and APAC revenues were $6.1 million for the second fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2017 , a 663% increase over the prior fiscal year's second quarter APAC revenues of $0.8 million .

Fiscal Year 2017 Outlook

Our updated outlook for the full fiscal year ending December 31, 2017 appears below:

Revenue of between $636 million and $640 million ;

; Including the acquisition of Bulletin Intelligence and the divestiture of Vintage, as if both occurred on January 1, 2017 , revenue of between $639 million and $643 million ;

, revenue of between ; Adjusted EBITDA of between $224 million and $226 million ;

; Including the acquisition of Bulletin Intelligence and the divestiture of Vintage, as if they both occurred on January 1, 2017 , Adjusted EBITDA of between $226 million and $228 million ;

, Adjusted EBITDA of between ; Adjusted net income of between $60 million and $62 million ; and

; and Adjusted pro forma net income per share per of between $0.59 and $0.61 .

Additionally, for the full fiscal year ending December 31, 2017, Cision expects:

Depreciation expense of between $24 million and $26 million ;

; Net interest expense, exclusive of debt extinguishment costs, of between $116 million and $118 million ;

; Cash interest expense of between $103 million and $105 million , with second half 2017 cash interest expense of between $40 million and $42 million ;

, with second half 2017 cash interest expense of between ; Amortization expense of between $114 million and $116 million , with $24 million to $26 million of this amortization expense within cost of revenue and the remainder in general and administrative costs;

, with of this amortization expense within cost of revenue and the remainder in general and administrative costs; Stock-based compensation expense of between $4 million and $5 million ;

; Capital expenditures, inclusive of capitalized software development, of between $26 million and $28 million ; and

; and Adjusted net cash provided by operating activities of between $98 million and $102 million .

The above outlook assumes the following exchange rates with respect to the British Pound, the Euro and the Canadian Dollar for the remainder of the fiscal year 2017:

GBP to USD 1.31 EUR to USD 1.18 CAD to USD 0.79

Additionally, our outlook for the fiscal year 2017 excludes any additional acquisitions, divestitures, or other unanticipated events. See discussion of non-GAAP financial measures at the end of this release.

As previously announced, Cision will hold a conference call to discuss its second quarter 2017 results on August 9, 2017 at 5:00pm EDT. The conference call will be simultaneously webcast on the Investor Relations section of the company's website: http://investors.cision.com

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Non-GAAP results are presented only as a supplement to our financial statements based on US generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Non-GAAP financial information is provided to enhance the reader's understanding of our financial performance, but none of these non-GAAP financial measures are recognized terms under GAAP and non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Reconciliations of the most directly comparable GAAP measures to non-GAAP measures, such as EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted net income, Adjusted net income per share, and Adjusted net cash provided by operating activities, are provided within the schedules attached to this release. We use non-GAAP measures in our operational and financial decision-making, believing that it is useful to exclude certain items in order to focus on what we deem to be a more reliable indicator of ongoing operating performance and our ability to generate cash flow from operations. As a result, internal management reports used during monthly operating reviews include Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted net income, Adjusted net income per share, and Adjusted net cash provided by operating activities. We also believe that investors may find non-GAAP financial measures useful for the same reasons, although investors are cautioned that non-GAAP financial measures are not a substitute for GAAP disclosures. This communication also includes certain forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures. Cision is unable to present a reconciliation of this forward-looking non-GAAP financial information because management cannot reliably predict all of the necessary components of such measures. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this information.

Non-GAAP measures are frequently used by securities analysts, investors, and other interested parties in their evaluation of companies comparable to Cision, many of which present non-GAAP measures when reporting their results. These measures can be useful in evaluating our performance against our peer companies because we believe the measures provide users with valuable insight into key components of GAAP financial disclosures. However, non-GAAP measures have limitations as an analytical tool. Non-GAAP measures are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. They are not presentations made in accordance with GAAP, are not measures of financial condition or liquidity, and should not be considered as an alternative to profit or loss for the period determined in accordance with GAAP or operating cash flows determined in accordance with GAAP. As a result, you should not consider such performance measures in isolation from, or as a substitute analysis for, results of operations as determined in accordance with GAAP.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "aim," "strive," "believe," "see," "project," "predict," "estimate," "expect," "continue," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "might," "should," "will," "would," "target," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. A detailed discussion of some of the risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from the forward-looking statements is described under the caption "Risk Factors" in our most recent proxy on Form S-4, along with our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this communication is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date of this report. We do not assume any obligation to publicly provide revisions or updates to any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities and other applicable laws. Please consult our public filings at www.sec.gov or www.Cision.com.

About Cision

Cision Ltd. is a leading global provider of software and services to public relations and marketing communications professionals. Cision's software allows users to identify key influencers, craft and distribute strategic content, and measure meaningful impact. Cision has over 3,000 employees with offices in 15 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. For more information about its award-winning products and services, including the Cision Communications Cloud visit www.cision.com and follow Cision on Twitter @Cision.

Cision Ltd. and its Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands, except per share and share amounts) (Unaudited)



June 30,

December 31,



2017

2016









Assets





Current assets:







Cash and cash equivalents $ 337,659

$ 35,135

Restricted cash 20

627

Accounts receivable, net 100,139

87,605

Prepaid expenses and other current assets 20,253

16,225

Total current assets 458,071

139,592 Property and equipment, net 55,400

47,947 Other intangible assets, net 497,778

511,210 Goodwill 1,103,558

1,079,518 Other assets 9,401

8,801

Total assets $ 2,124,208

$ 1,787,068 Liabilities, Mandatorily Redeemable Equity and Stockholders' Equity (Deficit) Current liabilities:







Current portion of long-term debt $ 11,358

$ 11,171

Due to Cision Owner, Convertible Preferred Equity -

443,102

Accounts payable 14,622

8,723

Accrued compensation and benefits 19,989

26,109

Other accrued expenses 66,086

54,862

Current portion of deferred revenue 129,711

119,600

Total current liabilities 241,766

663,567 Long-term debt, net of current portion 1,415,265

1,383,877 Deferred revenue, net of current portion 1,428

961 Deferred tax liability 67,758

83,209 Other liabilities 19,129

14,507

Total liabilities 1,745,346

2,146,121









Series A-1 and Series C-2 mandatorily redeemable stockholders' equity, 5,498,688 shares authorized, issued and outstanding at December 31, 2016





-

701









Stockholders' equity (deficit):







Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 20,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016







-

-

Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 480,000,000 shares authorized; 120,512,402 and 28,369,644 issued and outstanding at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively

12

3

Additional paid-in capital 769,602

11,448

Accumulated other comprehensive loss (51,308)

(73,902)

Accumulated deficit (339,444)

(297,303)

Total stockholders' equity (deficit) 378,862

(359,754)

Total liabilities, mandatorily redeemable equity and stockholders' equity (deficit) $ 2,124,208

$ 1,787,068











Cision Ltd. and its Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (in thousands, except per share and share amounts) (Unaudited)



Three months ended June 30,

Six months ended June 30,



2017

2016

2017

2016





















































Revenue $ 157,131

$ 90,826

$ 302,949

$ 168,530 Cost of revenue 49,218

32,120

94,284

60,657

Gross profit 107,913

58,706

208,665

107,873 Operating costs and expenses















Sales and marketing 28,010

18,702

55,300

35,238

Research and development 5,566

3,762

11,018

7,298

General and administrative 41,460

35,977

81,692

54,321

Amortization of intangible assets 22,466

14,046

43,477

25,601

Total operating costs and expenses 97,502

72,487

191,487

122,458

Operating income (loss) 10,411

(13,781)

17,178

(14,585) Non operating income (losses)















Foreign exchange gains (losses) (686)

3,552

(2,634)

5,649

Interest and other income, net 224

235

2,273

268

Interest expense (36,328)

(20,438)

(73,243)

(35,820)

Loss on extinguishment of debt -

(23,591)

-

(23,591)

Total non operating loss (36,790)

(40,242)

(73,604)

(53,494)

Loss before income taxes (26,379)

(54,023)

(56,426)

(68,079) Benefit from income taxes (7,231)

(33,057)

(14,285)

(32,967)

Net loss $ (19,148)

$ (20,966)

$ (42,141)

$ (35,112)

















Other comprehensive income (loss) - foreign currency translation adjustments 16,700

(22,095)

22,594

(32,054)

Comprehensive loss $ (2,448)

$ (43,061)

$ (19,547)

$ (67,166)

















Note: Earnings per share figures below are pro forma for the merger with Capitol Acquisition Corp III (4) (6)













Net loss per share:















Basic $ (0.23)

$ (0.26)

$ (0.51)

$ (0.43)

Diluted $ (0.23)

$ (0.26)

$ (0.51)

$ (0.43) Weighted average shares outstanding used in computing per share amounts:















Basic 82,920,632

82,075,873

82,500,586

82,075,873

Diluted 82,920,632

82,075,873

82,500,586

82,075,873



















Cision Ltd. and its Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (in thousands) (Unaudited)







Six months ended June 30,





2017

2016























Cash flows from operating activities





Net loss $ (42,141)

$ (35,112) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:







Depreciation and amortization 67,290

47,041

Noncash interest charges and amortization of debt discount and deferred financing costs 10,285

26,086

Noncash yield on Convertible Preferred Equity Certificates 2,292

1,302

Payment of original issuance discount upon debt extinguishment -

(19,411)

Equity-based compensation expense 1,926

2,616

Provision for doubtful accounts 1,125

1,331

Deferred income taxes (15,451)

(37,765)

Unrealized currency translation (gains) losses 2,394

(5,634)

Gain on sale of business (1,785)

-

Other (168)

(22)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisitions and disposals:









Accounts receivable 4,104

5,732



Prepaid expenses and other current assets (766)

(871)



Other assets 170

(79)



Accounts payable (1,437)

729



Accrued compensation and benefits (10,764)

(1,373)



Other accrued expenses (2,144)

3,388



Deferred revenue 2,962

(6,603)



Other liabilities 216

210



Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 18,108

(18,435) Cash flows from investing activities





Purchases of property and equipment (5,273)

(1,182) Software development costs (7,408)

(5,835) Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired of $12, 355 and $9,071 (54,992)

(805,214) Proceeds from disposal of business 23,675

3 Change in restricted cash 607

(19)



Net cash used in investing activities (43,391)

(812,247) Cash flows from financing activities





Proceeds from revolving credit facility -

33,475 Payment of amounts due (to) from Cision Owner (1,940)

135,944 Proceeds from term loan facility, net of debt discount of $1,108 and $105,930 28,892

1,364,070 Repayments of term loan facility (5,650)

(700,019) Payments on capital lease obligations (114)

(149) Proceeds from the consummation of the Transactions 305,210

-



Net cash provided by financing activities 326,398

833,321 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 1,409

(469)



Increase in cash and cash equivalents 302,524

2,170 Cash and cash equivalents





Beginning of period 35,135

30,606 End of period $ 337,659

$ 32,776











Supplemental non-cash information







Contribution of Convertible Preferred Equity Certificates in connection with Transactions $ 450,455

$ -

Issuance of Convertible Preferred Equity Certificates in connection with acquisition -

40,000

Cision Ltd. and its Subsidiaries Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA (in thousands) (Unaudited)



Three Months

Ended June 30,

2017 Three Months

Ended June 30,

2016

Six Months

Ended June 30,

2017 Six Months

Ended June 30,

2016 Net income (loss) $ (19,148) $ (20,966)

$ (42,141) $ (35,112) Depreciation and amortization 34,698 25,018

67,290 47,041 Interest expense and loss on extinguishment of debt 36,328 44,029

73,243 59,411 Provision (benefit) from income taxes (7,231) (33,057)

(14,285) (32,967) EBITDA (1) (6) $ 44,647 $ 15,024

$ 84,107 $ 38,373 Acquisition related costs and expenses 12,048 17,927

20,287 22,691 Stock-based compensation 933 1,303

1,926 2,616 Deferred revenue reduction from purchase accounting 105 -

105 - Gain on sale of business - -

(1,785) - Sponsor fees and expenses 144 198

284 326 Unrealized translation loss (gain) 619 (3,484)

2,394 (5,634) Adjusted EBITDA (2) (6) $ 58,496 $ 30,968

$ 107,318 $ 58,372

Cision Ltd. and its Subsidiaries Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Pro Forma Net Income per Diluted Share (in thousands, except per share and share amounts) (Unaudited)

Three Months Ended June 30, 2017 Three Months Ended June 30, 2016

Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 Six Months Ended June 30, 2016 Net income (loss) $ (19,148) $ (20,966)

$ (42,141) $ (35,112) Provision (benefit) from income taxes (7,231) (33,057)

(14,285) (32,967) Acquisition related costs and expenses 12,048 17,927

20,287 22,691 Gain on sale of business - -

(1,785) - Stock-based compensation expense 933 1,303

1,926 2,616 Deferred revenue reduction from purchase accounting 105 -

105 - Amortization related to acquired intangible assets 28,717 19,277

55,376 35,584 Debt refinancing, CPEC interest and debt extinguishment costs 1,065 24,242

3,979 24,893 Sponsor fees and expenses 144 198

284 326 Unrealized translation loss (gain) 619 (3,484)

2,394 (5,634) Adjusted Income (loss) before income taxes $ 17,252 $ 5,440

$ 26,140 $ 12,397 Less: Income tax at 33% rate (5,693) (1,795)

(8,626) (4,091) Adjusted net income (3) (6) $ 11,559 $ 3,645

$ 17,514 $ 8,306 Pro forma fully-diluted weighted average shares outstanding (4) (6) 82,921 82,076

82,501 82,076 Adjusted Pro forma Net income per diluted share (4) (6) $ 0.14 $ 0.04

$ 0.21 $ 0.10

Cision Ltd. and its Subsidiaries Reconciliation of Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities to Adjusted Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities (in thousands) (Unaudited)



Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 Six Months Ended June 30, 2016 Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $ 18,108 $ (18,435) Payment of original issuance discount upon debt extinguishment - 19,411 Acquisition related costs and expenses 20,572 23,016 Adjusted net cash provided by operating activities (5) (6) $ 38,680 $ 23,992

(1) Cision defines EBITDA as net income (loss), plus depreciation and amortization expense, plus interest expense and loss on extinguishment of debt, plus provision for (or minus benefit from) income taxes.

(2) Cision defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss), plus depreciation and amortization expense, plus interest expense and loss on extinguishment of debt, plus provision for (or minus benefit from) income taxes, further adjusted for the following items: acquisition related costs and expenses, stock-based compensation, deferred revenue reduction from purchase accounting, (gains) losses related to divested businesses or assets, sponsor fees and expenses, and unrealized translation losses (gains). All of the items included in the reconciliation from net income to Adjusted EBITDA are either non-cash items or are items that we consider to be less useful in assessing our operating performance. In the case of the non-cash items, we believe that investors can better assess our operating performance if the measures are presented without such items because, unlike cash expenses, these adjustments do not affect our ability to generate free cash flow or invest in our business. For example, by excluding depreciation and amortization from EBITDA, users can compare operating performance without regard to different accounting determinations such as useful life. In the case of the other items, we believe that investors can better assess operating performance if the measures are presented without these items because their financial impact does not reflect ongoing operating performance.

(3) Cision defines Adjusted net income as net income (loss) plus provision for (or minus benefit from) income taxes, further adjusted for acquisition related costs and expenses, (gains) losses related to divested businesses or assets, stock-based compensation, deferred revenue reduction from purchase accounting, amortization related to acquired intangibles, debt refinancing, CPEC interest and debt extinguishment costs, sponsor fees and expenses, and unrealized translation losses (gains), which together, sum to Adjusted net income (loss) before income taxes. Adjusted net income (loss) before income taxes is then taxed at an assumed long term corporate tax rate of 33% to determine Adjusted net income (loss). All of the items included in the reconciliation from net income to Adjusted net income are either non-cash items or are items that we consider to be less useful in assessing our operating performance. In the case of the non-cash items, we believe that investors can better assess our operating performance if the measures are presented without such items because, unlike cash expenses, these adjustments do not affect our ability to generate free cash flow or invest in our business. For example, by excluding the amortization related to acquired intangibles, users can compare operating performance without regard to highly variable amortization expenses related to our acquisitions. In the case of the other items, we believe that investors can better assess operating performance if the measures are presented without these items because their financial impact does not reflect ongoing operating performance.

(4) Adjusted pro forma net income per diluted share is defined as Adjusted net income (loss), as defined above, divided by the fully-diluted pro forma weighted average shares outstanding for the period. The fully-diluted pro forma weighted average shares outstanding for the respective period assume that the exchange of shares pursuant to our merger with Capitol Acquisition III had taken effect as of the beginning of such period.

(5) Adjusted net cash provided by (used in) operating activities is defined as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities adjusted for the payment of original issue discount upon debt extinguishment, and acquisition related costs and expenses.

(6) Adjusted net income (loss), Adjusted pro forma net income (loss) per diluted share, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted cash flow provided by (used in) operating activities, are used by many of our investors, research analysts, investment bankers, and lenders to assess our operating performance. For example, a measure similar to Adjusted EBITDA is required by the lenders under our term loan and revolving credit agreements.

Investor Contact:

Jack Pearlstein

Chief Financial Officer

[email protected]

Media Contact:

Nick Bell

Vice President, Marketing Communications and Content

[email protected]

SOURCE Cision Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.cision.com/us/


IRVING, Texas, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR), a global developer and producer of sustainable natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients, creating a wide range of ingredients and customized specialty solutions for customers in the pharmaceutical, food, pet food, feed, industrial, fuel, bioenergy, and fertilizer industries, today announced financial results for the 2017 second quarter ended July 1, 2017.

Second Quarter 2017 Overview

Revenue of $896.3 million , up 2.2%

Net income of $9.1 million , or $0.05 per GAAP diluted share

Adjusted EBITDA of $110.1 million

Strong balance sheet with debt reduction of $45 million

Global raw material volumes steady, up 1.4%

Mixed global pricing environment, strength in fats offset by weakness in proteins

Diamond Green Diesel facility delivered expected performance and expansion continues to progress

For the second quarter of 2017, the Company reported net sales of $896.3 million, as compared with net sales of $877.3 million for the second quarter of 2016. Net income attributable to Darling for the three months ended July 1, 2017 was $9.1 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, compared to a net income of $32.0 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2016. The decrease in net income for the second quarter 2017 is primarily due to weakness in our Food Ingredients segment, particularly the gelatin business, and the absence of the blenders tax credit, which was included in the second quarter 2016 but has not yet been reinstated for 2017.

Comments on the Second Quarter 2017

"We are pleased with second quarter performance across most of the segments in light of a mixed global pricing environment and headwinds in South America," said Randall C. Stuewe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Darling Ingredients Inc. "Sequentially, the Feed segment delivered a very nice performance while the Food segment results were disappointing due to margin compression from rising raw material prices in our global gelatin business and ongoing macro-economic issues in Argentina. The Fuel segment excelled operationally in the midst of the stalled decision on the blenders tax credit. We remain optimistic that the political environment surrounding the biofuel industry today continues to support the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) and the reinstatement of the blenders tax credit," Mr. Stuewe commented.

"Additionally, our Board has approved the extension for an additional 24 months of our previously announced share repurchase program for up to $100 million to be exercised depending on market conditions," added Mr. Stuewe. "The repurchases may be made from time to time on the open market at prevailing market prices or in negotiated transactions off the market. Repurchases may occur over the next 24 months, unless extended or shortened by the Board of Directors," concluded Mr. Stuewe.

Operational Update by Segment

Feed Ingredients  Margins held and the segment performed well supported by solid global raw material volumes, especially in Europe . North American protein markets were mixed with strong pet food demand offset by lagging meat and bone meal pricing. Global fat markets remained firm with demand trending lower late in the quarter in concert with lower palm oil complex prices.

 Margins held and the segment performed well supported by solid global raw material volumes, especially in . North American protein markets were mixed with strong pet food demand offset by lagging meat and bone meal pricing. Global fat markets remained firm with demand trending lower late in the quarter in concert with lower palm oil complex prices. Food Ingredients  While Rousselot gelatin business showed steady performance in Europe , South American gelatin business continued to face headwinds with margin compression from rising raw material prices and ongoing macroeconomic issues. CTH casings business delivered improved results as the short hog supply in China drove strong demand for hog casings. Sonac edible fats held margins and contributed as expected despite a weakening global palm oil market.

 While Rousselot gelatin business showed steady performance in , South American gelatin business continued to face headwinds with margin compression from rising raw material prices and ongoing macroeconomic issues. CTH casings business delivered improved results as the short hog supply in drove strong demand for hog casings. Sonac edible fats held margins and contributed as expected despite a weakening global palm oil market. Fuel Ingredients  Consistent performance led by Rendac and Ecoson with segment decline due to the absence of the blenders tax credit impacting North American biodiesel facilities. Ecoson bio-phosphate plant provided normalized results with slightly lower supply volumes while Rendac, our disposal rendering operations, leveraged strong volumes.

 Consistent performance led by Rendac and Ecoson with segment decline due to the absence of the blenders tax credit impacting North American biodiesel facilities. Ecoson bio-phosphate plant provided normalized results with slightly lower supply volumes while Rendac, our disposal rendering operations, leveraged strong volumes. Diamond Green Diesel Joint Venture (DGD)  DGD executed well operationally, delivering on its financial profile and posted $0.61 EBITDA per gallon despite the lack of the blenders tax credit in 2017 versus 2016. Solid cash position and capacity expansion to 275 million gallons of annual production is tracking as planned for Q2 2018 completion.

Financial Update by Segment

Feed Ingredients Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended ($ thousands) July 1, 2017 July 2, 2016

July 1, 2017 July 2, 2016 Net sales $ 549,119 $ 542,955

$ 1,101,743 $ 1,019,126 Selling, general and administrative expenses 43,506 43,319

88,973 88,570 Depreciation and amortization 44,354 42,119

88,073 86,496 Segment operating income 39,023 41,372

69,851 55,258 EBITDA $ 83,377 $ 83,491

$ 157,924 $ 141,754



*EBITDA calculated by adding depreciation and amortization to segment operating income.

Feed Ingredients operating income for the three months ended July 1, 2017 was $39.0 million , a decrease of $2.4 million or (5.8)% as compared to the three months ended July 2, 2016 . Segment operating income was down in the three months ended July 1, 2017 as compared to the same period in fiscal 2016 due to higher depreciation from new plant locations that were not operating in the three months ended July 2, 2016 .

was , a decrease of or (5.8)% as compared to the three months ended . Segment operating income was down in the three months ended as compared to the same period in fiscal 2016 due to higher depreciation from new plant locations that were not operating in the three months ended . Feed Ingredients operating income during the six months ended July 1, 2017 was $69.9 million , an increase of $14.6 million or 26.4% as compared to the six months ended July 2, 2016 . Earnings for the Feed Ingredients segment were higher due to an overall increase in finished product prices, sales volumes and raw material volumes as compared to the same period in fiscal 2016.

Food Ingredients Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended ($ thousands) July 1, 2017 July 2, 2016

July 1, 2017 July 2, 2016 Net sales $ 279,827 $ 272,120

$ 547,615 $ 520,017 Selling, general and administrative expenses 26,788 20,455

51,847 44,214 Depreciation and amortization 18,184 17,736

35,785 34,440 Segment operating income 11,025 19,650

25,152 41,530 EBITDA $ 29,209 $ 37,386

$ 60,937 $ 75,970



*EBITDA calculated by adding depreciation and amortization to segment operating income.

Food Ingredients operating income was $11.0 million for the three months ended July 1, 2017 , a decrease of $8.7 million or (44.2)% as compared to the three months ended July 2, 2016 . The earnings in the gelatin business were down as compared to the prior year primarily due to the performance in the Company's South American and North American markets. The Company's South American gelatin business was the primary driver on the lower earnings and was impacted by margin compression influenced by rising raw material prices and continued macroeconomic factors. The Company's North American gelatin business was influenced by higher raw material prices. The casings business delivered improved performance due to high demand in China that slightly offset lower earnings in the gelatin business. Additionally, selling, general and administrative expense in the Food Ingredients segment increased approximately $4.8 million primarily due to currency hedge losses in the three months ended July 1, 2017 as compared to currency hedge gains in the same period in fiscal 2016.

for the three months ended , a decrease of or (44.2)% as compared to the three months ended . The earnings in the gelatin business were down as compared to the prior year primarily due to the performance in the Company's South American and North American markets. The Company's South American gelatin business was the primary driver on the lower earnings and was impacted by margin compression influenced by rising raw material prices and continued macroeconomic factors. The Company's North American gelatin business was influenced by higher raw material prices. The casings business delivered improved performance due to high demand in that slightly offset lower earnings in the gelatin business. Additionally, selling, general and administrative expense in the Food Ingredients segment increased approximately primarily due to currency hedge losses in the three months ended as compared to currency hedge gains in the same period in fiscal 2016. Food Ingredients operating income was $25.2 million for the six months ended July 1, 2017 , a decrease of $16.3 million or (39.3)% as compared to the six months ended July 2, 2016 . The earnings in the gelatin business were down as compared to the prior year primarily due to the performance in the Company's South American market. Lower earnings in the Company's South American gelatin business was due to margin compression influenced by rising raw material prices and macroeconomic factors. The casings business delivered improved performance due to high demand in China that slightly offset lower earnings in the gelatin business. Additionally, selling, general and administrative expense in the Food Ingredients segment increased approximately $6.3 million primarily due to a reduction of currency hedge gains in the six months ended July 1, 2017 as compared to the same period in fiscal 2016.

Fuel Ingredients Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended ($ thousands) July 1, 2017 July 2, 2016

July 1, 2017 July 2, 2016 Net sales $ 67,402 $ 62,266

$ 127,062 $ 117,839 Selling, general and administrative expenses 2,902 1,804

6,193 3,654 Depreciation and amortization 7,715 7,184

14,560 14,103 Segment operating income 2,087 6,587

5,595 12,709 EBITDA $ 9,802 $ 13,771

$ 20,155 $ 26,812



*EBITDA calculated by adding depreciation and amortization to segment operating income. Results shown do not include the Diamond Green Diesel (DGD) 50% Joint Venture.

Exclusive of the DGD Joint Venture, the Company's Fuel Ingredients segment income for the three months ended July 1, 2017 was $2.1 million , a decrease of $4.5 million or (68.2)% as compared to the same period in fiscal 2016. For the three months ended July 1, 2017 the North American region results do not include the blenders tax credit, while fiscal 2016 included the blenders tax credit. Earnings in Rendac and Ecoson for the three months ended July 1, 2017 were unchanged as compared to the same period in the prior year.

was , a decrease of or (68.2)% as compared to the same period in fiscal 2016. For the three months ended the North American region results do not include the blenders tax credit, while fiscal 2016 included the blenders tax credit. Earnings in Rendac and Ecoson for the three months ended were unchanged as compared to the same period in the prior year. Exclusive of the DGD Joint Venture, the Company's Fuel Ingredients segment income for the six months ended July 1, 2017 was $5.6 million , a decrease of $7.1 million or (55.9)% as compared to the same period in fiscal 2016. For the six months ended July 1, 2017 , the North American region results do not include the blenders tax credit, while fiscal 2016 included the blenders tax credit.

Darling Ingredients Inc. and Subsidiaries Consolidated Operating Results For the Periods Ended July 1, 2017 and July 2, 2016 (in thousands, except per share data) (unaudited)





Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended











$ Change









$ Change



July 1,

July 2,

Favorable

July 1,

July 2,

Favorable



2017

2016

(Unfavorable)

2017

2016

(Unfavorable) Net sales $ 896,348

$ 877,341

$ 19,007

$ 1,776,420

$ 1,656,982

$ 119,438 Costs and expenses:























Cost of sales and operating expenses 700,764

677,115

(23,649)

1,390,391

1,276,008

(114,383)

Selling, general and administrative expenses 85,531

76,158

(9,373)

173,448

157,627

(15,821)

Depreciation and amortization 72,990

69,531

(3,459)

144,104

141,787

(2,317)

Acquisition and integration costs -

70

70

-

401

401 Total costs and expenses 859,285

822,874

(36,411)

1,707,943

1,575,823

(132,120) Operating income 37,063

54,467

(17,404)

68,477

81,159

(12,682) Other expense:























Interest expense (22,446)

(23,980)

1,534

(44,126)

(47,881)

3,755

Foreign currency gain/(loss) (2,111)

8

(2,119)

(2,375)

(2,595)

220

Other expense, net (2,696)

(2,373)

(323)

(3,656)

(3,678)

22 Total other expense (27,253)

(26,345)

(908)

(50,157)

(54,154)

3,997

























Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries 8,260

13,852

(5,592)

8,966

19,495

(10,529) Income before income taxes 18,070

41,974

(23,904)

27,286

46,500

(19,214) Income taxes expense 7,742

7,983

241

9,560

9,846

286 Net income 10,328

33,991

(23,663)

17,726

36,654

(18,928) Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (1,179)

(1,992)

813

(2,748)

(3,576)

828 Net income attributable to Darling $ 9,149

$ 31,999

$ 22,850

$ 14,978

$ 33,078

$ (18,100)

























Basic income per share: $ 0.06

$ 0.19

$ (0.13)

$ 0.09

$ 0.20

$ (0.11) Diluted income per share: $ 0.05

$ 0.19

$ (0.14)

$ 0.09

$ 0.20

$ (0.11)

























Number of diluted common shares: 166,831

165,474





166,348

165,013





Darling Ingredients Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets July 1, 2017 and December 31, 2016 (in thousands)



July 1,

December 31,

2017

2016 ASSETS (unaudited)



Current assets:







Cash and cash equivalents $ 124,817

$ 114,564

Restricted cash 282

293

Accounts Receivable, net 382,957

388,397

Inventories 359,635

330,815

Prepaid expenses 37,750

29,984

Income taxes refundable 6,387

7,479

Other current assets 13,101

21,770

Total current assets 924,929

893,302 Property, plant and equipment, less accumulated depreciation, net 1,584,735

1,515,575 Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization, net 703,182

711,927 Goodwill 1,271,927

1,225,893 Investment in unconsolidated subsidiaries 279,814

292,717 Other assets 48,239

43,613 Deferred income taxes 17,050

14,990

Total assets $ 4,829,876

$ 4,698,017







LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY





Current liabilities:







Current portion of long-term debt $ 19,370

$ 23,247

Accounts payable, principally trade 186,458

180,895

Income taxes payable 17,213

4,913

Accrued expenses 265,939

242,796

Total current liabilities 488,980

451,851 Long-term debt, net of current portion 1,727,553

1,727,696 Other non-current liabilities 96,916

96,114 Deferred income taxes 349,221

346,134

Total liabilities 2,662,670

2,621,795 Commitments and contingencies





Total Darling's stockholders' equity: 2,064,302

1,972,994 Noncontrolling interests 102,904

103,228

Total stockholders' equity $ 2,167,206

$ 2,076,222



$ 4,829,876

$ 4,698,017

Darling Ingredients Inc. and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows Six Months Ended July 1, 2017 and July 2, 2016 (in thousands) (unaudited)









Six Months Ended







July 1,

July 2, Cash flows from operating activities: 2017

2016

Net income $ 17,726

$ 36,654

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:









Depreciation and amortization 144,104

141,787



Loss/(gain) on disposal of property, plant, equipment and other assets (358)

827



Gain on insurance proceeds from insurance settlements -

(356)



Deferred taxes (11,205)

(1,812)



Increase/(decrease) in long-term pension liability 1,362

(1,596)



Stock-based compensation expense 11,003

5,067



Write - off deferred loan costs 340

57



Deferred loan cost amortization 4,366

5,600



Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries (8,966)

(19,495)



Distribution of earnings from unconsolidated subsidiaries 25,806

25,994



Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions:









Accounts receivable 17,705

(20,081)



Income taxes refundable/payable 12,857

1,559



Inventories and prepaid expenses (21,952)

(19,501)



Accounts payable and accrued expenses 16,594

30,989



Other (11,834)

(17,460)





Net cash provided by operating activities 197,548

168,233 Cash flows from investing activities:







Capital expenditures (127,824)

(109,406)

Acquisitions, net of cash acquired (12,369)

(8,511)

Investment of unconsolidated subsidiaries (2,250)

-

Gross proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment and other assets 3,603

2,404

Proceeds from insurance settlement 3,301

1,537

Payments related to routes and other intangibles (4,635)

-





Net cash used by investing activities (140,174)

(113,976) Cash flows from financing activities:







Proceeds from long-term debt 16,405

17,277

Payments on long-term debt (67,974)

(59,255)

Borrowings from revolving credit facility 80,000

41,000

Payments on revolving credit facility (80,327)

(47,207)

Net cash overdraft financing (1,077)

-

Deferred loan costs (1,177)

-

Issuance of common stock 22

143

Repurchase of common stock -

(5,000)

Minimum withholding taxes paid on stock awards (2,091)

(1,812)

Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation -

(413)

Distributions to noncontrolling interests (2,135)

-





Net cash used by financing activities (58,354)

(55,267) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 11,233

1,941 Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 10,253

931 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 114,564

156,884 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 124,817

$ 157,815 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:







Accrued capital expenditures $ (5,445)

$ (3,684)

Cash paid during the period for:









Interest, net of capitalized interest $ 38,688

$ 41,813



Income taxes, net of refunds $ 7,986

$ 11,799

Non-cash financing activities:









Debt issued for assets $ -

$ 10



Contribution of assets to unconsolidated subsidiary $ -

$ 2,674

Selected financial information for the Company's Diamond Green Diesel Joint Venture is as follows:

Diamond Green Diesel Joint Venture Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 (in thousands)









June 30,

December 31,







2017

2016 Assets:

(unaudited)





Total current assets

$ 216,993

$ 268,734

Property, plant and equipment, net

371,355

354,871

Other assets

7,291

12,164



Total assets

$ 595,639

$ 635,769













Liabilities and members' equity:









Total current portion of long term debt

$ 17,023

$ 17,023

Total other current liabilities

24,112

23,200

Total long term debt

45,242

53,753

Total other long term liabilities

435

418

Total members' equity

508,827

541,375



Total liabilities and members' equity

$ 595,639

$ 635,769

Diamond Green Diesel Joint Venture Operating Financial Results Three Months and Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 and June 30, 2016 (in thousands) (unaudited)







Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended













$ Change









$ Change





June 30,

June 30,

Favorable

June 30,

June 30,

Favorable Revenues: 2017

2016

(Unfavorable)

2017

2016

(Unfavorable)

Operating revenues $ 150,786

$ 132,226

$ 18,560

$ 276,183

$ 203,994

$ 72,189 Expenses:























Total costs and expenses less depreciation, amortization and accretion expense 125,975

95,565

(30,410)

241,297

148,074

(93,223)

Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense 8,021

7,547

(474)

16,134

12,925

(3,209) Total costs and expenses 133,996

103,112

(30,884)

257,431

160,999

(96,432)

Operating income 16,790

29,114

(12,324)

18,752

42,995

(24,243) Other income 328

70

258

551

85

466



Interest and debt expense, net (861)

(1,928)

1,067

(1,851)

(4,742)

2,891



Net income $ 16,257

$ 27,256

$ (10,999)

$ 17,452

$ 38,338

$ (20,886)

Darling Ingredients Inc. reports Adjusted EBITDA results, which is a Non-GAAP financial measure, as a complement to results provided in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) (for additional information, see "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" included later in this media release). The Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA provides additional useful information to investors. Adjusted EBITDA, as the Company uses the term, is calculated below:

Reconciliation of Net Income to (Non-GAAP) Adjusted EBITDA and (Non-GAAP) Pro forma Adjusted EBITDA Three and six months ended July 1, 2017 and July 2, 2016





Three Months Ended - Year over Year

Six Months Ended - Year over Year Adjusted EBITDA July 1,

July 2,

July 1,

July 2, (U.S. dollars in thousands) 2017

2016

2017

2016

















Net income attributable to Darling $ 9,149

$ 31,999

$ 14,978

$ 33,078 Depreciation and amortization 72,990

69,531

144,104

141,787 Interest expense 22,446

23,980

44,126

47,881 Income tax expense 7,742

7,983

9,560

9,846 Foreign currency loss/(gain) 2,111

(8)

2,375

2,595 Other expense, net 2,696

2,373

3,656

3,678 Equity in net (income) of unconsolidated subsidiaries (8,260)

(13,852)

(8,966)

(19,495) Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests 1,179

1,992

2,748

3,576

Adjusted EBITDA $110,053

$123,998

$212,581

$222,946

















Acquisition and integration-related expenses -

70

-

401

Pro forma Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP) $110,053

$124,068

$212,581

$223,347 Foreign currency exchange impact (1) 1,973

-

$ 3,805

$ - Pro forma Adjusted EBITDA to Foreign Currency (Non-GAAP) $112,026

$124,068

$216,386

$223,347



































DGD Joint Venture Adjusted EBITDA (Darling's share) $ 12,406

$ 18,331

$ 17,443

$ 27,960





(1) The average rates assumption used in the calculation was the actual fiscal average rate for the three months ended July 2, 2016 of 1.00:USD$1.13 and CAD$1.00:USD$0.78 as compared to the average rate for the three months ended July 1, 2017 of 1.00:USD$1.10 and CAD$1.00:USD$0.74, respectively.

The average rates assumption used in the calculation was the actual fiscal average rate for the six months ended July 2, 2016 of 1.00:USD$1.12 and CAD$1.00:USD$0.75 as compared to the average rate for the six months ended July 1, 2017 of 1.00:USD$1.08 and CAD$1.00:USD$0.75, respectively.

About Darling

Darling Ingredients Inc. is the world's largest publicly-traded developer and producer of sustainable natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients, creating a wide range of ingredients and specialty products for customers in the pharmaceutical, food, pet food, feed, technical, fuel, bioenergy, and fertilizer industries. With operations on five continents, the Company collects and transforms all aspects of animal by-product streams into broadly used and specialty ingredients, such as gelatin, edible fats, feed-grade fats, animal proteins and meals, plasma, pet food ingredients, organic fertilizers, yellow grease, fuel feedstocks, green energy, natural casings and hides. The Company also recovers and converts used cooking oil and commercial bakery residuals into valuable feed and fuel ingredients. In addition, the Company provides grease trap services to food service establishments, environmental services to food processors and sells restaurant cooking oil delivery and collection equipment. For additional information, visit the Company's website at http://www.darlingii.com.

Darling Ingredients Inc. will host a conference call to discuss the Company's second quarter 2017 financial results at 8:30 am Eastern Time (7:30 am Central Time) on Thursday, August 10, 2017. To listen to the conference call, participants calling from within North America should dial 844-868-8847; international participants should dial 412-317-6593. Please refer to access code 10109759. Please call approximately ten minutes before the start of the call to ensure that you are connected.

The call will also be available as a live audio webcast that can be accessed on the Company website at http://ir.darlingii.com. Beginning one hour after its completion, a replay of the call can be accessed through October 17, 2017, by dialing 877-344-7529 (U.S. callers), 855-669-9658 (Canada) and 412-317-0088 (international callers). The access code for the replay is 10109759. The conference call will also be archived on the Company's website.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

Adjusted EBITDA is not a recognized accounting measurement under GAAP; it should not be considered as an alternative to net income, as a measure of operating results, or as an alternative to cash flow as a measure of liquidity, and is not intended to be a presentation in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA is presented here not as an alternative to net income, but rather as a measure of the Company's operating performance. Since EBITDA (generally, net income plus interest expenses, taxes, depreciation and amortization) is not calculated identically by all companies, this presentation may not be comparable to EBITDA or Adjusted EBITDA presentations disclosed by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated in this presentation and represents, for any relevant period, net income/(loss) plus depreciation and amortization, goodwill and long-lived asset impairment, interest expense, (income)/loss from discontinued operations, net of tax, income tax provision, other income/(expense) and equity in net loss of unconsolidated subsidiary. Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA is useful in evaluating the Company's operating performance compared to that of other companies in its industry because the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA generally eliminates the effects of financing, income taxes and certain non-cash and other items that may vary for different companies for reasons unrelated to overall operating performance.

As a result, the Company's management uses Adjusted EBITDA as a measure to evaluate performance and for other discretionary purposes. In addition to the foregoing, management also uses or will use Adjusted EBITDA to measure compliance with certain financial covenants under the Company's Senior Secured Credit Facilities and 5.375% Notes and 4.75% Notes that were outstanding at July 1, 2017. However, the amounts shown in this presentation for Adjusted EBITDA differ from the amounts calculated under similarly titled definitions in the Company's Senior Secured Credit Facilities and 5.375% Notes and 4.75% Notes, as those definitions permit further adjustments to reflect certain other non-recurring costs, non-cash charges and cash dividends from the DGD Joint Venture. Additionally, the Company evaluates the impact of foreign exchange impact on operating cash flow, which is defined as segment operating income (loss) plus depreciation and amortization.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

{This media release contains "forward-looking" statements regarding the business operations and prospects of Darling Ingredients Inc., including its Diamond Green Diesel joint venture, and industry factors affecting it. These statements are identified by words such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "could," "may," "will," "should," "planned," "potential," "continue," "momentum," "assumption," and other words referring to events that may occur in the future. These statements reflect Darling Ingredient's current view of future events and are based on its assessment of, and are subject to, a variety of risks and uncertainties beyond its control, each of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, among others, existing and unknown future limitations on the ability of the Company's direct and indirect subsidiaries to make their cash flow available to the Company for payments on the Company's indebtedness or other purposes; global demands for bio-fuels and grain and oilseed commodities, which have exhibited volatility, and can impact the cost of feed for cattle, hogs and poultry, thus affecting available rendering feedstock and selling prices for the Company's products; reductions in raw material volumes available to the Company due to weak margins in the meat production industry as a result of higher feed costs, reduced consumer demand or other factors, reduced volume from food service establishments, or otherwise; reduced demand for animal feed; reduced finished product prices, including a decline in fat and used cooking oil finished product prices; changes to worldwide government policies relating to renewable fuels and greenhouse gas emissions that adversely affect programs like the Renewable Fuel Standards Program (RFS2), low carbon fuel standards (LCFS) and tax credits for biofuels both in the Unites States and abroad; possible product recall resulting from developments relating to the discovery of unauthorized adulterations to food or food additives; the occurrence of Bird Flu including, but not limited to H5N1 flu, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (or "BSE"), porcine epidemic diarrhea ("PED") or other diseases associated with animal origin in the United States or elsewhere; unanticipated costs and/or reductions in raw material volumes related to the Company's compliance with the existing or unforeseen new U.S. or foreign regulations (including, without limitation, China) affecting the industries in which the Company operates or its value added products (including new or modified animal feed, Bird Flu, PED or BSE or similar or unanticipated regulations); risks associated with the renewable diesel plant in Norco, Louisiana owned and operated by a joint venture between Darling Ingredients and Valero Energy Corporation, including possible unanticipated operating disruptions and issues related to the announced expansion project; difficulties or a significant disruption in our information systems or failure to implement new systems and software successfully, including our ongoing enterprise resource planning project; risks relating to possible third party claims of intellectual property infringement; increased contributions to the Company's pension and benefit plans, including multiemployer and employer-sponsored defined benefit pension plans as required by legislation, regulation or other applicable U.S. or foreign law or resulting from a U.S. mass withdrawal event; bad debt write-offs; loss of or failure to obtain necessary permits and registrations; continued or escalated conflict in the Middle East, North Korea, Ukraine or elsewhere; uncertainty regarding the likely exit of the U.K. from the European Union; and/or unfavorable export or import markets. These factors, coupled with volatile prices for natural gas and diesel fuel, climate conditions, currency exchange fluctuations, general performance of the U.S. and global economies, disturbances in world financial, credit, commodities and stock markets, and any decline in consumer confidence and discretionary spending, including the inability of consumers and companies to obtain credit due to lack of liquidity in the financial markets, among others, could negatively impact the Company's results of operations. Among other things, future profitability may be affected by the Company's ability to grow its business, which faces competition from companies that may have substantially greater resources than the Company. The Company's announced share repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time and purchases of shares under the program are subject to market conditions and other factors, which are likely to change from time to time. Other risks and uncertainties regarding Darling Ingredients Inc., its business and the industries in which it operates are referenced from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Darling Ingredients Inc. is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.}

For More Information, contact:

Melissa A. Gaither, VP IR and Global Communications Email : [email protected] 251 O'Connor Ridge Blvd., Suite 300, Irving, Texas 75038 Phone : 972-717-0300

SOURCE Darling Ingredients Inc.

Related Links

http://www.darlingii.com


"DJI now has over 11,000 staff worldwide, with offices in 17 cities around the world. As we continue to expand our global footprint, we need to strengthen our management in the area of operations," said Frank Wang, DJI's Founder and CEO. "The move will also enable us to gain a deeper understanding of our growing customer base and build stronger relationships with our dealers and partners. Roger has stood out in his executive management skills and holds a track record in operational excellence. Since joining DJI in 2015, Roger's leadership has improved the overall capabilities of DJI to lead the aerial imaging industry."

For the past two years, Mr. Luo has overseen procurement, production and logistics. In this role, he has expanded DJI's competencies in keeping pace with the growing market requirements for its technology. He has been driving innovation, including adding new layers of automation.

Mr. Luo's work experience spans multiple software and hardware engineering and product management roles for companies including Apple, Foxconn and Siemens. At InnoLux and the BenQ Corporation, his responsibilities included product management, global marketing strategy, procurement, sales and after-sales. Mr. Luo holds a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from National Taiwan University and a Master's Degree in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University, California.

Following his appointment, Mr. Luo said, "DJI is a fast-growing high-tech company and this is a very exciting time for the industry. I look forward to working with the talented team at this company and, together to explore and maximize the creative possibilities of our technology."

Mr. Wang will continue to oversee DJI's product development to boost the potential of the full range of commercial, governmental, scientific, artistic, research and recreational applications.

For additional information, please contact:

Adam Lisberg, DJI Corporate Communication Director, North America  [email protected]

Kevin On, DJI Corporate Communication Director, APAC  [email protected]

Barbara Stelzner, DJI Corporate Communication Director, EMEA  [email protected]

About DJI

DJI is a global leader in developing and manufacturing civilian drones and aerial imaging technology for personal and professional use. DJI was founded and is run by people with a passion for remote-controlled helicopters and experts in flight-control technology and camera stabilization. The company is dedicated to making aerial photography and filmmaking equipment and platforms more accessible, reliable and easier to use for creators and innovators around the world. DJI's global operations currently span across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and its revolutionary products and solutions have been chosen by customers in over 100 countries for applications in filmmaking, construction, emergency response, agriculture, conservation and many other industries.

For more information, visit our:

Website: www.dji.com

DJI Store: store.dji.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DJI

Instagram: www.instagram.com/DJIGlobal

Twitter: www.twitter.com/DJIGlobal

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/DJI

SOURCE DJI
Terming India's thinking that China will back down a wishful thinking, it further says that India, so far, has done nothing to diffuse the border crisis in Doklam.

By Santosh Chaubey: In a clear attempt to patronize Bhutan, an editorial by China's official news agency, Xinhua now has blamed India to turn Bhutan into its protectorate. Saying that if there is any dispute, it is between China and Bhutan and "it has nothing to do with India."

Terming Bhutan a weak country, the editorial says India is recklessly invading its neighbour based on "childish assumptions and foolhardy speculations." "The bottom line in international justice is that no country may pursue its security at the cost of another's sovereignty," the editorial further writes in attempts to provoke Bhutan.

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The editorial's line that "China respects Bhutan as an independent sovereign state and resents India's attempt to turn it into a de facto protectorate," may be a new Chinese ploy to mould or pressure Bhutan after India has refused to budge from its position in spite of incessant Chinese threats of military action.

Extending the routine of aggrandizing China's military prowess, it warns that "India should underestimate neither China's determination nor its capacity to defend its sovereignty and national interests and must dispel all illusions and avoid disastrous consequences."

Terming India's thinking that China will back down a wishful thinking, it further says that India, so far, has done nothing to diffuse the border crisis in Doklam and instead is making eccentric demands even if China is known as an expansionist country involved in territorial disputes with around 20 countries.

China has been ratcheting up its anti-India rhetoric through statements of its foreign ministry, defence ministry, People's Liberation Army (PLA) and its state run media, infusing it with war threats, saying it is now up to India to deescalate the border tension and withdraw its troops from an area that it claims as its own.

The editor of the Global Times, a state owned hawkish tabloid, today came up with his second video warning India of war if it doesn't withdraw its troops from Doklam unilaterally. In his first video message last week, he was seen aggrandizing China's military strength vis-a-vis India, drawing parallels like 'if China and India engage in military conflict, the PLA has an overwhelming advantage''. The hawkish newspaper, a sister publication the People's Daily, Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, has run a number of anti-India editorials laden with rhetoric ever since soldiers from the Indian Army and the PLA first faced off on the Doklam plataue last month.

Doklam that China considers a part of its Donglang region has been a long running territorial dispute between Bhutan and China and Bhutan even issued a demarche to China on construction of road in the area by the PLA. Indian troops entered the area to prevent the road construction with India informing China that it was against the agreement of maintaining the status quo in the area as agreed in the past.

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But an autocratic and expansionist China refused to budge, and in fact, unleashed an intense propaganda war against India aimed to dislodge the legally valid Indian claims and employed every possible propaganda tool in its arsenal, be it the high pitched 'war possibility' threat or arrogant responses delivered by its higher level officials including daily briefings of its foreign ministry or indiscriminate verbal firing rounds by its official publications.

Also read:

After 130 years, government decides to shut down all 39 military farms

India doesn't have ammunition for a long war, key concerns in CAG report explained

Indian Army's ammunition stock will exhaust after 10 days of war: CAG report

Amid tensions with India, Pakistan hikes defence budget by 7 per cent

ALSO WATCH | Doklam standoff: Will conflict with India be disastrous for China?

--- ENDS ---
SEATTLE, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of National Book Lovers Day, America's Favorite Veterinarian Dr. Gary Richter is teaming up with Cindy Aden, State Librarian of the Washington State Library System, to celebrate National Book Lovers Day and to share his book, "The Ultimate Pet Health Guide," with public libraries around Washington State.

"The Ultimate Pet Health Guide"

The Washington State Library System hopes Dr. Richter's donation will inspire other authors to do the same. Aden said, "Libraries are a pathway to book marketing that authors have known all along. Getting your book in front of readers is what it's all about. We are so pleased to be working with Dr. Richter on distributing his book and getting it in front of readers across the state."

Dr. Richter's #1 Amazon Best-Selling book, "The Ultimate Pet Health Guide," shares his expert recommendations for an integrative approach to common pet diseases such as allergies, skin condition, diabetes, pancreatitis, GI and heart disease and cancer. All recommended treatments discussed in the book are backed by extensive research from years of success using these treatments in Dr. Richter's veterinary hospital.

In the book's foreword, actor Ian Somerhalder writes, "This book has the potential to start a global healthy pet movement and I truly hope it does."

Somerhalder, is the founder of the Ian Somerhalder Foundation (ISF), working to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects positively impacting the planet and its creatures. Somerhalder invited Dr. Richter to join ISF as a Veterinarian Medical Advisor to the Foundation. "We absolutely wanted to be involved to help pet parents get these life-changing insights, to ensure you have as much time as possible with your furry loved ones," said Somerhalder.

In the book, Dr. Richter shares his best nutritional approaches, which help pets live longer and healthier lives. The book is also a tool to uncover essential steps when it comes to navigating treatment options while leveraging the best traditional and holistic veterinary techniques. In addition, 50 custom-developed dog and cat food recipes are included. Some recipes are specially designed for diseases such as cancer, heart problems and kidney disease.

Whether you have a dog or a cat, both Dr. Richter and the Washington State Library System encourage you to celebrate National Book Lovers Day on August 9 by simply finding a story and reading it. Readers can choose a story or a tale that is exciting, mysterious, romantic, captivating and/or magical. The individual's genre of choice does not matter. What matters is the act of reading and the feeling one gets while reading. Head to a local library and pick out a book in celebration of National Book Lovers Day.

"We are proud of the amazing books we offer to our readers and we are honored to team up with Dr. Richter to include his book, which has captured our hearts," Aden said.

While the official book release date is August 15th, Dr. Richter's book is gaining momentum and he's become a #1 Best-Seller on Amazon. In addition, Dr. Richter's book made headlines and he was featured on nationally recognized Pet Shows with Dr. Katy and Dr. Frank Adams.

About Dr. Gary Richter

Dr. Gary Richter, M.S, D.V.M, C.V.C, C.V.A., has owned and been the medical director of Montclair Veterinary Hospital in Oakland, California since 2002 and launched Holistic Veterinary Care in 2009.

He obtained a B.S in animal science, an M.S. in veterinary medical science and a doctorate of veterinary medicine with honors from the University of Florida. He is certified in veterinary acupuncture and is a veterinary chiropractor.

Dr. Richter has received more than 30 awards for his expertise in the veterinary industry locally, nationally and internationally. These awards include Best Veterinary Hospital, Best Veterinarian, Best Canine Therapy Facility and Best Alternative Medicine Provider. Dr. Richter was named as "America's Favorite Veterinarian" by the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF).

To learn more, visit:

http://www.DrGaryRichter.com or http://www.PetVetExpert.com

"The Ultimate Pet Health Guide" is available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2vdrV6h

About Ian Somerhalder Foundation

The Ian Somerhalder Foundation works to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures. ISF delivers unique programs and services and provides public outreach, education and grants in support of creatures, environment, youth and grassroot initiatives.

Contact

Susan Koehler

425-999-9816

[email protected]

SOURCE Dr. Gary Richter

Related Links

https://www.drgaryrichter.com


(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/543513/Holborn_Assets_Mongol_Rally.jpg )



Successful candidates will work closely with senior figures in different departments at the company to build an array of skills in finance, management and communication. New interns will also have the choice to work in Holborn's offices in Dubai, UAE, or Colombo, Sri Lanka or even split time between both offices as part of a dedicated, cross-cultural experience placement.

The generous package will include return flights, accommodation* and a monthly salary equating to 1,200 (subject to exchange rates). As a financial services firm, Holborn aims to provide candidates with ample opportunity to save a substantial sum at the very start of their careers.

Not limited to specific degree backgrounds, the organisation is actively seeking candidates studying a range of business subjects. Those studying or graduating in digital marketing, events management, customer service, operations, administration, finance and human resources are especially encouraged to apply to the firm.

As part of their internship, the six candidates will be offered the opportunity to involve themselves in a charitable endeavour either with one of the business's existing community partnerships in Malawi, Sri Lanka or South Africa. However, the company encourages future employees to propose and present a social enterprise they are passionate about to its Community Support Committee for consideration. This initiative follows the success of last year's interns who, after completing six months work each in Dubai and Colombo, successfully petitioned their cause to raise funds for environmental charity Cool Earth by taking part in the Mongol Rally**.

The Rally, taking place in July, requires participants to purchase a vehicle for less than 500 and to map a full route to drive a whopping 10,000+ miles across Europe and Asia. Ambitious adventurers will navigate their way through the mountains, deserts and wilderness of various countries including Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia before finishing in Siberia's Ulan-Ude, close to Lake Baikal.

Commenting on the opportunity, Chief Operations Officer at Holborn Assets, Simon Parker, said: "We want to offer something unique to the brightest and most innovative students in the country. Not only does this include providing a great, international business experience, but also a highly competitive salary and accommodation at no additional cost to our new recruits. We're looking to invest in future talent for the company, so those who deliver excellent performance during their internship are likely to receive a full-time employment as Holborn continues to expand worldwide.

"Having had great success with Charles Leahy and Adam Holland, our interns for the 2016 - 2017 academic year, the team here are excited to offer the same opportunity to triple the number of young people to learn, grow and develop with us both professionally and personally.

"Our programme of training will offer rich learnings in international business management across several locations with the aim of developing skills, experience and thorough financial support as part of, what we feel is, an opportunity of a lifetime.

"There are six placements up for grabs - and we very much look forward to meeting the new members of our team."

To apply, prospective candidates should email a full CV, cover letter detailing why you should be considered and what you can bring to the company in addition to two references (including referee contact details) to [email protected] by 23:59 BST on 1st October 2017.

To be considered, fluency in English (as a native speaker) is essential. Candidate must have a valid passport which permits entry to the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka. Applicants must be available for a minimum of six months with internships to be arranged for a maximum of 12 months. Holborn Assets can recruit current university students as part of sandwich courses.

*Shared accommodation offered with male and female candidates housed separately. All basic bills will be covered by the company.

**Further detail about the Mongol Rally challenge can be found on the Holborn Assets Facebook page here.

Full information and requirements can be found online here: holbornassets.com/internships-holborn-assets/

About Holborn Assets

Holborn Assets is a global financial services group and a leading financial advisory firm based in Dubai. Established in the Emirates for over 20 years, the business has expanded to operate throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

A family owned and operated business, Holborn Assets has over 400 employees worldwide, including 120 financial advisors. Committed to delivering the best possible service, each advisor is trained and qualified to United Kingdom standards with many holding qualifications from the UK's Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) or Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI).

Holborn's experienced team of professional advisors specialise in delivering clients quality, independent financial advice and services. Core areas of operation include: Independent Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Financial Planning, Wealth Management, Shariah Wealth, Currency Exchange, Employee Benefits, Management Services, Insurance, Investments, Protection & Insurance, Pensions, Mortgages, Offshore Services, Tax Planning, Will Writing, Pension Transfers, and QROPS.

Holborn Assets is licensed by the UAE Ministry of Economy and FSB in South Africa. The business is registered on the UAE's Insurance Authority (IA) List within the Insurance Broker category.

SOURCE Holborn Assets
GULF BREEZE, Fla., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Robotics, Inc., developer of advanced robotic systems technology, announced today that its offering of up to $15 Million of common stock has been qualified by the SEC under Tier II of Regulation A+. Anyone, not just wealthy investors, can purchase stock for as little as $450 and own a part of this award-winning company. See DukeFutureSoldier.com

Duke Robotics Inc unveiling TIKAD Duke Robotics brings a fully robotic weaponry system to an airborne platform.

Duke Robotics, Inc. is the winner of the prestigious Security Innovation Award from the U.S. Department of Defense Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO). The company's Regulation A+ equity crowdfunding offering provides the general public - accredited and non-accredited investors alike - a unique opportunity to invest in new and exciting robotic and drone technology developed in Israel. Duke's management believes their developments are game-changing, and with significant growth potential, in the robotics industry today.

With the mission to save lives and to empower troops with immediate aerial support, Duke Robotics has developed the TIKAD  a fully robotic weaponry system on an airborne platform, which they refer to as The Future Soldier:

Remotely operated, user friendly, easily carried into the field

High-powered drone capable of carrying various weapon payloads

Proprietary stabilization technology that enables TIKAD to absorb the recoil, pinpoint targeting and shooting accuracy that can protect troops in a variety of dangerous situations

Reduces the number of deployed ground troops, thereby reducing the number of casualties.

"As a former Special Mission Unit commander, I have been in the battlefield for many years," said Raziel Atuar, Duke Robotics CEO. "Over the last few years, we have seen how the needs of our troops in our battlefield has changed."

The classic army versus army confrontation on the battlefield has become increasingly rare, while guerrilla warfare is now commonplace. The use of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) to fire small arms from the air has not yet been a viable option. Until now.

"When terrorists operate, they operate from within the civilian population - preventing the military from shooting a missile into their targeted area," said Atuar. "The risk of collateral damage to innocent civilians is often too high. The primary solution you are left with is sending in ground troops - but this shifts the risk to your troops, which often leads to injuries and casualties. But, we thought, 'what ifwhat if there was a better way'. So we created the solution  the TIKAD."

TIKAD is a dramatic step forward in developing the resources needed by our troops. As the threats to our military and those in support of our objectives increase, so will government spending to address those risks. More than at any time in our history, empowering and protecting our troops is of vital national interest.

Investing in Duke Robotics, a company that provides world-class robotics technology, is an investment decision in a field that Duke Robotics' management believes has significant demand and high growth potential.

Learn more about Duke Robotics and investing in this disruptive company through their Regulation A+ Equity Crowdfunding investment opportunity at DukeFutureSoldier.com

About Duke Robotics

Duke Robotics, Inc. is a developer of advanced robotic systems technology developed in Israel. With the mission to save lives and to empower troops with immediate aerial support, Duke Robotics has developed the TIKAD  The Future Soldier. Duke Robotics innovative robotic system is adaptable to other military platforms, such as land vehicles, marine boats, etc. as well as adaptable to civilian purposes.

Duke Robotics  NO BOOTS ON THE GROUND

Media Contact:

Mark F. Thimmig

Conservaco, LLC

Phone: 949-377-2970

[email protected]

AN OFFERING STATEMENT REGARDING THIS OFFERING HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE SEC. THE SEC HAS QUALIFIED THAT OFFERING STATEMENT, WHICH ONLY MEANS THAT THE COMPANY MAY MAKE SALES OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED BY THE OFFERING STATEMENT. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE SEC HAS APPROVED, PASSED UPON THE MERITS OR PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION IN THE OFFERING STATEMENT. YOU MAY OBTAIN A COPY OF THE OFFERING CIRCULAR THAT IS PART OF THAT OFFERING STATEMENT FROM:

https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?company=duke+robotics&match=contains&action=getcompany

YOU SHOULD READ THE OFFERING CIRCULAR BEFORE MAKING ANY INVESTMENT.

THIS PRESS RELEASE MAY CONTAIN FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION RELATING TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE COMPANY, ITS BUSINESS PLAN AND STRATEGY, AND IT'S INDUSTRY. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE BASED ON THE BELIEFS OF, ASSUMPTIONS MADE BY, AND INFORMATION CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO THE COMPANY'S MANAGEMENT. WHEN USED IN THE OFFERING MATERIALS, THE WORDS "ESTIMATE," "PROJECT," "BELIEVE," "ANTICIPATE," "INTEND," "EXPECT" AND SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS ARE INTENDED TO IDENTIFY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, WHICH CONSTITUTE FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS. THESE STATEMENTS REFLECT MANAGEMENT'S CURRENT VIEWS WITH RESPECT TO FUTURE EVENTS AND ARE SUBJECT TO RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD CAUSE THE COMPANY'S ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER.

SOURCE Duke Robotics, Inc.
LONDON, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Dmitry Leus of East-West Connect has written for EU Reporter, exploring how will the banks cope and adjust to possible restrictions on London-based operations post-Brexit. The full article can be found at https://www.eureporter.co/frontpage/2017/08/08/there-is-no-brexodus-dmitry-leus-considers-the-banks-approach-to-post-brexit-planning/

Writing from London, Dmitry Leus comments: "First we must consider that the UK's negotiations with the European Union have only just begun. Whatever the City might want in terms of a softer Brexit, the truth is that it is too soon to tell. While the banks may indeed be pushing for 'mutual recognition' of regulation and 'mutual access' to markets as conditions for Brexit, they also must be realistic about what negotiators on the EU side will accept. And so the preparations and manoeuvres on the part of the banks begin."

Mr Leus points out: "There is an EU rule that allows a bank to locate a fully regulated entity on one EU member state and operate across other states without the need for additional local regulation in the other countries. This is commonly called 'passporting.' This practice allowed London to be very much the financial hub for the rest of Europe. Indeed, a large proportion of Europe's hedging, foreign exchange, lending and securities transaction have taken place in London. The big challenge facing banks is how to manage the future of their European business once London is no longer a part of the EU."

In the article he remarks: "It is my view that London will always be London and a major international financial centre. Even after Brexit, London will remain a crossroads between Europe, Asia and the Americas. Business likes the UK's legal system and regulatory system and that will remain unchanged. But it cannot be denied that certain services for European clients cannot be operated out of London in the future. The big questions looms: where will the banks take these services that have relied on 'passporting?' Natural candidates include Frankfurt, Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam and Luxembourg."

He adds: "There has of course been some fierce competition from the serious contenders among the cities hoping to host these operations. Paris offered tax breaks of up to 50 percent designed to woo the banking world's top dogs. Paris even had an advertising campaign: 'Tired of the fog? Try the frogs,' said posters promoting the La Defense business district of Paris. Frankfurt was perhaps a little more earnest and precise in its campaign, detailing the 'Eight reasons to invest in Frankfurt'."

For Mr Leus, Frankfurt seems to be a frontrunner for the Japanese banks. He notes: "Mizuho, Daiwa and Nomura have all named Frankfurt as their new home specifically for pan-European business. It is very important to note that London will still be a European hub for them; it is simply that certain operations that require 'passporting' will run from Frankfurt. HSBC has opted for Paris and Deutsche Bank has chosen Frankfurt. This is definitely not an exodus, just a strategic movement of very specific operations."

Commenting on the US banks, Mr Leus said: "We already know that Morgan Stanley and Citibank have also chosen Frankfurt and at the time of writing it seemed likely that Goldman Sachs might follow suite. Bank of America has taken a different path, announcing they will mover certain operations to Dublin, an understandable decision since they already have a significant foothold in Ireland."

For Mr Leus, no single European city has quite emerged as a replacement for London, even for these very specific services: "The banks are varying in where they choose to move these operations. Yes Frankfurt has been successful in luring quite a few banks, but not without a healthy showing from other cities. The presence of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt may have been a draw."

Mr Leus concludes: "We should not overplay these announcements by the banks. It is hardly as though these institutions are abandoning London. They are just planning for the possibility that certain, specific operations could have to be conducted elsewhere. The fact that Citigroup's 'move' actually only entails a mere 150 of its 6000 strong UK workforce shows that this is hardly an exodus. It also shows that the banks live in hope of a softer Brexit than we might have feared."

About East-West Connect

East-West Connect is a London-based forum focused on investment risk and opportunity in Central and Eastern Europe. We provide news and analysis about the investment and economic climate of the region.

East-West Connect was founded by Dmitry Leus, an entrepreneur and banking and financial services professional. He started his career as FOREX specialist at Russia's Lesprombank in the mid-90s. He later became Head of International Settlements of the bank, and in 2000 began running the South-West section of Lesprombank. In 2002, he was appointed Chairman of the Russian Depository Bank. In 2006 he founded Zapadny bank, where he worked as Chairman until late 2013. Since 2014, the e-commerce market of Europe and the UK is of special interest for him and he actively invests in the European and CIS financial sector. In parallel, he works as an expert in business development and helps large corporate companies build effective management and improve the quality of the services provided.

SOURCE East-West Connect
BOGOTA, Colombia, Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Net income for the first semester of 2017 was COP 2.2 trillion , almost double than in the same period of last year and higher than the net income of the whole year 2016.

The spread of our crude export basket versus Brent has narrowed due to our renewed commercial strategy. From a maximum of Brent minus USD 12 /bl in 2015 it fell to Brent minus USD 6.6 /bl in the second quarter of 2017.

Group's nominal debt decreased by 12.9% during the second quarter of 2017.

Effective exploratory campaign with a success rate of 80% in the first semester.

Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL; NYSE: EC) today announced the Ecopetrol Business Group's second-quarter and first half 2017 financial results, prepared and presented in billions of Colombian pesos (COP) according to International Financial Reporting Standards applicable in Colombia.

TABLE 1:

CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL RESULTS 

ECOPETROL BUSINESS GROUP





















A

B C D E

F G H I





















COP$ Billion

2Q 2017 2Q 2016  ($)  (%)

1H 2017 1H 2016  ($)  (%) Total Sales

13,151 11,751 1,400 11.9%

26,522 22,236 4,286 19.3% Operating Profit

3,268 2,481 787 31.7%

6,567 4,080 2,487 61.0% Net Income Consolidated

1,483 989 494 49.9%

2,556 1,600 956 59.8% Non-Controlling Interests

(178) (202) 24 (11.9%)

(365) (450) 85 (18.9%) Net Income Attributable to Owners of Ecopetrol

1,305 787 518 65.8%

2,191 1,150 1,041 90.5%





















EBITDA

5,612 4,522 1,090 24.1%

11,425 8,659 2,766 31.9% EBITDA Margin

42.7% 38.5%





43.1% 38.9%





The figures included in this report are unaudited, expressed in billions of pesos (COP) or US dollars (USD), or in thousands of barrels of petroleum equivalent per day (mboed) or tons, as applicable. For presentation purposes, certain figures of this report were rounded to the nearest decimal place.

In the opinion of Ecopetrol S.A. CEO Juan Carlos Echeverry G.:

"Ecopetrol is focusing on the next pillar of its 2020 strategy, 'profitable growth.' Over the past two years we have embarked upon a profound transformation, and as a result have achieved financial soundness with ratios that are among the highest in the global industrial rankings.

The time has come to build on that financial soundness and discipline, and to concentrate our efforts on Ecopetrol's profitable growth. Profitable growth is supported on four basic pillars: i) increased exploratory activity, ii) development of improved recovery pilots and infill projects, iii) exploring opportunities in Unconventionals, and iv) advancing in opportunities for inorganic growth.

Operational and financial performance in the first half of the year was outstanding. The EBITDA margin of 43% is one of the highest in the industry and we closed out the period with a solid cash position of COP 10.4 trillion. During the quarter we distributed COP 945 billion in dividends to our shareholders on 2016 earnings, and prepaid an international commercial banking loan of USD 1,925 million (approximately COP 6 trillion). The Ecopetrol Group's nominal debt declined some 12.9% during the second quarter of 2017. The risk rating agencies have recognized our achievements and confirmed our investment-grade credit rating. For its part, S&P upgraded our stand-alone rating from BB to BB+.

Excellent commercial management and the global scarcity of heavy crude helped capture market opportunities in international sales. Ecopetrol's export basket spread improved significantly, to -USD 6.6/bl in the second quarter.

In line with our commitment to profitable growth, we created the Project Maturity Center with a view to ensure that projects generate value, maintain the highest standards and are executed on time and within budget.

During the quarter, the exploratory campaign continued to show outstanding results. The Warrior-2 well, located in the Gulf of Mexico, was declared successful upon confirming the presence of light crude, making it the second discovery in that area in the past eight months. This discovery is consistent with Ecopetrol's goal of positioning itself as a pan-American company. The Siluro well, in the Colombian offshore, did not yield the expected results with the presence of hydrocarbons. Thus, four discoveries were made in five wells, a success rate of 80% for the half-year period. In line with the search for growth opportunities, we participated in Round 2.1 in Mexico and were awarded two blocks in association with Pemex and Petronas.

In the second half of the year Ecopetrol will drill the Molusco well in the Colombian offshore, a milestone for the Company since it will be the first well of this kind operated directly by Ecopetrol. The second half's exploratory campaign will focus more on the Colombian onshore, with the drilling of 10 wells.

The Business Group's average production in the first half totaled 715 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day, in line with the 2017 production goal. We succeeded in maintaining our production rate despite public security situations and operational events that have arisen. Pilot recovery programs are making satisfactory progress; by year-end we will have four recovery pilots that have completed the evaluation stage. One year after regaining control over the Rubiales and Cusiana fields, we have succeeded in maintaining stable and safe operations.

An important operational achievement has been sustaining stable bi-directional operation on the Bicentenario oil pipeline to extract crude from the Cano Limon field and thus, to a certain extent, mitigate the closure of the Cano Limon - Covenas oil pipeline. Thanks to the bi-directional operation at Bicentenario, we have succeeded in performing major maintenance work on the Cano Limon oil pipeline without affecting production.

At Reficar we have completed performance testing on 28 plants, 82% of the refinery's 34 units. The alkylation unit is already in operation after undergoing maintenance to correct problems of the cooling water system. The Barrancabermeja refinery has built a profitable and efficient operation, with a margin of USD 13.9/bl for the half-year period.

In the Midstream we note the first shipment of heavy crude with viscosity greater than 500 centistokes (cst - viscosity measurement). This helped demonstrate the commercial viability of high-viscosity crude and encourages us to continue the transport testing of heavy crude at 600 cst, with a view to extending this capacity to other oil pipeline systems. During the quarter, crude pumping was initiated for operational stabilization of the San Fernando - Monterey system, and progress was made on commissioning and tests.

Structural savings for the half-year period totaled COP 516 billion, representing 70% of the year's savings goal (COP 740 billion).

On May 31 Ecopetrol published its annual 20-F report for fiscal year 2016. By publishing the 20-F, the Company fulfilled its reporting obligation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), bondholders and other creditors. The joint work of the Board of Directors, the 2014-2015 period auditors, the 2016 auditors and Ecopetrol management successfully completed the due diligence process to publish the 20-F.

Ecopetrol as a Company is committed with the country's development, the environment and generating value for its shareholders. Our commitment to financial soundness remains current and will leverage the focus on profitable growth needed to deliver outstanding results to the benefit of the Company's sustainability."

The earnings release will be available on Ecopetrol's website: www.ecopetrol.com.co

This release contains statements that may be considered forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All forward-looking statements, whether made in this release or in future filings or press releases or orally, address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, including in respect of the Company's prospects for growth and its ongoing access to capital to fund the Company's business plan, among others. Consequently, changes in the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements: market prices of oil & gas, our exploration and production activities, market conditions, applicable regulations, the exchange rate, the Company's competitiveness and the performance of Colombia's economy and industry, to mention a few. We do not intend, and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

For further information, please contact:

Head of Capital Markets

Maria Catalina Escobar

Phone: (+571) 234 5190

E-mail: [email protected]

Media Relations (Colombia)

Jorge Mauricio Tellez

Phone: (+ 571) 234 4329

E-mail: [email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090209/ARM001LOGO

SOURCE Ecopetrol S.A.

Related Links

http://www.ecopetrol.com.co


SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Elafris, supplier of the first AI-powered virtual agent platform for the insurance industry, announced today that it has added Alexa Voice support to its Omnichannel AI Service Offering.

The addition of Alexa support to Elafris' AI-powered virtual agents enables insurers to serve their customers seamlessly between Facebook Messenger, text, and any Alexa-enabled device.

Amazon Echo

"Policyholders are impatient with poorly synchronized service delivery across communication channels. They often give up in frustration," said Jake Diner, Elafris CEO. "The Elafris AI core is specifically designed to solve this pain point. As the common AI engine, it integrates and adapts to the current and future communications platforms, delivering a uniform customer experience, and allowing insurers to make a long-term investment in the universal AI core that integrates with whatever comes next. Amazon Alexa is a great example of future technology available today, and I am proud to announce that Elafris is now the first AI-powered agent platform in the world to support this communication channel."

Elafris is pioneering the integration of Artificial Intelligence into messenger platforms, precisely tailored for the insurance industry. Elafris' Omnichannel AI Service provides a consistent support experience to policyholders, with uninterrupted continuity between devices. This means that policyholders can pick up where they left off, in the middle of the night, weeks later and on a different device.

Founded by InsurTech & IT veterans, Elafris helps insurers engage better with the growing digital and mobile customer segments. Today, Elafris' AI platform is used by a growing number of major national insurance companies.

About Elafris

Headquartered in San Francisco, Elafris, Inc. is the developer of the first Artificial Intelligence messaging platform specifically tailored for the banking and insurance industries. The company's AI messaging platform leverages Neural Networks and Machine Learning technologies to create virtual insurance agents that eliminate waiting times and response lag for insurance customers, whenever they need to communicate with their provider, file a claim or buy an add-on product. To learn more, visit the Elafris website at www.elafris.com.

Contact:

Corporate Communications Department

Elafris, Inc.

310-404-1957

[email protected]

SOURCE Elafris

Related Links

http://www.elafris.com


Dave most recently was Product Line Manager for Cargill Texturizing Solutions, based in Minneapolis, MN, U.S. A native of Minnesota, he holds a business degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He started his career with Cargill in 1990 and has held many operations and commercial roles with the company. An ambitious and results-driven leader, Dave brings a wealth of leadership and business insights that will help EMW support their growing customer base.

At EMW, Dave succeeds Ewen Morrison as CEO, who had led the company since its early beginnings in 1971, Ewen will continue as President. As part of EMW's ten-year succession plan, it has been the company's objective to ensure that a strong executive team is in place to progress the company forward in the rapidly evolving industries. 'Safely providing quality services' has always been the cornerstone of EMW's culture from the very beginning, and will remain their focus in everything that they do.

"With EMW under the efficient leadership of Dave and our Executive Team, this will allow myself to be actively involved and focused on the company's business development. EMW was built on providing superior, reliability maintenance services and we're confident that Dave has the experience necessary to build on the solid foundation in place. I am proud of what our organization has accomplished and very excited about our prospect for continued success with the changes being announced today," says Ewen Morrison, EMW President.

"I'm honoured for the opportunity to lead this progressive company," says Dave Link, EMW CEO. "It's commendable to think that EMW started out as a small-town, farm shop operation which has evolved into an industry recognized, entrepreneurial success story. I am thrilled to being a part of this team who has a reputation for innovation, dedication and above all excellent customer service."



About EMW Industrial

EMW Industrial, Ltd. was formed in 1971 and is a privately held company in Canada. Headquartered in Saltcoats, Saskatchewan, and employs 300 people. EMW provides reliability maintenance, electrical, carpentry, fabrication, engineering, research and construction services to customers in the Agriculture, Mining and Bulk Handling industries. EMW Industrial, Inc. expanded into the U.S in 2015, where the operations are based in St. Joseph, Missouri. Through the employment of a highly skilled, trades workforce and apprenticeship programs, EMW has the capacity and service expertise to meet the needs of their clients throughout Canada and the United States. Visit www.emw.ca for more information.

SOURCE EMW Industrial Ltd.
"All of us at Endeavor Robotics are singularly focused on the development, delivery, and sustainment of life-saving robot technology. The delivery of 32 SUGVs equipped with our uPoint Multi-Robot Control System advances the entire install base in terms of interoperability across the family of Endeavor Robotics' systems. These systems will augment the approximately 1,000 SUGVs already in use by our Armed Forces," said Sean Bielat, CEO. "We could not be more proud of the American warfighter and remain a dedicated partner to the United States Armed Forces."

The Endeavor Robotics SUGV has been in service across the United States Armed Forces since 2009, providing dismounted operations with a back-packable, easily deployable, rugged less than 20 lb robot. SUGV meets IP67 ratings, operates in all environmental conditions, integrates multiple sensors and hardware for increased capabilities, climbs and descends stairs, provides dexterous and robust manipulation and lift/inspection capabilities while also being capable of extending operational range through mesh networking with other deployed Endeavor systems.

The Endeavor Robotics uPoint Multi-Robot Control System consists of an Android-based, rugged, tablet controller and Persistent Systems, LLC, MPU5 Radio network. The integration of the mesh networking with Endeavor Robotics robots is a force multiplier for our warfighters by significantly increasing the distance of unmanned ground operations and enabling operators to control or observe multiple robot assets through a common controller interface.

About Endeavor Robotics

Endeavor Robotics' robots serve on the front lines around the world. To date Endeavor Robotics has delivered more than 6,000 unmanned ground vehicles worldwide and brings decades of experience sustaining, integrating, and developing new end-user identified capabilities for ground robotic systems. Endeavor develops their tactical mobile robots in concert with operators worldwide and systems have been delivered and operated in areas of conflict and in response to natural disasters. Everyday Endeavor's robots protect service men and women from IEDs, hazardous materials and other deadly threats. Endeavor Robotics is committed to design, develop and manufacture tactical robotics in the United States, to work with industry leaders and government partners to deliver innovative, reliable, and easy to operate robot solutions. Endeavor's family of systems include the 5 lb FirstLook, the less than 20 lb SUGV, the man-portable PackBot, and the heavy-duty Kobra. Please visit www.endeavorrobotics.com to learn more.

Upcoming Tradeshows include:

NDIA Global EOD, Booth 503 Aug 7-9, 2017

NDIA CBRN, Booth 403, Aug 15-16, 2017

NGAUS, Booth 414, Sept 7-10, 2017

DSEI, Stand N6-300, Sept 12-15, 2017

Maneuver Warfighting, Booth 68, 12-14 Sept 2017

Modern Day Marine, Booth 1405, Sept 19-21, 2017

AUSA, Booth 6323, Oct 9-11

Press Contact

Jonathan Lesser

Endeavor Robotics

(978) 769 9372

[email protected]

SOURCE Endeavor Robotics

Related Links

http://www.endeavorrobotics.com


ATLANTA, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) today announced that Jeff Dodge and Douglas Brandberg of Investor Relations will be meeting with investors in Denver and in Los Angeles on Tuesday, August 15th, and in San Francisco on Wednesday, August 16th.

Dodge and Brandberg will discuss the company's second quarter 2017 performance as well as the strategic outlook for 2017.

An archive of the presentation will be available at investor.equifax.com.

About Equifax

Equifax is a global information solutions company that uses trusted unique data, innovative analytics, technology and industry expertise to power organizations and individuals around the world by transforming knowledge into insights that help make more informed business and personal decisions. The company organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 820 million consumers and more than 91 million businesses worldwide, and its database includes employee data contributed from more than 7,100 employers.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 9,900 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

http://www.equifax.com


SOMERVILLE, Mass., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Evergage, the real-time personalization platform company, today announced it has raised $10 million in Series C funding. Led by Arrowroot Capital  which also led Evergage's Series B round early last year  the round includes participation from previous investors G20 Ventures and PJC as well, indicating a strong vote of confidence in Evergage's trajectory. This latest financing now brings Evergage's total venture funding to $31.5 million.

Evergage will use the new funds to drive expansion across the company  including engineering, sales, marketing and client success departments  and internationally, as demand for its award-winning and market-leading personalization platform continues to accelerate.

This news comes at a time of great momentum and growth for Evergage. In the first half of 2017, Walmart Mexico, Lenovo, Hexaware Technologies, Newegg Flash, LD Products, Bomgar, ButcherBox, Petplan, U.S. Gold Bureau, multiple financial institutions and many others selected Evergage's personalization platform to unify customer data and deliver individualized experiences, in real time, to audiences across channels. These organizations join a growing list of innovative companies across industries  including retail, technology, financial services, travel, media, gaming and more  who rely on Evergage to increase visitor engagement, conversions, customer retention and revenue.

"Having closely followed Evergage's growth, successes and strategy in recent years, we're extremely confident in the company's direction and thrilled to have this opportunity to support them further," said Matthew Safaii, managing partner at Arrowroot Capital and Evergage board member. "Driven by strategic and customer imperatives, organizations today are striving to communicate with greater relevancy and impact  so demand for effective, real-time personalization is on the rise. Evergage's machine-learning-driven approach and talented team are an unbeatable combination, poised for even greater growth. As Evergage continues to redefine how organizations gauge and respond to their customers' interests and intent, it's a delight to support the company's next phase of innovation."

Evergage empowers B2B and B2C marketers to deliver 1:1 personalization based on deep behavioral analytics, a full customer data platform and machine learning  providing individualized, maximally relevant experiences to more than 2 billion website visitors and application users. In the first half of this year alone, Evergage was named a strong performer in "The Forrester Wave: Digital Intelligence Platforms, Q2 2017" report, was recognized as the "Best E-Commerce Solution" in the SIIA CODiE Awards and won a gold Stevie Award in the 2017 American Business Awards. The company was also a winner in EContent magazine's "Trendsetting Products" competition and a finalist in BostInno's Coolest Companies awards program.

Evergage also continues to hire new talent. The company will be expanding its Somerville, Massachusetts headquarters  more than doubling its office space. In addition, as the market for personalization continues to expand, Evergage will host more than 250 guests at its fourth annual Personalization Summit on Sept. 14 in Boston, with the theme of "demystifying machine learning." Speakers include Brendan Witcher, principal analyst at Forrester Research, and customers including Academy Sports+Outdoors, GoAnimate, Harte Hanks, Invaluable, Newegg Flash, Nuxeo, Texas Instruments and more.

"We're excited and proud to have received this $10 million Series C funding from Arrowroot Capital and existing investors  representing a strong endorsement of our team, technology and direction," said Evergage CEO and co-founder Karl Wirth. "With the industry's most advanced and complete personalization platform, Evergage helps companies make 1:1 customer engagement a reality. We look forward to driving more innovation and further expanding our business, so we can enable even more companies to cater to and delight their customers."

About Arrowroot Capital

Arrowroot Capital is a growth equity firm based in Santa Monica focused on growing and mature recurring-revenue software businesses. It seeks to partner with management to accelerate growth and help guide the company to its ultimate exit. Arrowroot targets equity investments in the range of $5 million to $25 million and has the flexibility to pursue larger opportunities. Learn more at www.arrowrootcapital.com.

About Evergage

Only Evergage's real-time personalization platform delivers The Power of 1, enabling digital marketers to transform the dream of 1:1 customer engagement across channels into reality. Combining in-depth behavioral analytics, a full customer data platform and advanced machine learning, Evergage provides the one solution you need to systematically understand and interact with each person that visits your site or uses your app  one at a time, "in the moment" and at scale  to deliver a maximally relevant, individualized experience. Evergage's powerful and flexible cloud-based platform delivers real-time personalization to more than 2 billion web visitors, improving revenue growth, demand generation and customer success for leading organizations across industries, including Academy Sports+Outdoors, Endurance International Group, Intuit, Publishers Clearing House, Rue La La and Zumiez. Evergage is a CODiE Award winner and a two-time winner in the Best in Biz Awards, Golden Bridge Awards, Stevie American Business Awards and MITX Awards. For more information, visit http://evergage.com or contact the company at [email protected] or 1-888-310-0589.

Media Contact:

Paula Crerar

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-310-0589

SOURCE Evergage

Related Links

http://www.evergage.com


By India Today Web Desk: Hundreds of women shared selfies showing them hanging out at midnight after the Chandigarh stalking case gained national attention. They used #AintNoCinderella to declare their solidarity with the victim -- Varnika Kundu -- who was subjected to victim-shaming and slut-shaming by many on social media and spearheaded by BJP leaders. A top BJP leader wondered why a women was out at midnight.

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The 29-year-old woman from Chandigarh said she was followed and almost kidnapped by two men -- one of them being the son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala -- who chased her car as she drove home in Chandigarh on August 5 midnight.

Police arrested the politician's son and his friend, registered a complaint against them but released them on bail, the BJP's vice-chief in Haryana has blamed the victim for being out in the streets at that time triggering a backlash on Twitter.

"The girl should not have gone out at 12 in the night. Why was she driving so late in the night?" BJP state vice-president Ramveer Bhatti told a local television station on Monday.

Twitter was flooded with women posting pictures of themselves hanging out at night, mocking Bhatti and condemning his remarks which they said were shaming victims instead of supporting them.

"If I'm out at 12 am, it DOES NOT mean I'm to be raped, molested, chased. My dignity is my right 24X7. #AintNoCinderella," tweeted Sharmistha Mukherjee, a politician from the Congress Party, with a picture of her in the dark.

"Dear regressive India, I will do as I please, night or day. Don't ever think you have the right to stop me #AintNoCinderella," wrote another user with the twitter handle @queenpsays, along with a picture of her in jeans in a red top.

Dear regressive India, I will do as I please, night or day. Don't ever think you have the right to stop me #AintNoCinderella pic.twitter.com/oHIKgbhoeA- pooja?? (@queenpsays) August 7, 2017

If I'm out at 12am, it DOES NOT mean I'm to be raped, molested, chased. My dignity is my right 24X7 #AintNoCinderella pic.twitter.com/6SN0I5NbSN- Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) August 7, 2017

No man can stop me from going out whenever I want. Public spaces for women! #AintNoCinderella pic.twitter.com/jaipo3Dtai- Nabakalpita Bora (@NabakalpitaB) August 7, 2017

BARRAGE OF THREATS

Indian women face a barrage of challenges ranging from child marriage, dowry killings and human trafficking to rape and domestic violence, largely due to deep-rooted attitudes that view them as inferior to men.

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There were 3,27,394 reports of violence against women such as rape, molestation, abduction and cruelty by husbands in 2015, up more than 40 percent from 2011, according to the latest data from India's National Crime Records Bureau.

The high-profile gangrape and murder of a 23-year-old woman on a moving bus in Delhi in December 2012 sent shockwaves across India and led to countrywide protests, forcing the government to enact stiffer penalties for rape and criminalising stalking.

The incident over the weekend hit the headlines on Sunday after the victim, who is a professional radio disc jockey, posted an account of her ordeal from her Facebook account.

"I was in a full-blown panic attack by now because they would keep trying to corner me, and I'd somehow manoeuvre my way out and keep moving," she wrote, describing how the men pursued her, blocked her vehicle and tried to open her car door.

"My hands shaking, my back spasming from fear, half in tears, half bewildered, because I didn't know if I'd make it home tonight."

(With inputs from Reuters)

FYI || Chandigarh stalking: BJP's Babul Supriyo reduces Vikas Barala's act to 'mischief' ||

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FYI || Chandigarh stalking: After SC lawyer, BJP spokesperson Shaina NC shares photo to spread fake narrative ||

FYI || We shall NOT back out: Chandigarh stalking victim's father makes stand clear in Facebook post ||

FYI || Stalker alert: How stalking has been normalised in reel and real life ||

--- ENDS ---
WATCHUNG, N.J., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Evolution Research Group, LLC (ERG) is proud to announce the acquisition of Endeavor Clinical Trials (ECT) of San Antonio, Texas, following their tenure as an ERG affiliate network member. ECT has over 20 years of experience conducting over 185 clinical trials, specializing in post-operative pain, neuropathic pain, podiatry, and vaccine research, among others. Endeavor Clinical Trials has a dual model approach to inpatient clinical research including access to hospital beds at prestigious local hospitals and surgical centers, as well as their newly opened, dedicated 6 bed in-patient (IP) unit.

Endeavor Clinical Trials is comprised of a clinical operations team of more than 45 and is led by Dr. Richard A. Pollak, who will remain with the company and continue to act as Principal Investigator. Dr. Pollak is key opinion leader in podiatry, is board-certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery. Dr. Pollak is enthusiastic about joining Evolution Research Group stating, "The decision to join the ERG portfolio made so much sense given their experience, expertise and reputation in the industry. It was very important to me that we select a group that values quality as much as we do."

Leading the clinical trial operations at Endeavor is Denise Roberts, Executive Director of Clinical Operations and Site Development at ERG and a leader in the field of analgesic research. Denise joined ERG several months ago and is leading the integration efforts, working closely with ERG's clinical operations and quality assurance teams. Denise is excited about the addition of ECT to the portfolio stating, "Dr. Pollak has built a quality-driven team and is well-connected in the medical community. With the addition of our own IP unit, we will continue to set high quality control standards in our postoperative pain trials."

ERG's Chief Executive Officer, Lori Wright explained the strategic value of ECT joining the ERG family of portfolio companies, stating "ECT's excellent reputation in the industry, and more specifically in the field of postoperative pain research, adds tremendous value to ERG's established leadership position in the field of neuroscience research." As ERG continues to diversify within the CNS research space, Ms. Wright also commented, "The postoperative pain expertise that Richard, Denise and the ECT team bring to ERG nicely complements our psychiatry, neurology, addiction, sleep and early phase capabilities and broadens our service offering to the industry."

Endeavor Clinical Trials is one of 8 portfolio research units owned and operated by ERG. Evolution Research Group is the largest, privately-held clinical research site company in the United States.

Learn more about ECT and ERG by visiting www.evolutionresearchgroup.com.

About Evolution Research Group

Evolution Research Group, LLC is comprised of eight fully owned and operated Clinical Research Units, Thievon-Wright Consulting Group and an established affiliate network of 11 additional clinical research sites. ERG is the leading CNS network conducting simple and highly complex trials in specialized populations including psychiatric and neurologic disorders, sleep disorders, addictions, renal insufficiency and hepatic impairment as well as normal healthy volunteers.

Contact:

Jeanine Estrada

908-280-8128

[email protected]

SOURCE Evolution Research Group, LLC

Related Links

http://www.joinaresearchstudy.com


The Russian Economic Development Minister sounds more like Ronald Reagan from 30 years ago. Oreshkin further states that "the freer the flow of world trade, the stronger the tides of human progress and peace among nations." Export Portal believes 1960 type Russian sanctions will soon seem even more passe with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The first six months of the new Trump administration has been true to the 2016 campaign promises. A North Korean conditional deal was struck with Chinese PM Xi Jinping; TPP has been abandoned; NAFTA hangs in the lurch and now sanctions against Russia are fast moving forward.

Export Portal CEO Ally Spinu recently states that "Russian as well as BRICS SMEs can rise above these sanctions because no entity should be able to influence the ambitions of a business or community." Ms. Spinu continues, "Sanctions, trade wars, and Cold Wars are all last century's way of trying to control or punish countries."

A new world order is being facilitated by Export Portal's blockchain technology and ExportPortal.com was purpose-built with this and ',  ' ('Trust but verify'), in mind. The US Congress and Russian leaders should lead on larger issues they can control, instead of keeping independent businessmen and women from true success.

About ExportPortal.com:

ExportPortal.com is a Los Angeles-based, global-thinking technology company with a mission to provide verified businesses the means to find, communicate, and trade with other verified B2B businesses. Export Portal is the reason why businesses will no longer fear entering foreign markets to increase sales. There is even a Green component to what we do. To sign-up for free or to learn more, go to: https://www.exportportal.com/learn_more.

EXPORT PORTAL - THE ONLINE TRADING WEBSITE WITH BUYER PROTECTION

John Zahaitis

[email protected]

+1 (818) 965-9399

SOURCE ExportPortal.com

Related Links

http://www.exportportal.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Premiere New York boutique and independent lifestyle label, Extra Butter announced the addition of Paul Lee as the new General Manager. Lee is an industry sneaker-insider with over 10+ years of experience in brand management, retail operations and purchasing. Previously, Lee had been with Jako Enterprises/UBIQ serving as the Creative Brand Director and Senior Buyer for UBIQ in Philadelphia, PA and Washington DC.

Lee's appreciation and extensive knowledge of products and the boutique business has served as the catalyst in keeping him laser focused, ensuring during his tenure that UBIQ stood amongst the top lifestyle shops across the country and the world. With a background in music and fashion, Lee worked within both industries early in his career prior to becoming the lead point person at UBIQ.

"... Paul has been an extremely well-respected figurehead. He has spearheaded some of the most highly sought-after projects and retail executions. Having Paul on the Extra Butter team, now gets us that much closer to our goals of becoming a premier global retail destination," said Jeff Staple, Head of Creative Operations, TGS Inc. (Extra Butter's parent company)

In Lee's new role as General Manager at Extra Butter, Lee will look to drive forth the boundaries of the sneaker industry and create excitement for the culture.

"Paul is a proven leader and has genuine passion for the culture and we are excited to have him on our team at Extra Butter," said Ankur Amin, CEO, TGS Inc.

Originally from NY, Lee holds B.S degree in Communications from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.

"Being a true New Yorker, I'm thrilled to join the Extra Butter team," said Paul Lee. "The growth of the Extra Butter brand has been exponential over their first 10 years and the opportunities are endless as the brand continues to evolve and innovate."

THE HISTORY OF EXTRA BUTTER

Founded in 2007, Extra Butter is a premiere New York boutique and independent lifestyle label. With locations in New York City's - Lower East Side, and Long Island's - Rockville Centre, Extra Butter has built its name with a unique approach to eyeing key products and trends, providing quality customer service, and cultivating a signature in-store experience that has made the company a household name in the lifestyle sneaker and fashion industry. The brand has become a global presence through its special projects and collaborations with top-tier fashion and sportswear brands, along with its private label apparel goods and accessories- showcasing a next-level scope of creativity, trend-savvy and storytelling.

For more information please visit: http://extrabutterny.com

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

SOURCE Extra Butter

Related Links

http://extrabutterny.com


FLORENCE, S.C., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- First Reliance Bancshares, Inc. (OTC: FSRL), the holding company (the "Company") for First Reliance Bank (the "Bank"), reported second quarter 2017 net income after tax of $662,632, up 4.5% from first quarter 2017 net income after tax of $634,042. Profitability continues to be led by strong loan and deposit growth and expanding operating efficiencies. Diluted EPS as of June 30, 2017 was $0.14 compared to $0.13 in the first quarter of 2017.

"We are proud of our continued strong financial performance which allows us to grow as a company while adding to the economic well being of the communities we serve in South Carolina. We continue our branch expansion into Horry and Dorchester counties of South Carolina. While increased costs of opening branch offices have negatively impacted earnings in the short term, we anticipate increased profitability within these locations over the next 12 months which would be accretive to earnings," says Rick Saunders, President and CEO.

Financial Highlights (at or for the periods ended June 30, 2017, except as noted)

Diluted EPS improved to $0.14 as of June 30, 2017 compared to $0.13 as of March 31 , 2017

as of compared to as of , 2017 Tangible book value per share is $5.98 , up 10.5% from one year ago

, up 10.5% from one year ago Return on Assets of 0.62% and Return on Equity of 9.49%

Branch expansion into Summerville and Dorchester County

and Loan growth is up $41.4 million or 15.3% from one year ago while earning asset yields improved to 4.63% compared to 4.54% one year ago.

or 15.3% from one year ago while earning asset yields improved to 4.63% compared to 4.54% one year ago. Non Interest Bearing checking accounts increased $9.9 million to 24.6% of total deposits from one year ago as we attract new customers through unique programs and the convenience of digital banking

to 24.6% of total deposits from one year ago as we attract new customers through unique programs and the convenience of digital banking Total revenues year to date 2017 increased by 5.02% to $11.9 million compared to $11.3 million in 2016 reflecting balance sheet growth

compared to in 2016 reflecting balance sheet growth Net interest margin (NIM) was 4.32% as the Company continues to leverage its low cost of funds at 30bp

Bank Total Capital Ratio improved to 12.83% from 12.48% a quarter earlier and remains well-capitalized

Review of Income Statement

Net interest income improved 2.08% at $3.8 million compared to a year ago despite increased interest expense of $176,061 associated with the secured loan and subordinated debt used to refinance higher cost Series A and B Preferred stock (TARP) and growth in interest-bearing deposit balances. The Company continues to leverage its low cost of funds at 30bp.

Noninterest income increased 12.95% to $4.7 million year to date 2017, compared to $4.1 million year to date 2016. The increase in noninterest income was largely due to the increase in gains on sales of mortgage loans, growth in service charges on deposit accounts, and growth in debit card income. "Overall profitability within the mortgage business line increased 53% year over year as of June 30, 2017 due to improving operating margins, despite a reduction in mortgage originations of 4.1% year over year as of June 30, 2017. As a community bank, we are putting a higher degree of emphasis on expanding the retail mortgage channel as originations are up 10.1% year over year," said Jeffrey Paolucci, Executive Vice President and CFO.

Balance Sheet and Asset Quality

Total assets increased $52.6 million, or 13.7% to $436.5 million at June 30, 2017, compared to $383.9 million from June 30, 2016.

Loans receivable grew by $41.4 million, or 15.3%, at June 30, 2017, compared to $271 million, at June 30, 2016 largely due to continued growth in all our markets including commercial portfolios, 1-4 family mortgage portfolios and our consumer loan portfolios. 1-4 Family mortgage portfolio loans are up 75.9% year-over-year and Consumer loans are up 25.8%. "Our ability to continue to attract strong relationship bankers who are actively involved in their local communities has been a strong factor in the growth in both our loan and deposit portfolios. We have been able to successfully integrate these talented bankers into our culture and they have quickly become strong supporters of our brand, our values and focus of making the lives of our customers BETTER," says Saunders.

No-cost/low cost deposits increased by $19 million, or 11.1%, to $188 million at June 30, 2017, from $169.1 million at June 30, 2016. The Company grew household checking accounts by 5.02% reflecting our strong year over year branch sales growth. "Our associates continue to deliver a differentiated level of service to our customers through our unique programs such as Hometown Heroes and Moms First with special events that make them feel like more than a number at our bank," said Saunders.

Nonperforming assets declined $712 thousand to $4.5 million at June 30, 2017 compared to one year ago. The ratio of nonperforming assets to total assets declined to 1.04% at June 30, 2017, compared to 1.37% one year earlier. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of loans was 0.90% at June 30, 2017, compared to 0.98% one year earlier. For the second quarter of 2017, loan charge offs were nominal and largely offset by the bank recoveries.

Capital

First Reliance Bank continues to remain well capitalized under all regulatory measures with capital ratios exceeding the statutory well-capitalized thresholds by an ample margin. For the quarter ended December 31, 2016, capital ratios were as follows:

Ratio First Reliance Bank Well-capitalized Minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio 9.92 % 5.00% Common equity tier 1 capital 11.99% 6.50% Tier 1 capital ratio 11.99% 8.00% Total capital ratio 12.83% 10.00%

First Reliance's tangible book value was $5.98, at June 20, 2017, up 10.5% from $5.41, at June 30, 2016. The Company currently trades at 116.1% of book value as of June 30, 2017.

First Reliance Bank was recently named as one of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina. This program was created by SC Biz News in partnership with the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and Best Companies Group. First Reliance is one of three companies throughout South Carolina who have received the award all twelve years since the program began. Our great team of dedicated associates is the main reason we are one of the Best Places to Work in SC. This recognition reinforces that our associates are engaged and committed to the Bank and the communities we serve. We are committed to keeping our associate promise by providing them with the opportunity to do work that makes a difference.

"We are also proud of recently being awarded the 5-Star Superior Rating from Bauer Financial, an independent financial institution rating organization. This rating is based on first quarter 2017 financial data and indicates First Reliance is one of the strongest financial institutions in the nation; a dependable and financially sound community bank. While many financial institutions may look similar, we have remained committed to our purpose 'To Make The Lives of our Customers BETTER.' This unwavering commitment and the great work of our associates has allowed us to deliver the results that make us a dependable and financially sound community bank," said Saunders.

Regional Economic Conditions  May 2017

According to recent reports, South Carolina's economy continues to improve as total employment rose by 0.4 percent and in May companies' added 7,600 new jobs. Recently, one Florence county employer, Ruiz Foods a frozen food manufacturer, announced a $79 million expansion that will create 700 new jobs in the county where First Reliance is headquartered. The growth we are experiencing in South Carolina continues to provide us with opportunities to earn business and grow our community banking footprint in many corners of the state.

For more information on labor markets, household conditions and housing markets in South Carolina, please visit the link below: https://www.richmondfed.org/~/media/richmondfedorg/research/regional_economy/reports/snapshot/pdf/snapshot_sc.pdf

ABOUT FIRST RELIANCE BANCSHARES, INC.

First Reliance Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for First Reliance Bank. The Bank was founded in 1999, employs approximately 130 highly-talented associates and serves the Columbia, Lexington, Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Summerville, Loris, North Myrtle Beach, and Florence markets in South Carolina. First Reliance Bank offers several unique customer programs which include a Hometown Heroes package of benefits for those who are serving our communities, Check 'N Save, a community outreach program for the unbanked or under-banked, a Moms First program, and an iMatter program targeted to young people. The Bank also offers a Customer Service Guaranty, a Mortgage Service Guaranty, FREE Coin Machines for customers to use, Mobile Banking, Mobile mortgage applications, and is open on most traditional bank holidays. Its commitment to making customers' lives better and the idea that "There's More to Banking Than Money" has earned the Bank a customer satisfaction rating of 95%.

The common stock of First Reliance Bancshares, Inc. is traded under the symbol FSRL.OB. Additional information about the Company is available on the Company's web site at www.firstreliance.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements about branch openings within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements give our expectations or forecasts of future events. The preliminary results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 presented herein above are the Company's expectations. However, these results are subject to adjustment by management before the audit is completed and may be adjusted based upon the results of the audit. Should management or audit adjustments be necessary, audited results could differ materially from these preliminary results.

Any or all of our forward-looking statements here or in other publications may turn out to be incorrect. They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Many such factors will be important in determining our actual future results. Consequently, no forward- looking statements can be guaranteed. Our actual results may vary materially, and there are no assurances about the performance of our common stock.

We undertake no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future results or otherwise.

Contact Jeffrey A. Paolucci, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, (888)543-5510.















First Reliance Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiary











Consolidated Balance Sheets





















Year over Year Year over Year

June 30 December 31 June 30

$ Change % Change

2017 2016 2016





Assets











Cash and cash equivalents:











Cash and due from banks $ 4,906,241 $ 4,810,304 $ 4,601,349 $ 304,892 6.63% Interest-bearing deposits with other banks

28,249,142

22,287,560

11,168,524 $ 17,080,618 152.94% Total cash and cash equivalents

33,155,383

27,097,864

15,769,873 $ 17,385,510 110.25%



















Time deposits in other banks

101,919

101,816

101,715 $ 204 0.20%



















Securities available-for-sale

17,571,627

17,862,635

10,725,883 $ 6,845,744 63.82% Securities held-to-maturity (Estimated fair value of $19,070,573,

















$20,842,140 and $24,158,913 at June 30, 2017, December 31, 2016 and June 30, 2016)

18,527,443

20,438,084

23,010,384 $ (4,482,941) -19.48% Nonmarketable equity securities

734,500

734,300

394,300 $ 340,200 86.28% Total investment securities

36,833,570

39,035,019

34,130,567 $ 2,703,003 7.92%



















Mortgage loans held for sale

5,642,044

5,355,532

12,183,376 $ (6,541,332) -53.69%



















Loans receivable

312,432,694

288,126,331

271,020,546 $ 41,412,148 15.28% Less allowance for loan losses

(2,867,446)

(2,648,535)

(2,661,400) $ (206,046) 7.74% Loans, net

309,565,248

285,477,796

268,359,146 $ 41,206,102 15.35%



















Premises, furniture and equipment, net

18,714,423

18,873,718

22,834,270 $ (4,119,847) -18.04% Accrued interest receivable

935,200

961,449

888,782 $ 46,418 5.22% Other real estate owned

2,242,328

2,870,484

2,591,144 $ (348,816) -13.46% Cash surrender value life insurance

14,129,444

13,964,986

13,790,989 $ 338,455 2.45% Net deferred tax assets

7,821,793

8,463,657

9,225,552 $ (1,403,759) -15.22% Mortgage servicing rights

5,316,588

4,211,582

2,124,707 $ 3,191,881 150.23% Other assets

2,023,258

1,707,519

1,856,607 $ 166,651 8.98% Total assets $ 436,481,199 $ 408,121,422 $ 383,856,728 $ 52,624,471 13.71% Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

















Liabilities

















Deposits

















Noninterest-bearing transaction accounts $ 87,709,487 $ 76,175,393 $ 77,796,392 $ 9,913,094 12.74% Interest-bearing transaction accounts

76,220,974

76,736,892

67,830,270 $ 8,390,704 12.37% Savings

122,745,794

115,741,395

110,741,095 $ 12,004,699 10.84% Time deposits $250,000 and over

9,736,164

17,757,192

19,781,396 $ (10,045,232) -50.78% Other time deposits

60,128,507

50,124,647

47,098,401 $ 13,030,106 27.67% Total deposits

356,540,926

336,535,519

323,247,554 $ 33,293,372 10.30%

















Securities sold under agreement to repurchase

16,534,007

11,088,526

9,783,721 $ 6,750,286 69.00% Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank

7,300,000

8,000,000

0 $ 7,300,000

Notes Payable

7,000,000

6,893,211

7,000,000 $ - 100.00% Junior subordinated debentures

10,310,000

10,310,000

3,310,000 $ 7,000,000 211.48% Subordinated debentures

4,814,252

4,896,398

0 $ 4,814,252

Accrued interest payable

309,486

298,950

55,123 $ 254,363 461.45% Other liabilities

5,345,864

3,431,091

3,396,038 $ 1,949,826 57.41% Total liabilities

408,154,535

381,453,695

346,792,436 $ 61,362,098 17.69%



















Shareholders' Equity

















Preferred stock

















Series A cumulative perpetual preferred stock -0 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016 and 4,349 shares as of June 30, 2016

-

-

11,179,710 $ (11,179,710) -100.00% Series B cumulative perpetual preferred stock - 0 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016 and 767 shares as of June 30, 2016

-

-

767,000 $ (767,000) -100.00% Series D preferred stock - 599 , 600 and 402 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2017, December 31, 2016 and June 30, 2016, respectively

599

600

402 $ 197 48.91% Common stock, $0.01 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized,

















4,773,291.000 4,679,881.000 and 4,640,576.000 shares issued and outstanding

















at June 30, 2017, December 31, 2016 and June 30, 2016, respectively

47,733

46,798

46,992 $ 741 1.58% Capital surplus

25,691,582

25,071,543

25,223,967 $ 467,615 1.85% Treasury stock, at cost, 39,374 shares at June 30, 2017 and

















December 31, 2016, respectively and 38,805 shares at June 30, 2016

(221,203)

(219,106)

(217,885) $ (3,318) 1.52% Nonvested restricted stock

(673,733)

(262,153)

(291,229) $ (382,504) 131.34% Retained Earnings/Deficit

3,560,217

2,262,742

258,839 $ 3,301,378 1275.46% Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income

(78,532)

(232,697)

96,496 $ (175,028) -181.38% Total shareholders' equity

28,326,663

26,667,727

37,064,292 $ (8,737,629) -23.57% Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 436,481,198 $ 408,121,422 $ 383,856,728 $ 52,624,470 13.71%





















First Reliance Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiary

















Consolidated Statements of Operations













Year over Year

















$ Change % Change



Three Months Ended

Three Months Ended

Three Months Ended









June 30, 2017

December 31, 2016

June 31, 2016





Interest income:

















Loans, including fees $ 4,052,786 $ 3,617,498 $ 3,675,342 $ 377,444 10.27%



















Investment securities:

















Taxable

195,305

205,420

182,357 $ 12,948 7.10% Tax exempt

28,155

28,220

28,284 $ (129) -0.46% Other interest income

41,984

26,422

33,597 $ 8,387 24.96% Total

4,318,230

3,877,560

3,919,580 $ 398,650 10.17% Interest expense:

















Time deposits

168,207

113,044

86,953 $ 81,254 93.45% Other deposits

106,976

81,088

73,749 $ 33,227 45.05% Other interest expense

277,001

274,014

69,417 $ 207,584 299.04% Total

552,184

468,146

230,119 $ 322,065 139.96%



















Net interest income

3,766,044

3,409,414

3,689,461 $ 76,583 2.08% Provision for loan losses

(74,796)

-

9,075 $ (83,871) -924.20% Net interest income after provision for loan losses

3,691,248

3,409,414

3,680,386 $ 10,862 0.30%



















Noninterest income:

















Service charges on deposit accounts

362,467

357,712

340,147 $ 22,319 6.56% Gain on sale of mortgage loans

1,384,007

1,698,913

1,637,512 $ (253,505) -15.48% Income from bank owned life insurance

82,744

86,602

87,736 $ (4,992) -5.69% Other service charges, commissions, and fees

340,816

318,904

308,233 $ 32,583 10.57% Gain on sale of available-for-sale securities

-

-

- $ - 100.00% Other

77,934

716,450

55,805 $ 22,129 39.66% Total

2,247,968

3,178,581

2,429,433 $ (181,465) -7.47%



















Noninterest expenses:

















Salaries and benefits

2,908,554

3,153,885

2,693,569 $ 214,985 7.98% Occupancy

417,217

385,007

399,157 $ 18,060 4.52% Furniture and equipment related expenses

419,605

403,977

371,790 $ 47,815 12.86% Other

1,193,025

1,203,331

1,176,770 $ 16,255 1.38% Total

4,938,402

5,146,200

4,641,286 $ 297,116 6.40% Income before income taxes

1,000,816

1,441,795

1,468,533 $ (467,717) -31.85% Income tax

338,184

484,579

464,666 $ (126,482) -27.22% Net Income

662,632

957,216

1,003,867 $ (341,235) -33.99% Preferred stock dividends accrued

-

-

136,305 $ (136,305) -100.00% Net income available to common shareholders $ 662,632 $ 957,216 $ 867,562 $ (204,930) -23.62%



















Average common shares outstanding, basic

4,693,073

4,438,570

4,438,478 $ 254,595 5.74% Average common shares outstanding, diluted

4,830,339

4,554,138

4,541,668 $ 288,671 6.36%



















Income per common share:

















Basic income per share $ 0.14 $ 0.22 $ 0.20 $ (0.06) -29.40% Diluted income per share

0.14

0.21

0.19 $ (0.05) -27.80%





















First Reliance Bancshares, Inc. and Subsidiary

















Consolidated Statements of Operations













Year over Year

















$ Change % Change























June 2017

December 2016

June 2016





Interest income:

















Loans, including fees $ 7,728,237 $ 14,363,973 $ 7,113,662 $ 614,575 8.64%



















Investment securities:

















Taxable

393,962

801,878

396,784 $ (2,822) -0.71% Tax exempt

56,356

113,099

56,613 $ (257) -0.45% Other interest income

79,541

109,578

58,963 $ 20,578 34.90% Total

8,258,096

15,388,528

7,626,022 $ 632,074 8.29% Interest expense:

















Time deposits

296,708

366,955

162,025 $ 134,683 83.13% Other deposits

198,874

300,580

142,199 $ 56,675 39.86% Other interest expense

548,752

630,250

141,201 $ 407,551 288.63% Total

1,044,334

1,297,785

445,426 $ 598,908 134.46%



















Net interest income

7,213,761

14,090,743

7,180,597 $ 33,164 0.46% Provision for loan losses

(226,296)

9,075

9,075 $ (235,371) -2593.62% Net interest income after provision for loan losses

6,987,465

14,081,668

7,171,522 $ (184,057) -2.57%



















Noninterest income:

















Service charges on deposit accounts

708,413

1,385,517

672,801 $ 35,612 5.29% Gain on sale of mortgage loans

2,992,440

6,153,308

2,561,849 $ 430,591 16.81% Income from bank owned life insurance

164,459

349,374

175,378 $ (10,919) -6.23% Other service charges, commissions, and fees

666,110

1,236,026

620,841 $ 45,269 7.29% Gain on sale of available-for-sale securities

-

13,261

- $ -

Gain on sale of premises

-

652,367

- $ -

Other

148,853

240,780

112,959 $ 35,894 31.78% Total

4,680,275

10,030,633

4,143,828 $ 536,447 12.95%



















Noninterest expenses:

















Salaries and benefits

5,743,587

11,270,540

5,176,005 $ 567,582 10.97% Occupancy

817,849

1,572,271

770,637 $ 47,212 6.13% Furniture and equipment related expenses

820,242

1,517,840

732,424 $ 87,818 11.99% Other

2,348,083

4,428,482

2,347,530 $ 553 0.02% Total

9,729,761

18,789,133

9,026,595 $ 703,166 7.79% Income before income taxes

1,937,979

5,323,168

2,288,754 $ (350,775) -15.33% Income tax expense (benefit)

641,304

1,801,260

770,749 $ (129,445) -16.79% Net income

1,296,675

3,521,908

1,518,005 $ (221,330) -14.58% Preferred stock dividends accrued

-

937,848

136,305 $ (136,305) -100.00% Deemed dividends on preferred stock resulting from

-

-

- $ -

net accretion of discount and amortization of premium

-

-

- $ -

Net income available to common shareholders $ 1,296,675 $ 2,584,060 $ 1,381,700 $ (85,025) -6.15%



















Average common shares outstanding, basic

4,693,073

4,438,570

4,438,478 $ 254,595 5.74% Average common shares outstanding, diluted

4,830,339

4,554,138

4,541,668 $ 288,671 6.36%



















Income per common share:

















Basic income per share

0.28 $ 0.58 $ 0.31 $ (0) -11.24% Diluted income per share

0.27

0.57

0.30 $ (0) -11.76%

Asset Quality and Capital Adequacy

























(dollars in thousands, except asset quality and per share data)



As of and for the Three Months Ended



June 30, 2017

December 31, 2016

June 30, 2016 Income Statement Data











Net Interest Income

3,766,044

3,409,414

3,689,461 Provision for loan losses

(74,796)

-

9,075 Noninterest Income

2,247,968

3,178,581

2,429,433 Noninterest Expense

4,938,402

5,146,200

4,641,286 Income Tax (Benefit)

338,184

484,579

464,666 Net Income

662,632

957,216

1,003,867 Asset Quality











Loans 90 days past due & still accruing

-

-

- Nonaccrual loans

2,273

2,588

2,636









































Total nonperfoming loans

2,273

2,588

2,636 OREO and repossessed assets

2,242

2,870

2,591 Total Nonperforming Assets

4,515

5,458

5,227













Nonperforming loans to loans

0.73%

0.90%

0.97% Nonperforming assets to total assets

1.04%

1.34%

1.37% Allowance for loan losses to total loans

0.90%

0.90%

0.98% Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans

126.15%

102.34%

100.96% Capital Data (at quarter end)











Book value per share

5.98

5.75

5.41 Tangible book value per share

5.98

5.75

5.41













Per Share Data











Shares Outstanding- basic

4,693,073

4,438,570

4,438,478 Shares Outstanding- diluted

4,830,339

4,554,138

4,541,668 Earning Per Share - basic $ 0.14 $ 0.22 $ 0.20 Earning Per Share -diluted

0.14

0.21

0.19













Profitability Ratios











Net Interest Margin

4.32%

4.37%

4.49% Return on Assets

0.62%

0.95%

1.06% Return on Equity

9.49%

14.56%

10.98%













Capital Adequacy- Bank Only











Tier 1 leverage ratio

9.92%

9.97%

9.85% Common Equity Tier 1 capital

11.99%

12.21%

11.40% Tier 1 capital ratio

11.99%

12.21%

11.40% Total capital ratio

12.83%

13.03%

12.22% Total risk weighted assets

342,279

323,406

324,668

Contact:

Jeffrey A. Paolucci, EVP & CFO

(888) 543-5510

[email protected]

SOURCE First Reliance Bancshares, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.firstreliance.com


RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- More than half of all Fortune 500 companies now offer in-house Toastmasters clubs to help employees become better communicators and leaders. Amazon, Bank of America, Boeing, Coca-Cola, Ford, Google and Verizon are among the industry giants that have found the Toastmasters International program effective for staff development and as an asset for the bottom line.

"Every Google employee has to be a good communicator because they have to work with multiple teams and often in multiple geographies around the world," says Gopi Kallayil, Chief Evangelist for Brand Marketing at Google. "Good communication is a key driver for success at Google. Joining Toastmasters has fundamentally pivoted my life and is one of the best investments I have made in my professional growth."

During the past year, nearly 700 new corporate Toastmasters clubs were chartered. The growth of corporate clubs has stemmed from companies recognizing the value in giving their employees opportunities to grow their confidence and leadership skills as it supports retention and business continuity.

Toastmasters' communication and leadership teaches employees how to:

Conduct effective meetings

Practice time management

Enhance their listening skills

Sharpen their presentation skills

Boost team collaboration

Guide successful teams

When asked to assess candidate skills and qualities, employers rated verbal communication skills the most important, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook 2016 report. The report also found that more than 80 percent of employers look for evidence of leadership skills on a candidate's resume. Communication and leadership skills are at the core of the Toastmasters learning program, making it all the more valuable to employers.

Toastmasters continues to grow its clubs base as a result of more and more corporations choosing to form in-house Toastmasters clubs as an inexpensive yet effective way to develop their employees. Currently, 38 of the top 50 Fortune 500 companies have three or more active clubs.

"Offering employees a corporate Toastmasters club gives employers a cost-effective way to improve and retain their workforce," says Toastmasters Chief Executive Officer Daniel Rex. "Some of the most successful companies in the world credit Toastmasters for playing a central role in the increased knowledge, productivity and success of their employees."

Organizations that want to provide employee growth opportunities that also benefit the company can obtain more information about Toastmasters corporate clubs by emailing [email protected].

About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., the organization's membership exceeds 345,000 in more than 15,900 clubs in 142 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org. Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter.

SOURCE Toastmasters International

Related Links

http://www.toastmasters.org


NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Packaging is a technology of enclosing and protecting products for distribution, storage, sale and use. Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages. It can be described as a coordinated system of preparing goods for transport, warehousing, logistics, sale and end use.



Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04148023/Global-Beverage-Can-Market-Industry-Analysis-Outlook.html





There are three types of packaging; primary, the first layer that encloses the product and comes in the direct contact with the product; secondary, prevents from the pilferage or to group the primary packages together; and tertiary, used for bulk handling, warehouse storage and transport shipping. Further, consumer packaging can be segmented into glass, paper and board, flexible plastics, rigid plastics, other metal and beverage cans.



Metal cans are used to contain a wide range of products, including beverages, processed foods, aerosol products, paints, medicines and many other products. Beverage can is a metal container designed to hold a fixed portion of liquid such as carbonated soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, teas, herbal teas, and energy drinks, etc.



The global beverage can market has been growing at a steady pace for the past few years. The North American market is expected to recover at a flatter rate after a period of steady decline. The major factors which are expected to drive the global beverage can market include increasing global aluminum production, rising global GDP per capita, rapid urbanization, and swelling global beverage consumption. However, the growth of the market is hindered by stringent compliance regulations and environmental concerns. Few notable trends of the market include rising demand for specialty cans and shifting focus of market players taking towards developing markets.



Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04148023/Global-Beverage-Can-Market-Industry-Analysis-Outlook.html



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



http://www.reportlinker.com



__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

http://www.reportlinker.com


KINGSTON, Jamaica, Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Invitation for Offers

The Government of Jamaica ("Jamaica") announced today the commencement of an invitation for offers to purchase for cash (the "Invitation") notes of each series listed in the table below (collectively, the "Old Notes", and each series thereof a "series" of Old Notes) such that the aggregate Purchase Price (as defined below) to be paid for the outstanding principal amount of the Old Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Invitation is equal to a maximum purchase amount to be determined by Jamaica in its sole discretion (the "Aggregate Purchase Price"). The terms and conditions of the Invitation are set forth in the material dated Tuesday, August 8, 2017 (the "Invitation Material").

The Invitation is not conditioned upon any minimum participation of any series of Old Notes but is conditioned, among other things, on the pricing and closing of an international capital markets transaction in an amount acceptable to Jamaica.

The Invitation will commence on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 and will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Monday, August 14, 2017 (the "Expiration Time") unless extended or earlier terminated by Jamaica in its sole discretion. Old Notes may be validly withdrawn at any time at or prior to the Expiration Time. The settlement of validly tendered and accepted Old Notes is scheduled to occur on Friday, August 18, 2017 (the "Settlement Date"). The purchase price for the Old Notes of each series validly tendered and accepted pursuant to the Invitation will be the fixed price indicated in the table below per each original U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Old Notes (the "Purchase Price"). Holders whose Old Notes are validly tendered and accepted for purchase will also receive any accrued and unpaid interest on such Old Notes up to (but excluding) the Settlement Date.

Old Notes Outstanding

Principal Amount

as of Tuesday

August 8, 2017 Original

Principal

Amount Issued CUSIP/ISIN Factor Purchase Price per

Original U.S.$1,000

Principal Amount













8.000% Amortizing Notes due

2019 (the "2019 Notes") U.S.$187,713,498.00 U.S.$750,000,000 470160AW2/ US470160AW29 67% U.S.$1,065.00















8.500% Amortizing Notes due 2021 (the "2021 Notes") U.S.$70,642,470.60 U.S.$161,904,731 470160BP6/ US470160BP68 52.941176% U.S.$1,140.00















11.625% Notes due 2022 (the "2022 Notes") U.S.$250,000,000.00 U.S.$250,000,000 470160AQ5/ US470160AQ50 100% U.S.$1,275.00















9.250% Notes due 2025 (the "2025 Notes") U.S.$250,000,000.00 U.S.$250,000,000 470160AT9/ US470160AT99 100% U.S.$1,305.00





















Eligible holders of Old Notes must tender Old Notes by requesting that the direct participant through which the holder holds its Old Notes submit, at or prior to the Expiration Time, such holder's offer to tender their Old Notes (an "Offer"), by properly instructing The Depository Trust Company, Inc. ("DTC"), Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. ("Euroclear") or Clearstream Banking Luxembourg, societe anonyme ("Clearstream, Luxembourg"), as applicable, in accordance with the procedures and deadlines established by such clearing system. Any holder that holds Old Notes through a custodian cannot submit an Offer directly and should instead contact its custodian to instruct the direct participant to submit an Offer on its behalf. There is no letter of transmittal for the Invitation. The acceptance of any Offers forwarded to DTC from Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg after the Expiration Time will be in the sole discretion of Jamaica.

The total purchase price (the "Total Purchase Price") for an amount of Old Notes tendered will equal the original principal amount of such Old Notes, multiplied by the Purchase Price, and then multiplied by the Factor, plus accrued and unpaid interest on such Old Notes to (but excluding) the Settlement Date. If the Total Purchase Price for all validly tendered Old Notes, not including accrued and unpaid interest (the "Tendered Principal Purchase Price") would exceed the Aggregate Purchase Price, Jamaica will, in its sole discretion, select one or more series of Old Notes to be prorated on the basis of the same or different proration factors. If Jamaica accepts all or a portion of a holder's Offer of Old Notes of any series, the holder will be entitled to receive for such Old Notes the applicable Total Purchase Price, which will be paid on the Settlement Date, if the conditions of the Invitation are met.

Jamaica reserves the right, in its sole discretion, not to accept any or all Offers, to modify the Purchase Price for any or all series of Old Notes in accordance with the terms and conditions described in the Invitation Material, or to terminate the Invitation for any reason. In the event of a termination of the Invitation, the tendered Old Notes will be returned to the holder.

The Invitation Material may be downloaded from website of Global Bondholder Services Corporation (the "Information and Tender Agent") at http://gbsc-usa.com/Jamaica/ or obtained from the Information and Tender Agent, Global Bondholder Services Corporation, 65 Broadway  Suite 404, New York, New York 10006 (Tel. (212) 430-3774, or toll free (866) 470-3900) Attention: Corporate Actions, or from any of the Dealer Managers.

The Dealer Managers for the Invitation are:

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 388 Greenwich Street, 7th Floor

New York, New York 10013 United States of America Attention: Liability Management Group Collect: (212) 723-6106 Toll-free: (800) 558-3745 Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated One Bryant Park New York, New York 10036 United States of America Attention: Liability Management Group Collect: (646) 855-8988 Toll-free: (888) 292-0070

Questions regarding the Invitation may be directed to the Dealer Managers at the above contact information.

Contact information:

Global Bondholder Services Corporation

Attention: Corporate Actions

65 Broadway  Suite 404

New York, NY 10006

Banks and Brokers call: +1 (212) 430-3774

Toll free: +1 (866) 470-3900

website: http://gbsc-usa.com/Jamaica/

Important Notice

The distribution of materials relating to the Invitation and the transactions contemplated thereby may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. The Invitation and any of the transactions contemplated thereby are void in all jurisdictions where they are prohibited. If materials relating to the Invitation or any of the transactions contemplated thereby come into your possession, you are required by Jamaica to inform yourself of and to observe all of these restrictions. The materials relating to the Invitation and the transactions contemplated thereby, including this communication, do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer or solicitation in any place where offers or solicitations are not permitted by law. If a jurisdiction requires that the Invitation be made by a licensed broker or dealer and a Dealer Manager or any affiliate of a Dealer Manager is a licensed broker or dealer in that jurisdiction, the Invitation shall be deemed to be made by the Dealer Manager or such affiliate in that jurisdiction. Owners who may lawfully participate in the Invitation in accordance with the terms thereof are referred to as "holders."

This announcement is for informational purposes only. This announcement is not an invitation for offers to purchase for cash or a solicitation of invitations for offers to purchase for cash any Old Notes. Any materials relating to the Invitation do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, any form of offer or solicitation in any place where such offers or solicitations are not permitted by law. If a jurisdiction requires that the Invitation be made by a licensed broker or dealer and a Dealer Manager or its respective affiliate is such a licensed broker or dealer in that jurisdiction, the Invitation shall be deemed to be made by a Dealer Manager or affiliate in such jurisdiction.

The distribution of the Invitation Material in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession the Invitation Material comes are required by Jamaica, the Dealer Managers, and the Information and Tender Agent to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions as set out in the "Jurisdictional Restrictions" section of the Invitation Material.

European Economic Area

In any European Economic Area Member State (each a "Member State"), this announcement and the Invitation is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors in that Member State within the meaning of Directive 2010/73/EU, together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State, the "Prospectus Directive."

Belgium

The Invitation will not constitute a public offering within the meaning of Articles 3, 1, 1 and 6 of the Belgian Law of April 1, 2007 on takeover bids (the "Takeover Law"). The Invitation will be exclusively conducted under applicable private placement exemptions and has therefore not been, and will not be, notified to, and any material relating to the Invitation has not been, and will not be, approved by, the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (Autorite des services et marches financiers/Autoriteit voor Financiele Diensten en Markten). The Invitation as well as the Invitation Material may only be advertised, offered or distributed in any way, directly or indirectly, to any persons located and/or resident in Belgium who qualify as "Qualified Investors" as defined in Article 10, 1 of the Belgian Law of June 16, 2006 on public offering of securities and admission of securities to trading on a regulated market and as referred to in Article 6, 3, 1 of the Takeover Law, and who are acting for their own account, or in other circumstances which do not constitute a public offering in Belgium pursuant to the Takeover Law.

France

The Invitation has not been offered nor will be offered, directly or indirectly, to the public in France; the materials relating to the Invitation have not been distributed or caused to be distributed and will not be distributed or caused to be distributed to the public in France; and only qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies), as defined in Articles L. 4112 and D. 4111, of the French Code monetaire et financier who are acting for their own account and are not individuals and the other legal entities referred to in Articles L. 3412 1 and D. 3411 of the French Code monetaire et financier are eligible to participate in the Invitation. The Invitation has not been and will not be submitted to the clearance procedures (visa) of nor approved by the Autorite des marches financier.

Germany

The Invitation does not constitute an offer of securities or the solicitation of an offer of securities to the public in Germany under the Securities Prospectus Act (Wertpapierprospektgesetz). Accordingly, the Invitation has not been submitted for approval and has not been approved by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht - BaFin) or any other German public authority.

Hong Kong

With respect to persons in Hong Kong, the Invitation is only made to, and is only capable of acceptance by, professional investors within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong (the "SFO") and any rules made thereunder ("professional investors"). No person or entity may issue or have in its possession for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, any advertisement, invitation or document relating to the Old Notes or the Invitation, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong, including in circumstances which do not result in the document being a "prospectus" as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong) other than with respect to Old Notes which are or are intended to be tendered only by persons outside Hong Kong or only by "professional investors" as defined in the SFO and any rules made thereunder.

Italy

None of this announcement, the Invitation, or any other documents or materials related to the Invitation have been or will be submitted to the clearance procedure of the Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa ("CONSOB") pursuant to Italian securities legislation and, accordingly, the Invitation may not be promoted, and copies of this announcement may not be delivered, to Holders resident or located in Italy, other than (i) to qualified investors (investitori qualificati) (as defined in Article 26, paragraph 1, letter (d) of CONSOB Regulation No. 16190 of October 29, 2007, as amended (the "Intermediaries Regulation")), pursuant to Article 35-bis, paragraph 3 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of May 14, 1999, as amended, or (ii) in any other circumstances where an express exemption from compliance with the restrictions on public offers to purchase applies.

Holders or beneficial owners of the Old Notes may tender their Old Notes through authorized persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with the Italian Legislative Decree No. 58 of February 24, 1998, as amended, the Intermediaries Regulation and Italian Legislative Decree No. 385 of September 1, 1993, each as amended) and in compliance with any other applicable laws and regulations or with any requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority.

This announcement and the information contained herein are intended only for the use of its recipient and are not to be distributed to any third-party resident or located in Italy for any reason. No person resident or located in Italy other than the original recipients of this document may rely on it or its contents.

Jamaica

This announcement has not been and is not required to be registered with the Financial Services Commission pursuant to the Jamaican Securities Act. No purchase of any securities in connection with this Invitation can be completed in Jamaica unless the purchase is made by or through a securities dealer registered with the Financial Services Commission or an exempt dealer (being a bank). However, Jamaican law does not prevent a Jamaica resident from selling securities outside the jurisdiction.

Luxembourg

In Luxembourg, this announcement has been prepared on the basis that the Invitation will be made pursuant to an exemption under Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive from the requirement to produce a prospectus for offers of securities.

Switzerland

The Invitation is made in Switzerland on the basis of a private offer, not as a public offering. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the Invitation constitutes a prospectus as such term is understood pursuant to article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations, and neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the Invitation may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

United Kingdom

The communication of this announcement, the Invitation and any other offer material relating to the Invitation are not being made, and such documents and/or materials have not been approved, by an authorized person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the "FSMA"). Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials is exempt from the restriction on financial promotions under section 21 of the FSMA on the basis that it is only directed at and may be communicated to (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) to investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the FSMA (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (as so amended, the "Order") or (iii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom these documents and/or materials may lawfully be communicated, falling within Articles 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such other persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). Any investment or investment activity to which the Invitation or these other documents and/or materials relate are available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on the Invitation or these other documents and/or materials or any of its or their contents.

* * *

SOURCE Government of Jamaica

Related Links

http://gbsc-usa.com/Jamaica


Digital marketing;

Shopper engagement;

Digital strategy and innovation; and

Digital data analytics and insights.

"I am pleased to welcome Stephen to Hormel Foods," Splinter said. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the company, and we look forward to his leadership in building our digital competencies as well as transforming our digital experience for consumers, customers and the company."

Koven brings extensive digital, marketing, sales and brand management experience to Hormel Foods, from companies including The Dial Corporation and The Clorox Company. Koven also spent time at Price Waterhouse and Accenture in tax and finance roles.

Koven received his Bachelor of Business Administration and Master in Professional Accounting from The University of Texas at Austin and later his Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.

About Hormel Foods  Inspired People. Inspired Food.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly Guacamole, Hormel Black Label and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the ninth year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future - Inspired People. Inspired Food. - focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://2015csr.hormelfoods.com/.

SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation

Related Links

http://www.hormel.com


WASHINGTON, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, August 29, 2017 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) will be hosting a Special Edition webinar to explore next generation learning models for English language learner (ELL) students.

In schools across the United States, next generation learning models are beginning to transform learning for English Language Learners (ELLs) with personalized, competency-based education.

A recent iNACOL report, Next Generation Learning Models for English Language Learners: Promising Practices and Considerations for Teaching and Learning, shares promising practices and case studies of next generation designs advancing learning for ELL students. The paper also identifies core elements and principles for a next generation classroom to support ELL student success:

Redefining what success means and looks like for ELL students,

Assessments of and for learning,

Personalized approaches that focus on educating the whole child, and

Building educator role and capacity to meet the needs of every student.

Join school leaders and ELL experts from schools and school networks highlighted in the report as they discuss transforming education models to personalized, competency education for ELL students.

iNACOL COO Bruce Friend said, "ELLs make up the fastest growing student group in the U.S., approaching nearly 5 million students. Unfortunately, traditional K-12 systems are often challenged to adequately meet these students' diverse needs. Student-centered teaching and learning better serve students with diverse backgrounds and skill sets, helping to prepare all students for success."

This webinar is free to attend  participants are invited to register here for final details and login information.

Webinar Title: Promising Practices in Next Generation Learning Models for English Language Learners

Presenters:

About iNACOL



The mission of the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) is to catalyze the transformation of K-12 education policy and practice to advance powerful, personalized, learner-centered experiences through competency-based, blended and online learning. iNACOL is a non-profit organization focusing on research, developing policy for student-centered education to ensure equity and access, developing quality standards for emerging learning models using online, blended, and competency-based education, and supporting the ongoing professional development of school and district leaders for new learning models. Visit our website, like us on Facebook, connect with us on LinkedIn and follow us on twitter.

SOURCE International Association for K-12 Online Learning

Related Links

http://www.inacol.org


NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of its 10-year anniversary, premium hair extension brand Indique today announced the global launch of Indique Rewards. This new point-based loyalty program allows clients to earn benefits for purchasing, referring friends, interacting with Indique's social media channels and more.

"Being in business for a decade is an incredible milestone that we certainly couldn't have accomplished without our devoted patrons," said Indique Co-Founder and Creative Director Ericka Dotson. "This is a small way for us to say 'thank you for your continued support' with a system that is easy and accessible to clients. Given how our clientele already interact with our brand, Indique Rewards offers them an organic way to benefit from what they already do day-to-day."

Indique Rewards is a tiered system, offering consumers three levels at which to participate: Premium, Premium Plus and Premium Elite. Clients sign up at the Premium level for free and enjoy varied levels of perks  including automated birthday rewards and offers, as well as an increase on the length of time on Indique Hair returns and exchanges.

Based on the number of points they accumulate in a 12-month period, customers can also access enhanced benefits at the Premium Plus and Premium Elite levels, opening opportunities to rewards such as free shipping on products and access to exclusive promotions. In addition to accumulating points based on Indique product purchases and social media engagement with the brand's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts, customer referrals are a significant part of the Indique Rewards program. Participants can send a 10 percent discount code to friends and family. If the referred customer redeems the discount, and meets the minimum purchase requirements, the Rewards participant will receive 500 loyalty points.

Existing Indique Partner Stylists are also eligible for the Rewards program. It is free to join, and stylists receive a special gift on the anniversary of their Partner Stylist membership, extensions on returns and exchanges, discounts on Indique Hair Care Essentials, and access to exclusive promotions.

ABOUT INDIQUE

With a winning combination of hair experts and stylists, and more than 30 years of industry experience, Indique Hair International provides 100 percent virgin human hair that is natural and of the highest quality. With an impressive client base that consists of Lady Gaga, Kelly Rowland, Lala Vasquez, Gabrielle Union, Rihanna, Ciara, Taraji P. Henson, Brandy, Zendaya and more, Indique Hair's unique Indian virgin and natural human hair extensions are lustrous and tangle free.

Indique Hair is the only company that produces hair extensions at the source, with headquarters in India. Indique Hair has 18 freestanding boutiques in metro New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Boston, Silver Spring, Angola, Johannesburg and more. www.indiquehair.com

SOURCE Indique Hair

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By PTI: (Eds: With more details)

New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) Highlighting the dangers of communalism, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury today said a Hindu Pakistan should not be created in India.

He was speaking in the Rajya Sabha while participating in a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement.

Yechury referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modis comments in the recent episode of his monthly radio programme Mann ki Baat in which he had said that all out efforts should be made to end the problems of the country in five years from now, just like the period between 1942 and 1947 was a decisive one.

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"Now, Sir, what is that objective? In 1947, we became Independent. We are all proud... In those five years, we also saw the partition of India. We saw the communal polarisation that led to this unfortunate partition, aided by the British. So, if you are alluding to those five years, there is an ominous sign. It is a very dark cloud," Yechury said.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad immediately objected to Yechurys remarks, saying the prime minister had spoken about unemployment, education etc.

"This is wrong quoting...It is going on the record and I must protest," Prasad said, adding "today is a pious day, he should not talk against the prime minister".

Deputy chairman P J Kurien asked

Yechury to "please avoid controversies".

Continuing his speech, the CPI(M) leader, whose term as Rajya Sabha member is coming to an end next week, said it was the prime minister who had said that communalism must quit India.

"I am talking of that communalism. It was the prime minister of India, and your leader, who said that communalism must quit India. I am asking, are we doing anything to make it quit," Yechury asked.

He said that secularism and democracy were enshrined in our Constitution.

He said that the movement forward should be for strengthening the secular democratic republic of India and "not for creating a Hindu-Pakistan in India".

Yechury also criticised the "neo-liberal" economic policies and held those responsible for disparity.

He said the divide between the rich and poor was widening. From 49 percent earlier, the amount of the countrys GDP held by 1 percent of the countrys population has risen to 58.4 per cent.

The need is to eliminate neo-liberal policies and communalism, Yechury said.

The CPI(M) leader recounted the contribution of several communist leaders in the fight against British rule. He said a lot of people in the cellular jail were communist leaders from Bengal and Punjab.

He, however, emphasised that attempts should not be made to appropriate the freedom struggle.

Yechury said there were two communist leaders - a maulana and a swami - who had moved a resolution for complete independence at a meeting of the Indian National Congress in 1921.

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The Quit India movement belonged to the people and is a common heritage, he said.

Participating in the debate, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Congress) recalled the contribution of freedom fighters in the countrys Independence.

However, he regretted that there were some traitors at that time also, who did not participate in the movement at that time.

There were parties at that time which sided with the British to derail the Quit India movement, Roy said.

"Even today, there are some traitors who threaten our brotherhood," he said, adding that Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would launch BJP Bharat chhodo andolan (BJP Quit India movement) from today.

At this juncture, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said politics should not be brought into this discussion which has to be at a higher level.

Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also said that at least for today, criticism should be left aside. Congress leader Anand Sharma, however, said that if something is a fact of history it must remain in record.

Prasanna Acharya (BJD) said the need is not create a Congress-free or BJP-free India but a corruption and communalism free India.

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Veer Singh (BSP) spoke against the inequality in the society while Majeed Memon (NCP) spoke about mountains of hate being created and emphasised on the need to counter poverty and unemployment.

Kanimozi (DMK) said an atmosphere prevails today that not speaking Hindi or eating some food were seen by some as being less India. "Why have we become this?".

She said that 50 percent of the population -- the women -- were still not being given their due and there were incidents like stalking and honour killings, a reference to the Chandigarh stalking case.

She said it was a sorry state of affairs that leaders were questioning the victims of stalking etc, asking why they were out late.

The DMK MP regretted that Parliament had been unable to pass the Womens Reservation Bill and half of the population did not get proportional representation in the passing of laws.

Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena) said the Quit India movement was not the monopoly of any one party. He mentioned the contribution of Veer Savarakar and mill workers in the struggle.

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Naresh Gujral (SAD) spoke about the sacrifices made by his family and the people as a whole. He said the need was to reflect collectively and not indulge in blame game.

D Raja (CPI) mentioned about the role played by communist leaders along with the Congress.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale, Rajni Patil (Congress) and A V Swamy also spoke. PTI ADS AKK

--- ENDS ---
JAKARTA, Indonesia, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

- BCA leads the BrandZ Indonesia Top 50 for a third year, growing 13% to US$10.5bn

- Telkomsel climbs two places to become the country's second most valuable brand

The total value of the BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indonesian Brands 2017, announced today by WPP and Kantar Millward Brown, has grown 8% in the last year to US$71.6 billion. This compares with 2% growth in 2016, and matches the 8% value increase of the BrandZ Global Top 100 2017. The strongest Indonesian brands have responded to rising consumer confidence and spending power by delivering quality products and services, purpose-led innovation and an exceptional experience - all factors that grow brand value.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/513554/Kantar_Millward_Brown_Logo.jpg )



BrandZ is the largest and most definitive brand valuation platform in the world. The BrandZ Most Valuable Brands rankings are important benchmarks for companies that want to measure and manage their most important intangible asset - their brand.

The gap between the BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indonesian Brands and the BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands is narrowing: the most valuable Indonesian brand Bank Central Asia (BCA) has grown its value 13% to $10.5bn, $800 million less than Nissan, at no.100 in the global ranking. The Indonesia Top 50 are also as effective as the leading Chinese brands, and many top global brands, in driving consumer preference. This is according to the BrandZ Power Index, which measures how predisposed consumers are to buy a brand.

BCA marks its 60th birthday this year, having built a reputation for being accessible, with a strong purpose based on being 'Always at your side'. It has more than 1,200 branches and 17,000 ATMs, and is also focused on digital innovations such as in-app and video banking.

Reflecting Indonesia's rapid adoption of mobile technology, Telkomsel has risen two places to no.2, growing 27% to $8.6bn. The brand has used new digital services and powerful communications to embed itself deeply in consumers' lives. Its promise is embodied in its aspirational #MenjadiYangTerbaik (#BeTheBest) campaign, which highlights the speed and stability of its connections, while encouraging consumers to be the best they can be.

The Banks sector has the highest total brand value. Bank brands occupy four places in the Top 10, and have increased their combined value +9% to $26.5bn. In addition, the two fastest growing Indonesian brands are banks: Sinar Mas (no.38; +50%) and CIMB Niaga (no.41; +44%). This is linked to the fact that access to finance is integral to the development of Indonesia's economy.

The fastest-growing sector is food and dairy, with a combined value increase of +21% to $3.2bn. There are 15 FMCG brands in the Top 50 - including local household staples, such as noodle brands Indomie (no.13; +18%) and Sarimi (no.42; +18%), and biscuit brand Roma (new). There are also global names that are so well loved they are often considered solely Indonesian - including Sunsilk (no.30; +7%) and Pepsodent (no.19; +4%). FMCG brands excel at meeting a functional need while forging strong emotional connections with consumers.

David Roth, CEO EMEA and Asia, The Store WPP, says: "The BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indonesian Brands represent a slice of modern-day Indonesian life: growth and development, supported by pride in a rich heritage. With continued investment in brand development and expansion, it's likely we'll see one or more entering the Global BrandZ Top 100 very soon. There has never been a better time for Indonesian brands to seize international opportunities; they should be inspired by what pioneering Chinese brands have achieved, and look beyond borders."

The BrandZ Top 10 Most Valuable Indonesian Brands 2017

Rank 2017 Brand Category Brand value 2017 ($M) Change 1 (-) BCA Banks 10,537 +13% 2 (+2) Telkomsel Telecom providers 8,583 +27% 3 (-) A Mild Tobacco 8,297 +13% 4 (-2) BRI Banks 8,021 +2% 5 (-) Mandiri Banks 5,438 +10% 6 (-) Dji Sam Soe Tobacco 2,411 +7% 7 (-) Surya Tobacco 2,071 -1% 8 (+1) Gudang Garam Tobacco 2,040 +3% 9 (+1) Marlboro Tobacco 2,026 +9% 10 (+1) BNI Banks 1,829 +18%

Other trends highlighted in this year's BrandZ Indonesia Top 50 study include:

Mega brands reign supreme. Between them, the Top 5 brands account for 57% of the total value of the entire Top 50 ( $40.9bn ). This is typical in fast-developing markets.

Between them, the Top 5 brands account for 57% of the total value of the entire Top 50 ( ). This is typical in fast-developing markets. Local relevance matters. Indonesians' sense of identity is strengthening as they look to integrate their digital lives with their rich heritage. Local brands have most successfully connected with what it means to be a modern Indonesian, but understanding and responding to this is more about agility than country of origin.

Indonesians' sense of identity is strengthening as they look to integrate their digital lives with their rich heritage. Local brands have most successfully connected with what it means to be a modern Indonesian, but understanding and responding to this is more about agility than country of origin. C onsumers have embraced ecommerce . Local digital disruptors taking advantage of this include Bukalapak and Tokopedia, which have launched mobile shopping apps. Of the four 'traditional' retailers in the Top 50, only Alfa has grown its value (no.28; +10%), but all are investing heavily in new ways to engage shoppers, both online and in stores.

Local digital disruptors taking advantage of this include Bukalapak and Tokopedia, which have launched mobile shopping apps. Of the four 'traditional' retailers in the Top 50, only Alfa has grown its value (no.28; +10%), but all are investing heavily in new ways to engage shoppers, both online and in stores. Purpose pays dividends. Indonesian consumers seek to associate themselves with brands they feel are doing good for the world. The brands in the Top 50 that are perceived as having the strongest purpose have increased their value 9% in three years, while those with the weakest purpose have remained static.

Indonesian consumers seek to associate themselves with brands they feel are doing good for the world. The brands in the Top 50 that are perceived as having the strongest purpose have increased their value 9% in three years, while those with the weakest purpose have remained static. Newcomers to the ranking in 2017 are entertainment brand Indosiar (no.43) and biscuit brand Roma (no.50).

Ranjana Singh, WPP Country Manager for Indonesia and Vietnam, comments: "Indonesian consumers are increasingly sophisticated, so having a product or service that does its job well, and is easily available and fairly priced, is no longer enough. Consumers will only fall in love with a brand that can express its promise in richer ways, through true innovation and an experience that is streamlined, personalised, fun and seamless. The interactions the consumer has with the brand along the path to purchase - and beyond - provide opportunities for differentiation, and help cement their relationship with that brand."

The accelerating growth in value of Indonesia's brands can also influence how the country is perceived by consumers around the globe. There is a close relationship between how people feel about a country, and their attitudes towards the brands they associate with it. According to the 2017 Best Countries report developed by Y&R's BAV Group, Indonesia ranks 39th out of 80 major markets based on consumer perception metrics, which include entrepreneurship, heritage and cultural influence. Decision makers around the word recognize the huge potential that Indonesia, the fourth largest population in the world, holds for business. Aided by its abundant natural resources and socio-economic stability, with the immediate task to break free and get ahead of the South-East Asian region.

The BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indonesian Brands report and rankings, and a great deal more brand insight for key regions of the world and 12 market sectors, are available online here. The Indonesian report, rankings, charts, articles and more can also be found via the BrandZ app. The BrandZ app also contains the same features and functionality for all BrandZ regional reports and is free to download for Apple IOS and all Android devices from www.brandz.com/mobile or search for BrandZ in the respective iTunes or Google Play app stores.

Background and methodology

The valuation behind the BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indonesian Brands was conducted by Kantar Millward Brown, which specializes in brand equity research and brand valuation. The methodology mirrors that used to calculate the annual BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking, which is now in its 12th year.

Commissioned by WPP, the ranking combines rigorously analysed financial data from Bloomberg and Kantar Worldpanel with the opinions of over 22,000 Indonesian consumers gathered for over 970 brands in more than 36 categories. The BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indonesian Brands is the most definitive and robust ranking of the country's brands available, and the brands ranked all meet one of these two eligibility criteria:

The brand was originally created by an Indonesian enterprise and is owned by an enterprise listed on a credible stock exchange; or

The brand is owned by an enterprise listed on Jakarta Stock Exchange.

The suite of BrandZ country rankings and reports also includes China, India, Latin America, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and is growing to cover Spain, the UK, France, Germany, the U.S. and Italy.

About Kantar Millward Brown

Kantar Millward Brown is a leading global research agency specialising in advertising effectiveness, strategic communication, media and digital, and brand equity research. The company helps clients grow great brands through comprehensive research-based qualitative and quantitative solutions. Kantar Millward Brown operates in more than 55 countries and is part of WPP's Kantar group, one of the world's leading data, insight and consultancy companies. Learn more at www.millwardbrown.com.

About WPP



WPP is the world's largest communications services group with billings of US$74 billion and revenues of over US$19 billion. Through its operating companies, the Group provides a comprehensive range of advertising and marketing services including advertising & media investment management; data investment management; public relations & public affairs; branding & identity; healthcare communications; digital, eCommerce and shopper marketing and specialist communications. The company employs over 205,000 people (including associates and investments) in over 3,000 offices across 112 countries. For more information, visit www.wpp.com.

WPP was named Holding Company of the Year at the 2017 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for the seventh year running. WPP was also named, for the sixth consecutive year, the World's Most Effective Holding Company in the 2017 Effie Effectiveness Index, which recognizes the effectiveness of marketing communications. In 2017 WPP was recognised by Warc 100 as the World's Top Holding Company (third year running).

For more information please contact:

Anggra Tidayoh

Kantar Millward Brown Indonesia

Tel: +6221-2981-3463

Email: [email protected]



Hannah Robertson

Eureka Communications

Tel: +44-(0)-1420-564346

Email: [email protected]



SOURCE Kantar Millward Brown
MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. (NYSE MKT: INFU) ("InfuSystem" or the "Company"), a leading national provider of infusion pumps and related services for the healthcare industry in the United States, today reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2017.

Second Quarter 2017 Overview:

Net revenues totaled $16.9 million , a decrease of 6.5%, versus the second quarter of 2016 of $18.1 million ;

, a decrease of 6.5%, versus the second quarter of 2016 of ; Rental revenues decreased $1.5 million , or 9.1%, in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the second quarter of 2016;

, or 9.1%, in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the second quarter of 2016;

Product sales increased 15.5% to $2.2 million in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the second quarter of 2016;

in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the second quarter of 2016; Gross profit was $10.3 million , a decrease of $0.8 million , or 7.2%, compared to the second quarter of 2016;

, a decrease of , or 7.2%, compared to the second quarter of 2016; Gross margin was 61.0% compared to 61.5% for the second quarter of 2016;

General and administrative ("G&A") expenses increased less than 1% to $6.4 million compared to the second quarter of 2016; this amount included approximately $1.0 million related to severance costs, legal expenses and capital lease early termination expenses;

compared to the second quarter of 2016; this amount included approximately related to severance costs, legal expenses and capital lease early termination expenses; Net Debt (Total Debt net of Cash) decreased $2.9 million to $32.1 million in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the first quarter of 2017;

to in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the first quarter of 2017; Provision for doubtful accounts ("Bad Debt") increased $0.3 million , to $1.3 million , compared to the second quarter of 2016, including $0.2 million in additional reserves related to delayed collections due to changed billing practices following SE1609 that was announced last year by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS");

, to , compared to the second quarter of 2016, including in additional reserves related to delayed collections due to changed billing practices following SE1609 that was announced last year by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS"); Net loss of $1.1 million , or $0.05 loss per diluted share, compared to second quarter 2016 net income of $0.2 million , or $0.01 income per diluted share;

, or loss per diluted share, compared to second quarter 2016 net income of , or income per diluted share; Net collected revenues (a non-GAAP financial measure) decreased 8.4%, to $15.6 million , compared to the second quarter of 2016;

, compared to the second quarter of 2016; Adjusted EBITDA margin (a non-GAAP financial measure) decreased slightly in the second quarter of 2017 to 18.1% compared to 18.8% in the second quarter of 2016 but increased 9.9% compared to the first quarter of 2017;

Adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP financial measure) decreased 10.0% to $3.1 million compared to the second quarter of 2016 but increased $1.6 million , or 113%, compared to the first quarter of 2017.

Management Discussion

Gregg Lehman, executive chairman of the board, said, "After a thorough review, we concluded that InfuSystem is not lacking for new business opportunities. Both our third-party payor salesforce and our direct payor salesforce are very active and we expect that will continue going forward. Where the Company needs to make significant progress is in collecting the revenue that is due from the growing number of procedures that take place utilizing our equipment. If we don't collect the revenue that is due to us on a timely basis, it doesn't matter how many pumps are deployed or how many procedures are being performed. Improving our collections practices is important in returning the Company to improved liquidity and profitability and it also effects how InfuSystem recognizes its collected net revenue. Improved collections results in the Company recognizing increased net revenues."

"Accordingly, during the second quarter of 2017, InfuSystem redirected its strategic emphasis away from expanding our pump fleet and toward increasing efficiencies, particularly in the billing and collections area. With a combination of in-house and outsourced personnel, we are totally dedicated to collecting the revenue that is legitimately due InfuSystem from both third-party payors and direct payors. The emphasis on effective collections will improve quarterly revenue, reduce write-offs for bad debt and generate cash that will allow the Company to reduce its bank indebtedness."

Dr. Lehman continued, "On a sequential basis, cash collections for the second quarter of 2017 were up $0.9 million, or 14%, for our commercial payors compared to the first quarter of 2017 and our adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP performance metric) increased $1.6 million, or 113%, versus the first quarter of 2017. In addition, as part of our strategic initiative to manage our pump fleet, reduce expenses and better management of our working capital, we were able to reduce our net debt by $2.9 million during the second quarter of 2017. I am pleased our adjusted EBITDA run rate was approximately $3.1 million in the second quarter and we expect that to continue to be the case for the second half of the year."

"I am particularly pleased with the performance of the Office of the President, the leadership group I formed in May that includes certain directors and key senior management to oversee operations. We have worked well together in identifying the issues, crafting solutions and adopting "best practices" successfully executing our strategic initiatives. We have also successfully amended the terms of the credit facility that provides the Company with favorable terms and financial flexibility. It is important to note that we have embarked on a process to recalibrate this business that will take some time, however, we firmly believe that we are heading in the right direction," concluded Dr. Lehman.

Second Quarter Results

Net revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 were $16.9 million, a decrease of $1.2 million, or 6.5%, compared to $18.1 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2016. During the period, net revenues from rentals decreased $1.5 million, or 9.1%, compared to the same prior year period. The decrease in net revenues from rentals can be largely attributed to (i) changed practices and reduced billing rates due to the CMS Medical Learning Network Matters article number SE1609 ("SE1609") regulatory change effecting net revenue by approximately $1.3 million and (ii) pricing and collection impacts of $1.1 million. These decreases were offset by an overall increase in rental volume of $0.9 million with new and existing sites of therapy. Net revenues from product sales were $2.2 million, an increase of $0.3 million compared to the same prior year period.

Net collected rental revenues, or net revenues from rentals less provision for doubtful accounts (a non-GAAP financial measure), was $13.4 million in the second quarter of 2017, a decrease of 11.4%, compared to $15.2 million in the second quarter of 2016.

Bad Debt for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 was $1.3 million, an increase of $0.3 million, or 24.3%, compared to the quarter ended June 30, 2016. Bad Debt was 7.8% of revenues for the second quarter of 2017, compared to 5.9% for the same prior year period. This change is largely due to increased reserves for amounts uncollected following our implementation, on July 1, 2016, of revised billing practices for Medicare accounts as required by SE1609. We now directly bill providors and not third-party payors for SE1609 related services. Because this is a dramatic change from prior practices, we have experienced a delay in providors acknowledging and paying under the new model. We continue to see improvements in collections from SE1609 providors since the initial implementation in July 2016, but nonetheless, we have adopted the practice of reserving for all SE1609 accounts receivable aged greater than 90 days. We believe the strategic shift to focusing additional resources on collection efforts will deliver a positive impact with respect to these SE1609 accounts receivables.

Gross profit for the second quarter of 2017 was $10.3 million, a decrease of 7.2%, compared to $11.1 million for the same prior year period. As a percentage of net revenues, gross profit equaled 61.0% of total net revenues in the second quarter of 2017 compared to 61.5% in the prior year's comparable quarter. The decrease in gross profit for the second quarter of 2017 was largely attributed to the decrease in net revenues of $1.2 million for the period, which was offset by a decrease of $0.2 million in product and supply costs, $0.1 million in the costs of pumps sold and $0.1 million in pump depreciation and disposals.

For the second quarter of 2017, G&A expenses were $6.4 million, an increase of less than $0.1 million, or 0.5%, compared to the same prior year period. Included in G&A during the quarter were some expenses not typical of our ongoing operations, including $0.5 million of management reorganization expenses related to severance costs for our previous CEO, $0.2 million of legal expenses related to defending a shareholder lawsuit and $0.3 million of early termination fees related to capital leases repaid in response to the Third Amendment to our Credit Agreement with Chase Bank finalized during the second quarter of 2017.

Other expenses for the second quarter of 2017 were $0.4 million compared to $0.3 million for the same period in 2016. Selling and marketing expenses for the 2017 second quarter were $2.3 million, a decrease of less than $0.1 million, or 1.2%, compared to the second quarter of 2016.

Net loss in the second quarter of 2017 was $1.1 million, or $0.05 loss per diluted share, compared to net income of $0.2 million, or $0.01 income per diluted share, in the same prior year period. Adjusted net loss, excluding non-recurring items (a non-GAAP financial measure), was $0.4 million, or $0.02 loss per diluted share, compared to adjusted net income of $0.4 million, or $0.02 income per diluted share, for the same prior year period.

For the second quarter of 2017, adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP financial measure) was $3.1 million, a decrease of 10.0%, compared to $3.4 million for the same period in 2016. The Company utilizes adjusted net (loss) income and adjusted EBITDA as a means to measure its operating performance. A reconciliation from GAAP operating measures to adjusted net (loss) income and adjusted EBITDA, both non-GAAP measures, can be found in the appendix attached to this press release. Adjustments during the second quarter of 2017 included, among other adjustments, expenses for severance, costs associated with shareholder litigation and early termination fees from paying down capital leases.

Financial Condition

Net cash provided by operations for the six months ended June 30, 2017, was $1.2 million compared to $1.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016. This decrease is due to higher amounts of non-cash expenses (such as deferred income taxes) and other liabilities in the current period, which were offset by decreases in accounts payable and other current liabilities. The Company reduced its investment in medical equipment during the quarter in anticipation of increasing utilization on available assets.

Net cash provided by investing activities was $0.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 compared to $5.4 million used in the six months ended June 30, 2016. This $6.1 million increase was due to reduced pump purchases and increased pump sales during the second quarter of 2017.

Net cash used in financing activities for the six months ended June 30, 2017, was $5.3 million compared to net cash provided by financing activities of $3.5 million for the same prior year period. This change is primarily attributable to the cash proceeds received from our decision to borrow from the revolving credit line under our Credit Facility during the first half of 2016, as well as, our decision to pay down a majority of our capital lease obligations during the first half of 2017.

As of June 30, 2017, we maintained cash and cash equivalents of $0.1 million and $8.6 million of net availability under our revolving credit facility compared to $3.4 million of cash and cash equivalents and $9.9 million of net availability, respectively, at December 31, 2016.

Conference Call

The Company will conduct a conference call for investors on Wednesday, August 9, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss second quarter performance and results. Gregg Lehman, executive chairman of the board, Jan Skonieczny, chief operating officer, Chris Downs, interim chief financial officer, Rich DiIorio, general manager of oncology and Trent Smith, chief accounting officer will discuss the Company's financial performance and answer questions from the financial community. To participate in this call, please dial in toll-free (800) 446-2782 and use the confirmation number 45427320. This press release will be available on most financial websites. Additionally, a web replay will be available on the Company's website for 30 days.

Non-GAAP Measures

This press release contains information prepared in conformity with GAAP as well as non-GAAP financial information. The Company believes that the non-GAAP financial measures presented in this press release provide useful information to the Company's management, investors, and other interested parties about the Company's operating performance because they allow them to understand and compare the Company's operating results during the current periods to the prior year periods in a more consistent manner. It is management's intent to provide non-GAAP financial information in order to enhance readers' understanding of its consolidated financial information as prepared in accordance with GAAP. This non-GAAP information should be considered by the reader in addition to, but not instead of, the financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP. Each non-GAAP financial measure and the corresponding GAAP financial measures are presented so as to not imply that more emphasis should be placed on the non-GAAP measure. The non-GAAP financial information presented may be determined or calculated differently by other companies. Additional information about non-GAAP financial measures and a reconciliation of those measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures are included later in this release.

About InfuSystem Holdings, Inc.

InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. is a leading provider of infusion pumps and related services to hospitals, oncology practices and other alternate site healthcare providors. Headquartered in Madison Heights, Michigan, the Company delivers local, field-based customer support and also operates Centers of Excellence in Michigan, Kansas, California, Texas, Georgia and Ontario, Canada. The Company's stock is traded on the NYSE MKT under the symbol INFU.

Forward-Looking Statements

The financial results in this press release reflect preliminary results, which are not final until the Company's Form 10-Q for the second quarter of 2017 is filed. In addition, certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). The words "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "should," "plan," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," variations of such words, and other similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements include statements relating to future actions, business plans, objectives and prospects, future operating or financial performance, including the preliminary financial results contained in this press release. In connection with the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Company is identifying certain factors that could cause actual results to differ, perhaps materially, from those indicated by these forward-looking statements. Those factors, risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the potential changes in overall healthcare reimbursement, including CMS competitive bidding, sequestration, concentration of customers, increased focus on early detection of cancer, competitive treatments, dependency on Medicare Supplier Number, availability of chemotherapy drugs, global financial conditions, changes and enforcement of state and federal laws, natural forces, competition, dependency on suppliers, risks in acquisitions & joint ventures, U.S. Healthcare Reform, relationships with healthcare professionals and organizations, technological changes related to infusion therapy, dependency on websites and intellectual property, the ability of the Company to successfully integrate acquired businesses, dependency on key personnel, dependency on banking relations and covenants, and other risks associated with our common stock, as well as any litigation to which the Company may be involved in from time to time; and other risk factors as discussed in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and in other filings made by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Our annual report on Form 10-K is available on the SEC's EDGAR website at www.sec.gov, and a copy may also be obtained by contacting the Company. All forward-looking statements made in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. We do not intend, and do not undertake any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances after the date of such statements, except as required by law.

Additional information about InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. is available at www.infusystem.com.

FINANCIAL TABLES FOLLOW

INFUSYSTEM HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS



As of

June 30,

December 31, (in thousands, except share data) 2017

2016

(Unaudited)



ASSETS





Current Assets:





Cash and cash equivalents $ 76

$ 3,398 Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $6,189 and $4,989 at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively 11,547

11,581 Inventory 1,962

2,166 Other current assets 1,314

949 Deferred income taxes -

2,675







Total Current Assets 14,899

20,769 Medical equipment held for sale or rental 1,289

1,642 Medical equipment in rental service, net of accumulated depreciation 25,715

28,036 Property & equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 1,815

1,997 Intangible assets, net 28,293

31,239 Deferred income taxes 16,638

12,436 Other assets 61

225







Total Assets $ 88,710

$ 96,344







LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY





Current Liabilities:





Accounts payable $ 5,247

$ 5,315 Capital leases 593

2,938 Current portion of long-term debt 2,660

5,314 Other current liabilities 2,494

2,872







Total Current Liabilities 10,994

16,439 Long-term debt, net of current portion 28,719

26,577 Capital leases 238

2,573 Other long-term liabilities 61

66 Total Long-Term Liabilities 29,018

29,216















Total Liabilities $ 40,012

$ 45,655







Stockholders' Equity:





Preferred stock, $.0001 par value: authorized 1,000,000 shares; none issued -

- Common stock, $.0001 par value: authorized 200,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 22,953,365 and 22,755,705,respectively, as of June 30, 2017 and 22,867,335 and 22,669,675, respectively, as of December 31, 2016 2

2 Additional paid-in capital 92,206

91,829

-



Retained deficit (43,510)

(41,142)







Total Stockholders' Equity 48,698

50,689







Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 88,710

$ 96,344

INFUSYSTEM HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)



Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended (in thousands, except share and per share data) June 30

June 30

2017

2016

2017

2016 Net revenues:













Rentals $ 14,769

$ 16,242

$ 29,906

$ 32,730 Product Sales 2,173

1,881

4,690

3,687 Net revenues 16,942

18,123

34,596

36,417















Cost of revenues:













Cost of revenues  Product, service and supply costs 4,624

4,789

9,160

8,295 Cost of revenues  Pump depreciation and disposals 1,977

2,191

4,446

4,422















Gross profit 10,341

11,143

20,990

23,700















Selling, general and administrative expenses:













Provision for doubtful accounts 1,326

1,067

3,182

2,814 Amortization of intangibles 1,387

922

2,798

1,834















Selling and marketing 2,295

2,324

5,181

5,139 General and administrative 6,425

6,392

12,890

13,061















Total selling, general and administrative 11,433

10,705

24,051

22,848















Operating (loss) income (1,092)

438

(3,061)

852 Other income (expense):





























Interest expense (333)

(327)

(661)

(632) Other (expense) income (66)

7

(103)

27















Total other expense (399)

(320)

(764)

(605)















(Loss) income before income taxes (1,491)

118

(3,825)

247 Income tax benefit (expense) 385

35

1,241

(53) Net (loss) income $ (1,106)

$ 153

$ (2,584)

$ 194















Net (loss) income per share:













Basic $ (0.05)

$ 0.01

(0.11)

0.01 Diluted $ (0.05)

$ 0.01

(0.11)

0.01 Weighted average shares outstanding:













Basic 22,740,050

22,620,386

22,710,470

22,584,462 Diluted 22,740,050

23,109,870

22,710,470

23,069,900

INFUSYSTEM HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)



Six Months Ended

June 30 (in thousands) 2017

2016

NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES $ 1,231

$ 1,869







INVESTING ACTIVITIES





Purchase of medical equipment and property (1,893)

(7,187) Proceeds from sale of medical equipment and property 2,623

1,827 NET CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES 730

(5,360)







FINANCING ACTIVITIES





Principal payments on revolving credit facility, term loans and capital lease obligations (24,419)

(29,190) Cash proceeds from revolving credit facility 19,105

32,575 Debt issuance costs (28)

- Common stock repurchased to satisfy statutory withholding on employee stock based compensation plans (28)

(33) Cash proceeds from stock plans 87

126 NET CASH (USED IN) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES (5,283)

3,478







Net change in cash and cash equivalents (3,322)

(13) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 3,398

818 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 76

$ 805

INFUSYSTEM HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION (UNAUDITED)

NET (LOSS) INCOME TO ADJUSTED NET (LOSS) INCOME:





































Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended



June 30,

June 30, (in thousands)

2017

2016

2017

2016

















GAAP net (loss) income

$ (1,106)

$ 153

$ (2,584)

$ 194 Adjustments:















Restatement costs

-

-

28

- Early termination fees for capital leases

302

-

302

- Strategic alternatives and other costs

-

95

-

195 Shareholder legal costs

176

-

200

- Management reorganization

485

75

619

75 Income tax (benefit) expense

(385)

(35)

(1,241)

53

















(Loss) Income before income taxes - adjusted

$ (528)

$ 288

$ (2,676)

$ 517

















Income tax benefit (expense) relating to adjustments (1)

136

86

867

(111)

















Non-GAAP adjusted net (loss) income

$ (392)

$ 374

$ (1,809)

$ 406



































RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET (LOSS) INCOME PER DILUTED COMMON SHARE TO NON-GAAP ADJUSTED NET (LOSS) INCOME PER DILUTED COMMON SHARE

































GAAP net (loss) income per diluted common share:

$ (0.05)

$ 0.01

$ (0.11)

$ 0.01 Adjustments:















Early termination fees for capital leases

0.01

-

0.01

- Strategic alternatives and other costs

-

0.00

-

0.01 Shareholder legal costs

0.01

-

0.01

- Management reorganization

0.02

0.00

0.03

- Income tax (benefit) expense

(0.02)

(0.00)

(0.05)

-

















(Loss) Income before income taxes - adjusted

$ (0.03)

$ 0.01

$ (0.12)

$ 0.02

















Income tax benefit (expense) relating to adjustments (1)

0.01

0.01

0.04

-

















Non-GAAP net (loss) income per diluted common share:

$ (0.02)

$ 0.02

$ (0.08)

$ 0.02 Weighted average shares outstanding:















Basic

22,740,050

22,620,386

22,710,470

22,584,462 Diluted

22,740,050

23,109,870

22,710,470

23,069,900





(1) Rate used to calculate income tax benefit (expense) for the periods was the Company's effective tax rate before adjustments.

INFUSYSTEM HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION (CONTINUED) (UNAUDITED)

















NET (LOSS) INCOME TO ADJUSTED EBITDA:



















Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended



June 30,

June 30, (in thousands)

2017

2016

2017

2016

















GAAP net (loss) income

$ (1,106)

$ 153

$ (2,584)

$ 194 Adjustments:















Interest expense

333

327

661

632 Income tax (benefit) expense

(385)

(35)

(1,241)

53 Depreciation

1,693

1,730

3,400

3,373 Amortization

1,387

922

2,798

1,834

















GAAP EBITDA

$ 1,922

$ 3,097

$ 3,034

$ 6,086

















Stock compensation

178

137

318

350 Restatement costs

-

-

28

- Early termination fees for capital leases

302

-

302

- Strategic alternatives and other costs

-

95

-

195 Shareholder legal costs

176

-

200

- Management reorganization

485

75

619

75

















Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

$ 3,063

$ 3,404

$ 4,501

$ 6,706

INFUSYSTEM HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION (CONTINUED) (UNAUDITED)

















NET COLLECTED REVENUES



















Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended



June 30,

June 30, (in thousands)

2017

2016

2017

2016

















Net Revenues:















Rentals

$ 14,769

$ 16,242

$ 29,906

$ 32,730 Product sales

2,173

1,881

4,690

3,687

















Total Net Revenues

16,942

18,123

34,596

36,417

















Adjustments:















Less: Provision for Doubtful Accounts

(1,326)

(1,067)

(3,182)

(2,814)

















Non-GAAP total - net collected revenues - adjusted

$ 15,616

$ 17,056

$ 31,414

$ 33,603



































NET COLLECTED RENTAL REVENUES



















Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended



June 30,

June 30, (in thousands)

2017

2016

2017

2016

















Net Revenues:















Rentals

$ 14,769

$ 16,242

$ 29,906

$ 32,730

















Adjustments:















Less: Provision for Doubtful Accounts

(1,326)

(1,067)

(3,182)

(2,814)

















Non-GAAP total - net collected rental revenues - adjusted

$ 13,443

$ 15,175

$ 26,724

$ 29,916

CONTACT: Joe Dorame, Joe Diaz & Robert Blum

Lytham Partners, LLC

602-889-9700

SOURCE InfuSystem Holdings, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.infusystem.com


CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School today announced the selection of its 2017 Fall Fellows, available at http://bit.ly/2017FallFellows.

"This exceptional group of leaders and practitioners will offer our students diverse and multi-layered insights into a range of issues through their up-to-the-moment experience and demonstrated commitment to public service and civic engagement," said Institute of Politics Acting Director Bill Delahunt. "We are pleased to welcome Yohannes Abraham, Dan Balz, Jason Chaffetz, Karen Finney, Sally Jewell and Mark Strand to the IOP in September."

The Fellows program is central to the IOP's dual commitment to encourage student interest in public life and to increase interaction between the academic and political communities. Over the course of an academic semester, Fellows interact with students, develop and lead weekly study groups and participate in the intellectual life of the Harvard community.

Participating in the 51-year-old program through the 2017 academic semester will be:

Yohannes Abraham, Senior Advisor at the Obama Foundation, previously served in the White House as Deputy Assistant to the President, Chief of Staff of the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Senior Advisor to the National Economic Council. He will guide students through discussions on how White House staff develop and advocate for policy priorities, advance nominations, and manage crises.

Dan Balz is Chief Correspondent at The Washington Post. He has been with the Post since 1978 and has covered every presidential campaign and midterm election since then. He will lead a discussion on the roots ofand possible solutions tothe current upheaval in our politics and the challenges to both political parties, the media and the voters.

Jason Chaffetz, U.S. Congressman (R-UT) from 2009 to 2017, is a Fox News Network contributor and former Chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. He will guide students through a discussion of the possible political, regulatory and personal impacts developing information technology may have on our expectations of privacy.

Karen Finney, a veteran of four presidential campaigns, is a political consultant and commentator and was senior advisor and spokesperson for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. The columnist and former TV host, will help students examine how current social, political, and cultural disruption is catalyzing diverse responses and sparking change.

Sally Jewell, United States Secretary of the Interior from 2013 to 2017 is an engineer and former CEO of REI who has leadership experience in both the public and private sectors. She will challenge students to define issues and to examine strategies for building an economically successful and environmentally sustainable future.

Mark Strand is President of the Congressional Institute, which provides guidance and resources to members of Congress and sponsors educational conferences for Republican members and staff. The author and veteran Congressional staffer will challenge students to develop ideas on how to reform the legislative process to make it more effective for citizens.

"The Fellows program has been at the heart of our Harvard experience and many others'. We are thrilled to have Mr. Abraham, Mr. Balz, Rep. Chaffetz, Ms. Finney, Sec. Jewell and Mr. Strand as part of a class that will continue the impact past Fellows have made on our lives by connecting with future students," said Emily Hall and Jason Ge, student chairs of the IOP's Fellows and Study Groups program.

Read more about the program and see Fellows' full biographies at http://bit.ly/2017FallFellows

The Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School was established in 1966 as a memorial to President Kennedy. The IOP's mission is to unite and engage students, particularly undergraduates, with academics, politicians, activists, and policymakers on a non-partisan basis to inspire them to consider careers in politics and public service. The Institute strives to promote greater understanding and cooperation between the academic world and the world of politics and public affairs. More information is available online at http://www.iop.harvard.edu.

SOURCE The Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School

Related Links

http://www.iop.harvard.edu


LONG BEACH, New York, Aug 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ipsidy Inc. (www.ipsidy.com) [OTC:IDGS], (formerly known as ID Global Solutions Corporation), a provider of secure, biometric identification, identity management and electronic transaction processing services, today announced its results for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

Financial Highlights for the Quarter Ended March 31, 2017

Total revenue for the quarter was $0.6 million , compared to $0.3 million for the quarter in 2016.

, compared to for the quarter in 2016. Net loss for the quarter was $8.7 million , compared to net income of $7.7 million for 2016 (The net income in 2016 was driven by a $12.9 million gain on the reduction of the derivative liability).

, compared to net income of for 2016 (The net income in 2016 was driven by a gain on the reduction of the derivative liability). Basic and diluted net loss per share for the quarter was $0.03 cents , compared to basic net income per share of $0.04 cents and diluted net loss per share of $0.02 cents for 2016.

, compared to basic net income per share of and diluted net loss per share of for 2016. Adjusted EBITDA loss for the quarter was $1.6 million , compared to $1.0 million in 2016, as the Company invested in people, infrastructure and technology to support on-going and future operations.

, compared to in 2016, as the Company invested in people, infrastructure and technology to support on-going and future operations. Converted outstanding debt and accrued interest in the amount of approximately $6.3 million into approximately 84.8 million shares of common stock.

into approximately 84.8 million shares of common stock. Repaid an additional $0.3 million of outstanding debt, cancelled 3.6 million warrants and cancelled 2.5 million shares of the Company's common stock.

of outstanding debt, cancelled 3.6 million warrants and cancelled 2.5 million shares of the Company's common stock. Secured $7.0 million of additional debt and equity financing.

of additional debt and equity financing. Total liabilities reduced to $4.5 million compared to liabilities of $25.8 million as of December 31, 2016 and stockholders' equity increased to $12.9 million compared to a stockholders' deficit of $13.3 million as of December 31, 2016 .

The combination of the above events is reflected in the substantial improvement in the Company's balance sheet and provided near-term working capital.

Refer to Table 1 for reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP measure).

Operational Highlights

Announced the appointment of Philip Beck as Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive and President and Stuart Stoller as CFO on January 31, 2017 .

as Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive and President and as CFO on . Continued process improvements to the Company's MultiPay bill pay transaction platform in Colombia .

. Continued development of the Ipsidy identity transaction platform

Continued development of a digital payment processing platform comprising modules for payment card issuance, HCE, tokenization, and a consumer mobile wallet as well as a merchant acquiring gateway and mobile point of sale, and mobile-commerce, beacon marketing and loyalty products.

"Ipsidy is redefining identity as a transaction so that it can be managed as easily and securely as a payment transaction," said Philip Beck, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ipsidy. "We are enabling our identity transaction platform to provide our customers with reimagined solutions that let a user authenticate their identity to their own device. Our platform facilitates the processing of diverse electronic transactions, be they payments, votes, or physical or digital access, embedded with the participant's identity."

In a world that is increasingly digital and mobile, but also fraught with account breaches and stolen identity information, our vision is to offer solutions that provide pre-transaction verification of identity as well as embed identity verification within every electronic transaction message processed through our platform, or other electronic systems. We believe that it is essential that businesses and consumers know who is on the other side of an electronic transaction and have an audit trail, proving that the identity of the other party was duly verified. Ipsidy is therefore developing solutions intended to provide our customers with the next level of transaction security, control and certainty operating in both physical and digital environments leveraging mobile eco-systems.

We are building upon our existing capabilities in biometric identification and multi-factor identity management solutions to develop an identity transaction platform for our customers. The platform enables mobile users to more easily authenticate their identity to a mobile phone or portable device of their choosing (as opposed to other identity solutions requiring dedicated hardware). Our system allows participants to complete transactions with a digitally signed authentication response, including the underlying transaction data and embedded attributes of the participant's identity, accessible to the business.

Our strategy is to leverage our identity transaction platform to support a variety of vertical markets. These vertical markets include but are not limited to border security, public safety, public transportation, enterprise security, electronic payments transactions and banking. In addition, our platform is designed to be highly available and language agnostic thereby accessible to customers around the world. We believe that the various technologies that Ipsidy is developing and has acquired can be combined into a unified offering.

Ipsidy's digital mobile wallet application, or electronic account holder, will contain different services and accounts that enable users to conveniently and securely authenticate and authorize a variety of electronic transactions, using their identity. For example, our closed-loop payment account and digital issuance platform is intended to offer secure and cost-effective methods of conversion of cash and paper to electronic payments. Consumers accessing this system, using their mobile phones, electronic devices, or smart card payment tokens will be able to participate in the digital economy thereby facilitating financial inclusion for the un-banked and under banked population around the globe. Another example is for consumers and employees to use their mobile application to verify identity, in order to access secure, digital or physical environments.

Additional analysis of the Company's performance can be found in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" included in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the Quarter ended March 31, 2017 filed at www.sec.gov and posted on the Company's investor relations website.

About Ipsidy:

Ipsidy is a provider of secure, biometric identification, identity management and electronic transaction processing services. Ipsidy is headquartered in New York and has operating subsidiaries: MultiPay in Colombia www.multipay.com.co and Cards Plus in South Africa. www.cardsplus.co.za . In a world that is increasingly digital and mobile, our vision is to enable solutions that provide pre-transaction verification of identity as well as embed identity verification within every electronic transaction message processed through our platform, or other electronic systems. We believe that it is essential that businesses and consumers know who is on the other side of an electronic transaction and have an audit trail, proving that the identity of the other party was duly verified. We are therefore developing solutions intended to provide our customers with the next level of transaction security, control and certainty. Further information on Ipsidy can be found at www.ipsidy.com or contact us at [email protected].

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.

Information contained in this announcement may include "forward-looking statements." All statements other than statements of historical facts included herein, including, without limitation, those regarding the financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations of both Ipsidy and its business partners, net revenue, net income, Adjusted EBITDA, diluted earnings per share, future service launches with customers and new initiatives and customer pipeline are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions regarding Ipsidy present and future business strategies, and the environment in which Ipsidy expects to operate in the future, which assumptions may or may not be fulfilled in practice. Implementation of some or all of the new services referred to is subject to regulatory or other third party approvals. Actual results may vary materially from the results anticipated by these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of risk factors, including the risk that implementation, adoption and offering of the service by customers, consumers and others may take longer than anticipated, or may not occur at all; changes in laws, regulations and practices; changes in domestic and international economic and political conditions and others. Additional risks may arise with respect to commencing operations in new countries and regions, of which Ipsidy is not fully aware at this time. See the Company's Annual Report Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2016 filed at www.sec.gov for other risk factors which investors should consider. These forward-looking statements speak only as to the date of this announcement and cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. Ipsidy expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement to reflect any changes in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

Non-GAAP Financial Information.

The Company provides certain non-GAAP financial measures in this statement. Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA, when viewed with our results under GAAP and the accompanying reconciliations, provides useful information about our period-over-period results. Adjusted EBITDA is presented because management believes it provides additional information with respect to the performance of our fundamental business activities and is also frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of comparable companies. We also rely on Adjusted EBITDA as a primary measure to review and assess the operating performance of our company and our management team in connection with our executive compensation. These non-GAAP key business indicators, which include Adjusted EBITDA, should not be considered replacements for and should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial measures.

We define Adjusted EBITDA as GAAP net loss adjusted to exclude: (1) interest expense, (2) interest income, (3) provision for income taxes, (4) depreciation and amortization, (5) stock-based compensation expense (5) derivative income (expense) and (6) certain other items management believes affect the comparability of operating results. Please see "Adjusted EBITDA" below for more information and for a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.

Table 1 Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA



Quarter Ended March 31,



2017

2016 Net Loss

$ (8,669,092)

$ (7,692,510) Interest Expense

604,015

926,752 Conversion of debt, etc.

4,106,651

- Gain on derivative liability

-

(12,941,663) Depreciation and amortization

109,534

147,052 Taxes

-

- Stock compensation

2,294,160

3,214,732









Adjusted EBITDA

$ (1,554,732)

$ (960,617)

IPSIDY INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS











March 31,

2017



December 31,

2016 ASSETS

Current Assets:













Cash









$ 4,946,012

$ 689,105 Accounts receivable, net





112,634

138,359 Current portion of net investment in direct financing lease 48,734

44,990 Inventory







147,816

150,679 Other current assets





388,200

166,479 Total current assets





5,643,396

1,189,612

















Property and Equipment, net





268,386

115,682 Other Assets







693,872

358,343 Intangible Assets, net







3,388,149

3,474,291 Goodwill









6,736,043

6,736,043 Net investment in direct financing lease, net of current 658,877

674,015 Total assets







$ 17,388,723

$ 12,547,986

















LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities:













Accounts payable and accrued expenses



$ 2,089,020

$ 1,687,900 Convertible notes payable, net





-

250,000 Derivative liability







-

8,388,355 Capital lease obligation, current portion



25,071

- Notes payable, net, current portion



45,646

109,819 Deferred revenue







255,657

398,680 Total current liabilities





2,415,394

10,834,754

















Long-term Liabilities:











Convertible notes payable, net, less current maturities -

2,245,596 Notes payable, net, less current maturities

1,943,526

3,051,603 Capital lease obligation, net of current portion

136,379



Derivative liability, net of current portion

-

9,668,276 Total long-term liabilities





2,079,905

14,965,475 Total liabilities







4,495,299

25,800,229

Commitments and Contingencies











Stockholders' Equity (Deficit):











Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 500,000,000 shares





authorized; 344,093,411 and 234,704,655 shares issued





and outstanding as of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively 34,409

23,470 Additional paid in capital





70,952,037

35,341,669 Stock subscription receivable





(830,000)

- Accumulated deficit





(57,595,085)

(48,925,993) Accumulated comprehensive income



332,063

308,611 Total stockholders' equity (deficit)



12,893,424

(13,252,243) Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (deficit) $ 17,388,723

$ 12,547,986

IPSIDY INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS













For the three months ended













March











2017

2016 Revenues:















Products and services





$ 565,545

$ 320,746 Lease income







19,144

- Total revenues, net





584,689

320,746

















Operating Expenses:













Cost of Sales







149,129

118,110 General and administrative





4,255,382

4,392,886 Research and development





28,948

29,072 Depreciation and amortization





109,534

103,079 Total operating expenses





4,543,115

4,643,147

















Loss from operations





(3,958,422)

(4,322,401)

















Other Income (Expense):











(Loss) gain on derivative liability



(452,146)

12,941,663 Gain on extinguishment of debt



2,802,235

- (Loss) on conversion of debt





(5,978,643)

- (Loss) on modification of warrant(s)



(158,327)

- (Loss) on modification of derivatives



(319,770)

- Interest expense







(604,015)

(926,752) Other income (expense), net





(4,710,666)

12,014,911

















Income loss before income taxes



(8,669,092)

7,692,510

















Income Taxes







-

-

















Net (loss) income







$ (8,669,092)

$ 7,692,510

















Net (loss) income per share - Basic



$ (0.03)

$ 0.04

















Net (loss) income per share - Diluted



$ (0.03)

$ (0.02)

















Weighted Average Shares Outstanding - Basic

295,596,151

210,816,797

















Weighted Average Shares Outstanding - Diluted

295,596,151

270,712,051





IPSIDY INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS



For the three months ended



March 31,





2017

2016 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:









Net loss







$ (8,669,092) $ 7,692,510 Adjustments to reconcile net loss with cash used in operations:







Depreciation and amortization expense



109,534

103,079 Stock-based compensation





2,294,160

3,214,732 Common stock issued for services



42,376

270,000 Amortization of debt discount



235,985

655,817 Amortization of debt issuance costs



268,954

167,700 Loss (gain) on derivative liability



452,146

(12,941,663) Gain on extinguishment of notes payable



(2,802,235)

- Loss on modification of derivatives



319,770

- Loss on modification of warrants



158,327

- Loss on conversion of debt



5,978,643

- Changes in operating assets and liabilities:









Accounts receivable





25,725

731,004 Lease receivable







11,394

- Other current assets





(226,174)

(32,200) Inventory







2,863

(74,261) Accounts payable and accrued expenses



736,535

(284,877) Deferred revenue







(143,012)

(70,116) Net cash flows from operating activities



(1,204,101)

(568,275)

















CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:









Purchase of property and equipment



(4,563)

(11,307) Investment in other assets including work in process

(343,655)

(20,157)











Cash acquired in acquisitions





-

419,042 Net cash flows from investing activities



(348,218)

387,578

















CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:









Proceeds from issuance of notes payable and common stock 3,000,000

100,000 Payment of debt issuance cost





(86,331)

- Proceeds from sale of common stock



2,880,710

-











Principal payments on capital lease obligations



(1,957)



Principal payments on notes payable



(14,173)

(16,372) Net cash flows from financing activities



5,778,249

83,628

















Effect of foreign currencies





30,977

57,229

















Net Change in Cash







4,256,907

(39,840) Cash, Beginning of Period





689,105

349,873 Cash, End of Period





$ 4,946,012

$ 310,033

















Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:









Cash paid for interest





$ -

$ - Cash paid for income taxes





$ -

$ -

















Non-cash Investing and Financing Activities:









Issuance of common stock for conversion of debt and related interest $ 21,609,673

$ 21,122











Issuance of common stock for debt issuance costs



$ 224,460

$ 76,000 Reclassification of derivatives upon removal of price protection in warrants $ 7,614,974

$- Reclassification of derivative liabilities upon conversion into common stock $ -

$ 316,734 Acquisition of equipment due to a capital lease



$ 163,407

$ - Acquisition of FIN Holdings (2016):









Issuance of common stock as consideration



$ -

$ 9,000,000 Assumed liabilities





-

914,218 Inventory







-

(112,408) Accounts receivable





-

(311,867) Property and equipment





-

(100,339) Intangible assets







-

(8,970,562) Cash acquired







$ -

$ 419,042





















Contacts:

Ipsidy Inc.

+1-407-951-8640



Philip D. Beck, Chairman, CEO & President

[email protected]



Stuart P. Stoller, CFO

[email protected]

SOURCE Ipsidy Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ipsidy.com


"We're pleased to be expanding our business in the United States. We're excited by the opportunity in Macon and in Georgia. We're looking forward to building a strong relationship with the wonderful people of this community," says Robert K. Irving, President of Irving Consumer Products. "Selecting Macon for our new facility provides us with an opportunity to establish a footprint in a region that has proven itself as being a strong supporter of business. It will allow us to reach key markets, and will help to continue to drive our growth." Mr. Irving further adds, "This expansion is possible because of the commitment of our employees, customers and suppliers. It is their support that has allowed us to grow and expand."

"We welcome Irving Consumer Products to Georgia and appreciate the company's significant investment here," said Governor Nathan Deal. "Georgia's top-ranked business climate continues to attract international manufacturing leaders and drive investment opportunities across the state. The jobs created at this facility will provide meaningful opportunities in the Macon community while utilizing our robust logistics infrastructure to reach its customer base more efficiently. Ultimately, Georgia's ongoing success is the result of partnerships like these, and Irving Consumer Products is a welcome addition to our winning team."

"The more we learned about the Irving family companies, the more we knew they would make great corporate partners here in Macon-Bibb County," says Mayor Robert Reichert. "They will be a great addition to our entire region, especially with their policy of putting families first and history of giving back to the communities where they're located."

"We are elated to be selected as the location for Irving Consumer Products' new plant in North America. Irving's strategic vision and long-range planning match those we have developed for the sustained growth of our community," said Cliffard Whitby, Chairman of the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority (MBCIA). "The decision of Irving to locate in Macon-Bibb County demonstrates MBCIA, together with the support of our local governments, has the right model, infrastructure, and workforce to fulfill its mission to foster economic development, job creation, and a high quality of life for our community."

"The Macon Water Authority is pleased to play an integral role in Irving Consumer Products' decision to locate its new facility in Macon-Bibb County," said Sam Hart Sr., Chairman of the Macon Water Authority. "Irving and MWA share mutual core values of providing our customers with outstanding value and service, now and for many years to come."

Engineering and planning for the facility is well underway. Construction will begin this summer and will be completed in 2019 and is estimated to provide 1,000,000 person hours of work. At the height of construction, over 540 people will be working on-site.

In November 2016, Irving Consumer Products announced the purchase of a new ThruAir Dry machine, which will be installed at the new facility in Macon.

About Irving Consumer Products

Irving Consumer Products is one of North America's leading manufacturers of household paper and baby diaper products. Irving Consumer Products companies include Irving Tissue and Irving Personal Care. Irving Tissue produces premium household store brand paper products for many of North America's top retailers, in addition to some of the top-selling tissue brands in the marketplace. Irving Personal Care is the only manufacturer of baby diapers and training pants in Canada. Using state-of-the-art equipment and technology, they produce premium quality private label products for major North American customers. Read more at www.irvingconsumerproducts.com.

SOURCE Irving Consumer Products
TORONTO, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Onex Busan Financial have recently commented on the Japanese Ministry of Finance as they announced yesterday that the current account surplus has reached 934.6 billion yen ($8.44 billion) against the expected amount of 860.5 billion yen. In May, this indicator showed a surplus of 1,653.9 billion yen.

Japan notes a current account surplus for the 36th month in a row, mainly due to profits from investments abroad and a positive trade balance in contrast to a deficit in May, while the trade balance reached a surplus of 518.5 billion yen, way far from the expected 571.5 billion yen, and after May's deficit of 115.1 billion yen.

In annual terms, exports rose 9.0% to 6.370 trillion yen, and imports soared 15.1% to 5.852 trillion yen.

For the first half of this year, the current account surplus was 10.510 trillion yen, which is +0.3% in annual terms. This is the highest level since 2008 in terms of half-year periods.

The key support came from the trade surplus after a deficit recorded last month. Also, the overseas investments of Japan, expressed by the primary income surplus indicator, consolidated the current account surplus.

With regard to trade, Japan has promised to ease protectionism and signed a preliminary trade agreement with the EU on July 6. The key points of the deal refer to growth in exports of Japanese cars to Europe and European foods to Japan.

Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, considers the agreement as the creation of "the world's largest free, advanced, industrialized economic zone."

From the European side, Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, commented about the deal: "Although some are saying that the time of isolationism and disintegration is coming again, we are demonstrating that this is not the case."

Speaking about the Japanese investments overseas, the head of research at Onex Busan Financial Namgung Kwan, said: "The primary income surplus will continue to support the current account surplus also because Japanese corporations tend to focus on M&As overseas."

"The recent agreement with the European Union, even if at a preliminary level, will have its impact on the economic recovery," added Oliver Saunders, Head of Corporate Trading at Onex Busan Financial.

About Onex Busan Financial

Onex Busan Financial is a comprehensive wealth management company, providing integrated wealth management solutions.

Onex Busan Financial is a well-established, independent wealth manager with a long history of success in meeting the needs of our clients. With offerings that cover multiple jurisdictions around the world, we administer and manage assets of more than US$6 billion on behalf of more than 5,000 clients.

Media Contact

Mr. Namgung Kwan

[email protected]

Switchboard: +1-647-946-3524

Address: 372 Bay Street

Suite 4100. Toronto

ON M5H 2W9



https://www.oballiance.com

SOURCE Onex Busan Financial
Highly regarded industry leader will focus on agency leasing in Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Nick Slonek, Avison Young Principal and Managing Director of the company's Northern California region, announced today that agency leasing specialist Kelly Glass has joined the firm in San Francisco.

Effective immediately, Glass becomes a Principal of Avison Young with a mandate to help grow the firm's agency leasing footprint in San Francisco and the rest of the Bay Area. She will focus on office leasing and landlord and tenant representation, and take the lead on Avison Young's exclusive listing for Beacon Capital's 44 Montgomery Street property, a class A office tower in the heart of San Francisco's financial district.

"We are thrilled to have Kelly join our San Francisco office leasing team," comments Slonek. "Furthermore, we're delighted that she is the first female Principal of Avison Young based in Northern California, exemplifying our company's synergistic and holistic culture. She is a highly regarded commercial real estate industry leader and will add further industry experience, strategic thinking and fun to our San Francisco office  and company as a whole."

Slonek continues: "Kelly joins Avison Young after developing a highly successful brokerage practice based on the fundamentals of integrity, discipline and, most importantly, client service. Her appointment is also the first step in our effort to bolster Avison Young's agency leasing service line in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area. She will be an immediate and impactful addition to the Avison Young team that co-ordinates leasing activity at Beacon Capital's high-quality 44 Montgomery Street office tower, which has approximately 700,000 rentable square feet (rsf)."

Glass brings 16 years of commercial real estate industry experience to Avison Young, most recently as senior director at Cushman & Wakefield in San Francisco. During her career, she has brokered leases spanning 4.6 million rsf while specializing in landlord representation within the downtown San Francisco office market.

In addition to acting for landlords, she has represented tenants in several significant office leasing transactions.

Prior to joining Avison Young, Glass was ranked by Costar as one of San Francisco's top brokers in 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2005. In 2006, she was presented with Cushman & Wakefield's Brokerage Service Excellence Award, as determined by outstanding client feedback. Additionally, in 2005, she was the recipient of Cushman and Wakefield's Young Leadership Award for Northern California based on her formation and leadership of the firm's Young Leaders Group.

Before entering the industry with Cushman & Wakefield and advancing to her senior role, Glass served as a financial services consultant in San Francisco while also working on site with Wells Fargo in Seattle and Toyota Financial in Torrance, CA. She is active in the commercial real estate industry and formerly held a seat on the executive committee of the San Francisco District of the Urban Land Institute.

"I'm delighted with the opportunity to advance my career by joining Avison Young's talented agency leasing team in San Francisco, and to be a part of the company's Principal-led, collaborative culture," says Glass. "I'm excited to help our company grow its agency leasing business line in the Bay Area, and view this leadership role as an important opportunity to mentor up-and-coming industry leaders. I look forward to collaborating with my new colleagues across the U.S. and in Canada, Mexico and Europe, as well as participating in Avison Young Women's Network."

Over the past nine years, Avison Young has grown from 11 to 80 offices and from 300 to more than 2,400 real estate professionals in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Europe.

Avison Young is the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Avison Young is a collaborative, global firm owned and operated by its principals. Founded in 1978, the company comprises 2,400 real estate professionals in 80 offices, providing value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, financing and mortgage placement services to owners and occupiers of office, retail, industrial, multi-family and hospitality properties.

For further information/comment/photos:

Sherry Quan , Principal and Global Director of Communications & Media Relations, Avison Young: 604.647.5098; cell: 604.726.0959

, Principal and Global Director of Communications & Media Relations, Avison Young: cell: Nick Slonek , Principal and Managing Director, Northern California , Avison Young: 415.322.5051

, Principal and Managing Director, , Avison Young: Kelly Glass , Principal, Avison Young: 415.322.5062

, Principal, Earl Webb , President, U.S. Operations, Avison Young: 312.957.7610

, President, U.S. Operations, Mark Rose , Chair and CEO, Avison Young: 416.673.4028

www.avisonyoung.com

Avison Young was a winner of Canada's Best Managed Companies program in 2011 and requalified in 2017 to maintain its status as a Best Managed Gold Standard company.

Follow Avison Young on Twitter:

For industry news, press releases and market reports: www.twitter.com/avisonyoung

For Avison Young listings and deals: www.twitter.com/AYListingsDeals

Follow Avison Young Bloggers: http://blog.avisonyoung.com

Follow Avison Young on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/avison-young-commercial-real-estate

Follow Avison Young on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/AvisonYoungRE

Follow Avison Young on Instagram: www.instagram.com/avison_young_global

Editors/Reporters

 Please click on link to view and download photo of Kelly Glass:

http://www.avisonyoung.com/sites/default/files/content-files/Media_Room/Temp/Kelly_Glass.jpg

SOURCE Avison Young Commercial Real Estate (BC)

Related Links

www.avisonyoung.com


HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- KEPRO announced today that the Division of TennCare, the state of Tennessee's Medicaid program, has awarded the contract for the management of its toll-free call center to support TennCare members to KEPRO.

KEPRO will manage the toll-free call center that allows TennCare's members to file medical issues or appeals by phone. The call center currently receives an average of 2,500 calls per week.

"For the past decade, KEPRO has had the honor of supporting TennCare and its members through appeals management," said KEPRO President and CEO Joseph A. Dougher. "We look forward to not only continuing our partnership, but expanding our services to ensure all TennCare members receive the right care at the right time."

Since 2007, KEPRO has supported the TennCare program through medical necessity, clinical contraindication and hardship reviews, providing medical testimony at fair hearings, in addition to various quality improvement initiatives through audits and analytical analysis. KEPRO also provides training on medical and eligibility appeals processing, as well as onsite IT support.

KEPRO's management of the toll-free call center will include requests for medical (including physical health and behavioral health) or pharmacy services, reimbursement, billing relief, and health plan changes, as well as requests for reconsideration of adverse actions, including denials, delays, reductions, suspensions, and termination of coverage.

KEPRO will begin managing the call center on September 1.

To learn more about the services and solutions KEPRO offers, visit www.kepro.com.

You can also get health tips, information about our organization or learn about exciting job opportunities by following us on Twitter, on Facebook or on LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Jamie Kopko, Director of Corporate Communications, [email protected], 717.564.8288 x7076

About TennCare

TennCare is the state of Tennessee's Medicaid program which provides health insurance to approximately 1.5 million low-income Tennesseans including pregnant women, children, caretaker relatives of dependent children and older adults and adults with physical disabilities. With a satisfaction rating above 90 percent since 2009 TennCare provides health insurance through the use of managed care.

SOURCE KEPRO

Related Links

http://www.Kepro.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of the Modern Markets Initiative (MMI), the education and advocacy organization devoted to the role of technological innovation in creating the world's best markets, today announced the appointment of Kirsten Wegner as Chief Executive Officer.

Wegner, who currently serves as Senior Vice President of Business Development of MMI, succeeds Bill Harts, who informed the Board of his intention to step away from day-to-day responsibilities leading the organization to pursue other professional opportunities.

In her new position as CEO, Wegner will build on the strong foundation that she has established in Washington, D.C. as MMI continues to focus on policy and educational outreach to regulators, lawmakers, investors and a range of market participants.

"Kirsten has a proven track record of execution. Her experience, industry relationships and deep knowledge of the issues affecting market structure and the broader technology community will be instrumental in positioning MMI for the next phase of its evolution," Harts said.

"I look forward to expanding MMI's footprint with the innovation community, so we can build upon our role as an informational resource for policymakers and ensure that the U.S. markets continue to foster new and innovative technology, new companies, new jobs, and remain the envy of the world," Wegner said.

Wegner joined MMI in May 2016, serving as a resource for market participants, regulators and lawmakers looking for a better understanding of modern markets in creating public policy. Previously, she was a director of government relations for the International Securities Exchange where she created bipartisan outreach and advocacy strategy on financial services and tax matters impacting exchanges and retail investors.

Harts, who has led MMI for the past three years, will become a Senior Advisor to the organization.

"Bill is a pioneer in technology and trading and we're hugely grateful for his leadership during a pivotal period in U.S. market structure," the Board said.

"It's been a privilege to lead MMI, highlighting the benefits that high frequency trading has brought to the public through lower trading costs and increased retirement savings," Harts said. "I'm pleased that our efforts, collaborating closely with lawmakers and other market participants, have resulted in a more informed and balanced market structure dialogue."

About the Modern Markets Initiative:

MMI is a trade association of financial technology companies, including market makers on the nation's stock exchanges, that welcomes a regular dialogue with regulators, media, and influencers on policies that promote innovation in capital markets, competition and growth of new ideas, safe and transparent markets for the public. MMI's founding firms -- GTS, Hudson River Trading, Quantlab, and Tower Research Capital  are technology firms that power IPOs on exchanges, deliver savings in transaction costs for pension funds and the public, and support policies that promote safer, more transparent, more liquid, and innovative capital markets.

Media Contact:

Brett Philbin

Edelman

(212) 704-8263

[email protected]

SOURCE Modern Markets Initiative
"Our SDK Communication Suite has seen a rapid growth. We are engaging and partnering manufacturers of connected cars, security surveillance devices, smart home appliances and set-top boxes around the world," Steven Yap, CEO, M800. "Leading IOT manufacturers and top brands work with us because we are able to provide high-quality one-stop cloud communication solution that runs on our global distributed network."

Businesses choose M800 Communication Suite for its low CAPEX model where they don't have to invest heavily to have prime quality infrastructure, have a fast time-to-market, and for quick hassle-free solution. M800 Communication Suite is continuously updated, ensuring the SDKs are always compatible with the manufacturers' devices and businesses applications.

"Collaborating with M800 Limited is an obvious decision because of their excellent global infrastructure and well-established SDK," Kelvin Siu, CEO, Cinatic, a leading IOT device manufacturer that counts major OEMs as customers. "Through M800 Limited, we are able to roll-out our products fast, efficiently and while being empowered by a premium communication solution."

"The solutions selected for the IoT Evolution Product of Year Award reflect the diverse range of innovation driving the machine to machine market today. It is my honor to congratulate M800 Limited for their innovative work and superior contribution to the rapidly evolving IoT industry," said Carl Ford, CEO of Crossfire Media, a co-publisher of IoT Evolution.

The IoT Evolution Product of the Year Award is M800 second award win recent weeks. Prior to this award, M800 Limited was awarded the 2017 Communications Solutions Products of the Year Award for the OTT White-Label Communication Suite.

M800 Communication SDK Suite Features



Voice & Video SDK

Power-up applications to support crystal clear voice and video calls. Enables both VoIP (on-net calls) and PSTN (off-net calls), which is supported by our carrier-grade infrastructure to deliver high quality voice and video services with low latency and high system availability.

Instant Messaging SDK

Boost engagement for users or build excellent customer support by enabling real-time engagement by adding full-featured chats.

Conference Call SDK

Allow timely and effective group communication in two or more locations, in any part of the world. Our distributed network ensures different parties from various locations to connect and communicate seamlessly in real-time.

Verification SDK

Add an additional layer of security to authenticate users and give them protection when accessing private data. Supports 4 different industry standard methods in both voice and SMS verification:

MT Verification: Automatically verify a user's identity when they receive a verification call.

MO Verification: Verify a user's identity by giving them a preset phone number to dial.

SMS Verification: Verify a user's identity by sending them a one-time code through SMS message.

IVR Verification: Verify a user's identity by sending them a one-time code through a telephone call.

About M800 Limited

M800 is a leading global CPaaS provider that provides a cloud based application layer that runs through a globally distributed network infrastructure, allowing businesses to quickly and easily integrate carrier-grade quality of calling, texting, and other real-time communication functions.

M800 is a one-stop communication solutions provider, equipped with strict service quality and guaranteed SLA. Businesses that partner with M800 has cost saving and fast time-to-market. Businesses save on development time and resources as they do not have to build any physical network infrastructure to deploy high-quality communication solutions at high speed. M800 solutions are also hassle-free, allowing businesses to get continuous updates and upgrades for all OS versions and multiple devices.

M800 portfolio of solutions includes the OTT White-Label Communication Suite, SDK Communication Suite, and the integrated customer success solution - liveConnect.

For more information about M800, visit www.m800.com.

About Cinatic Technology Limited

Cinatic is a Hong Kong based IoT company that provides an end-to-end voice and video-centric solution from product design to manufacturing for OEM customers. Cinatic uses M800 complete cloud backbone infrastructure for our product offerings. Cinatic has a complete cloud and apps SDK, including reference design that enables customers to develop, validate and deploy products with a secured cloud backend.

For more information, please contact [email protected].

M800 Contact:

Ben QUAH

Marketing Director

+852 34720893

[email protected]

SOURCE M800 Limited

Related Links

http://www.m800.com


A major tragedy was averted at the Delhi airport when wings of two passenger jets collided. Here's what happened.

Ethiopian airlines plane was pushed back when it hit an Air India jet. (Photo/ANI)

By India Today Web Desk: Delhi's busy Indira Gandhi International airport witnessed yet another close shave when wings to two passengers jets collided. No injury was reported in the incident which took place at about 2:25 am on Wednesday.

An Ethiopian airline plane was stationed at parking bay No. 87. When it was being pushed back by a tractor, the wings of the plane collided with an Air India aircraft parked nearby.

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"We flew substitute aircraft to continue with flight service for valued customers. Apologize to passengers on the flight," Ethiopian Airlines said in a statement.

The Air India official said the national carrier will be claiming damages from Ethiopian Airlines.

Luckily, engines of both the jets were shut off which prevented any major damage to the planes.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered a probe into the incident.

ALSO READ:

Air India flight suffers tyre burst at Delhi airport

Air India Delhi bound flight takes off with faulty ACs, leaves flyers gasping for oxygen

WATCH: Ethiopian Airlines plane crashes into Air India aircraft at Delhi's IGI airport, fliers unhurt

--- ENDS ---
Along with providing van rental in Los Angeles, the company also provides rentals of their new line of vehicles in Phoenix and Las Vegas, as well.

Boasting high capacity seating, they are excellent choices for major celebrations like weddings, proms, and many other occasions that involve transporting large numbers of people.

These functional vans are made by Mercedes-Benz and have been highly customized, they are so much more than just a convenient way to get around. They add a serious touch of class to any event and have been designed with comfort in mind, including their leather interiors.

Legends Car Rentals also added cargo and crew vans to their fleet. These vans are an excellent choice for studio and production use or for anyone who has to transport equipment, luggage, or any large volume of items and wants to be comfortable doing it.

"This is very exciting for us," said Donald Brand. "We pay close attention to what kinds of vehicles our customers want and have always worked hard to deliver. Large groups of people can travel in comfort and style with these luxury vans and they're great for all kinds of occasions. However, as always, we're dedicated to offering them at the lowest possible prices."

About Legends Car Rentals

Legends Car Rentals was started by three friends who shared a love for incredible automobiles and a passion for giving people a chance to ride in them. Since first opening their doors, the company has serviced more than 10,000 happy customers from around the world.

For more information about Legends Car Rentals and its fleet of luxury vehicles, please contact (844) 826-4473 or at [email protected]. You can also visit their website to see their entire fleet of vehicles.

SOURCE Legends Car Rentals

Related Links

http://www.legendscarrentals.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LendIt, the world's largest show in lending and fintech, named Omega One the winner of its Lang Di Fintech PitchIt competition in Shanghai on July 16. Out of eight PitchIt finalists (and hundreds of applicants) at China's largest fintech conference, Omega One, an automated trade execution platform, was chosen as the winner for its innovation in the cryptocurrency markets.

In partnership with JadeValue, Shanghai's co-working and incubation space, Lang Di Fintech PitchIt is a leading global competition for fintech startups to earn mentorship, endorsement and exposure to institutions, investors and broad visibility. Omega One presented a 5-minute pitch demonstrating their company story, product and vision for the future of transparency.

"The judges were impressed with Omega One's solution that helps the entire cryptocurrency market," said Jason Jones, co-founder, LendIt. "Omega One opens the market to the next wave of capital from institutional investors by providing much needed transparency and liquidity. The Omega One team is young, smart and hungry and they are dialed in to a big opportunity."

"Winning the PitchIt competition is further evidence that the innovations happening in the crypto space are no longer considered a sideshow in the financial technology world. They are now moving into the spotlight. This is exciting not just for Omega One, but for other disruptors building products in the crypto ecosystem," said Alan Keegan, Chief Executive Officer, Omega One.

As the winner, Omega One received a RMB 1 million investment from JadeValue and co-working space for six months. The company also received two tickets to LendIt USA 2018 as well as round trip airfare and full accommodations for the duration of the conference. The LendIt team will also curate meetings with fintech companies and investors during Omega One's trip to the U.S.

Lang Di Fintech was held in Shanghai on July 15  16, 2017. More than two hundred speakers from five continents focused on the intersection of technology and financial services in Asia, specifically addressing artificial intelligence, machine learning, identity verification through biometrics, the blockchain's impact on capital markets, the emergence of insurtech, financial inclusion, financial wellness, wealth management for the mass affluent, innovation in real estate technology, applying alternative data to credit underwriting and decisioning, the emergence of digital banking, and fintech cooperation with banks.

For more information about LendIt, visit www.lendit.com.

About LendIt

LendIt is the world's largest show in lending and fintech. Our conferences bring together the leading fintech platforms, investors, and service providers in our industry for unparalleled educational, networking, and business development opportunities. LendIt hosts three conferences annually: our flagship conference LendIt USA as well as LendIt Europe in London and Lang Di Fintech in China. LendIt USA 2018 will be held in San Francisco from April 9 - 11. Learn more at www.lendit.com.

About Omega One

Despite massive growth in crypto markets, exchanges and other market intermediaries remain illiquid, fragmented, costly to trade on, and open to theft by hacking. Omega One solves these problems by providing traders, investors and institutions with a decentralized automated trade execution system that intelligently implements their trades across the world's crypto exchanges, shielding them from counterparty risk and reducing their costs of trading. By radically increasing the liquidity of crypto markets, we are laying the foundation for their maturation as an asset class and building the financial system of the future. For more information, please visit omega.one.

Follow Omega One

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Media Contact:

Melissa Barto

JCUTLER media group

[email protected]

SOURCE LendIt

Related Links

http://www.lendit.com


BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sixty representatives from about 30 independent gas distributors took part in a two-day Food Safety Summit hosted by Linde LLC at Notre Dame University in June to learn about industry best practices and new government requirements. Presenters at the summit included industry consultants, major distributors, suppliers and leaders from industry associations.

"This is an important time for the industry, and it takes vigilance and action to be a responsible supplier of food and beverage gases today," said Bob VanKirk, Head of Linde U.S. Distributor Channel, Packaged Gases and Caribbean businesses. "Our distributors recognize that food safety is not just a goal, but a process."

Under recent changes to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) the quality of food contact gases such as nitrogen (N 2 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) are managed as food ingredients not just during food and beverage processing, but through the entire supply and distribution chain.

Food safety expert Bob Yeoman of B&R Compliance Associates LLC delivered an overview of FSMA and detailed updated procedures for safety and prevention. Known as "Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventative Control" (HARPC), the new procedures went into effect in 2016 and are now mandated by FSMA.

Other presenters included:

Cloeann Durham , Sr. Director of Quality at Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, one of the top five bottling facilities in North America

, Sr. Director of Quality at Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, one of the top five bottling facilities in Nicky Davies , Director of Quality Systems for McClement Management Group (MMG), an advisor to McDonald's on supplier best practices

, Director of Quality Systems for McClement Management Group (MMG), an advisor to McDonald's on supplier best practices Sal Calandra , Head of Quality and Food Safety for Linde in North America , and a member of the board of directors of the International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT)

, Head of Quality and Food Safety for Linde in , and a member of the board of directors of the International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT) Mike Tiller , President of the Compressed Gas Association (CGA)

, President of the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) Ric Boyd , President of CryoVation, LLC, a leading manufacturer and supplier of industrial gas distribution systems

, President of CryoVation, LLC, a leading manufacturer and supplier of industrial gas distribution systems Gary Fowler , National Sales Manager for Beverage Systems at Chart Industries, Inc.

, National Sales Manager for Beverage Systems at Chart Industries, Inc. Terry Scanlan , Linde Head of Strategic Initiatives & Project Execution for U.S. Distributors Packaged Gases and the Caribbean.

This was Linde's first Food Safety Summit, said Scanlan, who organized the event. "Seminars such as this demonstrate our commitment to U.S. gas distributors beyond providing gases and related services," he said.

"The Linde seminar was invaluable in helping our company's efforts to meet and exceed the needs and requirements of customers in this market space," said Richard Lofgren, President of United States Welding, Inc. "It was insightful and very informative on the regulations and logic behind them affecting food gas products. The participation of major beverage and food companies providing their perspective was also very helpful. This program is a great example of Linde's importance in our efforts to provide the highest quality products to the food and beverage industry," he added.

Ray Dillard, Vice President of Gas Operations of Arc3 Gases, who also participated in the event, commented, "We appreciated the perspective on the important role we play in the food supply chain, and the insight into the changing regulations. Arc3 Gases has a long history of providing the highest quality product and services to our customers, and this seminar supports that effort."

Linde is a leading global supplier of beverage-grade CO 2 for carbonated soft drinks, as well as food-grade gases used in cryogenic chilling and freezing systems for food processing, and in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) systems to help preserve food freshness. In addition, the Linde food team performs on-site assessments and works with food and beverage processors to develop optimal solutions.

Linde LLC supports the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and the advancement of food safety. Linde has a Food Safety Management System in place for all bulk carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) plants and air separation facilities supplying the food & beverage industry in North America. In June 2012, Linde became the first supplier to certify all of its CO 2 plants to a benchmarked GFSI scheme, FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification).

For more information visit Linde (www.lindefood.com) or call: 800-755-9277.

About Linde LLC in North America

Linde LLC is a member of The Linde Group. In the 2016 financial year, The Linde Group generated revenue of USD 17.9 bn (EUR 16.948 bn), making it one of the leading gases and engineering companies in the world, with approximately 60,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business, with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. The company is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.

For more information, visit www.lindeus.com.

SOURCE Linde North America, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.lindeus.com


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Valpak, a leader in local print and digital coupons, announced today that its Central Iowa territory has been acquired by local entrepreneur Matthew Goodman. Goodman plans to mail his first Blue Envelope of savings this month to approximately 160,000 households across communities including Ames, Des Moines and Windsor Heights.

An Iowa native, Goodman is a graduate of Iowa State University and holds a master's degree in biochemistry and molecular biology. During his time at college, Goodman purchased and managed a local gyro stand and was widely known as the "Gyroman" on campus. The success of his late-night food stand led him to pursue his second food business venture, Superdog, and soon after, Goodman developed a local Mexican-grill restaurant, The Fighting Burrito, which he currently serves as president and CEO.

Goodman brings more than 20 years of marketing experience to his newest business venture with Valpak, and has plans to leverage his local networks to expand additional partnerships with businesses across Central Iowa.

"I am excited to leverage my branding experience to elevate the Valpak brand in both the quality of creative as well as in the diversity of our offers. We want everyone to love opening this envelope," said Goodman. "Being a local business owner for nearly 25 years, I can attest to the significant role that direct mail and digital marketing offerings has played in my businesses. Now, as a Valpak franchisee, I look forward to providing area residents the savings they love, along with expanding our partnerships while educating other local businesses about the vast suite of technology that modern Valpak has to offer."

A leader in cooperative direct mail, Valpak mails coupons to nearly 37 million demographically targeted households per month in 47 states and three Canadian provinces. In addition to its flagship Blue Envelope, Valpak offers its business customers an impressive portfolio of digital advertising products including valpak.com, Smartphone apps, Google partnerships, website development, mobile web optimization, and reputation management.

"Matthew has a tremendous knowledge of marketing and we couldn't be more thrilled to welcome him to the Valpak family," said Greg Courchane, director of franchise sales for Valpak. "He has a passion for his local community and will be a terrific asset to businesses throughout Central Iowa."

With more than 25 million Americans using couponing apps each month, Valpak's digital offerings have been a big draw for new franchisees. Digital coupon use is on the rise, and ample gains are projected in 2017. In the past year, Valpak's print offerings have also expanded with on-envelope advertising and circulars.

For more information on Valpak franchise opportunities, please contact Greg Courchane at [email protected] or 727-399-3091 or visit www.valpakfranchising.com.

About Valpak

Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, Valpak is one of the leading direct marketing companies in the U.S. and Canada. We provide print and digital advertising through a network of 150 local franchises. From mailbox to mobile phone, Valpak brings exciting local business offers and opportunities to millions of consumers. Each month, our well-known Blue Envelope of savings is mailed to nearly 37 million demographically targeted households in 47 states and in three Canadian provinces. Our digital suite of products, including valpak.com, reaches more than 110 million users.

CONTACT:

Dave Williams

Valpak

727-319-5443

[email protected]

Alexya Williams

Fish Consulting

954-893-9150

[email protected]

SOURCE Valpak

Related Links

https://www.valpak.com


"Sean will be a great addition to our team as we continue to build our property and casualty expertise in the Milwaukee office," said Casey Warnecke, Lockton's chief operating officer in Chicago and Milwaukee. "Clients should expect high intent and strategic solutions from both Sean and our newest property and casualty unit manager, Kevin Loppnow. The tag team will collaborate to make their clients' businesses better."

Loppnow returned to Lockton in June after running Willis Tower Watson's property and casualty operation in Wisconsin for four years. The industry veteran has more than 25 years of experience and had previously worked for Lockton in Atlanta. Loppnow will work closely with Coykendall to advise clients.

"I am very pleased to have Sean join our team and I look forward to working closely with him on client relationships," Loppnow said. "His expertise will help us build the Milwaukee office while working with clients on risk management strategies."

Prior to joining Lockton, Coykendall worked at The Horton Group in Milwaukee. Like Loppnow, Coykendall also had a taste of Lockton life when he interned in Lockton's Kansas City surety practice during his time in college.

He holds a bachelor's of science, finance and risk management from Northern Michigan University.

Coykendall and Loppnow are both based in our Milwaukee office which is located at 111 E. Kilbourn Ave., Suite 825 Milwaukee, WI. The phone number is 414  270  8700.

About Lockton

Lockton is a global professional services firm with 6,500 Associates who advise clients on protecting their people, property and reputations. Lockton has grown to become the world's largest privately held, independent insurance broker by helping clients achieve their business objectives.

For eight consecutive years, Business Insurance magazine has recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance." To see the latest insights from Lockton's experts, check Lockton Market Update.

SOURCE Lockton

Related Links

http://www.lockton.com


IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 09, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With the demand for fresher ideas and ingredients on the rise, MARUGAME UDON presents traditional Japanese Udon noodles prepared your way. The cafeteria styled, made-to-order Udon noodles restaurant concept will debut on September 14, 2017 at Noon (PST) in the Japantown neighborhood of Los Angeles, 2029 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025.

Pioneer of UDON noodles restaurant chain



MARUGAME UDON is the #1 UDON noodles restaurant chain in the world as of April 1, 2017. There are 778 stores in Japan, 186 stores across 13 countries.



MARUGAME UDON specializes in authentic Sanuki Udon, which differs from similar Japanese Udon noodles in its taste and texture. To create these noodles, MARUGAME UDON is equipped with an original, Japanese-imported machine that mimics traditional methods to efficiently knead the flour, every day and on-demand. The recipe continues with a delicate aging process with controlled temperatures then stored to maintain freshness. Our soups are cooked by hand and freshly prepared every day.



Fresh, Made-to-order right in front of you, customize your favorite dish



Every dish is made-to-order in a beautiful open kitchen every day. Udon noodles are fresh kneaded, cut, boiled and cooked right in front of you. Upon receiving the Udon noodles, guests are directed to the fresh fried Tempura station (Chicken, Fish, Shrimp, Squid, many kinds of Vegetables) to fully customize the Udon noodles with choices from Rice Bowls, Drinks and a diverse array of complimentary toppings.



Affordable



The price starts at $4.50 for Regular Udon noodles, $2.90 for Rice Bowl and $1.00 for Tempura, which is very affordable in adventurous Los Angeles food scene. Complimentary toppings (green onions, tempura flakes, gingers, various sauces) are also available.



Bring Japanese culture to your table



"MARUGAME UDON is presenting traditional Japanese cuisine in an entirely new light and bringing this to the forefront," said Jun Goto, President and CEO of TORIDOLL DINING CALIFORNIA, LLC/MARUGAME UDON USA, LLC. "We're excited to combine authentic flavors without sacrificing individuality."



The Perfect Bowl of Udon, First location in U.S. Mainland



MARUGAME UDON is located at 2029 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles, CA and will have valet parking. Total sq.ft. is 2,500. Seating capacity is 76 (inside) and 16 (outside), total 92. Open from 11AM to 11PM (Sun-Wed), 11AM to 12AM(Thu-Sat).



To celebrate the Grand Opening, MARUGAME UDON will offer special promotions such as $1 Kake Udon Regular size (1 for 1 person) and $10 gift card for the first 100 arrivals.



Connect at MARUGAMEUDON.COM



About MARUGAME UDON USA, LLC:

The mission of MARUGAME UDON USA, LLC is to expand MARUGAME UDON locations in the U.S.

About TORIDOLL DINING CALIFORNIA, LLC:

TORIDOLL DINING CALIFORNIA, LLC was founded in 2006 (formerly Dream Dining California LLC) and it is a 100% subsidiary company of TORIDOLL Holdings Corporation, a publicly traded company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. We offer an exciting fast-paced launch/expansion of new branded restaurants in the states to be a leadership company of restaurant industry.

Contact:

MARUGAME UDON USA, LLC

Marketing Manager: Kay Doling

17300 Red Hill Ave., Suite200, Irvine, CA 92614

E-mail: [email protected]

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

SOURCE MARUGAME UDON USA, LLC

Related Links

http://marugameudon.com/


BEIJING, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Maxthon, a global software company that develops advanced browsers, just released a beta version (V5.1.1.200) of its MX5 browser that includes a major update of the Passkeeper feature. This beta version now enables user to add a SMS verification to its Passkeeper feature, meaning that a user will need to input the account password as well as the verification code been sent to his/her mobile phone to have access to his/her Passkeeper control panel.

With more and more social networks, e-commerce, and online banking sites, security of personal information becomes more important. People need to create loads of different accounts to enter those sites and use their services. Therefore, Maxthon launched the Passkeeper feature in its MX5 browser to help users create highly random & safe passwords and manage them accordingly. Being the first password manager adopted in a mainstream browser, Passkeeper swept the global market soon after its release. By using this amazing feature, users will no longer need to go through a hard time remembering all of their long and easily forgotten passwords. Users can create a series of long and strong passwords with a few simple clicks in the control panel of Passkeeper.

Security incidents have happened frequently in recent days. To better deal with the increasingly severe Internet security problem, Maxthon updated the already-great Passkeeper feature in the latest beta version of MX5 browser by adding an SMS verification code into it. Now users need their account password together with the verification code been sent to their phone to log in to Passkeeper control panel to manage all of their passwords. This measure can guarantee the safety of user's Passkeeper accounts, which means the safety of all his/her account info that stored in Passkeeper. Users can now experience this ultra safe Passkeeper feature in the latest beta version of Maxthon's MX5 browser (Download here: http:// dl .maxthon.com/mx5/mx5.1.1.200-beta.exe), or wait till Aug 17th and go to Maxthon's official website (www.maxthon.com) to download the official release version.

About Maxthon

Founded in 2005, Maxthon is a global software company that develops state-of-the-art web browsers that give users a seamless browsing experience across multiple platforms. Committed to high standards for innovation, the Maxthon suite of browsers supports a wide range of devices from computer to mobile. Maxthon browsers are used each month by more than 100 million people in 140 countries around the globe. Maxthon has offices in San Francisco, Hong Kong and Beijing.

More information about Maxthon can be found at: http://www.maxthon.com/

SOURCE Maxthon

Related Links

http://www.maxthon.com


Provides Update on Recurrent Glioblastoma Clinical Trial

TORONTO and HOUSTON, TX, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Medicenna Therapeutics Corp. ("Medicenna" or the "Company") (TSX: MDNA), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company, today reported financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2017.

"We are excited to announce that we have safely treated 10 patients in our Phase 2b clinical trial of MDNA55 for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma, the most common and uniformly fatal form of brain cancer," said Dr. Fahar Merchant, Chairman, President and CEO of Medicenna. "We remain committed to complete the enrolment by the end of calendar 2017 as we expedite patient accrual at five new clinical sites. In addition to clinical progress this quarter we have graduated to the Toronto Stock Exchange and further strengthened our management team and patent portfolio making it a successful quarter for Medicenna in a transformational year."

The following are the achievements and highlights for the quarter ending June 30, 2017 through to the date hereof:

In April 2017 , announced treatment of the first patient in the Phase 2b clinical trial of MDNA55 for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma, the most common and deadly form of brain cancer.

, announced treatment of the first patient in the Phase 2b clinical trial of MDNA55 for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma, the most common and deadly form of brain cancer. Safely treated 10 patients in the recurrent glioblastoma clinical trial at 5 clinical sites in the United States . With 5 new sites planning to treat their first patient, the rate of patient enrolment is expected to increase and we anticipate that enrolment will be completed by the end of calendar 2017.

. With 5 new sites planning to treat their first patient, the rate of patient enrolment is expected to increase and we anticipate that enrolment will be completed by the end of calendar 2017. On August 2, 2017 , subsequent to the quarter end, Medicenna's common shares graduated to the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX"), the premier stock exchange in Canada .

, subsequent to the quarter end, Medicenna's common shares graduated to the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX"), the premier stock exchange in . Appointed biotech industry veteran, Dr. Jay Stoudemire , as Chief Scientific Officer.

, as Chief Scientific Officer. Issued a US Patent related to Medicenna's lead clinical candidate MDNA55. U.S. Patent 9,629,899, issued to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and licensed exclusively to Medicenna, covers the combination of MDNA55 with other anti-cancer therapeutic agents.

Summary First Quarter of Fiscal 2018 Results

For the three months ended June 30, 2017, the Company reported a net loss of $2,255,672 or $0.09 per share compared to a loss of $151,902 or $0.01 per share for the three months ended June 30, 2016. The increase in net loss in the three months ended June 30, 2017 compared with the three months ended June 30, 2016 was primarily a result of increased spending on the Phase 2b clinical trial of MDNA55 for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma including headcount necessary to support the ongoing trial, increased general corporate expenditures necessary to maintain a public company as well as a lower amount of expenditures claimed for reimbursement from CPRIT.

Research and development ("R&D") expenses of $1,804,790 were incurred during the three months ended June 30, 2017, compared with $65,001 in the three months ended June 30, 2016. The increase in R&D expenses in the three months ended June 30, 2017 compared with the same period in the prior year can be primarily attributed to the initiation of early discovery and pre-clinical activities associated with the Superkine program (MDNA109) as well as a research collaboration with MD Anderson Cancer Center with respect to the MDNA57 program. In addition, a research and development warrant was issued to consultants working with Medicenna on the development of our early stage programs. The warrant was issued January 1, 2017 and vests over an expected 24-month period. Clinical costs also increased significantly due to patient treatment and related costs in the Phase 2b clinical trial of MDNA55 for which the first patient was treated in April 2017. Moreover, salaries and benefits rose in the current quarter due to increased headcount to support the initiation and ongoing management of the Phase 2b clinical trial.

General and administrative ("G&A") expenses of $438,091 were incurred during the three months ended June 30, 2017, compared with $208,114 incurred during the three months ended June 30, 2016. The increase over the prior period is due primarily to stock based compensation expense in the current year which represents the fair value amortization of stock option grants issued to general and administrative employees and directors. The Company did not previously issue stock options during the same quarter in the prior year and therefore no comparable expense exists. In addition, there were increased legal and professional fees associated with investor relations activities, and other professional fees related to the TSX graduation application. Furthermore, other expenses increased due to additional travel requirements and filing fees associated with being a public company.

As at June 30, 2017 the Company had a cash balance of $12,031,892 and an additional US$6.5million available to drawn down under the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas grant.

Outlook

The Company will focus on completing patient enrollment for its Phase 2b clinical trial for MDNA55, and expects interim top-line results in early 2018. Medicenna also plans to begin enrolling patients for a Phase 2 clinical trial of MDNA55 for the treatment of other types of brain cancer in the second half of 2017.

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 future plans and objectives of the Company, the ability of the company to complete enrolment of the MDNA55 Phase 2b clinical trial by the end of the calendar year, the rate of patient accrual for the reminder of the study, the treatment of patients at additional clinical sites, the initiation of additional clinical studies in 2017, 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.
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Model N, Inc. (NYSE: MODN), the leading provider of cloud-based revenue management solutions to life sciences, technology and manufacturing companies, today announced that Neeraj Gokhale has joined the Model N executive team as a Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer. In his new role, Neeraj is responsible for leading the strategy, definition, development and operations of Model N's entire Revenue Cloud portfolio.

Neeraj brings over 20 years of experience in building innovative enterprise software businesses. He has been a successful entrepreneur and has held senior executive positions at TIBCO, Oracle and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. In his prior roles he developed category defining products and scaled software businesses by solution footprint extension, vertical market expansion and transformation of traditional enterprise applications into cloud services. Earlier in his career he served as a management consultant at Booz Allen & Hamilton. Neeraj holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, an MS from the University of Louisville and a BTech degree from the Indian Institute of Technology.

"I'm delighted to welcome Neeraj to Model N's executive team," said Zack Rinat, founder, chairman of the board and CEO of Model N. "He brings a wealth of relevant experience in driving innovation and scaling enterprise software businesses across various segments. Neeraj's leadership will be invaluable as we scale the business and transition to a 100% SaaS business model."

"I am excited about joining the leadership team at Model N, a company that has deep customer relationships and is dedicated to innovation and improving revenue management, which is an increasingly mission critical function for many companies across verticals," said Neeraj Gokhale. "I look forward to working with the team on helping Model N transform the customers' businesses and drive growth."

About Model N

Model N is the leader in Revenue Management solutions. Driving mission critical business processes such as configure, price and quote (CPQ), contract and rebate management, business intelligence, and regulatory compliance, Model N solutions transform the revenue lifecycle from a series of disjointed operations into a strategic end-to-end process. With deep industry expertise, Model N supports the complex business needs of the world's leading brands in life sciences, technology and manufacturing across more than 100 countries, including Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Boston Scientific, Novartis, Microchip Technology and ON Semiconductor. For more information, visit www.modeln.com.

Model N is the registered trademark of Model N, Inc. Any other company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners and are mentioned for identification purposes only.

For media inquiries, please contact [email protected]

SOURCE Model N

Related Links

http://www.modeln.com


Dilip Kumar was being treated at Lilavati Hospital for dehydration and kidney problems.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Legendary actor Dilip Kumar, 94, who was undergoing treatment for kidney-related problems at the Lilavati Hospital here since a week, was discharged on Wednesday.

Dilip Kumar was seen in a wheelchair wearing a pink shirt when he came out of the hospital. He was accompanied by his wife and former actress Saira Banu, who was seen in a printed red suit with a dupatta on her head.

Photo: Yogen Shah

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Before leaving the hospital, Saira Banu tweeted from Dilip Kumar's official account.

"By the grace of Allah, Dilip Sahab is under the care of Dr. Nitin Gokhale, Dr. Arun Shah of Lilavati Hospital and Sahab's personal family physicians Dr. R.C. Sharma and Dr. S. Gokhale, along with the able input of Dr. S.D. Bapat. This excellent team has given the green signal to take Sahab home today.

"My gratitude to fans, friends for prayers, doctors for expert treatment, hospital staff n Sahab's personal attendants for all the care. It is the Almighty God's will and benevolence that I wish to acknowledge in all humility and gratitude."

The thespian was admitted to the hospital on August 2 due to dehydration and urinary tract infection. High potassium and creatinine levels had raised concerns that he may have to be put on dialysis. Doctors decided against it after he started responding well to treatment.

Now all his levels are under control, Udaya Tara Nayar, compiler of Dilip Kumar's autobiography, told IANS.

Last seen on the big screen in "Qila" in 1998, the actor was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015. He is known for films like "Devdas", "Mughal-e-Azam" and "Karma".

ALSO READ: Hope Dilip Kumar recovers soon, says Saira Banu

ALSO READ: Dilip Kumar in ICU, kidneys not functioning properly ALSO WATCH: Mimicking Dilip Kumar was difficult, says Shah Rukh

--- ENDS ---
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Q, a premier student information system (SIS) developed by Aequitas Solutions, Inc. was selected by Moreno Valley Unified School District (MVUSD) to replace its current system Infinite Campus.

After conducting a comprehensive review of 5 leading systems and official RFP responses, viewing live demonstrations and talking to references, the selection committee overwhelmingly chose Q to be the district's new SIS system.

Q allows MVUSD to streamline processes, increase efficiency and better accomplish the goals set in the district's strategic plan. Q provides the district with the tools to be more responsive to the needs of its administrative staff, teachers, parents and most importantly students. The core Q suite provides a comprehensive offering that includes many features and functions that other SIS vendors currently charge for. Q will allow the district to increase its level of service while reducing costs.

"At Aequitas Solutions, Inc. we strive to provide the best Student Information System (SIS) and SIS centric services in the industry. We focus on providing fast, easy to use, functional solutions and on building long term relationships by providing our clients with the tools that allow them to quickly respond to and adapt to the ever-changing K-12 education environment," said John Uhler, CEO. "MVUSD has a great reputation as a leader in K-12 in California and an amazing staff. We are extremely excited to partner with MVUSD."

"After being on Infinite Campus for 10 years we decided that it was time to do our due diligence and see what other solutions were out there and what new capabilities they offered," said Aaron Barnett, the district's Information Systems Technology Director. "As a result, the district chose Q to move us forward."

About Q

Aequitas Solutions, Inc. is a leader in innovative K-12 student management systems. Its mission is to lead the K-12 industry by providing next generation student management solutions that push traditional SIS boundaries, to build lasting customer relationships based on openness, honesty, integrity, and a true sense of partnership. Q, it's highly successful solution managing the information needs of over 1 million students and their parents, is a full-featured student information system utilizing innovative tools, and proactive data analysis allowing educators to more fully focus on the individual and constantly changing needs of students. Aequitas Solutions is headquartered in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

Related Links

Aequitas Solutions, Inc.

Moreno Valley Unified School District

CONTACT: John Uhler

[email protected]

SOURCE Aequitas Solutions, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.myaequitas.com


As President of MSA Americas, Mr. Blanco will now be responsible for all of the company's business interests in Latin America, while continuing to oversee MSA's operations in the U.S. and Canada.

Mr. Blanco joined MSA in 2012 as Vice President of Global Operational Excellence, a role in which he led the implementation of best-in-class practices that helped advance the effectiveness and efficiency of MSA's global manufacturing operations. As Vice President and General Manager for MSA's U.S. and Canada business, Mr. Blanco oversaw a number of strategic initiatives that helped the region achieve key goals, highlighted by operating margin expansion, the successful delivery ramp-up for MSA's market-leading G1 self-contained breathing apparatus, and helping the company's Americas segment achieve more than 20 percent growth in fall protection revenue in the first six months of 2017.

Prior to joining MSA, Mr. Blanco worked for Eaton Corporation, a global and diversified power management company, as Vice President of Manufacturing for the company's $7 billion Electrical Sector. Before that, he worked for Ford Motor Company and Visteon, serving in a variety of engineering, plant management and operations roles. An engineer by trade, Mr. Blanco earned a bachelor's of science degree in mechanical engineering technology from Purdue University, and he holds an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University.

In his new role, Mr. Blanco will remain located in Cranberry Township, Pa., at the company's global headquarters.

About MSA Safety

Established in 1914, MSA Safety Incorporated is the global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures. Many MSA products integrate a combination of electronics, mechanical systems and advanced materials to protect users against hazardous or life-threatening situations. The company's comprehensive product line is used by workers around the world in a broad range of markets, including the oil, gas and petrochemical industry, the fire service, the construction industry, mining and the military. MSA's core products include self-contained breathing apparatus, fixed gas and flame detection systems, portable gas detection instruments, industrial head protection products, fire and rescue helmets, and fall protection devices. With 2016 revenues of $1.15 billion, MSA employs approximately 4,300 people worldwide. The company is headquartered north of Pittsburgh in Cranberry Township, Pa., and has manufacturing operations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. With more than 40 international locations, MSA realizes approximately half of its revenue from outside North America. For more information visit MSA's web site at www.MSAsafety.com.

SOURCE MSA

Related Links

http://www.msasafety.com


KINGSVILLE, ON, Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Mucci Farms (the "Company") today announced a large-scale, multi-year investment in Huron, Ohio. The Company confirmed that it was starting a multi-year, three phase construction project which will cover a total of 60 acres and feature the newest and latest state of the art greenhouses equipped with grow lights which extend the growing season. The constructed facility will also include a 272,000 sq. ft. distribution warehouse to support the Company's growing US customer base.

The Company has already broken ground on the first phase which is the construction of a 24 acre range and the Company expects produce from this facility will be available as soon as March 2018.

This new, state of the art facility will include the latest grow light technology which simulates sunlight by providing or supplementing the necessary light to optimize plant growth. The use of this grow technology allows for year-round production, keeping our produce - "always in season".

Mucci Farms already has a sustainable, successful business with a well recognized brand in a number of large US retailers.

Expanding our operations to include a US growing facility was strategically done to meet our US customer demands for locally grown, year round, fresh and favourful produce.

Making this investment in Ohio allows us to reduce the food miles for our US retailers and gives our US consumers the confidence that they can bring fresh and flavourful Mucci Farms' produce into their homes all year round.

The Company has been actively exploring a number of US expansion opportunities for the past 18 months and the site located in Huron, Ohio was a perfect fit due to its easy access to a number of current and potentially new retailer distribution facilities as well as its proximity to our Corporate headquarters in Kingsville, ON.

The Company has enjoyed establishing a number of working partnerships during the development stages of this expansion with the City of Huron and Erie County officials and the Company looks forward to what it expects will be a number of promising opportunities for continued community partnerships ahead.

As Mucci Farms continues to grow so will its work in the communities the Company is a part of. Mucci Farms understands the value of supporting all local communities in which it operates and it places equal emphasis on social interests as business interests. The Company is confident that there are a number of inspiring things to come with this investment in Ohio and Mucci Farms looks forward to growing with the City of Huron, Huron Township and Erie County.

"The City is excited to collaborate with Mucci Farms in bringing a new, advanced technology to the region. The impact to this area is expected to be profound and transformational. Welcome."

Andy White, City of Huron, Manager

"We are extremely pleased to be a part of this next step for Mucci Farms. The Company's advanced practices and reputation is well suited for our region and business community."

Abbey Bemis, Executive Director, Erie County Economic Development Corporation

Potential EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES "WITHIN OUR OPERATIONS" AND "BEYOND"

The Company anticipates that when the first phase of construction is completed it will be looking to employ up to 100 full-time positions. The Company expects this number will increase to 250 full-time positions by the completion of the third phase of construction.

These positions will capture many different levels between professional and general labourer positions. Some key positions the Company is looking to hire right away include growers, assistant growers and greenhouse labour supervisors.

SOURCE Mucci Farms
"Humans cause nearly 90 percent of all wildfires nationwide, which today burn hotter and longer, destroying millions of forested acres and homes; Smokey needs our help now more than ever," says U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. "It is helpful to provide information to children and adults about the less commonly known wildfire causes such as improperly burning debris and not fully extinguishing ashes and hot coals. By bringing awareness and inspiring responsibility, we hope to show how important it is to be mindful of how everyday activities can start harmful fires."

FCB West has proudly developed pro bono public service announcements (PSAs) for Smokey Bear, longest-running public service advertising campaign in U.S. history, since his birth in 1944. The new digital-first videos and new artwork will be supported by an extensive social media program, including Smokey Bear's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

"We're thrilled to continue to evolve Smokey Bear's beloved look and digital presence, while harkening back to the campaign's beginning in the 1940s when we all fell in love with him. FCB has worked on this campaign for 73 years, representing the longest pro bono agency partnership in U.S. history, and these new videos and artwork beautifully extend Smokey's message of personal responsibility," shares Lisa Sherman, president and CEO of Ad Council.

"It's always wildfire season somewhere in the United States, and State Foresters experience first-hand the many causes of wildfires beyond abandoned campfiresimproper burning of debris, dumping hot ashes, and others. The new Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention Campaign's creative elements will help state forestry agencies continue to educate the public in an effort to help reduce the number of human-caused wildfires," said Bill Crapser, Wyoming State Forester and president of the National Association of State Foresters.

Smokey Bear has been a recognized symbol of wildfire prevention since August 9, 1944. Although progress has been made, wildfires remain one of the most critical environmental issues affecting the U.S. On average, nearly nine out of 10 wildfires nationwide today are caused by people. In addition to the causes depicted in the new PSAs, the main causes of wildfire include campfires or warming fires being left unattended or improperly extinguished, debris burning on windy days, improper discarding of smoking materials or BBQ coals, and operating equipment without spark arrestors.

"Smokey Bear has long been synonymous with wildfire prevention education and the great outdoors. This new digital campaign unexpectedly brings Smokey Bear out of the woods and into engaging and relatable interactions with people. This evolution in the iconic figure of Smokey Bear brings him closer to a younger audience and further cements his reputation as wildfire prevention's most loveable spokesperson," said Joe Oh, CEO and President FCB West

The Ad Council will distribute the new digital-first videos and artwork across Smokey Bear's social media channels as well as smokeybear.com and the new Spanish language website smokeybear.com/es. Per the organization's model, the assets will be promoted and run in advertising time and space that is entirely donated. Over the last 73 years, media outlets have donated more than $1 billion in time and space for the Wildfire Prevention campaign.

U.S. Forest Service

The U.S. Forest Service is the agency responsible for overseeing the use of Smokey Bear in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the Ad Council. The U.S. Forest Service manages 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands for the American Public. Its mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.

National Association of State Foresters

The National Association of State Foresters (NASF) is a non-profit organization composed of the directors of forestry agencies in the states, territories and the District of Columbia of the United States. NASF represents state and territorial forester interests by influencing forest policy and leading efforts to optimize social, economic, and environmental benefits of trees and forests. As a partner with the U.S. Forest Service, State Foresters are committed to the continued delivery of Smokey Bear's message of personal responsibility in wildfire protection. Learn more at www.stateforesters.org.

The Ad Council

The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization with a rich history of marshalling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has affected, and continues to affect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or view our PSAs on YouTube.

FCB

With more than 140 years of communications expertise, FCB's worldwide network spans 150 offices in 90 countries, with over 8,000 people, and is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG). For more information, visit www.fcb.com. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@FCBglobal) and Facebook (FCB Global).

SOURCE The Ad Council

Related Links

http://www.adcouncil.org


LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Oliver Group announced the appointment of two new members to its Advisory Council. The new members are Douglas L. Meyer and Kendra Ramirez. The purpose of the Advisory Council is to provide an outside, objective point-of-view to Oliver Group's executive team and owners regarding the company's strategic plan and growth goals.

Doug Meyer Kendra Ramirez

Doug Meyer is Managing Director for Brixey & Meyer, Inc. a CPA and business consulting firm as well as Brixey & Meyer Capital, LLC, a private equity growth capital firm. With Doug's leadership, Brixey & Meyer is a six-time award winner of Best Places to Work, a winner of the Fast 25 Growing Company award, and a winner of the Business of the Year Program. Prior to founding Brixey and Meyer in 2002, Doug worked with the international consulting firm of Ernst & Young LLP. Doug's entrepreneurial passion has resulted in his equity ownership of multiple privately held organizations. He also serves as a valued board member for various closely held businesses. Doug is a past 40 Under Forty winner and a Finalist for Executive of the Year.

Kendra created and leads her Digital Strategy firm and partners with organizations for B2B digital marketing with data-driven results for financial services, manufacturing and technology businesses. Digital Strategist helps businesses leverage digital (web and social media) to build relationships, brand themselves, generate sales leads, and increase revenue. Kendra helps her clients get the most out of their business development efforts, extend their marketing initiatives and get real results from their digital efforts. Kendra is globally recognized on the home page of LinkedIn.com, AMA Marketing Legend and a finalist for the Social Media Innovator of the Year. Since 2005, she has helped hundreds of organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, leverage digital technologies. Kendra has spent more than 15 years in technology companies as a change agent in sales and recruiting leadership for business-to-business customers.

Doug and Kendra join existing members Jaleigh White, Executive Vice President of Hilliard Lyons, Jude Thompson, CEO of Delta Dental of Kentucky and Purna Veer, President of V-Soft Consulting. "Mr. Meyer and Ms. Ramirez bring a significant amount of expertise, vision and passion to our Advisory Council. Oliver Group looks forward to their guidance and insights as we continue to build our business and serve our clients," said Jennifer Mackin, CEO of Oliver Group.

About Oliver Group

For more than 30 years, Oliver Group has helped organizations acquire and develop top talent by objectively assessing people and teams against desired outcomes. We work with our clients to develop a clear plan of action that ensures the right people are in place to help the organization grow and adapt, hit important goals and be a great place to work. For any business, people make the difference, and we want your people to perform at their highest levels. You can count on our full suite of services to help you build an exceptional team.

CONTACT: LeAnn Ross, 502 241 2292 x122 or [email protected]

SOURCE Oliver Group
"Olympus Boulevard is located in one of the strongest job growth submarkets in the United States. The deal was acquired on an attractive basis with plenty of room for upside," said Chase Bennett, Senior Acquisitions Manager at Olympus Property.

Completed in 2009, the 282-unit luxury mid-rise community is strategically located along the Dallas North Tollway growth corridor, specifically within Frisco's $5 Billion Mile and north of Legacy Business Park. These two job centers include the United States' highest concentration of suburban corporate America coupled with the strongest high wage job growth story within the country.

The Boulevard at Frisco Square is located within Frisco Square, a master-planned development funded in part by the City of Frisco. Frisco is currently ranked as the second fastest growing city in the country with a median household income more than twice the national average at $123,055. Since 1991, Frisco has lured over 200 companies to the area, creating and sustaining over 24,000 new jobs and billions of dollars of community investment.

"Olympus Boulevard is a core asset in Frisco, one of the top submarkets in Dallas-Fort Worth, our home base. The property is located in the heart of Frisco Square, a unique live/work space that will continue to flourish as the growth story in Frisco continues," said Anthony Wonderly.

Olympus Property, founded in 1992, is a fully integrated real estate investment firm based in Fort Worth, Texas. Over its 25-year history, the company has become a successful and recognized name in the multi-family industry. Olympus currently owns and manages over 14,000 units across nine states including Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Arizona, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, New Mexico, and California.

To learn more about diversifying your portfolio with Olympus Property, please contact Braden Barr at 817-505-0528 or at [email protected].

SOURCE Olympus Property

Related Links

http://www.OlympusProperty.com


SEATTLE, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Outreach, the leading sales engagement platform, today announced it has been included in the 2017 Constellation ShortList for Sales Productivity Tools by Constellation Research. Out of nearly 20 companies considered by Constellation's analysts, Outreach is one of five offerings honored as the top solution for sales teams. The technology companies selected for the Constellation ShortList provide the key functionality and requirements for early adopters pursuing digital transformation initiatives.

Today, it's harder than ever to be a sales rep, with 50 percent projected to miss their number this year. In this information age, customers are inundated with messages, and on average it takes eight touch points per contact to schedule an initial meeting. On top of this, sales reps are increasingly spending more time entrenched in tools and processes versus selling. This is where Outreach comes in. On average, sales reps working within the Outreach platform receive 1-2 additional selling hours per day, secure 30 percent more meetings, and ultimately generate 10-25 percent higher revenue dollars.

"Our mission is to enable sales reps to not only reach but exceed their sales numbers by bringing every tool and data point needed to be successful into one place, removing the cumbersome task of toggling between multiple applications and ultimately becoming more efficient and effective," said Manny Medina, CEO and co-founder of Outreach. "This recognition from Constellation Research validates our goal to redefine the sales cycle and carve out the sales engagement space through empowering sales reps to exceed sales goals."

"The right timing, teams and technology are the three T's for crafting digital business models to achieve digital transformation success," said Ray Wang, chairman and founder at Constellation Research. "Each Constellation ShortList, researched and curated by our analysts, guides early adopters in identifying the right technologies to build successful and competitive programs."

The Constellation ShortList Program covers a wide range of disruptive technology categories and identifies the top offerings in each market for early adopters. Products and services named to the ShortList meet the threshold criteria for this category as determined by Constellation Research through client inquiries, partner conversations, customer references, vendor selection projects, market share and internal research. Within Sales Productivity, top evaluation criteria included the deliverance of relevant prospect and customer insight to sellers, mobile accessibility, email and calendar integration, prospect data, and automated CRM synchronization.

For more information on Outreach, please visit www.outreach.io. To view the full Constellation ShortList, see www.constellationr.com/shortlist.

About Outreach

Outreach, the leading sales engagement platform, automates and prioritizes customer touch points throughout the sales process, resulting in increased productivity for sales teams. Thousands of customers rely on Outreach to transform the sales process, drive collaboration between sales and marketing, and deliver higher revenue per sales rep. Outreach is a privately held company based in Seattle, Washington. To learn more, please visit www.outreach.io.

Disclaimer

Constellation Research does not endorse any solution or service named in its research.

About Constellation Research

Constellation Research is an award-winning, Silicon Valley-based strategic advisory and futurist research firm. Constellation's analysts serve as innovation advisors for leaders and Global 2000 organizations navigating the challenges of business-model disruption and transformation. Unlike legacy analyst firms, Constellation works closely with solution providers, partners, and its Constellation Executive Network of innovative buy-side leaders, C-suite executives and board of directors to lead the way in disrupting technology and research coverage areas. The goal  deliver to clients what they need to achieve valuable business results. To learn more, please visit www.constellationr.com.

Media Contact:

Barokas PR for Outreach

Laura Davis

[email protected]

(206) 264-8220

SOURCE Outreach
NEWARK, N.J., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Key Messages:

High performance multi-family solution built to last

Revolutionary ECM motor with SmartFlow technology for optimum CFM output

Pick-A-Flow Speed Selector  one fan, several CFM options (50, 80 or 100 CFM)

Optional fan models include LED lighting, multi-speed operation for ASHRAE 62.2 compliance, and an intelligent Condensation Sensor that monitors temperature and humidity, automatically turning the fan on to control moisture

Lowest profile ENERGY STAR rated fan available

Unique L-shaped bracket simplifies installation and provides strong support

WhisperValue DC can be used to comply with ASHRAE 62.2, LEED, IAP, California Title 24, CALGreen and WA Ventilation Code

Panasonic Eco Solutions North America has introduced new models and improved product features to the WhisperValue DC ventilation line.

Designed for residential construction and newly built homes, the WhisperValue DC is an ideal multi-family ventilation solution that is revolutionizing the ventilation fan industry with a new set of features that enable easy code compliance and longer service life. The advanced ECM motor with intelligent self-adjusting SmartFlow technology senses the amount of resistance in the duct run and automatically adjusts the fan speed to deliver optimal CFM output, even in the case of a complicated duct run.

Panasonic's SmartFlow technology moves more air using less energy, so the WhisperValue DC is more energy efficient and lasts longer. Additionally, the Built-in Pick-A-Flow speed selector provides the capability to customize the ventilation fan for a variety of applications and to meet required airflow (50-80-100 CFM) with the simple flip of a switch. The ability to choose the most fitting CFM level gives builders and contractors the flexibility and assurance that one fan will satisfy a range of ventilation design requirements that meet code and perform as promised.

WhisperValue DC offers optional built-in features that allow the installer to further customize the fan:

Multi-Speed with Time Delay , which allows the selection of proper CFM settings to satisfy ASHRAE 62.2 continuous ventilation requirements. The fan runs continuously at a preset lower level (0-30-70, in 10 CFM increments) then elevates to a maximum level of operation (80 or 100 CFM) when the wall switch is turned on. A High/Low delay timer returns the fan to the preset CFM level after 20 minutes.

, which allows the selection of proper CFM settings to satisfy ASHRAE 62.2 continuous ventilation requirements. The fan runs continuously at a preset lower level (0-30-70, in 10 CFM increments) then elevates to a maximum level of operation (80 or 100 CFM) when the wall switch is turned on. A High/Low delay timer returns the fan to the preset CFM level after 20 minutes. Condensation sensor, which helps control bathroom condensation to prevent mold and mildew. The advanced sensor technology detects relative humidity and temperature to anticipate dew point, automatically turning the fan on to control humidity. Built in Relative Humidity (RH) sensitivity adjustment enables fine tuning for moist conditions and for satisfying CALGreen requirements. The fan will run for 20 minutes before turning off.

The extremely thin profile opens up new options for locations where builders and contractors can install the WhisperValue DC, which is UL listed for ceiling or wall mount. The low profile, 3-3/8" housing depth and unique L-shaped bracket allow this fan to be installed in virtually any ceiling or wall. Wall installation reduces cost by eliminating the need to incorporate a radiation damper when penetrating fire rated ceilings. As the lowest profile ENERGY STAR rated fan on the market, the WhisperValue DC actually fits in a 2x4 stud bay, right out of the box.

Additional features include:

An ECM Motor with Smart Flow  Technology is featured in all models. When the fan senses static pressure, its speed is automatically increased to ensure optimal CFM output. This feature provides peace of mind, as the installer doesn't have to worry about compromising the fan's performance even with a complicated duct run .

 is featured in all models. When the fan senses static pressure, its speed is automatically increased to ensure optimal CFM output. This feature provides peace of mind, as the installer doesn't have to worry about compromising the fan's performance even with a complicated duct run LED Lighting, features a contemporary flush mount grille that incorporates one 10W dimmable LED chip panel with <1W LED night light for warm, energy efficient illumination. Panel specifications include: 3000 Kelvin Warm White/90CRI/700 lumens/70 LPW/ENERGY STAR 2.0 certified/50,000 hours rated average life.

"At Panasonic, we are committed to working with forward-thinking builders to provide high performance, low cost solutions that create a healthier indoor environment for homeowners," said Patricia Monks, National Marketing Manager, Panasonic Eco Solutions North America. "WhisperValue DC is an enhanced version of our successful low profile, multi-family solution that now incorporates our ultra-energy efficient, ECM motor with SmartFlow technology and customizable airflow for easy code compliance. WhisperValue DC can be used as your whole house ventilation solution and includes an Intelligent Condensation Sensor, which automatically controls moisture in order to optimize performance and reduce risk of exposure to harmful pollutants."

As with all fans in the lineup, WhisperValue DC can be used to comply with ASHRAE 62.2, LEED, IAP, California Title 24, CALGreen and WA Ventilation Code.

For more information about Panasonic ventilation fans, please visit www.panasonic.com/ventfans.

About Panasonic Eco Solutions North America

Panasonic Eco Solutions North America is a division of Newark, NJ-based Panasonic Corporation of North America, a leading technology partner and integrator to businesses, government agencies and consumers across the region. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Panasonic Corporation and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic was featured in Fortune Magazine's 2016 ranking of 50 companies that are changing the world and doing well by doing good. Specifically cited were its smart and sustainable technologies, including its contributions to smart cities and the electric vehicle revolution.

Learn more about Panasonic's ideas and innovations at PanasonicMovesUs.com.

Learn more about Panasonic vent fans at http://www.panasonic.com/business/pesna/eco-construction-solutions/.

SOURCE Panasonic Eco Solutions North America

Related Links

https://panasonicmovesus.com


Peak Power awarded $1.9M from Sustainable Development Technology Canada ("SDTC")

TORONTO, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Peak Power Inc., a leading energy storage service provider, announced today that it has been selected to receive $1.9M of funding from SDTC to support the scale up of their Peak SYNERGYTM controls platform across six (6) customer sited energy storage projects in Ontario, Canada and New York, USA. The total value of project is $5.4M.

This project will enable Peak Power to scale and deploy its Peak SYNERGYTM controls platform, a proprietary system that optimizes the operation of energy storage systems to maximize the potential benefits for both building owners and utilities. Peak Power's software responds to market signals and predicts the most efficient times to charge and discharge the battery. The software enables the stacking of numerous revenue streams for individual sites as well as the aggregation of numerous sites into a Virtual Power Plant for participation in wholesale electricity markets. This project will also receive contributions from consortium partners: BGIS, a Brookfield Company, Black & McDonald, Alectra, Inc. and National Research Council Canada.

"Our project is supported by strong consortium partners that represent an important cross section of the energy storage value chain which include some of the leading thought leaders amongst facility managers and utilities in Canada that recognize the changes that are happening in the energy markets." said Derek Lim Soo, CEO of Peak Power. "We are delighted to receive the financial support from SDTC for this project, that will enable much needed showcase projects to help accelerate the market adoption for customer sited energy storage."

"Sustainable Development Technology Canada is very proud to support the commercialization of Peak Power's innovative technology," said Leah Lawrence, SDTC President and Chief Executive Officer. "This project will create green jobs for the local economy, increase efficiency in the sector and provide economic and environmental benefits for all Canadians."

About SDTC

SDTC is an arm's-length foundation created by the Government of Canada to promote sustainable development and support projects that develop and demonstrate new technologies to address issues related to climate change, air quality and clean water and soil. SDTC invests in Canadian companies that, through their innovative technologies, contribute positively to Canada by creating quality jobs, driving economic growth and protecting the environment. For more information, please visit www.sdtc.ca

About Peak Power

Peak Power is a North American based energy storage services provider. Through their Peak SYNERGYTMcontrols platform, Peak Power is empowering building owners to achieve long-term savings from rising electricity bills, reach sustainability goals and increase onsite resiliency, all while aiding utilities in addressing aging infrastructure and peak demand requirements. Earlier this year, Peak received strategic investment from Osmington Inc., a Toronto based real estate development company wholly owned by David Thomson, Chairman of Thomson-Reuters. For more information, please visit www.peakpowerenergy.com

SOURCE Peak Power Inc.
NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pembrook Capital Management LLC ("Pembrook") today announced a financial grant to Washington Metropolitan Opportunity Academy, a regional Washington D.C. high school dedicated to providing students with the academic skills and executive functions needed to be productive change agents in their communities. The announcement was made by Pembrook's founder and chief executive, Stuart J. Boesky.

Pembrook is an investment manager focused on providing loans and other financing for the development, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable housing, as well as office, retail, and industrial properties, in underserved areas on a national basis. This contribution to Washington Metropolitan Opportunity Academy supports the firm's new corporate program that provides financial grants to public schools in neighborhoods where it does business, targeted to total up to 3% of the firm's annual profits. Pembrook recently provided additional grants to schools in Compton, CA and Visalia, CA.

Earlier this year, Pembrook provided a $15.25 million first mortgage bridge loan to National Housing Trust - Enterprise Preservation Corporation (NHT-E), a Washington D.C. based national not-for-profit affordable housing preservation owner and developer. The financing allowed the borrower to acquire a 160-unit affordable apartment building known as Mass Place, located at 1111 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, as well as facilitate a plan to undertake extensive renovations at the property. NHT-E plans to preserve Mass Place as affordable housing under the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program.

"Pembrook is proud to give back to the communities we do business in and especially proud to support local education," added Boesky. "We have been inspired by the outstanding work that Washington Metropolitan High School does to empower and prepare its students for the future and we're pleased to provide additional funding to support their vision. Pembrook strongly believes that education is the cornerstone for success and hope our concept of supporting schools in the communities we invest in becomes a model program for others in commercial real estate."

The Washington Metropolitan Opportunity Academy offers a therapeutic approach with optional gender specific programming and a middle grades program to students ages 15-20. Students also participate in an introduction to careers course and are given intensive college exposure and the ability to choose several career and technical education courses. The Washington Metropolitan Opportunity Academy also offers individualized academic programming through Summit Personalized Learning and activities that extend beyond the walls of the building allowing students to use the world around them, as well as activities and areas designed for health wellness and social emotional learning.

Pembrook is a real estate investment manager that provides financing throughout the capital structure. The firm has originated or participated in investments totaling over $1 billion since it began investing in 2007.

About Pembrook Capital Management, LLC

Founded in 2006 by Stuart J. Boesky, Pembrook Capital Management invests in and originates commercial real estate debt to finance all parts of a capital structure including first mortgages, mezzanine, bridge loans, note financings, and preferred equity across the United States. The firm invests in most commercial real estate property categories, including multifamily, office, retail and industrial. http://www.pembrookgroup.com/

Media Contact

Great Ink Communications, (212) 741-2977

Tom Nolan ([email protected])

Eric Waters ([email protected])

SOURCE Pembrook

Related Links

http://www.pembrookgroup.com


In military parlance, no war, no peace mode refers to a confrontation or face-off position with enemies.

For over 50 days now, India and China are locked in a face-off in Doklam region of Sikkim. (File photo for representation)

By PTI: The Indian Army is in a no war, no peace mode against the Chinese military in Dokalam and status quo continues in the area, official sources said today.

They said there has been no specific movement of troops and weapons by the Indian Army in the area, adding whatever "movement" is taking place is for maintenance purpose.

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Asked specifically about reports of sending of troops from the Sukna-based 33 Corps to Doklam, the sources said there has been no enhancement of army personnel in the India- Bhutan-China trijunction.

We are in no war no peace mode in Doklam, the sources said.

In military parlance, no war, no peace mode refers to a confrontation or face-off position with enemies.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory and has been demanding immediate pull-out of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau. Bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims it to be its territory and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.

ALSO READ:

Countdown to India-China military clash has begun: Chinese daily on Doklam standoff

Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai only way out: Dalai Lama on India-China Doklam standoff

Doklam border standoff: Will there be an India-China war?

WATCH: Why war is not an option for India and China

--- ENDS ---
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo and Tops Friendly Markets are partnering with Feed the Children today to provide 800 families in need with a week's worth of food and essentials  enough supplies to fill two large semi-trucks. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. at Parking Lot 40, 1650 Lake Avenue.

"We know families are beginning to prepare for a new school year and we want to help them get off to a great start by providing for some of their needs," said Bonnie Keith, account manager, west New York, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division. "Families should never have to wonder where their next meal is coming from and we're proud to continue our partnership with Feed the Children and Tops Friendly Markets to help the great people of Rochester."

Each qualifying recipient, previously identified by Catholic Family Center, will be given:

one 25-pound box of nonperishable food items

one 10-pound box of personal-care items

one box of AVON products

products One 20-count Frito-Lay Smart Mix snacks

snacks One 20-count Frito-Lay Baked & Popped Mix snacks

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars

Quaker Standard Oats

Quaker Breakfast Flats

Aquafina

Lipton Iced Tea

Produce and nonperishable food items provided by Tops Friendly Markets

"Tops is committed to eradicating hunger in the communities we serve. We're thrilled to partner with our friends at PepsiCo and Feed the Children on this initiative. The way we see it, we're simply neighbors helping neighbors," said Andrew Brocato, director, community relations, Tops Friendly Markets.

This is the third annual event PepsiCo, Tops Markets and Feed the Children have hosted in the Rochester community, where 32 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Similar events will be hosted in other major U.S. cities throughout the remainder of the year.

"Catholic Family Center is grateful to be working once again with PepsiCo, Feed the Children, and our neighbors at Tops Markets. Together, these partners are truly providing vital nourishment for both body and mind to some of our city's most vulnerable families and children," said Marlene Bessette, CEO, Catholic Family Center.

About Tops Markets

Tops Markets, LLC, is headquartered in Williamsville, NY and operates 173.1 full-service supermarkets along with an additional five supermarkets operated by franchisees under the Tops banner. Currently Tops employees over 15,000 associates. Tops is a leading full-service grocery retailer in upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania, western Vermont, and north central Massachusetts. For more information about Tops Markets, visit the company's website at www.topsmarkets.com.

About Feed the Children

Established in 1979, Feed the Children exists to defeat hunger. It is one of the largest U.S.-based charities and serves those in need in the U.S. and in 10 countries around the world. It provides food, education, essentials and disaster response. Domestically, it operates 5 distribution centers (located in Oklahoma, Indiana, California, Tennessee and Pennsylvania).

In fiscal year 2016, through its domestic and international programs, Feed the Children distributed 105 million pounds of food and essentials worldwide with a total value of $415 million, working with partner agencies to benefit 5.9 million people globally. It is accredited by GuideStar Exchange and, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. Visit www.feedthechildren.org for more information.

About Catholic Family Center

Catholic Family Center (CFC) is Greater Rochester's largest provider of comprehensive family services. Each year we assist tens of thousands of our neighbors, relatives and friends as they work to remain or become healthy, productive, participating members of our community. We serve all peopleregardless of religion, race, ethnicity, age, ability or gender. Our programs work together to address the many issues of human need across all stages of life.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated approximately $63 billion in net revenue in 2016, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose  our fundamental belief that the success of our company is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around us. We believe that continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world is what enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

SOURCE PepsiCo

Related Links

http://www.pepsico.com


LONDON, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The only conference in Europe dedicated to finding the right strategy to comply with the multitude of regulations governing the development of combination products

With the market for combination products rapidly increasing, the market is set to hit $115 billion by 2019. Digital innovation within product design are starting to transform the pharmaceutical industry, improving patient usability and adherence. The challenges faced now is how to incorporate these new designs into already difficult regulations from both pharma and medical device to fully take advantage of the new design advances.



Thorough understanding of these regulations is vital in order to comprehend the impact and scope these regulations will have on organisations.

The Combination Products Forum, taking place on the 24th - 26th October in Munich will help you understand how to make sense of the regulatory contradictions, implement digital platforms within product development and how device and drug approaches could harmonise with one another to improve mechanisms and usability of combination products. Download the event programme.

About Pharma IQ

Pharma IQ has 100k+ members and is an international online community focusing on providing pharmaceutical professionals with knowledge, information and articles. Pharma IQ is dedicated to creating a learning environment for sharing ideas, best practices and solutions within the pharmaceutical community. To learn more about Pharma IQ or for early registration rates visit combinationproducts.iqpc.co.uk

Media Contact: Rumina Akther, Trainee Marketing Manager, IQPC: [email protected] or call +44-(0)207-036-1300

Press are invited to attend this important industry summit; if you would like to a complimentary press pass please email Rumina Akther on [email protected]

SOURCE Pharma IQ
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The PTCB Board of Governors has announced that after leading PTCB through some of its most successful years of growth and advancement, PTCB's Executive Director and CEO Everett B. McAllister, MPA, RPh, Col., USAF (Ret.), has announced he will leave PTCB at the end of 2017 to pursue a new career in ministry. The Board has initiated a search for a new executive, and intends to fill the position by the end of the year. Col. McAllister plans to overlap with his successor during a transition period to ensure continuity in leadership.

"It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to serve in this capacity and I have enjoyed every minute of my time at PTCB," said Col. McAllister. "I have met so many wonderful people in my travels. I am extremely proud of the patient care and other work done by the pharmacy community. The enthusiasm and dedication demonstrated by the pharmacy technician workforce is amazing. The decision to say goodbye was very difficult and required much prayer and counsel, but now is the right time. I know I am leaving PTCB in excellent condition.

"When I came to PTCB, we had much we wanted to achieve. During my tenure, we collaborated with the pharmacy community toward building consensus around pharmacy technician standards, rolled out PTCB Program changes to advance technician qualifications, optimized our online application and customer management systems, and launched the development of a new specialty certification. We did all this and much more, including expanded outreach to State Boards of Pharmacy, and the celebration of exceptional Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhTs) in new roles. The staff, volunteers and stakeholder leaders are energized in their commitment to our mission to advance medication safety by certifying qualified technicians for all practice settings."

Before joining PTCB as Executive Director & CEO in March 2012, Col. McAllister served as the Deputy Director of the Pharmaceutical Operations Directorate, TRICARE Management Activity, within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense in Washington, DC. He also served as the senior Department of Defense's (DoD) military pharmacist and policy advisor, responsible for managing a complex, multi-venued $7.6 billion pharmacy program, impacting more than 9.6 million DoD beneficiaries worldwide.

"On behalf of the PTCB Board of Governors, and with a mix of sadness and appreciation, I thank Everett for his five and a half years of dedicated service, leadership, and many accomplishments," said Larry Wagenknecht, RPh, BPharm, Chair of the PTCB Board of Governors. "I congratulate him on his new career and wish him every success, but we are sorry to see him leave. Under his leadership, PTCB convened pharmacy stakeholders to begin developing the architecture to define a career path for technicians. Everett nurtured and strengthened strategic alliances and partnerships with major employers, educators, state pharmacy associations, and State Boards of Pharmacy. PTCB remains focused on continuing this forward momentum with an emphasis on excellence to fulfill our mission." Mr. Wagenknecht said Col. McAllister's leadership yielded many achievements, including:

Collaborating to build alliances to advance medication safety

Leading PTCB as total certifications granted exceeded 610,000

Conducting PTCB's public perception survey revealing that the public values certification and expects technicians to have the right credentials

Hosting the 2017 Pharmacy Technician Stakeholder Consensus Conference to seek agreement on how best to ensure competency of pharmacy technicians

Launching PTCB's sponsorship initiative for educators and employers

Expanding PTCB's international relationships through the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)

Upgrading PTCB's database and customer management system, thereby increasing efficiency, and expanding staff from about 17 to 30

Launching initiatives to enhance the image of CPhTs and the PTCB brand, including PTCB's annual Progress Report and the PTCB CPhT of the Year

Regarding PTCB's future, Col. McAllister said, "PTCB has a strong commitment to defining pharmacy technician career pathways, and will continue to work tirelessly to find common ground in the pharmacy community to accomplish this. PTCB has a great future ahead as the organization will increasingly serve young CPhTs entering the evolving pharmacy workplace."

The search for a successor is being conducted for the PTCB Board by Julie Goodyear of Goodyear Executive Search. Visit ptcb.org to learn more about PTCB. The position profile and application information will be available at www.goodexecsearch.com.

View the release:

http://www.ptcb.org/about-ptcb/news-room/news-landing/2017/08/09/ptcb-executive-director-and-ceo-everett-b.-mcallister-mpa-rph-announces-his-departure-for-new-career

About PTCB

PTCB is the leading certifying body for pharmacy technicians in the US, and has granted more than 610,000 certifications since its founding in 1995. PTCB's mission is to advance medication safety by certifying technicians who are qualified to support pharmacists and patient care teams in all practice settings. PTCB was established by the American Pharmacists Association; American Society of Health-System Pharmacists; Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists; and Michigan Pharmacists Association; and joined in 2001 by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. PTCB advocates a single national standard for pharmacy technician certification that is recognized and supported by the pharmacy profession. PTCB's national Certification Program services more than 283,000 active Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhTs) nationwide. Visit www.ptcb.org.

SOURCE Pharmacy Technician Certification Board

Related Links

http://www.ptcb.org


Aplidin  is an ideal compound for combining with other therapies given its absence of Hematological toxicity, excellent safety profile along with its already demonstrated tolerance in triple combination

The success of this study will place Aplidin at the front line of multiple myeloma treatment

The trial looks at combating multiple myeloma with the synergies of different mechanisms of action, increasing the possibility of success.

PharmaMar (MCE: PHM) announced the start of a multicenter quadruple combination clinical study with Aplidin (plitidepsina), along with other compounds for the treatment of multiple myeloma.

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the recommended dose (RD), the efficacy of the combination along with the safety profile, evaluating potential response and resistance markers, amongst other parameters.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150203/727958-b )



The above mentioned study will follow the same line in combating multiple myeloma with compounds that have different mechanisms of action to increase the success rate. Aplidin has already demonstrated, through other studies, its potential in combining with other compounds, due to its lack of hematological toxicity. Given this, Aplidin can be administered at a maximum dose, with the corresponding increase in efficacy of the therapy. This will put Aplidin on the first line of multiple myeloma treatment.

In this quadruple combination; Aplidin will be administered along with pomalidomide, bortezomib and dexamethasone, products, all of which are indicated in early stages of treatment. Various centers, both in Spain and in the Czech Republic are taking part. As Dr Arturo Soto, director of the Clinical Department at PharmaMar Business Unit explains, "Aplidin is an ideal compound for combining with other drugs that are commonly used in the treatment of multiple myeloma, given the absence of hematological toxicity, its excellent safety profile and good tolerability. With this molecule we can provide the actual therapeutic arsenal with a different mechanism of action to attack myeloma cells. In the future, the treatment of multiple myeloma patients will be based on combined therapies."

Contact: Media Relations (+34-638-79-62-15) and Investor Relations (+34-914444500)

SOURCE PharmaMar
As they said, to fulfill their shared promise made five years ago, these three youngsters travelled a long distance from Nanchang, 'the City of Heroes' of China, gathering in Japan to express their patriotism and affection for their home country in the form of singing red song chorus. Accompanying their singing was an official promo of Nanchang displayed on the huge screen at the back of them. As images of Nanchang's unique landmarks like the Monument of Nanchang Uprising, Tengwang Pavilion and the Twin Tower flittered one by one, their melody brought passersby, especially overseas Chinese back to that heroic city which, 90 years ago, once gave birth to the first authentic people's army led by the Communist Party of China.

The video recording their heart-stirring deed has gone viral in China once posted on the Internet, which draws great attention from not only the press but also Internet users, many of which have voiced their admiration and consensus via remarks. Some said that the combination of a renown red song and an inspiring official commercial made them deeply touched as if they were left in dire peril as ancestors were in that time of upheaval and struggle, and that not until they were reminded by their performance, could they remember what those revolutionary martyrs who laid down their lives for a just cause and thus attained the stature of epic heroes fought forthey carried forward the noble cause for the sake of their beloved homeland and compatriot.

Ninety years ago, a gunshot in Nanchang declared the birth of a brand-new people's army. Nowadays, Nanchang with the pioneering spirit, is marching in big progress to be an international city. On the 90th anniversary of the founding of Chinese army, Nanchang made its first attempt to build on its international presence establish, advertising via videos on outdoor digital screens and giant posters, on Ginza Square in Tokyo and Times Square in New York. It is reported that in late September, the International Military Music Festival is to be held in Nanchang, during which, a series of promos will continue to be released in several cosmopolitan cities in order to immerse the whole world into a shared solemn atmosphere in memory of revolutionary martyrs.

Carried out by Publicity Department of the CPC Nanchang Municipal Committee and Nanchang Municipal Committee for Tourism Development, this overseas branding campaign of Nanchang is one of the joint efforts made to develop local tourism industry. Furthermore, by portraying and stressing Nanchang' historical significance, this series of promotion is also believed to function as a platform for the world to have a better comprehension of Chinese history and culture, and thus enhance mutual understanding and improve overseas branding of China.

Media Contact:

Xiaojiao Kang

[email protected]

+86 158 0213 2271

SOURCE Nanchang Municipal Committee for Tourism Development
BREA, Calif., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the costliest aspects of being a pet owner is providing proper veterinary care when medical issues arise. A great way to take a bite out of veterinary expenses without shortchanging your pet's health is to provide preventive care with annual comprehensive wellness examinations. To show the potential savings that wellness care can provide, Nationwide, the nation's first and largest provider of pet health insurance, recently sorted through its database of more than 600,000 insured pets to determine cost savings associated with the most common preventive dog and cat conditions. Following is a cost analysis of the five most common ailments that can be avoided through preventive veterinary care:

Dental Diseases :

Examples: Tooth infection or cavity; periodontal disease.

Average cost per pet to treat: $391

Average cost per pet to prevent: $180

Prevention tips: Routine dental care, such as brushing your pet's teeth, can result in improved overall health. The most effective preventive treatment for dental disease is having your pet's teeth cleaned by a veterinary professional. This annual cleaning will remove plaque buildup and tartar before it leads to more serious oral issues, such as tooth decay and periodontal disease. It's recommended that pets have their teeth checked by a veterinarian every six to 12 months.

External Parasites :

Examples: Lyme disease transmitted by ticks; and allergic dermatitis caused by fleas.

Average cost per pet to treat: $244

Average cost per pet to prevent: $121

Prevention tips: Use preventive flea and tick medications as recommended by your veterinarian. Keep your pet and home environment free of fleas and ticks. Thoroughly check your pets after outdoor activities and contact your veterinarian if fleas and ticks are spotted.

Internal Parasites :

Examples: Heartworms, roundworms, tapeworms and Giardia.

Average cost per pet to treat: $207

Average cost per pet to prevent: $35

Prevention tips: Annual fecal exams and preventive medications can greatly reduce the chance of a parasitic infestation. Keep your pet and your home environment free of fleas. Clean up your pet's feces immediately, and eliminate exposure to the feces of other animals when your pet ventures outside your home.

Infectious Diseases :

Examples: Parvovirus, Lyme disease and feline leukemia virus.

Average cost per pet to treat: $841

Average cost per dog to prevent using core vaccines: $94

Average cost per cat to prevent using core vaccines: $81

Prevention tips: Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent contraction of common canine and feline infectious diseases. A vaccination protocol recommended by your veterinarian may include additional vaccines based on your pet's exposure risk (e.g. outside cat, area with high prevalence of ticks, etc.).

Reproductive Organ Diseases :

Examples: Pyometra (infection of uterus), prostatitis (infection or inflammation of prostate gland) and ovarian neoplasia.

Average cost per pet to treat: $609

Average cost per pet to prevent: $323

Prevention tips: Spay (removal of the ovaries and uterus of a female pet) or neuter (removal of the testicles of a male pet) your pet, as recommended by your veterinarian.

Respiratory Infections :

Examples: Tracheobronchitis or kennel cough; feline upper respiratory virus

Average cost per pet to treat: $190

Average cost per dog to prevent: $24

Average cost per cat to prevent: $21

Prevention tips: The Bordatella vaccination as recommended by your veterinarian.

"Seeking a veterinarian's recommendation for wellness care not only saves pet owners money, but also helps prevent our pets from unnecessary, painful ailments," said Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary officer for Nationwide. "The cornerstone of good veterinary care has always been catching diseases early. I strongly recommend that pet owners schedule routine wellness examinations with their local veterinarian. Being proactive is in your pet's best interest."

Nationwide's newest and most popular pet health insurance plan, Whole Pet with Wellness, is the only pet insurance plan in the United States that includes wellness care in its base plan, with coverage for procedures such as spay/neuter, vaccinations, dental cleanings, flea/tick medications, heartworm medication and prescription pet food.*

*Whole Pet with Wellness will cover 90% of eligible veterinary expenses. To learn more about pet health insurance plans and coverage, go to www.petinsurance.com

About Nationwide pet insurance

With more than 600,000 insured pets, pet insurance from Nationwide is the first and largest pet health insurance provider in the United States. Since 1982, Nationwide has helped provide pet owners with peace of mind and is committed to being the trusted choice of America's pet lovers.

Nationwide plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Insurance plans are offered and administered by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company in California and DVM Insurance Agency in all other states. Underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (CA), Brea, CA, an A.M. Best A+ rated company (2016); National Casualty Company (all other states), Columbus, OH, an A.M. Best A+ rated company (2016). Pet owners can find Nationwide pet insurance on Facebook or follow on Twitter. For more information about Nationwide pet insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.

About Nationwide

Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the U.S. and is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's. The company provides a full range of insurance and financial services, including auto, commercial, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; banking and mortgages; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com.

Nationwide and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. 2017 Nationwide.

CONTACT:

Media Relations

(714) 706-5652

[email protected]



SOURCE Nationwide

Related Links

http://www.nationwide.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 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

U.S. Trade Policy

Fear of North Korea at an All-Time High

at an All-Time High Options Limited to Block Water Use for Texas Oil Drilling

12th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

MEDIA JOBS

Reporter  Citywire USA (NY)

(NY) U.S. Correspondent, Tech  South China Morning Post (NY/CA)

Reporter  SparkSpread (NY/TX/ London )

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

6 Steps to Finding Your True Writing Voice

Blogger Events: Top Events to Attend in August

Blog Profiles: Hodgepodge, Part 2

-------------------------------------------------------------------

EXPERT ALERTS:

U.S. Trade Policy

Douglas Collins

Vice President, Regional Director of Risk Services  Americas

Atradius

"Diplomatic relations have been on a roller coaster, and uncertainty surrounding trade policy in particular  both what will be implemented and what would be feasible outside the bounds of WTO dispute resolution mechanisms  has become a central concern. While fears have largely eased as the US administration appears to be taking a more traditional and pragmatic approach to trade policy, much certainty still clouds the Mexican and Canadian economy's outlook."

With mounting uncertainty surrounding NAFTA renegotiations and other U.S. policy directions in international trade, Collins and other experts from Atradius, a trade credit insurer with global research and analysis expertise, can address how these factors could adversely affect sentiment and investment, as well as the impact on U.S. businesses.

Website: www.atradius.us

Contact: Nina Kult, [email protected]



Fear of North Korea at an All-Time High

Dr. John Huber

Chairman

Mainstream Mental Health

Concern about North Korea's nuclear aspirations has reached a high of 75 percent, and nine in 10 Americans reject the idea that the communist nation should become a nuclear power, according to a new survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Says Dr. Huber: "Americans are afraid of Kim Jong-Un. Rightfully so -- as North Korea's leader, he is explosive and unpredictable. He has killed his own family members publicly with poison and with mortar rounds. Not exactly the kind of stability we would expect from a nuclear power. Compared to our confrontation with Russia and that nuclear threat, the U.S. and Russia had a lot to lose, so they never pulled the trigger over concerns with mutually assured destruction. With Kim Jong-Un, there is not much to lose with the sanctions placed on them and the limited resources the country has. Ultimately, the concern is real if North Korea truly has the technology to launch a nuclear ICBMs. What to do? Living your life in constant fear is not how to live. If you have children and you are openly scared, you are teaching your kids to live in fear and are taking away their childhood. If you are anxious, learn some basic relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing. Be aware of how your fear and anxiety affects others. Learn to accept uncertainty and that we cannot control some things. Lastly, never stop laughing. Find the humor in life and roll with it. Laughter reduces blood pressure and relieves stress. Life is too short not to laugh!"

Based in Texas, Dr. Huber is the chairman for Mainstream Mental Health, a nonprofit organization that brings lasting and positive change to the lives of individuals that suffer from mental health issues. A mental health professional for more than 20 years, Dr. Huber is a clinical forensic psychologist and a practitioner with privileges at two long-term acute-care hospitals. In addition, Dr. Huber is a professor and teaches undergraduate and graduate psychology at Texas State University.

Website: www.mainstreammentalhealth.org

Contact: Ryan McCormick, [email protected]



Options Limited to Block Water Use for Texas Oil Drilling

Leonard Dougal

Environmental Lawyer

Jackson Walker LLP in Austin

The West Texas oil boom has sprouted new businesses to pump water from aquifers for sale to companies for hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. That worries some residents in the region, where water is a precious resource. Some are threatening lawsuits. Texas law says that landowners own the water below their land. However, Texas has a fragmented system of regulating groundwater through conservation districts. Says Dougal: "The districts' goals are generally to protect the aquifers and to attempt to impose some fair rights to usage, such as restrictions on well spacing and pumping. The district boards are generally composed of landowners, so there is often a common interest in approving usage that benefits the local area. Oil and gas development brings jobs, for example. But if a company wants to develop a well field, then pump and transport water outside the district, that type of proposal will get much more scrutiny. Water rights have been the source of many court challenges. In Southern California, part of an aquifer lies beneath federal lands occupied by a Native American tribe seeking a say in how that water is used by the public utilities controlling it. The U.S. Supreme Court may take up that issue this fall."

News Contact: Kit Frieden, [email protected]



12th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

U.S. (Ret.) Col. David Dodd

Director/Founder

Point 27

Dodd and his brigade spent 40 days in the three-state disaster area, where the military provided security, humanitarian relief support, and temporary services, including communications, transportation and medical help, until civilian services could be made available. Dodd's battalion was charged with providing the communication network for the military forces who conducted rescue operations. Says Dodd: "Communications between the military and civil authorities was critical, but the commercial communication networks were destroyed. It was difficult for Lt. Gen. Honore to communicate quickly and consistently with police, fire and rescue first responders, and civilians working to restore power, water and emergency services. Like me, many of the soldiers from my brigade had previously deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. They were honored and excited to deploy to Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas to help American citizens."

Based in the metro Atlanta area, Dodd served 27 years in the military and was sent to five major deployments: the Panama Invasion; Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia and Iraq; Operation Iraqi Freedom in Kuwait and Iraq; and, on the homefront, to New Orleans and the hurricane disaster areas following Hurricane Katrina and Tropical Storm/Hurricane Rita.

ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/daviddodd

Website: https://point27.org

Contact: Marcia Davis, [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/

Reporter  Citywire USA (NY)

(NY) U.S. Correspondent, Tech  South China Morning Post (NY/CA)

Reporter  SparkSpread (NY/TX/ London )

*****************

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.

6 STEPS TO FINDING YOUR TRUE WRITING VOICE. Developing your voice is vital to creating individual content -- it creates a bond with readers, brands your content, gives you focus, and makes your writing stand out. It's how you get people to read what you're writing in the first place, and it makes them hungry for more. They come back because they like how you present ideas. It's also the only sustainable way to write. If you always try to sound like someone else, you'll burn out. Try these seven steps to finding and honing your unique voice: http://prn.to/2unidL7

BLOGGER EVENTS: TOP EVENTS TO ATTEND IN AUGUST. Each month, the Audience Research team shares information of hot events for the blogging world. Here are some events you'll want to know about for August: http://prn.to/2uZyObq

BLOG PROFILES: HODGEPODGE, 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 a few blogs they're been reading lately: http://prn.to/2vJfTCw

****************

PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire.

To contact ProfNet: [email protected] or 800-776-3638, ext. 1

SOURCE ProfNet

Related Links

http://www.profnet.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PurePoint Financial, a hybrid digital bank and division of MUFG Union Bank, N.A. aimed at committed savers, today announced the opening of two Financial Centers in New York, located on Park Avenue in Manhattan and in Scarsdale on Central Park Ave. Another Financial Center is slated to open in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. later this year.

Beginning August 14, New York residents will be able to visit their PurePoint Financial Center and enjoy a modern, streamlined and cashless experience with a smaller footprint than traditional banks (2,000 square feet on average) including beautiful decor, a relaxed setting and hospitality area. Clients will also enjoy market-leading rates, no monthly fees and knowledgeable savings professionals available to help answer questions about FDIC insurance[1] and how best to save.

"New York City isn't just the global financial capital, it's also a place full of busy people who want to save more, and want the flexibility to do so at the time and place that make sense for their 24/7 lives," said Pierre Habis, President of PurePoint Financial. "We're thrilled to officially open our doors here and to help the people of New York reach their savings goals sooner with in-person counsel and great rates."

PurePoint Financial, which debuted in February 2017, provides a unique savings experience tailored to the evolving needs of customers. When developing its new offering, PurePoint Financial listened to what committed savers want  market-leading rates, the convenience and around-the-clock access that comes from banking online and the ability to meet with a savings professional in-person when they need to  and built their business model around those needs. PurePoint Financial exclusively offers savings accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs), combining the convenience of online banking with an exceptional client experience online, over the phone or in-person at PurePoint Financial Centers.

Saving still a challenge for New York

Earlier this year, PurePoint Financial released the findings of its "Savings Habits in America" research that explored how and why Americans are saving in select cities, including the greater New York region. The findings painted a picture of the unique savings dreams and challenges in the area:

New York residents know they can do better: 77% of respondents believe they should be saving more than they currently are. Less than 12% are comfortable with their current savings balance.

of respondents believe they than they currently are. Less than 12% are comfortable with their current savings balance. Women in New York are better at saving. 27% of women have saved at least $10,000 , compared to only 20% of men.

of women , compared to only 20% of men. Too many regularly 'dip into the well.' 7 in 10 people in New York draw from their savings multiple times per year, and 41% pull from their savings at least once a month.

people in draw from their savings multiple times per year, and pull from their savings Temptation to enjoy money outweighs known need to save. 69% of people in New York regret spending on non-necessities that could have been put toward savings.

PurePoint Financial Center celebrates local NY art with a Command Performance

As part of its debut locally, PurePoint will celebrate the renowned excellence in art and performance that characterizes New York City by partnering with local photographer Rachel Neville to feature her work "A Command Performance." This stunning exhibit, the first in a rotating series planned, will feature a collection of still images captured by Neville that showcase the power of movement and the ability of dance to capture the human experience. Her unique photography will be on display at the PurePoint Park Avenue Financial Center through December.

Visit a PurePoint Financial Center

PurePoint Financial Centers are open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am  5:00 pm (excluding federal holidays). With the addition of the Park Avenue location, eighteen PurePoint Financial Centers are currently open in the New York, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and Tampa Bay areas, with others slated to open later this year.

About PurePoint Financial

PurePoint Financial is a division of MUFG Union Bank, N.A., a proud member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), one of the world's leading financial groups. As the next evolution in the financial services industry, PurePoint Financial is the modern way to save  online, over the phone or in person. PurePoint offers market-leading CD and savings rates, no monthly fees and all the flexibility and convenience of online banking with 24/7 access from your computer, tablet or mobile devices. PurePoint also offers Financial Centers at select locations staffed by knowledgeable team members who are committed to delivering exceptional experience.

About the PurePoint Saving Habits in America Research

The PurePoint Saving Habits in America Research is an online survey of 3,015 adults (18+ years of age) in the U.S. 2,015 of the completed surveys collected were nationally representative. Data shown is from the nationally representative sample and a sample of respondents from the greater New York-New Jersey metro area. The research was commissioned by PurePoint Financial and produced by independent research firm Edelman Intelligence. The margin of error for the total sample is +/-1.8 percentage points, +/- 2.2 percentage points for the nationally representative sample, and +/- 6.9 percentage points for each designated market area. Data was collected Jan. 23  Jan. 30, 2017 by Edelman Intelligence.

About MUFG Union Bank, N.A.

MUFG Union Bank, N.A., is a full-service bank with offices across the United States. We provide a wide spectrum of corporate, commercial and retail banking and wealth management solutions to meet the needs of customers. We also offer an extensive portfolio of value-added solutions for customers, including investment banking, personal and corporate trust, global custody, transaction banking, capital markets, and other services. With assets of $116.7 billion, as of June 30, 2017, MUFG Union Bank has strong capital reserves, credit ratings and capital ratios relative to peer banks. MUFG Union Bank is a proud member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (NYSE: MTU), one of the world's largest financial organizations with total assets of approximately 304.2 trillion (JPY) or $2.7 trillion (USD)[2], as of June 30, 2017. The corporate headquarters (principal executive office) for MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation, which is the financial holding company and MUFG Union Bank, is in New York City. The main banking office of MUFG Union Bank is in San Francisco, California.

[1] Deposits of PurePoint Financial and MUFG Union Bank, N.A. are combined and not separately insured for FDIC insurance purposes

[2]Exchange rate of 1 USD=112.0 (JPY) as of June 30, 2017

SOURCE PurePoint Financial
WASHINGTON, Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rick Kurtz and RD Training Systems are bringing their real estate training to Washington DC this coming August 2017. This ground breaking real estate training is to help professional agents stay up-to-date and on the top of many competitors.

Rick Kurtz & RD Training Systems

This training will give the participants a lot of good tools that can help them become thriving in the field of real estate. Once they use the tools, expect nothing but a positive and fruitful result. There are a lot of things to be expected during the meeting, including high power and minute-to-minute content rich presentations. Rick Kurtz, the speaker, focuses on proven systems which are made by Realtors for Realtors. This seminar will teach real agents how to run a real estate business.

If you would like to know how to come to this or any of our other events, please don't hesitate to reach out and let us know.

Call Us Today at (844) 454-8787 or visit our website at http://rdtrainingsystems.com

30012 Ivy Glenn, Ste. 130 Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIiHPRmFTBo

SOURCE Rick Kurtz & RD Training Systems

Related Links

http://rdtrainingsystems.com


MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- RedBrick Health, a leader in health and well-being solutions, today announced that it will be presenting with Parkview Health at the St. Louis Business Health Coalition (BHC) Member Meeting on August 10 in St. Louis, Missouri. The BHC's mission is to support employer efforts to inspire excellence in healthcare.

Kurt Cegielski, RedBrick founder and senior vice president of employer services, and Kristen Ruble, manager of the MyWell-Being Program at Parkview Health, will co-lead a presentation titled "Engaging Health Plan and Health Improvement Partners for Success." They will discuss Parkview Health's well-being strategy and outcomes, and howwith the help of RedBrickParkview Health has achieved better outcomes and a more positive employee perception of its well-being program.

Parkview Health serves over 11,000 employees, and is the largest regional employer in northeastern Indiana and northwestern Ohio. Parkview Health routinely achieves high engagement in its RedBrick Health well-being program, and this year saw an increase in both perceived health status and employer support from its employeesresulting in percentages at the highest levels of RedBrick book of business results.

"We are excited to be presenting with Parkview Health at the BCH August Member Meeting," said Kurt Cegielski. "Parkview is making great progress improving the health of its workforce, and we cannot wait to share the story and the research surrounding it."

This year's BHC meeting includes addresses from four major health plans in Missouri: Aetna, Anthem, Cigna and UnitedHealthcare, as well as an exclusive group of vendors that includes RedBrick Health. The event is open to all BHC members. RedBrick and Parkview Health's sessions take place on Thursday, August 10, at 10:00 and 10:45 a.m.

For more information about how RedBrick Health can help you re-invigorate your well-being program, connect with us at [email protected].

About Parkview Health

Parkview Health is a not-for-profit, community-based health system serving a northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio population of more than 820,000. With more than 10,000 employees, Parkview Health is the region's largest employer. As a not-for-profit organization, Parkview Health's mission is to improve health and inspire well-being in the communities it serves.

The Parkview Health system includes nine hospitals and a network of primary care and specialty physicians. The flagship Parkview Regional Medical Center campus includes services such as the Parkview Heart Institute, Samaritan flight and ground transport program, orthopedic hospital, a certified stroke center, verified adult and pediatric trauma centers, women's & children's hospital, outpatient services center and comprehensive cancer center. Construction is underway for a patient-centered and physician-led cancer institute, also on the Parkview Regional Medical Center campus, which will open in 2018.

Parkview Regional Medical Center and Parkview Huntington Hospital were recently named two of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals by Truven Health AnalyticsTM. Parkview Health was also named the 2017 Workplace of the Year by The Advisory Board Company.

About RedBrick Health

RedBrick Health helps organizations improve their populations' health and well-being. Because every consumer has unique needs, we combine our exclusive Behavior Change Framework with adaptive technology and live concierge services to drive greater engagement and more lasting results than industry norms. Over 100 leading employers, partners, health plans and healthcare delivery organizations rely on RedBrick Health to measurably improve the health of their populationswhile measurably improving their bottom line.

Visit RedBrick at RedBrickHealth.com, read more at the Health Innovation Blog, or follow the company on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contact

Cynthia Henry

612-659-3137

[email protected]

SOURCE RedBrick Health

Related Links

https://home.redbrickhealth.com


By PTI: docs

New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) Doctors at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) today suggested that people above the age of 60 years should get themselves vaccinated against flu and pneumonia.

AIIMS Geriatric Medicine department, HOD, Dr A B Dey said pneumonia and respiratory infections are one of the leading causes of ICU admissions for elderly people which requires ventilatory support.

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Data suggests that 60 per cent of ICU beds both in public and private hospitals are occupied by patients aged above 60 years suffering mostly from pneumonia.

"There is no awareness about vaccination in adults. Most people associate vaccination with childhood and are do not know about the flu or pneumococcal vaccines which elderly should take to guard against respiratory infections," AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said.

Guleria said vaccine provides almost 70?80 per cent immunity against seasonal flu, if the strain of virus in circulation is matched.

However, in case the virus mutates, the vaccination can still provide up to 40 per cent immunity and reduce the severity of symptoms, he said.

People need to take shots for seasonal flu annually to get immunity against the strain of flu virus in circulation in a particular year.

"Vaccines should be given to people above 60 years as recommended by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and it should be again repeated after the age of 80," said Dr Prashun Chatterjee, assistant professor in the Geriatric Medicine department of AIIMS.

Dr Dey said people above the age of 75 who are being treated at AIIMS are given flu shots and those above 60 with underlying chronic conditions like heart diseases and others are also vaccinated.

Also, Under the national geriatric programme, flu and pneumonia shots are provided to anyone above the age of 75 at all regional geriatric centres, he said. PTI PLB KIS

--- ENDS ---
DALLAS, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Two researchers have been awarded grants that could help uncover the next breakthrough in heart-health research, the American Heart Association and The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group announced Wednesday.

Suneel Apte at the Cleveland Clinic and Jeffrey Holmes at the University of Virginia have been awarded $1.5 million each to study the extracellular matrix  what scientists call the "natural glue" that holds tissues and organs together. However, recent evidence suggests that the extracellular matrix plays a much more central role in everything from aging to tissue repair to cell-to-cell communication. These dynamic aspects of the extracellular matrix remain understudied relative to other aspects of cardiovascular biology.

"With these grants, we are trying to go beyond traditional research approaches and reward out-of-box thinking," said Ivor Benjamin, M.D., professor and director of the Cardiovascular Center at Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin. Benjamin, who is also the AHA's president-elect and immediate past research committee chairman, helped select the two projects for funding.

Tom Skalak, Ph.D., Executive Director of The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group, said the organizations sought an uncommon approach to fight heart disease.

"Our shared feeling with the American Heart Association was that it was desirable to take a serious look at areas of cardiovascular knowledge outside of the most common approaches to heart health and disease," Skalak said. "That paved the way for this new work on extracellular matrix, and perhaps to a new era of heart health for millions of people. We're very excited about that prospect."

Suneel Apte, M.B.B.S., D. Phil, said architecture helps describe his work.

"If our body is a building, the cells are the bricks and the extracellular matrix, which binds cells together, is the mortar," said Apte, biomedical engineering researcher at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute. "Unlike mortar in a wall, extracellular matrix is not still but constantly moving and changing. It is continuously being broken down and rebuilt by cells of the heart and blood vessels, but this process is poorly understood."

Apte's research team will study how and why breakdown occurs normally, and how it may contribute to heart development and vascular disease. Too much extracellular matrix breakdown is harmful because it weakens the structure, and cells rely on correct extracellular matrix composition and quantity for health-giving information.

"Instead of timidly looking brick by brick at the mortar, we propose using new technology to take in all the changes in the tissues at one fell swoop," Apte said. "Ultimately, we hope our approach will find novel disease markers and targets to develop drugs that will treat cardiovascular disease."

Jeffrey Holmes, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Biomedical Engineering and Medicine at University of Virginia, Charlottesville, said his research will bring together investigators and methods from bioengineering, immunology, physiology and chemistry to study when, where and how information is encoded into the extracellular matrix.

"Many extracellular matrix proteins persist for years or decades, accumulating biochemical changes that fundamentally change tissue properties," Holmes said. "Thus, much of the information about long-term processes such as aging is stored in the extracellular matrix and read back by new cells as they arrive."

To understand how information is stored in the ECM, Holmes and his team will consider how proteins are deposited, how rapidly they turn over, what role aging plays in these changes, and how these changes influence cell-matrix interactions.

This joint endeavor leverages the combined strength of the American Heart Association, with renowned expertise in cardiovascular research, and The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group, which supports pioneering scientific explorers with the potential to transform cardiovascular medicine.

More information about AHA's scientific grants and application processes can be found on the AHA's website.

About The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group

The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group is dedicated to exploring the landscape of science to identify and fund pioneers with ideas that will advance knowledge and make the world better. Through continuous dialogue with scientists across the world, The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group seeks opportunities to expand the boundaries of knowledge and solve important problems. Programs include the Allen Discovery Centers at partner institutions for leadership-driven, compass-guided research, and the Allen Distinguished Investigators for frontier explorations with exceptional creativity and potential impact. The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group was founded in 2016 by philanthropist and visionary Paul G. Allen, and is a division of the Allen Institute, an independent 501(c)(3) medical research organization. For more information visit allenfrontiersgroup.org.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke  the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the American Stroke Association

The American Stroke Association is devoted to saving people from stroke  the No. 2 cause of death in the world and a leading cause of serious disability. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat stroke. The Dallas-based association officially launched in 1998 as a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit StrokeAssociation.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association receives funding mostly from individuals. Foundations and corporations donate as well, and fund specific programs and events. Strict policies are enforced to prevent these relationships from influencing the Association's science content. Financial information for the American Heart Association, including a list of contributions from pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers, is available at http://www.heart.org/corporatefunding.

For Media Inquiries: (214) 706-1173

Akeem Ranmal: [email protected], (214) 706-1755

For Public Inquiries: (800) AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and strokeassociation.org

SOURCE The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group
BASEL, Switzerland and LONDON, United Kingdom, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Roivant Sciences today announced a $1.1 billion equity investment led by the SoftBank Vision Fund. This investment, which includes existing shareholder participation, is intended to accelerate the launch of new subsidiaries within and beyond the biopharmaceutical industry.

Roivant focuses on developing and commercializing novel therapies through subsidiary 'Vants'. These include Axovant (neurology), Myovant (women's health and endocrine diseases), Dermavant (dermatology), Enzyvant (rare diseases), and Urovant (urology).

Datavant, a new technology-focused subsidiary, will be the first company in the Roivant family to operate outside of traditional biopharmaceutical development. Datavant aims to dissolve barriers between siloed healthcare datasets in order to unlock novel insights and reduce the time and cost of delivering innovative medicines to patients.

"We are pleased to welcome the SoftBank Vision Fund as a new investor in Roivant, and we are grateful for the continued support of our existing shareholders," said Vivek Ramaswamy, Founder and CEO of Roivant. "I admire SoftBank's long-term vision and I believe they will add significant strategic value to Roivant in the next phase of our growth."

"Roivant has attracted world-class talent in its pursuit of developing and commercializing drugs that target large unmet medical needs," said Akshay Naheta, Managing Director of SoftBank Group International. "We are impressed with the ambition and track record of the Roivant team and look forward to supporting them in the next step of their journey, as they look to effectively harness technology and leverage big data across all aspects of their business."

"Roivant has come a very long way in a relatively short period of time," said Dan Oren, President and CEO of Dexcel Pharma, a member of the Dexxon investor group which is both an initial investor in Roivant and a participant in this financing. "Since 2014 they have formed a diverse array of companies with many promising therapies in development. We supported Roivant at the very beginning and we continue to support them as they scale their operations and pursue new opportunities."

About Roivant Sciences

Roivant is dedicated to transformative innovation in healthcare. Roivant focuses on realizing the full potential of promising biomedical research by developing and commercializing novel therapies across diverse therapeutic areas. We partner with innovative biopharmaceutical companies and academic institutions to ensure that important medicines are rapidly developed and delivered to patients.

We advance our drug pipelines through wholly- or majority-owned subsidiary companies, including Axovant (neurology), Myovant (women's health and endocrine diseases), Dermavant (dermatology), Enzyvant (rare diseases), and Urovant (urology). Roivant also plans to launch new companies operating outside of traditional biopharmaceutical development. Roivant's long-range mission is to reduce the time and cost of developing and delivering new medicines for patients. For more information, please visit roivant.com.

About the SoftBank Vision Fund

The SoftBank Vision Fund invests globally in the businesses and technologies that will enable the next stage of the Information Revolution, and make tomorrow's world leading businesses possible.

The fund invests across all technology sectors and geographies, including computational biology, data-driven healthcare, and technology-enabled pharmaceutical businesses.

The Vision Fund will enable long-term, large-scale investments to fund growth and disruption in the technology sector.

Related Links

www.roivant.com

Media Contact:

Paul Davis

Roivant Sciences, Inc.

[email protected]

Office: +1 (646) 495-5310

SOURCE Roivant Sciences

Related Links

http://www.roivant.com


STOCKHOLM, August 09, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

MeaWallet A/S ("MeaWallet"), part of Seamless Distribution AB, has signed an agreement with a Hungarian bank for delivery of MeaWallet's proprietary technology for contactless card payments.

The technology will be delivered as a managed service, integrating MeaWallets tokenisation platform with the bank's banking application. The solution will enable the bank's clients to perform contactless card payments through the banks existing banking application.

- The Hungarian market is rapidly developing towards contactless payments, in fact already last year the number of contactless in-store transactions exceeded the number of traditional transactions. We aim to start the delivery in the third quarter and be in production early next year, delivering on our "short time to market" promise, says Lars Sandtorv, Head of MeaWallet.

The bank is one of the major banks in Hungary, a market where more than half of the payment cards in use have contactless capabilities.

This information is information that Seamless Distribution AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. This information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at CET 08:50 on August 9, 2017.

About Seamless

Since 2001 Seamless has been providing its proprietary solutions and systems for mobile phone transactions. Seamless operates in two main business areas; mobile phone payment solutions (provided through the brands SEQR and MeaWallet) and distribution of e-products. www.seamless.se

For further information, please contact:

Lars Sandtorv

Head of MeaWallet

[email protected]

+47-90955111

Martin N. Larsson

Head of Treasury/IR

[email protected]

+46-8-564-878-00

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/seamless-distribution-ab/r/seamless-delivers-contactless-payment-solution-to-a-hungarian-bank,c2323600

The following files are available for download:

http://mb.cision.com/Main/4815/2323600/707854.pdf Press release (PDF)

SOURCE Seamless Distribution AB

Related Links

http://www.seamless.se


SAN DIEGO, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Security On-Demand announced that CRN  , a brand of The Channel Company, has named the company to its 2017 Fast Growth 150 list. The list is CRN's annual ranking of North America-based technology integrators, solution providers and IT consultants with gross sales of at least $1 million that have experienced significant economic growth over the past two years. The 2017 list is based on gains in gross revenue between 2014 and 2016, and the companies recognized represent a total, combined revenue of more than $16B.

Said Peter Bybee, Security On-Demand CEO, "We appreciate CRN recognizing our accomplishments based on our growth and adoption of an advanced cyber threat detection and analytics platform leveraging patented Superscale Analytics and machine learning models. We know threat evolution is continuous and ever-changing, which is why innovation speed is a critical success component in the coming decade."

"The companies on CRN's 2017 Fast Growth 150 list are thriving in what is now a very tumultuous, demanding IT channel climate," said Robert Faletra, CEO of The Channel Company. "This remarkable group of solution providers has successfully adapted to a landmark industry shift away from the traditional VAR business model to a more services-driven approach, outpacing competitors and emerging as true channel leaders. We congratulate each of the honorees and look forward to their continued success."

About Security On-Demand

Security On-Demand (SOD) is a managed security services provider (MSSP) specializing in infrastructure protection, cyber-attack mitigation, 24x7 security monitoring and managed compliance solutions. Founded in 2001, it has been an industry pioneer and recognized innovator within the managed security industry with over a decade of experience in optimizing technology and security operations expertise. Its managed security solutions are powered by ThreatWatch, a 5th generation advanced threat analytics platform that includes network, user, & asset behavioral analysis, powerful visualization tools, Advanced Correlation Use Cases and a next generation Security Operations Center.

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. www.thechannelco.com

SOURCE Security On-Demand

Related Links

http://www.securityondemand.com


"This pilot shows we're serious about reducing the methane emissions associated with natural gas production to support the overall climate benefit of this fuel," said Greg Guidry, Executive Vice President Unconventionals, Shell. "Shell is looking at all aspects of its operations, from equipment to processes, to assess and identify emission reduction opportunities."

Shell follows global operating principles to develop its shales resources safely and responsibly, and has voluntary leak detection and repair programs across all its shale gas sites. However, the Quanta3 sensing system used in the pilot is a new technology that can continuously monitor methane emissions, unlike handheld optical gas imaging (OGI) cameras.

Dirk Richter, the Founder and CEO of Quanta3, said: "Our technology provides operators with real time information on the integrity and performance of their sites."

"A new frontier of methane detection is coming, and Shell is helping to give us a glimpse of that future," said Ben Ratner, Director, EDF. "The ultimate test will be whether the industry scales new tools and approaches to minimize wasteful methane emissions in North America and across the world."

West central Alberta was selected as the location for Shell's North American detector pilot as it offers the necessary infrastructure to adequately test the technology. Additionally, the cold weather conditions in Alberta provide a unique environment to test the system compared to previous pilots.

Depending on the outcome of the pilot, next generation detection technologies could be used to complement OGI cameras and other monitoring tools. These technologies could also have broader applications across the natural gas value chain.

In addition to the Methane Detectors Challenge, Shell is involved in other partnerships, including the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), to understand the gaps in methane data and detection technology to help both companies and policy-makers act more effectively.

Notes to Editors

Using recent US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) methane emission estimates and US Energy Information Administration (EIA) natural gas production values, the methane emission rate is derived to be around 1.1% in the natural gas sector (in the US), with the production segment making up approximately 0.7% of the total. Emission rates from Shell production facilities are estimated to be even lower. Effective leak detection is needed to maintain this low rate, and potentially even reduce it.

More information

https://www.edf.org/energy/natural-gas-policy/methane-detectors-challenge

www.shell.ca

www.shell.us

Cautionary note

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this release "Shell", "Shell group" and "Royal Dutch Shell" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies. ''Subsidiaries'', "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this release refer to companies over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as "joint ventures" and "joint operations" respectively. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as "associates". The term "Shell interest" is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in a venture, partnership or company, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

This release contains forward-looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Royal Dutch Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Royal Dutch Shell to market risks and statements expressing management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as ''anticipate'', ''believe'', ''could'', ''estimate'', ''expect'', ''goals'', ''intend'', ''may'', ''objectives'', ''outlook'', ''plan'', ''probably'', ''project'', ''risks'', "schedule", ''seek'', ''should'', ''target'', ''will'' and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Royal Dutch Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this release, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; and (m) changes in trading conditions. All forward-looking statements contained in this release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell's 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2015 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this release and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this release, August 9, 2018. Neither Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this release.

We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this release that United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. U.S. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

SOURCE Shell Canada Limited

Related Links

http://www.shell.ca


TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Shopicks, the fastest growing digital shopping platform known for revolutionizing and streamlining the art of online and mobile shopping, has rebranded its web extension, site and mobile app as Thinkover. Launched in December 2015 and rapidly approaching one million users, the successful e-commerce shopping app will continue to allow users to easily find, save and view items from any online retailer and will now be offering users new interactive features such as the ability to invite friends and then share, comment on and 'like' each other's items, as well as expanding into additional areas beyond traditional shopping behaviors.

Thinkover enables users to discover, collect, organize and manage online shopping on one easy-to-use platform, solving the largest e-commerce pain point for both consumers and retailers. Users can drag and drop any item into its proprietary "Thinkover Place" for easy reference, sharing, and to receive merchant alerts such as sale notifications. Before Thinkover's creation of this new space between buying and browsing, consumers suffered by having to save items on individual websites and risk losing or forgetting their coveted items. Additionally, Thinkover enables retailer's products to remain at the forefront of their customer's shopping behavior and thus facilitates more bottom-of-the-funnel transactions for merchants.

Thinkover features include:

Intuitive toolbar that pops up at the bottom of any webpage when shoppers want to use it

Ability for users to simply drag items found on any website into the toolbar

Personalized categories and collections for users to manage and compare all digital shopping in one location

Smarter shopping experience through instant sale notifications for all items in your "Thinkover Place"

Invite friends to follow and view your "Thinkover Place"

Easily share and receive items and collections from "Thinkover Place" with friends and family to rate, comment or give feedback on saved items

View and manage personalized list of retailers from mobile app using store thumbnail

Over the past six months, users of the platform have saved an average of one million new products per month from over thirty-two thousand stores globally and have proven to be extremely active and engaged in the shopping experience. As Thinkover, the platform will become an experiential, universal resource beyond the traditional retail industry and play a critical role in any type of decision making process where users need to think something over, as its name suggests.

"The overwhelming success of Shopicks has proven that there is high demand for this previously untapped space between browsing and buying," explained Adriana Neumann, Chief Executive Officer at Thinkover. "With Thinkover, we intend to become the go-to destination for anyone who wants to bring order, structure and convenience to the world of online browsing and shopping within any category, regardless of what type of item or area of interest they may be seeking."

The Thinkover browser extension is currently available for Google Chrome and Safari, with additional web browsers to be added soon. The Thinkover mobile app is currently available for iOS, with Android versions to also be available shortly.

For additional information regarding Thinkover, please visit www.thinkover.com.

About Thinkover

Thinkover has solved one of the primary frustrations that both consumers and e-commerce retailers face by creating a beautiful, intuitive and consistent location for mobile and web decision-making. Users can drag and drop any item into Thinkover's proprietary "Thinkover Place" for easy reference, for sharing, and to receive merchant alerts such as sale notifications. Before Thinkover's creation of this new space between buying and browsing, consumers had to save items on individual websites  where they were largely forgotten  or juggle dozens of links. Consumers lost track of items they loved, and merchants lost their ability to connect with their best customers. By allowing users to discover, collect, organize and manage their shopping, Thinkover solves the largest ecommerce pain point, and will facilitate more bottom-of-the-funnel transactions for merchants. Thinkover is currently available for Google Chrome, Safari and iOS. To learn more about Thinkover, please visit www.thinkover.com

SOURCE Thinkover

Related Links

http://www.thinkover.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Socure, a leading provider of digital identity verification predictive analytics technology, announced today that it has closed a $13.9 million Series B round of funding led by Commerce Ventures, with participation from Flint Capital, Work-Bench, Santander InnoVentures and Two Sigma Ventures, among others. The company recently announced a Series A-1 funding round in early December 2016 bringing total funding to date to $27.5 million. This round will enable Socure to scale sales and support operations, build out its infrastructure and drive market expansion. Socure's innovative machine learning solutions are quickly replacing people and legacy systems at major financial services and ecommerce institutions.

With customers including a top 5 US bank, a top 5 global money transfer provider, a top 10 US card issuer and many of the leading digital banks, lenders and insurers, Socure continues to reimagine digital identity verification, leveraging its artificial intelligence and machine-learning techniques. Digital commerce is now a market mandate, forcing companies to be able to identify, acquire, and trust new digital customers or risk limiting revenue growth.

"In an increasingly digital world, establishing identity is critical to the success of the next-generation financial services and commerce eco-systems," said Dan Rosen, Partner of Commerce Ventures. "Socure has become a leader in digital identity verification by applying state of the art machine learning technologies to 300-plus identity-relevant data sources. We are very excited to join Socure as they continue their growth and expand into new markets."

Security and fraud prevention continue to remain key issues in the financial services industry. In an age where breaches are not uncommon, the more traditional approaches to digital identity verification are not helping the market meet growth goals. Socure's technology has demonstrated market leadership boasting the most experience and understanding within this burgeoning segment. Leading companies rely on Socure's highly accurate technology to accept more new customers while dramatically reducing fraud.

"Socure continues to prove they are the next generation solution for digital identity verification and fraud prevention," said Sergey Gribov, Partner at Flint Capital. "Flint Capital is thrilled to support the company in its continued growth and proud to see them continuously being known as a trusted vendor for leading financial institutions."

Mariano Belinky, Managing Partner at Santander InnoVentures said, "At Santander, we make investments where we spot an opportunity that can add value to banking customers. Identity verification is a crucial step in any banking process and Socure is at the forefront of innovation in this space." Belinky added, "There is enormous potential for tackling the issue of financial inclusion, with the help of Socure, where citizens may be excluded from the banking system simply because they lack traditional credit records used for identity verification. We're delighted to support Socure's Series B round and look forward to what is to come."

"Socure's market success illustrates an increasing appetite for machine learning based identity verification solutions to meet the demands of today's digital businesses and demanding digital consumers," said Sunil Madhu, CEO and Co-Founder of Socure. "The funding will help us meet the increasing demand by accelerating market penetration in current and new markets, while maintaining our leadership position in the digital identity verification market."

Socure will be announcing its latest platform in addition to a new partnership at the upcoming Finovate Fall conference in early September.

About Socure

Socure is the leader in creating high-assurance digital identity verification technology. Its predictive analytics platform applies artificial intelligence and machine-learning techniques with trusted online/offline data intelligence from email, phone, address, IP, social media and the broader Internet to authenticate identities in real-time. Socure powers financial inclusion, increasing acceptance as much as 40 percent for millennials and other thin-file consumers. It also bolsters CIP/KYC programs and AML compliance for enterprises in the US, helping them to reduce fraud up to 80 percent and lower manual review costs as much as 90 percent. Socure was founded in 2012 and is based in New York City.

About Commerce Ventures

Commerce Ventures is a venture firm focused on digital innovations in the FinTech, Payments and Commerce eco-systems. Our firm represents a broad, highly strategic set of investors and, thus far, we have invested in over forty portfolio companies since 2013, including Bill.com (SaaS Platform for B2B payments), Blooom (Retirement Advice Simplified), InAuth (Mobile Fraud Prevention Platform), Forter (Fraud Decisions-as-a-Service), Marqeta (Next-generation Issuing Platform), MX (Saas Platform for Omnichannel Banking), Narvar (SaaS Platform for E-commerce Fulfillment), RetailNext (In-store Analytics), Snapsheet (Auto Insurance Self-service Platform), Tulip Retail (Store Associate Platform for Clienteling and mPOS), Updater (Leading Online Address Change Provider) and Vestwell (Turnkey Retirement Platform for SMBs).

About Flint Capital

Flint Capital is an international venture capital fund established by IT entrepreneurs with the primary mission of discovering and supporting bold-thinking founders and their teams from Europe, Israel and US across a number of industries. Flint capital leads funding rounds at the Seed, Series A and Series B stages, focusing on companies that have the potential to disrupt their respective industries.

About Santander InnoVentures

Santander InnoVentures is a FinTech venture capital fund fully-owned by Grupo Santander. The fund is stage-agnostic and invests both capital and resources in companies globally. It focuses on start-ups that can increase the value proposition to Santander Customers across the Group's 10 major geographies, while creating value for the companies it invests in.

About Two Sigma Ventures

Two Sigma Ventures invests in companies run by highly driven people with potentially world-changing ideas. They seek out companies using technology, computing, mathematics, or data to tackle hard problems, and aim to help them thrive.

Tweet Text: Digital Identity Verification Co. @SocureMe adds $13.9M in funding to fuel market expansion:

Media Contact: North 6th Agency, Inc.

212-334-9753, [email protected]

SOURCE Socure
"We are honored to have Wendy join our leadership team. She has served our country at the highest levels of government and made lasting contributions to national security and defense policy," said Amir Husain, Founder and CEO of SparkCognition. "As our partnerships across the U.S. Government grows, Wendy is exactly who we want leading these critical engagements."

Anderson served in the Obama administration in key leadership roles in the U.S. Departments of Defense and Commerce, including as Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Chief of Staff to Deputy Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, and Chief of Staff to Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker. While at the Defense Department, Anderson was twice awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, the Department's highest civilian service award. She also held senior positions in the U.S. Senate, as professional staff on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee as well as with three U.S. Senators on intelligence, foreign and defense affairs, and veteran's issues.

"Wendy Anderson is an astute and effective leader," said Gen. John Allen. "I had the honor of working with Wendy when she served in the Defense Department, and I am honored again to work alongside her at SparkCognition. Her knowledge, experience, exceptional judgment, and network will serve us well as we continue to build leading AI solutions for our government and private sector partners."

As General Manager, Defense & National Security, Anderson will lead SparkCognition's growing defense and aerospace business, in addition to government. The company's Defense and National Security Team also includes retired U.S. Marine Corps Infantry Officer Timothy Stefanick, as Director of Federal Operations. In addition to multiple combat deployments, Stefanick had tours in the White House as Military Aide for Vice Presidents Richard Cheney and Joe Biden and, most recently, in the intelligence community leading an interagency organization countering terrorist financing. Sam Septembre recently joined SparkCognition's defense team as Technical Director, after serving as Fleet Cyber Command's Science Advisor for the U.S. Office of Naval Research.

"SparkCognition is building highly-advanced, innovative solutions for critical challenges. The company's defense and security applications promise to provide our government and private sector partners with unparalleled capabilities, and I'm proud to contribute to that effort," said Anderson. "There is not another company in the world right now with a greater proven track record of success in deploying AI technologies than SparkCognition."

Anderson received her BA from Hendrix College, a Master's degree in Theological Studies from Harvard University, and a Master's degree in International Affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.

Ranked #20 in the 2017 CNBC Disruptor 50 list, SparkCognition has established itself as an AI leader with business-critical solutions in place for customers in energy, oil and gas, manufacturing, finance, aerospace, defense, and security. SparkCognition recently announced a funding round of $32.5M with strategic investors Verizon Ventures and Boeing. The U.S. Department of Defense Innovation Unit, DIUx, recently awarded a contract to SparkCognition to augment senior level decision-making for the U.S. Air Force. SparkCognition is led by Founder and CEO Amir Husain, Austin's 2016 Top Technology Entrepreneur.

About SparkCognition

SparkCognition is a global leader in cognitive computing analytics. A highly-awarded company recognized for cutting-edge technology, SparkCognition develops AI-Powered cyber-physical software for the safety, security, and reliability of IT, OT, and the IoT. The company's technology is capable of harnessing real-time sensor data and learning from it continuously, allowing for more accurate risk mitigation and prevention policies to intervene and avert disasters. For more information on the company, its technology and team, please visit http://www.sparkcognition.com.

Press inquiries to:

John King

512-956-5491

[email protected]

SOURCE SparkCognition

Related Links

http://www.sparkcognition.com


WILMINGTON, Del., Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- I am deeply disappointed in the recent decision of Romania's High Court of Cassation and Justice to affirm the criminal conviction of Romanian businessman, Gabriel Popoviciu, and sentence him to seven years in prison. This sentence and conviction are not supported by either the facts or the law.

In July 2016, I was retained to conduct an independent review of Mr. Popoviciu's conviction before the Romanian Court of Appeals. I conducted that review with the assistance of a team of experienced former federal prosecutors and former FBI Special Agents, one of whom speaks Romanian fluently.

Our team thoroughly reviewed the evidence presented against Mr. Popoviciu at trial, including documentary evidence and surreptitious tape-recordings of his conversations. That review documented numerous factual and legal deficiencies in the case against Mr. Popoviciu. For example, the prosecution's main witness, who repeatedly but unsuccessfully attempted to make Mr. Popoviciu incriminate himself using secret recordings, admitted in court that he was not bribed by Mr. Popoviciu -- with the alleged bribe including two bottles of liquor and corporate promotional materials (such as a pen, notebook, and calendars). The former Minister of Education, as well as other witnesses, testified that the Baneasa land parcel was never a publicly owned asset and therefore cannot support the legal charge of abuse of position. Many other serious factual and legal deficiencies, inconsistent with fundamental principles of the rule of law, were also highlighted in my report.

I am hopeful that courts and reviewing authorities will review this case and decide that justice and the rule of law demand another result.

Note to Editors

Louis J. Freeh served as an Assistant United States Attorney (Southern District of New York), United States District Judge (Southern District of New York), and as the fifth Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is the Senior Managing Partner of Freeh Sporkin & Sullivan, LLP and the Chairman of Freeh Group International Solutions, LLC.

SOURCE Freeh Group International Solutions, LLC
Qidian International launched its website and mobile app in May 2017. Today, the platform hosts more than 90 literary works and has attracted nearly 1.5 million visitors across its suite of products, ranging from the website to mobile apps in the Google Play and App Store. In recent years, the demand for Chinese online literary works has surged in English-speaking countries. Qidian International stands out amongst the current digital reading platforms offering a wide selection of Chinese literary works with high-quality English translations and serialized in nature.

Wu Wenhui, CEO of China Literature, parent company of Qidian International, said "Online literary works are very popular amongst Chinese readers. Through our collaboration with Gravity Tales, we hope to offer our global audiences greater access to Chinese literary works and provide an avenue to explore Chinese literature."

Born as a "grassroots" translation website for Chinese online literary works, Gravity Tales was founded in 2015 by Richard Kong, a Chinese-American with great passion and love for Chinese online literary works. Kong's vision is to create a platform where he can share online literary works by different authors with readers around the world. In two years, the website has established well-developed processes and standards for translator training and assessments. These processes have also become the operating standards and best practices used by other translation websites. Gravity Tales built its reputation with its precise but alluring translation works and innovative technologies. The website's highest daily visit count has surpassed 2.5 million.

Kong believes that the key to sustainable development of Chinese online literary works in the global market is authorized intellectual property innovation. "Without a doubt, Qidian International has the largest collection of translated literary works from China. Teaming up with them, we hope to give readers the best reading experience and with this established platform, we hope to showcase to the rest of the world the fascinations in Chinese online literary works," stated Kong.

With this new partnership, Qidian International will provide the official intellectual property rights for its literary works as well as offer guidance and support in technological and digital product development. It will also work with Gravity Tales in the professional development and personal growth of translators.

As a veteran in translating Chinese online literary works in the US and European markets, Gravity Tales offers Qidian International and China Literature with unique insights and proprietary reader data on the global consumption of Chinese online literary works. "This marks our first step in our journey to introducing Chinese online literary works to US and European literary markets," said Wu.

For Qidian International, the partnership with Gravity Tales is just the beginning of a comprehensive global expansion plan. The company looks forward to collaborating with outstanding digital platforms like Gravity Tales across the globe to present Chinese online literary works in more languages. The company has already forged partnerships for authorized translation and online distribution in South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

About Qidian International

Qidian International is a world-leading online literature platform and community. It is a brand that affiliates with China Literature Ltd., China's leading digital reading platform created through the merger between Tencent Literature and Shanda Literature. Qidian International focuses on providing high-quality fantasy and mystical stories to millions of readers in the global market across its website and mobile app, offering them a customized reading experience.

www.webnovel.com

About Gravity Tales:

As a platform that aims to connect various cultures around the world, Gravity Tales creates novels that have vivid cultural characteristics accessible to new geographies, forging understandings that go beyond a classroom or a conversation. Founded in January 2015 by Richard Kong, Gravity Tales has developed from a personal blog into a website with over 70 members. The website provides English translations of online literary works of many source languages, as well as authoring original English works.

www.gravitytales.com

SOURCE Qidian International

Related Links

http://www.webnovel.com


By PTI: Srinagar, Aug 9 (PTI) An encounter broke out between security forces and militants today in south Kashmirs Pulwama district, police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Gulab Bagh area of Tral in Pulwama after receiving specific inputs about presence of militants there, a police official said.

He said as the forces were conducting the search operation, the hiding militants fired upon them.

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The security forces retaliated, leading to an encounter, the official said.

The gunfight was on when last reports came in, he said, adding further details were awaited. PTI SSB MIJ DV

--- ENDS ---
DULUTH, Georgia, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Opens Up A Super-Sized Market That Is Largely Untapped. The Administration has endorsed telemedicine as a solution to support delivery of care. Both VA and MIHI Respectively Are seeking To Expand Access To Veterans & Rural Populations Via Telemedicine; Benefits Include Less Wait time, Little To No Travel and Access To Wide Range Of Specialists

Medical Innovation Holdings, Inc. ("MIHI" or the "Company") (OTC: MIHI), a Company who was the first to focus on providing specialty telemedicine/telehealth services to patients in rural medically underserved areas, today commented on how an August 3, 2017 announcement by the Trump administration concerning a new effort by the Veterans Administration to expand veterans' access to telehealth services around the country, mirrored what the Company has already been saying and validates the vision of the Company Founders.

President Trump alongside Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary, David Shulkin, at a Department of Veterans Affairs Telehealth Event in the White House, announced the VA's new Telehealth Services program.

The President said, "Today, I'm pleased to announce another historic breakthrough that will expand VA services to many more patients and veterans. We will do this through telehealth services." (emphasis added) https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/08/03/remarks-president-trump-department-veterans-affairs-telehealth-event

Secretary Shulkin pointed out that the new effort aims to use telehealth services to help veterans seeking care 'anywhere to anywhere'. He said, "We'reremoving geography as a barrier so that we can speed up access to veterans and really honor our commitment to them." (emphasis added) https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/08/03/remarks-president-trump-department-veterans-affairs-telehealth-event

Arturo 'Jake' Sanchez, CEO and Director, stated, "The similarities are striking. It certainly looks like we have been ahead of the curve here. But more importantly, the direction the President endorsed endorses our business direction and model. This means that under this administration all government based health services (i.e. DoD, VA, CMS) will consider the use of telehealth services as well. This in turn changes and creates regulations and legislation that soon reaches the private markets. This signals a boom for the space and a shift of funding to support the new agenda. The Company could not be in a better position.

From our experience, Telemedicine/telehealth many times may be the only way to deliver specialty care to rural populations. We believe that it will serve the VA well to help reduce the backlog by allowing our Veterans to get what they deserve - timely and quality specialty care.

We believe, to achieve their mission the VA will require private 3rd party telemedicine networks to control and reduce backlog. This announcement reaffirms our long-held focus on telemedicine/telehealth as the best vehicle to bring specialty quality medical care to all areas of need in rural and underdeveloped areas across the country. We are excited to be in the space and see more growth opportunities for our business."

About Medical Innovation Holdings, Inc.

MIHI, a Colorado-based publicly traded company, owns and operates strategically aligned health care service companies focused on the delivery of clinical virtual medicine (health) as a way of bringing quality medical care to all areas of need including rural and underdeveloped areas across the country. Through our wholly owned subsidiary, 3Point Care, we provide personalized high-tech high-touch telemedicine encounters pairing our virtual health specialty doctors with traditional primary doctors utilizing nextgen virtual health technologies in order to connect a patient with a multi-disciplinary specialty clinical healthcare practice. Through our other companies and relationships we offer Affordable Care Organization (ACO) support, wellness and prevention, lab analysis and lab services, and remote diagnostic monitoring.

We serve a number of constituents and stakeholders interested in reducing the cost of care, enhancing the quality of care, promoting access to care, and maintaining the continuum of care.

For more information on MIHI, please visit the Company's website at http://www.medicalinnovationholdings.com.

To be added to the Company investor email list, please email [email protected] with MIHI in the subject line.

To leave a message please call +1-866-883-3793 for Investor Relations.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements relate to future events, including our ability to raise capital, or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Our public filings with the SEC are available from commercial document retrieval services and at the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.



Investor Contacts:

[email protected]

+1-866-883-3793



SOURCE Medical Innovation Holdings, Inc.
ELGIN, Ill., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With few exceptions, homeowners preparing to sell must confront the reality that their home has a few flaws, and some homes have many more than others. The perennial question, notes Jack Kreider, executive vice president of RE/MAX Northern Illinois, is which flaws to fix and which, if any, to let go?

"Flaws come in every form imaginable. Some result from normal wear and tear, such as worn or soiled carpeting. Others develop as a home ages," Kreider explained. "Doors don't close properly because of settling, mechanical systems show signs of fatigue or porch railings have deteriorated from weather exposure. And of course, there are those things that just happen, like the bedroom your teenager painted black and purple and then put stars on the ceiling that glow in the dark."

Assessing the flaws of a home and then deciding which to fix is a vital step in a successful sale, according to Keith Hancock of RE/MAX Villager in Glenview, Ill.

"On my first visit, I go through the home with a fine-toothed comb and talk to the owners in detail about what is not working, what problems exist and what they have done to improve the property," said Hancock. "I write it all down, and then let them know what I think needs to be addressed before we list the property."

When it comes to recommending what to fix and what to let go, brokers take a range of factors into account, but in the end, it all comes down to numbers, according to Jaime Ashley Campos of RE/MAX Loyalty in Chicago.

"My approach is to look at the potential sale price of the home in its current condition and its price if its flaws are fixed. Then I also consider what sellers hope to get for the home, how quickly they want to sell and the budget they have for fixing things up. Once I have a handle on those factors, I list the things I feel must get done. If there is money left in the budget after that, I'll turn to the smaller concerns, fixes that will help sell the home but won't make a big difference."

Opinions vary on which types of problems are the most important to address, but three categories that rank near the top of most brokers' lists are flaws related to mechanical systems, safety and curb appeal.

Safety and structural issues should be the first to get attention, contends Janet Mayer of RE/MAX Action in Lisle, Ill.

"Things like bad floor boards, holes in the wall or roof damage should be repaired if possible," she said.

Campos urges her sellers to fix any mechanical or structural issues because "a bad roof or a leaky water heater tend to scare off buyers."

If a home has a serious mechanical or structural issue that the seller can't afford to fix, Don Budzyn of RE/MAX Hometown Properties in Channahon, Ill., advises obtaining several estimates from reliable contractors so that potential buyers will have a realistic picture of what they'd have to spend to fix the problem.

"When you can't deal with all the flaws in a home before selling, the key is to price the property accordingly because buyers who don't plan to tear the place down will almost always have a home inspection, and the inspector is going to identify the problems," Budzyn said.

As for problems that deserve priority on a seller's fix-up list, tackle those that can help make a good first impression, advises Hancock.

"You want the home to look appealing, fresh and well maintained, so obvious cosmetic issues should be addressed, whether that means, paint, carpeting or flooring, and don't ignore odors from either smoking or from pets. Buyers today aren't as tolerant of odors as they were 20 years ago," he said.

Whichever issues homeowners decide to fix, they should allow time to get the work done.

"In most cases, the longer sellers have lived in their home, the more time needed to get it ready," explained Mayer. "I have current sellers who've been in their home for 20 years and needed nearly four months to get it ready. Another couple I represented recently had been in their home just a few years, and they were ready in two weeks."

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


LAS VEGAS, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Aug 26, the organization GoTopless will celebrate its 10th anniversary of fighting for constitutional topless equality. Its activism has sparked significant court cases.

"We pose the politically incorrect question: Is gender equality applicable to women's nipples in 21st Century society or will Judeo-Christian values dictate legislation concerning women's bodies?" said Nadine Gary, GoTopless President and Raelian Priestess. "The right to go topless was granted to men 80 years ago."

She said a key topless equality case is now before the courts: Tagami vs the city of Chicago.

"After 3 years, we're nearing the appeal date at the Supreme Court," Gary explained. "The case involves GoTopless activist Sonoko Tagami, who was in court in 2014 after going topless on Chicago's North Beach."

Tagami is represented by Chicago attorney Joel Flaxman.

On June 12, Flaxman said, "We're still awaiting a ruling in the appeal as to whether Tagami's protest for topless equality is protected by the [US] Constitution. We're heartened that similar challenges are being made across the country."

Gary said three additional cases challenging topless gender discrimination prove the necessity for a Supreme Court ruling.

"One case is in an early stage, with topless activist, Anni Ma suing the city of Los Angeles," she said. "And on February 21 in Colorado, District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson granted an injunction to halt a Fort Collins ordinance prohibiting women from showing breasts in public. He said the ordinance discriminated against women and perpetuated stereotypes sexualizing female breasts. That case involved topless activist Brit Hoagland."

Gary said the third additional case is in Ocean City, Md., where the city council passed an emergency ordinance on June 10 to prevent women from going topless. In response, the office of the Attorney General of Maryland issued a letter of support referring to the United States vs Biocic that stated:

"The important government interest is the widely recognized one of protecting the moral sensibilities of that substantial segment of society that still does not want to be exposed willy-nilly to public displays of various portions of their fellow citizens' anatomies that traditionally in this society have been regarded as erogenous zones. These still include (whether justifiably or not in the eyes of all) the female, but not the male, breast."

"We'll continue to denounce this discriminatory 'moral sensibility' both here in the US and internationally," Gary concluded. "We won't stop until we achieve gender topless equality."

SOURCE GoTopless
WAYNE, N.J., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Toys"R"Us, Inc., the world's leading dedicated toy and baby products retailer, today announced Mark Johnson was named Executive Vice President, U.S. Marketplace Operations, effective immediately. He will report directly to Chairman and CEO Dave Brandon.

Mr. Johnson had been serving as interim EVP, Store Operations since May. Johnson joined the company in October 2014 as Regional Director for stores before being promoted to Vice President of Operations, Strategy and Execution in 2015, where he provided leadership across multiple store teams with a focus on driving sales and consistent operational execution in the marketplace.

In his new role, Mark Johnson will be responsible for delivering an exceptional shopping experience for customers across the company's Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us brick and mortar locations in the U.S. This includes virtually every aspect of the company's retail operation, from people, process and planning to ensuring flawless execution for customers. Mr. Johnson will also serve as a member of the company's Global Leadership Team, providing strategic direction and support for Store Operations.

"As we work to grow and build our brands across the globe, the customer experience is at the core of everything we do," said Mr. Brandon. "Over the last several years, Mark has been a key player in the evolution of our brick and mortar store operations and in this important leadership position, he will have even greater opportunity to help our store teams become trusted friends and advocates for kids and their families."

Prior to joining the company, Mr. Johnson served as Regional Manager for Walmart Stores, U.S., where he led process and customer service excellence. He was a Partner at McKinney Rogers Global Business Execution Consultancy, where he provided counsel to senior leaders at Walmart and other businesses undergoing transformation. Earlier in his career, Mr. Johnson served in the United States Marine Corps before retiring in 2007.

Mr. Johnson received his bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Military Science from the Marine Corps University in Quantico, VA. In addition to his full-time role, Mr. Johnson is an Athlete Ambassador for the National Down Syndrome Society. He lives in New Jersey with his wife Karen Lynn Johnson, and is the proud father of four children and three grandchildren.

About Toys"R"Us, Inc.

Toys"R"Us, Inc. is the world's leading dedicated toy and baby products retailer, offering a differentiated shopping experience through its family of brands. Merchandise is sold in 879 Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores in the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam, and in 815 international stores and over 255 licensed stores in 37 countries and jurisdictions. With its strong portfolio of e-commerce sites including Toysrus.com and Babiesrus.com, the company provides shoppers with a broad online selection of distinctive toy and baby products. Toys"R"Us, Inc. is headquartered in Wayne, NJ, and has nearly 65,000 employees worldwide. The company is committed to serving its communities as a caring and reputable neighbor through programs dedicated to keeping kids safe and helping them in times of need. Over the past three decades, the Company has given more than $100 million in product donations to children's charities. Since 1992, the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund, a public charity affiliated with Toys"R"Us, Inc., has also donated more than $130 million in grants. For more information, visit Toysrusinc.com or follow @ToysRUsNews on Twitter.

SOURCE Toys"R"Us, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.toysrus.com


PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) today announced it has signed an agreement with Bionix Radiation Therapy to distribute Bionix brachytherapy applicators. Varian will market the Bionix Esophageal Applicator (E-App) and the Anorectal Applicator (AR-1) in North America.

The E-App is a disposable brachytherapy applicator, and is designed specifically for the treatment of upper GI cancers. The E-App features five independently operable balloons that maintain the central position of the source catheter in both straight and curved anatomy, allowing for closer proximity of the target to the source, while maintaining distance from healthy tissue.

The AR-1 is a disposable brachytherapy applicator designed specifically for the treatment of anal and rectal cancers. The dual balloon design of the AR-1 allows exophytic tumors to press closer to the source catheter. This creates the ability to deliver a very high dose to the tumor, while sparing healthy tissue.

"We are pleased to partner with Bionix to provide cancer specialists with an expanded portfolio of innovative brachytherapy applicators," said Thomas Pollatz, Director of Brachytherapy Marketing at Varian Medical Systems. "The Bionix AR-1 and E-App applicators are complementary to Varian's current applicator family and increase treatment options aimed at providing the best treatment solution for the patient."

For more information on Varian's brachytherapy portfolio, visit https://www.varian.com/oncology/solutions/brachytherapy.

About Varian Medical Systems

Varian Medical Systems focuses energy on saving lives and is the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating and managing cancer. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Varian employs approximately 6,600 people around the world. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com and follow @VarianMedSys on Twitter.

Press Contact

Mark Plungy

Varian Medical Systems

+1 (650) 424-5630

[email protected]

SOURCE Varian Medical Systems

Related Links

http://www.varian.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazars USA LLP, a leading accounting, tax, advisory and business consulting firm, today announced that Victor H. Miesel has joined the firm as a Partner and National Transfer Pricing Practice Leader and Chief Economist. Victor has more than 25 years of transfer pricing and consulting experience in Big Four and large, regional accounting firms. He has been named in Euromoney's Guide to the World's Leading Transfer Pricing Advisers since 2004.

Victor has led global economic consulting practices in New York, Boston and Europe. He has performed and defended transfer pricing studies for some of the largest multinational companies in a wide variety of industries, including financial services, life sciences, technology, automotive, energy, consumer goods, and private equity investments.

Mazars USA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Victor Wahba, said "We are so pleased to welcome Victor to the firm. His expertise on transfer pricing matters and a history of providing high quality service to top level clients will help us continue to build on our first-rate capabilities in this area." Victor further noted, "As our clients continue to expand with participation in more mergers and acquisitions, we believe that his skills and experience will be of great value to them as we look forward to Victor's leadership in expanding our transfer pricing practice."

In Victor's prior role, he was the National Leader for the Global Transfer Pricing Services group and Chief Economist for a regional accounting firm.

"Moving to Mazars USA at this time is extremely exciting," commented Victor Miesel. "The firm's recent name change, to a single global brand of Mazars, signals its ongoing commitment to an international outlook and I believe my experience will add significant value for our clients moving forward."

Victor received undergraduate degrees in economics and political science from the University of Michigan, and master's degrees in applied economics and public policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.

About Mazars USA

Mazars USA LLP provides insight and specialized skills in accounting, auditing, tax, consulting and advisory services. Since 1921, our dedicated professionals have leveraged technical industry expertise to develop customized solutions for clients, create value, and optimize their performance. As the independent U.S. member firm of Mazars Group, our global reach includes 18,000+ professionals across 79+ countries. At local and global levels, we are proud of our value-added services in building lasting relationships with our clients and communities. For more information, visit us at www.mazarsusa.com.

For more information, contact:

Mazars USA LLP

Beth More, 732-205-2012

[email protected]

Makovsky

Glori Perez, 212-508-9653

[email protected]

SOURCE Mazars USA LLP

Related Links

http://mazarsusa.com


ISNES, Belgium, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- VolitionRx Limited (NYSE AMERICAN: VNRX) ("Volition") today announced financial results and a business update for the quarter ended June 30, 2017. Volition management will host a conference call to discuss these results and provide a further business update tomorrow, August 10, 2017 at 8:30 AM U.S. Eastern Time.

Cameron Reynolds, President and Chief Executive Officer of Volition, said, "We have had numerous highlights this quarter, with strong progress being made on many fronts. I am delighted with the growing strength of new talent in our team, especially the growth in our Research and Development Team in Belgium. We are also fortunate to be working with institutions and individuals who have brilliant reputations." Mr. Reynolds continued, "We continue to announce large trials, such as the recent signing of a 13,500 patient U.S. trial in colorectal cancer. We believe that this most recently announced trial, with a cost to us of only $3 million, represents an exceptional value for our money. We look forward to achieving additional milestones in the upcoming quarters and sharing further exciting news."

Second Quarter 2017 and Recent Company Highlights

Clinical

Signed an agreement to participate in a large, multi-center study with the Great Lakes New England Clinical Validation Center, funded by the U.S. National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Early Detection Research Network (EDRN).

- The aim of this study is to validate Volition's Nu.Q Colorectal Cancer Screening Test, in a large, asymptomatic population for U.S. regulatory purposes.

- The study will provide approximately 13,500 asymptomatic screening samples of people aged 50 or over who have not previously undergone screening or a diagnostic colonoscopy.

- Volition America, Inc., a subsidiary of Volition, will contribute up to $3 million towards the study which will last 2-3 years, and will be paid in equal installments over a 3-year period.

The publication of a research paper in Clinical Epigenetics, entitled, "Circulating nucleosomes as new blood-based biomarkers for detection of colorectal cancer," which reported that our four Nu.Q assays demonstrated Colorectal Cancer detection accuracy of 74% sensitivity at 90% specificity. The study also showed that by including age as a variable, the accuracy of CRC detection increased to 91% of cancers at 90% specificity.

Regulatory

Initiated the regulatory acceptance process in both Taiwan and Singapore , with the latter, if approved, granting Volition access to nine other South Asian markets.

Operational

Opened a new R&D facility in Belgium's Walloon Region, increasing Volition's capacity to both run large-scale clinical trials and extend efforts into other cancers, notably pancreatic, lung and prostate.

Walloon Region, increasing Volition's capacity to both run large-scale clinical trials and extend efforts into other cancers, notably pancreatic, lung and prostate. Formed Volition America, Inc., an Austin, Texas -based wholly-owned subsidiary whose main purpose is FDA trial development and the launching of a range of products in the U.S. over the coming years.

-based wholly-owned subsidiary whose main purpose is FDA trial development and the launching of a range of products in the U.S. over the coming years. Appointed Mr. David Vanston as Chief Financial Officer of Volition.

as Chief Financial Officer of Volition. Hired several key employees to the R&D team.

Second Quarter 2017 and Other Financial Results

For the three months ended June 30, 2017, Volition reported a net loss of $3.5 million, or $0.13 per share. This compares to a net loss of $2.90 million, or $0.13 per share in the second quarter of 2016.

Cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2017 totaled $16.5 million, compared to $18.5 million as of March 31, 2017 and $14.5 million as of June 30, 2016.

Upcoming Milestones

In the second half of 2017, Volition is targeting several important clinical and commercial milestones, including, among others:

Regarding studies which are currently in progress:

- Results of the Logistics and Pathway design study currently underway in Denmark.

- Results of the clinical evaluation currently underway in Taiwan.

Updates on the frontline CRC screening product.

Further clinical data on at least one of the other targeted cancers.

Additional key patents in several countries, including the United States .

. Further non-dilutive grant funding anticipated from the Walloon Region in Belgium .

Conference Call

Volition will host a conference call tomorrow, Thursday, August 10, 2017 at 8:30 AM Eastern Time, to discuss its financial and operating results for the second quarter of 2017 and to provide an update on recent developments. To participate in the call, please dial 1-877-407-9716 (toll-free) in the U.S., 0-800-756-3429 (toll-free) in the U.K., and 1-201-493-6779 (toll) internationally. A live audio webcast of the conference call will also be available via link from the investor relations page of Volition's corporate website at http://ir.volitionrx.com/. The conference ID is 13668238.

The call will be hosted by Cameron Reynolds, President and Chief Executive Officer, along with David Vanston, Chief Financial Officer and Scott Powell, Executive Vice President.

About Volition

Volition is a multi-national life sciences company developing simple, easy to use blood-based cancer tests to accurately diagnose a range of cancers. The tests are based on the science of Nucleosomics, which is the practice of identifying and measuring nucleosomes in the bloodstream or other bodily fluid -- an indication that disease is present.

As cancer screening programs become more widespread, Volition's products aim to help to diagnose a range of cancers quickly, simply, accurately and cost effectively. Early diagnosis has the potential to not only prolong the life of patients, but also to improve their quality of life.

Volition's research and development activities are currently centered in Belgium, with additional offices in London, Texas and Singapore, as the company focuses on bringing its diagnostic products to market first in Europe, then in the U.S. and ultimately, worldwide.

For more information about Volition, visit Volition's website (http://www.volitionrx.com) or connect with us via:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/volitionrx

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/volitionrx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VolitionRx/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/VolitionRx

The contents found at Volition's website address, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube are not incorporated by reference into this document and should not be considered part of this document. The addresses for Volition's website, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube are included in this document as inactive textual references only.

Media / Investor Contacts

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements in this press release may be "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 concern matters that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking statements. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "aims," "targets," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "optimizing," "potential," "goal," "suggests," "could," "would," "should," "may," "will" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements relate to the effectiveness of Volition's bodily-fluid-based diagnostic tests as well as Volition's ability to develop and successfully commercialize such test platforms for early detection of cancer. Volition's actual results may differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties. For instance, if Volition fails to develop and commercialize diagnostic products, it may be unable to execute its plan of operations. Other risks and uncertainties include Volition's failure to obtain necessary regulatory clearances or approvals to distribute and market future products in the clinical IVD market; a failure by the marketplace to accept the products in Volition's development pipeline or any other diagnostic products Volition might develop; Volition will face fierce competition and Volition's intended products may become obsolete due to the highly competitive nature of the diagnostics market and its rapid technological change; and other risks identified in Volition's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other documents that Volition files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about Volition's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and, except as required by law, Volition does not undertake an obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

Nucleosomics, NuQ, Nu.Q and HyperGenomics and their respective logos are trademarks and/or service marks of VolitionRx Limited and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this press release are the property of their respective owners. Additionally, unless otherwise specified, all references to "$" refer to the legal currency of the United States of America.

SOURCE VolitionRx Ltd

Related Links

http://volitionrx.com/


MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA) announced today it has appointed John B. "Brad" Galiney as senior vice president, Distribution for the company's Employee Benefits business, effective August 7. He reports directly to Voya Employee Benefits President Rob Grubka, and will be based out of Voya's Braintree, Massachusetts, office.

"Brad brings to the role a holistic view of insurance and benefits, deep insight into the market and customer needs, and strong strategic sales and management expertise," said Grubka. "His experience will be instrumental as we develop and implement product, service and delivery solutions that help employers create a competitive benefits program, while helping employees protect their livelihoods and earnings potential to be retirement ready."

Galiney joins Voya Employee Benefits with more than 25 years of experience in insurance sales, client management and business management. Most recently, he was vice president, field operations, for Liberty Mutual Benefits, where he led a team growing the company's disability and life insurance, voluntary benefits, and absence management.

"Voya Employee Benefits understands the important role workplace benefits plays in helping companies and their employees manage increasing health and wellness costs," said Galiney. "What's especially exciting to me is how Voya's combined businesses uniquely offer financial savings, investment and protection solutions throughout working years and retirement. Employee Benefits is an important part of that."

Voya's Employee Benefits business offers stop loss, group life, voluntary benefits and disability income insurance products to employers and their employees. The business has extensive experience in the design, implementation and administration of employee benefits plans, and it offers a full range of supplemental voluntary products that include critical illness/specified disease, accident and hospital confinement indemnity insurance.

As an industry leader and advocate for helping Americans retire better, Voya Financial is committed to delivering on its vision to be America's Retirement Company, and its mission to make a secure financial future possible  one person, one family, one institution at a time.

Media Contact:

KC Emery

Voya Financial

Cell: (860) 729-8422

[email protected]

About Voya Financial

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings  to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13.6 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2016. The company had $517 billion in total assets under management and administration as of June 30, 2017. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible  one person, one family, one institution at a time  Voya's vision is to be America's Retirement Company. Certified as a "Great Place to Work" by the Great Place to Work Institute, Voya is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible and has been recognized as one of the 2017 World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, as well as one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya.

Insurance products are issued and underwritten by ReliaStar Life Insurance Company (Minneapolis, Minneapolis) and ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York (Woodbury, New York), members of the Voya family of companies. Provisions and availability may vary by state.





SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.voya.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), announced today that it has published its 2016/2017 Corporate Responsibility Annual Report, which details ways in which the company's corporate responsibility (CR) pillars have been integrated with its day-to-day business strategy and operations.

"Voya is a different kind of company, one with a proactive focus on creating a sustainable future for our customers, our communities and all of our stakeholders," said Voya Financial Chairman and CEO Rodney O. Martin, Jr. "We believe that by executing on our CR strategy  which includes creating a diverse and inclusive culture, making a positive difference in the lives of individuals with special needs and disabilities, and educating current and future generations regarding financial resilience  we simultaneously advance the success and longevity of our business."

This year's annual report, titled "Voya Financial Corporate Responsibility For Tomorrow," highlights the way Voya operates its business today, with an eye toward the future. It details the organization's performance and its progress to date in relation to the pillars of its CR program: Empowering Our People, Serving Our Clients, Investing in Communities and Protecting the Environment.

The report, written in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, demonstrates areas where Voya outperforms the competition, such as gender diversity, employee volunteerism and employee giving. It also describes the Voya Investment Management Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) Investment Program, which is part of the company's focus on responsible products and services that help clients plan, invest and protect their assets.

Sections of the report focus on unique initiatives designed to strengthen Voya's relationships with key audiences and demographics, including an executive board placement program and the Voya Cares program, an effort supporting the special needs community. In recapping its accomplishments, the report also lays out how Voya applies the CR lens to its operations to mitigate risk and leverage opportunities.

As an industry leader and advocate for greater retirement readiness, Voya Financial is committed to delivering on its vision to be America's Retirement Company and its mission to make a secure financial future possible  one person, one family, one institution at a time.

Media Contacts:

Nicole Vasile

Voya Financial

Direct: (860) 839-1589

[email protected]

Jeanne LaCour

Voya Financial

Direct: (212) 309-8949

[email protected]

About Voya Financial

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings  to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13.6 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2016. The company had $517 billion in total assets under management and administration as of June 30, 2017. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible  one person, one family, one institution at a time  Voya's vision is to be America's Retirement Company. Certified as a "Great Place to Work" by the Great Place to Work Institute, Voya is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible and has been recognized as one of the 2017 World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, as well as one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya.

SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.voya.com


FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Walter Investment Management Corp. (NYSE: WAC.BC) today announced GAAP net loss for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 of $94.3 million, or $2.58 per share, as compared to a GAAP net loss of $490.0 million, or $13.68 per share for the quarter ended June 30, 2016. The current quarter net loss included a non-cash fair value charge of $45.1 million due to changes in valuation inputs and other assumptions. Adjusted Loss was $19.8 million and Adjusted EBITDA ("AEBITDA") was $61.3 million in the current quarter as compared to Adjusted Loss of $4.8 million and AEBITDA of $98.8 million in the prior year quarter.

"I am pleased with the progress we have made to date on our debt restructuring initiative, and we continue to work towards execution of a comprehensive deleveraging transaction," said Anthony Renzi, Chief Executive Officer and President of Walter. "Improving our capital structure is expected to better position Walter for future success."

"From an operational perspective, we continue to focus on reducing costs and improving the performance of our core businesses with a goal of returning the Company to profitability," Renzi continued. "We are making investments in technology, such as our recent implementation of a digital point of sale system in our originations business, and have improved our operating processes in all business segments, in each case with the goal of enhancing the customer experience. We continue to make progress in our default servicing operations as we emphasize keeping customers in their homes and reducing delinquencies. Finally, we have taken additional steps to streamline operations and reduce our site footprint as we seek to continue to improve our cost structure."

Second Quarter 2017 Financial and Operating Overview

Total revenue for the second quarter of 2017 was $208.8 million, an increase of $21.3 million as compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to an increase of $59.4 million in net servicing revenue and fees, offset in part by a $29.6 million decrease in net gains on sales of loans and an $8.6 million decrease in insurance revenue. The increase in net servicing revenue and fees was driven by a $120.8 million improvement in fair value losses on mortgage servicing rights driven by changes in valuation inputs or other assumptions, offset in part by a $47.9 million decline in servicing fees primarily due to the planned shift of the third-party servicing portfolio from servicing to subservicing, combined with runoff of the portfolio. The decrease in net gains on sales of loans resulted from an overall lower volume of locked loans and a shift in mix from the higher margin consumer channel to the lower margin correspondent and wholesale channels. The decrease in insurance revenue was due to the sale of the principal insurance agency and substantially all of the insurance agency business during the first quarter of 2017.

Total expenses for the second quarter of 2017 were $292.6 million, a decrease of $273.1 million as compared to the prior year quarter, driven by $215.4 million in goodwill impairment recorded during the second quarter of 2016, $16.2 million lower compensation and benefits resulting primarily from a lower average headcount driven by site closures and various organizational changes to the scale and proficiency of the leadership team and support functions, as well as our decision to exit the reverse mortgage originations business, $9.0 million in lower contractor costs related to our servicing platform conversion that occurred in the second quarter of 2016, as well as efforts to reduce contractor costs throughout the Company's operations, a $6.2 million decrease related to a change in the commissions structure, and $5.7 million in lower compensating interest due to a shift from servicing to subservicing, offset in part by $7.5 million in higher costs associated with corporate strategic initiatives. The remaining variance related to cost savings and changes in reserves.

Results for the Company's segments are presented below.

Servicing

Ditech serviced 1.8 million accounts with a UPB of $213.6 billion as of June 30, 2017. During the quarter ended June 30, 2017, the Company experienced a net disappearance rate of 14.68%, a decrease of 0.91% as compared to the prior year quarter.

The Servicing segment reported $44.0 million of pre-tax loss for the second quarter of 2017 as compared to a pre-tax loss of $356.0 million in the prior year quarter. During the second quarter of 2017, the segment generated revenue of $117.4 million, a $44.6 million increase as compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to an increase of $58.6 million in net servicing revenue and fees. The increase in net servicing revenue and fees primarily resulted from a $120.8 million improvement in fair value losses on mortgage servicing rights driven by changes in valuation inputs or other assumptions, partially offset by a $48.0 million decline in servicing fees primarily due to the planned shift of the third-party servicing portfolio from servicing to subservicing combined with runoff of the portfolio.

Total expenses in the Servicing segment for the second quarter of 2017 were $160.8 million, a decrease of $267.6 million as compared to the prior year quarter. This decrease was driven by $215.4 million in goodwill impairment recorded during the second quarter of 2016. In addition, there were decreases of $16.6 million in compensation and benefits resulting primarily from a lower average headcount driven by site closures and organizational changes, $9.3 million due to lower expense allocations, $6.9 million and $1.9 million in lower contractor costs and postage and printing costs, respectively, related to our servicing platform conversion that occurred in the second quarter of 2016, $5.7 million in lower compensating interest due to a shift from servicing to subservicing, $5.1 million related to a change in the commissions structure, $2.9 million in lower charges associated with foreclosure and bankruptcy practices, and $1.2 million reduction in overtime driven by cost reduction measures. These decreases were partially offset by $2.9 million in additional costs associated with the use of MSP and outsourcing initiatives and $2.2 million in higher advance loss provision. Current quarter expenses included $12.9 million of interest expense and $8.5 million of depreciation and amortization.

The Servicing segment reported an Adjusted Loss of $3.5 million and AEBITDA of $45.6 million for the second quarter of 2017. Adjusted Loss improved $4.9 million as compared to the prior year quarter resulting from resulting from lower adjusted general and administrative expense and salaries and benefits, offset in part by lower adjusted servicing revenue, insurance revenue and intersegment retention revenue. AEBITDA decreased $19.1 million as compared to the prior year quarter due to lower amortization of servicing rights and other fair value adjustments.

Originations

Ditech generated total pull-through adjusted locked volume of $4.2 billion for the second quarter of 2017, a decrease of $1.1 billion as compared to the prior year quarter, driven by an overall lower volume of locked loans. Funded loans in the current quarter totaled $4.2 billion, a decrease of $0.6 billion from the prior year quarter. The combined direct margin for the current quarter was 70 bps, consisting of a weighted average of 187 bps direct margin in the consumer lending channel and 19 bps direct margin in the correspondent and wholesale channels. The decrease in combined direct margin of 17 bps from the prior year quarter was primarily due to the shift in mix to the lower margin correspondent and wholesale channels and lower margins in the consumer channel driven by lower pull-through of locked loans and a lower portion of HARP volume and lower margins in the correspondent channel. The Originations business delivered a recapture rate of 18% for the current quarter.

The Originations segment reported $20.0 million of pre-tax income for the second quarter of 2017, a decrease of $25.6 million from the prior year quarter. During the second quarter of 2017, this segment generated revenue of $80.5 million, a decrease of $29.7 million from the prior year quarter. Net gains on sales of loans decreased $29.4 million as compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to an overall lower volume of locked loans combined with a shift in mix from the higher margin consumer channel to the lower margin correspondent and wholesale channels.

Total expenses for the Originations segment for the second quarter of 2017 were $60.5 million, a decrease of $4.1 million compared to the prior year quarter, driven by a $6.5 million decrease in intersegment retention expense due primarily to lower overall retention volume and a smaller capitalized servicing portfolio resulting from sales of servicing rights and portfolio runoff. Current quarter expenses included $8.6 million of interest expense and $0.7 million of depreciation and amortization.

The Originations segment reported Adjusted Earnings of $20.2 million and AEBITDA of $18.5 million for the second quarter of 2017, a decrease of $28.0 million and $25.0 million, respectively, as compared to the prior year quarter, due primarily to lower net gains on sales of loans driven by lower volumes.

Reverse Mortgage

The Reverse Mortgage segment serviced 112,434 accounts with a UPB of $20.1 billion at June 30, 2017. During the current quarter, the business securitized $113.7 million of HECM loans.

The Reverse Mortgage segment reported $16.5 million of pre-tax loss for the second quarter of 2017 as compared to pre-tax loss of $26.9 million in the prior year quarter. During the second quarter of 2017, this segment generated revenue of $15.4 million, a decline of $0.7 million from the prior year quarter. Cash generated by the origination, purchase and securitization of HECMs decreased $4.3 million during the second quarter of 2017 as compared to the prior year quarter primarily as a result of overall lower origination volumes, partially offset by a shift in mix from lower margin new originations to higher margin tails. The decrease in cash generated was more than offset by a $2.5 million decrease in net non-cash fair value losses and a $2.1 million increase in net interest income. Current quarter revenues also included $7.1 million in net servicing revenue and fees and $0.5 million of other revenues.

Total expenses for the Reverse Mortgage segment for the second quarter of 2017 were $31.9 million, a decrease of $11.2 million from the prior year quarter. The decrease in total expenses was primarily due to a $9.2 million decrease in general and administrative expenses due to lower curtailment-related accruals, advertising costs, loss accruals on servicing advances, contractor fees, and purchased services, and a $3.9 million decrease in salaries and benefits due primarily to lower compensation, bonuses and commissions as a result of lower origination volume and lower average headcount resulting from our decision to exit the reverse mortgage originations business. Current quarter expenses included $4.3 million of interest expense and $0.9 million of depreciation and amortization.

The Reverse Mortgage segment reported an Adjusted Loss of $3.8 million and AEBITDA of ($2.5) million for the second quarter of 2017, an improvement of $6.2 million and $5.4 million, respectively, as compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to the decrease in general and administrative expenses and in salaries and benefits.

Other Non-Reportable Segment

The Other Non-Reportable segment reported $52.1 million of pre-tax loss for the second quarter of 2017, an increase in loss of $9.9 million as compared to the prior year quarter. Other net fair value losses were $8.2 million for the second quarter of 2017 as compared to other net fair value losses of $1.0 million in the same period of 2016, primarily related to the impact of higher delinquencies on the value of the assets and liabilities of the Non-Residual Trusts.

The Other non-reportable segment had an Adjusted Loss of $32.7 million and AEBITDA of ($0.3) million for the second quarter of 2017 as compared to an Adjusted Loss of $34.6 million and AEBITDA of ($1.5) million in the second quarter of 2016.

Debt Restructuring Initiative

As previously announced, the Company has engaged legal and financial debt restructuring advisors and has been reviewing a number of potential actions to reduce its leverage.

On July 31, 2017, the Company entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement with lenders holding, as of July 31, 2017, more than 50% of the loans and/or commitments outstanding, or the Consenting Term Lenders, under the Company's Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2013, or the Credit Agreement. As set forth in the Restructuring Support Agreement, the parties thereto have agreed to, among other things, the principal terms of a proposed financial restructuring of the Company, which will include an extension of the Credit Agreement's maturity until June 2022, and which will be implemented through an out-of-court restructuring and, in the absence of sufficient stakeholder support for an out-of-court restructuring, a prepackaged plan of reorganization under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code.

The Restructuring Support Agreement contains a number of conditions and milestones, including reaching an agreement with the holders of 66% aggregate principal amount of the Company's 7.875% Senior Notes due 2021 to a restructuring support agreement consistent with the terms specified in the Restructuring Support Agreement. The Company and its debt restructuring advisors continue to negotiate with the financial and legal advisors to ad hoc groups of holders of the Company's indebtedness under the Company's Senior Notes and Credit Agreement, as the Company seeks to obtain sufficient stakeholder support for a comprehensive de-leveraging transaction.

There can be no assurance as to when or whether the Company will satisfy the conditions in the Restructuring Support Agreement, including obtaining requisite support from various stakeholders for the restructuring, whether the restructuring will be successful, the effects on its business, or the Company's ability to achieve our operational and strategic goals.

Filing of Amended Annual and Quarterly Reports

On or about the date hereof, due to the Restatement, the Company is also filing amendments to its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended June 30, 2016, September 30, 2016, and March 31, 2017. The Company also is filing its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2017 (the "2017 Second Quarter Report") on or about the date hereof. Due to the possibility for a prepackaged plan of reorganization under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code, substantial doubt has been raised about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern, and the audit opinion included in the Company's amended Annual Report on Form 10-K/A contains a going concern emphasis paragraph and Note 3 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included therein (and Note 2 to the financial statements included in the 2017 Second Quarter Report) discusses such matters and management's plans in respect thereof.

About Walter Investment Management Corp.

Walter Investment Management Corp. is an independent servicer and originator of mortgage loans and servicer of reverse mortgage loans. Based in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, the Company has approximately 4,400 employees and services a diverse loan portfolio. For more information about Walter Investment Management Corp., please visit the Company's website at www.walterinvestment.com . The information on the Company's website is not a part of this release.

This press release and the accompanying reconciliations include non-GAAP financial measures. For a description of these non-GAAP financial measures, including the reasons management uses each measure, and reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, please see the reconciliations as well as "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" at the end of this press release.

The terms "Walter Investment", "Walter", the "Company", "we", "us", and "our" as used throughout this release refer to Walter Investment Management Corp. and its consolidated subsidiaries. We use certain acronyms and terms throughout this release that are defined in the Glossary of Terms in Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2016, in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q/A for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2017, and in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2017, and in our other filings with the SEC.

Disclaimer and Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Statements that are not historical fact are forward-looking statements. Certain of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "estimates," "assumes," "may," "should," "will," "seeks," "targets," or other similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors, and our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from future results, performance or achievements expressed in these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs, intentions and expectations. These statements are not guarantees or indicative of future performance, nor should any conclusions be drawn or assumptions be made as to any potential outcome of any strategic review we conduct. Important assumptions and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those factors, risks and uncertainties described below and in more detail under the caption "Risk Factors" of our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2016, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q/A for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2017, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2017, and in our other filings with the SEC.

In particular (but not by way of limitation), the following important factors, risks and uncertainties could affect our future results, performance and achievements and could cause actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements:

risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's proposed financial restructuring, including: the ability of the Company to comply with the terms of the RSA, including completing various stages of the restructuring within the dates specified by the RSA; the ability of the Company to obtain requisite support of the restructuring from various stakeholders; and the effects of disruption from the proposed restructuring making it more difficult to maintain business, financing and operational relationships;

risks and uncertainties relating to, or arising in connection with, the restatement of financial statements included in the amendments to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended June 30, 2016 , September 30, 2016 and March 31, 2017 , including: reactions from the Company's creditors, stockholders, or business partners; and the impact and result of any litigation or regulatory inquiries or investigations related to the findings of the Company's assessment or the restatement;

and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended , and , including: reactions from the Company's creditors, stockholders, or business partners; and the impact and result of any litigation or regulatory inquiries or investigations related to the findings of the Company's assessment or the restatement; our ability to operate our business in compliance with existing and future laws, rules, regulations and contractual commitments affecting our business, including those relating to the origination and servicing of residential loans, default servicing and foreclosure practices, the management of third-party assets and the insurance industry, and changes to, and/or more stringent enforcement of, such laws, rules, regulations and contracts;

scrutiny of our industry by, and potential enforcement actions by, federal and state authorities;

the substantial resources (including senior management time and attention) we devote to, and the significant compliance costs we incur in connection with, regulatory compliance and regulatory examinations and inquiries, and any consumer redress, fines, penalties or similar payments we make in connection with resolving such matters;

uncertainties relating to interest curtailment obligations and any related financial and litigation exposure (including exposure relating to false claims);

potential costs and uncertainties, including the effect on future revenues, associated with and arising from litigation, regulatory investigations and other legal proceedings, and uncertainties relating to the reaction of our key counterparties to the announcement of any such matters;

our dependence on U.S. GSEs and agencies (especially Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae ) and their residential loan programs and our ability to maintain relationships with, and remain qualified to participate in programs sponsored by, such entities, our ability to satisfy various existing or future GSE, agency and other capital, net worth, liquidity and other financial requirements applicable to our business, and our ability to remain qualified as a GSE and agency approved seller, servicer or component servicer, including the ability to continue to comply with the GSEs' and agencies' respective residential loan selling and servicing guides;

) and their residential loan programs and our ability to maintain relationships with, and remain qualified to participate in programs sponsored by, such entities, our ability to satisfy various existing or future GSE, agency and other capital, net worth, liquidity and other financial requirements applicable to our business, and our ability to remain qualified as a GSE and agency approved seller, servicer or component servicer, including the ability to continue to comply with the GSEs' and agencies' respective residential loan selling and servicing guides; uncertainties relating to the status and future role of GSEs and agencies, and the effects of any changes to the origination and/or servicing requirements of the GSEs, agencies or various regulatory authorities or the servicing compensation structure for mortgage servicers pursuant to programs of GSEs, agencies or various regulatory authorities;

our ability to maintain our loan servicing, loan origination or collection agency licenses, or any other licenses necessary to operate our businesses, or changes to, or our ability to comply with, our licensing requirements;

our ability to comply with the terms of the stipulated orders resolving allegations arising from an FTC and CFPB investigation of Ditech Financial and a CFPB investigation of RMS;

operational risks inherent in the mortgage servicing and mortgage originations businesses, including our ability to comply with the various contracts to which we are a party, and reputational risks;

risks related to the significant amount of senior management turnover and employee reductions recently experienced by the Company;

risks related to our substantial levels of indebtedness, including our ability to comply with covenants contained in our debt agreements or obtain any necessary waivers or amendments, generate sufficient cash to service such indebtedness and refinance such indebtedness on favorable terms, or at all, as well as our ability to incur substantially more debt;

our ability to renew advance financing facilities or warehouse facilities on favorable terms, or at all, and maintain adequate borrowing capacity under such facilities;

our ability to maintain or grow our residential loan servicing or subservicing business and our mortgage loan originations business;

our ability to achieve our strategic initiatives, particularly our ability to: increase the mix of our fee-for-service business, including by entering into new subservicing arrangements; improve servicing performance; successfully develop our originations capabilities in the consumer and wholesale lending channels; effectuate a satisfactory debt restructuring; and execute and realize planned operational improvements and efficiencies, including those relating to our core and non-core framework;

the success of our business strategy in returning us to sustained profitability;

changes in prepayment rates and delinquency rates on the loans we service or subservice;

the ability of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae , as well as our other clients and credit owners, to transfer or otherwise terminate our servicing or subservicing rights, with or without cause;

, as well as our other clients and credit owners, to transfer or otherwise terminate our servicing or subservicing rights, with or without cause; a downgrade of, or other adverse change relating to, or our ability to improve, our servicer ratings or credit ratings;

our ability to collect reimbursements for servicing advances and earn and timely receive incentive payments and ancillary fees on our servicing portfolio;

our ability to collect indemnification payments and enforce repurchase obligations relating to mortgage loans we purchase from our correspondent clients and our ability to collect in a timely manner indemnification payments relating to servicing rights we purchase from prior servicers;

local, regional, national and global economic trends and developments in general, and local, regional and national real estate and residential mortgage market trends in particular, including the volume and pricing of home sales and uncertainty regarding the levels of mortgage originations and prepayments;

uncertainty as to the volume of originations activity we can achieve and the effects of the expiration of HARP, which is scheduled to occur on September 30, 2017 , including uncertainty as to the number of "in-the-money" accounts we may be able to refinance and uncertainty as to what type of product or government program will be introduced, if any, to replace HARP;

, including uncertainty as to the number of "in-the-money" accounts we may be able to refinance and uncertainty as to what type of product or government program will be introduced, if any, to replace HARP; risks associated with the reverse mortgage business, including changes to reverse mortgage programs operated by FHA, HUD or Ginnie Mae , our ability to accurately estimate interest curtailment liabilities, our ability to fund HECM repurchase obligations, our ability to fund principal additions on our HECM loans, and our ability to securitize our HECM tails;

, our ability to accurately estimate interest curtailment liabilities, our ability to fund HECM repurchase obligations, our ability to fund principal additions on our HECM loans, and our ability to securitize our HECM tails; our ability to realize all anticipated benefits of past, pending or potential future acquisitions or joint venture investments;

the effects of competition on our existing and potential future business, including the impact of competitors with greater financial resources and broader scopes of operation;

changes in interest rates and the effectiveness of any hedge we may employ against such changes;

risks and potential costs associated with technology and cybersecurity, including: the risks of technology failures and of cyber-attacks against us or our vendors; our ability to adequately respond to actual or alleged cyber-attacks; and our ability to implement adequate internal security measures and protect confidential borrower information;

risks and potential costs associated with the implementation of new or more current technology, such as MSP, the use of vendors (including offshore vendors) or the transfer of our servers or other infrastructure to new data center facilities;

our ability to comply with evolving and complex accounting rules, many of which involve significant judgment and assumptions;

risks related to our deferred tax assets, including the risk of an "ownership change" under Section 382 of the Code;

our ability to regain and maintain compliance with the continued listing requirements of the NYSE, and risks arising from the potential suspension of trading of our common stock on, and delisting of our common stock from, the NYSE;

our ability to continue as a going concern;

uncertainties regarding impairment charges relating to our goodwill or other intangible assets;

risks associated with one or more material weaknesses identified in our internal controls over financial reporting, including the timing, expense and effectiveness of our remediation plans;

our ability to implement and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures;

our ability to manage potential conflicts of interest relating to our relationship with WCO; and

risks related to our relationship with Walter Energy and uncertainties arising from or relating to its bankruptcy filings and liquidation proceedings, including potential liability for any taxes, interest and/or penalties owed by the Walter Energy consolidated group for the full or partial tax years during which certain of the Company's former subsidiaries were a part of such consolidated group and certain other tax risks allocated to us in connection with our spin-off from Walter Energy.

All of the above factors, risks and uncertainties are difficult to predict, contain uncertainties that may materially affect actual results and may be beyond our control. New factors, risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for our management to predict all such factors, risks and uncertainties.

Although we believe that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements (including those relating to our outlook) contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore any of these statements included herein may prove to be inaccurate. 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 us or any other person that the results or conditions described in such statements or our objectives and plans will be achieved. We make no commitment to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date any such statement is made, except as otherwise required under the federal securities laws. If we were in any particular instance to update or correct a forward-looking statement, investors and others should not conclude that we would make additional updates or corrections thereafter except as otherwise required under the federal securities laws.

In addition, this release may contain statements of opinion or belief concerning market conditions and similar matters. In certain instances, those opinions and beliefs could be based upon general observations by members of our management, anecdotal evidence and/or our experience in the conduct of our business, without specific investigation or statistical analyses. Therefore, while such statements reflect our view of the industries and markets in which we are involved, they should not be viewed as reflecting verifiable views and such views may not be shared by all who are involved in those industries or markets.

Walter Investment Management Corp. and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss (Unaudited) (in thousands, except per share data)





For the Three Months

Ended June 30,

For the Six Months

Ended June 30,



2017

2016

2017

2016 REVENUES















Net servicing revenue and fees

$ 91,321



$ 31,936



$ 204,508



$ (73,826)

Net gains on sales of loans

70,545



100,176



144,901



184,653

Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations

7,872



7,650



22,574



42,858

Interest income on loans

10,489



11,849



21,469



24,020

Insurance revenue

2,650



11,277



7,590



21,644

Other revenues

25,910



24,585



53,030



54,895

Total revenues

208,787



187,473



454,072



254,244



















EXPENSES















General and administrative

117,544



135,776



249,171



265,382

Salaries and benefits

101,071



133,681



209,028



266,320

Interest expense

60,884



64,400



121,294



128,648

Depreciation and amortization

10,042



14,540



20,974



28,963

Goodwill impairment





215,412







215,412

Other expenses, net

3,054



1,897



5,837



4,403

Total expenses

292,595



565,706



606,304



909,128



















OTHER GAINS (LOSSES)















Gain on sale of business

7







67,734





Other net fair value losses

(8,105)



(819)



(3,022)



(2,963)

Gain (loss) on extinguishment

(709)







(709)



928

Other





(532)







(1,556)

Total other gains (losses)

(8,807)



(1,351)



64,003



(3,591)



















Loss before income taxes

(92,615)



(379,584)



(88,229)



(658,475)

Income tax expense

1,694



110,379



1,572



4,190

Net loss

$ (94,309)



$ (489,963)



$ (89,801)



$ (662,665)



















Comprehensive loss

$ (94,314)



$ (489,947)



$ (89,823)



$ (662,624)



















Net loss

$ (94,309)



$ (489,963)



$ (89,801)



$ (662,665)

Basic and diluted loss per common and common equivalent share

$ (2.58)



$ (13.68)



$ (2.46)



$ (18.57)

Weighted-average common and common equivalent shares outstanding  basic and diluted

36,536



35,811



36,475



35,679



Walter Investment Management Corp. and Subsidiaries Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands, except share and per share data)





June 30,

2017

December 31,

2016



(unaudited)



ASSETS







Cash and cash equivalents

$ 478,374



$ 224,598

Restricted cash and cash equivalents

172,677



204,463

Residential loans at amortized cost, net (includes $6,021 and $5,167 in allowance for loan losses at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively)

709,080



665,209

Residential loans at fair value

11,905,869



12,416,542

Receivables, net (includes $11,841 and $15,033 at fair value at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively)

155,250



267,962

Servicer and protective advances, net (includes $152,683 and $146,781 in allowance for uncollectible advances at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively)

915,185



1,195,380

Servicing rights, net (includes $870,758 and $949,593 at fair value at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively)

935,898



1,029,719

Goodwill

47,747



47,747

Intangible assets, net

9,718



11,347

Premises and equipment, net

66,162



82,628

Assets held for sale





71,085

Other assets (includes $40,522 and $87,937 at fair value at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively)

199,554



242,290

Total assets

$ 15,595,514



$ 16,458,970

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT







Payables and accrued liabilities (includes $5,924 and $11,804 at fair value at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively)

$ 701,390



$ 759,011

Servicer payables

143,785



146,332

Servicing advance liabilities

544,134



783,229

Warehouse borrowings

1,332,126



1,203,355

Servicing rights related liabilities at fair value

1,314



1,902

Corporate debt

2,116,960



2,129,000

Mortgage-backed debt (includes $470,600 and $514,025 at fair value at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively)

877,775



943,956

HMBS related obligations at fair value

9,986,409



10,509,449

Deferred tax liabilities, net

4,602



4,774

Liabilities held for sale





2,402

Total liabilities

15,708,495



16,483,410

Stockholders' deficit:







Preferred stock, $0.01 par value per share:







Authorized - 10,000,000 shares







Issued and outstanding - 0 shares at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016







Common stock, $0.01 par value per share:







Authorized - 90,000,000 shares







Issued and outstanding - 36,541,904 and 36,391,129 shares at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively

365



364

Additional paid-in capital

597,348



596,067

Accumulated deficit

(711,605)



(621,804)

Accumulated other comprehensive income

911



933

Total stockholders' deficit

(112,981)



(24,440)

Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit

$ 15,595,514



$ 16,458,970



Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We manage our Company in three reportable segments: Servicing, Originations and Reverse Mortgage. We evaluate the performance of our business segments through the following measures: income (loss) before income taxes, Adjusted Earnings (Loss), and Adjusted EBITDA. Management considers Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA, both non-GAAP financial measures, to be important in the evaluation of our business segments and of the Company as a whole, as well as for allocating capital resources to our segments. Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA are supplemental metrics utilized by management to assess the underlying key drivers and operational performance of the continuing operations of the business. In addition, analysts, investors, and creditors may use these measures when analyzing our operating performance. Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA are not presentations made in accordance with GAAP and our use of these measures and terms may vary from other companies in our industry.

Adjusted Earnings (Loss) is defined as income (loss) before income taxes, plus changes in fair value due to changes in valuation inputs and other assumptions; goodwill and intangible assets impairment, if any; a portion of the provision for curtailment expense, net of expected third-party recoveries, if applicable; share-based compensation expense or benefit; non-cash interest expense; exit costs; estimated settlements and costs for certain legal and regulatory matters; fair value to cash adjustments for reverse loans; and select other cash and non-cash adjustments primarily including severance; gain or loss on extinguishment of debt; the net impact of the Non-Residual Trusts; transaction and integration costs; and certain non-recurring costs, as applicable. Adjusted Earnings (Loss) excludes unrealized changes in fair value of MSR that are based on projections of expected future cash flows and prepayments. Adjusted Earnings (Loss) includes both cash and non-cash gains from mortgage loan origination activities. Non-cash gains are net of non-cash charges or reserves provided. Adjusted Earnings (Loss) includes cash generated from reverse mortgage origination activities for the period in which we were originating reverse mortgages. Adjusted Earnings (Loss) may from time to time also include other adjustments, as applicable based upon facts and circumstances, consistent with the intent of providing investors with a supplemental means of evaluating our operating performance.

We revised our method of calculating Adjusted Earnings (Loss) beginning with the Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 to eliminate adjustments for the step-up depreciation and amortization, which represents depreciation and amortization costs related to the increased basis in assets (including servicing rights and subservicing contracts) acquired within business combination transactions. Prior period amounts have been adjusted to reflect this revision.

Adjusted EBITDA eliminates the effects of financing, income taxes and depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as income (loss) before income taxes, plus amortization of servicing rights and other fair value adjustments; interest expense on corporate debt; depreciation and amortization; goodwill and intangible assets impairment, if any; a portion of the provision for curtailment expense, net of expected third-party recoveries, if applicable; share-based compensation expense or benefit; exit costs; estimated settlements and costs for certain legal and regulatory matters; fair value to cash adjustments for reverse loans; select other cash and non-cash adjustments primarily the net provision for the repurchase of loans sold; non-cash interest income; severance; gain or loss on extinguishment of debt; interest income on unrestricted cash and cash equivalents; the net impact of the Non-Residual Trusts; the provision for loan losses; Residual Trust cash flows; transaction and integration costs; servicing fee economics; and certain non-recurring costs, as applicable. Adjusted EBITDA includes both cash and non-cash gains from mortgage loan origination activities. Adjusted EBITDA excludes the impact of fair value option accounting on certain assets and liabilities and includes cash generated from reverse mortgage origination activities for the period in which we were originating reverse mortgages. Adjusted EBITDA may also include other adjustments, as applicable based upon facts and circumstances, consistent with the intent of providing investors a supplemental means of evaluating our operating performance.

Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as alternatives to (i) net income (loss) or any other performance measures determined in accordance with GAAP or (ii) operating cash flows determined in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA have important limitations as analytical tools, and should not be considered in isolation or as substitutes for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of the limitations of these metrics are:

Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect cash expenditures for long-term assets and other items that have been and will be incurred, future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;

Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs;

Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect certain tax payments that represent reductions in cash available to us;

Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect any cash requirements for the assets being depreciated and amortized that may have to be replaced in the future;

Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect non-cash compensation that is and will remain a key element of our overall long-term incentive compensation package;

Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect the change in fair value due to changes in valuation inputs and other assumptions;

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the change in fair value resulting from the realization of expected cash flows; and

Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the significant interest expense or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our servicing rights related liabilities and corporate debt, although it does reflect interest expense associated with our servicing advance liabilities, master repurchase agreements, mortgage-backed debt, and HMBS related obligations.

Because of these limitations, Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as measures of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business. We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and using Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA only as supplements. Users of our financial statements are cautioned not to place undue reliance on Adjusted Earnings (Loss) and Adjusted EBITDA.

Walter Investment Management Corp. Segment Results of Operations and Non-GAAP Financial Measures For the Three Months Ended June 30, 2017 (in thousands)





Servicing

Originations

Reverse Mortgage

Other

Eliminations

Total Consolidated REVENUES























Net servicing revenue and fees

$ 86,648



$ 



$ 7,083



$ 



$ (2,410)



$ 91,321

Net gains (losses) on sales of loans

(997)



70,910











632



70,545

Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations









7,872











7,872

Interest income on loans

10,477



12















10,489

Insurance revenue

2,650



















2,650

Other revenues

18,648



9,598



454



200



(2,990)



25,910

Total revenues

117,426



80,520



15,409



200



(4,768)



208,787

EXPENSES























Interest expense

12,860



8,599



4,288



35,137







60,884

Depreciation and amortization

8,473



704



865











10,042

Other expenses, net

139,488



51,210



26,756



8,983



(4,768)



221,669

Total expenses

160,821



60,513



31,909



44,120



(4,768)



292,595

OTHER GAINS (LOSSES)























Gain on sale of business

7



















7

Other net fair value gains (losses)

111











(8,216)







(8,105)

Loss on extinguishment

(709)



















(709)

Total other losses

(591)











(8,216)







(8,807)

Income (loss) before income taxes

(43,986)



20,007



(16,500)



(52,136)







(92,615)

Adjustments to income (loss) before income taxes























Gain on sale of business

(7)



















(7)

Changes in fair value due to changes in valuation inputs and other assumptions

33,017



















33,017

Fair value to cash adjustment for reverse loans









12,039











12,039

Transaction and integration costs

2,158











6,928







9,086

Exit costs

4,861



442



614



181







6,098

Non-cash interest expense

22











2,742







2,764

Share-based compensation expense

279



132



70











481

Other

109



(344)



(31)



9,597







9,331

Total adjustments

40,439



230



12,692



19,448







72,809

Adjusted Earnings (Loss)

(3,547)



20,237



(3,808)



(32,688)







(19,806)

EBITDA adjustments























Amortization of servicing rights and other fair value adjustments

41,505







383











41,888

Interest expense on debt













32,396







32,396

Depreciation and amortization

8,473



704



865











10,042

Other

(833)



(2,428)



27



2







(3,232)

Total adjustments

49,145



(1,724)



1,275



32,398







81,094

Adjusted EBITDA

$ 45,598



$ 18,513



$ (2,533)



$ (290)



$ 



$ 61,288



Walter Investment Management Corp. Segment Results of Operations and Non-GAAP Financial Measures For the Three Months Ended June 30, 2016 (in thousands)





Servicing

Originations

Reverse Mortgage

Other

Eliminations

Total Consolidated REVENUES























Net servicing revenue and fees

$ 28,001



$ 



$ 7,001



$ 



$ (3,066)



$ 31,936

Net gains (losses) on sales of loans

(1,191)



100,358











1,009



100,176

Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations









7,650











7,650

Interest income on loans

11,837



12















11,849

Insurance revenue

11,277



















11,277

Other revenues

22,889



9,839



1,486



45



(9,674)



24,585

Total revenues

72,813



110,209



16,137



45



(11,731)



187,473

EXPENSES























Interest expense

18,330



7,736



2,414



35,920







64,400

Depreciation and amortization

10,704



2,248



1,587



1







14,540

Goodwill impairment

215,412



















215,412

Other expenses, net

183,996



54,610



39,080



5,399



(11,731)



271,354

Total expenses

428,442



64,594



43,081



41,320



(11,731)



565,706

OTHER GAINS (LOSSES)























Other net fair value gains (losses)

135











(954)







(819)

Other

(532)



















(532)

Total other losses

(397)











(954)







(1,351)

Income (loss) before income taxes

(356,026)



45,615



(26,944)



(42,229)







(379,584)

Adjustments to income (loss) before income taxes























Changes in fair value due to changes in valuation inputs and other assumptions

118,825



















118,825

Fair value to cash adjustment for reverse loans









14,512











14,512

Transaction and integration costs













539







539

Exit costs

4,126



303



407











4,836

Non-cash interest expense

18











2,940







2,958

Share-based compensation expense

3,160



820



610



256







4,846

Goodwill impairment

215,412



















215,412

Other

6,065



1,515



1,398



3,854







12,832

Total adjustments

347,606



2,638



16,927



7,589







374,760

Adjusted Earnings (Loss) (1)

(8,420)



48,253



(10,017)



(34,640)







(4,824)

EBITDA Adjustments























Amortization of servicing rights and other fair value adjustments

61,960







446











62,406

Interest expense on debt

1,251











32,979







34,230

Depreciation and amortization

10,704



2,248



1,587



1







14,540

Other

(767)



(7,013)



21



169







(7,590)

Total adjustments

73,148



(4,765)



2,054



33,149







103,586

Adjusted EBITDA

$ 64,728



$ 43,488



$ (7,963)



$ (1,491)



$ 



$ 98,762



(1) We revised our method of calculating Adjusted Earnings (Loss) beginning with the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 to eliminate adjustments for step-up depreciation and amortization, which represents depreciation and amortization costs related to the increased basis in assets (including servicing rights and subservicing contracts) acquired within business combination transactions. Prior period amounts have been adjusted to reflect this revision.

Walter Investment Management Corp. Segment Results of Operations and Non-GAAP Financial Measures For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 (in thousands)





Servicing

Originations

Reverse Mortgage

Other

Eliminations

Total Consolidated REVENUES























Net servicing revenue and fees

$ 195,189



$ 



$ 14,591



$ 



$ (5,272)



$ 204,508

Net gains (losses) on sales of loans

(1,317)



144,614











1,604



144,901

Net fair value gains on reverse loans and related HMBS obligations









22,574











22,574

Interest income on loans

21,445



24















21,469

Insurance revenue

7,590



















7,590

Other revenues

42,299



16,690



737



710



(7,406)



53,030

Total revenues

265,206



161,328



37,902



710



(11,074)



454,072

EXPENSES























Interest expense

26,393



17,999



6,679



70,223







121,294

Depreciation and amortization

17,384



1,671



1,919











20,974

Other expenses, net

297,955



110,816



51,103



15,236



(11,074)



464,036

Total expenses

341,732



130,486



59,701



85,459



(11,074)



606,304

OTHER GAINS (LOSSES)























Gain on sale of business

67,734



















67,734

Other net fair value losses

(1,318)











(1,704)







(3,022)

Loss on extinguishment

(709)



















(709)

Total other gains (losses)

65,707











(1,704)







64,003

Income (loss) before income taxes

(10,819)



30,842



(21,799)



(86,453)







(88,229)

Adjustments to income (loss) before income taxes























Gain on sale of business

(67,734)



















(67,734)

Changes in fair value due to changes in valuation inputs and other assumptions

40,414



















40,414

Fair value to cash adjustment for reverse loans









15,378











15,378

Transaction and integration costs

4,331











9,963







14,294

Exit costs

5,684



875



1,292



118







7,969

Non-cash interest expense

1,535











5,413







6,948

Share-based compensation expense (benefit)

421



(50)



204



771







1,346

Other

3,043



727



174



4,868







8,812

Total adjustments

(12,306)



1,552



17,048



21,133







27,427

Adjusted Earnings (Loss)

(23,125)



32,394



(4,751)



(65,320)







(60,802)

EBITDA Adjustments























Amortization of servicing rights and other fair value adjustments

82,117







782











82,899

Interest expense on debt













64,810







64,810

Depreciation and amortization

17,384



1,671



1,919











20,974

Other

(76)



(3,161)



55



(108)







(3,290)

Total adjustments

99,425



(1,490)



2,756



64,702







165,393

Adjusted EBITDA

$ 76,300



$ 30,904



$ (1,995)



$ (618)



$ 



$ 104,591



Walter Investment Management Corp. Segment Results of Operations and Non-GAAP Financial Measures For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2016 (in thousands)





Servicing

Originations

Reverse Mortgage

Other

Eliminations

Total Consolidated REVENUES























Net servicing revenue and fees

$ (81,519)



$ 



$ 13,910



$ 



$ (6,217)



$ (73,826)

Net gains (losses) on sales of loans

(5,727)



188,340











2,040



184,653

Net fair value gains on reverse loans and

related HMBS obligations









42,858











42,858

Interest income on loans

23,995



25















24,020

Insurance revenue

21,644



















21,644

Other revenues

51,165



22,121



3,464



75



(21,930)



54,895

Total revenues

9,558



210,486



60,232



75



(26,107)



254,244

EXPENSES























Interest expense

36,892



16,011



3,929



71,816







128,648

Depreciation and amortization

21,485



4,593



2,875



10







28,963

Goodwill impairment

215,412



















215,412

Other expenses, net

347,810



127,866



74,321



12,215



(26,107)



536,105

Total expenses

621,599



148,470



81,125



84,041



(26,107)



909,128

OTHER GAINS (LOSSES)























Other net fair value gains (losses)

226











(3,189)







(2,963)

Gain on extinguishment













928







928

Other

(532)







(1,024)











(1,556)

Total other losses

(306)







(1,024)



(2,261)







(3,591)

Income (loss) before income taxes

(612,347)



62,016



(21,917)



(86,227)







(658,475)

Adjustments to income (loss) before income taxes























Changes in fair value due to changes in valuation inputs and other assumptions

359,154



















359,154

Fair value to cash adjustment for reverse loans









(3,197)











(3,197)

Transaction and integration costs

370











2,486







2,856

Exit costs

6,007



2,099



407



227







8,740

Non-cash interest expense

(11)











5,807







5,796

Share-based compensation expense

3,941



233



923



608







5,705

Goodwill impairment

215,412



















215,412

Other

8,199



1,515



2,446



7,510







19,670

Total adjustments

593,072



3,847



579



16,638







614,136

Adjusted Earnings (Loss) (1)

(19,275)



65,863



(21,338)



(69,589)







(44,339)

EBITDA Adjustments























Amortization of servicing rights and other fair value adjustments

134,230







906











135,136

Interest expense on debt

3,986











66,009







69,995

Depreciation and amortization

21,485



4,593



2,875



10







28,963

Other

(1,102)



(3,212)



54



347







(3,913)

Total adjustments

158,599



1,381



3,835



66,366







230,181

Adjusted EBITDA

$ 139,324



$ 67,244



$ (17,503)



$ (3,223)



$ 



$ 185,842



(1) We revised our method of calculating Adjusted Earnings (Loss) beginning with the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 to eliminate adjustments for step-up depreciation and amortization, which represents depreciation and amortization costs related to the increased basis in assets (including servicing rights and subservicing contracts) acquired within business combination transactions. Prior period amounts have been adjusted to reflect this revision.

Reconciliation of GAAP Net Loss to Non-GAAP Adjusted Loss (in millions, except per share amounts)





For the Three Months Ended June 30,

For the Six Months

Ended June 30,



2017

2016

2017

2016 Net loss

$ (94.3)



$ (490.0)



$ (89.8)



$ (662.7)

Income tax expense

1.7



110.4



1.6



4.2

Loss before income taxes

(92.6)



(379.6)



(88.2)



(658.5)

Adjustments to loss before income taxes















Gain on sale of business









(67.7)





Changes in fair value due to changes in valuation inputs

and other assumptions (1)

33.0



118.8



40.4



359.2

Fair value to cash adjustment for reverse loans (2)

12.0



14.5



15.4



(3.2)

Transaction and integration costs (3)

9.1



0.5



14.3



2.9

Exit costs (4)

6.1



4.8



8.0



8.7

Non-cash interest expense

2.8



3.0



6.9



5.8

Share-based compensation expense

0.5



4.9



1.3



5.7

Goodwill impairment





215.4







215.4

Other (5)

9.3



12.9



8.8



19.7

Total adjustments

72.8



374.8



27.4



614.2

Adjusted Loss

(19.8)



(4.8)



(60.8)



(44.3)

Tax benefit at estimated effective tax rate of 38%

(7.5)



(1.8)



(23.1)



(16.8)

Adjusted Loss after tax

$ (12.3)



(3.0)



$ (37.7)



$ (27.5)

Adjusted Loss after tax per common and common equivalent share

$ (0.34)



$ (0.08)



$ (1.03)



$ (0.77)

Weighted-average common and common equivalent shares outstanding

36.5



35.8



36.5



35.7



__________

(1) Consists of the change in fair value due to changes in valuation inputs and other assumptions relating to servicing rights and charged-off loans. (2) Represents the non-cash fair value adjustment to arrive at cash generated from reverse mortgage origination activities. (3) Transaction and integration costs result primarily from the Company's debt restructuring initiative. (4) Exit costs include expenses related to the closing of offices and the termination and replacement of certain employees as well as other expenses to institute efficiencies. Exit costs incurred for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 include those relating to our exit from the consumer retail channel of the Originations segment, our exit from the reverse mortgage originations business, and actions initiated in 2015, 2016 and 2017 in connection with our continued efforts to enhance efficiencies and streamline processes in the organization. (5) Includes severance, costs associated with transforming the business and the net impact of the Non-Residual Trusts.

Reconciliation of GAAP Net Loss to Non-GAAP AEBITDA (in millions)





For the Three Months

Ended June 30,

For the Six Months

Ended June 30,



2017

2016

2017

2016 Net loss

$ (94.3)



$ (490.0)



$ (89.8)



$ (662.7)

Income tax expense

1.7



110.4



1.6



4.2

Loss before income taxes

(92.6)



(379.6)



(88.2)



(658.5)

EBITDA Adjustments















Amortization of servicing rights and other fair value

adjustments (1)

74.9



181.2



123.3



494.3

Interest expense

35.2



37.2



71.8



75.8

Gain on sale of business









(67.7)





Depreciation and amortization

10.0



14.6



21.0



29.0

Fair value to cash adjustment for reverse loans (2)

12.0



14.5



15.4



(3.2)

Transaction and integration costs (3)

9.1



0.5



14.3



2.9

Exit costs (4)

6.1



4.8



8.0



8.7

Share-based compensation expense

0.5



4.9



1.3



5.7

Goodwill impairment





215.4







215.4

Other (5)

6.1



5.3



5.4



15.7

Total adjustments

153.9



478.4



192.8



844.3

Adjusted EBITDA

$ 61.3



$ 98.8



$ 104.6



$ 185.8



__________

(1) Consists of the change in fair value due to changes in valuation inputs and other assumptions relating to servicing rights and charged-off loans as well as the amortization of servicing rights and the realization of expected cash flows relating to servicing rights carried at fair value. (2) Represents the non-cash fair value adjustment to arrive at cash generated from reverse mortgage origination activities. (3) Transaction and integration costs result primarily from the Company's debt restructuring initiative. (4) Exit costs include expenses related to the closing of offices and the termination and replacement of certain employees as well as other expenses to institute efficiencies. Exit costs incurred for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 include those relating to our exit from the consumer retail channel of the Originations segment, our exit from the reverse mortgage originations business, and actions initiated in 2015, 2016 and 2017 in connection with our continued efforts to enhance efficiencies and streamline processes in the organization. (5) Includes the net provision for the repurchase of loans sold, non-cash interest income, severance, interest income on unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, costs associated with transforming the business, the net impact of the Non-Residual Trusts, the provision for loan losses and Residual Trust cash flows.

SOURCE Walter Investment Management Corp.

Related Links

http://www.walterind.com


By Harish V Nair: Stop crying foul after you ran away from the EVM challenge - this is what the Election Commission tersely told political parties which have questioned the reliability of the voting machines. In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court - which is hearing complaints by Congress and BSP regarding functioning of EVMs - the poll panel said it had invited all parties to prove that the voting machines can be tampered with, but no one turned up.

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Only the NCP and CPI (M) came forward, but they too backed out at the last minute. "On June 3, 2017, the ECI conducted the EVM challenge wherein only two parties NCP and CPIM submitted their interest in participating in the EVM challenge. However, on the day of the challenge, they said they only want to understand the process. Thus no political party was able to demonstrate how EVMs could be tampered with," said the affidavit filed by Malay Mallik, Secretary at the Election Commission.

The commission said it will hold all future elections mandatorily with Electronic Voting Machines attached to Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail machines (EVMs with VVPAT). BSP had alleged large scale tampering of EVMs during the recent round of Assembly elections and sought immediate introduction of a paper trail with every EVM voting to ensure there is no tampering with the machine.

The VVPATs are electronic voting machines in which, when a button is pressed to choose a candidate on a voting machine, a slip of paper shows the party symbol of the candidate selected. The receipt is visible to the voter for a few seconds before it drops into a sealed box.

The voter can satisfy himself that his choice has been correctly recorded in an EVM. In case the results of an election are questioned, as happened after the assembly elections were held in five states earlier this year, the VVPAT slips can be used to double check on the announced results. Not only the BSP but also parties like Congress and AAP have complained about it. Kejriwal and Congress leader Ajay Maken had also sought use of ballot paper instead of EVMs in the just concluded MCD polls, which the BJP swept.

The court was also hearing a petition by one Reshma Vithalbhai Patel from Gujarat to direct the EC to use EVMs with VVPAT facility in the Gujarat Assembly elections scheduled for later this year The EC said the requirement was at least 70,000 EVMs with VVPATs and if the machines are supplied on time, they could be used. "Election Commission currently has 53,000 VVPAT units in its possession and the number of VVPAT units required for conducting elections to the Gujarat Assembly is 70,000 units.

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The election commission expects to receive the delivery of 48,000 VVPATs units from BEL and ECIL by August 31, 2017 and another 25,000 in September. If the said consignment is delivered in time, the EC expects to be able to conduct the elections to the assembly with the use of VVPATs. Further funds will also be required for its storage, maintenance and security," the affidavit said.

Also Read:

How Election Commission patiently but strongly refuted allegations on EVM tampering

Forensic lab test proves EVM was not hacked during Maharashtra election

--- ENDS ---
YORK, England, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- York Instruments, Ltd. (subsidiary of Croton Healthcare, LLC, Coral Springs, Florida) has signed agreements to place magnetoencephalography (MEG) systems at three leading neuroscience research universities in the UK and Germany. The University of York and the University of Glasgow in the UK and Germany's University of Konstanz will partner closely with York Instruments to develop the ground-breaking technology, as well pursue potential new applications using the company's recently released MEG technology.

The agreement expands upon a development partnership started in 2015. By first incorporating MEGSCAN core control electronics, the universities' MEG researchers will achieve an improved signal to noise ratio through ground breaking low noise electronics. With the full MEGSCAN system, the universities will end their reliance on expensive liquid helium, a dwindling non-renewable resource, and have the capability to measure healthy and pathological brain signals with unprecedented sensitivity.

York Instruments' CEO Gordon Baltzer said, "We are very pleased to be able to invite the Universities of York, Glasgow and Konstanz to be part of our growing network of pioneering MEG research and clinical sites worldwide looking to radically improve the field of MEG."

Later this year, the universities will install the first stage of control electronics, which will allow for higher levels of functional brain imaging. In addition to offering unprecedented low levels of electronic noise interference, the systems have a higher level of reliability, lower power consumption and will be upgradable to future revisions.

About York Instruments Ltd.

York Instruments, Ltd is a UK-based company specializing in magnetic measurements and their healthcare applications. Using the very latest technologies and methodologies, York instruments, Ltd is focused on magnetoencephalography (MEG) and its ability to effectively assess neural networks. York Instruments' revolutionary MEG technology allows for earlier and improved diagnostic capability in relation to a variety of neurological diseases and conditions. Additional information is available at: www.york-instruments.com.

Contact: Tyler Lecceadone, SeyferthPR, [email protected]

SOURCE York Instruments Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.york-instruments.co.uk


By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) The Election Commission today told the Supreme Court that it will be able to conduct the Gujarat assembly elections, due late this year, using EVMs with paper trail.

A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar accepted the submission of Election Commission of India (ECI) and disposed of the plea seeking direction for use of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines in Gujarat assembly polls.

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"ECI in its affidavit has said that it will conduct the Gujarat polls using VVPAT. We are satisfied by the submission. The petition is disposed of," the bench also comprising Justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and D Y Chandrachud said after the ECIs counsel apprised it of the poll panels stand.

The VVPAT machine is connected with EVMs and dispenses a paper proof for the voters so that they can verify that their vote is cast correctly.

The court, however, posted other matters connected to use of VVPAT in polls for tomorrow on the plea of petitioners.

"If the adjournment is without any reason, there will be consequences. You cant waste the courts time," the bench said.

In its affidavit, the EC has said it will be able to conduct the upcoming Gujarat assembly polls using EVMs with paper trail if it gets 73,500 VVPAT machines by September from the manufacturers.

The poll panel maintained that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) currently used for conducting Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the country cannot be tampered with.

It told the apex court that around 70,000 VVPATs units would be required for the Gujarat polls scheduled later this year.

The poll panel said that around 48,000 units were expected to be delivered by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) by August 31 while another 25,500 such units would be delivered by September.

"If the said consignment of VVPATs is delivered on time, the Election Commission expects to be able to conduct the elections to the Gujarat legislative assembly completely with the use of VVPATs," the poll panel told the apex court in its affidavit.

The ECI said that currently it was in possession of 53,500 VVPAT units.

"It is pertinent to point out herein that the Election Commission of India (ECI) currently has 53,500 of VVPAT units in its possession and the number of VVPAT units required for conducting election to the Gujarat legislative assembly is 70,000 units.

"The ECI expects to receive the delivery of 48,000 VVPAT units from BEL and ECIL by August 31, 2017 and another 25,500 VVPAT units in September 2017," the poll panel said.

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It, however, said that though there has been a debate over alleged EVM tampering, "no political party or person" was able to demonstrate how these machines could be tampered with during the course of open EVM challenge.

The ECIs affidavit was filed in pursuance to the apex courts July 6 directive asking it to file a response on the possibility of using EVMs with VVPATs in the Gujarat polls.

The apex court was hearing the plea filed by a Gujarat Patidar leader seeking the use of either ballot paper or EVMs with VVPAT for the assembly elections.

Petitioner Reshma Vithabhai Patel, the convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, which was in the forefront of the Patel quota agitation, had claimed that the EVMs were not "fully reliable, foolproof, tamper-proof or hacker-proof".

The ECI should be asked to replace EVMs with ballot paper or to ensure VVPAT for every EVM, she had demanded. PTI MNL PKS SJK ABA RKS RT

--- ENDS ---
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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Chennai, Aug 4 : Double Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman may perform live at the audio launch of his upcoming Tamil film "Mersal" here on August 20, a source in the know has said.

"It's going to be a grand audio launch and Rahman sir may perform. He is yet to give his final nod but the makers are hopeful that he will accept the invitation and at least perform briefly," the source, from the film's unit, told IANS.

Directed by Atlee and starring Vijay in the lead, "Mersal" marks their second time collaboration after last year's blockbuster "Theri".

Vijay plays a triple role in the film, which is bankrolled by Sri Thenandal Studios.

The three roles feature him as a panchayat head, a doctor and a magician.

The film also stars Nithya Menen, SJ Suryah, Kajal Aggarwal and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.

"Mersal", which will have simultaneous dubbed Telugu release, is set to hit the screens this Diwali.
New Delhi, Aug 5 : MPs queued up outside Parliament House on Saturday to elect the country's next Vice President, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being the first to cast his vote.

The voting began at 10 a.m.

The counting of votes will be done in the evening. The results would be announced later on Saturday.

NDA candidate M. Venkaiah Naidu is contesting against Opposition nominee Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

The electoral college comprising 790 members of both Houses of Parliament will vote till 5 p.m.

The ruling combine made last minute arrangements to muster maximum support, with Modi giving a pep talk to MPs, including those from parties outside the NDA, at a dinner hosted by him on Friday.

In an effective electoral college of 787 members, Naidu seems to be in a comfortable position as the NDA has a clear majority in the Lok Sabha and has the support of some political parties from the south.

Naidu expressed confidence on Saturday, just minutes before polling began, that majority parties will vote for him.

The Lok Sabha currently has 545 members and the Rajya Sabha 244. The Lok Sabha has two vacancies, while the Rajya Sabha has one vacancy.

According to BJP officials, apart from the NDA's 81 Rajya Sabha members and 338 Lok Sabha members, members of both Houses -- of the AIADMK (50), YSR Congress (10) and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (14) will also vote in favour of Naidu.

With around support of 493 members, Naidu is all set to cross the magic figure of 394. However, BJP leaders are hopeful of crossing the 500 mark.

Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi, a former West Bengal Governor and a diplomat, has support of the Congress, the Left parties, Nationalist Congress Party, DMK, Trinamool Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party and National Conference.

Janata Dal-United, which is now a part of NDA, had announced support for Gandhi and is likely to vote in his favour.
Kathmandu, Aug 5 : Nine persons were killed and seven injured when their vehicle plunged into a 500 metre deep gorge in Doti district of Nepal, police said on Saturday.

The vehicle, carrying 16 persons, skidded off the mountain road at Botagan area, Xinhua news agency quoted a police officer as saying.

Four of the injured were in critical condition, the police said.

The vehiclewas en route to Dipayal district from Doti.

Poor condition of roads and ill-maintained vehicles are major reasons behind road accidents in the Himalayan nation.
Toronto, Aug 5 : Rana Sarkar, an Indo-Canadian who was till recently national director for high growth markets at the Toronto-based multi-national KPMG, has been named by Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Liberal government as Canadas Consul-General to San Francisco.

Simultaneously, Sarkar has also been named a member of the high-profile Canadian official team for renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the US and Mexico.

The Indo-Canadian community is elated over this very high profile appointment:

"Rana Sarkar (previously President of Canada-India Business Council) brings an impressive array of skills to his new position as Consul General in San Francisco," says Kasi Rao, currently President of Canada-India Business Council and Vice-President of Asia-Pacific Foundation. "First, Rana is a global Canadian and has operated in multiple geographies - Canada, UK and India. Second, he has brought individual networks and made them into institutional ones.

"Rana has maintained an abiding interest in the ideas and innovation space and therefore will be adept at positioning the Canadian advantage in a critically important global city of San Francisco."

Gary Comerford, who till recently was President of C-IBC, says in an interview that Sarkar "will be a very strong addition to the Canadian-US trade team. His knowledge and considerable expertise in the areas of international trade will be invaluable as the NAFTA agreement is modernized."

Sarkar was also a Liberal Party candidate for the federal riding of Don Valley North (in Toronto) in 2014 but was not successful and he later became a member of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's team of advisers.

Sarkar was earlier visiting lecturer at the London School of Economics and Political Science and more recently Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto.

Appointment of Sarkar in this high profile position is amongst a series of appointments of Indo-Canadians made by the Justin Trudeau government. They include four Indo-Canadian federal ministers: Amarjeet Sohi (Minister for Infrastructure and Communities); Bardish Chagger (Minister for Small Business and Tourism and House Leader); Harjit Singh Sajjan (Minister for National Defense); and Navdeep Bains (Minister for Innovation, Science and Economic Development).

More recently Trudeau named Anil Arora as Canada's Chief Statistician.

Two other high profile appointments include Sabi Marwah and Ratna Omidvar as Senators.

There are 19 Indo-Canadian Members of the House of Commons, 18 of whom are Liberals.

(Ajit Jain can be contacted at ajit.jain0410@gmail.com)
Islamabad, Aug 5 : Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in his first interaction with the media a week after he was disqualified by the Supreme Court, on Saturday asked if any court in the country will ever punish former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

Sharif, speaking to reporters at the Punjab House, asked: "When will the court punish the dictator who says 'dictatorship is better than democracy'."

"The one who subverted the Constitution twice is still roaming free, is there any court which will take cognizance of this matter?," he asked.

Sharif pointed out that a lot had changed since he came back from exile in 2007, the News International reported.

In October 1999, General Musharraf, the then army chief of Pakistan, had ousted Sharif in a bloodless coup and seized power. Sharif was in exile in Saudi Arabia for eight years, before he returned to Pakistan in 2007.

According to the thrice-deposed premier, he was disqualified by the court for not declaring the salary he never received.

Sharif, who was staying in Murree after his ouster as Prime Minister, arrived in Islamabad with a grand welcome by scores of his followers.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz head said Baloch leader Akbar Bugti was brutally killed in the mountains but no one asked who was responsible for this injustice.

He said there was no allegation of corruption and misappropriation of public funds against him.

Last Sunday, the former premier vacated the Prime Minister House and proceeded to Murree along with family members.

Since then, the country has seen a new Prime Minister - PML-N's Shahid Khaqan Abbasi - assume office.

Sharif has spent most of his time in Murree in hectic consultations over the formation of the new cabinet. The former premier chaired back-to-back meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, which finally led to the swearing-in of the new cabinet on Friday.

The Supreme Court, in its judgment in the Panama Papers case, disqualified Sharif under Article 62 (1) (f) of the Constitution over his failure to disclose un-withdrawn receivables constituting assets from a UAE-based company.

The verdict stated that he was not 'honest' and 'truthful', as per the country's Constitution.

The PML-N has decided to file a review petition against the verdict.

However, the party's troubles are not over as it gears up for the by-election in Sharif's Lahore constituency - NA-120 - on September 17, Geo News reported.

According to some reports, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is expected to contest the by-poll and assume office of Prime Pinister. However, there is a chance Abbasi could continue in office till the next general elections and the party gives the NA-120 ticket to someone else.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is also set to file several corruption references against Nawaz, his children Maryam, Hussain and Hasan, son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, among others, in an accountability court.
Nagpur, Aug 5 : U.P Yoddha rode on fine performances from captain Nitin Tomar and Rishank Devadiga to register a narrow 32-27 victory over Bengaluru Bulls in a Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) contest at the Mankapur Indoor Stadium here on Saturday.

Nitin (9 points) and Devadiga (5 points) did the most damage to the opposition with their successful raids helping the Uttar Pradesh outfit clinch victory by five points.

For Bengaluru, captain Rohit Kumar (11 points) who earned a super 10 from his fast paced movement and technique inside the opposition mat was the only hope for the Bulls but failed to help his side take a lead.

U.P Yoddha were off to a good start clinching two bonus points and tackling the opposition raider to add initial points in the tally. Rishank Devadiga did the most damage to the opposition in the first-half with his technique and movement while skipper Nitin Tomar targeted the poor left corner defence of the Bengaluru outfit to earn points. The Uttar Pradesh outfit took a 10-points lead in the first-half with the scoreboard reading 18-8.

For Bengaluru, captain Rohit Kumar brought the first points on board with his successful raids. Ashish Kumar and Mahendra Singh also earned one point each in the first half but failed to give their side a good start.

In the second-half, Ajay Kumar opened the scoring for Bengaluru but the pressure kept building on Rohit who delivered for his side earning five points from a super-raid for his side and continued to earn points through his successful raids to reduce the deficit by five points but failed to take the lead.

For U.P, Nitin continued his fine run in the second-half helping his side add on to the lead by earning points from touching the bonus line and super-raid.

Both teams earned two points each for all-out but the U.P outfit earned nine points in comparison to Bengaluru's four points in tackle.
Bengaluru, Aug 7 : While India reaped the benefits of the Green Revolution in the 1960s, her neighbour China is now taking the lead in another area of sustainable agriculture -- developing crops that meet the challenges posed by global warming.

Chinese agricultural scientists are working to convert seasonal crops into perennial crops that regrow after being harvested and deliver multiple yields before dying.

"They are saving labour costs. Besides, greater soil carbon storage and lesser input requirements mean that perennial crops have the potential to mitigate global warming," Erik J. Sacks, Associate Professor of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois, told this correspondent in an e-mail.

China's Yunnan Agricultural University (YAU) started working on perennial rice after the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines wound up this project in 2001 owing to a financial crisis.

At YAU, Fengyi Hu and his colleagues developed a perennial rice by crossing Oryza sativa -- the short-lived Asian rice -- with a wild African perennial O. longistaminata.

The cross, known as PR 23, "apparently lasts at least five years and gives 10 seasons of grain twice a year with yields comparable to seasonal rice", Nandula Raghuram, Professor and Dean of Biotechnology at New Delhi's Indraprastha University, told this correspondent.

"It seems very convincing and promising," said Raghuram, one of the 50 delegates from over a dozen countries who recently toured different perennial rice-growing sites in the Yunnan province and tasted the cooked rice. "Farmers we spoke to seemed enthusiastic about adopting perennial rice and possibly other crops because of lower input costs."

Noting that perennial rice is a great idea, "next only to hybrid rice", he said perennial legumes are also being developed and it may be possible to have both rice and legume grow perennially in alternative rows/plots on the same field. "This also reduces or eliminates the need for nitrogen fertiliser and reduces the pest/pathogen problems typical to monocultures," Raghuram said.

Work on developing perennial wheat, buckwheat, sorghum and sunflower are also at various stages in China.

"The fact is that rice farmers in China are beginning to adopt perennial rice because they see the benefits to themselves," Sacks said. "Similarly, in the US, some leading farmers are beginning to adopt Kernza (a perennial wheat-like crop) because they find the market conditions and environmental benefits advantageous."

Perennial crops hold many benefits, including reduced chemical runoff -- which means less water pollution -- and reduced soil erosion as these plants develop much greater root mass and protect the soil year-round. Their superior capacity to store carbon and manage resources is widely recognised by ecologists and soil scientists.

The Land Institute in Kansas, according to Timothy Crews, its Director of Research, plans to convert US farmlands to 70 percent perennial crops from the current 25 percent within 50 years.

However, M.S. Swaminathan, considered the father of India's Green Revolution, said the main problem with perennial varieties is the need to effectively manage the "unholy triple alliance" of weeds, pests and pathogens.

"Perennial rice used to be common in the past, but I think because of the pest problem, farmers had given it up," Swaminathan told this correspondent. "There is also perennial wheat and many crops in nature that tend to be perennial. The advantage of perennial crops is that they will be very helpful where there is labour shortage and where the work is being done by family labour."

Raghuram admitted that perennial crops may not be a panacea for all the ills of agriculture -- especially agrarian distress and farmers' suicides in India -- but "they can be an engine for progressive change, both in economic and environmental terms. The challenge for scientists, extension workers and policymakers is to make it happen".

"While the present varieties of perennial rice developed in China may be suited for Chinese agro climates, "they do offer adequate proof of concept that they can be developed for other agro climates and markets", Raghuram noted.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which has been highly supportive of the Chinese efforts to develop perennial rice, is keen to extend this technology to other parts of the world.

"Perennial rice, combined with perennial legumes, has huge potential in Asia, especially India," Hans Dreyer, director of FAO's plant production division, told this correspondent on the telephone. "A south-south collaboration on this technology can make this happen."

Anil Rajvanshi, director of Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute in Phalton, Maharashtra, who is visiting the Land Institute in the US this month, is all for perennials.

"In India we should have a national mission for developing perennial crops for wheat and rice, and ultimately for other crops and vegetables," Rajvanshi told this correspondent. "Crops are like factories. We never destroy a factory after the produce is made and sold. In fact, most of the time we tweak the machinery and use the same factory to produce different products."

"Yet in agriculture, after the harvest we uproot the plants, till the soil and replant a new crop. This increases soil erosion, takes away a lot of minerals from the soil and uses up a huge amount of water and energy to develop new root structure, besides increasing the time of harvest," he added.

"Perennial crops, on the other hand, hold the soil and tremendously reduce the energy required for food and fruit production," Rajvanshi concluded.

(K.S. Jayaraman is a senior journalist who writes on science-related issues. He can be contacted at killugudi@hotmail.com)
Mumbai, Aug 7 : Legendary actor Dilip Kumar, who is undergoing treatment for kidney-related problems, is showing signs of improvement day by day, said a senior official from Lilavati Hospital.

Doctors are happy with how the 94-year-old actor is responding to treatment, Ajay Kumar Pande, Vice President, Lilavati Hospital, told IANS.

"Dilip saab's health has improved as compared to yesterday. His creatinine levels have come further down, and doctors are happy with these signs," Pande said.

Dilip Kumar is in the ICU.

"He has eaten food on his own and that's a very good sign. He's alert and we are happy with how his health is improving," Pande added.

The thespian was admitted to the hospital on August 2 due to dehydration and urinary tract infection. High potassium and creatinine levels had raised concerns that he may have to be put on dialysis, but doctors decided against it after he started responding well to treatment.
Gandhinagar, Aug 8 : Polling for the crucial Rajya Sabha elections here in Gujarat began on Tuesday that will decide the fate of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel and that of BJP chief Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani.

While Patel is seeking a fifth term with his back to the wall, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidates are all set for an easy run.

As many as 176 legislators are expected to exercise their franchise for four contestants battling it out for three seats. The ruling BJP's third candidate is Congress turncoat Balwantsinh Rajput.

With 122 MLAs in the House of 182, two BJP candidates will easily sail through, but Patel with 44 Congress MLAs, appears to be falling short by one to win his seat.

The Congress had 57 legislators. But after six of them resigned in July, it was reduced to 51.

Seven from them are led by rebel leader Shankersinh Vaghela.

Forty-four MLAs, whom Patel considers with him were even taken away to Bengaluru to prevent "further poaching" by the BJP. They returned only on Monday.

Patel is also banking upon the support of two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs and one Janata Dal (United) legislator to see him through.

It was not certain what position Vaghela and his six supporting legislators would take.
By PTI: Washington, Aug 9 (PTI) Your Facebook or Instagram photos could tell if you are depressed, thanks to scientists who have developed a new computer programme that could diagnose depression from social media posts better than doctors.

The programme could identify depressed people correctly 70 per cent of the time.

In comparison, previous research has shown that doctors can make a correct unassisted diagnosis of depression 42 per cent of the time.

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"Our analysis of user accounts from a popular social media app revealed that photos posted by people diagnosed with depression tended to be darker in colour, received more comments from the community, were more likely to contain faces and less likely to have a filter applied," said Christopher Danforth, from the University of Vermont in the US.

"When they did select a filter they were more likely to use the filter that converted colour images to black and white. People diagnosed with depression also posted at a higher frequency compared to non-depressed individuals," said Danforth.

"With an increasing share of our social interactions happening online, the potential for algorithmic identification of early-warning signs for a host of mental and physical illnesses is enormous," he said.

"Imagine an app you can install on your phone that pings your doctor for a check-up when your behaviour changes for the worse, potentially before you even realise there is a problem," he added.

The researchers used the computer programme to analyse 43,950 photos, following recruitment of 166 users of a popular social media app, including 71 people that had a clinical diagnosis of depression.

The programme scoured the photos for details that were associated with healthy and depressed individuals.

This information was then used to see if the programme could predict who would go on to be diagnosed with depression by only looking at photos that were posted before their diagnosis.

"Although we had a relatively small sample size, we were able to reliably observe differences in features of social media posts between depressed and non-depressed individuals," said Andrew Reece from Harvard University in the US.

"Importantly, we also demonstrate that the markers of depression can be observed in posts made prior to the person receiving a clinical diagnosis of depression," Reece said.

The research was published in the journal EPJ Data Science. PTI MHN SAR MHN

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi, Aug 8 : The Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice on Tuesday over "two types" of currency notes.

As soon as the house met for the day, Congress member Kapil Sibal alleged that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was printing two types of Rs 500 currency notes.

"The RBI prints two types of currency notes. These are of different size and different design... how is it possible?" Sibal said as he displayed pictures of two types of notes pasted on a placard.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the demonetisation was the "biggest scam of this century".

Other opposition leaders, including Trinamool Congress' Derek O'Brien, Janata Dal-United's Sharad Yadav and Samajwadi Party's Naresh Agrawal also joined the Congress members in raising the issue.

However, Union ministers from the Bharatiya Janata Party protested against the issue being raised during Zero Hour and as a Point of Order.

Leader of the House Arun Jaitley accused the opposition of raising "frivolous" issues day by day in the house.

As the opposition members created ruckus, and the treasury benches members shouted back, the Chair adjourned the house for 10 minutes.

But when the house met again, the Congress members again trooped to the Chairman's podium, raising slogans against the government.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that if the members want a discussion on the issue, they can give a notice for it.

"You will get the answer," Naqvi said.

However, the opposition members kept raising slogans and the Chair again adjourned the house till 12 p.m.
Ranchi, Aug 8 : The Jharkhand assembly began its monsoon session here on Tuesday and is scheduled to take up two important bills -- the anti-conversion law and an amendment to the land acquisition act.

The state cabinet last week gave its approval to the Jharkhand Land Amendment Act, 2017, which is related to the right for compensation and transparency under the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

Once the amendment is passed by the assembly, it will be sent to the President for his approval.

According to the proposed legislation, land can be acquired without social impact assessment for projects related to the welfare of the people. Such projects are identified as construction of schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, panchayat buildings, anganwadi kendras, waterways, electrification and irrigation, and drinking water pipelines.

The decision to bring the legislation in the assembly was taken after the state government's move to amend two land acts -- the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act -- saw wide protests, leading to withdrawal of the proposal.

According to the anti-conversion bill, which forbids conversion through allurement or coercion, anyone forcing religious conversion will be liable to imprisonment of three to four years and a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

The opposition parties are set to oppose both the bills.

"The Religious Independence Bill, 2017, is against the Constitution. The state government should make it clear what is the need of the for anti-conversion bill. The issue will be raised in the state assembly," said Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik President and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : After repeated disruptions since morning over the currency note row, the Rajya Sabha was on Tuesday finally adjourned for the day without transacting any of its scheduled business.

As the House met at 2 p.m. after the lunch break, Congress member Kapil Sibal again raised the issue of two different sizes and designs of Rs 500 notes and his party members came near the Chairman's podium raising slogans against the government.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien subsequently adjourned the House till 2.30 p.m.

But as soon as the House reconvened, slogan-shouting Congress members again trooped towards the podium. Some of the BJP members too came into the aisle and shouted back slogans. Amid the pandemonium, Kurien adjourned the House for the day.

Earlier, as soon as the House met in the morning, Sibal claimed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was printing two types of Rs 500 currency notes.

"RBI prints two types of currency notes. These are of different size and different design... How is it possible?" he said, displaying images of two Rs 500 denomination notes pasted on a placard.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad alleged that the demonetisation was the "biggest scam of this century".

Other opposition leaders including Trinamool Congress' Derek O'Brien, Janata Dal-United's Sharad Yadav and Samajwadi Party's Naresh Agrawal also sided with the Congress.

BJP Ministers protested against raising the issue citing technical grounds.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is also the Leader of the House, accused the opposition of raising "frivolous" issues day after day.

"There is no such provision that you can flash any paper any time and say this is Point of Order. There are rules under which you give notice. You can't raise issues with regard to the currency of the nation and make such irresponsible statements.You have been raisng frivolous issues everyday during the Zero Hour," he said.

As the opposition members created a ruckus and the treasury benches members shouted back, the Chair adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

After the break, the Congress members again trooped to the Chairman's podium, raising slogans against the government.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that if the members want a discussion, they can give a notice. "You will get the answer," he said.

But the opposition kept shouting slogans, forcing the Chair to adjourn the House till 12 noon.

The scene was no different when the Question Hour took place at noon. Frustrated Chairman Hamid Ansari first adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes and, then, when there was no improvement in the situation, until 1 p.m.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : The Congress on Tuesday said variations in the size, design and features in the same series of the new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes "jeopardize the credibility of the currencies" and confuse citizens about their authenticity.

The party also demanded a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi as to why there were variations in features and size in the same series of notes and also added there should be an inquiry into this only after the government's reply.

Indicating "criminal negligence and criminal culpability" on the part of the government, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said Modi's objectives behind demonetisation were yet to be achieved.

Sibal also said he raised the issue in Parliament and the party will keep raising it for the next few days unless the Prime Minister gives a reply.

"We have been trying to figure out the real motive behind the sudden and secret move of the government to demonetise the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes," Sibal told the media here.

"The objectives mentioned by the Prime Minister have clearly not been achieved," he asserted.

Sibal said: "Different sizes of currency notes jeopardize the credibility of India's currency and has huge global ramifications. Citizens will be confused about their authenticity."

He mentioned that the standard size of the new currency notes as indicated on the official website of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was 66 mm X 150 mm for Rs 500 and 66 mm X 156 mm for Rs 2,000 notes.

"Where were notes of significantly different sizes printed? Nowhere in the world are currency notes of whatever denomination of different sizes," Sibal maintained.

Sibal added: "It is important to note that these notes are not counterfeit since they are all printed under the aegis of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the ministry of finance, incorporating most of the security features published on the official website of RBI."

Sibal asked where were these series of currency notes printed. "It is presumed that the dye for printing can only be one size. Where were the dyes of different sizes prepared for the purpose of printing the currency notes, whether within or outside the country."

Asked about the origin of the notes, Sibal said: "I don't know. I can't answer that question. There are two possible interpretations, either it is criminal negligence or there is criminal culpability because you cannot deal with the currency of a nation in this fashion."

"This is something that RBI and government must tell us," he added.

On being asked if it raises questions about the RBI's credibility and if a parallel fake currency was circulating in the country, Sibal said: "The presentation I have given raises pertinent questions. Who took the decision on the printing of the notes, what is real motive behind it? I can't say, We can only assume."

"It raises question on the government. RBI has no interest. The government gives permission for printing. There should be clarification from them," he added.

He also raised questions about how it happenned, under whose aegis did it happen and who gave the permission for this.

"Who is responsible for this? Who supported RBI in doing this? These questions will be raised," said Sibal adding that "unless PM Modi answers these questions, we will go to the public and show the notes to the people".
Islamabad, Aug 8 : The Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday issued a notice to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to appoint a new party leader following the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court.

The poll panel stated that a disqualified legislator cannot hold any position in a political party under the Political Parties Order 2002, Daily Pakistan reported.

The notification also referred to the July 28 apex court ruling in the Panama Papers case in which Sharif was formally asked to step down as Prime Minister over undeclared assets. The verdict stated that he was not "honest" and "truthful" as per the country's Constitution.

The poll panel said that Article 15 of the PML-N's own party constitution stipulates that if the seat of party President is vacant, it is to be filled within one week's time.

Shortly after the ECP's notification, the PML-N held a high-level meeting of senior party members, including Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and former Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Dawn newspaper reported.

The poll panel notice comes a day before Sharif is set to travel to Lahore for a "historic" two-day rally by the PML-N to garner much-needed political mileage in the face of the challenges its government is facing, the daily reported.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan urged the PML-N to distance itself from the ousted Premier, warning that it would "ruin itself" if it did not do so.

Khan had also alleged that Sharif's plan to travel to Lahore with a cavalcade was a "deliberate attempt to undermine the Supreme Court" by calling into question its verdict in the Panama Papers case.

Sharif, however, said that the procession was not "a protest" but "a journey back home" that he was undertaking because "risks need to be taken for the country".
New Delhi, Aug 8 : The Congress on Tuesday kicked up a major storm in the Rajya Sabha, complaining about the RBI printing two types of Rs 500 currency notes and alleging that demonetisation was the biggest scam of the century. This led to frayed tempers and repeated adjournments of the house, without any business being conducted.

The issue created such an uproar, during which the two sides traded heated exchanges, that the house was adjourned six times before the final adjournment for the day.

Trouble began from the word go soon after the house met for the day when Congress member Kapil Sibal raked up the issue, claiming that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was printing two types of Rs 500 currency notes.

"The RBI prints two types of currency notes. These are of different size and different design... How is it possible?" he said, displaying images of two Rs 500 denomination notes pasted on a placard.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad alleged that the demonetisation was the "biggest scam of this century".

Other opposition leaders, including Trinamool Congress' Derek O'Brien, Janata Dal-United's Sharad Yadav and Samajwadi Party's Naresh Agrawal, also sided with the Congress.

BJP ministers protested against raising the issue, citing technical grounds.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is also Leader of the House, accused the opposition of raising "frivolous" issues day after day.

"There is no such provision that you can flash any paper any time and say this is Point of Order. There are rules under which you give notice. You can't raise issues with regard to the currency and make such irresponsible statements. You have been raisng frivolous issues everyday during the Zero Hour," Jaitley said.

As the opposition members continued their protest and the treasury benches members shouted back, the Chair adjourned the house for 10 minutes.

As the house met at 2 p.m. after the lunch break, Sibal again raised the issue of two different sizes and designs of Rs 500 notes and his party members came near the Chairman's podium, raising slogans against the government.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien subsequently adjourned the house till 2.30 p.m.

But as soon as the house reconvened, slogan-shouting Congress members again trooped towards the podium. Some of the BJP members too came into the aisle and shouted slogans. Amid the pandemonium, Kurien adjourned the house for the day.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said if the members wanted a discussion, they could have given a notice. "You will get the answer," he said.

Outside Parliament, Congress said variations in the sizes, designs and features in same series of new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 currency notes "jeopardize the credibility of the currencies" and confuse citizens about their authenticity.

The party also demanded a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi as to why there were variations in features and sizes in the same series of notes.

Indicating "criminal negligence and criminal culpability" on the part of the government, Sibal said Modi's objectives behind demonetisation were yet to be achieved.

"We have been trying to figure out the real motive behind the sudden and secret move of the government to demonetise the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes," Sibal told the media here.

"The objectives mentioned by the Prime Minister have clearly not been achieved," he asserted.

"Different sizes of (same) currency notes jeopardize the credibility of India's currency and has huge global ramifications. Citizens will be confused about their authenticity."

Sibal mentioned that the standard size of the new currency notes as indicated on the official website of the Reserve Bank of India was 66 mm X 150 mm for Rs 500 and 66 mm X 156 mm for Rs 2,000 notes.

"Where were notes of significantly different sizes printed? Nowhere in the world are currency notes of whatever denomination of different sizes," Sibal maintained.
New Delhi, Aug 8 : A parliamentary panel on Tuesday questioned stakeholders over disinvestment in Air India and Pawan Hans, and raised concerns over job security of the employees.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture on Tuesday met officials from the Civil Aviation Ministry and Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM).

Civil Aviation Secretary R.N. Choubey, Air India CMD Ashwani Lohani and Pawan Hans CMD B.P. Sharma were among those who were questioned by the panel headed by Trinamool Congress MP Mukul Roy.

A member of the panel told IANS the members questioned the officials about the need for disinvestment in the national carrier and possible job losses which may occur.

"We were told that the disinvestment is being carried out as per NITI Aayog recommendations," the member said.

The member however added "NITI Aayog has said the government has no business of running business. By that logic government should not even run Doordarshan."

On the job cut aspect, the members were assured that government would ensure settlements.

According to another member, the panel was told that the debts of Air India will be settled before disinvestment.

The members were also informed that the process for disinvestment in both Air India and Pawan Hans have already started.

The Aviation Secretary also informed the panel about the CBI investigation that is on in the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines.

A ministerial group has been formed to look into the modalities of national passenger carrier Air India's divestment.

The decision was based on NITI Aayog's recent report to the Civil Aviation Ministry recommending strategic disinvestment in the loss-making national career.

The airline in 2015-16 had posted an operating profit of Rs 105 crore. For the last fiscal (2016-17), the company is expected to report an improved operating profit margin.

The flag carrier had got a new lease of life on April 12, 2012, when the then UPA government had approved a Rs 30,000 crore turnaround (TAP) and financial restructuring plans (FRP) package spanning up to the year 2021.

After the cabinet's in-principle approval for Air India's divestment, budget passenger airline IndiGo expressed its interest in participating in the stake sale.

On July 18, Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani, in a letter to the airline employees, said the government's decision to consider AI's divestment stemmed from the fact that the airline is unable to service its "huge accumulated debt of over Rs 50,000 crore".

The government has already decided to sell its entire 51 per cent stake in Pawan Hans Ltd (PHL), in which the rest 49 per cent holding is with ONGC.
Chennai, Aug 9 : The teaser of superstar A.R. Murugadoss's Tamil-Telugu bilingual spy-thriller "Spyder" was released on Wednesday on the occasion of Mahesh Babu's 41st birthday.

The teaser was released in Tamil as well as Telugu.

Going by the visuals, the film assures epic clash between Mahesh and SJ Suryah, who plays the antagonist.

In "Spyder", Mahesh plays an Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer while Suryah is rumoured to be donning he role of a bio-terrorist.

Interestingly, Mahesh has dubbed in his own voice for the Tamil version of the teaser.

Produced by Tagore Madhu, the film is slated for release on September 27.

"Spyder" also stars RJ Balaji, Priyadarshi Pullikonda and Rakul Preet Singh.
Mumbai, Aug 9 : Reiterating the commitment to make its customers and partners digitally efficient to help them achieve global competitiveness, software major SAP India on Wednesday announced it will skill, reskill and upskill 1.5 million SAP consultants within the next three years.

"The Indian economy is growing and the way customers are adapting and adopting the technology is changing with it. There is a massive boom in e-payments and e-commerce," Anthony McMahon, Senior Vice President, General Business (SME) and Channels, SAP Asia Pacific Japan, told reporters at the annual 'Partner Summit 2017' here.

"Our aim is to bring in an influx of skilled consultants to increase the capabilities of our partners and customers and grow the ecosystem of experts," he added.

According to the company, after the Goods and Services Tax (GST) roll-out and 'Digital India' initiative, the over 51-million small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country will have to scale up their technology infrastructure.

To enable transition to a digital platform, enterprises will require experts and SAP, with its programmes and initiatives, will provide expertise to fulfil this digital gap, the company said.

Currently, an estimated two lakh SAP consultants thrive within SAP India partner ecosystem, which contributes approximately $8 billion in revenues.

Over 320 Indian universities and education institutes are members of SAP university alliance programme, under which more than three million students have been introduced to SAP technologies.

On a question of the problems faced by SAP India in imparting digital expertise to its customers, McMahon told IANS: "We spent a lot of time in educating our partners about the technology and functional capability of the solutions. We also needed to have a business conversation to bring out transformation for the customers. We realised that we had to make this change."

SAP India also launched 'Partner Packaging Factory', an industry-first online initiative that aggregates end-to-end SAP packages developed by partners.

"SAP 'Partner Packaging Factory' opens up an exciting new customer engagement opportunity for our partners," McMahon added.

Earlier this year, Deb Deep Sengupta, President and Managing Director, SAP Indian Subcontinent, said that to become digital, MSMEs need to adopt strong tech-enabled business models and processes to make them more efficient and achieve global competitiveness.

To help MSMEs transform digitally, SAP India has signed an MoU with the Ministry of MSME to launch "Bharat ERP" programme to empower 30,000 MSMEs and youth in three years.

In this programme, MSMEs are already receiving training and enablement courses on SAP 'Business One' solution -- an all-in-one enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution.

MSMEs are utilising cutting edge, next-generation technology from SAP to streamline and integrate key processes such as financials, sales, inventory and more -- with a single business software.

The SME sector is the fastest growth driver for SAP globally. From over 8,800 SAP customers in the subcontinent, over 6,700 companies are SMEs.

Started in 1996, SAP India with over 11,000 employees is the second-largest subsidiary and one of the fastest-growing companies within SAP worldwide.

SAP has more than 600 partners in various geographies, including Global Service Partners like Wipro, TCS, HCL, Infosys, Tech Mahindra and Larson and Toubro.

"SAP India's aim is to accelerate India's digital plan of enabling 60 million citizens on digital technologies by 2019," Sengupta noted.

SAP India had also launched 'GST in a Box' and 'Digital Compliance Service for GST -- a Cloud-based online application which will leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to help businesses become digitally sound.
San Francisco, Aug 9 : Days after an anti-diversity 'manifesto' went viral inside Google and infuriated thousands of its employees, over 60 current and former Google employees are now considering suing the company for sexism and pay disparities against women.

According to a report in The Guardian on Tuesday, civil rights attorney James Finberg is working on bringing a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the female employees who believe they have earned less than men at Google despite equal qualifications and comparable positions.

Others have alleged that the culture at Google is hostile to women and hampers their chances to advance their careers at the company.

"Sixty people is a really small sample size. There are always going to be differences in salary based on location, role and performance, but the process is blind to gender," the report quoted a Google spokesperson as saying.

A leak from Google over an anti-diversity manifesto, written by a Google engineer, last week suggested that the company should halt initiatives aimed at increasing gender and racial diversity within the company and instead focus on "ideological diversity".

It prompted Google CEO Sunder Pichai to fire the engineer who wrote the 10-page memo, which claimed that "the representation gap between men and women in software engineering persists because of biological differences between the two sexes".

"A class-action gender discrimination suit would build on a case brought by the US Department of Labour (DoL), which is arguing that Google systematically underpays women and recently convinced a judge to force the company to hand over a portion of the company's salary records," the report noted.

Last month, Google emerged victorious in its fight with the US Department of Labor over supplying pay gap data. The department alleged that the tech giant tried to restrict media coverage of the gender discrimination case.

According to Finberg, the testimony of the women who are considering to file a lawsuit indicated there are clear disparities and prejudices that hurt women at the Mountain View company.

"They are concerned that women are channelled to levels and positions that pay less than men with similar education and experience," Finberg was quoted as saying.

During his interaction with several former and current women employees from Google, Finberg said they make around $40,000 less than male colleagues doing the same work.

The report quoted a female Google employee as saying that she regularly dealt with sexist remarks such as comments about her looks.

She accused the company of discrimination for denying her a promotion despite her achievements and large workload.

According to Finberg, the class-action case will have a strong impact on other tech giants in Silicon Valley.

"Google is not alone in Silicon Valley. The goal of the case is to not only get Google to change its practices, but to encourage other Silicon Valley companies to change their pay practices as well," Finberg stated.
Here is all you need to know about Guam, the US territory that North Korea has threatened a missile strike on.

By India Today Web Desk: It is all over the news. North Korea is "carefully examining" plans to take out a missile strike on Guam. This 'call' came hours after US President Donald Trump told the North Korea that any threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury".

In a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency news agency, a Korean People's Army (KPA) spokesperson said the strike plan would be put into practice at any moment once North Korea leader Kim Jong Un makes a decision.

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"The KPA Strategic Force is now carefully examining the operational plan for making an enveloping fire at the areas around Guam with medium-to-long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 in order to contain the US major military bases on Guam including the Anderson Air Force Base," said the spokesperson.

For those of you who don't know where Guam is, or why North Korea is targetting it, here is all you need to know:

WHERE IS GUAM?

The first thing you should know about Guam is that it home to a strategic military base for the United States.

An island in the western Pacific Ocean, Guam has an area of 210 sqaure mile, and a population of 162,742, as of 2017. It is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands and the largest island in Micronesia.

Guam is a sovereign US territory, and its capital city is Hagatna.

WHY IS GUAM BEING TARGETTED BY NORTH KOREA?

North Korea's strike warning came soon after Donald Trump hissed at the country saying that any threat to the US would be met with "fire and fury".

While Trump's biblical-like warning may have had some impact, there could be stronger reasons why North Korea is targetting Guam.

Some 29 per cent of Guam's territory (i.e., almost one-third) comes under the jurisdiction of the US military, with about 6,000 American troops are based there.

Moreover, it is what happened on Monday that ticked things of for North Korea.

The day after Friendship Day, two US B-1 bombers from Guam flew over the Korean peninsula to join South Korea and Japan to carry out some air force exercises. This, it is safe to say, did not go down well with Pyongyang.

Reports say that last month as well, two US supersonic bombers from Guam flew over the Korean peninsula twice.

WHAT IS THE RESPONSE FROM THE US?

In response to KCNA's statement, the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) clapped back by declaring that the US is "ready to fight tonight,".

The PACAF went on their official Twitter account to send the message:

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"How we train is how we fight and the more we interface with our allies, the better prepared we are to fight tonight," said a B-1 pilot in an official press release. "The B-1 is a long-range bomber that is well-suited for the maritime domain and can meet the unique challenges of the Pacific."

If words turn to actions, this clash between North Korea and the US will put in danger a population of over 160,000 people in Guam first hand.

--- ENDS ---
Mumbai, Aug 9 : Legendary actor Dilip Kumar, 94, who is undergoing treatment for kidney-related problems at the Lilavati Hospital here, is feeling better and will be discharged later on Wednesday.

"(He) will be discharged from Lilavati Hospital at 4 p.m. This is one great news," the actor's family friend Faisal Farooqui, founder and CEO of MouthShut.com, posted from Dilip Kumar's Twitter handle.

Confirming this, Udaya Tara Nayar, compiler of Dilip Kumar's autobiography, told IANS: "Dilip Kumar will be discharged in the evening. His creatinine levels and other levels are in good shape."

Nayar is close to Dilip Kumar's wife Saira Banu, who has been by her husband's side.

The thespian was admitted to the hospital on August 2 due to dehydration and urinary tract infection. High potassium and creatinine levels had raised concerns that he may have to be put on dialysis. Doctors decided against it after he started responding well to treatment.

Dilip Kumar was being treated by a team of doctors led by cardiologist Nitin Gokhale and nephrologist Arun Shah.

Last seen on the big screen in "Qila" in 1998, the actor was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015. He is known for films like "Devdas", "Mughal-e-Azam" and "Karma".
New Delhi, Aug 9 : As the nation observed the 75th anniversary of the 'Quit India' movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called for the creation of a "new India" free of corruption and poverty by 2022.

The next five years could be as important as the five years between 1942, when the 'Quit India' movement was launched, and 1947, when India got its Independence, the Prime Minister said, speaking in the Lok Sabha here.

"From 2017 to 2022, when India turns 75, we need to create the same spirit that existed from 1942 to 1947."

In his nearly 40-minute speech, Modi recalled the role of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Chandrashekhar Azad, Sukhdev, Jayaprakash Narayan and others.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who spoke after the Prime Minister, however, expressed fear that the very foundation of India democracy was threatened by divisive forces.

Without naming anyone, she said there were some organisations and people who did not participate in the 'Quit India' movement, and thus made no contribution to India's Independence (from the British rule).

Modi urged people to take a pledge to end corruption, poverty, malnutrition and illiteracy, besides ensuring gender equality.

"We need to bring a positive change in this regard. Today, a similar call (like Mahatma Gandhi's 'Quit India' call made in 1942) and determination are needed to weed out corruption from our country," the Prime Minister said, adding a lot can be achieved with determination by a collective conscience.

Sonia Gandhi, in an apparent attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, expressed concern over "attacks on democracy by communal and repressive forces" in the country.

"At a time when we are celebrating 75 years of the 'Quit India' movement, there is a fear that dark powers are emerging again. Is not fear taking over the atmosphere of Independence? Are attempts not being made to destroy the foundation of democracy? Freedom of thought, freedom of self-expression, freedom of faith and equality, freedom of social justice based on a law abiding structure..." the Congress chief said.

"The 'Quit India' anniversary reminds us that we cannot and will not let the idea of India be a prisoner of a narrow, divisive, and conservative mindset. In the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, our freedom fighters fought for an inclusive, democratic, and just India. This was a thought which was established in our Constitution," she said.

"The 'Quit India' movement reminds us that if we want to keep our Independence safe, we will have to fight all oppressive powers, howsoever strong they are," she added.

"We must not forget that in those times, there were such organisations and people as well who opposed the 'Quit India' movement. These elements did not play any role in getting us Independence," she said, which also led to objections from some treasury bench members.

The house later adopted a resolution for the creation of an inclusive and prosperous India of the dreams of freedom fighters by 2022, the 75th anniversary of India's Independence.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan read out the resolution: "Today, in the 75th year of the 'Quit India' movement, we pledge to form a powerful, prosperous, clean, glorious India which is corruption-free, has good administration, is advanced in science and technology, and committed to everyone's development."

The Lok Sabha was adjourned after members paid tributes to former Union Minister and BJP MP from Ajmer, Sanwar Lal Jat, who passed away on Wednesday morning.
Kolkata, Aug 9 : Tea producer McLeod Russel India is looking to enter the packet tea market, the company's Managing Director said on Wednesday.

"We are seriously looking into entering the packet tea segment. The company will take this step soon. It is now in a study phase," Aditya Khaitan, the company's Vice Chairman and Managing Director, said here.

The company's board has decided to initiate discussion with Eveready Industries India Limited for participating in a joint venture as a strategic business partner for the development of packet tea business through a separate entity, he said.

With this measure, both companies will bring their respective skills of marketing and distribution and tea plantation knowledge to focus and develop the packet tea business.

"How it will be processed and what role the McLeod will play are in the process of the study," Khaitan said after the company's Annual General Meeting here.

The tea producer has tea estates in West Bengal and Assam and also in Africa and Vietnam.

The industry is looking at 60-70 million kg shortage of tea in Africa this year and market prices to go up in Africa.

"As the market in Africa is up, the Assam tends to benefit from this and your company tends to benefit more because in the month of May, June and July, the export market comes into play," he told shareholders.

Global black tea production during 2016 was higher by approximately 100 million kg on account of increase in production in Kenya and India.

However, Kenya has lost around 50 million kg of production during first three months of 2017 due to unfavourable dry weather conditions. This shortfall is likely to continue throughout 2017.

The global demand is likely to grow by two-three per cent, thereby creating shortages and lower inventory levels, McLeod's latest annual report said.

Khaitan said the company's exports would be higher this year as compared with last year.

He also indicated the tea producer would increase mechanisation in the coming years to offset some input costs.

The company would be procuring more tea from bought leaf market to add more volumes, he said.

Speaking on the industry scenario, Khaitan said: "Prices of tea in the last few years have not gone up in the same way the costs have increased. It is a matter of time before we get a sharp increase in selling prices."

India has to find ways of exporting 270-300 million kg from the current exports volumes of about 200-220 million kg, he added.
New Delhi, Aug 9 : Lenovo India on Wednesday made a new addition to its Note line-up with 'K8 Note'. Priced at Rs 12,999 onwards, Lenovo has placed the 'K8 Note' in direct competition with the immensely-popular Xiaomi 'Redmi Note 4'.

The high points of the device are its primary dual cameras and stock Android (7.1.1) operating system (OS).

The company's 'Note' series has been quite popular in India and 'K8 Note' has come after a brief hiatus. In the mean time, Lenovo has launched seven Motorola-branded smartphones in the past six months.

We spent some time with 'K8 Note' and this is our first impression of the 4GB RAM, 64 ROM device.

Lenovo's Vibe UI was heavily-bloated and made devices pretty slow. But this time, the company has ditched its custom software in favour of stock Android for good.

Powerful internals make the smartphone a great performer.

Lenovo 'K8 Note' comes with Google Assistant and multi-window function as well.

Another highlight of 'K8 Note' -- the primary camera (with dual sensors) -- is capable of taking some really cool images.

The camera set-up has 13MP primary sensor and 5MP depth sensor for better pictures and enhanced depth of field.

It delivers good 'Bokeh' shots with good details in daylight. However, we are yet to test the camera in low light.

The camera app did not show lag and we were able to clicked multiple images without any lag.

In terms of looks, the smartphone has a great built but does not stand out of the crowd.

The 5.5-inch full-HD (1920x1080 pixels) display is pretty bright.

'Note' series is focused on battery life and 'K8 Note' also features a big 4000mAh battery. A 15-watt turbo charger is included that promises to charge the device quickly.

There's a dedicated music key on the device for music lovers. The smartphone also supports 4G connectivity and VoLTE.

While Lenovo has strategically placed 'K8 Note' in a fiercely-competitive segment, it would be interesting to see how it proves to be a stiff competition to Xiaomi 'Redmi Note 4'.
Chandigarh, Aug 9 : Haryana BJP President Subhash Barala's son Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar were on Wednesday arrested again by the Chandigarh Police after they were booked under the non-bailable sections of attempt to abduct and attempt to commit offence for stalking an IAS officer's daughter.

Both accused, who appeared before police on Wednesday afternoon, were interrogated by police officials for over two hours before being booked under Section 365 (kidnapping or abduction with intent to confine person) and Section 511 (attempt to commit offence punishable with life imprisonment).

"Following interrogation, new facts have emerged. We have decided to press two new charges. These are attempted abduction (sections 365 and 511). We have decided to arrest them," Chandigarh Director General of Police Tejinder Luthra told the media here.

"They will be produced in court tomorrow. We will seek police remand from the court. We have to confront them with various facts," Luthra said.

"The arrests and new charges are based on many new facts like legal opinion, new pieces of evidence in form of CCTV footage, statement of witnesses and map of the route," he said.

"There are many things in investigations that I cannot share with you. I will refrain from divulging very minute details at this stage."

He added: "There is no political pressure (on us). We are doing everything objectively, professionally and independently."

The incident of stalking happened on the night of August 4-5. The Chandigarh Police came under widespread criticism for allegedly favouring the accused who stalked and intimidated Varnika Kundu, 29, daughter of Haryana Additional Chief Secretary V.S. Kundu.

Both the accused arrived amid high drama at the Sector 26 police station, in a Ford Endeavour SUV, amid pouring rain.

The police threw an elaborate security ring in the police station complex to keep away Congress and AAP protesters as well as the media.

Vikas and Ashish had earlier in the day skipped police summons to join the probe. They were asked to appear before the police at 11 a.m. and only arrived around 2.30 p.m.

At his official residence, Subhash Barala left his press conference in a huff, purportedly fielding a phone call from his son, after tough media queries.

DGP Luthra earlier told the media that the accused had refused to give their blood and urine samples to the doctor conducting their medical examination on Saturday.

"The doctor on duty wanted to take the blood and urine samples, but the accused being law graduates knew the law too well. Therefore, they refused to give their samples. However, such refusal can be held against them in the investigation and during the trial," he said.

"I assure you that everything under the sun will be done to ensure justice," said Luthra, who came before the media for the first time in five days after the incident.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Haryana washed its hands off the high-profile accused.

"Vikas (Barala) and BJP are separate. The opposition parties are trying to mislead people by saying that the BJP is influencing the probe. We deny this. The BJP does not have anything to do with it," said Haryana BJP spokesman Jawahar Yadav.

Police had booked and arrested Vikas Barala and his friend, both of whom were drunk, on the milder charge of stalking the woman after they chased her car in their SUV, despite she alleging that the youths tried to intimidate her and abduct her.

Both were bailed out within hours of the complaint.
Agartala, Aug 9 : Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday said there was no activity on the Indian border with China in his state that could create tension between the two countries.

"There are no such activities that can create tension along the India-China border in Arunachal," Khandu told the media here after addressing a tribal rally by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"Both India and China are rational and sensible. No country wants war as it will cause huge loss to both countries."

Asserting that Arunachal Pradesh was an integral part of India, the Chief Minister said the central government had undertaken ambitious projects, including those pertaining to infrastructure development, to develop the northeastern state.

India and China share over 1,300 km border in Arunachal Pradesh (1,080 km) and Sikkim (220.35 km).

Khandu criticised Tripura's Left Front government led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist for what he said was its failure to develop the state at the desired level and accused it of keeping the tribals backward.

Addressing the rally, BJP Tripura President Biplab Kumar Deb said the CPI-M had unleashed terror in the state, fearing defeat in next year's assembly elections.
Seoul, Aug 9 : North Korea said on Wednesday that it has released an imprisoned Canadian pastor for humanitarian reasons amid escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula.

North Korea's news agency KCNA reported that Lim Hyeon-su, a Korean-Canadian pastor imprisoned since 2015, was released on sick bail in line with the decision of the Central Court of the North.

Lim had been in captivity in the North since he entered the country via China on a humanitarian mission in January 2015, Yonhap news agency reported.

In December, the North's highest court sentenced Lim to life in prison with hard labour, citing his "subversive plots" against the North's regime. His release came one day after a special envoy of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in the North.

Daniel Jean, National Security Adviser to the Canadian Prime Minister, and his party arrived in Pyongyang, the KCNA reported. The visit drew speculation that the envoy was to persuade the North to release the detained pastor.

Lim's family has been urging the Canadian government to step up efforts to have him freed after US college student Otto Warmbier was released in a coma from North Korea in June following a 17-month detention and died days after a medical evacuation.
Beijing, Aug 9 : A 7.0-magnitude earthquake has killed at least 19 people and injured 247 in China's Sichuan province, authorities said on Wednesday.

The earthquake hit Jiuzhaigou county, a popular tourist destination, at 9.19 p.m. on Tuesday at a depth of 20 km, Xinhua news agency cited China Earthquake Networks Centre as saying.

A separate 6.6-magnitude tremor struck Xinjiang province on Wednesday, injuring 32 people.

Rescue workers were assisting stranded tourists at Jiuzhaigou and more than 45,000 tourists were evacuated. Over 800 workers were combing villages in search of anyone still trapped, authorities said.

China's Earthquake Administration (CEA) said more than 1,000 aftershocks had been detected, with the most powerful reaching 4.8 magnitude on Wednesday, BBC reported.

The National Disaster Reduction Centre of China estimated that at least 24,000 homes were destroyed or seriously damaged in the Tuesday quake.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all efforts in the rescue operations while Prime Minister Li Keqiang urged the local government to assist the injured.

The Red Cross Society of China's statement said it had deployed emergency crews and volunteers to assist affected communities.

The second quake in Jinghe county in Bortala prefecture in Xinjiang province happened at 7.27 a.m. on Wednesday at a depth of 11 km. Of the 32 injured, two were in a serious condition.

About 600 houses and livestock sheds were damaged in neighbouring Ili Kazakh prefecture. Services of 40 passenger trains were stopped and 21 others suspended.

Earlier reports said residents in Jinghe county and the cities of Urumqi, Changji, Yining and Karamay felt strong tremors that lasted 10 to 20 seconds.

The epicentre was 37 km from Jinghe county seat, 93 km from Bole city, and 383 km from Urumqi.

Jinghe county has a population of about 150,000. A total of 65 quakes greater than magnitude 3 have been recorded within 200 km of the epicentre over the past five years, the current being the greatest.

Gwendolyn Pang of the Red Cross Society of China said it would take time to learn the extent of the damage and exact number of casualties.

"Communications lines and electricity are disrupted and people are no doubt shocked and scared," she said.
Islamabad, Aug 9 : The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf filed on Wednesday a petition with the poll panel asking it to restrain ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from leading or taking part in political activities.

The petition was prepared by advocate Babar Awan and was submitted by Yasmin Rashid, the party's contender for forthcoming NA-120 by-poll in Lahore, Dawn newspaper reported.

The opposition had decried Sharif's continued role in the PML-N after his disqualification under Article 62 of the Constitution in the Panamagate papers case.

The petition stated that the former Premier be declared ineligible for membership of any political party and the party carrying his name should be enlisted as a banned organisation, the report said.

It further demanded that using Sharif's name for the party must be declared as contrary to law and Constitution. The petition also said that nominations made by Sharif for the post of the Prime Minister and for the Cabinet should be declared illegal.

On July 28, a five-member Supreme Court bench in the Panama Papers case ruling had asked Sharif to step down as Prime Minister over undeclared assets. The verdict stated that he was not "honest" and "truthful" as per the country's Constitution.
New Delhi, Aug 9 : Jailed gangster Neeraj Bawana told a court here on Wednesday that he is being treated "worse than an animal" in Tihar jail.

The plea was filed before Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Pandit, who has sought a reply from Tihar Jail officials and listed the matter for August 11.

"The applicant (Bawana) and other inmates are being treated worse than an animal by the jail authorities," said the application filed by Bawana's defence counsel M.S. Khan and sought the court's direction on the condition.

Bawana said that he and other inmates have proceeded on a hunger strike since Monday.

The application claimed the Bawana, who is lodged in the high-risk ward of the jail, was once locked inside a stinking cell for 24 hours, without any reason.

He also said that he has been deprived of fresh water, proper food and medicine.

"It appears the jail authorities want that he becomes ill or gets into depression," the plea said.

Bawana, former Delhi legislator Rambeer Shokeen, Pankaj Sehrawat, Sunil Rathi, Rahul Dabas, Naveen Dabas alias Bali, Naveen Hooda alias Bhanja, Amit Malik alias Bhura and Gurpreet Singh and Deepak Dabas alias Deepa are facing trial under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for allegedly running an organised crime syndicate.

Police said in its chargesheet that all the accused were running a crime syndicate which has been committing extortion and murders, apart from land grabbing and settling property disputes, all aimed at pecuniary benefits.

Police has described Bawana as "a symbol of lawlessness" and "kingpin" of the racket while Shokeen as the "political face" of the syndicate.

Shokeen was found using the clout of these criminals to contest MLA election to "further his political ambitions and gaining pecuniary benefits", police alleged.

On September 8, another Delhi court awarded seven years in jail to gangster Neeraj Bawana for illegal possession of firearms but had acquitted him of attempt to murder and obstructing and assaulting a public servant and deterring him while discharging his duty.
The Dalai Lama today advocated friendship between India and China referring to the ongoing Doklam standoff where soldiers from the two countries remain locked on a bitter, but non-violent standoff.

By India Today Web Desk: Two big nations like India and China must live side by side and the only way they can do that is by establishing a connection of friendship, brotherhood.

That is the message that the Dalai Lama had for India and China, who are currently locked in a near two-month-long standoff on the Doklam plateau. The two nuclear-armed nations may exchange "harsh words" but the spirit of "Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai" is the only way forward, the spiritual leader added.

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Continuing, the Dalai Lama said, "I do not think it [the Doklam standoff] is very serious. India and China have to live side by side." "Even in 1962, Chinese forces which reached Bomdilla, eventually withdrew. India and China have to live side by side," he added while speaking at the Rajendra Mathur Memorial Lecture organised by the Editors Guild of India

The Tibetan spiritual leader, a bitter foe of Beijing, was speaking at an event in New Delhi. The Dalai Lama has been in India for more than ten decades, having fled Tibet, his birthplace that is claimed by China, during the 1959 uprising.

The Dalai Lama also spoke about other matters relating to China, including the form of governance it should follow. "Our small Tibetan community fully practices democracy and I am an admirer of democracy," the Dalai Lama said. "Eventually, as per wishes of Chinese people, Communist Party of China may follow our practice (democracy)."

Continuing in a similar vein, the spiritual leader said that he enjoys the fact that there is freedom in India. "There is freedom in this country, I can do more and have more opportunity to share. Where there is no freedom, I don't like: The 14th Dalai Lama," the Dalai Lama said.WAR SPECULATION

On speculations of a war between India and China, the Dalai Lama said that media was to blame for the sharp rhetoric.

The military standoff in Doklam, which is nearing the two-month mark, has been marked by a relentless barrage of rhetoric-laden articles and commentary in Chinese media.

State-run publications have repeatedly criticised India and its stand on the Doklam crisis and the more hawkish among them, such as the Global Times, have even threatened that the conflict could escalate into a full-blown war if New Delhi does not heed Beijing's warnings.

The face-off began mid-June after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the Doklam area, which is near the Sikkim section of the India-China border.

India blamed China for trying to alter the status quo and attempting to move the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction point to the south. Beijing, on the other hand, has slammed New Delhi for what it says is Indian troops transgressing into Chinese territory.

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The area, in fact, is disputed between China and Bhutan.

The Chinese have demanded that Indian troops withdraw from Doklam unconditionally. Talks between India and China cannot happen until then, officials have said. However, India, which had proposed a simultaneous withdrawal of troops, has indicated that diplomatic parlays are on to defuse the crisis.

ALSO READ | What if we enter Kashmir? China continues to needle India on Doklam border standoff

ALSO READ | Doklam border standoff: Will there be an India-China war?

ALSO WATCH | Why war is not an option for India and China

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New Delhi, Aug 9 : The government is considering all options for divestment of its stake in state-run chopper operator Pawan Hans, a senior official said on Wednesday.

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation's senior official, a proposal for the divestment of government's stake in Pawan Hans is in the "final stage of preparation".

The ministry's proposal will be sent to an "evaluation committee" within a week's time, the official said.

Presently, the government owns 51 per cent stake in the company, while the rest is held by ONGC.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had given its 'in-principle' approval for the strategic disinvestment of the state-owned chopper operator on October 27, 2016.

In another related development, a meeting was held on Wednesday between senior ministry and Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (Dipam) officials to chart a way forward for divestment of government's stake in chopper operator Pawan Hans.

The meet was also attended by Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha.

The company was formed in 1985. Currently, it has a fleet of over 45 helicopters.
Mumbai, Aug 10 : Legendary actor Dilip Kumar's recovery from kidney-related problems is a miracle, says his wife and former actress Saira Banu, for whom it was a "nightmare" to deal with the sudden deterioration of his health.

Dilip Kumar, 94, was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital on August 2.

Saira, who has been married to the actor since over five decades and is 22 years younger to him, accompanied Dilip Kumar when he was wheeled out of the hospital here.

She told the media: "He is in good health now. All of it felt like a nightmare... How he suddenly fell sick. I am thankful to the Almighty... This has been a miracle."

Saira thanked the management, doctors and staff members of the Bandra West facility for taking care of Dilip Kumar, and even expressed gratitude for fans who prayed for his well-being.

"The prayers were accepted by Allah and he is feeling well now... I can't tell you how grateful I am to God that we have come out of this.

"It was a terrible thing that happened. Within a few days, he fell so sick that we just didn't know what to do."

She hoped that "after going home he will feel even better soon".

Ajay Kumar Pande, Vice President, Lilavati Hospital, told IANS on Wednesday that Dilip Kumar was "critical" when he was admitted to the hospital over complaints of dehydration and urinary tract infection.

High potassium and creatinine levels had raised concerns that the actor may have to be put on dialysis. But doctors had decided against it after he started responding well to treatment.

Pande called Saira a "sati Savitri" for her dedication to her husband.

Saira laughed and said: "If a woman's husband is India's 'Kohinoor', why won't his wife be 'sati Savitri'. All wives love their husbands and it's no big deal. Whatever I am doing I won't say that I am taking care of him... It is my love for him and I am ready to do it 100 times more for him."

Last seen on the big screen in "Qila" in 1998, the actor was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015. He is known for films like "Devdas", "Mughal-e-Azam" and "Karma".
Washington, Aug 10 : The US Treasury Department on Wednesday imposed sanctions on eight Venezuelan individuals involved in the creation of the controversial National Constituent Assembly (ANC).

The designations consist of seven current and former officials of the Venezuelan government and one individual who has participated in actions or policies that "undermine democratic processes or institutions" in Venezuela, the Treasury Department said in a statement, Xinhua reported.

As a result of the move, all assets of these individuals subject to US jurisdiction are frozen, and US persons are prohibited from dealing with them.

The new sanctions came after Washington blacklisted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro last Monday, one day after Venezuela held elections for the National Constituent Assembly.

"By sanctioning Maduro, the United States makes clear our opposition to the policies of his regime," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.

Maduro rebuffed US sanctions that targeted him personally, saying he was "proud" to be singled out by the measure.

Venezuela's controversial ANC opened for its first session last Friday. The country's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Delcy Rodriguez, was sworn in as the president of the new body.

For months, the opposition has led street protests against the ANC, which have left over 120 dead.
Besides being BJP's master strategist, Amit Shah is known for his untiring work for the success of BJP.

By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: BJP president Amit Shah achieved two milestones in his political career on two consecutive days - a day after he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from his home state of Gujarat, he completed three years today as the party chief. He starts a new inning on a day he starts his crucial fourth year as the party chief.

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As an MP, Shah's presence in the Rajya Sabha would add aggression in the BJP's approach and further streamline the party's floor management not just in the Rajya Sabha but also in the Lok Sabha.

The government might not have to face embarrassment as it did on July 31 over the Constitution Amendment Bill on backward classes. It was passed in Rajya Sabha with some amendments by the Opposition because of the thin presence of the treasury benches.

As the BJP president, Shah would be busy preparing BJP's 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 attention is being paid on seven weak states besides the Northeastern states.

WORK CULTURE

Besides being BJP's master strategist, Amit Shah is known for his untiring work for the success of BJP. His 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 travelled 524 km every day. He has made a total journey of 5,07,177 km during this period.

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.

2014 LOK SABHA ELECTIONS

In fact, much before he was anointed BJP president on August 9, 2014, Amit Shah had proved that he is a modern 'Chanakya'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the face of the BJP then, appointed Amit Shah as the party national general secretary in charge of the crucial Uttar Pradesh state ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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Besides, BJP won the local elections held in Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Leh-Laddakh, Andaman Nicobar, Assam and Lakshadweep.

WORLD'S LARGEST PARTY

In less than a year as BJP chief, Amit Shah 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.

FROM THE MAGAZINE

Shah- The man with the grand plan

Why Shah thinks BJP will return in 2019 with a greater majority

WATCH: India Today Conclave 2017: Full video of BJP President Amit Shah's keynote address

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CTAC Art Gallery

The Chisholm Trail Arts Council is proud to host their annual Kick Off Reception which will feature close to 20 different artists artwork in the CTAC Art Gallery, located at 810 W Walnut, on August 17, 2017 from 5:30 pm  7:30 pm.

The Kick Off reception is a time that CTAC announces their 2017-2018 activities such as their Membership Drive, their CTAC Live Concert Series line up, and the upcoming Art Gallery exhibits. The membership drive is a vital time in the local arts community as state funding continues to be cut. Chisholm Trail Arts Council is a nonprofit organization which was founded in 1976 and continues to grow and provide the county with a large variety of programs which include: CTAC Live Concert Series, Arts Explosion, Art Education in Schools, ArtWalk Duncan, and the CTAC Art Gallery. CTAC thanks the major support from the Oklahoma Arts Council, National Endowment of the Arts, McCasland Foundation as well as their local business supporters and members who have continued to support their mission in the arts for the Duncan community.

This year, the Kick Off is proud to bring new and returning artists back to display beautiful, unique, and exciting new artwork as they begin the new season. Some of the new artists include: Dr. Bob Palmer, Katy Carroll, Sarah Enoch, Sarah Ivey, and several students under the direction of Jennifer Steil at Cedar Cove. Returning artists include James Fritz Fatheree, Margaret Schick, Martha Burger, Sharon Burum and many more.

This reception is a come and go event with finger food and wine for those 21 and older. Special sponsors for this event is Murphrees Wine and Spirits and Matt Setters, Johnny Owens Realty. The exhibit will be on display August 17 through September 30th and is open to the public for viewing.

For more information on memberships and programs please visit us at http://www.chisholmtrailarts.com or call 580-252-4160.
Center for Hospice Care (CHC) is pleased to announce that the 32nd Annual Walk for Hospice will be held on August 12, 2017. CHC will again have the Heroes for Hospice Fun 5K followed by the Walk. This is an uplifting, family-friendly event that takes place on Center for Hospice Care's Mishawaka Campus, Central Park and along the Mishawaka Riverwalk.

This year's event will feature a memory wall, food, games, costumes and even the motorcycle from the movie "Ghost Rider." Free registration begins at 9:30am. The 5k begins at 10:30am, followed by the Walk that begins at 11:00am. For more information or to pre-register please visit walkmichianaforhospice.org.

About Center for Hospice Care and the Hospice Foundation

Established in 1978, Center for Hospice Care is an independent, community-based, not-for-profit organization, improving the quality of living through hospice, home health, grief counseling, and community education. With offices in South Bend, Plymouth, Elkhart and Mishawaka, CHC serves Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, LaGrange, LaPorte, Marshall, Porter, St. Joseph and Starke counties in Northern Indiana.

The Hospice Foundation is committed to supporting the work of CHC through community outreach and education, fundraising activities and other special events. The Foundation helps CHC keep its 37-year promise that no one eligible for hospice services will be turned away, regardless of their ability to pay.
Edward Peterson, VP of Sales and Marketing states, A strong product launch earlier this year, provides a noteworthy testament that our UltraLox InterlockingTM Machine, has changed the rules of aluminum railing

Headquartered in Eagan, MN, UltraLoxTM is pleased to announce that due to significant growth in customer demand for its patented UltraLox Interlocking MachineTM, the Company has expanded into a new state of the art 20,000 square foot warehouse facility located in Eagan, Minnesota.

The new warehouse facility will allow the Company to expand production output capabilities while also streamlining operational logistics in order to ensure that UltraLoxTM maintains industry best lead-times. The new headquarters will also serve as an expanded call center to support new and existing customers as demand continues to grow for the UltraLoxTM line of products. The Company remains committed to ensuring that customer satisfaction is the top priority.

Edward Peterson, VP of Sales and Marketing states, A strong product launch earlier this year, coupled with our rapidly expanding national footprint, provides a noteworthy testament that our UltraLox InterlockingTM Machine, that has changed the rules of aluminum railing.

About UltraLox

The UltraLox Interlocking machines assemble railing and fence systems for use in multi-housing and residential decks, balconies, patios and pool surrounds.

The UltraLox Interlocking machine fabricates aluminum, powder-coated railing components on demand. The interlocking components are then easily and quickly installed on the jobsite without any special tools, mechanical fasteners or welding. The structural, ICC-ES AC273-tested products can be produced in a variety of profiles, configurations and colors, providing exceptional aesthetics as well as industry-leading strength and reliability.

UltraLox eliminates the roadblocks that slow down railing projects. By dramatically reducing inventory costs, warehouse requirements, freight costs, and damage issues, UltraLox owners control the quality and delivery of railing for their customers. This is a transformative approach to producing railing, providing UltraLox owners with the ability to achieve levels of efficiency, customer service, and profitability above and beyond standard practice.

About the company

UltraLox is expanding its dealer base of large-volume deck builders, building product distributors, and fence companies throughout the United States and Canada.

The UltraLox combination of efficiency and quality has proven to be a winning formula for UltraLox partners. As more builders and suppliers become aware of the UltraLox potential and witness the success of UltraLox partners, interest and demand for this innovative technology is increasing rapidly throughout North America.

The long-term success of each customer is of primary importance to UltraLox. Builders and suppliers who work with UltraLox experience an exceptional level of support. This support goes beyond the traditional customer service: companies working with UltraLox dealers become part of a strong and supportive network. This unified network helps companies focus to achieve business growth and maximize profitability.
Dr. Stephen Shore I look forward to deepening my collaboration with what may be the worlds most comprehensive program supporting individuals with autism and related conditions

Internationally renowned autism expert, author and advocate Dr. Stephen Shore has been tapped to serve as a senior advisor to the national leadership team at the College Internship Program (CIP). He joins CIP in August as a consultant at their national headquarters in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Dr. Shore has been an active CIP board member for many years, and we are excited to have someone with his unique background and depth of experience join our leadership team, commented Dan McManmon, President of CIP. Stephens insight as an individual with autism who has found his own success in life connects deeply with our mission, McManmon continued. Dr. Shore has unparalleled insight and expertise in the field of working with transition age students with autism, ADHD, and learning differences.

Dr. Shore will provide expertise regarding the implementation of new services and enhancements for CIPs core curriculum. CIP serves transition age students age 18-26 with autism and other learning difference at five locations across the US.

After watching and working with CIP for almost 2 decades, I look forward to deepening my collaboration with what may be the worlds most comprehensive program in supporting individuals with autism and related conditions for successful transition into higher education and employment. stated Shore.

Diagnosed with "strong autistic tendencies" and "too sick" for outpatient treatment, Dr. Shore was recommended for institutionalization. Nonverbal until four, and after much support from his parents and others, Stephen now is an accomplished author, presents at conferences around the world, and is a faculty member at Adelphi University where his research focuses on matching best practice to the needs of people with autism.

Shore speaks regularly at conferences around the world, and is renowned for his consultations and writings on lifespan issues that are pertinent to education, relationships, employment, advocacy, and disclosure for people with autism. He is the author of many books including Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, and College for Students with Disabilities.

Throughout his impressive career, Shore has been recognized as a leader in the field of autism. In addition to serving on the CIP board, Dr. Shore is a current board member of Autism Speaks, president emeritus of the Asperger's Association of New England, and advisory board member of the Autism Society. Dr. Shore serves on the boards of the Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism Association, The US Autism and Asperger Association, the Scientific Counsel of OAR, and other autism related organizations.

The CDC estimates that 1 in 68 people in the US are diagnosed with autism. Each year 50,000 students with autism graduate from high school. Many of these teens and young adults need comprehensive support in order to achieve positive outcomes.

About CIP

Established in 1984, CIP (also known as the College Internship Program), provides summer and year-round transition programs for teens and young adults with autism, Aspergers, High Functioning Autism, ADHD and other learning differences. The program helps young adults find success in college, the workplace, and with independent living. For more information about CIPs programs, visit http://www.cipworldwide.org or call 877-566-9247.
Tim Gust, Ph.D., a father, grandfather, uncle, and educator, has completed his new book Papa's Old Van: a testament to his love for the wonderful United States of America and the beautiful people who live throughout the land.

Gust explains, I have been involved with children for over fifty years, and I am still trying to understand them. Growing up on a small farm in Northern Minnesota, I and my seven siblings had the advantage of attending a one-room school with grades one through eight and one teacher. This excellent educational foundation made it possible for all of us to achieve university degrees, including graduate school. As a university professor in the Midwest, Hawaii, and both coasts, I have experienced much of the United Sates and what it has to offer.

Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Tim Gust, Ph.D.s educational work encourages children readers to expand their vision of the country and look forward to their future opportunities.

The protagonists, Jimmy and Jenny, fell in love with Papas van because it took them camping and visiting different states and special sites and parks. They lived in the old van, played and ate in the old van, and even entertained their grandparents in that old van. So, when the van got too old to be driven, they felt very saduntil the day the new van arrived. Then they looked forward to new adventures.

Readers who wish to experience this intriguing work can purchase Papa's Old Van at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Kobo, Google Play or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional New York based full-service publishing house that handles all of the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with complicated business issues like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes and the like. Its roster of authors can leave behind these tedious, complex and time-consuming issues, and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Specialty Technical Consultants

Specialty Technical Publishers (STP) and Specialty Technical Consultants (STC) announce the availability of the newly updated International Audit Protocol Consortium (IAPC) EHS audit protocol for Sweden. Leading companies around the world use IAPC EHS audit protocols to understand the scope of their EHS regulatory obligations and rapidly collect, share, archive, and export audit findings in a cost effective manner. IAPC EHS audit protocols are now prepared by STC in partnership with STP and continue to focus on those national (plus, in some cases, regional or provincial) EHS requirements that have site-specific application for manufacturing operations. As a leading EHS management consulting firm with a global network of experienced EHS teaming partners, STC has indepth knowledge and technical expertise of local/regional EHS requirements.

STP and STC maintain leading-edge EHS audit protocols for more than 30 jurisdictions. The protocol documents are written in English and are available in MS Word, Adobe Acrobat and Excel formats, as well as through STPs web-based portal or can be integrated into an existing company platform. Using the protocols custom templates and advanced functionality features, auditors can easily track audit findings and manage data over time to improve compliance, risk management and safety performance. In addition, STPs formatting is compatible with leading risk management and sustainability platform providers.

Highlights of selected legislation covered in the newly updated protocol include:



"Ordinance on Sulfur Content of Fuels, SFS 2014:509" repealed and replaced "Ordinance on Sulfur Content of Fuels, SFS 2011:1588."

"Ordinance on use of Volatile Organic Compounds, SFS 2013:254" repealed and replaced "Regulations on Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds, NFS 2001:27."

"Ordinance on Large Combustion Plants, SFS 2013:252" repealed and replaced "Regulations on Emissions to Air of Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen Dioxide and Dust from Large Combustion Plants, NFS 2002: 26."

"Ordinance on the Incineration of Waste, SFS 2013:253" repealed and replaced "Ordinance on the Incineration of Waste, SFS 2008:840."

"Ordinance on Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases, SFS 2016:1128" repealed and replaced "Ordinance on Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases, SFS 2007:846."

"Ordinance on the Incineration of Waste, SFS 2013:253" repealed and replaced the "Ordinance on the Incineration of Hazardous Waste, NFS 2002: 1060" and the "Regulations on the Incineration of Waste, NFS 2002:28."

"Ordinance on Producer Responsibility for Packaging, SFS 2014:1073" repealed and replaced the "Ordinance on Producer Responsibility for Packaging, SFS 2006:1273."

"Ordinance on Producer Responsibility for Electrical Products, SFS 2014:1075" repealed and replaced the "Ordinance on Producer Responsibility for Electrical and Electronic Products, SFS 2005:20."

"Regulations on Landfills, Criteria and Procedures for Reception of Waste When Establishing Landfills for Waste, NFS 2004:10" was amended with significant changes relating to the temporary or permanent storage of waste metallic mercury in certain types of landfills.

"Regulations on Electrical Equipment and Protective Systems for Use in Potentially Explosive Environments, ELSAK-FS 2016:2" repealed and replaced "Regulations on Electrical Equipment for Use in Potentially Explosive Environments, ELSAK-FS 1995:6."

"Ordinance on Environmentally Hazardous Activities and the Protection of Public Health, SFS 2016:1193" repealed and replaced "Ordinance on Environmentally Hazardous Activities and the Protection of Public Health, SFS 2012:649" and replaced the relevant provisions of the "Regulations and General Guidance on Tanks and Piping for Flammable Liquids, MSBFS 2011:8."

"Guidance on Industrial Noise and Noise from Other Activities, Report 6538, April 2015" repealed and replaced the "External Industrial Noise Guidelines, RR 1978:5."

"Pressurized Containers and Equipment, AFS 2016:1" repealed and replaced "Pressurized Containers and Equipment, AFS 1999:4."

"Ergonomics, AFS 2012:2" replaced the relevant provisions in "Manual Handling, AFS 2000:1."

"Scaffolding, AFS 2013:4" repealed and replaced "Scaffolding, AFS 2011:08" with significant changes.

"Regulations on Permits for the Handling of Flammable Gases and Liquids, MSBFS 2013:3" repealed and replaced "Regulations on Permits for the Handling of Flammable Gases and Liquids, SAIFS 1995:3."

"Equipment for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres, AFS 2016:4" repealed and replaced "Equipment for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres, AFS 1995:5."

"Regulations on Permits for Import and Transfer of Explosive Goods, MSBFS 2016:4" repealed and replaced "Regulations on Import and Transfer of Explosive Goods, SAIFS 1997:5."

"Guidelines and Commentary on Obligations at Dangerous Workplaces, MSBFS 2014:2" repealed and replaced "Guidelines and Commentary on Obligations at Dangerous Workplaces, SRVFS 2004:8."

"Regulations on Cleaning (Chimney Sweeping) and Fire Safety Inspections, MSBFS 2014:6" repealed and replaced "Regulations on Cleaning (Chimney Sweeping) and Fire Safety Inspections, SRVFS 2005:9."

"Handling of Flammable Gases and Liquids at Fueling Stations, MSB822, March 2015" repealed and replaced the 2008 version.

"Regulations on Transport Safety Advisers for Transport of Dangerous Goods, MSBFS 2015:9" repealed and replaced "Regulations on Transport Safety Advisers for Transport of Dangerous Goods, SRVFS 2006:9." Amendments were minimal.

"Regulations on Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Over Land (ADR-S), MSBFS 2016:8" repealed and replaced "Regulations on Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Over Land (ADR-S), MSBFS 2012:6." Amendments were minimal.

"Regulations on Transport of Dangerous Goods by Railway (RID-S), MSBFS 2016:9" repealed and replaced "Regulations on Transport of Dangerous Goods by Railway (RID-S), MSBFS 2012:7." Amendments were minimal.

The 2015 versions of the "European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR)" and "Regulations Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID)" are relevant for this Protocol. Amendments were minimal.

"Electromagnetic Fields, AFS 2016:3" repealed and replaced "High Frequency Electromagnetic Fields, AFS 1987:2" with significant amendments.

"Occupational Exposure Limit Values, AFS 2015:7" repealed and replaced "Occupational Exposure Limit Values, AFS 2015: 2011:18."

"Ordinance on Measures for Prevention and Limitation of Serious Chemical Accidents, SFS 2015:236" repealed and replaced "SFS 1999:382," as well as the provisions in "AFS 2005:19 on prevention of Major Chemical Accidents."

"Regulations on Measures for the Prevention and Limitation of Serious Chemical Accidents, MSBFS 2015:8" replaced the previous regulations issued by the "Swedish Rescues Services Agency (SRVFS 2005:2)."

"Ordinance on nematodes, insects and arachnids as Biocidal Products, SFS 2016:402" replaced "SFS 2000:388 (Biocidal Products Ordinance)" and "SFS 2006:1010 (Plant Protection Products Ordinance)."

"Regulations on Permits and Knowledge Requirements for Using Certain Pesticides, SJVFS 2014:35" replaced the previous version of these regulations "(SJVFS 2007:76)."

"Regulation on Pesticides, SFS 2014:425" was added to the Protocol to include the conditions for authorization and management of pesticides in the form of plant protection products or biocidal products.

For more information on all International EHS audit protocols offered by STP and STC click here.

About Specialty Technical Publishers

Specialty Technical Publishers (STP) produces technical resource guides covering environmental, health & safety, transportation, accounting, business practices, standards and law, offering comprehensive guidance on key compliance and regulatory issues. STP is a division of Glacier Media Inc., a Canadian information communications company that provides primary and essential information in print, electronic and online media. Glaciers Business and Professional Information Group publishes directories, technical manuals, research and development materials, medical education, electronic databases, investment information and specialty websites.

About Specialty Technical Consultants

Specialty Technical Consultants, Inc. (STC) is a specialized management consulting firm working to enhance environmental health and safety (EHS) performance. Through its consulting services, STC partners with clients to strengthen management systems' design and implementation, and identifies needs and implements solutions to meet business objectives. Services provided include: EHS compliance support; risk assessment; EHS auditing; corporate responsibility and sustainability; EHS management systems development and implementation; EHS regulatory information tools; and EHS training.

STC is certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) by the Womens Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and the Supplier Clearinghouse for the California Public Utilities Commission, and as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program.
Adrian Wilkins, CEO CHF Enterprises We are delighted that the role played by CHF Media has been recognised with this 2017 Growth Investor Awards shortlisting, within a fiercely contested category.

CHF Media has been shortlisted for Best EIS Investment Manager at the 2017 Growth Investor Awards, which celebrate the role of the UKs investment provider community in championing tax-advantaged investments, spotting growth potential and backing outstanding UK small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs).

Launched by Intelligent Partnership in 2015, the Growth Investor Awards celebrate the UKs SME investment communitys contribution towards innovation, technology, and job and wealth creation. The awards specifically acknowledge those companies and individuals who are helping start-up and scale-up businesses realise their full potential and power Britains economy.

This years expanded award programme features 16 categories including Best Investment Platform, Growth Champion of the Year, Most Impactful Investment, Industry Game Changer and Best Angel Syndicate.

CHF Media will be competing in the Best EIS Investment Manager category alongside the following finalists: Calculus Capital, Mercia Technologies, MMC Ventures, Parkwalk Advisors and Puma Investments. The winner will be announced at an exclusive black tie awards dinner, which will be held on Wednesday 8 November at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Lancaster Gate, London.

Commenting on the award nomination, Adrian Wilkins, Chief Executive of CHF Media Group, said:

We are thrilled to be selected as a finalist as Best EIS Investment Manager in the 2017 Growth Investor Awards as this is not only testament to the fantastic creative work carried out at CHF, but also recognition of the CHF Media Fund team who work tirelessly, literally behind the scenes, to produce relevant and exciting investment opportunities.

Guy Tolhurst, Managing Director of Intelligent Partnership, said: The Growth Investor Awards measure the impact of talent, technology and innovative thinking within Britains thriving smaller-company ecosystem. We want to honour all those industry leaders who day-in, day-out display the ability, bravery and commitment needed to back entrepreneurs and help drive Britains economic growth from the bottom up.

We are delighted that the role played by CHF Media has been recognised with this 2017 Growth Investor Awards shortlisting, within a fiercely contested category. Id like to personally wish CHF Media the very best of luck, and we hope to see you on the winners stage in November.

Finalists will now move on to a second round of judging to determine the winner in each award category. Daniel Kiernan, Intelligent Partnerships Research Director heads up the Advisory Board, which represents different sections of the fund management, alternative investment and SME community; said:

These awards were designed in consultation with the SME industry. An independent panel of judges for each category is drawn from within and outside the industry  to bring a range of perspectives and to provide a level playing field. Having such a robust and comprehensive judging process really underscores the credibility and prestige of these awards.

Advisory Board member Tim Hames Director General of the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA)  added: Competitive advantage doesnt go to the nations that focus on creating companies; it goes to the nations that focus on scaling them. The Growth Investor Awards recognise the broader contribution of the SME fund management community to scale up growth and those best optimising investment and support.
At present, the Air Force is planning to deploy the two squadrons of the Apache helicopters in Pathankot in Punjab and Jorhat in Assam.

By Ajit Kumar Dubey: In a bid to boost its firepower at the borders, India is planning to deploy its deadly American Apache attack helicopters at the sensitive Pathankot airbase in Punjab as well as Jorhat in Assam to fortify the northeastern sector. The defence ministry cleared a $2.2 billion contract with the US in 2015 for 22 Apache attack helicopters that will strengthen the Indian Air Force's capabilities on the frontiers with Pakistan and China.

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"At present, the Air Force is planning to deploy the two squadrons of the Apache helicopters in Pathankot in Punjab and Jorhat in Assam to meet the security requirements of the western and the eastern theatre," sources in the defence ministry told Mail Today. The Pathankot airbase already has a component of the Russian-origin Mi-35 attack helicopters, which are used for supporting the advance of the Army in war against the enemy infantry and tank regiments while Jorhat would be getting an attack helicopter unit for the first time.

The infrastructure for hosting the helicopters in the two bases would also be completed as per the delivery schedule along with the other requirements at these bases. Indian pilots and air crew are also getting trained on the new choppers so that they can operate the helicopters when they arrive in India. The preparation of the Indian crew is also part of the deal that the two sides signed.

The Air Force has been flying the attack helicopters for a long time in support of Army's operations but the land force now wants to control the aerial assets also as it feels that its pilots would be better suited to support operations on the ground. In this regard, the Army is also moving a case for acquiring 11 Apache choppers as part of the repeat order for the ones the IAF is getting. Apache will be the first pure attack helicopter in the Indian forces.

The IAF already operates two squadrons of the Russian origin Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack helicopters, which are deployed close to the front lines on the Pakistan border. But these choppers are on the verge of retirement and were designed only to carry troops into heavily defended territories. Equipped with laser and infrared systems for all weather, day-night operability, the Apache fires the Hellfire air-to-air missiles apart from its arsenal of 70-mm rockets and automatic cannon.

The twin-engine Apache, operated by two pilots, is capable of detecting 256 moving targets with its doughnut-shaped Longbow radar and engaging them simultaneously. The choppers are scheduled to be delivered in the next couple of years to the Air Force along with the Chinook-64D heavy lift helicopters, which would be used to airlift machinery and heavy equipment in support of troops deployed in high mountainous regions such as Ladakh and the Northeast.

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India had signed the deals for the Apache and Chinook helicopters simultaneously after a tendering process of almost eight years involving Russian and American firms. The Chinook choppers are planned to be based at the Chandigarh airbase, which is also home to the world's biggest choppers - the Russian Mi-26, which is used rarely these days for special airlift missions only. The public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is also working on developing the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter in the attack chopper category but it is in a lighter class than the Apaches.

The LCH would be built in large numbers by HAL and would be deployed by the Army and the IAF in both the western and northeastern sectors. The HAL has also developed a weaponised version of the Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv choppers called Rudra, which are getting deployed without much teeth in bases such as Likabali in the Northeast and Bhatinda near Pakistan.

Also Read:

Countdown to India-China military clash has begun: Chinese daily on Doklam standoff

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Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai only way out: Dalai Lama on India-China Doklam standoff

Doklam border standoff: Will there be an India-China war?

WATCH: Why war is not an option for India and China

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Designer and CEO Martin Nicholson sitting with the Niche Zero Grinder Our revolutionary Niche Zero Grinder retains virtually zero grind, guaranteeing you the freshest possible coffee.

Niche, the up and coming British coffee innovators, last month publicly unveiled their new full yield coffee grinder. On 4th September, the Niche Zero Coffee Grinder will be available to pre-order at a discounted price from the 499 RRP on crowdfunding website Indiegogo. The Niche Zero Grinder offers the following advantages over current grinders:



Virtually zero retained grind. Every coffee made is truly fresh with no waste.

The quietest grinder available at only 72dB.

63mm commercial grade burrs precisely driven, ensuring coffee grounds never get burnt.

Infinite grind size control delivers the perfect consistency.

Sitting stylishly at 31cm in height, the Niche Zero Grinder fits perfectly under most kitchen cabinets.

Complimented by a solid cast aluminium body and interchangeable, reclaimed oak features.

Niche is British made with the highest quality materials.

Designer and CEO Martin Nicholson explains Having worked in the industry for 30 years, I wanted to design and produce a revolutionary coffee product. My love for getting the best taste in coffee, combined with my research into what makes the best brew, made the Niche Zero Grinder an obvious project. Our revolutionary Niche Zero Grinder retains virtually zero grind, guaranteeing you the freshest possible coffee. Not only that, but we have managed to design a coffee bean grinder that is better looking, reduces waste and is quieter and easier to use. We cant wait for the 4th September launch on Indiegogo and we look forward to helping everyone make better tasting coffee.

Developing a product which improves one of the worlds most popular drinks is no easy feat, but the family-run business Niche have achieved exactly that, right here in the UK. This didnt just happen overnight, the ground-breaking Niche Zero Grinder is the result of 4 years of technical engineering, refinement and development, with over 30 prototypes.

Niches CEO Martin Nicholson is an accomplished designer with over 30 years of industry and design experience. Martin has worked with a vast number of global companies, including; Kenwood, Phillips, Braun, Tefal, Bombay Sapphire, Anglepoise, Airbus, Russell Hobbs, AEG, Dualit, Sanyo and Sunbeam. Using his expertise, Martin developed the Niche Zero to improve the quality of ground coffee, ensuring that every bean is precisely and quietly ground.

Niches commitment to improving the taste of coffee developed from bad experiences using existing grinders and a passion for achieving the best taste in coffee. The only way to make really good coffee is to use truly fresh ground beans. Unfortunately, current grinders all store old stale grind in their mechanisms, which subsequently taints future brews with stale, old ground coffee. The coffee enthusiasts at Niche were determined to change this and design the best coffee grinder.

Martin describes the launch of Niche as the fulfilment of a 30 year dream. Being able to have an impact on the quality of coffee people consume is something that I am proud of.
Our customized marketing strategies are the best path to a customer-trusted brand

As a full-service marketing agency, 212 Media Studios is equipped to help the agriculture industry reach its ideal customers with the right message. Their effective, cutting-edge inbound marketing strategies are available to agriculture companies across the nation.

As a Midwest company, we realize how crucial the agriculture industry is, said David Phelps, chief marketing officer at 212 Media Studios. The agriculture industry is the heartbeat of our economy and feeds our nation. Were ready to serve the men and women who steadily serve us.

212 Media Studios specializes in multi-level, creative marketing using inbound principles. Unlike traditional (outbound) marketing, these tactics attract people to an organization or product through high-quality content that aligns with their interests. Based on years of experience and success, said Phelps, were confident that we have created unified, modern marketing strategies for agriculture companies.

Using fully customized marketing strategies, 212 Media Studios can provide agriculture companies with many useful tools that enable them to better reach their desired customers. Using tactics like blogs, social media, email campaigns, search engine optimization, and digital ad placements, 212 creates a complete, integrated marketing strategy. Through audience engagement and brand-building, each resource is used to drive sales.

Our customized marketing strategies are the best path to a customer-trusted brand, said Dustin Hickle, director of marketing strategy at 212 Media Studios. Were able to provide companies with the best solutions for all their marketing needs. From rebranding to advertisement placement, web design to social media marketing, 212 Media Studios will ensure agriculture businesses stand out in their industry.

One success story occurred in the Indiana corn belt. Hoosier-based Headsight Harvesting Solutions asked 212 Media Studios to create a video showing the capabilities of their innovative, problem-solving harvesting solutions. We quickly realized how much potential Headsights products had, said Phelps, so we partnered with them to tell the full story.

Using inbound marketing methods, as well as industry-leading video services, 212 Media Studios enabled Headsight to increase sales revenue by establishing them as a recognizable, trusted brand. 212 Media Studios paired these changes with an updated, modern trade show booth and strategic advertisement placement. Were excited to continue serving the agriculture community with all of our marketing services, Phelps added.

A free e-book detailing the capabilities of an inbound marketing program is available here. To learn more about 212 Media Studios, visit http://www.212mediastudios.com or call 574-269-0720
Implementation of the Golden Thread Quality Management system by the Q&C improvement officers at behavioral health facilities resulted in significant reduction in documentation errors and successful external audits" said Ramana Reddy, President and CEO

EnSoftek, Inc., with a mission to develop the industry leading, integrated and efficient electronic health record (EHR) platform that synchronizes and enables an integrated system of care, announced that the Golden Thread name identified with the companys Golden Thread Quality Management System is now a registered trademark in the United States (US).

On July 25th, 2017, The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) accepted the trademark and issued EnSoftek a registration certificate (Reg. No. 5,249,896) for the name Golden Thread. This is a significant event as it protects our rights to this name which is an asset to our meaningful use stage 2 2014 Edition certified comprehensive Electronic Health Records (EHR) platform DrCloudEHR.

The Golden Thread Quality Management System is an EnSoftek proprietary audit and compliance module built into the DrCloudEHR platform. It enables behavioral health organizations nationwide enforce regulatory requirements around the completion of documentation in support of care and services delivered by payers and government agencies.

The Golden Thread is designed to empower clinical staff using DrCloudEHR to document their notes with pertinent information on quality and regulatory requirements required for documentation. It comprises of a robust Rules Engine, the Forms Completion Criteria Module, and a swift Notifications component which work together to support caregivers document their notes easily without any added burden, said Ramesh Nagul, VP Engineering, EnSoftek.

Implementation of the Golden Thread Quality Management system by the quality and compliance improvement officers at behavioral health facilities in their DrCloudEHR system resulted in significant reduction in documentation errors and successful external audits, said Ramana Reddy, President and CEO, EnSoftek, Inc. We are very excited to be at the forefront of system-wide transition of care delivery and to have Golden Thread registered trademark to insure regulatory audit compliance.

About DrCloudEHR and EnSoftek, Inc.

DrCloudEHR, is a meaningful use stage 2 2014 Edition certified comprehensive premier Electronic Health Records system, that enables integrated system of care (Primary Care and Behavioral Health) with modules and solutions focused to the Health and Human services community. Special attention has been given to allow organizations the ability to easily document and then assess patient outcomes based upon objective data.

DrCloudEHR provides powerful features like: rich practice management, patient management, multi-disciplinary treatment planning, revenue cycle management, disconnected module, Tele-Health, mobile devices and enabling collaboration and Health Information Exchange support.

EnSoftek, Inc. is an "Enterprise Solutions and Professional Support Services" company that provides diversified services to both public and private sector enterprises, including Information Technology, Research and Development (R&D), Cloud Computing Solutions, Healthcare Solutions, and Document/Records Management Solutions and services.
HousingWire has announced its annual Women of Influence list, recognizing Network Funding Branch Manager and Loan Officer Billi West, who is based in Florida. According to HousingWire, this is the seventh year that the publication has recognized the women leading the mortgage and housing industry forward, and each year, the nominations grow more and more competitive. The entire listing of the 2017 Women of Influence is available at http://www.housingwire.com.

The 50 women represented in the recent publication cover a variety of occupations within the housing economy, demonstrating leadership that inspires those in their own companies, in their communities and in the industry at large.

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, Sarah Wheeler, HousingWire Magazine Editor said. HousingWire is thrilled to recognize and celebrate their accomplishments as they build better operations, solutions and companies.

Many of this years 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, and should be celebrated in its own right.

We are proud of the recognition that Billi West has received for her hard work and dedication within Network Funding and the mortgage lending industry, said Network Funding Executive Vice President Brett Snortland. She inspires everyone in our company to get better each and every day.

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.

Women of Influence 2017 stats:



50 winners

7th annual list

Every sector of the housing economy represented: residential mortgage lending, servicing, investing and real estate, as well as those in advocacy positions, including nonprofits and governmental agencies.

Chosen by HousingWire editorial staff based on tangible accomplishments in the last 12 months

Winners not only had to excel within their individual companies, but show influence in the wider industry through contributions on panels, publications, mentoring and volunteering.

HousingWire.com

HousingWire.com is the leading independent source for news, commentary and analysis covering the entire mortgage banking and financial markets. Staffed by a core team of experienced journalists and editors, HousingWire.com delivers breaking news and opinions on U.S. housing and mortgage finance. HousingWire.com has a well-developed reputation for delivering today the news other trade outlets will be reporting on tomorrow  and our readers value the information they get from HousingWire.com first.

About HousingWire Magazine

HousingWire Magazine is a monthly magazine that provides in-depth context and insight spanning the people, issues and data that matter in mortgage finance and real estate. The magazine offers readers insight on U.S housing and finance from leading national columnists, as well as exclusive features that tackle hard-hitting issues in real estate finance and bring to life the people that make markets. The publication is available in print, or in digital format across multiple devices (iPad, Kindle, and more.)

About Network Funding

Network Funding, LP, NMLS #2297, is a private, residential, mortgage-lending company that operates branches across the country. Since it was founded in 1998, Network Funding has financed more than 108,000 homes at more than $18 billion, making the American Dream a reality for its customers. Network Fundings key standards are based on integrity, reliability and simplicity, and it aims to empower its customers through educating and equipping them for the home-buying process. Network Funding is nationally ranked as a Top 50 Mortgage Companies to Work For, 2016 by Mortgage Executive Magazine, a Top Mortgage Lender by Scotsman Guide and a Top Workplaces by the Houston Chronicle.

Visit http://www.nflp.com to learn more about Network Funding. Visit join.nflp.com to learn more about career opportunities. Visit give.nflp.com to learn about The Giving Network, the charitable arm of Network Funding.
Certrec, a leading regulatory compliance provider for NERC compliance, announced today its participation in the Offshore Wind Executive Summit in Houston, TX, from August 9-10.

The 2017 Offshore Wind Executive Summit: The Parallels of Wind, Oil, and Gas will bring together experts from wind and offshore oil and gas. Using many of the same technologies - design, foundations, vessels, cabling, and a highly skilled workforce - offshore oil and gas experts play an important role in the advancement of U.S. offshore wind.

Currently Certrec provides NERC compliance support on an ongoing basis to several U.S. wind fleets. In addition, Certrec supports other individual wind sites. We have worked with 2 wind fleets for several years (since 2013 for our first fleet) and appreciate the trust that these clients have in our team.

A standardized approach to NERC compliance using a software application or cookie cutter templates does not result in successful NERC compliance programs. The industry dynamics are comprised of customized systems, talented individuals, and unique corporate cultures. In addition, newcomers to the workforce plus new (sometimes fledgling) technologies all need to be incorporated into this regulatory framework. One size does not fit all in our industry.

An entity that is dedicated to compliance operates every day in compliance. Every day, they are audit ready and this is accomplished through an effective Internal Controls Process with periodic self-evaluations of effectiveness, coupled with a robust corrective action process.

Certrec Corporation is dedicated to regulatory compliance exclusively and has been since we started in 1988. We believe our approach is the key to our successful client programs as well as our growing NERC practice.

CERTREC Who better to assist the offshore wind industry than the offshore experts? The oil and gas industry has decades of offshore experience. Were pleased at the opportunity to participate as a sponsor at the Offshore Wind Executive Summit. We can assist the offshore wind professionals who want to improve risk management, assure data security, and develop successful NERC compliance programs. - Ann Broussard, Office of NERC Compliance Business Development Director.

CERTREC

Founded in 1988, Certrec is an engineering and technology based organization providing regulatory support services in the electric power industry. With over 1000 cumulative years of direct industry experience (including wind, solar, nuclear, and fossil), Certrec has developed exceptional capabilities to support regulatory activities emanating from regulatory entities such as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and Regional Entities (NERC), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other regulatory agencies. Certrec's Office of NERC Compliance (ONC), Office of Licensing and Compliance (OLC), Office of Assessment and Recovery (OAR), and Office of New Plant (ONP) services are used by utilities and entities across the United States to help manage the regulatory process to their advantage.
East Commerce Solutions welcomes the hiring of Christine LaFrance as the new Regional Manager of Capital Region, New York. As the company continues its growth and expansion in the area, LaFrance, a prominent professional in finance and sales, is set to further increase the companys portfolio of clients.

LaFrance is an experienced relationship officer with a demonstrated history of work in the bank industry. She will leverage her expert knowledge in banking and sales to lead the Capital Regional team to successful expansions. LaFrance will focus on originating new business as well as providing support to customers. Most recently, LaFrance was the Manager and Life Services Representative at CapCom Federal Credit Union in Albany, NY. Before then, she spent eight years as the Manager of Pioneer Bank in Albany, NY.

Her strong background in management positions and mastery of skills within the banking industry, such as customer service and credit analysis, will be a significant asset to the growth and success of East Commerce Solutions in the Capital Region, said Ed Medeiros, CEO of East Commerce Solutions.

East Commerce Solutions is proud to add such a well-qualified manager and sales professional to the team.

About East Commerce Solutions

East Commerce Solutions, Inc., is a nationally ranked, top rated merchant services provider. Founded in 1994, East Commerce Solutions offers a variety of merchant services solutions including credit card processing, hardware for mobile, NFC and EMV capable processing, software and E-Commerce solutions, POS systems, gift card programs, cash advance programs for working capital and payroll services. For additional information, visit East Commerce Solutions at http://www.eastcommercesolutions.com.
Belatrix has a long history of working with companies in the Valley, helping some of the best high-tech companies in the world create software products that their customers love.

Belatrix Software, a leading software development company, has announced it has opened a new office strategically located in Silicon Valley. The office will be Belatrixs new US headquarters.

Belatrixs reputation for innovation, and focus on helping organizations create world-class software products, means it already works with numerous high-tech companies in the Bay Area. Opening the office means Belatrix will be even better positioned to partner closely with companies, while also increasing its hiring of highly-qualified software engineers from the diverse talent pool that makes Silicon Valley so unique.

Belatrixs growth, averaging over 35% each year over the past 5 years, has meant it has needed to open a series of new offices and locations. Most recently it has expanded its presence in Lima, Peru, and opened a new office in Bogota, Colombia. Over the next 4-5 years Belatrix aims to significantly increase its onshore US-based presence, by hiring local talent in its key target market of the US.

Belatrixs Director of Technical Consulting, Pablo Lecea, and Silvana Gaia, Technical Consultant, will be leading the office. They are experts in helping organizations bridge the gap between their commercial/strategic objectives and the technology that can help them achieve this. Pablo Lecea brings extensive commercial and managerial experience, along with the background of being the former CIO of two companies in Latin America. Silvana Gaia meanwhile was one of the first employees of Belatrix, starting life as a developer, and working her way through the organization to become a key member of the sales and technical consulting team. This combination of skills means they are well-positioned to help guide executives through the business and technical decisions they need to make during this time of digital change and disruption.

Alex Robbio, President and Co-Founder of Belatrix, commented that Belatrix has a long history of working with companies in the Valley, helping some of the best high-tech companies in the world create software products that their customers love. Opening this office and hiring more local individuals, means well be even better positioned to support our clients with their digital innovation agendas.

Belatrixs office can be found at 234 Marshall Street, Redwood City.

About Belatrix Software:

Belatrix Software helps companies thrive in the digital world. Organizations partner with Belatrix to turn ideas into high quality, innovative software based on highly-tuned Agile development processes. Customers use Belatrixs digital transformation services to create best-in-class software products, lower time to market, and gain competitive edge. Belatrixs dedicated labs, focusing on UX, continuous delivery, mobile, DevOps, and QA automation, help organizations become digital leaders.

Belatrix's clients include both established Fortune level and emerging, venture backed firms. Some of the firm's clients include Disney, Adobe, AOL, PwC, Fluor, and Shutterfly. Belatrix is a South American company with offices in Florida, New York, San Francisco, Mendoza, Buenos Aires, Bogota and Lima. For more information, visit http://www.belatrixsf.com.
Mercy Medical Center

Mercy Medical Center has been ranked third best hospital (tied) in Baltimore and all of Maryland for 2017-18 by U.S. News & World Report in its annual Best Hospitals edition. Mercy was rated nationally in Orthopedics for the second consecutive year, rising from #47th to #38th in the United States for 2017-18. Mercy was the only community hospital in Maryland to achieve a national ranking in Orthopedics.

Mercy was also named a high performing hospital in five of seven procedure/condition categories measured by U.S. News and World Report, including: Hip Replacement, Knee Replacement, Colon Cancer Surgery, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Heart Failure.

Once again, we are very pleased to receive this recognition from U.S. News & World Report, capping another successful fiscal year of achievements for Mercy. It is indicative of the hard work, dedication and skill of Mercy physicians, nurses, and staff who put the mission of The Sisters of Mercy into practice every day, said Thomas R. Mullen, President and CEO of Mercy Medical Center.

According to Mr. Mullen, in addition to this national honor, Mercy was recently ranked as one of the top 300 midsize employers in the United States by Forbes magazine. For the sixth consecutive year, Mercy also received the Womens Choice Award distinguishing it as one of the 2017 Americas 100 Best Hospitals for Patient Experience.

For the 2017-18 rankings, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 medical centers nationwide in 25 specialties, procedures and conditions. In the 16 specialty areas, 146 hospitals were ranked in at least one specialty. In rankings by state and metro area, U.S. News recognized hospitals as high performing across multiple areas of care.

Updated for 2017-18, U.S. News methodologies include risk-adjusted survival and readmission rates, volume, patient experience, patient safety, quality of nursing care and other care-related indicators. U.S. News reports that hospitals may have received fewer High Performing recognitions in the Procedures & Conditions ratings than in 2016. In addition, hospitals scoring well on the Patient Safety Score last year may score average or close to average in 2017.

Best Hospitals was produced by U.S. News with RTI International, a leading research organization based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. U.S. News & World Report is a multi-platform publisher of news and analysis.

Further details including the rankings and methodology re: Mercy Medical Center are available here.

Mercy Medical Center is a 143-year-old, university-affiliated medical facility with a national reputation for womens health care. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, Mercy is located in the heart of downtown Baltimore, MD. For more information, visit http://www.mdmercy.com, visit MDMercyMedia on Facebook and Twitter, or call 1-800-M.D.-Mercy.

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While many are quick to brush off warehouse workers as non-qualified buyers, we like to look at them a different way. In many parts of the country, these workers can buy homes," explained Ali Wolf, the Manager of Housing Economics at Meyers Research.

Amazon is a major employer. On August 2nd, they held a career fair looking to hire an additional 50,000 workers. This is after two other announcements earlier this year highlighting tens of thousands of open positions. Amazon's expansion plans not only will create new employment opportunities, but also impact local housing markets.

While many are quick to brush off warehouse workers as non-qualified buyers, we like to look at them a different way, explained Ali Wolf, the Manager of Housing Economics at Meyers Research. She continued, In Denver, for example, a warehouse worker makes $12.50 an hour, which is equal to $26,000 a year. In a dual income household, that could easily translate into a combined $52,000 a year. At a 44% debt-to-income ratio, this family can afford a home at $300,000 in Denver. While we don't directly attribute the success solely to Amazon, in the outskirts of town in Denver, there are townhomes that are selling lot hotcakes in that price range.

In Portland, there's an opportunity to provide new homes in the move-up price range. The existing home market in Troutdale, the location of Amazon's first fulfillment center in Oregon, will serve as the feeder market for entry-level buyers. As the multiplier effect of the new employment flows through the submarket, the existing homeowners with equity will likely look to trade up.

About Meyers Research

Meyers Research, a Kennedy Wilson Company, combines experienced real estate and technology advisors with leading data to provide our clients with a clear perspective and a strategic path forward. Based in Beverly Hills, we are home to 80 experts in 10 offices across the country.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) The Centre today asked the states to involve field-level workers, municipal corporations and municipalities for effective control and prevention of vector-borne diseases like dengue, malaria and chinkungunya.

Union Health minister J P Nadda, in a high-level review meeting on prevention and control of vector-borne diseases, also asked all the stakeholders to begin rigorous awareness campaigns about the preventive steps to be taken by the people in their communities.

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"Awareness is the key in controlling the vector-borne diseases and no stone should be left unturned to reach out to the people," he said.

Assured that there was no shortage of medicines, masks, diagnostic kits, the Minister reassured all possible help to the states from the Centre.

During the meeting, Nadda directed that all the available information on the measures taken by the Ministry should be made available to the people through various media channels.

He also sought a report on the availability of NS1 kits, used detection of dengue, as some states said that they do not have enough stock.

During the meeting, Nadda was informed that technical guidelines for prevention and control and clinical management were developed and shared with the states for implementation.

The Ministry has also conducted review meeting with the states and 14 advisories have been sent to all states as early as January this year for strengthening their preparedness before the vector-borne disease season, an official statement said.

Also, the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME 2016-2030) was disseminated to all states and Union Territories with instructions to initiate key actions.

The Ministry has also drafted a 12-point Roadmap for Malaria Elimination for rolling out malaria elimination activities in the country, Nadda was told.

Officials from the Ministry have also had meeting with organised government sector (Army, Navy, Air Force, BSF, CRPF, Railways) for support in malaria elimination.

A National Malaria Task Force, under the Union Health Secretary, and a Technical Working Group, under the DGHS, for oversight of all malaria elimination activities in the country, have also been formed, the statement said.

The Ministry has distributed/being distributed 23.5 million long lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN) and more are in pipeline.

Further, eight states have successfully launched their respective plans for malaria elimination and other states/UTs are in process of finalising their action plans for elimination, the statement said.

The Ministry has also requested the states and UTs to declare dengue as notifiable disease for improving reporting and for taking preventive measures in the affected areas.

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Till date, 13 states and UTs--Chandigarh, Delhi, D&N Haveli, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and UP--have declared dengue as a notifiable disease, it said. PTI PLB SMJ

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Our number one goal is to improve student success and we believe the Unified Classroom will help us do that.

Pennsylvanias Blue Mountain School District is expanding its partnership with PowerSchool to implement the award-winning Unified Classroom solution  one platform that combines assessment, analytics, student data, grading, instruction, and learning. The district expects to save thousands of dollars each year by eliminating the use of separate software solutions in the classroom, providing teachers, students, and parents with one seamless solution that saves time, promotes collaboration, and facilitates personalized instruction.

When teachers are faced with having to use multiple software solutions in the classroom, it may be difficult to still make time to teach in a way that optimizes the learning process for all students, stated John Rohrer, Coordinator of Student Information Systems at Blue Mountain School District. We wanted a one-stop shop that would allow our teachers to manage student data, use a learning management system, and online assessment and analytics solution in one intuitive portal. The Unified Classroom does that and we are excited about having the opportunity to improve the instruction and learning experience for our school community.

Prior to adopting PowerSchools Unified Classroom, teachers at Blue Mountain School District were using separate tools to manage student assessment. We did not have one central source to create, deliver, and report on student assessments, stated Rohrer. With the Unified Classroom, we will have one centralized repository for all curriculum so teachers can leverage a wide variety of item banks and types, share resources, and assess student learning to adjust instruction accordingly.

Our district has been a PowerSchool Student Information System user since 2006, added Rohrer. We have seen PowerSchools growth and commitment to innovation and are excited about the investments they have made to make our jobs easier and more efficient. Our number one goal is to improve student success and we believe the Unified Classroom will help us do that.

About Blue Mountain School District

The Blue Mountain School District is a mid-sized, rural public school district in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Blue Mountain operates 5 schools for grades K  12 with a district enrollment of 2680 students. The District is one of the 500 public school districts in Pennsylvania.

About PowerSchool Group LLC

PowerSchool is the leading K-12 education technology provider of solutions that improve the education experience for 100 million students, teachers, and parents in over 70 countries around the world. We provide the industrys first Unified Classroom experience, empowering teachers with best-in-class, secure, and compliant online solutions, including student information systems, learning management and classroom collaboration, assessment, analytics, behavior, and special education case management. We streamline school office and administration operations with online solutions for student registration, school choice, and finance/HR/ERP. We drive student growth through digital classroom capabilities and engage families through real-time communications across any device. Visit https://www.powerschool.com/ to learn more.
The New Jersey Supreme Court issued a landmark child-relocation decision today that reversed nearly two decades of its jurisprudence. The decision, Bisbing v. Bisbing, Docket No. A-2-16 (2017), requires divorced parents who seek to relocate from New Jersey with children to establish that the move is in the childrens best interests. According to court documents, the new standard established in Bisbing guarantees that the focus remains, at all times, on the childs best interests. Under the old standard, which the Court established in the 2001 decision of Baures v. Lewis, although children subject to the move were considered, the focus was on whether the move would cause harm to the children.

Matheu D. Nunn, Esq., a Partner at Einhorn Harris, prevailed for Mr. Bisbing at both the New Jersey Appellate Division and Supreme Court. Nunn stated, The parties in this case agreed that neither party would relocate, which arguably should have resolved the dispute. But the underlying issue resolved by this case  one at the center of all relocation cases  is why a best interests standard would be used for all custody determinations other than one that separates parents from their children by hundreds or thousands of miles. Nunn added, Fortunately, after many attempts by the matrimonial bar since Baures v. Lewis, I was able to convince the court that the time had come to revisit Baures and apply a best interests standard to relocation disputes.

Nunn concluded, Although this decision is a slight rebuke of the notion that technology always amounts to progress, as well as on the social science relied upon in Baures, the greater impact is on the rights of parents following a divorce, to remain an integral part of their childrens lives.

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ABOUT EINHORN HARRIS

Established in 1961, Einhorn Harris, based in Denville, New Jersey, is a comprehensive, full-service law firm devoted to serving a broad range of legal needs. In its more than 50 years in business, Einhorn Harris and its attorneys have earned a reputation for dedication to the community. The firm focuses in many areas of practice including family law, trusts & estates law, tax law, accidents/personal injury, criminal law, real estate law, business law, employment and commercial litigation. http://www.einhornharris.com.

ABOUT MATHEU D. NUNN

Matheu Nunn co-chairs the firms Appellate Practice Group and handles matrimonial litigation. Hes a graduate of Rutgers School of Law (Camden), where he was an editor of the Rutgers University Law Review and graduated with honors. Nunn clerked for the Hon. B. Theodore Bozonelis, A.J.S.C. (ret.) (2007-2008), and the Hon. Jack M. Sabatino, P.J.A.D. (2008-2009). After his clerkship, he joined the Morris County Prosecutors Office in the Major Crimes and Appellate section. Within months of joining Einhorn Harris, Nunn was appointed to serve as Prosecutor of Morris Township, New Jersey, in 2012, a position he left when he became an elected official in Morris Township in 2016.

Since becoming a member of the bar in 2007, Nunn has handled more than 35 Appellate Division/Supreme Court cases, including six published cases. He has tried both jury and non-jury trials, and has moderated several Appellate/Supreme Court Practice seminars.

Nunn was recently selected by the New Jersey Law Journal as one of three finalists for the prestigious Attorney of the Year award. The New Jersey Law Journal also recognized Nunn as a New Leader of the Bar in 2015. Nunn has also received an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell (the highest possible rating), and has been selected as a Super Lawyer Rising Star across three different practice areas: Family Law, Appellate Practice and Criminal Law. Nunn also volunteers as a trustee for the Morris County Bar Association, a member of the New Jersey State Bar Appellate Practice Committee, and as an Early Settlement Panelist in Morris County.
Year-over-year we have seen that the CityLIGHTS Awards is a barometer for success in the community, often predicting who or what will be the next big thing. ~ Julia Kanouse, CEO, ITA

NuCurrent, a leading wireless power system and magnetics solution provider, announces the Illinois Technology Association (ITA) has named NuCurrent a finalist for the 2017 ITA CityLIGHTS Industry Disrupter Award. Now in its 18th year, the ITA CityLIGHTS is the premier annual event that elevates and honors achievements from the local tech community. Winners for each of the eight award categories will be announced at a gala event on September 14 at Morgan Manufacturing in Chicago.

The Industry Disrupter Award is presented to the company that has developed or introduced an ingenious, non-traditional, and innovative product or service that has significantly disrupted its industry. All award finalists are selected by a panel of accomplished judges representing the Whos Who in Illinois technology. The public can contribute to the selection of this years winners by voting from August 7-18 at http://www.itacitylights.com/voting. Winners will be determined by a composite score of the judges' scores and voting by the public in all categories except the Industry Champion, which is determined solely by the ITA Board of Directors.

Year-over-year we have seen that the CityLIGHTS Awards is a barometer for success in the community, often predicting who or what will be the next big thing, said Julia Kanouse, CEO, ITA. This years finalists are no different. I expect they will be driving the industry forward for years to come.

Were honored and humbled to again be recognized by the ITA as one of the top industry disrupters driving growth in the technology industry, said Jacob Babcock, CEO, NuCurrent. As engineers and product managers look to build in wireless power capabilities into their products, theyre continuing to turn to NuCurrent because we provide certainty and clarity on getting their products to market with superior wireless power performance, faster time-to-market, and magnetics plus full-system design and integration capability. We not only help customers get their wireless power-enabled products to market quickly, but win in their markets by giving them a competitive advantage in wireless power.

NuCurrent was recently named a 2017 FLEXI Product Innovation Award winner and 2016 IoT Breakthrough Awards M2M Embedded Hardware Company of the Year. The company was also named a Chicago Inno 2016 50 on Fire Winner, which honor the years most groundbreaking individuals and organizations across industries in the Chicago area, and a winner of the 2015 Chicago Innovation Up-and-Comer Awards. NuCurrent was also named No. 1 on the 2015 Crains Chicago Business Eureka Index with the highest per-capita patent output of any company in Illinois. The company was also listed in the top 10 percent overall in patent quality score, which considers the uniqueness of the invention covered by a patent and other important factors.

To view the 2017 ITA CityLIGHTS list of finalists or cast your vote for the award category winners, visit http://www.itacitylights.com between August 7-18. To learn more about NuCurrent, please contact info(at)nucurrent.com or visit http://nucurrent.com.

About NuCurrent

NuCurrent is a leading developer of high-efficiency wireless power solutions including magnetics and full-system integration. Whether customers want proprietary frequencies and solutions or compliance across the Wireless Power Consortium (Qi) or AirFuel AllianceTM, NuCurrent works closely with electronic device OEMs and integrators to determine the best implementation of wireless power for their product and deliver that solution through custom-design, rapid-prototype, advanced simulation, and superior performance. NuCurrents patented technology, proprietary tools and design techniques mitigate typical high frequency effects, offering higher efficiency, smaller sizes, higher durability, and lower total cost for wireless power system implementation. Based in Chicago, NuCurrent has been defining the leading edge of wireless power design since 2009 and has over 50 patents granted or pending worldwide. For more information, visit http://nucurrent.com and follow us on Twitter at @NuCurrentTweets.

About ITA

The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) scales Illinois tech companies. With innovative resources that allow members to collaborate with each other, build their talent networks and elevate their local and national presence, ITA is the region's strongest advocate for fostering innovation and growth. Founded in 2005 and supporting 500-plus growth-stage tech companies, ITA has a rich history of driving business forward. For more information, visit illinoistech.org, follow @ITAbuzz on Twitter or find us on LinkedIn.
L-R: Michael Sharpe-Gilbane Superintendent; Todd MacDermott-AON Construction Services Group; Joanna Kripp Gilbane-Senior Project Executive At Gilbane, the safety actions of employees and co-workers are driven from choice, not just from formal compliance, notes Dennis Mullen, Gilbanes New England Safety Director.

Gilbane Building Company was recently honored by the Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts at its annual Safety Breakfast, sponsored by AON Construction Services Group, held at the Boston College Club.

Through a progressive safety program, Gilbane continues to raise the bar by applying innovative processes, checks and balances and the latest technology. Combined with its award-winning training programs, Gilbane empowers employees and project partners to embrace a true safety culture based on people, not statistics. http://www.gilbaneco.com/build-with-us/overview/safety-gilbane-cares/

At Gilbane, the safety actions of employees and co-workers are driven from choice, not just from formal compliance, notes Dennis Mullen, Gilbanes New England Safety Director. We are honored to have been recognized for the accomplishments of our Massachusetts team who exemplify what can be accomplished when everyone is committed to establishing a culture of safety.

The award program incentivizes construction firms to evaluate and improve existing safety standards. In order to qualify for a Safety Award, an AGC-member firm must participate in the AGC Safety Awards Program for three consecutive years and have either zero lost-day incidence cases, or an average incidence case rate 25% below the average rate of all firms that participate in that particular division.

About Gilbane Building Company

Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services  from pre-construction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build and facility management services  for clients across various markets. Founded in 1873 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has more than 50 office locations around the world.

Gilbane has been a leading Boston construction firm since 1946, serving commercial, institutional, and public clients in the Commonwealth including the University of Massachusetts, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Genzyme, Fidelity Investments, City of Boston-Boston Public Schools and Bank of America. For more information, visit http://www.gilbaneco.com/boston
InfoTrends, a division of Keypoint Intelligence, is pleased to announce their participation in six educational sessions at PRINT 17 upon its return to McCormick Place in Chicago. PRINT 17, the largest gathering of print and graphic communications buyers, decision makers and suppliers in North America, will be taking place September 10-14, 2017.

With an all new learning experience, attendees will have more than 50 sessions that will focus on topics ranging from design/creative process, packaging, marketing, growth strategies and emerging technologies. InfoTrends sessions at the event will be covering the following topics:

Exploring the Role of Print in Todays Customer Journey (Presented by Xplor)

Matt Swain, Group Director

The recent enterprise focus on improving customer experience is strongly tied to reviewing and improving the customer journey. Understandingand mappinga customer journey can be as much an art as it is a science. Since that journey now spans many media types, the role of print can get lost in the mix. A timely communication by mail can secure a new customer, while a poorly-executed print campaign can also spell disaster.

Join Xplor for breakfast followed by a lively discussion moderated by Matt Swain. The panel will focus on the latest market trends, best practices and the role of print in todays customer journey.

Making Print Stand Out - Value-added Special Effects in Digital Print

Marc Mascara, Director

The ability to add a spot color, coating, or special effect to a printed piece brings added value beyond the process colors. This session will focus on effects available today in digital print  either in-line or off-line  and where digital print either outrivals or falls behind offset print today. Based on recent research from InfoTrends, print buyers requirements and expectations will be examined as well.

Inkjet Meets Direct Mail

Barb Pellow, Group Director

Full-color direct mail with personalization has a track record. Nothing else can connect and motivate consumers on emotional, practical, and subliminal levels like a high-quality relevant direct mail communication. This session will provide perspectives on how full-color inkjet is driving the direct mail opportunity. It will focus on the need for data, workflow and the ability to deliver demonstrable ROI as well as requirements for the right sales and marketing approaches.

Making Money with Your Workflow: Quality, Capacity, Costs

Pat McGrew, Director

Find out what tools are needed to stay ahead of the competition and keep improving productivity. Attend this session to learn about the tools to evaluate where your company is against the market and get advice on how to update processes and technologies. Using that guidance, attendees can look to expand their business into wide format, packaging, in addition to the publishing workflows now commonly found in the market.

Its Time to Pay Attention to Your Sales Process

Kate Dunn, Director

Edward Demming, the father of the quality movement is famous for saying If you cant describe what youre doing as a process, you dont know what youre doing! Yet most print service providers do not have a sales process that is used consistently by all reps within the company. Learn a closed-loop sales process that will drive new high margin business for your company.

The Next Evolution of Wide Format Industry Opportunities

Steve Urmano, Director

Wide format is a mature market and has become established in commercial printing and is moving to the next level in its evolution. This program will cover content to fully benefit from the new opportunities becoming available in the wide format printing industry. Included in the presentation will be how material science is broadening the applications and uses of wide format printed materials. This seminar will introduce new trends in the wide format digital printing industry. Attendees will learn about opportunities presented by all the different inkjet wide format technologies in their often unique individual markets.

Click here for complete session details, or to register, visit the PRINT 17 registration page and enter the registration promo code SPSAVE50 to save $50.

About InfoTrends

InfoTrends is the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the imaging, document solutions, production print, and digital media industries. We provide insights and advice to help clients understand market trends, identify opportunities, and grow their business. For media inquiries contact Donna O'Malley at donna.omalley(at)eypointintelligence(dot)com or+1 781.616.2116.

About Keypoint Intelligence

Keypoint Intelligence is a global data and market intelligence leader for the digital imaging industry. The company has over 125 professionals around the world who provide critical planning and go-to-market services, including in-depth market research, competitive intelligence, sales training, product testing, content creation, and customer engagement. For more information, contact Mike Fergus at mike.fergus(at)keypointintelligence(dot)com or +1 973.797.2150.
President Donald Trump this week pledged stronger law enforcement and increased criminal prosecution of drug offenders to combat the opioid epidemic, a move many addiction experts think will hurt people recovering from addiction.

As an addiction medical doctor and psychiatrist, we are making a big mistake as 80% of drug law violations in 2015 were for possession (not manufacturing or sales) and the people most affected by increased prosecution are those suffering from substance use disorders, said Dr. Indra Cidambi, Medical Director at the Center for Network Therapy, New Jerseys first Ambulatory Detoxification facility.

More prosecution will leave people in recovery with a criminal record while trying to re-integrate into the job market and it will cost us more to prosecute and jail these individuals, Dr. Cidambi noted. Instead, Dr. Cidambi advocates using the token economy model to universally offer individuals a clean record upon successful completion of addiction treatment. Decriminalization will save us huge sums of money, which can be redirected to treatment and prevention, she added.

I have been treating individuals suffering from substance use disorders for over a decade and many times the biggest hurdle for recovering addicts trying to re-integrate into society is their criminal record, said Dr. Cidambi. The stigma of a drug law violation that stays on their record for a long time, boredom and continued dependence on family, acts as trigger for relapse.

According to a Department of Justice report, half the total cost of illicit drug use in 2007 was related to criminal justice and incarceration, while, as per the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 80% of drug law violations in 2015 were for possession (not manufacturing or sales). With the Center for Network Therapy estimating that the drug epidemic cost the U.S. economy a total of $1 trillion in 2015 (https://www.recoverycnt.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/actual-cost-of-drugs.pdf), criminal justice and incarceration costs were likely in the $500 billion range and will rise with policies that promote criminalization, said Dr. Cidambi.

Drug abuse has wide-reaching consequences for the U.S. economy, so much so that Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen has attributed rampant opioid abuse to the decline in labor force participation among prime-age workers.

Dr. Cidambi explains how decriminalization will benefit individuals in recovery, help Americas economy, and free up resources that could then be redirected to treatment and prevention:



Decriminalization Offers Dual Benefits: In 2015, there were roughly 1.5 million arrests for drug law violations and four out of five were for possession. Decriminalization of drug possession related violations may offer the biggest bang for the buck because, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, more than 50% of the costs tied to illicit drug use related to criminal justice and incarceration.

It is time we utilize the token economy modality of treatment that universally offers individuals a clean record upon successful completion of addiction treatment. This would cut criminal justice costs dramatically and also enable those in recovery to more easily re-integrate into the job market more easily, said Dr. Cidambi. Currently, I find many individuals in recovery being frustrated by their inability to re-integrate into the economy and it also acts as a trigger for relapse.

Increased Funding for Newer Modalities of Treatment Should Deliver Better Results: According to the U.S. Department of Justice report, the cost of addiction treatment accounted for only 6% of the total costs associated with illicit drug use. Funding for treatment is essential, with funds allocated wisely to methods proven clinically effective and economically prudent. Newer modalities of treatment such as ambulatory (outpatient) detoxification offer better solutions to this trillion-dollar problem. Compared to traditional inpatient treatment, the outpatient model is less costly and delivers better results because it integrates the home environment into treatment.

At CNT, we pioneered the Ambulatory (Outpatient) Detoxification model and it has delivered far better outcomes relative to inpatient detoxification, said Dr. Cidambi.

Prevention is Key: President Trump is right about prevention when he said yesterday, The best way to prevent drug addiction and overdose is to prevent people from abusing drugs in the first place. If they dont start, they wont have a problem. If they do start, its awfully tough to get off. In 2015, 58% of overdose deaths involved prescription medication. To reverse this trend, Mr. Trumps rhetoric should be followed by vastly greater investment in educating the public about the addictive potential of some prescription medications, and, maybe, allowing only physicians in certain specialties with a fuller understanding of the underlying disease requiring addictive medications to prescribe them.

I suggest that the government mandate that every physician's office display educational posters that warn about the addictive potential of certain medications, such as opiates (used to treat pain), benzodiazepines (used to treat anxiety), and stimulants (used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Dr. Cidambi said. This approach will encourage patients to have an informed conversation with their physicians about limiting the use of addictive medications.

While prescriber education is important, a near-term alternative would be limiting the ability to prescribe addictive medications to physicians with deep expertise in the ailment for which these prescriptions are required. For example, the ability to prescribe opiate pain medications could be restricted only to physicians with specialized training in pain management (such as surgeons, oncologists and orthopedic and pain management specialists) and the prescription of anti-anxiety medication (benzodiazepines) could be restricted to psychiatrists. We need to stop creating addicts as a more comprehensive curriculum on addictive potential of certain medications is worked into the medical education system, said Dr. Cidambi.

Drug Law Violations Data: https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2015/crime-in-the-u.s.-2015/persons-arrested/persons-arrested

About Center for Network Therapy

Center for Network Therapy (CNT) was the first facility in New Jersey to be licensed to provide Ambulatory (Outpatient) Detoxification Services for all substances of abuse  alcohol, anesthetics, benzodiazepines, opiates and other substances of abuse. Led by a Board Certified Addiction Psychiatrist, Indra Cidambi, M.D., experienced physicians and nurses closely monitor each patients progress. With CNTs superior client care and high quality treatment, Dr. Cidambi and her clinical team have successfully detoxed over 1,000 patients in four years. The Center for Network Therapy also offers step down to Partial Care (PHP and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) levels of care.
Medellin, Colombia A friend recommended I go to Costa Rica to get implants, which were 75% less than if I got them in the United States

Dental procedures are expensive in the United States, when compared to prices in select countries overseas.

The better-value, lower-priced care in nearby Latin America is attracting dental tourists in greater numbers each year.

For many people who take advantage of lower-priced dental care overseasits cheaper to fly abroad, have the procedure done, take a vacation for a week or two, and then fly home than it is to simply pay for the procedure alone in the United States, says Jennifer Stevens, Executive Editor of International Living.

Its understandable when a teeth cleaning that might cost $140 in the States can go for just $25 in Mexico. Or a crown that might cost $1,000 in the U.S. is just $300 in Costa Rica.

Laura Royal of Largo, Florida took advantage of the disparity in pricing and bundled her trip to the dentist with a family vacation in Costa Rica.

"A friend recommended I go to Costa Rica to get implants, which were 75% less than if I got them in the United States, says Royal. I was happy to find many dentists have been educated in the U.S. and are board certified. Additionally, practitioners and their staff frequently take ongoing training and continuing education courses to stay current with the latest trends and [they] spoke English. The savings allowed me to take my son with me, so we toured the countryside and had a great time.

Only 12 percent of older Americans have some form of dental insurance, according to a recent study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. That lack of insurance predicts a lack of care. Its simply too expensive for many people to attend to their oral health, so they dont.

The dental plans that do exist dont come cheap. And they often cover little beyond routine preventative care, exclusing dentures, bridges or periodontal work.

As a result, many millions forego dental care entirely. A growing group of Americans, however800,000 last year, by one countare crossing borders to source lower-priced dental care in places like Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and beyond. And that number is expected to grow.

Don Pucci lives in Boca Raton Florida. He needed extensive dental work but prices were high in the U.S. So, he looked to lower-priced Mexico.

I am 70 years old and through a series of unfortunate events, my dental situation snowballed into a need for several implants to replace my 5 front teeth, says Pucci. I spent a couple of months visiting dentists and specialists in my local area and found the prices to be quite steep."

After reading a Facebook post from his friend who had previously moved to Cancun, Don chose to combine saving money with a getaway.

I decided to go in mid-June. Implants take 2 visits. One to extract the teeth and set the implants. Then the second one 4 to 6 months later for the final teeth setting. So far, I have had a great experience. My time in Cancun was terrific. The dentists were very professional and high tech as was the oral surgeon. I saved between 1/2 to 2/3 of what it would have cost in the U.S. My story is not over as I will return in October for my final visit and permanent teeth and I expect the same great treatment and results and time in the sun.

Its not uncommon for medical tourists to save tens of thousands of dollars on dental treatments without sacrificing on quality. Dawn Morgan explains how she and her husband Johnny, of Hernando Beach, Florida, saved thousands by going to Ecuador to have extensive work done on his teeth.

On our first tourist trip to Ecuador, we planned on having my husband get extensive dental work done, Morgan says. It was a success. He had a permanent partial bridge made for six teeth. He had about six extractions and about 18 fillings and a teeth cleaning. The process took about 6 weeks.

We had a quote for $770 but it ended up costing only $700. He has been back a couple of time for slight adjustments. He is extremely happy with the result. This would have easily cost over $17,000 in the U.S. The savings easily covered our airfares and accommodation rental.

But a trip to the dentist doesnt have to be a planned venture. Diego Alverez from Venice Beach, California took advantage of the much more affordable dental costs while in Nicaragua.

I was already in Nicaragua and because the dentist happens to be great, I used my time there to get a great cleaning and whatever needed to be done at the time, which was actually not really all that involved, says Alverez. Those doctors were young and ambitious, and I liked them...I paid $35 dollars for the best and deepest cleaning I ever had. The deep cleaning in LA costs between$500 and $650 us dollars.

Edward Michaelson, 55, of Massachusetts, was staying in Colombia when he needed a dentist. He could have waited until he went home, but the prospect of excellent service and the low price changed his mind.

"I was in Medellin Colombia for a couple of months just checking out the place, says Michaelson. Shortly after I arrived, my sleep guard broke. I had heard that Medellin had good dental care, so I decided to see if I could get it fixed there rather than wait till I got back to the states.

I found an English-speaking dentist online. I was looking for an English-speaking dentist because my Spanish was non-existent at the time. I got an appointment 2 days after I made the call to his office. He took impressions, sent them out to his lab to have the mouth guard made. I came back 2 weeks later to be fitted. He spent an hour fine tuning the fit so that it was perfect. All this only cost me $250. This replaced the one I had made in the States. That one cost me $1,500."

International Livings Top 5 Latin American Countries for Low-Cost, High-Quality Dental Care can be found here: https://internationalliving.com/top-5-latin-american-countries-for-low-cost-high-quality-dental-care/

Editor's note: Members of the media have full permission to reproduce the article linked above once credit is given to InternationalLiving.com.

Further information, as well as interviews with expert authors for radio, TV or print, is available on request. Photos are also available.

About International Living

For 37 years, InternationalLiving.com has been the leading authority for anyone looking for global retirement or relocation opportunities. Through its monthly magazine and related e-letters, extensive website, podcasts, online bookstore, and events held around the world, InternationalLiving.com provides information and services to help its readers live better, travel farther, have more fun, save more money, and find better business opportunities when they expand their world beyond their own shores. InternationalLiving.com has more than 200 correspondents traveling the globe, investigating the best opportunities for travel, retirement, real estate, and investment.

To learn more please contact Internationalliving.com Associate Editor, Carol Barron, tel. (772) 678  0287, e-mail: CBarron@internationalliving.com
Dynasty tablet case Flexibility and security are top of mind in todays payment industry.

Seal Beach, CA, August 7 2017  MagTek, Inc., the worlds leading supplier of secure digital transaction technology and hardware, announces the launch of Dynasty, MagTeks newest addition to its roster of mPOS offerings. As payment options expand, the need to accept Magnetic Stripe, Chip Card and Contactless payments via a certified PIN Entry Device is growing. Dynasty supports all of these needs with a rugged ergonomically designed case that surrounds certain iPad tablet devices for secure payment transactions.

The Dynasty is designed to offer a PCI PTS 4xPED (PIN Entry Device) to be used as either a permanent mounted device  featuring a 100mm VESA (Video Electronics Standard Association) mounting pattern  or as a semi-mobile device allowing the merchants to determine the optimal point of purchase for their customers. An additional upside for integrators is the availability of SDKs and APIs providing a faster path to market implementation.

Flexibility and security are top of mind in todays payment industry. MagTeks Dynasty fulfills both and then some, says John Arato, MagTek's General Manager and Vice President of Retail Solutions. Recognizing the widespread use of iOS devices in the development of POS solutions, MagTek designed the Dynasty to serve as a secure and reliable tool that mPOS developers can confidently build around and easily incorporate into their solution.

Answering the industry clarion call for security, Dynasty encrypts the magstripe and EMV data inside its secure circuitry. This is just one layer of the MagneSafe Security Architecture (MSA), MagTeks layered approach for security. MSA uses open standard encryption with derived unique key per transaction (DUKPT) key management, tokenization of card data, and MagnePrint card authentication. Combining MSA with the utility of iOS tablets, Dynasty provides a rugged, Secure Card Reader Authenticator that can be applied to any payment environment and can secure a variety of payment types.

For more information about MagTek visit us at the RetailNow Show, booth #230, August 7-9th, at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, NV or online at http://www.magtek.com.

About MagTek

Since 1972, MagTek has been a leading manufacturer of electronic devices and systems for the reliable issuance, reading, transmission and security of cards, checks, PINs and other identification documents. Leading with innovation and engineering excellence, MagTek is known for quality and dependability. Its products include secure card readers, check scanners, PIN pads and distributed credential issuing systems. These products are used worldwide by financial institutions, retailers, hotels, law enforcement agencies and other organizations to provide secure and efficient electronic payment and identification transactions.

Today, MagTek continues to innovate with the development of a new generation of security centric products secured by MagneSafe. By leveraging strong encryption, secure tokenization, real time authentication and dynamic payment card data, MagneSafe products enable users to assess and validate the trustworthiness of credentials used for online identification, payment processing, and other high-value electronic transactions.

MagTek is based in Seal Beach, California and has sales offices throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia, with independent distributors in over 40 countries. For more information, please visit http://www.magtek.com.

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SunDoc Filings (https://www.sundocumentfilings.com), a business filings company that has helped thousands of entrepreneurs form corporations and limited liability companies, has announced the winners of its 2017 private scholarship essay contest. The company has awarded scholarships of $2,000 and $1,000 value to two deserving students based on an essay Why America is the Best Place to Start a Business.

First Place winner is Annum Sadana, attending Rice University.

Second Place winner is Avanthika Ramesh, attending the University of California, Berkeley.

It was difficult to choose from the many great essays that we received, says Stan Huser, President of SunDoc Filings. "But these students captured the essence of why the entrepreneurial dream is alive and well in America.

The winners were chosen from nearly 500 submissions. This is the first year weve offered these scholarships, says Huser, Were thrilled to see so much interest in our program.

Huser says he hopes the scholarship essay contest will inspire students to dream big. It takes courage and vision to start a business, says Huser, You have to aim high and be willing to take a chance.

To learn more about SunDoc Filings scholarship program, visit their website at https://www.sundocumentfilings.com/.

About SunDoc Filings

SunDoc Filings is a nationwide provider of business filing services, including incorporation, LLC formation and other essential business filing services. Located in Sacramento, the company specializes in expedited services. The company has been in business since 1999 and holds an A+ rating from the BBB.

Learn more about SunDoc Filings at https://www.sundocumentfilings.com or follow the company on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SunDoc-Filings-297603343607550/.
When their time is up and they are tired of putting up with the abuse, its then, and only then will they make a decision, but the decision would have to be their own.

Author Riva L. Green has worked with victims of domestic abuse, both males and females. This experience allows her to realize many ways of how those involved think about their abuse on many angles. She shares these findings with readers in The Three R's of Domestic Violence (published by Xlibris).

This book explains the thoughts of victims and abusers in domestic violence. Not many realize that there are some decisions they cannot make for the abuse. It is important for them to realize the pain and the strength they have to obtain in order to make their own decisions. The author believes that domestic violence and abuse are problems that affect almost every family, and must therefore, be addressed. She motivates readers to practice the three Rs of domestic violence - respect, reeducate and repair.

Her book gives ample insights on what abusers think and the fears the victims have. She also encourages the abused to find their own strength to make the right choices. When their time is up and they are tired of putting up with the abuse, its then, and only then will they make a decision, but the decision would have to be their own, Green says.

An excerpt from the book:

To all residents of Domestic Violence,

I am spreading the word around.

We are asking for the phone calls,

to help, so that you can be found.

The Three R's of Domestic Violence

By Riva L. Green

Hardcover | 6x9in | 72 pages | ISBN 9781503595651

Softcover | 6x9in | 72 pages | ISBN 9781503595637

E-Book | 72 pages | ISBN 9781503595644

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Riva L. Green was born in Denmark, South Carolina and raised in Bridgeton. She is a mother of three children and grandmother of 11 grandchildren. The Lord called her to the ministry at the age of 23 and has been ministering since. Once she accepted the calling, she began pastoring in Seabrook. Her ministry dealt with drug dealers, drug users, alcoholics and prostitutes, only to name a few. She also ministered throughout different regions. One of her greatest accomplishments is becoming a poet, having been nominated poet of the year in Washington. Her poetic work is in several books and she is in several volumes of Whos Who.

Xlibris Publishing, an Author Solutions, LLC imprint, is a self-publishing services provider created in 1997 by authors, for authors. By focusing on the needs of creative writers and artists and adopting the latest print-on-demand publishing technology and strategies, we provide expert publishing services with direct and personal access to quality publication in hardcover, trade paperback, custom leather-bound and full-color formats. To date, Xlibris has helped to publish more than 60,000 titles. For more information, visit xlibris.com or call 1-888-795-4274 to receive a free publishing guide. Follow us @XlibrisPub on Twitter for the latest news.
Kangana Ranaut said that Apurva Asrani got all the credit he wanted and that he made a deliberate attempt to malign her.

By India Today Web Desk: Earlier this year, Kangana Ranaut was in the eye of a storm when Apurva Asrani accused her of "snatch(ing) the hard earned work of a writer." Apurva is the writer of Kangana's upcoming release, Simran, which credits the actor for "additional story and dialogue." In a Facebook post, he alleged that she arm-twisted her way into a writing credit and called her "an arrogant mix of insecurity, desperation and most of all nepotism."

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Simran director Hansal Mehta denied Apurva's allegations and without taking any names, wrote, "In your desperation to seek attention and gain sympathy, do not try to harm my film."

At the trailer launch of Simran on Tuesday, Kangana opened up about the controversy. "I would like to clarify. There are a lot of misconceptions. There are no dues pending. It's made to look like Apurva hasn't been given money. He was the one who suggested I take additional credit. Contracts have been signed. He and I have worked on the schedule, he came over home many times," she said.

Kangana added that Apurva targeted her at a very strategic time. "After many months he decided to write this note, after Rangoon flopped and a few people targeted me, which was planned and deliberate. He's got all the credit he needs and wants," the actor said.

Meanwhile, Apurva responded in a statement, "I will not participate in the negativity nor in the changing narratives of the Simran credit controversy. I spoke out then because news reports claimed Kangana called herself the writer of the film and the first poster awarded her a writing credit over mine. But now, the error of the previous poster has been corrected and fair credits have been awarded. I hope that people will refrain from provoking either party to fight, and instead take joy in the fact that the trailer of our labour of love is being well received."

Simran is slated to release on September 15.

(With inputs from Piya Hingorani)

OPINION: Simran teaser proved that solo Kangana Ranaut is the best Kangana Ranaut, don't saddle her with heroes

ALSO READ: Simran writer Apurva Asrani slams Kangana Ranaut for 'lying' that she developed the script

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut's Simran looks like the Queen sequel we had all been waiting for

WATCH: Kangana Ranaut on being called a witch, whore and a psychopath

--- ENDS ---
The protestors demanded that all bank employees should learn Kannada within six months or else leave their jobs.

By Rohini Swamy: Pro-Kannada organisation Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) today held a protest in front of a bank in Bengaluru.

The protestors demanded that all employees should learn Kannada within six months or else leave their jobs.

These protests were based on an incident in Mandya where a bank employee could not communicate with a local in Kannada and demanded that the local farmer learn Hindi to speak to him.

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The organisation has given an ultimatum to all banks in Karnataka. Further they said that if their demand was not implemented in a month's time then they will continue their protest.

The bank manager of State Bank of India, St Marks Road branch, Vasudev Adiga, said that they have always encouraged Kannada among their employees and that clerks who do not read or write the language will be not get a job.

However, now the group has demanded that not just at clerical level but also senior posts in the bank which is mostly occupied by staff from other states - should also learn Kannada.

Earlier, on Monday Kannada Development Authority (KDA) had asked regional heads of nationalised, rural and scheduled banks to make it mandatory for non-speakers to learn Kannada in six months.

KDA had also said that banks must follow the three-language formula in advertisements.

Also Read:

Bengaluru: Pro-Kannada group blacken Hindi sign boards at metro stations

Bengaluru: Namma Metro services resume after staffers call off strike

WATCH | Language war intensifies in Karnataka as pro-Kannada groups make fresh demands

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1.North Korea has produced a nuclear warhead small enough to fit inside its missiles, the Washington Post reported Tuesday, a major development sure to further inflame tensions. The Post cited parts of an analysis conducted by the Defense Intelligence Agency that says the intelligence community thinks North Korea has "nuclear weapons for ballistic missile delivery" -- including in intercontinental ballistic missiles.

2. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to open up flight corridors for sanctions-hit Qatar's state-owned flag carrier Qatar Airways, the world aviation agency said. The Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organization has been working with "various Middle Eastern states to ensure equitable access to airspace for Qatar-registered aircraft" since sanctions were announced on June 5.

3. US job openings jumped to a record high in June, outpacing hiring, the latest indication that companies are having trouble finding qualified workers. The monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, released by the Labor Department also underscored labor market strength that will likely encourage the Federal Reserve to continue tightening monetary policy.

4. US trade officials have agreed to investigate Qualcomm's allegations that Apple Inc infringed on patents with its iPhone7 and other devices.The ITC will make its decision "at the earliest practicable time" and will set a target date for completing its investigation within the next 45 days, the commission said in a statement.

5. British enterprise software startup Huddle is selling to San Francisco-based private equity firm Turn/River, after months of financial struggles left the firm urgently seeking a buyer or a new round of funding.The company offers collaboration software and competes with Silicon Valley rivals like Box and Dropbox.

6. Emmanuel Macron will host other major European leaders this month for talks on migration, the economy and defense. His popularity waning at home, Macron will hold talks with Germany's Angela Merkel, Spain's Mariano Rajoy and Italy's Paolo Gentiloni on Aug 28, a French official said on Tuesday.

7.Igor Sechin, the chief executive of Russia's largest oil company Rosneft, will appear as a witness in the trial of former Russian Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev.Ulyukayev was dismissed and put under house arrest in November over allegations he extorted a $2 million bribe from Rosneft. He denies the charges.

8. Saudi Aramco said it has awarded the first major contract in the planned construction of a $5.2 billion shipyard complex designed to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil exports.The national oil company awarded the contract for dredging, reclamation and marine structures to a consortium comprising Saudi Archirodon and Huta Hegerfeld AG Saudia.

9. Fashion accessories maker Michael Kors posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit and revenue on Tuesday and lifted its annual revenue forecast. The company, which agreed to buy luxury shoemaker Jimmy Choo last month, said the deal would add about $275 million to Kors' revenue in the second half of the year ending March 2018, assuming the acquisition is completed by the third fiscal quarter.
The jail department has suspended the guard who stamped the two kids.

By Hemender Sharma: The Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission has served a notice to MP jail department for stamping to minor children on their faces on Raksha Bandhan day when they visited the Bhopal Central jail to meet their relative lodged inside the jail.

The jail department has suspended the guard who stamped the two kids.

The Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission took suo motto cognizance after pictures of these two minor kids went viral. On Raksha Bandhan day no prior E appointment is required for relatives to meet jail inmates and these two kids too had come to meet their relative.

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To ensure that under trials did not walk out of the jail, those entering the premises were stamped on the arm but these two kids were made an exception and stamped on their faces.

"The commission has taken cognizance of the matter and served a notice to the DJ jails and sought a reply from within seven days," said Human Rights Commission spokesman RL Sisodia.

The jail DG has already suspended the jail guard who stamped the two kids even as the department is trying to justify its action.

"Around 6500 women had come to tie rakhis to their brothers on Raksha Bandhan, as a security measure we stamped those going inside the jail and among these who went inside these two kids were stamped on their face. We are looking into the matter and will take action accordingly," said Superintendent of Bhopal Central Jail, Dinesh Kumar Nargave.

Madhya Pradesh jail minister Kusum Mehdele has ordered an enquiry into the entire incident even as Bhopal Central jail authorities continue to maintain that it was an isolated case where the kids were stamped on the face out of enthusiasm and without any ill will.

Also Read:

In Delhi, kids watch father knife mother, hit her with gas cylinder

Bhopal prison stamps minors' faces when they visit their jailed father

--- ENDS ---
Trump himself had five deferments from service in Vietnam, four were for education, and the fifth was a medical deferment, for a foot condition he described as heel spurs.

We asked podiatric surgeon Dr. Jacqueline Sutera (who has not treated Mr. Trump) to explain the diagnosis. Following is a transcript of the video.

Dr. Jacqueline Sutera: The heel spurs are little calcifications that start to form at the bottom of the heel bone, and in someone who has, like, a very thin fat pad, you might be able to actually feel it, and can cause pain.

They're typically a little bit spiky on x-ray, and so they're kind of pointy. And that can cause irritation to the surrounding tissue in the area, the fascia is right there, that's where the plantar fascia attaches onto the heel bone as well.

So, plantar fasciitis, heel spur syndrome, heel spur, that all really goes together.

People with heel spurs and heel pain, plantar fasciitis, typically have pain when they first get out of bed in the morning. So, shouldn't it feel better when you are resting after a night's sleep? The problem with that and the reason why it happens is because when you're resting, the soft tissue just relaxes and there's a swelling there.

So, then you go to stand up on it with all of your body weight, and it starts that inflammation all over again.

Some people can have heel spurs without heel pain, some people have heel pain without heel spurs, it kind of just is an individual thing and it should be really checked out.
In 2010 statistics showed that 1.594 million people lived in Accra whiles 1.73 million people reside in Kumasi.

Many residents in these two cities rent apartments, buy homes or land and sometimes also build their dream houses from scratch.

READ ALSO: Kumasi ranked among top African cities for employment growth

If you had a million cedis to purchase a property in Accra or Kumasi, below is what you can get in both cities.

When you convert GHC 1million to dollars, you will get a little over US$ 225, 991.

What property can you buy with US$ 225, 991 in Accra and Kumasi? Which city is more expensive?

According to meqasa.com, one bedroom apartment in East Legon which is one of the prime areas in Accra is going for GHC 6,630.88 each month. This means with GHC 1million you can pay your rent for 12 years and 6 months.

Meanwhile a similar apartment in Ahodwo in Kumasi cost GHC 2000. Here the tenant can rent the apartment for 41 years and 7 months.

A 2-bedroom apartment at Parakuo Estate in Kumasi is going for GHC 450. Here the tenant who has GHC 1million can rent the apartment for 185 years.

At Shiashie, in the Greater Accra region, a 2-bedroom house cost GHC 7,955.73. GHC 1million will pay your rent for 10 years and 5 months.

A 3-bedroom house in Adum in the Ashanti region cost GHC 400. You can calculate how many years you will stay in such an apartment.

READ ALSO: 7 most unique churches in Ghana

However, a similar apartment in Osu has an average of cost 9,715.35. Definitely with the same money you will stay longer in an apartment in Adum than in Osu.

If you want to buy a house, you will have to pay an average of GHC 893,775.15 for a three bedroom detached house in North Legon.

A similar house in Santasi Kokoben costs GHC 390,000. Imagine what you can do with the GHC 610, 000 after purchasing the house.
In the accompanying citation, Dr. Achampong-Kyei was recognized for his outstanding contribution in business and entrepreneurship over the past thirty years, which has led to the growth of insurance in Ghana.

An astute and passionate businessman, Dr. Kwame Achampong-Kyei established GLICO in 1987, as a specialist life insurance company. Today, GLICO has grown into a group of companies consisting six (6) reputable companies operating in the insurance and financial services industry namely: GLICO LIFE; GLICO CAPITAL; GLICO HEALTHCARE; GLICO PROPERTIES; GLICO GENERAL and GLICO PENSIONS.

The award was received on his behalf by the Group Head, Legal, Mr. Andrew Achampong-Kyei and the Group Head, Corporate Affairs & Marketing, Nana Efua Rockson. On receipt of the award in his Office, Dr. Achampong-Kyei was elated and expressed gratitude to the organizers and the Ghana @ 60 Planning Committee for the special recognition. He noted that many successful individuals receive posthumous awards for national contributions, so it feels humbling to be acknowledged at Ghanas 60th Independence. I will not rest on my oars until Ghanas insurance sector is vibrant and insurance penetration doubled. I am still passionate and committed as I was thirty years ago, to bring insurance to the doorstep of every Ghanaian household, he enthusiastically stated.
The spokesperson of TV3s management, Henry Nii Dortey said; We invited the union and asked them  do you intend to go on a strike or what is happening so that we will understand clearly what was happening. Because you havent served any notice of same to us, and the labour law requires that if you want to take a decision that is well within your rights, you have to notify your management. The response they gave to us is that it is not a union decision and the union hasnt made any declaration of going on strike. But these activities that were happening were a worrying situation that we had to deal with.
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The Chief Linguist of Katanga Hall, Mr. Benard Adjei said the students were prepared to trot the streets of the university to express their angst against the exorbitant charges if no reasonable reductions are made to the fees by Monday 14th August, 2017.

The traditional council described the continued rise in the fees as milking a cow and a deviation from the intent of the school system serving the public good.

The Katangees have gone a step further in their protest as they are the first group of students to publicly ask for a decrease in the residential fees that have also surged unexplainably.

Mr. Adjei told Radio Univers that if the case is not addressed by Monday, the council would send a petition to the Universitys Chancellor, Asantehene Otumfour Osei Tutu II during their protest.

READ ALSO: Best 2017 NSMQ female contestant awarded scholarship
Having just completed Senior High School and received her results, Maame Serwaa told TV3s New Day that shes relocating to the capital to continue her career at Legon.

Some rumours had been going around that she failed her high school exams, but Serwaa put that to rest by revealing her lowest grade was a C6.

Everything went on well [with my WASSCE] and I thank God Almighty for everythingeven my least grade was C6. she revealed.
Some images circulating social media showed different instances where he was captured with a nicotine wrap in his mouth and this was facilitated by his parents.

One picture showed the youngster seated on the lap of a woman believed to be his mother while they both puffed away.

The incident which occurred in the north-western part of the country has caused outrage as observers call for the prosecution of those encouraging the child to smoke.

There were other occasions where he was captured in blurred images smoking like a chimney.

ALSO READ: 4 youths sentenced to 3 months imprisonment for smoking marijuana
The husband, who is a pastor named Dennis Ekere, had recently signed a hospital document to remove his wifes womb, NAIJ.com reports.

This was after the woman went through complications following a surgery to treat fibroid.

Her womb was subsequently removed to save her life.

But in what appears to be a miracle, the couple were told by a doctor that another womb had grown in place of the other.

The woman, fortunately, got pregnant some few months after the revelation.

READ ALSO: Conjoined twins separated in rare surgery
A statement by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health stated that the directive should be followed strictly by all public nursing and midwifery schools as the academic year starts in September.

The spokesperson for the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Nana Boateng Agyeman said that the decision to reduce intake is to improve the quality of nurses.

We want to produce [nurses] to meet demandI wont call it a cut-downIt's about quality, we want to train health professionals who will give quality healthcare, Mr. Agyeman told Accra-based Starr FM.

Several nursing and midwifery groups have for some days now been picketing the Health Ministry to demand immediate postings.

And many believe that the decision to reduce intake of nurses now is to enable the government to fulfil its promise of restoring the nurses trainee allowance withdrawn by the previous NDC administration.
By Mail Today: Non-acceptance of an unusual affair between a 10-year-old girl and a 26-year-old man forced them to attempt to end their lives. The duo, however, survived, but the man has lost both his legs while the girl is left with broken limbs. The incident was reported from Narela where the girl - a student of class 4 - fell in love with her neighbour.

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Both hail from Bihar and were residing in rented accommodation in Narela's Swatantra Nagar. Both live in the same building and on the same floor but in different one-room setups. Initially, the girl used to play with him and with time, they developed feelings for each other.

One day, when their family learnt that the duo is in love and wanted to get married, the relationship was opposed by everyone. Both were barred from talking to each other. On the day of raksha bandhan, the families planned to convert their love bond into a brother-sister relationship by asking the girl to tie a rakhi on Sajan's wrist.

The duo then fled and reportedly jumped before a train. They, however, survived. Police are not ruling out foul play and said it could be an accident too. When locals saw the duo in a pool of blood, they called police and rushed them to a nearby hospital.

Also Read:

DoT official's suicide: I am straight, have done nothing, says note; wife alleges he was harassed

A lot like Romeo: 11-year-old kills self after girlfriend fakes suicide

Blue Whale suicide: 'Only thing you'd be left with is a picture of me', wrote Mumbai teen who jumped to death

ALSO WATCH: Blue Whale suicide: Decoding the game of death

--- ENDS ---
On her exit, she took to Instagram to announce: Hi, greetings to everyone here. Am sure it has come to the notice of everyone that I have been silent for some time now. I wish to inform you all respectfully that as from today am no more a member, and an artiste with and under XLM. We have worked together for all these years and Together we gave you my dear fans good music. It has been hard for me to break the news to you but today I am, am no more an artiste under XLM. Hence XLM do not represent Kaakie anymore.. and for my fans on facebook and twitter, I wish to inform you that the pages are not handle or managed by me. If there is anything I would want u my dear fans to know, will put it up here.. in due time my new Facebook fan page will be known to you all. Thanks for your support. I really appreciate it.
The convict, identified as Maxwell Adzeame, was charged after the judge declared that he had disgraced the complainant with his actions, despite minimum provocation.

The complainant accused the 29-year-old man, who works as an internet cafe operator, of invading her shop, strangling and manhandling her, before eventual stripping her naked in front of her workers.

The victim narrated that she had earlier warned the convict to stop sending her workers on errands without her notice  a decision that did not sit well with him (Maxwell).

The convict then decided to pick up a fight with the complainant, and ended up reducing her to public ridicule by stripping her naked during their altercation.

Delivering his judgment, His WorshipIsaac Apeatu declared that Maxwell had no right to strip the complainant naked, insisting the attack was unprovoked.

The judge, therefore, ordered the convict to pay a sum of GHC 1000 to the complainant as compensation for the damage caused to her reputation.
The Google's Trends website tracks how often queries are entered into the search engine, allowing visitors to compare the popularity of several search terms.

According to the data, the search for pornography reached a peak in July this year, with the Greater Accra region being the biggest consumer of porn in the country.

Check out the search interest in Ghana over the past 12 months (August 14, 2016, to July 16, 2017):

But some regions tend to be more interested in the pastime than the others.

The Northern region was the least pornography-obsessed region as compared to Greater Accra, which consumed more.

READ ALSO: This is the kind of porn women are secretly watching
The victim, Richard Boadi is in a critical condition at the Ridge Hospital.

Eyewitnesses said that the mechanic had asked the car dealer to move his vehicle away from where it was parked to make way for others moving into and out of the warehouse.

But the suspect got furious and had a heated exchange of words with the mechanic.

In the midst of the misunderstanding, the suspect fired a warning shot before aiming at the mechanic.

Residents did not take the shooting lightly and started attacking the suspect in his car.

READ ALSO: SHS student jailed for robbery in Prestea

Scores of them hurled stones and other objects at the vehicle of the suspect.
The counsel follows Senior Minister, Osafo Maafo's claim at the 2017 Ghana Economic Forum on Monday that the public sector is congested and government will not be in a position to employ more public servants.

However, General Secretary of the the Ghana Federation of Labour, Abraham Koomson said on Accra-based Citi Fm that the New Patriotic Party government should not lose focus on their campaign promise that brought them into power.

They [NPP] never promised to come to come to lay off workers, they knew the challenges that faced the economy, so if they have come to lament, who should help them?, Abraham Koomson quizzed.

READ MORE: Ghana cuts its benchmark lending rate to 21 percent

He further urged the government to fast track its promise to boost the private sector, saying it is the responsibility of the government to make sure that the private sector picks up.

They have promised to give out stimulus packages and all that, it is not for them to be lamenting and crying.
The department which is the sole agency responsible for rent related issues in the country has dragged 104 landlords in the region whose houses do not have toilets to the Bolgatanga District Magistrate Court.

Apparently, just like the national capital, Accra, the issue of houses without places of convenience and the attendant open defecation are serious challenges to local authorities leaving them with no option, but to get strict with enforcement of the bye-laws.

When given the options, one of the landlords, chose to pay a fine of Gh300 and yet construct a toilet within 3 months instead of serving a six-month jail term.

Another landlord had already provided a water closet but did not have them connected to the septic tank, yet he was not spared. He paid a mitigated fine of Gh240 and was further ordered to finish up the place of convenience within two weeks, failing which he would have to serve a three- month jail term.

Dramatically, one of the landlords exhibited smartness by urgently building a toilet facility in his house after the notice of summons was severed on him, but that did not save him completely. He also paid a mitigated fine of two hundred and forty Cedis (Gh240).

READ ALSO: Teacher commits suicide in public toilet

Upper East Regional Rent Control Manager, Adam Yaminu Kasim said there are some of the premises weve actually visited and, in fact, it would have been better if they dont have toilet facilities. You enter the toilet and its an eyesore. That alone scares the tenants from using that particular facility- especially the ladies. You enter a toilet within a [building] and there are maggots all over. These are pits types of latrines people do. Its serious.

Adam Yaminu Kasim further lamented that You visit a very big compound house with about 13 tenants, enter the bathroom and its not properly floored. Somebody would have to bathe and come out and still wash his or her legs. You are bathing, accidentally your sponge drops and you cant use it again because the place is looking so terrible.
The two petitioners, Evans Amankwah and Abigail Elorm Mensah, argued that Amidu has brought the party into disrepute hence their plea.

The two supported their claims in the petition with articles Mr Amidu had written, accusing the NDC of conniving with the Electoral Commission to among others rig the 2016 elections.

READ ALSO: Former AG schools Valerie Sawyerr on letter writing

But responding to the two, Amidu said he was writing as a Ghanaian citizen to defend the right to representation and free and fair elections.

The first two articles I am charged with were written by me as a citizen of Ghana pursuant to Articles 3, 12, 42 and 55 of the 1992 Constitution to defend the right to representation and free and fair elections. My first article referred to by the petitioners was entitled: The inexperience and incompetence and arrogance of the Electoral Commissioner are becoming very dangerous. It was an article in defence of representative democracy and a free and fair election pursuant to the national Constitution. I concluded that article in calling on Ghanaians to: Let us as citizens defend the Constitution by watching her every step during this election. Since when did a Ghanaian citizen lose his Constitutional right to defend the national Constitution simply because he is a member of a political party whose constitution is subordinate to the national Constitution? he said.

Read the full article from Amidu below

SURROGATES AMANKWAH AND ABIGAIL MENSAH PETITION AGAINST MARTIN AMIDU FOR DEFENDING THE CONSTITUTION OF GHANA: BY MARTIN A. B.K. AMIDU

I consider it immoral that Evans Amankwah and Abigail Elom Mensah who were reported on the internet on the evening of 8th August 2017 to have petitioned on 7th August 2017 to the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress under Article 45 of the NDC Constitution to take disciplinary action against, me, Martin A. B. K Amidu pursuant to Article 47 thereof choose to publish their petition to the press to court cheap popularity in the interim. The gravamen of their petition is that in exercise of my rights as a citizen of Ghana under the 1992 Constitution, I wrote four articles published on 2nd November 2016; on or about 15th November, 2016; on or about 29th July 2017; and on or about 7th August 2017 which were carefully designed by to expose the Party to public hatred, ridicule and opprobrium and to lower its reputation in Ghana and elsewhere. I am therefore to be disciplined for obeying and defending the mandates of Articles 3, 12, 35, 41, 42 and 55 of 1992 Constitution instead of alleged inconsistent provisions of the NDC Constitution.

One of the petitioners shamefully described himself on the published petition as Lawyer Evans Amankwah 2016 Parliamentary candidate Adansi Asokwa. Lawyer is not a title which any one will use to describe himself unless that lawyer has no confidence in his abilities to allow the public to recognize him by using that salutation when referring to him. Therefore I was not surprised when Evans Amankwah and his co-petitioner refused or failed to realize that the NDC Constitution itself recognizes that it is inferior to the 1992 Constitution and does not abolish the right of NDC members to exercise their supreme rights as citizens of Ghana to defend the 1992 Constitution against acts of NDC members and Government and even against the NDC Constitution itself when it is inconsistent with and in contravention of the said national Constitution.

The first two articles I am charged with were written by me as a citizen of Ghana pursuant to Articles 3, 12, 42 and 55 of the 1992 Constitution to defend the right to representation and free and fair elections. My first article referred to by the petitioners was entitled: The inexperience and incompetence and arrogance of the Electoral Commissioner are becoming very dangerous. It was an article in defence of representative democracy and a free and fair election pursuant to the national Constitution. I concluded that article in calling on Ghanaians to: Let us as citizens defend the Constitution by watching her every step during this election. Since when did a Ghanaian citizen lose his Constitutional right to defend the national Constitution simply because he is a member of a political party whose constitution is subordinate to the national Constitution?

The second of my articles for which the Lawyer and co-petitioner indicted me is titled: Fellow citizens be alert to the Electoral Commissioners other tricks. I concluded this article by telling all Ghanaian citizens including members of the NDC that: We must defend the Constitution! Since when did the NDC Constitution take precedence over the 1992 Constitution to forbid NDC members from defending the national Constitution even if it means acting against the subordinate NDC Constitution?

The third of my articles with which Lawyer and his co-petitioner are charging me is titled: Uncultured behavior of some Parliamentarians subverting the Constitutional Order. Articles 3 and 41 of the 1992 Constitution enjoin me as a citizen of Ghana to defend it against every other citizen seeking to undermine it. I exercise that right to ask members of Parliament to exercise constitutional decorum in and outside Parliament by praising the decorous conduct of the NDC Minority Leader and the Speaker of Parliament. Are Lawyer and his co-petitioner saying that I am not entitled to defend the Constitutional order when it is being subverted simply because one or two NDC members of Parliament are bringing the reputation and dignity of Parliament into disrepute contrary to Article 117 of the Constitution simply because of my membership of the NDC whose constitution is subordinate to the national Constitution?

My last and fourth charge is for my article titled: NDC created the Electoral Commission chaos that now portends a bad omen for the Congress. This last article refers to previous articles I had written in defence of the 1992 Constitution against the John Dramani Mahama Government in the previous year some of which the petitioners referred to in their petition, particularly charges 1 and 2 in which I expressed my views that the Government designed to rig the elections. Articles 3, 35 and 41 of the 1992 Constitution enjoin every citizen to defend the Constitution; the State and citizens to take steps to eradicate corruption practices and the abuse of power; to uphold the Constitution and the law; and for citizens to protect and preserve public property and expose and combat misuse and waste of public funds and property. The 1992 Constitution empowers me to defend it against the looting of Governments and abuse of power in appointments which I rightly exercised in reference to the previous Government. The NDC is a political party and cannot use its subordinate constitution to gag citizens from the exercise of their constitutional rights to speak against unconstitutional conduct and actions of a Government even if it supported it to come to power.

The Constitution recognizes a President as the Executive Authority of Ghana and not a political party.

But why is everybody escaping the consequences of surrogate Emmanuel Korsi Senyos petition to remove the two Deputy Commissioners appointed by the NDC Government which for me could affect the future of the party? I called attention to this on 31st July 2017 and wrote my article after almost a week of silence. The truth may no more be important to others but I will continue to speak out for it.

Only strangers would be ignorant that my war against the Mills/Mahama Government is rooted in the looting of GHC51million by the Government and Alfred Agbesi Woyome. I have fought and will continue to fight against the looting and protection provided to Alfred Agbesi Woyome by the Mahama Government since the Supreme Courts review decision against the Government represented by the Attorney General and Alfred Agbesi Woyome by John Mahamas Government. The Woyome/Waterville case underpins all my actions in the Supreme Court and writings since 2012 and I do so in defence of the Constitution and laws of Ghana which are superior to the NDC Constitution. There are still payments by Agricultural Development Bank cheques issued by Woyome to former Government and party beneficiaries to be retrieved for the State purse. And where is the Attorney General whom the Supreme Court declared to have unconstitutionally authorized the payment of the loot of the public purse to Woyome? So, in as long as the values and principles of the 1992 Constitution which gave birth to the NDC Constitution are undermined by an NDC Government I will continue to defend the national Constitution.

I was not surprised that the petition followed immediately after Valerie Sawyerrs lying, incoherent, disjointed and drunken-like diatribes against former President Rawlings and me. Clearly the John Mahama faction, their surrogates like Valerie Sawyerr and the petitioners who admit to being failed parliamentary candidates at the last elections and others mentors within the NDC think they can frighten core NDC members like myself with threats of disciplinary action. I will rather defend the 1992 Constitution than be intimidated by John Mahama, Woyome, and their surrogates unconstitutional petitions.

I will continue to always put Ghana First before Party as demanded by the 1992 Constitution. Let those who oppose the fight against corruption in the NDC and who also dislike probity and accountability which I stand for with former President Rawlings do their worst. It is for that integrity that on 31st December 2016 I was chosen by the Founder to light the perpetual flame for the fallen heroes of the 31st December Revolution. I cannot betray that cause and the 1992 Constitution out of which the NDC was born.

Martin A. B. K. Amidu

(Citizens Vigilance for Justice)
According to him, Martin Amidu is on the payroll of their opposition to attack the integrity of former President John Mahama and the NDC.

He said he [Amidu] strikes only when the NPP is struggling and looking terribly bad in the eyes of the public.

Koku Anyidohos comment comes at the back of the latest epistle by Mr Amidu accusing Mahama in the appointment of Charlotte Osei to rig the 2016 elections.

The citizen vigilante said Mahama must be blamed for the current conflict between Charlotte Osei and her deputies.

He added that the NDC only appointed Mrs Osei to help rig the election but failed in that regard.

Koku Anyidoho in reply to the former Minister of Justice on Accra-based Kasapa FM said hes running into a ditch of non-relevance.

"He [Amidu] only comes out to spew gibberish whenever the NPP is under pressure and looking bad, but the NDC is looking so good in terms of the psychological warfare, that is when Martin Amidu strikes. So if people say the NPP induces him to do its bidding whenever the party is in trouble, theyre justified in their conclusion.
Mumbai turned saffron today with thousands of members of the Maratha community holding a protest march demanding reservation in jobs and colleges.

Thousands of Marathas held a protest march in Mumbai over various demands. Photos by Milind Shelte

By India Today Web Desk: Road and rail traffic was badly hit as Mumbai turned saffron today with thousands of Marathas took to streets to demanding reservation in government jobs and colleges for their community.

The day-long protest forced Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announce a slew of measures to pacify the powerful community. Fadnavis also met representatives of Maratha Kranti Morcha and leaders of all political parties before announcing concessions for the Maratha community.

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HERE'S WHAT FADNAVIS ANNOUNCED:

Land and grant of Rs 5 crore to build hostels for students from Maratha community in every district.

Matter referred to Backward Classes Commission which will do a study of feasibility of giving reservation to Maratha community.

Marathas to get concession under Economically Backwards Class.

People belonging to Maratha community to get concession in 605 educational courses.

Interest free loan to members of the Maratha community by Annasaheb Mandal.

Severe punishment to accused in the Kopardi rape, murder case.

SEA OF SAFFRON IN MUMBAI

Amid tight security, the massive silent march began from the Jijamata Udyan in Byculla with participants carrying saffron swallowtail flags.

People had started arriving in the city since early morning in private vehicles as well as public modes of transport. Police and traffic personnel were deployed in large numbers to manage the huge inflow of people and the movement of vehicles in Mumbai.

The Mumbai's famed 'Dabbawalas' (lunchbox deliverymen), majority of whom hail from the Maratha community, also joined the march.

This was the 58th march of the Maratha community, exactly a year after the first such protest held in Aurangabad. The march has been organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups.

These 'mook morcha' or silent rallies were held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl, belonging to the Maratha community, at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

The JJ flyover was closed for traffic in view of the march. Schools in south Mumbai were closed today as a precautionary measure.

The protest rally culminated at Azad Maidan.

ALSO READ:

Mega Maratha Kranti March in Mumbai: Lakhs occupy Azad Maidan to demand reservation

Maratha Kranti March: Roads closed for march; here's a list of roads and areas to avoid

WATCH: Maratha Kranti Morcha holds silent march in Mumbai over reservation in jobs, colleges

--- ENDS ---
He said the respect the party used to accord Rawlings is no more indicating that it was wrong for him to attack the integrity of former President John Mahama and members of the party.

He said the party must discipline Rawlings and former Attorney General Martin Amidu.

Mohammed Sani's comment comes at the back of former deputy chief of staff, Dr Valerie Sawyerr, who has castigated Rawlings, for labelling fellow former presidents, Kufuor and Mahama as corrupt.

She began by wondering whether Rawlings tenure was free of corrupt practices. She went on to wonder when that of the current president passes the litmus test of corruption.

Corruption and rig allegations

Rawlings speaking at the 80th Ada Asafotufiami Festival over the weekend said his constant criticism of corruption in the NDC is not because he hates the party.

According to him, he it.

Meanwhile, Martin Amidu in his latest epistle also accused Mahama in the appointment of Charlotte Osei to rig the 2016 elections.

He said Mahama must be blamed for the current conflict between Charlotte Osei and her deputies.

Response to Amidu, Rawlings

But Alhaji Mohammed Sani speaking on the development in the party in an interview on Accra FM said "What these two people are doing is dragging the party's image into the mud. They have violated the partys constitution and so should be sanctioned by the party leadership.
The petitioners, Evans Amankwah, 2016 Parliamentary candidate for Adansi Asokwa in the Ashanti Region and Abigail Elorm Mensah, a 2016 Parliamentary candidate for Fanteakwa South in the Eastern Region in their petitioned dated August 7, 2017 said Mr Amidu has brought the party into disrepute.

READ MORE: Here is why Mills fired Martin Amidu as Attorney General

They said contrary to Article 46(8) of the partys constitution, Martin Amidu has brought the NDC in to public ridicule as well.

The petitioners added that the disciplinary committee must institute punitive measures against Martin Amidu.

The citizen vigilante has accused former President John Mahama in the appointment of Charlotte Osei to rig the 2016 elections.

He said Mahama must be blamed for the current conflict between Charlotte Osei and her deputies.

He added that the NDC only appointed Mrs Osei to help rig the election but failed in that regard.

The two NDC members in their petition to the party executives said the utterances and certain articles authored by Mr Amidu has weakened party unity and cohesion contrary to article 45 of the partys constitution and therefore want disciplinary action against him.

Below is the petition:

7th August, 2017.

THE GENERAL SECRETARYNATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS ACCRA.

Dear Sir,

PETITION: DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST MR. MARTIN A.B.K AMIDU

We the undersigned wish to bring this formal petition to the Executive Committee of the National Democratic Congress (the Party) for disciplinary actions to be taken against Mr Martin A.B.K. Amidu (the Accused). The particulars of our petition are as follows:1. We are all registered members of the Party and in good standing. As demanded by Article 45 of the constitution of the Party, we have a duty to protect and defend the Party and its interests at all times. We, therefore, bring this petition pursuant to Article 47 of the constitution of the Party.

2. The Accused is at all material times a member, founding member and member of the Legal and Constitutional Committee of the party and has invariable been described by the public, particularly by the media as a leading member, Senior Member, Founding Member, among others.

3. That notwithstanding his positon in the Party, the Accused has, with exceptional determination and consistency and through many publications and other actions, conducted himself in a manner that has:

a. brought and continues to bring the Party into disrepute and public ridicule contrary to Article 46(8) of the Partys constitution; and b. weakened Party unity and cohesion contrary to article 45 of the partys constitution.

4. Below are some of the particulars of our claims under Paragraph 3 of this petition:

a. That the Accused, without any evidence whatsoever, alleged in a media article published on 2nd November, 2016, that the Party or its leadership did connive with the National Electoral Commission to commit several electoral offences, to wit, to rig the 2016 elections in favour of the Party. We have attached a copy of the article to this petition, which copy may also be found at < https://buzzghana.com/martin-amidu-accuses-ec-planning-rigging/> (Last visited on 8th August, 2017).

b. That the Accused, in a media article published on or about 15th November, 2016, did call on voters to vote against the party or its presidential candidate in the 2016 general election. We have attached a copy of the article to this petition, which article may be found at < http://www.pulse.com.gh/politics/election-2016-vote-against-mahama-martin-amidu-id5761526.html> (Last visited on 8th August, 2016).

c. That even after the Party has lost the presidential election and many of its seats in Parliament, the Accused, in a media article published on or about 29th July, 2017, with flagship vehemence, did launched insults and largely unsubstantiated accusation at the Partys Members of Parliament. We have attached a copy of the said article here, which copy may also be found at < http://www.pulse.com.gh/politics/ghana-parliament-martin-amidu-blasts-uncultured-ndc-mps-id7066656.html> (last visited on 8th August, 2017).

d. That in a media article published on or about 7th August, 2017, the Accused again alleged that the only reason why the Partys government, former President or the leadership of the Party appointed Mrs Charlotte Osei as the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission was to enable the said Mrs Charlotte Osei help rig the 2016 election to the favour of the Party and its presidential and parliamentary candidates. We have attached a copy of the said article to this petition, a copy which article may be found at < http://www.todaygh.com/ndc-appointed-charlotte-osei-rig-election-martin-amidu/> (Last visited on 8th August, 2017).

5. Indeed, we are unwavering in our belief that the above-listed conducts by the Accused are carefully designed by to expose the Party to public hatred, ridicule and opprobrium and to lower its reputation in Ghana and elsewhere. Accordingly, we wish the Executive Committee of the Party to take steps to bring disciplinary actions against the Accused.

6. We are willing and ready to assist the Executive Committee in investigating the matters listed above further with the aim of upholding the constitution of the Party.

We remain:

Lawyer Evans Amankwah2016 Parliamentary candidateAdansi Asokwa

and
The almost impossible call has coincided with a similar one backed by a petition filed by two other members of the NDC asking its executives to sanction leading member of the party, Martin Amidu popularly known as citizen vigilante. The two giants are being accused of making utterances that are uncharacteristic of a true member of the NDC.

READ ALSO: Martin Amidu schools Valerie Sawyerr on letter writing

Alhaji Bature premised his call on a series comments made by the founder of the party which in his view do not auger well for the partys image.

Speaking on Accra-based Citi Fm, Mr. Bature said the time has come for the NDC to show its founder that he is not bigger than the party President Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP have demonstrated that nobody is beyond discipline in any political party. They took disciplinary action against high ranking members of their party and yet convincingly won the election. NDC can do the same, nobody is beyond sanctions in NDC, not Jerry Rawlings, not Martin Amidu. And if any founder of the party including Jerry Rawlings and Martin Amidu is bringing the name of the party into public ridicule and disrepute, they deserve to be hauled before party and sanctioned.

The NDC is being inundated with these calls following an article written by former deputy chief of staff, Dr. Valarie Sawyerr taking Mr. Rawlings and Martin Amidu to the cleaners.

Dr. Valerie Sawyerr wrote in her article that They say he booms  I say he buzzes  like an agitated mosquito  looking for his next victim. Again, he heads for other Heads of State  describing their governance as riddled with corruption. Is he trying to say that his reign was unblemished or that his twin brothers (President Akufo-Addo) reign is unsullied? Really? Who born dog  in fact  who born monkey? JJ oooo JJ  the great Papa JJ  the one and only Junior Jesus  the great saint who never does wrong  you are still flogging a dead horse  the NDC is in opposition in case you have not noticed, while a living raging bull is moving around with reckless abandon destroying everything it finds in its path including the assets and citizens of this nation, she said.
According to him, Martin Amidu is a credible man and has distinguished himself very well as a senior member of the party.

Some members of the party have petitioned the National Executive Committee (NEC) to sanction Martin Amidu for his recent statements in the party.

The petitioners, Evans Amankwah, 2016 Parliamentary candidate for Adansi Asokwa in the Ashanti Region and Abigail Elorm Mensah, a 2016 Parliamentary candidate for Fanteakwa South in the Eastern Region in their petitioned dated August 7, 2017 said Mr Amidu has brought the party into disrepute.

READ MORE: Here is why Mills fired Martin Amidu as Attorney General

They said contrary to Article 46(8) of the partys constitution, Martin Amidu has brought the NDC in to public ridicule as well.

Commenting on the development on Accra-based Kasapa FM, Teye Nyaunu said there is no substance in the petition to sanction Mr Amidu.

"Martin Amidu is a credible man, Martin Amidu has distinguished himself, Martin Amidu is a senior member of the party and when hes making criticisms, I think we should objectively endeavour to analyse it rather than begin to criticize the man." he said.

"Our party is such that, when you go and give your views on a paper like that, they quickly come out first, misinterpret it, misrepresent it and rubbish the whole thing and paint you as a bad man. why do i like talking to the media? I talk to the media because people like to hear my voice directly and know what precisely Im talking about, but go and tell somebody in the party, the party will misquote you and say you, you support this one that is why you are arguing like this and they end up destroying you. Martin is of age , i know Martin is above 60 years ,Martin is first and foremost a Ghanaian before he becomes an NDC member, so Martin has got the right to talk the way hes talking."

However, Martin Amidu has responded to the epistle written by a former Deputy Chief of Staff, Dr Valerie Sawyerr.

In his response, Amidu described Dr Valerie Sawyerrs letter as a "lying, incoherent, disjointed and drunken-like diatribes against former President Rawlings and me."
No firm is immune from the coming disruption and every company must have a strategy to harness the powerful advantages of the new fintech revolution.

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Traditional Retail Banks vs. Online-Only Banks:

Traditional retail banks provide a valuable service, but online-only banks can offer many of the same services with higher rates and lower fees

Traditional Lenders vs. Peer-to-Peer Marketplaces

: P2P lending marketplaces are growing much faster than traditional lendersonly time will tell if the banks strategy of creating their own small loan networks will be successful

Traditional Asset Managers vs. Robo-Advisors

: Robo-advisors like

As you can see, this very fluid environment is creating winners and losers before your eyesand its also creating the potential for new cost savings or growth opportunities for both you and your company.

After months of researching and reporting this important trend, Sarah Kocianski, senior research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has put together an essential report on the fintech ecosystem that explains the new landscape, identifies the ripest areas for disruption, and highlights the some of the most exciting new companies. These new players have the potential to become the next Visa, Paypal or Charles Schwab because they have the potential to transform important areas of the financial services industry like:

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In a phone interview with Punch, he spoke about the protest organized at the Unity Fountain in Abuja by a coalition of civil society organisations.

The coalition known as the Concerned Nigerians demanded the President resign. The protesters were attacked by anti-riot policemen with tear gas and water cannons. Charly Boy claims he was hit with the butt of a rifle on his eye.

"We were not even up to 10 people that set out for the Unity Fountain," said Charly Boy. "When we got there, we met close to 200 policemen. Initially, they tried to stop us from going further. But we explained to them that ours would be a peaceful demonstration. I gave them the assurance that we were not going to anywhere else and the protest would not be hijacked by hoodlums."

ALSO READ: APC Youths blast Charly Boy for anti-Buhari protest

He also added Before we knew it, they started with the water cannon. Then they tear-gassed us and set their dogs against us. Worried, I went to one of the policemen who was standing near me and asked him why they resorted to such action. Instead of responding to me, he suddenly raised the butt of his gun and hit me in the eye."

Charly Boy was quickly rushed to the hospital for treatment. The veteran entertainer also revealed that a journalist was allegedly beaten up at the venue of the protest.
News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] reports that Bishop Obi, the Founder and General Overseer of City of Liberation and Comfort Ministry in Enugu, the state capital, was arrested after being on the run for over three months.

Confirming the arrest of the Bishop, the State Police Public Relations Officer [PPRO], DSP Ebere Amaraizu said that the suspect had set up a fake financial NGO with the aim of empowering participants but ended up fleecing them of their hard earned money without the promised returns.

Bishop Ginika Obi, in-charge of City of Liberation and Comfort Ministry, is now helping police operatives of the Commissioner of Police, Enugu Monitoring Unit, following his arrest over the weekend in a hotel in Enugu where he has been taking refuge.

Before now, the suspect who hails from Umuaku in Uli community of Ihiala Local Government Area in Anambra State, was also in-charge of an alleged financial Non-Governmental Organisation [NGO] known as 'Build Your Generational Organisation', where his victims are made to invest with a hope of reaping a bumper financial dividend.

It was gathered that his victims are numerous and with various degrees of complaints of the huge amount of money swindled from them without anything to show for it.

The suspect, on noticing that police were on his trail based on complaints of alleged swindling of some suspected members of the public to the tune of N500 million with his wife and some of his eight alleged pastors, disappeared for months.

The bishop, however, left his wife in Enugu Prisons custody over the matter. During his disappearance from Enugu, preliminary investigations revealed that he had escaped and relocated to Asaba in Delta State to avoid being nabbed by police operatives for months.

It was further gathered that luck ran out on the suspect over the weekend as he was trailed based on intelligence information, to a hotel at Amechi Road off Agbani Road in Enugu where police operatives acting on a tip-off nabbed him," the PPRO said in a statement.

However, Bishop Obi reportedly told the police during interrogation that the amount of money he defrauded his members was not N500 million but N186 million, adding that he did not know the financial NGO he set up together with his wife would turn out that way.
Minister of communications, Adebayo Shittu, stated this in Abuja, at a Smart Cities two-day multi-stakeholders international summit, sponsored by Huawei, in collaboration with Smart Cities Nigeria, Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Works, Housing and Power, Federal Capital Territory Administration and Ministry of Environment.

According to Shittu, More people now have access to smart phones. Experts said that smart phones users in Africa will increase from 75 million in the first quarter of 2016 to 512 million 2018.

"Smart Cities would promote open data is one of the advantages of smart city. Smart City helps to manage government resources. It also helps to get more revenue for the government.

"Nigeria is a journey of greatness and together we will arrive at the destination of our dreams. In order to encourage competition among States and Local governments, the Ministry of Communications would soon launch the Smart City competition, this is to encourage them to take a bolder steps go the level of digital technology.

"I urge stakeholders to partner with the ministry to create smart cities in Nigeria.

Managing Director Huawei Technologies Nigeria Limited, Mr. Tank Li, said the development and widespread application of digital technologies had transformed lives in a profound way.

He noted, Data flow and economic development have become the big trends of our time; digital economy is a new form of economy in which everyone can share.

"Digital economy refers to an economic system in which digital technologies are widely applied, revolutionizing the whole economic environment and activities. Digital economy is also a brand new socio-political and economic system in which all information and commercial activities are digitised.

"Businesses, consumers and governments do business via the Internet, allowing for rapid business growth. Digital economy focuses on commodities and services whose production, distribution, and sales all rely on digital technologies.

"We project in the near future a digital economy that will bring about enormous changes in society. We simply have no way of knowing how deep and far-reaching these changes will be. However, we can be sure of one thing, that ICT will be the cornerstone of this digital economy.

"In our philosophy, the digital economy has three defining characteristics: All things will have the ability to sense, all things will be connected, and all things will be intelligent.

"The existence of these three defining characteristics depends entirely on advanced ICT. In an intelligent world, devices will play the role of the feelers in an all-sensing environment. Networks will connect everything, and the cloud will be the source of intelligence behind all things. These three elements form a synergetic architecture of devices, information pipes, and the cloud.

He said, This fourth industrial revolution is going to impact peoples lives in unimaginable ways and this will happen through the convergence of the cyber and physical worlds. The Internet of Things is automatic smart communication between objects, through the internet.

"McKinsey Global Institute says in a report last year that IoT could have a total economic impact of $4 trillion to $11 trillion a year by 2025. IoT pervades many areas of life.

"For example, inside Nestle Malaysia Bhds headquarters in Petaling Jaya, there is a room with a huge screen covering an entire wall that tracks key words related to the companys products on the Internet.

"The sales force social studio is where Nestles Malaysian digital acceleration team, which was set up in early 2014, analyses consumer trends specifically for the companys social media campaigns and market research.

"But this is only one aspect of IoT, another is efficiency. The data collected is used to make businesses more efficient and better able to react.

"Nigerian government has realized the potential of its digital economy. Unlocking the dividends of digital economy becomes imperative in the face of dwindling oil revenue with increasingly pressure on the economy evident in budgets deficit, infrastructural deficit, high unemployment rate, harsh business environment and corruption amongst others.

"Federal government is about to launch the Smart Nigeria Digital Economy Project that aims to solve efficiency problems and create leapfrog opportunities in the economy for the next 10 years.

"Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Okechukwu Enelamah said the financial services within the countrys digital economy would add $88 billion to the gross domestic product (GDP) and create more than 3 million jobs within 10 years. The potential gains of the digital economy will manifest in digital accounts, payments, mobile money, health and educational services along with other sectors of the economy.

"I fully agree with the fact that, ICT-enabled technologies and solutions has the huge potential to serve as a major accelerator of the vision of Smart Nigeria Digital Economy and its sustainable development goal.
By PTI: Raipur, Aug 9 (PTI) Police have arrested a CRPF constable and identified another jawan in connection with the alleged molestation of girl students of a state-run residential school during a cultural programme in Chhattisgarhs Dantewada district.

The two personnel were identified last evening based on the statements of the victims and photographs of the event, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap told PTI.

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Shamim Ahmed (31), a constable belonging to the CRPFs 231 battalion, was arrested today, he said.

The constable will be produced in local court today, he said.

The SP said that a police team was sent to nab the other identified personnel, who is believed to be on leave since August 3 and went to his home town Dehradun in Uttarakhand after the incident came to light.

The incident allegedly took place on July 31, when a Raksha Bandhan programme was organised by the CRPF troopers ahead of the festival at the state-run residential school in Dantewadas Palnar village under Kuakonda police station.

The paramilitary force, deployed to counter Left-Wing Extremism in the area, has been organising such events in Palnar since some years.

Nearly 500 girls took part in the July 31 event and tied rakhi to the CRPF personnel. The event was aired on a local news channel on August 7.

Later, the school hostels warden complained to the district administration that CRPF personnel allegedly followed the girls to the toilet and molested them on the pretext of frisking, the SP said.

Based on the complaint, an FIR was lodged under IPC section 354 (molestation) and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at the Kuakonda police station, he said.

Dantewada Collector Saurabh Kumar earlier said the district administration had formed a five-member committee headed by zila panchayats chief executive officer (CEO) to look into the matter.

The CRPF was also conducting an inquiry into the incident at its level, he had said. PTI TKP GK DV

--- ENDS ---
Ohamadike who spoke with Vanguard Newspaper said that the gunmen entered the church around 6.45 am as worshippers were about to begin 'prayer of the faithful'.

Narrating how the incident happened, Ohamadike said:

Those of us who were to say the prayers of the faithful had just assembled at the altar and I had number two, which meant that I was to say the prayer for Nigeria.

Suddenly, I saw someone who was putting on a cap shooting indiscriminately inside the church. There was pandemonium and in the midst of the confusion, I just lay down on the floor.

The officiating priest and the Mass servers quickly left the altar and the Mass came to an abrupt end.

I counted 11 dead people and many who were wounded. I used the vehicle belonging to to take him and his wife and others to Evans Hospital where the doctors advised us to go to the teaching hospital.

I used the car to convey many other people to the hospital before I came back to Amakwa.

According to other eyewitnesses, trouble started for worshippers during the 6 am Mass when the gunmen rode into the church in a Lexus SUV, while one of them entered the church and shot at close range an elderly man who was later identified as Pa Ikegwuonu, while others remained in the vehicle outside.

It was learned that after killing the old man, the gunman opened fire on other worshippers as those who tried to flee were cut down by the gunmen outside the church.

Pa Ikegwuonu was said to be the father of Chief Aloysius Ikegwuonu who built and donated the church to the Nnewi Diocese, while his wife was also on the right arm and is still on admission at an undisclosed hospital.

It was gathered that the gunmen were looking for Chief Aloysius following an alleged drug deal in South Africa, where he reportedly duped his business partners and fled with the money to Nigeria.

It was gathered that he had returned to the village on Saturday with the aim of holding a Thanksgiving service in the church the next day but left later in the day.
The sit-out protest against the absentee president started on Monday, August 7, as the "Our Mumu Don Do" movement led by entertainer and activist Charles Oputa (Charly Boy), marched from Unity Fountain in the Federal Capital Territory down to the Presidential Villa.

On Tuesday, the group, alongside "Concerned Nigerians" group, led by former social media director of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Deji Adeyanju, were attacked by the police when officers fired gas canisters and water cannons to dismiss them.

A protester was injured and had to be rushed to the Federal Staff Clinic Federal Secretariat, while Charly Boy also fainted due to the attack.

Despite Tuesday's setback, the group marched again in Abuja on Wednesday with renewed strength in numbers.

Nollywood actor, Jim Iyke, and Bring Back our Girls co-founder, Aisha Yesufu, were some of the famous faces present at Wednesday's outing at the Unity Fountain where protesters were attacked the previous day.

While speaking at the protest, Jim Iyke said, "We are gathered here this morning to say enough is enough. It is a simple thing. Our mantra is one, our decision is one. Unequivocally, we are saying that the president will either resign or resume.

"It is natural when you get old, you get sick. It is the natural cycle of life. So, when you get old, you shift, it is a very simple thing. Let a young man take over. The mantle of leadership is for the young."

The protesters' full demands are: "that the president either personally or through his aides make the true detail of his health known to all Nigerians; that president should address all Nigerians in a language we can all understand on the true state of his health and other national issues; that he returns to the country and resume work as president of Federal Republic of Nigeria in order to lead us out economic and security quagmire we have been pushed into as a nation; if President Buhari fails, refuses and/ or neglect to do any of the above , then he should resign from office; if he fails to honourably resign, then he should be impeached from office by the national assembly."

President Buhari left the country on May 7 to resume treatment in London for an undisclosed illness, leaving Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in charge of the country's affairs.

77 days after he left the country, pictures of President Buhari finally surfaced online when he met with state governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on July 23, at the Abuja House in London.

Since then, he has met with another delegation of Nigerian governors, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

The First Lady, Aisha Buhari travelled to London to meet the president on Sunday, August 6, ahead of what is considered to be his return.
The Senator also criticised the security personnel for harassing his employee, Amadin Uyi.

The lawmaker also called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris to investigate the actions of his men.

He said I condemn the police brutality on Silverbird TVs Amadin Uyi. I dont have staff. I have family and an attack on them is an attack on me.

Amadin Uyi was doing his duties as provided by the law. Why should my family member be thus treated! This is an attack on press freedom.

I call on the Inspector General of Police to launch an investigation into the attack on Amadin Uyi.

We will be waiting and watching!
The ruling was handed down by Justice Chuka Obiozor on Wednesday, August 9, 2017, after Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)'s ex parte application accused the former minister of looting the money from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The sum of money was kept in a Sterling Bank account, and is alleged to be part of a $153.3 million loot stashed away in three separate banks.

After granting the application, Justice Obiozor adjourned till August 28, 2017, to give any interested party the chance to convince the court not to permanently forfeit the sum to the government.

The agency has been able to recover the sums of N23.4 billion, $5 million and another N9.08 billion out of the $153.3m.

This is coming only days after a Federal High Court, also in Lagos, ordered the permanent forfeiture of a $37.5m Banana Island mansion owned by the former minister on Monday, August 7.

In addition to the building, the court also ordered the permanent forfeiture of the sums of $2,740,197.96 and N84,537,840.70 realised as rents on the property.
Obaseki made the call when he received the President of Evangelical Church Winning All, the Rev. Jeremiah Gado, at Government House in Benin on Tuesday.

He said that the cause of the present challenge in the country was more of bad leadership on the part of government.

He said when crises occurred in the society, the society resorted to the church hence the need for the church to take specific steps to build the society with the government.

The church has a role to ensure stability in the society and partnership with the church is something we must strengthen, he said.

Earlier, Gado said he was on a pastoral visit to Edo and Delta states and that the church would like to extend some of its social services to people of Edo subject to availability of land.

He said the church built schools and hospitals, as part of its commitment to the spiritual and physical well-being of members and also as a strategy to reaching out to people yet to accept Christ.

He appealed to the governor to use his good office to speak for the oppressed, widows, orphans, voiceless, poor and improve on the lots of unemployed youths in the state.
The governor made the call on Tuesday in Makurdi while launching the unified standard weights and measures which would be used in all markets across the state.

He said that people should embrace dry season farming to boost their income and wellbeing.

He pledged that his administration would continue to provide the enabling environment and support for agricultural production in Benue so as to boost food security in the state.

The governor said that the unified standard weights and measures were introduced in the state in order to help farmers and buyers to get good value for their products and money respectively.

He said that the unified standard weights and measures were initiated to protect the interests of farmers and consumers.

He pledged that the government monitor and ensure its full compliance.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Tersoo Kpelai, assured the people that the ministry would resist any plot to thwart its efforts to sanitise the markets.

Besides, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Benue, Mr James Anbua, lamented that some farmers were selling the farm inputs they got through the Anchor Borrower Programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

ALSO READ: Gov Ortom says Benue State needs N40bn to clear salary arrears

Anbua, who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agribusiness, Mr Simon Abua, warned such farmers to desist from such unwholesome activities.

In a remark, Assemblyman Richard Ujege, the Chairman, Benue Assembly Committee on Industry, Trade and Investment, lauded the government for the introduction of the unified weights and measures.
The IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu had earlier announced that there will be no election in the state.

Meanwhile, the Anambra state governorship election is slated to hold on November 18, 2017.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, at the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) headquarters, Obiano urged Nigerians to dismiss IPOBs threat.

Responding to questions from journalists on Kanus comment, the Governor said "That is not correct. They did not say there will not be any election. By the way, yesterday (Monday) you would have heard the war veterans who met with me, these are the people who fought the war, 87 of them.

They were at the lodge to meet me and what they said was that they would support the election and they had endorsed my election on the second term journey.

The leader of that group, Gen. Lathucia, most of you should know him, is the brains behind IPOB. So that comment that election wont take place in Anambra, let me begin to dissipate that now.
By Saurabh Vaktania: The terror of blade gang is on the rise on Mumbai local trains, with around two incidents being reported every week. The gang carries over 10 blades with them and pickpockets the passengers. The shocking part however is, if the gang gets caught by the police, they choose to slit their body with their blades to evade arrest.

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They are also said to have been opting for other ways to evade arrest. Mumbai Police are now making strategy to curb the menace of the blade gang on Mumbai trains, on which lakhs of commuters travel daily. The blade gang earlier also used to target Mumbai BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) buses. The main stations where the gang operates are Bandra, Kurla, Dadar, Mumbra etc.

Speaking to India Today TV, Suresh Atri said, "The gang surrounds you like a crowd, they remove your wallet or mobile phone. They carry over ten blades with them, hiding it in sandals, underwears, hair and even in their mouth. The gang members often carry over 3 to 4 blades inside their mouth.

They are always high on drugs and thus even if they end up hurting themselves, they do not realise the pain." He added, "On many occasions, they have even stabbed our cops. They have thrown huge stone targeting our staff." If the accused gets nabbed by the police they take to several ways to evade arrest. They often choose to hurt themselves and end up slitting own hands or throat with the blades that they carry.

The cops thus get nervous and take them to the hospital. They often get enough desperate to hurt cops at railway stations. "When the accused are taken to police stations, they pretend to get seizure attacks. The accused also urinate in their pants to splash it on the cops.

The blade gang is now a big headache for the Mumbai Police, who have even been hurled stones at by the members. In a recent incident, one accused slit his throat with the blade he was carrying and when the cops took him to the hospital, he was asked to get stitches done.

However, the accused desperately refused to get any medical treatment done. Senior police inspector Atri said, "If it's not a peak hour and people are crowding near you, there is reason to worry. Whenever they start getting suspicious, inform the police immediately. Dial available helpline numbers."

--- ENDS ---
Gov. Aminu Massari of Katsina State, who led a delegation of the forum, presented the cheque to Gov. Kashim Shettima, at Government House Maiduguri.

Masari said that each of the 18 northern state governments donated N20 million to support humanitarian and livelihoods development programmes.

During our meeting of the Northern Governors, we resolved to set up a committee to visit Borno.

We are here to show sympathy to the good people of Borno and in solidarity with our brother, Kashim Shettima.

We are solidly behind Shettima and we stand by him at this trying time. We have also resolved to be more united than ever before.

We will do everything humanly possible to ensure that this kind of crisis that affected the North-East do not repeat or escalate to other parts of the north and the country at large, Masari said.

In his response, Shettima who commended the gesture said that such support from his colleagues had assisted him to endure and continue his work despite the security challenges in the state.

As your brother and colleague in this state, one of the things that has kept me strong despite the calamity of Boko Haram, is the genuine empathy and encouragement I constantly receive from all of you.

Most of the governors have solidly identified with us even when Borno suffered its most severe neglect between 2011 and 2014, Shettima said.

The governor recalled that Borno had suffered serious neglect in the past, a trend which favoured the insurgents to overrun most of the local government areas of the state.

He said that Boko Haram insurgents had killed thousands of people, sacked communities, ravaged women and children.

He added that the insurgents vandalized over 200 healthcare facilities, thousands of schools, water points and electrical installations, as well as roads, bridges.

ALSO READ: FG committee to deliver 260 truck of grains to IDPs in Adamawa

Wealthy traders and transporters lost their businesses and became poor overnight.

The insurgents coordinated series of suicide bomb attacks at Monday Market, Maiduguri.

`The attacks were aimed at cutting off economic activities in the state.

Traders were terribly affected to the extent that we had to resort to giving some sort of support to enable them to remain in business.
In a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by its Special Assistant on Media and Public, Mr Ezrel Tabiowo, the group said that nobody could discourage or intimidate its members on the mission.

It stated this at the backdrop of alleged harassment of its members by the Police during its peaceful sit-out on Tuesday in Abuja.

It also condemned reports credited to the Senate, distancing itself from the protest.

The Senate had said on Tuesday that that President Muhammadu Buhari had not violated any law by being away from the country for health reason for a long time.

In a statement by its spokesman, Sen, Sabi Abdullahi, the Senate said that the president had met his constitutional obligations as far as the issue was concerned.

It therefore, described the protest for the presidents return or resignation as unnecessary and instead, called for sustained prayer for him and the country.

But, the leader of the protesters, Mr Charles Oputa otherwise known as Charly Boy, said in the groups statement that the senates position was ridiculous.

I am disappointed in this country, but let it be known that no amount of intimidation on us by security agencies will deter us from demanding explanations from government.

They must be accountable to Nigerians because they were elected into power by us, and on the basis that they will account for their actions.

Also, to compound the mess Nigerians are in, it is disheartening for the Senate that ought to ask questions to be the very ones supporting such show of shame."
Amaechi disclosed this to newsmen after the monthly inspection of the ongoing construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Railway Line in Lagos on Tuesday.

He said As you know, every month we must meet to review the challenges that we have encountered from the project and the achievements the contractor have made.

So far; today we have assessed them, and we are maintaining that by December 2018, we will commence commercial services on this rail.

That is the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari who has insisted that we must ensure the whole country can be accessed by rail.

Yesterday, I inspected the works done from Itagbe to Warri; and from Abraka and Agbo.

The minister recalled that the contract for the project was awarded in 1987, but was later abandoned.

He said that with the rail services across the country operational, the roads would last longer than before.

According to him; the nations economy cannot progress without logistics, and logistics is transportation,

He said that the nations roads would last longer if we transfer the transportation of our freights from road to railway.

The minister said that the Federal Government had also approved sourcing for loan to construct the rail lines from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.

He said that this would cover and serve both the South East and the North East parts of the country.

Amaechi appealed to Nigerians to be patients adding that the government would deliver the project at the appointed time for their benefit.

The minister also noted that many job opportunities would be created in various communities as a result of the projects.

NAN reports that Sen. Gbenga Ashafa; Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, had said that the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Railway line would create additional 7,000 jobs for the youth.

Ashafa said this during the Senates Committee on Land Transport as well as the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts visit to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

We are confident that the Lagos to Kano and Calabar to Lagos railway modernisation projects will, in no small way, reinvigorate the Nigerian economy through creation of about 7,000 jobs.

On our parts as senators holding the mandate of our constituents, we are totally committed to assisting the executive arm in the actualisation of every developmental project within our purview, Ashafa said.
THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

Panic as LUTH confirms Lassa fever outbreak in Lagos

There is the fear of an outbreak of Lassa fever in the country as the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) yesterday confirmed that two patients treated have died within a few days of admission in the past one week.

Local contractors excluded from $20 billion rail projects

The Federal Government is breaching its own local content policy in the construction of over $20 billion rail tracks across the country, as indigenous firms are being excluded from the execution of the projects.

EFCC recovers N328.9bn debts from nine major petroleum marketers

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it had recovered over N328.9 billion out of N349.8 billion debts from nine major petroleum marketers within the last one year.

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VANGUARD NEWSPAPER

Lassa fever resurfaces in Lagos, kills 2, 100 under surveillance

Two persons were Tuesday confirmed dead from Lassa fever at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, even as a resident doctor has been infected with the disease.

Ozubulu killings: Police invite LG chairman, Ozubulu Town Union PG, Ikegwuonus aide

THE Anambra State Police Command, yesterday, invited the chairman of Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Mr Ikenna Ofodeme; President-General of Ozubulu Town Union and Chairman of Ebubechukwuzo Foundation owned by Aloysius Ikegwuonu, Mr Jovita Ofomata, over last Sundays shooting incident at St Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu in which many worshippers were killed and many others injured.

Ritualists den uncovered in Lagos; mob lynch suspects, injure 2 policemen

There was commotion, yesterday, at Ojokoro, along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, after an underground ritualists den was uncovered.

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THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER

Weve traced N47.2bn, $487.5m in cash, properties to Diezani EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said it had so far, through painstaking investigations by its operatives, traced N47.2bn and $487.5m in cash and properties to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Doctor, others infected as Lassa fever kills two in Lagos

Two patients have died of Lassa fever at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos.

Buhari: Knocks for FG as police assault resume or resign protesters

Nigerians have accused the Federal Government of unleashing the police on resume or resign protesters; describing the action as barbaric.

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THISDAY NEWSPAPER

Senate Stands with Buhari, Tells Protesters to Leave Him Alone

The Senate Tuesday lashed out at civil society organisations (CSOs) protesting the prolonged medical vacation of President Muhammadu Buhari abroad, asking the protesters to leave the president alone as he had not violated any law.

INEC Seeks More Powers to Reject Candidates

Following multiple law suits arising from the failure of political parties to abide by their internal guidelines on primaries, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is seeking more powers to play more decisive roles in the selection of candidates for the general election.

Lassa Fever Kills Two in Lagos

Two persons, including a 36-year-old pregnant woman, have died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, after being treated for Lassa fever.

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THE BUSINESSDAY NEWSPAPER

Offshore fund managers increase holding of Nigeria bonds and stocks

Investors put more money into emerging markets such as Nigeria last week, the highest amount since the stock market touched its highest level since 2014.

3.8m Lagos households earning more than $5,000 per annum

Lagos has 3.9 million households that earn more than US$5,000 or N1.83 million per annum, according to a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). This comes to an average of N152,500 a month.

Cash crunch delays Q2 GDP, July Inflation report
He said the schools were shut for failing to meet specified standards of the state Ministry of education.

He said that parents patronising the affected schools had been told to relocate their wards before the next academic session began.

According to him, the government will fully implement measures aimed at strengthening the state education sector by September.

We want to maintain standards that will uplift education in the state, Wike said.

Wike also explained that his administration was committed to transforming the state and empowering its people through an enhanced education sector.

He condemned examination malpractice associated with some illegal schools operating as West African Examination Council (WAEC) centres in some remote parts of the state.

According to the governor, most illegal schools have become WAEC magic centres where examination malpractices are promoted.

He, however, commended the management of the Jesuit Memorial College for establishing a branch in Rivers in honour of the 60 students who died in the Sosoliso air crash in Port Harcourt on Dec.10, 2005.

ALSO READ: Wike sacks caretaker committee chairmen of 4 LGAs in Rivers

He assured them of the state governments support to ensure that the school served the people better.

Earlier, the Principal of the school, Rev. Emeka Asogwa, explained that the school was established in memory of the 60 students of Jesuit Memorial College, Abuja, who died in the air crash.

He commended the state government for partnering the school in infrastructural development.
The party disclosed this in a statement signed by its National Secretary, Dr Emeka Okengwu, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Okengwu said that Dokpesi and the two others were suspended for unlawful gathering in the name of the party and violating APDA constitutional provision of holding illegal National Executive Council meeting sacking the National Working Committee of the party.

Okengwu said that Dokpesi on July 15 wrote a letter, which he signed as Chairman of the partys Board of Trustees, to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) informing it of a proposed ADPA NEC meeting.

He said that fortunately INEC responded by telling him to route his letter through the National Chairman of the party because the constitution of the party does not allow it to have a BOT until after five years.

In their desperation to factionalize the party and move to PDP they went ahead to make this announcement constituting an illegal Board of Trustee and sacking of National Working Committee.

Due to this indiscipline of these members, the NWC met at an emergency meeting today and suspended them and constituted a Disciplinary committee to sanction them for bringing the party to disrepute."

He appealed to the general public to disregard their announcement because they are agents of another party trying to destroy the emerging alternative party that would give Nigerians a better life.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had recently accused former governors, who are now senators or ministers, of receiving double pay from government by accepting pensions from their former jobs in addition to the salaries in their new positions.

Saraki has been under the most spotlight from the allegations which he has thoroughly denied, saying the payments stopped after he personally requested it of his own volition.

The Kwara state government has backed his claim, saying Saraki himself wrote a letter to the state government in 2015 to stop the payments.

This was disclosed in a press release by the Secretary to the state government, Alhaji Sola Isiaka Gold.

In a bid by the state to clarify its position on the issue, he said, "Dr Saraki, as a two-term Governor, is entitled to pension as stipulated by the third schedule, Paragraph D (i) of the Governor and Deputy Governor ((payment of pension) Law, No. 12 of 2010 of Kwara State.

"The said pension has been duly remitted to his account, like other former Governors', since he left office but when via a letter dated 20th August 2015 addressed to the state government, Dr Saraki requested that the payment of pension to his account be stopped and the amount already credited to the account be refunded to the Government, the State Government promptly complied.

"The Government not only stopped the payment of the said pension, the amount already paid into Dr. Saraki's account since he left office was deducted from the money owed to him as well as his other outstanding lawful entitlements.

"In view of the foregoing, it should be noted that neither the Kwara State Government nor Dr. Bukola Saraki violated the state pension law or any other law for that matter. The State Pension Law empowers the State Government to pay pension to former Governors of the State.

"The Kwara State Government will want to reiterate the fact that it was Dr Saraki who on his own volition considered the morality of the situation in which the pension would put him since he is still a serving Senator and chose to abandon his legal rights. We believe he should be commended for decision.

"It is the hope of the Kwara State Government that this clarification will end all the controversy about this issue."
"I have been profoundly saddened by the massacre last Sunday in Nigeria, inside a church, where innocent people were killed," the pontiff said at the end of his weekly public audience at the Vatican.

"And sadly this morning we have news of violence in the Central African Republic against Christian communities."

"I hope all forms of hate and violence will cease and such shameful crimes in places of worship, where the faithful are gathered to pray, will not be repeated," he added.

At least 11 worshippers were gunned down at a church in southeast Nigeria on Sunday, with authorities suggesting the bloodshed was due to a local feud.

The country's mainly-Muslim north has been gripped by a violent campaign by Boko Haram jihadists, who specialise in targeting religious centres.

The violent campaign to impose strict Islamic law has killed at least 20,000 people and forced some 2.6 million others to flee their homes, sparking a dire humanitarian crisis in the northeast.

In the Central African Republic, reports of killings, some targeting aid workers have prompted the UN to warn of "early signs of a genocide" in the conflict-wracked nation.

At least 60 people have been killed in recent weeks in fighting between armed groups in Ngaoundaye and Batangafo in the north, Kaga-Bandoro in the centre and Alindao and Gambo to the south, witnesses have told AFP.
The South Korean-born pastor had been accused of subversive acts against Pyongyang, which Canadian authorities have strongly denied.

"A Canadian government delegation is currently in Pyongyang, DPRK, to discuss Pastor Lim's case," Trudeau spokesman Cameron Ahmad said.

"Pastor Lim's health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada as we continue to engage on this case," he said. "As this is an active case, we will not provide further comment at this time."

Lim's family told local media they have become increasingly worried about his welfare since the death of an American student in June just days after he had been released from a North Korean prison.

At the time of his arrest, other members of the close-knit circle of ethnic Korean missionaries in Canada and the United States called Lim one of the most influential Christian missionaries operating in North Korea.

He had visited the country dozens of times, working with orphanages and nursing homes.

But some projects he worked on, including a noodle plant and flour mills, were linked to associates of Jang Song-Thaek, the purged uncle of leader Kim Jong-Un. Jang Song-Thaek was arrested and executed for treason in December 2013.

Lim told CNN last year that he now spends his days in prison digging holes.

Pyongyang views foreign missionaries with deep suspicion, though it allows some to undertake humanitarian work.
On Sunday, Modi had asked people to rally around another "Quit India" movement - 75 years after Mahatma Gandhi's campaign against the British rule - in his monthly radio talk, 'Mann Ki Baat'.

By India Today Web Desk: On 75 years of the iconic Quit India movement launched during the freedom movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today vowed to create a "New India of our dreams" by 2022 by eliminating poverty, dirt, corruption, terrorism, casteism, and communalism.

"In 1942, the need of the hour was to free India from colonialism. Today, 75 years later the issues are different. Let us pledge to free India from poverty, dirt, corruption, terrorism, casteism, communalism and create a 'New India' of our dreams by 2022," the prime minister tweeted this morning.

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Later in the day, Modi began a discussion on the Quit India movement in Lok Sabha calling this a "proud day". The prime minister was followed by Opposition leaders including Sonia Gandhi, who also spoke on the occasion.

LIVE UPDATES:

We must not forget that some organizations opposed Quit India movement, such organisations have no role in freedom struggle: Sonia Gandhi

A lot of atrocities were committed on the protesters, but no one stepped back: Sonia Gandhi

During freedom struggle, Pandit Nehru spent several years in jail, many Congress workers died in jail: Sonia Gandhi in Lok Sabha

Poverty, lack of education & malnutrition - these are big challenges our nation faces. We need to bring a positive change in this regard: PM Modi

Our freedom was not only about our nation. It was a defining moment in ending colonialism in other parts of the world as well: PM Modi

Modi quotes Mahatma Gandhi: "Do or die" became the slogan of the freedom movement.

'Karenge ya marenge', ye Bapu ke shabd the: PM Modi in Lok Sabha pic.twitter.com/ejuVTq44EU- ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2017 The Quit India movement marked rise of a new leadership. They supported Mahatma Gandhi during the movement: PM Modi

It is important for the younger generation to know about historical events like the Quit India movement: PM Modi in Lok Sabha

Modi speaks about the struggle for Independence, recalling the sacrifices made by freedom fighters.

Let's create a new India of our dreams: Modi

On Sunday, Modi had asked people to rally around another "Quit India" movement - 75 years after Mahatma Gandhi's campaign against the British rule - in his monthly radio talk, 'Mann Ki Baat'.

Modi had said that the next five years could be as decisive as it was in 1942 when Gandhi had made the "Quit India" call, and in 1947, when India got freedom. He asked people to make a pledge and contribute towards building a "new India".

"Just as the five years from 1942 to 1947 were decisive for the country's independence, these five years from 2017 to 2022 can and must play a decisive role for the future of India. Five years from now, we will celebrate 75 years of India's independence.

"We must make 2017 our Year of Resolve. In this month of August, we have to come together and resolve: Filth - Quit India; Poverty - Quit India; Corruption - Quit India; Terrorism - Quit India; Casteism - Quit India; Communalism - Quit India," Modi said in his Hindi address.

Modi said Gandhi had given a "Do or Die" call but it was time to "live by and strive for this resolve (and) launch a mega campaign 'Sankalp se Siddhi' - Attainment through Resolve" from August 9 - the 75th anniversary of "Quit India" movement.

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Modi has also asked the BJP to carry out a nationwide exercise between August 9 and August 15 to mark the Quit India Movement anniversary, and launch a 'sankalp' (pledge) yatra between August 15 and August 30.

Also Read:

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From PM Modi to President Kovind, here is how people are celebrating Raksha Bandhan

Meet Modi's Pakistani sister Qamar Shaikh who has been tying him Rakhi for 36 years

WATCH | 75 years of Quit India movement: Modi calls it a proud day, vows to create New India by 2022

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"It's a great way to get on planes. It's quite a unique experience. It's something new," says Adam Nicholas, 27, at an airfield close to London.

He is readying for his second trip with Wingly, a French firm connecting passengers and pilots for short flights, and the undisputed market leader in Europe with a community of more than 80,000 members.

In Nicholas' first experience he took his girlfriend on a surprise day trip to Le Touquet, across the Channel in France.

"We flew there in the morning, had some lunch, had some wine and then flew back again in the evening," he says.

This time the Londoner will be flown by pilot Somasekhara Pemmiredy, 34, above the British capital aboard a Cessna 172 aircraft.

Pemmiredy has clocked up more than 290 hours since gaining his pilot's licence in 2011.

Working in security at a London airport during the evenings, he flies for Wingly in the daytime as a way to add more flight hours which are vital to achieving his ambition of working for an airline.

Pemmiredy describes the set-up as a "win-win situation", as he prepares an eager Nicholas with the details of the altitude, speed and flight path they are about to take.

But not before the pilot checks out another flight request on his phone, using the Wingly app which allows clients to contact pilots directly.

"A month ago, I received a request for a flight with one-hour notice and I managed to fly," says Pemmiredy.

"The guy was very lucky as it was my day off, so I could fly the couple to celebrate their anniversary in France."

After the technical checks have been meticulously carried out, Pemmiredy and his passenger board the small aircraft which is owned by a flying club.

The duo return an hour later after their flight over the city, both smiling.

'Leisure and discovery'

Adopting a low-cost approach, Wingly co-founder Emeric de Waziers says he wants to "demonstrate that private aviation is accessible" and should not be restricted to a privileged few.

Himself a pilot, Waziers explains that the flight-sharing model "allows you to fly cheaper and enjoy this passion without money being an obstacle".

Rather than compete with commercial airlines or other modes of transport, he explains the focus is on "leisure and discovery" through picking destinations which are usually hard to reach.

Wingly flights only cover short distances and, given the size of the aircraft used, can be cancelled at short-notice due to poor weather conditions.

The London to Le Touquet route is among the most popular -- costing around 100 ($133, 112 euros) per person each way -- along with Paris to French islands Belle Ile or Ile d'Yeu.

Rather than be likened to car service Uber, Waziers prefers to be the "BlaBlaCar of the skies" because Wingly allows passengers to divide the costs of a flight.

While flight-sharing is proving popular in the UK and Germany, it has been slower to take off in France owing to restrictions on short flights by the civil aviation authority (DGAC), which were lifted in June.

Between the three countries over 80,000 people have registered with Wingly, including 6,000 pilots, and each month the community is growing by 20 percent.

The Parisian start-up attracts around 600 monthly passengers, while there are more than 30,000 flights listed on the platform.

Its smaller competitors include Coavmi in France, SkyUber in Portugal and FlightClub in Germany.

jpegMpeg4-1280x720The Federal Aviation Administration has banned private pilots from offering flight sharing to the public in the United States, ruling out competition from across the Atlantic for now.

Waziers has his eyes on the horizon, predicting an increasing number of people will come to understand the private planes "are not reserved for the elite".
The bloodshed occurred last Thursday at a health centre in Gambo, 70 kilometres (45 miles) from the town of Bangassou, where nine peacekeepers have been killed since early May, it said in a statement.

The organisation on Tuesday gave a toll of three dead among its local staff, and said "dozens" of other people had also been killed.

Concurring sources said the fighting was between so-called self-defence militias and members of a group called the Union for Peace in Central Africa (UPC), part of a Muslim-majority rebel organisation called the Seleka.

The Seleka overthrew former president Francois Bozize in 2013. The rebels themselves were swiftly ousted, leading to a wave of violent reprisals against the Muslim population by the Christian anti-Balaka militia.

On Monday, Stephen O'Brien, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said there were "early warning signs of a genocide" in Central African Republic.

On Tuesday, the agency said 24 people, including 14 civilians, died in northwestern Batangafo from July 29 to August 2.

Ten people were killed in a southern village near Alindao on August 4, according to OCHA, while fighting in Ngaoundaye, near the borders with Cameroon and Chad, killed at least 10 and forced around 7,000 people to flee the area, several sources told AFP.

UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix last week said he was considering sending a request for more troops for the 12,500-member force MINUSCA.

The government of President Faustin-Archange Touadera, who was elected last year, remains in control of Bangui but its authority is weak outside the capital.
"I received a letter from the Trapani public prosecutor's office on Monday informing me of the investigation,"Mussie Zerai told AFP in Rome, insisting that he was innocent.

After fleeing Eritrea as a youngster and arriving in Italy alone aged 16, Zerai entered the seminary aged 45 and became a reference point for migrants in distress for a period of almost 15 years.

For a long time, his was the only telephone number many had to call for emergency assistance.

Don Mose would sometimes receive dozens of calls for help per day, mostly from migrants in distress calling from a satellite phone from their rickety vessels at sea.

He would transmit the coordinates of the stricken boats to the Italian coast guard but also sometimes to the privately-run rescue ships known to be in the vicinity.

That is likely the reason his name ended up in a probe Trapani prosecutors have opened into illegal immigration which focuses largely on the roles played in migrant rescues by the privately-funded NGOs.

The investigation lead to the seizure last week of a boat run by German NGO Jugend Rettet, which is accused of having had direct contact with traffickers off the coast of Libya.

"It's totally contradictory to attack the humanitarian organisations to fight illegal immigration. It's like protesting against diseases by taking it out on the doctors," Zerai said.

"Instead we should tackle the causes of the disease (illegal immigration), which make these people desperate enough to risk their lives at sea," he added.

He referred in particular to the plight of hundreds of thousands of people trapped in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Uganda, with barely enough food and water to survive and little hope of a better future.

"There is a famine going on in the Horn of Africa, the dictatorship, the war ... there will always be refugees, you cannot just tell them 'don't come, keep your suffering away from us'.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is on a two-day visit to Indonesia, said the two countries would work together more closely to counter the spread of Islamic State (IS) ideology.

"The threat that the ISIL is has not vanished. Its members have been spreading all over the world, including areas close to the Russian and Indonesian borders," Lavrov said, using another acronym for the group.

Hundreds of radicals from Indonesia have flocked abroad to fight with IS, and the country has seen a surge in plots and attacks linked to the jihadists over the past year.

Indonesian officials have also said dozens of Indonesians have travelled to the southern Philippine city of Marawi to fight with militants loyal to IS.

The militants seized parts of the city over two months ago and have resisted all attempts by the Philippine army to evict them.

"We have agreed that our special services will pay particular attention to increasing coordination in our joint efforts to fight this scourge," Lavrov said.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the two countries had strong ties on political and defence issues, and Indonesia wanted to deepen trade ties.
"The lack of women ministers shows we are treading water,"Shahindokht Mowlaverdi, Rouhani's outgoing vice president for women's affairs, told the Etamad daily after news of the line-up was leaked.

Many on social media said Rouhani, a 68-year-old moderate cleric who whipped up reformist support to secure re-election in May, was failing to keep his campaign promises of greater diversity.

"The people's message in the last two elections has had little reflection in the proposed cabinet," tweeted Mohammad Karroubi, son of jailed opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi.

"How can you speak of equality of the entire nation and ignore women and religious minorities?" he added.

There were few major changes in the cabinet, with the key figures in Iran's efforts to rebuild ties with the West -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh -- retaining their positions.

Average age 58

The one surprise was the appointment of Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, a 35-year-old engineer and by far the youngest addition, who is set to take over as telecoms minister.

But even with his appointment, which puts an opponent of censorship at the heart of government, the average age of the cabinet remains at 58.

Sunnis, who make up around 10 percent of the Shiite-majority nation, were also left out of the new government.

Rouhani did replace the defence minister, Major General Hossein Dehghan, with his deputy, General Amir Hatami -- the first time in more than two decades that the post has been filled by someone from the regular army rather than the elite Revolutionary Guards.

And the deputy economy minister, Masoud Karbasian, also replaced his boss, Ali Tayebnia.

Analysts say Rouhani will stick with his general push to increase foreign investment and improve the management of the stagnant economy.

Over the past week, the expected lack of women has been a focus of criticism by reformists, who say Rouhani is likely bowing to pressure from the religious establishment.

In his first term, Rouhani did have three women among his large cohort of vice presidents, who do not require parliamentary approval.

Ironically, the sole female minister since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution came under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Rouhani's hardline predecessor, whose health minister Marzieh Dastjerdi served between 2009 and 2013.

Rouhani sailed to victory in May over hardliner Ebrahim Raisi with the backing of reformists after vowing to improve civil liberties and rebuild ties with the West.

With no official parties in parliament, he must negotiate among a shifting pattern of political factions, none of which holds a definitive majority of the 290 seats.
Police fired tear gas as several hundred protesters in the neighbourhood of Kondele -- an epicentre of violence after disputed 2007 polls -- set fire to barricades and tyres and placed rocks in the streets.

"If Raila is not president, we can't have peace," one protester told AFP shortly before tear gas sent the crowd running.

The protesters chanted: "No Raila, no peace", their rallying cry after both 2007 and 2013 elections which the veteran opposition leader claims were stolen from him.

In 2007 post-poll violence raged for two months, leaving 1,100 dead and 600,000 displaced.

Voting in Kenya's general elections passed without incident on Tuesday but as provisional results began ticking up on the election commission website President Uhuru Kenyatta maintained a commanding lead with about 55 percent to Odinga's 44 percent.

Early Wednesday Odinga rejected the "fake" results, declaring "the system has failed".

He later detailed allegations of a massive hacking attack on the electronic tallying system, sending tensions soaring.

"Uhuru is not the elected one, he must have rigged it," said Dickson Otieno, 30 as piles of tyres burned in the street nearby.

However he said protests should be peaceful.

"The problem is between Uhuru and Raila and should not involve the common man," said Otieno.

In the early morning in Kisumu groups of mostly young men gathered on street corners, angrily discussing the results.

Steven Okeda, a 37-year-old primary school teacher, stood with others by a corrugated tin shack next to a fetid gutter in the poor, northern Kondele neighbourhood, a morning newspaper clutched in his hand.

"The voting was just okay, nothing was wrong, but the results that are going on, the transmission, that's where the problem is. What is happening here?" he asked. "Something is cooking."

"What we are saying is, Uhuru Kenyatta has stolen the election and we will not accept that," said Okeda.

Tensions also soared in Odinga's strongholds in Nairobi.
Temer's demand for Rodrigo Janot to withdraw from the explosive corruption scandal probe was the latest blow in a fierce struggle between the presidency and judiciary.

Temer is accused of taking bribes from a meatpacking billionaire and is the first sitting Brazilian president to face criminal charges. However, his position was strengthened last week when the lower house of Congress voted overwhelmingly to deny Janot's demand to put Temer on trial.

"In cases involving the president of the republic (Janot) is greatly exceeding the constitutional and legal limits of the position he occupies," Temer's lawyers wrote to the chief justice of the Supreme Court, Edson Fachin, in a letter released by the presidency.

"Everything points to the motivation being personal. We are witnessing an obsessive persecution," the letter said.

Janot is a major player in Brazil's anti-graft operation known as "Car Wash," which has uncovered a vast embezzlement and bribery scheme involving top politicians and business executives.

In addition to targeting Temer, prosecutors are investigating eight of his ministers, a third of the lower house's lawmakers, and many other senior politicians.
Supporters clogged the streets in Islamabad, waving flags and chanting political slogans as Sharif's convoy headed south to the capital of Punjab province, where he hopes to bring tens of thousands into the streets in a show of force.

"The Supreme Court's judgement to disqualify him is disputed, so people have not accepted it," Sharif supporter Arshad Iftikhar, a retired government official, told AFP.

Thousands of police sealed off main streets in the capital and surrounding areas as fears lingered over security after a truck bomb exploded in Lahore Monday, killing one person and injuring dozens.

Others lining the route voiced frustration with the political elite.

"Around 50 percent of the people here are those who have just come to watch the scene," said bystander Nazakat Ali.

"These politicians are not doing any good for the people."

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 last month 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.

The controversy erupted last year with the publication of 11.5 million secret documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca documenting the offshore dealings of many of the world's rich and powerful.

Three of Sharif's four children -- including his daughter Maryam Nawaz, his presumptive political heir -- were implicated in the papers.

Fresh questions have arisen over how Sharif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party (PML-N) plans to replace the ousted premier.

The PML-N initially named his younger brother Shahbaz as his eventual successor and Shahbaz was set to contest an upcoming by-election to enter parliament.
"The girl's brother had got information (the couple) were coming to court so he waited for them on the premises, where he shot them,"Rao Tariq, head of the local police station, told AFP.

The brother had already turned himself in to police, Tariq said.

Senior police official Ashfaq Gujjar said the girl died on the spot while the boy succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

"The lawyer who was with them was also injured and is undergoing treatment," he added.

Hundreds of women are killed by their relatives each year after allegedly bringing shame on their families in the deeply conservative Muslim country.

Under previous legislation the culprits -- usually men -- could get away with the killings after being pardoned by members of their own family.

But in July last year the high-profile murder of social media star Qandeel Baloch, whose brother confessed to the killing, reignited calls for reform.
Whether they're jumping up and down on mattresses or playing in the yard, the boys and girls stick together, like siblings, the older ones looking out for the little ones.

Last December, fighters loyal to Libya's UN-backed Government of National Accord, many of them from Misrata, prised the Mediterranean coastal city of Sirte out of the grasp of the Islamic State group after several months of battle.

Children of the defeated jihadists were left in a state of physical and psychological trauma, Red Crescent spokesman Ali al-Ghwell told AFP during a tour of their camp in Misrata, half-way between Sirte and the capital Tripoli.

They had survived months of food, water and medical shortages on top of constant bombardment that had left them jumpy at the slightest noise.

Some emerged with injuries to the head, stomach or limbs.

Mohamed, a slight boy of five, had to have his right arm amputated, compounding the misery and his sense of isolation and disorientation.

Ali Mohamed Ahmad, a Red Crescent volunteer, recalls how he had to win over the boy with patience and attention before a smile finally returned to his face.

"I tried all the time to communicate and play with him for him to learn to have confidence in me," said the volunteer in his early 20s.

Now, seven months on from the rescue of 52 children aged between five days and nine years from the ruins of Sirte, Mohamed was seen running and shouting with his new extended "family" before throwing himself into Mohamed's arms.

Those with at least one Libyan parent have been handed over to family members living in the country. For children of foreign jihadists, the situation is more complicated.

In June, eight Sudanese children, including a one-year-old baby, were repatriated to Khartoum.

Tunisia and Egypt have so far failed to respond to Libyan Red Crescent requests for assistance with around 15 children of their citizens left without guardians.

"I hope they'll be able to go back to their countries one day and reunite with family members," said Ahmad, the volunteer.

Until that time, the Red Crescent says it is doing its best to provide the children with an oasis of calm and stability, away from the chaos of Libya where rival authorities and a myriad of militias vie for dominance.
Siddiqui, who is a member of the UP Legislative Council, claimed that before the 2019 elections all leaders of the Dalit movement will come on one platform against the communal and oppressive forces.

By Siraj Qureshi: The way the country's intellectual and social class is shying away from politics these days, is an alarming sight for Indian democracy. If people with clean image do not join politics, it will only muddy the water further and soon honest governance will be reduced to a mere dream. Today, politicians praise their party leadership while they are a part of that party, but as soon as they leave the party and join another, they start abusing the leaders of their previous party. This is an alarming trend which will make politicians lose all credibility among the people of India.

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These were the thoughts put forth by a large group of intellectuals in Agra, while reacting to the way former BSP leader and party supremo Mayawati's right hand Naseemuddin Siddiqui abused her during a meeting in the city.

Siddiqui, who is a member of the UP Legislative Council, claimed that before the 2019 elections all leaders of the Dalit movement will come on one platform against the communal and oppressive forces on the lines of DS-4 which had been formed by Dalit leader Kanshiram, thereby putting an end to Mayawati's divisive and greedy version of politics.

Siddiqui said that Mayawati was the enemy of Muslims and only thought about extorting money from whoever she could.

When asked why he praised Mayawati while he was in the party and is now abusing her after leaving the BSP, Siddiqui avoided giving a direct answer and said, "In 2002, Mayawati's brother Anand Kumar was a mere fourth-class employee and now he is the owner of Rs 36000 crore worth of property, whereas Darbara Singh, the brother of BSP founder Kanshiram does not even have money to buy a train ticket."

Siddiqui termed Kanshiram as the real messiah of Dalits and said that he built the Dalit movement while sleeping on bare ground by the riverside and eating frugally, but his successor Mayawati sells electoral tickets to the highest bidders and demands huge sums of money as gift on her birthday, destroying whatever Kanshiram built in his lifetime.

He further added, "Mayawati weighs everything in terms of money and she does not care the least about Kanshiram's Dalit movement."

In fact, he even said, electoral tickets have sold for as high as Rs 2 crore in the BSP and Mayawati made the candidates swear that after winning, they will continue to give her Rs 22 lakh a month.

He said that a lot of party leaders opposed Mayawati's demands, but they were immediately expelled by her, while her extortion game is still continuing. As a result, the BSP has been dashed to the ground all over India.

He said that after coming out of BSP, he is tension free for the first time in decades. He has lost 28 kg weight and his blood pressure and blood sugar readings have come back to normal. He is stress-free and completely fit.

Terming Mayawati's resignation from the Rajya Sabha as a mere drama, Siddiqui said, "If a three-time chief minister and the leader of a large political party is not being allowed to speak in the parliament, then what chance to the ordinary members have there."

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He suggested that Mayawati should have asked all her party members to resign from the parliamentary positions as a protest if she really wanted to show her opposition to the so-called anti-Dalit agenda being followed in the parliament.

He said that this entire drama was staged by Mayawati's current right hand Satish Mishra and now he is the leader of the party's parliamentary board. Next mission of Mishra is to capture the party president's post. He asked that if Mayawati really wanted to voice her anger against atrocities on Dalits, why didn't she resign when Rohit Vemula died or after the Faridabad incident?

ALSO READ:

Agra's Dalits unfazed by Mayawati's departure from Rajya Sabha

Bahujan Samaj Party's Muslim face Naseemuddin Siddiqui, son expelled

--- ENDS ---
The call for police officers to kill their colleagues is the latest inflammatory comment by Duterte in his controversial drug war, which has claimed thousands of lives, and comes shortly after a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Duterte made the offer during a speech at national police headquarters, offering two million pesos ($40,000) for an unspecified number of officers who allegedly helped a mayor killed in an anti-drug operation on July 30.

"Each of those policemen carry on their heads now, I am announcing, two million per head and you are free to go on leave (to pursue them)," Duterte told the officers in the audience.

"I'll cut short my speech so that you will have a chance for a crack at the two million for those idiots."

Duterte added the bounty would be paid if the policemen were found "dead or alive -- better dead".

He said the unidentified policemen had worked with Reynaldo Parojinog, the mayor of the southern city of Ozamiz, who was killed in the pre-dawn raid along with his wife, his brother and 13 other people.

Police said they were forced to kill the 16 people in self-defence, but Parojinog's lawyer has insisted the mayor and others had not resisted arrest.

Duterte had accused Parojinog of being a major drug trafficker.

As he has done in similar cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, Duterte on Wednesday also vowed to give legal protection to the policemen who killed Parojinog and the other 15.

If they were found guilty of murder, he would pardon them, he vowed.

Duterte easily won presidential elections last year after promising an unprecedented war on drugs in which tens of thousands of people would be killed.

Since he took office in the middle of last year, police have confirmed killing more than 3,400 people in anti-drug operations.

More than 2,000 other people have been killed in drug-related crimes and thousands more murdered in unexplained circumstances, according to police data.

Rights groups say many of those victims have been killed by government-backed vigilantes, and Duterte has boasted that he would be "happy to slaughter" three million drug addicts.

Former US president Barack Obama was among the many international critics of Duterte's tactics.

But criticism from the United States, the Philippines' former colonial ruler and mutual defence partner, has been toned down under the administration of Donald Trump.
He denies having taken a $2 million kickback (1.7 million euros) to clear state oil giant Rosneft to acquire a stake in oil firm Bashneft.

On Tuesday, a federal prison service car took Ulyukayev from his home, where he is under house arrest, to Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky district court. Tuesday's hearing was a preliminary closed session to determine how the trial would proceed.

Asked by journalists outside the courthouse if he acknowledged his guilt, Ulyukayev said: "What do you think? Of course not."

Looking visibly thinner, the ex-minister said he had lost 14 kilogrammes in the course of the case. "Thanks to our justice system.

"I did not take bribes," he insisted as he got into the car that would take him back to his home. "It's all a provocation."

Investigators say Ulyukayev demanded a bribe from Rosneft and was caught red-handed accepting the cash. The identity of the person who allegedly paid the bribe however has not been revealed.

Sources say Ulyukayev was under surveillance by the security service, who had also tapped his phone.

If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Tuesday's hearing set the next court date for August 16, when Ulyukayev will be expected to make a formal plea.

The court also ruled to extend Ulyukayev's house arrest by another six months, until late January of next year.

Ulyukayev's arrest was greeted with shock and bewilderment in Russia, unleashing speculation that it could be part of a power struggle inside the government ahead of next year's presidential elections.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at the time called the arrest "a grave event... beyond my comprehension" which proves that no official is immune to prosecution if he engages in corruption.

An uncharismatic official, Ulyukayev had been charged with the daunting task of pulling Russia out of economic crisis, and was considered part of the liberal wing of the government.

He had initially opposed the sale of the 50.07-percent stake in Bashneft to Rosneft, which is headed by Igor Sechin, a powerful ally of President Vladimir Putin.

He later endorsed it however after Putin said it could help fill state coffers.
But Ghassam Salame, a former Lebanese culture minister appointed in June to head UN operations in Libya, described the cooperation between Tripoli and Rome as a "very constructive" way of dealing with an acute problem.

"It would be absolutely unrealistic to ignore the seriousness of the challenge of irregular migration," Salame said after meeting Italian Foreign Minister Angelo Alfano in Rome.

"There are hundreds of millions of them across the world. This is very serious problem."

"I also believe each country has an absolute right to control its borders and that the best way of doing that is through cooperation with neighbouring countries.

"We are on a good track of strengthening cooperation to meet this challenge which is a challenge for all of us."

More than 600,000 refugees and other migrants have reached Italy from Libya since 2014.

Italy's centre-left government is under intense pressure from domestic opponents and EU partners to close down the route.

Its navy is providing technical assistance to the Libyan coastguard, which has also been provided with new patrol boats and training by its former colonial master.

Alfano said the cooperation was beginning to bear fruit, in a reference to a more than 50-percent fall in the number of migrants rescued at sea during July, when compared to the same month in 2016.

Italy has also been working to stem migrant arrivals in Libya through better controls on the southern border, cooperation with countries like Niger, Chad and Mali that migrants transit on their way to the Mediterranean and a voluntary repatriation programme.

Refugee agencies say Libya is too unstable for any potential refugee to be safely returned there.

There is particular concern over the fate of migrants who end up in the country's detention camps, where conditions are usually squalid and a lack of regulation means people risk torture, sexual abuse and forced labour.

Alfano insisted the Italian government would not compromise on its commitment to human rights.

"It is not a derby between security and humanity," he said. But he acknowledged Libya's migrant holding facilities leave much to be desired.
Washington said the new Constituent Assembly, which was sworn in on August 4, was created "through an undemocratic process instigated by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros government to subvert the will of the Venezuelan people."

Those on the list included key members of the presidential commission for the assembly, including Adan Chavez, secretary of the commission and a brother of the former president.

Also on the list was Bladimir Humberto Lugo Armas, a National Guard commander whom the Treasury said was involved in an assault on the president of the national assembly, Julio Borges.

The sanctions place locks on any assets the individuals might have in the United States, and bans any US Americans or American companies, including banks with US offices, from doing business with them.

"President Maduro swore in this illegitimate Constituent Assembly to further entrench his dictatorship, and continues to tighten his grip on the country," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Mendoza is a giant in many ways.

In the most obvious way, it is the largest and most important wine region in one of the largest countries on earth -- a prodigious, wine-producing nation that consistently hovers around the No. 5 spot worldwide.

Metaphorically, the Mendoza region of Argentina is a giant for what it has done with, and for, malbec, its adopted and most-prized grape variety. Mendoza lies in western Argentina, at the foot of the Andes mountain range, about 650 miles west of the capital city of Buenos Aires.

The Andes give Mendoza its altitude, with some of its best vineyards rising to about 3,000 feet in elevation, and others soaring past 5,000 feet, providing a sunny, dry climate with cool nights. The province of Mendoza is divided into regions, one of which, Lujan de Cuyo, was named Argentina's first protected wine appellation in 1993. Another is the legendary Uco Valley (or Valle de Uco, as it often appears on labels), which includes the Tupungato, Tunuyan and San Carlos districts.

Argentina has been home to winemaking operations since the late 1500s, due in part to both friendly and hostile visitors from across the Atlantic Ocean in Spain. But it wasn't until the mid-1800s that malbec arrived in Argentina from France. This is when the sleeping giant's eyelids began to flutter, though it would be another century and a half before the giant was fully awake. They move slowly, giants.

In Cahors, the wine region in southwestern France where malbec was born, it's often a big wine full of heft and tannins--a good partner for the rich, local cuisine, such as cassoulet, duck confit, game meats, foie gras and black truffles. Argentine malbec is generally fruitier and less tannic than it is in Cahors, with hints of plum, blackberries, chocolate, earth and spice, plus a supple, velvety mouthfeel. Still, though, it's a great complement to big foods: steaks, burgers and just about any seared meat plucked from a flame-kissed grate. Argentines eat their locally grown, grass-fed beef like it's the only food there is, after all.

Malbecs from Argentina are no longer the across-the-board bargains that they once were (due, presumably, in part to an influx of foreign interest in the region), but there are still plenty of affordable bottles out there. While other grapes, including cabernet sauvignon and bonarda, are sometimes blended with malbec, many Mendoza malbecs are 100 percent varietals. Even in the case of blends, to be labeled a malbec in Argentina, the bottle must contain at least 85 percent of the grape.

Argentine malbecs, especially from within Mendoza, are relatively easy to find in shops and restaurants. Below are brief notes from a recent tasting. The bottles are listed in ascending order, according to price.

2015 Alamos malbec: This blend of 90 percent malbec, 6 percent syrah and 4 percent bonarda offers plum, blackberry, black cherry, smoke and vanilla, with a silky, soft texture. $13

2015 Bodega Argento malbec: Blackberry, plum, ripe dark cherry and a hint of toast are all present in this 100 percent malbec, aged 4 months in French and American oak. $14

2014 Kaiken Reserva malbec: Bright and jammy cherry and blackberry commingle with sweet oak and spice in this 96 percent malbec, 4 percent cabernet sauvignon blend. $14

2015 Don Miguel Gascon malbec: This 100 percent varietal offers bursts of blueberry, plum, herbs and mocha, plus a velvety texture and a long finish. $15

2014 Zuccardi Serie A malbec: Full of sweet black cherry, blackberry, herbs, minerality, tobacco and chocolate, this wine clocks in at 14.7 percent alcohol. $15

2014 Tomero malbec: From the Uco Valley, this easy-drinking 100 percent varietal offers plum, tobacco, cherry, chocolate and a touch of spice on the finish. $17

2014 Terrazas de los Andes Reserva malbec: Ripe and juicy dark fruits are accompanied by zingy acidity, spice and vanilla in this elegant, floral wine. $20

2014 Vina Cobos Felino malbec: Blackberry, vanilla and loads of cedar come through in this beautiful wine, which is surprisingly fresh and lively with a lingering finish. $20

2014 Trivento Golden Reserve malbec: Made of 100 percent malbec, this one starts with ripe dark fruits and leads to savory herbs, tobacco, tangy acidity and grippy tannins. $21

2014 Achaval-Ferrer malbec: Plum, earth, herbs, cigar box, ripe and vibrant dark fruits, tobacco, tangy acidity and a long, layered finish sum up this 100 percent varietal. $25

2014 Bodega Septima Septima Obra malbec: Cherry-strawberry bubble gum, a tiny note of banana taffy, silky texture and vibrant acidity made this one of the tasting's best. $25
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  A former University of Illinois-Springfield employee accused of raping a 17-year-old Chinese exchange student has been sentenced to more than six years in prison.

Xuesong "Gary" Yang, 54, who was involved in the school's foreign-exchange program, pleaded guilty in June to aggravated criminal sexual abuse and obstruction of justice. He was sentenced Tuesday, the Springfield Journal-Register reported.

Yang helped the girl in August 2016 relocate from China to the central Illinois campus, where she planned to take classes. Investigators allege Yang invited the girl to his office the day after she arrived, on her 17th birthday, and forced her to drink alcohol.

The teen passed out, and Yang sexually abused her, according to Sangamon County State's Attorney John Milhiser. Yang called the victim days later and threatened to send her back to China if she didn't engage in sex with him again, Milhiser said.

Yang was arrested after the victim told another student she'd been raped.

"She is still suffering emotional damage done at the hands of the defendant," the prosecutor said during Tuesday's sentencing hearing.

Yang asked Judge Leslie Graves for mercy and repeatedly told the judge he was sorry, calling his actions an "unspeakable offense." His lawyer had asked for probation, noting Yang had no prior criminal history, was remorseful and complied with terms of his release.

But the judge responded by calling Yang a "predator" who took advantage of a teenager with no one else to turn to. Graves said she appreciated Yang's remorse, but said she thought most of his comments centered on how the actions affected him and not the victim.

"Mr. Yang is every parent's nightmare," the judge said. "I can't imagine what she went through."

The victim was in China during the sentencing hearing, but she sent a video explaining that she was still afraid to return to the university and believes Yang will retaliate against her and her family.
By PTI: By Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Aug 8 (PTI) Nepals immigration officials are colluding with human traffickers at the international airport in Kathmandu to illegally send workers, including women, to the Gulf, a parliamentary report said today.

The report found that 60 per cent of illegal migrant workers travel to the Gulf countries via TIA and the remaining 40 per cent vis India, Sri Lanka and China.

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The parliamentary committee has sought punishment to the guilty officials at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), according to sources.

Led by Prabhu Sah, the committee prepared the report after visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE for 10 days in March.

The committee had suggested the government to ban Nepali people from travelling to the Gulf countries as domestic workers in April after the field visits.

"It has been found that 60 per cent of the Nepali workers taken to the Gulf countries as domestic helps had travelled through the TIA on visit visa or in collusion with the officials at the immigration office, security personals, airline staffers and agents," said a member of the probe committee citing the report.

"We have suggested identification of those involved in the illegal work and punish them immediately," he said.

The parliamentary panel in its report has also suggested mandatory labour agreement with destination countries and renewal of existing agreements.

The report has also suggested that service charge to the human resource companies should be paid through the banking channel to trace if any manpower company has been charging extra amount.

The panel has also suggested appointing a lawyer at Nepali embassies in the Gulf countries for fighting cases involving Nepali migrant workers.

It has blamed the concerned government agencies for their apathy towards the rampant human trafficking.

Organised human trafficking and smuggling, indifference of the state authorities in controlling trafficking and smuggling, deception of human resource agencies, exploitation through double work permit, sponsorship system, lack of adequate accommodation and food, ineffective diplomatic mission among others have been identified as major problems.

The decision of the government to send Nepali migrant workers with minimum expense has been a complete failure, the report said.

Nepali workers have complained that they had to pay amounts between Rs 50,000 to Rs 900,000 for jobs in various Gulf countries, it added. PTI SBP CPS

--- ENDS ---
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  The Illinois Senate will meet Sunday to deal with Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto of a school funding measure.

Senate President John Cullerton issued a statement Wednesday. But the Chicago Democrat did not specifically mention a vote to override the Republican governor's amendatory veto.

The measure introduces an "evidence-based" funding model to improve fairness in state aid to public schools. It would ensure no school gets less than it got this year and then funnels money first to districts with more poverty and other needs.

Rauner used an amendatory veto to remove a portion of the legislation that he says is too generous to Chicago Public Schools.

Cullerton says work on a compromise continues. The first state-aid payment was supposed to be provided Thursday.

___

The bill is SB1.
ROCK ISLAND  Rock Island-Milan board members on Tuesday heard an update on the district's use of the integrated math program at the high school and standards-based grading at the junior high level. The board also voted down contracts to support EngageNY curriculum.

High school math teacher Tim Corwin said the integrated math curriculum has been successful in reducing the math failure rate at the high school. He reported at the end of the 2015 school year there were 191 students failing in math. That number declined to 159 in 2017.

The district began phasing in the program, which teaches algebra, geometry and geometry II concurrently, with freshmen students in fall 2014. The district's aim was to better prepare students for college and careers.

Despite the positive gains in reducing failures, Mr. Corwin said the district will need to decide in the near future if Rock Island High School will continue being the only high school in the area offering an integrated math program. Mr. Corwin said students who transfer into the program from other local districts are sometimes struggling to transition to it.

The district's seven-year contract for integrated math concludes in two years, and Mr. Corwin said the math department will begin discussing future options beginning this school year.

The board also heard from Washington Junior High School principal Kristin Allen and Edison Junior High School Principal Christi Thigpen on the many efforts to make parents and students fully aware of the standards-based grading at the junior high level and the changes that have been made based on parent feedback. Ms. Thigpen said the scale changed from last year to better differentiate in certain areas, particularly the difference between exceeding the standard and being proficient in an area.

The standards-based grading scale is used for kindergarten through eighth grade students in the district and ranges from 4, being exemplary understanding, to 1, being does not understand.

It is for our students and for our parents to better understand 'where am I now' and 'what explicitly do I need to do to get better,' Ms. Allen said of the 4-1 scale.

Assistant superintendent Kathy Ruggeberg said standards-based grading aims to better inform parents and students on individual progress. She said the approach also answers parents' demands for more comments on report cards to alert them how their students are doing.

Additionally Tuesday, board members voted down $132,050 in EngageNY contracts for service, with board members Terell Williams, Gary Rowe, Marji Boeye and Kevin Nolan voting against the purchase. Ms. Ruggeberg said the contracts included professional development and evaluation of staff. Title funds would have been used for the purchase.

Superintendent Mike Oberhaus and board member Dave Rockwell said they did not see the concern some expressed that approving the contracts would cause some staff to believe the informal walk-through evaluations would impact a teacher's summative evaluation. Mr. Nolan said he could not support the purchase because of the feedback he has gained from those at the high school who say they are not supportive of this and the miscommunication that he believes is causing unease.

Mr. Williams said the district in general has to do a better job of planning how to evaluate a program and build that cost into the program prior to ever launching it. Mr. Williams said by the administration asking for this purchase now, it showed him that we really didn't understand or know what we were doing as evaluators.

In other business, board members:

 Entered closed session to discuss approving administrator contracts and non-categorical employees' salaries. The board did not return to open session to take action before deadline.

 Recognized all new full-time employees of the district

 Recognized the Charles O. Austin Jr. Scholars for the 2017-18 school year as presented by high school principal Eric Moore and Julie Hansen, daughter of Charles O. Chuck Austin III, who died July 7. Ms. Hansen said her father taught in the district 31 years and her grandfather was principal of the high school from 1951 to 1965 and served as superintendent of the district for seven years.
ROCK ISLAND  The Quad Cities Iowa-Illinois Metropolitan Planning Area Transportation Technical Committee tracking trail data from paths in the Quad-Cities.

The committee met Tuesday at the Bi-State Regional Commission in Rock Island after a hiatus. Brian Schmid, senior planner for BSRC, provided an update on the trail counting program begun in 2013.

"An infrared light shoots across the trail and picks up heat signatures," he said. "Knowing where to place the trail counters is really important because people, pets, vegetation, automobiles and sunlight would trigger a count.

"Twenty feet is the optimal distance, but it can go up to 40 feet," he said. "The sites that we have the most data for is Davenport, Bettendorf and Rock Island and we usually leave them up for about a month during the summers."

The technology can accurately determine the usage of area trails for transportation planning, recreation activities and grant preparation, according to the Bi-State website.

Trails currently being tracked include Sylvan Slough and the Arsenal Island Trail Bridge in Rock Island; Lindsay Park and Marquette Street in Davenport; Middle Park, Leach Park and Scenic Overlook in Bettendorf; among others.

"Part of the reason we started the program is to help support the 150 miles of existing trails in the area with issues  like how will we maintain those in the future, as well as do we want to build another 150 miles of trails so that we will have 300 miles of trails in the metro area," said Gena McCullough, Planning Director for BSRC. "It's good data and a good resource."

Area trails can be found using an interactive map Bi-State helped develop at qctrails.org/trails. For more information on Bi-State and the trail counting program visit bistateonline.org.
Aliens of mystery planet Nibiru created human race, and now, the planet is about to collide with Earth in September, say conspiracy theorists. We might die in 45 days, if the theory comes true.

By India Today Web Desk: If conspiracy theorists are to be believed, a planet will clash with Earth in September. To further reaffirm this, they believe that the coming solar eclipse will call for the apocalypse.

On Monday, August 21, 2017, all of North America will witness an eclipse of the sun for the first time in 99 years, where Moon will pass in front of the sun, casting darkness across swathes of the Earth's surface.

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It is called the Great American Eclipse and is a once-in-a-lifetime celestial spectacle.

David Meade, who authored 'Planet X - The 2017 Arrival' asserts that the planet, Nibiru, also know as Planet X, will crash into Earth on September 23, 2017.

If one is to believe in that, then you have some 40 days to find a bunker and store essentials like food and water, maybe books to feed the soul for whatever days you are left with.

But then, one is sent into a fix because scientists deny Nibiru's existence.

However, Meade believes -- or is rather convinced -- that he is right, after having stumbled upon some passages from The Bible to justify his claims.

Meade earlier said that Nibiru will mark the end of Earth in October, but now he has fixed his mind on September, only until he changes his mind again.

THE BIBLE PASSAGES AND CONSPIRACY THEORISTS

According to media reports, Meade and other conspiracy theorists don't have evidence to keep their theory erect, but are leaning on passages from The Bible to support their theory.

They claim that The Bible passages and the solar eclipse's existence support the idea that the end of times is approaching.

Meade told a news portal this month, "The Great American Eclipse of August 21, 2017, is a major - huge - harbinger."

The conspiracy theorist points to warnings in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, Chapter 13, Verses 9 to 10, which reads, "See, the Day of the Lord is coming - a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger - to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it.

"The Stars of Heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising Sun will be darkened and the Moon will not give its light."

Meade says this passage is connected to what he has dubbed the "33 Convergence", where a strand of coincidences all include the number 33.

UNDERSTANDING THE 33 CONVERGENCE BETTER TAKING HELP OF THE BIBLE

"When the eclipse begins on August 21, the sunrise will be dark, just as Isaiah predicts," Meade says.

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"The moon involved is called a black moon. These occur about every 33 months. In the Bible, the divine name of Elohim appears 33 times in Genesis.

He added: "The eclipse will start in Lincoln Beach, Oregon - the 33rd state - and end on the 33rd degree of Charleston, South Carolina. Such a solar eclipse has not occurred since 1918, which is 99 years - or 33 times three."

Thirty three days after the US' total solar eclipse - on the 23 September - the stars will align just as the book of Revelation says they will, before the world ends.

"This indeed is an amazing omen and a frightful sign," according to Meade.

NIBIRU, CREATION OF EARTH AND ALIENS

NASA has debunked the unseen planet. Nibiru, or Planet X, was first mentioned in 1976 by Zecharia Sitchin in his cult book 'The 12th Planet'.

The mysterious planet is believed to be home to a race of ancient aliens called the Annunaki, who are thought to be behind the creation of human race.

Author of the UFO Investigations Manual -- Nigel Watson -- supports Sitchin's idea.

"Nibiru collided with a planet called Tiamat that was situated between Mars and Jupiter. The result was the creation of the asteroid belt and planet Earth.

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"Nibiru is populated by the Anunnaki, an advanced humanoid race, who visited Earth thousands of years to mine gold in Africa.

"As an outcome of needing workers to carry out these mining operations they used genetics to create Homo Sapiens," Watson said.

The prediction has been wandering around us since decades but the Nibiru prediction of it colliding with earth has definitely caught the attention of many.

However, these doomsday predictions have never actually materialised.

FYI || TRAPPIST-1 is 40 light-years away: NASA discovers 7 earth-like planets which may have alien life on surface ||

FYI || TRAPPIST-1 is flaring a lot: Newly discovered planets might not have stable conditions for life to exist ||

FYI || New-found exoplanet 'Super-Earth' could host alien life ||

--- ENDS ---
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Stephen C. Tobias, former Norfolk Southern Vice Chairman and Chief Operations Officer, died Aug. 7. He was 72.

A 40-year veteran of Norfolk Southern, Tobias achieved an unparalleled legacy for employee safety and operational efficiency, NS said in a statement. Under his leadership, NS won 15 consecutive Harriman Gold Medal Awards for the best safety performance of any railroad in the U.S.

Tobias joined NS predecessor railroad Norfolk & Western Railway in 1969 as a Junior Engineer. He went on to serve in positions of increased responsibility including: Terminal Trainmaster, Superintendent, General Manager, Vice President of Transportation, Vice President of Strategic Planning, Senior Vice President Operations, and Executive Vice President Operations. In 1998, he was named Vice Chairman and Chief Operations Officer, the position he held until his retirement in 2009.

In 2008, Railway Age named Tobias Railroader of the Year, calling him a true thoroughbred among operating officers.

Tobias was appointed to the Canadian Pacific board of directors by shareholders at the annual meeting in May 2012 as a result of a successful proxy contest and was appointed Interim CEO at that time. As Interim CEO, he helped steer CPs transformation from May 2012 until the appointment of Hunter Harrison in June 2012, CP spokesman Martin Cej told Railway Age. He was also Chair of the Safety, Operations and Environment Committee from June 2012 until May 2015 and served on CPs Management Resources and Compensation and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committees.

Tobias influenced countless NS employees during his career, including David Goode, Mark Manion, Deb Butler and Terry Evans, who share their remembrances here:

David Goode, former Chairman, President and CEO: Steve was COO for most of the years I was Chairman, President and CEO. He was a tower of strength for me and the company. He was a great railroader and, I believe, the best operations man in the business.

Mark Manion, former Executive Vice President and COO: Steve was Assistant Superintendent at Bellevue (Ohio) Terminal when I first met him as a management trainee. While he wouldnt have remembered me, he made an immediate impression as being a hard-charging operating supervisor. That is in fact what he was throughout his career. I was fortunate to learn from him and to know him personally when I left a Trainmasters position and worked as his assistant when he became the first General Manager to cross railroads following the Southern-N&W merger.

Steve was a tough-minded, sharp operating person. And while he ascended to a high rank within the company, he always stayed true to his rootsthe roots he drew from that shaped his career, including growing up on a farm outside of Roanoke, Va., his years at The Citadel, and his early experiences in field operations. All this served to mold him into a commanding leader who pursued operating excellence.

Deb Butler, former Executive Vice President Planning and CIO: I first met Steve Tobias in 1988, when he was a General Manager in Transportation, and I was a Manager in the Car Distribution & Utilization department. Over the ensuing years, Steve became first, my boss, then a mentor, and finally, a valued confidante and friend. He taught me how to be tough, and he taught me how to hunt.

He was a demanding leader who expected excellence and held his people to the same high standards to which he held himself. He could inspire both fear and loyalty with equal intensity. He was smart and visionary, an industry leader in safety and an advocate of the concept of what he called scheduled railroading long before we heard a similar term elsewhere in the industry. He loved the rail business, but he loved his family and friends even more. Steve was one of the great ones, and its hard to imagine this industry without him in it.

Terry Evans, Vice President, Transportation: I worked with Steve in different roles for almost 30 years. He was a great leader and mentorone of the very best railroaders Ive had the opportunity to work with at NS. He poured everything he had into the operation. He had many sayings and teaching quotes: Discipline is training that makes punishment unnecessary, and Good ideas are where you find them.
By PTI: By M Zulquernain

Lahore, Aug 8 (PTI) A 22-year-old Pakistani woman and her husband were today shot dead by her brother outside a local court in Pakistans Punjab province in the latest incident of honour killing in the country.

According to police, Kulsoom Bibi had come to the Multan High Court, some 350-km from Lahore, for a hearing along with her husband Rafaqat when her brother 17-year-old Zulqarnain reached there and opened fire on them.

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Kaloom died on the spot while Rafaqat succumbed to his injuries in a hospital. The couples lawyer also suffered bullet injuries who was shifted to a hospital where his condition is stated to be critical.

Kalsoom recently had contracted marriage with Rafaqat against the will of her family.

The womans family had filed a petition in the court taking a plea that Rafaqat had abducted Kalsoom and forcefully married her.

The officials termed the incident "an act of honour killing".

Zulqarnain, after killing the couple, surrendered himself before the police and confessed to his crime.

"I have killed my sister and her lover for disgracing the family honour," Multan police official Raza Ali quoted him as saying.

Last month, a 20-year-old Pakistani woman and a man she was having an affair were hacked to death allegedly by her father and brother in Karachi.

Hundreds of women are murdered every year in Pakistan, often by their own relatives, for marrying against their families wishes.

Last year, over 1,100 women were killed in Punjab in the name of honour. PTI MZ KJ

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OK
Reuters, August 6, 2017





Insurgents have attacked a village in the northern Afghan province of Sar-e Pul, killing as many as 50 people, including women and children, according to officials.

The militants attacked a security outpost in the Mirza Olang area of Sayaad district overnight, torching 30 houses, Zabihullah Amani, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said on Sunday.

He said fighting was still going on but as many as 50 people, including children, women and elderly men, most of them members of the largely Shia Hazara community, may have been killed, according to village elders.

They were killed in a brutal, inhumane way, he said. Seven members of the Afghan security forces were also killed as well as a number of insurgents.

Many details of the attack, including the identity of the insurgents, were not immediately clear. Amani said they were a mixed group of Taliban and Islamic State fighters. However, the Taliban denied involvement, dismissing the claim as propaganda.

Although the Taliban and Isis are usually enemies, the allegiance of their forces is occasionally fluid, with fighters from both groups sometimes changing sides or cooperating with militants from other groups.

A senior government official in Kabul said that more security forces, including Afghan air force attack aircraft, were being sent to the scene.

Fighting has intensified this year across Afghanistan, with dozens of incidents recorded every day. In the first half of the year 1,662 civilians were killed and 3,581 injured, according to UN figures.
Last week, Michael Brendan Dougherty wrote a piece here calling for the U.S. to refrain from sending further arms to Ukraine. Unfortunately, the piece betrayed a lack of familiarity with the post-Soviet space and a broader ignorance of regional dynamics and came to a conclusion anathema to American interests, both current and future. Dougherty's conclusion  that President Trump, despite support from Congress and those in the White House, should hold off on delivering anti-tank missiles to Ukraine  rests on a handful of points ...
The White House's pledge to put "America First" in its policymaking implies that the president has a responsibility to prioritize his country's problems over the rest of the world's. But making good on that promise isn't as easy as it sounds. After all, the foreign policies of great powers are crafted, not imposed.

If we can assume that every nation follows its own interests, we can also expect the executor of its foreign policy to make sense of a complex geopolitical landscape by internalizing the imperatives and constraints shaping the behavior of itself and its peers. In part this means identifying potential points of competition and collaboration, giving priority to the issues that pose a strategic threat to the republic. It also means teasing out and testing implications, determining the most critical points of stress that demand attention. Excessive ambition, whether driven by egotism or romanticism, will inevitably seep into the foreign policy realm, but it can be tamed. And the greater the power, the more tools at its disposal to form a policy designed to subtly steer its adversaries and allies toward its desired course without any party losing face.

Of course, this approach doesn't preclude conflict. A successful foreign policy, however, will anticipate, manage and even harness clashes to ensure a balance of power that is ultimately intended to preserve the might of the republic. The unique collection of foreign policy challenges facing the United States today will require a particularly deft hand to address as Washington looks to parse the unavoidable disputes from the avoidable ones, and to prepare Americans for them. But the ongoing power struggle between the ideologues and professionals on the White House's policy team seems certain to only intensify, leaving little room for strategic planning and ample room for error in some of the world's most pressing conflicts.

If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It

Consider Venezuela, where a government led by the narco politicians largely responsible for the economy's self-destruction is using a constituent assembly to create a one-party state. Naturally the United States doesn't want a failed Venezuelan state to destabilize its Caribbean sphere of influence. Unfettered narco states thrive on American drug consumption and create a robust market for arms traffickers, which in turn spawns violent crime and waves of migration. Even during the reign of Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, the United States managed to find institutional partners in Bogota with which to join forces and tackle the multidimensional threat posed by the narco state. Imagine how difficult it will be to do the same in Caracas once narco politicians have formalized their position in power, all while persistent clashes between security forces and protesters give rise to humanitarian calls for an intervention.

Though policymakers in Washington feel compelled to respond to this blatant power grab, the nature of their response matters tremendously. By all appearances, the U.S. administration is preparing new hard-hitting sanctions that set Venezuela's all-important energy sector, in addition to specific individuals, in their crosshairs. The sanctions could target the state-run Petroleos de Venezuela, ban U.S. light crude exports to Venezuela and cut off Venezuelan oil imports; such comprehensive measures would essentially accelerate the country's downward spiral. Depending on the sanctions' scope, dollars from Venezuela's vital oil trade will dry up, severe shortages in basic goods will become intolerable, unrest will intensify, and splits within the ruling party, military or both will risk the government's collapse, creating a mess that no one player will be willing or able to clean up.

So, the United States will have to weigh its options. Does it make strategic sense to exacerbate the Venezuelan crisis, knowing that there are still other, larger foreign policy matters that need Washington's attention? Or should it avoid a premature crash by incrementally increasing sanctions, undermining the most incorrigible elements in Caracas, and working with those desperate enough to strike a deal to create a softer landing for the Caribbean state?

Iran can be seen through a similar lens. The past week has brought to light a particularly raucous debate within the White House over whether the executive branch would consider Iran to be in compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The deal's five other signatories, the International Atomic Energy Agency and foreign policy professionals within the administration  Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and Secretary of Defense James Mattis, to name a few  maintain that Tehran is abiding by the terms of the agreement. But President Donald Trump and a group of like-minded staffers seem determined to make the case that Iran is not in compliance with the deal's stipulations, and they have raised the prospect of the United States' unilaterally withdrawing from the deal when it reviews Iran's compliance again in 90 days.

Rather than basing this assessment on the deal's actual terms, the president and his allies have founded their position on the United States' other grievances with Iran, including its weapons testing and support of regional militant groups, as well as a general belief that Tehran should be treated as an axis of evil. But does it make strategic sense to abandon the agreement, when doing so will renew the prospect of a military confrontation in the Persian Gulf and when the United States lacks the European support needed to keep effective sanctions in place against Iran? Or will Washington take into account that the Iranian government will not be easily uprooted by force, is serious enough about keeping the nuclear deal in place and already has its hands full in competing with its neighbors for influence? If the United States' goal is to avoid further destabilizing the Middle East while it has so many other foreign policy conundrums to grapple with, then relying on the more subtle tools of covert intelligence to maintain oversight of Iran's nuclear program while playing off existing tensions between Iran and the Middle East's major Sunni powers may be a more effective way to keep Tehran's ambitions in check than single-handedly reigniting a nuclear crisis that could easily consume the United States' military capacity.

When It Comes to Russia, Proceed With Caution

Meanwhile, for all the recent drama surrounding the U.S.-Russia relationship, Washington's policy toward Moscow is fairly straightforward. Aware of the internal issues it faces in the coming years, the Kremlin is trying to reach an understanding with the United States and the West at large that recognizes Russia's sphere of influence in the former Soviet Union. For instance, by trying to draw the line at NATO's expansion and persuade the West to lift its sanctions, Moscow hopes to insulate itself from the United States and its allies while it is still powerful enough to do so.

To this end, Russia has devoted a considerable amount of energy to inserting itself into conflicts where the United States has a vested interest. There, Moscow believes, it can build a collection of carrots and sticks that it can use to steer Washington toward more fruitful negotiations. The United States isn't pitted against Russia in an ideological war, as it was during the Cold War, and there is certainly room for cooperation between them in some areas of mutual interest. But Russian concessions  even on tactical matters  often come with hefty price tags attached, and selling out European allies on Moscow's doorstep is simply too steep a cost for Washington to pay. Even without the immense complications created by Russia's information operations against the U.S. administration and by Congress' growing compulsion to check the president's influence over Washington's Russia policy, Moscow and Washington will remain fundamentally at odds with each other on several fronts. Nevertheless, the United States will need to stay alert to areas of emerging conflict where Russia will attempt to throw a wrench in Washington's plans  not least of which is North Korea.

The Real Fight Is in Asia

When it comes to Venezuela, Iran and Russia, the United States still has options in how it chooses to proceed. Depending on how carefully it weighs the implications of its own actions, it can either exacerbate or temper the threats stemming from each country. North Korea, on the other hand, leaves the United States with dangerously little room to maneuver.

Pyongyang and Washington have passed the point of viable negotiation. North Korea is on track to develop a nuclear deterrent, and as it nears the point of possessing a reliable nuclear weapon and delivery system capable of striking the continental United States, Washington will be compelled to seriously consider military action against it. That decision will fall to the Trump administration, perhaps within the next 18 months. In trying to forgo military action, the United States will be forced to rely on China's and Russia's cooperation in sanctions or covert action intended to destabilize the North Korean government and thwart its nuclear ambitions. Yet even as Washington pursues this policy out of diplomatic necessity, it knows it is unlikely to bear fruit. Because as much as they dislike the idea of a nuclear North Korea on their doorstep, China and Russia do not want to face the broader repercussions of an unstable Korean Peninsula or open the door to a bigger U.S. military footprint in the region.

And so, the two states will try to get as much as they can out of negotiations with the United States as they try to push Washington toward inaction. Unable to rely on the clout of China and Russia to moderate North Korea's behavior, the United States will resist their demands to curb its military presence in the Asia-Pacific as the North Korean nuclear threat mounts. Washington's need to address the North Korean threat will thus clash with Beijing's own imperative to consolidate its maritime sphere of influence, raising the stakes in an increasingly complicated conflict zone.

The beat of the war drums in Northeast Asia is deafening compared with the low rumble emanating from Venezuela, Iran and Russia. But it is the confluence of these crises  some of which are more avoidable than others  that risks creating a foreign policy cacophony that even the political squabbles in Washington won't be able to drown out in the months to come.
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In a document accessed by India Today, two companies Ghousia Traders and Al Zaffar of Muzaffarabad belonging to Anjuman Zaman has been banned from cross border trade.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: In a first, authorities in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) has cracked down on two companies for terror funding after Jammu and Kashmir Police recently shared its investigation pertaining to Rs 300 crore drug haul which was busted by state police on July 21st this year.

In a document accessed by India Today, two companies Ghousia Traders and Al Zaffar of Muzaffarabad belonging to Anjuman Zaman has been banned from cross border trade.

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As per sources, this is a first ever instance when PoK authorities have cracked down on two companies on Indian authorities' behest.

The turnaround came when officials from both sides of the border met in Uri.

Investigation by Jammu and Kashmir Police shared during the meeting revealed cross LoC route was used by companies to fuel unrest and terror funding through drugs. Police also found that Pak agents were sending drugs under the camouflage of the Pakistani suits. Initially the charges were refuted, but later their own investigation proved Indian side to be right.

A senior Jammu and Kashmir Police officer confirmed to India today, "That government delegation from PoK admitted that some businessmen may be indulging in subversive activity at the behest of Pak intelligence ISI."

The drug bust by Baramulla Police seized 66.5 kilogram of Narcotics from Kaman post. The drugs (heroin and brown sugar) was headed from Muzzafarabad towards Uri. Syed Yousuf, a PoK resident, and a truck driver, has been arrested and a case was registered.

This assumes significance as the cross-LoC trade resumed on Tuesday after talks between the two-sides. The trade stopped after the drug haul was busted.

India Today was the first to show cross border terror funding through LoC trade.

ALSO READ:

Jammu and Kashmir: Police seize Rs 300 crore of heroin in major cross-LoC drug bust

Drugs found in Air India food trolley, insider's role suspected

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Ever since the name of Vikas Barala broke out in the Varnika Kundu stalking case, the police have been trying to shield the son of Haryana BJP chief with all its might.

By Manjeet Sehgal: While the BJP leadership has refused to take action against Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala whose son Vikas turned the party's slogan 'Beti Bachao' to 'Beta Bachao' and 'Beti Darao', the Chandigarh Police too are accused of diluting the stalking case. First, they dropped non-bailable sections to release the accused. Police had first added bailable sections of IPC such as 354-D (stalking, bailable first time) and 185 of Motor Vehicle Act (drunken driving).

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They had later announced inclusion of section 341 (wrongful restraint), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent to secretly and wrongfully confine a person ) and 511 (attempting to commit offences). However, the charges were dropped by quoting the victim's statement recorded under section 164 of CrPC saying she did not say anything about abduction.

Police were caught making white lies twice about the kidnapping attempt. When questioned why section 365 or 511 were not applied, they kept on saying that the victim did not speak about the kidnapping attempt. A careful scrutiny of the victim's complaint and statement, however, clearly mentions that she used 'attempt to kidnap' phrase prominently. Senior police officers were also caught contradicting their own statements. DSP Satish Kumar initially said the accused have been booked under sections 365, 341 and 511; and 185 of MVA.

Later, the same officer said the victim's statement and her Facebook post did not match, and so they dropped sections 365 and 511, and released the accused. The same officer had also said that CCTV footage was missing. SSP Eish Singhal had said on August 7 that he will not comment on CCTV footage.

However, within hours, a junior officer claimed that police had obtained footage from five cameras. Eyebrows were raised as the announcement was made after the Home ministry sought a report on the entire episode. Why did Singhal not tell anything about the footage and left the conference in the middle when journalists questioned him?

Also, police did not arrest the accused, but rather 'entertained' them. The accused, Vikas and Ashish, were arrested on paper, but were in fact kept as guests at the sector 26 police station. Insiders said police offered them cold coffee and released them secretly to save them from media glare. Though police said they were not influenced, but developments in the case suggest otherwise.

Allegations of police turning a blind eye to the Barala family's wrongdoings have been made for long. Two other members of the family accused of abducting a minor girl are also roaming free. Fatehabad Police are yet to arrest Vikram and Kuldeep, cousins of Vikas, who along with two others are accused of kidnapping a minor girl.

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Also Read:

Chandigarh stalking: After SC lawyer, BJP spokesperson Shaina NC shares photo to spread fake narrative

We shall NOT back out: Chandigarh stalking victim's father makes stand clear in Facebook post

WATCH : Chandigarh woman stalked by Haryana BJP chief's son narrates ordeal to India Today

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Steps such as safeguard duty in the works to plug the route

A month after Goods and Services Tax (GST) roll-out, a sudden deluge of gold imports from free trade partner South Korea has alarmed New Delhi.

Swinging into action, the government is examining several options, including levy of safeguard duty on gold imports from South Korea to plug the route.

Officials brainstormed on the matter through Tuesday, it is learnt. Among others, revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia met commerce secretary Rita Teaotia to assess the situation.

In July itself, 8,400 kg of gold, essentially in coins, came to the country from South Korea, compared to almost nil last year in the same month.

Sources said that traders may be exploiting the favourable reduction in tax incidence under GST by routing imports through Seoul, to take advantage of the India-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the free trade pact.

''There is a sharp rise in gold imports after GST implementation, only from South Korea. We are looking at all options available to us as this is a big cause of concern.

Before July, we were not getting gold coins or gold medallions, which we are getting now,'' said a senior government official.

He added that the FTA route should not be misused as it is going to impact the local domestic market.

The ministry of finance recently notified rules under the India-Korea FTA, empowering the Director General of Safeguards to slap duty on such imports.

Currently, gold imports attract 10 per cent basic customs duty and 3 per cent integrated goods and services tax (IGST).

However, import from Korea is exempted from customs duty under the 2009 agreement, and the importer only has to pay 3 per cent IGST.

Until June, the excise duty on gold and jewellery was 12.5 per cent, which was acting as a countervailing duty for imports under the free trade agreement.

From July, the excise duty was subsumed in the GST, and hence the protection from gold import under the treaty has also gone.

'Korea is not a gold manufacturing country. So, certainly yellow metal imports from a third country are being routed from there to take advantage of the zero duty available under the FTA,'' the official quoted above added.

According to sources, there is a possibility of 10 per cent safeguard duty being levied on gold imports from South Korea.

However, the rate will be finalised after preliminary findings from the DG-Safeguards are received.

The finance ministry is also learnt to have urged the commerce ministry to consider hiking basic customs duty under the bilateral FTA from zero.

Safeguard duty is a WTO-compatible temporary measure that is brought in for a certain timeframe to avert any damage to a country's domestic industry from cheap imports.

Indias comprehensive free trade pact with Korea came into effect from 2010. Under the pact, India agreed to eliminate duties on 75 per cent of products imported from South Korea on a custom-value basis during the eight years from 2010.

South Korea agreed to remove duties on 93 per cent of products from India during the same period.

After several complaints, the finance ministry on August 4 notified the India-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Bilateral Safeguard Measures) Rules, 2017.

The ministry said the industry shall make a formal complaint to the DG, Safeguards, explaining how the zero duty import was adversely impacting it.

Industry officials say gold was mostly trading at a discount last month, and the demand was also weak after the implementation of the GST.

As a result, gold imports nosedived to around 30 tonnes, of which 15 to 20 per cent is estimated to have taken place from Korea under zero duty.

Surendra Mehta, secretary, Indian Bullion and Jewellers Association, said, ''Zero duty imports hurt genuine jewellers as their business became unviable.

We have complained to the government in past and now we will again complain to the DG-Safeguards.''

A sources said, ''Since the issue is arising due to the treaty between the two countries, the government has moved with safeguard measure to make it legally tenable.''

However, the increased duty can remain in force only for a period not exceeding 200 days from the date of its imposition.

The government is also considering verifying rules of origin (ROO) certificates of the importers, to ensure that a minimum value addition has been done in Korea.

In 2013, government raised the issue of violation of value addition norms by Thailand and alerts against them were issued. In 2015, it plugged gold imports routed through Indonesia, with the customs department asking importers of jewellery at 1 per cent duty to submit bank guarantee worth 15 per cent in case if 1 per cent duty is not permissible.

Photograph: Heinz-Peter Bader/Reuters
While Bibek Debroy echoed his view in Twitter, Pronob Sen questioned Kumar's conclusion

A war of words over foreign influence on Indian policymaking broke out on Tuesday after NITI Aayog vice-chairman-designate Rajiv Kumar suggested in a newspaper column that Indian-American economists were fading away as part of the ongoing policy transformation in the government.

Kumar had referred to the exit of incumbent NITI Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya and former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan, and wrote that if Lutyens Delhi rumours are to be believed, more such resignations can come.

Kumar also said that as a result of this transformation, the country might witness appointment of individuals with much better understanding of Indias ground realities.

While Bibek Debroy, Kumars future colleague in the NITI Aayog, took to Twitter to echo his view, former chief statistician and principal director in the erstwhile Planning Commission Pronab Sen questioned Kumars conclusion.

The foreign influence wanes, so read the weather vanes. Filthy lucre of a foreign land/ Has sullied many a hand/ And fogged the brains, Debroy tweeted.

The tweet got an avalanche of response and the sarcasm was evident.

Washington-based Sadanand Dhume responded: All this is very well/ But its hard to sell/ Cambridge as a native school/ Oxford as a gurukul/ How some manage, pray tell.

Kumar did his D Phil from Oxford, and Debroy was in Cambridge.

Panagariya, who will be returning to Columbia University in the US as professor, told a TV channel that he did not want to comment on the issue.

He also refused to talk about his precedessor or successor.

Author Ravi Mantha wrote, Rushed back from distant shores / to join the rushing tide./ Stepped into manure for an uncertain tenure./ But luckily kept our foreign sinecure.

Sen, now country director for the International Growth Centres (IGC) India Central Programme, was more straightforward in his response.

I dont think it is an issue of whether home-grown economists are better than those who have worked abroad. To me the real issue is what your axiomatic approach to economics is.

Even best of the so-called home-grown economists were trained in the same pattern and approach in which the foreign-return ones were trained, he added.

Sen said there was no approach to economics which had been developed solely in India, except perhaps Kautilyas Arthashastra.

He said those who studied in Delhi University used the same paradigms to economics as those in Harvard did.

No good applied economists will sell or propagate his theory about a country until and unless he has aptly studied the economy of that country. Now, how long that study has to be is open to interpretation, Sen said.

Swadeshi Jagran Manch also joined in. Its chief, Ashwini Mahajan, said his organisation believed that economists who parachuted down to India and then flew away at their own convenience had little idea about the actual situation in the country.

They write big pieces about the Indian economy from abroad but have little or no understanding of Indian villages.

They are not sensitive to the condition of Indias deprived sections. These economists are open votaries of growth, but growth is not the panacea of all of Indias problems, he said.

We need a middle path. The SJM does not believe in Amartya Sens development model, nor we support the economic model suggested by Jagdish Bhagwati-Arvind Panagariya combine.

We need jobs and for that we need to focus on boosting our domestic manufacturing and not rely on imports, Mahajan said.

Image: NITI Aayog V-C elect Rajiv Kumar. Photograph: Courtesy, Rajiv Kumar's Twitter account.
Titan will become the latest Indian brand to ride on the back of the global e-retail major

Indias largest watchmaker Titan will tap into e-commerce giant Amazons global selling programme to begin shipping its products to customers in the US, even as it reinvents its product range locally to boost sagging sales.

Titan will join the likes of large Indian brands such as Amul, Fabindia and Manyavar which have ridden on the back of Amazon to sell their products globally.

Amazon claims to have over 23,000 Indian sellers who have listed over 63 million products on its global selling platform.

S Ravikant, chief executive officer, watches and accessories, Titan, said, E-commerce is the fastest growing channel for us and the US already has a mature e-commerce market.

The watchmaker will kick off its business in the US by introducing 500 models under the Titan and Fastrack brand names.

The company says it will price its products between $30 and $300, and is looking to establish itself before the year-end holiday sales season.

Ravikant said Titan would consider selling leather accessories, eyewear and bags from its many brands in the US in the coming months, but for now the company was only targeting the $12-billion watch market in the country.

The US will be the first overseas market for Titan where the company will begin selling online before it goes offline.

Gopal Pillai, director of seller services at Amazon India, said, We have 65 million products listed by Indian sellers on Amazons global marketplace. Brands like Amul are doing very well and some of these sellers are seeing over 100 per cent year-on-year growth in sales on Amazon.com.

For selling in the US, Titan will utilise Amazons own fulfilment services.

The e-commerce firm will stock its products at its warehouses near buyers. Amazon said it would be able to ship out Titan products to customers in the US within two days and can even offer one-day delivery in metros.

While Titan sells its watches in over 30 countries, only about 10 per cent of its annual sales is outside India.

The company hopes sales in the US will help drive exports.

In the quarter ended June, Titan saw watch exports grow in Southeast Asia. But sales slowed in the West Asian market, where there is a large Indian diaspora.

In the US, Amazon found that consumers were searching for the Titan brand, which prompted both firms to partner.

Ravikant did not comment on the possibility of selling jewellery, the business that drives maximum revenues for Titan in India, to customers in the US.

The US offline market is very big and would require big pockets to enter. Amazon does that for us, thats the value proposition, he said.

In the 1990s, Titan had explored selling in Europe by working with distributors in more than 12 countries but had to withdraw in 2007 after sustained losses and failure to create a dent in the market.

Photograph: Jayanta Shaw/Reuters
'How can the police, especially the Gujarat police, earn their laurels if they stick to the rule book?' asks lawyer Susan Abraham.

Tushar Kanti Bhattacharya's arrest on the early morning of Tuesday, August 8, as he was alighting from the Gitanjali Express returning home to Nagpur traversed many rules of criminal jurisprudence.

The 62-year-old semi-invalid -- he suffers from a chronic back ailment -- was arrested by the Gujarat police and whisked off to Nagpur airport to be taken on a flight to Surat.

Was he a fugitive?

An outlaw?

An absconder from a case?

None of these.

Bhattacharya was leading a normal middle class life with his wife Dr Shoma Sen, head of the department of English literature at Nagpur University, spending most of his waking hours doing freelance writing in Hindi and translations, being equally prolific in Hindi and English.

He was returning home to Nagpur from Kolkata after a longish stay with his government employee sister to rally legal help for his brother Aseem Bhattacharya who was lodged in Alipore jail in Kolkata.

He was not allowed to contact Shoma, or return home, and at the moment, his whereabouts are unknown.

By law, the Gujarat police ought to have sent a summons to the openly known address of his residence at Nagpur to appear before the concerned court and case in Gujarat.

Bhattacharya would have been able to make arrangements for his bail and presented himself without all the hungama (fuss).

But how can the police, especially the Gujarat police, earn their laurels if they stick to the rule book?

If the abduction was not brazen enough, what is more shocking is the case in which Bhattacharya was kidnapped by the Gujarat police.

It happens to be Crime Register No I-37 of 2010 with the Kamrej police station, Surat.

Bhattacharya is the 22nd person arrested in the case. All the 21 others have been released on bail.

This was another reason why the modus operandi -- abducting Bhattacharya -- from Nagpur was totally uncalled for.

The sections registered in the case against all the accused are, of course, serious in nature.

No less than Sections 120(B), 121(A), 124(A), 153(A) (B) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 38, 39 and 40 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 (amended in 2004 as the freshly minted anti-terror law after the successive repeal of TADA and POTA).

Some of the mandatory fields in the First Information Report registered by the Kamrej police station on 26.2.2010 reads like straight out of a Kafka novel.

Time - Any time till today.

Nature of offence - Creating of class conflict, and rousing feeling of dissatisfaction among religious minorities and tribals living in the forests by doing misleading propaganda, causing anti-national sentiments and so on.

Names against whom the FIR was lodged - Unknown members of CPI (Maoist) and others.

The background to this case is equally Kafakesque.

In the spate of arrests that took place all over the country post-2007, with the then UPA governments declaring Naxalism to be the 'biggest internal security threat', there were a spate of arrests in urban centres all over the country wherever the Maoists were leading struggles in adjoining rural areas.

Modi-led Gujarat, not to be left out of the reckoning on the map of curbing Maoists (which, of course, came with meaty budgetary allocations), created a case which as the Gujarat high court later observed was 'roving in nature'.

In fact, Justice Anant S Dave, while granting bail to the other accused in the case in Criminal Miscellaneous Application No 12435 of 2010 in Vishvanath @ VishuVardhrajan Aaiyar vs State of Gujarat in order dated 18.10.2010, noted 'forming a union or carrying out a movement in respect of labourers or tribals of the area to protect their statutory right as well as fundamental rights under the Constitution of India against a section of influenced and established group of the society and expression of anger or even writing or authoring any document or material or a book, cannot be considered as an anti-national activity amounting to waging a war against the nation.'

The most bizarre turn of events is this. Tushar Bhattacharya was already an undertrial in Cherlapally jail, Hyderabad, when the FIR in C R No I-37 of 2010 was registered on 26.2.2010.

He surely could not be accused of being a Houdini and committing the offence from behind bars!

The last and most incriminating part of the police kidnap drama is that Bhattacharya, while an undertrial lodged in Cherlapally jail, Hyderabad in 2010-2013, had made not one but two applications to the court of the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC), Khattor, under whose jurisdiction the case was lodged.

Having learnt that his name figured in the chargesheet, he plainly asked to be produced in the court as an accused if that really was the case.

The two letters are dated May 9, 2011 and July 22, 2011.

Why did the same Gujarat police not show any alacrity in having Bhattacharya produced in the court then?

In fact, Kobad Ghandy's name also figures in the same case.

Ghandy, a well known political activist who has been an undertrial since 2008 and is currently lodged in the Vishakapatnam central jail, has also written letters to the court of the JMFC, Khator to be produced in the case, but he too has not been produced in the case by the Gujarat police.

The Gujarat police knows fully well that Tushar Bhattacharya and Kobad Ghandy will eventually get the benefit of the bail order granted by the Gujarat high court to the other accused in the same case.

Why then this drama over Bhattacharya's abduction?

Does it have something to do with a desperate Gujarat government wanting to whip up some more nationalist frenzy through its media about persons unknown to the people of that state being nabbed as dreaded Maoists?
'You won't find such an apathetic indecisive party in the world.'

K C Tyagi, national general secretary and national spokesperson for the Janata Dal-United and a former member of Parliament, tells Archis Mohan that the Congress has lost the will to rule.

The Congress and others have accused Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of betraying the mandate of the 2015 Bihar assembly polls by joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The people's verdict was undoubtedly for a five-year chief ministerial term for Nitish Kumar.

It was a positive mandate for the good governance that Kumar has given to Bihar.

People had negated the BJP and sent out a message that in Bihar there was no one to compare with Kumar.

The verdict was consistent with the 2009 and 2010 results of Kumar's anti-corruption campaign.

In the 2015 assembly polls, Kumar took that campaign forward where good governance and an end to corruption were the key issues.

In 2009, three ministers, including one from the BJP, were sacked midway through the elections when corruption charges surfaced against them.

So, Kumar has a different mettle.

He has followed in the footsteps of the stalwarts of the Socialist movement who did their politics with honesty and had frugal lifestyles.

Is it the end of the Socialist movement in India or could it spark a new beginning?

The Socialist movement is on the decline. Its glory days are over.

There is no Ram Manohar Lohia, Acharya Narendra Dev, Jayaprakash Narayan or even a George Fernandes.

Kumar is the last practising Socialist of that ideological stream. However, there is immense hope from him.

It gives us pride when Kumar is rated the best chief minister in the country, and we consider it a tribute to the Socialist movement as well.

During your alliance with the BJP from 1996 to 2013, you differed with the party on core and contentious issues such as Article 370, Uniform Civil Code and Ram Janmabhoomi.

Would you take a stand as vociferously now on these issues?

During Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 13-day government, Fernandes and Kumar had an agreement with Atalji on good governance.

It was agreed that these contentious issues would not be raised -- that the court's order would be complied with in the case of the Ram Janmabhoomi, views would not be imposed on the question of the Uniform Civil Code and Article 370 would become a source of strength.

But now the fringe elements are determining the narrative.

The so-called cow vigilantes are causing social tensions. We have opposed this and will continue to raise our voice against such fringe elements.

We had never in the past compromised on core issues of not just the Socialist movement, but the larger secular movement as well, and will not in the future, too.

BIHAR'S POLITICAL DRAMA

Could the Kumar-led JD-U joining the National Democratic Alliance lead to plurality in the alliance, the kind of democratisation that existed during the years of Vajpayee and L K Advani?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi would need to take the initiative on this.

He would need to show inter-personal skills, behaviour and generosity of spirit that characterised Atalji.

This could help the NDA get more broad-based, comprehensive and attract more sections of society.

To this day, the youth in Kashmir feel excited at the mention of Vajpayee.

Yes, we want the Atal formula for Kashmir where he spoke of insaniyat (humanity), jamhooriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat.

Kashmir burns today. There is a need for a broad-based outlook there as well.

There are social tensions and aspirations of the deprived and marginalised sections of society for a greater stake in power.

The spark ignited by the incident in Una (in Gujarat), by the suicide of Rohith Vemula, and the fire reached Saharanpur (with Dalit protests) cannot be crushed by force.

We need to respond constructively to their struggle for socio-economic political empowerment.

I was happy that the Presidential candidates of both the NDA as well as the Opposition were Dalits.

Congress leaders have said Kumar left because his prime ministerial ambitions would have remained unfulfilled in the Grand Alliance.

Kumar's grandmother or great grandfather were not prime ministers. He was born to a common man, who had been a freedom fighter.

We are commoners and are not entitled to have such dreams. Only a certain class of people can have such dreams.

Kumar had categorically said that with two Lok Sabha seats he cannot expect to be the PM.

The Congress can now accuse us of anything, but we had been of the firm view that it was the bigger party and should take the initiative.

But you won't find such an apathetic indecisive party in the whole wide world.

This party has lost the will to rule.

Any party that aligns with the Congress would be debilitated and die.

It has been said the JD-U is back with the BJP as the move to ban liquor hurt revenue and the state government is in dire need of central funds.

Mahatma Gandhi advocated prohibition. Its legacy lies in India's struggle for freedom.

Gujarat was the first state to enforce a ban on liquor. Do not reduce it to something to do with revenue, or the loss of it.

In Bihar, on average Rs 30,000 crore (Rs 300 billion) worth of liquor was consumed annually, which brought Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 4,000 crore (Rs 30 billion to Rs 40 billion) revenue.

Yes, we have suffered the loss of that revenue, but in the process socially marginalised sections of society have saved Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250 billion), which is now being used to improve their standard of living and is being spent on education, health and other daily needs.

Incidence of domestic violence has reduced by 38 per cent. We are ignoring this aspect.

The political parties opposing Kumar today are also the very parties that opposed prohibition.

I want to say it on record that a big leader of our erstwhile Grand Alliance pressured Kumar to change his liquor ban decision.

Now that the JD-U is with the BJP, do you expect the PM to deliver on the Rs 1.25 lakh crore central funds he had promised the people of Bihar during the assembly polls?

What you say is correct.

We had raised this issue of central assistance to Bihar during the second term of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance's rule, and Sushil Modi (the current deputy CM and finance minister in the earlier JD-U-BJP government) was with us then.

The Bihar assembly had passed a unanimous resolution to demand grant of special status to Bihar. We had taken a promise from Modi as well.

Now that we have an alliance government, we expect the PM to deliver on his promise.

We have no other agenda but to construct a 'new Bihar', one of the best developed states of India, and provide good governance.

A big reason for the alliance with BJP is this.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) State-owned Punjab and Sind Bank (PSB) has registered a fall of 52.45 per cent in its net profit at Rs 25.37 crore for the first quarter to June of 2017-18 on account of surging bad loans.

Net profit in April-June of 2016-17 stood at Rs 53.35 crore.

Total income also fell to Rs 2,062.57 crore during the June quarter, as against Rs 2,279.11 crore in the same period of 2016-17.

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There was a spurt in the banks bad loan proportion as gross non-performing assets (NPAs) as a percentage of total advances rose to 11.33 per cent by June 30, 2017, as against 7.23 per cent as of June-end of 2016.

Net NPAs jumped to 7.94 per cent of net advances by June 2017, up from 5 per cent in the year-ago period.

In absolute terms, gross NPAs were Rs 6,693.36 crore by June-end of this fiscal, up from Rs 4,565.74 crore in the same period a year ago. Net NPAs stood at Rs 4,511.40 crore against Rs 3,078.41 crore earlier.

Provisions to cover bad assets moved up to Rs 259.20 crore for the quarter under review, from Rs 206.70 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal.

In comparison to the last quarter (March 2017), net profit of the bank as on June 30, 2017, surged to Rs 25.37 crore, registering a growth of 204.56 per cent.

"Net interest income increased from Rs 561.13 crore to Rs 565.79 crore, compared to the same period in the last fiscal," Bank CMD Jatinderbir Singh said in a statement.

Stock of the bank closed 2.03 per cent down at Rs 50.60 on the BSE. PTI KPM ARD ARD

--- ENDS ---
Amid the border standoff with China, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said the Indian armed forces are strong enough to meet any challenge to the country's security as he underlined that lessons have been learnt from the 1962 war.

He also said in the Rajya Sabha that the people of the country have a predominant wish of retrieving the parts of Jammu and Kashmir occupied by Pakistan since 1948.

Jaitley, while initiating a special debate to mark the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942, said India had faced many challenges over these decades but "we can proudly say the country became stronger with each challenge".

He said India had "learnt a lesson" from the 1962 war with China that "the armed forces will have be made fully capable on our own because even today the nation faces challenges from our neighbouring countries."

Compared to 1962, the armed forces were made stronger in 1965 and 1971 wars, Jaitley said.

In 1962, India had to face a war imposed by China and suffer severe reverses. However, in the wars of 1965 and 1971 thrust by Pakistan, India had emerged victorious.

"I agree that some challenges are still there. Some people are targeting our country's sovereignty and integrity. But I am fully confident that our brave soldiers have capabilty to keep our country secure, may it be challenges on the eastern border or the western border," he said.

"The armed forces can give any kind of sacrifice for the security of the nation," the defence minister asserted.

Jaitley's message assumes significance as it comes amid a two-month-long border standoff with China in Doklam even though he did not specifically mention it.

He also referred to the occupation of parts of J&K by Pakistan soon after the Independence.

"Initially (after Independence), we faced a crisis. Our neighbour had an eye on Kashmir. Even today, we cannot forget that a part of the country has got separated. It is a wish of every Indian today as to how to retrieve that part," the minister said.

Jaitley, who is Leader of the Rajya Sabha, said today was the day to commit to make India a strong, just and economically-progressive country.

He underlined the need for freeeing the country from all kinds of violence, be it in the name terrorism, politics or religion.

Jaitley said the country is facing a bigger challenge from terrorism and Left-wing extremism.

In a clear reference to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, he said a prime minister and a former prime minister had to lose their lives to terrorism.

Jaitley said people from across the border and also some people within the country who have taken to arms, are trying to spread terrorism especially in northern region of the country.

He said the security forces, including the army, the Central Reserve Police Force and the Jammu and Kashmir police have contributed a lot in fight against terrorist in J&K, though some incidents still take place.

Jaitley stressed that the House and the whole nation needed to commit in one voice to fight the menace of terrorism.

He also emphasised on probity in public life and reduction of money use in politics.

Emphasising that different religions and castes are an integral part of the country, Jaitley said it is important to manitain harmony in the country.

The minister said there should be no place in the country for violence in the name of politics, religion and terrorism.

"The country should be freed from such violence," he said and added that on this historic day there is a need to take pledge to make India strong, just and economically progressive.

While recalling the events related to Quit India movement launched on this day in 1942, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad took a jibe on the ruling BJP, saying "last night too several incidents happened", an apparent reference to Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat and subsequent events.

As Azad said parties of those who participated in the freedom struggle and those who did not could be easily searched online, CPM member Sitaram Yechury quipped that internet was not working.

To this, Azad said the country has defeated the "mightiest powers" and one should not get afraid of such small issues like absence of internet.

Samajwadi Party member Ram Gopal Yadav talked about contribution of socialist leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and Jai Prakasah Narayan.

He asked the government to keep an eye on Himalayan region as "the threat is from that side".

Senior JDU leader Sharad Yadav stressed that one should learn from history. "History should not distorted," he added.
IMAGE: From left, BJP state president Jitu Vaghani, BJP national president Amit Shah, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, and deputy chief minister Nitin Patel at Assembly chairperson Ramanlal Vora's residence in Gandhinagar on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah, a five-time MLA, on Wednesday bid adieu to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly after being elected to the Rajya Sabha, asserting his party is 'unassailable' in the poll-bound state.

Shah, 52, tendered his resignation as an MLA to Assembly Speaker Ramanlal Vora after giving an hour-long farewell speech in the House on the second and the last day of the monsoon session of the state assembly.

Ahmed Patel's new target: 125 seats in assembly Congress stalwart Ahmed Patel, who

retained his Rajya Sabha seat in Gujarat in a humdinger of a contest, said on Wednesday his victory has come as a boost to the

party workers and set an aim of 125 seats in the assembly polls due later this year. Patel, the high-profile political secretary to party president Sonia Gandhi, admitted that the election was the 'toughest' one he had ever fought in his life. He beat BJP nominee and Congress defector Balwantinh Rajput in the bitterly-fought contest marked by defection of MLAs, political manoeuvring and a see-sawing number game. "The morale of our party workers has skyrocketed after this win. With this victory, we will have to set a target of winning more than 125 seats in the coming elections. Our next target is to win the 2017 elections," Patel said. The Congress has been out of power in Gujarat for more than two decades.

Shah, who represented Naranpura assembly seat in Ahmedabad, in his speech said he was 'proud to be from a state, which is an unassailable fortress of the BJP'.

Congress MLAs were not present during his speech as the 20-odd legislators boycotted the proceedings for the rest of the day after some of them were evicted from the House for creating ruckus in the beginning of the first half.

In his address, Shah came down heavily on the Congress alleging that its leaders, both here and at the Centre, had taken an 'anti-Gujarat' on the Sardar Sarovar Dam project over the river Narmada.

The BJP president also hit out at the opposition party for stalling the OBC Commission Bill in the Rajya Sabha.

As the assembly polls are approaching in the state, he called upon the party legislators to highlight both these issues prominently during their public interactions.

"Congress' stand always remained anti-farmer. Though Narmada Control Authority had already completed all the formalities to raise the height (before June 2014), their (United Progressive Alliance) government did not give the nod. But PM Narendra Modi gave it within one month of assuming office" said Shah.

"Now, Congress leaders must tell the citizens, who sat on that permission? Even today, their leaders Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia speak against the project in Parliament. Gujarat Congress is silent, because they agree to what is being said by their leaders. It shows their anti-Narmada mentality," said Shah.

Shah said the people of Gujarat would seek an answer from Congress in December, when the state goes to polls.

He predicted that the Congress' strength will reduce to half from the current tally of 51 after the polls.

"Congress showed their anti-OBC mentality by stalling the OBC Commission Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Mark my words, that next election in Gujarat will be fought on the issues of Narmada and the welfare of OBCs and poor. And, I can easily predict that oppositions' strength will reduce to half after the polls," he added.

Almost all the BJP members, including Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy CM Nitin Patel and state president Jitubhai Vaghani were present in the House to listen to Shah's farewell speech.

After his speech, in which he also thanked his colleagues for being with him since his journey started 20 years back as a party worker, Shah tendered his resignation to the assembly speaker.

"Today is my last day here, as I will resign after my speech. I never fought to acquire anything, instead, I proudly gave up what I had. I am proud to be from a state which is an unassailable fortress for the BJP," he said.

The two-day monsoon session of the state assembly, which ended on Wednesday, is likely to be the last session as the state polls are expected to be held by the end of the year.

As the assembly complex in Gandhinagar is undergoing renovation, the session was held at Mahatma Mandir in the state capital.
Holding aloft saffron flags, lakhs of Maratha community members on Wednesday filled Mumbai's streets as they took their battle for reservation in government jobs and education to the Maharashtra capital, throwing traffic haywire and putting the overburdened suburban railway under severe strain.

IMAGE: Maratha community people holding a silent protest in Mumbai on Wednesday, to demand reservation in government jobs and educational institutions. Photograph: Santosh Hirlekar/PTI Photo

The metropolis turned into a sea of saffron as members of the politically influential community from different parts of the state converged in Mumbai to press for reservation in government jobs and education among other demands.

The Marathas took out a silent march from Jijamata Udyan in Byculla to Azad Maidan in South Mumbai.

IMAGE: A sea of orange at Azad Maidan. Thousands and thousands of supporters of the Maratha march gather to make their demands. Photograph: Sahil Salvi/Rediff.com

As the agitators assembled at Azad Maidan, Mumbai's protest hotpsot, a few kilometres away, in Vidhan Bhawan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced his government would extend to the Maratha community the educational concessions currently given to Other Backward Class.

Fadnavis also told the state legislative council that the issue of Maratha reservation has been referred to the Backward Classes Commission (BCC), which shall study the feasibility of granting the quota to the community.

Fadnavis, while speaking in the upper house of the Maharashtra legislature, also said the government has submitted a detailed affidavit with concrete supporting documents and fielded a battery of best lawyers to argue the case on the Maratha quota issue pending before the court.

"The demand of the Maratha community for reservation has been referred to the Backward Classes Commission (BCC) which shall study the feasibility of granting the quota to the community. It has been asked to expedite the matter at the earliest," he said.

IMAGE: According to police, around 3 lakh people took part in the protest march.

Photograph: Shashank Parad/PTI Photo

He also said the BJP-led government would form a cabinet sub-committee to review the implementation of various welfare schemes meant for the Maratha community, but stopped short of announcing quotas for them in jobs.

The announcements were made after Fadnavis held a meeting with representatives of the Maratha community, whose demands have received support from almost the entire political spectrum in the state.

IMAGE: Marathas on their way to Azad Maidan at CST station. Photograph: Sahil Salvi/Rediff.com

A delegation of 40 people, including women, met him at the Vidhan Bhawan this afternoon. The legislature is currently having its monsoon session.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, the Marathas took out their silent march from Jijamata Udyan amid tight security with participants wearing saffron caps and carrying saffron swallowtail flags.

Police and traffic personnel were deployed in large numbers to manage the huge inflow of people and the movement of vehicles in Mumbai.

Mumbai's famed 'Dabbawalas' (lunchbox deliverymen), majority of whom hail from the Maratha community, also joined the march.

IMAGE: The rally began from Byculla and culminated at Azad Maidan.

Photograph: Sahil Salvi/Rediff.com

This was the 58th march of the community and was held exactly a year after the first such protest in Aurangabad. The march was organised by the Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella organisation of several Maratha groups.

According to police, around 3 lakh people took part in the protest march.

These 'mook morcha', or silent rallies, were held in various parts of the state following the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl, belonging to the Maratha community, at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

IMAGE: A sea of Maratha supporters make their way to Azad Maidan from Byculla on the JJ Flyover.

Photograph: Sahil Salvi/Rediff.com

The rally ended at Azad Maidan after covering a distance of 10km. At the venue, the campaigners raised slogans as Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar reached the site. Some said they don't want politicians to interfere.

Shelar rubbished reports he was stopped and manhandled at Azad Maidan.

In the legislature, lawmakers cutting across party lines shouted slogans demanding quota for the Marathas.

Social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter were used to mobilise the community members, the organisers said.

See more glimpses of the Maratha rally:

(Click next to view more images)

IMAGE: The Maratha morcha is being supported by politicians -- including the Shiv Sena and the Congress. Photograph: Sahil Salvi/Rediff.com

Quotas for Marathas, a politically influential community that constitutes around 30 per cent of the state's population, has been a hugely contentious issue.

The Bombay high court had in 2014 disallowed 16 per cent reservation for them in government services and educational institutions.

In 2003-04, National Commission for Backward Classes rejected the demand for including Maratha community in the category of Other Backward Class (OBC) category.

IMAGE: For those who have to step out to south Mumbai, the police have issued an advisory and the roads to avoid. Photograph: @MumbaiPolice/Twitter

(Please click on the image for a clearer version of the routes to avoid)

Earlier, 1980 Mandal Commission had noted that the Maratha community is a forward class in Maharashtra.

The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission had held in 2008 that 'Marathas are both economically and politically a forward caste. They never faced social stigma to invite the backward class status'.
The Congress leader is one of the most powerful functionaries in the party, having the reputation of being a trouble-shooter and strategist.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who pulled off a victory in the bitterly fought Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat, has the reputation of being a trouble-shooter and strategist for the party.

The long-serving political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been one of the most powerful functionaries in the party. An organisational man, he had gently turned down offers to join the government at the centre by four prime ministers when the Congress was in power, according to party insiders.

A Nehru-Gandhi family loyalist, he has represented Gujarat seven times in Parliament -- three-time as Lok Sabha member from Bharuch and four times as Rajya Sabha member.

The contest for fifth Rajya Sabha term turned out to be the most challenging for the 67-year-old leader.

Patel beat Balwantsinh Rajput, who was till recently the Congresss chief whip in the state Assembly before switching over to the Bharatiya Janata Party, polling 44 votes in the first Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat in two decades which saw a contest instead of official candidates of major parties getting elected unopposed.

He won after dramatic late night developments which saw the Election Commission rejecting the votes of two dissident MLAs of the main opposition party for violating electoral rules.

This is not just my victory. It is a defeat of the most blatant use of money power, muscle power and abuse of state machinery, Patel tweeted after his win.

Party workers say he often has the final word on who should be the party chief in Gujarat or who should fight even a mayoral election.

Patel, a self-made politician, is the son of a social worker. He was born in a small village of Bharuch district in south Gujarat. He cut his teeth in the Youth Congress and went on to become its state president.

Patel was just 28 when he was chosen to defend the party in the Lok Sabha election from Bharuch by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1977, which he won.

He then went on to win two more Lok Sabha elections back-to-back in 1980 and 1984.

However, as the Hindutva wave started sweeping Gujarat since the late 1980s, propelling the BJP to the centre stage, Patel found it difficult to win a direct election.

He lost the Lok Sabha election in 1990.

He took the Rajya Sabha route to Delhi in 1993. He was re-elected to the Upper House of Parliament in 1999, 2005 and 2011.

Patel is a soft-spoken but articulate person, who will never seek the limelight. As the political secretary to the Congress president, he was the main contributor in cobbling up an alliance after the 2004 Lok Sabha polls to form the United Progressive Alliance-I, when the Congress got more seats than the BJP, Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

Patel had a key role in running the UPA alliance, as a trusted lieutenant of Sonia Gandhi, during its 10 years in power from 2004 as he managed ties with the allies.

He had also served as the Congresss parliament secretary, treasurer and president of Gujarat unit.
Some within the BJP see Amit Shah's entry into the Rajya Sabha as the party's succession plan for 2025 when Narendra Modi turns 75.

Archis Mohan reports.

Amit Shah was appointed the Bharatiya Janata Party president on July 9, 2014.

The BJP's national council stamped its approval on the decision of its parliamentary board a month later, on August 9, 2014.

Shah, therefore, officially completes three years as the party chief on Wednesday, when he is, incidentally, also on the cusp of taking the next big step in his eventful political career.

Shah will enter the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, which many in the party think is the precursor to his taking up more onerous responsibilities in the Union council of ministers once he delivers an encore for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Shah was Modi's minister of state for home when the former was the Gujarat chief minister.

Some within the BJP see Shah's entry into the Upper House as the party's succession plan.

By entering the Rajya Sabha, Shah would acclimatise himself with the workings of Parliament.

This preparation would help him as and when he succeeds Prime Minister Modi, possibly when the latter turns 75 in 2025.

The energy that Shah put into plotting the downfall of Congress leader Ahmed Patel suggests his motivation to be more than just political.

Those who have known Shah closely, and helped him out in his hour of need, say that the battle is personal.

It is about wreaking revenge on those who Shah believes made him spend three months in jail in 2010.

Shah looks at the Congress party, particularly those closest to the Gandhi family and some in the media, to have launched a witch-hunt against him that first led to his imprisonment for three months and later a court designated him 'tadipaar', when he was not allowed to enter Gujarat.

The Central Bureau of Investigation case related to his alleged role as the Gujarat home minister in the fake encounter killings of criminal Sohrabuddin Sheikh and others.

"When you shoot at the king you need to ensure that you finish him off. For if the king lives, he is sure to come after you," a senior BJP leader says of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance's efforts to "fix" Modi and Shah and how the two are now on a mission to sound the death knell of the Congress party.

Shah was 15 years old when the BJP was founded in April 1980. Now, he is the party's youngest, arguably its most successful and without a doubt its most ruthless president.

In the last three years, Shah has scored several successes. The exact numbers have been disputed, but Shah has transformed the BJP from a cadre-based to a mass-based party.

The BJP claims itself to be the largest political party in the world with over 110 million members, which was accomplished during the second year of Shah's tenure.

The BJP has also expanded its footprint. It is no longer a party of the upper castes, but can count on significant Dalit and OBC support base.

It is also no longer the party of the middle classes. It has made 'garib kalyan', or welfare of the poor, a leitmotif of its ideology.

The party has expanded beyond its traditional strongholds. It scored an unprecedented victory in Assam in 2016, and now has governments in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.

It is preparing to put up a strong fight against the ruling Left Front in the Tripura assembly polls that are scheduled for early 2018.

Shah led the party to unprecedented victories in Maharashtra and Haryana, both of which came when the party decided to sever its alliances with parties such as the Shiv Sena and Haryana Janhit Congress.

The emphatic Uttar Pradesh victory has been the latest feather in Shah's cap.

There have been blips on the way. Shah's first defeat was in February 2015, when a resurgent Aam Aadmi Party meted out an embarrassing defeat to the BJP in the Delhi assembly polls.

By the end of the year in November, the BJP lost in Bihar at the hands of Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar.

Senior BJP leaders, led by Lal Kishenchand Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi launched a frontal attack on Shah in the aftermath of the defeat.

They soon found that they were irrelevant to the party's rank and file. Last month, Shah saw to it that Bihar Chief Minister Kumar was with the BJP again.

According to his Web site amitshah.co.in, the last three years have been spent setting up party offices in 80 per cent of the country's districts.

He also kept the party rank and file galvanised and rejigged party structures to reflect the support that the BJP has found among OBCs and Dalits.

In three years, Shah has also travelled extensively. According to one estimate, Shah has travelled 560,000 km across the country. He has visited 315 districts.

Photograph: Kind courtesy @AmitShah/Twitter

THE AMIT SHAH INTERVIEWS
Some major events that occurred from 1885, when the Indian National Congress was formed, till August 15, 1947, when India achieved Independence.

1885: The Indian National Congress is launched in Bombay with the aim of winning political rights for Indians.

1905: The Partition of Bengal leads to a massive upsurge among the people, and a call for swadeshi goods, leading to a boycott of British-manufactured goods.

1906: Formation of the Muslim League; Congress gives a call for swaraj (self-rule).

1911: Bengal Partition annulled, announcement that the capital of India to shift from Calcutta to Delhi.

1914-1918: Britain drags India into World War I. Sixty thousand Indians lose their lives in the First Great War.

1915: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi returns to India from South Africa; he sets up ashram in Ahmedabad the same year, which would shift to the site of the Sabarmati ashram two years later.

1919: Britain seeks to introduce the Rowlatt Act, imposing severe curbs on civil rights. Indians protest. Massacre at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar; 400 men, women and children, who had gathered to protest peacefully against the Act, killed.

1921-1922: Gandhi launches the Civil Disobedience Movement, calls for boycott of British goods. Calls off movement a year later due to Chauri Chaura killing where a mob killed policemen.

1924: Moplah riots between Hindus and Muslims.

1927: The British government appoints the Simon Commission to recommend political reforms in India, no Indian is part of the Simon Commission. The Commission is boycotted when it visits India the following year.

1930: Gandhi leads the Salt Satyagraha to protest against the British government's monopoly on salt, forcing the government to amend the law. The Congress boycotts the First Round Table Conference in London.

1931: Second Round Table Conference leads to the Gandhi-Irwin pact that ends the civil disobedience movement and grants some political rights to Indians.

1932: Gandhi concludes the Poona Pact with Dr B R Ambedkar that does away with separate electorates for 'Untouchables,' but reserves some electoral seats for them.

1935: Government of India Act, passed by the British, gives Indian political rights at the provincial level.

1937: Provincial elections. Most provinces elect Congress, some elect Muslim League.

1939: Outbreak of World War II. Viceroy unilaterally declared India's participation in the war, leading to Congress ministries and the Congress boycotting the British in protest.

1941: Subhas Chandra Bose escapes from India, joins hands with the Axis powers in fight against the British.

March 1942: The British War Cabinet announces the Sir Stafford Cripps Mission to negotiate India's political status after the war.

May 1942: Gandhi meets Cripps, but call his proposals a 'post-dated cheque.' Congress rejects the proposals.

August 1942: The Congress leaders meet in Bombay and pass the 'Quit India' resolution calling for complete independence from the British rule. The Congress leadership is arrested; Gandhi is jailed at the Aga Khan Palace in Poona. Revolts break out across India as people defy the British and call for independence. Six hundred demonstrators lose their lives in clashes with the police.

1943: Bose takes charge of the Indian National Army, begins march to India, which is stopped outside Imphal.

1945: World War II ends and the Labour Party, which is sympathetic to India's call for independence, forms the government.

1946: Gandhi-Jinnah talks break down; communal riots break out.

June 1947: The British, Congress and Muslim League agree to Partition and Independence.

August 15, 1947: Independence. Communal riots claim hundreds of thousands in the Partition riots.
August 9, 2017 marks the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, the final campaign by Indians, led by the Congress party, against the British empire.

The movement would end five years later in Independence and Partition.

It was a time of glory and pain, of heady days when ordinary Indians were driven by a higher cause, to fight for the freedom of their motherland.

The movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi, gave the country two famous slogans.

The first was aimed at the British ruling India: 'Quit India' or 'Bharat Chhodo'.

The second was aimed at Indians, telling them how to achieve the first: 'Do or Die!' or Karenge Ya Marenge!

These slogans have since gone down in the annals of Indian history as uniting the nation towards the goal of Independence.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today urged the central government to relax the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003, and enhance the borrowing limit to enable the state government to meets its agriculture debt waiver commitments.

In separate meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley here, the chief minister sought their intervention in this regard and thus support the financially beleaguered state.

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Amarinder called for enhancing the borrowing limit by Rs 10,000 crore to help the Congress-led state government procure additional market loans for the debt waiver/relief scheme, aimed at providing succour to debt-ridden farmers, who were resorting to extreme measures, an official statement said.

A spokesperson of Chief Ministers Office (CMO) said Amarinder pointed out at the meetings that his government had waived off crop loans up to Rs 2 lakh for all small and marginal farmers, while providing debt relief up to Rs 2 lakh to marginal farmers having total debt of over Rs 2 lakh each. Besides, the state government had also decided to take over the total debt of suicide-affected families.

With total beneficiaries of 10.25 lakh farming families, the financial implication of these steps is to the tune of Rs 9,500 crore, the chief minister said.

He added that the current annual borrowing limit at 3 per cent of the GSDP amounted to Rs 12,819 crore, leaving a gap of Rs 10,273 crore between revenue and expenditure.

Thus, additional market borrowings are required by the state government to fund its debt waiver scheme and rescue the farmers from the vicious debt cycle, he said.

Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal and other senior officials accompanied the chief minister for his meeting with Jaitley. PTI SKC SRY

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Disclaimer

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
By India Today Web Desk: It has been 75 years since the Quit India movement was launched urging the British government to leave India. Mahatma Gandhi gave a speech on August 8, 1942, in Bombay, and asked the masses to adopt ahmisa (non-violence) during the Independence struggle.

Today, on the 75th anniversary of the movement, the BJP's youth wing has planned a 'Bharat Jodo Abhiyan' (Unite India Campaign), and the Congress Working Committee passed a resolution emphasising the importance of the Quit India Movement.

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Here's the speech Mahatma Gandhi gave on 8 August, 1942 to launch this movement:

Before you discuss the resolution, let me place before you one or two things, I want you to understand two things very clearly and to consider them from the same point of view from which I am placing them before you. I ask you to consider it from my point of view, because if you approve of it, you will be enjoined to carry out all I say. It will be a great responsibility. There are people who ask me whether I am the same man that I was in 1920, or whether there has been any change in me. You are right in asking that question.Let me, however,hasten to assure that I am the same Gandhi as I was in 1920. I have not changed in any fundamental respect. I attach the same importance to non-violence that I did then. If at all, my emphasis on it has grown stronger. There is no real contradiction between the present resolution and my previous writings and utterances. Occasions like the present do not occur in everybody's and but rarely in anybody's life. I want you to know and feel that there is nothing but purest Ahimsa in all that I am saying and doing today. The draft resolution of the Working Committee is based on Ahimsa, the contemplated struggle similarly has its roots in Ahimsa. If, therefore, there is any among you who has lost faith in Ahimsa or is wearied of it, let him not vote for this resolution. Let me explain my position clearly. God has vouchsafed to me a priceless gift in the weapon of Ahimsa. I and my Ahimsa are on our trail today. If in the present crisis, when the earth is being scorched by the flames of Himsa and crying for deliverance, I failed to make use of the God given talent, God will not forgive me and I shall be judged unworthy of the great gift. I must act now. I may not hesitate and merely look on, when Russia and China are threatened.

Ours is not a drive for power, but purely a non-violent fight for India's independence. In a violent struggle, a successful general has been often known to effect a military coup and to set up a dictatorship. But under the Congress scheme of things, essentially non-violent as it is, there can be no room for dictatorship. A non-violent soldier of freedom will covet nothing for himself, he fights only for the freedom of his country. The Congress is unconcerned as to who will rule, when freedom is attained. The power, when it comes, will belong to the people of India, and it will be for them to decide to whom it placed in the entrusted. May be that the reins will be placed in the hands of the Parsis, for instance-as I would love to see happen-or they may be handed to some others whose names are not heard in the Congress today. It will not be for you then to object saying, "This community is microscopic. That party did not play its due part in the freedom's struggle; why should it have all the power?" Ever since its inception the Congress has kept itself meticulously free of the communal taint. It has thought always in terms of the whole nation and has acted accordingly. . . I know how imperfect our Ahimsa is and how far away we are still from the ideal, but in Ahimsa there is no final failure or defeat. I have faith, therefore, that if, in spite of our shortcomings, the big thing does happen, it will be because God wanted to help us by crowning with success our silent, unremitting Sadhana for the last twenty-two years.

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I believe that in the history of the world, there has not been a more genuinely democratic struggle for freedom than ours. I read Carlyle's French Resolution while I was in prison, and Pandit Jawaharlal has told me something about the Russian revolution. But it is my conviction that inasmuch as these struggles were fought with the weapon of violence they failed to realize the democratic ideal. In the democracy which I have envisaged, a democracy established by non-violence, there will be equal freedom for all. Everybody will be his own master. It is to join a struggle for such democracy that I invite you today. Once you realize this you will forget the differences between the Hindus and Muslims, and think of yourselves as Indians only, engaged in the common struggle for independence.Then, there is the question of your attitude towards the British. I have noticed that there is hatred towards the British among the people. The people say they are disgusted with their behaviour. The people make no distinction between British imperialism and the British people. To them, the two are one. This hatred would even make them welcome the Japanese. It is most dangerous. It means that they will exchange one slavery for another. We must get rid of this feeling. Our quarrel is not with the British people, we fight their imperialism.The proposal for the withdrawal of British power did not come out of anger. It came to enable India to play its due part at the present critical juncture It is not a happy position for a big country like India to be merely helping with money and material obtained willy-nilly from her while the United Nations are conducting the war. We cannot evoke the true spirit of sacrifice and velour, so long as we are not free.

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I know the British Government will not be able to withhold freedom from us, when we have made enough self-sacrifice. We must, therefore, purge ourselves of hatred. Speaking for myself, I can say that I have never felt any hatred. As a matter of fact, I feel myself to be a greater friend of the British now than ever before. One reason is that they are today in distress. My very friendship, therefore, demands that I should try to save them from their mistakes. As I view the situation, they are on the brink of an abyss. It, therefore, becomes my duty to warn them of their danger even though it may, for the time being, anger them to the point of cutting off the friendly hand that is stretched out to help them. People may laugh, nevertheless that is my claim. At a time when I may have to launch the biggest struggle of my life, I may not harbor hatred against anybody.

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Also read: 75 years to Quit India Movement: How the revolution unfolded

Also read: 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement: Sonia Gandhi slams Modi govt, says it encourages vigilantism

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Russia: Court halts journalist's deportation to Uzbekistan but detains him despite abuse claims

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 8 August 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Russia: Court halts journalist's deportation to Uzbekistan but detains him despite abuse claims, 8 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/598adcae4.html [accessed 13 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

In response to Moscow City Court's decision to suspend the deportation to Uzbekistan of openly gay journalist Khudoberdi Nurmatov (better known by his journalist alias Ali Feruz) but to keep him in detention while his case is reviewed by the European Court of Human Rights, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia, Denis Krivosheev, said:

"The suspension of Ali Feruz's deportation to Uzbekistan - where he faces a real risk of persecution and torture, and where homosexuality is a crime - is a positive step. However, his continued detention despite his claims he has been beaten is disgraceful. He has committed absolutely no crime and it could take months or even years before a final decision by the European Court of Human Rights."

"Ali Feruz complained that security officials beat him during transfer to the detention centre and showed bruises during today's court hearing. The judge decided to ignore these shocking allegations."

"The Russian authorities must immediately release Ali Feruz. They must ensure his physical safety and effective protection from forcible return to Uzbekistan."

Background

Moscow City Court reversed a judgment to forcibly return Ali Feruz from Russia to Uzbekistan on Tuesday 8 August. However, it ruled he must remain in detention pending a review of his case by the European Court of Human Rights.

Immigration-related detention should always be used only as a last resort, for the shortest time possible and only when necessary and proportionate to the objective of preventing absconding, to verify identity or ensure compliance with a deportation order.

Ali Feruz, a human rights activist and a journalist for independent Novaya Gazeta, was detained on 1 August. He says he was beaten during transfer from the court.

For more information: Russia: Decision to deport journalist to Uzbekistan puts him at risk of persecution and torture

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
DRC: Block on social media images an appalling attack on freedom of expression

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 8 August 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, DRC: Block on social media images an appalling attack on freedom of expression, 8 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/598add634.html [accessed 13 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

In response to a Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government order to block the sharing of images on social media websites, Amnesty International's DRC researcher Jean-Mobert Senga said:

"The order for internet companies to take 'technical measures' to limit social media use is an appalling attack on everyone's right to share and receive information.

"Most worryingly, it comes amid a worsening political crisis where the risk of human rights violations and abuses - and therefore the importance of social media as a documentation tool - is high.

"This move is the latest in a series of attacks on freedom of expression in the DRC, including the closure of several media outlets and the harassment of Congolese and international journalists.

"This unacceptable measure must be repealed immediately and people must be allowed full access to the internet and social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Whatsapp."

Background

On 7 August, the president of the DRC telecommunications authority sent a letter to telecoms companies that provide internet services in the country.

It read: "To prevent abusive sharing of images through social media between clients of your network, I ask you to take the necessary technical measures to restrict the capacity to transfer images to the bare minimum."

The order came ahead of a two-day nationwide general strike called by the main opposition party, which is demanding the publication of the electoral calendar.

The government order followed a day of violence in several neighborhoods in the capital Kinshasa, as well as in the central cities of Matadi and Boma, images of which were shared widely on social media.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Uzbekistan: Short prison terms, fines after "show trial"

Publisher Forum 18 Publication Date 7 August 2017 Cite as Forum 18, Uzbekistan: Short prison terms, fines after "show trial", 7 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/598ae5774.html [accessed 13 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Two Baptists were each given five-day prison terms and three more fined in Karshi to punish them for organising Sunday worship raided by police. A Russian Orthodox priest was forced to attend what Baptists call a "show trial", which was also shown on television.
Russia: One year of "anti-missionary" punishments

Publisher Forum 18 Author Victoria Arnold Publication Date 8 August 2017 Cite as Forum 18, Russia: One year of "anti-missionary" punishments, 8 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/598ae6104.html [accessed 13 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

In the first year of "anti-missionary" punishments, Forum 18 found 181 cases under Administrative Code Article 5.26, Parts 3, 4 and 5. Of these 133 resulted in initial convictions (130 fines). In 11 cases religious literature was confiscated. Five foreigners were ordered deported (one overturned on appeal).
Search and rescue missions in Sahara Desert help 1,000 migrants, says UN migration agency

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 8 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Search and rescue missions in Sahara Desert help 1,000 migrants, says UN migration agency, 8 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/598b04d04.html [accessed 13 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Search and rescue operations conducted by the United Nations migration agency have saved a total of 1,000 migrants in northern Niger since April, the agency reveals.

I was shocked when, not far from the border between Niger and Libya in Toummo, we came across a large group of women mainly from Nigeria and Ghana sleeping in a dark hangar quite close to the border post, waiting for their next passage north, said Alberto Preato, Programme Manager of the Migrant Resource and Response Mechanism (MRRM) at the International Organization of Migration (IOM) in Niger on one mission.

From 19 to 25 July, IOM conducted an assessment mission of migratory routes in the Tenere desert and the area surrounding Niger's border with Libya. The aim of the mission was to improve migrant rescues, by understanding better how to assist migrants in distress on that route and strengthen the Government's management migration capacity.

With Niger's Department of Civil Protection, IOM covered more than 1,400 kilometres in the country's north  identifying challenges and changes in flows and migratory routes, while also rescuing more than 150 migrants in distress.

The search and rescue operations are an integral part of the Migrants Rescue and Assistance in Agadez Region project, funded by the Netherlands  and which is complementary to the larger Migrant Resource and Response Mechanism (MRRM) initiative, developed by IOM Niger and financed by the European Union.

Since January, IOM pointed out that more than 60,000 individuals have been observed entering Niger, while, at the two flow monitoring points in Seguedine and Arlit, only half that number was counted as leaving. Compared to the previous year, much fewer migrants have been reported both coming in and going out.

Following its latest assessment mission and seeing that smugglers are using more dangerous routes, IOM is looking at implementing new flow monitoring points in the country.

We need to better understand how trafficking and smuggling networks intersect, and to further increase our presence in these remote areas in order to provide information, assistance and alternatives to migrants in need, Mr. Preato said.

During one of the latest search and rescue missions, conducted in cooperation with the Nigerien Civil Protection, IOM staff rescued 23 Gambian and Senegalese migrants, including a 7-year-old girl, who had been abandoned by their drivers.

On the mission, staff encountered some migrants they had previously met in ghettos around Agadez. Despite being informed about the dangers and risks of irregular migration, these migrants had decided to try their luck and headed for Libya.

I feel that I have failed them in some way, but I am happy to see they are alive, said one IOM community mobilizer.

Calling his rescue a miracle, one of the survivors said, I should have listened to them; I should have never embarked on this route.

The rescued migrants are now recovering at IOM's transit centre in Agadez as they wait for assistance to voluntarily return to their countries of origin.
Ahead of elections, UN calls on Kenyan authorities to ensure peaceful polls

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 7 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Ahead of elections, UN calls on Kenyan authorities to ensure peaceful polls, 7 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/598b0b1d4.html [accessed 13 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Search and rescue operations conducted by the United Nations migration agency have saved a total of 1,000 migrants in northern Niger since April, the agency reveals.

I was shocked when, not far from the border between Niger and Libya in Toummo, we came across a large group of women mainly from Nigeria and Ghana sleeping in a dark hangar quite close to the border post, waiting for their next passage north, said Alberto Preato, Programme Manager of the Migrant Resource and Response Mechanism (MRRM) at the International Organization of Migration (IOM) in Niger on one mission.

From 19 to 25 July, IOM conducted an assessment mission of migratory routes in the Tenere desert and the area surrounding Niger's border with Libya. The aim of the mission was to improve migrant rescues, by understanding better how to assist migrants in distress on that route and strengthen the Government's management migration capacity.

With Niger's Department of Civil Protection, IOM covered more than 1,400 kilometres in the country's north  identifying challenges and changes in flows and migratory routes, while also rescuing more than 150 migrants in distress.

The search and rescue operations are an integral part of the Migrants Rescue and Assistance in Agadez Region project, funded by the Netherlands  and which is complementary to the larger Migrant Resource and Response Mechanism (MRRM) initiative, developed by IOM Niger and financed by the European Union.

Since January, IOM pointed out that more than 60,000 individuals have been observed entering Niger, while, at the two flow monitoring points in Seguedine and Arlit, only half that number was counted as leaving. Compared to the previous year, much fewer migrants have been reported both coming in and going out.

Following its latest assessment mission and seeing that smugglers are using more dangerous routes, IOM is looking at implementing new flow monitoring points in the country.

We need to better understand how trafficking and smuggling networks intersect, and to further increase our presence in these remote areas in order to provide information, assistance and alternatives to migrants in need, Mr. Preato said.

During one of the latest search and rescue missions, conducted in cooperation with the Nigerien Civil Protection, IOM staff rescued 23 Gambian and Senegalese migrants, including a 7-year-old girl, who had been abandoned by their drivers.

On the mission, staff encountered some migrants they had previously met in ghettos around Agadez. Despite being informed about the dangers and risks of irregular migration, these migrants had decided to try their luck and headed for Libya.

I feel that I have failed them in some way, but I am happy to see they are alive, said one IOM community mobilizer.

Calling his rescue a miracle, one of the survivors said, I should have listened to them; I should have never embarked on this route.

The rescued migrants are now recovering at IOM's transit centre in Agadez as they wait for assistance to voluntarily return to their countries of origin.
Yemen: Senior UN relief official voices concern at reports of airstrikes on civilians

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 7 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Yemen: Senior UN relief official voices concern at reports of airstrikes on civilians, 7 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/598b0b544.html [accessed 13 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Expressing a deep concern about reports of airstrikes on civilians in Yemen's Sa'ada Governorate, a senior United Nations relief official has urged all parties to the conflict and those who influence and support them to uphold their responsibility under international humanitarian law to protect civilians.

All parties to the conflict continue to show a disregard for the protection of civilians and the principle of distinction between civilians and combatants in the conduct of hostilities, said Jamie McGoldrick, the Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen, in a statement issued over the weekend by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Attacks on a house in As Safra District and on a private vehicle in Razih District on Friday have reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 12 civilians, including women and children and the injury of 10 more people.

While these new incidents are still being investigated by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), they are an example of the brutality in which the conflict is being conducted, Mr. McGoldrick stated.

As I have said before, even wars have rules and such rules must be respected, he added.

Meanwhile, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters at UN Headquarters today that there had been a delay in the delivery of fuel needed for the UN's humanitarian operations in the country but UN team has got assurances that fuel will be moving this week from Aden to the capital, Sana'a.

We ask authorities for a mechanism to help ensure regular delivery of aviation fuel for UN operations, Mr. Dujarric said.
'Don't turn a blind eye' to dire situation of children in DR Congo's Kasai region  UNICEF

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 7 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, 'Don't turn a blind eye' to dire situation of children in DR Congo's Kasai region  UNICEF, 7 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/598b0bb94.html [accessed 13 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The world must not turn a blind eye to the dire situation of children and families in the Grand Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said today, stressing that nothing can justify terrible acts of abuse against women and children.

Children and women tell us of terrible acts of abuse. Many children have been recruited by armed forces, drugged and caught in the violence. Nothing can justify these actions, said Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, in a statement.

Over the past 12 months, more than 1.4 million people  including 850,000 children  have been forced from their homes, and their lives turned upside down by widespread acts of extreme violence. More than 200 health centres have been destroyed, and one in four health centres is no longer functioning normally. An estimated 400,000 children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition.

Children have lost a year of education, as hundreds of schools have been targeted and looted, teachers killed or fled for safety. Teachers are not able to go to work, while parents are scared to send their children to school.

She urged all parties to the conflict to protect children, end grave violations against children, and preserve schools and health services.

Humanitarian actors must have unhindered humanitarian access to affected populations so that we can reach all those in need of assistance, she said.

UNICEF is responding to the escalating humanitarian needs, but unless this violence stops, our best work will never be enough, she said. The lives of many thousands of children are at risk.
The Congress' Twitter quiz asks which Hindu Mahasabha leader advised its members to boycott the Quit India Movement.

Both Narendra Modi and Sonia Gandhi are defining Quit India Movement in their own ways. Photos: PTI.

By India Today Web Desk: While the Narendra Modi app is asking youngsters to take the Quit India Quiz, the Congress, in a dig at the BJP, has started a Twitter quiz 'Know Your Legacy'.

The first question in this Twitter quiz is: "Which Hindu Mahasabha leader wrote the letter 'Stick to your posts' advising its members to boycott the Quit India movement?"

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The post had four options--V D Savarkar, K B Hedgewar, M S Gowalkar and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. The @INCIndia handle later posted the correct answer as V D Savarkar.

In another post, the Congress shared a video on Quit India Movement and tagged it with the caption that read: "The RSS and Hindu Mahasabha deliberately stayed away from India's freedom struggle and opposed the Quit India Movement".

The RSS and Hindu Mahasabha deliberately stayed away from India's Freedom Struggle and opposed the Quit India Movement. pic.twitter.com/vpiqbkxYch- Congress (@INCIndia) August 8, 2017

V D Savarkar, a Hindutva idealogue, was hailed as a national hero by BJP chief Amit Shah at a function in Thane a few months ago. "I condemn all those who criticise Savarkar and question his rashtra bhakti," Shah had said at the inauguration of the 29th Akhil Bharatiya Savarkar Sahitya Sammelan.

Speaking in Parliament on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, without naming the RSS, today said that "we must not forget that certain forces opposed the concept of Quit India movement. Those facts should also be told... There is no contribution of those groups in the Indian freedom movement".

PM MODI's QUIT INDIA QUIZ

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who opened the discussion on Quit India Movement in Parliament invoked Mahatma Gandhi and called for a corruption-free and poverty-free India by 2022.

A few days ago, while addressing the nation through his Mann ki Baat, the Prime Minister elaborated on the significance of the Quit India Movement and told listeners that a Quit India Quiz would be launched on the NarendraModi app.

Narendra Modi said that the quiz "is an attempt to familiarise the youth with India's glorious history and the heroes of the freedom movement". The Quit India Quiz was launched on the app on Tuesday.

The Narendra Modi website says the Quit India Quiz is a means to "refresh your history". "This year, as the nation marks 75 years of the Quit India Movement, this Quiz takes you back in time, to the heroes of 1942 because of whom we breathe the air of freedom" is how the website describes the quiz.

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ALSO READ:

Few groups opposed Quit India movement: Sonia Gandhi in apparent attack on RSS

Here's the speech Mahatma Gandhi gave to launch Quit India movement 75 years ago

NaMo app's Quit India Movement quiz is as hard as our independence struggle. Ready to challenge the Indian in you?

ALSO WATCH: Sonia Gandhi takes a dig at RSS, says few groups opposed 1942 Quit India movement

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Colombia: UN-backed team ambushed; one wounded in attack

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 7 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Colombia: UN-backed team ambushed; one wounded in attack, 7 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/598b0c114.html [accessed 13 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

A team from the United Nations Mission in Colombia was ambushed on Sunday while working to uncover explosives left by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) in the Caloto municipality in the south-west of the country.

While one member of the Peacebuilding Unit (UNIPEP) of the Colombian National Police was injured during the attack, the rest of the team, made up of observers, other police officers and ex-combatants of the FARC-EP, were unharmed and remain safe in the Veredal Zone of Cauca.

In a communique, the UN Mission highlighted the work of the Colombian public forces in the operations of extracting hidden explosives and looked forward to the prompt recovery of the national police officer.

So far it has not been determined who was responsible for the attack.
UN chief urges Venezuelans to ease tensions and engage in negotiations

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 7 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN chief urges Venezuelans to ease tensions and engage in negotiations, 7 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/598b0c684.html [accessed 13 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is closely following recent developments in Venezuela, his Spokesperson told reporters today.

In this critical moment for the future of the country, he urges all Venezuelans to make all possible efforts to lower tensions and engage in political negotiations, underscored Stephane Dujarric, when asked about the latest developments in the South American country.

The Secretary-General and other top UN officials have been calling for calm in Venezuela since late July when, according to media reports, clashes erupted between security forces and protestors opposing the Constituent Assembly elections.

According to media reports, President Nicolas Maduro declared victory in elections for a Constituent Assembly convened by him. The new body could replace the current legislative body, the National Assembly.
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Two more victims of information war in Ukraine

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 8 August 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Two more victims of information war in Ukraine, 8 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/598b0df94.html [accessed 13 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for the immediate release of Vasily Muravitsky, a journalist working for Russian media who is being held by the Ukrainian authorities, and Eduard Nedeliayev, a blogger who has been sentenced to 14 years in prison by pro-Russian separatists in the eastern city Lugansk.

The most recent of the information war's two latest victims is Muravitsky, who was placed in pre-trial detention in Zhytomyr, 150 km west of Kiev, on 3 August on charges of high treason, endangering Ukraine's territorial integrity, inciting hatred and supporting the activities of terrorist organizations.





Held for working for Russian media?





The more detailed allegations made against Muravitsky by the authorities nonetheless indicate that he was arrested above all for working for Russian state media.





The prosecutor's office and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) have accused him of being an "information mercenary," of carrying out "subversive activities against Ukraine for the benefit of a foreign state" and most specifically of "creating and posting content online with elements aimed at manipulating opinion psychologically and inciting hate."





The evidence against him includes a contract linking him to the Russian state media group Rossya Segodnya. He is being held under a two-month pre-trial detention order that excludes release on bail. Aged 32, he is facing a possible 15-year jail sentence.





"We are all aware of propaganda's destructive effects and its role in the tragic turn that events have taken in Ukraine, but the mere fact of working for a media outlet or expressing unwelcome opinions must not be criminalized," said Johann Bihr, the head of RSF's Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk.





"Inciting hatred or violence must obviously be combatted, but on the basis of specific evidence and respecting international law. From the evidence so far produced, Vasily Muravitsky's detention appears to be neither necessary nor proportionate. We call for his immediate release."





According to article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Ukraine has ratified, any restrictions on freedom of expression must be strictly legal, necessary and proportionate.





The Johannesburg Principles specify that, if authorities want to restrict freedom of expression on national security grounds, they must be able to establish a direct link between the offending comments and potential violent actions.





Blogger sentenced by separatists





Nedeliayev was meanwhile sentenced to 14 years in prison in eastern Ukraine's "Lugansk People's Republic" (LNR) on 28 July, eight months after his arrest. Blogging as "Edward Ned," he used to comment on daily life in Lugansk, a city controlled by separatists for the past three years.





The LNR's self-proclaimed authorities accused him of "defaming citizens," "inciting hatred of the Russian nation" and "endangering national security by providing data to foreign agents."





Eastern Ukraine's separatist jails are currently also holding Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty correspondent Stanislav Asayev,who went missing on 2 June. The Donetsk People's Republic acknowledged a month later that it was holding him on a spying charge.





The separatist regions are no-go areas that have become news and information "black holes." Critical journalists have to operate clandestinely and few foreign observers are admitted. Crimea has also been purged of its critical journalists and media since annexation by Russia in 2014.





Ukraine is ranked 102nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index.
C. K., H. F., A. S. v Republika Slovenija

Publisher European Union: Court of Justice of the European Union Publication Date 16 February 2017 Citation / Document Symbol C578/16 Related Document(s) C. K., H. F., A. S. c. Republika Slovenija Cite as C. K., H. F., A. S. v Republika Slovenija, C578/16, European Union: Court of Justice of the European Union, 16 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/cases,ECJ,598b18334.html [accessed 13 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT (Fifth Chamber)

16 February 2017 ( )

(Reference for a preliminary ruling - Area of freedom, security and justice - Borders, asylum and immigration - Dublin system - Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 - Article 4 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union - Inhuman or degrading treatment - Transfer of a seriously ill asylum seeker to the State responsible for examining his application - No substantial grounds for believing that there are proven systemic flaws in that Member State - Obligations imposed on the Member State having to carry out the transfer)

In Case C578/16 PPU,

REQUEST for a preliminary ruling under Article 267 TFEU from the Vrhovno sodisce (Supreme Court, Slovenia), made by decision of 28 October 2016, received at the Court on 21 November 2016, in the proceedings

C. K.,

H. F.,

A. S.

v

Republika Slovenija,

THE COURT (Fifth Chamber),

composed of J.L. da Cruz Vilaca (Rapporteur), President of the Chamber, M. Berger, A. Borg Barthet, E. Levits and F. Biltgen, Judges,

Advocate General: E. Tanchev,

Registrar: M. Aleksejev, Administrator,

having regard to the request of the referring court of 28 October 2016, received at the Court on 21 November 2016, that the reference for a preliminary ruling be dealt with under the urgent procedure pursuant to Article 107 of the Rules of Procedure of the Court,

having regard to the decision of 1 December 2016 of the Fifth Chamber to grant that request,

having regard to the written procedure and further to the hearing on 23 January 2017,

after considering the observations submitted on behalf of:

- C. K., H. F. and A. S., initially by Z. Kojic, and subsequently by M. Nabergoj, svetovalca za begunce,

- the Slovenian Government, by N. Pintar Gosenca and A. Vran, acting as Agents,

- the Italian Government, by G. Palmieri, acting as Agent, assisted by L. Cordi, avvocato dello Stato,

- the United Kingdom Government, by C. Crane, acting as Agent, and D. Blundell, Barrister,

- the European Commission, by M. Condou-Durande and M. Zebre, acting as Agents,

after hearing the Opinion of the Advocate General at the sitting on 9 February 2017,

gives the following

Judgment

1 This request for a preliminary ruling concerns the interpretation of Articles 3(2) and 17(1) of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an application for international protection lodged in one of the Member States by a third-country national or a stateless person (OJ 2013 L 180, p. 31) ('the Dublin III Regulation'), Article 267 TFEU and Article 4 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union ('the Charter').

2 This request has been made in proceedings between, on the one hand, C. K., H. F. and their child A. S. and, on the other hand, the Republika Slovenija (Republic of Slovenia), represented by its Ministry of the Interior, concerning the transfer of those persons to Croatia, designated as the Member State responsible for examining their application for international protection in accordance with the provisions of the Dublin III Regulation.

Legal context

International law

The Geneva Convention

3 Article 33 of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, signed in Geneva on 28 July 1951 [United Nations Treaty Series, Vol. 189, p. 150, No 2545 (1954), supplemented by the Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, concluded in New York on 31 January 1967] ('the Geneva Convention'), entitled 'Prohibition of expulsion or return ("refoulement")', provides in paragraph 1:

'No Contracting State shall expel or return ("refouler") a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.'

The ECHR

4 Under the heading 'Prohibition of torture', Article 3 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, signed in Rome on 4 November 1950 ('the ECHR'), provides:

'No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.'

EU law

The Charter

5 Under Article 1 of the Charter, entitled 'Human dignity':

'Human dignity is inviolable. It must be respected and protected.'

6 Article 4 of the Charter, entitled 'Prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment', states:

'No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.'

7 Paragraph 2 of Article 19 of the Charter, entitled 'Protection in the event of removal, expulsion or extradition', provides:

'No one may be removed, expelled or extradited to a State where there is a serious risk that he or she would be subjected to the death penalty, torture or other inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.'

8 Article 51 of the Charter, entitled 'Field of application', provides in paragraph 1:

'The provisions of this Charter are addressed to the institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the Union with due regard for the principle of subsidiarity and to the Member States only when they are implementing Union law. They shall therefore respect the rights, observe the principles and promote the application thereof in accordance with their respective powers and respecting the limits of the powers of the Union as conferred on it in the Treaties.'

9 Article 52 of the Charter, entitled 'Scope and interpretation of rights and principles', provides in paragraph 3:

'In so far as this Charter contains rights which correspond to rights guaranteed by the [ECHR], the meaning and scope of those rights shall be the same as those laid down by the said Convention. This provision shall not prevent Union law providing more extensive protection.'

The Dublin III Regulation

10 The Dublin III Regulation, which entered into force on 19 July 2013, replaced Council Regulation (EC) No 343/2003 of 18 February 2003 establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an asylum application lodged in one of the Member States by a third-country national (OJ 2003 L 50, p. 1) ('the Dublin II Regulation') with effect from 1 January 2014.

11 Recitals 4, 5, 9, 32 and 39 of the Dublin III Regulation state:

'(4) The Tampere conclusions also stated that the [common European asylum system] should include, in the short term, a clear and workable method for determining the Member State responsible for the examination of an asylum application.

(5) Such a method should be based on objective, fair criteria both for the Member States and for the persons concerned. It should, in particular, make it possible to determine rapidly the Member State responsible, so as to guarantee effective access to the procedures for granting international protection and not to compromise the objective of the rapid processing of applications for international protection.



(9) In the light of the results of the evaluations undertaken of the implementation of the first-phase instruments, it is appropriate, at this stage, to confirm the principles underlying [the Dublin II Regulation], while making the necessary improvements, in the light of experience, to the effectiveness of the Dublin system and the protection granted to applicants under that system.  A comprehensive "fitness check" should be foreseen by conducting an evidence-based review covering the legal, economic and social effects of the Dublin system, including its effects on fundamental rights.



(32) With respect to the treatment of persons falling within the scope of this Regulation, Member States are bound by their obligations under instruments of international law, including the relevant case-law of the European Court of Human Rights.



(39) This Regulation respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognized by the [Charter]. In particular, this Regulation seeks to ensure full observance of the right to asylum guaranteed by Article 18 of the [Charter] as well as the rights recognised under Articles 1, 4, 7, 24 and 47 thereof. This Regulation should therefore be applied accordingly.'

12 Article 3 of that regulation, entitled 'Access to the procedure for examining an application for international protection', provides:

'1. Member States shall examine any application for international protection by a third-country national or a stateless person who applies on the territory of any one of them, including at the border or in the transit zones. The application shall be examined by a single Member State, which shall be the one which the criteria set out in Chapter III indicate is responsible.

2. 

Where it is impossible to transfer an applicant to the Member State primarily designated as responsible because there are substantial grounds for believing that there are systemic flaws in the asylum procedure and in the reception conditions for applicants in that Member State, resulting in a risk of inhuman or degrading treatment within the meaning of Article 4 of the [Charter], the determining Member State shall continue to examine the criteria set out in Chapter III in order to establish whether another Member State can be designated as responsible.

'

13 Chapter III of the Dublin III Regulation contains the criteria for determining the Member State responsible for examining an asylum application. This chapter includes, inter alia, Article 12 of that regulation, entitled 'Issue of residence documents or visas', which provides in paragraph 2:

'Where the applicant is in possession of a valid visa, the Member State which issued the visa shall be responsible for examining the application for international protection '

14 Article 17 of that regulation, entitled 'Discretionary clauses', provides in paragraph 1:

'By way of derogation from Article 3(1), each Member State may decide to examine an application for international protection lodged with it by a third-country national or a stateless person, even if such examination is not its responsibility under the criteria laid down in this Regulation.

'

15 Chapter VI of the Dublin III Regulation is entitled 'Procedures for taking charge and taking back'. It contains, inter alia, Articles 27, 29, 31 and 32 of that regulation.

16 Article 27 of that regulation, entitled 'Remedies', provides in paragraph 1:

'The applicant or another person as referred to in Article 18(1)(c) or (d) shall have the right to an effective remedy, in the form of an appeal or a review, in fact and in law, against a transfer decision, before a court or tribunal.'

17 Section VI of Chapter VI of the Dublin III Regulation, dealing with transfers of applicants to the Member State responsible, contains Article 29 of that regulation, entitled 'Modalities and time limits', which provides:

'1. The transfer of the applicant or of another person as referred to in Article 18(1)(c) or (d) from the requesting Member State to the Member State responsible shall be carried out in accordance with the national law of the requesting Member State, after consultation between the Member States concerned, as soon as practically possible, and at the latest within six months of acceptance of the request by another Member State to take charge or to take back the person concerned or of the final decision on an appeal or review where there is a suspensive effect in accordance with Article 27(3).

If transfers to the Member State responsible are carried out by supervised departure or under escort, Member States shall ensure that they are carried out in a humane manner and with full respect for fundamental rights and human dignity.



2. Where the transfer does not take place within the six months' time limit, the Member State responsible shall be relieved of its obligations to take charge or to take back the person concerned and responsibility shall then be transferred to the requesting Member State. This time limit may be extended up to a maximum of one year if the transfer could not be carried out due to imprisonment of the person concerned or up to a maximum of eighteen months if the person concerned absconds.



4. The Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, establish uniform conditions for the consultation and exchange of information between Member States, in particular in the event of postponed or delayed transfers, transfers following acceptance by default, transfers of minors or dependent persons, and supervised transfers.  '

18 Within that Section VI, Article 31 of that regulation, entitled 'Exchange of relevant information before a transfer is carried out', provides:

'1. The Member State carrying out the transfer of an applicant  shall communicate to the Member State responsible such personal data concerning the person to be transferred as is appropriate, relevant and non-excessive for the sole purposes of ensuring that the competent authorities, in accordance with national law in the Member State responsible, are in a position to provide that person with adequate assistance, including the provision of immediate health care required in order to protect his or her vital interests, and to ensure continuity in the protection and rights afforded by this Regulation and by other relevant asylum legal instruments. Those data shall be communicated to the Member State responsible within a reasonable period of time before a transfer is carried out, in order to ensure that its competent authorities in accordance with national law have sufficient time to take the necessary measures.

2. The transferring Member State shall, in so far as such information is available to the competent authority in accordance with national law, transmit to the Member State responsible any information that is essential in order to safeguard the rights and immediate special needs of the person to be transferred, and in particular:

(a) any immediate measures which the Member State responsible is required to take in order to ensure that the special needs of the person to be transferred are adequately addressed, including any immediate health care that may be required;

 '

19 Also in Section VI, Article 32 of the Dublin III Regulation, entitled 'Exchange of health data before a transfer is carried out', provides in paragraph 1:

'For the sole purpose of the provision of medical care or treatment, in particular concerning disabled persons, elderly people, pregnant women, minors and persons who have been subject to torture, rape or other serious forms of psychological, physical and sexual violence, the transferring Member State shall, in so far as it is available to the competent authority in accordance with national law, transmit to the Member State responsible information on any special needs of the person to be transferred, which in specific cases may include information on that person's physical or mental health. That information shall be transferred in a common health certificate with the necessary documents attached. The Member State responsible shall ensure that those special needs are adequately addressed, including in particular any essential medical care that may be required.

 '

The implementing regulation

20 Commission Regulation (EC) No 1560/2003 of 2 September 2003 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 343/2003 (OJ 2003 L 222, p. 3), as amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 118/2014 of 30 January 2014 (OJ 2014 L 39, p. 1) ('the implementing regulation'), contains the detailed rules for the application of the Dublin II Regulation and, now, the Dublin III Regulation.

21 Chapter III of the implementing regulation is entitled 'Transfers'. That chapter includes Articles 8 and 9 of that regulation.

22 Article 8 of that regulation, entitled 'Cooperation on transfers', provides:

'1. 'It is the obligation of the Member State responsible to allow the asylum seeker's transfer to take place as quickly as possible and to ensure that no obstacles are put in his way. That Member State shall determine, where appropriate, the location on its territory to which the asylum seeker will be transferred or handed over to the competent authorities, taking account of geographical constraints and modes of transport available to the Member State making the transfer. In no case may a requirement be imposed that the escort accompany the asylum seeker beyond the point of arrival of the international means of transport used or that the Member State making the transfer meet the costs of transport beyond that point.

2. The Member State organising the transfer shall arrange the transport for the asylum seeker and his escort and decide, in consultation with the Member State responsible, on the time of arrival and, where necessary, on the details of the handover to the competent authorities. The Member State responsible may require that three working days' notice be given.

3. The standard form set out in Annex VI shall be used for the purpose of transmitting to the responsible Member State the data essential to safeguard the rights and immediate needs of the person to be transferred. This standard form shall be considered a notice in the meaning of paragraph 2.'

23 Under Article 9 of that regulation, entitled 'Postponed and delayed transfers':

'1. The Member State responsible shall be informed without delay of any postponement due either to an appeal or review procedure with suspensive effect, or physical reasons such as ill health of the asylum seeker, non-availability of transport or the fact that the asylum seeker has withdrawn from the transfer procedure.

1a. Where a transfer has been delayed at the request of the transferring Member State, the transferring and the responsible Member States must resume communication in order to allow for a new transfer to be organised as soon as possible, in accordance with Article 8, and no later than two weeks from the moment the authorities become aware of the cessation of the circumstances that caused the delay or postponement. In such a case, an updated standard form for the transfer of the data before a transfer is carried out as set out in Annex VI shall be sent prior to the transfer.

2. A Member State which, for one of the reasons set out in Article 29(2) of [the Dublin III Regulation], cannot carry out the transfer within the normal time limit of six months from the date of acceptance of the request to take charge or take back the person concerned or of the final decision on an appeal or review where there is a suspensive effect, shall inform the Member State responsible before the end of that time limit. Otherwise, the responsibility for processing the application for international protection and the other obligations under [the Dublin III Regulation] falls to the requesting Member State, in accordance with Article 29(2) of that Regulation.

'

24 Annexes VI and IX to the implementing regulation contain, respectively, the standard forms for the transfer of data and exchange of health data prior to a transfer pursuant to the Dublin III Regulation.

The 'reception' directive

25 The purpose of Directive 2013/33/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 laying down standards for the reception of applicants for international protection (OJ 2013 L 180, p. 96) ('the "reception" directive') is, in accordance with Article 1 thereof, to lay down standards for the reception of applicants for international protection in Member States.

26 Article 17 of that directive, entitled 'General rules on material reception conditions and health care', provides:

'1. Member States shall ensure that material reception conditions are available to applicants when they make their application for international protection.

2. Member States shall ensure that material reception conditions provide an adequate standard of living for applicants, which guarantees their subsistence and protects their physical and mental health.

Member States shall ensure that that standard of living is met in the specific situation of vulnerable persons, in accordance with Article 21 

'

27 Article 18 of that directive, entitled 'Modalities for material reception conditions', provides in paragraph 3:

'Member States shall take into consideration gender and age-specific concerns and the situation of vulnerable persons in relation to applicants within the premises and accommodation centres referred to in paragraph 1(a) and (b).'

28 Under Article 19 of the 'reception' directive, entitled 'Health care':

'1. Member States shall ensure that applicants receive the necessary health care which shall include, at least, emergency care and essential treatment of illnesses and of serious mental disorders.

2. Member States shall provide necessary medical or other assistance to applicants who have special reception needs, including appropriate mental health care where needed.'

The dispute in the main proceedings and the questions referred for a preliminary ruling

29 It is apparent from the decision to refer and from the material in the case file and arguments at the hearing held before the Court that, on 16 August 2015, C. K., a national of the Syrian Arab Republic, and H. F., a national of the Arab Republic of Egypt, entered the territory of the European Union by means of a visa validly issued by the Republic of Croatia. It is also apparent that, after a short stay in that Member State, they crossed the Slovenian border equipped with false Greek identification. C. K. and H. F. were subsequently admitted to the reception centre for asylum seekers in Ljubljana (Slovenia) and each submitted an asylum application to the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia. It is again apparent from that information that C. K. was pregnant at the time of her entry into the territory of Slovenia.

30 On 28 August 2015, the Slovenian authorities, taking the view that the Republic of Croatia was, pursuant to Article 12(2) of the Dublin III Regulation, the Member State responsible for examining the application for asylum of the appellants in the main proceedings, sent a request to the authorities of that Member State to take charge of them. By reply of 14 September 2015, the Republic of Croatia accepted its responsibility in regard to those persons.

31 Taking into account the advanced pregnancy of C. K., the Republic of Slovenia did not, however, pursue the procedure under the Dublin III Regulation until after 20 November 2015, the date on which the appellant in the main proceedings gave birth to her child A. S. An application for international protection was made for the latter on 27 November 2015, and this was dealt with together with those of C. K. and H. F.

32 On 20 January 2016, the Ministry of the Interior issued a decision refusing to examine the applications for asylum of the appellants in the main proceedings and ordering their transfer to the Republic of Croatia.

33 By judgment of 2 March 2016, the Upravno sodisce (Administrative Court, Slovenia) annulled that decision and referred the case back for re-examination by instructing the competent authorities to obtain an assurance from the Republic of Croatia that C. K., H. F. and their child would have access to adequate medical care in that Member State.

34 A request to that effect was sent by the Slovenian authorities to the Republic of Croatia on 30 March 2016. By reply of 7 April 2016, the Republic of Croatia gave an assurance that the appellants in the main proceedings would receive accommodation, adequate care and any necessary medical treatment in Croatia.

35 On 5 May 2016, the Ministry of the Interior adopted a new decision refusing to examine the applications for asylum of the appellants in the main proceedings and ordering their transfer to the Republic of Croatia.

36 The appellants in the main proceedings brought an appeal against that decision before the Upravno sodisce (Administrative Court). They also requested that court to suspend provisionally the enforcement of that decision until a final judicial decision had been adopted on the substance.

37 In the context of that appeal, the appellants in the main proceedings claimed in particular that their transfer would have negative consequences for the state of health of C. K., also likely to affect the well-being of her new-born child. In this regard, they argued, supported by a number of medical certificates, that C. K. had had a high-risk pregnancy and that she has suffered psychiatric difficulties since giving birth. A specialist psychiatrist, it was stated, had accordingly diagnosed her as having post-natal depression and periodic suicidal tendencies. Furthermore, it is apparent from several medical opinions that the poor state of health of C. K. is mainly caused by uncertainty regarding her status and the resulting stress. Moreover, it was stated, the deterioration in her psychological state could result in aggressive behaviour on her part towards herself and others, which might, as the case may be, require hospital care. The illness suffered by C. K., according to that psychiatrist, required that she and her child remain at the reception centre in Ljubljana to receive care there.

38 By judgment of 1 June 2016, the Upravno sodisce (Administrative Court) annulled the decision to transfer the appellants in the main proceedings. By an order of the same day, that court also suspended the enforcement of that decision until a final judicial decision had been adopted on the substance of the dispute.

39 The Ministry of the Interior thereupon brought an appeal against that judgment before the Vrhovno sodisce (Supreme Court, Slovenia). On 29 June 2016, that court amended the judgment at first instance and confirmed that transfer decision. As regards the care that the state of health of C. K. requires, it held that it was apparent from a report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), received pursuant to a request by the Slovenian authorities, that the situation in the Republic of Croatia concerning the reception of asylum seekers was good. According to that report, that Member State had, in, inter alia, Kutina (Croatia), an accommodation centre designed specifically for vulnerable persons, where asylum seekers had free access to medical care provided by a doctor regularly visiting the centre or, in the event of emergencies, by the local hospital or even, if necessary, by the hospital in Zagreb (Croatia).

40 As regards other allegations of the appellants in the main proceedings, according to which they were victims of racially motivated remarks and abuse in Croatia, the Vrhovno sodisce (Supreme Court) held that they had not demonstrated that there were substantial grounds for believing that, in Croatia, systemic flaws existed in the asylum procedure and in the conditions for the reception of asylum seekers that were likely to give rise, for the latter, to a risk of inhuman or degrading treatment within the meaning of Article 3(2) of the Dublin III Regulation. Moreover, neither the EU institutions nor the UNHCR regarded the situation in that Member State as critical.

41 The judgment of the Vrhovno sodisce (Supreme Court) subsequently became final. However, the appellants in the main proceedings lodged a constitutional appeal with the Ustavno sodisce (Constitutional Court, Slovenia).

42 By decision of 28 September 2016, that court held that, admittedly, it had not been proven in this case that there are, in Croatia, systemic flaws in the asylum procedure and in the conditions for the reception of applicants within the meaning of Article 3(2) of the Dublin III Regulation. Nevertheless, it held, this was not the only ground that could be invoked by the appellants in the main proceedings to show that their transfer to that Member State would expose them to a real risk of inhuman or degrading treatment.

43 In accordance with recital 32 of that regulation, Member States must, according to that court, respect the requirements of Article 33(1) of the Geneva Convention as well as Article 3 of the ECHR and the relevant case-law of the European Court of Human Rights. However, those requirements are wider than the criterion of systemic flaws laid down by Article 3(2) of that regulation, which, moreover, relates only to the situation in which it is impossible for the Member States to proceed with any transfer of the asylum seekers to a particular Member State. In the event that, apart from the case referred to in that provision, the transfer of an asylum seeker to another Member State would result in an infringement of those fundamental requirements, the Member States are required to apply the discretionary clause laid down in Article 17(1) of the Dublin III Regulation.

44 It follows, according to that court, that there is an obligation on the competent authorities and the national court to examine all the circumstances of significance for observance of the principle of non-refoulement, including the state of health of the person concerned, in the case where an asylum seeker claims that the Member State responsible for his application is not a 'safe State' for him. In that context, those authorities must take into account the applicant's personal situation in Slovenia and assess whether the mere fact of transferring that person might in itself be contrary to the principle of non-refoulement.

45 Consequently, according to the Ustavno sodisce (Constitutional Court), since, in the case before it, the appellants in the main proceedings claimed that further movement of C. K. would adversely affect her state of health, submitting several medical opinions in support of their statements, the Vrhovno sodisce (Supreme Court) could not confine itself, as it did, to taking account of the state of health of C. K. as part of the assessment of the situation in Croatia, but also should have verified whether the transfer to that Member State, considered in isolation, was compatible with Article 3 of the ECHR. By failing to assess the claims and the evidence submitted by the appellants in the main proceedings in that regard, that court disregarded their right, recognised by the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, to be accorded 'equal protection in law'. On those grounds, the Ustavno sodisce (Constitutional Court) set aside the judgment of the Vrhovno sodisce (Supreme Court) and referred the case in the main proceedings back to that court for judgment in accordance with the considerations set out in its decision.

46 Finding that the Ustavno sodisce (Constitutional Court) had not referred a question to the Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling before making its decision of 28 September 2016, and nevertheless having doubts as to the compatibility with EU law of the considerations developed in that decision by the constitutional court, the Vrhovno sodisce (Supreme Court) decided to stay the proceedings and to refer the following questions to the Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling:

'(1) Is the interpretation of the rules relating to the application of the discretionary clause under Article 17(1) of the Dublin III Regulation, having regard to the nature of that provision, ultimately a matter for the courts and tribunals of the Member State, and do those rules release the courts and tribunals against whose decisions there is no judicial remedy from the obligation to refer the case to the Court of Justice under the third paragraph of Article 267 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union?

In the alternative, if the answer to the above question is in the negative:

(2) Is the assessment of circumstances under Article 3(2) of the Dublin III Regulation (in a case such as the one forming the subject matter of the present reference for a preliminary ruling) sufficient to satisfy the requirements of Article 4 and Article 19(2) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in conjunction with Article 3 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and Article 33 of the Geneva Convention?

In connection with that question:

(3) Does it follow from the interpretation of Article 17(1) of the Dublin III Regulation that the application of the discretionary clause by the Member State is mandatory for the purposes of ensuring effective protection against an infringement of the rights under Article 4 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in cases such as the one forming the subject matter of the present reference for a preliminary ruling, and that such application prohibits the transfer of the applicant for international protection to a competent Member State which has accepted its competence in accordance with that regulation?

If the answer to the above question is in the affirmative:

(4) Can the discretionary clause under Article 17(1) of the Dublin III Regulation be used as a basis permitting an applicant for international protection, or another person, in a transfer procedure under that regulation, to make a claim that that provision should be applied, which the competent authorities and courts and tribunals of the Member State must assess, or are those administrative authorities and courts and tribunals required to establish the circumstances cited of their own motion?'

The urgent preliminary ruling procedure

47 The referring court has requested that the present reference for a preliminary ruling be dealt with under the urgent preliminary ruling procedure provided for in Article 107 of the Rules of Procedure of the Court.

48 In support of this request, that court claims, in essence, that, taking into account the state of health of C. K., the question of her status should be resolved as rapidly as possible.

49 In this respect, it should be observed, in the first place, that the present reference for a preliminary ruling concerns the interpretation of the Dublin III Regulation, which was adopted on the basis of, inter alia, Article 78(2)(e) TFEU, a provision contained in Title V of Part Three of the FEU Treaty on the area of freedom, security and justice. It may, therefore, be dealt with under the urgent preliminary ruling procedure.

50 In the second place, the possibility that the appellants in the main proceedings may be transferred to the Republic of Croatia before the end of an ordinary preliminary ruling procedure cannot be ruled out in the present case. In response to a request by the Court of Justice for clarification, made on the basis of Article 101(1) of its Rules of Procedure, the referring court stated that, even though, at first instance, the Upravno sodisce (Administrative Court) had ordered, at the request of those persons, the suspension of enforcement of the decision to transfer the persons concerned, there is no judicial measure suspending the enforcement of that decision at the current stage of the national proceedings.

51 In those circumstances, the referring court's request that the present reference for a preliminary ruling be dealt with under the urgent preliminary ruling procedure was granted, in accordance with the decision taken, on 1 December 2016, by the Fifth Chamber of the Court of Justice, acting on a proposal from the Judge-Rapporteur and after hearing the Advocate General.

Consideration of the questions referred

Question 1

52 By its first question, the referring court asks, in essence, whether Article 17(1) of the Dublin III Regulation must be interpreted as meaning that the question of the application, by a Member State, of the 'discretionary clause' laid down in that provision is governed solely by national law and the interpretation given to it by the constitutional court of that Member State, or whether it is a question concerning the interpretation of EU law, within the meaning of Article 267 TFEU.

53 In that respect, it must be recalled that the Court has already held, with regard to the 'sovereignty clause' under Article 3(2) of the Dublin II Regulation, the terms of which coincide, in essence, with those of the 'discretionary clause' laid down in Article 17(1) of the Dublin III Regulation and the interpretation of which is, accordingly, transposable to the latter, that the discretion which it allows the Member States is an integral part of the system for determining the Member State responsible developed by the EU legislature ('the Dublin system'). It follows that a Member State implements EU law, within the meaning of Article 51(1) of the Charter, also when it makes use of that clause (see judgment of 21 December 2011, N. S. and Others, C411/10 and C493/10, EU:C:2011:865, paragraphs 64 to 68). Consequently, the application of the 'discretionary clause' laid down in Article 17(1) of the Dublin III Regulation does indeed involve an interpretation of EU law, within the meaning of Article 267 TFEU.

54 In the light of the foregoing considerations, the answer to the first question is that Article 17(1) of the Dublin III Regulation must be interpreted as meaning that the question of the application, by a Member State, of the 'discretionary clause' laid down in that provision is not governed solely by national law and by the interpretation given to it by the constitutional court of that Member State, but is a question concerning the interpretation of EU law, within the meaning of Article 267 TFEU.

Questions 2, 3 and 4

55 By its second, third and fourth questions, which it is appropriate to examine together, the referring court asks, in essence, whether Article 4 of the Charter must be interpreted as meaning that, in circumstances in which the transfer of an asylum seeker with a particularly serious mental or physical illness would result in a real and proven risk of a significant and permanent deterioration in the state of health of the person concerned, that transfer would constitute inhuman and degrading treatment, within the meaning of that article. In the affirmative, the referring court expresses uncertainty as to whether the Member State concerned would be required to apply the 'discretionary clause' laid down in Article 17(1) of that regulation and itself examine the asylum application at issue.

56 As a preliminary point, it should be recalled that, in accordance with Article 3(1) of the Dublin III Regulation, an application for asylum lodged by a national of a third country or by a stateless person in the territory of any one of the Member States, is, in principle, examined by the single Member State which the criteria set out in Chapter III indicate as being responsible.

57 The Dublin system, of which that regulation forms part, seeks, as is apparent from recitals 4 and 5 thereof, to make it possible, in particular, to determine rapidly the Member State responsible, so as to guarantee effective access to the procedures for granting international protection and not to compromise the objective of processing applications for international protection expeditiously.

58 In that context, a Member State with which an asylum application has been lodged is required to follow the procedures laid down in Chapter VI of that regulation for the purposes of determining the Member State responsible for examining that application, to call upon that Member State to take charge of the applicant concerned and, once that request has been accepted, to transfer that person to the Member State.

59 However, in accordance with the settled case-law of the Court, the rules of secondary EU law, including the provisions of the Dublin III Regulation, must be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Charter (see, by analogy, as regards the Dublin II Regulation, judgment of 21 December 2011, N. S. and Others, C411/10 and C493/10, EU:C:2011:865, paragraphs 77 and 99). The prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, laid down in Article 4 of the Charter, is, in that regard, of fundamental importance, to the extent that it is absolute in that it is closely linked to respect for human dignity, which is the subject of Article 1 of the Charter (see, to that effect, judgment of 5 April 2016, Aranyosi and Caldararu, C404/15 and C659/15 PPU, EU:C:2016:198, paragraphs 85 and 86).

60 In its judgment of 21 December 2011, N. S. and Others (C411/10 and C493/10, EU:C:2011:865, paragraphs 86 to 94 and 106), the Court stressed that the transfer of asylum seekers within the framework of the Dublin system may, in certain circumstances, be incompatible with the prohibition laid down in Article 4 of the Charter. It thus held that an asylum seeker would run a real risk of being subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment, within the meaning of that article, in the event of a transfer to a Member State in which there are substantial grounds for believing that there are systemic flaws in the asylum procedure and in the conditions for the reception of applicants. Consequently, in accordance with the prohibition laid down in that article, the Member States may not carry out transfers within the framework of the Dublin system to a Member State in the case where they cannot be unaware that such flaws exist in that Member State.

61 It follows from recital 9 of the Dublin III Regulation that the EU legislature took note of the effects of the Dublin system on the fundamental rights of asylum seekers. It is again apparent that the EU legislature intended, by adopting that regulation, to make the necessary improvements, in the light of experience, not only to the effectiveness of that system, but also to the protection granted to asylum seekers under that system.

62 The Court has, therefore, already held that, with regard to the rights granted to asylum seekers, the Dublin III Regulation differs in essential respects from the Dublin II Regulation (see, to that effect, judgment of 7 June 2016, Ghezelbash, C63/15, EU:C:2016:409, paragraph 34).

63 As regards the fundamental rights that are conferred on them, in addition to the codification, in Article 3(2) of the Dublin III Regulation, of the case-law arising from the judgment of 21 December 2011, N. S. and Others (C411/10 and C493/10, EU:C:2011:865), referred to in paragraph 60 of the present judgment, the EU legislature stressed, in recitals 32 and 39 of that regulation, that the Member States are bound, in the application of that regulation, by the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights and by Article 4 of the Charter.

64 More specifically, as regards decisions to transfer, first, the EU legislature made their legality subject to the granting, inter alia, to the asylum seeker concerned, in Article 27 of the Dublin III Regulation, of the right to an effective remedy before a court against that decision, the scope of which covers both the factual and legal circumstances surrounding it. Secondly, it set out, in Article 29 of that regulation, the rules for those transfers in greater detail, something which it had not done in the Dublin II Regulation.

65 It follows from all of the preceding considerations that the transfer of an asylum seeker within the framework of the Dublin III Regulation can take place only in conditions which preclude that transfer from resulting in a real risk of the person concerned suffering inhuman or degrading treatment, within the meaning of Article 4 of the Charter.

66 In that regard, it is not possible to exclude from the outset the possibility that, given the particularly serious state of health of an asylum seeker, his transfer pursuant to the Dublin III Regulation may result in such a risk for him.

67 It must be recalled that the prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment laid down in Article 4 of the Charter corresponds to that laid down in Article 3 of the ECHR and that, to that extent, its meaning and scope are, in accordance with Article 52(3) of the Charter, the same as those conferred on it by that convention.

68 It follows from the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights relating to Article 3 of the ECHR, which must be taken into account when interpreting Article 4 of the Charter (see, to that effect, judgment of 21 December 2011, N. S. and Others, C411/10 and C493/10, EU:C:2011:865, paragraphs 87 to 91), that the suffering which flows from naturally occurring illness, whether physical or mental, may be covered by Article 3 of the ECHR if it is, or risks being, exacerbated by treatment, whether flowing from conditions of detention, expulsion or other measures, for which the authorities can be held responsible, provided that the resulting suffering attains the minimum level of severity required by that article (see, to that effect, ECtHR, 13 December 2016, Paposhvili v. Belgium, CE:ECHR:2016:1213JUD004173810,  174 and 175).

69 Taking account of the general and absolute nature of Article 4 of the Charter, those points of principle are also relevant in the context of the Dublin system.

70 In that regard, it must be stated, as regards the reception conditions and the care available in the Member State responsible, that the Member States bound by the 'reception' directive, including the Republic of Croatia, are required, including in the context of the procedure under the Dublin III Regulation, in accordance with Articles 17 to 19 of that directive, to provide asylum seekers with the necessary health care and medical assistance including, at least, emergency care and essential treatment of illnesses and of serious mental disorders. In those circumstances, and in accordance with the mutual confidence between Member States, there is a strong presumption that the medical treatments offered to asylum seekers in the Member States will be adequate (see, by analogy, judgment of 21 December 2011, N. S. and Others, C411/10 and C493/10, EU:C:2011:865, paragraphs 78, 80 and 100 to 105).

71 In the present case, neither the decision to refer nor the material in the case file shows that there are substantial grounds for believing that there are systemic flaws in the asylum procedure and the conditions for the reception of asylum seekers in Croatia, with regard to access to health care in particular, which is, moreover, not alleged by the appellants in the main proceedings. On the contrary, it is apparent from that decision that the Republic of Croatia has, in, inter alia, the town of Kutina, a reception centre designed specifically for vulnerable persons, where they have access to medical care provided by a doctor and, in urgent cases, by the local hospital or even by the hospital in Zagreb. Furthermore, it appears that the Slovenian authorities have obtained from the Croatian authorities an assurance that the appellants in the main proceedings would receive any necessary medical treatment.

72 Moreover, while it is possible that, for certain acute and specific medical illnesses, appropriate medical treatment is available only in certain Member States (see, by analogy, judgment of 5 June 2014, I, C255/13, EU:C:2014:1291, paragraphs 56 and 57), the appellants in the main proceedings have not alleged that this is the case as far as they are concerned.

73 That said, it cannot be ruled out that the transfer of an asylum seeker whose state of health is particularly serious may, in itself, result, for the person concerned, in a real risk of inhuman or degrading treatment within the meaning of Article 4 of the Charter, irrespective of the quality of the reception and the care available in the Member State responsible for examining his application.

74 In that context, it must be held that, in circumstances in which the transfer of an asylum seeker with a particularly serious mental or physical illness would result in a real and proven risk of a significant and permanent deterioration in his state of health, that transfer would constitute inhuman and degrading treatment, within the meaning of that article.

75 Consequently, where an asylum seeker provides, particularly in the context of an effective remedy guaranteed to him by Article 27 of the Dublin III Regulation, objective evidence, such as medical certificates concerning his person, capable of showing the particular seriousness of his state of health and the significant and irreversible consequences to which his transfer might lead, the authorities of the Member State concerned, including its courts, cannot ignore that evidence. They are, on the contrary, under an obligation to assess the risk that such consequences could occur when they decide to transfer the person concerned or, in the case of a court, the legality of a decision to transfer, since the execution of that decision may lead to inhuman or degrading treatment of that person (see, by analogy, judgment of 5 April 2016, Aranyosi and Caldararu, C404/15 and C659/15 PPU, EU:C:2016:198, paragraph 88).

76 It is, therefore, for those authorities to eliminate any serious doubts concerning the impact of the transfer on the state of health of the person concerned. In this regard, in particular in the case of a serious psychiatric illness, it is not sufficient to consider only the consequences of physically transporting the person concerned from one Member State to another, but all the significant and permanent consequences that might arise from the transfer must be taken into consideration.

77 In that context, the authorities of the Member States concerned must verify whether the state of health of the person at issue may be protected appropriately and sufficiently by taking the precautions envisaged by the Dublin III Regulation and, in the affirmative, must implement those precautions.

78 It is apparent from the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights that Article 3 of the ECHR does not, in principle, require a Contracting State to refrain from proceeding with the removal or expulsion of a person where he is fit to travel and provided that the necessary appropriate measures, adapted to the person's state of health, are taken in that regard (see, to that effect, ECtHR, 4 July 2006, Karim v. Sweden, CE:ECHR:2006:0704DEC002417105,  2, and 30 April 2013, Kochieva and Others v. Sweden, CE:ECHR:2013:0430DEC007520312,  35).

79 With more specific regard to the circumstances in which the psychiatric difficulties that an asylum seeker is facing reveal that he has suicidal tendencies, the European Court of Human Rights has held, on several occasions, that the fact that a person whose expulsion has been ordered has threatened to commit suicide does not require the contracting State to refrain from enforcing the envisaged measure, provided that concrete measures are taken to prevent those threats from being realised (see ECtHR, 7 October 2004, Dragan and Others v. Germany, CE:ECHR:2004:1007DEC003374303,  1; 4 July 2006, Karim v. Sweden, CE:ECHR:2006:0704DEC002417105,  2, and 30 April 2013, Kochieva and Others v. Sweden, CE:ECHR:2013:0430DEC007520312,  34).

80 As regards those precautions, it must be emphasised that the Member State having to carry out the transfer may cooperate with the Member State responsible, in accordance with Article 8 of the implementing regulation, in order to ensure that the asylum seeker concerned receives health care during and after the transfer.

81 In this regard, the Member State carrying out the transfer must be able to organise it in such a way that the asylum seeker concerned is accompanied, during transportation, by adequate medical staff with the necessary equipment, resources and medication, so as to prevent any worsening of his health or any act of violence by him towards himself or other persons.

82 That Member State must also be able to ensure that the asylum seeker concerned receives care upon his arrival in the Member State responsible. In that respect, it must be recalled that Articles 31 and 32 of the Dublin III Regulation require the Member State carrying out the transfer to communicate to the Member State responsible such information concerning the state of health of the asylum seeker as to allow that Member State to provide him with the immediate health care required in order to protect his vital interests.

83 The standard form set out in Annex VI to the implementing regulation and the common health certificate found in Annex IX to that regulation may thus be used to inform the Member State responsible that the asylum seeker concerned requires medical assistance and care upon his arrival, as well as all the relevant aspects of his illness and the care which that illness will make necessary in the future. In that case, that information must be communicated within a reasonable period of time before the transfer is carried out, in order to provide the Member State responsible with sufficient time to take the necessary measures. The Member State carrying out the transfer may, in addition, obtain from the Member State responsible the confirmation that the necessary care will be fully available upon arrival.

84 If the court having jurisdiction finds that those precautions are sufficient to exclude any real risk of inhuman or degrading treatment in the event of transferring the asylum seeker concerned, it will be for that court to take the necessary measures to ensure that they are implemented by the authorities of the requesting Member State before the person concerned is transferred. Where necessary, that person's state of health should be reassessed before the transfer is carried out.

85 On the other hand, if the taking of those precautions is, regard being had to the particular seriousness of the illness of the asylum seeker concerned, not sufficient to ensure that his transfer will not result in a real risk of a significant and permanent worsening of his state of health, it is for the authorities of the Member State concerned to suspend the execution of that person's transfer for such time as his state of health renders him unfit for such a transfer.

86 In that regard, it must be recalled that, in accordance with Article 29(1) of the Dublin III Regulation, the transfer of the applicant from the requesting Member State to the Member State responsible is to be carried out as soon as 'practically possible'. As is apparent from Article 9 of the implementing regulation, the ill health of the asylum seeker is specifically regarded as a 'physical reason' capable of justifying postponement of the transfer.

87 If the state of health of the asylum seeker concerned does not permit his transfer, it is then for the requesting Member State, in accordance with that provision, to inform the Member State responsible without delay of the postponement of the transfer due to the condition of that asylum seeker.

88 Where necessary, if it is noted that the state of health of the asylum seeker concerned is not expected to improve in the short term, or that the suspension of the procedure for a long period would risk worsening the condition of the person concerned, the requesting Member State may choose to conduct its own examination of his application by making use of the 'discretionary clause' laid down in Article 17(1) of the Dublin III Regulation (see, to that effect, judgment of 30 May 2013, Halaf, C528/11, EU:C:2013:342, paragraph 38). The fact nevertheless remains that that provision, read in the light of Article 4 of the Charter, cannot be interpreted, in a situation such as that at issue in the main proceedings, as meaning that it implies an obligation on that Member State to make use of it in that way.

89 In any event, if the state of health of the asylum seeker concerned does not enable the requesting Member State to carry out the transfer before the expiry of the six-month period provided for in Article 29(1) of the Dublin III Regulation, the Member State responsible would be relieved of its obligation to take charge of the person concerned and responsibility would then be transferred to the first Member State, in accordance with paragraph 2 of that article.

90 It is for the referring court to determine, in the main proceedings, whether the state of health of C. K. is of such seriousness that there are substantial grounds for believing that her transfer would result for her in a real risk of inhuman or degrading treatment, within the meaning of Article 4 of the Charter. In the affirmative, it will be for the referring court to eliminate those grounds by ensuring that the precautions referred to in paragraphs 81 to 83 of the present judgment are taken before the transfer of C. K. or, if necessary, that the transfer of that person is suspended until her state of health permits it.

91 In that context, the Commission's argument that it follows from Article 3(2) of the Dublin III Regulation that only the existence of systemic flaws in the Member State responsible is capable of affecting the obligation to transfer an asylum seeker to that Member State is unfounded.

92 Nothing in the wording of that provision suggests that the intention of the EU legislature had been to regulate any circumstance other than that of systemic flaws preventing any transfer of asylum seekers to a particular Member State. That provision cannot, therefore, be interpreted as excluding the possibility that considerations linked to real and proven risks of inhuman or degrading treatment, within the meaning of Article 4 of the Charter, might, in exceptional situations such as those envisaged in the present judgment, have consequences for the transfer of a particular asylum seeker.

93 Moreover, such a reading of Article 3(2) of the Dublin III Regulation would be, first, irreconcilable with the general character of Article 4 of the Charter, which prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment in all its forms. Secondly, it would be manifestly incompatible with the absolute character of that prohibition if the Member States could disregard a real and proven risk of inhuman or degrading treatment affecting an asylum seeker under the pretext that it does not result from a systemic flaw in the Member State responsible.

94 Likewise, the interpretation of Article 4 of the Charter in the present judgment is not invalidated by the judgment of 10 December 2013, Abdullahi (C394/12, EU:C:2013:813, paragraph 60), in which the Court held, with regard to the Dublin II Regulation, in essence, that, in circumstances such as those of the case giving rise to that judgment, the only way in which an asylum seeker could call his transfer into question was by pleading systemic flaws in the Member State responsible. Apart from the fact that the Court has held, as recalled in paragraph 62 of the present judgment, that, with regard to the rights enjoyed by an asylum seeker, the Dublin III Regulation differs in essential respects from the Dublin II Regulation, it must be recalled that that judgment was delivered in a case involving a national who had not claimed, before the Court of Justice, any particular circumstances indicating that his transfer would, in itself, be contrary to Article 4 of the Charter. The Court thereby merely recalled its previous judgment of 21 December 2011, N. S. and Others (C411/10 and C493/10, EU:C:2011:865), concerning the impossibility of proceeding with any transfer of asylum seekers to a Member State experiencing systemic flaws in the asylum procedure or the conditions for their reception.

95 Finally, that interpretation fully respects the principle of mutual trust since, far from affecting the existence of a presumption that fundamental rights are respected in each Member State, it ensures that the exceptional situations referred to in the present judgment are duly taken into account by the Member States. Moreover, if a Member State were to proceed with the transfer of an asylum seeker in such situations, the resulting inhuman and degrading treatment would not be attributable, directly or indirectly, to the authorities of the Member State responsible, but to the first Member State alone.

96 In the light of all of the foregoing considerations, the answer to Questions 2, 3 and 4 is that Article 4 of the Charter must be interpreted as meaning that:

- even where there are no substantial grounds for believing that there are systemic flaws in the Member State responsible for examining the application for asylum, the transfer of an asylum seeker within the framework of the Dublin III Regulation can take place only in conditions which exclude the possibility that that transfer might result in a real and proven risk of the person concerned suffering inhuman or degrading treatment, within the meaning of that article;

- in circumstances in which the transfer of an asylum seeker with a particularly serious mental or physical illness would result in a real and proven risk of a significant and permanent deterioration in the state of health of the person concerned, that transfer would constitute inhuman and degrading treatment, within the meaning of that article;

- it is for the authorities of the Member State having to carry out the transfer and, if necessary, its courts to eliminate any serious doubts concerning the impact of the transfer on the state of health of the person concerned by taking the necessary precautions to ensure that the transfer takes place in conditions enabling appropriate and sufficient protection of that person's state of health. If, taking into account the particular seriousness of the illness of the asylum seeker concerned, the taking of those precautions is not sufficient to ensure that his transfer does not result in a real risk of a significant and permanent worsening of his state of health, it is for the authorities of the Member State concerned to suspend the execution of the transfer of the person concerned for such time as his condition renders him unfit for such a transfer, and

- where necessary, if it is noted that the state of health of the asylum seeker concerned is not expected to improve in the short term, or that the suspension of the procedure for a long period would risk worsening the condition of the person concerned, the requesting Member State may choose to conduct its own examination of that person's application by making use of the 'discretionary clause' laid down in Article 17(1) of the Dublin III Regulation.

97 Article 17(1) of that regulation, read in the light of Article 4 of the Charter, cannot be interpreted as requiring, in circumstances such as those at issue in the main proceedings, that Member State to apply that clause.

Costs

98 Since these proceedings are, for the parties to the main proceedings, a step in the action pending before the referring court, the decision on costs is a matter for that court. Costs incurred in submitting observations to the Court, other than the costs of those parties, are not recoverable.

On those grounds, the Court (Fifth Chamber) hereby rules:

1. Article 17(1) of Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an application for international protection lodged in one of the Member States by a third-country national or a stateless person must be interpreted as meaning that the question of the application, by a Member State, of the 'discretionary clause' laid down in that provision is not governed solely by national law and by the interpretation given to it by the constitutional court of that Member State, but is a question concerning the interpretation of EU law, within the meaning of Article 267 TFEU.

2. Article 4 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union must be interpreted as meaning that:

- even where there are no substantial grounds for believing that there are systemic flaws in the Member State responsible for examining the application for asylum, the transfer of an asylum seeker within the framework of Regulation No 604/2013 can take place only in conditions which exclude the possibility that that transfer might result in a real and proven risk of the person concerned suffering inhuman or degrading treatment, within the meaning of that article;

- in circumstances in which the transfer of an asylum seeker with a particularly serious mental or physical illness would result in a real and proven risk of a significant and permanent deterioration in the state of health of the person concerned, that transfer would constitute inhuman and degrading treatment, within the meaning of that article;

- it is for the authorities of the Member State having to carry out the transfer and, if necessary, its courts to eliminate any serious doubts concerning the impact of the transfer on the state of health of the person concerned by taking the necessary precautions to ensure that the transfer takes place in conditions enabling appropriate and sufficient protection of that person's state of health. If, taking into account the particular seriousness of the illness of the asylum seeker concerned, the taking of those precautions is not sufficient to ensure that his transfer does not result in a real risk of a significant and permanent worsening of his state of health, it is for the authorities of the Member States concerned to suspend the execution of the transfer of the person concerned for such time as his condition renders him unfit for such a transfer; and

- where necessary, if it is noted that the state of health of the asylum seeker concerned is not expected to improve in the short term, or that the suspension of the procedure for a long period would risk worsening the condition of the person concerned, the requesting Member State may choose to conduct its own examination of that person's application by making use of the 'discretionary clause' laid down in Article 17(1) of Regulation No 604/2013.

Article 17(1) of Regulation No 604/2013, read in the light of Article 4 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, cannot be interpreted as requiring, in circumstances such as those at issue in the main proceedings, that Member State to apply that clause.

[Signatures]

Language of the case: Slovene.

Copyright notice: Cour de justice des Communautes europeennes L-2925 Luxembourg. Telephone switchboard: (352) 4303.1; fax: (352) 4303.2600
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Also Read: Princess Charlotte has been spotted wearing the same shoes Prince Harry used to

We would also need to have impeccable bone and muscle structures, and stock up on the pain killers, because we will need them. We might also have to avoid stairs, rough roads and slippery floors altogether, because friction and fashion just won't go hand-in-hand in this case!

Picture courtesy: Twitter/W24_SA

And at $1,995 (Rs 1,27,271), these roller-skate heels would really require you to burn a big, big hole in your pocket. But hey, these roller-skate heels look quite chic, and they're the new wild fashion trend to hit the markets, right?

Picture courtesy: Twitter/Piggeeback

--- ENDS ---
An ethnic minority imam in the troubled northwestern region of Xinjiang has failed to reappear following the end of his jail sentence handed down a year ago for "engaging in illegal religious activities," sources in the region told RFA on .



Nurjan Mehmet, a Kazakh imam from Xinjiang's Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, was handed the sentence by a court in Ili's Nileke county after a period in criminal detention.



Sources said that he has yet to return home or contact family or friends since his expected release date on , however.



"Nurjan was arrested in August last year, and they said they would release him this year, but they haven't done so," a Kazakh source in the region said.



The source said Nurjan was detained after a Muslim couple went to the civil affairs bureau to register their marriage, and were asked if they had also had a traditional Muslim "nikah" wedding ceremony.



They admitted they had, and Nurjan was arrested for it, the source said, adding that unconfirmed reports have emerged that he is now serving a four-year jail term rather than the one year originally handed down.



In March, Xinjiang authorities fired an ethnic Uyghur official for holding her wedding ceremony at home according to Islamic traditions instead of at a government-sanctioned venue.



Salamet Memetimin, the communist party secretary for Chaka townships Bekchan village, in Hotan (in Chinese, Hetian) prefectures Chira (Cele) county, was among 97 officials recently charged with disciplinary violations, according to an report by the state-run Hotan Daily newspaper.



Local residents said the woman was relieved of her duties for taking her "nikah" marriage vows in her own home.



"I think this may be a local policy unique to Xinjiang," the source said. "You have to first apply for a marriage certificate and then carry out the Islamic practice of nikah."



"The imams aren't allowed to perform nikah if there is no marriage certificate, or they will be sent to prison."



New rules for Kazakhs

But he said Nurjan should still have been released by now.



"The verdict and judgement said the sentence would run until the end of the July, but they haven't let him out," he said.



In a related development, authorities in Ili's Xinyuan county announced five new rules aimed at Kazakhs at the end of July.



The announcement called on Kazakhs to report anyone wearing traditional Islamic clothing or growing a beard, any strangers or recently arrived vehicles in town, and any contact with distant relatives.



It said anyone bad-mouthing the ruling Chinese Communist Party or government officials, or inciting local people to oppose the government must also be reported "immediately."



Similar rules have appeared in other parts of the region, local sources told RFA.



Chinese authorities have detained dozens of ethnic Kazakhs in recent weeks amid an ongoing security crackdown targeting anyone with ties beyond China's borders.



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.



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.



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.
Rescuers continued to search for people buried in rubble on following 's 7.0 magnitude earthquake in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan, in which 19 people are confirmed to have died.



Eight tourists were among the dead after the tremor rocked the popular scenic destination during the summer vacation, while 247 people were reported injured, official figures said.



The worst-hit area lies in Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture, some 200 km (120 miles) northwest of Sichuan's Guangyuan city, close to the Jiuzhaigou nature reserve, a favorite tourist destination, and in an area sparsely populated with Tibetan nomads.



The authorities confirmed they are evacuating some 45,000 tourists from the area, as well as local residents cut off by landslides and rockfalls.



Many spent the night out in the open for fear of being trapped in a collapsing building.



Official media said rescue teams included disaster relief units, police, firefighters, armed forces, geologists, medical staff, infrastructure maintenance teams, transport authorities, and fuel suppliers.



Rescuers were using sniffer dogs, life detectors, drones and laser sensors to find people buried in the rubble, with more than 1,300 armed police and 1,100 firefighters dispatched to the area.



An employee who answered the phone at the Jiuzhaigou County People's Hospital on declined to comment.



"Our boss has the clearest picture of the situation," the employee said. "But he's pretty busy right now, so could you please call back later?"



'We are sleeping in the road'

But repeated calls to the hospital at a later time rang unanswered.



A guest who had been staying at a hotel near the worst-hit area said they her family was in their room when the quake struck on evening.



"We brought our kid here on vacation for the summer holidays," the woman, surnamed Zhou, told RFA. "We were having fun in Jiuzhaigou, when the hotel room suddenly started rocking, and the light was swaying."



"We were so scared that we rushed outside, and saw that everyone else was running out too. Since then, we haven't dared go back into the room to sleep, but everyone is wrapped up in the quilts from the hotel. We are sleeping in the road."



A Jiuzhaigou taxi-driver surnamed Tang said buildings are continuing to collapse in the wake of the 7.0 magnitude tremor, and that thousands of rescue workers have arrived in the town, searching for anyone missing.



"It happened at just past 9.00 p.m. evening, and a lot of people left their beds to run outside," Tang said. "They were screaming in terror."



"After that, I spent the whole night in my taxi."

Tourists leaving



Tang said there were a number of "pretty big" aftershocks that scared people further.



", a lot of rescue vehicles drove into the area, and we were given free food and drinking water when we came out."



A local resident surnamed Lu said his family has stayed in their home because they felt the quake wasn't as serious as many in the region, and chose not to leave with the rescue teams, however.



"The government is arranging for the tourists to be taken to Mianyang city and [provincial capital] Chengdu, but we don't need rescuing," Lu said. "We are rescuing others."



"The government has sent rescue workers, as well as people to clear the roads [of rocks and mud]."



Photos of the rescue operation showed large piles of rubble from collapsed buildings and rocks from nearby hillsides on a section of road near Jiuzhaigou, with glass broken in many parked vehicles, with damage visible to tourist buses.



Other photos showed a fleeing parent with a screaming child on their back, and schoolchildren receiving medical treatment.



An employee who answered the phone at the Jiuzhaigou county government offices on declined to comment in detail on the aftermath of the quake.



"You'll have to stick to the official version issued by the Jiuzhaigou government," she said. "We haven't had time to count the casualties yet; we are all pretty busy here."



"Just stick to whatever the Jiuzhaigou government puts out; we can't talk to you about the disaster here," she said. Asked if the tourists were leaving, she replied: "They're in the process of leaving."



Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wong Lok-to for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Myanmar children who fled their villages with their parents to escape fighting between the Ta'ang National Liberation Army and government military take refuge in a monastery in Namtu township in Myanmar's northern Shan State, Aug. 9, 2017.

Fighting between government troops and the Taang National Liberation Army in Myanmars war-torn northern Shan state has forced nearly 300 villagers to flee to safety in Namtu township ahead of a planned visit by the governments human rights commission, residents afftected by the hostilities said on Wednesday.

The villagers left their homes when hostilities between the Myanmar army and the TNLA intensified near Aukmanwei village in Namhsan township in the ethnic Palaung self-administered zone, they said.

About 100 residents fled Khay Khin and Man Wel villages after artillery shells fell there, and 100 more left their homes on Wednesday, they said.

The villagers told RFAs Myanmar Service that another 80 people were behind them as they made their way to Namtu, where they have sought shelter in a monastery.

About 400 ethnic Lisu and Kachin refugees have already sought shelter in Namtu since December 2016 because of fighting in the region between the Myanmar military and ethnic rebels.

The TNLA said seven different clashes occurred between its troops and the Myanmar armys 77th infantry battalion on Tuesday, and there were reports that fighting also took place in Myine and Kyauk Phyu villages in Namhsan township, the online new service the Democratic Voice of Burma reported.

The government military closed off Mantong township, the other townships in the Palaung self-administered zone, after TNLA soldiers ambushed one of its convoys on Aug. 5

The TNLA has been fighting the government army and another ethnic armed group  the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA)  in Shan state since late November 2015, about six weeks after the signing of a nationwide cease-fire agreement between the government and eight of the countrys more than 20 ethnic armed groups.

The TNLA was excluded from signing the accord because of its ongoing hostilities with Myanmars armed forces.

Rights commission postpones visit

The latest round of clashes prompted the eight-member Myanmar National Human Rights Commission on Wednesday to postpone a trip to northern Shan state to discuss prison reform and security issues, a committee member said.

The committee was scheduled to visit a Namtu refugee camp on Thursday.

There was a major skirmish last Friday near Mantong village and sporadic clashes occurred during the weekend, so the police can't dare be responsible for our safety, said committee member Yu Lwin Aung. They are worried that the TNLA might do something to us, so we had to cancel our plans.

On Tuesday, the commissioners visited orphanages and senior citizens homes in Lashio, the largest town in northern Shan state, and inspected prison conditions and jail cells in Thibaw, he said.

Yu Lwin Aung said there were few human rights violations at the places they visited based on what the commission members saw and heard.

He also met with three domestic journalists detained in Thibaw Prison, who have been charged under Article 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act for being involved with an illegal organization.

The three journalists  Lawi Weng of the online journal The Irrawaddy and Aye Nai and Pyae Phone Aung of the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB)  were arrested by the government military on June 26 for covering an illegal drug-burning event by the TNLA in Namhsan.

The Myanmar military accused them of having ties to the TNLA.

The journalists have been denied bail and face up to three years in prison if convicted.

After interviewing the three men separately about the case, Yu Lwin Aung said they had not broken the law according to information they provided, The Irrawaddy reported.

Yu Lwin Aung said he would submit his findings to other commission members who will collectively determine their position on the case and decide which government ministry or office they will report it to, The Irrawaddy said.

Reported by Kan Thar for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
By PTI: (Eds: With additional information)

New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) The Delhi Assembly had a noisy start to the monsoon session today with the ruling AAP targeting the BJP over the Chandigarh stalking case while the opposition BJP raised the issue of death of sanitation workers in the national capital.

The ruckus affected the Assembly proceedings for an hour, and led to adjournments of the House twice.

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As the House met today, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel mentioned the Chandigarh stalking case in which the Haryana BJP presidents son is allegedly involved.

Leader of the opposition Vijender Gupta objected to it and demanded a discussion on the death of sanitation workers in Delhi.

Three men had died allegedly after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning a sewer pipe in southeast Delhis Lajpat Nagar on Sunday, while last month, four sanitation workers died due to asphyxiation when they had entered a septic tank to clean it in south Delhis Vasant Kunj.

Gupta was joined by his two party colleagues. Goel asked them to sit down and also accused Gupta of "disrespecting" the women of the country "by opposing condemnation" of the stalking incident.

As Gupta and the other BJP MLAs came in the Well of the House, the ruling AAP legislators followed suit shouting slogans.

They were wearing badges in support of the woman who resisted her alleged stalkers in Chandigarh. The 29-year-old woman was chased through the streets of Chandigarh on her way home late on Friday night, allegedly by the BJP leaders son and one more person.

In the continuing din, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tried to reply to Gupta over the death of workers but he could not continue as the House was adjourned for 15 minutes.

When the House met again, Sisodia said there is a standing instruction that sewage should be cleaned mechanically, but the contractor allowed manual cleaning of the sewers.

"The government has announced Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of sanitation workers who had died while cleaning sewer. The investigation is going on in this case. If anyone is found guilty, strict action will be taken," Sisodia said.

Meanwhile, Water Minister Rajender Pal Gautam told the House the government was framing new parameters so that there is no such incident in future.

"Under new parameters (to clean sewer), the responsibility of officers concerned, contractors will be fixed," Gautam said.

Thereafter, AAP and BJP MLAs continued to shout slogans against each other over stalking case and death of sanitation workers respectively.

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The House was adjourned again for half an hour as the legislators stayed in the well despite the Speaker asking them to go back to their seat.

Gupta and BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa were marshalled out of the House when they remained in the well despite the Speakers warning, demanding discussion on the death of four sanitation workers.

Later in a press note, Gupta said the issue of stalking in Chandigarh was "listed today in the revised List of Business at the end of the last item under the title short duration discussion."

"But the Speaker suddenly reversed the order and introduced the last subject first in order to divert attention from the adjournment motion on sewer deaths to be introduced by the Leader of Opposition. This denies the rights not only Dalits but also the opposition," he alleged.

Gupta, an MLA from Rohini, also alleged the way the AAP government treated the death of sewer workers in the Assembly today establishes beyond doubt that it is not only a "dalit- virodhi" but also "opposition-repressive" dispensation.

The BJP legislator alleged, "The AAP government wants to stifle the voice of opposition even if it is for the poor and the downtrodden." PTI BUN VIT NSD

--- ENDS ---

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A soldier from the Ta'ang National Liberation Army emerges from a forest in Mantong township in Myanmar's northern Shan state, Jan. 16, 2014.

The Myanmar military has closed all entry and exit points in Mantong township in the countrys war-torn northern Shan state following an ambush by an ethnic armed group on a national army convoy, a local official said Tuesday.

It is unknown whether there were any casualties in the Aug. 5 attack in Mantong, one of the two townships in the Palaung self-administered zone overseen by the ethnic Palaung, or Taang, people  a MonKhmer ethnic minority found in Shan state. The zones other township is Namhsan.

Ethnic militias, including the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), have been engaged in periodic clashes with the Myanmar military in volatile Shan state.

Only the entry point was closed in the past few days, but today the exit points were also closed, said Thein Zaw, a member of the Palaung Self-autonomous Administrative Committee.

People are having difficulties because of the closures, and some cannot even leave to get their basic supplies, he said, adding that many of Mantongs residents work on tea plantations outside Mantong and that some must travel to other towns for medical treatment.

A Myanmar army officer from Light Infantry Division 77, which is in charge of the towns security, told RFAs Myanmar Service that the soldiers do not want the closures to affect the movement of residents, but they have no other choice.

We dont want to restrict their movements, but they [the rebels] are taking residents as new recruits  one person from each household  and some complied out of fear, said the officer who declined to be named.

So it seems every house has a rebel, and they have become informers about our movements, he said.

TNLA battalion 434 has been engaged in hostilities with the national armys Light Infantry Division 77 in the Palaung self-administered zone in recent days, according to information on the website of the Palaung State Liberation Front, the TNLAs political wing.

Past clashes

The TNLA has been fighting the government army and another ethnic armed group  the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA)  in Shan state since late November 2015, about six weeks after the signing of a nationwide cease-fire agreement (NCA) between the government and eight of the countrys more than 20 ethnic armed groups.

The TNLA was excluded from signing the accord because of its ongoing hostilities with Myanmar's armed forces.

The clashes have forced thousands of residents to flee their homes in northern Shan state and seek shelter in Buddhist monasteries.

The TNLA is also a member of the Northern Alliance of four ethnic militias that launched coordinated attacks on Nov. 20 on 10 government and military targets in Shan state. The other members of the alliance are the Arakan Army (AA), Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).

Reported by Kan Thar for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Authorities in northwest Chinas Xinjiang region have sentenced a prominent Uyghur theological scholar sponsored by the countrys state-sanctioned Islamic Association to 10 years in prison following his return from Egypt, according to local sources.



A faculty member at Xinjiang Islamic University in the regional capital Urumqi told RFAs Uyghur Service that Hebibulla Tohti was convicted in May under charges that were not immediately clear, nearly a year after he voluntarily relocated to Xinjiang from Cairo to register himself with the government.



Thousands of Uyghurs, many of whom are students studying at Cairos prestigious Al-Azhar Islamic University, have returned to Xinjiang from Egypt after Chinese police detained many of their relatives and threatened them with severe punishment if they did not return.



Many have since been detained, forced to undergo political reeducation, and jailed by authorities in Xinjiang, where Uyghurs regularly complain of pervasive ethnic discrimination, religious repression, and cultural suppression under Chinese rule in the region.



Tohti, who is from Kashgar (in Chinese, Kashi) city, in Xinjiangs Kashgar prefecture, had graduated with an undergraduate degree from Xinjiang Islamic University and was one of three students sent by Chinas Islamic Association to Al-Azhar, where he pursued a doctorate degree in theology.



Upon completion of his studies in September 2015, he received official praise from the association for defending his dissertation and obtaining his degree.



Tohti relocated to Urumqi in July last year, as ordered by Chinese authorities, but was immediately detained and interrogated upon his return for committing three illegal activities while studying at Al-Azhar, the faculty member said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



The three activities consisted of teaching religion to Uyghur students in Egypt without permission from the Chinese authorities, attending a major religious conference in Saudi Arabia in 2015 without permission from the Chinese authorities, and emphasizing the distinct achievements of the Uyghur culture in his dissertation paper, he said.



Additionally, Tohtiwho is fluent in Uyghur, Mandarin Chinese, English and Arabichad failed to write or speak out positively about Chinese policies in the Uyghur region.



Second detention



According to the faculty member, Tohti was released in January this year, at which point the director of Xinjiang Islamic University offered him a teaching position. Tohti had accepted, but was detained again in March, he said.



I know that he was detained  by state security police, which is why we have been unable to hire him, the faculty member said.



He couldn't pass a security check, so the relevant police department warned our administration not to hire him.



Tohti was sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegal religious activity in May, he said, though there has been no official announcement of his conviction or what charges he had faced.



The faculty member referred further questions to Xinjiang Islamic University administrators Ali Rahman, Elijan Inayet and Ma Yanling, though RFA was unable to reach them by phone.



A police officer named Abduweli at the Bahuliang Police Station in Urumqi was initially unsure of Tohtis identity when contacted by RFA, noting that authorities had detained many from that [Xinjiang Islamic University] school district.



When informed of the scholars background at Al-Azhar, however, he was able to confirm his arrest.



Our police chief was directly involved in detaining that man, so you should call him, he said.



Calls to the police chief rang unanswered, while sources at the Urumqi Judicial Department declined to provide details about Tohtis case.



Observers say that Tohti was likely targeted by authorities as being double-faced, according to Xinjiang Party Secretary Chen Quanguos recent campaign to punish influential Uyghurs who appear loyal to Chinas ruling Communist Party, but secretly promote the interests of their ethnic group.



Chinas Communist Party blames some Uyghurs for a string of violent attacks and clashes in China in recent years, but critics say the government has exaggerated the threat from the ethnic group, and that repressive domestic policies are responsible for violence that has left hundreds dead since 2009.



China regularly conducts strike hard campaigns in Xinjiang, including police raids on Uyghur households, restrictions on Islamic practices, and curbs on the culture and language of the Uyghur people, including videos and other material.



Reported and translated by Shohret Hoshur for RFAs Uyghur Service. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
UPDATED at 1:30 P.M. on 2017-08-14

Vietnam's environment ministry decided on Wednesday to scrap plans to dump about 1 million cubic meters of sediment into waters off Binh Thuan province, an idea that was met with strong opposition by local residents, fishermen and aquaculture farmers.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment struck an agreement with the Binh Thuan People's Committee to use the mud, soil and sand dredged from the harbor of Vinh Tan Power Company as fill to prevent coastal erosion in another local harbor, instead of dumping it into the sea, according to the website of the Binh Thuan provincial government.

The decision follows acts of protests and an online petition that drew thousands of signatures by citizens, environmentalists and fishermen, who argued the waste would destroy coral reefs and fishing grounds.

On July 15, a group of Ho Chi Minh City citizens tried to stage a walk to Binh Thuan to oppose the sediment project, but were halted on the outskirts of the city by police.

Also last month, 13 civic groups under the control of the Vietnamese government -- including the Vietnam Rivers Network, the Sustainable Energy Alliance and the Sea Life Conservation Center -- signed a petition against dumping the dredging waste into Binh Thuan waters.

The groups argued that the plan to dump the sediment was made without the consent of the public and scientists and without a transparent environmental impact assessment. The petition also cited what the groups said was a record of pollution incidents caused by the four thermal power plants of Vinh Tan.

Their recommendations were sent to 11 senior Vietnamese officials, including Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha.

Wednesday's decision came amid continued friction in central Vietnam over a toxic waste spill that occurred in April 2016, polluting more than 125 miles of coastline along four coastal provinces. The disaster killed an estimated 115 tons of fish and left fishermen and tourism industry workers jobless.

Taiwan-owned Formosa Plastics Group later acknowledged it was responsible for the release of the chemicals from its massive steel plant located at the deep-water port in Ha Tinh provinces Ky Anh district.

The company voluntarily paid U.S. $500 million to clean up and compensate those affected by the spill, but the slow and uneven payout of the funds by the Vietnamese government has prompted protests which continue to be held more than a year after the disaster.

Reported by RFA's Vietnamese Service. Translated by Emily Peyman. Written in English by Paul Eckert.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described the sediment as sludge.


Avail Vapor LLC, the fast- growing Chesterfield County-based manufacturer and retailer of vaping products, has made a deal to produce and sell e-liquids for another major brand.

Avail said Tuesday it will manufacture, package and label select e-liquid products for Charlies Chalk Dust, a Costa Mesa, Calif.-based maker of e-liquids.

E-liquids are the mixtures of flavorings, glycerine, propylene glycol, and nicotine extract that are used in refillable vaping devices, or premium electronic cigarettes. E-liquids are typically sold in small bottles at retail vape shops that have opened across the country as a variety of electronic cigarette products have emerged in recent years.

Charlies Chalk Dust is an extremely well-known and recognized national brand, said Russ Rogers, Avails chief operating officer, adding that the deal shows that Avail is being recognized for its somewhat unique position as both a manufacturer and retailer of vaping products.

Avail makes it own brands of e-liquids in a certified clean room adjacent to its corporate headquarters on Southlake Boulevard. The company has been positioning itself as a high-quality manufacturer of e-liquids, capable of handling contract production and testing for other companies as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration takes steps to regulate e-cigarettes.

Since it was founded in 2013, Avail also has opened 102 retail stores in 12 states, which the company says makes it the largest wholly owned U.S. vape store chain. It has 31 stores in Virginia, including eight in the Richmond region.

As part of the deal, Avail also will sell six flavors of Charlies Chalk Dust e-liquids at its stores, along with about 65 of Avails own flavors  the first time Avail has placed another brand in its stores.

We finally have a contract manufacturing client at the caliber that we felt was appropriate to place in our stores, Rogers said. The contract includes making some Charlies Chalk Dust e-liquids for international distribution, he said.

Avail has about 70 employees at its Chesterfield headquarters and production site. With the new contract manufacturing, Rogers said he expects the company will hire about 10 more employees and add some equipment. Including its retail stores, Avail employs about 400 people.
A lesbian sex scene featuring Charlize Theron and Sofia Boutella in Atomic Blonde has received the axe from the Pahlaj Nihalani-led censor board.

By India Today Web Desk: In what comes as hardly a surprise, our sanskaari censor board has run its scissors over the upcoming Hollywood release, Atomic Blonde. The film, which stars Charlize Theron and Sofia Boutella in the lead roles, is the latest film to suffer the wrath of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). If reports are to be believed, the board has chopped off an entire scene where Charlize Theron and Sofia Boutella are seen making out.

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Given the stand of the Pahlaj Nihalani-led CBFC as far as sex scenes in general are concerned, even hoping that a lesbian sex scene would escape their scissors was a bit too much probably.

As a result, a sanitised version of Atomic Blonde will release in India this Friday. Sans the lesbian sex scene featuring Theron and Boutella.

A report in The Quint quotes parts of the CBFC's order on Atomic Blonde: "Delete the visual of the hand touching the bare breast in bed of two ladies, and delete the entire love-making (having sex)."

The report goes on to mention the other cuts ordered by the board.

Theron's "bare butt" and bare breast in the bathtub. Her nipples from under a knitted sweater are also facing the CBFC's ire. References to 'c**t, c**k, b**ls, b**ch, p**ck c**ks***er' are all done away with from the subtitles, but they have been allowed to be retained in the soundtrack.

Reason? The board thinks that the way the characters 'mumble' these words, Indians will take a while to realise what has been said. Subtitles make it easy to understand, you see.

Atomic Blonde, by the way, has been passed with an 'A' certificate.

When Nihalani was asked how Deepa Mehta's Fire had Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das making out, all those years ago, his answer was quite bland: "You must ask why it was passed by whoever was in my place back then."

Atomic Blonde is the story of Lorraine Broughton (played by Theron), MI6's 'most lethal assassin through a ticking time bomb of a city simmering with revolution and double-crossing hives of traitors.'

The film is slated to open in theatres in India on August 11.

ALSO READ: Pahlaj Nihalani-led CBFC wants 48 cuts in Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Babumoshai Bandookbaaz

ALSO READ: Keep your fingers crossed. Pahlaj Nihalani might step down as CBFC chief

ALSO READ: Is censorship even relevant today, asks Aamir. Is Pahlaj Nihalani listening?

ALSO WATCH: Anurag Kashyap slams Pahlaj Nihalani and CBFC, says there's nothing dirty about the word sex or adult

--- ENDS ---
A former University of Virginia tight end has taken over the First State Bank in Danville and renamed it Movement Bank.

Casey Crawford, a former Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers player who is co-founder of Fort Mill, S.C.-based Movement Mortgage, has recapitalized First State Bank and led its rebranding initiative.

Crawford, now the chairman of Movement Banks board, became the majority shareholder of First State Bank in June. He now owns about 94-percent of the banks stock, said Tom Smith, the banks new president and CEO.

As part of the name change, Movement Bank has adopted a new strategy to expand into additional markets and develop improved products and services.

After 98 years in business, First State Bank was known as the last remaining black-owned bank in Virginia. It was founded in 1919 by African-Americans whom mainstream banks refused to serve.

The bank had been through a few years of losses and was in survival mode, said Adam ODaniel, a spokesman for Crawford.

Crawfords investment, he said, means the bank now can enjoy a new period of growth.

First State Bank lost $1 million during 2015 and 2016, and lost an additional $75,000 in the first quarter of 2017.

Though Crawford did not release how much he spent buying stock, the banks asset value has jumped from about $28 million to $39.5 million since Crawfords purchase.

Plans call for Movement Bank to open loan production offices in various locations in Virginia and the Carolinas, the bank said. Details on new and updated product offerings will be released in the coming months, the bank said.

Smith said personnel remain largely the same, except for three additions  himself, Crawford and Laura Bowles, who is now the chief financial officer  and one retirement, of Grace Lekwuwa, who was a certified management accountant and board member.

Movement Bank also will be operated independently of Movement Mortgage, one of the 10 largest purchase mortgage lenders nationwide and where Crawford serves as CEO. While Crawford will serve as Movement Banks board chairman, the day-to-day operations will be handled by the banks management team and staff, the company said.

The name of the bank has great significance to Crawford, ODaniel said.

Crawford and Toby Harris co-founded Movement Mortgage in 2008 with the belief companies could have employees who are happy to come to work, contribute to the communities in which they are located, operate with integrity and still be operated profitably.

Movement Mortgage began building momentum despite starting during the same year the Great Recession began. By 2016, the company reported $12 billion in loan volume and had about 4,200 employees at 500-plus loan production offices. It has an operations center in Hampton Roads.

Movement Mortgage moved its headquarters from Virginia Beach to South Carolina in 2015.
With the dog days of summer bringing us weather that begs for liquid refreshment, why not head to the RVA Collab House for some Rescue Me Rye, a tribute to a beloved rescue dog?

The RVA Collab House, the Richmond location of Charlottesvilles Three Notchd Brewing Co., is one of at least three local craft brewers that are actively supporting dogs and dog-lovers in the area.

Aaron Thackery, RVA Collab House manager, explains the story behind Rescue Me Rye, an American rye wheat ale with an ABV of 5 percent: Rescue Me Rye is a collaboration with the Richmond Animal League and a tribute to Burg, a beloved dog of RAL that they lost to cancer earlier this year. Burg was abandoned by his previous owners and, once rescued, found a home with Amy (McCracken, the director of RAL) and the rest of the team.

Most RVA Collab House collaborations are meant to raise awareness about the organizations we work with, not necessarily raise donations, Thackery said. But the night of the release, the brewery donated $1 from each beer sold, and allowed RAL to bring a few adoptable pups to the brewery, one of which found a home.

Stefan McFayden, head brewer at RVA Collab House, describes Rescue Me as smooth, light and crisp with a slight bite in the finish from the Copper Fox Rappahannock Rye. Malted wheat lends body to the beer along with a noticeable wheat malt profile. Though this is a malt-forward beer, US Goldings hops balance the malt sweetness with a light bitterness and subtle floral note.

Blue Bee Cider and Strangeways Brewing are also dog lovers. On Aug. 5, Blue Bee, in collaboration with several local rescue organizations, hosted its annual Dog Days of Summer, which focused on pet adoptions. Strangeways has big dog-focused events each spring and fall, and hosts monthly Yappy Hours, where dogs are encouraged to attend on the patio. The next Yappy Hour is Aug. 23.

Tonie Stevens, Strangeways sales and marketing director, describes the event: Our patio becomes a pup party, and 10 percent of all beer sales during Yappy Hour 5-7 p.m. will be donated to a local nonprofit animal organization. This month we are proud to support Richmond Animal Care & Control Foundation. We have plenty of water bowls for the pups, and every four-legged guest gets a treat.

For those who enjoy throwing frisbees to their dogs, McFayden has one other option for you to consider.

Id say our beer to beat the heat would be our new Frisbeer Raspberry Gose, McFayden said. We just released it last Thursday. The beer is a collaboration with Richmond Ultimate, an ultimate frisbee organization celebrating its 20th year.

We wanted to brew a beer that was a refreshing thirst-quencher and landed on a gose, McFayden said. Gose is a style that is gaining wide popularity. Its typically low-ABV, sour, sometimes fruited and brewed with salt. I often joke that theyre the Gatorade of beer.

McFayden describes Frisbeer as fairly fruit-forward with a nice tangy acidity thats not overwhelming and keeps it approachable. Its the perfect summer sipper with a big, bright raspberry flavor, accompanied by a tangy sourness and a light salt character from Himalayan Sea Salt.
Temptation, thy name is travel brochure.

Last week, I made the same mistake that many, many people apparently make as well  I didnt get the state inspection of my car until the last minute. Anyone else who has done that probably knows the response I received when I went to an auto body shop to see if I could get it done: Drop it off and we will get to it tomorrow.

Well, as a single person with an active job and a bit of a hike back to my home, that wasnt an option. So I called a few places. The prognosis was even worse. They had even longer waits, some planned as far as a week away.

Dejected and driving (paying very close attention to my speed so as not to get pulled over) I set off toward work and spotted a AAA location that touted state inspections on a sign and didnt appear to have an overflowing parking lot. The wait was six hours but they had wifi and I had my laptop, so why not?

The only problem was that this particular location also sold insurance and booked travel plans. The former wasnt the problem  it was the travel side of the business that really got to me.

Like my mother, I love to travel. Under her influence, we traveled a pretty good portion of the United States growing up. Under my own steam, I started to see more of the world.

I believe I have mentioned before that I studied abroad in college at Texas Christian Universitys London Centre. In addition to the amazing experience of living there, London is a great jumping off point to all of Europe, and I definitely did my share of backpacking during my study abroad experience as well as when I got short-term work visas in England and Ireland after graduation.

While living in North Carolina, I also took a two-week trip to visit a friend in India, and the experience completely blew my mind in terms of the culture, food, sights and the immense range of quality of life there.

Back to the reason for this column. As I was waiting patiently for my car to be seen, I sat in the branchs cafe and worked. Right behind me was a wall of tempting and tantalizing tour guides, all of them screaming, Pick me up, I dare you. Still, I resisted.

But as I worked, I heard a very friendly travel agent helping a family book a trip to Canada. What really caught my attention was when she told them that it was illegal to lock your car doors in Churchill, Manitoba, also known as the polar bear capital of the world, in case someone needs to make a quick getaway from one of the deadly carnivores.

Of course, I had to see if this was true. So I started doing a little quick online research, and, sure enough, it was. When the Hudson Bay ice breaks up and polar bears come onto land, they often wander into this tiny Canadian town. There is even a Polar Bear Alert Program designed to help polar bears and humans co-exist, including giving people tips on what they should do if they encounter one of these majestic but deadly creatures.

When the travel agent, Shawn, was finished helping her customers, I struck up a conversation and started picking her brain, of course after identifying myself as a newspaper editor.

I asked her if she had any other fun facts she likes to share with prospective travelers. She told me about having learned there are no snakes in New Zealand. I had heard this about Ireland, but having not yet traveled to New Zealand (its No. 2 on my list, after South Africa), I am not overly familiar with its native wildlife.

Back to the internet. According to what I found, it is true there are no land snakes, but the island is visited sometimes by two kinds of sea snakes, the yellow-bellied sea snake and the banded sea krait, which are both poisonous. Random but interesting if you like to travel.

Or how about the oddity of the land-to-road ratio of Alaska, which has 640 square miles of land for every mile of paved road, compared to the tiny state of New Hampshire, which has 11 square miles of land for every mile of road. That makes Alaskas land-to-road ratio 56.4 times greater. Alaska.org backed this up and provided the specifics to Shawns slightly more vague factoid.

I asked Shawn about some of the travel plans she has booked for people. She said the most popular destinations seem to be Ireland and Italy. She booked a trip for someone to Iceland in January, where the travelers reported back to her that they had seen the Northern Lights and whales.

It was 20 below but they loved it and had a ball, she said.

On another trip, she helped a family of three plan a trip to Croatia where they would eschew any group travel tours and instead only make their way around the country via public transportation.

When asked if she had a favorite trip she had booked for someone, she said she loves to book a persons dream trip. Whether its a trip to Dollywood or Sorrento, Italy, in December, when someone sends her a note back saying she helped them make a dream come true, that thrills her.

Of course, I had to ask her for her own favorite trip, and the answer took us back to New Zealand, which is how she knew about the snakes. She said it was one of the friendliest, most beautiful places she had ever been.

I could have gotten lost and never come home if it hadnt been for my husband and my dogs, she said.

But my favorite response of all was to a question about how customers she works with are approaching travel, especially international travel, in a time when the United States seems to be dogmatically focusing inward.

I think people are kind of over being afraid to leave our borders and travel is bigger than ever. We have gotten to a point where they are overcoming their fears and learning how to travel smarter and going, she said.

Summer is almost over, and the most exotic place I traveled this year was a recent trip with my visiting family to Staunton, which might be the topic of another column in the future.

But the discussion of travel, whether it is down the road a few hours or flying off to a foreign land, is always fascinating to me because there will always be more to see and do in the world. And, for me, knowing that is true is a truly exciting way to live life.
Anticipating a crush of interest and limited time to hear from everyone, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoneys Monument Avenue Commission has decided that its first public hearing Wednesday will be limited to 50 speakers chosen in a random drawing.

Theres just no way everyone who wants to speak will be able to speak, said Gregg Kimball, the commissions co-chair and the Library of Virginias director of education and outreach.

The panel called the hearing at the Virginia Historical Society  one of two scheduled at this point  to gather public feedback on Stoneys request that the commission members develop a plan to add context to the Confederate monuments that line Monument Avenue.

Stoney has said he does not support removing the statues, which include three Civil War generals  Robert E. Lee, J.E.B. Stuart and Stonewall Jackson  along with the president of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis, and Confederate navy commander Matthew Fontaine Maury.

Instead, the mayor has asked the 10-member group of historians, academics and community leaders to study ways to provide context, likely with the addition of interpretive signage.

Wednesdays hearing is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. and last about two hours. Of that, 100 minutes is being set aside for public comment. Each person will be given two minutes to speak.

According to an agenda published on the commissions website, every participant will be issued a number upon arrival. During the meeting, 50 numbers will be drawn to determine who speaks.

Commission members decided on the format at a meeting Monday, and the arrangements were finalized Tuesday. They said they wanted to ensure that an array of people are given an opportunity to speak.

Members also stressed that this is only the first public hearing and that they have committed to hold at least five hours of public hearings. Comments also are being accepted on the commissions website, and participants will have an opportunity to submit written comments at Wednesdays meeting.

The commission has said it has already received nearly 400 comments and that it plans to publicly release them soon.

Remember, we are providing multiple mechanisms to be heard, Kimball said.
Five children were seen fleeing the scene of a playground fire at Woodville Elementary School in Richmonds East End on Wednesday afternoon.

The fire, fueled by a rubber safety mat that surrounded the play area, broke out about 3 p.m. but was quickly extinguished by the Richmond Fire Department, which happened to have a truck in the area.

I saw some kids under the slide, I turned back, and the kids were running and the slide was burning, said Sandra Johnson, who lives nearby and lamented that her granddaughter loved playing there. They couldnt have been older than 11.

Its the second time in five years that the Woodville playground has been set on fire, and Richmond Public Schools officials said it was the 20th time that school playground equipment had been set ablaze in the past six years.

Interim Superintendent Tommy Kranz confirmed that children were suspected as perpetrators. He said the fire caused at least $75,000 in damage and that there was no way the playground could be repaired and reopened before school starts next month.

The fire was brief, but witnesses described huge flames and billowing smoke.

The last time a playground was set afire in the city was in April at Redd Elementary School. A juvenile was charged shortly afterward.

Kranz said he had no idea why children keep setting the school districts playgrounds on fire.

I wish I knew, he said.

Johnson, however, has a theory.
After Virginia Union Universitys board of trustees reviewed the credentials of Hakim J. Lucas, it was like a light went on with the boards 18 members.

The boards chairman, W. Franklyn Richardson, recalled being struck by the way Lucas background matched up with the goals of Virginia Union in its search for a new president.

It came alive like a light, Richardson said. Hes an experienced fundraiser. Hes an experienced college leader, and (Lucas) is a person of faith. All three of those are critical to the future of Virginia Union University.

Lucas, 40, was appointed the 13th president of Virginia Union University on Tuesday after a unanimous vote by the schools board of trustees, according to Richardson.

Lucas will begin his term Sept. 1 at the university in North Richmond. He replaces Joseph F. Johnson, who has served as acting president since July 2016. Lucas could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Lucas has nearly two decades of progressive leadership experience in higher education, according to a news release announcing his appointment. The release notes Lucas success with fundraising, strategic planning and working with students at historically black colleges and universities.

Lucas has served as the vice president for institutional advancement at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla., since 2012.

According to the news release, unrestricted and restricted giving rose by 30 percent at Bethune-Cookman under Lucas leadership, and the schools endowment increased by 53 percent. The news release noted that Lucas developed a strategic government relations plan that led to millions of dollars in appropriations from Florida.

Lucas chaired the Strategic Growth and Sustainability Taskforce at Bethune-Cookman. He also led a sponsored research team that received more than $45 million in research grants.

Prior to Bethune-Cookman, Lucas worked as director of development at the State University of New York at Old Westbury and as the dean of institutional advancement and development at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, N.Y. Lucas was a tenured lecturer and deputy chair of the philosophy and religion department at Medgar Evers.

Lucas earned his bachelors degree from Morehouse College, a masters degree in education from Tufts University and a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary. He earned his doctoral degree in education from Fordham University.

Richardson said Lucas plans to teach history at Virginia Union and that, as a Gen Xer, the 40-year-old Lucas brings youth to the presidents office.

Hell be able to link the baby boomers with the millennials, Richardson said.

Richardson said Virginia Union University is an unapologetically Christian institution and was pleased with Lucas theological background.

We believe this choice was providential, Richardson said. We believe God has sanctioned our choice.

Lucas appointment was recommended by a seven-person search committee that represented Virginia Unions board of trustees, student body, faculty, corporate community and alumni.

Richardson said the search for a new president for Virginia Union began in August 2016 after the previous president, Claude G. Perkins, retired after seven years on the job.

The search attracted applications from across the country before more than 78 resumes were whittled down. More than 12 people were interviewed. Isaacson, Miller of Boston was hired to help with the search.

Richardson said it was hard to find good candidates and that Virginia Union is fortunate to have a solid board of trustees, be financially healthy and have a tradition of serving the community.

Virginia Unions board wanted someone effective with students who can raise money, who understands the importance of education and who is community-minded, Richardson said.
By Ankit Tyagi: A court in Delhi today sent Separatist leader Shabir Shah, who is accused in money laundering case, to 14-day judicial custody. This came after the Enforcement Directorate informed the court that they do not need further remand of the accused.

Shah, founder and President of the Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) was arrested on July 25 by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and was handed over to ED on 26 July in Delhi. His arrest came after the India Today expose on separatist leaders taking funds from Pakistan to spur unrest in the Kashmir valley.

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The Enforcement Directorate had earlier taken custody of Shabir Shah thrice to interrogate him which ended today. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) also questioned Shah in terror financing case.

Before his arrest The Central Agencies had issued several summons to Shah over the last few years in pursuance of the 2005 case where in the Delhi Police's Special Cell had arrested a close aide of Shah.

Also Read :

Court sends Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah to JC

India Today impact: Kashmir separatist leader Shabir Shah arrested; NIA, ED to question

Also Watch :

Jammu and Kashmir Police arrests separatist leader Shabir Shah on money laundering charges

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If you thought Cliff Hyra was the only libertarian running for governor of Virginia this year, think again. There might be a second: Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam.

Up to now Northam has stuck about as close to the middle of the road as you can get without turning into a double stripe of yellow paint. Nominally a Democrat, he voted for George W. Bush twice  and at one point there was some talk that he might join the GOP (Northam says such rumors were false). Still, he holds the party line on issues such as Medicaid expansion, gun control, and abortion  areas where he and his Republican opponent, Ed Gillespie, differ.

Gillespie has said he would like to see abortion banned in most cases, and recently admitted he would sign legislation defunding Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood promptly endorsed Northam, and its political action committee plans to spend $3 million supporting his campaign.

Northam has been milking the endorsement. As I always say, he insisted on Friday, there is no room for a bunch of legislators, most of whom are men, to tell women what they should and shouldnt do with their own bodies. He repeated the point in a tweet: Theres no excuse for legislators to tell women what they can do with their bodies.

A commendably bold and unequivocal position. The question is: Does Northam actually mean it? Because it leads to all sorts of conclusions that qualify as provocative, if not radical.

If there is no excuse for legislators to tell women what they can do with their bodies, then Virginia should pass right-to-try legislation that lets terminally ill patients experiment with new and untested treatments. The U.S. Senate approved such a measure the very day Planned Parenthood endorsed Northam.

Laws like that apply to both men and women, but its safe to assume that Northam thinks men and women have equal rights  and therefore that lawmakers have no excuse to tell men what they can do with their bodies, either.

If there is no excuse to tell people what they can do with their bodies, then there also is no excuse to require that motorcycle riders wear helmets, if they would prefer not to. And no excuse to make drivers wear seat belts.

Similarly, there is no excuse to prevent a woman from using drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Or to stop her from selling her organs.

There is no excuse for outlawing prostitution. There is no excuse for prohibiting someone from working for less than an arbitrarily determined minimum wage.

And so on.

This is libertarianism in its purest crystalline form: Every person owns his or her self, and has the absolute right to control his or her own body and what is done with it. You might think society has very good reasons for making people wear seat belts and outlawing heroin and so on. But as good as those reasons might be, libertarians argue, they do not trump the individuals right to bodily self-determination.

Moreover, it is a deontological argument, not a consequentialist one. In other words, the point is not simply that, on balance, things generally go better when the government lets people decide for themselves  but it may decide for them when the scales tip the other way. The point is that the government has no moral authority to order people around, period.

Candidates dont win general elections arguing for pure crystalline libertarianism like that, though. So when asked about some of the implications of his stance, a spokesman for Northam wisely dodged the question: Theoretical discussions about political philosophy are stimulating, but the reality of governing is more complicated. Dr. Northam believes reproductive freedom leads to economic freedom. If the legislature were to limit it, they are controlling what women can and cannot do in the workforce.

A smart answer, but not a helpful one. Because either the government can tell a woman what to do with her body, or it cant.

For instance: If the government has the authority to force a woman to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle  because, say, her physical safety has implications for aggregate social spending on medical care, on workplace productivity, on her familys well-being, and so on  then it also has the authority to make her childbearing decisions for her. Because (some would argue) her pregnancy has implications for aggregate spending on public education, consumer demand, the solvency of old-age pension programs in future years, and so forth. Just look at China, with its one-child policy, or the alarm over falling birthrates in Europe.

In the end, the government might decide such impositions are unjustified on a cost/benefit basis, and forbear from telling a woman what to do. But such a decision would be contingent on how the scales tip. No bright-line principle would prevent it from making such impositions in the future, if circumstances change. Enshrining such a principle is the only guarantee that it wont  but a bright-line principle opens Pandoras Box.
Slamming his senior colleague and party secretary general KC Tyagi, who had claimed Vasava had voted BJP, Yadav today congratulated Patel for his nail-biting finish in a battle where the BJP had put its entire weight to beat the Congressman.

By India Today Web Desk: The rift within the Janata Dal (United) deepened today with party veteran Sharad Yadav backing his party's Gujarat MLA Chhotu Vasava, who voted for Congress nominee Ahmed Patel in the high-stakes Rajya Sabha election held on Tuesday.

Slamming his senior colleague and party secretary general KC Tyagi, who had claimed Vasava had voted BJP, Yadav today congratulated Patel for his nail-biting finish in a battle where the BJP had put its entire weight to beat the Congressman.

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Patel won dramatically by a vote against the BJP on Tuesday. That vote could be attributed to Vasava, who went against the orders of his party, which is now a member of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The JD-U has removed its Gujarat chief Arun Shrivastav from the post of party general secretary for his "unauthorisedly" writing to the Returning Officer of Gujarat Assembly appointing an election agent for the crucial Rajya Sabha election.

A letter to this effect was served to Srivastav by Tyagi. Yadav is reported to be considering launching his own party.

He said he will call a meeting of "like-minded people" on August 17 in New Delhi to decide his future course of action triggered by Nitish Kumar's decision to return to the NDA earlier this month.

Also Read:

11 days, 2 resorts: Ahmed Patel's big Rajya Sabha victory may have cost the Congress several lakhs

Bengaluru to Anand, resort to resort: Congress MLAs back in Gujarat ahead of Rajya Sabha polls

ALSO WATCH: Ahmed Patel trumps Amit Shah to retain Rajya Sabha seat, says next target is Gujarat Assembly election

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A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
BRISTOL, Va.  A Bristol grand jury has indicted a couple in connection with the 2016 death of their 4-month-old girl and abuse of her twin sister.

Jonathan Lynn Wilson, 30, and Heather Denise Terry, 35, have each been indicted on charges of murder, two counts of abuse and neglect of a child and two counts of child endangerment. Wilson was additionally charged with two counts of assault on a family member.

The twins, who were born March 13, 2016, in Johnson City, Tennessee, were believed to have been abused since birth, said Sgt. Steve Crawford of the Bristol Virginia Police Department.

Terry and Wilson are being held without bail at the Bristol Virginia Jail. Bristol Circuit Court hearings have been set for Sept. 7.
The new commander of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant will discuss new test results that show higher-than-expected levels of toxins above the plants open burning ground next week at a public information meeting in Christiansburg.

A draft report from last falls air sampling showed more arsenic, cadmium, lead, silver and chloromethane than models predicted in the smoke plumes from the open fires used to dispose of some hazardous materials at the plant. The report did not discuss possible health effects.

Initially scheduled for release in December, the results of the air tests became public in recent articles by ProPublica and the Associated Press. The group Clean RAAP last week posted a copy of a draft report from the testing on its Facebook page.

Ammunition plant officials, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Joint Munitions Command declined to immediately comment on the test results.

But Lt. Col. James Scott, the new commander of the federally owned, contractor-operated plant, will discuss the finalized report from the air tests at a previously scheduled meeting next week, Joint Munitions Command spokeswoman Justine Barati wrote in an email. The meeting is set for Aug. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the Christiansburg branch of the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library.

Concern about pollution from the arsenal, as the facility on the Montgomery-Pulaski county line is known, have arisen intermittently for years. The open burning ground has become a particular worry for residents who say airborne pollutants could threaten the health of the plants neighbors.

In 2015, the arsenals then-commander, Lt. Col. Alicia Masson, said plans were being made for a closed incinerator that would handle much of the waste now burned at the open burning ground. This waste is mostly items too explosive or large for the plants existing closed incinerators.

Barati wrote in an email Tuesday that plans for the new incinerator also will be reviewed at next weeks meeting. She said that the design process for the new unit is nearing 60 percent completion.

Last year at a public information meeting , arsenal officials said that they planned for design work for the new incinerator to be about 90 percent complete by now.

The open burning ground operates under environmental permits similar to those that cover other activities at the plant. In the permits, environmental regulators set limits for the release of dangerous substances. Those limits have been based on calculations of the chemical reactions involved.

In September and October, a team from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. National Science and Aeronautics Administration, and the University of Dayton set out to test the reliability of those calculations. The researchers flew a drone above 33 of the plants open burns during a two-week period, gathering air samples that were then tested .

In October, Masson said that the tests already had produced one surprise  the presence of perchlorate, a chemical that arsenal officials for years had insisted was not burned in the open.

In the inventorying of materials being burned for the tests, arsenal officials discovered that Pyrotechniques by Grucci, a fireworks-maker that is a tenant at the munitions complex, had sent some perchlorate-containing waste to the open fires, Masson said last year.

Still, perchlorate levels in the smoke turned out to be below detection levels, according to a draft report dated June 20.

The draft report showed that most of the substances that researchers found were present in levels lower than those calculated as part of the permits.

The report said that the Radford air tests could be a model for gathering air samples above other operations too dangerous for human researchers to approach.
By PTI: Srinagar, Aug 9 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmirs main opposition party, National Conference, has advised the government to ask its ally BJP and the Centre for help against attempts to alter Constitutional provisions that give special status to the state, political sources said today.

This was conveyed to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti during her surprise visit to National Conference leader Farooq Abdullahs residence last evening, amid the debate on Article 35A of the Constitution, which gives special status to the state under Article 370.

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The National Conference, which has 15 MLAs in the 87- member state assembly, told the chief minister that she needs to convince the central leadership, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to defend the states special status in the Supreme Court, which is hearing a PIL on the issue, the sources said.

The provision, which empowers the Jammu and Kashmir legislature to define the states "permanent residents" and their special rights and privileges, has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

PDP, with 28 MLAs, was asked to take on board its alliance partner BJP, which has 25 MLAs, in forging a common platform on the issue before reaching out to opposition leaders, the sources said.

Abdullah told Mehbooba she should meet the prime minister and all important central ministers and also the BJP to convince the Sangh Parivar, they said.

The controversy erupted in 2014 after an NGO We the Citizens filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking that Article 35A be struck down.

The PIL said the state government, under the guise of Article 35A and Article 370, which grants special autonomous status to the state, has been discriminating against non- residents who are debarred from buying properties, getting a government job or voting in the local elections.

Article 35A was added to the Constitution by a Presidential Order in 1954.

While the Jammu and Kashmir government contested the petition saying the president had the power to incorporate a new provision in the Constitution by way of an order, the Centre recently expressed its reservations. It filed a reply and requested the three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India J S Khehar to refer the matter to a larger bench as constitutional issues were involved in the case.

Mehbooba had said at a recent event in Delhi that there would be no one in Kashmir to uphold the national flag if Article 35A was tinkered with.

By challenging Article 35A in the Supreme Court, none of the separatist groups in the Valley were getting affected as they were on a different agenda all together, she said.

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"But you are weakening those powers which are Indian and trust India and participate in elections and who fight to live a life honourably in Jammu and Kashmir. This is one of the problems," she had said last month in Delhi. PTI SKL MIN

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Tejashwi has embarked on this yatra in a bid to reach out to people and expose Nitish, who according to him had insulted the mandate of 2015 when people had voted for the Mahagathbandhan.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's son and former deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav today kicked off his maiden solo political move -Janadesh Apmaan Yatra to expose Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Nitish recently snapped ties with RJD and formed new alliance with the BJP.

Tejashwi was joined in the yatra by his elder brother and former health minister Tej Pratap Yadav. Tejashwi has embarked on this yatra in a bid to reach out to people and expose Nitish, who according to him had insulted the mandate of 2015 when people had voted for the Mahagathbandhan.

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Speaking in Motihari, where he shared stage with Nitish Kumar in the centenary year celebration of Champaran Satyagrah three months ago, Tejashwi said he regrets taking part in that event under the leadership of the Bihar CM.

"I regret attending the Champaran Satyagrah centenary year celebration with Nitish Kumar in April. I never knew he would join hands with Mahatma Gandhi's killers. I have come to seek forgiveness from Bapu for the blunder I committed," said Tejaswi.

The former deputy CM first visited the Gandhi Maidan in Motihari where he observed 'maun vrat' under Mahatma Gandhi's.

All the senior functionaries of RJD including state president Ram Chandra Purve and other legislators were present at Tejashwi's event.

ALSO READ |

Tejashwi Yadav's Janadesh Apmaan Yatra to expose ex-boss Nitish Kumar

Trusted Nitish Kumar blindly but he betrayed me, says Lalu Prasad

Revealed: What Tejashwi Yadav told Nitish Kumar in their 45-minute meeting behind closed doors

ALSO WATCH | After Tejashwi, Lalu's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav faces corruption heat over soil scam

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RADFORD  Pro-pipeline speakers dominated the first 50 minutes of a public hearing convened Tuesday night at Radford University by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

They signed up first and they spoke first.

Speaker after speaker touted the benefits they said the Mountain Valley Pipeline would offer the state and the region. They said the natural gas pipeline would create jobs, meet what they described as a growing demand for the fossil fuel, boost tax revenues and economic development, enhance national security and more.

They expressed confidence that the pipeline could be built and operated safely and that DEQ is prepared to do its job to protect water quality.

Water is essential but so is economic development, said Max Beyer, a member of Roanoke Countys Pipeline Advisory Committee.

Water was the focus of the public hearing, held in Bondurant Auditorium on the campus of Radford University. About 250 people attended; 137 signed up to speak for up to three minutes each.

DEQ sought public comment on draft conditions the agency might recommend if the State Water Control Board decides to grant Mountain Valley the Clean Water Act 401 water quality certification it needs from Virginia to proceed with construction.

The company wants to build and bury a 42-inch diameter pipeline through the region to transport natural gas at high pressure.

The pipeline would be buried in a trench ranging in depth from about 5.5 feet to 9 feet, depending on terrain. Its route would travel through steep and rocky terrain, areas prone to landslides, soils prone to erosion and landscapes rife with sinkholes and underground aquifers vulnerable to contamination. About 216 miles of the route would cross shallow bedrock that might require blasting.

The construction right-of-way would be about 125 feet wide in most places, a swath that would be cleared of trees and other vegetation.

When Brian Wahl reached the microphone, he suggested that the pro-pipeline speakers who preceded him were dreadfully off topic.

He observed that the E in DEQ does not stand for employment, energy or economic development. He challenged the DEQ staff on hand, along with Lou Ann Jessee-Wallace, a citizen member of the State Water Control Board who served as hearing officer Tuesday, to take a stand for the environment and water quality.

The 303-mile, $3.5 billion Mountain Valley Pipeline would travel about 106 miles in Virginia. The pipeline would begin in Wetzel County, West Virginia, and end at the Transco pipeline in Pittsylvania County. In Virginia, the pipeline would travel through the counties of Giles, Montgomery, Craig, Roanoke and Franklin en route to the Transco pipeline.

As an interstate pipeline, the Mountain Valley project needs approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Wahl and other speakers wondered why DEQ had said Tuesday nights hearing would not accept for the record comments about erosion and sediment control plans being developed for the Mountain Valley project.

Diana Christopulos, a regional environmental activist, said that approach was flawed. She said DEQ was arbitrarily separating the study of water quality impacts into multiple categories.

She said water quality does not work that way in the real world, noting that erosion and sediment transport not only silt but also bacteria, pesticides, herbicides and whatever else can be washed into watersheds during heavy rains.

DEQ has been criticized for relying on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitting process to scrutinize pipeline crossings of streams and wetlands.

During Tuesday nights hearing, David Perry, executive director of the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy, reiterated this criticism. And he said the deforestation associated with the project, the routes travel up and down steep slopes and other realities of construction and operation are destined to yield significant environmental damage.

Speaker Rick Shingles, a member of Preserve Giles County, directed DEQ to reports by geologists he described as experts about karst landscapes, which are characterized by sinkholes, caves, sinking streams and underground aquifers.

The Mountain Valley Pipeline would travel through karst landscapes in portions of Giles, Montgomery and Roanoke counties.

Shingles said the experts have noted that the pipeline would be threatened by multiple geological hazards, including karst, steep slopes and even seismic activity associated with the Giles County Seismic Zone.

On Tuesday night, David Butterworth, a business agent for Pipeliners Local Union 798, said the welders who work on pipelines are held to strict standards. He said the pipeline would be safe.

One of the experts referenced by Shingles was Ernst Kastning, a retired professor of geology at Radford University. Kastning spoke Tuesday night and warned that the pipeline could have lasting impacts on drinking water supplies for the region.

Richard Caywood, assistant county administrator for Roanoke County, told DEQ that the county is concerned about the pipelines impact on the wells and springs many residents depend on for drinking water. Caywood said DEQ should require Mountain Valley to post a performance bond to help ensure the company protects these resources.

Robert Johnson, a resident of Bent Mountain in Roanoke County, referenced the threat the pipeline posed to Bottom Creek, a stream noted for its water quality, and its tributaries. Johnson, who once worked for DEQ, said construction of the pipeline across Poor Mountain and through the streams and wetlands of Bent Mountain would violate provisions of the Clean Water Act.

He said the only rational decision by DEQ would be recommending denial of the 401 water quality certification sought by Mountain Valley.

But DEQs brochure about the pipeline public hearings notes: DEQs preliminary decision is to recommend issuance of a Section 401 Certification with conditions.

DEQ will hold a second public hearing Wednesday night in Chatham at Chatham High School focused on the draft conditions for water quality certification.

Separately, the agency agreed to participate in two informal meetings scheduled for Thursday. DEQ Director David Paylor has said he will attend, offer remarks and answer questions. Spoken comments will not be recorded by DEQ at these meetings.

The Thursday meetings will be at the Newport Community Center in Giles County, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and at Cave Spring High School in Roanoke County from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
RICHMOND  Democrat Ralph Northam maintains a 6 percentage point lead over Republican Ed Gillespie in the Virginia governors race about three months ahead of the November election, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.

Northam, Virginias lieutenant governor, received 44 percent of the vote to 38 for Gillespie, former head of the Republican National Committee, and 4 percent for Libertarian Cliff Hyra in the Quinnipiac survey released Wednesday.

The race is competitive in spite of President Donald Trumps low approval rating in Virginia  the only Southern state the president did not carry.

While 61 percent of Virginia voters disapprove of the presidents job performance, 36 percent approve, according to the survey.

The Virginia governors race leans toward Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, but not overly so, said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

With three months until Election Day, the race remains competitive.

Gillespie apparently has been able to convince many voters that he is his own man, Brown said. Gillespie is within 6 percentage points of Northam despite President Donald Trumps unpopularity in the Old Dominion.

Hyras 4 percentage points mean that in a tight contest Hyra could become a factor in the race, Brown said.

Vice President Mike Pence will attend a Gillespie fundraiser in Richmond on Saturday, Aug. 19. That date coincides with an Americans for Prosperity conference at the Richmond Marriott, where Gillespie is scheduled to speak.

AFP, a national conservative policy advocacy organization backed by billionaires Charles and David Koch, is bringing its 11th annual volunteer conference to Richmond.

The Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan tracker of money in state politics, said on Tuesday that AFP has reported spending more than $250,000 in the last two weeks in an effort to influence the outcome of Virginias governors race, mostly on anti-Northam mailers and door hangers.

Quinnipiac surveyed 1,082 Virginia voters from Aug. 3-8.

The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

Northam led Gillespie by 5 percentage points in a Virginia Commonwealth University poll released on Tuesday.
An orphanage operator in Telangana was arrested after he was found sexually harassing the girls staying at the home.

By Ashish Pandey: In a shocking case from Telangana's Siddipet, an orphanage operator was found sexually harassing the children in his orphan home. The discovery was made on Tuesday after several girls from the orphanage thrashed the operator, Prabhakar, following an incident of molestation.

Allegations soon emerged that such incidents of harassment had been common for the past year year at the orphan home where Prabhakar and his brother used to target girls, often when the two were drunk.

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On Tuesday, Prabhakar allegedly harassed yet another girl at the orphanage, following which the children at the home beat him up. The children were later joined by locals from the area who too thrashed Prabhakar mercilessly.

Following the incident, a Integrated Child Development Services officer and the local District Welfare Officer visited the orphanage, which is called Prema Nilayam. The two officials spoke to the students and the ICDS officer then filed a police complaint.

Based on the complaint, the police arrested Prabhakar and reigstered a case under Indian Penal Code section 354A (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act's section 12 (sexual harassment of a child).

The orphanage is located in Siddipet's KCR Nagar and used to be home to around 30 minor boys and girls. The children have now been moved to other homes in Siddipet and Sangareddy.

ALSO READ | Maharashtra woman dragged, slapped with slippers, paraded nude for playing Cupid

ALSO READ | Haraamkhor re-run: Assam teacher posts intimate photos with students online, doesn't get arrested

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August 7, 2017 Dr. Charles Kevin Fisher, DVM 44 passed away Monday, August 7, 2017. He was preceded in death by his mother Audrey Hoy Fisher; grandparents, Cyrus S. and Bernice Montgomery Hoy and Horace and Stella Fisher. He is survived by his dad, Charles Galen Fisher; brothers, G. Todd Fisher, and Ryan G. and Sarah Fisher. He is also survived by a niece, Grace; many special friends especially Jay Holt and Paige Renick. Kevin was a graduate of Franklin County High School, Virginia Tech, and the VA/Maryland College of Veterinarian Medicine at Virginia Tech. Kevin was owner and operator of Veterinary Services at Oak Level, Va. Graveside services will be conducted 11 a.m. Thursday, August 10, 2017 at Antioch Church of the Brethren Cemetery. The family requests no food please. His family will receive friends 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Flora Funeral Service & Cremation Center, Rocky Mount.
Dont look now but  well, actually, yes, you should look now  theres a low-key bidding war underway for the hearts and minds (and votes) of rural Virginia.

Both the Democratic and Republican candidates for governor have been offering up one idea after another on how to build a new economy in rural communities.

Ultimately, the campaign between Ralph Northam and Ed Gillespie will probably be decided in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Loudoun and Prince William counties, but even the modest attention theyre devoting to rural Virginia feels different from past election cycles.

Lets face it: Historically, both parties have taken rural Virginia for granted. Republicans figured they had rural votes locked up. Democrats didnt think theyd get those votes anyway. So why bother? Now, we have both major party candidates bothering.

Thats potentially significant. The key word there, of course, is potentially: Will the winner follow through? Well find out in January. For now, heres what we know:

Northams headline proposal is to waive the first two years of certain taxes for new businesses in rural areas. Thats a Democratic variation on an old Republican idea: Hes essentially proposing enterprise zones.

Gillespie doesnt propose anything so specific but says cutting income taxes will have a unique impact on rural communities by making it easier to start small businesses  and its small businesses that are most likely to take root there.

Northam proposes that Virginia should follow Minnesotas example by establishing specific goals for extending broadband into rural areas, with Richmond putting up some money to help make that happen. Gillespie on Tuesday released his own plan to promote rural broadband.

Gillespie also proposes to designate a deputy Cabinet secretary to focus on rural economic development. It may seem odd for a Republican to put his faith in bureaucracy, but having a designated voice for rural issues in the administration would seem to ensure a certain focus.

Both candidates have endorsed changing Virginia law to allow the commercialization of industrial hemp (if youre keeping score, Gillespie did it first). That would not only help farmers, who would have another cash crop, but it would presumably spur the growth of companies processing hemp into various products  and the odds are good that those companies would locate in rural communities to be near the crop. North Carolina has 10 hemp companies, only one of which is in the Carolina equivalent of Virginias urban crescent. Any Virginia governor would love to preside over nine ribbon-cuttings in rural communities.

All these sound like good ideas. No single one is going to save rural Virginia by itself, but each seems worth pursuing  no matter who the next governor is. Thats especially true for another one of Northams signature proposals: He wants to expand the University of Virginias College at Wise  the only four-year state school west of the New River Valley.

Northam points out that colleges are economic engines in the modern economy, so his working theory is quite sound: Far Southwest Virginia needs a bigger economic engine. Right now, out of the 15 four-year colleges and universities that Virginia operates, UVA-Wise is the 14th smallest. Only Virginia Military Institute is smaller, and its so specialized that the military school in Lexington deserves a category all its own. For comparisons sake, UVA-Wise last year had an enrollment of 2,106 students. The next smallest state university was more than twice that size  Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg had 4,600 students.

Whats gotten less attention is how Northam would expand UVA-Wise: By concentrating on graduate-level and PhD programs and areas of high need and high growth like cybersecurity, unmanned aerial systems, energy, and computer engineering and programming, we will . . . be focused on creating the jobs of tomorrow. Northam would take a liberal arts school and give it a distinct science and technology focus. Thats not necessarily something he has conjured out of the blue. UVA-Wise already has established itself as a leader in cybersecurity programs. The county its in has been positioning itself as a center for drone research. And Northam is hardly the first to suggest that Appalachia  the source for much of the nations energy for more than a century  ought to pitch itself as a center for the next generation of energy sources. He just packages all that together in a specific proposal.

However, the key part of his proposal addresses graduate level and PhD programs. By calling for graduate programs at UVA-Wise, Northam indirectly calls attention to a curious omission. Of Virginias 15 state colleges and universities, only two dont have graduate programs. One is VMI  again, so specialized, its a different animal. The other is UVA-Wise. From a distance, this sure looks like yet another example of how Virginia gives short shrift to the southwestern end of the state.Its those graduate programs that are most likely to generate research spin-offs that could be commercialized.

Its unclear why UVA-Wise doesnt have graduate programs, other than the fact that its never proposed any. Under Chancellor Donna Henry, though, the school has been moving in that direction. Last year, two Southwest Virginia legislators  Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott County, and state Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell County  proposed the state spend $100 million to add a building for graduate programs.

That went nowhere, but first-time requests for that kind of money often dont. Northam may or may not be Virginias next governor, but his proposal certainly helps raise the schools profile in Richmond. So does this falls gubernatorial debate at the school; the first time that candidates for governor have ever debated west of Blacksburg.

It may be an aligning of the stars and a great opportunity for UVA-Wise, Henry says.

Lets hope so. Northern Virginia would not tolerate it if George Mason University didnt offer graduate programs; why should Southwest Virginia accept the lack of graduate programs at UVA-Wise as just the way things are?
If you take your car to the shop and get told its pedestal bull gear is failing, you would probably expect youll be without that car for a while and out of some cash.

Well, you wont be told that at the car shop, because your car doesnt have a pedestal bull gear, but the National Weather Services office in Blacksburg was told exactly that by a team of experts inspecting its radar site earlier this month atop Coles Knob in Floyd County.

The pedestal bull gear is the main gear that turns the radar antenna inside the dome. If the antenna doesnt turn, it cant send and receive the radio signals that penetrate clouds and storms to see whats in them.

For the rest of August, the radar isnt turning  except maybe in some extreme situations  and therefore, no radar data is being collected from the Floyd County site.

Think about your microwave, and the tray you heat food on and it rotates round and round and round, said Dave Wert, the meteorologist-in-chief at the National Weather Service office in Blacksburg. Usually there are some wheels under a glass tray that help it go around. Thats the way a bull gear works, except it has many thousands of pounds on the tray.

The National Weather Service office in Blacksburg can turn it back on for a short time, but will only do so when absolutely necessary to address an imminent significant and widespread severe weather and/or hydrologic event, according to a statement on its website. Even then, running the radar for any period of time risks causing an even more egregious system failure which would further extend system down time.

Wert said the radar could run fine for minutes, days, weeks or even months. But the next turn could be its last, and if the radar seizes up and becomes totally non-functional, repairing it becomes much more difficult and time-consuming.

Short of a potential tornado outbreak, a derecho or the remnants of a hurricane moving through our region, the radar probably isnt going to be turned back on until late this month at the earliest.

Why so long? The Radar Operations Center, based in Norman, Oklahoma, is currently working on a radar in Ohio with the same problem and cant get that team here until midmonth. After that, the work involving up to 15,000 pounds of new equipment will likely take about two weeks.

Replacing the bull gear is part of an ongoing four-part upgrade of the National Weather Service radar system, but its being moved up for those radars deemed most in need, such as the one the National Weather Service at Blacksburg uses. The Radar Operations Center team that discovered the bull gear problem in early August was actually here to start an earlier phase of the upgrade.

The current generation of radars, installed in the 1990s, are past their designed lifetime, Wert said and the four-part upgrade will give us a radar we can count on for another 20 years without it going belly up.

Over the past year, Wert said, six of the nations 159 weather service, Federal Aviation Administration and Air Force radars have had a bull gear breakdown. Before, only about one a year were occurring. Its just something that is starting to wear out at the various radar sites.

Functionally, the Blacksburg offices radar outage means there is a hole in the nations weather radar data right over our heads.

Adjacent National Weather Service radar sites at Charleston, West Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Greer, South Carolina; Morristown, Tennessee; Wakefield, Virginia and Sterling, Virginia provide some level of coverage for our region.

But those radar beams are hitting cells at a higher level over us than would the Floyd County radar. So it will miss some lighter precipitation from lower clouds and may distort output from stronger storms.

Be aware that whatever radar website or app you use, if you are looking at a regional or national map, that image is missing some data from over our heads, and may not accurately depict the rain that is occurring near us until the Floyd County radar is fixed. It will give you a general idea, perhaps.

Wert said the hope is that the current series of upgrades will keep the radars going strong until they are made obsolete in a decade or two by phased array radar, which would have no turning parts, but instead continuously shoot laser beams outward in all directions to provide far more complete and almost instantaneous radar data.

Until that time, no matter how great the technology of the radar, it is turned by a mechanical part, and mechanical parts inevitably break down, no matter how well you have them serviced during their lifetime. It happens to your car, and it happens to National Weather Service Doppler radar.

Weather Journal appears on Wednesdays.
At least 40 Thai women have been rescued this year during police raids on massage parlors acting as fronts for prostitution in western cities such as Mumbai and Pune.

In July, for example, 10 Thai women were rescued from a parlor in an affluent residential area in Pune, a car manufacturing and tech hub 150 km (90 miles) south of India's financial capital Mumbai. (Reuters photo)

By Reuters: The booming spa and massage parlor business in India has led to increasing demand for women from Thailand, many of whom are being duped and trafficked into slavery in the country's sex industry, police, diplomats and activists said on Wednesday.

At least 40 Thai women have been rescued this year during police raids on massage parlors acting as fronts for prostitution in western cities such as Mumbai and Pune.

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"The demand for Thai masseurs is high in India as girls from Thailand are considered high profile for their fair skin," Jyoti Nale, programme director for Save the Children India, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"Girls rescued in raids are usually from different Indian states and neighboring countries. But if all the girls in one rescue are from Thailand, it means there are many more (working in India)."

In July, for example, 10 Thai women were rescued from a parlor in an affluent residential area in Pune, a car manufacturing and tech hub 150 km (90 miles) south of India's financial capital Mumbai.

There are an estimated 40 million sex workers globally, according to French charity Fondation Scelles.

Activists say most have been lured, duped or forced into sexual slavery by pimps and traffickers, largely due to poverty and lack of opportunities.

Girls from countries like Nepal and Bangladesh have long been trafficked into sex work in India.

But police and campaigners say there is a rising demand among Indian men and foreign tourists for "more exotic" women from other countries such as Thailand.

"This is the first time we have seen this trend," said Police Inspector Sanjay Patil, head of the anti-human trafficking unit in Pune, who conducted the July raid.

"They are not so literate, are from poor families and their families back home depend on their incomes."

He said following a tip-off about the parlor, an officer posed as a customer and found the Thai women, aged between 25 and 40 years, were being sold for sex. The parlor's manager and another employee were arrested.

The Thai women, some of them sex workers from Bangkok and other cities, are lured by the prospect of earning more money in India, said police. On average they earn 305 baht ($9) a day in Thailand, while in India they can earn twice that.

"The girls we rescued had been working here for three to four months and had up to 100,000 rupees ($1,570) with them," said Patil, adding the victims were now at a shelter home awaiting repatriation.

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Thai embassy officials confirmed more Thai women were being rescued from parlor's across the country - including in the capital New Delhi, the tourist fort city of Jaipur, and tech hub Bengaluru.

Rehabilitation schemes and skills training is being put in place for victims once they are repatriated, they added.

Also Read :

Police bust prostitution racket after raiding spa in Pune

5 Thai women rescued from brothel

Also Watch :

Police cracks down on spas in Delhi, case filed against 5 Thai girls

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By India Today Web Desk: Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai actress Hina Khan, who is currently seen on reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi, is taking a break from work, and is currently having a blast with her boyfriend Rocky Jaiswal in Goa.

Yes, you read that right. The pretty actress, who has had a tough time shooting for the reality show is giving herself a treat by chilling with her partner in the beautiful locales of Goa.

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Hina even posted a picture with Rocky on her Instagram page with the caption, "Goaaaaa."

Goaaaaaa..... A post shared by Hina Khan (@realhinakhan) on Aug 8, 2017 at 1:11am PDT

In the said picture, Hina is seen pouting while Rocky looks intensely into the camera.

Hina Khan, who became a household name with her show Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, has been reportedly dating Rocky for quite a while now.

The couple first met on the sets of the show Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, where Rocky worked as a producer, and the two instantly clicked, according to reports.

Also see: Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai actress Hina Khan is missing beau Rocky in Spain; shares an adorable post

Also read: Hina Khan is living it up in Spain with beau Rocky; see pics

Also read: Khatron Ke Khiladi: Hina Khan spends time with beau Rocky in Spain ahead of Eid

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(INTERFAX) - A legend says that the geologists, who happened to be first to discover the Mir Diamond Pipe in Russias Yakutia in June 1955, stumbled upon the future flagship of the countrys diamond-mining industry thanks to a fox. The animal dug a hole under a larch exposing a layer of rock in which the geologists attention was attracted by minerals accompanying diamonds. Later on, at the site of the fox hole there emerged the worlds largest diamond quarry 1.2 km wide and 525 meters deep, which produced up to 10 million carats of high-quality diamonds in its best years.

The quarry was closed in 2001, as open-pit mining became inefficient due to the huge size of the "funnel". But the kimberlite pipe was explored to a depth of 1,235 meters, and its reserves at present grades are sufficient for mining up to 2052. To develop it further, an underground mine was commissioned in 2009, which reached its design capacity only at the end of 2016. This was due to complicated mining and geological conditions. The fox hole was dug in a rather dangerous place.

ACCIDENT

The accident that occurred on August 4, 2017 in the mine not only disabled one of the main production facilities of ALROSA (MOEX: ALRS) for an unpredictable period, but also put the diamond miner's management in front of a tangle of problems. After the rescue operation is completed, it is not enough just to pump the water out of the mine and repair the equipment, experts say  there should be guarantees that the disaster will not happen again. And not only at Mir, but also at other underground mines (the company has three more accounting for over 30% of carat production, and this share will grow).

The Mir Mine may stay idle for three months to half a year, and in the worst case it may be necessary to revise the mine development project, experts say.

From the point of view of sales, the situation does not yet look dangerous - on the contrary, ALROSA can even support diamond prices by cutting supply to the market. But if market demand grows, this restriction will result in a dip in financial performance, analysts believe.

The likely cause of the accident was an uncontrolled increase in water inflow from the pit of the spent quarry into the underground mine, which occurred as a result of a sharp deterioration in the geological conditions and erosion of the surrounding rocks in the quarry, ALROSA explained on the day of the accident. The company noted that the operation of the mine was carried out in full compliance with all technical and safety requirements.

A status source in the geological and mineral industry, who asked for anonymity while interviewed by Interfax, noted that the water prevention system at Mir suffered from a failure, the reasons of which are not clear. "No one thought that such an amount of water would accumulate in the pit of the quarry, so the pumps apparently did not have time to pump it out. The balance broke, the seal could not stand the pressure - and a giant pillar of water crashed down, smashing everything in its path. They knew there for a long time that pumps did not always manage to cope, and of course it was necessary to be extremely attentive to the state of the seal. There is a feeling that it did not have devices whose function was to let know about the proximity of the critical state," the source said.

THERE WAS NO RESERVE OF STRENGTH

"It's unlikely that what happened is a consequence of the "human factor" or an oversight or failure to meet the project's conditions. The project may not have had enough safety reserve and some extreme mining and geological conditions have not been taken into account," said Sergey Goryainov of Rough&Polished.

In this regard, he recalled the opinion expressed earlier by Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences Lev Puchkov, the former President of the Moscow State Mining University. Back in 2009, Lev Puchkov noted that the accepted option for the construction of an underground mine with a ceiling (a seal between the quarry and the mine) to protect from the aquifer was dangerous and inefficient. "In the first place, it was to take some part of the ore body, freezing from $3.0 to $3.5 billion worth of diamonds. Secondly, it is very dangerous to work on such an area under a ceiling allegedly protecting you when the quarry has already been worked out 500 meters deep because this ceiling may one day subside crushing down all the mining works, together with everything there is in the pits," noted Lev Puchkov.

In addition, according to Lev Puchkov, it was fundamentally wrong in this configuration to work out the mine from the top down. "If you want to work under a ceiling, sink your shafts deeper and undercutting the diamond pipe go upwards till your reach the quarry  then enter the quarry losing virtually nothing at the final stage of mining. But going down from under the ceiling and putting backfilling above is a very dangerous pattern and this danger will increase in time. Of course, if you make a pure-cement backfilling merging it somehow with underground rock, it will stick in place, though in Yakutia, locally, there is no decent stuff to produce backfilling and if you bring it along including cement and other things, you wont need any diamonds  underground mining will yield no profit," Lev Puchkov added.

Vladimir Dyukarev, who served as First Vice President - General Director of ALROSA from 1995 to 2002, does not exclude that errors were committed during the selection of design concepts for the Mir Mine. The company during this period was led by Vyacheslav Shtyrov, who later became the president of Yakutia. It was at this time that Yakut underground mines started to be designed.

Vladimir Dyukarev stressed that the geological structure in the area of the Mir Mine is very complicated. "Here you may come across cryogenic factors (permafrost and thawing), high saturation of rocks with methane, oil and bitumen occurrences, as well as aggressive salt and water brines in case of water intrusion. It is a very complicated mountain," he said.

DANGEROUS MINE

Nevertheless, as Sergey Goryainov notes, the project of the Mir Mine has passed many examinations. Mining plans are controlled annually at every mine and mines are regularly monitored by supervisors, the expert of Rough&Polished said.

As a result of the inspection carried out by the Lensk Office of Russias Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service (Rostechnadzor) in September 2012, the activities of Mir were already suspended for a month due to non-compliance with industrial safety requirements. Specialists of the department also drew attention to the fact that the mine was "under conditions of high water-cut, which is a consequence of the lack of a drainage complex and the presence of significant tributaries of brines from the Metegero-Ichersky aquifer through the safety seal from the abandoned quarry of Mir. Later, after explanations from ALROSA Rostechnadzor admitted that the situation at the Mir Mine was not qualified as emergency.

The new inspection of Rostekhnadzor is to be carried out at Mir on 4 to 29 September, and at the same time, three other ALROSA underground mines will be tested, two of which (Internatsionalny and Udachny) belong to the first class of hazard and another (Aikhal) - to the second class of hazard. In parallel, a special commission of Rostekhnadzor started its work to investigate the causes of the accident. The inspectors of this service will be sent to the mine after the end of rescue operations.

The management team of ALROSA will now face the task of analyzing the level of safety at all the companys mines, Sergey Goryainov believes. The security forces became interested in the matter as well. On Monday, Nikolay Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, visited Yakutia and said during his conversation with Yakut leader Yegor Borisov that such accidents should be prevented and that there should be appropriate control.

The project of the Internatsionalny Mine, the most profitable of ALROSAs mines, is also quite dangerous. It has two central shafts, though this system has long been discarded - for example, the Donbass coal-mining area abandoned it in the 1970s, as in case of fire in a shaft inset both shafts were usually closed trapping people in a sack, explained earlier Lev Puchkov.

"In Yakutia, this is a usual picture at all mines, everywhere there is a leakage of water. The area is saturated with underground brine waters that do not freeze even at minus 30 Celsius," an anonymous source told Interfax.

Nikolai Sosnovsky, Metallurgy and Mining Director at Prosperity Capital Management said that the water-cut situation at the Internatsionalny Mine is somewhat similar to that of the Mir Mine, while it is even a bigger money earner, because its ore is of a higher grade, having 6 to 10 carats of diamonds per ton against 3 carats per tonne at Mir. Mir and Internatsionalny, which is located 15 km to the south-west from it, belong to ALROSAs Mirny Mining Division, whose director, Mikhail Lopatinsky had his powers suspended on Friday until the end of inspection. Internatsionalny and Mir account for 11% of ALROSA Groups total diamond output.

PROSPECTS FOR RECOVERY

According to Vladimir Dyukarev, the Mir Mine is subject to recovery. "Right now, there is not much detailed information coming in, but what I see is that production at the mine can be restored, and we need to do this," he said. Vladimir Dyukarev found it difficult to assess how long it would take. While the safety threat remains, production will stay suspended, he said.

"The remaining diamond reserves of Mir are very large, the ore is rich - about 4 carats per ton - and its recovery, of course, makes economic sense. ALROSA does not have many deposits of this class," said Academician Nikolay Pokhilenko, Director of the Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy belonging to the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. "The conditions at Mir are really very complex: aggressive mineralized waters corrode ice and cracks are being formed in the permafrost even at very low temperatures. It is probably the only place on the planet where diamonds are mined in such conditions," he added.

According to Sergey Goryainov, it will take at least half a year to restore production at Mir, as a full-scale revision of the project is needed. "Judging by the information available in the media, the return to full-scale production in previous volumes may take up to six months." First, it is necessary to eliminate the consequences of the accident, and secondly, a full-scale analysis of the causes of the incident is to be held, including discussion on how to avoid repetition of a similar situation," the expert of Rough&Polished said.

"The problem is not in restoring the mine and resuming production, but in guarantees to be given by project designers and executors that this will not happen again. If it turns out that it is impossible to provide such guarantees, the project will, of course, need to be revised. This is very expensive, but they still have to deal with it, because otherwise the company will be at risk of facing another catastrophe," Sergey Goryainov believes.

According to Nikolay Sosnovsky of Prosperity, Mir may be re-started more quickly - within three months. "If there are no serious cracks and equipment losses, and Rostekhnadzor will not issue an order to introduce a conceptually new safety system or to prohibit the work until the seal between the quarry and mine is repaired, the mine may resume operation in the foreseeable future - possibly within this quarter," he said.

IMPACT ON SALES

ALROSA has a high diversification of production, so the suspension of operations at Mir will not affect the company's performance with regard to its long-term contracts, assured the president of ALROSA, Sergey Ivanov.

There are no threats to sales of ALROSA, given the availability of stock and production at other mines, BCS believes.

"The company will have to sell part of rough from its stock in the third quarter, compensating for the drop-down at Mir," said Nikolay Sosnovsky of Prosperity. It had about 13 million carats in its stock in the end of the first half of the year, but most of this rough, if not all, is composed of technological stuff, that is of rough diamonds whose processing is not completed, due to which they are not ready for immediate sale.

In the third quarter, the company sells the smaller part of alluvial rough, Nikolay Sosnovsky said, and production during this period is usually much ahead of sales, so, most likely, the deficit will be avoided. ALROSA will even be able to maintain the level of prices for rough diamonds reached at the end of the first half of the year (4-percent growth), if it restricts supply to the market, especially in the absence of an increase in demand.

However, if market demand grows, there may be some shortage of rough, Nikolay Sosnovsky believes. In this case, the company can mobilize internal reserves and increase production at other mines using the availability of free processing capacities.

According to Atons estimates, ALROSA is losing approximately 1 billion rubles in EBITDA during every month of the downtime at the Mir mine. It is still impossible to assess the impact of the accident on the company's business, as too many questions remain unanswered: 1) How long will be the suspension of mining operations?; 2) What damage did the flooding cause to the equipment of the mine?; 3) Will the accident imply any actions on the part of state bodies?; 4) What will be the long-term consequences for the maximum levels of diamond output at Mir?




Depending on the degree of risk, the course of emergency rescue operations is being promptly adjusted. According to Radik Fayzukhanov, CEO of Paramilitary Mine Rescue Units belonging to the Ministry for Emergencies, all accessible sections of the mine have now been inspected and the missing miners were not found. This was reported by the press service of ALROSA.

At the moment, the search for the eight missing miners is complicated by the hydrological situation. During the rescue period, the water that accumulated in the quarry was unloaded twice into the mine. Unfortunately, water is now delayed in the quarry. At 12.00 local time, its volume reached 45,600 cubic meters.

In such conditions, the work of rescuers is extremely dangerous and therefore, options for controlled descent of water are being worked out.

Also, an additional pumping system consisting of three pumps is installed on the mines level minus 210 to minimize the risk of flooding the search sites. Two pumps with a capacity of 1250 cubic meters of water per hour are ready to work. The third pump is prepared for operation, its startup will require twelve hours. Installation of such equipment under normal conditions takes about a month and involves placing a concrete bed, piping, changing the existing pipeline scheme, etc. In this situation, all technical capabilities were mobilized and more than 50 people from 4 enterprises installed pumps in 72 hours.

According to the instrument readings, all air handling units operate in the normal mode. Yesterday, ALROSA climbers descended to the quarry, but they failed to receive any signals from the missing miners.

Meanwhile, the rescued miners are on the mend. Andrey Unarov was discharged from the Mirny District Hospital and is now being treated at the Miner Sanatorium. Dolat Abdazov is scheduled to be discharged in the next 24 hours. Alisher Mirzayev was transferred from the Intensive Care Unit of the Mirny District Hospital to the Department of Traumatology.

ALROSA employs about 160 people in search and rescue operations. In total, 330 people are involved in the operation, including divers from the Ministry for Emergencies, as well as ALROSA industrial alpinists, specially summoned to Mirny from Aikhal. To maximize the efficiency of their work, the company collected the best professional engineers from different production sites. They actively help in developing rescue plans and offer solutions that can facilitate and speed up the search in the changing environment.

Today, ALROSA sent a helicopter, which dropped a cargo into the pit of the quarry to produce a hydrostroke and provoke the descent of water accumulated at the bottom of the quarry, allowing safe operation of the search groups underground on the mines upper levels. If necessary, this operation will be repeated.

Considering the suspension of production at the mine, the companys management ordered to pay salaries to its employees during the idle period. The miners working underground at the Mir Mine will receive the average of their regular salaries, while others not engaged underground will be paid 2/3 of their regular salaries. The employees who happen to go down to the mine during their shifts will be paid double. In parallel, a set of measures is being worked out to employ the mine workers at the Mirny Mining Division and other units of the company.

Since the beginning of the rescue operation, all necessary forces and means have been engaged to carry it out. In addition, the company organized a flight, which brought the relatives of the eight miners trapped underground to Mirny. Meetings with them are held daily, sometimes several times a day. They are provided with full information about the search and rescue operations at the operational headquarters.

Given the difficult situation, in which the miners relatives happen to be, ALROSA will pay them 2 million rubles as compensation regardless of the outcome of the search operation.






Lucara Diamond Corp is said to be considering establishing a partnership to sell its 1 109 ct rough diamond, which was recovered in Botswana almost two years ago, if it still does not have a deal in the next six to eight weeks.

Reuters reports that Lucara, which failed to sell the world's largest uncut stone at Sotheby's auction house last year, continued to receive offers.

"If that doesn't pan out ... within the next six to eight weeks we will most fully look to enter into a partnership," company chief executive William Lamb was quoted as saying.

"I think we've got to. It's been almost two years since we recovered the stone and the market is, I think, chomping at the bit, waiting to see what the outcome from that is going to be."

Reuters reported last month that Lucara would need a partner in order to cut and sell the rough diamond.

"I think people don't really understand the quantum of money we're looking at," said Lamb.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




The second quarter of 2017 indicates overall pricing stability remained unchanged across all categories of fancy colored diamonds over the same quarter in the previous year, says a Release from the Fancy Color Research Foundation (FCRF).

Analysis of pricing data shows that blue fancy color diamond prices continued to appreciate, climbing 5.5% over last year, while yellow fancy color diamond prices declined by 2.5% for the year.

Overall, the Fancy Color Diamond Index for all shapes and sizes was flat for the period. According to RAPI during the same period, most white diamond categories experienced meaningful price declines.

The strongest performing price categories during Q2 2017 were 10 carat fancy intense blue, 5 carat fancy vivid blue and 8 carat fancy intense blue, which appreciated by 2.5%, 2.4% and 2.3%, respectively.

On a year-on-year basis, when compared to Q2 2016 the strongest performing categories were 1 carat fancy vivid blue, 8 carat fancy intense blue and 1 carat fancy intense blue, appreciating by 13.1%, 11.5% and 11.4% respectively. The weakest categories were large carat yellow fancy color diamonds. As in recent periods, across all color segments, fancy intense and fancy vivid broadly demonstrated price increases, whereas color diamonds in the Fancy category maintained price softness.

FCRF Advisory Board chairman Efraim Zion said, Demand in China and other Asian markets for extremely rare fancy color diamonds is still robust. However the pipeline is experiencing continued supply shortages, which results in price stability, and in some categories continued appreciation. We will not be seeing changes in the foreseeable future. Zion added, Yellow fancy color stones are enjoying healthy demand as well, however their price behavior, especially for the commercial categories, more closely resembles that of white diamonds.



Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished




Akshay Kumar clarified that CBFC has given only 3 verbal cuts to Toilet Ek Prem Katha.

By India Today Web Desk: With just two days left for Toilet Ek Prem Katha to hit the screens, reports started doing the rounds that Akshay Kumar's film is the latest to come under the radar of sanskaari CBFC (Central Board for Film Certification). And censor board had ordered 8 verbal cuts before giving a UA certificate.

However, Akshay clarified that CBFC gave three verbal cuts to Toilet Ek Prem Katha.

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"I have read news that the film has got eight or nine cuts from the censor board, but this is wrong. We have got three verbal cuts in the film," Akshay clarified in response to a question by IANS.

"I remember one of the cuts clearly. They asked us to remove the word 'haraami'. and two more verbal cuts. I don't know from where this news comes that the film has got 8 cuts. I was surprised myself," added the National Award winning actor.

Akshay was in the capital with co-actors Bhumi Pednekar and Anupam Kher to promote the film.

Much before the promotions of the movie - with a message on need for sanitation and ending open defecation - began in full swing, Akshay had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him about the film's subject.

Asked if he is planning any special screening of Toilet: Ek Prem Katha for Modi ahead of the film's release on Friday, Akshay said, "I would love to show it to him, but I am sure he has lots to do for our country rather than just watching this film. But yes, we'd love to show it to him."

Directed by Shree Narayan Singh, the film is set to release on August 11.

ALSO READ: Sanskaari CBFC orders 8 verbal cuts for Toilet Ek Prem Katha

ALSO READ: Akshay Kumar impresses Yogi Adityanath, Toilet Ek Prem Katha made tax-free in Uttar Pradesh

ALSO WATCH: Akshay Kumar wins National Award - How the actor became Sabse Bada Khiladi

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Polished prices in July softened as midstream inventory levels increased due to the slowdown in demand and increased supply. Polished diamond trading was seasonally slow as the US wholesale market closed for summer vacation, according to a monthly report by Rapaport.

The RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI) for 1-carat, GIA-graded, RapSpec A3+ diamonds fell 0.7% during July, and was down 3.2% since the beginning of the year.

According to the report, manufacturing profit margins have come under pressure since rough prices increased an estimated 3% on average in the first half of the year, while polished prices softened.

Excess rough inventory has shifted from the mining companies to the manufacturing sector. Rough sales at De Beers and Alrosa exceeded their production by a combined 7.9 million carats in the first half. Manufacturers have absorbed that rough, and their polished inventory levels have grown significantly as a result. The number of diamonds listed on RapNet increased 23% since January to 1.47 million unique stones on August 1.

While rough demand slowed slightly in July, manufacturing levels are expected to remain high until factories in India break for the Diwali festival on October 19.

Polished diamond buyers are selective, as demand has slimmed to narrower ranges. Jewelry retailers are careful not to buy stock they cannot move. US jewelry sales growth is being driven by smaller chains and independents, while the major retailers are struggling to adjust to changing consumer trends. Sales in China and Hong Kong have begun rising again after prolonged declines, providing some optimism ahead of the fourth-quarter holiday season.

Polished trading is expected to remain slow in August as dealers in Belgium and Israel take their summer vacations. Demand, meanwhile, is expected to improve and support polished prices from the September Hong Kong show onward, as retailers prepare for the holiday season.




Japan is on Thursday scheduled to release June figures for core machine orders, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Core machine orders are expected to rise 3.6 percent on month and fall 1.1 percent on year after slipping 3.6 percent on month and adding 0.6 percent on year in May.

Japan also will see June results for the tertiary industry index and July figures for producer prices.

The tertiary industry index is expected to gain 0.2 percent on month after easing 0.1 percent in May. Producer prices are tipped to add 0.2 percent on month and 2.3 percent on year following the flat monthly reading and the 2.1 percent yearly increase in June.

New Zealand will release July numbers for credit card spending; in June, overall card spending was up 0.1 percent on month and retail card spending was flat.

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Indian shares may follow global peers lower on Wednesday after remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump added to concerns about rising tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.

Trump told reporters further threats from North Korea would be "met with fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before."

The remarks followed a new report asserting that U.S. intelligence has assessed that North Korea has successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit inside its missiles.

The major U.S. averages ended down about 0.2 percent overnight, with the Dow snapping a 10-day winning streak.

European shrugged off early losses to finish modestly higher on Tuesday despite disappointing trade data from both China and Germany.

In Asia, benchmark indexes in China, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan are currently down between 0.3 percent and 1.4 percent.

Oil prices portrayed a mixed trend after the release of API inventory data while safe-haven assets such as the yen and gold rose on safe-haven demand.

Closer home, benchmark indexes Sensex and the Nifty fell about 0.8 percent each on Tuesday after capital market regulator SEBI directed exchanges to initiate action against 331 suspected shell companies.

The rupee, however, staged a strong comeback to end up by 17 paise at 63.63 per dollar.

Earnings would continue to be in focus today, with Jindal Steel and Power narrowing its first-quarter loss on the back of higher revenue from its iron and steel .

On the other hand, Tata Chemicals' Q1 consolidated net profit fell 53 percent due to temporary closure of the Haldia operations.

Aurobindo Pharma, Tata Motors and NMDC are among companies reporting their quarterly results later today.

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Estonia's foreign trade gap narrowed in June from a year ago, as exports grew faster than imports, figures from Statistics Estonia showed Wednesday.

The trade deficit dropped to EUR 122.8 million in June from EUR 156.1 million in the corresponding month last year. In May, the shortfall was EUR 145.1 million.

Exports surged 11.0 percent year-over-year in June and imports climbed by 6.0 percent.

Shipments to EU countries grew 11.0 percent annually in June and those to non-EU countries advanced by 16.0 percent.

During the second quarter of this year, total trade deficit of the country was EUR 446.8 million versus a shortfall of EUR 633.8 million in the first quarter.

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In an unexpected move, Senator Luther Strange, R-Ala., received an endorsement from President Donald Trump in his bid for a full-term in the seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

"Senator Luther Strange has done a great job representing the people of the Great State of Alabama. He has my complete and total endorsement!" Trump said in a post on Twitter on Tuesday.

The endorsement from Trump came as a surprise, with Politico noting sitting presidents rarely weigh in for party primaries.

Strange is set to face a crowded field in the Republican primary scheduled for August 15th. A run-off election is set for September 26th if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote.

Responding to Trump's endorsement, Strange tweeted, "Mr. President, what an honor. Thank you so much for your support and confidence. Proud to work with you to #MAGA #ALsen."

However, the endorsement drew some criticism from Congressman Mo Brooks, R-Ala., who is also running for the Republican nomination.

Brooks suggested in a statement that Trump was misled into endorsing Strange by Senate Majority Mitch McConnell, R-Ken., and "the Swamp."

"While Mitch McConnell and the Swamp managed to mislead the President last night, I still support the America First Agenda, and all the polls show we have momentum," Brooks said. "We believe our message will win out over the Swamp and Lyin' Luther."

He added, "We continue the fight for America's future. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Forward we march."

The Republican nominee is likely to win the Senate race in deep-red Alabama, which Trump won by nearly 28 points in last year's presidential election.

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(Agencia CMA Latam) - Colombian oil company Ecopetrol reported a 1.305 billion pesos (US$ 430 million) in the second quarter of 2017, a 65.8% increase from the same period of 2016, while sales rose 11.9%, to 13.151 billion pesos. Higher oil and natural gas prices helped the company to improve its results.

Ecopetrol's EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) increased by 24.1% in the second quarter, to 5.612 billion.

Ecopetrol's crude exports increased by 5.3% compared to the second quarter of 2016. The largest share went to the United States Gulf Coast. Exports currently represent 58.4% of Ecopetrol's sales.

The company production increased by 1.4% in the second quarter, to 655.9 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed).

by Agencia CMA Latam

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By India Today Web Desk: The city of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, five hours from Lucknow, witnessed disgrace when a school was turned into a 'dance bar'. The edifice where knowledge is imparted in the morning saw its integrity taking a nasty fall at night.

The government primary school in Mirzapur was turned into a dance bar on the night of Raksha Bandhan by some locals.

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In a video, two women could be seen dancing on a makeshift stage set in front of the class blackboard. The music from the instruments silenced the residue of echoes of the lessons taught in the morning.

Loud music coming from the instruments and fancy lights inside the classroom allowed a few locals to tarnish the sincerity of an educational institute.

A few men could be seen dancing, showering money on the women dancing in one of the classrooms of the government school. Quotes in Sanskrit painted on walls held no meaning as the locals turned the school into a dance bar on the night of Raksha Bandhan.

The festival which marks the bond of protection, when a brother promises his sister protection from all odds and adversities, could not infuse the moral of the festival into the men who used the school for their crude amusement.

Watch: Government primary school in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur turned into a dance bar by locals on the night of Raksha Bandhan

#WATCH: Government primary school in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur turned into a 'dance bar' by locals on the night of #RakshaBandhan pic.twitter.com/NGz8YypQCc- ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 9, 2017

FYI || Bull-dozed: Student clicks teacher sleeping in class, gets him suspended ||

FYI || No benches, no blackboard, no toilets, just a classroom under a tree ||

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By PTI: Dharamsala (HP), Aug 9 (PTI) Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today dedicated Rs 9.85 crore worth War Museum to people and laid the foundation stone of another such memorial at Dari here.

"I salute the great heroes of the freedom struggle, the valiant men and women of Himachal who became martyrs as well as their families, who equally contributed for the country.

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"The War Museum is a reminder of the sacrifices of the valiant soldiers of Himachal Pradesh. The museum would provide a peep into the countrys first Param Vir Chakra recipient Major Somnath Sharma to Captain Bikram Batra, Saurabh Kalia and others who laid their lives for the sake of the nation," he said on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement.

The chief minister said "wars are never welcome", but "sometimes become inevitable".

Remembering Mahatma Gandhi, Singh said it was due to the do or die call given by the father of the nation on August 8, 1942 in his quit India speech in Mumbai that the country attained freedom from the colonial rule.

"Quit India Movement was an important milestone in the history of Indias freedom struggle," he said.

Spread over an area of 2,190 square metres, the War Museum displays statue of General Zorawar Singh and murals of heroic deeds on the outside. The inner hall houses busts of Vir Chakra awardees, Jamedar Bhandan Ram and Jamedar Lala with write ups of their legend on the wall.

Representatives of State Martyrs Memorial Service and Development Society said a request has been sent to the Centre for display of MIG-21 and other warfare machinery at the museum. PTI CORR SRY

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The Minister of Prisons and Correction Services, Tialavea Tionisio Hunt, is calling for foreigners who are convicted of serious crimes in Samoa to be fined hefty amounts and deported.

They should be ordered to pay significant monetary fines and upon payment should be deported back to their home countries, he said.

We are feeding them, housing them and giving them medical care, when necessary, and yet they should be sent back to where they came from.

The Minister expressed the view during an interview with the Samoa Observer. As the Minister of Prisons, he said he was alarmed by the growing number of foreigners convicted of serious crime in Samoa.

These people come from different backgrounds, they dont eat the same foods as Samoans do, he said.

And there are so many reasons that I think these people should be sent back to their home countries. I dont think its logical to house them together with our people.

The Minister understands that deterrence is a must.

However, these foreigners have learned their lesson just being around people they are not familiar with and I can say with confidence they will be a walking deterrence.

They will inform others that Samoa does not tolerate criminals.

According to the Minister, the suggestion came after assessments of the inmates and how these foreigners are different from the Samoans on so many levels.

They come from a totally different culture, they have ways of doing things their own way.

But one thing for sure is that we will not make any changes at the prison to accommodate these inmates.

I think this is what the Judiciary arm should consider when handing down sentencing on these cases.

Also these people have no family to go home to when they are eligible for weekend parole, because part of the requirement is that inmates have to be accepted by their family to return home.

Otherwise, they will be housed at the prison until such a time when they have served their full sentence.

So what is his solution?

I think they should pay a fine that should compensate their time in jail. And instead of sending them to jail, they should be sent back to their countries.

The government should consider this seriously.

Asked if there are issues pertaining to the foreigners, hence the suggestion to deport them back home, the Minister said no.

I feel these people dont belong here in our country, he said. They violated our laws and they should pay a fine and then deport them.

We can allocate these funds to assist the prison with so many rehabilitation projects that we currently have.
Acting Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, has highlighted the importance of partnerships and working together to address water challenges of today.

Fiame made the point during the official opening of 10th Annual Pacific Water and Wastewater Conference and 3rd Annual Ministerial Forum yesterday.

Held at the Sheraton Samoa Aggie Greys Hotel, delegates received a taste of Samoa during a traditional ava ceremony held at the Samoa Tourism Authority Cultural Centre prior to the opening.

The Acting Prime Minister welcomed the delegates and spoke about the importance of the meeting.

The hosting of the Pacific Water and Wastewater Ministerial Forum in Samoa is a critical opportunity that we, as the most vulnerable states to climate change, must all utilise to the maximum, Fiame said.

In keeping with this year's theme of Water supply in a changing environment it is crucial that we as a region must work together in sustainable and durable partnerships to address issues affecting our water supply.

That includes best practices on the effective and efficient management of water resources and infrastructure, including wastewater treatment and improvement of sanitation.

Not only that, but to be creative and innovative in securing the necessary support and resources to realize the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular SDG 6, in the water and wastewater sectors in our Pacific region.

The latest 2015 update, published by the W.H.O. in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and others, on the status of Pacific Island countries with regards to water, sanitation and health services shows that water security is a critical sustainable development issue for Pacific Island countries.

These have profound implications for livelihoods, economic growth, public health, the environment and human rights.

It further shows that while all Pacific Island countries are improving access to safe water and sanitation, these efforts are often not keeping pace with population growth.

As a result, the Pacific region has made very poor progress in meeting the M.D.G drinking water and sanitation target.

It is a challenge to you all, as water and sanitation leaders, players, young professionals, suppliers and service providers, to realise your role in contributing to improving on that status.

It requires you to review, re-think, and reassess what works, what hasn't worked, and adopt different approaches and solutions appropriate to the specific needs, overall, of your countries.

Fiame believes that any meaningful progress towards the current 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development targets of universal access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, will require a fundamental recalibration of efforts by Pacific Island countries and development partners, particularly in light of projected population increases.

Achieving such targets will require that the commitments made by Pacific Island countries in the past be converted into serious and sufficient investments in the next decade and a half.

At the end of the opening yesterday was the official signing of the agreement between the Government of Samoa and Pacific Water and Wastewater Association.

This is a historic occasion for not only Samoa but the Pacific. Fiame said.

The official recognition of the P.W.W.A. as an international organisation further strengthens its platform as the principal united voice for the Pacific Island nations for water, and wastewater and utilities at the international.

Furthermore, this recognition enhances the development framework of Pacific expertise for the sustainable management of water, wastewater services by shaping a cohesive, proficient and robust sector.

The Chairman of the P.W.W.A. Opetaia Ravai reiterated the importance of this years theme - Water Supply in Changing Environment

Our Pacific environment has been widely affected by climate change, thus given the certainty of formidable changes in water supply we continue to face greater challenges with its sustainability, said Mr. Ravai.

The ministerial forum held in conjunction with this conference provides a key mechanism for the realization of increased collaboration and partnerships to support the tremendous efforts required to meet the sustainable development goal of achieving universal access to safe water and sanitation by 2030.

Water and sanitation are at the very core of the sustainable development, critical to the survival of people and the planet.

Participants include foreign ministers attending the Pacific Water Ministerial Forum, delegations from water and wastewater member utilities from around the Pacific, P.W.W.As development partner representatives, young water professionals from around the Pacific region, and a line-up of technical speakers, experts, professionals, companies, contractors, and providers and suppliers in the water and wastewater sectors from around the world.
Samoa might be blessed with thousands of acres of fertile soil, but without a proper plan to turn them in to income-generating opportunities, the struggle will continue.

So says Faalogoifo Vaomu, of Safotulafai. The 27-year-old is married with two daughters and he lives with his wifes family at Saoluafata.

Speaking to the Village Voice, he said he appreciates the gift of land which he uses for a plantation.

My plantation is my life, he said.

I work on it every day and I dont regret living the life of a farmer. I have two children, and the work I do determines their lives in the future.

But he feels that somehow he could do a lot better with some help.

I mean some incentives to take our plantations to the next level, he said. The cost of chemicals to run a plantation is so expensive.

In this life, its all about working hard; if you dont drop a single sweat then how can you look after your family? So we work hard, but its tough given the circumstances.

Away from incentives to boost farming, Faalogoifo said access roads to their plantation are very poor.

I know Im not the only one complaining about this problem because it has been wrecked like this for a very long time, he said.

These wrecked roads have caused us a lot of difficulties

We, as farmers, understand how it feels to walk all the way from coastal lands towards our plantation, its really hard.

Roads, he added, are critical pieces of infrastructure if the government is serious about growing agriculture.

Vehicle owners dont want to use these roads, he said.

They know their vehicles will only get damaged. And when you weigh that up against the money you could make, I can understand their decision.

For the young father, the plantation is their livelihood.

My family depends on our plantation, said Faalogoifo

Therefore, I hope that the government will reach out and help fix these issues sometime soon. I really do.
For many years, parents and students from Savaii have been travelling to Apia to find the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.).

But the trip and the associated expenses that come with it will no longer be needed thanks to the decision by the N.U.S. to open an office at Salelologa, Savaii.

Located on the second floor of the Salelologa market, Vice Chancellor Professoor Fui Asofou Soo said the move is to decentralise the services provided by the N.U.S.

It is also proof of the governments mantra which what is good for Upolu is also good for Savaii.

The office cost $97,500 to set up. It was set up by Savaii-based contractor, Setefano Tauvao.

Basically the new office will provide services for students and all stake holders of N.U.S. in Savaii. It is the new beginning, said Professor Fui.

Its something small to start with before we expand our services by having a campus in Savaii and the motto is whats good for Upolu is good for Savaii.

The new office will host enrolments for Savaii students who were able to make it to the N.U.S. instead of them coming all the way from Savaii to Upolu.

The Oloamanu Centre staff will go to Savaii every semester to conduct trainings for teachers and that is what the conference room will be used for.

The office at the moment will be used as a training room because we are leasing two offices from the Samoa Land Corporation.

[And] also because some of the N.U.S. faculties conduct field trips here in Savaii so we will be using this new office so that we dont have to stay at hotels and spend money there but now we have a new office we can just come and use this office.

Professor Fui said the negotiation between the N.U.S. and Salelologa started in March. He had also submitted a proposal to Cabinet for 50 acres of land at Salelologa to allow the N.U.S. to build a campus there.

The Vice Chancellor acknowledged the support of the Salelologa Village Council.

An elder of the village Taotua Ioane Matamua spoke on behalf of the village to thank the N.U.S. as well as the government for thinking about the students of Savaii. He told the gathering that opening an N.U.S. office in Savaii means a lot to them as well as the students.
A 53-year-old man has been jailed for 12 years for raping a 12-year-old girl in 2015.

Ututaaloga Fereti Leota, was found guilty and sentenced by Justice Tafaoimalo Leilani Tuala-Warren in the Supreme Court.

The name of the victim and details that could lead to her identification have been suppressed. Ofisa Tagaloa was the Prosecutor while Leota Raymond Schuster represented the accused.

Ututaaloga is married with six children. He is a member of the L.D.S. Church at Solosolo.

The Court heard the rape took place after church at Solosolo.

The victim was 12-years-old at the time and was in Year 6 and the accused is the uncle of the victims father."

On a Sunday during that time period the victim, the accused his wife and children had left for church and upon return from church they had toanai and after cleaning up, the victim went into her room to do some homework."

The accused went into the victims room and he asked her in a low voice to remove her clothes."

When she refused, he forcibly removed her clothes.

He laid her down on the floor took of his temple clothes and raped her, she was moving around and crying from the pain. After he was done he got up put his clothes back on and left outside.

The victim told the Court the accused raped her twice.

During the time of the offence the wife of the accused was doing her washing.

According to the pre-sentence report the accused was 51years old at the time.

His brother and son said the accused is caring and humble; hes supportive of his family and active in their village matters. The village mayor and the Bishop provided two testimonials in his favor."

The Bishop says that the accused is an active member of the church holding positions within the church and belonging to one of most devoted families in the congregation." He says the accused is "humble, quiet and reliable."

According to the village mayor the accused is a matai of the village of Solosolo who is reliable and knowledgeable in village and family matters."

There is also a medical report from Dr. Titi Lamese on the 6th March, 2015, the accused was diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure and started treatment."

He has already been fined with $3500 and beast cattle to the village. The probation did not make any recommendation for sentence but he is a first offender.

The rape has had a huge impact on the victim.

Ever since the incident she is scared of the accused."

In school she said she tends to sleep most times in class and cannot focus on her studies. She no longer goes to school and she does not want to go back to school because of what happened.

In reading out the aggravating features of the crime, Justice Tafaoimalo said the offending was a breach of trust between the accused and the victim.

She was 12 years old and the younger the victim of a sexual offense the greater the need for protection, said Justice Tafaoimalo.

The age difference between the victim and the accused 39 years is also an aggravating feature."

It is also aggravating that the accused is a close relative of the victim.

He was given a responsibility to the victim as the victim lived with his family and attends school. This is what we called in our culture 'nofo aoga.'"

The accused is the uncle of the father of the victim and he was expected to protect her child in his family, instead he took advantage of that power and has caused extreme pain and sufferings to this child who was under his protection."

The breach of trust in this case is significant.

During her decision, Justice Tafaoimalo sent out a strong warning with the sentence.

This is to protect the community from the accused, she said.

This protection is particular for the children who are the most vulnerable members of any community."

Now it is a concern of the court that this offending occurred within the centre of a home committed by a family member."

A strong message from this sentence is that a breach of trust is unacceptable and the Court will take a tough stand against this type of offending."

There is a Samoan saying 'A malu i fale, e malu foi i fafo' which means if you are safe in your family, you will be safe outside of your family.
Competition is good for members of the public.

So says the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour, Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling.

He was responding to concerns by small businesses about being dominated by the foreign-owned businesses.

Well, competition is good for the customer... for all of us. If there is healthy competition we will all benefit, he said.

But one of the responsibilities of the Ministry is to ensure there is fair competition, and when we receive complaints from the public especially the customers thats when the government and the Ministry will intervene."

This will ensure that all the competitors in that specific sector will be disciplined accordingly under the law.

The growth of Asian-owned businesses such as restaurants, clothing shops, Laundromats and retail stores is alarming.

At Vaitele Market the progress of what appears to be a large store being built inside the market where farmers used to sell their produces is making vendors there very nervous.

The store belongs to the owner of Coin Save; one of the fastest-growing Chinese owned and operated businesses in the country.

The owner Tuituitoaiga Teeking Weng has been given permission by the government to develop the $5.7million complex.

Several small business owners in the area worried they are not getting fair competition.

In response to questions, Pulotu told the Samoa Observer the government has yet to receive any official complaint from small businesses in this area.

But as I was saying as long as the competition is right and fair and that will be alright.

We also take on complaints as to the quality of goods. If there are goods that the public thinks are not up to standard and its being reported to us, we will do our best to accommodate the complaints.
The Minister of Health, Tuitama Dr. Leao Talalelei, is serious about addressing complaints about shortcomings and inadequacies of health workers.

In fact, he told the Samoa Observer it is one of his major concerns, which he and the staff are actively working to address.

Cabinet recently approved internal measures for the hospital to assure that complaints are addressed accordingly, he said.

The hospital will soon have a booth somewhere in the lobby where the public can submit complaints about anything pertaining to the hospital, services, nurses attitudes, physicians, administrations... any complaint will be submitted directly at this booth.

The Minister said the decision is long overdue.

This was prompted following numerous complaints that have not been addressed by the hospital. I have people who come up to my office to see me, complaining about the services."

Yet these issues should be directed towards the hospital... then I have to call the hospital and demand answers."

While I dont mind taking on complaints ... yet this happens because the public do not know where to go when they need help or when they want answers.

The Minister said there are too many complaints against the hospital services that are not being addressed properly, or in a timely manner.

Sometimes the public feel their concerns are not being taken seriously by the hospital and yet complaints are just as important, he said.

This is where we know the standard of services we are providing, whether improvements are needed and that is why complaints are just as important.

The Minister of Health also accepts that customer service by the hospital is not up to par with professional standards.

Tuitama expressed sympathy for members of the public who encounter issues with attitudes of the nurses or the administration.

According to Tuitama, the lack of action on complaints has led to many people raising these issues in the media.

We both know this does not end well for the Health sector when issues are being publicly addressed, when it can be dealt with properly."

They have the right to complain and we have the obligation to respond... the turn around time should be within a week."

Sometimes the staff does not want to face up to their shortcomings and inadequacies but those are the things that will improve the services is to listen to the complaints.
An official from the Chinese foreign ministry referred to Kashmir to criticise India's stand on the ongoing military standoff in Doklam.

By India Today Web Desk: China, this time through official sources, needled India once again over the ongoing Doklam standoff, asking New Delhi what it would do if Beijing "enters" Kashmir.

An official from the China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that while referring to India's assertion that China attempting to extend a road near the India-China-Bhutan trijunction was a change of status quo. "We think it is not doable for the Indian side to use tri-junction as an excuse," Wang Wenli, Deputy Director General of Boundary and Ocean Affairs, said.

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"The Indian side has also many trijunctions. What if we use the same excuse and enter the Kalapani region between China, India and Nepal or even into the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan," she went on to say, referring to regions that are disputed between India and its neighbours - Kashmir with Pakistan and Kalapani in Uttarakhand with Nepal.

"Therefore, using the trijunction as an excuse does not hold water at all. It will only cause more trouble," Wang added.

Wang Wenli was speaking to Indian journalists who had been called by the country's state run journalist association to hear out China's stand on the Doklam standoff.

For nearly two months now, soldiers of the Indian Army and the Chinese People's Liberation Army have been locked in a face-off on the Doklam plataue near the Sikkim border.

The standoff began after Indian soldiers intervened on behalf of their Bhutanese counterparts to stop the PLA from extending a road into the Doklam region.

India later said that Beijing's actions posed a risk to India's national security as China's extending the road would pose a risk to the so-called Chicken's Neck that links India to its northeast.

'IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL'

The Chinese foreign ministry official rejected India's proposal that troops of both the countries withdraw simultaneously to end the standoff.

"Until the Indian side withdraws from the Chinese territory, there will be no substantive talks between us," Wang Weli said, while reiterating Beijing's stand that the only way to end the present crisis on the border was the withdrawal of Indian troops from Doklam.

"Even if there is only one Indian soldier, even for a day it is still a violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity," Wang further said, going on to say that there is no way China can hold talks with India right now. "It is impossible to have a dialogue with India at this time. Our people will think our government is incompetent."

WAR?

Asked whether China was getting ready for a war with India, Wang said, "I can only say that for the PLA (People's Liberation Army) and for the Chinese government, we have the determination. So, if the Indian side decides to go down the wrong path or still have illusions about this incident, then we have the right to use any act that is in line with the international law to protect our rights."

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Wang said India and China had many standoffs before but "we haven't issued any position paper till now". "But this time we have the position paper and in the position paper, you can find clear information about our position and possible moves by us," she said, referring to a 15-page fact sheet issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry few days ago.

"The Indian border troops are sending a signal of aggression while the signals sent by the foreign ministry is for peaceful negotiations. So, we think these two signals do not match with each other," she said.

Wang also rejected a negotiated solution by restoring status quo with the simultaneous withdrawal of Indian and Chinese troops to their earlier positions.

Referring to reports in the Indian media that both the countries' border troops can withdraw at the same time to restore the status quo, Wang said "this is also unacceptable for China".

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"Because the facts are clear. It is the Indian troops that crossed the mutually recognised boundary into the Chinese territory. So, it is the Indian border troops that have the responsibility to withdraw," she said.

DIPLOMATIC PARLAYS ON?

While making it clear the China wants Indian troops to withdraw immediately, Wang also indicated that diplomatic talks with India have been on, saying the "diplomatic channel" has been open in the past 50 days of the standoff.

Wang did not comment on the aggressive, rehtoric-laden campaign that has been run by the Chinese state media. Chinese publications have taken strong, sometimes hawkish stand on the Doklam standoff, with some outlets, like the Global Times, even warning of a war.

Wang's comment, however, Wang's comments marked the first instance is the first time that a Chinese official sought to bring in the Kashmir issue; such a remark was made earlier by a scholar in the state-run Global Times.

Meanwhile, India has maintained that both sides should withdraw their troops simultaneously with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj recently saying that India favours a peaceful resolution of the border standoff.

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(With PTI inputs)

ALSO READ | China standoff: Defence ministry wants extra Rs 20,000 crore budget to be battle-ready

ALSO READ | Beyond Doklam standoff, a look at 5 areas where India is well ahead of China

ALSO READ | Doklam border standoff: Will there be an India-China war?

ALSO WATCH | Two-minute history with Ramachandra Guha: Nehru's choices that played a part in 1962 Indo-China war

--- ENDS ---
San Diego was one of the most expensive regions for home buyers in California in the second quarter of this year, with just 26 percent able to comfortably purchase the median-priced house, said a report from the California Association of Realtors released Wednesday.

The Realtor organization calculates affordability by comparing the median, single-family home price to the number of households earning the minimum annual income needed to make payments after purchase. The study said the statewide affordability was 29 percent and San Diegos rate was down 2 percent from the first three months of 2017.

Affordability rates are determined by an estimated monthly housing payment that does not exceed 30 percent of gross monthly income. Using that calculation, buying the median-priced San Diego County home required a minimum qualifying income of $121,260 a year. The monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, came to $3,030 a month.

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San Diegos affordability rate in the second quarter was nearly half of what it was in 2012, when 46 percent of homes were considered affordable. Since then, home prices have generally increased faster than incomes in the region. Out of 43 counties included in the report, San Diego was the twelfth least affordable, tied with San Luis Obispo County.

Im thinking its going to get a lot worse, said Bob Kevane, president of the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors. For normal people, they just dont have the incomes.

He said government fees on construction, a slow approval process for new homes and community opposition to new housing projects are reasons for rising prices.

The associations index makes a few assumptions that might not apply to all buyers. It assumes a homebuyer will make a 20 percent down payment, even though there has been a growth in mortgages that allow for significantly less down, and that they will have a 30-year, fixed-rate loan.

Also, its estimate for San Diego Countys median home price of $605,000 is based on sales of single-family houses, not condos, which are becoming a bigger part of the countys market as planners increasingly push for multifamily housing over traditional houses. The overall median home price in June was $543,000, said real estate tracker CoreLogic.

Alan Gin, economist with the University of San Diego, said the studys findings jibe with a trend that has been worrying the regions leaders.

I dont think we are going to get a big improvement on affordability, he said. Even though we have incomes going up, the problem we have here is that we have lack of construction. Yes, we have people that want to get in homes. But a lack of supply is driving up prices.

The residential building industry has had a rough start this year. Building permits were down by 17 percent in the first six months of 2017 compared to the same time in the previous year, said the U.S. Census Building Permits Survey.

However, new buyers have been finding affordable homes farther from job centers, including Otay Ranch and Riverside County, where the homes can be $200,000 to $300,000 less than the San Diego County newly-built median price.

The rest of the state features extremes in affordability. In San Francisco, 12 percent of homes were affordable, with a minimum qualifying income of $290,630. In Tehama County, 57 percent of homes were affordable, with a minimum qualifying income of $40,490.

In San Diego County, the affordability rate hit 9 percent in the first quarter of 2006 but increased sharply during the housing market crash. It hit a high point at the end of 2011 and start of 2012 with 46 percent affordability. By 2013, it had dropped to 27 percent and has stayed around the same rate ever since.

Im thinking its going to get a lot worse.  Bob Kevane, president of the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors

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phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar

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For months, scores of people protesting the policies of the Trump administration have demonstrated on Tuesday mornings outside the Vista office of Republican Rep. Darrell Issa. But now, they might have a lot more company from the political opposition.

A group of Trump and Issa supporters recently secured a permit to rally at the same time and in the same vicinity  near Issas office on Thibodo Road  as the demonstrators who have shown up nearly weekly since January to rally on the sidewalk outside the building.

We all work, and we have jobs, but its time that we come out to show everyone that we support Issa, Bonsall resident Roarke Shanley, whose name is on the newly secured permit, said Tuesday as he stood with other demonstrators waving signs.

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Nithin Mathew, field and political director for the California GOP, told the Union-Tribune that his group pulled the Vista permit to give local Republicans the opportunity to support Congressman Issa and combat the negativity of the protesters.

He did not respond to questions about whether there will be a push to increase the number of GOP supporters who show up at the weekly demonstrations. On Tuesday, less than a dozen people waved pro-Issa or Trump signs, although a couple of prior rallies there have drawn scores more GOP supporters.

There were no tensions between the two groups Tuesday.

The weekly gatherings, initiated by grassroots groups and later promoted by the states Democratic party, have grown over the last few months. Among the regulars is Judy Skinner of Oceanside.

If we dont let our voices be heard, he (Issa) will never hear us, Skinner said.

With the growth, and the continued protests, controversy grew as well.

The turnout  often around 300 people  drew complaints that the demonstrations were disruptive, disturbed tenants of the building where Issa has his offices, and created unsafe conditions along the freeway frontage road where the building sits. The protesters, many of them retirees, added crowd control and safety measures such as cones and ropes to address these concerns.

A few months ago, Vista asked the organizers to obtain a permit for the gatherings. But when city officials later attached certain requirements to the permit  including that protesters stand across the street and keep the noise down  the ACLU stepped in, arguing the conditions infringed on the citizens constitutional right to assemble.

In late June, Vista issued a new permit, lifting the conditions. It runs through the end of September.

In July, the counter-protesters secured their permit. It, too, runs through the end of September, and shares the same conditions as the the permit secured by the rally regulars.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
How much difference does a concert hall make? For longtime SummerFest attendees, the answer to that question has been readily apparent over the last week of programs at Conrad Prebys Concert Hall at UC San Diego.

For decades, SummerFest made Sherwood Auditorium its home base, but with Sherwoods recent closure, La Jolla Music Society has found an ideal match in the Conrad Prebys Concert Hall. If you want to hear fantastic musicians playing in a gorgeous space, get yourself a ticket  or attend an open rehearsal  before SummerFest ends.

Sherwood Auditorium may once have been the finest local venue for chamber music, but it always struck me as an OK hall challenged by a problematic slap-back for percussive or sharp wind sounds and inconsistent acoustics strongly dependent on where one sat.

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Sherwoods limitations are abundantly clear when compared to the glorious sound of the Conrad Prebys Concert Hall. Strings are suffused with a warm glow, plucked strings are amplified and sustained, and there really isnt a bad seat in the place.

Tuesday nights concert, In The Heart of Hungary, focused largely on strings, with a guest turn by a gloriously operatic soprano. Was there a single audience member present who said to themselves, Gee, I really wish this was in Sherwood?

The program was devoted to works by Hungarian composers, anchored by a bona-fide warhorse, Bartoks String Quartet No. 4. Kodalys Duo for Violin and Cello, Opus 7 may not be a go-to chamber music composition, but after Ravels Sonate, its the most frequently performed work for that combination.

Two rare works, Liszts Grand Duo Concertant and Bartoks song cycle, Falun (Village Scenes), added freshness to the evening.

Liszts Grand Duo is not terribly profound, so its easy to see how violinists might skip it to play more substantial 19th-century fare; but as salon music for violin and piano goes, its a wonderful set of variations. Violinist David Chan dashingly made a difficult part seem easy. Pianist Olga Kern brought a clarity and rhythmic steadiness to her accompanying that I dont usually hear in her solo work, easily meeting Liszts technical challenges.

As an encore, they snuck in Massenets Meditation from Thais, which has nothing to do with Hungary, but no one seemed to care.

Violinist Glenn Dicterow zestfully dug into Kodalys Duo, a performance bursting with gusto and lyricism. Cellist Robert deMaine was nobly resonant, singing out as needed in his part and soberly anchoring the work.

The evenings highlight was Lyubov Petrovas glorious performance of Bartoks rarely heard Falun, a setting of five Slovak folk songs that sample different stages in the life of a woman. Bartok used folk melodies that he heard and transcribed, but the piano accompaniment is a wonderful 20th-century abstraction of rural harmony.

Petrova has a lustrous, powerful voice that painlessly filled the hall, and she summoned the gamut of emotions called for by the text. Michelle Naughton was a fantastic accompanist, making the most of a minimal part, effortlessly navigating the accelerandos and ritards, always right there with Petrova.

The concert closed with a furious rendition of Bartoks Fourth Quartet by the Miro Quartet that was grounded in technical precision. While they seemed to push themselves to their limits in the rapid sections, they also plumbed the poignancy of the slow movement.

All performances that evening was greeted with warm applause, demonstrating that  nto paraphrase Bruce Springsteen  everybody has a Hungary heart.

Hertzog is a freelance writer.
So You Wannabe An Outlaw, the title of Steve Earles absorbing new album, would also be an apt name for the upcoming memoir by the longtime country and American roots-music maverick.

But this three-time Grammy Award winner has an even better title.

My book is called: I Cant Remember If We Said Goodbye, said Earle, who has been divorced seven times and has been clean and sober for the past 22 years.

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Its not an autobiography. Its literally a memoir. Specifically, its about recovery.

At the height of his heroin and cocaine addiction, Earle spent  by his estimate  between $500 and $1,000 a day to feed his habit. He sold his cars, guitars and virtually all of his possessions to buy drugs.

Before he became homeless in Nashville, his telephone answering machine message began: This is Steve. Im probably out shooting heroin ...

Earle was using heroin when he recorded his first six albums, including 1984s acclaimed Guitar Town and 1986s even more accomplished Copperhead Road. What inspired him to go cold turkey and finally conquer his near-fatal addiction?

Um, I got locked up, he replied, referring to his 1994 jail sentence.

I didnt even go to treatment and get clean first. I figured that when I was feeling better and not throwing up in the toilet in my jail cell, then I could deal with it. But when I got to jail, I realized all those things that happened to other junkies had started to happen to me. And I didnt want to die. It was that simple.

They say youve got to reach the bottom. My bottom was inordinately low. Im writing about it right now, for my memoir, and its almost like looking back at somebody else.

Earles new album includes two songs whose grim titles  Fixin To Die and This Is How It Ends  could reflect his years as an addict.

In fact, those songs and the entire album are inspired by his divorce from his seventh wife, fellow troubadour Allison Moorer.

This record was looking at my past and trying to find a future, said Earle, who shares parenting duties with Moorer for their young autistic son.

Ive been writing songs since I was a teenager. And its just one of those things I do for the same reason I always have. I am a post-Bob Dylan songwriter, so I am really attempting to make art almost every time I do it.

Twelve songs strong, So You Wannabe An Outlaw, features the latest edition of Earles band, The Dukes. The bands lineup includes guitarist Chris Masterson, violinist Eleanor Whitmore, pedal steel guitarist Ricky Ray Jackson, bassist Kelley Looney and drummer Brad Pemberton.

Earle is so enthused about his musicians that he wrote some of the songs on his new album specifically for them.

I love this band! I think its the best Ive ever had, he said. I feel like I can do anything with them.

Fans attending Earl & The Dukes sold-out Belly Up concert Thursday, Aug. 10, can expect to hear at least half the songs from So You Wannabe An Outlaw performed live. Earle dedicates the album to the late country-music legend Waylon Jennings, who was a friend and inspiration.

He was incredibly supportive of me and just seemed to understand what I was and why I was doing what I was doing, Earle said.

He and Willie (Nelson) were called outlaws because they didnt do what they were told to do when they made their records. They decided to make them the way they wanted.

Missing from Earles new release are the kind of politically pointed songs that have become one of his trademarks.

Thats a surprise coming from someone whose discography includes the 2004 album The Revolution Starts...Now. Earles previous songwriting credits include I Oppose the Death Penalty, City of Immigrants and John Walkers Blues, which chronicles John Walker Lindh, the young American who converted to Islam and fought with the Taliban in Afghanistan against the U.S. military before being captured in 2001.

A lot of people are surprised this record is not more political, Earle acknowledged. The truth is, we didnt know (Trumps election) would happen when we made the record last September ...

The next record will be way more political, because of who I am. Im an unapologetic lefty.

Steve Earle & The Dukes, with The Mastersons

When: 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10

Where: Belly Up, 143 South Cedros Ave., Solana Beach

Tickets: Sold out

Phone: (858) 481-8140

Online: bellyup.com

george.varga@sduniontribune.com

Twitter @georgevarga
Little Steven, the veteran solo artist and Sopranos TV co-star who has been Bruce Springsteens right-hand man in bands since they were teenagers in New Jersey, will tour this fall with his group, The Disciples of Soul. It will be his first North American concert trek since 1990 with the reactivated Disciples, which performed some European shows this summer.

Their Soulfire Tour 2017" will kick off Sept. 23 in Port Chester, N,Y., and conclude Oct. 26 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. It will include an Oct. 18 San Diego show at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay.

All of the dates for the tour appear below. It is in support of Soulfire, Little Stevens first solo album in 18 years. It features some of his original songs, classics by James Brown and Etta James, and some vintage songs Van Zandt wrote for Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes, including Love On the Wrong Side of Town, which he co-wrote with Springsteen.

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A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee as a member of Springsteens E Street Band, Little Steven has been credited by Springsteen for coming up with the signature guitar line on Born to Run. He also was instrumental in creating the horn arrangement for Springsteens Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out.

Born Steven Leto, he has long used the stage names Little Steven and Steve Van Zandt. He played the role of Silvio Dante on the popular TV series The Sopranos.

Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul debuted in 1982 and worked, on and off, for the next eight years. They reunited in 2016  15 members strong  for a one-off concert.

Tickets for the tour go on sale Friday at 10 a.m., local time, and are priced at $50 each for the Oct. 18 Humphreys show. A pre-sale for Citi card holders will begin today, Aug. 8, at 10 a.m.

Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul Soulfire Tour 2017"

Sept. 21: Holmdel, NJ @ Laid Back Festival

Sept. 23: Port Chester, NY @ The Capitol

Sept. 25: New York, NY @ Gramercy Theater

Sept. 27: Staten Island, NY @ St. George Theater

Sept. 29: Boston, MA @ The Orpheum

Oct. 1: Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory

Oct. 2: Baltimore, MD @ The Lyric

Oct. 4: Huntington, NY @ The Paramount

Oct. 6: Northfield, OH @ Hard Rock Live

Oct. 8: Chicago, IL @ House of Blues

Oct. 9: Toronto, ON -Danforth Music Hall

Oct. 13: San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore

Oct. 15: Seattle WA @ Showbox SODO

Oct. 18: San Diego, CA @ Humphreys Concerts by the Bay

Oct. 19: Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre

Oct. 22: Dallas, TX @ The Bomb Factory

Oct. 24: San Antonio, TX @ Tobin Center

Oct. 26: Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution Live

george.varga@sduniontribune.com

Twitter @georgevarga
Another Jersey Boy is about to take Broadway.

Details were confirmed today for Bruce Springsteens eight-week run of performances at New Yorks Walter Kerr Theatre, a stint that will represent the New Jersey-bred rockers Broadway debut.

The solo run by the Boss begins Oct. 3, with an official opening Oct. 12. Springsteen will perform five shows a week through November 26.

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Tickets for Springsteen on Broadway go on sale at 7 a.m. PST Aug. 30 through Ticketmaster Verified Fan, a service thats meant to combat mass-purchase bots. Registration for Verified Fan begins today (Aug. 9) and closes Aug. 27.

Go to brucespringsteen.net/broadway for more details on the registration process.

Springsteens Broadway plans (right down to the identity of the theater he would perform in) were first reported in June by theater columnist Michael Riedel of the New York Post, which makes todays announcement a bit less of a surprise, although its the first time dates have been firmed up.

In the official release from Jujamcyn Theatres (which owns the Walter Kerr), Springsteen said:

I wanted to do some shows that were as personal and as intimate as possible. I chose Broadway for this project because it has the beautiful old theaters which seemed like the right setting for what I have in mind. In fact, with one or two exceptions, the 960 seats of the Walter Kerr Theatre is probably the smallest venue Ive played in the last 40 years.

My show is just me, the guitar, the piano and the words and music. Some of the show is spoken, some of it is sung. It loosely follows the arc of my life and my work.

All of it together is in pursuit of my constant goal to provide an entertaining evening and to communicate something of value.

Jujamcyn president Jordan Roth said Springsteen is one of our greatest musical storytellers, and Broadway is built on a beloved tradition of musical storytelling. What a once-in-a lifetime thrill for all of us at Jujamcyn to welcome Bruce home to his rightful place in the Broadway legacy.

Springsteen (in case youre just getting wind of him) is a 20-time Grammy-winner, Oscar recipient, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and recent Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree.

He grew up across the river from Manhattan along the Jersey Shore (the river in this case being the Hudson, which is probably not the same one memorialized in Springsteens landmark 1980 album The River).

Springsteens often epic concerts have long been admired for their sense of the theatrical, so performing in the cradle of American theater seems a fitting development.

The Walter Kerr Theatre, incidentally, has hosted two San Diego-bred musicals in recent years (although not the La Jolla Playhouse-launched blockbuster Jersey Boys, which had an 11-year-plus run at the nearby August Wilson Theatre).

Those shows were A Catered Affair (2008) and the Tony Award-winning A Gentlemans Guide to Love and Murder (2013-16), both with connections to the Old Globe.

San Diego Theater  On Now Video: Bruce Springsteen's solo trip to Broadway On Now Video: Inside the rehearsal room of SDMT's Damn Yankees! 2:22 On Now Video: La Jolla Playhouse-bred shows earn key Tony nominations 3:05 On Now Video: Broadway moment has arrived for La Jolla Playhouse's 'Come From Away 0:33 On Now Video: Lamb's Players Presents "An American Christmas" 2016 1:21 On Now Old Globe's 'Grinch' ready to rumble again 0:52 On Now Little Miss Sunshine at La Jolla Playhouse On Now Working the Magic On Now San Diego Repertory Theatre presents "Federal Jazz Project" On Now An American Christmas

jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @jimhebert
More magnet programs, more bilingual education programs, more attention paid to preparing the youngest students in L.A. Unifieds system. Above all, more graduates.

L.A. Unified Supt. Michelle King  her contract newly extended until 2020  laid out her priorities Tuesday morning in a speech that promised to push ever harder for her goal of 100% graduation but offered few new proposals.

The superintendents State of the District address, delivered this year at Garfield High School in East L.A., is an annual tradition. The event is part pep rally for the 1,500 administrators in the audience, who will begin a new school year on Aug. 15, and part political performance.

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Last year, King used her platform to announce that L.A. Unifieds graduation rate had broken records. It had soared to 77% for the class of 2016 from 72% the year before. It was an ideal introduction for the then-new superintendent and welcome news for a district that has struggled to convince families it should be their first choice for schooling.

This year, King did not reveal the 2017 graduation rate, saying instead that she would wait for the state to put its stamp of approval on the final figure. More than 26,000 high school seniors had earned diplomas, about 85% of their class, she said, offering a statistic that is considered a less comprehensive metric of a districts academic performance than the graduation rate.

Rather than trumpeting this years graduation rate, King emphasized L.A. Unifieds falling suspension rates and increasing success with students learning English, as well as the districts ever-expanding number of magnet programs.

She announced that the district is opening 28 new pre-kindergarten programs and that there are plans for 10 new dual-language programs for 4- and 5-year-olds with instruction in either English and Spanish or English and Korean.

Students have the right to realize their full potential, King said. And we collectively have a moral obligation to get them there.

LAUSD School Board member Monica Garcia, incoming board members Kelly Gonez, and Nick Melvoin, left to right, applaude at the conclusion of Dr. Michelle Kings Superintendent of Schools address. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Throughout her speech, King kept to familiar ground. In the year and a half since she was chosen to succeed Ramon C. Cortines as superintendent, she has emphasized incremental progress while setting aspirational  some say unreachable  goals. At the heart of her vision for the systems roughly 514,000 students is the 100% graduation rate, which no large urban school district has ever achieved, and a 100% attendance rate.

This focus on making a high school diploma attainable by each and every student has raised questions about whether the district is graduating students who havent mastered basic skills. Critics say the district has made it easy for failing students to earn credits by completing online or in-person courses that arent as rigorous as a typical class.

King did not address some of the thorniest issues facing the school district.

Squeezed by a growing number of charter schools, a declining birthrate and rising housing costs that have forced some families to move outside the district, L.A. Unifieds enrollment has been dropping steadily since 2003. The loss of students has meant a loss in state funding at a time when the districts pension and retiree healthcare costs are climbing.

About 16% of district students attend charters, which are popular with many parents and compete with traditional L.A. Unified schools for students.

The district has forecast that its enrollment will continue to fall for the next several years, potentially forcing King to propose unpopular cuts to staff and school programs.

Some of that pain is already being felt at the school level. More than 100 library aides, clerks and other support staff were laid off at the end of the last school year.

Although outgoing school board members succeeded in extending Kings contract until June 2020, questions remain about how she will handle her relationship with the new board.

Unprecedented campaign spending by charter school supporters last spring helped upend the balance of power on the board, which had tilted in favor of public sector unions. After all the ballots were counted, King had lost an ally, former school board President Steve Zimmer.

With the addition of Kelly Gonez and Nick Melvoin, the board now has a charter-backed majority. Several of its members have expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of change under King.

On Tuesday, new board President Ref Rodriguez, a member of the new majority, assured King that she would have his support and that he expected the board to unite behind her.

Superintendent, I commit to you and to the people of this district that I will build bridges to support your vision, Rodriguez said. I got your back.

anna.phillips@latimes.com

Twitter: @annamphillips

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UPDATES:

5:05 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout with additional details, remarks from the speech.

This article was originally published at 11:05 a.m.
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis issued a tersely worded statement today in light of escalating tensions with North Korea over its nuclear weapons capability.

The statement appeared to be a warning to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who was called out by name.

Mattis said that the United States and our allies have the demonstrated capabilities and unquestionable commitment to defend ourselves from an attack.

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Mattis -- who is famous for popularizing the quote no better friend, no worse enemy during his time as a Marine Corps general -- concluded the statement with more tough talk.

While our State Department is making every effort to resolve this global threat through diplomatic means, it must be noted that the combined allied militaries now possess the most precise, rehearsed and robust defensive and offensive capabilities on Earth, Mattis said in the statement.

Welcome to The Intel, a blog examining the hot military news of the day

The (North Korean) regimes actions will continue to be grossly overmatched by ours and would lose any arms race or conflict it initiates.

An estimated 28,500 U.S. soldiers are stationed in South Korea to guard against potential aggression from North Korea.

In addition, the U.S. Navys Seventh Fleet is headquartered in Japan. The U.S. aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan is forward deployed in Yokosuka, Japan, which is home to the American Navys largest fleet presence outside of the United States.

Heres reaction on social media to the Mattis statement.

Mattis spitting hot fire at DPRK means the military option is on the table. That's not just Trump mouthing off. https://t.co/TqDzMhIkRI  Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 9, 2017

#SecDef Of course DPRK would "lose any...conflict. Thats not the problem, and you know it. Problem is, ANY nuclear conflict is OUR loss.  Michael (@MichaelWRader) August 9, 2017

Excellent! #MadDog I Love Him!  #MAGA - SecDef Mattis to Kim Jong Un: F*** With Me and I Will Kill You https://t.co/PkOAEXG8gZ  Nationalist Phil  (@PinkBelgium) August 9, 2017

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jen.steele@sduniontribune.com

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An alleged drug trafficker called the San Diego Coast Guard for help with a dead boat battery  and the assistance received was probably not what the suspected smugglers wanted.

The Coast Guard got a radio distress call from a power boat in international waters about 29 miles off Point Loma on Sunday morning.

When the San Diego-based patrol boat Sea Otter arrived to help, the Coast Guard boarding team found 1,200 pounds of marijuana below the small boats deck.

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More than 50 bundles of marijuana wrapped in plastic were discovered.

Welcome to The Intel, a blog examining the hot military news of the day

The two people on the vessel were taken into custody. They were transferred to the San Diego Marine Task Force for possible prosecution.

The crew of the 87-foot Sea Otter moved the bundles to the Coast Guard vessel and towed the seized boat to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection dock at Shelter Island.

I am extremely proud of the hard work and diligence of the crew, said Senior Chief Petty Officer Justin Eaton, the Sea Otters officer in charge, in a news release. Working together with multiple Coast Guard assets we were able to make another seizure and slow down the flow of illegal drugs into America.

Military Videos  On Now D-Day paratrooper from Coronado jumps again in France  at age 96 On Now Remembering war's fallen, one name at a time On Now In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II 1:43 On Now Video: Navy's newest vessel sails into San Diego and a new future in surface warfare On Now Video: U.S. Navy files homicide charges over warship collisions On Now Stopping Marine hazing On Now Video: U.S. Navy Air Crew Grounded After Creating Vulgar Sky Drawing On Now Navy says Asia Pacific ship collisions were avoidable On Now Hundreds of recruits get sick at Marine boot camp On Now Cutler Dawson Talks Navy Federal

jen.steele@sduniontribune.com

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Twitter: @jensteeley
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) An Ethiopian Airlines plane clipped wings with an Air India aircraft at the Indira Gandhi International airport here.

The incident happened on Tuesday night when the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing B767 plane was pushing back for take off and Air Indias Airbus A320 was parked. The wings of the two planes collided with each other, said an Air India official on the condition of anonymity.

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"Our B-767 aircraft while preparing for a regular Delhi- Addis Ababa flight (number ET687) had a minor ground incident of wing tip collision with Air India A320 aircraft during pushback," the Ethiopian Airlines said in a statement.

The two planes involved in the incident have been grounded temporarily.

While there were no passengers in the Air India plane, those in Ethiopian Airlines aircraft were accommodated in a substitute plane.

The Air India official said the national carrier will be claiming damages from the Ethiopian Airlines. PTI JC IAS SMJ

--- ENDS ---
On the days her taps run dry, Minerva Altamirano makes do with a collection of buckets and pots filled with water. Others on her quiet block of well-tended row houses have installed tinacos, rooftop water tanks, or dip into 50-gallon bins, known as tambos.

Here in the sprawling hillside development of Villas del Prado and across Ensenada, residents have been learning to live with rationed water, as the port city of 400,000 residents confronts an unprecedented shortage.

Since January, most residents count on receiving water a fraction of the time; service to Altamiranos area is scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Sometimes the water is clean, and sometimes its dirty, said Altamirano, 63.

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The only municipality in Baja California that is not supplied by the Colorado River, Ensenada depends largely on aquifers for its supply, with a small portion provided by rainwater held behind the Emilio Lopez Zamora Dam. But as a lack of rainfall and high temperatures emptied the reservoir and lowered the aquifers to dangerously low levels, authorities have been forced to implement a rationing plan.

The shortage has prompted an intensive search for new sources that run the gamut from treated waste water to desalinated ocean water to importing water from the Colorado River. The states immediate solution is adding new wells.

Come summer, if we remain the same, this is going to be a very severe crisis, said Arturo Alvarado Gonzalez, head of the states water agency in Ensenada, known as Cespe. An aging infrastructure makes the problem worse, with leaks and broken pipes that need frequent repair, he said. It is very uncomfortable, and we understand that citizens are upset. ... My answer is that we are working to resolve this.

According to the agency, the rationing has lowered Ensenadas per capita water consumption from 66 gallons a day to 43.

The shortages are not just affecting city residents, but raising alarm in adjacent agricultural areas such as the Valle de Guadalupe, a key state tourist attraction that produces 90 percent of Mexicos wines. The valley has for years shared its underground water supply with Ensenadas domestic users  and growers are increasingly worried about their diminishing supply being siphoned off for urban uses.

Yet tourists visiting the city might not even be aware of there is a problem, as any hotels and restaurants affected by rationing use their own water reserves for their guests, said Jean-Loup Bitterlin, owner of El Rey Sol Restaurant and the adjoining Posada Inn. Everybody has a pila or water storage space, Bitterlin said.

Those most affected are residents, such as Altamirano and her neighbor Daniel Ibarra Tribolet, 39, who was busy filling all available receptacles with water Wednesday  from kitchen pots to the washing machine.

Supposedly we get water Mondays and Wednesdays, but sometimes its not there Monday, and there it is on Tuesday, he said. Sometimes we dont even have enough to bathe.

Baja California is an arid region, much like San Diego County, with Ensenada long the most hard-pressed for water among the states five municipalities. Tijuana, Mexicali, Tecate and Rosarito Beach all are supplied by the Colorado River. Ensenada has rights to a small portion of the states allocation, but there is no pipeline to carry the water.

We have a problem that we live in a desert and that has not been assumed as such, said Joaquin Bohigas, an astronomer and member of Red Calidad de Vida, a network of organization for civic groups in Ensenada. I think the same thing happens a bit in California, but here its more dramatic because its a dryer zone.

Bohigas and other critics lay much of the blame for Ensenadas current shortage on federal and state governments, saying they failed to prevent a crisis long in the making.

Ensenadas water shortage has been known for years, as aquifer levels have suffered from saline intrusion and their levels have dropped. Proposed solutions have stagnated for a range of reasons  from a lack of funds to objections raised by environmental groups. Some critics say government authorities are largely responsible for not making Ensenadas water issues a greater priority.

There has been a lack of planning on the part of the state and federal governments to foresee the needs of the population, said Wenceslao Martinez, president of the umbrella group known as the Business Coordinating Council. There are many businesses that would like to locate in Ensenada, but we dont have the ability to provide water, said Martinez, who favors construction of a pipeline from Tecate to deliver Colorado River water to Ensenada.

While everyone agrees that Ensenada needs to increase its supply of drinking water, there is little leadership toward reaching a solution, said Rogelio Vazquez, a geophysicist who studies water at CICESE, a government-funded scientific research institution in Ensenada. He recommends desalination plants as the most viable future water source.

With changes in administrations both at the state and federal levels, many in authority are new to their jobs.

I can talk about November on out, said Enrique Ruelas, head of the State Water Commission, Baja Californias overall planning agency for water resources. Baja Californias governor, Francisco Vega de Lamadrid is very much aware of the situation, Ruelas said. He has given instructions that there is no priority greater than the water supply.

The Cespe serves some 110,000 municipal customers in the city of Ensenada, and about 90 percent of them are affected by the rationing measures, said Alvarado, the agencys director. In its rationing plan, Cespe divided the city into five zones with different water delivery schedules  some are told to expect water four days a week, others three days, one zone every day for 12 hours. But the schedule can vary according to climate, consumption or repairs to the systems, reads a flyer.

The addition of four new wells is expected to end the need for rationing by late May, said Alvarado. An emergency declaration by the governor last month for Ensenada made available 27 million pesos in state funds  about $2 million  to open the wells.

In August, construction is scheduled to begin on a desalination plant designed to convert seawater to drinking water at a rate of 5.7 million gallons a day. Built at a cost of $46 million and scheduled for completion in 2015, it would be first large-scale plant in the Baja California.

The desalination plant is insufficient; by the time its completed, well need another desalination plant, said CICESEs Vazquez.

Ensenadas crisis is not simply one of quantity, but of quality, Vazquez said. His studies have show that salinity levels in the municipal water supply in the southern part of the city are often more than twice the federally recommended levels.

sandra.dibble@utsandiego.com (619) 293-1716 Twitter: @sandradibble
For years, David Binkle was hailed as a pioneer among school nutrition advocates for accomplishing a near-herculean task  using produce and meats provided by local growers to greatly reduce the number of fatty meals served in the nations second-largest school district.

The Los Angeles Unified School District serves nearly 700,000 meals per day, and the professional chef helped lead a charge that saw vegetarian curries, pad Thai noodles and quinoa salads replace old cafeteria staples like chicken nuggets and corn dogs.

The initiatives won the district numerous awards, drew praise from then-First Lady Michelle Obama as she led a national push to combat childhood obesity, and earned Binkle appearances on Tedx Talks.

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But as he was revolutionizing meals for the districts students, prosecutors allege, Binkle illegally funneled roughly $65,000 of the districts money into a private consulting firm he ran, then placed some of that money into his own pocket.

The 55-year-old appeared in court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to 15 felony counts including embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds. He posted $220,000 bail and is scheduled to return to court in October.

While recognizing that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, the charges against Mr. Binkle are extremely upsetting as they do not reflect the professionalism, ethics and character we expect of all L.A. Unified employees, the school district said in a statement.

Emails and calls to Binkle seeking comment were not returned. His attorney, Alec Rose, declined to comment. In a previous statement to The Times, Binkle denied wrongdoing and said allegations of financial misconduct were unsubstantiated.

According to court documents, Binkle repeatedly misappropriated district funds in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 between 2010 and 2014. Prosecutors also allege that he forged an application to become a vendor with the district and failed to disclose outside financial interests.

If convicted, he faces up to 13 years in prison.

Binkle worked as a chef before joining the district as deputy director of food services in 2008.

His initiatives to push for healthier food won praise from Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, and Binkle enjoyed broad support from school nutrition advocates, local farmers and the union that represented school service managers. Binkle was credited with adopting menus that lowered the sodium and fat content of school meals and with increasing the amount of food served daily in cafeterias.

Binkle dramatically altered the way the district procured ingredients, opting for years-long contracts with providers that included Tyson Foods Inc., Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, Goldstar Foods, Five Star Gourmet Foods, Driftwood Dairy and Don Lee Farms. Five of the vendors also agreed to contribute approximately $500,000 annually to a marketing program that promoted healthy eating in the districts schools.

But problems began to arise. George Beck, a former food-services deputy branch director responsible for accounting and budgets, previously told The Times he began questioning Binkles management of the marketing program as early as 2011.

The district took no corrective action however, according to Beck, who says he was laid off in retaliation two years later.

In 2012, Binkle was elevated to the position of director of food services, overseeing a program with a budget of hundreds of millions of dollars.

In November 2014, a scathing report from the districts Office of the Inspector General accused him of failing to disclose his ownership of an outside culinary consulting firm or report payments from vendors to attend school nutrition conferences.

His firm, California Culinary Consulting, presented at minimum an appearance of a conflict of interest, the audit said. And the marketing program was being mismanaged and at worst being consistently abused by Binkle, according to the audit.

A month later, the district placed Binkle on unpaid leave. At the time, he was making an annual salary of $152,000.

In an email to the Times in 2015, Binkle said the state conflict-of-interest law did not require him to disclose anything about his firm because all of his consulting income that year came from outside Los Angeles County.

Binkle said he was frustrated and baffled by the allegations. He insisted his use of the marketing funds was aboveboard and had been approved by district supervisors, including the former chief financial officer and then chief deputy superintendent Michelle King, who now runs the district.

I have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide, since my actions were approved and encouraged from senior district officials, general counsel or the ethics office, Binkle wrote in the email. I am confident the truth and facts will show the allegations are unsubstantiated.

Beck said the allegations against Binkle represent a larger problem within the district. Binkle, Beck said, was allowed to operate with virtually no supervision, creating a situation that cost the district money and allowed him to enter into contracts with vendors with essentially no input from other school officials.

He negotiated these contracts with these firms with no oversight, nobody else participating. It was a huge procurement bureaucracy. There was one contract for vegetarian entrees, and I remember sitting in a meeting with 35 people. Binkle was there. He had one entree that was $2.25 per item, and our reimbursement was less than the cost of the meal, Beck said. Every meal that we sold, we were losing money.

When informed of the charges against Binkle by a Times reporter, Beck said he felt vindicated.

You have absolutely made my afternoon, Beck said.

Binkle remains employed as an adjunct culinary instructor at the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, according to a spokesman for the school. He has been employed there since August 2009 and is scheduled to teach a class in the fall.

While they declined to comment on the criminal charges, school nutrition advocates praised Binkles work in Los Angeles, saying he did his best to provide healthy food to hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren.

David worked hard to improve the menus, the ingredients, the presentation and the student nutrition experience, said Matthew Sharp, a longtime school nutrition advocate who has worked extensively with Los Angeles schools.

Beck said he still cant believe it took six years, and outside intervention by prosecutors, to get to the bottom of the conduct he uncovered long ago.

All these internal control entities that were supposed to be exercising internal control were not doing it, he said. I brought it to their attention, and they did nothing about it.

Times staff writers Sonali Kohli and Teresa Watanabe contributed to this report.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.

UPDATES:

7:10 p.m.: This article was updated with additional background about Binkles tenure with the district, and comments from former employees and nutrition advocates.

1:55 p.m.: This article was updated with information about Binkles plea and background about his work in the district.

12:30 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from the L.A. Unified School District.

This article was originally published at 11:25 a.m.
Police are seeking the publics help in finding Christopher Michael Diaz, 26, who is suspected of killing his estranged wife in Montebello on Sunday, authorities said.

Diaz is an alleged gang member and considered armed and dangerous, according to a Montebello police press release. He is 5-foot-5 and weighs 145 pounds.

Just before 10 p.m. on Sunday, police responded to a call of shots fired in the 1200 block of Victoria Avenue to find a woman  Roxann Acosta  dead from a gunshot wound.

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According to Los Angeles County coroners records, Acosta was 28.

Acosta and Diaz were estranged but had spent the day together before ending up at Diazs mothers house in Montebello, said Montebello Police Sgt. Marc Marty.

The two had an argument, and witnesses heard gunshots, Marty said. Diazs mother was in the house but in another room, and other people were in the house, Marty said.

Diaz fled the house and no weapons were found at the scene, Marty said. On Monday police arrested a woman in connection with the case on suspicion of aiding and abetting, Marty said, but he would not release her name.

At a vigil Monday, family members told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune that Acosta had three children and was pregnant with a fourth.

I always feared him, thats why he wasnt welcome into the family, Alicia Acosta, the victims mother, told Fox 11 News. I know hes out there, hes out there somewhere watching.

Anyone with information should call the Montebello Police Department at (323) 887-1313.

Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli.

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A new mugshot of Phil Spector in prison shows the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer completely free of the huge hair that was so striking during his murder trials.

In the photo taken in June and provided Tuesday by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the 76-year-old music producer is smiling broadly and wearing hearing aids.

Previous mugshots of Spector have shown him bald on top but with long, stringy hair in the back. He is now completely bald, a far cry from the bizarre wigs he wore at his two trials.

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He was convicted in 2009 of killing actress Lana Clarkson, and is serving a sentence of 19 years to life.

The conviction came after a storied career as a pop innovator known for hits like Da Doo Ron Ron and Youve Lost That Loving Feeling.
Ramona Food & Clothes Closet has awarded $18,000 scholarships to two recent high school graduates.

Hania Heredia, who graduated from Ramona High School in June, will major in business administration at San Diego State University.

Heredias father died in 2010. She said he always told her that education should be her main priority if she wanted to go far in life. She remembers him saying, Work hard and life will reward you.

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During the summer, Heredia served meals to children who otherwise would not have lunch to eat. During the school year, she immersed herself in volunteering at Ramona Library and was an officer on the Teen Action Council at the library.

Also receiving an $18,000 scholarship is Ranchita resident Ocean Laidlaw, a graduate of Warner Junior/Senior High School. Active in Future Farmers of America, she was president of Warner schools FFA chapter the past two years and is vice president of FFAs San Diego Section.

Laidlaw was an ASB officer during her four years in high school, where she served as secretary, vice president and treasurer. Active in school sports, she is a member of the Warner Springs Girl Scout troop and she has done a great deal of volunteering.

She will attend California State University Fresno and plans to be a large animal veterinarian.

Ramona Food & Clothes Closet at 773 Main St. dispenses scholarships through its foundation. Recipients receive $2,250 per semester for eight semesters while they attend college. More information about the nonprofit is at foodandclothescloset.org.
The leader of the regions premier transportation planning agency, Gary Gallegos, said Tuesday that he plans to retire in December.

The announcement comes as the San Diego Association of Governments has been mired in scandal  including billions in bungled revenue projections and questions about whether there was an attempt to cover it up.

The 57-year-old executive director of SANDAG downplayed the impact of the situation on his decision, saying that he had previously planned to retire in the near future.

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Look, I want to be real clear that I had always planned that by the end of this year I would be done with my career, he said during a meeting with The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board on Tuesday.

Last week, an independent investigation, ordered by SANDAGs 21-member board of elected officials from around the county, found that the agency misinformed voters about how much money a half-cent sales tax increase on the November ballot would have brought in for highways and transit.

The revelations reinforced political opposition to the tax proposal, known as Measure A, which would have brought in billions for roads, buses and trolleys. The proposed levy failed to get a needed two-thrids majority vote, after anti-tax Republicans and environmental groups both came out against it.

Gallegos said that stepping down is likely whats best for future efforts to raise money for highways and transit.

At some point, yes, its a good thing for me to step out and let other folks lead and hopefully move this region forward, he said.

At the meeting, county Supervisor Ron Roberts, who also serves as chair of SANDAGs board of directors, defended his long-time ally.

Garys been made the scapegoat for something that none of us knew what was going on prior to the election, Roberts said. I can tell you that, and Im talking about at the top.

Roberts said before he stepped up to lead the board  long before the scandal  he got Gallegos to pledge that he would remain on the job at least through the tenure of his chairmanship, which ends in December

Measure A was sold to the voters as a way to raise $18 billion over 40 years for transportation. After voters rejected the proposal, officials said they overestimated how much money it would have brought in by several billion dollars.

The revenue discrepancy was first reported by the Voice of San Diego.

The agency is also facing a shortfall of billions of dollars in estimated revenue from the 2004 TransNet tax approved by voters.

The investigative report regarding the recent Measure A, compiled by Los Angeles-based law firm Hueston Hennigan, found that Gallegos and his former chief economist, Marney Cox, didnt intentionally oversell the tax proposal.

However, report found that when SANDAG staff members raised concerns that something could be amiss, they ran into a culture of hubris among the agencys top brass. The leadership did nothing about those concerns and did not bring it up with the board before the election.

The investigation also found that Gallegos oversaw the hiding and potential destruction of emails amid media inquiries ahead of the public vote.

The board voted unanimously on Friday to re-evaluate the employment contract for Gallegos and do a forensic investigation to uncover deleted emails. Sentiments at the meeting ranged from vigorous defense of Gallegos to calls for his firing.

Gallegos contract was extended in 2015 for five years.

At a December meeting, before the revenue scandal fully emerged, the SANDAG board approved a $10,000 annual raise and a 4 percent bonus for Gallegos  bringing his annual compensation to $310,000 a year. He has long been one of the highest paid employees in the state for someone in his position.

While both Roberts and Gallegos said that the retirement was planned, they said there was no detailed plan for hiring a new executive director.

My goal has always been to build a really competent team so that if anybody left someone else could step in, Gallegos said. Ultimately, the board always has the choice.

Roberts said he expected outside candidates also would be considered.

Both acknowledged that whoever takes over the helm will have a challenge uniting the county on transportation issues.

Generally, SANDAGs representatives from the countys urban, southern cities tend to heavily favor money for mass transit, while their counterparts in the northern and eastern suburban and rural areas want more for roads.

SANDAGs at a crossroads, and I dont know how you bring these people together, Roberts said. Were got so many people that dont want to compromise on anything  nothing.

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher is a leading critic of SANDAG and has state legislation pending that would overhaul how it is governed, giving more weight to larger cities.

At the heart of San Diego Countys transportation needs is much bigger than one person, she said Tuesday. The public needs, and all communities deserve, equal access to reliable transportation to work, home and school, as well as the decision-making process that makes it so.

During his remaining time on the job, Gallegos told the Union-Tribune editorial board that he wanted to make sure current projects were kept on track, including the Mid-Coast Trolley and, in particular, the planned Otay Mesa East Port of Entry  so it doesnt become a casualty.

Gallegos has been the executive director of SANDAG since 2001. Before that he served as the local district director of Caltrans for almost a decade.

Gallegos said he plans to keep his home in San Diego, but will spend much of his retirement in Colorado where his family owns a cattle ranch.

I want to go be a cowboy and ride my tractor and chase a few cows and watch the alfalfa grow and let somebody else worry about all our future, he said.

Twitter: @jemersmith

Phone: (619) 293-2234

Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com
Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Diego is on pace to deport fewer people this year than last, most of them unauthorized immigrants without a criminal record.

As of June 30, ICE has deported 16,599 from San Diego and Imperial counties, according to a summary of removals provided by the agency.

Last year ICE deported 23,719 individuals from the San Diego and Imperial region. With three months left before the federal fiscal year ends on Sept. 30, it seems likely the agency will end up removing fewer total unauthorized immigrants than last year.

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Despite President Donald Trumps campaign rhetoric of cracking down on immigration violators by targeting bad hombres and gang members, most people being removed by ICE in San Diego dont have criminal records.

ICE deported 6,818 unauthorized immigrants with criminal records in the U.S. through June 30. During the same period 9,781 individuals without a criminal conviction in the U.S. were deported.

The data reflects the new immigration enforcement regimen put in place under Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, that makes any unauthorized immigrant in the country a target for deportation  not just those with criminal records or who are deemed threats to public safety.

Under the Obama administration, people who were in the country illegally but had not committed serious crimes were not a priority for removal. Instead Obamas ICE was told to target serious criminal offenders, leaving otherwise law-abiding unauthorized immigrants alone

That changed in a Jan. 25 executive order Trump signed laying out the new rules. While still emphasizing removing people with serious criminal convictions, the order also expanded the pool of people subject to deportation to include those convicted of minor crimes, people who were simply charged with a crime, and those who had prior removal orders from an immigration judge but had ignored them and continued to live in the country.

Lauren Mack, ICE spokeswoman in San Diego, said in a statement that the deportation figures reflect the agencys new priorities.

ICE conducts targeted immigration enforcement in compliance with federal law and agency policy, she said in an email. However, as ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan has made clear, ICE does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement.

All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.

San Diego immigration lawyer Esther Valdes said she has seen the change in priorities in her law practice. Its not uncommon for ICE to go to a home or workplace to pick up one person they have targeted because of a criminal record  and come out with several unauthorized immigrants with no criminal convictions but still subject to deportation.

Were seeing these cluster of people being picked up, not just one or two, she said.

Peter K. Nunez, a former U.S. Attorney in San Diego and board member for the Center of Immigration Studies, said that the deportation numbers are not surprising.

The Obama administration made it clear that if you were a non-criminal you had nothing to fear, he said. What Trump and Sessions made clear is while theyll continue to prioritize criminal aliens its not to the exclusion of other people who were subject to deportation.

The rise in non-criminal deportations in San Diego runs counter to emerging national trends since Trumps inauguration. In April CNN cited ICE national data that showed 30,00 convicted criminals, and 23,000 non-criminals since January.

Historically ICE deports more criminals annually than non-criminals. But that has varied in San Diego over the years. In 2014 and 2015 more people with criminal convictions were deported than non-criminals, but the opposite was true in 2013.

Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
Reports that North Korea has developed a nuclear weapon small enough to load inside a missile alarmed San Diegos and Californias congressional delegation, with members calling for even tougher diplomatic measures against the rogue state.

If true, it represents the greatest crisis probably since  let me rephrase that  undoubtedly since the Cuban Missile Crisis, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista said in an appearance on CNN, referring to the 1962 nuclear showdown between the U.S. and Soviet Union over ballistic missiles on Cuba. And the correlation is very similar. This is something that can hit us and our allies, and its a rogue nation that we suspect would use it.

Issa, like others, called for an enforcement of the new sanctions that the United Nations Security Council voted over the weekend to impose. Those new restrictions curb North Koreas international trade in an attempt to make it difficult for the country to pay for its expansive military.

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If we cut off all currency, hard currency to this regime, this regime is going to have to choose: Nuclear weapons or an internal problem that this dictator probably cannot deal with, said Issa, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Trumps fire and fury threat to North Korea sparks new fears of war

Last week President Donald Trump signed into law a bill that puts stiffer sanctions on North Korea as the country continued to publicly test its weapons program, including long-range missiles.

Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, said that this new law puts pressure on North Korea, and he praised countries including China for their own interventions, but added that the efforts are not enough.

Sanctions alone are insufficient, he said. We need an unyielding, long-term strategy to check North Korean aggression and prevent an escalation of hostilities that would have devastating consequences for thousands of American service members stationed in Asia, millions of civilians, and the global economy, he said in a statement.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said that sanctions havent had their intended effect, and there must be talks with North Korea.

What this tells me is that our policy of isolating North Korea has not worked, she said. The United States must quickly engage North Korea in a high-level dialogue without any preconditions. Hopefully, Secretary (of State Rex) Tillerson is already discussing the possibility of reopening talks with our Asian partners during his current trip. In my view, diplomacy is the only sound path forward.

Twitter: @jptstewart

joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1841
Ten people, including seven teenagers and two young children, were hurt in a head-on collision in North County Tuesday, authorities said.

The collision occurred on Elfin Forest Road at Harmony Grove Road, near the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve, about 8:30 a.m. A Toyota 4Runner overturned onto its side and then was struck head-on by another Toyota 4Runner, according to the California Highway Patrol and Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District.

Seven teenagers were in the 4Runner that overturned, and a woman and two children were in the other SUV.

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All occupants were taken to three different hospitals with moderate to serious injuries, authorities said.

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Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
A San Diego police officer appeared to be caught in a lie when he testified that a homeless man was sleeping in his truck before getting a ticket for illegally inhabiting his vehicle.

The officers body-worn camera footage shows the homeless man emerging from a city park restroom, not sleeping. Their ensuing 20-minute debate also suggests, according to the mans lawyer, that the city ordinance noted on the ticket is too vague to be enforceable.

The City Attorneys office in June asked the court to vacate Tony Diazs 2016 conviction and dismiss the case based on the video discovered earlier. The footage, a prosecutor said, is exculpatory evidence because it contradicts the officers testimony and corroborates (Diazs) testimony. The video undermines the officers credibility and removes a major pillar of the case 

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The San Diego Police Department is looking into the officers behavior, spokesman Lt. Scott Wahl said in an email. Diaz filed an internal affairs complaint against Officer Colin Governski, who now serves on the SWAT team.

We take all matters regarding the performance of our employees very seriously and will investigate this situation fully, Wahl said.

Voice of San Diego, an online news organization, broke the story last week about the officers apparent false testimony and obtained the body-worn camera footage.

Diazs defense attorney, Coleen Cusack, said Governski should be prosecuted for felony perjury. Proof would have to be shown that the officer intentionally lied on the stand and was not simply confusing different contacts with Diaz on different dates.

Governski, who has been on the department for five years, ran across Diaz while assigned to a Quality of Life policing team focused on directing homeless people to services.

The officers camera recorded his Aug. 25, 2015 encounter with Diaz about 6:30 a.m. at Bahia Point Park on Mission Bay. The video shows Diaz walking away from a public restroom and toward Governski. The officer says people at the nearby Bahia hotel had complained about Diaz. Diaz denies he was sleeping there, but said he had just driven in moments earlier to use the restroom before a bike ride.

The camera runs for at least 20 minutes as Governski explains that Diaz is getting a ticket for inhabiting his vehicle because the camper shell is filled with a bed, blankets and personal items showing that he had been sleeping there.

The city ordinance prohibits a person from using a vehicle on the street as a temporary or permanent living quarters, either overnight or day-by-day.

Diaz took the infraction to trial in traffic court in June 2016. Governski testified that he saw Diaz sleeping in the pickups camper shell. Cusack and the court commissioner asked Governski several times if he was sure Diaz was asleep at the August encounter, and not some other date and time.

I remember this very well, Governski answered, according to a trial transcript.

No mention was made at trial of any body camera footage. Cusack said the ticket did not note, as it should have, that video had been recorded. The City Attorneys Office does not take part in trials for infractions.

Diaz was found guilty. Cusack filed an appeal in April, arguing that the city ordinance it is so vague -- with no definition of terms like living quarters and overnight  that it is unconstitutional. A vague statute is capable of arbitrary enforcement, Cusack said in an appeal brief. This leaves ordinary citizens to speculate and not be able to take precautions to avoid engaging in criminal behavior. She said a similarly worded ordinance in Los Angeles was struck down by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

While reviewing the appeal, Deputy City Attorney Steven Hansen discovered the video evidence and shared it with Cusack. On June 27, he filed a motion asking the court to vacate Diaz conviction and dismiss the case.

I have never been so livid to win a case, Cusack said in an interview, noting that if the case is dismissed, she would have no grounds for appeal and perhaps get the ordinance repealed. She filed a new brief on Monday asking the court to hear her arguments.

Cusack said in her brief that if there is no court review of the ordinance, it can and will continued to be used as a tool to harass and criminalize a person for their status as homeless and not for any particular conduct.

Gerry Braun, a spokesman for the City Attorneys Office, said prosecutors are not seeking further arguments on the case and plan to continue seeking dismissal of the case against Diaz and vacating his conviction.
Brandon Wilson, who was on death row for the 1998 ambush slaying of a 9-year-old boy in Oceanside, was found dead Thursday hanging in his cell at San Quentin State Prison, state corrections officials said.

Prison officials did not say what Wilson, 33, used to hang himself.

Matthew Louis Cecchi ( / The Associated Press)

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He was convicted of first-degree murder with special circumstances for slitting the throat of Matthew Louis Cecchi in a restroom at Oceanside Harbor on Nov. 14, 1998. The boy had been visiting with his parents and younger brother from Oroville, north of Sacramento, for a family reunion.

The murder, by a 20-year-old Wisconsin drifter who was under the hallucinogenic belief that he had been ordained to help God exterminate humanity, captured national headlines at the time.

San Diego Superior Court Judge John Einhorn, who sentenced Wilson to death, commented publicly on the case Friday. He said that in his 17 years on the bench, that case is the most haunting case Ive ever had. It brings back many bad memories. It was such a senseless killing. It destroyed a lot of people.

Gina Lamph of Anaheim Hills, a family friend, said Thursday night that Matthews late father, Louis Cecchi, died of cancer shortly after the murder. The boys mother, Sharon Cecchi of Anaheim Hills, is an elementary school teacher. The couples other son was 4 at the time.

At the sentencing for Wilson, Mark Lamph read a letter from Louis Cecchi, who was undergoing chemotherapy at a hospital and too weak to attend the hearing, said Gina Lamph, who is since divorced from Mark Lamph.

Gina Lamph said Wilsons action destroyed many lives at the time, and that Sharon Cecchi has worked hard to rebuild hers with her surviving son. Wilsons decision to kill himself means that no one else will have to be responsible for taking his life, Lamph said.

He gave himself the justice that was coming, she said.

Wilson had a cell to himself at San Quentin, prison officials said. He was declared dead at 6:47 a.m.

In 1998, Matthews slaying stunned the Oceanside community.

The boy had gone into a restroom near a boat-launch ramp about 8 p.m., escorted by his aunt, who waited for him outside. Wilson walked in and stabbed and slashed the boys throat, leaving him to bleed to death.

Two days after killing Matthew, Wilson tried to rob a woman in Hollywood and stabbed her repeatedly. Witnesses held him for police. While in custody, Wilson made statements incriminating himself in the Cecchi slaying.

In chilling testimony at a San Diego Superior Court to determine his sanity, Wilson said that he had been using LSD while camping in the Anza-Borrego Desert and heard God tell him to kill people.

During the penalty phase of his trial, Wilson told jurors he had no remorse whatsoever and asked them to recommend the death penalty. The panel did, rejecting the defense teams claim that Wilson was insane at the time of the killing.

I just will never forget during the penalty phase, his defense lawyer telling him not to testify, and he testified, he turned to the jury and said, Impose the death penalty or Ill kill again, Einhorn recalled Friday.

It was the most eerie thing Id ever seen. There were gasps. I wondered how the case affected the jurors, it was so somber, so sad from beginning to end.

Einhorn sentenced Wilson to death on Nov. 4, 1999.

Wilson, a drifter from St. Croix Falls, Wis., also was convicted in Los Angeles County of attempted first-degree murder for the Hollywood assault. The victim survived.

Einhorn told Wilson: You have made real every parents worst nightmare. By your twisted and selfish acts you have taken from us our countrys most treasured asset  that is our children.

The judge also told Wilson he hoped that before you are executed, at some level of your consciousness, you recognize the enormity of the harm that you have, by your predatory actions, brought to countless people.

Wilson was placed on death row five days later.

At the sentencing, Mark Lamph told Wilson: I hope that you rot in hell for eternity. I hope and pray that God has no mercy on your pathetic soul.

Sharon Cecchi, who had testified that the murder contributed to the breakup of her marriage, was the last person to speak at Wilsons sentencing. She said she hoped to see Matthew in heaven and hold him in my arms for all eternity.
Californias top elections officer and 11 county registrars have been asked to hand over detailed voter registration records or face a federal lawsuit, a request that centers on new accusations that the records are inaccurate.

The effort by the conservative-leaning organization Judicial Watch seeks an explanation for what its attorneys contend are official records that dont match the groups estimates of the legally eligible voting population in the counties, including Los Angeles County.

We want the actual data, said Robert Popper, an attorney for the Washington, D.C.-based organization.

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The effort was sharply criticized Tuesday by California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who said he has yet to make a final decision on how to respond.

Its bad math and dubious methodology, Padilla said of the accusations.

Judicial Watch has recently attracted attention for its aggressive effort to gather emails from Hillary Clintons time as U.S. secretary of State, as well as documents related to the 2012 attack on the American embassy in Benghazi, Libya.

The latest effort seeks information about two separate lists of registered voters. Like other states, California elections officials maintain both an active and inactive list of voters. In a letter sent to Padilla last week, the group charged California officials dont have an accurate record of eligible voters.

The exact size of the alleged errors is unclear. Judicial Watch declined a request from the Los Angeles Times to provide the full details of its voter registration analysis.

We may be in litigation shortly, Popper said when asked why the information wont be shared.

Those details, however, are at the heart of the complaint. Judicial Watch alleges that adding together the active and inactive voter lists in the 11 counties produces a total number of voters significantly larger than the estimate of voting-age citizens calculated by the U.S. Census Bureaus American Community Survey. The organization used the ACS five-year average for its baseline of eligible voters.

The letter to Padilla claims that combined registration in the counties  Imperial, Lassen, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Solano, Stanislaus and Yolo  exceeds 100% of the eligible voting population. Popper said his group believes its important to include both active and inactive voters in the tally  because inactive voters can show up and cast ballots.

There are a lot of different ways that a system can be abused, he said. When you get a really big inactive list, like they have in California, its a sign that things arent going well.

Dean Logan, the registrar of voters for Los Angeles County, countered that the two lists are quite different. He said the inactive voter list is more like a fail-safe to make sure that people are not administratively disenfranchised.

Even then, elections officials argue the lists shouldnt be compared with ACS data, which are compiled with caveats about population accuracy.

Voter registration is not a survey, Gail Pellerin, registrar of voters in Santa Cruz County, said in questioning Judicial Watchs methodology. We deal in real facts.

Pellerin said Santa Cruz County has 44,172 names on its inactive list, and only 12 of them came forward to cast ballots last November. A voter on an inactive file who moves to a new residence must cast a provisional ballot  which isnt counted until elections officials confirm the persons eligibility. In her county, Pellerin requires voters who are on the inactive list due to not voting to recite their entire address and sign new registration forms under penalty of perjury.

We want our voter file to be as accurate as possible, she said.

Political Road Map: Californias big change in elections is off to a rocky start for 2018 

Rules governing the list of inactive voters in each of Californias 58 counties are dictated by both state and federal election law. Elections officials arent easily able to discard the registration of voters who stop casting ballots. Last year, a long-awaited statewide voter registration database went online that allows counties to quickly maintain records that can track the movement or death of voters.

The Judicial Watch allegations come on the heels of intense debate over President Trumps unproven claims of massive 2016 voter fraud in California and other states. Those comments led to the creation of a presidential commission on voter fraud, whose leaders have asked for similar details  names, addresses and birth dates  regarding California voters as the new legal complaint.

Padilla, who has twice refused to give the information to the presidential panel, said he doesnt believe the new allegations are a coincidence.

To me, its clearly part of a concerted effort, a continued attack on voting rights and setting the stage for the Trump administration to roll back voting rights, he said.

Judicial Watchs letter warned a federal lawsuit is possible if active and inactive voter data arent turned over next week. Padilla said he hasnt yet decided how, or when, to respond to the request.

john.myers@latimes.com

Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast.

ALSO:

Trumps voter fraud panel again asks for California data  and again, the answer is no

More Californians will vote by mail, and not at polling places, under a new law

Updates on California politics

UPDATES:

4:15 p.m.: This article was updated with an additional quote from Robert Popper.

This article was originally published at 3:45 p.m.
Two hikers in the Sierra Nevada had a scary encounter with a mountain lion who stared the men down as they stopped in their tracks and asked each other what they should do.

Brian McKinney and Sam Vonderheide were in Sequoia National Park July 23 on their first day of a backpacking trip when they first spotted the cat, which had turned and walked away from them.

One of the hiker asks if the other got a picture and he replied that he has his camera rolling.

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The men continued then to slowly walk along the narrow trail until then turned a blind corner.

(Cue the music from Jaws.)

Shhh says one.

Then one man issues a four-letter exclamation as the camera pans from up and stops on the mountain lion who is perched on the bank above them.

I dont like this, one of the men says.

The cat was standing motionless, with one leg in front of the other as if it could pounce at any moment. Its eyes were locked on the pair.

What are you supposed to do? one hiker whispered. I dont know, said the other. I dont think youre supposed to run.

"(I was) not only shocked, but alarmed that she had the advantage above me, which is what they do when they hunt, McKinney said to the Associated Press. McKinney said his heart was racing.

The two slowly backed away from the mountain lion and then the video ends.

That was not the end of the encounter, however.

The cat sauntered back down to the trail and the men tried to scare it away: they threw rocks at it, blew a bear whistle and tried to make themselves look bigger.

She just looked at us like she was entertained, said McKinney. So we gave up.

Finally the feline walked away and the men tried to continue to hike their camp but they came across the big cat again. This time it was perched on a rock and it appeared to be on its hind legs.

Thats when they decided to turn around and go the other way to their previous campsite.

McKinney and Vonderheide were on an 11-day hiking trip to Mount Whitney. They told the Los Angeles Times that they had read about all the possible dangers but they did not expect to be in a staring match with a fully-grown mountain lion.

Experts said the men did the right thing by staying calm.

Thats the first tip on the list of things to do in a big cat encounter  more information from the National Park Service can be found here.

The hikers said they spent a restless night before they had to brave the same trail where they spotted the cat. They said they were so on edge they actually made goodbye videos for their families, however, they never saw the mountain lion again.

Sam Vonderheide, right, and Brian McKinney, left, pose for a photo on the top of Mount Whitney. (Brian McKinney / AP)

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Theres been a lot of chatter about North Korea and the United States as the nations have swapped a series of threats this week, so lets cut through it and take a close look at whats being said by top administration officials: President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

After reports that North Korea is considering a plan to strike the U.S. territory of Guam, eyes have been on Trumps administration to see how it would react. North Koreas threat on Tuesday followed Trumps own vow to meet threats from the rogue nation with fire and fury.

Strong language from U.S. presidents about North Korea is nothing new  President Barack Obama said we could obviously destroy North Korea in 2016  but the tone of Trumps message, combined with dictator Kim Jong Un s continuing missile launches and improving nuclear arsenal, is focusing new attention on the nation.

Heres what the three men responding to North Koreas recent threats have said.

President Donald Trump

Tuesday:

North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen. [Kim Jong Un] has been very threatening beyond a normal state, and I said they will be met with fire, fury and, frankly, power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.

Wednesday:

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

Wednesday:

What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong-un can understand, because he doesnt seem to understand diplomatic language. I think the president just wanted to be clear to the North Korean regime on the U.S. unquestionable ability to defend itself, will defend itself and its allies, and I think it was important that he deliver that message to avoid any miscalculation on their part.

I think Americans should sleep well at night, have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days. I think that the president, again, as commander-in-chief, I think he felt it necessary to issue a very strong statement directly to North Korea. But I think what the President was just reaffirming is the United States has the capability to fully defend itself with any attack, will defend our allies, and we will do so. So the American people should sleep well at night.

(Read his full remarks to reporters on Wednesday here.)

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis

Wednesday:

The United States and our allies have the demonstrated capabilities and unquestionable commitment to defend ourselves from an attack. Kim Jong Un should take heed of the United Nations Security Councils unified voice, and statements from governments the world over, who agree the Democratic Peoples Republic of North Korea (DPRK) poses a threat to global security and stability. The DPRK must choose to stop isolating itself and stand down its pursuit of nuclear weapons. The DPRK should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people.

President Trump was informed of the growing threat last December and on taking office his first orders to me emphasized the readiness of our ballistic missile defense and nuclear deterrent forces. While our State Department is making every effort to resolve this global threat through diplomatic means, it must be noted that the combined allied militaries now possess the most precise, rehearsed and robust defensive and offensive capabilities on Earth. The DPRK regimes actions will continue to be grossly overmatched by ours and would lose any arms race or conflict it initiates.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin
News on Wednesday that the FBI in late July raided the home of Paul Manafort , the one-time manager of Donald Trump s presidential campaign, brought fresh intrigue to the agencys investigation on Russian influence of the 2016 election and potential links to the Trump campaign.

The raid, as first reported by The Washington Post, happened without advance warning at Manaforts Virginia home in Alexandria where agents working under special counsel Robert Mueller seized records in the predawn hours of July 26. Manfort cooperated with agents, a spokesman told the Post.

Reaction to the story focused on the aggressive nature of the FBI probe under Mueller in recent weeks. Last week, Mueller drew attention to the investigation when he impaneled a grand jury in Washington, D.C.

Related: Mueller impaneled a grand jury for his Trump Russia probe. Here's what it means

The Post reported that the raid happened a day after Manafort voluntarily met with the staff of the senate intelligence committee, which is conducting a parallel investigation, and as Manafort has been voluntarily producing documents to congressional committees investigating Russian involvement in the 2016 election.

So, why did the FBI execute a search warrant at home of the one-time campaign manager for Trump and what does it mean for the broader Russia investigation? Here are some things to know:

How is a search warrant different than a subpoena?

The FBI raid on Manaforts home was the result of a search warrant that, unlike a grand jury subpoena, requires an agency to establish and a judge to concur that there is probable cause to believe that evidence of a crime or crimes can be found at the location thats being targeted.

The Post reported that, in this case, investigators may have had reason to believe that Manafort couldnt be trusted to surrender all documents to a grand jury.

So what were these FBI agents looking for?

Unnamed sources told the Post that FBI agents seized some documents that Manafort had already given to Congress in its own separate investigation. But hours after the story broke, The New York Times reported that agents seized tax documents and foreign banking records.

Manafort reportedly cooperated with the search as he has cooperated with congressional committees.

What does the raid mean for the Russia investigation?

It remains unclear what, if any, evidence the FBI will find that ties Manafort to a wider effort by Russians to influence the 2016 election, but it signals the agencys willingness to leave no stone unturned.

Very little is known about the inner workings of the probe but reports that Mueller has hired an all-star team of as many as 15 prosecutors who specialize in fraud and other white collar crimes points to an investigation that has a wide scope.

Why is Manafort a key figure in the investigation?

Manafort joined Trumps campaign at a pivotal moment during the election primaries in March 2016. He was later promoted to campaign manager in May on the eve of the Republican National Convention when Trump was named the Republican presidential nominee.

Manafort resigned from that position in August 2016 when questions about his past lobbying work for a pro-Russian party in Ukraine surfaced in reports.

In addition to questions about his work for the Ukrainian government and whether it violated a federal law requiring him to disclose such connections, Manafort has come under suspicion more recently for a meeting he joined with Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Russians at Trump Tower in New York last summer.

Has the FBI found evidence of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign?

This remains unknown. If it has, the agency has not publicly said so.

How is the political world responding?

Intrigue over the FBIs Russia investigation is polarizing and of constant recurrence. Trump, who has called the investigation a witch hunt, had not responded to reports of the raid by mid-day, but plenty of his supporters criticized the FBI.

For those who have supported the investigation, the raid represents a sign that it is serious.

Have some thoughts to share?

Join me in a conversation: Shoot me a private email with your thoughts or ideas on a different approach to this story. As always, you can also send us a tweet.

Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @RunGomez

Read The Conversation on Flipboard.
A new principal will be greeting Bernardo Heights Middle Schools 1,450 students when they resume their studies on Aug. 23.

Marie Galaz, who has been an assistant principal at Del Norte High since 2011, has been promoted to her first principal position. She is replacing Tim Biland, who was hired by the Escondido Union School District to be principal of Rincon Middle School.

Galaz said her experiences at Del Norte have given her insight into preparing sixth, seventh and eighth graders for the academic and social challenges in the years ahead.

I want to create and maintain a supportive, fun, happy, healthy place that includes supporting (students) for the challenge to successfully transition to Rancho Bernardo (High), college and careers, Galaz said. They need to be ready academically, socially and emotionally ... to be successful.

While much is expected of the typically 12- to 14-year-old students and they are going through a lot of changes as they mature, Galaz said they are still young.

I know where we need to get them (for) high school ... but we also need to remember they are still kids, she said, adding they are going through a phenomenal transition ... it really is an age of change for kids. We need to support that growth.

Galaz said it was at the age of her young charges now that she discovered interests that led to her earning a bachelors degree in history and political science at UC San Diego and masters in history at San Diego State University.

I had an amazing history teacher for sixth, seventh and eighth grade, she said. It was a small school and she just inspired me to love history. Her support helped me figure out who I wanted to be. I read every biography of amazing women. I also had a good history teacher in high school.

Her favorite historic period is the French Revolution because it was a time when the people were trying to find their voices and have a say in their lives, she said.

Galaz said she was also inspired by her stepmother, who was a teacher. I grew up in her classroom, helping to set it up at the end of summer, she said.

The Sacramento-area native said she came to San Diego for college and never wanted to leave, for many reasons. These included meeting her husband of 15 years, Leandro, while they were UC San Diego students. He also works in education, initially as a high school counselor and now as a professor at California State University San Marcos. The couple lives in north Escondido with their 9-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter.

Her career started in the classroom, as a middle school English teacher in San Diego Unified School District, but she soon switched to La Jolla High School to teach history, English and art history. By 2004, Galaz was teaching world and art history at San Marcos High School, where she was named its 2005-06 Teacher of the Year.

It was at San Marcos High that Galaz said she was given opportunities, through leadership positions, to learn about the administrative side of education. I was really lucky at San Marcos to have an amazing principal who gave me opportunities outside of the classroom, she said.

These included being the campus Western Association of Schools and Colleges coordinator  she was the primary writer of its report to earn a six-year accreditation  and responsible for coordinating its Advanced Placement program. These and other positions helped Galaz learn about other campus departments and see how she could help more than just her students.

I liked the idea of affecting lives not just in my classroom, she said. That led to her earning her administrative credential in 2011.

As administrators we get to teach the teachers, Galaz said. Im excited about that work.

She added, I had an amazing time at Del Norte and am excited to bring what I learned there here, to help Bernardo Heights students be the best they can be. ... I have an amazing staff. Were going to do great things together.

Besides history, Galaz said she enjoys singing in a choir, musicals, the arts, swimming and travel. Favorite trips included taking San Marcos art history students to Europe and visiting the Louvre, plus a family vacation to Chichen Itza, Mexico, last Christmas, she said.

Email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com
It appears that a presentation on what could be built on Jim Hageys property behind Stater Bros. could happen by the end of this month or early next month.

We finally completed the research and are ready to present, said county Planning Manager Noah Alvey with Planning and Development Services.

Alvey said he will contact the Ramona Community Planning Group, its subcommittees and the Ramona Village Design Group to schedule the presentation. The next planning group meeting is Sept. 3, but its subcommittees will meet several days earlier.

Hagey, who owns 20 acres of vacant land bordered by Ramona, H and 16th streets, has asked that his property be included within the Ramona Village Center Form-Based Code boundaries so he could develop some of his residentially-zoned land for commercial use. The village design group has been working on an update of the form-based code, adopted by county supervisors in July 2014, and inclusion of Hageys property was to be considered.

Residents neighboring the property have been concerned about the potential of a big box store being built there. That is a possible scenario that will be presented, said Alvey.

He and county Planner Tim Vertino have been evaluating inclusion of the property in the form-based code area and plan to have three renderings on what could then result.

Alvey said the renderings will show different opportunities and access points.

Its just to give an idea of what could be possibly out there, he said.

Hagey told the Sentinel he has not recently worked with county staff on possible options, which Alvey confirmed.

The planning manager said they want to be transparent, involve stakeholders, and receive feedback.

Were very eager to act on what the board wants us to do, he said.

Alvey and Vertino were at the Aug. 3 planning group meeting that included a joint meeting with the village design group and Ramona Design Review Board to discuss draft changes to the form-based code.

Attending from the village design group were chair Rob Lewallen, vice chair Carol Fowler, and members Jim Robinson, Dawn Perfect, Steve Powell, Ron Rodolff, Jim Cooper and Paul Stykel. Cooper and Stykel are also on the planning group. From the design review board were Lewallen as chair, Chris Anderson, Rex Gammon, Cooper, and Scotty Ensign, the planning groups representative to that board.

Lewallen said that proposed text changes included measurements of menu boards and gas pricing signs. For menu boards, two will be allowed at a maximum of 5 feet wide by 5 feet tall, not to exceed 6 feet tall, with an exception granted if screened from the street. One gas pricing sign will be allowed with maximum measurement of 5 feet wide by 5 feet tall, not to exceed 6 feet, and letters no higher than 12 inches.

Lewallen also said the draft changes include a site plan review exemption for additions of 120 square feet or less in the form-based code area, and an exemption for condominium conversions as long as the property lines do not change.

Planners unanimously approved those changes.

Establishing density on side streets where mixed use is supposed to be established was tabled as Anderson said she was still waiting for information from the county.

Lewallen said that when the code was adopted three years ago the county inadvertently left out density for A, B, D, and E streets and portions of Kelly and Raymond avenues and Vermont and La Brea streets. Those areas were all meant to have mixed use from the get-go, he said. A minimum of 50 percent commercial will be required with mixed use.

Without designated density, buildings in those areas are considered 100 percent commercial, he said.

The recommendation was 7.3 units per acre, but Anderson said that around 2006-08 during the countys General Plan Update, she and others reviewed parcels that backed up to the Santa Maria Creek bed and gave each one a different density based on the propertys configuration.

Anderson said she requested that information from the county, but they cant find any of that work that we did.

Because some portions of those properties may not be buildable, due to being in a flood plain or floodway, Anderson said there is a risk that a density, such as 7.3, could be maxed out in one area of the property.

Anderson also referred to Policy LU 2.1.7 in the Ramona Community Plan that states that residential development in the town center should be limited to 7.3 dwelling units per acre, unless it is developed pursuant to the Ramona Village Plan. That led to the possibility of one parcel being allowed 24 units per acre, she said, adding she wants to make sure that cannot happen again.
Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/09/2017 -- Cottonseed oil is an oil extracted from the seeds of cotton. Its production process involves pressing and extraction of oil from the cotton seeds followed by purification and refinement. The refinement of the oil is the key step as it helps in removing gossypol, a naturally occurring toxin that protects the cotton plant from damage. Cottonseed oil is essentially a by-product of the cotton industry along with cottonseed meal, hulls and linters. Over 10-15% of a cotton farmers income is expected to come from these by-products, making them considerably valuable products in cotton processing operations.



Market Dynamics of Cottonseed Oil Market:



The edible oil market is a highly competitive space occupied by numerous types of oils. The presence of many substitute products is a considerable drawback for the cottonseed oil market. From a consumer point of view, this represents a highly trend-driven market. The introduction of a new and healthy oils is bound to eat into the market of traditionally used oils, at least for a certain time period. This is regarded as a reason for the severe fluctuations observed in cottonseed oil retail demand and market values.



One key advantage in this scenario is in regard to the industrial use of cottonseed oils. The product is widely used in various food and beverage products. Such large scale operations rely on a consistent supply chain, which is going to get disturbed in the event of a change of base ingredient, and as such are not impacted by volatile market trends. Cottonseed oil is a good source of antioxidant- tocopherol. The other advantages enjoyed by cotton seed oil are a low relative price and easy availability in cotton producing regions.



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With the increasing public understanding of the composition of such oils, the fat and nutrient profiles of cooking oils become very important. Given the relatively high fraction of saturated fats in cottonseed oil, this becomes a significant constraining factor for the market.



Market Segmentation of Cottonseed Oil Market:



Cottonseed oil market is segmented by end-use application, raw material type and region. On the basis of end-use application, cottonseed oil market is segmented on the basis of retail, food processing, cosmetic applications and other industrial uses. The retail segment is centered on its use as a cooking oil. Given its high smoke point, cottonseed oil is mostly used for deep frying and baking. It is mostly used as a cooking medium and is also part of various fried and processed foods such as potato chips and French fries. Due to its ability to form a beta prime crystal, which enables a consistent texture and appearance, cottonseed oil is a major ingredient in whipped toppings, margarines, shortenings, spreads and icings. . Unlike other cooking oils cottonseed oil has a neutral taste, meaning it doesn't alter the natural taste of food being prepared over it. Due to this reason it is used as a salad oil, wherein enhancing the flavor of the salad ingredients is considered primal.



Cotton seed oil is also used in several personal care or cosmetic products such as soaps, cosmetics and detergents. As mentioned above, untreated cottonseed consists of gossypol, a toxin present in cotton. Due to this reason, untreated cottonseed oil is used as an insecticide. Other minor applications of the product include its use in making rubber and explosives.



On the basis of raw-material type, the market is segmented into genetically-modified (GM) cotton and non-GM cotton. The growing negative perception around GM crops makes this an important variable. Due to the promise of increased returns, many cotton farmers in the developing world switched to GM cotton over the last decade. It is estimated that GM cotton is cultivated in over 25 million hectares across the world, with over 75% of US cotton being genetically modified. This dominance of GM cotton is expected to decrease in response to growing consumer concerns and farmer protests across the world.



Regional Outlook of Cottonseed Oil Market:



Geographically, the global cottonseed oil market can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East and Africa. Both on the production and consumption side, the market is heavily dominated by India and China. These countries produced and consumed over 55% of the total cottonseed oil made during the 2015-2016 period. Pakistan and Uzbekistan are the other major regions in the cottonseed oil market. This dominance by Asia countries is largely attributed to large amount of cotton cultivation in the region and the high domestic demand for low-priced cooking oil.



United States (U.S.) is a major producer and consumer of cottonseed oil in the North American region. Unlike the Asian countries, U.S. also exports a considerable portion of its cottonseed oil to other regions. Brazil and Turkey are the other important regions in the market. Eastern European nations such as Azerbaijan are also important but are limited by weak domestic consumption.



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Key Market Players in Cottonseed Oil Market:



Some of the key players of the market include, Cargill, Incorporated, Archer Daniels Midland Compan (ADM), PYCO Industries, Bunge Limited, Louis Dreyfus, Adani Wilmar (Fortune Foods), Maharashtra Solvent Extraction (P) Ltd, Oilseeds International, Ltd., maong the others.
The most organized and renowned Iranian opposition group is none other than the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), with the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) being the core member of this coalition.

The MEK enjoys vast support both inside Iran and abroad, along with an unmatched network of activists who dare to show their support for NCRI President Maryam Rajavi and her movement at every opportunity.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) echoed Tillersons view, saying, Its time the Iranian people had a free and open society and a functioning democracy, effectively a call for regime change.

Just months ago Senator McCain paid a visit to Albania, where most MEK members are currently stationed after a long ordeal in Iraq. The MEK was the target of numerous attacks by Iran-backed proxy groups and the government of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki prior to their departure from Iraq in 2016.

On July 1, a major convention was held in Paris, where hundreds of political dignitaries from across the globe explicitly called for regime change in Iran and gave their support to the NCRI and MEK.

The MEKs vast popular base was showcased as over 100,000 members of the Iranian Diaspora rushed to Paris to express their support for Maryam Rajavi, the MEK, and a free and democratic Iran.

Trump allies, including John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during the George W. Bush administration, were present and voiced their support for the conventions cause.

There is a viable opposition to the rule of the ayatollahs, and that opposition is centered in this room today. I had said for over 10 years since coming to these events, that the declared policy of the United States of America should be  to change the regime itself. And thats why, before 2019, we here will celebrate in Tehran! said Bolton.

We are currently at a period of analysis as the Presidents National Security Council reviews Washingtons Iran policy. This comprehensive review is focused not only on its nuclear ambitions, but also on human rights and the many violations of international law.

The best and most realistic option before the Trump administration is supporting the pro-democracy coalition of dissidents, the NCRI, which is best able to mobilize other opposition groups into an even broader coalition. This, coupled with the MEKs vast domestic network inside Iran, poses a major threat to the ruling regime in Tehran.

In his visit to Riyadh, President Trump also expressed strong views about extremist groups, sending a stern message to those supporting such entities.

Drive them out of your places of worship. Trump said of the extremists, Drive them out of your holy land. Drive them out of this earth.

After the July 1 convention in Paris, reports seen the next day indicated Trump might defy Tehran by signaling his willingness to consider supporting the Iranian opposition.

The Iranian people and their resistance, with the NCRI and MEK at the helm, will bring about regime change from within. That is where U.S. and international support will help.

Washington benefits from aligning with the Iranian opposition because this resistance is seeking regime change to bring about democracy and freedom for the Iranian people. In turn, this will help to stabilize the region, by rooting out the central exporter of terrorism and Islamic extremism, the religious fascism ruling Iran.

Thus, President Trump has before him the option of reaching out to the Iranian opposition during his review of Iran policy.

More about MEK:

A Long Conflict between the Clerical Regime and the MEK

The origins of the MEK date back to before the 1979 Iranian Revolution., the MEK helped to overthrow the dictatorship of Shah Reza Pahlavi, but it quickly became a bitter enemy of the emerging the religious fascism under the pretext of Islamic Republic. To this day, the MEK and NCRI describe Ruhollah Khomenei and his associates as having co-opted a popular revolution in order to empower themselves while imposing a fundamentalist view of Islam onto the people of Iran.

Under the Islamic Republic, the MEK was quickly marginalized and affiliation with it was criminalized. Much of the organizations leadership went to neighboring Iraq and built an exile community called Camp Ashraf, from which the MEK organized activities aimed at ousting the clerical regime and bringing the Iranian Revolution back in line with its pro-democratic origins. But the persistence of these efforts also prompted the struggling regime to crack down with extreme violence on the MEK and other opponents of theocratic rule.

The crackdowns culminated in the massacre of political prisoners in the summer of 1988, as the Iran-Iraq War was coming to a close. Thousands of political prisoners were held in Iranian jails at that time, many of them having already served out their assigned prison sentences. And with the MEK already serving as the main voice of opposition to the regime at that time, its members and supporters naturally made up the vast majority of the population of such prisoners.

As the result of a fatwa handed down by Khomeini, the regime convened what came to be known as the Death Commission, assigning three judges the task of briefly interviewing prisoners to determine whether they retained any sympathy for the MEK or harbored any resentment toward the existing government. Those who were deemed to have shown any sign of continued opposition were sentenced to be hanged. After a period of about three months, an estimated 30,000 people had been put to death. Many other killings of MEK members preceded and followed that incident, so that today the Free Iran rally includes an annual memorial for approximately 120,000 martyrs from the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran.

The obvious motive behind the 1988 massacre and other such killings was the destruction of the MEK. And yet it has not only survived but thrived, gaining allies to form the NCRI and acquiring the widespread support that is put on display at each years Free Iran rally. In the previous events, the keynote speech was delivered by Maryam Rajavi, who has been known to receive several minutes of applause from the massive crowd as she takes the stage. Her speeches provide concrete examples of the vulnerability of the clerical regime and emphasize the ever-improving prospects for the MEK to lead the way in bringing about regime change.

The recipients of that message are diverse and they include more than just the assembled crowd of MEK members and supporters. The expectation is that the international dignitaries at each years event will carry the message of the MEK back to their own governments and help to encourage more policymakers to recognize the role of the Iranian Resistance in the potential creation of a free and democratic Iranian nation. It is also expected that the event will inspire millions of Iranians to plan for the eventual removal of the clerical regime. And indeed, the MEK broadcasts the event via its own satellite television network, to millions of Iranian households with illegal hookups.

MEKs Domestic Activism and Intelligence Network

Whats more, the MEK retains a solid base of activists inside its Iranian homeland. In the run-up to this years Free Iran rally the role of those activists was particularly evident, since the event comes just a month and a half after the latest Iranian presidential elections, in which heavily stage-managed elections resulted in the supposedly moderate incumbent Hassan Rouhani securing reelection. His initial election in 2013 was embraced by some Western policymakers as a possible sign of progress inside the Islamic Republic, but aside from the 2015 nuclear agreement with six world powers, none of his progressive-sounding campaign promises have seen the light of day.

Rouhanis poor record has provided additional fertile ground for the message of the MEK and Maryam Rajavi. The Iranian Resistance has long argued that change from within the regime is impossible, and this was strongly reiterated against the backdrop of the presidential elections, when MEK activists used graffiti, banners, and other communications to describe the sitting president as an imposter. Many of those same communications decried Rouhanis leading challenger, Ebrahim Raisi, as a murderer, owing to his leading role in the massacre of MEK supporters in 1988.

That fact helped to underscore the domestic support for the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran, insofar as many people who participated in the election said they recognized Raisi as the worst the regime had to offer, and that they were eager to prevent him from taking office. But this is not to say that voters saw Rouhani in a positive light, especially where the MEK is concerned. Under the Rouhani administration, the Justice Minister is headed by Mostafa Pourmohammadi, who also served on the Death Commission and declared as recently as last year that he was proud of himself for having carried out what he described as Gods command of death for MEK supporters.

With this and other aspects of the Islamic Republics record, the MEKs pre-election activism was mainly focused on encouraging Iranians to boycott the polls. The publicly displayed banners and posters urged a vote for regime change, and many of them included the likeness of Maryam Rajavi, suggesting that her return to Iran from France would signify a meaningful alternative to the hardline servants of the clerical regime who are currently the only option in any Iranian national election.

Naturally, this direct impact on Iranian politics is the ultimate goal of MEK activism. But it performs other recognizable roles from its position in exile, not just limited to the motivational and organization role of the Free Iran rally and other, smaller gatherings. In fact, the MEK rose to particular international prominence in 2005 when it released information that had been kept secret by the Iranian regime about its nuclear program. These revelations included the locations of two secret nuclear sites: an uranium enrichment facility at Natanz and a heavy water plant at Arak, capable of producing enriched plutonium.

As well as having a substantial impact on the status of international policy regarding the Iranian nuclear program, the revelations also highlighted the MEKs popular support and strong network inside Iran. Although Maryam Rajavi and the rest of the leadership of the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran reside outside of the country, MEK affiliates are scattered throughout Iranian society with some even holding positions within hardline government and military institutions, including the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Drawing upon the resources of that intelligence network, the MEK has continued to share crucial information with Western governments in recent years, some of it related to the nuclear program and some of it related to other matters including terrorist training, military development, and the misappropriation of financial resources. The MEK has variously pointed out that the Revolutionary Guard controls well over half of Irans gross domestic product, both directly and through a series of front companies and close affiliates in all manner of Iranian industries.

In February of this year, the Washington, D.C. office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran held press conferences to detail MEK intelligence regarding the expansion of terrorist training programs being carried out across Iran by the Revolutionary Guards. The growth of these programs reportedly followed upon direct orders from Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and coincided with increased recruitment of foreign nationals to fight on Tehrans behalf in regional conflicts including the Syrian and Yemeni civil wars.

In the weeks following that press conference, the MEKs parent organization also prepared documents and held other talks explaining the source of some of the Revolutionary Guards power and wealth. Notably, this series of revelations reflected upon trends in American policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran. And other revelations continue to do so, even now.

MEK Intelligence Bolstering US Policy Shifts

Soon after taking office, and around the time the MEK identified a series of Revolutionary Guard training camps, US President Donald Trump directed the State Department to review the possibility of designating Irans hardline paramilitary as a foreign terrorist organization. Doing so would open the Revolutionary Guards up to dramatically increased sanctions  a strategy that the MEK prominently supports as a means of weakening the barriers to regime change within Iran.

The recent revelations of the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran have gone a long way toward illustrating both the reasons for giving this designation to the Revolutionary Guards and the potential impact of doing so. Since then, the MEK has also used its intelligence gathering to highlight the ways in which further sanctioning the Guards could result in improved regional security, regardless of the specific impact on terrorist financing.

For example, in June the NCRIs Washington, D.C. office held yet another press conference wherein it explained that MEK operatives had become aware of another order for escalation that had been given by Supreme Leader Khamenei, this one related to the Iranian ballistic missile program. This had also been a longstanding point of contention for the Trump administration and the rest of the US government, in light of several ballistic missile launches that have been carried out since the conclusion of nuclear negotiations, including an actual strike on eastern Syria.

That strike was widely viewed as a threatening gesture toward the US. And the MEK has helped to clarify the extent of the threat by identifying 42 separate missile sites scattered throughout Iran, including one that was working closely with the Iranian institution that had previously been tasked with weaponizing aspects of the Iranian nuclear program.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) led by Maryam Rajavi is thus going to great lengths to encourage the current trend in US policy, which is pointing to more assertiveness and possibly even to the ultimate goal of regime change. The MEK is also striving to move Europe in a similar direction, and the July 1 gathering is likely to show further progress toward that goal. This is because hundreds of American and European politicians and scholars have already declared support for the NCRI and MEK and the platform of Maryam Rajavi. The number grows every year, while the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran continues to collect intelligence that promises to clarify the need for regime change and the practicality of their strategy for achieving it.
The announcement by the Government of Indonesia also includes plans to develop cruise facilities at Celukan Bawang port in North Bali.

In Benoa, the new facilities will be able to accommodate ships carrying up to 5,000 passengers at a berth of 11mtr depth. A new terminal will be capable of handling 2,500 visitors at a time.

The project will be undertaken by state-owned port management company PT Pelindo III and is set to be complete by end 2018.

Work at Celukan Bawang port is due to start in December and finish in March 2018 providing facilities to handle seven ships carrying 1,000 passengers each.

Arief Yahya, Indonesias minister of tourism, told local media 200,000 cruise passengers visited the country last year but hopes with the new port developments a target of 500,000 cruise visitors will be achieved by 2019.

Arief said in addition to the above mentioned improvements, the government is also planning developing cruise facilities in Belawan(Sumatra), Tanjung Priok(North Jakarta), Tanjung Perak(east Java) and Soekarno-Hatta(Sulawesi) ports.

The government is also proposing to reduce port berthing fees (currently ranging between $40-50,000) by 50% for cruise ships using the new Benoa cruise terminal in Bali.
After a thorough analysis of the current utilisation and productivity of the Neopanamax locks, and after meetings with Panama Canal executives, customers and industry representatives in Europe, Asia and North America, the proposed tolls modifications were officially announced on 1 June 2017.

This was followed by a formal consultation period to ensure all interested parties could provide feedback for consideration. And on 5 July 2017, the Panama Canal held a public hearing to discuss the tolls structure modifications proposal, where the ACP received written comments from 12 representatives of associations, shipping lines and shippersthree of which presented comments in person at the hearing. All comments received were then carefully evaluated and analysed.



The approved tolls modifications are scheduled to go into effect on 1 October 2017, at the beginning of the Canal's fiscal year 2018 (October 2017-September 2018).



For the containership segment, the approved tolls structure offers more attractive rates per loaded containers on the return voyage, applicable only to neo-panamax vessels deployed on the Canal route in the head and back haul legs, and when: (1) the utilisation rate of the northbound transit is higher or equal to 70%, and (2) the time lapse between the northbound and the southbound transit is not greater than 28 days.

In order to promote the use of the services provided within Panamas logistics hub, any additional days that the vessel requires to perform port-related activities in the Panamanian terminals will not add to the 28-day period.

Additionally, the new structure modifies the tolls charged to LNG and LPG vessels, which will be set at the levels presented in the original tolls proposal. This decision was made after a careful analysis of the impact of the proposed increases in the supply chain and final user.

Finally, container/breakbulk vesselsformerly part of the others market segmentwill be reclassified into the general cargosegment, thus resulting in more attractive tariffs for customers in this category.

The approved proposal will better facilitate the Canal's goal of providing outstanding service and reliability to the global shipping and maritime community, while allowing the ACP to safeguard the competitiveness of the waterway.For more details, please refer to the following website: http://www.pancanal.com/peajes/
Reporting a first half directional net income of $68m compared to $38m in the same period in 2016 SBM Offshore was positive about the outlook for the deepwater offshore sector. The increase in profit came despite an 11% drop in revenues for the first half 2017 to $835m compared to $939m a year earlier.

Bruno Chabas, ceo of SBM Offshore characterised the companys results as solid.

With the three additional FPSOs ramping up, our fleet produced repeatedly more than 1m barrels per day, which represents more than 10% of global deep water oil production. In today's oil price environment, characterised by continued low prices, deepwater field developments need to build on the competitiveness gained, he said.

SBM Offshore won the only major FPSO award in the industry over the last 18 months for the FPSO Liza contract by ExxonMobil.

Looking at the deepwater segment cost deflation was seen as having positive effect on the market.

Break-even prices of deepwater projects have substantially improved as result of cost deflation, more fit-for-purpose scope and leaner concept designs. In particular, deepwater projects in areas with world class reservoirs have gained competitiveness against other oil and gas investment options, the company said.

However it also added: Whilst final investment decisions are on the increase, clients remain cautious and selective. As a result, the offshore services industry is gradually recovering but with a structurally lower activity level when compared to the market over the past decade.
The police commissioner of Papua New Guinea said that Shamshiripour died by suicide, but fellow refugees have asked for an autopsy to provide official confirmation. Many claim that Shamshiripour has had altercations with the public and wonder if he had been attacked.

Due to his unpredictable and erratic behaviour and his apparent instability, many, including health professionals, called for him to be treated properly.

Dr John Brayley, the Australian Border Forces chief medical officer, was contacted personally about these concerns. His role is to oversee the health care of every immigrant detainee on the Island. As far back as year ago, Brayley was warned about Shamshiripours health. In August 2016, the doctor said in a letter that he was aware of the concerns and had thus requested the file. Other correspondence indicates that the doctor was personally monitoring Shamshiripour.

The reports indicate that Shamshiripour displayed very worrying signs of a deterioration in his mental health. He would switch between sobbing and laughing and would make strange statements such as declaring himself the King of Iran. People were concerned that he would become a danger to others and well as to himself.

After several episodes he was arrested and sent to jail in Lorengau for a month. More than a dozen complaints were made regarding this. They condemned authorities for sending him to jail rather than giving him the necessary treatment.

Since the Iranians death, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees office has said that it was saddened by the tragedy and highlighted that the situation for those on the island is precarious following news of the planned closure of the detention centre.

The centre was deemed illegal and will close at some stage. This is understandably a cause of concern for the almost 800 people who remain at the centre. They are also concerned about their security on the island as there have been a spate of violent incidents in recent years.
McMaster admitted that the nuclear deal has some significant shortcomings, but said that the compliance granted to the Islamic Republic was done so because it had not violated the agreement. He said that Irans behaviour has not improved since the signing of the nuclear deal.

His comments were somewhat surprising because previous to this he had said that Iran has defaulted on the spirit of the agreement. Many analysts and experts as well as a number of senators say that there is substantial evidence to show that Iran is in violation of the terms.

The National Security Advisers comments are also strange because he is expecting the public to believe that after all these months the Trump administration is still not sure whether the Iranian regime is in breach of the nuclear deal or not.

His argument shifted again at the weekend when he said that Iran has in fact violated the spirit of the nuclear deal and on occasions it has violated the terms themselves. He emphasised that the IAEA was instructed to take immediate remedial action following the breach of terms.

However, McMasters comments are misleading because Iran has flat-out refused to let the IAEA have access to its military sites. In any case, the IAEA has been criticised for its treatment regarding inspections of nuclear sites in Iran. It has not been totally transparent in its compliance monitoring of the deal.

McMaster also forgot to mention that German Intelligence reports have been released, showing that Iran is cheating on the nuclear deal.

McMasters flip-flopping around the subject seems to indicate that he wants the United States to keep the nuclear deal in place. Despite the many people who argue that the deal should be scrapped, many others are convinced that the agreement should stay intact. Some fear that pulling out of the deal will open the United States up to numerous national security issues. McMaster is probably very aware that there is a real possibility that the Trump administration will not agree to certify Iran with compliance for a third time this October.
Press Release

August 9, 2017 Children are paying the price for flawed war on drugs - De Lima Senator Leila M. de Lima has grown more worried about the worsening conditions of Filipino children who have been left orphaned, if not lifeless, since the Duterte administration launched his administration's all-out war on drugs last year. In a message read by her brother, Vicente de Lima, during the "Dinner/Dance for a Cause" last Friday, De Lima said the youth, who are paying the price for government's anti-drugs campaign, should be spared from any sightings or experiences of violence. "Sa pinaiiral na karahasan ng gobyernong utak-pulbura at makitid ang pag-iisip, higit kaninuman, ang mga bata ang pinaka-biktima--mga batang naulila ng mga pinaslang na magulang, mga batang natigil sa pag-aaral dahil sa kaguluhan, mga batang lumalaki sa kultura ng kawalan ng pananagutan," she said. Of the estimated 12,000 people killed in war on drugs, De Lima noted the innocent children who have lost their lives and are now relegated by the present government as mere "collateral damage." Among these slain children include seven-year-old Sanino Butucan of Cebu, five-year-old Danica May Garcia of Pangasinan and Francisco Manosca of Pasay City, and four-year-old Althea Fhem Barbon of Negros Oriental. With this disturbing death count, the former chairperson of Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has called out to the public anew to stand up against the killings in Duterte's war on drugs to give every Filipino kid a better future. '"Gaya ng kasabihan: 'Minsan lang sila bata.' Sa 'minsan' na ito, hahayaan ba natin ang mga bata ngayon, na mamuhay sa isang mapanganib na bansa--na parang normal na lang ang pagmumura, ang pagkakalat ng kasinungalingan, ang makakita ng walang tigil na karahasan, na okay lang ang mga patayan? Sa ganitong klase ng lipunan, anong pipigil sa ating kabataan para maging marahas din sa kanilang paglaki at idaan ang lahat sa paghihiganti?" she asked. The "Dinner/Dance for a Cause" was organized by online advocacy groups aimed at raising funds to support tasks and undertakings of Filipinos in need of aid, most especially among the children who have lost their loved ones in the war on drugs. It was organized by member-groups of Coalition DAMPI (Democratic Alliance Movement of the Philippines-International) including Edsa30 Pagkakaisa, FABS, LAPP, and RiPARO Organization), among others, held at West Gate 5, Greenhills, San Juan. 'De Lima also mentioned that three experts from the United Nations (UN) called for immediate action on the growing reports of human rights violations, such as murder, threats against indigenous peoples and the summary execution of children in the country. These UN experts are Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; and Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children. De Lima, a known human rights defender, stressed that the Filipino people should look at how multilateral organizations continue to monitor the human rights situation in the country and speak against violations of basic rights of the people. "Let us not allow ourselves to become complicit in this murderous war on drugs. Let us not allow ourselves to become accomplices in the flagrant violation of human rights. Let us not allow ourselves to become helpless in the face of this state-sanctioned bloodshed," she said. The Senator from Bicol also expressed serious concern over the worsening conditions of the families and children displaced by the protracted crisis precipitated by the ongoing military operations in Marawi City. De Lima recently filed Senate Resolution No. 455 urging the Department of Foreign Affairs to invite Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), to examine the difficult living conditions of the growing number of displaced people in Marawi. Since the declaration of martial law on May 23, about 351,168 people have been displaced in Marawi, with 17,389 of them staying in evacuation areas, based on figures released by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Zamboanga last June. Amid all the struggles Filipinos are experiencing under the Duterte regime, De Lima said she remains optimistic that more and more people will speak up and fight for their basic rights and freedom, which has been ignored by the present administration. A vocal critic of injustices happening in the country since Duterte assumed the presidency, De Lima continues to fulfill her Senate duties by writing bills and resolutions even while in detention.
Press Release

August 9, 2017 Sen. Leila M. de Lima's statement on how PH, under Duterte, has become China's lackey in ASEAN

Dispatch 132 8 / 8 / 17 Duterte's need for an international ally and a superpower willing to ignore his government's campaign of extrajudicial killings and crimes against humanity in his War on Drugs has once again dragged the Philippines to an embarrassing position in the ongoing ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila. Instead of spearheading the ASEAN bloc in the hope of countering China's bellicose posturing in the South China Sea (SCS) / West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Duterte government has relinquished this role to Vietnam, despite the Philippines' victory in the International Arbitral Tribunal case against China that rejected China's Nine-Dash-Line claim over the entire SCS/WPS. The Duterte government's client-state status vis-a-vis China continues to cost the Philippines its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) claims in the SCS/WPS, including rights over fishery and energy resources, simply because China is willing to ignore the Philippine human rights crisis under Duterte and, at the same time, serve as the Duterte government's remaining link to the international community, after PH global isolation due to its continued state-sanctioned human rights violations. In short, what the Duterte regime is doing in order to continue the killings in its War on Drugs is to basically give up our claims over the Spratlys Islands, Scarborough Shoal, and our entire EEZ in the SCS/WPS. This is what the PH is giving up in exchange for China's continued patronage of Duterte. The Philippines is probably the only country who has disowned its own victory in an international case of historical significance. It is ironic that after winning the legal battle against China's ridiculous Nine-Dash-Line claim, the PH becomes the very first country to give up this victory and begin a policy of kowtowing to China, even granting it access not only to our EEZ territories, but also to our infrastructure projects as the main financial provider and contractor of the Philippine government. In so doing, the Duterte government has completely abandoned the PH's erstwhile position of condemning and protesting China's continuous intrusion into our territorial claims and EEZ entitlements. It has stayed meek and submissive to China's artificial island-building within our EEZ and the militarization of the Spratlys territories. It has ignored the danger that China's airstrips and missile systems pose to our national security, with the People Liberation Army's Air Force and Navy's increased capability to operate fighter jets and carrier transports and to shoot down PAF planes and blow up PN ships barely a hundred kilometers from Palawan. This is the threat to national security that Duterte has inflicted upon us, only so he can indulge himself in his blood-thirsty desire to kill as many drug addicts as he can. The Duterte government and DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano have not only completely relinquished the Philippines' lead role in ASEAN of countering China's ambition of regional domination. They have accomplished more than that. The DFA under Cayetano has become China's spokesperson in ASEAN, more than Laos and Cambodia, China's traditional ASEAN allies. We have been reduced to being China's lackey in the ASEAN, again in exchange for the superpower's continued support despite the Duterte government's international isolation. What we have now for a government is a Chinese puppet regime, ruling over the first banana republic of a one-party communist state. In the meantime, until the next Philippine regime-change, the lead ASEAN role in opposing Chinese hegemony in the SCS belongs to Vietnam. This includes demanding a legally-binding ASEAN-China Code of Conduct that would set strong terms on continued artificial island-building, full guarantee of the freedom of navigation for all countries, the dismantling of missile and other long-range weapons systems in the Chinese-occupied artificial islands--both surface-to-air and surface-to-ship, and forbidding the use of the artificial island airstrips for Chinese fighter jets and bombers. I am confident that in the future the Philippines will re-join Vietnam in guarding the SCS/WPS against Chinese domination, at least in the diplomatic and legal arena. Until then, we just have to tolerate this momentary aberration in our foreign policy that has no historical footing whatsoever, except a President's personal need to survive international condemnation and isolation.
Press Release

August 9, 2017 MANIFESTATION OF SUPPORT OF SENATOR JV EJERCITO

ON PROPOSED SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 457

RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MARAWI CITY REHABILITATION I would like to manifest my support to Proposed Senate Resolution No. 457 entitled "Resolution creating a Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation" introduced by our Senate President. I agree with the rationale presented by our Senate President in his proposal to create a Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation. In fact, Mr. President, for the same reason, I filed Senate Resolution No. 428, entitled, RESOLUTION CREATING A SENATE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON THE MARAWI RECONSTRUCTION AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM as early as July 18, 2017. I recognize the magnitude of the devastation as a result of the crisis, thus, it is but right that an Ad Hoc or a Special Committee be created in order to oversee and exercise jurisdiction over all matters directly and principally relating to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Marawi City and other affected areas. After more than two months when the Marawi Siege started, challenges surrounding displaced families and rehabilitation of the city has escalated. There are problems concerning resettlement sites, food and sustenance, health, livelihood and infrastructure, among others, that we need to resolved immediately. As such, it should be our priority to rebuild the ravaged city and bring back normalcy to the lives of the affected Filipinos. I believe this a challenge for us to look beyond the devastation, and look into the proper and efficient way of rebuilding strife-torn cities such as Marawi. Let us not repeat the shortcomings the government has committed during the implementation of the Yolanda Rehabilitation and Recovery Programs. More importantly, let us address the problems the affected areas are facing right now before it is too late and all our efforts become worthless. The people of Marawi has suffered long enough. Many have died and it is our duty to make sure that those who have survived be given a new chance at life. Thank you Mr. President.
Press Release

August 9, 2017 Gatchalian Seeks Solution to Frequent Palawan Brownouts Senator Win Gatchalian has ordered the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to look into the liability of stakeholders in the spate of prolonged power outages that have plagued Palawan since the beginning of this year. Gatchalian, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, gave the NEA until Friday, August 11, to conduct its investigation and submit its findings and recommendations to the Committee. "Being the over-all regulator of electric cooperatives, NEA must help identify the root cause of the power interruptions and determine the liability of the PALECO (Palawan Electric Cooperative) for not being able to immediately address the issue," Gatchalian said during a formal dialogue with Palawan energy stakeholders, which was recently held at the Senate. The Senate Committee on Energy initiated the dialogue in the midst of growing complaints of frequent and long power interruptions from consumers in the PALECO franchise areas, which includes Puerto Princes City, the mainland municipalities of Dumaran, El Nido (Bacuit), Roxas, San Vicente, Taytay, Bataraza, Brooke's Point, Narra, Quezon, Rizal (Marcos), Sofrono Espanola and Aborlan, and the island municipalities of Agutaya, Araceli, Cagayancillo, Cuyo, Magsaysay and Balabac. Data gathered by the Committee showed a maximum of 18 hours of System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI), or the length of power interruption experienced by consumers, in the PALECO-covered areas, with a frequency of at least nine (9) times a month since January this year. "It is the responsibility of the NEA to ensure that all covered areas of electric cooperatives get reliable power. In this case, PALECO's customers are experiencing serious problems of power outages. NEA needs to step in now, huwag na natin itong lalo pang patagalin," Gatchalian appealed. The senator said the Committee's internal investigation indicated that the power shortage mess was prompted by the failure of independent power producer DMCI Power to deliver the 25 megawatt Guaranteed Dependable Capacity in its Power Supply Agreement with the PALECO, and the electric cooperative's seeming inaction on the violation of the agreement. Gatchalian chided DMCI Power for the breach of its contractual obligation and gave it until August 11 to submit a detailed action plan and timetable on how it will fulfil the 25 MW power supply requirement under its interim PSA. Also, Gatchalian urged the PALECO leadership to review all of its existing PSAs with its IPPs, which include DMCI Power, Palawan Power Generation Inc. and Delta Power, to check if they comply with their power supply commitments. "Since you guys are in the front line, I strongly suggest that you review your PSAs, bring them to the Board and to your legal counsel. In our own analysis, you have the right to rescind contracts for non-fulfillment," he said, giving the PALECO until the end of August to submit its report. "As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, I want to help Palawan as much as I can. We called for this dialogue to find a solution to this compounding problem in Palawan, especially in Puerto Princesa. Let's find a solution and narrow it down to a timetable. Kasi hindi lang po importante na makahanap tayo ng solution, dapat may timetable rin tayo. If we don't put timetables and we are not firm with our decisions, we will not be able to solve this, magpa-paikot-ikot lang tayo," Gatchalian said. The dialogue was attended by Palawan Rep. Gil P. Acosta, officials from the Department of Energy, the Energy Regulatory Commission, the National Power Corporation, the NEA and the PALECO, and representatives from private power generators Palawan Power Generation Inc. (PPGI), Delta Power and DMCI Power. Another meeting is tentatively set by the end of the month.
Press Release

August 9, 2017 STRENGTHENED ANTI-HOSPITAL DEPOSIT LAW PROVIDES INCENTIVES TO PRO-POOR HOSPITALS The recently passed Anti-Hospital Deposit law (AHDL) authored by Senator Risa Hontiveros recognizes and rewards hospitals that will provide medical treatment to poor emergency patients. Hontiveros said that the law assures hospitals that the cost of basic emergency care and transportation will be reimbursed by PhilHealth. She said that other expenses incurred by the clinic or hospital when providing emergency care to poor or indigent patients which are not reimbursed by PhilHealth shall be tax deductible. "While the law will heavily penalize hospitals that demand any form of advanced payment or deposit before treating emergency patients, the measure will recognize and reward the efforts of private hospitals in helping address the country's public health care gap," Hontiveros said. "I am confident that the majority of our hospitals are compliant w/ the law.Thus, those who are saying that the law is detrimental to the interests of hospitals are wrong," Hontiveros added. Under the new law, stricter penalties would be served to hospitals who would refuse treatment of emergency case patients because of a lack of money. Penalties now include imprisonment of up to four to six years for hospitals who demand any deposit or other forms of advance payment as a pre-requisite for admission or medical treatment of an emergency patient. Fines have also been increased to reflect the strengthening of the regulation. Hospitals that refuse to provide emergency patients with basic care face penalties ranging from Php100,000 to Php1,000,000. It also gives authority to the Department of Health (DoH) to revoke the license of a health facility after three repeated violations committed pursuant to an established policy of the hospital or clinic or upon the instruction of its management. Meanwhile, the law provides that the cost of the basic emergency care incurred shall be tax deductible in favor of the said hospital or medical clinic that has given basic emergency medical services to the poor and indigent patient. Aside providing tax deductions for compliant hospitals, the said Senate bill also hopes to create a Health Facilities Oversight Board, chaired by a Department of Health representative. "The Board will provide a clear channel for redress of grievances by patients and ensure their rights & welfare," Hontiveros said.
Press Release

August 9, 2017 Koko urges government agencies to maximize free wifi law Now that the public can access the internet for free in several public places, Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III is urging government agencies to maximize the internet as a way to reach out, educate the public, and obtain feedback regarding their programs and projects. "The internet and social media are powerful tools, and we in government should make the most out of it--especially since it appears that we have to make people better understand how government agencies work, the dynamics between the different branches of government, our specific roles, and the part citizens play in governance," said Pimentel. The Mindanao-born legislator said on Wednesday that the Senate, in particular, would be producing a series of short videos that would explain how a bill is crafted and becomes law, the budget process, and the role of congressional inquiries. "While there are subjects in high school and college that provide a cursory understanding of Philippine government, I don't think these have been really successful in educating our people about how government works," lamented Pimentel. Pimentel said, for example, that there have been studies and polls that show that Filipinos expect legislators to provide projects rather than pass laws. "This basic misappreciation of the role of the Legislative Branch is indicative of the necessity for us in the Senate to help educate the public about what we in the Senate do and how we do it," explained the lawyer. "We hope other government agencies follow suit and produce their own information materials to maximize the reach of social media and the internet." The President signed Republic Act (RA) 10929, or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, last week. The Senate passed its version of the measure in March this year. RA 10929 establishes a Free Internet Access Program that will provide free internet services in public areas such as national and local government offices; public basic education institutions; public hospitals, health centers, and rural health units; public parks, plazas, libraries, and barangay reading centers; public airports and seaports; and public transport terminals. The law tasks the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) with implementing the law and ensuring that each user experiences a minimum internet speed of 2 Mbps. The DICT is also authorized to partner with the private sector to implement the Free Internet Access Program. Data regarding the country's connectivity reveal that the Internet is the Philippines' fastest-growing medium of information. Out of the Philippine population, 44.2 million Filipinos are active Internet users, while 42 million Filipinos are active on social media; active mobile social media users grew by 50% from 2014 to 2015. A total of 32 million Filipinos, on the other hand, are able to access the internet via their mobile phones.
Press Release

August 9, 2017 Villanueva: Creation of a separate department for OFWs meant to provide stronger support to Filipinos working abroad The Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development chaired by Senator Joel Villanueva tackled on Wednesday Senate Bill No. 146 or the bill creating the Department of Migration and Development. The said measure was discussed along with three other similar measures filed by Senators Ralph Recto, Senate President Koko Pimentel, and former Senator and now DFA Secretary Alan Cayetano. The hearing was a continuation of the previous discussion of the labor committee last January wherein Villanueva stated the importance of creating a separate department for overseas Filipino workers to address: 1) the need to enhance coordination of all offices working for OFWs by putting them together under one roof and to put an end to the practice of finger-pointing among agencies concerned with OFW affairs; 2) the need to extend adequate legal assistance for OFWs in distress; and 3) the need to provide a full migration cycle approach in promoting migrant's rights from pre-employment, onsite and reintegration services. The senator said the hearing comes at an opportune time when President Rodrigo Duterte himself recognized the necessity of creating a separate department which will be in-charged with the concerns of Filipinos living and working abroad when he visited our kababayans in Doha, Qatar last April. "During the break, this June, I also had the chance to visit Filipino communities in the UK and Italy and the more I personally felt how badly we need to help our OFWs and improve government services for them," Villanueva shared. However, the senator further emphasized that the bill does not intend to contribute to the expansion of our country's labor export but to afford our overseas workers the services they deserve and the protection of their rights as migrant workers. "This is not sending the wrong signal that we are trying to encourage Filipinos to work abroad because of greener pastures. We are all aware of the fact that there are more job opportunities abroad but it should never be our policy," Villanueva said. "Gusto po natin na mas maraming Pilipino ang magkaroon ng disenteng trabaho dito sa bansa, kasama ang kanilang pamilya. Sino po ba ang may ayaw nito? Subalit nandito na po tayo, kailangang-kailangan nating tugunan ngayon ang pangangailangan ng ating OFWs sa pamamagitan ng paglikha ng isang bahay, isang ahensya para sa ating mga Bagong Bayani," Villanueva added. For the last 40 years, the deployment of Filipino workers has risen exponentially especially now that the transnational movements of people in search of greener pastures and employment opportunities in other countries seems unavoidable. At present, there are 10 million OFWs which comprise 10 percent of our country's overall population. Based on the data presented by Ms. Susan "Toots" Ople, founder and president of Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute, there are 247 million international migrants around the world. Five percent of which are Filipinos. Moreover, the Philippines is no. 7 in the world in terms of population of international migrants, no. 3 in terms of receiving remittances, and no. 1 in labor exportation in the ASEAN region. Citing the sentiments of the resource persons, Villanueva said "it is hard not to be convinced" that the country needs a separate department that would specifically cater to the concerns of our migrant workers. In the hearing, several representatives of OFW groups expressed their disappointment on the government's delayed and inadequate support and assistance to OFWs due to the compartmentalization of offices or agencies working for OFW affairs. "Again, the establishment of a Department of Migration or Department of OFWs is not to push our kababayan into jobs abroad but to ensure that while the number of OFWs remains unabated and while they are overseas working to give their families and loved ones better lives here in the Philippines, we have one government agency who pays attention to them and takes care of all their needs," the senator said. Labor committee hears proposed measures seeking for the creation of a separate department for OFWs
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It turns out the Presidio Terrace homeowners who lost control of their own private street when a San Jose couple snapped it up at tax auction have been down this road before.

The owners of the homes in the exclusive enclave down the hill from the Presidio fumbled away their street, sidewalk and other common areas because they failed to pay a $14 annual tax bill for 30 years. Theyre screaming bloody murder and want the Board of Supervisors to step in.

Last time, their beef was with the state.

San Francisco Assessor Carmen Chu tells us that her records show the Presidio Homeowners Association defaulted on its common-areas tax bill in the 1970s. Eventually, the state took possession of the common areas, and it wasnt until 1985 that the association regained the title to its swanky sidewalks.

The street and sidewalks assessed value at the time was $221  a figure Chu concedes was super low.

Chu conceded that the three-decade-old records are a bit thin on details. And Scott Emblidge, the attorney for the homeowners association, said he was trying to run down the information.

Im not aware of anyone at the Presidio Terrace being aware of a 30-year-old tax problem, he told us Tuesday.

Theres no doubt the owners of the 35 multimillion-dollar mansions that make up Presidio Terrace had the wherewithal to pay their latest bill, which came to $994 when interest and penalties were included. But they didnt, and now theyre doubling down on efforts to undo the sale of their gated street, where a guard is posted 24/7 to keep the unwanted out.

The San Francisco treasurer-tax collectors office says the owners are out of luck: Auctions for unpaid property taxes have a one-year window during which the original owner can swing a deal to keep the property, but its been two years since the Presidio Terrace homeowners lost control of their street to Michael Cheng and his wife, Tina Lam, who bought it for $90,100.

The sale is valid, said Amanda Fried, a spokeswoman for the tax collector.

The homeowners want the clock turned back and the sale tossed.

This is purely an oversight that needs to be corrected, Emblidge said.

As we reported Monday, the tax collectors office sold the street, sidewalk and other common areas in an online auction in 2015 after the homeowners association failed to pay up. The homeowners, however, say they didnt learn of either the back taxes or the sale until this past May when they were contacted by an intermediary of the new owners, inquiring about their interest in buying back the property.

Nicole Boliaux/The Chronicle

Emblidge suspects the couple deliberately waited well over a year after their purchase to reach out, presumably so the property sale would be more difficult to rescind.

However, Cheng, who works as a real estate investor, told us it took almost a year for the sale to be completed.

The homeowners are trying to invoke a little-known provision of the state tax code in petitioning to toss the sale. It gives a county Board of Supervisors the power to rescind a sale if it is determined that the property should not have been sold, and says nothing about a one-year deadline.

The homeowners say there are plenty of good reasons why the sale was wrong. For starters, the city was sending the annual $14 tax bill to an accountant who retired in the early 1980s, they maintain. None of the property management companies the homeowners hired to oversee the common areas knew about the tax liability, Emblidge said.

When the city sent a registered notice of the tax auction to the homeowners association, it bounced back to the tax collector, the lawyer said.

Tough, says the tax collector: Its on the homeowners association to alert the city to a change of address for tax bills.

The homeowners also complain that a notice of the pending sale should have been posted in the neighborhood. But Fried says the city does that only when a residence is going up for auction and someone could be evicted.

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The supervisors have set a hearing for Sept. 5 to consider taking up the case. If they do so, they would hear arguments on Oct. 31. Happy Halloween.

One option would be to rescind the sale, have the homeowners pay their $994 in back taxes and refund Cheng and Lam their $90,100, plus interest.

Contra Costa County Tax Collector Russell Watts and his chief deputy, Brice Bins, said such actions are not unheard of. They said Contra Costa supervisors recently overturned a tax sale that had been improperly recorded, though that rescinding was within the one-year window.

As for San Francisco, Bins said, Under the circumstances, the county probably has grounds or legal authority to rescind it they choose to.

But experts say that rescinding the deal could be more difficult if Cheng and Lam first sell the property to someone else. As a result, the homeowners association has sued seeking to block any sale before the supervisors can act.

Meanwhile, relations between the two sides are not exactly rosy.

They are opportunistic, know exactly what they bought, and would like to exploit a bureaucratic oversight to their advantage, Emblidge said.

Im not trying to make money on anything, said Lam, a Silicon Valley engineer. I just wanted to buy a piece of San Francisco.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross
Three South San Francisco police officers involved in the fatal shooting of a man wielding a shotgun outside his home were justified in their use of lethal force, the San Mateo County district attorney announced Tuesday.

Officers Chris Devan, Andrew Constantino and John Paulo were cleared of criminal wrongdoing in the shooting death of 59-year-old John Wayne Eno, District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe said.

The officers fired 16 shots in the confrontation in May, hitting Eno five times, an investigation determined.

In a letter to South San Francisco Police Chief Jeff Azzopardi, Wagstaffe said his investigation concluded that use of deadly force was justifiable.

The shooting unfolded about 11:50 p.m. on May 23 when officers responded to Enos home on a cul-de-sac in the 3700 block of Cork Place for a welfare check, Wagstaffe said.

Eno had made a series of 911 calls, Wagstaffe said, telling dispatchers that there were people in his house trying to give him drugs. During the 911 calls, Eno said he shot at someone and gunfire could be heard over the phone, Wagstaffe said.

When Constantino and another officer arrived at the Cork Place home, Eno was in front carrying a shotgun, Wagstaffe said. As Constantino yelled at Eno to drop his gun, multiple officers heard the unmistakable sound of Eno racking the firearm, according to the district attorney.

Both officers feared for their lives at this time, understanding that the racking of a shotgun enables it to be fired, Wagstaffe wrote.

Constantino opened fire on Eno, who dropped his gun, fell to his knees and appeared to be searching for something in the vegetation, Wagstaffe wrote.

Suspecting Eno was reaching for a firearm, Paulo, who had just arrived, fired his weapon as Eno began to stand, wrote Wagstaffe, adding that a broken windshield wiper was later found in the area Eno was searching.

Due to confusing radio transmissions from multiple officers, Devan believed his colleagues were pinned down by the gunman, according to Wagstaffe. Armed with a rifle, Devan fired at Eno, Wagstaffe wrote.

As soon as he got the decedent in his sights, he fired several times, believing that if he did not shoot the decedent, the decedent would have shot him or other officers, Wagstaffe wrote of Devan.

Officers attempted first aid while calling paramedics. Eno  who was shot five times, including in the chest, leg and head  was pronounced dead at the scene.

A search later found in the street a Mossberg 500, 12-gauge shotgun that was registered to Eno, according to Wagstaffe. Officers also found several spent shotgun shells in the street.

A subsequent search of Enos home determined that a shotgun had been fired in the second-floor master bedroom, damaging a television and a wall, Wagstaffe said.

Constantino fired his weapon four times, Paulo fired three times and Devan fired nine times, Wagstaffe said, adding that the fatal shots were fired by Devan.

Only one officer captured body-camera footage of the shooting.

Investigators from the district attorneys office interviewed Enos family and friends and determined that he had been depressed since his wifes death two years ago. Family members said Eno suffered from anxiety and had lost a considerable amount of weight, Wagstaffe said.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
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As President Trump reacts to Pyongyangs nuclear belligerence against the U.S. with a threat of unleashing fire and fury on North Korea, local governments have begun worrying about whether they should revive a fixture of the darkest days of the Cold War  the civil defense plan.

Duck-and-cover drills and backyard fallout shelters are unlikely to come back in vogue. But the possibility that North Korea could drop a nuclear bomb on the Bay Area or other West Coast urban center  capabilities that Kim Jung Uns regime is thought to be close to achieving  raises questions about how those who survive an attack would survive the aftermath.

Emergency managers of big cities are discussing how to address the threat of an attack if the horrible thing actually happens, said Michael Dayton, deputy director for emergency services for San Franciscos Department of Emergency Management.

I dont know if anybody is doing it well right now, Dayton said. An intercontinental ballistic missile is a new concern in terms of preventative radiological nuclear detention. ... Our previous efforts have focused on what happens if a bad actor got ahold of a dirty bomb and set it off on the Golden Gate Bridge.

The tension level with North Korea increased sharply Tuesday. The Washington Post first reported that the Defense Intelligence Agency believes Pyongyang has developed a miniaturized nuclear warhead that could be carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile, the type that could reach the West Coast of the U.S.

Then, President Trump told reporters: North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.

The blast from a nuclear missile like the one North Korea is believed to be close to possessing would create a fireball a mile in diameter, with temperatures as hot as the suns surface and winds greater than a hurricanes force, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Radioactive fallout would be scattered over hundreds of miles.

Think of it as an earthquake times 1,000. County offices of emergency services typically have recovery plans for earthquakes or other natural disasters, but a nuclear attack would cause unique horrors.

Hospitals that remained standing would be overwhelmed with initial survivors and, later, people with radiation poisoning. Bridges and other freeway infrastructure would be damaged or destroyed, making getting into or out of the Bay Area all but impossible. The economy would grind to a halt.

The survivors would envy the dead, said Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear weapons analyst with the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey. The best thing to do would be to not make it. Its gruesome.

Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which coordinates federal responses to natural disasters, has a sample plan that local governments can use to draw up their own day-after survival blueprints for a nuclear attack. The document, created in October 2016, includes guidelines on reducing radiation exposure, sheltering in place and planning for long-term relocation.

It notes that a nuclear blast will be a complex, catastrophic disaster that exceeds traditional and specialized response capabilities of the United States.

Cities like San Francisco may find (it) useful in their own planning, said FEMA spokeswoman Stephanie Moffett.

On the West Coast, Ventura County is one of the few local governments to have drawn up a recent postnuclear survival document. The 252-page plan assumes that a nuclear bomb has hit downtown Los Angeles, roughly 60 miles to the southeast, and includes details for everything from clearing transportation routes to handling fallout and disposing of dead bodies. On the plans cover, a mushroom cloud balloons into the sky.

The county document encourages residents to have a set plan and communication system in place, and be ready to shelter in place in a room without windows. When they issued the plan in 2013, county officials held a series of community meetings and provided public schools with an informational curriculum.

In one two-minute YouTube video created by the countys Health Care Agency, a young girl with dark hair falling over her eyes holds a stack of papers with messages on them. She drops each sheet one by one: Mom, I know you care about me, says the first, followed by, When I was 5, you taught me how to stop, drop and roll, and, But what if something bigger happens? The scene flashes to the girl walking down abandoned streets alone.

Then, a string of tips: Get inside. Stay inside. Stay tuned.

There is no downside to educating the public, said Dr. Robert Levin, Ventura Countys public health officer. One of the lessons I have learned over time is that people want to know what to do. It can be a long list or a short list, but it has to be a practical list. It would make a huge difference in a nuclear event and save hundreds of thousands of lives.

San Francisco does not have specific plans for how to handle a nuclear explosion, though Dayton says the city would use emergency preparations in place for other disasters, like fires, floods and earthquakes, as a guide.

If a nuclear bomb did hit the Bay Area, San Francisco officials would turn to the citys emergency response plan, an all-disaster guide that includes guidance for health, law enforcement and firefighting. The blueprint is updated in full every five years; the last time it was done was in 2013.

The city does has technology to measure radiation levels, like Los Angeles and San Diego. Officials bought the devices to measure fallout in the event terrorists detonated a dirty bomb  a conventional explosive device that includes radioactive material  but they could also be used in the aftermath of a nuclear missile strike.

In a nuclear attack, the response would not be limited to local resources but would also require regional, state and national response, said Rachael Kagan, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco Public Health Department. Generally, law enforcement would be lead in any terrorism or military attack.

Public awareness is an important aspect of defense, said Alex Wellerstein, a nuclear weapons historian and assistant professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J. He recently started Reinventing Civil Defense, a nonprofit that seeks to renew public education efforts about nuclear threats.

The chances of North Korea being able to target San Francisco and score a direct hit are still low, because Pyongyang hasnt tested whether its missiles can reliably carry the weight of a nuclear warhead, Wellerstein said. But a near-hit would be bad enough  a missile striking anywhere on the mainland U.S. would probably kill thousands.

There are a few cities and counties that have tried to reach out to the public, but it is still very rare and somewhat idiosyncratic, Wellerstein said. Ventura County has been doing this for a few years now. ... It has attracted some attention and some ridicule. Is this effective? I dont know.

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The answer is no, said Siegfried Hecker, a professor of management science and engineering at Stanford University and a former director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

I think that the threat of a nuclear attack on the U.S. mainland, and that includes San Francisco, is very, very overstated, said Hecker, a plutonium expert. Unfortunately, we have gotten the American public almost into a sense of panic over being nuked by the North Koreans.

Even the most well-intentioned public education campaigns can encourage fearmongering, said Lewis, the nuclear weapons analyst in Monterey.

People are not aware there is a risk now because it seems ridiculous, Lewis said. No matter how often North Korea tests these missiles, no matter how many models we run showing that it can hit the United States, people assume it cant. Its very hard to convince Americans that it is a real threat. But at the same time, Kim Jong Un probably isnt going to just wake up tomorrow and launch a missile. Its a hard balance to strike: education without fear.

But there is more that can be done to increase security at the state level, said Mark Ghilarducci, Gov. Jerry Browns homeland security adviser and the director of the Governors Office of Emergency Services.

Part of preparedness includes a well-informed public, he said. If you live in California, you live in a disaster-prone state. Youre aware that you are in earthquake country, that there are wildfires and flooding. A nuclear or terrorist attack, you know it could happen, but youre not really thinking about it as much. Its specifically about getting everyone on the same page.

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: Ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnson

Surviving the unthinkable

What can you do during a nuclear attack? If there is any warning, take cover in a basement or heavily reinforced building, the Federal Emergency Management Agency says in a civil defense manual. Then:

Lie flat on the ground and cover your head. If the explosion is some distance away, it could take 30 seconds or more for the shock wave to hit.

Do not look at the flash or fireball, which can blind you.

Avoid windows, which can shatter.

If authorities say it is safe to evacuate, do so quickly.

Otherwise, remain sheltered in place, even if you are many miles from the blast site. Wind can carry radioactive fallout for hundreds of miles.

If you are exposed to radiation, remove outer layer of clothing and shower if possible. Seek medical help.
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Amazon.com doesnt just want to control the last mile of online delivery. The company wants to own the finish line, too.

Amazon has started a service in which residents of apartment buildings can receive and store packages in on-site lockers operated by the online retail giant in Seattle. While the company offers lockers in places like Safeway and 7-Eleven where shoppers can retrieve Amazon packages, the new Hub lockers will accept deliveries from any sender.

That means merchandise ordered online from Walmart, Target and Best Buy could end up in lockers operated by the very company swiping business from them.

Amazon seems to be copying Luxer One in Sacramento , a fast-growing startup that operates high-tech storage lockers in apartment buildings. But Amazons interest in the business seems to lie beyond lockers: T he company could in theory reap an enormous amount of information from competing retailers, including the origin, size, weight and frequency of packages at a particular location.

Amazon will know everything thats going on in those lockers, said Doug Stephens, founder of the Retail Prophet consulting firm. The lockers are like a Venus flytrap for data.

An Amazon spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

Hub is only the latest effort by the company to control all aspects of the supply chain. When you buy from a third-party seller on Amazon, the odds are good that the merchandise is stored in an Amazon warehouse. In addition to its enormous distribution centers, Amazon is developing its own cargo air service, Prime Air, to lessen its dependence on outside carriers like UPS. It has even completed a Prime Air delivery by drone. And despite some reverses  Staples and RadioShack dumped their Amazon Lockers in 2013  Amazon has been expanding the locker program to places like college campuses.

By controlling all aspects of the e-commerce experience, Amazon can significantly lower its costs, especially the last mile of delivery. This final leg tends to be the most expensive because people often miss deliveries and packages get lost or stolen. Hence Amazon Lockers.

But Hub represents a dramatic escalation against retailers. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has often talked about how he wants to sell everything to everybody. Now he is finding ways to make non-Amazon shoppers customers too  whether they want to be or not.

The expansion into apartments is early. I identified only one building in San Francisco that has Hub lockers. Perhaps for that reason  or simply because Amazon is such a hot potato  I could not get comment from Williams-Sonoma, Gap, Target, Best Buy or Walmart on how they feel about Amazon handling their packages.

Hub neutralizes a key advantage those retailers have: physical proximity to customers. Over the past few years, major chains have introduced services that allow customer to pick up online orders in stores.

Take Best Buy, which operates about 1,000 stores in the United States. About 70 percent of Americans live within 15 minutes of a store. Because of that, Best Buy has been able to get orders to customers faster than Amazon, according to StellaService, a research firm that tracks the performance of online retailers. In fact, more than 40 percent of Best Buys online sales consist of customers who choose to pick up their orders in a store.

Moreover, those customers are also likely to purchase additional items once they are there.

But having a Hub locker at home might discourage people from visiting stores if they can get all of their packages delivered.

The biggest threat to retailers has been Amazon changing the center of retail activity from the dressing room to the living room, said Brian Kilcourse, senior partner at BEK Consulting in Grass Valley (Nevada County). The one thing retailers have over Amazon is immediate gratification.

Amazon has been systematically attacking that advantage, Kilcourse said. They are subverting the value of the store.

Hub is also a play for competitors data. The company can learn, for example, which of its customers are also purchasing items from Walmart if those packages are ending up in Hub lockers. Theoretically, Amazon could use that information to offer discounts to the customer.

The most valuable assets a retailer has is not stores or people, but rather information, Kilcourse said. Giving away information to competitors is not a good idea.

Walmart, in particular, has been wary of ceding too much information to Amazon. Walmart is reportedly warning its technology vendors not to use Amazon Web Services or risk losing contracts with the nations largest retail chain.

But retail consultant Brittain Ladd, a former Amazon strategy official, said competitors are adopting the wrong approach to Amazon. Instead of worrying about Amazon stealing data, the companies instead should collaborate with the company to more efficiently deliver packages to customers, which benefits everyone, he said.

Everything about retail is changing and consumers would rather see retailers collaborate to improve their experience versus resisting each other, Ladd wrote in an email.

In the coming years, companies such as Amazon, Target, and Walmart will come to realize that neither retailer is going away, he said. Instead of driving up each others costs by building duplicative delivery systems, companies should collaborate.

Retailers are not the only industry who might lose from Hub. Amazons willingness to provide its lockers for free or at low cost will no doubt threaten Luxer Ones core business.

But theres more at stake than just one companys survival, Luxer One CEO Arik Levy told me.

Amazons business is not to sell lockers, Levy said. Amazon is mining for data. They are going after every retailer they can in every way possible. If I was a retailer, the last thing I would want is for Amazon to know who my customers are.

Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByTomLee
Googles firing of an engineer who questioned the tech giants attempts at diversifying its workforce was greeted with dismay Tuesday by some who felt the companys action did not go far enough and others who said it proves Google is hostile to conservative-leaning beliefs.

Falling flat was the companys attempt to toe the line by firing the engineer while also inviting open discussion among those with differing views on the companys diversity initiatives.

Right-leaning pundits and social media users held up Googles decision to fire the author as proof that the company is incapable of tolerating differences of opinions, particularly from the political far right.

What it is, wrote Jonathan V. Last, an editor at the conservative Weekly Standard magazine, is a rational case against the worst excesses of corporate identity politics and  most notably  it's a case made from the left.

Several diversity advocates, meanwhile, said Googles response was weak and called on the company to do more to demonstrate its commitment to supporting women in tech and pushing an agenda that centers on diversity and inclusion of underrepresented groups.

Google has sought to find middle ground, saying that although parts of the memorandum crossed the line with harmful and sexist stereotypes, it contained important topics that merit discussion.

Several current and former Google employees who are female or people of color called that a mistake.

We would do our colleagues, our company, our country a disservice if we pretend this is a debate, said Kourtni Marshall, a Google software engineer and global co-chair of the companys resource group for black employees, the Black Googler Network. Nobody would feel any kind of way if he sent out a manifesto saying we should be more like ISIS or al Qaeda. No one would say, Oh, but this one part is really worth discussing.

James Damore, 28, the engineer who wrote the document, titled Googles Ideological Echo Chamber, has been largely quiet since it was leaked and published in full online.

Damore, a Harvard and Princeton alumnus who had worked at Google as a software engineer since 2013, confirmed Tuesday that he had been fired. In an email to the New York Times, Damore wrote that he is likely to pursue legal action.

I have a legal right to express my concerns about the terms and conditions of my working environment and to bring up potentially illegal behavior, which is what my document does, he wrote.

In the memorandum last week, Damore wrote that his intention was to have an honest discussion about the companys culture and approach to diversity, to which, he wrote, he was not opposed.

Google, one of the most prominent standard-bearers for tech culture in Silicon Valley, has long promoted a culture of openness and feedback: Employees are encouraged to question their managers and provide reviews, and the occasional monetary bonus, to their peers. But Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the memo had gone too far.

In a note to employees Monday, Pichai wrote that the memo violated the companys code of conduct and advanced harmful gender stereotypes.

To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK, Pichai wrote. It is contrary to our basic values and our Code of Conduct, which expects each Googler to do their utmost to create a workplace culture that is free of harassment, intimidation, bias and unlawful discrimination. The memo has clearly impacted our co-workers, some of whom are hurting and feel judged based on their gender. Our co-workers shouldnt have to worry that each time they open their mouths to speak in a meeting, they have to prove that they are not like the memo states, being agreeable rather than assertive, showing a lower stress tolerance, or being neurotic.

Google, whose corporate motto used to be Dont Be Evil, has struggled over the past several years to remake its image into one of a company that values and advocates for diversity and an inclusive work environment for women and underrepresented minorities, like black and Latino workers.

Less than a third of Google employees are female, according to Googles most recent diversity report, which contains numbers as of January. Among technical workers, that number drops to 20 percent. Though low, the numbers reflect a slight improvement from earlier years.

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More than half the company  56 percent  identify as white. A little more than a third are Asian or Asian American, while a distinct minority identify as black, Latino or other.

I think what people should take from this is that both sides have more support than they think they do, said Cate Huston, a former Google employee who said she left the company in 2014 after what she described as several incidents of bullying.

What we should see at this moment is a company that says, This is not OK, this is not acceptable, and employees saying, We dont want to work in an environment where this is acceptable, Huston said.

The tech juggernaut also remains the subject of a U.S. Department of Labor investigation into pay disparities between male and female employees. Google last month said it intends to comply with a federal judge's order to turn over a limited amount of salary and employee data.

According to Bloomberg, prior to his removal Damore submitted a complaint to the National Labor Relations Board alleging that Google was trying to shame him into silence due to the political nature of his complaints. The NLRB typically guarantees workers protection against retaliation for activities that contribute to the mutual aid or protection of fellow employees.

Most tech workers are at-will employees, or workers who, under U.S. law, can be fired for varied reasons that may have little or nothing to do with performance.

It was not immediately clear what would come of Damores complaint.

Though Huston doubted Damore would land another engineering job in Silicon Valley anytime soon, he may have another option: Controversial Wikileaks publisher Julian Assange, who has been living in Ecuadors embassy in London since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden on rape charges, took to Twitter to offer Damore a job.

Marissa Lang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mlang@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @Marissa_Jae
The crowd at the Castro Theatre was chanting, Roma! Roma! before the beloved Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence even took the stage. With her arm draped around filmmaker Monet Allard-Wilcox, Roma marched down the theater aisle, her sequined and feathered nun habit flowing behind her. The activists hard work and hand wringing had paid off; hundreds of people showed up for Stilettos for Shanghai for Chechnya.

It was a challenge to grab Roma for a few quick questions at the evenings VIP reception. Shes a popular San Franciscan, a familiar and hard-to-miss kind-eyed face tirelessly towering above the masses. And thats exactly what Roma was doing Monday night, Aug. 7, at the Castro, playing hostess while raising money and awareness.

You know Im the most photographed nun in the world, right? she asked me, her feather boa headdress held in place by a bedazzled headband. I made a passing reference to Mother Teresa.

Shes dead! Roma announced, turning a few heads. Well, she is.

The irreverent and huge-hearted sister pressed the flesh before the screening of Stilettos for Shanghai, the documentary film by Allard-Wilcox that followed the Sisters trip to Shanghais sixth annual Pride celebration. Finally finished, the nights organizers decided to screen the film as a fundraiser for organizations that raise funds to help refugees safely flee countries that persecute LGBTQI citizens, namely Chechnya.

Roma and Allard-Wilcox had already connected with ORAM, the Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration, and they planned to direct some of the nights proceeds there. The events other grantee was Rainbow Railroad, a Canadian organization that facilitates safe passage for gay people attempting to escape persecution, imprisonment and death. It was The Chronicles own Carolyne Zinko who connected the Rainbow Railroad with the Shanghai for Stilettos folks. Zinko had recently covered Seth Rosenberg, a 27-year-old San Francisco venture capitalist who founded the first U.S. chapter of the organization.

The fundraiser couldnt be more timely with whats happening in Chechnya, and then here as the Trump administration moves more to the right, said former state Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, sporting a full head of blue hair. Harvey Milk always said not to be overconfident about the civil rights that are gained because it could always be taken away.

Before the film began, a number of politicians and organizers took the microphone. The audience was like a choir ready for a sermon. Nearly every speaker got a standing ovation, especially the drag queens. Performer and community leader Honey Mahogany was granted surprise sainthood by the Sisters before she sang Adeles hit Hometown.

And Natalie Ray, a Moscow drag queen featured in a Nightline story on the Russian persecution of gay people, spoke of leaving behind constant terror at home to find freedom in San Francisco. I glanced over to catch Pollo Del Mar delicately dabbing tears from between two massive sets of fake eyelashes.

The situation for gay people in Chechnya and more than 70 other countries is dire, but as we saw in Stilettos for Shanghai, China is taking baby steps toward more modern thinking when it comes to its LGBTQ citizens. As for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the habit-clad delegation was nervous to venture into the uncharted territory of a relatively new Pride celebration, especially one in a country that wont allow street parades. Shanghai Pride made do with a 5K walk instead, which was basically just a way to get around the parade rule.

In full makeup and glamorized nun garb, the sisters were greeted with cautiously open arms and many, many cameras.

I used to hate being photographed, Roma confessed. There was a time when I used to complain about it. But then my friend said to me, Someday, nobody will want a picture with you, so you better enjoy it while you can. That was, like, 25 years ago. And ever since, Ive said yes to every picture.

The day when no one wants a picture with Sister Roma has yet to arrive. Throughout the night, she moved from friend to fan, with smiles and poses for them all. In San Francisco, what she calls a sanctuary for LGBTQ people throughout the globe, Roma is a celebrated champion, a toast of the town.

I cant believe the doors that have opened to me as a Sister over the years, she said with a smile. Someone tapped her shoulder and Roma excused herself, her feather boa nun habit bouncing behind her. After all, when a member of her flock calls, Sister Roma answers.

Beth Spotswoods column appears Thursdays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.com
President Trumps tweeted ban on transgender military service hasnt taken shape yet or gone into effect, but two gay rights groups challenged it as unconstitutional in federal court Wednesday and said its already harming thousands of people.

The suit said Trumps tweets have already resulted in immediate, concrete injury ... by unsettling and destabilizing plaintiffs reasonable expectation of continued service. The complaint was filed in Washington, D.C., on behalf of five transgender service members.

This has turned the world upside down for these thousands of service members who have made the military their lives, said Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights in San Francisco, which filed the lawsuit. They cant make basic decisions about their careers, their employment and the futures of their families.

Minters group was joined by GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders. They said in the suit that they had information and belief that Trump has gone beyond his July 26 tweets to propose an official guidance, approved by the White House counsels office, to be forwarded to the Defense Department for implementation.

They offered no details of the alleged guidance, and Minter said he didnt know what it contained. We are seeking to find out through this lawsuit, he said, to find out and stop it.

The Defense Department declined to comment on the suit. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in an email Wednesday to the BuzzFeed News website, As has been said before, we will work with the Department of Defense to lawfully implement the policy. She did not elaborate.

Trump, who during his presidential campaign promised to be a real friend to the gay community, caught military leaders by surprise when he tweeted that the government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military. He said the armed forces cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender people would cause, contradicting a Pentagon-commissioned study last year that forecast little cost and no disruption.

Military officials say they will not act until Trump submits a detailed policy. Since then-President Barack Obamas administration repealed the ban on transgender service members in June 2016, surveys have estimated the number of transgender people in the 1.3 million-member military at anywhere from 1,320 to 15,000.

The suit identified the plaintiffs only as Jane Does. All five are on active duty in the Army, Air Force or Coast Guard  two of them for nearly 20 years  and all came out as transgender after the ban was lifted last year, the suit said.

Three said they planned to re-enlist, one said she wanted to serve two more years to become eligible for retirement, and the fifth said she had submitted a letter of resignation after Trumps tweets but would withdraw it if his plan was derailed.

My experience has been positive and I am prouder than ever to continue to serve, one of the plaintiffs said in a statement released by her lawyers. I am married and have three children, and the military has been my life. But now, Im worried about my familys future.

The lawsuit said Trumps directive violates the constitutional guarantee of equal protection of the law by discriminating against the plaintiffs based on their sex and transgender status, interferes with their fundamental rights to autonomy and privacy, and lacks any rational justification. Some federal courts have ruled that the Constitution protects transgender people from discrimination, but the U.S. Supreme Court has not addressed that issue.

In a separate claim, the suit contended that because the plaintiffs relied on the newly announced policy last year to identify themselves to their commanding officers, and in several cases to undergo medical treatment, the government would legally be barred from going back on its word if it tried to discharge them.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
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In the latest episode of restaurants doubling down on food delivery services, Charles Phan has partnered his wildly popular Slanted Door with Munchery to provide ready-to-eat-meals and cooking kits for Bay Area customers. Itll be a limited menu from the Slanted Door (click here to view) but all the staples are there  shaking beef, claypot chicken, etc.

Phan also worked with Munchery in 2015, a time when the company was deep in the throes of the whole chef-inspired, ready-to-cook meals craze. Phan was one of the first chefs to provide his own offerings through the company, though the dishes werent specifically Slanted Door-related.
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday defended President Trump's forceful warning to North Korea to stop threatening the United States, and dismissed concerns that Guam is in any imminent danger from Pyongyang's missiles.

"What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," Tillerson said in an interview with two pool reporters while flying from Malaysia to a scheduled refueling stop in Guam.

"I think the president just wanted to be clear to the North Korean regime that the U.S. has the unquestionable ability to defend itself, will defend itself and its allies, and I think it was important that he deliver that message to avoid any miscalculation on their part."

On Tuesday, Trump sharply ratcheted up rhetoric against North Korea, saying it would face "fire and fury" if it does not stop threatening the United States. Trump did not make clear whether he was responding to the latest bellicose remarks from North Korea or a report in The Washington Post that the North had successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead capable of fitting inside its ballistic missiles.

Hours after Trump's comments, North Korea said it was preparing to send intermediate-range missiles near Guam, which is home to more than 160,000 U.S. citizens, including some 6,000 members of the armed forces. U.S. bombers have flown out of Guam on their way to joint exercises with South Korea and Japan over the Korean Peninsula.

Tillerson is returning home from Asia, where he continued his campaign to get more countries fully enforcing U.N. sanctions against North Korea over its ballistic missile and nuclear testing, with an ultimate aim of forcing it to the bargaining table.

During Tillerson's stop in Guam - which included brief meetings with some U.S. military personnel - Trump called attention to the might of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. In Twitter posts, Trump did not specifically mention North Korea, but the messages came as attention was focused on the confrontation with Pyongyang.

Trump asserted that U.S. nuclear power was "now far stronger and more powerful than ever" after his administration moved to "renovate and modernize" the arsenal.

"Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!" Trump wrote.

While Pyongyang has been making bombastic threats against the United States for some time, as the pace of its testing has accelerated its warnings have grown more specific and directed against the United States.

On Monday in Manila, where Tillerson was attending a regional security conference, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho issued a lengthy statement vowing that his country would never relinquish its nuclear weapons. Ri said the "nukes" would be used only against the United States, and he asserted that the entire U.S. mainland is within range of North Korean missiles.

Tillerson said Guam is in no more danger than anywhere else, adding that North Korea's threats naming the island as a target did not deter him from making a scheduled refueling stop here.

"Well, the North Korean missile capability can point at many directions," he said. "So Guam is not the only place that can be under threat. No, I never considered rerouting the trip back. And I do not believe that there is any imminent threat, in my own view."

Tillerson said North Korea's rhetoric shows that the campaign to turn Pyongyang's allies against it is working.

Russia and China, North Korea's main economic lifelines, both supported a new set of U.N. sanctions passed last weekend that could cut the country's revenue by a third. And the Association of Southeast Asian Nations approved a statement expressing "grave concern" over North Korea's actions.

Tillerson said he knew of no significant changes in the last 24 hours that could speed a move to military action. Nor does he see any reason for a change in strategy. Diplomatic and economic isolation is working, he said, even if it could take a long time to materialize.

"I think in fact the pressure is starting to show," he said. "I think that's why the rhetoric coming out of Pyongyang has gotten louder and more threatening."

Tillerson also said Americans should not worry about the increasingly angry tone displayed in recent days.

"I think what the president was just reaffirming is that the United States has the capability to fully defend itself from any attack, and our allies, and we will do so," he said. "So the American people should sleep well at night."

Key U.S. allies, meanwhile, called for a greater push to open talks with North Korea.

The spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said "a lasting peace and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula must be achieved through peaceful means."

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.

"That excludes military action," said the spokeswoman, Catherine Ray.

In New Zealand, Prime Minister Bill English called Trump's comments "not helpful" in a standoff that was already "very tense."

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The Washington Post's Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.

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Video: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that he doesn't "believe there is any imminent threat" from North Korea on Aug. 9, after the regime threatened to fire missiles at Guam. (The Washington Post)

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Climate change isnt uncertain, short lived or tied to whimsical weather. Its real and happening now with rising temperatures the main effect, according to a top-drawer report compiled by 13 federal agencies.

The study confirms what a heap of earlier ones have to say. The real test will be President Trumps response when it comes time to formally issue the findings. His administration, which doesnt believe in the heat-trapping phenomenon caused by human activity, could suppress the report.

The White House review will be the latest indication of Trumps outlook. He could permit the facts and findings to be published, a decision that would undercut his actions such as pulling out of the Paris climate pact to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Or he could dispute the report. But that would put his administration at odds with its own government scientists who are now weighing in with their most comprehensive work to date.

The report, known as the Climate Science Special Report, determined that its extremely likely that over half the temperature rise recorded over the past four decades is linked to human activity such as tailpipe, smokestack and other industrial emissions. No alternative explanations such as weather cycles or excuses about faulty data make sense, the report indicates.

From warmer oceans to dirtier skies, the results are being felt. More severe storms, a shrinking ice pack and loss of sea life make for a plain-to-see picture. The trend toward higher temperatures, even by only a few degrees, can spell trouble that will be hard to reverse. The longer this country does nothing, the worse the problem gets.

The report was kept confidential, pending White House review, until it was leaked to the New York Times and surfaced in other publications. The scientists who worked on it clearly wanted to make sure their findings werent bottled up or rewritten by the climate change deniers who populate Trumps administration.

Pushing the document into public view should have defining results. Muzzling science, especially this broad-based report, will underline Trumps devotion to the fossil fuel industry and his willful avoidance of facts.

It will further isolate this country from a global push to work cooperatively to rein in harmful emissions. All the rallies in coal country, as Trump enjoyed last week, cant make up the damage being done by his do-nothing team.

In dumping the Paris climate change pact, Trump criticized it as unfair and unworkable for American industry, passing over the challenge that rising temperatures pose. Now he cant avoid that topic. Climate change is real, Mr, President, and its time to admit it and address it.

This commentary is from The Chronicles Editorial Board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
President Trumps abandonment of Americas global role on climate change means cities and states must lead the way. San Francisco can claim the mantle of leadership and set an example for the world by divesting its pension funds from fossil fuels.

Wednesday, the San Francisco Employees Retirement Systems pension board will decide the issue. As someone who spent 30 years in the investment world, I believe the choice is clear: Divestment is the right thing to do, and its financially smart. I speak from experience as someone who decided to divest almost five years ago. It feels right and it pays well.

Divestment is primarily a moral obligation. Burning fossil fuels causes global warming, which threatens the health, safety and prosperity of every American. With global temperatures rising dangerously toward a point of no return, the urgency of moral action is clear. This is poignant in San Francisco, where the sea level is expected to rise several feet by 2100, swamping entire sections of the city. No amount of financial gain from a stock could ever justify such destruction.

Fortunately, we have the technology we need to address climate change: clean energy. Clean energy sources such as wind and solar reduce harmful emissions that cause global warming. These clean energy sources boost the economy and create millions of good-paying jobs. When used to power electric vehicles, they also eliminate soot and smog-forming pollution from cars, buses and trucks.

The greatest challenge of our lifetimes  global warming  is also one of our greatest economic opportunities. Thats why fossil fuel stocks are a bad bet, and why the San Francisco pension board has a fiduciary responsibility to divest from them. Coal, oil and natural gas are industries in decline. They are shrinking because their products are quickly being rendered obsolete by superior technology. With wind and solar becoming cheaper every year, the trend will only continue. California is taking steps toward 100 percent renewable energy, and energy storage costs have fallen 73 percent since 2010 and are expected to drop another 75 percent by 2030.

The pension board is under pressure from the fossil fuel lobby to stick with their polluting products, but board members should heed reality: Divestment is the only fiscally responsible decision. Otherwise, the board is tying the fates of public employees in the most progressive city in the world to the fate of a dying dirty fuel industry whose harmful product will wreak destruction on our shores. This would cost San Francisco employees a lot of money in the long run.

A 2015 study by the financial firm MSCI found that investors who dumped dirty fuel stocks earned an average return of 1.2 percent more over a five-year period than investors who kept them. Thats why institutional investors like universities, churches and government entities are divesting from dirty fuels and investing in clean energy.

Lets hope the San Francisco pension board has the wisdom and the courage to make the right call. A vote for divestment is a vote for a better, brighter future.
One of three victims wounded in San Francisco's Dolores Park last week in an apparent gang-related shooting that erupted in the middle of the afternoon remains hospitalized in critical condition, officials said Wednesday.

The 37-year-old man, whose name has not been released, continues to battle for his life after witnesses said he was shot in the face during the burst of gunfire on Thursday. He remains in critical condition at San Francisco General Hospital, said hospital spokesman Brent Andrew.
Every year, they come with hand-drawn signs and printed posters, with their children and their pets. They protest the past. They pray for peace, and remember the twin atom bombs that the U.S. dropped on Japan at the end of World War II.

But this year, they mostly talked about North Korea and its escalating tensions with the White House over its nuclear missile capabilities.

On Wednesday, 200 protesters gathered outside the gates of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the bomb that decimated Nagasaki, just three days after another atomic blast did the same to Hiroshima. The gathering was heavy with emotion: indignation, outrage and fear over a potential nuclear build-up. The mood was set by verbal threats unleashed by President Trump a day earlier.

On Tuesday, Trump said he would unleash fire and fury on North Korea, the likes of which the world has never seen, if Pyongyang continued to issue threats against the U.S. The president supplemented his public comments with tweets on Wednesday boasting that the U.S. nuclear arsenal is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before and that his first order as president was to renovate and modernize the weaponry.

Now Playing: Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor Takashi Tanemori recalls the events of August 6, 1945 during an annual protest outside of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017 in Livermore, CA. Video: JW Player

It was the last thing the protesters  from elementary-school-age children carrying posters covered in glitter to the senior citizens in wheelchairs holding raging granny signs  wanted to hear.

We are here to stand with the survivors of that nuclear attack, but we are also here to stop the next nuclear war before it starts, said Marylia Kelley, executive director of Tri-Valley CAREs, a small advocacy organization formed in 1983 by neighbors living near the Livermore laboratory, one of the nations hubs for nuclear weapons research.

We understand if we are ever going to rid the world of the threat of nuclear war, we need to have the total abolition of weapons, Kelley said. There are no right hands for these wrong weapons.

But putting those words to action, the demonstrators conceded, is not easy.

Livermore police officials said 47 protesters were arrested at the event on suspicion of civil disobedience.

The events speakers, including Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, stood on a small stage set up in the back of a pickup truck, struggling to be heard over the roar of traffic from a nearby intersection. People in the crowd clasped hands and hollered at every mention of Trumps tweets in the speeches  an ubiquitous theme.

What does it mean not to do no harm? said Janice Kirsch, a doctor and coordinator of the 350 Bay Area Speakers Bureau. You do not plan to fight a nuclear war, and you do not let people know it is possible because that is suicidal and crazy. Deterrence will not work.

Afterward, the protesters paused for a moment of silence. They closed their eyes and tipped their heads toward the sky. They breathed in the scent of damp grass and fresh-cut hay nearby. And then they marched.

Clean up Livermore was written in blue paint on one sign fashioned to look like a missile. Books not bombs read another. A woman wearing a yellow headband held a Plutonium is deadly poster. Many of the protesters, and even one lapdog, wore green tags around their necks reading, End war.

Outside of the laboratorys gates, they sang, Ive been working on the missile all the live long day, and then lay prone on the street for a die-in. Volunteers traced each others bodies in white chalk. A dozen police officers in riot gear watched from the other side of the fence.

Scott Yundt of Livermore said he has come to the protest annually for 12 years. But Wednesdays felt different and unlike any other, he said.

Trumps statements are pushing us closer to the brink of a nuclear war, he said, standing on the street outside the laboratory. Theres a palpable and particular fear we are all feeling today. Conflict with North Korea and the United States is possible. I worry our president will press the nuclear button without the consent of the American people.

Barbara Milazzo, 53, of Mariposa held a framed sign bearing the words Peace is Patriotic. In 1986, she walked from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., with the sign to advocate for peace. She said she was upset the sign had a tangible use again.

The threats Trump made were chilling last night, she said. He is so capable of pushing that button. We are closer to nuclear winter than we have ever been since World War II. Just thinking about it despairs me. Im thinking, was that the last time I saw my daughter? Have I told my friends and family that I love them?

She paused, taking in the sight of the protesters gathered outside the gates.

This is the most we can do, Milazzo said. We are using our voices to protest. The rest is out of our control.

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn
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Writer Yalie Kamara describes her early life as an existence composed of twos.

She was born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland, but her family came from Sierra Leone. She grew up speaking Krio and English. Her parents were from two different tribes, and her father is Muslim while her mother is Catholic.

Ive said this before, but I think my life has been a negotiation of liminal spaces, Kamara says by phone. Also, I think that for a lot of first-generation American young people or adults, our nationality is a hyphen. So its  how do you live between those two things and make a home out of these seemingly disparate pieces?

A finalist for the 2017 Brunel International African Poetry Prize and a 2017 National Book Critics Circle Emerging Critics Fellow, Kamara often reckons with the notion of duality in her new chapbook, When the Living Sing (Ledge Mule Press; $12). Or, perhaps more interestingly, she leaves a question of whether it is, in fact, duality and not opposition, necessary harmony rather than contradiction. The stunning collection of poems and short prose often contains at once strength and anguish, joy and pain, myth and reality  much of which is inherently tied to the politics of blackness in America.

In Long Distance, Kamara writes, Lets be clear  in America your Black Body is almost always ablaze, but swallowing tears can be the trick to contain the fire.

Yet these harsh truths are offset by an acknowledgment of splendor. Although others see Oakland as a killing field, Kamara writes of it lovingly as her home. She observes her brother, Jonathan, who sees beauty in himself while his body may be simultaneously tethered to the terror of others imagination.

As for what to make of these juxtapositions, Kamara may have a different answer with each poem.

What I will say is, you cant have one without the other, she says. I think joy and pain are contextualized. Pain is thinking about joy, and I think joy is thinking about pain. Both of those things can exist, but in terms of tipping one way or the other, thats for the reader to draw out.

How we survive or balance the two is unattached to race, Kamara says, and demands vulnerability and expression. She refers to the title of the book, When the Living Sing, which comes from one of the poems, Resurrection.

In true death, there is silence, and nothing happens anymore, Kamara says. I think that in spite of all these losses, there is always a type of singing. And each poem to me reads like a song.

Indeed, as she writes in, Oakland as Home. Home as Myth, Yes, we mourn, but let us celebrate too.

Brandon Yu is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: byu@sfchronicle.com

Yalie Kamara: 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10. Free. Diesel Bookstore Oakland. 5433 College Ave. S.F. (510) 653-9965. www.dieselbookstore.com

Other book events

Community Voices: Poets Speak welcomes poet Devorah Major to the Museum of the African Diaspora, where she will read work that reflects on the current exhibition, The Ease of Fiction. 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10. Free. Museum of the African Diaspora. 685 Mission St. S.F. (415) 358-7200. www.moadsf.org

Gillian Hamel celebrates the release of her book, Occident, with a reading. Additional readings from Kelly Egan and Kevin Peters. 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12. Free. Alley Cat Book Shop. 3036 24th St. S.F. (415) 824-1761. www.alleycatbookshop.com

Writers with Drinks includes in its upcoming gathering writers Gabe Hudson, Anna Pulley, Indigo Moor, Nick Farmer and more. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12. Free-$20. The Make Out Room. 3225 22nd St. S.F. http://writerswithdrinks.com

Katharine Harer and Judy Bebelaar read poetry at a Bay Area Writing Project event, which includes a post-reading open mike. 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13. Free. Expressions Gallery. 2035 Ashby Ave. Berkeley. (510) 644-4930. http://expressionsgallery.org

Cary Cordova signs and reads from her new book, Heart of the Mission, an exploration of San Franciscos historic Mission District. 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13. Free. Alley Cat Book Shop. 3036 24th St. S.F. (415) 824-1761. www.alleycatbookshop.com
You can now spend the night in President Trumps childhood home  for a good bit more than youd spend on a room at his hotels. The Tudor-style home in Queens is listed on Airbnb for $725 per night. The five-bedroom house sleeps 20, thanks in part to seven bunk beds, and comes with a life-size cardboard cutout of the president (a great companion for watching Fox News late into the night, according to the listing).

A different kind of tweet storm

An artist tired of seeing hateful tweets ignored by Twitter has managed to get the social network to remove or hide some of them  by spray-painting the offending posts in front of the companys German headquarters. Shahak Shapira said he reported some 300 tweets containing possible illegal content over a period of about six months, but Twitter ignored him. Shapira said he painted almost 30 of the offending tweets on the street in front of Twitters Hamburg offices last week because flagging things clearly wasnt enough. By Wednesday, Twitter had deleted three tweets, suspended four accounts and withheld another seven accounts in Germany.

Cheetos just may prosper

A Cheetos -themed pop-up restaurant will open for three days in Lower Manhattan next week as part of New Yorks restaurant week. The Spotted Cheetah will have such dishes from Chef Anne Burrell as Cheetos crusted fried pickles, mac n Cheetos and Cheetos Sweetos crusted cheesecake. Frito-Lay s orange fingerprints are all over this: The company says recipes created by fans inspired it to bring a full Cheetos culinary experience to life.

Daily Briefing is compiled from San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. See more items and links at www.sfgate.com. Twitter: @techchronicle
Insured homeowners in California whose homes have been badly damaged, but not destroyed, are entitled to coverage for the cost of repairing them, even if that cost far exceeds the propertys market value, under a ruling that has now become final.

The state Supreme Court unanimously denied review Wednesday of an insurance associations appeal from a lower-court decision favoring a Richmond homeowner, and also denied the insurers request to bar use of the lower-court ruling as a precedent for future cases. The ruling is now binding on trial courts statewide.

The home was badly damaged by a kitchen fire in 2011. The insurer, the California Fair Plan Association, paid homeowner Marlene Garnes only the homes market value of $75,000. But Garnes sued and won the right to coverage for $320,549, the repair cost minus depreciation.

In a precedent-setting ruling in May, the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco said a 2004 state law allows homeowners to recover repair costs even when their insurance policies are drafted more restrictively. Coverage is limited to fair-market value only if a home has been destroyed or damaged beyond repair, the court said.

Courts have recognized that homes may have values to an owner that are distinct from economic worth, such as familiarity, comfort and the memories they invoke, Justice Therese Stewart said in the 3-0 ruling. She said the law gives insured homeowners the option of remaining in the homes and neighborhoods they had chosen.

State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones and the consumer organization United Policyholders filed arguments supporting the homeowner.

More for you Insured homeowner owed full cost of repairs, appeals court rules

Garnes lawyer, Dylan Schaffer, said Wednesday the ruling allows homeowners to rely on their coverage without worrying about fluctuating property values.

The point of having insurance is to be able to fix your house, not to be able to make a profit, Schaffer said.

The California Fair Plan Association is a group of insurance companies commissioned by the Legislature in 1968 to cover homes in high-risk areas. Schaffer said no other insurer in the state has refused to pay full repair costs in such cases, a practice that is also being challenged in class-action lawsuits against the association in Los Angeles.

A lawyer for the association could not be reached for comment.

The case is California Fair Plan Association vs. Garnes, S242965.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
U.S. pilots flying combat sorties against Islamic State and al Qaeda offshoots may soon be directed to hit pop-up targets  such as fleeing vehicles, ambushes and attempts to plant roadside bombs  through streamlined planning tools crafted in Silicon Valley.

Starting this month, software specialists from the Pentagons Defense Innovation Unit Experimental will spend weeks at the Air Forces war-planning headquarters at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Theyll work with airmen on a beta version of a tool to replace a hodgepodge of chat, Microsoft Excel and Word and other applications now used to coordinate dynamic strikes against the kinds of targets that cant be anticipated days in advance.

The air operations upgrade is the most ambitious task yet for the unit, the Defense Departments 2-year-old outpost in Mountain View. Set up under former Defense Secretary Ash Carter to tap the creative ideas of small, innovative non-defense companies, the units role in the air-planning software is a sign its being embraced by James Mattis, Carters successor.

Mattis is also scheduled to show his support with a visit to the unit on Thursday, during a West Coast trip. The secretary sees a lot of value in us having this relationship in Silicon Valley, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters this week.

The unit had a rocky first year, prompting Carter to make changes, replacing its first director with Raj Shah, a former F-16 pilot and combat veteran who headed a technology startup. While there was speculation that the unit would be axed as an Obama administration pet project, it has survived with strong support from Air Force Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Its top accomplishment so far may be procedural: developing a streamlined contracting process thats cut the time needed for small technology companies to do business with a Pentagon bureaucracy attuned to megadeals with old-line defense contractors inside the Beltway.

The unit has awarded about $71 million in contracts for 37 pilot projects since June 2016. Companies on contract have received about $1.8 billion in venture capital backed by investors including Alphabets GV, Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital, according to the unit.

Instead of reporting directly to the secretary of defenses office as under Carter, the unit will be managed by a new under the secretary for research and development as part of the Pentagons latest acquisition reorganization. That means its long-term status depends on whether its embraced by new Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan.

For now, the unit is getting an opportunity to prove its value in the war on terrorists.

The Air Force enlisted the Silicon Valley unit after it became apparent that a program run by Northrop Grumman Corp. to modernize air-war planning was faltering. The Air Force in July terminated Northrops development phase of the network after it was estimated to cost $745 million, up from the original $374 million.

Software isnt something the department as a whole does well, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said in an interview.

In October, Shah, the units chief, and Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt visited the Al Udeid base. They saw weaknesses in air war planning, with manpower-intensive tanker scheduling done manually on a 7-foot whiteboard.

The unit worked with Air Force planners and five software developers from Pivotal Labs in San Francisco to set up a streamlined scheduling system in less than 120 days for $1.5 million, according to the Defense Department.

The air operations center now uses an automated tool called Jigsaw to better match the 50 aerial tankers under Air Forces Central Command with the U.S. and coalition aircraft theyre refueling, according to Col. Paul J. Maykish, commander of the 609th Air Operations Center.

Next, the goal is for the streamlined system for pop-up targets to be running actual combat missions by year-end, with standardized nine-line digital messages directing pilots to new targets during hours-long sorties.

Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel are great, but they were not designed for deconfliction in combat, Air Force Lt. Col. Enrique Oti, whos coordinating the effort for the unit, said in an interview. All that deconfliction is occurring right now but its occurring over phone calls, chat and Excel so we are building a system where everybody operates inside a single application.

Tony Capaccio is a Bloomberg writer. Email: acapaccio@bloomberg.net
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For more than four decades, manufacturing was the only work Donetta Raymond knew.

Starting as a sheet metal mechanic, Raymond found plenty of work in her hometown, Wichita, Kan., home to famous names in aviation like Cessna, Beech and Boeing.

She applied her skills, eventually becoming a production operation specialist on 737 airplane fuselages at Boeings sprawling facilities. Her work was praised consistently, including a good performance review in 2012 from the management of Spirit AeroSystems Holdings.

The next year, she underwent a separate company review to gauge whether the company should retain her. Ominously, she slid to a C from her A rating the previous year.

And just a few months later, the company laid off hundreds of longtime workers, including her, then age 59. The layoffs were swift and blunt.

They walked us out, and wouldnt let us go back and say goodbye, said a fellow worker, Debra Hatcher, 57, then a manufacturing operations analyst. They drove us to an empty parking lot, and that was it.

Spirit AeroSystems is an important supplier for Boeing, its biggest customer, and rival Airbus, chalking up nearly $1.7 billion in revenue in the first quarter of this year.

When it laid off 360 workers in summer 2013, the company was not closing down or moving jobs to Mexico or anywhere else. Spirit, which has 11,000 employees in Wichita and operations in Europe and Asia, said layoffs among its salaried employees and managers were necessary to remain competitive.

Now a lawsuit filed by 70 former employees, including Raymond, is in proceedings in the U.S. District Court in Wichita. The lawsuit was cleared first by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which must decide the validity of any claim of age or disability discrimination before it can proceed.

The workers brought the suit after discovering that nearly half  or 164  of those in the 2013 layoffs were 40 or older, the age that initiates federal age discrimination law protections. And workers charge that they were singled out, in addition, because either they or their spouses had serious medical conditions.

Spirit maintains it does not discriminate in hiring or termination decisions.

Reductions in force are never easy, however all decisions are based on job-related, nondiscriminatory criteria, said Fred Malley, Spirits spokesman. We are confident the evidence in this case will show Spirit is compliant with the law in its employment practices.

Such lawsuits are popping up as the nations workforce ages and as many longtime workers claim they are being deliberately targeted for such reductions. As manufacturing has contracted, more experienced workers feel they have limited options for re-employment if they are discarded at older ages.

One of the few recourses for employees is to file a job discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Nearly 21,000 age discrimination complaints were filed in 2016 with the commission, up from 20,144 in 2015, though down slightly from a high of almost 25,000 in 2009 during the financial crisis, when huge numbers of jobs were eliminated.

In recent years, the number of filings has hovered in the 21,000 range, and age discrimination accounts for nearly a quarter of the overall complaints filed with the agency, which also pursues charges of discrimination against a job applicant or employee on the basis of a persons race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or genetic information.

Yet, even as the workforce has a large number of older employees, one of the principal tools to fight such discrimination, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act  which Congress passed a half-century ago  may not be up to the task, said Laurie A. McCann, a lawyer with AARP Foundation Litigation, which is providing legal counsel to the Wichita plaintiffs.

Ageism unfortunately remains pervasive in the American workforce, she said. Only two of the cases the EEOC filed in court last year involved the federal age discrimination act, according to a list assembled by AARP.

They were among a total of only 86 workplace discrimination cases litigated in court last year, AARP found. Few cases are taken to court because such complaints are complicated and expensive; it can take a long time to assemble relevant evidence and testimony.

And a 2009 Supreme Court ruling has made proving age discrimination more difficult legally. In a case brought by an insurance executive, Jack Gross, who was among a dozen employees who were demoted, the court overturned an initial ruling favorable to him and imposed a tougher legal standard.

To win, the court said, plaintiffs like Gross had to prove that age discrimination was the prime, or motivating, reason for demotion or dismissal.

Many discrimination cases never reach the courtroom because they are settled voluntarily, said Victoria Lipnic, acting chairwoman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which in 2016 recovered just under $350 million for discrimination victims through mediation, conciliation and settlements. That compared with $52.2 million recovered from cases that involve litigation, she said in an interview.

People who work in states like California and New Jersey, which have strong antidiscrimination laws, may fare better complaining to state employment fairness agencies than relying on federal agencies or courts.

Still, proving age bias is difficult. Even companies that decide older workers are too expensive, with their larger paychecks and costlier health insurance, rarely detail this in internal documents or emails. And court rulings have given companies significant leeway to defend against such lawsuits.

Employers have a great deal of freedom to decide how layoffs occur, said Lisa Klerman, a law professor at the USC Gould School of Law, and a mediator in employment disputes.

Elizabeth Olson is a New York Times writer.
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DALLAS  Following widespread outrage over a passenger who was violently dragged off an overbooked plane, U.S. airlines are bumping customers at the lowest rate in at least two decades.

The Transportation Department said Tuesday that just 1 in every 19,000 passengers was kicked off an overbooked flight in the first six months of this year.

Thats the lowest rate since the government started keeping track in 1995.

The biggest decline took place between April and June, partly because airlines began paying many more passengers to give up their seats.

Airlines have routinely overbooked flights for years in the expectation that some passengers wont show up. When a flight is overbooked, airlines typically offer travel vouchers to encourage a few passengers to take a later flight.

That practice backfired in April when United employees, whose offers of vouchers were ignored, asked Chicago airport officers to help remove four people from a United Express flight to make room for airline employees commuting to their next flight.

A 69-year-old man was dragged forcibly down the airplane aisle and other passengers captured the spectacle on camera phones, turning the incident into a public-relations disaster for United.

Since then, United and other large U.S. airlines have introduced new measures to reduce overbooking, and raised the maximum amount that passengers can be offered to give up a seat.

Passengers still get bumped, however. Besides instances in which airlines sell too many seats, passengers may get booted when a mechanical breakdown causes an airline to use a smaller aircraft, or when the planes weight must be reduced for safe takeoff.

United Airlines spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said the carrier has sharply reduced bumping since the April incident. United booted 1,964 passengers in the first six months of 2017, with more in the second quarter than the first.

However, McCarthy said, bumpings dropped from 957 in April to 61 in May and 46 in June. The Transportation Department did not provide a monthly breakdown.

Travelers were least likely to be bumped on JetBlue Airways, Hawaiian Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Spirit Airlines had the highest rate of booting passengers, although Southwest Airlines, a much bigger carrier, bumped the most people, 2,642 in six months. Uniteds rate exactly matched in the industry average.

United, JetBlue, Delta and Southwest all persuaded more passengers to give up their seats than they had in the same period a year ago.

The Transportation Department issued the latest numbers of bumped passengers as it released its monthly report card on airline performance. The department said 76.2 percent of flights in June arrived on time, down from 78.0 percent in June 2016. The government counts a flight on time if it arrives within 14 minutes of schedule.

Hawaiian Airlines had the best rating among the 12 largest U.S. airlines, and JetBlue Airways had the worst rate  2 of every 5 flights arrived late.

Consumer complaints about U.S. airlines ticked up 3 percent to 1,115 in June. That is a tiny fraction of the millions of airline travelers, but most people who complain go straight to the airline, not the government.

United had more complaints than average but not the worst rate. That belonged to discount carrier Spirit Airlines by a wide margin. Alaska Airlines had the lowest rate of complaints.

The on-time ratings will be expanded next year to cover 18 airlines, including Allegiant Air, a discount carrier, and Envoy Air, a major operator of American Eagle flights.

David Koenig is an Associated Press writer.
The co-founder of Wondersitter, the San Francisco company that brokered babysitting jobs between parents and freelance babysitters, is attempting to place the company in bankruptcy, according to court filings.

Wondersitter co-founder Rose Titcomb filed a petition last Wednesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, seeking to place Wondersitter in Chapter 7 involuntary bankruptcy.

Wondersitter, founded in 2005, helped babysitters find sitting jobs in 12 U.S. cities. Parents would pay Wondersitter in advance, and Wondersitter would in turn pay the sitters after taking a percentage of the payment.

In recent weeks, Wondersitter faced accusations by more than 100 former sitters in California, Washington state and elsewhere who said they had not been paid in full for sitting jobs going back several months. Some of the sitters, who worked for Wondersitter as independent contractors, say they are owed thousands of dollars. Several have sought to recover the payments in small claims court.

An attorney for Titcomb did not immediately return requests for comment Tuesday. The companys website is shut down.

The vast majority of corporate bankruptcies, 97 percent, are voluntary and are filed by the debtor, according to Lynn LoPucki, a UCLA law professor who specializes in bankrutpcy law. The Wondersitter filing is among the 3 percent that are involuntary and initiated by creditors, he said. Titcomb filed the petition as a creditor.

If the case were to proceed to bankruptcy, most of the money would likely go to secured creditors  which are typically banks  and not to the sitters. However, independent contractors do have the right to assert wage claims under bankruptcy law. The sitters may be able to recover payments of up to $10,950 per person if the sitting jobs were performed during the 180 days before the bankruptcy petition was filed, LoPucki said.

Wondersitters license was suspended in 2014 after the state Franchise Tax Board found that the company failed to file tax returns. The license was never reinstated, but the company continued to operate for years. The tax board can suspend an entity but does not have the authority to prevent it from operating, said a spokesman for the Franchise Tax Board. If a suspended entity continues to operate, the local law enforcement agency has the authority to shut it down, he said.

The San Francisco District Attorneys Office is investigating Wondersitter. A spokesman for the office declined to elaborate on the scope of the inquiry other than to say it is ongoing and no arrests have been made.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho
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One of two people accused of killing a 71-year-old film scout and photographer on San Franciscos Twin Peaks last month had been arrested days earlier in the city for allegedly being a felon in possession of a gun, but was released from jail through a pretrial diversion program, records show.

City officials are now questioning the release of Lamonte Mims, a 19-year-old former resident of Patterson (Stanislaus County), who was on probation for burglarizing cars on Twin Peaks.

Mims was booked Monday and appeared in Superior Court on Tuesday to face charges including murder in the July 16 shooting of the film scout, Edward French, which occurred in the early morning during an apparent robbery attempt. A second suspect, 20-year-old Fantasy Decuir of San Francisco, did not appear in court after being hospitalized for an undisclosed reason, Assistant District Attorney Michael Swart said in court.

Defense attorney Randall Knox, who was appointed to represent Mims, and Public Defender Jeff Adachi, who is representing Decuir, declined to comment outside court.

Swart said there is video evidence that Decuir pulled the trigger and that Mims, who had been barred from Twin Peaks by a court order, made admissions of robbing French of his belongings to police.

Mims was previously arrested July 7 on suspicion of being a felon with a gun, according to court documents, and appeared in court July 11. Investigators reported finding him July 4 in a car on Fitzgerald Avenue, along with another man, a 9mm Ruger pistol and a .38-caliber revolver  an alleged violation of his probation.

Mims had been arrested in November on suspicion of committing three car break-ins on Twin Peaks and possessing burglary tools. On March 28, records show, he pleaded guilty to burglary and receiving stolen property, both misdemeanors. He was sentenced to three years of probation and a 90-day suspended sentence.

The district attorneys office moved to revoke his probation July 11, but a judge ruled he should be released on what is known as assertive case management, a pretrial program that requires routine check-ins. The judge had followed a recommendation by the San Francisco Pretrial Diversion Project, a nonprofit group funded by the sheriffs department and the mayors office.

In May 2016, San Francisco began experimenting with a computer algorithm that seeks to improve on the system of setting bail based on alleged crimes, taking into consideration whether a defendant might pose a public safety or flight risk.

The risk-assessment tool, developed by the Texas-based Laura and John Arnold Foundation, weighs a number of factors including the pending charges, the persons age and rap sheet, and their record of showing up to court. The tool then makes a recommendation for or against release, which is sent to a judge who can follow or ignore the advice.

Though District Attorney George Gascon was a proponent of the tool, prosecutors and defense attorneys said they have seen assessments with which they did not agree. Alex Bastian, a spokesman for the district attorneys office, said Tuesday there have been many instances of contention.

As it relates to this case along with many other cases, we have a disagreement with how that risk assessment is being calculated, Bastian said. They suggested release with certain conditions, and the judge carried out that recommendation and this defendant was released.

The Pretrial Diversion Project and the Arnold Foundation did not immediately return requests for comment Tuesday.

In addition to the San Francisco offenses, Mims was on felony probation in San Mateo County. He pleaded no contest to felony car burglary and misdemeanor identity theft on July 21, 2016, said San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

His arrest at Twin Peaks in November was a violation of Mims probation in San Mateo County, and he returned to court there in January, Wagstaffe said. Mims admitted the probation violation on Jan. 20, Wagstaffe said, and was sentenced to six months in jail. He served three months, with another three months of credit for good behavior.

San Francisco police said they linked Decuir and Mims to Frenchs killing while investigating a separate armed robbery that occurred near the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption at Geary and Gough streets on the morning of July 28. A 53-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman had been robbed of their cameras and wallets at gunpoint.

In court Tuesday, Swart argued against Judge Donna Hitchens decision to set bail for Mims and Decuir at $5 million, calling it an insult. He asked for $10 million, citing Mims prior convictions and the murder charges against them. Hitchens kept the bail at $5 million.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo
In This Corner of the World is a Japanese animation that tells the story of a young woman who comes of age just as World War II is beginning. It starts as a pastoral tale, and then gradually the war starts pressing in, first with rationing and food shortages and later with aerial bombing.

Most of the film takes place in Kure, a naval port that was the site of a major sea battle in 1945. To give you an idea of where the story goes, Kure is less than 20 miles from Hiroshima, the first city destroyed by an atomic bomb.

The animation is hand-drawn and delicate, with a color palette made up mostly of pastels, pink and light blue. The characters are delicate, as well. Though the movie ultimately turns on the violence wreaked on a wars innocent bystanders, the characters are uniformly gentle, almost meek. And so we watch in a kind of dread as 1945 gets closer.

Yet in another way, 1945 cant arrive fast enough, in that In This Corner of the World is 129 minutes, an eternity for an animated film, especially one so wispy in look and so sparing in plot. By the time the movies halfway over, viewers may have the paradoxical sensation of wishing the war would get going already. In this way, the film feels very much a cultural artifact not quite making the translation from Japan to America.

Still, there are moments that leap out with a touching quality of poetry, as when the young heroine looks out at a cloud forming in the direction of Hiroshima. Its elaborate and looks like a mushroom cloud, but its years before the atomic bomb. This time its just a rain cloud, prefiguring the calamity to come.

Theres also an interesting moment when the heroine gets word of the Japanese surrender. Instead of the reactions that we, within our culture, might expect  such as relief, or resignation, or a sad acknowledgment at the inevitable finally happening  she is bitter with rage, as if ready to take on the U.S. Army single-handedly. Its a curious moment and gives insight into a people known and feared at the time for their willingness to fight until the last person was standing.

Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle

In This Corner of the World

Animation. Starring Non and Megumi Han. Directed by Sunao Katabuchi. In Japanese with English subtitles. (PG-13. 129 minutes.)
[August 08, 2017] Abu Dhabi Investment Group Acquire Fiber Prime Telecommunications - FPT.

NEW YORK and ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Abu Dhabi Investment Group ("ABDIG"), a private investment group from Abu Dhabi, announced today an investment to acquire 62.5% of Fiber Prime Telecommunication's (FPT) shares. ABDIG is planning to invest up to $5 billion in subsea cable projects and will restructure FPT to become a top tier worldwide subsea cable company. FPT is proven leaders in providing fast, affordable, and reliable data services. "We look forward to partnering with the Abu Dhabi Investment Group management team to invest in critical global communications infrastructure," said Mr. Luiz Fuschini, who will serve as the President & Chairman of FPT. After careful consideration and deliberation, FPT's board concluded that the sale of FPT to ABDIG was in the best interest of FPT. "This transaction provides the opportunity for immediate and substantial value to FPT, while also allowing FPT greater flexibility to execute on its long-term strategic vision," said Mr. Fuschini. The combination between ABDIG and FPT would create a market leader managing more than $10B of subse, IT and telecom assets worldwide. The new company would operate under the FPT brand with Samir Auedd as CEO. "We are excited about the opportunity to partner with FPT and see tremendous benefit in ABDIG's acquisition and comprehensive offering heritage of technological innovation," said Mr. Auedd. "The breadth and depth of our combined product and service capabilities, delivered on a global scale, should enable us to provide a compelling value proposition to our customers," added Mr. Auedd.



"We look forward to working closely with FPT's leadership to develop world-class solutions and drive customer success," said Omar Jawhal, president of ABDIG. About ABDIG

Abu Dhabi Investment Group is a private investment firm founded in 2000 with over $36 billion of assets under management and offices in the Americas and EMEA. ABDIG's investment platforms are across a wide range of asset classes, including private equity, growth venture and real estate. ABDIG aims to build dynamic products and options for its investors while also instituting discipline and operational excellence across the investment strategy and performance of its portfolio.

About FPT

Founded in 2015, Fiber Prime Telecommunications (FPT) is an One-Stop-Shop independent telecommunications carrier, with extensive experience, capable of delivering advanced "tailor-made" data networking solutions. FPT has direct presence in more than 15 countries and extensive network partnerships covering any location in the Americas and Europe, with expansion plans to extend capabilities to Asia. As a One-Stop-Shop carrier, FPT offers a seamless and integrated experience to supply the increasing demand globally, providing a full suite of products and services such as VPN, Carrier Ethernet, Colocation, Logistics, and Professional Services. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/abu-dhabi-investment-group-acquire-fiber-prime-telecommunications---fpt-300501239.html SOURCE Fiber Prime Telecommunications

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Annabelle: Creation: We all find out how the Annabelle doll came into existence in this prequel to the fourth film in The Conjuring series.

Columbus: When his architect father falls into a coma, a Korean-born, American-raised man (John Cho) lands in Columbus, Ind., and joins up with a young woman (Haley Lu Richardson) to discover the architecture of the town as part of a personal journey.

Dave Made a Maze: Nick Thune plays an unsuccessful artist who creates a maze in his living room in this comedy based on 1980s adventure films.

False Confessions: The last feature film by director Luc Bondy is a 21st century reimagining of a Marivauxs play. Isabelle Huppert stars as a widow who hires the wrong person to be her accountant in this comedy-drama.

The Glass Castle: Based on the memoir by former gossip columnist Jeannette Walls, this film takes a look at her dysfunctional family that includes her alcoholic father (Woody Harrelson) and her eccentric artist mother (Naomi Watts). Brie Larson plays the grown-up Jeannette.

In This Corner of the World: This manga film, which takes place in Hiroshima during World War II, is about a young woman who must deal with the struggles of war.

Menashe: Menashe is an Orthodox Jewish widower who is trying to regain custody of his son.

The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature: The squirrels are back, and this time they are trying to save their home from being destroyed to make way for an amusement park. Voice talent includes Will Arnett, Katherine Heigl and Maya Rudolph.

The Only Living Boy in New York: Callum Turner stars as a young man who gets involved with his fathers mistress (Kate Beckinsale).

Walk With Me: Benedict Cumberbatch narrates this documentary about a Buddhist community that follows Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh.

Whose Streets: A documentary about the killing of Michael Brown and the resulting riots in Ferguson, Mo.

Wind River: Taylor Sheridan, who has written screenplays for Sicario and Hell or High Water, wrote and directed this film about an FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) and a game tracker (Jeremy Renner) who investigate the murder of a young girl on an Indian reservation.

 Leba Hertz
CHERRY HILL, N.J.  Officials from both parties had a consistent answer last year when asked about the security of voting systems: U.S. elections are so decentralized that it would be impossible for hackers to manipulate ballot counts or voter rolls on a wide scale.

But the voter fraud commission established by President Trump could take away that one bit of security.

The commission has requested information on voters from every state and recently won a federal court challenge to push ahead with the collection, keeping it in one place.

By compiling a national list of registered voters, the federal government could provide one-stop shopping for hackers and hostile foreign governments seeking to wreak havoc with elections.

Coordinating a national voter registration system located in the White House is akin to handing a zip drive to Russia, said Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, a Democrat who has refused to send data to the commission.

Trump appointed the commission, led by Vice President Mike Pence, to examine integrity of the voting system, including practices that could lead to improper voter registrations and improper voting. The president has asserted repeatedly and without evidence that several million fraudulent votes were cast in last years election. Voting experts say that there is not widespread election fraud in the U.S.

In June, commission Vice Chairman Kris Kobach, the Republican secretary of state in Kansas, asked state election officials for information about registered voters. The request included details such as drivers license and partial Social Security numbers.

Thirteen states plus the District of Columbia say they wont hand over the information. Those that are complying have said that not everything on the commissions checklist could be shared under their state laws. Social Security numbers are widely off limits; in several states, birth dates and political party registrations are, too.

Geoff Mulvihill is an Associated Press writer.
WASHINGTON  FBI agents looking for financial documents have searched one of the homes of President Trumps former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, whose past foreign political work has been swept into the investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni said in a statement that FBI agents had obtained a warrant and searched one of Manaforts homes, but he would not say when the search occurred or what it was for.

Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well, Maloni said.

The Associated Press has learned the warrant for the search on July 26 at Manaforts home in Alexandria, Va., sought information including tax documents and banking records. The Washington Post first reported the raid.

Manafort has been a subject of a long-standing FBI investigation into his dealings in Ukraine and work for the countrys former president, Viktor Yanukovych. That investigation has been incorporated into the probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is also scrutinizing Manaforts role in the Trump campaign as he looks into Russias meddling in the 2016 election and any possible collusion with Trump associates.

Manafort, who led the Trump campaign for several months, has denied any wrongdoing. He also spoke behind closed doors to Senate investigators for an interview just one day before the search of his home.

The use of a search warrant indicates that law enforcement officials have convinced a judge there is probable cause to believe a crime may have been committed. A house raid can be seen as an aggressive tactic given that Manafort has been cooperating with congressional investigators and has turned over hundreds of pages of documents. It could indicate law enforcement was looking for records beyond what Manafort provided.

Word of the raid is the latest revelation about Muellers investigation, which had been operating in relative secrecy compared with numerous congressional probes looking at the election. In recent days, its become clear the former FBI director is using a grand jury in Washington in addition to one in the Eastern District of Virginia, where investigators also have been looking into former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Also, FBI agents have been asking witnesses since the spring about $530,000 worth of lobbying and investigative work carried out by Flynns firm, Flynn Intel Group, according to a person familiar with the investigation. That work sought the extradition of an exiled Turkish cleric living in the U.S. Through his attorney, Flynn has declined to comment on the investigation.

Meanwhile, the Senate Judiciary Committee said Wednesday it has also received about 250 pages of documents from Donald Trump Jr. and about 20,000 pages from the Trump campaign.

Chad Day and Eric Tucker are Associated Press writers.
WASHINGTON  The U.S. Marine Corps for the first time is eyeing a plan to let women attend what has been male-only combat training in Southern California, as officials work to quash recurring problems with sexism and other bad behavior among Marines, according to Marine Corps officials.

If approved by senior Marine leaders, the change could happen as soon as next spring. And it could be the first step in a broader campaign to give male Marines who do their initial training on the West Coast the opportunity to work with female colleagues early in their career.
NEW YORK  Art student Usman Anwar planned to spend this summer at home in Pakistan, visiting family and hiking with friends, but as he followed news about President Trumps orders on immigration, he decided it was too risky to leave the U.S.

I had a feeling that if I would go back ... I wont be able to continue my studies here again, he said.
U.S. officials are abandoning plans to require sleep apnea screening for truck drivers and train engineers, a decision that safety experts say puts millions of lives at risk.

The Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said late last week that they are no longer pursuing the regulation that would require testing for the fatigue-inducing disorder thats been blamed for deadly rail crashes in New York City and New Jersey and several highway crashes.

The agencies argue that it should be up to railroads and trucking companies to decide whether to test employees. One railroad that does test, Metro-North in the New York City suburbs, found that 11.6 percent of its engineers have sleep apnea.

The decision to kill the sleep apnea regulation is the latest step in President Trumps campaign to drastically slash federal regulations. The Trump administration has withdrawn or delayed hundreds of proposed regulations since he took office in January  moves the president has said will help bolster economic growth.

Late last year, the railroad administration issued a safety advisory that was meant as a stopgap measure urging railroads to begin sleep apnea testing while the rules made their way through the legislative process. Without a regulation mandating testing, which would have needed approval from Congress, regulators couldnt cite trucking companies or railroads if a truck or train crashed because the operator fell asleep at the helm.

Sleep apnea is especially troubling for the transportation industry because sufferers are repeatedly awakened and robbed of rest as their airway closes and their breathing stops, leading to dangerous daytime drowsiness. Treatments include wearing a pressurized breathing mask, oral appliances or nasal strips to force the airway open while sleeping. Some severe cases require surgery.

Its very hard to argue that people arent being put at risk, said Sarah Feinberg, the former administrator of the FRA, who had issued the safety advisory in December. We cannot have someone who is in that condition operating either a train going 70 mph or operating a multi-ton truck traveling down the interstate. Its just not an appropriate level of risk to be exposing passengers and the traveling public to.

Michael Balsamo and Michael R. Sisak are Associated Press writers.
[August 08, 2017]

VShell 4.3 Server from VanDyke Software Adds Support for LDAP User Authentication and Enhances Public-Key Management

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- VanDyke Software, a developer of multi-platform secure terminal emulation and file transfer software, today announced the official release of the VShell 4.3 server. VShell 4.3 for Windows gives system administrators the ability to authenticate users using credentials provided by an external LDAP server and introduces new time-saving and security enhancements.

"With the new LDAP functionality, VShell administrators now have the option to leverage an existing user infrastructure," said Chris McElveny, VanDyke Software's product director for VShell. "Authenticating users via LDAP will allow users to connect with minimal changes on the VShell machine."

To help save administrators' time, VShell for Windows adds a public-key management interface for adding, viewing, and removing public keys that users are allowed to use for authentication.

Security and encryption enhancements include support for the ChaCha20-Poly1305 authenticated encryption cipher.

VShell 4.3 for UNIX adds fine-grained control over file and folder access permissions on virtual directories, as well as the ability to specify which virtual directory will be used as the user's default home directory.

The VShell Secure Shell server replaces Telnet and FTP for secure file transfer, secure network administration, and end-user access on Windows and UNIX platforms. Precision control over privileges, the ability to fine tune the Secure Shell environment, and a wide selection of strong authentication methods provide a flexible solution that grows with evolving business and security environments.







Availability of VShell 4.3

Fully-functional evaluation copies of VShell can be downloaded from the company's website: https://www.vandyke.com. Evaluators have full access to VanDyke Software's expert technical support to assist with installation, configuration, and testing. A public discussion forum about the applications can be found at: https://forums.vandyke.com.

About VanDyke Software, Inc.

Busy IT professionals depend on VanDyke Software to deliver rock-solid, easy-to-configure software for secure remote access, secure file transfer, terminal emulation, and remote administration. VanDyke Software offers a fully-supported 30-day evaluation of its products prior to purchase, providing both evaluators and customers with a higher level of service. The company's product offerings include the SecureCRT Secure Shell terminal emulator, the SecureFX secure file transfer client, the VanDyke ClientPack, and the VShell Secure Shell server. The company also offers a mobile app, SecureCRT for iOS, which is available for purchase from the Apple App store. For more information about VanDyke Software, visit the company's website at www.vandyke.com.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vshell-43-server-from-vandyke-software-adds-support-for-ldap-user-authentication-and-enhances-public-key-management-300501276.html

SOURCE VanDyke Software
ADELANTO (San Bernardino County)  Alexander Burgos Mejia was in his bunk at the Adelanto Detention Facility on a Tuesday evening in July when he heard a guard scream.

Walking into a common room, Burgos Mejia saw a man hanging from the second floor with a bedsheet around his neck, he recalled in an interview. A guard was trying to lift the man, and Burgos Mejia ran to help her before other officials arrived and cut the man down, he said.

The July 11 incident was the fifth report of an attempted suicide at the immigration detention center since December, according to San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department 911 call logs obtained by the Los Angeles Times through a public records request.

The incident unnerved Burgos Mejia, 28, who came to the U.S. earlier this year from Honduras, fleeing gangs and seeking asylum, and has been detained since.

I think doing something like that is something that has crossed the mind of all of us who are locked up here, he said.

As soon as he arrived at Adelanto, Burgos Mejia said, he felt like he was treated like a criminal, not a refugee.

Its the most horrible (feeling) he said. From the moment that they chain you up from your feet and hands.

Government officials say the Adelanto Detention Facility is subject to rigorous operating requirements and is tightly monitored to ensure those standards are met. When problems are identified, they are promptly addressed, officials say.

But complaints about the facility have grown particularly loud this year following the suicide attempts and three deaths since March, with multiple hunger strikes by detainees.

Located in the high desert 85 miles northeast of Los Angeles, the Adelanto Detention Facility can house nearly 2,000 men and women. Officials say more than 73,000 detainees have passed through since it opened in 2011.

Among those held there are asylum seekers, people caught in immigration sweeps and those identified by authorities as potentially deportable after landing in jail. Some have lived in the U.S. for decades; others were sent to Adelanto soon after crossing the border.

The GEO Group, which operates dozens of private prisons and detention centers around the country, owns and operates the facility.

GEO Group receives a fee of up to about $112 per day per detainee from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the city of Adelanto serving as a go-between.

Detainees and advocates have long complained of medical neglect, poor treatment by guards, lack of response to complaints and other problems. Government inspectors have also noted significant deficiencies at the facility  often related to medical care.

The Times interviewed detainees and their lawyers and advocates, and examined local law enforcement reports, city records and federal reviews dating to 2011, when the facility opened.

In November 2011, an ICE contractor conducting an annual review faulted the facility because medical officials were not conducting detainee health appraisals within 14 days of arrival, and registered nurses were performing health assessments without proper training or certification.

Ten months later, a report by ICEs Office of Detention Oversight found that many requests for medical care were delayed and medical records were not promptly reviewed.

That report also said that the death of detainee Fernando Dominguez Valdivia in March 2012 followed egregious errors by medical staff and could have been prevented.

In 2014, another report by the Office of Detention Oversight found Adelanto deficient in 26 areas  including 16 related to the facilitys efforts to prevent and intervene in sexual abuse cases.

After the 2015 death of Raul Ernesto Morales-Ramos, inspectors again found fault with Adelanto.

In the months before he died, Morales-Ramos submitted two complaints to Adelanto officials.

To who receives this, I am letting you know that I am very sick and they dont want to care for me, he wrote in one. The nurse only gave me ibuprofen and that only alleviates me for a few hours. Let me know if you can help me. I only need medical attention.

Morales-Ramos had been detained since his 2010 arrest on a warrant issued in El Salvador for conspiracy involving aggravated homicide.

His case persisted for years, and he was transferred to various detention centers until landing at Adelanto in May 2014. He complained throughout his detention of gastrointestinal and other problems and was given pain relievers and medicine for constipation and diarrhea.

Eventually, a doctor who examined him found an abdominal mass that was the largest she has ever seen in her practice, according to the review conducted after his death. Based on its size, the tumor had probably been present for months.

The report on his death, prepared by the Office of Detention Oversight, said Adelanto failed to provide Morales-Ramos with timely and comprehensive medical care, among other lapses.

ICE officials declined an interview request.

In a written response to questions, agency spokeswoman Virginia Kice said detention centers have undergone reforms in recent years to ensure that those in ICE custody receive timely access to medical services and treatment.

Those reforms include assigning medical coordinators to the agencys field offices who can closely monitor complex cases, Kice said. Immigration officials have also simplified the process for authorizing detainee health care from outside providers, she said.

Pablo Paez, a spokesman for GEO Group, also declined an interview request.

In a statement, he said the Adelanto Detention Facility has a long-standing record providing high-quality, culturally responsive services, including comprehensive around the clock medical care, in a safe, secure, and humane environment that meets the non-penal, non-punitive needs of immigration detainees.

We take all reviews and audits with the utmost seriousness and when necessary implement prompt corrective actions, Paez said.

He said that during its most recent annual audit the facility was found to be in compliance with 100 percent of the mandated ICE standards. He did not provide a copy of that report.

Paloma Esquivel is a Los Angeles Times writer.
[August 08, 2017] CTIA approves NTS as a CTIA Authorized Testing Laboratory (CATL) for Over the Air Performance testing

CALABASAS, Calif. and FREMONT, Calif., Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- National Technical Systems, Inc. ("NTS"), the leading independent provider of environmental simulation testing, inspection, and certification solutions in the United States, announced today that it has received approval from CTIA, an international organization supporting the wireless communications industry, as a CTIA Authorized Testing Laboratory (CATL) for Over-the-Air Performance (OTA) Testing. OTA measurement is essential to capture the antenna performance of a variety of wireless technologies, including cellular (2G, 3G, LTE), Bluetooth, ZigBee and Wi-Fi. As many IoT and M2M devices become increasingly more compact, antennas are sometimes forced to be placed near other antennas, displays, computer processors, high-speed memory, all of which can interfere and degrade the devices over-the-air (OTA) performance. In addition to power measurements, OTA testing can perform sensitivity measurements to illustrate how internal components are affecting the RF radio's performance. This allows product developers to see where the issues are during normal operation and how they are impacting the product's performance. The NTS OTA chamber is a multi-antenna array system with 23 sensors allowing for Total Radiated Power (TRP) measurements to be taken up to 50% faster than older single sensor systems. This reduction in test time enables NTS clients to run more tests during their test programs. For customers testing devices with short battery life, this faster measurement time enables the test program to complete without charging the device mid-test. Testing covers TRP as well as Total Isotropic Sensitivity (TIS) in free space, 2D and 3D antenna patterns. The chamber measurement capability is 600MHz to 5GHz. OTA performance testing has been recognized by wireless carriers and wireless device manufactures as an essential tool to determine the prodct's usable range, battery life, connectivity speed and robustness. NTS has used OTA to evaluate products ranging from gaming peripherals and medical therapy devices to commercial drones. NTS experienced engineers interpret client OTA test results and identify RF issues that may delay a product's launch. Additionally, NTS engineers and program managers further enhance the efficiency of client test programs by including other test services; the most commonly required testing includes product safety, global market approvals, and environmental performance testing.



"We are excited to be a CTIA Authorized Test Lab and adding OTA performance certification testing to our portfolio," stated Rich Adams, Vice President of Operations for NTS. "At NTS we are continually adding new accreditations and approvals. Our goal is to provide our clients with the services they need to bring reliable, safe products to market quickly and cost-effectively." NTS is a portfolio company of Los Angeles-based Aurora Capital Group.

About National Technical Systems National Technical Systems, Inc. (NTS) is a global independent provider of environmental simulation testing, inspection, and certification services, serving a broad range of industries, including the civil aviation, space, defense, nuclear, telecommunications, industrial, electronics, medical, and automotive end markets. During its more than 50 years in business, NTS has built the broadest geographic presence and sole national footprint in the United States, an unparalleled breadth of capabilities, and has fostered continuous innovation, making NTS a unique one-stop resource to meet its clients' demanding and evolving requirements. Operating through a network of 28 technologically advanced testing laboratories across the United States, this geographically diverse footprint puts NTS facilities in close proximity to its more than 4,000 clients, allowing NTS to serve the nation's most innovative companies with industry-leading accessibility and responsiveness. NTS' offering spans more than 70 distinct environmental simulation and materials testing categories, including climatic, structural, dynamics, fluid flow, EMI/EMC, lightning, product safety, acoustics, failure analysis, chemical, and other industry-specific tests, allowing it to handle its clients' most demanding needs. Additionally, the company is accredited by numerous national and international organizations, which allows NTS to have its test data nearly universally accepted worldwide. NTS operates its inspection division under the Unitek brand, providing a wide range of supply chain management services. NTS' certification division, which operates under the NQA brand, is one of the largest and most respected global ISO registrars, with active certifications in more than 75 countries. For additional information about NTS, visit our website at www.nts.com or call 800-270-2516. Contact: National Technical Systems

Sarah Willis (Media)

[email protected]

(818) 312-8680

Douglas Briskie (Technical)

[email protected]

(714) 745-9174 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ctia-approves-nts-as-a-ctia-authorized-testing-laboratory-catl-for-over-the-air-performance-testing-300501029.html SOURCE National Technical Systems, Inc.

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Paul Chinn / The Chronicle 2017

Good morning from the Bay Area! Here are the stories we are talking about today:

After Google fired an engineer who blasted the companys diversity efforts, critics are now blasting the company for not going far enough. On the other hand, right-leaning pundits said the tech giant went too far by punishing an employee for voicing his opinions.
[August 08, 2017] Scandinavian CybCSec Solutions Offers Innovative Cybersecurity to the Cryptocurrency Industry, Announces Crowdsale

HEDMARK, Norway, Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Scandinavian cybersecurity start-up CybCSec Solutions is launching its blockchain cybersecurity solution and XCS crowdsale. Norwegian based company CybCSec Solutions has announced its new cryptocurrency CybCSec Coin [XCS]. The company, with a mission to provide personal cybersecurity features for businesses and individual users across the globe has a long-term model designed to be implemented with pre-existing as well as new businesses. The model is designed to be implemented in three separate phases. The CybCSec team is comprised of industry-leading developers from the cybersecurity sector, with some of them boasting decades of experience in the field. CybCSec Solutions plans to become the leading developer in the Crypto-verse, by creating and implementing innovative security for personal and business users. The CEO of CybCSec Solutions outlines the projected growth in user base stating, "We estimate by the middle of 2018 we should see an active user base of over half a million people and by the end of 2018/beginning of 2019 that should be over a million users." The CybCSec Whitepaper outlines the project's feature releases in a series of phases, from one to three. CybCSec Coin has been designed to have a long term, stable ecosystem and a growth model that is easily implemented with pre-existing businesses. The company's three phase feature release structure is as follows: Phase 1 Feature Release The Feature Release of CybCSec coin has already started, and the cryptocurrency is undergoing its final series of testing. CybCSec coin wallets are already available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android devices. TOR enabled connections for secure messaging, and stealth addresses for anonymous receipt of payments have been already implemented and working. Ecosystem & Growth The platform already has agreements in place with a global sales team network operating in more than one hundred countries. The group includes more than ten thousand restaurants, cafes, shops and businesses, which will accept XCS DIRECTLY as a payment method for products and services. CybCSec Solutions expects to release a compiled database of retail outlets accepting XCS by the end of Q3 2017. Phase 2 Feature Release It will witess the implementation of user-friendly Smart Contracts, allowing "average user" to integrate XCS into their pre-existing business models and newly created Smart Contracts.



Ecosystem & Growth CybCSec Solutions will focus on integration with a range of shopping clubs and online merchants, working with their global sales team in order to build further support for the currency worldwide.

Phase 3 Feature Releases The third and final phase of feature releases will introduce Antivirus, Cyber Security, Intrusion Sensors, Secure File Transfers and additional security based innovations being developed by CybCSec Solutions. CybCSec Solutions lead developer outlines the company's mission stating, "It is our vision to change the way cryptocurrency operates within any given ecosystem and to provide a much safer and productive experience for all cryptocurrency users worldwide. A secure and unique environment along with personal safety is a priority for a thriving ecosystem, and CybCSec Solutions aims to be a leader in this field. To further this, we believe cryptocurrency should be inclusive and available to everyone, and that is why, along with our agreements in place with the global sales team we also offer education to business and personal users looking to further understand this world-changing innovation that we have been given with cryptocurrency and it is our intention to make cryptocurrency more accessible and accepted worldwide." CybCSec Coin ICO Unlike other innovative companies who have recently chosen to raise as much money as possible from ICOs, CybCSec Solutions plans only to sell approx. 2.5% of the total supply in order to raise funds for Phase Two and Three development. The company will reserve the option to release further XCS to the market, should there need to raise more funds for future developments. The public sale will take place in an ICO-style format with several stages, and price increases at each stage, information about the ICO can be found on the official website for CybCSec Solutions. The ICO will be hosted directly by CybCSec Solutions via its dedicated website, with payment processing being handled by CoinPayments. For full ICO details and to stay up to date, visit the CybCSec ICO page. CybCSec Coin Specification Currency Name: CybCSec Coin

Ticker: XCS

Total Supply: 250,000,000 XCS

Proof of Stake: 8% Annual Reward

Block Times: ~64 seconds Learn more about CybCSec at  www.CybCSec.com

Learn more about the ICO at  www.CybCSecICO.com

Find CybCSec Coin on Facebook here  https://www.facebook.com/groups/CybCSecCoin/

Find CybCSec Coin on Twitter here  https://twitter.com/CybCSec

CybCSec Coin Whitepaper here  http://cybcsec.com/xcswhitepaper.pdf Media Contact Contact Name: Richard Morrison

Contact Email: [email protected]

Location: Hedmark, Norway CybCSec is the source of this content. Virtual currency is not legal tender, is not backed by the government, and accounts and value balances are not subject to consumer protections. This press release is for informational purposes only. The information does not constitute investment advice or an offer to invest. Related Links Bitcoin PR Buzz CybCSec Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoYL9NNgwsQ View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scandinavian-cybcsec-solutions-offers-innovative-cybersecurity-to-the-cryptocurrency-industry-announces-crowdsale-300501270.html SOURCE CybCSec

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[August 08, 2017] Samsung Introduces Far-Reaching V-NAND Memory Solutions to Tackle Data Processing and Storage Challenges

Samsung (News - Alert) Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, has announced new V-NAND (Vertical NAND) memory solutions and technology that will address the pressing requirements of next-generation data processing and storage systems. With the rapid increase of data-intensive applications across many industries using artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, the role of flash memory has become extremely critical in accelerating the speed at which information can be extracted for real-time analysis. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808005573/en/ Samsung NGSFF SSD (Photo: Business Wire) At the inaugural Samsung Tech Day* and this year's Flash Memory Summit**, Samsung is showcasing solutions to address next-generation data processing challenges centered around the company's latest V-NAND technology and an array of solid state drives (SSDs). These solutions will be at the forefront of enabling today's most data-intensive tasks such as high-performance computing, machine learning, real-time analytics and parallel computing. "Our new, highly advanced V-NAND technologies will offer smarter solutions for greater value by providing high data processing speeds, increased system scalability and ultra-low latency for today's most demanding cloud-based applications," said Gyoyoung Jin, executive vice president and head of Memory Business at Samsung Electronics. "We will continue to pioneer flash innovation by leveraging our expertise in advanced 3D-NAND memory technology to significantly enhance the way in which information-rich data is processed." Samsung heralds era of 1-terabit (Tb) V-NAND chip Samsung announced a 1Tb V-NAND chip that it expects to be available next year. Initially mentioned in 2013, during unveiling of the industry's first 3D NAND, Samsung has been working to enable its core memory technologies to realize one terabit of capacity on a single chip using a V-NAND structure. The arrival of a 1Tb V-NAND chip next year will enable 2TB of memory in a single V-NAND package by stacking 16 1Tb dies and will represent one of the most important memory advances of the past decade. NGSFF (Next Generation Small Form Factor) SSD to improve server storage capacity and IOPS Samsung is sampling the industry's first 16-terabyte (TB) NGSFF SSD, which will dramatically improve the memory storage capacity and IOPS (input/output operations per second) of today's 1U rack servers. Measuring 30.5mm x 110mm x 4.38mm, the Samsung NGSFF SSD provides hyper-scale data center servers with substantially improved space utilization and scaling opions.



Utilizing the new NGSFF drive instead of M.2 drives in a 1U server can increase the storage capacity of the system by four times. To highlight the advantages, Samsung demonstrated a reference server system that delivers 576TB in a 1U rack, using 36 16TB NGSFF SSDs. The 1U reference system can process about 10 million random read IOPS, which triples the IOPS performance of a 1U server equipped with 2.5-inch SSDs. A petabyte capacity can be achieved using only two of the 576TB systems. Samsung plans to begin mass producing its first NGSFF SSDs in the fourth quarter of this year, while working to standardize the form factor with industry partners.

Z-SSD: optimized for systems requiring fast memory responsiveness Following last year's introduction of its Z-SSD technology, Samsung introduced its first Z-SSD product, the SZ985. Featuring ultra-low latency and high performance, the Z-SSD will be used in data centers and enterprise systems dealing with extremely large, data-intensive tasks such as real-time "big data" analytics and high-performance server caching. Samsung is collaborating with several of its customers on integrating the Z-SSD in upcoming applications. The Samsung SZ985 requires only 15 microseconds of read latency time which is approximately a seventh of the read latency of an NVMe*** SSD. At the application level, the use of Samsung's Z-SSDs can reduce system response time by up to 12 times, compared to using NVMe SSDs. With its fast response time, the new Z-SSD will play a pivotal role in eliminating storage bottlenecks in the enterprise and in improving the total cost of ownership (TCO). New approach to storage with proprietary Key Value SSD technology Samsung also introduced a completely new technology called Key Value SSD. The name refers to a highly innovative method of processing complex data sets. With the sharply increasing use of social media services and IoT applications, which contribute to the creation of object data such as text, image, audio and video files, the complexity in processing this data increases substantially. Today, SSDs convert object data of widely ranging sizes into data fragments of a specific size called "blocks." The use of these blocks requires implementation processes consisting of LBA (logical block addressing) and PBA (physical block addressing) steps. However, Samsung's new Key Value SSD technology allows SSDs to process data without converting it into blocks. Samsung's Key Value instead assigns a "key" or specific location to each "value," or piece of object data - regardless of its size. The key enables direct addressing of a data location, which in turn enables the storage to be scaled. Samsung's Key Value technology enables SSDs to scale-up (vertically) and scale-out (horizontally) in performance and capacity. As a result, when data is read or written, a Key Value SSD can reduce redundant steps, which leads to faster data inputs and outputs, as well as increasing TCO and significantly extending the life of an SSD. About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems, and semiconductor and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com * Editor's Note: Samsung Tech Day hosted at Samsung's Silicon Valley headquarters on Monday August 7th, showcased "[email protected] Heart of Storage" and provided insights into the company's plans to deliver IT products that support the big data explosion, give greater access to massive real-time data sets, and provide real-time, fast data capabilities. The event also hosted an executive, customer and analyst panel, and displayed product demos across Samsung's comprehensive product ecosystem. ** Editor's Note: Flash Memory Summit (FMS), produced by Conference ConCepts, showcases the mainstream applications, key technologies and leading vendors that are driving the multi-billion dollar non-volatile memory and SSD markets. FMS is reportedly the world's largest event featuring the trends, innovations, and influencers driving the adoption of flash memory in demanding enterprise storage applications, as well as in smartphones, tablets, and mobile and embedded systems. For more information, please visit at www.flashmemorysummit.com/ *** Editors' Note: Often shortened as NVMe, NVM Express (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is a high performance, scalable host controller interface with a streamlined 'register and command' set that has been optimized for enterprise and client systems using PCIe SSDs. For more information, please visit www.nvmexpress.org All brand, product, service names and logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby recognized and acknowledged. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808005573/en/

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OAKLAND (BCN)

Prosecutors dismissed the charges today against a man who had been accused of raping a female acquaintance while she was sleeping at his apartment near the University of California at Berkeley campus more than two years ago.

The prosecution's decision came about six weeks after jurors on June 27 deadlocked 7-5 in favor of acquitting 24-year-old William Joseph Ryan III.

Ryan was charged with raping an unconscious woman at his apartment in the 1900 block of Oxford Street in Berkeley in the early morning hours of April 8, 2015.

DRIVER ARRESTED: Driver arrested in death of 37-year-old jogger in San Francisco

Ryan's attorney Elizabeth Grossman said today, "There weren't any drugs or alcohol involved and the only issue was whether the prosecution could prove that Mr. Ryan knew that she was asleep at the time they had intercourse."

Grossman said prosecutors couldn't sustain that burden. She also said jurors said after Ryan's trial that they believed there were many indications that the woman was awake at the time she had sex with Ryan.

In her closing argument in Ryan's trial in June, Alameda County prosecutor Emily Tienken said jurors should "hold him responsible for what he did and took away from her with his actions."

DOLORES PARK SHOOTING: 1 victim of Dolores Park triple shooting still critical as hunt for suspects goes on

Tienken said Ryan "couldn't possibly think she was awake" when he had sex with her.

Grossman said Ryan, the young woman and a group of their friends had been at a musical event and at the end of the evening the woman asked Ryan to walk her to her car.

However, the Berkeley parking garage where her car was parked was locked for the night so she accepted an offer from Ryan to sleep at his apartment, Grossman said.

Ryan and the woman talked and listened to music at his apartment and then cuddled all night in his bed, according to Grossman.

MURDER-SUICIDE: Murder-suicide suspected in discovery of 2 bodies in Santa Clara

The police report in the case indicates that the woman woke up at 6:30 a.m. to find Ryan raping her.

Tienken said the woman was asleep, wasn't aware of what Ryan was doing and didn't voluntarily take her clothes off.

The prosecutor said that after the encounter the woman felt "violated and very upset."

Grossman said the woman made a video recording of Ryan on her phone after she woke up and the sex was over but she thinks the recording, which was shown to jurors, helped the defense because Ryan repeatedly apologized and told the woman that he thought she had been awake.

Grossman said the recording showed Ryan's state of mind, which she said was that he thought he hadn't done anything inappropriate.

Grossman said she believes the prosecution's decision to dismiss the charge is "a just outcome."

Prosecutors didn't immediately respond to a request for a comment on the case.
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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)

A young woman reported being kidnapped in San Francisco's Mission District early this morning by a man who would not let her out of his car, according to police.

DOLORES PARK SHOOTING: 1 victim of Dolores Park triple shooting still critical as hunt for suspects goes on

The 18-year-old woman met the 25-year-old male suspect and got into his car, but the suspect then refused to let her out, police said.

The victim spotted police in the area of 21st and Folsom streets around 2 a.m. and was able to escape the vehicle and ask them for help, police said.

MAN FALLS OFF PG&E TOWER: Trespasser falls off Santa Rosa PG&E tower, causes fire and outage

The suspect fled the area and had not been located or arrested as of this morning, but his vehicle and a handgun have been found, police said.

Police have not released a detailed description of the suspect.
[August 08, 2017] Legal360 for Dynamics 365 to launch at ILTA

360 Vertical Solutions, the Microsoft (News - Alert) Dynamics CRM 2016 "Global Industry Partner of the Year," will launch its new industry-specific product "Legal360" at ILTACON. The new offering represents a radical step in CRM technology for law practices. By harvesting and organizing business, contact and relationship information from formerly disconnected in-house and external data fields and content streams, Legal360 brings valuable client and business development intel into sharp, easily-accessed focus for everyone in the firm. The product will be unveiled as Microsoft's primary exhibitor at the ILTA 2017 Convention from August 13-17 in Las Vegas. With over 25 years of law firm technology experience and building on the company's Dynamics CRM success within professional services markets, 360VS is leveraging the globe's largest legal tech conference to release the Dynamics 365 based business development, marketing and relationship intelligence platform. Legal360 is the first Microsoft cloud-based application that delivers a comprehensive suite of tools to support the needs of lawyers, marketing teams and business development executives. The Legal360 solution delivers a unique and easy-to-use CRM platform by leveraging the Gartner (News - Alert)-leading Microsoft Dynamics 365 application, along with a set of synchronization and data harvesting tools that turns law firm data into valuable relationship and business intelligence. "The excitement never gets old," stated Whit McIsaac, President and CEO of 360 Vertical Solutions. "But it s a special opportunity to introduce such a different approach to legal CRM in the middle of the ILTA buzz!" McIsaac added, "Traditionally, law practices have had separate and disconnected systems for marketing, business development teams and lawyers focused on winning new work. Legal360 bridges these workloads within the firm, and leverages data harvesting tools to aggregate data from in-house systems and external content to provide a 360 perspective for key contacts, existing clients, a strategic client team or a potential new client. Never before has there been a solution like this for law practices and we feel that our legal clients have a significant competitive advantage based on this business intelligence."



"The perspective and direction of both business development and marketing in the legal market has changed radically in the past five years," added David Hutchinson, Executive Vice President of 360VS. "To complement our Legal360 solution, we've combined lessons learned in other professional services industries where they leverage a relationship-based seller/doer model for capturing new business. This approach is working well for architects, engineers, accountants, and consultants - we see law firms looking to quickly adopt this approach." Hutchinson continued, "Our 25 years of developing legal applications and a dozen years of Dynamics CRM trailblazing experience positions the Legal360 group to redefine CRM in the legal industry." For ILTACON, the Legal360 group will be located in Microsoft's booth #832/834 alongside the Office 365 and Dynamics 365 teams. Legal360 will be hosting two open house educational sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday at 1:30 in Microsoft's demonstration room Level 2, J. These sessions are open to all attendees, so please stop by the Microsoft booth for additional information or contact us at the website below.

Legal360 for Dynamics 365 to launch at ILTA and 360 Vertical Solutions are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Legal360 for Dynamics 365 to launch at ILTA in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. For more information on 360 Vertical Solutions: http://www.360verticalsolutions.com/legal360/ View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808006393/en/

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[August 08, 2017] Silver Spring Networks to Extend Starfish Service to Additional Areas in London

Silver Spring Networks, Inc. (NYSE: SSNI) today announced that it will deploy its Starfish platform-as-a-service (PaaS) across the City of London and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. This adds to the previously announced London deployment in the City of Westminster. Through urbancontrol, the newest company within the DW Windsor Group, Silver Spring's Starfish is expected to connect approximately 12,000 smart street lights in the City of London and 15,500 smart street lights in the Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Starfish is based on Silver Spring's proven, secure, and reliable wireless network and data platform, built on the Wi-SUN IoT mesh technology specification. Silver Spring is a founding member and co-chair of the Wi-SUN Alliance, which drives the interoperability for wireless solutions based on the IEEE (News - Alert) 802.15.4g standard1. "We are excited that our go-to-market strategy is gaining momentum internationally, with our newest award in the UK, and we are honored to expand our deployment in London," said Ayse Ildeniz, Chief Operating Officer, Silver Spring Networks. "Being selected by London demonstrates that world-class cities rely on technology that is proven to be secure, reliable, scalable and based on our open standards technology - clear advantages that set Silver Spring's apart from other providers that don't have experience connecting critical infrastructure." Silver Spring's platform was selected to provide 100% coverage in the dense urban setting of the City of London, including streets, lanes and alleyways where cellular technology is unavailable, and star networks could not reach. "The Square Mile" is a global financial hub and Central Business District through which over 450,000 commuters pass through daily. The smart street lights will help the City of London achieve its energy savings goals and reduce operational costs, while also improving service reliability and helping to lay a platform for future IoT applications. "The reliability, resilience and cyber security of the system were key requirements for us. We thoroughly evaluated technology options which were proven to connect critical devices at-scale, and guarantee highly reliable coverage, regardless of where the device is connected in the City," said Giles Radford, Highways Manager, City of London Corporation. "We look forward to working with urbancontrol to deploy Silver Spring technology that will help drive smart city services for the City of London." In East London, the Borough of Barking and Dagenham is aiming to drive energy efficiency through remote dimming and brightening of the new smart street lights. The program is a core aspect of the Borough's goal to become the Green Energy Capital of London, and an important aspect within the selection was Silver Spring's bility to deploy additional IoT services in the future.



As announced in 2016, urbancontrol is one of Silver Spring Networks' highly-respected channel partners offering its standards-based platform and solutions. The reseller agreement between urbancontrol and Silver Spring Networks aims to help cities and other public lighting operators in the UK deliver smart street lighting programs and establish a foundation for future Internet of Things (IoT) applications and services such as smart water, traffic signals, and environmental sensors. "Silver Spring's proven performance, reliability, system security and smart city flexibility makes it the best networking choice for the requirements for London boroughs both now and in the future," said Stuart Wilson, Director of urbancontrol. "We believe that our city customers are setting an exemplary example for smart lighting and broader IoT deployments in London and across the UK market."

"Our partnership with urbancontrol to expand Silver Spring multi-application technology across London demonstrates that cities are looking to upgrade existing services, with a keen eye to future opportunities for smart city and IoT initiatives," said Brian McGuigan, European Sales Director - Smart Cities, Silver Spring Networks. "We'd encourage boroughs across London to collaborate on innovation, enabled through open standards-based technology, so that the benefits can spread across its communities." With more than 26.7 million enabled devices delivered on five continents. Silver Spring Networks has also deployed its technology in Bristol, Chicago, Copenhagen, Dubai, Glasgow, Kolkata, Melbourne, Mexico City, Paris, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Singapore, and Washington, D.C. Join the Silver Spring Networks Conversation Read more on the Silver Spring Connect blog at

www.ssni.com/blog/

www.ssni.com/blog/ Follow @SilverSpringNet on Twitter (News - Alert)

Like Silver Spring Networks on Facebook at www.facebook.com/silverspringnetworks

Learn more about the Wi-Sun Alliance and the value of open standards-based IoT networking at www.wi-sun.org About Silver Spring Networks Silver Spring Networks enables the Internet of Important Things by reliably and securely connecting things that matter. Cities, utilities, and companies on five continents use the company's cost-effective, high-performance IoT network and data platform to operate more efficiently, get greener, and enable innovative services that can improve the lives of millions of people. With more than 26.7 million devices delivered, Silver Spring provides a proven standards-based platform safeguarded with military grade security. Silver Spring Networks' customers include Baltimore Gas & Electric, CitiPower & Powercor, ComEd, Consolidated Edison, CPS Energy, Florida Power & Light, Pacific Gas & Electric, Pepco Holdings, and Singapore Power. Silver Spring has also deployed networks in Smart Cities including Copenhagen, Glasgow, Paris, Providence, and Stockholm. To learn more, visit www.ssni.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements about Silver Spring Networks' expectations, plans, intentions, and strategies, including, but not limited to statements regarding the benefits of Silver Spring's Starfish platform and IoT technology generally, and the scope of Silver Spring's engagement with urbancontrol in the City of London and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Statements including words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or "future" and statements in the future tense are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions, which, if they do not fully materialize or prove incorrect, could cause our results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties include the successful implementation of the engagement with urbancontrol in the City of London and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, as well as those described in Silver Spring Networks' documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Silver Spring Networks as of the date hereof. Silver Spring Networks assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements. 1 Wi-SUN and Wi-SUN Alliance are registered trademarks of the Wi-SUN Alliance. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808006134/en/

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[August 08, 2017] High Voltage Measuring Equipment Market, Power Transmission, Industrial - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024

LONDON, Aug.8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- High Voltage Measuring Equipment Market: Overview



High voltage measuring equipment are high accuracy electrical devices used in the measurement of high voltage (35kV-400kV), extra high voltage (401kV-800kV) and ultra high voltage (>800kV) alternating and direct currents. These instruments can be primarily divided into capacitive voltage transformers, potential transformers and other equipment like high voltage capacitors, multimeters, probes, etc. They are used in several applications like power generation (substation), power transmission, industrial facilities and laboratories, etc. Both, the capacitive voltage transformers and potential transformers are types of instrument transformers. While the capacitive voltage transformer can be used for a wide range of voltages up to 1200kV, the potential transformer has a limited range of ~250kV. During the forecast period, the demand of these equipment for direct current transmission and extra high voltage (401-800kV) transmission is expected to be higher.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5027963/



High Voltage Measuring Equipment Market: Scope of Study



This report analyzes and forecasts the market for high voltage measuring equipment at the global and regional level. The market has been forecast based on volume (Units) and revenue (US$ Mn) from 2016 to 2024, considering 2015 as the base year. The study includes drivers and restraints of the global high voltage measuring equipment market. It also covers impact of these drivers and restraints on demand for high voltage measuring equipment during the forecast period. The report also highlights opportunities in the high voltage measuring equipment market at the global and regional level.



The report includes detailed value chain analysis, which provides a comprehensive view of the global high voltage measuring equipment market. Porter's Five Forces model for the high voltage measuring equipment market has also been included to help understand the competitive landscape in the market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness.



The study provides a decisive view of the global high voltage measuring equipment market by segmenting it in terms of product type (capacitive voltage transformers, potential transformers & others) and applications such as power generation (substation), power transmission, industrial & others (laboratory, testing centres, commercial purposes, etc.). These segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends. Regional segmentation includes current and forecast demand for high voltage measuring equipment in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa.



The report provides the actual market size of high voltage measuring equipment for 2015 andestimated market size for 2016 with forecast for the next eight years. The global market size of high voltage measuring equipment has been provided in terms of volume and revenue. Market volume has been defined in units, while market revenue is in US$ Mn. Market numbers have been estimated based on product type and key applications of high voltage measuring equipment. Market size and forecast for numerous end-users have been provided in terms of global, regional, and country level markets.







In order to compile the research report, we conducted in-depth interviews and discussions with a number of key industry participants and opinion leaders. Primary research represented the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. We reviewed key players' product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents for competitive analysis and market understanding. Secondary research includes a search of recent trade, technical writing, Internet sources, and statistical data from government websites, trade associations, and agencies. This has proven to be the most reliable, effective, and successful approach for obtaining precise market data, capturing industry participants' insights, and recognizing business opportunities.



Secondary research sources that are typically referred to include, but are not limited to company websites, annual reports, financial reports, broker reports, investor presentations, SEC filings, IEA, IEEE, internal and external proprietary databases, and relevant patent and regulatory databases such as ICIS, Hoover's, oneSOURCE, Factiva and Bloomberg, national government documents, statistical databases, trade journals, market reports, news articles, press releases, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market.





We conduct primary interviews on an ongoing basis with industry participants and commentators to validate data and analysis. These help validate and strengthen secondary research findings. These also help develop the analysis team's expertise and market understanding.



High Voltage Measuring Equipment Market: Regional Outlook



Demand for the high voltage measuring equipment is anticipated to increase rapidly because of the heavy investment in transmission grids by various regions. This investment and thereby demand will be highest in Asia Pacific , followed by Middle East & Africa and Latin America . Here, the investment in transmission grids will primarily focus on providing citizens with access to electricity. On the other hand, demand will be comparatively lower in Europe and North America , where the markets are already mature and the demand is likely to come from replacement of old equipment and upgradation of the same to meet newer and stricter environmental regulations.



High Voltage Measuring Equipment Market: Competitive Landscape



The report comprises profiles of major companies operating in the global high voltage measuring equipment market. The global high voltage measuring equipment market is partially consolidated. Key players include ABB, Siemens, GE Grid Solutions, Maxwell Technologies, BHEL, Crompton Greaves , and Shanghai Electric Group Company Limited. Market players have been profiled in terms of attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, and recent developments.



The global high voltage measuring equipment market has been segmented as follows:



High Voltage Measuring Equipment Market: Product Type Analysis



Capacitive Voltage Transformer

Potential Transformer

Others



High Voltage Measuring Equipment Market: Voltage Analysis



High Voltage (35-400kV)

Extra High Voltage (401-800kV)

Ultra High Voltage (>800kV)



High Voltage Measuring Equipment Market: Current Analysis



Alternating Current

Direct Current



High Voltage Measuring Equipment Market: Application Analysis



Power Generation (substation)

Power Transmission

Industrial

Others



High Voltage Measuring Equipment Market: Regional Analysis



North America

U.S.

Canada

Europe

U.K.

Italy

Russia

France

Germany

Rest Of Europe

Asia Pacific

China

India

ASEAN

Japan

Rest Of Asia Pacific

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Rest of South America

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

GCC

South Africa

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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 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/high-voltage-measuring-equipment-market-power-transmission-industrial---global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2016---2024-300501553.html SOURCE ReportBuyer

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[August 09, 2017] LPA Inc. Names First New CEO in 30 Years

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Integrated design firm LPA Inc. has named Wendy Rogers, FAIA as chief executive officer, succeeding Robert Kupper, who served as CEO of the company for 30 years. Rogers becomes only the second CEO in the national firm's more than 50-year history. Rogers joins a handful of women leading national architecture firms. She moves into her new role at a time of steady expansion for LPA, a fully-integrated practice with architecture, interior design, landscape and engineering services. Kupper remains with the company in an advisory role and will continue to work with the management team daily. "It will be a privilege to build on Bob's legacy," said Rogers, who has spent the last two years as Chief Talent Officer and the last 18 years as Principal since joining the firm in 1987. "Bob has helped instill a collaborative work ethic, focused on problem-solving and creating sustainable places that enrich lives." With more than 380 employees, LPA focuses on research-driven sustainable design, working across sectors, including education, civic, health care and corporate projects. The firm opened an office in Dallas in Aprilit's sixth location nationwide and second in Texas. A Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Rogers has been a vocal advocate for sustainable design, using research to support green design principles an strategies. Her initial priorities as CEO include increasing the role of LPA's proprietary research unit, LPAred, and using LPA's unique Informed Design approach to differentiate the design firm in the marketplace.



"My goal is to preserve an environment that inspires and challenges the brightest talent to do their best work," Rogers said. Rogers will work with LPA president Dan Heinfeld on leading the day-to-day operations of the company. Heinfeld has served as president of LPA since 1986.

"Wendy has a strong sensibility that balances the business practice of the firm with the fundamental belief that design can change lives," said Heinfeld. "These are exciting times at LPA and Wendy's collaborative leadership approach will be a catalyst in making our firm better." The CEO transition has been planned for several years, according to Kupper. "Wendy has shown her ability as a design professional and as a leader," Kupper said. "She is a collaborator." Under Kupper's leadership, LPA grew as diverse design firm, developing a firmwide focus on sustainability and innovation. The company has grown and thrived during many development cycles. The influence of Kupper's leadership "can be seen in every strand of this company's DNA," Rogers said. "Bob started his career as a project designer at LPA and he applied that same intelligent problem-solving discipline to running a firm. He has truly demonstrated what it is to lead a company sustainably." LPA's revenue has increased by 20 percent since 2015 with plans to continue expansion in additional regions in the future. Some of the firm's current projects include Mazda Motor Corporation's headquarters in Irvine, California; Silicon Valley's technology-based STEM school, TIDE Academy; and the recently certified LEED Silver Monarch Center at Los Angeles Valley College. About LPA Inc.

Founded in 1965, LPA has more than 380 employees with offices in Irvine, Sacramento, San Diego and San Jose, California, along with San Antonio and Dallas. The firm provides services in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, engineering and graphics. With a proven commitment to integrated sustainable design, LPA designs facilities that span from K-12 schools, colleges and universities and corporate, healthcare and civic establishments. More than 700 major design awards attest to LPA's commitment to design excellence. For more information, visit http://www.lpainc.com. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lpa-inc-names-first-new-ceo-in-30-years-300481602.html SOURCE LPA Inc.

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[August 09, 2017] Fillr's Global Reach Hits 100 Million Monthly Active Users

Machine learning powers Fillr's one-click autofill service, which reduces shopping cart abandonment and increases conversion rates 2.2x SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Fillr today announced that its mobile Autofill as a Service platform now reaches 100 million monthly active users worldwide. The company, which recently launched its U.S. office in San Francisco, counts leading browsers and device manufacturers, including Microsoft Edge, Dolphin, Panasonic, andKarbonn Mobiles, among its customers and partners. Providing one-click, accurate, and secure autofill for checkout forms, the Fillr Autofill as a Service (FAaaS) platform helps mobile digital commerce businesses, including comparison shopping apps and social media platforms, to take advantage of the exploding growth in mobile commerce, which claims 90 percent of mobile app usage worldwide. The FAaaS platform delivers seamless user checkout experiences, effectively preventing revenue lost from cart abandonment, estimated at $4.6 trillion in 2016, and increasing conversion rates. "Conversion rates, especially on mobile, are terrible," said Chris Koch, CEO and co-founder, Fillr. "The industry is striving to quickly catch up with consumers' mobile-first approach to shopping and demand for a better transaction experience. Fillr built the most intelligent autofill technology to help not only mobile and social businesses, but also digital organizations as a whole to realize digital commerce opportunities. Our live, side-by-side research, shows that when using Fillr, mobile commerce conversions increase at a rate that is 2.2 greater than shoppers who are not using Fillr." Fillr's autofill service works on all web forms and can be used on thousands of mobile commerce sites, including AliExpress, Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, and Walmart. Underlying its unequalled simplicity and accuracy is highly sophisticated Intelligent Autofill technology that uses machine learning and cloud infrastructure to solve the very complex problem of accurately autofilling web forms. While the ideal checkout flow comprises 12 to 14 form elements, the average checkout flow in the U.S. contains 23.48 form elements. Fillr's Intelligent Autofill utilizes more than two thousand form-mapping expessions, resulting in accuracy far greater than Google and Apple's autofill. The company's Advanced Textual Heuristics reads forms as close to human representation as possible, drawn from algorithms developed from analyzing hundreds of thousands of forms.



"The feedback we're receiving from Karbonn Mobiles device owners using Fillr is clear," said Shashan Desai, Senior Product Manager, Karbonn Mobiles, India's third largest smartphone company. "Using Fillr-enabled apps and browsers makes mobile shopping an order of magnitude easier." Fillr works on all forms, from shopping purchase transactions to forms that do not involve payments, including contest submissions, job applications, and subscriptions. In the coming months, the company expects to extend the FAaaS platform to support targeted advertising and transactions on in-message apps. It also is developing new features for voice search and Internet of Things devices, very few of which will have a fully functional qwerty keyboard, making data entry extremely difficult.

The FAaaS platform delivers: Speed and accuracy -- Fillr delivers industry-leading 95 percent accuracy across the world's top 1000 e-retailers, compared with Chrome and Safari's 53 percent accuracy

Data analytics -- Fillr can provide aggregated data on user gender, age, geography and payment platform, and on form specifics such as number of fields on the form and number of fields entered/edited by the user

Security -- User data is encrypted on the user's device using military-grade 256-bit AES encryption

Multi-lingual autofill -- Fillr supports a growing list of languages, including English, Russian, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese Mandarin, Korean and Japanese

Customizable UI & UX -- Fillr can be customized to integrate seamlessly with existing UX of applications. The default UI is based on Android and iOS native design standards and can be easily adapted to house styles and brand guidelines

Cross-platform compatibility -- The Fillr SDK is embedded into browsers, in-app browsers of mobile social apps, metasearch engines and comparison shopping engines. The fully compiled SDK can be as small as 1.2 Mb and up to 2.4Mb, and can be integrated into a WebView within Android or iOS apps for both mobile and tablet Resources Diagram: How the Magic Happens

eBook: Getting to Frictionless Digital Commerce

White paper: The World's Most Accurate Autofill for Mobile Browsers

Report: Autofill Accuracy Benchmarking About Fillr Fillr delivers the accurate, swift and secure Fillr Autofill as a Service (FAaaS) platform, eliminating significant friction in mobile digital commerce  complex checkout forms and stagnant conversion rates. Core to the FAaaS platform is Fillr's Intelligent Autofill, which is built on a powerful mapping engine and algorithms developed by analyzing hundreds of thousands of forms. Fillr's Intelligent Autofill utilizes proprietary Advanced Textual Heuristics to achieve highly personalized and automated form-filling, resulting in proven and tested, industry-leading 95%+ accuracy and 500%+ increase in transaction speed. The FAaaS Platform is industry- and payment platform-agnostic, and is easily integrated into any app that uses WebView, browser, operating system and device, while customer data remains protected using 256-bit AES encryption. Fillr has offices in San Francisco and Melbourne, and is backed by SoftBank China Venture Capital  one of Alibaba's earliest investors, Southern Cross Venture Capital, Reinventure, and Constant Innovation. To learn more about Fillr, visit www.fillr.com. Media Contact Brigida Bergkamp

[email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fillrs-global-reach-hits-100-million-monthly-active-users-300501668.html SOURCE Fillr

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Progressives generally support better labor protections, including policies meant to provide higher wages, more predictable working hours, increased bargaining power and greater access to paid family leave, sick leave and overtime. And given the raw deal that workers get so often, these are all policies that I generally support as well.

But lately, as Democratic leadership has increasingly embraced the far-left impulses of its base, Ive become convinced that the left needs to think harder about the unintended consequences of such benevolent-seeming proposals.

In isolation, each of these policies has the potential to make workers more costly to hire. Cumulatively, they almost certainly do.

Which means that, unless carefully designed, a pro-labor platform might encourage firms to hire fewer  or at least to shift toward contract labor thats exempted from these cherished protections.

These are not mere hypotheticals. A two-tier labor market, in which some lucky workers are entitled to generous compensation and job security and the rest are hung out to dry, already plagues countries such as France and Japan.

But these are not outcomes that lefty politicians and policy wonks seem keen to grapple with. Its easier, or perhaps more politically convenient, to assume that pro-worker policies never hurt the workers theyre intended to help.

Take the proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, a policy endorsed in the Democratic Partys new Better Deal platform.

An increase in the federal minimum wage, stuck at $7.25 for eight years, is long overdue. But more than doubling it would likely result in huge job losses and cuts in work hours.

Weve already seen preliminary evidence that raising wages in Seattle to $13 has produced sharp cuts in hours, leaving low-wage workers with smaller paychecks. And thats in a high-cost city. Imagine what would happen if Congress raised the minimum wage to $15 nationwide.

In West Virginia, the median hourly wage is just $14.79; in Arkansas, its $14.48; and in Mississippi, its a depressingly low $14.22. A $15 minimum wage could be binding on more than half of jobs in these states. In fact, in every state (not including D.C.), it could cover at least a quarter of positions.

That might seem like a good thing. Why wouldnt you want to improve the living standards of as many people as possible?

The answer: You wont actually be helping them if making their labor much more expensive, much too quickly, results in their getting fired.

Similarly, a year ago, the Obama administration issued a new overtime rule. This rule expanded the universe of white-collar employees entitled to time-and-a-half pay for working beyond 40 hours per week. Before, white-collar workers earning salaries up to $23,660 were generally entitled to overtime. The new rule raised the threshold to $47,476.

The new rule was to be implemented in one fell swoop, starting last December. There was fierce debate within the Obama administration about the wisdom of such an abrupt increase, but those who mentioned this to me declined to ever do so on the record. Meanwhile, left-leaning groups cheered the millions whose pay was about to go up.

Then a court blocked the rule in November, and several weeks ago the Trump administration began the process of revising it. During his confirmation hearings, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta cautiously suggested that a cutoff of about $33,000 might be appropriate, though he wanted to spend more time looking at the effects on workers and firms.

As strange as it feels to say something nice about policies being pursued by the Trump administration, this might be a better approach.

On this and other labor issues, says Michael Strain, director of economic policy studies at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, we need to be debating whether a cost-benefit test is passed, something on which reasonable people can disagree. Instead, Strain says, a lot of thoughtful, well-meaning people on the left seem to be looking for a free lunch  i.e., for policies with no losers and no costs. (Kind of like the rights attitude toward tax cuts.)

Here I confess that Ive been guilty of this. Im often drawn to studies and stories about pro-labor policies that pay for themselves. And while there often is a pro-business or macroeconomic case to be made for policies that help workers, I pledge to be more mindful about unintended costs as well.

Readers, I hope youll hold me to this. And anyone else peddling free lunches, too.

 2017,

Washington Post Writers Group

Email: crampell@washpost.com. Twitter: @crampell.
It's not your average Wednesday in Washington D.C.

See, on this day, a yuge inflatable rooster unexpectedly appeared in a park not far behind the White House, which, as the television networks found, is viewable when they looked at a live shot of the presidential residence.

If it looks familiar to you, there's a good reason for that. Similar roosters, all based on a design by a Seattle-based artist named Casey Latiolais, have been utilized before for this year's Tax Day March after being discovered online by Anne Pruett and Danelle Morton. Pruett and Morton helped lead the march in San Francisco.

As Morton said at the time, "I wanted to fill a 60-foot Chicken Don with helium so my fellow protesters and I could march it down San Francisco's Market Street on April 15, preceded by brass bands and followed by people in costume."

This time around, however, the rooster has been brought to D.C. by Taran Singh Brar, a filmmaker and Tax Day March Chicago organizer. As Brar explains in an interview with VICE, he's had this idea since the spring, but securing permits and planning the execution of the project has taken some time.

"I am doing this because I think it is a very effective form of criticizing the president's behavior and actions," he told VICE. "As you can tell it's hard to keep up with newspapers and stuff all the time because there is a lot of information coming at us, and it's easy to become overwhelmed. An image is worth a thousand words, and that's the case with this image. It really effectively portrays Trump as a chicken. The message is that he's too afraid to release his tax returns, too afraid to stand up to Putin, and is playing a game of chicken with North Korea."

Currently, Donald Trump is on a 17-day vacation away from D.C., so he is unlikely to see it (unless he's watching TV), but Brar is nevertheless pleased with the project's reception so far.

"The symbolism is huge," he continues. "The iconic shots shot by CNN, ABC, NBC, the foreground White House background, Washington Monument  I just felt like this 30-foot Don would be able to pop it's head into those."

SFGATE has reached out to Brar for more information.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.


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A family of three was watching Metallica play in Glendale, Ariz., when they felt a warm liquid washing over their backs.

According to court documents quoted by Buzzfeed, the father turned around to find a man in the row of seats above theirs "with his penis out of his pants and in his hands." The man  Daniel Francis Daddio, 44, of Albuquerque, N.M.  "was urinating on all of his three family members," the documents stated.
CHARLESTON -- The name of the road at the Interstate 57 interchange north of Mattoon will change after the Coles County Board approved the move Tuesday.

There was some opposition to the change but the proposal passed by an 8-2 vote. Board Vice Chairman Mark Degler and member Rick Shook were opposed and members Brian Marvin and Marc Weber didn't attend the meeting.

The road at the interchange about two miles north of Illinois Route 16 is currently known by highway numbers only -- County Highway 18 and County Road 1000N -- but with Tuesday's vote will become known as Enterprise Parkway.

The county board's Road and Bridge Committee agreed to recommend the change at the request of a group of civic and business leaders who thought the new name would be more inviting and make the location more marketable.

Speaking against the proposal Tuesday, Degler said he thought the suggested name was "kind of mundane" and wouldn't generate interest in the area.

He suggested a name that referred to county's prime location for agriculture or something connected to the increase in environmentally friendly business operations.

"I don't feel that really says anything about our county," he said of the proposed name for the road. "Why don't we play to our strengths?"

Shook agreed and said a name that "stands out a little more" would be more beneficial.

"I don't think it's going to do anything," he said.

In response, board member Mike ZuHone said the group that came up with the name "worked diligently" on the proposal. He called the name change "a very good first step" in promoting the interchange location for development.

"It will be the beginning of a conversation for individuals and possibly companies to locate here," he said.

ZuHone is a member of the Road and Bridge Committee, as is Shook; Degler is not on that committee.

With the board's approval, the Illinois Department of Transportation will change the signs at the interchange and along the interstate at no cost to the county.

The change will only take place on the interstate and at the interchange. Signs at rural intersections along the road, which stretches across most of the northern part of the county, will still identify it as County Road 1000N.

Meanwhile, the board's other votes Tuesday included awarding a contract for resurfacing a three-mile portion of Loxa Road.

The contract for just more than $134,000 went to Howell Asphalt Co. of Mattoon. The work will take place on the section of the road from County Road 1200N to Humboldt-Bushton Road.

The board also approved a funding agreement with North Okaw Township to replace a culvert on County Road 000E three miles west of Cooks Mills. The county and township will each contribute $3,400.
After a group reported a Bigfoot sighting in North Carolina, police have issued their own warning for residents: Do not shoot Bigfoot.

A Bigfoot "investigation group," going by the name Bigfoot 911, allegedly spotted the mythical creature on Friday night in the woods of McDowell County. The group was apparently looking to attract the creature by dropping glow sticks throughout the area when they say the sighting happened. ("Bigfoot 911 members believe glow sticks pique the curiosity of a Bigfoot," the Charlotte Observer helpfully explains.)
HAGATNA, Guam  Residents of the tiny Pacific island of Guam say theyre afraid of being caught in the middle of escalating tensions between the U.S. and North Korea after Pyongyang announced it was examining plans for attacking the strategically important U.S. territory.

Though local officials downplayed any threat and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was unruffled as he headed to Guam to refuel on his trip back to Washington from Malaysia, people who live and work on the island said they could no longer shrug off the idea of being a potential target. Guam serves as a launching pad for the U.S. military.

Im a little worried, a little panicked. Is this really going to happen? said Cecil Chugrad, a 37-year-old bus driver for a tour bus company in Guam. If its just me, I dont mind, but I have to worry about my son. I feel like moving (out of Guam) now.

About 163,000 people live on the island that spans only about 12 miles at its widest. They are used to the threats from North Korea. But advances in the countrys nuclear program paired with fiery rhetoric from President Trump has raised the already high animosity and heightened worries that a miscalculation might spark conflict between the nuclear-armed nations.

Recent reports suggested North Korea mastered a technological hurdle needed to strike the U.S. with a nuclear missile.

In response, Trump on Tuesday threatened the communist country with fire and fury. On Wednesday, the North Korean army said in a statement that it was studying a plan to create an enveloping fire in areas around Guam with medium-to long-range ballistic missiles.

While it is extremely unlikely that Pyongyang would risk the assured annihilation of its revered leadership with a preemptive attack on U.S. citizens, some residents of Guam are concerned.

If anything happens, we all got to be ready, be prepared, and pray to God that it doesnt happen, said Daisy Mendiola, 56.

Guam is about 2,100 miles southeast of Pyongyang and 3,800 miles west of Honolulu in the Pacific Ocean. For years, North Korea has claimed Guam is within its missiles striking distance, making furious statements each time the U.S. flew powerful bombers from the islands air base to the Korean Peninsula.

Grace Carces Bordallo and Cathy Bussewitz are Associated Press writers.
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NAIROBI, Kenya  Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday led challenger Raila Odinga by a significant margin in partial election results, but the opposition said the counting process was flawed and disputed the tally.

The website of Kenyas election commission showed Kenyatta with just over 55 percent and opposition leader Odinga with nearly 44 percent after votes were counted from more than two-thirds of the 40,833 polling stations. However, the commission did not release information about which constituencies had been counted, so it was unclear whether Kenyatta strongholds or opposition centers, or some combination, had yet to be tallied from Tuesdays vote.

That prompted sharp criticism from Odinga, who also ran against Kenyatta in the 2013 vote and unsuccessfully challenged the results in court with allegations of vote-tampering. The longtime opposition figure also ran in the 2007 vote, which was followed by violence fueled by ethnic divisions that killed more than 1,000 people.

A clean credible process would by now have a dashboard showing all tallies from all constituencies to add to a sum total so that country can know which part of the country has been counted and what the votes are, Odinga said in a statement Wednesday.

The system has failed, Odinga said. He added that the election commission has just said that no parties have disputed the results. How do parties dispute results which they do not even know their origins?

Election officials acknowledged the opposition objection, but defended their actions.

We believe that by displaying results, we have been doing well to enhance transparency and accountability in the electoral process, consistent with the commitment the commission has made to the Kenya people, said commissioner Consalata Bucha Nkatha Maina, vice chairwoman of the election commission.

The commissions CEO, Ezra Chiloba, also said a results screen at the commissions counting center had frozen because too much data was being received, and that tallies would be updated later Wednesday morning.

A similar situation with a systems failure in the 2013 election led to Odingas legal challenge at the time, though Kenyas Supreme Court ruled in favor of Kenyatta by validating the results.

Kenyatta, the 55-year-old son of Kenyas first president after independence from British colonial rule, campaigned this year on a record of major infrastructure projects, many backed by China, and claimed strong economic growth. Odinga, 72, also the son of a leader of the independence struggle, cast himself as a champion of the poor and a harsh critic of endemic corruption.

However, many voters were expected to vote along ethnic lines. Kenyatta is widely seen as the candidate of the Kikuyu people, the countrys largest ethnic group. Odinga is associated with the Luo voting bloc, which has never produced a head of state. There were six other presidential candidates, though they lack the wide support of the top two.

Tom Odula and Christopher Torchia are Associated Press writers.
1 Syria fighting: Pro-government forces intensified their assault on the rebel-held suburbs of the Syrian capital of Damascus, activists said Tuesday, a day after rebels beat back an attempted government advance, killing several soldiers. The fighting threw into sharp relief the fragility of a cease-fire that was supposed to bring calm to the besieged enclave inhabited by some 400,000 people. Opposition activists said government air raids and artillery fire have reached a rate of 60 to 70 strikes per day on areas held by the Faylaq al-Rahman rebel faction, which was not party to the cease-fire brokered by Egypt and Russia and signed on July 22.

2 China earthquake: A strong earthquake shook a mountainous region in southwestern China near the famous national park Jiuzhai Valley, killing seven people, injuring 88 others and knocking out power and phone networks. At least five of the dead were tourists. The information office of the Sichuan province government released an updated number of casualties early Wednesday, but it didnt have more details on the victims of the Tuesday evening quake. The office said 21 people were seriously injured. The magnitude 6.5 quake struck a region bordered by the provinces of Sichuan and Gansu, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
CARACAS, Venezuela  The new constitutional assembly assumed even more power in Venezuela by declaring itself as the superior body to all other governmental institutions, including the opposition-controlled congress.

That decree came Tuesday just hours after the assembly delegates took control of a legislative chamber and put up pictures of the late President Hugo Chavez, who installed Venezuelas socialist system.

Delcy Rodriguez, the head of the ruling socialist party and leader of the body, said the unanimously approved decree prohibits lawmakers in congress from taking any action that would interfere with laws passed by the newly installed constitutional assembly.

We are not threatening anyone, said Aristobulo Isturiz, the constitutional assemblys first vice president. We are looking for ways to coexist.

The opposition to President Nicolas Maduro also faced another fight Wednesday before the government-stacked Supreme Court, which scheduled a hearing on charges against a Caracas-area opposition mayor. The judges convicted another mayor Tuesday for failing to move against protesters during four months of political unrest.

In calling the July 30 election for the constitutional assembly, Maduro said a new constitution would help resolve the nations political standoff, but opposition leaders view it is a power grab and the presidents allies have said they will go after his opponents.

The foreign ministers of 17 Western Hemisphere nations met in Peru to discuss how to force Maduro to back down. The ministers issued a statement after the meeting condemning the body and reiterating previous calls for the parties in Venezuela to negotiate on ending the political crisis.

Joshua Goodman and Fabiola Sanchez are Associated Press writers.
Atsatsa Antonio taps into the unused potential of the things that people throw away. Junkyards, the free column on Craigslistthose are his haunts, the places he goes to find materials, like chainsaw chains and rebar, for his hand-forged tools. There is no need for money or currency, as he says, only skills, and an eye for spotting raw material from the once-obsolete. If you visit his website, redkrow.com, you can see the process: a long piece of rebar, red-hot from coals, is pounded on an anvil, the malleable metal giving way to a blade with a textured spiral handle. From the glinting finished product, you might never know its beginnings as a reinforcing rod. Hes a young blacksmith, just 22, though its been ten years since Antonio first tried his hand at metal working in Window Rock, Arizona.

Antonio is one of one hundred artists participating in the inaugural We Are the Seeds market taking place in the Santa Fe Railyard Park Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 17-19. Seeds, as co-founder Tailinh Agoyo, calls it, "had an organic growth. It matches our name." Agoyo came to the table with past experience from both the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts and the now defunct Indigenous Fine Arts Market, as did Paula Mirabal; together they are co-directors. Pooling their resources, along with those of Sharon Lucero, Seeds was born in September of last yearit's less than a year in the making.

They've had the help of CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia, a clearinghouse of management tools for nonprofits like Seeds. Agoyo is currently based in Philly and saw their support as fundamental to getting the project off the ground.

"[The outcome] is a reflection of who we are as planners," Agoyo mentions. This isn't hubris talking, but a dedicated commitment to making Indigenous art and voices matter. That said, the mission of Seeds is to feature fine art by Native artists, as well as other cultural events, including live musical performances (Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg, who opened the Women's March in Washington, DC, in January of this year, will be one of seven on the Santa Fe Seeds stage) and youth workshops. The Native couture brand ACONAV is set to host a fashion event and Nicole Kahbah Johnny offers a spoken word poetry workshop. That's not all. A legacy program celebrates the work of elderly Native artists, and women artists will be highlighted in the Honor Women Art Share Program. For its first year, Seeds is already setting a high bar.

On the choice of the Santa Fe Railyard Park, it was clear that the space had a certain energy that Seeds was looking to cultivate. "We wanted it to be intimate, to understand the needs of the artists," Agoyo explains, and "to really capitalize on the Railyard as a community space." To her, the district is an "active participant" in the overall feel of the event. And as Antonio put it, "Seeds is a good avenue for up-and-coming artists to showcase their work in another environment and platform." Seeds is refreshing in this regard. The Plaza, while historical, is already laden with the associations of other longstanding events like SWAIA's Indian Market that runs August 19 and 20; the founders of Seeds are forging their own path.

They have an eye toward the future and beyond the Southwest after the August event closes. As Seeds grows, Agoyo, Mirabal and Lucero hope to organize more regional shows outside of Santa Fethe Northwest and East Coast are hubs for potential expansion. Seeds will reportedly introduce education initiatives, too, with mentorships and art programs in Indigenous and non-Indigenous public schools. "That's where art is special. You can create a bond across any barrier," Agoyo points out.

It's a truism to speak about barriers in public educationthey can be so unyielding. Yet now more than ever, it's necessary to put a mirror up to the blind spots of classroom curriculum, namely the fact that most accounts of Native people are one-dimensional. Even worse, those accounts almost always relegate Indigenous peoples to the past. Here, Seeds is part of a groundswell of initiatives that address the realities of Indigenous people now, from education to policy.

As for Antonio, he will soon complete his degree in environmental studies with a concentration on earthquake risk in Portland, Oregon, at Lewis and Clark College. Besides that, he works at a high-end Japanese kitchen workshop as a knife sharpener. As we wrapped up our phone conversation, he pressed on one point: curiosity. It was curiosity that motivated him to try his hand at blacksmithing when the tools he had as a kid were pretty bare-bones. It's the same curiosity that took him to Portland, Norway and, in the not-so-distant future, Japan.



Follow SFR on Instagram the week of the market for a special takeover by Tailinh Agoyo.





We Are The Seeds

9 am-5 pm Thursday and Friday Aug. 17 and 18;

9 am-4 pm Saturday Aug. 19. Free.

Santa Fe Railyard,

Cerrillos Road and Guadalupe Street,

982-3373



Santa Fe Reporter
Theres a new room in the Christus St. Vincent emergency department. Different from the other 36 exam rooms and away from the public waiting room, it has several black leather chairs that recline, gray walls that reflect purple in the sunlight, and a flat-screen TV hanging on the wall.

Not everybody is sure what the room is used for.

A few days after the hospital came under fire for releasing a man with schizophrenia later shot to death by police last month, St. Vincent spokesman Arturo Delgado invited SFR to examine the space in the emergency department.

Advocates for people with mental illness had been told earlier that the room, part of a renovated ER, was meant to be a dedicated space for incoming patients in crisis to have their mental wellness assessed.

During SFR's visit, however, Chief Nurse Debbi Honey describes the room's purpose differently. It's for patients, she says, but not those arriving. It's for those leaving.

"This is the room we use for non-acute discharge patients," Honey tells SFR. "Someone that may need a ride, someone who may need a referral to a service such as [Recovery Santa Fe] to come get them.  [It's] just a more comfortable place for them to wait for their ride."

When asked directly whether the room would be used at all to perform evaluative services for patients seeking psychiatric care, Honey reiterated that the room was for people who were on their way out, not in.

Delgado later tells SFR via email that the room was intended "to be a mulitpurpose area" that could be used for "intoxicated patients [to] decompress" and for patients awaiting further treatment or discharge.

"That's not what we understood the room to be," says Betty Sisneros Shover, president of the Santa Fe chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Instead, she says, "We had thought it was a way of separating those with psychiatric issues" while they waited to be evaluated by a crisis counselor.

Research cited by the American Psychiatric Association found that psychiatric patients visiting an emergency room can wait nearly two hours longer to receive care than non-psychiatric patients. Waiting that long in a sterile room could worsen the symptoms for somebody in the throes of a mental health crisis, according to Tom Starke, chair of the Santa Fe Behavioral Health Alliance and a co-founder of the nonprofit organization Recovery Santa Fe. The new room was supposed to be a solution to that problem.

The confusion indicates a deeper problem between the community that advocates on behalf of people living with mental illness and the largest provider of psychiatric services in Santa Fe.

The police shooting of 24-year-old Anthony Benavidez on July 22 amplified voices of dissatisfaction with the psychiatric care offered at St. Vincent and, more broadly, in Santa Fe County.

Following reports in the Santa Fe New Mexican that Benavidez had been released as a patient from St. Vincent a day before the fatal confrontation, "it just brought out a lot of the past experiences of our members taking people who they thought desperately needed care to Christus St. Vincent and having them sort of turned away, saying they're not a harm to themselves or anyone else," Starke says. "It hit a nerve in the community."

The Saturday after the killing, the local NAMI chapter hosted a support meeting for people to come and discuss the event. Many were traumatized, Shover says, and feared that their loved ones living with mental illness could wind up dead at the hands of police. Some who attended, including Martha Cook, voiced their concern with how St. Vincent treats its psychiatric patients, particularly what advocates regard as improperly releasing people.

"A lot of people who were at that meeting were testifying about their own personal experiences that were similar to the one that Anthony experienced, where he's [mentally] unstable but not admitted [to St. Vincent], and the person goes on to commit some other crime and eventually gets put in a detention center," Cook tells SFR. "I've had that experience with my family member too."

Hospital admission criteria lists attempted or desired suicide, recent "assaultive behavior" or the threat of it against oneself or others, and the inability to care for oneself (i.e., not eating) as some of the conditions that qualify a person for inpatient services.

Yet Shover says it's ultimately supposed to be a judgement call by St. Vincent staff, who have discharged several patients who went on to do "some really bad things to people or themselves." Both she and Starke tell SFR they've heard complaints from people that the hospital has released psychiatric patients in the middle of the night, potentially endangering their health.

Honey defended the hospital's admission protocol. "If they're cleared they can be discharged, [referred] back to their primary care or outpatient services, or they can be deemed eligible for inpatient services. But there is an evidence-based process that is gone through," she says.

The miscommunication about the new room's use may have happened because the advocates' main line of communication into the hospital is gone. Earlier this year, Shover says she had been in contact with a clinical psychologist named Jacqueline Williams at St. Vincent about the new psychiatric evaluation room. But both Williams and her supervisor, behavioral health unit manager Susan Bodelson Kammerer, recently left their posts at the hospital. Shover says she was never offered an explanation for their departure.

A 2015 New Mexico Regional Health Report found that about 26 out of every 10,000 hospital discharges between 2009 and 2013 in Santa Fe County were for mood and depressive disorders. St. Vincent will continue to be the only facility in Santa Fe with inpatient psychiatric beds for the foreseeable future; a spokesperson for Presbyterian Healthcare Services tells SFR in an email that its new medical center opening next year in Santa Fe will not have inpatient psychiatric beds.

In the meantime, Santa Fe County has seized on the notion that it needs to establish more mental health services by seeking voter approval for money to build and staff a crisis center that could help 2,500 people with severe mental illness in Santa Fe. There's no word yet of when the facility will open, but county Community Services Department Director Rachel O'Connor says the county will soon solicit proposals from health care providers who want to work with the center.



Editor's note 1: Jacqueline Williams' title was incorrect in an earlier version of this story.

Editor's note 2: The language in this article has been updated to use more conscientious phrasing of the terms used to describe those with mental illness.

Santa Fe Reporter
How New Mexico educates its children is in the hands of a state judge as arguments in a landmark trial against the state Public Education Department have ended. Over eight weeks, the trial featured dozens of witnesses and numerous academic citations. But in the end, the case before First Judicial District Judge Sarah Singleton boiled down to dueling worldviews.

The plaintiffsthe New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)cited education outcomes for low-income, Native American and English language learners as evidence that New Mexico does not meet its constitutional obligation to provide a sufficient education for all children. They want the state to target at-risk students earlier and with greater resources to help close the education achievement gap.

"It was very clear from the defense that the state is in denial about the educational crisis that New Mexico students face," said Marisa Bono, MALDEF Southwest regional counsel.

State education officials, however, said that while it is unfortunate that not all New Mexico students read at high levels or are adept at math, it doesn't violate the constitution. They cautioned that money alone can't guarantee better outcomes and emphasized the importance of raising expectations and holding school districts and teachers accountable.

The Martinez administration did not respond to a request for comment, but acting Education Secretary Christopher Ruszkowski testified during the trial and characterized the view that poverty drives poor educational outcomes for certain studentsan argument made by the plaintiffsas "the soft bigotry of low expectations."

The end-of-court testimony on Aug. 4 was the latest phase in the 2014 lawsuit the plaintiffs filed against a backdrop of the perennial drumbeat of bad educational news. A ruling expected this fall or winter could help set the foundation for New Mexico's educational future.

New Mexico's education statistics are familiar and persistent: 49th or 50th in the nation in educational outcomes since 2012, according to the Annie E Casey Foundation; only a quarter of third-graders proficient in reading and math on the 2015 PARCC test; 43 percent of New Mexico college students needing remedial classes in 2015, according to the Public Education Department. The Center on Law and Poverty and MALDEF lawsuit hammered on those statistics during the trial to prove the state underfunds education by as much as $600 million. Additional money would enable the state to expand to all school districts programs shown to improve educational outcomes for low-income students, among other things, they said.

One example is the K-3 Plus program, which adds 25 days to the school year for low-income students in kindergarten through third grade. A Utah State University study found that kindergarteners in the extended school year were more prepared for school and outperformed their peers, and that the effects continued four years later.

As effective as it is, K-3 Plus is in only around 50 of New Mexico's 89 school districts, and while nearly 70,000 students attend program-eligible schools around the state, only a fifth of them will receive instruction this summer.

In recent years, school spending has risen for pre-kindergarten and K-3 Plus despite trying economic times. This leads John Arthur Smith, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which helps write the state budget, to question whether some districts are spending dollars efficiently. He also pointed to other states in the Southwest that are spending less per student but getting better results.

Utah spends $6,500 per student, the lowest per-student spending in the United States. That compares to the $9,752 New Mexico spent per student in 2014-15, according to the US Census. However, the percent of children living in poverty in Utah is less than half that of New Mexico, according to the Annie E Casey Foundation 2017 Kids Count report. And, just 5.9 percent of Utah students are English language-learners. In New Mexico that number is 16.1 percent, according to the Education Commission of the States.

"I'll concede some of those [states] might not have the diversity of population of ethnic groups," Smith said. "But even within this state, one of the highest [for] at-risk schools, we have pretty high performance. Gadsden [Independent School District] was sort of an example of that."

Advocacy groups and some legislators say New Mexico has made some improvements, but it's not enough; and while it is true that education funding from the state has risen in recent years, it is still below the pre-2007 recession levels. Also ripe for review, advocates said, is how the state parcels out its education dollars to schools.

At one point, New Mexico's funding formula was one of the most progressive in the nationin the late 1960s and early '70s, Edward Tabet-Cubero, executive director of the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, said. The State Equalization Guarantee, a per-student funding formula, helped to even out vast disparities between districts in richer and poorer areas of New Mexico. But now, it's time to look at that formula again, he said.

Some legislators say the money is there to improve New Mexico schools. What is lacking, they said, is political will.

"It's not like we don't know where there are funds that we ought to be able to use," said Sen. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuqerque, a former educator and chair of the Legislative Education Study Committee. Extra funding for schools could come from raising the rate on what top earners pay in state personal income tax, which was lowered by Gov. Bill Richardson and the Legislature in 2003. Reversing changes made to the corporate income tax rate by Martinez and the Legislature in 2013 could help, too. Tapping the Land Grant Permanent Fund, a fund generated by the state's natural resources and used to support schools, and overhauling the state's gross receipts tax also could yield more education dollars, advocates said.

But persuading Gov. Susana Martinez, a second-term Republican governor, to sign a tax hike would be unlikely. "We have a governor who, regardless of reason or purpose, doesn't want to raise taxes," Sen. Bill Soules, D-Las Cruces, another former teacher, said.

Even if the plaintiffs prevail in court, any turnaround in education will be years, perhaps even decades in the making, advocates acknowledged. The state PED under Martinez is likely to appeal the ruling if it loses, as would the advocacy groups if Singleton sides with the PED. The trial's results are likely just the end of the beginning of the court battle.

Smith, for one, doesn't believe the judge will order a particular dollar amount. But with the lawsuit seeking $350 to $600 million, he doesn't see where that's going to come out of a state government that has lots of empty jobs and shortfalls. "Everyone says, 'Look over here for money.' We can look over there, but that's not enough to wad a shotgun as far as making the fix in the event we lose that case," he said.







A longer version of this story was originally published by New Mexico In Depth, with Trip Jennings contributing reporting.



Santa Fe Reporter
Mental health in crisis

In SFR this week, Aaron Cantu explores tension between Christus St. Vincent hospital and mental health advocates in Santa Fe. It's something of a raw wound following the killing of a mentally ill man by Santa Fe police. Anthony Benavidez, who was living with schizophrenia, had been discharged from the hospital just hours before police shot him after a violent confrontation. Advocates say St. Vincent told them it had a new evaluation room that was designed for mental health crises, but SFR's tour of the facility revealed something different.

Trump ditching elderly patient protection rule

Binding arbitration clauses are a thing in consumer protection these days. You've probably consented to a whole bunch of them as you accept terms of everything from using websites to financial services agreements to buying tickets to concerts. Nursing home patients frequently have to sign them, too. They prevent patients from suing for mistreatment. The Trump administration has decided to abandon a rule that prohibited binding arbitration for facilities that get Medicaid or Medicare money. New Mexico's attorney general says that's a poor choice.



Let's all run for the Council

Santa Fe's next municipal election could be a humdinger. Yes, a humdinger. Two incumbent councilors are not running for reelection, attracting interest to their races weekly, it seems. There are still only two candidates for mayorcurrent District 4 Councilor Ron Trujillo and former teacher Abigail Fox.



Still no new science standards

New Mexico's public schools are working with an outdated set of science standards first rolled out way back in 1996. While the Public Education Department showed interest in developing new rules for what schools teach and when, progress has ground to a halt. Science advocates say the lag sells New Mexico students short.

Regents to consider new UNM hospital

The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center has more than $200 million set aside to build the first phase of a new hospital on the west end of the medical campus. Despite lengthy emergency room waits and an aging main facility, the project has been contentious. The State Board of Finance scuttled it five years ago, but the hospital is pushing its plans, saying its problems have only gotten worse. Regents are scheduled to discuss taking the first steps forward next week.



Land, ho!

The inexorable lure of the job called Commissioner of Public Lands has snared another elected official. State Sen. George Munoz, D-Gallup, announced he's going to give the race a go. He'll face former commissioner Ray Powell and Santa Fean Garrett VeneKlasen in the Democratic primary. Current Public Regulation Commissioner and former commissioner Pat Lyons has announced he's running from the Republican side. Munoz is in the middle of his third term as a state senator.



Game of groans

Hackers tapped into HBO's electronic database and email servers recently. They kicked out unreleased episodes of a couple popular series last week after their haul. Now, the coup de grace: They want $6 million or they'll start spoiling Game of Thrones episodes. Santa Fean George RR Martin wrote the books upon which the series is based.

Dizzying job

Bandelier National Monument is replacing the wooden ladders that lead up to Alcove House. The climb into ruins above Frijoles Canyon is a unique experience, if a bit harrowing. The old ladders have been worn down with age and it's time to upgrade. Work will start next month.



Thanks for reading! The Word is behind on Game of Thrones, so leaks could be devastating. Then again, being somewhere in the middle of season two means we've been living on the edge for so long it just seems normal. The Word: Edgy. And behind on premium television.



Subscribe to the Morning Word at sfreporter.com/santafe/signup.

Santa Fe Reporter
A Labour-led government would implement royalties for bottled water, irrigation schemes and other commercial uses, leader Jacinda Ardern told the Environmental Defence Society's annual conference in her first major policy speech on environmental policy since becoming party leader last Tuesday.

Drinking water, stockwater for farms, and 'non-consumptive' uses such as hydroelectricity generation would not face the charges, which would be set following a national conference of affected industries and water users within the first 100 days of the new government, Ardern said.

Bottled water royalties will be based on a per litre cost while irrigation water will be charged on a per cubic metre (1000 litres) basis.

While she gave no figures, some 5 billion litres are used annually for irrigation. If a water charge were set at 1 cent per cubic metre, that would raise $50 million annually. Labour's charging regime would regulate different prices for different water quality.

"The royalty will be flexible to reflect the scarcity or abundance of water in different regions, the different quality of water, and its use," said Ardern. "Royalty levels will be set following consultation and the revenue will largely be returned to regional councils."

However, revenues raised would also provide at least part of the basis for settling Maori claims to the Waitangi Tribunal for compensation for lost rights and interests in freshwater resources, which have been upheld by the courts but constitute a political challenge that no major party has so far been willing to tackle.

Labour will work with iwi to resolve Treaty water claims in a manner that respects iwis mana, and restores the mauri of our rivers and lakes," said Ardern.

The announcement creates a further area of broad consensus between the Labour, Green and NZ First parties on charging for water use and follows their alignment on the creation of a Climate Change Commission to put New Zealand's greenhouse gas emission reduction targets into law. The trio represents one potential combination for forming the next government after the Sept 23 general election.

The governing National Party has resisted both water charging and the climate change commission.

Ardern also foreshadowed Labour's intention to return to the draft National Policy Statement on freshwater management submitted in 2010 by Environment Court Judge David Sheppard, the most important recommendation of which would see any farmer wishing to pursue more intensive farming practice required to seek a resource consent where, at present, no such consent is required.

Ardern said the water charges would be set at a level that would "ensure there's a decent profit margin" for commercial and farming users,

Labour would cancel the government's so far underused Crown Irrigation Fund, which is intended to accelerate the development of large scale agricultural irrigation schemes. While non-government organisations had lobbied Labour to apply those funds to freshwater clean-up, that would not be Labour policy.

Labour would, however, leave in place other initiatives such as the Freshwater Improvement Fund.

(BusinessDesk)

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Property For Industry, the industrial property investor, posted a loss in the first half of its financial year after paying for the termination of its management agreement.

The Auckland-based property investor reported a loss of $5.6 million, or 1.25 cents per share, in the six months ended June 30, from a profit of $22.5 million, or 5.01 cents, a year earlier, it said in a statement. The earnings included $42.9 million of costs for terminating its management contract and taking the function in-house and a $6 million gain in the value of its properties.

Excluding the impact of internalising the management contract, Property For Industry's first-half profit rose 12 percent to $25.2 million. Operating revenue lifted 1.4 percent to $35.7 million while operating expenses gained 4.2 percent to $13.5 million.

Property For Industry's 83 properties were valued at $1.1 billion as at June 30, ahead of their $1.01 billion value a year earlier and its occupancy rate remained steady at 99.5 percent. The company said it had inked 11 leases over the period and undertaken 41 rent reviews, resulting in an average annual uplift in rent of about 2.4 percent, which is expected to boost its distributable profit, a measure of earnings which strips out unrealised movements in the value of the property portfolio.

"The first half of 2017 has delivered strong leasing outcomes," said chair Peter Masfen. "The company's results for the full year are expected to see a continuation of these outcomes and are also expected to be assisted by the recent internalisation. The company has therefore increased the guidance for full-year distributable profit from 7.5-7.70 cents per share to 7.70-7.90 cents per share."

Property For Industry will pay a second-quarter dividend of 1.75 cents per share on Sept. 1, taking the total first-half dividend to 3.5 cents, in line with the prior period. The company said it expects its annual dividend to total 7.45 cents, up 0.1 cents on the prior year.

The company said it sold the Sistema industrial property in Penrose, Auckland, to the owner occupier during the first half for $14.3 million, taking its total divestments over the past three years to about $47 million. It still considers about 5 percent of its portfolio "non-core" and may look to divest further properties over the medium term when it considers value has been maximised.

Meanwhile, it acquired an East Tamaki property in Auckland for $14.2 million, taking its total acquisitions over the past three years to about $77 million. It also recently committed to the $5 million development of surplus land at Manukau, Auckland, for a generic storage and distribution warehouse slated for completion in July 2018, taking the total value of its developments over the last three years to about $34 million.

The company's $50 million short-term credit facility with ANZ Bank New Zealand, taken out to secure funds for the internalisation costs, was reduced to $40 million after the sale of its Penrose property. It has maintained its $375 million syndicated bank loan facility and said it's considering other funding options including a senior secured bond issue to extend and diversify its borrowings.

Its shares last traded at $1.655, and have gained 3.6 percent the past year.

(BusinessDesk)

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New Zealand's growing number of boutique craft breweries sold beer faster than they produced it in 2016 and now account for more than a tenth of the country's beer market, an ANZ Bank New Zealand industry specific report shows.

Of the 194 craft breweries in New Zealand, about 130 were deemed to be small operations in the annual ANZ industry insight report, up from 111 minnows a year earlier. Those smaller operations accounted for 10 percent of the value of New Zealand's beer consumption in 2016, up from 8.5 percent in 2015, and accounted for 5.7 percent of total consumer by volume, also higher at 4.9 percent. Smaller breweries boosted production 22 percent in the year while boosting revenue 32 percent, with the pace of growth slowing on both measures from 28 percent and 39 percent respectively in 2015.

"Small breweries have become a big business. New brands are appearing all the time and together the industry is changing the way many New Zealanders think about and consume beer," ANZ central region commercial & agri general manager John Bennett said in a statement. "I am confident we will continue to see growth, but brewers need to be smart about how they sell their product - it is about more than just good beer."

The growing demand for craft beer has seen the country's dominant brewers - Kirin-owned Lion (Beer, Spirits and Wine) New Zealand and Heineken's DB Breweries - raid their boutique rivals, most recently with DB's purchase of Tuatara Brewing Co and Lion's Panhead acquisition. Last week Lion said Panhead's first-half production was up 76 percent, continuing what it described as an "impressive growth trajectory," and the trebling of brewing capacity paved the way for expansion in both domestic and international markets.

ANZ's Bennett said exporting craft beer still challenged the wider industry, staying static at about 10 percent of production. The report said while it offered the opportunity to grow "exponentially", it also needed "a big investment of time and resources".

(BusinessDesk)

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Zeta Resources, the ASX-listed investment group advised by Duncan Saville's ICM unit, is making a partial takeover offer for New Zealand Oil & Gas, offering a 15 percent premium for shares in the oil and gas explorer.

Zeta Energy, a subsidiary of Zeta Resources, plans to offer 72 cents a share for 41.955 percent of NZOG's fully and partly paid shares that it doesn't already own. The target company shares last traded at 62.5 cents.

The offer is conditional on reaching acceptances of at least 50 percent and may be subject to scaling, it said. Zeta Energy commissioned Simmons Corporate Finance for an appraisal of the offer. It said the proposal was "fair and reasonable" between the two classes of voting securities.

Zeta Energy and ICM combined hold 29.5 percent of NZOG, they said in a filing to the NZX this morning, up from 21.2 percent, reflecting a lock-up agreement between Zeta, H & G, Bermuda Commercial Bank, Pan Pacific Petroleum and UIL, they said.

The proposal signals further consolidation among smaller operators in the local oil and gas exploration sector. In January, NZOG took control of Cue Energy Resources and in June Zeta launched an A$22 million takeover of Pan Pacific via a scheme of arrangement. In April, Pan Pacific's independent directors rejected an earlier takeover offer from Zeta as too low. In July, Zeta declared its offer for another explorer, Bligh Resources, unconditional.

Saville links the various groups involved in the consolidation as he is also a director of NZOG and Zeta sold its 12 percent holding in Cue into the NZOG offer.

(BusinessDesk)

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Mainfreight Half Year Financial Results 30 September 2022


Are you ready to USE your TALENTS to make the world a better place for Children?





If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the worlds leading childrens rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote childrens survival, protection and development. The worlds largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The family of a Staten Island native killed in Liberia is asking for help raising the $40,000 needed to bring her home.

Princess Yates, 19, was killed in Monrovia, the capital of the West African nation on Thursday, July 21, a little more than a month before her 20th birthday, Princess' mother, Oretha Bestman-Yates, told the Advance.

"We just want to bring her home for closure," said Bestman-Yates, who is still in Liberia. "I'm just asking God to help and give me strength."

Princess was in her parents' native country with family, and was supposed to spend the weekend with her grandmother, who turned 90.

Bestman-Yates, who previously served as president of the Staten Island Liberian Community Association, said she dropped her daughter off at an event for Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf at Monrovia's city hall the night she was killed.

"It was the last time I saw her," she said.

After not hearing from her daughter Friday, Bestman-Yates said she became worried, but assumed Princess was staying with her aunt and grandmother.

Then, early Saturday morning at around 4 a.m., she received a call that her daughter had been in an accident. She was told her daughter needed blood.

"No one would look me in the eye, and at that point I was confused," Bestman-Yates said.

Then someone finally broke the news about what had happened to her daughter.

"I'm still like having a dream," she said. "I'm still trying to get someone to work me up."

Princess was in an accident with four of her friends in Monrovia the night of July 21. Her mother said she was taken to the city's hospital, JFK Medcial Center, in a pickup truck.

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."

The Advance was not able to contact the hospital Tuesday night.

No matter what happened, Bestman-Yates now needs help paying the $40,000 needed to get her daughter back to Staten Island.

Princess' mother and her father, Prince, are working with Drs. Aurelia and Al Curtis to raise the money needed to get her home.

The Curtis family, through their organization, the Weeks Educational and Social Advocacy Project, has set up a way to donate.

"We're trying to find the quickest way to get the money together," Al Curtis said.

Bestman-Yates hopes that bringing her daughter home will bring the family some level of closure.

"I get up in the night and go looking for her," she said. "I don't wish this on any parent."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A patient who allegedly set fire to his sheets and mattress on Friday in the emergency room at Richmond University Medical Center has been arrested on arson charges, said authorities.

James Freer, 57, was inside the West Brighton hospital shortly after 9 p.m. when he set the bedding ablaze with a cigarette lighter, a criminal complaint said.

Freer was near an oxygen tank, and a number of people were standing about five feet away from him, said the complaint.

The sheets and mattress were charred, although no one apparently was hurt, officials said.

Freer, whose address police listed as the Project Hospitality homeless drop-in center on Central Avenue in St. George, had been brought to the hospital because he was intoxicated, said a law enforcement source with knowledge of the case.

He wasn't in custody at the time, the source said.

The defendant was arraigned Saturday in Criminal Court on misdemeanor charges of arson, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief.

He is being held in lieu of $1,000 bail and must return to court on Thursday.

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Wednesday, August 09, 2017 Our Continuing Crime Wave Coverage: Sheriff Asks "What's Going On In This Town?" We Answer, Plus: Many Mayoral Forums To Choose From



We call those days of yore "The Wild West." What will they call this time a hundred years from now? Surely the historians of that far away time will wonder how ABQ slipped so far off the tracks and for so long, assuming the crime epidemic is solved by then. And an epidemic, dear reader, is what our beloved Albuquerque is dealing with.



In only the past few days



A drunk man went on a joyride to the tune of 142 mph down I-40. Police say Jeffrey Aguilar was in a black Mustang and fled officers twice before they eventually traced his plates to his address. When they arrived at his residence, police say they found him lying in bed drunk and arrested him.



Going 142 mph seems about the only way to attract law enforcement to the city's freeways these days. Driving them gives most citizens the feeling that they are about to step into a war zone.



And if you just happen to be driving through ABQ and stop at one of our friendly bistros for refreshment, there's a decent chance you'll get



While Staci Almager and her family (driving through ABQ) were eating at the Range Cafe last Friday, a man drove up right next to her SUV and starting looking into the vehicle. . . In an instant he started taking everything out of the family's SUV and loaded it into his car. Almager said he took everything: Their laptops, bank information, clothes.



Well, Stacy, it could be worse. You might have had to stay around here and listen to the excuses, finger-pointing and general whining by our leadership on why they can't do their jobs. Speaking of which . . .



There was another shooting involving a Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputy--the fifth this year--which has BernCo Sheriff Manny Gonzales pounding the table for more deputies--but still resisting the use of lapel cameras for them. And like his colleagues in the city--APD Chief Eden, Mayor Berry, Chief Administrative Officer Rob Perry, District Attorney Torrez, the nine member city council and the ABQ Chamber of Commerce, Gonzales is



What's going on in this town? What's going on in this community?" Gonzales said. "What is prompting people to act out with these behaviors that we haven't seen, I'm going to say, for as long as I've been in law enforcement?



Come on, Manny. You know why. And even though you're an affable guy and law enforcement pro, you are partly to blame.



In addition to drugs, poverty, repeat offenders and the understaffed APD, there is the dreadful impotence being displayed about all of it by the Sheriff and the aforementioned city leadership. Their statements to the general public reek of desperation but to the criminal class are music to the ears.



The question isn't "what's going on in this community?" The real question is how did our political and law enforcement leadership become so weak and willing to admit that weakness as this crime wave continues to drown them? And the question for all of us is "Where's our outrage"?



MAYOR WHO?







--National Association Women Business Owners Mayoral Candidate Forum, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., Aug. 16, Tanoan Country Club.



--North Valley Coalition Mayoral Forum, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m., August 23, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.



--District 4/District 8 Forum, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., August 29, El Dorado High School.



--MiABQ Mayoral Forum, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., August 30, The Cell/Fusion Theatre Company, 701 1st NW.



--Community Safety and Policing Forum, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Sept. 6, African American Performing Arts Center on the state fairgrounds.



--NAACP Civil Rights and Diversity Conference Mayoral Forum, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Sept. 8, Embassy Suites Hotel near Downtown.



--East Gateway Coalition Mayoral Candidate Debate, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Sept. 21, The Canyon Club at Four Hill.s



That's a pretty healthy TV and forum schedule and we expect more will be on tap. There has been very little attention paid to this campaign but that could soon change--hopefully.



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( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2017

And the beat goes on. . . as do the beatings, stabbings, killings, robberies and assorted other mayhem that has become commonplace in this mid-size city gripped by a crime crisis the likes it hasn't seen since they laid down the railroad tracks here in 1880.We call those days of yore "The Wild West." What will they call this time a hundred years from now? Surely the historians of that far away time will wonder how ABQ slipped so far off the tracks and for so long, assuming the crime epidemic is solved by then. And an epidemic, dear reader, is what our beloved Albuquerque is dealing with.In only the past few days a gun battle erupted in the middle of the city--in the used-to-be-safe NE Heights--at Carlisle and Montgomery. Across town in the SE Heights yet another slaying is added to the Metro Murder Meter made famous back in the day by legendary newsman Stuart Dyson. His voice would grow hoarse from overuse if he was in charge of the Meter today. As for the "other assorted mayhem," try this one on for size:Going 142 mph seems about the only way to attract law enforcement to the city's freeways these days. Driving them gives most citizens the feeling that they are about to step into a war zone.And if you just happen to be driving through ABQ and stop at one of our friendly bistros for refreshment, there's a decent chance you'll get a personal taste of what this town has become:Well, Stacy, it could be worse. You might have had to stay around here and listen to the excuses, finger-pointing and general whining by our leadership on why they can't do their jobs. Speaking of which . . .There was another shooting involving a Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputy--the fifth this year--which has BernCo Sheriff Manny Gonzales pounding the table for more deputies--but still resisting the use of lapel cameras for them. And like his colleagues in the city--APD Chief Eden, Mayor Berry, Chief Administrative Officer Rob Perry, District Attorney Torrez, the nine member city council and the ABQ Chamber of Commerce, Gonzales is now overwhelmed by the enormity of the crisis this metro area faces:Come on, Manny. You know why. And even though you're an affable guy and law enforcement pro, you are partly to blame.In addition to drugs, poverty, repeat offenders and the understaffed APD, there is the dreadful impotence being displayed about all of it by the Sheriff and the aforementioned city leadership. Their statements to the general public reek of desperation but to the criminal class are music to the ears.The question isn't "what's going on in this community?" The real question is how did our political and law enforcement leadership become so weak and willing to admit that weakness as this crime wave continues to drown them? And the question for all of us is "Where's our outrage"?Readers are beginning to ask where they can see the ABQ mayoral candidates who are competing in the October 3 election. We previously told you about the two TV debates we're aware of--on KNME-TV August 15th from 6 to 8 p.m. and on KOB-TV the evening of September 15. Now we're getting word from the campaigns that KASA Fox 2 will have a mayoral debate from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. September 11 sponsored by the Greater ABQ Association of Realtors (GAAR). Activist Sivlio Dell'Angela has been compiling a list and adds these events:--, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., Aug. 16, Tanoan Country Club.--, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m., August 23, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.--, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., August 29, El Dorado High School.--, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., August 30, The Cell/Fusion Theatre Company, 701 1st NW., 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Sept. 6, African American Performing Arts Center on the state fairgrounds.--, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Sept. 8, Embassy Suites Hotel near Downtown.--, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Sept. 21, The Canyon Club at Four Hill.sThat's a pretty healthy TV and forum schedule and we expect more will be on tap. There has been very little attention paid to this campaign but that could soon change--hopefully.This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Links HOME

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WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump scolded his own party's Senate leader on Wednesday for the crash of the Republican drive to repeal and rewrite the Obama health care law, using Twitter to demand of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, "Why not done?"

Trump fired back at the Kentucky Republican for telling a home-state audience this week that the president had "not been in this line of work before, and I think had excessive expectations about how quickly things happen in the democratic process."

The exchange came less than two weeks after Senate rejection of the GOP effort to scuttle President Barack Obama's health care law, probably McConnell's most jolting defeat as leader and Trump's worst legislative loss. The House approved its version in May, but its Senate failure -- thanks to defecting GOP senators -- marked the collapse of the party's attempt to deliver on vows to erase Obama's statute it's showcased since the law's 2010 enactment.

"Senator Mitch McConnell said I had 'excessive expectations,' but I don't think so," Trump tweeted. "After 7 years of hearing Repeal & Replace, why not done?"

Trump had repeatedly used Twitter to pressure McConnell to find the votes to approve the health care bill, even saying hours after its failure that GOP senators "look like fools."

But his tweet Wednesday was an unusually personal reproach of the 33-year Senate veteran, who is deeply respected by GOP lawmakers.

Trump will need him to guide the next major Republican priority, a tax system overhaul, through the chamber. And he might be a useful White House ally as investigations progress into collusion between Russia and Trump's presidential campaign.

For his part, McConnell's statement was surprising because he is typically among the capital's most guarded politicians. When it comes to criticizing Trump, he's seldom gone further than saying he wishes he would stop tweeting, and often refused to chime in when Trump made widely condemned comments during last year's campaign.

McConnell told the Rotary Club of Florence, Kentucky, on Monday that people think Congress is underperforming partly because "artificial deadlines, unrelated to the reality of the complexity of legislating, may not have been fully understood."

He added that 52 is "a challenging number," a reference to the GOP's scant 52-48 Senate majority. "You saw that on full display a couple of weeks ago," when McConnell failed to muster a majority to push three different Republican health care plans through the chamber.

McConnell's Kentucky remarks also drew a tweet from Dan Scavino Jr., the White House social media director.

"More excuses," wrote Scavino, one of Trump's more outspoken loyalists. "@SenateMajLdr must have needed another 4 years - in addition to the 7 years - to repeal and replace Obamacare."

Also joining the fray was Fox News Host Sean Hannity, a close Trump ally.

"@SenateMajLdr No Senator, YOU are a WEAK, SPINELESS leader who does not keep his word and you need to Retire!" Hannity tweeted.

Hard-right conservatives have long assailed McConnell for being insufficiently ideological.

Before taking office and after becoming president, Trump spoke often of moving legislation erasing Obama's law rapidly through Congress. On Jan. 10 -- 10 days before taking office -- he told The New York Times that Congress could approve a repeal bill "probably sometime next week," and a separate replacement measure would be passed "very quickly or simultaneously, very shortly thereafter."

Top congressional Republicans also fed expectations for quick work, placing health care atop their 2017 agenda. In January, House leaders unveiled a schedule calling for action by late March, and McConnell said in March that he wanted Senate passage by the April recess.

Congress has begun its summer break without passing any major legislation. It has passed bills buttressing veterans' health care and financing the Food and Drug Administration, and the Senate confirmed Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.

McConnell told the Kentuckians that lawmakers should be judged when the current two-year Congress ends in January 2019.

Hours before Trump tweeted about McConnell, the president took his side when he tweeted his endorsement of Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., for next week's Senate GOP primary. McConnell has backed Strange in that multi-candidate race.

Yet one loyal Trump supporter donated $300,000 this month to a political committee backing a primary opponent of Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona. Flake, expected to get establishment GOP backing, faces a competitive race next year and is one of the biggest thorns in the president's side.

Robert Mercer's check marked the "first major gift" this cycle to the committee backing Senate candidate Kelli Ward, said Doug McKee, chairman of Kelli PAC. Mercer has helped fund the vigorously pro-Trump Breitbart News.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- While local Republican politicians are backing Rep. Daniel Donovan when he runs for re-election next year against five Democrats, Michael Grimm may run anyway and seek the Conservative Party line from a leader who has personal animosity for Donovan.

Grimm's mentor, Guy Molinari, remains unconvinced that the former congressman did anything wrong when he withheld taxes on undocumented immigrants he employed at a Manhattan health food restaurant.

Shortly after winning re-election to a third term in 2014, Grimm pleaded guilty to tax fraud, resigned from Congress and was sentenced to eight months in prison.

He was released early in May 2016, speaking immediately of a return to the public sector.

Molinari urged Grimm to run in 2010 against Democratic incumbent Michael McMahon, backed him in re-election bids and believes he can win again.

FATHER-SON RELATIONSHIP

Molinari, 88, battles health issues and stays at home most days, but makes phone calls to political players, and said he sees welcome receptions for Grimm everywhere he goes.

"He's a very, very popular man," Molinari said after Grimm brought him to a recent doctor's appointment.

Grimm brings him food, helps him around the house and checks in on him.

As for his former protege, Donovan, "I almost never hear from him."

Molinari's tone turned cold as he spoke about the sitting congressman, who had been his chief of staff when he was borough president.

Donovan stayed on as deputy borough president under BP Jim Molinaro before leaving to be district attorney.

Described by Staten Island politicos as having a father-son relationship with both Donovan and later Grimm, Molinari has soured to the congressman.

"He thinks it's something that's owed to him and I don't agree with that," he said of the office.

He argues it's Grimm's seat that was stolen from him by a politically motivated prosecution.

"Michael was done in by the Democrats, this was a Democratic plot," Molinari said.

Grimm had been investigated for misusing campaign funds but was never charged with any related crime.

Asked whether Grimm will run, Molinari said, "I think he will. We've had many discussions about that."

He added, "If Michael decides to run, I will be very active in his campaign. Michael has been extraordinary in helping me through the pain that I suffer. He's here almost every single day taking care of me."

Grimm hasn't returned requests for comment on this and other recent stories, and is expected to wage a Republican primary challenge.

STRAINED ASSOCIATIONS

Jim Molinaro has had a cold relationship with his former boss. He had been Molinari's deputy borough president for 12 years, and prior to that was his chief of staff when Molinari was in Congress.

The two haven't been close for years, as Molinaro ended his friendship with Donovan, when as DA, he refused to take a criminal assault case involving Molinaro's grandson because it was a conflict of interest.

The case was sent to the Manhattan DA's office, and Molinaro's grandson got prison time, something for which the then-BP never forgave his former employee. During the case and after, Molinari stood by Donovan.

Now, Molinaro and Molinari appear to be working together to get Grimm support on the Conservative Party line for a challenge against Donovan next year.

DONOVAN 'REMAINS FOCUSED'

Donovan spokeswoman Jessica Proud said, "Dan has proudly fought for conservative principles throughout his career and will continue doing so. He remains focused on getting things done in Washington, but come election season, we're confident we'll have the support of Republicans and Conservatives regardless of whoever decides to run."

Molinari expects that Grimm would get more support than Donovan, adding, "Michael will work his tail off."

Asked whether Grimm's reputation as a bully who threatened to throw a NY1 reporter off a balcony and going to prison for tax fraud will hamper his efforts to get support from voters and other members of Congress, Molinari laughed it off.

"He'll have no trouble, they love him in Congress," he said.

But the state GOP chairman, and Staten Island and Brooklyn chairmen, as well as all the elected Republicans on the Island said they would support Donovan next year, not Grimm, if he decides to primary Donovan.

REKINDLED CONNECTION

Hence Molinaro and Molinari rekindling their connection.

"My old friend Jim Molinaro and I have reconciled," Molinari said. "The only reason we weren't talking was because of Dan Donovan."

Harold Wagner is the chairman of the Staten Island Conservative Party and didn't return a request for comment. He takes many cues from chairman emeritus Molinaro, who holds a lot of sway in the party, even though he insists he doesn't.

Molinaro said he hasn't spoken to Grimm about a possible run and wouldn't say whether he would support his campaign.

But he did speak highly of him.

"I respected Michael Grimm a lot more than other people did," he said. "I was friendly with him since the day he was elected."

Molinaro acknowledged it will be difficult for Grimm to fundraise against Donovan, but thinks he'll have no problem getting enough petition signatures to wage a Republican primary.

He insists he and Molinari were always friends.

"I was never on bad terms with Guy," he said. "He was mad at me, I wasn't mad at him."

Brooklyn Chairman Jerry Kassar isn't fond of the idea of a Grimm return to the House.

"I do not have a particular interest in endorsing Michael Grimm for Congress," Kassar said.

ROLE OF COUNTY COMMITTEES

In the bi-county congressional district, the county committees on Staten Island and in Brooklyn decide who to give the party line to.

Absent an agreement, which looks likely to occur in this race, state party leaders break the tie.

State Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long said it's too early to comment on a possible Grimm campaign, and said the former congressman hadn't reached out to him. But Molinari had, Long said.

Kassar noted he's not happy with some of Donovan's recent votes, including his vote against repealing and replacing Obamacare.

"I am dissatisfied with some of the actions Dan has taken and I have every intention of sitting down with him to go over that," he said.

He added, "I have had a very good and long relationship with Dan ... So I'm assuming we can get to an understanding."

As for his predecessor, "I would not look at Michael Grimm as an option."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Mariners Harbor man who sexually abused an underage girl two years ago was sentenced Wednesday to up to three years in prison.

Tyrone Parker, 49, of Roxbury Street, had oral sex with the girl between May 30 and July 31, 2015, said a criminal complaint.

Parker was 46 then; the victim was under 17, the complaint said.

The defendant and victim knew each other, said police.

Parker was arrested on July 17 of this year after an investigation.

He pleaded guilty two weeks ago in state Supreme Court, St. George, to third-degree criminal sexual act (formerly classified as sodomy). It was the top charge against him.

Parker was sentenced to 18 months to three years behind bars.

He must also register with state authorities as a sexual offender.

An order of protection was issued in the victim's favor for a period of eight years.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police seek the public's help identifying a man wanted for questioning in connection with a grand larceny in Port Richmond last month.

On July 7 at about 10 p.m. near Port Richmond Avenue and Albion Place, an unidentified man entered a car with the engine on and drove one block to the corner of Sharpe and Charles avenue, according to a written statement from the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

This same individual then removed several items from within the vehicle before exiting, including a designer hand bag, cell phone, and identification with an estimated value of $2,400, police said.

Police released a surveillance picture of the man sought, which was taken from a nearby store.

Police describe him as a Hispanic male, 20-30 years old, who was seen wearing a white T-shirt.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477 (TIPS) or for Spanish, 1-888-577-4782 (PISTA). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A felon, who is a reputed gang member from West Brighton, was indicted Wednesday on attempted-murder charges for allegedly shooting and wounding a victim outside a housing complex in his community three weeks ago.

Melsaun (Mel) Short, 22, struck the victim in the lower left abdomen about 2:20 a.m. on July 22, outside the apartment building at 240 Broadway, said a criminal complaint.

The building is part of the West Brighton Houses.

Police initially said the victim and defendant did not know each other.

Court papers do not state a possible motive.

The unidentified victim was hospitalized after the incident.

Police allege Short is a member of the WBz youth crew.

Short, a Markham Lane resident, was charged under an eight-count indictment with attempted second-degree murder, criminal firearm possession and multiple counts of assault and criminal weapon possession.

The dreadlocked defendant, who was garbed in tan jail scrubs, pleaded not guilty through his lawyer, Tamara Giwa.

He did not immediately accept prosecutors' offer of a seven-year prison sentence, plus five years' post-release supervision, in exchange for a guilty plea.

The case was adjourned to Sept. 19 for a conference.

According to court records, Short has a prior felony conviction.

He pleaded guilty in April 2015 to attempted second-degree gang assault and later sentenced to five years' probation.

The charge stemmed from a May 13, 2014 episode in which Short and three other reputed gang members were accused of attacking three brothers on a West Brighton street, badly slashing two of the victims.
FREMONT -- Residents here voiced concerns Tuesday related to the impact that a planned Costco-Lincoln Premium Poultry chicken processing plant would have on the areas air quality.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality held a public hearing related to an air quality construction permit for the chicken facility, which includes a processing plant, feed mill and hatchery.

About 75 people attended, and more than a dozen residents offered testimony with the vast majority asking the NDEQ to either deny or re-evaluate the proposed permit.

Randy Ruppert, president of Nebraska Communities United, voiced concerns over the lack of a monitoring system to ensure the facility is adhering to the permits conditions.

We as citizens of this county need to know that this facility is not going to be bringing our children down with asthma and our seniors with COPD, he said.

Gary Buttermore, environmental quality supervisor at NDEQ, said his department determined the plant would not have a significant impact on air quality beyond the plant property.

The entire state of Nebraska is in compliance with ambient air quality standards, and we dont anticipate that this project will change that standing, he said.

NDEQ will continue accepting public comment about the permit until Thursday before deciding whether to approve the permit.
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Verizon Wireless has fixed the technical issue that prevented some Southeast Nebraska customers from receiving an Amber Alert last month, a spokesperson said.

Nebraska State Patrol officials reported fielding complaints from people who said they didn't get an alert on their cellphone July 19.

Agency spokesperson Cody Thomas said the State Patrol determined the issue was on the carrier's end and wasn't because of a glitch in the agency's procedures, Thomas said.

Omaha police requested the alert in the abduction of an 8-year-old boy that evening.

State Patrol delivered the information to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which sends out the alerts, Thomas said.

All the carriers reported to the center they received the alert and sent it out, Thomas said.

Authorities found the child safe and the suspect was arrested in Fremont a few hours after the alert.

Court documents say law enforcement called to investigate the shoplifting of beef jerky at a gas station near Fremont determined the suspect's car in that case matched the vehicle in the Amber Alert.

The car drove to Fremont Health hospital, the driver got out with the boy and tried to run into the hospital with him as a handgun dropped to the ground, court documents said.

Officers managed to stop the man and take him into custody.

But the next day, State Patrol asked for public feedback about the alert's delivery after fielding complaints that people didn't receive the messages.

"(We're) very glad the child was found safely last night, but we want to help make sure the message is spread to as many as possible in the future," the agency's Facebook post said.

Many online comments indicated Verizon phones didn't receive the alert.

Cellphone users of other carriers  who also commented online  may have turned off Amber Alert notifications in their phones, Thomas said.

Amber Alerts are sent out directly to cellphones along with other so-called Wireless Emergency Alerts, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

"We encourage everybody to actually have that turned on, to follow (State Patrol) on social media, to follow media on social media," Thomas said.

"We just encourage people to be aware."
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A Canberra mother was shocked to see her daughter's $800 mobile data bill after she tried to study during an iiNet east-coast internet blackout.

The mother, who wishes to remain anonymous to protect her Year-10 daughter's privacy, said her child was trying to study on the weekend of the blackout on July 15.

A Canberra student racked up $841.31 in mobile data charges trying to do her homework during an internet blackout.

"In the meantime my daughter's getting frantic. Most of their classes are online and they said we haven't got any internet since Saturday," the mother said.

Before the net blackout, the mother told her internet service provider to put a $1 cap on her daughter's excess mobile data usage.
Labor backbencher Bec Cody has reported herself to the police after she rode her motorcycle home without an L-plate on Tuesday. Ms Cody was seen by the Canberra Liberals riding her Harley Davidson custom 1200 Speedster out of the ACT Legislative Assembly car park without her plates. They alerted the Canberra Times, which asked her about the allegation. Katie Burgess with this story. Call for glass dump clean-up Bywong resident Denise Hudson is unhappy about the glass near the Federal Highway. Credit:Rohan Thomson

A massive pile of glass sent to be recycled in Canberra but dumped on land off the Federal Highway near Lake George is causing a stir, and residents have called on ACT and Yass authorities to clean up. The glass was dumped at the site on Hadlow Drive in Bywong more than two years ago, and residents are concerned about contamination of their dam water. Kirsten Lawson spoke to residents who want the problem solved. Export game-changer for Canberra Pialligo Estate owner Rowan Brennan is exporting his bacon internationally through Singapore Airlines' new flights. Credit:Rohan Thomson

Canberra produce is on its way to international hotels, supermarkets and leading restaurants in Singapore after the first shipment of local perishable produce on Wednesday night flew to the island nation. It could be a game-changer for producers throughout the national capital region, meaning they can now get their wares to Singapore within a day of an order being taken rather than waiting up to five days through Sydney airport, according to Pialligo Estate director Rowan Brennan. Megan Doherty writes about the milestone for local producers. Archdiocese's demolition plans A 1959 photograph of the foundation stone laying ceremony at St Luke's Anglican Church in Deakin.
Prosecutors on Tuesday charged a 48-year-old Lincoln man police say sexually assaulted two young girls, according to court documents.

On Saturday, Lincoln police arrested Todd A. Knoell, who faces two counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child and two counts of third-degree sexual assault of a child.

A 7-year-old girl who knows Knoell said he forced her to perform a sex act multiple times in the last year, according to an affidavit for his arrest.

An 11-year-old who also knows Knoell told an interviewer at the Child Advocacy Center that he molested her and forced her to perform a sex act, the affidavit said.

Knoell remained in the Lancaster County jail Thursday on $2 million bond.

If convicted, Knoell faces up to life in prison.
Hundreds will gather in Canberra for a candlelit vigil on Wednesday night, protesting against the "nightmarish abuse" of Indigenous children within Australia's justice system.

The vigil will protest local abuses such as those recently revealed within the Bimberi youth detention centre, as well as calling for justice for Kalgoorlie teenager Elijah Doughty.

The vigil would also remember Elijah Doughty, the Kalgoorlie teenager run over and killed in 2016. Credit:Facebook

Indigenous rights campaigner Roxanne Moore from Amnesty International Australia said around 500 people were expected at the event.

"We are essentially demanding justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, and particularly looking at how the justice system disproportionately impacts them," she said.
Shares in infant formula maker Bellamy's have rocketed to their highest level this year after the company confirmed that its recently acquired Melbourne factory had got its China export licence back.

In a statement to the ASX on Wednesday morning, the Tasmanian-based company said the licence suspension had been lifted, adding it had "diligently responded to all requests and queries on behalf of the CNCA (Certification Accreditation Administration of the People's Republic of China) and worked, with the assistance of Australian officials, through the process as stipulated by the Chinese authorities".

At the time of the announcement, Bellamy's stock was trading at about $8.04, but promptly soared to hit a high of $8.75 just before midday on Wednesday.

Bellamy's shares eased in the afternoon before closing at $8.20, its highest closing price in 2017 and a 32 jump on the previous day. In January this year, it dropped to as low as $3.70.
John Symond in 1994. Credit:Fairfax Media The 2012 sale agreement included an option for the bank to acquire the remainder of the business. There was also a four-year contract for Symonds to remain as executive chairman, which would have expired before Christmas. Ian Narev faces the media on Wednesday. Credit:DEAN LEWINS So the only question really was, what price the two parties would agree on for that final stake.

CBD is told a final price will be set later this month based on the June 30 financial results of the Aussie Home Loans business. It reported a net profit of $35 million for the 2016 financial year. Illustration: John Shakespeare. Symond is hoping to do an even better deal, proportionately speaking, for his remaining stake in the business, but CommBank may beg to differ. It values its 80 per cent stake at $272 million in last year's annual report, which puts Symond's stake at $68 million. A bigger issue might be Aussie's claims of independence.

Symond will remain as non-executive chairman, and his nephew James Symond will remain the boss. "Give it a month and ask the consumer in the street, they wouldn't have a clue who owns what," Symond said when the previous deal was consummated in 2012. "They just want the best deal they can get." And Narev was assuring there would be no change to this message on Wednesday. "They come into Aussie for its independence. That's how we aim to continue to run it," he said. Lost in the matrix No prizes for guessing that CommBank's press conference on Wednesday attracted a bit of interest. And former child actor Narev did a great performance of someone trying to be as open as possible about the whole Austrac fiasco.

"We made mistakes," he told the journos assembled at its Sydney HQ. "We're not saying it's all about a software error." Which adds to the accountability muddle due to the bank's matrix business structure. As Narev pointed out, the intelligent deposit machines (IDMs) are deployed in the bank's branches, which means they come under the retail department. But the infernal coding issue that caused part of the problem comes under enterprise, and the whole monitoring shemozzle comes under the risk management team. So does the investigating committee take the red pill or blue pill? Narev was also asked if he had offered his resignation to the bank's new chairman, Catherine Livingstone.

He was not going to go into that sort of detail about their discussions, but he did helpfully offer the fact that "we have a very open relationship". Livingstone may have been thanking her lucky stars that Narev was not asked to clarify that any further. Earlier he was asked whether anyone at CommBank has lost their job over the scandal. "What Catherine's announcement has made clear is that since 2015 there have been changes in the leadership positions," replied Narev rather vaguely. "People can have confidence that there are very capable people running these areas and the board's also said it's got a subcommittee that, in the course of what it does, will identify whether there's any further management accountability and will have more to say about that as it does its work."

Follow-up question: has anyone lost their job? "That's where we are at the moment," came the helpful reply. The bank was also pretty strident in claiming there was no commercial motive to rolling out the IDMs at the centre of the scandal. "A lot of people have inferred that there's a connection between a desire to ... make money through the IDMs and there isn't." Did we mention that the bank announced a $9.9 billion profit on Wednesday, coming in ahead of market expectations?
Global food giant Unilever has snapped up Australian ice cream company Weis, the family-run producer of the iconic Mango and Cream Bar.

The Dutch-British consumer goods company said on Wednesday it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Queensland company.

Global consumer goods giant Unilever has acquired another iconic Australian brand.

Unilever already owns the Streets ice cream and more than 400 other consumer brands from around the world, including Lipton, Bushells, Dove, Rexona and Ben & Jerry's.

Les Weis founded Weis in Toowoomba, Queensland, in 1957, and plied local movie-goers with his "Fruito Bars".
The decision is a win for Bluescope in a wider dispute with the Australian Workers Union about the use of contract labour that will now be referred back to Commissioner John Ryan to reconsider.

A Fair Work Commission full bench sided with Bluescope to overturn an earlier decision about its use of contract labour on the packing line at its Western Port steel mill in Hastings, Victoria.

Bluescope Steel has won the right to appeal a decision over its use of contract labour without union consent to cope with a spike in demand at one of its mills.

"Contrary to BlueScope's submissions, we do not consider that there is sufficient material before us to simply determine the dispute proceedings in BlueScope's favour by concluding that it is entitled to use contractors in the manner it originally proposed," the Commission said.

"It may readily be accepted that it would be far more appropriate to use contractors to meet an eight-week surge in demand rather than to engage new permanent full-time employees for such a short period.

"However, it is less clear whether the use of contractors would be more appropriate than to have the existing permanent full-time workforce cover the temporary surge by the use of overtime if necessary."

Bluescope has argued it was restricted from using overtime, which would also impose a greater cost than the use of contractors.

The Australian Workers Union has contended it would be no more expensive, as well as being safer and more efficient, to use existing workers to perform the work required.
Almost everyone harbours a secret or two. Some, such as a surprise party you're planning for a friend, are exciting and enjoyable.

Others, however, may make you feel ashamed or distressed because you believe that disclosure would be harmful and upsetting to significant others, or cause other people to dislike you. But is there a long-term cost to keeping distressing secrets?

If you're harbouring a burdensome secret, you'll experience greater well-being if you talk it through with someone who doesn't judge you. Credit:iStock

Anita Kelly, professor of psychology at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, has spent many years studying the effects. Her research shows that individuals who harbour personal secrets are more likely to experience negative psychological symptoms such as anxiety, guilt and shame.

Ahmet Uysal and colleagues at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara asked subjects to keep a daily record of self-concealment and to rate their level of well-being. They found that concealing distressing personal information was associated with negative well-being. Catrina Finkenauer and Bernard Rime at the University of Louvain in Belgium discovered that those who kept what they felt were important but unhappy secrets about themselves not only experienced lower levels of well-being, but were also less healthy physically.
The current controversy about the government's reborn plans for the outcome of same sex marriage legislation to be determined by plebiscite is yet another element in the decades-long battle between Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull for the heart and spirit of the Liberal Party. They are the key figures in the deep division within the party and, arguably, within Australia.

They have been locked together in combat for almost three decades, after being acquaintances much earlier, since the formation of the Australian Republican Movement in 1991 and Australians for Constitutional Monarchy in 1992. Turnbull was a founding member of ARM and became its second chairman in 1993. Abbott became the first national executive director of ACM. He entered parliament in 1994, a decade before Turnbull, while the latter led the ARM right through to the republic referendum in 1999. Abbott was a major figure in the 1999 'No' campaign and is particularly associated with the slogan "Say No to the Politicians' Republic".

Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott's have been clashing for almost 30 years. Credit:AAP

That long connection has become front of mind again through the excavation of Turnbull's negative views of voluntary postal ballots. He once regarded them as seriously flawed. The context was their use in elections for delegates to the 1998 Constitutional Convention, which was being contested by Turnbull's ARM.

The Abbott-Turnbull connection has also been elevated by Bill Shorten's promise of a republican plebiscite in Labor's first term of office if he wins the 2019 federal elections. Abbott immediately railed against Shorten's proposition, knowing that the republican Turnbull differs from Shorten only on tactics and strategy about how to bring about an Australian Head of State.
As Jane Caro watched other women speak out about sexual assault and abuse, she decided to face her shame.

Eventually I mustered the courage to write my own story and use it to pitch the idea for a collection of essays by women about the events in their lives they had stayed silent about. However, when a publisher loved the idea, I wasn't as delighted as I usually am when I get a book contract. Now I had no excuse. I had to approach other women, I had to tell my own story publicly, and I had to face my own shame.

Not every woman I approached agreed to contribute  for perfectly understandable reasons  but a surprising number did. As I began to receive their submissions I found that their honesty and courage in writing about their own experiences helped ease my own burden.

This sharing of stories enabled me to let go of the corrosive thought that somehow I was to blame for what had happened. It was clear to me that none of the other women were, so how could I be? The power differential between doctor (or any other kind of therapist) and patient, the vulnerability of women with their knickers off, was something I at last began to understand when I saw it through the experience of other women.

Sadly, it seems to be a rare woman who has not some story to tell about being shamed into silence. Not all of their stories are about sexual abuse and assault, of course, though far too many of them are. Nor is it only women who experience the corrosive effect of shame.
Papua New Guinea may be one of the last refuges for amphibians as a fungal disease decimates populations worldwide, a Queensland academic believes.

James Cook University Research Fellow Dr Deborah Bower said Australia had suffered one of the world's worst declines in frog populations.

Researchers have been imploring governments to ramp up biosecurity measures in New Guinea so populations of amphibians do not end up critically endangered like the southern corroboree frog. Credit:Lorinda Taylor/Taronga Zoo

The most popular theory suggests the disease, caused by the chytrid fungus, is spread through the movement of frogs, water and soil.

"This is a fungus that has spread throughout most of the world, but because New Guinea is so isolated and has so little imports, we think that it hasn't actually gotten onto the island of New Guinea yet," Dr Bower said.
When Malcolm Turnbull delivered the Michael Kirby Lecture in 2012, he concluded by toasting his "old friend ... who may, indeed, one day be able to marry his prince".

Today, the former High Court judge says he would rather keep waiting than endure a public postal vote on whether he can wed Johan van Vloten, his partner of 50 years. Both say they will boycott the process entirely.

Justice Kirby, 78, lashed out at the "Mickey Mouse" postal proposal, which said was "completely unprecedented", disrespected the Australian people and discriminated against marginalised voters.

He agreed with Mr Turnbull's views from 1997, before the republic referendum, that a postal ballot "flies in the face of Australian democracy".
Nancy Hicks Reporter Nancy Hicks reports on Lincoln city government, but shes been following the leaders of local and state government for more than 40 years. Follow Nancy Hicks Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Two current school speed zones could be eliminated because engineering studies show they increase, rather than reduce, safety problems.

The two -- on 84th Street for Pyrtle Elementary School and along U.S. 34 for Schoo Middle School -- have both been targeted during a recent study of the 46 school speed zones.

A week ago, Lonnie Burklund, manager of Engineering Services for the city, used crash data for the 84th and Pyrtle school speed zone showing crashes occurred far more frequently when the school zone lights were flashing, during a City Council meeting.

This week, Burklund and Miki Esposito, Public Works and Utilities Department director, said the school speed zone on U.S. 34, where the speed limit is reduced from 60 mph to 45 mph, also doesnt lead to safer conditions.

That zone was created in 2009 when parents from the Highlands asked for a safer walking and biking route to the new middle school in Fallbrook.

Burklund said he would not have put a school zone at that location because it violates industry traffic engineering standards and is not an appropriate location. But he didnt work for the city in 2009 when that decision was made.

The data we have now will likely result in the removal of the speed zone at that location," he told the council.

Mayor Chris Beutler supported creating that school zone for U.S. 34 in 2009. Another option, a $3 million pedestrian overpass, never got off the ground.

What's next for 84th and Leighton

Right now there is an apparent standoff between the City Council, which voted to create a school speed zone at 84th and Leighton, and city engineers, who say a speed zone will increase, not reduce, safety problems.

A mayor's veto would resolve that problem. And a mayor's veto would likely stand. The council is split 4-3 on the speed zone issue and it takes five votes to override a veto.

The administration will be talking with public works staff about a veto, according to Rick Hoppe, chief of staff to Mayor Chris Beutler.

But Hoppe says he has "no idea at this point," whether there might be a veto.

The mayor will have until Aug. 16 to make a veto decision, according to the city clerk. That is seven days after he officially receives the two pieces of legislation -- the ordinance allowing a council to intervene and the resolution seeking the 84th and Leighton school zone -- on Wednesday.

Either way, this kind of a fight does not make for friendly vibes a week before the council and mayor head into public budget discussions.

Game Day contract with police

The University of Nebraska expects to pay Lincoln more than $50,000 for the work of city police officers on home gamedays, based on a contract for that work.

Gamedays are a partnership between UNL and the city police, said Chief Jeff Bliemeister.

The police direct traffic in the downtown area before and after a game, on the citys dime.

But in between they head to Memorial Stadium, where they help UNL police with security, and thats on the universitys dime.

NU pays the overtime pay rate plus the cost of employee benefits for each officer, so NU reimburses the city for actual costs, Bliemeister said.

Because of security concerns, Bliemeister will not say exactly how many off-duty officers are called in for game days. But officers are not allowed to take home game days off, except for limited reasons.

Planning Commission heavy with Democrats

Assuming Christy Joy, who Mayor Chris Beutler has said he plans to recommend for the Planning Commission, is approved by the City Council and County Board, Democrats will dominate this commission.

Six of the nine commissioners will be Democrats with that appointment. Two commissioners are Republicans and one, who was registered nonpartisan, switched to Libertarian this year.

There are no rules covering party affiliation for the commission, which helps guide zoning and development issues. But the goal has always been to have a commission with broad membership representing a range of occupations and philosophies.

Block numbers for arterials will remain

New street name signs for arterials will not include numbers indicating how far north or south the street is from O Street, the dividing line.

Fire, police and ordinary folks have told public works staff they use those numbers as they drive.

So public works will be posting the block number (2000 south, 1500 north, etc.) separately.

"We do listen," said Lonnie Burklund, manager of Engineering Services.

The separate signs will cost less, about $20 each, than making the street name signs large enough to include that number, Burklund said.
Australia has called on "all parties" to calm tensions over North Korea's nuclear program after United States President Donald Trump launched a fiery rhetorical attack that experts have said inflamed the risk of further provocations by the rogue regime.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Fairfax Media on Wednesday that rather than escalating hostilities, "we urge all parties to continue down the path of easing tensions and encouraging dialogue".

Ms Bishop said that Australia was "not a primary target but we have a deep interest in seeing this resolved".

"It's evident that it could ramp up into a more serious conflict," she said.
Power companies have blamed a decade of political uncertainty in Canberra for sharp rises in power prices, and implored the Turnbull government to adopt a proposed Clean Energy Target.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Treasurer Scott Morrison and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg met eight power companies - Energy Australia, Momentum Energy, Simply Energy, Alinta Energy, Origin Energy, AGL, Australian Energy Council and Snowy Hydro - on Wednesday to discuss sky rocketing electricity prices.

Treasurer Scott Morrison, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Minister for Environment and Energy Josh Frydenberg address the media on Wednesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

While the meeting was supposed to focus on retail power prices, according to sources in the meeting "the point was made more than once that a Clean Energy Target was needed to give the sector certainty to invest".

Mr Turnbull confirmed the proposed Clean Energy Target was discussed but said retail prices had been the primary focus.
David Jones certainly gave a more sophisticated meaning to the term "tabletop dancer" at a summer launch that invoked both the spirit of post-war Dior and enough room transformations to rival an episode of The Block.

Atop a raised catwalk set between a lavishly set dinner table for more than 300 VIP guests  a nod to the 1948 Dior parade held in the same venue  the department store launched summer 2017 with a host of new fashion faces, as well as its most diverse model line-up in recent history.

Ambassadors Jessica Gomes and Jesinta Franklin led the all-Australian model line-up, which also included Victoria's Secret alumni Shanina Shaik and Bridget Malcolm.

All-Australian line-up ... (from left) Bridget Malcolm, Jessica Gomes, Jesinta Franklin and Shanina Shaik at rehearsals for the David Jones launch in Sydney on Wednesday. Credit:Katherine Griffiths

Proving age is no barrier to entry, David Jones also hired 1990s supermodels Emma Balfour and Anneliese Seubert for the show, which featured more than 230 looks from 40 local and international brands.
The Australian Border Force is launching an anti-corruption overhaul amid concerns that a cell of its officers has been working with a notorious international drug and tobacco syndicate for a decade.

Leaked confidential government documents and briefings from officials suggest alleged corrupt insiders have been helping an alleged crime syndicate run by Sydney's Jomaa family since as early as 2003, and at least since 2008, compromising Sydney Airport and Port Botany.

Australian Border Force staff are being required to pay back the amounts.

Much of the suspected corruption has never been brought to public attention but is detailed in confidential government and police reports that suggest multiple drug and tobacco importations may have occurred with inside help.

The revelations puts Australia's entire anti-corruption regime under a spotlight.
Former CFMEU boss Andrew Ferguson has been handed a plum spot on Labor's ticket for Canada Bay council by the party's NSW head office, despite allegations he was involved in branch-stacking and walking the books.

Hours before nominations for next month's council elections closed on Wednesday, party officials in Sussex Street appointed Mr Ferguson to the winnable third-spot on Labor's Canada Bay ticket, in an 11th-hour intervention to prevent the ticket from collapsing altogether.

Andrew Ferguson with a placard of Labor's mayoral candidate for Canada Bay Angelo Tsirekas before the preselection meeting last week. Credit:Nick Moir

It followed a disastrous pre-selection process last week that had mayoral candidate Angelo Tsirekas threaten to walk away from the ticket entirely, after Mr Ferguson secured the ticket's top spot ahead of him.

Party officials have scrambled since Monday to broker a peace deal between Mr Tsirekas and Mr Ferguson, after Fairfax Media revealed last week that a number of Mr Ferguson's supporters inside the Concord branch, where he is secretary, had allegedly been enrolled at fictitious addresses in a bid to bolster his preselection chances.
The son and model girlfriend of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim have both been freed on bail following police raids across Sydney.

Mr Ibrahim's son, Daniel Ibrahim, who also goes by the name Daniel Taylor, was granted bail on Wednesday after prosecutors did not oppose it.

Daniel Ibrahim, 26, from Dover Heights, is accused of handing over a bag containing $2.25 million on July 24 that was to be used for a large illegal tobacco importation.

Daniel, who has previously served in the Australian Army, was arrested for dealing with money intended to become an instrument of crime.
Former Double Bay real estate agent Ryan Watsford remains behind bars after he was arrested on Tuesday and charged with multiple offences relating to tobacco importation and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Mr Watsford, 37, was one of a string of people arrested in a massive sweep by Federal Police investigating international drug importations, illegal tobacco importations and money laundering.

Also arrested were his close associates, brothers Mick and Fadi Ibrahim who were detained in Dubai, and their nephew Dan Ibrahim, 26, who was arrested in Sydney.

Mr Watsford and his Maserati car have been a familiar sight to many in the Eastern Suburbs since, whether it was having coffee with Moses Obeid near Watsford's Rose Bay home or seen in the company of his mate, John Ibrahim.
Mr Katter said the atmosphere at the time of Mr Vasta's removal by the Queensland Parliament was one of fear. "Why didn't I stand up? Cowardice. Am I going to stand up? And defend the witches? In Salem? In the witch burning?" he said. "I am not that courageous person I can tell you." Mr Katter was a member of the Queensland Parliament from 1974 to 1992 and was part of the government which supported Mr Vasta's removal, but said he always regretted that decision. Mr Katter said the government appointed itself "judge and jury" and there was no evidence Mr Vasta was guilty of anything.

"If there was anything there, surely it would have come out," he said. Mr Katter also said while there was corruption in the police force, there was never any in the government. He said Mr Vasta, with a Sicilian and cane-cutting background, was a "pawn" in a class struggle of establishment vs non-establishment. Asked why he was not in federal Parliament - which was sitting on Wednesday - by media after the hearing, Mr Katter said this bill was more important: "That justice be done and be seen to be done." Mr Katter's son, state member for Mount Isa Robbie Katter, has introduced a bill to revoke the decision to remove Mr Vasta as a judge.

Speaking to the Parliamentary committee considering the bill, Mr Vasta said there was a "mad frenzy" surrounding the Fitzgerald years and the decision to remove him was "fundamentally fraud". "Corruption was seen behind every bush, oh if you were a friend of the commissioner of police or if you do this, well you were tarred with the same brush," Mr Vasta said. "There was just this mad frenzy that was afoot." However, former premier Mike Ahern said it was not enough to say a person was "OK providing they don't go to jail". "A judge's conduct has to be of a higher category," he said.

Mr Ahern said the process was "absolutely right", and the Parliament had to accept the findings of the inquiry, headed by Sir Harry Gibbs. "There was no way that we could sit down sensibly in a Fitzgerald environment, when all of this was pouring out... It was not a suitable environment to be further reviewing anything, really. It was chaotic at times," he said. "It was a question of getting on with the job of respecting the job that the eminent people [running the inquiry] had done. "I believe [the decision] was the right one." Mr Ahern said he was confused about Mr Katter's fears.

"I couldn't understand it quite frankly - the whole conspiracy thing," he thing. The Queensland government paid Mr Vasta $600,000 compensation in 1996, which Mr Ahern said was appropriate. "This process here put a flag in the sand, drew a line," Mr Ahern said. "One particular justice had these standards applied so payment was necessary." Mr Ahern said the process would probably be done differently now because the context was different.
She might look like any other mum dropping her kids at the school gate, but Rhian Allen is also the founder of a multimillion-dollar business.

Her health and fitness website, The Healthy Mummy, turns over $12 million a year, and is on track to reach revenues of $15 million next year. Allen has well over 1 million mothers in her community, whom she says she is empowering to live a healthier life.

Recipe for success

The Healthy Mummy website offers mothers family-friendly meal plans created by nutritionists, exercise ideas, daily support and a range of products such as shakes, protein powders. The business adds 100 new recipes to the website every month and sells 50,000 books a year.
An Irish vet with two degrees has been unable to convince a machine she can speak English well enough to stay in Australia.

Louise Kennedy is a native English speaker, has excellent knowledge of grammar and a broad vocabulary.

Her university degrees  one in veterinary medicine, the other in history and politics  were both obtained in English.

She has been working on the Sunshine Coast as an equine vet on a skilled worker visa for the past two years.
The scandal engulfing Victorian Opposition leader Matthew Guy over his dinner with an alleged mobster would have been referred to NSW's anti-corruption watchdog by that state's electoral commission had it happened there, a legal expert says.

The claim comes amid demands for strict curbs on electoral donations in Victoria in the wake of allegations about a dinner attended by Mr Guy and alleged underworld boss Tony Madafferi.

Geoffrey Watson SC, formerly Counsel Assisting the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, says revelations Victorian Liberal party official Barrie Macmillan tried to funnel donations from Mr Madafferi to the Liberal Party would have prompted NSW's Electoral Commission to refer the matter to the watchdog.

In NSW, political donations exceeding $1000 must be disclosed (compared with $13,200 in Victoria), and the watchdog investigates electoral funding irregularities.
Senior Liberal MPs declared their support for embattled Opposition Leader Matthew Guy on Wednesday as he came under intense pressure over his lobster dinner with alleged Mafia boss Tony Madafferi.

However, some expressed concern that Mr Guy's decision to stay at the table after learning Mr Madafferi was there showed a lapse of judgment.

And some believed any further revelations could prove highly damaging for Mr Guy's leadership.

Mr Guy has repeatedly denied wrongdoing or discussing donations at the April meeting with, among other diners, Mr Madafferi and Mr Madafferi's cousin, long-time Liberal supporter Frank Lamattina, at the Lobster Cave restaurant in Beaumaris.
Beijing: China has called for perseverance in seeking a political solution to the North Korean nuclear problem, in the wake of an escalating war of words between North Korea and Donald Trump.

China's foreign ministry released a statement on Wednesday evening calling on parties to avoid the possibility of intensifying conflict or "escalating the situation with words or actions".

On Tuesday Mr Trump threatened to meet North Korea's threats against the United States with "fire and fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before".

North Korea responded that it was studying a plan to attack a US military base in Guam, after two US B-1 bombers flew over the Korean Peninsula on Tuesday.
Nairobi: Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga says he rejects results from the election commission on the country's presidential vote, raising fears his supporters could mount street protests.

"[The results] are fictitious, they are fake," he told a news conference following Tuesday's poll, saying the election board was required by law to display forms signed by party observers from each polling centre certifying the results and had not done so.

Maasai men converse under a tree after they cast their ballots in Eseki, 140 kms south of Nairobi, Kenya. Credit:AP

Instead, the election board was displaying a running tally on its website that showed President Uhuru Kenyatta leading with 54.8 per cent of the vote to Odinga's 44.3 per cent with 85 per cent of of polling stations reporting results.

Odinga rejected those numbers, saying Kenyatta's lead had been suspiciously constant since tallying began and did not jibe with what his own party agents were telling him.
Beijing: A top international tourist resort was among the sites worst hit by a 7-magnitude earthquake that struck the Jiuzhaigou scenic area in China's Sichuan province on Tuesday evening.

At least 19 people have been confirmed kille , with another 28 seriously injured, and 247 injured.

A 39-year-old Canadian woman who teaches at an Australian university was among 20 people hospitalised at the Jiuzhaigou branch hospital in the township, after sustaining a head injury, local media reported.

The Jiuzhaigou earthquake struck at 9.19pm on Tuesday, blocking roads into the mountainous national park area and cutting communication lines.
Bangkok: The United States has asked south-east Asia nations to target clandestine North Korean operations in the region and to share more intelligence on the outlaw nation with Washington.

US officials say US intelligence gathering has identified North Korean front companies in Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar, where North Korean operatives hold secret meetings and do business to generate much needed foreign currency.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, is greeted by Malaysian Air Force officials at a military base in Subang. Credit:AP

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged Thailand and Malaysia to dismantle North Korea's commercial operations and detain the country's operatives during pit-stop visits to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

Susan Thornton, US Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told reporters North Korean companies are using Bangkok as a regional hub and they change their names frequently.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin told members of the media on Wednesday that his government has a number of priorities they are working on including the establishment of an integrity chamber. The statements came after the Ministers were asked when they will appoint a director to the office of the cadaster. Marlin said that the cadastre office falls under the Minister of Finance, he said that there is a process to recruit someone to take up the vacant post. He said it might come to the point where government would have to park the current procedure and start over the process. Marlin further explained that they have list legislations that have to be finalized. He said that even if these procedures are being outsourced when the final legislation is ready, legal affairs of government would have to vet these legislations before it is sent to the SER, Council of Advice before it reaches parliament.

Marlin made clear that no one outside of St. Maarten dictate what a priority for his government is. Marlin said up to Tuesday his government discussed the integrity breaches that have been taking place and must be stopped. He said that civil servants and others have been doing things a certain way and they want to continue the same way, but that cannot be.

As for the Netherlands, he said just last year they had Euro 2B yet they gave St. Maarten an instruction stating that St. Maarten must implement the National Health Insurance by December 31st, 2017. Marlin said even the US cannot find a proper solution on how to fix their healthcare problems and while the Netherlands took 23 years to fix their healthcare problems, however, they have imposed an instruction on St. Maarten, a country that is just 7 years old.

Marlin said that while the current situation does not really affect health care, but the Kingdom will use the NHI to punish St. Maarten in other ways such as the country not being able to borrow.
Pond Island:--- TELEMGroup workers and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Kendall Dupersoy, took part in an impressive Toastmasters induction and Chartering ceremony at the companys main building on Pond Island, Tuesday evening.

A total of 18 workers, including Mr. Dupersoy were inducted into the ranks of the prestigious leadership training and public speaking organization with a worldwide reach - becoming the third corporate group on St. Maarten to have its own Toastmasters Club.

In a short presentation to his fellow inductees, visiting Toastmaster officials and members of other Toastmasters clubs, Mr. Dupersoy touched on his professional and academic growth and his propensity to being outspoken even from an early age.

TelEm Group CEO Kendall Dupersoy gave a presentation during Tuesdays Chartering ceremony and regular meeting of the newly formed Telecom Corp. Toastmasters Club.

Mr. Dupersoy looks forward to putting this to good use as a member of the Telecom Corporate Toastmasters Club, recognizing that even as the companys CEO, there is always room for the continuous development of public speaking and leadership skills.

This is an opportunity not to be missed, the CEO said, quoting from a popular American author, Brian Tracy: Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others, but unsuccessful people are always asking, whats in it for me.

Present to witness the proceedings and to officiate in the mass induction ceremony was Sherry-ann Batson, the Immediate Past District Director of District 81 of Toastmasters, under which the Telecom Corporate Toastmasters Club falls.

The Distinguished Toastmaster, with more than 25 years of service and numerous levels of responsibility within the organization over those years, was visiting from Barbados and personally congratulated each new Toastmaster after they had been pinned by other high-ranking Toastmasters officials attending the ceremony.

Ms. Batson was especially thankful to former Area 30 Director, Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM), Elroy Hughes, for spearheading the Telecom Corporate Toastmasters Club charter. She also praised the companys CEO Mr. Dupersoy, for his membership and for a strongly worded endorsement at the start of the evenings proceedings.

This is a very important occasion both for these new members and for this brand new club. You have come to Toastmasters seeking to improve your communication and leadership skills and you now have the opportunity to learn and grow and achieve, said the District 81 Toastmaster.

Tuesdays induction ceremony was also marked by the presence of many Toastmaster officials from both sides of the island including Immediate Past Division Director, Kathia Magdeleine, present Division Director Brenda Maynard and Area Director, Sanjana Manek.

A special word of thanks went to Philipsburg Toastmasters Club member, Elroy Hughes,

who was also amongst the 18 persons inducted into the Telecom Corp Toastmasters Club Tuesday, has spearheaded the creation of the new Charter.

Newly inducted Telecom Corporate Toastmasters Club President, Nina Diaz, thanked her club officials for a successful Chartering ceremony and meeting. She congratulated all the new Corporate inductees and especially thanked her for visiting Toastmasters colleagues and officials, including District Toastmaster Ms. Batson.

We very much appreciate the effort made by DTM Batson in sharing this moment with us. We will certainly be taking up her suggestion to seek out the experience of our fellow Toastmaster colleagues and clubs on the island and in the region to help with our own development, said Telecom Corp Toastmaster Club president Nina.

She said following the official part of the meeting, the regular order of the day proceeded and regular meetings will continue on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month on TelEm Group premises starting at 5:00 pm.
PHILIPSBURG:--- At the Department of Communication, Business Outreach and Placement Program (BOPP) student interns Julianne Robert(16) and Omari Philips(18) took part in hosting a TV Program that will play on Cable TV for the next 3 weeks.

Julianne, of the Charlotte Brookson Academy, and Omari, of the St. Maarten AcademyPSVE division, were trained in several areas at the DCOMM, from administrative tasks to video production to media communication.

The student interns worked along with DCOMM staff members to contribute their part of an information program, called Inside Government.

The two students interviewed the Prime Minister William Marlin, Minister Silveria Jacobs, the BOPP coordinator Faye Arnell, and a couple of BOPP students interns.

Julianne and Omari said that interning at DCOMM was a learning experience and productive. I enjoyed working at DCOMM. I learned a lot, and it was a lot of fun, Omari said. Julianne echoed those same sentiments in her period spent at DCOMM, working in office management, TV production, and media arts.

The BOPP students interviews can be seen on DCOMM TV Program, Inside Government, on St. Maarten Cable TV, Channel 115 at 7 pm. The first program airs on August 11, and it will highlight the BOPP program. There will be other programs hosted by these student interns on August 18th and August 25th.

Julianne and Omari are part of the 50 plus students who took part in the BOPP program, which is coordinated by the Department Social Cultural (SC) Development and are dedicated to placing exam and pre-exam students of the secondary schools as well as students of the tertiary educational level in a four weeks summer job during the months of July and August.

The SC Department said that the BOPP enables highly-motivated students to gain invaluable work experience in government departments or local businesses during the summer vacation.
James Krauseneck maintained his innocence at the sentencing Monday and was supported by his daughter, Sarah, who was 3 at the time and saw her deceased mother, Cathleen Cathy Krausneck, 29, a Macomb County native.
Commentary

By Phil Gurski

New Canadian Media

Sometimes, small things point to large changes.

During my short visit last week to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, I had the opportunity to sit down with one of that countrys leading political scientists to talk about terrorism and PVE  i.e. Preventing Violent Extremism, the newest iteration of CVE  Countering Violent Extremism.

We had a wide-ranging chat in his book-lined office and I also learned that he had studied at Carleton University in Ottawa just before I became a sessional instructor in linguistics at that institution. Small world indeed. Our conversation was very illuminating, especially when it came to the topic of a shift in Islamic influence in Bangladesh.

So, what was that small thing? You may see this as insignificant, but I think it speaks volumes. There is apparently a tendency in Bangladesh these days to replace the everyday phrase khoda hafez (literally may God protect you but colloquially used to mean goodbye) with allah hafez.

The difference, of course, is the substitution of the Arabic word for God (Allah) for the Persian one (khoda).

This tiny shift is nothing less than a sign of the invasion of conservative, intolerant Sunni Islam into the former East Pakistan (more on that later).

The growing dominance of Salafi Sunnism is fairly recent and worrisome.

Bangladeshi Islam has traditionally been Sunni of the Hanafi school with an important influence from Sufi interpretations of the faith. The growing dominance of Salafi Sunnism is fairly recent and worrisome. Several terrorist attacks and assassinations have been attributed to Salafi jihadists in the past few years.

The victims have come from communities which the Salafis see as enemies (in truth, a very long list): Sufis, Shia, non-Muslims (Hindus, Christians), gays Perhaps the most serious attack  in what has been called Bangladeshs 9/11  was the July 1, 2016 massacre of non-Muslims at a cafe in Dhaka, an operation masterminded by a Canadian terrorist from Windsor, Ontario.

The uptick in violence has many Banglas worried. Everyone with whom I spoke  government agencies, the UN, academics  are all concerned about where this violence is headed.

And, it is not only among the Salafi jihadis that violence is being promoted. Political parties too are jumping on the bandwagon. It does not help that power in the country has been seesawing over the past decade between two female-led parties that routinely gang up on the other once in office. The current government, led by the Awami League, has also given in to some outrageous ideas by radical Islamists, such as a demand to remove a statue of Lady Justice from the grounds of the Supreme Court. This dalliance with extremists is not helpful.

The apparent sanction of violence in the name of religion threatens to lead to more deaths.

Bangladesh faces a difficult decision in the run up to national elections next year. The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina can continue to do deals with the Salafis in order to court their support, but this will only cause more hardship and maintain the transformation of tolerant Bangladeshi Islam to intolerant Salafism.

At the same time, the regime has to confront the serious Islamist extremist (i.e. terrorist) threat, but must do so while keeping human rights in mind. The elite Rapid Action Battalion, a counter terrorism body, has been criticised by some rights groups for extra-judicial killings and disappearances.

Bangladesh was born in a bloody civil war in 1971 when the former East Pakistan split from what we now call Pakistan. The powers that be in Islamabad were not too happy with the independence desires of the eastern half of a country  geographically separated by India in between  and engaged in a slaughter whose victims are estimated at anywhere from 300,000 to three million people.

In fact, trials of those responsible for the massacre are still being held these days. It would be truly tragic if another wave of violence is on the horizon.

But back to that change in goodbye. Salafis hate the Shia more than any other group and believe that the only good Shia is a dead one. Their intolerance has even extended to rejecting a Bangla phrase that contains a Farsi (Persian) word (recall that most Persians are Shia Muslims) for an Arabic one (NB linguistically this makes little sense: Bangla and Farsi are related Indo-European languages whereas Arabic is a non-related Semitic language).

This may sound silly and trivial, but sometimes we do have to pay attention to the small things in life.

Phil Gurski worked in the Canadian intelligence community for more than 30 years. His latest book, The Lesser Jihads, will be published on September 15.

This piece was originally appeared in canadianlabour.ca

See http://www.newcanadianmedia.ca/component/k2/42018-in-bangladesh-a-small-change-could-point-to-more-extremism
Everything you need to know about No. 20 Notre Dame's game vs. Navy Saturday in Baltimore
ASHLAND  The normally lively gathering of Lincoln and Omaha business and community leaders with members of Nebraska's congressional delegation turned silent Wednesday when the annual event kicked off with a focus on North Korea's growing nuclear arms threat.

"We have a very strong missile defense system," Sen. Deb Fischer assured the hushed audience a day after President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with an assault of "fire and fury" if its nuclear provocations do not end.

"We are realistic about the threats, we prepare for the threats, but we live our lives," Fischer said.

However, she added, this is a growing threat from North Korea "that is becoming real" as the regime advances its ability to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles that could reach the United States with nuclear weapons aboard.

Fischer is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee's subcommittee on strategic forces, a unit whose assignments include missile defense as well as nuclear forces.

Missile defense is "a priority of mine," Fischer told the audience at the event co-sponsored by the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce.

Sen. Ben Sasse, who also sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said "there are no good options" in dealing with the North Korean threat and "there really are no good scenarios at this moment."

A successful effort to "decapitate" the North Korean leadership by "taking out" Kim Jong-un could unleash a subsequent and dangerous "special forces race" between China and the United States to secure North Korea's nuclear materials, Sasse said.

"Nuclear material has been diffused," he said, and surveillance challenges have made it impossible to know where all the material may be located.

Meanwhile, millions of South Koreans in Seoul remain "directly targeted by conventional weapons," Sasse said.

Fischer said recently adopted United Nations sanctions against North Korea agreed to by China and Russia are important, but "trade relationships need to end" in order to apply even more pressure on the regime.

The discussion about North Korea and the president's looming threat of military action unfolded at the Strategic Air and Space Museum with vintage U.S. Air Force aircraft suspended from the ceiling and surrounding the gathering.

More familiar topics emerged following that, with members of Nebraska's all-Republican delegation expressing opposition to the Trump administration's trade policy and disappointment with the president's withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

"We need more export markets in Asia," Sasse said.

TPP withdrawal was "unfortunate," Rep. Adrian Smith said, and he defended the North American Free Trade Agreement, noting that "it has done some great things for American agriculture."

Smith said he has urged the administration "not to undermine those successes."

After threatening to withdraw the United States from NAFTA during his presidential campaign, Trump now is focused on renegotiating, or "modernizing," the treaty.

Several members of the delegation said the United States needs to negotiate a trade agreement with Japan now.

"The longer we wait, the more market share we lose," Smith said, taking note of Japan's recently-negotiated trade agreement with the European Union.

"I'm trying to push them on bilateral agreements," Fischer said after expressing disagreement with Trump's withdrawal from TPP and criticism of NAFTA.

"Their theory of trade is just wrong," Sasse said in describing the Trump administration's viewpoint. NAFTA produced jobs in the United States as well as benefits for U.S. consumers, he said.

"More trade is good," he said. "More trade is great for Nebraska."

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry focused on a number of other topics, including what he described as economic inclusion, foreign policy realism, government decentralization and conservation.

Fortenberry said the large and growing national debt represents "a hidden form of taxation on the future of our children."

Rep. Don Bacon, the only missing member of the delegation, was on a congressional trip to Israel.
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Madrid, August 6, 2017 (SPS) - Navarre Vice-President of Social Rights Miguel Laparra underlined the commitment of the Provincial Executive of Navarre to a "peaceful" solution within the framework of Security Council resolutions in Western Sahara.

At a press conference, Mr. Laparra, who launched an appeal for aid to the Saharawi population in the economic and social fields, further recalled that the Provincial Executive signed on 21 November 2016 a protocol of cooperation with The Polisario Front to "express the solidarity of the government of Navarre with the Saharawi people".

This Protocol, he said, is a "qualitative leap that proves that our province has a special relationship with the Sahrawi people that goes beyond the strictly humanitarian aid, intends to translate explicit political support for the rights of the Sahrawi people in the context of the resolutions of the United Nations".

For his part, the Saharawi representative in Navarre, Badadi Benamar, called for a "peaceful solution through a referendum in Western Sahara".

Thanking the Government of Navarre, "its institutions and citizens for their solidarity and support for many years to the Saharawi people", Sahrawi representative also lamented the "grave situation in which his people lives and the constant violation of human rights by the Moroccan occupying forces".

The problem of the Saharawi people is "a political problem", pointed out Mr. Benamar, who recalled "the betrayal of Spain which, he said, is the responsible authority of the holding of the referendum of self-determination and the completion of the process of decolonization of the Sahrawi territory". (SPS)

0632/090/TRA
Junin (Peru), August 09, 2017 (SPS) - The Saharawi Ambassador in Special Mission in Peru, Jadiyetu El Mojtar Sidahmed took part in the commemoration of the 193rd anniversary of the Battle of Junin in Peru - an event before the Battle of Ayacucho where the freedom of America was concretized, according to a press release from the Association for Life and Global Peace, ASVIPAZ.

The Saharawi Ambassador, who arrived in the province of Junin on 6 August accompanied by Commissioner Miguel Huanay Bonilla and Walter Chanca Garcia, representatives of the Association for Life and Global Peace, ASVIPAZ, was received first by the mayor of the emblematic city Miner of La Oroya in Yauli, Carlos Arredondo Mayta who was in charge of welcoming the region.

The ambassador was then received by the provincial mayor of Junin, Percy Chagua Huaranga and other local authorities. on the Paseo de la Bandera carried out through the streets of the city and various solemn acts, the identification of the Andean inhabitants with the Saharawi cause was felt.

"Human nature has shown that its strength and courage as a people and nation are strengthened when goals contain the nobility of defending the values of freedom, progress, cultural identity, democratic coexistence and above all, when peace is achieved "Said Miguel Huanay

For her part, Mayor Chagua thanked the distinguished presence of diplomat Jadiyetu El Mojtar, highlighted the courage of the Saharawi people and expressed their identification with the yearning of this people to which he conveyed her greeting and admiration.

ASVIPAZ, entity headed by Gary Ayala Ochoa, established the previous coordination in the city of Lima and organized the presence of the Ambassador in this ceremony which has meant a milestone of very strong friendship since in Junin there is a great feeling of historical appreciation for freedom. SPS

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STAMFORD  The era of colonial India-themed dining on a downtown restaurant row was short-lived.

Viceroy Publik House, which billed itself as a British pub with Indian influences, has closed after about three months in business at 211 Summer St. The approximately 2,000-square-foot restaurant aimed to evoke the colonial British Raj period. The Viceroy name refers to the title of the colonial ruler of British India.

Another opportunity arose for the owner, Linda Kavanagh, the restaurants publicist, said in an email Tuesday.

Husband-and-wife owners Lakshman Bennabattula and Ramya Subramanian could not be reached for comment.

Dishes included Shepherds pie, fish and chips, Faroe Islands salmon and bangers and mash, along with Indian staples such as spicy vindaloo, madras and samosas.

Weve had this idea for over a year in our heads, Subramanian said in an interview in May. I didnt want to be like a cliched Indian restaurant because thats been tried and tested.

Viceroy earned enthusiastic reviews, including an editors pick nod from Stamford Magazine as the best new restaurant in Stamford.

Bennabattula and Subramanian, who are natives of the southern Indian city of Chennai, also owned the Arka restaurant that preceded Viceroy at 211 Summer. The property underwent an extensive renovation between the December closing of Arka and the April 22 debut of Viceroy.

The propertys future is uncertain with for lease signs hanging in the ground-level and upstairs windows. A message left for the number listed on those signs was not returned.

Amid the demise of Viceroy, two more restaurants are set to open within the coming weeks in the same restaurant corridor on Summer Street between Broad and Main streets. Bar Zepoli at 75 Broad St. will have a menu with Italian-American influences, while Flinders Lane at 184 Summer St. will specialize in Australian cuisine.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott
Oysters, oysters, how we love thee. We partnered with Blue Point Brewing Company to celebrate one of our favorite shellfish, so we invited Cynthia Nims to share her oyster know-how and several varieties to tryjust don't forget the beer!

Theres one universal theme for cooking come summertime: simplicity. Picnics, barbecues, and beach-side gatherings are prime opportunities to revel in the best of regional-seasonal products that require minimal kitchen time and allow more time to play during our favorite season of the year. If oysters arent among the first things that come to mind when you think about summer feasts, they should be. In their purest formwhether slurped raw or tossed on the grillit hardly gets any simpler. And they play well with other summertime staples, whether thats just a bucket of crisp lagers sipped with a few friends, or as a prelude while the burgers or ribs are finishing up at your next barbecue.

Few foods reflect a taste of place better than an oyster. Prodigious filter-feeders, drawing water through their gills to capture nutrients, oysters take on characteristics of the waters they live in: minerality, brininess, vegetal flavors (seaweed-lettuce), crispness, richness, and so on. (Some oyster fans go so far as to call this meroir, the seagoing equivalent of terroir.) So, its no simple branding ploy when you see oysters dubbed so many different names on the menu at your favorite oyster bars. Those namesmost often reflecting the body of water from which the oyster cameaddress the fact that oysters from different growing regions can have distinct characteristics, which may be true even from one bay to the next.

Oyster From East to West (In the US)

Five species of oysters are grown in the United States. The Eastern oyster, sometimes known as a Virginica oyster from its Latin name Crassostrea virginica, is the native oyster along the Eastern and Gulf coasts. Because, as just noted, place matters, youll rarely find them called simply Eastern oysters on menus; instead, theyll be touted by specific harvest areas such as Chincoteague, Malpeque, Apalachicola, or Wellfleet. The species most prolific on the West Coast is the Pacific oyster which, exactly as for the Eastern oyster, will be given any number of different names depending on where the oyster grew: Totten Inlet, Pickering Passage, Netarts Bay.

Kumamoto oysters, known as kumos to fans, are another West Coast species smaller than Pacifics. They dont follow the norm of Pacific and Eastern oysters, often sporting just their species name rather than a place name, though some menus may mention from which bay the oyster was harvested. The Wests only native oyster is the tiny Olympia oyster, rarely bigger than a half-dollar but packing a bold, mineral punch that devotees love. This leaves the European flat oyster which, as its name suggests, is a transplant from the other side of the Atlantic. These round, flat oysters are sometimes sold as Belon, the name they carry in their native waters of northern France. Found on both the West and East Coasts, these oysters are in quite slim supply due to challenges in growing them. For oyster aficionados, theyre a treat in which to indulge when the opportunity presents itself.

Differing Flavors

There is no one single flavor profile that all Eastern or Pacific oysters have. Instead, because of that meroir factor, degrees of brininess or minerality, seaweedy character or richness, will vary. In broad terms, though, Eastern oysters tend to be feature a simpler, more salt-forward flavorfrom mild to ocean-powwhile Pacific oysters can exhibit some complexity, with a range of mineral, vegetal, savory flavors coming into play.

When it comes to eating oysters, their staunchest of fans will only consume them raw and would never add even a tiny dab of cocktail sauce before they slurp. These purists consider the oysters natural liquor (the liquid surrounding it in the shell) to be the only accompaniment needed. But for those of us who are up for some variety, oysters are generous in their versatility. In their raw form, embellishments abound from the classic mignonette (red wine vinegar, minced shallot, and a grinding of black pepper) and countless variations on the theme using other vinegars, citrus juice, or acidic element. Frozen mignonettes are popular as well, echoing the icy chill of the perfectly-presented oyster.

Few cooking methods dont work well with oysters. They can be steamed (in-shell or out), pan- or deep-fried, stewed, smoked, pickled, poached, roasted, or baked in countless forms. Following summertime cooking habits, save some room on the grill for your oysters. You dont even need to shuck them first: Just set the oysters cupped-side down on a hot grill and wait until the top shell pops up a bit. Remove that shell (a shucking knife may help out here), drizzle the oyster with your accent of choicemelted butter with fresh herbs, arugula pesto, a zesty barbecue sauceand youre all set. Its hardly more work than popping open the cold lager youll want to have on hand, its bright crisp flavor ideal to complement but not overwhelm the flavor of the oyster.

Illustration by Meera Patel

Varieties to Try

When traveling to different seaside areas, and scanning the offerings at a restaurant or oyster bar, take the opportunity to try some oysters you havent had before. Given how many different options are out there, it becomes a delicious on-going pursuit. Here are a handful to keep an eye out for:

Wellfleet, Massachusetts



Among the best-known and most popular oysters from the East Coast, these have a particularly brisk, briny flavor of the ocean.

Capers Blade, South Carolina



These oysters have a namesake long, slender shape, which makes for a striking presentation. Their briny character is complemented by a light hint of sweetness.

Murder Point, Alabama



A stellar oyster from the Gulf Coast, these have the classic briny character of the Eastern species with a bonus buttery rich flavor to the plump meats.

Kumamotos, California and Washington



Kumamotos have mild, plump, crisp, and not-too-briny meat that makes an ideal intro oyster for first-time slurpers. No wonder theyre so popular.

Hog Island Sweetwaters, California



These Pacifics have a compelling flavor that strikes an elegant balance between brininess and sweetness.

Shigoku, Washington



Not a place name in this case, shigoku means ultimate in Japanese, and indeed these are a prime halfshell experience, with their deep shells holding plump meat thats bright with moderate brininess.

Eld Inlet, Washington



Among many great oysters from numerous waterways of the Puget Sound region, these lovely fluted shells hold salty-sweet meat that has a rich finish.

Belon, Maine



Adopting a French alias (Belon, like Champagne, is generally used only for oysters from a specific region of France), these European Flat oysters are boldly flavored with a strong mineral finish that can be, lets say, an acquired taste.

Olympia, Washington



Related to the European Flats, these have a pronounced mineral flavor but in a smaller package. Theyre a celebrated delicacy to many oyster lovers.

It's beachside or bust for us. We partnered with Blue Point Brewing Company for doing what's just right and good when it's hot: Having a beer, slurping an oyster, and sticking feet in sand or ocean. So, cheers to summer! Read all about Blue Point's Toasted Lager here.
A s in gambling, knowing when to cash in your winnings is the key to playing the stock market.

The former private-equity owners of Gala Coral, now part of bookies-cum-casinos group Ladbrokes Coral, know that well and decided it was time to trim their stakes in the merged group.

Apollo, Cerberus, and Anchorage, which took control of Gala Coral in 2010 after a painful debt restructuring, together sold around 90 million shares in Ladbrokes Coral for 111 million at 123.5p per share.

Apollo and Anchorage will hold 6.6% and 6.4% of the shares after the sale. Apollo and Cerberus, which now has a 3.5% stake, also dumped shares in May.

Ladbrokes Corals share price has recovered in recent weeks after a sell-off amid concerns about the outcome of the triennial review, including on the profitable but controversial fixed-odds betting terminals.

The private-equity firms took advantage of the recent rise, but their sale sent the price of the gambling giant down 5p, or 3.9%, to 123.1p. Investors were firmly in risk-off mode as tensions escalated between the US and North Korea.

Media reports in the US claimed North Korea had designed nuclear warheads small enough to fit inside long-range missiles. President Donald Trump responded by warning it against making any more threats against the US or face fire and fury like the world has never seen.

The rogue states reply was to say it was considering missile strikes on Guam.

The threat from North Korea seems to have jolted investors out of their summer slumber, said Jasper Lawler at London Capital Group.

Tracking Asian and other European markets lower, the FTSE 100 fell 49.66 points, around 0.7%, to 7493.07 as investors weighed up the potential for a nuclear war.

Precious metals shares shone as investors rushed to safe-haven assets. Randgold Resources, Londons proxy play on the gold price, rose 153p, or 2.1%, to 7333p, while silver miner Fresnillo climbed 34p, or 2.3%, to 1506p.

Defensive stocks, those whose products will remain in demand regardless of geopolitical events, were in demand.

They include mobiles giant Vodafone, up 2p at 227.45p, British Sugar owner Associated British Foods, 11p higher to 3165p, and water company United Utilities, which put on 2.5p at 922.5p.

Among the mid-caps, troubled Tanzanian gold company Acacia Mining saw a rare rise thanks to the gold surge and an upgrade from RBC.

The broker lifted its rating to Sector Perform despite the dispute with the Tanzanian government over gold concentrate exports as it said the outcome of negotiations was now binary. The shares jumped 23p, or 13%, to 199.3p.

Support services firm Interserve lost 6.75p, or 3%, to 216.5p after a rise in its full-year guidance for net debt to up to 500 million.
T he chief executive of one of AIMs biggest technology companies has taken a leave of absence after it emerged he was involved in fraud in the US.

Telit Communications, an Israeli company that specialises in the internet of things, said it had agreed to a request by Oozi Cats to take time off.

It comes as court documents emerged online showing Cats and his wife Ruth were charged with wire fraud regarding property deals in 1991 in Boston, where Cats had studied. The US charges were not disclosed in Telits IPO document in 2005.

Telit, whose market value was close to 500 million earlier this year, said it had appointed independent solicitors to conduct a thorough review of this matter, referring to historical indictments of Cats. Yosi Fait, its finance director, will run the firm during the review.

The shares, which crashed last week after a profit warning, tumbled a further 23.34p today, or 13%, to 158.91p.

Telit is the most-shorted stock on AIM, according to Financial Conduct Authority data, with more than 13% of its shares on loan to hedge funds betting on a share price slump.
D onald Trumps fire and fury threat to North Korea sent investors running for cover today amid fears that the USs blazing diplomatic row with the rogue state could boil over into war.

Pyongyangs promise of a thousandfold retaliation for new UN sanctions against the secretive dictatorship, imposed in response to its recent missile tests, drew the most bellicose comments from a US President in decades.

Trump warned that North Koreas threats would be met with fire and the fury like the world has never seen.

His comments merely inflamed the situation, however, after the communist state responded that it was considering a missile strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam.

North Korea's estimated missile ranges

The escalating tensions shook Asian markets as the Kospi stock market index in South Korea, whose capital Seoul is in range of North Korean artillery, sank 1.1%, while Japans Nikkei 225 Average dropped 1.3%.

The tremors also filtered into European trading, with the FTSE 100 down 0.7% and the CAC 40 sliding 1.3% in France, where nerves were heightened by an apparent terror attack on six soldiers in the capital.

Investors instead favoured the traditional safe haven of gold, which rose $11.75 to $1268, and safe-haven currencies like the yen and the Swiss franc.

Among the few blue-chips gaining ground in London, gold miners Randgold Resources and Fresnillo put on 2% on the rise in price for the precious metal as investors favoured defensive players like Vodafone and tobacco stocks.

Yields on government bonds, which move in the opposite direction to prices, also slid as buyers snapped up safe-haven UK gilts, US Treasuries and German bunds. Wall Streets fear gauge, the VIX index, meanwhile, hit its highest level for a month.

Neil Mellor, currency analyst with BNY Mellon, said: The financial markets have generally got used to North Korean sabre-rattling and generally they dont take much notice. But the fact that the Kospi is down shows that the market is taking this seriously.

Despite the tensions, global markets have been awash with liquidity after quantitative-easing efforts by central banks, acting as an anaesthetic, Mellor added.

CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson said: Trump has got much wiser heads behind him but not surprisingly it is making people nervous and we are in risk-off mode. But the key question here is whether this is the beginning of a serious escalation or whether this is two boys fighting in the playground.
F TSE 100 payments giant Worldpay on Wednesday finally inked its takeover by US peer Vantiv, offering a string of assurances to keep the company British, but stopping short of a public jobs pledge.

Cincinnati-based Vantiv made its 9.3 billion move for the payments processor last month and yesterday the pair received an extension to their talks, with the deal revealed today.

It will create a combined group worth 22.2 billion, dubbed a powerful combination by Vantiv president Charles Drucker.

Worldpays board secured concessions for investors, including making London its international headquarters, chairman Sir Mike Rake lead director and boss Philip Jansen the groups co-chief executive.

The duo stopped short of publicly reassuring Worldpays 4500 staff, based at offices including in the City, Harrogate and Gateshead.

The future of the employees was reportedly being discussed as the pair sought extra time to thrash out the deal this week.

However, jobs fears may be quelled as the bulk of the $200 million (154 million) savings from combining the firms will be through cutting back spending on tech and administration and there is no overlap in where the two companies staff are located.

The City had forecast $164 million of cost savings.

Worldpay today posted a 60% rise in first-half profits to 93 million.
Review at a glance









S even large white spheres sit like cocoons on the Roundhouses mezzanine. Then a low hum starts, and slowly they rise, almost politely taking turns to enter the emptied-out central arena, which is spotlit, awaiting their arrival. They move together, sometimes in clear formation, at others seemingly independently. They form constellations and tight groupings before separating. Little propellers around their diameter buzz and fizz and help them move in various directions. You immediately wonder at the technology that made this choreography happen.

But then they fix on you. They move menacingly in your direction. They swoop down, closer to your level, within touching distance. You move quickly, they follow; you stand still, they begin to encircle you. Suddenly, the mood of this installation shifts.

This is +/- Human, the latest work by German collective Random International. The group was founded in 2005 by Hannes Koch and Florian Ortkrass, who remain its principal members, but have built a big team around them in London and Berlin. Theyre best known for Rain Room, that much-Instagrammed theatrically lit cubic downpour into which viewers would walk, only to emerge miraculously dry. It had queues snaking round the Barbican in 2012 and has now been shown across the world, with editions being acquired by museums and foundations as far apart as Shanghai, Sharjah and Los Angeles.

Many have puzzled over how the Randoms might describe what they do. They straddle the boundaries of art, design and technological engineering. As Koch told me, they celebrate design but get a lot of flak from the design world because they are like, Whats the point? Theres no utilitarian approach in what we do. Ultimately, their aims are speculative, experimental but also driven by the desire for audience interaction, so they feel at home as artists, Koch says.

Matt Writtle

They have been exploring swarming algorithms and collective behaviours for the past decade  their Swarm Study (2011), a permanent installation at the V&A, subtly tracks visitors movements in elegant hanging cubes of light. But +/- Human takes this a stage further, making it more physical, because the algorithms are translated not into dancing light but into the swarming spheres, around a metre and a half in diameter. The light works are impressive but somehow remote; +/- Human is more physical, more weighty, even despite the fact that these orbs are helium-filled and airborne.

The work can be experienced in two iterations at the Roundhouse: as a standalone installation, in which you the viewer are the performer, which is how I see it, or, on Friday and Saturday evenings, as part of the choreographer Wayne McGregors new dance work, also called +/- Human, performed by McGregors company alongside dancers from The Royal Ballet. With McGregors performers movement, the interplay between humans and these balls will inevitably shift.

The aim of the work (which will be called Zoological when it appears elsewhere) is to create what Koch calls a physical iteration of all this algorithmic ambience that we are moving within. We are on the brink of a world populated by robots and driverless cars and in an abstract way, Koch et al want to explore what it means emotionally and physically when this technology encounters the messy reality of human bodies, human psychology, human complexity.

How you respond depends on how optimistic you are about that sci-fi future. My first instinct on seeing the orbs was that they had a drone-like menace; theres a surgical precision to their movement that prompts the irrational fear of highly sophisticated yet emotionless beings entering our world. Yet at the same time, we are within a cultural space, so they are fundamentally benign, to be played with. So it becomes a game: do they dictate your movements, or can you direct theirs? Its an analogue of the battle that surrounds us every day, and will grow increasingly sophisticated: who is in control  us or technology and the algorithms beneath it?

+/- Human is at the Roundhouse, NW1 (roundhouse.org.uk) from tomorrow until August 28 with performances from Company Wayne McGregor and The Royal Ballet every Friday and Saturday
W e might have a bit of a bias when it comes to these things, but in this case, its undeniable: Londons clubbing scene is up there with the very best of them.

The clubs, from the multi-thousand-capacity institutions to the hidden basements and shadowy warehouses, attract the finest DJs and have nurtured some of the most important sounds in modern dance music  ones that started in the capital and then went on to conquer the globe.

No matter what type of music is required  shiny disco, grizzly techno, hands-in-the-air house, or some ill-defined mutant noise in between  the capitals establishments happily oblige.

These are Londons greatest clubs, listed in no particular order.

Fabric, Farringdon

Jake Davis/Khroma Collective

Fabric is the London club, more famous than any of its counterparts and a genuine institution. Once you've made it through the airport-style security checkpoints, you're free to get lost in its subterranean bowels, free of any phone signal but full of clubland delights. It regularly pulls in the best DJs on the world circuit, who complement its ever-reliable residents. Saturday night is usually dedicated to techno, while Fridays are more of a lucky dip. Sometimes, the raves sprawl out across the whole weekend; whether youre there at nighttime or at lunchtime, youll be sure of a good time. Oh, and the main rooms dancefloor, which has 400 bass tranducers beneath it, literally vibrates.

77A Charterhouse St, EC1M 6HJ, fabriclondon.com

XOYO, Shoreditch

Jake Davis

This Shoreditch staple has built its reputation on a pretty simple formula: top music from top DJs. Saturdays are usually given over to its long-running Pleasurehood parties, which shells out house and disco and always has a batch of tickets going for a fiver, while Fridays are normally reserved for whichever DJ is taking over the residency that month; Dimitri From Paris, Hunee and Andy C are among the previous incumbents. Otherwise, expect a mix of student nights and live shows.

Cowper St, EC2A 4AP, xoyo.co.uk

Egg London, King's Cross

London might not be huge on Ibiza-style clubs but Egg brings them to mind over its three floors and five rooms, with light shows, throbbing house and techno, darkened rooms and plenty to drink. Theres a 24-hour licence, which means things can rumble on through the night and well beyond the sunrise, and though it doesnt feel quite as detached as it did years ago (the proliferation of new-build high rises that are taking over this previoulsy industrial part of north London have seen to that), its still easy to get swept away for the night once youre inside. Coming from Kings Cross tube station? Hop on the free shuttle bus to avoid the walk and save all your energy for dancing.

200 York Way, N7 9AX, egglondon.co.uk

15 years of Egg London: In pictures 1 /20 15 years of Egg London: In pictures Buying the building  1997 "I bought the building in 1997, which originally housed offices for my previous nightlcub, Trade." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR The original build  2002 "Building work started in 2002 before finally developing into Egg London and opening a year later." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR Egg's first ever party  2003 "Egg started its Saturday Night series on the May 3, 2003, which included brands such as Sonic Mook Experience, Output, Beat Club, 21st Century Body Rockers and Dazed. It heralded a new beginning for London clubbing as the venue not only had three dance spaces but various outdoor areas for the clubbers to enjoy." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR Lost and Tortured parties "With the help of the original promoters, pictured, Egg hosted many of the worlds most famous techno party brands at the time, such as Lost with Jeff Mills and Tortured with Billy Nasty." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR First Berlin Berlin party  2007 "In October 2007, Egg held its very first Berlin Berlin party, with an Ostgut Ton label showcase featuring Nick Hoppner and Prosumer. residents from Berghain's Panorama Bar. Performances were added to the night and blew people away, with the likes of Jonny Woo leading the way." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR Mixmag Christmas party with Justice  2008 "Mixmag held their Christmas party at Egg with Justice headlining. It then went online and sold out within hours  it was the most in-demand event in town." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR Villa party in Ibiza  2008 "In 2008, to celebrate what was a very successful year at the venue, Egg held a party at the villa used by Dizzee Rascal to film the video for his latest track, Holiday. The night was amazing with all the islands party fraternity present." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR 10th anniversary parties  2013 "Held over 10 Fridays and Saturdays to celebrate 10 years of Egg, the team booked huge artists like Dubfire, Reboot and many more." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR Trade, The Final  2015 "This was probably the stand-out party at Egg. Preparation went on for months and all the hard work paid off. With Nina Kraviz and Nicole Moudaber headlining, it was the icing on the cake." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR Cocoon  2016 "Sven Vath brought his mighty Cocoon Brand to Egg in October 2016. It was an honour to have such an icon of the dance music scene playing at the venue and he did not disappoint. It was incredible." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR The launch of What Came First label  2016 "Set up by the team behind Egg, our label has gone from strength to strength with artists like Daniel Miller, Egbert, Tobi Neumann and more releasing on the imprint over the last few years." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR Winning DJ Mag award  2017 "2017 saw Egg London win a particularly prestigious award, being named the best large club in the UK by DJ Mag. The years of hard work and a clear vision from myself and the team paid off. Mr. G played a storming set and the place went crazy." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR 15th birthday celebrations  2018 "With a NovaMute showcase and FJAAK headlining, the our 15th birthday party at the club was an unbelievable success." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR Egg Tour goes to Brazil  2018 "The highlight of the 15 Years of Egg tour was the party in South Americas most famous dance music venue, Warung in Brazil. Pete Tong, Kyle E and Agoria headlined and the place reached capacity a couple of hours after opening. The atmosphere was electric." Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR The final build  2018 "October 2018 will see the completion of Eggs major rebuild. With work still in progress, were really looking forward to whats in store. Onwards and upwards!" Image courtesy of Egg London/Jukebox PR

Corsica Studios, Elephant & Castle

With some 20 years in the business, Corsica Studios is an independent, not-for-profit arts space that remains as popular as ever. Spread across two rooms, it hosts some of the most highly regarded club nights in London. Theyve an iconic Funktion One sound system, and its a favourite with DJs who head there on nights off to party. The space itself, hidden beneath the railway arches, is small, rivetingly immediate and with a rough edge, but that's what helps to make one of the best, if not the best, small club in London. Expect plenty of hard and heavy dance music  its main room is where it all goes down but, unlike quite a few clubs, you'd be missing out if you dont head into the second space for an hour or two.

4/5 Elephant Rd, SE17 1LB, corsicastudios.com

Oval Space/Pickle Factory, Bethnal Green

Though distinct from each other, weve included these two together as theyre owned by the same group and sit opposite each other. The Pickle Factory  it was one, once  is the more intimate space with just 200 capacity, attracting a crowd who are there mainly for the music (we once spotted Floating Points there watching Soichi Terada, and if that's not a ringing endorsement, we don't know what is). Oval Space space is a much bigger affair, covering a giant 5,000 square metres. Its a multi-use space, playing all sorts of things - the programme prides itself on its variety. In the warmer months, things spill outside for open-air parties.

29-32 and 13-14 The Oval, E2 9DU, ovalspace.co.uk

Ministry of Sound, Elephant & Castle

The Ministry of Sound has been around a long old time - since 1991 - and it isn't as cutting-edge as many of its competitors, but it still deserves a visit. Perhaps its suffered from its megabucks name, but in truth it serves up seriously heavyweight DJs and good-time parties. Its easy to hear why the main rooms sound system has won awards and its pretty cool to be dancing there and suddenly realise that this is the place that helped send house music around the world.

103 Gaunt St, SE1 6DP, ministryofsound.com

Village Underground, Shoreditch

Getty Images

You probably already know Village Underground, even if you dont realise it: its the one just off Great Eastern Street with the old tube carriages on the roof. Its just as eye catching inside as it is out, with its huge skylights and bare brick walls. None of which would matter if the music wasnt great, but it is: its the rare type of venue whose club nights are as good as its live gigs, with the former taking place on the weekends and the latter during the week. Theres no strict music policy here, either: if the DJ can get the crowd moving, whether thats with cutting-edge electronics or an old-school dub classic, they tick the box.

54 Holywell Ln, EC2A 3PQ, villageunderground.co.uk

Phonox, Brixton

Jake Davis

Taking over the old Plan B site, Phonox opened in 2015 and quickly established itself as one of London's go-to night spots. Its an exercise in simplicity done right, with one dance floor (no phones allowed) and one killer sound system. The monthly residencies are reliably great, with the clubs bookers usually opting for the DJs whose record bag isnt confined to one particular sound or style. The Sunday day parties are a perfect way to squeeze out a final bit of weekend fun, too.

418 Brixton Rd, SW9 7AY, phonox.co.uk

Printworks, Canada Water

Jake Davis

A massive 6,000 square metres, Printworks can hold 5,000 and proudly puts on everything from concerts and exhibitions to fashion shows and immersive theatre. The cavernous main space is extraordinary, transformed from an old newspaper factory into some twisted, metallic temple, with a narrow, long dancefloor that seems to stretch on and on. They also get top DJs, always: everyone from the festival-headline-sized likes of Aphex Twin and The Chemical Brothers to the most vital up-and-comers. If you still havent been, be sure to get down ASAP: it was only ever meant to be a temporary space, so it wont be around in its current guise for much longer.

1 Surrey Quays Road, SE16 7PJ, printworkslondon.co.uk

The Cause, Tottenham

Opening back in April 2018, this warehouse venue swiftly found its own places in the hearts of Londons clubbing community with its rough-around-the-edges aesthetic, its community spirit (it raised heaps of money for local mental health charities) and a spectacular array of events, not least the now-iconic queer party, Adonis. But like Printworks, The Cause was born as a temporary venture, and though it lasted longer than many had expected, eventually the spectre of long-planned flat developments came to the fore, and the club said goodbye on New Years Eve in 2021. The club lives on in spirit, resurrecting itself as a series of nomadic parties and even a new festival. Meanwhile, the hunt for a new bricks-and-mortar venue is underway. Watch this space.

New location TBC, supportthecause.co.uk

The Cause nightclub: In pictures 1 /6 The Cause nightclub: In pictures Luke Curtis Luke Curtis Luke Curtis Luke Curtis

Fold, Canning Town

Fold is a converted print factory on an industrial estate in Canning Town. Admittedly, it doesnt sound all too glamorous, but trust us  its a marvellous addition to Londons nightlife scene. It delivers what the capital is quite often lacking: marathon club events, often stretching from the afternoon one day and then well into the next (if youre still there when the sun starts streaming in through the window shutters, you know youve done well). Basically, Fold has the kind of care-free atmosphere that can only exist in a venue free of the repressive curfews that more centrally located clubs have to deal with. Need a break from all the dancing? Head to the smokers area, whose skip-laden backdrop is beautiful in its own way.

Gillian House, Stephenson Street, E16 4SA, fold.london

The Jazz Cafe, Camden

This Camden venue is probably best known for its live events, which draw in leading artists from the jazz, soul and rap scenes, but the club nights are always a blast, too. Each Saturday, it runs the Soul City event, covering the broad spectrum of disco, house and soul. On Fridays, the programming loosens up a bit: one week it might be Turkish pysch-disco, the next it could be Ghanaian highlife or Arabic funk. The joy is in finding out. The club itself has a restaurant-mezzanine area, with a tightly packed, lively dancefloor and small stage beneath it.

5 Parkway, NW1 7PG, thejazzcafelondon.com

Studio 338, Greenwich

Studio 338 was engulfed by tragedy in 2016 after a fire ravaged the venue. It understandably took some time out to recuperate, but since then its been better than ever. Its a little far out of town, down on the Greenwich Peninsula, but its certainly worth making the effort to travel down to. The newly revamped terrace, from which you can see the great looming gasholder above, is one of the most distinctive features of any club in London (the area is covered and heated during winter, fear not). Inside, theres a warehouse-style, refined-industrial feel to it. Music wise, expect a lot of bass-heavy house and techno.

338 Boord Street, SE10 0PF, studio338.co.uk

Dalston Superstore

LGBTQ+ venues have had a particularly rough time of it in the past decade or so  something like 60 per cent of Londons queer spaces have shut in that time. It means that the the ones still standing should be cherished more than ever and, with that in mind: thank goodness for Dalston Superstore. The nights there are gloriously fun, with a real community feel between its regulars and the good people who run it. The music can veer from uber-cheesy pop to uber-pounding techno, which is what makes it so great. Got a sore head after a night spent dancing there? Just go back for a hangover-vanquishing brunch the following morning.

117 Kingsland High Street, E8 2PB, dalstonsuperstore.com

E1, Wapping

Any club that opens with a 27-hour marathon event is a club worth taking notice of  and thats exactly what happened when E1 flung open its doors a few years ago. Its a big space, packing in somewhere close to 1,600 people at full capacity, and when the speakers start blasting the main Warehouse room, theres not a bone in your body that wont be thoroughly shaken. Its at its best when it goes large, hosting the types of stacked line-ups of that pull in the punters from far and wide.

110 Pennington Street, E1W 2BB; e1-london.com

MOT Venue

The best clubs often appear in the most unexpected places  and so a venue that has taken residence in a former car garage, overlooked by Millwalls football stadium, is bound to be a winner. A conscious push-back against the formulaic, smooth-edged brand of clubs you often find in city centres, this place revels in its off-grid nature, with bookings that champion forward-thinking, local talent (and underrated heroes from abroad) with a raw energy that only this kind of stripped-back building can provide.

Orion Business Centre, Surrey Canal Road, SE14 5RT, @venuemot

Werkhaus

Jake Davis/Khroma Collective

The Brick Lane spot first opened its doors with wide-eyed optimism towards the end of 2019 and then well, we dont need to tell you what happened a few months later. But Werkhaus held on tight and now, on the other side of the lockdowns, it has come back with a bang and established itself as one of east Londons most exciting new clubs. With a pared-back warehouse feel (always a winner, right?), a super sound system and some astute bookings, its certainly one to check out if you missed it first time around.

91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL, werkhauslondon.com

Night Tales

Handout

Taking up the space in and around three railway arches in Hackney, Night Tales is one of those hybrid venues that goes beyond the four-walls-and-a-sound-system remit of the classic nightclub. There is an excellent indoor space for those after-hours raves, but theres also an outdoor terrace that, naturally, comes into its own during the warmer months, cocktail bars and even a pizza restaurant. Crucially, it does all of those things very well. Somewhere to start the day and, inevitably, end it.

14 Bohemia Place, E8 1DU, nighttales.co.uk

Lion and Lamb

You wouldnt know it just by walking past  it looks like a proper locals boozer from the outside  but this Hoxton pub is actually one of the finest little venues in the city. By day, its a gastropub, but after sunset things get lively. The sound system is superb for such an unassuming place, and they often punch above their weight with their bookings (Fabric resident and London stalwart Craig Richards loves it there). Expect house, techno, electro and beyond.

46 Fanshaw Street, N1 6LG, thelionandlamb.co.uk

The Glove That Fits

An east London fixture since the spring of 2018, this Homerton spot has become a go-to for finding out who and what is new and interesting on the capitals club scene. The bookings are wonderfully eclectic, and the names arent the types that will pull in huge crowds (and just as well, because the basement can only squeeze in about 80 people), but thats the appeal. Its somewhere to be intrigued, and have a blast while youre at it.

179 Morning Lane, E9 6LH, @theglovethatfits

Orange Yard

@domdommartin

A proper nightclub in the heart of Soho feels like something of an oddity these days, but thats exactly what the Orange Yard is. Taking over the basement space once used by The Borderline venue, and run by the people in charge of E1 over in Wapping, it comes with some pedigree  and seeing as it opened just before the pandemic hit, but managed to survive, its got a fair bit of resilience too. Like E1, the focus here is broadly on house and techno, and the 6am licence also marks it out from the Soho crowd.

Manette Street, W1D 4JB, orangeyardsoho.com

Colour Factory

@domdommartin

Previously known as Micks Garage, this Hackney Wick spot now has a new name and a riveting new outlook. The Black-owned club has a steely focus on inclusivity, promising to host people of colour and mixed gender for its in-house events, and isnt afraid to push the boat out with its programming: for one, its the home of Crossbreed, one of the most talked-about kink parties in the capital.

8 Queens Yard, London E9 5EN, colourfactory.com

KOKO

Sam Neil

This grand old Camden venue has hosted everyone from Prince to Monty Python in its 122-year history, and after a few years of closure, its now back in business following a 70m revamp. Its best known for its gigs, but in its latest guise, a lot of energy is being poured into its club nights, which have been pretty great so far. Jayda G, Eats Everything, Kerri Chandler, Skream and Helena Hauff are some of the bookings so far, with more or less every weekend given over to the ravers. Head down to check it out if you havent already.
L ondon is no stranger to supposedly secret bars with hidden entrances and passwords, but the latest addition to the set is more medicinal and elaborate than most.

Evans & Peel, which launched a detective agency-themed bar in Earls Court five years ago, is bringing a pharmacy-themed drinking den to Chiswick, giving West Londoners a chance to get their speakeasy fix.

The bar will look like an old-fashioned apothecary from the outside, and guests will need to ring a bell to get the pharmacists attention before they can enter.

They must then use a password or persuasion to get into the bar. If successful, theyll be escorted straight to the action while the venues windows black out to preserve its secret identity.

The bar will serve a wide selection of Old Fashioned-inspired cocktails, along with Japanese whiskies and a few original pharmacy-inspired creations, while the space will feature antique surgical equipment and secret medicine draws which guests can rummage through.

There will also be a short menu of American-style bar food on hand, including grilled cheese sandwiches which will be served in a smoking cigar box.

The best bars in London 1 /64 The best bars in London Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London 252 High Holborn, WC1V 7EN, rosewoodhotels.com/london

The Rosewood is doubly wonderful for drinkers, as theyve two fine spots. In the modern Dining Room, sit at the gin bar, which outstocks anywhere else in London, with more than 400 gins and 27 tonics. Trying to choose is impossible, but what a lovely impossibility to have. The bar staff clearly had one hell of a tasting session as they know the list perfectly. Across the way is Scarfes Bar, a brilliant, brilliant bar gladly shaken free from all the stuffiness usually found in hotel bars. The drinks are stunning, theyve often live music, it gets wonderfully busy and crackles with laughter. Go a little later and its busier, people drink more, everything is better. Bar Americain 20 Sherwood St, W1F 7ED, brasseriezedel.com

As the name suggests, this is a classic American bar, and done near perfectly. One can become very fond of Bar Americain and very quickly: passing through Piccadilly Circus, it acts as a magnet  a quick negroni becomes a temptation impossible to resist. Its a very beautiful place, calling to mind grand Parisian hotels of the 20s and 30s, bottles winking from the bar, staff floating through with their finery and litres of charm. Youre here to drink the classics: theyve a killer Clover Club and a straight-down-the-line Manhattan. But ask: the bartenders know their stuff and bring their A-game to any challenge  tell them what you like, and theyll bring you something new. They often have specials on, as well. Top marks for the attentive staff, bringing plenty of water and bowl after bowl of popcorn  both essential after a few here. Oriole Smithfield Markets, E Poultry Ave, EC1A 9LH, oriolebar.com

The team behind Nightjar took their winning formula, gave it a bit of a shake up and created Oriole. Theyve live music throughout the week  from Wednesday to Saturday, theres a charge per person, so watch out for that  which gives any night here a bit of zip. This is a strictly seated spot, so be sure to book: once inside, its a whirlwind tour of the world, with fine details from across the globe, both in the styling and the drinks and so much cheaper than booking a holiday. Drinks are excellent, whether youre into New Orleans style classics or something from the depths of Asia: explore the menu (split into Old World, New World and The Orient) and expect something unusual and faintly brilliant, with a touch of the Tiki. Put it this way: Oriole is ideal whether you prefer drinking from a crystal tumbler, a teacup or, er, a silver crocodile. Piano Works 113-117 Farringdon Road, Farringdon EC1R 3BX, pianoworks.bar

Full credit to this fun Farringdon spot: theyve worked hard to make the place better and better since opening, which is pretty good going for what was already a decent spot to begin with. The Piano Works sounds like a quiet jazz bar but instead is a hell-raising house of sound, splendidly raucous, where a house band take requests and belt out your favourite songs. The more you get involved, the more fun it is, and the place heats up the later it gets. Wine starts at 16, house cocktails are 8, but they've tons of terrific deals during the week  including cocktails for a fiver (!!) Drink lots, dance lots and leave in the early hours with someone you shouldnt do. Thats what we did. Hawksmoor, Spitalfields 157A Commercial St, E1 6BJ, thehawksmoor.com

Its hardly surprising the bar snacks are a highlight here  have the oxcheek nuggets with a side of chips, then call the waiter over to order them over again  given how good the steak upstairs is. The drinks and setting, though, match them pound for pound. The old tube tiles on the walls, the beautiful parquet floor, the copper tops and silvery black ceiling make the large space a place to settle in for the night no matter your seat, while the cocktails come with oodles of thought in each one: the new menu has homemade bitters, shrubs and syrups, and its bloody obvious everyone behind the bar is more than a little nerdy about building drinks. Shaky Petes Ginger Brew is the classic, so have it, but follow up with the Shadow Boxer, a mix of scotch, sherry and Fernet-Branca. Odd, oddly delicious. Its also a cracking place to sit for a bottle of wine. Andrew Edmunds 46 Lexington St, W1F 0LP, andrewedmunds.com

Perhaps better than its ever been, Andrew Edmunds recently won The Good Drinking prize in our Restaurant Awards, and for good reason. Its a small spot, cramped to the point that coming here on a first date feels like youre being very forward indeed , with the best tables upstairs and not much to look at  just settle for being distracted by someone beautiful. The food, French-ish/English-ish, is fine, but its the wine that's extraordinary. And youre here for wine: forget cocktails, they have. What a list, and so quietly marked up that youre getting a steal with almost every bottle  indeed, the more expensive the better the deal. Having been going 30 years, those who knew old Soho say its one of the last bastion of such things. Drink too much gorgeous wine and come back often. The Connaught Bar Connaught, Carlos Place, W1K 2AL, the-connaught.co.uk

A bar for the impossibly beautiful, a bar of high heels and glimmering lights, of perfume and leather. Aside from oddly thumping music, the Connaught is wonderfully detached from the world  a place of its own, cosy and winter warm when it needs to be, light and summer when desired. The drinks, naturally pricey, are well put together and while classic in tone, come with crackles of theatre: washes in perfume bottles, branches as garnishes, smoke, the lot. Still, the martini trolley is what theyre famed for, so its only right to indulge. Afterward, head to the Champagne Room: sadly the law stops it being the cigar haven it once was, but it's still gorgeous: romantic and charming with its fireplace, dramatic with its glass ceiling and sculpture swan diving. Treat yourself to the Ruinart blanc de blanc. Damned good olives, too. Milk & Honey 61 Poland St, W1F 7NU, mlkhny.com

You know a bar is good when local bartenders love it, and Milk & Honey has long been a Soho favourite for those in the know. Hidden in plain sight this terrific bar has been doing its thing for just shy of 15 years. The talent hasnt diminished, and neither has the care put into the drinks. Cocktails are strong and proper and happily, they're updating the list soon to freshen things up. At around 10 a drink, M&H is also a bargain for central London, and the quality outstrips the price. It functions as a members bar, but non-members can book up until 11pm  though going earlier in the week means youre more likely to score a table. Milk & Honey is civilised, without the crushing formality. Next door is the Blind Pig, another top 'hidden' spot. Mark's Bar HIX Soho, 66- 70 Brewer St, W1F 9UP, hixrestaurants.co.uk

The bad: you might not get in. If its busy, they dont squeeze people into this basement, so either be there early, or bamboozle them with charm, or dazzle them with your brilliant wit. Were kidding: just take someone hot. The good: pretty much everything else. Naturally, the bar snacks are distractingly tasty, but the drinks list is excellent, and unusual too, with a few historical recipes brought back to life. Attention to detail is everything here, so if youre not sharing one of the big old Chesterfields, head to the bar and sit and watch  theres something about it thats like seeing a cardmaster turn tricks. And have a Hix Fix, just to say you have. The Beaufort bar and the American Bar at The Savoy The Savoy, Strand, WC2R 0EU, fairmont.com

Glitz, glamour and lots of gold: both Savoy bars are wonderfully opulent. The world-famous American bar, recently revamped, is still up there as one of the best bars on our humble planet. The bartenders bible, Harry Craddocks The Savoy Cocktail Book, was written here, and the cocktails served today remain as finely tuned as they ever were. Whereas as other bars try to recreate the glamour of such places, The Savoy neednt pretend: everything is genuine. The palatial Beaufort is absurdly romantic, and drinks are extravagantly presented: it works for the most special of special occasions, and theres something undeniably grand about sipping away in the same place Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel and Ernest Hemingway all did. If youre planning a few drinks, either be rich or take someone rich  seriously. Artesian 1C Portland Pl, W1B 1JA, artesian-bar.co.uk

Artesian won its accolades for its team, Alex Kratena and Simone Caporale, who ran the place for eight years and earned its reputation as the best bar in the world. Theyve sadly departed, but have left the place in capable hands, and the feel is much the same as it ever was, which is chic, glamorous, and not taking itself too seriously. While the beautiful and the rich rub shoulders, the bartenders are mixing up excellent but often slightly silly drinks  but its their mischievousness that makes them so winning. Seriously impressive. Les Compagnie Des Vins Surnaturels 8-10 Neal's Yard, WC2H 9DP, cvssevendials.com

Call it CVS and your night becomes considerably easier to pronounce. Sat in Neils Yard, it is one of Londons finest wine bars. Thoroughly French, of course: New World wines barely get a sideways glance, while even Italys finest is only begrudgingly given a little space on the considerable menu. This doesn't mean there is a lack of choice  to the contrary, it is almost overwhelming, though they have a short by-the-glass list, and the charming staff are both well informed and passionate about what to have. In the summer, sit outdoors, in the winter, cosy up by the bar. Wherever you are, try the mystery wine; if you guess it, youll win a bottle. Have food  small plates made to share, and terrifically good  and drink plenty, so the bill doesnt hit as hard. The Shrub & Shutter 336 Coldharbour Ln, SW9 8QH, theshrubandshutter.com

This Brixton bar felt new in the area, taking a little of east London and bringing it down south. Theyve a pleasingly patchwork approach to decor: there are jars and bottles and shakers everywhere, which gives the place a kitchen feel. The cocktails, lovely to drink on their own, are made better with the food, which is designed to match what youre drinking. The pairings initially sound a little gimmicky  crayfish with vodka, venison on the side of The Deerhunter (an old fashioned, basically)  but they work, so drop that sceptical streak for a moment. It gets busy, so book up, get in early, and stay late. Theyve a license until 3am, so itd be rude not to. Sky Pod at the Sky Garden 1 Sky Garden Walk, EC3M 8AF, skygarden.london

The truth of it is, you come for the view, but good God it's a great view, and 360-degrees at that. Up 35 floors, if you can think of a London icon, you can probably see it. When the weather's good, get outside for some fresh air. With completely free entry and minimal security fuss, its worth making a reservation, though if youre ok to queue, theyll have you in. Cocktails arent torturously expensive, at around 11.50, and are very enjoyable  the cognac-chocolate-caramel-port mix that is Black and Gold is particularly good so it doesn't feel like they're relying on the sights.

Theres a sense of special occasion, and all the more so with live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays. Theyre hoping for jazz on Wednesdays, too. If youre tempted to eat, Fenchurch and the Darwin Brasserie are well worth trying  Fenchurch is particularly good for veggies. The Gilbert Scott St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd, NW1 2AR, thegilbertscott.co.uk

Given the golden hue here, where luxury hangs in the air like perfume, its remarkable that wine starts at as little as 5 a glass. Wine is its strong point, and likeable head sommelier Joris Beijn is a man worth knowing: he is passionate about his list, knowledgeable and accommodating. The bar is flexible, in that it is by turns ideal for a date, or a catch up with old friends, or a pre/post dinner drinks. The room is a stunner: high painted ceilings, dramatic red walls, great big bells as art, marble bar top and crystal glasses catching the light. Cocktails come in at around 14, and err on the light side: lots of gin and floral concoctions. The restaurant, next door, isnt to be missed, either, just be prepared to get an Uber home: invariably, youll stretch and tease out the evening to stay just a little longer. Gerry's Club 52 Dean Street, W1D 5BJ, gerrysclub.com

A word of warning: this is technically a member's club, but you'll probably be fine if you flirt enough  and don't ask for Gerry, he's long since passed. Michael looks after this place now. We've only been once  very late, very drunk and with very good friends. Most old-school Soho drinking dens are dead, but this hub of actors and writers is what remains of 'Old Soho'. If you're boring, steer clear: it is a place to drink wine and beer and tell stories, to laugh uproariously and to give yourself a monumental hangover in a faintly discreet way. 68 and Boston 4-5 Greek St, Soho, W1D 4DD, 68andboston.com

Boston, the bar upstairs, looks like glamorous train carriage from the golden age of cocktails but plays it a little bit safe. Wine bar 68, downstairs, is the real gem, with a wonderful way of pricing: every bottle on the list is 20, so choose what you like, not what you can afford. Better yet, if you don't fancy a bottle, they're served by the carafe (14) or glass (5.50). Wines are well picked and Denise Medrano, wine blogger and lover found behind the bar, is always working to update the list  so go back to try something new. Youll probably end up getting drunk here: the pull of another bottle at just 20 is monumentally hard to resist, but hey, thats what Soho is for. If you fancy drinking something more upscale, ask  theyve a few hidden wines kept hidden away for those in the know. Thats you, now. The Pink Chihuahua at El Camion 25-27 Brewer St, W1F 0RR, elcamion.co.uk

Forget house infusions and drinks that take half an hour to make: sometimes a good night needs tequila and dancing. The Pink Chihuahua is built for it: theyre providing the tequila  more than 300 different types of it, in fact  youre there to drink it down and dance it up. Theyve all sorts of twists on Margaritas and Daiquiris, and, given youre downstairs from Mexican restaurant El Camion, plenty of bar food to indulge in too. Lots of fun, and if youre feeling more in the mood just to sit back and sip something slowly, ask about their choice of Mezcal. There's real talent here, but fun too. The Gibson 44 Old St, EC1V 9AQ, thegibsonbar.london

Given the dearth of decent cocktails in Farringdon, the tiny Gibson is a God-send. Its a parlour pitched somewhere between Edwardian and Art Deco, and drinks arent simply poured here, theyre tended to, built, thought about, adored. All unsurprising, really, given the team learnt their trade at the likes of Nightjar and The Connaught.

This place is doing more creatively to push bartending forward than any bar that's opened up in a while, so ask the team for recommendations and youll be presented with something magic. Youll need to ask, actually, as the menu is a novel and theres the risk of wasting the evening reading instead of drinking, and that simply wouldnt do at all. Peg+Patriot Patriot Square, E2 9NF, talentedmrfox.com

The Talented Mr Fox, Matt Whiley, offers is a nice blend of things here: while the menu takes a sophisticated trip around London, with each cocktail a column of flavour, some managing chameleonic taste all within the space of a sip, the actual bar is surprisingly spare and understated. The effect is such that while drinks are upmarket, one doesnt feel obliged to sit demurely to enjoy them. Relax, have a few  you might want to, as the serves arent huge. It should be said that these cocktails are among Londons most interesting, rather than Londons best: they are talking points, oddities, they put flavours together in a way that isnt available elsewhere. If youre big on trying new things, different experiences, seeing what a cocktail can do, come, its a must. If its just something reliably delicious you fancy, elsewhere may be better. Worship Street Whistling Shop 63 Worship St, EC2A 2DU, whistlingshop.com

One presumes the staff here have night vision, otherwise its a complete and utter mystery how they see customers, let alone their ingredients. Still, they must do, for the output is pretty much excellent through and through at this dark spot. Its Victorian-inspired, which sounds tired and not a little tacky, but the gang from Purl have done it properly. Drinks are busy  lots of fusions, blends, gasses and pressure and all sorts  so its appropriate they come out of a lab. Still, all this engineering seems to be worth it, as the drinks slip down easily, the alcohol often hidden away. Make sure to take a seat in the Dram Shop, and pop in to the Gin Closet too, which operates as an honesty bar. Kansas Smitty's 63-65 Broadway Market, E8 4PH, kansassmittys.com

Below bar Off Broadway  a long way off, its Mexican  sits this glorious den of jazz and juleps. It is a speakeasy for 2016: that is to say, it has none of the contrived mannerisms of bars which proclaim to be speakeasies, it just happens to actually be one: youll need to knock to get in, the music raves loud and hot, and the place is so crowded strangers become family after a drink or two. The house band, for which the place is named, have envy-inducing talent, and the bar has fairly recently overhauled its drinks list, and the results are good. Youll be absorbed by the music, and stay afterwards to ride the buzz of the crowd. GONG 52, Shangri-La Hotel, the Shard, SE1 9QU, .gong-shangri-la.com

Gong is in the Shard, so youre there for the view alone. View it certainly does: at 52 floors up, its by far Londons highest spot to drink: consequently, sipping on a martini, one feels a little like a Bond villain pondering all thats below. Its not a huge bar, but that somewhat adds to the sense of exclusivity. Prices are, naturally, sky high: expect to pay at least 18. The drinks have plenty about them to compete with the view: presentation is everything. Theyve not skipped on the spirits making the mix, either: expect the likes of Zacapa 23 rum (heavenly stuff), Talisker scotch and Tanqueray 10 for the gin. All top drawer stuff. If this all sounds a bit intimidating, bear in mind they operate a no reservations policy, so youve as good a chance of getting in as anyone else. Mr Fogg's Salon 58 St Martin's Lane, Theatreland, WC2N 4EA, mr-foggs.com

Downstairs is a pretty decent pub, busy from theatreland. Upstairs, the salon is quieter, but only a little. The walls are a glittering ballgown of 19th century curiosities, unsubtle nonsense winking away. Head to a chaise longues with a couple of friends or a date and take in something from each one of the five acts which split the menu. Drinks seem to smell especially good here, rich, relying heavily on the likes of rum, cognac and sherry. Gin lovers need not despair: theyve a room with 300 different types next door. Come elegantly dressed. Bar Termini 7 Old Compton St, W1D 5JE, bar-termini.com

Do Bar Termini right and youll love it: do it wrong, and you may be underwhelmed. Tony Conigliaro, cocktail chap par excellence, and coffee maestro Marco Arrigo have built a revolving-door of a place: dont come here to linger. Expect a night of cocktails and youll leave disappointed: instead, love it in the day for the 1 espressos, and swing by in the evening for a negroni (6). Theyre small, but some of the best in the capital. One swishes in and out here, and that way, it adds a touch of Italian glamour to any evening. Trisha's (New Evaristo Club) 57 Greek St, Soho, W1D 3DX



Drinks dont make a bar, and thank goodness, as the stuff served at Trishas  named for its owner  is uniformly pretty awful: red and white wine youd consider an insult if a friend served it at supper, prosecco wildly overpriced, terrible spirits ecetera ecetera. At more than 70, the club is Sohos oldest, and while nobody who goes there can ever remember anything changing  its often quite hard to recall much about Trishas in crystal detail, as it happens  nothing needs to. The bad wine and expensive mixers and paint stripper spirits are all part of the point: its a glorious drinking den, and marvellous, marvellous fun. There are characters here: the last time we were in, we sat being scared witless by an old East End gangster who said hes known the Krays. Tremendous. Long may this place live. The Fumoir Claridge's, 49 Brook St, W1K 4HR, claridges.co.uk

The Fumoir will confuse you, as youll be torn between shouting about it and keeping it all to yourself. This plush purple and leather spot, deco decadence with a touch of welcome pomp, is hidden away behind a secret door at Claridges. Tiny and glitzy enough to feel like a Hollywood dressing room from the Golden Age, its little surprise the likes of Christina Hendricks adore it. For such a small place, they squeeze an awful lot in: plenty of wines, classic cocktails given a stern shake up, buckets of gin, a lovely choice of armagnac and a magnificent scotch list, gleaming with rarities. 69 Colebrooke Row 69 Colebrooke Row, N1 8AA, 69colebrookerow.com

Once known as the bar with no name, henceforth they shall be called the bar with Bernards watch, as there is no other explanation for the speed with which their finely mixed cocktails arrive. Another bar from Tony Conigliaro, its earned its reputation for turning out hit after hit: the drinks list is endlessly tempting. The piano is a nice touch; that is gets played a much nicer one, and make sure to order the Prairie Oyster  fun to drink, and one even for those who cant eat seafood. Bear in mind its a small spot, so youre close to your neighbours, and if you dont like strong drinks where the booze kicks, this wont be for you. Happiness Forgets 8-9 Hoxton Square, N1 6NU, happinessforgets.com

Dont expect frills and fuss or the rest of it here: Happiness Forgets is cocktail bar distilled down to its very essence, and done very well  their tag High End Cocktails/Low End Rent sums it up best. The bartenders are all top drawer, and their creations impeccable. Unsurprisingly, this Hoxton space has its regulars, so the crowd is always good. Tables can be booked, but half are always kept for walk-ins: try your luck, its worth it. Dry Martini by Javier de las Muelas Melia White House Hotel, Albany Street, NW1 3UP, melia.com

Come to this one to brag: Dry Martini is known as Barcelonas best cocktail bar, and has been rated the fifth best bar in the world by the Worlds 50 Best Bars panel. Renowned bartender Javier de las Muelas has bought over his concept to us lucky Londoners, and with it, finely mixed and classic cocktails. No prizes for guessing that the Dry Martini is the house special  if you dont think you like them, heres a place to change your mind. With more than 80 gins on the list, you could easily lose a week here. Gordon's 47 Villiers St, WC2N 6NE, gordonswinebar.com

Gordons seems to get more and more crowded with each passing day, but perhaps rightly so: the beloved Embankment institution is made for knocking back bottles of wine in. Eat a few cold bites and chat into a long, unwinding evening. The wine list is good enough, but youre really here for the atmosphere: in summer, the terrace, buzzing, in winter, the caves indoors, crammed with noise, spilt wine, and joy. Social bar at City Social 25 Old Broad St, EC2N 1HQ, citysociallondon.com

Youd think youre at City Social, up 24 stories of Tower 42, to eat, but if you stop in the bar, theres a good chance you wont make it to your table. The drinks come as something of a surprise: theyre so much better than one expects from a restaurant bar, inventive, put together carefully but not staidly, retaining a sense of fun. And, crucially, damned tasty. Its a dark room, and full of city types, but perfect for a few late night cocktails soaking up the view, which is really quite wonderful. Bloody pricey, but thats part of it. Ladies and Gentlemen 2 Highgate Rd, NW5 1NR, twitter.com

William Borrells bolthole transcends its gimmick (which, if you hadnt guessed, is that its a converted public loo), with the help of some very handy bartenders, and its house-brewed gin, Highwayman, of which twelve bottles a day get distilled. Ladies & Gents manages well as a place for a quiet drink, or better yet, a place to quietly get roaringly drunk. Convenient indeed. The drinks are strong, very interesting, and theres plenty of odd sods on the wall to keep your conversation up. It maintains a veneer of being somewhere faintly upmarket, but youll probably end up reading from one of the books scattered around or trying to dance to the live music. Perfect for a date that gets out of hand. Bull In A China Shop 196 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6LG, bullinachinashop.london

Truth it, youll need to catch this place on a good night, as weve been in often enough to know it has its good nights and its meh nights. But when the place is on, its really cooking, and easily one of the best bars in town. The cocktail list is short, but thought through, and care is taken in even the small things: they even make sure the water glasses are chilled. The chamomile and charcoal Old-Fashioned is a must, and any whisky lovers should get chatting to the bar staff, as theyve bottles which arent available anywhere else in the capital. Sager + Wilde Arch, 250 Paradise Row, E2 9LE, sagerandwilde.com

Wine lovers rejoice, wine bores look elsewhere. Sager + Wilde admirably keep things unpretentious: the exposed brickwork sets the tone: theyre keeping things low key. The specials list changes regularly, and always with interesting choices introduced. Some of the wines are exclusive to this place, so youre all but guaranteed to try something new. Have a SHE + T (sherry with tonic, delicious), and absolutely do not leave without having the grilled cheese sandwich. 7 Tales at Sosharu 64 Turnmill St, EC1M 5RR, sosharulondon.com

Underneath Jason Athertons Sosharu is this sexy, seedy Japanese drinking den, where youll find the hazy, debauched glamour of Tokyo after dark. Unlike so many bars underneath restaurants, 7 Tales doesnt feel like a holding pen, and drinks are precision made, with flavours leaning beyond the usual  think rice-washed gin, sake, infusions of sesame, snacks like tempura. Bar snacks are an irresistible must. Callooh Callay 65 Rivington St, EC2A 3AY, calloohcallaybar.com

Eccentric doesnt seem to quite cover it: enter the surreal world of Callooh Callay through an old Victorian wardrobe, catch sight of a throne and order punch out of a gramophone from a menu thats more of a sticker book. It sounds a bit ridiculous, but the bartenders really know their stuff, so for all the quirks, drinks are fundamentally pretty excellent. On the weekends, its a party bar, and DJs spin music to match: youre here for a good time. Any detectives in your gang will find there are two extra rooms in Callooh Callay to explore  theyre hidden away, too, naturally. If youre good, you might even get an invite upstairs to the Jub Jub Room, where the 10-long cocktail list changes every three weeks. Fans should also head to their new offering in Angel, Little Bat. Dukes Bar Dukes Hotel, 35 St James's Pl, SW1A 1NY, dukeshotel.com

Dukes is known for one reason: martinis. The St Jamess hotel was a favourite haunt of James Bond author and (very) keen drinker, Ian Fleming, who supposedly came up with the shaken, not stirred line here. Their martinis are exceptionally strong, and very large: theres a reason they wont serve you more than two. But look, break the mould: theyre a classic hotel bar, they serve a fine range of classic cocktails. Theres also a cognac and cigar garden, if youre so inclined. NOLA 1st Floor, 68 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY, nola-london.com

It would be too easy to miss this place, so do your homework and saunter in: its must more attractive than sweatily asking anyone if theyve seen the place. Drawing inspiration from the home of proper cocktails, New Orleans, the bar loves traditional drinks, builds them properly and serves them in a den of music and laughter. Unlike some places specialising in old school serves, NOLA is a place for fun: sure, it seems to say, you could have a quiet drink  but why would you want to? Theres a cracking cigar terrace too, small enough that everyone talks before heading back in for one hell of a Vieux Carre. Call Me Mr Lucky 11 Southwark St, SE1 1RQ, twitter.com

All the hidden bars at the Breakfast Clubs around the capital are popular, with perhaps The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town being the best known. Call Me Mr Lucky, on Southwark Street, happens to be our favourite. Once youve flirted with the staff  ask to get lucky  youre taken through the restaurants kitchens to a lively bar decorated like some twisted take on a kids party. Have a go on the wheel of fortune, where youll really want to get lucky, and win a free shot, and then work your way through the cocktail list. Like any good-time bar worth its salt, this place is big on tequila, and the drinks are light-hearted fun, but  here we go getting lucky again  along with the quirks comes quality. By the of the evening, before youre porured back onto the street, youll swear tequila is your new favourite drink, and youll be singing the party hits they play all the way home. K Bar at The Kensington 109 - 113 Queen's Gate, SW7 5LP, townhousekensington.com

K bar feels majestic  and there is no other word for it  because drinking here is a little like being in the captains quarters of the Titanic, albeit without the sinking feeling. There is glamour here: a kind of place to be seduced in. Cocktails wise, bar manager Ben Manchester is the man to ask for, but theres a fine list to choose from. It avoids stuffiness, and just needs to be packed out to really get cooking. Nightjar 129 City Rd, EC1V 1JB, barnightjar.com

Nightjar has fame which means writing about it is redundant: people think it marvellously good, and theyve live music most of the week. Its seating only and worth booking: just be sure not to cancel, or theyll charge a steep 10 per person. They do the speakeasy theme, but well enough that it isnt too tired yet, and have plenty of old school style on the list. Pick up a pack of cards from the bar on your way out. Reverend J W Simpson 32 Goodge St, W1T 2QJ, revjwsimpson.com

Bourne and Hollingsworth run this rather lovely little bar, downstairs from a small doorway on Goodge St. Service is friendly and speedy, it's comfortable, and drinks more than hold their own  there's both obscure traditional mixes and modern serves made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Luckily, with good drinks come good people, and it's a loud, happy place. Albertine 1 Wood Ln, W12 7DP, albertinewinebar.co.uk

Albertine hasnt changed much since the day East Enders was commissioned there. A wine bar through and through, youll struggle to get anything else (though there are a couple of ales on the menu.) Its a place with spirit, which draws a regular, devoted crowd. They sell everything they serve, and its well worth splashing out: the mark-up gets less and less as the bottles get more expensive, meaning you can get an absolute bargain at the top end of the list. Its also the kind of wine bar you go to to overindulge. First Aid Box 119 Dulwich Rd, SE24 0NG, firstaidbox2015.com

This place really is worth travelling to Herne Hill to, which must be saying something. The team behind Shrub & Shutter have thickly laid on the pharmacy theme here, with cure-all drinks. Its not an idea which sounds like it should work, and yet, how much better life would be if they were one of the emergency services. Expect saline drips, syringes, and the likes of plastic lungs  their take on thirst aid  but rest assured, flavours arent medicinal in the slightest. At 8 - 10 a drink, its reasonable for London, and wonderful to see a bar really trying something new. Bravo. Media Wisdom Photography - Giles Christopher Nam Long Le Shaker 159 Old Brompton Rd, SW5 0LJ, namlong.co.uk

It gained fame for its celebrity fans, which include Mick Jagger and Prince Harry, but Nam Long has held on longer than most A-list haunts: its been going 30 years, and recently was given an overhaul. Its quite possibly the most Chelsea place imaginable  there are literally MIC cast members floating about  and its a go-to spot to drink far too much and party. The upstairs area is bright, airy, and well looked after by the excellent bartenders, while downstairs  "the Opium Den"  is as it sounds (though there was no opium available when we asked... ) The drinks upstairs were made with more care, but downstairs is more intimate, opulent, and better for a small groups. Some of those Chelsea types who go really are the very worst, and the drinks are outrageously expensive, but hey, its a laugh. The Vault at Milroy's 3 Greek St, Soho, W1D 4NX, shop.milroys.co.uk

A bar through a bookcase: were sold. Better yet, its underneath one of Sohos finest whisky shops  with stiff competition from The Vintage House  so if youre taken with something downstairs, buy it on your way out. Its a simple little bar and the service is decidedly so-so, but its usually pretty busy, they play good music and have an excellent range of spirits. The menu is changed regularly, but its a good place to cram into with friends or on a date. You mightnt spend the entire night here, but for a couple of drinks on the way somewhere, or on the way back, it fits the bill perfectly. Bounce 241 Old St, EC1V 9EY, bouncepingpong.com

There are two Bounce bars, one on Old Street and one on Holborn. The Old Street spot is a little more fun, graffiti adorning the walls,the Holborn spot somewhat more upmarket. Still, they both deserve a mention, and for the simple reason theyre damned good fun. Drinks here are good, with a decent spirit selection at both (and a huge number of gins in Farringdon) and a respectable selection of beers. Food is fine, simple. Still, you come to play ping pong. Theyve tables everywhere. Theres little to fault with Bounce: its a laugh, and sometimes thats all somewhere needs to be.

It will open from Monday August 21, with a week-long soft-launch offering 50% off  thats if you can work out how to get in. You might want to consider a prescription...

Visit evansandpeel.com.
P ositano is the kind of place that seduces swiftly. And it counts many illustrious people among its conquests, including John Steinback who declared: 'Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone'. At the heart of this magical cliffside town is Le Sirenuse, a family-run hotel that is very seductive in its own right.

Where is it?

In pretty Positano, one of the most spectacular towns on the Amalfi Coast, carved into the steep hillside. It's an hour and a half's drive from Naples, and close to other desirable destinations on the vertiginous coastline such as Amalfi and Ravello.

Style

The rambling ox-blood red villa used to be a private house, and it retains that feel. Cool white walls, antique furniture collected by the Sersale family, princess beds and eclectic art on the walls made for a traditional and quietly luxurious stay. Each room has its own balcony overlooking pastel-coloured houses of Positano and the sea and are ideally positioned for sundowners.

It's owned and run by the Sersale family since the beginning - and it shows in the attention to detail, service and feel of the hotel.

Food & drink

Everything you eat and drink here will be immaculate, like the rest of the hotel. Breakfast is served on your balcony or from the lemon-tree clad pool terrace, a delightful spread of fruits, cereals, breads, balls of buffalo mozzarella, luscious tomatoes and fresh juices with coffee made to your order. There is also a selection of egg dishes to order.

La Sponda

As the sun begins to dip behind the hill, stop for a drink at the Champagne and Oyster bar, which has the prettiest view, or Francos, the alfresco bar just next to the hotel and named after the current owner Antonio's beloved father.

For dinner, booking into its signature Michelin-starred restaurant La Sponda is a must. Im not normally one for fine dining, but you cant fail to be blown away by the pure romance of the place. The sprawling room is lit by hundreds of candles and its ceiling is dripping with meandering vines, with windows pulled back to give an inside-outside feeling. While youre eating of octopus confit, lobster pasta and lemon souffle, a trio of musicians will serenade you with the sweet sound of the mandolin  sounds naff, but the whole experience is heaven.

Facilities

Le Sirenuse has possibly the best facility of any hotel Ive ever stayed in. And no its not the gorgeous spa or the picturesque swimming pool on the terrace of the fourth floor. Its the vintage boat that takes guests out on most days for morning dips, lunch trips and sunset bellinis on the water  at no extra charge. Make sure you book ahead with the front desk to reserve your space, and then its just a short hop down to the beach to climb on board. Otherwise the hotel revolves around different places to eat and drink. There's the champagne and oyster bar, which is perfect at sunset,

Extra-curricular

The pool

Positano is lovely place to explore  just be prepared for crowds who are bus-ed and boat-ed in every day. If you can bear to drag yourself away from Le Sirenuse and its boat, there is one restaurant thats an absolute must-visit: Da Adolfo. Only accessible by water, the restaurant has its own wooden boat that ferries its guests back and forth throughout the day. Its a low-key place with a loyal fan base who come for the beachfront position, fresh catch and very reasonable for the prices. The tuna carpaccio and marinated anchovies are the way to start. Afterwards, you can swim off the rocks until you feel like heading back to Positano.

A post shared by Kate Lough Travel (@kateloughtravel) on May 28, 2017 at 9:16am PDT

Which room

The rambling warren-like nature of the building is misleading about its size, there are only 58 rooms. Almost all the rooms are elegant and have Instagram-worthy views over the bay of Positano, but stretch to the Deluxe Sea View option if you can. The rooms are more spacious and have full sea views.

Best for

We saw families and mother-son duos, but really this is a hotel for couples. Its a very romantic hotel that suits couples of all ages.

When to go

Avoid the Amalfi Coast crush in summer  it gets seriously busy in July and August  and go for May or September.

Details

Le Sirenuse, Via Cristoforo Colombo, 30, 84107 Positano SA, Italy; sirenuse.it

Classic Collection Holidays tailor-makes luxury holidays to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. A seven night holiday in 2018 costs from 1,598 per person. The price is based on two adults sharing an Inner Courtyard room on a B&B basis and includes British Airways flights from London Gatwick to Naples and private transfers to the hotel (0800 294 9322; classic-collection.co.uk)
Lawyers for a man who was arrested in connection with a jogger appearing to push a woman in front of an oncoming London bus say he has "irrefutable proof" that he was in the United States at the time of the incident.

Video footage from May 5 showed a male jogger knocking the 33-year-old woman onto the road as she walked across Putney Bridge on the River Thames.

The bus is seen swerving and narrowly missing the woman.

Police said the victim suffered minor injuries and passengers on the bus came to her aid.

The jogger returned 15 minutes later as he made his way back across the bridge but did not acknowledge the victim when she attempted to speak with him, according to police.

A 41-year-old was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm at an address in the affluent Chelsea area, a Metropolitan Police statement said.

But lawyers for Eric Bellquist said in a statement Friday that their client has a clear alibi.

"Our client has been wrongly implicated in this matter; he categorically denies being the individual concerned and has irrefutable proof that he was in the United States at the time of the incident. Consequently we expect a swift resolution to this wholly untrue allegation," Duncan Lewis Solicitors said in a statement.

On Saturday, the Metropolitan Police said they had released a man arrested in connection with the case without charge, and that no further action would be taken against him.

Officers received "a good response" from the public after releasing the footage, police said.

"The victim was put in extreme danger when she was knocked into the road. It was only due to the superb quick reactions of the bus driver that she was not hit by the vehicle," said Sgt. Mat Knowles, the investigating officer from Putney Safer Neighbourhood Team, in an earlier statement.

This story has been updated to reflect the latest information from police about the suspect's age.

CNN's Angela Dewan contributed to this article.
A rmed police were reportedly called as passengers reacted with fury when a British Airways flight from Heathrow was delayed for two days.

The flight to Las Vegas was supposed to set off at 4.40pm on Sunday, but following two aborted take-offs didnt leave until Tuesday afternoon.

It was abandoned on Sunday due to a technical fault and on Monday due to a mix-up over baggage.

When the second flight was aborted seconds before take-off passengers, who had already been put up in hotels overnight, reportedly went crazy.

Police were called to meet the plane after concerned cabin crew alerted the cockpit.

A spokeswoman for BA confirmed police were called and said: We fully appreciate how frustrating this experience has been, and have apologised to our customers for the long delay to their flight.

We provided refreshments, hotel accommodation and help with expenses during the delay, and the flight departed yesterday.

The flight finally departed on Tuesday afternoon.
A pedestrian was hit by a moped on London Bridge after three riders dodged anti-terror barriers and drove on the pavement.

The woman was taken to hospital with a leg injury following the incident at around 12.40am on Wednesday.

City of London police said the trio had passed through bollards and driven on to the east pavement travelling southbound.

The barriers were erected to prevent cars and other heavy vehicles ploughing through pedestrians following terror attacks on Westminster Bridge and London Bridge.

Witnesses told the Times that the mopeds were being pursued by police when the woman, believed to be a 51-year-old German, was hit.

One person said the moped driver appeared to deliberately hit the woman.

They said: It was a nightmarish scene again. I was walking up the road then suddenly I heard noise and lights.

I thought it was a car and it was driving very fast. Then when it rode past I thought they were just playing. Then I saw them deliberately swiftly turn and hit the woman. It was a shocking experience.

Scott Hepworth, 49, told the Sun he came extremely close to being hit as well. He said: I was on the bridge when I saw headlights haring towards me.

He was doing about 55mph and missed me by millimetres. As I walked on, I saw a woman being comforted on the floor.

A City of London police spokesman said: We are aware of an incident that took place this morning at approximately 12.40am, whereby three mopeds mounted the east pavement travelling south bound on London Bridge.

A pedestrian was hit and received an injury to her leg, and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The City of London Police is investigating this incident and anyone with information is asked to contact 101.
T he Cabinet is close to unveiling formal proposals for a trade and customs deal with the European Union after an intensive round of discussions - some conducted from ministers holiday homes.

Keynote plans for a future relationship with the European single market and Customs Union will form the first in a series of position papers beginning next week, sources have revealed.

Cabinet ministers have been working through the summer break to agree broad details - in some cases by emails to and from their sun loungers.

Prime Minister Theresa May will begin releasing the papers after she returns from walking in the Swiss Alps and a break in Lake Garda, northern Italy.

Senior ministers including Brexit Secretary David Davis, Chancellor Philip Hammond and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox are already back in Whitehall although Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, is keeping in touch during a break. The business of government does not stop in the summer, said a source.

Downing Street is keeping the contents and timing of the papers secret but officials say there will be a stream of landmark documents during August, leading up to Commons debates on the withdrawal Bill in September.

There have been signs since July that ministers are prepared to agree on a transition, or implementation period, of up to three years, followed by a trade deal similar to membership of the European Economic Area.

Further papers are expected in August covering fraught issues like the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

A row was looming this afternoon between the UK and Scottish Governments over what powers currently held in Brussels will be handed to the devolved Scottish executive.

First Secretary of State Damian Green was in talks with Nicola Sturgeons deputy John Swinney.

The Sottish Nationalists have accused Westminster of a power grab covering more than 100 policy areas.


A Labour councillor who was suspended over allegedly homophobic tweets has quit the party, claiming she is the victim of neo-liberal social witch-hunting.

Chika Amadi, who has been on Harrow Council since 2014, has denied any wrongdoing and hit out at Labour for her completely unfair suspension.

She was suspended on July 31 after being accused of posting tweets which criticised gay pride marchers and labelled them paedophiles.

Cllr Amadi, who is also a pastor, has now officially quit the party and will see out the rest of her term as an independent councillor.

In a fiery statement, she claimed she was a prisoner of conscience and a victim of neo-liberal social witch-hunting.

She said: It is unfortunate that my tweets were misinterpreted, taken out of context and misconstrued while I was vilified, bullied, intimidated, demonised and abused by innumerable people for expressing my thoughts.

Cllr Amadi added: Clearly, from the way I have been treated, it seems to me that the protection of the LGBT community is more important than the rights of the rest of us who may think the actions and behaviors of certain members of the group, in certain cases are questionable and deplorable (sic).

I have lost everything within the Party: my re-selection, possible election, and my future political career within the Labour Party because of overreaction of the General Secretary and determination to prioritise protection of the LGBT group against other communities with differing characteristics, irrespective how unfair the action might be.

The saga began when Cllr Amadi shared a story from Christian news website LifeSiteNews about nude men at a Gay Pride event in Toronto forcing a little girl to "cover her eyes".

A tweet sent from cllr Amadi's account / Twitter

The tweet, since-deleted, added: Nothing but paedophilia being labelled liberalism adults polluting children with their senselessness.

When other Twitter users accused her of homophobia, a tweet sent in response read: Evil. If you dare walk naked in front of my child God will give you terrible assignment that will put you to perpetual sleep. Be warned.

A further tweet from her account read: You did not vote me in and You cannot remove me. Keep your mouth where your money is. Keep busy and stop nosing around.

Harrow Council's leader, Sachin Shah, told the Standard she absolutely rejected and condemned these abhorrent statements.

"Homophobic views have no place in our community  which is one of the most diverse and accepting in all of the UK, she added.

The Standard has approached Labour HQ for comment.
S outhend Airport is offering free flights to disgruntled passengers whose flights from London's two largest airports are delayed.

The first 1,000 passengers flying to Manchester, Dublin and Glasgow who are delayed by half an hour at Heathrow or Gatwick will be offered a free return flight from 14 August.

Passengers must be on a flight from Gatwick or Heathrow to one of those destinations between 14 August and 30 September and the flight must be delayed by 30 minutes in order to qualify for the deal.

The move comes as Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) figures show 21 per cent of passengers at Heathrow were delayed by more than 15 minutes in the first five months of 2017 and from Gatwick, 26 per cent.

The offer is to publicise Southend Airports links to the north of England, but tickets wont be available until the end of October.

Glyn Jones, chief executive of Stobart Aviation , responsible for both Southend Airport and Stobart Air, said: Heathrow and Gatwick keep celebrating rising passenger numbers but what is good for their bottom line, makes for a bad travel experience for tens of thousands of passengers every day.

"We have been rated the best airport in the UK three years in a row by Which? and it is our core customer promise that we provide a better, quicker, more pleasurable way to travel compared to the stressful and overwhelmed larger airports.

An increasing number of people are discovering the benefits of London Southend Airport and are enjoying our calm, friendly and easy terminal; we look forward to welcoming many more."

Southend Airport currently sees 1.2 million passengers through its doors every year but has the potential to accommodate 10 million passengers.
T he UKs new aircraft carrier the HMS Queen Elizabeth has been photographed sailing the seas alongside US warships during a military exercise off the coast of Scotland.

Britains largest every warship met up with the US carrier group on exercise as it continues sea trials which began in June.

The 3 billion HMS Queen Elizabeth was pictured alongside the HMS Westminster, HMS Iron Duke, HNoMS Helge Ingstad from Norway, USS Donald Cook and USS Philippine Sea and USS George HW Bush.

More than 60 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines are on board the USS George HW Bush honing their carrier strike skills ahead of HMS Queen Elizabeth's entry into service.

During the exercise UK staff have been working with their American counterparts to fight off a series of simulated threats from enemy forces, using all the air, surface and sub-surface assets of the entire task group.

HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is undergoing sea trials, sails with the USS George HW Bush and her carrier strike group, off the coast of Scotland / REUTERS

Commodore Andrew Betton, Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, and his team have been directing jets and firepower for the last ten days as they practise their skills.

HMS Queen Elizabeth, the largest and most powerful ship ever built for the Royal Navy, set sail for the first time in June from Rosyth in Fife and is due to enter her new home in Portsmouth in around two weeks.

Captain Jerry Kyd, her Commanding Officer, said: "The USS George HW Bush battle group is an awesome embodiment of maritime power projection.

"And given that the United Kingdom's Carrier Strike Group Commander and his staff are embedded on board the US carrier for Saxon Warrior shows the closeness of our relationship with the US Navy and the importance that both nations place on the delivery of the UK's Carrier Strike programme.

Footage of the HMS Queen Elizabeth sailing under the Forth Bridge

"HMS Queen Elizabeth is at the start of her journey to generate to full warfighting capability, but we are working hard to ready ourselves to take our place in operations and the line of battle alongside our closest allies."

The new 280-metre, 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier met up with the USS George HW Bush and her carrier strike group off the coast of Scotland during a brief pause in the exercise's activities.

The group includes two Portsmouth-based Type 23 frigates, HMS Westminster and HMS Iron Duke, destroyer USS Donald Cook, missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea and the Norwegian frigate HNoMS Helge Ingstad.

Captain Ken Houlberg, Chief of Staff to the Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, said: "The US Navy, out of huge generosity, has given us the whole of their carrier strike group so that we can practise the command and control of a carrier doing these operations in British waters so that when HMS Queen Elizabeth comes into service later this year we will be well on the way to forming our own carrier strike capability."

There are 15 ships from across NATO taking part in the exercise, called Exercise Saxon Warrior, with more than 100 aircraft and nearly 10,000 people.

HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is set to be the nation's future flagship, and her 700-strong ship's company have been taking part in maiden sea trials over the summer.

The second ship in the class, HMS Prince of Wales, is being fitted out in the Rosyth dock in Fife.
A British holidaymaker was left astounded when she was given a plate of raw onions and tomatoes after ordering a vegan meal.

Georgina Jarvis, 19, was on holiday with her family in Spains Costa del Sol when she was left less than impressed by her dinner.

The vegan diner, from Leeds, had gone to a restaurant and ordered one of the so-called vegan pizzas when the chef realised the recipe contained egg.

In a bid not to disappoint Ms Jarvis, the chef instead whipped up a substitute vegan meal.

But when it arrived at the table, the dish turned out to be a simple mix of chopped salad tomatoes with red onion scattered on top.

Ms Jarvis sister, 17-year-old Gabbie, shared two pictures online showing her sisters unimpressed face and a close up of the simple dish.

Out for tea and the restaurant claimed they catered for vegans, this was my sisters amazing vegan meal, Gabbie Jarvis posted on Twitter.

The family found more tasty vegan meals elsewhere in the Costa del Sol region. / @gabbiejarvis Instagram

She later told the Standard: When the plate was placed down on the table Georgina and I just looked at each other and we knew what one another were thinking.

Me and Georgina shared awkward eye contact and I couldn't help but laugh and took out my phone to photograph the moment.

Georgina is used to eating raw vegetables and she was hungry so she ate it all but asked for a bread roll to accompany it.

Gabbie added: She was appreciative that the restaurant catered for her but was disappointed that they did claim to cater for vegans and that was the dish, raw veg.

Georgina, who has been a vegan for three years, usually has a good selection of foods to choose when out in restaurants in the UK, her sister said.

The family were staying in Fuengirola near Malaga and said they were told on the door that the restaurant catered for vegans.

She said the dish cost around 7  around 6.30.

More than 16,000 people retweeted the womans pictures and it sparked several other diners with food-specific requests to come forward telling of nightmare meals they had endured.

Lesley Morton recounted being unimpressed with the so-called large caprese salad costing 15 in St Andrews, while Jo-Anne Hamilton said: I was once given an entire packet of those plastic cheese squares and some bread.
S ix soldiers were injured today when a car smashed into them close to the headquarters of Frances anti-terrorist police unit in Paris.

The BMW crashed into the troops in an apparent ambush as they were taking part in Operational Sentinelle, a security initiative set up following attacks by Islamic State on Paris.

A manhunt was launched for the driver who sped away after the suspected attack in the centre of Levallois-Perret, a north-west suburb of Paris, shortly after 8am local time.

Two of the infantrymen were seriously injured when the car headed into the group at high speed. The four others were said to be lightly hurt,

Soldiers at the scene of the attack in the suburb of Levallois-Perret

It was a deliberate act  the car accelerated, said Patrick Balkany, the mayor of Levallois-Perret.

The car sped away, and police are looking for it.

Emergency workers treat victims at the scene of the attack in Paris / AFP/Getty Images

Mr Balkany said the most seriously injured had been taken to Percy hospital. They were all members of the 35th Infantry Regiment.

By 10am, the car was still unaccounted for, as hundreds of other servicemen were brought into the operation to find it.

A soldier on patrol in the vicinity of the attack, which left two servicemen seriously injured

The BMW responsible was parked up in wait close to a barracks before it struck, said Mr Balkany.

It is an intolerable, incomprehensible act, he added, saying that the soldiers involved in Operation Sentinel were there to protect the public.

Soldiers secure the area near the scene where French soliders were hit / REUTERS

The attack happened as a three-soldier night patrol handed over their duties to a day patrol of the same number, said local council spokesman David-Xavier Weiss.

The arrangement of the square meant that the attacker did not have enough of a run-up to cause more damage, said Mr Weiss.

He said the men were standing next to a temporary barracks set up by the council for soldiers taking part in Operation Sentinel.

The incident happened in the suburb of Levallois-Perret / REUTERS

It gives them a place to change, eat and rest, he said. The municipal building is less that a mile from the anti-terrorist HQ.

A security perimeter was set up around the area, with shops and homes evacuated, and a local park shut.

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An eye witness to the attack said he heard shouts, including insults being aimed at the soldiers.

The man, who asked not to be named, added: There was a lot of engine revving and then the soldiers scattered.

Paris: Police work near the scene where French soliders were hit and injured / REUTERS

Patrols have been stepped up around Levallois-Perret as it contains the HQ of Frances anti-terrorist sub-directorate (SDAT). This is the French judicial police service at the heart of the operation to prevent terrorist attacks.

The weekly council of ministers was taking place at the Elysee Palace as the first reports emerged.

There are 10,000 soldiers patrolling France as part of Operation Sentinelle, and 4,700 police and gendarmes.

France remains under a state of emergency following a long string of attacks, including an attempt to kill a soldier at the Eiffel Tower on Saturday.

The 19-year-old psychiatric patient was today in custody after he brandished a knife and pledged allegiance to Isis.

An Interior Ministry spokesman said the security threat to France remained at its highest level.
J amie Bell says becoming a parent has helped him to understand why his father walked out on his mother before he was born.

The Billy Elliot star, who has a four-year-old son, was raised by his mother in Billingham, Co Durham, after his father, a tool maker, left while she was pregnant.

He told ES Magazine: Its difficult raising a child. Its really stressful. It requires a lot of you. You have to sacrifice your life and some people dont want to do that. Its not particularly noble, but I could see why the easier thing is to leave.

Asked if he would walk away, Bell, 31, said: F*** no. However, he added: You cant be thinking, Im doing this because no one ever gave me this experience. The thing is not to love from a place of anger because that is potentially devastating.

Bell shot to fame in 2000 after starring in Billy Elliot aged 14. He married US actress Evan Rachel Wood in 2012 and the couple had their only child a year later. They split in 2014.

Tied the knot: Jamie Bell and Kate Mara married in a secret ceremony / Getty Images

Last month he announced he had wed his Fantastic Four co-star Kate Mara, whom he had been dating since 2015.

He said: There was an instant connection, like wed known one another for ever. It was obvious very quickly that we were going to get married.

Bell said he would continue to keep the name and details of his son with Wood, 29, private.

TODO: define component type brightcove

He said: I think its because of my own association with childhood exposure. Not that anyones ever been particularly invasive with me  I go around with relative ease  but its just a poppa thing to think, No, no, no; thats a different side of my life that no one sees.

I never watch any of the movies Ive done. I never take any of it that seriously, but without question the thing Im proudest of achieving is my son.

"Im obsessed. Every moment I spend with him I fall a little bit more for him. Its almost painful.

Bell lives with Mara, 34, in Los Angeles and said he and Wood  now the star of HBOs Westworld  stay on good terms.

As kids from divorced parents we understood very quickly the importance of maintaining a good relationship. I think that is also a generational thing  we learnt from our elders that its better if you have to share a space with someone to be able to look them in the eye.

"If you succeed, the kid succeeds. Bells latest movie is 6 Days, a retelling of the events which led to the SAS siege of the London Iranian embassy in 1980.

He said: The director had cast these very large men around me and I couldnt help but feel dwarfed. Im a 5ft 7in jug-eared Englishman.

Asked what life would be like if he had not been chosen from 2,000 boys for the role of Billy, he said: Its a terrifying prospect because I dont know how to do anything else. I would still be in that town, maybe.
The Keystone XL pipeline is back in the news. The Nebraska Public Service Commission is holding hearings and will decide later this year whether to allow the pipeline  the most studied pipeline in history  to be built. I believe there are several reasons Nebraska needs to give the green light to this project.

First, the pipeline will give Nebraska a much-needed economic boost at a time when we need a jolt. Low commodity prices have led to decreased state revenues and large budget cuts. During construction, KXL will provide over $400 million in new construction jobs in Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas.

This equals more than 4,400 new jobs with $149 million of earnings along the route. Pipeline workers will spend money in communities along the route. This means the state and those communities will benefit from the additional sales taxes KXL workers will be paying.

According to a 2013 study by Nebraska-based economist Ernie Goss, the Keystone XL pipeline is projected to contribute an increase of $1.8 billion in overall economic activity over a 15-year period of operation in Nebraska. It is estimated that an average of 916 new direct and indirect jobs would be created in the state each year.

Property tax revenue during operation of the KXL will increase by 10 percent or more in 17 of the 27 counties along the route with approximately $55 million of incremental property taxes in year one. In Nebraska, this means $11.7 million in property taxes the first full year of operation. This is money that can go to local schools, hospitals, first responders, roads and property tax relief.

When considering safety and the environment, the evidence makes it clear pipelines are the safest and most efficient method of transportation. Pipelines have fewer spills, cause less property damage and have fewer injuries and deaths than other means of transportation. Studies have shown pipelines to be 400 percent safer than transporting by train.

It is not hard to find examples of the risks associated with methods other than pipelines. For one, in 2015, a 110-car train carrying crude oil derailed in West Virginia. This derailment caused property damage and injuries and spilled oil into a nearby river. Government statistics indicate accidents with trains carrying oil have been on the rise since 2010.

And, we know this oil is coming into the U.S. and into the nations Gulf Coast refineries regardless of whether this pipeline is built. It is crossing our roads and our rails right now. In 2011, 300,000 barrels of oil per day were shipped by rail between Canada and the Great Plains.

If we do not increase pipeline capacity, trains will get longer and more trucks will transport materials over our roads. Additionally, if we do not build new pipelines, our ability to update and replace older pipelines is also limited. Each of these increases the risk to our citizens and the environment.

The fear-mongering by pipeline opponents ignores the facts. Our dependence on fossil fuels, including oil, is not going away anytime soon. These materials will be transported from point A to point B one way or another.

No mode is 100 percent safe, but, at 99.99 percent, pipelines are the most safe and efficient. We need to approve the permit and build the Keystone XL pipeline. It is the right thing to do.
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Scary question of the day: If this is how President Trump reacts to news of a federal grand jury being employed in the Russia investigation, what happens if things turn really serious?

Reports that special counsel Robert Mueller is using a grand jury to collect evidence reaffirmed what was already obvious to legal observers: This probe -- and for the president, this problem -- is not going away anytime soon.

Mueller is beefing up his staff, bringing in former federal prosecutors with experience in complex financial investigations. Of course there is a grand jury.

That's how prosecutors do their work, unless they have come to the quick conclusion that the subject is a dry hole. This was never likely in Mueller's case, and every week seems to open a new and potentially productive avenue for him to follow.

So White House special counsel Ty Cobb had the right response to the grand jury news. "The White House favors anything that accelerates the conclusion of his work fairly," he said in a statement. "The White House is committed to fully cooperating with Mr. Mueller."

Restrained. Appropriate. Normal.

Not so the president.

Once again, he diminished the significance of Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 election and demeaned the findings of the U.S. intelligence community: "The Russia story is a total fabrication. It is just an excuse for the greatest loss in the history of American politics."

Once again -- as the West Virginia crowd chanted "Lock her up!" -- he said the focus should be on his vanquished opponent, not him: "What the prosecutor should be looking at are Hillary Clinton's 33,000 deleted emails. And they should be looking at the paid Russian speeches. And the owned Russian companies. Or let them look at the uranium she sold that is now in the hands of very angry Russians."

Even leaving aside the factual flimsiness of Trump's accusations, the inappropriateness of a sitting president making this argument is impossible to overstate. As his still-Attorney General Jeff Sessions told the Senate Judiciary Committee in January, "This country does not punish its political enemies."

This country also has mechanisms, well-honed and well-tested, for dealing with situations where criminal investigations are warranted. They require recusal in cases that pose a clear conflict of interest, as Sessions recognized in immediately walling himself off from any Clinton investigation and eventually accepted in recusing himself from the Russia probe.

They set out procedures for the White House to follow in dealings with the Department of Justice involving criminal proceedings, designed, as then-Attorney General Eric Holder explained, to ensure that prosecutors are "impartial and insulated from political influence."

Such niceties are not for Trump. No surprise there, but the worst of his West Virginia speech was yet to come. Trump followed by impugning the Mueller investigation as an illegitimate effort to undo the election results: "They can't beat us at the voting booths, so they're trying to cheat you out of the ... future that you want. They're trying to cheat you out of the leadership that you want with a fake story that is demeaning to all of us, and most importantly demeaning to our country and demeaning to our Constitution."

Trademark Trump. He takes the very thing that he is doing -- in this case, demeaning the Constitution -- and flings that accusation back at his opponent. Trump's campaign and now his presidency have been an unceasing effort to demean the Constitution. From "fake news" to "so-called" judges, from his ill-considered travel ban to encouraging police officers' roughing up of suspects, Trump is a one-man assault on the rule of law.

Inciting supporters to equate a criminal investigation (and potential prosecution) with a usurpation of their democratic choice is the most chilling yet.

What Trump decries as a witch hunt is an authorized investigation being conducted pursuant to Justice Department rules, by an experienced prosecutor, selected for this job by another experienced prosecutor, who was nominated by Trump himself. That Trump and his allies are scheming to undermine Mueller's legitimacy underscores that their sole goal is retaining power, the law be damned.

Some readers have asked a fair and important question: Why is nearly every column of mine about Trump? The answer: Trump.

His behavior is so extreme and so dangerous that to respond only episodically and occasionally is to risk allowing it to appear acceptable. Outrageous words and outrageous actions require expressions of outrage in return, each and every time. That will continue until the danger subsides.
MOUNT PLEASANT  The Mount Pleasant Police Department and the House of Harley Davidson Racine have teamed up for a Cruizin' for the COPs House Motorcycle ride at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 20.

The group will leave promptly at 10 a.m. from the House of Harley Racine, 1155 Oakes Road, and travel through Racine County.

The motorcyclists will travel a police guided route throughout Racine County. The riders will make two scheduled stops prior to the final destination. The ride will conclude at 2:30 p.m. at Route 20 Outhouse, 14001 Washington Ave., Yorkville. At this location there are additional activities planned for the riders and the public.

Prices are $30 for a rider, $40 with a passenger. This price includes a goody bag and tickets for the dinner buffet. This event will include live music by Rude Neighbors and Class Reunion. Food, 50/50 raffles, silent auction and basket raffles will be offered. The cost of the food tickets (dinner buffet) is $10. This price is included for registered riders.

To pre-register, go to the https://houseofharley.com/harley-motorcycle-events/cruizin-for-the-cops-house-in-mt-pleasant, visit House of Harley-Davidson Racine, or email Officer Matt Prochaska at mprochaska@mtpleasantwi.gov. All makes of motorcycles are welcome. Registration is not required for participants who choose not to ride in the event.

Proceeds from the event will go towards supporting the Mount Pleasant Police Departments COP house and its programs.
RACINE  DNA evidence found in the rape kit of a Racine woman who said she was beaten and raped last year matched only one man, accused rapist Jermain Winters, a forensic scientist testified in court Tuesday.

Testifying in Racine County Circuit Court during the second day of Winters trial, Margaret Cairo of the Wisconsin State Crime Lab told jurors the chance of selecting a random, unrelated individual with that same profile as Winters would be 1 in 1 quintillion.

Winters, 28, of the 600 block of 12th Street, was charged on March 17, 2016, with first-degree sexual assault in the alleged Feb. 19, 2016, rape.

The accuser told Racine police she was walking in an alley in the 1900 block of Slauson Avenue when a man accosted her and punched her in the face. He then put her in a choke hold, she said, and squeezed her neck, Winters criminal complaint states.

The woman told police she tried to defend herself with a box cutter-style knife, and then tried to run, but caught her foot and fell. She said the man dove on top of her and she again tried to defend herself with the box cutter, but the attacker bit her thumb, according to the complaint.

The alleged attack occurred sometime between 5 a.m. and 6:17 a.m. in a concrete walkway between a garage and a chain-link fence near the alley between Slauson Avenue and 16th Street, the complaint states.

On Tuesday, the state played surveillance footage taken from three businesses in the area that the accuser said she had passed through before the attack. Racine Police Investigator Chris Blackmore said the footage showed the accuser walking along the same route she told police she had taken.

The footage also showed a man wearing the same clothing Winters was reportedly wearing that day, walking the route during the same time, the investigator testified.

Blackmore also testified about photos taken of Winters in March 2016, which reportedly showed the defendant with healing cuts and scabs on his arms and hands.

Winters trial is slated to continue Wednesday.

If convicted, Winters faces up to 40 years in prison and up to 20 years on extended supervision.
MOUNT PLEASANT  The Mount Pleasant Police Department is teaming up with the Sturtevant Police Department to challenge the South Shore Fire Department to see who can collect the most school supplies. The challenge runs until Friday, Aug. 25.

Blue bins represent the police departments and red bins are for the fire departments. Collection sites (during business hours) include: C.O.P. House  Mount Pleasant, 2237 Mead St.; Mount Pleasant Village Hall, 8811 Campus Drive; Sturtevant Village Hall, 2801 89th St.; Malickis Piggly Wiggly, 5201 Washington Ave.; and Blains Farm and Fleet, 8401 Durand Ave.

The bucket color (Police vs. Fire) that ultimately contains the most supplies based on selection will be determined the winner. The school supplies will be distributed to Schulte, West Ridge, and Dr. Jones Elementary schools.

The winner of the school supply collection event will be announced at the Police/Fire softball fundraiser at 10 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 27, at Haban Park, 1330 Borgardt Road. The loser has to wash a fire engine and/or squad cars.

For more information, call Officer James Kelley from the Mount Pleasant Police Department at 262-598-7928.
SCOTTSBLUFF  The Scottsbluff City gave a positive recommendation for a local business owners liquor license application, heard reports from four community groups, and authorized an economic development assistance agreement for a proposed downtown microbrewery at its Monday, Aug. 8 meeting.

Liquor license recommendation

Emily Pugmire of Boozy Brushes, hopes to establish a paint and sip business at 2419 Ave. I in Scottsbluff, where customers can take group painting lessons while consuming alcohol.

Pugmire is a Colorado native and has an art degree in media arts and animation and has been painting for over 15 years. She said her studio can accommodate up to 30 painters, and claimed that it will be the first of its kind to open in Scottsbluff. She said she also plans to offer private parties including kids birthday parties, bachelorette parties and company parties.

Pugmire said she plans to keep all of the alcohol locked up, card everyone at the door and give wrist bands to customers who are of age. As an added measure, she plans to have two different colored cups to easily differentiate between those consuming alcoholic beverages, and those that arent.

According to documents provided in her application, Pugmire took the Nebraska Alcohol Server/Seller Certification course in June, and said that she plans on requiring potential employees go through the training as well. She said she will have a zero tolerance policy for employees who sell to minors, and will terminate their employment on the spot.

After the public hearing, the City Council agreed unanimously to forward a positive recommendation for Pugmires license application to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission.

Reports from community groups

The council received reports from Cirrus House, Panhandle Humane Society, Monument Prevention Coalition and Scottsbluff Senior Center.

 Sam Crouch, who runs the transitional age program for Cirrus House, briefed the council on the implementation of the Nebraska Youth System of Care Initiative.

We spend a lot of money on people in their adult lives dealing with their mental health, and incarceration for criminal behavior, Crouch said. We have a better way, we want to start getting it to them younger and getting them out of that first contact. We believe we can do that best by implementing a system of care.

Crouch said hes looking to get more community partners, from businesses to government officials to form partnerships and matched funding. He said that this year, Cirrus House is matching $105,000 from partners who attend the meetings, and those numbers will continue to rise in the future. He would like to better integrate services with schools, practitioners, medical professionals and case managers to work together and get you the services they need.

That will translate 10 or 20 years down the road to that youth not being in our jail or prison, Crouch said. Were trying to find a better way to reach families.

Those interested in becoming a partner with the Cirrus House should contact Crouch at 308-220-0597 or email hims at scrouch@cirrushouse.com.

 Cathy McDaniel, executive director of The Panhandle Humane Society, said that July was a difficult month, and that they had 120 cats on a typical day.

We have a real problem with feral cats in our community, McDaniel said. I would like to address that in the future with a TNR (trap, neuter and release) program.

McDaniel said each domesticated cat costs about $80 to be spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchiped.

Thats a substantial amount of money, but every cat is worth that, McDaniel said. We certainly dont want them to go out and multiply.

However, a feral cat is not something PHS typically wants to spend money on, because they dont have a guaranteed home, creating the need for a future TNR program.

 Lanette Richards, project coordinator for Monument Prevention Coalition, said that her organization sponsors serve training, post-secondary education, data collection and policy.

Richards said that they observe local liquor licenses, and follow pertinent legislation relating to alcohol. The coalition sponsors and coordinates compliance checks a minimum of twice a year for business that serve alcohol to ensure alcohol is being kept out of the hands of minors.

 Marcia Schlichtemeier, of the Scottsbluff Senior Center, said that the centers mission is to prepare and provide nutritious meals and provide activities and fellowship for seniors. She said that the center serves more than 100 meals a day, more than half of which are delivered to seniors at their homes. The drivers who deliver the meals are able to report any health or welfare problems that a senior might be having and get them assistance. Other services the Senior Center provides are medical information and activities such as bingo and puzzle building.

Schlichtemeier said that the center has also started offering Tai chi classes, which the Office of Aging says provides seniors with greater mobility and balance and reduces the risk of injuries that result from falls.

The bulk of the centers expenses come from the services they provide to individuals who are there most of the day, equipment and payroll for employees, as well as mechanical needs and maintenance.

She also said that state health inspectors commended the Scottsbluff Senior Center as the cleanest facility in the state. Schlichtemeier thanked the city for its continued support of the center.

Economic development agreement approved

Flyover Brewery, a joint venture between Joe and Andrea Margheim and Peter Meyer, will be located at 1824 Broadway.

Starr Lehl, economic development director for Scottsbluff, said the project received a positive recommendation from the LB 840 applications review committee.

We feel this fits right in with what were trying to do in downtown Scottsbluff, Lehl said. Its just a perfect fit for the city to bring more people to downtown Scottsbluff and patronize the businesses.

Meyer told the council that he hopes to use the development loan to purchase the equipment needed to do the brewing.

We only wanted to borrow for the manufacturing process, Meyer said.

Meyer said he and the Margheims have discussed the idea since 2015, and they intend for the brewery to be more than just another bar, but a destination for tourists.

The brewing equipment is made specific to order, and Meyer anticipated that it would be six months from the time their order is sent to when the equipment arrives.

Meyer hopes to hire a professional brewer, along with a full-time chef, part-time chef, kitchen staff, waitresses  about eight or nine full-time staff.

Meyer said Andrea Magheim had experience running a country club in Michigan and would more than likely be in charge of the eatery portion of the brewery.

State regulations state that LB 840 funds can only be used for the manufacturing side of the brewery.

The city council voted 3-1 to approve the agreement, with councilman Scott Shaver casting the lone dissenting vote.
ALLIANCE  The Nebraska Brand Committee will have a new director.

At the end of the Nebraska Brand Committees meeting in Alliance Wednesday, committee chairman John Widdowsen announced the resignation of Bill Bunce, current executive director, who will leave the committee at the end of the month.

(Bunce) has battled hard, and this thing has been a wildfire since hes been here, Widdowsen said. Hes pushed our committee, hes pushed our business to a whole other level, and we cant thank him enough for that.

The Brand Committee announced Bunces hiring as director in November after its previous director, Shawn Harvey, resigned in the wake of a critical state audit. Bunce had previously served in the position of executive director of the New Mexico Livestock Board, where he began work in 2015, overseeing brand inspection, the state veterinarians office, livestock theft investigations and other related law enforcement.

Bunce said he has accepted a position as vice president of the Houston-based American Brahman Breeders Association.

Its an opportunity I need to pursue and the best thing for my family, Bunce said.

Bunces son is a military special forces operator stationed in Texas, where Bunces grandchild has just been diagnosed with autism.

I need to be a little closer to my family, in addition to other situations, Bunce said. I appreciate the opportunity to be here on an interim basis, and you have a very, very good staff, and when I say its the best in the business, I truly mean that.

Widdowsen said Bunce will be replaced by Dave Horton, current Area III investigator, who will step in as the committees interim executive director starting Sept. 1, and will hold the position until a new executive director is hired permanently.

It has been a pleasure working with this staff and hiring new staff, Bunce said. Its been a period of transition, and a pleasure to be here as an interim.

Bunce hopes that his successor works toward unity.

The state of Nebraska is very divided about what they want this agency to be, he said.

Bunce said the Nebraska Legislature should make a definitive decision about whether they want to be not only a mandatory inspection state, but a mandatory brand state, (like New Mexico), or to follow along with a state like Texas, where brands are recorded at the county level and policed by a specific law enforcement agency like the Texas Rangers set up to enforce brand laws.

However, they cant just nip away at this thing and expect the agency to operate at its optimum, he said. If they want to beat us up in the Legislature, or beat them up in court, then so be it.

But it works against the industry theyre set forth to represent and protect.

ALLIANCE  The Nebraska Brand Committee will have a new director.

At the end of the Nebraska Brand Committees meeting in Alliance Wednesday, committee chairman John Widdowsen announced the resignation of Bill Bunce, current executive director, who will leave the committee at the end of the month.

(Bunce) has battled hard, and this thing has been a wildfire since hes been here, Widdowsen said. Hes pushed our committee, hes pushed our business to a whole other level, and we cant thank him enough for that.

The Brand Committee announced Bunces hiring as director in November after its previous director, Shawn Harvey, resigned in the wake of a critical state audit. Bunce had previously served in the position of executive director of the New Mexico Livestock Board, where he began work in 2015, overseeing brand inspection, the state veterinarians office, livestock theft investigations and other related law enforcement.

Bunce said he has accepted a position as vice president of the Houston-based American Brahman Breeders Association.

Its an opportunity I need to pursue and the best thing for my family, Bunce said.

Bunces son is a military special forces operator stationed in Texas, where Bunces grandchild has just been diagnosed with autism.

I need to be a little closer to my family, in addition to other situations, Bunce said. I appreciate the opportunity to be here on an interim basis, and you have a very, very good staff, and when I say its the best in the business, I truly mean that.

Widdowsen said Bunce will be replaced by Dave Horton, current Area III investigator, who will step in as the committees interim executive director starting Sept. 1, and will hold the position until a new executive director is hired permanently.

It has been a pleasure working with this staff and hiring new staff, Bunce said. Its been a period of transition, and a pleasure to be here as an interim.

Bunce hopes that his successor works toward unity.

The state of Nebraska is very divided about what they want this agency to be, he said.

Bunce said the Nebraska Legislature should make a definitive decision about whether they want to be not only a mandatory inspection state, but a mandatory brand state, (like New Mexico), or to follow along with a state like Texas, where brands are recorded at the county level and policed by a specific law enforcement agency like the Texas Rangers set up to enforce brand laws.

However, they cant just nip away at this thing and expect the agency to operate at its optimum, he said. If they want to beat us up in the Legislature, or beat them up in court, then so be it.

But it works against the industry theyre set forth to represent and protect.
Any Native American students heading back to school this month who might need help with school supplies can take advantage of the Johnson O Malley Program of Pine Ridge.

The program will offer school supplies to qualifying students and will be held Thursday, Aug. 10 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Indian Center, Inc., 115 Railway Street in Scottsbluff.

To qualify people must show students tribal enrollment, the students birth certificate and proof the student is enrolled in the 2017-2018 school year.

For more information call 605-867-5977.
RACINE  Following a large sting of a Racine County drug ring, two suspects remained on the run after a third turned himself in Wednesday.

During a press conference Wednesday, Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said hes saving lives with the drug arrests as every week someone in Racine County dies from a drug overdose.

If youre going to sell drugs in Racine County, I can assure you, youre going to have a target and were going to hunt you down and arrest you, Schmaling said. By arresting just one individual, we may save a life tomorrow.

Leroy Ostrander turned himself in Wednesday. As of Thursday afternoon, authorities were still looking for Shakur Miller, 23, and David Edwards, 38, of Racine County. If you have information regarding their whereabouts, please call the Racine County Sheriffs Office at 262-886-2300.

Somebody knows who these two thugs are and will turn them in, Schmaling said. We dont want your name, we just want the information.

Schmaling said the seven others arrested in the ring Monday were working together and undercover officers managed to get 30 controlled purchases of heroin from members of the group.

The Racine County Metro Drug Unit obtained 50 grams of heroin, enough for 500 doses with a street value of $8,000. They also seized drug-related items and weapons during the bust. Six children were taken into custody by Child Protective Services after the bust.

These individuals are working together with one common goal, making money from addicts, Schmaling said. They create the next round of addicts who are not informed about the real dangers of opiates.

While all the busts were made in the City of Racine, Schmaling said the problem is countywide as many of the drugs, which he said originate in Afghanistan, make it to Racine County from Chicago on Interstate 94.

We have just as many drug busts on the east end as we do on the west end of Racine County, Schmaling said. These are real lives being destroyed and real families.

The next victim

A little more than an hour after the press conference Wednesday, Racine police and fire crews responded to the call of a drug overdose with CPR in progress at a home in the 2800 block of Maryland Avenue in Racine.

Shawn Jacobson said his girlfriend overdosed July 28 and was brought around by paramedics once again.

Within five minutes she was in the house (doing drugs) and then my daughter comes running out saying she was on the floor, Jacobson said. Shes been in so many programs nothing has worked.

Jacobson blamed the drug dealers.

Its the people in her phone. Constantly in contact with these people, Jacobson said. She needs to be isolated and go through withdrawal and get off of it.

Jacobson said he hopes she can get the help she needs now.

I want to know what goes through your mind that you want to shoot up or put stuff through your nose? Jacobson said.

In 2014, the Racine County Sheriffs Office was the first agency in the state to start carrying naloxone, or Narcan, in squad cars to help counteract the effects of opiates in addicts.

Racine County Medical Examiner Michael Payne said in 30 months theyve saved 28 lives with the medication.

When deputies apply Narcan and the individual, who is dying, wakes up, theyre mad their life was saved because it takes away their high, Payne said.

New drug mix

Payne said fentanyl cases are on the rise and hes concerned the elephant tranquilizer called carfentanil found in Milwaukee will also make its way to Racine.

Its not a matter of if, but when, Payne said. Theyre mixing fentanyl with heroin and its causing deaths in Racine. On average, one death a week.

Payne said mixing fentanyl with heroin amplifies the potency of both drugs. Once injected, smoked, or snorted, the killer heroin creates a frighteningly powerful high.

If you take this once, youre done, Payne said.

Sheriff calls on judges

Schmaling also called on county judges to throw the book at drug dealers.

It comes down to Racine County Circuit Court judges making the right decision and not offering these people probation, putting them in jail where they belong and getting them off the streets. Thats the right message, Schmaling said.

Schmaling said they make arrests daily and will be looking for the next ring to disrupt.

Were caring about our community and were doing something about this, Schmaling said.

If you need help for addiction, go to Racine County Behavioral Health Services, 1717 Taylor Ave. The county also operates a 24-hour crisis line at 262-638-6741.
LINCOLN  On his farm north of Albion, Art Tanderup says hes used no-till farming to build up his soil, reduce erosion and, ultimately, increase yields of corn, soybeans and rye.

The Keystone XL pipeline, a half mile of which would cross his farm, would compact his soil, destroy micronutrients and, because of heat generated by friction in the flowing oil, kill the deep roots of his crop, he says.

It would ruin 13 years of no-till farming, said Tanderup, a former teacher and a leading member of the anti-pipeline group Bold Nebraska.

He was the first Nebraska landowner to testify during the scheduled weeklong hearing to determine whether the controversial pipeline is in the public interest of the state.

Testimony, before the five-member Nebraska Public Service Commission, is expected to wrap up on Thursday.

As of Tuesday evening, eight representatives of pipeline developer TransCanada have testified, providing a stark contrast to the concerns of landowners like Tanderup.

They have testified that theres no evidence that heat from the pipeline, buried 48 inches deep, would reduce yields or damage crops, and that they will be able to restore soils after pipeline construction to pre-pipeline productivity.

John Beaver, a Montana-based ecologist hired by TransCanada, called the reclamation of farm and ranch ground following the construction of the companys 30-inch Keystone pipeline in 2010 successful and good across eastern Nebraska.

He said he expected the same with the Keystone XL. Even porous, sandy soils crossed by the pipeline  like that on Tanderups land  can be reclaimed by using mulch and cover crops to prevent erosion, Beaver said.

That didnt square with what Tanderup said, in an interview, that hes seen along the Keystone pipeline route east of Norfolk. He said you can see a bare spot where the pipeline runs through an alfalfa field, and, on the other side of U.S. 275, you can see where the soil has settled in a corn field.

Tuesdays testimony drew a much smaller audience than Mondays opening day, with about 30 people watching much of the day.

A group of Native Americans, however, conducted a rally outside the proceedings at Lincolns Cornhusker Marriott Hotel, praying, beating drums and shouting stand up, fight back.

The orderly protest followed the signing, by the five Indian tribes of Nebraska and the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma, of a treaty opposing the pipeline and tar sands expansion. The Sierra Club said that 150 tribes in the U.S. and Canada have now signed a similar pledge.

Much of the testimony on Tuesday concerned whether then 36-inch Keystone XL should be rerouted to parallel the existing Keystone pipeline.

Attorney Brian Jorde, who is representing landowners opposed to the project, said that the route proposed by TransCanada was 65 miles longer than the existing Keystone pipeline, which went into service in 2010. The existing pipeline also crosses fewer major rivers, less sandy soils and avoids most of the range of the endangered whooping crane, he said.

If the goal of TransCanada is to minimize the disruption of land and the expense of more pipe, wouldnt paralleling the Keystone XL with the existing pipeline be the best alternative? Jorde asked.

Not really, responded Jon Schmidt, a Florida-based regulatory consultant hired by TransCanada, who said that routing the two pipelines was not a viable option.

A TransCanada engineer, Meera Kothari, said that the XL route was chosen because it is a straight line from a pipeline pumping station in Alberta to another at Steele City, Nebraska, on the Kansas border.

By contrast, the Keystone route goes straight north and south, from a converted natural gas pipeline just across the Canada border, through Nebraska from Cedar County on the north to Steele City.

Environmental groups such as Bold Nebraska and the Sierra Club have suggested that the two pipelines parallel each other, but TransCanada officials said that the straightest route from Canada is the diagonal Keystone XL route.

Rerouting the pipeline  which has already been adjusted to avoid Nebraskas Sand Hills  could also add millions to the cost of the long-delayed, $8 billion Keystone XL project.

Three of the five members of the Nebraska Public Service Commission have farm backgrounds, and a couple of them, Tim Schram of Gretna and Mary Ridder of Callaway, asked questions about soil restoration and if TransCanada plans to test soil for fertility and compaction.

Beaver, the ecologist, said that generally, the topsoil is replaced in such a short period that adding additional fertilizer or nutrients was not necessary. He said steps were taken to avoid compaction.
In a few short weeks, thousands of visitors from across the country will flock to the Good Life to witness a once in a generation event. With some of the best viewing locations in the country, Nebraska is a prime destination for hundreds of thousands of people expected to converge here to watch the Great American Eclipse on August 21, 2017. There is extraordinary interest in the event since it is the first solar eclipse visible in the continental United States since 1979!

Nebraska is one of a handful of states where the eclipse corridor spans the entire length of the state. Our open spaces make our state a prime location for viewing the eclipse, which is why many visitors have been making plans to travel to Nebraska for this historic event. Some estimates predict up to 400,000 people will come to Nebraska. This crowd of visitors is a great opportunity to put our Nebraska hospitality on full display, and to show them why we have the best place in the world, to live, work, and raise a family. Please be patient as traffic and communities along the pathway will likely be congested during this event.

While not all of Nebraska will experience the total eclipse, every region of the state will get to experience at least the partial eclipse. Among Nebraskas best viewing locations are the Homestead National Monument in Beatrice, and Alliance where the Sandhills provide a clear and uninhibited view. The Nebraska Tourism Commission has great online resources with watch events across the state. Navigate to www.visitnebraska.com and search eclipse for more information. Additionally, there are many great state park and recreation areas along the eclipse pathway. Visit www.outdoornebraska.gov/eclipse for locations, and be sure to get a park permit in advance!

In preparation for the eclipse, my office and state agencies have been working together to facilitate the best viewing experience and to protect public safety. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is partnering with many state agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services, Tourism Commission, Game and Parks Commission, Department of Transportation, Nebraska State Patrol, and Fire Marshals Office as well as others. This working group has also engaged the Red Cross and other local partners. Each agency is using their expertise to support communities, local governments, and organizations preparing to host thousands of eclipse watchers.

As we prepare for the event, we are encouraging Nebraskans to be prepared, plan ahead, and use common sense. This event is happening in August, which we all know tends to run hot and dry in Nebraska. Its important to keep weather conditions in mind when making viewing plans in open fields or camping in areas that are dry and may pose a fire risk. Here are a few important reminders we are sharing with Nebraskans and visitors ahead of the eclipse:

 Plan ahead and purchase your eclipse viewing glasses early. Regular sunglasses do not filter out the harmful rays of the sun.

 Know in advance where you would like to view the event and plan for the day.

 Stock up on water, sunscreen, food, and gas in your vehicle.

 While August is typically hot and dry, we all know that Nebraska weather can be unpredictable. Be sure to keep an eye on weather forecasts and make prudent decisions accordingly.

 Plan for slower traffic and potential congestion. While estimates on visitors vary widely, we do know there will be a significant increase in travel on the day of the eclipse.

 Stay up-to-date on interstate and highway closures by downloading the Nebraska 511 app or by following @nebraska511 on Twitter.

 For your safety as well as the safety of other travelers, do not stop on the side of the interstates or highways. Find a safe location to exit your vehicle before viewing the eclipse.

 Lastly, as a good rule of thumb, turn your headlights on manually that day.

As the eclipse gets closer, my office and state agencies will continue to push out new information and tips for safely enjoying the eclipse. You can stay up-to-date on all the latest information about the eclipse and tips for safe viewing by visiting NEMAs website: https://nema.nebraska.gov/operations/2017-solar-eclipse.

Nebraska is looking forward to the Great American Eclipse. This is a unique and significant opportunity to show off our state to one of the biggest crowds, if not the biggest, to ever visit Nebraska. As we prepare for this historic event, lets make sure visitors to the Good Life come away with a great experience to share with their family and friends back home. If you have any questions about preparations for the Great American Eclipse, contact my office by emailing pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov or calling 402-471-2244.
We often hear that Congress cant work together, or that Republicans and Democrats are unable to find compromises on behalf of the American people. While there are days when that seems true, I want to highlight a few recent cases where I have joined with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to pass meaningful legislation to help the lives of Nebraskans. I think they prove that when we work together, Congress can be effective.

Right before I headed to Nebraska for the summer work period, the Senate approved three bipartisan bills I have been working on with my colleagues on the Senate Commerce Committee. The legislation included Karis Law, the Spoofing Prevention Act, and the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things (DIGIT) Act. These bills would help keep Nebraskans safe and make important telecommunications updates.

In December 2013, Kari Hunt was murdered in a Texas hotel room. As this assault unfolded, Karis 9-year-old daughter desperately dialed 911 for help.

The call did not go through.

Like millions of American children, Karis daughter knew that 911 was for emergencies, but they were in a hotel room. The phone required her to press 9 to reach an outside line, something a nine-year-old would never think to do.

Everyone should be able to access 911 during an emergency. Thats why I teamed up with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to fix this obvious flaw in our phone systems. We introduced Karis Law, legislation that requires multiline telephone systems (MLTS), commonly found in hotels and offices, to enable direct access to 911.

Emergency calls should be standard no matter where you are. By having phone companies change how MLTS work, Karis Law ensures families can call for the help they need, especially when traveling and staying in hotels.

The Senate also worked together to pass a law protecting some of the most vulnerable in our society from fraudulent scams. I joined Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) to introduce and help pass the Spoofing Prevention Act of 2017.

Spoofing, the deliberate falsification of telephone numbers and/or names through Caller-ID, has become a major problem for Nebraskans and law enforcement. Thieves are often posing as the IRS or FBI to trick people, especially the elderly, into handing over banking information. This practice is so common that over the past few years the FBI has posted warnings about scammers using the Bureaus identification to target Nebraskans.

Our bipartisan coalition joined together to help stop these scams. The Spoofing Prevention Act cracks down on spoofing by prohibiting the practice on all voice calls, including calls made over the internet. It also bans caller ID spoofing via text messaging. Finally, our bill directs the Government Accountability Office to report on how the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission are combatting spoofing.

Weve been working together to promote prosperity and entrepreneurialism, as well.

Earlier this year, I joined Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) to reintroduce the DIGIT Act, a bill to open up lines of communication between the private and public sector to spur innovation. This legislation will help our state build on the success of the Silicon Prairie in Lincoln and Omaha. It promotes the Internet of Things by streamlining regulations and convening a working group to prevent potential problems, such as regulatory silos, a circumstance where poor communication between agencies and innovators creates duplicative or inefficient regulations. Government regulators shouldnt stand in the way of great American ideas and creativity. The DIGIT Act helps the identify outdated regulations that only act as obstacles to innovation and success.

Americans are creative and know how to build a safe, successful society. These three bills show how effective senators can be when we work together to serve our constituents. I am hopeful that the Senate can find more common ground to help the American people.

Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.
CHARLOTTE: Allstate Insurance Company will add 2,250 jobs over three years in North Carolina as it expands its operations in Mecklenburg County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. Allstate already employs more than 1,400 people in the area. As part of the expansion, the company plans to invest more than $22 million in the Charlotte area.

Charlottes role as a leader in the financial services sector makes our state an excellent fit for Allstate, said Governor Cooper. North Carolina has so much to offer growing companies, including our celebrated universities and community colleges, highly skilled workforce, competitive business climate and outstanding quality of life.

Founded in 1931, Allstate (NYSE: ALL) provides insurance services to more than 16 million households nationwide. The companys major business is private passenger auto and homeowners insurance, but its product mix also includes retirement and investment products, accident and health insurance, business insurance and life insurance. It is the largest publicly-held property and casualty insurer in the U.S.

Allstate has prospered in Charlotte and theyve made the right decision to continue their expansion here, said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. We congratulate the company on this exciting time of growth and diversification.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. (EDPNC) led the states support for the companys expansion.

Were grateful for the support and partnership with the state and the local business community, said Harriet Harty, executive vice president, Human Resources, Allstate Insurance Company. We look forward to supporting the continued economic development in the Charlotte area as we take the operational steps needed to best serve our customers. We are deeply committed to the communities we serve and our employees across the country who are helping us build the Allstate of the future. We will continue our strong legacy of corporate citizenship as we expand our footprint in Charlotte.

Allstates expansion in Mecklenburg County will be facilitated in part by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the states Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Allstate will add a variety of job functions in North Carolina, delivering a yearly payroll impact of more than $105.3 million, once all positions are filled. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project will grow the states economy by an estimated $3.9 billion.

Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $17.8 million, spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by N.C. Commerce and N.C. Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grants reimbursement payments to a given company.

Because Allstate chose to locate in Mecklenburg County, the companys JDIG agreement also calls for moving as much as $5.95 million into the states Industrial Development Fund  Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business. Even when new jobs are created in a Tier 3 county such as Mecklenburg, the new tax revenue generated through JDIG grants helps communities across the state. More information on the states economic tier designations is available here.

Partners with N.C. Commerce and the EDPNC on this project include the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, Charlotte Chamber, Mecklenburg County, City of Charlotte, UNC-Charlotte, Charlotte Works, Central Piedmont Community College, Northeastern University Charlotte, Bank of America, Charlotte City Center Partners, and the Charlotte Regional Partnership.
Two new middle schools will be built over the next three years thanks to voter approval of a school bond referendum in 2014. The Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education will likely take the first step toward construction by selecting an architect next week.
RACINE  Catholic Charities of Milwaukee is bracing itself for a significant financial cutback to a Racine program, from the United Way of Racine County, to the tune of almost $50,000.

Ricardo Cisneros, chief operating officer for Catholic Charities, said the organization will be receiving $10,000 from United Way to fund mental health services and case management to the Spanish-speaking community.

Any support United Way provides us with is a validation that what were doing is a good service to the community, Cisneros said, but he said the cut is drastic. We will have to come up with the means to continue the service.

Originally, Catholic Charities applied for $58,000 from United Ways health strategy fund to go to the program, but it was rejected. They also applied for funding through United Ways community workforce fund, and received the $10,000 from there.

Commitment

to community

Catholic Charities also has been providing bilingual outreach/case managers, behavior health therapists and counselors, and legal services to low-income families.

Cisneros said last year the outreach/case management program served 609 families, of which 94 percent are low-income; and the behavioral health program served 570 families, 91 percent of them low-income.

I dont think there is anyone else providing counseling services in the Spanish-speaking community, Cisneros said. The low income, combined with the lack of understanding English, is a combination that creates a number of families that are in dire need of services, he said.

Currently, Catholic Charities has 3,500 open family immigration cases, Cisneros said, and many of them involve immigrants in Racine.

Funding from United Way has decreased over several years, and the organization will have to work harder to make that up to continue the services, Cisneros said.

Were going to have to make some extra efforts to maintain the commitments (we have made), especially with the Spanish-speaking community of Racine, Cisneros said. When youre providing a service to the community, the community expects that service  our commitment to the Latino community will be there in Racine.

Valued partnership

Rodney Prunty, president and chief professional officer for United Way, said he was pleased that Catholic Charities was able to obtain funding that aligned in a different way, but United Way is changing its focus in the community.

Weve shifted our focus toward building that educated workforce, Prunty said, and mental health contributes to that goal, which is why Catholic Charities was able to receive funding. We really do value our partnership with Catholic Charities.

The decision to cut back Catholic Charities funding was a difficult one, Prunty said, but it could change.

This is where (Catholic Charities) is now, but this is not the end, Prunty said. We do this on an annual basis, so theres certainly nothing that prevents their funding in the future.

As United Way prepares to get into the funding campaign for its 95th anniversary, Prunty said giving is up this year so far.

Weve had some early indicators that make us cautiously optimistic about the campaign this year, he said.

Kara Reske, community investment chairwoman and United Way board member, said United Way is trying to accommodate local organizations the best it can while still focusing on education.

This is a really good example of how were trying to be strategy-focused but nimble, Reske said. It is really important what Catholic Charities does for our community.
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Second chances are always nice.

Especially when a million dollars is at stake.

Wisconsin veterans dodged a figurative bullet last week when the federal Department of Veterans Affairs told the state it would get a reprieve over the denial of $1 million in annual federal funding used to run a program for homeless veterans.

The cuts, announced earlier this summer, would have taken away housing benefits for 57 state veterans who are staying on the campuses of veterans homes here in Dover and also in King.

But late last week, the DVA said it will give Wisconsin a year to change the structure of its homeless veterans assistance program to qualify for continued federal aid in the years to come.

Some states changed their homeless veterans assistance programs this year in order to assure continued funding. But Wisconsin DVA officials didnt take that route  apparently believing Wisconsins program wasnt at risk.

We were not in danger of losing all funding. Its not the attitude that came from the VA. Our understanding of everything was we were fine. In our minds, there was no reason to change anything, Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Daniel Zimmerman said.

That turned out to be a big oops when the Wisconsin DVA was told earlier this year it was losing a large chunk of federal support.

Whether this was a dropped ball by state officials, a matter of miscommunication, fallout from a change in federal policy or a combination of the three  its a good warning for the state going forward.

Some said Wisconsin should have seen it coming  that the changes in program funding eligibility standards were telegraphed four years ago and that programs like Wisconsins, which were based on service-intensive traditional housing, were least likely to be funded.

I thought it was fairly clear, Kathyn Monet, executive director of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, told a Milwaukee newspaper. A lot of providers saw that (funding change) and said, OK, the writing is on the wall. 

Wisconsin veterans officials apparently need a course in reading wall writing. They missed the clues, and it took a flurry of response and appeals to Wisconsin congressional representatives  and then the federal DVA  before Wisconsin got a one-year pass to improve the effectiveness of its programs and reapply for DVA funding.

Thats a $1 million phew  and one we probably wont get again. The Wisconsin DVA needs to make sure it understands and follows federal guidelines, and double-checks with federal officials and those from other states to make sure we get this right.

Theres many a slip between cup and lip, and Wisconsin homeless-veterans programs dont need another million-dollar dribble. Put us on sippy-cup alert.
ST. LOUIS  Authorities on Wednesday released the identity of a man shot to death Monday night in St. Louis.

James Nelson, 36, was found with gunshot wounds after a motorist flagged down police in at Riverview Boulevard and Sherry Avenue about 11 p.m. Monday, police said.

He was unconscious but breathing. Nelson was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, police said.

Nelson was homeless and investigators weren't able to determine a last known address for him, police said.

The scene of the shooting is on the border between the city's Walnut Park West and Walnut Park East neighborhoods.
FERGUSON  More than two dozen people gathered here Tuesday night before the third anniversary of the controversial police killing of Michael Brown Jr. to rebuild a makeshift memorial in the spot where he died.

"We can never forget this," Meldon Moffitt said to the group of area residents and community activists on Canfield Drive in the Canfield Green apartment complex. "This is ground zero."

Cars drove around the group as they laid teddy bears and a heart-shaped balloon and lit candles in the street where Brown was shot by then-officer Darren Wilson, not far from a bronze plaque and dove installed in 2015 to replace past makeshift memorials.

Some passersby shouted messages of support to the group, which included St. Louis 5th Ward Democratic Committeeman Rasheen Aldridge and State Rep. Bruce Franks Jr., D-St. Louis.

"I'm really delighted to see people come out here, it shows they haven't forgotten," Moffitt said. "As long as we support each other, all these lives  Mike Brown, Isaiah Hammett, Kajieme Powell, all of them  will be remembered."

Moffitt has participated in demonstrations at the site "since day one" after Brown was killed, he said. Almost everyone at the memorial site Tuesday night had been there in the immediate aftermath, too, he said.

"These are faces I recognize, faces I know," he said. "We're still out here letting our voices be heard."

"There are other people who got a lot of attention at that time, then they disappeared. Where are they now?"

Not much has changed in Ferguson since Brown's death, Moffitt said.

"Where are the police and politicians tonight?" he said. "If they cared about the community, about making a difference, they would be here with us. They're a part of this, too."

Tammie Holland and her daughter Meadow, 9, drove from their home in south St. Louis to visit the memorial Tuesday. The pair were in Ferguson in the hours after Brown's death, Holland said. They saw blood in the street.

"I had to be here," Holland said. "I thought, 'I still have a voice. If people see me standing maybe they'll stand up, too.'"

The pair didn't know anyone would be at the site when they arrived, expecting to say a prayer and then head home. The presence of other people brought them comfort, Meadow said.

"It means a lot to me to be out here together, and not alone," she said.

The rebuilt memorial gave Holland mixed feelings, she said.

"The wound is still fresh," she said. "Lezley (McSpadden, Brown's mother) has to drive by here everyday and has to see this spot and be reminded of what happened. I can't imagine her pain."

But the memorial also served as an important symbol, she said.

"The community is still in mourning," she said. "This makes a difference."

Chad Jackson was one of the activists who hit the streets in the immediate aftermath of Brown's death.

"I consider this a historical site," he said.

Over the past three years, Jackson has visited cities including Baltimore and Baton Rouge to protest fatal police shootings there and "watch police," he said.

"Look what happened in all those other places," he said. "We haven't gotten any justice yet and we can't stop until things change."

He and his wife, Catrina, brought their 5-year-old son, Ashton, to the gathering Tuesday. Ashton held his mother's hand while they laid a teddy bear on the street.

"It's so scary being the parent of a young black boy," Catrina Jackson said. "I hope that one day he won't have to deal with this. I want things to change for him."

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story misspelled Lezley McSpadden's name. This version has been corrected.
A first glimpse at Missouri public school test results shows students making slight gains in academic performance over last year.

This past spring, 62.6 percent of students scored proficient or advanced in English; 48.8 percent did so in math, according to a brief report on Missouri Assessment Program results released Tuesday.

Thats marginally better than the 61 percent of students who scored proficient or advanced in English last year and the 45.5 percent who did so in math.

The report includes third- through eighth-grade results, but nothing for end-of-course exams that high school students take.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has not released testing data for individual school districts. Last year, those scores were released in early October.

The Missouri Board of Education will discuss the state scores on Tuesday in Jefferson City.
Wisconsin's small businesses employ 1.2 million people throughout the state and don't ask for massive handouts from the government in return. So why are Wisconsin's politicians willing to provide $3 billion in giveaways to a Taiwanese company that claims it will employ 13,000 people?

Companies should invest in our state because of our location, our work ethic, our skills, and our infrastructure not because of our politicians' willingness to give away taxpayers' money.

In 2016, Foxconn had $136 billion in revenue, with around 15 percent gross profit. It doesn't sound to me like they are in need of a handout. At the very least, Foxconn executives should be asked to undergo drug testing first, like Scott Walker wants food stamp and Medicaid recipients to do. Or perhaps our politicians should be sent for drug testing; the fact that they are even willing to consider such a massive giveaway to a foreign company puts their sobriety in question. In fact, the entire Foxconn project seems hallucinatory in nature.

The largest building in the world, the Boeing Everett Factory, measures 4 million square feet. Foxconn claims they will build a 20-million-square-foot facility. What's more likely: a factory that's five times bigger than the largest building in the world, or another boondoggle of crony capitalism?

Dave Palmer

Mount Pleasant
JEFFERSON CITY  Gov. Eric Greitens push to cut red tape in state government is generating some biting commentary from his fellow Missourians.

Since July 12, residents have been able to weigh in on which government regulations are burdensome via a special website titled No Mo Red Tape.

While some of the comments could lead to less bureaucracy and lower state fees, others are aimed squarely at the Republican chief executive and the policies hes pushed in his first six months in office.

On a recent day, the site had collected 329 comments. Of those, 91 percent of the respondents said state government was making their lives worse.

The governor is doing bad things for MO. The best thing he could do is resign, one commenter wrote.

Nearly half of the comments addressed a specific regulation. Of those, 16 agencies were identified as areas needing to be changed.

The Department of Revenue, which oversees vehicle licensing and tax collection, was singled out as a major stumbling block. In particular, the need to make at least three visits to different offices in order to get a car licensed is a headache.

I just moved here from KS and the process of registering my car in MO is too cumbersome. Inspections, info from the tax assessor, little fees here and there. How about something straight forward that just works without all the bureaucratic red tape? one person noted.

Another writer added, Make the silly car inspections go away. They are such a racket!

The owner of a retail store in Rolla also complained about the various permits and licenses required by the state.

Before I could open in April, I had to get inspected by at least 5 different Agencies and pay for 4 different licenses. I was required to spend a lot of money to be in requirement with all of the regulations, the person wrote.

Greitens decision to make bureaucracy an issue is not unprecedented. Former Gov. Jay Nixon ordered a similar review during his tenure. Plus, state agencies already are required to review all their rules to determine which ones are no longer needed.

Many of the rules in state government are mundane requirements designed to make sure businesses and individuals are treated fairly. They outline how much training people must have in certain professions, regulate environmental laws to ensure drinking water isnt polluted and outline the process in which taxes are collected and welfare checks are paid out.

Other rules can be controversial. Like President Donald Trump, Greitens could seek to undo environmental rules from previous administrations to make it less expensive for businesses to operate.

Dave Dillon, spokesman for the Missouri Hospital Association, said the organization had started its own review of state regulations last year, hoping to use its member hospitals to crowd-source some ideas for removing redundant regulations from the books.

He acknowledged that rules are a necessity in a business such as hospitals, but said there could be room for streamlining.

If there is a rule out there thats a federal rule and the state has a similar one, there ought to be a single standard, Dillon said.

Decreasing the number of duplicate inspections could be cost effective at a time when the cost of medical care is on the rise, he said.

At the Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, executive director Ron Leone said the organization would be reviewing any proposed changes to laws regarding fuel tanks or liquor, which means the group is focusing primarily on agencies such as the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Revenue.

But, he said, it is still early in the process.

We have not yet made any recommendations, Leone said.

Thus far, Greitens is pleased with how the effort is progressing.

We are blown away with the great response we have seen so far, and its just getting started, spokesman Parker Briden said.

Before launching the program, Briden said, state officials reviewed the work of other states that had conducted regulatory reviews and set a goal of generating at least 1,500 comments. Thus far, more than 2,100 have come in. In addition, public hearings are being held by various state agencies.

We are continuing to urge even more Missourians to help us take the state in a new direction with less red tape, more jobs, and higher pay, Briden added.

But some comments are aimed at Greitens and the Legislature. The site does not require people to use their names.

The decision by the governor and the GOP-control House and Senate to repeal St. Louis minimum wage, for example, was particularly grating for some of the website users.

Uncultured and uneducated yahoos that think St. Louis is too stupid to regulate itself. Youve literally made us all poorer by overriding our minimum wage law, one person wrote.

Writers also didnt like the results of a special session on abortion that resulted in a new law containing tougher restrictions on abortion providers.

Evidently, you only care about red tape if it affects someone other than women and girls, read one comment.
Updated with results of state Legislature special elections.

Voters in the north St. Louis County city of St. Ann on Tuesday voted down a proposed 1-cent sales tax hike that was to have been earmarked to repair roads and sidewalks.

But ballot measures at other area communities in Tuesdays Missouri special election fared better, with various St. Louis County cities easily passing new taxes, tax hikes and other proposals.

In two state legislative special elections in central and southwest Missouri, meanwhile, Republicans easily retained seats that had been vacated by GOP officeholders, keeping the partys same lopsided majority in the Legislature.

St. Louis had nothing on Tuesdays special-election ballot, but various communities in St. Louis County and elsewhere did.

In St. Ann, officials have said streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure has deteriorated badly over the years, and that a major citywide improvement project was needed. The proposed 1-cent sales tax hike was to have funded a transportation development district for ongoing infrastructure work.

It failed by a vote of roughly 44 percent yes to 55 percent no.

It was a different story in Overland, where the second time was a charm. Voters were asked to double their current property tax rate in order to bolster the citys police pension fund  the same as a ballot initiative that was defeated in April.

This time, voters approved the measure about 59 percent to about 40 percent. It marks the first time since 1987 the citys property taxes have been raised.

In Greendale and Moline Acres, voters approved by wide margins proposals to impose use taxes on residents out-of-state purchases in the same amounts as the cities local sales taxes. Moline Acres voters approved the measure there by 58 percent to 41 percent, while Greendale voters approved it by about 84 percent to 15 percent.

The use taxes, payable on city residents tax returns, would apply to those who buy more than $2,000 worth of goods annually from out-of-state vendors. Such local use taxes are becoming more common throughout Missouri and elsewhere as online purchasing has increasingly pulled sales away from local businesses, depriving local municipalities of those sales taxes.

In Bel-Ridge, voters approved a measure to more than double the commercial property tax rate in the city, which hasnt been raised since 1990, to fund police costs, road and sewer repair and other city services. The tax will increase to 65 cents for each $100 of assessed valuation from 27 cents. Bel-Ridge voters also voted to assess a $15-per-space annual fee on commercial parking lots. Both measures passed by about 60 to 40 percent.

In Maplewoods special election to fill an unexpired City Council term ending in April 2019, Jenny Schmidt beat opponents Steve Terelmes and Kristen Spencer, garnering about 52 percent of the vote.

And in Uplands Parks runoff election for village trustee, Onva Burke easily beat Kenneth Williams by about 65-35 percent for the two-year term.

In the only two state legislative races on the ballot, previously Republican-held seats were won by new Republican candidates, which means the GOP will keep its same overwhelming numbers in Jefferson City.

In the 50th Missouri House District in the Columbia area, the seat that was formerly held by four-term Rep. Caleb Jones, a Republican who left office in January to take a post in Gov. Eric Greitens administration, was won by Republican Sara Walsh, who works in communications for the Missouri Pharmacy Association.

With all precincts counted, preliminary results showed Walsh beating Democrat Michela Skelton, an attorney, by four percentage points. Though the seat has been solidly Republican for years, Democrats had seen a chance at an upset, with Skelton raising significantly more in campaign funding than Walsh.

In the 28th Missouri Senate District, a sprawling district in southwest Missouri vacated by now-Lt. Gov. Mike Parson, Republican state Rep. Sandy Crawford beat Democrat and former educator Al Skalicky by a roughly 2-to-1 margin.

And in Kansas City, voters were overwhelmingly approving a citywide minimum wage of $10 an hour, despite a recent state law that bans such ordinances. City leaders have said they expect the legal system to eventually allow them to enact the new wage.
Consider two identical 16-year-olds  Jack and Joe  both convicted of the same serious crime  not murder, but something more like armed robbery. They will both go to prison, probably for a long time, but lets suppose that they are sentenced differently. Jack gets life in prison, with no possibility of parole. Joe gets 100 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 95 years.

The U.S. Supreme Court in a 2010 decision called Graham v. Florida said that a sentence like Jacks is unconstitutional. You cant sentence a juvenile to life in prison for a non-homicide offense without giving him the chance for parole. To sentence someone like that, who is so young, basically writes him off, condemns him to die in prison.

Life in prison without the possibility of parole gives no chance for fulfillment outside prison walls, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the majority, no chance for reconciliation with society, no hope. Jack may end up spending the rest of his days in prison, but he should at least have the opportunity for parole, at least sometime during his life.

What about Joe? According to a Missouri Supreme Court decision released last month, Willbanks v. Missouri Department of Corrections, Joe doesnt have to be afforded an actual opportunity for parole, even if under Missouri law, it seems pretty likely that he will die before he becomes eligible for parole. In other words, the state gets to run out the clock by giving Joe a sentence that is practically a life sentence, even if it isnt really one.

The facts of Willbanks are a little different from Joes. Timothy Willbanks had committed multiple crimes, not just one, and under Missouris complicated sentencing scheme, Willbanks could potentially be eligible for parole in his mid-80s. The court held that this (far-off) eligibility was enough to satisfy Grahams pronouncement that offenders be given a meaningful opportunity to obtain release.

But one can see the problem almost right away. Timothys life expectancy, according to one of the parties in the case, was about 79 years. He will probably die before he gets a chance for parole  which, one would think, is precisely the thing that Graham was against. And if you can get around Grahams requirement of giving juveniles a meaningful opportunity for parole by sentencing them to 100 years rather than to life, Graham really becomes a dead letter. All the talk of a meaningful opportunity for parole in Graham is empty if you can push that opportunity out of reach by sentencing someone to de facto life. But thats the principle we get from the Willbanks decision.

The majority in Willbanks made two plausible, if debatable, points. The first was that Graham itself didnt speak to a case like Timothy Willbanks. Graham was about a life sentence, not about a very long sentence that might end up being a life sentence, so it didnt control what courts should do in cases that involve only very long sentences.

And this led to the majoritys second, related point. How is a court supposed to decide when a very long sentence really is the same as a life sentence? After all, Willbanks might live long enough to be eligible for parole, in which case his sentence wouldnt really be life without the possibility of parole. So when does very long in prison basically mean life in prison? Would it be different for different people?

Even if both of these points (which are challenged by the dissent in Willbanks) are correct, they only put a limit on what the courts can do, not on what the Legislature can do. Nothing prevents the Missouri Legislature from stepping in and changing when juveniles and others can become eligible for release.

And they should. Because in the end, Graham wasnt just about how long someones life is  it was also about how we as a society value a persons life, especially those who have their entire lives ahead of them. It was about giving juveniles who have broken the law, but can still turn their lives around, some hope that they can one day re-enter society. This hope gets denied just as surely if you are sentenced to life without parole, or if you are given a sentence that makes you eligible for parole when you are 85 and you only live to 79.
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Generous Lauren Bloor is undertaking two mammoth fund-raising challenges in aid of poorly babies.

The 23-year-old is planning to cycle 170 miles from Stoke-on-Trent to London to raise funds for Bliss, a charity which supports sick and premature babies and their families.

And Lauren will prepare for the epic bike ride by climbing Snowdon.

Lauren, from Burslem, decided to raise funds for Bliss because her 10-year-old nephew Harley Richards was born 10 weeks premature.

After completing this years Pretty Muddy challenge in Central Forest Park, Lauren set her sights higher.

She said: I wanted to do a bit more. Ive always wanted to walk up Snowdon and we will use the fund-raising as motivation to do that on September 30.

I want to take that a step further and do a bike ride from Stoke-on-Trent to London. Ill go from Stoke-on-Trent to Rugby, Rugby to Milton Keynes, and then onto the London Eye.

Lauren says she has not been able to do much training for the Snowdon climb due to her moving house, but she said she will increase her training nearer the time.

She said: For the bike ride I would need to train seriously. I have a bike so Ill be able to train on that as well as go to the gym and having a go on the training bike I have at home.

Its a 170 mile trip and its a daunting prospect. Its the first time Ive done anything like this. My partner will be following me down in the car so Ill have some support but the cause is important.

Lauren believes there needs to be much more fund-raising for charities such as Bliss.

She said: These babies are fighting for their little lives.

People dont see the reality of it sometimes and how things can potentially turn around for the worst.

Her sister Faye Bloor, who is Harley's mum, has praised Lauren for her fund-raising efforts.

The 27-year-old chef from Norton said: Without such neonatal units and without such fund-raising my son Harley and many other children wouldnt be here today.

It was heart-breaking to see my son in the incubator, his life being in another persons hands, I felt so helpless.

He was three and a half pounds when he was born which was a fantastic weight for a 10-week premature baby. He was so strong and I feel lucky to have him around.

I think Snowdon is achievable but the bike ride is crazy - she will have to push herself enormously but she has all of my support.
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Teenager Ryan Youll has been jailed after he repeatedly punched a teacher during a 15-second attack.

The 18-year-old joined in an unprovoked assault on tutor Neil Scragg at Werrington Young Offenders Institution.

Mr Scragg needed hospital treatment for numerous cuts to his face and head and has been left with a permanent scar under his eye.

Now Youll  who is already serving a sentence for burglary  has been locked up for an extra 12 months.

Prosecutor Joanne Barker told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court that Mr Scragg had been teaching plumbing and tiling to inmates at HMP Werrington when he was set upon by a youth on February 23.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, repeatedly punched the teachers face.

Miss Barker said: Mr Scragg tried to hold him back and tried to make his way towards the panic alarm. But the defendant ran over and joined the other lad in repeatedly punching him about the head and body. It lasted about 15 to seconds until both backed away.

Staff arrived to assist him with his injuries. As the lads walked away they fist-bumped each other to congratulate each other on their behaviour.

Mr Scragg was bleeding and was taken to hospital. He had a cut above his eye which needed four stitches, a small cut below his eye which is expected to leave a permanent scar, some heavy bruising and scratches to his eye, nose and head.

Youll, of HMP Brinsford, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Aimee Parkes, mitigating, said the defendant claims the incident was not pre-planned and happened on the spur of the moment. She added that Youll is remorseful and hopes to study engineering at college on his release.

Judge Paul Glenn said it was plain the offence was premeditated and sentenced Youll to 12 months detention in a young offenders institution. It will run consecutively to an 18-month sentence he received in January for burglary.

Judge Glenn said: Violence by prisoners in custodial settings is prevalent. The victims are often prisoners and members of staff.

Mr Scragg had been working for about three weeks teaching skills to help young people obtain employment. The other defendant had been playing up. When Mr Scragg was doing some paperwork he was attacked. It was a vicious attack by the other defendant who punched him repeatedly. He tried to activate the panic button. You ran over and joined in.

He needed hospital treatment. I have seen the CCTV. It is absolutely disgraceful. You were delighted with yourself, fist-pumping and smiling.

It is aggravated by the fact the location was a custodial setting. The victim has a permanent scar. He was providing a service designed to help educate them. This was his reward.

The other defendant received a six-month sentence at the youth court.
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A woman has been taken to hospital after her car left the road and collided with a tree.

Emergency services were called to Outclough Lane, in Brindley Ford, at around 9.25pm last night following reports of an road traffic collision.

West Midlands Ambulance Service sent an ambulance and a rapid response vehicle to the scene and treated a 33-year-old woman.

A WMAS spokesman said: "We were called to Outclough Lane at 9.25pm to reports of a one-car RTC. The car had left the road and went down into a ditch where it hit a tree.

"The airbags had been deployed and the driver, a 33-year-old woman, managed to get out of the vehicle herself. She had cuts to her face and nose, as well as seat belt pain across her chest.

"She was taken to the Royal Stoke University Hospital as we were concerned with some of her injuries."
Pakistan Muslim League (PML) senior leader Muhammad Basharat Raja has termed Seemal Kamrans claim of being his wife as false and baseless. He said she has not been able to produce a nikah nama or the names of witnesses of the nikah in her press conferences. In a statement issued on Monday, Basharat claims he is living a happy life with his wife and son.

He added Seemal Kamran, former MPA of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), was blackmailing him; however, two applications were under process against her for falsehood, blackmailing, fraud and cheating at the police station concerned. Also, two civil cases were pending in court for which two legal notices had been served on her.

Muhammad Basharat Raja said that if her claim was true, then she should put forward a valid nikah nama in front of the media in the next 24 hours so that the truth could be established. Otherwise, he urged a criminal case be lodged against her.

He said her continuous changes in stance during press conferences speak for themselves. Recently, senator Pari Gul Agha reached the district and sessions court seeking damages worth Rs2 million from Seemal Kamran for falsely claiming that she was the wife of former minister for law Advocate Raja Muhammad Basharat.
Former premier Nawaz Sharifs wife Kulsoom Nawaz is to be fielded in NA-120 to contest elections against Yasmin Rashid of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on September 17 on Tuesday.

The National Assembly seat fell vacant after disqualification of the former premier in corruption probe.

de-seated Nawaz Sharifs wife is to contest the polls against PTI.

Earlier this month, Nawaz Sharif confirmed in a meeting with party representatives and during a media talk that Shehbaz Sharif was to keep serving as Punjab Chief Minister (CM) reversing partys initial stance.

PML-N had earlier decided to field Shehbaz in NA-120 who in case of winning the polls would have replaced the supposed interim PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi after a period of 45 days.

However, latest reports suggest that PM Abbasi is to serve as the leader of the House for the remaining term of the ruling party until mid 2018.
Between right and wrong

While the negotiations to amend the Health Profession Education Bill have made headlines, a damaging report on Nepal Medical Councils (NMC) recent licensing exam results has highlighted the need for strong and uncompromising regulations in the education sector as well.
Police raise alarm over shadow of terrorism in re-emergence of Jaffna violence View(s):

More than 20 youths have been detained following violent attacks challenging the authority of Sri Lanka police in Jaffna and the police chief has asked for public support to end the re-emergence violence from those linked to the defeated Tamil terrorist group.

Many of the youths are below the age of 20, police said. In some instances police constables were slashed with swords. A Tamil High Court Judge in Jaffna, Manickavasagar Illancheliyan, was shot at in Nallur junction and his security officer, police sergeant Sarath Premachandra, 57, was killed in the attempt to protect the judge. Among other cases, Justice Ilanchelian had also presided over the rape and murder case of 18-year-old student Vithya Sivaloganathan on May 13, 2015, by several Tamil youths. The rape and murder trial began late June at the Jaffna High Court before three judges. Nine accused, all Tamils, were charged with 41 counts including the abduction, gang rape, and murder. They have denied the charges. The state told the court that the mastermind of the brutality was a Sri Lankan-born Swiss citizen.

As for the recent violence, the Senior Deputy Inspector of Police, responsible for the northern range, Roshan Fernando told the Sunday Times that most of the suspects are under 20. More suspects are being sought.

The normalcy in the north is as before. In addition to routine police security, Special Task Force personnel are also deployed in some sensitive areas to prevent any violent incidents in future, he said.

Four suspects were arrested over the attack on Kopay police constables so far. DIG Fernando said nine suspects are being sought, while two were produced before a court and remanded until August 10. Two others are in police custody and expected to be produced in court.

In a separate incident, three youths were arrested in Chunnakam area on Thursday over a sword attack. Police arrested the suspects and seized the swords.

The past Sunday, two police constables in Copay were on their way to Nandaavil Amman Temple area in Kokkuvil, some five kilometres from Jaffna town to serve summons. They had been told that some youths carrying sharp objects were wandering around. They had noticed some 15 youths carrying swords in a lane and called for back up. The youths, on motorbikes, began slashing the two unarmed policemen with swords. Villagers had taken the wounded policemen to hospital.

The following day, the Inspector General of Police, Pujith Jayasundara, went to Jaffna and security was reviewed. At a meeting at the Jaffna District Secretariat involving the Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, District Secretary N Vethanayahan, and all Divisional Secretaries, IGP Jayasundara called for public support.

Even though three-decade long terrorism was brought to an end, I dont think it was completely eradicated since there is a possibility of the re-emergence of such activities. Thousands of weapons used by terrorists during wartime, have not been handed over to police or security forces after the war, he told the meeting.

He said that the attitude and lifestyle of youths who once belonged to the vanquished terrorist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, had not changed. These are the main factors I noticed as reasons for this kind of incidents in the North but not in the East. In any case, this cant be tolerated. we cant allow this going on like this, this has to be stopped, he said.

IGP Jayasundara said the community and religious bodies can play a role in preventing violence by cooperating with the police and security forces. To stop these kind of anti-social criminal activities, we are going to adopt various tactics with the help of STF and the armed forces but without public support, it cant be achieved, he noted.

He warned of many extremist groups who dont like people living in peace and harmony and spread rumours.

According to them, the police are the failure, and besides, law and order is not functioning properly here. The LTTE and extremism started like this and the same thing is coming again. So these things are being spread by the media and some political groups who dont like the country being at peace, the IGP argued.

Some organizations have benefited through these perceptions and get funds from overseas.

Meanwhile, families of 17 suspects arrested over violence in Point Pedro and Nelliyadi, filed a complaints with the Human Rights Commission regional office in Jaffna on Thursday alleging that police arrested their children without evidence.

The police are arresting our children at random claiming they are suspected of wrong doing or alleged involvement with violent groups. Our children are afraid to go to school also, mothers told the rights officials in Jaffna.
Blood shortage in Bajura hospital

With no blood bank and blood transfusion centre in Bajura, health workers at the district hospital in Martadi, the district headquarters, face a tough time when they have patients in need of blood.
Work at the Aniwhenua Dam Head in Whakatane has won an award at the recent Civil Contractors New Zealands national awards held in Dunedin.

The Aniwhenua Dam project won the Hirepool Construction Excellence Awards category for projects with a value of less than $5 million by companies with an annual turnover of greater than $10 million.

Nova Energy selected Whakatane-based Waiotahi contractors and consultants Tonkin + Taylor to design and undertake the complex work to remediate a serious leak in the dam, which was causing the Aniwhenua Power Station head pond to leak into the Kaingaroa Forest.

The judges say the project had difficulties and a level of uncertainty, with contractors unable to determine exactly what conditions existed around the area of the leak and the amount of debris on the floor of the head pond.

Deadlines were strict, and a progressive approach to the design of the repair was required which, in turn, required confidence in the contractor from the client and the engineer, says a Civil Contractors judge.

The parties involved worked together to develop solutions to problems that were uncovered as the project progressed, and while significant technical difficulties were encountered, these were worked through on the job to the satisfaction of the client.

Both the client and the consultant commended Waiotahi on their ability to work closely and collaboratively, and the end result was an excellent project, delivered on time and to budget.

CCNZ CEO Peter Silcock says the judges have told him their job to choose the winners was particularly difficult this year as the standard was so high.

Theres been so many new complex and vital infrastructure projects up and down the country that show the professionalism in our industry. Every one of the awards entries connect people together and/or connect them to services.

CCNZ is very proud of our members and the integral part they play in their communities and all these projects demonstrate their level of commitment and dedication to creating a better New Zealand.
Councillors and senior council staff members from local authorities across the Bay of Plenty attended a special Treaty of Waitangi symposium this week designed to build awareness of the contemporary Treaty landscape.

The event was designed to build awareness and understanding of the contemporary Treaty landscape, both in the Bay of Plenty and from a national perspective, says Regional councillor Arapeta Tahana.

Mondays event covered a range of Treaty-related topics.

It helped give everyone who attended a better understanding of issues and how they related to the work local authorities do, says Arapeta.

There were 114 attendees at the symposium, including staff from the Office of Treaty Settlements and the Ministry for the Environment. Waikato regional councillor Tipa Mahuta also participated in the event.

Nga Potiki kaumatua opened the symposium, followed by presentations from iwi leaders Colin Reeder, Charlie Tawhiao and Te Pio Kawe.

Keynote speakers included Justice Joe Williams, Treaty lawyer Paul Beverley and Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy.

Chaiman Doug Leeder, Charlie Tawhiao, Te Pio Kawe, Councillor Arapeta Tahana, Justice Joseph Williams, Dame Susan Devoy and Paul Beverley during the group discussions.
Local artist Jo Torrs 2016 piece titled Korro Korro by Thomas Tooi1818has been granted a merit award in the 2017 National Contemporary Art Award, held last month in Hamilton.

The artwork takes as a reference a rendition of a moko drawn by Tuai, a young Nga Puhi chief, while in England in 1818.

The work draws attention to the way Maori travelled the world prior to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Jo is an artist whose sculpture takes the form of garments with Polynesian/Maori and historical references. The primary thread through her work is of mutual cultural exchange; the way each party is altered and enriched by their encounters. Cloth is often a cultural commodity of these exchanges.

The moko, embroidered in muka onto fine linen (both derived from flax), can be alternatively viewed as an evocation of Tuais brother Korokoro, as a signature of the type often seen on cloth as an indication of ownership or simply as a decorative motif that complements and contrasts with the existing embroidery on the cloth.

The National Contemporary Art Award was established in 2000 by key members of the Waikato Society of Arts.

Gavin Hipkins won the inaugural Trust Waikato National Contemporary Art Award and received $10,000 for his photo of a soap dish.
Whether you are drawn in by its white-washed shores or the plethora of luxury resorts scattered across the 60 tropical islands, islets and cays, the BVI doesnt have to work hard to sell itself as a world-leading sailing destination.

Despite this, beautiful surroundings and luxury arent the only things pulling people towards the territory  the BVI is one of the worlds largest centres for the incorporation of companies and its thriving international business and finance centre is enabling individuals to synchronise their social and business commitments more efficiently than ever before.

Moreover, the British Virgin Islands is more than a holiday destination; it is home to part of a group structure of over 140 major businesses listed on the New York, London or Hong Kong stock exchanges.

The impact of this wider offering is illustrated by a recent report conducted by London-based consultancy Capital Economics which found the BVIs levels of prosperity to be among the highest performers in the Caribbean and Latin American region, with gross domestic product of roughly US$32,500 per capita. Companies that facilitate cross-border trade and investment such as financial, legal and accounting firms have long benefitted from the BVIs structure with investment in its shipping industry helping to make it even more accessible.

The BVI has made clear that maritime investment is a priority. Those who visit the jurisdiction on charter boats spend almost double those who stay in their own accommodation on island, and tourists aside, the commercial contribution of businessmen and women arriving by sea is considerable.

A 60 foot-wide, 1,312 foot long pier opened on the island of Tortola in February 2016, strengthened the BVIs tourism offering but also its ability to cater for those operating within the international business and finance centre. While this is one very obvious tangible example, there is no question that the professional services required to support the superyacht industry are also helping to develop the quality and depth of professional services on island and even abroad. For example, BVI marine mortgages have quickly become recognised and enforced worldwide.

Today, over 3,000 internationally-owned vessels are registered by the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry (VISR) under the BVI Merchant Shipping Act 2001 and this continues to rise as Category 1 Red Ensign status classifies the BVI as 1 of 10 centres worldwide where megayachts and super yachts of up to 3000 gross tonnage can be registered.

In addition to marine mortgages, there are many benefits yacht owners can enjoy when registering in the territory. Ships flying the BVI flag are entitled to British Consular support, Royal Navy protection, and access to the resources of the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Since it obtained its licence to cater for superyachts in 2006, the BVI has built a strong reputation as a trusted pair of hands when it comes to safety at sea, allowing people to get on with their commitments  work or pleasure  without worrying about their vessel.

Accommodating superyachts perfectly complements the BVIs financial and professional services. The islands mediate over US$1.5 trillion of investment globally, and its reputable international business and finance centre supports infrastructure that allows high net worth individuals to be a part of its economy.

The islands have always been a favourite with sailors, but as the superyacht offer continues to evolve we are seeing it both coexist alongside and strengthen the territorys financial services sector.
CIAA suspects foul play in NOCs land purchase deals

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has suspected foul play in deals sealed by Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) at the time of buying land to build oil storage facilities at four locations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is doubling down on his faltering invasion by declaring martial law in four illegally annexed Ukrainian regions. In addition, he set the stage Wednesday for draconian new restrictions and crackdowns throughout Russia. The drastic escalation appeared to be prompted by the threat of more stinging battlefield defeats, sabotage and troubles with his troop mobilization. Putin's order effectively belies the Kremlins attempts to portray life in the annexed regions as returning to normal, with the latest example the removal of civilian leaders and installation of a military administration and a mass evacuation in Kherson. Local officials said Wednesday that 5,000 had been evacuated already, with plans to pull out a total of up to 60,000.
Construction resumes at Melamchi project

Construction works on the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) have resumed after a negotiation between the government and the agitating parties.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A parolee from New York City is in custody in Onondaga County after deputies say he rammed a vehicle into a patrol car and fled on foot.

A sheriff's deputy was patrolling along the 4800 block of West Seneca Turnpike at 1:58 a.m. Wednesday when the deputy spotted an equipment violation on a white Mercury Milan headed east along the roadway.

Orlando Rodriguez

The deputy tried to pull the vehicle over near South Avenue, but the driver -- later identified as 31-year-old parolee Orlando Rodriguez, Bronx -- sped away going over the city's 30 mph speed limit, officials said.

Rodriguez led law enforcement on a chase for several blocks before losing control of the car on northbound Interstate 81 at the Interstate 690 west onramp, deputies said. The vehicle spun 180 degrees before coming to rest facing south in the northbound I-81 lane.

Rodriguez then revved the car up again and intentionally rammed the sheriff's patrol car that had been following him head-on, according to the sheriff's office. He then ditched his car and ran away on foot.

The deputy was not injured, and was able to apprehend Rodriguez with help from a Syracuse Police Officer after a short foot pursuit.

Rodriguez was charged with:

driving with ability impaired by drugs

menacing a police officer

third-degree criminal possession of a weapon

second-degree criminal mischief

third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer

second-degree reckless endangerment

reckless driving

third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation

He was also given several traffic tickets.

The sheriff's office said Rodriguez was on parole after serving time for a 2012 robbery. He is currently being held in Onondaga County jail without bail.
Flood, landslide displace 15 families in Kaski

At least 15 families have been displaced due to flood and landslide at Pathrebasti in Ribhan of Machhapuchhare Rural Municipality, Kaski.
Govt should prepare position paper on Lipulek Pass issue

Experts have stressed the need for ending the Lipulek Pass controversy through the diplomatic channel, days ahead of high-level visits by officials from India and China, the two nations engaged in the Doklam border dispute.
Govts ratification delay raises fears

Nearly four years after signing a global convention aimed at protecting human and environment from harmful effects of mercury, the government is still unsure of ratifying it.
ICJ calls for reforms in transitional justice bodies

Nepals transitional justice mechanisms must undergo serious reforms in line with international human rights standards and the directives of Nepals Supreme Court in order to provide justice for victims of conflict-era human rights violations and abuses, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has said.
India agrees to reduce energy prices

India has agreed to reduce the price of electricity that is exported to Nepal.Electricity from India is imported from different Indian states via cross-border transmission lines.
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
Landslide threat looms large over Dhading village

More than two dozen families have been displaced after a fresh landslide hit Hindung of Ruby Valley Rural Municipality-4 in Dhading.
Trams, one of the largest B2B Apple Authorised Resellers in the UK, has acquired NMR Consultancy for an undisclosed fee.

The acquisition provides Trams and its clients with experts in broadcast, post-production, Media Asset Management (MAM), workflow automation and cloud technologies.

The NMR team will report to Trams CEO Warren Peel and CFO Alex Page. NMRs founder Jason Thomson will leave the business with immediate effect.

The deal comes hot on the heels of Jigsaw24s recent purchase of root6.

NMR said the sales and technical teams in both organisations will be able to provide clients with professional services such as custom software development and technology solutions, from Apple Mac Management in the cloud, to emerging Machine Learning and Computer Vision technologies for Media Asset Management and workflow automation.

NMRs CEO, Neil Anderson said: "We realised there were a lot of synergies between both our companies, with very little overlap, so when the opportunity to become part of Trams came up, it immediately felt like the right strategy."

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M7.0 quake strikes China's Sichuan province

At least 13 persons have been killed and scores other injured when a earthquake of magnitude 7.0 struck at Jiuzhaigou county in China's province of Sichuan.
Man electrocuted while fishing

A person died of electric shock during fishing at Sunbal municipality  7 on Tuesday.
The two suspected kidnappers of a Lafayette woman who drowned while fleeing police both had extensive criminal records in Mississippi, including arrests in a kidnapping case there a decade ago, records show.

Authorities identified the pair on Wednesday even as they continued to seek a Lafayette businessman wanted in the Louisiana case  a task investigators say is proving difficult because of the financial resources he has to elude them.

The manhunt for the businessman, Lawrence Michael Handley, stretched into its third day as investigators continued piecing together the facts in a case that has played out across multiple parishes.

The identities of two men suspected of barging into the victim's home and tossing her into a van earlier this week were finally revealed Wednesday. But exactly how Sylvester Bracey and Arsenio Montreal Haynes, two 27-year-old men from Jackson, Mississippi, are connected to Handley remains a mystery.

And Cpl. Bridgette Dugas, a public information officer with the Lafayette Police Department, said investigators fear they won't get an answer to that question until Handley is caught and can be questioned.

"We're still trying to figure everything out," Dugas said Wednesday. "It's a definite possibility (Handley) orchestrated all of this but we won't be able to confirm anything yet. We need more evidence."

Dugas said investigators dont think anyone is harboring Handley, but added that, he has the means to evade arrest and not be captured. Thats why we want anyone with any information about his possible whereabouts to call us."

Handley is the 49-year-old co-founder and former CEO of the Townsend, a chain of addiction treatment centers. The Lafayette Police Department has been seeking him since Monday on conspiracy to commit second-degree kidnapping, conspiracy to attempted second-degree kidnapping and violation of a protective order.

Lafayette police issued an arrest warrant for Handley a day after a kidnapping was reported at the home Handley once shared with his estranged wife on Founders Street in Lafayette.

Police have said a pair of armed men barged into the home, handcuffed an adult and a juvenile and placed a black bag over the head of a female victim who was forced inside a white van.

The West Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's on Wednesday identified those two men as Bracey and Haynes. The pair drowned in the Intracoastal Waterway in Port Allen Sunday night while trying to flee from police who stumbled upon the female victim alive and handcuffed in the back of the van they abandoned during the chase.

The pair drew the attention of police as they sped along the shoulder of the east bound lanes of Interstate 10 Sunday afternoon as they tried to avoid a traffic snarl. They wound up stuck in the mud behind a business on La. 415, jumped out and ran off into the woods.

West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Mike Cazes said they drowned after jumping into the Intracoastal Waterway as they fled police.

"Everything happens for a reason," Dugas said Wednesday. "Thank God for the officers who observed the traffic violation they made and attempted to stop the vehicle."

Both men have extensive criminal histories, with Haynes pleading guilty to charges of aggravated assault, burglary, kidnapping and theft in previous incidents dating as far back as 10 years ago.

And according to information obtained by KATC-TV, the two men were arrested together when they were teenagers in Mississippi and convicted in 2009 of burglary, auto theft and aggravated assault.

At that time, Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith said the men pleaded guilty in connection with a June 2006 incident where they threw a brick through the patio door of the victim's home, tied her up, placed in her bath tub and threatened to kill her if she didn't tell them where her keys and purse was.

After they got what they wanted, they left and the victim was able to free herself.

They were also accused in connection with two other similar home invasions that summer.

Authorities said earlier this week the pairs recent kidnapping stemmed from an ongoing domestic dispute Handley had with the victim. Police have yet to specify the exact relationship between Handley and the victim.

Court records in Lafayette show that Handley has been involved in acrimonious divorce proceedings that included allegations of violent threats. Handley and his wife each obtained court orders restricting both parties from contact with each other.

Once a successful computer consultant, Handley struggled with alcoholism before co-founding Townsend with a single Lafayette clinic in 2007, records show. It grew over the next several years to include clinics throughout South Louisiana. Tennessee-based American Addiction Centers Inc. purchased the business in a $21 million deal at the end of 2015.

Handley initially remained with the company but left not long after the sale, according to a former colleague and business associate.

KATC-TV staff contributed to this report.
MoFA failed to act, says House panel report

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) failed to act despite reports about human trafficking and officials from other state agencies, including the immigration department, colluded with human traffickers to send Nepali migrant workers to the Gulf, according to a parliamentary report released on Tuesday.
East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore released a lengthy defense Wednesday of the Baton Rouge Area Violence Elimination anti-gang initiative, saying the cloud of questions about the program's administration should not mar its reputation for helping to decrease crime.

BRAVE has been in the spotlight for weeks after Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome's administration took heat for contracts recently issued through the federally funded grant. The grant will expire in September, and U.S. Department of Justice officials rejected a request to carry forward more than $1 million in unused money, saying that the city-parish's grant administration had multiple problems.

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor is now examining the BRAVE program, while Broome's office released an account Monday of some of the program's missteps. Broome's office blamed former Mayor-President Kip Holden's administration for poor record-keeping, but Holden rebutted the accusations.

Moore's statement Wednesday came ahead of a presentation to the East Baton Rouge Metro Council that Broome will deliver about the BRAVE program.

"The BRAVE troubleshooting and intervention model has worked in Baton Rouge just as it has worked everywhere that it has been employed systematically," Moore wrote. "I remain committed to applying the BRAVE model to reduce violent crime based upon whatever drivers of homicide we find: whether with juvenile offenders, with drug offenders, or with domestic violence offenders."

Legislative auditor opening probe into BRAVE after contracts cause uproar The Louisiana Legislative Auditor's office will investigate the contracts issued under the B

He pointed to a low level of homicides in 2016, and reductions in violent crime levels as evidence of BRAVE working. Violent crime has dropped by 26 percent since 2012, which is when BRAVE started, Moore said. And youth crime has dropped by 25 percent in the same time period, he added.

"Today, my prosecutors in juvenile court deal with only 3000 cases of juvenile crime, instead of 4000 cases, annually," Moore wrote. "Just this reduction in juvenile crime alone will continue to have a great impact in reducing the amount of future crime that we will experience as a parish."

Despite the lapse in federal funding, Moore said it is important for the city-parish to keep a variation of the BRAVE program going as a nonprofit that has already been set up.
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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  A federal judge has permanently blocked enforcement of a Louisiana law that prevented foreign-born U.S. citizens from getting married if they couldn't produce a birth certificate.

U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle's ruling Tuesday resolves a lawsuit that Lafayette resident Viet Anh Vo filed last year after he and his U.S.-born fiancee had their application for a marriage license rejected two weeks before their wedding.

The permanent injunction benefits anyone whom the 2016 law prevented from obtaining a marriage license.

Louisiana senators won't rework marriage law, defer to court Louisiana senators have decided against rewriting a state marriage law that is temporarily b

The judge initially blocked enforcement of the statute in March. In June, lawmakers passed legislation allowing marriage license applicants to get a judicial waiver if they couldn't produce the required documentation. However, the judge said the new law preserved other unconstitutional requirements that only apply to foreign-born citizens.
Public high school graduates did a fraction better on a national test of college readiness, and the St. Tammany Parish school system topped the state for the third consecutive year, officials announced Wednesday.

Louisiana's average composite score on the ACT is 19.6, up from 19.5 last year.

The ACT measures how students do on English, math, reading and science, and the state ranked 44th nationally in the U.S. last year.

The national average in 2016 was 20.8.

Louisiana ranks 44th nationally on ACT, but education leader notes positive signs Louisiana students rank 44th nationally on a test of college readiness called the ACT, offic

A perfect score is 36.

State rankings for both public and private school students will be announced in September.

Despite gains, Louisiana still lags in U.S. education rankings Earlier this month, state Superintendent of Education John White trumpeted the fact that Lou

The average composite score in the St. Tammany Parish School District is 22, the highest in the state.

"This shows that we are continuing to provide St. Tammany students with the skills they need for successful futures and preparing them to be college and career ready," Regina Sanford, assistant superintendent for the district, said in an email response to questions.

"The ACT is one indicator we use to compare our school district to others on a national level, and I'm pleased that we continue to exceed the national average," Sanford said.

Others include Ascension, 20.3; East Baton Rouge, 18.8; Jefferson, 19.1; Lafayette, 20.1; Livingston, 20.3; Orleans, 18.9 and St. Bernard, 18.8. Also, St. Charles, 20.2; St. John the Baptist, 18.2; West Baton Rouge, 19.5; West Feliciana, 21; Zachary, 21.4 and Central, 21.1.

In the graduating class of 2017, a total of 25,704 students earned a score of 18 or higher, which generally means they can enter a two- or four-year state college without the need for remedial classes.

That is up from 25,287 students last year and represents an increase of 40 percent since 2012.

The state in 2013 began requiring that all high school seniors take the test.

At that time, Louisiana's ACT average was 19.1.

"Four straight years of gains on the ACT proves beyond a doubt that when you raise expectations for all students they can achieve great things," state Superintendent of Education John White said in a statement.

The average score for black students in Louisiana is 17.5.

The national average for those students is 17.

Last year, an ACT score of 19 put students in the 45th percentile, which means they outperformed 45 percent of their peers.

A score of 20 puts them in the 51st percentile.

White told reporters that while the state is below the national average, the steady gains are significant.

"The important thing is that we sustain the momentum, that we keep the expectations high," he said.

Under current rules, students who score at least an 18 on the ACT can help their schools earn an A rating from the state.

That standard is gradually going to 21 between now and 2025.

Louisiana is among a group of states that require all students to take the test.
Faced with a $1 billion budget deficit in the coming year, Gov. John Bel Edwards has set off a series of stakeholder meetings to build a plan for shoring up the state's finances.

We have an obligation to the people of Louisiana to come together to avoid the fiscal cliff that is quickly approaching," Edwards said in a statement Tuesday, shortly after a closed-to-the-press meeting with a group of more than 20 business leaders in his office on the fourth floor of the state Capitol.

Last year, lawmakers approved a temporary one-cent sales tax increase to plug the state budget until a more long-term solution could be found. The State Legislature was expected earlier this year to begin tackling various tax proposals meant to offer stability to the budget, which has, for years, been plugged through temporary spending measures. None of the ideas passed during the regular session earlier this year, which means it's likely lawmakers will have another special session next year to consider new proposals.

In recent months, state leaders have attempted to pare back spending to lessen the need for additional revenue.

Edwards said he also believes that the state's economy is rebounding, which will help provide stability.

"We have more work to do to sustain the recovery and build a strong foundation for future growth," Edwards said.

Business leaders who attended the meeting included executives from BP America, construction firms, the banking industry, AT&T and CenturyLink and Nucor Steel, among others.

"Their input is critically important as these business leaders are on the front lines  creating jobs and working to build a strong economy," Edwards said in a statement. "Its their ideas, combined with the input from legislators and other community leaders that will, hopefully, guide us as we look for consensus to avoid the fiscal cliff."

Edwards, a Democrat who took office in January 2016 and convened lawmakers in a special session just months later to address a nearly $1 billion budget deficit that was to be followed by a $2 billion in the following year, faced pushback earlier this year when he unveiled a revenue-shoring plan that relied on a "commercial activity tax" that had not previously been discussed. The idea was rejected without even getting a committee vote.

Edwards also pointed to a task force that met over several months and developed a series of recommendations as a possible guide to addressing the state's finances.

Republican House leaders said they first wanted to work on cuts to the budget, rather than taxes.

Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo said that the governor plans to have more meetings with business leaders across the state in the coming weeks to develop ideas and build support.

"A good amount of the conversation (Tuesday) centered around the task force recommendations, and this is a group the governor hopes to convene again in the future," Carbo said.

Edwards also is expected to hold meetings with legislators in their districts, as well as meet with community groups, including the Council for a Better Louisiana, Together Louisiana and the Committee of 100.

"The governor realizes the sense of urgency to develop a plan that everyone can live with, and since there was no action taken by the legislature this session, these conversations have to happen now," Carbo said.
Nepali man arrested in Siliguri was there for mothers treatment

Relatives of Udayhang Fago, a Nepali who was arrested by Siliguri police on Tuesday on the charge of inciting violence in Gorkhaland protest, have claimed that he was in West Bengal, India, to get treatment for his mother.
Chelsea Thornton was not legally sane when she made the decision to shoot and kill her 3-year-old son and drown her 4-year-old daughter, an Or
Bram Connolly knew he wanted to join the army when he was about 12 years old. At 17 he headed off to basic training and just two years later as a "really young" 19 year old, he was on the front line in Somalia.

Over the course of the next 20 years he would be deployed to East Timor and Afghanistan and awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for leadership in battle. In 1997 he was selected on Australia's first course for service as a commando, in 2002 he was selected on the first course run for domestic counter terrorism outside of the Special Air Service Regiment. He spent five years as an operator in the Tactical Assault Group and was the Officer in Charge of Selection for Special Forces before departing from service life as a major in 2011.

Author Bram Connolly will be speaking at the Canberra Writers Festival.

The idea that he could write didn't come to him until much later.

In 2013 he was working with one of Australia's foremost investigative journalists Chris Masters as a technical editor on Masters' acclaimed book Uncommon Soldier.
The six-stage process to replace the trees felled for Canberra's light rail required a soil report, an assessment of 36 different trees and the meeting of 11 officials.

Authorities removed the trees from Northbourne Avenue earlier this year as preparation for building the light rail line.

Tree removal works on Northbourne avenue to make way for the light rail earlier this year. Credit:Karleen Minney

Potential replacement trees were run through a "Multi Criteria Analysis matrix" to assess their suitability for Canberra weather, according to documents made available through Freedom of Information laws.

The tree matrix looked at 36 different types of trees based off criteria such as pest resistance, shade provision, flammability and aesthetic value.
No headway in talks as Dr KCs health continues to deteriorate

There has not been any breakthrough on addressing the demands of Dr Govinda KC even as his 11th fast-unto-death entered its 16th day on Tuesday, with doctors attending to him saying the fasting surgeon might need emergency intervention anytime as his health is deteriorating fast.
Labor backbencher Bec Cody has reported herself to the police after she rode her motorcycle home without an L-plate on Tuesday.

Ms Cody, who got her learner motorcycle licence in February this year, was seen by the Canberra Liberals riding her Harley Davidson custom 1200 Speedster out of the ACT Legislative Assembly car park without her plates.

Bec Cody MLA. Credit:Jamila Toderas

The Liberals alerted the Canberra Times, which asked Ms Cody about the alleged infraction.

Ms Cody said she forgot to put the plate on, and it was the first time she had ridden without one.
A robot designed and manufactured by five clever St Francis Xavier College students didn't just win them top spot in an international competition - it could save Canberra lives.

Ryan Ewyk, Riley Cockerill, Aaron Maggs and twins Matthew and Jack Williams travelled to Japan last month to compete in Robocup International.

St Francis Xavier year 12 students Riley Cockerill, Jack Williams, Aaron Maggs, Ryan Ewyk and Matthew Williams. Credit:Emily Baker

The group of year 12s - known as Semi-Autonomous Robotics Team, or SART - beat university students to take the title in the Rapidly Manufactured Rescue League.

Their robot mastered mazes of varying difficulties on terrains including sand and gravel, proving to judges it would prove useful in a disaster situation.
Some of the University of Canberra's "affordable" housing, subsidised by $130 million of Commonwealth and ACT grants, is in reality more expensive than private rentals in Belconnen, a government report has found.

Almost 1000 units were built using federal and ACT government subsidies under the National Rental Affordability Scheme, introduced to boost housing for low and moderate-income households. The current subsidy is $11,100 a year for each unit, three-quarters of which comes from the federal government.

Cooper Lodge, opened a the University of Canberra in 2014, and receiving $11,000-a-room in subsidies each year to provide affordable accommodation. Credit:Jeffrey Chan

To qualify for the subsidies rent "must always remain at or below 80 per cent of market value rent", according to the national rules.

The ACT government says while the university's flats are more expensive than nearby private rentals when they have two or more bedrooms, they are much cheaper for studios, which make up the bulk of the new units.
Mining giant BHP has launched the latest instalment in its "Think Big" advertising campaign, and made a direct pitch to millions of small superannuation investors.

In the latest TV advertisement, which airs for the first time on Thursday evening, the star is a BHP worker dressed in high-vis gear. He says: "If you have money in a super fund, chances are you have money in BHP."

BHP has recorded a major turnaround in its financial performance.

As the camera later pans over suburban households, text on the screen says "over one in three Australians have BHP shares in their super fund".

The BHP worker then says: "So while you're planning where you want to be in 10, 20, 30 years from now, so are we."
The North Korean confrontation could escalate and Australia is within range of any intercontinental ballistic missiles, but Australia is not a primary target, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop says.

"We are not a primary target but we have a deep interest in seeing this resolved," Ms Bishop told Fairfax Media in an interview. "It's evident that it could ramp up into a more serious conflict."

She called on all parties to step back from the escalating crisis. She declined to comment on the rhetoric used by US President Donald Trump, who said on Tuesday US time that North Korean threats would be met with "fire and fury like the world has never seen".

Rather than escalating, Ms Bishop said "we urge all parties to continue down the path of easing tensions and encouraging dialogue".
Lobbyists on both sides of the marriage equality debate will be free to distribute misleading and deceptive material ahead of the same-sex marriage postal vote, because the usual campaign rules have been discarded.

In order to circumvent the Senate, the Turnbull government's optional marriage survey will be conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, meaning the safeguards of the Commonwealth Electoral Act would not apply.

Despite that, Fairfax Media understands the government is working with the ABS on a list of regulations that it says will ensure the process is proper, to be released on Monday. However, those would not be underpinned by law.

"This is now going to be a matter for the ABS to determine," Acting Special Minister of State Mathias Cormann said on Wednesday night.
Doctors at a hospital in Perth were bewildered when a 30-year-old woman showed up with intense stomach pains.

Her heart rate was faster than normal, and the membrane lining her abdominal wall was inflamed.

A thin metallic wire is lodged in a woman's intestines. Credit:BMJ Case Reports

But her vital signs, laboratory tests, ultrasound and a scan of her liver, gall bladder and bile ducts were all normal.

The woman had not had surgery recently, which eliminated the possibility that a surgeon accidentally left a foreign object inside her. But a CT scan revealed that a thin, metallic wire was lodged in her intestines.
A single bristle from a paintbrush might hold a clue to the origin of a mystery painting, found in Sydney, that some believe is a 17th-century masterpiece.

The artwork, an unusual depiction of a mother and child, is now thought to be at least 400 years old and has been credited by one restorer to Italian baroque master Artemisia Gentileschi, although some experts are sceptical.

The mystery behind the painting is beginning to unravel as art specialists begin to examine it.

Gentileschi is one of the most renowned painters of her generation. Her Self-Portrait as a Lute Player fetched more than $US3 million at auction in New York in 2014.
No one wants war

The on-going standoff between India and China in the Doklam region has fuelled debate and controversy. Belligerent statements abound in both Indian and Chinese media, hinting at an impending and inevitable conflict.
Strict curbs on electoral donations in Victoria have been demanded in the wake of revelations about Liberal leader Matthew Guy's dealings with potential donors at a Melbourne lobster restaurant.

Fairfax Media revealed on Wednesday that, following a dinner with Mr Guy, Liberal Party fundraiser Barrie Macmillan discussed breaking up a large donation from alleged organised crime figure Tony Madafferi and his relatives into smaller, non-disclosable sums.

Calls for reform have grown in the wake of revelations about Matthew Guy's choice of dinner companions. Credit:Joe Castro

Mr Macmillan resigned from his position in the party on Wednesday.

Restrictions proposed by the Greens would include banning donations from corporations and unions, a $1000 annual cap on donations from individuals and prompt public disclosure of all payments.
Ventnor The botched rezoning of farmland on Phillip Island cost taxpayers millions of dollars and has left a major question hanging over Mr Guy's judgement. In 2011 as planning minister, he rezoned farm land at Ventnor on Phillip Island against the views of his own planning department, the department's lawyers, the local Bass Coast shire and two independent planning panels. Within days he was forced to overturn the decision amid protests from his own premier and cabinet colleagues, the local Phillip Island community, and celebrity tweeter, Miley Cyrus. As The Age revealed in 2012, Mr Guy's initial approval of the rezoning would have delivered a windfall to the purchasers of the land, Carley Nicholls and her husband Jim Hopkins, who was a Liberal Party member at the time.

Carley Nicholls and James Hopkins. Credit:Simon Schluter SMS The Age also revealed that the rezoning followed approaches to Mr Guy's office on behalf of the couple by family friend, former Kennett government planning minister and nearby resident, Rob Maclellan. The forced backflip triggered court action by the aggrieved Ms Nicholls, and confidential out-of-court compensation payments by the government believed to total about $3 million. The settlement  the details were never made public  averted a potentially damaging Supreme Court case and followed threats by Ms Nicholls to reveal all about the events leading up to Mr Guy's initial rezoning. In 2014, then Ombudsman George Brouwer slammed the government's handling of the Ventnor matter, but with limited powers to investigate politicians, his report focussed on the public service and the minister's advisers, rather than the minister's own decision making.

Mr Brouwer noted however that then-minister Mr Guy refused to hand over documents. Fishermans Bend In July 2012, Mr Guy stunned the political and property worlds when he, in effect, doubled the size of the Melbourne CBD by rezoning a 250-hectare industrial area south-west of the CBD and dubbing it "Fishermans Bend". The decision to declare the precinct a "Capital City" zone triggered a massive hike in land values, a frenzy of high rise apartment tower applications and approvals, and windfall paper profits to landowners and speculators, notable among them senior Liberal party members and donors including the party's honorary federal treasurer Andrew Burnes. At the time there was no binding master plan nor height limits, nor any mechanism to capture any of the hundreds of millions of dollars in immediate uplift in land value in the area  money that could have helped pay up-front for the infrastructure and services.

These six towers proposed for Fishermans Bend were submitted in a single planning application, by a syndicate of landowners. In 2015 a Labor-appointed committee that included lord mayor Robert Doyle  a former state Liberal leader  found Mr Guy's Fishermans Bend move was "unprecedented in the developed world in the 21st century". The Sunday Age published details at the time of confidential departmental briefs from early 2011 to 2013 that revealed how senior bureaucrats had urged Mr Guy to buy key strategic sites before allowing redevelopment of the precinct. The leaked documents revealed how, over 15 months, and at the behest of the minister's office, the department gradually dropped its demands, including the protection of existing industries and jobs, in the end supporting his preference for ad hoc, laissez faire development of the entire area. Mr Skyscraper

In 2013 RMIT planning academic Michael Buxton nicknamed Mr Guy "Mr Skyscraper" after he ticked off a slew of towers in central Melbourne. Among the most eyebrow-raising was a monster at 555 Collins Street. In 2013 Mr Guy proactively inserted a clause into the Melbourne Planning Scheme  at direct odds with a long-standing planning rule for Melbourne  allowing a skyscraper on the site to be built overshadowing the Yarra River. Mr Guy justified the unusual move by claiming Collins Street needed more premium-grade office space, and pointing to the economic contribution an "iconic development" would bring the city. The 82-level tower rejected for 555 Collins Street, pictured in an artists impression.

But a year later the site was sold to Singaporean investors. The Andrews government's Planning Minister, Richard Wynne, has since knocked back an application for an 82-level tower on the site, and reversed Mr Guys' rule change that allowed the over-shadowing of the Yarra. Mafia-linked fundraiser Mr Guy was the guest speaker at a 2013 Liberal party fundraiser at Docklands hosted and bankrolled by the suspected Mafia godfather of Melbourne, Tony Madafferi. The alleged crime figure's fundraising occurred even though Liberal politicians knew of Mr Madafferi's suspected involvement in organised crime and in a previous political donations scandal that had been investigated by federal police.

A spokeswoman for Mr Guy said at the time the minister had been "invited to attend the function by the Liberal campaign for Bruce. The minister had no role in organising the event or its guest list". $10,000-per-head developer dinners Despite a Baillieu government ban on fundraising at the time, Mr Guy attended a secret fund-raising dinner in 2011 with leading Melbourne developers, some of whom were seeking planning approvals at the time. When The Age revealed the dinners in 2013, a spokeswoman for Mr Guy said the minister was told that the developers had not paid to attend the dinners. She stressed that he had rejected some of their planning applications. Logical Inclusions
Witnesses of a deadly shooting have described how the occupants of a car drove down a suburban Melbourne street, spraying bullets as a man cowered behind a neighbour's fence

Minutes later, Anwar Teriaki, 21, was found shot dead outside a Roxburgh Park home on Coronet Avenue.

Mr Teriaki, who lived with his parents at the opposite end of the street, was an associate of the Tiba crime family.

The Tibas have been linked to at least six non-fatal shootings in the north-western suburbs since last September.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy says he is "considering a number of options" to make political donations more transparent in Victoria.

"I have, not just after this week but before had a keen interest in reform of political donations in this country," Mr Guy said on Thursday morning.

"We have contemporised our probity regime, we have not contemporised our fundraising structures and I am quite keen to have a debate around it.

"I am a supporter of changing, of reforming our donations structures in this country, I think that the time has certainty come to that. If real time is part of that I am more than happy for that."
A Perth woman faces thousands of dollars in vet bills after being left with false details by the owners of two dogs who mauled their schnauzer at a Bunnings store in Inglewood.

Hannah Milk told 6PR's Oliver Peterson her mother was at the hardware store, leaving 12-year-old Monty on a leash outside.

Thankfully Monty is expected to make a full recovery. Credit:Hannah Milk, Facebook

While she was inside the shop she heard dogs attacking and Monty squealing in pain. She ran outside and found two "incredibly aggressive pit bulls or staffy-cross pit bulls" attacking Monty ferociously despite being on a leash, Ms Milk said.

Monty suffered pierce wounds to his skull and jugular, and one of his ears was ripped open.
First Quantum Minerals has announced Wednesday to suspend the Ravensthorpe nickel operation in WA's south-east after the metal used in stainless steel production missed a rally by everything from aluminum to zinc.

The Vancouver-based company, which employs close to 300 people according to the ABC, will place Ravensthorpe on care and maintenance next month at an estimated cost of $10 million, plus $5 million annually.

Hundreds of jobs are on the line after news the Ravensthorpe nickel mine will shut down.

Restarting would cost about $10 million, it said in a statement. The company's shares lost as much as 4.4 percent in Toronto, the worst performance among peers.

"Ravensthorpe is an excellent operation with an outstanding workforce and supportive community but the continuing depressed nickel market conditions, over some years, leaves us no option," Chairman Philip Pascall said.
No progress in cargo flow via Bhairahawa border point

Countrys imports and exports via the Nepal-India border point in Bhairahawa have taken a hit despite repeated requests to the Indian side to remove obstacles.
Washington: FBI agents raided the home of President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman late last month, using a search warrant to seize documents and other materials, according to people familiar with the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Federal agents appeared at Paul Manafort's home in Alexandria, Virginia, without warning in the pre-dawn hours of July 26, the day after he met voluntarily with the staff for the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The search warrant was wide-ranging and FBI agents working with special counsel Robert Mueller departed the home with various records.

The raid came as Manafort has been voluntarily producing documents to congressional committees investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. The search warrant indicates investigators may have argued to a federal judge they had reason to believe Manafort could not be trusted to turn over all records in response to a grand jury subpoena.
PAC directs NAC to submit plane purchase documents

The Public Accounts Committee of the Legislature-Parliament on Wednesday asked Nepal Airlines Corporation to submit the documents relating to the decision to purchase aircrafts and the process initiated thereof within five days.
Petro dealers announce fresh protest programmes

Nepal Petroleum Dealers Association, the apex body of private petrol pumps, on Wednesday announced fresh protest programmes demanding increment in technical loss the petroleum dealers have been facing while transporting the petroleum products.
PM directs authorities concerned to complete Melamchi Project pronto

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has directed the concerned authorities to complete the Melamchi Drinking Water Project, one of the most eagerly awaited infrastructure projects of the country, at the earliest.
Blinn College and Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas have been awarded a nearly $300,000 grant by the Texas Workforce Commission to provide training for the company's employees.

According to Blinn officials, the $289,395 grant will provide training in more than a dozen areas including business computing, Occupational Safety & Health Administration certifications, powered industrial truck operators and more. Altogether it is expected to provide training resources for 34 upgraded positions and 106 new jobs.

"Blinn College is proud to continue to partner with the Texas Workforce Commission and local industry leaders such as Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies to provide customized training for the industries that will lead Texas into the future," said Mary Hensley, chancellor of the Blinn College District. "With this training, Blinn and its partners will help to ensure that Bryan-College Station workers remain on the cutting edge of one of the most quickly evolving industries in the State of Texas."

The Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service are expected to contract with Blinn to provide some of the specialized training outlined in the agreement.
The organizer of a July trail ride event at the Texas World Speedway south of College Station -- at which a man was shot -- has been charged with failing to obtain the required mass gathering permit from Brazos County.

Marvin D. Scott, 49, has a record of problems with previous trail rides in Grimes County and was asked by authorities there not to bring the trail ride back to the Grimes County Fairgrounds.

Late July 1, thousands of people were at the Texas World Speedway, attending what was known as the "Four Horsemen Trail Ride," a publicly advertised event in which horse lovers could gather together with their animals and ride across the county. Fliers from the trail ride show that there were vendors, live music and giveaway prizes. The evening ended when an attendee was shot once in his upper torso by an unknown assailant, and rushed to an area hospital. The victim survived his wound, according to the Brazos County Sheriff's Office. Chief Deputy Jim Stewart noted that two weeks ago, the Sheriff's Office issued a warrant for the alleged shooter.

"He's out there," Stewart said. "We'll get him."

On the night of the shooting, investigators at the Speedway noticed that there were between 5,000 and 7,000 people attending the Four Horsemen Trail Ride and its accompanying activities. Police reports state that Speedway staff claimed to have been told by the event's organizer that only a few hundred people were going to show up. Although trail ride promoter Scott had paid his deposit and lease with the Texas World Speedway and signed the proper contracts with the venue, Brazos County Judge Duane Peters told police that Scott never applied for a mass gathering permit. This is something that is required by some Texas counties when holding a gathering of a certain number of people. Texas Health and Safety Code Title 9 defines a mass gathering as a large event held outside city limits, either with 2,500 or more people, or with more than 500 people, a majority of whom are drinking.

"My concern is with them dumping out onto the highway, coming and going," Stewart said. "We didn't think this was going to get so big. The first deputy I sent out there that first night reported only 1,000 people."

It appeared that attendance multiplied across the weekend, overwhelming law enforcement. The Speedway does not often have strict security measures unless a race is being run, Stewart said, leaving many decisions regarding safety up to the person leasing the venue. Stewart doubts the Texas World Speedway will face any kinds of charges or be held liable for what happened on that weekend. Much of that falls into the hands, rather, of the event's organizer, he said.

Though Scott isn't held accountable for the shooting, local law enforcement officers aren't happy that he brought the Four Horsemen Trail Ride to Aggieland.

"He has a history of doing this," Stewart said. "He was told not to go back to Grimes County, because they had problems with this there."

Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell elaborated, saying that over the past four to five years, Scott has been bringing the Four Horsemen Trail Ride to the Grimes County Fairgrounds, causing massive problems for the residents of Navasota.

"He wouldn't comply with the basic rules," Sowell said.

Though Grimes County officials did not require Scott to have the same type of mass gathering permit that Brazos County requires, Sowell said each year the trail ride would bring excessive amounts of horse riders and other guests into Navasota. Attendees would leave behind beer cans and trash, clog highways on their horses, and destroy property. Only five deputies at the time had been hired off duty to manage thousands of riders.

"We don't need the money that badly, not from people who don't comply with the rules," Sowell said.

Grimes County Sheriff's Capt. Ryan Rutledge organized off duty security for last year's trail ride in Navasota, and described the event as a "headache."

"We always had problems with trash on the sides of the road," he said. "The riders would throw beer cans and ride their horses through people's yards along the trail."

Most disturbingly, Rutledge said that a horse was left to die on the side of the road last year. At the time, he said Scott said the horse was old and sick, and riders did everything they could to save it when it collapsed on the trail. The five deputies working at the time tried to keep up with all riders and the ailing horse, but were simply overwhelmed by the sheer number of riders running off-course. Rutledge and his deputies spoke to fairgrounds managers after the event concluded, and requested that Scott be barred from hosting the trail ride in Navasota any more, Rutledge said.

Scott and other event organizers declined to comment to The Eagle. Scott only noted that his side of the story would be available through a local TV news station in the coming days.

On Monday, Scott was arrested by Brazos County law enforcement for his permit-related charge, a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fines. Scott bonded out on Monday afternoon.

The investigation into the shooting on July 1 and into the Four Horsemen Trail Ride itself continues. The Eagle was unable to reach Speedway staff for comment on Tuesday afternoon.
A $1,500 reward is being offered to anyone who can help locate an alleged thief who took valuable horns from the carcass of an exotic steer in Madison County last week.

According to Madison County Crime Stoppers, on July 31 the owner of a Longtusi steer noticed that his prized animal had passed away in its pasture off of F.M. 1372. The owner planned to have the animal's valuable 200 pound horns properly removed by a taxidermist. A taxidermy company made arrangements to retrieve the carcass during the next few days after the death.

In between the time of the animal's death and the time the taxidermist arrived at the body on Thursday afternoon, someone trespassed onto the pasture and cut the horns from the steer and stole them.

Through Crime Stoppers, the steer's owner is offering $1,500 to anyone who successfully can help police locate the thief in question. To contact Madison County Crime Stoppers, call 936-348-3100.
Elizabeth was born on April 2, 1936 in Gause, Texas to Henry and Nancy Smith. Elizabeth loved her family, especially her grandchildren. Everyone would gather at her home in Bryan for holiday celebrations and everyone loved her "turkey and dressing". If unexpected guests would come at Christmas, Elizabeth would scurry around the house to find a gift for them. Elizabeth was a dedicated Aggie. She loved the Aggie Band and the Aggie students. She worked in the Aggie Bookstore on campus. Elizabeth was also a dedicated employee at Hillier Funeral Home. She had a passion for helping people at the funeral home for many years. Elizabeth loved small children; she worked at the Camelot Daycare and was a true blessing to the little children. Elizabeth was a "bird watcher". She made sure that the bird feeders were always full at her home and at her rest home in Bremond.
Hey, check out those yahoos in Florida! Theyre censoring textbooks!

My fellow progressives have worked themselves into a good liberal lather over a new law in Florida that allows residents to object to books assigned in the public schools. Promoted by conservative activists, who accused textbooks of fostering left-wing propaganda, the measure lets anyone in the state raise concerns about teaching materials and entitles those who object to a public hearing of their complaints.

Liberals immediately raised the specter of censorship, worrying that schools would purge information about sex, evolution and climate change. But we should applaud rather than resist the popular scrutiny of textbooks, which has been a force for social justice and equality in other key moments in our past.

If you think otherwise, Ive got three words for you: Little Black Sambo.

Remember Sambo? He was the jolly, ostensibly Indian figure who dotted the pages of elementary school readers and spellers for much of American history. But he was really a slave, and a happy one at that. Sambo was racist shorthand for a docile and childlike African American who cheerily accepted his subjugation to the white master.

Hes gone from our textbooks, thankfully. And the reason is  you guessed it  citizen pressure on the schools. Starting in the 1940s, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other African-American organizations issued a steady drumbeat of protest against Little Black Sambo and other types of racism in textbooks.

History books valorized the Ku Klux Klan. Music books featured the original lyrics of Stephen Foster songs, including the N-word and darky. Geography books described Africa as a dark continent of barbarity and superstition.

And in New York City, home to millions of Jews and African Americans, schools taught an anti-Semitic and racist play called The Kings English. It told the story of a boat shipwrecked on an island where a black cannibal  Kawa Koo  threatens to eat all 20 of the survivors.

Eventually, Kawa agrees to let a single passenger survive. The boats white captain, Ripley ORannigan, decides to select the person who speaks the best English. That draws gripes from the boats lone Jewish passenger, Perlheimer, who talks with both hands as he denounces Ripley.

Inklish? Vat for I speak Inklish? Perlheimer asks. I read Yiddische papers. I talk Yiddish mit mein friends. Ripley cuts him off. You may have him, Kawa! he tells the cannibal. America doesnt want him. Hes indigestible.

Black and Jewish protests led the New York schools to drop The Kings English in the early 1950s. Little Black Sambo held on a bit longer, but he mostly disappeared from our textbooks by the late 1960s.

Does that mean racism has been purged from school materials? Of course not. Just two years ago, a Texas resident discovered that her sons history textbook described slaves as workers who came from Africa to America to work on agricultural plantations.

She objected, of course, and the publisher agreed to revise the offending passage. And that provided an object lesson in American democracy, which always is enhanced by citizen participation.

That doesnt mean every objection is valid, of course. Supporters of the new Florida law took aim at biology books describing evolution and human-made climate change, although both concepts are embraced by almost every informed scientist. Others condemned history textbooks that allegedly praised government services at the expense of individual initiative and self-reliance.

But the answer to this challenge isnt to cut off citizen challenges, which also would prevent complaints of the sort that the Texas mom made. Nor should we squawk about censorship, which is the ultimate red herring in these debates. Im glad Little Black Sambo and The Kings English were censored, if by that term we mean their removal from the official curriculum. Arent you?

Instead, we liberals should use this occasion to call for more public engagement  not less  in school affairs. The Florida measure specifies that school boards must conduct an open public hearing about every resident complaint before an unbiased and qualified hearing officer.

Theres our opening. When conservatives move to eliminate material about climate change or evolution, we need to flood these hearings to defend it. Weve got knowledge on our side, just as we did in the case of Little Black Sambo. Depictions of slavery as a benign institution werent simply racist or offensive, although they were surely that. They were false.

Condemning the new Florida measure, one Democratic state legislator warned it could let anybody come in and complain about  the history of slavery, or the fact that maybe we shouldnt have evolution in our textbooks. He was right, but it would be wrong to prevent that.

If you dont like what the schools are teaching, raise your voice. In America, thats the only way we get closer to the truth.

Jonathan Zimmerman, who teaches education and history at the University of Pennsylvania, is the author (with Emily Robertson) of The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools (University of Chicago Press, 2017). Email him at jlzimm@aol.com.
Probe committee formed to look into deaths of 4 children in Rautahat

Minister for Home Affairs Janardan Sharma on Wednesday said that a three-member probe committee has been formed to look into deaths of four children in Garuda Municipality-4 of Rautahat district.
Bryan City Council is ignoring problems on Olive Street

I attended and spoke at a Bryan Planning and Zoning meeting regarding the variances for a house at 502 Olive in Bryan on Aug. 3. The commission passed the variances at this meeting.

Olive Street currently has nine rent houses on it with four of these being "stealth dorms" or what the city mistakenly calls single-family homes. The approval of these variances for 502 Olive will allow the building of two more of these "stealth dorms."

The Bryan Planning Department came out and completed a report on July 24 and its staff members approved the variances to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

When the planning staff came out, the street mostly was clear of vehicles since Texas A&M was in the summer session. When the fall term begins, Olive Street will be packed with cars. This overflow from the rental house driveways will cause students to park on both sides of this narrow street. Olive Street is the only street that crosses Old College Road and connects directly with the A&M campus by way of Nagle Street. There are many pedestrians and bicyclists who utilize Olive Street to make their way to A&M.

With the building of two more "stealth dorms" on Olive the street parking only will get worse. Since there are not any sidewalks on Olive, pedestrians are forced to walk on the street. The cars parking on the street create a safety issue for these people since they are forced to walk/ride in the middle of the street.

I have let the Bryan City Council know about this problem, but I have not heard back from anyone. This area is in Bryan Single Member District 5. I am surprised that Bryan is allowing this to go through.

DAVID WALKUP

College Station

Nothing wrong with America having a strong immigration policy

Immigration policy is a big issue in America today and for years both Democrats and Republicans have vowed to change an outdated immigration policy.

I am glad that the present administration is trying to do something about immigration reform that will meet the needs of America. Right now there are hundreds of people in foreign countries who wish to emigrate here legally and they are wound up in an excess of forms and bureaucratic red tape.

Last week, I listened to a press conference on immigration that explained what the new policy might be and I hope that when Congress gets back from its endless vacation that immigration legislation will be on a fast-track agenda.

This administration feels that the basic premise of any legislation should have an emphasis on what's good for America. I am tired of hearing that people are xenophobic if they wish to have any immigration standards -- all are welcome, they say.

America doesn't exist to solve the economic problems of the world. If we have a policy that favors immigrants who have skills or an educational background that would be helpful to our economy then they should go to the head of the line. Yes, there should be room for unskilled laborers, too, but a measured approach to how many is important.

Many countries in the world have immigration policies that favor one type of immigrant over another and rather than feel that they are mean-spired and exclusionary they feel that they are doing what's best for their county.

We should feel that way too.

JOAN HOLTZAPPLE

Bryan
Mordecai Ogada was sitting in a luxury safari lodge, admiring the view of Kilimanjaro. He could see many of Africas most iconic species -giraffe, water buffalo, even a few elephants far in the distance.





As a professional conservationist, with a PhD in carnivore ecology, the sight was both familiar and pleasing. He was being treated like a tourist. Someone came in and offered him a cocktail. Then, one of his white hosts and sponsors, the people whose largesse he was enjoying, said: Were going to have to move that Maasai village. Its spoiling the view for tourists.





For Dr. Ogada, this was a decisive moment. I was a qualified black face, put in place to smooth over fifty years of exploitation.





The Big Conservation Lie is written by people who are actually from one of big conservations key target countries. It dismantles many of the environmental movements most troubling myths: the pristine wilderness untouched by human hands until European arrival; the supposed lack of interest or expertise in wildlife among native conservationists and communities; the idea that brutal poaching would be endemic without foreign intervention, and so on.





A colonial narrative





Ogada and Mbaria sum up the essence of their argument early on: The wildlife conservation narrative in Kenya, as well as much of Africa, is thoroughly intertwined with colonialism, virulent racism, deliberate exclusion of the natives, veiled bribery, unsurpassed deceit, a conservation cult subscribed to by huge numbers of people in the West, and severe exploitation of the same wilderness conservationists have constantly claimed they are out to preserve.





To colonisers, Africa is and always has been a wild and uncontrollable environment  home to charismatic species that can be admired (or shot) from afar. The conventional narrative has generally suggested that only European and American expertise can tame or protect it. The authors argue that this has given western NGOs such as the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) enormous power.





It has also created space for white saviors (and the saviors are always white), such as George Adamson, Jane Goodall, and Iain Douglas-Hamilton, to step in and be seen to make the decisive difference. Theres no place for Africans in the picture.





Damaging myths





Ogada and Mbaria take aim at some of conservations most sacred cows. George Adamson, for example, the white British subject of the 1966 film Born Free is exposed as a chancer, a failed businessman who accepted conservation donations, despite being a trophy hunter with next to no conservation expertise.





Much of the authors scorn is reserved for the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). Though it presents itself as a conservation organisation, the true face of this service is revealed. It is composed mostly of retired soldiers and mercenaries, heavily armed and organised much like a militia.





Run for many years by Richard Leakey, a wealthy white Kenyan of British descent, it is accused of corruption, violence, and perpetuating the appropriation of some of Kenyas most fertile areas by the British colonials and their descendants.





As the authors point out, the KWS receives funding, equipment, and training from western powers, including the United States and Great Britain. This doesnt stop if from profiting from the land it supposedly exists to protect, through tourism, and even ties to big mining and pharmaceutical companies.





It is revealed to have cut deals with the German corporation Bayer, and some of its most senior figures have themselves been implicated in wildlife crime, including ivory trafficking. Despite this, they and the armed operatives they command are considered above suspicion by the Kenyan authorities.





A failure to respect indigenous knowledge





Similarly, they expose the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), one of the best-respected of the big conservation organisations, for having supported a project which involved evicting thousands of Maasai people from forests which theyd been dependent on and managed for millennia.





This is despite the fact that the Loita woodland that they were removed from was largely intact at the time, whereas areas of forest which had been in western hands for decades had badly deteriorated. This is typical of the externally-defined agenda for social development which the authors critique, and which often doesnt involve much effective conservation.





Many western conservation charities, its argued, exist primarily to secure publicity for their founders. A recent example is Space for Giants  an initiative founded by Russian oligarch Evgeny Lebedev.





The organisation has released several high profile op-eds and photos showing action in the name of conservation, but has, according to the authors, done little on the ground, beyond charging over $5,000 a head (plus mandatory donation) for luxury safari tours.





What a lot of western-initiated conservation boils down to, according to Ogada and Mbaria, is surveillance of vast areas with huge mineral potential under the guise of wildlife conservation.





African solutions to Africas problems





In place of this neocolonial approach, they advocate closer partnerships with local and tribal communities, respecting and using the extraordinary, but unacknowledged, expertise about the natural world that already exists in large parts of Kenya and the wider world.





There are plenty of Africans working in conservation, but they get very little recognition for their work. Professionals like Dr. Ogada are not only experts in their field, but also provide a different perspective on the deeply flawed western approach to conservation, an approach which has failed, even on its own terms.





Likewise, there are millions of people across Africa who live largely sustainable lives and have plenty of insights to offer, if only western conservationists would be willing to step aside and put them at the forefront of the environmental movement. Only by listening to Africas tribal peoples  the best conservationists and guardians of the natural world  will we stand any chance of protecting the natural environment.





The Big Conservation Lie is highly recommended for anyone interested in this struggle, or in debunking the pervasive myths that are holding the environmental movement back. It is a bold and important book that deserves your attention.





This Author





Lewis Evans is a campaigner at Survival International, the global movement for tribal peoples rights. The Big Conservation Lie is available to purchase from Lens & Pens Publications.
This just in:

Claremont McKenna Colleges Program on Empirical Legal Studies (PELS) is pleased to announce the inaugural Empirical Legal Studies Replication Conference to be held on Friday April 27, 2018, in Claremont, California. There is a growing awareness of the importance of replication in the empirical social sciences. The creation of data repositories for published articles and the publishing of research protocols prior to estimation are becoming increasingly common (and even expected). Nevertheless replication studies remain extremely difficult to publish in scholarly journals. To advance and encourage replication studies in empirical legal studies, PELS is hosting this replication conference and papers accepted to the conference will be published in a special section of the International Review of Law and Economics.

We are currently soliciting proposals that detail a plan to replicate an important study in law and economics/empirical legal studies. Although we welcome submissions generally, we strongly encourage proposals from teams consisting of a faculty member and one or more graduate students, in recognition of the fact that replication studies are also an excellent form of pedagogy. Proposals should be 4-5 pages in length and must include details on how the authors propose to proceed, including a plain for obtaining the data necessary for the replication (e.g., is the data publicly available, or has the author of the study to be replicated provided them the data?). We would also welcome (but do not require) additional details on ways the authors might plan to extend the study (e.g., by conducting the original estimation using different time periods, different jurisdictions, or other estimation techniques).

Proposed replication studies will be judged on how important the paper is to law and economics/empirical legal studies and the tractability of the proposed replication. Authors of accepted proposals must commit to attending the conference. In general, graduate student authors will present their own papers, and their faculty co-authors will serve as discussants on another paper presented at the conference. PELS will reimburse up to one graduate student and one faculty member for accommodations and reasonable travel costs. Please email inquiries and proposals to Eric Helland at ehelland@cmc.edu.

Deadline October 15, 2017

Empirical Legal Studies Replication Conference Program Committee: Eric Helland, Claremont McKenna College, David Bjerk, Claremont McKenna College, Dan Klerman, USC Law School, JJ Prescott, University of Michigan Law School and Eric Talley, Columbia Law School.
After all I wrote about last weeks bad experience about my weekly Wednesday visit to the Blue Ridge Cancer Care (BRCC) in the Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospitals medical center, I maybe should keep my mouth shut.

But the folks at the BRCC and both Carilions Roanoke and Franklin Memorial need a fair shake, so speak. When I got through the July 28 12-hour ordeal of one disaster after another, I was ready to give up on any medical treatment  almost.

But another day always brings a new dawn, and I was hoping that this Wednesdays chain of events would turn out far better than the week before. But at 1:50 a.m., I again had major doubts as I awoke with a major pain in my stomach.

I barely made it to the bathroom. My stomach was torn up as if it had been hit by a bomb. I ran a quick check through my mind of what I had eaten for supper the night before.

I had eaten a huge slice of a two-pound tomato that filled a large slice of bread I had cut. Then before going to bed, I had another idea. I had just purchased a bag of chocolate-covered raisins, so I took those to bed and did a pretty good job of eating half the bag! Now I was wondering what was wrong with my stomach.

My appointment with Dr. Suzan Merten was at 10 a.m., and I arrived early as usual. I tried to explain why I was so upset in the last column. I gave up. It was over and done.

As always, I got my finger pricked and blood drawn to find out how my red blood count was going. I was praying on the inside I would not need any transfusions this week. The verdict was announced, and the count was 8.2, far ahead of the 4.5 of a week ago.

This meant no transfusion Thursday or Saturday.

But Dr. Merten brought me back to reality, telling me there would be more transfusions in the months ahead. And for a little more reality, she said she was going to start the weekly red blood cell shots again to go with the five shots daily scheduled for the next eight months, as I understand it.

A strange story has come out of all of this, and it only really surfaced a month ago or so. My son Mike, who lives in Rutherfordton, North Carolina, works as a speech and hearing specialist at the hospital there.

He is a paddler and has a good friend he paddles with who is a cancer specialist. He worked hard trying to save Mikes mothers life. Mike recently started filling me in on what his doctor friend had been telling him about my treatments

The more I heard, the more I realized Mikes friend knew a lot. In fact, Mike said one of the towns rich citizens contracted cancer and immediately flew to the big cancer treatment center in Texas.

The first Texas doctor asked the man where he was from and got the Rutherfordton answer. You know, you have one of the best working at the cancer center in your home town, dont you? the Texas doctor quizzed.

My advice to you is to pack your bags, get back on the plane and fly back home and get him to treat you, the doctor told the man from North Carolina. So now, all of my reports are filtered though my sons paddling friend.

The word I keep receiving is this treatment has proven to be successful. And while it doesnt cure the problem, it prolongs a long and normal life, according to Mike. And that, I have no problem living with; it is Gods wishes.

A nice chat

I had a nice informative conversation with by dear friend Bill Jacobsen, administrator of Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital. And it sure is nice when two friends can sit down and discuss an issue and hope a solution and a better answer is found to any problem.

Bill and I havent paddled together in a long time, and its the first chance weve had to talk without interruption. Well have to do it more often!

Facebook explosion

According to Debra, my late wife Hazels first daughter, hundreds of people are sending good wishes and comments along with words of comfort and prayer concerning my recovery. She read me quite a few of them the other night, and I was impressed with what I heard, especially from the writer in Japan. I ask you to please keep the prayers coming!

Hes a real trooper

Mr. Victor, my 6-year-old sidekick Schnauzer, has really been hanging with me since I became ill with this blood cancer situation. He knows there are times hes got to be alone longer than usual.

And there are times he cant always go with me in the car like he usually does. And hes always at the door with nub of tale wagging, waiting to pounce on me when I come into the door.

And yes, hell come into the bedroom a couple times each night to check on me. After I speak and give him a rub, hell return to his bed  so I am never really alone.

Open twice a week

According to what Dr. Merten said, theres a good possibility the Blue Ridge

Cancer Center may be opening two days a week at CFMH to better care for its many patients.

Dr. Merten set up an appointment for me to have my blood checked at any time I wanted to stop by the lab. It worked out really well having a reading on Sunday and then another one taken on Wednesday. It also gave me a little more time to work in those weekly transfusions in a day and a half.

Ill know more next week, I hope.
Although the Leesville Lake Marina has seen about 50 boat launches per week this summer, there have been times this year when debris in the lake is so heavy it blocks boats from entering the marina, Leesville Lake Marina owner and operator Lisa Zimmerman said.

I think there is definitely more debris this year, Zimmerman said. There have been days specifically at our marina, and we have a home property, where we cannot even get out of our dock and people cannot come into our dock because theres so much debris.

Zimmerman said while this isnt the norm, the debris is a concern.

Since the beginning of this year, Appalachian Power Co., a subsidiary of American Electric Power, has removed 555 tons of natural debris from the Smith Mountain Project  a two-reservoir hydroelectric generation project operated by the electrical utility  and specifically Leesville Lake, surpassing last years collection of 528 tons, spokesman John Shepelwich said. In 2015, the company removed 171 tons of debris.

Leesville Lake is a reservoir with the Smith Mountain Project, and its water level can fluctuate about 13 feet, Shepelwich said. When the water level lowers, debris composed of trees, branches and even roots can be dragged into the lake.

The water fluctuation is controlled by PJM, a regional transmission organization, so water level changes are not necessarily predictable, Shepelwich said.

Lee Walker, outreach director for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, said boaters should look out for debris, slow down and wear life jackets. Boaters also should be aware of limited visibility early in the morning, late in the afternoon and during fog or rain.

Appalachian Power, which built Leesville Lake in the 1960s, operates the 636-megawatt hydroelectric facility.

Most of the increased debris can be attributed to the removal of the Power Dam on the Pigg River, which empties into Leesville Lake, Shepelwich said.

The Power Dam was removed in August and September of last year, said Bill Tanger, chairman of the statewide river conservation coalition Friends of the Rivers of Virginia. Tanger expects increased amount of woody debris for several years.

Even after the temporary increased amounts have subsided, there will be some permanent increase due to the absence of the Pigg River dam, which will now allow woody debris from much further upstream to move downstream toward the lake, Tanger said in an email. Until then, APCo has appropriately increased debris removal efforts.

The dam was removed to help restore the Pigg River, including improving the conditions for fisheries and specifically for the endangered fish species Roanoke logperch, Tanger wrote.

The nonprofit Leesville Lake Association created a debris committee this summer to communicate with Appalachian, said Jim Weiss, of the committee, who added there currently are nine members.

We formed the committee so we can make sure that AEP is being informed when there is debris and that they are keeping up with their contractual obligations of keeping the lake clean of what seems an increased load, Weiss said.

Since the committee was formed, debris reporting has increased, Weiss said.

We all came to this lake because its beautiful and peaceful and the lifestyle is really close to idyllic, and we want to keep it that way, Weiss said.

Emily Sides

BH Media News Service
Tired of waiting

Survivors of the killer earthquake of 2015 have already spent two monsoons and winters in temporary shelters, and yet there is no sign of their homes being rebuilt.
NORWALK  Kathryn C. Senie, Ed.D., director of institutional advancement and strategic planning at Norwalk Community College, recently completed the 2017 Higher Education Resource Services Institute at the University of Denver.

Senie joined 67 women leaders from across the United States and Canada to participate in the intensive, residential leadership development program.
NORWALK  The War to End War reshaped the world in so many ways, and Norwalk was no exception. While Europe took the brunt of the horrific battles, the American home front was also being irrevocably changed. What did that mean in Norwalk?

Over Here: Norwalk in WWI will explore the social, artistic and architectural heritage from that tumultuous time. Scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 17, Over Here will visit the homes, monuments and memorials that tell the story of Norwalk during the Great War and its participation in the expansive industrialization that fueled Americas growth as a world power.
Copcakes Arresting Appetites

As Chief of Police of the Ocean Beach Police Department on Fire Island in New York, George Hesse has proudly served the residents of his community for 24 years. And during the last 2 years, hes started serving them something even sweeter than justice: cupcakes.

Hesse is not only the Chief of Police, hes also the chief baker of his own company. How did he cross over from handcuffs to baking sheets? It all happened by accident, he told me on a recent phone call. One wintry night, my daughter asked for a cake. Everyone has a cheap box cake in the cabinet, so I pulled out a box and followed the directions. While it was baking I was reading the ingredients and I was like, Who eats this crap? It was all mono-sudo-whatever. I thought, if you cant pronounce the words, you shouldnt be eating it! So I decided to try it from scratch. I made one, I made two, then three, then I tried cupcakes and it just took off from there.
LISA HOTCHKISS / KRT

WILTON  The Wilton Chamber of Commerce is offering its members and all of the community the opportunity to the experience the beauty and culture of Tuscany, Italy, from March 18-27, 2018.

The fully escorted tour will depart from John F. Kennedy International Airport on March 18, 2018, and will allow travelers to enjoy all the tour has to offer while staying in the resort spa town of Montecatini. Included in the price, which is $2,799, are tours to Florence, Pisa, Luca, Siena, San Gimignano, Montecatini and, of course, a wine tasting experience in the Chianti region.
Trevor Hiatt of Grand Island, who was sentenced Tuesday to 32 to 40 years in prison for sexual assault, has filed an appeal with the Nebraska Court of Appeals.

Hiatt gave notice of the appeals Tuesday.

Hiatt, 24, was sentenced by District Judge Mark Young to three concurrent sentences totaling 32 to 40 years in prison. He was given credit for 413 days served.

He has also filed an affidavit of poverty. In that affidavit, he asks that the costs and fees in connection with his case be charged to Hall County because he does not have sufficient money, property or funds with which to employ counsel or to pay a docket fee for any of the incidental costs for an appeal.

Some court paperwork indicated Hiatt was found guilty of three different offenses. Those documents say he was guilty of first-degree sexual assault, first-degree forcible sexual assault and first-degree sexual assault of a minor.

But Hiatt was actually found guilty of three counts of first-degree sexual assault.

Each case involved penetration of a minor. The victims, all female, were 13, 14 and 15.

He was convicted of one occurrence with each person. Hiatt became familiar with at least some of the victims through social media.

The crimes occurred in 2014 and 2015.
Is there a better idea this time of year than shrimp off the grill?

Make a summer-ready salad from shrimp-and-pineapple skewers, and pour a round of wine to match  something with enough acidity to complement the pineapple while simultaneously cutting through its sweetness. Sommelier Nate Redner of Oyster Bah in Chicagos Lincoln Park suggests three bottles below.

Make this:

Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Salad

20 medium-large shrimp

1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons pineapple juice (from liquid in can)

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon EACH salt and five-spice powder

Mixed baby greens

Fresh mint, chopped (for garnish)

Chow mein noodles (for garnish)

Thread shrimp and pineapple chunks on separate skewers.

In a bowl, combine olive oil, pineapple juice, honey, rice wine vinegar, salt and five-spice powder. Pour 3 tablespoons into a ramekin and brush the shrimp and pineapple with the mixture.

Grill skewers over medium-high heat until shrimp is opaque and pineapple has caramelized, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve over mixed baby greens tossed with remaining dressing, garnished with chopped fresh mint and chow mein noodles.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from: Renee Enna

Drink this:

Pairings by sommelier Nate Redner of Oyster Bah, as told to Michael Austin:

Domaine Andre et Mireille Tissot Cremant du Jura Extra Brut, Jura, France: This sparkling nonvintage blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, poulsard and trousseau is nutty and yeasty, with notes of yellow apple and fennel, and lots of zippy acidity to cut through the sweetness of the pineapple and honey in the dish.

The wine also has a slightly smoky aroma that will match nicely with the char on the grilled shrimp.

2015 Scribe Estate Riesling, Sonoma Valley, California: From an estate that produces wines with both freshness and a sense of time and place, this riesling is bone dry with floral aromas of honeysuckle, elderflower and jasmine.

On the palate, the wine is full of lime zest and green apple. Fresh and bright in every way, this wine will help accentuate the warm spices in the dishs five-spice blend, especially the clove.

2016 Tyrrells Wines Semillon, Hunter Valley, Australia: An often-overlooked wine for shellfish, semillon is both versatile and tasty, and this version is packed with aromatic notes of lemon zest and ruby red grapefruit.

The palate of this wine matches the aromas, with a weighty texture and lots of citrusy acidity. The wines ripe citrus character will help round out the acidity in the combination of pineapple and rice wine vinegar.

Wine Pairings is a Tribune News Service column by Michael Austin, a freelance writer specializing in wine, food, beer and travel. He is the recipient of a Gourmand World Cookbook Award for his collaboration with chef Art Smith, and has been a James Beard Award finalist for feature writing.
With the North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico about to be renegotiated, Gov. Pete Ricketts is on a five-day trade mission to Canada, where he and other state officials will meet with government, agricultural, and manufacturing officials in Toronto and Ottawa.

Canada is Nebraskas largest export market and fourth-largest agriculture export market. Ricketts said Canada is vitally important to the state.

Appreciation is a key component of any relationship, Ricketts said. During this mission, we are thanking our best customer for their current business, identifying ways to expand our positive trade relationship with Canada, and utilizing this opportunity to open new doors for Nebraska companies to grow their businesses.

According to Greg Ibach, director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, in 2016, total agricultural exports from Nebraska to Canada were valued at $468 million out of a total agriculture export value of $5.4 billion.

During this trip, we look forward to meeting with representatives from the Canadian Pork Council and the Canadian Cattlemen Association to share information about Nebraskas quality beef and pork, Ibach said.

Nebraska beef products are the states No. 1 agricultural export to Canada, totaling $138.2 million in 2015. Pork is the states third-highest agricultural export to Canada, with $61.3 million of exports.

In 2016, Mexico was Nebraskas leading trade partner, followed by Canada. The two NAFTA countries together accounted for 42 percent of Nebraska foreign trade at a value of $2.678 billion.

The Nebraska delegation also includes Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) Director Courtney Dentlinger. Representing the agricultural community are Mark McHargue of Nebraska Farm Bureau, Eric Kamler of Nebraska Corn Growers and Nebraska Corn Board, and Galen Frenzen of Nebraska Cattlemen Association. Mindy Ruffalo of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce will also accompany the delegation for part of the trip.

The trade trips itinerary includes a U.S. Consulate briefing and meetings with the Ontario Ministry of International Trade as well as the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, along with the delegates participating in a roundtable discussion with the U.S. Consul General for Toronto, as well as attending a reception and meal hosted by the minister counselor for agricultural affairs. The meal will feature Nebraska beef.

During visits at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto and the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, the delegation will learn more about Canadas economic and social structures in an effort to understand how those affect the Nebraska manufacturing and agricultural sectors.

Nebraska businesses have built strong relationships in Canada, and we have significant investment from Canadian companies in our state, Dentlinger said. This mission allows us to express our thanks to our largest trading partner, and to promote additional opportunities to grow Nebraskas economy.

To help showcase how critical NAFTA is to Nebraska and its trading partners, Ricketts said Canadian and Nebraska business leaders will participate in a NAFTA workshop to discuss Canadian food regulations as the state continues to export food products to the country, as well as the implications the Canadian Safe Food Act has for both Canadian and U.S. companies.

International trade and engagement is a crucial part of our states long-term growth, said Ricketts. Thats why my administration is continuously pursuing new strategies for expanding international markets, attracting new investment and building the states profile internationally. We are committed to maintaining a competitive edge in a global economy.

In June, Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson urged the U.S. trade representatives office to focus on maintaining the growth in agricultural trade with Canada and Mexico as the Trump administration begins the process of renegotiating NAFTA later this year.

Most of the success that Nebraska farmers and ranchers have experienced trading on the world stage has largely been due to the free trade agreements the United States has signed with numerous countries around the world, Nelson said.

In 2015, exports to countries with free trade agreements (FTA) accounted for 53 percent of Nebraska exports, he said. From 2005-15, exports from Nebraska to free trade agreement markets grew 104 percent, with growth in NAFTA trade far outpacing that with other FTA countries.
Justin Foster had several interactions with Grand Island police officers during the night before he was killed in a hit-and-run accident early Monday morning.

Police are still looking for information about the driver who ran into the 28-year-old Arizona man at 4:34 a.m. near the intersection of Faidley Avenue and Howard Street.

At 11 p.m. Sunday, a police officer saw Foster walking down the street, pulling his luggage. Foster reported that he was trying to get to CHI Health St. Francis for treatment, said Capt. Dean Elliott of the Grand Island Police Department. Police gave Foster and his luggage a ride to the hospital.

At about 2 a.m., when police were at St. Francis on an unrelated matter, a hospital security officer asked for their assistance in asking Foster to leave the property. After police talked to Foster, he started leaving the area. Police then left because they were done with their other business.

But about 20 minutes later, St. Francis called police to report that Foster still hadnt left the property.

He had just moved, Elliott said. So police asked him to move on. Foster then left hospital property.

At about 3:30, someone called the police about a suspicious person standing by the roadway, Elliott said.

Officers talked to Foster, who said he was searching for a friends house. Foster had a buddy who lives in the area, but he didnt remember exactly where.

So we tried to help him find it by asking for a name and a potential address, Elliott said. All he could give us was a first name, and he didnt know the address.

Foster remembered his friend lived in a brick building, and said he would recognize it if he saw it.

So at that point in time we basically told him, Well, you cant walk in the street, and suggested that he hang out in the nearby park until it was light out, Elliott said. After the sun came up, he might have more success finding the brick house.

As the officer left, Foster was walking toward the picnic table in the park.

At about 4:30, someone called the police to report a guy standing by the roadway again, Elliott said. At 4:34, while police were still on the way, they received a call that the man had been hit.

In looking for information on the driver, police have received phone calls from people who have suggested a potential suspect, or asking police to check out a vehicle.

Weve followed up on several leads already, Elliott said. But none have panned out.

Anyone with information about the hit and run should call (308) 385-5400.

Arizona police reports indicate Foster was arrested in Maricopa, Ariz., in 2014 on a probation violation.

At the time of the arrest, he stood 6-feet-1 and weighed 180 pounds.
1. Yes. Taxpayers are funding its operation; they should have a voice in the naming process.

2. Yes. The city should operate with a spirit of inclusivity. Residents will be responsive.

3. No. Public input can be problematic; rejection of suggestions can be divisive for residents.

4. No. Residents elect council members to make decisions on their behalf. No input is needed.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether public input would be more of a benefit or a hindrance.

Vote

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Edith Phillips, a current resident of Hope Harbor, told a group of people Tuesday that when you arrive at the homeless shelter, you are flat on your back.

But the people at Hope Harbor will get your life straightened out, Phillips told the Heartland United Ways Tour of Agencies.

This is a place of love, hope and strength, Phillips said.

Phillips and her 18-year-old granddaughter showed up at Hope Harbor on Feb. 24. Their landlord had kicked them out, and they had no place else to live.

Phillips had raised her granddaughter since she was six weeks old. Her granddaughter is now in her own apartment, and going to college.

And Ive come a long way, too, because of these people here, Phillips said.

The people at Hope Harbor are fantastic, she said. She now feels strong and she is loved, she said.

Among other things, Phillips hasnt smoked for seven days. Until then, shed smoked for 50 years.

A total of 44 people took part in the annual Tour of Agencies. Those people visited Heartland United Ways 21 community partners.

Hope Harbor Executive Liz Mayfield told the group, which arrived in two shifts, about the shelter.

Last fall, the new service center opened across the alley in the former Contryman Associates building. It houses the organizations administrative offices, donation room and education room.

The main building is being renovated to provide more shelter beds. The kitchen renovation is already complete.

When the construction is complete, the emergency shelter will be moved to the east side of the building.

The shelter will then have a wing where families can stay together and a wing for women and children.

So well be able to serve a new population that we dont currently serve, Mayfield said, referring to families with men.

The transitional shelter has always served families. But the 12 beds in the emergency shelter are for women and children.

Mayfield also told the group that in 2016, Hope Harbor residents paid off more than $85,000 in personal debt. Those steps give people the financial ability to get housing on their own, she said.

While they were in the neighborhood, the busload of people visited the Friendship Houses new Counseling Clinic at 707 W. First St.

Nine people work in the outpatient counseling clinic, which opened July 10. That group includes four counselors, who provide services in English and Spanish.

Use of the bus was donated by Arrow Stage Lines.
Police/Sheriff

Anyone with information about any crime in the state may call the Grand Island-Hall County Crime Stoppers, (308) 381-8822. Callers will remain anonymous.

A reward of up to $1,000 will be paid after law enforcement agencies have determined the seriousness of the crime and the usefulness of the information.

Inmate custody status can be obtained by calling the VINE hotline at (877) NE 4 VINE or by visiting www.vinelink.com. Information is available 24 hours a day.

If you see a crime happening, call the Grand Island-Hall County Emergency Center  911.

Grand Island Police

The following felonies were reported:

 Alan Herrera Santana reported a theft from a vehicle Monday evening at 2219 W. Capital.

 Pump & Pantry, 3212 S. Locust, reported a counterfeit $20 bill Monday.

 Edward Sabatka reported a forged check at 1523 S. Lincoln between July 31 and Monday.

 Baltazar Andablo-Camacho was arrested for criminal possession of three financial transaction devices Monday at 1919 S. Locust. He was also arrested at 2323 Bellwood Drive for strangulation with a prior offense and third-degree domestic assault with a prior offense.

 An assault was reported involving a 9-year-old female Monday night.

 Wells Fargo Bank reported fraudulent activity three times Monday at 2250 N. Diers.

 Gustavo Gonzalez reported an identity theft Monday at 217 E. Stolley Park Road.

 Melissa Chavez-Cardona reported a burglary to a storage unit Monday evening at 3414 W. Capital.

 Rojeanne Hoes reported a burglary to a residence Monday at 822 Wind-ridge Ave.

Hall County Sheriff

Law enforcement arrested five people on warrants in eight cases. There were 25 calls for service.

For more information visit www.hallcountyne.gov and click on the sheriff link.

Court report

Hall County District Court

 Miguel A. Coppinger-Chamorro, 40, Houston, attempt of a Class 3 or Class 3A felony, two years in jail with credit for one day served, post-release supervision 12 months.

 Trevon Barber, 22, Council Bluffs, Iowa, burglary, 18 months to two years in jail with credit for 248 days served, ordered to make restitution of $350.

 Travis A. Fleming, 28, Grand Island, burglary, three to five years in jail with credit for 248 days served. Also guilty of theft by unlawful taking totaling $500 to $1,500, 365 days in jail with credit for 248 days served, and delivery, dispensing, distribution, manufacture or possession of an exceptionally hazardous drug, three to five years in jail with credit for 248 days served. Sentences will be served concurrently.

Hall County Court

 Baltazar Andablo-Camacho, 20, Grand Island, was charged with strangulation, domestic assault-third degree with prior offense and criminal possession of two to three financial transaction devices, all on Monday. Preliminary hearing set for 1:30 p.m. Oct. 3.

 Daniel Marler, 22, Grand Island, was charged with failure to appear when on bail for a felony on Aug. 1. Preliminary hearing set for 9 a.m. Aug. 23.

 Jackie L. Kistler, 36, Aurora, was charged with criminal possession of four or more financial transaction devices and possession of a controlled substance, both on Monday. Preliminary hearing set for 1:30 p.m. Aug. 15.
It's not over. Thousands of uncounted ballots remain in Bucks, Montco

Bucks County officials do not anticipate all ballots cast Tuesday will be counted - or not - until next week. Leaving House key races in limbo
The Maryville Board of Trustees received positive news about village finances at the last regular meeting of the full board.

Kevin Tepen, of C.J. Schlosser & Co. LLC, presented the report on the annual audit.

Overall, the financial status of the village is positive.

Tepen reported that there was $2.9 million in revenues for the General Fund with $2 million in expenses.

Before transfers, the General Fund had a positive balance of about $964,000, he said. After transfers to the Police and Fire funds to even those funds out, you had a slight decrease of $236,000.

Tepen explained that the transfers were necessary to make the villages Social Security and Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund more solid.

"Those fund transfers and the fact that you had a property tax allocation change where the money that usually goes into the General Fund goes into Social Security and IMRF is the reason for the decrease, Tepen said.

Tepen also said the balance for the General Fund is $1.5 million.

Anybody would like to have a $1.5 million balance in their general fund. The Village is sitting in very good shape, he said.

Tepen also reported on the balances in the Water and Sewer Fund.

Total operating receipts were $2.69 million and operating expenses were $2.5 million with a total income of $181,000.

After transfers the net change was about $93,000, Tepen said. Last year there was a deficit of $119,000. There is a very good balance in the Water and Sewer Fund.

Trustee Rod Schmidt asked Tepen to clarify the importance of positive fund balances.

We have good balances in the General Fund and the Water and Sewer Fund but I dont want people to see those and think we are charging too much or taxing too high," Schmidt said. What is your opinion about have those balance?

Tepen said it is important to have some reserves.

With the balance in the General Fund and the total expenses for police and fire and general being about $4 million, the balance gives the village about three months of reserves. It is recommended to have between three and four months of reserves so the village is in the ballpark, Tepen said.

As for the Sewer and Water Fund balance, Tepen said the amount of money could go very fast in the event of an emergency construction project.

Trustee Mike Vallino asked if the rates being charged were fair.

Tepen said the increase in the sewer rates were the reason for the positive fund balance.

Schmidt added that the trend is that sewer rates are higher than water rates.

It seem the expense of getting rid of water after it is used is getting more expensive than treating water and getting it to customers, he said.
The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that by the year 2035, the 65 and over age group will swell to nearly 70 million people or about 20 percent of the population.

Faith In Action Edwardsville/Glen Carbon, a volunteer-based organization, helps the residents of this population in Edwardsville District 7's boundaries to live independently by providing needed transportation to places like the grocery store and doctor's appointments, but with a senior population that continues to increase, FIA is in need of additional volunteer drivers.

FIA Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Director Marcia Golden explained that the population of those 60 years of age and older in Edwardsville/Glen Carbon is growing, and FIA is feeling that growth. "We used to do about 20 to 25 trips per week. I'd say that this year, were at 40 trips per week. Weve jumped that much. Just this year," she emphasized.

The organization relies completely on its volunteers who provide assistance to individuals age 60 and above who need help with daily living activities. It's Driving Angels make up a big part of its volunteer base. These volunteers provide transportation to medical appointments, grocery stores or other errands as well as to hair appointments to the FIA's roughly 260 current care receivers.

A new scheduling system that FIA implemented last month makes volunteering easy. Volunteers simply log in from the FIA's website, www.fiaegc.org, to access FIA's scheduling software.

Here the volunteers can view upcoming care receivers transportation needs which the volunteers can then select based on their own schedules and availability.

One of FIA's volunteers is Carolyn Stevens of Edwardsville, who actually learned of FIA when she was in need of transportation to a hospital for a procedure in 2015. "I had arranged for somebody to pick me up, but I needed somebody to take me," she explained.

A couple months later Stevens retired from her job and took a 10-week vacation. "On the tenth week, I came in here and started volunteering the next week for them. And Ive loved it," Stevens said. "I think this is a great organization. Seniors who cant drive need that kind of availability. This therefore is a great service to the seniors who dont drive."

Stevens, who prefers to volunteer in the afternoons, said that while she doesn't drive into St. Louis, she is happy to drive care receivers out of town to areas such as Highland, Alton or Belleville. "If you do take someone to a doctor's office, you can leave them there and go back (to pick them up). I dont. I take a book with me and read. Because Im a reader this is perfect," she said. "I get great joy out of this. I really do. Its fun and the clients are so nice. They are so appreciative."

Phill Daniels, an Edwardsville resident, has been an FIA volunteer driver for almost three years now. "Once I retired I was looking for some things to do, and it was for the most part through prayer I would say, that the Holy Spirit guided me to Faith In Action," he said.

Daniels explained that he's met a number of older area residents over the past three years. "I've really enjoyed it because every one has a story to tell. It's amazing what you can learn about a person in a 15 or 20 minute or even 30 minute drive," he said. "Sometimes they don't have any other family and they are very glad to have someone to talk to. Sometimes I walk trough the stores with them and help them with their cart or whatever they need, and they are so thankful for that."

What begins as just helping someone out has often turned into developing a close relationship with some of the care receivers. "They kind of tugged at my heart, and I would visit them even beyond the call to drive them someplace," Daniels said.

He noted that he's seen "so much strength" in several care receivers he's met. "One in particular had cancer, and she was just a trooper and never complained. It really influenced me the strength this lady had during her illness," Daniels said.

Daniels also pointed out how easy it now is to volunteer through the FIA's new online system. "You can go in and simply look at a list and see what time and where a person is going and so you can kind of estimate how long it may take and you can then sign up for that particular day and time," Daniels added. "It's really convenient to your own schedule. If it's a week you're on vacation, you just don't pick one."

"I would encourage people to certainly check it out," Daniels added. "It's a very easy and accommodating way to volunteer. Its growing and we need more volunteers."

Bob Biarkis, an Edwardsville resident, began volunteering at FIA about a year-and-a-half ago. "I started to do it because my mom used their services the last couple of years of her life. She lived into her upper 90s," he explained. "It was such a great thing for her that after she passed away, I decided I needed to give something back to Faith in Action. I wanted to help them out because of what they did for her."

Biarkis, like Stevens and Daniels, volunteers as he has time available and feels it's a wonderful service that helps people to be able to live independently. "It's great that these people are still some physical problems where maybe they can't drive any longer, they are still able to function very well at home by theirselves with the aid of people like Faith In Action who are able to help out."

Depending on his schedule, Biarkis, who has lived in Edwardsville his entire life, tries to transport care receivers twice a week. "Some of them don't require a lot of time," he said. "Sometimes it's just a drive to the grocery store and they might need the help for a half an hour. Where some of them need a driver to go to a hospital over in St Louis to have some testing done. That requires a little more time. So it just depends on my schedule and what I feel comfortable doing. Theres no pressure involved."

Biarkis has also built relationships with a few care receivers that he routinely picks up. "I've learned a lot about the lives of some very interesting people," he noted. "Some of the people that Ive driven around, Ive known for a long time so to be able to help people that I know and kind of grown up around is kind of a treat for me."

Although Biarkis, Daniels and Stevens all volunteer year-round, Golden stressed that they welcome volunteers for any length of time. "We have some volunteers who are snowbirds and will say, 'Im in Florida for the winter,' and thats OK. Or 'Im a teacher, I can only help you in the summer.' And thats OK," Golden said.

She also emphasized that FIA can provide gas gift cards to volunteers for miles driven per quarter as a way to reimburse some gasoline expenses.

FIA currently provides at least two trips per week for each of its care receivers, a group that has been growing at a rate of about an additional six to 10 each month as many seniors are living longer. "Weve had two care receivers in the last month turn 100 years old, and they are still living on their own," Kendra Moffett, an FIA staff member pointed out.

Then there's also those few FIA volunteer drivers, like one woman who is 90 years old, who not only continues to live on her own but also is still able to drive herself and drive others.

While FIA provides assistance to numerous care receivers in the area, it does have criteria to become a FIA Edwardsville/Glen Carbon care receiver. This criteria is primarily that the person must be physically able to get in and out of a car, be age 60 years or above and live within the Edwardsville District 7 boundaries.

Aside from its Driving Angels, FIA also has volunteers that can provide light housework, yard work, respite care or visiting.

The bottom line is that the senior population continues to grow rapidly in this area and FIA is working hard to keep up with the demand to keep this population living independently in their homes.

To learn more about FIA Edwardsville/Glen Carbon or to become a volunteer, visit www.fiaegc.org or call 618-692-0480.
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Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 08:10 1922 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97abf593d 4 Editorial #Editorial,JICT,container,tanjung-priok,Jakarta-International-Container-Terminal,labor-strike Free

Deeper reading into developments concerning the operations of the Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) at Tanjung Priok Port over the past three years leads us to the suspicion that the root cause of the labor strike at the countrys biggest container terminal since Thursday is not related to basic labor rights and remuneration, which is apparently among the highest in the world for comparable jobs.

The JICT union leader cited a 42.50 percent cut in employee bonuses last year as the main trigger and primary reason, but the companys finance director, Budi Cahyono, claims that the bonus, set at 7.50 percent of before-tax profit in 2016, was fully paid in May. True, the bonus was not as large as that in 2015, because the corporate profit declined last year as a result of a rise in the leasing fees that JICT paid to Pelindo II.

The bonus is only a small part of the main points of workers rights stipulated in the collective labor agreement (CLA). And Budi said JICT, a joint venture between state-owned Pelindo II port operator and Hong Kongs Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH), which holds the controlling ownership, had fulfilled all its obligations as stipulated in the CLA.

Hence, we suspect that the workers opposition to the 20-year extension of the contract by Pelindo II for HPH to operate JICT, which was signed in August 2014, is the main and broader agenda of the trade union. The main objective seems to completely oust HPH from JICT.

Businesswise, the extension of the contract signed five years before its expiration in 2019, is simply normal corporate practice. Such a deal is good for stability and certainty for future investment, as long as it is done with high standards of transparency and accountability, especially for such a big container terminal.

Under the extended contract, Pelindo II reportedly increased its stake in JICT to 51 percent from 49 percent, and HPH is required to pay US$250 million in advances to Pelindo II and to double leasing fees to $120 million per year.

Pelindo II independent oversight committee, which included personalities with impeccable integrity such as Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas, former vice chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), economist Faisal Basri and analyst Lin Che Wei, assessed the new contract agreement as a good corporate action that was done transparently in an accountable manner for the great benefit of the state company.

But controversy shrouds the contract extension, especially after the Transportation Ministry confirmed that Pelindo II had not obtained prior approval for the new agreement. The controversy developed into allegations of irregularities and animosity toward HPH after the Supreme Audit Agency concluded after a special audit, made at the request of the House of Representatives, that the agreement could cause $306 million in state losses. Unfortunately, the government has not clarified the controversy once and for all.

Relations between the trade union and the JICT management will remain testy and inimical unless the government resolves the controversy through comprehensive and credible clarification on the process of the JICT contract extension.
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Linkedin L. Nugraheni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 15:04 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac0eea1 3 Opinion religious-differences,intolerance,discrimination,#Discrimination,#ReligiousMinority,school,#school,Education Free

Sati (not her real name) is a Hindu living in Jakarta. In 1991, she had to pose as a Muslim when she enrolled in a public elementary school for safety reasons. Consequently, she should attend every hour of the Islamic class and participated in the various activities of Islamic worship such as prayers and reading the Quran. This went on for ten years until she enrolled in senior high school.

At the age of 17, when she applied for the national ID card, her father suggested her to fill Islam in the religion column. At that point, she refused and insisted on becoming her true self, a Hindu  a decision that she regretted later when her sister miserably became a target in a riot involving Muslims and Hindus in South Lampung, Sumatra in 2012. The mobs burnt her sisters house to ashes, forcing her to flee and hide for weeks. Sati's sister suffered a miscarriage on the run.

Nowadays, to be a non-Muslim in Indonesia implies the inevitability of a troublesome and unjust daily life. Discrimination against non-Islamic communities has been so prevalent that children are becoming easy targets. The blatant religious discrimination is quite expansive, harming students educational rights.

In May 2016, Zulfa Nur Rohman, a vocational secondary school student in Semarang Central Java, failed the 11th grade for a religious reason. He could not continue to 12th grade since he refused to reading the Quran and perform prayers in the mandatory Islamic studies classes.

Zulfa became a victim of an unjust policy at his school because he is an adherent of a traditional faith, Hayu Ningrat. When enrolled in kindergarten, his parents had to declare their religion. Since Indonesia's 1965 Blasphemy Law does not accommodate his faith, Zulfa's parents claimed themselves as Muslims. Zulfa then had to follow all the Islamic studies classes and participate in every worship activities. When he refused to perform the prayers and recite the mandatory declaration of faith or shahadah, his teacher gave a zero score. Thus, he could not continue to the next grade.

These cases by no means only belong in the past. Just last June, a public junior high school in Banyuwangi, East Java, rejected a girl because she was not a Muslim. The student identified as NWA, complained to local education authorities who ordered the school to enroll her. However, the school required her to wear the hijab even though she is a Christian.

When she returned to the local education office, the officials refused to take any actions and suggested she enroll in another school. Fortunately, the incident was all over the news. Regent AZWAR ANAS expressed outrage and the school withdrew its nonsensical policy  though the student applied and was accepted at another school.

Sati, Zulfa, and NWA are just a small number of students who experienced religious discrimination in Indonesia schools.

The abusive behavior often targets minority students, both in verbal or physical forms of bullying by other students of the majority group. Bullying worsens when the system endorses the discrimination by default, as happened to Sati and Zulfa. The government has so far shown no serious intention to alleviate those cases.

Public schools are supposed to accept students regardless of race, ethnicity, social class or religion. The Education Act states education is organized in a democratic, fair, and non-discriminative manner by upholding human rights, religious and cultural values, including respect for pluralism.

It is the duty of the ministries of education and religious affairs to manage the education system, while local education authorities are responsible for education in schools. They should also be responsive regarding discrimination in public schools.

The necessity to fill the religion column for enrollment seems to be the starting point of discrimination at school. The religion column in the national ID card also often triggers such discrimination.

Indonesian law has liberated civilians to leave the religious column on their ID card empty. However, many officials remain unaware of this and are unwilling to process ID cards of those who refuse to choose one of the six official religions.

On the other hand, the blasphemy law threatens citizens who leave the religion column vacant on their ID cards. Citizens could be prosecuted and punished for being an atheist -- while acknowledging one of the six religions which is not in accordance with their true beliefs also risks being prosecuted for falsifying ones identity.

If the government is serious about addressing religious discrimination in schools, President Joko Jokowi Widodo and his Cabinet must begin to review all policies with loopholes for any religious discrimination. Local education authorities should be more responsive responding reports of discrimination against non-Muslim students, primarily in public schools. Also, the Education and Culture Ministry should examine any discriminative public school policies.

However, government policy improvements will definitely take time, while religious discrimination against non-Muslim students occurs round the clock. Thus, the role and support of the community, as well as that of the media is essential.

We need society to be alert of any religious discrimination, raise the issue to gain public attention and raise awareness. Being silent and passive when knowing or witnessing religious discrimination against minority students is not an option.

---------------

We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin Carla Bianpoen (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 10:10 1922 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97abfcad9 4 Art & Culture Art-Jakarta-2017,Bazaar-Art-Jakarta,contemporary-art,exhibition,artist,#artist Free

The emerging youthful force, which has seen an overflow of works by young artists  described by some as a regeneration of the arts  was on full display during the inaugural edition of Art Jakarta 2017.

The event, previously known as Bazaar Art, was a bustling event with creative and entertaining activities attracting visitors of all ages, including toddlers.

The fair may have closed on July 30 but the vibrancy of youth lingers on.

Entering Pacific Place shopping mall, which hosted the event, the huge eye-catching installation by artistic pair Indieguerillas loomed from the ground to the ceiling, serving as a sign of what was to come.

From the booths of local and Singapore-based galleries, young and emerging artists were the flavor of the time.

Among them were Jakartas Vivi Yip Artroom and Ruci Art Space, Bandungs Lawangwangi Creative Space and Singapores Art Xchange Gallery, Art Front Gallery and Element Art Space. Bandungs Zola Zulu and Singapores Pearl Lam Galleries and Yavuz Gallery gave added focus to emerging Indonesian artists.

There were some references made to European masters, such as in Eddy Susantos Melencolia, which put a twist on Renaissance painter Albrecht Duerers Melancholia, which Duerer created amid a time of chaos.

By twisting and juxtaposing, Eddy used Duerers painting as a basis to shape images with Javanese script narrating a similar situation on Java as revealed in the Babad Tanah Jawi (History of Java). Perhaps Eddy wished to dispel the dichotomy between East and West.

Patriot Mukmin referenced the Belgian painter Rene Margittes Treachery of Paintings by creating 2.5 dimensional works (between 2 and 3 dimensions) to trick the viewers perception, making them move around to fully grasp the art work.

The Tomato Farmer by Zico Albaiquuni (Zico Albaiquuni/File)

The work which stand out of Yavuz Gallerys booth was Zico Albaiqunis fascinating painting The Tomato Farmer whose incredible vibrancy was achieved by using various pigments collected from all over Europe.

He explained that every natural pigment comprised angular particles, which acted as prisms when touched by light. Interestingly, painting the Tomato Farmer was his entry point for examining the devastating evictions occurring near his home. Delving deeper into the painting evoked even more interesting angles, demonstrating the intense interaction between art and solutions to social concerns.

Boedi Widjaja, also organized by Yavuz, delved deep into the psyche and the feeling of yearning in an installation comprised of 28 Indonesian male headdress pieces (peci) in the form of a flower arrangement.

Modified into pinhole cameras a corresponding number of paper negative prints of press images of Indonesias first president Sukarno speaking at various occasions, accompanied the headdresses.

Sukarno spoke of the peci as an emblem for Indonesian national identity  an identity I wasnt able to tangibly grasp while growing up in Singapore, Boedi said.

Other highlights of the fair included Gatot Pujiartos huge wall tapestry titled Strength in Fragility for Pearl Lam Galleries; Laila Azras Menuju Satu(Heading to one) for Element gallery; Antoe Budionos hyper realistic works for Art Xchange Gallery; Cucu Ruchiats comical figures for Zola Zulu gallery in which he captured a hint of Botero and Richard Winkler and a host of young artists at Vivi YipArtroo.

Euphoria Budaya by I Nyoman Arisana (JP/Carla Bianpoen)

The Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) sponsored booth excelled with 45 creations from Indonesian artists below 33 years of age. They were selected by renowned curators Rifky Goro Effendy and Asmudjo Jono Irianto to showcase their works  many for the first time  in the public space.

From oil, acrylic and water color paintings to ceramics, aluminum, three dimensional works, textiles and combinations of painting accompanied by soundscapes and musical scores the works managed to give representation to the artists thoughts on todays culture and issues. While the artists may need further professional assistance to reach their peaks, they may be the next generation to shine.

Interpreting the tone of speeches with the aid of musical scores and a background of (blurred) faces is a unique endeavor, undertaken by Etza Meisjara in Symphony Tafsir (Symphony of Meaning). By using sound and neon lighting on acrylic glass, the artist made tangible her concept and concern with the controversial utterances of the two of the most controversial people of recent times.

I Nyoman Arizona presented the painting Euphoria Budaya (Culture euphoria), which noted that intercultural relations in Indonesia are leading to new, hybrid forms of culture.

Youthful force: A visitor poses with Ronald Apriyams paintings at Art Jakarta 2017 at Pacific Place in Jakarta. The arts fair, previously known as Bazaar Art, showcased a wide range of works by young artists and positioned itself as the peoples arts fair. (JP/Carla Bianpoen)

In contrast Dina Adelya in Sore Membatik showcased her desire to preserve the traditions of her homeland in Sumatra, creating a delightful textile tableau of hand-embroidered figures using thread, needle and beads.

In a similar vein was Niskala by Monica Hapsari, while Robert and Olga presented a relief made of fabric called Minggu Pagi (Sunday morning).

Artist Harry Arafat explored Sound Reactive LED in Lotus, sending out signals with flickering lights to denote the growth and blossoming of a flower. Ragil Adiwinata provided a critique of pseudo food in a well finished plate installation Konsumsi Semu (Unreal consumption).

Putu Sastra Wibawas work Satukan Mimpi (Uniting dream), was inspired by American Indian dream catchers used to banish nightmares. In the same vein, artists also wished to tackle the issues afflicting the country today.

Like a veritable playground of the arts, the foyer was adorned with art works by Antonio Sinaga, Ronald Apriyan and Zico hanging on the walls, while Patricia Untoros glasshouse with immortelle for lOctanne welcomed visitors to enter and take selfies.

Another vital point was Naufal Abshars semi painting/sculpture installation, which stood in the middle of the foyer, stating his intention to reach the sky. It was a wish bound to have many followers.

Up close: Naufal Abshar's sculptural artwork, supported by Art Porters, on display at Art Jakarta. (JP/Carla Bianpoen)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 11:22 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97abff588 1 Lifestyle najwa-shihab,journalist,Metro-TV Free

Najwa Shihab, Metro TV's senior reporter and host of weekly talk show Mata Najwa (Najwa's Eyes), on Tuesday announced her resignation after 17 years at the national television news channel.

Najwa's exit also marks the end of the channel's popular show, Mata Najwa, after 511 episodes since it began airing in 2009.

"Seventeen years is not a short time. [The feeling of] being proud to be the first reporter of Metro TV, as owner of code reporter 01, a term my friends use in Kedoya, will never fade," Najwa said in a statement received by The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

She further said in the statement that August would be her final month at Metro TV, which offices are located in Kedoya, South Jakarta.

The channel for the next three weeks will air re-runs of Mata Najwa, highlighting "old episodes that we deem are important and valuable."

Read also: Najwa Shihab: Chronicling Indonesia

The show in Nov. 25, 2009 premiered with its very first episode titled "Dunia dalam Kotak Ajaib" (World in a magic box).

On July 26, 2017, it aired its 511th episode, which was an exclusive interview with Novel Baswedan, a Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) lead investigator who suffered burns to his left eye, face and neck after falling victim to an acid attack in April.

Mata Najwa will return for its final and farewell episode, "Catatan tanpa titik" (Notes without a full stop) at the end of August.

Najwa in the statement hinted at continuing a career in journalism but did not specify any more details.

"The series of my journey as a reporter in the first news TV [channel] in the country was recorded in-depth, making life much richer and becoming a valuable stock to continue working as a journalist," Najwa said. (liz/kes)
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Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Manila  Wed, August 9 2017

The gesture was grand, the festivities vibrant and the mood among the dignitaries was clearly buoyant. More importantly, at 50 years old, ASEAN managed to show the world that it was indeed united and that the past week of diplomatic back flips did not take away from its legacy.

ASEAN managed to stay intact over the past seven days by leveraging what its critics say was one of the blocs weaknesses: the three Cs of consensus, cooperation and consultation.

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The recent demand of a group pushing for the demolition of a statue of war god Kongco Kwan Sing Tee Koen at the Kwan Sing Bio Chinese temple in Tuban, East Java, has provoked criticism.

It is suspected that the brouhaha was triggered by internal conflicts among managing staff members of Kwan Sing Bio, Southeast Asias biggest Chinese temple.

The 30.4-meter statue, which cost Rp 2.5 billion (US$187,786) to construct, looks out onto Javas northern sea and has reportedly been a great source of support for Tubans fishing communities and residents living around the temple.

Ronggolawe Women Coalition director Nunuk Fauziyah said the soaring-high statue has acted as a guide for fishermen toiling in the waters nearby.

Each time they head back home, the fishermen use the statue as a sort of beacon directing their way. When they see the statue, they know this is Tuban, Nunuk said on Tuesday.

She rejected demeaning accusations raised by a coalition of NGOs that had staged a rally calling for the demolition of the statue in front of the East Java Legislative Council (DPRD) building in Surabaya, East Java, on Monday.

Rally coordinator Didik Muadi said Kongco Kwan Sing Tee Koen had no place in Indonesia.

The figure [...] has no historical relation to the Indonesian people. There are many Indonesian heroes or local independence fighters who better deserve to be memorialized as a statue in Tuban, Didik said during the rally.

But according to Nunuk, it does not make sense to fulfill the protestors demands.

The statue has been there for a long time. It has not been a problem for the people of Tuban, she said. It all began as a coffee shop joke, which was then uploaded as a racist status on Facebook. This later went viral on social media.

She said people living around Kwang Sin Bio actually benefitted from the temple, because many earned money by working as street vendors. Every day, the temple receives around 100 visitors for religious services. Three major events take place in the temple each year, attracting tourists from across Southeast Asia.

Chairman of East Javas chapter of the Chinese Indonesian Association (PD INTI), Gatot Seger Santoso, said there was no need to connect the matter to nationalist issues, let alone worry that the statue would threaten Indonesias sovereignty.

Its an absurd accusation. It is reported that the presence of the statue cannot be separated from Chinas interests in our country. This has been politicized. This temple is fully a house of worship, he said. The real problem is that the statue does not have a building construction permit [IMB]. The Tuban administration does not dare to issue such a permit because the temples management has not yet been officially determined.

Gatot said the statues lack of IMB may have been used by certain parties involved in an internal conflict to turn the case into a political, ethnic, religion, race and inter-groups [SARA] problem.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 20:45 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac1d81e 1 Business e-commerce,road-map,Rudiantara Free

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has signed the long-awaited e-commerce road map that will provide guidelines for the country's digital economy sector, Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara said Wednesday.

He explained that the roadmap was expected to be issued at the end of this year and would not only regulate technology, but also cover issues such as logistics, cyber securities, taxation, human resources development and consumer protection.

"One of the issues in the road map also relates to the payment system by implementing the National Payment Gateway (NPG), which will be under the supervision of Bank Indonesia," Rudiantara said, after attending the coordination meeting on e-commerce at the Economic Coordinating Ministry office in Jakarta.

As part of the roadmap's initiatives, he added, the ministry was currently designing a measure to record online transaction information from the marketplace, in coordination with the Finance Ministry, Central Statistics Agency (BPS) and Bank Indonesia.

"We only need to talk to e-commerce players on how to extract the information, so we do not have to create a new system to handle the matter," Rudiantara told journalists.

The meeting, he added, also revolved around the issues of the digital economy such as cross border transactions, which would be one of the main focuses in the upcoming bilateral meeting between Indonesia and China. (rdi/ags)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 18:30 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac1be22 1 National KontraS,tortures,police-officers,civilians,violence Free

The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) recorded 115 cases of physical abuse allegedly committed by police personnel against civilians over a period of 11 months.

The highest number of cases of abuse committed by police officers is at the level of police precincts, Kontras researcher Ananto Setiawan said as quoted by kompas.com in a press conference on Wednesday.

Kontras reported that at least 88 cases of abuse took place in police precincts across Indonesia from the period of June 2016 to May 2017.

At least 20 cases occurred at sub-precinct police offices and eight at the provincial police level, he added.

Ananto went on to say that most cases of physical abuse occurred during the interrogation of suspected criminals.

He said police officers often argued they needed to use physical force to extract information or make suspects admit their crimes.

In fact it's possible that in many cases they [the suspects] did not commit crimes but were forced to admit to them, Ananto said.

The researcher said it often happened that police officers bribed the victims or their families after committing the abuse.

In some cases, the responsible officers simply ignored the victims, Ananto said, adding that many officers were still able to evade sanctions despite committing abuse. (afr/ebf)
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Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Makassar, South Sulawesi  Wed, August 9, 2017 11:39 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97abffaf2 1 National Mohamad-Nasir,Research-Technology-and-Higher-Education-Ministry,2017-National-Technology-Awakening-Day,Education Free

Research, Technology and Higher Education Minister Mohamad Nasir has said he is optimistic that more campuses in Indonesia will be included on the list of world's best universities in the next two years.

My personal target is for Indonesia to have five world class universities by 2019, he told journalists on Tuesday evening.

The minister was speaking on the sidelines of an event preceding the commemoration of 2017 National Technology Awakening Day, which falls on Aug. 10.

(Read also: Campuses with low accreditation must improve: Minister)

Nasir said his target of five globally acknowledged campuses could be met if Indonesia's best universities continued to improve to attain international accreditation.

Having international accreditation means our campuses will be more recognized on the international stage, he said.

Nasir further explained that only three universities in the country were considered world class, referring to the recently released Quacquarelli Symonds List of Best 500 Universities in the World.

On the list, the University of Indonesia (UI) in Depok, West Java, ranks 277th, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) ranks 331st and the University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Yogyakarta ranks 402nd. The three universities are state-owned. (ebf)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 9 2017

The Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Ministry is set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Police on the monitoring and use of village funds. The step is part of the preventive efforts being made to curtail the misuse of the funds.

The MoU between the ministry and the police aims to ensure that the village funds are used properly and are well targeted. Thats why there should be assistance and monitoring efforts, police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto said as quoted by kompas.com in Jakarta on Monday.

Setyo said, however, that the cooperation was not related to the recent village fund embezzlement case that occurred in a village in Pamekasan regency, East Java. Its not related to the Corruption Eradication Commissions [KPK] recent sting operation. The most important thing is that village funds and state budgets are protected, he said.

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Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang and Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 16:21 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac10a6d 1 Politics PAN,Jokowi,Joko-Widodo,2019-presidential-election,presidential-candidate,Perppu,mass-organizations Free

The National Mandate Party (PAN) says it will not make any decision regarding the nomination of candidates for the 2019 presidential election in its national meeting in Bandung, West Java, from Aug.21 to 23.

PAN, the first party to leave the opposition coalition to throw its support behind President Joko Jokowi Widodos administration, regards the 2019 presidential election as still too far and that change caused by political dynamics is very possible.

The meeting is unlikely to talk about presidential candidates, 2019 is still far away. Well see the political dynamics first and gather aspirations from the public, including from NU [Nahdlatul Ulema] and Muhammadiyah, said PAN executive Yandri Susanto, who also chairs the meetings steering committee, on Tuesday. He referred to Indonesias largest and second-largest Muslim organizations.

With this decision, PANs national meeting will be different from the national meetings of other political parties in the government coalition, such as the Hanura Party, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Golkar Party, during which they declared their support for Jokowis reelection in 2019.

PANs relations with the government have been in question as it has chosen not to take sides with the government and other parties in the ruling coalition on several crucial issues, including the recently passed election bill and the issuance of a regulation in a lieu of law (Perppu) on mass organizations.

PAN has also not yet decided whether to invite President Jokowi to attend the national meeting. (ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 15:35 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac0fd49 1 Business oil-fields-Iran,pertamina,ArcandraTahar,Luhut-Binsar-Pandjaitan,comments Free

State-owned oil and gas company Pertamina is awaiting a decision on the new Iranian Cabinet lineup in connection with its agreement to manage the Ab-Teymour and Mansouri Iranian oil fields, following Saturday's inauguration of President Hassan Rouhani, the energy deputy minister has said.

Iran just formed its new cabinet over the weekend. But they have promised us that an announcement [on the oil fields] will be made within four months at the latest, Energy and Mineral Resources Deputy Minister Arcandra Tahar told reporters on Tuesday after a press conference in Jakarta.

Arcandra had accompanied Maritime Affairs Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan of his state visit to Iran from Aug. 5 to Aug. 7, during which he represented President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at President Rouhani's inauguration.

Read also: Indonesia seeks commitment from Iran on oil field exploration

During the visit, Luhut also sought the Iranian government's commitment regarding Pertamina's development of the two oil fields. President Jokowi also addressed the issue when he visited Iran in December 2016.

In its bid to manage the oil fields, Arcandra admitted that Pertamina was facing tough competition from two contenders: Denmark's Maersk and Russia's Lukoil. If God allows, we will hear good news, he said.

In March, Arcandra said the two oils fields have 3 million barrels in proven oil reserves, while Indonesia's proven reserves stood slightly above this figure at 3.8 million barrels. (dea/bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 18:03 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac19822 1 City Bekasi,mob-justice,mob-violence,lynching Free

The police have arrested five of seven suspects allegedly involved in the public murder of a man accused of being a thief in Babelan, Bekasi.

An angry mob beat Muhammad Azahra, 30, and burned him to death after he was thought to have stolen an amplifier from a mosque. The man tried to escape, but failed and could not avoid his tragic fate.

Bekasi Police chief Sr. Comr. Asep Adi Saputra said the police had arrested AL, 18, AR, 55, SD, 27, SU, 40 and NA, 39, after questioning witnesses.

SU beat [Azahra] on his back and stomach, said Asep on Wednesday.

He also said AL stomped on the victims head and AR beat him on his back and stomach. SD was the one who bought the gasoline, threw it over Azahra and lit him up.

(Read also: Man burned to death for stealing mosque amplifiers)

Azahra rode a motorcycle and tried to escape from the mob but later fell near the Muara traditional market.

Dozens of people started to beat him although Rojali, the mosques attendant, tried to stop them.

The suspects have been charged with Article 170 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on attacking or beating up other people. The charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. (dra/wit)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 13:07 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac04f9f 1 Politics music,politics,presidential-bid,election,Rhoma-Irama,Constitutional-Court Free

The Peaceful and Benign Islam (Idaman) Party of self-styled king of dangdut Rhoma Irama has announced that it will file a judicial review with the Constitutional Court (MK), challenging a stipulation in the recently endorsed election law that maintains a high minimum threshold for political parties to nominate a presidential candidate.

Idaman Party secretary general Ramdansyah said that his party proposed that there be no presidential threshold.

"In 2019, we will have simultaneous balloting for the legislative and presidential elections, so it would be better if the threshold is set at zero," Ramdansyah said as quoted by kompas.com on Wednesday .

Under the new election law passed by the House of Representatives last month, a presidential candidate would require support from a party or coalition of parties with at least 20 percent of House seats or 25 percent of the popular vote, a requirement that was based on the outcome of the 2014 legislative elections.

Ramdansyah said the stipulation was unfair to small political parties like the Idaman Party, which was founded in 2015.

"Rhoma himself will file the petition this morning," he said.

Rhoma set up his Idaman Party after failing to be nominated in the 2014 presidential election. The National Awakening Party (PKB) had toyed with the idea of nominating Rhoma as president, before it decided to back the candidacy of then Jakarta governor Joko Widodo.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 16:40 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac13c95 2 World Russia,Indonesia,Foreign-Minister-Retno-Marsudi,cybersecurity,terrorism,South-China-Sea,diplomacy Free

Indonesia and Russia pledged Wednesday to strengthen cooperation in cyber-security and counter-terrorism as concern grows about the spread of radicalism in Southeast Asia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is on a two-day visit to Indonesia, said the two countries would work together more closely to counter the spread of Islamic State (IS) ideology.

"The threat that the ISIL is has not vanished. Its members have been spreading all over the world, including areas close to the Russian and Indonesian borders," Lavrov said, using another acronym for the group.

Hundreds of radicals from Indonesia have flocked abroad to fight with IS, and the country has seen a surge in plots and attacks linked to the jihadists over the past year.

Indonesian officials have also said dozens of Indonesians have travelled to the southern Philippine city of Marawi to fight with militants loyal to IS.

The militants seized parts of the city over two months ago and have resisted all attempts by the Philippine army to evict them.

"We have agreed that our special services will pay particular attention to increasing coordination in our joint efforts to fight this scourge," Lavrov said.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the two countries had strong ties on political and defence issues, and Indonesia wanted to deepen trade ties.

The ministers also discussed tensions on the Korean peninsula, the South China Sea and conflict in the Middle East, but gave no details.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Singapore  Wed, August 9, 2017 17:45 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac162a4 2 World Singapore,crime,Transportation,police Free

A 60-year-old Singaporean could be jailed for up to two years if found guilty of sticking toothpicks into a bus seat in a suspected case of "mischief", police said.

Singapore, whose crime rates are among the world's lowest, has tough laws for minor offences such as vandalism, which can be punished with caning. The import and sale of chewing gum is banned except for medical reasons.

Police launched an investigation after a bus company in the city-state reported last week that one of their vehicles' passenger seats was perforated with toothpicks.

"Through extensive ground enquiries and with the assistance of CCTV footages, officers... established the identity of the suspect," they said in a statement on Tuesday.

A Facebook user posted pictures at the end of last month of three toothpicks sticking out of a bus seat, with the post shared more than 2,500 times.

"This happens to me this morning (Thank God, I did check before I sat down)," the female user wrote.

If found guilty of the offence of mischief, the suspect -- whose identity was not revealed -- could be jailed for up to two years or fined, or both.

Singapore has faced criticism from rights groups about cracking down hard on relatively minor crimes. In 2015 two young German men were sentenced to nine months in prison and three strokes of the cane for spray-painting a metro train.

Topics : Singapore crime Transportation police
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 14:24 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac0d1d1 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,AirAsia,Macau,international-flights Free

On August 7, at exactly 12:20 p.m., AirAsia Indonesia officially launched its direct flight from Macau to Jakarta on Monday.

In the maiden flight, the carrier brought 150 passengers on a 180-seat Airbus A320-200 with flight number QZ161. The same plane with flight number QZ650 previously carried 162 passengers to Macau International Airport.

Arriving at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the passengers were welcomed with a water salute and performance of Betawi traditional dance.

Read also: AirAsia eyes Chinese tourists from Macau

Congratulations on the launch of the new route. Well keep on supporting AirAsia to develop routes and flight slots for international flights since its in line with our vision and mission to improve the nations economy through tourism, said Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi.

Budi said the ministry had requested state-owned airport operators Angkasa Pura (AP) I and AP II to provide incentive in the form of price cut for landing fee and Passenger Service Charge (PSC).

This direct flight is the 5th route after Penang, Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur that depart from Jakarta. It's the only direct flight [from Jakarta] to Macau, said AirAsia Group CEO for Indonesia, Dendy Kurniawan.

AirAsia previously launched international routes from Denpasar in Bali to Mumbai, India and Tokyo, Japan.

The airline currently serves Jakarta-Macau route three times a week, but will increase the frequency to four times a week in September.

Read also: Ubud Village Jazz Festival to present local and international jazz musicians

AirAsia has contributed 25 percent from the overall number of foreign tourists who came to Indonesia in 2016. This direct route will add more connectivity from Indonesia to cities in South China, which means more arrival of Chinese tourists, said Tourism Ministry's deputy minister for Overseas Promotion, I Gde Pitana.

Macau is China's youngest region that is located in the south coast of China and adjacent to Guangdong province. In the past, the region was colonized by the Portuguese until 1999.

Macau is known for its historical buildings, high-end fashion boutiques and five-star hotels and resorts. Some of the historical sites in Macau are Old Town, A-Ma Temple and the Ruins of St. Paul's.

The region also serves as the main gate to China for Indonesian tourists where they can travel to 10 cities in the southern part of China using Express Link service that only takes two hours or travel by land and pass through two border posts that stand in between Macau and South China. (kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 9, 2017 18:28 1921 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac1b81b 1 News Jokowi,Madame-Tussauds,Hong-Kong,tourism,#Jokowi Free

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's wax figure at the Madame Tussauds Hong Kong will soon be dressed in a batik shirt.

"The batik has been sent from the State Palace; it will probably soon replace the existing white shirt," Tri Tharyat, Indonesian Consul General in Hong Kong, said in Macau on Wednesday as quoted by Antara news agency.

In addition to the signature attire, the figure also has an LED screen placed behind the figure, which displays images of Indonesia's tourist destinations.

Jokowi unveiled the figure when he visited the museum in May, which is located in the Peak Tower complex in Hong Kong, where the President aimed to promote Indonesian tourism.

Situated just three steps from the wax figure of Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, Jokowi's wax figure stands in a casual pose depicting him rolling up the sleeve of his shirt.

While the Sukarno wax figure has been around since the museum was renovated in 2005, Jokowi's wax figure represents the only ASEAN leader who is still in office.

Read also: Jokowi unveils own wax figure at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong

The museum is currently working together with the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong by giving 50 percent discount on tickets to visitors from Indonesia.

By showing coupons from the consulate, Indonesian visitors will only have to pay half the regular price of HKD 265 (US$34).

"Since the figure of Jokowi went on display, Madame Tussauds has been increasingly visited by Indonesian citizens," said Tharyat.

According to the consulate's data, as many as 464,406 Indonesians visited Hong Kong in 2016.

Meanwhile, the number of Hong Kong residents who visited Indonesia last year stood at 90,000. (liz/kes)
State Sen. Daniel Squadron, who represents the Lower East Side, announced this morning that hes stepping down. Heres the email blast that went out to constituents a short time ago:

For years, weve fought together for a better Albany and a stronger district. From the beginning, your support, advice, energy  and, yes, criticism  have been an enormous inspiration. Thats why I wanted to let you know directly why I have decided to resign from the Senate this Friday.

Like many across the country, since November, Ive thought a lot about how best to change the direction of our country, and stand up for core values that are under threat. After much reflection, I have decided to lend my hand to make a difference in states across the country, pushing policies and candidates that will create a fairer and more democratic future. Its not possible to take on this challenge and continue to be a full-time legislator, which is what I always promised I would be.

When I was first elected in 2008 in a season of hope and change, I hoped to bring enthusiasm for government to the district, and a government to be more proud of to Albany. Though progress has sometimes been slow  and there is much more to do in this much less hopeful time  the many constituents, colleagues, and staff with whom Ive partnered have kept that enthusiasm, and pride in public service, alive.

Together, weve secured millions for public housing, storm resiliency, and waterfront parks. Weve won a Lunar New Year school holiday, and a more equitable parks system. Weve fought to hold Albany accountable, cut through red tape, advocated for subways, and tried (and tried, and tried) to fix a corrupt campaign finance system. Ive been grateful for every chance to support a local school, make an intersection safer, or stand up to a bad landlord. It has truly been an honor to serve the people of the 26th District.

The timing of my decision means the 26th District Senate seat will be filled in this Novembers election  and I remain committed to continuing to fight for an empowered Democratic majority.

Thank you again to the many people with whom Ive worked. Your faith in a better Albany and a stronger district continues to inspire me. And thank you especially to the constituents who hired me over these last nine years. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to serve.
Japanese fashion trends are known worldwide for being rather extravagant and unorthodox.

Japan is known for being ahead in the fashion game, bringing completely fresh style tribes to the drawing board every year.

Aiding this, is Japan's vibrant and innovative youth culture, whose highly supportive freedom in creative appearance can be seen not only to encourage the trends, but to expand on them and influence them too.

Mori Girls

The word mori is Japanese for 'forest', so the style it describes is quite self-explanatory.

Mori Girls link their clothing to the image of a quiet life in the forest. They often sport quirky, vintage and handmade clothing with flat shoes for comfort. This is a softer look than many of other popular trends, with the girls often wearing their hair in its natural state, with little or no makeup.

This trend certainly isnt new but its continued popularity gives it a highly desirable status.

Yama Girls

This trend is similar in concept to mori , except the Yama Girls prefer a mountainous landscape.

In short Yama

Girls are dressed to embrace the outdoors while looking trendy. The term was unofficially founded by blogger Yuri Yosumi, who posted photos of trekking on her blog.

Their clothing and accessories focus on bright colours ,

stripes and bold and Nordic patterns. Often waterproof trousers are replaced with skirts, leggings, and leg warmers, however, functionality is still key, with every made to be sturdy and comfortable.

Harajuku girls

This term originated in Harajuku, a district in Tokyo.

It started when teenagers in the district combined traditional Japanese clothing i.e. kimonos and geta sandals, with modern clothing where previously the younger generations were taking their primary fashion influence from western clothing.

The style combines a wide range of differing influences but basically,

Harajuku promotes the mixing of styles, mismatching of colours and patterns general contrasting of the western and the traditional.

An iconic example is the combo schoolgirl uniform with either the goth or punk look. Harajuku style is increasingly well-known thanks to Gwen Stefanis use of it in her music videos.

Lolitas

This trend is one of the most extreme, the aim is to dress in Victorian and Edwardian clothing with a Rococo influence.

Often the aim is to look as much like a doll as possible. It is inspired by Victorian childrens wear, the French Rococo period, goth-inspired darkness and Japanese anime.

This style uses a lot of very intricate makeup so may take a while to perfect, but the finished product is undeniable impressive.

Oji Girl

Oji Girl is short for Oyaji Kawaii, which means cute old Grandpas .

Girls in this trend would wear old fashion gentleman clothes from either the old British or American eras.

The style is very classy and focusses on late Victorian and Wild West/Gold rush eras. Think woven vests, canvas pants, button down shirts, bow ties and oxford shoes. Clothing in this style is all in muted colours i.e. browns, beiges, khaki and dark oranges.

Whilst the materials usually consist of argyle, tweed, gingham, pinstripes and plaid. Accessories could be rounded glasses or monocles, leather belts and handkerchiefs.

Oyaji Girl

This trend is arguably focussed more on comfort than it is on fashion.

It describes girls who wear loose-fitting clothes, never wear make-up and just generally appear more androgynous.

However, the trend has expanded to include a lot of branded comfort wear and also sportswear. It has also increased in popularity alongside the recent upsurge of androgynous models and fashion trends.

French Toast Girl

The style is very minimal but stylish.

A French Toast Girl is inspired by the French fashion and has obviously mastered the art of basic fashion staples.

Their wardrobe will consist of many classic striped tees, denim pieces and a variety of canvas shoes in neutral colours .
Jeffrey Horner, Wayne State University

When most people see the movie Detroit, itll likely be their first encounter with the events of July 1967, when a routine bust of an after-hours drinking establishment led to five days of protests, looting and clashes with the police. Forty-three people died, hundreds were injured and thousands were arrested.

AP Photo/David Stephenson A National Guardsman stands at a Detroit intersection during the summer riots of 1967.

At the time, I was six years old and living in an all-white inner suburb of Detroit, though my recollections of the five violent days are spotty: fragments of news footage documenting the destruction, a dusk curfew (past the time I had to be home anyway) and a friend telling me that there would be a police officer on every corner of our neighbourhood.

Like other six-year-olds (and probably many adults) in my

neighborhood , I didnt really know what was going on, or how it might end. , I didnt really know what was going on, or how it might end. The same can likely be said about the elected officials charged with maintaining order.

For many years thereafter, these events were known colloquially as the riots. Among many whites, conventional wisdom had it that the police raid provided an opening for black criminals in Detroits crowded 12th Street district to run amok, leaving death and senseless destruction in their wake.

It was only years later, as a graduate student in urban planning, that I was able to learn about the tensions  police brutality, inadequate housing and poor job prospects  that had been simmering in Detroits black

neighbourhoods for decades.

Enforcing a racial order

Between 1910 and 1920, Detroits black population grew from 5,700 to nearly 41,000 people as the automobile industry flourished and low-skill, high-wage factory jobs became plentiful. Between 1940 and 1960, the black population grew from 149,000 to 482,000 people  about 30 percent of the citys population.

While Detroit grew geographically to accommodate newcomers, most blacks were confined to four districts in the city until about 1960. Venturing into other

neighbourhoods came at a considerable risk.

As historians Joe Darden and Richard Thomas detail in their 2013 book  Detroit: Race Riots, Racial Conflicts, and Efforts to Bridge the Racial Divide , the Detroit police essentially functioned as enforcers of segregation  the first line of white defense against the invading black hordes that, if not checked, would overwhelm surrounding white neighborhoods. In other words, if Detroits black residents protested or were in the wrong place at the wrong time, the reaction of the police could be swift and brutal.

For example, during Detroits 1943 riots, the police killed 17 blacks and no whites , even though white rioters vastly outnumbered their black counterparts. In some cases, the police stood by as white mobs beat blacks.

Walled off

Relegated to segregated

neighbourhoods, Detroits black residents would encounter housing shortages and substandard housing opportunities.

At the tail end of the Great Depression, private developers began building new housing units in

Detroit

but strictly marketed them to whites. In 1941, one such development was approved adjacent to the historically black Eight Mile and Wyoming

neighbourhoods. It came with a caveat: The construction of a wall was the only way the Federal Housing Administration would approve loan guarantees to banks writing FHA-insured mortgages to white homeowners (who would be protected). Blacks seeking

housing

 already profoundly limited in their options  were literally walled off from accessing new housing in an adjacent

neighbourhood.

Like their relationship with the police, the housing situation in Detroits black communities would only deteriorate. In 1942, Life magazine published a feature story titled  Detroit is Dynamite . The housing conditions depicted  people living in shacks, trailers and tents  were so destitute that Lifes publisher limited the storys distribution to North America , presumably so the Axis powers couldnt use it as anti-American propaganda.

The meanest, dirtiest jobs

What was behind the racial animus aimed at blacks, from the hostility of the police to the restrictive housing measures?

Its difficult to fully disentangle the sources, but one major conflict arose on crowded factory floors during World War II.

Historically, blacks fortunate enough to be hired for automotive factory

work were given what Detroit historian Thomas Sugrue were given what Detroit historian Thomas Sugrue characterized as the meanest and dirtiest jobs. But management would strategically elevate black workers to higher positions if it suited their needs. For example, in 1943, the Packard Motor Company hoped to heighten racial tensions among its mostly white workers in order to sow dissent within the union. After being integrated with black workers on shop floors, 25,000 white workers participated in a wildcat walkout . This event was commonly referred to as a hate strike.

Id rather see Hitler and Hirohito win than

have to work next to a nigger, to work next to a nigger, one striker announced over a loudspeaker

Apprenticeship programs in trade unions often excluded blacks. This dynamic was especially pernicious because most apprentices would go on to have long, high-paying careers. The Detroit Urban League reported that in 1966, there were 41 black apprentices in all skilled trade unions out of a total of 2,363 apprentices, a rate of 1.7 percent.

And though blacks fared well in municipal positions  filling 36 percent of city jobs in 1946, roughly commensurate to the percentage of blacks living in Detroit  many of these positions were the lowest-paying: janitor, groundskeeper,

sanitation worker.

Other industries were even less receptive to hiring blacks. Because retailers didnt want their white customers to have to interact with black clerks and salespeople, any black hires were relegated to

backroom work.

No easy fix

Given the extremely limited opportunities for blacks in housing and employment  and with

very little political voice in city government  civil unrest boiled over on a hot July weekend in 1967. At the time, it was the most deadly civil uprising of the 20th century.

But it was only one of dozens of other civil insurrections in other cities during the mid-1960s, including Los Angeles, Newark, Cleveland and Chicago (and not all were driven by grievances in the black community).

While Detroit was still

smouldering, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Illinois Governor Otto Kerner to chair the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorder. Their report implicated local police forces as a primary source of civil unrest, along with unemployment and limited housing opportunities.

Partially in response to the Kerner Commissions findings, courts began to order large urban districts to integrate their schools with mandatory busing plans that would shuttle white students into schools in black

neighbourhoods and vice versa. In metropolitan Detroit, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Roths busing plan involved 85 suburban districts and Detroit proper.

My suburban Oak Park

neighbourhood in the Berkley School District was one of the 85 included, and while my memories of the riots are hazy, I distinctly remember the response of many of my friends and their parents to Judge Roths plan: resistance. There was chatter of moving away if the busing plan were implemented, and as it wound through appeals courts, a cottage industry of yellow wooden placards, carved in the shape of a school bus, sprung up like dandelions on the front lawns of my neighborhood, with the words No Busing written in large black letters.

Nonetheless, the Berkley School District, to its credit, sent my class on a field trip to Detroits Greenfield Park Elementary School . When we arrived, the majority black student population feted our class and a few from other suburban school districts with a warm welcome. There were

live choir and musical performances, along with classroom visits. Their daily routines and lessons seemed no different from our own.

But in 1974, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Judge Roths busing order. While intra-district busing was still allowed, inter-district wasnt, and my classmates and I ended up staying put.

Would school busing plans have ultimately solved racial disparities? In the end, they didnt address the biggest problem of all : segregated

neighborhoods and suburbs. Busing, where implemented, worked as intended during the regular school day, but did little to integrate segregated residential communities.

Busing addressed the symptom, but not the problem: Busing addressed the symptom, but not the problem:
According to the 2017 National Student Survey (NSS), there has been a significant drop in overall satisfaction with universities across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The NSS is a survey run annually where students in their final year of university are able to review their institution on a series of services, including quality of academic support, suitability of learning resources and, most importantly, whether they have been personally satisfied with the experience.

This year each of the four countries which took part in the survey experienced at least a 1% drop in overall student satisfaction for the first time in three years and overall only 84% of respondents were satisfied, compared to the record 86% reported in each of the last three years.

The most pronounced drop in student satisfaction came from Welsh students, with the happiness of full-time respondents being recorded at 84%, a 4% drop from 2016, and part-time respondents being recorded at 81%, also a 4% drop from the previous year.

Interestingly, the news comes during ongoing protests against increasing tuition fees, which have already plagued the student community for a number of years and threaten to continue doing so in the future.

Indeed, the situation is set to worsen following plans outlined in the government's white paper on education released this year.

The paper outlines plans to use the scores from the NSS in conjunction with graduate employment figures to determine the quality of education at each institution through the so called Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).



Institutions that score the most highly will be granted permission to increase tuition fees beyond the previously imposed 9,000 cap, which will only worsen the position of many students and potentially next year's survey results.
Elisabeth Moss has brought detective Robin Griffin back in the second series of Top Of The Lake. This time, shes investigating the death of a young girl whose body has washed up on Bondi Beach.

Here, Moss tells us about the challenges of the new series  and her friendship with co-star Gwendoline Christie, the love of her life.

What are the qualities in Robin that made you want to play her again?

What I love most about Robin is, from the perspective of playing her, not necessarily her best quality. Its her flaws, her vulnerability. And her ability to be strong when she needs to be and to fight for justice and fight for the truth in her work. So the juxtaposition of that with the complete chaos in her personal life and her inability to get that under control. This season she's so much more messed up than she ever has been before. It's been a challenge to play, but it's also been fun.

How did Jane Campion approach you about doing Top Of The Lake?

It came up in conversation over sushi in Queenstown: What if there was a season two? There never was supposed to be a season two. And we were all like - oh, that's kind of exciting. Then over a year later I was at the Emmys in LA. Jane and I met for lunch and she said to me: So, if we did a season two, would you do it? I can't really do it without Robin.

I said I would love to, but it would need to be more challenging than season one, otherwise there would be no point. I felt we did a good job with the first season, which we were all very proud of it and which people liked. Why do it again if we weren't going to challenge ourselves and make it even more interesting for our audience? I remember saying, I just want her to be challenged," and thinking, on the way to the Emmys, how Robin could be challenged, what she might be going through.

I left it with Jane, and three years later she did it. It was a complex, much more interesting challenge than you would normally present a character with in a second season.

Were you kept informed as the story came together?

I knew quite a bit about season two as it was coming together because Jane would write to me and ask me questions or tell me little things here and there. It was a constant dialogue for three years. So there were big plot points that I knew were coming. But it was all the nuance, all the detail and the strange Campion- esque things that go into something like this that surprised me.

Without spoiling anything, the thing that we reveal in the flashback and some things that have happened over the last four years to Robin have put her in this really, really dark place. She's not had an easy life, this girl. So she starts out in Season 2 in this much darker place, and really messed up, so when I was reading it for the first time I was like, yes, yes, yes, yes!

What are the key themes that season 2 deals with that are different to season 1?

The themes of season one very much are about children. Robin coming back to her childhood home - revisiting her childhood, her childhood with her mother, her childhood with her father. This horrific experience that happens when she's 16. She's obviously still a child. Tui representing a child, and then the barista ring, the children there. So it was about children in season one.

I feel like season two is about parenthood, and specifically motherhood. The different kinds of motherhood, the different ways that people become a mother, how motherhood doesn't always have to do with being a biological mother. Robin having had a child and giving birth to a child but then not raising it. Nicoles character having not given birth to the child, but raising her. And then these surrogates, these women who are objectified and put into a position that is not only illegal but incredibly heartbreaking.

This season is about being a mother and a parent, and it's interesting, going from that very strong theme of season one to an even stronger theme in season two, with all of these plot lines being connected around this central idea. But done in a brilliantly subtle way, which is believable. All of these storylines converging and becoming important for an emotional reason and not for a plot-line reason. But also being super interesting and mysterious and awesome and page turning.

What were the biggest developments for you and Robin in season 2?

Because Robin is back in Sydney, she's back on the police force, officially. She was unofficially on the police force in New Zealand, but here she's actually there, she's at the police station, she's carrying a weapon, she has a badge. We shot tons of stuff at the police station. I was sort of a rogue police officer in season one. So this one I really actually had to act like I knew what I was doing. We had a wonderful consultant, Chrissie, with the Newtown Police. And she is the best version of Robin Griffin. She's Robin without all of the hang-ups and without all of the flaws. She is an incredibly strong amazing woman, so inspiring to me honestly, and we became quite close over the past five months.

Then obviously the other one would be my relationship with Mary, my daughter. I loved that part. To play with that was so interesting. One thing Jane and I discussed really early on was, what is that relationship? You've given birth to this person, but you haven't spent any time with her. So, is she your daughter? Just because you gave birth to her doesn't necessarily mean that you feel like you're her mother. Because motherhood isn't just that, as anyone who is not a biological mother would understand.

We wanted to explore the idea that when she meets Mary she has no idea what she's doing, and she doesn't feel like a mum. It was interesting exploring that idea, and Robin's feelings of inadequacy about not feeling like a mother - not feeling anything - and then this incredible arc that was built of her getting to know her daughter and getting to know herself as a mother. What a journey to go on for her to be able to come to terms with that and for her to be able to become a mother in her own way.

And then she has this friendship with Pyke and they start to co-parent accidentally, almost out of necessity. Through that co-parenting and through that love for their daughter, they fall in love themselves, in this very beautiful surprising way. I think that it's exactly what Robin needs. There might be a shade of like a happy ending for Robin, you might just get a hint of "this might actually turn out okay".

And there is another kind of love story for Robin in Season 2, isnt there?

Yeah, I think it is going to be very surprising for the audience, this yin and yang team of Robin and Miranda. These two people who obviously not only look so different, but act so different. It starts out in this quite humorous place of Miranda being this fan girl of Robin. And then mutates into this terrible argumentative, judgmental, hurtful relationship. And then they have this amazing scene where they have it out and reveal things to each other.

Did you and Gwendoline Christie get close through working so closely together?

I don't even know where to begin. She's the love of my life! I thought I would like her, you know, and I'm a fan of hers as an actor, but it's been this really wonderful deep friendship that has happened. Sometimes you meet people and you know that you're going to be friends with them for the rest of your life. Season one I didn't really have that buddy, Robin didn't have that friend. It's been really amazing in season two to have this female relationship. This actress, another woman, to act opposite, it's been a really interesting and special surprise out of this season for me as an actor - and it ends up being the same for Robin as well.

How important is Sydney as the location for Season 2?

New Zealand was so much about the wilderness outside, and this season is about the wilderness within, and that is very much represented by the story but also very much represented by Sydney. Obviously it's a much more urban landscape. It is much more modern in a lot of ways. But at the same time we have this coastline that we're dealing with and shooting at a lot. And so we've gone from this very still, freezing cold lake, to this ocean and this coastline and these beaches that are temperamental and change all the time and look different. To me the ocean is the other character as much as Sydney.

We did get a chance to show New Zealand to a large part of the world that hasn't been there, and I'm actually very excited to be able to show Sydney to a large part of the world that hasn't had the opportunity to come. I know the city really well now, and it's become a strange second home for me, which is so weird, because I have no reason for Australia to be my home.

Top of the Lake: China Girl is available on BBC iPlayer now.
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In a bit of a surprise, voters turned down lowering their taxes with a pair of proposals in the Romulus school district.

The first proposal sought to lower a hold harmless levy from 5.13 mills to 2.5 mills.

That proposal failed with 967 no votes to only 723 affirmative votes.

When it was originally passed, the hold harmless millage was for 8.99 mills, the reduced rate would have been only a fraction of that.

The second proposal, which sought to raise the sinking fund millage from 0.75 to 3 mills also failed with 1,097 no votes to only 594 yes votes.

The sinking fund millage was first passed in 2012. Funds raised by that millage can be used for building repairs, maintenance and just about any other district expense.
Several public meetings this week in Watertown

Here's a look at who's meeting this week and what they'll be discussing.
It's our annual Labour Weekend tradition ...The Sound 'Hall Of Fame' Countdown... Where we honor the greatest 500 songs of all time as voted by you.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked commercial banks to periodically conduct vulnerability test to test their cyber security preparedness, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday.

"The RBI had issued advisories to banks in relation to ransomware attacks, regarding application of relevant patches in and update of anti-virus software for all systems," Minister of State for Finance Santosh Kumar Gangwar told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

He said the RBI had issued the Cyber Security Framework in Bank to help banks deal with any future attacks on their information systems.

The Minister also said the RBI has "apprised that the performance" of banks in respect of their cyber security preparedness is closely monitored through both on-site and off-site assessments.

According to the RBI, 'WannaCry' ransomware attacks were reported from banks during May and June of this year, and some computers in two bank branches and one ATM unit were impacted "though no data loss was reported".
Ahead of Independence Day, Delhi Police on Wednesday asked Delhiites to remain alert and inform the police if they spot any suspicious activity or person in their vicinity.

In a video message posted on the Delhi Police's Twitter handle, Delhi Police chief spokesperson Dependra Pathak assured people that the police is alert and has a robust mechanism in place to fight terrorism.

"In case you spot any suspicious person or activity around you, please alert the police. We expect your support in providing us information about such elements who might try to create tension in the city," Pathak, who is also special commissioner of police (Operations), said in the message.

He said that the Special Cell unit of the police, SWAT teams and 'Parakram' vans are working to ensure that the city remains safe.

Pathak said the police is alert to all kinds of threats and has made "robust preparedness" to tackle any threat to the city.

Last month, the police had banned flying of para-gliders, para-motors, hang-gliders, microlight aircraft, hot air balloons, small-size powered aircrafts and quadcopters in the national capital.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Wednesday said that the Congress won the Rajya Sabha election from the third seat in the state because two votes were invalidated and the BJP will explore legal options to challenge the Election Commission's decision.

Rupani told reporters after Congress leader Ahmed Patel won the bitterly-contested Rajya Sabha election that Congress support had actually come down from 57 MLAs to just 44.

"The Congress earlier had 57 MLAs and along with their allies they had the support of 61 MLAs. But they were reduced to 44 MLAs. Out candidate lost by just half a vote," he said.

Referring to EC's decision to invalidate the votes of two Congress rebels, he said the BJP does not agree with it.

"We don't agree with the EC's decision, we will take all possible legal action. The two disputed votes, which were invalidated, had they been counted, we would have won," he added.

He also added that the Congress in Gujarat is "split vertically and has no future in the state".
By dropping at the residence of the National Conference leader and her staunch political adversary Farooq Abdullah on the issue of abrogation of the Article 35A of the Constitution, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has given a subtle snub to the BJP with which she is running the government in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mehbooba gave a surprise on Tuesday evening when after addressing a public meeting at Budgam she drove straight to Farooqs residence and was with him for 20 minutes to discuss the contentious issue. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was also present in the meeting.

The development came a day after all Kashmir centric opposition parties in J&K joined hands to oppose any tinkering with the Constitutional provision.

Omar Abdullah, on his twitter account announced about Mehbooba having come to his fathers residence on the Gupkar Road in Srinagar to discuss the contentious issue. He described the meeting as cordial and said the prevailing political situation in the state was discussed.

Earlier during the day while addressing a rally at Budgam, Mehbooba said the special status enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir under the Constitution needs to be protected and preserved. The legislature of the State enjoys huge powers unlike any other State Assembly which she stressed for preserving and protecting.

Few days ago, Mehbooba had urged Farooq and the Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to come forward to protect the Article 35A which provides powers to the state to define its permanent residents.

However, by suddenly knocking at the door of Farooq, Mehbooba has given a broad indication to the BJP that she had political options in hand if the centre did not intervene in the PIL on scrapping of the Article 35A that was being heard by the Supreme Court. She was apparently annoyed that the BJP and RSS had allowed a NGO backed by them to file the PIL.

During a recent seminar in Delhi, Mehbooba had warned that any tinkering with the Article 35A would have adverse affect in Kashmir. Her warning followed by her surprise visit to Farooq indicates that all was not well in the coalition and she was keeping options open.

Farooq has already brought the Congress, CPI-M and various other local parties on one stage to protect the special position of the state. The pro-Pakistan separatists have given call for shutdown in Kashmir on August 12 on the issue.

It is worth mentioning that before Mehbooba shook hands with the BJP to form the coalition government in J&K, the National Conference and Congress had offered her outside support for forming the government instead of her tie-up with the BJP.
There is no tension at the Indo- China border along Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said here on Wednesday.

"There is now no tension at the Indo-China border in Arunachal Pradesh. If there is a war between India and China, both countries would be looser. So, no country is interested in war," Khandu told reporters.

He said, "China always claims Arunachal Pradesh as it territory, but it is a claim only. Talks at diplomatic level have started and I hope all problems would be resolved through negotiation."

When his attention was drawn towards development on the other side of the border, Khandu said that during the Congress regime at the Centre there was no development in Arunachal Pradesh.

But the NDA government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is serious about development in the state, he added.

Khandu was here to address a rally of the tribals, organised by BJP s tribal wing, 'Janajati Morcha' on the occasion of International day of world s Indigenous people today.

The chief minister said, "Modi is the best Prime Minister of the country who paid attention to eradicate poverty and unemployment and tried to address the problems of indigenous people".

His (Modi) way of viewing the problems of north-eastern region is different than any other person and his able leadership can change the backwardness of the region, Khandu said.

He said that the CPI-M led Left Front government in Tripura should be ousted in the next assembly elections scheduled to be held in February next.

"I hope BJP would form government in the next elections in Tripura like that of Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. If lotus can bloom in our state it can bloom here also," he said.

Khandu said on August 9, 1942 Mahatma Gandhi had given a call of 'Quit India' for the Britishers and you have to give a call for the CPI-M to quit Tripura.
In Monsoons, when people live under lurking fear of snakes, she is eager to go nearer to the deadly reptile in dark hours in scary jungles of Himachal Pradesh, with a purpose.

Dr Anita Malhotra, 52, a molecular ecologist and evolutionary geneticist from Bangor University in North Wales in UK, is here for a daunting task to search the snakes in forests, take their venom and blood samples before quickly releasing them back in the habitat, as a part of bigger research across the country.

It is a part of parallel studies on geographic variation in venom of snake species and genetic differentiation. This is for in-depth taxonomic studies in holistic manner and will give leads to make snakebite treatment more specific, Dr Malhotra told The Statesman in an exclusive interview. She said it was a collaborative programme with European Union (EU) grants.

Malhotra is accompanied by internationally acclaimed snake conservationist from West Bengal, Vishal Santra for work in HP, with permission of forest department.

Dr Malhotra, an overseas citizen of India, had been a student of zoology at University of Oxford in UK and a Ph.D from University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

She has come back to the native country for research on the little explored subject, for a reason.

We shifted to UK from India when I was 15. In Kolkata, I found my school friends over-scared of snakes. I always wanted to find reasons. I started off by studying development of species, lizards and finally snakes, Dr Malhotra said, who did pioneer research on Asian Pit Viper (snake species) and even made an inventory of the reptiles in forests in Tamilnadu.

She had been trying to work in India, given a large variation in species of snakes in one single country, since 1997. It took me so long to work out tie-ups. Getting permission for collection of venom samples is tough, she said, adding that she hopes to do studies in West Bengal, Andaman & Nikobar islands and Sikkim, if permitted.

The research will directly help in streamlining ASV for snakebite treatment in India, where around 50,000 people die annually due to bites by snakes.

About 276 snake species are found in India, out of which 30 are venomous and the Big Four- Russells viper, Cobra, Common Krait and Saw scale viper-are most poisonous.

So far, a Cooperative Society in Tamilnadu supplies entire venom for production of Anti-Snake Venom (ASV) for snakebite treatment in the country.

As per experts, this ASV does work against the Big Four snake species, there are doubts about its efficacy in bites by other venomous snakes, going by deaths even after administration of ASV.

Even Cobra has different species, whose bites may cause different symptoms. Lot of work needs to be done on this, Dr Malhotra said.
A landmark study suggests that scientists could soon edit out genetic mutations to prevent babies being born with diseases.

The technique could eventually let doctors remove inherited conditions from embryos before they go on to become a child. That, in turn, opens the possibility for inherited diseases to be wiped out entirely, according to doctors. But experts have warned that urgent work is needed to answer the ethical and legal questions surrounding the work.

Though the scientists only edited out mutations that could cause diseases, it modified the nuclear DNA that sits right at the heart of the cell, which also influences personal characteristics such as intelligence, height, facial appearance and eye colour.

The breakthrough means that the possibility of germline genome editing has moved from future fantasy to the world of possibility, and the debate about its use, outside of fears about the safety of the technology, needs to run to catch up, said Professor Peter Braude from Kings College London.

Scientists warned that soon the public could demand such treatment and that the world might not be ready. Families with genetic diseases have a strong drive to find cures, said Yalda Jamshidi, reader in genomic medicine at St Georges, University of London.

Whilst we are just beginning to understand the complexity of genetic disease, gene-editing will likely become acceptable when its potential benefits, both to individuals and to the broader society, exceeds its risks. The new research, published in Nature, marks the first time the powerful Crispr-Cas9 tool has been used to fix mutations. The US study destroyed the embryos after just a few days and the work remains at an experimental stage. In the study, scientists fertilised donor eggs with sperm that included a gene that causes a type of heart failure.

As the eggs were fertilised, they also applied the gene-editing tool, which works like a pair of specific scissors and cuts away the defective parts of the gene. When those problematic parts are cut away, the cells can repair themselves with the healthy versions and so get rid of the mutation that causes the disease. Some 42 out of 58 embryos were fixed so that they didnt carry the mutation  stopping a disease that usually has a 50 per cent chance of being passed on.

If those embryos had been allowed to develop into children, then they would no longer have carried the disease. That would stop them from being vulnerable to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy  and would save their children, too. Every generation on would carry this repair because weve removed the disease-causing gene variant from that familys lineage, said Dr Shoukhrat Mitalipov, from Oregon Health and Science University, who led the study. By using this technique, its possible to reduce the burden of this inheritable disease on the family and eventually the human population.

The heart problem is just one of more than 10,000 conditions that are caused by an error in the gene. The same tool could be used to cut out faults for all of those, and eventually be used to target cancer mutations. The work could lead to treatments that would be given to patients, once it becomes more efficient and safe. Using such a treatment on humans is illegal in both the US and the UK  but some experts expect that law will soon be changed, and that the legal and ethical frameworks need to catch up with the technology. There is some suggestion that the editing work could take place in the UK.

Though using the research as treatment is illegal there as well as the US, the regulatory barriers are much higher in America and look unlikely to be changed. In the US, there are various regulations and restrictions on how embryos can be edited, including stipulations that such work cant be carried out with taxpayers money. UK regulators are more relaxed and liberal about those restrictions, leading to suggestions that it could eventually become the home of such work in the West.

The UK has become the first country that allows mitochondrial replacement therapy, another treatment that opponents warn could allow for the creation of designer babies. UK researchers can apply for a licence to edit human embryos in research, but offering it as a treatment is currently illegal, said a spokesperson for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which would regulate any such experiments.

Introducing new, controversial techniques is not just about developing the science  gene editing would need to offer new options to couples at risk of having a child with a genetic disease, beyond current treatments like embryo testing. Our experience of introducing mitochondrial donation in the UK shows that high-quality public discussion about the ethics of new treatments, expert scientific advice and a robust regulatory system are crucial when considering new treatments of this kind.

Doctors said that any change in the law would have to strictly keep such treatment to being used for medical reasons, and not for designer babies that have other characteristics edited out. It may be that some countries never permit germline genome editing because of moral and ethical concerns, said Professor Joyce Harper from University College London. If the law in the UK was changed to allow genome editing, it would be highly regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, as is PGD, to ensure it is only used for medical reasons.

But that work has already received significant opposition. Dr David King, director of the Human Genetics Alert, which opposes all tampering with the human genome, said, If irresponsible scientists are not stopped, the world may soon be presented with a fait accompli of the first genetically-modified baby.

We call on governments and international organisations to wake up and pass an immediate global ban on creating cloned or GM babies, before it is too late. Professor Robin Lovell-Badge from the Francis Crick Institute said the research only appears to work when the father is carrying the defective gene, and that it would not work for more sophisticated alterations.

The possibility of producing designer babies, which is unjustified in any case, is now even further away, he said.

(The independent)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condoled the passing away of BJP MP Sanwar Lal Jat, who was in a coma following a cardiac arrest on 22 July.

Anguished by the demise of MP & former Union Minister, Shri Sanwar Lal Jat. This is a big loss for the BJP & the nation. My condolences, tweeted Modi.

Shri Sanwar Lal Jat worked extensively for wellbeing of villages & farmers. My thoughts are with his family & supporters in this sad hour, he added.

He had fell unconscious during a meeting chaired by party chief Amit Shah in Jaipur on 22 July and was rushed to Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital.

The 62-year-old Ajmer MP was shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi on 27 July via air ambulance.

Jat had defeated Congress leader Sachin Pilot in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and had served as Minister of State for Water Resources in the Narendra Modi government.
The Sahara Group on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court asking it to put on hold the auction of Aamby Valley.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Sahara Group, mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, and sought to push back the publication of the sale notice and also for more time to review Sahara's payment plan.

On July 25, the apex court had asked Sahara chief Subrata Roy to deposit Rs 1,500 crore  a part payment of Rs 24,000 crore that two group companies had raised from the investors.

Directing the sum be deposited by September 7, the court had permitted Roy to place before them a reasonable plan for the payment of balance amount over a period of 18 months  as he had himself sought.

As it cleared all the terms and conditions submitted by Bombay High Court's official liquidator for floating a global tender to invite bids for the auction of Aamby Valley, the court had said that if Sahara pays Rs 1,500 crore by September 7 and submits a plan, it would stall the process of auctioning Aamby Valley.

However, it was subject to payment of this sum, the court had said. The amount also include balances of Rs 305 crore that Roy has yet to pay from his last instalment that he was to submit by June 15.

On April 16, the court had asked the Bombay High Court's official liquidator to evaluate and auction the Aamby Valley property of the Sahara Group. The liquidator had said that the Aamby Valley market value is Rs 37,390 crore and the fair value is Rs 43,000 crore.

The Sahara India Real Estate Corporation Ltd. and the Sahara Housing Investment Corporation Limited had raised Rs 24,000 crore through optionally fully convertible debentures in 2007 and 2008. The top court by its August 31, 2012, order had directed Sahara to refund this amount with 15 per cent interest.

The court has been recovering money from the group in instalments. Sahara has paid Rs 16,000 crore till now.
The clamorous exchanges between India and China of recent days did much to sour the atmosphere and exaggerate bilateral differences but did not do much to provide necessary information about what is at issue, let alone indicate how best to find a way through the problem.

In the superheated atmosphere, a sense of near crisis was created in what is a sensitive part of the border, with reports of deliberate violation of the status quo trickling out, leading to strong official statements from either side. China has been uncommonly forceful in blaming India and pushing its demand for withdrawal by India as a prelude to any move towards amicable settlement, while India has stuck to its guns and refused to bow before Chinese demands.

With both parties in non-compromising mood, it looked very much as if they were in an impasse from which extraction would be tough, with the added complication of having to deal with a stirred public opinion ready to castigate anything that looked like a climb down. In these circumstances, it was a bold step by the External Affairs Minister to call for diplomatic action to resolve the present difficulties, rather than adding to the tough talk that over the last few weeks has reverberated loudly in the Himalayas.

Only a few of the torrent of comments on the subject took a calmer view and pointed out that diplomatic exchanges were needed if incidents were to be avoided, but the general tenor of the media commentary has been strong and uncompromising.

It is inly now, after the high level intervention of the External Affairs Minister herself, and her calling for diplomatic action to resolve the present difficulty, that it has begun to look as if the differences may be brought under control. It is already noticeable, after the Ministers intervention, that the harsh exchanges between the two sides have given way to more reasonable statements that can open the way to better results.

This is far from being the first time there has been a faceoff along the border; there have been plenty of comparable incidents in the past, but the two countries have succeeded in keeping matters under control and preventing dangerous escalation of their differences. They have instituted a process of regular consultations on border matters that has permitted them to deal with problematic issues before they become dangerous; nevertheless, it is an armed frontier and caution is enjoined on the two countries lest relatively small differences escalate into bigger confrontations that nobody wants.

Moreover, in Doklam there is a third party to be taken into account, Bhutan, which in fact had first sounded the alarm when it found China pushing into unresolved border areas that it had been discussing with China for years without final settlement.

And as the sensitivity of the mountain border has been made plain through discussions over more than half-a-century there is every reason to exercise great care when it comes to any action on the ground that can alter the status quo ~ like the Chinese road near the trijunction that started the recent sequence of events. To hark back to some of the previous tricky situations along the border, a few decades ago there was an India-China confrontation in the Sumdorung Chu area, where there was an unexpected buildup of military forces and sharp rhetorical exchanges that threatened at one stage to be leading to military events.

It took high-level exchanges, and much discussion between civil and military personnel from the two countries, to be able to find a satisfactory way out of what had become a threatening situation. A successful visit to China by Indias PM, Rajiv Gandhi, had a salutary effect in improving the overall tenor of the relationship and paved the way for resolution of specific problems like that of Sumdorung Chu.

In essence, what the two sides were ultimately able to agree was mutual withdrawal of their military posts from the most advanced positions in a manner that in effect reaffirmed the previous status quo. And in order to remove the risk of inadvertent violation with its attendant danger of escalation, it was agreed that military posts in the area would be located away from eyeball-toeyeball range of each other, that is to say, beyond the range of the small arms weapons with which the soldiers were equipped.

That arrangement has worked satisfactorily in restoring calm to what had once been a tense and threatening section of the border, and could perhaps provide a useful precedent when it comes to the current issues in the trijunction area. Another notable initiative, in an entirely different section of the border, and again at the instance of MEA, is to reopen crossLOC trade at Uri where it had been re-started some years ago to considerable satisfaction in J-K, where it brought benefit to many traders and signified a useful thaw in Indo-Pak relations.

In the event, revived cross-LOC trade flourished greatly, to the extent that in some respects it was able to edge out the regular trade across the international border, but more recently this trade has been in the doldrums owing to misuse of the facilities by unscrupulous elements. A particularly unacceptable effort by some persons from the other side of the LOC is to use that route for smuggling drugs like heroin into India, and this has compelled the Indian authorities to intervene; media reports suggest that Indias NIA has disfavoured the cross-LOC trade for the security risks it can pose. In these circumstances, it is a bold move by MEA to indicate support for cross-LOC trade restoration, which will gratify traders in J-K as something that will bring them considerable benefit.

These recent developments show a more outspoken MEA, which is to be welcomed, for that Ministry needs to be in command if foreign policy is to have consistency and continuity. In this context, it should be noted that the official head of MEA has said that relations with China remain the Ministrys chief priority.

At the same time, it was pointed out that in many respects relations between the two countries are doing well, especially in economic matters. These exchanges are valued by India, and as it prepares for more than one regional and interregional Summit meeting in the next few months where the leaders will meet, it is salutary that MEA has been able to begin to set the scene for constructive dialogue.

Border problems cannot be wished away and need to be addressed with necessary seriousness. But we should not lose sight of broader bilateral issues and opportunities.

(The writer is India's former Foreign Secretary)
Lalu Yadavs family sees a silver lining in the collapse of the mahagathbandhan government in Bihar. His kids say their father has been rejuvenated in the role in which he is the most comfortable: that of an opposition leader. Apparently, Lalu is all over the place, meeting people, planning rallies, thinking of new ways to attack the BJP and Nitish Kumar and most importantly, trying to get opposition leaders together into an anti-Modi front for the 2019 parliamentary poll. His plans stand for the joint opposition rally in Patna on August 27.

The highlight will be the showcasing of BSP chief Mayawati and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav on one platform, if Lalu is able to get them to come as he is hoping. Significantly, Lalu has also changed his eating habits. He had become a pure vegetarian when he was jailed for his role in the fodder scam. He is now back to eating non-vegetarian food, mainly fish, rather than red meat, because of health issues.

Lalu was a formidable politician in his heyday. He was easily the most popular public speaker of his times and was in great demand to address rallies and election meetings. But as events proved later, he was a better opposition leader than an administrator. In power, he got embroiled in corruption scandals and promoting his family instead of governing. Now that he is back in the opposition and pitted against two old enemies, the BJP and Nitish, his family is hoping that the old spark will return to revive the RJDs flagging political fortunes.

Comedy of errors

It was a comedy of errors on the day the Modi government failed to muster up enough numbers in the Rajya Sabha to push through the bill giving constitutional status to the backward classes commission. At least five senior ministers were trapped outside the House in the lobbies and couldnt get inside for the voting because the Watch and Ward staff declined to open the doors for them under the watchful eyes of the opposition.

According to convention, when the bill is a constitutional amendment, there has to be a division when voting takes place so that the numbers can be counted. When the bell rings for the voting to commence, the doors to the lobbies are shut and locked so that no one can get in and no one can go out. Only members of the House are permitted to sit inside. It so happened that on the fateful day, five BJP ministers rushed to the House only when the bell for voting was rung. It was too late.

By the time they reached, the doors were shut and locked. They appealed to the Parliament security staff to open the doors for them but they declined. Inside, opposition leaders kept an eagle eye on the security staff to ensure that no BJP member was allowed to slip inside against the rules. There was chaos in the lobbies as the ministers ran from door to door to get one opened. As the security staff stood their ground, one minister was seen running into the officials gallery and trying to jump over the balustrade into the House. He stopped when he saw opposition leaders raise their hands to object to this behavior.

Meanwhile, word reached the PMs office in Parliament that the bill was going to fall because of lack of government numbers. Leader of the House Arun Jaitley was seen going into the Chairmans chamber at least twice to receive telephone calls which presumably came from the PMs office asking for details of what was happening. With the opposition standing firm on keeping the doors closed after the voting bell had rung, the security staff had no option but to refuse requests from the ministers to allow them in.

The result was acute embarrassment for the government which had to watch its proposed sop to the OBCs fall in the Rajya Sabha. Worse still, the pathetic performance of the BJP and its inability to herd its flock inside the House to stack up the required number of votes came just a week after Narendra Modi had fired his MPs for high absenteeism. Yeh bardasht nahin hoga, he had thundered at his parliamentary party meeting. Clearly, the MPs were not listening.

Feud simmers

The feud in the Samajwadi Party continues unabated despite its recent humiliating defeat in the UP polls. Mulayam Singh snubbed cousin and party floor leader in the Rajya Sabha Ram Gopal Yadav by staying away from a dinner held to celebrate his silver jubilee year as a parliamentarian. Curiously, Mulayam had accepted the invitation and assured Ram Gopal that he would be present at the dinner.

The celebratory party was hosted at a five star hotel in the capital by SP MP Naresh Agarwal. The whos who of Parliament was present, including Narendra Modi himself. An array of BJP ministers turned up as did several Congress leaders and MPs from other parties. But Mulayam Singh did not show his face. The SP patriarchs absence underlines how ugly the family feud has become.

Jinxed bench

The latest joke in the Rajya Sabha is about a jinxed front bench where nonBJP, non-Congress leaders sit. Look at the fate of the four who occupy this bench. Mayawati has just quit from the Rajya Sabha and is working desperately to revive her sagging political career. CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury has been denied a third term in Parliament because of an internal power tussle and the partys hide-bound rules.

Ram Gopal Yadavs party is being torn apart by a raging family feud. And the fourth occupant, Sharad Yadav, may soon be partyless too as he and Nitish lock horns over the latters decision to join hands with the BJP in Bihar.
Whether Indian democracy can survive another election of the kind just witnessed in Gujarat is a query that must exercise thinking people.

For it arises as much from the outcome of the elections to the Rajya Sabha from the state as the shenanigans in the run-up to the prestige (for want of an appropriate antonym) clash in which the BJPs electoral mastermind had to suffer an ego-deflating snub ~ that too on home turf.

Ideally the narrative should have focused on Amit Shahs maiden entry into Parliament, and Smriti Irani and Ahmed Patel returning to the Upper House; but, alas since 2014, elections, at any level, have ceased to be straightforward and the attention was concentrated on Shahs bid to unseat the key political aide to Sonia Gandhi.

A mission in which he failed: despite members of the union cabinet engaging in an ugly show of strength at the Election Commission of India. That Shah was at centre of the controversy which resulted in the EC, in a reassuring assertion of its independence, invalidating two cross votes by BJP-enticed Congress MLAs proves that there is a limit to electoral manipulation.

And since there is none in the BJP firmament to advise the Prime Minister to shun distasteful power-hunger, there is reason to apprehend even worse from the party in coming polls ~ the descent of the ministerial council on Nirvachan Sadan may be a sign of things to come.

Nor, alas, is there anyone around in the Congress party who can convince the family that its time has run out ~ a Jairam Ramesh may wax eloquent in the media but is unlikely to support any initiative for a leadership revamp.

For the defection from the Congress ranks in Gujarat only points to an impending implosion. The systematic decimation of those who looked beyond the family has taken its toll. No need to list the governments it has surrendered because the inept Rahul Gandhi still handles the helm.

And it would be a cockeyed optimistic who thinks that Ahmed Patels scraping through on Tuesday night will trigger a rejuvenation of the party of Sultans without a sultanate, as Jairam put it. Madam may feel vindicated but for how long?

The sub-plots at Gandhinagar point to Nitish Kumar losing his grip over the Janata Dal (U) ~ its lone MLAs contradictory positions were ludicrous ~ and Sharad Pawars double-dealing ran true to form. Perhaps only the Election Commission emerged with some honour.

Though it would be valid to ask why its local officials could not have stymied the BJP at the outset, and why its headquarters was allowed to be blatantly bombarded by political heavyweights
A multiplicity of school boards cannot attain the noble objectives of the Right to Education Act. This is quite the most charitable construct that can be placed upon the West Bengal governments decision to set up a separate board for English-medium schools, most particularly the missionary institutions.

On the face of it, this will be in addition to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE), the Central board that conducts the CBSE exam, and the two state boards for the Secondary and Higher Secondary exams.

Not that the likes of Partha Chatterjee are unaware that many of these English-medium schools impart the best instruction. As education minister, he is grappling with a turmoil of ideas, as most education ministers are prone to.

Unwittingly or otherwise, he emulates his CPI-M predecessor, Kanti Biswas, who in 2005 had wanted to turn the screws on Anglo-Indian schools, notably by determining their fee structure and the terms of teachers appointment. The move was generally criticised even within the Left, and it is quite another story that he wasnt nominated for the 2006 assembly election.

As reported in this newspaper, the raison detre of the new board is to ensure that these schools enforce the governments norms to facilitate state regulation.

This is bound to impinge on the autonomy of Anglo-Indian schools, which function with the Church as the overarching entity. As much is clear from the ministers statement that at times the schools affiliated to the CISCE do not follow our instructions.

Sad to reflect, there is little to distinguish the praxis of the Trinamul government from that of the CPI-M. Of course, the Lefts education minister didnt have his way.

Chatterjees politically-driven initiative does call for reflection, as does the Centres dithering over detention and more recently the move to hold a common examination in Class 5 and 8. Small wonder that the second has been stoutly opposed by the schools generally.

The function of the board has been left delightfully vague by the minister, pending the legislation which is said to be on the anvil.

But should a pragmatic school of learning have its way, the Bill, crafted by Chatterjee, may be expected to buttress the states agenda to monitor the fee structure and to frame its own norms. The breathless initiative comes after a bout of simulated bonhomie at a meeting convened by the Chief Minister with Lady Principals at Town Hall recently. There was no verbal demarche on fees, unlike the interaction with the authorities of private hospitals.

It must remain open to question whether a board run by the state government can ensure that the fees are not exorbitant, as the minister imagines. The government ought to be riveted to the other issue ~ donations for admission.
Anno Domini 2017 marks the golden anniversary of the people of Tamil Nadu opting out of the mainstream politics of the nation and placing their trust on regional parties. During the last 50 years the state has been ruled alternatively by the Dravida Munnetra Kazaham and the All India Dravida Munnetra Kazaham, described as koothadi parties by the late lamented Kamaraj.

Chief Ministers of these two parties like CN Annadurai and M Karunanidhi of the DMK and MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalitha of the AIADMK, came into politics after successful careers in cinema either as screenplay and dialogue writers or as actors.

When Jayalalitha passed away in December last after almost ruining the State and shaming its citizens by the kind of politics she played, there was a sigh of relief the makebelieve programmes of the celluloid era has ended and the people could look forward to the halcyon days of genuine politics and progress.

The ruling AIADMK, left leaderless by Jayalalitha, has split into three factions and has ceased to be a force, but it is being propped up by the BJP government at the Centre.

To make this chaos worse confounded super star Rajinikanth is planning to add his version of politics. Tamilisai Sounderarajan, chief of the BJPs Tamil Nadu unit, gave her twist to the gathering storm saying that Rajinis politics is against corruption and the BJP is ideally suited for him.

His fan-club members and political leaders he has been consulting, however, caution him against joining the BJP as the people of Tamil Nadu will not support the saffron party, placing Rajinikanth in the Hamletian dilemma of to-enter-ornot-enter the mugs game of politics.

Having conquered Tamil filmdom and egged on by the BJP, Rajinikanth finds Fort St George, seat of the Tamil Nadu government, irresistible.

Having been a super star, he does not want to play second fiddle in the BJP. He does not mind launching his own party to become the Chief Minister and keeping his outfit as a constituent of the BJPled National Democratic Alliance.

His proposed entry into politics has already prompted another popular Tamil film star, Kamal Haasan, to take up the cudgels.

With his pro-DMK bias, he is likely to join the United Progressive Alliance. That the people of Tamil Nadu are after film stars to lead them politically is a myth. Sivaji Ganesan, the greatest film star Tamil Nadu has ever produced, dabbled in Congress politics in his salad days, but came a cropper when he launched his own political party.

Actor couple Sarathkumar and Radhika had been star campaigners for the DMK and the AIADMK at election times. The All-India Samathuva Makkal Katchi launched by them flopped.

Enamoured of the success of Jayalalitha in politics, Vijayakanth, dubbed as Karuppu (black) MGR, launched the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagham and offered himself as the Chief Minister candidate in the 2016 Assembly election. His party drew a blank and has started fading out of the Tamil Nadu political horizon.

Another popular film star-turned politician, Seeman, who heads the Naam Thamizhar Katchi, is opposed to settlers aspiring to become Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu. Though he has a huge fan following, his party could not win a single seat in the Tamil Nadu Assembly so far.

Post-independence politics in Tamil Nadu has been influenced by the Aryan-Dravidian divide. According to this belief, Dravidians were the original inhabitants of India. The invading Aryans took over the north and pushed the Dravidians southward and imposed their caste system on a Samathva Dravidian society.

Though this division may be historically incorrect, political parties in Tamil Nadu are sustained by this myth and the masses subscribe to this theory. Rajinikanth, though declared himself as a pucca Tamil, is a Gaekwad of Maharashtra origin. To what extent he will be politically acceptable to Tamil masses remains to be seen.

From being a bus conductor in Karnataka, Rajinikanth moved to Tamil Nadu 44 years ago and became a super star. My being a successful actor is gods blessing. Tomorrow, if I enter the political arena, god willing, I will not take any one who is coming with me with a view to making money.

Such people can move out right away. I will follow only the path of truth and justice, he told a recent meeting of his fan club and said, I have attained this stage in life only because of the people of Tamil Nadu who have given me name, fame and money. What is wrong if I aspire to serve for the welfare of the same people who have given me everything? Claiming the system was bad, democracy was spoilt and the people were not happy about the present political scenario and wanted a change, he exhorted his fans to bring about that change.

As Tamil Nadu is in the grip of severe drought, he has advised his fanclubs in Thanjavur a yaagam for Varahi Amman in the Big Temple there on 3 September. When MGR was the Chief Minister and Chennai was starved of drinking water supply, he brought a conman from Kerala who claimed he could bring rain and stop it.

The death of Jayalalitha and the retirement of Karunanidhi from active politics have left a vacuum in Tamil Nadu politics. Rajinikanth considers himself as the best candidate to fill that void.

No film star without prior involvement in public life has ever succeeded in politics in Tamil Nadu. To the DMK goes the credit of using the medium of cinema for political propaganda. Annadurai said once that it took 10,000 political meetings to convey one message which could be delivered in a single movie.

MGR, who had been acting swashbuckling action roles, was weaned by Karunanidhi for playing political propaganda roles. Gradually MGRs screen persona reflected the DMK image. He always played the underdog, fighting oppression and injustice and built up his image as a man who did no wrong.

It helped him establish himself as a righteous political leader though in reality he was quite different. Electoral malpractices like distributing cash for votes was introduced by him first in Pondicherry and then in Tamil Nadu. Jayalalitha improved on it by wholesale purchase of voters. Her rise in politics has nothing to do with her career in films. Charisma, glamour and intelligence stood her in good stead in politics.

She had a godfather in MGR who launched her political career. Before long, she posed a threat to MGRs own leadership of the AIADMK he founded. His efforts to cut her to size did not succeed. Much to the dismay of AIADMK veterans, she captured the party after the death of MGR by defeating her mentors wife, Janaki Ramachandran, and went on to become Chief Minister thrice.

The only film star in south India to make it to the top in politics was NT Rama Rao in Andhra Pradesh. After an exceedingly successful career in films for four decades, he developed an urge to serve the people on his 60th birthday. Within 10 months of launching his Telugu Desam Party he ousted the firmly entrenched Congress from power in Andhra Pradesh.

Those were the days Indira Gandhi used to change Chief Ministers at the drop of a hat. The people who voted the Congress to power had no say in the shenanigans of the partys high command. Rajiv Gandhi, then a greenhorn in politics, insulted Chief Minister T Anjiiah in public at the Begumpet airport in Hyderabad for arranging a lavish welcome for the visiting Congress leader, and had Anjiah removed from office.

This boorish behaviour of Rajiv Gandhi deeply hurt the sentiments of the Telugu people. In this atmosphere, Rama Rao offered to restore Telugu pride and self-respect and it clicked.

Devoid of political skills and lacking in administrative experience, Rama Rao could not sustain the peoples affection for long. His own son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu staged a bloodless coup, took control of the TDP and captured power. The popular view that stardom in film is the road to success in politics is not borne out in reality.

(The writer is a veteran journalist and former Director of The Statesman Print Journalism School)
Sanctions have become the bulwark of the international systemfrom Iran to North Korea via the junta in Myanmar. That truism gets reflected in the latest cache of crippling curbs imposed on North Korea by the UN Security Council, though the reprisal in response to the second ICBM test was masterminded by Donald Trumps America.

In point of fact, the resolution, crafted by the US, was accepted without a word of disapproval from China and Russia. The unanimous adoption of sanctions, despite the occasionally overbearing presence of the representatives of Beijing and Moscow, was without question a rare triumph of diplomacy, indeed the comity of nations. This must be reckoned as the striking feature of what has collectively been projected as UN action against Kim Jong-uns North Korea, more importantly its militarist postures.

The economic connotation can be hugely damaging, not least the ban on exports worth over $ one billion for a cloistered country whose total exports were valued at $ 3 billion last year. Clearly, reports that the missile was capable of striking at Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York besides Alaska would appear to have unnerved the West. Small wonder that last weeks sanctions signify the single largest economic reprisal ever targeted against North Korea. The US has had its way in the Security Council after having stumbled in its dealings with Syria in the face of opposition from China and Russia.

For the resolution, which bears the imprint of the White House, also bans additional permits to North Korean labourers ~ believed to be a source of funds for the regime in Pyongyang. Prohibited too are new joint ventures with North Korean companies, matched with a ban on foreign investments in the existing ones.

The fineprint of the sanctions is obvious ~ to ratchet up the economic pressure on Pyongyang and compel the hermit kingdom to head for the negotiating table, there to take a call on its nuclear and missile programmes.

Thus far, there is not the faintest indication that it will; rather the North has threatened what it calls a thousand-fold vendetta against the US, recalling Zulfiqar Ali Bhuttos muscle-flexing after the 1971 war and the emergence of Bangladesh. Six rounds of sanctions have already been imposed, and these have failed to suspend North Koreas ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programmes.

The latest resolution bans the export of coal, iron, lead and seafood products, representing onethird of last years exports and estimated to be worth $ one billion. Nine officials have been mentioned in the blacklist, banning their travel and freezing their assets. This can be contextualised with the asset-freeze on two companies and two banks.

The UN sanctions are as sweeping as they are potentially crippling for the economy. Yet to bring the Kim regime to its knees is a different kettle of fish altogether.
The Central Criminal Court of Iraq on Tuesday sentenced 27 people to death for their role in a massacre of up to 1,700 soldiers in northern Iraq by militants from the Islamic State jihadist group, said a local media report.

The condemned men can appeal the sentences issued by the High Judicial Council for the June 2014 massacre at Camp Speicher, northwest of Tikrit, the Iraqinews.com website cited a court spokesman as saying.

When it overran the city of Tikrit in June 2014, IS executed an unknown number of Iraqi army recruits at the Camp after they surrendered, threw dozens of the bodies in the Tigris River and buried hundreds in mass graves, from which 89 corpses have since been discovered.

IS said at the time of the massacre that it had executed 1,700 Shia soldiers who had surrendered while 800 Sunni troops had been "pardoned".

Photos and videos published by IS at the time showed soldiers being lined up and shot at various locations and dumped out of trucks into shallow graves.

Tuesday's death sentences were the latest batch passed in connection with the Camp Speicher killings. 36 men were hanged a year ago for their part in the massacre after the government put then on a fast-track to capital punishment  a move strongly criticised by the United Nations and rights groups.

IS's capture of Tikrit was part of a wider assault that saw the group capture swathes of Iraq and Syria and declare the northern Iraqi city of Mosul the capital of its self-styled caliphate in June 2014.

The group still holds a few areas of Iraq, in Anbar, Salahuddin, Diyala and Kirkuk, according to Iraqinews.com.

The Iraqi government said in July it had concluded a more than nine-month-long military campaign to liberate Mosul from IS.
Iran dismissed as "bizarre" the allegations by a Saudi diplomat in Kabul about Tehran's alleged links to Taliban militants and armed groups inside Afghanistan, Press TV reported on Tuesday.

Iranian embassy in Kabul said the allegations by Mishari al-Harbi, the Saudi charge d'affaires in Kabul, are "baseless and groundless," according to its statement.

The remarks by the Saudi official were also described as "unprofessional and divisive".

Tehran reiterates in the statement its principal policy in supporting Afghanistan's peace and stability, and said it still believes that the war-ravaged country should turn into a place for constructive interaction among states.

The Saudi diplomat had recently accused Iran of supporting the Taliban militants in Afghanistan.
North Korea on Wednesday threatened to attack the US' military bases on Guam island just hours after the American President Donald Trump raised the tone of his warnings to Pyongyang and the Pentagon sent B-1B bombers to the Korean peninsula again, a media report said.

North Korea is "now carefully examining the operational plan for making an enveloping fire at the areas around Guam with the medium-to-long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12," a spokesperson for the Korean People's Army (KPA) said in a statement issued by the state agency KCNA.

US Andersen Air Force Base on Guam hosts the nuclear-capable B-1B strategic bombers, which were sent back by the US to the Korean peninsula on Tuesday, according to Yonhap news agency, citing South Korean military sources.

"In the morning of August 8 the air pirates of Guam again appeared in the sky above South Korea to stage a mad-cap drill simulating an actual war," the North Korean spokesperson added, accusing Washington of mobilizing strategic nuclear assets from Guam or California.

North Korea's statement was released just hours after Trump warned the Kim Jong-un regime that it "will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it does not stop threatening the US, Efe news reported.

Pyongyang's previous intimidating statements condemned the latest package of UN sanctions, implemented in the wake of the regime's weapons programs, and threatened to carry out "physical actions" against the US territory.

These latest sanctions are the most severe package approved to date, as they seek to reduce North Korean export revenues by about $1 billion (one-third of the total) a year.

The UN sanctions came as a response to North Korea's first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch on July 4, which was a successful milestone, which was followed by a second missile launch of the same type on July 28.

Pyongyang's continued missile tests have raised tensions on the Korean peninsula and hardened the rhetoric of Donald Trump's administration, which has hinted at the possibility of pre-emptive strikes against North Korea.
The last days of the Newfie Pride

There were many nights he didnt sleep. The numbers and scenarios turned over and over in his mind, making rest impossible. Id get up two, three oclock in the morning, night after night, come out to the kitchen table and work the numbers every ...
Bears clinch third seed, face LaGrange Saturday The Bears closed out their regular season last week with a win over Southeast Bulloch 17-7 in Brooklet. In doing so, they clinched the number three seed and will travel to face the Region 4, number two seed, LaGrange Grangers, this Saturday in Calloway Stadium. This marks the 16th straight...

Bears Parker on the mend After collapsing on the sidelines at Wayne County just over a week ago from a sudden heart, Burke County head football coach, Eric Parker, is home and recovering and, even, doing a little bit of work. Im on light desk duty, Parker said. I cant have anything to do with...

EBA heads to playoffs The Edmund Burke Academy Spartans head for the playoffs this week after a tough rivalry matchup that resulted in a 10-17 loss Friday, November 4 against Briarwood. "Our defense stepped up throughout the game making fourth down stops and causing two Briarwood turnovers, said Head coach Andy Woodard. Our team...

Plant Vogtles United Way campaign The Edmund Burke Academy cheerleading squad assisted in kicking off Plant Vogtles United Way campaign October 25. The annual Plant Vogtle United Way Campaign kicked off Tuesday, Oct. 25, and will continue through Nov. 18, with employees and contractors helping meet the sites $350,000 goal through various fundraisers during the...
Patnaik's close aides say that to understand him, one has to understand his empathy

By Pratul Sharma/Photos Sanjay Ahlawat
Equity markets declined for the third day on Wednesday. After tumbling 259 points on Tuesday, the benchmark BSE Sensex slipped 216 points on Wednesday, tracking weak global cues as investors sweated over mounting tensions between US and North Korea.

Domestically, some profit booking was also seen, while investors were worried over Securities and Exchange Board of India's crackdown on shell companies this week. On Tuesday, the market regulator had issued a circular to stock exchanges to take action against 331 listed companies, which included several mid-size profitable companies. Trading in these firms has been restricted to just once a month.

On Wednesday, the Sensex closed 216 points or 0.7 per cent lower at 31,797.84 and the Nifty50 declined 70 points or 0.7 per cent to 9,908.05 points.

Globally, geopolitical tensions, President Donald Trump warning North Korea it could expect fire and fury if it continued to threaten the US and Pyongyang in turn threatening retaliation, singed equity markets, with investors scurrying for safe haven assets like gold. In international markets, gold rose 0.6 per cent to around $1,268 an ounce.

Rising geopolitical tensions resulted in market indices ending lower for third consecutive session today amid some more profit booking, said Sanjeev Zarbade, vice president, private client group research, Kotak Securities.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei Stock Average tumbled 1.3 per cent, South Korea's Kospi declined 1.1 per cent and other major markets like Hong Kong's Hang Seng, Singapore's Straits Times, and China's Shanghai Composite also ended in the red.

Most European markets were also trading lower, with London's FTSE 100 down 0.8 per cent, and France's CAC40, German DAX and Madrid General Index slipping around 1.50 per cent.

Back home, the Sensex, which had rallied 21 per cent since January this year, has now declined 528 points or 1.6 per cent over last three trading sessions.

Pharma, auto and select bank stocks were among the major losers on Wednesday.

Analysts said the equity markets were trading at relatively higher valuations, the Sensex price-to-equity ratio was at over 24 times, against the last ten years average of around 19 times; and with a broader earnings pickup yet to be seen, strong inflows alone couldn't sustain these valuations.

Faith and hope have driven Indian markets to a level where the gap between perception and ground realities is stark...We believe, investing more and more based on the assumption that liquidity alone would continue to support can prove to be futile and risky at this juncture, said A.V. Srikanth, CEO of Citadelle Asset Advisors.

He feels corporate earnings could blip for a couple of quarters due to rollout of the Goods and Services Tax before there is any meaningful revival in earnings. However, the market needs to tone down lofty expectations of earnings growth, he added.

Kotak's Zarbade also advised investors to be extremely cautious, particularly in the wake of Sebi's action against 331 firms, suspected of being shell companies.

In the context of the recent announcement by Sebi, we reiterate that investors to strictly invest in companies with good corporate governance and strong balance sheets, he said.

Analysts, however, remain confident on the medium-to-long-term growth prospects of the equity markets.
A day after Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) urged action against 331 listed firms suspected to be shell companies, a few of them like J Kumar Infraprojects, Parsvnath Developers and Prakash Industries have moved the Securities and Appellate Tribunal (SAT) against the regulator's circular. A few other companies may also follow suit and take a similar course seeking to get the restrictions on their trading lifted.

Sebi had sent a circular to stock exchanges late on Tuesday, urging them to take action against the 331 listed firms. The circular was based on a list sent by the ministry of corporate affairs. Trading in these firms has since been restricted to just once a month (first Monday of every month). Any upward price movement would not be permitted beyond the last traded price while additional surveillance deposit of 200 per cent of trade value would be collected from the buyers.

Apart from penny stocks, many of those named in the Sebi list also included mid-size profitable companies, in which many domestic and foreign institutions have investments. These companies had cried foul on Tuesday of them being suspected as shell companies.

SAT has reportedly asked Sebi if it had done an independent investigation on the companies named in the circular.

Companies like J Kumar Infraproects, Parsvnath Developers and Prakash Industries issued statements highlighting their financial performance and had urged Sebi and exchanges to lift trading restrictions on them.

J Kumar Infraprojects, which is executing several infrastructure projects across the country, including parts of the Mumbai Metro and Delhi Metro, said it is mulling legal recourse.

J Kumar Infraprojects is not a shell company and the suspension of the regulator is uncalled for. We are seeking legal advice in the matter and we are approaching the regulator requesting it to recall its direction, the company said.

Prakash Industries also said, we are not a company which by any stretch of imagination be termed as such and we are healthy profit making company having an annual turnover of Rs 2,400 crore and profit of Rs 78 crore during financial year 2016-17.

Experts feel that these companies should have been given time to respond and defend their case, before directly restricting their trading on bourses.

Sebi has asked stock exchanges to seek documents from the companies and verify their credentials and fundamentals.

National Stock Exchange says only 48 of the companies named in the circular are listed on NSE and of those 10 had already been suspended before Sebi issued the directive.

"The exchange has already commenced the process of collecting information, as advised by Sebi and will be reporting to Sebi after completing the exercise," it said in a statement.
In a late night drama that unfolded at the Swarnim Sankul in Gandhinagar, Congress leader Ahmed Patel made it for the fifth time to the Rajya Sabha, dashing the ruling BJP's dreams of finishing the Congress in Gujarat ahead of assembly elections due by the year end.

Patel had the last laugh in an edge-of the-seat fight against BJP's Balwantsinh Rajput, a Congress rebel who was until recently the opposition party's chief whip in the state assembly. While Patel secured 44 votes, Rajput could manage only 38.

Soon after the results were announced, celebrations broke out in the Congress camp and continued till early morning, a rarity in case of Rajya Sabha elections. For the BJP, which was on celebration mode since evening and had arranged for three bouquets, the news of one of its candidates losing was a dampner of sorts.

National BJP president Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani also emerged victorious with both getting 46 votes each. Three seats had fallen vacant this month in the state that sends 11 Rajya Sabha candidates.

The RS elections in Gujarat turned out to be a closely watched contest with the candidature of Patel, the political adviser to Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Six Congress MLAs, including Rajput, quit from their posts ahead of the RS elections. The contest became more interesting after the Congress ferried 44 of its MLAs to Bengaluru to counter alleged poaching from the BJP. Some of the MLAs of the opposition Congress had alleged that the BJP was using money and muscle power and threatening them, of which the BJP has been in the denial. The Gujarat assembly has a strength of 182 legislators.

Considered as the power centre and the Chanakya in the Congress circles, it was also a prestige battle for Patel because a defeat would have meant decrease in his political clout. As expected, it was not a smooth journey for Patel ever since the elections were announced and the nominations were filed. Though the BJP did not have the numbers to send three candidates to the Upper House (it had the strength to send two), it banked on cross-voting and Congress rebels.

However, with the midnight drama at the election centre unfolding in favour of the Congress, Patel's chances of victory became clear on Tuesday. The Election Commission late last night cancelled votes of two Congress rebelsRaghavji Patel and Bholabhaiwho had voted in favour of the BJP. The Congress had demanded cancellation of their votes as they had shown the ballot papers to others (from the BJP) as well, instead of showing it only to the Congress election agent.

Congress leaders, including Shaktisinh Gohil, raised an objection when the election officer said he alone would see the video and take the decision.

The BJP and the Congress leaders thronged the Election Commission's office in New Delhi to make representations and finally the verdict on vote counting came at 11.30 pm Tuesday night. The counting was to begin at 5 pm.

Patel's victory has provided the much needed impetus to the Congress as the rank and file would now feel better placed to take on the BJP in the upcoming assembly elections.

On the other hand, for the BJP it is a defeat in Shah's home state and more so when he is considered the master strategist and a master of numbers. A day before the election, he had convened a meeting of the party MLAs, where he had even given instructions on how to vote in order to ensure that all the three BJP candidates emerged victorious.

Meanwhile, Tuesday had begun on a bad note for Patel with former Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela announcing that he had voted against him. Seven Congress MLAs close to Vaghela also did not vote for Patel. Karansinh Patel, one of the 44 MLAs who had gone to Bengaluru, had also voted against Patel.

However, late at night, Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) MLA Nalin Kotadia announced that he had not voted for the BJP. Kotadia, a Patel leader, is unhappy with the BJP over its treatment of Patidars, who have been demanding reservation. The party has merged with the BJP.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to address the alarming increase in the number of attacks against Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy.

Expressing concern over the recurrence of attacks on Indian fishermen, Palaniswami said Sri Lankan Navy's unwarranted display of military might against poor innocent Indian fishermen is unacceptable.

I wish to bring your kind attention to yet another instance of high-handedness of Sri Lankan Navy against the Indian fishermen pursuing their peaceful fishing operations in their traditional Palk Bay fishing waters. In a series of incidents that occurred on the night of 7.8.2017, the Sri Lankan Navy terrorized our fishermen by ramming their boats with armoured Naval vessels and en masse arrested 49 fishermen in 12 fishing boats, he stated in the letter.

He further said that eight fishermen were apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy on Tuesday in Ramanathapuram district.

The chief minister asked Prime Minister Modi to prevail upon the Sri Lankan government to resolve the matter.

I sincerely urge you to take up this matter personally with the highest authorities in Sri Lanka to register our strongest disapproval of the mis-adventure of the Sri Lankan Navy in the mid-seas gravely endangering the lives of our fishermen.

He further requested the prime minister to direct the ministry of external affairs to secure the immediate release of fishermen and their boats.

Describing the attacks on fishermen as sharp escalation and needless provocation, the CM said fishing issues should be resolved peacefully.

Stalin speaks for fishermen

DMK working president and leader of the opposition in the assembly M.K. Stalin also slammed the Lankan Navy for the barbaric action of ramming its boats into the mechanised fishing vessels. He termed the arrest of 49 fishermen as atrocious, saying it amounted to impeding the deep sea fishing initiative launched by PM Narendra Modi recently.

Attacking and arresting the fishermen, who take up the vocation for their livelihood and to feed their family, doesn't befit Sri Lanka which claims itself to be a friendly nation (to India), he said in a statement.

Not just the atrocious arrest, but ramming of their boats into the vessels of the fishermen and seizing other boats is barbaric, he added.

The 'attack' came days after the prime minister had launched a deep-sea fishing initiative in Rameswaram and the latest arrest was in complete violation of human rights, he claimed.

The arrested fishermen, belonging to Pudukottai and Jagadapattinam districts, were taken to Kangesanthurai by the navy personnel.

Meanwhile, fishermen in Pudukottai district announced indefinite strike from today urging immediate release of fishermen and their boats by Sri Lanka.
Vikas Barala, son of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Haryana chief Subhash Barala and an accused in the Varnika Kundu stalking case, has been summoned by the Chandigarh police today.

Chandigarh police has asked Vikas to appear before the station house officer (SHO) of Sector-26 police station at 11 am sharp on Wednesday.

The notice has been issued under section 160 Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the case has been filed against Barala under Section 354D (stalking), 341 (wrongful restraint), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 185 MV Act (rash driving).

As per sources, the notice has been issued to both the accused in the case. While Ashish Kumar accepted the notice, Vikas did not, following which the Chandigarh police pasted the summons outside Barala's residence.

On Tuesday, Subhash Barala broke his silence for the very first time on the matter and asserted that he is not using his political influence to pressurise the investigation in the matter.

He further said the victim Varnika Kundu, who was stalked by his son, is like his daughter and he will cooperate to bring justice to her.

"Investigation is underway in the Varnika Kundu case. Whatever action is required, it will be taken against Vikas in this case. BJP bats for daughters' freedom and Varnika Kundu is like my daughter. Neither I nor BJP is pressuring anyone in this matter," he told ANI exclusively.

The Congress has accused the BJP of hatching conspiracy and pressurising Chandigarh administration to protect the Haryana BJP chief's son.

"This is extremely clear that BJP is pressurising Chandigarh administration and hatching conspiracy to protect the son of its political leader. May we ask on behalf of the people of India if drunken youth, goons chase a girl for seven kilometers, attempt to block her car and forcibly open the door and try to enter the car, is it not the case of abduction and outraging the modest of a woman? Why have these offences not been lodged? The prime minister and chief minister must answer these questions to the people of country," Surjewala told ANI.

Chandigarh police, however, refuted claims that they are not willing to lodge complaints against Vikas and said that they are doing investigation with an open mind.

Speaking to the media on the matter, Eish Sehgal, SSP Chandigarh police, said that the police are not aiding the minister in the investigation and are doing their best to solve the matter.

He said, "We are looking into the matter from all the perspectives. We don't want to investigate the matter under any pressure."

Vikas Barala was arrested on August 5 on charges of stalking and harassing the IAS officer's daughter in Chandigarh. He was, however, granted bail on the same day.

A case was registered by the Chandigarh police against Vikas and another youth under section 354 D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code and section 185 (Motor Vehicle Act) of the CrPC on the basis of the complaint filed by the woman.
The judgments of Justice Dipak Misra, who will, later this month, take over as the next Chief Justice of India, are unique as they have a literary and sometimes poetic quality.

Coming from a family in Odisha that has a rich literary heritage, Misra revels in quoting from ancient Indian texts as well as western classics. His paternal grandfather was famous Odiya poet Godabarish Misra.

Amiable, soft spoken and ever smiling, the 63-year-old Misra, who will take over as the 45th CJI on August 27 and will be in office for a little over a year, has given judgments that are remembered for the impact that they have had.

Misra headed the Supreme Court bench which held court past midnight to hear a last ditch plea from Yakub Memon, convicted for the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai and sentenced to death. The bench had turned down Memon's plea against the death penalty. More recently, he upheld the death sentence handed down to the rapists and killers of Nirbhaya.

One of his most memorable judgments is the one on playing of the national anthem in cinema halls. It gave rise to a huge debate on whether it was proper to impose playing of the national anthem on people who had simply gone to watch a movie, why movie halls were singled out for it and also the extent to which the judgement could be implemented.

In another important judgment, a bench headed by Misra asked the government to find ways to ban websites containing child pornography.

Misra, whose paternal uncle was former CJI Ranganath Misra, began his career in law as an advocate in 1977, practising in the Orissa High Court and the Service Tribunal. He was appointed as Additional Judge of the Odisha High Court in 1996. He assumed charge as Chief Justice of the Patna High Court on December 23, 2009, and Chief Justice of Delhi High Court on May 24, 2010. He was made Judge of the Supreme Court on October 10, 2011.
After Congress veteran Ahmed Patel's hard-fought victory in the Rajya Sabha elections, the party on Wednesday cracked the whip against 14 rebel MLAs, including former Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela, expelling them for six years for anti-party activities.

Ahmed Patel, also political secretary of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, meanwhile called on the party unit to gear up for a target of winning 125 seats out of 182 in the December assembly elections.

"The party has expelled all eight rebel MLAs, including Shankersinh Vaghela, who cross-voted against Ahmed bhai, defying the party whip," Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi told IANS.

"We have also initiated similar action against six other legislators who resigned earlier after the party had issued a whip to all MLAs to vote for the official nominee in the Rajya Sabha elections," he said, adding that the action against them is on technical grounds.

"We will now initiate legal proceedings against all of them to ensure that they are not able to fight Assembly polls for the next six years," Doshi said, adding that defying the party whip invites disqualification from contesting any election.

Besides Vaghela, the expelled legislators include his son Mahendrasinh and loyalists Raghavji Patel, Bholabhai Gohil, Anand Chaudhary, C.K. Raulji and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, who had voted against official party candidate. Another MLA from Sanand, Karamshi Patel, who was one of the 44 legislators flown off to Bengaluru to prevent "further poaching" from BJP, was also expelled for cross-voting in defiance of the party's whip.

Meanwhile, all the 43 legislators who voted for Ahmed Patel, held a meeting with the senior Congress leader and vowed to fight the forthcoming polls with more vigour.

Patel exhorted all the legislators to visit Tirupati Balaji temple to seek blessings for the victory and take a vow to bag 125 seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

The Congress veteran had asserted after winning his Rajya Sabha seat that the victory had pepped up the party's ranks and "we will fight the assembly elections with all aggression and ensure their (BJP's) defeat 100 per cent."

A spirited state President Bharatsinh Solanki said: "The victory in Rajya Sabha elections will go a big way to boost our morale. Ahmedbhai will play a crucial role (in the assembly polls)."
The Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka plans to adopt 'Gandhigiri' to sensitise the youth and the 'patriarchal' society on moral policing, even as the police will continue to be responsible for apprehending those resorting to such practice.

Representative image | Reuters

Gender equality, secularism and plurality are the hallmark of Kannada culture, guaranteed by our Constitution too. We felt the need to treat it (moral policing) as a socio-cultural problem rather than a law and order issue. We see open violations (of individual freedom) in the country today, says Baragur Ramachandrappa, chairman of the six-member committee which was entrusted with chalking down a state cultural policy, which if implemented, will be a first in the country.

A closer look at the recommendations made by the panel in the soon-to-be implemented cultural policy of Karnataka, tells you that it is a counter to the competitive moral policing in the coastal districts of the state. The policy will come into effect once it gets the cabinet approval.

The idea is to form communal harmony committees to run programmes to educate youngsters and the society to abstain from taking law into their own hands. It is important to understand that moral policing is anti-constitutional, and as it targets women, it is time to tackle patriarchal mindsets. Besides the law, the government should be pro-active in sending out a strong message that such behaviour is not acceptable, explains Ramachandrappa, adding that a set of 44 recommendations was submitted to the government in 2014 and it was only in last December that the government decided to implement them.

Weary of the culture of banning books, cinema and works of art, the panel has sought that any controversial piece of art be referred to an expert committee instead of the state government unilaterally deciding to ban the work. Recalling past instances when the state government had banned books (Valmiki, Aanu Deva and Dharmakaarana), Ramachandrappa, who is also a writer, said Freedom of expression is crucial to democracy and to preserve our cultural ethos. However, we cannot support the works which hurt peoples sentiments or propagate extremism.

To promote pluralism, the panel has mooted a tribal university, a research institute for Sufism and to study two ancient languagesPali and Prakrut, which have enormous literature on Jainism and Buddhism.

Amid the ongoing controversy over the three-language policy in Metro train, the demand for Kannada flag, job reservations for Kannadigas and the aggressive campaign by the Karnataka Development Authority to popularise Kannada and its diktat to non-Kannadiga bank employees to either pick up conversing in Kannada or quit their jobs, the primacy of Kannada language seems to a favourite election plank of the the ruling Congress ahead of the 2018 assembly polls, as the chief minister is hoping to garner goodwill of the youth and the locals over the Kannada identity. On its part, the panel too has suggested giving preference to Kannada in all spheres. It has mooted a separate autonomous research institute for Kannada.

After Kannada got the classical language tag, nothing much has changed. We want the State government to urge the Centre for a separate institute (now under CIIL, Mysore) on the lines of Tamil Nadu. We have also mooted decentralisation of Kannada and Culture department as creation of four separate divisions will help focus on regional cultures, folk, theatre and literature. The tourist places can have events that give a local flavour, elaborates Ramachandrappa.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government at the Centre is observing 75 years of the Quit India movement, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has decided to observe a month-long Quit BJP movement in the state.

Mamata has asked her party members to remain on the street and continue with the agitation programme against the BJP-led central government till September 5.

We will not sit idle till we get rid of this government at the Center, Mamata said on Wednesday in Midnapore district where she herself began the programme.

On July 21 this year, Mamata held a mammoth rally at Kolkatas Brigade Parade Ground and said that she would continue the fight to remove the BJP from power at the Center.

In an apparent dig at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, she said, There are politicians who could be sold out. But I cannot be. Nitish had recently broken alliance with the RJD and joined the BJP-led NDA.

Mamata said she would attend the meeting called by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi at 10 Janpath on August 11. The meeting will also be participated by RJD leader Lalu Prasad, NCP's Sharad Pawar, representatives from the BSP, left and Samajwadi Party. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechudi is yet to confirm his presence in the meeting.

Trinamool Congress sources said that Mamatas decision to mark the Quit India movement as Quit BJP movement was to check the BJPs rise in West Bengal.

We have to admit that BJP has begun its communal politics in Bengal. And it all began at the insistence of the central leaders and the RSS. We will have to check their rise at any cost. So we observe this month as Quit BJP movement. Though it will be for one month, our endeavour will continue till the BJP is removed from power in Delhi, said Trinamool Congress party secretary general, Partha Chatterjee.

Mamata has asked her party members to be present during the agitation in all 380 blocks of West Bengal. Observers are finding it as a calculated move on the part of Mamata Banerjee ahead of the panchyat election in 2018.

BJP has also started its preparation to win the panchyat election. Party president Amit Shah is coming to the state later this month or early next month.

Said BJP state general secretary Biswapriya Roychowdhury: Amit ji will come and see the preparation for the panchyat poll. He would also talk to all party leaders and district president and would ask them to throw full weight behind the party.

Despite all these challenge, Mamata's bonhomie with Congress has taken her to a comfortable situation. In the assembly, the Congress MLAs had supported Mamatas stand on GST bill. The chief minister also commended the Congress MLAs for supporting her.

Now it has to be seen whether such bonhomie lasts during the election.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday announced a number of measures, including formation of a cabinet sub-committee to assuage the upset Maratha community. The measures include extending of all concessions currently enjoyed by OBCs across a spectrum of 605 educational courses to the community members, skills development training to children of over three lakh farmers from Maratha community and educational loan upto Rs 10 lakh the interest on which will be borne by the state government through one of its corporations.

Fadnavis made this statement in the state legislature after meeting a delegation of youth from Maratha community who had participated in Wednesday's Maratha Kranti Morcha in Mumbai. Even as the chief minister made this announcement, a group of girls who had participated in the protest conveyed the news to participants, attracting a round of cheers and applause.

The CM told the delegation that hearing in the Kopardi case is in its final stages. He also assured them that he will personally ask Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes to study in a time bound manner the issue of reservation for Marathas and submit a report to the government at the earliest. He told the delegation that his government was committed to giving reservation to Maratha community.

Fadnavis said his government will soon construct hostels for girls and boys belonging to the Maratha community in each district and Rs 5 crore will be allotted to each district for the purpose. In case of educational loan upto Rs 10 lakh, he said, the government will pay the interest component on these loans through Annsaheb Patil Economic Development Corporation.

People belonging to Maratha community participating in Maratha Kranti Morcha in Mumbai |Amey Mansabdar

Waves of saffron flags converged on South Mumbai on Wednesday as more than half a million members of Maratha community took out a peaceful protest march demanding reservation for the community and harshest punishment for perpetrators in the Kopardi rape and murder case.

The Maratha Kranti Morcha began at Byculla Zoo as participants in the protest began walking towards Azad Maidan. Led by women from Maratha community, the participants covered the distance between two pointsnearly five and half kilometersin about two hours. The road had been shut down for traffic and most of the business and commercial establishments were closed. The traffic came to a complete halt in many areas of the business district.

Members of Maratha community began pouring in Mumbai since Tuesday night. They came in buses, trucks, tempos, SUVs, sedans, motocycles and even on bicycles. Suburban railway stations too witnessed massive crowds as participants came by outstation trains to Dadar and then boarded local trains at various stations.

The protesters tore down posters of political parties as they did not want their cause to be hijacked by politicians. Mumbai BJP president and legislator Ashish Shelar, a Maratha, was manhandled by the protesters at Azad Maidan as they felt BJP government was reluctant to announce a decision on the issue of reservation for the community.

Senior politicians like MPCC president Ashok Chavan, NCP leader Ajit Pawar and former chief minister Narayan Rane participated in the march as the members of Maratha community, so did Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, crown prince of Kolhapur royal family and a president-nominated member of Rajya Sabha. Sambhajiraje even sat on the ground at Azad Maidan along with other protesters.

This was the last and 58th of Maratha community protest marches that Maharashtra has witnessed since August 9 last year. The first such march was taken out in Aurangabad on August 9 after a Maratha community school girl was raped and murdered in Kopardi in Ahmednagar district in July 2016.

More than half of total legislators in state legislative assembly are from Maratha community. Majority of the community is dependent on farming and falling agricultural income has resulted in suicides by farmers in large numbers. Maratha legislators want the government to move a one line resolution in the state legislature in support of Maratha reservation.

Previous Congress-NCP government had appointed a committee led by then industries minister Narayan Rane to study the issue of Maratha reservation. The Rane committee had recommended 16 per cent reservation for Marathas above the limit of 51 per cent reservation. That decision was challenged in Bombay High Court. The High Court had stayed previous government's decision of reservation for Marathas and Muslims in November 2014. During the course of the hearing of the case, state government in December 2016 had filed a 2,800 page affidavit justifying the Marathas' demand for reservation. In February this year, the HC had asked Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes whether Maratha community comes under 'backward' category.
Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has said the plan to tinker with the Article 35, which gives special rights and privileges to the natives of Jammu and Kashmir, is a conspiracy to create a Palestine like situation in the state.

In a statement, Geelani said the conspiracy has been hatched to change the demography of the Muslim majority state.

He said if the state-subject law is removed, people from other states will purchase land in Jammu ad Kashmir and a Palestine like the situation will arise. He added that the people in the state would resist the "conspiracy" tooth and nail.

Geelani appealed the writers, scholars and other respected members of society to make people aware of the consequences of proposed repealing of state-subject law, and urged them to make every possible effort to reach out to the international community to apprise them about the horrifying situations in the state and its disputed status.

''We will safeguard the integrity and special status of the state at any cost,'' Geelani said. He said the BJP regime is working to sabotage the referendum process in the state. He also urged the pro-India politicians to join the pro-freedom ranks and play their role in resolving this long-pending issue.

The oldest separatist leader, 86, said the plan to tinker with Article 35A was a well thought out ploy to end the special status of the state. The concern over Article 35A shown by mainstream parties was mere rhetoric and gimmick, he added.

Attacking the PDP for its "failure" over Article 35A, Geelani called the party an ally of the RSS and the PDP-BJP alliance as an unholy nexus.

Meanwhile, the Awami Itehad Party (People's Unity Party) led by Engineer Rashid on Wednesday said the party will host a round table discussion with all stakeholders on the issue of the Article 35A to develop a broader consensus about the issue on August 13.

The legislator from Langate welcomed the meeting between Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on the issue.

He said the meeting between the two leaders, though late, could become a good beginning for a larger reconciliation and unanimity among political class to fulfill the genuine aspirations and sentiments of people

Rasheed said that such efforts may yield nothing unless resistance leadership (separatists), civil society, traders and people of Jammu and Ladakh region are not also involved in a common minimum programme.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Wednesday expressed disapproval over the Election Commission's decision of disqualifying two rebel Congress MLAs over cross-voting and said that in the coming days, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will move court for justice. "Don't agree with EC's decision. In coming days we will fight a legal battle and will get justice," Rupani said.

Stating that the Congress is a divided house, the Gujarat CM asserted that the BJP will surely get advantage of the situation in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

He further refuted reports that the BJP used power and money to defeat Ahmed Patel and said that the dream of Congress-free nation will be fulfilled soon.

Senior Congress leader Patel retained his Rajya Sabha seat by winning 44 votes. BJP President Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani also emerged victorious in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha election.

Shah will enter the Parliament as a member for the first time, while Irani will return for a second term.

Voting for the three Rajya Sabha seats was conducted on Tuesday, wherein the influential political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the BJP chief, Smriti Irani and ex-grand old party cadre Balwantsinh Rajput were in the fray.

Patel's win is being considered a major victory for the Congress and a blow for the BJP.

"This is not just my victory. It is a defeat of the most blatant use of money power,muscle power and abuse of state machinery," Patel tweeted.

Congress had made candidature of Patel as a matter of prestige. The BJP also left no stone unturned to win all the three seats. The saffron pitted Balwantsinh, a recent acquisition from the Congress, against Patel knowing that Patel's defeat will bring huge embarrassment for Sonia Gandhi since he is her political secretary.

After the intense political developments, the Election Commission (EC) declared results for the three seats of the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat. Total 176 MLAs voted in the crucial elections, but two votes were declared invalid.

The EC, on late Tuesday night, declared votes of two Congress MLAsBhola Bhai Gohil and Raghav Bhai Patelinvalid. The decision was taken on a complaint of the Congress.

Earlier in the evening, the Congress had complained to the EC and said the two MLAs showed their votes to unauthorised persons and demanded their votes should not be counted and should be rejected.

The Congress said these MLAs showed their votes to Shah and Irani and independent candidate Balwantsinh Rajput instead of representative of Ahmed Patel.
Since the implementation of the Rav Kav transportation smart card in Israel, the Knessets Ombudsmans Office has received many complaints from people fined for using a Rav Kav that belonged to someone else. That is to say, they paid for their travel, but the card they punched belonged to another person.

It should be pointed out that commuters are aware that regulations prohibit using a smart card that is not ones own.

The Knesset Ombudsman Committee discussed the matter and decided it is absurd for a commuter to receive a 180 shekel fine for using another persons card when the fare is paid in full. Citizens who were fined and complained to the ombudsmans office question the justification of the fine when the fare was paid  seeking to understand why it matters who owns the smart card.

In addition, families with many children often do not purchase a card for each child, or at times, and not infrequently, a child loses his/her card so a parent instructs him/her to use a spouses card.

Head of the committee, MK Yisrael Eichler, raised the matter in Knesset after receiving hundreds of complaints. In addition, he contacted the Transportation Ministry, seeking to eliminate fines for use of anothers Rav Kav. Eichler succeeded and inspectors are being informed that one is no longer to be fined for using a Rav Kav belonging to another person. There are exceptions, which include a Rav Kav with a monthly ridership ( ) on it and a Rav Kav with reduced fares for the elderly.

In the case of students; if a student uses a card belonging to another student, which is a discounted fare, inspectors have the right to use discretion regarding a fine. If a fine is given, the rider has the right to appeal to the Transportation Ministry and if s/he can prove s/he is a student, the fine will be canceled.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
The Israeli Air Force struck at least two targets on Monday night / Tuesday morning, after a rocket fired from Gaza landed in Southern Israel.

According to the IDF, the rocket was launched from Gaza and landed in an open area, causing no injuries or damage.

A spokesman for the Hof Ashkelon regional council said that sirens were also sounded in the nearby towns of Zikim and Carmia. IDF troops dispatched to the area found no damage there as well.

In response, IAF aircraft targeted two Hamas posts in the northern Gaza Strip.  IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) August 8, 2017

A short while ago, a projectile hit an open region in the Ashkelon region. No injuries have been reported.  IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) August 8, 2017

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
A soldier convicted of fatally shooting a Palestinian terrorist has begun serving his prison term.

About half a year after he was convicted of manslaughter, Elor Azaria entered the IDF Prison 4 on Tzrifin base in central Israel on Wednesday morning in order to begin his 18-month sentence.

Earlier today, he left his home in Ramla, located about 10 minutes from the prison, accompanied by shouts of Elor is a hero from dozens of supporters who have rallied behind him since the shooting in March 2016 in Chevron.

Azaria, a combat medic, was recorded on cellphone video as he shot a badly wounded Palestinian who had previously stabbed a soldier. He was convicted of manslaughter.

The case has divided a country where military service is mandatory.

Israels military pushed for his prosecution, saying he violated the militarys vaunted code of ethics. But Israels nationalist right sided with Azaria and called him a hero.

(AP)
Revenge: Gideon Roseman tracked down the fraudsters who stole his 20,000

A banking scam victim has won a stunning victory against fraudsters to recover 20,000 he thought was lost for ever.

In the first case of its kind, Gideon Roseman managed to track down his stolen money after it been sent to a crook's account  and get every penny back.

Gideon was conned when fraudsters posed as the builder he had hired to extend his home.

They hacked into the builder's email account and sent the 39-year-old barrister a message asking him to make a lump sum payment before the work could begin.

This is an increasingly common type of scam, where crooks also pose as solicitors, builders, telecoms firms and even bank staff to trick victims into making payments.

Banks cover most fraud, but routinely refuse to repay losses if the customer has authorised the transfer.

And in yesterday's Mail, Ross McEwan, boss of RBS-NatWest, said customers had only themselves to blame.

Typically, banks claim the money cannot be traced because fraudsters have moved the cash into other accounts in the UK and abroad.

However, in a display of tenacity, Gideon used his expert legal knowledge to get the courts to stop all payments in and out of the fraudster's accounts so he could claw back his savings.

Currently, if you push the button to send a payment to an unknown account that later turns out to be fraudulent, banks hold you fully responsible and refuse to cover the losses

His success offers hope to other fraud victims because it shows banks and customers can recover stolen cash after it has left a victim's account  if they act fast enough.

The father-of-two, practising from Ten Old Square, Lincoln's Inn, in London, transferred 20,400 on January 2 after exchanging a series of emails with the imposter posing as his builder.

HOW TO BATTLE THE BANKS ON FRAUD If you think you have been the victim of bank fraudsters who have convinced you to send money to another account it is vital that you act quickly. Gideon has written a six-point plan for those who have fallen victim, a brief summary of which is below: 1. Immediately phone your bank 2. Contact a solicitor 3. Get a court order 4. Obtain fraudster's bank details 5. Return to court (if needed) 6. Analyse fraudster's statements

The next day he received a distressing call from his wife Esther, 39, as he dropped his four-year-old daughter at school.

The builder had checked his emails and found messages to a number of customers demanding payment to a bank account he did not recognise.

He said he hadn't sent the emails and wanted to warn clients he'd been hacked.

Gideon immediately called his bank, Barclays, which said it would send a so-called indemnity to Santander, the fraudster's bank.

An indemnity is when your bank tells the bank that's received your money that you have been a victim of transfer fraud and asks it to return any money it still has.

'As soon as my wife started talking about the builder, I knew what had happened and a horrible, cold feeling came over my body,' says Gideon.

'At that moment, your mind is racing, trying to work out what to do.

'I wasn't filled with optimism when I spoke to my bank, so I felt as though the only way I would get my money back is to take things into my own hands.'

He got on the next train from Haywards Heath, West Sussex, to London to go to the High Court to apply for the fraudster's bank account to be frozen.

Ross McEwan, boss of RBS-NatWest, said customers had only themselves to blame if they were victims of fraud

This stops money transfers in and out of an account and can be applied for at more than 40 High Court offices around the country.

You just turn up and fill in an N244 form. These are complicated, so you may need legal help.

Gideon took identification, copies of emails from the fraudster and the crook's bank account number and sort code.

It also helps to take evidence from a third-party caught up in the fraud  the builder in Gideon's case.

The judge agreed it appeared he had been the victim of fraud and granted the order.

Gideon then contacted Santander's court orders department  which anyone can do by calling a bank's customer service line  and it froze the account after he sent in the document by email.

When Gideon arrived home, he found another email from the fraudster asking for more money to 'cover the VAT' on the work.

He played along and managed to obtain the sort codes and details of another two accounts  one at Barclays and another at Santander.

He then returned to the High Court to get these accounts frozen. Again, the judge approved his application.

Gideon was conned when fraudsters posed as the builder he had hired to extend his home. They hacked into the builder's email account asking him to make a lump sum payment

Then on January 6, four days after the fraud took place, Gideon went back to court and asked the judge to order Barclays and Santander to release all contact details and bank statements for the frozen accounts, arguing that they would be necessary if he was to recover his stolen cash.

The judge agreed and Gideon sent the documents to Santander's court orders team, which faxed over the fraudster's bank statements, postal addresses, email addresses and phone numbers.

Using these, Gideon tracked down 5,655 in several Santander accounts connected to the fraudster and the bank agreed to return the money.

He also noticed the scammer had transferred around 5,000 to a haulage firm.

Gideon contacted the company to explain what had happened. The firm repaid his money.

The bank accounts also revealed that 9,150 was transferred out of the fraudster's account more than 24 hours after Gideon first reported the incident to Barclays.

That suggested his bank had been slow in contacting Santander to try to retrieve his money.

Barclays denied that there was any delay, but later agreed to pay Gideon the remaining 9,150.

It added 200 compensation. This left 395 outstanding, which the builder took off his bill.

A Barclays spokesman says: 'We acknowledge there was a delay in responding to our customer's alert.

However, we've recognised this and returned those funds that could have been captured.

'Last year, Barclays prevented more than 831 million of fraud. We would encourage customers to verbally confirm any new payment instructions they receive via email or alternatively to send a small sum and to wait confirmation it has been received before sending the remaining funds.'

Santander says: 'As soon as we are alerted to fraudulent activity, we place a block on the account and secure any remaining funds.'

Gideon says: 'Hopefully, I've shown that despite what the banks might say, it is possible to track down cash after it's disappeared and get the money back.

'My advice to scam victims is to act immediately. Call your bank, gather evidence and instruct a solicitor to get to court as quickly as you can to freeze the accounts.'
Forgiving? Former Chancellor Alistair Darling is now on the Morgan Stanley board

Speaking on the anniversary of the banking crisis to the BBC, former Chancellor Alistair Darling  now a Morgan Stanley board member  praised Gordon Brown's leadership during the 2007 meltdown.

How gracious. Darling fell out with Brown in 2008, claiming Downing Street 'unleashed the forces of hell' on him after he issued a stern warning about the recession.

The soft-spoken ex-Trot's redoubtable wife Maggie complained to friends: 'The f***ing c***s are trying to stitch up Alistair! The c***s! I can't believe they're such c***s!'

Re the banking crisis, Sky News yesterday grabbed an interview at the Edinburgh Festival with former British Bankers' Association chairman Angela Knight, who always insisted errant bankers shouldn't be prosecuted.

Fittingly, bossy Angela, 66, was clutching a pair of tickets to The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, a play about Judas finally being put on trial 2,000 years after his crime.

Private equity firm Kildare Partners is touting for recruits to the Carnegie Club, which gives members the run of Skibo Castle's beautiful 3,000-acre estate.

Members, which includes 'CEOs, oil tycoons, and aristocrats', currently pay 8,000 a year on top of 25,000 to join the exclusive club.

Skibo, near Dornoch in northern Scotland, was once home to industrialist Andrew Carnegie, though bohemian types will be more impressed that Madonna chose it for her ill-fated 2000 wedding to Guy Ritchie.

The interruption of poor, blameless Sophie Raworth's recent News at Ten broadcast by a pair of naked breasts appearing on a background screen, recalls a similar incident involving Aussie banker David Kiely seven years ago.

Kiely, who worked for Aussie bank Macquarie, was caught during a Channel 7 bulletin ogling images of brassiere model Miranda Kerr.

The libidinous rascal looked destined for the sack until saucy Miranda signed a petition on his behalf.

Former Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore denies claims in the Italian media that his marriage to gorgeous Italian presenter Elisabetta Gregoraci, 37, is in trouble.

Rakish Flavio, 67, whose previous conquests include turbo-charged supermodels Naomi Campbell and Heidi Klum, puts scurrilous reports linking him to an attractive blonde assistant down to 'the crazy heat of the summer'.

Naturalmente!
Threat: Cincinnati-based Vantiv are seeking a takeover of Worldpay

The 9billion takeover of payments firm Worldpay by an American rival is in deadlock over plans to guarantee jobs and a headquarters in the UK, the Mail understands.

Yesterday, Cincinnati-based Vantiv asked for more time to strike a deal with Worldpay, the second time it has delayed its takeover bid.

It now has until Friday to make an offer or must walk away for six months, although extensions are possible if regulators agree.

It fuelled speculation Worldpay's board was seeking reassurances about an independent role for its UK business, rather than having it be consumed.

The boss of Worldpay, Philip Jansen, told the Mail this week he would consider seeking binding promises about jobs and the role of the British business after the takeover.

Sources close to the deal said bosses want to keep the company's London headquarters and other facilities such as the development centre in Cambridge.

It is understood they also expect a guarantee on British jobs  including 5,000 staff in London.

The undertakings would be similar to a pledge secured by smartphone chip maker ARM Holdings when it was acquired by Japanese firm Softbank.

A takeover agreement was struck in principle by Worldpay and Vantiv last month but yesterday a market update said the companies had requested more time. Worldpay said: 'Positive discussions are continuing.'

The spokesman for Worldpay refused to comment further on the talks but Laith Khalaf, a senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said it was possible a closer examination of balance sheets could have led to other hurdles.

He added: 'This looked like it was pretty much a done deal but potential stumbling blocks could include the composition of the new board or anything that has come up in due diligence.

'They may be dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's or it is possible some of the additional due diligence is being used as bargaining power in one way or another. Something has clearly thrown up more for the board to digest than what they previously thought.'

The extension of the deadline for a takeover bid means the announcement of Worldpay's half year results and Vantiv's second-quarter 2017 results have been pushed back to today.

Worldpay handled 15billion transactions last year, with the firm taking its profits from commissions when its technology is used at card terminals. It deals with more than 40 per cent of such payments in the UK and its platform is particularly popular with small and medium sized companies.

The company's board will enjoy a 91.3million bonanza if the takeover goes ahead although chief executive Philip Jansen has insisted executives are 'not doing it for the money'.
Failing to tap into popular trends saw retailer New Look struggling for sales again  despite managing to shift its stock on rival websites.

The clothing chain said trading had been disappointing in its first . Sales dropped 4.4 per cent to 338.7million in the 13 weeks to June 24, from 354.2million the year before.

Sales across stores open for more than a year slumped 7.5 per cent while sales on its website dropped 0.6 per cent.

It comes after the retailer reported disappointing full-year results in June, after underestimating trends by not ordering enough colours or styles.

Chic: But New look sales dropped 4.4 per cent to 338.7m in the 13 weeks to June 24, from 354.2m the year before

However, New Look said its clothing performed strongly on thirdparty websites, where sales were up 15.7 per cent.

The fashion firm sells itsclothes to the likes of Asos and Amazon who cherry-pick hidden gems to sell on their websites.

It suggests that shoppers like New Look's products, but do not necessarily like buying them from the store itself.

Because of the websites' global reach and varying international fashion tastes, items that do not sell as well in the UK are shifted much more easily.

By comparison, New Look's website has suffered as it cut back on promotions to encourage customers to buy more items full price.

Like other retailers New Look has been battling to keep up with online firms. It is seeking to beat web upstarts by boosting its marketing spend and has appointed ex-Zara product boss Paula Dumont Lopez to head up its creative team in an attempt to revive sales.

Chief executive Anders Kristiansen said: 'As expected, the UK market has remained difficult, which has resulted in a disappointing quarter of trading.

'We remain committed to our long-term strategy of diversifying the business and are confident that we will see improvements, but expect these to take time.'
The FTSE 100 closed down 44.67 points at 7,498.06, joining other top global markets in the red as US-North Korea tensions alarmed traders.

European and US markets followed Asian shares downwards after North Korea said it was considering a missile strike on the US Pacific territory Guam.

The heated rhetoric between President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un has escalated quickly, sending traders dashing for safe havens.

Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 both shed 1 per cent of their value, while the US Dow Jones was down 71.24 points at 22,014.10 in early trading. Brent crude was at $52.27 and the pound was at $1.30 against the dollar.
Worldpay Group has finally agreed a 9.3 billion merger deal with US rival Vantiv in a tie-up that will create a global payments processing giant with a combined value of 22.2 billion.

The transatlantic deal, which comes after a second extension to the talk deadlines on Tuesday, will see Vantiv pay 397p a share for Worldpay, or 8 billion, plus 1.3 billion to cover debts.

Worldpay shares were just down 0.09 per cent to 383.25p following the announcement.

Global giant: Worldpay has formally agreed to a 9.3 billion takeover by Vantiv

British firm Worldpay processes millions of payments a day in stores, online and on mobile phones. It operates globally, but is more prevalent in the UK and US markets.

Cincinnati will become the group's global and corporate headquarters and international operations will be run from London, but there will be no guarantees that all UK jobs and employees will be protected.

The deal, which was first announced on July 5, took several weeks of negotiations with the deadline for a formal offer being extended twice, as the two companies haggled over the location of the combined group and ways to safeguard UK jobs.

The company will be led by Vantiv's Charles Drucker as executive chairman and co-chief executive, with Worldpay's current boss Philip Jansen as co-chief executive.

It was owned by Royal Bank of Scotland until the state-backed lender sold off its outstanding stake to private equity firms Advent International and Bain Capital in 2013.

Drucker said: 'This is a powerful combination that is strategically compelling for both companies.'

'It joins two highly complementary businesses, and will allow us to achieve even more together than either organisation could accomplish on its own.'

Vantiv shareholders will own a majority 57 per cent of the combined group, while Worldpay investors hold the other 43 per cent.

The combined group will have a secondary listing on the London stock market, but will have its primary listing in New York.

Jansen said: 'The growth of eCommerce and the way consumers expect to transact is increasing complexity for businesses around the world.'

'Our unique combination of scale, innovation, technology and global presence will mean that we can offer more payment solutions to businesses, whether large or small, global or local, enabling them to meet consumers' increasing demands and helping them prosper.'

The two firms will look to cut around $200 million (154 million) from costs after merging. With the biggest cost in most business being staff, there look set to be job losses.

The combined group will process around $1.5 trillion (1.2 trillion) of payments and 40 billion transactions through more than 300 payment methods in 146 countries and 126 currencies.

The company later sealed the biggest flotation of 2015 when it listed on the London Stock Exchange with a valuation of 4.8 billion.

Vantiv handled 25 billion transactions worth $920 billion (711 billion) last year.
Christopher Bailey, Burberrys president and chief creative officer, has bought nearly 157,000 worth of shares in the retailer.

He stepped aside as chief executive in July, to be replaced by Marco Gobbetti, as part of an overhaul that followed criticism that Bailey should not fill both creative and chief executive roles.

The designer, in a relationship with British actor Simon Woods since 2009, received shares worth 10.5million when he changed roles, while his salary stayed at 1.1million.
Bosses at British financial pioneer Worldpay have struck a 9.3billion deal to be bought by a US rival after a last-minute management struggle.

After weeks of negotiations shrouded in secrecy the digital payments firm yesterday said it would finally accept an offer to merge with Cincinnati-based Vantiv.

The company has won several concessions from its American suitor, including a beefed-up boardroom presence for Worldpay executives and a bigger slice of the new company for its shareholders.

Deal done: After weeks of negotiations shrouded in secrecy digital payments firm Worldpay yesterday said it would finally accept an offer to merge with Cincinnati-based Vantiv

However, the headquarters of the firm will be in the US, with London used as an international headquarters.

The firm, to be known as Worldpay, will have a dual stock market listing in the UK and New York.

Worldpay chief executive Philip Jansen and Vantiv boss Charles Drucker will be co-chief executives but Drucker will ultimately be in charge, with the added title of executive chairman.

This means that the firm will have no non-executive chairman, which is seen as a crucial mark of good corporate governance.

Current Worldpay chairman and City veteran Sir Michael Rake is set to become the lead director of the new 13-person board, which will now include five Worldpay executives instead of four.

Worldpay boss Philip Jansen and Vantiv boss Charles Drucker will be co-chief executives

Worldpay bosses said British jobs and facilities would be largely protected. Vice-chairman Ron Kalifa claimed there were 'no sticking points' in discussions with Vantiv and rejected suggestions the firm should give written guarantees that British jobs would be protected, saying similar pledges made by Japan's Softbank when it bought chip maker Arm Holdings were because of a different situation.

The majority of job losses are expected to fall on Worldpay's US division.

Kalifa added: 'I don't anticipate any job losses of any scale in the UK, simply because there is no overlap, but some head office jobs that exist here and in Vantiv inevitably will merge because that is the way good businesses operate.'

There were no plans to ditch the company's centres in London, Cambridge, Manchester or Gateshead, he said.

Vantiv has agreed to pay 397p for each Worldpay share  about 8billion in total  as well as 1.3billion to cover debts.The deal could net executives about 83.5million, with Jansen getting about 29.5million.
PETROFAC MOVE Oil services firm Petrofac has set up a compliance and ethics committee after being dragged into a corruption probe by the Serious Fraud Office. It will look at Petrofacs standards for the prevention of bribery and corruption, as well as its ethical, social, and regulatory risk policy.

PREMIER ROLE The owner of Mr Kipling cakes and Bisto gravy has appointed ex-chairman of Tullett Prebon, Keith Hamill, to the board of Premier Foods, as chairman.

ICELAND DEAL Frozen food retailer Iceland has signed a new 12-month contract with video parenting website ChannelMum.com whose bloggers will share Iceland-branded videos on the website.

SCAPA SWOOP Bonding product maker Scapa Group has bought US rival Markel Industries for 7.7million.

FRUITO SWITCH Global food giant Unilever has snapped up Australian ice cream company Weis, renowned locally for its Fruito bar.

TURBINE SALE Wind turbine technology maker Windar Photonics has secured a key deal in the US to sell nine of its WindEYE sensors, which are used to increase energy production at wind turbine generators by around 1-3 per cent annually.

SCOTT FREE Philip Scott steps down as a non-executive director at drinks giant Diageo next month.

PALMER LOSES Charles Palmer, 50, boss of former advice firms Financial Limited and Investments Limited has failed to overturn a City watchdog ban which stops him running finance companies.

STAKE SOLD Goldman Sachs has sold off its stake in insurer Rothesay Life.

HOMES TALLY Developers registered 40,343 homes to build during the second quarter of 2017  1 per cent down on the same period last year.

RIVAL BOUGHT British cloud computing firm Cloudreach has snapped up US rival Emerging Technology Advisors to boost its expertise in migrating corporations to the cloud.

SPECIALIST TARGETED Leeds-based regenerative medicine firm Tissue Regenix Group has bought US specialist in bone healing Cellright Technologies, to tap into a market said to be worth 1.3billion.
Lars Windhorst (pictured with girlfriend Christine Barner) has a reputation for parties

A private jet owned by a controversial City financier is thought to have been seized in a legal row with one of his investors.

Court officials are also said to have confiscated wine and artwork from Lars Windhorst, who is locked in a 60million battle with business Romanello Financial Corp.

But the German  who was reported to be worth 320million in 2015 and has a reputation for throwing lavish parties  denies the claims.

Once the toast of Berlin with fans including former leader of Germany Chancellor Helmut Kohl, he moved to London eight years ago after going bankrupt and being handed a one-year suspended prison sentence for breach of trust.

The entrepreneur's business Sapinda invests in start-up companies and is run from an office in Savile Row, one of London's most prestigious streets.

Windhorst, 40, has a soundproofed office said to feature tabletop models of his Bombardier jet and 223ft luxury yacht, along with a sign reading 'just get it done'.

A patron of London's Serpentine Galleries of contemporary art, the boss is said to woo potential backers with his personal charm, trips to Formula One races and meetings on his yacht.

Sapinda's supporters have included major City companies such as Fidelity and Legal & General.

Until September last year, Labour grandee Lord Mandelson sat on the advisory board of his business.

But Sapinda and Windhorst have been locked in six lawsuits involving 200million of assets since March 2016.

The disputes  some of which have been settled  relate to claims that the business failed to pay agreed amounts to bond and shareholders.

Belize-registered Romanello alleges that Windhorst agreed to buy back 67.8million of bonds from it, but instead has bought only 13.6million.

The complainant also says he failed to stick to the terms of a separate agreement involving German media company RNTS, since renamed Fyber.

Romanello is represented by lawyer Aidan O'Rourke of Quinn Emmanuel Urquhart & Sullivan.

He told the Financial Times assets including a jet, wine and artwork had been confiscated due to the dispute. However, Windhorst, disagreed and said that nothing had been confiscated.

He said: 'The problems have already been solved. We have settled our dispute with Romanello. Neither have accounts been frozen nor have objects been seized. Around 90pc of outstanding claims have been paid off.

'I assume that we will have the rest wrapped up by the end of this quarter.

'All matters will have been dealt with by the end of September at the latest.'
Telit Communications boss Oozi Cats is linked to historic fraud in Massachusetts

The boss of British internet firm Telit Communications has stepped back from the company amid claims he is wanted by police in the US.

Oozi Cats, 56, has been linked with historic fraud in Massachusetts.

Telit has hired solicitors to probe the allegations, which pre-date the company, and is refusing to comment.

However officials at Boston's district court yesterday said a warrant was issued for the arrest of an 'Uzi Katz' in 1991 after accusations of wire fraud.

He was later branded a fugitive and was thought to have fled the state.

It was not clear last night whether Israeli Cats, who lives in Italy with his wife Ruth, was the same person as Katz.

However it is understood 'Uzi Kats' is a name he has used.

The revelations came as court documents, which could not be independently verified, emerged online, which detailed indictments of wire fraud against Uzi Katz and his wife Ruth Katz.

They concern a 'land flip' scam, which involves undeveloped land being sold at vastly inflated prices.

Cats could not be reached for comment.
MBABANE  Desperate times call for desperate measures.

This holds true for a Kunene family from Emvembili in Piggs Peak under the Ntfonjeni constituency, which smuggled their sons body, Mkholo Kunene, back into the country.

Kunene, together with his close friend and business partner Siza Simelane, died about two weeks ago in pursuit of gold in an abandoned mine known as Agnes Mine in Barberton, South Africa. Simelane is also from Emvembili in Piggs Peak.

Kunenes body was smuggled through one of the informal crossings near the Matsamo Border Gate and was immediately buried at his home at Emvembili last Friday morning.

It is said that Kunene had no formal documents to let his body into the country and the family was in a haste to bury him because they had another event over the weekend which could not wait.

The Kunenes lobola ceremony over the weekend and his burial was pressing as such events, as per the norm, are never postponed, even death does not defer it, said a close source.

Zwelithini Madonsela, who is a close relative of the deceased, Kunene confirmed that Kunene did not have documents to enter the country but did not wish to provide further details on the matter.

We have just buried him and all went according to plan during his funeral, briefly commented the bereaved Madonsela.

Simelanes body on the other hand, went through the recognised route in entering the country and was buried on Sunday.

While mining illegally, a mine shaft buried them in the neighbouring country resulting in their death. According to close sources, the two men were regular illegal miners, who are popularly referred to as the Zama Zamas.

The death of illegal miners is not new in the country; some die through the collapsing of walls and some through the Zama Zama wars.

Just recently, three Swazis, among four illegal minors, died in Barberton, in the very same mines.

Also, two Swazi illegal miners from Piggs Peak lost their lives through this hustle.

In 2015, the two men were shot dead after violence broke out between rival gangs of the illegal miners at the mine.

The Ministry of Home Affairs Principal Secretary, Anthony Masilela, condemned this act, stating that it is illegal and shall not be entertained.

He advised people to use border gates using proper and up to date documents when travelling.
The interior of the vehicle was left in this situation after the incident. (R) This tyre was shot by the team of police officers and the suspect lost control of the vehicle, crashing into a tree in the process (Pics: Jabulisa Dlamini)

MANZINI  A team of about 15 traffic police officers allegedly pursued a drink- driving offender and shot at him, leaving his BMW sedan with over 20 bullet holes.



The pursuit of the black Five-Series BMW allegedly begun near Marios Pub and Grill in the city centre where the suspect, Wandile Bhembe, had been enjoying the night with his friends.

Bhembe (30) revealed that he had not seen traffic officers chasing after him on the night as it was dark and the Royal Swaziland Police (RSP) vehicles had their headlights off.



In an attempt to evade the police, I decided to drive through Moneni, access the bypass and go through Nazarene to Ngwane Park, where I reside. However, when I got near the RFM Hospital, I heard gunshots.

When I looked back, I saw vehicles being driven without lights on and people shooting at my car. Realising that my life was in danger, I sped off and the cars pursued me until I got to the Ngwane Park bridge, Bhembe said.

He added that the chase led to the police shooting one of his tyres and a violent aftermath occurred.

Bhembe said after shooting the tyre, he immediately lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree.



At the time, the team of uniformed police officers parked their vehicles and allegedly used their pistols to break the vehicle windows.

They started with the windscreen and broke it using the guns they were carrying, I heard one of them saying Asibulaleni lenja, mine ngilishayile lelithayi-loosely translated, let us kill this dog, I have already shot at the tyre.

While trying to open the door and preparing to get off, the cops dragged me into a nearby drainage and severely assaulted me all over the body using fists, kicks and open hands, Bhembe narrated in his hospital bed. He said while he was being assaulted, one of the officers sat on his chest and others continued beating him up.



He sustained injuries all over his body, especially to his head, mouth and chest.

From the scene, his vehicle was towed to the Manzini Police Station and parked there with the bullet holes and broken windows.

Bhembe, who was by himself when the incident occurred, was later taken to Mafutseni Police Station where he was kept until Sunday morning.
MBABANE  A Nedbank manager suffered a cardiac arrest yesterday.

This comes at a time where employees are engaged in a strike action where they are demanding a salary increment.

According to sources, the manager whose name could not be established, collapsed at work in the early hours of yesterday. The female manager had to be rushed to one of the clinics in Mbabane for immediate medical attention. A questionnaire was sent to the banks Head of Marketing Lomkhosi Dlamini, who responded briefly to the questions.

In her response, Dlamini played her cards very close to the chest about the matter, although she did acknowledge knowing about it.

Please be advised that due to employee confidentiality, the bank is not in a position to respond, she said.

She continued to state, We can, however, state that the incident is not related to the ongoing strike.

The Swaziland Union of Financial Institutions and Allied Workers (SUFIAW) Organising Secretary, Vincent Ncongwane, was shocked at the news. Ncongwane, was concerned about the managers well-being and that she receives medical attention.

On another note, he stated that they would be engaging the Labour commissioner tomorrow with the bank to further deliberate on the salary negotiations. Ncongwane said the strike would not stop until workers got what they wanted and managements stand on the issue would not deter them.

He rebuked a member of management who allegedly called and threatened their members and said they had addressed that with senior management, as it was unacceptable. Ncongwane narrated that their members were also accused of threatening Nedbank management but called upon the administration to name the employees who did that.

We have given them the name of the manager who is threatening our members, and we have asked them to do the same but they have failed, Ncongwane said.

Meanwhile, while Nedbank employees are engaged in a strike, the bank has engaged services of an external vendor.
MBABANE  Is government feeding both parents and pupils through the schools feeding scheme?

This is if the startling allegation made by the Minister of Education and Training, Phineas Magagula, is true.

Magagula told parliamentarians that some members of school committees were looting the food items for their own use.

The minister went on to say that he had evidence to back his allegations.

Following the many complaints received by the ministry on the misuse of these food items by some school committees, the ministry has prepared a Circular to all schools wherein school committees are requested to utilise the food for its intended purpose, said the minister.

He said whatever food commodities were unused were for the benefit of learners and not for distribution or sale to members of the school committee. Magagula made this allegation before a stunned House of Assembly, as he insisted that he had damning evidence to back his story even though several Members of Parliament (MPs) implored him to withdraw his allegation.

This was during the adoption of the ministers report on the progress that had been made in the intervention of food shortages in schools which hit a month ago, and government released E29 million to fix the situation.

Nkwene MP Sikhumbuzo Dlamini took exception to this allegation, stating that the minister was insulting and attacking the school committees by placing blame on them, when it was government that had failed to deliver the food.

Why are you insulting the school committees? Why arent you at least directing this allegation to head teachers because they receive the food? I have no clue why you are accusing the committees or parents, said MP Dlamini.

Hhukwini MP Saladin Magagula also raised a concern about the alleged misuse of food items by schools committees.

How many schools have been affected by this and what has been done about this instead of making this allegation in the House? asked MP Saladin.

Khubuta MP Njabulo Mabuza said if the minister wanted his report adopted by the MPs, then he must remove the allegation that he had made against the school committees.

The food is delivered to the head teachers, how then are committees involved in this? asked Mabuza.

The MPs said it was not fair to accuse the committees because they had no way of responding to the allegations made by the minister in the House.




SOUTH AFRICA  President Jacob Zuma has survived a motion of no confidence in his presidency, held via secret ballot in Parliament.

Following a two-hour debate and lengthy voting process, 198 MPs voted against the Democratic Alliances bid to remove Zuma, while 177 voted for it.

About 30 ANC MPs voted for Zuma to be removed.

A simple majority of 201 votes was required to remove Zuma as president.

Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete announced on Monday that the vote would be held via secret ballot for the first time ever.

Zuma has survived several previous motions of no confidence in his presidency over the last eight years, all held via open ballot.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane, who tabled the motion, earlier asked MPs to act courageously and vote Zuma out. He said this vote was not about political parties but about the people of South Africa.

ANC leaders who spoke against the motion, including Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa, accused the opposition parties of seeking regime change through voting Zuma out.

The failure of the motion will strengthen Zumas position in the party and strengthen the belief that the ANC does not have the capacity to recall Zuma, irrespective of the amounts of scandals he has been embroiled in.

The party goes to an elective conference in December, where Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to challenge Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the former AU commission chair, for the ANC presidency.

Some of Ramaphosas supporters have recently warned that a successful motion would have put him in an awkward position, where Zuma was still ANC president, but Ramaphosa had to run the country until December.
MBABANE  Has Senator Sibusiso Shongwes attorney turned his back on him at the eleventh hour?

Senator Shongwe instructed Mzwandile Dlamini of MS Dlamini Legal to represent him in his corruption trial, which was scheduled to begin yesterday.

However, Dlamini was nowhere in court when the matter was called. Vusi Thomo of Sibusiso B. Shongwe and Associates, who appeared on behalf of the former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, informed the court that Shongwe was facing a very unfortunate situation.

This was shortly after the matter had been called when the parties had been to Judge Mbutfo Mambas chambers to formally introduce Advocate Gareth Leppan, who has been instructed by government.

Thomo rose up to tell the court that they had not been able to locate Dlamini since last week despite that he was the instructed attorney.

Dlamini recently took Impunzi Wholesalers to court over non-payment of legal fees after he represented the company in its matter against the Swaziland Revenue Authority (SRA).

Shongwe, who is facing 10 counts of fraud and contravening the Prevention of Corruption Act of 2006 among others, sat quietly in the accused dock as Thomo made his submissions.

He said it was their hope that Dlamini would be present in court more so because there were applications which he had been instructed to move.

He told the court that Dlamini has not been answering their calls since Friday.

The situation we are facing is very unfortunate and regrettable, said Thomo.

He said Dlamini represented Shongwe during his bail application after his arrest in April 2015 and was present during Shongwes pre-trial conference.

Thomo said Dlamini was aware of the dates and he had been made aware of the June postponement of the matter to yesterday.

The matter was scheduled to begin on June 19 but the judge was not available. The matter was then postponed to yesterday.

According to Thomo, it was not Shongwes fault that Dlamini was not in court. Thomo applied for a postponement of the matter to the next session of the court in order for Shongwe to instruct an attorney and prepare for the trial. He said Shongwe required ample time to prepare and instruct an attorney.




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By Naeisha Rose

During Mayor Bill de Blasios week-long blitz of Queens, his administration announced a new feasibility study for a groundwater drainage project in the southeast region of the borough.

Farmers, Springfield and Guy Brewer boulevards, as well as 150th Street, will receive a total of $1.7 billion in investment into sewer infrastructure upgrades, according to the mayors office.

His office intends for the study to be completed by spring of 2018, and for ground to be broken later this year on sewer construction. If the state Department of Environmental Conservation gives final approval to the sewage plan, work can commence on 18 large sewer projects and dozens of smaller ones to connect the different neighborhoods affected by the flooding.

The study was created to address concerns of residents and business owners that have faced a rise in groundwater, which has flooded their basement foundations. Many property owners have reacted to the waterlog by installing pumping systems, which clogged sewers in the area and resulted in roadway flooding, the mayor said last month.

Homeowners and businesses in southeast Queens  weve heard your concerns about basement flooding, said de Blasio. Basements that are constantly inundated by groundwater mean damaged property, mold and the constant concern over the next flood. This comprehensive study is the first step towards possible solutions.

The formation of roadways, buildings and John F. Kennedy Airport in the southeast Queens area are to blame. Prior to the area being developed, it consisted of wetlands and streams that drained into Jamaica Bay. These natural landscapes were bulldozed and filled with soil to make way for homes, according to de Blasios office.

To mitigate the road and basement flooding, the mayors office will examine how high the water has risen and how low it should be, while the Department of Environmental Protection will build sewers beneath the streets and homes in southeast Queens, where the natural drain basins flowed, according to the mayors office.

The DEP is proud to be participating in the endeavor.

The rising groundwater table and basement flooding in Jamaica is real, and it presents a significant quality-of-life issue for residents and businesses and a complex problem for engineers, said DEP Acting Commissioner Vincent Sapienza. We are pleased to be able to move forward with this study, which will tell us how high the groundwater table has risen, how far it must be lowered in order to reduce the basement flooding, and the feasibility of our plan for radial groundwater collection.

Elected officials and community representatives were happy about the announcement.

Basement flooding has become a widespread problem for residents of Jamaica, said U.S. Gregory W. Meeks (D-Jamaica). This timely study will determine the various courses of action for the citys proposal, and the businesses and residents of Jamaica deserve to know the impact of any course of action.

Mark McMillan, the district manager of Community Board 13, agreed.

Understanding the topography on which much of this area of Queens has been developed on top of goes a long way in explaining why to so many affected homeowners. The how or fix after knowing why allows homeowners to see what the city is proactively doing, and that there is a remedy that will occur in the near future, McMillan said.
Four people were killed Wednesday in election-related violence in Kenya, where the opposition claimed massive rigging in a vote that President Uhuru Kenyatta looked certain to win.

The east African nation, keenly aware of post-poll violence a decade ago that left 1,100 dead, was on a knife-edge after a day of isolated protests in opposition strongholds.

The unrest broke out after opposition leader Raila Odinga claimed massive fraud as Kenyatta surged ahead in provisional results, with 54 percent compared to his 44.7 percent. Results from over 96 percent of polling stations were in.

Two protesters were shot dead in the flashpoint slum of Mathare in Nairobi, where police also fired tear gas at crowds who burned tyres and blocked roads throughout the day.

An AFP photographer saw one of the victims, a young man with a massive gunshot wound to the head.

Japheth Koome, police chief for Nairobi, said the two who were killed had tried to "attack our officers with pangas (machetes) and that\s when the officers opened fire on them."

In the southeastern Tana River region, police said five men armed with knives had attacked a vote tallying station and stabbed one person.

"Our officers killed two of them and we are looking for others who escaped," said regional police chief Larry Kieng.

"We have not established the motive yet, we don\t know if it is political or if it\s a criminal incident but we are investigating and action will be taken."

The region is prone to attacks by Al-Qaeda linked Shabaab militants.

Decrying a "sham" tallying process, Odinga detailed accusations of a major hacking attack on the electronic voting system, saying hackers had gained entry using the identity of top IT official Chris Msando, who was found tortured and murdered late last month.

"This is an attack on our democracy. The 2017 general election was a fraud," said Odinga, claiming detailed evidence of the hackers\ movements.

The 72-year-old, who is making his fourth bid for the presidency as the flagbearer for the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, accused his rivals of stealing victory from him through rigging in 2007 and in 2013.

"You can only cheat a people for so long," he said.

Election commission (IEBC) chief Ezra Chiloba denied that the crucial electronic system  seen as key to avoiding fraud  had been compromised.

"Our team has reviewed the system and established that the claims cannot be substantiated," he told a press conference.

"Our election management system is secure. There was no external or internal interference to the system at any point before, during or after the voting."

Odinga\s claims led to isolated protests in his stronghold in the western city of Kisumu as well as in slums in Nairobi.

"If Raila is not president, we can\t have peace," one Kisumu protester told AFP.

Resident Geoffery Omondi, 22 shook his head as protesters lit a new fire nearby. "It is very painful to watch. The problem is the IEBC who did not announce results well."

In Nairobi, the normally traffic-choked streets were deserted.

Aside from the alleged hacking, the opposition\s main complaint was that results streaming in electronically had yet to be backed up by a scanned copy of the results from constituencies.

Chiloba assured that these forms were coming in and that candidates\ teams were being given access to them. The IEBC has insisted the results on its public website should not be considered final until they have been cross-checked.

Raphael Tuju, secretary-general of Kenyatta\s Jubilee party, urged the opposition to "look at the figures soberly" and accept the results.

Odinga urged his supporters to "remain calm as we look deep into this matter."

But he added: "I don\t control the people."

The heads of nine international observer missions released a joint statement calling on parties and their supporters to remain calm, and turn to the courts with their grievances.

"We appeal to all citizens of Kenya to remain committed to peace and the integrity of the electoral process," read the statement.

The contest between Odinga and Kenyatta was seen by pollsters as too close to call ahead of the vote.

It is the second time the two men have faced off in a presidential election, a dynastic rivalry that has lasted more than half a century since their fathers Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Odinga went from allies in the struggle for independence to bitter rivals.

Kenyatta, 55, is credited with overseeing steady economic growth of more than five percent. But food prices have soared under his watch, and several major corruption scandals broke out in his first term.

SOURCE. AFP
The United Nations on Wednesday urged those fighting in Syria\s Raqa to remember "obligations to protect civilians," voicing concern over the tens of thousands of people still trapped without access to aid.

An estimated 10,000 to 25,000 people are stuck in the city, the Islamic State group\s main stronghold, said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who noted that "exact figures remain difficult to verify due to the situation on the ground."

"Access to Raqa is not currently possible for the UN, due to the fighting on the ground," Dujarric said during his daily briefing.

"We remind all military actors of their obligations to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian access, in line with international humanitarian law."

In July humanitarian organizations distributed aid, including food and medications, to some 263,000 people out of at least 46 sites within the Raqa region, Dujarric said.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-Arab alliance backed by an international coalition battling IS, entered Raqa city two months ago.

But the force\s progress has been hindered by IS which is fighting hard to hang on to the de facto Syrian capital of the "caliphate" it self-proclaimed in June 2014.

The SDF is backed by the US-led coalition battling IS in Iraq and Syria, which has supplied weapons, air cover and a limited number of troops.

The fight for Raqa has prompted tens of thousands of civilians to flee, with many wounded by crossfire or IS-planted explosive devices during their escape.

SOURCE: AFP
French police shot and arrested a suspect in a dramatic motorway chase Wednesday after a car smashed into soldiers outside a barracks in a Paris suburb, injuring six.

The suspected terror attack follows a string of assaults that have hit France since January 2015, claiming more than 230 lives.

The suspect, a 36-year-old Algerian man, has been hospitalised after police shot him five times.

The servicemen were hit by a BMW which drove down a quiet street in the upmarket western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret at around 8:00 am (0600 GMT).

It accelerated as it neared the troops, rammed into them and then sped away. Three were shocked and lightly hurt, while the other three sustained more serious injuries which are not life-threatening, officials said.

"I heard a huge crash which I thought was the sound of scaffolding being put up," said Thierry Chappe, an AFP employee who lives in a building opposite the crime scene.

Some 300 police later tracked the rented vehicle to a motorway near the northern port of Calais.

After a chase, officers opened fire, wounding the unarmed driver who was arrested then taken to hospital, sources involved in the manhunt said.

The suspect lived in the Yvelines suburb of Paris and had no previous convictions.

Pictures showed the black BMW with a crumpled front end and smashed windscreen on the A16 motorway.

An AFP journalist saw masked police carrying out a search in Bezons in the northwestern Paris suburbs.

The servicemen targeted in the assault were part of the 7,000-strong anti-terrorism Sentinelle force set up in January 2015 after jihadist gunmen attacked the offices of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, killing 12.

The armed, uniformed soldiers of the force patrol the streets and guard high-risk areas such as tourist sites and religious buildings.

President Emmanuel Macron congratulated security forces on Twitter for apprehending the suspect, adding: "Vigilance remains a duty at all times."

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said Sentinelle forces had been attacked on six different occasions since 2015. France has been under a state of emergency since the Islamic State attacks in Paris in November 2015, which left 130 people dead.

Some experts believe patrols should be withdrawn from the streets where they are an obvious target for extremists, but the government is likely to hesitate to do so in case of another major attack.

"The opposition would jump on the argument that \you\ve dismantled Sentinelle, there\s been an attack and you are to blame\," said Alain Rodier, a specialist from private national security organisation Cf2R.

The Paris prosecutors\ office said its anti-terrorism unit has launched a probe into "attempted killings in relation to a terrorist undertaking".

The Islamic State group (IS) has repeatedly targeted France because of its participation in the US-led international coalition fighting the jihadists, with French jets carrying out air strikes in Syria.

The incident came just four days after Sentinelle soldiers intervened to control an 18-year-old with a history of psychological problems at the Eiffel Tower where he brandished a knife and shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest).

He told investigators he wanted to kill a soldier, sources close to the case told AFP.

In February, a man armed with a machete attacked four soldiers on patrol at Paris\s Louvre Museum, while in April another extremist shot and killed a policeman on the Champs-Elysees, the French capital\s most famous boulevard.

In June, a 40-year-old Algerian doctorate student who had pledged allegiance to IS attacked a policeman with a hammer outside Notre Dame cathedral.

Over the past two years the wave of attacks in France has seriously dented visitor numbers in the world\s top tourist destination, but the industry has begun to recover as incidents have become more widespread and generally less deadly.

SOURCE: AFP
The 130-foot, 8-million-pound steam generator that was built at the Port of Coeymans and pulled down the Hudson River to New Jersey for a new PSEG power plant arrived at its destination Tuesday.

The journey from Coeymans began Monday morning and concluded in Sewaren, N.J. Tuesday afternoon.
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ALBANY  A Democratic state senator will resign on Friday, marking another round of intrigue for the chamber at a time when Democratic factions remain splintered and Republicans maintain a slim majority.

State Sen. Daniel Squadron, D-Brooklyn, announced on Wednesday that he will resign from the chamber Friday. He said in a statement that he will devote himself to pushing policies and candidates nationwide "that will create a fairer and more democratic future."

"It's not possible to take on this challenge and continue to be a full-time legislator, which is what I always promised I would be," said the lawmaker, who was first elected to the Senate in 2008.

Squadron's departure will not change the chamber's partisan makeup: His district, which covers parts of Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan, is a safely Democratic seat based on voter enrollment.

But in an op-ed in the Daily News, Squadron repeated the complaint that Democrats do not control the 63-seat chamber despite holding a numerical majority.

Squadron wrote that while he still believes in state government's potential, "over the years I have seen it thwarted by a sliver of heavily invested special interests."

The eight-member Independent Democratic Conference has maintained a "majority coalition" with the Senate Republicans, who are separately allied with Brooklyn Democrat Simcha Felder to secure their control.

In a statement, Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins called Squadron "a fantastic senator, a dedicated public servant, and a dear friend."

The seat will be filled this November during off-cycle elections. Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh, D-Manhattan, announced Wednesday afternoon that he will seek the seat. Because the deadline has passed to petition to obtain a ballot line  thus requiring a primary  the district's two Democratic county committees will select a nominee.

Squadron's exit may not be the only in the Senate before the end of the year. Democratic Sens. George Latimer of Westchester County and Ruben Diaz Sr. of the Bronx are seeking local elected positions. Republican Sen. Phil Boyle of Long Island is running for Suffolk County sheriff.

Any of their exits would key up special elections  or, if they resign, elections in November  for their seats.

Squadron's exit comes at a time when Democratic voters in some areas have become impassioned about gaining control of the Senate  a task that is easier said than done because of internal politics.

Their pleas recently led the state Democratic Committee to adopt a resolution to formally call for Senate reunification, much to the chagrin of the IDC, led by Sen. Jeff Klein of the Bronx.

News of Squadron's resignation coincidentally came as a new account emerged of a meeting last month between Gov. Andrew Cuomo  a Democrat criticized by some for not doing more to reunify the party's Senate factions  and the mainline Democratic senators. The New York Times reported Wednesday that Cuomo suggested to them that the IDC had a better understanding of the suburbs.

The Times reported that Stewart-Cousins, who represents Westchester County, replied to Cuomo: "You look at me, Mr. Governor, but you don't see me. You see my black skin and a woman, but you don't realize I am a suburban legislator. Jeff Klein doesn't represent the suburbs. I do."

A Cuomo spokeswoman told the Times that the comment "was not of particular note" and the meeting was friendly and positive.

mhamilton@timesunion.com  518-454-5449  @matt_hamilton10
ALBANY  Police lockups will be required to have feminine-hygiene products on hand for female detainees under a new state rule adopted Wednesday.

The rule from the state Commission of Correction mandates that tampons and sanitary napkins shall be made available to all female detainees at a facility's expense. State Department of Corrections facilities, state Office of Children and Family Services-run juvenile secure facilities and county jails already are obligated to maintain a supply of feminine hygiene products.

According to information submitted alongside the proposed rule in May, there were approximately 87,000 women in police lockups in 2016, 55,000 of whom were detained in New York City. The NYPD already has a policy requiring that feminine hygiene products be made available.

"While the commission is confident that the majority of police lockups outside of New York City have a similar policy or practice, it is likely that female detention is so infrequent in smaller facilities that authorities are unprepared when the need for feminine hygiene products arises," the rule's regulatory impact statement stated.

The commission estimates that for the 280 police lockups outside New York City, the average annual cost per lockup would be $5.71.

The new rule follows an April New York Times story that detailed the account of a woman arrested in Queens who was provided only a sterile gauze pad  used as a bandage and without an adhesive  when she asked for a sanitary pad.

The Times reported that pads and tampons can become bargaining chips used by correction officers to maintain control, or traded among women who are behind bars, while menstruation can be treated as an inconvenience in some jails.

A 2015 report from the Correctional Association of New York's Women in Prison Project found that within the state prison system, a majority of women said they did not receive enough sanitary napkins per month. The report also found that most women could not afford to buy sanitary supplies sold in prison commissaries.

Legislation to provide for feminine hygiene products at no cost to inmates at state and local women's correctional facilities, or any other state or local facility where women are detained by law enforcement, did not pass muster during this year's legislative session.

"We are pleased to see that the State Commission of Correction has addressed the basic need for adequate sanitary supplies for women in county facilities," said Gail Smith, director of the Women in Prison Project. "No women should be put in the humiliating position of not having sanitary supplies when they need them and having to ask corrections officers for extras or face humiliating requirements in order to receive necessary supplies."

mhamilton@timesunion.com  518-454-5449  @matt_hamilton10
CATSKILL  A Los Angeles man is accused of selling methamphetamine in Greene County, State Police said Wednesday.

Troopers arrested 49-year-old Nicholas Distano on Friday. He is charged with felony criminal sale of a controlled substance, felony criminal possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon.

Troopers found Distano with a rifle during the arrest, State Police said. He is being held as a fugitive from justice because he is wanted in California for a parole violation, troopers said.

Distano was arraigned by Catskill Village Justice Richard Paolino and taken to the Greene County jail without bail.

His arrest is the result of a joint investigation conducted by the State Police, the Catskill Police Department, Greene County Sheriff's Office and the Greene County District Attorney's Office.
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Troopers are seeking nine men, including three wanted in the Capital Region.

 Michael J. Bulson is wanted in Moreau for felony facilitation of aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle, misdemeanor criminal impersonation and misdemeanor false personation.

As a passenger inside a stopped car in February 2016, Bulson allegedly gave troopers a name other than his own in order to avoid arrest on outstanding warrants and allow the driver to operate the car with 10 suspensions, State Police said.

Bulson, 41, is described as a 5-foot-11 white man with blond hair and blue eyes, weighing 175 pounds.

 Brayden D. Brookreson is wanted in Albany for driving while intoxicated.

On July 27, 2013, troopers stopped Brookreson on the Thruway for speeding and determined he was drunk, State Police said. Brookreson, 36, is described as a 6-foot white man with brown hair and eyes, weighing 170 pounds.

 Ernest W. Clark III is wanted in Hunter for misdemeanor assault.

Troopers investigating reports of domestic violence arrested Clark after discovering he allegedly injured another person. Clark failed to return to court and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest, State Police said.

Clark, 32, is described as a 6-foot-1 white man with brown hair and blue eyes, weighing 215 pounds.

Anyone with information on these men's whereabouts is asked to call the State Police at 518-436-2825 or email crimetip@troopers.ny.gov. Civilians should not take any police action themselves.

The State Police posted the names and mug shots of the nine men online Wednesday as part of a weekly warrant roundup. The seven other men being sought by troopers include:

 Hector G. Cruz-Diaz is wanted in Brewster, Putnam County, for felony burglary and felony attempted rape.

Troopers investigating a March 2016 burglary determined Cruz-Diaz unlawfully entered the victim's home and tried to rape the resident, State Police said. A judge issued a warrant for his arrest in July.

Cruz-Diaz, 35, is described as a 5-foot-3 man with black hair and brown eyes, weighing 140 pounds. His last known addresses were in Putnam County and Danbury, Conn.

 Trevor J. Skeldon is wanted in Watertown, Jefferson County, for felony grand larceny.

A judge issued a warrant for Skeldon's arrest on May 19 after he failed to appear in court as scheduled. Skeldon was arrested on May 6, 2016, and accused of stealing $1,500 worth of fishing tackle and equipment from a car, State Police said.

Skeldon, 22, is described as a 5-foot-9 white man with blond hair and blue eyes, weighing 150 pounds.

 Jose Quintanilla is wanted in Valley Stream, Nassau County, for driving while intoxicated and several traffic violations.

In 2016, Quintanilla was stopped for a traffic violation on the Southern State Parkway and arrested for drunken driving, State Police said. He was driving a blue Honda at the time of his arrest.

Quintanilla, 31, is described as a 5-foot-6 Hispanic man with brown hair and eyes, weighing 153 pounds. His last known address was in Hempstead on Long Island.

 Michael D. Stevenson is wanted in Binghamton for misdemeanor aggravated harassment.

Stevenson is accused of making threatening phone calls in April 2010 to a victim in Fenton, Broome County, and has since missed several court dates, State Police said. A judge signed a warrant for his arrest on July 26, 2010.

Stevenson, 40, is described as a 5-foot-5 white man with brown hair and black eyes, weighing 140 pounds.

 Donald W. Steves is wanted in Boston, Erie County, for aggravated unlicensed operation. A judge signed a warrant for his arrest on July 11, 2016, after Steves failed to appear for a scheduled court appearance, State Police said.

Steves, 45, is described as a 5-foot-11 white man with brown hair and blue eyes, weighing 220 pounds.

 Joseph Wang is wanted in Rochester for driving while intoxicated and several vehicle and traffic violations.

Troopers stopped Wang on Interstate 490 eastbound for speeding, failing to maintain his lane and using an electronic device while driving, State Police said.

Wang, 33, is described as a 5-foot-7 man with black hair and brown eyes, weighing 150 pounds.
OPENING FRIDAY

ANNABELLE  CREATION: Years after the death of their daughter, a dollmaker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, soon becoming the target of the dollmaker's possessed creation, Annabelle. As you do. (R for horror violence and terror) http://annabellemovie.com

CITY OF GHOSTS: A documentary that follows the efforts of "Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently," a handful of anonymous activists who banded together after their homeland was taken over by ISIS in 2014. (R for disturbing violent content, and for some language) http://www.cityofghosts.com

THE GLASS CASTLE: Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts star in this adaptation of Jeannette Wall's memoir about the unconventional, poverty-stricken upbringing she and her siblings had at the hands of their deeply dysfunctional parents. (PG-13 for mature thematic content involving family dysfunction, and for some language and smoking) http://www.theglasscastle.movie

AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL  TRUTH TO POWER: More than a decade after the Oscar-winning documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," this follow-up details former Vice-President Al Gore's continued efforts to tackle climate change and his attempts to persuade governmental leaders to invest in renewable energy, culminating in the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016. Timely, no? (PG for thematic elements and some troubling images) https://inconvenientsequel.tumblr.com

THE MIDWIFE: It's Cathy fois deux! A midwife (Catherine Frot) gets unexpected news from her father's old mistress (Catherine Deneuve). (NR) https://www.musicboxfilms.com/the-midwife-movies-158.php

THE NUT JOB 2  NUTTY BY NATURE: In this sequel to 2014's modest performer and critical punching bag, Surly the squirrel (Will Arnett) and his friends must stop Oakton City's mayor from destroying their home to make way for a dysfunctional amusement park. Also features the voices of Katherine Heigl, Maya Rudolph and Jackie Chan. (PG for action and some rude humor) http://thenutjob.com

Go to Times Union Movies blog, moderated by film fanatic C.J. Lais Jr. and join in the conversation. http://blog.timesunion.com/movies
Craig Couture of Clifton Park won the second quarterfinal cook-off in the Table Hopping/timesunion.com Home Rangers competition, held last Thursday night at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. His opponent, Peter Naimo of Troy, offered up stiff competition with an appetizer of sweet and spicy fried goat cheese and a tremendously tasty Cajun etouffee, but Couture bested it with his meal: an appetizer of three beet preparations (foam, pickled on bruschetta, slider) and steak-and-scallop surf-and-turf with watermelon-jicama salad. It was just about a perfect summer meal.

The last quarterfinal of Home Rangers, the new name for the 5-year-old Table Hopping cook-offs at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, will be held Thursday night prior to the performance by the Philadelphia Orchestra. Competing are H. Tim Smith of Clifton Park and Ryan J. Moore of Saratoga Springs; the latter won last year's cook-off. They will have one hour to cook on BlueStar pro-style outdoor ranges set up in the food court area of the upper lawn at SPAC. Moore intends to make pretzel-crusted crab cake followed by poached and seared Chilean sea bass with maitake mushrooms. Smith will start with herb flatbread with blistered cherry-tomato compote, and, as his entree, mojo-marinated grilled flank steak with red wine-shallot pan sauce and baby arugula salad.
Albany

Police officers at the University at Albany say they are being discouraged from making arrests or writing tickets and have had limits placed on the number of miles they can drive their patrol cars during a shift.

Related: View employee survey for University at Albany police officers

The strict policies, which are resulting in fewer arrests, require the officers to spend more time on foot in campus buildings and less time patrolling roads in and around the uptown and downtown campuses. The directives, many of them issued in the last year, also prohibit officers from stopping motorists for violations such as holding a cellphone or driving the wrong way on a one-way street, according to officers and officials with the union that represents them.

In addition, the officers must obtain authorization from an investigator or supervisor before applying for a search warrant or when making an arrest, with the supervisors given the authority to "un-arrest" a suspect or to reject a request for a warrant, even when it may yield evidence of a crime.

J. Frank Wiley, who has been chief of the campus police force since 1996, said the department "has always functioned within the community policing philosophy. ... This is not a change in approach."

He cited recommendations issued two years ago by President Barack Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing that "law enforcement culture should embrace a guardian mindset to build public trust and legitimacy."

"Good policing is more than just complying with the law," Wiley said in a written response to questions from the Times Union. "Sometimes actions are permitted by policy, but that does not always mean an officer should take those actions."

The policies have created tensions on the small force and raised questions internally about whether the restrictions represent an effort to keep down the school's arrest numbers, which are publicly posted under federal regulations. In addition, the department has faced scrutiny from the state Inspector General's office, which last year investigated the handling of the death of an 18-year-old Elizabethtown College student whose body was found in the back seat of a car on the main campus in 2013.

According to a state official briefed on the matter, the inspector general's investigation included seizing computer records from the UAlbany police force amid a probe that examined whether investigators ignored information that the victim may have died after being placed in the trunk of the vehicle when a group of students drove home from Saratoga County following a night of partying. The student's cause of death was officially listed as pulmonary edema, a condition where fluid builds up in the lungs.

The state official said inspector general investigators interviewed several current and former members of the UAlbany police force as part of the probe.

"The officers on the scene had a suspicion he had been in the trunk during the ride because there were so many of them in the car," the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of a state policy that prevents public comment on the matter. "There was a theory the kids took him out of the trunk and put him in the back seat and waited to call police."

The unrest at the department comes as the union for the officers filed a complaint with the state Public Employment Relations Board last month contending the patrol-mileage restrictions were instituted after the union filed a grievance over the poor condition of the department's patrol vehicles, including bald tires, vehicles that would stall regularly and dashboard warning lights that would stay on permanently due to poor maintenance.

The mileage restrictions initially required officers to drive less than 15 miles per shift if they were patrolling the uptown campus and no more than 20 miles if patrolling downtown areas near UAlbany buildings. The officers said the 15-mile limit equated to roughly four laps around the main campus road. Recently, the department increased the cap to 25 miles per shift on the uptown campus and 30 miles downtown because officers were routinely going over the limit.

Wiley defended the practice, which is unusual for an urban-area police force.

"Mileage restrictions are intended to increase positive citizen-police contact and to reduce the fear of crime through increased foot patrol and increased visibility in heavily traveled pedestrian areas," the chief said. "The mileage restriction has a probable secondary benefit reducing the wear and tear on the vehicle fleet."

An officer who spoke to the Times Union on condition of anonymity said that after the mileage policy took effect in February, a deputy chief listened to radio calls from his residence and would instruct officers to "stop making traffic stops" and get into campus buildings. The officer said the fallout has been fewer DWI arrests and situations where officers feel unable to stop vehicles for infractions that might endanger pedestrians.

"One officer was even told that a vehicle that he had stopped which was driving on a metal rim and shooting sparks from under the vehicle was not enough of a exigent circumstance and that he should not have stopped the vehicle," the person said.

Some officers called the policy changes inconsistent given the department's embrace of an aggressive "no tolerance" approach five years ago after an off-campus melee where thousands of students jammed a Pine Hill neighborhood for an annual alcohol-fueled event known as "kegs and eggs" that spiraled out of control. The unsanctioned event led to a show of force by Albany police to break it up and left a neighborhood scarred with 16 tons of debris and soaked in alcohol.

After that, "Even the lowest level of marijuana possession was a mandatory arrest," said Daniel De Federicis, executive director of the Police Benevolent Association of New York State, the union representing 36 members of the university force. Now, "It's a demoralized police force because of the flawed leadership, sometimes absent leadership. It's harming the overall safety of the campus."

Last year, about a week after a patrol officer recovered an illegal firearm during a vehicle stop on Washington Avenue, the department issued an order prohibiting vehicle stops on roads abutting and adjoining campus absent an immediate threat to the public.

"There is no connection between these two issues," Wiley said. "The vehicle stop was performed following an areawide notification to law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the vehicle that was stopped. As such, the stop would have been appropriate before or after the guidance was issued."

The chief said the directive limiting the patrol jurisdiction of the university police aligns with agreements the school has with local police departments, including the city of Albany. Still, officers interviewed during the past year said they have been discouraged from pursuing criminal investigations, especially involving off-campus larcenies or drug dealing even when students were implicated. By turning those cases over to Albany police, they said, the university avoids reporting the crimes as campus-related.

Last week, the PBA issued a "no confidence" vote targeting Wiley and UAlbany Deputy Chief Aran C. Mull. The unanimous vote was cast during a PBA board of directors meeting in Albany.

"In recent years, when criminal arrest statistics appeared to spike, thereby alarming university administrators, management placed severe restrictions on patrol and arrest functions, including counseling and reprimanding officers for making certain arrests," the PBA said in a statement.

Some of the officers said the department is transforming their role into being "high-paid building security guards" rather than police.

In May, supervisors were told that officers are no longer allowed to conduct stationary traffic details, such as speed traps, unless directed to do so by a lieutenant. When officers are allowed to conduct stationary traffic details, they are not allowed to stop vehicles for infractions such as cellphone violations or failure to stop unless authorized to do so by a supervisor, according to union officials.

"Traffic enforcement using a stationary patrol vehicle does not enhance visibility," Wiley said. "It is therefore not encouraged."

blyons@timesunion.com  518-454-5547  @brendan_lyonstu
This editorial appeared in Saturday's Washington Post.

- - -

Based on what they were told by District of Columbia police, Paul and Gail Casey buried their 33-year-old son thinking he had started an argument that turned violent and caused him to be knocked to the ground with fatal injuries. That was nearly six years ago. The upstate New York couple have since conducted their own investigation, and the results are striking. There is good reason to think that a rush to judgment in their son's case led to a wrong result. Officials have reclassified the death - it is no longer deemed "justifiable" - and police are pressing federal prosecutors to review the case. Justice demands that the request be seriously considered.

According to police, the death of Patrick Casey, an Army veteran who had served in Afghanistan and was in an international studies program at George Washington University, is open and is still actively being investigated. Casey died Sept. 27, 2011, of massive brain trauma, four days after he was involved in an early-morning altercation outside a McDonald's in Georgetown.

At a news conference three days after Casey's death, police said he had been drinking and acting in an annoying manner and may have instigated the physical confrontation. In November 2011, the U.S. Attorney's Office told police that charges would not be pursued against three men involved in the fight, classifying the homicide as "justifiable" and "consistent with an individual acting in defense of another."

Casey's parents have since obtained police files through the Freedom of Information Act. Their investigation also includes analysis of surveillance video and depositions taken in civil suits against the three men involved in the fight. It all points to missteps in the investigation and inconsistencies in the accounts of the men. One witness said Casey was punched from behind. The man who was identified by authorities as striking the blow that resulted in Casey's death was arrested three years later for assaulting a bouncer at a D.C. bar and entered into an agreement that deferred prosecution in exchange for community service.

Presented with this new material, federal prosecutors said they still weren't going to prosecute in Casey's death but this time cited "insufficient evidence . . . to meet the government's burden to rebut a claim of self-defense or defense of another."

Such reclassification is unusual, particularly after so many years, and the Caseys see it as a vindication of their son. But they believe the process was short-circuited, with no one ever held to account. Police Chief Peter Newsham told us he wrote directly to the U.S. attorney asking for further review. That office is soon slated for a change in administration. We hope the new U.S. attorney takes a fresh look at a case that demands better answers.
ELMIRA (AP)  Authorities say a 17-year-old Pennsylvania girl has been charged with attempted murder after a baby was found alive in a plastic bag outside an upstate New York home.

Police in the city of Elmira say neighbors checking out a noise Tuesday afternoon discovered a 12- to 16-month-old girl whose feet were sticking out of the bag. They called 911 and tended to the child until police and emergency crews arrived.
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TROY  A cool, wet summer means an early start to leaf raking as some of the Capital Region's maple trees have started dropping their leaves, victims of a fungal disease outbreak.

This week, officials in Troy advised homeowners about an outbreak of so-called "tar spot" disease, which is characterized by dark, raised spots on the leaves of afflicted maples. While the disease normally does not threaten the overall health of a tree, it can lead to the tree shedding leaves early.

But the good news, said David Chinery, a horticulture specialist with the Rensselaer County office of Cornell Cooperative Extension, is that fungus usually does not attack sugar maple trees, so maple syrup farms should not have any problems.

Tar spot outbreaks have come and gone over the years, said Chinery. "There was a really bad year in 1983, and it has been up and down," he said.

The fungus prefers wetter conditions and cooler springs, which have both occurred this year. Since January, there have been more than 29 inches of rainfall in Albany, according to the National Weather Service, compared the average of 24 inches.

Tar spot disease primarily affects Norway maples, an invasive species that was commonly used in landscaping and along city streets.

The city turned to these maples starting in the 1930s when elm trees along its streets were devastated by Dutch elm disease, and Norway maples are tolerant of city conditions.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation started regulating the sale and use of Norway maples in 2014 under an invasive species control law.

Since the fungus that causes black tar is spread by spores, homeowners can slow the spread of tar spot by raking and bagging up leaves, rather than leaving them outside, said Chinery.

The fungus survives over the winter on fallen leaves and spores emerge in the spring to spread into new trees.

Tar spot poses no threat to the state's maple syrup industry, said Helen Thomas, executive director of the state Maple Producers Association.

Instead, an outbreak of tent caterpillars in a few northern counties might suppress next spring's syrup production by a small amount, she said.

In 2015, researchers from Cornell University released a study that found sugar maples had been growing more slowly than normal since the 1970s.

The study did not identify a cause and no follow-up research has been done, according to a Cornell spokeswoman.

DEC is "monitoring maple trees in the Capital Region and across the state for signs of an epidemic or illness. Maple trees can be affected by wet conditions like those experienced in the Capital Region this summer, causing tar spots on the leaves, a type of fungus that manifests itself onto the leaves of maples in wet weather," according to a statement.

The department's "forest health team is conducting aerial surveys of forested areas throughout the state and observed that the tent caterpillar is having a peak season in the northern part of the state  Tug Hill and Adirondack region  which can damage the health of the trees," according to the statement.

Landowners who see insects or unusual markings on trees are encouraged to email photos to the department's Division of Lands and Forests at LF.Lands@dec.ny.gov.
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Caracas, Venezuela

Venezuela's new constitutional assembly took over the halls of the endangered, opposition-controlled congress Tuesday and decreed itself superior to all other branches of government while prominently displaying images of the late President Hugo Chavez.

The order bars anti-government lawmakers in congress from taking any action that would interfere with the laws passed by the newly installed assembly, Delcy Rodriguez, the super-body's leader, declared to unanimous approval.

"We are not threatening anyone," said Aristobulo Isturiz, the constitutional assembly's first vice president. "We are looking for ways to coexist."

Embattled President Nicolas Maduro convoked the constitutional assembly in what he contends is an attempt to resolve the nation's political standoff, but opposition leaders insist it is a power grab. Since its installation Friday, the assembly has already ousted the nation's outspoken chief prosecutor, established a "truth commission" expected to target Maduro's foes and passed decrees pledging "support and solidarity" with the unpopular president.
TROY  At a town hall-style meeting on Wednesday evening, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand singled out the three Republican senators who recently crossed party lines in the middle of the night to kill the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

The Democrat from Brunswick could be heard praising two of them from the stage, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. If she also praised Arizona Sen. John McCain it could not be heard, however, as the mention of the senators immediately drew by far the single biggest applause of the night.

Among hundreds of people, a sole man in the rafters of the McDonough Sports Complex at Hudson Valley Community College could be heard loudly booing.

Democrats in 2010 faced anger during town halls when trying to pass the Affordable Care Act, but at this one, Gillibrand's ideas on health received almost nothing but praise. If the guests had one critique, it was that the audio quality in the cavernous complex was poor enough during the first 45 minutes of the hour-long meeting that the audience members attendees often strained to hear Gillibrand or her questioners.

Questions were taken at random through those selected by raffle tickets handed out at the door. Many focused on President Donald Trump, whose nominees for cabinet appointments Gillibrand has almost always voting against.

In response to one question, Gillibrand said she had concerns about attacks on the judiciary and the free press. She said if Trump tries to fire Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Mueller  who is investigating the Trump campaign's ties to Russia among other matters  it will create a "constitutional crisis" but she believes "our institutions are strong, I do."

Gillibrand encouraged people to make their voices heard on climate change issues, arguing that using social media and writing letters to the editor at newspapers could sway minds. Trump in June pulled out of the Paris climate accord, a move derided by environmentalists.

"Explain to this White House that it's real," Gillibrand said. "Explain how many floods we have seen in the Hudson Valley and in the Capital Region."

Answering a question about jobs and economics, Gillibrand said there needs to be more job retraining for positions in new industries for those that lost their jobs, more access to capital for manufacturing and start-up companies, and a "living wage" paid for all jobs so no one has to work more than one.

The appearance in Troy was one of several town halls that Gillibrand is holding around the state.

The senator, who is a favorite to win re-election in 2018, asked at the end of the event for the audience's votes, to applause. She has also been mentioned as a possible Democratic presidential candidate in 2020, but she ruled out the possibility earlier this year.
Crossogue Preserves, the Tipperary based artisan jam company has yet again excelled at the Great Taste Awards, the Oscars of the food world, by scooping up not one but three gold awards for its Quince and Medlar Jelly, Crab Apple Jelly and Blackberry Jam.

With over 12,300 entries in this years awards such accolades are rare and a real endorsement of the handmade preserves companys attention to quality and flavour.

Crossogue Preserves Quince & Medlar Jelly was awarded two gold stars, with the judges describing it as "A very delicious delicate jelly and the smell takes you right back to late summer. Wow!" Crossogue Preserves Blackberry Jam was said by the expert judges, many who are top chefs and acclaimed food critics to have an appealing fruity aroma and is filled with lots of fruit, it received a gold star as did Crossogues Crab Apple Jelly, which judges said had a A beautiful deep amber colour, great clarity and shine.

Commenting on the prestigious prizes, Veronica Molloy, Owner and Founder of Crossogue Preserves says, To be placed alongside such amazing competition, my team and I are ecstatic to receive three gold awards for our handmade preserves at the 2017 Great Taste Awards. We constantly strive to make delicious preserves for our customers, so to receive award winning recognition encourages us to create even more lovingly made produce.

Crossogue Preserves was founded by Veronica Molloy in 1995. The mother of six and grandmother of thirteen who grew up in Kenya, Africa had been making jams for local country markets and delis. She then expanded her outfit due to the popularity of her products and thus Crossogue Preserves was born.

22 years on, the artisan jam making company supplies over 85 varieties of jams, curds, marmalades, chutneys, spreads and coulis to shops and delis throughout Ireland and internationally. As well as creating old favourites, such as strawberry, raspberry and blackcurrant, Veronica has invented many unique and delicious flavours including Irish Coffee Curd, Lime Tequila Marmalade and her most recent delicacy, Sugar Free Spread. Despite growing demand for the preserves, they are still made in batches of 20 jars and are free from preservatives and additives.

Over the years, the brand has won over 60 awards including many gold and double golds at the prestigious Great Taste Awards and The Worlds Original Marmalade awards. Veronica was also honoured to receive a life time achievement award by the Irish Food Writers Guild.
A Cashel Barber shop is to feature in a new documentary film exploring the barber culture in Ireland.

Ammar and Aoday Nahi run the thriving barber shop Fine Cuts located just off Main Street in the area known locally as the Back of the Pipes.

Ammar set up shop in Cashel having fled his native Iraq following the American led invasion in 2003.

The brothers' story of a lucky escape from an Al Qaeda checkpoint near Baghdad, to make it to a University exam on time, was told in the Tipperary Star in 2015. Now, the brothers death defying story is to be retold and broadcast to the nation after the documentary makers spotted their story in this newspaper.

Gruaig is an Irish documentary which explores the wonderful world of mens barber culture in Ireland and across the world.

Directors Colin Brady and Steve Sheehy said making it involved travelling around the country for two years filming different barbers and listening to their stories.

"Your stereotypical barber now has beard and tattoos and it's seen as a really cool rock'n'roll job but we also found guys who did it forever as well as the new guys coming in, said Colin.

"It's not all about cool and trendy barbers. We wanted to get a variety of different barbers, of different ages and different voices.

"We also interview a Tipperary barber who travels around in a van cutting farmer's hair at cattle markets, added Colin.
The award winning documentary film Against The Odds' by Cloughjordan Documentary film-maker, Nicolas Ryan Purcell, was screened in Damer House Gallery on Thursday, 3rd. August.

The film portrays the fascinating life story of the Irish horse, Gordon Lord Byron who was the horse nobody wanted. Bought as a foal for 2,000, he showed little early promise and the Cahalan family were stuck with him when he had no bidders at his first sales.

He fractured his pelvis on his racing debut and would have put been down if it wasnt for the determination of his trainer, Tom Hogan. When he returned to the track more than a year later he came last  but incredibly this plucky horse went on to win more than 1.7m in prize money, winning 15 times from 71 starts. Over the course of a year producer Nicholas Ryan Purcell and his team spoke to the people whose lives have been touched by the racehorse, including the Calahan family, co-owner Cyrus Poonawalla, the renowned trainer, Tom Hogan, and the jockey William Buick, who rode him in a number of races, who all agreed that Gordon Lord Byron had changed their lives. After the screening Nic gave a short talk explaining how the making of this film was a life-changing project for him too. Documenting the wonderful life of this great horse had rescued him from what had been up to that point, a career which entailed mundane round of documenting dayto-day events, birthdays and weddings.

This documentary has created a great stir within the racing community and has deservedly, has opened up new opportunities for this talented young film-maker, Nicolas Ryan Purcell.

Screening daily at 12 noon and 3pm. timing: 1hr. 15 mins. (Gallery closed Mon and Tues.) runs until 11th August.
Do you want to see an original Military Cross medal or hear about the lore of Irish trees?

On Monday 21st August, Heritage week is marked by Tipperary Studies with a dual event in The Source, Thurles. The Military Cross medal awarded to Fr Edmond Kelly, native of New Inn, Cashel is going on display at 6.30pm. Fr. Kelly volunteered for service as an army chaplain during WW1. He was awarded the Military Cross for 'conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty' on 16 August 1917 at East of Ypres. He continued as army chaplain until 1920 before returning to pastoral duties. He became PP in Killenaule in 1937 and was buried there in 1955.

At 7.30 pm, in his talk 'Trees at home and abroad' George Cunningham will take his audience to visit the many tree treasures of home and discuss the lore of the tree in Irish history. He will also travel to far flung places to introduce trees such as the redwoods and bristlecone pines of California.

So come, join us in The Source for a most entertaining evening which includes the usual cup of tea and chat.
THE Government needs to take urgent action to address new figures which reveal at least 369 people with disabilities are on social housing waiting lists in Co Tipperary, according to one of the countrys largest charities.

Rehab, Irelands largest independent charity for people with disabilities, says the Government is failing people with disabilities by not providing them with their basic human rights.

Access to appropriate social housing remains a major stumbling block for people with disabilities. A lack of availability and choice makes housing a significant issue for the 600,000 people with disabilities living in our communities.

Furthermore, more than 3000 people with disabilities are still living in institutions. This figure does not include the 1,200 people under 65, most of whom have disabilities, inappropriately placed in nursing homes.

These people housed in inappropriate setting are being deprived of the basic human right to live in the community and play an active role in society.

The Governments delay in taking responsibility for funding of appropriate housing, demonstrates a complete lack of priority for people with disabilities.

The organisation, which supports over 20,000 people, has now reiterated its call for the Government to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Ireland is the only country in Europe which has still failed to ratify this vital international agreement, which would afford people with disabilities the same basic human rights as everyone else.

Article 19 of the UNCRPD specifically provides for people with disabilities to live independently in their communities.

Kathleen OMeara, Rehabs Director of Communications and Public Affairs said: Ireland really needs to get to grips with how we support people with disabilities to live in their own homes. These figures show the Government is failing our most vulnerable members of society. The right to a home is a critical human right outlined in the UNCRPD.

If the convention was ratified, the Government would have to be accountable. These worrying figures show that people with disabilities continue to be treated like second class citizens. The reality is that people with disabilities remain invisible when it comes to policy and service provision. Every day in Rehab services we see people living full and active lives. We support nearly 200 adults to live independently in their communities through our supported accommodation services. Its past time the Government prioritise people with disabilities, Ms OMeara added.
Minister Denis Naughten is acting to try and sort out a very problematic situation with used tyres.

Denis Naughten, TD, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment has announced that he is allocating 1 million to remove stockpiles of waste tyres that blight the Irish countryside.

The Minister said the level of illegal dumping of waste types is a problem that needs to be met head on.

Many areas of Tipperary have been blighted by the sight of dumped tyres including scenic Lady's Well in Thurles, bog walks and forests. This has led to much anger in local communities especially since motorists pay an additional charge included in the price of their tyres for the disposal of the old ones.

The funding is being made available to Local Authorities to tackle the most significant dump sites in their areas. Latest estimates from the Local Authorities suggest there are more than 750,000 tyres randomly dumped in sites around the country, and this is a conservative estimate.

I am targeting this funding at tyres to clean up our countryside now and to ensure that the detrimental environmental and human health effects of these dumps are dealt with as soon as possible.

I am also supporting the introduction of a new compliance scheme to ensure that as many old tyres as possible are taken out of the system before the Scheme is introduced on October 1st this year. The new Scheme will reassure consumers that their old tyres will be disposed of responsibly by the retailer when they buy new tyres.

The tyres dumped at Lady's Well, Thurles.

Minister Naughten has adopted a two-pronged approach to deal with the problem of waste tyres.

A large part of the reason for this waste problem is a lack of information in relation to the tyres market in Ireland. Therefore, I will be announcing regulations within two weeks that will introduce a full compliance scheme for tyres.

This Scheme, to be run by Repak ELT, is based on the Extended Producer Responsibility principle and will carry out all regulatory functions on behalf of its tyre producers and retail members.

Membership of the scheme will be mandatory for any operator placing tyres on the Irish market. All operators will be obliged to provide data on the numbers of tyres coming on and off the market. This will be the first time that there will be clarity in this regard," added Minister Naughten.
[August 08, 2017] BookDoc Battles Cancer with Singapore Cancer Society

SINGAPORE, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore Cancer Society (SCS) and BookDoc, an online healthcare platforms with presence in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand, and 17 cities, are entering into a collaboration to widen public access to cancer-related information and services. Under this collaboration, services offered by SCS at no cost, such as Pap smear, Mammogram and Faecal Immunochemical Test ,can now be searched through BookDoc's free Apps and Website, BookDoc.com, anytime and anywhere. Singapore Cancer Society is a community-based voluntary welfare organisation dedicated to maximising life by minimising the impact of cancer through research, advocacy, public education, screening, financial assistance, patient services and support, and rehabilitation. It is the leading charitable cancer organisation in Singapore, with a reputation for effective programmes for the prevention and screening of cancer. Chief Executive Officer of SCS, Mr Albert Ching, added that, "Early detection of cancer and immediate treatment greatly favour the chances of recovery. SCS is glad to have a new partner to support our efforts in battling cancer. This partnership with BookDoc will further aid us in reaching out to more people. It enables users to efficiently search for cancer screening services such as Mammogram and Pap smear at a SCS cntre closest to home. Users can also conveniently call the centre to make an appointment."



"We are delighted to play a role in the wonderful effort of SCS to make Singapore a better place, especially for prevention and control of cancer. Our Search & Book platform serves not only the users who want to assess health services themselves, but also those who want to book for their loved ones. After which, the users could easily locate SCS's centres on the map, navigate or hail a ride even for their loved ones," said Dato' Chevy Beh, Founder & CEO of BookDoc. "BookDoc" app is downloadable for free on Apple App Store (for iOS) and Google Play Store (for Android). Users can now access a hassle-free integrated healthcare ecosystem supported by strategic partners from navigation (Google Maps & Waze), land transport (Grab & Uber), air transport (AirAsia), hotel accommodation (Agoda) and restaurants & attractions recommendation (TripAdvisor); as well as BookDoc Activ which rewards users for maintaining high level of physical activity.

About BookDoc BookDoc, with presence in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand, is an online platform that operates across the healthcare continuum connecting patients to healthcare professionals anytime and anywhere, while incentivising all to stay active. BookDoc has established an integrated online ecosystem for local and overseas health travellers. The ecosystem allows users to search and book healthcare professionals anytime and anywhere, and integrates seamlessly with navigation (Google Map, Waze), transport (Grab, Uber, AirAsia), accommodation (Agoda and Airbnb) and recommended restaurants & attractions (TripAdvisor) for a hassle-free and enjoyable experience to healthcare appointments. In addition, through BookDoc Activ, it rewards users for maintaining high level of activity by partnering major retailers and service providers that offer users discounts for achieving reward tiers based on activity level. The company is backed by a diverse group of investors from entrepreneurs to seasoned healthcare and insurance professionals, banker, regulators as well as ICT professionals. It has made records in achieving the highest pre-seed and seed valuation in Asia Technology Start-up history. It is available online at www.bookdoc.com, App Store and Google Play Store. About Singapore Cancer Society (www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg) Established in 1964, Singapore Cancer Society is a self-funded voluntary welfare organisation which provides patient care services to needy cancer patients through its welfare, hospice home care, cancer treatment subsidy and rehabilitation support programmes. In addition, the Society also provides free cancer screening services and promotes cancer awareness and prevention through its public education and community outreach programmes. For More Information, please Contact Name: Ms. Valerie Voon

Tel: +6019-336 6758

Email: [email protected] Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170808/1915746-1 SOURCE BookDoc

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[August 08, 2017] Mediagrif reports results for its first quarter of fiscal year 2018

TSX: MDF

www.mediagrif.com First quarter highlights: Acquisition of the assets of Orckestra completed on June 23, 2017 .

. Revenue up 5.3% to reach $20.0 million .

. Adjusted EBITDA 1 of $6.1 million or 31% of revenues, including non-recurring expenses of $0.3 million .

of or 31% of revenues, including non-recurring expenses of . Profit of $2.4 million ( $0.16 per share).

( per share). Cash flow from operating activities totalled $2.2 million . Quarterly dividend: Declaration of a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share payable on October 16, 2017 to shareholders of record on October 2, 2017 . LONGUEUIL, QC, Aug. 8, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Mediagrif Interactive Technologies Inc. (TSX: MDF), a Canadian leader in information technology, today announced its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2018. Unless indicated otherwise, all amounts are in Canadian dollars.







SUMMARY OF CONSOLIDATED RESULTS





Three months ended

June 30, 2017 2016





(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except for numbers related to shares  unaudited) $ $ Revenues 19,971 18,966 Adjusted EBITDA1 6,145 6,962 Operating profit 4,175 5,531 Profit for the period 2,416 3,734 Earnings per share (basic and diluted) 0.16 0.25 Weighted-average number of shares outstanding basic and diluted (in thousands) 14,895 14,999











1 See reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA and profit as well as the "About Mediagrif Interactive Technologies Inc." section.

FIRST QUARTER OF FISCAL 2018 ENDED JUNE 30, 2017 For the first quarter of fiscal 2018, revenues increased by 5.3% or $1.0 million to reach $20.0 million when compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2017. Revenue growth was mainly due to organic growth in the InterTrade and BidNet platforms for an amount of $0.4 million and to ASC revenues of $1.5 million for a full period of three months compared to $0.2 million for a period of one month during the first quarter ended June 30, 2016. Revenues from LesPAC and Jobboom decreased during the first quarter. However, the strategic initiatives put forward by the Company during the last fiscal year have shown a good outcome. As such, concerning LesPAC, following the launch of free ad posting to consumers on several ad categories, ad posted by consumers increased by 177% during the first quarter of fiscal 2018 when compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2017. Concerning Jobboom, initiatives to address competitive environments continued to show a positive outcome as the number of packages sold slightly increased when compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2017. During fiscal 2018, the Company will continue to invest in its technology and infrastructure, as well as in sales and marketing in order to seize market opportunities, respond to competitive environments, and strengthen its position in its growing businesses areas including solutions offered by Orckestra, an entity acquired on June 23, 2017. Adjusted EBITDA totalled $6.1 million or 31% of revenues compared to $7.0 million or 37% during the first quarter of fiscal 2017. Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of fiscal 2018 includes professional fees totalling $0.3 million related to the acquisition of Orckestra. Profit reached $2.4 million ($0.16 per share) compared to $3.7 million ($0.25 per share) during the first quarter of fiscal 2017. Profit for the first quarter of fiscal 2018 includes a foreign exchange loss of $0.4 million on assets denominated in US dollars compared to nil for the first quarter of fiscal 2017. FINANCIAL POSITION AND FINANCING During the first quarter of fiscal 2018, cash flows generated by operating activities reached $2.2 million, compared to $4.5 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 2017. The Company used a portion of these funds and funds available on its credit facility to proceed with the acquisition of Orckestra and also to cover for the acquisitions of capital assets. The Company also paid out $1.5 million in dividends during the first quarter of fiscal 2018. As at June 30, 2017, the Company had $12.0 million in cash and cash equivalents and $45.8 million available on its revolving credit facility of $80.0 million. QUARTERLY DIVIDEND The Board of Directors of Mediagrif declared a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share payable on October 16, 2017, to shareholders on record on October 2, 2017. RECONCILIATION OF ADJUSTED EBITDA AND PROFIT Adjusted EBITDA represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, foreign exchange gain (loss) and other revenues (expenses) as historically calculated by the Company.



(in thousands of Canadian dollars, unaudited by independent auditors) Three months ended June 30 2017 $ 2016 $ Profit 2,416 3,734

Income tax expense 1,139 1,427

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment and amortization of intangible assets 777 625

Amortization of acquired intangible assets 1,183 984

Amortization of deferred financing costs 10 10

Amortization of deferred lease inducement (35) (182)

Foreign exchange loss (gain) 431 (9)

Interest on long-term debt 224 202

Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment - 171 Adjusted EBITDA 6,145 6,962 About Mediagrif Interactive Technologies Inc. Mediagrif Interactive Technologies Inc. (TSX: MDF) is a Canadian leader in information technology, owner of several recognized Web and mobile platforms including MERX, BidNet, ASC, Orckestra, InterTrade, Jobboom, LesPAC, Reseau Contact, and Carrus. Mediagrif's e-commerce solutions are used by millions of consumers and businesses in North America and around the world. The Company has offices in Canada, the United States, Denmark and China. For more information, please visit us at www.mediagrif.com or call 1 877 677-9088. In addition to providing profit measures in accordance with IFRS, the Company shows operating profit and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, foreign exchange gain (loss) and other revenue (expenses) ("Adjusted EBITDA") as supplementary earnings measures. Operating profit and adjusted EBITDA are not intended to be measures that should be regarded as an alternative to other financial operating performance measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. Those measures do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA is provided to assist investors in determining the Company's ability to generate profitability from its operations and to evaluate its financial performance. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to the Company. These forward-looking statements, by their nature, necessarily involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected by these forward-looking statements. We consider the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based to be reasonable, but caution the reader that these assumptions regarding future events, many of which are beyond our control, may ultimately prove to be incorrect since they are subject to risks and uncertainties that affect us. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation. Unless otherwise indicated, all amounts are in Canadian dollars. Audited consolidated financial statements, accompanying notes and MD&A are available on www.mediagrif.com and have been filed with SEDAR at the following address: www.sedar.com.

SOURCE Mediagrif Interactive Technologies Inc.

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[August 08, 2017] Chinese Education Changes to Match Its Global Ambitions

SHANGHAI, Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time, a hybrid Chinese-Western approach to education has won honors for an English language learning product. Recently, the CODiE Awards named as a finalist ALO7's Genius English, the first honoree of these digi-education awards to have been made in China for Chinese students. The popularity of ALO7's methods is borne out by the numbers: more than 70,000 teachers have used AL07 to teach English to 12 million students from preschool to high school. "The traditional Chinese educational system was designed and built for the industrial age," says Dr. Pengkai Pan, MIT graduate and CEO of ALO7. "Teaching needs to progress to foster critical thinking and the creative curiosity that fuels imagination and innovation." Many in China agree. A recent HSBC survey reports that more than half of Chinese parents want their child to atend university abroad. Additionally, China's college entrance exam is being updated to reflect global trends. ALO7's programs, which follow Chinese national guidelines, US Common Core standards, and European English-language recommendations meet this demand for progressive learning that respects Chinese educational culture.



The cross-cultural content includes custom exercises and games, music, Chinese folktales, essay writing, US publisher Zaner-Bloser's grammar practice adapted for Chinese students, and more. It provides an interconnected suite of classroom and at-home apps and books accompanied by teacher training and seamless digital support, including personalized student reports. Language used to inspire students to love learning is combined with big data and technical knowhow to give schools better tools and student outcomes. ALO7 students also reach beyond borders by studying English online. Nearly 1,000 teachers in the US and abroad provide small-scale classes via the Internet for more than 40,000 Chinese students. Chelsea Fields, an ALO7 long-distance teacher, has seen Chinese students benefit from these East-West style of classes. For example, Fields says that her students are sometimes "in a state of panic when asked to offer an opinion on a topic." But after a few lessons, "they eventually come to enjoy it."

The appeal of ALO7's education extends beyond the classroom to the boardroom. Qualcomm Inc., Vickers Venture Partners, and New Oriental Education & Tech Group are among the companies that have invested a combined total of $50 million in ALO7, whose major clients include New Oriental, Only Education, and TPR. As China's educational system changes to match its global ambitions, what will students and corporations learn next? www.alo7.com/en/ View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chinese-education-changes-to-match-its-global-ambitions-300501632.html SOURCE ALO7

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[August 08, 2017] Avita Medical to Present at Wedbush PacGrow Healthcare Conference

Avita Medical, Ltd. (ASX: AVH), (OTCQX: AVMXY), a medical device company developing innovative therapeutic solutions derived from the regenerative properties of a patient's own skin, today announced that Avita's management will present a corporate overview of Avita Medical at the Wedbush PacGrow Healthcare Conference on 15 August 2017. The presentation will take place at 10:55 a.m. ET in New York City.







Presentation details: Date: Tuesday, August 15, 2017 Time: 10:55 a.m. - 11:25 a.m. ET Location: Le Parker Meridien in New York

ABOUT AVITA MEDICAL LIMITED Avita's patented and proprietary collection and application technology provides innovative treatment solutions derived from the regenerative properties of a patient's own skin. Our medical devices work by preparing a Regenerative Epithelial Suspension (RES), an autologous suspension comprised of the patients' own skin cells and wound healing factors that are necessary to regenerate natural healthy skin. This is then applied to the area to be treated. In all countries outside of Europe, our portfolio is marketed under the ReCell brand to promote skin healing in a wide range of applications including burns, chronic wounds and aesthetics. ReCell is TGA-registered in Australia, and CFDA-cleared in China. In the United States, ReCell is an investigational device limited by federal law to investigational use. In Europe, our portfolio of medical device products received CE-mark approval as three tailored product presentations, with three individual brand names. ReCell is designed for the treatment of burns and plastic reconstructive procedures; ReGenerCell has been formulated for chronic wounds including leg and foot ulcers; and ReNovaCell is tailored for aesthetic applications including the restoration of pigmentation. To learn more, visit www.avitamedical.com. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This letter includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "could," "may," "will," "believe," "estimate," "look forward," "forecast," "goal," "target," "project," "continue," "outlook," "guidance," "future," other words of similar meaning and the use of future dates. Forward-looking statements in this letter include, but are not limited to, statements concerning, among other things, our ongoing clinical trials and product development activities, regulatory approval of our products, the potential for future growth in our business, and our ability to achieve our key strategic, operational and financial goal. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. Each forward-looking statement contained in this letter is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statement. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, among others, the timing of regulatory approvals of our products; physician acceptance, endorsement, and use of our products; failure to achieve the anticipated benefits from approval of our products; the effect of regulatory actions; product liability claims; risks associated with international operations and expansion; and other business effects, including the effects of industry, economic or political conditions outside of the company's control. Investors should not place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this letter. Investors are encouraged to read our publicly available filings for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this letter speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of these statements. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170808006574/en/

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[August 09, 2017] Global Innovation Fund and Aspada Invest $10 Million in EM3

BANGALORE, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EM3 AgriServices, India's leading private sector farm mechanization services company has raised a $10 million Series B round from London-based Global Innovation Fund (GIF) and existing investor Aspada. The company had earlier raised a $3.3 million Series A from Aspada in June 2015. EM3 AgriServices is India's first provider of farm services for the entire cultivation cycle, on a pay-per-use basis. With two-thirds of India's farms smaller than a hectare, most of India's small-hold farmers rely on manual labour as they cannot afford capital equipment such as advanced farm implements, tractors and harvesters. EM3 solves this problem by offering an entire range of interventions from soil preparation to harvesting, where farmers pay a service fee calculated on a per hour or per acre basis. These services often are cheaper than hiring manual labour, with service levels guaranteed by the company. At a time when Indian agriculture is seeking structural solutions, marquee investors believe that addressing key fundamental aspects will allow the country to usher in the next green revolution. With this investment, EM3 will expand geographically across the country, boost ecosystem capacity and invest in building technology. With a strong established footprint in Central India, EM3 has also recently partnered with the State government of Rajasthan to provide services to farmers across the entire state. According to Adwitiya Mal, CEO, EM3, "The next farm revolution is taking place through access to mechanization. However, with a disorganized mechanization ecosystem today, the rural economy is not able to fully realize its potential. We are pleased that GIF and Aspada are investing in building tomorrow's farm economy." Kartik Srivatsa, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Aspada, said, "Over the last 2 years, EM3 has been able prove out its pionering model of Farming-as-a-Service (FaaS) to emerge as the leading independent farm services player in India. We now embark on the next phase to rapidly scale the FaaS model as well as our mobile platform for small-hold farmers to access services across the agriculture value chain. The company's proprietary access to farm level data through its operations places it in a unique position to become a canonical leader in the sector."



Alix Peterson Zwane, Chief Executive Officer, Global Innovation Fund, said, "We were impressed by the potential of EM3's pioneering approach towards solving one of Indian agriculture's most fundamental challenges. As they embark on their next phase of growth, we look forward to EM3 continuing to be a market leader in a rapidly growing market in a sector critical to India and its millions of small-hold farmers." According to EM3's founder and Managing Director, Rohtash Mal, "We are very excited to now have GIF as an integral part of the EM3 growth story. In both GIF and Aspada we have partners who are thought leaders for cutting-edge innovations and long-term collaborators. EM3 is committed to providing every farmer an opportunity to use farm services at a price point and convenience that will improve his yields and enable him to aspire for more crop variations with better economic value. We value the foresight of GIF and Aspada in understanding the untapped potential of this huge market."

About EM3 AgriServices Founded in 2014, EM3 AgriServices is India's first provider of farm services on pay-per-use basis. Services are provided for the entire cultivation cycle including land development, land preparation, seeding, sowing, planting, crop care, harvesting and post-harvest field management. Farmers are able to access EM3's services digitally through a mobile app or physically by contacting a 'Samadhan Kendra', the company's local fulfillment center. Having serviced over 8,000 farms through 10 farm service centers since inception, EM3 has validated the feasibility of a model that brings affordable and reliable mechanization as a pay-per-use service to small-hold farmers. For more information, please visit: http://www.em3agri.com About Aspada Aspada Investment Company is a holding company and venture capital investor with a significant commitment from the Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF). The firm is an active investor in India, with investments across agricultural supply chains, logistics, financial services, education, and healthcare. Aspada also manages the portfolio of SONG, an early stage venture capital fund backed by the Soros Economic Development Fund, Omidyar Network, and Google. For more information, please visit: http://www.aspada.com About Global Innovation Fund The Global Innovation Fund (GIF) is an innovation fund that invests in the piloting, rigorous testing, and scaling of innovations targeted at improving the lives of the poorest people in developing countries. GIF aims to support a portfolio of innovations that collectively open up opportunities and improve lives for millions of people across the developing world. The fund is created and supported by USAID, UKAID, Govts of Sweden and Australia and the Omidyar network. For more information, please visit: http://www.globalinnovation.fund Media Contact:

Vaidhehi Ravindran

[email protected]

+91-8056836665

Aspada Investment Advisors





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[August 09, 2017] Maxthon's Passkeeper Now Supports SMS Verification, Aiming to Further Improve User's Internet Security

BEIJING, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Maxthon, a global software company that develops advanced browsers, just released a beta version (V5.1.1.200) of its MX5 browser that includes a major update of the Passkeeper feature. This beta version now enables user to add a SMS verification to its Passkeeper feature, meaning that a user will need to input the account password as well as the verification code been sent to his/her mobile phone to have access to his/her Passkeeper control panel. With more and more social networks, e-commerce, and online banking sites, security of personal information becomes more important. People need to create loads of different accounts to enter those sites and use their services. Therefore, Maxthon launched the Passkeeper feature in its MX5 browser to help users create highly random & safe passwords and manage them accordingly. Being the first password manager adopted in a mainstream browser, Passkeeper swept the global market soon after its release. By using this amazing feature, users will no longer need to go through a hard time remembering all of their long and easily Users can create a series of long and strong passwords with a few simple clicks in the control panel of Passkeeper.



Security incidents have happened frequently in recent days. To better deal with the increasingly severe Internet security problem, Maxthon updated the already-great Passkeeper feature in the latest beta version of MX5 browser by adding an SMS verification code into it. Now users need their account password together with the verification code been sent to their phone to log in to Passkeeper control panel to manage all of their passwords. This measure can guarantee the safety of user's Passkeeper accounts, which means the safety of all his/her account info that stored in Passkeeper. Users can now experience this ultra safe Passkeeper feature in the latest beta version of Maxthon's MX5 browser (Download here: http://dl.maxthon.com/mx5/mx5.1.1.200-beta.exe), or wait till Aug 17th and go to Maxthon's official website (www.maxthon.com) to download the official release version. About Maxthon

Founded in 2005, Maxthon is a global software company that develops state-of-the-art web browsers that give users a seamless browsing experience across multiple platforms. Committed to high standards for innovation, the Maxthon suite of browsers supports a wide range of devices from computer to mobile. Maxthon browsers are used each month by more than 100 million people in 140 countries around the globe. Maxthon has offices in San Francisco, Hong Kong and Beijing. More information about Maxthon can be found at: http://www.maxthon.com/ View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/maxthons-passkeeper-now-supports-sms-verification-aiming-to-further-improve-users-internet-security-300501771.html SOURCE Maxthon

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[August 09, 2017] TSA PreCheck and TWIC programs to be offered at Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA)

The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) and MorphoTrust USA announced today a partnership to include IdentoGO centers at six MDOT MVA locations in Maryland. The services offered by IdentoGO include: TSA PreCheck enrollment, which allows U.S. citizens to enjoy expedited security screenings within U.S. airports, and Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), which is required by the Maritime Transportation Security Act for workers who need access to secure areas of the nation's maritime facilities and vessels. "Offering our Maryland customers easy access to enroll in TWIC and TSA PreCheck is part of our commitment to make services our customers want as convenient and accessible as possible," said MDOT MVA Administrator Christine Nizer. The official opening of the Annapolis location was held today, August 9. Two other locations, Waldorf and Salisbury, also have IdentoGO locations open for customer enrollments. The other three offices that will include IdentoGO locations later this year include Frederick, Gaithersburg and Glen Burnie. "We are excited to partner with the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration to bring important enrollment services to the residents of the state," said Bob Eckel, CEO of MorphoTrust. "The convenience and service that MDOT MVA is offering to its customers by making TSA PreCheck and TWIC available in their offices creates one-stop-shopping for Maryland residents and highlights the importance the MDOT MVA places on customer service." Maryland's MVA joins the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in offering these services at traditional motor vehicle service centers.



TSA PreCheck

TSA PreCheck is an expedited security screening program that connects travelers departing from more than 200 U.S. airports with smarter security and a more convenient travel experience. TSA PreCheck travelers do not need to remove shoes, laptops, liquids, belts or light jackets at security checkpoints. TSA PreCheck helps take the stress out of travel for more than five million travelers who have enrolled in the program. TWIC

The TWIC program provides a tamper-resistant biometric credential to maritime workers requiring unescorted access to secure areas of port facilities, outer continental shelf facilities and vessels regulated under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, or MTSA, and all U.S. Coast Guard credentialed merchant mariners. To obtain a TWIC, an individual must provide biographic and biometric information such as fingerprints, site for a digital photograph and successfully pass a security threat assessment conducted by TSA.

OT-Morpho is a world leader in digital security & identification technologies with the ambition to empower citizens and consumers alike to interact, pay, connect, commute, travel and even vote in ways that are now possible in a connected world. As our physical and digital, civil and commercial lifestyles converge, OT-Morpho stands precisely at that crossroads to leverage the best in security and identity technologies and offer customized solutions to a wide range of international clients from key industries, including Financial services, Telecom, Identity, Security and IoT. With close to 3bn in revenues and more than 14,000 employees, OT-Morpho is the result of the merger between OT (Oberthur Technologies) and Safran Identity & Security (Morpho) completed on 31 May 2017. Temporarily designated by the name "OT-Morpho", the new company will unveil its new name in September of this year. For more information:

www.morpho.com and www.oberthur.com

Follow @Morpho and @OT_TheMcompany on Twitter (News - Alert) View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170809005754/en/

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[August 09, 2017] Winnie Launches First Comprehensive Search Engine for Daycares and Preschools

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Winnie, a startup that builds technology for parents, announced today that it has launched winnie.com/childcare, a comprehensive, searchable and free directory of all daycares and preschools in the San Francisco Bay Area. Listings include detailed descriptions, photos, tuition, availability data and reviews from parents whose children have attended the daycare or preschool. "At Winnie, we feel strongly that the lives of both children and parents are enriched when they have access to quality childcare and early education opportunities," said Anne K. Halsall, co-founder and CPO of Winnie. "We want everyone to be able to find this information. That's why we're making it accessible and free to use." Winnie was founded in 2016 by tech veterans Sara Mauskopf and Anne K. Halsall to make parents' lives easier through technology. Its apps for iOS, Android and web help parents connect, get advice and ideas, and discover great things to do locally with their children.



Winnie's new child care search engine helps parents discover all the child care options available to them, including the difficult to discover in-home providers who often don't maintain a website. "Tech-savvy providers who maintain an online presence charge almost twice as much as the ones who don't. They are also more likely to be fully enrolled and have long wait lists," explained Winnie co-founder and CEO Sara Mauskopf. "The typical millennial parent is searching Google to find daycares, and finding only the most expensive ones. This creates the false impression that there is less child care than there really is, and it's more expensive than it needs to be." Winnie has over 5,000 daycare & preschool providers on its platform in San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties and will be expanding to other regions in the near future.

About Winnie

Winnie is a San Francisco-based startup with a mission to make parents' lives easier through technology. Their app is a place for parents to find and share information whether you want to ask for advice, find new things to do with your kids, or just get to the nearest changing table in a hurry. One of the first tech companies addressing the rapidly growing market of millennial parents, Winnie is available on iOS, Android and the web at https://winnie.com. Contact: [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/winnie-launches-first-comprehensive-search-engine-for-daycares-and-preschools-300501633.html SOURCE Winnie

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[August 09, 2017] A.lot Parking Set to Transform Residential Parking Starting from San Diego, CA

A.lot Parking, a Seattle based parking technology and management company, launches its service to replace magnetic cards and remote controls with license plate recognition (LPR) cameras, guaranteeing full supervision and security for parking lot administrators and residents. An apartment building in downtown San Diego had to search for an alternative solution for its parking facility when more than 400 magnetic keycards were distributed to access a parking lot containing 84 spaces. According to Kierra Gilbert, Community Manager at Island Village Apartments, the keycards would be shared with other drivers or rented out for the people attending events in downtown. This situation has caused serious security and management challenges. After the installation of LPR cameras by A.lot Parking, the number of parking users was reduced to 75 authorized lcense plate numbers. "While previously I would often hear that a magnetic card has broken or was lost, it is very hard to lose a license plate," said Ms Gilbert.



A.lot Parking online management system not only allows parking administrator to control a "white list" of authorised users, but also saves pictures of every car entered, provides live video feed and monitoring tools. "With A.lot parking system I can see exactly who is in my parking lot at any moment," said Ms Gilbert. "We at A.lot Parking believe that our technology ensures best security, control and monitoring features for building owners. Our experience in Europe shows that our clients boost parking revenue by better managing parking lots and even renting out unused parking spaces to the general public. The apartment building in downtown San Diego was a great launch of our services on the West Coast for residential parking," said Darius Cincys, COO of A.lot Parking.

About A.lot Parking: A.lot Parking specializes in parking technology and access control systems for residential buildings and business centers. A.lot solutions include number plate recognition (LPR) technology, a cloud-based reservations, management and analytics platform for parking administrators and a mobile payment app. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170809005176/en/

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[August 09, 2017] Dairy Cares Celebrates California Dairy Sustainability

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dairy Cares is inviting visitors to explore its recently redesigned website, DairyCares.com. Formed in 2001, Dairy Cares aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of California's family dairy farms. DairyCares.com communicates the milestones achieved in responsible animal care and environmental stewardshipincluding California dairy families' recent efforts to serve as global leaders in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "Dairy families care about the environment, and it's important to share this messagenow more than ever," says Erin Nutcher, fourth generation California dairy farmer. "Wehold ourselves to the highest standards in protecting and preserving natural resources, and I'm excited about Dairy Cares' efforts to promote the work we do."



Nutcher and her family appear in a video on the home page of the new website, which provides an overview of dairy families' efforts to conserve and protect natural resources. The video features footage from real California dairy farms, including one of the state's dairy digesters, which captures methane to create clean, renewable electricity. The website showcases additional videos, stories, photos and more: An updated map of California dairy digester development,

dairy digester development, A printable overview of dairy farm families' milestones in sustainability, and

A monthly e-newsletter, with updates in sustainability achievements and challenges. To encourage viewers to explore the redesigned website, Dairy Cares is hosting a Find a Cow campaign. Small cow icons are temporarily hidden throughout the webpages. Click on a cow between now and August 24, and enter to win Real California Milk prizes.

To learn more about how California's dairy farm families are leading by example with sustainable farming practices, visit DairyCares.com. Dairy Cares is a non-profit organization with a mission to ensure the long-term sustainability of California's dairy farming families. Members include Bar 20 Dairy Farms, California Cattlemen's Association, California Dairies Inc., California Dairy Campaign, California Dairy Research Foundation, California Farm Bureau Federation, Dairy Farmers of America-Western Area Council, Dairy Institute of California, F & R Ag Services, GHD, Inc., Hilmar Cheese Co., Joseph Gallo Farms, Land O'Lakes, Merck Animal Health, Milk Producers Council, Ruan Transport Corp., Western United Dairymen, Yosemite Farm Credit and others. For information, visit DairyCares.com or call 916-441-3318. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dairy-cares-celebrates-california-dairy-sustainability-300502320.html SOURCE Dairy Cares

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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.
Samsung disclosed more details than ever before about V-NAND. The company has formulated the path to 8th generation V-NAND and has ideas on how to take the technology to 10 generations. A number of new manufacturing techniques must be applied, but a detailed discussion of those is beyond the scope of this particular article.

For now, let's talk about the goods we'll see over the next year. The biggest news to come out of the new Samsung campus is QLC flash. Samsung's customers set performance and endurance specifications and don't care about the underlying technology as long as those needs are met. Samsung says it can achieve its targets with its first generation QLC (4-bits per cell) V-NAND technology.

The first product pre-announcement (it doesn't have a product number yet) is a 128TB SAS SSD using QLC technology with a 1TB die size. The company plans to go beyond 16 die per package using chip stacking technology that will yield 32 die per package, a flash industry record.

QLC NAND will be slower than TLC on a per-die level, but with that amount of parallelization, the performance could be much better than expected. Samsung didn't share many details on what to expect from QLC, other than massive capacity.

Just two years ago, the company announced the first flash-based product to deliver more capacity than hard disk drives. A year later, the 16TB capacity mark doubled to 32TB. The jump to 128TB shows just how fast flash technology is moving.

Image 1 of 2

Last year, Samsung announced a competing technology to Intel's Optane but didn't give us too many details to write about. We speculated the technology used some form of optimized SLC (single-level cell) flash and, according to the latest from the company, we were correct. The Z-SSD shipping today to select customers carries the SZ985 name, but this first-generation product with 800GB of usable capacity will soon be replaced by a second-gen model. The next leap for Z-SSD using Z-NAND technology will add a bit to each cell, MLC Z-NAND, and increase overall density. Just don't expect either Z-SSD to appear on Newegg anytime soon.

Samsung first talked about a new next-generation small form factor at FMS 2016 and even used the term "M.3." At Computex, Supermicro had a product backstage that fell under the M.3 description, but apparently not everyone was amused. M.3 isn't an actual specification, yet, so Samsung has backed away from the terminology.

Petty disputes about product and specification names will not keep Samsung from providing the features other companies request. At this time, the working title for this type of product is "Next-Generation Small Form Factor," or NGSFF. (It just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?.)

The drives are a little wider than M.2 SSDs but are electrically compatible with the same pin arrangement. The extra width allows companies to fit two NAND packages across the width of the PCB and still have room for a large controller and DRAM. Separating the two is cheaper than using a multi-chip package like what shipped on the 960 Pro. This specification doesn't limit components to a single side, so it can be leveraged to achieve maximum density. The biggest feature, though, is that the drives can be replaced without disrupting the server, something M.2 was never intended to do.

Samsung's first product in the new NGSFF leverages all the new features to pack a massive 16TB of capacity per drive. The system we saw has 32 NGSFF across the front of a 1U (1.75") server. For comparison, some companies ship 4TB M.2 SSDs with the same 221100 form factor (22mm wide, 110mm long). Thus, the new NGSFF gives enterprise a 4x increase in capacity per port.

Samsung 970 and 980 NVMe SSD Coming Soon

We saved the best for last. Samsung hasn't announced or even muttered the words "980" or "970" NVMe SSD, but we found a reference to both on the UNH InterOperability Laboratory list. We usually fly to Samsung's South Korean office in September to learn about new products coming to market, but this year we may know about the successor to the 960 EVO and Pro in advance.

With Samsung using 64-layer 3-bit per cell V-NAND for many next-generation consumer products, the EVO / Pro naming structure may change. The UNHIOL lists two new NVMe SSDs under the 97x and 98x product names. For context, The 960 series appeared as "96x" last year.

We don't think Samsung will have QLC flash ready by the end of the year to use in products, but the company has surprised us before with aggressive launch cycles. We expect both of these products to ship with 64-layer 3-bit per cell V-NAND in late 2017 in limited volumes, with increased availability in early 2018.
Police have identified the 2-year-old who reportedly shot himself early Sunday inside an apartment in south Kansas City as Jedon Edmond Jr. Officers were summoned to the residence in the 9600 block of Lydia Avenue on a reported shooting around 1:15 a.m. Jedon was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Kansas City Journalism In The Toilet

Flushable wipes cause smelly problem in Kansas City You may be flushing your hard-earned money down the drain.

KCPD Capture Killer Suspect

Homicide suspect arrested after standoff with KCMO police KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A suspect in a homicide surrendered after barricading himself inside a home in the 3800 block of Crescent Ave., late Tuesday afternoon. The home is on Kansas City's east side, near the stadiums. Police had not released for which homicide he is suspected.

Golden Ghetto Stays High

Johnson County Opioid Usage Appears Steady, But Red Flags Remain While communities across the country deal with dramatic increases in illegal opioid use, statistics in Johnson County suggest rates of death and addiction closer to home are relatively more stable.

Rage Against Raytown Rising Crime

Rash of burglaries and break-ins leave Raytown businesses reeling RAYTOWN, Mo. -- Business owners in Raytown are on edge after a series of break-ins the past couple weeks. At least two businesses were hit during armed robberies, and a handful of others were broken into in the middle of the night. Elisa Breitenbach now displays a sign in the front of her donut shop.

Police Run-In Tonight

Kansas City police officer injured in wreck on Bannister, Raytown Road A Kansas City police officer was injured in a wreck at the intersection of Bannister and Raytown Road. The wreck happened around 4:50 p.m. on Tuesday. The extent of injuries is unknown at this time. Copyright 2017 KCTV (Meredith Corp.). All rights reserved.

The Latest Meth Town Crash Tragedy

Family members want justice for woman killed in an Independence crash Patrice Lee was on her way into work when she was hit by a man who told police he had been drinking.

Show-Me The Search Continued

Manhunt continues for suspected Clinton cop killer A massive manhunt for a suspected cop killer continued Tuesday morning around Clinton, Missouri. Law enforcement officers have been looking for Ian McCarthy, 39, of Clinton, who is suspected of stepping out of his car during a traffic stop and opening fire on a police officer. Gary Michael, 37, was killed.

play the bikini damsels in distress and we check all of the important Kansas City mainstream media links tonight. Take a look:An this is thefor right now . . .
Kansas City voters cast their ballots overwhelmingly for a $15 minimum wage today. It won by nearly 40 points.





Now it's time for the GOP-controlled state government in Missouri to heed the will of voters and withdraw their anti-democratic bill banning cities from raising their own minimum wages.

"The victory is far more than symbolic and is shows overwhelming support in Kansas City for a fair wage . . . It is a moral victory . . . This should motivate our representatives in Jefferson City to act upon the will of the people . . . "

"Ignoring a law Missouri legislators enacted earlier this year that bars cities from setting their own rates. Under the proposal approved Tuesday, Kansas City's minimum wage would increase from $7.70 to $10 on Aug. 24. But it may only be in place for a few days because the new state rules take effect on Aug. 28."

"The sad truth is that with a $15 minimum wage, we need a street car to transport all of the working poor to their new jobs outside of Kansas City."

"Talk about the real questions, are these votes going to hold up in court?"

WILL THIS EFFORT POWER MISSOURI CHANGE OR SIMPLY LEAD TO MORE KANSAS CITY "FIGHT FOR $15" DISAPPOINTMENT???









Just as we reported . . . The minimum wage increase in Kansas City was an easy win at the ballot box.Take a look . . .Social media support and celebration of the victory . . .Dr. Vernon Percy Howard Jr., president of SCLC-GKCHowever . . . Voters have known all along that Missouri rules against municipalities raising their own wages will impact this decision negatively.A couple of our commenters offer . . .And so we ask:Check the links . . .You decide . . .
"Everyone is saying that the KCPD is Top Heavy . . . But FOUR MORE are promoted to Major."

"A promotion ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tues., Aug. 22, in the auditorium of the Academy. The following department members will be promoted . . .





To Major





Helen

Mark

Chip

Darren





All department members are invited to attend the ceremony. Light refreshments will be served."





Additionally . . .





Swearing-In of the New Chief





Major Rick Smith will be sworn in as the new Chief of Police at 9:30 a.m. on Tues., Aug. 15, before the Board of Police Commissioners meeting in the Community Room on the 1st floor of Headquarters. All employees are invited to attend.

#############

Fact check on the local discourse from our blog community . . .Notice from the police newsletter:Developing . . .
Kuwait-based Warba Bank has expanded its international real estate investment programme with the acquisition of a multi-family apartment complex in the US for $17.34 million.



The investment in Ultris at Banyan Grove, Virginia Beach, marks the second investment in 2017 made by Warba Bank. The property is sourced by its strategic partner Bentall Kennedy, one of the leading real estate consultancy firms assigned by Warba Bank as its real estate consultant and co-investor for the banks commercial real estate investments in US.



The propriety has been acquired in a joint venture with a locally based operating partner, Croatan Investments that has local knowledge and a long track record in the Hampton Roads area.



The Ultris at Banyan Grove is a Class A, multifamily community comprising 13 buildings with 288 units. Built in 2003, this apartment community has spacious floor plans and a full spectrum of community amenities. Centrally located in Virginia Beach, Ultris at Banyan Grove provides convenient access to the oceanfront area and many of the employment centres throughout Hampton Roads.



Previously this year, Warba bank acquired, in collaboration with Bentall Kennedy, the ManpowerGroup headquarters, a 280,000-sq ft office building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US.



Warba Bank launched its international real estate investments programme by acquiring a new KIA Motors facility in the UK.

Shaheen Hamad Al Ghanem, Warba Banks CEO, said: Our cooperation with Bentall Kennedy has been fruitful and this remarkable acquisition is a continuation of a long-term cooperation between us. It is in line with the banks vigorous international real estate investment programme and fulfils our strategy aiming to income diversification and growth of the banks investment portfolio.



Al-Ghanem added: The Investment Banking Group at Warba Bank is fully committed to make risk mitigated investments strictly following investment policies and procedures with the target of generating long-term secured returns for the bank and its investors.- TradeArabia News Service


Cairo-based Tahya Misr Funds executive committee recently held a meeting to discuss its investments, including the launch of an urgent development plan worth EGP320 million ($18 million) in Aswan, a report said.



The meeting discussed cooperation between the fund and the investors willing to support the fund, reported Daily News Egypt.



The development plan in Nasr Al-Nubia is worth EGP170 million and includes housing units, drinking water, and sanitation projects. The funds executive committee agreed to direct the rest of the allocated funds to social projects, such as healthcare and hospitals.



The meeting also reviewed the funds future plan in the coming period, including the launch of new initiatives in different development fields.
Holborn Assets, an international financial advice firm head quartered in Dubai, UAE has announced a brand new internship opportunity for six ambitious, driven students and graduates.



Successful candidates will work closely with senior figures in different departments at the company to build an array of skills in finance, management and communication. New interns will also have the choice to work in Holborn's offices in Dubai or Colombo, Sri Lanka or even split time between both offices as part of a dedicated, cross-cultural experience placement.



The generous package will include return flights, accommodation and a monthly salary equating to 1,200 ($1,560). As a financial services firm, Holborn aims to provide candidates with ample opportunity to save a substantial sum at the very start of their careers.



Not limited to specific degree backgrounds, the organisation is actively seeking candidates studying a range of business subjects. Those studying or graduating in digital marketing, events management, customer service, operations, administration, finance and human resources are especially encouraged to apply to the firm.



As part of their internship, the six candidates will be offered the opportunity to involve themselves in a charitable endeavour either with one of the business's existing community partnerships in Malawi, Sri Lanka or South Africa.



However, the company encourages future employees to propose and present a social enterprise they are passionate about to its Community Support Committee for consideration. This initiative follows the success of last year's interns who, after completing six months work each in Dubai and Colombo, successfully petitioned their cause to raise funds for environmental charity Cool Earth by taking part in the Mongol Rally.



The Rally, taking place in July, requires participants to purchase a vehicle for less than GBP500 and to map a full route to drive a whopping 10,000+ miles across Europe and Asia. Ambitious adventurers will navigate their way through the mountains, deserts and wilderness of various countries including Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia before finishing in Siberia's Ulan-Ude, close to Lake Baikal.



"We want to offer something unique to the brightest and most innovative students in the country. Not only does this include providing a great, international business experience, but also a highly competitive salary and accommodation at no additional cost to our new recruits, said Simon Parker, chief operations officer at Holborn Assets.



We're looking to invest in future talent for the company, so those who deliver excellent performance during their internship are likely to receive a full-time employment as Holborn continues to expand worldwide.



"Having had great success with Charles Leahy and Adam Holland, our interns for the 2016 - 2017 academic year, the team here are excited to offer the same opportunity to triple the number of young people to learn, grow and develop with us both professionally and personally, he added.



"Our programme of training will offer rich learnings in international business management across several locations with the aim of developing skills, experience and thorough financial support as part of, what we feel is, an opportunity of a lifetime.



"There are six placements up for grabs - and we very much look forward to meeting the new members of our team, Parker said.



To apply, prospective candidates should email a full CV, cover letter detailing why you should be considered and what you can bring to the company in addition to two references (including referee contact details) by October 1.



To be considered, fluency in English (as a native speaker) is essential. Candidate must have a valid passport which permits entry to the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka. Applicants must be available for a minimum of six months with internships to be arranged for a maximum of 12 months. Holborn Assets can recruit current university students as part of sandwich courses.  TradeArabia News Service
Fluor Corporation has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract by Petronas Refinery and Petrochemical Corporation for an isononanol plant located in Pengerang, Johor, Malaysia. Fluor will book the undisclosed contract value in the third quarter of 2017.

This award is a testament to the strong partnership we have with Petronas, said Ken Choudhary, president of Fluors energy and chemicals business for the Asia-Pacific region.

We will use our experience and best practices gained from completing other isononanol facilities on time and on budget to deliver this project with excellence.

The project is part of Petronass Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) project and the mammoth $27 billion Pengerang Integrated Complex development.

Fluor, in a consortium with Technip, is serving as the programme management consultant for the Rapid project, as well as the EPCM contractor for the utilities, interconnecting and offsites scope.

The facility will produce 250,000 tonnes per year of isononanol, which is a key chemical building block in plasticisers used in the automotive and building industries. Facility start-up is expected in 2019. -- Tradearabia News Service
Senior executives and technical experts from the Caspian oil and gas industry are confirmed to speak at the regions leading technical conference this autumn.



The SPE Annual Caspian Technical Conference and Exhibition (CTCE), now in its fourth year, will return to Baku, Azerbaijan on November 1 to 3.



Oil and gas industry professionals from IOCs, NOCs, government representatives, service companies, academia and others are expected to attend from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Europe, Asia and the US and contribute to the event, which will be hosted by Socar.



Under the theme Chasing the Margins, the conference will include three panel sessions that will explore the issues currently faced by the E&P industry in Azerbaijan and the broader Caspian region  and ways to resolve them.



Panel session subjects to be covered include: Modernisation, how to accelerate the leverage and take-up of new technologies; Localisation, developing higher education and the oil and gas supply chain in the region; and Collaboration, innovative solutions on how the industry stakeholders can maximise their asset value.



Expert speakers include representatives from Socar; Socar AQS; BP; Total; ExxonMobil, DeGolyer and MacNaughton; Gazprom Neft NTC; PJSC Novatek; Dragon Oil; NC JSC KazMunaiGaz; TengizChevroil; Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Schlumberger; Halliburton; Baker Hughes, to name a few.



Alongside the keynote sessions will be a technical programme composed of 12 technical sessions. The common theme to all these research-based presentations will be how cutting edge tools, technology and techniques are being applied in the Caspian in response to current cost pressures.



Topics for the technical programme will include:

 Well Integrity Management

 Production Management and Optimisation

 Sand Monitoring and Control

 Enhanced Oil Recovery

 New Drilling Completion Technologies

 Reservoir Modelling and Management

 Well Stimulation and Zonal Isolations

 Reservoir Surveillance

 Cost Effective Solutions in Project Management

 Risk and Uncertainty Management and Decision Making



Attendees will also be able to attend a variety of networking events that will provide the opportunity to share experiences with peers, build new professional relationships and strength existing ones.



Darcy Spady, incoming 2018 SPE president, commented: "SPE's prestigious CTCE event is significant for the Caspian oil and gas industry. The fourth annual edition taking place in Baku provides a unique opportunity for local and international oil and gas professionals to come together and share their challenges and experiences, enhance technical knowledge, build business networks, and help to progress understanding of new technologies and developments in the industry. Im planning to attend and I hope to see you there. - TradeArabia News Service




IEX Takes One Step Closer to Becoming Listing Exchange

Every journey begins with a single step  and Investors Exchange just took one more step towards becoming a listings exchange.

Just yesterday, regulators approved IEXs application/request to conduct opening and closing auctions. This is a crucial step for the exchange as it seeks to attract companies and become the listing exchange of public record for them. That exchange would be known as IEX Listings, according to IEX.

"Were pleased that the SEC has approved our auctions, another step towards launching IEX Listings, Sara Furber, Head of IEX Listings told Traders Magazine. Our design reflects feedback from investors, companies and brokers on how to design auctions that work better for them.

Furber continued, Our mission is building markets that serve everyone, so we have adjusted aspects to broaden participation to include more fundamental investors. We will also introduce features to better level the playing field, such as publishing auction data more frequently, for free, while keeping what works well today.

The IEX auction process provides electronic price discovery mechanisms that efficiently match orders in IEX-listed securities at a single price using a double auction. These auctions enable IEX participants to execute against On-Open and On-Close interest at IEX. They also allow for participation in IEX corporate initial public offerings (IPOs), new issues, auctions resulting from security halts, and auctions resulting from LU/LD trading pauses. During the auction process, IEX will calculate and disseminate current price, size, imbalance information, auction collar information, and other relevant information about upcoming auctions via IEX Auction Information.

The IEX Opening/Closing Auction has been designed to efficiently maximize the number of shares executed at a single price for securities during the Regular Market Session open/close, respectively, while minimizing the opportunities for information leakage within the NBBO. The IEX IPO/Halt Auction provides a mechanism that has been designed to allow participants to match a maximum number of shares at a single price for IPOs, new issues, and securities coming out of a trading halt based on supply and demand. The IEX Volatility Auction provides a mechanism that has been designed to allow Users to match a maximum number of shares at a single price for securities coming out of an LULD trading pause based on supply and demand.

IEX will disseminate IEX Auction Information every one second between the Lock-in Time (9:28 a.m. / 3:50 p.m. ET) and the auction match for the Opening/Closing Auction, and during the Display Only Period for the IPO/Halt/Volatility Auction. IEX Auction Information is available to subscribers of the IEX Top of Book Quote and Last Sale feed ("TOPS"), the IEX Depth of Book and Last Sale feed ("DEEP"), and will also made available to other market participants by various market data vendors.

IEX Auction Information will also be available on the exchanges public website via various apps and the IEX API.

Firms may also receive portions of IEX Auction Information via the CTS binary feed once it launches. In the binary CTS feed, the CTA is introducing a new Auction Status message which will contain auction collar and extension information.

On its website, IEX has published a timeline for the creation of Listings, which the exchange said is heavily subject to further SEC approvals on other things needed (not related to auctions). That timeline can be found here : https://www.iextrading.com/trading/listed/

So, when does the exchange expect to have listings up and officially running?

A spokesman for IEX said it hopes to be open for business the week of October 9th .

The next phase of Listings begins on Wednesday, August 23 through Wednesday, August 30, when the opening process for Non-IEX-Listed Securities phase-in begins:

Wednesday, August 23

Test symbols (CBO, CBX, ZBZX, ZJZZT, ZTEST, ZVV, ZVZZT, ZWZZT, ZXZZT)

Thursday, August 24

Two non-test securities (VG, WIN)

Friday, August 25

Ten non-test securities (VALE.P, VG, VHC, VIAV, VIP, VLY, WIN, YINN, YTEN, ZIOP)

Monday, August 28

All symbols starting with 'Y' - 'Z', VALE.P, VG, VHC, VIAV, VIP, VLY, WIN

Tuesday, August 29

All symbols starting with 'V' - 'Z'

Wednesday, August 30

All symbols ('A' - 'Z')

On Monday, IEXs market share hit 2.509% and was its second-best day ever in terms of share.

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:
SteelEye and UnaVista Join to Offer MiFID II Solution

SteelEye, the compliance technology and data analytics firm, announcesd it has joined UnaVistas Partner Programme. The partnership agreement with the London Stock Exchange Groups (LSEG) UnaVista is an opportunity for the two businesses to provide a cohesive, end-to-end technology-based solution to help firms meet their regulatory obligations under MiFID II and other key regulatory directives.

UnaVista is the industry leading regulatory reporting and data integrity platform that offers a range of business services designed to help firms optimise efficiency and minimise operational and regulatory risk across all asset classes. With 50,000 established platform users, it processes in excess of five billion transactions annually. SteelEye and UnaVistas combined expertise and services will provide firms with a comprehensive, market-leading, technology-based solution to meet the increasing regulatory demands they face. The regulatory data and reporting burdens imposed upon firms by regulations such as Dodd Frank, EMIR, AIMFD, and the upcoming MiFIR and MiFID II, translate into unprecedented requirements for data storage and transaction reporting with potentially significant penalties for non-compliance.

SteelEyes CEO, Matt Smith, explains financial firms in Europe and around the globe are having to report vast quantities of data to the various regulators. Together, SteelEye and UnaVista will not only provide a straight forward integrated reporting capability, but our clients will also meet their record keeping, trade reconstruction, and best execution obligations through one centralised solution. Matt continues, the cumulative requirements to store data imposed by the various regulatory regimes represent a considerable opportunity for businesses and the SteelEye platform will help clients leverage its potential for improved business insight.

UnaVista is an Approved Reporting Mechanism (ARM), which firms can use to fulfil their transaction reporting obligation across all asset classes to any relevant National Competent Authority (NCA) within the EEA. MiFID II not only significantly broadens the terms of what a firm must report on, it also requires more data points, increasing reportable attributes from 24 fields in MiFID I to 65.

UnaVistas Global Head of Partnerships, Wendy Collins, comments with so many varied requirements confronting investment firms covered under MiFID II, we are excited to be partnering with SteelEye to help firms optimise their MiFIR transaction reporting and utilise their transaction reporting data in meaningful ways, whilst fulfilling other MiFID II related obligations such as record keeping and best execution.

Of the more than 9,000 firms registered with the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), many find themselves ill-prepared to meet the MiFID II directives new obligations for the recording and reporting of data. The 7,000+ small to mid-sized firms located across Europe will be hardest hit by the changes. No longer able to rely on larger institutions to handle their record keeping and reporting obligations, these firms will now be held accountable for their own regulatory conformity, including the recording and storage of voice data. Increasingly unable to handle the growing burden themselves, businesses are progressively turning to external platforms to meet these regulatory demands.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.steel-eye.com.

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 9

In a shocking development in the high-profile stalking case, it has come to light that accused Vikas Barala refused to give blood and urine samples for examination.

Interestingly, the head constable and the doctor concerned stated in their report that the 23-year-old son of Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala was drunk.

The application for the medical examination, a copy of which is with The Tribune, stated that the accused was taken to the Civil Hospital in Mani Majra for a medical examination on August 5 at 2.20 am.

The application, written by Head Constable Dinesh Kumar and referred to the doctor on duty at the Civil Hospital, Mani Majra, reads, Vikas, son of Subhash of village and post office (VPO) Bidhai Khera, tehsil Tohana, district Fatehabad, Haryana, aged 23 years, was stopped for creating a ruckus after consuming liquor. It is requested to conduct a medical examination to ascertain whether the person was under intoxication.

The doctor on duty, Dr Harjot Singh, stated, Breath smell of alcohol present. No marks of external injury seen at the time of examination. Blood and urine samples refused.

The refusal to give the urine and blood samples is likely to play a crucial role in the case, say legal experts.

Vikas was drunk: Doctor

It has come to light that the police did not insist on taking the urine and blood samples of the accused. They did not press the emergency medical officer (EMO) of the Civil Hospital in Mani Majra to conduct the blood and urine tests of Vikas Barala (23) and Ashish Kumar (27) for stalking DJ Varnika Kundu, daughter of a senior IAS officer posted in Haryana.

Dr Harjot Singh, EMO, who conducted the medical examination, said the persons brought by the police for a medical check-up refused to give their blood and urine samples. Dr Harjot said the police also did not insist on conducting the blood and urine tests.

Asked whether Vikas was drunk when he was bought to the hospital for a medical examination, the doctor said, Yes, the person was drunk and the fact has been mentioned in the report as well.

On the police argument that collecting blood and urine samples was the prerogative of the doctor, Dr Harjot said, We dont have a problem in collecting samples, but the police have to insist on it. The persons refused to give blood and urine samples. We have mentioned this fact in the report as well.

Refusal will go against accused: Experts

Senior criminal lawyer AS Sukhija said the refusal to give blood and urine samples would go against the accused during the course of the trial. As per Section 114 of the Evidence Act, presumption will be drawn against the accused for concealing facts as the latter refused to give samples knowing that they were drunk.

What the doctor says

While Rakesh Kashyap, Director, Heath Services, UT, was not available for comments, another senior government doctor said the doctor on duty at the Civil Hospital could not have forcibly collected the urine and blood samples for a medical examination. The doctor has mentioned in the report that the accused refused to give the samples. In the present case, Dr Harjot had done everything in accordance with the law, he claimed.
G. Parthasarathy

G. Parthasarathy

The Trump Administration is dithering and the President has inexplicably blamed his military commander, General Nicholson, for not securing "victory" in Afghanistan. This is naturally promoting unease in Kabul about what US policies are going to be in a country, where the 9/11 masterminds plotted and planned the attacks, under Taliban rule. There are, however, indications that despite the President's dithering, the State Department, the Pentagon and even the White House staff are clear on how to proceed ahead. Trump is, therefore, expected to adopt the policies advocated by the US Congress and the professionals in his Administration, as he has done in relations with Russia, the Gulf Arab States and North Korea.

Led by the ailing head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and once pro-Pakistani Senator John McCain, the US Congress is now proposing closer oversight of how US funds are utilised by the Afghan Government. The US legislation, for the first time, proposes imposing graduated diplomatic, military and economic costs on Pakistan as long as it continues to provide support and sanctuary to terrorist and insurgent groups, including the Taliban and the Haqqani network. It links American assistance to cessation by Pakistan of support for all terrorist and insurgent groups and playing a constructive role in bringing about a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Afghanistan. In diplomatic terms, it calls for "working through flexible frameworks for regional dialogue, together with Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, India, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and other nations." The proposed legislation also calls for strengthening the Afghan security forces and authorises the use of US forces to target militants of the Haqqani network, the Taliban and others. The US House of Representatives is moving in a parallel direction, reflecting a broad national consensus on Afghanistan.

In the meantime, the State Departments Country Report of Terrorism, 2016 has noted that Pakistan has failed to take action against the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network, which continue to operate from Pakistan-based safe havens. The Taliban and the Haqqani network are described jointly with India-centric terrorist groups like Lashkar e Taiba and Jaish e Mohammed as "groups located in Pakistan, but focused on attacks outside the country." The report avers that the Pakistan Government did not take any significant action against Lashkar and Jaish, other than implementing a publicity ban on their activities. This is the first time that the State Department, the Pentagon and the US Congress have come out so openly against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism across its borders. It now remains for President Trump to make up his mind on how to move ahead. Indications are that the US will not be averse to calibrated drone strikes on the Taliban and Haqqani safe havens within Pakistan. Trump takes a more cautious line on issues involving American lives than his advisers, though it remains to be seen how much isolationist advisers like Steve Bannon influence him.

I had an occasion to spend four days last week in Kabul and the picturesque Panjshir Valley, which was the home of national icon Ahmed Shah Masood. Panjshir is the heartland of anti-Taliban sentiments. It is clear that the domestic military and diplomatic situation is challenging and complex. The role of Daesh (ISIS) is deliberately exaggerated by Pakistan to divert attention from its own pernicious role in backing the Taliban and the Haqqani network, which enjoy sanctuary and support from the ISI, on Pakistani soil. During the course of my stay, the Iraqi Embassy, located in the heart of Kabul, was attacked by the ISIS, in revenge for the ISIS defeat in Mosul by the Iraqi Army. The next day the famous Shia Mosque in Herat close to the Iranian border was attacked and 32 worshipers were killed. The Taliban imposed a 24-hour blockade of the strategic southern highway linking Kandahar to Kabul, effectively shutting down movement between the capital and southern Afghanistan. An American convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber near Kandahar, resulting in the death of seven soldiers. The internal situation remains complex, with First Vice President Rashid Dostum being accused of rape and influential leaders calling for a Loya Jirga, which would inevitably undermine the influence of the present dispensation.

Afghanistan also faces significant external challenges. The most serious challenge comes from Pakistan, which is determined to make Afghanistan a client state, ruled by its proxies like the Taliban and the Haqqani network. There is recognition that Pakistan would like to promote a dialogue between the Taliban and the government, treating both as equal participants. China is lending formidable support to this Pakistani effort. The Russian effort to take the lead in Afghan "reconciliation" by joining China has not exactly been welcomed by the Afghans, especially as the Russians are known to have supplied weapons recently to the Taliban. While Iran joined India in backing the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance in the days preceding 9/11, Teheran has, in recent days, faced criticism because of its clandestine links with the Taliban, whose former supremo Mullah Mansour was killed in a US drone strike, while returning from Iran.

In these circumstances, Afghans openly and enthusiastically welcome Indias steadfast economic, military and diplomatic support. A major reason for this goodwill has been the economic assistance that India has provided, including building the Salma Dam to provide water and irrigation facilities for the Herat region, building a high voltage transmission line, bringing electricity across high mountains from Uzbekistan to Kabul, mid-day meals for school children, aiding dozens of micro-projects across the country and providing training facilities for thousands of Afghan students and professionals.

The diplomatic and security challenges that India faces in Afghanistan are formidable, primarily because of the brazenness of Pakistan support for the Taliban. The stakes are high. An ISI-backed Taliban triumph in Afghanistan will stimulate and encourage a surge of ISI-sponsored terrorist activity in India. Afghanistan and India need to carry out a relentless diplomatic campaign worldwide against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Afghanistan will have to be supported in facing machinations by China and others like Russia, to give the Taliban increasing recognition, as a legitimate stakeholder in Afghanistan, with status on a par with the constitutionally elected Afghan Government. Priority also needs to be given to drawing up a five-year plan for economic assistance, with initial emphasis being given to improving connectivity through Chah Bahar in Iran.
KV Prasad

KV Prasad

ON Friday when M Venkaiah Naidu takes oath of office of the Vice President of India, he also assumes another role envisaged by the Constitution  the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

Unlike most of his predecessors, Naidu will have the opportunity to receive felicitations from the august House on the day he takes charge.

Barring Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the first Vice President who occupied the second-highest Constitutional office for two terms, on most occasions in the past either the House was not in session or there was a interim break. An hour after being administered the oath by the President, Naidu will have the opportunity to Chair the last day of the current Monsoon session in his new role.

Naidu comes to the office with the unique distinction of having been a member of the Council of States for a prolonged period. This position brings to him and the House an unparalleled advantage at a time when the debate over the role, responsibilities and relevance of the Rajya Sabha remains alive. Over two years ago, the Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley defended the move of the Narendra Modi government to tag a clutch of proposed legislation under an omnibus Money Bill, invoking Article 110 of the Constitution. It was towards the end of the Budget session Jaitley defended it posing a question in parliamentary democracy wherein the wisdom of the directly elected house is repeatedly questioned by the House that is elected indirectly.

Union Minister Jaitley is eminently qualified to hold a strong opinion on the issue. During his long and distinguished career as a parliamentarian, he was and is an illustrious member of the House holding eminent positions, including as the Leader of the Opposition. His role was recognised by fellow members to bestow the honour of Best Parliamentarian on him a few years ago. Ironically, another prominent member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, its president Amit Shah articulated a similar view that in a democratic republic, the Lok Sabha should have supremacy.

The argument advanced is that the party that holds the majority in the House of the People should have its way on legislation cleared by the directly elected chamber. Incidentally, Shah makes a debut as the newest member of the House having been elected for the first time on Tuesday.

The role and relevance of the Council of States has figured periodically since the Constituent Assembly deliberated and took a final view after Gopalaswamy Ayyangar in a reply to the debate observed: The need for a second chamber has been felt practically all over the world wherever there are federations of any importance. After all, the question for us to consider is whether it performs any useful function. The most that we expect the second chamber to do is perhaps to hold dignified debates on important issues and delay legislation which might be the outcome of passions of the moment until the passions have subsided and calm consideration could be bestowed on the measures which will become the Legislature; and we shall take care to provide in the Constitution that whenever on any important matter, particularly matters relating to finance, there is conflict between the House of the People and the Council of States, it is the view of the House of the People that should prevail.

That the strength of the BJP and its alliance partners was inadequate added to woes of the ruling coalition's attempt to aggressively push through major changes in existing laws or legislate new ones  be it the land acquisition or the Goods and Services Tax.

A determined Opposition checkmated attempts by the ruling coalition to have its way on several Bills passed by the Lok Sabha by forcing a referral to a Select Committee for greater parliamentary oversight. This is a prescribed practice that saw a surge in recent times. The tactic the Opposition employed could also been viewed in the context of the reluctance of the government in following another practice of referring Bills to the Parliamentary Committees of jurisdiction for scrutiny.

Arun Jaitley's as the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha had once said that the Government can have its way provided the Opposition has had its say. The outgoing Chairman Hamid Ansari's experiment to insulate 60 minutes of the Question Hour from disruptions, when members hold the government accountable for its work, was largely successful. In the interest of informed law making, another fine tradition was evolved through an unwritten pact not to push through legislation when the House is not in order. Ironically, when parties swapped sides in the House, concession sought on this count was politely declined by gently reminding of the solemn promises made by parties on either side of the aisle. The change of sides should not result in change of positions.

The Rajya Sabha predominantly remains a deliberative body that discharges it legislative function at its own pace. The governments of the day could experience the less-than-hurried rhythm of its working as slowing down of a process. The larger objective remains unhindered just as in the US, lawmaking in the Senate is likened to pouring a cup of hot coffee in the Senatorial saucer to allow it cool down.

The challenge before the new Chairman remains to address the concerns of members across the aisles. He has to do this while safeguarding the role of the chamber as envisaged by the founding fathers; provide adequate space to those who hold contrarian views and dissuade the government from bringing legislation, that in the opinion of experienced lawmakers requires greater parliamentary scrutiny, before the House by clubbing varied subjects through an omnibus bill as an easy way out.





kveprasad2007@gmail.com
Given the extent of tax evasion and money laundering or black money crossing the borders to safe havens abroad, any punitive action is welcome. Based on inputs from government agencies monitoring tax evasion and corporate wrongdoings, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has ordered a crackdown on certain companies. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has directed the stock exchanges to place some 331 companies in Stage VI of the Graded Surveillance Measure under which trading is permitted only once a month - on the first Monday of every month. Since some of these companies are fairly well known, the SEBI action has taken the corporate sector as well as retail investors by surprise.

As a reaction, the bullish mood in the stock markets has taken a hit, resulting in a sharp fall in stock prices. It is possible investors would suffer losses but investments in stocks, particularly of companies with dubious managements, are always fraught with risks. While there is a strong case for having zero tolerance towards fraudulent activities of companies and the need for a clean-up of the corporate sector cannot be over-emphasised, the MCA and the SEBI could have done the job in a more transparent and professional manner. There are no specific charges put out in the public domain against the companies concerned. Media reports suggest the SEBI has asked the stock exchanges to order an audit of these companies, which means the action has preceded an investigation. Secondly, as critics of the SEBI order point out, these companies have not been served any notices or given a chance to be heard, before or after the order was issued.

This is not the right way to go about powerful offenders. Because of these failings the SEBI action is likely to be challenged. Litigation is damaging both for companies and their investors. While those found guilty would justifiably be delisted from the stock exchanges, those coming clean after the audit/investigation/court case would suffer financially and in terms of loss of reputation for no fault of theirs. This is not good or ethical governance. Nor perhaps the best way to bolster up market sentiment.
Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 9

Though state BJP president Subhash Baralas son Vikas Barala was arrested today for stalking senior bureaucrat Virender Kundus daughter Varnika Kundu, the four-day-long drama has dented the BJP governments image badly.

The episode has also exposed the functioning of the Chandigarh Police, hitherto perceived as one of the most professional forces of the country. The manner in which the Chandigarh Police released Vikas and his friend on bail on Saturday last after first announcing that it was a kidnapping case and then reintroducing the sections of the IPC into the FIR today, putting a question mark on their functioning. Questions are also being raised over the wisdom of huge funds spent by the police on CCTV cameras installed in the city when most of them were non-functional when required.

The incident occurred at a time when Haryana is celebrating Manohar Lal Khattar governments 1,000 days in power by an intensive advertisement blitzkrieg in the media. It also coincided with the last day of the three-day visit of BJP president Amit Shah, who had announced during his sojourn that the next elections would be contested under Khattar. Just when the government could have been in high spirits, the incident made nationwide headlines, denting the governments image badly.

The governments Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched, was mocked at on social media. These is a minor change. This time it is Beta Bachao, says a cartoon posted on WhatsApp groups, Facebook and Twitter, pointing to the BJP governments efforts to save Vikas Barala.

Puneet Kalra, a doctor, posted an old slogan Bahut Hua Naari Par Vaar, Abki Baar Modi Sarkar with a tag Offered without comment.

Some others simply posted pictures of a signboard installed near Baralas residence with a message Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.

Janta 3 saal se Vikas Dhoond Rahi Thi, aur Vikas Yaha Ladkiyo Ka Peechha Karta Mila (People were looking for development (Vikas) for the past three years and Vikas (name) was found stalking girls here!), says a WhatsApp message while mocking at the Central government.
Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 9

State BJP chief Subhash Barala today tried his best to save his son Vikas, who is accused of staking an IAS officers daughter, from the media glare.

The BJP unsuccessfully tried to take the media for a ride this afternoon by timing Baralas unscheduled press conference along with joining of his son Vikas in the investigation at a different venue.

Apparently, to deflect the attention of the media, which was present outside the Sector 26 police station here, Amit Arya, media adviser to the Chief Minister, sent an invitation for the press conference of Barala and party spokesman Jawahar Yadav at a very short notice at latters residence in Sector 7 here.

As a large number of mediapersons descended on Sector 7, Vikas Barala, who was later arrested by the Chandigarh Police, joined investigation at Sector 26. Even at the time Vikas joined the probe, a sizable number of mediapersons were present outside the Sector 26 police station.

The BJP ploy to save its chiefs son from the media glare became apparent when Barala left the press conference in a huff following a volley of inconvenient queries from the media and feigning a phone call from Vikas.

Earlier, Barala claimed, The moment we learnt about Chandigarh Polices notice, Vikas headed for Chandigarh. He will cooperate with the police, Barala told reporters while refusing to take any questions.

I have informed my son that the police had called him for investigation and he needs to come. None of us is politicising the issue and if my son is accused on the basis of the investigation and Varnikas statements, he will receive the punishment he deserves, the BJP chief said.

Calling the victim Beti Varnika, Barala reiterated that he respected the law.

Jawahar Yadav alleged that the Opposition was playing with Varnika Kundus emotions by politicising the issue, as Vikas was not associated with the BJP.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 9

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tajender Singh Luthra on Wednesday said both the accused in the Chandigarh stalking case had refused to give their blood and urine samples for the investigation.

The duty doctor did want to take the blood and urine samples, but the accused are law graduates, they knew the law very well. Therefore, they refused to give the blood and urine samples, Luthra told the reporter here.

He, however, added that such a refusal shall be held against them in the investigation and during the trial.

Luthra assured that the investigation will not take much time and everything under the sun will be done to reach the justice.

Vikas Barala, son of Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala, and his friend Ashish Kumar (22), are accused of stalking the daughter of an IAS officer.

Dr Harjot Singh, the Emergency Medical officer, who had conducted the medical examination, said the persons brought by the police for medical check-up refused to give their blood and urine samples.

Dr Harjot added that the police also did not insist to conduct the blood and urine sample.

When asked whether Vikas was drunk when he was bought to the hospital for medical examination, the doctor replied, Yes, the person was drunk and the fact has been mentioned in the report as well.

When told about the version of Chandigarh Police that collecting blood and urine sample was the prerogative of the doctor, Dr Harjot maintained, We do not have a problem in taking the sample, but the police has to insist. The person taken for medical examination had refused to give blood and urine samples and have mentioned this fact in the report as well.  With ANI inputs

Read: Haryana BJP chief's son held for stalking IAS officer's daughter

Can't punish Subhash Barala for son's crime: Haryana CM

No CCTV footage available for Chandigarh stalking case: Police

Stalking case: Police retrieve CCTV footage

Will persist in bringing guilty to justice: victim's kin

I have power of people behind me: Stalking victim

BJP leader 'shames' stalking victim on twitter; later claims account hacked

Govt must punish guilty, not collude with culprits: Rahul on stalking case
Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 9

Three militants linked to the Al-Qaidas Kashmir unit  Ansar Ghuzwat-ul-Hind  were killed in a gunfight with the police and the Army in south Kashmirs Tral sub-district today. Tral is the hometown to the new group linked to the global jihadist movement.

A teenage civilian was also killed during protests near the encounter site after he was hit by pellets, police officers said. The civilian, identified as Younis Sheikh (17), succumbed to his injuries at a hospital, taking the death toll in the gunfight to four.

The gunfight erupted this afternoon when security forces, acting on specific intelligence about the presence of militants, launched a joint operation and cordoned off Gulabagh village in Tral, officials said.

While the cordon was being laid, the militants made an attempt to escape, triggering a fierce gunfight, said a police officer involved in the operation.

The three militants killed in the gunfight were identified as Ishaq Bhat of Batagund in Tral. Ishaq had joined the militant ranks in August 2015. The other two slain militants were identified as Zahid Bhat of Nowdal in Tral and Mohammad Ashraf of Trich village in Pulwama. Zahid had joined militancy in October 2015 while Ashraf had joined militancy in September 2016.

Two AK-47 rifles and one pistol were recovered from the encounter site, the police said.

All three militants were close associates of militant commander Zakir Musa and were affiliated to the Al-Qaidas recently announced Kashmir unit  Ansar Ghuzwat-ul-Hind, the police said.

With the killing of the three militants in Tral, the number of the Al-Qaida-linked militants killed in recent months has reached eight. Five of them were earlier associated with the Lashkar-e-Toiba, including its chief commander Abu Dujana.

Among the eight Al-Qaida-linked militants killed so far, three were killed in a gunfight at Kakpora in Pulwama district in June, prior to the announcement of the formation of the Ansar Ghuzwat-ul-Hind.

The Al-Qaida last month announced the formation of the Ansar Ghuzwat-ul-Hind and named Zakir Musa as its leader. Musa, who was formerly associated with the Hizbul Mujahideen, had quit the group after he publicly swore to fight for an Islamist cause and rejected nationalism, which irked the separatists and militants commanders loyal to Pakistan.

Slain ultras were aides of Zakir Musa
Mona

A girl, out after 12 at night, all by herself...questions a political leader and youngsters take on to social media, where they spend significant amount of their time to respond! #AintNoCinderella trended big time as women posted their selfies clicked at night, out of their homes.

Social issues making it to social media is a given trend; before the recent stalking case in Chandigarh made it big, there was #JusticeForGudia (terrible Shimla rape and murder), Rohtak sisters viral video (that unfortunately didnt turn out as was propounded ), Gurmehar Kaur (Pakistan didnt kill my father war did) and before that Nirbhaya. While the social platforms gather much momentum, the reality remains unchanged - women are unsafe in India, during the day or at night.

In total support

Social media fanatics believe in its power. #AintNoCinderella is their verdict to the leader who since has backtracked from his statement. Does it help? Social media is a great platform to reach out to masses, says Amy Singh, a Chandigarh-based poet and alternative educator. #AintNoCinderella got such a massive response because it is not fair to question a woman on what she is doing late at night, adds the girl, who is part of the group that is moving beyond the digital world and have organised the Bekhauf Aazadi March on August 11. Not only does social media raise awareness, it also puts pressure on the culprits. There are 241 million active users on Facebook in India alone, shares Shweta Khanna, proprietor, Flaunt Couture.

If every woman, every girl shares #AintNoCinderella, then everybody will have to think that this step is strong. It makes a difference, says Aditi Shubhra, a student in Darbhanga. And its not just women making #AintNoCinderella trend! Says Manoj Sharma, a content-marketer from Chandigarh, Such initiatives make the issue global.

While the detractors...

Dr Diljot Sandhu, whose work demands her to drive at any time of the day or night, shares, Whenever I am out at odd hours, I make sure my central locking is on; no one can help but ones presence of mind. The mother to 19-year-old Prabhjot Kaur rues that not too long back she could well take a rikshaw ride at night, but not anymore. I am so paranoid that I dont even let my daughter go alone for her tuitions. I feel I am more of chowkidar; forever tracking her and her safety. Solution lies in making self-defence training compulsory for schoolgirls, as Sandhu is not much impressed by the noise made on social media.

We must educate our boys as much as our girls, pitches in Manju, mum to a boy and a girl. Boys should be taught not only how to treat girls, but also made aware of the right and wrong.

The big question remains... how safe are women?

mona@tribunemail.com
Suniti Kharbanda

Suniti Kharbanda

Even if I am no longer in the category of runners, at least my thoughts are still capable of it. The train of thoughts that ran in my mind focused on Anshu Jamspena scaling Mt Everest twice within five days. Santosh Yadav was the first woman in the world to climb Mt Everest twice. She was a climbing mate of mine when we did a basic mountaineering and rock climbing course in the Aravalli mountain range in Jaipur.

More than 30 years back Santosh Yadav was doing her graduation and I was doing my M.B.A. while staying in the same university hostel at Jaipur. The backdrop of the hostel was the Aravalli mountains. In the hot deserts of Rajasthan seeing these mountains itself gave a feeling of cool relief. When we got to know that a basic mountaineering course of six weeks duration was to be conducted in the early mornings, we were thrilled. Santosh and I along with three-four other girls decided to join this course. Every morning on borrowed cycles we pedalled for 20 minutes to reach our course site, learnt the requisite mountaineering skills for an hour and cycled back to our hostel before starting our daily college routine.

New words like belay, anchor, rappelling, slithering, carabiner, river crossing etc were added to our vocabulary. Notwithstanding falling down, getting hurt, scolded for being casual about safety, being bone tired, lack of proper sleep, we never missed a single session because to compensate for all this was the thrill of conquering small mountains which would always get our adrenaline pumping.

The day for the award of certificates also arrived. The Chief Guest was the then Chief Minister of Rajsthan, Mr Shiv Charan Mathur .I was roped in to give a speech on behalf of the outgoing batch. Tougher than the course was giving this speech in front of an august gathering, specially as I was told just two days in advance. However, everything went off well.

A couple of days later while attending my college lecture, the college Director, Dr R. N. Singh, walked into our classroom and enquired in a booming voice, Which student of our college is doing a mountaineering course?. I was petrified. I presumed one of our lecturers had complained that I was half asleep in class (being tired after the morning mountaineering course was my excuse). Timidly I got up. He came up to me, shook my hand and said: Congratulations! I got a call from the Chief Minister who is a friend of mine. He was complimenting me on the oratory skills of my student who had just completed a mountaineering course. Good going Suniti. Keep it up. My happiness knew no bounds.

At that moment there was one thing that I understood-whatever you do with honesty and hard work will have its reward. For Santosh Yadav the course was a stepping stone for honing up her mountaineering skills and scaling Mt Everest and for me this course became an opportunity for shedding my inhibitions for public speaking. Each one of us has different peaks to conquer.

As Edmund Hillary famously said It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.
New Delhi, August 9

Describing the ongoing Doklam standoff as not very serious, the Dalai Lama today invoked Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai, a catchphrase that defined Sino-India ties in the 1950s, stressing that the two neighbours have to live side by side in peace.

Asserting that any problem has to be resolved through talks, the 81-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader said the theme of the 21st century should be dialogue.

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Thats the only way. One sides retreat and defeat is an old-time thinking. In modern times, every country is dependent on each other, he said, while delivering the Rajendra Mathur Memorial Lecture organised by the Editors Guild of India here.

The spiritual leader, who calls himself a chela (disciple) of India, also needled China, saying he can do more in India, which has freedom. Where there is no freedom, I dont like. There is some tension, but I do not think it is very serious. We need to make a distinction between people and governments. The other day, I mentioned that Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai is the only way. India and China have to live side by side, the Dalai Lama said, even as he added that propaganda and wrong information make things complicated.

The Dalai Lama, who had fled a Chinese crackdown in Lhasa and took shelter in India in 1959, said occasionally the two neighbours use harsh words, and added as a reminder that the Chinese forces eventually withdrew though they had reached Bomdilla in 1962.

Queried about any possible resumption of talks between the Central Tibetan Authority and the Chinese side, he said it may take place after the 19th national congress of the Communist Party of China, which is slated later this year. But nothing is definite, he said.  PTI
Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 8

To save hundreds of crores of rupees, the Ministry of Defence today finalised the norms for the cattle battle faced by the Army and also approved the closure of 12 of the 39 such British-era military farms from August 15 and the remaining farms by the end of October.

At a high-level meeting today, it was decided that 25,000-odd cattle head at these 39 farms, with the exception of a specific high-yield variety, will be given away to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and to state governments for rearing.

The high-yield variety is called Frieswal developed by cross-breeding the Holstein Friesian cow of the Netherlands with the Sahiwal of India. The Ministry of Defence has an agreement with the ICAR for this breeding facility till 2021.

These farms meet 14 per cent of about 210 million litres of annual milk supply needed by the 1.3 million strong Army. The rest is now procured through various cooperative milk supply schemes run across the country.

These farms started in 1889 by the British have outlived their utility as milk supply is no more dependent upon such projects.

Earlier, cantonments were largely isolated from towns and cities. But with rapid urban growth, most cantonments are now located within population clusters. The white revolution of the 1970s changed everything and now milk availability is a non-issue. On June 1 this year, the Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh reeled out figures at a public function, saying: India is a world leader in milk production for the past 15 years... milk production is (now) 465.5 million tonnes.

The farms sit on around 20,000 acres of prime Defence land that is now needed for new projects like upcoming ground-based missile storage, aviation, new raisings and even housing for jawans. So far, the MoD has decided to hand over the land to the Director General Defence Estates (DGDE) and not to the Army, which is the actual owner as of now.

The original decision to close down the military farms was taken in 2013 after a meeting of the Army Commanders. While 29 farms were to shut shop between 2013 and 2015, the remaining 10 had to follow suit by 2017.
New Delhi, August 9

A crack in the main cockpit window forced an Air India plane from Frankfurt to Delhi to land mid-way in Tehran on Wednesday morning.

AI 120 Frankfurt-Delhi plane landed at Tehran at 6.20 am as a "precautionary" measure, according to the airline spokesperson Dhananjay Kumar. There were 249 passengers onboard the aircraft.

"The main window in front of the pilot developed cracks.

This happened because of malfunctioning of the internal heating system," said an airline official on the condition of anonymity.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has now been grounded and a relief plane, a Boeing 747, has been sent from Mumbai to ferry the passengers to Delhi, Kumar said.

The plane will also carry a team of technical and engineering staff to make the repairs to the grounded aircraft.  PTI
Bhopal, August 9

In a weird case of tagging for identity, two minors were stamped with an entry seal on their face when they reached to meet their imprisoned father at the Bhopal Central Jail.

The Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission (MPHRC) too has taken cognizance of the matter after the photographs of two children, including a girl, with an entry seal on their faces surfaced in a section of media here.

The jail authorities, however, said the incident of 'stamping-seal-on-face' was an unintentional goof-up and might have been done mistakenly due to surge of visitors in the jail premises to mark the festive day of Raksha Bandhan.

"Couple of children might have been stamped an entry seal on their cheeks. It was unintentional and done mistakenly as over 8,500 people mostly women and children visited the jail premises on the day of Raksha Bandhan," said Bhopal Central Jail's Superintendent Dinesh Nargave. Nargave said there is a practice of putting an entry seal on every visitor's hand in a bid to distinguish them from the jail inmates.

"The visitors mix up with the prisoners and it is hard to point them out. So, a stamp is embossed on the hand of a visitor to identify them," he added.

Nargave doubted that this goof-up might have occurred as some women and girls wear burqa.

"We are conducting an inquiry into the matter. We will take action against the employee concerned, if found that this was done intentionally," he assured.

Meanwhile, the MPHRC has served a notice to the Director General (jails) seeking an explanation on this incident within seven days of notice.

"MPHRC has taken cognizance of the incident after the photograph of two minors with stamp on face was published today in the newspapers. We have served a notice to Director General (jails) seeking explanation about the incident," said Commission's public relation officer LR Sisodia.

He said the Commission considered the stamp-on-the- face of child and the girl as the breach of human rights and also violation of child rights. PTI
Yash Goyal

Jaipur, August 9

Former Union minister of state for water resources and BJP MP from Ajmer Prof Sanwar Lal Jat died on Wednesday after a prolonged illness at AIIMS in Delhi.

The Chairman of Rajasthan Kisan Ayog, Jat was 62.

Jat, who fell unconscious at BJP President Amit Shahs meeting in Jaipur on July 22, was admitted to SMS Hospitals CCU and was shifted to AIIMS on July 27. Since then he was in coma as he had suffered a brain haemorrhage while was speaking at Shahs meeting with Rajasthan MPs.

An urgent cabinet meeting was called in which Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje condoled Jats demise saying he was a true farmers leader and represented the problems of peasants, animal breeders, and Dalit people of Ajmer district.

His body would be brought to Jaipur and placed at the BJP office for party workers to pay their homage. His cremation will take place on Thursday, Anand Sharma, a party spokesman said.

Congress leaders Sachin Pilot, Rameshwar Dudi and Ashok Gehlot have also condoled the death.
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 9

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday witnessed heated exchanges between the government and the Opposition over whether to take up legislative business or debate issues like Chandigarh stalking case and printing of differently-sized new currency notes.

Leading the Congress attack was Haryana leader Kumari Selja who also said the BJP-led Haryana government was all about "beta bachao and not beti bacaho".

While the government wanted to push the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill for consideration and passage, the Congress-led opposition members continued to press for discussions on the two issues.

Consensus eluded even after the leaders of the two sides met in the presence of Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien to break the prevailing deadlock in the House.

Union Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Ravi Shankar Prasad, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Jairam Ramesh and Kumari Selja were among those who attended the meeting.

Prasad repeatedly stressed that the Banking Regulation Bill was "very important and pro-poor" and would empower the RBI to ask banks to initiate proceedings against bad loans.

However, unrelenting opposition members stuck to their stand on discussing the two contentious issues first and then taking up the legislative business. Led by the Congress, Opposition members also trooped into the Well, raising anti-government slogans.

Congress deputy leader Anand Sharma said Chandigarh being a Union Territory was directly administered by the Home Minister who should come to the House and give a statement on the issue.

Selja accused the Haryana government of "protecting the accused in the case and trying to push matter under the carpet". It is all about beta bachao in Haryana, there is no beti bachao. It is matter related to the Haryana BJP chief so there is this attempt to cover up.

Why did the police not conduct the blood and the urine tests, why have they not added the kidnapping section? We fear there is an attempt to cover up by the Chandigarh Administration. Because it comes directly under the Central Government, attempts are being made to dilute the case," she said.

Earlier, while participating in a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, DMKs Kanimozi also made a mention of the Chandigarh stalking case to make her point about the situation of women in India despite so many years of Independence.
New Delhi, August 9

The India-China standoff at Doklam is not a very serious issue, the Dalai Lama said on Wednesday, stressing that the two countries had to live side by side.

The Tibetan spiritual leader said there are periods when the two neighbours use harsh words, but the spirit of Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai is the only way forward.

I do not think it is very serious. India and China have to live side by side, the Dalai Lama said on the Doklam standoff at an event here, even as he added that propaganda makes things complicated.

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Even in 1962, Chinese forces which reached Bomdilla, eventually withdrew. India and China have to live side by side, he said while speaking at the Rajendra Mathur Memorial Lecture organised by the Editors Guild of India.

India and China have been locked in a face-off in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector for more than 50 days after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area.

China claimed it was constructing the road within its territory and has been demanding immediate withdrawal of the Indian troops from the disputed Doklam plateau.

Bhutan says Doklam belongs to it but China claims it to be its territory and says Thimphu has no dispute with Beijing over it.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had recently said both sides should first pull back their troops for any talks to take place, favouring a peaceful resolution of the border standoff. PTI
Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service



Mumbai, August 9

Tens of thousands of protesters mobilised by various organisations representing the Maratha community for the mook morcha or silent protest brought south Mumbai to a halt on Wednesday.

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According to police and fire brigade officials, all major roads leading to Byculla in South Central Mumbai were jammed with the morcha activists since morning. The civic-owned BEST buses suspended operations on major routes due to traffic jams.



Mumbai Police said the entire force has been out to prevent any untoward incident during the morcha. The authorities deployed drones along the route of the morcha to monitor the march in real time.



Schools and colleges across South Mumbai were shut on the orders of the Education Department.



The Byculla Zoo, where the morcha began this morning, wore a festive look with thousands of people bearing saffron flags which resembled the standard of medieval Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj.



Though it was billed as a silent morcha, participants were shouting slogans like Ek Maratha, lakh Maratha as they marched from the Byculla zoo grounds to Azad Maidan near the Chatrapati Shivaji

Terminus in downtown Mumbai.

The Maratha Kranti Morcha, which is spearheading the Maratha marches across the state, said no political leaders would be allowed to address the gathering when the morcha concludes at Azad Maidan.



The MKM said no political leaders have been allowed to participate though the Maratha community is well represented in all the major parties in Maharashtra. The group said it has mobilised six lakh

participants for the morcha.



The Maratha groups are demanding reservation in education and government jobs for members of the community apart from diluting provisions of the Atrocities Act.



Ashish Shelar, the Mumbai president of the BJP, who arrived at Azad Maidan to support the morcha was stopped from moving to the forward barricades. At several places banners put by the Shiv Sena extending support to the Maratha morcha were pulled down by the participants.



At many places, members of the Muslim community had put up stalls providing food and water to participants in the morcha. Muslim organisations in many parts of Maharashtra have extended support to the Marathas.



Both the Central and Western Railways said they have deployed additional trains to ferry the protesters to and from Azad Maidan.



MKM office-bearers said the morcha would disperse at around 5 pm from Azad Maidan.
Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 9

To mark the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement, the BJP and Congress listed out the threats and challenges faced by the nation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the nation to replicate the five-year period from 1942 to 1947 over the next five years. The Quit India movement was the final public outcry before Independence. It had created the basis for independence, Modi said while reading out Mahatma Gandhis famous words of the time karenge ya marenge (do or die).

He asked the Lok Sabha and its members to collectively pledge to remove corruption, give rights to the poor, generate employment and end malnutrition. He termed corruption as a termite saying that in 1942 people from diverse opinions had gathered under the thought of Mahatma Gandhis call. Gandhi and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose may have had different ideologies but they joined hands because for them gaining Independence was of utmost importance, Modi said.

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In his 30-minute speech Modi named several freedom fighters but did not mention Jawaharlal Nehru even once for his role in the freedom struggle.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi started off her speech by reminding the House that the Quit India movement resolution was proposed by Nehru and seconded by Sardar Patel and adopted on August 9 at Bombay at a session of the All India Congress Committee. The British Government jailed Congress leaders and some of them died in prison.

Mahatma Gandhis fight was for a free and a democratic India where diverse opinion was respected, said Gandhi, who was speaking in Hindi. We have to see that social justice is not under threat.

Trinamool Congress MP Sugata Bose, a nephew of Netaji Subhas Bose, said, Like the divide and rule politics of the British, the BJP is dividing the nation.

He said No Muslim should ever feel unsafe in India--these words of Gandhi--should be relevant even today. He appealed to the PM to stop engines of coercion in their tracks.

The treasury benches may have their own gurujis, but let us all travel together on the highway of Gandhijis halo, Bose said.

He joined M Thambidurai of the AIADMK in demanding that all languages should be treated equal.
New Delhi, August 9

President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday felicitated 93 freedom fighters from across the country at his first 'At Home', presenting each of them with a gift that carried a personalised message from him, a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman said.

The President of the country hosts a function today on the anniversary of the Quit India Movement. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the movement, which called for an end to British rule in India.

The President's press secretary, Ashok Malik, said in a statement that each of the freedom fighters was gifted an electric kettle with a personalised message from Kovind.

"I extend warm greetings to you on the 75th Anniversary of the Quit India Movement. The nation is proud of our freedom fighters and salutes them. This small token is our people's appreciation of your successful struggle against colonialism.

I wish you happiness, good health and a long life," was the President's message on each gift.

The function was attended by outgoing Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other dignitaries.

The President also released a set of eight commemorative postage stamps to mark the occasion.  PTI
New Delhi, August 9

Outgoing Vice-President Hamid Ansari today said there is a feeling of unease and a sense of insecurity among the Muslims in the country, asserting the ambience of acceptance is now under threat.

Ansari, whose second five-year term as the Vice-President ends tomorrow, made these remarks in the backdrop of incidents of intolerance and cow vigilantism and comments made by some saffron leaders regarding the minority community.

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Stating he had flagged the issue of intolerance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Cabinet colleagues, Ansari, 80, described as a disturbing thought that the Indianness of citizens was being questioned. Asked in an interview to Karan Thapar on Rajya Sabha TV whether he shared his concerns with the PM, Ansari replied in the affirmative.

Yes...yes. But what passes between the Vice-President and the PM in the nature of things must remain in the domain of privileged conversation, the Rajya Sabha Chairman said. He also said that he has flagged the issue with Union ministers too.

Well, there is always an explanation and there is always a reason. Now it is a matter of judgement, whether you accept the explanation, you accept the reasoning and its rationale, he said when asked about the response of the government.

In the interview, Ansari referred to incidents of lynching and ghar wapsi and killings of rationalists as a breakdown of Indian values, breakdown of the ability of the authorities at different levels in different places to be able to enforce what should be normal law-enforcing work and overall the very fact that the Indianness of any citizen being questioned is a disturbing thought.

Yes it is a correct assessment, Ansari said when asked whether he agreed with the assessment that the Muslim community is apprehensive and that it was feeling insecure as a result of the kind of comments made against them.

Yes it is a correct assessment, from all I hear from different quarters, the country; I heard the same thing in Bangalore, I have heard from other parts of the country, I hear more about in north India, there is a feeling of unease, a sense of insecurity is creeping in, he said.

Asked whether he felt that the Muslims are beginning to feel they are not wanted, Ansari said, I would not go that far, there is a sense of insecurity.

He said India is a plural society that for centuries, not for 70 years, has lived in a certain ambience of acceptance which is now under threat. He was of the view that the propensity to be able to assert your nationalism day in and day out is unnecessary. I am an Indian and that is it.

Ansari was of the view that while tolerance is a good virtue, it is not a sufficient virtue. ...therefore, you have to take the next step and go from tolerance to acceptance, he said.

Comments on minorities

On comments made by some BJP leaders related to minorities, he said he would not talk about political people or political parties.

But to me, every time such a comment appeared or came to my knowledge; I mean my first reaction was that, A: the person is ignorant, B: that he is prejudiced and C: he does not fit into the framework that India has always prided itself on, which is to be an accommodative society, he said.

On triple talaq

Ansari said it is a social aberration, not a religious requirement. The religious requirement is crystal clear, emphatic, there are no two views about it but patriarchy, social customs have all crept into it to create a situation which is highly undesirable, he said.

He said the courts do not have to step in as the reform has to come from within the community.

The courts can say that we dont recognise it. Thats all. I mean a marriage has to be recognised on certain occasions by the system of the state. And if a state functionary at a particular point of time refuses to recognise a happening which may be the product of a triple talaq, thats it, he explained.  PTI

J&K is a political problem

The problem has always been primarily a political problem. And it has to be addressed politically, the outgoing Vice-President said to a question.

Ansari agreed to a suggestion that politicians are ducking the problem. Thats my impression. And Im not the only one in the country... when young boys and girls come out on to the streets and throw stones day after day, week after week, month after month, its something to worry about because they are our children, they are our citizens.

Something is obviously going wrong. What exactly, I am not the final word on it, but I think there are enough people in the country who are worried about it. Eminent people belonging to different political persuasions and their worry must be taken on board, the Vice-President said.

I am an Indian, and that is it

India is a plural society that for centuries, not for 70 years, has lived in a certain ambience of acceptance which is now under threat. The propensity to be able to assert your nationalism day in and day out is unnecessary. I am an Indian, and that is it.  Hamid Ansari, Outgoing vice-President
Shivani Bhakoo and Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 9

The police have arrested 11 persons on the charge of pilfering wheat, meant for the Atta-Dal scheme, following a raid on a godown in the districts Rakba village near Mullanpur.

Ludhiana DC Pradeep Aggarwal told The Tribune, We got a tip-off yesterday that wheat was being pilfered at the godown. Around 9 pm, the police and officials of the District Food and Supplies Department raided the premises. We found 10 to 12 persons taking out wheat from gunny bags and transferring it to other bags. After seeing us, they tried to run, but were arrested after a brief chase.

The accused  Sikandar Singh, Labba Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Ravi Singh, Amanjit Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Jaswant Singh, Kala Singh, Gurjeet Singh, Gupreet Singh and Gurmukh Singh  were labourers, the DC said.

They have been booked under Sections 380, 409 and 120-B of the IPC and relevant sections of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

On being asked whether or not AAP workers had tipped off the administration, the DC did not reveal the source of information.

Dakha legislator HS Phholka, however, claimed at a press conference in Chandigarh that AAP worker Amrit Pal had sounded the administration about something illegal happening in a godown near Mullanpur.

Surjit Singh, SSP (Ludhiana rural), said Pungrain had hired the godown for storing wheat meant for distribution among the poor.

The godown had about 1.2 lakh bags of wheat weighing 30 kg each. The labourers were stealing 5 kg from every bag and putting water in them to keep the weight intact. We suspect the role of Pungrain officials as they are supervising the stock and distribution of wheat for blue card holders, the SSP added.
Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, August 9

Teams from neighbouring states of Rajasthan and Haryana have caught red-handed three doctors from the town for allegedly conducting gender tests in the past, raising eyebrows over the alertness of the local health and police officials.

On August 4, Dr Jagdish Sachdeva, who owns a private hospital on the Jalalabad road here, was arrested by a team of the Rajasthan Police for allegedly conducting pre-natal sex determination test. The police team had laid a trap and arrested the doctor, a nurse and an agent.

On May 15, Dr Sham Sunder Goyal, a radiologist who owns a scanning centre on Bathinda road here, was arrested by a team of the Rajasthan police for allegedly conducting test to determine the sex of the foetus. In this case too, a trap was laid to nab the accused.

On June 23 last year, Dr Meena Jagga, who is a former government doctor, along with her employee and an agent, were caught red-handed by a team of the Haryana Police while conducting gender test at a clinic on Kotkapura road here.

Sources said the illegal practice continues unabated in rural areas but the local administration was unwilling to take any action.

Civil Surgeon Dr Sukhpal Singh said, We did not get any authentic information about pre-natal sex determination tests being conducted in the town. However, it does not mean that we are not alert. We have formed teams to keep a check on the illegal practice and also stopped deliveries at home. Besides, senior officials in the civil administration too regularly conduct checkings in this regard.
Tribune Reporters

Fatehgarh Sahib, August 9

Hundreds of farmers courted arrest after blocking the Sirhind-Bassi Pathana road causing inconvenience to the commuters today.

The police arrested 152 leaders of various farmer organisations, including Bharti Kisan Union (BKU) Ekta Sidhupur, BKU Dhakonda, BKU Kadian and Pagri Sambhal Jatta.

Earlier, the farmers had gathered at a local gurdwara. BKU Ekta general secretary Surinder Singh Luhari said farmer unions had submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister on August 3 and threatened to hold a jail bharo agitation throughout the country. He said when the government failed to give any assurance regarding their demands they were forced to announce holding protest in all 22 districts of Punjab.

Luhari said they would continue with the protest till their demands, including a complete loan waiver, were fulfilled. He said they would launch an awareness campaign among farmers, besides boycotting the government.

Varinderjit Singh Bind, DSP, said arrests had been made after their requests for clearing the jam proved futile.

Sangrur:Members of the All-India Kisan Sabha and BKU Sidhupur today held a protest in front of the locked gates of the Deputy Commissioners (DC) office for debt waiver and other demands of farmers. Both factions wanted to court arrest, but the police arrested only BKU Sidhupur members. The officials had locked the gates from inside.

Farmers have been getting only verbal assurances, but have not seen any concrete action from any government to fulfil our long-pending demands, including implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, proper market for crops and debt waiver, alleged Bant Singh Namol, who led the protest.

The BKU Sidhupur members alleged that the Congress government had cheated farmers by giving only crop loan waiver as before the elections the party had promised complete debt waiver.

We will intensify our agitation in coming days if the state government failed to give complete debt waiver, said Bikramjit Longowal, president of BKU Sidhupur, Sangrur. Sangrur Sadar police station SHO Ranjit Singh said they took farmers in preventive custody and no case was registered.

Muktsar: A large number of farmers on Wednesday courted arrest under the Jail Bharo Andolan, seeking implementation of the Swaminathan report, total waiver of debt and other demands. Nearly 350 farmers were detained by the police and later released some of them. However, at least 12 of them were not released till evening, claimed the agitating farmers.
Dehradun, August 9

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today expressed grief over the death of Army jawan Pawan Singh Sugra who was killed in Pakistani firing in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district.

The 21-year-old jawan, who succumbed to injuries yesterday, hailed from Uttarkhands Sugri village in Pithoragarh district.

Yet another son of Uttarakhand has made the supreme sacrifice to protect the countrys frontiers, the chief minister said. Saluting the jawans valour, he said, The state government will extend all its support to his family and prayed for fortitude to them to bear the loss.

Paying tributes to Pawan Kumar, Uttarakhand Congress president Pritam Singh has prayed for the peace of the departed soul.  PTI
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 9

The Uttrakhand Department of Tourism will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Mayor of Chamonix Valley for developing Auli, Bedni Bugyal and Gorsaon (Chamoli), as a world-class winter ski destinations.

Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said the memorandum would be signed on Thursday by the Department of Tourism with the Mayor of Chamonix Valley in the presence of the French Ambassador.

The minister, who recently visited Chamonix Valley in France, said talks were also held with ropeway companies for installing these in Uttarakhand. Representatives of the CMD Company were keen to take up the repair work of snow-making machine at Auli (Joshimath). Other companies such as Pomagalski and Cabrio, a Swiss company, have also shown interest in setting up the ropeway projects at Kedarnath, Hemkund Sahib and Yamnotri, he said. Significantly, the snow-making machine at Auli Ski Resort had developed a snag after the 2011 SAF Games.

The ropeway projects conceptualised several years ago in the state are still to see the light of day. Among them, the ropeway project between Mussoorie and Dehradun has also been hanging fire for the past several years. Now, the government has changed the realignment of the project. Similarly, the Kedarnath and Yamnotri ropeway projects are also being worked out.

The state government will also sign a memorandum of understanding with Cluster Montagne of France, which is engaged in developing technology for sustainable mountain tourism in September. The department will also work on preparing souvenirs based on the states history, said the minister.

The minister also spoke of rekindling the connection Beatles had with Rishikesh besides hosting food festivals in France.
Cairo, August 9

Four Egyptian policemen were killed on Wednesday when gunmen fired at a patrol car in the northern Sinai city of al-Arish, state newspaper Al-Ahram reported.

Authorities in Arish, the capital of North Sinai province, were on the hunt for the attackers, the paper said.

Attacks on security forces have been frequent in Egypt since the army, led by general-turned-President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, ousted Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Mursi in 2013 after mass protests against his rule.

The violence has been concentrated in the Sinai Peninsula, where Egypt is fighting an insurgency, but has also expanded to hit Egypts Coptic Christians, the countrys largest minority.

On Tuesday, a group of gunmen killed two police officers and wounded another in a village north of Cairo, al-Ahram had said. Reuters
Guam/Seoul, August 9

North Korea said on Wednesday it was considering plans for a missile strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after President Donald Trump told the North that any threat to the United States would be met with fire and fury.

The sharp increase in tensions rattled financial markets and prompted warnings from US officials and analysts not to engage in rhetorical slanging matches with North Korea, which regularly threatens to destroy the US.

North Korea said it was carefully examining a plan to strike Guam, which is home to about 163,000 people and a US military base that includes a submarine squadron, an airbase and a Coast Guard group.

A Korean Peoples Army spokesman said in a statement carried by state-run KCNA news agency the plan would be put into practice at any moment, once leader Kim Jong Un made a decision.

Guam Governor Eddie Calvo dismissed the threat and said the island was prepared for any eventuality with strategically placed defences. He said he had been in touch with the White House and there was no change in the threat level. Guam is American soil ... We are not just a military installation, Calvo said in an online video message.

North Korea, which is pursuing missile and nuclear weapons programmes in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions, also accused the US of devising a preventive war and said in another statement that any plans to execute this would be met with an all-out war, wiping out all the strongholds of enemies, including the US mainland.

Washington has warned it is ready to use force if needed to stop North Koreas ballistic missile and nuclear programmes but that it prefers global diplomatic action, including sanctions. The UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Saturday.

Trump issued his strongest warning yet for North Korea in comments to reporters in New Jersey on Tuesday. North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen, Trump said.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, before landing in Guam on a pre-arranged visit, said Trump was trying to send a strong message.

So I think the President, what the President is doing, is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesnt seem to understand diplomatic language, Tillerson told reporters.

Just moments after Tillersons remarks were reported, Trump hammered home his tough talk in a Twitter post about the US nuclear arsenal, in what looked like another warning to North Korea. My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal, he said. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before.

China, North Koreas closest ally despite Beijings anger at Pyongyangs missile and nuclear programmes, described the situation as complex and sensitive, and urged calm and a return to talks.

China calls on all sides to uphold the main direction of a political resolution to the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, and avoid any words or actions that may intensify the problem and escalate the situation, it said in a statement sent to Reuters, repeating its customary stance.  Reuters

Guam told to enjoy paradise, ignore threat

The Pacific island of Guam remained outwardly calm on Wednesday in the face of a threatened North Korean attack, and a senior official in the US territory urged people to relax and enjoy paradise

In a televised address to the 162,000 residents on the Western Pacific island, Governor Eddie Calvo said Guam was working with Washington to ensure our safety

Guam, which advertises pristine beaches, clear blue skies and world-famous sunsets is a popular destination, with tourism a key pillar of its economy

It is also home to about 6,000 US troops and houses two US military installations-the Andersen Air Force Base and the Naval Base Guam

South Korea, US still at war with North
Carrier Transicold Thin Film Flexible Solar Panels are designed to maintain the refrigeration units battery charge. Photo: Carrier Transicold

Transport refrigeration system batteries are increasingly being tapped to power additional electronics such as telematics devices, fuel-level sensors, interior trailer lighting and other accessories. Because these accessories can continue to draw power  sometimes up to a few amps per hour  while the refrigeration unit is off, the reefer battery might not have enough charge to start the engine if the unit has not been operated for some time. That could mean an expensive jump-start, and it also means trailers drop off of asset-tracking systems.

But solar power options are coming to the rescue for some fleets.

K&J Trucking started testing Thermo Kings ThermoLite solar panels four years ago on five trailers. After two years, the Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based refrigerated fleet liked the results well enough to spec them on a new trailer order replacing half its trailer fleet. By that point the return on investment was clear, according to Maintenance Manager Lou Charette.

The solar option works well for us on the reefer end, because trailers get into places [where they shouldnt], and with tracking devices they tend to drain batteries in a two-to three-week period, he says. A trailer shouldnt sit that long, but they do, its as simple as that. With this, the battery is constantly ready.

It makes it so we can spot the trailer at any time, because if the battery goes dead, the GPS tracking goes out. The solar option also eliminates middle-of-the-night service calls for jump-starting, and any service call starts at $300 these days.

In addition, battery life has been significantly extended.

Thermo Kings ThermoLite solar panel solution was developed to provide an alternative power source to both refrigerated and dry van fleets and offset battery drain from parasitic loads. It allows Thermo Kings TracKing or other telematics systems to monitor assets over long periods of time, even when the refrigeration unit is off and the trailers untethered from the tractor.

Carrier Transicold also offers a solar power solution. Its Thin Film Flexible Solar Panels are specifically designed to maintain the refrigeration units battery charge. They can be installed on the roofs of trailers and truck bodies chilled by Carrier Transicold or other systems.

Without solar panels, the traditional way to maintain battery charge would be to start up and run the TRU periodically, even when not in service, to make sure the battery is being kept charged by the units generator, notes Carrier's Jason Forman, sales & marketing manager, Truck Trailer, Performance Parts. That, of course, burns extra fuel and can tie up manpower.

He says Carrier Transicolds solar panels, unlike some other solar-powered solutions, do not require direct sunlight. Their amorphous silicon solar cell technology performs reliably even in low- and indirect-lighting conditions. As long as there is daylight, they will generate a charge, and that includes on cloudy days.

In addition to Thermo King and Carrier, there are some other companies offering broader-based solar panel products that they say can be used for truck or trailer refrigeration among other uses. For instance, eNow offers a broader-purpose solar panel system it calls eCharge, which can be used on tractor or trailer. And Purkeys has a product called Solar Bolt. Installed on the roof of a trailer, it provides a constant charge to electrical accessories such as liftgate batteries and reefers. There also are options to use solar power for stand-alone trailer tracking/telematics systems.

Weve seen interest in solar technology from fleets of all sizes, Carriers Forman says, but the first applications to embrace it are rail operations, where unattended operation is the norm, and long-distance haulers that have invested in systems to optimize efficiencies and performance, which includes reliable power for starting. Fleets also appreciate the worry-free, automatic nature of solar charging.

Learn more about solar power in the September issue of Heavy Duty Trucking.
Pardon me if I am not excited about Amazon.coms June announcement that it plans to purchase Whole Foods Market. While some people, both inside and outside of trucking, are predicting it will be a game-changer after it closes sometime in the second half of this year, it may not be as big of a deal for trucking as they think.

For starters, Whole Foods captured just 1.7% of the $750 billion grocery market last year. In contrast, Walmart has the largest slice at 17.3%. When you consider that Walmart and seven other companies have a combined market share of nearly half of the U.S. market, its easy to see that Amazon is getting only a small slice of the nations grocery pie.

Second, while Amazon is no doubt king of online sales, it has little experience running brick and mortar stores. With its purchase of Whole Foods, it gets more than 460 of them, and 87,000 additional employees. Only recently has Amazon branched out from its online confines, opening just a few dozen small pop up stores in malls to showcase its electronics devices, plus less than a dozen bookstores.

Third, while experts have speculated that the deal will be a big boost for the grocery delivery market (helping Amazon broaden its fledgling AmazonFresh and Amazon Go grocery offerings), the fact is that delivering groceries, especially perishables, isnt the same as delivering books and music.

Amazon.com got its start delivering these items to customers and then branched out to most any kind of item you could need (and many you dont.) But these items dont go bad if it takes a while for them to get delivered. Perishable items are another matter. Most of the perishable items Amazon currently offers are fulfilled by third-party retailers. In other words, they leave it to someone else to do the worrying.

If Amazon really wants to convince people to rely on getting fresh fruits, vegetables and other perishable items online, rather than going to grocery stores, they have even bigger obstacles.

One is last mile delivery. Lets face it, the big boys like UPS and FedEx struggle enough around Christmas to get things delivered on time. A sudden influx of groceries into their systems from Amazon/Whole Foods would either bog them down or be cost prohibitive for many customers, at least in the short term.

Then there is a bigger issue of inbound fresh production transportation and logistics. As outlined in a webinar hosted by the investment firm, Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., large, publicly traded and privately owned truckload carriers tend to shy away from the produce market due to its volatility. Getting fresh produce from the field to distribution centers is often handled by small fleets and independents who push hours of service rules to make their deliveries on time. With the coming electronic logging device mandate that will be much harder to do.

Amazon is no doubt taking a gamble in purchasing Whole Foods and has many other things to deal with in this acquisition, but when youre Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, you can afford to take such a risk.

The easiest money for Amazon may be not to tinker much with Whole Foods, but instead enjoy its profits, which totaled $507 million last year. The longshot gamble is a grocery revolution. But Im not betting on it.
How often small fleets search for loads. Graph courtesy Comdata

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are more than half a million for-hire carriers on file with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration  and 97% operate fewer than 20 trucks.

Comdata recently shared with us some research its done on small fleets of 100 trucks and fewer. Out of its respondents, the biggest group was the 2-10 truck segment at 53%.

From the HDT archives: Competing With the Big Guys

Keeping those trucks loaded is a top priority for small fleets, with 46% of respondents searching for loads daily, and an additional 27% looking for loads two to three times per week. As nearly half of fleets are searching for loads daily, this implies that they either lack regular customers, or at the very least need to find backhauls, Comdata notes. One fleet owner from New York told Comdata that 90% of her fleets loads come from direct customers, but she still looks for loads on load boards daily, whether for LTLs or backhaul.

Of its respondents, 46% of fleets with 2-10 trucks look for loads daily, and 61% of fleets with 11-20 trucks look for loads daily.

Fleets rely most heavily on load boards, with over 76% of respondents using load boards and 68% using brokers. Many described load boards as a last resort; they will first use personal contacts, such as calls and emails directly from brokers theyve worked with in the past, and then use load boards for brokerages (such as Coyote or Landstar), and then use a load board such as Truckstop.com or DAT, Comdata explains. Respondents repeatedly cited their comfort with working with trusted repeat customers, and were willing to take a slightly lower rate from them because they were guaranteed payment.

Despite all the hype about Uber for Trucking load-matching apps, only 2% reported using Uship or similar websites. There have been a number of new entrants into this space since the research was conducted last year.

Small fleets cite their top three challenges. Graph courtesy Comdata

One of the biggest challenges beyond keeping the trucks loaded is making enough money on those loads. When asked about their three biggest challenges, 29% of the Comdata respondents reported their biggest challenge as revenue per mile. They discussed the low rates being offered by shippers and brokers, and the fact that it is difficult to cover expenses. The current rates have led to both a general feeling of animosity toward brokers, who carriers hold responsible for the low rates, Comdata says, and a feeling that it is impossible to grow ones fleet given the current rate climate.

A big challenge that many respondents share with larger fleets is finding and retaining drivers, with 24% of respondents reported that to be their biggest challenge. A fleet financial manager from Missouri with 30 trucks stated that she had four or five open trucks that she needed drivers for at the time of her interview.

Government regulations was another big challenge, with respondents cited their frustrations the ELD mandate, hours of service, and other safety and compliance challenges. It was repeatedly stated that it is difficult for small fleets to keep up with ever-changing regulations. Again, this is a challenge shared with larger fleets, as regulations  the ELD mandate, HOS, and the cumulative effect of regulations  were the three highest industry issues on the ATRIs list of critical issues within the trucking industry in 2016.

Small-fleet strategies for saving on fuel spend. Graph courtesy Comdata

When asked how they minimize what they spend on fuel, 73% of respondents provide their drivers with a fleet card which they use to purchase fuel. 40% of respondents encourage their drivers to seek out the least expensive fuel around. 31% of respondents mandate where their drivers can make fuel purchases, citing specific truck stop brands.

The majority (79%) receive discounts through their fleet/fuel card. 27% negotiate discounts directly with merchants and truck stop brands. 25% participate in group discount/rebate programs through aggregators such as Truckers B2B. 21% report receiving no discounts at all.

When asked whether they use specific pieces of technology for work and/or personal purposes, 78% of respondents said use a smartphone for both personal and work purposes, and an additional 16% use smartphones for either personal or work purposes. In addition, 55% of respondents use a laptop for personal and work purposes and 21% use a laptop for either personal or work purposes.

Some respondents spoke of their frustration with using an app versus the website for popular trucking sites. One fleet owner from Florida with three trucks cited the difficulty with using the app version of a popular load board, as it does not self-refresh and is less convenient. This respondent prefers to use a laptop and work via the website; Comadata says this illustrates that while these small fleet owners and managers have smartphones and are tech-savvy, they still prefer to use their computers for certain functions.

How small fleets use smartphones, computers and tablets. Graph courtesy Comdata

After conducting this research, Comdata expanded its options for smaller fleets.
CATOOSA  When the price of oil nosedived, one of this areas casualties was TMK IPSCO, which idled its plant in September 2015.

There was really no business for us, said Joel Mastervich, vice president and chief operating officer of the company, which does welding, heat-treating and threading on pipes used in drilling operations. We had to make tough decisions back then. So we did.

TMK IPSCO celebrated the restart of operations  and the creation of 168 jobs by years end  at a news conference Tuesday at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa.

There is general optimism about infrastructure and business in the oil and gas industry right now, Mastervich said. That creates demand for us, and when that happens, were able to restart our facilities.

Tuesdays event included a tour of the facility and remarks by Oklahoma Rep. Terry ODonnell and 2nd District Congressman Markwayne Mullin. The 168 jobs represent about $10 million in annual wages and benefits, a TMK IPSCO spokeswoman said.

Over the past 10 years, ODonnell said, the United States has lost 5 million manufacturing jobs.

But I tell you what: In Oklahoma were reversing that trend, he said. Over the last seven months, we have created in the state of Oklahoma 2,900 manufacturing jobs. Those are good jobs. They support families, and they support communities.

Nationwide, TMK IPSCO is bringing back more than 1,000 jobs in Iowa, Kentucky, Arkansas and Oklahoma, Mastervich said.

You go back a few years ago, when this place went idle  it wasnt because TMK wasnt able to manage, Mullin said. It wasnt that they were unable to effectively make a good product that consumers wanted to buy.

It was because the industry they supported had a target on their back.  Now youre seeing an industry that is turning around because they have an optimism about them.

TMK IPSCO, the American division of Russias TMK, was formed in June 2008 when TMK purchased 10 pipe-manufacturing facilities from SSAB, a Swedish steel company that had acquired Chicago-based IPSCO in 2007, according to the companys website.

Catoosa is really important in the context of the global TMK because this plant allows heat-treatment and threading capabilities so that we can offer our American customers a full range of tubular products, all manufactured here in the United States, Mastervich said. Our products help these American companies develop the shale plays and grow oil and gas production and improve the energy security of the United States.
The owner of a local commercial flooring business recently attended the National Small Business Summit at the White House.

Andy Wright, president of FlorWright Inc., was among about 100 small-business owners at the Aug. 1 event, which featured remarks from President Donald Trump, his daughter and senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, and Linda McMahon, senior administrator of the U.S. Small Business Association.

Immediate past chairman of the Associated Builders and Contractors Oklahoma Chapter, Wright was chosen to attend by ABCs National Committee, which sent eight people to the event.

Ivanka really was outstanding in that she really understood small business struggles from the grass-roots level all the way up, said Wright, who interrupted a family vacation in Florida to go to Washington, D.C.

She understood the struggles of the growth process and what hurdles you have to get over once you start crossing certain thresholds of income with your business and the new regulations that arise. Sometimes youre not prepared for those or even know you need to follow certain things.

Wright, who founded FlorWright in 2012, used multinational conglomerate General Electric as an example to point out the imbalances that exist.

They have big buildings with floors of lawyers and accountants, he said. They know every loophole and every write-off they can find, and they take full advantage of it  which they should. But small business doesnt have that luxury.

So where they end up paying probably a 5 percent tax rate because of all their loopholes and write-offs, small business will consistently pay a 30 percent tax rate because we do not know all the loopholes to use.

The best thing to do is level the playing field and get rid of the deductions and figure out a way to do a flat tax. That way, everybodys playing the same game, he said.

Small businesses are classified as those having fewer than 500 employees. According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses make up 99.7 percent of U.S. employer firms, 64 percent of net new private-sector jobs and 49.2 percent of private-sector employment.

We have the true power to get this done the right way, Wright said. Big corps are bigger and stronger and they are louder and noisier, but really, at the end of the day, they are smaller than all of the small businesses put together.
Muskogee police have identified the officer who shot a man who reportedly lunged at officers with a knife on a city street Monday morning.

Officer James Moore Jr., 27, shot 44-year-old Sean Ellis, the Muskogee Police Department said Tuesday.

Moore was hired into the department in July 2015.

According to police, a person flagged down an officer about 7:45 a.m. at 37th Street and Okmulgee Avenue and said a white man in a cowboy hat had been seen in the area with a gun.

Police located a man matching the description and attempted to speak with him, but the man ignored police and walked away, Officer Lincoln Anderson said.

He was later identified as Ellis.

The man eventually stopped just west of the intersection of 32nd and Broadway, and refused to comply with repeated commands for him to show his hands, Anderson said in a statement.

Police said Ellis pulled a large blade hunting knife and lunged at officers, one of whom fired at him. Ellis was hit at least twice in the abdomen.

He remained in a Tulsa hospital Tuesday and reportedly was stable.

Police anticipate booking Ellis into the Muskogee County Jail on complaints of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and attempted escape from lawful detention, Anderson said.

Moore has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.
In a ruling that could have huge implications for Creek Nation citizens and other Oklahoma tribes if it is allowed to stand, an appellate court has thrown out the conviction and death sentence for a man who successfully argued that he should have been prosecuted by the federal government rather than the state of Oklahoma.

In an opinion issued Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver sided with Patrick Dwayne Murphys contention that he should have been tried in federal court for the 1999 murder and genital mutilation of another man in McIntosh County because he was Native American and the death occurred in Indian country.

Mr. Murphy is a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the opinion stated. Because the homicide charged against him was committed in Indian country, the Oklahoma state courts lacked jurisdiction to try him.

While the federal government previously has assumed jurisdiction in cases occurring on tribal-owned properties, experts say this ruling greatly expands what is considered Indian country to include all land in a region spanning 11 counties across Oklahoma, including Tulsa County, regardless of whether it is owned by the Creek Nation or one of its members.

The 11-county Creek Nation reservation, which includes most of the city of Tulsa, it turns out, was never disestablished by Congress, according to the ruling.

An expert on tribal law at the University of Tulsa said the ruling is historic, especially for the Creek Nation.

Its huge, especially for criminal jurisdictions, said University of Tulsa professor Judith Royster. The primary impact its going to have is any crime committed by or against an Indian, not just a Creek citizen, but any Indian, in the boundaries of the Creek reservation can no longer be prosecuted by the state of Oklahoma.

The Creek Nation jurisdiction includes Hughes, McIntosh, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Wagoner and Creek counties and portions of Tulsa, Mayes, Seminole and Rogers counties.

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James Floyd said in a statement that the tribe greatly appreciates the court decision.

Todays unanimous decision is a complete and unqualified victory for not only the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, but all of Indian Country, Floyd said. The Court endorsed every principal argument that the Nation advanced to find that Congress did not disestablish the Muscogee (Creek) Nations reservation boundaries and that its 1866 boundaries remain intact.

This decision affirms the right of the Nation and all other Indian Nations to make and enforce their own laws within their own boundaries.

A spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Attorney Generals office declined to say whether or not an appeal was planned of the ruling, saying staff was reviewing the 132-page opinion.

The appeal by Murphy, 48, turned in part on whether or not Congress had ever disestablished the Creek Nation reservation.

It turns out, the court said, that Congress had not disestablished the reservation.

Congress, Royster said, is the only body that can establish or do away with a tribal reservation.

Murphy in 2004 first raised the jurisdictional issue in his second application for state post-conviction relief. Murphy had lost prior court challenges to his conviction and sentence including one that claimed he should not be executed because he was mildly mentally retarded.

The appellate court in its Tuesday ruling noted that Murphy and the state agreed that the offense in this case occurred within the Creek Reservation if Congress has not disestablished it.

We conclude the Reservation remains intact and therefore the crime was committed in Indian country, the court opinion stated. Mr. Murphy, a Creek citizen, should have been charged and tried in federal court.

A jury in McIntosh County convicted Murphy in 2000 of murdering George Jacobs Sr., 49, who was his girlfriends ex-husband.

Jacobs body was found in a ditch along a county road near Vernon, about 15 miles west of Eufaula on Aug. 28, 1999. Testimony at the trial indicated that Jacobs was dragged from a vehicle by three men, who then kicked and punched him before he was attacked with a knife.

A passerby found Jacobs in the ditch with his face bloodied and slashes across his chest and stomach, according to the ruling.

Jacobs genitals had been severed and his throat slit. It was estimated that Jacobs bled to death in four to 12 minutes.

Two other tribes filed friend of the court briefs in the case in addition to the Creek Nation  the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma.

Klint Cowan, who represented the Keetoowah tribe, agreed that the ruling was significant for other tribes.

It would mean if an Indian committed a (major) crime they would have to be tried in federal court, the Northern District or the Eastern District, whichever one overlaps that part of the reservation. Cowan said.

Minor crimes would be prosecuted in tribal court, he said.

Everyone has always assumed there were no reservations in Oklahoma and this is the first time weve gotten the 10th Circuit to say, yes the reservation is still there, Congress never took action to disestablish or diminish it, Cowan said. It may be a shock to the state, hey wait now, we have a big ole reservation right in the middle of Oklahoma.

The ruling could eventually have both civil and criminal jurisdictional implications for other tribes across the state, Cowan said.

This extends to civil jurisdiction as well, Cowan said. If there is a reservation boundary the tribe has the authority to game, for instance, anywhere within the boundary, whether its fee land or trust land or non Indian land, it doesnt matter, its all within the jurisdiction of the tribe.

So how did it come to be believed that the Creek reservation had been dissolved when it had in fact had not?

I think part of it is Oklahoma ... since statehood, kind of assumed the Indian tribes in this state dont necessarily have the same status as tribes do in other states, because of the peculiar history of Oklahoma, Royster said. And that assumption on the part of the state is being proved incorrect in multiple areas.
A federal inmate at the Choctaw County Jail in Hugo escaped Monday evening through the gymnasium ventilation system, authorities said.

Aaron Victory Sr., 38, escaped from the southeast Oklahoma lockup about 9:40 p.m., according to Choctaw County Sheriff Terry Park.

Victory was being held before a scheduled hearing in U.S. District Court in Muskogee.

He pleaded guilty in May to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a stolen firearm, according to federal court records.

Victory has felony convictions in Oklahoma dating back to 2003, including convictions for possessing stolen property, false impersonation, second-degree burglary and eluding a police officer.

According to state Department of Corrections records, he was on a 25-year probation stemming from a 2005 conviction.

Victory was convicted last year of escaping from confinement in 2012 in Woodward County, according to DOC records.

He is described as a 6-foot-1 American Indian, weighing about 195 pounds and having brown hair and brown eyes.
The stretch of 41st Street had already been battered, economically speaking, before this week's EF2 tornado. Macy's left Promenade Mall earlier this year. And other store fronts have sat vacant for months.

So will the storm's aftermath tip this midtown shopping district into serious decline? Or spark renewed investment?

"It's an opportunity, if the community looks at it the right way," said Jason Stolz, the manager of JCPenney's, which opened Tuesday morning despite part of the mall parking lot still being used as a command center for Tulsa police and cleanup crews. "If we all work together, we can rebuild this part of town into something better than it was before."

Both the Tulsa mayor and the Oklahoma governor reiterated something Tuesday that has been said several times, by several officials, over the past three days: The storm hit at a fortuitous time, in the middle of the night when the hardest-hit area was mostly deserted.

In another sense, however, it came at the worst possible time, Stolz said. Sunday was a tax-free holiday at the height of back-to-school shopping, when stores were counting on huge crowds and big profits. Instead, they sat empty and without electricity.

Even for retailers who didn't suffer much physical damage, the financial blow will be serious, Stolz said.

"We're a big store, so we're better able to absorb the loss," he said. "I'm more worried about the mom-and-pop operations and how they're going to bounce back."

"Bouncing back" is exactly what businesses were trying to do Tuesday, with 41st Street reopened to traffic and power restored to the area.

Chick-fil-A was erecting a temporary fence to separate it from the rest of the Southroads shopping center, most of which remains closed as construction crews work on the center's roof. The fence was to keep customers safe from the construction site, said owner-manager David Chen. Employees were busy cleaning the inside of the restaurant and making sandwiches to hand out to emergency workers. The restaurant is scheduled to reopen Wednesday.

"We're trying to create some sense of normalcy for the community," Chen said, "and get back to normal for our employees too."

Other businesses still didn't know when or even for sure if they would reopen. At CarTec Automotive Services, for example, engineers were worried Tuesday morning that an unstable wall might topple over at any moment and bring down more of the roof. So owner Jerry Kaminski couldn't go inside the south half of the business even long enough to retrieve equipment or to remove a damaged vehicle that was still trapped under debris.

He wants to reopen at this location. But will he?

Kaminski shrugs.

"I think everything will work out OK," he said. "But I don't know."

Gov. Fallin tours destruction

Gov. Mary Fallin toured the series of damaged buildings along 41st Street on Tuesday afternoon, meeting with business owners affected by the tornado.

Midway through her tour, Fallins motorcade stopped outside Remington Tower, an 18-story office building near 41st Street and Skelly Drive that received extensive damage. There she spoke with two of the buildings co-owners, who explained to her the extent of the destruction. One told her that tiles from the hotel next door were found inside Remington Tower, indicating the sheer power of the storm.

That is the first skyscraper that, in my 26 years of office and going through a lot of disasters, I've seen have damage, Fallin said during a subsequent news conference.

The governor promised that state agencies will help affected businesses with the long-term recovery "to help Tulsa get quickly back on its feet."

Fallin said she was grateful that the tornado struck during the early morning hours instead of in the afternoon, which could have resulted in several more injuries and even some fatalities.

"We got lucky on this particular disaster," she said. "Disasters are never good, but I know that where it did hit, we should be able to get things up and going."

Although Fallin applauded Tulsa on its speed of recovery, saying she was very impressed by the progress made in less than two days, she also acknowledged criticism of the citys failure to activate the warning sirens before the twister landed.

The lack of warning revealed the limits of current technology and does not appear to have been caused by human error, the governor said.

"It was one of those freak incidents that was totally unexpected and even caught the National Weather Service off-guard," Fallin said. "By the time radars saw it, there wasn't time to react."

However, she said officials are always looking for ways to make improvements and ensure better response times in the future.

Officials say more than 90 percent and perhaps more than 95 percent of affected homes and businesses were insured. Damages are being assessed to determine what state and federal resources could be made available, said Albert Ashwood, director of Oklahoma Emergency Management.

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, who returned early from a vacation in Hawaii this week, said the city will expedite rebuilding permits and provide job placement devices to people who worked for businesses that can't reopen soon.

"We recognize that insurance is going to help the property owners, but we also want to make sure we're doing everything we can for the people who work in those places," Bynum said.

The tornado, which touched down about 1:25 a.m. Sunday, reportedly damaged 129 businesses  including four that were destroyed. City inspectors declared 10 businesses condemned Monday. That number remained stagnant during further inspection Tuesday, said Brant Pitchford, housing supervisor for the city.

Pitchford clarified that in this context, "condemned" does not mean a building is a total loss or is subject for demolition. Rather, it's a precautionary measure that can be removed once the building is deemed secure.

"In an emergency situation like this, we have ordinance that allows us to condemn something temporarily because of potential health and safety issues, or in this case buildings falling down," he said. "There were a lot of structures out there that we just didn't know if they were safe."
A logo developed by a nonprofit organization promoting Tulsa and Route 66 has been granted national trademark status by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The logo reads: TULSA and the Heart of Route 66 in black letters inside an outline of a U.S. highway sign shield.

Former state lawmaker Russ Roach, president of the Route 66 Development Group Inc., said he applied for the national trademark as a way to promote Tulsa and its historical connection to the iconic highway.

Route 66 has been dubbed the Mother Road  2,300 miles of asphalt linking Chicago to Los Angeles.

The concept, Roach said, is to give the general Tulsa area, from the Foyil Totem Pole to Main Street Sapulpa, a unifying positive image in connection to the most famous highway in America.

Tulsa is fortunate to be near the middle of this internationally known part of American history and culture.

Roach said he has been surprised to discover, in his international travels, that Route 66 is recognized globally.

Its much better known in Europe than most of us realize, he said, noting that a Paris cab driver, upon learning that Roach was from Tulsa, once said to him, Oh, youre on that 66 road.

Roach said he intends to give Tulsa-area businesses and organizations permission to use the logo in a wide variety of ways. His organization will not profit from the use of the logo, but there may be a modest charge to cover legal expenses, he said.

Anyone interested can contact him through the organizations website: route66dg.com.

Roach, a retired builder and consultant, said he has been working on the Route 66 project for about four years. He represented District 66 in the Legislature for 16 years.

As a student at Rogers High School growing up in Tulsa, he said, he spent many hours cruising 11th Street, the route that national Route 66 travelers followed through Tulsa before the interstate highway system was built.
Udaku Special

NAFASI ZA AJIRA BONYEZA HAPA

Raila has give a detailed account of how hackers accessed IEBC servers and manipulated election results .The NASA leader has called on Kenyans to remain calm as his team follows up with IEBC to try resolve the issue.Raila has urged IEBC not to declare Uhuru the winner untill matter raised by NASA team have been resolved.To summarise; Raila ODINGA, Kalonzo Musyoka affirm elections MUST be about the Sovereign Will of the People of Kenya, firmly REJECT results as streamed by IEBC, parade paper-trail evidence of interference with IEBC system between 12noon and 5pm on 8th Aug.; urge Kenyans to keep CALM. NASA scheduled to share with Kenyans results tallied at the cloudIncase IEBC goes ahead to declare Uhuru the winner the NASA will contest the results at the supreme court.Last night the International Community Observers Missions threatened to storm out of Bomas if flawed figures that were being streamed without solid back up documents stopped.IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati and his team convened a crisis meeting with NASA and Jubilee agents to calm the waters.Meanwhile Civil rights groups have joined the Opposition in disputing presidential results transmitted by the IEBC.Under Kura Yangu Sauti Yangu, they said the results do not conform with constitutional requirements requiring the support of form 34A.Since it started announcing results yesterday, the IEBC has not made available, as required by law, copies of form 34A on its public portal, group chair George Kegoro said on Wednesday.The group also claims IEBC is deducting votes from Opposition leader Raila Odinga and adding them to President Uhuru Kenyattas tally.He said results transmitted varied in forms acquired in Dagoretti North, Langata, Nandi Hill, Kisumu central and Kipchebor polling station in Ainamoi.In Kilimani ward, Kegoro said, the form claims no rejected votes were recorded, contradicting portal results showing four votes.He said the form also noted 508 valid votes while the IEBC portal reports 504.He added that at South Cs Kewi polling station, results from stream one contradict the valid votes recorded.While 439 votes were recorded on form 34A, the IEBC said 416 votes were recorded.In Kipchebor, the group claims four votes were deducted from Raila and given to Uhuru.Earlier in the day, Raila claimed IEBCs system was hacked using the login details of the late ICT manager Chris Msando.We have caught them. Hackers gained entry into the election database through Msandos account and directly into chairman Wafula Chebukatis account, the NASA presidential candidate told a press conference.IEBC acting ICT director Msando, who was to test the KIEMS, was tortured and murdered. Opposition leaders blamed Jubilee but police are still investigating.
Agadez resident Bashir transported people to Libya for 17 years. Since 2015, when this activity became illegal, he has been struggling to find alternatives sources of income to feed his family.  UNHCR/Louise Donovan

AGADEZ, Niger  Bashir grew up in this maze-like outpost perched on the edge of the Sahara, and his knowledge of city and desert made him a successful human smuggler taking people over the searing border to Libya for years.

People seek me out, he says. Im the guarantor of their safety because theyve come to me.

Before 2012, when strongman Muammar Gaddafi still ruled Libya, he said his clients were focused mainly on going to Nigers northern neighbour to work  not travelling onward.

Libya was just fine. People could make even more money in Libya than in Italy, Bashir said, recalling that many of his customers would phone him a few years later, once they had saved enough earnings, to arrange the return journey home.

Now, it is widespread insecurity in Libya that has increased the risks for his clients  and triggered a clampdown on the business that earned him a living for 17 years.

People smugglers in Niger need new line of work

In 2015, largely in response to pressure from EU governments, Niger passed a law cracking down on operators helping those travellers, mainly from West and Central Africa, cross into Libya.

In return, the EU has offered more than 2 billion in aid to help the region  also including other priority African countries  on issues ranging from security to economic development.

Faced with the new law, which punishes people who facilitate the illegal crossing into Libya, Bashir traded in his illicit occupation last October for a new life. Now he helps smugglers like himself to prepare for a career change.

He and colleagues have helped hundreds of them to put together proposals seeking promised EU funds which are earmarked for financing business ventures and skills training for those in the smuggling trade. The initiative funds projects of up to US$2,700 for individuals, or US$7,200 for up to four individuals working as a group.

Were a bit hopeful because the Niger government came to us. They brought us in, and have discussed this directly with us. Weve told them all our problems, he said.

For centuries a hub in an international trade in gold and salt, and later a site for desert tourism, Agadez has more recently become a centre for smuggling and trafficking in guns, drugs and  above all  desperate refugees and migrants.

But the crackdown on human smuggling comes at a cost for the whole country, which ranks 187th out of 188 spots on the UNDP Human Development Index. With a vast swathe of territory to control and a desperately poor population, it has a difficult job both playing gatekeeper and finding an economic alternative for a boom industry.

"Weve lost our work. Weve lost our lives  because this was our life. This is what put bread on the table.

Bashir warns that smugglers need a real solution to abandon the economy that has provided them with a lifeline. We dont know how to do anything else, he said. Cant you see? Weve lost our work. Weve lost our lives  because this was our life. This is what put bread on the table.

In Niger, where 46 per cent of people survive on less than US$2 a day, a driver who transports people to Libya can make US$4,000, even US$5,000 per trip. But now, to stay on the side of the law, many who have lived off the economy are being forced to find new ways to survive.

But not everyone. Though it has been forced underground by the law, signs of the smuggling business are easy to see in Agadez. The city bustles on days before convoys of trucks head into the desert as smugglers stock up on fuel and provisions. Money changers, wire transfer services, mobile phone dealers  selling satellite phones for coverage in the remote desert  dot city streets.

Young men hang out at the bus station in Agadez, hoping to connect with migrants as they arrive. Human smuggling is a key economic activity in the city in Niger, despite a government crackdown in 2015.  UNHCR/Louise Donovan

The bus station in town teems with passengers arriving in the evening with scheduled appointments with their smuggler agents. And, in Agadezs more dangerous quarters, behind the low mud walls of some well-guarded compounds, the migrants and refugees wait for their time to travel  sometimes trapped inside under lock and key for days.

Aklou Sidi Sidi, the first vice president of Agadezs regional council, said that during boom times up to 700 vehicles, with up to 30 people packed into each, would ride into the desert each week, generating revenues for the main transport agent, the driver  and others.

But I havent even mentioned the owners of the hidden compounds, I havent mentioned the motorcycle taxis, or the people who exchange currency, or the money wire transfer services, he added.

There are those who sell kits for the migrants. All of these people live by this activity. And today this activity has stopped because it has become illegal. So there absolutely must be a replacement solution.

Sidi Sidi acknowledges the international assistance, but says it falls short. He claims EU aid offered for job retraining and kick-start businesses can cover only about 200 people while, he says, more than 6,000 people are involved in the human smuggling trade in the city.
Students from low-income backgrounds are able to move into higher income brackets and advanced careers as a direct result of degrees earned at UTA.

A report from the Brookings Institution ranks the University of Texas at Arlington among the nations top public universities in providing a high-quality college education to students from all income levels. The report highlights the impact of a UTA degree and proves the Universitys unwavering commitment to bridging access and excellence.

Among the nations 342 selective, four-year public research institutions, Brookings ranked UTA among the top 25 leader universities, which provide high social mobility and produce high levels of impactful research. UTA students from low-income backgrounds are able to move into higher income brackets and advanced careers as a direct result of degrees earned at UTA. While at UTA, students also work closely with educators to produce impactful research that improves public welfare, contributes knowledge to various fields and stimulates the economy through a strong innovation pipeline.

UTA is improving the quality of life for students, families and communities through a valuable college degree and by providing opportunities to discover and share new knowledge through research that benefits our world, said UTA President Vistasp Karbhari. This ranking acknowledges the hard work of our faculty and students, who are setting a new standard for excellence.

Only 70 universities were dubbed leaders by Brookings. UTA is No. 24 nationally, No. 5 in Texas and No. 2 in North Texas for the share of students raised in families with income levels below 20 percent of the national average. Brookings lists UTA as having the fourth-highest mobility rate among the Texas universities listed as leaders."

UTA is doing exactly what we expect of our public institutions - keeping its standards high and its costs affordable, said State Rep. Toni Rose, D - Dallas. Its also clear that this university cares about helping students and their families, which helps all of Texas. A UTA degree changes lives.

Providing unparalleled access for ambitious students to experience the highest quality education is a priority set forth in the Universitys Strategic Plan 2020: Bold Solutions | Global Impact. Since launching the plan in 2014, UTA has greatly expanded both scholarship opportunities and academic offerings, in line with the Universitys mission to prepare a diverse student body that is immediately employable and workforce-ready.

U.S. News and World Report cited UTA in 2016 as having the second-lowest average student debt among national universities and the lowest in Texas - $3,844 below the average of those surveyed. During the 2016-17 academic year, UTA expects to award more than 12,500 degrees, making it the third largest producer of college graduates in Texas.

According to research conducted by UTA alumnus Philip Trostel, a professor of economics at The University of Maines Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, college graduates earn an average of $1.3 million more over a lifetime than high school graduates and are more likely to own homes while also living healthier, longer lives, which means graduates from universities like UTA contribute greatly to the U.S. economy.
Krishnan Rajeshwar, UTA distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry and president of The Electrochemical Society

Krishnan Rajeshwar, distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Texas at Arlington, has been named Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Szeged in Hungary, in recognition for his outstanding achievements in support of the mission of the University.

It is a great honor to be awarded an honorary degree from such an outstanding internationally ranked university, Rajeshwar said. All of my collaborators at the University of Szeged have been top-tier researchers and we have been able to achieve international recognition for our work.

Rajeshwar started collaborating with the University of Szeged more than five years ago through Csaba Janaky, then an assistant professor of chemistry, who worked in his UTA laboratory between 2011 and 2013 under a Marie Curie Fellowship.

Since then, their partnership has flourished, with more than 25 joint publications in international journals, including extensive review articles such as the cover article in ChemElectroChem in February 2016 on new high-performance materials for solar fuel generation.

Two Hungarian graduate students also spent considerable time in Rajeshwars laboratories at UTA learning advanced electrochemistry/photoelectrochemistry and solid-state chemical synthesis techniques which they then took back to Hungary to advance their own research.

Rajeshwars research on solar cell conversion and storage focuses on finding new materials that can harness sunlight to split carbon dioxide and water into useable fuels like methanol and hydrogen gas. He has received international recognition and was recently elected President of the Electrochemical Society. He also founded UTAs Center for Renewable Energy Science and Technology.

Rajeshwar has also collaborated with many UTA faculty over the years. For example, he and Brian Dennis, a UTA professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, recently worked on a project with NASA funding to improve methods for oxygen recovery and reuse aboard human spacecraft.

Frederick MacDonnell, chair of UTAs Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, underlined the importance of this honorary degree and Rajeshwars research in the context of UTAs focus on high-impact research and scholarship and global engagement within the Universitys Strategic Plan 2020 Bold Solutions|Global Impact.

Dr. Rajeshwars ongoing leadership in research around new materials for solar cells, as well as his commitment toward building up global collaborations that benefit the University and our students, is justly rewarded with this Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Szeged, he said.
UW Plans Many Activities for Aug. 21 Eclipse

Michael Pierce, an associate professor in the UW Department of Physics and Astronomy, poses with one of the nine portable telescopes provided to high school teachers to capture, on video, the movement of the total solar eclipse scheduled to pass through Wyoming Aug. 21. Pierce is the Wyoming state coordinator for NASAs Citizen CATE or Continental America Telescope Eclipse Experiment. (UW Photo)

University of Wyoming astronomy professors will host five outreach venues for the public during the total solar eclipse Aug. 21, just one of many eclipse activities UW is involved in for the historic event.

Adam Myers will be at the UW-National Park Service (UW-NPS) Research Center in Grand Teton National Park; Michael Pierce will host the Casper site at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds; Hannah Jang-Condell will be at Guernsey State Park; Chip Kobulnicky will man the site at Glendo State Park; and Danny Dale will head the venue at Boysen State Park.

We'll be at each site during the morning and early afternoon of Aug. 21, says Dale, a UW professor and head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. I personally also will be leading an evening star party Aug. 20 at Boysen, which means letting folks look through the telescope and explaining what they are seeing -- and, similarly, on Monday afternoon, but during the daytime eclipse. And, well be handing out eclipse glasses and UW-emblazoned eclipse T-shirts.

Kobulnicky, a UW professor of astronomy and physics, expects a similar scenario at Glendo State Park, where a star viewing will take place the night before the eclipse.

Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine, last month, estimated that the population of Glendo will increase 5,000 percent that day, Kobulnicky says of Aug. 21. Beyond that, I don't know much. I'll just show up with a team of students and my family at whatever campsite the park superintendent assigns us.

We are just planning to do outreach for the eclipse itself at this point, says Jang-Condell, a UW assistant professor of physics and astronomy, of the Guernsey State Park site. The park has planned other activities over the weekend.

Pierce, a UW associate professor of physics and astronomy, says he and two UW students will be set up with a telescope and hand out eclipse promotional materials Aug. 21 at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds in Casper.

The outreach venues are just one of many public activities UW is involved in regarding the first total solar eclipse to cross the continental U.S. in 39 years.

-- The UW-NPS Research Center, at AMK Ranch near Leeks Marina in Grand Teton National Park, will host a program and barbecue for the public Thursday, Aug. 17, says Michael Dillon, a UW associate professor of zoology and physiology, and director of the research center. The barbecue will start at 5:30 p.m., followed by a seminar, titled "Eclipses, Einstein, Eddington, and the Shattered Star That Has Yet to Shatter." Myers will present the talk, which is part of the Hank Harlow Summer Seminar Series.

Eclipse outreach activities will be held for the public at AMK Ranch Friday, Aug. 18, and Saturday, Aug. 19, says Myers, a UW associate professor of physics and astronomy.

-- Katie Foster and Phil Bergmaier, both UW doctoral students in atmospheric science, are working in concert with the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium on a project that will use weather balloons to track and video record the eclipse Aug. 21.

For the project, the Space Grant Consortium will send a weather balloon and its payload -- live-broadcasting cameras, video and tracking systems on board -- up between 60,000 and 100,000 feet in the vicinity of Casper at the time of the full solar eclipse, Foster says.

Dozens of groups from across the United States -- ranging from Oregon to South Carolina -- will launch high-altitude balloons over the path of eclipse totality, capturing live video from onboard cameras at 60,000-plus feet as the shadow of the moon passes over the Earth below. These videos will be streamed live over the internet to NASAs website for millions of people to see, Bergmaier says.

In addition to the Casper launch, Suki Smaglik, a former professor of earth and physical sciences at Central Wyoming College, will head a group of middle school and high school teachers, and their students, from Riverton. The group will launch a balloon near Pavillion. Another group, headed by Jack Crabtree, an adjunct professor from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona, will launch a weather balloon from Glendo State Park.

This sign in Boysen State Park makes note of the total solar eclipse that will pass through the park Aug. 21. Danny Dale, a UW professor and head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, will head university public outreach activities about the eclipse that day.

An eclipse viewing, led by UW faculty and students, and the Space Grant Consortium, is scheduled Monday, Aug. 21, from mid-morning to mid-afternoon at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds in Casper.

We are planning on doing eclipse activities for the public both Friday and Saturday (Aug. 18-19) mid-afternoon  most likely 2-4 p.m. on both days, says Shawna McBride, interim director of the Space Grant Consortium.

On Friday, the eclipse activities will be focused more toward younger groups of students (K-6) with lots of hands-on activities to get them engaged in understanding how a total solar eclipse works. The Saturday activities will be geared more for the general public and also include a mini-Discovery Days setup as well, with information about UW, admissions fliers and information about some of the research and education projects happening at UW, she says.

There also is talk of ending the Saturday activities with a dinner/barbecue, hosted by the UW Alumni Association, from 5-7 p.m. The dinner would target any UW alumni who might be in the area for the eclipse, McBride says.

-- UW Admissions plans presentations and campus tours Monday, Aug. 21, and Tuesday, Aug. 22, and will tie in the viewing of the eclipse for prospective students traveling to and from the full eclipse path -- or those who experience it in Laramie, which is outside the path of totality but will offer a view of the partial eclipse.

Admissions presentations, running about 45 minutes each, are scheduled at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Campus tours are scheduled at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

We will not have a check-in time at 11 a.m. (Aug. 21), as the eclipse is occurring during that hour and we want people to be able to experience that rather than being in a presentation, says Amy Fenolia, UW assistant director of admissions. There will be a tour scheduled during the eclipse time, but we will make sure the tour guide is outside during the eclipse for all to see -- and knowing that the tour may last a little longer due to the stop/watch of the eclipse.

Assisting NASA

Pierce is the Wyoming state coordinator for NASAs Citizen CATE or Continental America Telescope Eclipse Experiment. Using 61 telescopes stations across the country, including nine in Wyoming spaced approximately 50 miles apart, the projects goal is to create a continuous 90-minute movie of the solar corona during the total eclipse. Researchers and scientists hope to gain a better understanding of the suns inner corona.

Nine portable refracting telescopes will be stationed in Wyoming at the following locations: Wilson, just west of Jackson; Elk Ridge, Dubois High School, Lakeside Boulevard near Pilot Butte Reservoir, located between Dubois and Riverton; Riverton City Park; Hells Half Acre, a large scarp located about 40 minutes west of Casper; Pathways STEAM Academy/High School in Casper; Bartling Park in Douglas; and Guernsey Elementary School. High school science teachers and students will man the telescopes and, using a laptop hooked to each, video-record the total eclipse at each point, Pierce says.

Pierce says scientists want to study the behavior of the hot gases in the suns inner solar corona.

The temperature changes dramatically, from 6,000 degrees at the surface of the sun. Then, the glow (resembles a diamond) you see around the sun during the eclipse goes to 1 million degrees, Pierce explains. This is a rapid temperature change. The inner part of the corona has complex filaments that look like fingers and these trace the suns magnetic field.

New scientific results about the dynamics of the magnetic fields and plasmas in this part of the solar corona will be derived from the data collected at the 61 telescope sites nationwide.

This map shows the path the total solar eclipse will take through the state of Wyoming Aug. 21. Along each paths red line, the eclipse will last approximately 2:30. The blue dots represent where UW will place its portable telescopes. (UW Photo)

Path of the Eclipse

A total solar eclipse is when the moons shadow touches the Earth and blankets portions of it in total darkness for a few moments. In essence, the sun, moon and Earth align. A person in the dark part of that shadow, known as the umbra, will see a total eclipse. A person in the light part, called the penumbra, will see a partial eclipse.

The southern part of Grand Teton National Park will be one of the best places in the entire country to view the eclipse, according to the website Eclipse2017.org. On the centerline, the park will experience 2:20 of totality at about 11:35 a.m.

The shadow will then cross Pavillion (at 11:38 a.m.), and Shoshoni and Riverton (at 11:39 a.m.) for about 2:23 before landing squarely on the city of Casper. The centerline will pass right over the intersection of Highway 220 and South Poplar Street in Casper at 11:42 a.m., and provides viewers there with 2:26 in totality.

Douglas, Glendo, Thermopolis, Lusk and Torrington are other larger Wyoming towns that will experience a total eclipse. For those who live in or will be visiting Wheatland at that time, they will be right on the southern edge of the eclipses path and, so, the eclipse will only last a few seconds. To experience the full length of totality, people there will need to move north.

During portions of the eclipse where the sun is only partially covered and visible, safety glasses are advised. When it gets fully covered, meaning the moon is in front of and blocking out the sun, it will be safe to view the solar eclipse with the naked eye, Pierce says.


This fall, usher in the new season with One Drop as it hosts the sixth annual Walk for Water on Saturday, Oct. 21. Presented by Barrick Gold Corporation, the beloved fun walk will kick off at Symphony Park at The Smith Center, with the nearly three-mile stretch ending at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve.

Kicking off the days activities will be Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Congresswoman Dina Titus, who will show support for the cause as they welcome guests. Hosted by professional BMX rider Ricardo Laguna, the event will feature an array of magnificent performances. Additional acts to be announced at a later date.

Interested walkers and teams can register online now. Registration fees are $25 for individual and team walkers and $20 for students and seniors. Participants who register before Monday, Oct. 2 will receive a $5 discount off registration fees, totaling $20 for individuals and $15 for students and seniors. All proceeds will benefit local water conservation and educational efforts in the Las Vegas community.

Event Schedule

7:30 a.m.  Registration begins

8:30 a.m.  Mayor Goodman and Congresswoman Titus welcome participants

9 ? 9:45 a.m.  Walk from Symphony Park to the Springs Preserve

10 a.m.  Programming at Springs Preserve begins

11:30 a.m.  Event concludes


Three Square Food Bank announced today the results of the 2017 installment of Las Vegas Restaurant Week. One hundred and sixty-one restaurants participated in the culinary event raising a record-breaking total of more than $200,000 to benefit Southern Nevadas only food bank.

The proceeds from the campaign will help Three Square provide more than 600,000 meals to 296,000 food-insecure individuals in Southern Nevada. Since its inception in 2007, Restaurant Week has raised more than $1.4 million for the local nonprofit organization.

From June 19-30, restaurants across the valley offered prix-fixe menus at price points ranging from $20 to $80 with a fixed portion of proceeds benefitting Three Square and the fight against hunger in Southern Nevada.

Longtime champions of hunger including Spago, Table 34, STK, Estiatorio Milos, Gilleys Bar-B-Que, Olives and Honey Salt were joined by new culinary hotspots including Libertine Social, Chica, SUGARCANE, The Black Sheep and Beauty & Essex. Mon Ami Gabi, Charlie Palmer, Mesa Grill and Buddy Vs were the top earners this year.


Colorado River rafting outfitter, Black Canyon River Adventures, offers guests an extraordinary vantage point for observing the solar eclipse taking place on Monday, Aug. 21. The eclipse will be at its peak when the Boulder City, Nevada-based tour company launches its 12-mile, smooth-water rafting trip near the base of Hoover Dam at approximately 10:30 a.m.

Guests will be able to track the progress of the eclipse for another hour and 20 minutes while their guide pilots the motor-assisted raft down the river.

Black Canyon River Adventures rafting excursions take approximately 4.5 hours, launching from just downriver of Hoover Dam, beneath the Pat Tillman - Michael OCallaghan Memorial Bridge. Guests will learn about the history, desert wildlife and beauty in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River from their guide. The tour meets at the Lake Mead RV Village in Boulder City; out-of-town guests may arrange for round-trip transportation from their hotel. This special version of Black Canyon River Adventures tour will include eclipse-viewing eyewear, as well as a boxed lunch and bottled water for a picnic stop on a sandy beach along the way.
Eighty-one-year-old Singapore granny Mary Ho has recorded her own album of Latin music, is often in demand for charity gigs and a video of her playing rock classic 'Need Your Love So Bad' has more than 1.1 million views on YouTube (Photo: AFP/Roslan RAHMAN)

Eighty-one-year-old Singapore granny Mary Ho has recorded her own album of Latin music, is often in demand for charity gigs and a video of her playing rock classic 'Need Your Love So Bad' has more than 1.1 million views on YouTube (Photo: AFP/Roslan RAHMAN)

Mary Ho's late-flourishing career will reach its zenith Wednesday (Aug 9) when she performs in front of a huge crowd at Singapore's National Day Parade, marking 52 years of the city-state's independence.

Grandmother-of-seven Ho only started playing the guitar at 60, fulfilling a lifelong dream to learn the instrument.

She initially taught herself from a book with an acoustic and was content strumming along and singing.

But when a friend introduced her to rock star Carlos Santana's classic track Samba Pa Ti about a decade ago, she decided to seek some professional tutoring to shift things up a few gears.

"It was too difficult (to learn on my own) so I found a teacher," she told AFP.

"But the teacher looked at me and said 'Oh I've never taught anyone your age before'."

Despite not knowing how to read music, Ho was determined to learn her favourite song and practised up to three hours a day to get the hang of it.

Since then, she's amassed a collection of more than 20 guitars, recorded her own album of Latin music and is often in demand for charity gigs.

A video of Ho playing rock classic "Need Your Love So Bad" has more than 1.1 million views on YouTube.

In fast-ageing Singapore, Ho is a poster child for how to remain active when elderly, and has featured in various campaigns encouraging senior citizens to stay active.

She admitted to feeling a little anxious ahead of Wednesday's performance before a crowd of 27,000 at the parade, which features a military tattoo before a festive show featuring local stars.

"Being my first time for such a large performance, I naturally feel very nervous," she said.

Asked if she was exhausted from all her activities, Ho simply laughed.

"Maybe it's just my nature, it's the love of doing things, learning things... I don't ever get tired," she said.
Hyundai Engineering's project will bring Long Son petrochemical closer to fruition

According to newswire Oilandgasvision, under the deal, the builder will construct infrastructure, such as supportive boilers and water treatment facilities, to produce steam and industrial water for the complex.

Industrial water and steam produced at the water treatment facilities and supportive boilers will be supplied to the petrochemical complex according to need. It is the core project to help plants at the complex to operate smoothly.

It is not the first project of Hyundai Engineering in Vietnam. Previously, Hyundai Engineering took part in designing Mong Duong coal-fired thermal power plant in the northern province of Quang Ninh. It was the companys second turnkey power plant construction contract won in Vietnam after the project to expand a thermal power complex in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau in 1999.

Regarding Long Son petrochemical complex, the project now has a total investment capital sum of $5.4 billion, up 20 per cent from its initial plan of $4.5 billion, due to rising construction costs. About 30 per cent of the total investment will be used for the development of a deep sea port and other facilities to support the petrochemical plant.

It will be installed with advanced technology, meeting environmental protection requirements and ensuring the production of high-quality products, such as PP and PE. The project will create about 15,000-20,000 jobs during its construction and over 1,000 jobs when put into commercial operation in the first half of 2022 as expected.
Completing the Samsung ecosystem

Last weekend in Ho Chi Minh City, B2X, a company specialisin in after-sales services for smart mobile and IoT devices, officially entered Vietnam by forming a joint venture with Digiworld Corporation and created B2X Care Solutions Vietnam.

At the signing ceremony, Stefan Gyarfas, director of strategic projects at G2X, said that B2X Care Solutions Vietnam will be responsible for providing customer services for Samsung Electronics Vietnam.

The total investment and contribution were not disclosed, but Doan Hong Viet, chairman and CEO of Digiworld, said B2X's world-class customer service solutions will surely help its expansion in the country.

B2X and Digiworld joined forces to create B2X Care Solutions Vietnam

B2X Vietnam planned to open eight centres, with 150 technicians providing world-class after-sales services for all Samsung products in Vietnam (including Samsung smartphones, electronic devices and appliances).

Explaining why B2X chose this time to enter Vietnam, Andrew Humphries, head of global delivery management, said that the Vietnamese smartphone market is currently very active and has much growth potential.

According to IDC Vietnam, smartphone sales in Vietnam are expected to reach 15 million by the end of 2017, and Samsung is currently holding 28 per cent of the market. Thanks to this, Vietnam is now the third country in Southeast Asia, fifth in Asia, and twelfth in the world that B2X has invested in through a joint venture.

On cooperating with B2X, Viet said that the presence of a world-leading customer service provider will be the launch pad for Digiworld to continue investing in services in the future.

Market share decided by customers

After B2X, Lazada shook the market with its announcement of expanding operations in Vietnam through a sizeable investment in customer experience (CX). Lazada officially announced the appointment of Vu Ngoc Lam as customer experience officer (CXO) along with strategic plans to improve the shopping experience of customers.

CX refers to the overall experience of customers through their interaction with the brands in every channel.

To Lazada, CX starts from the moment customers click on lazada.vn through finding and purchasing products, to the point when delivery is completed or they call the customer service centre for help or to exchange products.

Particularly, Lazada has implemented strategic plans to improve CX, such as improving communication channels between customers and sellers (the channel saw tens of millions of questions during the first week alone, with a response ration of 86 per cent), encouraging customers to rate the products (average 25,000 ratings per week), and working with delivery agencies to reduce the delivery time in urban areas.

Lazada also expanded online commutation with customers through cooperation with Zalo. Lazada will utilise Zalos instant messaging service to ensure fast and constant communication with customers, monitoring the delivery status of products, diversifying image and text messages, as well as saving costs from standard text messages.

Alexandre Dardy, CEO of Lazada Vietnam, said, Lazadas goal in 2017 is to increase investment in CX, making it the core connecting other departments and improving the overall quality of all activities involving customers. CX will be the factor to push Lazada to develop further in bringing the best experience to customers and help perfect the ecommerce ecosystem Lazada has been building for the last five years."
Giant panda Xing Ya celebrates his fourth birthday with an ice cake in Ouwehands Dierenpark zoo. Xing Ya and Wu Wen are on loan from China and will stay in the Dutch Zoo for the next 15 years. (AFP/Remko DE WAAL)

Giant panda Xing Ya celebrates his fourth birthday with an ice cake in Ouwehands Dierenpark zoo. Xing Ya and Wu Wen are on loan from China and will stay in the Dutch Zoo for the next 15 years. (AFP/Remko DE WAAL)

Female Wu Wen (Beautiful Powerful Cloud) and her male companion Xing Ya (Elegant Star) both turn four this month and officials at the Ouwehands Dierenpark in the central town of Rheenen decided to throw a joint party.

"At first they both approached the cakes with caution, with the male panda giving his an exploratory lick," said animal biologist Jose Kok.

"Then they became curious and realised 'hang on, this is something nice in my enclosure' and not long after that, the cake's layers were separated," Kok told AFP with a laugh.

It took a week to prepare the icy treats, which where also layered with the pandas' favourite food: bamboo shoots.

The two panda "superstars" arrived in The Netherlands in mid-April after an 8,000-kilometre journey from China, following years of negotiations in what has been dubbed "panda diplomacy".

Male panda Xing Ya turned four on Aug 5, while Wu Wen was born on Aug 11.

Officials decided to hold their birthday on Aug 8, the eighth day of the eighth month, figures which according to Chinese culture means good luck, Kok said.

Dozens of delighted visitors were also treated to a real birthday cake in the form of a giant panda.

The two pandas will be housed at the zoo for the next 15 years and for now are being kept in two separate enclosures, specially built for them at a price of 7 million (US$8 million).

But Kok said it is hoped that the two bears would mate within the next year to help replenish global panda numbers.

Some 1,864 pandas remain in the wild in China, an increase from around 1,000 in the late 1970s, according to the environmental group WWF.

And just over 400 pandas live in zoos around the world, in conservation projects set up with Beijing.
Japanese delegation met with representatives from Vinafco Joint Stock Corporation.- Photo vinafco

Speaking at a meeting between a delegation of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Vinafco Joint Stock Corporation - a logistics service provider, Tani said Japanese businesses have now shifted their attention from the Chinese to the Vietnamese market.

The meeting was a part of the SME Support Japans support programme for small- and medium-sized Japanese enterprises looking at international markets.

The event was to help both sides exchange information on Viet Nams transport market in general, and both countries transport situation in particular, Tani said. It also touched upon necessary customs procedures to bring Japanese goods into Viet Nam.

Tokuhiro Imamura, chairman of Imamura Joint Stock Company, which specialises in interiors, said his company is looking to expand its market. It plans to build a plant in Viet Nam in the future, Imamura said, adding that the company would export some products to Viet Nam to explore and understand the market.

Imamura JSC has some basic information from Japanese logistics firms operating in Viet Nam, but it wants to build further contacts with Vietnamese businesses as local firms have advantages in their own market.

At the meeting, a Vinafco representative shared information related to administrative procedures, time and costs for import-export customs clearance from Hai Phong Seaport to various plants. She said it is not tough to import Imamuras products into Viet Nam, and that Vinafco is willing to support the company.

The Japanese delegation said they chose Vinafco for the meeting as there are similarities between Vinafco and Imamura. Vinafco has 30 years experience in the logistics sector and in multi-purpose transport in Viet Nam.
The focus on the First Lady proposition comes at a bad time for Macron as polls show his popularity slipping badly. (Photo: AFP/Eric Feferberg)

The focus on the First Lady proposition comes at a bad time for Macron as polls show his popularity slipping badly. (Photo: AFP/Eric Feferberg)

The newly-elected 39-year-old president had promised in March on the campaign trail to create "a real status" for his wife Brigitte, who is his former schoolteacher.

The issue has become a new political headache for Macron after an online petition against creating the role garnered around 270,000 signatures and an opinion poll showed a majority of French people were also opposed.

The presidency will clarify Brigitte Macron's position in the coming days, a source told AFP late on Monday, adding that there were would be no change to the constitution to create a First Lady position.

Instead, the presidency will make clear the resources at Brigitte Macron's disposal and the cost to the public purse.

"The idea is for the French people to know how much this role costs," Aurore Berge, a senior lawmaker from Macron's Republic on the Move party, told Europe 1 radio on Tuesday.

The new status would have seen France copy the American tradition of a prominent public role for the First Lady. Neither country has ever had a female head of state.

PUBLIC ROLE

The wife of the French president has historically always played a public role at official functions, welcoming heads of state or other VIPs at meetings or dinners.

She has a small security and secretarial staff paid for by the presidential budget, but she has no formal job title - like the partners of the British prime minister or German chancellor.

The staff of Valerie Trierweiler, the former partner of ex-president Francois Hollande, cost 400,000 (US$470,000) in 2013, according to public figures.

The focus on the First Lady proposition comes at a bad time for Macron as opinion polls show his popularity slipping badly only three months after the young centrist clinched a sensational victory in May.

One survey published last week showed just 36 percent of respondents held a positive view of him.

SERIES OF SCANDALS

As well as pushing through cuts to public spending, parliament is also preparing to vote for a new ethics law this week which will prevent MPs from employing their partners or family members as assistants after a series of scandals.

"But I see that sometimes one can create a role for one's partner," opposition MP Ugo Bernalicis from the far-left France Unbowed party said sarcastically during a debate in late July.

He criticised the idea of according resources to Brigitte Macron "even though she has never been elected".

Macron had always made clear that Brigitte would not be paid in the proposed role as First Lady, arguing that creating the position would make it more transparent.

"Paid by the Republic, no. Having a role, a real status, a real capacity to act, yes," Macron said in March when asked about his vision for the future position on RTL radio.

Brigitte would "have the role that she's always had. That's to say that she is at my side because it balances me. We've always worked like that," he added.

"She will have a role, she won't be hidden because she's part of my life," he said.

Brigitte Macron, who at 64 is 25 years older than her husband, married her former pupil after they fell in love while writing a play together at school in their home town of Amiens, northern France.

Reports say she is preparing to take an active role supporting mental health and handicap charities.

The petition against her becoming First Lady was posted on the website change.org by a "painter-activist" Thierry Paul Valette and had 278,000 signatures at midday on Tuesday.
Police officers are investigating the disappearance of 213 containers. - Photo news.zing.vn

In mid-2015, 213 containers of 56 logistics enterprises transited HCM Citys Cat Lai Port to Cambodia. However, the containers never arrived at the Viet Nam-Cambodia border.

We are collaborating with the General Department of Security under the Ministry of Public Security and the HCM City Department of Public Security to investigate, the General Department of Customs announced.

A representative of the General Department of Customs told Zing News that 50 of the 213 missing containers had been found. He also said similar cases had occurred in the past.

On July 31, C46 investigators from the Ministry of Public Security and related agencies checked one container which hadnt disappeared. The 40-foot container contained electronic goods, including Japan-made washing machines, air conditioners and speakers, which are prohibited for import into Viet Nam.

At the end of March, the General Department of Customs found there was no document prepared by customs officers relating to the container.

According to the regulations on transit goods, customs offices track the goods and verify their arrival at the border. However, there are indications that customs officers intervened in the computer system to delete the information.
There are five great Chinese inventions you probably dont know were invented in China. Did you know that the Chinese first used tear gas almost 2,000 years ago? Did you also know that they were able to fly into the air with the use of kites and land with parachutes? What sounds like science fiction is actually based on historical facts. Long before Europeans discovered several well-known inventions, they were used extensively in China.

Chinese inventions

1. The kite

Around 1000 B.C., the Chinese were the first to fly kites. In the 4th century B.C., a Chinese artisan, Lu Ban, designed a kite that flew uninterrupted for three days. Kites were first used practically to send bricks to the roof of a house or tied with a hook for fishing.

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It was not until A.D. 1600 that the Chinese kite was introduced to Europe by the Dutch. In the 19th century, an English inventor, George Cayley, was so inspired by the kite that he invented the glider. Texas showman Colonel Cody used a kite to pull a folding boat across the English Channel. And in 1901, he flew a double box-shaped kite that caught the attention of the British Army.

Not long afterward, the aircraft replaced military kites, and in 1913, Colonel Cody flew his newly designed biplane. In the 1960s, the U.S. aeronautical industry and NASA tested a variety of flying wings, which utilized the same lifting dynamics as kites.

2. The bow and arrow

The Chinese invented the bow and arrow in the 8th century B.C. In the year 200 B.C., the Chinese invented the crossbow, which was mainly used for warfare. This was a very powerful weapon that could be used in any position; lying down, standing, and on horseback. During the 10th century A.D., the weapon was used in Italy, some 1,000 years after it was first used in China.

3. Chemical weapons

The history of chemical warfare using poisonous gas can be traced back to China in the early 4th century B.C. In the early Mohist writings, there was a record of using a wind box to blow poisonous gas from a burning stove into an enemys tunnel. This took place 2,300 years before World War I, during which the Germans first used chemical gas.

The types of chemical weapons employed by China included the flying sand bomb, which was a tube filled with gunpowder loaded into a porcelain pottery container. The powder consisted of lime, rosin, and an ethanol extraction from toxic plants. When the weapon was thrown from the top of a wall to the ground, it exploded, causing the deadly poisonous gas to be released. Tear gas was first used in the 2nd century A.D. When the canister was thrown, it emitted a toxic smoke that caused an enemy to cough and convulse.

4. Casting iron

In the 4th century B.C., the Chinese invented the art of casting iron. They used blast furnaces and high-temperature coal to cast iron parts and weapons. In Europe, there was no such technology until 1380. Furthermore, Englands first attempts to use coal to produce iron were unsuccessful.

5. The development of gunpowder

China discovered sodium nitrate in the 3rd century B.C. This took place 2,000 years before the process was first utilized in the West. Saltpeter, or potassium nitrate, is one of the most important elements necessary for the production of gunpowder. In the third century B.C., the Chinese developed a process to identify and mine saltpeter, which led to the invention of gunpowder.

Translated by Chua BC

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The original Phil Connors. Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images for GQ

We wouldnt mind getting stuck in a time loop, repeating the same day over and over again, if it meant we were in the August Wilson Theatre with Bill Murray as he saw Groundhog Day on Broadway for the first time. New York Times reporter Sopan Deb was there with Murray as he relived Groundhog Day. According to Deb, Murray, who starred in the critically lauded 1993 movie, spent most of the musical openly expressing all of his feelings, from the beginning, when he immediately started bobbing his head to the music, to the end, when he was visibly sobbing. At points in the middle he could also be seen (and heard) guffawing, pumping his fists, and yelling Wow!

Audience members who were not in proximity to his amazing reactions still won out in the lobby during intermission, with selfies, one-liners, and even, for two young boys, Junior Mints straight from his pocket. The cast was rewarded after the show with a speech from the actor.

Murray attended the show with Danny Rubin, who co-wrote the screenplay and the book for the musical, and his brother, Brian Doyle-Murray, who played Buster in the film. Murray explained after the performance that the show made him weep because of its message. He said, The idea that we just have to try again. We just have to try again. Its such a beautiful, powerful idea.
Some girl and a guy who went to Harvard.

In addition to the fact that he loves both scarves and Jennifer Lawrence, a thing you might know about director Darren Aronofsky is that he graduated from Harvard. Or, as Aronofsky might put it, he went to college in Boston, well, just outside of Boston, in Cambridge, actually  no, not Tufts or MIT. I normally dont like Harvard people, because they cant go two minutes without mentioning that they went to Harvard, Lawrence said in Vogues September cover story. Hes not like that. Unlike the friends from college in Friends From College, Aronofsky is seemingly able to get through a conversation without mentioning that he went to Harvard, a school you may have heard of, and instead carries on without talking about college at all, like a normal person. Of course, when Lawrence talks about him, she brings up Harvard, so theres really no escape.

In other Lawrence-Aronofsky news, Lawrence also mentions that her boyfriend, whom she started dating after they finished shooting Mother!, finds her love of the Kardashians so vastly disappointing. The Kardashians did not go to Harvard.

In the spirit of full disclosure, the author of this article went to school just a Metro North ride outside of New York City, in Connecticut, technically  no, not Wesleyan or Quinnipiac.
Photo: XL/Interscope

Theres never been a genre name less descriptive than world music. Its evident that everyone who makes music lives in the world, yet its no less clear that world music is not made by everyone  youd never claim, except as a joke, that Rammstein, the Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, Jane Birkin, or Pussy Riot made world music. The world of world music is not the whole world. Theres an empty space preceding it, a blank adjective: It would somehow be a breach of decorum to openly call world music Third World music, but thats precisely what it is. Even here the term is deceptive: Its not necessarily the entire Third World that makes world music. East Asia or Spanish-speaking Latin America, perhaps. Brazil, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, maybe. But the traditional sounds of South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa? Almost certainly. Theres an embarrassment in the formulation of world music that accounts for its lack of specificity. It would be too supremely shameful for the First World listeners who make up its audience to face up to the fact that they prefer the music of the poorest, brownest regions of the globe to accompany their affluent lifestyle. The coinage of the term world music allows them to put an entire planet between themselves and their moral discomfort.

Released ten years ago, Kala, the second official M.I.A. album, is at once a prime example of world music and a challenge to the complex of guilt and deception that occasioned the phrases vagueness. M.I.A. wasnt shy about making her point. By the first track, the Sri LankanBritish rapper-producer was knocking on the doors of your Hummer, Hummer with apparent menace; in case you missed the memo about what parts of the world world music comes from, she had a mnemonic primer prepared. Somalia, Angola, Ghana, Ghana, Ghana; India, Sri Lanka, Burma, bamboo banga. Elsewhere shes lecturing listeners on the value of 20 Dollar: Its nothing to you, but its the price of an assault rifle in Africa, she explains over a synth-distorted remix of the melody to New Orders Blue Monday. If, at some point, a well-off listener dared to think they were experiencing hard times, she, or rather the London grime artist Afrikan Boy, was ready with a rejoinder. You think its tough now? Come to Africa. Here was an artist who took evident pleasure in engineering collisions between disparate sectors of the Earth, of forcing the world in world music to live up to its name as an entity both unified and open about the violence that united it.

If earlier surges of world music into Western pop  most notably in the 80s, with Paul Simon and Michael Jackson both drawing from the wells of African song  had stressed positivity and concord, M.I.A. (born Mathangi Arulpragasam) was willing to start a more heated conversation. Her sonic influences were clearly myriad, drawing from British grime and techno as easily as from Missy Elliott, Bollywood soundtracks, and African percussion, but the combative spirit that animated her sound was mostly inherited from a single act, Public Enemy. She was far from the first British rapper to take her cues from Chuck D. The Bristol artists later grouped under the rubric of trip-hop were all deeply influenced by Public Enemy as well, and the albums of Tricky in particular seem like powerful precursors to M.I.A.s own, sharing a common commitment to representing migrant experience in terms of intensified sonic density and stress as well as a certain puckishly insolent tone. All I want to do is [sound of gun shots] and take your money, goes the unforgettable chorus to Paper Planes: The cheeriness in her voice amplifies the threat more than any growl ever could.

She sounded like the future then, but what about now? Her immediate influence was remarkable: Two of her co-producers went on to form Major Lazer, and her record label put out the early Sleigh Bells albums, whose raucous textures were deeply informed by her own. Even in less immediate terms, she resonates: If M.I.A. reached back to Public Enemy for precedent in making music with explicit political overtones, Kala seems to herald certain trends current in contemporary hip-hop. Its rap as fashion, the look as both content and form, and M.I.A., a fashion designer years before she ever fiddled with a drum machine, looks like a precursor for the various fashion-rap acts (Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, and above all A$AP Rocky) that between them have constituted the house style for rap in 2017. At the very least, she fit in perfectly in her guest feature on Rockys At Long Last A$AP two years ago.

M.I.As was an aesthetic built not just on spectating but speculating: Her music gained or lost relevance in direct proportion with the credibility of her lyrics. All too often (okay, all the time), the music on Kala is charged by a kind of hollowed-out fear, the frisson emerging from the distant prospect that dark-skinned people with guns were going to hold you, the cosseted Western listener of refined and worldly tastes, up for all you were worth. Of course, since said cosseted listeners were the primary audience for M.I.A.s music, the possibility that the music itself would incite a race-based class war was zero. The beats certainly hold up. Together with her long-time collaborators Switch, Diplo, and Blaqstarr, M.I.A. created a percussive palette perfectly suited to channeling a sense of exotic restlessness. But her words themselves seem toothless, albeit diverting. In a certain way, they seemed to reflect the experience of a different kind of border-crossing, violently underwritten source of speculation: not the grimy, undocumented immigrant, but the crisply dressed, globe-trotting capitalist. This affinity seemed especially pronounced after M.I.A. married a scion of the Lehman family. (Shes since divorced.) If she was indeed knocking on the doors of the Hummer, it was unclear which side of the door she was doing it from.

Its interesting to note how her music has steadily declined in interest and relevance since the 200708 financial crash  Kala came out right around when it began  in which Lehman Brothers perished, as if her particular mode of borrowing the shadows of the poor to decorate the lifestyles of the rich were somehow intimately linked to the debt-fueled frenzy that precipitated the collapse. Of course, the music on Kala is harmless and bankers are not harmless. But you could argue that thats precisely the problem with the album, nine years into a world recession: a slick and lovely relic from an era that will never return, it sounds nothing like the world we live in. This is only an issue because she herself introduced politics into her music and made it a core element of her aesthetic. M.I.A. may have roots in the land of the Tamil Tigers and her biggest hit is Paper Planes, but the phrase that best sums up Kala today is something else: However well-formed, the album is a paper tiger, and even the deep cuts dont sting.
Photo: SHOWTIME

The 13th episode of Twin Peaks: The Return didnt end too well for our resident dirtbag Ray Monroe. After Agent Coopers terrifying doppelganger shoots him in the head, Ray is transported into the Red Room thanks to a ring that Mr. C forced him to put on before his death. Ray apparently was given the ring by a guard upon his release from a South Dakota prison, and he was given strict orders about it from his unseen boss: Jeffries said I was supposed to put this on you after I killed you.

To put it simply, this raises all sorts of questions for diehard Twin Peaks fans. Will David Bowies character, the long-disappeared FBI agent Phillip Jeffries, somehow make a return? What has happened to Jeffries since the events of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me? And how would David Lynch even depict the character, given Bowies death, in 2016? We dont have answers to those questions, of course, but enough for a moment about all of that. What exactly was that jade and gold ring? And why does it have mystical capabilities linked to the Red Room?

Photo: SHOWTIME

The briefest explanation is that the ring  often referred to as the Owl Cave ring due to its engraved symbol  can either protect its wearer from harm or mark its wearer for an inevitable death. (Yup, polar opposites.) The ring previously appeared in episode three of The Return, when the real Dougie Jones was transported with it into the Lodge, where he remarked that he felt funny and questioned what was happening to him before it slipped off his rapidly shrinking finger. Soon enough, his body disintegrated into a pile of dust, leaving only a small golden orb in its wake.

If you havent watched Fire Walk With Me, it provides a critical understanding of the rings capabilities, as Twin Peaks two-season run never mentioned it. Both Teresa Banks  the teenage prostitute who was murdered in Deer Meadow by BOB, which spurred an investigation by FBI agents Chet Desmond and Sam Stanley  and Laura Palmer were in possession of the ring at some point in their lives, with the latter receiving it during a visit to the Black Lodge with Agent Cooper and the Man From Another Place. (The ring disappeared from her hand shortly thereafter.) When Laura and her father, Leland, later get accosted by MIKE while driving on a local road, MIKE is wearing the ring, which solidifies to Laura that Leland is actually BOB. On the evening of her death, MIKE throws the ring into the train car right before BOB tries to possess her, which indeed prevents the possession from happening when she puts it on her finger. However, because the ring has prevented his desires, BOB decides to instead kill Laura out of rage.

Two other people have had experiences with the ring, one of whom seems to be a pivotal player in The Return. In Fire Walk With Me, Agent Jeffries mentions the ring while ranting about his mysterious disappearance, also saying that he was above a convenience store living inside of a dream. (Much like the convenience store in The Returns eighth episode.) In that same scene, theres also a woodsman hanging in an undisclosed location with BOB and The Man From Another Place, with The Man saying the following about the ring: With this ring, I thee wed. Not so coincidentally, the Formica table in this scene is the same color as the ring.

The other person is Annie Blackburn, who emerged from the Lodge wearing the ring. While shes later in the hospital, a nurse steals it from her, which probably worked out totally fine.

Is there a definitive answer to the ring? Not yet. Weve only got enticing theories for now, but its safe to say that its associated with MIKEs arm  which would explain why a persons left arm goes numb when they wear it, as MIKE chopped his off  and whoever wears the ring becomes either protected or cursed. Perhaps most interestingly, The Man From Another Places comment suggests that it can wed the wearer to the rings owner for eternity. Whatever its purpose may be, one thing is for sure: You definitely do not want this piece of jewelry in your possession.
The man who might be Trump. Photo: Getty Images

You have to go back to Camelot to find a presidential administration as open to instantaneous mythologizing as the current one. The Trump White House has it all: a president whose conception of the job (and most relevant work experience) is playing a character on TV; a rogues gallery of advisers, relatives, and hangers-on busy stabbing each other in the back; and the looming feeling that its all going to come crashing down eventually.

This presidency is so ripe for fictionalization that some reporters have even started covering it as an ongoing TV series, so you have to figure that Oliver Stone, our foremost chronicler of the very recent past, will want to try his hand at dramatizing it in the not-too-distant future. In order to save him time on preproduction, weve taken the liberty of handling the entire casting process for him, from the man at the top to the lowest of Cabinet secretaries. (Stone loves a sprawling ensemble.) With any luck, hell be able to get this thing out by the midterms.

One note: We are not just casting a generic Hollywood Trump film; were casting an Oliver Stone Trump film. With a Stone casting, vibe matters just as much physical resemblance. And sometimes that vibe is visible to him and only him. You may see Jeb Bush and think Please clap. Oliver Stone sees Jeb Bush and thinks, Ah yes, the perfect role for Jason Ritter.

Another caveat: For originalitys sake, we wanted to avoid actors who have already played members of the administration on SNL or in other comedy sketches. For the same reasons, we also tried to steer clear of casting suggestions that have gone viral on Twitter, though in two cases the Twitter casting was so much better than every other option that we had to go with it. Got it? Turn up Fly Me to the Moon, and lets boogie.

The White House

Photo: Getty Images

Charlie Sheen as Donald Trump

You need an actor with gravitas  someone who can carry a film, not just do an impression. But you also need someone with the right live-wire energy; Kevin Spacey doing Frank Underwood 2.0 isnt going to cut it. Charlie Sheens proven he can work on Stones wavelength, and theres an additional touch of meta in the timing: The actors much-publicized meltdown was sharing tabloid pages with Trumps birther conspiracy back in the spring of 2011.

Photo: Getty Images

Ray Liotta as chief strategist Steve Bannon

This is one of those times when we cant do better than Twitters choice. Liottas Bannon would be so manic and paranoid, itd make the last 30 minutes of Goodfellas look like Mr. Rogers.

Photo: Getty Images

Tom Hollander as former press secretary Sean Spicer

Few actors working today can do peevish as well as Hollander, an English actor you may recognize from the Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice and the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

Photo: Getty Images

Colin Hanks as former chief of staff Reince Priebus

Hanks the Younger had a small role in W. as David Frum. Now its time for him to play another Republican insider, the buttoned-up chief of staff who was always a little out of step with the freewheeling characters in the rest of the administration.

Photo: Getty Images

J.K. Simmons as current chief of staff John F. Kelly

Were not looking for Farmers commercial J.K. Simmons here. For the former general whos now the presidents newest chief of staff, well need Whiplash J.K. Simmons, in all his snarling, terrifying glory.

Photo: Getty Images

Laura Dern as counselor Kellyanne Conway

Let the Dernaissance continue! Arent you just dying to see her eat a whole green onion?

Photo: Getty Images

Bobby Cannavale as former communications director Anthony Scaramucci

Another pick from the Twitter hive mind thats impossible to improve upon. In Oliver Stones Trump biopic, the Moochs ten-day stint as communications director will be handled in a rollicking two-minute montage set to Billy Joels I Go to Extremes.

Photo: Getty Images

Zach Woods as senior adviser Stephen Miller

Theres something unsettling about Millers eyes. To borrow a quote from Werner Herzog, theres no kinship, no understanding, no mercy there; only overwhelming indifference. Thats hard for an actor to work with, but Zach Woods has spent his career adding strange new shades to blankness.

Photo: Getty Images

Allison Williams as director of strategic communications Hope Hicks

There are only two things you need to know about Hope Hicks: One, shes the only non-Trump member of the inner circle to survive every round of staff purges. And two, she allegedly once got in a public screaming match with former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski on the Upper East Side, with Page Six reporting she was doubled over with her fists clenched. Allison Williams it is.

Photo: Getty Images

Tim Roth as former national security adviser Michael Flynn

Before his extremely short stint as national security adviser, the hatchet-faced Flynn served as Trumps attack dog on the campaign trail. This part calls for Tim Roth, whos turned snarling into an art form.

The Family

Photo: Getty Images

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jared Kushner

Gordon-Levitt sent his voice tumbling down into its lower registers for Stones Snowden; now hell get the chance to do the opposite playing the First Son-in-Law. (A strange coincidence: Both men took pivotal missions with the Russians.) If Don Jon is anything to go by, the actor wont skip the necessary ab workouts.

Photo: Getty Images

Kate Bosworth as Ivanka Trump

If Ivanka represents a certain idealized form of white womanhood, so too does Bosworth, an actress whos built an unlikely fashion empire of her own.

Photo: Getty Images

David Denman as Donald Trump Jr.

Who better to embody Americas favorite large adult son than Roy from The Office?

Photo: Getty Images

Jimmi Simpson as Eric Trump

Has Westworld made Simpson too famous for a minor role in an imaginary Oliver Stone film? Hopefully not  his otherworldly demeanor is an ideal fit for the middle Trump sibling.

Photo: Getty Images

Madchen Amick as Melania Trump

You can never have too many Twin Peaks cast members in a Trump biopic.

The Cabinet

Photo: Getty Images

John C. McGinley as Vice-President Mike Pence

The Scrubs star played an asshole sergeant in Platoon, an asshole trader in Wall Street, and had small roles as non-assholes in Born on the Fourth of July and Nixon. Hes got the right kind of masculine attitude to play Pence, who is definitely not planning to run in 2020.

Photo: Getty Images

Bud Cort as Attorney General Jeff Sessions

There are few 69-year-old actors who could be described as impish. One who can is Harold and Maudes Bud Cort, who can expertly channel the childlike glee Sessions has for rolling back LGBT rights, expanding civil asset forfeiture, and purging voter rolls.

Photo: Getty Images

Ciaran Hinds as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

Both Hinds and Tillerson have the air of men in possession of deep secrets the public cannot handle. But lets be honest: This ones all about the brows, baby.

Photo: Getty Images

Hank Azaria as Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin

Hell look cute in the glasses.

Photo: Getty Images

Chris Cooper as Secretary of Defense James Mad Dog Mattis

Mattis is reported to be one of the stabilizing elements of the Trump cabinet, which only makes his nickname more hilarious. Chris Cooper has lived in that dichotomy his whole career: Hes a CENTCOM commander in the streets, a Mad Dog in the sheets.

Photo: Getty Images

Josh Brolin as Secretary of Energy Rick Perry

What can we say? The man was born to play former governors of Texas.

Photo: Getty Images

Laurie Metcalf as Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos

Metcalf had a small part in JFK, but now that shes got that Tony, shes been bumped up to a Cabinet post. The Illinois native is more than capable of nailing DeVoss Michigan vowels.

Photo: Getty Images

Clarke Peters as HUD Secretary Ben Carson

Remember season five of The Wire, when Lester just seemed a little  off? Like he made a bunch of inexplicable decisions that didnt really line up with who he was before? Yeah.

Washington D.C.

Photo: Getty Images

B.J. Novak as Speaker of the House Paul Ryan

Hes already played one supposed wunderkind stymied by an unconventional executive, whats one more?

Photo: Getty Images

William Sanderson as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

The Deadwood actor excels at playing genteel Southerners whose grand schemes dont quite come to fruition  ideal for bringing out the tragicomedy of McConnell, the conservative mastermind whose efforts to repeal Obamacare were all for naught.

Photo: Getty Images

Bruce Dern as John McCain

You know Oliver Stone is going to make that thumbs down happen in slow motion.

Photo: Getty Images

Ray Wise as former campaign manager Paul Manafort

The Twin Peaks actor is no stranger to playing characters with nefarious secrets. Hell bring a sinister charm to the role of Manafort, the Trump campaign head who turned out to have  complicated foreign entanglements.

Photo: Getty Images

Dylan Baker as former FBI Director James Comey

In any movie where Trumps the main character, you have to figure Comey will end up a strange, uncrackable antagonist. That screams Dylan Baker, whos played a string of unsettlingly straightlaced oddballs. Hes not six-foot-five like the real Comey, but nobodys perfect.
The Central Texas Watercolor Society meets at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, 1624 Wooded Acres Drive. A summer salad lunch is planned along with a painting day to be directed by CTWS members.

The first visit is free. For more information, call 296-3776.

Community Race Relations

The Community Race Relations Coalition will hold a workshop on race from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at St. Albans Episcopal Church, 305 N. 30th St.

The workshop is titled Equity: Together We Can Achieve It. Space is limited. The fee is $25 per session.

For more information, call 405-0188.

TSTC Registration Rally

Texas State Technical College will have a Registration Rally event from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at TSTCs Student Services Center, 3801 Campus Drive.

The event is geared to simplify the registration process. Attendees can take campus tours and talk to faculty members.

Potential students should bring a copy of their drivers license, their high school transcript or GED, any college transcripts, proof of bacterial meningitis vaccination, housing application and TSI scores.

For more information, visit www.tstc.edu/rally or call 799-3611.

Creative Minds meeting

Creative Minds, an all-genre writers group, will meet at 11 a.m. Saturday in the conference room at the West Waco Library, 5301 Bosque Blvd.

Romantic suspense author Debra Jupe will present Rules for Blogging.

Blessing for students

On Sunday, Dr. Marcus Nelson, Waco ISDs new superintendent, will join with Church Under the Bridge to bless the children and youth who are beginning or returning to school.

The church meets under the Interstate 35 and South Fourth Street underpass at 11:00 a.m. The service is open to everyone.

For more information, call 235-7818.






Acting Waco Fire Department Lt. Phillip Burnett was left speechless when the mother of a newborn baby girl walked into Fire Station 11 Tuesday evening, asking firefighters to take custody of her 3-day-old daughter.

We had just finished up our supper at about 6:20 p.m. and she knocked on the door and we met her in the kitchen, said Burnett, a 12-year fire department veteran. She just said that she just needed to drop the baby off, basically. I think we were all taken aback at first.

The mother told firefighters that she had given birth to the baby at home, was unable to care for the newborn and voluntarily wanted to give up her rights to the child under the Baby Moses, or Safe Haven law. Under the 18-year-old law, a parent of an infant younger than 61 days old can relinquish rights to a child at an emergency infant care facility or designated safe place without fear of prosecution.

Burnett said this is the first time a baby has been relinquished at a Waco fire station in his tenure. He said other firefighters could not remember another infant left at a Waco fire station. But the firefighters focus was on the health and well-being of the child and mother.

One of our youngest

We talked with her and made sure that she didnt need medical attention either, but she said she was fine, Burnett said. In our job, it is our mission to take care of the oldest citizen down to the youngest, so we knew we would definitely be taking care of one of our youngest that night.

Waco Fire Chief Bobby Tatum said the woman told firefighters that she did not know she was pregnant before the childs birth. She said she had other children at home and brought a diaper bag with supplies for the baby, but she believed she could not properly care for the infant.

Ive been told this is the first child who has been taken to a fire station under the Baby Moses law (in Waco), Tatum said. The mom left minimal information, but we are very grateful that she left the baby at a safe place, because you always hear about situations about a baby being left in a Dumpster or in a dangerous situation.

When the woman left the fire station, police and emergency medical professionals were called to retrieve the child. The baby was taken to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center for medical evaluation.

The law

Texas became the first state to enact safe haven laws in 1999, allowing a parent to bring an infant 60 days old or younger to a designated safe place, including a hospital, freestanding emergency medical care facility, fire station, or emergency medical services station. Officials will take temporary custody of the child and the parents identity will remain confidential, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services spokesman Patrick Crimmins said.

Baby Moses is an absolutely wonderful law and has saved dozens and dozens, if not hundreds, of lives of infants that might have otherwise been discarded, Crimmins said. One of the things it does is it gives parents a safe place to take their child and they can have the assurance that their child will be taken care of as long as the child does not have signs of abuse or tests positive for drugs, which would then be a criminal offense.

Former Gov. George W. Bush signed the countrys first newborn abandonment bill into law in 1999 after state Rep. Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria, filed the house bill in the 76th Legislative Session. Morrison hoped to provide a responsible alternative to newborn abandonment before the bill gained unanimous approval in the Texas House of Representatives and Senate.

In Texas, a total of 11 children under 61 days old have been turned over to emergency infant care facilities in fiscal year 2017. In Region 7, including Austin and Waco, only one child has been turned over to an emergency infant care facility, excluding the baby who was relinquished Tuesday.

Cummins said the baby relinquished Tuesday is possibly the first baby to ever be left at any safe place in Waco.

All 50 states now have safe haven laws on the books that vary with age limits, the person who can surrender a child and the circumstances around the incident. In most states, parents have the ability to leave infant children at predesignated safe places without disclosing their identities or answering any questions other than those regarding the babys medical requirements.

Waco police spokesman W. Patrick Swanton commended the mother for turning her baby over to the firefighters if she didnt believe she could care for the infant, though he acknowledged the difficulty of such a decision.

I cant imagine the pain of having to do that, but the woman did the right thing and the baby is safe, Swanton said. The baby will be well taken care of and we give kudos (to) the mom for doing the right thing.
A man who allegedly killed an 8-week-old Chihuahua puppy late last month, was arrested for that crime Tuesday, as well as the subsequent assault of his former girlfriend, Bellmead police Sgt. Kory Martin said.

Calvin Markus Roberts, 30, of Robinson, was jailed after Bellmead police investigated a July 29 domestic disturbance in the 200 block of Bellmead Drive. Martin said Roberts' 45-year-old girlfriend called police when she was assaulted by Roberts, who reportedly had killed her dog.

"Calvin Markus Roberts had thrown her small Chihuahua named Dandy against a wall on July 28 and Dandy later died that night as a result of the injuries sustained," Martin said. "That basically led to (her) decision to end their relationship."

The puppy was taken to a local veterinarian, where the dog later died. Martin said the woman ended the couple's relationship after the dog's death, prompting Roberts to began packing a clothing basket.

As he packed, Roberts threw the clothing basket at the woman, causing an abrasion and bruising to her leg, Martin said. Roberts then took the woman's cellphone away from her and refused to let her leave the home for about 30 minutes, Martin said.

During the disturbance, the woman was able to get her phone back and called police. Roberts then left the home.

Police arrested Roberts on a state jail felony charge of animal abuse, a third-degree felony charge of family violence assault and a Class A misdemeanor charge of unlawful restraint. He was taken to McLennan County Jail, where he remained in custody Tuesday evening.

Bond information was not immediately available Tuesday evening.
Dwight Chandler, 82 of China Spring, passed away at the Veteran's Medical Center in Temple, on Saturday, August 5, 2017. A service celebrating Dwight's life will be 3 p.m., Friday, August 11, at Lake Shore Funeral Home, 5201 Steinbeck Bend in Waco.
Louise Evelyn Horn

July 5, 1927 - Aug. 7, 2017

Louise Evelyn Craig Horn, 90, of Waco, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Monday, August 7, 2017. Visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, August 10, at Lake Shore Funeral Home, 5201 Steinbeck Bend in Waco. A service celebrating Louise's life and her strong faith will be at 10:00 a.m., in the Chapel at Lake Shore Funeral Home in Waco. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery.

Pallbearers, Jonathan Keen, John Luna, Michael Barrett, Blake Barrett, Andy Craig, and Mike Barrett.

Louise was born July 5, 1927 in Redbank, New Jersey, to the late Axel Ouloff and Minnie Sniffin Ornberg. She attended most of her schooling in the Florida area. During her high school years, Louise enjoyed playing softball with the city league. It was after her marriage to Peyton "Doc" Craig, March 14, 1947, that they moved to Texas.

Louise started up a hair salon out of their home, "Craig's Beauty Salon"; she curled and set many heads of hair in her 35 plus year career. Doc preceded Louise in death in November of 1990. Louise enjoyed square dancing with her square dance club the "Thunderbirds". She was a long-time member of the Lake Shore United Methodist Church, for 60 plus years, both she and her family attended and were active members.

Louise married her second husband, Fred Horn, September 11, 1999. Together they enjoyed life, joining their families together. Fred preceded Louise in death June 17, 2011. Louise was also preceded in death by her brother, Wallace Ornberg and her sister, Esther Layne.

Louise leaves behind to continue her legacy, her loving children, Dianne Evelyn Keen and husband, Taylor, William Peyton "Bill" Craig and wife, Hope, and Roger Dale Craig; grandchildren, Michael Barrett, Jennifer Barrington, and William Andrew Craig; great-grandchildren, Jonathan Keen, John Luna, Michael Barrett and Blake Barrett; along with numerous other loving family members.

Louise's family would like to thank the staff of Bluebonnet Hospice for all the love and care they showed to her in the last few months.

Thoughts and memories can be shared at www.LakeShoreFH.com.
Daniel Samples

Sept. 5, 1950 - Aug. 6, 2017

Daniel Samples, 66, of Robinson, passed away on Sunday, August 6, 2017, at Providence Hospital after a brief illness. A memorial service will be 3:30 p.m., Thursday, August 10, at Elliston Chapel, 3rd Street and Bagby on the Baylor University Campus.

Dan was born September 5, 1950 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, to Robert P. and Margaret Samples. His family moved to the Dallas area and he attended school there. He enlisted in the Navy in 1969 and served until 1977. While in the Navy he completed his GED. He was honorably discharged and immediately began studying at Richland College in Dallas. He then transferred to Texas A&M at College Station where he earned his BS, MS and PhD. During this time at A&M he met his wife, Roxann, and they married in 1983.

Dan became interested in pathology during graduate school and then attended the medical school at UT Health Science Center in San Antonio. He completed his training in pathology at Baylor Hospital in Dallas in 1994.He and his family moved to Waco that summer when he joined the Central Texas Pathology group where he enjoyed working until he was given the opportunity to teach at Baylor University. He found that working with students and teaching was his true calling and when he was given the opportunity to teach full time, he retired from pathology in 2013. He greatly enjoyed working with his students and colleagues in the College of Arts and Sciences and looked forward to being the faculty sponsor for AED, the pre-health society at Baylor.

He was preceded in death by his father, Robert P. Samples.

Dan is survived by his wife, Roxann; daughter, Caitlin; son, Daniel; mother, Margaret; sister, Sandy Strozeski and husband, Mike; and brother, Steve.

Dan will be greatly missed by his family, friends and students.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Baylor Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta, to support its mission trip to the Dominican Republic at: Alpha Delta Epsilon, Prehealth Programs, Baylor University, One Bear Place #97341, Waco, TX 76798Share a memory or sign the Guest Book at www.oakcrestwaco.com.
War clouds are gathering over the Korean Peninsula and we are reminded of what former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld (almost) famously said: You go to war with the president you have, not the president you might want or wish to have at a later time.

President Donald Trump probably possesses the raw will to launch an attack that will leave North Korea smoldering. The U.S. military knows what capabilities it has, and it can present options to the president. Picking from that menu once all else has failed is, in some ways, the easy part. The question is whether the president and his team are up to the task at hand beyond the actual military strike. Does the president have the diplomatic, communications and organizational skills to achieve the best outcome and avoid a war or to avoid the worst outcome after a war?

To understand the stakes involved, read David Ignatiuss sobering overview in Wednesdays Washington Post. He states, Among the clearest points of consensus among former officials was that the North Korea crisis provides what one participant (of the Aspen Strategy Groups annual gathering) called a catalytic moment.

This begs a few obvious questions. First, is the president ready and able to communicate with the outside world and within the United States about the stakes and the consequences? Is he able to give a convincing speech to the nation? Can he stand at the podium of the United Nations and command the worlds respect? Can he rally China and the rest of the world to get North Korea to a point where it does not threaten the United States? None of this can be done by tweet. A tweet cant substitute for a serious Oval Office address to the nation. And there is no such thing as a fireside tweet.

If the president decides to take military action against North Korea, he will have to explain himself to the public. He will have to make clear the consequences of North Koreas continued hostility. And, importantly, he will have to prepare the nation to brace for uncertain retaliation.

It is unknown how much damage North Korea can inflict in South Korea and elsewhere before its command-and-control systems are destroyed. But it is clear that the pace of the potential conflict is quickening.

Next, are we certain the president and his team are ready and able to engage diplomatically with the skeletal crew at the State Department before an attack? Is the Trump team prepared to achieve the best possible outcome? While in Guam earlier Wednesday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un can understand, because he doesnt seem to understand diplomatic language. I think the president just wanted to be clear to the North Korean regime on the (United States) unquestionable ability to defend itself.

While Tillerson is at least visible on the issue, we have to wonder whether we are having the senior-level discussions we need with China on the one hand, and with Japan, South Korea and our other Pacific allies on the other.

And here at home, once Trump sets a plan in motion, will Congress support him if things get ugly? Will approval for military requirements and eventual humanitarian aid for South Korea, and perhaps even North Korea and elsewhere, be provided and managed properly? Think of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina to the power of 10  but about 6,500 miles from D.C.

The presidents detractors are already criticizing his rhetoric. To be clear, nothing that has happened thus far is Trumps fault. And his fire and fury language might create a new dynamic. It certainly wont hurt. The trajectory that North Korea is on is very bad. And yet, Democrats and their allies in the media are suggesting that if we were just a bit nicer to Kim, a la former president Barack Obama, maybe he wont kill us. Well, we had eight years of the Obama approach and here we are. We are on the brink of allowing a madman to have the capability to kill millions of our allies and fellow Americans.

So say what you want about Trump, but he is the president we have. Maybe it is luck, maybe it is heaven-sent that he has surrounded himself with distinguished military leaders. White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and national security adviser H.R. McMaster certainly seem like the right team at the right time.

Suffice it to say, there are very few who wish we had Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry or national security adviser Susan Rice back in charge.
During the past 20 years, many U.S. newspapers have experimented with online news delivery, but theyve had just limited success. Its true that consumers are increasingly getting news online, but most turn to news aggregators such as Yahoo News and Google News or social media like Facebook. The problem is most aggregators and social media sites do not produce original news content. Rather, they republish news stories produced by newspaper reporters and ultimately benefit from such content without having to pay much, if at all, for it. Some newspaper publishers even get really upset  calling Google a digital vampire sucking newspaper blood.

With a huge user base that attracts a large amount of ad spending, Google and Facebook have evolved into tech giants with unprecedented global market power. In contrast, most of the 1,300 U.S. daily newspapers operate in narrowly defined geographic areas with average weekday circulation under 30,000  and dropping. For these newspapers to compete with Google and Facebook online is like a local diner trying to complete with McDonalds. There is simply no chance of winning.

It is against this backdrop that the News Media Alliance is requesting a limited antitrust exemption from Congress so that newspapers can negotiate with Google and Facebook collectively. It is unclear what kind of negotiation they plan to conduct, but this indicates a new way of thinking that is long overdue.

Part of the problem is self-inflicted. Most newspapers have been actively sharing their content on these big platforms. For example, many have hired social media editors to distribute content on Facebook and Twitter for free. As a result, many online readers have stopped visiting newspaper websites, and social media sites have become a major source for news. Some 44 percent of U.S. adults now get news on Facebook.

This has affected newspapers advertising revenue. After 20 years of experimenting with digital, newspapers online advertising revenue has remained underwhelming, increasingly only slightly from $3.2 billion in 2007 to $3.5 billion in 2014. In contrast, Google and Facebook have enjoyed tremendous successes in the online world. Google reported $89.6 billion in global revenue and Facebook reported $27.6 billion in 2016. As a reference, total U.S. digital ad spending was $72.5 billion in 2016.

So all evidence suggests that U.S. newspapers have lost this digital battle in terms of audience attention and advertising revenue. The reason they are still here is that their print editions, despite substantial declines, still generate advertising and subscription revenue that pays the bills.

The good news is major metro newspapers still reach one-third of the local adults in their markets and, surprisingly, the vast majority of them are print, paying readers. This is good news because newspapers remain the most important institutions providing much-needed local coverage that no Facebook, no Google, no Twitter or Instagram would even consider producing. Tens of thousands of journalists are still doing their jobs covering our communities the best they can, often under stress, sometimes humiliation, when management makes decisions to address problems they didnt create.

Now newspapers are trying to redefine their relationships with Facebook and Google through an antitrust exemption. On the one hand, this exemption, even if granted, would not easily change the result of a losing game  that one existing between a local diner and McDonalds  especially if the newspaper industry does not first address some of the unwise, short-sighted decisions it made in the name of digital transformation. On the other, it is extremely important that policymakers recognize how market power has shifted toward digital giants that are indeed swallowing journalism (and everything else).

In a market that truly encourages competition, consumers have the final say. Just as health-conscious consumers managed to propel McDonalds to offer healthier choices, there is a lot news consumers can do, if, and only if, they care.
Gen. John Kelly was just joking, of course, when he handed President Donald Trump a saber at a U.S. Coast Guard Academy ceremony in May and offered a suggestion: Use that on the press, sir. But now, as Trumps chief of staff, Kelly needs a few weapons of his own  not so much to control wayward reporters but to bring discipline to a White House that often seems uncontrollable, especially when it comes to telling untruths.

So far, so good. Hes fired potty-mouthed narcissist Anthony Scaramucci as communications director and shown no interest in retaining hapless Sean Spicer. And he reportedly is forbidding West Wing staff from trotting into the Oval Office with news intended to infuriate the president and fire up his tweet machine.

But can the general take on the hardest job of all  hacking through the thicket of lies that the Trump White House produces? You can have all the discipline and efficiency in the world, but it wont do much good without a basis in reality that starts at the top.

The Washington Posts Fact Checker has relentlessly catalogued the presidents prevarications. A few months ago, the New York Times produced an astonishingly long list of the lies since he took office and described the problem: There is simply no precedent for an American president to spend so much time telling untruths. Every president has shaded the truth or told occasional whoppers. No other president  of either party  has behaved as Trump is behaving. He is trying to create an atmosphere in which reality is irrelevant.

As Kelly, under the presidents direction, looks for a communications director to replace Scaramucci, the truth problem looms large. How do you maintain credibility and, yes, integrity when the boss is wandering through the fields of fantasy? Spicer, after all, got off to a terrible start when on the first day of his tenure as press secretary he vehemently defended the presidents easily disprovable falsehoods about the size of the inaugural crowds.

It never stops. Just days ago, Trump claimed to have received phone calls praising him from the head of the Boy Scouts and the president of Mexico. His press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, acknowledged these calls never happened, and condemned lying from the podium or any other place, but stopped short of calling the statements what they are: I wouldnt say it was a lie. Thats a pretty bold accusation.

Kelly, though, is a force to be reckoned with. As The Posts James Hohmann pointed out last week, the former homeland security secretary also may have convinced the president he didnt need to build a physical border wall with Mexico; called James Comey just after Trump fired him to express his dismay; and reached out to prominent Democrats in preparation for the fight over tax policy.

He may be Trumps best hope for saving the White House from utter chaos. For inspiration, Kelly could consult a Nixon-era John Lennon song from the year the future general turned 21: Gimme Some Truth. (Ive had enough of watching scenes from schizophrenic egocentric paranoiac primadonnas/All I want is the truth, just give me some truth.)

More realistically, Kelly could turn to the Marine Corps values that presumably guided his decorated military career. The bedrock, they state, is honor: It is the quality that empowers Marines to exemplify the ultimate in ethical and moral behavior: to never lie, cheat or steal; to abide by an uncompromising code of integrity ...
Beef over tax rates

I read with interest the Trib Page One story about the property value jump in Waco, while another section of the paper noted a proposed decrease of two cents in the McLennan County property-tax rate. I applaud McLennan County Commissioners Court for its action. County Judge Scott Felton said he hoped other taxing authorities would follow the courts action. Good luck with that.

I live in Woodway and Midway Independent School District and, while I like the community, I have found the folks in power around here are quick to raise taxes or float a bond issue. By contrast, they are not so fast in lowering the tax rate. So why have we not heard from members of the Midway ISD school board or members of the Woodway City Council or, for that matter, the Waco City Council and yet other local taxing entities?

The Trib article stated that the tax rate in Waco was going to stay the same, even though the average home value increased by 9 percent. Woodway property values have increased by about the same percentage. In fact, property values have soared over the last four years, yet the taxing entities sit moot and keep collecting taxes.

I called Midway ISD about any plans for a tax-rate reduction and their spokesperson said that the tax rate had stayed the same since 2008 and that, at the next budget meeting this month, it would stay the same. I asked why and was told that the more money in one of the two funds, the lower the rate would be if another bond was needed.

I ask: Why? People complain to the appraisal district about increased appraisals when they should be complaining to local taxing authorities. I know I am. We will be having elections in the near future and school board and city council members must justify not lowering our tax rates.

Jerry Haynes, Woodway

Ol whats-her-name

Ive been a homeowner for 15 years and today was my first experience before the McLennan County Tax Appraisal Review Board. It was a rude awakening. I have always held to the principle all should pay their fair share of property taxes. For that reason I have always found my tax appraisal value to be fair till this past year when it was discovered my property was in a flood zone. When I received my 2017 tax value notice, I decided to protest the value due to this fact.

One board member questioned my name. Said he wanted to verify my name was Karen and not Jose, Jesus or Bill. First, Im not sure which is more offensive, the fact Im clearly a woman or that Im white despite my last name being of Hispanic origin. I found this an upsetting way to begin a formal hearing. I would think these boards are comprised of diverse, non-discriminating individuals but I didnt find this so.

I have worked in real estate for over 20 years and defended the tax appraisal process for many years. Today that all changed.

Karen Saucedo, Axtell
ASHLAND  The Ashland Community Development Agency (CDA) recommended approval of the redevelopment plan for the first phase of the Whitetail Run subdivision.

The CDA, composed of the Ashland City Council, met on Aug. 3 to consider Resolution 2017-1 (CDA), which recommends approval of the redevelopment plan, contract and notice of intent to enter into a redevelopment contract.

The redevelopment plan outlines the proposal for tax increment financing for the development. TIF allows developers to pay for public improvements to diverting a portion of the taxes on the improved value of the land. The maximum number of years the taxes can be diverted is 15 years.

Ashland Investment Company is asking for $1.8 million in TIF to bring water and sewer lines to the edge of the development, install turn lanes on Highway 66 and for some dirt work to elevate a roadway. The city council negotiated this figure from the original amount, which was about $2 million.

The redevelopment agreement also includes what has been called phased or rolling TIF. This divides the 50 lots in the first phase of Whitetail Run into five sections of 10 lots each. The valuation of the first 10 lots will be set at the current value, which is agricultural land.

After a year, the second set of 10 lots will increase in value to approximately $45,000, the proposed sale price of the lots, and will be taxed at that rate. The subsequent sets of lots will be taxed at either that value or higher, if the lands value increases as homes are built.

CDA Member Paul Gossin was absent for the meeting, but sent a statement that was read by City Administrator Jessica Quady. In the statement, Gossin said he endorsed and fully supported the advancement of the redevelopment agreement to the city council for approval.

Gossin also discussed the suggestion by members of the public that the city council should not sit as the CDA.

The appointment of the city council to the CDA is wholly appropriate. This action mimics action taken by various sister communities. Finding a completely impartial group to act as the CDA at this time would be impossible and impractical considering the inflamed political environment, he said in his statement.

The CDAs role is to look at the cost benefit and details of the funding and make a recommendation to the city council. The final step in the TIF process is a vote by the city council.
WHS grad says mission experience was life-changing

Eighteen-year-old Analisea Araya spent three weeks of her summer vacation serving with Empower a Child in Uganda, Africa. Here she holds one of the children at the organization's primary school.

WAITSBURG  It was four years in the making, but 2017 Waitsburg High School graduate, Analisea Araya, spent part of her summer making a dream come true. The wait was worth it, and her three-week adventure spent serving children in Uganda, Africa was everything she hoped it would be.

Araya said she has "always" wanted to go on a mission trip, but narrowed her destination to visiting Uganda after she was inspired by a good friend who served there when Araya was a freshman. Unlike most teens that go on service/mission trips as part of a church or youth group, Araya was on her own.

"That was one of the biggest things for me. Trying to figure it out and do it on my own," Araya said.

Araya researched organizations and decided on Empower a Child. She completed the lengthy application process and raised the nearly $4,000 necessary to cover her stay, travel, vaccines, passport and VISA which was another challenge.

"Financing the trip was the hardest part about going," she said.

She raised funds by pulling rye, housekeeping, and doing whatever she could to earn money. She also sold T-shirts she designed through Bonfire.com that had an outline of Africa with a heart where Uganda is located.

"A lot of the people at the high school, especially staff, really helped out by donating and buying T-shirts," she said.

Araya had only flown once before, as part of a group middle-school trip to Washington D.C. Undaunted, she boarded the plane alone for her 30-hour international flight to Uganda on July 8.

"I was definitely a little nervous. But I learned to just follow the crowd," she said.

Araya spent her first night at an Empower a Child office in Kampala, Uganda, the country's capitol, where she was joined by four more missionaries. The next day they visited a school in the city, where they picked up more group members before traveled to the village of Zirobwe, where she spent the majority of her trip at the Empower a Child compund. She and another girl were the youngest missionaries of the group.

While in Zirobwe, Araya spent most of her time working with the more than 400 children that attend Empower a Child's private school for children in grades one through six. Students practice conversational English by talking and speaking with the missionaries, and the missionaries help with physical education, games, and worship.

Araya said that one day one of the students arrived at school saying that his family's home had burned down. The opportunity to be a part of rebuilding their hut is one of her standout memories of the trip.

"Home is where your family is. To be a part of that was really awesome," Araya said.

"We drove to their house  it would take them three hours to walk to school every day and the family had three kids in school. Their house had completely burned down by a candle that had been knocked over. They already had a structure up, made from sticks. So we came in and made mud and packed it and 20 of us pretty much built this house in two or three days," she said.

"We also brought them rice, clothes, insect repellent...that was really funny because they'd never seen aerosol before and were kind of freaking out," she added, laughing.

Araya said her favorite part of the entire experience was just spending time with the kids.

"It was crazy. Sometimes I would have five hanging off of each arm," she said.

Araya shared a video of her group entering a village where children line the streets, smiling and yelling, " Hi Mzungu!"

"Mzungu is what they call white people," Araya said, pointing to the leather bracelet on her arm, stamped with the word.

Araya shared an impactful conversation she had with a 14-year-old who had been abandoned by her mother. She had several siblings from multiple fathers, who had all left, which is common among Ugandan men, Araya said.

"She was left trying to provide for her siblings and said they hadn't eaten for a couple of days, which was really sad to see. Now she's stuck with raising these kids when she had hopes and plans herself," Araya said.

Araya said she was hard hit by the difference in cultures. She said she was surrounded by the very poor, who considered it a blessing to walk hours to school each day, and were happy, while in the USA people complain, are chronically unhappy, and don't appreciate what they have.

"I'm having kind of a reverse culture shock coming home. The things people say, their outlook on life, the things they post on social media  you should be grateful for what you have. The culture is so much different," she said.

"I'm so grateful for what I have and the family I have after seeing what they have to go through and how little they have," she added.

Araya did get to have some fun and explore the country a bit during her stay. A highlight was a three-day safari in Murchison Falls National Park where she took a ferry across the Nile, hiked to the top of Murchison Falls, and saw lions, warthogs, baboons, giraffes, and crocodiles.

"Baboons are everywhere. While we were outside the vehicle, a baboon jumped inside the van, got into my bag, took a bag of candy, jumped out and started eating it. Luckily he didn't take anything else!" she said.

Araya said her African experience was definitely life changing.

Photo Courtesy of Analisea Araya A young child (in the distance) looks at the hut that was destroyed by fire when a candle fell over. Right photo: volunteers at work making and packing mud, and rebuilding the home.

"I met a lot of people from around the world that were really inspirational because they were so strong in their faith...The money I would have spent somewhere else is nowhere near the amazing experience I got to have, the people I got to meet, and the things I got to see. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But now I want to go back!" she said laughing.

Araya said her next goal will be to visit Thailand, because she wants to serve where she can spread the gospel in areas where people haven't had the opportunity to believe, she said.

But for now, she's gearing up for her freshman year at Lewis-Clark State College, where she plans to study physical therapy, which starts Aug. 21

The majority of students that attend the Empower a Child school are supported through sponsorships. To learn about sponsoring a child, visit http://www.empowerachild.org.
THE average rent in Waterford has now soared to 1,148, up 102% from its lowest point. The increase in rents around the country reflects an...
Delhi: Even haters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are hard put to deny his virtually unassailable position. No other politician is even near to threatening him. From the looks of it, say many analysts, the next general election is his to lose.

His latest political triumph was winning the support of a formidable rival, Nitesh Kumar, chief minister of Bihar state, last month. For many in the demoralised opposition, Kumar was the only person who could contemplate, at a pinch, taking on Modi in 2019 by leading a coalition comprising the opposition Congress Party and others.

A roadside barber attends to a client in Delhi on Tuesday. Small business owners are hoping Modi will bring better days for India. Credit:AP

Instead, Kumar jumped ship. Then he dumped his allies in Bihar and formed a new government with the support of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP. The result - the opposition lost the only politician with enough credibility to have cobbled together an alliance to defeat Modi. Bihar is now in the BJP fold. The feat comes just four months after the BJP won a spectacular victory in the politically important state of Uttar Pradesh.

The Modi juggernaut rolls on. With Kumar joining hands with him, the talk of Modi being on course to win a second term has become louder.
The World Customs Organization (WCO) is pleased to join the international community in celebrating the World Elephant Day (12 August 2017) under the theme Bringing the world together to help save the elephants. It provides an opportunity to underline WCOs continued support to its Members in the fight against illegal wildlife trade and ivory smuggling in particular, which has become a daily occurrence that requires an effective coordination among Customs administrations and other border agencies.

Elephants are a keystone species, which means they create and maintain the ecosystems in which they live. Elephants also make it possible for other plant and animal species to live in those environments, but with the continuous slaughtering of elephants, major habitat imbalances will occur which weaken and eventually destroy the structure and diversity of nature itself.

Sadly, elephant numbers have dropped by 62% over the last decade, which means that only 400,000 elephants remain in the wild, where an estimated 80 to 100 elephants are killed daily mainly for their ivory. At this rate, some populations of elephants could be extinct from the wild by 2025.

The recent seizure by Customs in Hong Kong of a consignment of 7.2 tons of ivory is of great concern to the Customs community and the WCO is closely monitoring the situation concerning illegal wildlife trade across jurisdictions.

The WCO Environment Programme and Project INAMA are currently coordinating Operation Save REP, which is a regional African counter-illicit wildlife trafficking operation that brings together the efforts of Customs Administrations from 10 sub-Saharan African countries, with the support of other law enforcement agencies, emphasized the WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya on this occasion. The smuggling of ivory is one of Operations Save REPs key focus areas, where some good successes have already been reported.

The WCO, as a signatory to the United for Wildlife Transportation Taskforce (UFW) Buckingham Palace Declaration, also continues to work closely with the UFW partners to identify possible weaknesses in the air-transport industry with regards to wildlife smuggling, and continuously identify means by which the sector can break these trade chains. These efforts will be stepped-up during the latter part for 2017 and 2018, where, amongst others, various joint airport assessments will be conducted.

Link: http://www.royalfoundation.com/our-work/united-for-wildlife/
Suggesting the FNM is setting a dangerous precedent in how it is now handling the political affairs of the country and the governing party has turned on its opponents and is attempting to use the state to imprison, bad mouth and create a bad image of them across the country because political colleagues have been charged with various offenses before the Courts is almost laughable.

The spokesman went on seeming to suggest the Police acted without evidence when he says:

you cant be surprised if PLP supporters, upon winning again, say thats the road that we are going to go down. So if . . . whoever survives the FNM government is seen in handcuffs being paraded before the court because of some decision that he made while he is in government, nobody can feel sorry for them in five years. We have to be very careful.

Frankly if there is evidence of wrongdoing it doesnt matter to me if they are black, white, pumpkin yellow, PLP, FNM or anything in between, thats why we have the independent Judiciary. If they are innocent the charges will be dropped. If they are found guilty, they will have to pay the price.

So if there is evidence let the chips fall where they may Mr. PLP spokesman. The Bahamian taxpayer has been paying the price in ever increasing taxes long enough. It's time for the criminals to pay and fiscal responsibility restored.

"Expulsis Piratis  Restituta Commercia (Pirates Expelled  Commerce Restored)."
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Aug. 08, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 08, 2017 | 05:08 PM | PADUCAH, KY

The Paducah Police Department is trying to raise awareness about recent thefts from vehicles in the area, and ways to prevent them with its "Lock it or Lose it" Campaign.



In a recent interview on the City's "Paducah View" program, Officer Christopher Fearon says officers will be placing reminder hangars on residents' doors in the coming days to lock up their vehicles and remove valuables from them when possible to avoid crimes of opportunity. He says they will also be on the lookout for unlocked vehicles on public property and educate owners about locking up their cars.



If officers are unable to find the owner of the car at the moment, Fearon says they will later go tho the person's home and hang a reminder on their front door to lock their vehicle in the future.



"Paducah is a very safe town to live in. I think with it being so safe we gain a false sence of security, that this won't happen to me or it couldn't happen in my neighborhood. They happen everywhere" Fearon said.



Check out the video below for the entire interview, with more information about the campaign.






Alec Baldwin sues to 'clear his name' in movie set death
By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 09, 2017 | 10:16 AM | MASSAC COUNTY, IL

The Illinois State Police and Southern Illinois Drug Task Force have arrested nine people for offenses related to illegal drug distribution in Massac County.

Those arrested and their charges include 44-year-old Glenda A. Cozzie, of Metropolis, for delivery of methamphetamine; 19-year-old Cody L. Durrett, of Metropolis, for delivery of methamphetamine; 24-year-old Blake A. Lynch, of Metropolis, for delivery of a controlled substance; 56-year-old Ray G. Lee, of Metropolis, for delivery of a controlled substance; 27-year-old Jeremy L. Lynch, of Metropolis, for possession of a weapon by a felon; 27-year-old Jeremy M. Goins, of Metropolis, for delivery of a controlled substance; 20-year-old Austin L. Cherry, of Metropolis, for delivery of a controlled substance; 19-year-old Austin W. Little, of Metropolis, for delivery of methamphetamine, and 47-year-old Melissa M. Skinner, of Metropolis, for delivery of a controlled substance.

Police say further arrests are anticipated.



The task force is comprised of membership from the Massac County Sheriffs Department, The Massac County States Attorneys office, Metropolis Police Department, Hardin County Sheriffs Department, Hardin County States Attorneys Office, and the Illinois State Police.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Aug. 09, 2017 | METROPOLIS, IL

By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 09, 2017 | 03:51 PM | METROPOLIS, IL

The Metropolis Police Department is inviting the public to come cool off and enjoy some free food at their second annual Family Fun Day.



Chief Harry Masse says festivities will take place August 12 at the Metropolis Swimming Pool from noon to 5 p.m.



Masse says there will be plenty of fun to be had, with hot dogs and chips for all. There will also be games, a bouncy house, a dunk tank, and a K-9 demonstration. He says it will give the community a chance to interact with officers in a positive environment.



"It's just a way for the Metropolis Police Officers to reach out to the community. As we all know, the majority of the time we get to meeth the kids in a house setting or a non-school setting is usually negative. We wanted to reach out to the kids, and even some of the adults in the community in a positive way." He said.



Family Fun Day at the pool is just one of several community events put on by the department, Masses said.



"We have other partnerships coming together. We do Stuff the Van, which helps Weekend Blessings, which feeds children on the weekends when school programs aren't available. Trunk or Treat for Halloween we partner with the Department of Natural Resources at Fort Massac, and it was huge last year, and we're expecting it to be even huger this year."



The Metropolis Swimming Pool is located at 312 W. 4th Street. Admission is free.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Aug. 08, 2017 | BENTON, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 08, 2017 | 02:27 PM | BENTON, KY

Justin Lamb announced on Monday that he will seek the office of Marshall County 1st District Commissioner in the 2018 Democratic primary.



Lamb is a lifelong resident of Marshall County, and a current Benton city councilman serving his first term.



After prayerful consideration and several words of encouragement from friends, family and supporters alike, I have decided to be a candidate for First District Commissioner, Lamb said. Marshall County is my home and I am running for this position so together we can shape an even better future for our children and grandchildren. I believe with new ideas, fresh conservative leadership and a lot of hard work, we can and will solve the issues facing our county.



A native of the Olive community, Lamb grew up in a working-class family and is the son of Kevin Lamb, a member of the Carpenters Union Local 357, and Karen Lovett, a waitress at Kay Lees Farmhouse in Aurora. He is the grandson of Gary and Connie Lamb of Olive, Donnie Lovett of Benton and Jack and Flo Darnall of Benton.



Lamb has been married nine years to his wife Lexie, the daughter of Tommy and Norma Cope of Hardin and the granddaughter of Bro. Glenn E. and Mae Cope. Lamb and his wife reside in Benton with their 10-year old nephew, Christopher Thompson, a fourth-grader at Jonathan Elementary, and they are awaiting the birth of their first child, Gentry Thomas Lamb this December.



Lamb graduated from Marshall County High School in 2005. He is attending Murray State University and will graduate with a bachelors degree in public relations this December. Lamb is employed at Manleys Four Little Pigs restaurant in Benton, where he has worked for the last 11 years.



From 2008 until 2015, Lamb served as the Administrative Assistant to the late Judge/Executive Mike Miller where he gained a working knowledge of county government. Additionally, he was elected to the Benton City Council in 2016 and was chosen as Mayor Pro-Tempore of the city of Benton.



I have based my entire time in public service on putting the people of this county first, Lamb said. I think it is important that government officials remember that the reins of government belong to the taxpayers and I intend to govern by that principle if given the opportunity to serve on the Fiscal Court. If elected to serve, I will be accessible to the people and will answer every phone call and address every issue or problem to the best of my ability, he added.



An avid local historian, Lamb has been the author of a local history column which is now featured on Marshall County Daily and hosts of A Walk in Time oral history program on Mediacom Channel 8. He is a member of Olive United Methodist Church and is active in the United Methodist Mens Ministry. Lamb is a member of the National Rifle Association and the Sons of Confederate Veterans.



One of Lambs top campaign priorities is to address the need for potable water access for all county residents.



We have nearly 700 homes in Marshall County who still do not have access to potable water, Lamb said. With the resources and revenue our county takes in annually, I strongly believe our county government needs to move this important issue to the top of the priority list because access to clean drinking water is a necessity not a luxury.



Furthering economic development was also a priority, he said.



We have made significant strides in furthering economic development over last few years, but we need to continue looking for new ways to make our county more business friendly and to market our county to prospective industries so we can provide good paying jobs right here at home.



Lamb also said curbing government spending was an issue on which he intended to focus.



It is critical that our local leaders be responsible stewards of taxpayer money and practice fiscal responsibility, he said. Just as I have done while serving on the city council, I will advocate for less government spending and will seek to eliminate any unnecessary expenditures and will work to keep taxes low so the people can keep more of their hard-earned money in their pocket.



The Democratic primary will be held on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. Marshall Countys First District is comprised of the Olive, Hardin, Ross, South Benton, Southwest Benton, South Marshall, Brewers and Harvey precincts. The current County Commissioner in the 1st District is Democrat Bob Gold.
With pre-season being a time for experimentation, Marouane Fellaini tried out a couple of new looks during Manchester Uniteds glorified pre-season friendly defeat against Real Madrid last night.

As well as attempting to shackle his dense mane with bloodied bandages, the big Belgian midfielder also put his face to good use by providing the enduring image of the 2017 UEFA Super Cup

Era-defining.

Of course, as is inevitable, social media soon had its fun with Fellainis face melt moment, which came in the split-second after he chested a high ball after coming on as a second-half substitute in Skopje.

Fellaini Study in Oil  Francis Bacon, 1962 pic.twitter.com/QwZOg36T0n  Who Ate All The Pies (@waatpies) August 8, 2017

I am a big fan Marouane  pic.twitter.com/dxg8fzR5ua  chelseasider (@chelseasider) August 8, 2017

This one is the best pic.twitter.com/kqFjTAxu1P  oz (@besiktas4life) August 8, 2017

You look like a melting candle lad! pic.twitter.com/PJQ1ckZm8Y  Lee (@Lee_EFC) August 8, 2017

Thankfully, Fellaini himself was able to just about laugh off the ridicule, thanking the no-doubt thousands of people who sent the unedifying image his way after the match

Thank you to everyone who posted & sent me this  pic.twitter.com/O7tmOSYR38  Marouane Fellaini (@Fellaini) August 8, 2017

By eck, United have got a good-looking squad these days.
Winona County will continue financial support for low income housing in the coming year.

The Winona County Board Gave its approval to Southeastern Minnesota Multi-County Housing and Redevelopment Authoritys (SEMMCHRA) 2018 levy budget request of $101,082 Tuesday.

SEMMCHRA provides low income, market rate, and subsidy housing in Winona County, with projects in Lewiston, St. Charles, and Utica.

The funding will be used for general fund expenditures ($48, 052), housing and developments ($40,000), and Winona County housing development ($13,000). The agency also requested an additional $100,000 for the creation of a Winona County housing trust fund, which would only be used for housing related projects/programs approved by Winona County.

Joe Wheeler, director of SEMMCHRA, said the budget request will keep the HRA program operating and keep the services it provides to the community available, and the trust fund would provide an additional source of accessible money to help meet the housing needs of moderate, low income, and very low income households in the county.

Theres a lot of people we help through our programs, he said. Theres a lot we could accomplish with this money.

While giving their ultimate approval, board members expressed some doubts about the trust fund request.

Commisioner Steve Jacob said he was skeptical because it would be taxpayer funded and whether the money comes from federal, state, or local sources, its another burden on the taxpayers.

Marie Kovecsi said she was concerned about SEMMCHRAs lack of knowledge or participation in the city of Winonas housing study, and was curious about how they might be able to coordinate with the city of Winona.

Its been going on for months and its been very public, she said. Id like to see some participation with it, so Im concerned about that... I dont know, this trust fund doesnt seem to be very well thought out.
Healthcare as a human right

As a doctor concerned about access to healthcare for Minnesotas rural communities, I attended the Aug. 1 Farmfest panel Addressing The Rural Health Care Dilemma. Many are fearful of proposals coming from Washington, D.C. which would make access worse by bringing back pre-existing conditions and cutting funding for Minnesotas public programs like Medicaid and MinnesotaCare.

People at the forum wanted solutions, not political posturing. Panelists Congressman Tim Walz and Minnesota Human Services Commissioner Emily Piper both stated emphatically: Healthcare is a human right.

I agree.

Nicholas Gerhart, CEO of Farm Bureau Financial, supported this by relating his familys experience with a pre-existing condition. We are a wealthy nation and called for a way to provide people the care they need.

What I find disheartening is President Trumps call to let the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) implode. Instead of building off the affordable Care Acts strengths and fixing its issues, a political win of knocking out ObamaCare appears more important than making healthcare affordable for everyone in this nation.

This is concerning given that on July 31 the Minnesota Department of Commerce announced the preliminary insurance rates for Minnesotans in the individual market for 2018. If President Trump rejects Minnesotas reinsurance plan, a temporary two-year $542 million fix passed this year in the legislature, premiums would be 20 percent higher on average (added to last years increases of nearly 60 percent).

Commissioner Piper offered a serious answer for the high cost insurance and access issues plaguing farmer and small businesses in rural Minnesota. In areas where there are limited insurance options, Minnesotans could buy into MinnesotaCare, a program that would offer premiums 15 percent lower than those of any insurance company, along with lower deductibles and comprehensive benefits. MinnesotaCare also has the largest networks, meaning a larger choice of doctors and hospitals near to peoples homes.

Our elected officials need to hear the calls for help from our rural communities and farmers who are disproportionately affected by this crisis in healthcare. We are a wealthy nation and should have a healthcare system that treats each person with dignity and respect and provides for the care they need.

Aleta Borrud, Rochester, Minn.
We have now been at war in Afghanistan and Iraq for over 15 years. This means that these wars are now the longest in our history, and do not yet have an end in sight. This raises the basic question as to why we are still in these wars, what is our remaining objective, and when might we get out?

The war in Afghanistan was launched in response to the terrorist attacks on the United States. The stated objective was to get Osama Bin Laden. Shortly thereafter, there was the determination that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, so it was appropriate for us to invade Iraq and topple the regime of Saddam Hussein, and get rid of the weapons of mass destruction. It turned out that there were no such weapons. Further, he did not have the means to deliver them to the United States.

These two wars are very unlike any previous wars. Somehow, it was decided that we did not have enough military personnel to carry out these wars. Perhaps it was because we were in two wars? The result was that we had to hire private military contractors (PMCs), at a much higher cost than the military personnel. We then started to erect buildings to house these personnel. The Defense Contract Management Agency then had to send in personnel to monitor the contractors, to see that they performed. This had never been done in previous wars.

After we defeated Saddam Hussein, captured him and executed him, we did not end that war. We then helped establish a new government, but it has taken all of this time to get to its current stage of control. It still wants our aid in training its troops. This is a country with a different culture and rival religious factions. Why are we still there? How much more infrastructure will we build there? Why do that when we need to rebuild our own highways and bridges?

In Afghanistan, it took us a number of years to find Bin Laden, and kill him. We sent in CIA personnel to protect government leaders, as we established a government. Then, there were elections. However, the government has had great difficulty in trying to get control of the country. So, we are still there. How long will we stay?

The costs of these wars so far are ENORMOUS! The financial outlays so far are in the hundreds of billions of dollars. The military personnel, DCMA personnel, and PMC personnel who are there over 180 days, then do not have to pay federal income tax, as they are outside the country. We are also providing their housing. I suspect we also provide their food. Its a great deal for the PMCs, as they get high pay, lodging, and are not subject to federal income tax. The DCMA personnel get good pay, plus the free lodging, and exemption from Federal income tax if they are there over 180 days in a calendar year.

These are just the current costs, and these operating costs will continue as long as these people are there. For the military veterans, however, even when the wars are ended, there will be continuing costs for medical treatments and any disability payments due. These payments will continue for the lives of these veterans, and they will have to live with their disabilities, some quite severe.

The reason we are still there might be the profits that the PMCs are reaping. These contractors, such as Haliburton, had great influence with Vice President Dick Chaney, formerly the CEO of Haliburton. They were awarded some no bid contracts, which invite excessive pricing.

The reason for extending our presence in Afghanistan could be even more unsavory. Afghanistan is where lots of poppies are grown. Poppies are used to produce heroin. Might the CIA be smuggling heroin from Afghanistan, into the U. S., then selling it to the mafia? We must remember that the CIA worked with the mafia when trying to eliminate Fidel Castro.

Unfortunately, most Americans are paying little attention to these wars. They are in distant countries and are not seriously affecting their lives. They pay their federal income taxes which go for many things, so the tax costs of these wars are hidden in a lump sum.

When we consider the financial costs of these wars and the harm to our veterans, isnt it time to end these wars? Why are we still fighting these wars? Is it because the military industrial complex wants to profit from them? Does the CIA want them?

We need to take action to get these wars stopped.
Theres a kernel of truth in the Trump administrations new proposal to curb legal immigration  strange as it is that a president who based his campaign on halting illegal border-crossers now wants to block the very people he used to praise, those who arent breaking any laws, and have waited in line, properly filled out all the paperwork, and seek to enter the correct way.

As White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller explained last week, a flaw in the current immigration system allows legal permanent residents, or green card holders, to invite close family members to join them in this country. When those family members also get green cards, theyre allowed to invite more family members. The immigrant numbers can expand geometrically, adding pressures to education, health care and labor networks.

That will merit scrutiny if Congress ever summons the courage to address true immigration reform. But its not even close to ranking among the biggest issues facing the U.S. immigration system, which is why Millers explanation raised so many eyebrows.

Every year, we issue a million green cards to foreign nationals , but we do so without regard to whether that applicant has demonstrated the skill that can add to the U.S. economy, whether they can pay their own way or be reliant on welfare, or whether theyll displace or take a job from an American worker, Miller told reporters.

He blamed the policy for depressing blue-collar wages and massive displacement of African-American and Hispanic workers.

Wage stagnation remains a pernicious problem. But immigration isnt the culprit; increasing automation and persistently low retail demand are. Republican state legislatures have steadily weakened organized labor and fought efforts around the country to force employers to pay higher minimum wages.

The Trump administration last week celebrated the latest figures showing that joblessness reached a 16-year low of 4.3 percent. But when the chronically unemployed and part-timers seeking full-time work are added, total unemployment remains stubbornly high at 8.6 percent.

Employers feel little pressure regarding pay, mainly because theres still an abundant supply of underemployed workers available to fill lower-wage jobs.

Try as Miller might to blame immigrants, hes off-base. Restricting legal immigration wont fix an economy thats undergone massive structural change.

Meanwhile, the Republican attorney general of Texas is threatening to sue the Trump administration if it doesnt revoke the protections afforded to undocumented immigrant youths under President Barack Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

These combined actions signify an unnecessarily mean twist to the Republican immigration debate. They divert public attention from the main problems driving illegal immigration. Instead of addressing them piecemeal, the time is ripe for a full-throated, comprehensive immigration reform package that addresses them all, head-on.
Volunteers are playing a key role in preparing the Sauk Prairie Recreation Areas hiking trails for public use.

Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance members spent the first half of this week plotting three trails on the 3,000-acre state-owned property that once housed the Badger Army Ammunition Plant. The conservation group will spend the rest of the week building trail markers to install Saturday.

Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance Executive Director Charlie Luthin said the work came ahead of the groups plan to release an official visitors guide with a map of the area at the end of the month. He said Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources officials, who manage the property, wanted the trails clearly marked to ensure that hikers, bikers and other outdoor enthusiasts dont get lost on the propertys roadways.

We marked places where we didnt want people to get lost, Luthin said. This area is loaded with roads, and there are a lot of side roads as well.

Luthin said the Alliance also plans to release a Badger app by the end of the year. He said the GIS-based cellphone application will include recommended hiking routes, as well as an interactive story map that provides information on the propertys geological and cultural history.

Several volunteers helped Luthin flag off trails Tuesday morning. Ben Levers, 12, of Sauk City said he wanted to work with the Alliance because he plans to cycle throughout the area with his mountain biking team in the future.

I thought it would be fun to help out, Levers said. Id know that I helped when I come to ride out here.

Luthin said planning for the trails began last winter. He said the DNR allowed Alliance members to plot trails using the propertys existing roads and infrastructure. Several Alliance members then created three distinct trails, each with its own personality.

Luthin said the southernmost trail features rolling hills and open views across meadows with small clumps of trees. Horses arent allowed on the trail, but hikers and bikers are welcome to traverse the path.

Its a very idyllic setting, Luthin said. Its very park-like.

Luthin described the central trail, which cuts through the heart of the property, as more sterile, with many straight runs. He said the long, straight sections of the trail may be more appealing to mountain bikers and horse riders than hikers.

The views are spectacular, Luthin said. You get a great view of the Baraboo Bluffs because its a bit higher elevation.

The northernmost trail exhibits the areas most diverse features, according to Luthin. It consists of long series of loops and comebacks that extend to the southern edge of the Baraboo Hills.

Luthin estimated that Alliance members will have logged more than 100 hours of volunteer work by the end of the week. Yvette Pino of Madison, whos been a member of the Alliance for one year, said volunteering has changed her perspective on ecological restoration.

The amount of time and patience it takes is eye-opening, she said. People dont realize that restoration work is a lifelong quest.
The national highway that stretches from Detroit, Michigan, to Aberdeen, Washington, no longer will meander through Baraboo or West Baraboo. The Baraboo bypass officially opens this week and U.S. Route 12 will now skirt the community. Its a continuing trend to bypass America.

Efficiently and safely moving traffic is a priority when it comes to road construction and, unfortunately, highway expansion has become the norm. These highway construction projects have become a necessary evil. They move people faster and safer than the former two-lane roads, but they are highly expensive and are changing the character of our communities.

Growing up in Burlington, we would catch U.S. Route 12 in nearby Elkhorn and traverse the rural countryside to Madison, home of the state capitol and the Wisconsin Badgers. We would pass through the Lauderdale Lakes, Whitewater, Fort Atkinson and Cambridge.

Years later, having settled in Merrimac, Highway 12 would become an even bigger part of my daily life as I commuted the other direction to Madison for work before taking my current position. The daily stretch between Sauk City and Middleton would become notorious as a dangerous stretch of highway.

Before that four-lane segment opened in 2005, the highway was featured on the former NBC news magazine Primetime Live as one of Americas deadliest highways. The road had become extremely hazardous and produced a number of traffic fatalities, particularly along a stretch known as Springfield Hill. While not gaining the same notoriety, the curves near Skillet Creek south of Baraboo is rising in the ranks.

When it comes to highway nostalgia, most of us think of Route 66. Famously called the Main Street of America, the highway stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles. The expansion of the highway system took Americas Mother Road and slowly dismantled her until her final demise in 1985. All that remains are remnants that folks now call Historic Route 66 in an effort to restore tourism to their tiny towns.

Route 12 never gained the same fame that Route 66 still seemingly enjoys, none-the-less she shares a similar character in that she connected communities. You could drive from Madison to Wisconsin Dells or Baraboo to Tomah. It has been a route that connected us while keeping alive high school rivalries. Its the route that kept everything local while letting strangers pass through on their cross-country treks.

Baraboo is fortunate to have the history of the Ringling Brothers, and even the Gollmar Brothers, who helped turn Baraboo into what is now home to Circus World Museum. When far-away travelers are driving past our little corner of the country, at least Baraboos little historical piece of Americana will lure these potential by-passers onto an off-ramp and give them a reason to visit the headquarters of Sauk County.

We also cannot forget the importance of Highway 12 to American history. Portions of the highway follows the eastbound route of Lewis and Clarks expedition in the West while to the east, the route is the only U.S. highway route serving downtown Detroit. Its too bad all of those Motown musicians never came up with a ditty about that.

Then there is the significance of the central portion of the route. While not in dead center, the history of the Badger Army Ammunition Plant should not be forgotten. The trains may have hauled out powder on the abandoned tracks that soon will be the Great Sauk Trail, but it was Route 12 that brought in a majority of the 23,000 employees that worked there.

The plant was massive. It housed up to 8,000 production workers and their families for the duration of World War II. Long forgotten is that the plant provided a recreation center, a hospital, cafeterias, childcare and even a school. The first shipment of powder was sent to the Twin Cities Ordnance plant for use in M-1 cartridges. The M-1 was the standard-issue service rifle during WWII and the Korean War.

Highway 12 is changing. It bypasses Whitewater and now Baraboo. Major portions of it now run along the interstate system, but one can only question how long it will be before it bypasses Sauk City and many others.

Progress is important, as are these critical highway projects. Its just sad that so much history goes away with each expansion. Along the way, they bypass places like Baraboo, and ultimately America. Hopefully, it wont bypass our historical significance.
Congratulations, China: Youve caught our disease.

The Asian nation is making credit more readily available to consumers. The results, as any of us whove driven by a mobile home with a Cadillac and a satellite dish stationed outside can attest, have been disastrous. The Chinese are just as hooked on the ability to outspend their means as Americans are.

We are in no position to judge: A complete inability to handle credit is how the U.S. government ended up owning China $1 trillion. Hey, if you buy enough $640 toilet seats and $7,600 coffee makers, pretty soon youre talking about real money. If only we could pay off the debt with 25 million copies of Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties, one of the top-grossing animated films in Chinas history.

Looking to find new sources of economic growth and reduce its dependence on heavy industry and state-driven infrastructure investment, China has turned to credit. Representatives from more than 300 cities promised last month to make more credit available for consumer spending. They might as well have offered the populace unlimited free doughnuts and then announced a mandatory national weigh-in.

China now faces a surge in household debt, which is estimated to have reached 50 percent of gross domestic product last year, more than doubling in less than a decade. At least one enterprising debtor turned to extreme methods to avoid paying. One might call her the face of creditor avoidance.

A 59-year-old woman from the central city of Wuhan underwent plastic surgery to avoid 25 million yuan ($3.71 million) in personal debt, the state news agency Xinhua reported. She fled to another city after a court ordered her to pay. Police who caught her were perplexed, as she looked decades younger and nothing like the suspect they sought.

The woman, identified as Zhu Najuan, confessed to using other peoples identity cards to travel across the country by train. She financed her plastic surgery using  you guessed it, bank cards that didnt belong to her. It was a very American solution to credit trouble: The best way to dig out from under a pile of debt is to charge it  preferably, to someone else.

Chinese officials solution to their debt crisis has been to rely on public shame. (This would of course never work in America, a place where most of the people who wear yoga pants and bicycle shorts have never done either.) One provincial court has drawn up a blacklist of defaulters. Anyone who telephones an individual on the list must listen to a pre-recorded message saying, please urge this person to fulfill their legal obligations.

Can you imagine America instituting such a system? First of all, doing so would be entirely hypocritical, as Uncle Sam is the worlds biggest credit addict. Secondly, every phone call would take hours to complete if we had to listen to a list of the receiving partys misdeeds. Your call to Jill Jones will be connected after this message from the government: She owes $2,356 to Victorias Secret, hasnt called her dad on Fathers Day in three years and boos ballpark wedding proposals.

It gets even more troubling for Chinese debtors: The city of Wuhan has launched a series of crackdowns on defaulters, detaining 186 people in the first half of the year. I dont see this approach catching on in America, either. We dont have enough room in the prisons for marijuana dealers, much less for people who forgot to send a check to Kohls last month.

Then again, who is any American to tell another country how to handle debt? If we could control ourselves when it comes to credit, we wouldnt carry household debt surpassing $12 trillion. Were lucky the Chinese dont play embarrassing messages when their citizens call the U.S. Your call to America will be placed momentarily, but please urge this party to fulfill its legal obligations. Also, ask them to send a few million DVDs of Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties.
JUNEAU  A 36-year-old Beaver Dam man was sentenced to prison for his seventh offense of drunken driving after pleading guilty.

Rene Gomez has been previously charged for drunken driving in Illinois and Texas.

Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Steven Bauer accepted the plea and sentenced Gomez to 48 months of initial incarceration and a 60-month extended sentence. In addition, his drivers license will be revoked for 36 months, and he must have an ignition interlock on vehicles he owns or operates for 36 months. He also must undergo an AODA assessment.

According to the criminal complaint, a Beaver Dam police officer was in the 100 block of Lakecrest Drive on May 13 at 10:30 p.m. when he heard a noise that sounded like a piece of metal was being dragged or pulled across the pavement. The officer talked to a witness who said that he had seen a truck travel over the curb and onto the sidewalk and tree border area.

The officer found a sign in the parking lot of Pops Eatery on the corner of Lakecrest Drive and Madison Street. He also located the Silver Ford F150 that was damaged in a parking lot in the 100 block of Lakecrest Drive.

Police spoke to Gomez, who told them that he was coming from Kwik Trip when he went over the curb and hit the sign in the lot. Gomez told the officer that he had drank a 12-pack of Budweiser. Gomez refused a breathalyzer test at the scene, but agreed to take one at Dodge County Jail which resulted in a reading of .171.
JUNEAU  A 39-year-old Beaver Dam man was sentenced to jail for driving under the influence last November.

Jeffrey Westra entered a no contest plea to his fifth offense of operating a motor vehicle with restricted controlled substances. Dodge County Circuit Judge Joseph Sciascia accepted Westras plea.

A one-year prison sentence was imposed and stayed, and he was placed on probation for three years. He must serve 180 days in jail. He must undergo an AODA assessment and attend a victims impact panel. He must have an ignition interlock on any vehicle he owns or operates for 24 months, and his drivers license is revoked for 24 months.

According to the criminal complaint, a Dodge County sheriffs deputy pulled over the motorcycle Westra was driving on the afternoon of Nov. 18 for traveling in excess of the posted speed limit on OSixteen Road in the town of Lowell. The posted speed limit was 35 mph and Westras motorcycle was recorded going 48 or 49 mph.

The deputy pulled the motorcycle over on Beaver Dam Road and smelled alcohol on Westras breath. Westra told the officer that he had one beer at a bar in Lowell.

Westra submitted to a breathalyzer that resulted in a reading of .037, which was above the .02 allowable blood-alcohol limit for someone convicted of a fourth OWI.

Westra was previously convicted for OWI in 1997, 2000, 2005 and 2008.
JUNEAU  The local utility commission will spend more than $1 million on electrical system upgrades after a series of contracts were approved in June and July.

The Juneau Utility Commission awarded a $373,173 contract for labor to update two electrical substations Monday night at its regular meeting.

The contract, based upon the low bid of M.J. Electric, Greenville, follows the commissions June approval of nearly $417,000 in equipment and material for the substations.

Four bids considered Monday night ranged from M.J. Electrics low figure to $593,920, according to a summary presented by Juneau Electric Superintendent Ed Brockner.

The $373,173 is quite a bit under budget for that project, said Brockner, whose summary noted $438,000 had been budgeted for the work.

At its June meeting, the commission accepted a low bid of $52,140 from Siemens Co. for three voltage regulators to be installed at the electric utilitys north substation located along the Wild Goose Trail near Home Road.

Also in June, the commission accepted a mid-range bid from Eaton Corp. of $82,724 for four reclosers and controls also to be used at the north substation. Two additional reclosers and controls were purchased at that time by the commission for $8,856, for installation at the utilitys downtown substation located on Lincoln Drive, across from Juneau City Park.

The commission also awarded a contract in June to Border States Electric, of Fargo, North Dakota, for transformer protectors at a price of $87,605. One protector is destined for the north substation while the other will be installed downtown.

In a separate matter at the June meeting, the commission awarded a $185,548 contract for a structure and material package for the north and downtown substations, to Substation Enterprises of Alabaster, Alabama.
Disorderly conduct  Saturday at 1:35 p.m., a woman reported that a 33-year-old man punched her car during an argument.

Suspicious  Saturday at 2:34 p.m., an employee at Recheks Food Pride, 609 N. Spring St., was advised that a man was videotaping girls in the store.

Miscellaneous  Saturday at 5:23 p.m., a man reported that buoys were missing from Tahoe Park.

Animal  Saturday at 11:10 p.m., a woman in the 1000 block Lombardi Lane told police that her cat was stuck in the air exchange vent. Police counseled her on how to get the cat out.

Intoxicated person  Sunday at 2:06 a.m., a woman reported that a man was intoxicated and knocking on the door in the 100 block of Judson Drive. The man was warned for disorderly conduct.

Theft  Sunday at 4:15 a.m., someone reported a possible theft in the 900 block of South Spring Street. The vehicle had been rummaged through.

Suspicious  Sunday at 1:51 p.m., a woman reported that a another woman was walking into peoples driveways with a clipboard and taking notes in the 900 block of South Center Street. The woman admitted to walking into driveways and was counseled.

Accident  Sunday at 2:34 p.m., a woman and a man were involved in a vehicle accident near National Exchange Bank, 1609 N. Spring St.

Battery  Sunday at 4:51 p.m., a man left from Waupun and was later arrested in the 100 block of Washington Street and cited with domestic disorderly conduct, battery, strangulation and intimidating a victim.

Fight  Sunday at 5:19 p.m., a group of 50 boys was reported at the Lincoln Elementary School playground, 210 Gould St. A 13-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy were in a fight related to a SnapChat message. Both were cited with disorderly conduct.

Miscellaneous  Sunday at 5:55 p.m., a woman near McDonalds 1639 N. Spring St., reported that she was being followed by a car around town.

Fight  Sunday at 8:14 p.m., someone in the 100 block of Fourth Street told police that five men were in a physical fight. One man was warned for disorderly conduct.

Retail theft  Sunday at 8:38 p.m., an employee at Recheks Food Pride, 609 N. Spring St., reported the theft of groceries. The person paid for a 12-pack of soda, but not the rest of the groceries.

Intoxicated person  Monday at 1:53 a.m., an officer attempted a traffic stop near the Beaver Street and West Third Street intersection. The vehicle didnt stop and drove through many stop signs. Eventually, the 34-year-old man got out of the vehicle and fled on foot. He was later arrested and cited with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and stop sign violations.

Disorderly conduct  Monday at 2:01 a.m., someone reported a possible domestic incident in the 200 block of North Center Street. An officer met with a 31-year-old man and a woman. The man fled from the basement in his underwear and he was later taken away in police custody.

Accident  Monday at 9:04 a.m., a vehicle hit a building in the 200 block of Industrial Drive.

Vandalism  Monday at 9:29 a.m., someone reported that a building in the 500 block of South Spring Street was vandalized.

Theft  Monday at 10:13 a.m., a woman told police her keys and small items were stolen from a storage locker in the 100 block of Judson Drive.

Accident  Monday at 7:12 p.m., a dirt bike hit a parked car near the Hamilton Street and Pleasant Street intersection.
Heres a question to ponder: Are there too many wolves in America or not enough? For most of our history since Europeans arrived on this continent, the question rarely was asked. Most people thought wolves were a vicious menace to humans and livestock, and ought to be wiped out.

The wolfs enemies nearly succeeded. At one time, some 2 million wolves roamed across North America, including almost the entire territory of what is now the continental United States. But thanks to a relentless extermination campaign, the beasts nearly disappeared. By 1960, only about 300 remained in the lower 48 states, confined to remote reaches of northern Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Thanks in large part to the federal Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966 and its successor, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, wolves were saved from extinction in this country, and they began a difficult, painstaking recovery. In the following half-century, the number of gray wolves gradually rose to some 4,500. They now also are found in Wisconsin, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. In all, they are present in just 5 percent of their original habitat. By historical standards, its small progress.

But there still are people who think we have more than enough wolves. And they have managed to persuade the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove some of the protection the animals have depended on. But the agency has managed only limited success in that endeavor. On Aug. 1 the wolves in our part of the country got a reprieve thanks to a federal appeals court.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has tried repeatedly to de-list the gray wolf in Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, which would free those states to allow hunting and trapping of these animals, as they have made clear they intend to. But the courts have intervened on behalf of Midwestern wolves.

In the latest ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said that in stripping the wolves of their protected status, the agency turned its back on the implications of historical range loss and ignored the effect this change would have on wolves outside the western Great Lakes region. This effort to circumvent the Endangered Species Acts explicit de-listing standards, wrote Judge Patrica Millett, was the essence of arbitrary-and-capricious and ill-reasoned agency action.

For now, the Great Lakes wolves will be shielded from humans who want to shoot or trap them for fun or out of misplaced fear. There is no actual need for hunting. If we have learned anything from the return of these awe-inspiring creatures to the Upper Midwest, its that they are very good at coexisting with people.

In the lower 48 states, there are no known cases of humans being killed by wolves, and attacks on humans are virtually unheard of. Wolves occasionally prey on livestock, but far less often than ranchers suggest, and the owners are paid compensation for those rare losses.

If you think there are too many wolves, lifting the protections that have facilitated their comeback makes sense to you. If you find pleasure in killing these animals for sport  even though no one eats wolf meat  you will want to have that right.

But wed bet that most people in the Upper Midwest, as well as the rest of the country, think America would be a better place if wolves were able to expand their numbers and territory. For the time being, at least, the wolves will have that chance.
Four people face a substantial battery charge after being arrested July 24 in the town of Lisbon following a bar fight.

Ryan N. Forrest, Nancy Hawver, Shawn Kelley and Katie Williams could be fined $10,000, or face no more than three years and six months, or both, in prison for the battery charge. They are charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and each could be fined $1,000 or be imprisoned for no more than 90 days, or both.

According to a criminal complaint:

On July 24, Juneau County deputies responded to a bar fight at Wonderlys in the town of Lisbon. The report indicated five people were involved and one person was lying on the ground, unconscious. Two people were quickly taken into custody.

Witnesses told the deputies Forrest punched one male in the face, knocking him unconscious. Two other females, Katie Williams and Nancy Hawver allegedly continued to kick the man in the face while he was lying unconscious. According to the report, the man, 53, was bleeding heavily from the face and had a pool of blood underneath his head.

During an initial investigation, Nancy Hawvers phone was seized and police obtained a search warrant to view contents stored in the phone. Hawver admitted to having a cell phone video recording of the fight.

When questioned by police, Forrest said he was involved in the fight, but said he was only trying to push people away from his friend, Shawn Kelley. The owner of the bar was also interviewed and said she told people to leave when she sensed a fight was going to start and that Hawver attempted to fight her. Kelley started getting rough with the alleged victim. They went into the parking lot and the fight began.

The owner said she saw several people gang up on the man and went back into the bar to call 911. When she returned, the man was on the ground and Williams was allegedly kicking him. She tried to push people away from the alleged victim. Another witness said the man was not instigating the fight and that Kelley was the primary aggressor. He tried and another male tried stopping the fight by pushing Kelley away. He said Forrest ran up and punched the man in the face, unprovoked. Kelley tried taking a swing at another male who was trying to break up the fight, but missed.

Forrest denied punching the man, saying he only did some pushing and shoving, but several witnesses alleged he did strike the injured man. He was arrested and taken to jail, along with the other people who attacked the male. At the hospital he told a deputy he was kicked in the face and had his head stomped on, and didnt know why he was attacked. A doctor confirmed the male had several broken bones on the right side of his face, including the jaw, cheek and eye bone areas.

Forrest has an initial appearance scheduled for Aug. 9 at 9 a.m. Hawver will also be at the Juneau County Justice Center Aug. 9 for a hearing. Williams was also charged with obstructing an officer and will have her initial appearance Aug. 9. Kelley, also faces a charge for resisting and obstruction, but no future court activity has been recorded.
Taxpayers will spend $1 billion more than the state receives in tax revenues for the first 15 years of the project, a state estimate shows.
Wild winds, harsh rapids and extreme fatigue didnt stop Ben Sasse from paddling the entire length of the Wisconsin River.

The former Westfield resident finished kayaking the river on July 29  in 8 days, 12 hours and 37 minutes  and he hopes to do it again.

That was definitely the most tired Ive ever been, Sasse said. On my last two days I found myself falling asleep while kayaking; I didnt think that was possible.

Sasse, using a sea kayak, appears to have set the single-person record for paddling the rivers 436 miles. Hed originally hoped to top six days and 10 hours, set by two men in a canoe in 1983. The fastest team time, he learned later, is believed to be just over four days, set by two other men in 1995.

Jesse Hieb, of Milwaukee, is the only other person Sasse knows of who timed an individual paddling of the Wisconsin River. Hiebs time last year was a little more than two weeks, though he was using a stand-up paddleboard.

Sasse, who now lives in Muscoda, said he definitely could have topped his original goal of six days with just a little more training and planning.

I feel like I could complete the four days, actually.

Harsh winds on Petenwell Lake (south of Nekoosa) prior to his passing through Wisconsin Dells and Portage on the night of July 27 slowed Sasse enough for him to miss his mark, but the experience offered Sasse everything hed otherwise hoped for.

One of my favorite parts about this was seeing so many people who were getting out and enjoying the water, said Sasse, a nature enthusiast who last year, along with his wife, Kayla, managed Plymouth Spring Fish Company, a trout farm in Westfield. I went past so many people enjoying northern Wisconsin, people going on canoe trips, boating, fishing.

The most difficult part of his trip, he said, was not the wind  it was the heat of summer. Just being out there in the sun was really exhausting, Sasse said, adding that rain, lightning and whitewater rapids also slowed him down at times. Still, there were times I felt like I couldnt get out of the sun.

Sasse slept for three to six hours per night anywhere  on the banks of the river, islands, sandbars or in the kayak. Portaging through the rivers 26 dams, which sometimes required Sasse to lift his kayak out of the water and walk it around the dam for more than a mile, also took a toll on Sasse. At some point each day he met Kayla, their baby son, Aldo, and their border collie, Flick  easily the best part of his trip.

Wisconsin Dells and Portage, Sasse said, are among the most beautiful parts of the Wisconsin River. The Dells feature some of the most impressive bluffs, and Portage is where the river gets a lot wider, with really great sandbars that are excellent for camping.

In my eyes, Portage is the beginning of the end, Sasse said. The start of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway is in Prairie du Sac, but Portage has some of the same characteristics with its sandbars.

Sasse hopes to someday try the entire Wisconsin again, next time planning out minute by minute what Im doing and keeping better track of weather forecasts. Hed like to first try other rivers elsewhere in the U.S., however, since he does already know the Wisconsin River really well, admitting the landscape gets kind of repetitive after a while. Hes currently unemployed but he doesnt expect to be jobless for long, and he knows its tough for anyone to make a long trip like this work.

All told, the Wisconsin River that begins in Lac Vieux Desert at the Wisconsin-Michigan border and ends at Wyalusing offered Sasse a range of views.

His advice for others whod like to paddle the entire Wisconsin?

Get some guidance from someone who really knows what theyre doing, wear a life jacket and let people know where youre going to be, Sasse said. Being safe is the most important part.
Gaining a deeper feeling for Chinese culture

Showing how it's done Xiaolu Ma demonstrates the first step in creating a Mei Hua, or Chinese plum tree, during the Confucius Institute's recent Chinese Culture Summer Camp. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Giving it a try Aliyah Battle of Richmond starts the process of creating a Mei Hua at the recent Chinese Culture Summer Camp. Photo by Stephen Salpukas

Teaching martial arts Lianghao Liu, a Confucius Institute intern and graduate student from Beijing Normal, works with youngsters attending the Institute's Chinese Culture Summer Camp. Photo by Stephen Salpukas Photo - of - Hide Caption

Exhaling so gently that it might not cause the flame of a candle to flicker, Xiaolu Ma sent a drop of black ink on a brief journey to the edge of a white sheet of paper.



As the ink moved down the page, settling into the shape of a tree, the eyes of a group of children attending the Chinese Culture Summer Camp at the William & Mary Confucius Institute last week brightened and widened.



Ma, a graduate student at Beijing Normal University who is serving an internship at the Confucius Institute, was teaching the art of creating a plum tree, or Mei Hua in Chinese.



{{youtube:medium|YI0FFsV7-bc, The Mei Hua}}



The Confucius Institute began offering camps in Chinese culture during the spring and summer in 2013, said Ying Liu, the institutes associate director.



Its very popular with children, and we limit the number to eight, she said. We dont have a large space, and we want to try and make it fun and interactive. We think thats a good way to get them interested in our culture.



Over the course of five two-hour days, the students were exposed to Chinese brush painting, Chinese games, Chinese martial arts, Chinese musical instruments, Chinese paper cutting and Chinese calligraphy.



After Mas demonstration with the ink and paper, she went around the conference room at Rowe House and pumped a drop of ink on the paper in front of her students.



Phew ... phew ... phew 



The children blew on their pages, spreading the ink in similar fashion to Ma.



Ma then pulled out what looked like a ceramic candy dish with a lid. Inside was red ink. She gave the children a piece of shaped plastic that fit over their index finger, then showed them that the ink was intended to draw blossoms on the tree. Then she brought out crayons to fill in grass, sky and any other elements the children desired.



For the next 45 minutes, the children and three tutors enjoyed themselves.



Sitting off to the side, taking it all in, was Isabelle Szczerbinski, a 12-year-old homeschooler from Richmond. Having attended the camp previously, Szczerbinski was serving as an assistant counselor, a helping hand when needed.



She has been passionate about Chinese culture since the time as a child she attempted to speak with a Chinese chef at a Dallas restaurant, but couldnt because he didnt speak English.



She came back to the table, said her father, Eric Szczerbinski, and said she would have liked to talk to the man, and would it be possible for her to learn Chinese.



We think its very important for kids to learn multiple languages. In most other parts of the world, its just standard. In Europe, about 80 percent of kids have exposure, not just to two but three languages in grade school. In America, its about 18 percent. So theres a huge difference.



His daughter is now fluent in a conversational dialect of Chinese.



Most of the world speaks a different language, and you cant communicate with the rest of the world to get your ideas across if you just speak English, she said. Youd need a translator or someone who actually speaks the other languages. I feel like everyone needs to be their own translator so that they can understand the nuances of the language.



Isabelle Szczerbinski said what stands out for her about Chinese culture is its extraordinary longevity.



I like how its still the same, or very similar, after 5,000 years, she said. We still have stories about people who lived more than 5,000 years ago through folk stories, and I find that very cool.

{{youtube:medium|NDPYd8DDBJI, Chinese martial arts}}



Szczerbinski watched earlier in the day when Lianghao Liu, another intern and graduate student from Beijing Normal, guided the class to Barksdale Field. On the agenda was an introduction to Chinese martial arts, which Liu has been studying since high school.



Liu painstakingly reviewed the basics of warming up and the most elementary aspects of the discipline.



That was one of the highlights of the day for Aliyah Battle, 13, of Richmond, who said she wanted to attend the Chinese Culture Summer Camp because you should always try something different.



Battle did exactly that a couple of years ago, downloading a Chinese language app onto her cellphone just to see if I could learn the language.



But it didnt help, she admitted good-naturedly. It was very difficult. Still, its good to try a different language.




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At a ceremonial bill signing held at The Providence Center on Monday, Gov. Gina Raimondo signs several bills into law that deal with the opioid crisis. From the left, Sen. Elizabeth A. Crowley, Sen. Joshua Miller, and from the right, Rep. Mia A. Ackerman, and Rep. Dennis M. Canario, join the governor at the bill signing.
Bruce Power, Areva NP join for isotope production

09 August 2017

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Bruce Power and Areva NP will further explore opportunities to commercialise radioisotope production capabilities at the Bruce nuclear power plant in Ontario following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) yesterday. Under the agreement, Areva NP is to supply equipment to allow online production of isotopes at the Canadian plant.

The MOU was signed by Bruce Power CEO and president Mike Rencheck and William Cooper, president of Areva NP's installed base business unit in Canada (Image: Bruce Power)

The MOU builds on an agreement signed by the two companies in December 2014 to evaluate the feasibility of developing online radioisotope production capabilities at the Bruce plant.

Under the latest agreement Areva NP will design and supply the hardware to be installed in the existing Bruce Candu units to add online isotope production.

Developing online radioisotope production capabilities at Bruce will allow the plant to produce shorter half-life isotopes - such as molybdenum-99, lutetium-177 and iridium-192 - with a system that inserts and removes targets with little impact on the normal operation of the reactors. The process will use Areva NP's patent-pending method of producing radioisotopes using a heavy water nuclear power plant.

The Bruce power plant comprises eight Candu reactors at two generating stations - units 1-4 at Bruce A and units 5-8 at Bruce B - which between them have a generating capacity of up to 6400 MWe. The plant is a key part of the province of Ontario's long-term energy plan, and is undergoing a major refurbishment program that will give six of its eight units an additional 30-35 years of operating life. Units 1 and 2 at Bruce A have already been refurbished.

"Adding online radioisotope production capability will enable Bruce Power to provide a long-term, reliable platform to produce a wide range of radioisotopes for use in both health care and industry in Ontario, across Canada, and potentially North America and abroad," Bruce Power and Areva NP said in a joint statement.

James Scongack, Bruce Power's vice president of corporate affairs and environment, said: "Our partnership with Areva NP demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the people of Ontario and beyond, as we look for innovative ways to expand our important contributions to global health care."

Areva has provided outage, engineering, maintenance and staffing services to Bruce Power and other Canadian nuclear facilities for a number of years. In January, Bruce Power and Areva NP signed an MOU valued at up to $55 million for a high-voltage maintenance program. Under that agreement, Areva NP is to provide services for transformers and other high-voltage components to Bruce Power.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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NRC aims for 'informed decisions' on Yucca Mountain

09 August 2017

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The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved further actions related to its review of the Department of Energy's (DOE's) application for authorisation to construct a high-level radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. Yucca Mountain has since 1987 been named in the US Nuclear Waste Policy Act as the sole initial repository for disposal of the country's used nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive wastes.

The DOE submitted a construction licence application for the Yucca Mountain repository to the NRC in 2008, but following 2009's presidential elections the Obama administration subsequently decided to abort the project, appointing a high-level Blue Ribbon Commission to come up with alternative strategies. The NRC terminated licensing activities for Yucca Mountain in 2011, but in August 2013 was ordered to resume work on its technical and environmental reviews of the application by the US Court of Appeals.

The NRC said yesterday that its next steps involve information-gathering activities related to the suspended adjudication on the application, enabling "efficient, informed decisions" in support of executing any further appropriations of funds for the High-Level Waste Program. It has directed agency staff to hold a "virtual meeting" of the Licensing Support Network (LSN) Advisory Review Panel to provide information to, and gather input from, advisory panel members and the public regarding reconstitution of the Licensing Support Network or a suitable replacement system.

The LSN was an online database of nearly four million documents supporting the adjudicatory hearing on the Yucca Mountain application. The hearing was suspended in 2011, and the LSN was decommissioned. The documents are stored in a publicly available LSN Library in the NRC's ADAMS document system.

The NRC has limited expenditures for the information-gathering activities to $110,000 from the Nuclear Waste Fund. As of 30 June, it had about $634,000 in remaining unobligated Nuclear Waste Fund appropriations. Since 2013, the agency has directed its staff to complete its Safety Evaluation Report, prepare a supplement to the DOE's Environmental Impact Statement, and preserve the documents from the LSN within ADAMS.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in May that the DOE and NRC will need to rebuild their organisational capabilities in order to restart the suspended licensing process for the Yucca Mountain repository. GAO was asked by the House of Representatives' Committee on Energy and Commerce to examine the likely steps needed to resume the Yucca Mountain licensing process.

US nuclear waste management policy is enshrined in the 1982 Nuclear Waste Policy Act, which established federal responsibility for all civil used fuel and obliged the government - through the DOE - to begin removing used fuel from nuclear facilities by 1998 for disposal in a federal facility. The act was amended in 1987 to designate Yucca Mountain in Nevada as the sole site for the repository for 70,000 tonnes of high-level waste.

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Operational safety improves at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa

09 August 2017

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Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has addressed many of the recommendations made following a 2015 assessment of operational safety at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). However, the IAEA says work should continue in some areas.

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa (Image: Tepco)

In late June 2015, an IAEA Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) was sent to units 6 and 7 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata prefecture at the invitation of the Japanese government. The assessment focused on safety measures that have to be in place regardless of whether the plant is operating. It included a review of areas including leadership and management, training, operations, radiation protection, technical support, operating experience, emergency preparedness and severe accident management. The OSART team noted a series of good practices and made recommendations to reinforce some safety measures.

OSART missions aim to improve operational safety by objectively assessing safety performance using the IAEA's Safety Standards and proposing recommendations for improvement where appropriate. Follow-up missions are standard components of the OSART program and are typically conducted within two years of the initial mission.

A four-member team - including two members of the original 2015 OSART mission - has now carried out a follow-up mission to the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant. The assessment took place from 31 July to 4 August.

The team found Tepco has fully implemented several of the earlier recommendations and suggestions. These include the updating and integration of emergency operating procedures, standard operating procedures and accident management guidance, as well as improving the plant's emergency plan. Tepco has also ensured proper arrangements and practices for contamination control are implemented.

However, the team recommended that work continues in several other areas, including the implementation of an integrated system to manage all operating experience information. Tepco should also establish a procedure to ensure the availability of complete and reliable plant design data, including long-term storage and safekeeping of detailed design documentation throughout the plant's lifetime.

Team leader Peter Tarren, head of the IAEA's operational safety section, said: "Tepco has addressed several issued identified in the 2015 review. Though there has been progress, work is still needed to address some recommendations in order to strengthen the plant's operational safety."

The IAEA team has provided Tepco a draft of its report and will submit its final report to the Japanese government within about three months.

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa was unaffected by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami which damaged the Fukushima Daiichi plant, although the plant's reactors were previously all offline for two to three years following the 2007 Niigata-Chuetsu earthquake, which caused damage to the site but did not damage the reactors themselves. While the units were offline, work was carried out to improve the plant's earthquake resistance.

Tepco has applied to restart units 6 and 7 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant. The 1356 MWe Advanced Boiling Water Reactor units were built in the late 1990s. The company has submitted information on safety upgrades across the site and at those two reactor units that it claims meet new regulatory requirements. Although it has done work at the other units at the site, Tepco is concentrating its resources on units 6 and 7 while it deals with the clean-up at Fukushima Daiichi.

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by World Nuclear News

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Montpelier is a small city located in Washington County in the north-central part of the US State of Vermont. Montpelier serves as the capital city of Vermont and is considered the least populous state capital in the country. In May 1787, Colonel Jacob Davis, along with General Parley Davis, arrived in the area from the town of Charlton in Massachusetts, and Colonel Davis named the city Montpelier after the French city of Montpellier. As the 2020 census, this small city has a population of about 8,074 inhabitants, which increases to about 21,000 people during the daytime due to the high number of people that visit the city to work in different jobs within the city limits.

Geography In Montpelier

Aerial view of the city of Montpelier, Vermont.

The city of Montpelier covers a total area of 26.54 sq. km, of which 0.50 sq. km is occupied by water and 26.04 sq. km is occupied by land. Montpelier is located close to the geographic center of the State of Vermont, with the Winooski River flowing on the citys western side. Together with the adjacent city of Barre, the city of Montpelier forms a small micropolitan area in the heart of the state, and both these cities are often referred to as twin cities. Montpelier is bordered by the town of East Montpelier to the north and east, Berlin in the south, and Middlesex in the west. Located at an elevation of 158m, the central part of the city of Montpelier is a flat clay zone surrounded by hills and granite ledges. The Towne Hill runs in a 3.2km long ridge in the northern part of the city.

The Vermont State House, located in Montpelier, is the state capitol of the US State of Vermont. Editorial credit: meunierd / Shutterstock.com

Being the capital city of the US State of Vermont, the city of Montpelier houses the Vermont State House and various federal offices. Some of the prominent institutes of higher education such as Vermont College of Fine Arts, New England Culinary Institute, Union Institute & University are located in the city of Montpelier. In addition to this, there are several nature parks in the city, including Hubbard Park, North Branch River Park, Mill Pond Park, etc. At present, additional mountain biking trails have been added in the North Branch River Park that attracts a lot of mountain bikers. Due to its location close to the states geographic center, the city of Montpelier is one of the most readily accessible among all the cities and towns of Vermont. Besides the business of the state government, the economy of the city of Montpelier is based on tourism, higher education sectors, and life and fire insurance. The headquarters of many insurance companies are located in the city, and the citys downtown hosts many museums, shops, art galleries, and local eateries. The city of Montpelier is also the countrys only state capital that does not have a McDonalds.

Climate Of Montpelier

A view of the snowcovered city of Montpelier during winters. Editorial credit: yegorovnick / Shutterstock.com

According to the Koppen climate classification, the city of Montpelier experiences a humid continental climate with warm, humid summers, short springs, and autumns, and long, freezingly cold, and snowy winters. The warm season lasts from May to September, and July is the hottest month, with the average temperature ranging between 25.5C to 15C. The cold season lasts from December to March, and January is the coldest month, with the average temperature ranging between -11.6C to -2.7C. The city receives an average annual snowfall of 2.39m.

Population In Montpelier

Summer Farmers Market in Montpelier, Vermont. Editorial credit: Phill Truckle / Shutterstock.com

As per the 2020 census, about 8,074 people live in the city of Montpelier. The citys population has increased from the 2010 census, which showed that the city was home to 7,855 people. The city has a population density of 300 inhabitants per sq. km. About 94.3% of the citys population is considered White, of whom most are non-Hispanic. The Hispanic group accounts for 2.3% of the citys population, African Americans at 1.6%, Asians at 1.5%, and 2.4% from two or more races. The American Community Survey also revealed that there are about 3,668 households in the city, with a median household income of $65,078 and a per capita income of $42,496.

Brief History Of Montpelier

Montpelier, Vermont, sits astride the Winooski River in the state's center.

The flats and meadows of the Winooski River were known to the indigenous people for their corn-producing capacities. Also, the areas location close to the confluence of several streams allowed the early inhabitants favorable opportunities for fishing, hunting, and trading. Archaeological excavations have also revealed several native mounds, tombstones, and other memorials of the early inhabitants in the area. The European settlers began arriving in the area between 1600 and 1800. According to many sources, the areas entire Native American population was decimated entirely due to several factors like war, diseases, and dispersal. The Town of Montpelier was granted municipal powers on August 14, 1781. In May 1787, the first permanent settlement was established along the North Branch of the Winooski River, after Colonel Jacob Davis along with General Parley Davis arrived in the area from the town of Charlton in Massachusetts and Colonel Davis named the area as Montpelier after the French city of Montpellier. The settlement grew, and within four years, the population had increased to 117 inhabitants. In 1818, Montpelier was incorporated as a village, and in 1895, Montpelier was incorporated as a city. Due to its central location and easy accessibility, the city of Montpelier in 1805 was selected as the State Capital and the permanent site for the State Legislature. The Central Vermont Railway was opened on June 20, 1849, and since then, Montpelier started developing as a manufacturing hub. At present, the city serves as one of the most popular tourist destinations.
(Scroll down for video) A family agreed to hand over their daughter for adoption to an American businessman so that he can give her a better life.

Sadly, the father of two biological adult children had ulterior motives, which ultimately led to his arrest.

42-year-old Andy William Bosch of Florida, applied to adopt the girl when she was just 12-years-old.

The family trusted Bosch because at the time, he was married to a distant relative the girl. He and his wife are now divorced.

Bosch is now being investigated for human trafficking.

According to ICE gents (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), his wife Melody, was upset when she learned that her husband was having sex with the girl whom she was raising as her own daughter.

However, she did not report her husband to police. In March 2016, when the girl was 16-years-old, she was removed from the home and she was placed in foster care.

Sadly, by that time, the girl was very much attached to Bosch, and she snuck out of her foster familys home to meet with him at different locations for sex, according to investigators.

The teen eventually escaped from her foster home and lived in a home that was paid for by Bosch. There, he visited often.

Captain Jacob Ruiz of the Osceola County Sheriffas Office said the victim was a willing participant with the suspect, and she does not see herself as a victim, but we know that she really is.

Heas currently behind bars in Seminole County, and is facing federal charges. He was also charged in Osceola County for interfering with custody by taking the girl from foster care.

Lawyers representing the defendant requested bond so that Bosch can continue to run his business, Bosch Business Group.

He argued that while the defendant is in jail, the company is losing roughly 30 clients per day.

However, a federal judge denied his request, saying that Bosch, who is originally from Puerto Rico, is a flight risk.
Geraint Roberts Wins July In Wonders of Wrexham 2018 Calendar Competition

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Aug 9th, 2017

A photo of the spectacular firework finale to the Underneath the Arches event at the Ponty Aqueduct has been voted the July winner in the Wonders of Wrexham 2018 Calendar.

Geraint Roberts who took the photograph said: I knew when I took the photograph that it was a great shot. Underneath the Arches is a spectacular event with a brilliant firework finale. I encourage everyone to keep on sending in those photographs particularly as we are now into the summer holidays and everyone will be out and about more.

The Wonders of Wrexham 2018 Calendar competition was launched at the beginning of November by Wrexham Council following the news that North Wales is ranked fourth in the world of regions to visit. Council staff at the time thought it only right that Wrexham celebrated its place in the world with a snap shot record of Wrexham throughout the year.

The aim of the competition is to find the photograph taken by an a amateur photographer which captures the essence of the month of entry.

Entries are now invited for August  you can enter by sending them through to calendar@wrexham.gov.uk

The winning photographs will be featured in a Wonders of Wrexham 2018 calendar which will be produced in November.

Theres no prize except all 12 winners will receive copies of the Wonders of Wrexham 2018 Calendar when it is produced with their photo and name attributed.

Entries can be of anywhere in the County Borough but must be taken in the month of August.
In an article published June 24, Conservatives seek toxic alliance with Democratic Unionist Party, I wrote the following:

Partition was imposed by the wealthy Protestant Ulster based capitalists to defend their industrial interests from the revolutionary threat posed by the working class by carving off the industrial North and imposing sectarian divisions by pogrom and systematic religious discrimination against the Catholic minority.

This annoyed WSWS Disqus commentator NoddyKnox, who replied:

In the matter of Ireland you appear to have absorbed the prejudices of the British hegemon by osmosis. ... Ireland was partitioned to retain a British military foothold and bridgehead on the island of Ireland to allow them to secure their western flank from European attack and ensure their continued access to the north Atlanticcritical for a maritime trading nation and the sine qua non without which they could not access their global empire.

This is not the first such criticism by Knox, whose remarks generally assert that whereas Irish workers are revolutionary, British workers are hopelessly in thrall to their imperialist masters.

In reply to an April 4 article by Julie Hyland, UK Prime Minister May silent on war threats against Spain over Gibraltar, Knox wrote, after having cited the 1867 Fenian Rising and Proclamation:

Given that the Irish Rising of 1916 was against the greatest empire in the world at that time and took place in the heart of that empire, that it stopped conscription into the imperial army, that it led to a revolution which in 1919-1921 created over 100 soviets in a country 350 miles by 150 milesgiven all this it seems incredible that socialists would dismiss it and tell the Irish to look to their brothers across the UK for their future.

Later in the same thread, he complained:

Where was the British working class in 1916? Absent. Where were they in 1845-51, when 3 million Irish were killed and ejected in just 5 years? Nowhere. Where were the British working class in 1969 and the 1970s when the Irish rose again? Nowhere to be seen, except in their traditional position of providing the bulk of the personnel to come to Ireland with guns to walk the streets and quash the Irish.

Delving further into history, he suggested:

The English working class came to an accommodation with their merchant classes and aristocracy centuries ago, an accommodation which has sustained through all the vicissitudes. Through the Peasant Revolt and the English Civil War the English leadership learned to fear and respect the English peasantry and conceded rights to them that ensured relative peace for centuries. It also created a leadership adept at managing their people and responsive when needed.

And in conclusion:

By keeping the British working class away from the most radical political tradition on the two islands via sneering and denunciation you effectively make common cause with the British ruling establishment who similarly sneer, the better to keep their people away from one of the richest intellectual political traditions which is in closest proximity to them.

In reply to an earlier article of mine, European Council endorses Irish unification in hardline negotiations over Brexit, posted May 8, Knox warned:

An Ireland bristling with EU rockets and air defences could lock down Britain and cut it off from the Atlantic as well as from NATO supply lines.

He went on to issue an overheated hymn of praise to the Irish nation:

The waters around Ireland are the richest fishing grounds in the EU. There is also oil and gas, it is suspected in abundance, around Ireland. These have not been developed because a developed Ireland has traditionally been a threat to Britain wealthy, populous and following its own economic, military and foreign policies, as it has the resources to do, would be considered a direct threat to Britains hegemony in this region.

Knox proceeds from insisting that the British working class is hopeless to exalting the nationalist revolutionary traditions of the Irish working class, which he demands British workers should emulate. Advocating a more self-sufficient Ireland, he makes clear that this independence will proceed under the protection of EU weaponry and on the basis of capitalism.

Knox proceeds with similar abandon when dealing with British history. He lumps together disparate events separated by centuries and epochs of economic and social development, with the sole aim of backing up his ludicrous assertion that the last serious challenge mounted to Britains rulers was from the peasantry.

This is not the place to take up every aspect of Knoxs absurd conflation of the 1381 Peasants Revolt, Oliver Cromwells execution of King Charles 1 in 1649 in the midst of the revolutionary strivings of the English bourgeoisie, and social reformism as it emerged in the latter part of 19th century capitalist Britain. However, contrary to Knoxs assertions, from the first appearance of large-scale industry in the late 18th century, the fact is that the fate of workers in Ireland and Britain has been intimately and irrevocably tied. Workers in Britain confronted the same class enemy as the brutally oppressed working population of Ireland. The liberation of either depended upon the liberation of the other.

From the first, as a direct consequence of the barbarism of British rule in Ireland, among the most exploited and tempestuous elements of the working class in Britain itself were those forced to emigrate from Ireland.

The fight for the Peoples Charter demanding parliamentary reform and near universal male suffrage, in the mid-19th century in Britain mobilised millions in the first political movement of the working class in history. It drew much of its leadership and dynamism from Ireland, including leading figures of both the moral and physical force wings of Chartism, Feargus OConnor, and Bronterre OBrien.

Knoxs indictment of British workers for their alleged passivity during the Irish famine is grotesque. Workers were launching strenuous, but unsuccessful efforts to wrest political power from the world-dominating British imperialist bourgeoisie. It was this latter class, not the working class, which ruled Ireland, maintained its economy in forced backwardness, and insisted, in the interests of moral rectitude and laissez-faire capitalism, that famine relief should be suspended while grain exports continued. [1]

In a 1984 essay, historian Bernard Reaney wrote:

There are a variety of reasons why Irish men and women in England may have supported Chartism. They were part of a mass proletariat in the making, and could share common perceptions of exploitation and political exclusion with English workers. The Irish immigrant industrial worker had a double motive for supporting Chartism, which linked the workers denial of political rights with their low social status. Chartists were for complete severance of English political power in Ireland, whereas [bourgeois nationalist leader Daniel] OConnell was willing to settle for the return of the pre-1801 Dublin parliament...

The example of [Irish republican] Robert Emmets execution evoked a profound sympathy amongst English radicals. The Northampton Chartist and first historian of the movement, Robert Gammage, recalled that he was converted to Chartism by reading Thomas Paines Rights of Man and Emmets speech from the dock. Dramatisations of Emmets trial were performed by Chartist groups and his fate was identified with those who fell at Peterloo, and with that of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. [2]

None of this matters to Knox, when he asserts that British workers are as equally to blame for oppression in Ireland. In similar fashion, in his account all Irish are equally oppressed.

During the famine, Knox states that 3 million Irish were killed and ejected in just 5 years. Who does this refer to? Were the priests, the Protestant clergy, the landlords, their thugs, the administrators or the police killed and ejected? No. It was the poorest, most oppressed rural workers and peasants that suffered during the famine.

The 1867 Fenian Proclamation, which Knox cites, clearly understood the need for the unity of the Irish and English oppressed against their common enemy:

History bears testimony to the integrity of our sufferings, and we declare, in the face of our brethren, that we intend no war against the people of Englandour war is against the aristocratic locusts, whether English or Irish, who have eaten the verdure of our fieldsagainst the aristocratic leeches who drain alike our fields and theirs.

In 1870, Karl Marx explained how the English ruling class had been able to undermine the unity of Irish and English workers. He conceded, two decades after the collapse of Chartism, that the English bourgeoisie has not only exploited Irish poverty to keep down the working class in England by forced immigration of poor Irishmen, but it has also divided the proletariat into two hostile camps... in all the big industrial centres in England, there is profound antagonism between the Irish proletariat and the English proletariat (emphasis in the original).

To overcome this, and strike a blow for social revolution in England, Marx, speaking for the General Council of the First International, called for workers to defend the Fenian prisoners. He wrote further:

[I]t is a precondition for the emancipation of the English working class to transform the present forced union (that is, the enslavement of Ireland) into an equal and free confederation, if possible, or complete separation, if need be. [3]

Despite its radical left-wing form, however, the Fenian proclamation, even if it had been implemented in full, was limited to the creation of a bourgeois democratic republic in Ireland. A capitalist state independent of Britain might have emerged but this would have quickly led to class war and created the conditions for socialist revolutionnecessitating above all else a unified struggle of the British and Irish workers.

In the event, the Fenians were suppressed, but the threat of Home Rule of one form or other and separation from British markets drove the powerful industrialists based in Ulster into open rebellion by 1912-14.

The Ulster crisis of the early years of the 20th century was but one expression of the world crisis, which finally led to world war and revolution. It exposed for all time the bankruptcy of national programmes based on the prospect of peaceful development of one or other, or alliances of, capitalist nation states.

Knox ignores such an understanding and ends up sneering, Where was the British working class in 1916?

In 1916, and even more apparent today, the only viable resolution of the crisis of the nation-state system in the islands of Ireland and Britainexpressed to an extraordinary degree in the absurd position of Northern Irelandis through the forging of an alliance between workers in Britain and Ireland, North and South, Protestant and Catholic, for the establishment of socialism in Britain, Ireland and Europe.

But for this to take place required and requires a reckoning both with social reformism in Britain and bourgeois nationalism in Ireland.

Undoubtedly, Ulsters bourgeois minds were focused in their opposition to Home Rule by events such as the Dublin transport strike of 1913 for union rights and improved pay and conditions against a combination of employers, the press and the Catholic Church. The Dublin strikers had widespread support from workers, but the trade unions in Britain had, in the decades after the demise of Chartism, emerged as pillars of respectability, representatives of a narrow privileged labour aristocracy, bought off with social concessions and promises of class peace. No assistance was offered and the Dublin strike was defeated. [4]

To be continued

References/further reading:

1. Tim Pat Coogan, The Famine Plot, Palgrave McMillan (2012) p. 82.

2. Bernard Reaney, Irish Chartists in Britain and Ireland: rescuing the rank and file, Saothar, Vol. 10 (1984), Irish Labour History Society pp. 94-103.

3. The International Workingmens Association, 1870, Confidential Communication on Bakunin.

4. The Irish trade unions, the pseudo-left and the Dublin lockout centenary, Jordan Shilton, posted 5 February 2014.
While French President Emmanuel Macron announced only a 5 cut to monthly Personal Housing Aid (APL) for low-income people, the state is in fact threatening to totally cut off tens of thousands of people from housing benefits.

Due to a benefit cut-off set up in January 2007, anyone receiving less than 15 monthly in housing aid is thrown off the APL rolls. According to BFM-Business, With the across-the-board cut now announced, all those receiving 15-19 monthly will simply be thrown out of the system.

According to data of the National Fund for Family Benefits (CNAF), nearly 50,000 people will be totally cut off from housing aid. This includes 20,224 recipients of APL, 8,415 recipients of Family Housing Aid (ALF), and 19,757 recipients of Social Housing Aid (ALS).

The French state spends approximately 18 billion yearly on housing aid. Thanks to this 5 monthly cut, it plans to cut spending 32 million per month, or 360 million per year. Thus, with its 5 monthly cut, the state is not just slashing yearly benefits by 60 per recipient; it is cutting up to 228 per year, given the many thousands of recipients who are receiving between 15 and 19 per month.

This cut symbolises the class character of the Macron administration, which arrogantly slashes benefits for students and working families while handing over untold billions to the super-rich.

The APL cut is simply an initial taste of tens of billions of euros in social cuts and attacks on the working class that Macron has been preparing to unveil since his election in May, while he simultaneously hands billions of euros in gifts to the wealthy. These gifts, including cuts to taxes on large fortunes (ISF) and on financial securities income, would cost some 7 billion, according to the French Observatory of Economic Situations (OFCE).

It is not hard to see which social benefits are set to benefit under Macron. According to the news magazine Marianne, The judgment is devastating: for the top 0.01 percent in this country, the two key measures of Macron would mean tax cuts on the order of 1 million per year and per household.

According to an OFCE research note, Macrons tax cuts will net on average 4,225 for the top 1 percent of Frenchmen, that is, a 3.1 percent increase in purchasing power. However, for the bottom 90 percent of the French population, the average reduction in taxes will be 55, or 0.3 percent on average. This minute gain will be compensated, however, by deep cuts to key social services on which masses of people rely in France.

According to Mariannes calculations based on OFCE data, in fact it is even more interesting to ask who benefits among the wealthiest of the wealthy, at the top of the income ladder, that is to say for the wealthiest 0.01 percent. In this income layer, a couple with two children has income from financial securities of 3.4 million of the overall annual income of 6.3 million. For them, the tax cut arising from the unitary tax withholding system [replacing the ISF] would be considerable, nearly 450,000.

This measure exposes the illusions in Macron promoted by all the major French media, that he was a young entrepreneur who would by sheer dynamism alone revitalise Frances economy. In fact, he plans to make France more attractive to investors by massively expanding social inequality. He aims to intensify austerity by carrying out social reforms, including the labour law, aiming to eliminate all the social rights obtained by workers in the struggles of the twentieth century, while also spending billions of euros on wars and the army.

On August 2, the French parliament definitively adopted the enabling act authorising the Macron administration to rewrite the labour law by decree. The reform, which is deeply unpopular, includes measures such as imposing a maximum on fines for unfair dismissal in the labour courts; allowing enterprises to negotiate contracts violating national labour laws and industry-level accords; and facilitating sackings.

Macron also plans to cut pensions and unemployment benefits by decree. The introduction of a pay-in system for pensions is intended to allow the state to move towards the abolition of the social right to a fully publicly financed pension. With unemployment benefit reform, oversight and harassment of job seekers will be reinforced, while the duration of unemployment benefits will be cut.

The announcements of cuts by the Macron administration are provoking broad opposition among workers. Though he was inaugurated only three months ago, Macron and his government are already unpopular. According to recent polls, his approval rating has fallen rapidly, to 40 percent, the fastest fall for a newly elected president since the creation of the office of the presidency in 1958.

This collapse in popularity is the populations initial judgment on Macrons attempt to set up a naked dictatorship of the financial aristocracy. The housing benefit cuts, a wage freeze in the public sector, and a planned tax hike on retirees are all provoking growing anger.

Ifop pollster Jerome Fourquet commented that Macrons fallen popularity is due to the governments austerity policy[and] various discontents and complaints coming from very diverse layers of the population, including working women, public sector workers, and retirees.
As of this writing, the number of people killed by the police in the United States has likely increased. The count as of August 7, 2017 stands at 746 for the 2017 calendar year according to killedbypolice.net. Such an amount is unprecedented for the same time in previous years. If police killings stay consistent, 2017 will have the highest number of police killings on record.

While data from killedbypolice.net and the Washington Post is limited to recent years, both place 2015 as having the highest recorded number of people killed by police. Both, moreover, have recorded more killings than the official Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics (FBI), which has routinely undercounted killings.

As the Post has noted, The FBI gathers information on fatal police shootings, but that program is based on voluntary reporting by police agencies and covers only cases in which police fatally shoot people who are committing felonies. The Post s data has revealed a dramatic undercount by the FBI.

According to killedbypolice.net:

 In 2014, police killed 663 people by August 7, with 1,114 killed by the years end.

 In 2015, police killed 725 by August 7, with 1,216 killed by the years end.

 In 2016, police killed 714 by August 7, with 1,162 by the years end. The Washington Post, owned by billionaire Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, recorded significantly lower deaths. Its data, nonetheless, also reveals a similar trend.

 In 2015, police killed 592 people by August 7, 2015, totaling 991 killed for the year.

 In 2016, police killed 589 people by August 7, 2016, totaling 963 killed for the year.

 Presently, the Post puts the count at 594 killed as of August 7 in 2017.

Both show that 2015 was the previous peak year for police killings, with a slight decline in 2016. Comparatively, the current count of police killings taken on August 7, 2017 is higher than any year at the same point in time from both killedbypolice.net and the Post. For 2017, the total number of killings averages to 3.5 a day. In just the first seven days of this month, from Tuesday, August 1 to Monday, August 7, US police killed at least 28 people, or four people every day.

Included amongst the dead is 32-year-old Kyle Andrew Lankford from Dickson County, Tennessee, shot by police on August 6. Police hounded Lanford in a police chase after he allegedly stole a car. Lanford was subsequently shot dead after he allegedly pulled out a knife after the pursuit ended. Last year, Lankford was arrested in Dickson County for the petty crimes of stealing, driving while drunk and on a revoked license, evading arrest and vandalism.

Then there is 15-year-old Kemonte Cobbs killed by Gary, Indiana police on August 2. Cobbs and four other individuals robbed a Verizon Wireless store in Munster, Indiana, 45 minutes southeast from Chicago, Illinois. The five individuals, including Cobbs, drove away from the store and were pursued by the police. Eventually, all five fled the vehicle, at which point Cobbs was shot dead for allegedly pointing a gun at a cop.

For the many thousands killed in an encounter with the police, most have had the misfortune of being born poor or becoming poor and destitute, forced into a life of desperation, violence, drug addiction, alcoholism, crime, and suicide.

In Tennessee, where Andrew Lankford lived, a festering opioid epidemic took the lives of 1,451 people in 2015, up from 342 in 1999. Moreover, many of the states residents live in poverty. In 2014, 18.4 percent of Tennessees population scraped by below the official poverty line; many more live near poverty.

Gary, Indiana, where 15-year-old Kemonte Cobbs was killed, was a once major industrial hub which produced massive quantities of steel. Garys massive steel plants employed many of the citys residents, providing them with relatively decent paying jobs.

Through decades of deindustrialization, much of Gary now sits as a boneyard of the steel industry. In 1970, the US Steel Gary Works employed over 30,000. In 1990 it declined to just 6,000. Presently US Steel Gary Works employs 5,100 workers. According to city-data.com, in 2015 38.6 percent of Gary residents lived below the poverty line. In 2013, the Gary Department of Redevelopment estimated that one third of all homes in the city are unoccupied or abandoned. The citys population has collapsed by more than 50 percent since its peak in 1960.

Police violence is inextricably bound up to with the astronomical growth of social inequality and intensification of class tensions. Today, eight people own more wealth than the bottom half of the worlds population. In America, the wealthy live 15 years longer than the poor.

The enormous social chasm which exists in the United States is increasingly untenable and the American ruling class is taking note. With massive social upheavals on the horizon, it is seeking to defend its wealth, power and privileges by laying the framework for police-state rule.

The number of police officers working in the US has risen by a quarter of a million from three decades ago, according to the FBI. In 1975, there were 400,000 police officers throughout the US. Today, that number is more than 700,000.

According to a study entitled OpenTheBooks Snapshot Report  The Militarization of Local Police Departments, 1.5 million military weapons, equipment and related items have been transferred from the Department of Defense (DoD) to federal, state and local law enforcement units since 2006.

The report found that thousands of units of government across America received military equipment including park districts, forest preserves, hometown police departments, junior colleges, universities, county sheriffs, natural resource and public safety departments, state police  and Homeland Security, Interior and the Justice Department.

The items amount to $2.2 billion worth of gear and include helicopters and airplanes, armored trucks and cars, tens of thousands of M16 and M14 rifles, thousands of bayonets, mine detectors and many other types of weaponry.
US President Donald Trump yesterday issued a bloodcurdling threat against North Korea, dramatically heightening the danger of a war on the Korean Peninsula that could rapidly engulf the region and the world. North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States, he warned. They will be met with fire, fury and, frankly, power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.

Trumps comments can only inflame a situation of acute tensions following the test launching of two long-range North Korean missiles last month and the imposition of punitive UN Security Council sanctions that threaten to cripple North Koreas economy. For Trump to threaten to reduce the small impoverished country to ashes is the height of recklessness.

Trump has deliberately undermined the efforts of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson over the past week to lay the basis for negotiations by reassuring North Korea that the US is not seeking regime-change or a pretext for launching a military assault. The unstable, crisis-ridden regime in Pyongyang can only assume that it faces an imminent and massive attack by the United States. It is responding with its own bellicose rhetoric.

In a statement yesterday, North Korea declared it was examining the operational plan to strike US bases on Guam with medium- to long-range ballistic missiles. Such threats play directly into the hands of the Trump administration by providing the excuse for the US to carry out pre-emptive strikes against North Korea.

Not since the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 has the world stood so close to the brink of nuclear war. An incident or accident, whether minor or major, could trigger a conflict that rapidly draws in other nuclear-armed powers, such as China and Russia, with incalculable consequences.

Unlike 1962, when US President John Kennedy sought to defuse the crisis and overruled the demands of his fascistic Air Force chief of staff, General Curtis LeMay, to bomb Russian missile sites in Cuba, Trump is intentionally escalating the North Korean crisis. His threats are unprecedented for a US president. One is compelled to go back to the fascistic rants of Hitler to find any parallel.

No one should dismiss Trumps statements as empty rhetoric. By threatening North Korea with annihilation if it carries out further tests, Trump has created a situation where it is impossible for him to back down. Moreover, such is the intense crisis and infighting in American ruling circles that Trump may be driven to launch a reckless attack on North Korea as a means of diverting attention from the political turmoil at home.

The Trump administration, assisted by a servile media, is already ramping up a propaganda campaign aimed at stampeding American public opinion into believing that US cities are in imminent danger of a nuclear attack from North Korea.

The Washington Post yesterday featured an article entitled, North Korea is fast approaching Trumps red line. The article uncritically reported claims made in a previously secret Defence Intelligence Agency analysis that Pyongyang had produced a miniaturised warhead that can fit inside one of the intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) that it has been testing.

These claims come from the same American intelligence establishment that forged the lies about weapons of mass destruction used to justify the illegal invasion of Iraq. They cannot be taken at face value. Everything about North Koreas so-called ICBMs remains in question, including their range, accuracy, warhead load and ability to survive re-entry into the earths atmosphere.

Trump is utterly indifferent to the immense loss of life that would result from a war with North Korea. Even if the conflict were limited to the Korean Peninsula, the number of deaths would run into the millions. According to one estimate, the population of the South Korean capital Seoul alone would suffer a million casualties in the first hours of the fighting.

Speaking on the NBC Today program last week, right-wing Republican Senator Lindsey Graham gave a chilling insight into Trumps thinking. If theres going to be a war to stop [Kim Jong-un], it will be over there, Graham said. If thousands die, theyre going to die over there. They are not going to die over hereand hes told me that to my face.

Graham declared that war was inevitable unless North Korea halted its missile testsin other words, completely capitulated to US demands. There will be a war with North Korea over their missile program if they continue to try to hit America with an ICBM. [Trump] has told me that and I believe him.

The acute danger of war in Asia is not simply the product of the fascistic individual Trump, but expresses the profound and insoluble crisis of global and American capitalism. US administrationsRepublican and Democratic alikehave resorted to military aggression in a desperate bid to reverse the protracted decline of American capitalism and establish its global dominance.

A succession of wars in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia is now coalescing into a direct confrontation between the worlds major economic powers. The Obama administrations pivot to Asia involved an enormous military buildup throughout the Indo-Pacific in preparation for war against Chinathe central target of US threats against North Korea.

In Europe, the US is involved in one military exercise after another as it prepares for a military confrontation with Russia, which is engaged in its own extensive war games. In the Middle East, the US and Russia are militarily involved on opposing sides of the Syrian conflict. Any one of these flashpoints could become the trigger for war between nuclear-armed powers that would kill millions, if not billions, of people and destroy civilisation as we know it.

This extraordinarily tense situation is extremely serious. Workers around the world cannot afford to wake up in the morning to find that the US has launched massive attacks on North Korean military installations and industry, that Pyongyang has retaliated by hitting Seoul and Tokyo, and that China, Russia and the other major powers are issuing their own threats and putting their nuclear arsenals on high alert.

The urgent task facing the working class is the building of an international anti-war movement based on a socialist program to put an end to capitalism, the root cause of war. That is the political perspective for which the International Committee of the Fourth International and the World Socialist Web Site are fighting.
A spate of public opinion polls released over the past week shows growing popular hostility towards the Trump administration, particularly in those layers of the population and those regions where his right-wing populist campaign won support during the 2016 election campaign.

The recent polls span a wide range of the official political and media spectrum, including Gallup, several television networks, and polling organizations closely aligned with either the Democratic or Republican Party. All report the same trend: a sharp drop in support for Trump, mainly among lower-income white voters. (Trumps support among minority voters, which was already very low, has declined less dramatically).

Approval of Trumps performance as president fell to new lows in virtually every poll: 32 percent according to Investors Business Daily, 33 percent according to Quinnipiac University, 36 percent in the CBS survey, 37 percent recorded by both the Gallup daily tracking poll and Reuters/IPSOS, and 38 percent according to CNN.

All of these figures are record lows for an American president during his first year in office. Normally it requires a major war, financial collapse, social disaster or scandal to generate such a level of popular disapproval and distrust.

Even the notoriously pro-Republican Rasmussen poll has Trump at 41 percent, compared to a disapproval rate of 57 percent. The same poll shows 26 percent strong approval compared to 49 percent strong disapproval, a 23-point deficit compared to a deficit of zero reported by Rasmussen in February.

Many of the surveys give a more detailed demographic breakdown, as well as state and regional figures, and seek to identify the political issues driving the growing popular hostility to the Trump administration.

Quinnipiac found that among white voters without a college degree, the demographic in which Trump posted his largest electoral margin, approval of Trumps job performance fell from 53 percent in June to only 40 percent.

Investors Business Daily noted that Trump lost significant support across the board, but saw big declines among areas of core support, including Republicans, Midwesterners, middle-income families, white men and the high-school educated. This included a 12-point drop among Republicans.

Among income groups, Trump suffered the biggest losses among those with household incomes between $30,000 and $50,000, dropping from 40 percent in early July to 27 percent in early August.

On a state-by-state basis, the Gallup Organization reported, based on interviews with a massive pool of 81,155 adults over the past six months, that Trumps approval rating has fallen below 50 percent in 33 of the 50 states, including 14 states whose electoral votes Trump won last November. The drop in support for Trump was especially pronounced both in northern industrial states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and in the southwestern states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada.

The polls found that health care and immigration were among the most important issues fueling hostility towards the Trump administration. CNN found 62 percent disapproval of Trump on health care, 55 percent disapproval on immigration, 61 percent on foreign policy and 54 percent on helping the middle class. CBS found 59 percent disapproval on health care, 57 percent disapproval on immigration, and 61 percent disapproval of Trumps policy towards North Korea.

The Quinnipiac poll highlighted mass opposition to the Trump administrations efforts to encourage discrimination against gays, lesbians and transgendered people. By 68-27 percent, those polled opposed Trumps proposal to ban transgendered people from the military (including 55-39 percent opposition among military families). By an 89-8 percent margin those polled said it should be illegal for an employer to discriminate against a worker based on sexual orientation, although the Trump Justice Department has gone into court recently to argue the opposite.

While these polls show massive popular opposition to the Trump administration and its policies, this does not translate into support for the Democratic Party, which has sought to attack the administration from the right by casting Trump as a stooge of Russia and demanding a more aggressive anti-Russian military-diplomatic posture.

The Republican Party had a net negative rating of 42 percent22 percent favorable, 64 percent unfavorablean all-time low. But the Democratic Party was also viewed negatively, albeit by a smaller margin, 36 percent favorable versus 48 percent unfavorable.

Similarly, congressional Republicans had a disapproval rate of 80-15 percent for their policies on health care, according to Quinnipiac, and Democrats had a disapproval rate of 59-34 percent on the same issue. Those polled favored a single-payer system in health care, Medicare for all, by a margin of 51-38 percent.

The crumbling popular support for Trump has thrown both capitalist parties into crisis, the Democrats no less than the Republicans, and perhaps even more so. Nothing terrifies the Democrats more than the prospect of a mass movement from below directed against the right-wing policies of the Trump administration, because it would threaten the capitalist system as a whole.

This fear of the working class, as much as a desire to curry favor with the military-intelligence apparatus, accounts for the maniacal insistence of the Democrats that the sole issue of any importance in American politics is the alleged Russian intervention in the 2016 presidential election.

This issue was pioneered during the election campaign itself by Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate, who sought to overcome her own deep unpopularity, because of her close identification with Wall Street and war, by painting Trump as the favored candidate of Moscow. That appeal failed in the election and the current even more intense anti-Russian campaign is still failing to resonate among working people.

On domestic policies, the Democrats are eager to seek a compromise with Trump, no matter how right-wing the policies advanced by the administration and its congressional Republican allies. The collapse of the Republican efforts to combine repeal of Obamacare with the dismantling of Medicaid as a social benefit has been followed by repeated Democratic offers to work on a bipartisan basis to make changes in Obamacare to safeguard the profits of the insurance companies.

An even more sinister bipartisan effort is under way in relation to Trumps proposal for sweeping tax cuts for the wealthy and corporate America. The White House has begun meeting with a group of centristi.e., right-wingDemocrats to combine tax reform with increased infrastructure spending.

The New York Times began the media campaign on behalf of such a tax-cutting deal with an editorial Tuesday, What Real Tax Reform Could Be, which hailed what it called the rare bipartisan consensus that closing loopholes in order to lower the top corporate rate of 35 percent would help American businesses compete globally.

The newspaper endorsed the number one goal of corporate CEOsallowing corporations to repatriate profits kept abroad to avoid taxation, without paying the full tax due. It declared, Democrats should give up their opposition to granting corporations a discounted tax rate for the profits they bring home.

The Times also called for imposition of a carbon tax, which, under the versions proposed by Democrats, would operate as a consumption tax, falling most heavily on working-class families who spend much more of their income on gasoline and home heating oil than the wealthy, as well as a Value Added Tax, an even more regressive measure that would serve as a national sales tax.
On August 3, a remarkable commentary by political scientist Ralph Rotte appeared in the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Under the headline, [Baron von] Richthofen instead of Rommel, the professor for international relations at RWTH Aachen University advocates that the supposed war heroes of the German Reichswehr (Imperial Armed Forces) in World War I provide the tradition to follow for todays Bundeswehr (Federal Armed Forces).

Rottes starting point is the scandal around the right-wing Bundeswehr first lieutenant Franco A., who, as part of a neo-Nazi network within the army, planned terrorist attacks on high-ranking politicians in order to have them blamed on refugees. After defence minister Ursula von der Leyen had declared that the Wehrmacht (Hitlers armed forces) could not serve as a historical model for the Bundeswehr, she encountered harsh criticism from high-ranking Bundeswehr generals and numerous media outlets.

Rottes commentary makes clear the real content of this debate over traditions within the ruling class: More than 70 years after the end of the Nazi regime, which turned Europe and half the world into ruins and killed untold millions, the prerequisites for a return to an independent German world policy are to be created again. The promotion of supposed war heroes of the past serves both to trivialize previous imperialist crimes and the public ideological preparation of new atrocities, including among the soldiers who are to commit them.

According to Rotte, the core problem lies in the fact that for decades, a completely wrong image of the Bundeswehr was created in the public mind, which also had a lasting impact on the self-perception of the soldiers. The image of the soldier in the Federal Republic [of Germany] was systematically separated from the phenomenon of war, the professor complains. The public perception of the Bundeswehr had focused not on its ability to fight, but on its social, humanitarian and economically relevant functions. Rotte described the factthe danger of injury and death, as well as the possibility of having to fight and kill had gradually disappeared from the public memoryas a fatal step.

Rottes plea is clear: For its future wars, the Bundeswehr needs suitable historical models in leading, fighting, killing and dying. In contrast to the Potsdam military historian Sonke Neitzel, Rotte is less likely to invoke the Bundeswehrs Wehrmacht traditions, since these are problematic given the criminal nature of World War II. Instead, he pleads for the glorification of the German military that caused the death of countless people in World War I.

In particular, Rotte cited major general Max Hoffmann, who pursued relatively moderate war as a wilful chief of staff in the High Command East 1914 to 1918, who acted as a brilliant operative head behind the notorious duo of Hindenburg and Ludendorff.

If one takes a closer look at the real role of Max Hoffmann, Professor Rottes intention is clear: As the brilliant operative head behind the Supreme Army Command (OHL) of Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff, the professor is seeking to rehabilitate one of the biggest criminals in the service of German militarism who can be found in World War I.

Hoffmann is regarded as the real organiser of numerous battles on the Eastern Front, whose successes have been attributed above all to the two leaders of the OHL in public propaganda. These include the Battle of Gumbinnen (over 30,000 casualties on both sides), the Battle of Tannenberg (around 35,000 casualties on both sides and 95,000 Russian prisoners of war) and the Battle of the Masurian Lakes (approximately 165,000 dead and wounded in total). In his own memoirs, Hoffmann wrote disparagingly about Hindenburg: The fellow is a too sad comrade, this great military commander and idol of the people. ... A man has never become so famous with so little of his own intellectual and physical exertion.

Hoffmann himself made great efforts to advance the expansion of German imperialism to the east. His allegedly moderate war aims were not to extend the sphere of influence of the German Reich in Eastern Europe primarily through open annexations, but by the creation of satellite states, which were to depend entirely on Berlin.

In the peace talks at Brest-Litovsk in early 1918, he aggressively argued that the Soviet delegation of Adolph Joffe and Leon Trotsky had no right to vote on the fate of the territories in which German troops were stationed. In February 1918, German troops entered the Ukraine and took away the most important sources of coal and grain from the young Soviet government.

But Hoffmanns plans went even further. The Crimeaaccording to him, the German Rivierashould be annexed directly by the German Reich and serve as a starting point for ensuring further German influence over the Black Sea up to the Caucasus and the Middle East. In the 1920s, he and the potash industrialist Arnold Rechberg developed the so-called Hoffmann Plan, which called for a German attack on the Soviet Union, together with Britain and France, to overthrow the Bolsheviks.

Given such plans, two questions inevitably arise: If today, a German professor calls these war aims moderate, what are to be considered farther-reaching war aims? And if a general who called for the expansion of the German Reich as far as the Caucasus and the Middle East is to be a model for the Bundeswehr, what are the military perspectives of todays Bundeswehr? The self-assertiveness with which Rotte proposes major general Hoffmann as a model for the Bundeswehr today provides a terrifying glimpse at what kind of military plans are already being discussed again as practicable in leading circles.

Major general Hoffmann is not the only World War I soldier who Rotte wants to make a role model for the Bundeswehr. In addition to Vice-Admiral Maximilian Imperial Count von Spee, who conducted a futile battle with British units before the Falkland Islands, and was sunk along with more than 2,200 other German marines, Rotte also raised the Red Baron Manfred von Richthofen as an example. The fighter pilot was known for the fact that he shot down the most enemy aircraft of all the belligerent states in World War I.

Rottes contribution to the debate over the traditions of the Bundeswehr is a serious warning. It shows how the trivialization and glorification of German crimes in both world wars has now become commonplace among German professors.

At Humboldt University in Berlin, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) have shown how professors Herfried Munkler and Jorg Baberowski play down and justify the crimes of German imperialism in World Wars I and II. Both have close links to the highest political and military circles. Rottes contribution emphasises that this development is not confined to Humboldt University but the entire academic milieu. As before the First and Second World Wars, German professors are once again playing a decisive role in providing the ideological justification for new wars and crimes.
The first meeting between the United States and South Korea on the renegotiation of their so-called free trade agreement (FTA), anticipated for this week, is likely to be postponed. Both sides agreed to discussions in principle last month but no specific date, location and agenda has yet been set.

In part, Washington is pushing for a new agreement to increase profits and influence of US corporations in the South Korean market, a component of President Donald Trumps chauvinist America First policy. Trump has repeatedly stated that the current Korea-US (KORUS) FTA is a terrible deal, citing the US trade deficit with South Korea.

On Saturday, the magazine Inside US Trade reported that the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) sent a request to its industry trade advisory committees for recommendations by August 15 on negotiating a fair agreement with South Korea.

Economists Gary Hufbauer and Euijin Jung from the Peterson Institute for International Economics questioned the timing of the renegotiation, saying: The Trump administration already has its hands full with NAFTA modernization. It makes no sense to re-open the KORUS FTA until NAFTA talks outline the shape of the new US template for trade agreements. That probably wont happen before 2018.

In addition to securing higher profits for US companies, the demand for a new FTA is designed to place pressure on the administration of President Moon Jae-in and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). Seoul is attempting to strike a precarious balance between Washington and Beijing, with the US fearing that if Moon moves closer to China, it would cut across the Trump governments war plans in the region.

Prior to the summit between Moon and Trump in June, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley threatened the Moon administration with unstated retaliation should Seoul not toe Washingtons line on North Korea and China. [T]he second we see something thats not going in the favor of protection of our troops, then I know the president will act, she said.

US trade representative Robert Lighthizer formally requested a joint committee to discuss changes to the FTA on July 12. The original FTA requires the two sides to convene the committee within 30 days. The current deadline, August 11, is unlikely to be met.

South Korea is seeking to delay the joint committee meeting, amid disagreements on location, date and agenda. The US trade representative intends the two sides to discuss changes and amendments to the FTA, although it has not outlined a concrete agenda. Seoul, on the other hand, has suggested studying the effects of the FTA since it went into force in 2012.

On July 25, Seoul accepted the idea of holding talks, but Moons government asked Washington to hold off on a meeting until it finished restructuring its trade bureau, a semi-independent branch within the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The bureaus new chief, Kim Hyeon-jong only took office last Friday. At his swearing-in ceremony, he promised: We will make efforts consistently and aggressively to strike a balance in terms of shared benefits with our major trading partners.

The Trump administration, riven by crisis, hopes to have the negotiations in Washington to give the appearance of fixing the FTA, while Kim insists that the original agreement requires the talks be held in Seoul.

Kim led the negotiations for the original FTA in 2007 under the government of President Noh Moo-hyun, which initiated the trade talks. The agreement removed 95 percent of tariffs on consumer and industrial goods over five years, with the remaining tariffs to be phased out over 10 years. In 2016, total trade in goods and services between the US and South Korea reached $144.6 billion, with the US deficit standing at $17 billion.

Washington wants greater access in the South Korean market for goods such as American cars and lower tariffs on rice, which was exempted in the original FTA. This has been an extremely contentious issue for years among South Korean farmers. Trump has also demanded the end of the dumping of South Korean steel in the US.

Marc Knapper, the US acting ambassador in Seoul, has tried to address South Korean concerns by saying Washington simply wanted to improve the deal on issues such as energy. Knapper said last month: The US is eager to begin exporting energy in South Korea. And we are rapidly developing infrastructure and looking for partners to help infrastructure so that we can have the capacity to get this energy to partners like Korea.

However, Moon does not want to appear as if he is being pushed around by Trump and forced to the bargaining table. Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Baek Un-gyu and Agricultural Minister Kim Yeong-rok have spoken out against the US on trade. Baek has threatened to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization over US protectionist measures while Kim has refused to accept any demand for a lowering of rice tariffs in a new FTA.

In public speeches, Moon has been careful to stress his general agreement with Trump. However, there is a growing divide between the interests of US imperialism and the South Korean bourgeoisie.

The ruling DPK, lacking the same historical ties to Washington that the South Korean conservatives have, prefers closer relations with Beijing and Pyongyang. South Korean trade with China is already suffering as the latter has retaliated economically against South Korean businesses in response to the country hosting a US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, which is directed against China as well as North Korea.

Moon and the Democrats are also well aware that the FTA could become a focal point for anti-government protests as it did leading up to 2011 when it was signed into law. With broad opposition in the working class to the US war drive in the region, Seoul does not want to risk having possible anti-FTA demonstrations turn into anti-war protests.
The strike by 1,800 workers in the New York-New Jersey area against Spectrum has entered its fifth month. While workers have demonstrated their determination to fight the telecom giant, formerly known as Time Warner Cable, their struggle has been deliberately isolated by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), along with the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

The workers, members of IBEW Local 3, have been working without a contract since 2013. They walked out on March 28 to oppose company demands to shift the cost of health care and pensions onto their backs. In addition, they are fighting disciplinary measures instituted by the company, which penalizes technicians for troubles caused by the companys cost cutting measures.

Tony, an engineer with Spectrum told the World Socialist Web Site, A lot of workers dont realize this is groundbreaking because of the way they are going after our pensions. If they take our pensions here, all the companies will see and start going after pensions as well.

I was making $84,000 a year. Now Im trying to survive on unemployment that ends up being about $300 a week, Tony said. Many strikers, unable to pay rent or their mortgage, have taken on other work where they can find it, including Uber jobs. Others are exhausting their life savings.

Honestly, I blame the union for this situation, Tony said. The union should have had a plan when we went out on strike. They should tell us what it is. They should have seen this coming. We worked without a contract since 2013, and the union told us to just keep working because they were taking care of things. When Charter/Spectrum bought out Time Warner Cable and came in with a new proposal with demands not related to our past contract, then the union called a strike.

While the IBEW was forcing workers to labor without a contract, Time Warner continued to fund the unions joint pension health care fund. After the company was acquired by Charter Communications and rebranded as Spectrum, management ceased those contributions.

Workers throughout the telecom industry after facing the same attacks, while the corporations squander billions on their top CEOs and wealthy shareholders, through stock buybacks, dividends and mergers and acquisitions. The telecom unions, however, are keeping workers divided, forcing them to take on the corporations alone.

More than a year after its betrayal of the 45-day strike by 39,000 Verizon workers, the CWA is forcing tens of thousands of AT&T workers to remain on the job long after the expiration of their contracts. After 17,000 AT&T West workers rejected a CWA-backed deal last month, the union blocked a strike and agreed to federal mediation. Workers are currently voting on a new sellout deal accepted by the CWA, which acknowledged AT&T has not moved from its three key demands on health care costs, the scope of work and new hires.

Like the CWA, the IBEW is encouraging workers to place their faith in various Democratic Party politicians, like Mayor Bill de Blasio who has said the company is being fundamentally unfair to the workers and has offered to mediate the dispute. Earlier this week de Blasio made empty statements about revoking Spectrums franchise agreement if the citys Department of Technology and Telecommunications finds that the company has failed to honor a proviso requiring it to provide services through vendors based in the five boroughs to the extent feasible.

Im not going to prejudge that investigation, the Democratic mayor said, but if negative findings occur, it can have a very real impact on the future of Charter Spectrums business with New York City and their ability to be here and do their work here.

De Blasio is no friend of the working class. Throughout the Verizon strike, the double-talking mayor dispatched his police to escort scabs and harass striking workers. The entire political establishmentDemocrats and Republicanshas overseen a social catastrophe for workers in the city, including declining public services and plunging wages, even as Wall Street hits record levels.

Another striker, Paul Sohan, told the WSWS, This is political because all the City Council Democrats, the Governor and the Congress people have come out here to say they support us, but they dont do anything to settle this. The union says they should use the franchise agreement against Charter/Spectrum. But I think there is a conflict of interest the Democratic politicians have here.

Francisco Marty, picketing on the Upper Westside, told the WSWS, The situation doesnt look good at all because of the way it is all about politics. It is being left in the hands of the politicians, and we have been out on strike for far too long.

Absolutely nothing is to be gained from workers looking to the Democrats or the company agents in the trade union bureaucracy. To break the isolation of this strike, Spectrum workers should elect rank-and-file committees, independent of the IBEW and CWA, to appeal to all telecom workers and workers throughout the New York-New Jersey area for a common fight to defend health care, pensions and other social rights.
In the past several days, US air strikes have claimed the lives of scores of Syrian civilians, including women and children, as the Pentagon and its proxy ground forces escalate the two-month-old siege of the ISIS-controlled city of Raqqa.

In the latest bombing of Raqqa nearly 50 civilians were killed or wounded, according to a monitoring group opposed to the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in Britain, reported Tuesday that 13 civilians, including women and children, were killed over the previous 24-hour period. At least 30 more were wounded.

The US military acknowledged on Tuesday that its warplanes had carried out 35 strikes consisting of 42 engagements against Raqqa over the previous 24 hours.

The city has been targeted relentlessly by both US warplanes and artillery, and missiles supplied by the Pentagon to the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces, the American proxy force dominated by the YPG Syrian Kurdish militia.

US imperialism is reprising in Raqqa the same kind of devastation and slaughter inflicted on the Iraqi city of Mosul, where as many as 40,000 civilians are believed to have been killed, while over 1 million Iraqis were driven from their homes. In both cities, the Pentagon is executing the tactics of annihilation enunciated by James Mad Dog Mattis, the recently retired Marine General serving as the Trump administrations defense secretary.

This strategy was reiterated by Brett McGurk, US special envoy for the US-led anti-ISIS coalition, who said on Sunday that some 2,000 ISIS fighters remaining in the city most likely will die in Raqqa. He said nothing as to the fate of as many as 50,000 civilians the UN believes are trapped there with them. In addition to the continuous airstrikes and shelling, this population is facing the growing threat of starvation and lack of access to water, medical care and other necessities.

Given that the Kurdish proxy forces that the US can draw upon to take Raqqa are far smaller in number and less well armed than the Iraqi security forces and allied militias employed in the siege of Mosul, the Syrian offensive is even more dependent upon US air power and artillery.

Moreover, US ground forces are even more heavily involved in the siege of Raqqa than they were in Mosul, according to the Pentagons own admission.

Colonel Ryan Dillon, spokesman for the US military operation in Iraq and Syria, said that US military advisers were operating inside Raqqa, while claiming that there were not hundreds of these special operations troops in the city.

The military spokesman said the role of these troops was to advise, assist and accompany the Kurdish proxy forces. They are much more exposed to enemy contact than those in Iraq, he added.

US Marines, meanwhile, are on the ground in Syria manning artillery units that are raining death and destruction on the city from the surrounding areas.

While the previously approved number of US special forces troops deployed to Syria amounted to 500, the Pentagon will not disclose how many soldiers and Marines are currently on the ground there. The real number is believed to have risen as high as 2,000 after the Trump White House announced that military commanders would be given full authority to determine troop levels and rules of engagement.

Meanwhile, the Pentagons 2018 budget includes $500 million for training and arming Syrian proxy forces.

The civilian casualties reported on Tuesday are only the latest inflicted by the US siege, whose death toll already numbers in the many hundreds if not thousands.

On Saturday, the deputy head of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent reported that US warplanes attacked a hospital in Raqqa with phosphorous bombs, killing at least 30 civilians. The day before, the Syrian state media reported an airstrike that claimed the lives of a woman and seven children.

The Red Crescent official, Dina al-Assad, reported that the warplanes attacking the hospital carried out 20 combat sorties, targeting its power generators, vehicles and wards, leaving much of the facility in rubble.

Both the targeting of a hospital and the use of phosphorous munitions are war crimes. These chemical weapons, which burn flesh to the bone and reignite inside wounds, are banned under the Geneva Conventions for use in civilian-populated areas. The Pentagon previously admitted in June to having dropped phosphorous bombs on Raqqa, claiming it was using them to mark targets.

In an appeal to the United Nations, the Syrian government denounced this US war crime.

The systematic bombing of residential areas, houses of civilians, the destruction of the Raqqa state hospital and the use of banned white phosphorus by the aircraft of the international coalition are a blatant violation of international law and is among a number of coalitions crimes against the innocent [civilians] in the provinces and cities of Syria, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Sunday.

Noting that the US military is operating in Syria outside the framework of the UN and without the permission from the Syrian government, the ministry called upon the United Nations to uphold international law by ordering Washington and its coalition out of the country. Given the US veto on the UN Security Council and the habitual subservience of the UN to US imperialist interests, there is no prospect for such an intervention.

US imperialism has no intention of leaving Syria. Under the cover of the so-called campaign against ISISa Sunni Islamist militia which is itself the byproduct of the US wars and regime change operations in Iraq, Libya and Syriathe Pentagon is setting up a string of bases and attempting to carve out a zone of control from which it can pursue its broader aims in the region. These include, in the first instance, the preparation of war against Iran, which is seen by Washington as an obstacle to the drive for US hegemony over the Middle East.

The threat that the US intervention will provoke a wider war was posed starkly with the reported American airstrike Monday morning on a Shia militia unit deployed on the Iraq-Syria border. The militia, known as the Seyid Suheda, belongs to Iraqs Popular Mobilization Units, a predominantly Shia and Iranian-backed force that Baghdad has incorporated into its security forces. The militia reported that the bombing killed 35 of its fighters and wounded another 25. We guarantee the attack will not go unpunished, and we call upon all Islamic resistance units in Iraq to consider an appropriate response to such a criminal act, the group said in a statement.

The militia had been preparing to participate in an operation to take Tal Afar, one of the last ISIS strongholds in northwestern Iraq. The area is across the border from the Syrian city of Al-Hasaka, where the Pentagon has set up a base for US special forces troops.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - He's accused of murdering his ex girlfriend Brandi Peters and her three young children, and could face the death penalty if he's found guilty.

WTXL ABC 27's Stephen Jiwanmall joins us from court.

How is the state showing Segura is the one behind the murders?

Out of all the days prosecutors have spent on this case, today was perhaps the strongest with several witnesses explaining a potential motive and how he was acting before and after the murders.

One of segura's close friends said the two of them were looking for work overseas, but segura couldn't get a passport because he owed too much child support.

A woman he was seeing from time to time said Segura approached her in a rage about getting a gun from her without explaining why, but she never gave it to him. She also said he was acting strange in the days following the murders.

And a former cellmate testified Segura came clean about what he did while they were in prison in Oklahoma in 2011. Take a look.

We also watched parts of Segura's follow-up interview with police, where he denies leaving his house on the day of the murders.

He also said he didn't have a second phone, but later answered questions about who he was calling with it.

The state has one final witness, and testimony should wrap up in the afternoon. Right after that, there's a hearing about evidence, and that's when we expect James Santos in court.

He admitted to ordering the murders two weeks ago, but he plans to plead the fifth when he testifies.
LOWNDES CO., GA (WALB) - The parents of Kendrick Johnson have been ordered by a judge to pay nearly $300,000 in attorney fees to those they accused of killing their son and the parties they alleged to cover it up, according to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

The ruling from Lowndes County Superior Court Judge Richard Porter stems from a $100 million wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents in 2015. The lawsuit accused two brothers of killing their son.

The lawsuit also claimed in-part that the members of the board of education did not properly investigate a 2009 incident involving an altercation on a school bus between Johnson and another student while on a school trip to North Georgia. That lawsuit was dropped in March of 2016.

In August of 2016, Judge Porter ruled that a long list of the people who were sued by the family of Kendrick Johnson are entitled to get some of their attorneys' fees reimbursed.

Johnson's body was found under mysterious circumstances in a rolled up gym mat at the old Lowndes High School gym in 2013. Officials ruled his death accidental, but his family said since day one that the 17-year-old student was murdered.

The Department of Justice announced in June 2016 that they were ending their investigation into the death of Kendrick Johnson. The DOJ said they found insufficient evidence to support federal criminal charges.

A new lawsuit with the same claim was filed in August of 2016

A judge dismissed the suit in June of this year after multiple deadlines were missed.

Last month, the parents filed a third lawsuit claiming the defendants worked together to "cover up" Johnson's death.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Tallahassee leaders and residents came together Tuesday night to discuss solutions to violent crime in the Capital City.

Close to 100 city leaders and community members gathered at City Hall to discuss curbing crime after a string of weekend shootings. The main focus: finding a long-term solution and getting everyone in the community involved.

One local man at the meeting said, "There needs to be a residential drug treatment program in Tallahassee for females and males that's Medicaid-funded."

Another Tallahassee resident asked, "What sort of programs or initiatives are in the works to try and help these kids and their households economically to grow?"

One man is behind bars after a Friday shooting, but police continue to search for those behind two other Saturday shootings that put one man in the hospital and left another dead.

Officer's efforts to find the shooters didn't go unnoticed at Tuesday night's meeting, as the crowd gave the Tallahassee Police Department a standing ovation.

However, one message echoed throughout the meeting; it's not just about catching criminals. It's about preventing poverty and drug use, creating jobs and finding a solution that's tailored to the issues in Tallahassee.

"We talk about community policing. The police get there after the fact. We're there all the time. When you see something, say something," said City Commissioner Nancy Miller.

"The police department can't raise your kids. The mayor, the city commission can't raise your kids," said Mayor Andrew Gillum. "Their values, the difference between right and wrong, those are the elements that are really critically important and it requires the involvement of our parents."

Despite the recent rash of crime, Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo assures, it's not all bad news.

"This year so far violent crime is up about 7% in the city, but the overall crime rate in the City of Tallahassee is down 10.5% over last year; positive signs that we're working toward progress together," said DeLeo.

At the meeting, Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil said about 1,000 people return from prison to Tallahassee every year, so addressing repeat offenders also needs to be a priority.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum has called for a Town Hall meeting to discuss recent crime in the Capital City.

City and law enforcement leaders are gathering at city hall for the Tuesday night meeting.

MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL Weather Now app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - After the string of shootings Tallahassee leaders and citizens are trying to find a solution to violent crime

Questions and concerns abound after the recent uptick in crime in the Capital City.

One man is behind bars after a Friday shooting, but police continue to search for those behind two other Saturday shootings that put one man in the hospital and left another dead.

Officers' efforts to find these shooters didn't go unnoticed at Tuesday night's meeting.

Since the beginning of the summer, there have been nearly a dozen shootings.

About 100 city leaders and community members gathered at City Hall to discuss curbing crime after a string of weekend shootings.

The main focus is finding a long-term solution and getting everyone in the community involved.

Questions and concerns are still top of the mind after a recent uptick in crime in Tallahassee.

One man is behind bars after a Friday shooting, but police continue to search for those behind two other Saturday shootings that put one man in the hospital and left another dead.

Officers' efforts to find these shooters didn't go unnoticed at Tuesday night's meeting.

Ashley Bridge said tha "the message echoed throughout this meeting; it's not just about catching criminals. It's about preventing poverty and drug use, creating jobs and finding a solution that's tailored to the issues in Tallahassee."

City Commissioner Nancy Miller: "We talk about community policing. The police get there after the fact. We're there all the time. When you see something, say something."

Mayor Andrew Gillum: "The police department can't raise your kids. The mayor, the city commission can't raise your kids. Their values, the difference between right and wrong, those are the elements that are really critically important and it requires the involvement of our parents."

Despite the recent rash of crime, Tallahassee's police chief offers assurance that it's not all bad news.

"This year so far violent crime is up about 7 percent in the city," he said, "but the overall crime rate in the City of Tallahassee is down 10.5 percent over last year; positive signs that we're working toward progress together."

MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL Weather Now app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A video captured a person stealing a box off a porch, and the Tallahassee Police Department is asking for the public's help in finding the thief.

TPD posted to their Facebook site: "Question: Who wears slides to run away after stealing stuff? Answer: This Guy!"

A burglary occurred July 22, 2017, from a porch attached to a home in the 800 block of piney Vilage Looop, police said.

At the end of the video, the suspects appear to leave in a white car.

Police ask that if you have information about the burglary, call Crime Stoppers at 850-574-TIPS.

MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL Weather Now app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go.
VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) - Two Valdosta Police officers are now back at work after a drug scare.

It happened on Saturday, August 5 when a women reported her boyfriend stole her car. The GPS showed it was in Florida.

A report was made, and the car was put into a system as stolen. The next day, two Valdosta police officers stopped the vehicle on I-75.

The vehicle was searched, and a baggie with white powder was found and turned over to a deputy. That substance was ecstasy.

After being exposed to the baggie, both officers started feeling sick.

They were taken to south Georgia Medical Center to be treated.

Both of the officers tested negative for drug exposure signs.
Jose Davila will spend less time in prison than his two codefendants in the killing of the c
Police say the suspect is in his early 20s, approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 150 to 165 pounds with an athletic build, light skin and a brown goatee. He was last seen wearing a black hat, black sunglasses, a red bandana around his neck, a black hoodie with a large white Nike swoosh on the chest, light blue jeans and dark colored shoes, according to a Granger Police Department news release.
Starting Sunday, a stricter law on using cellphones while driving takes effect, and with it some pretty hefty fines for violations.
The brother of Mohammed Haroufwho stands accused of brutally murdering Michal Halimi is a security prisoner in Israel, it was revealed Tuesday. According to the new information, Abdullah Harouf was sentenced to 12 years in an Israeli prison for attempting to plant explosive devices in 2012.

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Abdullah, a resident of Nablus affiliated with Islamic Jihad, was arrested in July 2012 together with members of his terror cell after attempting to place an explosive device near an IDF patrol.

Photo: Motti Kimchi

On Sunday, Mohammed Harouf was formally indicted for the murder of Michal Halimi.

However, despite earlier claims that Harouf committed the murder out of nationalistic motivations, the indictment indicated otherwise, making no mention of nationalism as a factor in the murder.

Halimi, who was eight months pregnant at the time of her murder, was found near the city of Holon last week after having been strangled and struck in the head with a rock.

Following an investigation by police, Halimi was discovered to have left her home of her own volition and was apparently staying at the house of the young Palestinian man from Nablus, with who she was in a relationship.

The two had posted pictures on Facebook indicating their intention to become engaged.

Harouf and Halimi

Relatives of Halimi claimed that she had been in contact with Harouf for a few weeks after she left, but she expressed a desire to return to her husband, which prompted Harouf to murder her.

After Halimi had been declared missing, police questioned Harouf several times. He became a suspect when inconsistencies in his statements regarding the whereabouts of Halimi began to arise.

Additional suspects detained in connection with the case confirmed to police that the two were involved in a romantic relationship and on the day of her disappearance. The two met in the Holon area where she was probably murdered.

After Halimi's body was discovered and positively identified, Harouf was detained once more by police, where he confessed to the murder and reconstructed the crime.

Photo: Israel Police

At an initial court hearing for an extension of his remand, Harouf was asked by reporters why he did it, to which he responded, "I wanted to release prisoners." He later denied that the murder was related to a romantic relationship between the two, and then proceeded to kick guards before being physically removed from the court room while shouting, "I'll kill all the Jews!"

Aharon Halimi, Michal's husband, strongly disagreed with the assessment of police, stating that the crime was most definitely nationalistic in nature and had nothing to do with a romance between the two.

"She was five months pregnant when she disappeared. Our relationship was very good and we were waiting for the child. This is entirely a nationalistic issue and not a romance," he said.

Harouf's lawyer echoed these sentiments, saying, "We will study the indictment and respond accordingly. According the indictment, there is no nationalistic motive. In our first meeting however, he claimed it was nationalistic and he has continued with that narrative. We will examine the matter."
The Israeli military says it carried out airstrikes against two Hamas positions in Gaza overnight Tuesday in response to a rocket fired from the strip which landed in open territory in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council.

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Ayman Sahbani, an emergency director at Gaza's Shifa hospital, says three Palestinians were wounded in the strike, including a 26-year-old man who was in serious condition after being struck in the head by shrapnel.

The airstrike on Hamas positions in Gaza

X

The rocket fired into Israel, which landed in an uninhabited field in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council , caused no casualties or damage, a military spokesperson added.

"This is crossing a dangerous line that Israel will bear the consequences of," said Hamas after the Israeli retaliation. "We will not allow Gaza to be turned into a testing field for Israeli ammunition."

The airstrike on Hamas positions in Gaza

Israel has seen occasional rocket fire from the Gaza Strip in the three years since its last war with Gaza's militant Hamas rulers. Most have been claimed by Salafist groups in the territory.

Israel holds Hamas responsible for all fire out of the stripeven rockets launched by any of the various militant groups challenging it.

Hamas and Israel have fought three wars since the Islamic terror group took control of Gaza a decade ago, most recently in 2014. A cease-fire has largely held since then.
An IDF soldier was moderately injured early Wednesday morning from friendly fire during a military arrest operation in the Dheisheh Palestinian refugee camp, located south of Bethlehem in the West Bank.

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At around 4:30am local time, soldiers from the elite special operations force Duvdevan Unit surrounded two structures in the camp in order to arrest two Palestinian terror operatives who were hiding there.

The two began to flee the buildings, prompting the soldiers to open fire on them as part of the procedure for apprehending a terror suspect. One of the suspects was seriously wounded in the incident, while the other was moderately wounded. They were treated at the scene by the soldiers and evacuated for further treatment to a Jerusalem hospital.

Duvdevan Unit soldiers (Photo: IDF)

During the shooting, one of the soldiers from the unit was accidentally shot in his leg and back, and was also evacuated to the same hospital in Jerusalem in moderate condition.

During the night, IDF forces, the Shin Bet, the Border Police and the Israel Police arrested 25 wanted persons in the West Bank. Twenty-two of them are suspected of involvement in terror activities and of violent disturbances against civilians and security forces.

Also, as part of an operation in the village of Qubar, from which hailed the terrorist who carried out the deadly stabbing attack in Halamish, IDF forces from the Binyamin Brigade and the Israel Police arrested the father and brother of the terrorist. The two were transferred to the security forces for questioning.

In addition, during searches in the village of Sa'ir in the Hebron Governorate in the southern West Bank, security forces seized several homemade Carlo submachine guns.
Cape Verde on Tuesday denied that it had decided to no longer vote against Israel at the UN, just six days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the West African nations ostensible new policy.

In a statement posted on Tuesday on his Facebook page, the president of the African archipelago nation, Jorge Carlos Fonseca, explained that his countrys constitution puts the government and not the president in charge of foreign policy, and that while the president is head of state, it is the nations prime minister who is the head of governmentjust as in Israel.

"Specific aspects of Cape Verdean diplomacy, such as voting processes in different international forums, as well as the mechanisms for their implementation, through representatives of Cape Verde, were not addressed, let alone discussed, since they imply an articulation between the two sovereignty bodies, according to each one's competences," he said in his post.
Cape Verde has distanced itself from a statement by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu last week that the African island nation would no longer vote against Israel at the United Nations.

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According to a statement from the Prime Ministers Office, after meeting with Netanyahu on the sidelines of the summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the Liberian capital Monrovia earlier this year, Cape Verdes President Jorge Carlos Fonseca had instructed his UN delegation to stop voting against Israel.

Cape Verde President Jorge Carlos Fonseca (L) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO)

On Tuesday, however, in a post on the official Cape Verde presidential Facebook page, Fonseca clarified that responsibility for implementing the countrys foreign policy lies with the government.

According to the Cape Verde constitution, government is the organ that defines, leads, and executes the general internal and external policy of the country and is responsible to the National Assembly, while the presidents role is head of state.

Fonseca said that he supports the foreign policy guidelines defined by the government that favor relations with Israel, and it was in that context that he met with Netanyahu for a working meeting on the sidelines of the ECOWAS summit in Monrovia.

Fonseca added that their meeting had addressed a number of issues relating to cooperation between the two countries, such as agriculture, renewable energy, tourism and security, however specific aspects of the action of Cape Verdean diplomacy, such as voting procedures in the various international fora, as well as the mechanisms for their implementation, through the representatives of Cape Verde, were not been addressed, much less discussed.

The president continued that he would work with the government to achieve a foreign policy based on the values of democracy, freedom, human rights and always guided by the uncompromising defense of the interests of Cape Verde.

While the Prime Ministers Office declined to comment, diplomatic sources said that Israel had received messages from Cape Verde that it would cease to vote against Israel, and that these messages had been confirmed by reports in local media. The source added that there was significant Arab pressure on African states not to strengthen ties with Israel and that the presidents statement was most likely the result of that pressure.

Earlier this week, Netanyahu claimed that visiting Togolese president Faure Gnassingbe has come under to cancel an Africa-Israel summit that the West African nation is due to host in October.
Likud party members and activists are being called upon to gather at the Tel Aviv Convention Center on Wednesday evening in a mass show of support for the beleaguered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing a string of corruption investigations

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Netanyahu himself is expected to show up to the solidarity rally, along with senior ministers and members of the Knesset.

However, some of those expected to attend have expressed reservations about the move. Gil Shmueli, chairman of a Likud-affiliated movement and a member of the Jabotinsky Institute, for example, issued a statement distancing his organizations from Netanyahu.

Prime Minister Netanyahu (Photo: AFP)

Whoever lines up behind corruption, seemingly, or defends corruption, has no place in Likud. We dont know what happened or what will be. The matter is being investigated and checked, Shmueli said.

We only know that every support rally that looks like a robotic rally, as a kind of masquerade ball, has no precedent in the Likud and it should not take place at all, he continued.

Because what exactly is the rally against? Is it against the police? The State Attorneys Office? We have full confidence in the legal authorities and that is why every event like this is, in my opinion, embarrassing.

At the other end of the spectrum was Likuds Director of Communications Eli Hazan. We are facing a witch hunt against Netanyahu. And we are going in order to support him, Hazan explained.

It isnt only Netanyahu who stands at risk. We also do, because it is us in this case. Netanyahu is the last barrier against the Left.

Despite Hazans stance, Shmueli was unconvinced, insisting that Netanyahu had corrupted the entire Likud party. He castrated the institutions of the movement and turned it into a personal service tool, according to Shmueli.

He also went as far as describing Netanyahus rule as a dictatorship in every way. We dont sanctify Bitanism, he added in reference to efforts to garner support for Netanyahu by his loyalist and Coalition Chairperson David Bitan.

'We love Netanyahu: We protect democracy'

We sanctify revisionism. We deserve new leadership which will lead the Likud to a better future."

In an apparent implication that Netanyahu was attempting to evade the law, Shmueli asked: Why is Netanyahu fleeing abroad? in reference to the numerous diplomatic trips he has recently embarked upon.

Shmueli also went on to scorn Netanyahus general leadership, highlighting what he considered to be a series of fundamental flaws.

Why is he not taking care of the problems of the people of Israel? Instead, he removes metal detectors . He should have the balls to fight against terror.

David Bitan (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

But according to Hazan, Shmuelis sentiments were not shared by many who continue to stand unashamedly and unapologetically at the prime ministers side through thick and thin. Indeed, he predicted that thousands would turn out to show their backing of Netanyahu.

We will see today just how many turn up or dont turn up. It will be a kind of test of strength, Hazan said.
French police arrested a man Wednesday in the search for a driver who slammed his BMW into soldiers in a Paris suburb Wednesday, injuring six of them in what appeared to be a carefully timed ambush before speeding away, officials said.

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The driver's motive was unclear, but officials said he deliberately aimed at the soldiers, and counterterrorism authorities opened an investigation. None of the soldiers had life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

It was the latest of several attacks targeting security forces guarding France over the past year. While others have targeted prominent sites like the Eiffel Tower, Wednesday's attack hit the leafy, relatively affluent suburb of Levallois-Perret that is home to France's main intelligence service, the DGSI.

Photo: AFP

Witnesses described seeing a BMW with one person inside waiting in a cul-de-sac near a building used for the soldiers, according to two police officials. One official said the attacker struck just as a group of soldiers emerged from the building to board vehicles for a new shift.

Scene of attack (Photo: AFP)

Authorities checked video surveillance of the area, near the city hall of Levallois, northwest of Paris, and police fanned out around the French capital and stopped numerous cars as they searched for the attacker.

Photo: AFP

Most were released. But in one case, police stopped a car on the A16 highway and arrested the driver and were verifying his possible links to the attack, according to two police officials. One said the arrest was violent and police fired at the suspect to subdue him. The officials weren't authorized to be publicly named because of an ongoing police operation.

A witness to the Levallois attack described an ear-piercing scream of pain that is still echoing through her head.

Nadia LeProhon, 45, was startled by a loud crash outside her building and rushed outside her seventh-floor window to see two soldiers on the ground. Other soldiers ran after a speeding car, shouting "After him! Follow that car!"

Photo: Reuters

"I'll never forget that screama scream of pain and distress," she said.

Resident Jean-Claude Veillant said he saw two uniformed soldiers prone on the ground when he came down to the entrance of his 13-story building. "It was horrible," he said, adding that both soldiers appeared to be in bad shape and one of them was unconscious.
President Reuven Rivlin will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday, September 7th in Berlin.

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The meeting has not yet been officially announced, but it will take place against the background of Germany's decision to freeze the sale of several ThyssenKrupp submarines to Israel due to investigations into corruption.

Photo: AP, Getty Images

In addition to the matter of the submarines, Merkel's meeting with Rivlin also takes place during a period of tension between Israel and Germany, stemming from a spat between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel. The spat occurred when Netanyahu cancelled a meeting with Gabriel in protest of his meeting with left-wing organization Breaking the Silence.

While the subjects to be discussed have not been released to the public, it is possible Rivlin will raise the submarines issue and will try, on behalf of the defense establishment, to allow the promotion of the deal for the benefit of Israeli security, despite the ongoing investigations into corruption.

The last time Rivlin and Merkel discussed the purchase of submarines was in May 2015. At that meeting, Rivlin expressed concern about Germany's intention to sell submarines to Egypt.

After Germany agreed to sell submarines to Egypt, the possibility arose that behind the scenes there was a tripartite deal under which Israel approved the package deal with the Egyptians, and in return received a substantial discount on the purchase of naval vessels for the defense of new gas platforms.
Israel released Hamdan TimrazUN official from the Gaza Strip who was serving as deputy head of UNDSS (United Nations Department of Safety and Security)Wednesday morning.

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Timraz was arrested a month ago by the Shin Bet after crossing into Israel for work. Timraz's son Khaled said his father was released after a court decided not to charge him.

Timraz upon being returned to the Gaza Strip (Photo: AFP)

Timraz, 61, from the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, travelled to Israel from the Gaza Strip many times due to his work.

His wife indicated that communication with him was lost several weeks ago after he reached the Erez Border Crossing. She also added that his son Abed al-Hadi received a telephone call from the Israeli security establishment informing them of his arrest.

Timraz's family had been lobbying international organizations and human rights groups to pressure Israel for his release.

Timraz at the Temple Mount

On Wednesday evening, the Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement concerning Timraz, saying, "Timraz was detained for questioning by the Shin Bet on suspicion of being involved in committing security offenses. During his questioning, information was received indicating his involvement in prohibited activity.

"Following his questioning, he was released and the findings of the investigation are being reviewed by the relevant officials in order to take action against those involved in the activities. It should be noted that UN authorities received reports from Israel concerning Timraz's arrest and its significance."
Palestinian politics is a relentless and often fruitless pursuit: after more than two decades of on-off negotiations, a state remains out of reach. Now add to the mix rising age and failing health.

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President Mahmoud Abbas, who will be 83 in March, has been in hospital for frequent check-ups in recent months and received treatment abroad. His chief peace negotiator, Saeb Erekat, is 20 years younger and a keen runner, but he is suffering from pulmonary fibrosis and needs a lung transplant.

Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: EPA)

Aides to Abbas say he remains strong and those who work with Erekat describe him as tireless, even when having to use an oxygen tank to aid breathing. In an email, Erekat declined to discuss his health in detail, calling it a private matter.

"I would like to keep it this way," he said.

The fact that two of the most prominent Palestinians on the world stage are aging and, in Erekat's case, in need of life-saving surgery has prompted questions in both Israel and the Palestinian territories about what comes next.

If the president of the past 12 years and his chief negotiator leave the scene, who would take over? And given the deep divisions in Palestinian politics, with Abbas's Fatah party at sharp odds with Hamas what are the risks of internal armed conflict?

Most analysts and observers of Palestinian affairs see the chances of full-on fighting between Fatah and Hamas as remote, especially with Israel having an interest in preventing it.

And at the same time, while Abbas may have dominated the scene since Yasser Arafat's death in 2004, it is not as if the Palestinians are without the political structures or wherewithal to find a viable successor, with several names in the mix.

Saeb Erekat (Photo: Reuters)

"For now, there doesn't seem to be any indicator that things are going towards violence despite the 'fertile ground' for it," said Khalil Shikaki, a leading pollster and analyst with the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research.

"The most important factor is that the split, while creating frustration, also makes it difficult for Fatah and Hamas to trust each other and work together to launch violent attacks."

Add to that the fact that Palestinian forces coordinate West Bank security with Israeli forces every day, despite civilian opposition, and the chances of a major outbreak of violence, either internal or aimed at Israel, appear limited.

The bigger concern may be how any transfer of power is handled, and whether it can be done smoothly.

Power vacuum

"The situation is ripe for a power vacuum," said Grant Rumley, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington and co-author of a biography of Abbas.

"If (the Palestinians) rally behind one figure, I think there's a chance of a peaceful transition. That looks less and less likely as it goes on."

Abbas has kept a tight grip on power since he was elected to a four-year term in 2005. Presidential polls haven't been held since. Opponents, like former Fatah security chief Mohammed Dahlan, have gone into exile. Hamas, with its devout Islamist ideology, is regarded as as much of an enemy as Israel.

Mohammed Dahlah (Photo: AP)

Despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly dismissing Abbas as no partner for peace, Israel's security establishment likes his steady hand and the fact he favors peaceful resistance over violence. Those best positioned around Abbas largely have the same perspective.

"The main candidates to inherit from Abbas all share his political program," said Nathan Thrall, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group. "The likelihood that one of his successors ... is going to support armed resistance or call for armed resistance is very, very low."

Currently, two names are most often mentioned as successors: Majid Faraj, 55, the head of intelligence, who often joins Erekat in negotiations; and Mahmoud Aloul, 67, the chief deputy to Abbas in Fatah and a former governor of Nablus.

On the streets, Marwan Barghouti, 58, who is serving five life terms in an Israeli prison for murder, is often hailed as a future leader and ranks high in polls. But he is unlikely ever to be released and Palestinians themselves say that if he were freed, he would probably not be so popular.

Marwan Barghouti (Photo: Reuters)

Instead, expectations are that people around Abbas and his party are likely to emerge and maintain his course, something Israel also wants. "The main Israeli view is to prioritize stability," said Thrall. "Any changing of the guard in the West Bank is in Israel's view threatening."
ISIS issued a video on Wednesday threatening new attacks in the Iranian capital Tehran and calling on young Iranians to rise up and launch jihad in their country.

A man wearing a black ski mask and holding an AK-47, seated alongside two others, made the threat in a video bearing the Islamic State's Amaq news agency logo and showing footage of two attacks in Tehran in June claimed by the militant group.

"The same way we are cutting the necks of your dogs in Iraq and Syria we will cut your necks in the centre of Tehran," the man said, speaking accented Farsi.
BANGUI -- Clashes between a militia and a self-defense group in southeastern Central African Republic have left at least 30 civilians dead including six Red Cross volunteers who were attending a crisis meeting at a health facility, officials said Wednesday.

The violence took place late last week in the town of Gambo, which is about 75 kilometers (47 miles) from Bangassou, a town that has been a flashpoint amid the upsurge of bloodshed in the long chaotic country.

"We are appalled by the news of the death of our fellow volunteers," said Antoine Mbao-Bogo, president of the Central African Red Cross. "We call on all parties to take steps to spare the civilian population, and to respect all humanitarian workers."

The deaths marked the third such attack on the Red Cross this year, officials said. Many humanitarian workers have been blocked from doing their work, and militants also have tried to kill wounded enemies in public health facilities.
Our school board and administration remains committed to being very transparent about our budget, property tax request, planning for the future, controlling our spending, etc.

I am hosting two special meetings for anyone that wishes to attend to learn more about school finance and the main cogs of the YPS budget and tax request. FREE coffee and some light snacks will be available to all attendees. Bring a friend! The meetings will take place at our District Administration building at 1715 N. Delaware Avenue on the east side of the York High School campus. These meetings typically last 75-90 minutes.

 Wednesday, Aug. 30 at 8 a.m.

 Friday, Sept. 8 at 8 a.m.

We will show attendees what our 2017-18 budget will look like compared to 2015-16, 2016-17, and other prior years. Our 2016-17 fiscal year ends on August 31 and we will show less than a 0.002 percent spending increase since 2014-15. Revenue for 2016-17 will be around $700,000 less than 2015-16 despite an increase in our local property tax request of over $1 million.

Youll also receive an informative update on a coalition that we helped form called Nebraskans United for Property Tax Reform and Education that has Nebraska Farmers Union, Nebraska Farm Bureau, and other ag organizations working hand-in-hand with K-12 education organizations on property tax reform and education funding initiatives. Below is a quick snapshot of our guiding principles.

 Nebraska must reduce property taxes to ensure a fair and balanced tax system.

 Nebraska ranks 49th in the country in the percentage of K-12 funding that comes from the state.

 Nebraskans pay the 7th highest effective property tax rate in the nation.

 To fund the state budget, we need a tax system that is fair and balanced for all Nebraska taxpayers. Nebraskas taxpayers need a significant reduction in property taxes.

 Nebraska K-12 schools receive 33 percent of their funding from state sources while the national average is 47 percent.

 Nebraska K-12 schools receive 49 percent of their funding from local property taxes while the national average is 29%.

If youre unable to make it on August 30th or September 8th, feel free to come to our board of education meeting on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. or call me to set up a special time that works for you. We want to communicate at a high level and make sure the patrons of York Public Schools are well informed of what is going on in the world of education funding and an over-reliance on local property taxes.

Go Dukes.
YORK  Michael Butcher, 35, whose last address was listed as Sutton, has entered a no contest plea in a case that began as two counts of first degree sexual assault of a child.

His formal change of plea was made on Tuesday in York County District Court before Judge James Stecker.

According to court documents, York police officers began an investigation after there were allegations regarding illegal conduct with a 3-year-old child.

The child was interviewed by the Child Advocacy Center.

After that interview, according to court documents, two more children (under the age of 11) were interviewed.

After those interviews, police further investigated Butcher was there were implications that he had sexually assaulted a 10-year-old.

The investigation resulted in DNA sampling that was taken to the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory.

No other details of the case can be published.

During the factual basis proceedings on Tuesday, acting York County Attorney Benjamin Dennis said Butcher admitted to the offenses in a conversation with a special investigator for the Nebraska Attorney Generals office.

As part of a plea agreement, the charges were amended to two counts of incest, which are Class 3 felonies. Judge Stecker informed Butcher that he is now facing a possible sentencing range of 1-20 years on each count, as well as maximum fines of $25,000 per count.

Sentencing has been set for Sept. 25.
YORK  Three amazing families were honored Friday evening at the York County Fair for maintaining farm ownership in the county for at least 100 years.

York County winners in this, the 61st year of the Nebraska Pioneer Farm awards program, are the Scamehorns, the Olsons and the Ballers.

York County fair board member Rich Hankel gave a brief history of each familys century or more of ownership during presentations under the big tent.

The awards are sponsored by the Knights of AK-SAR-BEN, the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation and the Nebraska Association of Fair Managers.

To date, said Hankel, over 9,000 families have been honored at their local county fairs, 146 in York County.

This year another 135 more families from 59 counties were added to the growing list.

Each family was presented by Hankel with an engraved plaque and a gatepost marker, as permanent recognition of this milestone.

The Scamehorn Farm

The Scamehorn farm, Hankel told the audience on hand for the event, is currently owned by the Scamehorn Land Company. The 80-acre farm is located northeast of Bradshaw and was purchased by Anderson Scamehorn in March 1916.

After his passing in February 1936 ownership went to his wife and next to their children at her passing.

Ownership was consolidated with Clarence Denver Scamehorn in 1938 and after his death went to his wife, Agnes, and to their children at her death in 1976.

Ownership was consolidated with Walter and Margaret Scamehorn at that time, and then transferred to their son Terry in 1986.

Terry Scamehorn formed the land company in 2005 to enable transfer of the ground to his children.

Because Terry Scamehorn was unable to be present Friday at the fair his son, Steve Scamehorn, accepted on behalf of the family.

The Baller Farm

The Baller family farm, owned by Donna Rae Baller who passed away in April after the award application had been submitted, will be passed on to her children.

The original 160 acres, located south of Waco, was purchased by Frank Baller in February 1902. He owned the farm until his death in 1938 at which time ownership went to his son, Albert Baller.

The tract was inherited by Alberts wife when he died in 1946 and on to her four children when she passed away.

Ownership went to Rex Baller from his siblings in 1956, on to his wife Donna when he died in 1988 and, as noted, will now go to their children.

The land has been farmed since age 16 by Max Peterson, a Baller relative.

The Olson Farm

The Olson farm was founded by Oscar and Axelina Olson when the couple purchased it March 1, 1917.

This 160-acre farm, said Hankel, is virtually across the road north of the fairgrounds.

From Oscar and Axelina Olson the ground passed to their son, C. Alvin and wife Hazel in 1948. In 1992 ownership went to that couples son Dale and his wife, Janet.

More recently their children, Karen Kayton and Gary Olson became owners as well.

Over the years the farm grew corn, milo, soybeans, wheat and oats. The Olsons also raised purebred Poland China swine, chickens, beef cattle, dairy cattle and operated a Grade A dairy.

On another note, Hankel said, The Olson name has been associated with the York County Fair for many years. Alvin Olson was president of the fair board from the 1940s to 1981 and Dale served on the board from 1981 to 1998.

Their years of service to the (York County) ag society have been appreciated.
As a homeowner, you probably already know that you should be working to maintain your home. But, chances are, you Read More
Zabka, Warszawa, 166 m2

Lokal znajduje sie w budynku apartamentowym Unimax Development w inwestycji Viva Vitolin, przy ul. Grochowskiej 87 w Warszawie. Bedzie dostepny w 4Q 2023 roku (podpisanie umow przeniesienia wasnosci).
Washington: President Donald Trump followed up his incendiary warning to North Korea against threatening the United States with a boast on Wednesday about the strength of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, but expressed hope this power would never need to be used.

Trump`s Twitter messages about the nuclear arsenal came after North Korea said it was considering plans for a missile strike on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. That in turn followed Trump`s comments on Tuesday that any North Korean threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury."

"My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before," Trump tweeted. "Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!"

Trumps "fire and fury" remarks prompted warnings from U.S. officials and analysts not to engage in rhetorical slanging matches with Pyongyang. By saying he hoped Washington would never need to use its nuclear arsenal, Trump appeared to temper his comments.

The sharp increase in tensions drove investors out of stocks on Wednesday and into the yen, Swiss franc, gold and government debt.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sought to play down the rhetoric. Shortly before Trump`s remarks on the nuclear arsenal, Tillerson landed in Guam for a previously scheduled visit after telling reporters he did not believe there was an imminent threat from North Korea and that "Americans should sleep well at night."

With his "fire and fury" warning, the U.S. president was trying to speak in a way that would resonate with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Tillerson said. North Korea regularly threatens to destroy the United States.

"What the president is doing is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesn`t seem to understand diplomatic language," he said.

GUAM THREAT

Earlier on Wednesday, North Korea said it was "carefully examining" a plan to strike Guam, which is home to about 163,000 people and a U.S. military base that includes a submarine squadron, an airbase and a Coast Guard group.

The plan would be put into practice at any moment, once Kim Jong Un made a decision, a Korean People`s Army spokesman said in a statement carried by state-run KCNA news agency.

Guam Governor Eddie Calvo dismissed the threat and said the island was prepared for "any eventuality" with strategically placed defences. He said he had been in touch with the White House and there was no change in the threat level.

The United States and South Korea remain technically still at war with North Korea after the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty.

Tension in the region has risen since North Korea carried out two nuclear bomb tests last year and two intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July. Trump has said he will not allow Pyongyang to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States.

North Korea, which is pursuing missile and nuclear weapons programs in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions, accuses the United States of devising a "preventive war" and has said that any plans to execute this would be met with an "all-out war, wiping out all the strongholds of enemies, including the U.S. mainland."

Washington has warned it is ready to use force if needed to stop North Korea`s ballistic missile and nuclear programs but that it prefers global diplomatic action, including sanctions. The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Saturday.

For the moment, U.S military officials sought to play down the potential for military conflict.

Three US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the United States had not moved additional assets into the region after North Korea`s threats against Guam.

"Just because the rhetoric goes up, doesn`t mean our posture changes," one official said. "The only time our posture goes up is based on facts, not because of what Kim and Trump say to each other," the official added.

The official said the USS Ronald Reagan, an aircraft carrier based in Japan, had docked into its home port just yesterday, which would be unlikely if conflict with North Korea were imminent.

While Trump said the nuclear arsenal was more powerful than ever before, US officials say it takes decades to actually modernize nuclear weapons, a move already under way under President Barack Obama`s administration, and there are treaties that regulate nuclear expansion. Trump signed an executive order after he took office in January to initiate a review of the country`s nuclear policy and strategy.

"COMPLEX AND SENSITIVE"

Trump issued his strongest warning yet for North Korea in comments to reporters on Tuesday, saying that "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

Critics included fellow Republican John McCain, head of the Armed Forces Committee in the U.S. Senate, who said the president should tread cautiously. "You`ve got to be sure you can do what you say youre going to do," McCain said in a radio interview.

Democrats slammed the president. Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives, said Trump`s threat to North Korea "is reckless and shows a serious lack of judgment."

"We must confront North Korea`s nuclear and ballistic missile programs with a clear strategy, including enforcing new UN sanctions against North Korea, not with bluster," he said in a statement.

China, which is North Korea`s closest ally despite its anger at Pyongyang`s missile and nuclear programs, described the situation as "complex and sensitive," and urged calm and a return to talks.

"China calls on all sides to uphold the main direction of a political resolution to the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, and avoid any words or actions that may intensify the problem and escalate the situation," the government said in a statement sent to Reuters, repeating its customary stance.

North Korea has made no secret of its plans to develop a nuclear-tipped missile able to strike the United States and has ignored all calls to halt its weapons programmes.

Pyongyang says its ICBMs are a legitimate means of defense against perceived U.S. hostility, including joint military drills with South Korea.

The South Korean capital, Seoul, is within range of massed North Korean rockets and artillery, which would be impossible to destroy in a first U.S. strike.

Tens of thousands of US troops remain stationed in South Korea and in nearby Japan, the only country to have been attacked with nuclear weapons.

Japanese fighters conducted joint air drills with U.S. supersonic bombers in Japanese skies close to the Korean peninsula on Tuesday.

North Korea said on Wednesday it had released a Canadian pastor serving a life sentence there on humanitarian grounds. There was no obvious connection to the standoff with the United States, but North Korea has in the past attracted the attention of Washington, and visits by high-profile Americans, with the detention and release of US citizens.
New York: Those looking to savor US presidential history first-hand are being invited to rent Donald Trump`s childhood home at $725 a night on AirBnb, complete with a giant presidential cut-out in the living room.

The $2 million, mock Tudor-style family home in Queens, where the New York tycoon turned Republican commander-in-chief lived for the first four years of his life, sleeps up to 20 people in five bedrooms.

Equipped with internet and cable TV, the listing says it is verified and calls itself "the perfect accommodation for a New York vacation."

"We decided to put it on Airbnb to share the house with the world," said Michael Davis, the real-estate developer who bought the home last year, sold it for profit and now leases it back at $4,000 a month.

"There`s been a lot of activity," Davis said, with the first guests expected to stay this weekend.

The listing shows several dates blocked off in August but currently there are no reviews.

It claims little has changed since the Trumps` time, boasting an original kitchen and "opulent furnishings."

"We tried to have presidential furniture," explained Davis. "It`s decorated very, very nicely and it has all of the amenities that you would need."

Built by father Fred in 1940 in the upmarket enclave of Jamaica Estates, the president lived in the home until the family moved into a colonnaded mansion that Trump senior built nearby in 1951.

The two-story home embellished with red brick sold at auction in January for 54 percent more than the $1.39 million the investor paid for last year. The $2.14 million deal closed in March.

Listing pictures show photographs of the president and quotations sprinkled around the property. Trump`s best-selling business tome "The Art of the Deal" is in the house library -- the only book in the house.

It remains unclear what the president would make of the venture.

"I think he likes a good deal," said Davis. "His brand creates value and we were certainly the beneficiaries of that."

Asked about the house when he appeared on NBC`s "The Tonight Show" during the election campaign, Trump said it was "sad" the building was on sale and said he wanted to buy it.

These AirBnb listing authors say they have no relationship with the White House, Trump or his Manhattan-based Trump Organization.
5 TV shows and films on homosexuality and same-sex marriages - IN PICS
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, took to Twitter to congratulate BJP chief Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani for their successful election to the Rajya Sabha.

"Congratulations to BJP President @AmitShah & ministerial colleague @smritiirani on getting elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat," Modi tweeted.

"Congratulations to Shri @AmitShah on completing 3 successful years as @BJP4India President," he said in another tweet.

Shah, who'll debut in the Parliament with this victory, also completed three years as the BJP chief. PM Modi noted that the party's base had expanded during this period.

Also See: How will Rajya Sabha Elections affect NDA and and UPA numbers

Irani, who is Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Textiles, was re-elected to the upper House of Parliament in the polls held yesterday.

Yesterday night, Ahmed Patel also tweeted:

I want to thank each & every MLA who voted for me despite unprecedented intimidation & pressure from BJP.They voted for an inclusive India  Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) August 8, 2017

Patel managed to clinch a close battle, returning to the Upper House of the Parliament for a fifth term, but not without a fair share of drama.
New Delhi: In a bid to celebrate Independence Day, e-commerce giants Flipkart and Amazon have come up with lucrative offers to woo customers.

Flipkart has kicked off the Big Freedom Sale between August 9 and August 11 and Amazon has started its Great Indian Sale between August 9 and August 12.

Both the companies are offering a selection of over hundreds of thousands of products across various categories, including big brands, with irresistible deals at attractive prices.

Here is a comparison between the top deals being offered by both Flipkart and Amazon in their ongoing sale.

Flipkart Big Freedom Sale top offers

Redmi Note 4

From Rs 9,999

Extra Rs 1,000 off on exchange

CloudWalker Cloud TV 109cm

Rs 31,999

15 percent off

Available at Rs 37,990

Onida 109.22cm (43) Full HD LED Smart TV (43 FIS)

Rs 33,990

11 percent off

Available at Rs 29,999

Google Pixel XL

Flat Rs 18,001 off

From Rs 48,999

Lenovo Phab 2 Series

Exchange Offer

From Rs 9,999

Samsung 80cm (32) HD Ready LED TV (32J4003)

Rs 28,900

37 percent off

Available at Rs 17,999

Vu 80cm (32) HD Ready LED Smart TV (32D6475_HD smart)

Rs 20,000

10 percent off

Available at Rs 17,999

HP Core i3 6th Gen - (4 GB/1 TB HDD/DOS) 15-BE012TU Laptop

Rs 27,490

9 percent off

Available at Rs 24,990

Lenovo K6 Power (Grey, 32 GB) (3 GB RAM)

Rs 9,999

10 percent off

Available at Rs 8,999

Moto E4 Plus (Fine Gold, 32 GB) (3 GB RAM)

Flat Rs 899 off

Available at Rs 9,999

Amazon Great India Sale top deals

Apple iPhone 6 (Space Grey, 32GB)

Price: Rs 29,500 (19 percent off)

Available at Rs 23,999

Exchange offer upto Rs 20,000

IFB 7 kg Fully-Automatic Front Loading Washing Machine

List: Rs 31,490 (14 percent off)

Available at Rs 26,990

Exchange offer upto Rs 3,500

Apple iPhone 7 (Black, 32GB)

Price: Rs 56,200 (23 percent off)

Available at Rs 42,999

Exchange offer upto Rs 20,000

Dell Vostro 3468 14-inch Laptop

List: Rs 35,925 (5 percent off)

Available at Rs 33,990

Exchange offer upto Rs 15,000

Samsung On5 Pro (Gold)

List: Rs 7,990 (13 percent off)

Available at Rs 6,990

Exchange offer upto Rs 6,000

Apple iPhone SE (Space Grey, 32GB)

Price: Rs 26,000 (23 percent off)

Available at Rs 19,999

OnePlus 5 (Slate Gray 6GB RAM + 64GB memory)



Rs 32,999

Exchange offer upto Rs 20,000

Moto G5 Plus XT1686 (Lunar Grey)

Price: Rs 16,999 (12 percent off)

Rs 14,999

Exchange offer upto Rs 13,200

Honor 6X (Grey, 64GB)

Price: Rs 13,999 (7 percent off)

Available at Rs 12,999

Exchange offer upto Rs 10,200

Coolpad Note 5 Lite Grey

List: Rs 8,999 (22 percent off)

Available at Rs 6,999

Exchange offer upto Rs 6,000
Lucknow: A mob attacked a private school in Meerut and vandalised property on Wednesday alleging that a seven-year-old girl student had been gang-raped by some students.



Police rushed to the school in Phoolbagh area of Nauchandi and tried to pacify the unruly mob which wanted the school principal to be arrested.



A medical examination was conducted on the girl and prima facie rape has not been confirmed, Maan Singh Chauhan, superintendent of police (SP) told IANS on phone, adding that the probe was on.
Mirzapur: A brazen act of disrespecting temple of education, a school, was witnessed in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur District.

A government primary school, situated in Tetriya village of Jamalpur, was turned into a dance bar on the occasion of Rakshabandhan.

A program, attended by village heads of nearby areas, organised a dance act, where the girls were seen on dancing on Bhojpuri songs.

The video of the same has gone viral, and also shows the village heads trying to match their steps with the dancers as well as showering money on girls.

Primary Education officer Pravin Kumar Tiwari said investigation will be done in the same.

Watch the video here:
Lucknow: Three Noida residents, including a woman, were killed when their car rammed into a truck in Kaushambi in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, police said.

The accident took place on the Allahabad-Kanpur highway when the victims were returning from Varanasi after celebrating Raksha Bandhan, police said. They were heading to Noida.

The victims were identified as Abhishek, 35, Reena, 30, and Himanshu, 24. An injured woman, Neha, 26, has been admitted to a medical facility.
Jerusalem: Palestinian politics is a relentless and often fruitless pursuit: after more than two decades of on-off negotiations, a state remains out of reach. Now add to the mix rising age and failing health.

President Mahmoud Abbas, who will be 83 in March, has been in hospital for frequent check-ups in recent months and received treatment abroad. His chief peace negotiator, Saeb Erekat, is 20 years younger and a keen runner, but he is suffering from pulmonary fibrosis and needs a lung transplant.

Aides to Abbas say he remains strong and those who work with Erekat describe him as tireless, even when having to use an oxygen tank to aid breathing. In an email, Erekat declined to discuss his health in detail, calling it a private matter.

"I would like to keep it this way," he said.

The fact that two of the most prominent Palestinians on the world stage are aging and, in Erekat`s case, in need of life-saving surgery has prompted questions in both Israel and the Palestinian territories about what comes next.

If the president of the past 12 years and his chief negotiator leave the scene, who would take over And given the deep divisions in Palestinian politics, with Abbas`s Fatah party at sharp odds with Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls Gaza, what are the risks of internal armed conflict

Most analysts and observers of Palestinian affairs see the chances of full-on fighting between Fatah and Hamas as remote, especially with Israel, which keeps Gaza under a tight blockade and occupies the West Bank and East Jerusalem, having an interest in preventing it.

And at the same time, while Abbas may have dominated the scene since Yasser Arafat`s death in 2004, it is not as if the Palestinians are without the political structures or wherewithal to find a viable successor, with several names in the mix.

"For now, there doesn`t seem to be any indicator that things are going towards violence" despite the "fertile ground" for it, said Khalil Shikaki, a leading pollster and analyst with the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research.

"The most important factor is that the split, while creating frustration, also makes it difficult for Fatah and Hamas to trust each other and work together to launch violent attacks."

Add to that the fact that Palestinian forces coordinate West Bank security with Israeli forces every day, despite civilian opposition, and the chances of a major outbreak of violence, either internal or aimed at Israel, appear limited.

The bigger concern may be how any transfer of power is handled, and whether it can be done smoothly.

POWER VACUUM

"The situation is ripe for a power vacuum," said Grant Rumley, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington and co-author of a biography of Abbas.

"If (the Palestinians) rally behind one figure, I think there`s a chance of a peaceful transition. That looks less and less likely as it goes on."

Abbas has kept a tight grip on power since he was elected to a four-year term in 2005. Presidential polls haven`t been held since. Opponents, like former Fatah security chief Mohammed Dahlan, have gone into exile. Hamas, with its devout Islamist ideology, is regarded as as much of an enemy as Israel.

Despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly dismissing Abbas as no partner for peace, Israel`s security establishment likes his steady hand and the fact he favours peaceful resistance over violence. Those best positioned around Abbas largely have the same perspective.

"The main candidates to inherit from Abbas all share his political programme," said Nathan Thrall, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group. "The likelihood that one of his successors ... is going to support armed resistance or call for armed resistance is very, very low."

Currently, two names are most often mentioned as successors: Majid Faraj, 55, the head of intelligence, who often joins Erekat in negotiations; and Mahmoud Aloul, 67, the chief deputy to Abbas in Fatah and a former governor of Nablus.

On the streets, Marwan Barghouti, 58, who is serving five life terms in an Israeli prison for murder, is often hailed as a future leader and ranks high in polls. But he is unlikely ever to be released and Palestinians themselves say that if he were freed, he would probably not be so popular.

Instead, expectations are that people around Abbas and his party are likely to emerge and maintain his course, something Israel also wants. "The main Israeli view is to prioritise stability," said Thrall. "Any changing of the guard in the West Bank is in Israel`s view threatening."
Beijing: China on wednesday lodged a diplomatic protest with Japan over its defence white paper which criticised Beijing's aggressive policies in the South and East China seas.

In the white paper of more than 560 pages, Japan devoted 34 pages to "unjustified criticism" of China's normal defence construction and military activities, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

Japan said in its defence white paper that "China has tried to change the status quo in the East China Sea and South China Sea based on its own assertions, and this has become a common concern of the region and the world at large."

Geng accused Japan of meddling in the South China Sea, saying China has lodged solemn representations with the Japanese side.

Geng reaffirmed that the will of the Chinese government to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests is firm.

China claims almost all of South China Sea and also laid claims on the Senkaku islands under the control of Japan in East China Sea and resorted to aggressive patrols in the last two years.

Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the South China Sea.

Geng said conducting patrols and law-enforcement activities in waters off the Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands is China's inherent right and Japan is in no position to point fingers at those activities.

The Chinese side, carrying out normal sea and air activities in accordance with international law, relevant domestic laws and regulations as well as national defence needs, is beyond reproach, he said.

The construction of necessary and appropriate facilities by the Chinese side in some reefs and islands of the Nansha Islands is a legitimate right granted to sovereign states by international law, which has nothing to do with militarisation and does not pose a threat to regional security, Geng said.

With the concerted efforts of countries in the region, the situation in the South China Sea has stabilised, he said.

China and ASEAN countries are focusing on strengthening cooperation to promote a comprehensive and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and jointly develop regional rules, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

On Sunday, China and ASEAN foreign ministers adopted a framework of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, said Geng, noting that all parties affirmed the positive situation in the South China Sea and highly appreciated the early cooperation results, such as the China-ASEAN senior diplomats hotline.

Geng hoped that Japan would respect the efforts made by China and ASEAN countries in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, stop intervention in the South China Sea issue, and play a constructive role in maintaining regional peace and stability.

In the recent years, Japan has drawn broad attention from countries in the region and international community as it sharply adjusted its military security policy and attempted to make excuses for developing its armed forces and amending the constitution by exaggerating neighbouring safety threats, Geng said.

He urged the Japanese side to learn lessons from history, stick to the path of peaceful development and act prudently in military security.

"We hope that the Japanese side could do more to help enhance mutual trust with China and other neighbouring countries and to safeguard regional peace and stability," he said.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will leave for Lahore via the historic Grand Trunk Road on Wednesday morning, despite security concerns following a bombing here, the media reported.

According to Dawn online, the disqualified premier`s younger brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and his predecessor Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan warned Sharif against proceeding to Lahore by road, a distance of 380 km.

But the former Prime Minister was adamant on taking the GT Road. "I will not wait for the situation to calm down because I have every right to go home," he told reporters at the Punjab House on Tuesday.

Security has been heightened in Lahore ahead of the arrival of Sharif as PML-N members believe that the Sunday explosion of a fruit-laden parked truck here was intended to target the former Prime Minister`s convoy that was scheduled to pass on way to Lahore.

The PML-N chief has ignored his party members` advice, but sent his wife Kulsoom and daughter Maryam to Lahore a day before his own departure.

Lahore: Sharif on Wednesday morning left the Punjab House in Islamabad and arrived at D-Chowk, the first stop of his procession, where the former premier`s supporters greeted him.

He told the media that he had never tried to create anarchy in the country -- be it the days of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf sit-in outside Parliament, attempts to lock down the capital or matters relating to the Panama Papers case.

Sharif on Tuesday avoided questions on the chances of him returning as Prime Minister, but hinted that he would remain active in politics.

He said a petition seeking a review of his disqualification would soon be filed before the Supreme Court with the plea that a larger bench hear the case.

The Constitution was abrogated again and again, he said, but the judiciary not only legitimised military rule every time, it even went to the extent of giving dictators the right to amend the Constitution.

"Why should I have disclosed a salary I never withdrew from my son`s company," he asked, adding that a Prime Minister elected with the votes of 200 million people should not have been treated in such a way.

The PML-N is banking on its workers for making Sharif`s return to his hometown a "historic" occasion to get the much-needed political mileage in the face of the challenges its government is facing.

At least 5,000 persons are expected to accompany him throughout the journey, and thousands are expected to receive and see off the leader at the borders of their respective constituencies.
Paris: France on Wednesday praised the "determination" of Donald Trump after the US president ramped up his rhetoric against North Korea over its weapons programmes.

"The determination of the American president... (is) the same determination as any American president would have because they cannot accept that part of their territory could be the target of ballistic missile attacks," French government spokesman Christophe Castaner said after a cabinet meeting.
Paris: Prime Minister Edouard Philippe confirmed that police had arrested the suspect behind an attack on French soldiers in a Paris suburb on Wednesday.

"A suspect who was driving the car involved in the attack has been arrested on the highway between Paris and Boulogne-sur-Mer," Philippe told lawmakers during parliament question time.

A Reuters journalist saw the BMW believed to have been used in the attack, riddled with bullet holes, on the A16 highway in northern France.
Islamabad: ricketer-turned politician Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party on Wednesday filed a petition with the Election Commission seeking restrictions on ousted premier Nawaz Sharif's political activities in the wake of his disqualification by the Supreme Court.

The petition was filed by advocate Babar Awan on behalf of Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Dr Yasmeen Rashid, hours before Sharif was to lead a rally to his hometown Lahore from Islamabad via the historic Grand Trunk (GT) Road.

The petition has been filed under Section 5 of the Political Parties Order 2002 and requests Sharif's disqualification from holding any post in any political party, the Dawn reported.

The opposition has decried Sharif's continued role in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after his disqualification by the apex court in the Panama Papers case.

The petition further states that the party carrying Sharif's name should be banned, asking that nominations made by him for the post of the prime minister and for the cabinet should be declared illegal.

On July 28, a five-member Supreme Court bench disqualified 67-year-old Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children, forcing the embattled leader out of office.
Islamabad: Shehbaz Sharif is set to be appointed as president of the PML-N after Pakistan's Election Commission asked the ruling party to replace his brother Nawaz Sharif, who was disqualified as prime minister by the Supreme Court, a senior leader has said.

Raja Zafarul Haq, senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, told the media that Shehbaz Sharif, 65, would be the new president of PML-N.

The formal decision would be taken later this week in Lahore in meeting of the PML-N. Though Nawaz still holds sole authority to appoint anyone to any post but he consults party before major decisions.

The 67-year-old ousted prime minister was president of the ruling party until he was disqualified by the Supreme Court on July 28 over the Panama Papers scandal. According to the local laws he lost his seat in the national assembly and cannot hold any post in the party.

Opposition parties had lodged petitions against the then premier over the scandal demanding trial of the first family for the assets and properties they owned, alleging that the premier and his children resorted to money laundering and graft.

The top court took up the case in October and formal hearings of the petitions began in November.

After around four months, a verdict was reserved by the top court in February and was delivered on April 20 that ordered for formation of a six-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the first family.

After 60 days, the probe committee filed its report in the court and within two weeks, a verdict was delivered that ordered the elections authority to disqualify Nawaz Sharif.

Yesterday, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) through the notice told the PML-N that Nawaz Sharif cannot lead the party after disqualification under the Political Parties Order 2002.
Guam/Danding: North Korea on Wednesday threatened to launch a missile strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam, just hours after President Donald Trump told Pyongyang that any threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury".

US Andersen Air Force Base on Guam hosts the nuclear-capable B-1B strategic bombers, which were sent back by the US to the Korean peninsula on Tuesday, according to Yonhap news agency, citing South Korean military sources.

Guam Governor Eddie Calvo downplayed North Korea`s threat to attack his Pacific island state but said the US territory was "prepared for any eventuality" in a televised speech Wednesday as tensions escalate in the region.
Islamabad: Thousands of people attended a rally and procession in support of former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday as he embarked on a show of political power following a Supreme Court decision to disqualify him from office over undeclared assets.



Sharif launched the so-called "caravan" procession from Islamabad to his eastern hometown of Lahore, despite the concerns of advisers about security.



Big crowds of supporters thronged the capital to join in the rally and set up camps along the route he was expected to take.



"Nawaz Sharif is still our prime minister," said worker Niaz Ahmad, who wore a lion look-alike costume and chanted, "Lion, Lion!" referring to the election symbol of Sharif`s political party.



Backers of Sharif danced and showered his vehicle with rose petals as the procession took nine hours to reach Rawalpindi from Islamabad.



The event remained largely peaceful, though Sharif`s supporters assaulted the crew of two local TV stations, which have been critical of him during the months of court proceedings, police official Hafeez Khan said.



Sharif, 67, resigned during his third stint as prime minister after the Supreme Court ruled on July 28 that he should be disqualified. The court also ordered a criminal probe into his family over allegations stemming from the "Panama Papers" leaks of international offshore companies.



Pakistan`s new prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a close Sharif ally, said the former leader was alert to security threats.



"The bigger a leader is, the bigger the threat is," Abbasi told domestic Geo TV. He told SAMAA TV the event was not a protest, but rather a reception for Nawaz Sharif by his supporters to mark his homecoming.



Sharif was seen off in Islamabad by Abbasi, the new cabinet and other party officials, his political adviser Asif Kirmani said.



Several ministers also took part in the rally, chanting slogans, dancing, and taking selfies with supporters.



Kirmani said a huge number of people were waiting for Sharif along the Grand Trunk Road linking Islamabad with Lahore, about 380 km (237 miles) distant. "We really don`t know how long it will take, how many days.We have no idea," he said.



Sharif, in recent meetings with party leaders, lawyers and the media, has expressed his displeasure over the court ruling.



He has said no corruption charges had been proved, and it was unfair to disqualify him on the grounds of not having declared a salary from his son`s Dubai-based company among a list of assets submitted ahead of the 2013 elections that brought him to power.



Sharif`s governing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which has a solid majority in Parliament, elected Abbasi as his replacement within four days of the court decision.



Party leaders have recently suggested that Abbasi is expected to hold office until elections due next year, a reversal of earlier indications that Sharif`s younger brother, Shahbaz, would take over.



Shahbaz is now likely to replace his brother as party chief, because the ousted premier can no longer lead a political party as Pakistani law bars convicted or disqualified persons from such roles.
Islamabad: Thousands of people attended a rally and procession in support of former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday as he embarked on a show of political power following a Supreme Court decision to disqualify him from office over undeclared assets.

Sharif launched the so-called "caravan" procession from Islamabad to his eastern hometown of Lahore, despite the concerns of advisers about security.

Big crowds of supporters thronged the capital to join in the rally, and set up camps along the route he was expected to take.

"Nawaz Sharif is still our prime minister," said worker Niaz Ahmad, who wore a lion look-alike costume and chanted, "Lion, Lion!" referring to the election symbol of Sharif`s political party.

Backers of Sharif danced and showered his vehicle with rose petals as the procession took nine hours to reach Rawalpindi from Islamabad.

The event remained largely peaceful, though Sharif`s supporters assaulted the crew of two local TV stations, which have been critical of him during the months of court proceedings, police official Hafeez Khan said.

Sharif, 67, resigned during his third stint as prime minister after the Supreme Court ruled on July 28 that he should be disqualified. The court also ordered a criminal probe into his family over allegations stemming from the "Panama Papers" leaks of international offshore companies.

Pakistan`s new prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a close Sharif ally, said the former leader was alert to security threats.

"The bigger a leader is, the bigger the threat is," Abbasi told domestic Geo TV. He told SAMAA TV the event was not a protest, but rather a reception for Nawaz Sharif by his supporters to mark his homecoming.

Sharif was seen off in Islamabad by Abbasi, the new cabinet and other party officials, his political adviser Asif Kirmani said.

Several ministers also took part in the rally, chanting slogans, dancing, and taking selfies with supporters.

Kirmani said a huge number of people were waiting for Sharif along the Grand Trunk Road linking Islamabad with Lahore, about 380 km (237 miles) distant. "We really don`t know how long it will take, how many days.We have no idea," he said.

Sharif, in recent meetings with party leaders, lawyers and the media, has expressed his displeasure over the court ruling.

He has said no corruption charges had been proved, and it was unfair to disqualify him on the grounds of not having declared a salary from his son`s Dubai-based company among a list of assets submitted ahead of the 2013 elections that brought him to power.

Sharif`s governing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which has a solid majority in parliament, elected Abbasi as his replacement within four days of the court decision.

Party leaders have recently suggested that Abbasi is expected to hold office until elections due next year, a reversal of earlier indications that Sharif`s younger brother, Shahbaz, would take over.

Shahbaz is now likely to replace his brother as party chief, because the ousted premier can no longer lead a political party as Pakistani law bars convicted or disqualified persons from such roles.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian-Italian joint expedition has opened the rooms of Solak-1 fortress-castle of the Van kingdom era. The pottery and other samples found in the archaeological site allow to affirm that the fortress-castle belongs to three archeological periods.

Artur Petrosyan  head of the Armenian side of the expedition, told Armenpress, most probably the Urartians built the castle, then lived there in post-Urartian and antique period, later it was used in the Middle ages.

Our expedition has discovered the Solak-1 archaeological site as a result of a research conducted in the Kotayk province. Here excavations are being carried out since 2013. The castle can be dated back to the Urartu era, 8-5 centuries BC. Most probably, it is a part of the fortress that was linking the Urartu fortresses located in the south to the fortresses in the Sevan basin, he said.

He informed that during the excavations of this year pottery fragments, logs have been discovered.

The archeologist said the excavations in Solak-1 fortress-castle have launched on July 3. They can already be considered as completed. We conserve the archaeological site aimed at continuing the excavations next year, Artur Petrosyan said.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. The second race of the semi-final of Tank Biathlon competition has kicked off in Moscow which is being held on the sidelines of the International Army Games, reports Armenpress.

The tank crewmen of Armenia, Mongolia, Belarus and Kazakhstan are competing in the second race.

In the first race of semi-final, the tank crewmen of Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Russia and Serbia took part: Russia captured the first position.

On the third day, August 10, the tank crewmen from China, Venezuela, Iran and India will decide the best ones.

The final will take place on August 12.

The International Army Games are being held this year at 22 practice ranges of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and China. Teams from 28 countries are taking part in the Army Games.



The Armenian Armed Forces at the Tank Biathlon are represented by 19-year-old soldiers.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. A number of festivals are already established in Armenia and are being presented as a tourism result, Mekhak Apresyan  Vice President of the State Tourism Committee at the ministry of economic development and investments, told a press conference in Armenpress.

There are already a number of local festivals such as wine, honey and barbecue festivals which are being held every year. Numerous festivals are already on the agenda of tour companies. Tourist groups, individuals arrive in Armenia to take part in such events. This speaks about the fact that this event tourism is developing, he said, adding that there are festivals that are famous not only in Armenia, but also in international market, and are being covered by a number of international media.

We try to do so that the tourist while planning his/her trip will decide to visit Armenia to attend a festival. Our program is prospective since we see tourists happiness while taking part in such festival, Apresyan said.

He attached importance to hold those festivals in provinces since they contribute to economic activeness. Mekhak Apresyan stated that while carrying out a state policy, the state doesnt consider the fact whether the province is far from Yerevan or not. The government is interested in developing tourism in border zones and carries out daily work on that path.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian on August 9 hosted the delegation led by Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on Europe and Central Asia Li Huilai who arrived in Armenia to take part in the consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries, press service of the ministry told Armenpress.

Welcoming the guest, FM Nalbandian highly appreciated the current level of Armenian-Chinese friendly relations, stating that Armenia considers the relations with China as one of the priority directions of foreign policy.

The Chinese official thanked for the reception and conveyed to the Armenian FM the Chinese FM Wang Yis greetings and wishes, adding that China wants to further deepen the dynamically developing partnership with Armenia and strengthen the friendly ties. The unprecedented high level relations and friendship between Armenia and China are based on honesty and mutual respect, Li Huilai said.

The sides also touched upon the implementation process of agreements reached between the heads of the two countries. They appreciated the close cooperation which has been established over the past 25 years of diplomatic relations between Armenia and China in different spheres.

Edward Nalbandian and Li Huilai discussed numerous issues of bilateral agenda, attached importance to political dialogue, expansion of legal framework, cooperation in international structures, as well as constant assistance on issues important for both sides.

Li Huilai attached importance to the Armenian sides participation in One belt, one road international cooperation forum which was held in Beijing in May 2017, adding that this program enables to boost the bilateral economic mutual partnership. Edward Nalbandian highlighted Armenias interest to actively take part in the One belt, one road program.

During the meeting the cooperation in education, science and culture spheres was touched upon.

The Armenian Foreign Minister expressed gratitude for the Chinese assistance provided to Armenia since independence.

A number of urgent issues of regional and international agenda were also on the meeting agenda.

FM Nalbandian presented the ongoing joint efforts of Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries aimed at peacefully settling the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as well as highly appreciated Chinas balanced stance on the conflict settlement. In his turn, Li Huilai said China supports efforts aimed at settling the conflict exclusively through peaceful means.

After the meeting FM Edward Nalbandian, Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan and Li Huilai attended the groundbreaking ceremony of new building of Chinese embassy in Yerevan.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. On August 9, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh, the OSCE Mission conducted a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, in the direction of the Askeran region, on the Akna-Hindarkh road section, press service of the Artsakh Foreign Ministry told Armenpress.

From the positions of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh, the monitoring was conducted by Field Assistants to the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO) Ghenadie Petrica (Moldova) and Ognjen Jovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), as well as staff member of the Office of the CiO Personal Representative Martin Schuster (Germany).

From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring was conducted by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk and his Field Assistant Mihail Olaru (Moldova).

The monitoring passed in accordance with the agreed schedule.

From the Artsakh side, the monitoring mission was accompanied by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. The second largest embassy in the Eurasian area, after Russia, will be constructed in Armenia, reports Armenpress.

The groundbreaking ceremony of the new building of the Chinese embassy in Armenia was attended by Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian, Deputy Foreign Minister Armen Papikyan, Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on Europe and Central Asia Li Huilai and Ambassador of China to Armenia Tian Erlong and others.

FM Nalbandian congratulated the guests on the occasion of this initiative and wished success to those engaged in the embassys construction works. I have always been impressed by the Chinese expressions with their simplicity on the one hand, and with their wisdom, on the other had: one of them says the best period to plant a tree was 25 years ago, the next best time is today. And, really, 25 years ago we established diplomatic relations with China, and during those years Armenia and China did everything for the centuries-old friendship, our relations to strengthen, develop and expand. This is both the high level political dialogue, the warm relations between the leaders of the two countries, the cooperation of the governments of the two states in economic, cultural, scientific-cultural affairs, the close mutual partnership between the two foreign ministers, the cooperation within the frames of international organizations, and the friendship between the two peoples, Edward Nalbandian said, adding that this new embassy will serve as a key platform for development of bilateral ties, implementation of programs aimed at strengthening the friendship.

Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on Europe and Central Asia Li Huilai said he is inspired by this initiative. Distance cannot separate real friends: although both countries are far from each other geographically, the peoples of Armenia and China have sincere friendly feelings towards each other. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, the Armenian-Chinese relations have constantly developed in political, economic, cultural and other spheres. This year is also symbolic since we mark the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations, he said.

In his turn the Chinese Ambassador stated that the construction of the embassys new building is a reflection of cooperation and friendly ties between the two countries.

This is important and happy event for us. China will be better presented in Armenia. As our partnership quickly develops, it, of course, requires much more efforts, large number of people, as well as larger space, he said.

The first stone was laid by the officials at the end of the groundbreaking ceremony.

The construction of the new building will last 2 years. The building project was made in China, by a Chinese company. The construction works will be jointly carried out by Armenian and Chinese workers.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. High temperature is expected in Armenia on August 10-14, the ministry of emergency situations told Armenpress.

In the daytime up to 39...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 10 the index of ultraviolet rays is predicted to reach 7, so its recommended to avoid direct sunrays from 11:00 to 17:00.

Long-lasting physical work under the direct sunrays can cause sunstroke.

The air temperature will not change considerably.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. Within the frames of negotiations over the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the meeting of foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan will take place in New York in the second half of September, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian told reporters within the frames of the groundbreaking ceremony of the new building of the Chinese embassy in Armenia, reports Armenpress.

The meeting agenda will cover the issues we have repeatedly stated: create respective conditions for moving forward the negotiation process, in other words, what has happened, over which we are negotiating. We always need to be ready for negotiations, hold them since there is no alternative, Edward Nalbandian said, adding that there is nothing concrete yet over the meeting of the presidents.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS. The Syrian Democratic Forces saved 7 Christians from the terrorists of the "Islamic State" on August 8 in the Syrian city of Raqqa, "Armenpress" reports Istanbul-based "Agos" periodical informs.

Aranews reports two Armenian families were among the rescued.

Our forces have saved two Armenian families today, said Mustafa Bali, Director of the Information Office of the SDF.

Saws Karabidian, a Christian woman who was among those rescued by the SDF, said: They [ISIS] forced us to wear the headscarf and allowed us to reveal our faces to distinguish us from Muslims. We had to hide our faces to avoid insults.

We were forced to pay tribute by hand and we were humiliated and insulted, what a homeland that makes you pay an additional tax because you are different, Karadij Karadjian, another Christian civilian who was rescued on Tuesday, told SDF fighters. Today is a new birth for us.
SAN FRANCISCOIt's been more than a year since U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White dismissed the lawsuit brought by the Erotic Service Providers Legal Education Research Project (ESPLERP) and three sex workers to make the provision of paid sexual services legal in California, having ruled that the plaintiffs' claimed "liberty interest" guaranteed under the Fourteenth Amendment was "merely sexual or intimate conduct" and that under previous U.S. Supreme Court decisions, fucking a customer isn't "intimate" enough to trigger constitutional liberty protections nor the "strict scrutiny" analysis that would likely lead to overturning the law. AVN analyzed the judge's ruling here.

But the plaintiffs weren't about to give up, and in January of 2017, attorneys H. Louis Sirkin and D. Gil Sperlein filed an appeal brief to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which begins, "Just as it did in the District Court below, the State here again misapprehends the fundamental liberty interest at issue in this case. The liberty interest at stake is far greater than just 'a fundamental right to engage in prostitution' as the State claims. ... In truth, this case is about consenting adults. It is about the right of those consenting adults to be free from the government intruding into their private, sexual lives." A more detailed account of the appellants' arguments, which draw on several high-profile Supreme Court decisions such as Lawrence v. Texas and Reliable Consultants v. Earle, can be found here.

The ESPLERP case has attracted a lot of attention from the free speech and sexual freedom community, and the Ninth Circuit docket reflects that amicus briefs supporting ESPLERP have been filed by such organizations as the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the American Civil Liberties Union, the First Amendment Lawyers Association, and the Woodhull Freedom Foundation. Amicus briefs opposing ESPLERP were filed by several familiar sex-repressive groups including the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, Covenant House California, Freedom From Exploitation, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Equality NOW, Demand Abolition, Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, Wichita State University Center for Combating Human Trafficking and several others. The appellees' official reply brief, joined by several of the other defendants, was authored by Kamala D. Harris, one of the original defendants and then-Attorney General of California, who is now a U.S. Senator. It is unknown what the current Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, thinks of the case.

Now, the Ninth Circuit has released its oral argument calendar for October 2017, and the case of Erotic Service Providers Legal Education Research Project, et al v. George Gascon, District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco, et al, is on it. On October 19, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit will hear argument from both sides, possibly including attorneys for some amici, on the issue of "The Erotic Service Provider Legal Education and Research Project appeals from the district court's dismissal of its action challenging the constitutionality of Cal. Penal Code  547(b), which criminalizes the commercial exchange of sexual activity." The argument will begin sometime shortly after 9 a.m. in Room 307 of the James R. Browning U.S. Courthouse, 95 Seventh Street, San Francisco 94103. Just 20 minutes has been allotted for the argument.
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.
Mrs. Retha Adams Price, age 78, of Jacksonville, NC and recently of Belhaven passed away Tuesday July 8 at the home with her family.Retha was born in Washington County on July 21, 1939. She was the daughter of the late Dan and Mary Jackson Adams. Retha was raised in Pinetown and Belhaven where she graduated with the Class of 1957 from John A. Wilkinson High School. Retha then moved to the Big Town of Jacksonville, NC where she was employed and retired with 37 years of experience from the Carolina Telephone Company.On September 25, 1993, she married Donald Price who preceded her in death on March 6, 2017 after 23 years of marriage. In addition to her parents Retha was preceded in death by her two brothers, James Ray Adams of Winston Salem and Daniel Gray Adams of Washington, NC.Retha is survived by her beloved sister and faithful care giver, Lou Adams Skinner of Belhaven, niece, Angie (Dewayne) Creech of Pantego, NC, nephews, Clifton (Phyllis) Skinner of Belhaven and Eric Skinner of Raleigh, NC and many more nieces and nephews.A graveside service will be held 11:00 AM Thursday August 10, 2017 at Belhaven Community Cemetery and will be officiated by Ray Williams and Carl Ezelle.The family will receive friends at the home of Lou Skinner, 417 East Pungo Street, Belhaven, NC.In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to The First Assembly of God Church, US 264 Bypass, Belhaven, NC 27810.The family would like to extend a special thanks to Kindred at Home Healthcare and In Home Hospice for their faithful, compassionate help.Kristy, Jenny, Tony, Brandy, Amy, Beth, Linda, Kathy, Robin, and Mr. Darrell you were a joy and a blessing to Retha and also to us. Thank you all and may God bless you.Online condolences may be addressed to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com Paul Funeral Home of Belhaven is honored to serve the Price family.
Company will expand operations center in Charlotte

Contact: Ford Porter

Ford Porter govpress@nc.gov

CHARLOTTE: Allstate Insurance Company will add 2,250 jobs over three years in North Carolina as it expands its operations in Mecklenburg County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. Allstate already employs more than 1,400 people in the area. As part of the expansion, the company plans to invest more than $22 million in the Charlotte area.said Governor Cooper.Founded in 1931, Allstate (NYSE: ALL) provides insurance services to more than 16 million households nationwide. The company's major business is private passenger auto and homeowner's insurance, but its product mix also includes retirement and investment products, accident and health insurance, business insurance and life insurance. It is the largest publicly-held property and casualty insurer in the U.S.said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland.The North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C. (EDPNC) led the state's support for the company's expansion.said Harriet Harty, executive vice president, Human Resources, Allstate Insurance Company.Allstate's expansion in Mecklenburg County will be facilitated in part by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state's Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Allstate will add a variety of job functions in North Carolina, delivering a yearly payroll impact of more than $105.3 million, once all positions are filled. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project will grow the state's economy by an estimated $3.9 billion.Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $17.8 million, spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by N.C. Commerce and N.C. Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant's reimbursement payments to a given company.Because Allstate chose to locate in Mecklenburg County, the company's JDIG agreement also calls for moving as much as $5.95 million into the state's Industrial Development Fund - Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business. Even when new jobs are created in a Tier 3 county such as Mecklenburg, the new tax revenue generated through JDIG grants helps communities across the state. More information on the state's economic tier designations is available here.Partners with N.C. Commerce and the EDPNC on this project include the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, Charlotte Chamber, Mecklenburg County, City of Charlotte, UNC-Charlotte, Charlotte Works, Central Piedmont Community College, Northeastern University Charlotte, Bank of America, Charlotte City Center Partners, and the Charlotte Regional Partnership.
I'd like to apologize if I've hurt anyone for anything with anything I'm going to say. Or if it's an opposing viewpoint to one you might have. And if I look like I'm thinking about something that might offend you, I apologize for hurting you.

A university president recently addressed his campus community about an incident that had shaken his Wisconsin school. wrote Lawrence University's Mark Burstein.Again and again, Burstein returned to the issue of safety:Television news crews captured the aftermath of an event so disturbing that Burstein never identifies it specifically. So what was it? A spate of muggings? A murder?No. The disturbing event was a campus screening of my documentary, Can We Take a Joke ? The film examines the clash between comedy and outrage culture, and in it comedians ranging from newbie college jokesters to successful veterans such as Gilbert Gottfried, Penn Jillette, Adam Carolla, Lisa Lampanelli, and Jim Norton push back against the "Outrage Mob" and stand up for comedy and free speech.The film includes a variety of free speech scholars, and pays special attention to the college scene. It explains how universities have taught generations of students that they can shut down opinions they don't like simply by declaring they're offended.Being offended is much easier than formulating a persuasive argument for your point of view, and in the upside-down modern college environment, parading your offendedness actually confers an air of enlightenment. What's worse is that students bring the muzzler mentality with them after they graduate, and make society at large less tolerant and less fun.So what happened at Lawrence University? The episode began when a new student organization called Students for Free Thought announced it would host a screening of Can We Take a Joke? followed by a discussion. The club had been given provisional status by the student government, and was in the process of seeking official recognition (an important designation for any student group hoping to use school resources to hold meetings, promote events, and so on).The promotional fliers made it clear that all were welcome to attend, and the organization's efforts seemed to be working. The student newspaper reported that the eventCan We Take a Joke? includes footage of incidents where outraged college students shouted down speakers they disagree with. Ironically, that's pretty much what happened at the Lawrence screening. Some students shouted at the screen, then a dispute erupted; one student was asked to leave, and organizers stopped the film halfway through the screening.The film makes the point that shouting someone down is mob censorship, not free speech. But the life-imitating-art irony continued when various students defended the hecklers. According to them, hollering during an event isn't a sign of narrow mindedness, and it's not evidence of rudeness toward the organizers or other attendees. You see, censorship is just how some people exercise their free speech!Shortly after the event, the president of the university's student government announced the decision to deny official recognition to Students for Free Thought, explaining that he and his colleagues were "concerned about the well-being of the campus at large" and didn't believe the group would "have a positive impact."President Burstein thanked the student government leaders for their "careful analysis." Never mind that the university's official mission statement promises , "members of the Lawrence community are free to engage in, speak on, and write about scholarly research and creative activity without fear of censorship or retaliation."Some students argued that organizers should have provided "trigger warnings," since the film includes blue comedy and discussion of sensitive topics including homophobia, 9/11, and sex. However, Can We Take a Joke? does provide a trigger warning of sorts. The film opens with the following address from comedy legend Gilbert Gottfried:Perhaps that's not precisely the language the typical Assistant Dean of Inclusion would choose, but any students finding Gottfried's warning insufficient had plenty of opportunity to take preemptive action to avoid being blindsided by upsetting material.Concerned students could have watched the film on any one of the many popular digital outlets that offer it. Don't have time to watch the whole thing? Watch a little bit and you'll get the idea. Don't want to spend a lot of money? It's just 99 cents on iTunes, and it's free to Amazon Prime subscribers. Thirty seconds' worth of Googling would yield lots of free material including articles, reviews, the official trailer, and movie clips.I wonder if just maybe some of the complaining students were more interested in parading their offendedness than in avoiding disturbing material.Yes, there's a great deal that's illiberal and depressing about the modern college scene, especially when students themselves often clamor for speech codes. However, there also are hopeful signs.Can We Take a Joke? has screened on about 250 campuses so far. There have been a few eruptions of intolerance, ranging from the tearing down of promotional posters to the pulling of a fire alarm, which effectively shut down a screening and discussion in which I was scheduled to participate (and at my alma mater no less!). But far more common have been examples of students with little in common coming together to have a laugh and talk frankly about free speech.Take the screening at Ohio's Capital University . It was co-sponsored by College Democrats, College Republicans, and Young Americans for Liberty.noted Jason Fugate, treasurer of Campus Democrats.Some of my fondest memories come from a post-screening discussion I attended at Mount Saint Mary's University, a "majority minority" campus and Los Angeles's only women's university. I entered the auditorium right as the screening concluded, and the environment was tense. But I heard the students out, and they heard me out.The Q&A session went on longer than scheduled, and all of us found plenty of common ground. Afterward, the professor who asked me to attend sent me some takeaways the students offered including:andSuch events don't attract television cameras, and so the students who attend them are easy to overlook. The loudest and most intolerant students are easy to spot, but I doubt that they represent the majority of students. After all, even at Lawrence University the show eventually did go on. Organizers continued the screening and when it was over a diverse cross section of the campus engaged in a stimulating discussion about free speech.As Greg Lukianoff, head of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education and one of the free-speech scholars featured in the film likes to say,Before we talked it out, how did we humans settle disputes? Usually through violence.And that's what makes President Burstein's remarks about "The Event That Shall Not Be Named" so misleading. His vague references to "serious threats" anddo not provide critical details. Did violence actually occur? Who made the serious threats? What was the context?If he means to insinuate that my film played a role in inspiring violence or serious threats, then he's reversing the film's actual message. If violence or serious threats did occur, and if anyone can be blamed beyond the perpetrators themselves, look to those who failed to teach students about the foundation on which the university was built.These are the people who created a tinderbox campus that can be ignited by one movie filled with jokes.
Tom Campbell

Many of us have a 401-k plan, a pension or private investment portfolio. We often seek investment advice from stock brokers, money managers, newsletters, tips from friends or our own research, but none of us has a $93 billion investment portfolio like the Teachers and State Employees Retirement Fund, overseen by the State Treasurer of North Carolina.Andrew Silton, former chief investment officer for the state's pension fund, recently wrote an op-ed piece in which he advocated removing the sole investment authority from the Treasurer and vesting that responsibility with a board of trustees.No one can argue that having one person with the ultimate decision-making authority for $93 billion is an awesome responsibility, but when you flesh out the concept of establishing a board of trustees to make investment decisions you can get into deep weeds quickly.Would this board consist of full-time employees? If not, who would be chosen? Ideally you would desire that any trustee be someone with a great understanding about markets, investment categories, historical performance and persons who could assess risk potentials, rates of return and trends. Few laypersons would qualify and those with the requisite expertise would likely be private sector investment professionals. Conflict of interest risks, as well as the potential for undue political or other pressure could call into question decisions that were made.If the board consisted of full-time professionals there would be further complications. Trustees, in good faith, should place their own investments in trust and sever any relationships with financial managers, so as to eliminate conflicts of interest or undue influence. Compensation would be problematic. Most willing to leave the private sector would demand high compensation packages. The recently departed chief investment officer for the state pension fund earned almost $400,000, one of the highest paid state employees. Perhaps each member of the board of trustees would not require such a large amount, but most anyone with the experience and expertise required would be making salaries greater than the Governor, Treasurer and all but a handful of state employees. Those salaries and the additional expenses incurred would be deducted from the investment returns earned. And what would happen when these trustees disagreed about investment decisions, as they no doubt would? Who would be the final decision maker?Finally, there is the issue of accountability. When any committee makes decisions no one person can be held accountable. The State Treasurer, elected statewide, is currently personally accountable and can be removed by voters if not making good decisions.When I served as Harlan Boyles' Assistant Treasurer we examined other public pension funds to determine if any had a superior approach to North Carolina's. At the end of our study we concluded that our investment approach, while not perfect, was better than any we could find. There were no conflicts of interest, no corruption and as little politics involved in decision-making as could be found in any other state.North Carolina has been fortunate that our State Treasurers have acted responsibly, avoided undue risks and have protected the retirements of current and retired state employees. Our current approach could possibly be improved, but changes must be carefully considered so as to avoid the traps many public pension plans have encountered.
By Ruth Anderah:

The Commercial Court has appointed city advocate Harriet Magala from Kituuma -Magala and company advocates to mediate in the case between Bank of Uganda and tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia.

Its common practice that when a suit is filed in any court of law, the parties are given a chance to resolve their issues amicably with the help of an independent arbiter.

The Judiciary spokesperson who is also the registrar in-charge of mediation at the commercial court Vincent Mugabo says this is done to reduce on the time and resources that a case can take if it goes through a full trial.

Without any coercion or intimidation, consenting parties always file a judgment with court whereas those that fail to reach an agreement are at liberty to proceed with the hearing before a judge.
Gokhan Guclu is on trial in Turkey for participating in the failed coup against the Erdogan regime last year. In July, Guclu made authorities angry when he wore a T-shirt with the word "hero." Now, Turkey has made it a crime to wear similar T-shirts.

At "least 35 people have been arrested for wearing "hero" t-shirts in the last month," reports the Turkey Purge website.

Via Albawaba:

The latest was detained on Monday while drinking juice at cafe in Adana province, according to the website which was set up by exiled journalists to monitor post-coup rights abuses. "There will be no more coming to courts wearing whatever they want," Erdogan said, according to the daily newspaper Hurriyet. "They will be introduced to the world like that." Erdogan had previously called for defendants to be dressed in Guantanamo-style orange jumpsuits. According to Turkey Purge, those arrested range from factory and hotel workers to university students. Many of those detained claimed that they had not been aware of the word's meaning. Some of them were reportedly arrested following tip-offs from members of the public.

Turkey continues to crack down on anyone wearing HERO t-shirts. pic.twitter.com/r7wx1vlZhi  Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) August 7, 2017

One foreigner who was wearing this T-shirt was deported while Turks were thrown into prison. pic.twitter.com/8VOs8e8eq9  Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) August 7, 2017

Turkey has now started arresting anyone wearing that T-shirt. In Erzurum, two university students were arrested in the campus for wearing it pic.twitter.com/rPmw2ZlLXL  Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) July 19, 2017

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By Doina Chiacu, Idrees Ali and Christine Kim WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea is working on plans for a missile strike near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, calling President Donald Trump's warning of "fire and fury" a "load of nonsense" and that only "absolute force can work on him." Pyongyang's state-run KCNA news agency issued an update on its strike plans after Trump's incendiary comments on Tuesday that threats to the United States from Pyongyang would be met with "fire and fury." Trump's unexpected remarks prompted North Korea to say it was considering plans to fire four intermediate-range missiles to land 30-40 kilometers (18-25 miles) from Guam, home to about 163,000 people and a U.S. military base that includes a submarine squadron, an air base and a Coast Guard group. The army will complete its plans in mid-August, ready for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's order, KCNA said on Wednesday, citing General Kim Rak Gyom, commander of the Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army. The news agency said Trump "let out a load of nonsense about 'fire and fury'," adding "sound dialogue is not possible with such a guy bereft of reason and only absolute force can work on him." On global markets, the strong rhetoric and sharp increase in tensions drove investors out of stocks and other risky assets on Wednesday and into textbook safe havens like gold and Treasuries. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued a stark warning earlier on Wednesday, telling Pyongyang the United States and its allies would win any arms race or conflict. "The DPRK should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people," Mattis said in a statement, using the acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The United States and South Korea remain technically still at war with North Korea after the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty. North Korea regularly threatens to destroy the United States. BOASTS ABOUT POWER Tension in the region has risen since North Korea carried out two nuclear bomb tests last year and two intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July. Trump has said he will not allow Pyongyang to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States. On Wednesday, Trump followed up his "fire and fury" warning with a boast about U.S. nuclear capabilities. "My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before," Trump tweeted. "Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!" Trump's "fire and fury" remarks prompted warnings from U.S. officials and analysts not to engage in rhetorical games with Pyongyang. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was in Guam on a previously scheduled visit, played down the rhetoric, saying he did not believe there was an imminent threat from North Korea and "Americans should sleep well at night." Trump's "fire and fury" warning was meant to send a "strong message to North Korea in language that (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," Tillerson said. GUAM THREAT Earlier on Wednesday, Guam Governor Eddie Calvo dismissed the threat and said the island was prepared for "any eventuality" with strategically placed defenses. He said he had been in touch with the White House and there was no change in the threat level. North Korea, pursuing missile and nuclear weapons programs in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions, accuses the Washington of devising a "preventive war" and has said any plans to execute this would be met with an "all-out war, wiping out all the strongholds of enemies, including the U.S. mainland." Washington has warned it is ready to use force if needed to stop North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs but that it prefers global diplomatic action, including sanctions. The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Saturday. U.S military officials played down the potential for military conflict. Three U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States had not moved additional assets into the region after North Korea's threats against Guam. "Just because the rhetoric goes up, doesn't mean our posture changes," one official said. "The only time our posture goes up is based on facts, not because of what Kim and Trump say to each other," the official added. While Trump said the nuclear arsenal was more powerful than ever before, U.S. officials say it takes decades to actually modernize nuclear weapons. Trump signed an executive order in January to initiate a review of the country's nuclear policy. "COMPLEX AND SENSITIVE" A senior administration official who deals with the Korea issue said the "fire and fury" comment, which was Trump's strongest warning yet for North Korea, was "unplanned and spontaneous. "There had not been any discussions about escalating the rhetoric in response to Kims statements or about the possible effects of doing that," the official said. But White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters national security officials had been aware of the tone of Trump's message before he gave it. "The words were his own. The tone and strength of the message were discussed beforehand," Sanders said. Critics included fellow Republican John McCain, head of the Armed Forces Committee in the U.S. Senate, who said Trump should tread cautiously. "You've got to be sure you can do what you say youre going to do," McCain said in a radio interview. Democratic Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the committee, said Trump's words were counterproductive. "Defusing the North Korea threat will take smart, steady leadership and stronger diplomatic ties with our key allies," Reed said. Republican Senator Cory Gardner said the administration needed to lean on China, North Korea's closest ally, using sanctions. "Its time to hold China accountable for their refusal to shut off trade with North Korea," Gardner said. China, despite its anger at Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programs, described the situation as "complex and sensitive," and urged calm and a return to talks. "China calls on all sides to uphold the main direction of a political resolution to the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, and avoid any words or actions that may intensify the problem and escalate the situation," the government said in a statement sent to Reuters, repeating its customary stance. (Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Susan Heavey and John Walcott in Washington, Soyoung Kim in Seoul, Amy Miyazaki, Linda Sieg and Tim Kelly in Tokyo, Philip Wen in Dandong and Martin Petty in Manila; Writing by Lincoln Feast, Doina Chiacu, Frances Kerry and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Alistair Bell and James Dalgleish)
By Manuel Mogato MANILA (Reuters) - China pushed for a maritime code of conduct with Southeast Asian countries that would not be legally binding, the Philippine foreign minister said on Tuesday. Alan Peter Cayetano said some countries wanted the South China Sea code to be legally binding, and China preferred the less forceful "binding". He said all parties realized it was better to drop all mention of it from the framework and move forward. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China hailed the adoption on Sunday of a negotiating framework for the code of conduct (COC) as progress towards preventing disputes. Cayetano cited the framework as an example of how parties that were historically at odds were co-operating, but his comments indicate that China had initially set out to create a code that had no legal binds. "Everyone is more open to negotiations," Cayetano told a news conference. "At first, words about being non-legally binding, China dropped, just said 'OK, approve the framework and go to the COC'." Critics say Beijing's end game is to either negotiate what amounts to a gentleman's agreement, or stall and buy time to expand its defense capability on its manmade islands. ASEAN has long wanted to sign China up to a set of laws to prevent disputes over energy reserves, fishing, and land reclamation, and avoid military conflicts in the South China Sea, where Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and China have competing claims. ASEAN and China say the framework is only a guide for how the code will be established, but critics say the failure to outline as an initial objective the need to make it legally binding and enforceable creates doubts about how effective the pact can be. Australia, Japan and the United States on Monday urged ASEAN and China to ensure the code is "legally binding, meaningful, effective, and consistent with international law". China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday said it was too soon to discuss components of the code, but whatever is agreed must be stuck to. "If China is saying now that we're going for 'binding', will we stop talking to them?" Cayetano asked. "The problem with legally binding is ... what are the penalties, what are the mechanisms for adjudication, what tribunal, what court and who will enforce?. "I think some countries are just being practical." How to address Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea has long been ASEAN's most divisive issue, with China's influence on the group looming large and complicating efforts to reach consensus decisions. China is particularly sensitive to even oblique references in ASEAN statements to its artificial islands and rapid development of defense facilities in disputed waters. Host the Philippines, which is expanding its economic ties with China, made no mention of those in its chairman's statement on the 27-nation ASEAN Regional Forum issued late on Tuesday. (Reporting by Manuel Mogato; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Neil Fullick and Alister Doyle)
By Eric Beech and My Pham WASHINGTON/HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam has won the promise of a visit from a U.S. aircraft carrier and deeper defense cooperation from the United States as strains show with China over the disputed South China Sea. Within Southeast Asia, Vietnam has become an increasingly lonely voice in challenging Chinese claims to the vast majority of the waterway and was forced to suspend some offshore oil drilling last month after pressure from Beijing. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Vietnamese counterpart Ngo Xuan Lich in Washington on Tuesday that a strong defense relationship was based on common interests that included freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. "The Secretary welcomed Vietnam's engagement and growing leadership in the Asia-Pacific region," a statement from the Pentagon said. The defense ministers agreed on a visit by a U.S. aircraft carrier to Vietnam next year - the first such visit since the Vietnam War ended in 1975. President Donald Trump discussed the possibility of a carrier visit with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc when they met at the White House in May. The agreement was consistent with Vietnam's diplomatic strategy of being open to all countries, said Ha Hoang Hop, a Vietnamese political analyst who has advised the government. "Vietnam is not willing to compromise on issues of sovereignty and also makes its own preparations," he said. Beijing has been irritated by Vietnam's growing defense relationships with the United States and rival Asian powers, including Japan and India. Tension has risen since June, when Vietnam infuriated China by drilling for oil and gas in an offshore block that Beijing disputes. The exploration was suspended after diplomatic protests from China. China was also annoyed by Vietnam's stand at an Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting at the weekend, when it held out for language in a communique that noted concern about island-building and militarization in the South China Sea. A scheduled meeting between Chinese and Vietnamese foreign ministers on the sidelines of the summit was canceled. China also pointed to Vietnam's own reclamation work in the South China Sea. [L4N1KU1JM] Beijing is sensitive to even a veiled reference by ASEAN to its reclamation of seven reefs and its military installations in the South China Sea, which it claims in almost its entirety despite the competing claims of five other countries. More than $3 trillion in cargo passes through the waterway every year. Australia, Japan and the United States urged Southeast Asia and China on Monday to ensure that a South China Sea code of conduct they have committed to draw up would be legally binding and said they strongly opposed "coercive unilateral actions".[nL4N1KT320] (Additional reporting by My Pham in HANOI; Editing by Paul Tait)
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New York, August 9, 2017Spanish authorities should immediately and unconditionally release Hamza Yalcn, a writer for the monthly, leftist, Turkish magazine Odak Dergisi, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Police arrested Yalcn, a citizen of Turkey and Sweden, at Barcelonas El Prat airport on August 3 and now detain him pending an extradition hearing on Turkish charges of insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and maintaining terrorist links with the banned Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C), according to media reports.

Turkish authorities have detained so many journalists and closed so many media outlets on bogus terrorism charges that nobody but the governments most fervent supporters believes them anymore, CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. Spain should not make itself an accomplice to the injustices Turkeys thin-skinned government daily perpetrates against the press, and should release Hamza Yalcn without any further delay. Deporting Yalcn would set a terrible precedent for those Turkish journalists who have escaped Turkey for the relative freedom of the European Union.

Yalcn has written for Odak Dergisi, which is often critical of the Turkish government, since emigrating to Sweden in 1984, according to The Associated Press.

The Spanish Interior Ministry did not immediately reply to CPJs email requesting comment.

In December 2016, when CPJ last conducted its annual census of journalists jailed around the world, Turkey imprisoned at least 81 journalists for their workmore than any other country at any time in the 25 years CPJ has kept detailed records.
Juan Cruz

The hero who saved his gay friends: Juan Cruz was out celebrating a new job with friends, whose lives he would save.





The family of Juan Cruz, a South Florida man police say was murdered while protecting his gay cousin and other friends from a killer hurling homophobic taunts, dealt this weekend with the sudden loss of the 22-year-old. But it came as no surprise that Cruz would act so heroically even in the face of deadly violence.





I know he would save anybodys life, says sister Erika Cruz. It doesnt matter if they are gay. It doesnt matter if they are a friend or a stranger. He would still be of that mind.





Those mourning Juan Cruz say he was always an ally, and partly attribute that to the number of loved ones in his own life who came out as gay or lesbian. Erika Cruz, now 27, came out as lesbian to her family at age 17 and recalls it didnt phase her little brother at all. He didnt care if I was gay or straight; he always loved me the way I am, she says. He would tell me, Girl, you are lucky to have a lot of cute girlfriends.





Though Juan Cruz always identified as straight, he had seven cousins who came out as LGBT. He was out with one of those cousins, Pedro Cruz, on Saturday night when a run-in with another group of people outside a Lake Worth restaurant turned violent.





Pedro Cruz, 36, breaks into tears as he describes the evening to The Advocate. An immigrant from El Salvador and a Spanish speaker, Pedro recounted events in his native tongue while Brenda Carballo, another of Juan Cruzs cousins, translated the words to English. I dont understand and dont know how to explain why everything happened the way it happened, he says.





Pedro and two of his friends went out Saturday evening with Juan and ended up at Las Flores, a Salvadorean restaurant, and enjoyed a relatively uneventful evening. Pedro does recall a man, later identified by law enforcement as Nelson Hernandez Mena, in another party at the restaurant glaring at him through the evening. But Pedro says it wasnt until he, Juan, and company left the restaurant that trouble began.





We were leaving when the other group followed us to the entrance of the restaurant, he says. Its hard for me to think about everything that happened.





Juan and Pedro Cruz stood side-by-side when Hernandez Mena and four other men confronted them. One of the men in the other group said that in other nations, men like Pedro and his friends would get killed. Hernandez Mena then said, In my country I kill them like rats, according to Pedro Cruz.





Juan tried to break up the taunts, saying, Man, dont say that. We are in the United States and we are all the same, Carballo recounts. You need to calm down before we call the cops.





But then Nelson took out a gun and started to fire, first at the ground. Pedros feet felt cold, and he worried hed been hit. He hadnt, but when he looked up at Juan, he saw that blood covered his young cousins face. After that, he just fell to the floor, says Pedro. I yelled at him, Juan, what happened? But he just never got up again.





The scene turned to chaos and most of the men fled, Pedro says, while he tried to help his cousin. Neighbors who overheard the struggle called 911 and came down to help. Palm Beach County Sheriffs investigators would contact and interview witnesses. Another person in Pedros party, who so far has not been identified by investigators, had suffered a gunshot to his ankle but would recover. Sunday morning, deputies arrested Hernandez Mena, a Honduran national, on charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and aggravated assault with a firearm.





Hernandez Mena told police that hed consumed 15 to 20 beers that evening, and that his pistol had been purchased off the street for protection. He alleged that Juan Cruzs party started a fight and that he defended himself. A judge Monday denied Hernandez Mena bond. Carballo, who attended Hernandez Menas first court appearance, says the family wants justice and requests that the state pursue the death penalty.





Source: The Advocate, August 9, 2017





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Watching a public execution in Iran

A juvenile offender in Iran who was arrested at the age of 15 may be executed at any moment.





Iran Human Rights (AUG 9 2017): Alireza Tajiki is a 21-year-old juvenile offender in Shiraz's Adel Abad Prison who is in imminent danger of execution.





According to close sources, Alireza was transferred to solitary confinement on Wednesday August 9 and is scheduled to be executed on Thursday. Close sources say Alireza was 15 when he was arrested by Iranian authorities and 16 when he was sentenced to death on rape and murder charges.





Iran Human Rights calls for an immediate halt to Alireza's execution and for a halt to all the execution sentences for juvenile offenders in Iran.





"Alireza Tajiki's death sentence is in violation of international laws which the Iranian authorities must adhere to. We call on the international community to do all that they can to help stop Alireza's execution," says Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson for Iran Human Rights.





"The authorities never approved Alireza's request for a retrial, and this is unlawful. There is a lot of ambiguity in his case file that needed clarification," Alireza's brother tells Iran Human Rights. "The Irancell company confirmed that Alireza was not near the murder site at the time the murder was committed, but the authorities refute this. DNA evidence shows that three individuals were involved in the rape, but the judicial authorities did not consider this during the court hearing. Additionally, the forensics report shows that the murder victim was killed in a different location than the ditch she was discovered in. During the time of the murder, Alireza had an eleven-kilometre distance from the murder victim, so how could he have committed the murder?"

Iran: Man arrested at just 15 is hours away from execution





The Iranian authorities must halt the imminent execution of Alireza Tajiki who was arrested as a child, said Amnesty International today, after learning that he was transferred to solitary confinement this morning and is due to be executed in less than 24 hours in Shirazs Adel Abad prison.





Alireza Tajiki was just 15 at the time of his arrest and 16 when he was convicted and sentenced to death. He was transferred to solitary confinement in Adel Abad prison in Shiraz, Fars Province, on 9 August. His family were told to come to prison in order to make their final visit. The authorities did not inform his legal representatives, contrary to Irans own laws, which require lawyers to be informed of their clients scheduled execution at least 48 hours in advance.





This is an utterly shameless act by the Iranian authorities. They are keenly aware that using the death penalty against someone who was under 18 years of age at the time of crime is in flagrant breach of Irans obligations under international human rights law, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,  said Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.





Despite this, time and again Irans judicial authorities and lawmakers have failed to take any steps to once and for all end the use of the death penalty against juvenile offenders. The Iranian authorities must immediately halt any plans to execute Alireza Tajiki.





Alireza Tajiki, now 21 years old, was sentenced to death in April 2013 after a criminal court in Fars Province, southern Iran, convicted him of murder and lavat-e be-onf (male on male rape). The trial was grossly unfair and relied primarily on confessions which Alireza Tajiki has said where extracted through torture, including severe beatings, floggings, and suspension by arms and feet.





Both the lower court in Fars Province and the Supreme Court relied on state forensic opinions stating that Alireza Tajiki was mature at the age of 15 and thus eligible to receive the death penalty. In a subsequent response to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in October 2016, the representatives of Iran reiterated their outrageous position that Alireza Tajiki had sound intellect and understanding about unlawfulness of the committed acts and their punishment at the time of the crime when he was 15 years old and therefore could be punished with the death penalty.





Alireza Tajiki was first arrested in May 2012 and placed in solitary confinement for 15 days, without access to his family. He was denied access to a lawyer throughout the entire investigation process. He has said that during this period he was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment to confess to the crime. He later retracted the confessions both before the prosecution authorities and during his trial, and has since maintained his innocence consistently. However, despite this, his confession was admitted as evidence during proceedings against him.





The Iranian authorities are demonstrating once again their callous disregard for childrens rights as well as fair trial standards. This is now the third time since May 2016 that the authorities have scheduled Alireza Tajikis execution. Rather than repeatedly tormenting Alireza Tajiki with execution dates, the authorities must once and for all cancel all plans to execute him, and grant him a fair retrial in accordance with the principles of juvenile justice and without recourse to death penalty.





Iran is one of the last few countries in the world that still executes juvenile offenders. In January 2016, Amnesty International published a report which found that despite piecemeal reforms introduced by the Iranian authorities in 2013 to deflect criticism of their appalling record on executions of juvenile offenders, they have continued to condemn dozens of young people to death for crimes committed when they were below 18, in violation of their international human rights obligations.





As of August 2017, Amnesty International had identified the names of at least 89 individuals on death row who were under the age of 18 when the crime was committed.

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By Samuel Ssebuliba:

Raila Odinga, the opposition presidential candidate in Kenyas Presidential election has described yesterdays polls as a fraud.

He is demanding that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission produces 34A forms from all the polling stations before any further results are announced.

He has told a news conference in Westlands in the capital Nairobi that the results being streamed by the electoral body are illegal and inaccurate because there was a system failure that could affect the vote tallying process.

He also claims that about an hour ago, the IEBC ICT consultants acknowledged the problem and said it would take 8 hours to open email accounts for parties to be able to receive declaration forms.

He further claims that the incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta has on several occasions said that he does not need voters to win an election.

He thus concludes that the 2017 presidential election is a fraud.

Addressing the same news conference, his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka has called calm among all Kenyans as they devise strategic means of securing NASAs victory.

Meanwhile, Vote tallying continues at the BOMAS in the Kenyan capital Nairobi with preliminary results putting incumbent president Uhuru Kenyatta in an early lead with 54% against Raila Odingas 44% of the total votes counted so far.
ISLAMABAD: It took the top court nearly seven long years to take up and dismiss the petition of a death-row inmate, who died of natural causes in 2011.





A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, dismissed the criminal appeal of Akbar after receiving a report from the superintendent of District Jail Kasur that the appellant had died a natural death on January 20, 2011.





The deceased had murdered a person in Lahore in August 1999. Later, a trial court awarded him death sentence. In 2010, the Lahore High Court maintained the trial courts order.





The same year, Akbar challenged the verdict in the apex court, but his plea was admitted for regular hearing in 2014. After three years on July 27, the bench resumed the hearing of his criminal appeal.





A copy of the two-page order is available with The Express Tribune.





According to the order, A report dated July 22 was submitted by the superintendent of District Jail in Kasur, which showed that Akbar, the appellant, in criminal appeal No 334 of 2014, had died a natural death on January 20, 2011. In view of the development, the criminal appeal has abated to the extent of the said appellant.





The bench also noted that two co-accused Yaqoob and Ansar Ali had been acquitted by the trial court on the basis of compromise and released from jail.





This is not the first case where the Supreme Court took up the case of convicted persons after their deaths.





The special bench, led by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, has been working tirelessly to decide criminal appeals for last couple of years.





The bench decided pending criminal appeals from 1993 to 2014 and now only 1,298 criminal appeals are pending. On the other hand, total pending cases are 35,375 in the apex court.





Justice Khosa has brought a quiet revolution to the apex court as he is heading a special bench that has decided around 7,000 criminal appeals during the last three years.





A senior Supreme Court official told The Express Tribune that the special bench is speeding up the hearing of listed cases on a daily basis and there was no need for adjournments.

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The United Nations Security Council has passed additional sanctions aimed at increasing economic pressure on North Korea to end its nuclear weapons and missile development program. "The resolution weve passed," said U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, "is a strong, united step toward holding North Korea accountable for its behavior."

Ambassador Haley thanked all who voted in favor of the resolution, in particular China, noting their "critical role" on "matters related to North Korea."

"This resolution," she said, "is the single largest economic sanctions package ever leveled against the North Korean regime." It could cut North Koreas exports by a third, costing Pyongyang about $1 billion in revenue.

Indeed, the North Korean regime forces their citizens to work in mines and factories in order to fund its illegal nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Even as the regime continues to ask for international assistance to cope with devastating floods and a possible drought later this year, its displays of aggression take precedence over the well-being of its own people.

While the latest sanctions are a significant step forward, Ambassador Haley warned that the threat of an outlaw nuclearized North Korean dictatorship remains.

Ambassador Haley urged all Security Council members to fully implement the new and previously imposed sanctions. "Our goal," she said, "remains a stable Korean peninsula, at peace, without nuclear weapons. We want only security and prosperity for all nations including North Korea."

Until then, this resolution and prior ones must be implemented to the fullest to maximize pressure on North Korea to change its ways.
Tourists shopping in Alcudia, Mallorca. cristobal castro

The regional government of Spains Balearic Islands, which includes the popular vacation destinations of Mallorca and Ibiza, on Tuesday passed a new law limiting the number of tourist beds to 623,624, with that figure set to gradually decrease in coming years.

Although the current cap of tourist beds in the Balearics has been set at over 600,000, the plan is to lower this number by 120,000 in coming years

The majority of the beds, some 435,707, are on the island of Mallorca and more than half of them are in hotels. The regional government will also now have the power to impose fines of up to 400,000 on vacation portals such as Airbnb and HomeAway if they fail to remove listings for unlicensed properties.

The regions tourism minister, Biel Barcelo, from left-wing group Mes per Mallorca, said the move was about bringing order to a sector that has struggled to deal with the rise in supply of vacation apartments and the subsequent surge in visitor numbers to the archipelago.

Although the current cap of tourist beds in the Balearics has been set at over 600,000, the plan is to lower this number by 120,000 in coming years.

The new law, passed on Tuesday, comes in the context of a heated debate in Spain over the negative effects of mass tourism on local communities and about the role played by firms including Airbnb in this situation. Critics claim the presence of such firms drives up rents, pricing locals out and turns historic neighborhoods into theme parks.

The law will put an end to the legal uncertainty over the status of short-term vacation rentals in the island region. Previously, such rentals existed in a legal limbo. Now, however, they will be illegal if they are unlicensed.

According to the new rules, owners will  for the next 12 months at least  only be able to rent out to tourists properties such as licensed freestanding houses in cities and towns or village houses.

Critically, the renting out of vacation apartments will be banned in all residential buildings during this 12-month period. Renting out and advertising such properties via vacation portals such as Airbnb could lead to fines of up to 40,000. Sites themselves could be fined as much as 400,000 if they fail to clearly display the license number of properties they list. In such cases, both the person renting out the property and the portal will be fined.

Companies now have 15 days to comply with the new rules.

New zoning plans

Local authorities now have a year to establish zoning plans specifying where properties can be rented out to tourists and for how long. Strict conditions will apply in cases where renting to tourists is allowed, including the consent of neighborhood associations and the installation of independent water counters. All properties rented out to tourists must also be over five years old. Inspections of such properties will also be stepped up.

However, some areas where access to housing is particularly difficult will be designated emergency zones and renting out tourist apartments will be prohibited.

Airbnb has described the legislation as complex and confusing, calling for clarity. In a statement, the company said the new rules failed to distinguish between local families and professional operators. According to the company, Airbnb hosts in the region typically earn 6,300 annually by sharing their space for around 40 nights a year.

English version by George Mills.
Security staff who patrol the entrances of Barcelonas El Prat airport and supervise checked baggage have decided to postpone a strike they were planning to start on September 1. The employees, who work for a company called Ilunion, are demanding more staff to be laid on during busy travel periods and an increase of their monthly salaries of up to 350.

Lines today at El Prat airport in Barcelona. Quique Garcia (EFE)

More information Spanish government to send Civil Guard to man airport security checks

The announcement will come as a relief for the management of and passengers at El Prat, which has seen severe delays this week caused by industrial action by the staff that man the metal detectors at security checkpoints.

The decision by the USOC union, which was calling for the Ilunion strike, came as a gesture of good faith after mediation in the dispute by the Catalan regional government, which saw the company make a proposal on which both parties can negotiate. Ilunion has proposed organizational improvements and a bonus of 100 for new employees.

We hope that we will not have to strike on September 1 and that we can reach an agreement with the company beforehand, said Francisco Mosegui, of the works committee. Jose Velasco, a representative from Ilunion, said that the company has been working for some time to improve the working conditions for its employees.

Long lines continue

Meanwhile, the other labor dispute at El Prat is close to coming to an end after successful negotiations on Tuesday. The industrial action by Eulen employees, who manage airport security, is also over pay and conditions, and has seen official stoppages called as well as an undercover go-slow strike.

Yesterday, the Catalan regional government mediated negotiations between both parties and presented a proposal that was accepted both by Eulen and AENA, the Spanish airports authority and will be presented to employees. The offer includes a significant increase in personnel, including adding a fifth guard in every security line. It also raised the salary increase to an average of 11%, which comes to an increase of up to 200 per month. So far, the company had only offered 150, with the workers committee asking for 350.

But although the conflict appears to be close to resolution, the long lines at the airport continued today, with passengers having to wait as long as an hour to clear security on Wednesday morning.

One of the gestures from Eulen in a bid to bring the conflict to an end has been to suspend sanctions against the workers taking part in the slowdown strike, as well as dropping a lawsuit against the strike committee for having illegally called the stoppages. The court hearing was scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday.

Juan Carlos Gimenez, an advisor to the striking staff, predicted a tough meeting and said he did not think the workers would accept the governments proposal. Not only did we go from 350 to 200, but they also cut our [yearly salary] payments from 15 to 12, said Gimenez.

The strike committee has said it will not be stopping the strike, regardless of what comes out to the assembly, until airports authority AENA promises in writing that labor improvements are guaranteed when the contract next comes up for tender.

English version by Debora Almeida.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

By Azer Ahmadbayli  Trend:

Azerbaijan, the cradle of the first democratic republic in Muslim world where women took off the veil for the first time in an Muslim majority country now has to prove to the rest of the world that it is no longer a former Soviet republic, but the nation the world can successfully cooperate with.

Taking into account the 25-year-old Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, when no one from world political leaders dares oppose the powerful and wealthy Armenian Diaspora and strongly express their views based on international law, Azerbaijan has nothing to do but to reform itself in every way.

New technologies have always played a role of driver of economic development. Just remember movable-type printing press or diesel engine.

Some time ago President Ilham Aliyev called for transformation of the oil-oriented national economy into the one less dependent on hydrocarbons. This new initiative is now in progress. Within the scope of the new concept, Ilham Aliyev also decreed to establish a High-Tech Park in late 2012.

The High-Tech Park is located on the island of Pirallahi, not far from Baku. Its area covers 50 hectares as yet. The High-Tech Park LLC also passed the state registration. The companies operating in the High-Tech Park are exempt from tax and customs duties. Four types of tax incentives have already been approved by Parliament. The High-Tech Parks residents are exempt from VAT for import of equipment, income, land and property taxes for a period of seven years.

Who will work in this High-Tech Park and generate brilliant ideas? Certainly, it will be the young Azerbaijanis  graduates of IT high schools and universities. No doubt, there are talented people among them, but are they skilled and experienced enough to move ahead with this business?

Azerbaijan has an ability to create ripe conditions for attracting highly-skilled brightest minds from India, China and elsewhere to support local IT community in the fields of internet, software, information services, manufacture of information and communication technologies etc. If this scheme goes big, it will heat up the economic environment and get the national economy further powered up. The most evident example of how this idea can be successfully implemented is Silicon Valley in the USA.

Lets have a brief overview of the worlds leading innovation region, based on data from the 2017 Silicon Valley Index, the Silicon Valley Competitiveness and Innovation Project  2017 Report, and other sources.

Fifty-seven percent of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) professionals with a bachelors degree or higher in Silicon Valley are foreign-born.

Foreign-born residents helped start new businesses that have generated billions in revenue and hired tens of thousands of workers. Foreign-born entrepreneurs helped start one-fourth of all new US engineering and technology businesses established between 1995 and 2005, including Google and eBay. In Silicon Valley more than one-half of business start-ups over the period involved a foreign-born scientist or engineer; one-fourth included an Indian or Chinese immigrant.

Over the past 20 years, the number of Silicon Valley patent registrations in Computers, Data Processing and Information Storage has increased tenfold.

Silicon Valleys worker productivity remained the highest of the innovation regions in 2015. Average value added per employee was $231,000 per Silicon Valley worker in 2015, up from $225,000 in 2014. In 2015, the regions worker productivity was 1.7 times the US average.

In 2016, 54 percent of Silicon Valleys eighth grade students met or exceeded the state standards for mathematics proficiency, compared to 49 percent in 2015.

Silicon Valley created nearly 46,000 new jobs and had five megadeals in 2016 (more than $100 million each).

According to the figures released by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), the combined income of San Jose, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley totaled at $235 billion. This is greater than the GDP of Finland, Portugal and Greece.

Total venture capital investment to Silicon Valley (including San Francisco) was $23.1 billion in 2016. The funding was heavily concentrated in internet and mobile products and services.

According to the 2017 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, Silicon Valley ranks first among startup ecosystems around the world.

There are still a lot of statistical data and interesting facts about Silicon Valley, but there is no need to dig deeper as the conclusion is quite clear: highly-skilled immigrants are a significant, if not a critical, asset for maintaining the US competitiveness in the global economy. This is what the Americans themselves say.

Why not to repeat the Silicon Valleys success in a small way here in Azerbaijan?

We can do no more than we can, but we should try to become the Caspian regions leader in innovations and new technologies. Among other things, this may give a strong incentive to many Azerbaijani teens, who are thirsty for knowledge and bent for entrepreneurship.

Talented people worldwide still come to Silicon Valley, but the rising housing prices, longer commute times, and growing opportunities in other innovation regions are drawing more residents away. It seems with the recently tightened immigration and visa policies in the United States it is now good time for Azerbaijan to try to recruit young talents from around the world.

For this the Azerbaijani government may initiate some changes in the immigration law in order to streamline the visa getting procedure for foreign citizens who have extraordinary skills in IT, science, engineering and math. If a candidate meets the eligibility criteria, he can be invited to work in Azerbaijan for a long term with a simplified process of entry and accommodation by analogy with US O-1 and H-1B visa types.

If we manage to launch the process of establishment of a regional hi-tech cluster with the involvement of foreign-born technical talents, it will tow a long train of the follow-up products and services, which will also be quite beneficial for the national economy.

In the end, we may become eyewitnesses to the next boom in Azerbaijan, but this time, it will not be the oil boom, but the knowledge-based one.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

By Elmira Tariverdiyeva  Trend:

Usage of diplomatic language alone, without real political pressure asserted, will not change the current situation of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict , Andre Widmer, Swiss journalist and author of the book titled The Forgotten Conflict: Two Decades after the Nagorno-Karabakh War, told Trend on Aug. 9, commenting on the recent (Aug. 7) attack of the Armenian Armed Forces against Azerbaijani civilian population.

As a result of the deliberate targeting of the civilian population and precise shelling of the settlements located in the areas of the line of contact and along the borderline with Azerbaijan by Armenian side on August 7, 13-year-old resident of Garalar village of Azerbaijans Tovuz district Ramil Yusibov was wounded.

Unfortunately, Karabakh conflict, lost in the shadows of the wars in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Ukraine and the North Korean crisis, seems to have been forgotten by the international community, Widmer said. Notwithstanding April, 2016 escalation, it seems that some key players like Russia and the U.S. are still not willing to put enough energy and effort to resolve the conflict.

Nearly 20 percent of Azerbaijans territory is still occupied by Armenia, which prevents almost million refugees from the return to their homes. This is unacceptable, he noted.

Keys to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict lie in Moscow, expert added.

Russia has the economical and political strength to bring Armenia to the point of ending the occupation, he said. The first step could be comprised of liberation of the occupied districts around Nagorno-Karabakh, which would allow the return of refugees to their homes. However unfortunate, I think that Russia is not actually interested in the resolution of conflicts in post-Soviet expanse.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.



The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug.9

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

The attacks committed against the Azerbaijani civilian population in Tovuz district, undertaken on August 7 by the Armenian Armed Forces, must be energetically condemned by the European Union Institutions, the governments of European countries and by the OSCE, Peter Tase, a political analyst and international relations expert with the Milwaukee-based Marquette University, told Trend Aug.9.

The US Secretary of State and the Secretary of US Department of Treasury should urgently convene in order to address potential economic sanctions to be implemented against Armenia, the expert believes.

The world is silent in denouncing the crimes against humanity committed by the Armenian government and its corrupt armed forces and this attitude is further reaffirming Yerevan's impunity and is certainly encouraging the continuation of these horrendous crimes against humanity, against the innocent civilians of Azerbaijan, said Tase.

He pointed out that the children of Azerbaijan are innocent victims of the brutal regime of Serzh Sargsyan that is a threat to the Caucasus region, European Union and to the economic progress of Western Asia.

He recalled that in April 2016, Armenian Armed Forces killed six Azerbaijani civilians, including children, in the line of contact.

On July 4, as a result of the criminal, ruthless actions of the Armenian armed forces, two residents of Alkhanli village in Azerbaijans Fuzuli district, Sahiba Allahverdiyeva (51 year old) and her 2-year-old granddaughter Zahra Guliyeva were killed, and Salminaz Guliyeva (52 year old) was seriously wounded, added Tase.

After the July 4 attacks of Armenia Armed Forces, the world was silent and turned a blind eye. After the August 7 Armenian attacks, that wounded Ramin Yusifov, a thirteen-year-old boy, resident of Garalar village in Azerbaijans Tovuz district, I am hopeful that Washington, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Berlin, Brasilia, Beijing and many other capitals of the civilized world would denounce and strongly condemn the atrocious, heinous acts of President Serzh Sargsyan and his accomplices, that were committed against the innocent civilians of Azerbaijan, he said.

Tase pointed out that the world institutions should condemn Armenia's violent attacks against Azerbaijani civilians and should impose political and economic sanctions against Yerevan, until the latter has withdrawn every single soldier from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Nagorno-Karabakh and its seven surrounding districts are a sovereign territory and integral part of Azerbaijan, he added.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

Trend:

The OSCE monitoring held along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops passed without incidents on August 9, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry.

The monitoring was held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative along the line of contact near the Sarijali village of Azerbaijans Aghdam district, said the ministry.

On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring was held by Andrzej Kasprzyk, ambassador and the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative, and Mikhail Olaru, field assistant of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative.

On the Azerbaijani territories occupied and controlled by Armenian armed forces, the monitoring was held by Ghenadie Petrica, Ognjen Jovic and Martin Schuster, who are field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Details added (first version posted on Aug. 8, 14:48)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 8

Trend:

After a ceremony of signing documents, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov made statements for the press.

Dear Mr. President, let me sincerely welcome you to Azerbaijan once again. Welcome to our country, President Aliyev told his Turkmen counterpart.

Your visit is very important for the development of Turkmen-Azerbaijani relations. The negotiations we have conducted and the signed documents today show once again that Turkmen-Azerbaijani relations are at the highest level. These ties are underpinned by unity, friendship and brotherhood of our peoples. For centuries, the Turkmen and Azerbaijani peoples have lived together, cooperated and been friends. Our interstate relations are built on this solid foundation. This year we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Over these 25 years, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have come a great and successful road, noted the Azerbaijani president.

Mr. President, I would like to talk about the successes that have been achieved in Turkmenistan, especially under your leadership. Under your leadership, your country is rapidly developing, social and economic issues are being successfully resolved, and the well-being of your citizens is improving, said President Aliyev. Turkmenistan plays a major role in the international arena. Your neutral policy is supported by the world community. The United Nations adopted a resolution two years ago in connection with the neutrality of Turkmenistan. Azerbaijan was also a co-author of that resolution.

The Joint Declaration holds a special place among the documents signed today. It is a Declaration on Strategic Partnership. In other words, it is the highest level of communication. Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan are already strategic partners. This Declaration identifies practically all areas of our future joint activities. It reflects political, economic, humanitarian, cultural, transport, energy and security issues. Both parties have reaffirmed their strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and the inviolability of each others borders in the Declaration, noted the Azerbaijani president.

Our ties are developing successfully. We will intensify our activities in many areas. Today we successfully cooperate within the framework of international organizations  we support each other within the framework of the UN, the OSCE and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. There are good achievements in trade, in the field of economy. Our turnover increased last year, added President Aliyev.

Today, a major part of the talks was devoted to transport issues. Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan are building and will soon commission new sea ports. This will lead to an increase in the volume of cargo transportation. At the same time, one of the topics discussed today has been the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway. This road will significantly enhance the transit capacities of both Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, said the head of state.

There are good opportunities for cooperation in the field of energy. The memorandum signed today creates a good basis for further action. We successfully cooperate in all areas and, of course, in the humanitarian sphere. The public can also see that we dont even need an interpreter. During the conversation with Mr. President, we noted that if our citizens visit each other for one month, there will be no unfamiliar phrases left at all. This similarity is a great asset for us. We have common historical, cultural and ethnic roots, and we are building our activities on this solid foundation, added the Azerbaijani president.

Turkmenistan is a close, friendly and fraternal country for us. The Turkmen people are a brotherly people for us. We highly appreciate this. I would like to highlight the activities of President Berdimuhamedov again because the historic event marking our successful cooperation took place in 2008, he noted. In May of that year, the President of Turkmenistan paid his first visit to Azerbaijan, while I visited Turkmenistan a few months later, in November 2008. Those visits became a watershed. Those visits created a format for broad cooperation, and today we are seeing its excellent results.

Mr. President, I would like to express my gratitude to you once again for accepting my invitation to visit Azerbaijan. I want to express my confidence that your visit will have excellent results. Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan will become even closer to each other. Thank you, said President Aliyev in conclusion.
By SAM SEBULIBA:

The United States Department of State has expressed concern over the lack of transparency in determining the eligibility of prospective candidates for the just concluded presidential race in Rwanda.

In a statement, the departments spokesperson Heather Nauert says they are also disturbed by irregularities observed during voting and reiterates long-standing concerns over the integrity of the vote-tabulation process.

She however says the United States congratulates the people of Rwanda on their active and peaceful participation in the presidential election held on August 4.

Nauert also expressed hope the new electoral law to be debated in the next session of Parliament will clarify that process well before the 2018 parliamentary elections.

She reaffirms the United States commitment to support the people of Rwanda in their efforts to build strong democratic and inclusive institutions in order to ensure long-term stability and a democratic, prosperous future for all.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

Trend:

Azerbaijan is Turkmenistans important and reliable partner, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov told a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev in Baku.

We cooperate to ensure peace and stability in the Central Asia and Caspian Sea regions and build mechanisms of efficient cooperation here, noted Berdimuhamedov.

He hailed joint efforts of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan as a positive factor for the development of strategic stability and regional processes.

Both countries support the idea to change the Caspian Sea region into a source of long-term stability and an area of wide international partnership, said the Turkmen president.

During the negotiations, both countries emphasized readiness for active cooperation within the UN, OSCE, CIS, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Economic Cooperation Organization, added President Berdimuhamedov.
Details added (first version posted on 11:14)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended openings of Traffic Circle next to the State Statistics Committee, Nariman Narimanov Avenue and Abdulla Shaig Street in Sovetski area, Yasamal district of Baku, Aug. 9.

Chairman of Azeravtoyol Open Joint Stock Company Saleh Mammadov informed the President about the work carried out as a part of the major project comprised of road construction and landscaping aimed at the general renovation of the former Sovetski area.

Within the project, which was launched in August, 2016, road construction and landscaping works covering 26 hectare area were carried out. Reconstruction of Nariman Narimanov, Abdulla Shaig, Balababa Majidov, Mirzaagha Aliyev and Fuzuli streets, totaling in length for more than 7km, has already been completed.

President Aliyev cut the ribbon symbolizing the official opening of the roads.

Then the President got familiarized with the work carried out at the Traffic Circle next to the State Statistics Committee. President laid flowers to the monument of Mikayil Mushfig, one of the prominent figures of Azerbaijani literature.
Details added (first version posted on 11:32)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received chairman of the State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus Anatoly Lappo, Aug. 9.

Lappo noted that, he visited Baku in 1990, saying that, during his current trip he saw an incredible progress in the capital of Azerbaijan. He recalled with pleasure that he began his career in border services at a frontier post in Nakhchivan: I had the honor of seeing Azerbaijans legendary son Heydar Aliyev a few times, while I was working as chairman of the frontier post.

President Aliyev expressed his gratitude for warm words. President stressed that, Nakhchivan has recently experienced great developmental processes, adding that this visit will be a great opportunity for Lappo to revisit the places where he served.

The sides hailed the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Belarus in many areas. They noted that cooperation between border services contributed to the strengthening of the bilateral ties.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

Trend:

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov visited the Heydar Aliyev Center during his visit to Azerbaijan.

He was informed that the Center is a cultural complex designed by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid.

The Center houses a conference hall with three auditoriums, a library and a museum. The project is intended to play an integral role in the intellectual life of Baku. Located close to the city center, the site plays a pivotal role in the redevelopment of Baku. The Center is engaged in studying and promoting the statehood policy and heritage of national leader Heydar Aliyev.

The Turkmen president was told that the Center implements projects to popularize history and culture of Azerbaijan all over the world.

An internationally recognized architectural work, the building of the Heydar Aliyev Center has become a signature landmark of modern Baku due to its innovative and cutting-edge design. The building was nominated for awards in 2013 at both the World Architecture Festival and the biennial Inside Festival.

President Berdimuhamedov signed the guest book of the Center.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

Trend:

Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of Azerbaijan Elmira Suleymanova has sent a statement to international organizations in connection with the Armenian armed forces shelling the Azerbaijani civilians, in particular children.

The statement has been sent to the UN Secretary General, UN Security Council, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UNICEF, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, European Commission, Council of Europe, OSCE and ombudsmen of various countries.

The statement says that on August 7, Armenian armed units fired from large-caliber guns at the Garalar village of Azerbaijans Tovuz district, which borders Armenia, from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. As a result of this Armenian provocation, aimed at killing the civilian population, 13-year-old Ramil Yusibov, a resident of the Garalar village, was wounded and hospitalized.

The statement also says that Armenias shelling civilians, including children, are a part of a long-term policy of terrorism carried out by the aggressor state.

Armenia flagrantly violates the norms of international humanitarian law by continuing aggressive actions and subjecting to intensive shelling the front-line positions of the Azerbaijani army and the Azerbaijani territories inhabited by civilians.

On July 4, 2017, at about 20:40 (UTC +4), the Armenian armed forces using 82-mm and 120-mm mortars and grenade launchers, shelled Azerbaijani positions and territories where the civilian population lives, namely the Alkhanli village of the countrys Fuzuli district. As a result of this provocation, the residents of the village Sahiba Guliyeva, 50, and Zahra Guliyeva, 2, were killed. Servinaz Guliyeva, 52, who got wounded, was taken to a hospital and was operated on.

The military aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan, ethnic cleansing and terrorist acts that continue for more than 25 years should be regarded as acts of crime, and effective measures should be taken in line with the norms of international law in order to punish the perpetrators of these crimes, the statement says.

Its confidence in its impunity didnt allow Armenia to learn a lesson from what had happened, the statement reads. Even despite the protest of the international community, which condemned the atrocities, in particular the shelling of civilian population, children and women, Armenia again committed another crime, as a result of which 13-year-old Ramil Yusibov was wounded on August 7.

As a result of the Armenian leaderships military adventure on April 2-5, 2016, 34 civilians were wounded along the front line, and six people, including children, were killed.

Armenias immediate and deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian facilities of Azerbaijan are a serious violation of international humanitarian law and human rights, in particular the 1949 Geneva Convention and its Additional Protocol #1, as well as the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

These developments, reaffirming the occupation policy and inhuman acts of Armenia, once again prove that Armenia doesnt recognize the norms of international law.

The Azerbaijani ombudsman appeals to the world community, authoritative international structures and colleagues, urging them not only to condemn, but also to make effective efforts to put an end to the prolonged Armenian aggression, the murder of civilians, and the massive violation of human rights, says the statement.

The international community shouldnt remain indifferent to such cruelty and inhuman acts, and it must ensure that the invader Armenia  which committed international crimes  is punished in line with the UN Charter, added Suleymanova in her statement.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Azerbaijani banks sold $621.67 million in January-June of 2017, which, by 2.7 times, is less compared with the same period of 2016, according to the report of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA).

Bank clients purchased 10.35 million pounds sterling, 126.58 million euros and 1.09 billion Russian rubles in cash over the six months of this year.

Comparative table of foreign currency cash sold by banks (1,000 conventional units):

2017 2016 dollar pound sterling euro ruble dollar pound sterling euro ruble January 130,355.6 1,928.9 14,733.1 142,974.4 392,967.6 2,868.1 27,828.1 185,829.3 February 125.004 1,617.5 18,125.3 187,281.7 327,786.2 4,623.3 71,435.9 171,342.3 March 109,682.9 1,541.1 19,762.6 146,529.2 288,050.8 2,800.4 58,881.3 157,156.6 April 65,670.8 1,842.8 18,510.4 153,252.3 190,905.2 2.178 33,374.6 201,900.2 May 94,469.4 1,837.7 35,033.1 222,628.4 177.554 1,489.8 30,424.9 143,621.8 June 94,486.8 1,582.2 20,418.1 241,799.4 321,915.8 3,097.3 59,158.5 240,188.7

A similar situation was observed with the purchase of dollars by banks. Thus, $681.25 million was purchased by banks in January-June of 2017, which, by 2.4 times, is less compared with the same period of 2016.

The banks purchased 3.15 million pound sterling, 94.39 million euros and 6.03 billion Russian rubles over the six months.

Comparative table of foreign currency cash purchased by banks (1,000 conventional units):

2017 2016 dollar pound sterling euro ruble dollar pound sterling euro ruble January 62,842.4 340.4 5,985.0 798,648.4 219,527.1 258.3 7,470.8 578,885.7 February 122,732.3 313.3 11,696.1 812,766.9 468,677.1 394.7 45,031.2 732,419.7 March 91,887.4 610.3 16,214.8 958,407.4 241,444.7 425.9 36,490.3 797,804.0 April 142,898.2 768.2 23,856.1 949,362.2 272,352.0 626.9 28,791.5 853,017.9 May 138,842.1 574.9 24,470.9 1,216,578.9 212,994.0 862.5 23,323.6 942,201.3 June 122,047.1 544.1 12,156.1 1,296.177.2 206,207.9 352.8 40,437.1 1,196,976.1

The report includes the sale and purchase of foreign currency in cash only.

Thirty one banks, including two banks with state equity, operate in Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

By Kamila Aliyeva  Trend:

China's One Belt  One Road (OBOR) is currently in the frame phase while the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a reality, Deepak Agrawal, Indian geopolitical strategic analyst, told Trend.

A dry run was conducted a few months ago between India, Iran and Russia to check the viability of the INSTC project, he said.

The expert noted that the results seem to be positive.

In contrast with the current route running through the Suez Canal and Mediterranean Sea, the costs could be reduced by about 30-40 percent. Moreover, transportation of goods will take much less time, he added.

Agrawal underlined that other projects connected to INSTC directly or indirectly are also in motion.

I am not sure about how China's OBOR project will impact INSTC, compete with it or complement it, he said.

The expert stressed that these two major projects require lots of funding at the same time, although OBOR is in the frame phase, while INSTC is a reality.

The International North-South Transport Corridor is meant to connect Northern Europe with Southeast Asia. It will serve as a link connecting the railways of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia.

The corridor is planned to transport 6 million tons of cargo per year at the initial stage and 15-20 million tons of cargo in the future.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 8

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

World Bank is ready to consider further cooperation in energy sector, including TANAP project, if it receives such request from the government of Azerbaijan, Naveed Hassan Naqvi, WB country manager for Azerbaijan, said in the exclusive interview with Trend.

He noted that the government hasnt made such a request yet. Nonetheless, WB is ready to participate in the project in the future, added Naqvi.

In late 2016, the WB Board of Directors allocated $800 million for this project: $400 million for the Southern Gas Corridor CJSC (Azerbaijan) and $400 million for BOTAS (Turkey).

To date, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA, a part of the WB Group) is at the final stage of providing a loan guarantee of $1.2 billion for TANAP, said the WB official.

TANAP project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijans Shah Deniz field to the western borders of Turkey. The gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018 and after completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline's construction it will be delivered to Europe in early 2020.

The length of TANAP is 1,850 kilometers, with an initial capacity of 16 billion cubic meters of gas. Around six billion cubic meters of this gas is meant to be delivered to Turkey, with the remaining volume to be supplied to Europe.

The projects total cost is estimated at $8.6 billion.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug.9

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

More than 500 kilometers out of 765 kilometers of the Trans Adriatic Pipelines (TAP) route has been cleared in Greece and Albania, which is 2/3 of the pipelines length in those two countries, TAP AG consortium said on its Twitter page.

At the same time, welding and trenching work continues as part of TAPs construction, said the consortium.

TAP is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor which is one of the priority energy projects for the EU.



TAP project envisages transportation of gas from the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas and condensate field to the EU countries.



The pipeline will be connected to the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italy's south.



TAPs shareholders are: BP (20 percent), State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (20 percent), Snam (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).

TAP will be 878 kilometers in length (Greece 550 km, Albania 215 km, Adriatic Sea 105 km, and Italy 8 km). Its highest point will be 1,800 meters in Albanias mountains, while its lowest point will be 820 meters beneath the sea.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

TANAP consortium will finance implementation of a project, which envisages the supply of drinking water to 91 villages in the Turkish province of Konya, the consortium told Trend.

Agreement was signed between Saltuk Duzyol, TANAP director general, and Ihsan Bostanci, head of regional department on the development of the province, in order to supply drinking water to the villages of Konya province.

The cost of the project is 15.4 million Turkish liras, the consortium said.

It was earlier reported that the TANAP consortium will allocate 7.6 million Turkish liras for the implementation of social projects in the Turkish province of Ardahan.

These funds will be allocated within the framework of the agreement reached between the TANAP consortium and the administrative department of the Ardahan province on Aug. 4 of this year.

The funds will be directed to the restoration of roads in a number of villages and construction of a kindergarten in the Turkish province.

TANAP project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field to the western borders of Turkey. The gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018 and after completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline's construction natural gas will be delivered to Europe in early 2020.

The length of TANAP is 1,850 kilometers, with an initial capacity of 16 billion cubic meters of gas. Around six billion cubic meters of this gas is meant to be delivered to Turkey, with the remaining volume to be supplied to Europe.

TAPs shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent).

The official exchange rate announced by the Central Bank of Turkey on Aug. 9 is 3.5358 TRY/USD.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

The US sanctions against Russia will strengthen the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor, Salihe Kaya, expert, research assistant at the Turkish Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), told Trend over phone.

Kaya said that "the US sanctions against Russia are connected with the US interest in exporting gas to Europe."

The expert added that "the US intends to export liquefied natural gas (LNG), as it can not supply gas through a pipeline due its remote geographical location."

"Currently, the most profitable and close market for the US is the European market and the US is trying to influence the EU-Russia relations proceeding solely from its own energy interests," Kaya said.

The expert said that the EU itself is also interested in reducing dependence on Russias natural gas.

Kaya stressed that "while closely examining the EU energy policy, one can see that Germanys interests do not completely coincide with EUs."

The expert added that Germany actively supports Russias "Northern Stream 2" project.

"One third of the entire natural gas used in the EU accounted for Germany," she said. "Germanys economy is developing rapidly and Berlin is forced to pursue a more precise energy policy."

The House of Representatives of the US Congress had passed the law "On sanctions against the Russian Federation" on July 25.

Sec. 232 of the law concerns the sanctions with respect to the development of pipelines in the Russian Federation.

Interdiction under the sanctions of the loans, licenses and bank transactions may lead to the "freezing" of the "Northern Stream 2" project.

Follow Rufiz Hafizoglu on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

Trend:

The companies Dragon Oil and Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) shipped the next crude oil cargo to Iran, a source in Azerbaijans oil and gas market told Trend Aug. 9.

This is already the second voyage of the Russian flag vessel VF Tanker-20 during this month to the Iranian port of Neka for the discharge of Turkmen origin crude oil, said the source.

The source recalled that at the end of July, the same vessel (VF Tanker-20), carried crude oil produced by Dragon Oil, arrived on roads of Baku port, Azerbaijan. However, after one week delay, caused by detection of some undeclared cargo on board, suddenly rushed to Iranian port of Neka and disembarked crude oil to the terminal, operated by the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).

On August 7, VF Tanker-20 embarked a new cargo of crude oil in Alaja port, Turkmenistan, and moved towards Baku, Azerbaijan. However, soon after exiting the territorial waters of Turkmenistan, the ship turned to the south and later arrived to Neka port in Iran, added the source.

According to the source, this maneuver is linked to the fact, that Dragon Oil and ENOC, most likely, didnt obtain necessary permissions from Turkmenistans government authorities (State Customs Services and others), allowing Turkmen crude oil shipment to Iran, and, therefore, issued cargo and custom documents, showing port of discharge Baku, Azerbaijan for further transit delivery to Europe.

It is not excluded, that Dragon Oil will not be able to obtain such permission at all, in connection with grave cooling in relations between Turkmenistan and Iran after a dispute over payment for Turkmen natural gas delivered to Iran and intention of Iranian side to sue Turkmenistan in international arbitration courts, said the source.

Moreover, such ship maneuvers may be explained, as the attempts of Dragon Oil and ENOC to hide the true destination of crude oil shipment  Iran, and, therefore, to avoid being included into the list of companies, violating US sanctions against Iran, noted the source.

The source also reminded that NIOC, NICO (trading structure of NIOC) and their related entities in various countries are included in the US sanctions list.

At the moment, Dragon Oil and ENOC are loading the third crude oil cargo aboard vessel VF Tanker-13 (belonging to the same shipping company VF Tanker from Russia). Whether this vessel will go to Iran again, bypassing US sanctions and customs regulation of Turkmenistan, remains under question, added the source.

Dragon Oil has been transporting oil from Turkmenistan via the Baku port since June 2010. The company has been operating in Turkmenistan since 1999 under a production sharing agreement (PSA) and it is one of the biggest foreign investors in the country.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Aug. 9

By Huseyn Hasanov Trend:

Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan hosted a meeting with the delegation of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Office, the ministry said.

The delegation was led by UNHCR Regional Coordinator for Central Asia Yasuko Oda, who noted Turkmenistans active role in humanitarian issues and successful results in resolving issues of refugees and stateless persons.

The sides discussed preparations for the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games to be held in September 2017 in Ashgabat, as well as participation of the refugee team in this sporting event.

Yasuko Oda expressed her gratitude on behalf of the UNHCR leadership to the government of Turkmenistan for this proposal, as well as the opportunity for refugees from Kenya to participate in such a large-scale event, the message said.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who was in Ashgabat on a working visit in June, expressed his gratitude to Turkmenistan for the assistance provided to refugees and stateless persons.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

By Kamila Aliyeva  Trend:

Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov hosted a meeting with the newly appointed Ambassador of the Switzerland Olivier Shave in Tashkent, Aug 9, according to the information published on the Ministry's website.

The Uzbek-Swiss cooperation, priorities for its further strengthening, as well as current regional and international problems were discussed at the meeting.

Sides confirmed their interest in intensifying bilateral contacts at various levels, continuing the practice of holding regular inter-ministerial political consultations, building up mutual trade, expanding investment and financial cooperation, as well as cultural and humanitarian exchanges.

Perspectives of application of the Swiss experience in the field of lawmaking and other issues within the implementation of the Strategy of Action on the five priority development directions of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021 was in the focus of attention during the talks.

Diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Switzerland were established in May 1992.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug 8

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Despite the existing political and religious barriers between Iran and the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, Shanghai-based strategic consultant believes that Arab countries would consider Tehran as a trade partner in future.

The situation regarding Irans ties with the Arab states of the Persian Gulf is definitely complicated, which goes on for a long time and is difficult to resolve.

"One of the things that works in the favor of improving business ties between Iran and the Persian Gulfs Arab states is that, with the exception of maybe the UAE, every other country in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) is looking to diversify its GDP, so they are moving from an oil based GDP to a more diversified base," Raul Heraud, head of Financial Services at strategic advisory firm Solidiance told Trend.

Saying that Iran could potentially represent an avenue for investment, he added, that its obviously the largest market in terms of population in the Middle East and, therefore, "when you look at the relationship between the Arab states of the Persian Gulf and Iran, in terms of trade as well as business, I would expect that there should be some sort of easing measures."

"We see this with Qatar, which has a closer relationship with Iran, but obviously, that has also put them in hot water and that is why Bahrain, Egypt, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are now boycotting Qatar."

Earlier in June Saudi Arabia and its regional allies severed ties with Qatar over Dohas support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the worlds oldest Islamist movement, and also its ties with Saudis arch-rival Iran, sparking off simmering dispute in the Gulf Cooperation Council.

"But I think that as we move forward and as Iran becomes more solidified into the international arena and, actually we see today when many of the European Union countries say that, regardless of what Trump decides to do  because Trump is talking about re-imposing sanctions and what-not  now Europeans plan to stay as trade partners of Iran and so, I think that Iran becomes more relevant. In the global business scenario the Gulf countries are going to have no choice but to, at the very least, consider Iran as a trade partner."

"It is complicated, I think religious and cultural barriers that exist are quite strong but I do foresee stronger ties particularly between the UAE and Iran," he concluded.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

By Elmira Tariverdiyeva  Trend:

In the meeting with members of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament, countrys Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif said that de-escalation of tensions with the United States is amongst the priorities of the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

"We want peace, rather than tensiona between the countries," Zarif stressed, adding that the Iranian Foreign Ministry intends to protect countrys interests, enshrined in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran and "six" international mediators reached historic agreement on the settlement of long-standing problem of the Iranian nuclear program in July of 2015.

Long-lasting negotiations have resulted in the adoption of JCPOA, which will completely lift the economic and financial sanctions imposed on Iran earlier by the UN Security Council, US and EU.

US President Donald Trump repeatedly called the nuclear agreement with Iran the worst deal in history. Trump has recently forewarned that, he could refuse to confirm Iran's compliance with the JCPOA in October, in view of Irans missile program.

Trump signed into the law the bill on tightening the sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea on Aug 2.

The bill was supported by representatives of the US Congress and was adopted by an overwhelming number of votes. New sanctions bill aimed at three countries, namely, Russia, Iran and North Korea, was approved by the US Senate on July 27.

Iran commented on the new package of sanctions, characterizing it as a violation of the JCPOA terms.

Against the background of harsh criticism from the majority of the Iranian political elite, Zarif's rather conciliatory statement can be viewed as Iranian attempt for procrastination, by making the best of the dealt hand, giving Washington a chance to step back and halt the hard-line attitude towards Tehran.

Iranian Foreign minister also stressed that, Americans lack the ability to prevent Iran from acquiring benefits of the JCPOA, which was reached between Iran and six international mediators.

In other words, Zarif has clearly outlined Europes position, which fundamentally does not coincide with Washingtons irreconcilable policy over the Irans nuclear deal, hinting that, Iran will benefit from the deal with or without US.

According to another message in Zarif's speech, Iran is not going to void the deal by itself, which, apparently, was expected by the White House.

Meanwhile, Zarif said that Americans themselves must bear the expenses for the termination of JCPOA.

In other words, Iran not only did not succumb to Washington's provocations and did not leave the deal, but, on the contrary, it also hinted that, it expects Washington to void the deal.

As a result, the Trump administration, rather than Tehran, as US expected, will carry the responsibility for a new round of tensions.
Tehran, Iran, August 9

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

Iran President Hassan Rouhani has nominated three women into his new cabinet, ISNA reported, Aug 9.

Accordingly, Masumeh Ebtekar was appointed as Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, Laya Joneidi as Vice President for Legal Affairs, and Shahindokht Molaverdi as aide in Citizenship Rights Affairs.

Ebtekar served headed the Environmental Protection Organization in the Rouhanis first administration (2013-17). She previously held the same office from 2 August 1997 to 3 August 2005 under Mohammad Khatami, making her the first female Vice President of Iran.

Ebtekar became famous as Mary, the spokesperson of the students who took hostages and occupied the US Embassy in 1979.

Joneidi is a Law Professor at University of Tehran, specializing in trade and arbitration law. She has been Legal Deputy to the Minister of Science since 2013.

Molaverdi is an academician, feminist, jurist and scholar, who served as Vice President for Women and Family Affairs in the first Rouhani administration.
Tehran, Iran, Aug 9

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Iran has no intentions of aggravating already strained relation between Tehran and Riyadh, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said.

Mending fences with Saudi Arabia would require bilateral respect and recognition of common interests, as well as the cessation of policies that lead to regional war and extremism, Zarif told ILNA news agency, Aug 9.

These remarks come shortly after the recent exchange of handshakes between Zarif and his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir on the sidelines of the Organization of Islamic Cooperations (OIC) meeting in Turkey.

After years of tensions, these signs can be easily interpreted as a demonstration of the interest in normalizing ties between two regional rivals.

Prominent Iraqi Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr had arrived in the Saudi port city of Jeddah on Sunday. Sadr had planned to confer with several officials of the Saudi Kingdom, fueling speculations about the purposes of the visit and the place Iran might have occupied on the visits agenda.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have been at loggerheads since the outbreak of unrest in Syria in 2011. Iran supports President Bashar al-Assad, while Riyadh calls for his ouster.

Saudi Arabia, a main backer of Syrian rebels, said on Sunday that it still supporting international agreement on the future of Syria and that al-Assad should have no role in any transition to peace.

Saudi Foreign Ministry denied media reports that Saudi Arabia was considering a political transition with Assad staying in power at the initial phase.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

Trend:

Islamic finance is still a nascent industry in Azerbaijan, even though the countrys large Muslim population base indicates great potential demand for its products and services.

Nevertheless, efforts have been made to promote Islamic finance in Azerbaijan. Today, several banks in the country offer a narrow range of services based on Shariaa (Islamic law) principles involving bans on riba (interest) and pure monetary speculation. Despite the progress, the key hurdle that limits any meaningful expansion of Islamic finance in the country is the absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework that recognizes and safeguards Islamic finance and its activities as legally acceptable practices.

It is therefore important for Azerbaijani authorities to develop an appropriate and full-fledged legal framework that is specifically tailored for monitoring, guiding, and supervising the Islamic banking and Islamic non-banking financial institutions (NBFI) system. Not only will this create an enabling environment that accommodates and facilitates the development of the Islamic finance industry in a safe and sound manner, but it will also strengthen the sustainability and competitiveness of Islamic financial institutions as a business, in view of its contribution to society and to the economy.

How can Islamic finance benefit Azerbaijan?

It has almost been a decade since the eruption of the global financial crisis. Despite the ensuing challenges, much progress has been made to shape a vision for a stronger post-crisis world. In general, whilst having to strike a delicate balance between pursuing financial stability and the potential increased costs to financial intermediation, a series of For potential to be realized, a regulatory framework must be in place measures have been made via global financial reforms towards more sustainable financial systems. In tandem with these measures to strengthen financial stability, the role of finance is also being re-examined to enhance its positive impact. In this respect, Islamic finance, as an ethical form of finance that emphasizes transparency and fairness, can do an enormous amount of good.

Islamic finance forges a closer link between real economic activity that creates value and financial activity that facilitates it

While conventional intermediation is essentially debt-based and allows for risk transfer, Islamic intermediation, in contrast, is asset-based and centers on risk sharing. These features mean Islamic finance serves the real economy that is, they should only be extended to activities in the real sector that have economic values, thus establishing the close link between transactions and productive flows. This ensures resilience to shocks and makes them less prone to crisis. As a result, Islamic finance contributes meaningfully to sustainable economic development and inclusive growth.

Islamic finance as an alternative financing mechanism

Alternative sources of finance are required to fund costly projects necessary to drive economic growth and diversify Azerbaijans economy. For example, sukuk (or Islamic bonds) have emerged as a viable alternative to conventional debt financing for large infrastructure and energy projects. As Islamic finance requires a clear link with real economic activity and transactions have to relate to a tangible, identifiable asset, this comes in handy in the case of infrastructure financing. Apart from sukuk, various governments across the globe have applied a diverse range of Shariaa compliant tools to fund projects and mobilize resources for infrastructure, energy, health, education, water, and other sectors. These tools can meet the needs of the Azerbaijani government and the countrys private sector to finance mega projects as well as micro-level operations.

Islamic finance can attract investors from GCC and Asia to Azerbaijan

By developing a regulatory framework that supports Islamic finance, Azerbaijan can create new opportunities by attracting investors from traditional Islamic finance jurisdictions in the GCC and Asia who are seeking to diversify their investment portfolios. In this regard, Shariaa compliant financial instruments can play an important role in enhancing trade and cross-border investment links with these core markets, given the strong proliferation of Islamic finance in this region.

Moving forward, it is important to note that Azerbaijan continues to face multiple challenges in fostering Islamic finance in the country, such as a lack of public awareness and a talent shortage in Islamic finance. Still, favorable regulation remains key to Islamic finance growth. The plethora of opportunities that would come from a flourishing Islamic finance sector should serve as an impetus for the Azerbaijani government to focus on creating an enabling environment and level the playing field with conventional finance.

In addition, as a way to gain wider acceptance of Islamic finance in Azerbaijan, Islamic finance can be branded as asset-based finance or participatory finance, as in the case of countries like Turkey.

Nur Aina Abdul Ghani, Senior Research Analyst (Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Based on and taken exclusively in Turkeys national interests, Ankara, if the necessity should arise, may give a start to a new set of military operations in Syria, similar to the Euphrates Shield or even expand the latters coverage, Ekrem Kiziltas, head of the Turkish Media Association, expert, columnist of Turkeys Takvim newspaper told Trend, Aug. 9.

According to the expert, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as other Turkish government officials repeatedly stated about the possibility of starting new military operations in Syria.

Kiziltas noted that the activities of such terrorist organizations as YPG (Kurdish Peoples Protection Units) and PYD (Kurdish Democratic Union Party) harm the interests of Turkey.

The U.S. arms YPG and PYD against the Islamic State (IS) terrorists under the pretext that, namely these organizations are fighting the IS, but there are many facts proving that YPG and PYD often cooperate very successfully with the IS, Kiziltas said.

Expert noted that the problem comprises of the fact that U.S. as well as other states, fighting one of the terrorist organizations, while supporting another, which is no less dangerous.

Expert doesnt rule out that Ankara will start military operations in case of the slightest threat from YPG and PYD to Turkey.

He said that the Euphrates Shield military operation successfully carried out by Turkey was executed only on the basis of countrys national interests.

Turkey has been deploying military equipment to the border with Syria since June 21. Military equipment is dislocated in Turkeys south-central province of Kilis, which borders Syrian territories controlled by the YPG and PYD.

On Aug. 24, 2016, Turkish Armed Forces, with the support of the Syrian opposition, has launched the Euphrates Shield operation against the IS militants and liberated the city of Jarabulus, as well as the city of Al-Bab in northern Syria.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 9

By Kamila Aliyeva  Trend:

It is hard to say whether the recent US sanctions will lead to a political, military or economic rapprochement between Iran and North Korea or not, Associate Professor Gianluca Pastori, expert in history of political relations in North America and Europe, told Trend.

"However, in my opinion, the latter is the most probable option," he said.

From an ideological perspective, the two regimes are very different, as well as different are their political ambitions, according to the expert.

In a fragmented Gulf, Iran can credibly expect to reach the status of regional power while in the eastern Asian theater, dominated by China, North Korea has no room for similar expectations, he said.

Furthermore, Iran is engaged in a potentially constructive political and diplomatic dialogue with the P5+1 group, while North Korea is an isolated country, enjoying a limited support, only from the PRC, Pastori noted.

For these reasons, Pyongyang can hope for a positive return from rising tensions, Iran not. Rather, President Rouhani has interest in keeping a low profile, not to strengthen his internal rivals, i.e. the hawks opposing his moderate and pragmatic course of action, he added.

The expert further underlined that the interests of Iran and the DPRK are also different from an economic perspective.

Iran needs to modernize its oil and gas sector, and the only way to do so is to strengthen its bond with the West. The US position is quite contradictory, with the Congress and the administration apparently moving on two different paths. However, Iran can exploit these differences, while North Korea not, he concluded.

U.S. has recently imposed a new set of sanctions against Iran, Russia and North Korea on Aug 2. The sanctions were expected to bring North Korea and Iran closer.
The Trump administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on eight more Venezuelan officials, including the brother of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, to punish them for their roles in President Nicolas Maduros creation of a new legislative superbody, U.S. officials said, Reuters reported.

The new measures announced by the U.S. Treasury Department will freeze the U.S. assets of the targeted individuals, ban them from travel to the United States and prohibit Americans from doing business with them.

Washington slapped sanctions on Maduro himself last week following similar action against 13 Venezuelan officials on July 26.
Thousands of people attended a rally and procession in support of former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday as he embarks on a show of political power following a Supreme Court decision to disqualify him from office over undeclared assets, Reuters reported.

Sharif launched the so-called "caravan" procession from Islamabad to his eastern hometown of Lahore, despite the concerns of advisers about security.

After being driven 12 hours surrounded by supporters showering his vehicle with rose petals from capital Islamabad to the neighboring city of Rawalpindi, normally a 30 minute drive, Sharif addressed the crowd shortly after midnight.

"One court has given its decision, now this court will make a decision, the court of the people of Pakistan," Sharif said, asking the crowd if they accept the Supreme Court's decision, a question that elicited a loud "No" from his supporters.

"Nawaz Sharif is still our prime minister," said worker Niaz Ahmad, who wore a lion look-alike costume and chanted, "Lion, Lion!" referring to the election symbol of Sharif's political party.

The event remained largely peaceful, though Sharif's supporters assaulted the crew of two local TV stations that had been critical of him during the court proceedings, police official Hafeez Khan said.

"No prime minister has ever seen out the full term of his government," Sharif said.

He then asked the crowd: "Were these prime ministers not the people's choice? When will the people's mandate be respected?" adding that this joke has been repeated in Pakistan for 70 years.

Pakistan will celebrate 70 years of independence from British rule on August 14 but the country has never had a full term prime minister with numerous governments being interrupted by either military coups, judicial disqualification, or presidential decree.
Twelve suspected members of the al-Nusra terrorist organization were arrested in police raids in southeastern Diyarbakir province Tuesday, according to a police source, Anadolu reported.

The Diyarbakir Counter Terrorism Police unit launched the operation under an ongoing probe of the public prosecutors office, the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

Police also seized digital documents during the operation.

Turkey designates al-Nusra as a terrorist organization and continues to fight against the Al Qaeda-linked group, both inside and outside the country.
By May Masangkay, KYODO NEWS - Aug 5, 2017 - 17:35 | Arts, All

Every photo has a story to tell, and the eldest son of Argentine-born Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara is hoping that photographs taken by his father will give people a fuller view of his life.

An exhibit in Tokyo, starting next Wednesday, will showcase for the first time in Japan around 240 photographs taken by Guevara, whose iconic image still emblazons T-shirts and posters half a century after his death in 1967.

"What is extremely important is (for people) to get to know about the life (of my father), his thoughts and ideals," Camilo, 55, said in a recent interview with Kyodo News through a Spanish interpreter on his first visit to Japan.

As a medical student, Guevara witnessed injustice and poverty during a journey by motorcycle across Latin America and embraced Marxism. He later joined Cuban communist revolutionary leader Fidel Castro to carry out the Cuban Revolution. The leader seized power in Cuba in 1959.

Guevara then moved up the ranks under the Cuban government led by Castro but left in 1965 for Congo and then Bolivia to export revolution elsewhere. He was executed by Bolivian solders in 1967 at age 39 and has since become a symbol of heroism, rebellion and radicalism, either revered or reviled.

Camilo, a coordinator of Centro de Estudios Che Guevara, a museum in Havana dedicated to research and promotion of Guevara's thoughts, life and achievements, said he is "very honored" to share his father's photos in Japan during the Aug. 9-27 exhibit which marks the 50th anniversary of his death.

Of particular interest are Guevara's shots of Hiroshima, including a cenotaph for the atomic bomb victims, during his 1959 trip there. In a postcard Guevara sent to Cuba after visiting Hiroshima, Guevara wrote, "In order to fight better for peace, one must look at Hiroshima."

Camilo's Japan trip will also include Hiroshima, where he will join an annual ceremony to commemorate the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of the city. For many younger Japanese people, Guevara is known by the iconic photograph of him taken in 1960 by Cuban photographer Alberto Korda.

Camilo said he does not want people to learn about his father from information simply passed on by others, but to let Guevara's photos and books speak to them. In Japan, there is another opportunity to learn about him. A film entitled "Ernesto," depicting a guerilla fighter of Japanese descent who fought with Guevara in Bolivia, is set to be shown in Japan in October.

"Today's world remains a world of inequality. That has not yet been corrected, and there is a need to change that. Which is probably why young people look at him as a symbol or model to steer the world in a better direction," he said.

If Guevara were alive today, he would have witnessed changes in the political landscape surrounding Cuba, such as the restoration in 2015 of diplomatic ties with the United States severed in 1961 and U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Cuba last year as the first sitting leader in 88 years.

(Centro de Estudios Che Guevara)

He would also now be seeing the partial rollback of rapprochement toward the Communist-run island and new travel restrictions introduced by current U.S. President Donald Trump.

As Camilo spoke of the need to overcome challenges such as injustice and inequality, he seemed to be taking to heart his father's wish for his children to "try always to be able to deeply feel injustice committed against any person in any part of the world."

"It would certainly be ideal if people, after learning about his life, became inspired to take up the cause of rectifying inequality" in the world, Camilo said.

He recognized that it would be a tall order to ask everyone to take up such cause, and simply asked people to "know more deeply" about Guevara's life through the forthcoming exhibit, which comes at the initiative of a Japanese friend.

Photos his father took of himself while hiding in Tanzania and in disguise in Bolivia are among his favorites. Stressing that "every photo has a meaning and episode," Camilo expressed hope that even a single piece would strike a chord with visitors.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 9, 2017 - 20:39 | World, Urgent, All

North Korea said Wednesday it has released a Canadian pastor who was convicted of subversion in 2015 and sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor.

The official Korean Central News Agency said Hyeon Soo Lim, who it referred to merely as "Rim Hyon Su, a Canadian civilian," was "released on sick bail...from the humanitarian viewpoint."

It said he had been sentenced for having "conducted hostile deeds" against the country.

The development came as a delegation from the office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Pyongyang to press for the release of the 62-year-old, South Korean-born citizen, Canadian media reported.

Lim, a pastor with the Light Korean Presbyterian Church of Mississauga, west of Toronto, was detained in February 2015, after having visited North Korea more than 100 times for humanitarian aid and other purposes.

He was reportedly charged with harming the dignity of the supreme leadership, trying to use religion to destroy the North Korean system, disseminating negative propaganda about the country to overseas Koreans and helping U.S. and South Korean authorities lure and abduct North Korean citizens, along with aiding their programs to assist defectors from the North.

In December that year, a court handed down the sentence, which the Canadian government at the time called "unduly harsh," particularly given his advanced age and fragile health.

The release of Lim comes about two months after North Korea released U.S. citizen Otto Warmbier in a coma, who died shortly afterward.

The 22-year-old university student, accused of attempting to steal an item with a propaganda slogan in a staff-only area of his hotel, was convicted for what North Korea said was a hostile anti-state.

The U.S. government subsequently banned its citizens from traveling to North Korea as tourists.

While Canada has not followed suit, its foreign ministry advises citizens against traveling to the country "due to the uncertain security situation caused by North Korea's nuclear weapons development program and highly repressive regime."
KYODO NEWS - Aug 9, 2017 - 15:32 | Feature, All, Japan

Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue demanded Wednesday that the Japanese government join a recently adopted treaty banning nuclear weapons, as the city marked the 72nd anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing.

Taue's call for Japan's inclusion in the treaty adopted by 122 United Nations members last month followed an appeal last Sunday by the mayor of Hiroshima, Japan's other atomic-bombed city, to "bridge the gap" between nuclear and non-nuclear states to help realize a ban on nuclear weapons.

In Nagasaki's annual Peace Declaration at its memorial ceremony, Taue called the government's stance "incomprehensible" while pleading for Japan to join the treaty along with nuclear weapon states as well as other countries under the U.S. nuclear umbrella.

"(The Japanese government's) stance of not even participating in the diplomatic negotiations for the Nuclear Prohibition Treaty is quite incomprehensible to those of us living in the cities that suffered atomic bombings," Taue said at the city's Peace Park.

"As the only country in the world to have suffered wartime atomic bombings, I urge the Japanese government to reconsider the policy of relying on the nuclear umbrella and join the Nuclear Prohibition Treaty at the earliest possible opportunity," he said.

Taue also called on the government to "affirm to the world its commitment to the pacifist ethos of the Constitution of Japan, which firmly renounces war," at a time when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party is seeking to formally propose an amendment to the foundational document.

For his part, Abe avoided any explicit mention of the treaty in his speech at the ceremony as he did in Hiroshima, but stressed that both nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states need to be on board if efforts toward nuclear abolition are to succeed.

"Japan is determined to lead the international community...by continuing to appeal to both sides," the prime minister said.

At a press conference held later Wednesday after Abe met representatives of local hibakusha groups, the prime minister said Japan is already "bridging the gap" between the nuclear and non-nuclear states, citing Japan's work to promote an arms reduction and non-proliferation initiative with other countries.

Representatives of 58 nations and the European Union attended the ceremony, including all five recognized nuclear powers -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- as well as undeclared nuclear weapon state Israel.

Izumi Nakamitsu, U.N. undersecretary general and high representative for disarmament affairs, read out a message to the people of Nagasaki on behalf of U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, in which the U.N. chief noted "growing differences among countries about how to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons."

"I hope that the adoption in July of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will give renewed momentum to achieve our shared goal," the message said.

In Hiroshima's ceremony on Sunday to commemorate its own atomic bombing, Mayor Kazumi Matsui stopped short of demanding that Japan join the treaty, but urged the government to do "everything in its power to bridge the gap between the nuclear weapon and non-nuclear weapon states, thereby facilitating the ratification."

A plutonium-core atomic bomb named "Fat Man" dropped by a U.S. bomber exploded over Nagasaki at 11:02 a.m. on Aug. 9, 1945, at an altitude of around 500 meters, three days after the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

An estimated 74,000 people died from the bombing in Nagasaki by the end of that year. In Hiroshima, a projected 140,000 were killed by the end of the year.

Japan surrendered six days after the bombing of Nagasaki, prompting the end of World War II.

The combined number of "hibakusha," people who survived either bombing, stood at 164,621 as of March. Their average age was 81.41.

People from around Japan and overseas climbed the gentle slopes leading to the park from early morning, at one point braving a blustery downpour that passed before the ceremony started.

Sayaka Akagi, 30, came to the park in memory of her late grandfather, who survived the bombing.

"I'm a school teacher in Nagasaki, and every year I make a lesson for the children based on the mayor's peace declaration and get them to think about it," Akagi said.

Filip Deheegher, who works for the city of Ypres in Belgium, came to the park having been deeply moved by exhibits at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum earlier in the week.

Noting that his hometown was the site of a series of devastating battles in World War I, he remarked, "What took a few months to destroy in my town took two seconds in Nagasaki."

Shortly after dawn, members of a high school student peace ambassador program that began in Nagasaki 20 years ago gathered around a monument near the park at the hypocenter of the bombing.

The 22 student ambassadors, along with dozens of other students who have collected signatures from around Japan in support of nuclear abolition, formed a circle around the monument.

Nagasaki student ambassador Daiki Mizokami, 17, whose grandparents lived through the bombing, spoke of the importance of listening to the stories of hibakusha and hailed the adoption of the ban treaty.

"The next big step is to reduce the nuclear weapons that still exist now," he said.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 9, 2017 - 15:33 | Feature, All, World

The western Japanese town of Taiji, known for its whale and dolphin hunts, said Wednesday it is establishing a sister city relationship with a town in the Faroe Islands with similar traditional practices.

Taiji and Klaksvik on the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic are the only communities in the world which practice controversial drive hunting of cetaceans and their operations have been obstructed by antiwhaling groups such as Sea Shepherd, according to the officials.

(Supplied Image)

In the drive hunting, fishermen herd cetaceans into a cove and seal the area with a net. The hunting practice has drawn international criticism.

Taiji Mayor Kazutaka Sangen is scheduled to visit the Faroe Islands from Aug. 22 with officials of Japan's Fisheries Agency and sign a sister city agreement together with Klaksvik Mayor Jogvan Skorheim, the officials said.

Their partnership is aimed at boosting voices of the whaling towns amid a rising pressure from antiwhaling groups, they added.

A draft sister city agreement says the two towns will "promote sustainable use of living marine resources including cetaceans." They will also "strengthen friendship and contribute to the world as leaders of sustainable utilization" of those resources.

Taiji and Klaksvik are also planning exchanges in the fields of education and tourism, according to the draft.

Klaksvik Mayor Skorheim is expected to visit Japan in early September and meet with Foreign Minister Taro Kono, the officials said.
A collaboration between UTA and the city of Arlington using an underground robot to view sewer mains has now spread to a neighboring city.

Use of the robotic system in Ennis could signal signs of commercialization of the system.

An Arlington Water Utilities and University of Texas at Arlington team recently used robotic technology to give Ennis city officials an eye-opening look at their sewer system. Public Water Solutions, a Texas-based utility resource provider, coordinated the examination of Ennis' critical underground assets. The results will provide community leaders the ability to prioritize millions of dollars of future infrastructure spending.

Ennis City Manager R. Scott Dixon says his community is facing a tremendous backlog of sewer line improvements totaling tens of millions of dollars and resources for expensive replacements are limited. Like other public utilities, increased spending by Ennis would result in increases in water and sewer rates. Arlington's team is now preparing a full assessment on a section of sewer main that carries most of Ennis' sanitary sewer flow.

"It is our hope that the outcome of this project will help the city to minimize the amount of investment required to prevent a major failure on one of its primary sanitary sewer lines," Dixon says. "If we are able to reduce the number of linear feet of the line that has to be replaced and identify areas where failure is imminent, we can better allocate our funding and address other equally high priority lines elsewhere in the system."

Since October 2016, Arlington has been using the MSI HD Profiler, a multi-sensor robot that gathers information using a high definition camera, lasers and sonar, to examine large diameter sanitary sewer mains 24 to 72 inches in diameter under an exclusive agreement with the equipment supplier.

The program is a partnership with the UTA Department of Civil Engineering. Data from the MSI HD Profiler and another smaller robot helps UTA and Arlington Water pinpoint areas for further structural evaluation, repair or possible replacement. More than 150,000 feet of Arlington sanitary sewer main have been inspected since the inspection program began.

UTA President Vistasp Karbhari said the Ennis project - more than 50 miles away - signals the beginning for this technology and others being developed at the University.

"The maintenance of sewer lines can cost cities millions of dollars in taxpayer funds," said Dr. Karbhari. "This technology is an example of how our faculty demands excellence and research that can be impactful to the communities we serve and those around the world."

Ali Abolmaali, chair of the UTA Department of Civil Engineering said he believes this kind of technology could be used nationwide.

"UTA and Arlington Water were able to cut the costs of the evaluations for Arlington residents and now Ennis residents by establishing this unique partnership to use the MSI HD Profiler and performing the work with in-house crews," said Abolmaali, who also is the Dr. Tseng Huang Endowed Professor in civil engineering. "The project has already gained national attention - with the American Society of Civil Engineers naming the project a 'Game Changer' in the area of public infrastructure in 2016."

Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams recognized how the technology has benefited Arlington and its residents.

"The partnership with The University of Texas at Arlington has created many valuable opportunities over the years that have benefitted our residents and business community," Mayor Williams said. "The sanitary sewer inspections and infrastructure research being done with these multi-sensor robots are just the latest examples of how Arlington and UTA are tapping innovative technology to make a real difference."

###

The City of Arlington contributed to this article.
The Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay and her fiance Bryan Abasolo.

As far as The Bachelorette goes, last nights finale just might have been the most dramatic episode ever.

TV viewers were shocked on Monday when Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay picked chiropractor Bryan Abasolo to be her fiance. Out of the final three, Abasolo seemed the least likely to win, but he stole her heart after personal trainer and crowd favorite Peter Kraus got the boot.

The outcome was shocking, but we were actually more startled by a financially savvy comment Lindsay made during the show.

In the episode, the three remaining contestants got an overnight date where they could be alone with Lindsay without cameras. Typically, couples use this time to explore their intimacy, but Lindsay, a lawyer, said she used the night to cross-examine the men.

Believe it or not, I went in there with a list, and I had questions that I wanted to ask, she told show host Chris Harrison. I was asking about health insurance and credit scores.

The entire season of The Bachelorette only lasts eight weeks, which means that Lindsay and Abasolo promised to build a life together after knowing each other for two months. Even if you dont agree with Lindsays decision, it was refreshing to hear that she asked some major financial questions before committing to life with a virtual stranger.

While most people wont get engaged on top of a castle in Spain after eight weeks of dating on national television, there is a thing or two we can learn from Lindsay. First of all, you cant force someone to propose to you (Kraus didnt, although he declared his love for Lindsay.). And secondly, before you walk down the aisle, you and your partner need to have an honest conversation about money.

As you plan your own future full of love, weddings and final roses, financial planner Morgen B. Rochard, CFA, CFP suggests five ways to tackle tough financial matters.

1. Keep initial conversations light

Diving into a serious conversation about money can quickly turn accusatory. Instead, make your first talk about money light. Rochard suggests starting with some softball questions like:

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What do you enjoy spending money on?

What are your financial goals for the future?

Are there any goals so important that they would prevent you from spending money on your favorite things?

What are your childhood memories about money?

Having an open conversation will allow you to see your partners relationship with money and if his or her priorities align with yours.

2. Show your cards

Vulnerability can be tough for some people, but its essential when talking about money. After your initial talk, set up a formal meeting to discuss finances. Each person should come prepared with account statements, income pay stubs, credit reports, insurance plans and invoices for any debt he or she owes. The more formal you make it, the easier it is to share because you have tangible examples, said Rochard. If youre headed toward marriage, you should feel comfortable enough to share your numbers.

Its important to talk about money before walking down the aisle.

3. Admit your faults

Everyone probably has a few regrets when it comes to money. Hiding your financial mistakes can lead to turmoil in your relationship, so Rochard suggests putting it out there from the start. If youre vulnerable, your partner will be too, and you can learn from each others mistakes, she told Yahoo Finance. Once youre aware of the past, you can set future goals together.

As the same time, its important to look out for red flags. If your partner is hiding spending or has a massive amount of debt that is not being actively paid down, dont ignore it. Maybe you just need to have a conversation or perhaps you need to extend the engagement period to give him or her time to work things out. Remember: Once youre married, your partners financial troubles become yours.

4. Discuss future goals

If your partner wants to start a business, but youre against the idea, talk about it. If you want your future children to attend expensive private schools, but your partner prefers public, have the discussion now. According to a 2015 survey from SunTrust Bank, 35% of people experience relationship stress over money. Another study published in the Family Relations Journal found that arguing over money is the top predictor of divorce. Getting on the same page sooner rather than later will help you manage expectations and navigate conflicts in the future.

5. Be realistic about your wedding

On The Bachelorette, Neil Lane supplied Lindsays $100,000 engagement ring free of charge. The show will also pay for the wedding if the couple agrees to broadcast it on live TV.

For real couples, spending huge amounts of money on rings and weddings can be crippling.

I ask my clients if they are willing to risk their retirement or a home over an engagement ring or wedding, Rochard told Yahoo Finance. A $15,000 ring can buy you $75,000 more home because you usually have to put down a 20% down payment.

In other words, the short-term pleasure of having a big diamond on your finger could cost you the future home of your dreams. Instead, focus on the bigger picture.

Rochard suggests buying a smaller ring, or even a fake one (no one will know!), or planning a shorter engagementwhich often leads to spending less money. If a big wedding has always been your dream, then start saving early. I tell people to start putting away $300 to $500 a month before theyre even engaged, said Rochard.

Brittany is a reporter at Yahoo Finance.

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Here's how leaders in tech and beyond have responded to the Google memo controversy

Over the weekend James Damore, a software engineer at Google , shared a 10-page manifesto in which he argues that men are scientifically predisposed to being better leaders, better at technology and better Google employees.

Damore confirmed in an email to Reuters on Monday that he had been fired for "perpetuating gender stereotypes," but his controversial memo  and subsequent termination  has sparked a contentious discussion on sexism in the workplace, drawing commentary from those in the tech industry and beyond.

Here's what six leaders had to say about the arguments the former Google employee advanced:

Adam Grant

In a LinkedIn post, Wharton's Adam Grant eviscerated the Google memo, using his academic background to deconstruct Damore's mathematical conclusions and explain that the differences between men and women are slim to none.

"It's always precarious to make claims about how one-half of the population differs from the other half  especially on something as complicated as technical skills and interests. But I think it's a travesty when discussions about data devolve into name-calling and threats. As a social scientist, I prefer to look at the evidence," Grant writes.

"Across 128 domains of the mind and behavior, '78 percent of gender differences are small or close to zero.'" The only major differences, he says, are related to physical stature and sexual proclivities.

Anita Hill

In an op-ed for The New York Times, Brandeis University professor of Social Policy, Law, and Women's Studies Anita Hill characterized the Google memo as an unveiling of the true nature of the tech industry.

She writes, "The recent leak of a Google engineer's screed against the company's diversity initiatives is a reminder that the notion of Silicon Valley as the seat of human progress is a myth  at least when it comes to way the women behind the latest in technology are treated."

Hill argues that the tech industry has been hiding behind a false veil of progressivism and that this memo serves as a revelation that should encourage class action lawsuits to fight discrimination.

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"The tech industry is stuck in the past, more closely resembling 'Mad Men'-era Madison Avenue or 1980s Wall Street than a modern egalitarian society. It may take the force of our legal system to change that," she writes.

Glenn Beck

Conservative radio host Glenn Beck said that critics are "ignoring basic science" and describes Google as a "Corporate Fascist."

Beck argues that firing Damore for authoring the memo is a form of discrimination and equates being fired with slavery.

"How do you fix discrimination with discrimination?" he asks. "That's like, 'We're going to stop all these slave owners. We're going to enslave all the slave owners. And the slaves can own the slave owners.'"

Danielle Brown

Google's new Vice President of Diversity, Integrity & Governance, Danielle Brown, wrote a response to Damore's memo saying that it "advanced incorrect assumptions about gender" and that "it's not a viewpoint that I or this company endorses, promotes or encourages."

She also added that it is important that Google employees "feel safe sharing their opinions. But that discourse needs to work alongside the principles of equal employment found in our Code of Conduct, policies and anti-discrimination laws."

Kara Swisher

Technology journalist and Recode co-founder Kara Swisher has followed the controversy closely. When Eric Weinstein, managing director of Thiel Capital, took to Twitter to complain about Damore being fired, Swisher swiftly responded.

Weinstein carped that Google should, "Stop teaching my girl that her path to financial freedom lies not in coding but in complaining to HR."

Swisher responded to Weinstein's tweet saying, "Stop teaching my boys that their path to decency lies not in coding but in denigrating women."

Sundar Pichai

Google CEO Sundar Pichai cut a family vacation short to address the controversy. In an email to Google employees on Monday Pichai wrote: "Our job is to build great products for users that make a difference in their lives. To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK."

The CEO says that this is just the beginning of a larger conversation. "Clearly there's a lot more to discuss as a group," he wrote. "Including how we create a more inclusive environment for all."

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Brinkmanship between the United States and North Korea around the subject of nuclear weapons has experts worldwide worried about heightened "tensions." On a practical level, just how expensive are these bombs?

To determine the cost of one nuclear weapon, you have to account for the costs of their production, delivery systems and maintenance.

"South Korean government analysis has put North Korea's nuclear spending at $1.1 billion to $3.2 billion overall," reported Reuters last year, "although experts say it is impossible to make an accurate calculation given the secrecy surrounding the program, and estimates vary widely."

The U.S. government believes North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has up to 60 nuclear weapons, though some independent experts say the total is smaller. If North Korea does indeed have around 60, that puts the cost of each warhead at between around $18 million and $53 million.

The U.S. nuclear program provides a more reliable picture of cost, though not all nuclear development information is public. In "Atomic Audit," published in 1998, Stephen I. Schwartz claimed the U.S. had spent $5 trillion since 1940 on developing and maintaining its nuclear arsenal.

The U.S. government is now estimated to have 6,800 nuclear weapons at its disposal, but America hasn't actually built a new warhead or bomb since the 1990s. "It has refurbished several types in recent years to extend their lifetime," says Dr. Lisbeth Gronlund, a senior scientist and co-director of the UCS Global Security Program.

The B61-12 atomic bombs, for instance, are to undergo a life-extension program that will cost roughly $9.5 billion. There are 400 to 500 of these bombs, says Gronlund, which means refurbishing one will cost about $20 million.

W-80 warheads, another type being refurbished, are estimated to cost $75 million each when you account for the price tag of the B52 bombers that deliver them. Frank G. Klotz, the national administrator of the Nuclear Security Administration, estimated that the total cost of the W-80 life extension plan will be $7.3 billion to $9.9 billion over 17 years.

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Gronlund predicts that, in total, the U.S. will spend $250 billion on its nuclear program in the next few decades.

As for North Korea, the new U.N. sanctions that China and Russia agreed to impose on Saturday will likely set it back. The banned exports is expected to cost them a third of their annual $3 billion earnings.

U.S. analysts believe North Korea has nuclear warheads that can fit inside of missiles, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday. The insight comes just weeks after the regime fired a missile that landed within 230 miles of the Japanese coast. In response, on Tuesday, President Trump told reporters that "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States," or "they will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

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The tech world is an uproar over Googles Ideological Echo Chamber, a memo in which a former Google engineer, James Damore, questioned the companys attitudes towards women and diversity. Google fired Damore on Monday after the content of his memo became public and triggered a media firestorm over sexism and gender stereotypes in the workplace.

Now, Damore has told the New York Times he intends to sue Google for illegal dismissal, and that he has already filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. But any case would be complicated, in part due to Damores identity as a white man and the nature of his complaintshe says he faced retaliation for espousing conservative views.

Does he have a case? The short answer is maybe. Heres an overview, based on interviews with legal scholars, of three laws Damore could use to bring a lawsuitand how he might fare.

Violation of Federal Labor Law

Under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, employers are barred from prohibiting employees from organizing a unionnor can they interfere with concerted activities aimed at improving the workplace.

Theres no evidence that Damore, who worked on Googles search product, was trying to organize a union. But he could argue that circulating his memo, which called for the inclusion of more diverse ideological viewpoints at Google, amounted to concerted activities protected under the law. He could likewise claim Googles decision to fire him after he filed a NLRB complaint amounts to illegal retaliation (Update: the timing of the filing is disputed).

Violation of Federal Civil Rights Law

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects employees from discrimination based on race, color, gender, and religion. It has typically been invoked by groups, including women and African-Americans, who have faced systemic inequality in the workplace.

Its less common for white employees to raise Title VII, and the claims may fail if the alleged discrimination is part of a legitimate affirmative action plan. But that doesnt mean they are never successful: Employers cant fire someone for being white or a man anymore than they can for being female or a person of color.

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Damore, however, would have to show his firing was motivated by racial or gender considerations. In an email to employees about the episode, Googles CEO Sundar Pichai did not appear to focus on gender, but instead on the disruptive effect Damores message had on many of his coworkers.

Violation of California Law Against Restricting Political Activity

Speech by employees at private companies is not protected by the First Amendment. Its also widely understood that workers dont have full free speech rights on the job (Im pretty sure Fortune could fire me for repeatedly telling my readers to jump in the lake).

Nonetheless, many states do have laws that forbid employers from restricting some employee speech and political activity. And according to a 2012 paper by noted free speech scholar Eugene Volokh, California has such a lawand its among the nations strongest. The paper gives examples of how political activities or affiliations described in the law are broadly defined, and cites an influential court ruling from 1979:

[P]olitical activities, the California Supreme Court has stated, cannot be narrowly confined to partisan activity, but instead cover any activities involving the espousal of a candidate or a cause, including participating in broad social movements such as the gay rights movement. [my emphasis]

Damores memo speaks at length about how Google allegedly alienates conservatives, and calls on the company to reconsider how it defines diversitypositions, in other words, that could be protected as political participation that is protected under the California law. Indeed, this argument may prove to be the strongest of Damores if he chooses to sue Google.

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The Bottom Line: An Uphill but not Impossible Case

Roy Gutterman, a free speech authority at Syracuse University, noted that the traditional purpose of anti-discrimination laws have been to protect historically disadvantaged groups, not white men. This is one reason he describes Damores chance for success as an uphill battle.

Another law professor, who agreed to speak only on the condition of anonymity because he had worked for Silicon Valley companies, described the case as difficult but not impossible. He predicted a complaint brought by Damore would survive a motion to dismiss barely.

Finally, if Damore does decide to sue, its likely the case would settle instead of going to trial. Thats because the entire episode has proved a PR nightmare for Googlefirst as a result of the memo, which led many to accuse Google of institutional sexism, and then as a result of the companys decision to fire Damore, which others decried as an assault on free speech. Its a safe bet the company would like to sweep this under the rug as soon as possible.

A Google spokesperson said the company does not comment on specific employee cases. The spokesperson added, however, that if the stereotypes raised in Damores memo had turned on race rather than gender, few would be questioning the decision to dismiss him.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai (right) and James Damore, who sent the controversial memo (Rex/Facebook)

A Google employee who wrote a controversial memo that argued there were biological causes for the underrepresentation of women in technology has been fired.

In an email to employees, the companys chief executive Sundar Pichai said the letter, which went viral after being leaked, was contrary to the companys basic values and broke its code of conduct.

Describing the memo as offensive and not OK, he said it advanced harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace.

The employee has not been named by Google, but was identified in the press as James Damore, who confirmed to Reuters that he had been fired for perpetuating gender stereotypes.

He also claimed to have received many personal messages from fellow Googlers expressing their gratitude for speaking out.

The 10-page memo, entitled Googles Ideological Echo Chamber, stated that discrimination to reach equal representation is unfair, divisive, and bad for business.

Damore said that Googles diversity and inclusion initiatives, aimed at promoting women and under-represented minorities, amounted to political bias against conservatism.

When it comes to diversity and inclusion, Googles left bias has created a politically correct monoculture that maintains its hold by shaming dissenters into silence, he wrote.

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He went on to list questionable personality differences  such as higher anxiety, lower stress tolerance  that mean women occupy fewer high-paid roles.

Google new head of diversity, Danielle Brown, criticised the memo, which provoked widespread anger, saying it had advanced incorrect assumptions about gender.

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Women make up just 20 per cent of Googles technical workforce, according to Googles most recent diversity report. African-Americans make up 1 per cent.

Google is also in a legal battle with the US Department of Labor (DOL), which is investigating the company for wage discrimination.

A lawyer for the DOL said that discrimination against women in Google is quite extreme, even in this industry. Google denies the charges.

In an internal memo, Pichai said that his dismissal did not amount to curbing free speech.

Many points raised in the memo  such as the portions criticising Googles trainings, questioning the role of ideology in the workplace, and debating whether programs for women and underserved groups are sufficiently open to all  are important topics, he said.

The author had a right to express their views on those topics  we encourage an environment in which people can do this and it remains our policy to not take action against anyone for prompting these discussions.

In further comments, he added: Our co-workers shouldnt have to worry that each time they open their mouths to speak in a meeting, they have to prove they are not like the memo states, being agreeable rather than assertive, showing lower stress tolerance or being neurotic.
Google has unveiled new measures aimed at helping news organizations drive more subscriptions and generate revenues (AFP Photo/LOIC VENANCE)

Washington (AFP) - The dismissal of a Google engineer over a memo defending the Silicon Valley gender gap has fanned the flames of a simmering debate in the tech sector over sexism, free expression and political correctness.

The "manifesto" published as an internal memo by James Damore, which claimed "biological differences" were a key factor in the low percentage of women in technology jobs sparked outcry from those claiming it perpetuated stereotypes and discrimination.

Then Damore was fired -- according to media reports and his own email to the far-right news website Breitbart -- which sparked a new backlash from those claiming Google was stifling free speech.

The fresh controversy comes with Silicon Valley struggling in the face of accusations of rampant sexual harassment and discrimination affecting startups like Uber and venture capital firms investing in the sector.

Google chief executive Sundar Pichai, without commenting on Damore, said employees have a right to express themselves but that the memo appeared to "cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace."

"To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK," Pichai said in his email to employees.

But Damore's firing fueled a wave of criticism from those arguing Google was suppressing a dissenting viewpoint.

"Very sad about #JamesDamore being fired by @Google for basically popularising behavioural science. Scandalous and immoral," one Twitter user wrote.

"Google went from: 'Don't be evil' to 'Speak no evil about political correctness,'" another tweet said.

Damore's firing made him a hero to the far right and those claiming political correctness has gone too far.

Breitbart published the first of what it said was a series of interviews with "rebels of Google" who claim the company is stifling dissent.

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"Witch hunts are a well-known cultural problem at Google," one employee identified only as "Hal" said.

"A lot of social justice activists essentially spend all day fighting the culture war, and get nothing done."

Damore's 10-page memo, which was leaked on the website Gizmodo and later on Motherboard, argued that Google has silenced anyone seeking to differ with official policy, leading to "an ideological echo chamber."

- Gender woes in Valley -

Currently some 69 percent of Google's employees are men, according to the company's latest figures, a proportion that rises to 80 percent when it comes to technology jobs.

In 2016 at Facebook just 27 percent of senior executives were women. At Apple, around 30 percent of total employees are women.

Roger Kay, who heads the tech consultancy Endpoint Technologies Associates, said the Damore case is not about free speech, and that Google has a right to keep employees who support the company's values.

"They're not putting him in jail, it's not a criminal indictment," Kay said.

"His speech (memo) was odious, and they're absolutely allowed to fire him for it if it promotes the greater good."

Some analysts say there is no easy answer for tech firm which are seeking to promote a diverse workforce while dealing with competing factions.

"Though theres been plenty of outrage over the (Damore) post among Google employees and others in the tech industry, there are also significant numbers who have welcomed it," said Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research in a blog post.

"Despite the broad official push for diversity from tech companies, there's still a big chunk of the employee base that holds such views and wishes they could air them more freely."
By David Ingram, Salvador Rodriguez and Heather Somerville

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A Silicon Valley culture war pitting liberal-leaning tech firms against a small conservative cohort took on new intensity on Tuesday after Google fired a male engineer for a memo that decried the company's commitment to hiring women.

Memo author James Damore, 28, received jeers, cheers and a couple of job offers, while the debate raged on social media and some tech firms took steps to prevent similar episodes from embroiling their companies.

Damore confirmed his dismissal from Alphabet Inc's Google on Monday, after he wrote a 10-page memo that said the company was hostile to conservative viewpoints and that women on average have more neuroticism.

Many in Silicon Valley found his views, which argued that men in general may be biologically more suited to coding jobs than women, offensive and destructive. The manifesto was embraced by some, particularly on the political right, who branded him a brave truth-teller.

The episode recalled past examples of the wide gulf between U.S. conservative activists and the tech sector.

In 2014, Brendan Eich was forced out as Mozilla's chief executive after his opposition to gay marriage became public. Most technology executives held the opposite view, and tech companies often gave benefits to same-sex couples well before gay marriage was legalized.

"Anyone who deviates from the talking points of the liberal left is shunned, shamed and forced out," Andrew Torba, chief executive of the social network Gab, said in an interview.

Torba, whose company is popular among conservatives, said Damore could work for him.

WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, whose group released hacked emails that helped the campaign of Republican U.S. President Donald Trump, also offered Damore a job, writing on Twitter that "censorship is for losers."

Firing Damore was too extreme and Google should have put him through training instead, said Aaron Ginn, co-founder of the Lincoln Network, a group of libertarian-leaning tech workers and investors.

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"You're going to make him a martyr. In this hyper-tribal political day we are in, I think you'd want to try to avoid making him a martyr," Ginn said.

Intense political feelings recently divided two board members of Facebook Inc, the New York Times reported on Tuesday. Last August, Reed Hastings, chief executive of Netflix Inc, warned investor Peter Thiel in an email that Thiel's support for Trump showed "catastrophically bad judgment," the newspaper reported.

The outcome of that dispute is not known. Hastings and Thiel remain on Facebook's board. Facebook declined to comment.

More generally, Silicon Valley tech companies have been under mounting criticism for not doing enough to promote gender equality and stamp out sexual harassment.

Claims of persistent sexual harassment in the ranks of Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] and of several venture capital firms have led to management shake-ups.

The U.S. Labor Department is investigating Google to see whether the firm has unlawfully paid women less than men. Google denies that it does.

CODES OF CONDUCT

Google, which has used the motto "Don't be evil," received accolades from many quarters for treating Damore's memo as a threat to its corporate culture.

"What he wrote is extremely toxic to the tech community we are trying to support. He's categorizing us in a way that makes us seem weak or incompetent," said Adriana Gascoigne, founder of the San Francisco nonprofit Girls in Tech.

Josh Reeves, chief executive at Gusto, a software company, said he expected the topic would come up at its all-staff meeting on Wednesday.

Gusto's code of conduct "specifically prohibits a memo like Damore's," Reeves said, if the memo would be offensive to individuals in a protected group.

Damore, who could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, said in an email to Reuters on Monday that he was exploring a possible legal challenge to his dismissal.

His case would likely be weak, employment lawyers said, and some lawyers said Google could have faced lawsuits if it had not acted against him.

Google said it could not talk about individual employee cases.

U.S. companies have broad latitude to restrict the speech of employees in private workplaces, where First Amendment protections against government censorship do not apply.

Damore's title at Google was software engineer and he had worked at the company since December 2013, according to a profile on LinkedIn.

The LinkedIn page also says Damore received a PhD in systems biology from Harvard University in 2013. Harvard said on Tuesday he completed a master's degree in the subject, not a PhD.

Industry experts note that in the early days of tech it was mostly women who held the then-unglamorous jobs of coding. But as the value of top-notch programming became clear, men came to dominate the field.

Other tech companies on Tuesday were closely watching the controversy at Google unfold, and grateful they were not the ones caught in another debate over gender and diversity.

"Every large organization has a James Damore - but at tech companies, they're more liberated to share their personal views," an executive at one major Silicon Valley firm said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Tech firms have an abundance of "smart, confident people who think they have an obligation to share their wisdom with their coworkers," the executive said.

(Reporting by David Ingram, Salvador Rodriguez and Heather Somerville in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Jonathan Allen, Taylor Harris and Gabriella Borter in New York and Dustin Volz and Jonathan Weber in San Francisco; Editing by Bernard Orr and Lisa Shumaker)
A fired Google engineer says that he will sue his former employer. Photo: AP

On Monday, Google (GOOG, GOOGL) fired the author of a notorious memo blaming the gender gap in tech on biological differences rather than bias and accusing the tech giant of alienating non-progressives.

The fired software engineer, 28-year-old James Damore, promptly told The New York Times that he would likely be pursuing legal action against his former employer. However, California, like most states, allows companies to employ people at will, meaning they can generally fire people without cause as long as theyre not discriminating against them.

That means your employer, unlike the government, doesnt have to recognize your First Amendment right to free speech. Still, Damore  whose termination has stirred up a debate about self-expression at work  may have a case against the tech giant under federal labor law.

A call to arms

The particular law that could apply to Damore is Section 8(a)(1) of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which says your employer cant punish you for engaging in protected, concerted activity such as bringing a group complaint to the attention of ones boss. Generally, concerted activity requires two or more employees to band together and, say, complain about working conditions, says Jeffrey Hirsch, a professor specializing in employment law at UNC School of Law.

While it appears that Damore was the sole author of his 10-page internal screed, he could argue that the memo constituted a call to arms for certain employees, according to another employment-law professor, Matt Bodie, of St. Louis University School of Law. The key thing you have to prove is that  its concerted.

Bodie acknowledged that argument would be a stretch. However, he and three other employment law professors all said Damore might invoke the NLRA in a case against Google.

His argument could be that he was seeking to initiate support among other employees about how this [Googles culture] wasnt good for maybe the majority of employees, said Christine OBrien, a professor at Boston Colleges Carroll School of Management with expertise on the NLRA.

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Illegal to retaliate

Damores internal memo went viral among Google employees over the weekend, and on Saturday, Gizmodo published the full text, titled Googles Ideological Echo Chamber.

The memo contained a section called Possible non-bias causes of the gender gap in tech, which asserted that womens supposedly higher levels of neuroticism may contribute to the lower number of women in high-stress jobs. The memo also criticized a number of Google policies, including its asserted special treatment for diversity candidates.

Google VP and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Danielle Brown. Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Glamour

The memo prompted swift denunciation from Googlers, including those at the top. Googles Vice President of Diversity, Integrity, and Governance, Danielle Brown, said the memo advanced incorrect assumptions about gender, and Ari Balogh, Googles vice president of engineering, took issue with the memos stereotyping and harmful assumptions.

For his part, Damore says he felt attacked for expressing himself. On Monday, he filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, which, he told The Times, alleged Google was shaming him in order to silence his complaints. He claims he was actually fired later Monday as retaliation for that complaint.

He told The Times that its illegal to retaliate against an employee for filing an NLRB complaint.

From Googles perspective, Im sure theyre going to say, It had nothing to do with the NLRB complaint  it was the fact that he threw a grenade in the middle of our corporate culture, said Hirsch, the UNC law professor.

Google did not respond to the specific allegation of retaliation, pointing to a general statement from Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

First, let me say that we strongly support the right of Googlers to express themselves, and much of what was in that memo is fair to debate, regardless of whether a vast majority of Googlers disagree with it, he wrote. However, portions of the memo violate our Code of Conduct and cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace.

We reached out to Damore via LinkedIn but did not receive a response on Tuesday.

Erin Fuchs is deputy managing editor of Yahoo Finance.

Read more:

A fight over gay employees will almost certainly hit the Supreme Court

A legal fight over NYC dog sitters highlights a bigger problem in America

FTC likely to approve Whole Foods deal even if Amazon did deceive customers




donald trump rally

On President Donald Trump's 100th day in office, he had signed more bills into law than his last three predecessors. By his 200th day in office on August 7, Trump had signed 44 bills into law.

Stretching back to 1953, the average number of laws presidents signed in their first 200 days was 111, according to an analysis from legislative database GovTrack. That's mostly because former Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy signed an enormous amount of legislation in their second 100 days.

GovTrack Founder Josh Tauberer said "a lot has changed" since Trump's 100-day mark, when the president had signed 29 bills into law. Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, by comparison, respectively signed 14, seven, and 22 laws in their first 100 days.

"Most presidents have signed more legislation than Trump by this [200-day] point," Tauberer told Business Insider. "Trump signed some large legislation, including an early appropriations bill, significantly bringing up his page count."

Tauberer found the total number of laws signed and total number of pages those bills were from Trump all the way back to Ike. He excluded Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Gerald Ford because their first 200 days weren't normal (Johnson took office after Kennedy was shot, and Ford became president after President Richard Nixon resigned). Here's what he found:

BI Graphics_Laws 200 days

In his first 200 days, Trump signed a NASA bill to send humans to Mars, a resolution to keep the government funded through September, new sanctions on Russia for meddling in the 2016 election, and several laws helping veterans. (See the full list here )

100 days, 200 days

Franklin D. Roosevelt is the reason people focus on a president's first 100 days.

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Signing a dizzying number of laws and executive orders that made up the monstrous New Deal, FDR got more done in his first 100 days in office than any president before him or any since. Part of the reason was because he took office in the depths of the Great Depression, and used his "honeymoon period" with Congress to stabilize the economy.

When presidents take office, they have the most political capital to enact their agenda. Studies have found that it's the most productive time for legislative action.

Of course, presidents don't have total control over their time in office.

"It helps to keep in mind that neither Trump nor Obama wrote the laws they signed," Tauberer told Business Insider at the 100-day mark. "They can only sign the bills that Congress gives them, and although presidents like to take lots of credit, they actually have an insignificant role in the passage of most of them."

Notably, Trump couldn't sign a bill repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, because Congress couldn't pass one for him to sign in his first 200 days.

But the overall number of bills signed into law is just part of the story. The vast differences between the number of pages or words those bills contained start to reveal what types of laws they were and what effects they ultimately had.

Tauberer explained that, generally speaking, bills with more words usually create government programs, while those with fewer are often rolling back regulations or programs. Obama's stimulus package to keep the government funded had 358,113, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act had 294,307.

BI Graphics_Laws 100 days

The number of pages or words in laws can be a good or bad thing, depending on what you want the federal government to do.

"If what you want is the government to roll back and simplify regulations, then you're not looking for lengthy legislation. It doesn't take many words to roll back a regulation," Tauberer said in April. "The 13 bills from Congress that Trump signed that rolled back regulations did do that, and some were significant, but on the whole that was a symbolic effort because 13 doesn't make even a dent."

Related:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.

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A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter lands onto the deck of the USS Ronald Reagan, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered super carrier, in the West Sea, South Korea, October 29, 2015. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

As a US Navy F/A-18 fighter jet returned to the deck of the USS Nimitz, the aircraft carrier currently stationed in the Persian Gulf to support the US-led fight against ISIS, an Iranian drone got way too close for comfort.

"Despite repeated radio calls to stay clear," the Iranian drone went out of its way to complicate the jet's landing, Eric Pahon, Pentagon spokesperson said in a statement sent to Business Insider. The F/A-18 had to maneuver to avoid the approaching drone, missing it by around 100 feet.

The drone was unarmed, and remotely piloted. A US aircraft carrier isn't something any pilot worth his salt would not be aware of. As this was the 13th unsafe and unprofessional interaction between the US Navy and Iran's maritime forces this year, it can be assumed Iran meant to do it.

Landing a speeding aircraft on a ship at sea presents plenty of difficulty without having a marauding drone bother the pilot on approach, and this just represents one of the ways Iran tries to harass, and ultimately crash US ships and aircraft.

A single F/A-18 costs around $70 million, and sending one crashing down on an aircraft carriers flight deck could cause tremendous damage and loss of life.

In mid June, Iranian naval patrol boats sailed up to the USS Bataan, a smaller aircraft carrier, and shined a laser pointer on a helicopter in flight. There's just no reason to shine a laser pointer at another navy's helicopter unless you're trying to mess with them in a way that could easily cause a crash.

us navy uss boxer gunner

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In other incidents, Iranian ships have charged US Navy vessels causing them to have to fire off flares and warning shots. In each case, the Pentagon describes the events as "unsafe and unprofessional."

When campaigning for president, Donald Trump saying that when Iranian ships that harass or make rude gestures towards the US Navy "they will be shot out of the water."

The US Navy hasn't changed its rules of engagement, and Iran's provocations remain under the threshold of lethal response, but as the harassment's increase in scale, the US must consider a response.

Related:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.

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Sean M. Castellano | US Navy | Reuter. The Pentagon said an Iranian drone flew about 100 feet from a U.S. fighter jet in the Persian Gulf in a dangerous incident.

A U.S. military official Tuesday said an Iranian drone flew about 100 feet from an American fighter jet in the Persian Gulf in a dangerous incident.

The Navy said the incident involved an F/A-18E Super Hornet that was preparing to land in international airspace on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the central Gulf.

"The F/A-18E maneuvered to avoid collision with the QOM-1 [Iranian drone] resulting in a lateral separation of approximately 200 feet and a vertical separation of approximately 100 feet," spokesperson Lt. Chloe J. Morgan said in a statement to CNBC.

According to the statement, the U.S. military made "repeated calls to stay clear of the fixed-wing flight operations in the vicinity of USS Nimitz," but the Iranian drone still "executed unsafe and unprofessional altitude changes" close to the American F/A-18E that was "in a holding pattern preparing to land on the aircraft carrier."

The Navy said the action by the Iranian QOM-1 drone "created a collision hazard and is not in keeping with international maritime customs and laws."

The Navy official also indicated this incident marked "the 13th unsafe and/or unprofessional interaction between U.S. and Iranian maritime forces" so far this year.





More From CNBC


Julian Assange

On Monday Google fired an engineer who wrote a now infamous memo against diversity that went viral within the company, was published by the press and has been the cause of non-stop talk ever since.

But the engineer, James Damore, needn't worry about a job if he needs one.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has publicly offered to bring him on board:

1/ Censorship is for losers. @WikiLeaks is offering a job to fired Google engineer James Damore. https://t.co/tmrflE72p3  Julian Assange  (@JulianAssange) August 8, 2017

As you might expect, Assange argued that the guy had a right to express an opinion, however unpopular.

Google: Any ideas on how we can decrease wages?

Engineer: The job is lonely & stressful. Maybe women don't like it

Google: You're fired  Julian Assange  (@JulianAssange) August 8, 2017

However, Assange went even further and appeared to defend the ex-Google engineer's controversial views by tweeting and linking to various bits of content that seem to be about scientists backing up the engineer's claims. To recap: the engineer basically argued that many traits generally considered sexist stereotypes are in fact basic attributes baked into human biology and argued that Google's true problem is that it alienates people based on their political viewpoint, noteably people on the political right.

Later, after the controversy began, the engineer revised his memo to say that the world is misrepresenting his ideas, "I value diversity and inclusion, am not denying that sexism exists, and dont endorse using stereotypes," he wrote, and said that he's heard from a lot of Googlers that agreed with him but are afraid to say so for fear of getting fired. (Here's the full copy of the memo.)

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It's also worth noting that Assange has a history with Google. In between his defense of the engineer on Tuesday, Assange also fired off a tweet that plugged his book which includes a chapter on Google. Assange believes that Google had a "special relationship" with Hillary Clinton.

The memo enrapt and enraged so many people inside Google and outside that Google CEO Sundar Pichai cut his family vacation short to come back and calm his employees down.

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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. KCNA via Reuters

North Korea says its seriously considering a plan to fire nuclear-capable missiles at Guam, according to state-run media.

A spokesman for North Korea's military told KCNA that it would carry out a pre-emptive operation if there were signs of US provocation.

The warning comes after President Donald Trump warned North Korea it would be met with "fire and fury" if it continued to threaten the US in a marked escalation of rhetoric.

The statement from North Korea mentioned using the Hwasong-12, the intermediate range missile tested in May. North Korea said at the time the missile can carry a heavy nuclear warhead, and independent analysis seems to fit with their statement.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.

The US military keeps a continuous presence of nuclear-capable bombers in Guam, which would make it an attractive target for a nuclear strike. North Korea specifically mentioned these bombers "which get on the nerves of DPRK and threaten and blackmail it through their frequent visits to the sky above Korea."

CNN's Jim Sciutto saysthat the US flew two B1-B bombers over Korean Peninsula Mon out of Anderson AFB in Guam, part of "continuous bomber presence."

But the US maintains a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense missile interceptor in Guam specifically made to protect from medium-range missiles. THAAD has performed well in test conditions but never intercepted a shot fired in anger.



Earlier, Pyongyang said it was ready to give Washington a "severe lesson" with its strategic nuclear force in response to any US military action.

NOW WATCH: WATCH: Trump says North Korea will feel 'fire and fury like the world has never seen' if they continue threats





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AUBURN  Six travelers on five motorcycles rolled out of Auburn Wednesday morning to join the 12th annual American Legion Legacy Run.

Their ultimate destination is Reno, Nevada, where they will arrive Aug. 17 for the start of the American Legion national convention the following day.

The local riders are members of Auburn Post 97 Legion Riders.

Along the way to Reno, they will be raising money for the American Legion Legacy Fund. It supports children of service members who have lost their lives in combat since 9/11, filling gaps in their financial aid for college with Legacy Scholarships. The fund recently expanded to help children of soldiers who are at least 50 percent disabled from combat.

This fund is put in place so they can get basically a free ride through college and everything else, said Ronald Boyd, director of Auburn Post 97 Legion Riders, who is making the trip to Reno.

To date, the annual rides have raised more than $10 million for the scholarship fund, Boyd said.

The destination changes each year with the site of the American Legion convention. This year, approximately 200 riders from across the nation are assembling in Fort Dodge, Kansas, for the start of the run.

We get together  its like a great, big family reunion every year  and we ride, Boyd said. Doug Heiser of Auburn is one of the few riders who have made the trip every year.

Tuesday, the Auburn group met more riders in Brownsburg, in central Indiana, to head for the starting point at Fort Dodge.

The riders will leave Fort Dodge on Saturday for a one-week journey to Reno, traveling chiefly on U.S. 50. Along the way, they will visit Veterans Administration homes and participate in wreath-laying ceremonies and other ceremonies for veterans.
donald trump

President Donald Trump has a folder delivered to him twice a day that's full of positive headlines, tweets, interviews, and sometimes photographs of him on TV "looking powerful," VICE News reported on Tuesday.

The folder, dubbed "the Propaganda Document" by some in the White House, is prepared by the communications team. The only feedback the White House press shop has ever gotten about the folder, VICE said, was that "it needs to be more f------ positive."

The process of putting the folder together is long and tedious, and starts at 6 a.m. ET every morning in the Republican National Committee's "war room," according to VICE. Staffers keep tabs on the morning shows on three major cable news networks  CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News  while searching for positive headlines about Trump on the internet. They then email the White House communications team proposed tweets, transcripts, and headlines to include.

And when there isn't enough positive information to show the president, his communications office asks RNC staffers for photos that depict Trump favorably, VICE reported.

Although White House sources told VICE that former chief of staff Reince Priebus and former White House press secretary Sean Spicer used to vy for the chance to personally give Trump the folder, Spicer disputed the account when he was contacted.

"While I won't comment on materials we share with the president, this is not accurate on several levels," he told VICE. He did not elaborate on what, specifically, about the story was untrue.

Before his inauguration in January, Trump told the news website Axios that he liked bullet points, and that he didn't need "200-page reports on something that can be handled on a page." Intelligence officials thus condensed the main points Trump could bring up in his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin into "tweet-length sentences."

Story continues

Trump also prefers his daily intelligence briefings to be short and feature "killer graphics", the Washington Post reported in May.

Reuters, citing an anonymous source, reported in May that National Security Council officials would strategically include Trump's name in "as many paragraphs as we can because he keeps reading if he's mentioned."

Trump and the 'fake news' media

donald trump newspaper

Trump's relationship with the press is more tumultuous than past presidents'. He has shown a tendency to focus on outlets that are more favorable to him, like Fox News. He frequently praises the network's morning show, "FOX & Friends," as well as pro-Trump commentators like Sean Hannity and Lou Dobbs.

Conversely, he has soured on outlets like CNN and MSNBC, calling them "fake news" and "dishonest," because they run stories more critical of him.

In July, he drew condemnation for launching a personal attack "Morning Joe" co-host Mika Brzezinski, who frequently lambastes him on the air.

"I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came ... to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Years Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!" Trump said in a pair of tweets.

Trump also raised eyebrows earlier that month, when he tweeted out a video of him body-slamming and punching WWE CEO Vince McMahon.

In the edited video Trump tweeted, an image of the CNN logo was superimposed on McMahon's face to make it appear as though Trump was pummeling the news network.

"#FraudNewsCNN #FNN," Trump wrote, presumably shortening his moniker for the channel, "Fraud News Network."

A July Gallup poll found that 35% of Americans thought media coverage of Trump was "too tough," while 34% said it was "not tough enough." Another 28% think the tone of his coverage is "just right."

NOW WATCH: ABC calls out Kellyanne Conway over Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer after previously denying any contact with Russians





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kim yong un binoculars looking icbm intercontinental ballistic missile north korea hwasong 14 RTX39YHL

Kim Jong Un, North Korea's supreme leader, may preside over the most propaganda-inundated, oppressed, and ruthless country on earth, but he's not crazy.

In fact, under the Kim dynasty, North Korea has time and time again shown strategic thinking and cunning, essentially staying one step ahead of international efforts to curb the regime's power.

North Korea has for decades gotten its way without a major military campaign, and without a single attack on Americans on US soil. North Korea will continue to get what it wants in a broad sense, though sanctions and isolation will slow it down.

north korea gdp chart_1024

And North Korea will continue to get what it wants, enjoying a growing economy, powerful nationalism, and ever-improving nuclear and missile capabilities.

But if North Korea ever, ever fires one of those missiles in anger, the US will return fire in devastating fashion before you can say "Juche."

ICBM LGM-30G Minuteman III

"Their primary concern is regime survival," a senior US defense official working in nuclear deterrence told Business Insider.

North Korean statements trafficks heavily in propaganda, but all sides seem to sincerely believe the Kim regime cares deeply about its preservation, and has built the weapons for defensive purposes.

"The North Koreans having nukes is a bad thing and we dont want it. But if we lose that one, we survive it," said the official.

This statement from a currently-serving US official knowledgeable with nuclear deterrence is a rare admission that North Korea gaining a nuclear ICBM capability isn't the end of the world.

It's time to stop thinking of Kim as some dumb and "crazy fat kid" as Republican Sen. John McCain recently put it.

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Kim's thinking seems cold-blooded and ruthless to the US, but he's not crazy, and he'd have to be to attack the world's most powerful country.

NOW WATCH: Watch the White House press secretary threaten to end briefing during relentless questioning about transgender ban





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French English Dutch

Ageas announces the decision of the Board of Directors to initiate a new share buy-back programme of its outstanding common stock for an amount of EUR 200 million. This follows the shareholders' authorisation granted in May 2017.

The share buy-back programme will start on 21 August 2017 and will run up to 3 August 2018.

This programme will be implemented in accordance with industry best practices and in compliance with the applicable buy-back rules and regulations. To this end, Ageas will mandate an independent broker to execute the programme through open market purchases on its behalf on Euronext Brussels.

The bought back shares will be held as treasury shares. Ageas will propose to its shareholders cancellation of all bought back shares, excluding the shares needed to cover share-plans granted to senior management. The share buy-back will not affect the solvency position of the insurance operations.

Ageas will keep the market fully informed of the progress of the transaction in line with applicable regulations.

Ageas is a listed international insurance Group with a heritage spanning 190 years. It offers Retail and Business customers Life and Non-Life insurance products designed to suit their specific needs, today and tomorrow. As one of Europe's larger insurance companies, Ageas concentrates its activities in Europe and Asia, which together make up the major part of the global insurance market. It operates successful insurance businesses in Belgium, the UK, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, China, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, and the Philippines through a combination of wholly owned subsidiaries and long term partnerships with strong financial institutions and key distributors. Ageas ranks among the market leaders in the countries in which it operates. It represents a staff force of over 40,000 people and reported annual inflows close to EUR 32 billion in 2016 (all figures at 100%).
laythesmack23 wrote:

Yes, go for it. Don't listen to any of these idiots guiding you the other way.

laythesmack23 wrote:

If Stanford's business school encourages college undergrads to apply without prior experience, what makes you any different than the students who are getting accepted into these Ivy League schools. Harvard's Admission has a program specifically for undergrads without experience, specifically for juniors and seniors.

laythesmack23 wrote:

Future leaders can be molded easier into leaders opposed to people who are older, and have established stubborn patterns that can be changed. The best thing you can do is get your MBA while you are young. MS in finance or accounting wont be as helpful down the stretch of your life. Wo cares if you can't add input based on work experience, I'm sure you can problem solve other issues on a different note such as impact on culture and business, can you write code, do you have experience in building websites, most kids know HTML for basic code writing, old people don't know what HTML is. See my point, go for it, you could bring a lot into any classroom. MBA is golden, period. I wouldn't trade it for the CFA, MS degree, or any professional designation. MBA is highly favorable in any country, around the world.

I normally try to be positive and helpful on these boards and not to attack specific posts but there is so much wrong with this response that I can't help it. It might also have something to do with the fact that a person who is clearly still an undergrad and has no experience with work or applying to business schools comes into a thread calling those of us with actual experience idiots.I'm assuming you are referring to the Harvard 2+2 here which requires you to get 2 years of work experience before attending business school. You apply while an undergrad but then go out to work for a few years because Harvard, like us idiots on the forum, understands that work experience is an essentially prerequisite to a strong MBA experience. So that actually doesn't help your case it hurts it.The fact that you think of those of us who are 27-28 years old, the normal age to attend b-school, are dinosaurs who don't know HTML just further shows how clueless you are. Not to mention HTML is worthless. If you believe that when people talk about needing to understand programming to be competitive today they are referring to HTML you are very off the mark. You should be learning Java and C++, learning about databases, things that actually matter.And if you don't believe me just look at the class profiles of any decent school. You will be lucky to find more than 1% of students have no work experience. Maybe if you want to go to some Cal State branch nobody outside of 20 miles has heard of then you might be ok. But most people come to GMAT Club because they want advice getting into top programs. I suggest the OP and anybody else who reads this to take advice from people who have actually been through the process.
Legit.ng gathered that a young man almost lost his life after one of his former employees attacked and stabbed him in his home recently.

The young man identified as Frank Tana Ekene, has reasons to be grateful to God after he narrowly escaped death right in his own home.

According to him, a former employee who he recently rendered help to even though he sacked him about two years ago, attacked him and left him injured.

The said employee had come back to ask for a job and after he was told that it would be put into consideration, still went ahead to stab his former boss, but was caught afterwards and handed over to the police.

The victim was attacked by his former employee whom he had rendered help to two weeks earlier. Photo: Facebook/Frank Tana Ekene

READ ALSO: Pretty woman found murdered after spending night with lover who is now on the run (photo)

Sharing the picture on his Facebook page, Frank Tana Ekene wrote:

"What a wicked world, my former staff that I sacked 2 years ago wants to kill me, I even gave him money to treat his daughter last 2 weeks. He came back on Saturday saying that the daughter is OK, that he wants me to reinstate him back, then I told him I will give it a thought, because he fought me two years ago, before I sacked him.

So I gave him transport to go back, I never knew he didn't go back, he slept with my other workers in the staff room. On Sunday I went out to pick something, before one of my staff asked me for a bag, so we had to go back to my room. As I opened the room, he was hiding with a knife beside the door, my staff first saw him and shouted 'oga', when I turned he stabbed my chest, and I started dragging the knife with him.

READ ALSO: I hate men - Nigerian lady who got married at age 19 reveals (video)

Frank was rushed to the hospital while his former employee was arrested. Photo: Facebook/Frank Tana Ekene

He stabbed my lips too and as we were dragging, the knife fell down and he ran, before he got down, the gateman had shut the gate. He was caught, I heard people dealt with him before he was handed over to police and my valuables were recovered from him. My watches, my gold necklace and little cash, but all is still in police custody, because I was rushed to hospital immediately.

He was caught my good will not kill me, instead en go kill person wey I do am for. Thank you Lord for saving me. I'm Alive and my mother is here wit me...#Mummy over Money#"

READ ALSO: Nigerian in Malaysia suffers tragedy trying to escape from police (photos)

See more pictures below:

The victim undergoing some medical examinations. Photo: Facebook/Frank Tana Ekene

The victim's mother had to come and take care of him after he was stabbed. Photo: Facebook/Frank Tana Ekene

A picture of the room where the victim was stabbed and doctors attending to him afterwards. Photo: Facebook/Frank Tana Ekene

The victim being fed by his mother at the hospital. Photo: Facebook/Frank Tana Ekene

Na wa o!

Meanwhile, see this video of a ex-prisoner who is advocating for the release of his former inmates:

Source: Legit.ng
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
New Delhi, Aug 9 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, delivered an address in the Lok Sabha, on Wednesday, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement.

He said that the recollection of movements such as the Quit India Movement, is a source of inspiration, and added that the current generation has a responsibility of passing on the legacy of such movements, to the future generations.

The Prime Minister said that even as many senior leaders like Mahatma Gandhi were jailed at the beginning of the Quit India Movement, a new generation of leaders emerged to fill the vacuum and take the movement forward.

The Prime Minister noted that the freedom struggle went through several phases, and recalled various leaders and movements that emerged at various points since 1857.

He added that the Quit India Movement, which began in 1942, was a decisive movement.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, the Prime Minister said that all sections of people joined in, responding to Mahatma Gandhis clarion call of Do or Die.

He said that from political leaders to the common man, everyone was imbued with this spirit.

Five years was all it took to achieve the objective of independence, once the entire country shared this common resolve, the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister quoted writer Ramvriksha Benipuri, and poet Sohanlal Dwivedi to describe the mood that prevailed at that time.

The Prime Minister noted that corruption, poverty, illiteracy and malnutrition are challenges that India now needs to overcome. He said that a positive transformation, and a common resolve is required for this. He also mentioned the role played by women in the freedom struggle, and said that women can add immense strength to our common objectives, even today.

The Prime Minister said that colonialism began in India, and its end too, began with Indias independence, which was soon followed by the fall of colonialism across Asia and Africa.

In 1942, conditions internationally became favourable for India to get independence, the Prime Minister said, noting that today again, the global conditions are favourable for India.

He said, that from 1857 to 1942, the move towards freedom was incremental, but the years from 1942 to 1947, were transformative, and delivered on the objective.

The Prime Minister urged the Members of Parliament to rise above differences, and join in a common effort to create an India of the dreams of the freedom fighters in the next five years, from 2017 to 2022, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of independence.

The Prime Minister said that if in 1942, the clarion call was Karenge Ya Marenge, today the call should be Karenge aur Karke Rahenge.

He said that the next five years should also be about Sankalp se Siddhi  a resolve which will lead us to accomplishment.

The Prime Minister concluded with a resolve to overcome corruption, give the poor their rights, give youth self-employment, end malnutrition, end barriers to women empowerment, and end illiteracy.
New York, Aug 8(Just Earth News): An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts said Japanas Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station has addressed many of the recommendations and suggestions made in a 2015 review, but added that work should continue in some areas.

The Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) concluded a five-day follow-up mission from 31 July to 4 August to assess how the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station on the northwest coast of Japan has followed up on recommendations and suggestions made in a 2015 OSART mission to Units 6 and 7.

OSART missions aim to improve operational safety by objectively assessing safety performance using the IAEA's Safety Standards and proposing recommendations and suggestions for improvement where appropriate. The follow-up missions are standard components of the OSART programme and are typically conducted within two years of the initial mission.

Units 6 and 7 at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa station are both powered by 1356 megawatt advanced boiling water reactors. Both units have been shut down for several years.

TEPCO has addressed several issues identified in the 2015 review, said Team Leader Peter Tarren, Head of the IAEAs Operational Safety Section. Though there has been progress, work is still needed to address some recommendations in order to strengthen the plants operational safety.

The four-member team comprised an IAEA Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader and two members from the original OSART Mission in 2015.

The team found that progress was made on all recommendations and suggestions. Several recommendations and suggestions from the 2015 review have been fully implemented, including:

Update and integrate Emergency Operating Procedures, Standard Operating Procedures and Accident Management Guidance to extend their scope to cover shutdown operational regimes and the occurrence of an accident in the spent fuel pool under design extension conditions

Improve the current emergency plan to ensure that it contains all the basic arrangements and concepts of operation for all key emergency response functions, and complete the existing emergency procedures to ensure that they are comprehensive, clear, consistent, unequivocal and standardized.

Ensure that proper arrangements and practices for contamination control are implemented.

The team recommended continuous work in several other areas, including:

The station should implement an integrated system to manage all operating experience information and ensure that elements related to reporting, screening, analysis, corrective actions, trending and effectiveness reviews are fully developed and implemented.

The station and TEPCOs Corporate Office should consider formalizing the design authority function and establish a procedure to ensure the availability of complete and reliable plant design data, including long term storage and safekeeping of detailed design documentation throughout the plants lifetime.

The station should consider enhancing arrangements for the on-shift fire brigade to ensure an effective response to fire alarms.

The team has provided a draft of its report to TEPCOs management, and the final report will be submitted to the Japanese Government within about three months.

TEPCO expressed determination to complete work on all remaining recommendations and suggestions identified during the 2015 OSART mission.

Source: www.justearthnews.com
When West Salem Village Board members John Lautz and Kevin Hennessey struck up a conversation about chickens after a meeting, they were unknowingly in violation of state open meeting laws.

The two board members had unwittingly formed a quorum of the three-member Law Enforcement Committee last month when they began discussing an upcoming agenda item: whether the village should allow chickens to be raised in town.

Even when members dont mean to flout the law, forming a quorum without notifying the public is a violation. But avoiding it is a challenge faced by many small municipalitiesincluding West Salems neighbor Bangorthat have committees with few members.

Bangors village board unanimously approved Tuesday increasing the size of its finance committee to avoid a similar situation.

Lautz, who had missed the West Salem meeting in which the topic was discussed, said he was seeking clarification for another board member on the issue and the fact that Hennessey was on the committee did not occur to him until later.

Hennessey said it didnt occur to him either and added he was under the impression if the conversation took place in a public place it was not considered an illegal meeting.

I thought if it was in a public place, it was fine, Hennessey said.

However, Wisconsin open meeting laws require all meetings in which a quorum of a board is present be posted at least 24 hours in advance.

If one-half or more of the members of a government body are present, the meeting is rebuttable presumed to be for the purpose of exercising the responsibilities, authority, power or duties delegated to or vested in the body, reads the state statute.

The statute does include an exception for chance or social gatherings in which government business is not discussed.

According to attorney Christa Westerberg, the vice-president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, any time half or more of a government body are together it is assumed its a meeting.

Im not aware of any exceptions to the law, she said. Its up to them to disprove that theyre not talking about government business.

Westerberg said committee members should seek to avoid chance or social meetings because the burden falls on them to prove that no business was conducted.

West Salem Village Administrator Teresa Schnitzler said she was confident the two board members did not realize their mistake.

I think they walked out together, she said. I think it was like Kevin Hennessey said, they werent even thinking.

All new board members are invited attend a workshop put on by the Wisconsin League of Municipalities where they receive among other topics instruction on open meeting laws.

Schnitzler said these meetings are held throughout the state every year so that any board member has the opportunity to attend. However, these conferences are not mandatory.

It is sent out to the whole board in case anyone needs a refresher, she said.

Schnitzler questioned whether she failed the board by not doing more to ensure all board members were clear on open meeting law.

Should I do something annually? Did I fail the board here? she asked.

Making the committees larger to avoid these situations could be an option, but Schnitzler said it is a difficult solution to implement.

However, Bangor is considering just that.

The Bangor Village Board changed the makeup of its three-member finance committee, raising it to five members, during Tuesday nights meeting.

Bangor Village Administrator Shelly Miller said consulting with finance committee members, one of whom is also Village President Gary Althoff, is difficult.

Anytime Miller needs to talk to both Althoff and another finance committee member, she must have posted notice of a meeting at least 24 hours in advance.

We would always have to post and publish it and put it on our agenda, she said. Its a little annoying, but you have to follow the law.

In an effort to ensure compliance with state open meeting requirements and to allow to greater expedience to government operation, Miller has suggested increasing the number of finance committee members to five.

What it would do is make it easier for us, business-wise, she said.

Alan Harvey, the attorney hired by Bangor, wrote in a letter to village officials that there are three options for addressing these concerns. The village could continue issuing notices before any meeting of a quorum, increase the size of the committee such that two members would not constitute a quorum or make the finance committee a committee of the whole.

He wrote the villages ordinance allows for the village board to convene a committee of the whole is they desire.

However, in West Salem, Schnitzler argued making the committees larger would lead to its own problems.

Five-member committees would make things very difficult around here, she said. I sometimes have a hard time getting three to have mutual open times.

Finding people to serve on the committees is often difficult as well.

There is not a line of people running out this door wanting to run for village board, she said. Public service isnt what it used to be.

Lautz agreed with Schnitzler.

I dont know how it would be addressed where you would get more people, he said. We have trouble finding people for the board itself.

When former board member Lee Deal announced his non-candidacy last spring, the lack of candidates meant candidate Daniel Wee was unchallenged in his run for office.

Lautz said the issue remains something the board needs to address.

Its a pretty tough situation, he said, adding that if it doesnt get changed two members who find themselves in a social setting together may need to separate to avoid the perception that illegal business is being conducted, even if it is not.
Google has dismissed a male engineer who suggested that biological differences prevent women from progressing the same as men in the technology industry.

The engineer, James Damore, wrote his opinion in a memo he sent last week. The document  which also criticized Googles diversity efforts  was later published online.

Damore confirmed his dismissal in an email to news organizations. He said the company acted against him because he was perpetuating gender stereotypes.

Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai sent a note to all company employees about the memo. He said reaction within the company had resulted in a very difficult time.

He said the company strongly supports the right of all employees to express their opinions. But he noted that parts of Damores memo had violated company policy by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace.

To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK, Pichai wrote in his message.

He added that the memo had affected many Google employees, some of whom are hurting and feel judged based on their gender.

Damore accused Google of having a bias on the political left. He said this had created a politically correct culture that prevented honest discussion of diversity.

He also attacked the idea that gender diversity should be a company goal. "The distribution of preferences and abilities of men and women differ in part due to biological causes, he wrote in the memo. These differences may explain why we don't see equal representation of women in tech and leadership."

Damore said he filed a case with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board accusing Google of trying to shame him into silence. He said he was also exploring possible legal action.

On Tuesday, Damore received support and a job offer from Julian Assange of WikiLeaks.

"Censorship is for losers," Assange wrote on Twitter. "Women & men deserve respect. That includes not firing them for politely expressing ideas but rather arguing back."

Publicity over the memo comes as the American technology industry has battled accusations of sexism and discrimination.

The U.S. Department of Labor is currently investigating whether Google pays women less than men. The head of Uber recently lost his job after the ride-sharing company was accused of widespread sexual harassment and discrimination.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for Learning English, based on reports from VOA News, Reuters and the Associated Press. 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

memo  n. brief message written within a company

diversity  n. having people who are different sexes or races in a group or organization

perpetuate  v. cause something to be continued

stereotype  n. fixed idea people have about a particular type of person or group

trait  n. quality making one person or thing different from others

distribution  n. way something is divided up

preference  n. liking of one thing over another

shame  v. cause someone to feel ashamed

harassment  n. the act of annoying, bothering or attacking someone
Community organizations on the Indonesian island of Java are demanding that a statue of a Chinese god be destroyed.

Protesters from the organizations demonstrated in the city of Surabaya on Monday. They gathered in front of the East Java Provincial Legislative Building to demand the demolition of the warrior god statue. They claim it does not represent Indonesian culture.

The brightly colored, 30-meter-tall statue stands on the grounds of the Kwan Seng Bio temple in Tuban, East Java. The statue is now covered in cloth.

Chinese Indonesians are a minority in the worlds most populous Muslim nation. Local Chinese Indonesians say the protesters do not understand that the Confucian god directs people to oppose war. One local official told VOA the only problem with the statue is that it lacks a building permit.

Religious divides raise tension

The protest over the statue of the Chinese god comes at a time of religious tension in Indonesia.

In Jakarta, Islamist protests against the citys Chinese Christian governor, Basuki "Ahok" Purnama, turned violent during his recent re-election campaign. He is now serving a two-year jail sentence after a court found him guilty of blasphemy charges.

Purnama failed to win re-election in the April voting. He lost to Anies Baswedan, whose campaign was backed by supporters of political Islam.

In July, Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo banned the group Hizbut Tahrir, which supports creation of an Islamic caliphate. And while the country is an officially secular  not supporting any one religion -- public support for Islamic sharia law has been on the rise.

Didik Muadi helped to organize the Tuban protest. He told local media that many consider the huge Confucian statue an insult to Indonesia.

The statue has been part of the local landscape since July. At the time, the chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly said he hoped Indonesians and foreigners would come to see the statue.

Statue's height seen as a threat

His comments did not please Didik Maudi, however.

He said, If they want to make a memorial statue, it should not be that high...Maybe it should be at most two meters high, and inside the temple, if it is a memorial. This statue is so tall, its as if the god of war has taken over Tuban, and we cant permit that!

Gatot Santoso heads the Regional Association of Chinese-Indonesians in East Java. He said the protest was based on a lack of understanding of the statue.

He said, They misunderstood and thought the statue is of a general, that we are showing respect to a war general, but thats not true...What we respect is what he symbolizes - loyalty, our loyalty to humanity - and he defends justice.

Where's the building permit?

Abu Cholifah is a member of the Tuban Regency Legislative Body. He is blaming outsiders for the debate about the statue. He said they wanted to turn a statue of a Chinese god into a political issue in a nation with a long history of oppressing the Chinese community.

If there is any issue with the warrior god statue, he added, it is that the local government failed to issue a building permit before it was put up.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Petrus Riski reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted his report for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

temple  n. a building for religious services or uses

blasphemy  n. the act of showing disrespect for God or something considered holy

caliphate  n. the rule of a chief Muslim leader

landscape  n. all the recognizable mountains, rivers and other things on a piece of land or in the countryside

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
North Korea may have successfully produced a nuclear weapon small enough to fit inside its missiles.

That information comes from a Japanese defense paper and an American newspaper.

Japans Defense Ministry released its yearly report on Tuesday. The report said it is possible that North Korea has achieved the miniaturization of nuclear weapons and has developed nuclear warheads.

In a separate story, The Washington Post reported that North Korea has successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead for use in ballistic missiles. The newspaper said its information came from unnamed United States intelligence officials. It said their investigation was completed last month for the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency.

The paper also reported that North Korea has up to 60 nuclear weapons, more than two times greater than earlier estimates. Officials at the agency would not comment Tuesday on the Post report.

Over the weekend, the United Nations Security Council approved new sanctions designed to punish North Korea for its latest missile test. Those measures aim to cut about $1 billion from North Koreas $3 billion in yearly earnings from exports.

The North Korean government reacted to the Councils vote with threats to take action against the U.S. government. North Korea also said through its state-operated media that sanctions will not force it to negotiate over its nuclear program.

The United States, Japan and South Korea are considered possible targets for a nuclear-armed North Korea.

Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English based on The Washington Post and Associated Press news reports. Gerge Grow was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

fit - v. to be the right size

achieve - v. to reach a goal

miniaturization - n. making something in a very small size
This is Whats Trending Today.

People who live near American military bases and like to use drones, should be careful. Their flying toy might become a target.

A drone is a flying machine operated by a device on the ground.

On Monday, the U.S. military announced new guidelines about how it may deal with private drones. Navy officer Jeff Davis is a spokesman for the United States Defense Department. He said that civilian drones in the sky could be at risk of capture or destruction.

Captain Davis said the U.S. government is concerned about the safety of military sites, airplanes and people. So, he said, it is closely watching drones.

The Federal Aviation Administration estimated the number of private business drones alone could increase 10 times by 2021. In late 2016, the agency estimated there were 42,000 drones being used by businesses.

Google, Amazon and pizza delivery services have proposed using drones to reach customers.

The government has announced a plan to deal with drones. It took months to negotiate. Many details are still secret about terms for capturing or destroying private drones. It is not even clear how far drones must stay from military sites to avoid being targeted.

Action against drones does not have to involve firepower. The news website CNN said the U.S. Department of Defense has developed systems for bringing down drones using radio waves. The report said such systems are already in use in Syria, Iraq and other places.

The drone story led to a mixed reaction on Twitter. Several tweets suggested the militarys announcement about possible downings of drones was not news. Seany Hide tweeted, Of course they can.

Keith Wheeler agreed. Sounds reasonable, he tweeted.

Others wondered why homeowners cannot take similar action. Twitter user Mark Bradford said people should be able to shoot down drones flying over their property.

On Tuesday, U.S. defense officials said an Iranian drone interfered with an American fighter jet in the Persian Gulf. The drone was being controlled by people on an Iranian boat. The officials said airplanes have avoided hitting drones 12 other times this year.

And thats Whats Trending Today.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell wrote this story for VOA Learning English based on reports by Reuters and CNN.com. Caty Weaver was the editor.

What do you think of the drone rules? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

drone  n. a type of small aircraft that flies without a pilot

toy  n. something a child plays with

site  n. the place where something (such as a building) is, was, or will be located

delivery  n. the act of taking something to a person or place
The highest village in the world is running out of water.

Komik sits at 4,587 meters high in the Spiti Valley of India. It can only be reached during the summer by small roads winding around the Himalaya mountains.

During the winter, temperatures can drop to 30 degrees Celsius below zero. The village is also cut off from the rest of India for six months of the year when snowfall blocks mountain passes. There is almost no phone and internet connectivity.

"We are used to being in a remote place. We have our traditional ways of living," said 32-year-old farmer Nawang Phunchok. "But these days the water is not coming like it used to. We see there is less water than before."

Water shortage across India

According to the World Resources Institute, India is facing a water crisis. More than half of the country's water wells have recorded a drop in water levels in the last 10 years. Up to 80 percent of rivers, lakes, ponds and streams are polluted with human waste and sewage.

Climate change is only making the problems worse.

Overall rainfall in the last century has not been stable, and the annual average temperature has risen by 0.5 degrees Celsius, says India's meteorological department.

"There exists a huge knowledge gap regarding the connection between water scarcity and climate change. There is an immediate need to fill this gap and make people aware about the importance of water conservation," said WaterAid India's Puneet Srivastava.

Srivastava also said the government needs better methods to regulate and monitor how groundwater resources are used.

These issues create risks to food security, which affects around 200 million farm workers in the region.

Thousands of farmers have committed suicide over the last 10 years, as drought combined with lower global food prices have hurt farm incomes.

Recently, authorities have tried to better support farmers. Some measures include providing insurance for crop failures, providing farmers with drought-resistant seeds, and a $3 billion project to clean up the Ganges, India's largest and most sacred river.

Environmental experts say, however, that more focus is put on supporting India's plains, which have higher concentration of farms and people, than on remote regions like the Himalayas.

Less water from melting glaciers

A 2014 study by Jawaharlal Nehru University said that annual temperatures in the Indian Himalayas rose by up to 2 degrees Celsius over 20 years. The study also said the glaciers have reduced by 13 percent over the past 50 years.

Arun Sharma, a senior government official in Spiti, said, "There is no doubt there is a big water crisis here. We've put in place a lot of projects such as providing water tanks and constructing water catchment areas, but we are limited by the weather. For six months of the year, life stops as we are snowbound and we cannot do any major work."

Experts say that changes in weather affect not only the food, water and energy security of the people living in Himalayan villages. It also affects over one billion other people living across Asia who depend on rivers such as the Yangtze, Ganges and Mekong.

The melting snow and ice from the Himalayas feed these rivers and the streams and springs around Spiti Valley.

Unlike other parts of India, where there are two farming seasons to plant and harvest crops, Spiti only has one farming season. This creates problems for farmers if their plants die during the one season.

Ishita Khanna leads Ecosphere, an ecotourism company in Spiti Valley. She said there was not enough snowfall in the last two years and the springs all dried out in the valley.

"With the climate changing, this could be disastrous for people living here if this keeps happening. There should be more support for people and a deeper understanding of their way of life here. It's a very hard life."

Im Phil Dierking.

Nita Bhalla reported this story for Reuters. Phil Dierking adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

winding - adj. curving

challenge - n. to test the ability, skill, or strength of (someone or something)

drought - n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain

glacier - n. a very large area of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley or over a wide area of land

irrigation - n. to supply (something, such as land) with water by using artificial means (such as pipes)

remote - n. far away from other people, houses, cities, etc.

scarcity - n. a very small supply
Garmins VivoFit and Vivoactive line of activity trackers doesnt get as much as rival products from companies like Fitbit. But Garmin has the advantage of a long history of making products for runners, including the companys line of popular GPS watches.

And it looks like the company may be bringing that expertise to bear for its next wearable fitness tracker. Wareable has posted images of an upcoming Garmin Vivoactive 3, and it looks more like a watch than a bracelet.

According to Wareable, this will be Garmins first Vivoactive-branded device with a circular display, although its not the first activity tracker from Garmin with a watch-like design: The $150 Vivomove is basically an analog watch that tracks your steps.

But the Vivoactive 3 is a bit more smartwatch-like, with the ability to display step counts, stair climbing stats, and other information on the watch face. It also seems to allow you to respond to text messages.

The watch is expected to feature an optical heart rate sensor and a waterproof design.

Theres no word on the price or release date for the Vivoactive 3.
I am sorry you have to live in these times. Everything is crazy, and nothing is funny, but we desperately need to laugh, and Bertolt Brecht is dead, but I never thought he was funny anyway. Throwing some random quotes your way... I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.  J.R.R. Tolkien The truth is that the world is full of dragons, and none of us are as powerful or cool as wed like to be. And that sucks. But when youre confronted with that fact, you can either crawl into a hole and quit, or you can get out there, take off your shoes, and Bilbo it up.  Patrick Rothfuss
Belgium has admitted that it knew about fipronil in eggs in early June but kept it secret because of a fraud investigation

Belgium accused the Netherlands on Wednesday of failing to inform it that eggs were tainted with insecticide despite knowing about the problem since last November, as Europe's latest food safety scandal deepened.

Newly appointed Agriculture Minister Denis Ducarme told a parliamentary hearing that Belgian's food safety agency obtained an internal Dutch document that "reports the observation of the presence of fipronil in Dutch eggs at the end of November 2016."

"When a country like the Netherlands, one of the world's biggest exporters of eggs, does not pass on this kind of information, that is a real problem," said Ducarme, adding he has demanded an explanation from his Dutch colleagues.

The Dutch food and goods watchdog NVWA rejected the claim.

"The allegations that we knew about fipronil in eggs in November 2016 are untrue," NVWA inspector-general Rob van Lint said in a statement.

However, he admitted his body received an "anonymous tip-off" in November 2016 that fipronil had indeed been used to clean chicken pens in order to combat red lice.

"At that time there was no indication of an acute danger to food safety. There was not a single indication that fipronil could also be present in eggs," van Lint said.

The European Commission, which oversees the 28-nation European Union's food safety alert system, refused to comment on if and when it was told about the reported Dutch finding.

"The hearing is still ongoing, so we will not have a running commentary on everything that is being said or presented at that meeting," spokesman Daniel Rosario told reporters.

The Belgian hearing was called in response to an admission by officials at the weekend that they too knew about fipronil in eggs back in June, but kept it secret for nearly two months because of a parallel criminal fraud investigation.

The insecticide scandal only became public on August 1 when authorities in the Netherlands ordered eggs pulled from supermarket shelves and urged shoppers to throw any they had away.

Contaminated eggs have since been discovered in Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Britain and France, with several supermarkets pulling millions of eggs off the shelves.

The insecticide scandal became public on August 1 when authorities in the Netherlands ordered eggs pulled from supermarket shelves and urged shoppers to throw theirs away

'Defrauders must be punished'

Fipronil is commonly used in veterinary products to get rid of fleas, lice and ticks but it is banned by the EU from being used to treat animals destined for human consumption, such as chickens.

In large quantities, the insecticide is considered by the World Health Organisation to be "moderately hazardous" and can have dangerous effects on people's kidneys, liver and thyroid glands.

The scandal has led to finger-pointing between Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands as they try to get to the bottom of how the scandal could happen.

Ducarme said that Dutch knowledge of problem since November only emerged when the Belgian food safety agency "through certain contacts was transferred, by chance, internal information" from its Dutch counterpart.

If the Netherlands had notified Belgium sooner "our vigilance about fipronil would have been increased, greatly increased".

Germany has meanwhile demanded answers from both countries.

Criminal probes for suspected fraud are under way in Belgium and the Netherlands over the tainted eggs, but prosecutors in both countries have refused to give any details.

"The defrauders must be punished harshly by the courts because in order to enrich themselves personally, they have not hesitated to risk the health of consumers," Ducarme said.

The problem is believed to stem from a substance used by a Dutch company, Chickfriend, that farmers in the Netherlands and Belgium say they hired to treat their chickens.

A lawyer for a Belgian company, Poultry-Vision, says the firm sold it to Chickfriend but has not said where it got the substance.

The French government says a Belgian companywhich it did not identifymixed fipronil with another, lawful, substance.

 2017 AFP
In this May 9, 2011 file photo, EU flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. Kathy Brison of the Belgian food safety agency said Sunday Aug. 6, 2017, that Belgian food safety authorities began investigating possible pesticide contamination in eggs in early June, several weeks before the public was made aware of a food safety scare now affecting several European countries. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe, FILE)

Dutch authorities knew as far back as November that some eggs in the country were contaminated with an insecticide and they failed to notify their European partners at the time, Belgium's agriculture minister said Wednesday.

Dozens of producers in Belgium and the Netherlands are being investigated for eggs containing Fipronil, which is dangerous to human health though no cases have been reported of people falling sick.

Millions of eggs have been pulled from supermarket shelves in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Britain, France, Sweden and Switzerland have also been warned to keep an eye out.

It's believed that the insecticide got into the food chain when it was illegally added to a product used to treat poultry for lice, fleas and ticks. An investigation is underway in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Belgium signaled on July 20 that it had found contamination in the eggs. But Belgian Agriculture Minister Denis Ducarme said that Belgium's food safety agency has documents "that indicated the presence of Fipronil in Dutch eggs as early as the end of November 2016."

Ducarme told Belgian lawmakers that "there was concerning this no official communication from the Netherlands."

He said he wrote to his Dutch counterpart for an explanation, and also spoke to the European Commission's agriculture commissioner, "who seemed to already have this information."

"If we had seen this information communicated to our respective agencies, vigilance concerning Fipronil would have been greatly increased," Ducarme said, suggesting that the tainted eggs scandal might have been avoided.

The Dutch food safety authority had no immediate reaction to the Belgian minister's comments. A European Commission spokesman said the Commission would "follow up" on the allegations.

Carsten Reymann, the spokesman for Germany's Agriculture Ministry, said he could not comment on the claim that the Dutch knew of the contamination in November. "What's needed here is total clarity," he said. "We have to know when this substance was used and where. And what happened to the eggs that were produced."

Ducarme also said that food safety controls have been boosted after contaminated eggs were discovered in Belgium last month.

Almost all eggs tested in Belgium have been found to contain very low levels of the insecticide. One company tested on July 18 was found to have Fipronil levels well below the European limit. The company demanded a second opinion, and the second test actually showed levels above the maximum permitted. The company has been quarantined since July 18, Ducarme said Wednesday.

Exposure to Fipronil can cause nausea, vomiting, headaches and dizziness. Long-term exposure to great quantities can cause thyroid, liver and kidney damage, and even lead to seizures.

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Electron micrographs of hepatitis C virus purified from cell culture. Scale bar is 50 nanometers. Credit: Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, The Rockefeller University.

The Cherokee Nation American Indian population is aiming to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) among its tribal citizens, where already almost half have been screened for the virus and around one quarter of those estimated to be infected have already been cured. The tribe will present its progress at the World Indigenous People's Conference on Viral Hepatitis in Anchorage, Alaska (August 8-9).

Hepatitis C is a viral infection which can often remain symptomless for years. Left unchecked, it can cause extensive liver damage, including cirrhosis and ultimately liver cancer and death. Some 71 million people worldwide are thought to be infected, with at least 3 million of those in the USA. Sources of infection include injecting drug use past or present; blood transfusions that took place before 1991 when the virus could not be screened; other unsafe procedures such as unsafe tattooing in which equipment is not properly sterilised; and mother-to-child transmission.

"Various factors have combined to make elimination of hepatitis C possible," explains Dr. Jorge Mera, Head of Infectious Diseases at Cherokee Nation, headquartered in Tahlequah, OK, USA. "The development of new directly acting antiviral drugs (DAAs) has made hepatitis C treatment much more successful and with fewer side effects. Alongside this, in 2015 the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offered their support telling us they wanted us to aim for elimination. In collaboration with the University of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma State Health Department and the CDC, we started our HCV elimination program in August of 2015. This was possible through Gilead, one of the leading manufacturers of DAAs, who also donated $1.5 million through its Gilead Foundation to help with screening kits and research."

Although there are more than 350,000 Cherokee Nation tribal citizens worldwide about 130,000 live in northeastern Oklahoma, USA, within the tribe's boundary. Rather than screen just the 'baby-boomer' generation now aged in their 50s, Dr Mera and his team are screening all people aged 20-69 years within the tribe's boundary, some 80,000 people. "Because Cherokee Nation citizens, under a treaty right with the United States Government have access to medical care, tracking them and screening them is slightly easier than might be so for other US populations," explains Dr Mera.

The Indian Health Service (IHS), is an operating division within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and is responsible for providing direct medical and public health services to members of federally-recognised Native American Tribes and Alaska Native people, including the Cherokee Nation.

IHS helps fund costs and the Cherokee Nation operates one central hospital (W.W. Hastings Hospital) and eight rural health care centers spread throughout the tribe's jurisdiction for easy access to tribal patients. Dr Mera has worked with them all to provide training and support to help roll out the screening and treatment. Using a program called Extended Community Health Outcomes (ECHO), each health center was trained using teleconferencing and is also able to regularly connect to Dr Mera and other team members centrally to present their cases.

"Anyone entering our health centers who is in this screening age range is offered a test, and almost everyone will say yes. For the 10% or so that say no, we will continue to offer screening whenever they next visit," explains Dr Mera. "However, not everyone is coming to the doctor, of course. So we had the idea of also screening in our dental clinics, to catch our patients in all areas of health care that they might be accessing. Patients who agree to be tested will receive the result then and there and those who test positive will be referred to the hepatitis C clinical provider on the same day in most cases."

In the case of mothers with hepatitis C, if they are unsure when they became infected, then a test is automatically offered to any of her children who could have been infected during the pregnancy. Another crucial screening point is emergency care, when patients come in to the urgent care or the emergency room and have a signed informed consent they will be tested for HCV unless they opt out. Some 70% of newly diagnosed cases are now coming through this route.

Although it was thought that the hepatitis C prevalence in Cherokee Nation could be as high as 6%, more recent epidemiological studies have placed this estimate at 3.4%, similar to the general population across Oklahoma. This means that of the 80,000 citizens to be screened, some 2,800 would be expected to test positive for hepatitis C. However, only 70% of these would be expected to have what is termed 'active' or 'chronic' infection, with the other 30% of cases having self-cleared their infection.

Thus, Dr Mera's team believes that between 1800 and 2000 Cherokee Nation citizens will require treatment for active infection. As of August 2017, just 2 years into the program, huge progress has been made. Around 46,000 people have been screened, 1076 have tested positive (antibodies) of which 760 are chronically infected requiring treatment; 605 patients had begun treatment (with the other 155 awaiting tests or to begin treatment), with 400 already completed and cured. The actual numbers cured are thought to be higher as some patients do not return to take the test required to confirm they are cured. Of those testing positive, around 60% are male and 40% female.

Of course, the battle against hepatitis C in Cherokee Nation is not only about testing and treatment, but also education and awareness. "We are trying to raise awareness among our citizens to prevent further cases," explains Dr Mera. "New treatments have few or no side effects and treatment is completed in just 12 weeks in most cases." Regarding new infections, he adds: "As well as the ongoing dangers of injecting drug use, another problem we may have is that much of the tattooing in Cherokee Nation does not always take place in state-licensed facilities, and it could be a contributor."

He is also hopeful that the scale up of opioid substitution programs in Oklahoma state could have an impact, although needle exchanges remain illegal in the statesomething Dr Mera believes must change to help drive down rates of hepatitis and HIV transmitted through this route.

As the elimination project moves forward, cases of hepatitis C may become harder to find. "We will apply for further agency grant funding to help train community health workers to test people who may never visit the doctor or dentist and educate our tribal citizens about why this elimination project is essential. This is similar to the way Navajo Nation American Indian tribe trained their community health workers to test and deliver care for HIV in their population."

"Through Cherokee Nation's successful partnership with the CDC and the state of Oklahoma, and dedicated work by our epidemiologist and health employees, it has drastically cut hepatitis C rates in our tribal population. We hope this blueprint of proactive screening and treatment can be replicated by other tribal health care systems nationwide, and even globally," said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker. "Hepatitis C does not have to be the death sentence for Indigenous populations that it has historically been."

"This is an inspirational initiative by a population that has been deeply impacted by hepatitis C," says Raquel Peck, Chief Executive of the World Hepatitis Alliance, London, UK. "Cherokee Nation is showing that with political will, financial support and engagement of the community, it is possible for them, and indeed other populations worldwide, to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat."

Provided by World Hepatitis Alliance
Scott Hadland, MD, MPH, pediatrician and adolescent addiction specialist at the Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine at Boston Medical Center. Credit: Boston Medical Center

One in twelve physicians - and nearly one in five family medicine physicians - accepted payments from pharmaceutical companies related to opioids, according to a new study out of Boston Medical Center's Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine. This is the first large-scale, national study of industry payments involving opioids and suggests that pharmaceutical companies may have a stronger hold than previously known on how doctors prescribe the powerful drugs. The study results are published online ahead of print in the American Journal of Public Health.

Using Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data, researchers identified 375,255 non-research, opioid-related payments to 68,177 physicians between August 2013 and December 2015 totaling over $46 million. Payments are defined as "transfers of value"which could be direct money to physicians, a reimbursement for travel, speaking or consulting fees, education or meals. The average payment to physicians was $15, with most receiving one payment per year. However, the top one percent of doctors collectively received more than $38 million (82 percent of the total) and averaged more than $2,600 in yearly payments during the study period.

The Physician Payment Sunshine Act, passed under the Affordable Care Act in 2010, requires drug companies to report all payments to physicians in the United States. Previous research suggests that payments from drug companies may lead to increased prescribing by doctors for marketed medications, even when payments are of low monetary value such as for meals.

"Even though most payments were small, they add up to a shocking number and may have a wide-reaching influence on physician behaviors. We need to take a hard look at how the pharmaceutical industry may be influencing care and prescribing at the ground level," said Scott Hadland, MD, MPH, pediatrician and adolescent addiction specialist who led the study.

Speaking fees accounted for the largest amount of payments and food/beverage payments were the most frequent. Anesthesiologists received the most in total annual payments, but the largest number of payments went to family medicine physicians.

"There's no denying that we have a widespread and systematic problem," said Michael Botticelli, executive director of the Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine and former director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy under President Obama. "Pharmaceutical companies should take responsibility for how these payments are contributing to the growing epidemic. Physicians also have a role to play by prescribing judiciously and advancing safe opioid prescribing education on the front lines."

Study authors note that payments related to marketing opioids may run counter to national efforts to reduce excess opioid prescribing. They suggest policymakers consider whether caps should be imposed on certain payments as one possible solution and encourage future research to examine whether payments are related to opioid misuse and overdose.

"The opioid epidemic, which is responsible for thousands of deaths every year, is a national tragedy that we must work at every level to combat. It's our hope that this study sparks a bigger conversation about the role of pharmaceutical companies in the over-prescribing of opioid medications, and prompts a more thorough investigation about what we need to do to tackle this problem," said Brandon Marshall, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health, who served as the study's senior author.
From left to right, PhD candidates Abdullah Syed and Shrey Sindhwani discuss their findings with Professor Warren Chan. Credit: Neil Ta

For cancer patients, understanding the odds of a treatment's success can be bewildering.

The same drug, applied to the same type of cancer, might be fully successful for one person's tumour and do nothing for someone else. Physicians are often unable to explain why.

Now, University of Toronto researchers are beginning to understand one of the reasons. Biomedical engineering students Abdullah Syed and Shrey Sindhwani, and colleagues at the Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering (IBBME), have created technology to watch nanoparticles entering into tumours  revealing barriers that prevent their delivery to targets and the variability between cancers.

"The biggest thing we've noticed is that nanoparticles face multiple challenges posed by the tumour itself on their way to cancer cells," says Sindhwani, an MD-PhD student working with Professor Warren Chan of IBBME. Syed and Sindhwani co-published their findings online and on the cover of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

"So the treatment might work for a while  or worse, there's just enough of the drug for the cancer to develop resistance. This could be prevented if we can figure out the ways in which these barriers stop delivery and distribution of the drug throughout the cancer."

Tiny "nanoparticles" offer great hope for the treatment of cancer and other diseases because of their potential to deliver drugs to targeted areas in the body, allowing more precise treatments with fewer side-effects. But so far the technology hasn't lived up to its promise, due to delivery and penetration problems.

To dismantle this roadblock, the two graduate students searched for a way to better view the particle's journey inside tumours. They discovered that the tough-to-see particles could be illuminated by scattering light off their surfaces.

"The sensitivity of our imaging is about 1.4 millionfold higher," says Syed. "First, we make the tissue transparent, then we use the signal coming from the particles to locate them. We shine a light on the particles, and it scatters the light. We capture this scattering light to learn the precise location of the nanoparticles."

It was already understood that nanoparticles were failing to accumulate in tumours, thanks to a meta-analysis of the field done by researchers at U of T. But the researchers have developed technologies to look at nanoparticle distribution in 3-D, which provides a much fuller picture of how the particles are interacting with the rest of the tumour biology.

"The goal is to use this technology to gather knowledge for developing mathematical principles of nanoparticle distribution in cancer, similar to the way principles exist for understanding the function of the heart," says Syed.

And because each tumour is unique, this technology and knowledge base should help future scientists to understand the barriers to drug delivery on a personalized basis and to develop custom treatments.

The next step is to understand what, in cancer's biology, stops particles from fully penetrating tumours  and then to develop ways to bypass cancer's defences.

But the technology is also useful for diseases other than cancer. With the help of Professor Jennifer Gommerman, a multiple sclerorsis researcher in the department of immunology, Syed and Sindhwani captured 3-D images of lesions in a mouse model mimicking multiple sclerosis using nanoparticles.

"This is going to be very valuable to anyone trying to understand disease or the organ system more deeply," says Sindhwani.

Syed adds: "And once we understand barriers that don't allow drugs to reach their disease site, we can start knocking them down and improving patient health."

More information: Abdullah Muhammad Syed et al. Three-Dimensional Imaging of Transparent Tissues via Metal Nanoparticle Labeling, Journal of the American Chemical Society (2017). Journal information: Journal of the American Chemical Society Abdullah Muhammad Syed et al. Three-Dimensional Imaging of Transparent Tissues via Metal Nanoparticle Labeling,(2017). DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b04022
Robert Truog, director of the HMS Center for Bioethics, talks to the Gazette about the recent breakthrough in embryological genetic engineering and its potential ramifications. Credit: Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer

The announcement by Oregon Health & Science University that scientists there had edited the genes of human embryos to remove the cause of a deadly disease has raised the prospect of a powerful new tool for physiciansas well as fears of a Pandora's Box that could lead to "designer babies" and humans engineered for desirable traits such as strength or intelligence.

Robert Truog is the Frances Glessner Lee Professor of Medical Ethics, Anaesthesiology, and Pediatrics, and the director of Harvard Medical School's Center for Bioethics. In a Gazette Q&A he shared his thoughts on the debate the breakthrough set off.

GAZETTE: Researchers said they cured a relatively common and potentially deadly genetic disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Why is this not uniformly good news? What's the big fear?

TRUOG: Many people believe that there's something sacred about the human genome and messing with it feels like playing God. In their view, we shouldn't be interfering with the natural order of things. These are serious concerns and they definitely need to be addressed. But the idea that we could choose not to do this, I think, is impossible. If we were to decide not to pursue human genome editing in the United States, it would still take place everywhere else in the world.

We have an opportunity here for a leadership roleto show how, with good oversight, we can do research in controversial areas in ways that are careful, well-considered, and cautious. The National Academy of Sciences' report captured this extremely well. They did not recommend a prohibition on human genome editing, but they did stipulate a number of considerations that needed to go into any proposals about doing this kind of work.

GAZETTE: What were the most important of those considerations, to your mind?

TRUOG: One is that it concern only severe and life-threatening diseases, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which the Oregon researchers were looking at. We're not looking at "enhancements" here, we're not looking at how to make normal people better, we're looking at those rare situations where the genes really are life-threatening. If you have one of these genes, you're likely going to die. And the work right now is focusing on that small set of conditions where that's true.

Another one of the conditions that the National Academy of Sciences placed is that there be no alternatives. And for most couples who are considering having a child and where they carry one of these life-threatening genes, we have preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD, which is a really good alternative. Since that's a well-developed technology with a good safety record, that would be something that would be considered first.

It would only be for a really small number of couples who wanted to have a genetically-related child who were incapable of producing disease-free embryos that this kind of technology would make any sense. This isn't about "designer babies." This is about offering a very small number of couples their only chance to have a baby that is genetically connected to them that doesn't have a lethal condition.

GAZETTE: Is this analogous to the ethical concerns raised with in vitro fertilization back when that infertility treatment first arose? Is this the beginning of a societal discussion that we need to have?

TRUOG: Yes, I think that's actually a very good analogy. There were many concerns raised around IVF and test-tube babies when that was developed, and I think we had a good societal discussion about it. While issues certainly remain, I think that has become a fairly accepted method for couples who can't otherwise have a child to be able to have a genetically-related offspring.

GAZETTE: Are you troubled at all by the fact that, should a couple have a genetically engineered child, that change would then be passed on generation after generation?

TRUOG: It's hard to imagine an objection to the fact that a non-diseased gene would be passed to the next generation. I think the concerns would be more about off-target changes in the person that may not even be recognized that could then be passed on to future generations. I think that this is a concern and I know that a lot of the research will focus very much on the rates of off-target effects and how to control them and how to assure that they're within acceptable limits.

That being said, there'sin natureall sorts of alterations to the genome made from one generation to the next that we have no control over, we can't predict. The fact that, in this case, we would be creating these alterations gives us a certain responsibility for monitoring them and being careful, but it's not that unexpected changes in the genome don't occur quite regularly.

GAZETTE: Do you have any particular concerns or were you troubled at all by this research?

TRUOG: I'm really pleased to see this proceeding in a very controlled, thoughtful way. I think my concerns would be twofold. One, that rogue scientists in another country would begin to develop this in ways that we would agree are not socially acceptable. For example, moving quickly into enhancement-type technologies. That's another reason why we in the United States would be foolish to put our heads in the sand. We need to take a leadership role here and be a model for the rest of the world.

Number two is what happened with a lot of the stem cell research, which is where irresponsible clinicians hang out a shingle and make ridiculous and unsubstantiated claims about diseases that they can treat and, in a sense, lure vulnerable patients and perhaps couples into getting therapy that could potentially be quite dangerous.

This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu.
New research suggests that higher densities of fast food (and full service) restaurants are not associated with higher levels of obesity. Credit: University of Aberdeen

New research from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and University of Aberdeen published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that higher densities of fast food (and full service) restaurants are not associated with higher levels of obesity in the USA.

The researchers investigated the relationship between densities of full service and fast food restaurants and the prevalence of obesity in the United States of America.

The team analysed data collected in 2012 by the US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) and compared it to data related to fast-food and full-service restaurant density as reported by the US Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, but found no link between the two.

Professor John Speakman of the University of Aberdeen and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, commented: "If fast food establishments have driven the obesity epidemic then one would predict that in areas where there are more of these establishments the obesity prevalence would be higher.

"However, what we actually found was that the more restaurants that there were in an area (both fast food and full service), the lower the obesity rate. This was principally because areas which tended to have the most restaurants were occupied by residents with a higher levels of education and more disposable income, which are known factors linked to lower obesity levels. When we corrected for these factors the relationship between obesity and restaurant density disappeared."

The authors say that a potential explanation for the absence of a relationship is that on average Americans only consume about 15% of their total calorie intake in restaurants.

"Rising levels of obesity are leading to severe health complications and massive healthcare spending. As such, research into what is causing this worrying trend is hugely important if we are going to tackle the obesity epidemic."

The work has important policy implications for governments attempting to tackle the obesity problem.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Inconsistent performance in responding to a stimulus, rather than the speed with which one responds, is a marker of accelerated ageing and predicts mortality in older people, according to research published by the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW Sydney.

The researchers measured the variability of response on computerised reaction time tests (intraindividual variability of reaction time) in older adults and found that it predicted survival time after accounting for any signs of decline in cognitive functioning that may herald dementia. The findings were published today in the eminent medical journal, PLOS ONE.

Lead author and head of CHeBA's Neuropsychology group, Dr Nicole Kochan, said the study was the first to comprehensively account for effects of overall cognitive level and dementia on the relationship between intraindividual variability of reaction time and mortality. "Our findings suggest that greater intraindividual reaction time variability is a behavioural marker that uniquely predicts shorter time to death," said Dr Nicole Kochan.

"Importantly, the predictive strength of intraindividual reaction time variability was virtually unchanged when we removed participants who developed dementia over the subsequent eight years. This suggests that variability of reaction time is an independent risk factor and not simply a corollary of general cognitive decline or neuropathological disturbances associated with dementia."

The study examined 861 community-dwelling participants aged 70-90 years from CHeBA's Sydney Memory and Ageing Study (MAS) over eight years. Participants completed two computerised reaction time tests at baseline and as part of comprehensive medical and neuropsychological assessments every two years.

Participants are presented with coloured squares as stimuli on a computer screen and under a simple task are required to touch each square as quickly as possible. On a more complex level each participant is required to make a choice of which of two squares they touch depending on a pre-specified rule.

Greater intraindividual reaction time variability, but not average speed of response time, significantly predicted survival time after adjusting for known mortality risk factors, including age, sex, global cognition score, cardiovascular risk and apolipoprotein ?4 status. The findings add to our previous research showing that measures of reaction time variability are sensitive to other age-related neuropathological states including preclinical dementia and falls.

Dr Kochan explained that the erratic responding is possibly tapping into the efficiency of brain processing. As you get older, efficiency of brain processing decreases and some neurochemicals also decline, leading to erratic type of responding which variability measures may be capturing. Potentially not only as you get older, but as you get closer to death, the variability in response time becomes more exaggerated.

CHeBA Co-Director and co-author, Professor Perminder Sachdev, said the findings are an important contribution to a small but growing field investigating reaction time variability as a behavioural marker of neurobiological integrity.

"Further research exploring the mechanisms involved is needed, including possible links between intraindividual reaction time variability, cognitive decline and structural and functional brain changes," said Professor Sachdev.

More information: Kochan NA, Bunce D, Pont S, Crawford JD, Brodaty H, Sachdev PS (2017) Is intraindividual reaction time variability an independent cognitive predictor of mortality in old age? Findings from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study. PLoS ONE 12(8): e0181719. Journal information: PLoS ONE Kochan NA, Bunce D, Pont S, Crawford JD, Brodaty H, Sachdev PS (2017) Is intraindividual reaction time variability an independent cognitive predictor of mortality in old age? Findings from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study.12(8): e0181719. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0181719
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

(Medical Xpress)A trio of researchers, two from Switzerland and one from France, has found evidence that suggests the tendency of people to grip one another when experiencing fright might not be the selfless act that it seems. In their paper published in in the journal Royal Society Open Science, Guillaume Dezecache and Christoph Dahl with the University of Neuchatel and Julie Grezes with PSL Research University describe a study that involved analyzing photographs taken of people at a haunted house and what they found.

Among horror movie audiences, it is very common to see people grabbing one another when something frightening happens. In some instances, such actions might be viewed as one person reaching out to soothe or calm anotherto offer a safe haven of sorts, or perhaps a move that suggests we are all in this together. Such actions, the researchers note, happen in real life, too, when people are frightened by something, such as creatures popping out at a haunted house.

To learn more about why people grab one another when frightened, the group visited a website that offers photographs of people being scared at the popular Nightmares Fear Factoryan attraction located in Niagara Falls, Canada. The group studied 460 such pictures, noting in particular the situations that involved one or more people grabbing or gripping another person in response to a fright.

The researchers report that they found that 75 percent of those confronted with a fright resorted to grabbing someone close by and holding on to themwomen and children, they noted, were more likely to do so than men. But they also found something elsethe percentage of people who grabbed declined as the number of people around them grew. Thus, grabbing and gripping was less likely to occur in a crowd. This, the researchers suggest, indicates that such actions are likely attributable to self-interest, or put more starkly, self-preservation. Spontaneously reaching out to grab hold of another person when frightened helps alleviate fear and perhaps might have reduced the chances of being harmed during less civilized periods. The researchers note that other more pro-social actions tended to occur after the initial shock of a fright had worn off.

More information: Guillaume Dezecache et al. The nature and distribution of affiliative behaviour during exposure to mild threat, Royal Society Open Science (2017). Guillaume Dezecache et al. The nature and distribution of affiliative behaviour during exposure to mild threat,(2017). DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170265 Abstract

Individual reactions to danger in humans are often characterized as antisocial and self-preservative. Yet, more than 50 years of research have shown that humans often seek social partners and behave prosocially when confronted by danger. This research has relied on post hoc verbal reports, which fall short of capturing the more spontaneous reactions to danger and determine their social nature. Real-world responses to danger are difficult to observe, due to their evanescent nature. Here, we took advantage of a series of photographs freely accessible online and provided by a haunted house attraction, which enabled us to examine the more immediate reactions to mild threat. Regarding the nature and structure of affiliative behaviour and their motivational correlates, we were able to analyse the distribution of gripping, a behaviour that could either be linked to self- or other-oriented protection. We found that gripping, an affiliative behaviour, was common, suggestive of the social nature of human immediate reactions to danger. We also found that, while gripping behaviour is quite stable across group sizes, mutual gripping dropped dramatically as group size increases. The fact that mutual gripping disappears when the number of available partners increases suggests that gripping behaviour most probably reflects a self-preservative motivation. We also found age class differences, with younger individuals showing more gripping but receiving little reciprocation. Also, the most exposed individuals received little mutual gripping. Altogether, these results suggest that primary reactions to threat in humans are driven by affiliative tendencies serving self-preservative motives. Journal information: Royal Society Open Science

 2017 Medical Xpress
A woman in Tanzania gives her newborn baby antiretroviral drugs from a Pratt Pouch. Credit: Duke University

Developed in 2008, the Pratt Poucha ketchup packet-like pouch of antiretroviral drugshas already saved thousands of lives in Ecuador, Zambia and Tanzania. And now, its reach is expanding in Ecuador and a new initiative will bring the pouch to Uganda.

The Pratt Pouch, named after Duke's Pratt School of Engineering, is a small packet of antiretroviral drugs that HIV-positive mothers can squeeze into their newborns' mouths to help prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. The pouch, which made the World Health Organization's list of Top 10 Most Innovative Health Technologies in 2012, was developed by Robert Malkin, professor of biomedical engineering and global health, in collaboration with undergraduate engineering students.

Malkin is now working with undergraduates and community partners to make the pouch commonplace for HIV-positive mothers in Ecuador and Uganda.

Currently, the Pratt Pouch is being used in Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city, to cover about twenty percent of births to HIV-positive women in the country. A new grant from a partnership between GSK and Save the Children will enable Malkin's team and their partners to offer the pouch in Quito, increasing coverage to about eighty percent.

Ecuador is a strategic location for pouch use expansion. "In Ecuador, every woman is tested for HIV when she comes into a hospital for pre-natal care or a birth, so we're able to reach a high percentage of HIV-positive women with the pouch," Malkin said.

Pouches are filled manually at local pharmacies, so the scale-up is not very difficult from an engineering perspective, Malkin shared. The challenge, he said, lies in the implementationparticularly the prospect of getting all of the stakeholders to work together. "This is a completely new way of packaging and delivering medications, requiring government agencies, hospitals and HIV support groups to cooperate and collaborate in new ways and, in some cases, for the first time," Malkin said.

Additionally, nurses and doctors must be trained to instruct mothers on how to use the pouch. Given high staff turnover rates, the training has to be efficient and repeatable.

The expansion is being managed by Fundacion VIHDA, an organization based in Guayaquil that provides HIV services and works with the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health to improve HIV care in the country.

Meanwhile, with funding from USAID, Malkin is collaborating with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Ugandan Ministry of Health and a number of other stakeholders to make the Pratt Pouch available in Uganda. The Uganda model differs from the project in Ecuador in two ways.

First, the target for this project is for 40 percent of HIV-positive mothers in the country to have access to the pouch, whether they give birth at a medical facility or at home. "Forty percent may not seem like much," Malkin said, "But HIV rates are much higher in Uganda than in Ecuador, so this is a very ambitious goal." Globally, Uganda has the fourth highest number of new HIV infections among children.

Second, the pouches will be manufactured using an automated filling process at a centralized plant, which will cut the time required to fill, seal and label one pouch from seventeen seconds to four seconds. Malkin hopes this new filling process will serve as a pilot to eventually scale up coverage to all of East Africa.

Duke engineering students designed and tested the machines that will help automate the pouch-filling process.

"The evolution of the Pratt Pouch has been driven by Pratt students from the beginning," said Malkin, "The idea for the machinery came from two of my students, Judy Zhu and Katie Gelman, in an independent study."

Zhu, a recent Pratt graduate, explained that the process was rewarding but difficult at times. "This was a medical application with direct impact, so the stakes were high," she shared. "However, it was also really cool to see the immediate impact that I was able to have on real people."

Malkin hopes one or more students will be able to travel to Uganda in the fall to assist in installing the machines and training workers.

As the global leader in the fight against pediatric HIV/AIDS, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) is an ideal partner for this project.

EGPAFwhich received the funding for this project through the Saving Lives at Birth Challengeis providing technical oversight to the project and will advise on future scale-up initiatives. They're helping to integrate Pratt Pouch technology into the existing supply chain and service delivery platforms to design a sustainable, evidence-based model for national scale-up in Uganda and other low-resource countries.

Among EGPAF's contributions thus far are shepherding the project through intensive regulatory approval processes and providing technical assistance to Hospice Africa Uganda, the proposed pouch-filling facility.

Recently, with the help of Duke's Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship, Malkin connected with Joanne Moore, former vice president of Chemonics. Together, they founded Pratt Pouch Consulting (PPC), an organization dedicated to spreading the use of the pouch.

PPC partners with community organizations like EGPAF to write grants to fund expansion projects and help manage the projects.

More information: Learn more about the Pratt Pouch: Learn more about the Pratt Pouch: dhtlab.pratt.duke.edu/pouch
(HealthDay)Older women who practice yoga may have greater "thickness" in areas of the brain involved in memory and attention, a small study suggests.

Researchers found that even compared with other healthy, active women their age, yoga practitioners typically had greater cortical thickness in the brain's left prefrontal cortex.

That could be good news because, as the researchers pointed out, cognitive impairment from aging is usually associated with less volume in cortical areas of the brain associated with attention tasks, and decreases in memory.

But experts said it's not clear what conclusions can be drawn from the study's findings.

The findings are based on one-time brain scans of fewer than 50 womenand they do not prove that yoga, itself, altered anyone's brain structure, according to senior researcher Elisa Kozasa.

The brain differences might have existed before the women ever tried yoga, said Kozasa, a researcher at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

But the study does add to a bigger body of evidence on yoga and brain function, said Dr. Helen Lavretsky, a researcher who was not involved in the work.

"This contributes to the evidence that yoga practice has neuroplastic effects on the brain that may translate into other health benefitslike better mood and cognition," said Lavretsky, a professor-in-residence of psychiatry at the UCLA Geffen School of Medicine.

"Neuroplasticity" refers to the brain's ability to reorganize itself and form new connections among cells over the course of a lifetime.

In her own research, Lavretsky has found some evidence that yoga benefits older adults' brain function.

In a recent pilot study, her team tested the effects of weekly yoga classes among 25 older adults who were showing early signs of memory problems. The participants were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of yogawhich included some movement, breathing practices and meditationor 12 weeks of "brain games."

In the end, both groups were doing a little better on standard memory tests, compared with the study's outset. But the yoga group showed a bigger change.

According to Lavretsky, it's possible that yoga benefits the brain over time by easing day-to-day stress. Or, she said, yoga practices might have a more direct effect on "brain fitness."

Kozasa pointed out that yoga involves a "cognitive component," where practitioners hone their ability to concentrate while consciously holding poses, performing breathing exercises and meditating.

Her team was interested in whether long-time practitioners actually show a difference in their brain structure.

So they performed brain scans of 42 women age 60 and older. Half of the women regularly practiced yogafor the past 15 years, on average. The rest were healthy and physically active, but did not practice yoga.

Women in both groups also had similarly high education levels.

"Even with those similarities," Kozasa said, "the yoga group presented a greater cortical thickness in brain regions involved in executive functions such as attention."

However, there could be other explanations for the findings, Lavretsky saidsuch as differences in the two groups' other lifestyle choices, sleep habits, or perceived stress levels.

Kozasa agreed. What's needed, she said, is a long-term study that charts brain changes in yoga practitioners and non-practitioners over time.

And while some research suggests that yoga boosts memory and attention, it's not clear whether the practice can curb older adults' risk of dementia.

"It is too soon to state that yoga can protect your brain against dementia," Kozasa stressed.

Still, she said, there's no reason for older adults to delay trying yoga if they are interested.

"If practiced with an experienced instructor, older adults may get benefits from yoga for their mental and physical health," Kozasa said.

The findings were published online recently in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

More information: Elisa Kozasa, Ph.D., researcher, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Helen Lavretsky, M.D., professor-in-residence, psychiatry, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles; June 2017, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, online Elisa Kozasa, Ph.D., researcher, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Helen Lavretsky, M.D., professor-in-residence, psychiatry, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles; June 2017,, online The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has more on yoga.

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Indonesia is still in talks with Russia on the purchase of Project 636 diesel-electric submarines equipped with the Kalibr (NATO reporting name: SS-N-27 Sizzler) missile, Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Wahid Supriyadi said in an interview with Rambler News Service.

"Indonesia wants to purchase submarines of the type but the talk is about long-term plans as there are a lot of technical issues that should be discussed by the two countries," Supriyadi said in reply to a question about the plans to purchase Russian-made submarines.



Earlier, Russian presidential aide for military and technical cooperation Vladimir Kozhin said that the Project 636 submarine furnished with the Kalibr missile was the most in-demand submarine on the global market today.



"Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and some other countries are in the pipeline. This is the most in-demand project," Kozhin said at the International Maritime Defense Show 2017 (IMDS 2017).



According to him, Russia has completed the delivery of Project 636 submarines to Vietnam.



 Copyright 2017 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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 Tri-County Chapter #1386 of NARFE (National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees) is scheduled to meet at Pizones Restaurant, 202 Superior Avenue in Tomah on August 17.

Lunch is available at 11:30 a.m. The meeting starts at approximately 12 p.m.

The guest speaker will be Anne Axelsen. Her presentation will be Wanna be an Artist?

All members, their guests and interested active and retired federal employees are welcome.
If you are a landowner interested in improving habitat on your land, you are invited to help the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program on August 26.

In 1987, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service kicked off the Partners program: the reason and the need were clearAmericans wanted more wildlife and wildlife habitat than public lands can provide.

Come hear the stories of landowners who took steps to improve their land and listen to their motivations for doing so.

The hook for one Adams County family was a desire to attract Karner Blue Butterflies to the farm handed down from their grandfather.

A Taylor County landowner wanted to improve habitat for deer, ruffed grouse and American woodcock on his forty: his reason? He wanted a place to hunt with his son.

A sand-mining firm with a strong environmental and conservation ethic restores additional prairie acres almost every year.

Monroe and Jackson county landowners work to re-establish savannas by drastically thinning trees so that the sunlight can once again reach the ground.

A Juneau County landowner restores wetlands through the use of ditch plugs, scrapes and water control structures.

A timber company in Adams County commits to helping an endangered warbler.

What common thread connects these landowners?

All of them worked with a Partners biologist to develop a habitat improvement agreement. Each committed to help the project proceed and succeed.

In addition to listening to landowner stories, visitors can talk with conservation practitioners to garner insights and learn what help might be available.

How does one plant a prairie? How does a water-control structure work? What kinds of sites are most suitable for wetland restoration? How can landowners help conserve endangered species?

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ruffed Grouse Society, Pheasants Forever, Wisconsin DNR, Trout Unlimited, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, county conservationists and the Aldo Leopold Foundation will be there.

Reservations are required. A reservation entitles you to lunch provided by the Friends of Necedah National Wildlife Refuge and a door prize ticket. Call 608-565-5051 or register via Facebook.
Yet another craft brewery is due to open in the Milwaukee area next week.

Gathering Place Brewing Company, located at 811 E. Vienna Ave. in the Riverworks Business Improvement District, has announced that it will host its grand opening party on Saturday, Aug. 19.

During the event, which will take place from 3 to 10 p.m., Gathering Place will open its taproom to the public, offering a first look at the 4,300-square foot facility, which features new brewing equipment from Stout Tanks & Kettles and a tasting room designed and built by Flux Design.

"We are incredibly excited to open our doors and share our beer and our story with the community," said Joe Yeado, founder and president of Gathering Place Brewing Company. "Its been a long journey to reach this point and were thrilled this day has come."

The brewery, which is built upon a commitment to creating unique well-crafted beer and supporting the community. As a result, Gathering Place has committed to donating at least 1 percent of sales each quarter to local non-profit organizations.

Among the beer Gathering Place will debut at the grand opening are:

Spirited Debate IPA : four varieties of hops present an array of flavors and aromas.

: four varieties of hops present an array of flavors and aromas. Treffpunkt : a German golden ale that is balanced, crisp, and refreshing with a touch of hops.

: a German golden ale that is balanced, crisp, and refreshing with a touch of hops. Gruss Gott Hefeweizen : a German-style wheat beer with subtle bitterness and a spicy yeast character.

: a German-style wheat beer with subtle bitterness and a spicy yeast character. Priere: inspired by the table beers in Belgian monasteries, this pale ale has a unique floral aroma and fruit flavors.

"We want to challenge the palate and push people to try new flavors and beer styles," said Head Brewer Corey Blodgett. "We use the best ingredients, both locally and globally, to create unique beers that unite and inspire friendly conversation."

Additional beers will be released in the coming weeks, including a dark lager, double IPA and a Belgian-style triple fermented with Door County cherries.
While breweries across the country are capitalizing on the growing craft beer movement  embracing consumers taste for higher-quality, locally made, unique and less commoditized products  there remains a stalwart customer base in the market for established value brands. Cheap booze, in other words.

For companies like Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors, the domestic sub-premium portfolio  economical stuff like Busch, Natural Light, Keystone Light  still does big business, accounting for nearly one-sixth of all U.S. beers sold, though its market share has declined.

As long as we have colleges, we will have college kids. With that in mind, and especially given the younger-demographic popularity of Four Loko, AB-InBev plans to release this fall a new, high-gravity, flavored malt beverage (FMB) called Natty Rush. The product  part of the Natural brand family and available in 8 or 12 percent alcohol by volume  will be positioned as to compete with MillerCoors existing Steel Reserve Alloy Series. Frat stars, rejoice!

How ABI does its line extensions is always interesting. The company agonized before branding the "Ritas" under the Bud Light Lime banner.  Josh Noel (@hopnotes) August 9, 2017

Guess there must be some synergy they're trying to tap between Natural Light & Four Loko drinkers.  Josh Noel (@hopnotes) August 9, 2017

NATTY RUSH, BRO!!!! HELLA SICK!!!!  Josh Noel (@hopnotes) August 9, 2017

Now, I was a big fan of Four Loko in college, stockpiling the stuff with friends when a 2010 FDA ruling forced the removal of caffeine and other ostensibly unsafe ingredients from the drink. I also fondly remember playing a nice, long game of Wizard Staffs with a $15 case of Natural Light. So Im no teetotaler opponent, in principle or practice, of Natty Rush.

But AB-InBev hasnt traditionally been very good in this segment. Its flagship flavored malt beverage brand, the Bud Lightish Lime-a-Rita, reportedly is down 16.6 percent in year-to-date case volume and continues to lose share, according to a Nielson report. That's probably because Lima-a-Rita is gross and sucks, though it still outperformed MillerCoors' Sparks in the category. Also, last November, AB-InBev discontinued Mixxtail, a cocktail-inspired Bud Light line extension, and said it was rethinking its "flavor variants" selection.

Perhaps the severely flavorful-sounding Watermelon Smash, Hurricane Punch and Blue Frostbite (frostbite?)  the names of the initial Natty Rush offerings  will bolster its value FMB program.

Meanwhile, while overall volume performance for flavored malt beverages was down 2 percent YTD, according to Nielson data through July 29, MillerCoors Steel Reserve Alloy Series family performance was up 2.4 percent during the same period. Per Nielson, the Steel Reserve Alloy Series has a 4.1 FMB share, which was a 0.2 percent increase from the previous year. So MillerCoors' version has figured out a way to stay relevant, even mildly grow, in the space.

And I can tell you from firsthand experience, on a Chicago L train ride to a Cubs-Brewers game at Wrigley Field, nothing strengthens the Milwaukee sports-fan spirit more than 40 ounces of high-gravity Steel Reserve. Go Brew Crew!

Anyway, according to Beer Marketers Insights, Natty Rush will be sold in 25-ounce cans  the same weird but seemingly well-liked size that Budweiser started offering in 2013, promoted as "1 EXTRA OUNCE"  and it will be available in late October. The stronger, 12 percent ABV version is called Natty Rush + and will debut around the same time in select test markets.

And, in case for some reason you were wondering about this, it says so right on the label: "Certified color." Thats cool, but still, I think I'll have a Zima.
Milwaukee Film's rollout of festival selections continues today with another nine movies added to the annual fall celebration of cinema  complete with intense board games, global award-winners, famous comedians, chickens, a "ramen western" and a love story between a man and the sexy alien that abducted him.

Hollywood, telling the same ol' stories, amirite?

Anyways, here are nine more movies you'll want to watch when the Milwaukee Film Festival opens its curtains next month.

"AlphaGo"

Get ready for the ultimate battle between man and machine, taking place on the battlefield of ... an ancient board game? The documentary "AlphaGo" tells the story of one of the world's best Go players facing off against AlphaGo, a Google-developed artificial intelligence created to outplay and outsmart any human mind. Who will win  and does anyone else think this sounds like a real-life prequel to "The Terminator"?

"American Fable"

A "Pan's Labyrinth" taking place close to home, director Anne Hamilton's "American Fable" follows a young girl's concerns about her family's Wisconsin farm at risk of foreclosure suddenly manifesting as an eerie horned creature creeping along the land's borders and a man locked away in a silo on the land's outskirts.

"Bronx Gothic"

Okwui Okpokwasili's bravura one-woman show  an autobiography about two young black girls in 1980s New York  makes its move from the stage to the screen in this Art & Artists documentary selection, capturing the performance as well as the behind-the-scenes craft and process that brought it to life.

"I, Daniel Blake"

The latest film from English director Ken Loach ("The Wind That Shakes The Barley," "Kes"), "I, Daniel Blake" chronicles its title character fighting through British bureaucracy after he's denied his welfare benefits while recovering from a heart attack. It's more than just a class-centric tearjerker, however, as the drama won the coveted Palme d'Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

"Infinity Baby"

An A-grade list of comedy stars  including Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally and Martin Starr  joins together for "Infinitely Baby," an absurd comedy about some stem cell research that creates a baby that never ages or cries, a marketing goldmine for Ben (Kieran Culkin) who has his own issues with growing up.

"Love & Saucers"

It's just another classic Hollywood love story: Man is abducted by alien. Man falls in love and has sex with alien. Man loses alien. Brad Abrahams' even-handed documentary  that's right; it's a documentary, not some screenwriting creation  proves that sometimes reality is indeed stranger than fiction.

"Pecking Order"

We've already got one documentary about a battle over a board game, so why not a doc about a contest for the finest ... chickens? "Pecking Order" flies to New Zealand to meet the Christchurch Poultry, Bantam and Pigeon Club, whose members have gathered for almost a century and a half to find whose fowl is the finest. It may sound like a lost Christopher Guest mockumentary, but it's all real.

"Supergirl"

Orthodox Jewish girl Naomi Kutin's secret identity? "Supergirl," an immensely talented competitive powerlifter who's breaking records even before she hits her teenage years. This Sportsball! selection follows the impressive athlete as she battles not only the weight piled on the lifting bar, but the weight of growing up.

"Tampopo"

It's a classic cinematic combination of ramen and the western genre in the beloved 1985 genre-smashing, hunger-inducing saga of "Tampopo," following some ramen ronin as they quest for the perfect bowl of noodles. Slurp down this satisfying cinematic adventure  and then slurp down some ramen for yourself, because "Tampopo" is guaranteed to get your stomach growling.

With these new additions, last week's nine picks and the centerpiece selection, Erik Ljung's "The Blood is at the Doorstep," the Milwaukee Film Festival's lineup is finally beginning to fill up  and Milwaukee Film is not even close to done.

Stay tuned to OnMilwaukee for more movie announcements and updates as they are announced. The Milwaukee Film Festival will run Sept. 28 through Oct. 12.
Example of Jefferson County Iroquoian pottery. Credit: New York State Museum

An innovative study published today in the journal Science Advances demonstrates how decorations on ancient pottery can be used to discover new evidence for how groups interacted across large regions. The research, conducted by John P. Hart, Director of Research and Collections at the New York State Museum; Jennifer Birch, Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia; and Christian Gates St-Pierre, Assistant Professor at the University of Montreal, sheds new light on the importance of a little-understood Iroquoian population in upstate New York and its impact on relations between two emerging Native American political powers in the 16th century.

Iroquoians in northeastern North America are best known for the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and Wendat (Huron) confederacies in upstate New York and southern Ontario. There are extensive early historic records of both groups. Descendants of these confederacies and their respective nations that remain in these areas today have rich oral traditions that speak to their histories before and after European contact. Archaeology fills out these records through the excavation and analyses of ancestral communities.

Other Iroquoian groups did not persist and, for some, archaeology is the primary means of understanding their histories. One such group occupied the eastern end of Lake Ontario south of the head waters of the St. Lawrence River. Known by archaeologists as the Jefferson County Iroquoians, this group had abandoned their territory by the early 17th century. Archaeologists have pondered their "disappearance" for over a century, asking two primary questions, "why did they disperse" and "where did they go"? However, Hart, Birch and Gates St-Pierre ask a very different question, "what role did the Jefferson County Iroquoians play in Iroquoian social networks"?

Example of Jefferson County Iroquoian pottery. Credit: New York State Museum

Northern Iroquoians made pottery vessels with often complex geometrical decorations, which Hart and his colleagues suggest signaled membership in regional interaction networks. Using social network analysis with a statistic that measured the similarities of pottery decorations between sites, they demonstrate that the Jefferson County Iroquoians played a key role in regional interactions during the 16th century. As brokers between Iroquoian ancestral Haudenosaunee and Wendat groups, the Jefferson County Iroquoians were intermediaries in relationships between these groups. According to Birch, "by focusing on the connections between communities and regions, rather than a single scale of analysis, we are better able to understand how people's everyday activities relate to the larger-scale social and political histories."

After the Jefferson County population dispersed in the early 17th century, no other group took the place as "brokers" between Iroquoian people living in New York and Canada. The dispersal of Jefferson County populations effectively ended this brokerage function and may have contributed to the escalation of conflict between the Huron-Wendat and Iroquois confederacies. These results add to a growing literature on the use of network analyses with archaeological data and contribute new insights into processes of population relocation and geopolitical realignment, as well as the role of borderlands and frontiers in non-state societies.

Example of Jefferson County Iroquoian pottery. Credit: New York State Museum

This study is part of an ongoing effort by Hart and colleagues that employs social network analysis to better understand the relationships between Iroquoian populations in New York and Canada. According to Hart, "the past is a much more complex place than ordinarily considered. Our results highlight how our views of the past can be informed through the application of new methods and techniques."

More information: J.P. Hart at New York State Museum in Albany, NY el al., "Effects of population dispersal on regional signaling networks: An example from northern Iroquoia," Science Advances (2017). advances.sciencemag.org/content/3/8/e1700497 Journal information: Science Advances
Qualcomm chief Steve Mollenkopf, pictured in July 2017, said the chipmaker's legal war with Apple is about defending his company's business model

The US International Trade Commission on Tuesday said it will look into Qualcomm's complaint that Apple is violating its patents in some iPhones.

The step, arguably procedural, means that the commission will assign Qualcomm's complaint to an administrative law judge for evidentiary hearings instead of dismissing it out of hand.

Qualcomm last month escalated a legal battle with Apple, filing a patent infringement lawsuit and requesting a ban on the importation of some iPhones, claiming unlawful and unfair use of the chipmaker's technology.

Qualcomm asked for an import ban on some iPhones with the US International Trade Commission, a quasi-judicial government agency which hears cases involving trade disputes.

"Qualcomm is pleased with the ITC's decision to investigate Apple's unfair trade practices and the unauthorized importation of products using Qualcomm's patents," executive vice president and general counsel Don Rosenberg said in a release.

The products at issue in the investigation are mobile devices such as the iPhone 7 and specific components including baseband processor modems, according to the commission.

The complaint alleges that iPhones, which are made in China, should not be allowed to be brought into the United States if they infringe on Qualcomm's patents.

Apple referred AFP to comment it made in June, saying that Qualcomm's "illegal business practices" are harming the iPhone maker and the entire industry.

Holders of standards-essential patents such as those at issue in Qualcomm's complaint have a responsibility to offer them at fair, reasonable, and non discriminatory terms, Apple chief executive Tim Cook pointed out during a recent earnings call with analysts.

"Qualcomm has not made such an offer to Apple," Cook said during the call.

"I don't believe anyone is going to decide to enjoin the iPhone based on that."

'About price'

The ITC investigation will examine whether Apple has engaged in unfair trade practices by importing and selling mobile devices, including iPhones and iPads, that infringe on Qualcomm patents, the chipmaker said in a release.

Qualcomm chief executive Steve Mollenkopf said last month that the chipmaker's legal war with Apple is about defending his company's business model, but predicted an eventual out-of-court settlement.

"At its core it's really about the price... what to pay for technology," Mollenkopf told a forum at the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colorado.

"We have contracts and people want to pay less."

But Mollenkopf said the disputes are likely to be resolved outside court and that the two tech giants will "move on to greener pastures."

The war between the two California technology giants began in January when Apple filed a lawsuit accusing Qualcomm of abusing its market power to demand unfair royalties.

The Apple suit echoed charges by antitrust regulators in the United States and other major markets around the world.

Qualcomm responded in April that Apple had been providing "false and misleading information" to antitrust authorities in an effort to reduce its royalty payments to Qualcomm.

The iPhone maker relies on Qualcomm for chip-based modems that enable its devices to communicate with telecommunications networks.

The chipmaker also filed a complaint against Apple in the US District Court for Southern California seeking damages from the same patent infringement allegations.

 2017 AFP
Escherichia coli. Credit: Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH

Scientists from Trinity College Dublin have gained key structural insights into the machinery employed by opportunistic, disease-causing bacteria, which may help chemists design new drugs to inhibit them.

The scientists, led by Fellow Emeritus in Trinity's School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Professor Martin Caffrey, used next-gen X-ray crystallography techniques to 'look under the bacterial bonnet' and produce a molecular blueprint that may be used to design drugs that minimise off-target effects and attack any structural weaknesses.

The research, which shows that one key enzyme used in the common bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli is remarkably similar in structure in both species, has recently been published in leading international journal Nature Communications. These two bacteria opportunistically infect people, and can cause fatalities.

Professor Caffrey said: "The structural blueprints of the two bacteriawhile very similardiffer in their fine detail. These subtle differences might be exploited to design species-specific therapies with a reduced likelihood for the development of antibiotic resistance."

Both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli are medically important, causing problems in tens of thousands of patients every year. Both are known to have developed resistance to a plethora of first-choice drugs used to treat them. And with antimicrobial resistance on the rise in general, the World Health Organization has advised that a post-antibiotic era, in which minor injuries and common infections could prove fatal, is looming.

New drugs are badly needed. However, while the new blueprint of the bacterial enzyme 'Lnt' offers hope for drug development, the process of creating effective candidates is not an easy one.

Firstly, similar enzymes are present in humans and other animals, so any drug would need to be sufficiently specific to only affect the bacterial enzyme. Secondly, the biological structure of any drugs that would bind to the bacterial enzymes and inhibit them is likely to be similar to the structure of molecules that inhibit the innate immune response. In other words, stopping the bacteria in its tracks may also slow the body's natural response to infection.

Speaking about the difficulty in designing 'silver-bullet' drugs that could turn the tide, and about the next steps in his team's work, Professor Caffrey added: "The structural blueprints generated as part of this study provide a basis whereby the differences between the bacterial enzyme and the immune response proteins might be exploited with the goal of producing a drug that only hits the bacterial target."

More information: Maciej Wiktor et al, Structural insights into the mechanism of the membrane integral N-acyltransferase step in bacterial lipoprotein synthesis, Nature Communications (2017). DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15952 Journal information: Nature Communications
Credit: NASA

Flooding killed more than 125 people in the U.S. in 2016. When disasters threaten the lives of Americans, NASA Earth Science uses its perspective from space to assist response and recovery efforts. We maintain a close partnership with many federal agencies, including USGS, NOAA, and FEMA.

In 2016, those partnerships strengthenedparticularly with FEMA. "This year we focused on deeper collaborations with FEMA," said Andrew Molthan, NASA Disaster Response Support Team member. "Both in terms of providing products that are well-aligned to support their flood response and by improving ways to share those products for effective and timely decisions."

During domestic flooding events, NASA provides data and images from its own satellites, like GPM, Aqua, Terra, and EO-1, and teams with other U.S. agencies and international partners to tap into their spacebased fleets as well. With this constellation of domestic and international satellites, we use Earth observations to map heavy rainfall, predict where flooding will occur, image the extent of ongoing floods, and help identify other impacts such as power outages.

These collaborations helped thousands of Americans recover from a year marked by several devastating and deadly floods.

The Mighty Mississippi

The first flooding disaster of the year actually straddled the calendar from 2015 into 2016. Waves of heavy rainfall brought record-setting flash flooding and subsequent river flooding to the central and lower Mississippi River Valley.

Located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, the town of West Alton, Missouri, is no stranger to floods. This time, though, the water came too quickly. "We couldn't do anything to stop this one," said West Alton Mayor Willie Richter. "Normally we have about two weeks lead time to try and sandbag and prepare for what might happen. This time we only had about three or four days."

As flooding swamped the Midwest and South, Molthan and fellow NASA Disaster Response Support Team member Dalia Kirschbaum reached out to our Centers and NASA's academic partners. In a coordinated support to the disaster, the NASA Team provided technical expertise and data to response agencies, guiding and assisting their efforts.

Credit: NASA

Even when the successive rounds of downpours ended, massive flooding continued to move downriver from Illinois to Louisiana. Our Team took advantage of clear skies to collect targeted imagery for mapping the flood waters. NASA's EO-1 satellite was among the first satellites to provide optical imagery of the submerged areas for our partners. Aqua and Terra also pitched in, helping our Team produce visual images that mapped flooded areas along the Mississippi River. In particular, Terra's ASTER instrument detected the extent of the inundation around St. Louis, and soon FEMA had these images.

On the ground in nearby West Alton, Mayor Richter showed FEMA his view. Missouri had major transportation impacts from the flooding, as portions of interstates and railroads were forced to close. "As soon as we could access a majority of the town, we had an initial FEMA damage assessment," he said. "I went door to door with them so they could see the damage first hand. FEMA also setup a command center in town so the people could apply for help."

Christopher Vaughan, a geospatial information officer with FEMA, stressed the importance of the immediate partnership between our agencies during floods. "NASA is helping us derive the extent of the disaster earlier," he noted. "For example, with flood extent maps, you can derive what's inside that flooded area and estimate the levels of impact. That's one of the hardest challenges for the emergency management community early ondetermining how big and bad it's going to be."

As the flooding gradually pushed down the Mississippi River, our interagency collaboration continued through much of January. And it wasn't long before our efforts were needed again.

Louisiana's 500-Year Deluge

"We were moving as fast as possible to save what we could," Ginger Harris Heuvel said. She and her family were scrambling to safety in their attic as the waters came rushing in. "We could see the water rising as if a firehose was pumping water into the house." Unbeknownst to her, Earth observations were already working to help.

The exceptional rainfall began on Friday, August 12, and it was historicNOAA later estimated it was a one-in-500 year event for central Louisiana. As the flooding started and worsened, FEMA reached out to NASA to request assistance in assessing the imminent disaster. Our Team tapped into the Global Flood Monitoring System (GFMS), a University of Maryland activity sponsored by our Disasters program, to provide FEMA with the potential for flooding and predicted flood inundation for the next several days.

The GFMS forecast model uses rainfall data from the GPM satellite. As rounds of rain continued, GPM monitored the seemingly never-ending onslaught. When the downpours finally stopped days later, estimates topped out at more than 30 inches of rain in parts of Louisiana. Rain gauges on the ground in Heuvel's hometown of Watson confirmed the staggering accumulation of 31.4 inchesthe highest rainfall total measured during the disaster.

Terra ASTER image of flooding along the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on January 17, 2016. Credit: NASA

Clouds obscured some of what our satellites could see during the peak of the flooding. Luckily, radar could see itit doesn't need clear skies or daylight to produce images. Our partner USGS activated the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, enabling delivery of additional satellite images and space-based synthetic aperture radar, or SAR.

Using these, JPL experts on the Team compared before and after images of flooded areas. Before long, FEMA had flood extent and flood proxy maps thanks to validation from NOAA's aerial imagery and USGS' high water marks.

"We estimated that Louisiana would have about 27,000 damaged homes," said Glen Russell, a remote sensing coordinator with FEMA. "But it was through the acquisition of SAR data and other remotely sensed data that we were able to see that that was a much larger impact than we had forecast."

Heuvel's home was one of those casualties. "We were rescued by our local Livingston Parish Sheriff Office Deputiesas we waded out our front door in five feet of water," she said. "Ninety percent of Livingston Parish went under." The combined scope of Earth observations helped FEMA managers decide to increase the amount of resources sent to Louisiana. Before long, Heuvel and her family had a new place to live.

"We have been blessed with a very nice FEMA trailer and are so thankful to be able to use it," Heuvel added. "There are FEMA trailers and campers in most every yard. Everyone is in the state of repair at this timeWe all have a long road ahead of us."

Matthew's Misery

When Tara Bullard saw Hurricane Matthew's rain bands continuing to drop downpours over her hometown of Lumberton, North Carolina, she worried for what was coming next. "There was nowhere for all of the water to go."

As she feared, Bullard, the principal of West Lumberton Elementary, soon saw her community become a victim of Matthew. Months later, there were still painful scars. "My school sustained heavy damages as a result of the floodingWe are still displaced, with no immediate plans of returning. I still have students and families living in hotels."

GPMs Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar sensor showing 3D rain rates within Hurricane Matthew as it spins along the Carolina coast on October 8, 2016. Credit: NASA

Well before Hurricane Matthew's impacts were being felt in Lumberton, our Disaster Response Support Team was monitoring the storm and collaborating with other federal agencies and international partners. This coordinated effort kept watch from the beginningtracking Matthew as it battered Hispaniola and Cuba and then made its way toward the U.S.

As Matthew's effects were being felt along the Southeast coast, Suomi NPP's VIIRS instrument provided crucial insights for detecting which communities had lost power. For Matthew's potential flooding impacts, the Team once again turned to GFMS and mapped locations from northeastern Florida to North Carolina that were likely to be inundated.

NASA Earth Science's real-time Land Information System (LIS) also assisted our NOAA and USGS partners in their hurricane planning and response. The LIS incorporated vegetation information from VIIRS and soil moisture observations from SMAP to identify areas of saturated soils that were prone to flash floodinghelping partners identify where flooding would be likely as the rainfall continued to accumulate.

When Matthew's rains ended, the flooding was just beginning for many communities in the Carolinas. Team members from NASA Marshall used multiple Earth observations to generate flood extent maps for eastern North Carolina, along with storm surge-affected regions along the eastern coast of Florida. NASA Goddard's Near Real-Time Global MODIS Flood Mapping also used Terra and Aqua imagery to identify the extent of the massive flooding. Our Team aggregated and compared its water detections against the pre- Matthew water extent, as FEMA and other response partners retrieved them through an online portal.

"By utilizing hazard layers that NASA produces, we can develop a more detailed and informed analysis of the housing and infrastructure damage in communities," noted Brandon Bolinski, a regional hurricane program manager for FEMA. He added, "FEMA leadership can then make informed decisions on placing response assets in the field."

Even as waters were receding days later, responders were still assessing the full scope of the disasterMatthew caused more than two dozen deaths in North Carolina alone. For Bullard, NASA's assistance in this effort left her optimistic that this team approach would help victims in future disasters. Ever the educator, she remarked, "I hope that our situation has the potential to teach and positively impact the way others may respond to a similar situation."

Provided by NASA
This illustration compares the four planets detected around the nearby star tau Ceti (top) and the inner planets of our solar system (bottom). Credit: Fabo Feng

A new study by an international team of astronomers reveals that four Earth-sized planets orbit the nearest sun-like star, tau Ceti, which is about 12 light years away and visible to the naked eye. These planets have masses as low as 1.7 Earth mass, making them among the smallest planets ever detected around nearby sun-like stars. Two of them are super-Earths located in the habitable zone of the star, meaning they could support liquid surface water.

The planets were detected by observing the wobbles in the movement of tau Ceti. This required techniques sensitive enough to detect variations in the movement of the star as small as 30 centimeters per second.

"We are now finally crossing a threshold where, through very sophisticated modeling of large combined data sets from multiple independent observers, we can disentangle the noise due to stellar surface activity from the very tiny signals generated by the gravitational tugs from Earth-sized orbiting planets," said coauthor Steven Vogt, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz.

According to lead author Fabo Feng of the University of Hertfordshire, UK, the researchers are getting tantalizingly close to the 10-centimeter-per-second limit required for detecting Earth analogs. "Our detection of such weak wobbles is a milestone in the search for Earth analogs and the understanding of the Earth's habitability through comparison with these analogs," Feng said. "We have introduced new methods to remove the noise in the data in order to reveal the weak planetary signals."

The outer two planets around tau Ceti are likely to be candidate habitable worlds, although a massive debris disc around the star probably reduces their habitability due to intensive bombardment by asteroids and comets.

The same team also investigated tau Ceti four years ago in 2013, when coauthor Mikko Tuomi of the University of Hertfordshire led an effort in developing data analysis techniques and using the star as a benchmark case. "We came up with an ingenious way of telling the difference between signals caused by planets and those caused by star's activity. We realized that we could see how star's activity differed at different wavelengths and use that information to separate this activity from signals of planets," Tuomi said.

The researchers painstakingly improved the sensitivity of their techniques and were able to rule out two of the signals the team had identified in 2013 as planets. "But no matter how we look at the star, there seem to be at least four rocky planets orbiting it," Tuomi said. "We are slowly learning to tell the difference between wobbles caused by planets and those caused by stellar active surface. This enabled us to essentially verify the existence of the two outer, potentially habitable planets in the system."

Sun-like stars are thought to be the best targets in the search for habitable Earth-like planets due to their similarity to the sun. Unlike more common smaller stars, such as the red dwarf stars Proxima Centauri and Trappist-1, they are not so faint that planets would be tidally locked, showing the same side to the star at all times. Tau Ceti is very similar to the sun in its size and brightness, and both stars host multi-planet systems.

A paper on the new findings was accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal and is available online.

More information: Color difference makes a difference: four planet candidates around tau Ceti. arXiv. arxiv.org/abs/1708.02051 Journal information: arXiv
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

(Phys.org)A trio of researchers, two from Sweden and one from Spain has found that installing floodlighting around rural churches drives away roosting bats. In their paper published in Royal Society Open Science, Jens Rydell, with Lund University, Johan Eklof, with Graptolit Ord och Natur and Sonia Sanchez-Navarro with Estacion Biologica de Donana-CSIC describe their comparison of church bat populations over the course of several decades.

Bats in Sweden are generally welcomed because they eat destructive insects and tend to hide at night. But bats have a unique history in the country, as well, because Sweden does not have many cavesinstead, most of the bats live in the warm towers and belfries of rural churches. But, the researchers suggest, a recent lighting trend has put the bats at risk, and their numbers are falling.

Rydell has been interested in bats for many yearsback in the 1980s, he conducted surveys of specimens living in 61 churches in southwest Sweden, making population charts. In this new effort, he and his colleagues revisited those churches along with 50 others, counting the number of brown long-eared bats.

The researchers concluded that bat populations had remained stable in churches that lacked floodlighting. But in churches with such lighting, populations dwindled depending on how much lighting had been installed. In churches where floodlights were installed on all four sides of a building, there were no bats left at all.

Installing floodlights, the researchers note, became popular over the past few decades as church staff sought to show off the unique architecture at night. The contrast of the usually stark white buildings lit against a deep black sky offers an inspiring visage, but, it also makes resident bats much more vulnerable to predation by owls, hawks and cats.

The researchers note that bats are protected in Swedenit is against the law to harm them, or even to disturb them. They suggest it is likely that most of the people involved in installing church lighting do not know that their efforts have caused problems for the bats. They suggest a partial solutioninstead of installing lighting all the way around a church, leaving at least one side dark, preferably the side closest to trees. The bats will adjust and only roost on that side.

More information: Jens Rydell et al. Age of enlightenment: long-term effects of outdoor aesthetic lights on bats in churches, Royal Society Open Science (2017). DOI: 10.1098/rsos.161077 Abstract

We surveyed 110 country churches in south-western Sweden for presence of brown long-eared bats Plecotus auritus in summer 2016 by visual inspection and/or evening emergence counts. Each church was also classified according to the presence and amount of aesthetic directional lights (flood-lights) aimed on its walls and tower from the outside. Sixty-one of the churches had previously been surveyed by one of us (J.R.) between 1980 and 1990, before lights were installed on Swedish churches, using the same methods. Churches with bat colonies had decreased significantly in frequency from 61% in 1980s to 38% by 2016. All abandoned churches had been fitted with flood-lights in the period between the two surveys. The loss of bat colonies from lit churches was highly significant and most obvious when lights were applied from all directions, leaving no dark corridor for the bats to leave and return to the roost. In contrast, in churches that were not lit, all of 13 bat colonies remained after 25+ years between the surveys. Lighting of churches and other historical buildings is a serious threat to the long-term survival and reproduction of light-averse bats such as Plecotus spp. and other slow-flying species. Bat roosts are strictly protected according to the EU Habitats Directive and the EUROBATS agreement. Lighting of buildings for aesthetic purposes is becoming a serious environmental issue, because important bat roosts are destroyed in large numbers, and the problem should be handled accordingly. As a start, installation of flood-lights on historical buildings should at least require an environmental impact assessment (EIA). Journal information: Royal Society Open Science

 2017 Phys.org
Protected areas are being established without acknowledging the customary rights of local communities. Credit: Sarobidy Rakotonarivo

Until the 1980s, biodiversity conservation in the tropics focused on the "fines and fences" approach: creating protected areas from which local people were forcibly excluded. More recently, conservationists have embraced the notion of "win-win": a dream world where people and nature thrive side by side.

But over and over, we have seen these illusions shattered and the need to navigate complicated trade-offs appears unavoidable.

To this day, protected areas are being established coercively. They exclude local communities without acknowledging their customary rights. Sadly, most conservation approaches are characterised by a model of "let's conserve first, and then compensate later if we can find the funding".

A new conservation model, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) is an example of this. Finalised at the Paris climate conference in 2015, it seemed to offer something for everyone: supplying global ecosystem services  such as capturing and storing carbon dioxide and biodiversity conservation  while improving the lives of local communities.

Unfortunately, REDD+ is often built on protected area regimes that exclude local people. For example in Kenya, REDD+ led to the forceful eviction of forest dependent people and exacerbated inequality in access to land. The approach is underpinned by laws (often a legacy of the colonial era) that fail to recognise local people's traditional claims to the forest. In doing so, REDD+ fails to provide compensation to the people it most affects and risks perpetuating the illusion of win-win solutions in conservation.

REDD+ is just one way in which forest conservation can disadvantage local people. In our research we set out to estimate the costs that local people will incur as a result of a REDD+ pilot project in Eastern Madagascar: the Corridor Ankeniheny-Zahamena.

Our aim was to see whether we could robustly estimate these costs in advance, so that adequate compensation could be provided using the funds generated by REDD+. Our research found that costs were very significant, but also hard to estimate in advance. Instead, we suggest that a more appropriate approach might be to recognise local people's customary tenure.

Social costs of protected areas

Madagascar, considered one of the top global biodiversity hotspots, recently tripled the island's protected area network from 1.7 million hectares to 6 million hectares. This covers 10% of the country's total land area.

Swidden agriculture in the eastern rainforests of Madagascar. Credit: Sarobidy Rakotonarivo

Although the state has claimed ownership of these lands since colonial times, they are often the customary lands of local communities whose livelihoods are deeply entwined with forest use. The clearance of forests for cultivation has traditionally provided access to fertile soils for millions of small farmers in the tropics. Conservation restrictions obviously affect them negatively.

Conservationists need to assess the costs of conservation before they start. This could help to design adequate compensation schemes and alternative policy options.

We set out to estimate the local welfare costs of conservation in the eastern rainforests of Madagascar using innovative multi-disciplinary methods which included qualitative as well as quantitative data. We asked local people to trade off access to forests for swidden agriculture (land cleared for cultivation by slashing and burning vegetation) with compensation schemes such as cash payments or support for improved rice farming.

We selected households that differed in their past experience of forest protection from two sites in the eastern rainforests of Madagascar.

The findings

We found that households have different views about the social costs of conservation.

When households had more experience of conservation restrictions, neither large cash payments nor support for improved rice farming were seen as enough compensation.

Less experienced households, on the other hand, had strong aspirations to secure forest tenure. Competition for new forest lands is becoming increasingly fierce and government protection, despite undermining traditional tenure systems, is weakly enforced. They therefore believed that legal forest tenure is better since it would enable them to establish claims over forest lands.

Unfortunately, knowing what would constitute "fair" compensation is extremely complex.

Choice experiment surveys with local households in Madagascar. Credit: Sarobidy Rakotonarivo

Firstly, local people have very different appraisals of the social costs of conservation. That makes it difficult to estimate accurately the potential negative costs of an intervention.

It's also hard to evaluate how cash or agricultural projects will stimulate development. This makes it challenging to estimate how much, or what type of compensation should be given.

These challenges are compounded by the high transaction costs of identifying those eligible as well as the lack of political power of communities to demand compensations.

The solution

Conservation approaches, particularly fair compensation for restrictions that are imposed coercively, need a major rethink.

One solution could be to formally recognise local people's claims to the forest and then negotiate renewable conservation agreements with them. This is an approach already used successfully in many Western countries. In the US for example, conservation organisations negotiate "easements" with landowners, to protect wildlife. Agreements like this ensure that local people's participation is genuinely voluntary and that compensation payments are sufficient.

Our research shows that there's a strong demand from local people for securing local forest tenure. There's also evidence that doing so may better protect forest resources because without customary tenure local people are more likely to clear forests faster than they would do if they were given secure rights.

We therefore argue that securing local tenure may be an essential part of social safeguards for conservation models like REDD+. It could also have the added benefit of helping to reduce poverty.

The social costs of forest conservation have been generally under-appreciated and advocacy for nature conservation reveals a lack of awareness of the high price that local people have to pay. As local forest dwellers have the greatest impact on resources and also the most to lose from non-sustainable uses of these resources, a radical change in current practices is needed.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
A scourge of kitchens everywhere, Drosophila melanogaster  the common fruit fly  stares down the electron microscope that captured its image. Credit: Shutterstock

As a researcher who works on fruit flies, I often get asked how to get them out of someone's kitchen. This happens to fly researchers often enough that we sit around fly conferences (these actually exist) and complain about getting asked this question.

Meanwhile, we watch the same fruit flies buzz around our beers instead of discussing pithy and insightful questions about the research that we're pursuing.

But I get it: Fruit flies are annoying. So, fine, here's how we get rid of them in my lab: We build a trap. It's not perfect, but it's OK.

Take a small jar (we use small canning jars) and pour in cider vinegar to about two centimetres deep. "Cap" the jar with a funnel. You can use a plastic funnel if you have one, but a makeshift paper one works well. Tape the funnel in place so there are no gaps for the flies to crawl out.

Flies fly in and can't find their way out. Every day or two, replace the vinegar.

Instead of vinegar, you can also use beer or wine, but I prefer to drink one of these while making the traps.

There is actually a little science behind the trap. Fruit fliesat least Drosophila melanogaster, the most common fly buzzing around your bananasare attracted to aging fruit, rotting fruit in particular. They lay their eggs there and the larvae hatch and feed on the soft, overripe flesh.

Thomas Merritt, who researches fruit flies, shows you how to kill them. Credit: Thomas Merritt, Author provided

To find that fruit, flies use their sense of smell, what we call their olfactory system. What they are sensing, smelling, are things like acetic acidthe molecule that gives vinegar its pungent punch. So, you could bait your trap with fruit, but vinegar jumps right to the chase and lures them in.

The flies flying around your kitchen likely came from outside. Drosophila melanogaster are originally an African species, but they've spread across the globe. We call them a "cosmopolitan" speciesthey're found wherever people are.

Where flies come from and why we research them

The story of how they've adapted to so many different environments (like, for example, the tip of Florida or even northern Ontario, where I live) is an interesting one and a hot topic of current research. The flies that buzz around my fruit bowl, at least in the summer and fall, likely came from a local population. I've actually done work on flies we collected from the composter in my backyard.

Interestingly, the combination of a tropical species, a cool day and a warm house is likely why there seem to be more flies in the fall. As the temperature outside goes down (and even on cool summer nights where I live), the flies come inside where it's warm. Where do the flies go in the winter? We actually don't know. We know they can't freeze and live, so our best guess is they hide away in basements waiting for warm weather. There's actually a name for this idea. We call it the "Root Cellar Hypothesis."

The second question that I, and every other fly researcher, get asked is: Why flies? Good question. The first answer is: Because they're small. Seriously.

A trap Thomas Merritt made from a plastic cup, a sheet of printer paper, and about a quarter cup of cider vinegar. Credit: Thomas Merritt, Author provided

Much of the research I do involves asking how individuals, or small groups of individuals, are similar and different. Asking this question is best done with thousands of individuals. An average experiment in my lab can involve tens of thousands of flies. Imagine doing this kind of work on zebras. That's a lot of zebras. It also helps that flies grow quickly, reproduce constantly and are super easy (usually) to keep in the lab.

The second reason why we research flies is because they are strikingly similar to humans or any other animal on our planet. Because life on Earth shares a common ancestry, we have all evolved in complex and interwoven paths from a common ancestor. We share much of our genetics and almost all of our biochemistry.

Sixty to 80 per cent of genes found in humans are found in flies, and essentially all our biochemistry and metabolism is identical. So when we ask a question using flies, we can answer a question that interests us about humans.

It is this relatedness, and the ease of working with them in the lab, that have led to research on flies being the foundation of no less than four Nobel Prizes.

Ironically, as I type this there is literally a fruit flyDrosophila melanogasterwalking the lip of my coffee cup. The little devils are everywhere.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Stephanie Roh examines research data on Oneida Lake. Credit: Cornell Biological Field Station/Provided

Oneida Lake, a kissing cousin to New York's Finger Lakes, may soon get an environmental makeover due to another in a series of invasive species bringing havoc to the body's ecosystem and disturbing its recreational waters.

Invasive round gobies, bottom-feeder fish from Eurasia, appear to diminish zebra and quagga mussel populations and literally cloud the waters of the 80-square-mile lake northeast of Syracuse, New York, according to Stephanie Roh '19, a Cornell undergraduate. Roh will present her research at the Ecological Society of America's annual meeting in Portland, Oregon, Aug. 8.

"In the past two years, we have observed a decline in total mussel biomass in Oneida Lake  likely because of the rapid growth of the goby population," said Roh. "If these trends continue, we expect to see lakewide ecological changes such as decreased water clarity very soon."

Staff at the Cornell Biological Field Station at Oneida's Shackelton Point observe the lake's changing ecosystem to track the effects of invasive species and climate change.

Roh, under the supervision of Lars Rudstam, professor of natural resources, examined the waters off Shackelton Point, diving to collect rocks with small mussels on them. After laboratory work, Roh created underwater traps, each containing zebra and quagga mussels, to allow underwater predators to freely swim inside. She retrieved the traps two months later.

The zebra mussel mortality rate was 20 percent higher than the quagga's, she explained. Smaller mussels were consumed more than larger ones, suggesting that round gobies prefer the zebra mussels. "If round gobies have a stronger impact on zebra mussels than the quagga mussels, the invasion of round gobies will hasten the zebra mussel decline, allowing the quagga to dominate," Roh said.

Invasive species are nothing new for Oneida Lake. Zebra and quagga mussels themselves are invaders that significantly modify their environment by providing water clarity, transferring resources to the sedimentary lake floor, reducing chlorophyll concentrations and creating a food source for fish. But the invasive gobies become gluttonous gorgers, disrupting the lake's entire ecosystem.

While studying gobies' impact, Roh examined the growth differential between zebra and quagga mussels. Zebra mussels showed slower growth rates in deep waters, as the quagga are better adapted to Oneida's softer lake sediment.

Impacting the lake's ecosystem can be complex. Roh notes that while gobies feast on bass eggs, they increase food availability for smallmouth bass, walleye and yellow perch  increasing catch weights for sport fishers. But, the feasting fish may not be as hungry for bait, so catch rates can disappointing.

Roh, who participates in Cornell's Doris Duke Charitable Foundation scholarship program, will present her poster, "Zebra and Quagga Mussel Growth Rates and Mortality in Oneida Lake," at the meeting in Portland.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Part of Jacqueline Vickery's job is to be constantly concerned.

Vickery, an assistant professor in the University of North Texas' media arts department, isn't worried about herself. She's worried about what other people are worried about. Particularly when it comes to how society thinks about the internet and technology.

In her new book, "Worried About the Wrong Things," Vickery examines the history of how digital media has been understood by adults - and how they are afraid of how young people use digital tools. The book focuses on how, because of that fear, parents and schools have cut off access to digital media for young people in disadvantaged communities.

She said these fears often stem from people not valuing how kids use the web. Instead of trying to understand the value that young people get from working in digital spaces, "we tend to dismiss (their use of the internet) or scold them for it or try to push them in a different way instead of saying, 'What are the values of how they're using it?' " Vickery said.

Vickery said such fears come from simply not understanding advances in technology. In the book, she outlines three waves of panic associated with the internet: pornography, predators, and peers.

Parents feared their children would easily access pornography through the internet. Then, they began to fear that sexual predators could reach their children through social media. After that wave, she said, there was a panic over young people harming one another through online bullying and sexting.

Vickery said a lot of this has to do with how these events are portrayed in the news. "No one writes a story on 'Kid successfully navigates web without a problem,' you know?" Vickery said. "Like, that's boring. So unfortunately, a lot of what you hear is when something goes wrong."

Vickery cites the case of Megan Meier. In 2006, the 13-year-old committed suicide after a boy on MySpace told her "the world would be a better place without (her)." The account turned out to be run by Lori Drew, the mother of one of Meier's friends. Drew used the account to get back at Meier after she and Drew's daughter got into a disagreement.

The story helped spark a national discussion about the risks of the internet and technology. The coverage of the event led several states to write new laws focusing on online harassment.

Vickery argues that a more credible threat is the inequality in access to technology. She points to communities where kids have little access to computers and the internet outside of school. And even in school, students' access is often restricted to what the schools deems is appropriate.

"I saw a lot of missed opportunities for young people who could benefit from digital media or who may not have access outside of school," Vickery said. School "may be their primary internet access, and then it became this kind of incredibly regulated space which kind of shuts down a lot of the benefits that they would otherwise have gained."

Along with creating a privilege gap, Vickery argues the fear over technology is creating a fear of risks for young people. In the book, she differentiates between healthy risk-taking, like connecting with a new community over the web, and harmful behaviors like encountering a predator online. She worries that people in authority are making young people scared of taking any risks at all.

She uses the analogy of kids on a playground to illustrate the need for taking risks online. If a parent takes their children to play, the kids might fall and skin their knees. But that experience helps them learn what not to do.

"That's how it should be with digital media, that we help these kids take risks to assess, 'Is this risk worth taking?' " Vickery said. " 'Do I trust this? Do I not? If I get into trouble, do I know what to do, do I know who to ask? ... We just tell kids, 'Don't do it, don't take risks,' instead of, 'Hey, risks can be beneficial, they can grow payoff.' That's why we take risks with anything."

2017 The Dallas Morning News

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The "Mozilla Information Trust Initiative" comes as an automated real-time fact-checking engine developed by the Full Fact foundation was demonstrated in London

Mozilla, the non-profit which runs the Firefox internet browser, said Wednesday it was launching a drive against "fake news" as fact-checking software backed by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar got its first run-out in public.

The US-based open source group said it was "investing in people, programs and projects" in a new initiative to actively "disrupt misinformation online".

It said the "internet's ability to power democratic society suffers greatly" because of fabricated stories, such as the Pope endorsing Donald Trump for the US presidency and India's 2,000-rupee note containing a tracking device.

The Kenyan election this week has also seen both bogus BBC and CNN news reports circulating on social media.

Morzilla's innovations director Katharina Borchert told AFP that it was working on tools for Firefox and better online education with media groups, universities and tech activists.

The "Mozilla Information Trust Initiative" comes as an automated real-time fact-checking engine developed by the Full Fact foundation was demonstrated in London.

The group, which is backed by Omidyar and Hungarian-born investor and philanthropist George Soros, said its software is capable of spotting lies in real time, and was used to fact-check a live debate at the House of Commons.

Full Fact have been working with Britain's Office of National Statistics on the project, which they insisted was still very much at the test stage.

"As the proponents of propaganda and misinformation become more sophisticated in their use of technology, it is important that fact checkers do not fall behind in our fight against it," Full Fact said.

"This is an important investment in the future of fact-checking," Stephen King, of the Omidyar Network, told The Guardian newspaper.

"You only have to look at the number of initiatives that have risen up to address this challenge, either by tech companies or other organisations to see how worrying this phenomenon is to so many," Borchert added.

"Whether it's become a big enough priority is perhaps a better question," she said, arguing that it was time for rival news organisations to "rally around" to confront fake news.

 2017 AFP
Credit: Pawe Pietrukowicz

In the middle of the large Chilean Atacama desert, a team of Polish astronomers are patiently monitoring millions of celestial bodies night after night with the help of a modern robotic telescope. In 2013, the team was surprised when they discovered, in the course of their survey, stars that pulsated much faster than expected. In the following years, the team that included Dr. Marilyn Latour, an astronomer from the Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, the astronomical institute of Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg (FAU), studied these stars in more detail and concluded that they had stumbled upon a new class of variable star.

Many classes of star exhibit variations in brightness. Unlike our Sun, these stars are not stable; their surface oscillates, meaning that the surface expands and shrinks by a few percent. This is what happens in the case of the more familiar Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars, which have oscillation periods that extend over a few hours to hundreds of days.

The researchers discovered a dozen stars that seemed at first sight to show variations that were very similar to those of the Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars but have much shorter (20-40 minutes) oscillation periods and, at the same time, are much bluer in colour. This indicates that the newly identified stars are hotter and more compact. It was because of these characteristics that it was proposed to give this new class of variable stars the acronym BLAPS, i.e. Blue Large-Amplitude Pulsators. What kind of stars these were, however, remained an enigma.

The nature of the newly discovered stars

For the astronomers, these new stars posed a riddle. At first, they assumed that BLAPs could be hot dwarf stars since they have similar oscillation periods. Hot dwarf stars are old stars approaching the end of their lives. They generate their energy by means of the thermonuclear fusion of helium to form carbon. The Sun, being in an earlier phase of its life, is currently converting hydrogen to helium.

In order to find out whether BLAPs are actually hot dwarfs, the astronomers used two of their largest telescopes to make observations. They were able to capture suitable spectra of some BLAPs using the large Gemini and Magellan telescopes, both located in the Chilean Atacama desert. Latour analysed these spectra using sophisticated physical-numerical models. She was able to show that the variations in luminosity are attributable to temperature changes on the surface of the stars. The temperature of the BLAPs turned out to be five times greater than that of the Sun - something that is characteristic of hot dwarfs.

However, the BLAPs are significantly bigger than hot dwarfs, meaning that they form a new class of stars that are similar to hot dwarfs but have a more bloated envelope than the latter. Why BLAPs oscillate like Cepheids and why they are bloated remain puzzles, as does their origin. Further investigations need to be undertaken to solve the mystery of how BLAPs come into being.

More information: Pawe Pietrukowicz et al, Blue large-amplitude pulsators as a new class of variable stars, Nature Astronomy (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-017-0166 Journal information: Nature Astronomy
Figure 1. The bacterial flagellum. (A) Electron micrograph of a Salmonella cell. (B) Electron micrograph of the Salmonella flagellum. (C) Schematic diagram of the flagellum. The flagellum consists of at least three part: the basal body as a bi-directional rotary motor, the hook as a universal joint and the filament as a helical screw. Credit: Osaka University

Osaka University researchers use X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy to resolve the assembly of the export gate apparatus in Salmonella. The new details of this nanomachine are expected to clarify how bacteria infect eukaryotic cells and present new molecular targets for drug discovery.

One of the oldest nanomachines in biology is the bacterial flagellum. This apparatus is evolutionary essential, endowing onto bacteria the ability to move. The flagellum shares high similarity with another bacterial structure, the injectisome, which as the name implies is how some bacteria deliver their content to infect a host. A new study by researchers at Osaka University reveals how a specific structure in flagellum and injectisome, the export gate complex, dynamically assembles and how preventing this assembly could make bacteria innocuous. The study can be seen in PLOS Biology.

Associate Professor Tohru Minamino at the Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences has been studying the export gate complex for many years using electron microscopy. His interest in this complex is mainly in engineering new nanomachines, but he has realized the same research could have medical implications.

"There are many structural and functional similarities between the flagellar and injectisome proteins. They could make good targets for inhibiting bacterial infection," he said.

Figure 2. Model for the FliP ring structure. FliP forms a homo-hexamer. The FliO complex acts as a scaffold to bind to FliP to facilitate FliP ring formation. Credit: Osaka University

The export complex in Salmonella flagellum consists of five transmembrane proteins. These will assemble sequentially to form the export gate, beginning with the protein FliP. The export gate in Salmonella injectisome is believed to assemble similarly using five homologous proteins. Minamino shows that even though it is not a part of the gate structure, a sixth transmembrane protein, FliO, is essential to commence the gate assembly.

"FliO acts as a scaffold for FliP to form a ring structure. Without this ring, the other transmembrane proteins will not follow into the gate complex," he said.

Electron microscopy images indicated that the FliO scaffold causes FliP to form a hexamer, which allows subsequent transmembrane proteins to join the assembly. Electrostatic calculations identified which specific amino acids in FliP were critical for the FliO-FliP interactions and the FliP-FliP interactions, providing candidate targets for experimental drugs. To demonstrate that FliO is necessary for the export gate assembly and not the structure, Minamino showed that the over-expression of FliP can bypass the FliO defect and proceed to complete the export gate apparatus.

Although FliO enables FliP to form a hexamer, the FliP homologous protein in the injectisome, SpaP, forms a pentemer and a hetero-hexamer along with SpaR, the FliR homologous protein. Computational analysis suggested FliP could also take this structure.

Figure 3. Model for the assembly process of the flagellar export apparatus. The assembly of the export gate complex begins with FliP ring formation with the help of the FliO complex, followed by the assembly of FliQ, FliR, and FlhB and finally of FlhA during MS ring formation in the cytoplasmic membrane. Upon completion of the C ring structure, the cytoplasmic ATPase ring complex is formed at the flagellar base, allowing export substrates to go into the central cavity of the FliP ring complex. Credit: Osaka University

"A significant number of the FliP ring particles we analyzed could be assigned to 5-fold rotational analysis, so they could form pentamers. We are confident FliP is a good model for SpaP," said Minamino.

Identification of the first step for export gate assembly, namely the oligmerization of FliP through FliO interactions, suggests a potential way to disrupt the pathology of bacteria like Salmonella.

"Our findings suggest FliP homologues of the injectisome are promising drug targets," said Minamino.

More information: Takuma Fukumura et al. Assembly and stoichiometry of the core structure of the bacterial flagellar type III export gate complex, PLOS Biology (2017). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2002281 Journal information: PLoS Biology
Recreational and commercial fishermen catch Bocaccio rockfish (Sebastes paucispinis), which proliferate around platforms in the northeast Pacific Ocean. Credit: Donna Schroeder

When the Colorado-based oil company Venoco, Inc.founded in Carpinteria, California, more than two decades agodeclared bankruptcy last spring and ceded its offshore lease, the state of California "inherited" 50-year-old Platform Holly off the coast of Santa Barbara.

Now the state must decide how to decommission the platform, an arduous process that will require years to complete. The 2010 California Marine Resources Legacy Act provides an option for the platform substructure to remain in place as an artificial reef. The same decision will eventually need to be made for all the remaining platforms off Southern California.

To inform the decommissioning process, a team from UC Santa Barbara is partnering with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to determine the biological effects for various platform removal scenarios. The researchers will provide an analysis of the community structure and the productivity of platforms compared to surrounding soft-bottom habitats. They also will examine the changes to both habitats that would result from alternative decommissioning options.

"This project is designed to provide information to the state of California and to other stakeholders on the biological effects of complete removal versus so-called reefing options," said lead principal investigator Robert Miller, a research biologist with UCSB's Marine Science Institute. "We're not going to be making a judgment as to whether it's good or bad to leave structures out there as artificial reefs, but we are going to assess how these different decommissioning options would affect biodiversity and fish communities off our coast."

UCSB postdoctoral scholar Erin Meyer-Gutbrod will gather more than 20 years of data from past research to estimate the productivity of fish and invertebrate communities and compare platform productivity and community structure with the type of undisturbed habitat replaced by the platform.

"We want to determine whether rig structures impact species composition by diversifying the available habitat for some fishes, potentially serving as foraging or nursery oases amidst an expanse of soft-bottomed substrate," Meyer-Gutbrod said. "I will model and predict positive and negative impacts to the marine environment that could result from partial removal versus full removal of the structure."

communities associated with oil and gas platforms. This bibliography, funded by BOEM and assembled by UCSB, includes papers in referenced journals, research reports, books, book chapters, theses and dissertations. The material can be sorted by author, title, location and more than 100 keywords, and most citations include an abstract.

"If you wanted to find out what work had been done off California regarding platforms and the organisms that live around them, this bibliography will provide any scientific research ever done on platforms in the state," explained Milton Love, a research biologist with UCSB's Marine Science Institute and also a principal investigator on the research. "In fact, there are 118 such references in the Platform Science database."

Love noted that some evidence shows platforms can increase productivity for certain species of fish. "In some years at some platforms, many fish would be dead if it weren't for that platform, which implies and demonstrates that platforms can produce fish," he said. "So if the question is, 'Do these platforms increase the number of fish off California?' the answer isin general'Yes.'"

Still, the fate of Platform Holly lies in the hands of the state government, which will make the final decommissioning decision once it has sufficient information about the potential outcome of each option.

"Ultimately, society will have to make a judgment on the relative value of reefing versus complete removal," Miller said. "We're going to try and inform that process by providing information about the biological effects of the platforms on marine communities."
Jackson County gathered last Tuesday night at the Lunda Community Park for National Night Out, which is a national initiative that aims to promote police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.

The Jackson County Sheriffs Office, Black River Falls Police Department, Ho-Chunk Nation Police Department and Wisconsin State Patrol were the local police departments in attendance for the carnival, which included bouncy houses, K-9 demonstrations and good food.

For me, it is a format where members of the community can come and meet their law enforcement officers so there is not a huge wall between us and the community, Ho-Chunk Nation police chief Earl Lemieux II said.

Jackson County was one of thousands of communities that celebrated National Night Out.

It is estimated that millions of people participated in National Night Out events across the nation.

It is a good thing for the community to meet with us and us to meet with them so we are all on the same page, Jackson County Sheriff Duane Waldera said.

The event featured a good crowd, which was especially evident during the K-9 demo. Waldera noted it was very interactive and attracted a good crowd.

We tried to show them that we are just people like them, that we are just out here doing a job, Lemieux said.
Tyler Shaban '17, left, and Jailene Hidalgo '18 conduct research in the Adirondacks. Credit: Cornell University

The apparent declining moose population in New York 's Adirondack Mountains may be caused partly by tiny parasite-transmitting snails eaten by moose as they forage vegetation, according to new research presented by two Cornell undergraduate students at the annual Ecological Society of America meeting, in Portland, Oregon, Aug. 8.

"Our results show that moose foraging in areas with high soil moisture may likely encounter higher densities of gastropods  snails and slugs  which likely increases the risk of parasitic threats from deer brain worm if the snails are eaten," said Jailene Hidalgo '18. Soil moisture had a strong effect on snail abundance, while variables such as soil pH, soil temperature and habitat type made little difference.

Said Hidalgo: "Since moose make use of water areas and eat in wet, dense pine forests, they're susceptible to a large presence of gastropods that pose a greater risk of Parelaphostrongylus tenuis transmission when white-tailed deer occupy the same space."

Hidalgo and Carlos Fernandez '19 work in the laboratory of Angela Fuller, associate professor of natural resources, and leader of the New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

After being absent for more than a century, moose returned to the Adirondacks in the 1980s. The New York Wildlife Health Program  in which the Wildlife Health Lab at Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine participates  conducted surveys in 2016 on 11 live moose and 22 necropsies and concluded parasites are a major threat to the moose population. As of 2010, New York state wildlife biologists had put the Adirondack moose population at 800.

Moose populations in nearby states such as New Hampshire are declining, leading scientists in New York to investigate the apparent decline in the Adirondacks. Last spring Fuller and her colleagues published New York moose occupancy estimates through hunter surveys. Fuller and other researchers in New York are currently studying the population size of moose and aim to monitor the animals through time.

Deer and snails both host the parasite, but they themselves are unaffected by it, Hidalgo said. The parasites' eggs hatch in a deer's brain, travel through its respiratory system to the gastrointestinal tract, finally exiting through feces as worm larvae. Snails feed on the mucus membrane of the worm larvae. Foraging moose then ingest infected snails, culminating in a diseased brain and spinal cord, and occasionally death. New York wildlife pathologists have confirmed cases.

On the same project, Fernandez sought to understand the best snail and slug trapping methods to assess parasitic threats. In addition to visual tree searches, three different trap types were set up and tested: pitfall ground traps, cardboard ground traps and water bottle tree traps.

Cardboard ground traps captured three times as many snails and slugs than did the ground pitfall traps. Statistically, there was no significant difference in capture rates between the bottle traps and visual searches. "Understanding the snail population can lead to improved abundance estimates, which can be used to further assess the health of the moose population in New York," Fernandez said.

Hidalgo's poster, "Environmental Factors Influencing Gastropod Abundance: Implications of Parelaphostrongylus tenuis for Moose in the Adirondacks," will be exhibited, as will Fernandez's poster, "Gastropod Sampling Methodologies for Assessing Parasitic Threats to Moose in the Adirondacks."

More information: Nathan J. Crum et al. Estimating occupancy probability of moose using hunter survey data, The Journal of Wildlife Management (2017). DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21207 Journal information: Journal of Wildlife Management
Red squirrel with poxvirus. Credit: Wibbelt G. Leibniz-IZW

A previously unknown poxvirus causes severe disease in European red squirrels from Germany. Molecular genetic investigations revealed a new virus species in the family of Poxviridae. Results of the study are published in the scientific journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

For several years, juvenile red squirrels have been found in the greater Berlin metropolitan area with severe inflammatory lesions of hands, feet and ears without evidence of a cause. "The little squirrels cannot keep hold of anything because their tiny fingers are sticking together. The wounds are so painful that some animals die in shock," says Tanya Lenn from the Red Squirrel Sanctuary Berlin/Brandenburg, who saw many red squirrels recover after intensive care. "Despite all efforts, if they are found too late, not all animals will make it."

Some of the deceased red squirrels were submitted to the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) for pathological investigations. Wildlife pathologist Gudrun Wibbelt detected profound inflammatory skin infections in all animals complicated by secondary colonization of bacteria and yeasts. "But the most important finding in the diseased skin were oval inclusion bodies within the skin cells visible only by microscopical examination," explains Wibbelt. With the aid of electron microscopy, viral particles could be demonstrated in these inclusions in all investigated squirrels. Wibbelt reports that "shape and size of these viruses are similar to cowpox virus."

To verify this suspicion, samples were sent to the national reference laboratory for poxviruses at the Robert Koch-Institute (RKI). To their surprise, routine molecular diagnostic techniques did not produce positive results. Subsequently, Livia Schrick and Andreas Nitsche (RKI) isolated the virus. On the basis of this virus isolate, their colleagues Simon Tausch and Piotr Dabrowski decoded the whole genome of the virus. The researchers compared the genetic information of the virus with all known poxviruses. "We discovered that the Berlin Squirrelpox virus is a novel poxvirus species, as it is only remotely related to other poxviruses," says Nitsche. "The virus seems to specifically infect red squirrels, while infections in humans or pets are rather unlikely," comments Wibbelt.

Skin diseases caused by another squirrelpox virus are well known in red squirrels from Great Britain. This pathogen is partly responsible for large-scale regional extinction of red squirrels across most parts of England. The bigger grey squirrels, imported from North America into England in the 19th century, were carriers of this virus species. While they remain healthy, they shed the virus to the environment, where it can be transmitted to red squirrels. Grey squirrels are not present in Germany. Occasionally, the native red squirrels occur in colour variations from light grey to black  but can always be unmistakably recognized as red squirrels by the tiny hair tufts at the tips of their ears.

"The discovery of such a novel poxvirus is a small sensation among scientists working on poxviruses and all the more remarkable when this happens on your own doorstep," says Wibbelt.

More information: Gudrun Wibbelt et al. Berlin Squirrelpox Virus, a New Poxvirus in Red Squirrels, Berlin, Germany, Emerging Infectious Diseases (2017). DOI: 10.3201/eid2310.171008 Journal information: Emerging Infectious Diseases
Greater prairie-chickens' nest survival appears unaffected by proximity to a small wind energy facility in Nebraska. Credit: L. Powell

Wind energy development in the Great Plains is increasing, spurring concern about its potential effects on grassland birds, the most rapidly declining avian group in North America. However, a new study from The Condor: Ornithological Applications suggests that for one grassland bird species of concernthe Greater Prairie-Chickenwind energy infrastructure has little to no effect on nesting. Instead, roads and livestock grazing remain the most significant threats to its successful reproduction.

Prairie-chickens are thought to avoid tall structures such as wind turbines because they provide a perch from which raptors can hunt. To learn more, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Jocelyn Olney Harrison and her colleagues gathered data on the effects of an existing small wind energy facility (36 turbines) in Nebraska. They captured 78 female prairie-chickens at breeding sites, or leks, ranging from less than a kilometer from the wind energy facility to more than twenty kilometers away, and fitted the birds with transmitters to track them to their nests. Monitoring their nesting success and collecting data on the habitat characteristics of each nest site, they found little evidence that the wind energy facility affected nest site selection or a nest's chances of survival. Instead, vegetation characteristics, driven by land use practices such as grazing, had the greatest influence on prairie-chicken nests. Birds also avoided nesting near roads.

"When comparing previous studies to our own, it appears that the effects of wind energy facilities on prairie grouse are often site- and species-specific," says Harrison. "Therefore, it's important to consider the results of our study in the context of the size and location of the wind energy facility, as well as the prairie grouse species investigated. We suggest that livestock grazing and other grassland management practices still have the most important regional effects on Greater Prairie-Chickens, but we caution future planners to account for potential negative effects of roads on nest site placement."

Private landowners were key to completing the study, Harrison adds. "Our radio- and satellite-tagged Greater Prairie-Chickens made larger than expected movements while we were tracking them, which led us to require permission from new land owners on almost a weekly basis during our field seasons. Landowners throughout our field study area were always extremely welcoming and helpful, and genuinely interested in our work. Our project was a success due to more than 50 landowners who granted us access to their private lands."

More information: "Nest site selection and nest survival of Greater Prairie-Chickens near a wind energy facility" August 9, 2017, www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1650/CONDOR-17-51.1
Japan Display said Wednesday it would slash 3,700 jobs, or about 30 percent of its workforce, as the struggling smartphone screen maker's chief executive warned it was the "last chance" for a turnaround.

Citing intense competition, the Tokyo-based company said it would cut 3,500 positions at overseas assembly plants and another 240 jobs from its payroll in Japan.

The job cuts, which represent nearly 30 percent of the 13,100-strong workforce, are expected to save 50 billion yen ($455 million) annually, it said, adding that total restructuring costs would be about 170 billion yen.

Japan Display, born out of the 2012 merger of the liquid crystal display divisions of Hitachi, Toshiba and Sony, has been losing money for years as it lagged behind its foreign rivals while the industry shifted to new technologies.

"We find ourselves in a very regrettable situation," CEO Nobuhiro Higashiiriki told a press briefing.

"Our biggest task is to build a management system that generates profits by keeping in mind that this is our last chance to restructure," he added.

Earlier Wednesday the company said it must cut the cost of surplus production capacity.

"Therefore, JDI has determined that it must overhaul its manufacturing system to bring it in line with a changing market and reduce the level of fixed costs," it said in a statement.

Wednesday's jobs announcement came as the firm logged a net loss of 31.5 billion yen in the April-June period, nearly three times higher than its shortfall in the same quarter a year earlier.

The group also expects to book a full-year operating loss due to heavier development costs to cope with growing demand for light-emitting OLED displays.

The company was slow to enter the market for OLED screens, which are more flexible than LCD screens and boast a sharper image.

"We have decided to make a strategic change as we would have no future in the smartphone business without OLED," the firm's CEO said.

The group is testing a new OLED panel but mass production will not begin until 2019, he added.

South Korea's Samsung is leading in OLED mass production, with another South Korean group, LG, trying to catch up.

OLED screens are increasingly becoming the preferred choice in high-end smartphones and Apple is rumoured to be planning a switch to OLED technology for its new iPhone, which is being launched this year.

Japan Display, which has factories in Japan and elsewhere in Asia, supplies screens to Apple and China's Huawei.

Public-private Innovation Network Corp of Japan is its top shareholder with a stake of more than one-third.

 2017 AFP
Credit: American Chemical Society

As antibiotic resistance rises and fears over superbugs grow, scientists are looking for new treatment options. One area of focus is antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which could someday be an alternative to currently prescribed antibiotics, many of which are becoming increasingly useless against some bacteria. Now, a team reports in ACS Chemical Biology that they have improved the antimicrobialand anticancerproperties of an AMP from a spider.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 million people become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the U.S. each year. Because no known antibiotics work against these bacteria, patients simply have to hope that their natural defenses eventually overcome the infection. But some patients experience severe symptoms, landing them in a hospital, and in extreme cases, they could die. Researchers are trying to find alternatives to traditional antibiotics, and one such possibility is a group of peptides called AMPs. These peptides are found in all plants and animals as a type of immune response and have been shown to be potent antibiotics in the laboratory. Gomesin, an AMP from the Brazilian spider Acanthoscurria gomesiana can function as an antibiotic, but it also has anticancer activity. When gomesin was synthesized as a circle instead of as a linear structure, these characteristics were enhanced. Sonia Troeira Henriques and colleagues wanted to further boost the peptide's traits.

The team made several variations of the cyclic gomesin peptide and found that some of these were 10 times better at killing most bacteria than the previously reported cyclic form. In other experiments, the new AMPs specifically killed melanoma and leukemia cells, but not breast, gastric, cervical or epithelial cancer cells. The researchers determined that the modified peptides killed bacteria and cancer cells in a similar wayby disrupting the cells' membranes. The group also notes that the modified AMPs were non-toxic to healthy blood cells.

More information: Sonia Troeira Henriques et al. Redesigned Spider Peptide with Improved Antimicrobial and Anticancer Properties, ACS Chemical Biology (2017). DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.7b00459 Abstract

Gomesin, a disulfide-rich antimicrobial peptide produced by the Brazilian spider Acanthoscurria gomesiana, has been shown to be potent against Gram-negative bacteria and to possess selective anticancer properties against melanoma cells. In a recent study, a backbone cyclized analogue of gomesin was shown to be as active but more stable than its native form. In the current study, we were interested in improving the antimicrobial properties of the cyclic gomesin, understanding its selectivity toward melanoma cells and elucidating its antimicrobial and anticancer mode of action. Rationally designed analogues of cyclic gomesin were examined for their antimicrobial potency, selectivity toward cancer cells, membrane-binding affinity, and ability to disrupt cell and model membranes. We improved the activity of cyclic gomesin by 10-fold against tested Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria without increasing toxicity to human red blood cells. In addition, we showed that gomesin and its analogues are more toxic toward melanoma and leukemia cells than toward red blood cells and act by selectively targeting and disrupting cancer cell membranes. Preference toward some cancer types is likely dependent on their different cell membrane properties. Our findings highlight the potential of peptides as antimicrobial and anticancer leads and the importance of selectively targeting cancer cell membranes for drug development. Journal information: ACS Chemical Biology
Evidence in a new research report published today shows that the government of Uzbekistan acted as an organised crime network, with state agencies conducting racketeering activity that benefited political heiress Gulnara Karimova, the elder daughter of Islam Karimov, the leader of Uzbekistan from 1989 to his death in 2016.

The findings are published by the International State Crime Initiative, based at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), in a report called "A Dance with the Cobra': Confronting Grand Corruption in Uzbekistan."

The report finds that the government helped solicit bribes from telecommunications firms owned by Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, and German interests. Assets derived from the telecommunications protection racket, totaling over $850 million, are currently the target of U.S. Department of Justice forfeiture proceedings initiated in 2016.

Professor Penny Green, Director of the International State Crime Initiative at QMUL, said: "This report reveals the transnational nature of corruption and the intimate role Western jurisdictions play in supporting and protecting some of the worst state organised crime rackets operating today."

The report details how foreign corporations and banks including Citibank, Coca-Cola, Standard Chartered, Lombard Odier, and others were implicated in the racketeering scheme, which led to significant sums of money being laundered through proxy companies - typically incorporated in British Overseas Territories. The researchers describe how these offshore corporations handled suspicious transactions worth tens of millions of dollars for Karimova, even after Karimova's illicit activities were first exposed in 2003 and 2004.

Professor Kristian Lasslett, author of the report and Executive Board member of the International State Crime Initiative said: "Evidence strongly suggests that Karimova oversaw a highly-organised syndicate whose racketeering operations were enacted through Uzbekistan's executive, judiciary, and national security branches, each of which acted as the syndicate's teeth. The Uzbek government remains systemically corrupt, and the evidence in this report suggests that certain Western actors, were aware of, if not wholly complicit in, the ugly reality of Karimova's schemes."

The report illustrates that state corruption in Uzbekistan was not limited to a few top government officials - but rather that the corruption is systemic and systematic, running through every level of government. The researchers argue that many of the fixers, envoys, advisers and managers in M. Karimova's criminal syndicate were senior officials in the state political and security apparatus, and have continued to be appointed to top posts within the Uzbek government since the scandal became public.

More information: The full report is available here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/u4u87kd7pqptvc5/ISCI_FullReport.pdf?dl=0
Rumors have been circulating that Uber's former chief executive, Travis Kalanick, is angling for a return to the helm of the ride-hailing company.

Now, it seems, Uber co-founder and board member Garrett Camp wants to lay those rumors to rest.

"Our CEO search is the board's top priority," Camp wrote in a Monday email to staffers, which was obtained by Recode. "It's time for a new chapter and the right leader for our next phase of growth. Despite rumors I'm sure you've seen in the news, Travis is not returning as CEO. We are committed to hiring a new world class CEO to lead Uber."

Recode reported last week that Kalanick, who is still on Uber's board, was telling people he was "Steve Jobs-ing it" - a reference to the Apple co-founder who was ousted from his company but later made a triumphant return.

Uber declined to comment Tuesday on the hiring process and on the report about Camp's email.

Kalanick resigned as CEO in June after a spate of high-profile scandals, and it's not yet clear who will fill his shoes.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise CEO Meg Whitman was floated as a candidate, but she announced in late July that she would not take the job.

Uber board members have whittled the list of potential chief executives to three candidates - all men, departing General Electric chief Jeff Immelt among them - according to a Washington Post report that said the board is expected to make a decision before Labor Day.

Uber is no stranger to controversy, having sparred with regulators, fought lawsuits from disgruntled drivers and been accused by competitors of playing dirty. Kalanick, who co-founded Uber with Camp, was credited for its success and was long seen as untouchable.

But the relentless string of scandals that erupted this year proved too much even for him.

Former Uber engineer Susan Fowler wrote a blog post in February accusing the company of systemic sexual harassment and cover-ups. Video emerged showing Kalanick berating an Uber driver. A former executive was accused of violating a passenger's privacy by mishandling her medical records. The company was sued by Google's self-driving vehicle arm, which accused Uber of stealing its trade secrets. An independent investigation into the company's culture commissioned by Uber's board resulted in 20 terminations and the recommendation that the company take away some responsibilities from Kalanick.

Kalanick resigned under pressure from investors, who believed Uber would not be able to turn over a new leaf with him still at the helm. A team of executives who once reported directly to Kalanick are now running the company while it searches for a new chief executive.

2017 Los Angeles Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Klebsiella pneumoniae growing in the microfluidic chip imaged in phase contrast. The bacteria are 0.003mm long and divide every 30 min. Credit: Ozden Baltekina, et al

Researchers at Uppsala University have developed a new method for very rapidly determining whether infection-causing bacteria are resistant or susceptible to antibiotics. The findings have now been published in the U.S. journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Antibiotic resistance is a growing medical problem that threatens human health globally. One important contributory factor in the development of resistance is the incorrect use of antibiotics for treatment. Researchers therefore seek reliable methods to quickly and easily identify bacterial resistance patterns, known as antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST), and provide early treatment, i.e. right from the doctor's appointment. This has been inhibited by the current time-consuming antibiotic resistance tests. Now, researchers at Uppsala have, for the first time, developed an antibiotic resistance test that is fast enough to inform antibiotic choice in the doctor's office. The test is primarily intended for urinary tract infectionsa condition that, globally, affects approximately 100 million women a year and accounts for 25 per cent of antibiotic use in Sweden.

"We've developed a new method that allows determination of bacterial resistance patterns in urinary tract infections in 10 to 30 minutes. By comparison, the resistance determination currently in use requires one to two days. The rapid test is based on a new plastic microfluidic chip where the bacteria are trapped and methods for analysing bacterial growth at single-cell level," says PhD student Ozden Baltekin, who performed most of the experimental work.

A movie of Klebsiella pneumoniae growing in the microfluidic chip imaged in phase contrast. The bacteria are 0.003mm long and divide every 30 min. Credit: Ozden Baltekina, et al

The "fASTest" method is based on sensitive optical and analytical techniques developed to study the behaviour of individual bacteria. Monitoring whether individual bacteria grow in the presence of antibiotics (i.e. are resistant) reveals their resistance or susceptibility within a few minutes.

"It's great that the research methods we developed to address fundamental questions in molecular biology are useful for such a tremendously important medical application," says Johan Elf, one of the researchers behind the study.

The detection method is now being developed by an Uppsala company, Astrego Diagnostics AB, into a user-friendly product. The company expects to have an automated test for urinary tract infections within a few years.

Figure 1 A. Overall workflow for fast AST B. Individual cells are sucked into the cell channels where they get stuck at the 300 nm constriction at the end(inset) C1. One row of 2000 cell channels are treated with an antibiotic and the other row is used as a reference. C2. Growth in one individual cell channel without antibiotic (left) and one with antibiotic (right) monitored over time (x-axis) as observed with phase contrast microscopy. C3. Length extension over time as determined for cells in 1600 individual cell channels without antibiotic (left) and with antibiotic (right). C4 Average growth rates for the bacteria in C3 together with 99.9% SEM and population standard deviation D. The average growth rate and 99.9% SEM for susceptible bacteria exposed to one of of nine different antibiotics (colors), normalized to the growth rate in the non-treated reference channels. Only data from one typical references channel is displayed(gray). dots indicate when the growth rate has dropped below untreated reference with 99.9% probability. Credit: Johan Elf

"The hope is that, in future, the method could be used in hospitals and health centres to quickly provide correct treatment and reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics," says Dan Andersson, one of the researchers behind the study.

"We believe the method is usable for other types of infection, such as blood infections where prompt, correct choice of antibiotic is critical to the patient."
Badly shaken over a flood of female founders accusing investors of sexual harassment, Silicon Valley's venture capital community is searching for a new kind of pitch - one that will end unwanted workplace come-ons, groping and off-color jokes.

Investors and entrepreneurs are crowdsourcing solutions, launching startups and creating online tools to tackle the issue. At least three groups, including prestigious Mountain View-based startup accelerator Y Combinator, are compiling blacklists of bad actors by inviting founders to file complaints online. Another startup is working on an online platform to provide resources and legal help to sexual harassment victims, while a group of venture capitalists is drafting a universal code of conduct for investors.

"What everyone's looking for right now is tangible, actionable steps for what's next, and I think that's what we're providing." said Lisa Wang, co-founder of SheWorx, a global community of female founders. Wang, who has been the victim of discrimination and harassment herself - from VCs assuming she was a male colleague's assistant, to an investor propositioning her during a business discussion - recently posted a form on the SheWorx website where women can report inappropriate behavior.

The push for a solution comes after more than a dozen women came forward to accuse VCs of sexual harassment in recent weeks, allegations that have cost several investors their jobs. Binary Capital founder Justin Caldbeck resigned in June after six women accused him of making unwelcome advances ranging from late-night texts to groping. A week later, 500 Startups founder Dave McClure resigned after publicly apologizing for coming on to multiple women in work-related settings. And last month, Frank Artale, a Seattle-based managing director at Ignition Partners, resigned after he was accused of misconduct. Earlier this month Greylock revealed that the firm's chief operating officer, Tom Frangione, resigned in July over what a spokeswoman called "behavior which would represent a significant lapse of judgment." The claims were internal and did not involve a founder.

Online resources and reporting tools can be helpful for women who don't know who to turn to when they are harassed, but they're only the first step in solving the broader problem, said San Francisco-based employment attorney Menaka Fernando.

"At the end of the day, this problem is not going to go away," she said, "until companies, CEOs in tech and elsewhere, VC firms, can look inward and are able to understand that this is a problem that they have and that they need to make it a priority."

Stamping out sexual harassment has become the top priority of the National Venture Capital Association, said NVCA President and CEO Bobby Franklin. The NVCA earlier this month took the unusual step of holding a special board meeting to address the issue - the first time the association has called an unscheduled meeting in at least 10 years.

"We are spending lots of time and attention on this," Franklin said.

The NVCA last month put out a public call for suggestions, and since then has received dozens of responses, Franklin said. At this month's meeting, the board agreed to seek expert input on those ideas, and pursue partnerships with organizations who want to be involved, such as the Institutional Limited Partners Association.

But some experts wonder whether the industry - in which just 11 percent of investing partners are women, according to an NVCA study - is going far enough to prevent sexual harassment between VCs and founders. Many venture capital firms have policies that don't specifically cover inappropriate behavior between founders and VCs, because founders aren't the VC firms' employees. That means the harassment can fall into a gray area, without clear reporting channels or recourse for founders.

"It's against the law, and especially because it's turned out to be such a rampant issue, it should absolutely be part of their policies and their training," Fernando said.

BetterBrave, a new San Francisco-based startup, in July launched an online platform designed to better inform sexual harassment victims of their options. Users can find information about what behaviors qualify as harassment, a guide on what to do if they've been harassed, or they can connect with a vetted employment lawyer for a free consultation.

"If you talk to the targets of harassment, they're almost always unsure of what to do or who to talk to," said co-founder Grace Choi.

Meanwhile, the recent slew of sexual harassment scandals prompted one group of seven female entrepreneurs to create Fair Funders - a platform where founders rate and review investors.

"They don't have to go waste time pitching to investors who won't give us fair treatment," said Mountain View-based founder Layla Sabourian, who hopes to launch the platform publicly in about a month.

Sabourian could have used that type of feedback to weed out biased investors when fundraising for education tech startup Chef Koochooloo. When investors found out Sabourian was a mother, she says they often doubted her commitment to her startup and asked questions such as - which did she love more, her company or her kids?

Other initiatives have come from inside the VC industry.

More than a dozen venture capitalists, led by Matt Ocko of Data Collective, have spent more than two years working on a code of conduct for investors. Norwest Venture Partners, which has offices in Palo Alto and San Francisco, has started sending anonymous surveys to each entrepreneur Norwest investors interact with, inviting them to report adverse experiences.

Y Combinator does something similar. The accelerator recently sent an email to founders with the subject line "Please report investors acting inappropriately," and a link to an online form to submit feedback and complaints of sexual harassment and discrimination, according to an entrepreneur who received the memo.

But in an era when one tweet can destroy a VC's reputation, how should these sexual harassment complaints to Y Combinator or SheWorx be handled? The groups have different ideas, but so far neither is using their blacklists to publicly shame investors.

Instead, YC, which holds twice-yearly Demo Days, says its goal is to potentially exclude misbehaving investors from events.

Meanwhile, SheWorx is looking for patterns in its growing database of bad actors. The group hopes to pinpoint founders who have accused the same investor of harassment, and then connect those founders to each other, and maybe to a reporter - the idea is that women will feel more comfortable speaking out if they aren't alone, said Wang.

Even so, some industry experts worry about the harm unsubstantiated accusations could cause. Bay Area investor Ben Narasin, formerly of Canvas Ventures, called the blacklists a "terrible idea" ripe with the potential for abuse.

"It's McCarthyism," he said. "It sounds like an enormously dangerous step down a dystopian path."

2017 The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Wisconsins state legislature has yet to pass a budget for this year and those hang ups have left school districts up in the air.

There are some important provisions in the budget that districts need to know before they can confidently pass their own budgets.

The state has offered the idea of a per pupil increase to school funding that would help a lot of smaller districts, but theres also a suggestion to make school districts pay 12 percent of health insurance premiums.

Hopefully the per pupil increase stays, Melrose-Mindoro superintendent Del DeBerg said. It could change overnight though.

DeBerg has presented a rough budget in the past few school board meetings, but stresses it isnt final until they know what help they will get from the state.

Shelly Severson, the superintendent for the Black River Falls School District, is operating with a similar mindset in hand as the school prepares to bring students back in.

Budget years really complicate things for us, Severson said.

For per pupil aid, the recommendation is to increase it from $250 to $450 per student and that extra $200 could mean big things for school districts.

Provisions for transportation aid are also included in the bill which would bolster the more rural schools throughout the state and in Jackson County.

There are a number of other suggestions like mental health initiatives, early college credit and teacher development programs that are important for school districts to know and have an idea of what theyre working with.

Were already operating so its a challenge, DeBerg said.

That is the challenge some school districts have been presented with, heading into the school year unsure of what their total operating budget will be.

School finances have to be done in July so were already operating under the budget, Severson said.

DeBerg said hes been in contact with the local representatives to express his support for some recommendations and to keep an eye out as to whats happening.

Mel-Min also keeps in touch with a school administration lobbyist who has been keeping the school updated.

We are ready for any changes to the budget, DeBerg said. No matter what happens well provide a top notch education to the students.

BRF has set itself up similarly to weather any storm the budget may present to the school, Severson said they have a safety net in place for any drastic changes.

We took a pretty conservative view and we have that safety net to get us through this year, but that would leave us with some tough conversations next year, Severson said.

If school districts were to see a dramatic drop in funding, it would force the BRF school board to consider some difficult cuts.

Severson and DeBerg are both confident their school is ready for any changes, but definite answers would be appreciated.

Things are definitely worse when the state is late and the wait continues to lengthen, Severson said.
In the first of a series on good property buys, we look at this citys hipster HQ

By Nathan Brooker

Bullish attitude is scarce among property investors. Globally, we seem to be in a period of sluggish growth and low returns, so is anywhere a good buy? In the first of a new series, we dig around in those locations that still have a bit of buzz about them and try to find out whether they deserve it.

Woodstock is a suburb of Cape Town between Devils Peak and the docks of Table Bay. It used to be a fishing village called Papendorp, then it was called New Brighton for a time, but the name didnt stick. Since 1867, its been Woodstock.

During apartheid, Woodstock escaped the large-scale segregation that took place in neighbouring suburbs such as District Six, where thousands of families were evicted and their homes demolished.

By the late 1990s, Woodstock was looking pretty rundown. Areas such as Gympie Street became associated with prostitution and drug-related crime. So why are investors getting excited about it?

Because then came the hipsters, says Anne Porter at Knight Frank. Investment and redevelopment of former industrial spaces brought in younger creative types who took advantage of the relatively low property costs. Today, the unofficial hipster HQ is the Old Biscuit Mill on Albert Road, which has been home to a popular Saturday market since 2006.

The Old Biscuit Mill market

Gentrification has helped house prices in Woodstock to rocket in recent years, much to the consternation of some locals. First National Bank calculates that, in the citys near-eastern suburbs, which include Woodstock, values have risen 92.6 per cent in five years.

Yet local agents still tip Woodstock for growth. Partly this is because, relatively speaking, Woodstock is still very cheap  as low as R1,050 per square foot (about $80), according to Porter. Partly it is because other areas of Cape Town have risen even more sharply. Homes on the Atlantic seaboard have risen more than 143 per cent since 2012, according to FNB. And partly because Woodstock is the last remaining inner-city area available for redevelopment and benefits under the Urban Development Tax Incentive scheme.

The incentives can be applied to the cost of erecting, extending or improving an entire building, or part of a building measuring more than 1,000 sq m, or to the purchase of a building directly from a developer, provided that certain requirements are met. It has proved popular with investors, says Porter. The allowance results in a reduction in taxable income and can also create an assessed loss, which can be carried forward against future taxable income.

Its not all good news for investors, though. While house prices have exploded in Woodstock in the past 15 years  up around 569 per cent, according to FNB  growth seems to be slowing. In Q2 2017, year-on-year growth in the near-eastern suburbs stood at 14.7 per cent, which, admittedly, is still very strong. But it is a considerable slowdown from the 18.4 per cent year-on-year growth posted in Q3 2016.

Not all of Woodstock is gentrified, and certain pockets can still look and feel shabby. Crime in Cape Town is also a consideration. The city has a murder rate of 60.77 per 100,000, which is higher than Johannesburg and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, both former contenders for murder capital of the world.

For Porter and many of the people who live in Woodstock crime is not such a big deal locally. Petty, opportunistic crime occasionally occurs, she says, but this is a universal issue.

These days, Porter points to the residential area of Upper Woodstock (between Main Road and Nelson Mandela Boulevard) as being particularly sought after. Many of these Victorian properties have retained their original character, she says, and some, such as those on Balfour, Chamberlain and Salisbury Streets have excellent harbour or mountain views.

Photographs: Nasief Manie/Foto24/Gallo Images/Getty Images; M Sobreira/Alamy; Jeff Greenberg/Alamy
Human rights groups said Tuesday that an activist supporting the Mapuche indigenous group in Argentina who went missing a week ago has been "forcibly disappeared" by military police. Santiago Maldonado, 27, was detained by state forces after joining in a Mapuche protest march, campaign groups including the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo said. The Grandmothers have campaigned for decades for the victims of the country's 1976-1983 dictatorship. Ex-military leaders from that era have been convicted of deaths and disappearances under the regime. "It is tragic that in this, our country's longest ever period of democracy, we should have to report the forced disappearance of a person," the president of the Grandmothers, Estela de Carlotto, told a news conference. Norma Rios, president of the Permanent Assembly of Human Rights, added: "This is clearly the forced disappearance of a person by a state entity." The groups called for a demonstration on Friday to demand Maldonado be released alive. He is said to have last been seen being put into a military police vehicle by officers who broke up a demonstration in the southern province of Chubut. The demonstrators had been demanding the release of a jailed Mapuche leader. Maldonado moved from the Buenos Aires area to Chubut last year. The Mapuche are considered the earliest inhabitants of parts of Argentina and Chile. Their numbers were reduced after the Spanish conquest and subsequent independence of the countries. They have since pursued historical claims against the authorities for territory and rights. A small Mapuche community in Chubut is claiming territory in an area of land bought by Italian fashion magnate Luciano Benetton.
An Eritrean priest once in the running for the Nobel Peace Prize for helping migrants is now under investigation in Italy on suspicion of abetting illegal immigration. "I received a letter from the Trapani public prosecutor's office on Monday informing me of the investigation," Mussie Zerai told AFP in Rome, insisting that he was innocent. After fleeing Eritrea as a youngster and arriving in Italy alone aged 16, Zerai entered the seminary aged 45 and became a reference point for migrants in distress for a period of almost 15 years. For a long time, his was the only telephone number many had to call for emergency assistance. Don Mose would sometimes receive dozens of calls for help per day, mostly from migrants in distress calling from a satellite phone from their rickety vessels at sea. He would transmit the coordinates of the stricken boats to the Italian coast guard but also sometimes to the privately-run rescue ships known to be in the vicinity. That is likely the reason his name ended up in a probe Trapani prosecutors have opened into illegal immigration which focuses largely on the roles played in migrant rescues by the privately-funded NGOs. The investigation lead to the seizure last week of a boat run by German NGO Jugend Rettet, which is accused of having had direct contact with traffickers off the coast of Libya. "It's totally contradictory to attack the humanitarian organisations to fight illegal immigration. It's like protesting against diseases by taking it out on the doctors," Zerai said. "Instead we should tackle the causes of the disease (illegal immigration), which make these people desperate enough to risk their lives at sea," he added. He referred in particular to the plight of hundreds of thousands of people trapped in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Uganda, with barely enough food and water to survive and little hope of a better future. "There is a famine going on in the Horn of Africa, the dictatorship, the war ... there will always be refugees, you cannot just tell them 'don't come, keep your suffering away from us'. "Africans also have the right to live and have a future," he said.
By Doina Chiacu, Idrees Ali and Christine Kim WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea is working on plans for a missile strike near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, calling President Donald Trump's warning of "fire and fury" a "load of nonsense" and that only "absolute force can work on him." Pyongyang's state-run KCNA news agency issued an update on its strike plans after Trump's incendiary comments on Tuesday that threats to the United States from Pyongyang would be met with "fire and fury." Trump's unexpected remarks prompted North Korea to say it was considering plans to fire four intermediate-range missiles to land 30-40 kilometres (18-25 miles) from Guam, home to about 163,000 people and a U.S. military base that includes a submarine squadron, an air base and a Coast Guard group. The army will complete its plans in mid-August, ready for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's order, KCNA said on Wednesday, citing General Kim Rak Gyom, commander of the Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army. The news agency said Trump "let out a load of nonsense about 'fire and fury'," adding "sound dialogue is not possible with such a guy bereft of reason and only absolute force can work on him." On global markets, the strong rhetoric and sharp increase in tensions drove investors out of stocks and other risky assets on Wednesday and into textbook safe havens like gold and Treasuries. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued a stark warning earlier on Wednesday, telling Pyongyang the United States and its allies would win any arms race or conflict. "The DPRK should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people," Mattis said in a statement, using the acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The United States and South Korea remain technically still at war with North Korea after the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty. North Korea regularly threatens to destroy the United States. BOASTS ABOUT POWER Tension in the region has risen since North Korea carried out two nuclear bomb tests last year and two intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July. Trump has said he will not allow Pyongyang to develop a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States. On Wednesday, Trump followed up his "fire and fury" warning with a boast about U.S. nuclear capabilities. "My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before," Trump tweeted. "Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!" Trump's "fire and fury" remarks prompted warnings from U.S. officials and analysts not to engage in rhetorical games with Pyongyang. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was in Guam on a previously scheduled visit, played down the rhetoric, saying he did not believe there was an imminent threat from North Korea and "Americans should sleep well at night." Trump's "fire and fury" warning was meant to send a "strong message to North Korea in language that (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language," Tillerson said. GUAM THREAT Earlier on Wednesday, Guam Governor Eddie Calvo dismissed the threat and said the island was prepared for "any eventuality" with strategically placed defences. He said he had been in touch with the White House and there was no change in the threat level. North Korea, pursuing missile and nuclear weapons programs in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions, accuses the Washington of devising a "preventive war" and has said any plans to execute this would be met with an "all-out war, wiping out all the strongholds of enemies, including the U.S. mainland." Washington has warned it is ready to use force if needed to stop North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs but that it prefers global diplomatic action, including sanctions. The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Saturday. U.S military officials played down the potential for military conflict. Three U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States had not moved additional assets into the region after North Korea's threats against Guam. "Just because the rhetoric goes up, doesn't mean our posture changes," one official said. "The only time our posture goes up is based on facts, not because of what Kim and Trump say to each other," the official added. While Trump said the nuclear arsenal was more powerful than ever before, U.S. officials say it takes decades to actually modernize nuclear weapons. Trump signed an executive order in January to initiate a review of the country's nuclear policy. "COMPLEX AND SENSITIVE" A senior administration official who deals with the Korea issue said the "fire and fury" comment, which was Trump's strongest warning yet for North Korea, was "unplanned and spontaneous. "There had not been any discussions about escalating the rhetoric in response to Kims statements or about the possible effects of doing that," the official said. But White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters national security officials had been aware of the tone of Trump's message before he gave it. "The words were his own. The tone and strength of the message were discussed beforehand," Sanders said. Critics included fellow Republican John McCain, head of the Armed Forces Committee in the U.S. Senate, who said Trump should tread cautiously. "You've got to be sure you can do what you say youre going to do," McCain said in a radio interview. Democratic Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the committee, said Trump's words were counterproductive. "Defusing the North Korea threat will take smart, steady leadership and stronger diplomatic ties with our key allies," Reed said. Republican Senator Cory Gardner said the administration needed to lean on China, North Korea's closest ally, using sanctions. "Its time to hold China accountable for their refusal to shut off trade with North Korea," Gardner said. China, despite its anger at Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programs, described the situation as "complex and sensitive," and urged calm and a return to talks. "China calls on all sides to uphold the main direction of a political resolution to the Korean peninsula nuclear issue, and avoid any words or actions that may intensify the problem and escalate the situation," the government said in a statement sent to Reuters, repeating its customary stance. (Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Susan Heavey and John Walcott in Washington, Soyoung Kim in Seoul, Amy Miyazaki, Linda Sieg and Tim Kelly in Tokyo, Philip Wen in Dandong and Martin Petty in Manila; Writing by Lincoln Feast, Doina Chiacu, Frances Kerry and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Alistair Bell and James Dalgleish)
Slam City Skates caught up with Walton-on-the-Nazes favourite son Ben Raemers to talk Volcom missions, skating for enjoi, watching Daan Van Der Linden blowing minds and spinning 5s and losing at Connect 4 to Rob Mathieson amongst other things.

Click on the portrait below by Jacob Sawyer to be taken through, then keep eyes peeled for more info on the briefly mentioned enjoi UK tour coming up later in the year

My bank card was inside my passport in my back pocket. I got to Walgreens and realised I had somehow lost both of them on the two minute walk there. Then I was completely fucked.
UK Indoor Skatepark Spot Check 2  Spit & Sawdust skatepark, Cardiff

We ventured over the mystical Wales for the second of our ongoing series of Indoor Skatepark Spot Checks to pay Christian Pirate Man Hart and his small but perfectly formed Spit & Sawdust park a visit.

Now firmly established as one of the best indoor skateparks in Wales, not to mention one of the friendliest and tastiest, thanks to their excellent cafe  Spit and Sawdust is well worth a trip for any kind of skater.

We hooked up with a gaggle of locals and not-so-local Bristol heads for an evenings sesh not so long ago, the results of which you can see below.

Youll find all the info youll need below  go pay a visit.

Spit and Sawdust Skatepark

Rhymney River Bridge Rd,

Unit B,

Cardiff

CF23 9AF

Phone: 02920 494741

Facebook: facebook.com/spitandsawdust

Spit and Sawdust is a small but perfectly formed indoor wooden skatepark on the outskirts of Cardiff city centre. Owned and run by skateboarders, Spit and Sawdust is also celebrated for the excellent home-cooked food served there, their licensed bar and their skateboard magazine/video chill out area.

Main man Christian Pirate Man Hart is pretty much the nicest human you could hope to encounter and will go out of his way to make sure you have a good time in the park.

Layout-wise, Spit and Sawdust combines a small but fun mini ramp with an extensive street area populated with moveable obstacles and with banks and transition lining the walls of the building.

Spit and Sawdust also cater for parties and events and hold regular jams and demos.

Go visit and tell the Pirate that we sent you.

For more information  go to their Facebook: facebook.com/spitandsawdust.

Scroll down to see a map of the skateparks location.



UK Indoor Skatepark Spot Check Spit and Sawdust Cardiff
No matter who you are, money talks. But its not just the salary figure that employees look at when evaluating job opportunities. Financial perks and benefits, or a lack thereof, often come into play.

Benefits Benefit Everyone

A few years ago, when unemployment numbers were high and the job market was slow moving, benefits packages took a hit. Employers didnt have much practical motivation for luring and enticing candidates with attractive perks. After all, a job offer alone was enough to get people excited. But today, with business thriving, benefits packages are once again valuable in enticing candidates to accept job offers. And beyond that, they keep employees engaged and allow organizations to motivate and retain top talent for much longer periods of time.

According to a recent survey from Glassdoor, 60 percent of candidates report that perks and benefits are a major factor in their decision to take a job offer. Even more noteworthy is the fact that 80 percent of employees would rather get additional benefits than a pay raise.

Small businesses and companies with tight budgets often feel like they dont have much to offer in terms of benefits. After all, not everyone can afford to follow Silicon Valley trends like putting massage chairs in reception areas and replacing elevators with slides. But you might be surprised to learn that these arent the perks employees even want.

Employees want perks that are practical and rewarding. As the Glassdoor survey shows, this includes things like flextime and unlimited vacation. But it also includes practical financial perks.

Best Financial Perks and Benefits for Employees

You dont have to give out pay raises to financially lure and retain top talent. There are plenty of other cost-effective, tax-friendly perks that are mutually beneficial. Lets highlight a few options that you may consider.

1. Offer HAS Contributions

Did you know that you can set up Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) for your employees? If youre unfamiliar with HSAs, theyre essentially savings accounts that are funded using pre-tax income and used to pay for qualifying medical expenses.

In addition to the tax-exempt funds, a HSA can also be maintained for years, Boost Health Insurance points out. That means that if you dont withdraw those funds, your HSA can continue to grow, year over year. That tax-free money can also accrue interest, or even be used to invest in mutual funds.

As an employer, you can help employees set up HSAs and even make regular contributions to them. Youll have to study the annual limits to understand how much you can contribute, but these calculations can be handled pretty effortlessly.

Its also important to note that HSAs are set up in the name of the employee, which means you dont control how the funds are spent. And if an employee leaves, the account goes with them. Just something to keep in mind.

2. Offer 401(k) Match Programs

For employees in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, retirement benefits are very attractive. And while you can automatically enroll employees into a 401(k) program, take things a step further by offering to match their contributions.

A dollar-for-dollar match up to a certain percentage point  usually 6 to 9 percent of their salary  is a huge perk. Now, instead of contributing $6,000 a year to a 401(k), the employee knows shes getting a $12,000 contribution. That little boost can enhance a retirement portfolio by hundreds of thousands of dollars down the road.

Educate your employees on the power of compounding interest and use a competitive matching program to entice and retain them.

3. Pay Off Student Loan Debt

Helping employees save for retirement is great, but not every employee is as focused on this long-term goal as they should be. Instead, helping them accomplish short-term goals may be more enticing.

If youre triaging immediate needs, newly-graduated students arent focused on saving for some nebulous retirement event at 62; they are focusing on paying off their student loans, says Jenny Chou, chief strategy officer at student lender Darien Rowayton Bank.

One option is to match payments like in a 401(k) program. For example, you can offer to match the first 5 percent of annual student loan payments an employee makes beyond the minimum. Another choice is to help them refinance. With the proper guidance, you could help your employees save thousands of dollars per year  something theyll be eternally grateful for. Better yet, some companies promise to pay off a certain dollar amount for every year the employee is with the company.

4. Offer Credit Assistance

Americans arent very good at handling credit. This has become quite evident over the past couple of decades. If your employees are indicative of the average, then you probably have a number of individuals on your payroll who have poor credit. One perk that may be enticing is free credit assistance and monitoring.

From your perspective, credit monitoring services are defined by the IRS as a form of identify theft protection, which makes them non-taxable. This makes it a savvy choice on both ends.

5. Provide Personalized Financial Guidance

The fact that Americans have such poor credit scores speaks to the financial illiteracy of todays consumers. Most people havent received much financial guidance from parents and peers and, therefore, dont know what it looks like to be smart with their money.

While its technically only your job to pay employees, many would appreciate you taking the time to help them get on the right path. Optional financial guidance is a really good perk to offer. You may even want to hire a financial guidance counselor for your team.

See Also: 8 Helpful Places to Find Potential Employees

Some of the different topics to help your employees with include: personal budgeting, savings techniques, investing strategies, retirement planning, debt repayment, and home buying.

6. Give Childcare Discounts

Childcare is one of the biggest issues new parents face after the birth of a child. In many cases, the cost of childcare is such a large percentage of a persons income that they decide to quit the job and stay at home. Others are forced to look for better paying jobs. You might not be able to provide onsite childcare, but you can help out in other ways.

Facebook, for example, offers four months of paid leave to new parents, as well as $4,000 in cash to help offset expenses. Other companies give monthly childcare stipends, or work out deals with local daycare facilities for discounted rates. Could you do something similar?

Let the Benefits Do the Talking

According to a MetLife study on the topic of employee benefits, theres a direct correlation between benefits and company loyalty. Specifically, the data shows that 71 percent of employees who are satisfied with their benefits are very loyal to their employers.

While you have the ability to offer whatever benefits you want  and customizable packages on an employee-by-employee basis is often a smart idea  financial perks like the ones outlined in this article provide a solid foundation.
Kody Conniff acknowledges that he hadnt been in a school for a while, but he absolutely loves living in one  in what was the oldest operating school in La Crosse until its renovation into the Roosevelt School Apartments.

The building is beautiful, the 21-year-old Conniff said in an interview in advance of the ribbon-cutting to signal completion of the affordable housing project in the historic building at 1307 Hayes St. at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

It kind of has a school feel, and I havent been in a school for a while, the Logan High School grad said with a laugh. I love it. I would highly recommend it.

Conniff, who has lived in the former school since moving there from a house in June, said his one-bedroom apartment has plenty of room.

Everything is brand new, and it was the best for my budget. Every apartment is different, and they have nice floors, said Conniff, office manager at Bertrang Financial Corp. in Onalaska  home of advisers who can perform the services with the interesting title of Financialoscopy.

The $6.9 million project endured several oscopies of its own in its metamorphosis from a school that closed in June 2014, weathering initial opposition from some neighborhood residents and ultimately gaining the citys support to restructure financial resources to bolster the redevelopment and preservation project.

We are proud to have supported this project that preserves this beautiful school and creates housing thats affordable and high quality for our citys workforce and for our seniors, Mayor Tim Kabat said in advance of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, at which he will be one of several speakers.

Also lauding the project will be Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, who said, As a proud kid from the North Side of La Crosse, Im happy to see the Roosevelt School building being put to good use.

This project is a great example of what happens when we work together to make affordable housing a reality," Kind said. "In addition to creating new homes, we were also able to preserve an important historic landmark in the neighborhood."

Gorman and Co. of Oregon, Wis., bought the former Roosevelt Elementary School, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, from the La Crosse School District for $300,000 in 2013.

The city and Gorman brainstormed to advance the project, with support from state and federal Historic Tax Credits and 4 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, as well as $450,000 in Community Development Block Grant loans from the federal Housing and Urban Development Department through the city and $300,000 in a tax-increment financing loan.

Constructed in 1923, the building has been restored and renovated to accommodate 33 families in one- and two-bedroom apartments. Gorman, which specializes in downtown revitalization, affordable housing and historic preservation, will continue to own and operate the building, with property management staffers on site.

The income-restricted apartment building, where rents range from $685 to $885 a month, includes a community room, fitness center and computer room for residents use.

The apartments classification as affordable housing means that tenants can earn no more than 60 percent of La Crosse County's median income  $25,000 if single or up to $45,000 for a family of four.

That classification propelled pushback from several North Side residents, who raised the specters of drug use, graffiti, trash and other stereotypes often associated with low-income housing. Many pressed for market-rate housing for seniors.

The positive images of two other Gorman projects in La Crosse  the Gund Brewery Lofts at 2130 South Ave. and the Grand River Station apartments downtown  helped assuage the fears.

Other officials at the ribbon-cutting will include Gorman President Gary Gorman, Wisconsin Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, and state Rep. Jill Billings, D-La Crosse.
Acquiring the necessary expertise to successfully run a business in any industry takes time. Without the proper guidance, the trial and error method is costly in terms of time, capital and other resources. The launch of a mentorship initiative between the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and SCORE will support new farmers and ranchers so they can avoid these mistakes. The announcement was part of the National Farmers Market Week, which will be running from August 6 to 12.

USDA and SCORE Mentorship Program

The USDA and SCORE, a national nonprofit volunteer network of expert business mentors, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) towards the mentorship program. It will support veterans, women, socially disadvantaged Americans and others with the tools and resources they need to grow and succeed in agri-business.

The USDA, SCORE and its partners will identify, recruit and support mentors across rural America. The program will bring in the Future Farmers of America, 4-H, cooperative extension and land grant universities, nonprofits, legal aid groups, banks, technical and farm advisors.

As the largest volunteer network of mentors, SCORE has been helping small businesses for more than 50 years. In 2016 alone, the mentors of the organization helped clients start 54,072 businesses. And the mentorship SCORE provides also helps existing businesses. A Gallup survey revealed 61.8 percent of clients said they changed their current business strategies after meeting with SCORE counselors.

So What Can Farmers and Ranchers Expect?

The most important aspect of the mentorship program is the people offering their wealth of agricultural experience. They will be available for beginners to support new farming and ranching operations, bringing years of proven practices. Current and retired farmers, as well as agri-business experts with new technologies will expand and integrate outreach and technical assistance.

Agricultural entrepreneurs, community-based organizations, cooperative extension and land grant universities will have access to the mentorship at no-cost. This includes current farmers and ranchers.

In highlighting the importance of this program, Sonny Perdue, U.S. Agriculture Secretary, said, Shepherding one generation to the next is our responsibility. We want to help new farmers, veterans, and people transitioning from other industries to agriculture. He goes on to say, They need land, equipment, and access to capital, but they also need advice and guidance. Thats what SCORE is all about.

For its part, SCORE will make 10,000 existing volunteer mentors available along with the USDAs expertise in agricultural and the many communities across the country.

How a SCORE Mentorship Works

Whether you are a beginning farmer, rancher or any other agri-business, SCORE provides free confidential, one-on-one mentorship. When you make your request for a mentor, the organization will find you the person with the skill sets you need help with. This can be plan development, marketing strategies, cash flow management, tax planning, and more.

According to SCORE, it takes 72 hours to pair you with a mentor who will help through all or specific stages of your operations.
Jan Durov will be punished for kicking the owner of the downtown Nitra bar in the head and breaking his leg.

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A man who kicked the owner of the Nitra-based Mariatchi bar will go to prison. The Nitra Regional Court confirmed the sentence for Jan Durov, whom the lower court sent to prison for 6.5 years, the Sme daily reported.

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The incident took place in 2013, when the Mariatchi bar hosted a private New Years Eve party. After somebody had broken the glass on the door, the bars owner, Radovan Richtarik, went outside and took a picture of the group that was passing by. He was punched, fell to the floor and was subsequently kicked in the head. A member of the group also jumped on his leg, causing him to need surgery to repair it, Sme reported.

Originally, four men were described as the attackers, but prosecution halted for two. Frantisek Belan confessed to punching Richtarik in the face and was last year sentenced for disorderly conduct with a one-year conditional sentence (house arrest).

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Durov at first signed a plea bargain with the prosecutor, confessing to kicking the bars owner in the head and jumping on his leg. He later changed course, however, and rejected the bargain, insisting that he only kicked Richtarik in the head and did not break his leg, Sme wrote.

The kicks to the head and upper part of the body were captured by a city video camera, which only recorded the end of the incident.

The only thing I can say is that I feel guilty for what I did, Durov said after the hearing, as quoted by Sme.

If Richtarik's leg had not been broken, Durov would be sentenced only for disorderly conduct and could have received a conditional sentence. He will now serve his sentence in a minimum security prison. He also has to pay Richtarik 3,955.20 in compensation and must also pay 1,077.30 to the social insurer Socialna Poistovna and 2,254.30 to the health insurer.

video //www.sme.sk/vp/29103/

This proceeding is not the only one concerning attacks of neo-Nazis on the Mariatchi bar. In October 2013 a group of men with bald heads visiting the Walhala club, where several sources say neo-Nazis were meeting, attacked Mariatchis visitors, kicking them in the head. The incident was also captured by a city camera, and five men were later accused of disorderly conduct and causing bodily harm.

The proceeding in this case, however, has not yet started. The first date was set for September 2015, but the judge postponed it to ask for a new expert opinion. Another date was set for late June 2017, but one of the accused men did not show up. The proceeding was thus postponed to late September and October, Sme wrote.
The temperatures on August 9 and 10 again be very high.

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After a cooler start of the week, prepare for hot weather again. The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMU) issued several warnings for August 9 and 10.

The temperatures on August 9 are expected to be as high as 33 degrees Celsius in the southern parts of the country. SHMU thus issued a yellow (first-level) warning for the whole Bratislava Region and districts of Trnava, Nitra, Banska Bystrica and Kosice Regions for the afternoon hours.

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The warnings for August 10 were issued for nearly the whole of Slovakia, except for parts of the Zilina Region. SHMU even issued its highest, red warning for the districts of Dunajska Streda, Komarno, Nove Zamky, Galanta, Sala, Nitra and Hlohovec on August 10, where temperatures may be as high as 38 degrees Celsius in the afternoon. The temperature in Bratislava Region, the rest of Trnava Region and most of Trencin, Nitra, Banska Bystrica and Kosice Regions may climb to 37 degrees Celsius, which is why SHMU issued an orange (second-level) warning for these areas. The yellow warning was issued for several districts in Trencin, Zilina, Banska Bystrica and Presov Regions.

The warnings were issued also for August 11, with orange warnings for the whole southern Slovakia and yellow for most of the remaining area. The only districts without any warnings are in Kysuce and Orava regions.

The high temperature poses a potential risk to peoples health, physical activities and fires, SHMU informed, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

Women are more endangered as they collapse more often than men. Also at risk are children and seniors. It is necessary to drink enough water, which is about three litres in the case of adults, TASR wrote.
It was one of the first caves with electricity in the world, and the only one opened to the public in the High Tatras.

One of the halls in Belianska Cave (Source: TASR)

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More information about travelling in Slovakia

Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide

Belianska Cave in the High Tatras mountain range was opened to the public for the first time 135 years ago. It was wired with electricity in 1896, one of the first caves in the world to have it.

It is also the only publicly accessible cave in the High Tatras and belongs to one of the most visited in Slovakia.

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The cave was familiar to the gold-diggers already in 1826, which is proven by the coal-written inscriptions on its walls, said Alexandra Oleksakova, a communication and PR manager for the town of Spisska Bela, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

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The official discovery, however, was made by Julius Husz and Jan Britz, residents of Spisska Bela, in August 1881. The gradual revelation of more spaces was then helped by many locals, Oleksakova added.

The cave was opened to the public in August 1882.

Visitors to the cave are impressed by sinter formations that look like waterfalls and pagoda-like stalagmites, Oleksakova said, as quoted by TASR.

Belianska Cave is 3,829 metres long, with a height difference of 168 metres. The temperature in the cave oscillates between 5 and 6.3 degrees Celsius, while the relative humidity is 90-97 percent.

Altogether seven bat species have been discovered living in the cave, TASR wrote.

In the past few years the cave has been used for medical purposes, particularly for healing the lungs. Moreover, concerts are held in the so-called Music Hall which was named after the sound of water dropping to the underground lake.

The tour takes about 70 minutes, with visitors taking 860 steps and touring 1,370 metres.
Bratislava will dress up in rainbow colours this August again, for the seventh time. This will be for the Bratislava Duhovy Pride diversity festival. But the colours of the rainbow are less bright in the regions, far away from the anonymous environment of the capital.

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Slovakia remains a country that hasnt rooted any recognition of same-sex couples and their families in its legislation. Yet the Constitution was amended in 2014 to protect marriage as a unique bond between a man and a woman. Subsequently, the invalid 2015 referendum initiated by the Alliance for Family, also backed by the church, was aimed against the LGBTI community.

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Im not going to lie  that referendum was one of the reasons I chose to move to the UK, said Zuzana (25). She is an openly lesbian manager who had lived in the central Slovak village of Hrochot before deciding to leave for Brighton.
The decision is not final yet, however.

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Slovakias main postal service operator, Slovenska Posta, is likely to buy shares in Swan Mobile, which runs the smallest mobile provider in the country: Stvorka (or 4ka). It plans to pay 1 million for the stock, the Sme daily reported.

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The decision is not final yet, however.

Its possible we will use this opportunity, Slovenska Postas head Robert Galik told Sme.

4ka has had an exclusive place in post offices in Slovakia since it launched its services in 2015, with Slovenska Posta taking commissions from sales. The agreement on cooperation signed by the companys previous management states that it also has the right to obtain 10-percent stock in Swan Mobile.

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For now, it seems an advantageous investment in terms of linking individual institutions, Galik told Sme. We expect an increase in the mobile operators value, which would also result in our share increasing.

Swan Mobile has two shareholders currently. The majority (70 percent) is owned by the DanubiaTel group, which belongs to Slovak businessmen Juraj and Pavol Ondris. The rest is controlled by the Avant investment fund from the Czech Republic.

Moreover, Swan Mobiles network has been pledged in favour of the Bank of China, which provided the company with a loan of 24 million to pay for the construction of transmitters and exchanges. Swan also took a loan from Tatra Banka, Sme wrote.

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Swan Mobile reported a loss of more than 18 million last year, while its revenues amounted to 7.8 million. It is not clear whether the results represent only the provider 4ka since Swan underwent several changes last year.

Despite the economic results, Slovenska Posta is satisfied with 4kas performance. The provider has sold more than 200,000 SIM cards, Galik said, but failed to specify how many of them have been activated.

Slovenska Posta itself has received 4.7 million from Swan Mobile for selling the providers services.
The Agriculture Ministry is monitoring buffer zones, and recommending breeders to adopt measures to protect their animals.

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Though no case of African swine fever (ASF) has occurred in Slovakia, the Agriculture Ministry has decided to adopt precautions due to the situation in neighbouring countries.

ASF has already occurred in the Czech Republic, Poland and Ukraine, according to Agriculture Minister Gabriela Matecna.

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The risk of bringing the disease here is major as it is transferred by migrating wild boars, said Matecna, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Thus Id like to ask breeders and the public to follow the instructions of the State Veterinary and Food Administration.

The ministry has particularly adopted measures in the so-called buffer area, which it monitors intensively. Moreover, the State Veterinary and Food Administration (SVPS) demands breeders to inform vets about any deaths of swine and report all swine with ASF symptoms to vets as well as regional veterinary and food administration offices.

In addition, breeders should keep swine in enclosed areas and observe biology protection rules. They should also prevent wild boars from entering their farms, respect the ban on feeding the animals with kitchen waste, and take the swine to regular check-ups, TASR reported.

SVPS also bans the feeding of wild boars in the border regions close to Ukraine. Hunters should take samples of hunted wild boars and send them for testing. In the case of finding a dead animal, they are required to send a sample to a respective regional authority within 24 hours or the next working day at the latest.

Moreover, the ministry has called on the public to not bring their own food in the case of a larger event held in nature, and to take cooked food from the organiser. The reason is that ASF is spread through food and also clothing, TASR wrote.

People should also be very careful when purchasing imported pork products. Matecna recommends the purchase of Slovak products instead, TASR reported.
The Supreme Court has turned down the proposal to release Vaclav K. on bail.

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Vaclav K., accused of being a member of the Takacovci organised crime group, will not leave custody. The Supreme Court turned down the ruling issued by the Specialised Criminal Court on July 26.

The court disagreed with the proposal to release the man, known as the writer using the pen name Vaclav Neuer, on bail amounting to 10,000 and his subsequent supervision by a probation and mediation officer, the SITA newswire reported.

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Vaclav K. is being prosecuted together with other members of the Takacovci group, led by Lubomir K., aka Kudla. Kudla was released from custody on July 21, after paying bail at 100,000. He was also ordered the supervision of a probation and mediation officer and is required to report any change of his residence.

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The decision to release Lubomir K. is currently being checked by the General Prosecutors Office, SITA reported.

The police organised an operation targeting Takacovci in late January. Vaclav K. was not detained during the operation, but he came to the police in February. The judge of the Specialised Criminal Court later decided on taking him into custody as there was the possibility that he might try to escape.

Vaclav K. is accused of being the member of an organised crime group, as well as of committing fraud and abusing the powers of a public official as he had also served as a police officer.
J&T Real Estate is asking for a statute of important investment for its package of projects to speed up the construction

Proposed developments on the Old City's embankment of the Danube River. (Source: Courtesy of J&T Real Estate )

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One of the most valued localities of Bratislava  the embankments of the Danube River  has found itself in the spotlight of developers. Following HB Reavis, J&T Real Estate has as well applied for a statute of an important investment for its package of development projects on both sides of the Danube. In this way it is seeking to simplify the approval process and speed up the construction of a 1.2 billion package of development projects. Within it the developer is promising to build among others another phase of Eurovea, New Lido, a pedestrian bridge via the Danube, and new tram tracks.

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In the next five to ten years we would like to see a new modern centre here on both sides of the Danube, which will finally utilise the potential of the river and represent a natural continuation of the Old Town, said Peter Korbacka from J&T Real Estate on August 3, when introducing the concept of Connected Bratislava. The river will change from a dividing element to a connecting one.

The developer has already informed the Bratislava city council about its plans and visions.

The capital welcomes each initiative focused on the development of Bratislava, said Zuzana Onufer, spokesperson of the Bratislava city council. Mayor Ivo Nesrovnal acknowledges the interest of investors in participating in this development.

During this phase the city council expects more complex information about financing, the preparation process and the construction time.

The city council will assess the projects from the viewpoint of several parameters  in order for them to fit the concept of the citys development, an enrichment of the citys main transportation system, and in order for them to benefit Bratislavans, said Onufer.

But she pointed out that it is the cabinet that decides on the granting of the statute.

J&T Real Estate delivered its application for the statute at the Cabinet Office on August 3. It believes that it meets all the criteria for the statute.

To get the statute of an important investment the investor needs to invest at least 100 million or create a minimum of 300 new working positions. Another condition is that the project is in the public interest. The investor in turn can get a tax holiday, better access to the acquisition of land and faster and simplified approval processes. The state has granted about 25 statutes so far.

We will assess the application in the standard manner in order to meet the deadlines set by the law, which in this case means 60 days, said Peter Pellegrini, Deputy Prime Minister for Investments and Informatisation, indicating that the cabinet may discuss the application in September.

J&T Real Estate hinted that it would carry out the entire package of projects, including the tram tracks and the pedestrian bridge, even if it does not get the statute.

Getting or not getting the statute cannot halt the development of this area, said Pavel Pelikan, executive director of J&T Real Estate. This means that we will go on. We are sure that a tram should be here regardless of the statute.

But if Connected Bratislava fails to get the statute, the whole process will be much longer.

Connected Bratislava

Within the Connected Bratislava concept, J&T Real Estate promises to build the second phase of the Eurovea mixed development, another phase of the Klingerka residential project, as well as the completion of the Panorama City residential and business zone. In all of these it is promising a mix of functions so that the area will live 24 hours a day. This means that there should be apartments, offices, shops and space for culture. It is also planning to build a congress centre for 1,700 people next to Eurovea. On the opposite bank of the Danube the brand new borough of New Lido should be built.

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Connected Bratislava represents a development area of 60 hectares. 254,000 square metres of offices and 4,200 apartments are supposed to be constructed. The developer is vowing the creation of 35,000 square meters of public spaces. An additional 6 hectares are supposed to be parks and greenery. The developer will also provide four hectares for the building of sport facilities.

Part of the project is a pedestrian bridge connecting Euroveas square in front of the new Slovak National Theatre building with New Lido on the Petrzalka side.

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The developer is also planning to build 4.2 kilometres of tram tracks at a total value of 60 million. On the side of the Old Town and Ruzinov boroughs there should be 2.7 kilometres of new tracks added and 1.5 kilometres of tracks in Petrzalka.

Our aim is to fill in the existing tracks with a connection leading from Safarikovo Square, via Pribinova [along Eurovea], continuing via Kosicka and Mileticova Streets and joining the track line to Ruzinov, said Pelikan, adding that this should also enable the future construction of a tram line to Podunajske Biskupice around Slovnaft. Simultaneously, we want to build a tram track that would service New Lido.

The developer needs the tram tracks for its developments in order they are connected with the rest of the city.

In total the city should gain eight new tram stops and finally a real tram track ring in the city centre. After building the tracks, the developer will hand them over to the city for operation.

The construction of the new tram tracks is one of the reasons why it has applied for the statute of an important investment.

The tram track itself is a very complex and demanding project from the viewpoint of the coordination of all the involved stakeholders and we see in it a great problem, said Pelikan.

The developer expects easier administrative and permission proceedings in the gaining of the statute.

An important investment does not mean bypassing the permission processes or the reduction of money that will flow into the development of the given area, said Pelikan. On the contrary, the permission processes must be kept and the amount of the planned investments into this area highly exceeds the amount of the development fees.

Receiving the statute of an important investment means that the developer will not need to pay a so-called real estate development fee. Slovakia introduced the fee from the beginning of 2017 to help cities get money from developers for the building of new infrastructure and amenities as well as to prevent corruption.

The investor is estimating a 15 million fee for Connected Bratislava. In return it is offering the investment of a total of 75 million into the infrastructure of the given area.

HB Reavis also wants the statute

J&T Real Estate is already the second developer applying for the statute of an important investment in Bratislava. In March HB Reavis applied for the statute for its package of projects in the Mlynske Nivy area, including the new bus station and development within New Lido with a price tag of about 1 billion. Part of the package is also a cable car across the Danube for about 50 million. By gaining the statute HB Reavis is also seeking by the simplification of the approval processes and the quickening of construction.

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The cabinet has not yet discussed its application even though Pellegrini originally promised an answer until the end of June. In the meantime, it has asked the city council and affected boroughs for their opinions.

So far only Petrzalka has responded but it does not agree with granting the statute. It is afraid of losing money it would otherwise receive via the development fee.

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In case it does not get the statute, HB Reavis is planning to carry out all the planned developments except the cable car. But it warns that without the statute the implementation of all the projects that are supposed to be a contribution to all Bratislava and its citizens will be much longer.

Certainly more than 15 years, said Jakub Gossanyi, development manager at HB Reavis.
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.
Rogers Communications Inc. operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The company offers mobile Internet access, wireless voice and enhanced voice, device and accessory financing, wireless home phone, device protection, e-mail, global voice and data roaming, bridging landline, machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions, and advanced wireless solutions for businesses, as well as device delivery services; and postpaid and prepaid services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands to approximately 11.3 million subscribers. It also provides Internet and WiFi services; smart home monitoring services, such as monitoring, security, automation, energy efficiency, and smart control through a smartphone app. In addition, the company offers local and network TV; on-demand television; cloud-based digital video recorders; voice-activated remote controls, and integrated apps; personal video recorders; linear and time-shifted programming; digital specialty channels; 4K television programming; and televised content on smartphones, tablets, and personal computers, as well as operates Ignite TV and Ignite TV app. Further, it provides residential and small business local telephony services; calling features, such as voicemail, call waiting, and long distance; voice, data networking, Internet protocol, and Ethernet services; private networking, Internet, IP voice, and cloud solutions; optical wave and multi-protocol label switching services; IT and network technologies; and cable access network services. The company also owns Toronto Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre event venue; and operates Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World, Citytv, OMNI, FX (Canada), FXX (Canada), and OLN television networks, as well as 55 AM and FM radio stations. The company was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
Douglas Dynamics, Inc. operates as a manufacturer and upfitter of commercial work truck attachments and equipment in North America. It operates through two segments, Work Truck Attachments and Work Truck Solutions. The Work Truck Attachments segment manufactures and sells snow and ice control attachments, including snowplows, and sand and salt spreaders for light trucks and heavy duty trucks, as well as various related parts and accessories. The Work Truck Solutions segment primarily manufactures municipal snow and ice control products; provides truck and vehicle upfits where it attaches component pieces of equipment, truck bodies, racking, and storage solutions to a vehicle chassis for use by end users for work related purposes; and manufactures storage solutions for trucks and vans, and cable pulling equipment for trucks. This segment also offers up-fit and storage solutions. It also provides customized turnkey solutions to governmental agencies, such as Departments of Transportation and municipalities. The company sells its products under the BLIZZARD, FISHER, SNOWEX, WESTERN, TURFEX, SWEEPEX, HENDERSON, BRINEXTREME, and DEJANA brands. It distributes its products primarily to professional snowplowers who are contracted to remove snow and ice from commercial and residential areas. The company was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Digital Realty is a real estate investment trust focused entirely on data centers. The company owns, acquires, develops, and operates a network of global data centers and the cloud-based solutions cloud service providers need to access and maximize them. The company has set itself apart from the traditional data center REIT by unifying its holdings across one digital platform called PlatformDIGITALR which provides seamless control of data flow.

The company was formed in 2004 when GI Partners contributed 24 newly acquired data centers to help form the business. Later that same year, the company went public through an IPO that provided the capital to begin a campaign of acquisition. The company has been steadily adding square footage and new locations to its network ever since and it is still not done. The expansion has helped to deliver a 10% FFO CAGR and fuel a steadily rising dividend distribution. The company made its 16th consecutive annual dividend increase in 2022 and additional increases are expected each year.

Digital Realty's global footprint provides access to connected businesses in more than 284 facilities in 23 countries. As of mid-2022, it had more than $53 billion in assets and was listed as the US 8th largest publicly traded REIT.

Digital Realty supports the world's IT infrastructure by providing a full range of data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions. Businesses can choose to rely solely on Digital Realty for their data center needs or use Digital Realtys propriety cloud-based solutions to interconnect multiple data centers, and clouds, or connect to a private network.

PlatformDIGITALR is the company's global data center platform. It provides customers with a proven solution for operating on the cloud, scaling a digital business, and managing its data flow. The platform allows for seamless connection to providers and services that are in demand by todays rapidly changing digital businesses.

Digital Realty Trust is a key member of the Green Grid, a consortium of industry insiders and policy makers focused on making data centers more efficient and sustainable. Digital Realty Trust offers industry-leading efficiency alongside its world-class quality data centers. Digital Realty Trust data centers require fewer building materials and provide industry-leading power usage levels or PUEs.
Zoetis Inc. discovers, develops, manufactures, and commercializes animal health medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic products in the United States and internationally. It commercializes products primarily across species, including livestock, such as cattle, swine, poultry, fish, and sheep; and companion animals comprising dogs, cats, and horses. The company also offers vaccines, which are biological preparations to prevent diseases of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and reproductive tracts or induce a specific immune response; anti-infectives that prevent, kill, or slow the growth of bacteria, fungi, or protozoa; and parasiticides that prevent or eliminate external and internal parasites, which include fleas, ticks, and worms. It also provides other pharmaceutical products that comprise pain and sedation, antiemetic, reproductive, and oncology products; dermatology products for itch associated with allergic conditions and atopic dermatitis; and medicated feed additives, which offer medicines to livestock. In addition, the company provides portable blood and urine analysis testing, including point-of-care diagnostic products, instruments and reagents, rapid immunoassay tests, reference laboratory kits and services, and blood glucose monitors; and other non-pharmaceutical products, including nutritionals and agribusiness services, as well as products and services in areas, such as biodevices, genetics tests, and precision animal health. It markets its products to veterinarians, livestock producers, and retail outlets, as well as third-party veterinary distributors through its sales representatives, and technical and veterinary operations specialists. The company was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey.
Kim Jong Un

AP Photo/Wong Maye-E

The two dozen commandos trained to kill North Korean dictator Kim Il Sung on a remote island off the coast of South Korea never made it to Pyongyang.

The men of the 2325th Group's 209th Detachment had been recruited from the country's poor, desperate, and criminal and brought to Silmido Island to be trained to become assassins.

To South Korea's own authoritarian leaders in 1968, this meant they had to be hardened. They were abused, neglected, and put through grueling exercises with guards shooting at their feet and beating them with bats when they didn't perform to expectations. Six of them were executed for disobedience; another drowned by accident.

Their mission was to infiltrate North Korea, sneak into one of Kim's palaces, and murder the Great Leader, paying North Korea back in kind for a failed 1968 special operations raid aimed at assassinating South Korean President Park Chung-hee. By 1971, Park had given up on the prospect of revenge.

The men of Silmido Island, however, had not. That year, they rose up, killing 18 of their guards with their honed commando skills and stealing a boat across the Yellow Sea to the port of Incheon. There they hijacked two buses and set out to Seoul to kill the men who had ordered them to be turned into weapons.

Like many attempts to kill members of the Kim dynasty both before and after, this one ended in ruin, blazing out in a hail of gunfire and grenade explosions as the remaining recruits fought a doomed battle with police in the South Korean capital.

But even if they had been launched against the North, their fate would have been the same. Even their handlers believed their chances of survival were slim  a fact they kept hidden from the commandos. The North had long proved inhospitable ground for infiltrators. South Korean intelligence had "made no serious effort" to carry out intelligence operations in the North in the late 1960s "because the expected losses of intelligence agents would be high and the benefits nil or virtually nil," according to a declassified CIA report.

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south korean military exercise

REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

Nearly a half-century later, the Kim dynasty is still in power in North Korea, and talk of decapitation is in the air once again.

The pace of North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons development has taken it from a national security sideshow to what Secretary of Defense James Mattis now calls the greatest threat to the United States.

The options for halting the increasing reach of the North's nuclear missiles  a catastrophic war or a politically unpalatable nonproliferation agreement that the North might cheat on  aren't enviable, but the US Defense Department has tried to develop military options, carrying out joint exercises with South Korea in 2016 for a new plan that would involve strikes on North Korean leadership.

South Korea, for its part, has put its authoritarian past and personal revenge plots behind it. But fearful of the North's growing nuclear and ballistic missile arsenal and irritated by its constant display, Seoul has begun to counter Pyongyang's aggressive messages with threats of its own to kill current leader Kim Jong Un at the outset of any war.

But long before Pyongyang began lighting off ballistic missiles and churning out nuclear warheads, the Kim dynasty has been facing down assassination threats, both real and imagined. From the days of Japanese colonialism in the 1930s through the turbulent end of communist regimes in the 1990s, many have tried (and failed) to kill a Kim. But despite facing lethal challenges from within and without, the dynasty has always managed to dodge would-be assassins thanks to canny survival skills, some less than fully baked plots, and an elaborate network of bodyguards, secret police, and informants.

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Wikipedia

All the Kims' men

The Kim family's first brush with death came in the 1930s, when Kim Il Sung joined the Chinese 1st Route Army as an insurgent in the resistance against Japanese colonial rule in Manchuria and Korea. Once Kim had made a name for himself in the resistance against Japanese occupation, Japanese police set up a designated "special activities unit" to hunt him down, employing dozens of former guerrillas whom the Japanese lured from Kim's unit by promising amnesty. Together with a network of police informants, the men stalked their former comrade and leader  a lesson in betrayal that Kim would remember for the rest of his life.

Kim was protected during his guerrilla days by a band of bodyguards, which reportedly included his first wife, Kim Jong Suk, the mother of Kim Jong Il. North Korean histories of the period recount a battle in which Kim Jong Suk saved the future North Korean leader's life in northeastern China, shielding Kim Il Sung from enemy soldiers taking aim at him from a nearby field of reeds and dropping the would-be assassins with her Mauser rifle. The tale has long been a propaganda parable about the need for absolute devotion to the Kims' security, though there's little independent evidence to back it up.

The first confirmed attempt on Kim Il Sung's life in the postwar era  though not the last  came during a ceremony at the Pyongyang railway station commemorating the Korean independence movement on March 1, 1946. Assassins reportedly sent by the South Korean government threw a homemade grenade at the podium as Kim spoke, and Yakov Novichenko, a Soviet Army lieutenant guarding the assembled dignitaries, sprang into action and grabbed the grenade, which exploded in his hand, blowing off his arm.

kim jong il

Newsmakers via Getty Images

The incident spawned a lifelong friendship between Kim and Novichenko, as well as a cheesy Soviet-North Korean biopic in the mid-1980s. (Leonid Vasin, an assistant section chief in the Soviet Army's special propaganda section who worked closely with Pyongyang later, would in time write a more skeptical account of the incident. Vasin claimed that the homemade grenade landed about 100 feet from Kim and to the right of the podium, posing little threat.)

The coterie of guards surrounding Kim in the mid-1940s would eventually evolve into one of the world's most repressive and pervasive police states, run for the personal benefit of the Kim family. Within that architecture of repression grew an elaborate praetorian guard for the North's supreme leaders, protecting them with multiple, overlapping rings of security.

At the innermost ring are five to six elite, handpicked bodyguards from the brigade-sized Office of Adjutants, also known as Office No. 6, who directly protect the Kims. (It's the loose equivalent of the US Secret Service  except with 20 times as many people, in a country a fraction of the size of America.)

The Kims' personal guards are senior officers who have proved their reliability and loyalty through years of service in North Korea's Guard Command, a 100,000-member unit devoted to the security of the Kim family and the upper levels of North Korean officialdom. Other Guard Command soldiers, picked from families with no known ties to Pyongyang's communist elite, provide the next layers of protection around Kim Jong Un, surrounding him at events, official visits, and on personal travel, as well as protecting his various residences.

The capital itself is protected by the Pyongyang Defense Command and Pyongyang Air Defense Command, which would fight within the city and defend its airspace in the event of a major war or coup attempt. Outside of Pyongyang, the 3rd Corps of the Korean People's Army (KPA) comprises the final, most heavily armed ring, guarding the western approaches to Pyongyang from the port of Nampo north to the Chongchon River.

South Korean Special Forces Winter Training

Kim Hong-Ji/REUTERS

A handful of agencies also conduct surveillance within the North to act as an early tripwire for signs of disloyalty and coup plots in the making.

The State Security Department runs an expansive network of eavesdropping and informants to spy on North Korean civilians while the more sensitive work of surveilling senior Workers' Party officials is carried out by the Organization and Guidance Department. Within the KPA, the Military Security Command acts as a kind of parallel secret police to keep tabs on those in uniform.

Together, the domestic intelligence and security agencies are aided by the cultivation of a Kim personality cult, which emphasizes the worship of the Kim family as essentially supernatural beings. Attempting to kill a Kim, for many North Koreans, would be more than treason  it would be blasphemy. Like Chinese emperors, the North Korean state, too, promises suffering not only to "traitors" but to their families, further deterring any attempt.

The not-so-glorious 1990s

The greatest test of the security apparatus protecting the Kims came in the 1990s as North Korea transitioned from the leadership of Kim Il Sung to his son Kim Jong Il. With the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union, communist states were crumbling, and many wondered if North Korea would be the next to go. In addition to the geopolitical shift, there were also whiffs of discontent about Kim Jong Il's position as his father's heir.

Rumors of coup plots and assassination attempts began to trickle out of the North and into Japanese and South Korean media. In the early '90s, news outlets began to report on a supposed assassination plot led by Col. Gen. An Chang Ho and 30-40 military officers who had all studied at the Frunze Military Academy in the Soviet Union. The plotters purportedly planned to turn their tanks' guns on the two Kims during an April 1992 military parade commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the KPA.

Kim Jong-Il Funeral

ap

"There is a lot of sourcing  from media reports to defector interview data  that establishes that An was dismissed and arrested and that alumna of Russian and East European military universities were subject to investigations," says Michael Madden, a visiting scholar at Johns Hopkins University and an expert on North Korean leadership. "Whether An actually participated in an assassination attempt or violent power challenge is a different matter altogether."

Shortly after the death of Kim Il Sung, the KPA's 6th Corps, based in North Hamgyong province, supposedly went on the move in 1995 with the aim of mounting a coup. "The plot was uncovered by elements within the 6th Corps itself, so it wasn't as if it was found out by the security services," says Ken Gause, the director of the international affairs group at CNA, a nonprofit research and analysis organization, and an expert on North Korean security institutions. "It was mainly the head of the 6th Corps [Kim Yong Chun] going to the head of the State Security Department and basically ratting out his own corps."

What really happened in North Hamgyong  whether it was the beginning of a coup or a grab for resources, as Gause suspects  is still a matter of some debate and mystery. In any case, the incident represented a worrying breakdown in command for a system premised on absolute control.

There were repercussions for the 6th Corps.

"The most credible story is that they tied the senior military command of the 6th Corps in a barracks building and then set the building on fire," Madden says. Today, the 6th Corps has been blotted from the records.

Reviewing the options

Kim Jong Il rode out the rocky years of the 1990s and consolidated his power enough to ensure another hereditary transition of power to his son Kim Jong Un. But the prospect of a nuclear strike, made more likely by Pyongyang's progress in weapons development, has given new urgency to efforts to disrupt the North's chain of command in the event of war in a preemptive strike.

South Korea special forces

Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

"This is not anything unusual. People are publicizing it, making a big deal out of it, but there are many leadership targets in North Korea," says retired Army Col. David Maxwell, a former Special Forces officer who served with US Special Operations Command Korea.

"All of the command and control facilities, all of the relocation facilities from Pyongyang, the villas that Kim Jong Un might use during time of war  all of these are potential targets, at minimum, for surveillance and, in extremis, to target people that are at those leadership locations."

While knocking out enemy leadership in a war is hardly a new idea, the South Korean military has gotten more vocal about its decapitation capabilities in recent years. South Korea's Army Special Warfare Command announced in 2016 that it was standing up a special operations unit tasked with killing Kim Jong In and other senior leaders in the event a preemptive strike became necessary.

For its part, North Korea has accused its adversaries in Washington and Seoul of a bizarre plot to "commit state-sponsored terrorism against the supreme leadership of the DPRK by use of bio-chemical substance."

But any special operations team would face steep hurdles in getting close enough to Kim Jong Un to kill him.

First, South Korean special operators would have to hitch a ride with their American counterparts in the US Air Force Special Operations or the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment to infiltrate the North. Once across the Northern Limit Line, a team would then have to make it past the KPA's 3rd Corps, which defends the approaches to the capital against invaders looking to land at Nampo and take the highway up or drop from the sky in an airborne assault.

"If the defense by the 3rd Corps and the 4th Corps has failed, the [soldiers of the Pyongyang Defense Command] plan to defend the city section by section, giving time for Kim Jong Un and the Guard Command to move the leadership out into the north-central part of the country," says Joseph Bermudez, an expert on the North Korean military.

kim il sung and kim jong il north korea photos

Joseph A. Ferris III

American special operators have carried out multiple such raids in places like Pakistan, Somalia, and Libya since 9/11, swooping in with stealth and speed to capture or kill terrorist leaders on the run.

Trying to replicate those feats against a heavily armed nation-state lengthens the odds considerably. "It looks good in the movies, but it's not something that is easily done," Maxwell says.

The most practical method might be a missile barrage by either the United States or South Korea. The South's "Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation" plan, announced after the North's September 2016 nuclear test, calls for ballistic and cruise missiles to flatten sections of Pyongyang associated with Kim Jong Un and his commanders should a nuclear strike appear imminent. Four years before the plan's rollout, Seoul tipped its hand with the public test of a Hyunmoo-3 cruise missile, shown smashing into a target crafted in the shape of Pyongyang's Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.

But all the missiles and special operators are useless unless they have good intelligence to guide them to a leader's location. Getting that kind of sensitive information in a hard target like North Korea can be a quixotic quest, but that hasn't dimmed the appetite for the enterprise, says Jeffrey Lewis, the director of the East Asia nonproliferation program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. "Although it never really works, military and political leaders are always drawn to decapitation. It's catnip for idiots."

Lewis points to the 2003 invasion of Iraq as an example of the problems such missions are likely to hit. In that case, the United States sent stealth aircraft loaded with bunker-buster bombs and cruise missiles to strike a site where American spies believed Saddam Hussein was hiding. Saddam wasn't there, nor were any leadership bunkers, and the Iraqi dictator wouldn't be caught for another eight months.

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Reuters

The day after

But even in a scenario where the United States or South Korea succeeds in a preemptive strike against Kim Jong Un, North Korea's conventional military capabilities ensure that it's still capable of inflicting catastrophic damage on the South, where the United States has thousands of troops deployed.

Nor is it necessarily clear that the KPA would throw down its weapons in the wake of Kim's death. Secretary of Defense James Mattis has assured US lawmakers that even though the United States would prevail in a war against the North, any conflict would be "more serious in terms of human suffering than anything we have seen since 1953."

The North's problems won't end after Kim Jong Un because the Kim family inheritance encompasses more than just the flesh-and-blood heirs to the throne of Pyongyang. The North's royal family planted deep roots in North Korean society in the form of decades of brutal misrule and penury inflicted upon its subjects. That bodes poorly for the country's ability to quickly erect a better society from the ashes of any future conflict. In the end, North Koreans will be tormented by the ghosts of their supreme leaders long after the last Kim is gone from power.

Removing the last Kim  as catastrophically bloody as it would be  might be relatively easy compared with governing the chaotic kingdom left behind.

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By Rania El Gamal and Alex Lawler DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC expects greater adherence to its pact with non-OPEC producers to cut oil output after two days of meetings in Abu Dhabi aimed at boosting compliance with the accord. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and other producers are cutting output by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) until March 2018 to get rid of a glut and support prices. OPEC producers Iraq and the UAE have shown relatively low compliance with the deal based on figures from secondary sources OPEC uses to monitor its supply. Meanwhile, non-OPEC Kazakhstan and Malaysia have been boosting output in the last few months, according to the International Energy Agency. In Abu Dhabi, a panel comprising Russia, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, plus officials from OPEC's Vienna headquarters, met individually with officials from Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan and Malaysia. "Discussions were conducted in a constructive atmosphere and proved fruitful," OPEC said in a statement. "The conclusions reached with the countries at the meeting will help facilitate full conformity," it added, although it did not give details on how compliance would be increased. The meeting was a special session of the JTC, or Joint Technical Committee, which is monitoring adherence to the deal. A ministerial panel, known as the JMMC, met last month and instructed that the Abu Dhabi meeting be held. "The UAE, Iraq, Kazakhstan, and Malaysia all expressed their full support for the existing monitoring mechanism and their willingness to fully cooperate with the JTC and JMMC in the months ahead in order to achieve the goal of reaching full conformity," OPEC said. Another OPEC source said the officials discussed crude exports and some countries' disagreement with the level of their production as assessed by the secondary sources. At a meeting held in Russia last month, the UAE and Iraq confirmed their commitment to the pact but offered no concrete plan on how to meet their production targets, sources said. Iraq and the UAE say the assessment of their production by secondary sources - figures from government agencies, consultants and industry media that OPEC uses to monitor its output - before the pact took effect in January was too low. They argue that as a result, the two countries have the unpalatable task of making an even bigger cut to comply fully. (Editing by David Evans and Alexander Smith)
By Sarah Marsh HAVANA (Reuters) - The graffiti of alien-like beings and balaclava-clad men appearing on Havana's dilapidated walls strikes a contrast with the upbeat political slogans and effigies of Cuban revolutionaries. For a handful of young Cuban artists, these illicit creations are a means of touching on social issues in a coded way, ranging from fear of expressing oneself freely in public to growing materialism on the Communist-run island. Graffiti was until recently uncommon in Cuba's tightly controlled public spaces. Its emergence reflects greater scope for critical expression under President Raul Castro and increasing influence of international culture as the country slowly opens. Like Cuba's young bloggers, who are pushing the boundaries of what has been allowed in the media by starting news websites, its graffiti artists do not consider themselves dissidents and have been mostly tolerated by authorities. "I want to create a social conscience with my work, an awareness about what we are turning into," said Yulier Rodriguez, whose alien-like creatures often look malformed, with limbs protruding from heads, and malnourished. "A large part of society is going down a dark path," said the 27-year old, criticizing Cuba's ailing, Soviet-style economy that forces Cubans to turn to illegal activities to get by. Locals joke, for example, that the only reason to work for the state, given the average monthly wage of $30, is to steal produce to sell on the black market. Inspired by British and American street artists Banksy and Jean-Michel Basquiat, Rodriguez said his creatures often have no mouth, representing Cubans' reluctance to publicly express their discontent for fear of reprisals, such as losing jobs. The same idea is behind the balaclava-clad men of artist Fabian Lopez, whose alias is 2+2=5, meaning something is not quite right. The 20-year old stepped into the spotlight recently for a graffiti showing his character holding Donald Trump's head, reflecting Cubans' anger over the U.S. president's attitude towards opening U.S.-Cuban relations. Havana officials quickly painted over the image. Like other graffiti artists, Lopez faces more practical challenges. In the absence of common spray paint, for instance, these artists use industrial spray paint designed for metals in limited colours. "The other day I finished a work with oil when the black paint ran out," said Lopez, who creates as many as seven graffiti a day, keeping a record of them on Instagram. NOT FOR FAINT-HEARTED On an island renowned for its culture, street art is not new. Havana is dotted with colourful state-sanctioned murals and projects like Fusterlandia, a neighbourhood decorated with mosaics reminiscent of Catalan modernist architect Antoni Gaudi. But, unlike the rest of Latin America, graffiti artists making pointed social critiques are pioneering the art form in Cuba. William LeoGrande, a Cuba expert and professor of government at American University in Washington, said certain forms of cultural expression such as films were always given greater latitude for critical expression. He said the scope of what was allowed "within the revolution" had expanded since Raul Castro succeeded his brother Fidel in 2008. All the artists said they had been questioned by police about their political intentions, beyond accusations of vandalism that are commonly levelled against graffiti artists around the world. They said they do not directly challenge the government. Artists who do risk accusations of being counterrevolutionary and being detained. "About five years ago, we realized that there was a bit more tolerance," said artist Osmany Carratala, 28. Known for his "happy zombies" symbolizing his view that Cubans, traumatized by past poverty, are now slaves of materialistic dreams, he said graffiti artists have kept up their guard because they do not know "when authorities could put the pressure on again." One of Cuba's first prominent graffiti artists, Danilo Maldonado, emigrated to Miami in January. Known as "El Sexto" ("the sixth") after spreading that tag around Havana to mock "the cult of five Cuban spies" sentenced to prison in the United States in 2001, his critical work led to several imprisonments. "It doesn't make much sense to stay somewhere where you cant do your art," Maldonado, 34, said in a telephone interview.There is growing acceptance, however, for less overtly political graffiti. While state-run media have eschewed the phenomenon, the governmental Casa de las Americas hosted an exhibition of photos documenting it last month. And many Cubans welcome the graffiti in public spaces. "This place was basically in ruins before," said musician Raul Prades, 54, pointing to the wall of a crumbling warehouse in Old Havana, plastered with graffiti. "And now, it's covered in art." (Reporting by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Daniel Flynn, Toni Reinhold)
Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographe

It only takes the opening notes of the theme tune to 1963 classic film The Great Escape for most people to conjure up images of the lives of prisoners of wars  and their escapes  during World War II. The film, based on the best-selling book of the same name, tells the story of how British Commonwealth prisoners escaped from Stalag Luft III in Sagan (now Zagan, Poland), in Nazi Germany.

This escape was not unique  there were an estimated 69 other mass escapes of prisoners of war during the war. In seven of these it was by German prisoners escaping. Now our new scientific investigation, published in the Journal of Conflict Archaeology, revealed a hidden tunnel that allowed 83 German prisoners to escape from Camp 198 in Bridgend, South Wales, in March 1945.

Camp 198 had been established in 1944 in Bridgend to house 1,600 German officers. With the allies now squeezing the Germans on two fronts, the war had turned a corner, and prisoners were flooding in. In the UK alone, camps sprung up everywhere, numbered in a consecutive sequence that reached Camp 1026, in order to house an estimated 400,000 prisoners. And with the Geneva Convention specifying that officers could not be put to work in the fields, or anywhere else for that matter, there were undoubtedly many escape plans made.

Yet camp security measures at Bridgend were generally poor. Perhaps overwhelmed by the huge influx of enemy personnel, protocols for anti-escape measures took some time to develop. The lack of sentry towers and perimeter lighting on the fences meant that escape attempts were extremely likely. Tunnels had already proven to be the most common means of escape in the Great War  wherever ground conditions permitted it. The clay soils at Bridgend made it harder to dig tunnels than the sandy soils underlying the Stalag Luft III camp. However the Bridgend tunnels did not need as much shoring support to keep the tunnel intact, a bit of wood salvaged from huts did the trick.

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We know the prisoners actually once started a tunnel that was discovered by the guards, perhaps breeding complacency among them. Whatever the case, it did not deter the would-be escapers, and it was a second tunnel, started in Hut 9, that finally allowed them to escape.

Scientific investigation

Left derelict when closed in 1948, Camp 198 was mostly demolished in the 1990s. However, Hut 9 was preserved by the local authorities, and remains in remarkable condition for scientists to investigate.

Hut 9 provides much evidence of the lives of the officer occupants, filling their days in captivity. Hand-drawn prisoner graffiti still adorns the prison walls. Much of it is poetry, referring to the heimat  home  or of loved ones. One of the graffitied walls in Hut 9 was false, constructed to hide the soil that was placed behind it and never discovered.

But what of the tunnel itself? Just as we did to locate the missing tunnel Dick near Hut 122 at the site of the Great Escape, Stalag Luft III, in 2003, we used geophysical investigations outside of Hut 9 at Bridgend to successfully detect the tunnels subsurface position.

We started the investigation by using ground-based surface scanning to create a surface model of the site. This helped us identify variations in the surface, such as depressions which could indicate a collapsed tunnel. We then used ground penetrating radar surveys, which uses radar pulses to image the subsurface, to find the specific tunnel location (as well as plenty of tree roots).

At this point, we still werent ready to start digging. Measurements of electrical resistivity  how strongly a material opposes the flow of an electric current  helped us determine which parts of the tunnel were filled. Magnetic surveys, used to locate metallic objects, turned out to be less successful, as there was little metal within the tunnel.

While the escape tunnel at Stalag Luft III was dug some ten metres below ground  requiring some prodigious archaeological effort to reach it  at Bridgend, we discovered that the tunnel was at a relatively shallow level of 1.5 metres below ground level. Careful excavations by hand eventually helped us reach this tunnel, which was found to still be remarkably intact. Sawn-off wooden bed legs and materials from the prisoners huts, used to support the tunnel walls and roof, were still present, just as they had been left in 1945.

Following the German escape, the local police, home guard, army and air force were all mobilised. While one group of prisoners stole a car and got as far as Birmingham, none managed to successfully make their way back to Germany.

By comparison, in the Great Escape, three people managed to return home. Of course, the Germans had to travel through the small, densely-populated island of the UK. The allied escapers achieved a much greater travel distance (470km versus 44km on average) than the Germans before being captured. They also had more sophisticated forged documents and escape material that would have significantly aided their escapes.

Given their comparatively simple plan, it is remarkable that so many Camp 198 prisoners managed to get out. And with the tunnel and the surrounding area destined to become a listed National monument and conserved for future generations, it may soon become as well remembered as the events described in the Great Escape.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Jamie Pringle receives funding from the HLF, the Nuffield Foundation, Royal Society, NERC, EPSRC and EU Horizon2020. He is affiliated with the Geological Society of London.

Peter Doyle does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above.
By Eric Beech and My Pham WASHINGTON/HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam has won the promise of a visit from a U.S. aircraft carrier and deeper defence cooperation from the United States as strains show with China over the disputed South China Sea. Within Southeast Asia, Vietnam has become an increasingly lonely voice in challenging Chinese claims to the vast majority of the waterway and was forced to suspend some offshore oil drilling last month after pressure from Beijing. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Vietnamese counterpart Ngo Xuan Lich in Washington on Tuesday that a strong defence relationship was based on common interests that included freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. "The Secretary welcomed Vietnam's engagement and growing leadership in the Asia-Pacific region," a statement from the Pentagon said. The defence ministers agreed on a visit by a U.S. aircraft carrier to Vietnam next year - the first such visit since the Vietnam War ended in 1975. President Donald Trump discussed the possibility of a carrier visit with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc when they met at the White House in May. The agreement was consistent with Vietnam's diplomatic strategy of being open to all countries, said Ha Hoang Hop, a Vietnamese political analyst who has advised the government. "Vietnam is not willing to compromise on issues of sovereignty and also makes its own preparations," he said. Beijing has been irritated by Vietnam's growing defence relationships with the United States and rival Asian powers, including Japan and India. Tension has risen since June, when Vietnam infuriated China by drilling for oil and gas in an offshore block that Beijing disputes. The exploration was suspended after diplomatic protests from China. China was also annoyed by Vietnam's stand at an Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting at the weekend, when it held out for language in a communique that noted concern about island-building and militarisation in the South China Sea. A scheduled meeting between Chinese and Vietnamese foreign ministers on the sidelines of the summit was cancelled. China also pointed to Vietnam's own reclamation work in the South China Sea. Beijing is sensitive to even a veiled reference by ASEAN to its reclamation of seven reefs and its military installations in the South China Sea, which it claims in almost its entirety despite the competing claims of five other countries. More than $3 trillion in cargo passes through the waterway every year. Australia, Japan and the United States urged Southeast Asia and China on Monday to ensure that a South China Sea code of conduct they have committed to draw up would be legally binding and said they strongly opposed "coercive unilateral actions". (Additional reporting by My Pham in HANOI; Editing by Paul Tait)
LIMA (Reuters) - Peru called the government of Venezuela a "dictatorship" on Tuesday after hosting the first meeting of a new, 17-member regional bloc that aims to seek a peaceful end to the country's deepening political crisis. In a joint declaration released after a meeting in Lima, countries including Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Colombia collectively condemned the "breakdown of democratic order" in Venezuela and said they would not recognise any action taken by its "illegitimate" new constituent assembly. Peru called for the gathering of diplomats in the region after Venezuela held a widely-criticized election last month to form the constituent assembly, an all-powerful body run by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's Socialist Party loyalists. "What we have in Venezuela is a dictatorship," Peruvian Foreign Affairs Minister Ricardo Luna told a press conference, flanked by his counterparts from the region. Luna said that it was important to address the "unprecedented regional crisis" in Venezuela collectively, but said some member's of the new group may take individual actions to go further. Luna's comments marked some of the harshest words for Venezuela from a foreign country amid the recent wave of international condemnations as Maduro's government cracks down on protests and seeks to consolidate power. Peru has been one of the most outspoken critics of Maduro under centrist Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczysnki, a former Wall Street banker whom Maduro has described as a lackey of the United States. Earlier on Tuesday, Kuczynski said Venezuela was "on its last leg economically." The regional group, which plans to meet again, also condemned Venezuela's "systematic violation of human rights and fundamental liberties, violence, repression and political persecution, the existence of political prisoners and the lack of free elections." Chile's foreign minister Heraldo Munoz told reporters that the group does not intend to meddle in Venezuela's sovereign affairs. "What we want is to re-establish the broken democratic order," Munoz said, adding that "Chile does not accept military coups, auto-coups or military uprisings." The meeting in Lima came as the regional ALBA bloc, which includes Venezuela's leftist allies in Latin America including Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador and Cuba, expressed support for Maduro in a meeting in Caracas. Earlier on Tuesday, the United Nations slammed Venezuela for the use of excessive force against anti-government protesters. (Reporting by Mitra Taj, Ursula Scollo and Eyanir Chinea Marco Aquino; Editing by Sandra Maler and Michael Perry)
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The following companies are subsidiares of Emerson Electric: A.P.M. Automation Solutions Ltd., AE Valves, AGI Mexicana S.A. de C.V., ALCO CONTROLS spol. s.r.o., APM Automation Solutions, ASC Investments Inc., ASCO (Japan) Company Limited, ASCO L.P., ASCO Numatics (India) Private Limited, ASCO Numatics Holding Inc., ASCO SAS, ASCO Valve (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ASCO/JOUCOMATIC s.r.o., ATX SAS, Advanced Protection Technologies, Aegir Norge Holding AS, Alliance Compressors LLC, American Governor, Aperture, Apple JV Holding Corp., Appleton Electric LLC, Appleton Electric S.A. de C.V., Appleton Group, Appleton Group Canada Ltd., Appleton Grp LLC, Appleton Holding Corp., Appleton Holding Sarl, Artesyn Embedded Technologies, Artesyn Hungary Elektronikai Kft., Artesyn Technologies, Asco AB, Asco Controls AG, Asco Controls B.V., Asco Joucomatic Ltd., Asco Joucomatic ZA B.V., Asco Magnesszelep Kft., Asco Numatics GmbH, Asco Numatics S.A., Asco Numatics Sirai S.R.L., Asco Numatics Sp. z o.o., Ascomatica S.A. de C.V., Ascomation (NZ) Ltd., Ascomation Pty. Ltd., Ascotech S.A. de C.V., Ascoval Industria e Commercio Ltda, Automatic Switch Company, Aventics, Aventics, Aventics AB, Aventics AG, Aventics AS, Aventics ApS, Aventics B.V., Aventics Corporation, Aventics Holding S.A.S., Aventics Holding S.a.r.l., Aventics Hungary Kft, Aventics Inc., Aventics India Private Limited, Aventics Limited, Aventics Ltd., Aventics Oy, Aventics Pneumatics Equipment (Changzhou) Co. Ltd., Aventics Pneumatics Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Aventics S.A.S., Aventics S.R.L., Aventics Services Germany GmbH, Aventics Singapore Pte. Ltd., Aventics Sp. z.o.o., Aventics Spain S.L., Aventics spol. s.r.o., Avtron LoadBank, Bannerscientific Limited, Beckman Industrial B.V., Beijing Rosemount Far East Instrument Co. Ltd., Bettis Canada Ltd., Bettis Holdings Limited, Bettis UK Limited, Biffi Italia S.r.l., Bioproduction Group, Branson Korea Co. Ltd., Branson Ultrasonic S.A., Branson Ultrasonics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Branson Ultrasonics B.V., Branson Ultrasonics Corporation, Branson Ultrasonics a.s., Branson Ultrasonidos S.A.E., Branson Ultrasons SAS, Branson Ultrasuoni S.R.L., Branson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Bray Lectroheat Limited, Bristol Babcock Limited, Bristol Inc., Buehler Europe Limited, Buehler UK Limited, CR Compressors LLC, CSA Consulting Engineers Ltd., California Emerson LLC, Cascade Technologies, Cascade Technologies Holdings Limited, Cascade Technologies Limited, Chemat GmbH Armaturen fur Industrie - und Nuklearanlage, Chloride Koexa S.A., Componentes Avanzados de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Computational Systems, Computational Systems Incorporated, Conception et Representation de Technologies de Controle C.R.T. Controle SAS, Control Products Inc., Controles de Temperatura S.A. de C.V., Cooligy Inc., Cooper-Atkins, Cooper-Atkins Corporation, Cooper-Atkins Pte. Ltd., Copeland Access + Inc., Copeland Compresores Hermeticos S.A. de C.V., Copeland Corporation, Copeland Corporation LLC, Copeland Limited, Copeland Redevelopment Corporation, Copeland Scroll Compresores de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Copeland de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Copesub Inc., Crosby Valve LLC, Damcos A/S, Damcos Holding A/S, Daniel Automation Company, Daniel Europe Limited, Daniel Industrial Inc., Daniel Industries, Daniel Industries Canada Inc., Daniel Industries Inc., Daniel Industries Limited, Daniel International Limited, Daniel Measurement Solutions Private Limited, Daniel Measurement and Control Inc., Daniel Measurement and Control S. de R.L. de C.V., Danmasa S.A. de C.V., Dar Ibtikar Al Iraq for General Services and General Trade LLC, Decision Management International, Dieterich Standard Inc., Digital Appliance Controls (UK) Limited, Dixell North America Inc., Dixell S.R.L., Do+Able Products, E. Business Development E.B.D.Com Ltd., E.G.P. Corporation, EECO Inc., EGS Comercializadora Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., EGS Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., EGS Private Ltd., EMERSON CLIMATE TECHNOLOGIES s.r.o., EMR (Asia) Limited, EMR (Mauritius) Ltd., EMR Emerson Holdings (Switzerland) GmbH, EMR Europe Holdings Inc., EMR Foundation Inc., EMR Holdings (France) SAS, EMR Holdings Inc., EMR Worldwide B.V., EMR Worldwide Inc., EMRSN HLDG B.V., EMRSN Process Management Morocco Sarl, ENPDOR2012A Limited, ENPESNA Inc., EPM Tulsa Holdings Corp., EPMCO Holdings Inc., ETC International Holdings Ltd., Easy Heat Europe SAS, Easy Heat Inc., El-O-Matic B.V., El-O-Matic Valve Actuators (F.E.) Pte. Ltd., Electrische Apparatenfabriek Capax B.V., Emerald Advanced Technology Limited, Emerson (Philippines) Corporation, Emerson (Taiwan) Limited, Emerson (Thailand) Limited, Emerson Arabia Inc., Emerson Argentina S.A., Emerson Asia Pacific Private Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Actuation Technologies Holdings Inc., Emerson Automation Solutions Actuation Technologies Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Sichuan) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Taiwan) Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Thailand) Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Africa (Pty) Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Australia Pty Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Czech Republic s.r.o., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Denmark A/S, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control France SARL, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Germany GmbH, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Hong Kong Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Hungary Kft, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Italia S.r.l., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control LLC, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Middle East FZE, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Netherlands B.V., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Polska Sp. Z.o.o., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Sales Australia Pty Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Sales Holding LLC, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Singapore Pte. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control UK II Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control UK Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control US LP, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Emerson Automation Solutions GmbH, Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms Private Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms do Brasil Ltda, Emerson Automation Solutions Ireland Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Isolation Valves Inc., Emerson Automation Solutions SSC UK Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions UK Limited, Emerson Beijing Instrument Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Services LLC, Emerson Climate Technologies (India) Private Limited, Emerson Climate Technologies (Shenyang) Refrigeration Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, Emerson Climate Technologies (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies (Suzhou) Trading Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies - Solutions (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies - Transportation Solutions ApS, Emerson Climate Technologies Arabia Limited Co., Emerson Climate Technologies Australia Pty. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies FZE, Emerson Climate Technologies GmbH, Emerson Climate Technologies Inc., Emerson Climate Technologies Limited, Emerson Climate Technologies Mexico S.A. de C.V., Emerson Climate Technologies Refrigeration S.A., Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions Europe S.R.L., Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions Inc., Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions UK Limited, Emerson Climate Technologies S.A., Emerson Climate Technologies S.R.L., Emerson Climate Technologies Sarl, Emerson Commercial & Residential Tools LLC, Emerson Commerical & Residential Asia Limited, Emerson Comres de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Emerson DHC B.V., Emerson Dietzenbach GmbH, Emerson Dominicana Srl, Emerson Egypt LLC, Emerson Electric (Asia) Limited, Emerson Electric (China) Holdings Co. Ltd., Emerson Electric (M) Sdn Bhd, Emerson Electric (Mauritius) Ltd., Emerson Electric (South Asia) Pte. Ltd., Emerson Electric (Thailand) Limited, Emerson Electric (Tongling) Co. Ltd., Emerson Electric (U.S.) Holding Corporation, Emerson Electric (U.S.) Holding Corporation (Chile) Limitada, Emerson Electric (Zhuhai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Electric CR Limitada, Emerson Electric Canada Limited, Emerson Electric Company (India) Private Limited, Emerson Electric Company Lanka (Private) Limited, Emerson Electric Holdings (Switzerland) GmbH, Emerson Electric II C.A., Emerson Electric International Inc., Emerson Electric Ireland Limited, Emerson Electric Korea Ltd., Emerson Electric Nederland B.V., Emerson Electric Overseas Finance Corp., Emerson Electric Poland Sp. z o.o., Emerson Electric U.K. Limited, Emerson Electric de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Emerson Electric do Brasil Ltda, Emerson Energy Systems (UK) Limited, Emerson FZE, Emerson Final Control US Holding LLC, Emerson Finance LLC, Emerson Fusite Electric (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Emerson Gabon SARL, Emerson Hazardous Electrical Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Holding Company Limited, Emerson Holding Sweden AB, Emerson InSinkErator Appliance (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Emerson Industrial Automation USA Inc., Emerson International Holding Company Limited, Emerson Japan Ltd., Emerson Junkang Enterprise (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Korea Limited, Emerson LLC, Emerson LLP, Emerson Machinery Equipment (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Emerson Mexico Finance S.A. de C.V. SOFOM ENR, Emerson Middle East Inc., Emerson Network Power DHC B.V., Emerson Paradigm Holding LLC, Emerson Process Management (India) Private Limited, Emerson Process Management (South Africa) (Proprietary) Ltd., Emerson Process Management (Tianjin) Valves Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management (Vietnam) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management A/S (Denmark), Emerson Process Management AB, Emerson Process Management AG, Emerson Process Management AS, Emerson Process Management Angola Lda, Emerson Process Management Arabia Limited, Emerson Process Management Australia Pty Limited, Emerson Process Management B.V., Emerson Process Management Chennai Private Limited, Emerson Process Management Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Distribution Limited, Emerson Process Management Europe GmbH, Emerson Process Management Flow B.V., Emerson Process Management Flow Technologies Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management GmbH & Co. OHG, Emerson Process Management Holding AG, Emerson Process Management Holding LLC, Emerson Process Management Kft., Emerson Process Management LLLP, Emerson Process Management Lda, Emerson Process Management Limited, Emerson Process Management Ltda, Emerson Process Management Magyarorszag Kft., Emerson Process Management Manufacturing (M) Sdn Bhd, Emerson Process Management Marine Solutions Korea Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Marine Solutions Singapore Pte. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Marine Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management NV, Emerson Process Management New Zealand Limited, Emerson Process Management Nigeria Limited, Emerson Process Management Oy, Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions Inc., Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions India Private Limited, Emerson Process Management Qatar W.L.L., Emerson Process Management Regulator Technologies Inc., Emerson Process Management Regulator Technologies Tulsa LLC, Emerson Process Management Romania S.R.L., Emerson Process Management S.A., Emerson Process Management S.A. de C.V., Emerson Process Management S.L., Emerson Process Management S.R.L., Emerson Process Management SAS, Emerson Process Management Shared Services Limited, Emerson Process Management Sp. z o.o., Emerson Process Management Ticaret Limited Sirket, Emerson Process Management UAB, Emerson Process Management Valve Automation (M) Sdn Bhd, Emerson Process Management Valve Automation (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Valve Automation Inc., Emerson Process Management Verwaltung GmbH, Emerson Process Management d.o.o., Emerson Process Management de Colombia SAS, Emerson Process Management del Peru S.A.C., Emerson Process Management s.r.o., Emerson Professional Tools (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Puerto Rico Inc., Emerson Retail Services Europe GmbH, Emerson S.R.L., Emerson Sales UK Limited, Emerson Saudi Arabia LLC, Emerson Scroll Machining (Thailand) Limited, Emerson Sice S.R.L., Emerson Sweden AB, Emerson TOV, Emerson Technologies GmbH & Co. OHG, Emerson Technologies Verwaltungs GmbH, Emerson Tool Company de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Emerson Tool and Appliance Company S. de R.L. de C.V., Emerson Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson UK Trustees Limited, Emerson USD Finance Company Limited, Emerson Valves & Controls Japan Co. Ltd., Emerson Ventures Inc., Emerson Vulcan Holding LLC, Emerson Xi'an Engineering Center, Emersub 1 LLC, Emersub 10 LLC, Emersub 11 LLC, Emersub 12 LLC, Emersub 14 LLC, Emersub 15 LLC, Emersub 16 LLC, Emersub 3 LLC, Emersub 4 LLC, Emersub 5 LLC, Emersub 7 LLC, Emersub 8 LLC, Emersub 9 LLC, Emersub CII Inc., Emersub CV Inc., Emersub Italia S.R.L., Emersub LXXXIV Inc., Emersub LXXXVI Inc., Emersub Mexico Inc., Emersub Treasury Ireland Unlimited Company, Emersub XLVI Inc., Emersub XXXVI Inc., Emirates Techno Casting FZE, Emirates Techno Casting Holding Limited, Emirates Techno Casting LLC, Enardo, Endura-Greenlee Tools, Energy Solutions International (India) Private Limited, Energy Solutions International GP LLC, Energy Solutions International Ltd., Energy Solutions International SAS, Energy Solutions International Sub LLC, F-R Tecnologias de Flujo S.A. de C.V., FC QSF LLC, FMC Technologies, Fiberconn Assemblies Morocco Sarl, Fincor Holding LLC, Fire & Safety Group.Com Ltd., Fisher Controles de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Fisher Controls International LLC, Fisher Jeon Gas Equipment (Chengdu) Co. Ltd., Fisher Regulators (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fisher Sanmar Limited, Fisher-Rosemount Systems Inc., Flow Control Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Flow Control Holding Verwaltungs GmbH, Flow Control US Holding Corporation, Francel SAS, Fromex S.A. de C.V., Fusite B.V., Fusite Corporation, Fusite Land Company, GSEG LLC, General Equipment and Manufacturing Company Inc., Generale de Robinetterie Industrielle et de Sytemes de Surete, GeoFields, GeoFields Inc., Greenex Ltd., Greenfield (UK) Limited, Greenlee, Greenlee Communications, Greenlee Tools Inc., Gulf Valve FZE, Gustav Klauke GmbH, H.T.E. Engineering Limited, HD Electric Company, HTE Engineering Services Limited, Hindle Cockburns Limited, Hiross India Private Limited, Hiter Industria e Comercia de Controles Termo-Hidraulicos Ltda., Humboldt Hermetic Motor Corp., Hytork International Ltd., I Solutions Inc., ICC Intelligent Platforms GmbH, ISE-MagTech, Industrial Controls Canada ULC, Industrial Group Metran JSC, Instrument & Valve Services Company, Intelligent Platforms LLC, Intellution, International Gas Distribution SA, Intrinsic Safety Equipment of Texas Inc., JCF Fluid Flow India Private Limited, JSC Metran-Export, Joucomatic S.A., K Controls Limited, Keystone Germany Holdings Corp., Keystone Valve (Korea) LLC, Keystone Valve (U.K.) Limited, Klauke, Klauke (Jiangsu) Electrical Connection Technology Co Ltd., Klauke France SARL, Klauke Handelsgesellschaft mbH, Klauke Iberia S.L., Klauke Polska Sp. z.o.o., Klauke Slovakia s.r.o., Klauke UK Ltd., Knurr, Liebert, Liebert Swindon Limited, Locus Solutions LLC, Locus Traxx Worldwide, Locus Traxx Worldwide Europe BVBA, MDC Technology Limited, MDC Technology Trustees Limited, METCO Services Limited, MYNAH Technologies, Management Resources Group Inc., Mecafrance (Deutschland) GmbH, Metallurgical Services Laboratories Limited, Metaserv Limited, Metco Services Venezuela C.A., Micro Motion Inc., Mobrey Group Limited, Motores Hermeticos del Sur S.A. de C.V., NetworkPower Ecuador S.A., Nippon Fisher Co. Ltd., Novel Environmental Technologies Ltd., Novel Extinguishing Agent Technology Ltd., Numatics Incorporated, Nutsteel DHC B.V., Nutsteel Industria Metalurgica Ltda, O.M.T. Officina Meccanica Tartarini S.r.l., Open Systems International, P I Components Corp., PT Emerson Solutions Indonesia, PT. Emerson Indonesia, PT. Paradigm Geophysical Indonesia, Pactrol Controls Limited, PakSense, PakSense Inc., Paradigm, Paradigm (UK) Holding Limited, Paradigm B.V., Paradigm France S.A., Paradigm Geophysical (India) Private Limited, Paradigm Geophysical (KL) Sdn. Bhd., Paradigm Geophysical (Nigeria) Limited, Paradigm Geophysical (U.K.) Limited, Paradigm Geophysical B.V., Paradigm Geophysical Corp., Paradigm Geophysical Italy SRL, Paradigm Geophysical LLC, Paradigm Geophysical Limited, Paradigm Geophysical Pty Ltd, Paradigm Geophysical S.A., Paradigm Geophysical Sdn. Bhd., Paradigm Geophysical Spain S.L., Paradigm Geophysical de Venezuela C.A., Paradigm Geophysical do Brasil Ltda., Paradigm Geoservices Canada Ltd., Paradigm Geotechnology (Egypt) S.A.E., Paradigm Kazakhstan LLP, Paradigm Middle East FZ-LLC, Paradigm Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Parex Industries Limited, Pentair Valves & Controls, Pentair Valves and Controls India Private Limited, Permasense, Permasense Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, Permasense Limited, ProSys, ProTeam Inc., Progea, RAC Technologies (Israel) Ltd., RIDGID Inc., RPP Europe GmbH, RPP LLC, Rey-Lam S. de R.L. de C.V., Ridge Tool (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Ridge Tool Company, Ridge Tool Europe NV, Ridge Tool GmbH, Ridge Tool GmbH & Co. OHG, Ridge Tool Manufacturing Company, Ridge Tool Pattern Company, Ridgid France SAS, Ridgid Italia S.R.L., Ridgid Online Inc., Ridgid Scandinavia A/S, Ridgid Werkzeuge AG, Rosemount China Inc., Rosemount Inc., Rosemount Measurement Limited, Rosemount Nuclear Instruments Inc., Rosemount Specialty Products LLC, Rosemount Tank Gauging India Pvt. Ltd., Rosemount Tank Gauging Middle East SPC, Rosemount Tank Gauging North America Inc., Rosemount Tank Radar AB, Rosemount Tank Radar Properties AB, Roxar, Roxar AS, Roxar Flow Measurement AS, Roxar Flow Measurement Sdn Bhd, Roxar Limited, Roxar Maximum Reservoir Performance W.L.L., Roxar Saudi Co., Roxar Services AS, Roxar Services OOO, Roxar Software Solutions AS, Roxar Technologies AS, Roxar Vietnam Company Ltd., Roxar de Venezuela C.A., Rutherfurd Acquisitions Limited, S.F.T. Group Ltd., SABO-Armaturen Service GmbH, Safety Systems UK Pte. Ltd., Sakhi-Raimondi Valve (India) Limited, Scroll Compressors LLC, Scroll Mexico LLC, Sempell GmbH, Shanghai Virgo Valves Technology Consulting Co. Ltd., Sherman + Reilly, Soluciones 0925 C.A., Spectra-Tek Holdings Limited, Spectra-Tek International Limited, Spectra-Tek UK Limited, Spectrex, Spectrex Inc., Spectronix Ltd., Spensall Engineering Limited, Steel Support Systems Limited, Stratos Lightwave, System Plast International B.V., System Plast Ltda, System Plast USA de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., TDM-avtomatizatsiya, TV&C GP Holding LLC, Taiwan Valve Co. Ltd., TechnipFMC, Termocontroles de Juarez S.A. de C.V., Tescom Corporation, Tescom Europe GmbH & Co. KG, Tescom Europe Management GmbH, The Automation Group Inc., The J.R. Clarkson Company LLC, Therm-O-Disc Europe B.V., Therm-O-Disc Incorporated, Thunderline Z Inc., TopWorx UK Limited, Tranmet Holdings B.V., Tranmet Holdings Limited, Verdant Environmental Technologies, Vilter Manufacturing LLC, Virgo Valves & Controls (ME) FZE, Virgo Valves and Controls Sdn Bhd, Von Arx AG, Vulsub 1 Limited, Vulsub Brasil Holding, Vulsub Brasil Ltda., Vulsub Chile SpA, Vulsub Gulf Holding Limited, Vulsub Holding III (Denmark) ApS, Vulsub Holding Ltd, Vulsub Holdings A LLC, Vulsub Holdings B LLC, Vulsub Holdings C LLC, Vulsub Holdings D LLC, Vulsub Italia S.r.l., Vulsub Middle East Holdings LLC, Vulsub Peru S.A.C., Vulsub Property Holding LLC, Vulsub Property Limited, Vulsub S.A., Vulsub South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Vulsub VZ C.A., Westinghouse Electric Pvt. Limited, Westlock Controls Limited, Westlock Equipamentos de Controle Ltda., Woodstock Land Company LLC, epro GmbH, iSolera Inc., iSolutions Private Limited, and intelliSAW.

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National Fuel Gas Company operates as a diversified energy company. It operates through four segments: Exploration and Production, Pipeline and Storage, Gathering, and Utility. The Exploration and Production segment explores for, develops, and produces natural gas and oil in California and in the Appalachian region of the United States. As of September 30, 2021, it had proved developed and undeveloped reserves of 21,537 thousand barrels of oil and 3,723,433 million cubic feet of natural gas. The Pipeline and Storage segment provides interstate natural gas transportation and storage services through an integrated gas pipeline system in Pennsylvania and New York; and owns and operates underground natural gas storage fields. This segment also transports natural gas for National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation, as well as for other utilities, industrial companies, and power producers in New York State; and owns and operates the Empire Pipeline. The Gathering segment builds, owns, and operates natural gas processing and pipeline gathering facilities in the Appalachian region, as well as provides gathering services to Seneca Resources Company, LLC. The Utility segment sells natural gas or provides natural gas transportation services to approximately 753,000 customers in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Jamestown, New York; and Erie and Sharon, Pennsylvania. The company markets gas to industrial, wholesale, commercial, public authority, and residential customers primarily in western and central New York, and northwestern Pennsylvania. As of September 30, 2021, the company also owned approximately 95,000 acres of timber property; and managed approximately 2,500 additional acres of timber cutting rights. National Fuel Gas Company was incorporated in 1902 and is headquartered in Williamsville, New York.
SANTA FE  State Sen. George Munoz announced Tuesday that hell run next year for New Mexico land commissioner, adding another high-profile name to the mix for an open statewide office.

Munoz, a Gallup Democrat, said his top priority if hes elected would be to generate a more stable revenue stream for state public schools and universities, citing his own sons recent decision to leave New Mexico for college.

Im tired of the roller coaster ride in education funding, Munoz told the Journal. We need stability.

To accomplish that, he said, he would support an all of the above approach to using state trust land, while touting an increase in wind and solar energy exports as one way to generate more state revenue.

The State Land Office oversees more than 9 million acres of state trust land and roughly 13 million acres of subsurface mineral rights that are intended to help fund public schools, higher education and other beneficiaries.

Revenue from state trust land comes from oil and natural gas royalties, grazing rights and energy leases, and the land commissioner has broad authority to allow activities and authorize land swaps.

Munoz has served in the state Senate since 2009 and is regarded as a business-friendly Democrat. Among other notable bills, he sponsored 2013 legislation to shore up the states cash-strapped retirement system for state and local government employees.

In a Tuesday interview, Munoz said he would seek to balance sportsmens access to state trust lands with other revenue-generating activities.

He also floated the idea of earmarking revenue from certain energy-related taxes for early childhood programs, saying, At this point, I think we need to fix something.

New Mexico had the nations worst high school graduation rate in 2015, and recent attempts to take more money from the states largest permanent fund for home visiting and other early childhood programs have stalled in the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

State lawmakers have also signed off on budget cuts and other solvency measures in response to two consecutive years of less-than-expected revenue collections caused primarily by plummeting oil and natural gas prices.

Meanwhile, two other Democrats  Garrett VeneKlasen and former Land Commissioner Ray Powell  have also launched campaigns, suggesting a lively primary election contest in 2018.

On the GOP side, another former land commissioner, Pat Lyons of Cuervo, is the only candidate, as incumbent Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn, a Republican, recently decided to forgo a 2018 re-election bid and instead run for Congress.
PHOENIX  Two teenagers have been sentenced in the carjacking and death of a fellow Hopi tribal member who was stabbed 31 times.

A federal judge in Phoenix on Monday sentenced 18-year-old Arianna Soohafyah (sue-HEFF-vayah) to 20 years and 17-year-old Camille Lomaomvaya (loh-MAH-ohm-vayah) to 16 years in prison.

Federal prosecutors say the teens had forced their way into Florine Talayumptewas (tuh-lie-YUM-ti-wuhs) home in Second Mesa on the Hopi reservation. They say one held Talayumptewa at knifepoint before the other took the knife and repeatedly stabbed her in 2016.

Soohafyah previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder. Lomaomvaya pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in death.

Court documents say the two had planned the attack for months to steal Talayumptewas 2014 Dodge Avenger.
SANTA FE  City Councilor Ron Trujillo on Tuesday condemned a racist Facebook post by a leader of a new political advocacy group who has expressed support for Trujillos 2018 mayoral campaign.

Also this week, two candidates not affiliated with the group announced theyll run for seats on the City Council.

Community activist Gloria Mendoza, who helped form a new back-to-basics group called Santa Fe Power, recently posted on Facebook an image of U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters of California, who is black, likening her to an orangutan in a wig. The post, which Mendoza said was a joke and not racist, was in response to a woman who had posted a message calling Mendoza a bully and who had used a well-known quote from Waters in her own Facebook profile, according to a Santa Fe New Mexican report.

I dont condone this at all. This is not something that is condonable by any means, Trujillo said in a phone interview Tuesday.

Trujillo and Mendoza, who now lives south of the city limits, both were prominent in the effort against incumbent Mayor Javier Gonzales proposal to impose a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages that was soundly defeated in a May special election. Trujillo, though, said he has no affiliation with Santa Fe Power.

Trujillo said the sugar tax proposal divided the community and now is a time for community healing. I want to see Santa Fe united, not divided, Trujillo said. When you see this kind of thing (the Waters post), this does not help the healing process.

Santa Fe Power on Facebook calls itself a non-partisan, watchdog group that calls out any SELF-SERVING City or County politician that works against our community, by pushing FAR LEFT BLOOMBERG NY agendas. Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg provided financial support for the soda tax effort. Along with commentary on City Hall, Santa Fe Power also says common core educational standards originated in Quatar and posted a link to a video headlined Islamic Plan to Dumb Down America Through Common Core.

Meanwhile, Greg Scargall, a member of the citys Veterans Advisory Board and coordinator of the Veterans Resource Center at Santa Fe Community College, announced on Facebook he will run for the District 4 seat Trujillo is vacating.

Scargall said that while hes used to advocating for veterans, he also wants to work to benefit people in his community who are struggling. Some people have big ambitions, mine is to do what I can where Im at, he said. I want to speak for the little guy and gal in this town  the people who are just scraping by.

Anne Vigil Coppler, a Santa Fe Realtor, previously announced her intention to run for the District 4 seat.

Also, Signe Lindell announced in an email Tuesday she will seek a second term in

council District 1.

My priorities havent changed  you can count on me to continue fighting to protect animals, create jobs, lower our carbon footprint and ensure equality for all Santa Feans, she said.

In an interview, she added: I love this work. Its been a great honor serving the city and were never at a loss for more work to do.
Nine months after Donald Trump upset Hillary Clinton to win the presidency, congressional Republicans and conservative legal watchdogs are continuing to probe the scandals that dogged the Democratic campaign. And in conservative media, the churn of possible investigations has created a news cycle that operates independently of the one seen in most of the press.

The latest round of pressure for new investigations began on Aug. 2 and 4, when Judicial Watch and then the American Center for Law and Justice released the latest fruit of a federal lawsuit against the Department of Justice  email traffic inside the DOJ about the June 2016 decision of Bill Clinton to walk across the tarmac at Phoenixs Sky Harbor airport and have a conversation with then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch. The meeting, first reported by a local news station that reported being told not to photograph either Lynch or Clinton, caused an instant scandal, despite a hasty attempt by the Clinton campaign to describe the meeting as non-political.

On Nov. 2, six days before the presidential election, ACLJ chief counsel Jay Sekulow announced that hed be suing for documents after the DOJ and FBI claimed that a Freedom of Information Request turned up nothing. On Aug. 4, Sekulow, who is now a member of the presidents legal team and a frequent advocate for him on television, reported that the lawsuit had turned up hundreds of pages of emails.

It is clear that there were multiple records within the FBI responsive to our request and that discussions regarding the surreptitious meeting between then AG Lynch and the husband of the subject of an ongoing FBI criminal investigation reached the highest levels of the FBI, Sekulow wrote. There is clear evidence that the main stream media was colluding with the DOJ to bury the story.

In a pattern similar to the long-running investigation of the September 2012 attacks in Benghazi, the emails have turned up not the redacted talking points, but evidence that public affairs officers in the DOJ, FBI, and White House were communicating on how to spin the story. (The ACLJ has also unmasked an email pseudonym Lynch sometimes used, though thats not uncommon for high-profile public officials, and the emails were obviously discoverable as part of lawsuits.) On Monday night, Sekulow appeared on Foxs Hannity, which frequently editorializes on the need for more Clinton investigations, to share the findings.

Does this potentially expose its own version of collusion that theyre trying to cover up the fact they were in the fix, if you will, for Hillary Clinton and they didnt want it exposed? asked Sean Hannity. And add to that that its not an investigation, its a matter? That seems to be building a case.

Yes, but add to that also, Sean, that the basis upon which James Comey said he went public was because of these meetings that weve got the documents on now, said Sekulow. Thats the reason he said he made that public statement because he said the integrity of the agency, the FBI, was put at risk, and the Department of Justice, by Loretta Lynchs action. But remember that she never recused herself from the actual outcome of the proceeding.

On the Tuesday episode of his radio talk show, Rush Limbaugh focused on the dismissive tone reporters used to ask questions of the government spinners and the Lynch email alias. It turns out these people are using aliases, fake names so that they would not be discovered, he said, overstating the meaning of the attorney generals dummy email. Later in the day, the president himself drew attention to the lawsuits, without naming them.

Separately, the Senate and House Judiciary committees have been carrying out or exploring investigations into different aspects of the 2016 campaign and Clintons years at the State Department. In July, before the start of the August recess, the House committee hollowed out a Democratic resolution intended to expand the investigation of former FBI Director James Comeys firing, and replaced it with one demanding answers about Clinton. On July 26, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, held hearings on the Foreign Agent Registration Act, suggesting that as an aide to Clinton at State, Blumenthal carried out lobbying activity but never registered.

News articles reported that Mr. Blumenthal transmitted documentation to Secretary Clinton on behalf of the Georgian Dream, a political party in the country of Georgia, said Grassley. The Justice Department never explained why it failed to require Mr. Blumenthal and his partner, John Kornblum, to register under FARA.

In a letter, which he copied to the Washington Post, Blumenthal demanded an apology from Grassley, saying he had never represented Georgia Dream or with Kornblum.

You have a responsibility to yourself as well to me and to the American public to determine who gave you this false information, encouraged you to make your recent statement and the reason why, wrote Blumenthal. In light of current events, it appears to have been instigated as a means to distract and diminish the public attention from the Russian intervention in the presidential election of 2016.

In an emailed statement, Grassley spokesman George Hartmann said that the fault was with Blumenthal for declining to explain himself.

Senator Grassley has publicly written the Justice Department several times since 2015, citing news reports about Mr. Blumenthals alleged activities with respect to foreign interests, and never received any contact from Mr. Blumenthal about it until now, nor any substantive response other than the Justice Departments noting that its Foreign Agents Registration Act Unit was aware of the news reports, said Hartmann. In his letters, and at the recent hearing on the Justice Departments failure to adequately enforce the Foreign Agents Registration Act, Senator Grassley cited news reports and noted that if Mr. Blumenthal did not have to register, the Justice Department should explain why not in order to be fair to him. Mr. Blumenthal should direct his attention to the news reports and the Justice Department rather than a senator who cited the reports in the context of whether the Justice Department has been as transparent as it should be with the American peoples business.

Blumenthals letter is below

To Senator Charles Grassley:

You owe me an apology for lying about me.

On July 26, 2017, you made a public statement about me that was completely false in every particular.

You stated: News articles reported that Mr. Blumenthal transmitted documentation to Secretary Clinton on behalf of the Georgian Dream, a political party in the country of Georgia. The Justice Department never explained why it failed to require Mr. Blumenthal and his partner, John Kornblum, to register under FARA.

In fact, I have never represented Mr. Bidzina Ivanishvili or his political party, Georgia Dream, or any other foreign entity, nor rendered them any services. I have had no contact with Mr. Ivanishivili, or his political party Georgia Dream, and made no agreement with anyone, ever, to represent him or his party. I have received no payment or benefit from Mr. Ivanishvili, his political party Georgia Dream, or any other foreign entity for representation or rendering of services covered by the Foreign Agent Registration Act.

Indeed, I have received no payment or benefit from Mr. Ivanishvili or any person I have reason to believe associated with him or his political party, ever. I have made no agreement, written or oral, with any foreign entity, at any time, relating to any matter covered by the Foreign Agent Registration Act.

Nor was John Kornblum my partner. We have never had any business or financial relationship of any kind. Ambassador Kornblum is one of the most distinguished diplomats to have served the United States. I first met him in 1986 when he was the U.S. Consul-General in Berlin and I was a reporter for the Washington Post. He played an instrumental role in the creation of President Reagans speech calling on the Russians to tear down the Berlin Wall. He also served as the U.S. ambassador to Germany.

I forwarded to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Ambassador Kornblums personal observations on the 2012 Georgian election and a letter from Mr. Ivanishvili that Ambassador Kornblum informed me he had already sent to Secretary Clinton. I made a point of writing Secretary Clinton that I was sending them to her without comment.

I also included an article from The Economist, reporting on the blood feud of Georgian politics, that contained negative facts about all sides, including concerning Mr. Ivanishvili. I neither expected a response from Secretary Clinton, nor received one.

Nor were there, as you claimed, any news stories, because there are no facts. There can be no news without facts. Whatever you may have read could only have been baseless smears.

Thus, there is not a scintilla of evidence for your statement. Nor would it ever be possible to have such evidence because there is none.

Whoever provided you with this false information was harming you and your reputation as well as intending to harm me.

You have a responsibility to yourself as well to me and to the American public to determine who gave you this false information, encouraged you to make your recent statement and the reason why. In light of current events, it appears to have been instigated as a means to distract and diminish the public attention from the Russian intervention in the presidential election of 2016.

I request that you therefore investigate the sources of the false information to determine whether they have been engaged in an attempt to mislead the Congress and obstruct the ongoing investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

I look forward to your early reply.

Sincerely,

Sidney Blumenthal
Five or so people in handcuffs were loaded into a prisoner transport vehicle on the grounds of Expo New Mexico on Tuesday evening, and Gov. Susana Martinez told reporters they represented just a fraction of the violent convicts who are being tracked by authorities as part of Operation Spearpoint.

Martinez said local and federal authorities have worked to identify 50 people who have been convicted of a violent crime and are now wanted for violating the terms of their probation or parole.

Albuquerque police, the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office, the U.S. Marshals Service and New Mexico State Police are now tracking the people down to make arrests, she said.

Since the operation got underway July 31, Martinez said 25 of the 50 people on that list have been arrested.

They are causing havoc in the community, and we want the community to feel safe, Martinez said. I want the message to these individuals to know, you wont know when we are coming. But we are coming. And we are going to find a cell for you at the county jail.

Martinez and law enforcement officials didnt identify any of the men and women who are being targeted as part of the operation, including those who were hauled off to jail in front of the media.

They also didnt say where the individuals originally committed the crime that landed them on either probation or parole in the first place.

Martinez said the suspects all had some sort of violent crime conviction, such as for domestic violence or armed robbery, and then violated their probation or parole in some way.

Albuquerque police Chief Gorden Eden said a crackdown on probation and parole violators could ultimately address the amount of violent crime in Albuquerque, as suspects in violent crimes often have multiple felony warrants and arrests, he said.

Some people might say, Well, they were on probation for this (type of) crime. It doesnt matter. They are fleeing from justice, Eden said. They demonstrated they cant comply with a lawful order from a judge.
WASHINGTON  Republicans face a problem as they try to defend a slim majority in the Senate and win races elsewhere: Insurgent primary candidates are trying to lay claim to President Donald Trumps mantle, and knock out the establishments choices.

The latest case is in Nevada, where endangered GOP incumbent Sen. Dean Heller drew a challenge Tuesday from businessman and repeat failed candidate Danny Tarkanian, who announced his bid in an early morning Fox News Channel appearance seemingly aimed at an audience of one: the president himself.

Were never going to make America great again unless we have senators in office that fully support President Trump and his America-first agenda, Tarkanian said, criticizing Heller as one of the first never-Trumpers in Nevada and arguing he had obstructed Trumps agenda in Congress.

Heller opposed early versions of Trump-backed health care legislation in the Senate before voting for a final version that failed anyway. His campaign spokesman, Tommy Ferraro, dismissed Tarkanian as a perennial candidate.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is the official Senate GOP campaign arm, quickly announced its support for Heller, and a super PAC backed by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., committed to spending what it takes to support him and other GOP incumbents.

The dynamic mirrors longstanding clashes between the GOPs establishment and activist wings, which played out disastrously in 2010 and 2012 when hard-core conservatives won Senate primaries but went on to lose to Democrats. McConnell and his allies vowed never to let that happen again and have subsequently intervened in primaries when necessary to produce candidates who could win.

The X factor now is the appeal Trump may hold to Republican primary voters  and what Trump himself will do. The president offered one clue Tuesday night, backing the establishment candidate in next weeks GOP Senate special election primary in Alabama, hours after an Associated Press story noted the absence so far of a presidential endorsement in the race.

Senator Luther Strange has done a great job representing the people of the Great State of Alabama. He has my complete and total endorsement! the president wrote, bypassing a firebrand House conservative, Mo Brooks, and an evangelical former state chief justice, Roy Moore, in favor of the appointed senator strongly backed by McConnell. The candidates are fighting over the seat previously held by now-Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

But whether Heller will get the presidential seal of approval in his primary is far less clear, and he is not alone.

Next door in Arizona, GOP incumbent Sen. Jeff Flake, another Trump skeptic during last years campaign, faces at least one challenge from the right in conservative Kelli Ward, who repeatedly denounces Flake while praising Trump.

In each case, to their annoyance, establishment-aligned Republicans face the prospect of spending millions to protect an incumbent from a challenger who might have a tough time getting out of the general election. Republicans hold a 52-48 Senate majority and are playing offense against Democratic incumbents in 10 states Trump won.

Its a critical time to make sure that Republican members know, when theyre casting tough votes, that well have their backs, said Steven Law, a former McConnell chief of staff who heads the Senate Leadership Fund, in describing the decision to come in with millions to back Strange in Alabama.

Until Trump weighed in with his endorsement late Tuesday, the Alabama race had underscored questions about the role the president would play in Senate primaries.

A former GOP Senate campaign official with knowledge of the situation said the NRSC has sought help from the Trump White House on Senate races but those requests went unanswered under the leadership of recently ousted Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, leading to widespread frustration. The former campaign official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal party matters.

While Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have said they want to increase the Republican majorities in the House and Senate, the White Houses approach to contentious primaries isnt clear yet. And Trump has already worked against McConnells goals, ignoring his pleas not to appoint former Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke, a likely Senate candidate, as Interior secretary, while boosting endangered Democratic Sens. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia by hosting them at Trump Tower.

As for Heller, he is already walking the Trump tightrope.

Hellers initial denunciation of a Senate plan to repeal and replace Obamacare drew the ire of a political nonprofit promoting Trumps agenda. America First Policies tied Heller to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in a social media push and threatened to spend more than $1 million trashing him on television and radio on his home turf. McConnell called the groups attacks beyond stupid.

In addition to the health care episode, Heller in 2015 said he was donating Trumps previous campaign contributions to charity  a move he announced after Trump came under fire for characterizing some illegal immigrants from Mexico as rapists. For a president with a famously long memory for slights, Heller may have little hope of getting back into his good graces.

___

Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa.
As the only American in a class of economics students from around the world at a boarding school in Scotland, I was often asked to explain and defend the U.S. health care system. I struggled to respond. I was asked to write a 2,500-word essay refuting the claim that if people dont look after their health, they cant expect free access to health care. Heres an abbreviated version:

Accounting for over one-sixth of the U.S. economy, health care is often at the forefront of political and social conflict. It has long been debated whether health care is a privilege or a right, whom health care should go to, for what price, and who should pay. With every country implementing some version of universal health care  Americas system seemed the outlier. How effective and efficient is our system of health care delivery?

Often having much to do with partisan affiliation, many people grapple with the question of who deserves free access to health care. After spending three months in the U.K., it became glaringly clear the differences between models like the National Health Service in Britain as opposed to private insurance companies and Obamacare in America. They showcase two opposing beliefs and their economic effects. It is my view that all people should have access to health care, regardless of ability to pay or personal circumstance. Apart from moral arguments, there are solid economic arguments that include difficulty in standardizing the product, allocative inefficiencies, costly administration, vulnerability to false advertising when left to market forces, and poor productivity when workers dont seek health care due to cost.

A 2012 Washington Post article estimated the $2.5 trillion U.S. health care industry has $750 billion in unnecessary costs, including unnecessary services, $210 billion; inefficiently delivered services, $130 billion; excess administrative costs, $190 billion; and fraud, $75 billion.

According to the Polluter Pays Principle, which states that damage caused must be paid for by the perpetrator, those who make inappropriate health and lifestyle choices should pay the costs associated with those choices. However, who is to determine where that fine line begins and ends? Should the 68 percent of Americans who are overweight  be required to pay higher health costs? Taking into account peoples varying degrees of wealth, education, genetics and general health, it is difficult to expect a fair and consistent treatment of health payments.

The U.S. system enforces the notion that people should be held responsible for their health by making consumers pay for it. Unfortunately, it does not have the desired effect of burdening the government less. The Institute of Medicine reported that the indirect costs associated with preventable chronic diseases  costs related to worker productivity as well as the resulting fiscal drag on the nations economic output  may exceed $1 trillion per year. Workers afraid to incur the unaffordable costs of treatments result in a nonproductive labor force and, since that scenario could have been avoided, the consequence is market failure.

It would seem that the well-being of society as a whole through universal health care yields more benefits than hypocritically segregating a portion of the population perceived as a burden. The government has a duty to take care of all of its citizens, regardless of socioeconomic status or debatable health choices. As the nation begins to see change on other major social issues, I am optimistic that the younger generation will make positive progress toward universal health care.
Donald Trump often seems more shock jock than president. He likes to shock, say or tweet outrageous things, prove that hes not just another politician. But now he is president; his words have impact, and his posturing can be dangerous.

Last week, he essentially endorsed police brutality before a gathering of police officers in Long Island: When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just see them thrown in, rough, and I said, Please dont be too nice. 

His remarks received significant applause, but hours later the Suffolk County Police Department issued a statement making it clear that it will not tolerate roughing up of prisoners.

The cries of Baltimores Freddy Gray, of Amadou Diallo, Manuel Loggins Jr., Ronald Madison, Kendra James, Sean Bell, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Alton Sterling and many more could be heard from their graves. Each was a black man or woman who died at the hands of police.

Trumps words are not simply bluster; his Attorney General Jeff Sessions is intent on turning them into policy. Sessions has scorned the Obama administrations efforts to review police misconduct and to forge consent agreements on reforms with police departments from Chicago to Baltimore. He spreads the myth that reform handicaps law enforcement. In a nation that locks up more of its people than any in the world, hes instructed U.S. attorneys to seek the harshest penalties available for those found guilty of violating the law.

Over the last decade, from Ferguson to Chicago to New York to Baltimore, our cities have witnessed major demonstrations and more in response to police brutality. Black Lives Matter demonstrations  remarkable nonviolent, civil disobedience  put police reform on the national agenda.

We began to see a bipartisan consensus emerging around sentencing reform, closing down privately owned for-profit prisons and reforming police practices from body cameras to community policing.

This reform consensus was emerging because police brutality not only tramples individual rights; it also impedes community law enforcement. It breeds anger and cuts off community cooperation. Police become seen as occupiers, not allies. The poorest neighborhoods in our urban areas are tinderboxes; too often, it is police brutality that sets them afire.

The Obama administrations 13-month review of Chicagos police force was completed just before Trump was inaugurated. It praised the diligent efforts and brave actions of countless officers, and paid tribute to the tough task they have. Yet it found that a break in trust impeded the police forces ability to prevent crime: Trust and effectiveness in combating violent crime are inextricably linked, it concluded, calling for broad, fundamental reform of police in Chicago.

Trump and Sessions disagree. They think, as Trump put it, that the laws totally protect the criminal, not the officers.  (Officers are) in more jeopardy than (criminals) are. Were changing those laws.

This displays an utter ignorance of the reality of police misconduct and its victims. It is also dangerous. It gives a green light to those who would trample basic rights and mocks those who follow the laws. It encourages departments to turn a blind eye to their own practices.

In Newark, a consent decree reform agreement led to a dramatic reduction in crime. Its monitor, Peter Harvey, said thats because reform helps police do their jobs.

Remember, its the community that helps you police, Harvey said. Very few cities have enough cops to patrol a city 24-7 effectively, 12 months a year. You need the community to help you. And the community wont help if you place community residents in chokeholds where they die, and then turn around and say, Well, we want to be your friend. Those are inconsistent messages.

Frustrated in Washington, Trump likes to rouse his base in speeches like that in Long Island. But these words are trouble, and his policies are worse. Across America, police reform is long overdue. What Trump and Sessions make clear is that, as long as they are in office, it will have to come from the bottom up, in the face of dangerous delusions at the top.

You can write to the Rev. Jesse Jackson in care of this newspaper or by email at jjackson@rainbowpush.org. Follow him on Twitter @RevJJackson.
WASHINGTON  What better way to usher in the hissingly hot dog days of summer, otherwise known as August, than with a high-wire verbal duel between CNN senior White House correspondent and well-known cosmopolitan Jim Acosta and White House sniper and senior adviser Stephen Miller.

The sniping began during a news conference last Wednesday, the same day President Trump endorsed Senate Republicans plan to reform legal immigration from family-based to skill-based standards.

Reactions were swift, predictable and hysterical:

Oh-my-god, whos going to harvest the crops? This is so un-American! Trump is a bigot!

More or less.

Acosta contributed to the latter lament by citing what he called Trumps three issues: Muslims, Mexicans and media, all of which the president presumably dislikes  except when hes in Saudi Arabia, Mexico or appearing on Fox News.

Passions intensified when Acosta further suggested that Trump only wants immigrants from English-speaking regions, prompting Miller to accuse him of having a cosmopolitan bias, which seems like something one would like to have  or drink. Cosmopolitan means worldly, after all, and whats wrong with that? Perhaps some interpret worldliness as globalist or elitist, but then Miller, a Duke University graduate from California, probably isnt carving duck calls in his spare time.

As for Acosta, what could explain his apparent extrapolation that prioritizing English proficiency is tantamount to restricting immigration to certain races or ethnicities? Or that reforming immigration to emphasize skilled workers would exclude people from countries where English is not the first language? One may infer that Trump is a bigot in certain instances, but not necessarily in this one. Are there no other reasons besides bigotry to prefer skilled to unskilled workers?

Acostas accosting of Miller is why so many Americans see the media as biased. Lets be honest: If Donald Trump discovered a cure for narcissism, no one would object if he used it first on himself, but most in the media would insist that the cure was simply further evidence that Trump is a narcissist.

To Acosta, the presidents bias in favor of English-speaking people is obvious and runs counter to the nations purpose as described in the poem on the Statue of Liberty welcoming the worlds tired, poor and huddled masses. Acosta, his inner soliloquist liberated at last, engaged in a recitation, whereupon Miller gleefully retorted that said poem, written in 1883 by one Emma Lazarus, was tacked onto the statue years after it was erected.

In 2017, we cant welcome skilled workers, too?

Todays wretched excess, if you will, is the direct consequence of the well-intentioned Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which gave preference to extended family members of people already here. Long lines ensued and increased quotas followed, as did the flow of immigrants too impatient for the legal process. Legal immigration has increased from 296,697 annually in 1965 to more than 1 million today. Of those, 39 percent are from Asia. About one-third emigrate from Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Before the law, 70 percent of legal immigrants were from Europe and Canada, compared with just 10 percent today.

Perhaps these statistics account for Acostas sense that Republicans want to keep Americans hablando ingles. But might there also be other reasons to prefer skilled workers, who would find jobs waiting to be filled, pay taxes and contribute to the rising tide that lifts all boats?

If such preferences are tantamount to bigotry, then others have been equally guilty, including Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy, as well as civil rights leader Barbara Jordan, who in 1972 became the first African-American woman from the South to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. As head of an immigration special task force, Jordan worried that opening the floodgates to unskilled workers would rob American citizens of jobs and strain social services. She, too, suggested focusing more on skilled immigrants.

Kennedy, who in 1965 downplayed such concerns and supported the immigration bill, later changed his mind and in 2007 joined Sen. John McCain in a push for skills-based reforms. But then-presidential candidate Barack Obama and then-Sen. Hillary Clinton opposed the idea because, hold your air horns, they couldnt bear the thought that families  aka future Democratic voters  might be torn asunder.

Oh, the ironies. The GOP has finally defined exactly which families they value, while Democrats have clarified their need for the needy. It would seem we have a draw. Yet somewhere in all the squabbling is space for the brain power Jordan urged Americans to call upon for a rational conversation about immigration reform that best serves the national interest.

Meanwhile, thanks for the show, and enjoy ye dog days while ye may.

Parkers columns, including those not published in the Journal, can be read at abqjournal.com/opinion  look for the syndicated columnist link. Copyright, Washington Post Writers Group; e-mail to kathleenparker@washpost.com.
Capitalizing on the near ubiquity of security cameras at businesses and homes in metro Albuquerque, law enforcement agencies are asking owners of those cameras to help them catch and prosecute criminals.

And with rising crime on practically everybodys mind these days, the proposal certainly has merit.

The Albuquerque Police Department and the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office are asking owners of security cameras to voluntarily  emphasis on voluntarily  sign up for the new Security Camera Analytical Network (SCAN) program. The idea is to create a map showing where those cameras are so that, should a crime occur in the immediate vicinity, investigators would quickly know where to check for video images that could shed light on the crime.

Although APD Chief Gorden Eden stresses that SCAN is not a monitoring program, businesses can allow  emphasis on can allow  operators at APDs Real Time Crime Center to access those cameras remotely, assuming the video systems are compatible. Images would also be available to other law enforcement agencies, including the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office and the New Mexico State Police.

Heres one scenario in which the system could prove valuable: An APD officer gets dispatched to a late-night burglary in progress at a local store. Although the burglar is gone by the time the officer arrives, he can quickly find out what security cameras are in the area, what areas they cover and how to contact the cameras owner. The images could not only help identify the burglar, but also indicate how he got in, what he took and maybe even his escape route. The video could also be used in court to convict, or exonerate, the accused.

Homeowners and businesses can register their camera systems online at cabq.gov/scan. Theyll be asked to provide information about the make and model of the system, address of the home or business, number of cameras in the system, picture quality, retention time of the video and contact information.

Is there a hint of Big Brother in all this? Sure. Will local residents and businesses step up and provide information they already have, through technology they already own, so law enforcement can catch those who have helped the local crime rate soar? Anyone who has been a crime victim sure hopes so.

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.
ORLANDO, Fla.  The heartbreak of losing her beloved 3-year-old great-nephew has left Barbara Livingston numb. And angry.

Myles Hill died after being left in a hot van at a day care for nearly 12 hours on Monday, when temperatures reached the low 90s with a heat index in the triple digits.

If you leave your child with someone, that person has the responsibility of taking care of them, said Livingston, 71. He had to lose his life because of someones neglect. Its not right. Its not right at all. If you have six kids get in the van, you make sure six kids get out of the van.

Myles body was found about 8:30 p.m. Monday after a day care worker for Little Miracles Academy left him in the back seat of a van after dropping kids off for the day about 9 a.m.

Police say charges are pending against the driver, who told police she did not do a head count when dropping off the children, Orlando Police Chief John Mina said.

This is your worst nightmare come true, Mina said Tuesday.

Livingston said family members became concerned about 8 p.m. Monday after Myles was not brought home at 6:30 p.m. The van was sometimes late, but never later than that. She said his grandmother, who has custody, kept calling the day care  to no avail. She had spoken to the owners earlier that day, arranging to order a new school uniform for Myles, Livingston said.

The grandmother called police and went to the day care on Plymouth Avenue off Gore Street near Orange Blossom Trail, Livingston said.

I was on the phone with her and she started to scream, Hes in the van, dead!' Livingston said.

The grandmother called 911, and police arrived to find Myles on the floor in the back seat of the van. Mina said a day care worker also called officers.

This is an absolute tragedy which could have been prevented, Mina said.

Mina said an autopsy would be performed, but it was likely that the boy died from heat-related causes. He would have turned 4 on Aug. 22.

The day care owners, Audrey and Bryant Thornton, who also own a second day care on West Colonial Drive, could not be reached for comment. Both day cares are closed until further notice, said signs at both places.

Livingston said her nephew was a smart boy who liked to be with family.

He often had a smile on his face, whether he was cuddling with his grandmother or showing his great aunt how to play a race-car game on his tablet.

He was always doing something, she said. He was a very happy little boy.

Myles is the fifth child to die in a hot car in Florida and the 33rd nationwide this year, according to NoHeatStroke.org.

Amber Andreasen, director and volunteer manager of nonprofit child-safety organization kidsandcars.org, said these deaths can easily be prevented by people simply checking the vehicle before going inside.

Child-care facilities need to take every safety precaution, she said. They need to double, triple and quadruple check that every child is out of the vehicle.

Mina did not say Tuesday if the owners would face any charges in Myles death.

The day care worker has been very cooperative and is obviously very distraught, Mina said.

But the Florida Department of Children and Families is pursuing every legal option available to cease operations by tomorrow at both of these facilities, even though their investigation isnt complete, department secretary Mike Carroll said.

According to DCF records, Little Miracles Academy failed to comply with the transportation rule during a July 11 inspection. The facilitys log did not include elements such as arrival and departure times and destination locations, according to the report.

The problem was fixed right away, according to records.

It was one of five violations during DCF inspections since 2015. Other violations included not having a caretaker in sight when the children were napping and not keeping attendance records during a fire drill, the records say. Records show the Thorntons filed in 2009 to open the business.

Livingston said she thinks the owners also should face criminal charges.

I know its not going to bring him back, but someone has to be held accountable, she said. Its just a must.

The mood was somber Tuesday among the people who live and work nearby. Several people delivered flowers, toys and balloons to the day cares gate to remember and mourn Myles.

DCF officials said they are connecting families with children enrolled at Little Miracles Academy with day care options through the Early Learning Coalition.

Myles family members held a vigil Tuesday night at the child-care center where he was found.
SEOUL, South Korea  North Korea said Wednesday it released a Canadian pastor who has been serving a life sentence since 2015 for alleged anti-state activities over health reasons.

Pyongyangs official Korean Central News Agency said that Hyeon Soo Lim was released on sick bail following a decision by the countrys Central Court. The agency didnt provide further details.

The office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier said that a delegation led by his national security adviser, Daniel Jean, arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday to discuss Lims imprisonment.

Lim, a South Korean-born Canadian citizen in his 60s, was convicted and sentenced in 2015 on charges of trying to use religion to destroy the North Korean system and helping U.S. and South Korean authorities lure and abduct North Korean citizens.

South Korea, the U.S. and others often accuse North Korea of using foreign detainees to wrest diplomatic concessions, and foreigners have said after their release that their declarations of guilt had been coerced while in North Korean custody.

Lims release came nearly two months after the death of U.S. college student Otto Warmbier shortly after he was released from North Korea in a coma. Warmbier had been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in March 2016 after being accused of stealing a propaganda poster.

Trudeaus spokesman Cameron Ahmad said the government considered Lims health of utmost importance but did not give more details about the delegation.

Lim pastored the Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Toronto. His supporters have said he was on a humanitarian mission to North Korea when he was detained.

Canada does not have diplomatic offices in Pyongyang and relies on Sweden to handle consular issues. Lim met with the Swedish ambassador at least twice this year and met Canadian officials in December.

At least three Americans and six South Koreans remain in custody in the North.
LONDON  Scientists have named a prehistoric crocodile described as one of the nastiest sea creatures to have ever inhabited the earth after late Motorhead frontman and British heavy metal icon Lemmy Kilmister.

Londons Natural History Museum says the fossil of whats now known as Lemmysuchus obtusidens was dug up in England in the early 20th century but was incorrectly categorized with other sea crocodiles found in the area.

Researchers recently took another look at the specimen and gave it a new classification and a scientific name of its own.

The fossil is housed at the museum. Curator Lorna Steel suggested it be named after Kilmister, who died in 2015. She says in a statement that wed like to think that he would have raised a glass to Lemmysuchus.
PHOENIX  A closure of Interstate 17 due to a propane truck fire in a rural area lasted at least nine hours before the main route between Phoenix and northern Arizona high country was fully reopened early Wednesday morning.

The incident began late Tuesday afternoon when the tanker caught fire after a tire blowout near Black Canyon City, which is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Phoenix.

The closure caused a long backup on I-17. Traffic was routed onto local roads but the Department of Transportation advised drivers to take alternate routes through Payson and Wickenburg during the extended closure.

The department announced around 1 a.m. that southbound lanes had reopened and then northbound lanes an hour later.

State officials are considering ways to improve I-17 to avoid extended closures.
HOUSTON  Former Gov. Mark White was remembered Wednesday as a dedicated and caring Texas leader by someone who later held the same elected position  George W. Bush.

Bush, the nations 43rd president, spoke at Whites funeral at Second Baptist Church in Houston. White, who battled kidney cancer, died Saturday at age 77.

White, his casket draped in a Texas flag, was a lawyer and Democrat who served one term as Texas governor, from 1983 until early 1987.

White was a good and decent man and a natural as Texas governor who strived for improvements in education, according to Bush.

Mark envisioned a Texas where all children were educated, said Bush, a Republican who governed Texas from 1995 until 2000 when he won the presidency.

Two other prominent Texas Republicans, Gov. Greg Abbott and ex-Gov. Rick Perry, now U.S. Energy Secretary, were among the hundreds of mourners.

Luci Baines Johnson, a daughter of former President Lyndon B. Johnson, praised Whites efforts to improve Texas even after he left the governors mansion. He may have retired from public office, but he never retired from public service, she said.

White was to lie in state Thursday afternoon at the Capitol Rotunda in Austin, followed by a private family service at the Texas State Cemetery.

___

This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of Abbott
A leading New Mexico producer of medical cannabis made her case for legalization to business leaders Wednesday, saying the industry has grown exponentially and would expand more rapidly under an adult-use model like Colorados.

The medical pot industry racked up $56 million in sales in 2016, eclipsing sales from New Mexicos chili and microbrewery industries, said Rachael Speegle, co-owner of the Verdes Foundation.

The number of people with state-issued licenses to legally purchase cannabis shot up 42 percent in the first seven month of 2017, from about 32,000 in January to 45,400 in July.

These numbers are staggering because they show there is an interest and a growth potential that is going up exponentially every year, Speegle told business leaders at an Economic Forum of Albuquerque.

The top five licensed nonprofit producers accounted for 76 percent of cannabis sales in 2016.

In my mind this shows that there is a lot of growth potential for the other 30 nonprofits, she said.

An economic report projects that the industry could grow rapidly if the state legalizes recreational, or adult-use, of cannabis, as eight other states have done, she said.

Medical marijuana, which remains illegal under federal law and cannot be transported across state lines, has no export potential, Speegle said in response to a question. But the state could benefit from sales to tourists who visit New Mexico, and the market would flourish if cannabis became legal for adult use, she said.

The export value is tourism, and the market of bringing people into our state, Speegle said. Theres a lot more job growth that can happen, and is even happening under our medical model.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

Albuquerque Public Schools has acknowledged that its proposed construction of an employee health clinic is dead.

APS spokeswoman Monica Armenta said this week that the clinic is not in a design phase, that there are no funds set aside to build it later and that pursuing construction of an employee clinic is not a priority at all right now.

Voters approved the $4.9 million clinic in a February 2016 bond and mill levy election; however, that money has not been collected, she said. APS receives only one-sixth of the approved funds each year for six years under a continuous collection cycle.

If it turns out that in three or four years, there is a dramatic change in health care or huge increases in APS employees, or if insurance companies change policies, then we could re-visit the question at that time, Armenta said.

In the weeks before the election, APS officials estimated the yearly operational cost of the clinic at $1.5 million. Revised estimates subsequently put the operational cost at about $2.7 million the first year, rising to about $4 million by year four.

The clinic proposal came at a time when APS was dealing with a $9.5 million budget shortfall.

Detractors panned the project as too costly, a diversion of funds that could be used for teaching students and providing in-class resources, and an unnecessary duplication of health services already available to APS employees through two district insurance plans.

Albuquerque attorney Robert Pidcock said Wednesday he was particularly pleased to learn that APS had abandoned its pursuit of an employee health clinic.

Early on, Pidcock filed a lawsuit contending that APS violated state law in its bond and mill levy election in several ways.

He charged that APS changed the rate of the tax mill levy 12 days before the election, while state law requires ballot questions be published at least 50 days before an election.

APS, he said, engaged in logrolling, the practice of combining unrelated issues in one ballot question. Rather than giving voters the opportunity to approve or reject specific capital projects, such as the health clinic, they were forced to accept or reject all the projects as part of a single package.

The lawsuit also maintained that the $4.9 million health clinic did not fit the description of a school building under state law and therefore was not eligible for bond funding.

I just felt it was an inappropriate use of taxpayer money, Pidcock said, adding that APS teachers and employees were calling me constantly telling me they supported the lawsuit, and were unlikely to use it because APS would then have access to their health records and health history.

Second Judicial District Judge Nan Nash, who heard the arguments, interpreted case law as requiring her to give deference to the election results, in which 65 percent of voters approved the funding measures. Pidcock then appealed to the New Mexico Supreme Court. They refused to hear it, so the case just died.

Nevertheless, Pidcock said, he believes the lawsuit ultimately factored into negative public opinion about the clinic, as well as the APS decision to back off from the project.

Hes entitled to his opinion, Armenta said. The mere fact that the bond passed with such favor indicates that the public continues to support APS when asked and when it matters.
The soaring popularity of the app based cab services has redefined the face of the transportation industry in several Indian cities. From women and senior citizens to people with disabilities, these affordable app based cabs allow people to travel alone at their own convenience. But how safe are these cabs?

Between 2015 and 2017, at least eight heinous crimes were committed by drivers of these app-based cabs. Since the very first incident came to light, cases regarding crimes against women and concerns over passenger safety have only grown. CNN-News18, embarked on a fortnight-long extensive investigation #OperationTaxi, to reveal how app based cabs have become a nightmare. After taking over 300 rides, the team found some shocking loopholes in the system and focused on issues like unverified drivers, fake licenses being issued, no action on complaints by customers and tainted drivers re-entering the system.

A team of 25 reporters from across the country went to investigate in 4 metro cities that included the National Capital Region, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru. The channels team caught on spy camera, cab drivers spilling secrets and admitting how they never registered to drive that particular cab and were, in fact, driving someone elses cab. The investigation further revealed that some of the drivers were using fake driving license and even their verification was based on fraudulent documents. This means that not only a driver can be untraceable after a crime but he can also enter the system again using forged identity.

While these shocking admissions from the drivers paint a very frightening and disturbing picture, they also reveal that how even after multiple crimes by the drivers and thereafter multiple promises by the companies, the safety of the passengers is being compromised for financial gains.

Following the telecast of the sting operation on the channel, several authorities have taken stock of the situation and promised action. While Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways has taken cognizance of the issue, Kailash Gahlot, Delhi Transport Minister has assured proper action will be taken by the Delhi government. The latter agreed that issue of negligence when it comes to driver verification is a serious concern. He guaranteed that they would be taking all the precautions in the coming City Taxi scheme. The app based cab services will have to share the data of any driver registered with them and the drivers will have to go through rigorous police verification process.
Madison Media has just announced the appointment of 2 senior level resources to its Digital leadership team. Shobhit Gaur joins the agency as head of North digital and Sandeep Prabhudesai as South Digital and Analytics lead.

Shobhit Gaur comes with over 11 years of experience in digital media having worked across a range of companies such as Starcom, IPG and GroupM. Shobhit will be overseeing the North operations of the agency and has the mandate of enhancing its product offering.

Speaking on his appointment, Shobhit says, "I am pleased to be a part of Madison, an established name in digital end to end solutions. The agency is witnessing great growth and has great proprietary knowledge, transformative tools and systems and an established and pedigreed roster of clients. I look forward to a long and fruitful innings ahead."

Sandeep Prabhudesai comes with 11 years of experience in Analytics & digital marketing and has been an old hand of Madison. He was previously working with MEC on Flipkart business. Says Sandeep, "Madison is a strong brand with a roster of extraordinary work; work that's been awarded in India. I look forward to being a part of this high-energy, collaborative and diverse workplace.

Vishal Chinchankar, Chief Digital Officer, Madison Media says "I am absolutely delighted to welcome on board our senior executives. I am confident that Shobhit & Sandeep will be able to deliver value to our clients through their diverse category experience. Their deep understanding of digital media and strategic skills will help us deliver the best solutions for our clients."

Madison Media was in the news last week for having acquired a majority stake in Digital and performance marketing agency HIVEMINDS in Bangalore. The agency currently works with Marico, Asian Paints, Godrej Properties, Raymond, Levis, Tata Chemicals and many other clients in the Digital space.
DOHA, Qatar, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Qatar will allow visa-free entry for citizens of 15 countries in Central and South America, with immediate effect, Qatari officials announced today.

The countries are: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Uruguay, Peru, Paraguay, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Panama, Costa Rica, and Cuba.

Citizens of those countries wishing to visit Qatar will not need to apply or pay for a visa; instead, a multi-entry waiver will be issued free-of-charge at the port of entry, upon presentation of a valid passport with a minimum validity of six months and a confirmed onward or return ticket.

The waiver will be valid for 30 days and entitle the visitor to spend up to 30 days in Qatar (multiple entry), with the possibility of applying for an extension of the waiver for an additional 30 days*.

65 additional nationalities have been granted similar waivers by Qatar, in a bid to attract more visitors to the country, hub of the award-winning five star airline Qatar Airways. The national carrier has been expanding rapidly internationally as well as in Latin America, and will be introducing direct flights to Rio de Janeiro next year.

Hassan Al Ibrahim, Acting Chairman of Qatar Tourism Authority said, "With 80 nationalities eligible for a free visa waiver upon arrival, Qatar is now the most open country in the region and we are delighted to invite visitors to discover our renowned hospitality, cultural heritage and natural treasures."

In November 2016, Qatar introduced a free transit visa, which allows passengers of all nationalities transiting in Qatar for a minimum of five hours to stay in Qatar for up to 96 hours (four days). In May 2017, QTA and Qatar Airways launched +Qatar , a package which includes a free night's stay in a 5- or 4-star hotel in Doha, alongside a complimentary transit visa.

*Entry to Qatar is approved at the sole discretion of Qatar's Ministry of Interior.

For more on visas to Qatar, please visit: https://www.visitqatar.qa/plan/visas-requirements.html

Find out what Qatar has to offer: visitqatar.qa
Company furthers investment in Latin America and expands Brazil footprint; Ribbon-cutting ceremony to include government authorities, clients, analysts and media

Rimini Street, Inc., a global provider of enterprise software products and services, and the leading independent support provider for Oracle and SAP products, today announced the opening of its new Latin America headquarters in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This marks the Companys next phase of growth in the region, which includes an increased focus on expanding enterprise support services and product offerings in Latin America due to strong demand for Rimini Streets premium-level support. The Companys new Latin America headquarters is located in the JK Iguatemi building on Av. Pres. Juscelino Kubitschek in Sao Paulo.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170809005271/en/

Rimini Street Increases Investment in Latin America with Opening of New, Expanded LATAM Headquarters in Sao Paulo, Brazil (Photo: Business Wire)

From the time we first entered the Brazil market years ago, our offerings have been met with high interest and enthusiasm because we help companies in the region address a challenging economic environment with a solution that optimizes their enterprise software costs and unlocks funds that can be redirected into more value-add initiatives for their business, said Edenize Maron, general manager, Rimini Street Latin America. We believe with our strong value proposition we will see accelerated growth in the region with enterprise licensees as Rimini Streets reputation for delivering ultra-responsive, premium-level support continues to become more recognized.

Rimini Street will commemorate its new, expansive office with a gala ribbon-cutting event and cocktail party and dinner this evening, hosted by Rimini Streets CEO, Seth Ravin. Invited guests include government authorities, clients, prospects, media and analysts.

Rimini Street launched its presence in Latin America in 2009, and today services more than 140 global organizations with operations in Latin America, including local well-known Brazil brands such as Embraer, Petropolis, Abril, Riachuelo, Tupy, Marisol, Iguatemi, Gafisa, Estadao, Camargo Correa, GP Investimentos, Even, GRSA, Infoglobo, Rodobens, Promon and Atento.

About Rimini Street, Inc.

Rimini Street is a global provider of enterprise software products and services, and the leading independent support provider for Oracle and SAP products. The company has redefined enterprise support services since 2005 with an innovative, award-winning program that enables licensees of IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP and other enterprise software vendors to save up to 90 percent on total support costs. Clients can remain on their current software release without any required upgrades for a minimum of 15 years. Over 1,300 global Fortune 500, midmarket, public sector and other organizations from a broad range of industries currently rely on Rimini Street as their trusted, independent support provider. To learn more, please visit http://www.riministreet.com follow @riministreet on Twitter and find Rimini Street on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. The words believe, may, will, plan, estimate, continue, anticipate, intend, expect, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and are based on various assumptions. If the risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. Rimini Street assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

 2017 Rimini Street, Inc. All rights reserved. Rimini Street is a registered trademark of Rimini Street, Inc. in the United States and other countries, and Rimini Street, the Rimini Street logo, and combinations thereof, and other marks marked by TM are trademarks of Rimini Street, Inc. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners, and unless otherwise specified, Rimini Street claims no affiliation, endorsement, or association with any such trademark holder or other companies referenced herein.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170809005271/en/

Rimini Street, Inc.

Michelle McGlocklin, +1 925-523-8414

mmcglocklin@riministreet.com
Amazon invested in Andy Rubins consumer electronics startup Essential, the Palo Alto, California-based firm revealed on Wednesday, adding that its business was also recently backed by Chinese tech giant Tencent. The exact financial details of individual investments werent disclosed, though the latest funding round held by the company yielded $300 million in total. Amazon will retail the upcoming Essential PH-1 in the United States, though its currently unclear whether that partnership would have happened if the e-commerce giant didnt decide to financially back the company founded by the creator of the Android operating system. Neither party clarified whether Amazon will also be supporting the launch of the Essential PH-1 in other markets which the firm is targeting and more details on the matter may not follow for at least several more weeks seeing how the device itself was delayed for an unspecified reason and is even late to its release in the United States, the first market thats set to receive it.

Apart from Amazon, Essential is also partnering with Best Buy for the U.S. launch of its first smartphone, the firm confirmed on Wednesday. Its president Niccolo De Masi stated that the device will be out in a few weeks without elaborating on that time frame, thus mimicking Essentials previous statements on the matter. The PH-1 itself is a modular smartphone that can be equipped with various accessories that magnetically snap onto the top-right corner of its rear plate and was introduced as being more future-proof than its contemporary alternatives. According to Mr. Rubins previous statements, the handset is meant to address a number of issues associated with the Android ecosystem, including planned obsolescence and software fragmentation.

Apart from the unconventionally designed high-end smartphone whose display panel wraps around its secondary camera, Essential is also developing the Home, a smart speaker running the companys proprietary Ambient OS. The Internet of Things (IoT) device is expected to be released later this year in the U.S. and may eventually make its way to other markets. Sprint is the only wireless carrier partnering with Essential in its home country where the PH-1 will be priced at $699.
The latest Android Distribution numbers are now in and the big takeaway for August is that Android Nougat has increased once again, and now resides at a 13.5-percent distribution level. This can be further broken down as 12.3-percent for Android 7.0 and 1.2-percent for Android 7.1. To put this into perspective, this sees a month-over-month rise of 2-percent for Android Nougat. As back in July, Nougat occupied an 11.5-percent distribution share, broken down as 10.6-percent for Android 7.0 and 0.9-percent for Android 7.1. Which means that in addition to Nougat having now passed the 13-percent market, Android 7.1 has now passed its own 1-percent milestone.

Moving past the current version of Android, and Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) is not necessarily seeing its upward trajectory hampered by the continued rise of Nougat. As Marshmallow is now up to 32.3-percent. Marking an increase of 0.5-percent month over-month, compared to last months 31.8-percent figure. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the other recent Android versions which all saw a decline month-over-month. The first of the decliners is Android 5.x (Lollipop) which dropped from its previous 30.1-percent standing down to its current 29.2-percent level. Likewise, Android 4.4 (KitKat) dropped down from 17.1-percent to 16-percent. Further back is Android KitKat which dropped down from 8.1-percent to 7.6-percent. With each of its increment versions (4.1.x, 4.2.x, and 4.3) all showing their own month-over-month drops. Ice Cream Sandwich and Gingerbread on the other hand, proved to be no-changers between July and August. As both of which were accredited with a 0.7-percent distribution share in July, and in August both of which occupy a 0.7-percent distribution share.

To sum up, Nougat and Marshmallow continue to rise, Lollipop through to Jelly Bean continue to slip, while ICS and Gingerbread remain as they did last month, after seeing only a very slight drop (0.1-percent) between June and July. While these changes are somewhat steady and predictable at the moment, that is likely to change over the coming months. As Google is preparing to release the final version of Android O soon  likely before the end of August. At which point, Android Nougat will no longer be the most recent version of Android.
The newest version of the Samsung Gear VR is currently discounted about 25%, over on Amazon. Coming in at just $112 right now. Thats not quite the lowest it has ever been, but it is pretty close. The Gear VR was announced back in February ahead of the Galaxy S8 launch in March. And it retails for $129, and rarely drops in price. So nows a great time to pick one up.

Samsung Gear VR comes with a controller this time around, to make it easier to play games and navigate through the virtual world. It does come with an adapter so it will work with older Samsung devices. Its compatible with the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge, Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus. With the Gear VR, youll be able to experience a slew of different virtual reality games as well as watching videos in 360-degrees. On top of that, the Gear VR does also run on Oculus platform, allowing you to use a ton of great, high-quality games.

This is also eligible for Amazon Primes free shipping. Which includes free two-day shipping, and pretty cheap next-day shipping if you need it here extra fast. If you are not an Amazon Prime member yet, you can sign up for a free trial of Amazon Prime by hitting the link below. Youll get 30 days free (if youre a student, you get 6 months), and then its $99/year. Prime members do get a whole lot more than just free shipping though, so be sure to check out the full benefits.

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Price Update: 08/11/17

The cost has been decreased to $99.99!

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James Damore, author of the controversial anti-diversity memo that went viral within Googles ranks over the weekend and consequently prompted the companys management to terminate his employment is considering legal action against the Alphabet-owned tech giant, the software engineer revealed in an email exchange with Bloomberg. Mr. Damore is presently exploring all of his legal options and actions that he may take against Google after being laid off for what he believes are political reasons. According to the firms former employee, the Mountain View, California-based company denied him his right to express concerns regarding his working environment and the circumstances that affect it.

Prior to his termination, Mr. Damore filed a complaint against his now-former employer with the National Labor Relations Board, stating how the companys senior management both misrepresented and shamed him in response to what he believes are valid concerns. He believes that Google decided to lay him off in an effort to silence him, though he was officially fired for perpetuating gender stereotypes, something that most critics of his memo strongly approve. The original document sparked outrage within Googles ranks, with many of its employees heavily criticizing its contents, some of which directly claimed that women are less biologically suitable to be software engineers than men are, a notion that critics described as misguided and sexist. Parts of the right side of the political spectrum in the U.S. and a minority of Googlers recently defended Mr. Damores stances, adding that he has the right to express his concerns on the matter, though Google CEO Sundar Pichai later said that such opinions are in direct violation of the companys Code of Conduct.

A similar sentiment was expressed by the firms new Vice President of Diversity Danielle Brown who responded to the memo on Sunday, stating that Google is always looking to nurture a harassment-free working environment in which employees can feel safe while sharing their opinions on any topic, provided that such beliefs are in line with Googles Code of Conduct and relevant federal laws on equal employment. Its currently unclear how likely is Mr. Damore to file a lawsuit against his former employer whose representatives have yet to comment on such a scenario in any capacity.
AT&Ts Senior Vice President (SVP) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), John Stephens, has hinted that in some respects FirstNet contradicts the ethos behind Net Neutrality. The comments were said to have been made during an investor event this week, and reported on by FierceWireless. The sum of the comments revolve around the principle of FirstNet to prioritize a network for the emergency services, such as the police and firefighters.

Which is where the issue arises as Net Neutrality is fundamentally designed to offset against circumstances where prioritization may happen, and in any capacity. Stephens reportedly went on to note that while it seems unlikely anyone would argue with a need to prioritize FirstNet users, it still represents the uniquenesses of some of the other arguments that we have to deal with. Of course, whether such arguments remain relevant is less clear, as recent reports have suggested that the change in administration in the US is expected to lead to a change in Net Neutrality regulations in general. While those changes still remain speculative for now, the comments made by Stephens highlight one area where the current regulations may need to be adapted to account for unique cases like this. With Stephens reportedly explaining that the situation has arose due to unique use-cases having not been taken into consideration when Net Neutrality regulations were first put together.

As for FirstNet, this is a network which will look to ensure that emergency services are able to stay connected when needed. This network will do that by combining additional spectrum with AT&Ts 4G LTE network so that whenever and wherever first responders find themselves, they will retain the ability to connect to a network, and just as importantly, retain the ability to communicate with other emergency services and organizations. The reason AT&T is involved is due to the carrier being awarded the right to build out the network in the first place. Since AT&T was awarded the contract back in March of this year, the carrier has made a number of announcements relating to the network. Including announcing various partnerships with companies like Motorola Solutions, to bring devices (and software) that are better-suited to the needs of first responders, and the FirstNet network in general.
HMD Globals entry-level Nokia 3 has now become one of the first smartphones to be confirmed for an eventual software update to Googles upcoming mobile OS version, Android O. The news comes directly from the CPO of HMD Global, Juho Sarvikas, who confirmed in a recent tweet that the Nokia 3 will make the jump to Android O at some point in the future. No exact release window has been given, which isnt surprising considering the fact that Google has yet to release the stable version of this particular OS, though device manufacturers rarely make such early and ambitious promises in regards to keeping their lower-end smartphones updated.

The Nokia 3 was released in June as an entry-level device from the new Nokia smartphone lineup powered by Android. The device is running Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, and the operating systems user interface remains largely unaltered from the stock experience. This is considered a positive thing by some Android aficionados for several reasons, including the fact that a proprietary user interface can affect the release times for new software updates. In any case, the new Nokia brand operating under HMD Global is relatively young in the world of Android smartphones and it has yet to prove itself as far as timely updates are concerned. Having said that, an early Android O release for the Nokia 3 could put HMD Global on the map as a manufacturer who can handle software updates with relative ease.

Additionally, given that the Nokia 3 is the least powerful Android smartphone model launched by the company this year, its logical to assume that the companys other devices including the Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 will receive the same Android O treatment eventually. The latest OS version is expected to be released for the Google Pixel smartphone lineup within the next few weeks, but just like in previous years, the rollout dates for third-party smartphone manufacturers will differ on a case-by-case basis. In the meantime, the Nokia 3 is expected to make the jump to Android 7.1.1 Nougat before the end of August and HMD is also set to unveil its first flagship offering in the form of the Nokia 8 next week.

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Hi there! Yes it will  Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) August 8, 2017
The Lenovo K8 and K8 Note popped up on Geekbench a couple of days ago, and the company has just announced the latter handset in India. The Lenovo K8 Note is now official, and it comes with a metal body, a rear-facing fingerprint scanner, and a dual camera setup on its back, which is fueled by dual-LED, dual-tone flash. The Lenovo K8 Note also has a set of capacitive keys below its display, back, home and overview (multitasking) keys, respectively. The companys branding is placed on the back of this phone, and the design of this handset is, well, not flashy, Lenovo has opted for an industrial design here.

The Lenovo K8 Note comes with three sets of physical keys, the power / lock and volume rocker keys are included on the right-hand side of the device, while a dedicated music key can be found on the left-hand side of this phone. You can use this music key to play or pause music, and you can also customize it to do some other things, like launch apps. The Lenovo K8 Note comes with Theatermax and Dolby Atmos tech, while the phone also offers two SIM card slots, its SIM card tray is placed on the left. The Lenovo K8 Note features a 5.5-inch fullHD (1920 x 1080) display with a 2.5D curved glass on top of it. MediaTeks Helio X23 64-bit deca-core SoC fuels this phone, along with the Mali-T880 MP4 GPU. This handset comes with 3GB / 4GB of RAM and 32GB / 64GB of expandable storage. Android 7.1.1 Nougat comes pre-installed on the Lenovo K8 Note, and the device is splash resistant (P2i Nano Coating). A 4,000mAh battery is included on the inside of this phone, and youre also getting Turbo Charging here (15W charger). A 13-megapixel (PureCel Plus sensor), and a 5-megapixel camera (f/2.0 aperture, wide-angle lens) snappers are included on the back of this phone, and you will find a 13-megapixel shooter (f/2.0 aperture, wide-angle lens) on the front side of the Lenovo K8 Note.

The Lenovo K8 Note comes in two color variants, Fine Gold and Venom Black models have arrived to India. The 3GB RAM variant of the device is priced at Rs. 12,999 ($204), while the 4GB RAM model costs Rs. 13,999 ($219). The Lenovo K8 Note will become available starting on August 18 at noon in India, and it will be available exclusively via Amazon India.
Roger McNamee of Elevation Partners, one of the earliest investors in Google and Facebook, said that he regrets his choice and the manner in which his funds helped the two companies evolve into Internet giants that they are today. In an editorial published by USA Today on Tuesday, Mr. McNamee accused the two companies of brain hacking, constantly striving to make their services more addictive by keeping users glued to their screens and gathering more data about them which they can later use to serve them with highly specific ads, convincing them to act when it economically suits them. He compared their business practices to everything from alcohol and gambling to heroin, noting that the aggressive data collection practices they employ are an extremely efficient method of influencing billions of consumers in exchange for some short-term happiness.

Mr. McNamee stated that those issues arent exclusive to Google and Facebook, though he focused on them due to his investment history. Regardless, he believes that many of todays tech giants whose business models are based on advertising are using similar tactics to get users hooked to their services and profile them in the process of doing so. This consequently leads to a reduction in opinions and ideas that individuals are exposed to and creates personalized echo chambers online, he wrote. A similar argument was raised by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in late 2016 when she unsuccessfully attempted to make Google and Facebook reveal their advertising algorithms. Mr. McNamee wrote how Facebook and Googles basic services arent inherently bad for the society but their business models are, though he still didnt call for government regulation and simply said that a public conversation on the matter needs to happen.

In a subsequent comment, the investor explained that he doesnt believe smartphone manufacturers like Apple are at fault for the issue at hand and are actually part of a possible solution seeing how their devices are peoples primary means of accessing Google and Facebooks services. Apples recent moves to block ad trackers in Safari and prevent YouTube videos from playing automatically are all part of the firms effort to stand up to advertising giants, Mr. McNamee believes.
Introduction

The HTC U11 and the Huawei Mate 9 are two high-quality smartphones that go up against one another in todays comparison. The former was launched earlier this year by the Taiwanese vendor that was once one of the preeminent names in the smartphone industry, credited with popularizing the Android platform with revolutionary devices like the Hero and the Evo. Of late, however, the company has been experiencing serious financial trouble with its smartphones often failing to hit the right note with their target audience. That being the case, the company has been banking heavily on the U11 to change its fortunes and towards that end, is offering some really interesting features in the device, both in terms of its hardware and software. The Mate 9, on the other hand, comes from the Chinese telecom giant that has experienced a dramatic rise in fortunes over the past couple of years and, has risen to the top echelons of the global smartphone industry on the sheer strength of its market-share in China, where it has been the number one smartphone brand for some time now. Both devices ship with premium hardware and, come with not-too-dissimilar price-tags, so lets pit them against one another and see which one is deserves your money and why.

Specifications

HTC U 11

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The HTC U11 is said to be the worlds first squeezable smartphone, thanks to a unique feature called Edge Sense that allows users to squeeze the sides of the device to interact with the phone in various different ways. The feature supports both long and short squeezes, and by default, launches Google Assistant with a long squeeze and fires up the camera with a short one. The best part about the whole deal is that Edge Sense is customizable, which allows users to change what the squeezing does, enabling them to assign any other app to their squeezes according to their choice. The device also comes with a glossy Liquid Surface design that follows the design language of earlier HTC launches like the U Ultra and U Play that saw the company switch from a metallic exterior to glass panels on the back. It is also the very first mainstream smartphone to officially support not one, not two, but three AI-based virtual digital assistants, namely, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and the companys very own HTC Sense Companion.

In terms of its specs, the HTC U11 features a 5.5-inch WQHD (2560 x 1440) Super LCD5 capacitive touchscreen display thats protected by Cornings Gorilla Glass 5. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC which comes with an integrated CPU with eight custom Kryo 280 cores, four of which are clocked at 2.45GHz while four others run at 2.19GHz. An integrated Adreno 540 GPU takes care of all the graphics processing needs. The HTC U11 ships with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of built-in storage in the U.S. with support for microSD cards of up to 256GB in capacity. It also comes with a USB Type-C port for charging and data syncing, but misses out on the 3.5mm audio port. The handset ships with a 3,000 mAh Li-ion battery with support for Quick Charge 3.0, while sensors include a front-mounted fingerprint scanner integrated into the physical Home button, alongside an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a proximity sensor and a magnetometer (e-compass).

In terms of optics, the HTC U11 comes with a 12-megapixel primary camera with the companys proprietary UltraPixel 3 and UltraSpeed Autofocus technologies. The camera has an f/1.7 aperture, a 1/2.55-inch sensor, phase detection autofocus (PDAF), optical image stabilization (OIS) and a dual tone LED flash. Software features include geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR and panorama. The camera can record 4K videos at 30fps and 1080p videos at up to 120fps. The front-facing selfie-cam on the HTC U11 is a 16-megapixel unit that can record 1080p videos at 30fps. The HTC U11 measures 153.9mm in length, 75.9mm in width and 7.9mm in thickness, while weighing in at 169 grams. The device also comes with an IP67 certification, which means it is also waterproof and dust-resistant.

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Huawei Mate 9

The Huawei Mate 9 is the latest in a long list of Mate-series smartphones that typically ship with large displays. True to tradition, the Mate 9 also features a rather large screen that measures 5.9-inches and, is of the IPS LCD variety with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Huawei also likes to use its own, in-house HiSilicon Kirin SoCs to power its smartphones and tablets, and again, theres no exception to that rule with the Mate 9. The phablet is powered by the Kirin 960 SoC that comes with an integrated octa-core CPU that has four Cortex-A53 cores running at 1.8GHz and four Cortex-A73 cores running at 2.4GHz. The graphics processing duties in the chip is taken care of by ARMs Mali-G71 MP8 GPU. The Mate 9 packs 4GB of DDR4 RAM and 64GB of internal storage thats expandable via a microSD card.

Photography is one area where Huawei has really upped its game these days, having tied up with German optics major, Leica, last year. The Huawei P9 series represented the first set of devices from the Chinese telecom major to ship with cameras engineered in association with Leica, and that list has only gotten larger over the past year. The Mate 9 follows the same path, and comes with a dual-camera module from the famed German brand. The dual-camera module incorporates a 20-megapixel RGB sensor for colored photos and a 12-megapixel monochrome sensor that shoots black-and-white photos. The dual-cam setup is accompanied by OIS, PDAF and Laser AF, 2x lossless zoom and a dual tone, dual-LED flash. Software features include touch focus, face detection, HDR and panorama. The front-facing selfie-cam on the Mate 9 comes with an 8-megapixel sensor that accompanied by a 26mm wide-angle lens with an f/1.9 aperture.

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Like its predecessor, the Mate 9 also has a rear-facing fingerprint sensor to unlock the device and an NFC chip for compatibility with mobile payment platforms like Android Pay. The handset ships with a 4,000mAh Lithium-Polymer battery with support for the companys proprietary SuperCharge technology that promises to charge the battery fully in just 90 minutes. On the software side of things, the Mate 9 runs Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box in the form of Huaweis trademark EMUI (Emotion UI) 5.0. The device measures 156.9mm in length, 78.9mm in width and 7.9mm in thickness, while weighing in at 190 grams.

And The Winner Is 

The Final Word

The HTC U11 and the Huawei Mate 9 are both great devices, so rest assured that whichever one you buy will serve you well over its lifetime. However, for the purpose of this comparison, it was just too hard to ignore all the innovations brought forth by the latest HTC flagship. Sure, you dont really need three different AI-powered voice assistants in a single device, but it doesnt hurt to have them either. In fact, its often fun to compare the three and see how they stack up against each other. The U11 also comes with the Liquid Sense design language that, admittedly, may not be for everyone, but it does help the device stand out from the sea of me-too smartphones from dozens of manufacturers from around the world. Furthermore, the HTC flagship also packs one of the most desirable SoCs under its hood in the form of the Snapdragon 835, all of which makes it fairly lucrative especially, now that the company has reduced its price by about a $100. As for the Mate 9, it is a fantastic device when taken in isolation, but just cant compete with what the HTC device brings to the table. Which is why the HTC U11 is the winner in this head-to-head against the Huawei Mate 9 today.
The Bluedio A wireless Bluetooth headphones are currently on sale over at Amazon, its part of the companys latest back to school promotions, so itll likely only be this price for a limited time. These headphones usually retail for around $79, but right now they can be had for just $49.99, which is a great price for what youre getting here.

Bluedios A headphones, where the A stands for Air due to how light they are, are some of the best and cheapest Bluetooth headphones out there. And with many smartphones ditching that headphone jack, thats a big deal. That means there is a battery inside, which Bluedio quotes as lasting around 20 hours on a single charge, thanks to it utilizing Bluetooth 4.1 technology here. The headband on these headphones is very flexible, so that you wont have to worry about the headphones snapping in half, making it a great pair to take to school. It also uses 3D sound which makes the sound really come alive in your ears, making it great for watching movies and other videos.

This is also eligible for Amazon Primes free shipping. Which includes free two-day shipping, and pretty cheap next-day shipping if you need it here extra fast. If you are not an Amazon Prime member yet, you can sign up for a free trial of Amazon Prime by hitting the link below. Youll get 30 days free (if youre a student, you get 6 months), and then its $99/year. Prime members do get a whole lot more than just free shipping though, so be sure to check out the full benefits.

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Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer LeEco recently closed its only store in Moscow and may be preparing to leave Russia entirely, sources from the local wireless industry said on Tuesday. The move is said to be prompted by LeEcos financial troubles that started in early 2017 after the company found itself unable to continue returning its loans it took out in previous years in an effort to fund a wide variety of ventures and experimental projects that are yet to become profitable. In a statement provided to one local media outlet, a LeEco representative claimed that the Chinese original equipment manufacturer (OEM) isnt planning on leaving the transcontinental country and is instead looking to revamp its general business strategy, adding how the aforementioned closure of the Moscow store isnt meant to be interpreted as a sign that LeEco is entirely giving up on Russia.

The new strategy that the firm is currently developing should improve the performance of its foreign operations, including those in Russia, the company official told Hi-Tech Mail, without elaborating on the matter. The local brand of the company previously announced that its planning to sell one million devices in Russia over the course of 2017, but most industry watchers agree how that goal isnt attainable anymore. During the first quarter of 2017, LeEco is estimated to have sold 19,400 devices, whereas its Russian unit recorded around 21,000 sales over the three-month period ending June 30. Even if the company doesnt leave the country in the immediate future, its currently dubious whether it can even reach 100,000 sales in the country this year. The final quarter of the year is by far the most profitable one for consumer electronics vendors in Russia, though LeEco only sold around 27,500 smartphones in Q4 2016 and its performance is unlikely to be better this year in light of the fact that it closed its only outlet in Moscow and is unlikely to have the means for funding a major marketing campaign in the country.

Its still unclear whether LeEco will manage to bounce back from its recent issues and keep the majority of its businesses afloat, as most large lenders are unwilling to borrow significant resources to the struggling company that was recently described as a Ponzi scheme by the co-founder of Chinese tech giant Tencent.
LG Electronics is expected to continue investing in its struggling phone business in the coming years, several industry analysts recently said, noting how the South Korean original equipment manufacturer (OEM) still believes it cannot afford to abandon this market segment and may be able to bounce back in the near future. While the company previously projected its smartphone unit will return to the black over the course of this year, its consolidated financial report for the second quarter of 2017 is making that estimate somewhat dubious, with the division posting an operating loss of $117 million as its product portfolio continued to disappoint.

The sales of the firms high-end devices were particularly disheartening for investors, as LG itself admitted that its premium products didnt do well in the three-month period ending June 30, indicating that not even the radical design shift introduced with the LG G6 managed to pique consumer interest. Recent reports indicate that the upcoming LG V30 flagship will adopt a bezel-less form with an 18:9 display panel thats similar to the LG G6, though it remains to be seen whether that second take on this design philosophy ends up yielding better commercial results. Lee Jong-wook of Samsung Securities doesnt see LGs smartphone business returning to profit this year, though the analyst noted how the company is still likely to continue reducing its quarterly losses which may only amount to around $439 million for the entire 2017, or half of what the firm posted last year.

Seo Ki-man of the LG Economic Research Institute agrees with that assessment, having recently said that the firm is unlikely to significantly improve its performance in the smartphone segment in the near future due to the extremely competitive state of the market. The analyst sees LGs next big opportunity in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector that the company could merge with its handset offerings more efficiently than its competitors do and win back some customers in that manner. For the time being, LG is continuing to pursue handset-related investments due to the fact that its looking to integrate its products into various Internet of Things (IoT) devices that are currently gaining significant traction and may be a trillion dollar in less than five years, according to some estimates.
A new rumor has just surfaced in China, and if the provided info is to be believed, Meizu has decided not to release the Meizu MX7, at least not this year. Meizu had introduced quite a few MX devices over the years, and until the PRO line was born, MX-branded devices were the companys flagship offerings. According to this rumor, the Meizu MX7 will not arrive in 2017, and the void from that phone will be filled by the M line devices, like the Meizu M6 Note which is expected to arrive in the coming months.

There are several additional M line devices that are expected to arrive this year, and in addition to that, the company is also expected to announce next-gen U devices, successors to the Meizu U10 and U20. The Meizu M6 will probably arrive before the end of this year as well, and if previous models are any indication, it will be similar to the Meizu M6 Note, but it will be smaller, and ship with inferior hardware (compared to the Meizu M6 Note). The Meizu M6 Note actually surfaced yesterday, well, its specs did, and it seems like it will sport a similar spec sheet to its predecessor, the Meizu M5 Note. The Meizu M6 Note is rumored to arrive with a metal body, the Helio P25 64-bit octa-core processor, which is MediaTeks mid-range SoC, and on top of that the device will probably land in two variants, one variant will sport 3GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, while the other one will ship with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of native storage.

The Meizu MX6 was introduced back in July last year, so the company is not exactly ahead of schedule to release the Meizu MX7, which is probably why such rumors surfaced in the first place. On the other hand, the Meizu PRO 7 was announced later than expected as well, as its predecessor, the Meizu PRO 6, arrived back in April last year. It is still possible we might see the Meizu MX7, though, as several rumors surfaced a couple of months ago, but who knows, Meizu did reorganize business inside the company earlier this year, and the company might be looking to cut the MX line, well just have to wait and see what will happen.

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The Xiaomi Mi Note 3 is, next to the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2, Xiaomis most anticipated handset this year, and according to a new rumor that just popped up, the device will be announced before the end of this month, or at the very least, in September. This rumor, as many other similar rumors, comes from China, and if it is accurate, that means that Xiaomi opted to change its release cycle for the Mi Note series of devices, as the Mi Note 2 launched back in October last year.

That is more or less all the info that the source shared, and the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 was not mentioned at all. Is Xiaomi planning to host separate launch events for these two flagship phablets? Well, it is possible, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 and Mi MIX were introduced during the same event last year, but Xiaomi might be looking to grab more attention from consumers this year by separating these two events, as consumers are now familiar with the Mi MIX brand, and some of them are looking forward to the second-gen Mi MIX unit, as the first-gen model was rather innovative in terms of the design. Having said that, several Xiaomi Mi Note 3 rumors and leaks surfaced over the course of the last couple of weeks, and if those rumors are accurate, the Mi Note 3 will look different than the Mi Note 2, but the two devices will share some design cues.

If rumors are to be believed, the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 will sport a QHD AMOLED display which will be curved on the sides, just like the Xiaomi Mi Note 2. The size of that display is still unknown, but it is possible Xiaomi will opt to introduce a 5.7-inch Mi Note handset yet again, and the device will almost certainly be made out of metal and glass. LG is rumored to manufacture the display for the Xiaomi Mi Note 3, and Qualcomms Snapdragon 835 64-bit octa-core processor will fuel the Mi Note 3. The device is expected to sport 6GB of RAM on the inside, and its battery will probably not going to be removable. Android Nougat will come pre-installed on the Xiaomi Mi Note 3, and the companys MIUI 9 OS will ship on top of Googles OS.

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Samsung Electronics recently introduced a new beta version of the Samsung Internet Browser app, with the South Korean tech giant initially rolling out the latest experimental version of its service on Monday. The 6.2.00.8 beta build comes with support for a new Night Mode and a number of other features, in addition to debuting some design changes, all of which are meant to improve the overall user experience of the Android app. The browsers floating action button now contains the option of enabling the Night Mode and the same action is available in the main Settings section of the Samsung Internet Browser.

The functionality itself is relatively similar to its counterparts that are already present in a wide variety of other Android apps, though it will likely be somewhat different once its finished as its current iteration doesnt really allow for any customization and is unable to efficiently adapt certain pages to its theme, essentially making them hardly readable even in low-light conditions. Likewise, the actual implementation of the Night Mode into the Samsung Internet Browser should be radically different once the feature hits the stable channel seeing how the existing version of the service relies on a dark overlay that lowers the contrast of the entire screen.

Once you launch the latest beta build of the mobile browser, the app will greet you with a new page informing you about its support for content-blocking extensions. This particular feature has already been part of the app for a while now but Samsung is now apparently looking to promote it more actively. Native support for ad-blocking extensions is one feature of the companys mobile Internet browser that most other popular alternatives dont have, though Samsung didnt spend significant effort to advertise this functionality so far. The aforementioned contrast issues with the browsers Night Mode can be somewhat alleviated by activating its new High Contrast Mode which debuted with the 6.2.00.8 beta build, though the feature only affects websites and not menus. The beta build presumably also includes minor bug fixes and optimizations and should already be available for download from the Google Play Store in all parts of the world.
The T-Mobile REVVL has been leaked quite a bit as of late, and now it is finally official. Its a T-Mobile branded smartphone (which looks to be made by ZTE, but T-Mobile hasnt said which company made the device), that has decent specs and a low price. Since most of the smartphones on the market are around $500 or more, T-Mobile thought that it needed to offer something that was a bit cheaper for those that cant afford, or simply dont want to pay for something like the LG G6 or Galaxy S8, and thats the T-Mobile REVVL.

Inside, the REVVL has a 5.5-inch HD (that means 720p) display, an unnamed quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Definitely not going to compete with this years flagships, but it is also close to an eighth of the price. For cameras, its sporting a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. Powering this smartphone is a 3000mAh battery which should keep it running all day long, since it does have a low-resolution display and a somewhat slow processor. Surprisingly it does have a fingerprint sensor on the back below the camera and its running on Android 7.0 Nougat.

Now thats not all that T-Mobile is announcing today. It is also announcing Smartpicks. Which is essentially T-Mobiles own hand-picked smartphones that are good, affordable devices. As the Un-carrier states in its press release, these are smartphones from top-tier brands that are raising the bar in terms of features and specs  at awesome prices. This actually ties in with the changes to JUMP! On Demand, where customers can now upgrade every 30 days if they wanted too. T-Mobile has added a few Smartpicks to JUMP! On Demand. Aside from the T-Mobile REVVL, these include the Samsung Galaxy J3 Prime for $7 per month, the LG K20 Plus for $8 per month, the LG Aristo for $7 per month and the ZTE ZMAX Pro for $8 per month. All of these are $0 down as well  youll just need to pay the taxes up front for each device. The T-Mobile REVVL and Smartpicks will be available beginning tomorrow, August 10th at T-Mobile stores and online.
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It appears there may have been a technical breach of the redundancy consultation process during the collapse of the European arm of KWM.Its reported that the administrators of the now-defunct practice have confirmed the breach and that staff affected have been offered a settlement of 4,000 (equivalent to AU$6,610).The Law Society Gazette says that administrators Quantuma said that although the collapsed firm had started a consultation it had concluded early due to the onset of the firm entering administration. As a result, there was a technical breach in respect of the required duration for the consultation process.A cross-border team led by DLA Piper Australias corporate partner Joel Cox has advised on digital travel business Webjets A$330m acquisition of European travel wholesaler JacTravel and the associated $164 million equity raising.Senior associate James McCarthy, lawyer Jack McDonell and foreign legal associate Bradley Heath assisted Joel Cox while the equity capital markets team was led by Head of Corporate Australia James Philips, with senior associate Kelly Morrison, solicitor Jeffrey Chen and graduate Amina Karcic.DLA Piper teams in the UK, China, Romania, the Middle East and the United States were also involved.The merger of Dentons with Scotlands Maclay Murray & Spens is expected to complete later this year following a vote to approve the combination by Dentons partners."This combination will significantly enhance our scale and capabilities in the UK," said Dentons' Global Chief Executive Officer Elliott Portnoy. "Following soon after our recent combinations with equally high-quality firms in Latin America and the Netherlands, this development accelerates Dentons' momentum as we continue our journey 'from largest to leading."Upon completion of the combination, Maclay Murray & Spens will transition to the Dentons brand.
China officially launched the construction of a new and much bigger building for its embassy in Armenia on Wednesday in what a senior Chinese diplomat described as another sign of deepening relations between the two nations.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, Yerevans Mayor Taron Markarian and Chinas visiting Assistant Foreign Minister Li Huilai broke ground on the site of the 40,000-square-meter embassy compound that should be completed by the end of 2019. Officials said that it will be the second largest Chinese diplomatic mission in the former Soviet Union.

This is a great and joyful event, the Chinese ambassador in Yerevan, Tian Erlong, told reporters at the ground-breaking ceremony. The Chinese Embassy in Armenia will have a new building in Armenia.

China will be better represented in this country. This is logical because the scale and nature of our cooperation are rapidly developing, and this obviously requires more efforts, more human resources and, therefore, a larger building, he said.

Meeting with Nalbandian earlier in the day, Li reportedly said Beijing would like to further deepen the dynamically deepening partnership with Armenia. The unprecedentedly high-level relationship and friendship between China and Armenia are based on sincerity and mutual respect, the Armenian Foreign Ministry quoted him as saying.

According to a ministry statement, Nalbandian told Li that close relations with China are one of Yerevans foreign policy priorities.

The statement added that the two men discussed efforts to boost bilateral commerce and the situation in the region. Nalbandian was reported to praise Chinas balanced position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian agreed to deepen ties between their nations when then they met in Beijing in 2015. In a joint statement, they noted mutual understanding on issues relating to pivotal interests and concerns of the two countries.

According to Armenian government data, Chinese-Armenian trade rose by 35 percent to $243 million in the first half of this year, making China Armenias third largest trading partner after Russia and the European Union.

China also seems interested in stepping up military cooperation with Armenia. A top Chinese military official, Rear Admiral Guan Youfei, visited Yerevan in April, holding talks with Defense Minister Vigen Sargsian and the chief of the Armenian armys General Staff, General Movses Hakobian. The Armenian Defense Ministry said they reached agreements on expanding cooperation and implementing a number of mutually beneficial projects in the area of defense.
9 August 2017 13:11 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The Tovuz Region Prosecutors Office has launched a criminal case into the wounding of thirteen-year-old resident of the regions Garalar village Ramil Yusibov, the Prosecutor Generals Office of Azerbaijan reported on August 8.

The boy was in the yard of his house when an Armenian shell fell there on August 7. Receiving multiple shrapnel wounds, Ramin was urgently operated in the region hospital. His current health condition is assessed as moderate.

The criminal case was opened under the articles 116.0.10 (violation of the international humanitarian law during armed conflicts, with attacks on civilians or individuals not participating in fights), 29, 120.2.7 (attempt of intentional killing of two or more persons) of the Criminal Justice Code of Azerbaijan.

Investigation is underway, the Prosecutor Generals Office noted. The message also said that Armenian Armed Forces located in Azerbaijans occupied territories, grossly violating the requirements of international humanitarian law, continued their provocative actions once again and using large-caliber guns shelled the frontline positions of Azerbaijani Armed Forces, as well as the territories inhabited by civilian population.

In early July, the Armenian armed forces fired the Alkhanli village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli region with heavy artillery. As a result, the aggressors killed 51-year-old Sahiba Allahverdiyeva and her toddler granddaughter Zahra Guliyeva. In addition, 52-year-old Salminaz Guliyeva suffered shrapnel wounds, and the personal property of citizens was deliberately destroyed.

Th 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.

Armenia constantly resorts to such vile acts with the aim to kill Azerbaijani citizens who live their quiet life in frontline settlements. However, the international community turns a blind eye to these terrible crimes, as Armenia still remains unpunished for them. International organizations only disseminate their statements condemning Armenian aggression, but none of them has ever taken a serious action against the aggressor country.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years. Today, Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.

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

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
9 August 2017 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Joseph S. Nye

When cyber-security professionals were polled recently at their annual BlackHat conference in Las Vegas, 60% said they expected the United States to suffer a successful attack against its critical infrastructure in the next two years. And US politics remains convulsed by the aftermath of Russian cyber interference in the 2016 election. Are cyber-attacks the wave of the future, or can norms be developed to control international cyber conflict?

We can learn from the history of the nuclear age. While cyber and nuclear technologies are vastly different, the process by which society learns to cope with a highly disruptive technology shows instructive similarities. It took states about two decades to reach the first cooperative agreements in the nuclear era. If one dates the cyber-security problem not from the beginning of the Internet in the 1970s, but from the late 1990s, when burgeoning participation made the Internet the substrate for economic and military interdependence (and thus increased our vulnerability), cooperation is now at about the two-decade mark.

The first efforts in the nuclear era were unsuccessful United Nations-centered treaties. In 1946, the US proposed the Baruch plan for UN control of nuclear energy, and the Soviet Union promptly rejected locking itself into a position of technological inferiority. It was not until after the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 that a first arms control agreement, the Limited Test Ban Treaty, was signed, in 1963. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty followed in 1968, and the bilateral US-USSR Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty in 1972.

In the cyber field, Russia proposed a UN treaty to ban electronic and information weapons (including propaganda) in 1999. With China and other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, it has continued to push for a broad UN-based treaty.

The US resisted what it saw as an effort to limit American capabilities, and continues to regard a broad treaty as unverifiable and deceptive. Instead, the US, Russia, and 13 other states agreed that the UN Secretary General should appoint a Group of Governmental Experts (GGE), which first met in 2004.

That group initially produced meager results; but, by July 2015, it issued a report, endorsed by the G20, that proposed norms for limiting conflict and confidence-building measures. Groups of experts are not uncommon in the UN process, but only rarely does their work rise from the UNs basement to a summit of the worlds 20 most powerful states. But while the GGEs success was extraordinary, last month it failed and was unable to issue a consensus report for 2017.

The GGE process has limitations. The participants are technically advisers to the UN Secretary General rather than fully empowered national negotiators. Over the years, as the number of GGE member states increased from the original 15 to 20 and then to 25, the group became more unwieldy, and political issues became more intrusive. According to one diplomat who has been central to the process, some 70 countries have expressed interest in participating. But as the numbers expand, the difficulty of reaching agreement increases.

There is a wide range of views about the future of the GGE process. A first draft of a new report existed at the beginning of this year, and the able German chairman argued that the group should not rewrite the 2015 report, but try to say more about the steps that states should take in peacetime.

Some states suggested new norms to address data integrity and maintenance of the Internets core structures. There was general agreement about confidence-building measures and the need to strengthen capacity. The US and like-minded states pressed for further clarification of the earlier agreement that international laws of armed conflict, including the right of self-defense, apply in cyber space, but China, Russia, and their allies were reluctant to agree. And the deterioration in US-Russian relations soured the political climate.

Moreover, whereas some states hope to revive the GGE process or enlarge it into a broader UN process, others are skeptical, and believe that future progress will be limited to discussions among like-minded states, rather than leading to universal agreements.

Norms that may be ripe for discussion outside the GGE process could include protected status for the core functions of the Internet; supply-chain standards and liability for the Internet of Things; treatment of election processes as protected infrastructure; and, more broadly, norms for issues such as crime and information warfare. All of these are among the topics that may be considered by the new informal International Commission on Stability in Cyberspace established early this year and chaired by former Estonian Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand.

Progress on the next steps of norm formation will require simultaneous use of many different formats, both private and governmental. For example, the 2015 agreement between China and the US to limit industrial cyber espionage was a bilateral accord that was later taken up by the G20.

In some cases, the development of norms among like-minded states can attract adherence by others at a later point. In others, such as the Internet of Things, norms for security standards may benefit from leadership by the private sector or non-profit stakeholders in establishing codes of conduct. And progress in some areas need not wait for others.

A regime of norms may be more robust when linkages are not too tight, and an over-arching UN treaty would harm such flexibility at this point. Expansion of participation is important for the acceptance of norms, but progress will require action on many fronts. Given this, the failure of the GGE in July 2017 should not be viewed as the end of the process.

Copyright: Project Syndicate: Controlling Cyber Conflict

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
9 August 2017 13:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

The State Committee on Property Issues of Azerbaijan held next auction of privatization on August 8 following which several state properties were privatized.

State properties privatized in the capital city are located in the Yasamal, Narimanov and Sabunchu districts. Other companies and facilities are located in Lankaran, Khizi, Agjabadi, and Gobustan regions of the country.

To protect state property and effectively manage it in the new economic realities, President of Azerbaijan signed a decree on May 19, 2016.

Under the decree, the acceleration of the state property privatization process has been defined as an important direction of the economic policy.

The portal for privatization  privatization.az, launched in July 2016, reflects all necessary information about the facilities, their addresses, location, and even initial cost and aims at facilitation of the process. The website is available in two languages - Azerbaijani and English. Why Azerbaijan is special section available on the website explains the reasons and advantages of investing in the country.

The privatization process is designed to attract both foreign and local investors, as well as develop the business environment of Azerbaijan.

Moreover, the State Committee on Property Issues held the first electronic auction on July 4.

The "electronic auction" service, which is available on the website privatization.az, combines the privatization procedure of vehicles and equipment. In the future, it will be possible to privatize small state enterprises and facilities, joint-stock companies through electronic auction. Now, the corresponding work in programming is being implemented.

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

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
9 August 2017 11:23 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan Culture Days will be held in Minsk to bring Azerbaijani and Belarusian peoples closer to each other.

The event scheduled for August 12 will be held in the Upper City, Report.Az reported.

The groups of Legends of the Caucasus and Sari Gelin, participants in various musical competitions, will take part in the Days of Culture.

Guests will be able to attend dance master classes, as well as familiarize with preparation of Azerbaijani national dishes.

The organizers of the event are Minsk City Executive Committee, International Public Association "Congress of Azerbaijani Communities" with the assistance of the Azerbaijani Embassy.

In 2016, the Day of Azerbaijani Culture entitled "Pomegranate Festival" took place in Minsk, Belarus in October.

The celebration was attended by Azerbaijani MPs, representatives of Culture and Youth Affairs of Minsk City Executive Committee, Chairman of the Congress of Azerbaijani communities in Belarus Natiq Bagirov and others.

Minsk residents and visitors enjoyed delicious sweet pastry pakhlava, walnut and rose jams, kebab, pomegranate juice and aromatic pilaf.

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

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
9 August 2017 13:58 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan Culture Center may appear in Jakarta to familiarize Indonesians with rich culture and heritage of the Land of Fire.

The issue was mulled at a meeting of Indonesian Ambassador Husnan Bey Fanani with Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Khalaf Khalafov, Report said referring to the countrys Embassy in Baku.

Culture centers of many countries operate in Jakarta and the embassy would be glad to assist in opening of the Azerbaijan Cultural Center, the embassy added.

The Center of Indonesian Culture operates at the Azerbaijan University of Languages. In 2016, Baku welcomed the Indonesian Cultural Festival that features colorful dances and music of Indonesia.

The second Indonesian Cultural Festival (IFC) is scheduled for September 9 at the Heydar Aliyev Palace and at Seaside Boulevard on the next day. The aim of these events is to show how Indonesian live their life, their values as well as their inspiration

Indonesia is interested in developing relations with Azerbaijan in the fields of tourism, trade and investment. Azerbaijan is the third largest trade partner of Indonesia. The country is interested in making mutual investments with Azerbaijan in the oil and gas sphere.

In addition, Indonesia intends to increase the tourist flow with Azerbaijan.

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

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
9 August 2017 16:46 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

The earliest artifacts and jewelry were made from wood, ivory, bone, stone and earth. Later humans learned to extract metals from the earth, to shape them into objects and/or fire them in kilns. Over time, metalworkers developed a variety of techniques to create different effects and various objects.

A number of findings revealed during the excavations across Azerbaijan show that in the 2nd millennium BC, our ancestors used samples of dishes, daggers, axes, belts, gold ornaments made of bronze in their everyday life.

The metal products found in Nakhchivan, Mingachevir, Gedabek, Gazakh, and Ganja region of have about 5,000 years of history.

Over time, the metal craft had been improved in Azerbaijan reaching the highest level in the Middle Ages. The folk craftsmen created different types of weapons from metal, household items such as utensils, chests, dishes, amazing jewelry and other examples of skillful handicraft, many of which have survived to this day.

Among works of art made of metal one may found the patters with designs and descriptions on them, according which one can learn about traditions, beliefs and clothes of that time population.

Today, many antique samples of the traditional metal works are kept in museums of Azerbaijan and abroad.

The metal art, which has deep roots in Azerbaijan, still lives thanks to the efforts of craftsmen, who pass their secrets from generation to generation.

PhD. Shaig Mammadov, who lives in the second largest city of Azerbaijan -Ganja, is one of the masters who creates his works and wants to give a new breath to the forgotten artistic traditions of this art.

Shaig, who is also working as a teacher at the Ganja State Pedagogical University, creates different shapes of daggers, bracelets, medallions and rings, pencils, lashes, book covers and so on. These samples, made of silver, steel, brass and other materials, deserve to decorate not only our life, but also the most prestigious museums of the world.

The famous Ganja Gate manufactured by renowned local blacksmith Osmanoghlu Ibrahim in 1063 and taken away by invaders in the aftermath of the earthquake in 1139, was thoroughly restored to its original view in 2008 by this talented man.

Adorned by the national ornaments, the Gate was re-installed at the citys entrance with the assistance of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Azertac reported.

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

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9 August 2017 12:02 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

For about three decades Armenia keeps the Azerbaijani lands under the occupation and resorts to sabotages and provocations to keep the situation on Nagorno-Karabakh unstable and undefined.

The Armenian militaries once again resorted to sabotage on August 8 in a bid to destabilize the situation on the frontline. The reconnaissance and sabotage group of Armenian Armed Forces attempted to infiltrate into the positions of Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

However, the Azerbaijani Army prevented the sabotage and the enemy suffered losses  one of the sabotage group members was killed, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported.

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces suffered no casualties and the operational situation along the line of contact is completely under control, the ministry added.

Obviously, the Armenian authorities are apathetic to calls of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and international agencies and continue to obstacle the peace process. Armenia continues military and political attacks against Azerbaijan instead of coming to the negotiating table to resolve the problem by peaceful means.

Although the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers are expected to meet in the near future, the Armenian side does its utmost to disrupt them.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

More than two decades have passed since the ceasefire agreement. For all these years, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been supposed to find a solution by peaceful means. However, the reluctance of Armenia does not let to end the conflict and to restore peace in the South Caucasus.

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

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9 August 2017 14:14 (UTC+04:00)

Usage of diplomatic language alone without real political pressure asserted, current situation around the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will not change, said Andre Widmer.

The Swiss journalist and author of the book titled The Forgotten Conflict: Two Decades after the Nagorno-Karabakh War, made the remark while talking Trend commenting on the recent (Aug. 7) attack of the Armenian Armed Forces against Azerbaijani civilian population, on August. 9.

As a result of the deliberate targeting of the civilian population and precise shelling of the settlements located in the areas of the line of contact and along the borderline with Azerbaijan on August 7 by Armenian side 13-year-old resident of Garalar village of Azerbaijans Tovuz district

Ramil Yusibov was wounded.

Unfortunately, Karabakh conflict, lost in the shadows of the wars in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Ukraine and the North Korean crisis, seems to have been forgotten by the international community, Widmer said. Notwithstanding April, 2016 escalation it seems that some key players like Russia and the US are still not willing to put enough energy and effort to resolve the conflict.

Nearly 20 percent of Azerbaijans territory is still occupied by Armenia, which prevents almost million refugees from return to their homes. This is unacceptable, he noted.

Keys to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict lie in Moscow, expert added.

Russia has the economical and political strength to bring Armenia to the point of ending the occupation, he said. The first step could be comprised of liberation of the occupied districts around Nagorno-Karabakh, which would allow the return of refugees to their homes. However unfortunate, I think that Russia is not actually interested in the resolution of conflicts in post-Soviet expanse.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.



The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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9 August 2017 16:23 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The European Union institutions, governments of European countries and the OSCE should actively condemn the attack of the Armenian armed forces on the civilian population of Azerbaijan, said political expert Peter Tase.

The Garalar village of Tovuz region faced intense shelling from the Armenian Armed Forces on August 7, which resulted in wounding of an Azerbaijani teenager Ramin Yusifov. The 13-year-old boy was in the yard of his house when an Armenian shell fell there. Receiving multiple shrapnel wounds, Ramin was urgently operated in the region hospital. His current health condition is assessed as moderate.

The U.S. Secretary of State and Secretary of Department of Treasury should urgently convene a meeting to consider the possibility of imposing economic sanctions against Armenia," Tase told Trend. "The international community remains silent about the crimes against humanity committed by the Armenian government and its corrupt armed forces."

The expert added that this attitude demonstrates once again the impunity of Yerevan and encourages the continuation of these horrific crimes against humanity, against innocent civilians of Azerbaijan.

Tase pointed out that the Azerbaijani children are innocent victims of the brutal regime of Serzh Sargsyan, who is a threat to the Caucasus region, the European Union and economic progress in West Asia.

Azerbaijans villages in many frontline regions, mainly in Fuzuli, Agdam, Jabrayil, Tartar and others, frequently face shelling and provocations by the Armenian militaries. By committing such provocations, the Armenian side deliberately seeks to cause damage to Azerbaijani people living near the frontline and tries to make their life difficult and risky.

Armenian Armed Forces killed six civilians of Azerbaijan, including children, in April last year. Moreover, on July 4, 2017, as a result of criminal and ruthless actions of the Armenian Armed Forces, two residents of Alkhanli village in Fuzuli region of Azerbaijan, 51-year-old Sahiba Allahverdiyeva and her 2-year-old granddaughter Zahra Guliyeva were killed, and the third resident Salminaz Guliyeva was seriously injured.

The world community turned a blind eye to these events. But I hope that after the attack of the Armenian Armed Forces on August 7, in which 13-year-old resident of Garalar village of Tovuz region was wounded, Washington, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Berlin, Brasilia, Beijing and many other countries of the civilized world will strongly condemn the horrible and disgusting actions of President Serzh Sargsyan and his accomplices against the innocent civilians of Azerbaijan, Tase noted.

The expert added that international institutions should impose political and economic sanctions against Yerevan until Armenia withdraws its troops from the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan.

Tase also pointed out that Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions are an integral part of Azerbaijan.

Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan by laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

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

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9 August 2017 10:17 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, which are neighbors on the Caspian Sea, have exchanged views on a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation, as Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has paid a visit to Baku.

During the two-day visit, President Berdimuhamedov plans to focus on working out mechanisms for intensifying and diversifying trade and economic relations between the two countries.

President Ilham Aliyev, welcoming President Berdimuhamedov in Baku on August 8, said that peoples of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan are bound by history.



We have lived together for centuries, we have been friends, and we have lived as brothers. Today we are successfully developing as two independent states, said President Aliyev at the one-on-one meeting.

President Aliyev said that the visit of the Turkmen leader will bring new dynamics to the relations between the two countries. We have very successful cooperation in a number of areas and this cooperation will deepen.

We attach great importance to your visit. I am sure that your visit will be a very important step in the development of Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan relations of friendship and brotherhood, noted the head of state.

The Azerbaijani president said there are very good opportunities for development and cooperation in political, economic, humanitarian, cultural, transportation and other spheres.

President Ilham Aliyev and President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov later held an expanded meeting joined by their delegations.

At the meeting, Berdimuhamedov said ample opportunities are available for the development of cooperation in the economic, trade and humanitarian spheres between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

Expressing deep gratitude to Azerbaijani President for invitation, Berdimuhamedov noted that the main goal of this official visit is to further strengthen the fraternal relations between the two peoples and countries.



As for the political sphere, I would like to say that our countries stand for preserving international and regional security, he said. We would like the stable development of our countries to continue. This is a factor that positively influences the political processes taking place in Central Asia and the Caspian region.

In the current conditions, our countries must strengthen cooperation within the authoritative international organizations, namely, UN, OSCE, OIC, CIS, ECO and other organizations," the Turkmen president said.

The meeting was followed by a ceremony of signing documents.

The strategic areas of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are energy and transport, said Berdimuhamedov when addressing the press conference.

We discussed in detail the issues of economic cooperation and came to a common opinion on the need to expand our mutual activities in this area in accordance with the industrial and infrastructure potential of the two countries, he said.

The Turkmen leader said that during the talks, the presidents paid special attention to the cooperation of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan in the sphere of trade, and the need to increase and diversify mutual trade.

We reached an agreement on the consideration of measures to intensify investment activities for the implementation of joint projects in the spheres of industry, services and agrocomplex, as well as expanding mutual trade. In this regard, a major role should be played by mutual activities in the business structures of the two countries. The strategic directions of our cooperation are energy and transport. Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan occupy leading positions in Eurasia in terms of energy production. We have a modern infrastructure and it's not just about Eurasia and the region, I can say that our countries are the leaders in terms of energy production in the world. We have the appropriate infrastructure and common opinion on the configuration of energy and transport routes, he said.

Berdimuhamedov further added that Azerbaijan is a brotherly country, adding that Turkmenistan attaches great importance to bilateral relations with Azerbaijan.

Our countries and nations are bound by centuries-old traditions of good neighbourliness, common history, culture, language and spiritual values. We strongly preserve and enrich this legacy in accordance with the present realities. Our main goal is to hand down our traditions and our highest values to next generations.

President Berdimuhamedov said that during the discussions the two countries agreed to further develop and encourage relations in the cultural, humanitarian, scientific, educational and sport areas. He hailed the Baku meetings, adding that they resulted in the signing of a large package of bilateral documents.

In Baku, Berdimuhamedov also met with Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, who praised developing relations between the two countries.

Both countries have broad opportunities for development of relations, he said.

The president, in turn, said Turkmenistan is interested in boosting cooperation in all fields.

They exchanged views over development prospects of relations, as well as geopolitical and geo-economic situation in the region.

Currently, there are 52 bilateral documents forming the regulatory and contractual base of the interstate partnership of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

In 2007-2017, four mutual visits of the highest level took place between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, a Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation was established, and the commissions four meetings have been held so far.

Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan possess huge natural resources, including colossal hydrocarbon reserves, and this opens great prospects for fruitful contacts in strategically important areas.

The geographical position of the two neighboring states also creates favorable prerequisites for effective efforts in the implementation of projects on the formation of modern transcontinental communication corridors linking Europe and Asia, providing optimal profitable land and sea routes for cargo transportation and their integration into the international logistics infrastructure.

Turkmenistan is one of the key players in energy market of the Caspian region and Central Asia. Hydrocarbon resources of Turkmenistan can be sent in the western direction if a pipeline is constructed across the Caspian Sea to the shores of Azerbaijan, from where the hydrocarbon resources can be sent to Turkey and further to Europe.

A stable transportation of Turkmen oil through Azerbaijan in recent years is an illustrative example of mutually beneficial cooperation.
9 August 2017 11:14 (UTC+04:00)

An event to mark the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Azerbaijan was held in Delhi.

Azerbaijan`s Ambassador to India Ibrahim Hajiyev, addressing the event, provided an insight into the country`s history, as well as its culture, traditions, Azertac reported.

Azerbaijan has entered new way of development thanks to wise policy of national leader Heydar Aliyev, he added.

The diplomat also noted Azerbaijan has become a leader state of the region under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. The diplomat touched upon the works done in the country in the fields of development of economy, as well as non-oil sector.

Hajiyev further provided an insight into the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He said Armenia occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan`s lands, expelling over million Azerbaijanis from their homes. He highlighted living in peace and stability of representatives of various confessions in the country, adding various peoples of the region have historically enjoyed good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation based on the robust tolerance traditions, mutual respect and trust.

Head of Eurasia Division of Ministry of External Affairs of India G. V. Srinivas praised relations between the two countries.

The event brought together state officials of India, representatives of diplomatic corps accredited in India, members of India-Azerbaijan Friendship Association, businessmen and the Media.

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9 August 2017 11:27 (UTC+04:00)

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received chairman of the State Border Committee of Belarus Anatoly Lappo in Baku on August 9, Azertac reported.

Anatoly Lappo noted that he visited Baku in 1990, saying that during his current trip he saw an incredible progress in the capital of Azerbaijan. He recalled with pleasure that he began his career in border services at a frontier post in Nakhchivan: I had the honor of seeing Azerbaijans legendary son Heydar Aliyev for a few times while I was working as chairman of the frontier post.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for warm words. The head of state stressed that Nakhchivan has recently experienced great development processes, adding that this visit will be a great opportunity for Anatoly Lappo to revisit the places where he served.

They hailed development of relations between Azerbaijan and Belarus in many areas. They noted that cooperation between border services contributed to the strengthening of the bilateral ties.

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Progressives generally support better labor protections, including policies meant to provide higher wages, more predictable working hours, increased bargaining power, and greater access to paid family leave, sick leave and overtime. And given the raw deal that workers get so often, these are all policies that I generally support as well.

But lately, as Democratic leadership has increasingly embraced the far-left impulses of its base, Ive become convinced that the left needs to think harder about the unintended consequences of such benevolent-seeming proposals.

In isolation, each of these policies has the potential to make workers more costly to hire. Cumulatively, they almost certainly do.

Which means that, unless carefully designed, a lefty pro-labor platform might actually encourage firms to hire less labor  or at least to shift toward contract labor thats exempted from these cherished protections.

These are not mere hypotheticals. A two-tier labor market, in which some lucky workers are entitled to generous compensation and job security and the rest are hung out to dry, already plagues countries, such as France and Japan, with traditionally stronger labor protections than the United States.

But these are not outcomes that lefty politicians and policy wonks seem keen to grapple with. Its easier, or perhaps more politically convenient, to assume that pro-worker policies never hurt the workers theyre intended to help.

Take the proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, a policy endorsed in the Democratic Partys new Better Deal platform.

An increase in the federal minimum wage, stuck at $7.25 for eight years, is long overdue. But more than doubling it would likely result in massive job losses and cuts in work hours.

Weve already seen preliminary evidence that raising wages in Seattle to $15 has produced sharp cuts in hours, leaving low-wage workers with smaller paychecks. And thats in a high-cost city. Imagine what would happen if Congress raised the minimum wage to $15 nationwide.

In West Virginia, the median hourly wage is just $14.79; in Arkansas, its $14.48; and in Mississippi, its a depressingly low $14.22. A $15 minimum wage could be binding on more than half of jobs in these states. In fact, in every state (not including D.C.), it could cover at least a quarter of positions.

That might seem like a good thing. Why wouldnt you want to improve the living standards of as many people as possible?

The answer: You wont actually be helping them if making their labor much more expensive, much too quickly, results in their getting fired.

Similarly, a year ago, the Obama administration issued a new overtime rule.

This rule massively expanded the universe of white-collar employees entitled to time-and-a-half pay for working beyond 40 hours per week. Before, white-collar workers earning salaries up to $23,660 were generally entitled to overtime. The new rule more than doubled the threshold, to $47,476.

The new threshold was to be implemented in one fell swoop, starting last December. There was fierce debate within the Obama administration about the wisdom of such an abrupt increase, but those who mentioned this to me declined to ever do so on the record. Meanwhile, left-leaning groups cheered the millions whose pay was about to go up.

Then, a court blocked the rule in November, and several weeks ago the Trump administration began the process of revising it. During his confirmation hearings, Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta cautiously suggested that a cutoff of about $33,000 might be appropriate, though he wanted to spend more time looking at the effects on workers and firms.

As strange as it feels to say something nice about policies being pursued by the Trump administration, this might be a better approach.

On this and other labor issues, says Michael Strain, director of economic policy studies at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, We need to be debating whether a cost-benefit test is passed, something on which reasonable people can disagree. Instead, Strain says, a lot of thoughtful, well-meaning people on the left seem to be looking for a free lunch  that is, for policies with all winners, no losers and no costs. (Kinda like the rights attitude toward tax cuts, I might add.)

Here I confess that Ive been guilty of this. Im often drawn to studies and stories about pro-labor policies that pay for themselves. And while there often is a pro-business or macroeconomic case to be made for policies that help workers, I pledge to be more mindful about potential unintended costs as well.

Readers, I hope youll hold me to this. And anyone else peddling free lunches, too.
9 August 2017 10:37 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

World Bank (WB) is ready to issue an additional loan for the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) in case a request is made by the Azerbaijani government, Naveed Hassan Naqvi, WB country manager for Azerbaijan, said in the exclusive interview with Trend.

He noted that the government hasnt made such a request yet. Nonetheless, WB is ready to participate in the project in the future, added Naqvi.

In late 2016, the WB Board of Directors allocated $800 million for this project: $400 million for the Southern Gas Corridor CJSC (Azerbaijan) and $400 million for BOTAS (Turkey).

To date, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA, a part of the WB Group) is at the final stage of providing a loan guarantee of $1.2 billion for TANAP, said the WB official.

TANAP project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijans Shah Deniz field to the western borders of Turkey. The gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018 and after completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline's construction it will be delivered to Europe in early 2020.

The length of TANAP is 1,850 kilometers, with an initial capacity of 16 billion cubic meters of gas. Around six billion cubic meters of this gas is meant to be delivered to Turkey, with the remaining volume to be supplied to Europe.

The projects total cost is estimated at $8.6 billion.

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9 August 2017 13:27 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Crude prices declined on August 9 amid growing geopolitical tensions around North Korea, as well as on the expectation of data on U.S. oil reserves.

The price for October futures of Brent crude oil decreased by 0.42 percent to $51.92 per barrel, while the price for September futures of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) has dropped by 0.33 percent and stood at $49.01 per barrel, RIA Novosti reported.

The price of OPECs basket of 14 crudes stood at $50.49 per barrel on August 8, as compared to $50.04 per barrel on August 7.

The growth of geopolitical tensions reduces the demand for risky assets, which include oil.

North Korea has said it is considering a missile strike on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. The American Andersen airbase and the naval base of Apra Harbor are located on the island of Guam.

Moreover, analysts expect data on reserves from the U.S. Department of Energy. Experts expect that commercial oil reserves fell by 0.56 percent, or by 2.720 million barrels, to 479.18 million barrels.

Traders also pay attention to the data of the American Petroleum Institute (API) on the reduction of oil reserves for the week in the U.S. API report reads that oil reserves in the country for the week ended on August 4 fell by 7.839 million barrels, to 474.1 million barrels. Gasoline stocks increased by 1.529 million barrels, distillates - by 157,000 barrels. Oil reserves at the country's largest terminal in Cushing have grown by 319,000 barrels.

OPEC and other oil producers, such as Azerbaijan, Kingdom of Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Sultanate of Oman, the Russian Federation, Republic of Sudan, and the Republic of South Sudan made a deal in December 2016 to remove 1.8 million barrels a day from the market.

OPEC and its allies, trying to reduce a crude glut, agreed in May to extend the supply cut through March 2018.

In July, OPEC oil exports reached a record - not only because of the restrictions on production in Libya and Nigeria not covered by the agreement (were exempted from the cuts because of years of unrest that have undermined their oil output), but also because of the deviation of a number of participants of the deal from their obligations.

OPEC oil exports rose to 26.11 million barrels per day in July, which exceeds the level of shipments of the previous month by 370,000 barrels per day, according to Thomson Reuters Oil Research.

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9 August 2017 18:07 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

The next meeting of the OPEC + Technical Committee will be held on August 21 in Vienna.

The meeting will mull conclusions made during the meeting of the OPEC Technical Committee in Abu Dhabi on August 7-8, 1prime reported.

The objective of the meetings was to discuss conformity with the voluntary production adjustments outlined in the extension of the Declaration, which became effective on July 1, 2017

Following the meeting, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kazakhstan and Malaysia confirmed their commitments to the oil cut pact.

OPEC said that these countries all expressed their full support for the existing monitoring mechanism and their willingness to fully cooperate with the Joint OPEC-Non-OPEC Technical Committee (JTC) and the Joint OPEC/Non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) in the months ahead to achieve the goal of reaching full conformity.

In May 25, OPEC members agreed to extend their previous agreement by nine more months to March 2018 to lower oil output. At the meeting in Vienna, the members agreed to continue to lower oil production by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) down to 32.5 million bpd.

With non-OPEC participants, the oil production cut will see 1.8 million bpd, equal to 2 percent of global production. This is the organization's second production cut in the last two years, and its second intervention in the global oil market since mid-2014 when oil prices began to fall.

The Ministerial Monitoring Committee and the Technical Committee of OPEC + experts were established to monitor compliance with the agreement and make recommendations on how to adjust its conditions. The committees include representatives of Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Kuwait, Algeria, Oman and Russia.

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

By Trend

Number of people killed in the powerful earthquake that hit Chinas southwestern province of Sichuan increased to 12, Sputnik reported citing local media.

According to the Chinese Central Television (CCTV), a total of 164 people were injured.

23:09 (GMT+4) At least four people were killed and over 30 were injured in an earthquake that hit Chinas southwestern Sichuan province, the Chinese Seismological Center said Tuesday, Sputnik reported.

Earlier in the day, the Chinese Seismological Center said that tremors were registered in Jiuzhaigou district of the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. The epicenter of the 7.0-mangnitude earthquake was located at the depth of 8 kilometers (some 5 miles).

"As of now, the earthquake has killed four people and injured over 30. Armed forces and paramilitary forces are ready to join the disaster relief efforts in Jiuzhaigou," the center said in a post on its official Weibo account.

According to the official Weibo account of Firefighting Department under China's Ministry Public Security, over 610 firefighters have been dispatched to the affected areas.

Local media reported earlier in the day that power supply had been cut off in Jiuzhaigou area after the earthquake, and phone communications were also interrupted.

Pictures and video footage circulated on Chinese social media showed structural damage of some buildings and roads covered in debris and rocks.

The district of Jiuzhaigou is a popular destination for tourists. Over 38,000 tourists visited the area on Tuesday, up 16.46 percent from the same day a year ago, the Sichuan Daily newspaper reported citing the management office of the touristic area.

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9 August 2017 10:19 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The United States has no plans to conduct strikes in the Philippines against the positions of Daesh terror group, US Department of Defense spokesperson Christopher Logan told Sputnik on Tuesday.

US media reported on Monday that the Defense Department is considering a plan that includes drone strikes against the terrorists in the Philippines.

"The Philippines have not requested nor is the US planning drone strikes in the Philippines," Logan stated. "We respect the sovereignty of the Philippines, and we are not pursuing unilateral action in the Philippines."

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9 August 2017 16:07 (UTC+04:00)

By Ali Mustafayev

The world is holding its breath as American leader Donald Trump has promised fire and fury, while North Korean Kim Jong-un has threatened a missile strike on Guam.

Kim Jong-un warned that he was 'carefully examining' plans to make 'an enveloping fire' around the U.S. Island of Guam. Kim further added that the U.S. that it would 'pay dearly' for UN sanctions it successfully imposed over the weekend.

The remarks followed President Donald Trump's warning that North Korea faces 'fire and fury like the world has never seen' over its nuclear programme.

North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States, Donald Trump told journalists at his club in Bedminster, New Jersey. They will be met with fire and the fury like the world has never seen.

Later, the U.S. released images of supersonic bombers flying over the Korean peninsula, while North said the training mission 'proves that the U.S. imperialists are nuclear war maniacs'.

North Korea's news service said earlier this week, "There is no bigger mistake than the United States believing that its land is safe across the ocean." It threatened retaliation for new sanctions "thousands of times" over.

Amid the strained North Korea-U.S relation, Japan announced on August 8 that it was possible that North Korea had already developed nuclear warheads.

The military report warned of an acute threat posed by North Korea's weapons programs as Pyongyang continues a series of missile and nuclear tests in defiance of U.N. sanctions.

The growing threat has prompted Japanese municipalities to hold evacuation drills in case of a possible missile attack, and boosted demand for nuclear shelters.

Meanwhile, the Command of Japanese Air Force announced that joint military exercise was held together with the US Air Force in Japanese airspace near the Korean peninsula.

Two U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers from Guam's military base participated in a strategic bilateral mission with South Korea and Japan hours before North Korea threatened to strike Guam.

Previously, UN Security Council adopted new sanctions against the North Korea, reducing the Korean export of coal, iron and lead ores and seafood, which will reduce the countrys foreign-exchange income up to two thirds.

Pyongyang ignores the international communitys pretensions regarding violation of human rights and its nuclear power programs for many years.

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9 August 2017 17:41 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov hosted a meeting with the newly appointed Ambassador of the Switzerland Olivier Shave in Tashkent, Aug 9, according to the information published on the Ministry's website.

The Uzbek-Swiss cooperation, priorities for its further strengthening, as well as current regional and international problems were discussed at the meeting.

Sides confirmed their interest in intensifying bilateral contacts at various levels, continuing the practice of holding regular inter-ministerial political consultations, building up mutual trade, expanding investment and financial cooperation, as well as cultural and humanitarian exchanges.

Perspectives of application of the Swiss experience in the field of lawmaking and other issues within the implementation of the Strategy of Action on the five priority development directions of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021 was in the focus of attention during the talks.

Diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Switzerland were established in May 1992.

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Janmashtami 2020: Six Places Of Worship That You Must Visit On Janmashtami Festivals oi-Lekhaka

Janmashtami is the celebration of Lord Sri Krishna's birthday. Janmashtami is celebrated every year on the eighth day (ashtami) of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada.

In the year 2020, Janmashtami shall be celebrated on the 11th of August. The Janmashtami celebrated in the year 2020 is the 5247th birth anniversary of Lord Sri Krishna.

Janmashtami is one of the most important festivals for the devotees of Lord Sri Krishna and Lord Maha Vishnu. It is celebrated with great pomp all over India. People observe Janmashtami at homes by performing poojas and vrats. There are others who choose to spend the day at temples and places of worship.

Janmashtami: Celebrate according to Zodiac signs,        |Boldsky

Among the many places that dot the country, there are a few that are truly special. These places inspire intense devotion and love in the minds of the devotees.

The beauty and fervour of these places increase many folds when Janmashtami arrives. Today, we bring you a list of these places of worship that are dedicated to Lord Sri Krishna.

If you wish to go on a pilgrimage this Janmashtami, these are the places that need to be a part of your itinerary.

Mathura Mathura was the birth place of Lord Sri Krishna. He was born in a prison cell in the palace of the King Kamsa. Soon after the birth, Lord Sri Krishna was taken to Gokul by his father, Vasudev. The whole city of Mathura was decked up in lights and decorated on the occasion of janmashtami. Jhankis and tableau that depict the scenes of Lord Sri Krishna's life are taken out on vehicles. Jhulan Utsav or the festival of swings is another feature of the Janmashtami celebrations in Mathura. The temples that you must visit in Mathura are Sri Bankey Bihari Temple, Dwarakadhish Temple, Sri Krishna Janma Bhoomi Temple and the famous ISKCON Temple. The places that touched Lord Sri Krishna's life are also important pilgrimage spots. The Vishram Ghat, Mahaban and Potara Kund are some of these places that you may want to visit. Vrindavan 15 km from Mathura is the holy land of Vrindavan. Vrindavan is the site of Lord Sri Krishna's childhood and teenage leelas. The famous leela of Raas Krida happened in Vrindavan. Visit the Govind Dev Temple, which is one of the oldest temples here. Nidhi Van is another temple that is dedicated to Lord Sri Krishna. It is believed that Nidhi Van still is the venue of raas leelas of Lord Sri Krishna who visits the temple with his beloved Radha and the other gopis. Tulasi Van is another attraction of Vrindavan. Gokul Gokul is the sacred area where Lord Sri Krishna spent most of his childhood days. It was in the forests which surround Gokul that the Lord Sri Krishna took his herds of cows to graze. It is interesting to note that in Gokul, Janmashtami is celebrated only a day after the proper Janmashtami. This is because Lord Sri Krishna was brought to Gokul only after the midnight had passed. The festivities of Janmashtami are unique too. The people of Gokul play with curd and turmeric and drench each other with it. The important temples in Gokul are Radha Raman Temple and Radha Damodar Temple. Dwaraka Dwaraka is the place where Lord Sri Krishna spent his adult life. The original island of Dwaraka was situated off the coast of Gujarat, but it is believed to have been submerged into the sea after the death of Lord Sri Krishna. The modern Dwaraka is based on the coast of Kutch. The Dwarakadhish Temple is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for believers of the Lord. Another temple in Dwaraka is the Rukmini Temple which is dedicated to Lord Sri Krishna's wife, Rukmini. You must also visit Bet Dwaraka which is allegedly the site of Lord Sri Krishna's death. Fairs, Raas and Garbha mark the occasion of Janmashtami. Bhajans and Satsangs are also seen on the days that precede Janmashtami. The celebrations often last the whole night and are an experience to cherish. Puri Puri is the place where the Jagganath Temple is situated. Here, Lord Jagannath or Lord Sri Krishna is said to reside with his siblings, Balarama and Subhadra. Every year, the whole city of Puri swells up with excitement and spirituality. The Janmashtami celebrations start 17 days prior to the day of the Janmashtami. Prayers and bhajans are held in the nights and these reach its zenith during the midnight. The stories from the childhood of Lord Sri Krishna and his brother Balarama are acted out by actors. The theater starts with the birth of the Lord and an episode is enacted for the rest of the 17 days. On the last day, which is Janmashtami, the people act out the story of Kamsa Vadha. Udupi If you are looking for a pilgrimage spot in South India, Udupi is an important site that you must visit. The Sri Krishna Mutt of Udupi is a vast temple with the main temple in the center and 8 other monasteries surrounding it. Janmashtami in Udupi has a touch of the regional influence. Plays that depict the stories of Lord Sri Krishna's childhood are staged on the streets of Udupi. Clay idols of the Lord are also displayed by the performers. Dancing, singing and cultural shows are conducted late into the night of Janmashtami. Yakshagana and flute recitals are some of the other attractions of the Janmashtami celebrations in Udupi.
Peachy City of Historic Importance

Home to the worlds busiest airport and a vibrant arts scene, Atlanta has an important role in US history. The gateway to the American South, it is the home of the barbecue and hundreds of peach trees that make it a surprisingly green city.

Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is the main arrival point, and Booking.com has an excellent range of Atlanta hotels near the airport. However, the main sights are clustered around Downtown. Near the gold-domed Georgia State Capitol is Underground Atlanta, a shopping centre in the old underground railway.

Just north are a few hotels near Georgia Dome, a huge sports venue, and to its north-east is Centennial Olympic Park, commemorating the 1996 Olympic Games. On one edge of this park are the CNN headquarters which offer behind-the-scenes tours. Opposite is the New World of Coca-Cola where you can sample all their worldwide products. Next door is the massive Georgia Aquarium, the worlds largest indoor aquarium.

In the Auburn district is Martin Luther Kings former home and church, and a museum dedicated to him and the Civil Rights movement. A few blocks south in Grant Park is the city zoo, and the Atlanta Cyclorama and museum, detailing the citys Civil War battles.

More national history is in the Carter Center, and the former home of Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind.
The Wall Street Journal has reported that special counsel Robert Mueller has convened a grand jury to investigate purported collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians to affect the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

For its part, the Trump people have hired a phalanx of high-priced lawyers. One of them, special counsel to the president Ty Cobb, has announced that the White House is committed to fully cooperating with Mr. Mueller.

I sure hope Ty was kidding. Cooperation with Muellers lynch mob is the last thing Trump or any of his people should do. But, just in case Cobb meant what he said, let me offer him some free advice.

Ty, you dont know me. No reason you should. Im not a high-powered New York or Washington lawyer. A classy guy like you would sneer at my low hourly rate and my cheap, ill-fitting wardrobe. If I ever showed up at your private club, you would undoubtedly rub your cigar out on my forehead and have me escorted off the premises for vagrancy.

But, please, listen up. Im speaking to you as one who spent more than 20 years as a prosecutor conducting federal and state grand jury investigations and another 20 years as a defense lawyer representing targets of grand juries. As a prosecutor, I interrogated hundreds of witnesses under oath for thousands of hours and presided over the return of grand jury indictments and presentments resulting in thousands of felony charges. So listen carefully.

The absolute last thing someone in your clients position should do is cooperate with Mueller. For the target of a grand jury investigation, cooperation is a sucker play guaranteed to result in disaster. If your client is a so-called person of interest or potential target, never, ever allow him to testify before the grand jury. Same thing for giving a statement to an investigator. Its a trap, plain and simple.

Even if the prosecutor cant prove that your client committed the crime supposedly being investigated, he will be charged with obstruction of justice or some similar offense for providing false information to agents or false swearing. This will happen as surely as night follows day.

And I dont care if your client is Mother Teresa telling the absolute truth. All a highly motivated prosecutor has to do is have some lying sleazebag contradict her testimony, and Teresa will leave the courthouse in handcuffs.

Is this unfair? Of course, but it happens all the time even under the best of circumstances. But, as you know, your client is not being investigated under optimum conditions.

In addition to supposedly colluding with the Russians, your client is facing investigation for obstruction of justice because of a conversation that he purportedly had with former FBI Director James Comey about the FBIs investigation of retired Gen. Michael Flynn. Put aside the law-review nicety that it is legally impossible for a president to obstruct justice in this manner. Keep your eye on the ball. If Trump gives a statement to an agent or testifies before the grand jury, all Mueller will have to do is have Comey, his friend and former colleague, provide contrary evidence. And whose testimony do you think Mueller will credit?

Predicting the winner of that swearing contest becomes easier if one keeps in mind that Mueller has hired a team of assistants, many of whom either supported Hillary Clintons candidacy or worked for the Clinton Foundation. And given the hyperpartisan rancor that pervades Washington as well as the Clintonistas naked determination to undo the results of the election, your clients prospects become bleak indeed.

Ty, it is your duty to protect your client by every legal and ethical means. But beyond the usual duty of a lawyer to serve his clients interest, keep in mind that there are more than 60 million very angry pro-Trump voters who are watching to see if the immutable and permanent Washington political class will effectively disenfranchise them by using the criminal justice system to reverse the outcome of the election.

In that sense, your clients cause is their cause, too.
Here is a big "oops" that potential students and Western Technical College may wish to read concerning the Foxconn announcement of a plant in Wisconsin.

A blog on Slate.com states that Foxconn has a history of not meeting its announced goals and it builds its own robots to work in its plants.

They didn't remember to say that at the big announcement the other day, as I recall. As Claude Shannon writes: I visualize a time when we will be to robots what dogs are to humans.

And then look at how the numbers work out. Wisconsin will be "investing" in jobs that will cost much more than the working people or the department of revenue will get back, according to the article. And then there is the strong possibility of environmental harm, not spelled out as such, but as a hidden threat because the governor is pushing to excuse Foxconn of any responsibility for this.

It appears that we may have been had. And that will be backfiring on Gov. Walker and President Trump big-time. Don't any of these people do their homework before they make promises?

Lizbeth Amanni, La Crosse
For years the Mughal history has been taught as a remarkable period in school history textbooks but now, the Maharashtra school textbooks will have only three lines of that and will the works of Mughals become a long forgotten history in India? Was the recent decision to cut down Mughal history in textbooks of Maharashtra a vindictive and political move?

Maharashtra Textbook Restructuring

In its recent announcement, the school education department in Maharashtra declared that the textbooks of class VII is restructured such that Shivaji and Maratha empire is taught elaborately while the Mughal history is reduced to just three lines.

Ways to teach about cultural diversity to students

What is the problem?

Upon this announcement, education activists lashed out at the decision of the government that such a move is unjust as it is politically motivated.

Government's response

However, the education department of Maharashtra came up with a clarification that the class VII and IX textbooks were restructured to emphasize more on the local history and that the decision did not have anything to do with politics.

Scientist UR Rao Demises, His Works To Live Forever

"There is a restructuring of the history text book this year which is why there is an emphasis on the history of Marathas. The syllabus is approved by a panel of subject experts and there is no question of politics here," said a senior official from the state education department.

What about the Mughal history?

"The Mughals are introduced as part of the Maratha history in keeping with the theme of the text book," said the official.

Prioritise Indian languages in schools and colleges: SSUN
The apex court of India is considering the submission made by the Centre about the inclusion of Urdu as a language for NEET (National Eligibility and Entrance Test) . The test is a prerequisite for admissions to medical and dental courses. The inclusion will be seen from the session 2018-19.

Headed by Justice Dipak Misra, the bench considered the submission which was put forth by Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, who represented the centre. He said the bench was not against the inclusion of Urdu as a medium for National Eligibility and Entrance Test from 2018.

The bench also comprising Justice A M Khanwilkar said, "The exam for this academic session is already over. We can't put the clock back...The appeal is disposed of."

On March 31, 2017 the Solicitor General informed the Supreme court that the students who looked forward for the conduction of NEET in Urdu language had accused the centre of being 'communal'. The submission which was made as with reference to the affidavit filed by the Students Islamic Organization of India (SIO) by the national secretary Thouseef Ahamad.

The Centre informed the apex court that the introduction of Urdu as one of the mediums for NEET for the current academic year will not be feasible. The test, currently is conducted in ten languages, namely Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Tamil and Telugu.

The court had sought the reply of the centre, the Medical Council of India (MCI), the Dental Council of India and the Central Board of Secondary Education on the request of introduction of Urdu as a medium for NEET 2017.

NEET 2017 - KEA Announces Second Round Allotment Notification : Check Now!
India celebrates 76 years of Quit India Movement today. The movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi at All India Congress Committee's Bombay session meeting in 1942, turned in to a revolution that struck the final nail in the fight for Independence.

The struggle was real. Most of the members of Indian National Congress was imprisoned few hours after Gandhi's speech. Many businesspersons were against the movement because the profit they were making on heavy wartime. There was a lot of opposition that the movement saw.

In short run, the movement saw lot of suppression, but in the long run the movement was the element that made the British realize that they cannot control India for to long.

The students of today should also know that, there was sporadic increase in how student community took part in the movement and how it became a stronghold of the movement.

The country that we live in today, and the freedom that we enjoy is all because of these souls that decided to take the road of struggle and go ahead with the slogan 'Do or Die'

Believe in your Cause

The cause for the movement was the freedom. The many groups throughout the country, believed that they will be freed from the clutches of the British if they fought for it.

Students should make sure that they believe in whatever they stand for. Whether it comes to believing in themselves, they people they look up to or the skills that they have. Only belief will give you the hope to keep up your head in the hardest of times.

Unity is Strength

The Quit India Movement saw thousands of people coming together, even being beaten, suppressed and imprisoned together. The leaders and the mass followers, all were put into jails. But they all stayed together.

Students need to know the value of being together and standing together for the right cause. The strength of being together, will be enough to stand against the most toughest situations'.

Follow your Leaders

The movement started with Gandhi's speech. It was the Mahatma who led the nation through the toughest times. The country stood with him and the results are right in front of us. We are free citizens of the country we live in,

In student communities, there are certain leaders that exist. Usually we might try to push them aside, and not listen to them. Their words are considered to be unnecessary.

This is where the students need to understand how they need to listen to the leaders. This will help them to become better leaders too.

13 Quotes By Mahatma Gandhi On Education

Know what you are Capable Of

The movement would have never taken shape if the people who took part it in didn't have the faith in them. Gandhi know how strong the country is.

The movement brought the country together and showed the hidden strength of the country, something the British overlooked.

As a student, you must always know how powerful you are. You may be over looked by your peers and teachers, but you need to know that you are always above their expectations.

So keep it in your mind and be ready to fly to your dreams.

Never Stop Trying

The Movement went through the worst. People were restrained and suppressed, but they never stopped trying. The love for the country and the desire to be free was close to their heart and thus their endless trials were finally rewarded.

A student has so much to learn from this. At each step we go through so much, and we feel like its the end of the world. We must always think about those hundreds of thousands of men and women who gave the best of their lives to make sure, we and our entire lives are happy and free.

Freedom Fighters' Quotes For Independence Day
Landowners interested in improving habitat on their property are invited to help Necedah National Wildlife Refuge celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Partners for Fish & Wildlife program Saturday, Aug. 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In 1987 the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service launched the program to enhance wildlife and wildlife habitat on private property. During the program, landowners will share stories about the steps they took to enhance conservation on their acreage, and visitors can talk with conservation practitioners to gather insights and learn what help is available.

Representatives from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ruffed Grouse Society, Pheasants Forever, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Trout Unlimited, Natural Resources Conservation Service, county conservationists and the Aldo Leopold Foundation are planning to attend.

Reservations are required and include lunch provided by the Friends of Necedah National Wildlife Refuge and a door prize ticket.

To make a reservation, call 608-565-5051 or register via Facebook.
Cementos Lemonas centennial

ICR Research By

Published 09 August 2017

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Cementos Lemona, a company that has evolved from its humble beginnings as an independent producer in a small town in the Basque Country, northern Spain, to developing a sizeable export business, a network of operations spanning the building materials sector and now being part of international major CRH. By Cementos Lemona, Spain.

Founded in 1917 and created as a public limited company, Cementos Portland de Lemona, was established around the same time as some of the most important companies in the industrial and economic landscape of northern Spain including Babcock and Wilcox or General Electrica Espanola. Of these, only the Lemoa-based cement company has managed to overcome the many obstacles that have arisen in the years since, and this centennial year presents the perfect opportunity to recognise and celebrate the many milestones and achievements it has experienced along the way.

To continue reading this story and get access to all News, Articles and Video sections of the CemNet.com website, please Register for a subscription to International Cement Review or Login
Trex Company, Inc. manufactures and distributes decking, railing, and outdoor living products and accessories for residential and commercial markets in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Trex Residential and Trex Commercial. It offers decking products under the names Trex Transcend, Trex Select, and Trex Enhance for protection against fading, staining, mold, and scratching; Trex Hideaway, a hidden fastening system; and Trex DeckLighting, a LED dimmable deck lighting for use on posts, floors, and steps. The company also provides Trex Transcend Railing products that are used in Trex decking products and other decking materials; Trex Select Railing products for a simple clean finished look; Trex Enhance Railing system; and Trex Signature aluminum railing for a contemporary look. In addition, it offers Trex Seclusions, a fencing product that includes structural posts, bottom and top rails, pickets, and decorative post caps. In addition, it designs, engineers, and markets architectural and aluminum railing systems, and staging equipment and accessories for the commercial market, as well as sports stadiums and performing arts venues. Further, the company acts as a licensor in various licensing agreements with third parties to manufacture and sell products under the Trex name, including Trex Outdoor Furniture; Trex RainEscape, an above joist deck drainage system; Trex Pergola, a cellular PVC product; Trex Latticeworks outdoor lattice boards; Trex Cornhole boards; Diablo Trex Blade, a saw blade for wood-alternative composite decking; Trex SpiralStairs and structural steel posts; and Trex Outdoor Kitchens, Cabinetry, and Storage products. It sells its products through wholesale distributors, retail lumber dealers, and Home Depot and Lowe's stores, as well as through its direct sales staff, independent sales representatives, and bidding on projects. Trex Company, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Winchester, Virginia.
The Broadway hit musical Hamilton ventured out of New York late last year.

I saw it in Chicago July 11, the anniversary date of the famous 1804 duel with Aaron Burr. The show is exhilarating. It reinvigorated my respect for the lives of our founders, and provided insightful perspectives for understanding our American polity.

The production has received widespread accolades, from former President Barack Obama to former Vice President Dick Cheney. Young Americans have been clamoring to experience this compelling rendition of American history. The Rockefeller Foundation helped finance 20,000 New York City 11th-graders to experience Hamiltons emotionally uplifting, yet tragic story, from our founding generation.

I have encountered only one criticism of Hamilton. Utahs U.S. Sen. Mike Lee complains the show distorts what should be our view of the founders. However, Lee makes the conservative fundamentalists typical error in confronting history: he wants to confirm his own limited government ideology, and preclude anyone elses interpretation.

As our first secretary of the treasury, Alexander Hamilton implemented a national economic program, which included the Bank of the United States. His Cabinet counterpart  Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson  opposed the program premised upon his anti-federalist (today we call it states rights) commitment. In the play, Jefferson acknowledges he could not defeat Hamiltons program.

Here is where Lee and his fellow conservatives misperceive our historical legacy. The founders established a constitutional order with the capacity to adapt to Americans evolving demands upon the governing apparatus established in 1787. The founding generation provided wide interpretive latitude in the Constitution to determine the breadth and scope of government.

We should not limit ourselves by trying to discern whether they would concur with us in our current endeavors  they vehemently disagreed among themselves. The men who wrote our Constitution led the national and state governments for decades after its implementation. They immediately devolved into factional disputes, leading to the development of political party divisions we live with today.

In addition, personal animus too often came between them. A bitter decades-long rivalry led to Burr killing Hamilton in their renowned duel. The publics negative reaction stunned Burr. Trying to restore his reputation consumed the rest of his life.

The most basic contribution the founders provided generations of Americans is the principle that even those who govern us are not above the law. The expectation that such public virtue would guide political leaders has been our historical legacy in the succeeding centuries. President Donald Trump poses a serious threat to this foundation of our constitutional order.

When campaigning for the Republican Partys nomination in January 2016, Trump outlandishly proclaimed he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue in New York, and not lose voters supporting his candidacy.

President Trump continues to premise his words and behaviors upon his notion he can act above the law. However, his supporters will not determine whether he has abided by our laws. Our constitutional system of justice will make this determination.

Hamilton portrays the man historians have labeled the father of the Constitution, James Madison, as a mousey underling of Jefferson. Such literary license does injustice to someone who, with Hamilton, wrote the Federalist Papers, our most significant American contribution to political theory, and the winning argument for ratifying the Constitution. At this moment, we should pay special attention to Madisons Federalist No. 10.

In it, he acknowledges, Men of factious tempers, of local prejudices, or of sinister designs, may by intrigue, by corruptionbetray the interests of the people. Despite clogging up government operations, even convulsing society, Madison argued the Constitution would prevent such demagoguery from executing its violence against the American people.

President Trump presents us with such a moment. The officeholders of this Republic are now obligated to ensure the continuance of our most basic governing principle: no person is above the law.
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LLC, Newell Brands - Tools Business, Nippon Pop Rivets & Fasteners LTD., Niscayah Asia Limited, Niscayah Group AB, Niscayah Holdings Limited, Niscayah Investments Limited, Niscayah Teknik AB, Novia SWK SAS, OSI Security Devices, Onglin International Limited, P I H Holdings Limited, P&B Re Holdings LLC, PIH Services Limited, PIH Services ME LLC, PIH Services ME Ltd., PIH Services ME W.L.L., PIH U.S. LLC, PIPELINE EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES SARL, PORTER-CABLE ARGENTINA LLC, PT Stanley Black & Decker, Pacom Group AB, Pacom Systems (North America) Inc., Pacom Systems Espana S.L., Pacom Systems Pty Limited, Paladin Brands Group Inc., Paladin Brands Holdings Inc., Paladin Brands International Holdings Inc., Panalok Limited, Pengo Corporation, Pillo Health, Pinnacle Electronic Systems, Pipeline Induction Heat Limited, Pipeline Induction Heat Limited, Powers Fasteners Australasia Pty Limited, Powers Fasteners Inc., Powers Fasteners Inc. (Panama), Powers Rawl Pty. 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Ltd., Stanley Black & Decker Romania SRL, Stanley Black & Decker Slovakia s.r.o., Stanley Black & Decker Sweden AB, Stanley Black & Decker Turkey Alet Uretim Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Stanley Black & Decker UK Group Limited, Stanley Black & Decker UK Limited, Stanley Black & Decker de Monterrey S. de R.L. de C.V., Stanley Black and Decker Commercial Private India, Stanley Black and Decker Security Solutions Mexico S.A. de C.V. (fka DEWALT INDUSTRIAL TOOLS S.A. DE C.V.), Stanley CLP3, Stanley Canada Holdings L.L.C., Stanley Chiro International Ltd, Stanley Convergent Security Solutions Inc., Stanley Engineered Fastening Benelux B.V., Stanley Engineered Fastening France SAS, Stanley Engineered Fastening India Private Limited, Stanley Engineered Fastening Industrial Deutschland GmbH, Stanley Engineered Fastening Italy S.r.l., Stanley Engineered Fastening Spain S.L.U., Stanley Europe BV, Stanley European Holdings B.V., Stanley European Holdings II B.V., Stanley Fastening Systems Investment (Taiwan) Co., Stanley Fastening Systems L.P., Stanley Fastening Systems Poland Sp. z o.o., Stanley Feinwerktechnik GmbH, Stanley Grundstuecksverwaltungs GmbH, Stanley Healthcare Solutions France Sarl, Stanley Housing Fund Inc., Stanley Industrial & Automotive LLC, Stanley Infrastructure LLC Formerly f/k/a International Equipment Solutions ("IES"), Stanley Inspection L.L.C., Stanley Inspection US L.L.C., Stanley International Holdings Inc., Stanley Israel Investments B.V., Stanley Logistics L.L.C., Stanley Pipeline Inspection L.L.C., Stanley Safety Corporation LLC, Stanley Security AS, Stanley Security Alarmcentrale B.V., Stanley Security B.V., Stanley Security Belgium BV, Stanley Security Canada ULC (fka 3xLogic Holdings Inc.), Stanley Security Denmark ApS, Stanley Security Europe BV, Stanley Security Federal Systema LLC, Stanley Security Holding AS, Stanley Security Limited, Stanley Security Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Stanley Security Nederland B.V., Stanley Security Oy, Stanley Security Singapore Pte. Ltd., Stanley Security Solutions (NI) Limited, Stanley Security Solutions - Europe Limited, Stanley Security Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Stanley Security Solutions Inc., Stanley Security Solutions India Private Limited, Stanley Security Solutions Limited, Stanley Security Sverige AB, Stanley Technical Services Ltd., Stanley Tools SAS, Stanley U.K. Holdings Ltd., Stanley UK Acquisition Company Limited, Stanley UK Services Limited, Stanley Works (Europe) GmbH, Stanley Works (India) Private Limited, Stanley Works (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Stanley Works (Wendeng) Tools Co. Ltd., Stanley Works Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Stanley Works China Investments Limited, Stanley Works Holdings B.V., Stanley Works Limited, Stanley-Bostitch S.A. de c.v., Stanley-Bostitch Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Stichting Beheer Intellectuele Eigendomsrechten Blick Benelux B.V., SureHand Inc. f.k.a. SBD Aura Inc., Sweepster Attachments LLC, THE BLACK & DECKER CORPORATION, TOG Holdings Inc., TOG Manufacturing Company Inc., TSI Monitoring LLC, TSI Sales & Installation LLC, The EAP Acquisition Co. LLC, The Farmington River Power Company, The Ferry Cap & Set Screw Company, The Stanley Works (Langfang) Fastening Systems Co. Ltd., The Stanley Works (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., The Stanley Works (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., The Stanley Works (Zhongshan) Tool Co. Ltd., The Stanley Works Israel Ltd., The Stanley Works Limited, The Stanley Works Pty. Ltd., Tong Lung Metal Industry, Troy-Bilt LLC, Tucker Fasteners Limited, Tucker GmbH, Tucker S.R.O., Universal Inspection Systems Limited, Venus Enterprise Co. Ltd., Visiocom International Pte Ltd, Voss Industries Inc., Wintech Corporation Limited, XMARK Corporation, XMARK Corporation., Yong Ru Plastics Industry (Suzhou) Co. Ltd, and Zag USA Inc..

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A Catholic and a Protestant separately predict apocalyptic judgment on America. But are they interpreting events to suit their agendas?

Just weeks after a Vatican-approved article hit out at the 'ecumenism of hate' in the US between ultra-conservative Catholics and evangelical Protestants, a pair of leading figures from those two Christian strands have formed an unlikely alliance in using imagery signalling the end times.

In the case of the respected evangelist Anne Graham Lotz, she has written a blog post about the impending solar eclipse of August 21 entitled, 'Is God's Judgment Coming on America?'

She heads the article with a reference to Joel (2:31): 'The sun will be turned to darkness...before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord' and goes on to say that when she was teaching that book a few years ago 'the ancient words of his prophecy came up off the page. I knew with hair-raising certainty that God's severe judgment was coming on America! I have taught Joel several times since. Each time has served to confirm with deep conviction that God is warning America of impending disaster and destruction.'

Lotz adds: 'I feel compelled to issue the warning once again. The warning is triggered by the total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017, nicknamed America's Eclipse. For the first time in almost 100 years, a total solar eclipse will be seen from coast to coast in our nation. People are preparing to mark this significant event with viewing parties at exclusive prime sites. The celebratory nature regarding the eclipse brings to my mind the Babylonian King Belshazzar who threw a drunken feast the night the Medes and Persians crept under the city gate. While Belshazzar and his friends partied, they were oblivious to the impending danger. Belshazzar wound up dead the next day, and the Babylonian empire was destroyed.

'Jewish rabbi's have historically viewed solar eclipses as warnings from God to Gentile nations. Therefore, my perspective on the upcoming phenomenon is not celebratory. While no one can know for sure if judgment is coming on America, it does seem that God is signaling us about something. Time will tell what that something is.'

Then there is the famously conservative Cardinal, Raymond Burke, who every few months appears to make the headlines with a controversial statement.

Burke was quoted by Lifesitenews.com as telling the Church Teaches Forum in Louisville: 'We are living in most troubled times in the world and also in the Church' and that those times 'realistically seem to be apocalyptic'.

'Confusion, division, and error' within the Catholic Church coming from 'shepherds' even at the highest levels indicate that we 'may be' in the end times, he was quoted as saying.

He continued: '[In] a diabolical way, the confusion and error which has led human culture in the way of death and destruction has also entered into the Church, so that she draws near to the culture without seeming to know her own identity and mission, without seeming to have the clarity and the courage to announce the Gospel of Life and Divine Love to the radically secularized culture'.

The cardinal cited recent remarks from the president of the German bishops' conference, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who said that the legalisation of same-sex 'marriage' in Germany was not a major concern for the Church.

Burke, who is one of the four Cardinals who signed a letter asking Pope Francis to clarify alleged ambiguities in his teaching, said there are 'many shepherds' who are no longer truly shepherding the faithful.

'For whatever reason, many shepherds are silent about the situation in which the Church finds herself or have abandoned the clarity of the Church's teaching for the confusion and error which is wrongly thought to address more effectively the total collapse of Christian culture,' he said.

Burke also claimed that a relative lack of attacks by the secular media against the Catholic Church signifies failure.

'Some time ago, a Cardinal in Rome commented on how good it is that the secular media are no longer attacking the Church, as they did so fiercely during the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI,' he said. 'My response was that the approval of the secular media is, on the contrary, for me a sign that the Church is failing badly in her clear and courageous witness to the world for the salvation of the world.'

Further, the cardinal attacked Pope Francis directly for choosing to 'speak in a colloquial manner, whether during interviews given on airplanes or to news outlets, or in spontaneous remarks to various groups.'

By this point, however, we are straying from his central point about the end times, and pursuing instead his own personal gripes against the current leadership of the Church.

But isn't that the point? Every now and again, conservative church leaders, be they Catholic or evangelical Protestant, reach for apocalyptic imagery to suit their own agendas.

And yet, for now, at the risk of sounding complacent, the world continues to spin on its axis.

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

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".'

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.

Their piece threw evangelicals around Donald Trump into a spin. But with two leading lights from the two wings they identify predicting, literally, the end of the world, perhaps they had a point after all.
American Association of Christian Counsellors denies being politicised as petition hits out at its support for Trump

A petition has been launched to call for the depoliticisation of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), challenging the 'unconscionable' support for Donald Trump from the group's president Tim Clinton.

Trump's character and behaviour, the petition argues, is the kind that creates the sort of trauma that counsellors spend their lives trying to heal. The AACC has defended its right to engage with national leaders.

'What we are hoping for is to keep AACC removed from partisan politics, and the AACC events to feature people who are involved in counseling, not the culture wars,' reads the online petition, founded by current and former AACC members.

The petition includes a letter from former AACC member Dr Aaron New, who said he allowed his AACC membership to expire after concerns about the group's 'direction and mission'. New criticised AACC president Tim Clinton for his unambiguous backing of Donald Trump.

He wrote: 'Dr Clinton has been a vocal supporter of Donald Trump through his candidacy and presidency. As far as I can tell, he has never offered any public criticism of Trump's character, behaviour, or policies. He has, however, gone out of his way to publicly confirm and praise him. Just one example (but of particular concern) was Dr Clinton's silence during the controversy that surrounded Trump after the release of the Access Hollywood video.'

He added: 'As the leader of the flagship Christian Counseling organization, it seemed unconscionable to me that Dr Clinton refused to condemn such harmful words and behaviours  the very kinds of words and behaviours that we work against in our offices and with our clients every day.

'I believe that the members of the AACC deserve better leadership and guidance than this. At a minimum (and in my clinical opinion), Trump exhibits the character and behaviours of a person who, if in our offices, would be challenged not celebrated.'

New said that Trump's 'character and behaviours are the kind that cause wounds and trauma to the very people that end up needing the care of Christian Counselors. It seems hypocritical to celebrate Trumpish character and behaviour because of political power or expediency and simultaneously try to care for the people who are harmed by them'.

However, Clinton told Christian Today the AACC was 'not a political organisation' and did not intend to become one. Nevertheless, he said, 'we do care about, speak to and advocate for certain policies that effect our members' ability to integrate their faith with their respective, professional disciplines.

'When we do so we also seek to present a balanced, reasoned voice in the politically charged environment we live in everyday. As an organisation, we are particularly interested in issues related to religious liberty, ethical standards and certain regulatory considerations as it relates to training, practice, accreditation, and licensure as Christian practitioners.'

He continued: 'We are, additionally, interested in government policies and programs effecting suicide prevention, the opioid crisis, support for military families, trauma recovery, managed care, mental health benefits, client rights and self determination in mental and relational healthcare and more.'

He said AACC members had 'varying and nuanced points of view' on many issues but 'as a Christian organization we proudly advocate for the rights of Christian professionals to appropriately integrate their faith in their vocation'.

In a statement on behalf of the AACC board, Dr Ron Hawkins referred to the organisation's 'judicious role in engaging with national leaders and advocating for policies that allow our members to continue to integrate their faith in their professional lives'.

He added: 'While the AACC does not endorse individual candidates for public office, the AACC board not only allows but expects its executive leadership to be directly involved in advocacy efforts for the purpose of influencing public policy as it relates to mental health and other relevant areas of concern for our membership'.
Archbishop Welby admits 'I don't know' about South Sudan peace  but commits to prayer, strengthening the Church

The Archbishop of Canterbury has admitted he questions whether peace is possible in South Sudan after he visited the country last week.

Justin Welby arrived back in the UK on Sunday after a week in South Sudan and then Uganda, meeting with leaders and visiting refugee camps in both countries.

Reflecting on his trip and highlighting the more than 1 million South Sudanese people displaced in Uganda after fleeing violence, Justin Welby confessed he was 'left wondering whether the cause of this crisis can be resolved'.

Writing on Facebook he said: 'Is it possible for peace to be achieved in South Sudan?'

However, he continued: 'Truthfully I don't know the answer but we are disciples of Jesus Christ, the resurrected one, the Lord of hope and reconciliation.'

Following the visit Welby said he had committed to pray and advocate for a resolution and also 'strengthen the church as a force for reconciliation in South Sudan'.

Women are crucial to bringing communities back together, he said, adding his wife Caroline and adviser for reconciliation Sarah Snyder hoped to return in the autumn.

'Please join me in praying for an end to suffering,' he concluded. 'Pray that the efforts of the international community, the leaders of neighbouring African countries and the African Union find a way to bring about peace. And pray for the Spirit of God to be healing those who suffer the most.'

During the trip Welby also consecrated Sudan's first archbishop and primate, forming the 39th global Anglican province.

Justin Welby hailed the ceremony in Khartoum a 'new beginning' for Christians in Sudan who have been severely repressed, with dozens of churches destroyed and permission for new buildings refused.

He went on to visit refugee camps in South Sudan and in the northern Ugandan region of Moyo.

'The Bible tells us that the refugee is specially loved by God,' Welby said as he joined in prayers in a camp.

'Which means you who are refugees are specially loved by God, that Jesus himself was a refugee and he loves you and he stands with you and the suffering that you have is the suffering that he knows. So I pray for you, I will advocate for you.'
#Bookloversday: Six Christian classics that could change your life

Today is #bookloversday, an occasion to celebrate both books and those who love them. Christians of course are fond of books: the Bible contains 66 of them and Christians have been writing prolifically since the Church began.

In an age when refreshing newsfeeds and endless clickbait draws our attention more than a solitary novel, making the time for reading can be tricky, especially for those not naturally book lovers. But book-reading should be something for all to enjoy. The Church too still needs books more than ever, whether it's classics from the past, or new words to address the ever-changing times.

Here's a handpicked selection of books about faith that have moved, challenged or inspired me, each in their own unique way.

1. Gilead  Marilynne Robinson

I don't know of another book like Gilead, a work I was moved to pick up after a myriad recommendations. Marilynne Robinson's American classic takes the form of a memoir by a dying pastor, John Ames, to his son, as he narrates tales from his own life and reflects on the past, present and future of his humble, painful yet rich existence in Gilead, Iowa. It's a tender, theological and profound novel that you simply have to read to understand. This Pulitzer prize-winning work doesn't feel like a 'Christian book', but its reflections are threaded quietly through in a tale that is ultimately about what it means to be human.

2. Reclaiming Hope  Michael Wear

I previously called Michael Wear's Reclaiming Hope the book you need to read in 2017; I stand by the claim. Drawing on his experience of faith and politics in the Obama White House, Wear has produced a part-memoir, part-manifesto that makes the ever-essential case for 'hope' in today's world. Does that word, in an era that grows more cynical by the day  especially about religion and politics  mean anything at all? Wear will show you that it does, providing not just an insightful take on how religion can meaningfully contribute to the here and now, but offering deep and challenging reflections on what truly Christian hope looks like. Whether you love politics or loathe it, this book is for you.

3. Orthodoxy  GK Chesterton

GK Chesterton's Orthodoxy is to my mind the eccentric yet compelling cousin to CS Lewis' Mere Christianity. With characteristic wit and wisdom, the author demonstrates his apologetic, philosophical and imaginative prowess, explaining how he came to believe in the Christian faith and how it illuminates reality. He begins his work: 'I had always felt life first as a story: and if there is a story there is a story-teller.' Here's a book that will stretch, entertain and inspire.

4. Deep Magic, Dragons and Talking Mice: How Reading CS Lewis Can Change Your Life  Alister McGrath

There is no writer more often quoted and more widely beloved in the contemporary Church than CS Lewis. But his library of literature can be daunting  where to start? Lewis biographer Alister McGrath has gifted the world with this book, which imagines conversations with Lewis on a host of different topics, quoting Lewis and explaining his life and ideas in a thoroughly readable way  as though you really were meeting Lewis for tea. For the uninitiated or those who already love Lewis, this book is a gem.

5. The Skeletons in God's Closet  Joshua Ryan Butler

Christian books on apologetics (defending the faith) are easy to find, and can easily bore, but this fresh work stands out from the crowd. Joshua Ryan Butler's The Skeletons in God's Closet boldly takes on some of the most intense objections to (or misunderstandings of) the Christian faith: the cruelty of hell, the struggle with a 'judgmental' God and the horror of Old Testament 'Holy War'. At its heart though, this is not just an intellectual defence of abstract ideas, but a personal, human, and compelling case for the goodness of God. Butler dismantles caricatures, breaks bad paradigms and shows you the big, beautiful picture of Scripture in a way you hadn't seen before, but remains essentially Orthodox. He draws on both scholarly wisdom and personal stories, and doesn't dismiss tough questions with pat answers.

Whether you agree with all the answers he gives, Butler's engaging style, insight and beautiful writing will still make it worth the trip. One brilliant inclusion in the book is one-line 'key idea' summaries at the end of every chapter, reminding you what you've learned. It's a simple addition that really helps readers to stay on track and not get buried in a sea of theological complexity. More books should do it.

6. Being Disciples  Rowan Williams

Sometimes the shortest of books can be the most profound. Sometimes few words shed much light. That's certainly the case for Rowan William's Being Disciples, which, drawing on Scripture, offers a rich six-part reflection on what it means to be a follower of Jesus. The former Archbishop of Canterbury is a towering academic who could easily crush us all with his intellectual heft, but instead offers a humble, graceful and simple devotional on Christian existence before God and the world. There are many excellent introductions to the Christian life, this one is foremost among them.

You can follow @JosephHartropp on Twitter
Canadian Pastor Lim is 'released' from prison in North Korea, state news agency says

A Canadian pastor imprisoned in North Korea since 2015 has been released on humanitarian grounds because of his ill health, according to the country's state news agency.

News of the release of 62-year-old Hyeon Soo Lim  also known as Rim Hyon Su comes just hours after a high-level Canadian delegation, led by the prime minister's national security adviser, had arrived in the country in the hope of intervening in his case.

'Rim Hyon Su, a Canadian civilian, was released on sick bail according to the decision of the Central Court of the DPRK on August 9, 2017 from the humanitarian viewpoint,' said the KCNA news agency said Wednesday, using the pariah state's official name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

'He had been under the penalty of indefinite hard labor as he conducted hostile deeds against the DPRK,' the agency added.

Detained in early 2015, Lim was sentenced to a life of hard labour on December 16, 2015 for 'harming the dignity of the supreme leader,' 'trying to use religion to destroy North Korea' and 'assisting North Koreans escape.'

Lim, the senior pastor of the Light Presbyterian Church in Mississauga, had made frequent humanitarian visits to North Korea on behalf of his church.

There ahave been concerns that Lim's health has suffered while in captivity, sparking diplomatic efforts to seek his release.

The delegation that arrived in North Korea today was headed by Daniel Jean, who serves as Justin Trudeau's national security advisor.

Canadian officials had not yet commented at the time of writing.

'Pastor Lim's health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada as we continue to engage on this case,' said Cameron Ahmad, a spokesperson for Trudeau, yesterday.

The release comes amid heightened tensions between North Korea and the West after the US President Donald Trump reacted with fury to an intelligence report that suggested Pyongyang had the nuclear firepower to hit America.

Trump warned North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un any threats would be met 'with fire and fury and, frankly, power the likes of which the world has never seen before'.

North Korea responded by saying on state media it is considering a strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam.

Pyongyang has been carrying out several missile tests in recent weeks and has tested nuclear devices five times, including two intercontinental ballistic middles (ICBM) in July, in what are perceived to be acts of aggression towards the West.

In response the UN approved further economic sanctions on North Korea on Saturday in an attempt to pressurise Kim Jong-un to give up his nuclear weapons.

A senior Canadian official said their trip was solely linked to Lim's condition and was not related to the increasing global tensions with the state.
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On Tuesday, L.A. City Council voted 13-0 to draft an ordinance requiring any company seeking a contract with the city to publicly disclose if they've submitted a bid to build the controversial proposed border wall between Mexico and the United States of America. The motion was introduced by Councilman Gil Cedillo in May at a press conference with immigrant rights, faith and labor leaders.

The law would make it mandatory for any contractors who seek to do business with the city of Los Angeles to disclose if they have any contracts for design, construction, supply, procurement or other related services regarding building any proposed border wall between Mexico and the United States. "Angelinos deserve to know who they are doing business with. We have made it very clear that this City does not support the building of this wall. We are more interested in building bridges, Gil Cedillo said in a statement on Tuesday. If passed, the law wouldn't actually ban contracts with companies working on the border wall, it would just require disclosure. The L.A. Times reports that Cedillo and other city officials are looking into whether they could legally ban those firms, or score them lower when they compete for city contracts.

Were looking for guidance on what, legally, were allowed to do, Fredy Ceja, a spokesperson for Councilman Cedillo, told the Times.

"President Trump's proposed border wall is a monument to ignorance and hate," Apolonio Morales, political director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, said at the May press conference. "We have the right to know if individuals or companies who are bidding to build that wall are also lining up to profit from the rich economy to which we contribute with our tax dollars."

The proposed ordinance still has to be drafted by the City Attorney and voted on again by full Council before it becomes law.
Christian gypsy minister hits back at reports of annual gathering 'taking over' Oxfordshire field

A senior minister from an evangelical gypsy church that has been accused by the media of 'taking over' an Oxfordshire field has accused the police and press of racism.

Speaking to Christian Today, Jackie Boyd, who has been with the beleaguered Light and Life Gypsy Church for 35 years, hit back at hostile coverage of the church's annual convention at Thame Showground, whose organisers have claimed they were misled about the booking.

Some 3,000 Christian gypsies have gathered in the field, with the Sun and the Daily Mail running areal photographs provided by the police alongside reports quoting Thame and Oxfordshire County Agricultural Association, which hires out the field, complaining that it had been misled after the group booked as 'a religious group that was having its annual get-together'.

But Boyd pointed out that this was indeed the case, and that the real complaint among furious local residents, who are also quoted in both newspapers, was that the Christians who had gathered were gypsies.

The Sun's headline reads: 'Amazing aerial pictures show how thousands of travellers have taken over an Oxfordshire field after it was booked out for Christian festival.'

Speaking from the convention, Boyd, who described a packed programme of Bible sessions and children's ministry that is going on at the festival, laughed when the headline was read to him.

'We work in 45 countries of the world  we've been in this country for 35 years, this is our national convention, we've had one every year for 35 years; we use it for gospel outreach to try to get local gypsies in the church, to get them saved,' he said.

'We get shot down by the press so what can we do. This is the last kind of racism that is sanctioned in the UK, by people, the police, the press, by everybody.'

Boyd, 57, described how the police have told him to 'get a life' and put the phone down on him when he has complained about racism in the past.

'So in the end we just give in and continue to serve God,' he said.

Boyd said that there were around 5,000 of some 20,000 church members coming to the festival.

Police community support officers from Thames Valley Police have been patrolling the area of the showground 'to deal with any incidents,' according to MailOnline.

The Mail reported that the Thame and Oxfordshire County Agricultural Association claimed that the the group booked under a different name.

At the time of writing, the association's office phone was permanently engaged, and there was no response from the booking organiser's mobile phone.

The local Thame Hub website quoted the association as saying: 'we...were contacted by organisers of the Darlington Christian Fellowship Group for an above board annual meeting and contracts were signed and toilets booked & paid for all as we thought above board, BUT the showground has been invaded by approx 5000 believed to be Gypsies, they had booked the showground from now till Thursday paid for in full, it's a total nightmare they are cutting down the trees on the showground it's carnage up there, and yes the police are on site in force' (sic).

And the same website quoted the local council as saying it 'shares the concerns of many' over the gathering and referring any complaints to the police.

'As always it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. Opinions expressed range from outright support to outright indignation,' the statement said.

'We have been assured by the police that they are doing all they can to monitor and control the current situation, based on the factual knowledge they have. They are the right organisation to deal with anything that is reported.'

Thame Hub also ran an interview with one of the gypies explaining the Christian nature of the event.

Critics of the gathering on social media included a local resident, James Brown, who said: 'Our lovely peaceful town has been taken over and we have this for a week. Well done to whoever was involved from Thame in allowing this to happen, you must be very proud of yourselves.'

But some defended the church. Sarah-Jane Rigg posted: 'I think everyone needs to just calm down  there are good and bad in every community and these people were judged pretty quickly from the moment people knew who they were.

'Wouldn't it be amazing if different cultures and faiths and communities could live side by side without any anger, damage, racial abuse, arguments etc?

'I think this is the travellers' opportunity to show the people of Thame that they can live side by side without locals gathering pitchforks at dawn.'

Boyd told the Mail: 'Whether we are gypsies or not, it doesn't matter: we are human beings. Everybody deserves a chance. People are saying we have overrun the town and it's despicable, but they have never even seen any of us...I've come to expect this.'

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: 'We were made aware of a private event taking place from Friday, August 4, which was due to be ongoing until Thursday, August 10 at Thame Showground.

'As with any large event, officers have provided a proportionate response.

'Neighbourhood and Police Community Support Officers have been patrolling the area to provide local reassurance and to deal with any reported incidents or traffic issues.'
Christian missionary held by North Korea tells detainees: Don't lose hope

A Christian missionary detained for two years in North Korea urged American citizens still held in the reclusive country to remain hopeful.

Speaking at a briefing in Washington on Wednesday, Kenneth Bae, 47, also said the international community should remember the suffering of North Korea's citizens.

Bae, a Korean-American, was the longest held US citizen in North Korea since the Korean War. He was running a legal tour company in North Korea when he was sentenced to hard labour for 15 years in April 2013 following accusations that he was committing hostile acts against the state and encouraging citizens to work against the government.

He was sent to a camp for foreign detainees where about 30 guards kept watch over him as their sole prisoner.

Bae said he had to shovel coal, perform farm chores and dig the earth.

He was released in November 2014 when US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper made a secret visit to North Korea and came back with Bae and fellow American Matthew Miller.

US citizens Kim Dong Chul and Otto Warmbler are both currently detained by North Korea, and have been sentenced to hard labour. Chul, a Christian missionary, has been accused of subversion and Warmbler of trying to steal a propaganda banner.

"Continue to have hope in the US government that they are doing everything they can to secure your release and also just take one day at a time," Bae urged them.

He has recently released the book Not Forgotten about his experience in North Korea, and on Wednesday described what led to his arrest.

Bae said that on his 18th trip leading tours in the country, North Korean authorities discovered his hard-drive had Western media coverage of such topics as the country's 1990s famine, material which he said was loaded by mistake.

Bae said he was accused of trying to overthrow the government through his Christian worship and by spreading Western ideas.

North Korea has consistently been named the worst country in the world to be a Christian. Under dictator Kim Jong-un, the government maintains absolute control through the systematic repression of its citizens. According to Aid to the Church in Need, of the 400,000-500,000 Christian population in North Korea, at least 50,000 are thought to be in hard labour camps, while tens of thousands of citizens, including many Christians, have defected to countries such as neighbouring South Korea, China, Mongolia and Russia.

Rev Hyeon Soo Lim, a 61-year-old Christian missionary from Canada, has been held in Pyongyang since February 2015 after disappearing during a humanitarian trip to the country.

He was sentended to life in prison and hard labour in December after being charged with 'crimes against the state' by a North Korean court.

His family said his trips to North Korea  of which he had undertaken more than 100 since 1997  were never politically motivated, but the government does not tolerate any missionary or religious activity deemed to threaten the state's supremacy.

Additional reporting by Reuters.
Episcopal Church wins court victory in long-running battle with conservatives

Conservative parishes in America that split from The Episcopal Church over issues such as gay priests cannot take their buildings and land with them, a court has ruled in what could be a pivotal decision for future US Anglican fissures.

The Diocese of South Carolina, which contains around 50 churches and 20,000 parishioners, left the national Church body in 2012 and is now part of the breakaway Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

The long-awaited and complicated ruling means the diocese, which dates back to 1785 and was on the of the first to join and form The Episcopal Church, will not be allowed to keep its $500million worth of Church property.

The split decision at South Carolina Supreme Court overturns a previous lower court ruling in favour of the conservatives.

Now dozens of ACNA churches will have to return their property to The Episcopal Church and only those that didn't sign an agreement, known as the Dennis Canon, allowing the national Church to hold their properties in trust, will be able to keep them.

In a rare move that highlights the complexity of the case, all five of the court's justices wrote individual opinions with the final ruling on physical church property split 3-2.

However they were split 2-2 with one abstention when it came to intellectual property. That means the earlier judge's ruling that the breakaway church can keep the official Diocese of Carolina's name, trademark and seals still stands.

Skip Adams, bishop of The Episcopal Church in South Carolina, said: 'We are grateful for this decision and for the hard work of the court in rendering it.'

'We also give thanks to God for the faithfulness, support, and sacrifices of countless Episcopalians within our diocese and throughout the church.'

The dispute has raged since the diocese chose to leave TEC in 2012 and comes as conservative Anglicans in the UK are threatening a similar style split to that in the US.

Led by Dr Gavin Ashenden, 23 conservative clergy wrote a letter to the Telegraph warning of a 'declaration of independence' from vicars who feel that those with traditional views are being 'marginalised' by the Church's leadership.

It concludes by raising the prospect of a split in the Church of England, similar to that which took place in the North American Anglican Church.

Ashenden told the Telegraph that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, was 'under notice'. He said: 'This is a warning that the Archbishop is under notice that unless he leads the Church in a way that remains consistent with the values and authority of the Bible, as opposed to progressive secularism, he will risk some kind of revolt in the form of an independence movement.'
Evangelical bishop warns split may be necessary as he spearheads resistance to liberalising CofE

A senior evangelical bishop in the Church of England is spearheading resistance to a perceived drift in teaching on sexuality, hinting that some form of schism may be necessary.

Julian Henderson, the Bishop of Blackburn and president of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), told evangelical leaders across the CofE that 'behind the scenes' initiatives were under way to bolster traditionalist teaching and support in the Church.

But he went on to warn that some form of split or church-within-a-church may be necessary if the apparent liberalising trajectory continues.

'We are being realistic and thinking through what "visible differentiation" might look like, should the Church depart from its current teaching, whether in law or in fact, and make such differentiation necessary,' he wrote in a letter to evangelical Anglican leaders this week.

The phrase 'visible differentiation' comes from a report by the CEEC in 2016. Guarding the deposit argued unless bishops restated and reinforced the teaching that any sex outside heterosexual marriage is sinful, with 'effective sanctions' for gay clergy and others who transgressed, 'the Church of England might need to be divided in two'.

The document read: 'There will need to be some visible 'differentiation' and division within the Church of England between those following this new teaching and those wishing to be in an "apostolic community".'

Now a letter signed by Bishop Henderson as president of the CEEC alongside its executive points to the CofE's recent motions to welcome transgender people and ban gay conversion therapies as well as the Scottish Episcopal Church's vote to permit gay marriage as evidence evangelicals are 'under constant and serious attack'.

The response comes after a comment piece on Christian Today criticised the Church of England Evangelical Council for its lack of action.

Writer David Baker said last Monday: 'The problem [with the CEEC] is simply that it doesn't look as though it is doing or saying enough. And that's a pity, because at this somewhat fraught and unsettled time in Anglicanism's history it is arguable it is needed more than ever.'

The letter sent out on Tuesday retorts: 'CEEC Officers hear the call for a clearer and louder voice in support of the traditional teaching of the Church on marriage and same sex relationships, not least from evangelical bishops. Without being able to be explicit, it is important to say that behind the scenes a number of initiatives are being planned, which hopefully will bring welcome reassurances and send clear messages to the evangelical constituency and the wider C of E and the even wider Anglican Communion.'

But Andrew Symes, editor of the Anglican Mainstream blog responded to the David Baker piece and told Christian Today: 'The wide variety of responses from evangelicals to events at Synod, and the spectrum of different strategies and tactics that are being expressed from different groups, shows why CEEC cannot be expected to unite all the orthodox groupings into a single body, or even speak with one voice.

'[CEEC] will not be able to provide the clear united leadership he asks for, because it reflects the fissiparousness of English Anglican orthodox evangelicalism.'

The intervention from the CEEC comes at a time of increased tensions within the CofE after a July synod which was seen to set the Church on a trajectory away from its current conservative stance.

In response a group of 23 conservatives, led by former Queen's chaplain Gavin Ashenden, warned of a 'declaration of independence' from vicars who feel that those with traditional views are being 'marginalised' by the Church's leadership.

In a letter in the Telegraph they said the 'booing of traditionalists' and the 'personal abuse' that they endured at the synod had 'deepened mistrust' between the two camps.

In response Rev Rachel Marszalek, general secretary of the Fulcrum evangelical grouping, urged evangelicals to say with the 'mother ship' of the CofE.

'We are to remain in the mother-ship, pay our parish shares, teach the faith, care for souls and bodies, and make it clear why the Church should not change its doctrine or practice in regard to marriage. We are always more effective when we contend together for the faith, and if there was a crucial time to do this, it surely is now,' she wrote in the Church Times.
'God has given Trump the authority to take out Kim Jong Un,' says senior US evangelical pastor

A senior evangelical pastor has said that 'God had given [Donald] Trump the authority to take out Kim Jong-Un' of North Korea, in a controversial statement issued as tensions are heightened between the two countries.

Robert Jeffress, pastor of the 12,000-member First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, told the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBS): 'When it comes to how we should deal with evil doers, the Bible, in the book of Romans, is very clear: God has endowed rulers full power to use whatever means necessary  including war  to stop evil. In the case of North Korea, God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong-Un.'

He added: 'I'm heartened to see that our President  contrary to what we've seen with past administrations who have taken, at best, a sheepish stance toward dictators and oppressors  will not tolerate any threat against the American people. When President Trump draws a red line, he will not erase it, move it, or back away from it. Thank God for a President who is serious about protecting our country.'

The statement comes after Trump raised the stakes by saying that North Korea would be 'met with fire and fury like the world has never seen' if Kim Jong Un continues to threaten the United States.

The senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas was a member of Trump's evangelical advisory committee during the 2016 presidential election and since has attended several meetings of prominent evangelicals at the White House, including a dinner ahead of the National Day of Prayer at which he said: 'Mr President, we're going to be your most loyal friends.'

His reference to not backing away from a 'red line' was seen as an attack on the former President Barack Obama's handling of the Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

Jeffress also recently hosted a Fourth of July concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, at which Trump pledged his support to the military and to people of faith.

First Baptist's choir and orchestra provided a musical rendition of Trump's campaign slogan, 'Make America Great Again'.
It's Nagasaki Day: Have Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un noticed?

There's a bleak synchronicity in today's news. North Korea is threatening to 'turn the US mainland into a theatre of nuclear war'. The move came after Donald Trump threatened Pyongyang with 'fire and fury' after it promised to make the US 'pay a price' after the latest sanctions. The world has probably not been closer to nuclear war for decades. Given the temperaments of the two men responsible for the crisis, no one can see a good outcome.

And today is the anniversary of the destruction of Nagasaki, the act that brought the Second World War to a close. It doesn't have the resonance of Hiroshima Day  everyone knows August 6  but it is if anything an even more poignant memory for Christians. The poignancy comes from the location of ground zero: it was close to the Urakami Cathedral, which was packed with worshippers, all of whom were killed. They were the descendants of the Hidden Christians who had preserved their faith through centuries of persecution, now exterminated by the weaponry of a Christian nation.

As the priest who blessed the bomb confessed to film-maker Michael Moore: 'Nagasaki was a Catholic city, the only majority Christian city in Japan. The pilot of the plane was a Catholic. And we obliterated the lives of forty thousand fellow Catholics, seventy-three thousand in all. There were three orders of nuns in Japan, all based in Nagasaki. Every last one of them was vaporized. Not a single nun from any of the three orders was alive. And I blessed that.'

Arguments about whether it was right to use the bomb continue to rage. The only consensus is that it was a terrible, terrible thing that must never be repeated. What has driven the proliferation of nuclear weapons since then is not the desire to use them, but the fear that they will be used. What has prevented their use is a balance between fear and trust.

Now that balance is in doubt, on both sides. Neither Kim Jong Un or Donald Trump can be trusted to say exactly what they mean, and each feels genuinely  and rightly  threatened by the other.

The consequence could be the deaths of millions.

If ever there was a day for stepping back and looking at the lessons of the past, it's today. And it shouldn't need saying, but for a Christian pastor to encourage President Trump to use 'whatever means necessary  including war' against North Korea on the basis of a biblical text, as Robert Jeffress has done, is nothing less than abhorrent.

On today of all days, Christians should not be encouraging nuclear war. We should be resisting the rhetoric that provides simplistic solutions to complex situations. We should be reminding pulpit and armchair warriors that the 'enemy' are children of God, infinitely precious to him, not counters in an ideological board game.

Trump, and Kim, don't need encouragment to act rashly. They need restraint. If diplomacy fails now, the world will be blighted for generations. Now, if ever, Christians should be peacemakers.

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
Joseph D'Souza: Why the global South is the new heart of Christianity

Bishop Joseph D'Souza has emerged as one of the leading Christian voices in India.

As moderator bishop and the primate of the Good Shepherd Church of India as well as founding president of the ecumenical All India Christian Council, one of the largest interdenominational coalitions of Christians in India, he is primarily known for his work on religious freedom.

This year he spoke at New Wine, a major evangelical festival in Somerset, primarily about his work with Dalits, previously called 'untouchables'  a poor and marginalised group of people in India.

D'Souza believes that the Church in the global South is the new centre ground for Christian thought.

'I think very strongly that the Church of the global South now has the leadership, the theology and the practical experience of the past colonial era to speak into Western Christianity,' he tells Christian Today.

Speaking of the rise of modernity and rationalism and the decline in church attendance across Europe, he continues: 'I believe Western Christianity is reaping the fruits of individualism.

'They do not understand the place of the word of God in historical Christianity for over 2,000 years.'

On the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, D'Souza says the job is only half complete.

'I believe the full reformation of the Church is going on now with the insights the global south is bringing.

'The global south is much more in tune with how we believe God has made us to be.'

As a traditionalist, the debate around sexuality is critical for D'Souza and this is where he really sees, from his perspective, the global south holding firm.

'It understands the critical nature of the family unit,' he says.

'They are actually more modern and radical in that the south is saying, "Who are you to redefine marriage?"

'We believe this issue is an immensely pastoral issue even as we hold to the Church's historic definitions of the family as male and female.

'I have friends who are gay and I love them and accept them and believe they are no greater sinners who need the grace of God than me.'

Compassion International

But it is not just the battleground of sexuality where D'Souza is unafraid to poke the Church in the West.

'Christians have been nervous about entering the justice area,' he said. 'That has been a mistake of the Western Church.

'If the church had grasped that justice and righteousness was at the heart of who God is, it would have taken a different stand in the apartheid area and in the whole issue of the civil rights in the US.'

It is in this context that D'Souza sees his work for religious freedom in India.

'Religious freedom is for me a justice issue. It is the work of justice,' he says.

With a church burnt down or a pastor beaten on average 10 times a week India in 2016, he has a fight on his hands.

Christian persecution is rapidly on the rise with Open Doors documenting a threefold increase in attacks. It is now estimated to be the 15th worst country in the world to be a Christian  worse than Egypt, Myanmar and Turkey.

For all the insights the Church in the global south has, according to D'Souza, from day to day it's thankful for its survival.
Murdered Indian pastor received death threats, son reveals

The son of a murdered Indian church leader has revealed his father received death threats before he was shot by men on a motorbike on Saturday.

Sultan Masih, 47, was standing outside his Temple of God church in Ludhiana, Punjab when he was murdered. He left a wife and four children, two of them adopted.

His son Alisha, 22, also training to be a pastor, said his father had asked friends to pray for him after being threatened.

According to World Watch Monitor, Sultan had been approached by a group of men who had asked him where he had found money to pay for a church anniversary function attended by around 800 people. They had asked whether he would given them something if they converted.

Alisha said his father had refused to given them anything and said those who had converted had done so because they had come to believe in Jesus.

Hindu nationalists frequently level charges against Christians of paying Hindus to convert, which is illegal.

Sultan was making a telephone call at the time he was murdered. 'We don't know if the phone call was connected to his murder, but the people who killed him were surely monitoring his activities because they waited for the time until he was alone,' Alisha said.

He added: 'Our father was a courageous man and he was never afraid to die for Jesus. He has put the same zeal in us. Our family will continue to serve God.'

Paul Tamizharasan, a close friend of his, told World Watch Monitor following the funeral: 'Family members are grieving and we hope the government will catch the accused. We demand answers and have gone to the Punjab government, but they couldn't find who did this.

'The state of Punjab is very safe in India for Christians. There are Sikhs living here  they are also a religious minority in India. We are also a minority, but never before have we had any threats. But unfortunately this has happened and we are all shocked about how this is possible. Nobody knows how this can happen.'
Pastor Lim's Church Begs For His Release From North Korea Jail

The church of a Korean Canadian pastor serving a life sentence in a North Korean prison has urged the government to try to secure his release.

Pastor Hyeon Soo Lim, who travelled frequently to North Korea for charity and humanitarian work, was arrested in 2014 and sentenced to hard labour for life on December 16, 2015, after at least 10 months in detention. He was charged with "harming the dignity of the supreme leader", "trying to use religion to destroy North Korea" and "assisting North Koreans' escape". He pleaded guilty to the charges.

A petition in his support said: "He's made more than 100 trips to North Korea during the last 20 years, supplying food, textbooks, and agricultural tools to civilians. His trips were not political in nature."

Now his congregation, Light Presbyterian Church in Mississauga, has asked the Canadian government to intervene as it did for fellow Canadians Homa Hoodfar, jailed in Iran, and Kevin Garratt, held in China. It said in a statement yesterday: "We know that in both cases the highest level of government officials, including Prime Minister [Justin] Trudeau himself, were instrumental in securing the release of these fellow Canadians.

"We urge the Canadian government to demonstrate the same attention and determination when engaging in diplomatic talks with the North Korean officials."

A government Global Affairs spokeswoman told The Star: "We have been fully engaged on this case since it began. Minister [Stephane] Dion has met with Pastor Lim's son and consular officials are providing assistance to Mr. Lim and his family."

"In the interest of Mr. Lim's case, no further information can be shared," she added.

A spokeswoman for Lim's family, Lisa Pak, said they were concerned about his welfare. They last saw him when CNN broadcast an interview with him in January.

"At that time, there were concerns about his health," she said. "At this point, we are very concerned that his health may have declined and those concerns are heightened precisely because we have no information."
Pope Francis has the highest Twitter following of all world leaders  but could Trump overtake?

Pope Francis currently has the highest Twitter following of all the world's leaders, though Donald Trump could soon overtake him.

Across his nine Twitter accounts in different languages, the Pope has a following of 36.2 million, according to The Tablet.

A May study by the global social media analytics group Twiplomacy ranked the Twitter populairty and activity of the world's leaders. It recorded the pontiff's two most popular Tweets, both fraught with political reference to the policies of Donald Trump  without naming the President.

'I invite you not to build walls but bridges, to conquer evil with good, offence with forgiveness, to live in peace with everyone', Francis posted on March 18, 2017.

An earlier Tweet from Francis wrote: 'How often in the Bible the Lord asks us to welcome migrants and foreigners, reminding us that we too are foreigners!'

Close behind the Pope lies Trump with 35.3 million followers, who could overtake the Pope by the end of August if his current growth rate continues.

Twiplomacy also measures global interaction rate (the sum of all interactions divided by the number of tweets and the average number of followers), for which Trump and Francis are tied.

However the 'most effective leader' was rated as Saudi Arabia's King Salman, whose every tweet is described as a 'digital home run' by Twipolmacy, garnering an average of 147,456 retweets.

Across nine accounts, the Pope currently tweets daily messages in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish.
Pope's letter to gay couple was not an endorsement of their marriage, says Vatican

A congratulatory letter sent by Pope Francis to a same-sex couple about the baptism of their children was a standard set letter sent to all who write to the Pope, a Vatican source has clarified.

The source told the Catholic News Agency (CNA) that the letter was not an endorsement of gay unions, and that the Pope may not have known that the letter was going to a gay couple, as it was addressed to an individual.

The story goes back to April, when Tony Reis, an gay rights activist, and his partner David Harrad wrote on Facebook that they had sent a letter to the Pope, telling him about the baptism of their three adopted children at a church in Curitiba, Brazil.

The couple told the AFP news agency that they had received a congratulatory letter in return, signed by the Vatican Secretariat of State, Monsignor Paolo Borgi.

The letter, translated from the Portuguese in which it was sent, said that Pope Francis 'looks with appreciation' at the letter to the Pope and 'expressed his feelings of esteem...and his wishes for the good spiritual fruits of his ministry as Pastor of the Universal Church'.

It continued: 'Pope Francis wishes him well, invoking for his family the abundance of divine graces, so that they may live constantly and faithfully the condition of Christians, as good children of God and of the Church, and sends them a propitious Apostolic Blessing, asking them not to stop praying for him.'

The pair also received a photograph of the Pontiff.

The Vatican source told CNA: '(T)hat letter is the standard model of courtesy response that the Vatican sends to all the people who write to the Pope, and therefore was not a letter (that was) expressly thinking about them.'

The source added that the letter is addressed to one person  'further evidence that the Secretary of State was unaware that it was a homosexual couple' who had written the first letter. The couple has not published the text of the letter they sent to Pope Francis, so it is unknown whether they presented themselves as a same-sex couple, CNA pointed out.

In an official statement to CNA, the vice director of the Holy See press office Paloma Ovejero confirmed that the perception that this letter was an affirmation of same-sex marriage 'is false. The letter was directed only to him (Reis)'.

The Vatican letter is only addressed to one person with the greeting 'Dear Sir'.

Ovejero told CNA: 'Although it is true that in the body of the response there was a reference to a blessing of the family of the recipient, in Portuguese this expression has a generic and ample meaning, equivalent to 'all the people close to you.'

In 2015, the Vatican clarified a similar incident, with Ciro Benedittini, the deputy director of the Vatican Press Office, confirming that a standard form letter sent to a lesbian couple who had written the Pope was not an endorsement of same-sex marriage.
Thaw in relations? Chinese State newspaper says 'Pope loves China'

Pope Francis "loves China" and the Vatican hopes China has a great future, a Chinese state-run newspaper on Friday cited a visiting Vatican official as saying, in an expression of goodwill despite strained relations between the two. Pope Francis would like to heal a decades-old rift with China, where Catholics are divided between those loyal to him and those who belong to a government-controlled official church.

In June, China said it opposed outside interference in its internal affairs after the Vatican expressed concern about a Chinese bishop it said had been "removed".

Speaking in Beijing where he was attending an organ transplant conference, the head of the Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, expressed the Pope's goodwill, the state-run Global Times reported.

"Pope Francis loves China and loves the people of China, its history and population. We hope China can have a great future," the paper quoted him as saying.

In February, China's Foreign Ministry downplayed the significance of a top health official's attendance at a Vatican conference on organ trafficking, saying it probably had nothing to do with two-way ties.

One obstacle to better relations is the question of who should make senior clerical appointments in China.

China says bishops must be named by the Chinese Catholic community and refuses to accept the authority of the pope, whom it sees as the head of a foreign state that has no right to meddle in China's affairs.

The two sides have been at loggerheads since the expulsion of foreign missionaries from China after the Communists took power in 1949.

Another source of friction is the Vatican's maintenance of official ties with self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing sees as a wayward province to be taken back by force if necessary.
The monumental importance of the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Israel

Indo-Israeli relations entered a new phase during Prime Minister Modi's recent visit to Israel.

Modi's monumental visit to the Jewish state came after a successful trip to the U.S. where he met for the first time with President Donald Trump,

'This is a historic visit to Israel,' said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his weekly cabinet meeting prior to Modi's arrival. 'In the 70 years of the country's existence, no Indian Prime Minister has ever visited.'

In fact, expectations for Modi's visit  which coincided with the 25th anniversary of India's diplomatic relationship with Israel  were so high that one Israeli newspaper even told its readers, 'Wake up: the most important PM of the world is coming.'

Modi was accorded the same kind of red carpet welcome in Israel given to the Pope and President Trump. Yet, amid the fanfare and celebration of this historic event, the world must not miss the extraordinary story of India's adaptive diplomacy in the Middle East.

We must remember the day when India took its first cautious steps in diplomatic relations with Israel. It was in the mid of a good deal of criticism from those inclined to a one-sided position on the issue of Palestine and  generally speaking  India's relationship with the Middle East.

India has the second largest Muslim population in the world, and this segment's natural affinity to the Palestinian cause cannot be ignored. Though India recognized Israel's statehood in 1950, diplomatic relations between both countries remained mostly symbolic and informal for decades. India's support for the Arab states  from whom it has derived much of its energy needs  and internal interests with the Indian Muslim community prevented any ties from being formed with Israel.

Yet, as time went by India realized that in a rapidly changing and globalized world, diplomatic relations can no longer be a zero-sum game. Seeking a strong relationship with Israel doesn't require abdicating the strong ties of friendship that have been built over the years with the Arab world and India's Muslim people.

In terms of technology, agricultural innovation and cyber security  all areas, especially now under Modi, which have been heavily invested in  Israel has much to offer. India's technology sector is even more important in light of her agricultural difficulties, and so Modi has ambitious goals for making India the startup hub of Asia. Both nations have also faced terrorism and benefit mutually from having an open dialogue on counterterrorism intelligence. In the end, choosing not to engage Israel is actually a policy against Indian interests.

Since 1992, India and Israel have had an official diplomatic relationship that has produced valuable trade and commerce, and  politically  has even caused a reversal of a number of important votes in the United Nations. Most recently, India abstained to vote in a UNESCO resolution against Israel's historical right to recognize Jerusalem as its capital.

This vote, which marked a major victory for Israel in the UN as fewer members now support anti-Israel resolutions, demonstrates how far India and Israel have come from their originally icy relationship.

Still, through all of this, India has not forgotten its Muslim community or the greater Arab world, maintaining strong ties with the Palestinian leadership and cause.

In May, Prime Minister Modi welcomed Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian National Authority, during his trip to India. The meeting strengthened bilateral interests between India and Palestine and reinforced India's commitment to pursue peace and resolution for the Palestinian cause. Who knows? Maybe India could play an indispensable role in Middle Eastern peace?

It's time for other nations to have a greater openness toward Israel as India has done, and as Saudi Arabia recently demonstrated its own willingness to do in light of Iranian aggression.

India has forged a path other nations can travel as well, strategically recognizing and taking advantage of shared interests in order to advance the good of all.

The anti-Israel of some countries is not based upon logic. It must simply be anti-Semitism. The world cannot afford to ignore the only true democracy in the Middle East, and doing so doesn't have to be hopelessly in conflict with the well being of Palestinians.

Most Rev Dr Joseph D'Souza is the moderating bishop of the Good Shepherd Church and Associated Ministries of India. He also serves as the president of the All India Christian Council. He is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades for his work as a human rights activist. He is also the founder and international president of the Dalit Freedom Network.
What are demons and how do they operate? Christian exorcist explains

An excorcist in Los Angeles has warned Christians about the things they must never, ever do if they are to avoid demonic possession.

Dabbling with the spiritual world can be seen as innocent fun and games by many people but the exorcist, identified only as Father Robert because of the sensitivies of his work, said they are anything but.

Not only are they going against God's commands, they are actually opening the door to demons, not good spirits.

It's this interaction with demons that makes him say that the Ouija board is an absolute no no for people.

'The Ouija board is something to be avoided at all cost. This is a direct invitation for a demon to move the object on the board,' he said in an interview with FaithWire. "God and angels have nothing to do with parlor games. These methods of conjuring spirits go against the first commandment. This is the reason why King Saul initially had all sorcery banned from Judah.'

Sadly, many Christian churches and seminaries do not teach in depth about the spiritual world and particularly the presence of demons and because of this, many people are ignorant about them.

That goes against Jesus' teaching practice as he openly spoke about demons and how to combat them during his earthly ministry.

In fact, it's because Jesus talked about them so much we can know they are real, explains Father Robert.

'Jesus talks about it. Therefore, they exist,' he told Faithwire.

Father Roberts, who is a priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, has learned a lot about demons and how they operate. He explained that they actually have the 'nature of angels' because they were originally created by God as angels. And because of that, they also have 'infused knowledge of creation.'

But they changed from being good to bad after rebelling against God. They were expelled from Heaven because they refused to serve their Creator and His creation.

Father Robert revealed an interesting limitation, though. While we can think demons are all-powerful and can do anything for us that we ask them to, the truth is they are limited by 'what God allows them to do.'

And he starkly warns that humans are deceived if they think demons or demonic power will benefit them or work on their behalf in any way.

'They will get us to believe that they will do things for us but they said from the beginning they will not serve God. Do you think that they will serve us?' he said.
Will imprisoned Pastor Lim be freed? Canadian officials are negotiating in Pyongyang

High ranking Canadian officials are in North Korea trying to secure the release of a pastor, imprisoned in the pariah state since 2015.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed on Tuesday his national security and intelligence adviser Daniel Jean is in Pyongyang leading a team to discuss the case of Toronto Presbyterian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.

Detained in early 2015, Lim was sentenced to a life of hard labour on December 16, 2015 for 'harming the dignity of the supreme leader,' 'trying to use religion to destroy North Korea' and 'assisting North Koreans escape.'

Now in his 60s, Lim's health is worsening according to a Canadian delegation who visited him last year and letters to his friends say he is suffering from high blood pressure and stomach pains.

Confirming the presence of the diplomatic negotiation, Trudeau's spokesman Cameron Ahmad, said: 'Obviously, Pastor Lim's health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government of Canada as we continue to engage on this case.'

It comes at a high of heightened tensions between North Korea and the West after US President Donald Trump reacted with fury to an intelligence report that suggested Pyongyang had the nuclear firepower to hit America.

Trump warned North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un any threats would be met 'with fire and fury and, frankly, power the likes of which the world has never seen before'.

North Korea responded by saying on state media it is considering a strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam.

Pyongyang has been carrying out several missile tests in recent weeks and has tested nuclear devices five times, including two intercontinental ballistic middles (ICBM) in July, in what are perceived to be acts of aggression towards the West.

In response the UN approved further economic sanctions on North Korea on Saturday in an attempt to pressurise Kim Jong-un to give up his nuclear weapons.

A senior Canadian official said their trip was solely linked to Lim's condition and was not related to the increasing global tensions with the state.
When Should a Child be Taken from His Parents? asks Larissa MacFarquhar in a recent New Yorker article. She tells the story of Mercedes, a Bronx mother who has seen three of her four children removed from the household by New York Citys Administration for Childrens Services (ACS). Mercedes was not accused of abusing her children but of neglecting them; her story raises questions about the relationship between poverty and parenting. But the storys title notwithstanding, children are rarely taken from their parentsthat is, their biological mother and father, especially if the mother and father are married. You wouldnt know this from MacFarquhars story, which mentions men only fleetingly and marriage not at all.

Mercedess story begins in 2009, when she had only two children: Leslie, an 11-month-old girl, and Camron, a two-year-old boy. An accident with an unattended curling iron leads ACS to place Camron and Leslie in foster care, marking the start of Mercedess battle with the New York social-services apparatus. MacFarquhar devotes plenty of space to exploring whether Mercedes is up to the challenge of raising her children, but she never asks why she has to do it alone. At 14, Mercedes got pregnant with a violent boyfriend who beat her, and she miscarried. At 18, she became pregnant again, though its unclear whether it was by the same man. Mercedess fathera drunken deadbeatthen reappears in her life. He turned up and beat her, but she didnt miscarry. She gave birth to her first child, Camron. MacFarquhar offers not a word about the fathers of Mercedess other three children.

As MacFarquhar recounts Mercedess nearly decade-long struggle with ACS, two more children appear, but the circumstances of their conceptions remain obscure. Babies just happen, it seems, like the common cold. Mercedes tries to get Leslie and Camron out of foster care by enrolling in parenting classes and cutting back on her marijuana use. But by this time, she was pregnant again. The existence of her fourth child, Amaya, is revealed parenthetically, as support for MacFarquhars contention that the child-protection system was acting inconsistently: It seemed that nobody really believed that Mercedes had abused her children, because she was never arrested, and during this period she gave birth to a fourth child, Amaya, and Amaya was never taken away.

The story describes a world in which children arrive spontaneously and inevitably, and where women, but not men, are compelled to bear the burden of raising them. Eliding the question of the parentage of Mercedess children and focusing exclusively on her difficulties with child services might make sense if the men who got her pregnant werent so central to what is happening. Social scientists have compiled overwhelming evidence on the benefits of marriage for children, including rates of child abuse and neglect. The National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect, conducted between 2004 and 2009, found that the rate of maltreatment for children living with married biological parents was far lower than for children in any other family structure. Similarly, a 2010 study coauthored by Brown University president Christina Paxson found that only 5 percent of families in which the mother lives with the biological father of her children (even if not married to him) have any contact with protective services by the childs fifth birthday. The rates for other types of family structure are two to three times higher.

No one in MacFarquhars article will acknowledge this reality. The Bronx Defenders law firm blames the system for racism: Why, when the Bronx was forty per cent white, were nearly a hundred per cent of their clients black or Latino? It should look at its clients ring fingers, not their skin color, for the answer. MacFarquhar lauds the example of family court judge Carol Sherman, who handled Mercedess case, and was notorious among caseworkers for her obsession with summer camp: if a child was not enrolled by the middle of spring, she would issue an order requiring it. As MacFarquhar sees it, This was a matter of social justice: [Sherman] believed that it was not right for poor children to be deprived of the after-school activities and therapy and evaluations and tutoring and domestic orderliness that middle-class children had.

Thats an admirable, if impractical, sentiment. But most upper-middle-class kids nowadays owe their success not to after-school activities, tutoring, or cultural enrichment, but to the parents who raised them, who disproportionately tend to be married. The most important single factor in childrens well-being is growing up in a stable home with married parents. The government cant provide it, and its absence is so pervasive by now that even good journalists apparently cant see it.

Photo by Brent Stirton
Though President Donald Trump has taken credit for the stock market's skyrocketing trend, analysts disagree on whether his administration has indeed been responsible for it.

Investors should be hesitant to "connect the dots all the way to the presidency," David Rosenberg, Gluskin Sheff chief economist, said in an interview Tuesday on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street."

While the market is rising, the stocks and sectors that were penned "buys" if Trump won the election have actually underperformed over the past several months, Rosenberg said.



Instead, factors sparking the trends should be seen on a global scale, and Trump's role should be put "on the back burner next to everything else going on around the world," he said.



Global factors include the stabilization of Chinese economic growth; the containment of Brexit, which didn't lead to a French 'Frexit' withdrawal as predicted, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel's higher-than-expected ratings, according to Rosenberg.



"You can't just look at one thing and say, 'Well, this is what explains what's happening with the stock market,' when it really is, to some extent, a global stock market," he said.

Others, however, attribute the market optimism to Trump's proposed tax reforms.

"The stock market is a discounting mechanism that looks to the future," said Charles Bobrinskoy, Ariel Investments vice chairman. "It brings back future earnings to the present, and right now, the stock market is still expecting cuts in corporate taxes, a friendlier work environment for U.S. companies."

Bobrinskoy proposed a thought experiment: Suppose Trump stopped plans for tax reform tomorrow, and the administration said there won't be a change in the corporate tax rate.

"What would happen to the stock market?" Bobrinskoy asked. "It'd get killed. So the market is absolutely up because of expectations that Republicans in general  don't put it on Trump  Republicans are going to be successful in creating a more business-friendly environment."

Confidence is key in maintaining the market boom, Bobrinskoy said, estimating Trump's reforms will usher in a 27 to 28 percent marginal tax rate. And if the reforms could promise something as low as 25 percent, "the stock market would be up significantly on that news," he said.

"So long as people still have the same confidence that it's coming, it doesn't make that much difference," Bobrinskoy said in an interview on "Squawk on the Street." "That's why the delay in the tax reform is not that big a deal. What is a big deal is if people start losing confidence in its inevitability."
Nuclear-armed North Korea has test-fired at least a dozen ballistic missiles this year, including two Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missiles last month that experts say have a range to reach at least half of the continental United States .

At the same time, Trump weighed in with his own response Tuesday: "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

On Tuesday, North Korea said it would "ruthlessly take strategic measures involving physical actions," according to an official quoted by Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central News Agency. The threat followed the United Nations Security Council's new international sanctions passed unanimously on Saturday , which some suggest could reduce the North's exports revenue by as much as one third.

"You have a danger of miscalculation and a danger of escalation," said Bruce Klingner, former deputy division chief for Korea at the Central Intelligence Agency and current senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation's Asian Studies Center.

National security and foreign policy experts say it is critical for the administration to maintain a consistent message on North Korea since wavering on different viewpoints risks alienating key allies South Korea and Japan .

President Donald Trump's "fire and fury" warning on Tuesday may contribute to mixed messages to North Korea and U.S. allies in Asia  increasing the risk of miscalculation on the Korean Peninsula, according to U.S. experts.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reacts with scientists and technicians of the DPRK Academy of Defence Science after the test-launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang July, 5, 2017.

"There are no easy answers here," said former U.S. diplomat Joseph DeThomas, now professor of practice at Pennsylvania State University's School of International Affairs. "There isn't an option that just magically fixes this anymore."

The dynastic regime's 33-year-old leader, Kim Jong Un, has been in charge since 2011 and conducted more ballistic missile tests and twice as many nuclear weapon tests as his father and grandfather did during their rule.

"This regime, at the end of the day, values one thing  and that's its own power and survival," said DeThomas. "At some point, it made the conclusion that the only way its power and survival would be guaranteed is if it had nuclear weapons with which it could hit American targets."

Experts also believe the latest international sanctions on their own probably won't change the minds of the North Korean leader.

"I wouldn't be putting my hopes that any kind of sanctions that we can put on them are going to change things," DeThomas. He also said in a recent blog post that there are ways for North Korea to evade some of the sanctions.

"I don't think sanctions at this point are a tool that can achieve that for you alone," DeThomas said in an interview. "They take too long to work  and the price you have to inflict on North Korea that thinks its survival is at stake would be huge."

DeThomas, who served abroad in U.S. foreign service posts during a three decade career in government and is a former U.S. ambassador to Estonia, said what's needed is for the Trump administration to have a "very clear deterrence policy  not this kind of fly-off-the-handle and say something one day, and then say something the opposite the other day."

Indeed, experts cited mixed messages just in the last week from the administration and other instances too.

Over the weekend, Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said the Trump administration won't talk to North Korea and then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Monday the U.S. could hold a dialogue to North Korea. Also, experts say there have been conflicting statements by Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo and Tillerson about regime change in North Korea.

"There's been a series of statements that contradict each other," said Klingner, adding that his conversations with Japanese and South Korean officials indicate the U.S. Asian allies are now "very confused and concerned."

That said, Klingner said he believes there's plenty of blame to go around since South Korea has also at times contributed to tensions rising on the peninsula. For example, he said, at one point the Seoul government had warned about preemption if it detected an attack from the North was imminent. In turn, North Korea warned back.

"You have three large militaries in close proximity to each other, each talking about kind of a hair trigger response or even preemptive or even preventative attacks," said Klingner.
The White House faces a dearth of options to peacefully rein in an aggressive Pyongyang after the rogue nation warned late on Tuesday that it is seriously considering striking Guam.

In a statement carried by the state-run KCNA news agency, the North Korean army said it was "carefully examining an operational plan" for targeting the U.S. island territory with "enveloping fire" using the medium-to-long-range Hwasong-12 ballistic rocket.

If Washington wished to avoid military action, it should stop "recklessly" provoking Pyongyang, a separate statement from another military spokesperson said, according to KCNA.

The threat comes on the heels of a sharp warning from President Donald Trump earlier in the day. Pyongyang "will be met with fire, fury, and frankly, power, the likes of which this world has never seen before," Trump had said following a Washington Post report that claimed the pariah state was capable of building a miniaturized nuclear weapon.

Over the weekend, the United Nations hit North Korea with stinging sanctions that are expected to slash a third of its $3 billion export revenue following July's intercontinental ballistic missile tests.

Guam is far removed from the U.S. mainland. Credit: Google Maps

So far, Trump has responded to escalating North Korean threats by flying bomber jets over the Korean Peninsula, blasting China for failing to contain the renegade nation and testing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense defense system.

Recent comments from U.S. officials have indicated frustration with diplomatic initiatives, implying a growing inclination for military operations.

In a recent statement, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said "the time for talk is over." Following North Korea's July 4 launch, Haley warned that military procedures remained on the table. If required, the U.S. Pacific Air Forces stood ready to respond with "rapid, lethal, and overwhelming" force, General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy said in a statement.
CEO Reed Hastings, who sits on board of directors, wrote an email to fellow board member Peter Thiel castigating him for his "catastrophically bad" judgment in supporting Donald Trump for president, according to a report in the New York Times.

Hastings chairs the Facebook board's Compensation and Governance Committee, which is responsible for evaluating board members. Last August, ahead of a meeting of that committee, Hastings reportedly emailed Thiel to warn him that his speech supporting Trump at the Republican National Convention was reason to question his suitability on the board.

"Some diversity in views is healthy, but catastrophically bad judgment (in my view) is not what anyone wants in a fellow board member," Hastings wrote.

Both men are still on Facebook's board. Neither Netflix nor Facebook immediately responded to requests for comment.

Thiel has recently expressed misgivings about his support for the president in private events, according to a report in Buzzfeed, although he remains a strong supporter in his public statements.

Read the full New York Times article on Silicon Valley's culture wars here.
Watch The Profit's Marcus Lemonis take you on a journey where he finds the profit in marijuana in, The Profit: Marijuana Millions . In the meantime, see for yourself how much the market will explode by exploring the numbers behind marijuana.

2018 looks to turn the Golden State into the greenest territory on the west coast. After the legalization of marijuana  thanks to Prop 64, adult Californians will be able to buy, grow and sell pot recreationally. This game changer will have a dramatic affect on the states economy; and the numbers look very promising. It's projected by 2026, the marijuana market could be worth a whooping $50 Billion - nationally.

On November 8, 2016, California voted to legalize recreational marijuana, passing proposition 64, by a 56% to 44% margin.1

Starting January 1, 2018, they'll be able to buy it in licensed pot shops.

Thanks to prop 64, California's marijuana market is expected to more than triple in value by 2026, up to a whopping $6 billion.

While California's market will be the world's largest. 3 the national market  if fully realized --- could be worth more than eight times much -- $50 billion -- the equivalent of the American craft beer and chocolate markets combined.5

Thanks to prop 64, California's marijuana market is expected to more than triple in value by 2020, up to a whopping $6 billion.

Legalization is projected to create between 81,000 and 103,000 jobs in the state, and bring in nearly $1 billion in tax dollars.7

Another consequence of legalization -- as many as 6,000 prisoners serving marijuana-related sentences could walk free early.8

Growers will be required to tag every plant under a state "track and trace" program, the largest of its kind in the world.9

The state also plans to standardize packaging, place limits on advertisements, and require all marijuana to be sold in childproof containers.10

Every day roughly 7,000 Americans try weed for the first time, and 60% of the country supports full legalization.11 12

1 https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/california-ballot-measure-64-legalize-marijuana

3 https://www.arcviewmarketresearch.com/

5 http://videos.cowen.com/detail/videos/recent/video/5118497357001/the-cannabis-compendium:-cross-sector-views-on-a-budding-industry---ahead-of-the-curveaseries?autoStart=true

7 http://www.lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=64&year=2016

https://www.icf.com/perspectives/white-papers/2016/economic-impact-of-marijuana-sales-in-california

8 http://www.ocregister.com/2016/11/07/if-prop-64-passes-what-happens-to-prisoners-convicted-of-marijuana-charges/

9 http://www.bmcr.ca.gov/consumers/prop64_faqs.pdf

https://www.ringgenberglaw.com/prop-64-complete-text-of-proposition-64/

10 https://www.ringgenberglaw.com/prop-64-complete-text-of-proposition-64/

11 https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/09/every-day-7000-americans-try-weed-for-the-first-time/498185/

12 http://www.gallup.com/poll/1657/illegal-drugs.aspx
When it comes to writing a resume, there a few rules everyone is familiar with  avoid typos, and don't lie. But many applicants skip over crucial opportunities to show attention to detail, like choosing the perfect font. "Font choice is another way to present yourself to the recruiter and hiring manager," says Bryan Chaney, director of employer brand and talent attraction at Indeed. And research shows that font influences how readers perceive a message. Jason Hanold, who has spent more than 25 years reviewing resumes in his career in talent acquisition, says he wishes people paid more careful attention to their resumes and the fonts they use.

Kelvin Murray/Getty Images

"A poorly selected font can indeed derail one's chances for an interview, especially if other factors aren't as strong," says Hanold, CEO of recruiting firm Hanold Associates. "Fonts set a subconscious tone for the reader." Your average worker knows to avoid using Comic Sans, but beyond that, choosing the right typeface for your resume can be tricky. CNBC Make It asked several typographers and graphic designers to tell us the best fonts to use on a resume, and the ones listed here are all available in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Here are five fonts typographers and designers say will boost your chances of landing an interview:

1. Georgia

Four of the eight experts interviewed identify Georgia as a great font to use on a resume. "Georgia has the classic serif elements similar to Times New Roman, except with a more modern feel," says Garett Southerton, brand designer and consultant at Garett Creative.

"It stands a part as a sleeker, classier look for your resume," he says. Alison Wenlock, founder of Forth&Co. Design Studio, says it's "an elegant typeface" designed to be read at small sizes, which makes it a good option for a resume.

2. Gill Sans and Gill Sans Light

Jean Francois Porchez has designed custom fonts for Beyonce and top print newspapers around the world, and recommends the Gill Sans family. Porchez describes Gill Sans as "classic" and "classy," adding that "Gill Sans was successfully used by Emmanuel Macron for his presidential campaign."

These fonts give your resume a "modern" and "clean" look according to Polly Buckland, managing director of The Typeface Group, though she cautions that when used in bold, it "can look a little chunky."

3. Calibri

Five out of eight respondents cited Calibri as a safe option to use. However, some said that since it's the default typeface for Windows users, it risks communicating to a recruiter that you didn't make too much effort. Calibri is "a classic, safe" font, says Buckland. "If you go with this, I'd suggest playing with the size and weight of the font as well as using a variety of words in caps and lowercase to add visual interest and to highlight important sections."

If you're drawn to Calibri but want to stand out, Porchez recommends opting for Corbel, which isn't used as often.

4. Constantia

For a more assertive and classic look, try Constantia. "I dig it because it has default text figures, open forms and chiseled serifs that make it easier and enjoyable to read," says Juan Villanueva, type designer at Monotype. "Its assertive forms inspire a sense of confidence to the copy."

Porchez calls the font "well-designed" and "classy."

5. Merriweather

"This font is a classic look with a modern twist, and extremely appealing to read because it's super easy on the eyes," says Southerton. Jason Pamental, designer, strategist and teacher agrees, calling it "extremely readable."

Both designers also like Merriweather Sans, which is available for free download on Google Fonts if you use Google Drive. "Consider using the Sans for headings, and regular Merriweather for the rest of the text," Pamental adds.

Hiring managers can tell the difference between a polished resume and one's that was finished in a hurry. Tom Werne/Getty Images

In addition to the top five, here are a few others that received nods from our panel: Franklin Gothic Wenlock calls it clean and modern in appearance. "This typeface keeps your resume looking polished and professional, while still adding some personality," she says. Verdana "If you're going for the most classic and clean look, but don't want to risk looking the same as everyone else," Southerton says, "Verdana is your choice." Cambria "[It is] a highly readable serif typeface  this is a modern version of the often overused Times New Roman," Wenlock says. "It has a bit of charisma and is a little more 'friendly' compared to some other serif typefaces." Corbel Porchez, as mentioned, recommends Corbel as a more creative alternative to Calibri. He calls it "ultra legible" and a font that adds a "nice unique tone." A final tip: Make sure to submit your resume as a PDF file whenever possible, so that you're sure the hiring manager sees your resume exactly as you do, no matter what program their computer may use to open the document. If you submit as a .doc or .docx, their word processor may alter your resume's design significantly. Most importantly, be sure to choose a font you like for your resume, one that reflects your personality and style. "Because fonts are a foundational nuance factor in a resume," Hanold says, "you can leverage the right font to your benefit." Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook. Check out 6 resume fixes you should make right now
The Congresswoman for the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam on Wednesday said she was confident U.S. forces could protect it from the "deeply troubling" North Korean nuclear threat.

Madeleine Z. Bordallo called on President Donald Trump to show "steady leadership" and work with the international community to de-escalate tensions and stop North Korea advancing its weapons program.

"Guam remains safe, and I am confident in the ability of U.S. defences to protect our island and allies in the region," Bordallo said in a statement.
After my diagnosis, my professional life suddenly took a very personal turn. I went public with my story in Forbes on April 27, and was quickly inundated by emails and calls from all over the globe. I realized my unique position to make a real impact on Parkinson's disease. I can raise awareness and the funds necessary to accelerate research into therapies that provide not only incremental improvement in the symptoms, but hopefully, a cure. I can generate philanthropic support, not only from concerned individuals and foundations, but major pharmaceutical companies, as well. But beyond contacts and an ability to mobilize minds and money, something else is needed.

Achieving progress for GBA-PD, and many other rare diseases like it, might require a different mindset within a philanthropic medical discovery endeavor. We must consider a "hive mind" approach that enables deeper collaboration between scientists, academics, pharmaceutical innovators, operations experts, venture capitalists and others to identify the most cutting-edge research, and to manage the rapid go/no-go decisions. In other words, we need to tackle the puzzle from a variety of angles.

In the US, a disease is "rare" if it affects less than 200,000 people. Yet there are approximately 6,000 diseases classified as "rare"  translating to millions of Americans waiting, and hoping, for help. The facts are daunting  there is limited knowledge around many of these diseases, few treatments and even fewer cures. Unfortunately, research dollars are limited, federal funding is shrinking, and for many people suffering from these diseases, there is little time to waste.

The rare GBA mutation in Parkinson's (affecting approximately 50,000 people in the US) often causes earlier onset of symptoms which are common to all Parkinson's patients. There is no specific treatment for GBA-PD, and there have been no truly innovative therapies approved by the FDA for any type of Parkinson's over the past three decades. I know firsthand that the impatience felt by those dealing with PD and their loved ones, and the pace of research and development has not kept up with their urgent need.

We believe that by creating a collaborative approach, backed by a philanthropic foundation, focused singularly on one specific rare disease, we will generate novel breakthroughs. We can provide greater attention and speed, accelerating the process and moving science to medicine, from the lab to the patient, more rapidly. This proposed re-orientation of the venture philanthropy model means that nothing is off the table in terms of funding research or pursuing promising leads. The level of talent and experience would focus concerted knowledge and resources on one disease, until a cure is found.

It's time to rethink how we organize ourselves when taking on rare diseases which stymie the medical establishment and receive too little government funding. Uncoordinated, fragmented activity is the enemy of insight and innovation. Only through ambitious collaboration, only by integrating thought and action, can we possibly achieve the critical mass needed to take our efforts to another, infinitely more effective, level.

I hope others in the biotechnology, research and venture capital communities will join me in bringing this model's promise to life. I understand now, even more than I did over the first 20 years of my career, that we need renewed energy in fighting these rare diseases and finding the treatments that will save lives. We have no time to waste. We must strive to be innovators and leaders in this race against the clock, ultimately providing the most important element in the equation: hope.

Commentary by Jonathan Silverstein, co-head of global private equity at OrbiMed, a health-care fund with approximately $14 billion under management. He is also the co-founder of The Silverstein Foundation for Parkinson's with GBA.

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.
China's financial markets are shrugging off rising tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.

The pariah state has produced a nuclear weapon that can fit inside its missiles, NBC News confirmed Tuesday, citing a U.S. intelligence official. The country is also seriously considering a strike on Guam, reported a state media outlet. In response, President Donald Trump warned that such threats "will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

The tough rhetoric puts China in a tough position: The world's second-largest economy has trade ties and shares a border with North Korea. And the U.S. has pressured China to squeeze North Korea more to back down on threats. But on Wednesday, China's stock markets were little changed in morning trading as investors largely ignored it all.

"It's just one of those things that's impossible to price, so markets have become inured to the whole thing over many years," said Andrew Polk, co-founder and economist at Beijing-based research firm Trivium China.

"The stock market in China is weird because it reacts to liquidity and policy, but it often has the inverse reaction ... so on good economic data, you [might] see a selloff in the markets, because markets expect less support from the government," he said. That happened a few weeks back, when second-quarter GDP growth came in better than expected at 6.9 percent, but investors still sent stocks down that day.
Among those who opted to share their health data with a tech company, one clear winner emerged: Apple.

More than 1,000 people participated in my Twitter poll on the topic, and the majority of people responded that they would. Only 37 percent of people responded that they would not share their data.

Would you trust a technology company like Apple, Amazon or Google with your health data?

It has been two years since the research firm Rock Health surveyed the American public and found that most people would not trust a tech company with their data. Only about 8 percent said they would share their health information.

This poll isn't comparable. It was entirely unscientific in nature, and did not represent a diverse swath of the public. The majority of my Twitter followers work in the technology and health sectors.

Still, privacy experts say there is something revealing in the results. In their experience, sentiment does seem to be changing around the major tech companies, particularly Apple.

"Apple has done a big push around health and privacy to breed familiarity and comfort," said Andrew Boyd, a professor of biomedical and health information sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

As Boyd points out, Apple has shared plans to aggregate health information on the phone so users can share it -- with consent. And as CNBC reported, the company plans to followup by integrating other types of medical data, like clinical labs, which have historically been scattered across hospitals and clinics.

The company has made repeated assurances to users that it will not sell health data to advertisers. That policy extends to third-party developers.

The company also went up against the FBI in refusing to help the agency unlock the iPhone of the San Bernardino shooter, which some interpreted as a move to protect privacy and security.

As Apple CEO Tim Cook told NPR: "Some of our most personal data is on the phone - our financial data, our health information, our conversations with our friends and family and coworkers. And so instead of us taking that data into Apple, we've kept data on the phone, and it's encrypted by you. You control it."

That message seems to have resonated with users -- and with privacy experts.

"I voted for Apple because their brand, to date, has a stronger privacy foundation than other options (Google and Amazon)," said Lucia Savage, chief privacy and regulatory offer at a start-up called Omada Health and the former chief privacy officer for the Department of Health and Human Services.

Savage stressed that all health data collection companies, including tech giants, should adopt minimum protections: To provide a summary of the data collected about their users, and to agree not to sell it.

Other privacy experts note that these companies collect a lot of health-related data that is not protected by rules that govern how companies can share and store medical information, like HIPAA.

"If you buy condoms from Amazon, your purchase history is not protected health information under HIPAA; your Dr. Google search history is not, nor is Strava location data," said Chas Ballew, a regulatory lawyer and the co-founder of a start-up called Aptible.

So does Apple deserve the top spot?

Well, perhaps for now.

Boyd points out that it's impossible to know if any of these companies -- Apple, Amazon, Google -- will still be thriving decades from now. If they run into financial problems, "the data will be one of their most lucrative remaining assets," he said.
South Korea-born Canadian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim stands during his trial at a North Korean court in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang, North Korea on December 16, 2015.

While U.S. President Donald Trump was threatening North Korea with "fire and fury" as tensions between the two countries escalated Tuesday night, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was taking a quieter line with Pyongyangwith great effect. His envoy achieved Canada's objective to secure the release of one of its citizens held in North Korea for the past two and a half years.

State-controlled news agency KCNA announced Tuesday that North Korea's top court was releasing Toronto Presbyterian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim "on sick bail" for "humanitarian" reasons, as reported by Reuters.

Canadian officials had notified Lim's son James over the weekend that the country would send a delegation to North Koreaincluding Daniel Jean, the prime minister's national security adviser, and a doctorwith a letter to North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un, a family spokesperson told CNN.

More from Newsweek:

Trump's warning to North Korea has nuclear weapons experts chugging wine

Rex Tillerson response to trump's North Korea threat: Everything is fine

Is Canada really that great? Reasons to move north on Canada's 150th birthday



The Canadian delegation's arrival in Pyongyang was officially confirmed on Tuesday. "[Lim's] health and well-being remain of utmost importance to the government, and we are obviously continuing to engage on his case, and given that it is an active case, we cannot provide any further comment at this time," Trudeau's press secretary Cameron Ahmad told journalists.

North Korea sentenced the 62-year old pastor to hard labor for life in December 2015, after he was accused of attempting to overthrow Kim's regime. His family said he had been traveling to and from North Korea on humanitarian trips to establish orphanages, nurseries and nursing homes and had visited the country more than 100 times in the past 20 years.

CNN interviewed the pastor in January 2016, finding he was forced to work eight hours a day, six days a week, in a camp where he had never seen another inmate. "Nobody knows if I will ever go home, but that is my hope. I miss my family. I am longing to see them again, and my congregation," he told the American broadcaster.

After the death of Otto Warmbier in June, an American citizen detained in North Korea and only released when he had already suffered brain damage, Trudeau has faced increased calls to pressure Pyongyang to free the Canadian minister.

But Lim isn't the only point of concern for Trudeau in dealing with North Korea, whose aim to develop nuclear missiles capable of reaching across the Pacific has Canadians worried they are in range. Trudeau addressed the concerns over Kim's ambitions and repeated missile tests in violation of U.N. rules in April.

"A nuclear power like North Korea that has shown a level of irresponsibility," he said, pausing for several seconds as he searched for the right words, finally continuing, "fundamental irresponsibilityto not to use a word like crazy, which I will not useis a real concern."

He then added, Canada would "do whatever we can to ameliorate and defuse the situation with North Korea."
US President Donald Trump (L) and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (R) sit before a meeting onboard the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum May 4, 2017 in New York, New York. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI | AFP | Getty Images

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has dismissed President Donald Trump's pledge to respond to North Korea with "fire and fury" if it threatens to attack the U.S., warning that any resulting conflict would cause "catastrophic consequences" for the world. Turnbull argued on Wednesday that "maximum economic pressure" against Pyongyang would be the only way to deal with the regime. He added the "new and harsh" sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council on Pyongyang would be critical in getting North Korea to come to its senses.



On Tuesday, Trump said North Korea "will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it threatens the United States. In response, North Korea said it would be prepared to launch preemptive military strikes against the U.S, including the possibility of a targeted missile strike on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam.

watch now

A statement released by state-run KCNA news agency on Wednesday said Pyongyang would "turn the U.S. mainland in to the theater of nuclear war" if it were to uncover plans of an impending attack from Washington. The dramatic escalation in geopolitical tensions has rattled financial markets and prompted analysts and international officials to warn Trump against further aggressive rhetoric with Pyongyang. New Zealand's Prime Minister, Bill English, said Trump's comments on Tuesday were "not helpful" amid a tense global environment.

'That is enough, Malcolm, I have had it'
Everyone take a deep breath (you too, Mr. President): We're probably not about to go to war with North Korea.

It certainly might feel that way if you've been paying attention to the news in the past 24 hours or so. On Monday, North Korea issued a stark warning to the United States: If you attack us, we will respond with nuclear weapons.

"Should the US pounce upon the DPRK with military force at last, the DPRK is ready to teach the US a severe lesson with its strategic nuclear force," North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said, using the acronym for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's formal name.

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On Tuesday, President Trump shot back, warning that North Korea "best not make any more threats to the US. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

@NBCNews: President Trump: If North Korea makes any more threats to the U.S., "they will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen"

On top of that, Pyongyang has successfully tested a long-range missile that experts say is theoretically capable of hitting the US mainland, including cities like Chicago, New York, and Washington. And the US military now believes North Korea has the capability to "miniaturize" a nuclear weapon and fit it onto that missile.

But as scary as all of that sounds, there is no real reason to think the US is actually planning to launch a war with North Korea anytime soon  which is the condition under which North Korea says it would actually try to launch a nuclear strike against the US.

While the Trump administration has repeatedly said that "all options are on the table" when it comes to dealing with the North Korean nuclear threat, it has largely pursued a moderate diplomatic approach to the crisis in practice  pushing for harsh new sanctions against North Korea at the United Nations Security Council and indicating the US would be willing to sit down for one-on-one talks with the North Koreans.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson even made a point to tell the North Koreans after their latest provocative missile test that "We are not your enemy, we are not your threat."

"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," Tillerson said in a press briefing at the State Department on August 1.

In fact, even as Trump was saying that he was considering "pretty severe things" in response to North Korea's first test of an intercontinental ballistic missile on July 4, Secretary of Defense James Mattis was telling reporters at the Pentagon that "I do not believe this capability in itself brings us close to war." He added that US "self-restraint" had prevented conflict and that "diplomatic efforts remain underway."

There is also no indication that the US has started taking the kinds of massive logistical preparations needed to launch a war against North Korea. Hell, we don't even have an ambassador to South Korea yet, as my colleague Zack Beauchamp has reported. Nor do we have an assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs in the State Department or an assistant secretary for Asian and Pacific security affairs at the Defense Department.

As Beauchamp explains:

This is a situation in which you want smart, levelheaded people in the top Korea-related posts in the US government. You want leading subject matter experts running Asia policy in the Departments of State and Defense, and someone who knows the South Korean government well serving as ambassador in Seoul. Yet in the Trump administration, those positions remain vacant.

If we were really about to launch a massive, bloody war with North Korea that could potentially kill tens of thousands of innocent civilians in South Korea and elsewhere  one war game convened by the Atlantic magazine back in 2005 predicted that a North Korean attack on the South would kill 100,000 people in Seoul in the first few days alone, while others put the estimate even higher  one would expect to see a major mobilization happening across the political, military, and diplomatic arms of the US government.

We're not seeing anything like that. What we do have is a belligerent statement from President Trump that he made while on vacation in New Jersey.

So while anything is theoretically possible when it comes to Trump, it's more likely that this is yet another example of him making an extremely inflammatory statement without having actually thought through the policy implications of it, as we saw with his tweet announcing a new ban on transgender service members in the US military.

That's bad enough when we're talking about a policy affecting the lives of thousands of trans American service members. It's even worse when we're talking about a war that could involve nuclear bombs.

And although it's probably slightly easier for Trump to launch a military strike against a sovereign nation on the other side of the globe with little to no advance planning than it is to try to change a Defense Department policy with little to no advance planning, the fact that the people in charge of launching a war on North Korea don't seem to be doing anything of the sort is probably a fairly good indication that we're safe, at least for now.
As tensions flare between the United States and North Korea, Jim Cramer wanted to give investors some ways to prepare their portfolios in light of a potential nuclear threat.

"Don't bother trying to play the nuclear standoff in North Korea. It's a fool's game. I'm not saying you shouldn't freak out; after all, this is the first time a rogue nation with nukes has flat out threatened to use them on us," the "Mad Money" host said.

While Cramer could imagine a scenario in which the United States takes military action and forces North Korea to surrender, he admitted that he is not the "go-to guy" for those predictions.

"I am a go-to guy, though, on what you should do with your portfolio in the event of thermonuclear war," he said. "Have cash. Have gold."

To be fair, Cramer believes that investors should always have some cash on hand, somewhere between 10 and 20 percent of their total assets.

"Own some gold for the possibility of some sort of calamity, even as I still think an actual nuclear exchange is unlikely," the "Mad Money" host said.

Cramer suggested buying gold in the form of bullion, which should be stored in a bank, the exchange-traded fund for gold called the SPDR Gold Trust , or via shares of Randgold , which reported a strong quarter and could go higher amid this kind of geopolitical tension.

He also recommended buying shares in defense stocks like Lockheed Martin or Raytheon due to their relevance to the conflict and Raytheon's lucrative missile franchise.

And as dire as the conflict may seem, Cramer pointed out that both Defense Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson were quick to walk back President Donald Trump's fiery statements about retaliating against North Korea.

"At this point, if either side blinks  whether it's us or the North Koreans  we're going to get a rally. I don't want to miss that rally," Cramer said. "With that level of cash and gold, I still think your participation in the post-crisis rally will be just fine if things work out as I hope. And even if we need to live with a nuclear, ICBM-armed North Korea for the rest of Kim Jong Un's lifetime, I think the market can handle it."
The pan-European Stoxx 600 ended down 0.73 percent with almost all sectors and major bourses in negative territory.



Europe's banking index slipped around 1.4 percent on Wednesday as Germany's two biggest lenders, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank , led the losses. Both lenders were off by more than 3.5 percent.

Chemicals also closed over 1 percent lower on Wednesday after weaker-than-expected earnings. Germany's Brenntag , the world's largest chemical distributor, slumped towards the bottom of the benchmark after reporting slower performances across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Its shares dipped over 6.5 percent.

Elsewhere, Scout 24 soared towards the top of the index, up by more than 4.5 percent, after reporting an operating earnings increase at a "disproportionate rate" for the first half of the year, Reuters reported.



Meanwhile, in the U.S., indexes continued lower as investors reacted to increasingly aggressive rhetoric between Pyongyang and Washington.
The FBI raided former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort's home last month amid the probe into Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election.

"FBI agents executed a search warrant at one of Mr. Manafort's residences," a Manafort spokesman said in a statement. "Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well."

The Washington Post first reported news of the raid Wednesday morning.

The raid took place on July 26, the day after Manafort willingly met with Senate Intelligence Committee staff, according to the Post. Agents had a search warrant and came to the former Trump campaign chairman's Virginia home to get "documents and other materials," the newspaper reported.

"FBI agents working with" special counsel Robert Mueller "departed the home with various records," according to the Post. Manafort also provided documents to congressional committees.

NBC News reported the search "is tied to the intense investigation" into Manafort's "business dealings and financial relationships both in the U.S. and abroad." That includes "records tied to Manafort's activities in Ukraine, Cyprus and other parts of the world," according to NBC.
It's been less than a year since Jonathan Silverstein, a venture capitalist at health-care fund OrbiMed, received the diagnosis that changed everything. Parkinson's disease at age 49. A potentially more aggressive, inherited form, driven by a mutation in a gene called GBA. It affects up to 10 percent of Americans with Parkinson's, and  as for other forms of the neurodegenerative disease  there is no cure, or even treatments that slow its course. In recent months, Silverstein and his wife, Natalie, set up the Silverstein Foundation, raised $6 million from donors and gave $10 million of their own money to fund half a dozen promising projects and start a new company. "I'm a venture capitalist, and what a venture capitalist is, is a problem-solver," Silverstein said from OrbiMed's New York offices. "This was a problem that was not just impacting me, but another 100,000 people around the globe."

His nonprofit foundation has three main goals: first, find a way to halt progression of Parkinson's with GBA. Next, identify a regenerative approach to repair the damage it wreaks. And finally, find a way to prevent it altogether.



Accomplishing even just the first would be to do something that's never been done. Despite years of effort and capital  from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research to funding from Google founder Sergey Brin  treatments for Parkinson's disease have remained as elusive as those for other devastating neurodegenerative conditions, like Alzheimer's.



"It has been extremely challenging, and many clinical trials have failed," said Dr. Dimitri Krainc, chairman of the department of neurology and director of the Center for Rare Neurological Diseases at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "However, we have learned important lessons from these failures."



The disease was first described two centuries ago, in 1817, by British surgeon James Parkinson. In a document he called "An Essay on the Shaking Palsy," Parkinson described a condition characterized by "involuntary tremulous motion, with lessened muscular power."



We know now that Parkinson's results from loss of brain cells, including those that produce the chemical messenger dopamine, important for coordinating movement. Treatments have been developed to provide symptomatic relief, such as levodopa, which helps replenish the brain's supply of dopamine, but those have a set of problems of their own. Over time, people gradually need to increase the dose, and the medicines can lead to involuntary movement called dyskinesia.



The bigger problem, though, is that levodopa and other approved agents aren't neuroprotective, said Krainc, "meaning that they do not prevent neurons from degenerating."



Recent advancements in genetics provide some hope for better drug targets  including, according to Krainc, for the kind of Parkinson's that Silverstein has, driven by a mutation in GBA.



The GBA gene is responsible for creating a protein known as GCase, or glucocerebrosidase, important for helping clear junk out of cells. And work is underway already: A clinical trial from Sanofi's Genzyme unit is ongoing, and, in January, drugmaker Allergan bought an exclusive option to acquire a company called Lysosomal Therapeutics, whose lead program also focuses on GBA-associated Parkinson's. Krainc is a co-founder of Lysosomal Therapeutics and chairs its scientific advisory board.



"There is a real need for disease-modifying treatment," Allergan CEO Brent Saunders told CNBC.



Silverstein said he hopes the most advanced drugs will be able to help him, but he doesn't plan on depending on them. After his diagnosis, he sent out a massive call for any work in Parkinson's with GBA.



"We were just floored with the response," he said. Hundreds of ideas flowed in  "some of them a little bit crazier than others"  but about 80 he deemed worth looking at more closely.



Since then, the Silverstein Foundation has made six funding grants to academic labs and private biotech companies, and received a $5 million donation from drugmaker Celgene .

Being a patient as well as a venture capitalist has changed Silverstein's approach.

"As a venture capitalist, your first boss is your investors, so returns are the first thing that you have to be focused on," he said.

That can lead to less risk-taking than might lead to bigger advances.

"But when you're a patient, you come at it from a completely different viewpoint," Silverstein said. "You're not interested in incremental change. You're interested in cures."



Wednesday, along with OrbiMed and gene therapy biotech RegenXBio , the foundation announced the launch of a new company called Prevail Therapeutics. The founders of rare-disease drug giant Alexion , Leonard Bell and Stephen Squinto, are joining the board.
Traditional global safe-haven trades like gold and the Swiss franc rose Wednesday as tensions between the United States and North Korea escalated.

The euro fell about 1 percent against the Swiss franc and was on track for its biggest one-day loss in 2 years as investors flocked to the currency considered one of the oldest and safest investments.

Gold prices jumped, with futures for December delivery settling 1.32 percent higher at $1,279.30 per ounce. In after-hours trading, gold traded 1.6 percent higher at $1,282.80.

German and U.S. sovereign bond prices also rose on the fear trade, sending yields lower despite recent strong readings of economic growth. The 10-year German bund yield traded at 0.426 percent while the 10-year U.S. yield declined to 2.24 percent.

President Donald Trump warned North Korea on Tuesday about facing "fire and fury" if Pyongyang makes more threats against the U.S.

The CBOE volatility index (VIX) , widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, hit its highest level in one month, surging more than 10 percent.

Trump's remarks, which were delivered less than an hour before the end of Tuesday's trading session, sent stocks to their session lows. The selling carried through on Wednesday, with U.S. stocks falling.

"The North Korean threat has been present in one form or another for some time, and despite periods of nervousness, markets generally have not tended to focus on it too much," Stuart Culverhouse, global head of macro and fixed income research at Exotix Capital, said in an email.

"Now, with the tension between the US and DPRK reaching a level that appears somewhat unprecedented in the last decade, if not longer, the question is whether this time is different," he said.

Shortly after Trump made his remarks, North Korea said it was "carefully examining" the idea of a missile strike on Guam, a U.S. Pacific territory.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the euro, not the dollar, was on track for its biggest one-day loss in 2 years.
Thousands of people showing their patriotism jam into the area around Canada Place waterfront convention centre to celebrate Canada Day on July 1, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. George Rose | Getty Images

A maturing tech scene

Relocation to Canada has been a focus of many recent articles about the country's growing tech scene. Vancouver is considered an obvious choice due to its high quality of life, its relative proximity to Silicon Valley, and its lower costs, due in part to a favorable exchange rate (a recent CBRE study found that Vancouver is the cheapest of 50 U.S. and Canadian markets to start a tech company, less than half the cost of San Francisco). And, with roughly 350,000 Canadians already working in Silicon Valley, repatriation alone could bring substantial growth. But focusing on temporary relocations and quick moves misses some of the fundamental shifts in the Canadian tech scene, especially homegrown development. Karen Greve Young is executive vice president of partnerships and corporate development at the MaRS Discovery District, a Toronto startup hub that opened in 2005, and has been at the center of the region's push to become a world-recognized tech center. Set within four towers near the University of Toronto, MaRS hosts more than 6,000 workers, including offices for Facebook, Airbnb, Etsy, and Paypal, as well as 200 Canadian startups. "Since moving here in 2008, I have felt the momentum," she says. "People are really considering this the right place to found tech- and science-based companies. This is a lot more than the Trump effect." Since Young arrived, Johnson & Johnson opened their JLABS accelerator at MaRS and Google established a major presence in Toronto and Waterloo. Earlier this year, Invest Ottawa, a city-funded nonprofit, began recruiting tech talent in the U.S. to fill some of the thousands of jobs expected to come out of the city's growing tech scene. Interest has been "off the charts," according to an Invest Ottawa rep who spoke to the Guardian, with more than 3 million people interacting with the ads.

A streetcar on the intersection of King Street and University Street in Toronto, Ontario. Getty Images

There's also a focus on diversity in Canadian tech: 54 percent of MaRS startups have a non-Canadian founder, and 30 percent have a female founder. According to Young, this commitment to diversity in leadership has been bolstered by the Trudeau administration's focus on immigration. "The Canadian government is taking a reverse approach to the U.S. government when it comes to talent and immigrants," says Michael Tippett, one of the founders of True North. "We see this as an asset, not a liability. It's a way to grow." For Tippett, economic diversity isn't just about employees. After the administration of Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, which continued the traditional focus on resources and mining, the new administration sees technology as a true growth industry. In British Columbia, the tech sector now makes up a larger part of the GDP than the resource sector. A warm welcome won't be nearly enough to overcome some of the structural issues Young and others see in the Canadian tech scene. Salaries are lower than in the U.S., and traditionally, many of the companies here are smaller or early-stage startups. The industry is still relatively young, so there aren't as many Canadian-born tech firms with an international presence. "We need more examples of companies that grow and scale from Canadian headquarters," Young says. "Canada has never had a gap with starting companiesit's been about scaling companies." But a big selling point for Young and others is the quality of life in Canada's urban centers. MaRS, for instance, is located near both a streetcar and subway stop in the heart of the city, around neighborhoods cheaper than comparable areas in U.S. tech centers such as Boston, New York, and San Francisco.

Different schools of urbanism
The amount of money raised by cryptocurrency and blockchain start-ups via so-called initial coin offerings (ICOs) has surpassed early stage venture capital (VC) funding for internet companies for the past two months.

ICOs are a way for start-ups to raise money from users, similar to crowdfunding, by allowing them to buy a stake. In return, the user will receive a token or digital currency, which are equivalent to shares in the firm. ICOs are popular among cryptocurrency and blockchain start-ups and have exploded in the past few months.

The total amount of money raised via ICOs in April was just under $100 million, but by May this had more than doubled to almost $250 million, according to Coinschedule, a website that tracks such data. In June, ICO funding had hit over $550 million and it was the first month ever that it surpassed angel and seed VC funding. This was noted by Goldman Sachs in a note released Tuesday.

Angel and early VC funding in June was just under $300 million, Goldman noted, according to CB Insights data. In July, ICOs were just over $300 million, while angel and early VC funding was just over $200 million.
Investors are underestimating the risk of tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Wesley Clark told CNBC on Wednesday.

"I'm an investment banker also. ... I see a market generally under recognizing geostrategic risk," said Clark, now chairman and CEO of Wesley K. Clark & Associates. "Risk in Northeast Asia is rising. But here's the truth: There's no easy military solution."

U.S. stocks were modestly lower on Wednesday, one day after President Donald Trump warned North Korea that any threat to the United States would be met with "fire and fury." The Dow briefly fell more than 60 points on Tuesday after the news before finishing about 33 points lower, ending a 10-session win streak and a run of nine consecutive all-time high closes.

Clark, who was NATO commander under President Bill Clinton, said on "Squawk Box" that perhaps another reason investors haven't reacted strongly to Trump's comments is because they know there has been tension with North Korea for a long time.

"They know the United States intends to fulfill its obligations to our allies in the region, and they see the rhetoric as nothing but rhetoric at this point," added Clark, who unsuccessfully ran for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination.

Trump made his remarks hours after reports that Pyongyang had successfully created a miniaturized nuclear weapon designed to fit inside its missiles. North Korea has repeatedly vowed retribution against the U.S. following sanctions or other measures meant to deter its nuclear and missile programs.

Clark said Trump's comment was likely to reinforce the United States commitment to South Korea. But the way the president came across was more "bellicose," he said. "We don't want to get in a name calling contest with the North Koreans."

Later Tuesday, North Korea's state media said the country was considering a strike on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam with mid- to long-range missiles, according to Reuters. On Monday, it said it will launch "thousands-fold" revenge against the United States after the United Nations imposed new sanctions on Pyongyang for its nuclear and missile programs.

On Wednesday, Trump issued followup tweets saying: " Hopefully we will never have to use this power."

My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before....

...Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!
Disney said on Tuesday night it will remove its movies from Netflix , and will instead launch a branded direct-to-consumer streaming service in 2019. The service would create yet another offering in a crowded field of internet-based video services, as Apple Music, YouTube and even Facebook reportedly eye products of their own.

The top three streaming platforms will likely be Netflix, Amazon and Disney, unless other tech companies act soon, technology investor Jason Calacanis told CNBC's " Squawk Alley " on Wednesday.

With its catalog ranging from Pixar to ESPN, Disney is perhaps the "one company" that could compete with Netflix and streaming content from Amazon Prime, said Calacanis, who runs online media company Inside.

"The people who will lose in this, people who maybe don't have a big enough library  a Viacom , as an example, or maybe even people who haven't entered yet like Google , Facebook and Apple ," Calacanis said. "Their window might, in fact, be be closing to come into the original content space."

Calacanis was an early backer of companies like Uber, and is the author the recently released book, "Angel: How to Invest in Technology Startups." He said Disney's business model, with theme parks, theatrical releases, and licensed merchandise, could let it acquire new customers for a streaming service at no cost.

"It will be very easy for them to get tens of millions of people to subscribe," Calacanis said. "If something like poker becomes extremely popular, they could, with a direct-to consumer offering, have a poker channel, and do it with a level of professionalism that other people simply can't. So I think it's going to open up new opportunities for them."
F-35 Bravo Lightning II stand ready on the deck of amphibious assault ship USS Wasp for day two of the first phase operational testing in the Atlantic Ocean in this handout photo taken May 19, 2015 and provided by the U.S. Navy.

There is one Trump trade still working even as some on Wall Street fret the White House is getting "nothing done."



Defense stocks rallied a day after President Donald Trump warned that threats from North Korea "will be met with fire and fury" on Tuesday. The gain in the stocks came as the rest of the market fell on concerns about increased geopolitical tensions in the area.



Lockheed Martin , Northrop Grumman and Raytheon all hit new all-time highs Wednesday morning, rising 1.1 percent, 1.1 percent and 1.9 percent respectively. Raytheon and Lockheed helped to build the THAAD missile defense system in the Asian region.



Even before Wednesday, many of the large defense stocks were already up by double-digit percentages for the year based on expectations for an improved outlook for U.S. defense spending under the Trump administration.



The White House proposed a nearly 10 percent increase in the military budget to $603 billion for fiscal 2018 in February.



"This budget will be a public safety and national security budget," Trump said on Feb. 27. He called for a "historic increase in defense spending to rebuild the depleted military of the United States of America at a time we most need it."



The SPDR S&P Aerospace and Defense ETF is up 29 percent since the Nov. 8 election through Tuesday compared with the S&P 500's 16 percent return during the same period.

 CNBC's Jeff Daniels contributed to this story.
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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) 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stock bounced back in midday trading Wednesday from lower-than-expected second quarter earnings after the company's management said its generic drug Advair is not being delayed by further FDA-required studies.

After shares of the drug-maker dropped as far as 8 percent in premarket trading, Mylan's CEO Heather Bresch clarified on a call with investors that delaying Advair's launch to 2018 was due to the Food and Drug Administration reorganizing and changing its priorities.

"We see the administration as the barrier, and not the science," Bresch said.

@megtirrell tweet.

Mylan's second-quarter earnings report missed estimates in what Bresch called "a tough quarter," before adding more optimistically that the company is "managing for the long term." Bresch believes the poor quarterly result was not a "permanent hit" but rather "a deferred one."

The company reported total revenue of $2.96 billion and earnings per share of $1.10, missing estimates of $3.03 billion in revenues and EPS of $1.16, according to analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters.

@megtirrell tweet.

Mylan is coping with declining profitability and it adjusted annual earnings forecasts downward. An August 2016 report by the Government Accountability Office found that U.S. generic drug prices have been declining since 2010.

"To say that times are changing would be an understatement," Besch said.

@megtirrell tweet.

The competitiveness of the market has been a flash point for generic drug-makers, as interim CEO Yitzhak Peterburg blamed his company's recent poor performance on saturation.
Netflix investors are worrying Disney will not be the last to pull video content from the internet streaming giant.



Disney announced Tuesday it intends to remove its movies from Netflix and launch a branded direct-to-consumer streaming service in 2019.



Netflix shares fell in the post-market session following the news and opened down 3.9 percent on Wednesday.



"Disney's decision to end its distribution deal with Netflix (beginning in 2019) supports our long-held view that content owners will increasingly look to retain content for owned platforms," Jefferies analyst John Janedis wrote in a note to clients Tuesday. "What is unclear is whether or not the largely staggered impact will affect NFLX's growth in net adds. NFLX's content investment likely assumed some non-renewals."



Janedis reiterated his hold rating and his $165 price target for Netflix shares, representing 7.5 percent downside to Tuesday's close.



One analyst is also concerned Netflix may lose television content from Disney, which owns ABC and Marvel, in the future.



"Questions remain, namely  any future loss of ABC and/or Marvel originals production," SunTrust analyst Matthew Thornton wrote Wednesday. "Beyond NFLX loss of some DIS content, DIS's announcement obviously indicates incremental DTC [direct to consumer] streaming competition, particularly for kids audience, beginning 2H19 in the U.S. and Int'l thereafter."



To be sure, others on Wall Street defended the company and said the Disney move will not have a large effect on Netflix's growth momentum.



"While this will be a negative headline for Netflix, we expect the actual impact on the subscriber base to be minimal," Piper Jaffray analyst Michael Olson wrote Wednesday. "There is no question Disney content was a 'nice to have,' but we believe Netflix can find ways to re-allocate  to create similarly engaging (and more exclusive) content for its subscriber base."



Olson estimated Disney content represents only 3 percent of Netflix's annual content costs. He reiterated his overweight rating for Netflix shares and his $215 price target.



"Netflix may be losing content from its most important supplier in Disney, but its strategy to pivot to originals, build its own global content brand, and vertically integrate into self production mitigate this loss," Morgan Stanley's Benjamin Swinburne wrote Wednesday.



The streaming company is one of the market's best-performing names. Its shares have rallied 44.1 percent this year through Tuesday versus the S&P 500's 10.6 percent return.



Netflix did not immediately return a request for comment.



 CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this story.
Kim Jong Un's constant concern about being overthrown as leader of North Korea complicates any dealings with the reclusive nation over its nuclear missile program, said Bill Richardson, whose past diplomatic missions included negotiations with Pyongyang.

Richardson, formerly ambassador to the U.N. and Energy secretary during Bill Clinton's presidency, said on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" Wednesday that President Donald Trump's "fire and fury" threat against North Korea was "over the top."

"You never know how the North Koreans are going react ... especially Kim Jong Un who's afraid of his own shadow, who is concerned about him being toppled, regime change," said Richardson, adding he was encouraged that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tamped down Trump's rhetoric.

Returning from a trip to Asia, Tillerson said early Wednesday: "I think Americans should sleep well at night. I have no concerns about this particular rhetoric of the last few days." Tillerson made the comments on a refueling stop in Guam, the U.S. territory that North Korea threatened to bomb.

State media in North Korea said late Tuesday Pyongyang was considering a strategy to strike Guam.

Hours earlier, Trump warned North Korea about facing "fire and fury" if it continued to make threats against the U.S. after intelligence showed the isolated nation successfully created a miniaturized nuclear weapon designed to fit inside its missiles.

Trump doubled down on the tough talk in tweets Wednesday morning.

My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before....

...Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!

"This is the gravest situation I've seen in the Korean Peninsula in a very long time," said Richardson, but he insisted "it's not a crisis situation" yet.

Richardson, a Democratic former governor of New Mexico, said the U.S. should aim to get North Korea to agree to pause its weapons tests in exchange for a dialogue "to see if there's common ground."

Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Saturday that could cut its $3 billion annual export revenue by a third.

"This is the first sanction on North Korea that has some bite. But it's only going to happen if China stops the cross-border smuggling and they enforce the sanctions," said Richardson, who unsuccessfully ran for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.

Richardson currently runs a foundation, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, which aims to mediate prisoner releases and international conflicts.

Recently, he worked to free American college student Otto Warmbier, who was held for 17 months by North Korea after being convicted of stealing. In June, the 22-year-old was sent home on what Pyongyang said was humanitarian grounds. Warmbier, who was in a coma for a year, died shortly thereafter.

 Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
After North Korea's second Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile test last month, defense experts said it appeared the regime's long-range missile had the range to reach half, if not most, of the continental United States . The North followed it up with propaganda and threats against the U.S. mainland, and Wednesday it claimed to be "carefully examining" a strike on Guam , a U.S. territory in the Pacific with an estimated 6,000 U.S. troops as well as bomber and fighter aircraft.

NBC News on Tuesday confirmed a Washington Post report about "the U.S. belief that North Korea reached this milestone." The Post indicated the assessment was from a Defense Intelligence Agency analysis only completed last month and also said the U.S. had calculated that the North had "up to 60 nuclear weapons" in its arsenal. That's about three times what some experts previously thought.

The U.S. believes that North Korea mastered miniaturizing nuclear devices on long-range missiles "months ago," a government source told CNBC on Tuesday. That news was not entirely unexpected  even six years ago South Korean intelligence was aware the hermit regime was becoming more proficient in downsizing its nuclear weapons  but it does mean a significant step for Pyongyang.

North Korea's miniaturization of nuclear weapons has gone from essentially the size of a large refrigerator a decade ago to something small enough to fit inside its ballistic missiles, according to experts.

A ballistic rocket launching drill of Hwasong artillery units of the Strategic Force of the KPA in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang March 7, 2017.

Regardless, NBC News said its source who was briefed on the nuclear assessment indicated that, despite Pyongyang having the ability to make a small nuclear weapon, it "does not mean that North Korea has fielded a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile."

In February, researchers at Sejong Institute, a South Korean think tank, concluded that the North was capable of producing more nuclear weapons and with smaller quantities of material.

Also, as far back as 2011, South Korean intelligence took notice that Pyongyang was capable of building smaller nuclear weapons and even looking to use missiles to carry chemical or biological warfare agents.

"They (nuclear weapons) have to be light and small to go further," said Ramesh Thakur, director of the Center for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament at Australian National University's Crawford School of Public Policy and co-convenor of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament. "Clearly, the North Koreans have had their own scientists working at this at breakneck speed."

The regime's leader, Kim Jong Un, boasted about the feat early last year and Pyongyang's state media showed pictures of a round metallic object that may have been part of a miniaturized warhead capable of fitting in the tip of a ballistic missile.

Still, the question is whether a nuclear-armed ICBM can also survive "the technical rigors of reentering from space," said Thakur. "The ICBM comes in at very high speed and has to survive extreme temperatures and extreme vibrations."

Indeed, a former United Nations missile inspector said last month the second test of the Hwasong-14 missile on July 28 may have failed on reentry and so it may require more testing.

Michael Elleman, a consulting senior fellow for missile defense at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, made the assessment after analyzing video captured from a rooftop camera in Japan that appeared to show the ICBM reentering the atmosphere, then breaking up and destroying the reentry vehicle  a part of the missile critical to the nuclear weapon's survival.

Bruce Klingner, a former CIA deputy division chief for Korea and now senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation's Asian Studies Center, said the time that it took India and Pakistan to test nuclear weapons to the time when people "ambiguously assessed" that they had miniaturized warheads was a shorter overall time span than it's taken since North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006. North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear blast last September.

By comparison, China and the former Soviet Union conducted around four nuclear tests apiece before experts concluded they too had the ability to miniaturize nuclear warheads on long-range ballistic missiles. The U.S. government today also believes China obtained information through espionage in the 1980s and as late as the 1990s about U.S. nuclear secrets and miniaturization of bombs that allowed it to shrink the size of weapons and make them even more powerful.

According to Klingner, experts assess that North Korea already miniaturized the nuclear warhead for the Nodong medium-range ballistic missile, which has a range to reach key U.S. allies in East Asia, including South Korea and Japan.

"An ICBM is more difficult," he said. "Most folks think North Korea hasn't demonstrated a [reentry vehicle for the ICBM], but they could do it tomorrow or they could do it next year."
New Zealand's premier admonished him for remarks "not helpful" in a "very tense" environment. Australia's prime minister said "maximum economic pressure" was the only way to deal with North Korea. In Japan, where Nagasaki was marking the 72nd anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city, Mayor Tomihisa Taue said anxiety was spreading "that in the not too distant future these weapons could be used again."

A day after President Trump vowed to respond to North Korea "with fire and fury" if Pyongyang continued to threaten the U.S militarily, many world leaders have yet to weigh in on Trump's comments. However, those that have appear to view the president's rhetoric as more likely to escalate the situation than to settle it.

"Everyone wants to avoid military confrontation, and the path ahead there is for North Korea to comply with UN sanctions and for international pressure to push them in that direction," New Zealand's leader Bill English told his country's media Wednesday.

More from USA Today:

Guam reacts to North Korea nuclear threat with faith in US military

North Korea threatens missile strike on Guam; Trump vows 'fire and fury'

North Korea, U.S.: 13 days of increasing tension

In Australia, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also expressed concern with Trump's use of language. "A conflict would be shattering. It would have catastrophic consequences. We all understand that," he said. "The global community, led by the (UN) security council, including China and Russia, are all united in seeking to bring the maximum economic pressure on North Korea to bring them to their senses without conflict."

In Japan, Taue used a speech to commemorate those killed by the world's first atomic bombing  140,000 people died in Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, and 70,000 more in Nagasaki three days later  to urge world leaders to abandon nuclear weapons.

His comments appeared to be aimed just as much at Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un as at Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government for what Taue said were empty promises about working to achieve a nuclear-free world.

"The nuclear threat will not end as long as nations continue to claim that nuclear weapons are essential for their national security," he said.

Trump's "fire and fury" comments came after a Washington Post story Monday, citing U.S. intelligence officials and a confidential Defense Intelligence Agency report, that said North Korea may have mastered a technological hurdle needed to strike the U.S. with a nuclear missile. That was swiftly followed early Wednesday by a statement from North Korea's army that said it was studying a plan to strike the U.S. Pacific Island territory of Guam with medium- to long-range ballistic missiles.
Brazil's state-owned oil company Petrobras has been linked to the country's endemic corruption in recent years. But for one investor, the simple numbers of investing in the firm win out.

Myles Bradshaw, head of global aggregate fixed income at Amundi, told CNBC that Petrobras' bond valuation was attractive. Currently, Brazilian 30-year paper yields roughly 5 percent, while a 5-year bond in Petrobras yields roughly 7.5 percent. Given that Petrobras is a majority state-owned company, both carry a similar amount of risk.

Bradshaw was positive about how the company was dealing with its liquidity, debt swaps and long-term issue, adding that in the future, Petrobras' break even oil price was in the low 50s.

But Jim McCaughan, CEO of Principal Global Investors, was more cautious, arguing that "it's not just the oil price," which could lead to negative views on the company. "Petrobras is tied into quite high cost of production" in comparison to U.S. shale producers, he said.

Bradshaw added that Petrobras "is a tool partly of public policy," and "when you're investing in Petrobras you're also investing in the Brazilian state."
The Department of Defense would deploy B-1B bombers in a pre-emptive attack on North Korea if the commander-in-chief ordered such a strike, NBC News reported Wednesday, citing two current and two former senior military officials.

The officials told NBC that the attack would originate from the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. Multiple people told NBC that the strike would target roughly two dozen missile-launch sites in North Korea.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said that the rogue state would face "fire and fury" if it continued to threaten the United States.

NBC's report comes after a state-media outlet said Pyongyang was "seriously considering" an attack on Guam. Earlier Wednesday, North Korean media said that a would be drafted by mid-August. Leader would then decide whether to proceed with the strike on the U.S. territory.

Read the full report at NBC News.
Whistleblowers have alleged fraud at Catalyst Capital, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing documents it reviewed and people familiar with the matter.

The Journal said at least four people have filed complaints with the Ontario Securities Commission. The regulator is beginning to look into the allegations and interviewing people familiar with Catalyst, the newspaper reported.

In a lengthy response the Journal's article, Callidus Capital  of which Catalyst is the majority shareholder  said those allegations "are completely false."

"These allegations presented are primarily based on anonymous sources and are believed to have been initiated by individuals against whom Callidus has current litigation relating to the enforcement of guaranties. Those individuals have already had the opportunity to present their allegations in court without success. That is because the allegations are false," the company said in its statement.

"The Company knows of no legitimate basis for any whistleblower complaint. It is extraordinary that the press has been given copies of confidential whistleblower reports that neither Callidus nor Catalyst has ever seen. This is an effort by short sellers and others who are attempting to manipulate the market by making false allegations. Once made aware of these reports by the media, the Company proactively met with various authorities to discuss these matters in detail," it added.

Although the OSC may be exploring the matter, the moves may not result in a formal investigation. The regulator can award as much as 5 million Canadian dollars for each complaint that result in monetary sanctions.

"As a matter of general policy, we do not confirm or comment on the existence, nature or status of any complaint or investigation," the Ontario Securities Commission told CNBC.

With more than 6 billion Canadian dollars in assets under management, Catalyst is one of the largest private equity firms in Canada and primarily invests in distressed assets.

Catalyst is led by Newton Glassman, who the Journal said has described the firm as the "Goldman Sachs of Canada."

Read the full report in The Wall Street Journal.
Tensions may be escalating over North Korea and its nuclear capabilities, but retired Army Col. Jack Jacobs told CNBC on Wednesday he doesn't think "we're going to war over Korea."

Jacobs, the recipient of the Medal of Honor, said North Korea is "basically a continuing criminal enterprise, and having nuclear weapons keeps them pretty much in business."

"Neither they nor the United States nor anybody else is interested in going to war over their nuclear weapons," he said in an interview with "Power Lunch."

President Donald Trump warned North Korea on Tuesday it would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States. A short time later, Pyongyang said it was considering firing missiles at Guam.

On Wednesday the commentary continued from members of the Trump administration. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson downplayed Trump's warning, saying the president was just trying to send a strong message. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary James Mattis said North Korea must stop any action that would "lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people."

Jacobs doesn't see North Korea giving up its nuclear weapons anytime soon.

"The fact of the matter is they are unlikely to give it up unless we and China and Russia can reach some sort of accord with them that guarantees that they can continue to be a continuing criminal enterprise, that they can do whatever they want to their own people as long as they don't have nuclear weapons," he said.

And he doesn't think the U.S. can go it alone.

"As long as we don't have China on our side to go all the way down to the wire at the table, behind closed doors by the way, we're not going to get anything done, and they will continue to be a threat not only to us but to everybody in the region," he said.



 Reuters contributed to this report.
12-month old sisters. The larger salmon has the transgene. The smaller fish will eventually grow as large.

AquaBounty Technologies in Maynard, Massachusetts, has said it's sold about 5 tons of genetically-modified (GM) salmon fillets to unnamed customers in Canada.

These fish can reportedly grow twice as fast as conventionally-farmed Atlantic salmon, reaching adult size in some 18 months as compared to 30 months. AquaBounty has also claimed the salmon consume 20 to 25 percent less food per gram of new flesh.

"The sale and discussions with potential buyers clearly demonstrate that customers want our fish, and we look forward to increasing our production capacity to meet demand," said Ronald Stotish, chief executive of AquaBounty, in a statement Friday.

In 2015, AquaBounty salmon was approved in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it was reported to be the first genetically-modified animal to be approved for human consumption. But within weeks the FDA issued a ban on the import and sale of GM fish until labeling guidelines were established.

The firm's Atlantic salmon are modified with a growth hormone gene from Chinook salmon that makes them grow much faster than normal.
A man looks at the sun through a special glasses at a central Athens square during the partial solar eclipse. Louisa Gouliamaki | AFP | Getty Images

The total solar eclipse passing over the United States on August 21 is going to be disruptive. Authorities are predicting huge traffic jams, strained cellphone networks, and insufficient bathrooms for the masses driving to the center of the show. But there's another disruption that will be brought on by the eclipse: power. Since the last total solar eclipse passed over part of the US in 1979, we've grown a lot more dependent on solar to electrify our homes and businesses. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar energy has grown by an average of 68 percent per year in the past decade. The country now has about 45 gigawatts of solar capacity installed, with 260,000 Americans employed in the industry. More from Vox:

A corruption investigation could bring down Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Why it's so much easier to get an opioid prescription in the US than in Europe or Japan

Israel wants to close Al Jazeera and ban its journalists because of "incitement" The solar eclipse will significantly diminish that capacity for a couple of hours on August 21, especially in California and North Carolina. "Our solar plants are going to lose over half of their ability to generate electricity during the two to two and a half hours that the eclipse will be impacting our area," says Steven Greenlee, spokesperson for the California Independent System Operator, or CAISO, one of the largest independent grid operators in the world. During the eclipse, we can expect the moon to completely (and partially, in the areas beyond the totality) obscure the sun's rays across the US, blocking the sunlight that powers the solar panels. Unlike on a cloudy day, this loss will cause a rapid decline and rebound of solar power that grid operators will have to skillfully manage. The federal Energy Information Administration expects 1,900 utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants in all will be affected. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) says it doesn't expect the eclipse to create reliability issues for the bulk power system. Still, the eclipse will test the reliability of solar generation on a national scale, and challenge the preparedness of operators like CAISO. Ultimately, the eclipse is a reminder of how important solar energy has become to our power generation, and that with preparation, this system can work even when its energy source  the sun  is blotted out.

Why the solar eclipse is a big deal for solar and grid operators

Thanks to highly supportive solar policies and an abundance of sunny days, California is a leading solar market in the US. The state is currently responsible for nearly half of the nation's solar capacity, according to the EIA. This year alone, more than 4.8 million homes were powered by solar facilities  ranging from large-scale power plants to individual PV panels. The upcoming solar eclipse will darken California skies from approximately 9:30 to 11:30 am PST, dimming solar radiation by 70 percent. And though the line of totality will not pass through California, people in the solar energy industry there are prepping for the impact. To maintain grid reliability, solar facilities will have to use a complex combination of other sources of power generation. Natural gas plants and hydro plants will likely be the go-to alternatives to fill the demand gap. Greenlee says CAISO's greatest challenge will be managing both timing and ramp rates, or changes in energy output. In an eclipse, the sun's energy will ramp down much faster than it would even on a cloudy day. "While solar is ramping down, we have to ramp up the other generation," he explains. "But once the eclipse is over and the sun starts coming back, we have to ramp down the other generation in order to keep supply balanced with demand."

California utilities say they're ready for the eclipse
In November 2016, Dan Osborne voted "no" to Proposition 64 in California, the measure to legalize marijuana for recreational use. He smoked pot in high school, but that was a long time ago, and his perspectives have changed. "I'm a dad and a grandpa. So we've got a responsibility," says Osborne to Marcus Lemonis in CNBC's special episode of "The Profit," "Marijuana Millionaires," airing Aug. 10. Prop. 64 did pass, however, and goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2018. (Currently, marijuana is legal for medical purposes in the state.) Despite Osborne's personal views, he knows the legislation is going to be good for his wallet. That's because Osborne, 55, is heavily invested in weed. He has already spent $16 million building indoor growing facilities in Desert Hot Springs, Calif., a sleepy town that is going through a revival thanks to its decision to allow indoor pot farming on an industrial scale.

Dan Osborne, founder of CLC Brand Labs, holding a pot plant.

His company, CLC Brand Labs, which he founded in 2016, sells marijuana to medical dispensaries. "Especially when it becomes legal  recreational  there's gonna be a lot of demand. It's gonna shoot through the roof," he says. At that time, he will also sell to recreational retailers. Osborne is readying himself and his business for the surge. In fact he recently paid $3.8 million for 3.8 acres of land to bolster his growing facilities. He knows $1 million an acre is way over market price. "Are you just not good at real estate?" Lemonis asks Osborne. "No, I'm good at investment," he says. The profit margins on growing and selling marijuana are so high, he's confident he will make back the money. Osborne expects his growing facilities to reap $22 million in 2018. He's on a five-year plan to complete building out 170,000 square feet of indoor growing space. And when he is done, he expects to be bringing in $35 million a year in profit.

Dan Osborne inspecting a cannabis plant.
President Donald Trump on Thursday kept hammering Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, urging his party's top senator to "get back to work" to pass key parts of the Republican agenda.

"Mitch, get back to work and put Repeal & Replace, Tax Reform & Cuts and a great Infrastructure Bill on my desk for signing," Trump wrote on Twitter from what he calls a "working vacation" at his New Jersey golf club. "You can do it!"

Trump: Mitch, get back to work and put Repeal & Replace, Tax Reform & Cuts and a great Infrastructure Bill on my desk for signing. You can do it!

In an earlier Thursday tweet, Trump slammed the Kentucky Republican for failing to pass an Obamacare repeal plan after campaigning on dismantling the law for most of a decade. Trump said: "Can you believe that Mitch McConnell, who has screamed Repeal & Replace for 7 years, couldn't get it done. Must Repeal & Replace ObamaCare!"



Can you believe that Mitch McConnell, who has screamed Repeal & Replace for 7 years, couldn't get it done. Must Repeal & Replace ObamaCare!

Later Thursday, Trump doubled down on his criticism of the Senate majority leader. The president told reporters that Republicans should have been able to repeal Obamacare, calling the failure to do so a "disgrace."

When asked if McConnell should step down as majority leader, Trump told the reporter to ask him that question if the Kentucky Republican can't push the president's agenda through.

"Well, I'll tell you what. If he doesn't get repeal and replace done and if he doesn't get taxes done  meaning cuts and reform  and if he doesn't get a very easy one to get done, infrastructure, if he doesn't get them done, then you can ask me that question," Trump said.

The exchanges likely will not help relations between the president and Republican senators when lawmakers return from recess. The Senate GOP has increasingly shrugged off suggestions from Trump as he faces low approval ratings and struggles to enact his agenda. For example, the president has urged senators to keep trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but that has fallen on mostly deaf ears.

It is unclear so far how Trump's recent criticism of McConnell will affect the pair's ability to work together in upcoming policy debates: the debt ceiling, federal appropriations and tax reform. Legislation on tax reform has to originate in the House.
watch now

President Donald Trump appears to have painted himself into a corner: He must now follow up on his pledge of hitting North Korea with "fire and fury," or he risks further blowing U.S. credibility. Kim Jong-un's regime said late on Tuesday that it may strike Guam. That came shortly after Trump warned Pyongyang it would face "power, the likes of which this world has never seen before" if the renegade state continued to threaten the U.S. "If the red line he drew today was 'North Korea cannot threaten the U.S. anymore,' that line was crossed within an hour of him making that statement," said John Delury, associate professor of Chinese studies at Seoul-based Yonsei University. The episode draws parallels to President Barack Obama's own geopolitical red line. In 2013, the former leader said the use of chemical weapons in Syria's civil war would trigger an American military response. But when it happened, Obama failed to follow up on his promise  a move that critics, including Trump, said weakened Washington's position as a superpower. "Trump is drawing a decisive red line for himself, we all think back to Obama's red line in Syria, which ultimately became an embarrassment for him," Peter Jennings, Australia's former deputy secretary in defense, told CNBC.

So, will Trump attack?

A U.S. offensive on North Korea isn't likely anytime soon, experts said, which means Trump just made the same mistake as his predecessor.

watch now

"Certainly, the president cannot back up a red line," said Delury, who is also a senior fellow at the Asia Society. Defense secretary James Mattis and new chief of staff John Kelly are unlikely to sign off on any military action, so this may just be yet another example of "Trump being Trump and firing off his mouth," added Robert Kelly, associate professor at Pusan National University. The Republican has certainly chalked up a lengthy track record of unsupported statements. For one, his administration said in April that an aircraft carrier strike group was headed toward North Korea when the vessel was actually in Indonesian waters. Instead of interpreting Trump's remark as a red line, the president may be playing the role of the madman, in a ruse to pressure the Chinese to get tough on Kim, Kelly continued. Trump's ultimatum of "fire and fury" came after a Washington Post report said the pariah state was capable of building a miniaturized nuclear weapon. "In the short term, the Americans will wait and see if the latest sanctions change North Korea's behavior," said Jennings, currently executive director at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. But because Kim isn't expected to budge, the stalemate could result in the real risk of American preemptive action within six months, according to Jennings: "Just because it's a dangerous option doesn't mean it won't happen. It will be an act of last resort but looks like we're heading in that right direction."

US image dented

Trump's use of such incendiary rhetoric is seen further undermining the image of the world's largest economy. "The more he doesn't follow-up on promises, the weaker America's image gets overseas...Trump is gaining a reputation for not being truthful," said Kelly.

watch now

Indeed, policy flip-flops from NATO to China have become a signature of the billionaire's administration. "The problem with Trump's comments is there is no strategy behind them. They don't reflect a thought-out plan or discussions with allies, they just add more risk to an already risky situation," Jennings added. Moreover, there was no real need for the president's Tuesday remark, according to Delury. "Every single day, there's a [North Korean] threat on the U.S. or its allies. We haven't really seen any spectacular new level of threat," said Delury, who referred to North Korea's Guam warning as "standard operating procedure." Instead of military might, officials should concentrate on the "freeze for freeze" deal, which remains the best option on the table, Delury continued. Under the proposal, North Korea would temporarily freeze nuclear and missile tests in return for a reduced American military presence in the Korean Peninsula. "It's a shame [Secretary of State] Rex Tillerson was in the same room as the North Korean foreign minister, who is a reasonable person, and that discussion didn't occur," Delury said. "Both sides need to probe to find a way to step back from the cliff and change these dynamics."

WATCH: Here are five ways North Korea is funding its nuclear program
President Donald Trump (R) speaks about North Korea as he sits beside U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Tom Price (L) during an opioid-related briefing at Trump's golf estate in Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S., August 8, 2017.

President Donald Trump's "fire and fury" ultimatum was an off-the-cuff comment, The New York Times reported, citing people involved in North Korea policy discussions.

Some reports speculated that policy advisors had approved a more hawkish tone, after the president was seen glancing at a sheet of paper while making his statement Tuesday. The Times reported Wednesday that Trump was glancing at a fact sheet about the opioid crisis, which had been billed as the focus of the briefing.

Trump warned that North Korea's threats "will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen." The remarks came hours after reports that Pyongyang had successfully created a miniaturized nuclear weapon designed to fit inside its missiles.

Trump has often used that phrase in private, White House advisors told the Times. Aides may be divided on North Korea policy, but the newspaper said Trump's language wasn't endorsed by either camp.

The president's words were also panned by Beijing, Pyongyang's biggest ally. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that it wants to resolve "the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through political means."

The office also urged all parties "to avoid any words or action that could intensify problems and escalate the situation; and to put more effort into pushing this issue back on the right track of dialogue and negotiation."

Read the full report in The New York Times.

 CNBC's Eunice Yoon and Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report.